#oh gorgeous!! and the shapes of the snow on the trees... <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[sunflw3r]

melting point

zhanghao x male reader reader prns: he/him word count: 1554 fluff, college!au, non!idol au

deep inside he knew, he just hadn’t reached the melting point

content warnings: cursing, mentions of violence (as an expression), mention of throwing a fit content overview: a little top!reader

unedited</3

(masterlist)

a/n: happy (late) bday to the loml hao!! vry real time but summer work has been kicking me in the face and my wrists are acting up again! rlly wanted this to be out on his bday but it didn’t end up like that :( tysm for understanding <3

"come on hao, i'll freeze my ass off if you don't hurry to get out of the damn car."

looking out from the frosted passenger side window, hao waved his hand at y/n's mumbled request. a loud groan sounded through the air at hao's action. "zhang fucking hao if you don’t get your ass out of that seat i will come drag you out myself.

the words didn’t really scare him. y/n always gave him baseless threats. “okay okay.” he mouthed, grabbing his chapstick. he pulled down the mirror from the shade, applying the balm on his chapped lips.

opening the door, hao’s voiced turned into a high pitched whine almost immediately. “it’s so cold~!” laughing softly, y/n walked forward to his friend. “maybe if you wore your jacket properly you would be warm.”

taking the zipper in his cold hands, y/n slowly inched it up the fabric until it reached the end of the track. moving his hands up, he clutched the edges of hao’s hood, pulling it over his head. “better now?”

it was warmer. hao’s face was warmer as y/n slowly pulled away. it was his jacket. the jacket made warmth rise from the bottom of his toes to the middle of his stomach to wrap around his heart.

“thanks.” he replied, y/n patting his head. “now let’s go. i will lose it if i stand here longer.” y/n spoke, turning around to walk through the gate. hao trailed behind, his sneakers getting covered in the powdery white snow that had fallen early that day.

the festival hadn’t been up for long. endless groups of students pooled around the statues of ice, lights hanging over their heads. “woah.” the exclamation left hao’s mouth quietly, y/n standing further away from the crowd to admire the craftsmanship.

“these are gorgeous.” y/n's gasp came out in a white puff of condesation as his eyes reflected the ice's shape. the tall statues were delicately stacked on top of each other in the shape of falling snowflakes. blue lights shined through the base, refracting through the edges to make a gentle glow light the air. "how did the art students do this...?" he muttered, hao closing the distance between them.

he itched to do something, stay closer to y/n. the outside was cold, and his chest was heaving like it ached for something. his fingers tingled, the sensation traveling up his elbow. his mind flickered, hand moving before his eyes and sensibility could stop it. hao lost control.

y/n's palm met his, the warmth over every finger he touched flowing through his wrist to the center of his heart in a blink of an eye. "oh?" shock grew on the man's face, hao's soul ringing the alarm. he had messed up. "this is new for you, hao." hao's mouth loosened, jaw dropping down. a soft laugh escaped from y/n's lips, the sound making hao lift onto the balls of his feet.

gently squeezing hao's warm hand, looked into his friend's eyes. "i like this. don't let go, okay?" finding the focus to break out of the panic induced haze he set himself in, hao nodded slowly. euphoria laced every cell in his body like a monster taking his body hostage. moving from their stopped point, the two followed the blue and white flags that lined the path.

conversation had been replaced with the sound of snow crunching under sneakers and soft winter-themed music playing from speakers hidden among the foliage. statues of ice stood tall like trees, blue ribbons tied in molded hair and clothes fluttering in the wind.

the path forked, y/n looking over and into hao’s eyes. “which way should we go?” breaking away from y/n’s gaze, hao turned to the signs, the words processing in his head.

left->ice skating rink right->mistletoe forest

the first word on the sign pointing right was scratched out from what hao thought was the weather, the curiosity blowing away as he turned back towards y/n's gentle stare. "let's go right." the words slipped from hao's lips, y/n taking a deep breath in before looking towards the right.

as the two turned their legs, a single snowflake fell in front of hao's eyes, his grip on y/n's hand loosening as he stopped abruptly. "it's snowing." prompted at the stop and softly spoken sentence, y/n pivoted to face hao once more. the solo snowflake was followed by a flurry of snow falling from the sky.

laughter was the thing that disrupted the peaceful snowfall.

soft laughter escaped from y/n's lips as the snow fell around them, catching on the curves of their faces and sneaking into the creases of their jackets. "it is snowing." hao's stomach fluttered at y/n's realization, his giddy smile as he brought his hand up to cup the falling powder before it melted, making electricity crawl up his skin.

he was... gorgeous.

y/n's pink cheeks made his mind feel weird. a fuzzy haze spread over his mind as he tried to piece together his thoughts. words bubbled in his voice box as he tried to speak up for the smaller part going crazy inside himself, but there were cut off.

"you have a snowflake on your nose." y/n spoke, his voice no less clear than usual, but the words felt like a slow mud that forms on a lonely february day when they hit hao's ears. gently, y/n place his ungloved hands on hao's face, acting like he was a delicate object of y/n's admiration. he pushed the snowflake off, thumb lingering on the skin for no more than a second too long.

that second made hao's skin bowl. that second had his body craving for something he couldn't quite conceptualize, just more. hao wanted more than whatever was happening in the moment.

"mmh, let's go now."

hao let out a cough, the dry and cool air making his throat feel funny. clasping onto y/n's hand, the two continued on the path they wished to take, the open, snow filled plaza left behind them as trees filled their vision. "it's a forest." y/n said, his happiness falling off his face as he realized what it was.

"it was mystery forest or an ice skating rink. i thought mystery forest was the better option." hao chuckled, y/n's face returning to a soft smile as he heard hao's exclamation. the path faded, tall pines over their heads as snow fell. "i think i see a bench up there." y/n said, taking the second they had paused to go on the balls of his feet to look between trees and further up the hill. "let's go!" hao said, swinging his hands and jerking them forward.

for what had felt like the hundredth time for that afternoon they had laughed. as the two ran up the hill, less like college students, the air teasing their 'best friend' status in front of their faces much to hao's confusion. the run was short, leaving hao both breathless and puzzled.

y/n disconnected their hands before he sat on the bench, hao's heart dropping at the lack of connection. "come sit hao." he moved slowly, his mind still picking up pieces of his hearts confusing puzzle. tilting his head, y/n smiled softly as he looked over at hao's pout forming on his lips. "awww, are you upset i dropped your hand? if you come over here i can hold your hand again." the teasing knocked his haze away, hao confidently walking over and sitting next to y/n.

he was jittery. hao never felt jittery. but in the moment y/n wrapped his arm around him and pulled him closer on the metal bench, hao was jittery and for once in his life he didn't know why. "i like... when you're close like this." y/n spoke.

there was a tremor in his voice.

y/n had a tremor in his voice, and hao didn't know why. he was jittery and he didn't know why. something was wrong in the cosmic universe, and like the things that had come before it, hao didn't know what was wrong.

"can i tell you something?"

hao met y/n's gaze, his heart falling into a deeply mixed pit of confusion and fear as he gazed into his best friend's eyes. "sure. you can tell me anything." the words were caught in his throat, held on by a jumbled net of his thoughts.

"i think i like you."

y/n broke away his eyes from hao's, embarrassed at his statement. "no- wait- fuck that's not right. i like you. i like you so much. i like you so much it pains me to be just your friend." hao's heart lifted.

why was his heart lifting?

a soft laugh escaped from y/n's lips, eyes laced with gem-like tears. "i don't expect you to like me back. i don't even know if my heart fully wants you to know. but i'm sick of staying where i am." turning his head to look into hao's eyes, y/n took one finally breath.

"but i like you zhang hao. i like you more than the sun likes the day. i like you more than the snow loves you fall from the sky. i like you more than how pretty you are, and you’re really pretty.”

hao didn’t know what to respond with. so that’s what this emotion is. like. shaking his head, hao tried to rearrange his thoughts. no, love maybe. y/n sat, his eyes gleaming with fear. “i think i like you too.”

the words escaped from his lips before hao could process the feeling for himself. “i like you. i like you too.” hao’s words sped up as he grew the courage to look into y/n’s eyes, one of the gentle tears rolling down his face.

“kiss me.”

it was all too fast. hao’s mind was short circuiting, and it still was as he pressed his lips to y/n’s.

but somehow it was right.

it was right as he proceeded to lock his lips against y/n’s, y/n’s hand traveling from his lap to the back of his head. hao’s stomach unleased a fluttering flurry of butterflies, hitting the sides of his stomach at every single touch of y/n’s finger pads on his skin.

he never wanted to come up for air. the thought of removing his lips from y/n’s made him want to scream, cry, and through a fit like a toddler. hao’s thigh moved up while their lips connected and reconnected, y/n putting his hand under the back, gently rubbing the fabric on his legs.

as y/n pulled away, hao couldn’t help but feel disappointed. “why’d you pull away?” the words slipped out with a pout, y/n smiling happily as he pulled the man into his lap. “i need to breath! and now you’re not going to!”

ending the conversation, y/n started to tickle hao. bursting out into giggles, hao wrapped his arms around y/n’s neck. “ah! don’t do this!” his mind buzzed, serotonin clicking into it’s place. “too bad!” y/n responded, pressing a kiss to only skin exposed on hao’s neck.

the part of his heart craving for more was satisfied. it had finally reached it’s goal, it’s ending. he had gotten a taste of the more he wanted, and now he didn’t want to let go.

he always knew it inside, he just needed to reach the melting point.

tags: @luvkyu

[toozmanykids]

Oh WOW. This was gorgeous. That leather jacket wrapped around her. SWOON!! All of this was so visceral and palpable. You truly transported us inside her body so we could experience each of her senses. So far this Illuminate AU set of stories is beautiful. Was this last Halloween? Is that what I saw? Bravo. Bravo!!!

I don't have any deciduous trees in my yard that change color or drop their leaves each autumn, but growing up in the Midwest, yardwork was definitely a big part of everyone's daily life.

I was never forced to do the yardwork as a chore when I was a kid - my mom actually enjoyed it. She found simple lawn mowing to be especially relaxing, a good workout, and very gratifying. She was never big into flowers aside from simple petunias or impatiens maybe planted at the base of the single light post on the yard, and the wild rabbits would eat them up quickly every year anyway. But she moved the lawn weekly, edging along the driveway and sidewalk, trimmed the hedges perfectly into one big rectangle in front of the door and four smaller spheres beside it lining the walkway up to the front door. Then she raked in the fall and used the snowblower or shovels to do the driveway and sidewalk, and then the same for our neighbors who were away in Florida every fall and winter ("Snow bunnies") so their house wouldn't look vacant.

It was all never my job, but I guess I was out there with her helping out often enough as I was growing up that it still feels part of my childhood. Actually the only thing I don't remember specifically having experience doing was the hedge trimming. I vaguely remember using the manual hedge trimmers, but I can't say I ever remember using the big electric hedge trimmers. Huh.

Sorry to ramble on here, but you really transported me back to memories of racking leaves, and how much yard work as a whole was part of life in the Midwest.

And where I'm bringing my kids up now, we don't get snow. It rains all winter, come Spring and summer we're pulling all the weeds that grew up through the mulch during the rainy season. I'm thinking about it now, and we desperately need to add a nice thick layer of mulch again this summer, and definitely need to get those weeds dealt with in the backyard. Since we won't have rain again until likely November, those weeds are just a fire hazard. And fire season seems to start earlier these past several years. Hot winds from inland can send a spark anywhere it wants to go. Gotta have a go bag packed. Our friends were able to get their daughter, mother in-law, dog and 3 chickens out of the house and into the car in under 10 minutes once they smelled smoke. The police were driving through the neighborhood with a megaphone to evacuate as they were getting into the car. The fireman saved their entire neighborhood that day, 40 houses. PHEW!

WOW - I sure went off on a tangent there and didn't I?? Sorry about that. But it is amazing how different landscapes shape lives.

𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as abuse, gore, blood, violence, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Your marriage is marred in misery with no escape in sight... until he shows up at your door. (Part of the Illuminate AU)

Characters: Adam Warlock

Note: I hope ya'll like this one. I know it's a new and not so popular character.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

The bin crashes down into the shrapnel of plastic and trash littered across the kitchen tile. Shane kicks an empty yogurt cup as you stare down in futility as the mess. If he didn't insist on the cheap bags, they would tear so easily but you're not stupid enough to say so.

"I work all fucking day and come home and you want me to take out the goddamn trash! Now look!" 

You gulp, batting your eyes at him, paralysed in fear. You can't make your body move. You should grab a new bag and clean it all up, insist that he go sit down and you'll do the work. He doesn't give you a chance for all that as he lunges at you.

You step back on your heel with a squeak, caught around your neck as he spins and swings you around with him. He hooks a foot around yours, bringing you easily to your feet, bending you over the stinking potato skins as your arms shake. You fight to keep him from mashing your face into the garbage.

"And where's dinner? What am I supposed to eat? Maybe you should swallow this all up and you'll realise the sort of bullshit I gotta come home to," he snarls, "stupid fucking bitch."

“I’m s-sorry,” you croak, throat scraping as you try to swallow a sob, “I’ll… I’ll clean this up–”

“Damn right you will,” he barks and jerks you as he rips his grip from your neck, “useless…”

He kicks a plastic tray at you before he stomps off, leaving you to stare at the mess. You sit back on your heels, quivering, and exhale slowly. You shift and reach behind you, opening the cupboard under the sink to retrieve a new bag.

You peel it open and gather up the garbage, piece by piece, focusing on the task as you ignore the odor and the occasional moisture that smears on your hand. As you get it tied up, you stand, choking on your tears as they spill out unstemmed. 

You sneak out the back door and carry the bag around the side of the house. You keep your chin down, hoping your neighbours don’t witness your despair. You come up to the gray bin and lift the lid, shoving the bag inside and letting it close with a thunk.

You grab the handles and wheel it away from the siding, the large container rattling as you force it along the uneven grass and onto the walkway. The wheels bounce on the cracks in the pavement and you stop to pull open the white picket fence, paint flaking away beneath your touch.

You continue on and guide the bin to the curb, letting it rest there as you sniffle and try to shake away the last of your weeping. You can’t go back inside like this. If he sees you crying, it will only make him angrier. 

You look across the street at the other houses; they’re all nicer than the rundown rental you share with Shane. Where the leaves are strewn in a layered carpet across the mulch of your lawn, the others have the autumnal canopy neatly raked into piles. When you asked for him to grab the rake, his answer was especially bruising. So you’ll see if you can’t get to it tomorrow.

You sigh and turn on your heel, squeaking as you nearly collide with another. You didn’t hear or see the man approach. There was no shadow in his approach, no footsteps scuffing to warn you. You press yourself to the bin as you look up at him. Your chest compresses under some unseen force as the air is forced from your lungs.

You try to apologise for your carelessness but your lips can only form the singular stutter, ‘s-sorry’ as your voice is trapped in your breathless throat. You stare at the man. It’s almost as if he had been waiting for you to turn around.

The leather jacket, the patch sewn on the left-side of his chest, the cool confidence of his posture, they all assure you of who he is. Of the danger he carries with him. You blink up dumb, waving in front of your chest as you try to eke out a single noise, pleading with him not to be angry.

His pale blue eyes twinkle as his smiles, a soft crinkle beside his eyes as the dimming night limns his long face. If Shane saw you standing here with this man, of any, he would lose his mind. You have to get back inside. You have to get away from this stranger.

“No sorry,” he says, his voice rocky but not unkind, “I am in your way.”

He slowly steps aside, retreating as he goes to rest his hand on the post of the white picket gate. He waits expectantly, waving you within as his smooth, deliberate movements fill you with dread. There is a carelessness in him which betrays fearlessness. You will never know what it’s like to not be hounded by inexorable dread. It both irks you and scares you.

You make yourself move. You cross the sidewalk and enter through the open gate, as he looms over you. His gaze is hot on you, clinging and suffocating. Your heart hammers with adrenaline. If there is anyone you fear more than Shane, it is these men and their black leather shadows.

“Have a good night,” he says as he pulls the gate shut between you, “I hope whatever makes you sad does not keep you awake…”

You can breathe again. You gulp in air and fold your hands in front of you. You turn to the man and nearly gasp. There’s something eerie in how he lurks, in how he is both draped in shadow but shines among it.

“Good night,” is all you can get out.

“No moon,” he says as he draws his hand away from the wooden post, “it will be a good night for rest.”

He puts his hands in the deep pockets of his leather jacket. His breath fogs around him, billowing over his shoulders as he strides through it. You watch his silhouette as he departs, his footsteps make no noise and the night seems to close in around him until you can see him no longer.

You shudder and hug yourself as you back up. You turn, fighting a tugging that tries to keep you outside. You head back between the house and the fence as a chill creeps up your spine. 

Your stomach pits as a sudden desolation overwhelms you. You feel hollow and heavy, as if you could collapse right there. You can’t, you have to make dinner. You won’t get much sleep if Shane goes hungry.

🌑

Shane leaves at the usual time. His shifts at the factory are your only escape. They don’t always feel like that as you spend the hours worrying about his return. About what mistake he’ll find when he gets home. So your time is spent still keeping him happy, though you’ve never managed that.

Along with the endless list of chores come those thoughts. Those regrets and questions of how it ended up like this. On when he started to hate you. On when you decided to accept that.

You pull on one of his flannel shirts and a pair of jeans. You dig out some gardening gloves from the shed and take the rake with you as you put your mind to clearing the lawn. The autumnal air is crisp but fresh. It’s almost refreshing.

You come out to the front of the house, starting at the walkway, clearing it of the leaves, brushing them onto the grass. From there, you drag the teeth of the rake away, pushing the growing pile towards the corner of the fence. 

Sweat beads on your forehead and dampens beneath the layers of clothing. You huff out a thick hot breath into the cold air. The briskness sneaks down the back of your collar and chills you.

“The winter is close,” the statement startles you from your work.

You plant the rake and grip the handle, facing the figure outside the fence. It’s the same man. Your lips part but you can’t say a word.

“Can you feel it?” He asks.

Your jaw chatters. His eyes fall to your lips as you try to hide it. He steps forward and sets his hands on the points of the fence, leaning in.

“It’s colder when you are alone…” he says.

You furrow your brows and shake your head, “I am not…”

You look back at the house and he chuckles. You turn back to him and bring your other hand to the wooden rake handle. He considers the leaves on the ground with interest. He pushes himself straight. He seems taller than before.

“Are you not?” He asks cryptically. “This is a lot of work for only one.”

You shrug, unsure how to answer.

“I can help.”

Your mouth is dry and your tongue is sticky. You make yourself talk.

“I don’t know you…”

“Adam,” he says pointedly, “my name is Adam. Tell me your name, then we will know each other.”

You speak before you think. As if you didn’t have a choice. Even if reluctance needles at the back of your mind, knowing that Shane would not want you to speak to this man, your name tumbles out as if you owe it to the stranger. Adam.

“Beautiful,” he remarks as he nears the fence, reaching over to the clasp, “let me help.”

“N-no,” you drag the rake with you and catch the gate as he lifts the latch, “please–”

“You must rest,” he shows his palm in a strange gesture, sweeping it in front of you, “you are dizzy and feel unwell. You need to sit down.”

Silver stars speckle in your vision and you feel the world shift under your feet. You look down and clutch the rake tight, feeling as if you might fall over. You let go of the fence and take a step back as you touch your forehead.

“I am… lightheaded,” you admit, confused at how suddenly it come upon you.

He pushes the gate inward and enters. He shuts it with a gentle metal clink and grips the rake above your hand. You recoil, letting him have it as your limbs grow heavy. He leans the tool against the fence and turns to you again.

“Please,” he puts a hand on your arm, the contact filling your head with smoke, “sit down, bunny.” He ushers you to the front steps and helps you sit there. He braces your shoulders and bends over you, “you will not move until I bid.”

You look at him, confused but comforted by his touch. You nod. He pulls his hands away, caressing your cheek before he stands straight. You shiver and hug yourself.

He lingers as his zipper cuts in the air. He shrugs the jacket off his shoulders and swings it around you, the smell of leather surrounding you. He tugs it snug around you and retreats. You can’t help put pull it tighter as another scent tickles your nose; him.

His boots mulch across the leaves and grass and he grabs the rake. He resumes your work, easily heaping up the clutter, the steady scrape of the tines easing you. You look up and watch him. He is unbothered by the cold despite the thin cotton of his black tee shirt. His muscles tauten beneath the fabric as he works.

You feel sleepy as the pale sky blurs around his stark figure. You’re hypnotised by his steady motions, his easy strength. A strand of his golden hair falls forward as he focuses on the ground, gathering up the leaves with diligent care. Your lashes cling to each other and your eyelids itch. 

You hug the jacket closer and dip your nose behind the collar. The weight of fatigue settles over you and coaxes your eyes shut. The rake continues to scrape in your ears even as you sink down into oblivion.

🌒

You wake to blackness. Dark lines trim the corners of the room as slowly your vision lifts to a dull gray. The night stares in through the windows, frosted with the slow creep of winter. The wind howls and rattles the pane in the frame. The cold looms outside like a spectre but does not enter.

You are warmer. Too warm. Your body heat enshrines you beneath the quilt pulled to your chin. Despite your want to escape from the stolid cocoon, you do not move. A languid weight keeps you at peace despite your discomfort.

You’ve never felt like this, so calm. There’s a dull tapping at your skull that tells you to worry, to be afraid, but it’s quickly smothered and forgotten. Why should you be? You are home and safe in bed.

You let your eyes close and hum. You just want to sleep, to slip away and never wake up. You drift, mind skewing as if you’re floating on a tide. Then it swells and crashes over you with the dark growl that seeps in through the wall.

Your breath hitches and your lashes snap open. Your ears itch as you listen, trying to hear through the plaster. There are soft, muted murmurs but nothing discernible. You quiver as you hang in the limbo; do you stay or get up?

Slowly, you bring your hands up and pull the quilt away from your face, peeling it with effort past your chest. Cool air sweeps over you, urging you to nestle back beneath the patchwork. You hear it again, like a beast it grits deep through the air, gravelly and harsh.

Sitting up is difficult. That same dizziness blurs your mind. You squeeze your eyelids shut and bid away the echoing auras. When you look again, the world is steady. You stand without reaching for the lamp. You wade through the darkness like quicksand, each step impeded by unseen bounds.

At the door, you wait, hand on the knob, brass cold to the touch. You inhale and taste the air wafting in around the frame. It’s sharp and frigid. 

You turn the knob and lift the door on its hinges. You peek down the hall, it’s dark but for the orange flicker glowing from down the hall. That house, the place you call home, the walls you could etch from memory, is suddenly strange and sinister.

You let go of the door and tiptoe out, the voices drawing you in. The conversation garbled in your fuzzy ears. It isn’t until you get closer that you can make out the words. That you recognise the familiar tones.

“What.. are you… waiting for?” Shane’s words are interspersed with moist gulps and groans.

A snicker, short and stony. There’s little humour in the laughter. Adam replies, “justice.”

“You…criminals are all the same,” Shane utters through laborious breaths, “bunch… freaks… like you… should leave… this town.”

“We own this town,” Adam says, “there would be nothing but dirt if it wasn’t for us freaks.”

A hork and the wet splat of spit on the floor jolts you. You stop just before the doorway, shuddering as you hesitate and look back down the hall. You can go back to bed and hide. If you do, you might wake up and realise it’s all just a rotten nightmare.

“Come on, bunny,” Adam calls to you.

You spin back, finding yourself still alone with only the lip of the wall between you and the flickering amber light. You put your hand on the plaster and your other on your chest. He cannot mean you.

“I hear you,” he says evenly, “we’ve been waiting for you.”

You put your foot out and slowly reveal yourself. You turn and face the room from the doorway. You see the single taper burning on the mantel and the tall shadow beside it. Adam lurks with his straight-shoulder but slack posture. 

There is another, in one of the wooden chairs from the dining set, slumped and held up by knotted leather belts. You can see only the back of Shane’s oily black hair. You come forward, eager but terrified to see more of him. 

His right eye is swollen shut, a cut weeping beneath, and his lips dribble blood down his chin. He leans forward, kept upright only by his bounds. His breathing is rickety and shallow. He looks at you with his left eye and grunts.

“...bitch…” he mutters under his breath, “slut…I always… knew…”

“Ah ah ah,” Adam tuts and makes himself taller. Shane flinches and swallows loudly, choking on his split and blood, “you mustn’t value your tongue very much.”

Adam reveals a long dagger, the orange glint of the candle reflecting off of it. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. The metal is both dark and gleaming, a perfectly forged fuller down the middle of the blade.

You turn as you stand transfixed by the sight of your husband. Only then do you notice the scarlet leaking down the front of the wooden armrest, staining deep the veins of the wood. There are three fingers remaining on his right, and one less on his left hand. You cup your mouth behind your hand, catching a scream before it can erupt.

“Shhhhhh,” Adam hushes as he presses himself to your back, “I only had a sampling…”

“What have you done?” You whisper as you gape at the ruin of the man before you. His clothing is shredded so that it reveals the long gashes on his chest and the slices down his thighs. “Why…”

“The strong should protect the weak, not harm them,” he bends and nuzzles your hair, “but more, the weak are not helpless.”

“I don’t understand…” your eyes sting as Shane clenches his jaw and glares at you. How often you saw that same glimmer in him. That sheer hatred that made you wonder if he ever loved you.

“You understand,” Adam’s hand trails down your arm and he pulls you around. He presses the handle of the dagger against your palm and closes your fingers around it, “you know exactly what must be done.”

“Please, I can’t…” you whimper, “you… you hurt him. You’ve…” you look at Shane again, “how could you?”

“I could have cut his heart out by now,” Adam sneers, “but I do not own that.” He squeezes your hand, “it is not mine to take.”

“What…”

“I know what he does. He will not stop. Not until you are dead,” Adam insists as he raises the dagger, his hand still around yours, “or he is.”

He drags you towards Shane and aims the tip of the blade at the slouched man’s chest. He holds it there as you shake, whining as you try to free yourself. His strength is unbending and unbroken. He puts a hand on your back, gripping you tight as he keeps the dagger steady.

“I cannot free you, you must do it yourself…”

You close your eyes. This must be why the townsfolk whisper of the men in leather. Why they scatter at the sight of them. Murderers! Monsters!

“Please–”

“He has made you weak,” Adam purrs into your hair, “I have come to make you strong.”

“No–”

“Yes, you must,” he growls along the rim of your ear, “remember all he has inflicted on you. The names he’s put upon you; bitch, slut, useless, nothing…” he hisses as his hand crawls up to your neck, “how he broke your nose on your wedding night.” 

Your heart races, pounding in your ribs. How could he know that?

“How he put your hand on the lit burner when you forgot to buy milk,” he continues, your shaky grasp tightening as your tears crest and fall free. 

“Or how just the other day, he would have rubbed your nose in garbage like an incontinent mutt–”

“Stop!” You cry out, “stop! How do you know–”

“I know a beast when I see one,” Adam turns his head, his cheek against your temple, “I know a rabid one should be put down before it can maul again.”

“But… but… I love him,” you sniffle.

“Do you?” He lets his hand fall away from yours but you don’t rescind your reach, you don’t move the dagger away from Shane, “does he love you?”

You know he does not. He never did. You were only ever the stupid girl who fell for him. You realised too late what he really was and now you were trapped for life. 

You would be miserable with him until the day you died. Not because he loves you, but because he loves to hurt you.

The tip sinks through the flesh without resistance. You're stunned as you do not stop yourself from letting it further, from pushing it through the layers of fat and muscles, leaning into it until you can’t force it any deeper. You watch the steel bury into him as blood spurts out around your hand and sprays up your sleeve. 

Shane does not scream. He cannot as you pierce his heart. His head falls forward and his body goes limp. You keep a hold of the hilt and jerk it as try to wrench it even deeper.

Your hand is slick with his blood and slips off. You raise a fist instead and hit his lifeless shoulder. You hit him again on the head, another strike to his stomach, and a kick for good measure.

You bring your hands up and look at your blood stained hand, your other palm streaked with flecks of his death. You heave and try to scream but you cannot. You collapse to your knees and keel over onto your elbows. 

You should cry but you cannot. Your tears evaporate as grief eludes you. It should hurt. Why doesn’t it hurt? You’re not sad, but you’re not happy. No, you are free.

The floorboards creak and you raise your head as Adam kneels beside you. He touches your chin as his other arm slings around you. He pulls you to him and presses his lips to your temple.

“They will find him,” he caresses your cheek as he speaks, “but they cannot take you if you are with me.”

“Take me?” You ask dumbly.

“They will call you murderer, they will lock you up,” he coos, “I will keep you safe, bunny.” He dips his hand back down and nudges your chin up. He looks down at you, eyes shining silver in the candlelight, “I will keep you happy.”

[jlalafics]

Ok so you just wrote me a gorgeous drabble and here I am wanting more, bc you’re just too good. On my way to the gym this morning I almost crashed my car bc I saw sexy construction workers and was wondering if sometime in the future you would maybe consider ConstructionWorker!Peeta? Maybe Katniss almost crashed her car staring at that ass? Lol sorry for being so needy... 😘

I hope you enjoy @mrspeetamellark, trying to think up a story title and story cover concept right now because I’m liking this Everlark so much.

Thanks for the prompt, doll! <3

_____

“Yes, move that meeting to the afternoon,” Katniss told her sister. “Snow wants to meet about the Gilmore divorce proceedings.”

“Got it,” Prim replied from the speakers of the car. “Where are you?”

“Just turning onto our block,” she informed her. “It looks like they’re finally renovating the building next to the office…”

Katniss’ eyes were suddenly drawn to a figure standing out against the rest of the men gathered at the site. He was leaning against one of the wood slats that surrounded the property, blond and broad wearing a fitted white t-shirt.

Suddenly, his eyes drew up to meet hers.

Azure blue greeted her own steel ones, the man’s mouth widening into a smile, his expression warm and sweet.

Before morphing into panic—

“Holy fuck!”

Katniss swerved just in time to avoid a squirrel crossing the street and just barely maneuvering her car from crashing into a tree. She managed to save face, making the turn into her office’s parking garage and then into her assigned space.

“Are you alright?” Prim called out. “For a moment there, I thought I lost you.”

Katniss turned off the engine, taking in a calming breath.

“I’m fine. I’ll be up in a minute,” she responded before hanging up.

This is what she got for even looking at a man. It was a sign from the gods telling her to focus on work and not on her lack of a social life.

Too bad, though. The man was awfully cute.

++++++

“Peeta!” Turning, Peeta found Finnick—one of the other construction workers and his childhood friend—heading towards him. “Your dad said that we could take our lunches now.”

“Fine with me,” Peeta agreed, pulling off his construction helmet and tucking it under his arm.

The two headed down the street, grabbing some sandwiches from a nearby deli before heading back.

“So,” Finnick began, as they sat down at the tables set-up in front on the construction site. “I saw that your lady almost damn near crashed into a tree this morning.”

“She isn’t my lady,” Peeta muttered, unwrapping his sandwich to avoid his friend’s teasing eyes. “She’s just a beautiful woman who I happen to admire—who would never look at someone like me.”

“She did notice!” his friend exclaimed. “That close call happened because she was looking at you. Maybe you should go over to her office building and introduce yourself, ask if she’s okay—”

“No, no, no…” Peeta shook his head. “She’s high class and I am…me.”

“Peeta—” Finnick looked to him in concern. “You are a good guy. Stop being so hard on yourself. Just because one woman couldn’t look past your circumstances, doesn’t mean they all will.” His friend’s sea-green eyes darted behind him. “In fact, I’m going to help you out—”

Sticking his middle and index fingers into his mouth, Finnick let out a loud whistle.

“What are you doing?” Peeta asked in confusion.

His friend ignored him, looking behind Peeta and pointing at him.

Then, he was being yanked by the forearm from his seat and being slammed against one of the wood slats of their construction site.

Up close, her eyes were smoky and full of fire—because she was pissed.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she demanded. “I am not the kind of woman who needs to get whistled at to feel like she’s hot. In fact, it’s downright demeaning! If you wanted my attention, all you had to do was introduce yourself like a normal person—”

“Wait!” She stepped back, but her grip on the front of Peeta’s shirt didn’t let up. “I never whistled at you. It was my friend; the idiot with the red hair who is currently trying to skulk back into our construction site, so you won’t manhandle him like you’re doing to me.”

The woman turned just in time to see Finnick guiltily rush into the construction site.

She immediately released her grasp, her olive complexion flushing scarlet.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” The woman let out a nervous laugh. “It’s just been a hell of a day so far. I almost crashed my car this morning—” Her grey eyes widened. “It’s you!”

He held out his hand to her. “Peeta Mellark.”

She took it and Peeta let his thumb brush against her rich skin. “Katniss Everdeen.”

“Now that we’ve officially met,” he started. “Are you okay? It was a close call this morning.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him. “It’s just been so busy with meetings and I have to go grab lunch—”

“Split my sandwich with me,” he offered. Peeta nodded at the still wrapped sandwich on the now empty table. “Or I’m pretty sure there are few birds that would be happy to take your half.”

Katniss flushed. “You sure?”

“I insist.” He led her towards the table, pulling out a chair for her. After sitting, he pulled one of the wrapped pieces out and handed it to her. “Turkey and provolone, no tomatoes.”

“That is my exact order at Sae’s Deli!” Katniss said as she unwrapped her half.

Peeta grinned. “It’s where I got it.”

“So—” She placed her sandwich down and turned to him. Peeta examined her, perfect posture, a heart-shaped face, and smooth shoulder-length waves greeted his appreciative eyes. “—why did your friend whistle at me?”

Peeta let out a breath.

“The first time I came by to examine this construction site, you came to your office,” he explained. “You were wearing a red romper and your hair was in a braid. You were about the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Ever since, I guess I just looked out for you. Finnick just happened to notice and thought he could help things along…”

Peeta waited for her to recoil or grimace. It sounded pathetic, the way he always made sure to look out for her black BMW in the mornings. However, to him, it was just not a good day if he didn’t see her lovely face, even if it was just through her car window.

“Did you want to have dinner?”

He turned to her, his jaw dropping. “What?”

Katniss blushed, her eyes going to her lap.

“I think you’re cute and I almost crashed my car looking at you,” she revealed slowly. “And it seems like a sign that we should look into whatever this is. Also—” Her eyes met his, glowing brightly. “No one has ever called me beautiful.”

“I find that hard to believe,” he said softly. “I would love to have dinner with you. You have to let me pay, though.”

“Is that some sort of manly-man bullshit?” she retorted with a grin.

“No, my mother would kill me if she found out that I didn’t pay on the first date,” Peeta explained. “She’d think that it would be a horrible start to our epic love story.”

“I like your mom already,” Katniss told him. “How’s six sound?”

“Perfect.”

“Katniss!”

They turned to find a pretty blonde and a dark-haired woman with a squared gaze approaching.

“My sister and one of my associates,” Katniss told him. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a small case and taking out a business card. “My cell number is on it—text me when you can, and we can go over details for tonight.”

“Sure,” he replied in a daze.

Taking her sandwich—they both had foregone eating—Katniss stood, but not before pressing a kiss to his cheek and giving him a breathtaking smile.

“I’m looking forward to tonight.”

+++++++

Over texts, Katniss and Peeta decided to meet at an Italian restaurant close to her apartment.

“I can’t believe you asked that guy out!” Johanna, her roommate and one of the other lawyers in the firm, said from her seat on Katniss’ bed. “You, who won’t even agree to coffee when any other man offers, asked a construction worker out to dinner.”

“He’s not just a construction worker,” Katniss protested. “He’s Peeta Mellark, a guy who I think is really nice and easy to talk to—”

“And let’s not forget the ass,” came a shout from Prim, who was searching in Katniss’ walk-in closet. “Don’t act like you weren’t looking at it when he got up to go back to work, Katniss.” Prim stepped into her bedroom, holding a deep-purple dress with a v-neckline and three-quarter sleeves. “I knew you tried to hide my birthday present! Put this on so he can rip it off you.”

Katniss scowled at her. “Who taught you to talk like that?”

“You did,” Prim retorted with a cheeky grin. “Now, go and get ready. I’ll lay out some underthings for you.”

Katniss headed towards her bathroom.

“Prim, I’m not sure how long it’s been since anyone’s been down there,” Johanna quipped. “You might want to pick something that covers that jungle.”

“I’m on it,” her sister replied as Katniss was about to close the door. “Tonight, we’re just emphasizing her boobs.”

“Good luck with that,” her friend retorted.

++++++

Their dinner was going surprisingly well.

Katniss hadn’t been on a date for almost a year and she had worried over the thought as she walked over to the restaurant

That was until she saw him.

Peeta cleaned up nicely, meeting her in a dark green sweater, fitted jeans, and brown oxfords. In his hand was a single pink peony, which he held out to her after kissing her cheek in greeting.

They both settled at their table, ordering quickly (eggplant parmigiana for her and lasagna for him) before falling right into easy conversation.

Peeta’s family owned the construction company that he worked for though, he was the only family member who worked onsite besides his father. Peeta’s mother worked at the home office as the company’s administrator. He had two brothers, one of which owned his own bakery business and ran it with his wife who had been his high school sweetheart.

“I think you’d like Delly,” he told her. “She’s very down-to-earth which works out perfectly because Rye is all sorts of insane. He’s the kind of guy who will wake up in the middle of the night to make the perfect chocolate cake. Luckily enough, Delly is the kind of girl who will stay up and write out everything he’s done because he’s forgotten by morning.”

“And, your other brother?”

“Runs a small hotel upstate. It’s the perfect place for Christmas,” Peeta said. “Andy and his partner Gale turned the place into one of the top hotels to experience wintertime. It does help that they both have a great sense of style.”

“So, your brother is—”

“Gay as the day is long as he would put it.” Peeta grinned. “He and Gale have been together forever. They’re one of the most stable couples I know.” He met her eyes. “How about you?”

“I grew up about an hour out of the city. My parents were high school sweethearts, married right out of high school. Had me about a year after their wedding and four years after me, Prim was born.”

Katniss stopped for a moment, taking a long sip. This part was always the hardest to explain.

“My father passed away when I was six and Prim was two,” she continued. “My mom brought us here to the city to stay with my Uncle Haymitch while she got back on her feet and find a job. We woke up the next day after arriving at his place and she was gone.”

“Oh God, Katniss—” Peeta reached over, covering her hand with his. “—I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t feel sorry for us. It was probably the best thing she could have done for us,” Katniss told him, her voice still a little thick. She gave him a wet smile. “Feel bad for my Uncle—single guy in his prime having to take on two young girls. Did you know when I got my period, he bought five different types of pads? I know, too much information—”

“I like learning about you, Katniss,” he told her. “Every little bit I’ve learned, I like.”

“I feel the same way.”

It was true. Everything she learned about man before her had only compounded the growing feelings inside her. Peeta was breath of fresh air in her staid routine and every bit of time with him made her feel like she was slowly coming back to life.

Peeta squeezed her hand, she didn’t realize their hands were still pressed together—but she didn’t mind it.

“Go on,” he urged with an eager smile. “Tell me more.”

“When I was in sixth grade, my uncle came for a parent-teacher conference and met my teacher, Effie Trinket. A year later, he married her. She’s great, got me through those tough girl years. She and my Uncle are disgustingly in love.” She snorted, taking a long sip of water. “That’s my odd little family.”

“Have you heard from your mom?” Peeta asked curiously.

Katniss shook her head.

“I don’t have a real desire to. I’m not mad at her anymore, but I can’t say I’d be thrilled to see her again. Prim doesn’t even remember her. She calls Uncle Haymitch and Aunt Effie Mom and Dad.” She sat back, giving him an embarrassed smile. “That was more unloading than I intended for a first date.”

“Honestly, I’ve been watching you for a while,” Peeta revealed. “Finnick is sick to death of hearing me talk about the gorgeous brunette next door. That’s why he whistled at you; it was to save his ears from my own insecurities when it came to you.” His face had gone red. “I know you’re some big-time lawyer and I’m just some guy—”

Katniss shook her head. “You’re not just some guy.”

Peeta grinned. “I hope not.”

After he paid for dinner, they decided to walk to her apartment since it was a warm night.

As they strolled down the block, his hand brushed against hers before carefully grasping her fingers. Katniss took the initiative, entwining their fingers together, and Peeta turned to her, lifting her hand to press a kiss to her knuckles.

She felt the heat rise up her body, her center twisting at the feel of his rough lips to her skin. She had to wonder how those lips would feel against the rest of her body, specifically between her thighs.

It had been a long time since she had sex.

“Nice place,” Peeta said as they approached the luxury apartment complex. “I know the company that worked on them, Beetee Latier is a smart guy and I’m willing to bet that this place is very up-to-date when it comes to virtual assistance.”

“I’ve never tried it, but Johanna has said that she can tell the apartment when it’s too cold,” Katniss told him offhandedly. “And it raises the temperature according to what is comfortable.” They stop outside the entrance and she turned to him. “Thanks for dinner and the conversation.”

“Thank you for giving me a chance,” Peeta replied.

His hand reached, cupping her cheek and his thumb brush against the edge of her bottom lip before dropping to his side. Katniss felt every nerve pulsate at his touch and she had desperately fought the urge to take his thumb into her mouth to taste him.

She wanted to ask him to come up, but her need to not seem so desperate dampened her longing.

Reaching into her purse, Katniss took out her keys, giving him a shy smile. She quickly kissed him on the cheek.

“Good night, Peeta.”

His hand reached to a tendril of her hair, caressing it with his fingers as if he were trying to memorize the feel of it between them.

When Peeta met her eyes, her breath caught at the desire in his darkened blues. “Good night, Katniss.”

“Fuck it—”

Katniss snapped, her keys dropping to the ground in a loud clink, as her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled his mouth against hers. Peeta gasped in surprise before catching himself and circling his arms around her waist to pull her close.

