#more fun to be consumed by moss anyway

[schistostegapennata]

What’s that suspiciously skeleton shaped pile of moss over there?

Hmmm? Skeleton shaped moss pile you say? *gulps nervously and starts slowly moving over to stand in front of it* oh, that's nothing... definitely not, erm, the moss consuming someo- um, I mean, something! Now, perhaps you'd like to lay on this nice, cushy, flat bed of moss next to it while you take a nap and forget all about it? It's definitely not people-consuming moss, absolutely very safe to take a nap on...

[petra-creat0r]

Chapter 5 Secret Boss Prediction

Ohohohoh boy! Finally got to this one. I've been just sort ruminating on this boss for a while. The only thing I knew for the longest time is I'm at least 60% confident that chapter 5 will happen in the Flower Shop? But then what could be abandoned, discarded, or unwanted in a greenhouse/flower shop? Weeds? Mushrooms? Well I guess? Lotta flowers and though the mushroom idea was enticing at first, I couldn't wrap my head around a good idea for it. There was also the thing with this boss likely having the blue soul mode, and possibly having a reference or allusion to Papyrus (or Sans ig but Paps uses the blue soul mode first). But then also also with this being Asgore's flower shop and Asriel possibly being involved, there's the chance it could be based on Flowery, but then- And you can start to see why this took me so long.

EVENTUALLY, I came up with the idea of an abandoned toy soldier, lost among the plants and eventually taken over by them. There was also some talk about it being a nutcracker or garden gnome instead, but toy solider won over. Nutcracker felt too similar to Spamton and I just couldn't really get the garden gnome to vibe right. Anyways! Like two, three weeks ago I managed to sketch a design I kinda liked before trying to think on it more. Still not the boss I'm proudest off, but everyone, met The Great and Mighty Veratus! (Name subject to change if I can find a better one.)

(Once again, theme commissioned by my good friend @kierangecko)

Veratus, from verrat (German for traitor), ratus (latin for rat) and a corruption of veritas (truth). I think the thing I was struggling with for the longest time was the name. It needed to fit with the other names, and also sound good with the title of "The Great" (because Papyrus reference). Like I mentioned before though, that name is subject to change if I come up with something better.

Like I've mentioned with the other two, I know this is no where close to what we'll actually get, but all of this is just for fun and so I have some secret bosses to draw my Junior Secret Squad kiddies with. Once we DO finally get chapter 5, Veratus will likely just become one of the secret bosses of Fool's Fate.

Now, backstory under the cut.

A solider from a distant land, Veratus found himself stranded in this dark world after the Great Divide. His king and fell soldiers in arms falling back and leaving him for dead. At the mercy of the Flower Kingdom's new ruler and its army.

Luckily for Veratus, the Knight chose not to bother killing the lone soldier, thinking that the side effects of the Divide would render the rat to stone soon. Yet for some reason, Veratus did not become stone...

Alone and outcast in a world not his own, Veratus was eventually found by a man. A strange someone whom some had theorized brought forth the Great Divide. The man cast pity on Veratus, and offered the stranded soldier his help. The opportunity to blend into this world and infiltrate Knight's army in exchange for his loyalty and help getting close to Knight. Veratus agreed.

Veratus's fur became overtaken with moss and his body with vines, though it might have been painful it did make him look like a rather convincing part of this floral Dark World. In addition to this transformation, the man also opened Veratus's mind to the reality of his existence, as the man had with the rest of his pawns.

Veratus was able to infiltrate Knight's army and climb up the ranks thanks to the assistance of the man, only to be left behind and forgotten once again once the man was able to get close to his true target. Disappearing and leaving a Roaring Knight in his place. Without the man, the cracks in Veratus's facade began to show and it didn't take long for the rat to be ratting out as a rat. the Knight's army tried to kill him, but something kept him from falling. The plants consuming his body wouldn't let him die. So instead, the opposing army cast the lone solider out. Exiling him back to a life of solitude.

Until another knight and their friends arrived in the kingdom...

[rainbowstargazerlilies]

Mechs Doll Pattern Notes

At least one person asked in the comments on the raffle form, so here's some quick notes on making the Mechs dolls under the cut!

These are based on a pattern in Mini Knitted Farmyard by Sachiyo Ishii (isbn 978-1782215387). Usually, I use US size 2 knitting needles and DK yarn in the various shades required for each of them. I like having three needles on hand for this pattern. The pattern base is "farmer", but I do pull from other patterns. The author appears to use this same base pattern across several of the books in this series, so if you can't find a copy of this book, the Mini Knitted Cosmos book has variants of this pattern (look at "Ground Staff"), as does Mini Knitted Ocean (look at "Fisherman" patterns).

Specifically, the pattern for doll coats is a modified version of the "vest" pattern under the shepherd doll instructions in the same book (Farmyard). I usually make it slightly longer than listed, and if it's a coat, I'll match the sleeve color. I use the same pattern for vests, just not matching the sleeve color. Once again, there's a version of this under the "Fisherman" pattern in Ocean as well.

The shepherd doll also has the instructions on how to make boots, rather than shoes. I've found that useful for different dolls, and I don't seem to see it in any other places in the series.

TS's hat comes from Mini Knitted Ocean, and is used for one of the fishermen in that book. I've also made TS without, but I like the way it looks with the hat, don't you?

For dolls that have pointed ears, I've pulled from the animal ear patterns in the Mini Knitted Safari book, and somewhat adapted it. It's really, really simple-- cast on two stitches, knit one row, bind off. The bind-off should be pointy. If you want longer ears, knit an extra row or two.

Finally, Raphaella's wings are initially from a different book in the series, Mini Knitted Toys, and I've adapted them from the "fairy" pattern. (Those adaptations are just doing half-double crochet in brown yarn around the outside edge, and then sewing down a crochet chain for the middle brown lines. I also do attach them differently than how the pattern suggests-- flipping them around so that they curve downwards.) This is the only pattern for the Mechs that uses a different size knitting needle (US size 6). I've also done them for other dolls, and I highly recommend doing a fun stitch for texture-- remember that both the back and front of the wings could be visible. Last time, I ended up doing moss stitch on them with some fun colors, and that ended up looking really cool.

Another tip: these will require a yarn needle. I've done the hair by knotting it on or by doing backstitch and loops, and while the backstitch and loops takes more time, the extra time's worth it. Doing that with a crochet hook instead of a yarn needle sounds incredibly time consuming and painful.

As well, while there are instructions for a "farmer's wife" variant with a skirt, I've found it just as easy to either pick up and crochet a skirt around a completed doll, or to increase through the back loop and set aside all increased stitches for later during that second row of the shirt color, and then use that to knit the skirt later. Either way, make sure that you increase appropriately as you make the skirt-- too many, and it'll ruffle.

If you're interested in the series, I'd highly recommend Woodland and Safari if you want to make animals, and Farmyard if you're interested in people of various sizes. I've made a lot of the patterns in these books, and they're fun to make and to experiment with. Ocean also has a good variety of fish and similar creatures, which could be fun depending on your interests.

If you end up trying to make any of these dolls, feel free to ask me questions! I'm sure I've got more tips, but I can't think of them, and they'd probably not make much sense out of context anyway. In short, have fun!

[fordarkisthesuede]

Heyyy…so, about where I’ve beeeeen… 

I considered doing a silly little poll to have you guess, but... Oh, what the hey! Let's do it!!!

Anyway -

While a lotta y’all had "Brat Summer", I had "Slowly-Being-Consumed-By-Moss" Summer.

And GA summers are real fuckin’ long.

Every year I seem to go through a phase where I decide I’ve had enough of endlessly scrolling through tumblr and feeling bad about not getting things done. Sometimes this is combined with the incredible gloom of coming onto the only social media I partake in and finding nothing but tragic news. Only this time it combined with the very-dreaded Election Season Panic (US version). (Please hold in your derisive laughter.)

Pictured above:  a representation of me, circa…like, April 2024.

I should note the things that I tend to over-use tumblr to avoid aren’t things that have “real” deadlines, but I feel more and more guilty when I don’t do them, or else carve out time to do them. These are usually “replying to messages” and “writing my epic fanfic”, but can even branch out to “making stable diary entries” and the like.

My fellow writers - at least some of you - know what I mean. We clean our living spaces or sort things or bake to avoid writing, because for some reason when we look at the proverbial page our brain nopes out. Sometimes it’s because of the fear we’re not writing well enough for our stuff to actually be liked. Sometimes it’s because we’re veeery stuck with where we’re at and looking at the stupid spot we’re stuck at for the millionth time is exhausting. Sometimes it’s cuz we’re plum outta ideas ‘cause the stars haven’t aligned.

But this past summer was…particularly bad in the writer’s block area. So much so that another fic I was writing from back in February to combat writer’s block with BtTTS: S5 was even getting big ol’ roadblocks! Which is really dumb. It’s mindless self-insert fun for a fandom I’ll probably never write for publicly, yet I’m struggling? WTF.

So most of the summer, I experienced Lethargy. No melancholy, no anger or serious anxiety, no hopelessness or real lack of sleep or feeling over-tired. So not depression, I don’t think, but no real enthusiasm or energy for creative stuff, nor video games for some reason. I went to work, read the news, worked my way through most of a One Piece rewatch, caught up on some manga, and went through a list of movies I had been meaning to see. (Man, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf was wild. You guys see that? De-licious drama. Incredible. I’ll def see it again in like 5 or 10 years.)

I thought about coming back to do a Book of Bill post. I pre-ordered it ages ago. It arrived, I read through it over the span of a few days, I spent time working out most of the puzzles… But I just couldn’t bring up the enthusiasm to do anything for it. It was fun ‘n’ all, but it’s not like a lot of the stuff in there is revolutionary or anything. Besides, by the time I got around to reading the book I already knew all the puzzles were solved and posted online by like day 2 of release or something, because the GF fandom is feral when it comes to puzzles. The Blacklight book was special because of its limited run, and I felt the need to share it so everyone could see. The Bill book you can find in any B&N or e-book store. The thought of typing up anything on it just felt like work.

And THEN…come late July… 

Like ol’ blue eyes lyrics, something came shakin’.

It was like the rubber-band that somehow wound around my brain SNAPPED and went

It wasn't exactly a surprise, yet it was. I've been waiting for like, a decade now. And I finally had means, motive, and opportunity,

It took every single one of my weekends from August to mid-September to find and settle on a place. And then it was every single weekend from then to mid-October to find and store furniture and start packing, all while juggling the UTTER NIGHTMARE that is the mortgage closing process.

Oh, and that hurricane. That certainly didn’t help any. (I'm fine.)

Anywho, that’s why I’ve been hermiting it up. Just been trying to clear my head and get a sense of independence - while I still can -while crafting my own little Ha-Hacienda. And even in light of recent…world-changing events…I’m clinging to my projects with my sharp, sharp nails and my primitive canines, because while the world is clearly always awful I’ve got to enjoy some small slices of life on this absolute bitch of an Earth. Hope I didn’t scare any of ya with my absence. ❤️

P.S. If anyone wants to fill me in on what tumblr-centric and Batman-universe things I missed this past 6 months, the askbox and replies are open. Wrong answers, vague answers, and hieroglyphics accepted, as long as you cite your sources.

[fox0war]

Okay pspsps come one come all I finally m going to make a proper intro for some of my cerifikn characters so y'all can meet them!! ------------ Also please consider joining the group! It's an ARPG (Art Role Playing Game) with several species, easy to aquire MYOs, a Semi-Open species for any and all newbies, and great community! Plus various other things I love! It is 16+ to join though so keep that in mind ------------ Anyways, now that we're done with that lil bit, are you ready to meet my lil cast? ;D (all refs here will be the most recent as of posting! Some may need to be updated in the future do to lore or just being outdated lol)

First off: My first character! It feels only appropriate to shine a light on her! Say a proper hello to Moss! She is a Smog-Imp! A type of Abyss demon which is also a very large single cell organism! She, in particular, is a 'Tundra' form one! Which means she's quite fluffy, has teeth on her mask (the bird skull looking thing), and unlike other Smog-Imps can consume meat! Though, she tends to stick to the standard plant diet anyway. She's also a serial adopter! She has much too many kids for me to list ATM but who knows, maybe she could adopt you too!

She's also in a relationship with the mysterious NPC named Vlad! Who while technically an NPC, is also a character owned by @pikku-peruna! A good friend of mine who is also the group's owner! (Say a friendly hello to them for me!) Moss was gotten through a 2021 MYO event! She's one of my most used characters :D ------------ Now you all, if you've been following me, have met Pho'Bous before via his stories! And while his ref is somewhat out of date, he is also quite darling to me! Also gained through that 2021 MYO event (Which is what spurred me to join in the first place, fun fact!) it took me ages to get his design down on paper (or well, screen?) in a way I enjoyed! His design only being fully settled a year and a few months later! Fun fact, this sad little man was originally going to be a dragon themed guitar player, but I like this sad little we cat way better XD

He is also one of my most used characters! If that wasn't already evident in how many posts I've made writing stories for him lol. He's currently on track to become a necromancer but shhh.. nobody tell him that <3 ------------ Ah yes a more recent one! Pri'tas was designed in 2023 as part of one of the group's design challenges! (Yet another free way to gain characters) Blessed with all of the "Master's Traits", mysterious features gained from an even more mysterious and unknown "Master". Pri'tas, himself, never met him, the Master just owed his parents a favor, but Pri'tas is now very dedicated to him. The Master didn't know what he was signing up for I guess, eh?

The government is currently looking for him too, no not because of all the murder, silly! But because having all of the Master's traits gives you mysterious powers, powers that they want to research. So uh, maybe don't tell anyone you saw him here, k'ay? (; ------------ I have tons of other characters too! Such as a traveling trader, a harpy-like Smog-Imp trying to escape the same cult Pho'Bous loves so very much, and did I mention the several demigods? Well, I have those too! Feel free to ask about them or any of these characters! but the best place to ask is in the group, where I post about all my characters much more often! ------------ One more time, credit to @pikku-peruna! Owner of the group and species here! Go say hi to her for me <3 (And respect their pronouns or else I'll punt you)

[tylerfound]

The new introduction for my character, Tyler.

Hi, I'm Vea. I'm 26 she/they, and this is Tyler! Tyler's from a Purgatory roleplay which was built from the ground up with me, my best friend, and our other friend at the time. Various people have characters or such though, now (through the last... Two years? It's existed.) Sometimes we grow inactive, if we're in another group project. Currently, I'm alone and that's resulting in Tyler being alone and ready for a new group project! I'm excited to be here for however long, I was happy interacting with my friend (Minnie's mod!) but I'm ecstatic to interact with all the other characters now I'm here!

Name: Tyler. Not his birth name. Age: He died on his 6th birthday, so he's eternally 6 I suppose, but he's probably more matured [mentally]. Maybe around 10 [mentally]? Maybe. [but he's also existed for a couple thousand years now, so he might have wisdom. Maybe. <3 Gender: He's a mouse now, but he was a little girl when he was alive. Year: He died around 1893 [neglect, starvation] and is eternally hungry. No known effects are seen in the other Purgatory's Children; so his hunger might be psychological trauma induced, rather a typical feeling in Purgatory. [The feeling of one's cause of death.] Why does he bite people? Trauma response due to his [unknown length of] time in Hell. He never knew affection when he was mortal, and he was alone in Purgatory until he met Pride. The affection he saw in Hell wasn't what we typically refer to as affection. [He was not hurt himself. Nor did he see much first hand. He saw enough, and he saw Pride's reaction.] [Long story of why Pride wasn't being treated as one of the 7 deadly sins, and instead was a prisoner during this time.] Tyler scratches, kicks, bites, while he is hugged and squished until calmed. He's learning more to not harm others when they're upset, however.

Why does he love moss? Consume moss for [the feeling of a full stomach] hydration, when he was alive. Then the moss came, and consumed his body. The body that was all wrong, anyway. He never understood the appeal of having a body. Not until the Moss.

Moss? If you take a close look, feel his fur- Is that moss? How thick is the moss? How deep does the moss go? Is it all moss? Moss? Moss? Moss. Any mod questions, address Vea. (: Thank you! Oh, more about Tyler's FAMILY! Here's a link to Millie's blog, it might help explain a little. At least, it has all of the [family members that have blogs] Family, to make it easy! A lot of pages are WIP currently, and I know it might LOOK like it'll be that way forever, but now that I'm here, they'll totally come back and update them! (... Right?) (<3) (Yeah they will lol) The only person I think is worth mentioning that isn't on Millie's page is the Wisp, a Void Demon. This void demon, recently named Labree, is the Creator of Tyler's universe. Labree is sort of like God and the Devil's creator (parent? god?) Labree has a NEW rp page! I don't believe it's been active yet- Labree is separated from it's mindless self, so it is now it's own entity. It has friends; but I know it's page looks daunting because the mod only just made it's new page, after leaving our last group. So Tyler and Labree are both refugee's currently. However, Labree has the power to (do whatever it wants, create, destroy, timelines, people, universes.) But, we've only done this as Mods. Agreeing to change something in an rp (removing people who leave the group without an outro, tying up loose ends, destroying things we've decided to veto or what not. It's basically a personification of us as Mods into a character. ) So I would suggest if you are going to interact in character, don't antagonize it, but I think Labree might have plans. I felt like mentioning it because I LOVE Labree! So cute! Baby! New to life, first hand! <3 <3 <3 And if anyone ever want's to have fun and needs the Wisp's powers, you know where the Wisp is! We extend it's power everywhere! (With Communication and consent bc It's a last resort, as mods we can just rp however we want. Lol. What I mean to say is the Wisp is not there to abuse it's power and hurt anyone, it will only ever act if all parties are consenting to whatever it is we plan.) I feel silly mentioning Labree. Teehee. ... I'll be honest I'm not sure this is all making sense <3 Okay! ... Anything to add... Anything to add... Not really I don't think anyone would read SO much. 😰 I have something important to say, but I keep blanking... I just KNOW I'm gonna post and remember it! Ugh! Also if you find my main congrats! It's my public page. I have a personal page, too! It's the same as my discord. No one knows my discord. Yet. 👀👀👀👀 (Please love me) (LOL) Oh here's a Song that - GOSH REALLY- I LOVE THIS SONG OK? OKAY SO- Totally Tyler's unofficial voice claim!!! It kinda looks like him too. Look at that THING. Gosh it's so cute! Baby! Baby baby! But it's also Tyler's song. </3 He grew up in a time where it was common to not survive childhood, and he just wants attention! So much! because he never got it. He's finally living his party. Tyler’s pronoun page! Tyler is a ESFP personality type. Lil babey. <3

[sleepyowlwrites]

this is not a wip intro, it's just a handy notice board about a tiw (thing I'm writing)

who knows how long or much I'll be working on it, but for now my new brain train dirt in the doing (lowercase on purpose) has consumed my waking days. there are eight thousand words in this thing. so far. okay???

anyway, I have no trajectory but here are some infos that I do knows so if you catch one of my daily posts for the month, you can have context. just a little, though. 'cause that's all I've got.

please to note that these stats are very subject to change

CHARACTERS!

Rune - 25, she/her, studying linguistics very slowly, works as a tutor, and has inherited a large share in her deceased parents' business that she's learned became a front for selling drugs! she's not about this.

Jet - 22, he/him, was studying law until his worldview crashed more than it did when his parents got divorced for terrible reasons, now he runs a tiny gang and is trying not to experience emotions.

Copper - 22, he/him, Jet's twin that was separated from him for six years, is identical but pretty much has an opposite personality to Jet, has a degree political science but mostly just wants to be a teacher.

Moss - 29, he/him, is taking care of his dad's garage while he's in prison, lowkey hopes he stays there, excessively level-headed and has made connections to helpful sources for the gang he babysits

Shadow - 21, he/him, a perfectly good and trying person whose grip on reality constantly shifts as people in his life leave him or change, leaving his emotions in constant upheaval.

Hawk - 23, he/him, a moody but mostly nice accounting graduate who is working at Moss' garage and living in the moment, pretending like he isn't traumatized from losing both parents in quick succession

Yarrow - 20, he/him, an art student who lives completely on the edge of exhilaration, reckless like you wouldn't believe and compassionate to a fault, thinks he's taking advantage of broken rules but no. just no.

PLOT!

uh, the family that took Rune in after her parents died in an accident want her to come back and be part of this company she's inherited the majority share of, but they're in on the drug thing, so she's like nope, never, and also their elder son who they were pretending was her fiancée for a while is looking for her because he considers her is property (his name is Max). the younger brother Cam is less evil but completely gullible and will do whatever Max tells him to, so that's going to be inconvenient. Rune is doing her own thing (illegal things sometimes ooh) and attempting to find a way to expose the drug part while moving a lot of her inheritance into different accounts so she can use it to convert her childhood home into a boarding house for students who can't afford places to stay? (I'm working on that) and um, Jet's gang interacts with her when she starts doing delivery stuff for Moss, and then Jet interacts with her more and they have a sort of mirror stand off going on, you know, "stop being me, it makes me think about about myself" and that's fun. also there are gang shenanigans, and hurt/comfort stuffs, and character introspections because I love that.

also I know I made it seem like the story is about Rune, but it's not. it's Jet's story, he's just experiencing new things through living Rune's part of the story with her, kind of. mirroring! fun. (illegal fun)

anyway, I'm gonna go now. bye.

[boygirlmeetsworld]

Messy.

ONE-SHOT

Word count: 2793

Disclaimer:  One piece and all it’s characters belong to Eiichiro Oda, I just like to write about them.

