#old sketch for a fic scene that sadly never happened!!!

[feyind]

i tripped

[kaedeharakaori]

awieee this is for a special friend of mine irl ^^ i hope u like it eonnie <3 you're (everyone) the traveler in this fic btw :DD

Keep me warm || Kaeya

The Traveler and their floating emergency food friend were taking a stroll through the icy mountains of Dragonspine for some things that Albedo asked you to get on your way back from Liyue.

Moments before you stepped into Dragonspine, it was kind of enjoyable for the both of you since you and Paimon were accompanied by Zhongli to the boarder of Liyue and Mondstadt.

"I know you can hear me Barbatos, how have you been? Well, I guess, telling by the winds. May I ask you to guide this Traveler and their companion safely back into the walls of your kingdom." greeted Zhongli to the god of the winds, a moment of silence before he faced the Traveler.

"I belive this is as far as I can go for I cannot leave Liyue just yet, maybe in a few or so years until I am sure that my kingdom can handle it all without Rex Lapis. Take care Traveler and Paimon, 'till we meet again in a new adventure, a new page in our lives."

Said the Lord of Geo as he retreated further back into Liyue, leaving the Traveler just on the edge of Mingyun Village, on their way to gather up the materials that Albedo patiently asked for when he heard the news of the pair that will soon return to Mondstadt.

You were then left alone, Paimon went off to find a torch on the cold paths of Dragonspine, having collected most of the materials Albedo asked for, meanwhile in Mondstadt, people were now preparing for the Ludi Harpastum that will happen in the next few months, its never too late to prepare early right?

Sitting in his massive office waiting for you to return home was the Cavalry Captain of the Knights de Favonius and who was also your lover, Captain Kaeya Alberich who was really impatient and bored beyond belief.

"When are you getting back my sweet little Traveler? I miss you… but I also don't get why we're already preparing for Ludi Harpastum when its months away?" asked Kaeya to no one in particular.

Soft footsteps were heard in the hallway of the Headquarters of the Knights de Favonia. Those footsteps were getting louder until they slammed open the Cavalry Captain's door open. The very good looking Chief Alchemist, