#mix between city and overgrown naturals!

[nordsea-horizons]

currently considering doing a full island with this vibe..🌥️

[blackblooms]

Irredeamable developpement retrospective Part 3: The fountain So just as presented in the last part, this was my attempt at creating a single complex and interconnected setting for all of my games. I even had a bunch of games planned for this, including one some of you may have seen before.

This game was made on a whole other engine, so i won`t linger too much on it, but the planned story was about a small elf huntress, ascending the great titan (giant tree) to find increasingly imposing preys to hunt, such as troglodytes (giant frog people), drakes, wyrms, other sentient bugs and concluding on a battle with the nevermore, a black crow/dragon that served as the god of the tree.

Anyway, back to our actual game. The fountain took place in a nexus between several worlds, where several species from all over the multiverse lived, including humans, lizardfolk, goblins, elves, trolls, and several races of fae. At the heart of this world, was the coveted fountain, a well of pure magic that was the source of all reality and could remake it to the whims of any who were bold enough to find and use it.

From this premise, a main game was planned, an epic journey through the crossroads of lands, where a group from different races would meet and unite in their common quest to find the fountain and achieve their deepest wishes.

So the journey starts on human lands, a continent consisting of mostly deserts. The fountain is where i finally settled on an aesthetic for humans, making them mechanical, and fire-themed. They usually wield guns and use the metal, oil, and coal of their land to build fiery machines and factories. Other stories also give them the ability to nearly fully mechanize their bodies, turning themselves into metal demons. the second area would have been the lizardfolks/mermaid archipelago (don't ask why they are the second to last area in the plans, i dont know either) These would be themed around water and serve as an artificial/life amphibious force, working under the centaurians from the last few settings. The mermaids specifically were centaurians-humans hybrid, hence why they have features of both. Then the group arrives upon the mainland, where they are met with an overgrown swamp, infested with demi-fae, a group of several races mixed with fae blood, giving them the ability to use magic. This is followed by a series of urbanized forests controlled by the tiny, but industrious elves who are able to build dozens of man-sized war machines. The last obstacle on the journey is the shadowlands, a dark, cold, and desolated region, guarded by a race of ancient stone creatures. These old traditionalists and users of mystical shadow arts despise change and will do anything to prevent the fountain from being tampered with. ( i remember hearing the line "dwarves are incorruptible as stone" in shadow of mordor and it stuck in my head ever since, becoming a defining aspect of the trolls in my own stories.") And finally, the fountain, a place of infinite potential and home of the Fae, creatures that have been encountered during the whole journey, avatars of magic, nature and change. The fountain is a fantastical realm, a city of candy, floating over an ever-flowing lake of golden honey. The purest of faes reside in this realm, but they are far from the nature-loving beings met in the outside world. These Faes are cruel and ravenous, eager to consume the world and make a new one that will one day also be ruthlessly consumed.

Anyway, as you can tell from all the lore, i ended up putting a whole lot of effort into that setting. There was even supposed to be a whole second half of the game where the characters made their wish and the world would be twisted by the Fae magic into nightmares that would have to be fought and repelled before they replaced the region. We are slowly, but surely getting close to the end of this retrospective. Next we will go into the game that ended up giving irredeamable much of its mechanics. A small, self-contained story that ended up bridging the gap between the fountain and the current setting i have been building. See you in part 4: The city of dolls.

[quichein-me-softly]

gneiss time w/ sans

The evening sky was painted in soft hues of lavender and pink as the sun began its slow descent behind the mountain, casting a golden glow over the surrounding trees. The crisp air carried the scent of pine, mixing with the subtle sweetness of fallen autumn leaves. It was that perfect balance between summer’s warmth and autumn’s chill, where a light breeze felt like an invitation to explore, and every path seemed to promise an adventure.

You, venturing to the quiet edge of the forest near Mt. Ebott, were lost in thought, your hands tucked into your pockets as you walked along a narrow, overgrown path. You had come here to clear your mind, finding solace in the gentle rustle of leaves underfoot. But as you rounded a corner, your foot caught on something solid yet hidden beneath the colorful foliage. Before you could catch yourself, you tripped, arms flailing slightly, but you didn’t fall.

Instead, something—or rather, someone—was standing just behind you, steadying you with an unassuming hand on your shoulder. You hadn’t even noticed the figure until you were already in their grip.

"heh. almost bit the dust there, huh?"

You turned your head, and there he was—Sans. The ever-relaxed skeleton with his hoodie slightly unzipped, his trademark grin in place. He wasn’t looking at you directly, but rather down at the leaf-covered path, as if he had known you were going to trip and was just waiting for the moment.

“I—I wasn’t expecting anyone else to be out here,” You stammered, a little embarrassed. Your heart was pounding from the near fall. You couldn’t help but smile back. Sans always had that way about him—showing up when you least expected it, but somehow always at the right time.

“yeah, i wasn’t expecting to be here either,” Sans said with a lazy shrug, his hand sliding back into his hoodie pocket. “but someone’s gotta keep ya grounded, huh?”

You chuckled softly, the awkwardness of your stumble melting into something more comfortable, almost familiar. "Maybe it's fate," you teased, your smile widening as you took a step back, brushing off your pants.

“fate, huh? i dunno. sounds more like gravity to me," Sans quipped, his grin somehow growing wider. His eyes sparkled with mischief.

You two began walking together without much need for words, the path leading you deeper into the forest, where the sounds of city were distant, but the faint warmth of daylight lingered in the cool evening air. As you walked, you couldn't help but sneak glances at Sans, your thoughts alternating between curiosity and amusement.

There was something calming about his presence, a gentle ease that felt like the most natural thing in the world. And yet, beneath that calm exterior, there was always something more—something you couldn’t quite place.

After a few minutes of silence, Sans broke it with another chuckle. "so, what brings you out here? lookin' for some adventure?” Another cheeky grin starts to creep over his face.

“‘cause looks like you were off to a rocky start."

You laughed earnestly before responding. "I just… needed a break from everything back in town. You know how it is."

"oh, yeah. papyrus keeps me on my toes. or... lack of toes. whatever you wanna call these bones," he said with a wink, nudging you playfully.

The two continued walking, the atmosphere growing lighter with each passing moment. There was something undeniably special about this encounter—something that lingered in the way your footsteps fell into sync, and the way the conversation flowed so effortlessly between the two of you. It was a connection neither you nor Sans had expected, but neither of you seemed in a rush to explain.

As you rounded another bend, a soft glow appeared ahead, the welcoming lights of Grillby’s pub visible through the trees. The cozy warmth of the place beckoned you, promising good food, a crackling fireplace, and perhaps even more conversations that neither of you would forget anytime soon.

"well, pal, how about we make this little trip official and grab a bite?" Sans asked, nodding towards Grillby's with a playful look. "i hear the fries are pretty good, but you might wanna avoid the ketchup. heard it’s a hit ore miss."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Sounds pretty gneiss."

“that one was a real gem.”

With some hushed giggles, you both stepped into the warmth of the tavern, your shared smiles and friendly banter weaving the first threads of what felt like the beginning of something deeper. Neither of you said it out loud, but in that quiet moment, as the door swung shut behind you, the world outside seemed a little less lonely.

[reverieparacosm]

Smut: Sir Gideon Ofnir x F!Reader

Sir Gideon Ofnir (Elden Ring) x F!Reader

Warnings/Tags: Smut, Age Difference (all characters portrayed are 18+ legal adults), light possessive behavior, orgasm delay/denial, plot what plot/porn without plot, vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, kind of mask kink

Synopsis: In the midst of a perilous quest for an item, a strong and compelling bond begins to flourish between you and Sir Gideon Ofnir. As the shattered ruins of the once majestic royal capital provide a haunting backdrop, a shared moment by the crackling fire ignites a passionate and electric encounter that transcends the boundaries of your mission.

Note: First time writing Smut, so have mercy on me! Shout-out to @velvet-apricots Without her this fanfic would not have been possible

The wind howls eerily through the streets of Leyndell, now littered with rubble and the decaying remains of past grandeur. Amidst the ruined splendor lie traces of once-luxuriant opulence - shimmering gold, ornately designed mosaics, and colossal statues that bore witness to the lost glory of days gone by.

Despite these reminders of former wealth and power, Leyndell exudes an air of somberness, a sense of hopeless desolation that permeates its walls.

As Sir Gideon Ofnir leads the way into a dimly lit chamber devoid of furniture, save for a crackling fire burning brightly amidst piles of rubble, your heart races with anticipation.

The room is ensconced in a vibrant tapestry of nature's embrace. Overgrown with lush plants and entwined roots, it exudes an enchanting aura. Bookshelves, adorned with glistening golden ornaments, stand as silent sentinels, guarding the treasures of knowledge within. As you step inside, the air becomes an intoxicating blend of damp earth and the intoxicating perfume of blossoming flowers, beckoning you further into this forgotten sanctuary. Your eyes are drawn to the majestic columns and intricate golden accents that adorn every corner, a testament to the opulence that once graced these hallowed walls.

You both have been searching for rare items in the Leyndell Royal Capital.

While it seems unlikely to find anything valuable among all the wreckage, the thrill of exploring such places fills you with excitement and anticipation. This very intensity, fueled by adrenaline and desire, slowly ignites a flame within you both.

With every step closer to the smoldering embers, you feel your body grow increasingly restless, yearning for relief from the mounting pressure simmering beneath your clothes. Unable to resist any longer, Gideon moves toward you, gently brushing your hair away from your face.

His touch sends waves of warmth cascading down your spine, sparking an uncontrollable surge of need deep within your core.

With the faint glow casting mysterious shadows across the walls, it seems like some secret hideaway where lovers would find solace amid the chaos outside. Unbeknownst to him, you feel an irresistible pull towards him, an almost uncontrollable urge to explore his body. 

Despite everything, his gaze softens as it settled upon yours. "This war-torn city may seem barren," he begins, his voice husky yet gentle, "but tonight, I wish for us to make our own sanctuary."

As his fingers grazes your cheek, sending delicious chills down your spine, you could no longer resist the undeniable attraction you feel for him. Desire burns within you, igniting the embers of raw passion buried deep inside.

Yearning to feel his flesh against yours, you reach out to him tentatively.

Gently grasping his hand, you guide it upwards until it rests beneath your cloak, exploring the contours of your soft body. The silk fabric slithered off, leaving your breasts exposed and aching for his touch. Your breath hitches as his calloused hands trace circles around your supple curves, eliciting moans of desire.

"This...this is so forbidden," you whisper, your voice trembling with a mix of desire and apprehension, as your fingertips delicately trace the contours of his armor. "The age gap...it feels wrong, so wrong." His touch lingers on your cheek, a gentle caress that sends shivers down your spine. Slowly, his hand glides downward, inching closer to your chest, igniting a maelstrom of conflicting emotions within you. "Don't worry," he breathes against your ear, his voice dripping with reassurance and a hint of mischief. "The boundaries we defy, the passions we explore...they transcend the constraints of time. It's more than fine."

As if drawn by an invisible force, Gideon Ofnir hovers over you, his heavy breath melding seamlessly with yours. Feeling his dick pressing against your leg, you slowly part your legs further apart, inviting him closer. 

You gaze in awe at his resplendent armor, gleaming like a constellation of stars illuminated by the dancing flames. A surge of longing fills your voice as you whisper, "Could you, just for a moment, remove your mask? I need to see you."

Gideon Ofnir, his voice tinged with dark allure, responds, "Not yet, my love. Allow me to savor this exquisite anticipation, relishing the sight of you vulnerable and quivering before me."

His large hands remove every piece of cloth from your body. It feels erotic having such skilled hands removing your clothes. Every inch of your skin becomes visible under his expertise. Naked before him, you revel in your vulnerability, feeling incredibly turned on knowing someone who is so capable will be seeing you nude.

Feasting his eyes on your body, his arousal intensifies. With his hands firmly holding onto your waist, he pulls you close.

"My, my... you look so perfect like this. Shivering under my gaze", he says.

You feel a surge of pride mixed with excitement. Reaching forward, you stroke the back of his armor, lingering there tenderly while brushing your lips along his mask.

You shiver as the chill of his armor presses against your skin, sending a tantalizing wave of sensation coursing through your body.

His rough, callused fingers tease and pinch your nipples, causing you to arch your back involuntarily. Moaning softly, you grind your hips against his growing erection, seeking release from the torment building inside you. He kneads and squeezes your ass, his thumbs circling your entrance.

Your hands instinctively reach for his armored thighs, attempting to guide him closer, deeper into you. His frame presses against your sensitized skin, evoking images of conquest and dominance.

You lay down on a table. You try to control the soft little whimpers leaving your mouth when Gideon teases your entrance. He plunges his fingers deep inside you, his movements are relentless and skilled.

He knows exactly what makes you squirm and scream, driving you mad with pleasure. You can tell from the intensity in his eyes, he enjoys making you beg for more. You open your mouth, preparing to say something, anything, but words escape you as you’re caught in a whirlwind of ecstatic emotions.

"We're going to fuck right here? What if someone sees us?" You say it with an edge of fear.

"I don't care if someone sees us. I need you, now."

Gideon enters you, burying himself entirely within your wet heat. You both groan loudly, echoing throughout the room.

Embracing the moment, you entwine your legs around his shoulders, drawing him deeper still. Clenching your inner muscles, you buck your hips rhythmically, meeting each thrust with enthusiasm.

"Oh, darling, you're really not that innocent, are you?" Every stroke drives you ever closer to the edge of blissful ecstasy. Increasingly aware of how tightly your sheath envelops him, Gideon picks up pace. His powerful movements match the ferocity of your cries as you surrender yourself fully to him.

"You look so perfect like this. An absolute mess. You have a beautiful young, soft body." murmured Gideon Ofnir, appreciating your form thoroughly.

You lift yourself up slightly, wrapping your arms around his neck and locking your legs behind his, creating a tantalizing position.

Gideon Ofnir finds it hard to contain his excitement as he reaches down to play with your breast.

Grasping the sensitive bud, he begins to tweak and massage it, watching intently as the color rises in your face. Meanwhile, he continues to penetrate you deeply, claiming possession of your body and soul.

"It’s just me and you now," Gideon murmurs softly, planting a kiss on your lips.

Your body shivers with delight as he plunges deeper into your core, claiming every corner of your being.

Each time he withdraws, only to thrust again, harder than before, bringing you ever closer to the peak of pure ecstasy. Your muscles quiver, ready to snap at any second, as wave after wave of pleasure courses through your veins.

"Please...oh, please," you whimper, your voice laced with a desperate yearning. "Take off your mask." Every plea that escapes your lips is a testament to the overwhelming desire that consumes you.

A smile curls on his lips as he observes your surrender. "Begging is a good look for you, my love," he murmurs, his voice dripping with a sinful delight. With a deliberate slowness, he begins to peel away the mask, unraveling the enigma that hides his true face. The anticipation swells, thick with anticipation and a heady blend of fascination and trepidation.

The gleaming metal falls away, exposing his determined features framed by gray hair. Even without his helmet, his eyes remain shielded, adding to his mystique.

You lean in, captivated by the sight of his weathered face illuminated by the flickering flames. You watch closely as he unfastens his chainmail, layer by layer. Each link reveals a new scar, another battle won, a testament to his resilience.

Caressing his arms, you trace patterns of old wounds hidden beneath the smooth surface of his skin. This rugged exterior belies the tenderness found within; a gentleness reserved exclusively for those who earn his trust.

Leaning in, you place a tender kiss on his lip, savoring the salty taste of him. 

"I’m yours. Only yours", you whisper against his lips.

The warmth of his stare held a mix of hunger and tenderness; they were feelings so powerful; words alone couldn’t express them adequately.

You appreciate his beauty. You start moaning, as he starts to thrust against you.

Every movement made your entire body feel electric with pleasure. His rough, calloused palms pressed against your hip bones, giving you goosebumps and heightening your sensitivity.

His piercing gray eyes met yours, sparkling with unspoken promises. "Don't close your eyes. Look at me. Let me see the desire burning within them", he growls seductively, gripping your hips more securely, pulling you closer.

It dawned on you, then, why people say that love is blind.

Amidst the smoldering ruins of war-torn cities and the endless cycle of life and death, you discovered true companionship in the eyes of this Stoic Tarnished. Your hearts beat as one, your souls are connected, intertwined, and bound forever.

Gideon's strong arms encircle you protectively, your bodies moving in harmony. It is an age-old dance of love and lust, fueled by the mutual longing that has brought you here.

Each touch sends ripples throughout your entire being, intensifying the sensuality coursing through every nerve. With unwavering intensity, Gideon Ofnir moves closer, his lips brushing lightly against yours before plunging deeper. His tongue teases and dances with yours, driving you wild with anticipation. The tender kiss turns into something fierce, his teeth nipping playfully at your lower lip as he pulls away, only to return even more hungrily than before.

Gideon's eyes narrow as he abruptly stops his movements, his grip on your waist tightening. A cruel smirk plays on his lips as he leans in, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. "Not yet, darling. You don't get to come until I say so."

He pulls out of you entirely, leaving you feeling empty and frustrated. Gideon's hand trails down your body, his touch teasing and maddeningly gentle. He circles his fingers around your sensitive bud, but doesn't apply the pressure you so desperately crave. "You see, lass, I control every aspect of your pleasure. Your release is in my hands," he taunts, his voice filled with dark amusement. "You're going to have to beg for it. Beg me to let you come."

He continues to stroke and tease you, his touch sending shivers of need coursing through your body. Gideon leans in close, his breath hot against your ear as he whispers, "Tell me how much you want it. How badly you need to come. Beg for it."

The ache between your legs intensifies, and the need for release becomes unbearable. You find yourself succumbing to his dominance, to the power he holds over your pleasure. With a desperate edge to your voice, you plead, "Please, Gideon. Let me come. I need it. I need you."

A wicked grin spreads across Gideon's face as he finally relents, his fingers applying the pressure you crave. The pleasure crashes over you like a tidal wave, your body convulsing as you ride the waves of ecstasy. He watches you, his expression one of smug satisfaction as he revels in the control he has over your pleasure.

Without a word, he positions himself back at your entrance and thrusts inside you once again, his movements forceful and unrelenting. His grip on your hips tightens as he sets a punishing rhythm, his hips meeting yours with a primal intensity. The sound of your moans and the slap of skin against skin fills the room, echoing with the raw passion between you. Gideon's voice is filled with a mix of dominance and lust as he leans in close, his breath hot against your ear. "You can't get enough of me, can you? Your body craves my touch, my control. You're mine to use, to pleasure." His thrusts grow faster and harder, driving you towards the edge once more. Gideon's grip on your waist leaves marks, a testament to his possessiveness. 

As the rhythmic movements continue, your body becomes a symphony of pleasure. Pleasure swells inside you, reaching its crescendo, and finally bursts forth in glorious abandon.

Lost in a sea of ecstasy, you cry out his name, unable to hold back anymore.

With his own climax approaching, Gideon Ofnir quickens his strokes, as his control slips away. As you reach the crest of pleasure together, he slides deep inside you one last time, pulsing powerfully.

Exhausted and spent, Gideon collapses beside you. He traces gentle circles around your checks, brushing the locks off your forehead. As he studies your sleeping visage, the intensity of his regard seemed almost tangible.

The moonlight casts a dreamlike luminescence over your body, rendering it ethereally beautiful. The silhouette of your profile stood proud against the wall, highlighting the sharp angles of your nose and jawline. Yet despite your delicate appearance, you possessed a steely resolve, evident in your unflinching gaze and steadfast determination during training sessions. You were more than a pretty face – you were a force to be reckoned with.

During these quiet moments, Gideon allowed himself to admire the bond forming between you two.

For someone so young, your understanding of the world around you far exceeded that of most of your peers. It amazed him how swiftly you assimilated knowledge and developed skills beyond your years. However, your innocence remained undeniable, especially when it came to matters of the flesh.

Despite your shared desire for physical gratification, Gideon takes immense satisfaction in mentoring you in the ways of passion. While other men might see you merely as a sexual object, Gideon views you as a worthy partner capable of satisfying his needs intellectually, emotionally, and physically.

[teddymoon06]

Close to the edge

Chapter Six: The Road Ahead

The dawn light filtered through the grimy windows of the warehouse, casting an almost ethereal glow over the space. Y/N and Yeonghu, now equipped with the supplies Alex had provided, prepared for the next leg of their journey. The weight of their recent losses still hung heavy, but there was a shared determination between them—a silent agreement that they would push on, for better or for worse.

Alex had been unusually quiet, a stark contrast to their earlier interaction. They moved with practiced efficiency, gathering gear and checking the perimeter. Y/N and Yeonghu were left to their own devices for a while, using the time to gather their thoughts and prepare mentally for the road ahead.

The warehouse, though secure, was a temporary refuge. The real test lay outside its walls, in the vast and unforgiving cityscape that stretched before them. Y/N glanced at Yeonghu, who was meticulously checking his gear. His focus was unwavering, but the lines of fatigue etched into his face betrayed his exhaustion.

"Ready?" Yeonghu asked, his voice steady.

Y/N nodded, though her heart still pounded with a mix of anxiety and resolve. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Alex finally approached them, their demeanor now more guarded than before. "We should get moving. The sooner we leave, the sooner we reach the safe house."

Yeonghu nodded, his gaze sharp and alert. "Lead the way."

Alex took the lead, guiding them through the maze of alleys and side streets. The journey was arduous, with every step laden with the unspoken dread of what might lurk around the next corner. The city was eerily silent, its once-bustling streets now desolate and overgrown. The occasional creak of a door or the distant rustle of leaves was enough to set their nerves on edge.

Despite the danger, there was an odd sort of beauty to the abandoned city. Nature had begun reclaiming the urban sprawl, vines climbing up the sides of skyscrapers, and wildflowers growing in cracks of the pavement. It was a stark reminder of how quickly the world could change, how swiftly civilization could be erased.

As they walked, Alex filled the silence with fragments of information about the city’s current state. "The safe house is in a residential area, mostly intact but well-hidden. It was used by a few others before, so it's not completely empty, but it's safer than staying out in the open."

"Have you been there recently?" Yeonghu asked.

Alex shook their head. "Not for a few weeks. Things change fast out here, and I haven’t had a reason to go back. But it should still be secure."

They moved on, and Y/N's mind raced with questions. Who had used the safe house before? What kind of people were they, and what had happened to them? The uncertainty gnawed at her, but she pushed it aside. They needed to focus on the present, on surviving the immediate threats.

As the hours passed, the cityscape began to change. The buildings grew older and more dilapidated, the streets less familiar. Alex led them with a confidence that suggested they knew this area well. Despite the growing sense of unease, Y/N found some comfort in their presence. They had been through this nightmare before and had managed to survive.

Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the city, Alex halted before a nondescript house tucked away between overgrown hedges and crumbling walls. The house was small, its exterior unremarkable, but the subtle signs of recent habitation—a fresh patch of dirt, a slightly tilted flower pot—hinted at its continued use.

"This is it," Alex said, their voice low. "We’re going to enter through the back. It’s less likely to attract attention."

Yeonghu nodded, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. "Alright. Lead the way."

Alex led them around to the back of the house, where a small, rusted door was partially hidden by a tangle of ivy. With a practiced hand, Alex pushed the door open, revealing a dimly lit room. Inside, it was clear that someone had taken care to make the space as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. There were makeshift beds, a few boxes of supplies, and even a small, functioning stove.

“Looks like someone’s been here recently,” Yeonghu said, surveying the room.

Alex nodded. “It’s not perfect, but it should do for now. We can stay here for a while and regroup.”

Y/N stepped inside, her senses adjusting to the dim light and the faint smell of wood and dust. The room was small but surprisingly organized. There was a sense of order amidst the chaos, a small comfort in the middle of their disarray.

“Thank you for bringing us here,” Y/N said, her voice sincere. “We appreciate it.”

Alex shrugged, their face partially hidden by the shadows. “Like I said, it’s not much, but it’s something. I’ll stay for a while to make sure you’re settled, but then I’ll be on my way. I don’t stick around too long.”

Yeonghu nodded. “We understand. We just need a bit of time to rest and figure out our next steps.”

As Alex settled into a corner of the room, Y/N and Yeonghu took a moment to unpack and organize their supplies. The tension of the day seemed to lift slightly as they worked together, the familiarity of routine providing a brief respite from their constant state of alert.

When they were finished, Y/N sat down on one of the makeshift beds, her body finally able to relax. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the fatigue and pain that still lingered. The day had been long and taxing, but there was a small sense of relief in having a safe place to rest, even if it was only temporary.