Warning: None

Rating: T (i guess?? there’s cursing)

Author’s Note: Whale, this is the first fanfic I’ve posted on the interwebs since high school so please keep that in mind, lol. I do plan to finish it sooner than later so check back in a few days if you want to read the rest, sorry I don’t have it all done right now.  At long last it it FINISHED.

Feel free to tell me what u think! Unless it’s mean, then I ask that u keep those thoughts in ur noggin because I’m just writing these for fun not for grades.

Without further ado, here ya go.

Author’s Note pt 2: So i didn’t end up going the smut route like I originally planned, but I think it worked out better bc this one got nice and Emotional.

Summary: Zoro really shouldn’t agree to be Nami’s drinking partner if he wanted to keep their friendship from getting... Complicated.

__________________________________________

The moon was floating high in the night sky when Nami wandered onto the deck, unable to sleep even after a few hours of sketching. 

She wanted company – specifically, she wanted the company of the crew’s resident alcoholic. It only took a few minutes to find him on the lawn deck with his back against a tree and his eye closed. ‘How typical.’

Nami smiled a small, excited smile as she strode over to him and squatted between his parted legs. An unconscious sigh left her nose as she swept her gaze up and down his face. She caught herself thinking, ‘He really is easy on the eyes isn’t he.’ ....again. 

Who was she kidding? She’d been thinking the same thing every time she looked his way lately. 

Two years ago she’d been able to keep the immature crush she had on him locked tightly away but somehow - it had gotten out and was slowly consuming her entire being. 

Nami hoped he hadn’t noticed how often she invited him to drink with her because she didn’t think she could handle being rejected. So she settled for spending time alone with him whenever and however she could. 

“Hey, moss-head,” the navigator said finally, leaning in to squint at him, “Are you asleep?”

He had literally just settled down for a nice cat nap when the navigator appeared suddenly to interrupt him. ‘Damn. What the hell did she want now?’ 

Instead of answering, Zoro chose to ignore her and pretend like he was deep asleep. ‘Why won’t she go bother someone else?’

Nami started prodding his cheek with one finger to rouse him if he really was sleeping, ”Zorooo wake up, I wanna drink,” she whined and his eyelid opened instantly.

‘Why’s she so damn pretty..’ was the first thought he had when he realized that she was a lot closer than he’d anticipated. 

He mentally chastised himself after, trying to remind his id that Nami had never once indicated that she wanted to be anything other than friends and he should respect that. 

But… There was no harm in looking from time to time was there? And she was pretty. She’d always been... ‘Oh for fuck’s sake, now he sounded like Sanji. He needed to get a grip.’

“Helloooooo,” Nami waved her hand in Zoro’s face until he snapped back to reality and snatched her wrist up, pulling it away. He scowled but it wasn’t deep, and now he was refusing to look her in the eye. “What was that about, huh Zoro?”

“Nothing.” The swordsman replied perhaps a little too quickly to avoid suspicion, “Thought I heard a noise, doesn’t matter – oi, didn’t you want to do something?” 

He couldn’t remember what exactly it was. He’d been so distracted by the way her bangs framed her face and sometimes got caught in her eyelashes—’Damnit! He was doing it again.’

Nami smirked again but didn’t press the subject anymore. She’d do that later once they started drinking. “Weren’t you listening to me? You’re so rude, maybe I should find someone else to share my booze with.”

Was it a good idea to go drink with Nami when he kept catching himself thinking about feelings that he’d been suppressing for the last two years? Probably not…

But he couldn’t just decline an opportunity to get buzzed. ‘And... Maybe he wanted to get buzzed with Nami, specifically.’  

Zoro scoffed, mostly at himself. “Quit playing games, damnit, do you want me to drink with you or not?”

“You’re so stubborn,” The navigator teased with a pleased smile that made his heart beat unevenly, “I could care less if you join me, but you’re not allowed to come unless you say you’ll be nice.”

“Nami. I am older than you, quit treating me like a fucking child or I swear-”

“That’s no way to talk to a lady who’s getting you drunk for free, Roronoa Zoro. If you can’t be nice then I’ll just add the cost of everything you drink to your debt and-”

Zoro didn’t have time to ruminate over the way hearing her say his full name made him shiver because he had to shut her up before she did charge him. 

“Okay, okay. I’ll be... nice.” He hissed through gritted teeth and her answering giggle made his pulse flutter. He had to fight to keep himself from smiling. ‘What the hell was going on with him tonight? Was he sick?’

“Good boy,” she turned and started walking towards the Sunny’s aquarium bar, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure he was coming.

“Don’t push your luck, woman.” Zoro snarled to mask his confusion over the sudden need to touch her that he felt scratching at the back of his head. He really shouldn’t agree to be Nami’s drinking partner if he wanted to keep their friendship from getting... Complicated.

He knew it, but he followed her up the stairs all the same.

                                                       * * *

“Why d’you always want to drink with me anyway, witch?” Skeptical of her intentions, his narrowed eye fixed itself on Nami as she approached him holding two maroon tinted bottles. She offered one to him and he accepted it – but he didn’t let his guard down yet.

Zoro lowered his gaze to check the label out, whistling long and low when he read 23% alcohol per volume. A couple puzzle pieces clicked together in his head ‘Oh, that’s why. Because if she tried to drink this with anyone else they’d pass out after two glasses.’

“Would you believe that I just like hanging out with you?” Though her tone was teasing she was actually being genuine, she had a lot of fun with him whenever they went out.

“No–“ He paused when Nami kicked him in the shin hard enough to make him swear. Reaching down with his free hand he rubbed the sore patch of skin and glared daggers at his crewmate. “What the fuck was that for?!”

“You said you’d be nice, Zoro! So be nice or I’ll charge you a hundred thousand beris for that bottle.” Nami uncorked hers but waited to hand the corkscrew over until he behaved himself. The look he was giving her would probably frighten a small child but she didn’t flinch.

‘This was his choice.’ He reminded himself. Of his own free will he chose to get drunk with Nami instead of napping, and that meant dealing with her bossiness no matter how much he loathed it. ‘Sometimes he just wanted to grab her by the shoulders and make her shut up, there were better things her mouth could be doing anyway-‘

“Why do you keep staring at me like that, do I have a zit or something?”

Zoro sat up so fast that he banged his shoulder on the underside of the countertop. ‘What the hell was that? What the hell was wrong with him?’ He hadn’t even opened the damn bottle and he was already making himself look like an idiot.

“No,” the swordsman grumbled, wracking his brain for a believable excuse, “Just thinking about how I’ll owe you money even after I’m dead if you keep charging me for bullshit.” That made her laugh and Zoro cursed himself for how much he liked hearing it. “Don’t see how it’s funny for me, witch.”

Nami let him take the corkscrew from her, eyes crinkled with amusement while he opened his bottle. “You’ll just have to stay alive until you pay me back in full, I guess!” She trilled before taking a long, heavy drink from hers.

“Yeah?” Zoro snorted before mimicking her and downing about half of the wine in the container. It tasted disgusting, which he’d expected, but that didn’t make the bitter aftertaste any less miserable. His nose wrinkled slightly as he set the bottle down. “I bet even if I did try to pay you off you’d find a way to charge me more.”

“You make me sound so heartless,” the navigator batted her eyelashes innocently, pretending to look hurt, “Why would I ever do such a thing?”

“Hah.” He scoffed before chugging some more wine and failing to keep track of how much he was drinking each time. “Because you want to keep me on a leash since I don’t throw myself at you like that dumbass cook.”

An impish smirk crawled it’s way onto Nami’s face that made him immediately regret what he’d just said. ‘Fuck. Damnit!’

“So…” She began slowly, savoring every second that the swordsman spent avoiding direct eye contact with her, “You admit that you are one of my lap dogs?”

A muscle in his jaw flexed and he stopped drinking for one second to grunt, “That’s not what I said.”

“That’s what I heard!” Chimed Nami as she rose from her seat, stepping over to Zoro and tracing a finger under his jaw while he drained the last few drops of liquid. “I should get you a collar, so people know who to bring you to when you get lost.”

Normally he would have snapped at her for poking fun at his sense, or lack thereof, direction but he wasn’t listening to her. She’d come close enough for him to pick up her scent and maybe it was the alcohol intensifying his feelings, but it was suffocating him in a good way.

He loved the way she smelled. Tangerines from her soaps mixed with salty seawater and traces of sunscreen. A hint of orange blossom, but only when she was close to him like this. 

Zoro inhaled deeply through his nose and, without realizing it, his expression melted into something affectionate and gentle. ‘In two years she’d changed in so many different ways… but she still smelled the same. She still smelled like home.’

                                                        * * *

“What are you thinking about, Zoro?” Her voice void of it’s usual teasing tone, Nami’s curiosity was piqued by his sudden shift in demeanor. He looked soft and peaceful, like he didn’t have anything to worry about. She wanted to know why.

‘Ah, fuck.’ What was he supposed to tell her? That he was thinking about how good she smelled? ‘Yeah right.’ Zoro was quiet for a while, mulling over his words until he came up with an explanation that didn’t sound as creepy – but also wasn’t a lie.

“I guess..” he finally murmured, his gaze shifting to meet hers, “It’s just been a while and… I was thinking about how nice it feels to be back here, with everyone…” a brief pause then he added, “I missed you guys.” ‘Look at him being all gushy and emotional, this wine really was something else.’ Zoro reached to brush his fingertips by her temple, catching a stray lock of hair and tucking it behind her ear, “I missed you.”

When had Zoro ever been this honest with her about the way he felt? Never was the answer, but now he seemed to trust her well enough to know she wouldn’t spill his secrets. Nami took his face in both of her hands, surprising him, and pulled his head down so she could kiss his forehead. “I missed you too, Zoro.”

Something about hearing her say that she’d missed him too broke a dam in his chest that he’d been trying to keep together for two years. Hormoness flooded through his bloodstream quicker than Zoro could even process them and before he knew it he was practically throwing his arms around Nami’s waist and crushing her against his chest.

“Nami—” he pressed his face into her neck to hide the tears that he couldn’t hold back anymore. Sober he might have cared about losing it like this around her but she was here and… ‘He just – needed to hold her.’ Hold her and smell her and feel how real she was because she had almost been taken from him.

‘He’d barely begun to process what he had been through on Thriller Bark when they were attacked in Sabaody. If he tried to think back on it his memories would get hazy and his bones would ache from their very cores. He knew what had happened but it’s like his brain was protecting him from understanding how close to death he’d come. Then – to be torn away from the people he loved with all of his heart? Who he had just nearly killed himself to protect?

It had ripped him apart and rubbed salt into every wound. And it fucking hurt. The same kind of pain he felt when he saw Kuina dead on the floor of their dojo. He was scared, he was furious, he was devastated – all over again but this time it was so much worse. So, so much worse.

That was why he had trained so hard over the last two years. Because he couldn’t bear the grief that came with loving them so deeply – so he got stronger. And stronger. And stronger. No matter the cost to his body, he would become powerful enough to defeat anyone who crossed them. Then… He would never have to feel the agony that he did when he first woke up on Kuraigana Island ever again.

Taking on all of Luffy’s suffering in Thriller Bark had been the most physically painful experience of his entire life – but that was nothing compared to how much it hurt to think that his friends were gone forever, that he hadn’t been able to protect them.

Training made it easy not to think about what had happened -- but now he was home, and they were safe - and he was realizing just how close he’d come to losing all of them. At once. And he could do nothing to stop it.’

Startled by him grabbing her, Nami was prepared to give the pirate a good smack if he was getting handsy but… He started trembling. ‘Was he not feeling well?’ Her mouth opened to form the question then stopped. His breathing hitched while his entire body jerked and she realized…

‘Zoro was crying.’

Roronoa Zoro, who prided himself on his strength, was sobbing wretchedly into her neck. ‘He must have been holding this in since Sabaody.’ Nami’s heart ached for him and his stupid pride that forced him to torture himself instead of letting him cry like he needed to. She’d been expecting him to crash at some point, how couldn’t he? Even someone as strong as Zoro was still a human being.

One of her arms cradled his head while the other wound round his shoulders, her fingers combing gently through his hair. “Oh you sweet, sweet boy…” she spoke in the tone that Bellemere used to use when Nami and Nojiko were frightened by a passing thunderstorm. It always calmed her, maybe it would calm Zoro, too.

‘Quit fucking crying you loser you’re supposed to be a man.’ But he couldn’t, he literally could not stop because he was trying to. “I wasn’t strong enough,” his voice quivered at the edges and he hated it. ‘He was definitely never going to drink this kind of wine again ever. Not if it turned him into a blubbering mess like this every time.’

“Shhh, no. No. Don’t you dare try to blame yourself for what happened. Hey, look at me.” Nami urged his head off her shoulder and cupped his face in both of her palms, “None of us were strong enough, okay? Not even Luffy.” Each tear that fell she tenderly swept away with the pad of her thumb. The corner of her mouth turned up as she assured him, “But we are strong enough now. We can take care of each other. Nothing is ever going to tear us apart again, Zoro.”

‘She was right. Of course, she was right. He needed to have faith in his crewmates and his captain. They could do anything as long as they had each other.’ His breathing slowly evened out as he focused on anchoring himself back to reality. He wasn’t in Sabaody or Kuraigana – he was on the Sunny. In the bar, with Nami who had grown so much since he last saw her. The look in his eye softened like it had before his breakdown.

“You’re staring at me again, Zoro.” The navigator teased, her hands falling to rest on his shoulders. He hadn’t let go of her yet but she didn’t mind, he could hold on to her for as long as he needed.

A ghost of his usual smirk passed across his face. “Sorry, Nami…” Zoro took a little risk by leaning in to press a chaste but lingering kiss to her cheek, then traced a path with the edge of his nose to her ear, murmuring, “Wine makes me a little… Messy.”

[ddarker-dreams]

Icy Wind. Yan Alucard x Reader

Warnings: Isolation and typical yandere elements. Word count: 1.3k. Note: this is my secret santa gift for @monstrouslyobsessed​!! i was excited to see that you liked hellsing ultimate... your taste is immaculate... anyways, i really hope that you enjoy your gift! <333333

You long for a fulfilling night of sleep.

To be able and close your eyes when the moon shines above, uninhibited by troubles, no longer plagued by all-consuming anxiety. It is but a simple request, you believe. There were days where for hours on end you’d bargain for more than that. Freedom used to be the primary objective, what you believed to be your only salvation, a possibility never within reach. No longer do you aim for the stars and beyond. You’ve had to settle for what’s in front of you, a realistic goal such as a good night’s rest, and even then you’re denied it. 

Blades of grass brush against your bare feet, a winter chill reducing your body to a shivering mess. Teeth chattering and body bunched over, your arms wrap around your torso in a pitiful attempt to preserve heat. It makes logical sense to return inside the manor. At least then you could sit by the fireplace to ward off the cold. Whether it’s foolishness or out of malice towards him, you’ve elected to stay out here, holding nothing but contempt for the mansion walls that serve as your prison.

Another gust of wind whistles by, biting your flushed cheeks. Barren tree branches, overgrown thickets, and dry leaves rustle underneath the wind’s intensity. Maybe it would be best to go back inside, you consider. Still, the thought of proving Alucard right is too strong a blow to your pride to concede yet. It’s a childish thing you’re doing -- even you can acknowledge that -- but what else do you have, other than to spite your captor? 

He had instigated this. Tempting you by temporarily removing the locks in the rickety mansion that you’ve been forced to occupy. What had started as a late-night walk to fend off your insomnia escalated into you confronting him, belittling his possessive nature, and demanding a real opportunity at freedom. Much to your surprise and his amusement, he had relented. Or at least on a surface level. Alucard himself had swung the doors wide open, presenting you with an opportunity for time outside. 

Which leads to your current predicament. 

Traversing the surrounding woods at night would be a nightmare, so you’ve been passing this time outside by sitting on a moss-covered bench. The initial high from being outdoors has worn off, replaced with frigid temperatures cutting deep into your bones. You wonder if Alucard would allow you to freeze to death. Or would he intervene at the least possible second, the curse of being his lover never coming to an end. Damn him. 

“So you intend to keep up this stubborn act,” a deep voice drawls, the hairs on the back of your neck standing. “Should I be impressed or insulted?” 

When a person out of sight is speaking, it’s a natural response to search for where they stand. You’ve learned that this rarely works with Alucard. His voice reverberates from every conceivable location, engulfing and drowning you, a testament to his inorganic disposition. 

“Do with it what you will.” Your response doesn’t sound as malicious as you wanted, weakened by your deteriorating state. It looks like your earlier guess of Alucard interfering only when your life is in danger turned out to be true. Even now, when facing an icy demise, you refuse to beg for help. He can go to hell for all I care, you think. If even hell would muster the courage to try and chain him down.

Alucard’s voice hums, a deep, guttural sound. “Was it something I said?” 

Clutching your knees to your chest, you huddle together even tighter for warmth. To narrow Alucard’s grievances against you down to a single statement is impossible. He’s always had a penchant for working you up, now is no different. The wintery weather seems to have gotten worse. Every time you manage to exhale, a white cloud appears in front of your face, a further testament to the extreme temperature. 

“Let’s go with that.” You rub your shaking hands together and blow air onto them.

“Strange, I thought I was doing you a favor,” Alucard’s voice swirls around you like the wind. “You did say that you wanted to go out if memory serves.” 

Really? He’s out here to poke fun at you? It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but the audacity he displays is never short of amazing. Even working up an emotional response like frustration is too much at this point. Your entire body is working overtime to hold onto life. Ah, that’s strange, you think. The way your ears are ringing, an eerie, high pitched noise. Black dots appear and disappear, obscuring your vision. It’s light. Everything feels so, terribly light. 

You’re not sure what happens next. 

When you wake, the setting is vastly different from where you had just been. There’s warmth, that’s the first thing you notice, coming from different sources. Blankets on top of your person and a roaring fireplace. So he brought you back to your room. Groaning, you wince at how your head pounds violently, not having the necessary strength to even lift your head.

“Next time, I’d prefer it if you let me die.” 

There’s no tangible evidence that Alucard is nearby, but you still say the words, uncaring if he hears them or not. 

“It’d be a pitiful death,” comes his response. “Why not ask for a more memorable one?” 

You sigh, knowing that answering the question will lead to more provocative remarks, but still do it anyway. “Are you telling me you’d grant it?” 

“I never said that.” 

“Figures.” 

Exhaustion weighs heavy on your weary soul. Maybe now you’ll be granted the mercy of a good night’s rest, though you try not to get your hopes up. You see Alucard beginning to materialize into a physical form, the sight nothing new, yet you’ve never been able to get used to it. Glimmers of midnight black and deep crimson create a shadow reminiscent of a human man. Flesh forms, filling out over bone, pallid in its coloration. His typical attire of blood-colored fabrics flows into creation around his person before he finally towers over you by your bedside. Inhuman eyes pierce through your weakened form, holding no flickers of humanity. 

A monster. 

“And here I thought you might thank your savior for saving you from an early death,” Alucard’s voice is amused, despite the dark context. “Instead, I find you glaring at me.” 

“For good reason.” You bring the blanket over your head, not wanting to see him any longer, irritation growing. Why can’t he just leave you alone? It’s a question that, when asked, serves only to perturb you further. Alucard claims each time that your little interactions are of great importance to him. Whatever that means, you think. 

“You’re the only human I’ve seen fit to have pity on,” he reminds, making you frown. “Thousands have begged for what you so easily dismiss.” 

Indignant, you pull the blanket down, blood boiling at his inflaming comments. “Like any of that is my fault. What did you expect me to do? Praise you to the high heavens for keeping me far away from any other living being?” 

He’s smiling at your outburst as if it were an entertaining show. It’s too late, but you realize this is exactly what he wanted, to see you getting all worked up over his purposefully upsetting words. Sighing in defeat, you lay back down on the mattress and squeeze your eyes shut, fully intending to ignore anything else he sees fit to say. If he wants to play dirty, then so be it. 

Alucard reaches his gloved hand out to your face, brushing his knuckles against your cheek, displaying a gentleness you thought impossible from a demon like him. It’s a featherlight touch that leaves goosebumps in its wake. Almost as if your body was attempting to reject it, aware of the heinous crimes those very hands have committed. 

“Rest well, my sweet little [First].” 

[meadowrest]

how do I be cottagecore if

1. I don't like wearing dresses

2. I'm broke and also literally 14

so far all I have is my obsession with drawing mushrooms and also consuming cottagecore content for hours on end

girl im 17 and broke too lol!! im not the cottagecore expert but as far as i see it simply,,, liking the cottagecore aesthetic makes you cottagecore?? thats how im doing it anyway, we're kinda doing the same thing w the mushrooms and content :P

wearing dresses defs isnt the only option fashion-wise anyway, u dont have to wear anything u dont like! i wear a lot of green, mostly coz its my fav colour but ive had mutiple other teens comment on how it looks cottagecore - my fav outfit is a loose, pale green longsleeve blouse i have that i wear with a green skirt - simple but cute? i find thrifting can be handy, the other outfit i get the most comments about cottagecore on is a v flowy patterned green skirt i thrifted (i like skirts lol). but thats just me; in general i think earth or lighter colours, florals, lace, blouses and just looser kinda flowy clothes can b associated w cottagecore v easily. boots r also a good thing! theyre cute but practical. also jewellery can b cute, i like a simple necklace and some rings, which can be pricey but at local markets or online u can find some nice cheap ones :) i know someone who loves to make their own earrings, theyre v cottagecore and say its v easy so its something i wanna try! but again i don't feel it matters too much or even that theres a super defined style like there is with punk. you can get stuff thrifting or from cheap online stores like shein? i know thats not the most.. ethical option ig but on a budget, well.

i also love drawing mushrooms, thats a big one :) frogs r v good too!!! u could try decorating ur room with ur art or printing some out?? u can make cottagecore decorations easily with like spare jars full of moss or little things from nature that catch ur eye or pressed flowers etc. houseplants r fun too! i have a playlist on my blog (that srsly needs updating) coz i find cottagecore-y music can help make a cottagecore mood - u could try finding similar music u enjoy! baking is a good activity, even making smth from a box mix can b rewarding and homely. nature photography is smth i like bc it makes me notice little things, i just go on walks n take pics w my phone for myself. it helps that i live in a v natural area but i enjoy exploring and taking photos wherever i go :) appreciating the little things in life is a v cottagecore ideal, yknow?

i rly think cottagecore is more abt the vibes and personality and what u appreciate tho. i try every day to notice even one thing i love and appreciate, usually in nature, just a little thing to cheer me up. i love the mountains near my home so its usually just gazing at those for a moment, which helps me feel connected to cottagecore coz it makes me daydream abt the idyllic life :)

if anyone else has advice drop it in the replies 💖

[liibrii]

Chapter 1 of Stillness || yokai hunter!Suna x fem!kitsune!reader || wc: 3.3k || 🦊

Synopsis: Arrival of an unexpected visitor promises your coming days to be interesting...

Genre: supernatural!au, enemies to lovers, angst & fluff, eventual smut

Warnings: reader is a nuisance, fire, mentions of blood

a/n: I'm no expert on Japanese mythology. I did my research but also took creative liberties so please keep in mind the information on yokai in this fic is lacking. Here are some links with basic info on yokai appearing in this series. 

as always feedback is greatly appreciated and if you want to be tagged let me know!

A streak of the new highway is planned to cut through your favourite part of the forest, the one you walk through when heading east to the river kappas inhabit. First trees have already fallen. You caress the bark of the mighty maple that once touched the sky and now lays at your feet, cut and bleeding from the wounds humans inflicted. You still remember when it was a sprout pushing roots into earth and hungrily reaching for the sun rays. Half a century later you fell asleep under its shade and hid in his branches from those chasing you. Why is this how you say goodbye?

Forest spirits peek out of their hiding places, their terrified chimes fill the air. They cling to you, your clothes, your tails. Some you have to convince to leave the branches of the fallen trees, the hollows in their barks that have offered them sanctuary for so many long years. They cry in pain.

And pain has a way of turning into anger.

It's searing and all consuming, spreading through your body as bright blue flames shoot from your hands. They burn all standing in their path. Equipment of workers, their machines and their boxes of metal go up in flames. Truck standing by the fence catches on fire. You transform back into your fox form, running away as it explodes with a bang echoing through the night.

It's a lonely existence, being a kitsune. With years most of your kind have hidden in the forest, many have moved to cities living together with humans, pretending to be them. As if they could ever be. You hold a bit of pity for them but mostly you just don't understand. Why do they go where humans live? Why do they want to live as humans live? Humans are interesting and fun to observe, that much you never denied, but they are also cruel and blind and they drove so many of your kind away. Empty lairs is all they leave behind.

You water the flowers around the temple as you do every morning before heading to bed. From your pocket a forest spirit you've rescued from one of the fallen trees peeks out. Morning sun makes it blink and rattle in confusion. None of your words reassure it so you leave the matter be. It needs time. Time to breathe and time to heal. As you pull out some weeds from between the cobble stones it watches and chimes, sorrowfully.

“I can't say.“ Weeds in your hands catch aflame and whither. You lay them down on the black soil. “We will find you a nicer home. There is a beautiful cherry blossom tree growing by the entrance. Would you like that?“ It gives a soft chime. “We can have a look at it later, alright? Careful!“ you catch it on your outstretched palm. “Stay with me, I'm almost finished with my duties. Do you have a name? Ah I see,“ you nod when it chimes. “How about I call you Koda? Would you like that? Now make sure not to fall off again, alright?“ You help it climb on your shoulder.

Koda turns it's head in all directions taking in the sight. It's probably its first time seeing anything but endless sky and branches. Not that the temple is anything special. It's small, with only two wooden buildings in need of repair and pond you hold particularly dear. No ducks live near it. You brought a pair once in hopes they'd have ducklings to keep you company but sadly before a month passed they became dinner to passing yokai. Ever since the only ducks at the temple are the ones on the edges of the roof.

Surrounding trees grow closely together, casting long shadows over the roofs and the small yard. In their shade a steep staircase leads towards the entrance of the temple. Every morning and every evening you sweep the leaves from the stairs, picking up and keeping the ones you find particularly beautiful. The golden, the deep crimson, and bright green, ones sprouting first when spring arrives, are your favourite. Moss has overgrown most of the steps. Koda chimes for you to put it on it and it sits on the soft green blanket seeming calm for the first time. Its home was taken but what said it couldn't make a new one here, with you? The temple has been your home for as long as you can remember and you doubt you'll ever know any other.

Your new friend still watches in amazement (At least you think it's amazement. Even you find spirits' expressions hard to read) and when you return to check on offerings you consider waking Chochin to help you reassure it. After a short consideration you decide against the idea. The stillness of the early morning is your favourite part of the day after all and you'll hear from your possessed lantern before noon rolls around anyway. Besides Chochin would only scare already rattled Koda. You'd like to spare the spirit further shocks, at least for a while. Luckily most days the temple grounds stand deserted. With each passing year less and less humans come to pay their respect to Inari. Less and less fields are to be found in the area so it's no wonder they forget how much depends on good harvest. They take it for granted and they forget. If centuries have thought you anything is that humans are incredibly good at forgetting.

You're just about to sweep the two fox statues by the entrance when you catch the sound of approaching steps. One person. Must be an early riser. You make your tails disappear and straighten the sleeves of your hoodie before instructing Koda to hide.

A young man steps through the tori gate. He's tall and lanky, a beanpole with dark hair. Most people pant and heave for air when reaching the top. He looks like he just took a pleasant stroll in the park. He takes in his surroundings then walks over to you. “Good morning,“ he greets with a polite smile that doesn't quite reach his slanted eyes.

There's an aura surrounding him. You can tell he's the kind of man people take a second glance at when passing him by. If you asked them why they'd give you a confused look. “I, I have no idea,“ they'd answer, “There was... something.“ If you asked them an hour later they'd be even more confused because they have already forgotten about him. But he is the kind of a man who wants to be forgotten. How else would he hunt yokai in peace?

“Morning,“ you return the pleasantries. Koda in your pockets shivers.

“I'd like to pay my respects. Can I offer alone or-?“ If he's embarrassed by being unsure of how to proceed you can't tell it from his face. You show him to the temple and excuse yourself, aware of how his eyes follow you as you walk across the small courtyard. You don't want him here. But you can't deny him entry.

He doesn't scare you. He's as green as sprouting grass, too young to have any real experience. He probably only recently accepted yokai are real and not just a folktale used to scare children. You might be the first he'd ever meet. At least one that isn't harmless. Still there is something about his calm voice and bored expression that keeps you alerted.

Koda peeks out of your pocket and chimes, worriedly. “We'll see,“ you murmur in response and head over to the pond. It's so empty. Should you get some koi fish? Or would they all too soon become dinner too? Many of those yokai who remain are growing hungrier. Wilder. Hearing approaching footsteps you wonder if that is what brought Mr Witch to your humble abode.

“I've heard there's a kitsune living around here.“

You straighten and turn to face the unwelcome visitor. Was someone else in your shoes they'd act smart and deny their nature. But you can tell he isn't asking. He's just confirming what he already knows. “There is.“

Visibly taken aback he hesitates. “Is it you?“

“I am.“ You don't like his eyes. They are too fox-like.

He bows politely. “I'm Suna Rintarou.“

“Good for you.“

He ignores the poison in your voice. “News of someone destroying the construction site has reached Inarizaki Clan.“ Ah, that explains the lack of fear. If he's here with the backing of a clan naturally he'd feel secure enough to directly challenge you. “I was sent to let the ones responsible know their efforts are meaningless. The road will be built no matter what you- What they do.“

“Ask? Your kind doesn't ask.“

“This might be the one for history books then.“ His face irks you. There's no fear, no nerves showing, no twitch of his mouth or fingers to betray what he's thinking. Humans are as easy to read as open books but the young man in front of you is a blank sheet of paper.

“Leave,“ is all you answer.

To your surprise he bows and obeys. Watching him leave you think he should straighten up.

As the sun rises higher you head to bed, newcomer so heavy on your mind he haunts your dreams. The sole presence of a yokai hunter is something to be worried about. First one comes, then a second, next your kind is being chased away. The only reason you're still here is because the humans can't seem to figure out a way to chase you away for good. Not that they haven't tried. If only they knew worst things live deep in the woods.

When evening falls you sweep the stairs and leave still rattled Koda besides Chochin who disapprovingly rolls it's one eye at you.

The town is only a short run away. It's small, at least you think so since there aren't many you've visited in your relatively short life. You know every nook and cranny, you know which tombstones are nekomata's favourite, you know which of the old street cats will soon join them. They can be a handful but they're the closest thing to friends you have. You pass the old house where teenagers like to gather. Its cellar has been home to keukegen for years now. You catch a glimpse of a few leaving. No doubt the fault of that damn visitor.

The place he's staying at is easy to find. How careless of him. All you have to do is follow the magic of protective charms scattered across the town back to its source. They're sloppy. Almost as if a child made them. But some of them are particularly well made. Work of another clan member perhaps?

You hide in the bushes of the garden surrounding a small house. Mr Witch left the sliding door open. Even in the garden you smell herbs meant to ward away evil spirits. He's sitting on the floor and watching a curious looking thin screen similar to ones you've seen down at the train station. He seems disinterested. When he stands up and leaves the room you silently creep closer to peek inside. The smell of herbs is stronger here. You don't find it unpleasant though many of your yokai friends would disagree.

On the screen you see a map of the town. More maps lay on the low table. Some have scribbles you can't quite read, arrows, and question marks. You hear him returning and scurry back in the safe embrace of darkness and bushes. He sits back down to continue his work, not noticing you were in his home. You lean your head on your paws and watch.

Following Suna around becomes a daily routine. You sweep the stairs in the morning and water the flowers then run the fastest your legs can carry you to the town. Luckily for you he likes sleeping in. His days are uneventful. Boring to be honest. He eats breakfast. Goes to town. Looks at historical monuments downtown. Sits on the only bench in the park and eats ice cream. Heads to library. From time to time he visits the construction site to inquire if there have been any more incidents. There were a few but none of them were your doing. Mr Witch doesn't actually think you're the only one enraged by the new road, does he? Honestly as much as you detest it you're also a little relieved humans haven't decided to build over the northern part of the forest. That would be a lot more troublesome.

You follow on a safe distance as he inspects the surrounding trees, no doubt to chase away the remaining forest spirits. For a very long time he inspects some footprints. You carefully step closer trying to see what caught his attention. Suddenly he stands up and continues on his way. As you follow you glance at the ground. Ah, of course.

He heads back to town after that, returns home and you return to your spot in the bushes. Sun hasn't set yet,  the day is still warm so he brings a low table out on the porch and pours two glasses of dark bubbly liquid.

“Are you going to keep hiding or will you join me for a drink? I have some tofu I can fry if you want. Kitsune like it, right?“ he asks without looking in your direction.

Crap. Well, no point in trying to be sneaky anymore. You step out, head raised high and your tails gracefully swaying with each step. A silver gem radiating light balances on the middle one. Once you reach porch you shapeshift to a human and hide the gem from Suna's eyes. You don't bother hiding the tails though and you take a sit across from him, carefully eyeing and sniffing the contents of the glass.

“Only three tails?“

“Are you judging my age?“

“Sorry. I didn't mean to be rude.“ That's not what his face says. “Thank you for leaving the construction site be,“ he chats on seemingly unbothered by your icy glare. “You must've noticed those footprints too, right? Have any idea where I might find the owner?“

“That sounds like your job Mr Witch.“

“It's Suna actually.“ He keeps talking like you're old acquaintances and it's making your blood boil. “Can I ask for your name? Don't want to call you Miss Kitsune.“

“Why are you here?“

Suna gulps down half of his drink before answering. “To make sure construction continues without any accidents. You seem to think yourself some kind of a yokai protector. Then I'm a protector of humans.“

You bark a laugh. “As if your kind needs protecting.“

“All the people getting sick from those keukegen would disagree.“

“Sounds like it's their fault for not staying away from infested places,“ you retort.

“Then one easy fix would be getting rid of those infested places.“

“An undertaking you have no doubt already started.“

“I'm just doing my job.“

“You can't chase them away for long you know. Your kind has tried before. They always come back.“

You've hoped your words would elicit a response from him. Anything. A trace of frustration, an arrogant grin. Suna pours himself another glass. “Do you want some ice?“

“What I would very much like is for you to leave.“

A grin flashes over his face. “Get used to my presence because I won't go away for a very long time.“

So this is how he wants to play. He isn't the tiniest bit alerted when you abruptly stand up. “We'll see.“

Your daily routine continues. The only difference is you no longer care to hide. Wherever Suna goes you're not far behind. He wants to stay, play the protector of humans, does he? Pathetic. He doesn't seem to be bothered by you following him around. Just slightly unimpressed. It makes you want to set his pants on fire. Just to get a reaction. Just to see his expression change.

“How long do you plan on following me?“

“Who says I'm following you? World doesn't revolve around you Mr Witch. Maybe I just wanted to buy myself some mochi. Have you considered that?“ You pretend to be interested in melons on the shelf. “Aren't these kind of expensive?“

Suna ignores your question. “I'm grocery shopping. There are no yokai here. And I haven't even harmed anyone.“

“Yet. Such a short word. Yet. Somebody has to keep an eye on your nasty tricks.“ You peek into his shopping cart. “Instant ramen and crab chips? Even I know humans need some you know,“ you wave your hand trying to remember what it's called but the word is buried too deep in your memory, “healthy food!“ you say instead and place the most expensive melon in the cart. “Like fruit for example.“

“Put it back.“

“It's healthy.“

“It's expensive.“

“I got money.“ You pull a bundle of bank notes from your pocket.

He puts the melon back on the shelf and grabs the cart with more force than necessary. You hum contently before putting the money in your pocket where it changes back to leaves you picked up last autumn.

The sheer number of different products on the shelves amazes you. And also makes you a little sad. All the offering humans bring to the temple are just rice and tofu and sometimes curry. Not that you don't like rice and tofu but why can't they bring one of all these colourful sweets? Or the chips Suna just put in the cart. Would he notice if one of the bags disappeared?

Walking past the vegetable stand you grab three cucumber packages and plop them down in his cart. You notice he added a bag of brown rice to it.

“Really? Three packages?“ he asks.

“They're a gift for kappas up the stream,“ you smile, innocently.

“Buy them yourself. You got money, don't you?”

“Why, would you like some? What's the matter Mr Witch, job doesn't pay well? Maybe you should consider a career that doesn't rely on destroying our lives.“

“Maybe you should live a life that doesn't harm others.“

You grin, satisfied. And so facade begins to crumble. A loud cough distracts you from throwing back another insult. An older man gives the two of you a disapproving look before returning to reading labels.

Suna grabs the cart and continues his way to the next item on the crumpled shopping list. You trail behind looking like a lost puppy peeking from behind him to see what the next item on the list is, adding new items to the cart Suna immediately puts back in their place. Even by the register you add one more package of chewing gum to the pile.

“At least take one with a fruity flavour,“ says Suna so you grab two more packages with watermelon on them. You think you see his eye twitch though it might be just your imagination. While he puts the groceries in a bag you snatch a chocolate bar from the nearest shelf, then follow him outside to take the cucumbers from the bag he's holding.

“You've been quite busy yesterday,“ you remark as you walk down the street.

“Since you followed me around the entire time I take it you weren't.“ He outstretches his hand. “Your stuff was 700 yen. Pay up.“

You give him a crumbled wrapper.

“Any particular reason you're interested in the old Nishikawa house?“ you ask, continuing to smile innocently when Suna glares at you and puts the wrapper in his pocket.

“I thought you were the local expert on all things paranormal in this town. I'll let you guess twice.“ He peels the sticker off the bananas and sticks it on your forehead. “See you around Miss Kitsune.“

Ch. 2: Red beneath the moon

tag list: @blurring-stars

[childish-himbino]

HOW TO FIND MUSHROOMS!!! with yah boi jazzy t 😌

STEP ONE - go outside for a walk!!!!! there! you are already so mush more likely to find a mushroom now!!! you hype friend?!

STEP TWO - pay attention! constantly scan the ground near the bases of trees, esp stumps (or other sources of rotting wood or organic material, such as old wooden fences or piles of mostly broken down leaves) as well as grass after rainfall bc our fruity lil friends loves them a good drank before they be poppin up

STEP THREE - look up!!! if you’re hunting for shroomy bois in the woods there are many varieties that grow directly on tree trunks, and can be pretty high! like this fungi fellow:

STEP FOUR: don’t get discouraged if you don’t find any right away or you don’t find a lot of variety! look up the types that grow in your area. mushrooms usually have companion trees they prefer to grow on or underneath, as well as different conditions they prefer to fruit in. once you become familiar with their homies and their schedule you’re sure to run into them!!!! usually spring is the best time to go foraging for some, such as spring kings and morels, tho depending on your region you can find plenty of mushrooms year round! i mostly find pheasantbacks and mica caps myself, tho if i looked in new spots i know i would find new types! keep your chin up, pal 😌

STEP FIVE: don’t eat things you aren’t 100% familiar with!!!! i literally took a course on identifying morel mushrooms before going hunting with the intention to eat or sell them. in many states it is not legal for you to sell morels or other kinds of wild foraged mushrooms without certification bc of how often folks misidentify and consume poisonous shrooms!!! terrible!!! if you want to forage some tasty caps for dinner, pls pls pls either get a book and become familiar with the types of edible mushrooms that grow in your area, or go out with an experienced forager that can explain the key and lifesaving differences of mushrooms for you.

STEP SIX: have fun!!!! mushroom hunting is so darn lovely just cos even if you don’t find anything, you’re likely to have taken a pleasant walk anyways, and perhaps you found other wonderful gifts of nature, such as a good patch of moss, a frog or other sweet critter, maybe a good rock, a snail shell or two, a shiny acorn, or a small grove filled with assorted and abandoned glass bottles of all sizes, shapes, and colors. yah never know what be in them woods!

OH AND DON’T FORGET TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR YOUR FORAGING TRIPS AND WEAR BUG SPRAY!!!

okay that’s it that’s the post i love you byyyeeeee ❤️✨🍄😌🙏🏾😘

[iwatobifuturefish]

Your song

Heyho everybody!

Sooo, this is my first Mystic Messenger fanfic that I have written. I posted it some time ago on AO3 and now I wanted it to share it here as well :D

For me the pairing is MC x Choi twins. But there is nothing explict mentioned in this story. Just some cheek smooches because MC is soft for the twins, haha (who wouldn't be).

Sorry for rambling, please enjoy! (Feedback is appreciated, thanks byeeee) now i'll hide under my bed

Here is the song I used.

Your song

Read here in AO3

Pairing: MC x Choi twins (just cheek smooches, no twincest involved!)

It was the twin’s birthday. MC knew that Saeyoung was very fond of the day, now that he finally got to spend it again with his brother. Saeran felt a bit different, though. She knew, he had grown to like it, but he did not like the fuss, that was made over him. While living with the Choi brothers MC had gotten to know every single detail about them. She knew everything, from small to bigger habits. The girl was sure, that the two did not even know, that they had shown her so much about themselves. MC sighed thinking about how far her two precious tomato heads had come. Yes, Saeran had finally grown out his hair and Saeyoung still got emotional over it sometimes which earned him a huff from his brother.

The twins knew that MC had planned a big birthday party for them. She had informed them beforehand, because she did not want to overwhelm Saeran with a surprise party. He appreciated the thought and MC still believed that she had seen a glimpse of excitement shimmer in the shyer twin’s eyes. The day of the party had finally come, and MC woke up her two favourite boys with a delicious breakfast. They were both buzzing with excitement for the day ahead – even Saeran. Although he was not as vocal as Saeyoung about it, MC could still see it.

“I am terribly sorry, but I have to throw you out now”, MC said. The twins looked shocked. “B-b-but MC! It is our birthday! Why would you throw us out today!” Saeyoung cried out.

MC giggled: “Well, I have to set up the party decorations. I do not want you two to see them right away. A little surprise effect after all would not be too bad, wouldn’t it?” She squeezed Saeran’s hand, hoping her request was alright with him.

“Yes, you are right”, the younger twin agreed and nodded. MC smiled at him happily.

After the conversation, the boys got dressed and ready to head out for a bit. Saeyoung had declared that one of his babies was desperate for an outing. So, he grabbed the car keys with one and Saeran’s arm with the other hand and marched towards the garage.

“Have fun you two! See you in an hour. And don’t eat too much ice cream, I promise there will be enough here today”, the last sentence was directed to Saeran as MC knew, that Saeyoung would take him out to get a sweet treat for sure. MC gave both twins a peck on the cheek, making them blush and then waved them off. She watched the car pull out of the bunker’s garage. Once the gate was closed MC began working on the decorations. She surely was getting more nervous now, had she planned one more surprise for the twins, which they did not know about. Humming to herself the prepared everything and then got dressed herself. A quick look at the time told her that the guests would arrive soon. She really hoped that all the hard work would pay off.

The front gate announced someone, and MC quickly opened the door for all the others. All of Saeyoung’s and Saeran’s friends had come – the whole RFA. She led them to the living room where everything was set up.

“Are you nervous?” Jaehee asked.

“Yes, yes I am.” Zen stepped towards the girls of the RFA. “Oh MC, you really don’t have to be. We practised a lot, and you did great every time. I am sure they will love it!”

“Thank you, Zen. I really hope so.” MC smiled.

“Oh, I think they are coming!” Yoosung announced once they could hear the loud engine of one of Saeyoung’s sports cars.

“MC, I think we all agree, that they will really like your present”, Jumin spoke up. “Be yourself and have fun.” Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Wise words, trust fund kid”, Zen whispered.

Saeyoung and Saeran were speechless once they stepped in. The bunker was decorated with balloons, garlands and pictures from them and their friends that had been taken over the last year. MC had printed them all out. There were ones from just her and the twins at the bunker or group pictures of the whole RFA. One pictured that got cooed over the most was the one where the twins had fallen asleep on the couch together after playing LOLOL all night, much to Saeran’s dismay. MC was really proud of herself four capturing this moment.

After opening presents and eating cake, ice cream and even ice cream cake, MC stood up.

“Saeyoung, Saeran, I want to give you my present now.”

“But MC, you already prepared all of this for us!” Saeran blurred out. MC smiled softly. He had grown so much, no longer being afraid of speaking up. Although he surely must have been quite hyper after consuming so much sugar, helping his remaining shyness fade away quickly. Saeyoung just nodded wildly in agreement. He was too occupied looking at the visitor passed that Jumin had gifted the two to come and see Elisabeth the 3rd. Under his supervision of course.

MC made the twins sit on the couch, “Saeran, Jaehee will put blindfolds on you two now. It will only be for five minutes, I promise. Is that alright, love?” He nodded and MC gave him a bright smile. She just wanted to make sure that he felt safe. The younger twin still grabbed his brother’s hand, once they were blindfolded. They both wondered what was going on. Suddenly the blindfolds were taken off again. The lights in the bunker were all turned off, but the twins knew, that the other RFA members were sitting beside them.

Suddenly the heard a piano playing and one of the light spots that Saeyoung had installed in the living room turned on. It only lit one area in the room. There, MC was stand with a guitar and behind her Zen was sitting with a keyboard.

MC started to sing. The twin’s eyes grew wide as they heard her voice.

It's a little bit funny

This feeling inside

I'm not one of those who can easily hide

I don't have much money, but boy if I did

I'd buy a big house where we all could live

If I was a sculptor, ha

But then again, no

Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show

I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do

My gift is my song, and this one's for you

MC finally opened her eyes while Zen kept playing on the keyboard. She had been too afraid to look at the brothers at first, but now she wanted to see their reaction.

And you can tell everybody

This is your song

It may be quite simple, but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss

Well a few of the verses, well they've got me quite cross

But the sun's been quite kind

While I wrote this song

It's for people like you that keep it turned on

The boys were squeezing each other’s hands and MC was sure that she could she tears streaming down behind Saeyoung’s glassed. Saeran looked at her the whole time like she was an angel sent from heaven just for him. MC didn’t even notice that she had started playing the guitar now. She just sang for the two boys who deserved a happy birthday and who she adored so much.

So excuse me forgetting

But these things I do

You see I've forgotten, if they're green or they're blue

Anyway the thing is, what I really mean

Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen

MC stepped forward and caressed the cheeks of both twins. Wiping all their tears away.

And you can tell everybody

This is the song

It may be quite simple, but now that it's done

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

I hope you don't mind

I hope you don't mind

That I put down in the words

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

The lights in the bunker turned on again. Yoosung cried horribly while Jaehee patted his back, but she also sniffed and blew her nose. Even Jumin wiped away some tears and hoped nobody had seen. Zen smiled happily behind the keyboard, but you could still see that he had also cried.

“Happy Birthday, you two”, MC said smiling wildly. “Saeyoung, Saeran, I hope you know how loved you both are from each person who is here today.”

The twins could not stop crying and MC wiped their tears away again.

“I love you two with all of my heart, please never change. You are both perfect as you are.”

She hugged the twins and they grabbed on her for life.

“Thank you, MC”, Saeyoung sniffed.

“Thank you so much for everything”, Saeran hiccupped.

“We love you, too! So much!” suddenly both spoke up. MC smiled softly. “I know.”

Once everyone had calmed down a bit there was more cake to eat.

“MC?” Saeran asked.

“What is it, love?”

“Can you maybe sing again for us later?” he said while munching on a big peace pf chocolate cake.

“Of course, I can!”

“Oh, and MC?” Saeyoung turned excitedly towards her. “Can we sing with you next time?”

MC laughed: “Sure, honey, I’d love that.”

Saeyoung cheered and Saeran looked away but MC could still sense that he did not dislike the idea.

“Come on you two let’s sing your song!” MC grabbed the hands of the brothers. “Zen, would you help me out again?”

The actor agreed happily and started playing. MC looked at her boys who both looked like they were glowing with happiness and she could feel the love she had for them, once she started to sing again. Their sparkling eyes were everything she needed.

[caelesjjk]

a place where hands can’t reach | l.h. (Greek god!Luke)

A/N: I have worked tirelessly on this, and I am really proud of it to be honest.  Its long as hell, over  17k. But i would appreciate more than anything if you guys took time to read it and tell me what you think. Thank you!!

I also wanted to give a shout out and recognition to Amara ( @dammitbands​ ) and her fic Wasteland, Baby which you can find here. I was super inspired by her fic and decided to give my own go at a Greek god AU.

“Touch me with your words. Penetrate my mind. Hollow me out. Leave me gasping, scratching, wanting more. Touch me with your words in all the places your hands can’t reach.”

Ares will always be known as being the brutal God of War. He was almost uncontrollable and bloodthirsty when it came to battle, something that made him hated among the other Gods as well as the humans on earth.

It took thousands of years and too many battles to count for the pain and terror of war to finally take its toll upon him. Ares wanted more from this life. There had to be something more. He had become fascinated by the humans and the way they lived and wanted to leave behind the memories and all the blood he had on his hands on Mt. Olympus, and go to Earth where he could be more than just the God of War.

His plans to leave Olympus were not received well. The other Gods knew if Ares left that they would have no one to fight their battles for them. No one to blame for all their misfortunes. So Zeus took it upon himself to punish Ares, telling him that if he chose to go to Earth and live with the humans he would be cursed for as long as stayed there.

Ares was told that he would never be able to touch another being with his hands without killing them. His darkness and brutality that lingered deep within him would consume them, and there would be nothing he could do to save them. They would crumble in his fingertips, drift away on the breeze, or burn to ash the very moment his bare hands touched them in any way.

But to Ares, this punishment would be as easy as breathing compared to the weight he carried on his shoulders now in Olympus. And so, he retreated to Earth, taking a human form. He knew that he would spend the rest of eternity alone, and banishing himself to Earth was supposed to make that easier. And at first, it had been. Hundreds of years he walked the planet, lying low and keeping to himself. He took on the name Luke, in hopes it was average enough to let him stay below the radar of wondering humans.

Luke was still the God of War, and it was in the darkness that he found the most comfort. He walked around in all seasons with leather gloves on his hands, in hopes that he would never accidentally touch someone and consume them with all the evil that lingered inside of him. He had never had a desire to touch someone while he was here, and he wanted to keep it that way. He needed to make sure that he proved the other Gods wrong so that one day they would understand that he was more than just their war horse.

Like most nights, Luke found himself in the corner booth of Gordo’s diner down the street from his apartment. He preferred it over the bustling restaurants and casinos that most humans frequented in Las Vegas. The décor was hideous, with all the red knick-knacks lining the dusty shelves on the walls and the faded yellow tables with chips in the tabletops. The food was shit, and the coffee was even shittier, but if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t come here for either of those things. He came for her, the waitress with the raven colored hair and the face full of freckles. She wore chunky boots and mood rings on each of her thumbs that were shaped like crescent moons. Her name was Anna, and she one of the few humans Luke tolerated. She was sweet and soft spoken, but she also had an edge about her that had Luke coming back in every night. He refused service from anyone other than her. It was like she could tell that he wasn’t much for talking, because most nights, she didn’t press him.

“Want any more coffee?” She asked, breaking him from his thoughts of the past. Luke shifted in his seat, clearing his throat.

“Think four cups might be my cut off.” He answered, using his gloved hand to push the white coffee cup towards the edge of the table.

“Are you cold? I could ask them to turn the heat up in here.” Anna motioned towards his gloves, Luke quickly pulled his hands beneath the table into his lap.

“I’m fine.” He picked up the book he had been reading before, trying to get her to walk away from him without any more questions. Anna gave him a small apologetic smile before picking up the empty coffee cup and heading back towards the kitchen.

“Such an idiot.” Anna sighed to herself as she dumped the arm full of dirty dishes into the sink. She had always seen him wearing those gloves, never taking them off, even in the dead of summer. Obviously there was a reason behind them. And Anna knew deep down that it must have been something that he didn’t want her to know. 

“What is it about the weirdo in the corner booth that you like so much anyways?” Michael, one of the other servers asked as he plopped a small pile of whipped cream onto a piece of pie as he spoke.

“I don’t like him, really. I’m just sort of fascinated? I know it’s weird.” Anna leans against the sink, looking towards Michael and the complete mess he was making of the pie slices he was about serve.

“Yeah, totally weird.” Michael teases, throwing the small plates onto a tray and lifting it onto his shoulder.

“Are you going to serve it like that?” Anna giggled, pointing to the mess.

“It’s for a bunch of drunk frat boys, I doubt they care how pretty it looks.” Michael sighs, pushing open the door of the kitchen. “At least help me hand these out?” He stuck out his bottom lip, trying to be as cute as possible and persuade Anna to help him.

“Fine. Let’s go Mr. Puppy Eyes.” Anna holds the door open and lets Michael walk through before they both approach the rambunctious table. Of course they’re all smacking each other and throwing shit around the table. Typical drunk asshole behavior. Michael and Anna were used to dealing with these types on their late shift. Las Vegas was always full of surprises.

“You brought a friend with you, Mike.” One of the frat boys brought attention to Anna, making her cheeks heat up and her blood pump a little faster.

“She’s just helping me hand out your order, man. No need to embarrass her.” Michael tossed a few plates onto the table in front of them, some of them snickering and not trying to hide it.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” One asks, touching Anna’s wrist when she places a plate in front of him.

“I assumed you being a college boy and all that you could at least read.” Anna points to her nametag that’s attached to her black apron. Most of the others laugh at his expense when Anna makes the comment, steam practically billowing from his already red ears.

“Got a mouth on you. I like that.” Frat douche pulls Anna down onto his lap. She pushes at his chest and pulls at his hands.

“Let go of me!!” Anna shouts, looking to Michael for help, but the other guys at the table have him blocked from getting to her. 

“Calm down, babe. Just having some fun.” His mouth is against the shell of her ear, Anna feels dirty when he breathes on her neck.

Quicker than she can comprehend, she’s being pulled off of the frat guys lap in a blur when a leather gloved hand wraps around her wrist. Anna finally focuses on what’s in front of her again, the first thing she sees is the broad leather clad shoulders of Luke stepping in front of her, grabbing the frat guy roughly by the back of the neck and slamming his head down against the table, his face flattened against the surface. The sound of glasses and silverware clanging to the floor is quickly followed by yelling from the other guys that had been at the table.

“Get the fuck off of me!” Touchy Frat guy says, struggling against the grip of Luke’s hand. But he isn’t able to move at all.

“Apologize.” Luke leans down towards his ear, saying the words quietly. Blonde curls falling on his forehead in the process.

“Fuck you! Get off!” Frat douche continues to struggle, Luke rolls eyes and uses his gloved hand to lift the assholes head and slam it back against the table once more.

“Luke!” Anna shouts, her pretty green eyes meeting his when he looked up. They were the same color as fresh moss growing against the trunks of trees. Beautiful and alluring.

“Apologize, shit bag.” Luke says between clenched teeth, eyes never leaving Anna. He could tell he was frightening her and that alone made the evil threatening to spill over inside him retreat back to where it came from.

“Sorry…I’m sorry!” The frat guy finally gives in, and Luke stands him up straight, practically kicking him towards the door.

“You’ll hear from my lawyer!” Frat guy tries to get the last word in, but Luke only smiles widely, slowly bringing up his middle finger for the group of frat guys to see. They all continue yelling all the way out the door, the bell above the door jingling over and over until they were all gone.

“Luke…what…why did you do that?” Anna brushes her hair away from her face, her chest heaving in surprise.

“Find comfort in the fact that I would have done much worse if you had not been watching.” Luke says, heading back towards his table. He picks up his things and starts to walk towards the door.

“Wait…just, thank you.” Anna steps in his path, reaching out a soft hand to touch his forearm. Luke freezes momentarily, then quickly pulls his arm away and rushes out the door of the diner, the bell clattering against the glass once more.

“Did that all actually just happen?” Michael says, still a bit in shock as he takes off his black beanie and ruffles his hair. Anna sighs, turning back towards Michael and the mess they were about to clean up.

“What exactly am I paying you two for?” Gordo, the cook and owner of the diner says from the door of the kitchen.

“Great timing, Gordo!” Michael rolls his eyes, bending down to start picking up the mess on the diner floor. 

Anna takes a moment to watch Luke out the window. He has his hood pulled up over his head now, crossing the street in a hurry. She had no idea why he had done what he did. Perhaps he was just being nice and chivalrous. Perhaps it was something else entirely. But with how limited their conversations usually were, she wasn’t sure she would ever get the answer she was looking for. The desire to be closer to him was odd, but strangely welcomed even now.

Luke had been denying the power he possessed for a very long time. Though sometimes, he did give into the voice inside of his head. He kept an array of weapons inside a secret wall compartment in his apartment. And now and then he would take one out, preferably his sword. He would swing it around with more precision than any other God or mortal would ever be capable of. It was only enough to release just the slightest bit of the pressure he felt from not using his power, but it was enough. 

He merely wanted to get home before his desire to kill the group of idiots from the diner had him hunting them down. But, deep down Luke knew that they wouldn’t go about their nights quite so easily.

They waited a few streets down in the alleyway, waiting for Luke to come by so they could jump him. And unlucky for them, Luke had a feeling that they would. He had been around long enough, seen enough human weaknesses to know that something like this would happen. He sighed loudly when they rushed him and pulled him into the darkness of the alley. 

The one who he had publically humiliated back at the diner, took a swing at his jaw while two others held onto his arms. Luke wasn’t even trying to get away from them. He was only slightly hoping to quench that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that was asking for him to slaughter them. He had been denying himself his own power, rarely using any abilities for a very long time. It wasn’t easy, but he wanted to do it. 

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” The frat guy yells as he swings at the other side of Luke’s face. Of course Luke feels the pain of the blows, but it doesn’t affect him the same way. Pain is something he has learned to tolerate so well after the thousands of years of enduring it. He can taste the blood in his mouth, letting it drip off his chin as he looks up at his attackers with a devilish grin on his face.

“Perhaps you should keep your hands to yourself next time?” Luke says with a small laugh.

“What the fuck did you just say?” One of the attackers says.

“I said…” Luke spits some blood onto the ground so that it sprays across the original douche’s shoes. “Keep your fucking hands to yourself, asshole.” And with that Luke was taking punch after punch to his torso and face, others choosing to join in now as well. He let it happen for a few moments longer, soaking in the feeling of the attack. It was exhilarating. And he knew as soon as he was finished here, he would need to stop. He would need control himself. He didn’t need the other God’s coming around saying “I told you so” any time soon.

“You needed someone to teach you a lesson, blondie.” One of them says as they back away to admire their handy work. Luke his bent down on one knee, taking a few deep breaths to gather himself. He had to control it because if he didn’t, he would kill them and he already had enough blood on his hands from all the wars he had fought in.

“This will only hurt a little.” Luke spits more blood onto the ground, boots scraping against some loose gravel as he starts to stand up. His eyes begin glowing a bright blue, the light scorching through his veins. 

They all begin to scramble away, but Luke raised one of his hands in front of him, shaping as if he had it wrapped around someone’s throat, all of the frat boys halting to a stop. The group of them grasp at their necks when their air flow starts to wither away. Luke pulls his hand higher into the air, and their feet lift up off the ground. Their legs kicking as they yell with the last bit of air they have left in their lungs. Luke breathes in another long breath, then snaps his fingers and sends them all flying in different directions until they slam into the walls of the buildings they had been standing between. They hit with loud thumps, sliding down the walls. Most of them have fallen unconscious, others scrambling to stand up, Luke brushes off the front of his jacket and begins walking back towards the street. His wounds dissipate as the blue light still simmering in his veins heals him completely. He picks up his book from the ground and turns left out of the alley to make his way back to his apartment.

“Miss it, don’t you?” Luke heard a voice say from behind him. He turned his head to look over his shoulder and see a face he hadn’t seen much of in recent years.

“Apollo.” Luke said flatly, his jaw tightening slightly as he turned to face him. He was dressed in all white, and Luke would never understand why the Gods thought white was such a glorious color. Apollo’s black hair was quite a contrast to the rest of him.

“No need for formalities, friend. It’s Ashton when I’m down here in this hell hole.” Ashton sighs with a look of mild disgust on his face and flicks his hand towards nothing in particular, taking a few steps towards Luke.

“We aren’t friends.” Luke scoffed, folding his arms over his chest.

“Still holding that grudge?” Ashton asked, small smirk on his face.

“You mean the one where you did absolutely nothing to help me when Zeus was handing out punishments?” Luke steps cautiously towards Ashton now.

“I’m not the one who desired a human life, Ares.” Ashton said, smile growing wider.

“Well let’s just say I’m still bitter, and you’re still an asshole.” Luke turns to begin walking away, until a wall of burning arrows fall down in front of him, blocking his path. His jaw and all the muscles in his back tighten in frustration.

“We should talk.” Ashton says.

“What could you possibly have to say, that I’d want to hear?” Luke turns back around.

“All those wars all those years ago…we may have underestimated the other gods then. But we know where we went wrong and we can correct it this time.” Ashton closes a bit more of the gap between them.

“This time? You’re insane.” Luke laughs. “I won’t be a part of it.”

“Won’t you hear me out?” Ashton asks.

“Go fuck yourself, Ashton.” Luke whips his hand in the air, the fire on the arrows behind him smothering out in the darkness. He steps over the burnt remains and begins walking again.

“I thought you might say that. I’ll make you see things my way, Luke. I’ll see you soon.” Ashton calls from behind Luke. But when Luke takes one last look over his shoulder, Ashton is already gone. He throws his hood back over his head and crosses the street towards his apartment building.

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Anna Bradley wished more than anything that she didn’t have to work her way through grad school. That somehow she could afford her apartment. But life just didn’t have those things in the cards for her right now. She struggled, and she knew she wasn’t the only one but that didn’t stop her from feeling just the slightest bit sorry for herself now and then.

She hated the way her hair was always frizzy, no matter how many times she used a deep conditioner. There wasn’t a product out there that had tamed it so far. Every morning while she looked in the mirror was a string of frustrated sighs and annoyed groans. 

Her one bedroom apartment was filled with things that Anna loved. She painted the brick walls with light yellow paint in an attempt to make it feel warm. Her window sills were filled with plants of all shapes and sizes. Some with flowers, some with vines. Every morning she made sure to say ‘hello’ to them, gently patting the top of the cactus’ before opening the curtains to make sure they got all the sunlight they needed.

Magenta was Anna’s 10 year old dachshund who loved to lay on her fluffy pillow at the end of Anna’s bed and soak in the sunlight as well. Her sweet little face was graying slightly around her eyes and nose, but she was still Anna’s little baby that she adored. Every morning before Anna left for class, she made sure that Magenta was comfortable, kissed her head and told her to watch over the place. It was routine for them all.

It was quiet inside the small apartment, which was something Anna appreciated. There was a constant buzz of sound outside in the busy city, but not in here. She kept an endless supply of tea in the cabinet just to the left of the sink and every time she opened that particular cabinet she was met with the worlds most flavorful aroma. 

“Rents late again, Anna.” Mrs. Parks said as she caught Anna trying to sneak through the lobby of the building.

“I know. And I swear, any tips I make tonight are coming straight to you, Mrs. Parks.” Anna tries to smile convincingly. Mrs. Parks sighs and motions with her head for Anna to go. Anna quickly mouths ‘thank you’ before heading outside into the crisp night air.

Nights were surprisingly cold in Las Vegas, it was something that took a bit of getting used to. Working the night shift at the diner was something else that took some getting used to, but there wasn’t another option when classes took up most of the day otherwise. So she drug her tired body into Gordo’s almost every night so she could serve to drunk college kids and late night casino goers.

 And then there was Luke. He always sat at the same table, most of the staff knowing not to seat anyone there because he would inevitably be coming in. He had floppy blonde curls on his head and a perfectly sculpted jawline. Not that Anna was paying attention to those types of things. But she may have noticed a time or two that his nose turned up just slightly. She knew that the hottest fires truly burned blue, and that his eyes were no exception to that. Most of his wardrobe consisted of black and leather, which wasn’t unusual for the most part but he wore it always, even this past summer when it was practically radioactive outside. Those gloves he was always wearing had to be ridiculously uncomfortable.

It bothered Anna that after knowing him all these months, she truly didn’t know him at all. Maybe that’s why he was so alluring. Maybe that’s why she had such a desire to be close to him. But any time she tried, he literally and figuratively pulled away. He was untouchable.

“Schedule says 9:00pm, Anna.” Gordo shouted through the order window as Anna walked briskly through the diner door, seeing the clock on the wall read 9:03pm. She rolled her eyes.

“Got it, Gordo.” Anna slipped into the back where Michael was tying his apron on behind his back.

“Everything okay?” Michael asked, noticing Anna’s frustration.

“Yeah…I just really need to make a ton of tips tonight before Mrs. Parks kicks my ass to the curb.” Anna sighed, throwing her apron on over her head and tying it haphazardly. 

“I can help you, if you just ask.” Michael leans against the wall watching as Anna rushes around, grabbing her order pad and pen from the basket on the counter.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine. But thank you, Mikey.” She pats his shoulder quickly, throwing her hair up messily and then pushes through the swinging door to get out onto the diner floor.

The night was slower than usual, frustrating Anna to no end. She could feel herself getting more and more upset, but she held back as much as she could so no one would notice it. But Luke noticed everything about Anna, and he knew something was wrong.

“More coffee?” Anna asked him as she approached the table with a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes like it normally did.

“Do you get a break?” Luke asked, closing his book quietly and sitting it down on the table.

“What?” Anna asked, shocked that he had asked.

“A break. Will you have one soon?” Luke said.

“Yeah…I mean I could.” Anna shuffled over the words she spoke, still flustered that he asked her.

“Sit.” He motions towards the seat across from him at the table. Anna stared at him a moment longer, then blinked to clear her thoughts.

“Michael, I’m on break, okay?” Anna looked behind her to where Michael was standing at the register.

“Sure thing.” Michael smiled and wiggled his eyebrows at Anna, her cheeks heating up as she quickly turned away to look back at Luke.

“Right. Um hi.” She said as she slid into the booth across from Luke.

“Why are you upset?” He asked bluntly.

“I’m not upset.” Anna replied, biting at her lip nervously. Luke merely raised one of his perfect eyebrows in disbelief. Anna sighed. “I just have a lot on my plate. Grad School. Trying to pay my rent. Just feeling the effects tonight I suppose.”

“Your struggling upsets you?” Luke asks, watching her face carefully, wishing he could pull her lip from between her teeth as she chewed at it.

“Yes. More than usual.” Anna sighs, her breath blowing her hair away from her face, slouching back into the booth as if she’s deflated.

“The tips you receive here, they go directly to you?” Luke asks, reaching into the back pocket of his black jeans and grabbing out his wallet.

“Most of the time.” Anna laughs a little, knowing Gordo likes to keep extra for himself now and then.

“Then put this in your pocket, and pretend I never gave it to you.” Luke opens his wallet, and pulls out four one hundred dollar bills and sets them on the table in front of her. Anna almost chokes on air as she gasps.

“Luke, I could never accept this.” Anna pushes the money back towards him.

“Why not? It’s your tip.” He closes his wallet and puts it back into his pocket.

“It’s too much. Way, way too much.” Anna’s eyes are wide as she looks down at the money.

“I don’t understand. Your service is always impeccable, I’m merely giving you what I think is deserved.” Luke pushes the money back towards her as he begins to gather up his things.

“Luke…I can’t.” Anna shakes her head in disbelief that he would even consider leaving her this much money.

“Consider it a loan then. You can pay me back when you’re able.” He stands up, pulling a black beanie onto his blonde curls and slipping his backpack on.

“You’ll let me pay you back?” Anna asks, her mouth dry.

“Of course. When you can.” Luke smiles, giving her one last look before he starts going towards the door.

“Luke! Wait!” Anna quickly hops out of the booth and stands in front of him before he gets to the door. “Why would you do this for me?”

“You deserve to have a place to sleep and food to eat. It’s simple.” Luke sighs gently, wishing the freckles on her cheeks and nose weren’t so endearing. Anna bites her lip and closes her eyes for a moment.

“Thank you.” She steps up close to him, lifting up onto her tip toes and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. Luke can feel his skin warming under the feeling of her lips. It was the most affection he had felt in ages. He gave her a tight lipped smiled and proceeded the rest of the way out of the diner. 

Anna had no idea why he really did what he did. He hardly knew her and still so willingly handed over more than enough money to help her get ahead on things for the time being. She looked at the money once more and then shoved it into her pocket before anyone else could see it, her smile widening. The troubles she had been feeling just minutes before this slowly lifted off of her shoulders and chest and she could breathe again. Paying Luke back was one thing, but making it up to him would need to be really special.

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The next night, when Anna came in for her shift she was immediately met by the frustrated face of another waitress that she did not recognize. Her blonde hair was swept up into a nest on top of her head and her hands were on her hips as she approached Anna.

“Is that guy your boyfriend or something?” She huffed, her Brooklyn accent very thick as she pointed towards Luke in the corner booth. His usual black leather gloves on his hands as he flipped through pages of yet another novel.

“No, he isn’t. But if you’re new here, you probably didn’t know that he only wants me waiting on him.” Anna explained, her cheeks heating just a little.

“Yeah, well he’s a real dick. Literally wouldn’t even take a glass of water from me.” She pops a piece of gum into her mouth and rolls her eyes dramatically. “All yours, honey.” She slips past Anna and heads towards the kitchen. Anna can’t help but smile as she approaches Luke’s table.

“Giving the other waitress a hard time?” She asked.

“She’s dreadful.” Luke replied, marking his page and setting down the book in his hands.

“You know, everyone that works here is capable of pouring you a cup of coffee.” Anna sat down across from him, knowing her shift didn’t start for 10 minutes.

“I only want you.” Luke said, his hands under the table as he watched Anna’s face. When her eyes widened momentarily he thought about his words and backtracked. “I mean, I prefer your service.” He clears his throat.

“What do you do when you come in on my days off?” Anna asked.

“I don’t come in.” Luke shrugs his broad shoulders and leans back against the back of the booth. Anna decided it was probably best to drop this subject when he seemed uncomfortable.

“I’ll um…I’ll pay you back what I owe you soon, I promise.” Anna says.

“I’m not worried.” Luke slowly brings his gloved hands up onto the table and links his fingers together.

“I wanted to do something more than just give you the money…like maybe I could take you to get a real cup of coffee? One that doesn’t taste awful?” She laughed lightly, looking to Luke for an answer.

Luke wanted to say yes so badly. He wanted to tell her that he would do ungodly things just to know more about her. But getting to know her was dangerous, for both of them. She would never understand the burdens he carried, and Anna did not deserve to carry any of them with her. She was far too smart and far too beautiful for this world.

“I…can’t.” Luke said nervously.

“Oh. I’m sorry, you probably have a girlfriend or something right? That would be totally inappropriate for me to ask that…god I’m just…sorry.” Anna stands up from the booth and Luke does the same.

“No. No girlfriend. It’s me” Luke tries to explain, but knows he sounds ridiculous.

“You’re really going to use the ‘it’s not you it’s me’ gig already?” Anna’s eyebrows scrunch together in confusion as she turns to begin walking to the kitchen.

“Are you angry with me?” Luke asks, following her down the row of tables.

“Why would I be angry?” Anna turns to face him quickly, almost making Luke bump into her.

“You seem angry.” Luke sighs, hands going into his jeans pockets.

“I’ll bring you more coffee soon.” Anna spins around and moves swiftly into the kitchen through the swinging door. Luke stands there a moment, not sure what to do. And as he’s about to go back to his table, Anna is shoving through the door with plates in her hands, not bothering to even look in Luke’s direction.

“You’re visibly upset.” Luke says quietly as he follows her to another table.

“I’m not.” Was all she said as she sat the two plates down on the table in front of the hungry customers. Anna continued to ignore him, moving past Luke and walking towards another table.

“Will you stop for a moment?” Luke asks, stepping in her path.

“I’m not upset with you, I’m upset with myself.” Anna says, looking over Luke’s shoulder as Gordo throws another order up into the window.

“Why?” Luke moves until her green eyes focus on him again. For a moment, Anna considers telling him the truth. That all she wanted was a few hours outside of this diner where she could talk with him.

“It’s nothing, Luke. I have work to do.” Anna brushes past him again and Luke sighs in defeat, going back to his table, running his gloved hands through his messy mop of curls.

Luke watches Anna as she hastily moves around the restaurant, she continues to smile for each customer, never forgetting anything they ask for. She grabs a coffee pot from the counter where his eyes follow and land on Ashton, who sits at one of the stools at the front counter, a smile on his face when their eyes meet. Luke tenses, his jaw tightening when Ashton waves Anna over to him. What the fuck did he think he was doing?

Ashton leaned his elbows on the counter when Anna approached him, making sure to smile kindly for the human girl.

“What’s good to eat here, darling?” Ashton asked, watching as Anna’s cheeks tinged pink when he called her by the endearing name. Pathetic human, he thought.

“Pancakes are always good.” She said, taking the coffee cup off the counter and filling it, sitting it in front of Ashton.

“How’s the coffee?” Ashton smiled at her a little more.

“Pretty awful.” Anna shrugged.

“Should we maybe grab something better then? If you’re free that is.” Ashton asked, long fingers dancing around the coffee cup on the counter.

“I don’t even know your name, and you’re asking me out?.” Anna laughed, her hand going to her hip. Luke was still watching, but his anger was literally beginning to burn.

“Ashton. And yours?” He asks.

“I’m Anna.” She reaches out and shakes his hand and already Luke knows that’s something he would never be able to do. 

“So what do you say, Anna?” Ashton asks as he straightens the lapels of his long coat. Luke pushes out of the booth and storms across the diner until he reaches the two of them.

“She can’t.” Luke says, blue eyes meeting Anna’s green ones, pleading with her.

“What?” Anna asks, confused and the slightest bit annoyed.

“She can’t go with you…because she’s going with me.” Luke glares at Ashton, knowing he’s feeding right into what Ashton wanted to happen. Now he has something to hold over Luke’s head.

“How did you even hear what we were…” Anna begins to say but Luke cuts her off.

“Anna, please. I was wrong to turn down your invitation earlier.” Luke stands next to Ashton on the opposite of the counter from Anna.

“He turned down your invitation? What a fool you must be.” Ashton pats Luke’s shoulder much harder than necessary. Anna looks to Luke, who looks desperate for her answer.

“I um…I’m sorry, Ashton. I think Luke and I need to talk.” Anna smiles kindly at Ashton. He is unbothered of course, but slides a business card towards her.

“Call me when you’re ready, Anna.” With a wink, Ashton glides back out the door. But before he does, he makes sure that Luke sees the triumphant smile on his face.

“Fuck.” Luke says under his breath, pinching the bridge of nose in frustration.

“What the hell was that?” Anna crosses her arms over her chest and looks at him expectantly.

“I don’t like him.” Luke sighs.

“Do you even know him?” Anna scoffs.

“We are…old friends.” Luke leaves it at that.

“Do you actually want to have coffee with me or was that just some jackass move to make me feel even worse?” Anna’s voice is a bit sad, her hand rubbing the back of her arm nervously.

“Where shall we go?” He asks. Anna smiles, a real smile. One that reaches her eyes and lights up her face in the most angelic way Luke had ever witnessed.

“I know a really nice place. It’s not too far of a walk from here.” Anna leans over the counter, Luke does the same, feeling like a magnet that can’t escape her pull. “Will you wait for my shift to be over?” She says quietly.

“Of course.” Luke replies, his mouth aching to cover hers, but he really could never let himself. Anna bites into her bottom lip gently.

“Okay. It shouldn’t be long.” She says.

“Why are you just standing there, Anna? Tables!” Gordo shouts from the pick-up window, his gray hair sticking out in a dozen different places. Luke wishes he could make him talk to Anna the way she deserved.

“On it, Gordo.” She smiled anyways, rolling her eyes playfully. 

“See you soon.” Luke says, walking back down the row of tables until he reached his booth where his things were still sitting. 

The rest of her shift, Anna felt nerves bubbling in her stomach. She had been hoping for this moment for such a long time, that now that it was actually happening she had no idea what she was going to do or what she was going to say. Luke didn’t seem like the type of person who wanted to make small talk, he was more of the deep conversation type. He was constantly reading or writing things down and Anna just knew that any typical type of conversation just wouldn’t do. And all of these thoughts swirling around her mind were making it harder and harder to come up with anything at all. 

She slipped into the bathroom at the end of her shift, washing her hands and arms and slipping into some clean clothes in hopes of smelling less like a diner and more like herself. Her hair was a mess, but she pulled it down from the hair tie and tried to run her fingers through it over and over until it looked presentable. She looked at herself in the dirty mirror above the sink wishing she had brought her make along to work so she could cover up the imperfections, but what she saw in the mirror would just have to do, she didn’t want to keep him waiting any longer. For all she knew, Luke could have taken off by now.

But he would never. Anna didn’t know it, but Luke never wanted anything bad to happen to her. Never wanted her to feel a bit of sadness. She radiated so much goodness. And when she nervously came out of the bathroom, carrying her bag on her shoulder and running her hands over her hair once more, Luke knew he was fucked.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked him when she approached the table. Luke stood up quickly, gathering up his things and throwing his bag onto his shoulder.

“Lead the way.” He said with a small smile and motioning for her to walk in front of him. Anna smiled, walking just in front of him as they moved towards the door of the diner. Luke tried not to stare, but Anna’s body was something to admired and praised. She was soft and curvy, and Luke was forever day dreaming of all the ways he’d like to touch her. But that’s all it could ever be, just day dreams.

They walked side by side, Luke staying just the slightest bit behind Anna as they made their way through the always sidewalks of Vegas. It was ingrained in his DNA to always watch his back, and he was feeling particularly protective of the beautiful girl he was with. Their walk was mostly silent, neither of them feeling the need to say much at this point in time. It wasn’t necessary or uncomfortable.

“Here we are.” Anna’s sweet voice broke Luke from his thoughts and he quickly moved to the door to hold it open for her. She smiled saying a quiet thank you as she stepped through the door. The sweet smell of baked goods and the strong smell of good coffee wafted into both of their noses as soon as the door closed behind them.

Anna ordered her drink, opting for Chai tea over coffee. After Luke ordered his drink, he reached for his wallet in his back pocket but Anna’s hand gently touching his forearm had him freezing in place. Her soft mossy colored eyes met his and he softened just the slightest bit.

“It’s on me, okay?” Anna handed some cash to the barista before Luke could argue with her. Luke nodded once, taking his coffee from the counter and following her to a table. He sat his cup down quickly and moved behind her to help her take off her coat.

“There you go.” Luke said next to her ear then placing her coat on the back of her chair. Anna hoped like hell that he couldn’t see the goosebumps covering her skin.

“Chivalry isn’t dead then, is it?” Anna smiled over the rim of her cup as she sat down in her chair.

“Not for me.” Luke replied, removing his own leather coat before sitting down across from her.

“You aren’t from around here, are you?” Anna asked, licking her lips after she sat her cup down, watching Luke carefully.

“No, certainly not.” He smiles, leaning back in his chair, his long legs opening and taking up practically all the room beneath the table. Anna was fascinated that someone could be as breath taking as Luke and still seem like he was loneliest person on the planet.

“You aren’t going to elaborate on that?” Anna knew the answer, but hoped Luke may give away little parts of himself at least. He merely shook his head ‘no’ as one of his fingers slid across the lip of his coffee cup. Anna sighed. “What will you tell me about yourself?” She didn’t want to push, but she needed something.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea that you know much about me, Anna.” Luke didn’t meet her eyes, he knew she was looking at him, but he didn’t want the temptation of telling her everything.

“How will we be friends if you don’t tell me anything about you?” Anna asked.

“Friends?” Luke wasn’t sure why that word gave him such a strange feeling. Friend was such an understatement for what he wanted Anna to be.

“I think we’ve known each other long enough to at least be friends, don’t you think?” She leans her elbows onto the table, her face and every little detailed Luke adored coming closer to his. Luke instinctively leaned closer to her, the magnet effect taking over his will power.

“Perhaps.” Luke gave her a lop-sided smile that had Anna’s stomach flipping it circles.

“How long have you lived in Vegas?” She asked. Fifty years, Luke thought to himself.

“Quite some time.” Was all he was willing to give. Anna sighed again.

“Alright, Mr. Cryptic. Maybe less personal questions? What’s your favorite book you’ve read lately?” Anna tried to keep things light without being intrusive.

“I try not to get attached to the novels I read.” Luke explains, twisting the silver rings on his fingers.

“That sounds a little tragic, actually.” Anna says, surprising Luke with her answer.

“Why is that?” Luke asks.

“All those books I’ve seen you reading at the diner. None of them good enough to be remembered? Just seems a little sad, maybe discouraging even.” Anna sips her tea, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

“Things begin to blur together after you’ve read so much.” Luke says, hoping that it didn’t sound too strange. Anna looks at him for a moment and then nods in understanding.

“Maybe you’re right.” She says. Luke can’t help but laugh at her answer. She was the type of person who truly tried to see things from everyone’s point of view.

“Tell me more about you, Anna.” Luke said.

“What do you want to know?” Her eyes lighting up slightly.

“Everything.” Luke smiled, a small laughing passing through his lips when Anna did the same.

She had no problem telling him anything he wanted. She told him about school. About her family. What she wanted to do with her life. All the things and people the inspired her. Things that she feared. The way she considered her friends her family. How she would eternally be staying away from tequila. Where the best pizza in town could be found. How cheesy movies and kit kats were the best way to cheer her up. Listening to her talk was everything Luke had hoped it would be.

He wasn’t ready to give up much of himself. He didn’t think he ever would be. He mentioned tiny things, enough to make Anna feel as though she was getting to know him as well. Some things that made him seem normal. Human. It was hard to keep things from her when she was so open and accepting. But this was the best thing he could do for her.

“Shit, it’s like 3:00 in the morning.” Anna laughed after looking down at the time on her phone for the first time in hours.

“You need to rest.” Luke said gently, standing up to help her slip her coat back on.

“I actually don’t have class tomorrow.” She said, sliding her arms into her coat and turning to face Luke. “Do you want to maybe, hang out?” Anna asked, her lip pulling between her teeth. 

“Hang out?” He smiled, taking in the way she looked with tired eyes and a happy smile.

“Yeah…I mean we could check out some hidden Vegas gems.” Anna said as the two of them made their way out of the 24/7 coffee shop.

“I’d like that.” Luke said, another smile spreading across his face. “Even if I think it’s a bad idea.”

“Do you think it’s worth it to find out?” Anna asked, stopping outside as the door closed to look up at Luke.

“It is.” He replied, his gloved hands going into the pockets of his jacket. “Goodnight, Anna.”

“Night.” Anna was hopeful that if she was patient, the mystery of Luke would unfold for her and he would realize he could trust her. He needed all the patience she could muster.

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There were more and more days and nights spent together after that. Luke had little to no self-control when it came to Anna. He was crazy about her if he was being honest with himself. And even though he was uncharacteristically happy, he was still worried. He knew deep down that Ashton would be planning something. Something to get Luke back on his side and back into Olympus. But Luke didn’t want to be anywhere but here in this dingy diner with Anna watching him from the corner of her eye, thinking that he couldn’t see her.

The freckles on her cheeks had darkened after they’d spent all day yesterday lying in the sun on the roof of Anna’s apartment building. Luke read aloud from the newest novel he had picked up and Anna laid with her shoulder against his and her eyes lazily closed as she listened to every word he spoke, soaking up the sound of his voice as if it was the rays of warm sunshine they were lying under. Now and then she allowed herself a peek at the way his lips moved when he pronounced the words through the dark lenses of her sunglasses. Noticing the way the blonde curls on his head practically matched the sunlight that warmed the tendrils against his forehead and around his ears. She relished in the way his fingers felt when they brushed against hers, whether it was by accident or on purpose, she couldn’t bring herself to care. Anna had determined some time ago that Luke was not someone from this time. The way he spoke and carried himself was nothing of this world even. It was farfetched really, but how could he be real?

“Shouldn’t you be focusing on all of these diner patrons instead of me?” Luke asked when Anna approached his normal booth in the corner.

“None of these diner patrons look as good in a leather jackets as you do.” Anna teased, making Luke laugh quietly.

“Is that so?” He asked, eyes meeting hers, his skin warming when she smiled down at him.

“What can I say? I’ve got a thing for leather.” Anna slid carefully into the booth, sitting next to Luke, his arm moving to hang over the back of the seat behind her. The close proximity was overwhelming. She smelled like the rose scented shampoo that she loved so much, and Luke could not have picked a better scent for Anna if he tried.

“What else?” Luke asked, their faces very close together.

“Hmm.” Anna pretended to think for a moment. “Motorcycles.” She said suddenly.

“Motorcycles?” Luke laughed.

“Why not? It’s extremely attractive!” Anna laughed as well, lightly nudging Luke’s ribs with her elbow.

“Don’t ever let me catch you on motorcycle, Anna.” Luke’s eyes were a darker blue as he spoke.

“What will you do if I decide to take a joy ride around the city one night?” Anna continued to push.

“Let’s not find out.” Luke smirked, sitting back and creating a bit of space between them to try and extinguish some of the tension building.

“I wanted to ask you something.” Anna cleared her throat and shifted slightly in her seat.

“Ask away.” Luke said turning his long body to face her in the booth. He was becoming less and less wary of answering her questions.

“Tomorrow night, some friends are going to the big arcade downtown. Laser tag, ski ball, dumb stuff like that. Will you come with me?” She pulled her lip into her mouth, her teeth chewing it nervously. Luke moves his gloved hand to her mouth and uses his pointer finger to pull her lip from between her teeth, his eyes staying trained on her mouth. Anna feels her heart pound in the confines of her chest.

“Have you known me to say no to you?” Luke says quietly.

“It’s always an option.” Anna breathed.

“I’ll go, if that’s what you want.” Luke moves a stray piece of hair away from her face, wishing he knew what it actually felt like as it passed through his fingers.

“Great. I’ll meet you there at 8:00 then?” Anna says, stumbling a bit as she scoots out of the booth when she hears Gordo yelling from the kitchen.

“8:00 it is.” Luke picks up his coffee cup and takes a sip, watching her walk away as she waves over her shoulder and pushes through the swinging door.

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Anna walked quickly through the streets on her way to the arcade. She couldn’t stop the smile on her face from widening as she got closer. Luke had agreed to come, and it was unexpected. She knew that if she wanted something to happen between them, anything at all, that she would have to be very careful with how she approached it. Luke seemed like he could make a run for the hills at any moment, and that was slightly unnerving for her.

“Anna?” She heard as she slipped past someone on the sidewalk.

“Oh, Ashton. Hi!” Anna smiled, stopping to turn around and speak with him.

“Such a big city, surprised I’ve run into you again.” Ashton moved closer to her, his stare making Anna feel slightly uncomfortable. His long trench coat making him appear even more intimidating.

“Yeah. Really surprising. How are you?” Anna asked.

“I’m quite well, Anna. Thank you for asking. If you don’t mind telling me, how’s Luke?” Ashton tried to pretend he was interested.

“Oh, you guys are old friends right?” Anna remembered Luke saying something of that sort weeks ago.

“Ah, yes. Very old friends.” Ashton laughed a little at the thought.

“I’ll let him know that you were asking about him.” Anna took a few steps back, trying to indicate as politely as possible that she was going to leave.

“Do that.” Ashton said, watching as Anna’s smile dropped when she started walking away.

Anna couldn’t help the uneasy feeling she felt, but she didn’t want it to ruin her night with her friends and Luke, and when she saw Luke standing outside of the arcade, all the worry seemed to melt away. He was dressed in his usual black jeans, but rather than the black t-shirts and leather jackets she was used to seeing him in, he wore a white t-shirt that he had messily tucked in. He had pulled his hair back into a bun on the back of his head, which was one of those things that Anna never thought she would find attractive until that very moment. When she was just a short distance away, he turned around, smiling when she approached him.

“Sorry if I’m late.” Anna said, feeling a bit out of breath.

“Not at all.” Luke opens the door to the arcade and let’s Anna go in. She leads the way over to a table in the food court area where some friends are sitting.

“Guys, this is Luke.” Anna said, Luke gave them a quiet hello and a small wave.

“Diner guy! Glad you could join us!” Michael says loudly, clapping Luke on the shoulder. “You’re on my team.”

“Excellent.” Luke says, eyes meeting Anna’s when she laughs at his reaction. He craved that sound.

The group makes their way to the laser tag area, everyone strapping a kill counter to their chest and grabbing a laser gun from a shelf on the way into the arena. Michael is already planning strategies and bragging about how his team is going to be victorious. 

“See you out there.” Anna says to Luke as she moves to join her team on the opposite side of the arena.

“I think the point is that you don’t see me.” Luke answers with a grin.

“We’ll see.” Anna jogs the rest of the way over to her team, all the lights in the arena going black before the black lights and neons pop on to reveal the course they were working with.

“Everyone spread out!” Michael yelled, moving to duck behind a fake boulder. Luke rolled his eyes, knowing that battle strategy was literally all he ever used to think about. 

Someone from Anna’s team started yelling, telling everyone to attack and Luke could suddenly hear the sound of the laser guns being shot and the beeping sound of the kill counters going off as people began taking shots. He felt is heartbeat pick up, every ounce of him wanting to absolutely dominate at this, but it was just a game. Luke needed to keep his cool and not let the instincts take over. But no matter how much he tried to bury it, he was still an amazing shot. He kept his distance, taking shot after shot and never missing a single one. But he had not been able to see Anna the entire time the game had been going on.

Luke got down on his hands and knees, carefully carrying his gun in one hand and slinking across the arena towards the other teams side. He could see Michael rolling around like some sort of ninja from the corner of his eye, keeping most of the other players distracted while Luke made his way into enemy territory.

He moved behind one of the fake boulders, the smoke machine in the corner coming to life and creating a fog that was slightly obstructing his sight as he continued looking around for Anna. Perhaps she had already lost all of her lives and was sitting out somewhere. Luke stood up straight, pushing some loose curls away from his face and releasing a long breath he felt like he had been holding in forever. As he turned to head back across to his teams side of the arena, Anna popped out from behind one of the boulders, pushing Luke’s shoulders until he was backed into a dark corner. 

“Boo.” Anna said, smiling widely and triumphantly. Luke instinctively moved his gloved hands above his head against the wall in an attempt to keep himself from touching her.

They looked at each other for a few moments, both of their breathing uneven and mingling together. Anna stood on the tips of her toes, gently brushing her nose against Luke’s as he stood frozen. His stomach somersaulted when her hands slipped off his shoulders and rested against his chest, their mouths continuing to gravitate towards each other.

“We shouldn’t.” Luke whispered, eyes falling shut when he felt Anna’s eyelashes brush against his cheek.

“Tell me not to kiss you.” Anna breathed, praying he wanted to kiss her as much as she wanted to kiss him. Because she wanted to kiss him until there was no oxygen left in her lungs. Luke opened his eyes to look at her, eyebrows scrunching together knowing it wouldn’t be true if he did say the words.

“You will be my undoing.” Luke pressed his forehead against hers, but Anna was no longer feeling patient as her lips found his in a sweet kiss.

It was as if time had decided to forget all about them. Luke craned his head to the side, appreciating the way Anna’s lips fit with his. Her hands twisted into the material of shirt, needing something to hold her the earth before she floated away altogether. Kissing Anna was easy. It wasn’t messy or rushed, just lips and occasional meeting of tongues. Luke wanted to breathe her in and keep her in his chest for the rest of eternity. It wasn’t until he felt her smile against his mouth that he remembered to breathe at all.

“What is it?” He asked, opening his eyes and taking in the way the whites of her eyes glowed in the neon lights. Anna slowly lifted the laser gun in her hand and pointed it at at Luke’s kill counter on his chest. Anna quickly pecked his lips once more before pulling the trigger and the loud beeping noise from the counter started going off. She laughed manically as she started running back towards the action happening. Luke was slightly shocked, but mostly impressed as he pushed off the wall and took off after her.

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Things were too good to be true.

Surely Luke was not truly allowed to be this happy after all the awful things he had done in his life.

But he found himself sitting amongst a large crowd of adoring parents, students and their families as he watched the girl he adored walk across her graduation stage with the happiest smile on her face that he had seen since he met her. Anna was deserving of this accomplishment, more so than anyone else he knew. And no matter how exposed he felt being amongst this crowd, he would not have missed this for the world.

At the end of the ceremony Anna made a beeline for Luke as he stood towards the back of the building. She jumped into his waiting arms, wrapping her own tightly around his neck. He pressed kisses to her cheeks and lips, making her laugh and return them all the same. 

“Very proud of you, sweet girl.” Luke said only loud enough for her to hear. Anna’s cheeks heated, but she couldn’t help the need to get her lips back to his. She kissed him as if no one else was there, her body pressing into his. The leather of the gloves on his hands was cool as his fingers ghosted down the exposed skin of her arms.

“All I could think about while I was up there was how badly I wanted to be doing this.” She said against his mouth, both of them smiling and gently bumping teeth.

“Not thinking of how all your hard work has paid off?” Luke carefully sat her feet back on the ground.

“I was a little.” Anna sighed. “But it meant a lot to me that you came. I know crowds aren’t your thing.”

“I seem to have lost all sense when it comes to you.” Luke told her, his leather clad hands leaving her arms and clasping behind his back.

“I think that’s a compliment.” Anna laughed, shaking out her hair when she pulled off her graduation cap.

“Are you ready to go to the after party?” Luke asked, offering her his arm to take. 

More and more, Luke began to understand how his curse from Zeus was actually a punishment. All these years he spent alone, it never mattered. He never needed or wanted to touch anyone with his hands. But now that this human girl was in his life, it was the purest form of torture that he could possibly imagine. He wanted to know what her skin felt like against his fingertips. How soft her hair was when he ran his fingers through it. Sure, he could feel her with other parts of him. On his lips. But it wasn’t that intimate feeling that you feel when you touch someone with your hands. And sweet Anna never pushed for answers, though he knew she was curious as to why he did things the way that he did them. Never taking off those gloves no matter what. And more so than ever, he was terrified to accidentally hurt her. He would truly never forgive himself.

“Actually…” Anna took his arm, fingers moving over the material of the black button down shirt he was wearing. “I was thinking maybe we could skip the party? Have it just be the two of us tonight?”

“Oh…” Luke swallowed hard. “What did you have in mind?”

“I thought maybe you’d finally show me your place? I’ll make you dinner, we can drink as much wine as possible?” Anna looked up to study his reaction, watching his face go through 20 different emotions in just a few seconds worth of time.

“If that’s what you desire….this is your day, after all.” Luke smiles, a nervous pull in stomach trying to tell him it wasn’t a good idea. But he was incapable of saying no to Anna Bradley. Some almighty god he’s turned out to be. And when she squeaked and clapped her hands together happily, he knew that there was not a god on Olympus that could say no to this earth bound angel.

They quickly made a stop at the grocery store when Anna excitedly explained to Luke that she had the most perfect recipe for a spinach tortellini dish and that she had to make it for him. Luke followed her through the store, adoring every moment he was allowed to spend with her. But there was a feeling deep in his gut that told him something awful was going to happen that would ruin it all, and he hated that it wouldn’t go away.

Anna was nervous, and she tended to seem overly excited when she was nervous. She wanted this night to end a certain way, and hoped that wooing Luke with food and wine would make him feel that way as well. She knew they needed that next step. She wanted him to feel safe with her. To let down some of the walls he kept so high. And when he agreed to let this night happen at his apartment, she felt just the slightest bit of hope that he was going to let her in and show her parts himself that he was so desperately trying to keep hidden.

She watched in awe as Luke pulled into the parking garage of one of the most expensive tower of penthouses you could live in Las Vegas. She hadn’t imagined this type of place for him, but he was continuously surprising her.

Luke carried the grocery bags and led Anna towards the elevators, pressing the button for the top floor just as the doors closed behind them. Her lip was between her teeth up until the moment the doors slid back open. There were only two doors on this entire floor, which meant that Anna had completely underestimated the size of Luke’s apartment once again.

The door opened with a push of Luke’s foot after he had unlocked it with a set of keys from his pocket. He stepped to the side, smiling gently when Anna slid past him into the apartment. It was mostly dark inside, just a bit of light from the sunset coming in through the wall of tall windows at the far side of the room. It was one big open floor plan, the kitchen and the living room area were all connected. Anna stood in the foyer, not sure if she should just walk in. Luke took the bags of groceries into the kitchen area, pressing a few buttons on what Anna assumed was a security system.

“Are you alright?” Luke asked as he approached her again.

“Of course. Your apartment is…big.” She laughed, not sure what else to say. Luke laughed quietly, taking her hands in his gloved ones and pulling her gently towards him and further into the apartment.

“I’ll show you around a bit.” Luke says, flipping on a few light switches. Anna’s eyes can hardly focus on just one thing in the room.

Thousands of books are stacked on floor to ceiling bookshelves next to the fire place. The black leather couches make a complete circle in the middle of the room, where you have to step down slightly to reach them. There are glass cases lining the walls filled with artifacts. Anna was not exactly a history buff, but she could tell the pieces here were ancient. There were paintings in perfectly intricate silver frames taking up almost all the available space on the walls that were not converted into bookshelves. Marble statues of what she assumed were greek gods, guarded the doorways and some of the corners. It was beyond anything she had imagined and so incredibly beautiful. But it was also unnerving to think that maybe she didn’t know Luke even the slightest bit.

“There’s so much to take in.” Anna finally released a long breath, her fingers running over the spines of the books on the shelf closest to her.

“I’ve had a lot of time to collect things.” Luke moved to the fireplace, turning it on with a remote he picked up from the mantle.

“You always say things that make you sound ancient.” Anna meant to be teasing, but Luke laughed, running his fingers through his hair.

“You’re quite observant, Anna Bradley.” Luke sighed, his blue eyes coming back to her face and watching her carefully.

“You’re cryptic.” Anna tried to relax the muscles in her shoulders.

“I have my reasons.” Luke stopped to stand just in front of her.

“Are your reasons going to make you disappear without a word one day?” Anna’s eyes were pleading as she looked up at him. Luke felt his chest and his jaw tighten at the same time.

“Let’s not do this tonight, Anna.” Luke watched Anna’s eyes close for a moment in frustration.

“You’re right. I should make that dinner I promised.” She moves to step around him, but Luke places his hand against the wall so that his arm blocks her path to the kitchen.

“Trust me, please?” Luke speaks lowly, close to the shell of her ear. Anna wished it was easier to be angry when it came to Luke.

“I do.” Her hands find his curls and pull his face down to hers until their noses brush. “I just want you to trust me too.” Anna whispered, even though she knew she didn’t have to.

“For tonight, just know that it pains me to keep things from you…and perhaps one day, I’ll be able to tell you more.” Luke was hopeful, but how he ever could, he wasn’t sure.

“For tonight.” She sighed, but Luke captured her lips with his and swallowed down the rest of the sound. They let their mouths do the talking for a few moments before Anna pulled back just enough to speak. “What was that about?” She smiled when referring to the sweet kiss.

“Just want to start making up for all the time I should have been kissing you.” He kisses her again, the both of them smiling against the others mouth between pecking lips.

“Let me make this food for you, before I decide to forget it altogether.” Anna playfully bites onto Luke’s bottom lip before pulling away to walk into the kitchen. He watches as she goes, focusing in on the way her hips move and how she devilishly smiles over her shoulder when she notices his eyes on her.

Cooking was one of those things that Luke had never bothered much with in his hundreds of years as a human. He could handle the basics and could get by on simple recipes. But when the smell of the food Anna was making began wafting through his apartment, he suddenly wished he had at least tried taking an interest in it. She was quite masterful as she moved around the kitchen, throwing spices onto the chicken while the noodles boiled in a large pot on the next burner. Every now and then she would look up from what she was doing to smile at him, and Luke couldn’t begin to imagine how he had gotten this lucky.

“You could at least open that bottle of wine if you aren’t going to help, Lu.” Anna said, popping one of her fingers into her mouth to taste the sauce she was making. Luke moved from his spot where he had been leaning against the counter to grab one of the bottles of moscato from the fridge. 

Anna could practically feel herself salivating when Luke opened one of the higher up cabinets and reached for the wine glasses he kept there. His shirt slid up his stomach as he stretched and she wanted nothing more than to get her hands on the skin there. He noticed her watching him and couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. 

“How’s the food coming?” Luke teased, breaking Anna from her trance.

“Almost finished.” She breathed and half laughed, trying to clear her mind.

“Smells perfect.” Luke sat the wine glasses down on the counter, opening a drawer on the kitchen island to retrieve the cork screw.

“If I’m known for nothing else, hopefully it will be this pasta.” She laughed lightly. Luke’s face got serious for a moment.

“You’ll be known for so much more than a mere pasta dish, Anna.” He said, jaw slightly tightened.

“I hope you’re right.” Anna met his eyes, and it only took a second for Luke to step around the counter and reach her. His gloved hands went to her hips and turned her away from the stove so he could kiss her. It was so incredibly gentle and sweet that it took Anna’s breath away.

“You are incredible, Anna Bradley. Nothing less. And if I need to remind you every day, then that’s I’ll do.” Luke said the words against her lips, still brushing them together between words. Anna wasn’t sure she would ever understand Luke’s unwavering faith in her, but she couldn’t deny that made her heart swell.

“I’ll hold you to that.” She finally said when they unwillingly pulled their lips apart. Luke smiled and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. “Now stop distracting me.” She playfully pushed against his chest before turning back to the stove to finish the food. Luke poured wine into the glasses and handed one to Anna.

“Cheers to you, sweet girl.” Luke clinked his glass against hers, watching her freckled cheeks tinge pink as she took a long sip.

Anna plated the food she had been working on so meticulously as carefully as possible. She wanted it to be absolutely perfect, and that there would be no chance that Luke wouldn’t be impressed. She was convinced that this food was going to be that thing they both needed to get to the next step of their relationship. It was a long shot, but one that she knew would be worth it.

There was not a lot of food out there that Luke had not tried at least once. He had been many places and tasted many things. He had probably even eaten this exact dish at some point in his human life, but nothing had ever tasted like this. Something that someone he cared about deeply had put so much love and care into was an untouchable taste. It warmed him from the inside out when he didn’t think it was something that he was capable of.

“What do you think? Anna asked from the stool next to him. They were both sitting at the large kitchen island with their food and wine.

“Perfection.” Luke took another bite, making Anna smile widely as she did the same.

When they were finished, Anna stood up and reached over to take Luke’s plate. He stopped her hand with his, giving her a look of concern.

“I was just going to clean up.” She said.

“You’ll do no such thing.” Luke takes the plates from her hands and heads over to sink to begin washing the dishes. Anna picks up her glass of wine and walks into the living room area where she notices a vintage record player sitting near the entertainment center.

“Can I play one?” She asks. Luke looks up smiles as he continues washing the dishes.

“Of course you can.” He replies. Anna kneels down in front of the crates full of records stacked next to the record player and begins flipping through until she finds one that she loves. She quickly places it on the records player and settles the needle into place.

The record spins and begins filling the space with music. Anna sighs in content as she takes another sip of her wine. It takes her a moment to realize that the water of the sink is no longer running, and that Luke has made his way over where she’s been gently swaying to the music. She turns and finds him walking over to her with his hands behind his back.

“Is this one okay? I could always put a different one on.” Anna says, her nerves trying to trick her.

“Anna, this is fine, I promise you. Just dance with me.” He puts his gloved hand out towards her. She sits down her glass and wraps her fingers around his. Luke twirls her around once, making her giggle before he firmly presses her body against his.

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Anna asked referring to how effortlessly Luke seemed to be able dance. She watched his face drop and brows furrow as if he was thinking of something specific, but wasn’t willing to speak it out loud. “What is it?” She finally asks.

“There are so many things I want to do, that I simply can’t. Things that seem so small until you realize you can’t do them.” Luke leans down and presses a kiss to Anna’s shoulder. She looks at her hand in his, and decides to ask the question that she knows Luke has been avoiding since they met.

“Luke…Why are you always wearing these gloves?” She looks up at him and he sighs.

“Because I don’t want to hurt anyone. Especially you.” He explains.

“That…what does that mean?” Anna searches for more.

“It means just that. And I need you to believe me.” Luke’s face is a bit sad as he watches Anna contemplate his words. If she was anyone else, he knew she would have taken off a long time ago.

“I do.” Anna said softly, bringing his gloved hand to her face and cupping her cheek with it. Luke’s heart pounds when she leans into the touch. “I still feel you.” She presses a kiss to the leather covering his palm. 

“I’ve waited a very long time for someone like you, Anna Bradley.” Luke breathes out, his hand moving to the back of her neck and gently pulling her closer to him.

Luke connects their lips in a soft kiss. He wants to relish in the feeling of her pouty mouth against his for as long as possible. Anna’s arms wrap around his waist until she can clasp her hands together at the small of his back, holding him to her tightly. She slid her fingers up and down his spine over the material of his shirt, making Luke shift slightly. He swiftly lifted her onto the counter, Anna’s face becoming even with Luke’s as they continued their kissing. Anna was intoxicated by the smell of his cologne that wafted into her nose as she took deep breaths through her nose while her mouth was occupied.

Nimble fingers made their way from Luke’s back to his front, where Anna began popping open the buttons of his shirt. She needed to get her hands on every inch of his skin as soon as possible. Luke could feel panic begin to blanket him and he gently pulled away from the kiss so he could speak.

“It’s…it’s dangerous for us to do this.” Luke’s voice shook slightly, he wanted her so badly.

“How can I make you see that it’s not?” Anna ran her thumb over Luke’s bottom lip.

“I can’t hurt you. If I accidentally touch you with my hands…” Luke ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

“What will make you feel safe?” Anna kisses him again, hoping that he feels her sincerity through her lips. Luke thinks for a moment, running through options. Finally, he stands straight and lifts her off the counter and sits her on her feet.

“Come with me?” Luke motions towards one of the doors on the other side of the room. Anna knew this was what she wanted, so she moved to follow him towards his room.

Another wall of windows with light from the busy city below is found on the far side of Luke’s bedroom. Long white, flowy curtains hang at the corners. His oversized bed sits against another wall, more white sheets and pillows are placed perfectly. The floors are a dark wood and the rug that’s placed at the end of the bed looks like it’s made of golden fur. What really catches Anna’s attention, is the huge painting that hangs above the bed. Without googling anything, it appears to be some sort of Greek war with soldiers and horse drawn chariots. But before she can observe it any further, Luke is gently touching her shoulder and bringing her attention back to him.

“Is this okay?” Luke says, referring to his bedroom.

“It’s beautiful in here. Your whole space is beautiful honestly.” Anna reassures him, Luke smiles.

“It isn’t too much?” Luke asks, gloved hands going to the rest of the button of his shirt and making quick work of them. He slips the material off his shoulders and lets it drop to the floor. Anna’s mouth drop open slightly at the sight of him. His chest was unbelievably broad with a gorgeous layer of hair spread over it. His torso was long and the muscles beneath his skin moved in a way that had Anna crossing the room towards him in a daze.

“You’re beautiful.” Anna sighed. “Like one of those statutes you have out there.” She bit her lip and watched as Luke froze slightly for a moment, then shook his head almost in disbelief.

“I think you’ll have this figured out much sooner than I had anticipated.” Luke says, confusion covering Anna’s sweet features.

“Figure what out?” She asks.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Luke dodges the questions for now. He moves over to the bed and sits down on the corner before meeting her eyes again. “Come over here so I can touch you, sweet girl.” He pats the spot on the bed next to him. Anna is moving quickly, not meaning to seem so desperate.