He tasted delicious, her tongue surrounding his as she feasted on him. Her hand reached to grasp at his hair and the moan that tumbled from his mouth cause the fire inside her to flare. She had never wanted anything or anyone as much as she wanted the feel of him against her.

His lips slid off hers, pressing to her neck, his tongue sampling her.

“What are you doing to me, Katniss Everdeen?” he asked breathlessly, the intensity of his question sending shivers through her skin.

Katniss met his eyes, her chest heaving as she felt the rapid beat of her heart.

“I’m taking you upstairs.”

 So, there’s going to be a 2nd part to this. I’m having too much fun.

Yeah, I’ve been shipping Gale with the eldest brother since TWC.

[thepaperpanda]

Bringing the Christmas Spirit Back || Heartman x Reader

Summary: When the Christmas spirit is long gone for humanity, Heartman tries to restore it.

Warnings: none    

Words: 2711

Authors: Cass & Bear

Yawning loudly you walked out to the main room of Heartman's lab.

You didn't expect anything to be different because why would it be?

To your own surprise there was a big christmas tree in the middle of the room, it was made of plastic. "Uhm... What is that?," You asked, walking closer to inspect the colorful baubles and other decorations.

 “Well, now that you're awake, I have to tell you that we ran out of earl gray,” Heartman stepped into the room, almost jumping off four little stairs. “Hi, gorgeous,” he placed a brief kiss on your cheek and stood right next to the christma tree. “I’ve printed it with a 3D printer, what do you think?,” He asked, being obviously proud of himself. “I thought that we could have restored some of the old traditions. That we could have brought some of the Christmas spirit, to gain some kind of mood improvement.”

 "I forgot you don't sleep with me in bed. You have a lot of time to do these things," you said with a smile and rubbed your eyes, trying your best to wipe the sleep off them. "It's a good idea but I don't think it will ever be the same, and about the tea, I will check later what else we need, and then I will do a bigger order."

 “Sam won’t be happy,” Heartman let out a proper laugh. “It’s going to be our… Fourteenth order over the past two weeks,” He took his glasses off to wipe them using a kerchief he held in his back pocket.

 "The fifteenth order, sweetie. I checked the records last evening before the bed. I have no idea what you ordered behind my back but I know you did," you sighed, tapping his shoulder. "Let's hope they will send some other poor soul and not our Sam."

 “Well, actually, I wouldn’t mind them sending Sam, I have a few questions for him,” Heartman put his glasses back on. “Now, you look much better than the second before when your figure was blurry,” he sent you a grin and in the same moment his AED beeped a few times. “Ah, shit. We’ll continue our deep conversation in 3 minutes, okay? Meantime, be a good girl and make me a strong coffee, and don’t forget I like it bitter.”

 You giggled and nodded. "Okay, I will also make some breakfast while in the kitchen."

After kissing his cheek you went to the bedroom to quickly grab your glasses before heading to the kitchen. Then you started preparing the hot drinks.

 After exactly 3 minutes, Heartman’s AED brought him back to life with a strong, electric impulse. It took him a few seconds to gain his thoughts. “I hate this,” he muttered to himself and before he got up from the cot, he had written some things in his online journal, using his fingers to do so.

 At that point you were putting plates with breakfast onto the table. Toasts for both of you, coffee for him, and green tea for you.

Letting out a quiet sigh, you started looking through all the cabinets and shelves. "I think I have everything," you muttered to yourself.

 Heartman walked into the little dining room shortly after, he instantly took his seat. “Thanks,” he sent you a smile and started eating. “What are you looking for? Tell me, and I’ll tell you where you’ll be able to find it.”

 "No, no. It's okay, I already know what I need," you informed him and quickly took your seat right in front of him. "You really want to bring back a bit of the Christmas spirit to these dark days, huh?"

 "Yes, whenever possible," he replied and took a bite of his toast. He chewed and sipped on his coffee. "Yeah, that's what I needed."

 "Glad you liked it," you smiled at him, taking a sip of your tea.

After break Heartman returned to his work. Meantime, you checked and listed all the stuff you needed before placing an order with a little message for Sam.

After making sure your beloved man was busy with work, you quickly returned to the kitchen, locking the door. "Let's see if I still remember how to do this."

Maybe it was a silly idea but since Heartman wanted to bring back Christmas, it was worth a shot.

An hour and a half had passed and you finally left the kitchen. Of course he didn't notice you weren't around for the longer moment.

"Sweetie. I have something for you!"

 There was no response from Heartman.

He was dead, again.

The chiral matter in his hourglass almost filled the bottom part which meant he was about to get back within the blink of an eye.

 Sighing, you took a seat on the leather couch, waiting for him to return.

 Another electric impulse made its way through Heartman's body, and the man jerked in his place regaining consciousness. "Y/N, did you say something?"

 You nodded. "I called you but I was a bit too late to catch you. Glad to see you back, come here. I have a Christmas gift for you."

 "A Christmas gift? For me?," He blinked and didn't even try to hide his consternation as he got up. "I didn't expect anything like this but I won't lie, I can't wait to see what you got for me!"

 You laughed. "Be a good man and open your mouth, eyes closed," you hummed with a smile. It was a little revenge for some test you had to do for him in the past.

 At first he blinked hearing your command. Then, he laughed loudly. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but as much as I love you, I don't hold an ounce of confidence in your actions," he joked, referring to that one particular time when you asked him to obey your words only to prank him.

 You rolled your eyes. "Trust me this one time. You won't regret it, I swear on the bond between us," you said, placing your hand over your heart.

 "I'm Heartman and my heart is already skipping a beat out of fear of what you've planned," he smirked but closed his eyes and parted his lips slightly. "I just want to warn you that if you'll try to feed me with chiral matter cookies, you'll regret the day you were born."

 You sighed and put a regular chocolate chip cookie between his lips. "Here. I hope I didn't burn them... And that they are good. I can't remember when I baked these for the last time."

 He chewed and then issued an opinion. "I like the flavour, the cookie was not too sweet yet not too bitter, too. You've added a perfectly measured amount of cocoa, the cookie had a tempting smell, too," Heartman stated. "I only lack some tiny ounce of ginger and honey but I know that it's extremely hard to get those."

 You looked at him, listening to his every word. It wasn't exactly the opinion you expected. "But... Do you like it? Before this all happened I used to make them for Christmas."

 "Do I like it? I love it, Y/N," Heartman replied. "If not for the fact I'm on a forever diet to stay in shape, I'd eat a tone of these!"

 "Oh, in such a case the whole jar of cookies wasn't a great idea," you giggled, rubbing your hand awkwardly. "Sorry."

 He sent you a smile. "I knew you'll surprise me, honey. But before I'll die again today, let me take you somewhere. While you'd been sleeping, I prepared something small," he claimed and got up from the cot, offering you his shoulder.

 You blinked confused but nodded, taking his arm. "Shall I be worried?"

 Heartman didn't reply but took you out of his laboratory. "Put your coat on," he advised. “By my side you don’t have to be worried.”

 You nodded and put on your coat just like he advised you. Just to be safe you also slipped on your warm boots. "Okay. I am ready... I think."

 He put his long, black coat on as well and led you outside of his facility.

Heartman stopped with you on the threshold of his outpost, being still under awning. "There," he pointed on the left. "Do you see him?"

 You rubbed your eyes, trying to get used to the brightness of the snow. Frowning you looked in the direction he pointed. "Is it…? Wait! Is it a snowman?"

 "Yes, it is. I called it the Death Stranding Snowman. He looks like a regular one but, if you'll take a closer look, you can see he had the Odradek and backpack, just like porters do."

 You giggled and nodded. "I can see that and I love it. I bet that Sam will love it as soon as he sees it. I am glad we live in a place like this actually, the Death Stranding Snowman will be with us longer due to low temperature."

 "Correct. And, also," he pointed his index finger up, right above your heads.

A plastic mistletoe hung on a tiny string attached to awning. "Maybe we can just have a little sneaky kiss under this mistletoe? It’s a tradition, isn’t it though?"

 You looked up at the mistletoe and laughed shortly. "Oh, you really got prepared while I was sleeping, huh?," You asked with a cocky smile.

 "Less talking, more doing," he muffled your voice with his lips crushing on yours.

 You hummed and kissed him back, placing your hands against his chest.

After a moment you pulled away to catch your breath.

 "Mmmm, that was something, Y/N," Heartman let out a hum of appreciation as his left palm was placed to your cheek where he gently brushed his thumb over your skin. "Ah! Just look at that! Sam's faster than I expected!"

 In the distance you could spot a little cloud of snow rising into the air. Sam Porter Bridges was riding his bike right to your outpost.

 You blinked and looked at the cloud of snow, giggling. "Oh, yes, he is, I still wonder how he is riding this thing through all the snow," you tapped Heartman's chest. "I will go pack him some cookies for the road and you get inside before you run out of time."

 Heartman decided to wait for Sam to approach.

When the other man got off his motorcycle and took all the packages, Heartman waved at him, still standing at the threshold of his outpost. "Sam Bridges! It's good to see you!"

 Sam didn't reply, only nodded his head while climbing up the stairs. By his way he turned head aside and stopped, looking at the snowman. “Seriously?,” He questioned loudly enough for Heartman to hear. “Whose idea it was?”

 Soon you joined both men. "Hello Sam, it's good to see you," you said with a smile and looked at Heartman, frowning. "I think I told you to get inside, huh?"

 "Easy, Y/N, I put this little thing on mute," he patted his AED a few times. “Idea for the snowman was totally mine. I’m thinking about getting similar sculptures to other Bridges locations, not necessarily made of snow but rather printed in Chiral Printers. We should consider bringing Christmas spirit all over America.”

 Sam scoffed Heartman’s words. “It’s not feasible as not all cities are in the network.” Sam was glaring at him, then he moved his glance to you. "Another order, huh? Are you opening a canteen or something? How is it possible for two people to use all of the supplies in a week?"

 "You kidding me right? I am not going to drag you back inside," uou muttered, completely annoyed with Heartman’s weird habit of muting the AED, so you simply unmuted the device.

"And it stays like this, sweetie," you said and turned your attention back to Sam. "Trust me, Sam, I have no idea what he is doing when I am asleep but our supplies melts like snow in the sun. I am so sorry for the trouble."

 With cocked brows Sam observed you and your little outburst of anger towards Heartman. "Yeah," he summed the situation up. Next moment he simply gestured at you and Heartman to slide aside. "I need to deliver these," he pointed at packages on his back.

 "Oh! Yes, right! Go to the terminal and then bring stuff inside," you instructed him and looked at Heartman. "We will be there."

 Heartman got back inside and took his coat as soon as he crossed the threshold of his laboratory.

 Soon, Sam joined you. He cringed at the very beginning after stepping in, when he spotted stuffed BTs with Christmas hats on. "The fuck...," He grunted to himself.

 "Heartman wants to bring back the Christmas spirit. In some way at least," you said looking at Sam from the couch and pointed at the big christmas tree. "BT in christmas hats aren't the only decorations here."

 Sam stopped at the top of four little stairs. "Yeah. I thought that you're not this type of guy because just like you claimed, you’re being dead inside," he summed up and got downstairs, putting the packages aside.

 "Well, you can see how much one person can change," you summed up getting up from the couch to walk up to Sam. "Here, since it's Christmas time. I have a little gift for you, I hope you will like it," you smiled at him, giving him a little bag of cookies.

 At first he hesitated to accept the little bag with cookies but soon he took it. "Thank you, Y/N."

 Heartman was laying on his cot. "Was nice to see you again, Sam. Thank you for bringing us all of the necessary things so quickly. You're simply the best porter."

 Sam nodded and grunted something under his breath only to turn around and got up the little stairs. "If only all BTs would be that cute," he pointed at two stuffed creatures.

 You giggled and nodded. "If all BTs were like these ones, the  world wouldn't be that scary. Thank you so much for coming, Sam. Have a good trip."

Several minutes passed since the moment Sam left you. Heartman was getting ready for another cardiac arrest when his intercom bipped, so the man frowned a little. “Do we expect any guests, Y’N?”

 You looked at him with a frown and shook your head.

Of course you didn't expect any guests, it's not like the good, old times when people could just visit friends randomly. It was a bit more complicated these days. "No, I do not and even if I did, I would inform you. Did you invite anyone?"

 He shook his head for no and got up. Heartman left his lab and went to the glazed entrance where the terminal was located. “Y’N, it’s Sam, come over here!”

 You even didn't bother to pull on the coat and joined Heartman, wearing your regular clothes.

"Sam? Is everything okay?"

 "Yes!," Sam yelled from the distance. "I improved your snowman, Heartman!"

 Heartman looked at you, frowning. "What is he talking about?," He asked and opened the main door to step slightly outside. The timefall stopped so Heartman simply got out of the building. "Y/N, you need to see this!"

 You were completely confused about what was going on. You followed Heartman to look at the improved snowman.

 The snowman had now one hand made of some plastic garbage Heartman found in his laboratory when the other one was made of snow, with middle finger up in the air. Next to the snowman there was a line of text scrawled in the snow. Fuck Higgs and his terrorists!, the inscription stated. Heartman lifted his hand up and gave a thumb up to Sam. “100 likes for this piece of art, Sam!”

 You gave Sam a thumb down. "And minus 50 likes from me. I preferred the previous snowman," you said but giggled.

  “You have no idea about modern art, Y/N!,” Sam yelled back and got onto his vehicle to roll down the hill.

“What? I like this anti-Monaghan version,” Heartman shrugged and wrapped arm around your shoulders. “Let’s get back inside. There are some handmade cookies left.”

[botwstoriesandsuch]

Botw ask game- no. 35 and 36

35) Notable horse death?

You’re on the barren peaks of Hebra. The cold winds seem to cut across the universe itself as you get a shiver up your spine. It’s an omen, but you didn’t know that yet.

They say there’s a shield surfer, some legendary being who lived at the peaks, so you’ve led your horse across trails and passes to get to this point. You, and your horse friend Stormy, inseparable, bonded for life; this was a journey of friendship. Perhaps together, you might catch a glimpse of the beautiful northern lights. And once the shield surfer was found, once the lights had been gazed upon, you and Stormy would go back down the mountain together.

How unfortunate that you would be right.

For you see, the snowy landscape is alluring and enchanting, the icey winds sing songs and entrance. Cool Safflinna dances in the breeze, and occasionally, you would dismount from Stormy to pick up these materials. You would assume that each time you left to fetch some herbs, or stone ore, you would always count on returning back the way you came, and be greeted by the beautiful, darling face of your precious, black, blue maned, flower adorned, Stormy.

You were right for the most part.

But one time, one time you assumed wrong.

For you see, in just one instant, your assumptions that this pattern would continue, your immersion into this prestine and gorgeous landscape, would be shattered by one sound. One sound, and all serenity is cast to the cutting breeze and carried to the depths of Tanager Canyon.

For you see, as you step away to collect some little blue mushrooms, you hear one sound.

Laughter.

Quickly whipping around, back towards your horse, you see that a Ice Wizzrobe, chuckling in all its insanities, stands between you and Stormy. Even worse, it’s dancing.

The sky clouds, the blizzard is even cloudier than before, white turns to grey, grey to silver, and the silver sky is now laced in icy blue streaks of death. You start to nock a fire arrow, but not before one of these icy streaks knocks into you, rendering you are your pathetic body immobile. It’s around 3 seconds of being completely frozen, but it’s enough.

Oh trust me, it’s enough.

Behind the wizzrobe, you hear another sound, a shriek, a cry, a whinny that is abruptly cut short to a cold and literal stop. Standing in the background is a horse, rearing on its hind legs, completely encased in ice

In a fury, you finally manage to free yourself and loose a fire arrow at the ice Wizzrobe. It dies in an instant, vaporizing into a cloud of mist, as it’s wand drops into the snow in front of you. You quickly rush to care for your frozen horse, but you’re still in a frenzy.

For you see, this is your first time ever seeing a frozen horse.

For you see, this is your first time ever seeing a frozen animal.

For you see, you do not yet understand that after a moment, your horse will be fine.

For you see, you do not understand that ice, is truly, and utterly, slippery.

In your haste to aid your frozen friend, you sprint right into them, the momentum pushed them forth.

In the first second, there is confusion, in the fact that the frozen ice seemed to glide away. In the next, the sound equivalent to breaking glass fills the air, and you’re greeted with the familiar sight of black and blue. The third second, it’s bewilderment, as a new, unheard sound fills the air, coupled with a sudden blur of black fur and colorful flowers, suddenly moving away from you.

And in the fourth second? Terror.

You watch, as the moments all come crashing together. You watch, as your momentum causes the frozen figure of your horse friend to slide off the mountain side, towards a terrible drop below. You watch as the very moment your horse escapes from its frigid coat, it lets out a shriek if terror as it tumbled down the mountain side, it’s limp and trembling shape swallowed by the endless snow below. You watch the blizzard consume every trace, any evidence left in this snowy, beautiful world, that a horse ever existed.

You have pushed Stormy to their death.

And in some desperate attempt of self redemption, in some sickening desire to see if your horse it alive, even though the taste in your mouth is already telling you that the only thing you’ll ever find is a corpse... You look down the cliff side

and you tumblr down after them

36) Notable Link death?

One time I stasised launch a tree while I was riding a bear and I catapulted onto Tingle island, then skipped like a rock into the ocean, before subsequently being finished off with half a heart left by an octorok.

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Beside The Dying Fire (part nine)

[DnD AU with the tour!verse]

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Word count: 2313

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

Queen Jane Seymour’s kingdom wasn’t always called “the Unbreakable City.” Before the land was ravaged by battles, it was called Babylon, the capital of Cyprus and the safest place to live on the entire continent. It got its name from the gorgeous hanging gardens decorating the palace and mountains the city was situated on.

But after five years of nonstop battles and attacks on the capital, its name was changed to the Unbreakable City to symbolize how much it had withstood against Henry’s army. 

The Unbreakable City was set up on the side of a mountain, boxed in by a deep chasm called The Great Crystal Cliffs, which glittered in streams of petrified rainbows in the sunlight. But there wasn’t much sun left in the capital, as Henry had cast an eternal storm over the city, buffeting it in rain and snow and sleet and wind as long as the queen continued to not surrender. 

A large ebony wall towered around the perimeter of The Great Crystal Cliffs, protecting the people that lived within. Five impenetrable bridges conjured by the strongest magic lay over the chasm, allowing people to come and go from the city as they pleased. A pitch-black gate wrapped in vines and clusters of violets creaked open when Katherine and her companions arrived, and they followed Cleves and Bessie into the queen’s kingdom with their heads held high.

The senses of the city overwhelm Katherine from every direction. First, there was the noise, the cacophony of hundreds of people: merchants hawking their wares; dozens of different conversations; the cries of animals and children; the rattle of carts; and a million other noises. It was all the bubbling babble of a village meeting magnified a thousandfold.

Then there were the smells: the sweat and stink of thousands of bodies; the stench of rotting food, smoke, and cooking grease; the mixed odor of grilling meat and sizzling vegetables; the pungent musk of farm animals on the outskirts of the city; the constant aroma of rain. Smells were everywhere, all slamming into her in powerful waves of stink.

Finally, her ears got used to the cacophony and her nose began to filter the overpowering stench, and she could see the glory that was the Unbreakable City: houses piled three or four stories high, stretching into the distance like a jumbled mass; the high, raised pillars of spires and turrets and crenelated bulwarks in ebony stone; the caves carved into the towering stretches of cliffs all around; and the plants. There were so many plants all over the place, roses and violets and bluebells and sunflowers bursting in barrages of color from building to building. 

And then, there was the palace.

Queen Jane Seymour’s palace had to be the most beautiful building Katherine had ever seen before. It was carved out of polished black marble, half-built deep into the mountain where dozens of rooms were chipped away from mossy stone for all the workers and nobles to live. A wide curtain of willow and lichen hung down from the cliff overhead, gently draping over the black beauty. Moss and blankets of tightly-woven flowers were cascading from several grand balconies, glowing with vibrant life, and vines crawling with roses were coiled delicately around intricately-carved spiral pillars. Waterfalls were pouring out from crevices in the mountain wall, falling into the chasm below like streams of crushed diamonds.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Katherine turned her head to see Cleves smiling at her. The Minotaur gazed up at the palace, and her golden-brown eyes glittered in the light drizzle. On her shoulder, Bessie’s black tail feathers were wagging like a happy dog’s.

  “It is,” Katherine said. “It’s amazing.”

Cleves smiled even wider before walking up the steps to the palace pavilion, Katherine and her companions following. A marble courtyard of lush greenery was built around a statue of an elegant quartz dragon sitting regally on a glittering throne. The entrance to the palace was a high arch with a curtain of vines that tickled Katherine’s shoulders when she passed through them.

  “Woah,” Joan murmured at her side.

The inside of the castle was just as incredible as the outside.

A huge foyer yawned out before them, with a visible catwalk stretched around the upper sections of the high-vaulted walls where maids and other workers bustled about. Several hallways were carved deep into the mountain, most likely leading to even more magnificent rooms. 

Cleves ended up taking them down the corridor at the very front of the foyer, which led into a giant throne room that was dressed in flowers and plants, fed by spring water streaming from the smooth stone walls and collecting into troughs edging the floors. The ceiling was completely covered in dark phosphorescent moss that was freckled in glowing bright blue speckles, mimicking the night sky. One of the two thrones was a beautiful marble creation, studded with opals and pearls and fluffed with silver velvet cushions. The other, however, was completely wrapped in prickly vines and painfully sharp thorns; it was clear that sitting in it was not allowed, though a freshly-polished silver circlet hung from one of the back points.

Cleves looked around the throne room, while Bessie jumped down from her shoulders. Her talons clicked against the shiny floor as she paced around.

  “Shiny?” She called out in a youthful voice. “Queenie?”

  “Hm,” Cleves said. “I’m disappointed but not surprised.”

  “What?” Katherine looked at her.

Cleves chuckled. “Nothing. It’s just very like Jane to not be on her throne. Come on, follow me.”

They took a hallway to the left and walked further into the castle. Instead of feeling claustrophobic from being inside a mountain, Katherine felt quite secure and protected within the stone walls of the palace.

They stepped into another huge room, and Katherine couldn’t help but gasp at its beauty.

It was a library, but also a forest. Giant thick trees towered out of the mossy stone floor, their twisted branches hanging with lanterns and writing materials. Holes were carved in the trunks, where scrolls were neatly slotted info and marked with letters in the bark. Several more cubbyholes were dug out into the walls, filled with ancient texts and grand stories, while high, shined mahogany bookshelves actually held all the books. Wooden tables dotted the space, along with several places to sit, like hollows in the trees and nests made of fluffy lichen. A spring burbled softly in the center of the library, giving off a natural bioluminescent glow, which bathed the two figures by the water in soft blue light.

The figure standing up was a Leonin woman, dressed in shiny glass armor and wielding two curved swords. Her fur was a dark sandy yellow color, speckled with light brown on her back and shoulders, and her eyes were bright amber, sharp and alert.

The figure sitting on the ground reading a book, however, was a beautiful dark-skinned human woman. Her skin was unblemished and shiny from the golden oils she bathed with, contrasting brightly with the silk silver dress she was wearing. Teardrop-shaped crystals were draped along her shoulders, cascading down her gown in a bright glittering stream. A metal circlet sat on her head, studded with diamonds and opals. When she looked up, her eyes were a warm golden-amber color.

Cleves and Bessie bowed, then Katherine and her companions copied. The queen smiled.

  “Anna, Bessie,” Queen Jane Seymour said, and her voice was smooth and husky. “It’s good to see you both again. I’m glad you’re home safe.”

  “Queenie!!” Bessie chirped. She launched herself forward and threw her arms around the queen, nuzzling her with happy bird coos. The queen chuckled and stroked the feathers on her head.

  “Hello, Bessie,” Jane said. She glanced at Katherine and her companions. “Hello there. Who are you three?”

  “Katherine Howard of Ghent,” Katherine dipped her head, despite already bowing. “These are Catalina and Joan. We request your assistance in something.”

Jane raised an eyebrow. She closed her book and stood up, suddenly looking very alert. “Oh? Is that so?”

  “They had a run-in with Mannox, My Lady,” Cleves informed.

Joan flinched slightly when the name was said, flicking her ears back. Katherine gently touched her shoulder for support.

  “Do tell,” Jane said. 

  “My village was destroyed by Henry’s forces,” Katherine said. “Ghent. It was in the Needle Forest.”

Jane frowned. “I heard about that. I’m terribly sorry.”

Katherine nodded slightly. “I’m here to urge you to get more involved in the war. Henry is tearing apart the continent. You need to start fighting back more than you are. Please.”

Jane stared at her and, without hesitation, said, “No.”

Katherine’s jaw actually fell open. She watched as Jane briskly turned around and began walking out of the library. The Leonin followed her, and Cleves and Bessie copied after glancing at Katherine to gauge her reaction. Katherine hurried after them, Catalina and Joan on her tail.

  “Wait!” Katherine shouted. “Your Majesty!”

Jane turned to her. “I can’t risk losing any more of my soldiers. By pushing out more, I anger Henry, and that is not what I want.”

  “But people are dying!” Katherine cried. “Innocent people! What about them?”

Jane sighed. “I feel bad, I do, but my people come first.”

  “You’re a fucking coward,” Catalina hissed.

The Leonin growled lowly, bristling her fur. “Watch what you say, Aasimar.”

  “What do you mean? Watch what I say about the truth?” Catalina scoffed. She narrowed her eyes at Jane. “What kind of queen are you, hiding inside your castle? Do you enjoy being blissfully ignorant towards the things going on outside your walls? Katherine is right, innocent people are DYING because of YOUR husband! Control him!”

Jane went quiet for a moment, rubbing her fingers over a sapphire pendant around her neck. “My husband,” She murmured. She shook her head. “Henry had been changing long before the war started. I couldn’t stop him then. I’m not sure what you expect me to do now.”

Catalina barked a cruel laugh. “You are unbelievable! So many people are dying, women and children, because of YOUR petty marriage issues, and for what? What is even the point of this stupid war?”

Jane stared at them, silent, then said, “Follow me.”

The queen led them all through a mossy hallway with sewing rooms and music rooms and learning rooms in them, then up a flight of smooth stone steps. She was quiet as she approached and opened a wooden door.

Inside was a room with walls that were decorated with bright, colorful flowers and sparkling crystals. A large light purple rug was stretched out across the stone floor, and several large pillows, blankets, books, and toys filled the rest of the space. A small castle was carved out of stone in one corner, fit with a slick flint slide and a woven rope swing. Long dark green curtains billowed in the wind streaming inside, and the doorway they blocked led out onto a balcony thriving with plant life. Stars whittled out of luminescent blue stones dangled from the ceiling, swaying slightly in the breeze.

It took Katherine only a moment to realize this was a playroom.

  “Mama!”

A little boy burst out of the stone castle and ran to Jane, hugging her leg tightly. He was small, with ivory skin, dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes. A purple blanket was tied around his neck like a cape, and he clutched a pegasus toy tightly in one of his little hands.

  “Mama! Mama, guess what!!!” The boy exclaimed. “Today when I was learning with Mister Hugo, I read ALL BY MYSELF!!!!”

Jane smiled, rubbing the child’s head. “My smart boy,” She said lovingly. “I’m so proud of you!”

The boy beamed, then noticed Katherine and her companions standing there. He perked up.

  “Woah!!!” He cried. “Mama, look!! New friends! And a TIEFLING!!! Look at her, Mama! She’s SO PRETTY! LIKE A DIAMOND!!!”

Joan blushed, folding her ears back bashfully. She clearly wasn’t used to be complimented for her strange coloration.

  “I see them, sweetheart,” Jane said, then looked at Katherine and her companions. “This is Edward. My son.”

/Her son/, Katherine repeated in her head. She remembered hearing rumors about the queen of the Unbreakable City giving birth to a prince, but never knew if they were true, as not much information came out about him. She had just assumed the prince had died somehow until that moment.

  “Eddie, why don’t you go show the pretty Tiefling your swing?” Jane said. 

  “Okay!!!” Edward chirped. He bounded over to Joan, but held out his free hand to her instead of just grabbing her own. Joan hesitated shyly, then took his head and was taken over to the rope swing on the castle.

  “Five years ago I gave birth to Edward,” Jane said to Catalina and Katherine quietly. “I barely survived. Henry wanted to take him to learn to be a ‘proper prince’, but I refused. I hadn’t almost died just to not be with my son. Henry didn’t like that. He had already been hanging by a few threads, but this did it. He left Cyprus and then declared war two months later.” She shook her head, looking up at Katherine. “Now do you see why I can’t risk fighting him further? I can’t lose my son.”

Katherine looked at Edward chatting excitedly with Joan as they swayed on his swing, taking in how happy he looked, despite the tragedy raging outside the city’s walls, then said, “Is there anything we can do to change your mind?”

Jane considered her. “There are these beasts in each of the other territories. Henry created them to scare the people out of the war. If you can kill them and get the other kingdoms on my side, then I’ll join the fight.”

Katherine chuckled. “Alright.”

After all, she had wanted to be a hero.

[staticscreenwriting]

12 Days of Christmas - [Day 4]

A/N: Day number 4 for the Christmas coundown with @mattysheelies. This one’s almost 6k words. I loved writing this and I hope you like it too. It’s cheesy and cutesy and maybe cliché but it’s Christmas so idgaf. ENJOY ♥

Prompt: Snowed in together.

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Reader

“I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I almost wished I was dead.”

It happens, every once in a while, that you read a sentence in a book that you’ve read a hundred, maybe a million times before and it suddenly hits you like a punch straight to your gut. Because it’s different now. The book has stayed the same all through the seasons but you realize, you’re a whole new person who’s been through a whole new set of trials and tribulations. And all of a sudden you understand. 

I slump back into the cold, sticky plastic of the bright blue seat and clutch my beat up copy of Catcher in the Rye closer to me. I face the huge windows, looking out into the black of the night and the airplanes, firmly rooted on the ground. There’s a heavy downfall of snow and no sign of it stopping anytime soon. 

Maybe, I realize, this is my reckoning. Isn’t this what I’ve been wishing for ? A white Christmas like the one from the songs and the movies ?

Well merry fucking Christmas, (Y/N).

Every snowflake is a sick reminder of what could have been. Of what isn’t. 

I let my eyes travel around the area. Rows and rows of blue plastic seats. There’s not a lot of people waiting around here. I assume most people have flown home a few days ago to make it in time for Christmas and the few that weren’t smart enough to do that, have resorted to some bar or a restaurant or something. 

In theory, I could do that too. The thing is, spending Christmas eve by myself in an airport restaurant, would just seal the deal for this being the most depressing and downright sad Christmas of my whole life. 

So I stay seated and lose myself in Holden Caulfield's delightful pretentiousness. 

They’re playing Christmas music from a nearby speaker. I wonder if they want to taunt me. Me and everyone else stuck in a fucking snowstorm on Christmas Eve in god damn Indianapolis. They even have a tree set up and where it should make people happy, it only makes me even more sad. I wanna be home with my family, decorating my own tree with all the weird and quirky ornaments we’ve collected over the years. They all come with their own stories and it fills my heart with bittersweet nostalgia.

I’ve never known what being homesick feels like until tonight.

Again my eyes move along the rows of plastic seats. There’s a man in a sharp suit a few rows down. He’s got neatly combed hair and a red tie and shiny shoes and a face that says “ My name is Michael and I don’t allow anyone to call me by a nickname and I have an important job and I drive an expensive car and I probably fuck my secretary. “ 

It’s not a face you particularly want to look at. Except maybe if you’re said secretary. 

A family of 3 sits by the end of the row. They seem — at peace. And for a moment I wish I could be them. I guess it’s different being stuck if you’re stuck with the people you love. 

It makes me bitter to think about it so I avert my eyes and let them travel down the other side of rows. Which turns out to be no better for my mental state because there’s a couple there and they do not seem to care that an airport terminal is not the ideal place for some serious tongue action.

Across from them sits a guy, he’s got a mean mullet. Strands and strands of golden curls. He’s wearing a leather jacket and big black boots and there’s a deep scowl permanently edged onto his face. If he’s aiming for the whole bad boy vibe, he’s really nailing it. 

I can see him shaking his head, as he too notices the couple getting awfully touchy, and I can’t suppress a laugh.

He notices and he looks at me and even across two whole rows of plastic seats I can see just how gorgeously blue his eyes are. 

He doesn’t laugh or smirk or does anything to give me any indication of his feelings. Maybe I’m grateful for it. Maybe I wish he would. It would be quite nice to make a connection with someone right now. Just to make being alone feel a little less lonely.

“ the snow's comin' down

(Christmas) I'm watchin' it fall

(Christmas) lots of people around

(Christmas) baby, please come home”

It’s quite ironic, really,that they would chose this damn song. Of all the Christmas songs in all of the world. 

Mullet boy seems to be a kindred spirit in this regard, I can see him sigh and murmur a “for fucks sake” into to collar of his jacket, as he sinks deeper into the chair.

“They’re singing deck the halls, but it’s not like Christmas at all. “ 

Yeah it really fucking isn’t. 

A smacking of lips catches my attention and I focus back on the couple just to witness the guy’s hand travel straight under the sweater of his girlfriend. It’s a sight I don’t particularly want to see. 

A sight that apparently makes my face screw up in aversion. And as it does, old blue eyes looks back at me and this time, I see a smirk. It vanishes as quickly as it appeared but I know for a fact that it was there. Maybe I don’t have to be all that lonely after all.

I close the bruised and battered orange book that, at this point, is hardly orange anymore, and place it in my backpack. If my life was a John Hughes movie or maybe any other romantic comedy, I’d get off my seat and walk over. There’d be some cheesy some playing in the background, maybe by the Smiths. I would throw him a smile and he’d look at me, an angel’s choir singing wonderous melodies. And tonight would change both our lives forever.

Alas my life is not a movie that Morrissey wrote any songs about. I am a coward and my heart already lies in several little pieces at my feet. So I don’t walk over just like that with no idea what to say, no incentive.

Instead I grab my backpack and walk past him, down a long corridor and end up at a vending machine that sells both, coffee and soup and I secretly pray that they don't come from the same jet. 

The last coffee I had, I think as the warm liquid fills the paper cup, I bought at the little cart by Kelvin’s dorm room. It was a good coffee, had Hazelnut sirup in it. I remember the warmth of it in my hand. I remember the taste on my tongue. I vividly remember the sound of the cup hitting the floor and the stains on my pants and the feeling of my heart as it broke in two.

I don’t want to remember that though, so I will myself to ignore it. To push the thoughts away. I fill the second cup, grab it, put lids on them and then carry them back towards the row of seats.

Mullet boy doesn’t as much as glance at me as I drop down in the seat next to him. Only shows me that he notices me as I hold one of the coffee cups out to him.

“ Sorry it’s not booze. I know that would make looking at these two a little more entertaining. “ 

For a second he just looks at me in confusion, contemplates whether or not to trust me. In the end he takes the drink so I take that for a good sign.

“ Thanks. “ 

His voice is deep and raspy and I really really like the way it sounds. 

“ I wonder if they even realize there’s other people around “ I say, watching the dude’s hand travel down the girls back, as they dreamily blink at each other like the main characters on a romance novel. Maybe those two get the romance and the the Smith song in the background. Maybe I’m just a sad side character in their story.

Mullet boy scoffs, takes a sip of coffee then speaks up. “ Don’t even think they’d notice if we joined in “.

He smirks at that. There’s an absolute underappreciation for people who laugh at their own jokes. I think it’s charming, endearing even. If you can’t laugh at your own joke, how do you expect anyone else to do it.

“ Least they’re not alone on Christmas fucking eve “ 

I don’t know why I say it. I don’t necessarily want to share my sob story. Sometimes my words just move faster than my head does.

“ Christmas is overrated anyway “ blue eyes says and shrugs his shoulders in a way that’s supposed to look casual. Only you can’t say shit like “Christmas is overrated” and be casual about it. There’s always more to a statement like that.

“ You think ? “ 

“ I know. “

“ How come ? “ 

He turns to face me and raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow. It’s like he’s straight from the cover of one of my mom’s romance novels. I think it’s quite unfair that he gets to look like this on a day like today and I — I look just the way I feel. Sad. Exhausted. 

“ It’s none of your business. “ 

“ Oh geez, and here I was thinking we were bonding over our shared distaste for PDA. Guess not. “ 

“ You guessed right. “ 

For a moment, we fall into silence as another song plays over the stereo that has entirely too many obnoxious jingle bells in the backing track. For a moment I feel very lonely again.

It’s then, that the universe seems to have pity on me. It sends me a sign. A gift. A little Christmas miracle if you will.

That comes in the form of the couple getting more touchy, more — obnoxious. So obnoxious that the girl leans back, presumably to lay on the seats, only that’s not what happens. It seems to happen in slow motion when really it’s probably only the blink of an eye. She leans back and back and back and suddenly tumbles off the seats and onto the cold linoleum floor, her mister holding onto her so tightly, he falls right down with her.

My mama always told me not to laugh at other people’s misfortune. But at 18 years of age, I feel it’s time to break some rules my mama set. And this is one of them.

I can’t help it. I laugh. It comes from the deepest corner of my belly and fills my entire being. Then I catch those gorgeous blue eyes looking at my and I notice he’s laughing too. A hearty laugh. I think it’s a good one. No halfway laugh. No bullshitting. It’s a proper laugh and, as we lock eyes, our laughter only seems to increase.

The magic bubble that, until now, has surrounded the couple, seems to have been popped. It’s vanished. For them at least. Because as our laughter rings in unison, a proper harmony of joy, I feel like maybe me and mullet boy have been given a tiny spark of magic ourselves.

“ I’m (Y/N), by the way “ I say, trying to hold in more chuckles.

“ Billy ” 

“ No no, you got it all wrong. His name is Michael and he’s on a business trip that he tells his wife he couldn’t postpone but actually he just wanted to get away from his family for the holidays. “ 

“ Michael ? nah. This dude’s not a Michael. “ 

“ So what’s his name then, Billy ? “ 

He thinks for a moment, face scrunched up in a way that is absolutely adorable. It makes him look way younger than he probably is. Very boy-ish. Very cute.

“ Edward “

“ Edward ? “ 

“ Yes. Look at him, he looks so boring. And can you think of a more boring name than fucking Edward ? “ 

I have to admit, he has a point. So I shrug and nod. “ You have a point. “ 

The little family from earlier, passes us and, as the mom glances towards us, her eye linger on Billy just a moment too long for it to be accidental. And he notices, the cocky bastard. He notices and revels in it, letting the corner of his lips lift up in a teasing smirk.

“ What the fuck was that ? “ I asked, flattened by the sheer audacity for both of them.

“ I got that effect on women of all ages. “ 

“ Wow, your ego is really tiny, huh. “ 

When he looks at me, grin widening and eye filling with mischief, I know I just said the wrong thing. I set myself up with this one, I admit that.

“ That’s the only thing tiny about me. “ 

“ Aaaand that’s my cue to leave. “ I pull myself halfway out of my seat when his arm shoots out and his hand grabs onto mine. The mischief in his eyes in gone, completely replaced by a pure and unfiltered honesty.

“ Stay. Please. “ 

I sink back down and we fall into a silence. He knows that I saw it in his eyes, the fear of being left alone and I know that he knows and so we’re stuck in this weird limbo of whether to ignore it or spill our sorrows to one another. And maybe it’s because today is Christmas and on Christmas you tell the truth, even if it to a stranger at an airport, but he suddenly breaks the silence and starts talking.

“ I don’t wanna be alone. “ 

“ Yeah me neither. “ 

“ I uh — I was supposed to be in California, to visit my mom over Christmas. I haven’t seen her in — in years. This was supposed to be our first Christmas together since I was 8. I called her earlier, from the payphone. I thought she might be devastated. She’s not. I don’t think she cares very much if I’m there or not. I’m still debating whether or not I wanna get on the plane if it ever goes. “ 

“ I came to visit my boyfriend for Christmas. Surprise him, you know. He’s going to college here in Indiana. We’re both from California and we haven’t seen each other since the summer. I thought It was the ultimate proof of my love to him. Well — turns out he’s been fucking his way around campus while I’ve been busy making plans on how to rearrange my life and all my dreams, to come study with him in Indiana after I graduate High School. “

Another silence fills our hearts but this one isn’t thick with anticipation and tension. It’s one that settles deep in our bones as we realize, that sometimes there’s comfort in shared misery. 

“ Merry fucking Christmas to us. “ Billy murmures.

“ Do you wanna go see if we can get a drink at the bar ? “

“ That’s the best idea I’ve heard in a while. “ 

“ I can not believe your fake ID says you’re name’s Ricky Hardman. “ 

“ If you’re mocking me I can just drink this myself, you know. “ 

“ Oh come on. It’s just — that sounds like such a porn name. “ 

“ So what. “ 

I have to snort at his complete lack of self reflection. He knows I’m right but he’s so stubborn. Again I find myself thinking it’s endearing rather than annoying.

To come back to a statement I made earlier, I also think we don’t appreciate the people enough, that make us snort-laugh. Is it a bit embarrassing and cringy? Sure but it’s a laugh either way and I don’t think we should ever take that for granted.

“ Put the cups down so I can spice it up a little bit “ Billy instructs me and I do as he says. This is probably our 4th refill of coffee for the night, my mom would have a go at me for all the caffeine but whatever.

Billy opens the bottle of booze he just purchased at the airport store and pour us both a decent amount into our coffees. Might as well have our own little Christmas celebration if we’re stuck here with nothing else to do.

Cups clutched in our hands we roam around the airport, cheeks warming up from the alcohol. I feel more at peace now and yet my heart is ever as heavy with the longing to be home. 

A sign directs us towards the visitors terrace where families usually gather to watch the planes take off and land. It’s deserted now but that’s not really a surprise. It’s cold, it’s snowing and there’s no flights going anyway. It’s just a dark, snowy night and a lonely runway illuminated by small lights that, if you believe hard enough, almost look like fairy lights in the distance.

“ I know it looks pretty, “ I say as I lean against the banister of the terrace “ but I really don’t find snow all that great.” 

“ I fucking sucks, “ Billy replies. “ It’s cold and wet and turns into gray slosh in the matter of a few minutes. “ 

“ I always dreamed of a white Christmas, now I can’t wait to never see snow again. “ 

“ Me too. I hate it. Snow. Indiana. At least you get to stay in California once you make it there. I have to wait until graduation to finally move back home. “ 

I don’t want to pry, I really don’t but there’s something about him that intrigues me. Everything he says and does in scrowded in some kind of mystery. Some hidden meaning in all of it. 

The way he looks and the way his words hold a certain softness to them, is a whole enigma in itself.

“ You wanna come back to Cali ? “ 

“ Fuck yes. I can’t stay here longer than I need to. I miss the sun and the beach and — my home. “ 

“ Oh god yes, the beach. “ 

“ See, and you wanted to give up on all of that for a guy called Kelvin. “ 

“ I — he’s nice.” 

“ Oh I’m sure he is. And secure and smart. “ 

“ He is. We’ve been together since my sophomore year in Highschool. He was my first — everything. He studies business and is gonna take over his dad’s company one day. “ 

Billy blows a raspberry before turning to me with his perfect eyebrow raised in mockery. 

“ That is so dull. “

“ It’s not “ 

 “ But it is ! Tell me honestly, do you really love this guy or is it just — comfortable. Being with him ? “ 

And once again, something that I’ve considered so many times in my life, suddenly affects me in a completely different way than I am used to. I understand all of a sudden. 

I get it.

“ I mean, maybe you have a point. What makes you the relationship expert though ? “ 

“ Nothing. I’m not saying I am. But I know I never plan on spending my whole life with someone because I am comfortable with them. It’s your goddamn life, you should live it for yourself. “ 

It hits me light a freight train. Straight in the heart. He’s right. Whether I want to admit it or not, Billy is right. I don’t let him know that though, it’s hard enough admitting it to myself. I think he knows anyway, by the way I look at him. By the way he looks at me. 

“ Have you decided whether or not you wanna get on the flight ? “ I ask. It’s still not my place to ask those questions but it feels like something has shifted between us. Like tonight is ours entirely. A night of truths. Of heart opened and unguarded.

“ The alternative is spending Christmas with my dad and his wife and my stepsister. “ 

“ Sounds alright to me. “ 

“ Yeah, only my dad is the biggest asshole on the planet. He’s not a nice guy. His wife is a fucking nutcase, obeying his every will. She has the backbone of a jellyfish. And Max — Max hates me. That one’s my fault though. “ 

I want to hug him. It’s a strong urge that overcomes me. A sudden rush. His words are soft and sad and frustrated and I can see in his eyes just how much this hurts him. And god, it’s Christmas Eve. I just want to make him feel a little less alone.

So I do. I hug him, rest my head on his shoulder and together we look at the snow falling around us, covering the world in a thick white frosty blanket. 

“ I’m sorry about that. Just so you know though, I’m glad we’re stuck here together. “ 

“ Well yeah, I’m hot and fun and I have great hair. “ 

“ Oh there we go again with the ego. “ I laugh. He makes me me laugh. Like genuinely laugh. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this around Kelvin.

“ What’s that book you’ve been reading. “ Billy asks as the laughter settles down again.

“ Catcher in the Rye. It’s one of my favorites. “ 

“ Uh-huh. What’s it about ?” 

“ This boy, Holden. He gets kicked out of prep school and runs of to New York City and yeah it basically chronicles his days in NYC. It’s about loss of innocence and isolation. “ 

“ Sounds absolutely — “ 

“ Wonderful “ 

“ Boring. “ 

Here’s the thing about interests and hobbies. They’re a very personal, very individual experience. They’re yours. And yes, maybe it’s nice to share your passions with another person who feels the same. But let’s be honest: It doesn’t really matter. I am not hurt by Billy’s disinterest. Not even by his mocking scoff. Because it in no way lessens my love for the book. The story it tells and the nostalgia it brings me.

It also doesn’t lessen the affection growing inside me, towards Billy. An affection that both scares and excites me at the same time. By all means, it is delusional to fall for a stranger at an airport, who doesn’t even live in the same state as me. Someone I’ve only spent a few hours with.

Then again, life is never a straight path. I used to think it was but after tonight, maybe I can let myself take some backroads. Take a road less traveled. See where it leads me and if it brings me to a dead end, turn around and try again.

Maybe sometimes it needs a boy with a leather jacket and gorgeous blue eyes, to make you realize that life can be so much more if you just let yourself live it.

“ Okay sure. What are your interests then ? I’m sure there’s something you like doing, something you care about. “ 

“ My car. “ 

“ That’s such a guy answer. “ 

“ Pff, whatever. “ 

“ What else ? “ 

He takes a moment to answer. Contemplates. Mulls his answer over in his head. There’s a vulnerability in his eyes I haven’t seen since he talked about his mom earlier tonight.

“ Music. “ 

“ Music ?” 

“ I really care about music. Not — not playing it but just music in itself. You can’t tell anyone this, okay ? It’s a bit ridiculous and It’s not really realistic, but I would love to work at a record label. Or maybe have my own music venue. To help discover bands and find new, awesome music. Whenever I’m sad or angry or frustrated, or even happy, there’s a specific songs for any emotion, any situation. I want everyone to be able to have that in their life. “ 

There’s something undeniably sexy about someone being passionate about something. He only just started but I could honestly listen to Billy talk about music for hours and hours and hours.

“ So who’s your favorite band then ? “ 

“ I’ll sound pretentious as fuck but my favorites are probably some local bands from my hometown in California. “ 

“ Maybe when you’re back home after graduation, you can take me to a gig. Show me some of those bands. “

My heart beats faster as I realize this is the first time either of us has mentioned there being a future. More than just one magical night at the airport. 

It slipped out but I’m glad it did. The idea of more nights together, more time spent listening to him talk about his music. Experiencing that music with him. It doesn’t scare me. In fact, it excites me so much.

“ Yeah. Sounds like a plan. “ 

“ A good plan. “

“ A great plan. “ 

I don’t know if he notices that I notice, but his hand drops to the small of my back, so gently it’s but a whisper of a touch. It warms me up more than our boozy coffee ever managed to.

Airports have a weird energy. A specific mood that transcends through every corner in every room. It’s loaded with the arrival of change. It might be good and exciting or it might be sad. But something is about to change and you can feel it sizzling in the air.

As I stand next to Billy in the softly falling snow, I know that the girl that arrived at the airport earlier today, heartbroken and without purpose, is not the same girl that’s gonna get on that flight home. Something has changed. I think I like this new girl better.

“ They’re singing deck the halls … “ 

“ Oh Jesus, what is it with this fucking song ? “ 

“ What, you don’t like it ? “ 

“ Do you ? “ 

“ Totally “ 

I don’t know what hits me. Maybe it’s the fact that the future is so awfully unknown. I don’t know if after tonight I will ever see Billy again. Or maybe because it’s Christmas. 

Or maybe because I’m a little drunk and half in love.

But I start to dance and sing along. With the snow falling down on me. Snowflakes dropping onto my hair and melting, leaving it wet and streaky. But it doesn’t matter right then. All that matter is the music and the night and him and I.

“ Come dance with me. “ 

“ I don’t dance. “ 

“ It’s Christmas Eve, Billy. It’s my Christmas wish. Come on. There’s no one around. “ 

Here’s some piece of advice from me to you: If you’ve never had a guy in a leather jacket and biker boots twirl you around while the snow is falling and Christmas songs play over the stereo, then you’re missing out.

Billy’s hand is warm, his smile is gentle. It’s all so vastly different from the way I felt when touching Kelvin. Everything that comes with Billy is an enigma, a surprise. Nothing is certain and yet I am sure that I’ve never felt more alive than I do right now.

The last chord of the song echoes through the night as Billy pulls me close to him, I can see his breath in the cold, accumulating in little clouds. I can feel his skin in mine. 

“ You’re gonna get on that flight, Billy Hargrove. “ I say, my voice but a sigh. A whisper

“ I’m gonna get on the flight. I’m gonna graduate and then come back to California. Permanently this time. I’ll find you and take you to all the underground clubs and show you all my favorite bands. And I’ll even listen to you talk about your books. “ 

“ Even if you think they’re boring. “ 

“ Uh-huh. “ 

“ Hey Billy. “ 

“ Hmm ? “

“ I think I wanna write a book. I think that’s what I want to do with my life. “ 

He’s so close now, our noses touching, our breaths touching, our lips touching. Warm and soft and gentle.

“ Write about us, so you don’t forget me. “ 

I kiss him then. Or he kisses me. I don’t know for sure but really what does it matter. In the grand scheme of things it’s irrelevant who initiated the kiss. It matters that it happened. And by god I will never be able to forget this kiss or the boy that gave it to me. 

“ Dear passengers, we are delighted to announce that the runway has been cleared. The sky is blue and free of any downfall. Flights will resume shortly. More information about departure times will be available shortly. Feel free to turn to our staff for guidance or additional information. 

“ Billy. Hey, Billy. “ I say, and shake him awake. He looks so peaceful and boyish while sleeping, it breaks my heart a little to interrupt his sleep. 

“ Hmm.. ? “ 

“ I think our flights are gonna go soon. Snow’s stopped. “ 

“ Oh. “

I don’t have to ask to know what he’s feeling. What he wants to say. “ Oh. this is it for us. “ 

We gather our stuff, stretch our limbs and get off the uncomfortable plastic seats. The board on the wall shows us that our flights go in just two hours. His to San Diego, mine to LA. 

Our time is numbered and we finally have an expiration date. My heart breaks once again though this time I try to hold onto the fact that we both want a future of whatever it is we’re sharing. Even if it’s just a friendship, I want Billy Hargrove in my life.

“ Hey uh — “ Billy speaks up and takes my hand in his “ let’s make a deal. “ 

“ What deal ? “ 

“ To see each other again. Maybe — maybe next Christmas Eve. “ 

“ Where ? “ 

“ I don’t know. Let me — let me come to you. “

“ Santa Monica pier. “ 

“ Okay sure. “ 

“ Cool. “ 

“ Cool. “ 

He kisses me again and this one too, will stay with me forever. In my heart and in my head.

“ Here I’ll give you my phone number. Call me if anything changes. If my dad answers just ignore his stupid comments “ He says, fumbles around in his backpack and come up with a pen and — a cassette tape ?!

“ Something to remember me by “ he points out as he scribbles his number onto the little slip of paper. “ Some of my favorite songs on there. “ 

“ If you give me something, let me give you something too. “ I say and pull out my old worn out copy of Catcher in the Rye, scribble a message on the first page, then hand it to him.

“ There’s a bunch of notes in the margins. I never got to share them with anyone, I’ll gladly share them with you. “ 

Then I kiss him. Again and again and again, until it’s all I can think about and all I can feel.

“ Flight 207 to LAX boarding now. “ 

And that is it for us, at least for now. The magic of last night is broken. It’s Christmas Eve gone, replaced by Christmas day. No snowstorm. No magic. Just the brutal truth that real life awaits.

So we part. With more kisses and a promise.

“ Until next Christmas. “ 

The plane is already high up in the air when Billy Hargrove pulls the book from his pocket. It’s old and worn out and what looks like it used to be orange once upon a time is now a washed out beige.

He opens it up to the first page and can’t suppress a smile. A real one. Not one of those he fakes for his dad and susann. A real smile that reaches his eyes. One he feels in his heart.

“ Meet me at the Merry-Go-Round! “ 

His heart soars as he thinks about next year. A future that suddenly looks much brighter than ever before. 

There’s a lot of notes and scribbles and highlighted sentences. He skims through it until one passage catches his attention.

“ Make sure you marry someone who laughs at the same things you do. “ 

And so he thinks back to the overly touchy couple and their magnificent tumble from the plastic seats. And he remembers her laugh and his ringing up in unison.

He understands. That Holden guy has a point. Maybe it’s worth reading the book after all.

A year later.

I’m rushing through the crowd of people, a vibrant clementine sky the backdrop for my misery. God, why can I never be on time.

My heart hammers in my chest. Please don’t leave. Please don’t leave.

His eyes meet mine across the way as he leans against the banister by the Merry-Go-Round and I feel like I am back at the airport. The magic is back.

“ Sorry I am late. I am so so sorry.  “  I say and can’t help myself but pull him into a kiss. One filled with passion and longing and a promise kept.

“ Ah If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she’s late. “ He replies.

“ You read the book. “ 

“ I read the book and all your notes. “ 

“ That’s good, I uh — have something else for you to read. “ 

It’s a bundle of papers, no cover art or fancy pictures on the front page. All it says in big bold letters is “ A white Christmas - a story of girl meets boy. “ I hand it to Billy and he looks at me in confusion.

“What’s that ? “ 

“ That’s the first draft of my book. “ 

“ You wrote it! “ 

“ You believed I could so I did. “ 

“ What’s it about ? “

“ Oh you know, just a girl and a boy and a magical night at the airport. Lots of snow. Lots of kissing. Little bit of magic. “ 

“ Can’t wait to read it. So, you wanna go see a band ? “ 

“ They any good ? “ 

“ Pretty fucking good!” 

Darlene Love’s voice echoes through the stereo and for the first time I have to disagree. This feels like Christmas more than any moment before ever did.

And my baby is finally home.

 Taglist; [I copied this from @mattysheelies​ and just added a few new ones, if you wanna be added or deleted from the taglist please let me know]

@sebastiansloserclub ; @killer-queen-xo ; @william-hargroves ; @billysgodcomplex ; @daisyxbuckley ; @allabouthargrove ; @mcrmarvelloki ; @charmed-asylum ; @1998--js ; @naiomiwinchester​ ; @hargrovesprincess​ ; @mystrangerfics​ ; @teafrompari​ ; @staybruuutal​ ; @colourado​ ; @higher-further-faster-bb​ ; @ayybtch​ ; @carlaangel86​ ; @baebee35​

[rosezure]

Songbird 4 - We’re All Suspects

Songbird Chapter 4

A/N: I wanted to try something out with the points of view in this part. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the BNHA/MHA universe, nor its characters. This work is intended for entertainment purposes only. My own characters are, however, of my creation.

Content warning: nudity, mentions of pain, mentions of violence. Please,  let me know if I’ve forgotten anything!

Summary | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Winter in Japan was much colder than in Pindorama. Everything was covered in white, and snow fell every other day. Asa was enchanted. The coldest she'd felt was when she escorted Queen Yeba to the Andes for a secret meeting among allies. 

Now, Asa lived in a traditional Japanese home currently covered in snow. Her very own little winter wonderland. The house was quite large, having many rooms and accommodations. Her favorite part was the forest that surrounded it. Though the hot springs in her backyard were a strong second.

Asa had been delighted when she learned of the house's possession of one. In Pindorama, there was something similar: Houses at the foot of the Great Peak Mountain often had small lakes in their backyards. The waters were cold, but they were known for being refreshing to those that traveled through the dense humid Amazon jungle. 

Perhaps it could be her absolute favorite place right now.

Asa sat in the hot springs, as naked as the day she was born. Crystal-like snowflakes fell from the heavens as she leaned back with her mouth open to catch them. She giggled at the contrast of temperatures in her mouth.

"Madam," The housekeeper, Mrs. Ito, walked out of the house. Her beautiful smile flashed as she bowed.

"Mrs. Ito, please," Asa blushed, "Call me Asa, I insist!" She submerged, leaving her nose and up above the surface.

"Right, Asa," She older woman smiled, "The headmaster and some teachers have arrived for dinner," Mrs. Ito clapped excitedly.

"Splendid!" Asa rose from the hot water and beamed, "Please, tell them to come to enjoy the hot springs!" She asked, already moving around and making sure everything looked presentable.

"Right away, Asa! I'll provide them with the robes and slippers," Mrs. Ito bowed again and disappeared into the house.

"This will be a fine opportunity to assess how pro-commission these coworkers of mine are," Asa mumbled to herself as she retied her hair in place. 

The guests arrived: a small animal-like man, a tall dark-haired man, an elderly woman, and two blonde men. Beaming, Asa greeted them and invited them in. They shed their towels or robes and entered the spacey private onsen.

The guests introduced themselves, bowing their heads slightly.

Keigo had been warry of the invitation sent by the newcomer. She had her own house near the campus, and it was apparently luxurious. He didn't want to meet the ice queen Aizawa had described, much less some spoiled royal brat.

But even he had to admit the house was gorgeous. The residential complex was styled after the Edo Period, akin to high-ranked samurai living quarters. And at the very back, there was a private onsen where "Asa" was waiting for them.

To say Keigo was surprised at the foreigner's invite was an understatement. But he was beyond blown away by the beauty of the onsen in her backyard. The hot spring was surrounded by boulders of all shapes and sizes. Smaller stones formed a pathway to the spring, and it was decorated with all sorts of plants on either side. In the far left corner of the spring was a beautiful fountain cascading down into the steaming waters. 

Asa waved them over. Keigo felt himself blush as he almost stumbled when he saw her: She was breathtaking. Her dark hair was in a tight bun, leaving her features visible. Her copper skin contrasted ethereally with her icy blue eyes. Sadly, her wings weren't out, and Keigo felt himself kind of wishing they were. 

"Welcome!" Asa's accent as she spoke Japanese was only slightly noticeable. She smiled elegantly, inviting them in.

"Hello, miss Asa," Nezu greeted in English. He offered his hand, or paw, for her to shake. She took it gracefully. Keigo noticed her movements were reminiscent of a ballerina. But to him, it just meant she was probably deadlier than she looked. 

"I am Nezu, headmaster of UA High. These are my coworkers Shota Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, Chiyo Shuzenji, and Keigo," Nezu pointed to each one of them. Asa nodded in understanding.

"It is customary here to address new acquaintances by their family name, correct?" She asked in Japanese, tilting her head.

"Quite right, miss Asa," Nezu nodded, almost dropping the towel on his head, "But you can call me Nezu." He was grateful she understood and spoke Japanese. Using his limited English would have made communicating hard. 

"If it is alright with you, sir," Asa offered a polite smile, "I'd rather call you Headmaster or sir," her tone was respectful, and her smile never wavered.

"Of course!" Nezu laughed lightly, "Whatever makes you comfortable." Asa nodded, then turned to Keigo and the others.

"Thank you for welcoming me into your school. I hope we can work well together and prepare great champions." Asa bowed her head at the end of her mini-speech.

"You are adorable, miss Asa!" Recovery Girl got closer to the woman and squeezed her cheeks. "You'll make a fine addition to our team." She patted Asa on the shoulder.

"Thank you very much!" Asa grinned widely, giggling quietly. Her smiles and words seemed genuine enough, but Keigo felt flustered for some reason. It was like something about Asa that he couldn't quite grasp, yet it made him uncomfortable.

"Mr. Aizawa, Mr. Yamada, Mr. Keigo, thank you for coming. I understand it must be strange to have a foreign coworker joining under these circumstances. I'll try my best to help in any way I can." She bowed once again.

Keigo was irked. She was too polite. Too smiley. Too nice. There had to be something wrong with her. Something she was hiding. And Keigo was going to find out what it was. 

"I assure you my mission is to work with you and for you," Asa declared, interrupting Keigo's thoughts. He looked up to see her staring straight at him. 

"Uh, right. Good." He nodded stiffly. Maybe his scowling wasn't as subtle as he thought it was.

The conversation continued to flow amongst them, but Keigo tried his best to stay out of it. After a few more minutes, Mrs. Ito called them for dinner. 

The dining room was beautiful. The dark wooden walls and tiles contrasted gracefully with the lighter-colored furniture. The food was laid out on a table in the center of the room. Soon, everyone had taken a seat on flowery-patterned cushions on the floor.

Dinner flew by with more chit-chatting and laughs. Asa was a natural diplomat: Everything she said and did was deliberate, showing her guests how much she valued their company. Even Aizawa seemed to be more at ease than usual, and Hizashi laughed delightedly at Asa's stories. Nezu and Recovery Girl were reminiscing, telling her about childhood memories attached to the dishes she had prepared. 

After they all finished eating, Asa took them to walk around the garden. It was kept safe from the harsh winter by a glass covering and its own heating system.

"Some of these species come from Pindorama. I had some sent over since they're used in some of our religious rituals and for healing." Asa walked ahead of them, explaining what each plant was and how it's used.

"Ah, I'm sorry! This is probably boring," She laughed lightly, her eyes turning to half-moons. Keigo felt himself blush. 

"Not at all," He blurted out. This was the first time he'd actually spoken. The others turned to look at him in astonishment. Keigo cleared his throat.

"Oh, thank you," Her smile seemed softer this time. 

Shortly after the walk in the garden, Asa sensed it was probably time to see her guests off. Recovery Girl was getting too cold, and Aizawa's state was worsening.

"What if I helped with that a bit?" Asa offered, seeing Aizawa's pained expression. 

Hesitantly, Aizawa nodded. Asa carefully removed the long coat she had worn over her clothes for the short trek. Carefully, she helped Aizawa onto a bench between two tall trees. She knelt beside him on the ground and gingerly placed her hand over his recovering leg.

"I'm not sure if you'll feel any side effects," She frowned, "So, please tell me if it's too much," She took a deep breath.

Soon, a strange aura began encircling them. Keigo watched in amazement as her wings ripped through her clothes. It tore through the layers she wore, exposing her back to the cold air. 

Asa's lips moved, but no sound came out. Yet, all of them felt a strange feeling of comfort. The air suddenly became warmer. Aizawa's leg seemed to be glowing, causing the man's eyes to widen.

The young woman stood up, removing her hand from his leg. She stood up and sighed.

"I hope that helps a little," Asa offered Aizawa a hand. He took it and stood up, his leg feeling more stable than before.

"It does," Aizawa smiled to everyone's surprise, "Thank you, Asa!" 

"It was my pleasure, Mr. Aizawa," She bowed slightly.

They left after that, bidding her cheerful goodbyes and promising to see her at work soon.

Keigo couldn't sleep that night. He'd never been so impressed by someone's quirk. His first reaction had always been to analyze and determine if they presented a threat to him or not. Yet, now, every time he closed his eyes to try and sleep, he'd picture her wings, those gorgeous, majestic, white wings. Hell, he still felt the aftershocks of her quirk. It didn't just heal Aizawa's pain; it felt like it was healing his own soul and-

Wait a minute.

Her quirk was a healing quirk. It healed wounds, cuts, bruises, pain. Not feelings or emotions. Or did it? 

Keigo stood up from his bed, running to his desk to go over the files he'd received on Asa. They contained classified information about her quirk's history, which the queen herself had. How he got them wasn't relevant. Keigo was sure they never mentioned any other form of healing in the description. But maybe, just maybe, he'd missed it in the report.

Asa of Pindorama's Quirk Description

Type: Healing.

Pros and cons: Can heal open and scarred wounds, bones, muscles, veins, etc. The subject's wings are exposed every time the quirk is activated, which can cause unwanted attention. 

How: Classified. 

Keigo read through every little detail. He skimmed every page and every folder, taking notes of the information he read. But, he found nothing about the strange feeling of comfort and warmness she'd made the others feel. 

Could it be a side effect? If so, why wasn't it included in the files?

What was Asa of Pindorama hiding behind those icy blue eyes?

One thing was certain: She wasn't just a simple healer.

In the onsen, Keigo noticed that her body was littered with scars. Some were too big to have been accidents or minor injuries. It was almost like her skin held war stories from how marked it was. Could it be she was tortured? Or maybe she was a soldier or spy of some sort. That seemed to match his theory more.

If Asa was really the enemy, then she'd have to be an excellent spy to have infiltrated the system. She even got a recommendation letter from the queen herself! What more proof was there that she wasn't a mere healer?

The ex-pro hero wrote down all of his observations. He wrote about the scars, the callouses on her hands, the polished manners that were almost too perfect, and every other information he thought was relevant. He wrote on an old notebook he had lying around his new room.

Follow the events of March, Keigo sold his old house and bought a smaller apartment. After he was hired by Nezu, he sold that apartment and settled for an even smaller one near UA High. But he still had most of his belongings; they were just piling up in random corners around his apartment. 

Maybe he needed to focus on cleaning his place. 

Yeah. Keigo was going to clean up and donate as many things as he could. Then, and only then, would he start focusing on his new "mission": Expose Asa of Pindorama as an enemy spy.

Asa sighed in relief once they were out of sight. Healing Aizawa's leg took a toll on her. She had meant to lessen the pain only, but she ended up using too much power and fully healed it. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice it soon. Asa wasn't sure how she would explain not being able to control her quirk. 

She helped Mrs. Ito clear the dining room and wash the dishes. After that, she went straight back to the onsen. Asa let her body practically melt into the hot water, feeling her tensed muscles relax. Asa had heard of the healing properties of onsens. She'd openly admit to having felt ten times better after spending time immersed in the hot springs. Yet, she couldn't help but replaying the evening. 

Hours later, Asa was still submerged in the hot waters of the onsen. Something was off about Headmaster Nezu and Keigo. And she would get to the bottom of it.

The way Keigo seemed overly suspicious and cautious bothered Asa. Sure, she knew they wouldn't all warm up instantly to her. Keigo, however, seemed wearier than the rest. Asa couldn't have one of them suspecting her true intentions already. No, she'd have to deal with him personally. 

From what she could gather on intel and data, Keigo was formerly known as the Winged Hero, Hawks. Whatever happened all those months ago made him retire. Of course, he wasn't the only one, but he was the youngest of the newly retired heroes. 

Yet, what made him stand out to Asa was his affiliations. Keigo had been brought up by the HPSC. He was taken in by them when his father was caught by Endeavor. Keigo's mother was in no state to take care of him, so the organization took it upon themselves to raise Keigo Takami. 

Asa believed his connection to the agency could be dangerous to the mission. She'd have Keigo watched, just in case.

Nezu was a whole different story. He was intelligent, clearly a capable teacher and headmaster. But Asa's instincts screamed the minute he entered her home. If she hadn't controlled herself, his head would've rolled right then and there. 

Asa lifted her wet hands to her temples, massaging them lightly. She groaned in annoyance.

This was becoming unnecessarily complicated. 

[starlight-ascension]

Top five Curepuz cards based on pictures alone, not abilities

ok, we all know I’m gonna rave for hours about the dress up collection now. 

5. Honoka’s white chocolate dress. Her hairstyle looks like it took ages, that’s impressive! There’s also the roses- I counted 17 visible ones, and since that didn’t include her other earring or the back of the dress or anything under the overskirt, she has over TWENTY total roses on her dress! To say nothing of the huge ribbon things on her skirt that make her look like Belle, except Belle’s outfit isn’t nearly as fabulous as this. Honoka’s got golden pearls and the top layer of her skirt reminds me of part of the Sophie Era Evergirl Uniform from the Ever Never Handbook. Not to mention the skirt trim and the part over the cream roses, which looks like frosting and chocolate drizzle and manages to make it look good. You can really tell that Nagisa and Honoka’s 5-stars are meant to be dark chocolate and white chocolate. Look at the parallels with their dresses, too: the identical roses and flowers, the golden pearls, the black lace wrap thing, the web-like piece, the light fabric with the X pattern. And don’t forget the backdrop Honoka has. The fountain, the colourful fairy lights, the starry night sky. All those lights remind me of the Aurora Winter Festival that I go to each year. And the fountain is definitely magical in some way. 

4. Hibiki’s piano key dress. Those gloves! The ribbons on her shoes, and the little note clips! The sash with the white edge that looks not quite pearls, not quite ruffles, and with the massive bow at the back with the lace edge and musical note print! An example of how to do prints and patterns right. Same with the hair bows and that skirt, with all the ruffles and lace. Speaking of ruffles, that is one of my favourite sleeve styles out there. And the treble clef earrings, whoa! But the best part is probably the freaking PIANO KEY pattern on her skirt in a dozen shades of pink. What better way to communicate “musical princess”? Don’t forget the background: the rainbow notes in the air, the flowers, the sunny sky and the lake, the CASTLE!! Is she a pop star or a princess? She’s both. She looks like the princess of a magical kingdom, a princess who’s renowned for her singing off the balcony until she wound up putting on shows at royalty events. And what better way to show it off than a dress that combines the best parts of pop star outfits and princess outfits? 

3. Miyuki’s flower fairy dress. There’s just something so magical about seeing a girl sitting in a giant flower, surrounded by butterflies and sunshine. (eat your heart out, Cure Felice.) Miyuki looks just like a fairy even without the flowers and storybook, what with the skirt and off-the-shoulder sleeves all made of dozens of flower petals, the huge butterfly over the little flower-shaped gem on her dress, the matching flower belt and necklace and hair accessories, OH GOD THOSE HAIR ACCESSORIES. Several kinds of flowers, accented with golden ribbons that match the gold pearls in the flowers. Not to mention that she’s LITERALLY GLOWING! Look closely at the 5-star, she’s surrounded by glow! It’s like she took the best parts of Blossom, Felice, and Dream, combined them, and dialed them up so much that those 3 look weak. All hail the queen of the fairies! 

2. Miki’s sea goddess outfit. I can feel the beach air, smell the saltwater, and hear the sound of crashing waves just by looking at her. The way her dress and hair blow in the wind! The lace skirt! The top part that looks like a massive seashell! The golden pearl sleeves and necklace, that pearl belt with the sea star! Don’t forget the back bow that makes her look as if Princess Serenity turned into a siren enchantress. And her HAIR! The pearls, roses, stars, braids, I can’t handle how gorgeous she is, I’d compare her to a mermaid but no mermaid could ever match up. Miki is the goddess of the oceans, the enchantress queen who has arisen from the water for a stroll across the beach. And she’s got me under her spell. 

1. Yukari’s princess attire. LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS!!!!! The roses, the pearls, the ruffles and flounces, the flower petals sprinkled on her skirt, the lace! It’s so perfect for her, and it goes amazingly well with Akira’s prince outfit! Not to mention that she’s in an enchanted forest with a palace! This is hands-down the best background for any card in the game. The dozens of glowing floating stars, the white trees that look like they’re made of frosted crystal, the night sky with hundreds of stars, the glowing white palace that looks right out of a Disney princess movie... And, oh yeah, Yukari is also LITERALLY GLOWING. Just like Miyuki, only even more noticeable, she’s surrounded by the heavenly glow of magic. She is the truest legacy princess. I’m just picturing Yukari and Akira in their 5-stars dancing the night away while floating on a trail of glowing stars over the enchanted forest, singing a romantic duet as they get sprinkled with stardust and all the animals of the forest turn to look at the sight. 

Honourable mention goes to: 

-Akane’s 5-star for its rainbow-and-flower backdrop, the fact that it’s basically made of ruffles, and AKANE WITH HER HAIR DOWN AKANE WITH HER HAIR DOWN

-Setsuna’s black-and-red gothic lace dress, where she’s lounging on the fancy chaise among hundreds of red roses, complete with plush carpet and fancy wallpaper. Also, look closely at her shoes- the red bottoms. Setsuna is wearing Louboutins! Holy crap, where did she manage to get the money to afford that? 

-Kurumi’s dress with the roses and the FUR WRAP. The dress is amazing, especially with the mink, but it’s the backdrop that’s the best part. Girl in a princess gown at night standing on a fancy gazebo surrounded by blue roses, string lights, and flower petals! And how the entire town is her backdrop, with the snow on roofs and warm gold glow from inside the houses. It’s just so pretty... 

-Aoi’s concert outfit because it’s just so cool. Seeing any precure in a lot of black and working it is pretty cool, but it’s made even cooler with the gold lame and the stars. But the best part is that layered part at the back that looks like a starry night sky. She is the galaxy! Also, the FISHNETS. THE FREAKING FISHNETS

-Yuri’s 5-star because it inspired a fanfic. Rare is the dress that inspires people to write stories. 

-any dress up collection outfit that includes a tiara. As if these outfits don’t scream “PRINCESS” enough already. 

[everly-kindred]

Everly’s Diary - Entry #38

Synopsis: Eve details the festivities of the past few weeks - the Winter Fete, her birthday, the Yule Ball, and the return home!

Words: 1,881

Date: 17th of December, 2026

Dear Diary, 

Can you believe it's already been a year since I first started writing these? I know I can't! So much has happened since then, it almost feels like a year is too long and yet also not long enough! 

I'm writing this from my bed. Ruby is sound asleep in the other room. I hope he’s comfortable, I worry that the space is too small for him. 

I haven’t really had much time to write. I know I say that a lot, but it’s true… And when I do have time, I feel too exhausted, like I’ve run out of… spell slots or something. So I know it’s been awhile and I have a lot to catch you up on, but not to fear! I’ve been keeping a list of the things that have happened since my last entry! 

So, I found out that on the first of December, the keeper of keys brings Christmas trees into the Great Hall, and we watch them all get lit up once decorations are done. That day was also the day of the fete that the prefects threw for everyone. 

It was so stunning to see the Great Hall filled with that light from the Christmas trees. Honestly, Christmas trees give off the best lighting, and I have no idea why we don’t just keep them all year ‘round. I guess that’s what faerie lights are for, and I’m quite fond of those, but anyways...

The prefect’s fete was absolutely brilliant! They had completely transformed the long gallery and filled it with booths and activities and snacks… Elaine, an older Hufflepuff girl, convinced me to do this kissing booth thing with that Slytherin Prefect, Persephone Vitrac. Basically she waits under the mistletoe for anyone who dares approach her for a kiss on the cheek. Elaine claimed it’d be my first kiss, but I don’t think it counts! I mean… I got all flustered after and ended up running face first into a pile of snow that was being used for snowball fights, but still! I mean, maybe it counts… Doesn’t it only count if it’s mutual? Is it a real kiss?

Anyways, yes, I got my ‘first kiss’ from a werewolf girl who is actually very nice thank you very much, I still remember when she helped me and Bonnie with making that laughing potion which I thankfully haven’t had to use. The boggart is still running around apparently but I’ve managed to avoid it. But anyways, back to the kiss! I was so nervous at first, but Elaine assured me that it’s fine and that Persephone wouldn’t hurt me and whatnot. I feel like I should learn more about werewolves because of it, honestly, and I’ve made a note to ask Vikander or Lane about them, later. 

Like I had mentioned, there was also snowball fights, ice skating, and Vikander was up on a chair dressed as Santa, taking everyone’s Christmas wishes! I’d write what my wish was, but I don’t think… I mean, you are only a diary after all, but isn’t it bad to say what you wished for? Well, it’s not like it could really happen anyways. Alright, so I wished that I could be a faerie, just once. Shrink down to six inches tall with pretty wings on my back! Fly around, sleep in flowers, that kind of thing. Oh, and also for my very own broom for quidditch, though first years can’t really have that. And love and joy for all my friends and family, of course. 

And then there was what was probably my favourite part of the evening, which was the sleigh ride. It was so… magical, romantic, exhilarating, dreamy… Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. We all got into this sleigh and flew around the castle in the night! It was perfectly fantastical! I don’t think I have the proper words to describe it, though I tried, I’m just… Not sure if it is something you can put into words, truly. I do think it caused me to get a bit of a cold, though, because I was sick for a couple of days after, until the matrons in the hospital wing fixed me up with some pepper-up potion. 

I believe it was the next day that we Hufflepuffs had our meeting, and we all went out to Dracheblume’s hut and had a snowball fight! I tried to hide in the pumpkins, and was able to hit Elaine and Roisin a few times, and I even climbed up on the roof, but Elaine pulled me down by summoning my cloak. I landed in a snowbank, though, so I didn’t hurt anything! 

End of term exams started for the last week of school, and when I wasn’t studying for those or practicing quidditch, I was writing and drawing Maxine. I can’t tell if I wish she existed and was really my friend, or if I simply wish I was her… She helps me when I feel lonely, which has been often, lately. I feel like there’s an awkwardness between me and my friends, and perhaps it’s because I’ve been hiding so much in my dorm that I don’t see them anymore. I hope I’ll have more time to see them over break and in the next term. 

A weird thing that happened was that two Slytherins apparently burnt up one of the Christmas trees. The Ravenclaw one, I think. It was even written about in the Owl Post. I don’t know if they got punished for it or not, though. I hope the Ravenclaws got a replacement tree! 

The Slytherins also had their first quidditch game, against Gryffindor. But apparently there was an issue with the snitch or something, so even though Gryffindor caught the snitch first, it’s being investigated? I’m not really sure what happened with that. 

The full moon happened recently, too. On the 12th, I think. The castle was locked up at 3 p.m. and professors and prefects were set to patrol, which I found both scary and exciting. Nothing happened that I know of, though.

Hufflepuff finally had a party and a secret santa gift exchange. My secret santa was Cheryl, so I made her some biscuits iced and shaped to look like badgers and mushrooms. They turned out quite well, if I do say so myself! She said she liked the colour black and sweets, so hopefully she approved!

My secret santa got me a new snow globe with a pretty tree inside, a crystal ball, and some other things, so I can definitely say that whoever it was knows me very well! I always welcome more snow globes and crystals for my collection. The crystal ball is orange, too, so it looks like a fire trapped in a ball. 

It was also my birthday that weekend, the 8th of December. I didn’t really do anything about it, except take the day to actually relax. My family sent me some birthday wishes, some sweets and a few presents, but I’ve decided I wanted to wait until I was home to throw a true party. I want my parents there for it, you know? 

I actually just sent out all the invitations yesterday, when we got home. Our owl has been very busy lately! I also sent a letter to the Headmistress regarding that letter she had sent me about wanting to meet, and I invited her and Deputy Headmistress Blightly for tea with me and my parents. Oh! And I must say, they both looked absolutely stunning at the prefect fete, and the Yule Ball! I hope that one day I can look that beautiful and elegant. 

My dress was more plain in comparison. But at least I was able to get Bonnie’s help with it, because she helped me make lace faerie wings that were enchanted to flutter, and she also coloured my hair pink! I wanted to be the sugar plum faerie, so I guess in a way, I got one of the things I’d wished for at the fete! I was so inspired, that I wrote a poem about the sugar plum faerie:

“Twirling in a flurry of snowflakes

Dreaming in a starry haze

The sugar plum faerie with glittering wings

Sweetens the snow on these wintry days”

Anyways, back to the Yule Ball. I must write everything about that, so I remember it forever! Firstly, everyone got to vote on these awards that they give out at the beginning of the dance. I voted Bonnie for four different things, and she actually won two of them! She won the awards for best spellcaster and for most likely to become minister of magic! I was so proud! 

Also, Professor Gallo won the award for most inspiring professor, which was named after Headmaster Fox! I nearly cried at that! I love so many of the professors here, but Gallo has been one of my absolute favourites since I first met him. Also, Marigold won the award for most uh… Congenial, I think was the word, which means she’s very friendly to everyone and has a lovely smile (I think that’s what it means, anyways) and I found that to be very fitting, too. Persephone Vitrac won the Grand Sorceress award, and Ruby’s… Cousin, I think? Won Grand Sorcerer.

Ruby and I danced for most of the night, and ate sweets. He tried to show me how to dance, but I was terrified of messing up and hurting him or myself or even someone else with my clumsiness. Ruby says he’ll teach me how to do ballet like he does. I have my doubts that it’ll be successful, I think I’m pretty hopeless, but he seems to believe in me!

He wore pretty white flowers in his hair and white and grey suit that looked sort of vintage. Snow was enchanted to sort of float off from the flowers, which I thought looked very pretty. Oh, and the great hall looked stunning, also!  Everything was frosty and white, and there were penguins everywhere, wobbling around and sliding across ice! 

A girl named Charlotte who is a Gryffindor Alumni sung for all of us. She was gorgeous! She wore a sparkling costume and had a voice like honey wine... not that I know what honey wine is, mind, I’ve just heard good singing voices described that way. The night sort of flew by, I couldn’t believe how quickly it ended.

And then, it was time to get back on the Hogwarts Express and go home. One of these years, I’d like to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, but… Not this year. I miss home, and I miss my family, and I got to bring Ruby with me! 

On the train ride home, the Owl Post sent out an article filled with candygrams which were basically nice messages people gave to each other for the Owl Post to share, and I guess you also give a candy cane to whomever you wrote to. I feel bad that I forgot to do it! It’s just as well, though, no one wrote to me, so I guess I don’t have to feel guilty about it. 

When we got home, I found out that dad has a new girlfriend! Her name is Genevieve. She’s also a witch, but I forgot to ask her what her house was. She has very long, pretty red hair that sort of fades into a soft blonde, and I’m honestly quite envious of her hair colour. She always wears sparkly makeup, and she has a lot of freckles which I love! I love freckles and dimples. She is very nice, I like her a lot! I look forward to getting to know her better. Apparently, she knows a lot about faeries!

Once we were settled, I talked to Genevieve and dad about school and I showed them Venus and told them about how I found her in the dungeons. Dad was actually quite annoyed with me that I now had three pets instead of just the one, so we compromised and decided to keep Venus at home. Dad doesn’t like her because she’s a rat, but Genevieve loves her! So that works out. I get to keep Puck and Cornelius, and bring them back to school whenever we return to Hogwarts, since Puck kind of does his own thing in the castle and I can keep Cornelius in my bag or pocket. 

I think that’s just about everything there is to catch up on! My birthday party will be in two days - on Thursday, and I’ve been trying to find and make the perfect things for it. You know, it doesn’t really feel like my birthday, maybe because everything around the house is green instead of white and snowy, from my dad keeping things warm with weather charms. That’ll work for the party at least, so my guests won’t be cold! Anyways, I hear Ruby stirring, so I think it’s time to wake up and make breakfast. 

Much love, Everly

About the Character: Everlina Rosemary Kindred is an imaginative Hufflepuff attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She keeps up with her magical journey through a series of diary entries, dream journals, and tarot readings, all documented for future reflection. Her diary is a small glimpse into her enchanted life, and her adventure into the wizarding world and all its splendors. If you’d like more information about Eve, visit her wiki page. 

About the Author: My name is Katherine! I am a 21-year-old Hufflepuff & Pukwudgie from Louisville, Kentucky. This page is my creative journey into the magical world, through the lenses of Second Life. Here I post diary entries, dream journals, and tarot readings all from my character’s perspective. If you’d like more information about me, visit my Flickr! 

[asterinjapan]

Day of Lights

I eh, very belatedly remembered I still had a blog entry to write about yesterday.  Oops! If you will forgive me, I was only back at the hotel near midnight, so I didn’t exactly feel like writing then anymore.

Sadly I woke up not feeling so great today, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a blast yesterday. Let’s get to it – Disneyland day!

I had a bit of a late start for Disneyland, only prepared to leave hotel a little after 8:30 – the same time the park opens, and I wasn’t there yet. The trip was smooth however, so I made it to Maihama station a little before 10 and started my walk to the park. There was a surprise – mount Fuji was showing its face! And so clearly too that for a moment, I thought it was Mount Prometheus from DisneySea. But that one actually spits fire every hour or so, so it would make no sense to give it a snowy top, haha. Nope, the Fuji it was.

I made it to the part with 40 minutes to spare until the first parade, so I hunted down the churro stand and sought a good place to watch the parade. It was a busy parade day, since not only is it Christmas Season, Tokyo Disneyland is still celebrating its 35th birthday. So that meant 4 parades in total!

The spot I ended up choosing was possibly one of the worst, haha, but the Christmas Parade is twice a day, so I’d have another shot later. Walking around in the park and enjoying the views and atmosphere, I sought out the attractions. First up was my favourite during this season: the Haunted Mansion, which is redone in Nightmare before Christmas style starting around the Halloween season. The line was 40 minutes, so entirely doable, and led around the premises now decorated with pumpkins and Christmas hats alike. The attraction is a ton of fun and certainly a lot of work, they didn’t just throw in some Christmas hats and called it a day. A lot of the figures have been replaced by Jack Skellington and consorts, and Zero the ghost dog featured prominently (I love Zero, ssh).

So that was cool! I did some more sightseeing and had lunch (a very responsible burger, ahem, but it was shaped like Mickey) before searching out a better place for the next parade, the Dreaming Up 35th anniversary one. I saw this one past summer, but it’s really gorgeous with some unique floats, so I was happy I managed a good spot for photos this time. The Christmas parade was the same as last year, but this one won’t be around for as long. I don’t recall Aladdin and Jasmine being there at the very end, walking instead of on a float, but maybe it was to subtly promote the upcoming live action remake? I don’t know.

Anyway, that was fun, and next up was an attraction that got a make-over in time for the anniversary: It’s a Small World. The queue here was like 20 minutes, so perfectly doable – must not be a very busy day, I guess. They put in a lot of Disney figures in the remake, so it was a ton of fun spotting them all.

Once out of the park, I noticed several face characters out and about in Fantasyland. I never know with Tokyo Disneyland, sometimes I don’t see them at all (summer too hot, perhaps?) and other times I see characters I hardly hear about walking in the parks (like Esmeralda or Cruella de Vil, though the latter was Disneysea). I spotted Wendy and Peter Pan, and later Prince Charming on his own (what did he do with Cinderella?), Sleeping Beauty and her Prince, and the Evil Queen from Snow White, who mostly wanted to pose fabulously before she strode off, haha. Awesome.

Anyway, I had a goal: Philharmagic! I do so love Disney songs, and the 4D aspect is still great. I did get a little woozy at the segment where Donald rides a magical carpet, though.

Once out, I had a fastpass that I’d secured earlier. Just as well, because as I returned to the Haunted Mansion, the normal queue was 80 minutes! Eighty! Geesh, I love the Halloween/Christmas version too but that’s excessive for this ride, whoa. Even with my fastpass, it took a while to go in.

I was nicely in time for the second time for the Christmas parade now, and got lucky in that I scored a spot just in front of where the Beauty and the Beast float stopped for a good ten minutes, so that gave me some time to switch lenses and what not, haha. It’s a very pretty parade, if a little short. But with 3 different parades today, who’s complaining?

I went to get my picture taken near the castle including Christmas tree next, except the park members taking pictures had already gone, so I had to make do with a selfie, pff. It came out nicely, though, but still.

It was about time for a snack, so I went around the park to find the Special Churro – it turned out to be in Critter Country, which I visit so often that I had no idea I had to go through an underground pass to make it into the actual area, pfff. I always thought it was super tiny and stopped at the entrance of Splash Mountain, but nope! Entire area behind that! Anyway, the churro was purple and supposedly tasted like cotton candy. I don’t know, it was good, as was the hot cocoa I got to go with it.

With darkness setting in, the park transformed into a Christmas spectacle with tons and tons of light, amplified by the extra lights already there for the anniversary. In the dark, I maneuvered to  the Enchanted Tiki Room with Stitch and a bunch of singing birds. I was getting really tired, so when the park member asked me if I wanted a subtitle device, I didn’t even realize what he was asking at first, oops. I happily accepted, if only so that I could finally understand the play 100% (it’s usually around 80%, and I’m guessing 60% today with how tired I was getting. I do think I’m slightly under the weather this entire trip). Anyway, it’s a lot of fun and I absolutely do not care it’s technically for little kids, I love the songs and Stitch. Aloha! Also, I forgot to mention, but the benches in the waiting area were heated. I love them. It was getting rather chilly and I could use some warming up.

On my way to Adventure land, I played a ball game that I hopelessly lost, but I got a cute exclusive pin for my efforts, which was probably the easier thing to take home with me anyway, haha. (The prizes were pretty big plushies of Minnie or Mickey.)

I resisted the huge and soft Simba plushies and went to Pirates of the Caribbean, where I got put in the front row by myself.  That did give me an excellent view, but the splash early in the attraction is still a bit much for me, haha. As you can tell, I’m not in Disneyland for all the wild rides…

It was now time for the nighttime parade, Electrical Parade Dreamlights, which really profits from being made over last year, and spotted some extra Christmas additions. I sat a lot closer than the last couple of times, although right in a corner, so I got some good photos! I felt a bit bad about flashing with the camera, but I saw more flashes around me and they sold those light-up sticks by the dozen, so not just me at the very least.

I hadn’t had time for dinner before, so I rushed to get a cheese dog menu (so responsible), and from my seat I had a good view of the (short) fireworks show, which had some interesting fireworks and really seemed to move with the beat of the music, so that was nice little bonus!

I’d had coffee with my set, so I had enough energy to get up and walk again, taking pictures of the scenery on my way to It’s a Small World, followed by Philharmagic again, and then one last rush to Haunted Mansion at 15 minutes before closing, haha oops. I think I made it in with the very last group, meaning I could just rush right into the hall of exposition. Take that, 80 minute queue! Just – wait out the entire day until you may or may not get lucky in the evening, hm. Well, strategy works for me!

Finally, they started to announce the park was closing the minute I got out, so I did as I was told and left the premises (sniff), but not before enjoying the light show in the World Bazaar. So pretty. I think I filmed the whole sequence!

After a quick trip to Bon Voyage, the store before the park (and resisting the Simba plushie, but not a cute little Christmas ball), I made my way to the station and caught the train back to Ikebukuro until finally, I made it to my hotel at eh, 23:30, roughly. Oops.

 So that was a wonderful day, if very tiring, haha. Today was a lot calmer (and my camera hasn’t been out of its jacket yet, oops), so I’ll type up a quick report for that too. But that was Disney during Christmas! I’ll try to filter through the – eh – 586 pictures I took. Oh dear. It might take a while before the selection is up…

See you!

[headoverhiddles]

All I Want For Juldagen [Bill Skarsgård x Reader]

Warnings: Nothing! Holiday fluff! 

Bill is a hopeless romantic. 

He tries to tell you he isn’t, but when he takes you out for candlelit dinners “because you look cute”, you beg to differ. Today, he’s got your hand in his, and you’re wrapped around his arm as you stroll by the water together, you in your toque and him with his own new black beanie on (after you made him ditch his grandpa paperboy hat, after much sulking). 

“So did you get what you needed today?” he asks. 

“Yep. I’m fully loaded,” you smile, referring to the shopping trip the two of you had taken today for Christmas– your boyfriend was off for a couple of months right now, as he had finished all the filming he needed to on the latest film he was in. You love that you’ll have him to yourself for a while. 

“My siblings and I are all throwing in to send dad and mum on a trip, and you’ve gotten them matching sweaters, so they’re covered,” Bill says. 

“I got Gustaf a tea set, Valter Far Cry 3, Alex a cactus because he always said he wanted one and I take all of his jokes seriously on purpose, and Elijah a gift card to Le Chateau,” you recount. 

“And I got your mom a honey-scented candle, your dad an Amazon gift card, and your dog a new antler bone,” he smiles, kissing your cheek. You giggle. 

“You know my family and my dog love you more than they love me, right?” you deadpan. 

“And I intend to keep it that way,” Bill nods, and you smack his arm lightly. The unspoken wondering hangs in the air of what each of you got the other person– you had gotten a box of Bill’s favourite Swedish candies, and made him a book of those cheesy coupons with ridiculously kinky favours inside like “you are entitled to watch me do the dishes naked” or “you are entitled to ten minutes of head while you do the vacuuming” which isn’t technically a great or physically practical privilege, but hey… you knew your boyfriend would get a kick out of them. You had mentioned a few things you were looking for this year, like a new tea towel for the stove or a new lampshade that didn’t have a thread hanging off it, but you always felt bad for asking Bill for any real gifty-type gift. 

He always insisted, and you always insisted right back that of course you wanted nothing more than a new toilet seat cover or a nice carpet for the foyer. Before now, Bill had chalked it up to you being really into interior decorating– that is, until he caught you today staring intently through the window of the jewellery store. He saw what you were looking at, but you had quickly assured him you were just browsing, keeping your daydreams to yourself. 

“Still gonna tell me you want a lampshade for Christmas?” Bill asks, finger rubbing circles into your palm as you keep walking. You look out over the water, the stars reflecting beautifully in it. 

“Well… I guess I can be a little naughty, and spring for a sexy pair of panties from Victoria’s Secret.”

He raises his eyebrows. “I don’t know, baby… that’s asking a lot… getting a little greedy there, I think." 

You giggle again, blushing, and he tilts you chin up, smile suddenly fading from his gorgeous lips as he stops you. 

"Hey. I would give you the world if you asked for it, you know that?"  You slowly nod, and stand up on your tippy toes to kiss him.  You two continue walking. 

-                                                                                                        

You roll over and sigh contentedly as Bill joins you in bed. He had just finished brushing his teeth after having his last cigarette of the day, and the two of you were settling in for a movie. 

"What do you wanna watch?” he murmurs, “We’ve got Elf… that old Moomin Christmas movie Alexander was in… The Santa Clause… Rudolph-" 

"Black Christmas,” you say, and he huffs a laugh. 

“I fully blame you if I can’t go to the bathroom tonight in fear of somebody strangling me with Christmas lights." 

"Come on, you know I like to watch this every year,” you pout. 

“If you can put up with my Christmas traditions, I can put up with yours,” he smiles, kissing your forehead, and you both turn to the screen. About halfway through, Bill looks down to find you asleep on his chest. He tries to keep watching just to say he did, but he’s too terrified, and turns it off to snuggle with you. You both fall asleep in each other’s arms.  It’s almost Christmas, and the tree is up. It’s got a combination of your decorations and his, yours being the little bells and snowflakes and Santa ornaments, and his being the traditional apples (fake ones), candles (plastic tea lights, so you didn’t burn the place down like so many Swedish people obviously did in the 16th century) and a few small gnomes that he had taken with him from his childhood home. It was a nice tree, you had to admit, and the decorations made it perfect. 

This year, your respective families were coming to visit you where you both lived (just outside of LA right now, convenient for Bill’s work), and you had already had your family over.

If you didn’t go to Sweden to visit, (which was always fun, especially the particularly appetizing anchovy and egg dish you got to eat with everyone, Gubbröra) Bill’s family usually came a little after Juldagen (Christmas Day) and closer to Annandag Jul (Boxing Day) as it was hard with all of Bill’s brothers to coordinate who was available when, who was shooting what when, etc. etc.. You did love when the Skarsgårds came and visited here though, especially with Stellan dressing up as Jultomten, knocking at the door with his sack of gifts. Every time, Bill insisted you both were way too old for that, and every time Alexander, like the dutiful eldest son he is, always reminded everyone that nobody was too old for Santa Claus. 

Your parents loved the gifts, as did your dog, and once again, Bill had won their hearts. You remember watching him talk to your dad in private, and thought back to when your parents used to tell you how they hoped you would find someone right for you.  Bill feels like that guy. 

- Three days before Juldagen, you both are busy with preparations.

“I’m so glad our families aren’t annoying,” you remark, pouring some eggnog. 

“Well, mine’s annoying. Yours isn’t,” Bill smiles, adjusting the two stockings over the fireplace. 

“I love your family,” you say, sticking your tongue out, and he shrugs.  “Glad one of us does.” He laughs out loud. “No, I agree. I’m glad I don’t have to worry about a mother in law from hell." 

"In law?” you ask in curiosity, and he quickly snaps his gaze up. 

“Uh, hypothetically." 

"Oh,” you nod, and he clears his throat. 

“Hey, um, is that snowman thing on the roof still crooked?” he asks, dashing up the stairs quickly with those freakishly long legs, “I’ll fix it!”

You frown at his weird behaviour, and go back to pouring a little rum into each glass of eggnog. 

“Don’t get strangled with Christmas lights up there!” you call with a grin, and hear him shriek playfully. You take out your phone, sending Merry Christmas texts to all your friends and family, and sigh. 

It never snowed in LA like it did when the two of you visited Sweden, but other than that, it was shaping up to be a perfect Christmas. 

-

Childlike excitement fills you as you wake up earlier than you usually do on Christmas Eve.

“Baby,” you hiss, “Hey! It’s Christmas Eve." 

He blinks awake, and rubs his eyes. "Oh… Merry Christmas,” he smiles, kissing you softly. A few seconds into the kiss, you push lightly on his chest as he starts to deepen it and get handsy. 

“Come on. We can save that for dessert,” you grin, and he smiles too, tugging on a shirt and pyjama pants to go downstairs. You forget when you launch yourself out of bed that you’re still in your candy cane lingerie dress, that wouldn’t be complete without the little panties that read “Dear Santa, Define "Good”. Bill slaps your ass as he walks by, and as you squeal, he picks you up, carrying you bridal style down the stairs. 

“I have to change,” you protest, laughing. 

“Why?” he laughs too, “You look perfect. Don’t ever change." 

"Saying I look perfect and being a cornball won’t get you laid any faster,” you tease, and he shakes his head. 

“Damn. Thought I really had that one in that in the bag.” You two giggle together until you make it to the huge tree in your living room. You hop down from Bill’s arms to turn on the tree lights, and flop down by the TV. An entire day of watching Christmas movies and cuddling with hot chocolate and Creme de Mente later, it’s time for the gifts when it gets dark. In Swedish tradition, gifts were opened Christmas Eve, so you had gotten used to it this way. 

About a half hour later, you’re finally on the last one. Bill loved his candies and had already eaten half the box, and his coupons were a hit too- he had already redeemed ‘you are entitled to an upside down on the floor kiss’. 

“One more,” he says, licking his lips. You watch him… he only really does that when he’s nervous. You reach for the box at the back of the tree skirt, and begin to take the paper off slowly. 

“Bill…” you start, and he envelops your hands as you finally open the gift up. A gasp escapes you. It’s… it’s the rose ring from the front display of the jewellers, the one from that new Beauty and the Beast “Enchanted” line that you couldn’t stop staring at and dreaming about! It was beautiful– the little twists of the silver and diamond made the middle look like a little rose, and oh god, it was everything you wanted and more. 

“Will you be my wife?” he asks simply, very nervously, and you break down, sniffling and rubbing your eyes. 

“Oh my god… yes, Bill! I Iove you so much." 

”(Y/n),“ he smiles, and squeezes your hands, "I know you hate the song, but…”

You look up at him from the ring, tear-brimmed eyes widening.  “D-don’t say it,” you laugh through your happy tears, “Don’t be th-that guy."  "Hey, I’ve got nothing to lose now.” He beams at you. “All I want for Christmas is you.” He slips the ring on your finger, and tugs you closer to him, crashing your lips together. 

“Oh, and the new pair of panties is waiting upstairs under the bed. Along with the lampshade." 

You giggle, resting your forehead against your fiancé’s. By next Christmas, you two would be married… and not a season too soon.

[evescole]

Holiday Happiness // Peter Parker

okay yay i got an overwhelming response with the previous spider-man imagine so here’s another one :-)

you can find my masterlist here

word count: 2,127

pairing: peter parker x stark!reader

warnings: fluffy fluff fluff

summary: you help the parkers prepare for the most wonderful time of the year

--

Christmas was hands down your favorite holiday out of the year. New York never failed to overly decorate the streets and bring the cheer to the city. The Avengers Tower was always placed in your capable hands to be decorated top to bottom and you never disappointed.

You had just finished hanging lights around the kitchen area as your phone buzzed on the counter, interrupting your Christmas jam session. You continued to sing as you stepped down from the ladder and made your way to your phone to see a text message from your boyfriend, Peter Parker.

Spidey Love <3

wanna come over and help decorate?

You smiled to yourself before typing out that you would be there soon. You paused your music and moved the step ladder out of the way. Looking around the kitchen, you felt a little proud by your decorating skills. Surely the Parker family would enjoy them as well.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. will you tell Dad that I left? I’m heading to Peter’s house to decorate,” You started heading towards to door as you spoke.

“Very well, Miss Stark. Tell Mister Parker your father says hello.”

You nodded to yourself as you disappeared out the doors, setting your course to Peter’s apartment that was a few blocks away. The wind whipped around you, blowing snow across the streets and around corners. You loved the snow. It was so pure, peaceful. It brought good memories from when you were a kid and you never wanted to forget them.

You quickly found yourself walking up to Peter’s door, shaking snow from your jacket. Your frozen hands knocked on the wooden door. You kicked your shoes back and forth, watching the snow fall from them in clumps.

“My, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” May smiled at you as she pulled the door open.

You smiled back. “Hi, May. How are you?”

She stepped aside to let you in. “Living the dream, darling. You know how it is.”

Your relationship with May was one of the best. You were like a daughter in her mind. She cared for you as much as she did with Peter and in her mind, you two were perfect for each other.

Her apartment never failed to make you feel at home. Candles lit up the walls as a fire burned in the corner, the scent of pine cones and cinnamon filling the air. Totes of Christmas decorations were piled up by the kitchen table and you couldn’t wait to get your hands on them.

May pulled your jacket from your shoulders as you tugged your boots from your feet, eyes landing on the couch. May followed your gaze, a chuckle leaving her mouth. “He crashed about an hour ago. Something about being up late last night doing who knows what. Feel free to wake him up.”

She waved you off before disappearing into the kitchen. A smile found its way to your face as you crossed the carpet. Peter Parker always managed to look handsome and cute at the same time. He was curled under the blanket you bought him for his birthday, his chest rising and falling in a timely pattern.

Pulling yourself up on the armrest, you gently sorted through his hair with your fingers. He didn’t wake up, just clutched the blanket tighter. You leaned down and kissed his forehead before standing back up and heading to the kitchen.

May looked up at your footsteps. “Wake him?”

“Nah.” You shook your head. “Let him sleep. He’ll wake up eventually. In the meantime, those cookies smell delicious.”

May closed the oven and set the fresh batch down. “They’re your favorite.”

You hummed in satisfaction as you reached around her to snag a warm one off the tray. “You’re the best,” You mumbled around the treat.

She rolled her eyes at you. “Let me throw this next batch in and then I’ll meet you in the hallway to start decorating.”

You nodded and left the kitchen, situating yourself next to the countless bins of decorations for the holiday. You started sorting the lights by color as you waited for May. Once you had all of those, you moved on to pull the ornaments out.

“How’s your father been?” May asked as she sat down next to you, beginning to empty the other tote.

You shrugged. “Same old, burying himself in work. I’m hoping since it’s the holidays, I’ll be able to get him away for a few hours but you know how he gets.”

She chuckled, “He’s determined, that man. How about school? Did that girl ever leave you alone?”

When you said you were close to May, you weren’t kidding. You told her everything, from top to bottom. Sometimes, she knew you better than your father did.

“Kind of. I know it’s going to start back up when break is over but I guess I’ll deal with it.” You pulled the last ornament out of its box.

“Or you come to me and I’ll handle it.” Peter sounded half asleep still as he got off the couch and walked towards you. “I’ll always defend you.”

He sat down right behind you, crossing his legs beneath him as you pressed a kiss to his temple. He rested his chin on your shoulder, watching the two of you go through the totes of things.

“Morning, sunshine,” May teased, eyes watching her nephew intently. “Sleep well?”

Peter nodded. “Yeah, feel much better now.”

“Good!” May clapped her hands. “Then you and Y/N can tackle the tree together while I decorate everything else.”

You watched her stand up. “May, are you sure? I can help with more than that.”

She shook her head. “I’ll let you know if I need you, darling. Just start there first.”

In the back of her mind, May knew the two of you would get distracted, whether it was by each other or food. The tree wouldn’t be finished before she was. That, she was sure of.

Time skip to an hour or two later, you and Peter were placing ornaments around the fake tree as Christmas music played in the background. May wasn’t kidding when she said she could handle the rest. Her bedroom, the bathroom, Peter’s room, and the kitchen had been covered in Christmas in the time it had taken you and Peter to put the tree up and get ornaments on it, breaking a few in the meantime but shhh. She doesn’t need to know that.

“Where’s the star at?” Peter spun around in a circle, trying to find the final object.

You held it up. “I wanna put it on!”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Good luck reaching it, Shortcake.”

“Peter.” May’s stern voice came from the kitchen, earning a groan from the young boy.

“Fine,” He huffed, “How exactly am I supposed to help her grow seven feet?”

May’s head poked out from the other room. “Aren’t you a cheesy teenager? Pick her up!”

Your cheeks went red at May’s words but Peter evidently took her suggestion because the next thing you knew, your head hit the ceiling.

“Ow!” You rubbed the injured part of your skull, lightly smacking your boyfriend. “Don’t be sour just because your aunt loves me more.”

Peter’s hands held your ankles tightly as you leaned forward to push the star on the top of the tree. When you finally got it up straight, you moved back to sit upright on Peter’s shoulders. Apparently, luck didn’t want to be on your side as you lost your balance. You felt gravity pull you down off your boyfriend’s back. A gasp of surprise left your mouth as you closed your eyes, bracing yourself for impact.

The floor never connected with your body. You opened one eye in disbelief, half expecting to smack on the floor. Peter’s face was right above yours, his arms keeping you from hitting the floor.

“You’re welcome for that one,” He teased, setting you back on your feet. Your hands wrapped around his arms as you gained your footing, letting out a sigh of relief.

May, hearing the sudden silence, poked her head back out. “You two okay?”

You took a deep breath before forcing a nod, almost scared into silence. Peter looked down at you and chuckled. “Spider got your tongue?”

You rolled your eyes, smacking him in the arm. “Oh, shut up, you. Now, come on! I have my present for you!”

Five minutes and a change of clothes later, you and Peter were snuggled up on the couch as gifts sat on the table. May had made you hot chocolate with a little splash of peppermint, just how you liked it. Peter’s blanket was strewn across your laps as you both sat facing each other on opposite sides of the couch.

“Here!” You reached over to hand him the wrapped box. “Open mine first.”

He set down his drink to take the box from your hands, eagerly tearing into the wrapping paper. His eyes lit up as he saw what you bought him, quickly glancing to make sure May wasn’t in the room.

“This is awesome!” He whispered as he held the box to face you. Yeah, you were cheesy and got him a Spider-Man Lego set for him to build with Ned. You knew he would love it.

You smiled. “They just came out with them the other day. Thought you’d like it.”

“Like it? I love it!” He continued to geek out over it before finally setting it down. He picked the small box off the table and held it out to you. “It’s nothing super big but I think you’ll like it.”

You took the box from his hands, unraveling the bow that was most likely tied by May. You set the silk ribbon in your lap before pulling the top off the black box. What was inside made your jaw drop. “Peter...this is-”

“It was my mom’s. May said it was in her old jewelry box when they cleaned everything out. It was apparently my grandma’s. She passed it down to my dad who gave it to Mom and now, I want you to have it.” Peter gave you a sheepish smile as he explained the object in your palm.

It was an oval shaped gold locket with a crystal moon and star engraved on the front. Using your nail, you popped the lock open to reveal a heart charm with yours and Peter’s initials on it.

“Oh, my God. Peter, I don’t even know what to say. It’s so gorgeous and I just…” You looked at the necklace as you started crying. You had never been so touched by someone’s thoughtfulness before and knowing the story behind the necklace just makes it so, so much better.

Peter caught sight of your tears. “No, no, no! Don’t cry. If you don’t like it, I can-”

You moved forward and kissed him, promptly shutting up his nervous rant. “Peter, happy tears, babe. I love it so much, you have no idea.”

He gently took the necklace from your palm before hooking it around your neck. His mom always said that he should give it to the girl he was going to marry and he just knew it would be you.

“Now my stupid gift looks cheesy so here.” You reached behind the pillow to pull out a larger box. Truth be told, the Lego set was something small to start off with. Your dad was involved in the bigger present.

Peter watched you wipe your tears away with a smile on his face as he began tearing through the wrapping paper again. When his eyes caught the familiar symbol on the box, he couldn’t believe it.

“You didn’t.” He ripped the rest of the paper aggressively, revealing the new laptop box to you.

You shrugged. “Dad was in on this one too. It was his idea. I just took care of what’s on it.”

Suddenly, his strong arms were around you, pulling you into his lap. “I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it! Thank you!”

You smiled, wrapping yourself closer to him. “Anything for you, love.”

Despite his excitement to break out the new laptop, he adjusted the blanket around you, holding you impossibly closer. That’s how May found you hours later, completely buried in each other’s embrace, happy smiles on your sleepy figures. Her eyes caught the necklace resting on your chest, sending chills through her. She just smiled and clicked the light off, lightly walking into her own bedroom.

If anyone was going to hold her nephew’s heart the way it deserved to be, it was going to be you. That, May was absolutely sure of.

[worldlifetimejourneys]

🌍 Discover beautiful #Zante and why the island of #Zakynthos in #Greece 🇬🇷 should be your next Beach 🏖 Holiday.

Settle into your assigned plane seat and get comfortable for three and a half hours. Disembark from your flight, giving the flight attendant a cheery smile as you go – but this smile will continue for the duration of your trip as soon as you lay eyes on beautiful Zante. Incredible beaches, relaxing hideaways and vibrant resorts are all bound by one of the best coastlines in the Mediterranean, making Zante (also known as Zakynthos) a sure-fire location to enjoy an elegant Greek getaway.

Every area of the island has been blessed by exquisiteness from fascinating endangered wildlife to the awe-inspiring Venetian architecture and while Zante is a multi-faceted hub of holiday perfection, knowing which resort is right for you will change the game. There’s truly something for everyone – just come and see for yourself… 🌍

🌟 Prices from £230pp* for 7 Nights. Prices will vary according to your details and preferences

Any destinations in #Europe and beyond are available. Please ask

👉 1. #Laganas:

All day long, Laganas is the place to be. It’s the largest resort on the island of Zante and attracts those looking for a good time – there is a wide variety of restaurants in Laganas too, from international favourites to authentic Greek tavernas and plenty of things to do here.

👉 2. #ZanteTown:

Zante Town is diverse, delightful and dangerously addictive – one visit here and you won’t want to leave. The capital and commercial centre of the island, all the houses, shops and buildings here were rebuilt in the island’s traditional Venetian style after the destructive earthquake in 1953, giving the area a modern yet timeless feel.

Zante Town is the perfect base for excursions around the island, but it can be argued that the best means of exploration are right in the centre of town. Elegant architecture, charming cafés and beautiful boutique stores line the streets, and you certainly can’t leave without a wander around Alexander Roma Street. Jewellery stores and quaint stores are the initial draw, but you’ll soon discover the 17th-century mansion of Alexander Roma himself near Solomos Square, which is filled with period furniture, works of art and family portraits of the former president of Greek parliament.

Oh, and if you want the best views over the Zante Town’s harbour, hike the steep path to Bohali Castle. These ruined battlements of the 15th-century castle were repaired by the Venetians, and once you’ve spent some time ambling around, head to the nearby Bohali village to recharge and refresh in a local café after the thirsty climb.

👉 3. #Tsilivi:

Just six kilometres away from Zante Town lies the vibrant village of Tsilivi, boasting a laidback atmosphere that suits young couples and families perfectly. The area sits pretty on Zante’s northeast coast, once a small resort that embraced its traditionalism but its tourism has boomed in recent years and while that authentic Greek feel still remains, it’s partnered with an air of cosmopolitanism, a combination of which has drawn visitors from other parts of Greece and beyond.

Brimming with activity yet still offering opportunities for some peace and quiet, Tsilivi is an island hotspot to indulge in authentic cuisine at the family-run tavernas, idyllic soft-sand beaches and wonderful hotels and resorts that are dedicated to making your holiday to Zante one that you’ll never forget.

Speaking of idyllic beaches, Tsilivi is home to one of the most famous beaches in Zante, a two-kilometre ribbon of sand so white it resembles snow, full of sun loungers, beach bars and watersports centre. This is a Blue Flag beach, and parents are set at ease with the shallow, child-friendly waters that remain calm and safe all-year-round. For a spot with a little less traffic, head west of the main resort to the quieter beaches of Tragaki and Bouka and simply embrace the beauty of the landscape, the breeze from the sea and the brilliance from the sunshine.

👉 4. #Kalamaki:

Kalamaki is the place where you can kick back, relax, enjoy the sunshine and immerse yourself in gorgeous surroundings without a care in the world. Located on the southern shores of Zante, Kalamaki certainly lives up to the ‘Flower of the Orient’ name given to the island, surrounded by traditional cypress trees and olive groves, and a five-kilometre beach of silky soft sands that wouldn’t look out of place on a postcard.

The beach’s waters are warm and shallow, perfect for toddlers who want to splash safely but also for swimmers who can wade out and glide through the crystal-clear shimmers. If you’re visiting during the months of July and August, the beach is a popular spot for loggerhead turtles to nest thanks to its quiet and uncrowded nature, but these are endangered species so take all the pictures you want but don’t get too close.

If the wildlife fascinates you, a trip to Turtle Island is a must. Take a mesmerising glass-bottom boat trip to the nearby archipelago (real name Marathonissi) which is nicknamed Turtle Island due to its uncanny resemblance to the shape of a turtle, and see if you can spot one the special animals laying their eggs on the shore.

However, there is still plenty to do in Kalamaki for a little excitement including mini golf, a waterpark and local craft shops. Foodies will be in their element as the tavernas at Kalamaki are some of the best on the island, and the incredible landscape makes al fresco dining a real treat; tuck into succulent seafood, classic Greek treats and refreshing cocktails as the sun sets and imagine you’re in paradise – oh, wait…

If you’re seeking a little more insight into Zante’s resorts before you make the big decision, don’t hesitate to contact World Lifetime Journeys for everything you need to know about your dream holiday. We’re here to make those dreams a reality…

☎️ 07510 802413 or 01902 900897

💻 bookings@worldlifetimejourneys.com or worldlifetimejourneys2015@gmail.com

📩 Direct message us https://www.facebook.com/WLJ2015 or website chat https://worldlifetimejourneys.com/

*T&Cs apply.

100% Financial Protection guaranteed. ATOL/ABTA/TTA Protected. TTA member Q5786

Holidays 🌞, tours 🌐 and cruises ⛴ at excellent prices!

[shoutingforbnha]

Without You: Chapter 1

In collaboration with the lovely @glamourous39

Wattpad / 1 / 2 / 3

Kitsune (狐, キツネ,) is the Japanese word for fox. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. According to Yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shapeshift into human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others-as foxes in folklore often do-other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives.

A village in need and you’re their hope. Are you up to the task?

The moon was low in the sky, a fog had settled in around the village along with a low temperature chilling everyone even a little.

You were an hour away from the village, and sweat glazed your skin. A perfect little tea cake, a delicacy that can satisfy the most carnal lusts and urges, and, best of all, untouched. Dressed in your most elegant textiles and primed to perfection.

Fear slowly petrified every inch of your body to the point of no fluid, relaxed movement. You forcefully swallow a large knot that unbeknownst to you had formed in your throat. You tightened your grip on the lantern as you heard squirrel run past you. A dull pain had nestled its way into your chest and a tremble settled through your figure.

It was cold.

It was dark.

It was lonely.

It was death.

You jerked your head to hopefully whisk away these intrusive thoughts and reminded yourself why you had to do this. In the last few weeks, your village had been the victim of molestation from supernatural beings, among them a nine-tailed kitsune. Deadly.

You, in the shortest terms, were the sacrifice. Your village had sent you as a way to please the kitsune either as a partner or, a meal. You knew this would keep your family safe, so, if it meant giving yourself up, you'd do it. After all, Izuku, your friend that lives next door did it once, and he returned fine. Well, somewhat.

Now, these beasts aren't all violence. They can be loyal, loving partners in their human form but, they can rip apart someone if necessary in their animal form.

You crunch through the fresh, haphazardly placed snow and clutch your shoulders in a futile attempt to stay warm. The malignant spirit was rumored to dorm atop a small mountain near the village.

You puff out making your way through the thin layer of forest between safety and uttermost death. You dart your eyes around the inkling darkness that hid in the thick of the trees.

You inhale a burning cold swig of air, and nervously bite your lip and let go.

You shook with each step, you could only think of what could happen. The wild creature could sink its teeth into your soft flesh killing you as your blood spills out staining the pure white snow. Or, it could claw away at your skin slowly and painfully. Either way, you felt this would not end pretty.

After what felt like an eternity you had made your way to the start of the mountain. You took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and begun your short trek.

You trudge along the poorly marked path and tiredly rub your eyes. You pulled out your water jug and drank whatever is left of the supply and continue.

You peek over to the top and see that the moon was lined to the mountain. It only added to the intensity of the moment. Upon arrival, you scan the area, no Kitsune.

You shrug it off and proceed to call out for the beast.

"Oh, kitsune that has attacked my village, please show thine self! If you are here, please respond to my plea!"

Out of nowhere, a set of glowing neon blue rods lined up in a circle, perfectly centered atop the mountain and snow appear. You huff out a quiet 'huh' and walk into the center of the ring-shaped cage.

Suddenly, a fog smothers the ground and the rods collapse in formation and sync disappearing by small explosions knocks you off your feet, and a dusty cloud of smoke shrouds the mountain. You cough out any smoke choking you and swipe it away to reveal a man?

Not what you were excepting.

You get a bit closer and examine his sleeping figure. He was about your age, had ashy blonde hair, and had a light complexion. He had a muscular build, and this was only brought out even more by his sleeves black turtleneck that did not cover up his chiseled back and was tied by a red string. He had black pants that were also linked at the bottoms with a red line. His shoes were the ordinary sandals.

His fur was gorgeous. Soft, shiny, and very maintained. His fox ears were pierced with red string adorned with precious beads, and his tails had little red strings tied in bows matching his ears. The fur itself was a brilliant white stained with streaks of orange, and his face had these stripes, too. He was charming as most kitsune are. You couldn't see much else since he was huddled up into a ball, much like your dog at home, (D/N).

Thick, fluffy clouds cut behind the mountain causing a thin gray light to flow through. His lips where slightly parted and he had a rosy glow about his face from the cold. You did, too.

His ears twitched, and his form rose out of the smoke.

He got on all fours and stretched his back and arms till he heard a satisfying 'pop' He smacked his lips after a satisfying yawn and wiped his watery eyes.

He scanned the area and his glowing red eyes lock onto you. He immediately with one swift move, grabbed your collar and held you up to his face. He scrunched up his eyes brows and clenched his teeth revealing sharp canines underneath.

"Who the hell are you? What the fuck are you doing my fucking mountain?"

You pulled your collar from his grip and fell flat on your butt. You blush out of embarrassment and jump right back up. You puff out your chest and stare directly into his eyes.

"Wha-- What's your name?!"

"Bakugou Katsuki."

You regained your composure and he backed off. You cleared your throat.

"I am (L/N) (Y/N)! From the (T/N) Village! I've come here to offer a proposal!"

He crossed his arms and replied with a 'hm'

"(Y/N)," He muttered out.

"I've seen you from afar, but, I never thought I'd see you up close like this," He closed up the gap between you and him.

You felt heat creep up onto your face.

"I-I came to offer m-myself! As... a-a sacrifice!"

"Of what use will you be to me?" He turned toward the moons and dug his hands into his pockets

You pondered the statement and came up with three options.

"If you promise to leave me village alone I will either be your next meal, servant, or partner... for life."

You reply much more confident this time.

His right ear perked up and turned towards you. He faced your direction and sauntered towards you wrapping his left arm around your waist and his right supporting your neck.

Your body had gone completely limp at his touch.

You felt your heart race; he was going to eat you. He licked at his left fang to send a sharp sense of fear throughout your person. Sweat began to coat your skin, and your ears began to ring.

He slowly examines your face, with a calm expression, turning it side to side. You press your eyes so tightly shut it hurt. He pulled your torso even close to his.

Once he's done with his examination, he smirks and leans into your ear, "I won't eat you unless you say these words."

"What words?!" You sputter out.

"I belong to you, Katsuki," He breathed out with a cocky grin plastered on his face.

You clenched your teeth.

"Does this mean you want me as a partner...?"

"Yes."

You purse your lips and shut your eyes.

"I- I belong... to y-you, Katsuki," You avert your gaze from him, your face heating up.

He flashes a toothy grin showing his satisfaction with your obedience. He gently lets go of your body, and you take a few steps back.

"Why do you want me?! You barely know me!"

He smirks at you, "The way you protected your home, friends, and family with such a fire was so intriguing to me. Your one in a few who'd be willing to make mine."

You look down at the now cleared up ground and shoot daggers back up at him.

"Can I tell my family I've found my husband?"

[jawnkeets]

1, 12, 14 &19 :)

from this post

1. if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

ok will doubtless miss stuff but

read: t.s. eliot (esp prufrock, the waste land and preludes), f. scott fitzgerald (esp the great gatsby, but this side of paradise and the beautiful and the damned both also massive affected me), philip larkin (it is exceptionally difficult to choose specific poems as he may be my favourite poet of all time, but high windows and an arundel tomb changed my life), virginia woolf (mrs dalloway especially but also to the lighthouse), sand and foam - kahlil gibran, william blake (esp songs of innocence and experience ofc), rainer maria rilke (again, literally anything by rilke, but sunset was my first ever favourite poem when i was 9 or 10 and letters to a young poet is stunning and completely beyond description. edward snow’s translation of the book of hours is also beautiful), as i walked out one evening - w. h. auden (i think i was maybe 10 or 11 when i first read this poem, and it contained my first ever favourite stanza: ‘o stand, stand at the window / as the tears scald and start; / you shall love your crooked neighbour / with your crooked heart.’), jerusalem – jez butterworth, raymond carver (esp cathedral, why don’t you dance?, and i could see the smallest things), 1984 – george orwell, the strange case of dr jekyll and mr hyde - robert louis stevenson, oscar wilde (esp the picture of dorian gray and de profundis, which near ruined me but it’s also one of the most moving pieces of writing i’ve ever had the privilege to read. the importance of being earnest and an ideal husband as well), the rime of the ancient mariner – coleridge, to his coy mistress – marvell, to the virgins – herrick, the road not taken and stopping by woods on a snowy evening – robert frost, somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond and [i carry your heart with me(i carry it in] – e. e. cummings, percy shelley (esp one word is too often profaned), franz kafka (esp the metamorphosis), the raven – edgar allan poe, frankenstein – mary shelley, keats (esp ode to a nightingale - !!!!!!! - but also ode on a grecian urn, la belle dame sans merci, bright star…)

watch: bright star, wilde (1997), the forever dolphin love music video, these videos have been hugely influential on me this year, i hugely repsect artaud and theatre of cruelty (wish i’d seen this live), a production of jez butterworth’s jerusalem, any wilde play, berkoff’s the metamorphosis and the trial. also tangled and the hunchback of notre dame (disney version) lol. i’m pretty out of ideas tbh i don’t rly watch much tv/ youtube/ netflix etc. i like most kinds of theatre tho

listen to (not necessarily my favourite songs/ artists, but these have all had a huge influence on me at some point in my life and a few hav stories behind them): ms – alt-j, minipops 67 [120.2] [source field mix] – aphex twin, chopin’s nocturnes, bloc party (especially this modern love, positive tension, uniform, signs, ion square and eden), jesus christ – brand new, connan mockasin (esp megumi the milkyway above, faking jazz together and forever dolphin love (inc the music video)), crystal castles (esp enth and insulin and concrete and fleece and sadist), diiv (esp doused, oshin (subsume), and valentine), oh devil – electric guest, one more robot / sympathy 3000-21 – the flaming lips, foals (esp hummer, alabaster, 2 trees, spanish sahara and what went down), grimes (esp kill v. maim, venus fly, go, genesis, world

12. dog person or cat person?

cat person if i had 2 pick but i also love dogs!!!

14. are you a musician?

i’m grade 8 cello but haven’t played v much this year unfortunately bc after i did all the grades a levels, deadlines, learning to drive etc became more pressing and urgent and i’ve also been focusing as much time as i can on lit. additionally i play piano and self-taught guitar, and used to write songs and perform covers but not so much anymore, i prefer poetry lol. so in short my musicianship’s a little dusty

19. which Harry Potter house would you be in? or are you a muggle?

ravenclaw my dudes!!!

thank u so much for sending anon :+) sorry abt the length of the answer