Yeonghu joined her, sitting down beside her with a sigh of exhaustion. “We’ve come a long way, but we’re still in this together.”

Y/N looked at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah. We are.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared experiences settling between them. Despite the danger and uncertainty that lay ahead, there was a sense of solidarity—a reminder that they were not alone in this struggle.

As the night deepened, Alex began preparing a small meal with the supplies they had brought. The simple act of cooking felt almost normal, a fleeting glimpse of the world that had once been.

Y/N and Yeonghu joined Alex at the small table, the shared meal providing a brief moment of comfort and camaraderie. The conversation was light, focused on practical matters and the plans for the coming days. For a brief time, the weight of their circumstances seemed to lift, replaced by the simple pleasure of shared company.

When the meal was finished, Y/N and Yeonghu retired to their makeshift beds. The exhaustion of the day weighed heavily on them, and sleep came quickly despite the lingering worries and fears.

As Y/N drifted off, she found solace in the small, fleeting moments of peace. The world outside was still filled with danger and uncertainty, but within these walls, there was a temporary respite. And sometimes, in the midst of all the chaos, that was enough to keep moving forward.

The next morning arrived with a muted, gray light filtering through the grimy windows of the small house. The city outside remained silent, an oppressive stillness that seemed to linger in the air. Y/N woke to the soft sound of Alex moving about, their presence a reminder of the precarious balance of safety and danger they were living in.

She stretched carefully, trying to ease the stiffness from her muscles. The pain in her leg had subsided slightly, thanks to the rest and the makeshift bandaging, but it still throbbed with every movement. Yeonghu was already up, sitting at the small table and examining a map Alex had spread out before him.

“Morning,” Y/N said, her voice still heavy with sleep.

Yeonghu looked up, offering a tired smile. “Morning. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Y/N replied, easing herself into a sitting position. “Thanks to the rest. What’s the plan for today?”

Yeonghu nodded towards the map. “We need to figure out our next move. Alex mentioned a few potential routes to get to other safe locations, but we need to decide the best path.”

Alex, who had been quietly preparing breakfast, turned their attention to the discussion. “The routes are all marked here,” they said, pointing to several routes on the map. “There are some places that are relatively safe but require a bit of a detour. And then there are others that are more direct but more dangerous.”

Yeonghu studied the map closely, his brow furrowed in concentration. “We need to balance safety and speed. The longer we stay in one place, the higher the risk.”

Alex nodded in agreement. “That’s the general idea. If we’re looking for safety, we can take the longer route and avoid heavily populated areas. If we want to move quickly, we’ll have to navigate through riskier zones.”

Y/N took a deep breath, looking at the map and trying to make sense of the options. “What about the safe house you mentioned earlier? Is it still a viable option, or should we focus on another route?”

Alex’s expression grew serious. “The safe house is still a good option, but it’s not guaranteed to be safe forever. Things change quickly, and what’s secure today might not be tomorrow.”

Yeonghu glanced at Y/N, clearly weighing their options. “It might be worth checking out the safe house, but we need to be prepared for anything. If we find it’s compromised, we’ll have to move quickly.”

Y/N nodded in agreement. “Let’s take the safer route to get there, but stay alert. We can’t afford to let our guard down.”

With the plan in place, they finished their meal and gathered their gear. The small house, though offering temporary refuge, was not where they intended to stay for long. The outside world was waiting, and they needed to be ready.

Alex led them out of the house, the morning air cool and crisp. They moved with purpose, their steps carefully measured as they navigated the maze of abandoned streets. The city seemed almost peaceful in the early light, but the tranquility was deceptive. The dangers lurking in the shadows were ever-present, and they knew they couldn’t afford to be complacent.

As they walked, Alex shared more about the area they were traversing. “This part of the city used to be a bustling neighborhood, full of families and small businesses. Now, it’s just another part of the wasteland.”

Y/N listened intently, trying to piece together the fragments of the world that had once been. It was hard to imagine the vibrant life that had existed here, now reduced to ruins and decay. The reminders of normalcy were fleeting, but they provided a glimpse into what they had lost.

The journey was slow, but steady. The streets they walked were eerily quiet, the occasional sound of distant groans or the rustle of wind through the debris serving as constant reminders of the danger that could appear at any moment.

After several hours, they reached a small, run-down park. It was overgrown with weeds and encroaching vegetation, but it provided a brief respite from the city’s oppressive atmosphere. Alex led them to a bench that, despite its dilapidated state, offered a chance to rest.

“We’re about halfway to the safe house,” Alex said, taking a seat on the edge of the bench. “We should be able to reach it by late afternoon if we keep up this pace.”

Yeonghu sat beside Alex, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement. Y/N took a seat on the opposite end of the bench, her leg throbbing from the strain of walking.

“Do you have any idea who might have used the safe house before?” Y/N asked Alex, trying to gather as much information as possible.

Alex hesitated for a moment before replying. “It was used by a few different groups. Some were just travelers, others were locals trying to stay safe. I don’t know the specifics about who might be there now, but I’d expect it to be either empty or occupied by someone new.”

Yeonghu leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. “We should be cautious when we arrive. If there are people there, we need to make sure they’re not a threat. And if the place is empty, we need to be ready to move quickly if necessary.”

Alex nodded in agreement. “Exactly. And remember, things can change fast. We’ll need to stay on our toes.”

They took a short break, resting and rehydrating before continuing their journey. The park, though quiet, provided a momentary sense of normalcy, a brief respite from the constant vigilance they had maintained.

As they resumed their trek, the cityscape began to shift. The buildings grew older and more decrepit, the streets narrower and less navigable. The safe house was within reach, but the path to it was fraught with challenges.

By late afternoon, the sun cast long shadows across the city, and the temperature began to drop. They approached the area where the safe house was supposed to be, the tension palpable as they neared their destination.

Alex led them through a final series of alleyways, their steps cautious and measured. The safe house came into view, its unremarkable exterior blending with the surrounding ruins. It was clear that they had arrived, but the uncertainty of what awaited them inside lingered.

“Here we are,” Alex said, their voice low. “Let’s check it out.”

Yeonghu took the lead, approaching the door with caution. He pushed it open slowly, revealing a darkened interior. Y/N followed closely behind, her senses on high alert.

The inside of the safe house was surprisingly well-maintained. There were remnants of previous occupants—cans of food, medical supplies, and personal items scattered around. The place seemed to have been lived in recently, but there was no immediate sign of anyone present.

Yeonghu and Y/N carefully moved through the rooms, checking for any potential threats. The house was small but functional, with a few rooms that could be used for sleeping and storage. It was clear that it had been a refuge for others in the past, but now it was their temporary haven.

Alex settled into a corner of the main room, their eyes scanning the surroundings. “It’s not perfect, but it should be safe for now. We’ll need to keep watch, but it’s a good place to rest and regroup.”

Y/N sighed with relief, her exhaustion evident. “Thank you for bringing us here. It feels like a small victory.”

Yeonghu nodded, his expression a mix of relief and weariness. “We’ve made it this far. We just need to keep moving forward.”

As night fell, they settled into the safe house, preparing for a night of rest. The world outside remained a constant reminder of the dangers they faced, but within these walls, they found a brief respite. For now, they could focus on the small victories and the hope of finding their way through the chaos that had overtaken their world.

As Y/N lay down on the makeshift bed, she closed her eyes and let the exhaustion wash over her. The journey ahead was still uncertain, but for tonight, they had a place to rest, and that was enough.

The night in the safe house was eerily quiet, the darkness outside serving as a stark contrast to the modest sanctuary they had found. The small rooms were dimly lit by a few candles Alex had managed to find, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Despite the relative safety, Y/N couldn’t shake the underlying tension. The weight of the day’s journey and the unknowns that lay ahead kept her mind racing.

Yeonghu had set up a makeshift guard post by the window, his eyes constantly scanning the street outside. He knew the importance of staying vigilant, even in what seemed like a secure location. Alex, meanwhile, had started organizing the supplies they’d brought, setting up a small area for their provisions and checking the medical supplies to ensure everything was in order.

Y/N tried to help, but her leg was still sore from the previous day’s exertion. She opted to sit on the floor near the makeshift food area, sorting through some cans and packages. The simple task helped distract her mind, but the quiet that enveloped the safe house only served to amplify the silence.

As she worked, Alex approached, their face partially obscured by the dim light. “You’re doing well with those,” they said, their tone soft but earnest. “We should have enough to last us a while, but it’s always good to be prepared.”

“Thanks,” Y/N replied, looking up. “It’s strange, isn’t it? How something as simple as organizing food can feel like a small victory.”

Alex nodded. “In this world, it’s the little victories that keep us going. Every day is a fight, and every small achievement matters.”

Yeonghu glanced over from his post, his expression thoughtful. “We’ve made it this far, and we’ve found a temporary safe spot. That’s something.”

The night dragged on, the hours marked only by the occasional shift in the shadows and the distant sounds of the city. Y/N eventually retired to one of the small beds, her body protesting the discomfort but her mind refusing to settle. Sleep came fitfully, her dreams haunted by fragments of her past and the uncertain future.

The next morning, Y/N woke to the faint light of dawn seeping through the grimy windows. She stretched carefully, trying to ease the stiffness in her muscles. Yeonghu and Alex were already up, preparing breakfast with the supplies they had. The simple act of sharing a meal brought a brief sense of normalcy.

“We’ve got a bit of a plan for today,” Alex said as they handed Y/N a cup of coffee. “We should take stock of what we have and plan our next move.”

Yeonghu nodded, his gaze focused. “Agreed. We need to consider our options and prepare for whatever comes next.”

They gathered around the small table, discussing their plans. The safe house had provided them with a much-needed respite, but it was clear they couldn’t stay forever. The city was still fraught with danger, and their next move needed to be strategic.

Alex laid out the maps again, pointing to various locations. “There are a few potential safe zones further out. We could make our way to one of those, but we need to be careful. The routes are filled with risks.”

Yeonghu studied the maps, his finger tracing a potential route. “We should aim for a location that offers the best chance for long-term safety. If we find a secure place, we can start making more permanent plans.”

Y/N took a sip of her coffee, her thoughts racing. “What about supplies? We’re running low on some essential items.”

Alex nodded. “We can make a supply run to a nearby store. It’s a bit risky, but it’s manageable if we’re careful.”

Yeonghu looked at Alex, a sense of determination in his eyes. “Alright. We’ll need to stock up before we move out. We should plan the supply run for today, then finalize our route.”

With the plan in place, they finished their breakfast and prepared for the day’s tasks. The supply run was necessary, but it also carried its own set of risks. They needed to be cautious and strategic to avoid unnecessary dangers.

The city outside remained as desolate as ever. As they set out for the supply run, the sense of urgency was palpable. Every street and alley seemed to hold potential threats, and they moved with a heightened sense of alertness.

Alex led the way, guiding them to a nearby store that had once been a popular grocery. The building was partially collapsed, but the main entrance was still accessible. They approached cautiously, their senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

The interior of the store was in disarray, shelves overturned and items scattered. It was clear that others had been here before, but there were still usable supplies to be found. Alex led them through the aisles, checking for any intact packages and cans.

Y/N and Yeonghu split up, working efficiently to gather as much as they could. They moved quickly, aware that the longer they stayed, the greater the risk of encountering trouble. The sense of urgency pushed them to work faster, their movements tense and deliberate.

As Y/N reached a shelf of canned goods, she heard a distant noise—a faint scraping sound that made her freeze. Her heart raced as she glanced over at Yeonghu, who was also pausing to listen.

Alex, already on high alert, signaled for them to move quickly. “We need to wrap this up. Let’s get what we can and get out.”

They hurriedly gathered the remaining supplies, their movements quick but controlled. The scraping noise grew louder, closer. It was a sound they couldn’t ignore.

With their bags filled, they made their way back to the entrance. The tension was palpable as they exited the store, their senses straining to detect any signs of danger. The scraping noise had stopped, but the sense of unease remained.

Once outside, they took a moment to regroup, their breaths coming in relieved sighs. The supply run had been successful, but the danger had been a stark reminder of the risks they faced.

As they made their way back to the safe house, the weight of their situation settled heavily on them. The supplies would help, but the threat of danger was ever-present. They needed to remain vigilant and ready for whatever came next.

Back at the safe house, they unloaded the supplies and began organizing them. The small victories and the sense of accomplishment were fleeting, but they provided a brief respite from the constant struggle.

That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, they gathered in the safe house to discuss their next move. The plan was to rest for the night and prepare to leave the safe house in the morning. They needed to continue their journey, to find a place where they could truly feel safe.

The world outside was still filled with uncertainty, but within the walls of the safe house, they found a temporary solace. They shared a quiet meal and discussed their plans, the camaraderie and sense of purpose providing a small measure of hope.

As Y/N lay down for the night, she reflected on the journey they had undertaken. The challenges they had faced and the dangers that lay ahead were daunting, but the small victories and the support of her companions were a reminder that they were not alone.

In the darkness, as she closed her eyes and tried to find rest, Y/N clung to the hope that, despite the chaos and uncertainty, they would find a way to navigate the world they now inhabited. The road ahead was still fraught with challenges, but as long as they faced it together, there was a chance for a better tomorrow.

Next | Previous

[fleetwoodhunteruk]

Mystery of Abandoned Homes in London: A Haunting Tale of Forgotten Residences

In the bustling metropolis of London, amidst the towering skyscrapers and historic landmarks, lie hidden remnants of a forgotten past - abandoned homes. These dilapidated structures, once filled with life and warmth, now stand as eerie reminders of bygone eras. From the cobbled streets of East London to the leafy suburbs of the West, these abandoned houses evoke curiosity and intrigue among both locals and visitors alike. Let's delve into the enigma of abandoned homes in London and unravel the stories they hold.

The Allure of Abandoned Houses

Abandoned houses in London possess a unique allure, attracting urban explorers, photographers, and historians alike. Their crumbling facades and overgrown gardens offer a glimpse into a time long gone, sparking imagination and contemplation.

How Did They Become Abandoned?

The question of how these homes became abandoned is a common one. Some were left vacant due to economic downturns, while others fell victim to urban redevelopment projects. Additionally, changes in ownership, legal disputes, and structural issues have contributed to the abandonment of many houses across the city.

How Many Abandoned Homes Exist in London?

Pinpointing the exact number of abandoned homes in London is challenging due to their clandestine nature. However, estimates suggest that there are hundreds scattered throughout the city, each with its own story to tell.

How Are Abandoned Homes Regulated?

The regulation of abandoned homes in London falls under various jurisdictions, including local councils and housing authorities. Depending on their condition and location, abandoned houses may be subject to demolition, renovation, or preservation efforts.

How Do Abandoned Homes Impact Communities?

The presence of abandoned homes can have profound effects on surrounding communities. They may attract antisocial behavior, lower property values, and contribute to urban blight. However, efforts to revitalize these properties can breathe new life into neighborhoods and foster community engagement.

How Can Abandoned Homes Be Repurposed?

Repurposing abandoned homes presents an opportunity to preserve heritage and address housing shortages. Adaptive reuse projects, such as converting abandoned houses into community centers, artist studios, or affordable housing, offer sustainable solutions to urban decay.

How Do Abandoned Homes Reflect London's History?

Abandoned homes serve as tangible artifacts of London's rich history, reflecting the city's evolution over time. From Victorian terraces to post-war council estates, each abandoned house tells a story of its inhabitants and the societal forces that shaped their lives.

How Do People Discover Abandoned Homes?

Discovering abandoned homes in London often involves a mix of research, exploration, and serendipity. Urban explorers may scour old maps, follow local rumors, or simply stumble upon these hidden gems while wandering the city's streets.

How Can Abandoned Homes Be Preserved?

Preserving abandoned homes requires a coordinated effort between government agencies, preservationists, and community stakeholders. Initiatives such as heritage conservation grants, tax incentives, and public-private partnerships can help safeguard these architectural treasures for future generations.

How Do Abandoned Homes Inspire Creativity?

Abandoned homes serve as blank canvases for artistic expression, inspiring photographers, writers, and filmmakers to capture their haunting beauty. Through visual storytelling and creative interpretation, these forgotten spaces are immortalized in art and literature, ensuring that their legacy endures.

In conclusion, the phenomenon of abandoned homes in London is a testament to the city's complex history and ever-changing landscape. While these forgotten dwellings may seem desolate at first glance, they are imbued with stories of resilience, loss, and transformation. By uncovering their secrets and exploring their mysteries, we gain a deeper understanding of London's past and present, while charting a course for its future.

[bartokthealbinobat]

Why Are Men Like This

Ch. 6 of Brandy and the End of the World

word count: 958

tw:

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Wet dirt coats my fingers as I lean back onto my palms, sinking my hands into the earth. The air is still clouded with the scent of rain, and as I watch little droplets hang onto blades of grass with all their watery might, I can tell it’s going to be a good day.

We stayed in the same place for the night, not willing to give up the comfort of the blocked wind and try our luck going further, but it ended up being an awful idea for several reasons. Apparently Justin can’t stay in one spot while asleep, nor can he keep his hands to himself. Because of this I woke up several times to a spindly, skeleton-like hand draped across my arm, glowing in the pale moonlight like a knobby remnant of melted wax left to burn itself into my skin. At least, that’s what it felt like to me. I’m not sure if Justin just naturally secretes anti-Brandy toxins or what, but him touching me makes me want to toss the cookies. Again. 

When I finally wake for good, only hours later, it feels as though I haven’t slept at all. My sides ache as I push myself upright, and I can still taste bile on the back of my tongue. Sadly, Justin is still here too, and I wonder for a second if I can run off before he wakes up. To my great disappointment, Justin stirs to the sound of my thoughts and stretches his long arms out like he’s trying to air-dry spaghetti. Rolling my eyes, I shift over to pack up my stuff and look around for the dog. She is sitting a little ways away, posed like one of the great sphinx statues of Egypt and keeping a watchful eye trained on Justin. I’m relieved she didn’t run away during the night, but I have to wonder if she slept at all with how alert she is. She throws a look my way, as if rolling her eyes at me, saying of course I slept , stupid. Yeah, she had to have slept.

We get off to a very, very slow start, with Justin complaining the entire time as he packs up his gear at a glacial pace. Eventually I just sit down and wait for him, splitting a few crackers with the dog as we watch him pause in between each roll of his blanket. 

Once on the road, I am relieved t find that we fall into a mutual silence, the only sound being the shuffle of our feet and the panting as the dog runs past us to investigate patches of grass that we pass. We are finally getting out of the heart of the city, the cramped, jumbled alleyways and stacks of apartment buildings giving way to small houses, subdivisions, even some yards. One of the houses we pass has an overgrown clutch of flowers in the front, tall stems swaying with every small breeze. Their bright yellow petals catch my eye, out of place in the bare streets and concrete-colored palette that had become my entire world. The flowers have managed to survive, to thrive even in the apocalypse, and they bring a beautiful breath of spring to a dreary and grey world. 

As I trudge along, lost in my own thoughts, a sound off to the side cuts into my reflections. There is huffing, a bit of laughter so faint that I’m not even sure it’s there but still I stop short, grabbing at Justin’s sleeve and yanking him back beside me. 

"Hey-” He starts, but I cut him off with a slice of my hand and a harsh whisper.

“Do you hear that?”

He pauses, shakes his head. I motion for him to wait, cocking my head to the side to listen better as I do so. There it comes again, a huffing laugh, so quiet I can barely hear it, and Justin pales next to me. The sound floats over to us from behind a garbage bin, one of the big industrial ones that always smells bad no matter how full it is. As we watch, frozen in place from a mix of curiosity and fear, a woman stumbles out from behind the bin, her laughter getting louder and rising in pitch. This is despite the tears tracking down her face and the blood smeared across her chin. She giggles again, but it turns into a sob partway through and I take a step back, unsure of what to do. At the same time, Justin takes a step forward, his sleeve sliding out of my loosened grip as he does so.

“Are you okay?” He asks, voice wavering a touch.

Her gaze snaps onto him, jaw clenching as she considers him.

“Am I okay…” She repeats, lingering on the word okay. Her eyes tear up again and she wipes at them furiously.

“Uh, yeah? Do you need help?” 

She grins. 

“No.” she turns to fully face him. “No, what I need is my goddamn baby back.” SHe says it calmly, levelly. 

“Justin, maybe we should-” I take another step back as I start to talk.

“I want my GODDAMN BABY BACK!” The woman cuts me off with her scream, spit flying from her mouth. Justin finally takes a step back, realizing that something is wrong. Time for us to skedaddle. 

I grab Justin’s hand, ignoring his startled look, and tow him behind me as I run away from the crazy lady, her screams following us until suddenly they cut out. Justin looks at me and I shake my head, slowing my run to a brisk walk and releasing his hand. Something must have gotten her, and I wasn’t about to ask questions.

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Author's Note: an "average-sized" chapter to get back into the groove.

-Bartok

tag list (comment if you want to be added!): @teigo-the-explorer

[lokislastlove]

A Taste Of Devotion (Dark!Clark x Reader)

Summary: You discover a secret garden that changes your life forever.

Warning: Noncon/Dubcon, a bit of blood and death, smut, sex-pollen-ish?

Note: My contribution to @thanatosfic amazing Greek Mythology Challenge!!!! I LOVE a Greek Mythology. This got me so excited!! Thank you for all the effort you put into that list of prompts and inspiration. I chose the Minotaur myth, and mixed it up a bit with the god Dionysus and his cult of Maenads. First time trying to write Clark… tho I don’t feel like I really made it feel like him, maybe next time I’ll be better. Haha 😬

🌿

The warm sun shines through the fluffy white clouds, casting patches of shadows over the blooming green hills. Ripening grapes grow heavy on the weaving vines clutching row after row of trellises along either side of you. The only sound for miles are the twittering of birds and the crunch of the earth beneath your sandals.

You take in a deep breath through your nose, savoring the sweetness of the beautiful spring day as you tour the foreign vineyard. All doubts of traveling on your own are lost to the pleasant breeze as you let the beauty of nature soothe your overworked body and mind.

You may have chosen this stop for the wine tasting, but there is no denying the healing power of nature. The wine takes the edge off in the evenings and the food is delicious at all hours, but you hadn’t expected to enjoy the quiet morning walks through the grounds as much as you do.

Strolling up and down the rows, admiring and tasting the grapes, giggling at the animals who scurry at the sight of you. Such a simple pleasure, but one city life doesn’t offer.

At the end of the dusty path between the sprawling fields of grapes you come upon a tall crumbling brick wall, overgrown with ivy and weeds. Curious, you follow along the old bricks in search for some sign of what might be hidden beyond. After some time you find a small archway hung with a splintering wooden door, its hinges rusted and flaking.

You hesitate, climbing over a thorny bush so you can test it’s resistance. Balancing on your tip toes, you give the door a sharp push. The wood groans, hinges screeching, as it slowly creaks open. You retrieve your sandal from where it caught in a vine and set down the dark path, towering shrubs escorting you into some sort of secret garden. How could you possibly resist?

—

The sun sits high in the sky, hours since you found your way into this endless estate, each turn offering a new wonder to dazzle and lure you in. You didn’t mean to wander so deep, but you can’t help it for without fail each new enclave offers something enchanting and you just have to find out what comes next.

Courtyards of precisely trimmed shrubbery, your favorite being the animal themed collection with a roaring lion at its center. Another path takes you to a field of daffodils, glowing gold in the brilliant blaze of the sun. Around another corner an iron gate leads to a soft grassy lawn, spotted with cherry blossoms, ideal for a spring time picnic. You discover a gravel path where blushing pink roses climb white stone pillars that lead you to the most amazing sight yet.

A sparkling cerulean lake surrounded by towering trees and lush green grass has you frozen in awe. Just on the edge of the water, across the pond, stands a grand marble gazebo. Grecian-styled white columns circle a stone patio with a beautiful view of the water and blossoming bushes of various colors.

“Wow,” you breathe as you reach the shade of the painted dome ceiling.

The vivid colors depict a glorious celebration, women frolicking through nature with fistfuls of grapes and ivy crowns adorning their heads as they chase a flute playing satyr around a bull-headed man at the center. The image brings a smile to your face for a brief moment before you hear the blood-curdling scream of a woman from somewhere behind you.

You whip around, scanning the shady forest floor until you spot a girl scrambling back to her feet as she rushes toward you, weaving through the trees and fearfully checking over her shoulder. Your blood goes cold at her disheveled appearance, scratches along her face, dress torn and sliding down her muddied shoulders.

“Help!” she shrieks.

You don’t move, confusion and shock freezing you on the spot. She breaks through the trees and into the sun allowing you to see the alarming amount of blood staining the skirt of her dress.

“What? Oh my god, are you ok?” You fret, tentatively holding out your arms as she stumbles toward you.

Her bare feet slip on the polished step and you catch her before she can hit the sharp edge, “woah, are you hurt?”

She doesn’t answer, eyelids fluttering weakly as she sinks into your arms in relief. Her rapid breaths slowing slightly as she lays there. You tuck your sweater under her head as you try to search her for injuries.

“I’m gonna call for help,” you promise as you reach for your phone in your pocket, but your fingers feel nothing but the barren patch of cloth.

Your stomach drops as you pat down your clothes with no success. You must have dropped it, but you can’t actually remember using it since you passed through the splintered door.

“Shit,” you curse and the battered girl coughs out a pained laugh.

“It’s no use,” she bemoans, shaking her head. “There’s no way out.”

“What?”

Her eyes open wide, mirroring your terror-filled gaze, “labyrinth.” Her voice is breathy and strained, as if simply uttering the word might summon some monstrous terror.

“Labyrinth? Like a maze?” You ask, brows furrowed.

Her twisted features soften as her breathing shutters and she lets out one last wheezy sigh. Her body stills, eyes dull as you hover over her in a panic, unsure of what to do. Your nerves seize in the silence, buzzing with a mixture of shock and grief, she looks so young, early twenties if you had to guess. But mostly you feel fear, the thought of what did this to her might find you as well.

The sharp snap of a twig echoes through the trees, breaking the silence and causing your heart to clench in fright. Your eyes dart around you as you get to your feet, ready to run at the first sign of danger.

“What’s this?” A sickly sweet voice sings.

A young girl, with an ivy crown and vines curling up her bare legs, steps out from behind a pillar only a few yards away. You swallow nervously at the way she grins in excitement. A few drops of scarlet drip down her cheeks and splatter on her dainty white sundress, its broken strap exposing her right breast. A perfect manifestation of the image hanging above you.

“I – I think she’s dead…” you stutter as you take a shaky step back.

“Mmm,” she tilts her head and smiles. “She was unworthy.”

“Unworthy,” you repeat, bewildered.

She giggles childishly and slowly turns her attention toward the forest, where you hear another snap and follow her gaze with a gasp. It take a minute for your brain to process what you are seeing. At first you think it’s a bear, standing tall and terrifying on his hind legs. But the horns give you pause and your eyes widen as you recognize the bull-shaped head sitting atop a startlingly large man’s body.

His skin is black and leathery, coated with thick patches of equally dark hair and his muscles ripple beneath as he steps into the sun. His hoofed feet shatter the twigs and fallen debris as he stalks closer and closer to you. He growls lowly, exhaling with a huff as he watches you tremble before him.

He stops before the stone steps and snorts softly, tilting his head as if assessing you, his large nostrils flaring as he smells you from afar. You take several steps back, your knees weak, ready to collapse at any moment.

“Oh,” the girl laughs as she twirls gracefully around one of the surrounding columns. “He likes you.”

Your eyes bounce between them, unsure of who you are more afraid of. The ‘Labyrinth’ comment suddenly clicks and you shudder as the realization settles over you, if the legends are real you were dead the moment you walked through that wooden door.

Without a thought you turn on your heal and sprint through the pillars and leap into the clear blue water. You dive deep and kick hard, urging yourself forward in an attempt to escape. You make it up to the surface and take a gulp of air, turning back as you paddle to see if they are following you.

You blink and sputter into the water as the Minotaur steps up to the edge, his companion dancing unbothered behind him. He slowly raises his arms and light seems to gather around him. You narrow your eyes, treading water as you stare in disbelief at the way the light is absorbed from the very air and his silhouette subtly shifts in the glare of the brilliant blaze.

The bullhead is gone, replaced with the head of the most jaw dropping man you’ve ever seen. His leathery hide restored to a flawless bronzed skin peppered with thick brown body hair to match his luscious curly locks. He squares his stubbled jaw and smirks at you down in the water, amused at the way you ogle every exposed inch of him.

“Oh look, a beautiful little water lily,” he taunts and flicks his wrists to point at you.

You panic as you hear a sudden splash and watch two thick vines along the shore disappear into the water. You barely have time to take a deep breath, your screams cut short when they wrap around your legs and drag you through the lake at a dizzying speed. You are pulled out of the water upside down, hanging loosely by your ankle as you cough, trying to expel the water invading your lungs. The vines hold you aloft, water dripping over the patio, while the man circles you like a vulture.

“Please! Please don’t kill me,” you beg, painfully aware of the still-warm dead girl not ten yards away.

“Kill you?” The woman trills in amusement, “where is the fun in that.”

“Mmm,” he hums in agreement, nodding silently.

“I don’t know if she’s worthy of you, Dionysus,” she advises, voice suddenly serious but still curious as she nears and runs her fingers down your legs.

“That’s what you said about the last one,” he muses, side eyeing her as she circles you.

“She was weak,” she scoffs, peeking at the body on the stairs.

“And the one before that?” he raises a pointed brow.

“She tried to kill you,” she argues.

He laughs loudly, flashing his swoon-worthy smile, “so did you, Ariadne.”

She looks down, shame coloring her olive skin as she bites back any further retort. You stare between them, completely confused and anxious, trying not to draw attention to yourself.

“I think I will judge this one alone,” he says as he steps closer, tilting his head as he studies you.

Adriadne’s mouth gapes in offense before her lips tighten into a thin line, “as you wish, master.”

“Bid one of the others to fetch us some wine as you go,” he waves his hand absently at her, eyes never leaving yours while she glares at you over his shoulder.

“Of course,” she says tersely and storms off into the trees.

There is a moment of silence as you hang there awkwardly, blood rushing to your head as you keep your hands pinned to your sides in an attempt to preserve some of your modesty. Your body shivers wildly, teeth chattering from the cool spring breeze and your wrecked nerves.

“Jealous still, after all these years. But she is loyal to me,” he explains as his fingers trace the collar of your shirt. “Hard to believe that she is the same woman who hired Theseus to kill me,” he chuckles fondly in memory.

“But… I thought Theseus did kill the Minotaur,” you reply, hoping to keep him amenable and talking.

He smirks, eyes sparkling with mischief, “I let him claim as much… and in exchange he ferried Ariadne away on his ship and left her on an island, stranded, as a gift to me.”

“What did you do to her?”

“I married her,” he shrugs. “She was beautiful and meant to be a queen, like her mother. So I made her queen of my harem, the Maenads.”

“Maenads?” you breathe, the title vaguely familiar.

His lip curls, as he circles you once more, “my fearless, formidable army of women who have given their lives in service to me. And in exchange I bless them with my presence.”

“Gee, what a trade,” you mutter without thinking.

He steps back in front of you and clicks his fingers. The vines break with a sharp snap and you drop, hitting your head painfully on the marble floor. You cower at his feet, his size even more intimidating from this new vulnerable position, waiting for the blow to fall for your disrespect.

“It is a gift only fit for those I prize most… which is rare these days.” He toes your chin, prodding you to look up at him. “And what about you, my little water lily… what would you offer your god?”

You gulp, his toe digging into the soft skin just above your throat. You know where he is trying to steer the conversation, you can feel it in the way he looks at you, so you try to stall for time, “w-why did she want to kill you?”

He sighs and releases your chin, crossing his arms over his protruding pectorals, “she was resistant to my affections after she saw what happened between her mother and I.” He pauses, but continues when he notices the look of confusion and mild disgust on your face.

“I seduced Minos’ wife, her mother,” he explains, “disguised as a bull, and Minos had the audacity to take revenge on my offspring. It died in that stone maze beneath their city. After that I ordered Minos to bring me mortal sacrifices each year. It was good sport for a while, and those who managed to impress me were welcomed into my harem where I gave them the chance to take vengeance on their oppressors.”

“So the whole Labyrinth was just a ruse… a way for you to build your cult following?” You snort in disbelief.

“Your naiveté is precious,” he sneers. “I’m hardly the first god to take advantage of their power. At least I don’t set out to inflict pain in all of my endeavors. In fact you might come to find that my desires can be quite beneficial to both of us.”

You flinch when he leans down, reaching out to cup your chin gently. His touch sends a warm tingle outward, spreading through your body and you find yourself getting to your feet at his wordless command, your eyes lost in his.

The soft slap of bare feet on stone and the clatter of a metal tray draws his attention away from you. You stand there mesmerized, the effect of that single touch lingering as he goes to collect a goblet of wine. He returns and offers it to you silently. You drag your eyes away from his modelesque features and glance down at the shimmering red wine.

You know it’s not your typical five dollar box wine by the way it sparkles when it catches the sunlight, clearly enhanced by some sort of magic. And yet your hand grips the cool metal without hesitation, your fingers brushing against his, making your breath hitch. Your muscles tense, mind screaming at you to toss it into the lake, but the edge of the cup meets your lips and the sinfully sweet concoction flows into your mouth despite your reticence.

“What’s going to happen to me?” You quiver as you hand the cup back.

He smiles and leans down, lips brushing against the shell of your ear, hot breath making you shiver with delight, “what would you like to happen to you?”

Words and thoughts evaporate as his lips meet the sensitive skin of your neck. It’s like a tickle set ablaze, your eyes roll and your breath quivers as a wave a pleasure shoots down your body. With just a single kiss he is able to surrender you powerless, needy and yearning for more. You’ve never felt anything so blissfully enticing, and it makes you wonder what else he could do.

“Again,” is all you manage, using most of your focus to remain standing.

“And what are you willing to give for it, little lily?” He whispers against your jaw and you swallow thickly at the wicked depth of his voice.

“Anything, please,” you plead breathily.

“A promising start…” he chuckles and steps back, drawing a whimper from you at the loss of his body heat. “Undress. Slowly.”

Heart fluttering, beating rapidly as a rush of hormones flood your veins, but your hand moves steady and sure. You lift the hem of your shirt, tossing it aside and soaking in his enjoyment, the glimmer in his eye with each new reveal gives you a surge of confidence. His smile widens as he watches you, low hums of pleasure reverberate around the gazebo until you are down to nothing, just like him.

Emboldened by the heat in his eyes and the way his cock grows at the sight of you, you bite your lip and push your breasts together, the need to be touched overwhelming you. You’ve never felt this audacious. And although your body bends to his will, inwardly you note the rush that comes with this lack of self doubt, always held back by your insecurities in the past.

“I still sense some fight in you,” he smirks and with a flourish of his hand a stone seat appears behind him.

He sits on the veined white marble while you stare on, entranced by his magic and the crawling vines wrapping themselves along the surface of the throne. He picks a plump purple grape from a vine on the arm and pops it in his mouth as he lets his thick thighs fall open on the wide seat.

“Show me what you’d do, if you let go completely. Forget about modesty, restraint or fear. I want you as wild and untamed as the flowers in this garden, little lily.”

Your mouth hangs open, salivating at the depravity of his words and his brazen posturing, draping lazily over the seat, exposing every flawless inch of himself. Your only thought is how you’d love to crawl into that lap and use this god until you are completely satisfied. You lick your lips and take a demure step forward.

“Do it,” he commands gently, fanning the fire raging within you.

You feel like you’re about to burst as you reach the chair, standing between his open thighs as you greedily admire every muscle and chiseled curve. Throwing all care to the wind you climb onto his lap, moaning already at the feel of his hot firm thighs beneath yours. Your knees hug his hips as you lets your hands explore his torso.

Fingers dancing over his abs and up his chest, feeling the curly chest hair tickle your fingers as you give a quick squeeze to his pectorals. He chuckles but doesn’t move, curious to see the way you slowly lose control, drawing you out of your timorous nature.

“That’s it. Use me. Show me your fire,” he urges.

You suddenly grab his face and pull his lips to yours. They are soft and pliant, the faint taste of grape still there, feeding your fervor. You feel your control slipping, almost entirely gone now, so unlike the you you’ve known your whole life. Or is this the real you? Just a you without fear.

“Fuck,” you groan as you pull back, your cunt leaking all over his lap as your hips move back and forth, slit dragging along his rigid cock.

“More,” he growls and you sneer at him.

You grab his cock and squeeze the tip playfully as you guide it to your entrance. You suck in one last breath as you slowly slide onto him. You whimper as he fills you so completely, the pain slightly outweighing the pleasure of the stretch. With a feral determination you sink onto him completely, his tip nestled so deep you can practically feel it in your stomach. Deeper than anything you’ve ever experienced.

“It’s too much,” you grimace and try to pull away, but his hands latch to your hips and keep you still.

You gasp at the sudden movement and the way his eyes glow dangerously, a warning. He holds your hips and lifts you up slowly, the corner of his mouth curving at the way you whimper and hiss.

“Such a delicate little flower,” he mocks as he forces you back down and you cry out. “You will learn to appreciate the duality of my sensuality, both the pain and the pleasure.”

You cling to his massive shoulders, your hands unable to cover the full width of his flexing muscles. Biting your lip you try to relax into his touch, the fire still burns within you, craving more despite the sharp stabbing in your core. But the longer you go, the more the pleasure prevails, rising like a warm tide within you until your hips begin to ride it gracefully.

“It is often the most beautiful flowers that are the most deadly… and that is what I will make of you. A woman without fear, knowing she is more formidable than any who might challenge her. I will unleash your chaos.”

Your hips swivel, no longer needing his guidance as you use him to your hearts content. Loud moaning and grunts fill the air as you grind yourself against him, clit pressing deliciously against his hard pelvic muscles as his voice fuels your passion until you explode. You press your chest to his, letting the glow of your orgasm wash over you as you melt into him, boneless and twitching.

“Yes my little water lily, you will join my Maenads, devote your life to me and do my bidding without question. Together we will bring about a new age of revelry.”

He pets your head, cradling you against his chest as you feel your old life slip away, submitting to his power, knowing you will never be the same again.

Tags: @darkficsyouneveraskedfor @caffiend-queen @queenoftheworldisdead @threeminutesoflife @buttercupfangirl @needleandhammer @thiskindahotkindamusic @lokiswildheartcantbebroken

[tipsydipsydo]

Der Geliebte

Pairing: Jungkook x artist! Reader

Gender of the Reader: female

Word Count: 6.4k 

Rating: 16+

AU: non idol! Jungkook x artist! Reader AU!

Genre: strangers to lovers AU; friends to lovers AU! (idiots to lovers AU!); love at the first sight! AU; soulmate to lovers! AU (kinda?); unbelievable amount of fluff; a little angst (fluffy angst!!,); tiny amount of smut (one paragraph xD)

Warnings: tiny bit of smut/some sexual tension between both of them; Jungkook is a poor shy thing and is fucking nervous around the reader all the time; teeth rotting fluff; both are so in love with each other that they’re getting stupid to not realize it; both are insecure that they’re not meant for another... just fluff, fluff, fluff and painfully obvious pining over each other! 

A/N: Hallelujah, I finally did it! After I made Sibi @borathae​ wait over three months for her Christmas + Birthday Fanfic I finished it two weeks to late for my sweetest Darlings Birthday! I am so incredibly sorry that I made you wait for such a long time and really, Sweetie, you have all the rights to be still mad at my stupid ass! Nevertheless... I love you so goddamn much and I hope the fic made at least a little bit up for it... Love you!!!! �� 💕 

Summary: You and Jungkook met right at the first day you opened your own atelier in Seoul after you had to leave your old home behind you. You love paint canvas with landscape motives, other people just roll with their eyes when they hear that you choose such usual, almost boring things to paint. Not so Jungkook, he seems to be different than most of visitors. It’s almost like he can read your feelings through your paintings...

Status: Edited (I am sorry for any still existing errors in here!) 

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「© tipsydipsydo」

This following story is my intellectual property and belongs only to my blog tipsydipsydo.tumblr.com!

I’ll not accept any kind of reposting, stealing or using/editing my work!

That includes reposting my content on other social media platforms too, even when you link me as the original author.

Thank you.

* Jungkook’s POV * 

"In what are you getting yourself into, Jungkook?"

 I quietly ask myself as I get rid of my clothes behind the paravent and throw the dressing gown over his body which you laid out for me. My hands are sweaty, they tremble slightly and my heart beats wildly, as if it wants to jump right out of my chest. Excitement spreads throughout my body, leaving a faint feeling in my stomach and a certain blush rises in my cheeks. I still can't believe what I've gotten myself into . But... you looked at me so pleadingly with your dear and downright innocent eyes that I would have done anything for you with that look of yours. I want to make you happy, see that happy and contented smile on your lips, which always makes a whole horde of wild butterflies break out in my belly. 'Normally I was the shyness and silence in person and with you... with her, I feel for the first timesomething like peace and security. Especially when I consider how shy I usually am around women.', I ask myself and I don't really know the answer to that. But what can I do against my feelings? I don't really know, on the one hand they scare me, on the other hand they feel so exciting and new that I don't want to eliminate them at all.

I don't even know exactly when the whole thing started. In which moment my feelings for you grew, when I felt more than just fascination and admiration for you and your artwork. Six months ago, a small studio had opened in my district, your own studio. On the day of the opening I simply went to it of pure curiosity, I had always had such a weakness for art and photography.

I can still remember exactly how I stood in front of one of your works and was literally speechless and overwhelmed by this picture and all his small details. This painting represents a classic image of the countryside, which was often to be found everywhere. But this work was different. So full of small details and ornaments. It was so much more... As a viewer you can see a beautiful clearing, which is surrounded by trees and protected from too many curious eyes. The ground of this clearing is overgrown with dense and lush green grass, which from the incoming sunlight almost invites you to let yourself fall into the grass. It reminds me instantly of my carefree childhood, when I rolled in it without overthinking my actions too much and those times when I playfully wrestled with my best friends around until our clothes had grass stains all everywhere. I could almost smell the scent of wild, untamed nature. The longer I look at the picture, the greater the longing became. Maybe I could visit this beautiful place one day, together with my partner, my significant other. Playing around with each other, chasing your beloved one until you fall into the grass breathless laughing and cuddling. Maybe we could have a picnic there and feed each other with homemade sweets? 

I didn’t know that such a "simple" landscape painting could touch and awaken so much more in me, in my soul. Suddenly, such a wanderlust came over me that I gasped for air and a heavy lump formed in my throat. My whole body was tingling and my heart was literally screaming to get away from this dreadfully grey and monotonous daily routine of my boring single life, for at least some weeks. I want to go to this place, where I could draw the warm and fresh, natural air could deep into my lungs and pamper myself with homemade delicacies. Just to let the soul dangle and don’t stuck with my closely clocked work life. Maybe sleep until 10 o'clock in the morning and then maybe have a nice nap later. Enjoy the warm nights and hear the crickets chirping. This longing was... irrepressible. This particular wanderlust for nature, just to be out of the city, this longing for exactly this abandoned and untouched forest clearing literally overwhelmed me. What was it for an artist who could trigger such feelings and emotions in me?

I had been so absorbed in the artwork that I had not even noticed that a person step next to me. "Do you like the work?", asked a soft melodic voice, which spoke perfect Korean, but was pervaded by a light accent, which I could not quite assign. I flinched a little, but this bright, happy laugh gave me a tingling goosebumps all over my body. What a beautiful laugh... I turned to the person who was the owner of this beautiful voice. I was startled when I realized that the artist and owner of this studio was standing in front of me personally. I recognized her again, as I had seen a small photo of her in the newspaper article that drew my attention to this beautiful studio in the first place. Already in this picture she had radiated something so strong, colorful, cheerful and lively, which caused an excited flutter in my stomach. 

I admit, I already laid an eye on her just by her appearance. Unfortunately I always had a hard time getting to know people ever since, let alone to talk to women. And now having you, Y/N, personally standing right in front of me, made me feel fluffy and excited in my stomach. Nothing is left of this otherwise so sassy and self-confident  man that I used to be. Only a nervous and stodgy twenty-three-year-old idiot, who did not know what to say or wanted to say, now stands in front of this stunningly pretty and intelligent woman.

Her eyes sparkles like jewels, full of joy, struck me with interest and a playful smile lays on her lips. "Did you not understand my question?", she asked kindly, but nobly reserved. Immediately a rosy puff settled on my cheeks and I stuttered nervously: "Y-Yes, excuse me! I... I was just somewhere else with my thoughts and was completely surprised that they were addressing me personally.... Your works are truly unique! They still show such ‘usual’ motifs and yet they are so special because of these finely elaborated details and this passion with which this work of art was painted. They really are... Unique artworks that you do not forget so quickly. Even for untrained eyes as my owns, I can see that a talented artist has worked on it. I am very impressed by your work, especially this work here!" You could hear the honest admiration from my voice and my heart leapt as she reacted bashful to all of my compliments.

"Thank you, really, thank you so much! I really appreciate to hear such nice words like yours, even if it is rare. I am often criticized for my ‘lack of creativity’, caused by my chosen motives. I just love the rough, almost untouched landscapes of my hometown, I try to depict the ‘normal’ as something beautiful, unique. I would like to ‘really see’ what we already take for granted again. As a wonderful creation, a work of art. Nature is a wonderful example of this, or the architecture of buildings as well. Architects are also artists, although unfortunately they are not seen as such. I just want to offer the obvious things a more meaningful space again.... People like you have become rare. I have observed how you have recognized the true meaning, this beauty and aesthetics in such a ‘usual-looking’ motif. And this pleases me so much that you can read 'between the brushstrokes'. Oh... Excuse me, I always talk way too much when someone shows an interest in art or music, my personal passions. Besides that, I have not introduced myself to you yet, I am Y/N! I was obviously so pleased to see your understanding, empathetic look at this work, if you understand what I mean... Anyway... I can guess that you knew my name already, don't you? What about you? May I know your name?", asked you, beautiful artist, with her really stunning smile.

I swallowed nervously, never before had a young lady mixed my emotions so much in me. Even the picture of her in the newspaper article, which I had read out of boredom in one of my lectures, got me so emotionallyconfused. I didn't want to say it in front of my teasing friends, but I had been really excited when I set off this Friday night. And now the creator of these works of art stood before me and seemed to want to have a longer conversation with me. My heart beats to my throat and I got sweaty hands from this nervousness in my poor body. Honestly, as soon as I wasn't surrounded by my clique of friends, I automatically turned into a nervous, slightly abashed blushing and stuttering guy who behave like an inexperienced teenager. 

In private life, without my best mates by the side, I am not so confident and daredevil. After all, I always had someone who could cover my back when things get tough, while I am on my own without anyone I know. You could usually only believe and trust, not control. That's probably why I struggled with interpersonal relationships. I always overthink too much and have some struggles with my self-confidence.

And now this attractive young woman looked at me with such interest and joy, just me. I was actually the reason for her interest. A joyful and blissful tingling seized every pore, every fiber of my body. Yes, in fact it was just me! Not my best buddy Seokjin, whom I have known since childhood and always sought the attention of everyone. It was no exaggeration to say that he was perhaps a little narcissistic, but only to cover up his own insecurities. Never would I have thought that someone would manage to get this personification of self-love under control. I admired his wife for standing up to Seokjin and keeping him and his dad Jokes at bay. Believe it or not, she of all people had the pants on in the house and knew how to deal with my best friend.

My gaze glided over the figure of the person in front of me and once again I took a sharp breath. I was so nervous to face her personally, a person I already deeply admired and had quite a respect for. I simply did not want to do anything wrong, even if this charm of hers was almost tangible and paralyzed my entire brain with its function. I can already picture how my mind waved wildly goodbye to myself and went to the summer holiday in the Caribbean.

This carefree smile and these beautiful eyes harmonized wonderfully with your complexion. Your features were awake and alive, seemingly always a slight smile surrounded the corners of your mouth, which provoked almost paradoxical reactions in my body. Your smile awake countless butterflies to flutter around in my stomach, which made me quite nervous and at the same time you radiated such a sense of security and calm, as if there was no reason not to get a word out of shyness. My gaze, which I hope examined you unobtrusively enough, wandered to your hands. You had long fingers, I could really imagine how they elegantly held the handle of the paint brushes and worked on these small details extensively in such a calm behavior. Which satisfied and concentrated calmness you possibly radiated while doing that...

A small, noble clearing of your throat again tore me out of my fantasies and speculations. God, what was I today but inattentive! How rude I must have seemed to you...

"Oh, sorry... I... I have not been able to keep my thoughts together all day..." I lied to seem at least a little more credible. Nervously, I pulled on the knot of my tie to loosen it up a little before I have a circulatory collapse. Before I went here, I thought for a long time about what I should wear for this occasion. Jeans and T-shirt were out of the question, too casual and almost an insult for your atelier. A complete suit, however, seemed too overdressed to me and so I decided for a black dress pants and a dark blue dress shirt.Understanding, Y/N nodded and gave me a cheering smile, which made my body tingle again. This woman drove me half crazy alone with his friendly gestures. How could it be that this polite lady got me confused right away?!

And somehow, it gave me a frenzy to leave my secure, anonymous side as a visitor to her exhibition and irrevocably reveal my true identity to you.

"My name is Jeon Jungkook."I answered in a slightly trembling voice, hardly daring to look into her eyes and rubbing my neck unobtrusively.

* Jungkook’s POV *

If only I had guessed what would change in me, how you changed me. That so much more would develop from a pure interest and a simple formal business contact... that you want to make me one of your artworks.

I take another deep breath before I dare to step out from behind the dark red paravent. It is pleasantly warm in this room, I should not freeze, if I am already so freely clothed. My gaze wanders through the small room with the huge, floor-to-ceiling window, which floods the entire room with light. The walls of the room have been painted in a dark orange and red colors and dark wooden planks lay out on the floor. It looks so comfortable due to the warm, dark tones. The orange-yellow evening sun dipped everything into something so cozy... sensual. Somehow into even a little erotic?

Y/N wants to work a lot with the light of the evening sun in this painting, which could be a little complicated if it is not suitable or if it is cloud-covered. But if you have put something into your head, especially in relation to your art, then you do everything you can do to go through it! Also the changing forces of nature cannot stop you from trying to realize your idea. Sometimes, you’re  someone who is quickly frustrated and dissatisfied with yourself as well, especially when something doesn't work as  you wants it to. Nevertheless when it comes to your passion, drawing and painting, you don’t let your idea go away, if you want something, you’ll find a way to make it happen. These are qualities that I know all too well of myself and thus my fascination about you only grows even more. The more time we spent together and I get to know more and more sides of you, the more attracted I became to you.

Your art means a lot to you and you’re quite tough in this respect, can not be overcome by the reproaches and the crushing criticism. That’s exactly what I admire so much about you, having the courage to stand up for personal passion. When I get criticized, all too often I think about really giving up on it, so that I don't have to endure all this criticism anymore. And then I look at you. How focused you are in this moment and carefully prepare for your next project. How you adjusts you easel to the right height, let your self-stretched canvas snap into place, spreads brushes of all sizes and shapes on the small side table next to you and prepares youracrylic colours. I swallow again, as I watched this happen. I am about to become one of your next artworks.

A little uncertainly I walk towards Y/N, the thin dressing gown tightly drawn around my body... never before have I felt so naked and vulnerable. This here is something else. I feel something about it... I feel something for you. For this pretty lady, who sprays her cheerfulness around her and could conjure a smile on the lips of even the most grumpy person. This joy almost kills you, completely engrossed this person and gives you the feeling of floating. You will get the feeling of being welcome at Y/N. To be accepted, with all the flaws and weaknesses that one has. She just smiles at you so gently and lovingly and just says, it's okay. It's okay to be the way you are. Imperfect.

"It is precisely this imperfect, this contradictory and also unpredictable thing that makes us human. That makes us an individual and also interesting. If we were really all as we are expected to be, it would be boring and monotonous. The surprise is only a real gift. Each of us is a very individual gift to a very specific addressee, who is the only one who can truly appreciate this gift. Only then did the recipient find the right person as his gift... Well, if the recipient knows about his gift...", Y/N once said with such a certain look at me, when we went out to dinner together in a restaurant in the evening to clarify some details. I wanted to help her find good contacts in Seoul and help her sell her works.

I can still remember it exactly... it was a quite... extraordinary evening. I was of course once again incredibly nervous and excited. At that time, I did not want to fully realize how much I already like you. Secretly, I had observed my opposite. Your positive and friendly disposition had turned my head all around... and in addition, this beautiful body and her elegant fingers, which already haunt me in the most erotic way unintentionally in my dreams. 

I could not prevent my dream pictures from shooting through my head, which is why my cheeks turned dark red in embarrassment. These fucking fantasies in my head! My eyes stare at the cutlery as if it were incredibly interesting because I didn't dare look up. There were scenes in my mind that made my ears turn red and I would’ve loved to hide behind the menu card. Your body, which made her look like a Greek goddess.

Naked, body covered in sweat, your body shook in lust, you sit up with a wonderful moan... You are on top of me, I could admire your beautiful, almost divine body as you sat on top of me... and rode me. This breathtakingly beautiful distorted face of yours, as if all this pleasure you feel is carved in marble... lids closed, your lips, swollen from all the kissing, are slightly opened which let    your lustful whimpering escape. This grace and elegance, as you rose from me and  then lowered yourself again... as your hands glide erratically over my stomach, searching for support... you suddenly threw your head back and clenched even more tightly around my length. The addicting sounds you’ve made... it’s like the most beautiful melody in my ears... squelching noises and even more of yourjuices gushing out of your sweet, so sweet pussy when you came...

An all-too-familiar laugh tore me out of my extremely indecent thoughts, which quite relieved me at first. Until I raised my head and not too far away I recognized no one but my best friend Kim Seokjin, who made very questionable hand signals in my direction. Oh my God, no! I knew that he had recently changed his job and got accepted for a position as a chef in a new restaurant... but not in this Restaurant! He will never let me life after he found out I was on a “Date” with a woman...

Even though Seokjin was on the other side of the restaurant, I could almost feel his smirk on my own skin. Fuck it, just pretend as if you do not know each other and hit him really hard tomorrow morning in the gym where we meet up for our work out. I quickly turned all my attention back to the person sitting opposite me and tried to ignore Seokjin as best I could.

It was only at the end of the evening, when I had said goodbye to Y/N, that I realized that this meeting had much more of a date than a "business dinner". How familiar we had talked with each other... how much I had thought about licking Y/N the drop from the chocolate sauce of her lava cake from her lips... how it would be... to kiss and touch you...

A noticeable blush has settled on my cheeks as I attended our first meeting together... or even Date in this Restaurant thought back. Four months had passed since then and I suffered from longing for you. You would never see me like I saw you. The reason you wanted to draw me was simply that she needed someone as a model. In addition to landscapes and cities, you want to devote herself gradually to more other motifs. And since I have been the first inquired. Your pleading eyes made me say yes. But I know that for me you have  no more than the feelings for a casual friendship. It hurts to see how you flirt  around so casually with all those other people. I would never be the gift for you as you are for me. If only the recipient would notice that there is a given heart laying in your hands...

"Ah, Jungkook! I’m glad that you're ready!", your cheerful and melodic voice cuts through the silence of the room and you’re walking towards me with excited shining eyes. "Come~," you say and lead me to the chaiselongue, which is placed in front of the large window. The soft, orange light of the evening sun falls on the wine-red fabric of the restored chaiselounge in baroque style. The upholstery has frames covered in gold and also the lion feet on which this historic furniture stands are gilded. Everything was decorated with so many Details, it looks so incredibly elegant and luxurious. On the left side there are some cushions in the same color and an elegant design is carved on the backrest, literally inviting to get used.

"Surely you know the movie 'Titanic', right? Do you remember the scene where Jack used charcoal pencils to draw an nude coal picture of Rose as she laid on the sofa? I would like to draw you in a similar position. I hope it's okay for you if I look at you more closely without a dressing gown... i want to get an overview of your body proportions.", you say, looking me straight in the eye. I notice that you’re very concerned about my privacy and does not want to overstep any of my personal boundaries without my consent. I nod slightly at first until I get a clear yes over my lips. She looks at me silently for a few seconds before reassuring me once again that we can always stop at any time if I feel uncomfortable. Especially your patience and mindfulness of my boundaries shows me how important it is for you as well and how I actually relax noticeably. Y/N smiles cheerfully at me and I slowly loosen the belt of the dressing gown and let the last garment slide to the ground. I feel her in-depth look at me... he is not uncomfortable... only... exciting... in a few different ways.

I swallow again and lie down on the chaiselongue as instructed. You correct my arm and leg position, also rearrange all of the cushions correctly. To my own relief, you put a red cloth over my crotch area. Not that I am ashamed of anything, I am more than comfortable with you already... I just have some worries that I will get a visible problem if I constantly feel your look on my bare skin.

 "It should be able to guess something, but not be allowed to see everything right away...", she whispered with a smile, before her fingertips unintentionally glide tenderly through my happy trail. One of your last smiles are... not really to interpret. Then you return to your easel.

* The Reader’s POV *

Carefully you sit down on your old painting stool, already quite worn out on the edges and stained with the most different types and tones of colors. It had originally been dark brown. You smile dreamily when you think back that you’re used to dangle your legs around when you were a little kid because it was way too big for you back then. For eighteen years now you have exactly this stool and this easel. They had been a gift from your grandfather for your fifth birthday. He had awakened the passion of painting and drawing in you and passed his talent on to you. A certain melancholy seized you when I thought back to how you used to paint your first real picture on canvas with your new easel in the old music room in your grandfather's country house. 

It had been the old, dusty grand piano, which must have been more than a hundred years old at that time. How the country house survived all these wars unscathed, you ask yourself to this day. Perhaps there had already been something magical about it at that time, which should remain untouched. Perhaps the small estate should remain an inconspicuous symbol of hope, the hope that at some point the sun and peace will return when the unbearable suffering and sorrow of this cruel time is over. When the wars were over and all those seeking protection who had fled to this country house were able to return to their own homes again. This house, this estate you can explain your childhood with a single word. Home.

You lift your thought-lost look from your empty, folded hands and look to Jungkook. He takes your breath away every time you see him. He is so special, such a wonderful and yet you firmly believe that he has not been chosen for you, such an ordinary woman as you are. He would belong to someone else with whom he would be happy, although he is the only one who was able to understand and read your works, the language in them. It... it had been such a beautiful moment when, six months ago, he stood in your newly opened studio, so absorbed by the painting of the forest of your childhood. All the other visitors had only looked at it briefly and smiled wearily at the fact that it was again only a landscape painting, but did not grasp what the story behind this work was. Why the artist chosed this very motif, to see, to feel what the creator wanted to communicate through the work. 

But Jungkook had been different. He had given the work, your personal heart, a chance to unravel the true meaning behind it. He did it slowly, bit by bit with his eyes... grasped with his whole mind and heart and finally let himself be influenced as a whole. You could tell from his body reactions that he felt exactly what you had felt when you painted it last summer. Longing. Infinite Longing. Mixed together with melancholy, a little homesickness and sorrow to a unique emotional color. The day you painted it was the last time you saw the house in your official possession. Your grandfather had left it to you. But unfortunately you lacked money, you had to pay some debts and with the best will you could not earn the money in other ways. So you had to sell it with a heavy heart. Your beloved birth and childhood home and the associated lands, you had to sell your true home away. The picture is the only thing left of it. And Jungkook was the only person who understood what you wanted to express with the painting. Longing. My Homesickness.

When all these sensations came upon him, he involuntarily clenched his hands tightly, his chest lifted and lowered quickly, his Adam's apple hopped repeatedly. His eyes were glassy. He experienced your longing as directly as you did. He... is so special. So infinitely amiable. He... he is the only person who’s able to read your true feelings in your works. He is able to read between your brush strokes.

So today you will try him... to paint a confession of love with this act. Maybe he could read... what you feel for him. Even if you know that you will probably never see him again. Because you would not be the recipient of his love and affection. He's just too... too... gifted for a simple artist like you. He would never be your gifted person.

Your gaze glides tenderly and caressingly over his body. Trying to absorb every little detail of his body, his charisma and his character into you and let it flow into the painting. Every birthmark you want to put on the canvas and hold on. You want to show Jungkook how beautiful he is. How godlike he lies before you on this majestic chaiselongue, how masculine and muscular he is, as if he wanted to embody an Adonis. You want to paint every muscle, even the smallest visible muscle, on the canvas in a realistic manner, you want to capture the strength and security that he conveys to you over and over again and make it visible to him. And yet... his gaze often corresponds to that of an intimidated, insecure fawn, which does not dare to want to get up on his legs on his own. The fear of falling again is too big. Through this painting you want to show Jungkook what he really is, what he represents for you and what you feel for him. He is... so contradictory. He is strong, godlike, powerful... and at the same time, so infinitely uncertain, vulnerable... almost pure.

Silence enters your little studio, only the regular breathing of the other and the muffled noise of the busy world outside the door could be heard. Here... here, it feels like time is standing still for a moment for the two of you. Your shared eternity had begun.

To your happiness that it is summer right now and it stays bright for a long time. Today you take more time than usual to mix colors. You want to mix a shade that perfectly matches his skin tone. You want to get the exact color of his black hair down onto the canvas, and the perfect brown for his beautiful eyes. The evening sun and the leaves of the huge treetops in front of the large window conjure up the most beautiful patterns on his immaculate body. A game of light and shadow. It seems to you that Jungkook's body, every single pore of his body has a tiny diamond, so that he begins to sparkle in the sunlight like an infinitely precious jewel. The evening sun warms him, lays a thin layer of sweat over his body. Every detail you try to bring to the canvas, every feeling, every movement of my heart, everything you feel for him, you want to bring to this canvas. You want to make him a masterpiece. Because for you, he is the most beautiful specimen, the only true crown of the human creation.

Some black strands have come loose from his manbun and have fallen on his forehead. It looks stunning, to see him like that. I had never seen him with a messy or even completely open hair... but even now these strands loosened from the braid make his facial features look so much softer and more relaxed. In it, the adult and strong man united with a young, vulnerable, shy boy. The result is... infinitely beautiful. He possesses both sides, so he makes the seemingly inexhaustible divine human being.

His eyes, drawing his eyes with that expression in them, cost you a lot of nerves. Too often you misunderstood this infinite longing that you find in his dark, brown eyes. Again and again you have to restrain yourself, not just to get up, to go over to him... and to kiss him.

This longing look you misinterpret is as longing as you own... according to your closeness, your touch, your affection... according to your love. Because you love him. You love everything about him, his sheepish laugh, the way of rubbing his neck shyly, the way he speaks and explains his point of views about things, how he smells... just everything... every blemish he blames on himself, you think it’s like an artwork on him. He is so perfectly imperfect that you just fell in love with him.

The sun has already set and only the last pink and purple streaks could be seen in the sky, with which the past day says goodbye to the world. One last time you can hear the velvety stroke of the brush over the canvas before you finally put the brush aside. It is finished. You have given everything that is in your power, used all of your artistic abilities and knowledge to the utmost and you have incorporated everything that you feel and think about into this artwork. And what you see put a smile on your lips, but also makes your pulse rise. What will Jungkook say when he looks at it? He will see it... can he read what you feel for him in it?

With a trembling voice, you call Jungkook and look at him one last time. The last time the sight of this male beauty was granted to you. One last time.

After Jungkook has wrapped himself in the dressing gown again, he slowly comes towards you and your easel. Your heart is throbbing as if it really wants to fearfully flight and jump out of your chest. Your body gets hot and cold at the same time and suddenly your hands get sweaty, the dried color on your skin mixes with the sweat to a uncomfortable mess in your palms, which somehow makes you even more nervous. Then he stands next to you. Looking at the canvas for the first time himself. The last brushstroke is still drying.

Once again there is silence, which makes you incredibly nervous and with every second that passes, you want to follow your instinct to escape. Jungkook's pupils are dilated and blown out, whether with bewilderment or horror, you can not recognize. One of his hands shoots up his mouth, he trembles all over his body. Suddenly you hear a suppressed, throaty sobbing. Surprised and a little appalled, you look at Jungkook, who has shut his eyes tightly and presses the palm of his hand even harder on his mouth, as if he wants to muffle every sound. Tears escape the corners of his eyes. This is a reaction... which you would not have expected...

Gently, mindful of any kind of resistance, you wrap your arms around his neck and hold him. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't sob, he doesn't whimper. He just cries. Tenderly, consolingly you hold him, without wanting to distress him. He literally presses his face into the crook of your neck. Salty tears drench your blouse, but it doesn't bother you. The reason why he had such an emotional outburst, you just don't understand. But still... it's okay. It is valid.

As he slowly calms down and his breathes becomes regularly again, he carefully lifts his head out of the crook of your neck and wipes the last tears out of his eyes dry in slight embarrassment. He slowly releases himself from your embrace until you finally stand silently in front of each other.

"What title you’ll give this artwork?", he asks softly, in a rough, throaty voice. You swallow . "It shall be called 'Der Geliebte'. ...it is german and translated it means... ‘The beloved’ ", you say barely audibly and lower your head. After this confession, you can no longer look him in the eyes.

Jungkook takes a sharp breath in and you're actually just waiting for a devastating response from him that would be like a death threat. But nothing of this happened. Instead, your chin is suddenly raised by his fingertips and you look into Jungkook's beautiful eyes. He bites his lower lip a little uncertainly,his own gaze falls on your pretty shaped lips. 

"Do you... do you allow me to kiss you?", he asks quietly... barely audible for you even though you’re standing so close to each other. He doesn't dare to look you into the eyes after such a question, he is too afraid that you deny his request. But you can hardly believe your luck, a high pitched ‘yes!’ flew over your lips and before you can control yourself, you press your own lips right onto his. They are incredibly soft and kiss you back in such a delightfully and endearing insecure and shy manner as no other could ever have done it.

Your heart beats full of joy and bliss and in your belly, the butterflies fly somersaults of all different kinds that your whole body began to tingle. Your mind cannot get a grasp of all this yet, but this... you don't need any more of it at this moment anyway.

The kiss is tender, shy and somewhat uncertain from both sides. Jungkook is very insecure and shy, but before he can escape like a frightened deer again, you put your arms around his neck and let your hands rest in the nape of his scalp. Again and again you detach yourselves from each other only for the fraction of a second to get a breath of air into your lungs in order to find each other lips again... until you stopped for a few seconds.

"I like you... I like you really, really much, Jungkook... I even dare to say that I fell on love with you.", you mutter softly against his lips. His shy, happy smile was too much for you, so you immediately kiss him again. Perhaps because of the sheer joy and maybe of the certainty that he feels the same for you, the next kiss turns into something more passionate than before...

[pennyserenade]

TINY DANCER 

tags: javier peña x female oc, javier peña, rockstar!au, fluff  rating: t ( teen ) (for now) warnings: language, alcohol  word count: 1.6k+ summary: a band of young men from laredo, texas are on the verge of rock’n’roll stardom and anita rodríguez is the woman who follows them into it. a story of rock’n’roll and all the fluff that follows notes: this is very self indulgent and heavily inspired by the movie almost famous, as well as whatever fleetwood mac had going on, and the book daisy jones & the six. as you can tell, this is a genre of fiction i favor heavily, and i’m more than happy to make this everyone’s problem. thank you for baring with me

Summer time has never tasted so sweet on the tongues of these impassioned young men from Laredo, Texas, she bets. Perspiration covers their foreheads as they stand under the much too bright colored lights, and the crowd before them cheers them on with an eagerness that belongs only to those who really loved music. And they respond like men who really love music—all smiles and grins and heavy panting from giving their young bodies away to it. One might even say their souls.

Even from behind the curtain, she can feel the wave of electricity that rolls off of them. It is a beautiful thing to hear after suffering under the heavy blanket of Texas heat for her own performance.

They had liked her alright, responded about as warmly as they could for an opening act they hadn’t really known, but they turn these young men into Gods. She feels it tight in her stomach, that everlasting and endless excitement reserved for falling in love, not with people, but with moments. Even if it’s all for not, this little musical and spiritual journey she has partaken on, she will at least have been there for the moment these men had exhaled themselves into true and complete stardom.

Not bad for a band called El Fuego, she thinks.

“My God they’re something, aren’t they, Anita?”

Her sister holds aside the curtain to make room for herself. “The one in the really tight jeans was talking to me during your performance. He’s beautiful, I swear it. Just godly.”

Anita smiles. “You can’t fall in love with rockstars, baby sister, it’s unethical and impractical. Have your years with me taught you nothing?”

“Yeah, but those rockstars were a dime of dozen and tight jeans looks like sex out there,” she whines. Anita scans over the men, trying to decipher whom she might mean. That’s when she catches Tight Jeans’ eyes. She gives him a grin and without missing a beat, he gives her a charming wink. A wink reserved for a man on top of the world.

“What’s his name?” Anita asks.

“Javier Peña,” she responds. “He’s just gorgeous isn’t he? They all are.”

All Anita can do is grin as she continues to watch the rest of their performance.

****

This isn’t her first rodeo. This isn’t even her second or third or fourth. In fact, she’s lost track of the times she’s been led back to hotel rooms with a slew of people she doesn’t know, swept dangerously up in the shared euphoria that is the after show comedown.

In her hand she holds her second drink of the night. It’s a concoction she’d mixed for herself, made up of too much juice and too much alcohol, but she deserves it, she reckons. She’s opened for a damn good band and she’s a pretty damn good singer most of the time, and that Javier guy has been looking at her all night, despite the group of women that surround him. He has a good way of being present with them and present with her, too, genuine grins and attention for all to spare. Like the charming and humble lead guitarist he is, he strums idly at an acoustic guitar while he speaks with the women.

She���s been standing in the same place for too long, drinking the same second drink, listening to the beginning of songs he starts before he falters off into the next one. Even over the light hum of chatter and the radio nearby, she can focus on him. She watches his fingers as they strum—watches the way he doesn’t need to look down at them to keep them steady and trained. He’s a professional musician, through and through, even if he may just be some guy from Laredo to most individuals in the world. His manager had been so brave to wager that they were going to hit nationwide success by next week when one of their songs got radio air. She asked if she could keep opening for them, when they got big. All he did was grin. She likes to think it’s a yes.

“Hello.”

Coming back to earth, Anita finds Tight Pants in front of her. Not starling close, but enough to elicit something ghastly in her.

He smells of leather and good cigarettes, and her baby sister was right, he does look like sex. He’s all lean muscle, and though the perspiration has gone from his forehead, she bets if he were to lean in close and press his lips to hers, she might be tempted to taste the residue of it in what would become haste and passionate kissing.

“Hello,” she responds.

“I’m Javi, from Laredo.”

He extends his rather large hand for her to take, and she does. She wonders if this is the approach he uses with a lot of women. He’s good looking enough to be dangerous, but then again, she’s smart enough to understand where the line between fun and serious ends and begins with these men. She’s a rockstar too, privy to sex and drugs just like the lot of them, even if she is just a one man band.

She puts her hand in his and he gives her a firm shake. “Anita,” she says, then inspired by the liquid courage in her, she adds, “From somewhere warm, but hopefully headed some place better.”

He gives her a laugh and she finds that unfortunately, it’s the sort that makes one’s own lips tug upwards.

“You sounded good tonight. Did you write that song?”

“Yeah,” she nods. “You sounded good too. I mean, you probably know that already, but.” She smiles. “Who writes for you?”

“Graham.”

“Graham’s the...”

“Lead singer. Dirty blonde over there talking to your—“ He looks at her. “Sister?”

She nods. “Yeah. She said she had talked to you earlier.”

“Yeah. We talked about your someplace warm. California, is it?”

“Cali indeed.”

“I’ve never been.”

“Well, Javi, I’m sure you’re about to.”

His dimple appears for her. He looks at her like she wishes he wouldn’t, because it makes her badly want to stick to his side for the rest of the night. And on his lips.

Even more unfortunate for her, he rummages in his pockets and pulls out a packet of those good cigarettes that make up his aroma. He opens it and takes one out for himself, sticking it between his lips, before offering her one.

“You smoke?”

She takes one. “Sometimes,” she nods. “Are we allowed to, in here?”

Javi shrugs his shoulders as he lights his. “Dunno,” he responds. She leans forward so he can light hers too. “Suppose we should go sit on the balcony on the off chance that this is the one hotel in America that doesn’t allow it?”

****

“You know Me and Bobby McGee, Laredo?” she nods down to his guitar.

The air outside is just cool enough to be comfortable in, so, despite that their cigarettes have long been stamped out and the party inside awaits them, they stay on the patio, rooted to the furniture. He hasn’t made any moves on her, a fact which takes her by surprise, and so they’ve lulled into a comfortable ebb and flow of natural conversation.

He tweaks his fingers on the neck of the guitar before he begins to strum the strings of it . His hair, overgrown in a way that suits a man of his occupation, cascades over his forehead as his brow becomes pinched from focus. In an instant, from his fingers comes the tune of her desire. He looks up at her, grinning, once he gets into the flow of it.

“¿Hablas español?” he asks, over his guitar.

“Un poquito, but not much,” she tells him. “Why?”

“No reason,” he dismisses, “Can you sing Me and Bobby McGee?”

“Sí.”

He laughs. “Well, put on a show then.”

***

She sobers up halfway between the sun tucking itself into the sky and the sun peeking back out from the horizon, but she can’t remember when. They’d played a lot of songs and her throat feels hoarse, but she can’t recall any one song that had felt particularly clear. It all sort of blended together up until this moment.

Javi lays, back rested against the chair, looking tired. His guitar now rests beside him, quiet, and he stares out at the city below them.

There’s a soft hum of normal people doing normal things below them; the horn of an eager taxi driver, the breaks of a bus, the chatter of patrons going in and out of the hotel.

They sit in the comfort of this city’s morning routine while she smokes his last good cigarette. “I was never much for staying up all night,” she tells him, passing it over to him.

He takes it between his lips and nods. “I was never much for sleeping all night.”

“And why’s that?”

He shrugs, exhaling the smoke. “Don’t know. Sometimes the past haunts me, sometimes it’s just too fuckin’ hot, sometimes it’s the company.”

“Mm,” she hums. “I must admit, I didn't peg you as the get-to-know-me-in-the-early-morning type. Thought you’d be content just charming me with your guitar for the rest of eternity.”

“Well,” he passes the cigarette back to her, pushing his digits against her own in the process. “I’m not, really, but we’ve talked about our favorite songs all night and you’re our opener for the rest of this tour, so why not?”

She takes a drag off the cigarette. “I’m not the opener for the rest of the tour.”

“No?” he asks.

“No,” she shakes her head. “This was a favor, I think. A very kind one.”

He looks out in front of him, falling into silence. Thinking.  Then he says, “I think I’m in the position to call in some favors right now if you’d liked to be. The opener, I mean.”

She lets the smoke out from the side of her mouth, which has risen up into a wide grin. “Javier from Laredo, I think I could kiss you right now.”

He takes the cigarette back from her fingers, offering her his own grin. “I think I’d like that,” Javi says, tone soft. Genuine.

She swings her legs over the side of her lawn chair, and holds herself up just far enough to press a chaste kiss to his cheek. He turns though, not entirely on purpose, she thinks, and their noses brush against one another. She rises from her seat when he leans down and fills the space between them, resting against his own chair as his lips move against her own.

No tongue, though. He pulls back after a few seconds, brown eyes full of warmth. She’s surprised by the amount of control he has over himself. Surprised that he wants to use it, too.

“I better go check on my sister,” she breathes out, resting her hand over his chest.

“Okay,” he nods. “I’ll see you in the next city, Anita.”

“Yeah,” she smiles.

“Look for me?” he asks.

“Yeah,” she promises.

She likes this man and his tight jeans, she’s decided. Likes him a lot.

EVERYTHING : @astroboots , @frannyzooey , @wyn-n-tonic , @rosiefridayrogersunday , @melaniermblt , @theorganasolo​ , @amneris21​ , @honestly-shite , @over300books , @elegantduckturtle, @pbeatriz , @pretty-brown-eyess , @brcwneyes  ,  @chronic-nosebleed

JAVI :  @wyn-n-tonic , @rosiefridayrogersunday , @disgruntledspacedad , @melaniermblt , @walt-breslin , @theorganasolo , @amneris21 , @hb8301 , @penajavier , @darnitdraco , @over300books , @dobbyjen , @paperbag33 , @rebel-fanfare , @p3dr0pasca1lov3r247

TINY DANCER : @itssmashedavo (just because i thought this might interest you)

[recurring-polynya]

POLYNYA please tell me about the sea/your Soul Society sea(s)!!!!! (I also wanna talk about the sizes of things but I will save that for later, haha.)

My entire writing/worldbuilding self is just an agglomerate of about 10 different books/comics I read when I was 19, and one of those is Books of Magic. The major thing I took away from Books of Magic, a thing I think about every single time I read or watch something with a magic system, is the idea that humans have their own magic which is fundamentally different and in some ways more powerful than the magic of magical beings, and that they aren’t bound to a lot of rules and restrictions that magical beings are. A lot of media that features other worlds tends to split into the human world (which has no magic) and the magic world (which has magic). Sometimes the human world has technology and the magic world doesn't, I don't care, that is boring to me and I reject the idea that magic is technology you don’t understand. The thing about Books of Magic, which featured a lot of traffic between the human and the faerie realm, was that humans can do magic that faeries can't. Faerie magic is all illusion and glamour. It cannot affect real change. It is much harder for humans to do real magic, but their magic can actually transform things.

This is foundationally the way I approach worldbuilding in Soul Society. It seems like Soul Society is more powerful and magical than the World of the Living, but that’s only true for a limited set of circumstances, and much of Bleach takes place within those circumstances. Taken in a broader sense, though, Soul Society is not a complete world, it is a projected world, constructed of memories and ideas. Hueco Mundo is the same, but it's even less complete. My husband always gets really irritated by physically impossible moons, like this one:

but I actually think that's appropriate, because it's not the moon, it's the concept of the moon and this is a very romanticized concept of the moon. You cannot build a rocket in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo and get to the moon. The earth is not round in Soul Society. Its borders are limited.

What is Soul Society even for, anyway? I have been watching Hotel del Luna, a kdrama about a hotel where ghosts can stay for a little while and rest and work out some of their issues before they go to the afterlife. I feel like Soul Society is the next step after this. It is too big a shock to go from being a human to becoming a few motes of reishi, so you get another stage of retaining your human form and living a half-life where you don't need to eat or drink and your family has the idea of being a family without all the actual past-to-future connective tissue of a family. It's my impression that when you die in Soul Society, you don't get reincarnated as yourself. You become reishi, and that reishi gets mixed up with everyone else’s and new souls are created when new human children are born. Soul Society is also a sorting mechanism for separating out powerful sources of spiritual energy (that is, shinigami) and putting them to work as balancers, while letting the less volatile soulstuff flow through the reincarnation cycle without cavitating the impellers, so to speak.

That being said, seas are important. I have lived my entire life on the east coast of North America, never more than a few hours from the Atlantic Ocean. I think about moving inland sometimes and I think I would die. My husband grew up in the mountains and he feels a similar connection to the mountains, you can feel him becoming more powerful every time we drive north. I think it is necessary that Soul Society contain the geographic features that anchor people to the physical world, because ghosts need these things to feel as though they are still people and not vague amorphous spirits.

You need a sea. Also, as noted in the post that inspired this one, people in Soul Society eat a lot of fish and it’s gotta come from somewhere. So I think there is at least one sea in Soul Society (I like to put it in East Rukongai), but this is a sea built on human memories, it is not a sea based on the power of the sea, because that is not a thing that can exist in Soul Society. You can fish in the sea and you can swim in the sea, and an ocean god visiting from another realm might be able to pull a little power from this sea, but it is not a true sea. You need a different magical realm for that, a Sea Society, if you will. The Living World, in contrast, is a true world with true oceans, which draw their power from the Sea Society, just as there is death in the Living World because of its connections to Soul Society and other assorted afterlives. (it has been 2 sentences and I am already sorry I called it Sea Society).

Earlier, I mentioned that the borders of Soul Society are limited, and I think that it is surrounded by impassable no-man’s-lands on all sides that, if you could cross them, would lead you into a different dimension. This is not my original idea, it’s something I have picked up from numerous fanfics, but I think it’s a good one and I am adopting it. I think that, as a border between Soul Society and something else, each of these borderlands represents different kinds of death. I think I’ve figured they are a jungle, a desert, a mountain and, of course, an ocean. 

The power of the ocean encompasses both life and death, but this ocean or at least this part of this ocean is only death. It is cold and it is dark and it is full of things with horrible teeth. If you sail a boat into it, you will not come back. I do not think that dimensional borders are, well, two-dimensional, so to speak-- if you could somehow cross this ocean, you might end up in Sea Society, or you might end up in some other death realm, because a lot of afterlives are connected and you get to a lot of them via waterways. The Slavic afterlife, Nav, for example, is ringed with a river, and you cross the Styx to get to Hades. Come to think of it, both of these are sometimes portrayed as being full of unhappy spirits, so maybe the death ocean is an afterlife in and of itself.

This is a little off the topic of oceans, but it is on the topic of natural resources. For all we know, everything that everyone eats in the Seireitei is grown in reishi vats, like the chickienobs in Oryx and Crake. That actually makes more sense, honestly, than fishing and farming, but I have always assumed that many of the upper districts of Rukongai do, in fact, have Nice Things, which turns into jobs and commerce and an improved class of life. The quality and quantity of these resources thins out severely as you go outward. Why don't people in Inuzuri grow their own food, I asked myself? Well: poor soil. Unpredictable, violent weather, so if you can get anything to come up, it either bakes or drowns. A general miasma of low-grade toxins in the air that tend to stunt growth or prevent things from breeding true. Obviously, I think about South Rukongai more than I think of other directions, but I think it’s easy to imagine this process also working as you approached cold rocky mountains with cutting winds and rockslides, or dry, dusty desert where it never rains.

The canon concept of Soul Society is that everything in Rukongai sucks and everything in the Seireitei rules, but this honestly vexes me constantly. It must be ungodly expensive to own and maintain property in the Seireitei, which is why most of the shinigami seem to lead solidly middle class lifestyles and take advantage of on-base living arrangements even though they are allegedly the best of the best. If you're a noble, and especially not Great Family noble, I think it may make sense to maintain a large estate in a pretty part of Rukongai as opposed to a townhouse in the city-- I've mentioned the Kira family estate before, in North Rukongai, which, in my mind, is sort of overgrown and run-down, very Wuthering Heights. Alternatively, if you are super-rich, maybe you have a second property out somewhere nice, hence the Lake District. Did I just make these places up because I want to set a fanfic there someday? Probably yes. 

When I was writing Between Tides, the most basic, raw part of that story was just "Rukia and Renji get sent on a lonely mission near the sea" that was the thing I wanted to write. Back when it lived in my head, it originally took place in Soul Society, but I wanted it to have a melancholy, tourist-town-in-the-off-season vibe, and that didn’t feel like a place that would exist in Soul Society, so I moved it to the World of the Living. I guess I feel like if there’s beach tourism at the Soul Society Sea (I should name it but then I would be forced to write a story about it), it would be sort of Old Timey, and I’d don’t know much about what an Old Timey Trip to the Beach would look like in Japan, if that’s even a thing.

Anyway, sorry this was so rambling, this concludes my thoughts about THE SEA in Soul Society. I am happy to hear everyone else’s headcanons, please and thank you.

[the-fae-folk]

After eating they were led to a room with stone pools filled with steaming water warmed from some natural spring. The pools were decorated with tiles that formed images of trees and flowers and wandering deer. Noticing Sam’s slightly red face, Ardri smiled and turned away to give him privacy. Humans were very odd with their concepts of modesty. Once the dust had been washed away they found that new clothing had been set out for them and that their other clothing had been taken away, possibly to be washed. Or burned, Ardri thought to himself. He hoped the Autumn Court wouldn’t go that far, the human clothing had been comfortable. But some Faeries simply refused to have anything to do with any humans or their things. Instead Ardri donned the loose fitting grey trousers and the slate blue tunic that was incredibly soft. At his waist he was given a leather belt with a brass buckle that was ornately designed to be in the shape of an inward spiral. They had also left him a cloak of some black material. When he lifted it he gasped softly. It was woven entirely of shadows, a rare gift. It would allow him to walk in darkness and shade where the eyes of most could not catch sight of him if he didn’t wish them to. He would assume it was a gift and not a trade, because he had nothing such as this to offer in exchange, though he would have to find some token to give to their host in thanks. Vaguely he wondered if the fae of the Autumn Court had seen the cloak he’d worn before and decided that he must be given one to replace its loss. When Sam coughed slightly to indicate that he was finished dressing, Ardri turned around. Sam was wearing a tunic as well. Soft reds and golds were mixed in with various shades of brown and the occasional hint of green as patterns followed the hem and sleeves of the tunic. The belt round his waist boasted of a brass oak leaf, and his trousers were a soft earthy brown. He looked, good. Handsome even. Like a prince of the Folk. A smile on his lips and his hands spread out in a “what do you think?” gesture. Ardri turned towards the door to hide the blush that had begun creeping up his cheeks while admiring Sam. “You look well. We should hurry. The Lord of Autumn is waiting and we do not wish to be rude.” Sam fell into step beside him, and it astounded Ardri how easily he seemed to adapt to Faerie. How comfortably he seemed to fit in to Ardri’s life, as if they had always traveled this way. “Why does everyone do that?” Sam asked curiously. “Call them by the titles. Don’t they have names?” Ardri shook his head. “The rulers of the four seasons don’t have names. Nobody can remember why, but my mothers always thought it must be because of how powerful they are. As for everyone else, names are dangerous to give out. Not as dangerous for us, but still important. I give my name freely, but that’s because I was given gifts of magic by a creature in a well to ensure it can’t be used against me. I didn’t give your name to Nod or our host because then they would have power over you, it’s best if you think of a suitable name to go by while you’re among other Folk here. Some, like Nod, are under the protection of powerful people and don’t mind if we know their names. It’s... a very complicated part of our culture.” Their host promised to have places for them to sleep upon their return, and Ardri thought again about what token he might give to this Elf. Nod had come again to lead them on. Past the city to where the forest closed in on the high ornately carved stone walls decorated with their repeated image of seven entwined blossoms, for the Empire that had fallen. Sam stopped short once, his mouth agape at the sight of the enormous turtle which bore the city of the Autumn Court on its back. But he ducked his head in embarrassment and hurried after when Nod made a noise of impatience. Ardri gave him a smile, and thought to himself that they ought to wander and see the sights once the others had joined them, so that the humans could safely see some of Faerie’s loveliest sights. It wasn’t to the turtle which Nod was leading them, but down a path, and not a great road either. A half overgrown and forgotten pathway that had once wound about the woods was where he took them. The Empire had been known for its roadways, connecting all of its great cities and richest towns. But this trail must have been older, long forgotten once easier ways were made. Ducking beneath a branch that hung out over the path, Ardri spotted a low stone building hidden between the trees. Another shrine. It was overgrown and had probably been abandoned by whatever Fae had once made it, or claimed it as their own. But there was someone there. Someone kneeling upon their right knee at the little shrine. As Ardri held the branch aside for Sam, he got a better glimpse of the human, for it was a human. A middle aged man wearing a black cassock and a little white cotton band that showed at the front but was mainly tucked beneath his collar. The shrine itself had been filled with candles, all flickering softly in the growing twilight. And the man appeared to be speaking softly to himself as he fingered a kind of chain with little knots and wooden beads. A brief snatch of what he was murmuring made its way to them as they were approaching. “Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, Hail our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.” Was it a cry for help? Who was he asking? This man wasn’t dressed at all like any of the humans Ardri had met in his brief time to the human world, and he certainly didn’t seem to be suffering in any way that they could see. And where was the queen he was speaking to? Ardri looked to Sam, hoping for some kind of clue as to what to do. Sam was looking surprised. “That’s a priest,” he whispered to Ardri, clearly not wanting to interrupt. The priest’s voice lowered, obviously having noted their presence, and Ardri could no longer hear his words. A priest, that made sense. This must be a prayer of some kind or a ritual for this man’s deity. He had called the Queen an advocate as well as holy, so some figure who petitioned their deity? From the stories he’d always heard, humans had all manner of strange customs concerning their gods, rites and rituals, prayers and sacrifices. Some even tried to worship the Folk, though that never lasted. After a moment the man appeared to have finished praying because he stood up and turned to face them. It was then that Ardri saw the item he held very gently in his other hand. It was the Crown of Autumn. Silver entwined with hawthorn twigs, leaves of aspen and blackthorn, and rubies as deep and red as blood. “They told me you would be coming,” said the man with a calm smile. “I’m glad you arrived safely.”

[buckys-forgotten-plum]

A Witchy Kinda Love

Pairing: Witch!Bucky x Witch!Reader (Magic!AU)

Prompt: The world you lived in was known to be full of magic and strange, otherworldly things... But you knew true love was just an old witch's tale even if your familiar insisted otherwise...

Warnings: swearing, fluff, Bucky in cute outfits, way too much italicization, and also this thing is long as fuck. (10,410 words...oopsies)

A/N: Okay this got wayyyy outta hand but who the fuck cares? not me. I would love to give a HUGE SHOUTOUT to @buckybarney​ who helped a lot in giving me the confidence and drive to finish this fic as well as @smutsonian​ who created this dope as mood board and also helped me edit a lil bit. You guys make me so happy and I love and appreciate you both so much<3

✸ ✴ ✦ 

✸ ✴ ✦ 

“Calcifer will you please come help me with this?” your exasperated voice could be heard from the balcony of your studio apartment as you struggled to balance the hoard of glass bottles in your arms. 

Not a moment later, a small fox came trotting onto the (very overgrown) terrace, “Ya know I have things to do too. I’m not your butler,” 

You scoffed at your familiar's grumbled complaint before handing him a couple bottles to hold in his mouth and wrap his tail around, “I know you’re not my butler Cal. But I got you that essence of toad the other day so the least you could do is help me organize my potion materials for a bit.” 

The fox let out a low growl and walked back into your small apartment while you followed behind him, “You know how hard it is for me to form opposable thumbs lady? It’s gonna take a lot more than essence of toad for me to comply,” 

You glared playfully at the fox before sighing and rolling your eyes, knowing exactly what the sly creature was trying to get you to do, “Calcifer if you want pheasant for dinner just ask,” 

There was no response, just the quiet clinking of bottles rolling to the floor as you and your partner began to sort through everything. You really need to start organizing your stuff better. Last week you mixed up your newt toes with skinks and almost blew up your home, so it’s safe to say that your clutter has hit a breaking point. You left Calcifer to sit on your frameless bed as he sorted your bottles to go back out onto your small terrace, breathing in the scent of all of your plants that had happily covered every inch they possibly could. You figured it was as good a time as any to harvest all the herbs you’d need for the month and bottle them up for safe keeping. Quietly humming to yourself, you went around plucking the healthiest looking leaves, sprigs, and sprouts you could find, setting each pile onto the antique writers desk you had put out there as a space for your potion making. 

“Hey Calcifer do you know where I put my Ever-Writing Quill?” You question, brows furrowing as you dig through the drawers of your desk. 

“You don’t remember? You sat on it last week and snapped it in half!” The fox’s response was followed by a string of cackles and snorts as he laughed to himself about your misfortune. 

You let out a loud groan of frustration, tilting your head to the sky and stomping your foot in a small childish fit. “Why didn’t you put it on my shopping list?” You ask, walking back inside to glare at the creature comfortably sitting on your bed. 

Calcifer smiled widely, his pointy teeth fully on show in a sly grin, “oopsies, my bad!” he raised what would be his paws but are now little hands due to his helpful transfiguration powers, and held them in an innocent shrug. 

You squint your eyes at the reynard but hold your tongue, shoving your feet into a pair of leather boots. “Come on, you’re coming with me to the market so I can get a new quill,” 

It didn’t take too long before you had gathered everything you needed, making sure to grab your sweater as the weather hadn’t gotten much warmer in the past months and you absolutely hated to be cold. It only took a stern glare and a threat to have salad for dinner to convince Calcifer to go with you. Though you didn’t miss the petty and painful nip to your calf as you walked out of your door and into the dank hallway of your apartment building. 

✸ ✴ ✦ 

The sky was colored a dark grey with intimidating clouds, blocking out any chance of sun or warmth as you walked down the streets of your small town. You passed by cute little shops and a restaurant or two as you made your way to the market. Your boots stomped loudly on the cobblestone walkway, echoed by the light clicking of Calcifier’s nails while he trotted beside you. 

Your town didn’t have many witches, but the non-magic residents were still fully supportive of you and all the other witches and warlocks that resided in the small rainy town of Adelaide. You had lived there for years and not once had you come in contact with what your community called “Salamers”, bigoted people who had hate filled vendettas against your kind. Many of your friends who had lived in bigger cities had told you about their horror stories involving bigoted people who had cursed (pun intended) and swore at them. Your friend Peter even told you about a man who had spit on him after finding out he was a witch. 

The thoughts of such hateful actions caused a crease in your brow to form and it didn’t leave until you were at the small stone entrance to Wanda’s Magickal Menagerie, the only entrance to the market for miles. It was one of your favourite things about the magical world. The outside looked like just another building with pretty stone walls and a worn wooden sign displaying the name, but to anyone with a high enough magical presence, it was an entrance to the biggest market in the wiccan world. Hundreds of vendors were beyond that door, hidden away to a different space and time by a carefully constructed spell performed by the most powerful witches in existence. 

You couldn’t help the excited pulse of your heart as you opened the door and stepped into what seemed like an entirely different universe. The hustle and bustle of busy shoppers instantly clouded your vision and ears. The air was warm and lighting low in the crowded alleyway that led to the entrance and exit of the marketplace. You took only a moment to get used to the different surroundings before setting off on your way to the real Wanda’s Magickal Menagerie. 

It only took a few steps before you heard the loud yip of pain from your familiar, instantly making you whip around to see what happened, “I hate it here, Y/n! Everyone steps on my tail, it smells weird, It’s dark, everything is all muted because apparently witches only like the color red and I’m colorblind-” 

“Alright ya baby c’mere,” you interrupted Cal’s whining, bending down and allowing him to jump up and wrap around your shoulders. 

“People have no respect for familiars, it’s so uncool,” he grumbled into your ear, resting his snout on the ridge of your shoulder. 

“I know, buddy. But you know how much I hate going out alone. I really appreciate you coming with me. When we’re done here we can go to the butcher and you can pick out what bird you want for tonight,” Your hand came up to softly scratch your friend behind his ear, soothing his nerves and continuing on your way to your final destination. 

It didn’t take long before you arrived at a small wooden hut, a modest sign with an address hanging out front for advertisement to passersby. You quickly approached the shop and pushed the door open, entering the cozy and familiar atmosphere of Wanda’s business. 

“Hey Y/n! Cally, hi baby!” Your entrance was met immediately with happy greetings from your long time friend. 

“Hey Wanda,” you and Calcifer greet in unison, smiles adorning both your faces. 

The red headed witch skipped towards you, wrapping you in a warm hug and lovingly petting the fox around your shoulders. “How’ve you guys been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” 

“We’ve been trying to declutter the apartment. Y/n’s become such a hoarder.” Calcifer blurts out, letting one of his signature cackles break free. 

“I am not! I’ve just been experimenting with my potions, so I have a lot more ingredients and supplies right now,” You hurriedly explain, not wanting to have your friend think of you as a crazy old witch with a hoarding problem. 

Wanda lets out a quiet giggle at the pair of friends in front of her, finding the relationship between you and your familiar adorable, “What brings you in today? Did you lose your monkey paw again?” 

You playfully roll your eyes at Wanda, “No, I uh... I broke my Ever-Writing Quill,” you admit, trying to fight the warmth that crept up your neck and cheeks. 

Wanda let out a quick burst of laughter before turning around and leading you through the many shelves and tables of her shop, “Come on, I just got a fresh shipment in,”

✸ ✴ ✦ 

“Thanks Wanda! I’ll see you and Vis for brunch on Sunday,” You smile and give your friend a kiss on the cheek goodbye before exiting her shop. 

“Alright Cal, is there anything else you need before we go? Do you want me to get you more fur oil? Are you good on that incense you like?” 

“Yeah I think I’m okay, at this point I just want food,” He grumbled, lifting his head up from your shoulder and sniffing the air. 

You nodded your head in understanding and began the trip back to where you first entered the marketplace. The walkways were absolutely packed; it was nearly impossible to keep from bumping into other shoppers. Calcifer could be heard grumbling profanities every time someone brushed or bumped against him. You couldn’t blame the poor creature, he was naturally anxious and didn’t like strangers, so making trips like these were never too fun for him. You were trying your best to avoid people, but luck was against you and as you were ducking out of the way of one man who looked exactly like Merlin, you ended up running right into someone else. 

You fell right to the floor, Calcifer tumbling from your shoulder and sliding a few feet away due to the force, “Ah! Calcifer? Cal are you okay?” 

“Shit! are you okay? I didn’t see you, I am so sorry,”

Ignoring the stranger above, you frantically look around for your lost friend and spot him a few feet away from you, curling up into a scared orange ball and shoving his snout under his hind leg to hide. You scramble over to him, scooping his small body into your arms and holding onto him tightly, “Oh Calcifer I’m so sorry! I should have never asked you to come with me, I know you hate it here and now look what happened,” 

You couldn’t help the stress induced tears that welled in your eyes as you pet the shaking fox in your arms, “I’m okay, Y/n. Just a little shaken,” His voice was quiet and you knew he wasn’t being completely honest but you knew getting out of the crowded place was more important at that point. 

A tall figure suddenly shadowed over you, making you cower out of instinct and scoot back a few paces, “Hey are you and your fox okay? Really, I didn’t see you. I should have been paying more attention, let me help you up,” A hand comes down offering to lift you from the dirty concrete. 

With one arm tightly holding onto Calcifer, you use your other hand to grab onto the strangers and lift yourself up. “Thanks,” You mumble out quickly, keeping your head down and immediately walking away, your mind completely focused on getting the hell out of these cursed alleyways. 

Once you had fallen out of the exit and back onto the cobblestone streets of Adelaide, you could finally take a deep breath. Leaning up against the cold stone wall near the entrance, you closed your eyes, sucking in the fresh air and gently petting the creature still firmly gripped in your arms. 

A choked cry escapes you suddenly, “I am so sorry Calcifer,” You absolutely hated that you had caused your friend such a terrible experience. He could’ve gotten hurt, someone could’ve stolen him away from you, the street was so crowded you would’ve never found him again! Calcifer would’ve never forgiven you! Might not even forgive you now! Just the thought of it- 

“Alright calm down kid... I’m perfectly fine. Paw hurts a little bit but, really, I’m okay,” the fox in your arms looked up at you, a small smile on his snout as he nuzzled into your hair. 

“Are you sure? I can take you to the vet-” Before you can continue to worry about the injured animal, a deep voice sounds from above you. 

“Uh hey...” 

You quickly wipe the tears from your cheeks and look up, eyes widening in surprise as you stare into steely iris’s that seemed to have a mission on copying the sky that day. “H-hello,” 

As you stared at the burly looking man in front of you, you couldn’t help but side eye his stature. Adorning all black with little glints of silver rings and buckles here and there, a few tiny scars marking his well-structured jaw and cheek bones, and good god those boots must be so heavy and-is that a metal hand peeking out from the long sleeve of his leather jacket?! This guy is too scary to be this attractive...

“I uh... I was the one to bump into you earlier. It’s totally my fault and I really didn’t mean for you to drop your fox like that-it’s just that my familiar took off and I just wasn’t paying attention and it seemed like a pretty bad fall and you were so focused on protecting your pet-” “He’s not a pet,” you spit out quickly, a stern glare etched into your features. 

“R-right, right sorry-I just-I was-I misspoke...” he trailed awkwardly, roughly dragging a hand through brunette hair and grimacing at his own failure to compose a sensible response. 

“Are you a witch?” you mumble out quietly, your glare softening into a more apprehensive, yet curious, stare. 

“Uh yeah, yeah I’m only entry level though. My friend Sam helped me get into the market so I could get a few things but then...ya know” 

You stood silently, not exactly sure of what this weirdo wanted from you. If he thought you were going to apologize he was very mistaken. What if he planned to rob you? To take Calcifer and run? The thought made your grip on the animal even more secure, if that were even possible. 

“Is your arm okay?” Worried eyes gazed down at your arm and the man took a small step forward. 

“What?” You try to flinch away from the soft grasp of his hand around your bicep, but only end up pushing yourself against the wall. 

The man inspected the inflamed scrape that burned a path along your forearm and up to your elbow, “That looks pretty bad doll, do you want some medicine? I think I might have a little with me. Hey Sibi!” 

“Holy shit!” A sharp intake of breath forced its way into your lungs as you saw a giant white wolf bound up to the man. Your breathing sped up, heartbeat following along with it as you gazed upon the giant beast. 

“Do you mind? I gotta get into my bag,” He asked gently, the wolf immediately turning to give him easy access to a large pack that was slung over her back, “Thanks Sibi, can you go find Sam? Tell him I’ll be a bit longer than expected,” The wolf let out a gruff noise of agreement and nodded it’s head before heading back through the magical entrance. 

The man turned back around and walked towards you once more. You didn’t flinch this time when he reached for your arm, careful to make sure you had a good grip on Cal before opening a bottle of light blue gel and tapping some out onto the palm of his hand, “My name is Bucky, by the way,” 

“Okay,” you mumble out awkwardly, your anxious nature getting the best of you and blocking any form of friendly communication to come across while Bucky covers your wound with the gel.

“Her name is Y/n, I’m Calcifer,” You stare down incredulously at the fox, not expecting him to introduce you to this stranger. 

Bucky smiled up at you and the fox, shiny white teeth on display, “Pretty name for a pretty girl,” 

The comment instantly made your face heat up in embarrassment. “Thank y-you...” 

Bucky straightened up after he was done dressing your wound, thankfully taking a step back to give you some space. Why wasn’t he leaving? Why did he care so much about some rando he ran into at the market? Maybe this was just a front to try and rob you...

“Well uh... I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seemed real spooked back there and I could tell you hurt your arm so I just wanted to check up on ya,” Bucky’s eyes shined brightly as he explained himself. A pink tint colored his cheeks and neck as he sheepishly stared down at the ground. 

His shy nature made your lips tilt into a small smile of your own and you couldn’t help thinking about how cute he looked like that, “thank you, that’s very kind,” you mumbled out.

There was a beat of silence as you and Bucky avoided each other's eye contact before a familiar patronizing voice interrupted, “Hey kid if you’re done flirtin’ with this guy can we go home? I’m starvin’ right now,” 

“Calcifer!” you scold immediately, the familiar burn of pure embarrassment instantly appearing across your face. 

Bucky, however, didn’t seem to be bothered by the fox’s comment and burst out into a fit of deep chuckles, running his metal hand through the long tresses of rich brown hair. 

“Your fox is cute,” 

The comment made Calcifer let out a gruff murmur of disagreement, making you join Bucky in his laughter, “Yeah, I’m really happy he chose to stay with me. Um... I should probably go. Cal hasn’t eaten since breakfast and I still need to go to the butcher-” “There’s a butcher in this town?” The pure curiosity on Bucky’s face made your smile grow that much more as he finally took in his surroundings. 

“Yeah, it’s about two blocks down from here, it’s Calcifer's favorite place,” You say, backing up a few steps to signal your exit. 

“A-alright! well, uh it was nice meeting you! Maybe I’ll see you around sometime?” The male witch fumbles with his words as he realizes the conversation is ending. 

“Sure, maybe,” you nod in agreement, fully turning around and beginning the walk towards your destination. 

As you walked away you couldn’t help but let the small smile on your face grow. What a dork he was... Almost as awkward as you were, the way he kept messing with his hair- ”He’s still lookin’ at ya... And what was all that stuff you were thinking about getting robbed? Why were you so fixated on gettin’ robbed?” 

“Calcifer for christ’s sake!” Your voice was filled with exasperation, rolling your eyes at the familiar's comments and ignoring the fact that the cute witch was still watching you walk away.

“Are you seriously thinking about how him staring at you is cute? Humans are so weird...” 

“Stop reading my thoughts you creep!” 

✸ ✴ ✦ 

A groan echoed throughout your apartment as a streak of the bright morning sun landed on your eyes and woke you from your slumber. Clapping a hand down onto your eyes to block the light, you roughly slide it down in hopes of wiping the fatigue that plagued you. Slowly but surely, you untangled yourself from your sheets, stretching your waking limbs and yawning with an over dramatic sound. You blindly felt around for your phone that was lying on the floor directly by your mattress. Once you located the small device, you tapped it on and read the time. 10:47 am, Sunday...Fantastic. 

You laid on your mattress for a bit, unaware of anything but your tired bones. The only reason you didn’t fall back asleep right then and there was the light buzz that came from your phone. You lazily picked it back up and stared at the too bright screen, taking a moment to comprehend the text that popped up on your home screen. 

Wanda Maxi: Hey! Are you on your way?

What? On my way...

“OH FUCK” You bolt out of bed, slipping on part of your sheet that was draped onto your wooden flooring and almost face planting. 

“Calcifer wake up we gotta have brunch with Wanda and Vis!” you scream out to nothing specific, unaware of where your familiar was. 

As quickly as possible, you gathered an outfit, shoved a toothbrush into your mouth to brush it a little too harshly, got your hair ready, and threw your clothes on. It’s not until you’re almost done getting ready before you see the bright fox bolt in from the balcony, “How could you forget about brunch? This happens every week for fucks sake!” 

“This isn’t entirely my fault! You knew about it too!” you argue while lathering deodorant onto your underarms, already sweating from the stress of the situation. 

“I’m a fox! You think I keep alarms?” he yells back at you, not bothering to stop and look at you as he gathers your things while you hurriedly tried to shove your foot into a shoe. 

Once your shoes were on and Calcifer had given you everything you’d need, you ran to your door and swung it open, “You wanna run with me or do you want me to carry you?” 

“Oh please you can barely run by yourself. You couldn’t handle the weight,” Calcifer scoffs, running between your legs and out of the apartment. 

You immediately lock your door and run after him, “So rude...” you huff to yourself and catch up to the fox. 

✸ ✴ ✦

It only took you about five minutes to sprint across town and make it to the small clay cottage that your friends had lived in for years now. The mossy dark brown Terracotta roof and grey wooden door that had ivy vining in and out of it gave a lovely natural look to the house and you couldn’t help but admire the wonderful home the couple had built. 

Calcifer’s quiet pants mixed with your wheezing as you stumbled up to the door and knocked loudly to signal your arrival. The door swung open, revealing a smirking Wanda. 

“You woke up late again didn’t you?” 

Still catching your breath, you nodded and followed her into her home. Wanda looked gorgeous, as always, wearing a light and flowing yellow sundress with matching shoes and a pretty white ribbon that was tied into her hair. 

“I’m so sorry Wanda, neither of us set an alarm,” you breathed out, following her towards the kitchen. 

“It’s okay sweetie, we didn’t have to wait or anything, all of us were busy talking about the latest man who was admitted into the Grand Council,” she smiled back at you, warm eyes shining from the sunlight that was coming through the glass doors that led to their garden. 

You tilt your head in confusion when you realize her phrasing, “All of us?” 

Wanda gently put a fist to her temple, her face twisting into a slight grimace, “I’m sorry sweetie I completely forgot to mention I invited some friends today! Don’t worry, they’re both great and I’m sure you’ll get along just fine,” 

You nod your head hesitantly, not entirely believing your friend. You wondered who she had invited... Many times over Wanda and Vision have told stories about their old friends who they had met throughout their lives. From your understanding, they had built a wonderful family together and had helped and cared for each other for years so you had no doubt they would be friendly. 

Before you had time to voice whatever worries you had, you were interrupted by the fall of multiple pairs of footsteps. It didn’t take long for three men to walk into the room, all talking enthusiastically over each other. You automatically recognized the slim man walking over to Wanda as Vision, his bright eyes greeting you as he wrapped his arms around Wanda’s slim waist. 

You turn to the other two guests and are unable to hold in an audible gasp when you recognize one of them. Those chilling eyes copied yours as they widened to an almost comical size. 

“Y/n...” The sound of your name coming from his full, pink lips made your hands clam up. 

He was dressed much more formal today with a navy blue sweater over a button up shirt, dark jeans and the cutest wing-tipped shoes you’d ever seen. He looked like he had just gotten out of church with his grandmother. 

“H-hello..” you mutter back, a heavy cloud of confusion and stress surrounding itself around you. 

“Oh...Do you-do you guys know each other already?” Wanda tilts her head a curious finger flickering between the two of you as her squinting eyes try to find the connection. 

Bucky glances at you, then Wanda, then back at you, as if to ask the question of who would be telling the tale of your meeting. You however settled for staring up at the ceiling, handing that responsibility off to Bucky. 

“We um, bumped into each other at the market the other day,” his answer comes after a slight moment of hesitation. 

You held back a scoff at his choice of words... More like you ran over me and almost killed my familiar. 

“Oh great! So then you’ll only have to meet Sam,” Wanda smiles and gestures to the stranger who had refrained from speaking up until now. 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Sam Wilson,” he greets you with a bright smile, a charming gap between his two front teeth and a warm glow emanating from rich brown eyes that winked mischievously. 

He was quite handsome and his automatic charm caused the fog of awkward shyness to thicken in your mind, “Nice to meet you too,” you smile politely and shove your hand out for him to shake. 

A deep chuckle sounds from within his muscular chest as he grasps your hand and gives a firm shake. You quickly tell him your name before stepping back and allowing a new conversation to start. It was hard to focus on what everyone was saying as you felt the obvious gaze of Bucky peering at you from across the kitchen. You found the best way to keep yourself from staring back at him was to focus on the small amount of dirt that you could see hidden underneath your nails. You really needed to get them done again... Although it gets pretty difficult to achieve correct measurements with the long pointy acrylics that seem to be your go-to choice. 

“I dunno man, I just have really bad vibes about that Pierce guy... Steve agrees with me,” Sam’s comment brings you back to the conversation which you had apparently zoned out of. 

“Where is Steven? I thought he said he would be able to attend today?” Vision, always the formal talker, had a questioning glint to his eyes as he switched his focus from Sam to Bucky, then back. 

“Liberty wasn’t feeling too good so he had to take her to a vet,” Bucky was the one to answer.

“Liberty?” a questioning tilt to your head signals your confusion.

Bucky smiles at you before answering, “Yeah, she’s Steve’s pet. Super cute golden retriever that he picked up at the pound a couple years back,”

“Oh... Is he not a witch like you guys?” it surprised you that there was someone amongst their group that wasn’t practicing magic. 

Bucky subconsciously takes a step towards you, his body language changing to signal he was now solely focused on you, “Yeah he tried a few years ago but, it didn’t really go too well,” 

As Bucky answered he held up his metal prosthetic and wiggled his fingers, “Are you serious?! Your friend did that to you?” you gasp in shock, your eyes widening in amazement as you reach out to touch his arm without thinking. 

The metal was smooth and you were so enamored by the new information as well as the mechanical appendage that you failed to notice how tense Bucky got and how multiple pairs of eyes were staring at you. Your fingertips gently ran over the cool ridges of metal sections, “Wow... Did he turn your arm metal or did... did something else happen?” you glance between pretty blue eyes and steely metal. 

Bucky slowly reaches his arm out so you have a better view of what it’s like, “Actually that was kind of a joke,” he stutters, an awkward smile gracing his lips, “The real story is way more depressing,” he mumbles.

You halt your movements and stare up at him, the familiar yet heavy weight of embarrassment settling itself deep within your chest, “O-oh... I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to overstep-” You pull your hands away, folding them tightly against your chest. 

“No it’s okay! Really I’ve had a lot worse interactions,” he chuckles and reassures you once again that you didn’t overstep any boundaries. 

You nod in understanding but inevitably go back into your default of shy silence. Bucky stares down at you with a kind smile in hopes of making you feel a little less like an ass. It doesn’t work. 

After a few moments of deafening silence, Wanda makes a move over to the oven, “Alright everyone, quiche time!” 

“Aren’t you vegan?” Bucky mumbles, walking over to the table and preparing to sit down. As Wanda gives her response and mentions the fake eggs she found at the market, you walk over to the table as well. Bucky pulls out the seat closest to you and gives you a reassuring nod. You give a thankful smile and sit down, allowing him to help you push it back towards the table. 

“Thank you,” your quiet voice has Bucky grinning as he sits down next to you.

“Of course, doll” 

Brunch goes off without any more awkward spells and with the help of Wanda’s amazing skills in the kitchen, you begin to feel yourself relax with each bite you take. The afternoon goes on with the others telling you about how they met, silly stories about their friendly adventures, and at some point the conversation turned to you and what it had been like growing up a witch. It was a unique characteristic that none of your friends, new or old, had experienced. 

“Well, my dad is the one who originally got me into it... He was an aura reader like Wanda, and my mom focused more on spell casting and potions,” a warm grin on your lips signal the fondness your memories bring as you tell about your childhood, everyone was completely invested. 

“especially Bucky” Calcifer pointed out silently, giving you a knowing smirk from where he sat on the floor next to you. 

oh fuck off you stupid fox

✸ ✴ ✦ 

With full stomachs and a few full containers of leftovers, you, Sam, and Bucky stood gathered outside of Wanda’s front door as you all belted out a chorus of goodbye’s and excellent days. 

“It was really nice meeting you Y/n, make sure to keep in touch! I’ll be waiting for a carrier owl,” Sam winks at you as he begins to walk down the path towards the sidewalk, effectively leaving you and Bucky by yourselves. 

“He didn’t even let me say goodbye back...” you mumble out, staring at the confident figure that now waited at the property line by a pretty bush of hydrangeas. 

“Yeah... He’s weird like that,” Bucky agrees, glancing at his friend before fully turning his attention to you, “um so I’ve been meaning to maybe like... um maybe get your contact info? I just... I was maybe thinking we could grab like, tea or something sometime?”

As you take in Bucky’s words, you can’t help but notice the awkward and anxious movements he had started, reminding you of the first day you had met him. It made your lips twitch up just slightly. 

“Oh? like, my phone number?” the dumb answer almost had you on your knees with how hard you cringed. 

Bucky let out a breathy chuckle, “Uh yeah, yeah or like maybe an address? Or ugh that’s probably too personal-” “No! no it’s um it’s not,” you answer a little too quickly, discreetly pinching the skin on the back of your hand as punishment for your blatant lack of social skills. 

After a quick beat of neither of you knowing what to do, you finally speak back up, “You could come over tomorrow if you’d like,” 

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why would he want to come over so- “Yeah I’d love to!” Bucky answers enthusiastically, pulling his phone out from his back pocket and holding it out to you, “Just give me your number and I'll text you, we can figure out the details later, K?” 

You gingerly take the smartphone in your hands and type in your number, forgetting to put a name in for yourself before handing it back to him. Bucky’s hand slightly brushes yours as he takes it back and you’re too busy focusing on the lingering feeling on your hand that you miss the cheeky grin on Bucky’s face as he types in a contact name. 

“Hey tin soldier! You ready yet?” Sam’s smooth voice has you turning around with a start at his unexpected call. 

Bucky nods towards his friend, waving him off and turning back to you, “So I’ll uh, see you tomorrow,” 

“Tomorrow,” You confirm with a nod of your own.

Bucky’s smile grows tenfold and he takes a small step towards you, hesitating for only a moment before he leans in and gives a chaste kiss to the apple of your cheek. He doesn’t wait around to see your reaction, jogging over to Sam and slapping him on the shoulder before walking off down the cobblestone streets. 

Standing with your eyes the size of the moon and your face as hot as the goddamn sun, you don’t fail to catch the string of comments that your sleazy little fox makes. 

“Oh Bucky please just take me away! I’m too shy and socially inept to even speak to you properly, please I just love you sooooo much!” Calcifer’s high pitched mocking made your blood boil as he wheezed with laughter. 

“Shut up you stupid fox!” you yell at him, hooking your foot underneath his belly and pushing up and forward to flip him on his side. 

The reynard continued to cackle hysterically as you walked away from him. You could hear the broken comments he made as Calcifer continued to berate you on the bumpy interactions you always seemed to have with the handsome witch. 

“You’re sleeping outside tonight!” you call back to him, a smug tilt to your lips.

The laughing stopped immediately and was replaced by the clicking of little nails on mossy stone. 

✸ ✴ ✦ 

Calcifer’s eyes were glued to your figure as you made a mad dash around your apartment to make sure everything was clean and properly put away. Your socks allowed you to slide across the wooden floors as you shoved the rest of your freshly cleaned towels into a closet and slam it shut. Quickly turning the other way to sprint then slide the rest of the way to your little kitchenette where an almost comically small oven bakes banana nut muffins. 

“You are a nervous wreck right now kid,” Cal points out, a hint of worry in his mostly humorous tone. 

You look over at him, cringing at the realization that, yeah, you probably do look like a nervous wreck...

“It’s just that... No one has been over in a while and the last person that did come over was Wanda and I know she doesn’t care all that much about my tidiness so it was okay but I have no clue as to how Bucky is going to react and it's not like I don’t want to impress him, I mean I don’t need to impress him like my life doesn’t depend on what he thinks but,” “Christ’s sake kid-” “I mean for gods sake my bed is on the floor! He’ll probably think I’m some broke slob who-” Knock Knock 

“Oh my gods,” you whisper scream, no doubt did your aura radiate pure panic...

You shuffle over to the door, shoving your face up against it to look through the peephole and make sure it was the only person you were expecting. Taking a deep breath, you try and center yourself, then open the door. 

“Good morning, Bucky!” you greet, a bright smile on your face as you take in your guest’s appearance. 

Bucky is looking extra handsome today as he wears a dark grey cardigan over a white shirt, dark fitted jeans and, to your extreme surprise, black Converse.

“Hey, Doll” he smiles back softly at you, quickly taking in your simple outfit of a cute yellow crop top and black shorts, “T-these are for you,”  he mutters quickly and pulls a pretty bouquet of wildflowers out from behind his back. 

You beam at the thoughtful gesture and Calcifer doesn’t miss the sense of pride that Bucky gives off at your excited reaction, “Wow, Bucky these are so cute! I love them, thank you very much,” gingerly taking the bundle of fragrant colors, you invite your guest inside and immediately go to your kitchenette to find a receptacle for them.  

Once you find a nice little vase to put them in you spin back around to find Bucky looking around your small apartment, “Um...It’s not much-but the rent is really good and since it’s just me and Cal it works out pretty nice. If you aren’t comfortable we can always-” “I love it, Y/n. It’s really... you,” he glances back towards you, the look in his eyes warming you from deep within your chest. 

“Hey, tin man” the both of you jump slightly as Calcifer interrupts the thoughtful interaction. 

Bucky crouches down and reaches his hand out to the fox, “Hey... Nice to see you again Calcifer” 

“Where’s your dog?” completely ignoring Bucky’s polite greeting, Calcifer passes by him. 

“Oh uh... Sibi is still in training so I didn’t think it’d be a good idea to bring her into someone else’s home just yet,” the man answers awkwardly, dropping his hand and standing back up to his full height. 

Calcifer be nice you little skeez.

I’m just tryin’ get to know the guy, alright? 

You roll your eyes at the red animal and tell him to go onto the balcony. He thankfully listens, giving you and Bucky some privacy. 

“Sorry about him... He can be a little difficult sometimes,” you apologize quickly, nervously rubbing your clammy hands on the front of your shorts. 

Bucky chuckles and shakes his head, “It’s alright, I understand,” 

You give a questioning look at his phrasing and he quickly moves to elaborate, “Well, uh I guess-Ya know- since you guys are really close... I can understand why he would be protective because um, well since I’m like I’m trying to-” “Trying to what?” 

Bucky’s face was beet red as he tried and failed to explain himself to you, who had absolutely no idea what he was going on about, “In any case, I’m sure he’ll warm up to you soon,” you smile warmly at him and turn towards your oven. 

The embarrassed man watches as you take out the piping hot tray of muffins and set them out on the counter to cool. His stomach growls low as the deliciously sweet smell hits his nostrils. 

“How about we go sit down while those cool off?” you suggest and lead Bucky over to the small sofa that sat against the only free wall. 

You tuck yourself into one corner, folding your legs so they were pressed against your chest as you tried to give Buck as much room as possible. It was quite adorable to see the tall, beefy guy try and squeeze himself onto your small couch. A quiet laugh escapes you and he glances towards you, his cheeks tinged pink, “Guess M’not really made for studio apartment sized things,” he chuckles. 

Glad to see he isn’t upset about the cramped seating arrangement, you relax a little bit and start asking Bucky about his life. The two of you fall into easy conversation, talking about your childhood, past and current friends, how Bucky got into magic, your familiars and anything else that came to your minds. 

By the time there was a slight lull in conversation, it was already mid afternoon and you couldn’t help the growls that sounded from your stomach. 

“Um, do you want me to make us some lunch? I have like, sandwich stuff or mac n cheese?” you ask, swinging your legs off the couch and standing up to stretch. 

“Yeah that sounds good, you want me to help?” Bucky follows your movements and you shake your head. 

“S’okay, if you want you can go onto the balcony and I’ll be right out,” You smile up at him, turning to your little kitchen and focusing on making lunch. 

Bucky makes his way out onto your balcony covered in vining plants and hanging bottles filled with god knows what. Calcifer was asleep on a slightly rusted chair in the corner, his tail and legs curled into his body, making him look like a furry ball of orange. Bucky had never seen a work space quite like it. Sam was more of a trader so there wasn’t much potion making in the home they shared together. As he stared in wonder at all of the bottles covering the antique desk and a good part of the floor, curiosity got the best of him and Bucky couldn’t help but to start picking them up and exploring what was inside. 

Most of the bottles were labelled so he didn’t need to worry about those ones, the curious man was more interested in the unmarked ones. Popping off the cork to a green glass bottle filled with a powder, he brought his nose up to sniff and immediately gagged at the overpowering scent. 

“What is that?” he grumbled quietly to himself, closing that one and picking up a new one. 

This bottle did in fact have a label, but it was chicken scratch and for the life of him, Bucky couldn’t tell what the hell it meant as he picked up the murky glass bottle filled with what seemed to be a bright purple fog and opened it, taking in a quick whiff. 

Almost immediately Bucky felt the effects of the mystery potion and he had to steady himself on the desk so he wouldn’t fall over. Blinking a few times, he gathered his wits and slowly stood straight up. 

“Whaaat are you doing?” Your curious voice from the sliding door made Bucky jump and spin around, hiding the bottle behind his back. 

Your eyes quickly shift from the chilling blue irises of your guest to the suspicious amount of movement happening behind his large frame. Bucky lets out a quick scoff before answering, “What? Nothing, just checkin stuff out ya know,” 

His poor attempt at a casual demeanor was lost on you and it was quite evident in the suspicious squint of your eyes as you continued to stare at the man in front of you. 

“Which bottle did you sniff?” you ask flatly, sticking your hand out expectantly, the other hand making its way onto your hip.

“I-I didn’t sniff any bottle,” Bucky mutters out, metal hand going up to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.

You waited only a moment before he spoke again, seemingly unable to hold back his comment, “That’s a lie I sniffed this bottle,”

He immediately took a bottle out from behind his back and placed it in your still awaiting palm. You knew what it was as soon as you saw the color of the substance inside and began to laugh. It was the hardest you had laughed all day and the resounding noise of your joyous fit surely made its way down to the cobblestone streets below. Your right hand left its initial place on your hip and placed itself over the left side of your chest as you bent over to steady yourself. 

“Y-you just inhaled a shit ton of Truth-Be-Told Smoke” You cackled out loudly. 

Bucky, though entirely confused, couldn’t help the smile that painted itself onto his pink lips as he stared at your beautiful figure shaking from the prettiest laughing fit he had ever heard, “Your laugh is really pretty,” he blurted out, immediately slapping his hand over his mouth afterwards. 

The compliment startled you enough to calm your laughter and straighten your posture back out, “Thank you, Buck. So I’m just gonna assume you’re wondering what’s happening right now,” He answered you by quickly nodding his head.

You giggled and continued on, “Basically, this stuff is used mainly as a partial ingredient in other potions, but by itself, especially undiluted, it’s a high performing truth serum. You won’t be able to say anything except for what comes to your mind for quite some time,” 

“That makes me really nervous,” Bucky’s voice sounds strained as the hand that was covering his mouth moves to wipe down his face in stress.

“Well don’t go sniffin’ a girl’s potions next time!” you giggle out, walking over to return the potion to its proper place. 

“You smell really good,” before you have a chance to react bucky groans in frustration, “Fuck I am so sorry,” 

A light laugh escapes your lips and you look up at Bucky’s grimacing face, “It’s okay, I don’t mind. Plus it’s nice to know I made the right decision on what body wash to buy,” 

You motion Bucky to follow you back inside, ensuring there would be no more accidental roofying. Two sandwiches sit side by side on the small sofa, a little pile of chips next to each one. 

“This is really kind of you, Y/n” Bucky smiles, lifting up both plates of food and waiting for you to get comfy next to him before handing you one. 

“It’s no problem Bucky, you’re my friend now and-” “I don't want to be your friend,” he bursts out, making you frown.

Bucky quickly fixes his mistake, “No sorry- I uhm- I misspoke I-I don’t want to just be your friend.” another grimace makes its way onto his face, “That’s embarrassing for me to say, I’m embarrassed,” 

If you weren’t already sweating nervously, you were now. Clammy hands grip at the paper plate on your lap as you try and will your face to extinguish the fire that has engulfed it. “B-Bucky, I um…” 

“I’m sorry I said that… It probably makes you never want to see me again,” Bucky mutters out, anxiously playing with the small pile of potato chips.

“Actually…” you begin, taking a deep breath and continuing, “It doesn’t bother me at all,”

Bucky lets out a long breath of air, “Holy shit really? That’s fucking awesome because I wasn’t gonna tell ya that today but then I smelt that thing and I’m sweating real bad right now with how nervous I am-I should not have said that, but now that you said what you just said-” 

You put your hand up, signaling for the witch to stop his word vomit and laughed, “Bucky you don’t need to worry… Honestly, I am just as nervous as you,” 

Maybe it was because of the state Bucky was currently in, maybe it was because of something completely unrelated, but it made you feel brave enough to admit more than what you would’ve ever imagined. Bucky somehow willed himself into eating his sandwich, stopping every once in a while to blurt out a random compliment about you, the food, your apartment, anything. He even complimented how adorable it was that your mattress was on the floor, saying it just made everything feel so much comfier and he wished his apartment was like this. You took the comments in stride on the outside, though on the inside you were dying out of embarrassment. No one had ever said such nice things about you, and to the volume that Bucky was going, even if it was against his will, it still shocked you a bit.

By the time you were both done eating, the effects of the smoke seemed to slow down a bit, which allowed the nervous man beside you to withhold all of his thoughts, though it did keep him from lying still. As you stood to clean up the plates and napkins used during lunch, Bucky mimicked you, following you to the kitchen. 

“Today was really nice Bucky...Thank you for coming over,” you smile up at the tall man beside you and try not to swoon when he returns the warm smile.

There wasn’t a beat of hesitation before Bucky responded, “It was my pleasure, sweetheart,”

The term of endearment had your face aflame, something that has become a recurring struggle whenever you were around Bucky and his stupid compliments that always got to you. 

“Ya know, you’re quite the sweet talker when there’s nothing holding you back,” you tease playfully, making Bucky let out a quick bark of laughter. 

“Was I not a sweet talker before? I must have had some kinda skill since ya let me spend the whole day here,” a sly smirk is pulling at the corners of his lips as Bucky leans down closer to you in a mocking way.

You roll your eyes and put a hand to his shoulder, effectively pushing him away and giving yourself some much needed space. If you didn’t breathe properly soon, you were gonna pass out.

Bucky stayed at your place for a bit longer until he got a text from Sam saying that Sibi was getting anxious and that she missed him. You couldn’t help the grin that made its way onto your face when he explained why he had to leave, thinking it was absolutely adorable that Bucky was the only one who was able to calm that gigantic wolf. When it was time for him to go, it became a waiting game of who was going to initiate the final goodbye. 

Standing by your front door, leaning on the trim, you stared into the piercing blue eyes of the man opposite of you, completely unsure of what to say. In all honesty, you didn’t think it’d go this well. For Bucky to spend the entire day cramped up in your apartment with you, eating snacks and joking around as if you had known each other for years… It shocked you a bit when you truly thought about it. 

Bucky sighed, leaning against the opposite frame of the door as he stared back down at you, “So…” a nervous hand came up to subconsciously tangle into the hairs on the nape of his neck, the Truth Be Told must be wearing off, “I um… Today was really great,”

You nod your head in agreement, “Yeah it uh-it was,” your fingers begin to tangle and pull at each other. 

“Do you...Maybe wanna...Do it again? Soon?” he mumbles out, breaking eye contact as he begins to focus on his shoes. 

A little pinch to the back of your hand ensures that what you just heard was real and you nod, “yes, that’d be awesome! I um… Whenever you’re free of course,” 

Y/n and Tin Man sittin’ in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

You quickly turn around to see Calcifer prancing in a circle in the middle of your apartment, a sly grin on his face. 

Gods what are you Five? Shut up you stupid fox! I’m gonna throw you off the balcony!

“Doll? You okay?” Bucky chuckles lightly as he sees your face scrunched up into a cute little scowl that makes him want to squish your face between his hands. 

Calcifer's annoying cackles were heard echoing in your apartment as you turned back around to face Bucky, “Yeah, yeah no I’m good… You were saying?” 

“Just that I was free on Thursday, if you maybe wanted to get coffee with me… But it’s really no big deal if you don’t want to, I would understa-” “No! Er-I mean yes! Yes. I would love to get coffee with you on Thursday,” You cringe at your awkward response and bite the inside of your lip to keep yourself from screaming in embarrassment. 

The bright smile on Bucky’s face grounds you a little bit and gives you the courage to meet his pretty blue irises, “So Doll, I uh was thinking-” Before he can finish his thought, Bucky’s phone pings loudly, making you jump a little, “Sorry” He murmurs.

Snatching it from the pocket of his jeans, Bucky takes a look then immediately lets out a quiet sigh, “That’s Sam, I really gotta go,” 

Trying not to let the disappointment show, you nod your head and straighten up, silently wishing he could stay longer, “Okay...Um I’ll see you on Thursday then…” 

Bucky’s head tilts to the left as he considers your shy demeanor and he can’t help but reach out with his right hand and lightly grasps yours, “I’ll see you on Thursday, pretty girl,” 

You suck in a breath, feeling Bucky lightly tug on your hand and willingly following his lead. Taking a tiny step forward, which was really all you could take with how close the two of you were all ready, the breath your holding tightens in your chest as Bucky leans down closer to you. You could feel the warmth of his breath on your cheek, the brush of his long eyelashes ghosting over your temples, and the light squeeze on your wrist from his large hand. Bucky’s lips were soft as they pressed against the corner of your mouth in a light kiss that made you feel like you were in the clouds.

It didn’t last as long as you’d like and once he pulled away, you were able to let out the painful breath that stayed in your lungs for way too long. Bucky gave a quick wave before backing up a few paces, turning around, and walked the rest of the way down the hall. Leaving you to stand there breathless with the lingering feeling of his soft touches. 

“You two are gross,” The floaty feeling that had fallen over you evaporated as you heard the familiar’s voice from behind you. 

“I’m gonna hit you so hard,” You yell over your shoulder, turning around and slamming the door behind you. You pick up a slipper by your door and make your way over to the cackling fox. 

“W-wait wait! OW” 

“Stupid fox”

✸ ✴ ✦ 

-3 Months Later-

“Steve c’mon, stop interrogating my girl and come help set the tent up!” Steve turns his attention from you to his best friend, a smile on his face as he gets up to help Bucky set up the large canvas tent. 

“We will continue this later,” the blonde says pointedly before leaving you by yourself at the wooden picnic table. 

It had only been a little over three months since you had met Bucky Barnes, exactly two since he had worked up the courage to officially ask you to be “his girl” as he put it, and two hours since you had properly met Steven Rogers. How you had gone so long without meeting Bucky’s platonic other half was beyond you, but apparently the guy was a busy bee, and since your little potion shop out of your apartment had taken off, you didn’t exactly have much free time on your hands either. Fortunately, with a little luck and a lot of asking around for favors and covers for work, You, Bucky, Steve, Sam, Wanda, Vis, and all of your respective animals were able to take a long weekend to go camping. 

“Are you guys ready to eat? These sandwiches won’t keep for much longer,” Wanda stands up from the green metal cooler, hands full of deli sandwiches that she had made for the trip. 

A chorus of agreeance sounded across the cozy little site you had booked as you all gathered around the redhead. Bucky came up beside you, wrapping his metal arm around your waist and placing a soft kiss to the crown of your hair. 

“You excited for the weekend, doll?” he murmurs into your hair sweetly before placing a few more kisses there. 

You laugh lightly at his endearing behavior and smile up at him, “Of course I am Buck. I may never get the chance to spend this much time outside of my apartment again,” you joke, leaning up on your tiptoes to kiss your boyfriend on the sharp line of his jaw. 

After everyone had gotten a sandwich, along with whatever they wanted to drink or eat with it, you all squeezed onto the benches of the picnic table and began to chow down. Everyone talked animatedly about what the plans were for the rest of the weekend. Swimming, fishing, “Building a bomb ass fire” as Sam gracefully put it, all of it sounded like a blast to you. If you were being honest, you were just excited to be out of your apartment for more than a few hours at a time. 

“So, you’re a potion maker huh?” Steve asks, mouth half full of potato chips. 

Bucky lets out a groan and rolls his eyes, “Stevie let the girl breathe for fucks sake,” 

The group laughs at Bucky’s annoyance, but then looks at you, “Well, uh yeah… I um was taught at a young age, so it’s something I’m really good at and I know it’s not the best job or anything-” ''It’s an awesome job, kid. I think you’re doing real good. Our own little entrepreneurial witch!” Sam interrupts your babbling, a bright smile on his face as he pats your back just a little too forcefully.

“I mean… I’m not a witch so I obviously don’t really get it like everyone else does, but you seem to be doing really well,” Steve assures you, sending a sense of pride into your chest. 

You had managed to impress Steve Rogers… Not bad, Y/n.

The guy is actin’ like he’s Tin Man's father… The hell is that about?

You turn your head over to where Calcifer is curled up on a dark blue camping chair, bright yellow eyes trained on the blonde man who was still stuffing his mouth with food. 

Calcifer they’ve been friends for ages, it’s normal.

The fox lets out a quiet snuff in response before getting up from the chair and trotting over to the table. 

“Cal do you want some of my turkey?” Bucky asks, taking a few pieces of turkey from his sandwich and setting it beside him on the table. 

Calcifer doesn’t answer, just hops up on the bench and silently eats the portion of meat. It’s taken a while for Calcifer to warm up to Bucky… And though progress if few and far between, the two have definitely gotten closer in the past couple of weeks. The biggest issue at first was how crazy Sibi acted around other familiars, but after a while and a good amount of training from you and Bucky, the hyperactive wolf finally settled and was on track to be a wonderful helper for her witch in training. 

“So… Do you guys have any plans of moving in together soon?” Wanda hesitates as she not so sneakily takes a chip from Vis’s plate. 

You and Bucky look to each other for only a moment before responding, “We’ve been looking at places to go. It’s hard cause we wanna stay in Adelaide but without buyin’ a whole house, there aren’t many options for apartments,” Bucky explains, a small shrug to his shoulders. 

“And there’s no way all four of us could fit in my apartment,” you add, copying Bucky’s shrug. 

Neither of you were in too much of a hurry to find a place of your own, as you were both content in the homes you were in now. The idea of living with Bucky was quite appealing but you knew the more realistic thing to do would be to wait, save, and research to make sure you both lived in a comfortable environment. 

“You guys are so cute it makes me wanna die! Who knew you’d be the ultimate witchy power couple?” Wanda’s swooning caused you to laugh a little as Vision looked at her with mock hurt in his eyes as if to say ‘what are we then?’

Before anyone had a chance to add on, an unexpected voice responded, “I did,” 

Your laughter immediately ceased and your attention snapped over to the other side of Bucky’s large frame. Calcifer sat proudly on his haunches as he gazed back at your shocked face. 

“W-what do you mean you knew?” Bucky stuttered, equally as shocked as you were. 

“I just knew. From the first day you guys met, it was obvious it was that true love bullshit you humans talk about,” the fox brushes off both yours and Bucky’s shock as if it was nothing. 

The rest of the group laughs as the pair of you stutter out broken objections to Calcifer’s claim, “A-are you kidding me Cal? That stuff is like… a myth or something,” 

“Yeah, I mean I’m in love with Y/n n’ all but-” “You’re in love with me?” 

All of the banter around the table halts as five pairs of eyes stare at a now tomato faced Bucky Barnes. “U-um, yes. Yeah-I um, yeah I’m in love with you…” Bucky’s voice is quiet and you’re not sure if he actually said what you heard, but that thought is soon wiped from your mind as an eruption of cheers sounds from your friends. 

A grin makes its way onto your face as you stare up at those pretty blue eyes that you really never got tired of looking at, and you can’t help but bring your hand up to run along the stubble of Bucky’s jaw, “I’m in love with you, Buck” 

Bucky lets out a sigh of relief and immediately leans down to press his lips against yours in a passionate kiss, both of his large hands framing each side of your face to pull you closer to him. 

“Told ya so” 

“Shut up you stupid fox!”

[nebula-starlight]

Sepsis (Pt. 15: Their Weapon)

He was weary and seeing the stormy gray clouds overhead as he flew only confirmed the melancholy nestled in him. How long had he been out on his mission now? It had been months since he last saw Versila, always kept busy with being the Shield he was desired of by Magnus. To be without an active task made him feel sluggish and worn down but while on the hunt his mind and senses were razor sharp. They had to be in his line of work now. Hunting down those Corrupt that plagued their beautiful lands and ending them before they could spread their vile disease to innocent others. 

But even now, with only the cool damp breeze and the sounds of his own wingbeats to keep him company, he had little else to do other than reflect. Reflect on how his life had spiraled into the position he now was in. Far more than ever before he wished to have Igna in his life again. He had tried to find the tunnels he had fled from that fateful night, tried to find her broken body so he could at least give her a proper burial, but it had all been for naught. Searching the thickly overgrown woods had only left him with disappointment and a seething inner loathing that he couldn’t give the only friendly spirit he’d known for moons one simple act of kindness in return. She was like a mother to him deep in his soul. A comfort to him in the darkest nights when the dreams and past terrors threatened to consume him with their long claws of fear. 

There was no doubt he was happier now than he had been in his youth. He had Versila, had a job, and even held some measure of respect amongst the citizens of the Capital to his utter surprise. The repeated meetings with Magnus in private only served to further the feeling that he was on the right path for his life. Sure he seldom saw his beloved mate much between the lengthy searching for those Corrupt but she seemed to support his decision. After all, she had cried on the night he first told her of the position Magnus had offered to him. He’d thought at the time it was tears of happiness and delight but now… He scowled, gliding to another wind current that would hopefully lift him higher. 

Versila… Had he caught her sneaking medication when he wasn’t looking? It had just been a brief glimpse when he saw the bottle she hastily shoved deep into a drawer before kissing him as she left to go to her job. Why would she not bring up that she was ill to him? Did she not trust him? Surely whatever it was they could face it together as they always had since becoming joined in union. Perhaps if time allowed he would ask her about such things when he arrived home. He doubted Magnus would send him out again without a day or two of rest. 

Overall it was the end of a long task he was looking forward to as he finally caught sight over the vast rolling plains of their gleaming, towering Capital. He was so close to being back home he could almost taste it and the sight seemed to breathe fresh strength into his weary wings. Soon he would see her again and put to ease the doubts that had begin to nag at the back of his mind. 

Glancing at the few brave soldiers under his command who had survived and were accompanying him back, he gave his instructions with a silent nod. They had their lives to return to and, if needed, he would call for them each separately to provide details for the statement that was to be delivered to The Council. They flew in close formation, each a varying shade of gray or black depending on their level of exposure to Corruption save for him who had been made to be a weapon against the dark. Taking the lead, Nethreis guided them over the Capital, calling out with a bellow to those who guarded the outer walls of the high city. 

“The Shadowcrest return! No shoot!” 

Once he was assured they would not be attacked by those who did not recognize the armor or what it stood for, he circled around the grand city with his following troops before taking to the well cared grounds in front of The Council’s observatory skyrise. Nethreis landed first, wincing as he folded his weary wings against his side and turned to thank each member who had returned with him. There would be time to mourn those lost once the fight was well and truly won and he knew those under his command knew it likewise. 

“Each go and rest. I see to statement personally.” 

The older of his soldiers nodded in relief and took flight with warm wishes that it would be quick and uneventful while some of the newer, younger troops seemed unsure. His eyes scanned over theirs, seeing a mix of eager anticipation of rest and apprehension that he would still be in need of their services. 

“Be with yours. This is mine task.” He kept his voice gentle, trying to persuade them to trust his words and see to their own restful recovery following the long journey that had taken them months to complete. 

Even after the last of those under his command left he still stayed, watching long into the distance at the dim auburn hue of the sun’s fading light upon the thick clouds along the horizon. Perhaps his report could wait until morning to deliver? They had made excellent time in returning and his last correspondence with Magnus had ensured the Councilmember that they would be “arriving within a fortnight should Soleil bless them with strong winds.” That deadline was in fact in the morning and he was, quite frankly, exhausted from the return flight. Besides, Versila had to be missing him terribly and he longed for her so much… 

Making up his mind, he turned and started down the worn cobblestone towards the housing district of the city. A goodnight’s rest was very much owed him and he would gladly take it before relaying the news of their vast quest over the wild lands beyond the Capital. With any luck he’d surprise Versila as well and she would be overjoyed to welcome him safely home. 

—————

He looked around the messy interior of the house he had bought for them with the money he received from his promotion to being the leader of the Shadowcrest at Magnus’s proposal. She had never been one to let things go into such disarray before and it frightened him deep inside to think for just a moment that perhaps the home had been ransacked by street scum looking to make easy money. Growling, he shook his head, reminding himself that at one point his Versila was among those who roamed the Capital streets begging for food or shelter from the cold. 

Glancing again at the broken mirror overhead of the empty, burnt out fireplace, he twitched at the creak of wood from behind him. Turning, his eyes glowed as fire rose in his throat and the instinct of being ambushed by those tainted nearly overtook him before the source of the noise spoke up softly. 

“Oh, you came home. She’s not here. Hasn’t been for days now. But- But nothing is stolen or missing, Monsieur Shield.” Their neighbor, an elderly air spirit, stuttered from the open doorway into the house. 

Nethreis forced himself to relax, fire cooling even as his shoulders stiffened in alarm. Where was his beloved? Why would she just up and leave without telling anyone? Had she even told anyone? His crimson eyes blinked as he tried to reign his swirling thoughts in so he could hear if the old spirit chose to say more. When several minutes passed in awkward silence he realized that he was the one who needed to respond. 

“Thank… Does anyone know where went?” 

“No sir. Charlia even went to check with the Healers but she never reported to work either. I’m just lucky my wife happened to see you walking home.” 

So Versila hadn’t gone to work then… Work was her source of peace, he supposed. She’d said once that her working there was a way for her to atone for her sins but at the time he hadn’t understood what she meant. Even now he was uncertain but he quickly decided it might be wise if he went to the Healers personally to inquire. As much as he trusted Charlia and Atros, they were still common members of spirit society. 

“Appreciate tell.” He nodded, shifting uneasily as a plan started to form in his head of how best to go about getting information. Rest would have to wait for now until he knew more. 

“Don’t stress over it. If you want you can sleep at our place for the night. No offense but you look about ready to drop where you stand.” 

Nethreis ignored the remark, eyes flickering back to the shattered mirror again. Why break a mirror? Was there something in her reflection that Versila didn’t wish to see? She had never expressed a reservation about the mirror before that he could recall. Yet for some reason he kept glancing at the broken shards as though they held an important piece of the puzzle. 

“Monsieur Shield…?” 

Cold crimson eyes darted back to the old spirit with bitter disdain as for but a second the illusions faltered to show the orange scars along Nethreis’s dark scales. “Leave.” 

He didn’t bother to see if Atros obeyed the request or not, putting a forepaw to his chest in a moment of silent self reflection. If he could just find her or find where she might have gone… Maybe his distance had left her feeling hurt or abandoned? Naturally he never wanted her to feel that way but he had to follow the orders of The Council and Magnus. It was just like when he was out hunting down the Corrupt. He just had to find a strand to be able to track them down. Now he had to use that same technique to find his beloved and get answers. 

Sleep was no longer an option to him for the foreseeable future it seemed. He had far more pressing matters than allowing himself to relax now. And he wouldn’t stop until he knew the truth. 

—————

Going to see the Healers had not given him what he had expected to find. While it was true Versila had not checked in to work in several days, one younger member of the group had seen her the day before she stopped coming in and she had “seemed off.” He tried to ask for more clarification but was shooed away and told trying to question her would only complicate the current murder investigation underway. That was troubling news as killings simply were never openly talked about within cities. They still happened of course but almost immediately got swept under the rug by whoever the spirit ruling over that particular area was. 

But Nethreis was determined to know and so he decided to find out by questionable means. By which he took a seat outside and seemed to sink into the evening shadows, becoming as invisible as the approaching night so he could listen in without being in danger of being discovered. Truthfully it was a power he seldom used because extended, prolonged duration tired him out but with how dire things were he figured the risk of pushing himself further into exhaustion was well worth it. 

Luckily it didn’t take long for him to discover why it was so secretive. It wasn’t every day one of the Lead Healers went ballistic and murdered another in the same practice. He knew the levels of panic that would instill in the common citizens and quickly retreated from his shadowy hole that he’d been listening in. When he resurfaced it took him a moment to steady his breathing, the last bit of news he’d heard as he left hitting him in the chest just as sharp as a whip. His beloved was last seen fleeing in the night out of the city and out towards the mountains that rose to the north. 

He blinked, feeling hot, inky tears roll down his cheeks. It… It had to be wrong. Versila wasn’t like that. Surely something had to have happened for it to be… for her to… to… She wasn’t a killer! But what if it wasn’t her anymore? What if somehow she’d become infected? They’d said her color was starting to gray in spots and ke knew that as a sign of one exposed to Corruption. Finding her, even in the dead of night, had to be his single focus now. No matter how much his wings ached as he flared them and rose to his feet. She was a part of him and there was no mistaking the hollowness that felt like a weight tugging at his soul. Wherever she was, she needed him. 

Glowing irises surveyed the skies for a moment before he threw himself upwards into the air and immediately all thoughts ceased in his head. All except the realization it was a hunt and he very much enjoyed indulging in those with anewed sharpened senses. Magnus would be pleased if he got rid of another poisoned by the vile darkness. Relation didn’t matter in a hunt. It just got in the way of enjoying the satisfaction of killing. At least maybe this time he could bring back a trophy to remember later. 

As far as Nethreis Ignis comprehended things, he had his next task all without even having to be issued one by those greater in position than he. Surely Magnus would be delighted that he went to confront and subdue another potentially Corrupt entirely on his own. He had the Councilmember’s favor after all and that was vital to his reputation within the Capital. For now his flight would take him to the Northern Mountains no doubt where snow fell year round upon the lofty jagged peaks. Should her coloration still be mostly pristine ivory, tracking her would be somewhat challenging in the arctic terrain. A hunter never turned away from a hunt they believed themselves capable of winning. 

He forced his wings down, catching an uprising draft and began to ascend, screeching a challenge as far as his voice would carry. Their home would be free from the vileness of Corruption and he would make it so as his most sacred vow. None tainted should have a home within the gilded gates and now, with his hunt newly begun, he bellowed again a warning into the biting winds. If by chance she sought to return, whether innocent or not, she would need to pass by him first. The Capital’s Shield was his title and he wore it with the utmost pride a spirit of his caliber could. Relaxing his still weary muscles, he set his crimson sights on the white blanketed cliffs towering in the distance and flew onward in complete silence. 

[marshmallow-phd]

The Anormic

Part of The Experiments Universe

Genre: Lucky One/Obsession AU

Pairing: Kris x Reader

Summary: You were everything he needed to feel human. But not even your presence could keep the nightmares away. The years had gone by and it seemed his dreams were all that was left of his trauma. When his past comes back and snatches you away, the human mask he’d worked so hard to create will be ripped away and he’ll stop at nothing to get you back.

Part: 1 I 2 I 3

**

Dozens of papers were scattered all over the floor. Anyone would have glanced at the chaos and assumed there was no order to it. But there was a reason to the rhyme. You could reach out and pluck up the exact file you were looking for without having to search too long. The fact that you were the only one who understood the order was fine by you. They were all spread out in a semi-circle within easy distance. A worn-out notebook balanced on your knee. The pencil between your fingers bounced up and down in a blur as your eyes scanned over your notes. Scribbles and half-words covered almost the entire space, cutting across the blue lines diagonally and filling in the margins like your own secret code. There were still too many missing pieces, too many avenues to explore. You’re inexperience was getting in your own way.

With a sigh hanging in the air, you leaned back to lie on the floor. You looked over at the digital green numbers glowing from the clock on the stove. The day was slowly shifting into night. To your left, purples and oranges mixed in the clouds out the window in a way that only nature could. Those two colors anywhere else would have been gaudy, but in the sky, they were breathtaking. But they also weren’t the sight you wanted at the moment.

You knew Kris was currently meeting up with his friend, Tao, so you weren’t worried for him – merely anxious for him to get home. The day didn’t sit quite right if you went to bed before seeing his smile. You didn’t know much about the younger man, only that he was in the same orphanage as Kris growing up and his past was just as mysterious. But he made Kris happy, lighter in a way that you weren’t able to. Perhaps it was due to their shared history. It didn’t keep the twinge of jealous away, but you’d learned to manage it. As long as Kris had someone to talk to ab-

Click.

The soft noise made you sit up. It was the kind you were too used to hearing. Kris would often try to sneak in through the front door so you wouldn’t get distracted in the middle of studying. His well-meaning intention did the opposite, making you more in tuned to the sound. Standing to your feet, you shuffled through the living room towards the door. “Kris?” Nothing. You called out again.

Gloved hands reached out from the kitchen entrance and pulled you back. Your mouth was covered by the protective nylon, preventing you from screaming out for help, but you could still kick and flail. Whoever had a hold of you must not have been prepared for the fight back. Or you were simply able to hit just the right spot to make his grip loosen enough for you to get away. In a quick glance, you saw a total of three armored men in your apartment. The odds of you making it away were slim. That didn’t mean you weren’t going to try.

You ran for the living room. All three were right behind you. The advantage was yours, however, since you knew the layout and the arrangement of the furniture. Jumping over the couch that separated the living room and dining area, you headed for the bookshelf. Not knowing where the instinct came from, you tipped the shelf over. The heavy wood landed with a hard thud, vibrating the floor and rattling the glassware that was drying in the sink. It did its job, though, and covered the papers that were spread out on the floor. If men were coming to kidnap you, there was a very real possibility that your research could be the reason why. You never were able to keep your nose out of things. The sudden furniture in the middle of the floor was enough to stop the men in their tracks and give you time to run for the window. Your nervous fingers fumbled with the lock, but the sides were sticking. The window didn’t fly open to let you out onto the fire escape. It had only managed to crack open a few inches when you were yanked backwards. The hands that had grabbed you tossed you through the air. You landed on your back on the glass coffee table, shattering the panel that held your mug and textbooks. The wooden cross legs in the middle cradled your fall and kept you from rolling in the shards that now covered the rug. You groaned and whimpered from the pain as the men stood around you. They covered their faces with cloth before one held up a black aerosol can and sprayed a white mist into your face. You fought hard to hold your breath and not let the chemical into your lungs, but too soon your will gave out. One deep breath was all it took and you were out.

**

Kris kept his head down as he hurried through the streets. The hood kept most of his face covered, but he still couldn’t risk being seen by any cameras nearby. From his time undercover at EXO, he knew they had no qualms about breaking the law and hacking any security footage that might benefit them. The bus ride had been long, but this had to be the place where he started; back at the beginning. His stomach churned the closer his feet took him. Memories danced around in his head, taunting him. Now that you were gone, taken by the very past he was trying to outrun, the parts of himself that he’d been able to repress were coming back with a vengeance.

The old headquarters of EXO was now nothing more than a pile of rubble. Bits of wall still stood here and there, covered in weeds and leaves, surrounded by a mix of dirt and glass. The people around here had wanted the remains emptied out and the lot flattened, but EXO refused and they couldn’t be forced to do so. Stepping over the knee-high rod iron fence, Kris checked his surroundings once again before venturing in deeper. As far as he was aware, there wasn’t too much monitoring of the area, though that didn’t mean it was nonexistent. He knew very well that he might have tripped some sort of motion sensor, alerting the rebranded company to an unauthorized presence on their property. If he hadn’t already been spotted then he should have time to search before anyone else showed up. Getting captured himself was certainly not the answer to getting you back. As long as he kept his face from being seen, he should have an advantage.

Careful with every step he took, he glanced sparingly around the area. However, the one place he should have been looking was near his own feet. An old cracked pipe covered in red-brown rust laid sneakily in the overgrown grass that had managed to break through the concrete floor. Kris hit the ground hard on his knees, palms scraping against the rough surface. Shaking the pain from his hands, he hissed as he inspected the damage. It took less than a minute for the skin to knit itself back together until only dirt and rocks the size a pinhead remained.

“You need to be careful.”

Kris’ head snapped up, whirling around to find the source of the voice that was so close to yours. But there was no one in the vicinity. Not even a kid on a skateboard or old woman walking her dogs. Of course. It was a memory. One of many where you almost discovered his secret.

“I’ll be fine,” Kris had scoffed with a roll of his eyes. The two of you had escaped for the day to a small lake about an hour out of town. The sun was lowering in the sky, stars that you couldn’t see in the city making a rare appearance. A small fire danced and flickered while the two of you skewered marshmallows onto metal kebab rods. You were being the smart one and wrapping a cloth on the end as you held it over the blaze. Kris, preferring it a little more on the burnt side while also being a tad lazy, simply set the marshmallow into the fire and let it sit there while he fixed the blankets a few feet away.

“I wish we could do this all the time,” you sighed, bobbing the stick up and down to keep it out of the flames. Wind ruffled the hem of your flannel shirt. Actually, it might have been one of Kris’ shirts that you commandeered. Not that he would ever complain.

“If you want to come out here more often, just say the word.” There was nothing that he would deny you – except for the truth about himself.

You shook your head. “No, because then I’ll never want to leave.”

Coming up behind you, Kris wrapped his arms around your shoulders. He rested his chin near the crook of your neck and took in the scent of you mixed with the smoke that drifted through the air. He wished that the two of you could stay out here as well – hide out in the woods where no one could find you and you would always be safe. Time would no longer exist out here. Only the sun would indicate the passage of the days. Nothing was more free than space and isolation. Perhaps he could build a cabin, a simple, humble home big enough for the two of you and anyone else who might come along.

A giggle interrupted the romantic moment. “Your marshmallow is burning.”

Cursing, Kris jumped towards the fire and pulled the rod out. Big mistake. The heat from the fire had transferred all the way up the metal, burning his hand. Kris dropped the rod in the dirt as he cried out from the burning of his palm. You put your own stick to the side as you reached for his hand. “Are you okay?”

Kris kept his hand squeezed tight. The pain from his throbbing skin made him want to hiss and scream, but he held it in. “I’m fine.”

“Let me see it.” You tried to pry open his fingers, but he fought against you. “Kris, seriously, you might be seriously burnt.”

“It’s not that bad.” He just needed a few seconds more….

You looked up at him with pleading eyes. “Kris, please.”

He gave in. Letting you open up his hand, he waited and hoped. He barely held back the sigh of relief when he uncurled his fingers. While his hand was still a little red, there was no sign of the previous injury. You relaxed into your own sense of relief was well. “I guess you didn’t have ahold of it that long. That’s good.” You looked over at the ruined s’more lying in the sand. “I guess you’ll have to start over. But, please, this time use a bandana or something.”

He smiled broadly at you and kissed your cheek. “I will.”

What he wouldn’t give to go back to that moment, to that time. He’d grant your wish and never leave that little spot off the lake where the water calmly splashed up on the shore, the pale sand felt soft against bare feet and the trees sang in the wind. It wasn’t the last time you came close to witnessing what his altered body was capable of. Kris had told himself that he would be more careful, more aware, but that was an empty promise. The fact that you were still in the dark was a miracle.

No, you were probably no longer oblivious to his otherness. As soon as you were able to, you would have been demanding answers. He wouldn’t put it past the scientists to spill every little secret, to turn you against him and make him even more vulnerable and pliable to their wishes. He just hoped that you would continue to trust him, to give him the benefit of the doubt and let him plead his own case to you.

The phone in his pocket vibrated. Frowning, Kris pulled it out with every intention of turning it off. But seeing Chanyeol’s name pop up made him hesitate. He shouldn’t answer. He should let it go to voicemail and call back later. He hit the green button. “Hello?”

“Hey, Kris!” Chanyeol’s voice was just as upbeat and joyful as ever.

“What is it, Chanyeol?” He didn’t mean to be short, but he couldn’t bring himself to fake cheerfulness right now.

The younger male could sense his enthusiasm was not being reciprocated. “Um, I know this might be sudden, but I was wondering if I could come visit for a few days? I have something I want to talk to you about and-”

“I can’t. I’m not home.”

“Oh.” Chanyeol’s voice was lower, gone was the earlier excitement. “Okay. When do you get back? Maybe-”

“I don’t know. I can’t do this right now.”

He hung up before he could feel anymore guilt. A few days ago, he would have gladly invited Chanyeol to come stay with him. The two of them were somewhat close, the other’s positive energy being infectious no matter how tired one was. You would have loved him.

Turning his phone off, Kris shoved the device back in his pocket and stood up to his feet. He kept going deeper into the rubble until he came to the spot he was looking for. Wiping away the years of growth, he found the inconspicuous hide away hole. He opened the flap to reveal a metal bar. One turn at forty-five degrees and he was able to open the rounded door in the ground. It was dark, to the point that Kris could barely make out the floor of the hidden room. From his bag, he pulled out a flash light and dropped down. His heart sank.

This was once a secret storage room, cabinets lining nearly every inch of the walls. And they were empty. Drawers hanging open or thrown to the floor like the secrets they held were taken in a hurry. When they had blown this place up years ago, Kris had assumed that this room had been destroyed as well. But it was still intact from he could tell.

They could have taken the files to Moo San’s mansion, he told himself. But a sinking feeling told him that wasn’t the case. They were all so convinced that they’d ended it that day; that all the information EXO had on the experiments they conducted, everything pertaining to them, had been destroyed in the fire. As the years went by, that conclusion began fact. But this empty room was telling him that they were wrong. He couldn’t know for sure, but a sinking feeling told him RS had at least part of the information. Were they looking for more? Was that why they took you? To see what you knew?

Turning off the flashlight, Kris climbed back up the hole, swiped up his bag and stalked away from the scene.

A few blocks away sat the community library. Cash on hand to pay for the minutes, Kris signed in under a fake name, giving a story to the librarian about how he’d lost his card but really needed to use the computer. She reluctantly gave him a guest sign in and pointed to the lab. Sitting as far away from the others in the room as possible, Kris opened up a search engine and typed in Regeneration Science. While he knew some things about the organization and their ties to EXO, he needed more. Expect it didn’t exist to the rest of the world. The only results were those of other labs trying to recreate in mammals the cell regeneration that reptiles possessed to someday use on humans. Okay, then. New tactic.

He typed in EXO Applied Sciences and scrolled through the old news stories about the fires, chuckling to himself as he passed a few forums discussing possible conspiracies behind the incidents. Then he found what he was looking for. The cut and paste website of the company. He searched through the different tabs, bypassing the flourishes of why the company was so great and what wonderful things they were doing for humanity. On the last page he found the list of individuals who owned parts of the company and the directors on the board. None of the names sounded familiar. Even some of the companies that sat as shareholders sounded foreign to him. Frustrated that the answer wasn’t popping out at him, he printed the list of owners along with prominent doctors that headed the different departments – none of which he’d ever interacted with in his time as a prisoner.

Exhausted, he made it back to the dingy motel. Collapsing on the edge of the bed, he pulled your charm that now hung from a red string out from underneath his shirt. The small bird sat in his palm. He told himself that he should have never met you, that you would have been better off never having met him. But he was selfish. He cherished the memories the two of you had created to ever completely regret it. He needed to get you back.

But he couldn’t do this on his own.

Pulling out his phone, he turned it back on. A little prayer went through his thoughts, a prayer that his brother would answer. After the short conversation that had occurred half an hour ago, Kris wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t answer. As the phone rang in his ear, he held his breath and hoped that he wasn’t on the verge of shattering more worlds than his own.

**

You weren’t sure how long you’d been awake. It had been a slow process, opening your eyes and taking in your foreign surroundings. The room was blindingly white, minimal furniture that wasn’t anywhere close to comfortable. Every wall was pure concrete giving you no indication of where you might be. Your muscles were sore. Each movement made your muscles groan as if they’d aged seventy years overnight. You had to take your time getting up off the thin mattress. The metal bedframe creaked from your shifting weight. Still dressed in your pajama shorts and cardigan, you shivered at the constant cold breeze that ran through the room though there didn’t seem to be a vent in sight. The only way out was a door on the far end of the room. A narrow, rectangular window about eye level rested slightly off to the size. At least that would be useful.

Your bare feet hit the tile floor, shooting another shiver up your spine. The slap of each step echoed around the room. Now that you were up and moving around, the room seemed much smaller than you initially thought. Peering out the window, you craned your neck to see as far down the hallway you could manage. In a single file line, strange looking men in equally odd clothing marched down the hall. While you couldn’t see all of their faces, you could have sworn some of them had two different colored eyes. Behind them, a woman dressed in regular clothes walked into view, nervousness written all over her face. She glanced over at you momentarily and frowned. A muffled shout caused her to flinch and she hurried to catch back up with the group.

A new man’s face appeared in the window. You jumped back at the sudden surprise, holding your breath as the door slid open. The man stepped inside. On his face sat a malevolent grin. Before you could open your mouth to demand answers, he beat you to the punch.

“You are currently being held in the underground facility of Regeneration Science, an extension of EXO Applied Sciences and Technologies. I am Dr. Brandt, head of the… experiments we perform down here.”

You frowned. EXO was a name you knew. The company had been in the news several years ago. Both their main headquarters and the owner’s mansion had burned down a few months apart, the owner dying in the latter tragedy. After that, nothing too special happened with them besides the occasional upgrade or technological breakthrough to make everyone’s lives easier on a daily basis. They were also one of the top medicinal companies in the world, only a few others standing in their way of being number one. They often came up in class, the two fires heatedly debated amongst your classmates. The conspiracy that the company set burned the buildings down themselves had never really died out, many thinking they were covering up something sinister. You’d never thought anything of it before. Now, though…

But you couldn’t figure out what any of that had to do with you. None of the projects you’d been researching had anything to do with EXO.

“What do you want with me?” The horrific thought that you were now going to become one of their experiments flashed through your mind. They couldn’t do that, force you to be exposed to whatever new drug or weapon they were working on.

Dr. Brandt smirked. “For you to sit tight right here and be a good girl.”

You scoffed. “You expect me to just go along with that?”

“Yes, I do,” he replied confidently. Hands behind his back, he took several steps toward you. Personal space was apparently not something he respected. “Especially if you want Kris to remain unharmed.”

You pounced. Hands twisted in the lab coat he wore, you pulled and shoved, your blood boiling under your skin. “What did you do to him?! Where is he?!” The door to the room slid open again as two guards ran into the room and pulled you away. They held on to your arms to keep you from attacking again. “I swear, if you’ve hurt him-”

“We haven’t touched a single hair on his head,” Dr. Brandt interrupted as he fixed his coat. “He was the one we were after last night, but he’s exceptionally difficult to track down. So my men went with plan b, which was to bring you in and, hopefully, lead Kris to turn himself in voluntarily.”

“What do you want with Kris?”

Dr. Brandt narrowed his eyes. “He hasn’t told you, has he?”

You swallowed. “Told me what?”

He laughed. “I’m not sure if that was noble or stupid. However, I am more than willing to fill in those particular details for you, if you so wish.” He raised an eyebrow, waiting for your answer.

There was no telling if you could trust a single word coming from this man’s mouth. For all you knew, he had nothing to do with EXO, this Regeneration Science didn’t exist, and he was playing you for a fool by dangling Kris in front of you. But you couldn’t deny the possibly poisoned candy. Kris had a mysterious past, you’d been aware of it since you first met. Sometimes, his stories or explanations didn’t add up. You knew he kept secrets. Those mysteries had been impossible not to investigate. So, you gave in.

“Tell me what you know.”

[irrfahrer]

“  shut the fuck up and sit down. you’re bleeding.  ” {smuggler!ben to ziv, who always takes care of him. now the tables are t u r n ed.}

The Tynnans pelt bristled like from electricity, a reaction that would fit more to a angry Loth-Cat than to someone with a sentient mind. Her head snapped around, yet she regretted it the same second because a sharp blade of pain digged from her side through her whole body through her veins down to her toes and up deep into the roots of her teeth. She flinched, grinding her razorsharp teeth to hold back the groan laying in her throat like a thick clot.  "Well can you kriffing imagine-”, the young woman growled, her tail weakly smacking on the table she was sitting on which was probably meant to be a lot of more agressive and annoyed but the pain had made her careful. The table she sat on was covered with the inside of her backpack- packs of plastoid with dried herbs, boundles of bandages, small bowls filled with prepared oinments or the fat or oil needed to pepare oinments, a pack of gloves, and a set of more traditional as in more modern medical tools that were put together in a medic-kit. Long, dirty yellow streaks of artifical light fell from the loud street into the small room that had until before a few moments served as the Tynnans treatment room, but looked now more like a battlefield than a actual medics workingplace- before the duracretewalls had been overgrown with plantranks thet grew out of the pots Ziv had put along the walls and beside the shelves she had put up, yet now the shelves had been thrown over and the little sweet forest she had grown all on her own in the before dead cell of grey duracrete had been ripped off and their pots shattered.  And between the overthrown shelves and rests of the small forest in the middle of a city of steel lay the massive Houk who was nolonger mad from pain, but after Ziv had hammered the injection with painkillers in his throat was now sleeping peacefully like a infant and was even snorring almost adorably as much as a massive mountain of muscles, deep blue skin could snorr adorably.   ”-  that I already noticed that I am bleeding because- Primus: I am kriffing bleeding for Kriffs sake! ,and Secundus: I am kriffing injured, of course I am kriffing bleeding, Bantha-Head! I would be more kriffing worried if I would not bleed and would not be in kriffing agony!", Ziv added and flinched so hard when Ben reached out to her, she almost tumbled off the table- she was used to some patients getting violent from pain and infection that made them flinch under her touch, snap at her, hit her away even. She was not used to a almost three metre mountain of muscles to run in her door screaming, stinking of gangere and so thickly of adrenaline caused by pain Ziv was sure she would have been able to grasp the stresshormone in the air if she would not have been flung through the room like a plushie when she had reached out to her patient. She was also not used to be pressed in the shards of her own plantspots that had lay scattered on the floor and had cut, cut, cut past he rpelt, past her natural bladder and into her flesh deeply while the Houk had leaned down on her, ready to crush her like a little bug.

She was definitive not used to give patients painkillers without thier consent and when the houk had collapsed over her, pressing her even deeper into the shards the Tynnan had had to crawl out from under beneath him and over the sharp edges of what had been once her sweet little forest.

Her own pelt dyed red from her blood from a dozen deep cuts, shaking and pain throbbing in every inch of herself, The Tynnan had taken care of the Houks wound- it had been nothing but a scratch on his leg but which had been deep enough to bleed and for bacteria that were so common on planets were there was just durasteel and duracrete around to enter, so she had cut the already rotten flesh out, cleaned the new wound, sewed it shut and gently added a healingpinment and wrapped antiseptic vossbark as bandage around it to keep it clean before she had given the patient more painkillers, a liquid hypnagogue and a infusion with brine solution to ease the dehydration caused by his infection and stress. Only then when the patient was sleeping, his breathing calm and soft like from a child, she had started totake care of her own injuries- the cuts, the sprained ankle from when she had landed in one of her shelves and the dislocated wrist that was throbbing like a second painful heartbeat.

After years of working as a Healer the young woman had become rather stoic in her work and everytime Ben touched one of the plastoidpacks- the pack with the Vossbark that was perfect to be used as bandages or as bandaids as the trees bark was developing enzymes to fend off bugs and made the bark antiseptic- she became tensed and had to fight down the urge to smack the packs out of his big hands. She did not smacked the palstoidpack out of his hands, but instead only grabbed it, pulling it out of his grasp with a low huff as if he was a child holding a small piece of toy they could choke at. The Houk snorred now louder, shaking the pitiful rests of ranks that were still crawling up the wall: “Not the kriffing bark yet, the cuts need to be cleaned first before they are covered- you know, normal first aid knowledge-” Her tail wagging irritated but weakly over the table the Tynnan grabbed for a small flask that when opned smelled strangely aromatic like a exotic spice- it was a spice in some way, a pepper like algea that when mixed with oil could easily clean wounds. A lot of less careful than she had been with the Houk she started to dab the cleaning oil on the cut running over her snout that had coloured her muzzle a deep crimson like dye. It burned, stinged, ached and she cheeped quietly, but stopped when Ziv remembered that the smuggler was still there.

[ @kylo-wrecked ]