She sits down against the soft sheets, scooting until she’s right next to Luke, who gives her a gentle smile. He leans over, connecting their lips again. His tongue immediately brushes the seam of her lips, asking hers to mingle. Anna shifts her weight onto her hip so she can face him more and deepen the kiss at the same time. Luke’s hands ached to touch her, and he was too afraid to lose control.

“You’re holding back.” Anna said against his mouth with one more peck to his lips.

“Do something for me?” He stands up and walks over to his closet. He disappears inside of it for a moment, then reappears with a red neck tie in one of his hands. Anna swallows hard before speaking.

“What are you thinking?” Anna asks, her lip becoming sore where she’s been nibbling it.

“I’m thinking…that I need you to tie my hands behind my back.” Luke approaches her slowly. Anna’s eyes widen for a moment, her heart pounding at the thought of tying Luke up. She had no idea that was something that would turn her on in the slightest. But now that it was right in front of her, she knew that it most certainly did.

“Will that make you feel like we can go farther? Safely?” Anna rubs her thighs together, her body wanting some friction when Luke looks at her with lust filled eyes and slightly swollen lips.

“It will never be a good idea for me let this happen. But I’m a selfish bastard, and I want you so badly, Anna.” Luke stands in front of her where she sits, and Anna stands up slowly.

“Okay.” Anna whispered, reaching out and touching his chest, fingers brushing through the hair. Luke released a shaky breath and closed his eyes at the feeling of her touch.

“Take this.” Luke handed her the red tie, and turned around so that his back was towards her.

Anna admired expanse of his broad back and shoulders. All the light colored freckles sprinkled over his skin. How the muscles tensed when her fingers traced down the length of his spine. Her hand caressed his skin, fingers dancing across small of his back where the hem of his pants sat. Luke shivered when Anna pressed her lips to the middle of his back and kissing down his spine. Luke sighed again, bringing his hands back behind him so he could twist his gloved fingers into the material of Anna’s shirt and pulling her closer to him. She continued pressing kisses to the backs of his arms as she tied the silky tie around his wrists, making sure it wasn’t too tight. Luke knew if he truly wanted to get out of the bindings, he could with ease, but he hoped feeling the tie wrapped around his wrists would remind him that he was with the most important person in his life, and he needed to keep her safe.

“Finished.” Anna said, her thumbs rubbing at Luke’s wrists a few times before he turned around to face her. He leaned down and kissed her once, then moved back to the bed and sat down again. 

The humming of Anna’s heart in her chest was making her entire body overly aware of the beautiful man sitting on the bed. His hair was a mess of curls and his eyes were soft and pleading. She crossed the space between them, throwing one of her legs over once side of Luke’s hips and gently settling the other on the other side. Her fingers immediately lace into his hair, angling his face up so she can kiss him deeply. Luke hands are already aching to be touching her. They want to feel her soft hips as he pulls her down against his crotch. But instead, he settles for attaching his lips to her neck. He sucks gently at her skin and revels in the sounds leaving her mouth as he does.

The only other sound is the light hum of the record player in the living room area that has stopped playing but continues to spin. Luke skims his nose across her jaw, kissing the space where the bones meet.

“This really must go.” Luke says, nudging at the neckline of Anna’s shirt she’s still wearing. She doesn’t hesitate, smiling widely before grabbing the hem and yanking it over her head in a swift movement.

There was no possible way that Luke could ever forget the way she looked right now. It was all he ever wanted to see each time he closed his eyes from now until the end of time. She more perfect than any goddess he had ever seen. The way she curved was sinful. He leaned forward pressed a few kisses to the swell of her breasts that popped over the cups of her bra. He used his teeth to bite down on material of the cup and gently pull at it, signaling he needed the bra to be gone as well.

“This too?” She finally said, kissing his lips quickly as she reached behind her to undo the clasps.

“This body of yours should never be hidden by clothes.” Luke kissed her shoulder and watched as she slipped the straps off of her shoulders and down her arms.

“I think society might feel a little differently about that.” She laughed, her hands moving to rest on his shoulders as he took her in.

“They are absolute fools.” He whispered, his mouth ducking down so his tongue could flatten against one of her nipples. Anna groaned, eyes fluttering shut at the feeling. Luke did the same to the other one, his breath rushing over the sensitive nubs causing her to shiver and lean into him more.

“Lay back.” Anna said, half breathless as she finally opened her eyes to look at Luke again. He obeyed, letting his upper body fall back against the mattress and the down comforter splayed across the bed. He couldn’t focus on the discomfort of his arms being beneath him when she hovered above him, bringing their mouths together again in delicious kisses.

Anna sat back up on her knees and slid her one of her hands from Luke’s chest down to the button on the jeans he was wearing. She kept her eyes locked with his while she undid the button. Luke knew his breathing was uneven and quick, watching her slide the zipper down. The lights from the city coming in through the windows behind them was glowing against her skin and it was possibly the most beautiful sight Luke had ever seen, and he had seen many magnificent sights on Mount Olympus.

He let her pulls his pants off of his hips and crawl back up his body. But as she settled back on his hips, he lifted them slightly, bringing her knees off of the bed. Luke shifted, moving to one side and bringing Anna with him. She squealed slightly when her back hit the mattress and Luke was now hovering above her. His arms still behind his back, he bent at the waist and kissed a line of warm wet kisses down her stomach. She hummed appreciatively, squirming a little as her arms raised above her ahead.

“How will I ever get enough of you?” Luke pressed another kiss above her navel, then nudging the button of her pants with the tip of his nose. “I regret nothing more than all the time I could have had you this way and was too scared to have it.”

Anna sits up on her elbows and looks down at him, resting his forehead against her lower stomach. One of her hands slides down and into his curls, lightly scratching at his scalp and gently pulling until he looks up. Her eyes tell him everything he needs to know. He’s quickly moving back up her bosy and finding her lips, almost falling over when he doesn’t have his arms to balance himself. Anna laughs quietly against his mouth.

“There’s no reason for you to be afraid of me.” Anna tells him, fingers caressing his cheek.

“Just afraid that one day the universe will realize I am not worthy of you, and I’ll lose you altogether.” Luke sits up and Anna follows keeping her hands cupped on his cheeks.

“The universe wouldn’t dare try.” Anna smiles, the most contagious and convincing smile Luke had ever seen. And even if it’s just for tonight, he believes her.

“The heavens have nothing on you, Anna Bradley. You are painfully beautiful.” Luke kisses her hard, her head bobbing back and falling back onto the comforter. “Now get the rest of these clothes off before dispose of them with my teeth.” Luke says, playfully biting her bottom lip and causing her to giggle.

Beautiful hands slip down her body and quickly rid herself of any remaining clothing items. Luke moves until he’s on the floor at the foot of the bed on his knees. Anna hooks her legs over his shoulders and Luke pulls with his upper body until her dripping core is face level with him at the end of the bed. Anna digs her heels into the space between his shoulder blades, her patience growing thin. Luke makes sure she’s comfortable, slowly pressing kisses to the inside of her thighs that seem to tighten around his head each time he gets closer to where she truly wants his mouth to be.

“Luke…” Anna groaned, hips moving towards his face. Luke laughs against her skin.

“Don’t worry, sweet girl. I’m going to take care of you.” He moves his mouth up and presses a kiss to her clit. The feeling as Anna squirming and begging him for more.

His tongue circles it next, then licks through her folds, tasting her all over his wet muscle. The tip of his nose nudges against her as his tongue continues to delve inside her, not letting a bit of her wetness escape him. Anna’s hands grip at the soft comforter but she can’t resist lacing them into his wild blonde curls and gently pulling him until his tongue is buried deeper inside of her. His name falls from her lips over and over as she comes undone, and Luke just knows he will never hear a more beautiful sound. Her back arches off the mattress and Luke licks up everything she gives to him.

Luke licks his lips as he comes up to have a better look at her body as she comes down from the orgasm he had given her. Her breasts move up and down with her heavy breathing and her hands leave his hair to brush through her own. She takes another moment, then sits up on the edge of the bed, Luke still kneeling between her legs. Their eyes meet and breaths mix together as they both try to calm their rapid beating hearts. Anna moves one of her hands to the back of Luke’s neck and pulls him forward until their lips meet. She tastes herself on his lips and immediately wishes he could be between her legs forever. But there was something else she wanted.

“I want to have all of you.” She said between kisses.

“You do.” Luke replied quickly without hesitation. Anna felt her breath leave her lungs at the sweet words. How could her heart possibly not be bursting through the confines of her chest?

“You have all of me too.” She reassured him. Luke smiled, leaning forward to nuzzle his face into her neck when her arms wrapped around his neck.

“Hold on tightly, little angel.” Luke whispered against the shell of her ear. Anna wrapped her legs around his waist and tightened her arms around his neck. Luke stood up with her wrapped around him and carried her up to the head of the bed. “Tie me hands to the head board, okay?” He sat her down on the bed and turned so his back was facing her. Anna touched the gloves on his hands, the leather was warm from Luke’s warming body. He flinched slightly and Anna undid the knot of the red tie.

When his hands were free, Anna pressed a kiss to each of Luke’s wrists where marks were slightly showing. Luke turned and moved to get on the bed, his back pressing to the metal bars of his black bed frame that stood tall against the wall. His gloved hands went above his head and his fingers wrapped around one of the bars tightly. Anna held the tie in her hands and slowly moved to straddle is hips again. She wrapped the tie around his wrists and attached them to the metal bars of the bed frame.

Warm kisses were left against his chest and stomach as she made her way down his body. Anna looked up and found Luke’s ocean colored eyes watching her carefully as she pulled his underwear off of his hips and down his legs. He was so hard and aching to be inside of her at this point he could barely keep himself still. Anna took her lip between her teeth and bit down while wrapping her hand around his cock. Luke groaned her name, her touch overwhelming him even more than he expected. Her gentle hand pumped him a few more times before her mouth was finding his length and letting is disappear down her throat.

Luke knew that this must be what heaven was really like. It wasn’t Mount Olympus and all of its kingdoms amongst the clouds, it was this girl and everything she made him feel. His wrists strained against the tie that he so desperately wanted to snap. 

“Anna…baby, you have to stop.” He said, voice raspy and mouth dry. She pulled off of him slowly, smiling sweetly as she moved back up his body and found his lips. They kissed for a moment before Anna began rolling her hips and grinding down against Luke’s crotch.

“I need you.” She whispered against his greedy mouth.

“Take everything you want, sweet girl.” Luke said breathlessly. 

Anna continued to kiss him as she situated herself over him, her hands using his broad shoulders to steady herself as she slowly began to sink herself down on Luke’s cock. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as he stretched her so deliciously. Luke was leaning forward his lips finding her chest and pressing kisses to every bit of skin he could get to. She was beautifully warm and incredibly wet around him. She moved her hips upwards and slowly slid back down as she began to find a mind blowing rhythm that had Luke falling apart much quicker than he ever imagined he could. His arms still straining against the tie, fuck he wanted to touch her.

“You feel so good.” Anna moaned, finger nails scratching against Luke’s shoulders as she continued rocking her hips.

No longer being able to bear the torture of being confined, Luke merely pulled at the tie and snapped it as if it was nothing at all. Gloved hands rush forward and grip onto Anna’s hips and quicker than she can even process Luke has her back pressed to the bed while he settles between her legs. He angles her hips up slightly and begins moving his hips in a slow yet hard pattern. Anna moans his name over and over, locking her ankles around his ass to keep him going deeper and making her see stars behind her eyelids. Luke buries his face in her neck, kissing and whispering praises as he chases the high he so desperately needed to reach.

“You are my heaven on earth, Anna Bradley, and I need you to cum for me. Let go for me, baby.” Luke kissed her swollen lips and swallowed down her angelic moans as she came undone beneath him. As she tightened around his length, Luke felt himself releasing inside of her as well. It was like nothing he had ever felt.

His arms gave out from under him and Luke pressed his sweaty face into Anna’ chest so he could listen to her heart pounding in her chest. Her fingers slid into his hair and moved it away from his forehead. They stayed quiet for what seemed like forever before Anna spoke.

“Did you really rip that tie from the headboard?” She smiled looking down at him.

“I think I did, yes.” Luke craned his neck so he could look up and meet her waiting smile.

“Adrenaline is a crazy thing.” She laughed, her thumb gently rubbing against his jaw. Luke merely shook his head.

“You should get some sleep.” He finally said after a moment.

“What about you?” Anna yawned, her dark hair fanning out over the pillows as she adjusted herself on the bed.

“I’ll be right here.” He said, moving from between her legs to her side and wrapping his arms around her body.

“Promise?” Anna said sleepily.

“Nowhere else I’ll ever want to be. Sleep.” Luke pressed a kiss to her shoulder as she began to drift off to sleep.

“I’ll make you breakfast in the morning. Bacon…hmm.” Anna said with a mumble. Luke didn’t reply this time, just held her a little tighter.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was 2:00 in the morning when Luke found himself wondering into his bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror for what seemed like a lifetime. Mostly wondering where the almighty god of war had gone after all this time. Ares was nowhere to be seen in this reflection, and Luke started to think that maybe he liked the way that looked.

He used cold water to rinse his face a few times and made his way back out of the bathroom. As she shut the door behind him, he suddenly felt that something wasn’t right inside of his apartment. Someone was here that shouldn’t be. Luke rushed forward, pressing a panel on the wall on his way to his bedroom where one of his swords was hidden. He grabbed the handle, feeling its power pulse through him as he dashed back into his bedroom.

There, Luke found Ashton sitting on his bed next to Anna’ sleeping body. Luke felt his heart stop beating all together in fear.

“Hello, old friend.” Ashton said, making himself more comfortable on Luke’s bed. “I’ve made sure your little human can’t hear us. We need to talk.”

“If you touch her, I’ll kill you.” Luke threatened through gritted teeth, slowly moving towards the bed with his sword pointed at Ashton.

“No need to be pointing that thing in my direction. Nothing has to happen to the girl.” Ashton puts his arms behind his head and relaxes against the headboard.

“What’s the catch here, Apollo? What do you want?” Luke continues to move around the room slowly.

“I want to finish what we started. You’re the only one who can help me get what I want.” Ashton said, a smile on his face.

“That’s not me anymore. You’ll have to find someone else.” Luke glared at Ashton. He didn’t want that life of constant battles anymore. He found something he loved more.

“Then maybe you need something to persuade you?” Ashton moved his hand towards Anna, gently tapping his fingers against her hand. As soon as he did, she began gasping for breath in her sleep. The strangled sounds of her breathing had Luke in an instant panic.

“What are you doing?! Stop it!” Luke lunged forward, his sword immediately swinging around and pointing directly at Ashton’s throat.

“Give me what I want, or she dies. It’s simple.” Ashton continues to smile as Anna convulses against the bed. “She really is beautiful isn’t she? Might even give Aphrodite a run for her money.” Ashton laughed. Luke’s mind was all over the place, but he knew what he was going to have to do.

“Alright. I’ll do it, just stop it.” Luke practically sobbed. Ashton clapped his hands together in triumph before tapping Anna’s hand again and she fell still in her spot on the bed.

“I knew you’d see things my way.” Ashton stood up, straightening out his suit jacket.

“I want to add my own terms to this deal.” Luke slumped against the wall, shoulders falling in defeat.

“Go on.” Ashton said.

“When this battles over, and you’ve gotten what you wanted, you have Zeus make me human. And I never see any of you ever again.” Luke pushes his hair away from his face as he watched Ashton contemplate his terms.

“Alright, Ares. Deal.” Ashton walks over to Luke where he shakes his hand in a binding contract.

“Let me say goodbye to her, please.” Luke says, letting his sword fall to the ground as he makes his way over to the bed.

“I’ll wait downstairs.” Ashton disappears from the room and Luke goes back to lay next to Anna.

He presses his chest to her back, kissing her shoulder. He moves her hair away from her ear and presses his lips against the shell. 

“I didn’t want this for you.” He whispers. “I wanted you to go about your life without me in it. But you sucked me in and I had no chance of escaping. I have been selfish when it comes to you, because I wanted every second I could get with you. You are precisely and entirely what I needed to start living again, and I will be forever in your debt for that Anna Bradley.” He kisses her cheek. “And I love you. That is something that will never change so long as I am alive.” Luke gets up from the bed before he no longer has the energy to do so.

He watches her a moment longer as she sleep peacefully against the white sheets of his bed and then walks out the door.

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Anna was late getting into her office that day. Her coffee practically cold as she sipped it in the elevator on the way up. Her briefcase was especially heavy with reports she had been working on from home to keep herself busy.

She needed all the distractions she could get so that she didn’t have to think about him. How he left her and never came back over six months ago.

Anna had gone back to his apartment time after time to find it empty. Everything was gone, including him. He never answered his phone. He never tried to call. He just disappeared, and Anna’s heart was broken.

“You have a client in your office, Anna.” Her assistant said as Anna entered the office.

“I wasn’t expecting anyone today.” Anna said, fumbling with her briefcase and oversized coffee cup. Her assistant merely shrugged and went back to answering the phones. Anna sighed and walked down the short hallway to her office.

Once inside, she noticed someone sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk. The blonde curls on back of his head eerily familiar.

“I’m sorry I’m late, I wasn’t expecting anyone today.” Anna made her way into her office as the person in the chair stood and turned to face her. She froze in place, dropping her briefcase and coffee to the floor.

“Could spare a few moments for an old friend?” Luke said, a gentle smile on his face.

“Luke…” Anna choked out, her throat tightening.

“Hello there, sweet girl.”

taglist:  @maoricth @slimthicccal @bbycal @kinglyhood @sugarcoated-pain @shower-me-with-roses @c-dizzle-swizzlex @calumculture @sugarcoatedcalum@calthesensation @cheyenne-in-wonderland @softboycal @moonlightcalum@unconditionalcalum @irwinkitten @singt0mecalum @angelbabylu @5sosnsfw@aspiringwildfire @myloverboyash @cal-puddies @lashtoncurls @kchillout@pinkbubbles-and-bigtroubles @callllumhood @sick-orca @lfwallscouldtalk

[heathsbitch]

Treat You Better ➳ PEAKY BLINDERS

xviii. BABYSITTING

           Music boomed through the room, bodies collided, alcohol was spilled on the hardwood floor. These were the scenes at Thomas Shelby and Grace Burgess's wedding. People were dancing, laughing and generally having a good time. Everyone was full of energy from the food and alcohol that they had consumed. Everyone had energy except for the teenagers that stood awkwardly in the corner of the room. Ivy Solomons, Isaiah Jesus and Finn Shelby were engaged in a quiet conversation of a random topic. "Right, I'm off to find someone. I need a fuck, or some cocaine." Isaiah piped up. Ivy shook her head but laughed at her friend's bluntness."All the girls here are whores, so you have fun with that Zy." Ivy told the teen. He shook his head but left, regardless of the brief advice. Ivy and Finn were still standing in the corner, the only thing that had changed was the fact that Isaiah was no longer there and that they weren't talking. Awkwardness filled the space between them. Ivy thought about all the memories that they shared together, almost every single one involved Finn being awkward or strange in one way or another. "Do you wanna dance?" Ivy asked to break the tension. Finn hesitated at first, not wanting to embarrass himself. "Come on, it'll be fun. Besides, no one will be looking apart from me." The girl reached for Finn's hand and pulled the reluctant boy onto the floor where everyone was dancing.

She reached for his other hand and started twisting his body. Finn's face was stoic and showed slight hints of fear as Ivy danced with him. She laughed at his shocked expression but continued trying to dance with him. Eventually, the teen loosened up and forgot about everyone around him. He began to feel more comfortable in his surroundings and danced like an idiot with Ivy. They looked like a pair of insane chickens but they didn't care, they were having a good time, sober, and that was all that mattered in that moment. Until John decided to ruin it. He came over to the pair, pushing himself between them. "Finn boy, I've got something for you. You two, follow me." Ivy and Finn exchanged glances of embarrassment and confusion. Where were they going? And to do what?

The pair followed John, nevertheless. He led them through Tom's vast house and outside to his stables. "I thought Tommy told us no racing and no gambling?" Ivy asked as they walked through the rows of horses. "Yeah, he's changed his mind. Finn take your shirt off." Finn followed orders and unbuttoned his white dress shirt. "Right, don't you worry, Finn." He grabbed his brother's shoulders and started shaking them. 'Wait, Finn's gonna race?' Worry filled Ivy, she didn't want him to hurt himself. "Don't you worry either, Vee. He'll be fine," John reassured the girl. "Cavalry boys ride like a sack of stones, alright?" John started pushing Finn around more and Ivy just rolled her eyes. 'Boys.' She thought to herself. "John. John, there's an awful lot of King's shillings around here today." Johnny Dogs emerged from the other side of the stable to inform the Shelby.

His grip loosened on Finn and he pushed him towards Ivy. The pair stared at each other, unsure of who would speak first and what they would say. They both opened their mouths and started to speak at the same time but soon stopped, realising that they were speaking over each other. They giggled lightly, "You go first." Finn offered. "No, you go first." Ivy told the boy. "No, you." He offered again. Ivy sighed but complied anyway. "This is gonna sound stupid but be safe, please. I don't want you to get hurt." Finn placed his large hands on Ivy's small shoulders. "I'll be fine, I promise. I'm actually a good rider, it's like the only thing I can do." He joked but through himself under the bus. "That's not true," Ivy pulled her friend into a hug and muttered in his shoulder. "Just be careful, okay?" They pulled away and had to jog for a little bit to catch up with John and Johnny Dogs. They left the stables to be met with about a dozen men, a mix of Cavalry members and Gypsies alike.

Finn walked with the horse and Ivy walked next to him. Her heart was racing faster than his. She had faith that he would be amazing but there was always the risk that he could get hurt. "You're gonna smash it." Ivy said and pulled him into another quick hug. He squeezed her waist and took a deep breath. They pulled out of the hug slightly so Ivy could place a light kiss to Finn's cheek. His face turned to a deep crimson, even his ears turned red. The girl smirked to herself and went back to stand with John. She watched as Finn mounted the horse and got himself comfortable. "Right, I want all of you to make as much noise as possible, especially you, Ivy." John patted her shoulder and began to walk off with Johnny Dogs. "Why me?" She shouted after him. "Because he likes you." A voice said behind her. She spun around to see the origin of the noise. "No he doesn't, Isaiah." He chuckled and shook the girl's shoulders. "He does but you can't see that because you like him too."

"I-I do n-" Ivy stuttered but Isaiah cut her off. "You don't have to lie to me." They turned to watch the race that was about to happen. "I don't..." She sighed in frustration and her friend chuckled. "Anyway, why are you out here? I thought you were trying to get laid." The teen nudged her shoulder, lightly telling her off. "Yeah, but you were right. All the girls here are whores. I saw Michael walk off with one, he's fucked he is." Ivy's heart dropped ever so slightly at the thought of Mickey being with someone else but she snapped herself back to reality. She didn't like him like that and their relationship was open, either of them could be with another person if they wanted to. Cheers erupted around them, startling Ivy who was deep in her own thoughts. "Come on, Finn!" Isaiah shouted next to Ivy, she chuckled but repeated his actions, cheering him on.

The race lasted a good few minutes, screams and shouts came from both sides but the cheers for Finn were louder. The boys came speeding over the line, Finn far in front of the Cavalry member. Ivy let out a particularly loud cheer and ran over to her friend to congratulate him. Finn got off the horse and turned around to catch Ivy as she leaped into his arms. He laughed but squeezed her. "I told you I was pretty good." He told her. They came out of the hug but Ivy's arm still rested on his shoulders and his hands on her waist. "Yeah, you were pretty good."

Her voice came out as a whisper. Their faces got closer to each other, their breath fanning their faces. Their lips almost touched...

But they were interrupted, again. John grabbed Finn's shoulders and shook him. "Well done, brother." He congratulated him whilst Ivy stood off to the side awkwardly. "But, Tommy wants ya'. He's got a job for you two."

Their hearts were still racing and a blush still played upon each of their faces. Tom had told them to guard the gate to the property until he came through. Ivy had overheard something about Russians and business and that's all she needed to hear. A car drove up to the gates and out stepped Tommo and Arthur. The pair walked up to the teens and asked them to open up the gates, they did and the four of them walked through. They stood there, in the entrance, waiting for someone. Not long after, another car drove up to the gates, but from the other side. Moss, a police officer Tommo had connections with, stepped out. "Tommy, Arthur," He greeted the men as he walked up to the group. "May I introduce you to the Grand Duchess Tatiana Petronova, from Tbilisi Georgia,"A woman climbed out of the car to stand in front of the group. Her eyes instantly met Ivy's and the woman smirked whilst confusion rang through the girl. "Grand Duchess, may I introduce you to the Shelby brothers. Small Heath, Birmingham. And Miss Ivy Solomons. Camden Town, London," The Grand Duchess and Thomas stared at each other, their eye contact barely breaking. Finn shifted nervously next to Ivy. Moss leaned in to say something. "And, uh, good luck with this one, Tom." He told the man.

Ivy and Finn had heard what was said and exchanged glances with each other. What did he mean by that? Moss walked back to the car he arrived in and stood patiently next to it. Tatiana's eyes flickered between the Shelby man and the Solomons girl. Ivy was confused at what she was doing and why she was doing it. 'Maybe she knows my father. My grandmother was Russian.' Ivy told herself. "Give me the money." Tommo said bluntly. "I was told to give it to Mr Kaledin." She responded, her voice coated in a thick Russian accent. "Whoever it is up there, he gave the wrong name. We asked him the name and he gave the wrong one." Thomas told the woman. "What name did he give?" She asked curiously. "No," Was all Tom said. "I don't trust any of you. Now give me the money." He finished off. Tatiana refused to give the money up and started asking more questions. This was probably what Moss had meant. "I know Mr Kaledin by sight from Tbilisi. Is his hair dark?" Ivy thought back to all the people at the house. She flicked through her memories, searching for a dodgy looking man who was probably Russian. Then she struck gold. That strange man that was talking to the woman at the church and the man who was speaking to Polly over dinner. It was him. The pieces clicked into place.

"The instructions I was given was that anyone using the wrong code name was an infiltrator for the Soviet Embassy." Thomas quipped back. There was a brief pause as the Duchess tried to think of something to say back to the man."Just let me go to the house." She asked in a raised voice, her accent becoming thicker in the moment. Her eyes continued to flicker towards Ivy. The girl wondered if she had expected her to do something about her situation.

"I do not want this shit anywhere near my fucking house," Tommo spat at the woman. "All I know is 'no variations'. That's from Churchill himself," Ivy thought that the man was just trying to intimidate the woman into submission, which is probably what he always did with women."Whoever it is up at the house, he gave the wrong fucking name. And you do this to me on my fucking wedding day." Tom finished and clicked his tongue at the end of his sentence. "The money is in the car, Mr Shelby. Fetch it out and count it." The Duchess informed the group. "Good. Finn, Ivy count it." Tom ordered the teens to collect the money and they followed his orders. Finn came back to his friend and opened the case so she could count it. The girl could feel eyes burning through her body but continued to count the money. "Yeah, it's all there, Tommo." Ivy told the man and Finn closed the briefcase. "You can go... Moss." He gestured for the woman to leave. "Can you do it?" Tatiana asked as Tom turned his back. The man turned to look at her, a cloud of smoke circling his head from the cigarette in between his lips."Can you kill?" Ivy was confused at the question, 'Why would a duchess need to know that?'. There was a long pause as Thomas pondered on the question. "Moss, you take the 'Duchess' back to Birmingham." The group got into the car and Tatiana burned holes into it with her glare. She was intimidating, yes, but Tom was scarier and more sincere. The group drove to the front doors of Tommy's house. He stopped the car then turned around to face the teens in back. "You two can go." He told them. They climbed out of the car and walked up to the house.

"Isaiah is actually mental." Ivy laughed as she spoke to Finn. They had just come back from watching him fight. Ivy was told she had to leave because she was a woman and Finn refused to stay unless she was there as well, so he left with her. The pair were sat in one of the vast house's many rooms. The room held elegant decor: two plush sofas, an ornate fireplace and various antiques with a few paintings peppered along the walls."Yeah, he is." Finn responded as he got on his knees. "What're you doing, Finn?" He pulled a small, blue vial out of his pocket. Ivy sighed at the sight of it. "I know you don't like it, doll. But it hel-" His words were cut short by Isaiah bursting into the room with a girl attached to his side. "Doing snow without me, eh?" The boy asked. The girl was small and blonde. Her face curved into a point at her chin and her lips were plump. "Hi, I'm Arabella but you can call me Belle." She held her hand out for Ivy to shake. "Ivy." The girls shook hands and Arabella took a seat next to Ivy. Isaiah and Finn were on their knees, faces pressed to the coffee table, snorting the drug. "Do you agree with this? Snow and cocaine?" Belle asked Ivy. "Not really but it helps them relax, I guess." The girl tried to find some excuse for her friends actions but couldn't find a better one than that. "Fair enough." Belle replied.

The boys were laughing and howling like idiots whilst the girls giggled to themselves. "Are you from Birmingham, Ivy? You don't have an accent." Belle asked the Solomons. "No, I'm from London." Ivy replied. "Oh really, what part?" Ivy hesitated slightly before answering the question, Camden Town wasn't the poshest of places and Arabella looked quite upper-class. "Camden Town." Belle looked taken aback by Ivy's background. "You don't look like..." Belle trailed off her sentence, not wanting to offend her new friend. "No, I know. It's mainly Tommy's money. Believe me, when I lived with my dad, you could tell I was from Camden." Curiosity lit up the blonde girl's face before she asked the question that everybody loved to ask Ivy. "Who's your father?" Ivy thought that she probably wouldn't know who he was so she told her. "Alfie Solomons. But-"

"Wait, as in 'hunky baker, Jewish' Alfie Solomons?" Belle cut Ivy off. A mix of emotions ran through Ivy. She was shocked that the girl knew who her father was and why she thought he was hunky, she thought he was anything but. "Yes?" Ivy's words came out as a kind of question. "I can't be-" A loud crash cut Belle's words off. The girls looked towards the fire to see Isaiah on top of Finn, shards of ceramic surrounding Finn's head. Ivy immediately got up to see if they were okay. "Are you alright?" The girl asked as she began to pick up the shards of ceramic. Finn giggled and nodded his head as a response. "Tommo's gonna kill you two." She placed all the shards on the coffee table. Her eyes lingered on the furniture, white powder was scattered about its surface. "Ah but that's where you're wrong, kitten. He'll never find us!" Isaiah stood up and swung his arms in the air. Ivy and Belle laughed at the sight. A groan came from underneath Ivy. "Come on, Finn. Let's get you to bed." She helped the boy up with great difficulty. The Solomons brushed the Shelby boy down with her hands and when she was finished, turned around to speak to Isaiah and Belle. What she didn't expect to see was the pair attached to each other by their mouths. "Let's go." Isaiah muttered against Belle's lips. They began to leave the room and Ivy caught the other girl's arm. "Keep him safe, don't do anything stupid." She said with a warm smile. "Don't worry I'll put him straight to bed. It was nice meeting you, Ivy."

"Yeah, you too, Belle." The pair left the room, giggles coming from Isaiah. "Let's get you to bed." Ivy took Finn by his arm and went to leave the room the same way Isaiah and Belle had gone. The music still boomed through the house but it was mainly women dancing. All the men were probably still at the fight. Ivy and Finn found their way to the grand staircase and carefully made their way up it. They had each been given a room to stay in by Tom and Grace, so they didn't have to drive back to their own houses. Every Shelby member got one, and Ivy. They gradually made their way to Finn's room, grumbles and whines came from Finn.

"But, doll, I don't wanna go to bed." He protested as she threw him on the bed. "You know, for a slim guy, you're really heavy." Ivy dodged Finn's protests. He sat up on the bed and tried to walk over to his friend. His hands cupped her cheeks. "Ivy." He started. "Yes, Finn?" She became more worried because of how close Finn was. He was so high and Ivy didn't want to take advantage of his vulnerable state. "You're really pretty." He giggled when he spoke. His emerald eyes bore into her sapphire ones. The contrast between the two only made them more attracted to each other. Finn got closer and one of his hands slipped down to her waist. "I like you, doll. I really, really like you."

"You don't mean that, Finn. You're as high as a kite." Ivy replied and tried to push her friend off of her. "No, Ivy. I really do like you. Ever since I first saw you..." His sentence trailed off because it didn't make any sense so the boy gave up with it. Ivy had managed to wiggle her way out of Finn's grip and had pushed him to the bed so she could get him dressed. "The first time I saw you, I didn't think you were real. You were so... mesmerising. That's why I tripped, and John was right." Finn rambled on about nonsense. Ivy got on her knees to remove her friend's shoes. "What are you on about, Finn?" The girl asked, slightly annoyed by his babbling. She managed to get one shoe off successfully and moved on to the other one.

"I think I love you, Ivy."

The girl stopped her movements, shocked by his words. She knew that he was high and probably didn't mean anything that he was saying but there was a small part of her that wished that this was coming from the sober part of him.

"Shut up, Finn." She grumbled, tears brewed in her eyes but she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she hated seeing Finn in such a vulnerable state or maybe it was because she knew that he didn't mean anything that he was saying. The girl moved to his waistcoat and dress shirt that he had put back on after the race. "Ivy, Ivy." He reached up to the girl's face and caressed her cheek. "What?" She snapped back at him, regret filled her. She didn't mean to snap. Finn didn't notice, though. "I really do love you, doll." Ivy managed to wriggle the boy out of his nice clothes and tucked him into his bed. "I just wish it was true," She whispered as she stroked his hair and placed a small kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight, Finn." She said to him and left his temporary room.

About halfway to her room a loud bang could be heard. She dropped to her knees and covered her head with her hands. it had scared her and she thought it was a bomb at first. 'Ivy, you moron. It was probably just a car backfiring.' She scolded herself as she made her way into her own room. The girl sighed as she began to take her clothes off. So many things had happened that day and she just needed time to re-evaluate things. Things like her deal with Michael and her relationship with Finn. Everything was happening too fast and Ivy couldn't keep up. She was just about to put on her silk nightgown as someone came crashing into the room. Startled, she spun around to see Finn lying face down on the floor of her room, the door wide open. "For goodness sake, Finn," He lifted his head up at her when she spoke. "No! Finn, I'm pretty much naked!"

"I've seen you in your panties before." He mumbled into the carpet. It took Ivy a while to figure out when he'd seen her in her underwear before, "Summer." She whispered to herself. It was when she went swimming in the creek with him. She smiled to herself, it was a good day with a lot of happy memories. Oh, how she wished she could go back and relive that day. Ivy threw on her nightgown as fast as she could and proceeded to try and help Finn off of the floor. His body went heavy and limp. "Come on, Finn. Work with me here." She soon realised that he had passed out and that his room was too far away.

He would have to stay in her room.

She knew she couldn't put him in the bed so eventually settled on putting him on the chaise by the fire. It took her at least ten minutes to get him even close to the chaise. Eventually, she had him snuggled up against it, two blankets covering his body. "Cute." She said to herself before being embraced by the covers of her own bed.

xix. BUSINESS 

MASTERLIST

[wcamino-confessions]

hi I’ve been waiting for species to come up in here, and now that it has, hold on to your asses boys we’re going for a ride

it’s another long one, sorry, but I’m very passionate about the species debate and whether or not you agree with me, you can’t say I’m wrong with some of these points

firstly, species are various ‘hybrids’ or evolutionized/mutated subversions of cats that are commonly found around amino. sometimes they’re simply cats with odd traits that serve no real purpose and were mainly created for aesthetic. some more popular species include delicats, mermyxns, and slimetails. each species has traits that are specific to their genes, although MOST (not all) have the same base traits (horns, wings, steam, fish tails, spikes, random inanimate objects as tails, socks, bandaids, unnatural whiskers, antennae, glass body parts, liquidated body parts, etc).

species really got big upon the first notable creation of warriors species called slimetails back in late 2018/early 2019. the cats featured various colored, themed, textured and substanced tails made from slime after radioactivity consumed the clans homes and resulted in the genetic mutation. they grew very popular very quickly as they were, and are, an open original species. from there, species quickly took off with the members of WA, and with no regulations about who could make them and how you went about doing so, they were quickly overwhelming. well, maybe overwhelming isn’t the right term. the community absolutely ate up the prospect of unnatural, oftentimes irrelevant, cats with pretty features and levels of trait rarity. they’re still a very popular aspect of WA today.

and in today’s standards, they are oftentimes associated with a users level of “popularity.” although this is definitely not the case with all species owners and affiliates, no one can deny that the only reason some members are popular is because of their status as creators, GA’s, or fervent members of that species communities. now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does tend to rile small bouts of drama in some cases. luckily, they usually remain off of WA, or at least out of the BIG drama category of WA. but there is plenty of drama associated with species nonetheless.

firstly, there is the matter of relevancy that needs to be addressed within species. although the LT did reform their guidelines to ensure that all species do have some form of relation to the warriors books in their lore, we haven’t seen much of a change. in order to “abide” by this new guidelines, many species creators simply said that the cats in their species could be found living in clans either in the wild, on their own accord, or as a whole. WITHOUT altering their lore as required. that’s all fine and dandy. but how does it derive species from the books? well. it doesn’t. because in order for a species to be truly relevant to the warriors fandom, they must have descended DIRECTLY from one of the five clans in the books, or a tribe. rogues and loners, while apart of the series, have never been found to go off and create their own clan(s) for the fun of it. and we have no reason to believe that would change in the series. even the Skyclan cats didn’t reform Skyclan for shits and giggles. they were influenced by clan cats and received prophetic dreams from Starclan cats that basically guilt tripped them into doing this really random thing that they otherwise wouldn’t have even known of.

so, in all technicality, rogue/loner species derivatives do not pertain to the books. in order for a species to be genuinely, unquestionably relevant to warriors they need to either be mutated/evolved counterparts to the clans/tribe, or they need to, by direct lineage, be related to the original clan cats. of course no one expects you to go draw up a family tree on how your flying monkey cats have someone come from Firestar the Greats bloodline. but simply saying so isn’t enough. if they’re truly relevant to the books, then species owners need to add it. to. the lore. yeah, that guideline has already been passed. but it was not followed efficiently. your quirky cats with a clan/tribe hierarchy or something similar to such does not make them relevant. fix the damn lore like the guidelines originally stated. oh, and sorry to break it to you, but this means that your mythical god-like cats, your robo-cats, and your human object cats are immediately out of the running for relevancy. I can see how wings might have some semblance of realistism, but your sparkly candle tailed cats or cats who grow moss in cute little bubbles serve no evolutionary purpose and wouldn’t have any possibility of existing within the warriors universe.

now, onto the next topic of relevancy: evolution. some people say that cats developing fish tails or wings defies the laws of evolution. it probably does. but then again, we are dealing with four territorial cult cats who are very religious and, on occasion, will fight ghost cats and lose so. I’m actually defending species on this part, but don’t get used to it. because in all honesty, who are we to defy the lengths that evolution will go to? we didn’t expect fish to grow legs, but here we are. who’s to say that in this hypothetical universes cats can’t evolve to accommodate wings? don’t get me wrong, I hate the idea of it, but it isn’t COMPLETELY unreasonable.

next on the agenda, we have attribute individuality. granted, there are only so many different ways to make your species unique and really genuinely original, seeing the same handful of base traits repeat themselves in multiple different species (that could honestly just be considered one species altogether) does get old. there are not infinite options for creating a species that is going to be genuinely relevant in some remote aspect, and at some point people need to realize its time to stop. new species sprout up on what seems like a monthly basis on several occasions. and, although they don’t always get big, they still hold a place in clogging the latest feed. specifically with their borderline unacceptably irrelevant adopts. species really test the limits in relevancy, and so do adopts, but that’s for another day. and I’m not saying adopts are bad, so don’t single that out from this entire confess.

there’s another thing. species adopts. they’re constantly flooding the latest feed and drowning out actual warriors/oc related content. “it’s not your place to tell people what they should and shouldn’t post!” yeah, no dip. that’s not what I’m doing. I’m simply expressing my grievances with the amount of UNBEARABLY absurd species adopts that are constantly being uploaded and sold. and pricing? yeesh, that’s also for another day. but I am, again, not blatantly telling anyone to “stop posting species adopts!” or “lower your prices!” so that’s not something that needs to be brought up. so, whether or not you continue to post species adopts is your business. I’m positive that plenty of people adore them and are eating them up like candy. but, coming from a rare non-species lover, it does get tiring to trudge through all those horned bases and eye bleed neons to find some actual content.

don’t get me wrong, I’m not against species, per se. but I am against them being on WA. they don’t serve any actual purpose to the fandom in terms of relevancy. in most cases at least. and while I do applaud the creativity, the uniqueness and the overall joy it brings to the table, I just think that they’d be better off elsewhere. this is not a cat amino. this is a warriors amino. meaning we are only inclusive of cats pertaining to the warriors fandom for validated use in the community. validated use consists of realistic role playing, realistic story writing, realistic artistry and/or realistic character development by any means. so, looking outside of species, any unrealistic characters are still fine for the community because they cannot actually be implimented into WA in the ways that species can for their unnatural complexions. the only reason species are justified for their unnatural complexions is because of loopholes that make them seem relevant and viable for validated use, simple because they are completely feline in the genetic sense.

I hope that paragraph made sense, shit got a little complex right there. but, anyways, I’d like to reiterate relevancy. again. because I don’t see anyone giving up their species on WA for the sake of being canonically relevant because they’re going to find some off the wall way to make their quirky cats seem applicable. to be fair, I wouldn’t want to give up by hard earned creation so easily either. but there ARE other places to take them. and it isn’t up to us to figure out where, it’s up to the species owners. so it’s not like the species would be thrown out altogether, it would just be the irrelevant ones. and the relevant ones would be required to ACTUALLY abide by the guidelines instead of finding loopholes or countering valid points as to how their species are not canonically derived with “they lives in clans.” again, sorry if this paragraph was hard to follow. I’m perfectly fine with clearing up any misunderstandings in those last two paragraphs^^

so, to sum up, I believe the guidelines should be fixed and species should be properly mandated to abide by these new guidelines in order to ensure ACTUAL relevancy. I don’t like species. I don’t want anything to do with them. but I like that they bring a new sense of community and likeness to WA. and I don’t give a rats ass if you choose to associate with them. I personally believe that NONE of the species have any place on WA, but that would be unfair of me, wouldn’t it. so, I did my best to accommodate rationality in this entry, and I apologize if I came off as a stuck up bitch at any point. it wasn’t my intention, but I sure it did happen at some point.

oh, and let me derail any “WA would be boring if it were 100% relevant” arguments. because firstly, it WAS 100% relevant when it first started out, and it thrived. secondly, no where did I claim that species need to be 100% relevant. I made it very clear that it was the lore and the traits that needed to match up to accommodate the terms of relevancy. and thirdly, even on the off chance that species were subtracted from the equation, there are still plenty of other aspects that leave WA out of the running for total relevancy. thank you for coming to my ted talk, have a nice day loves <3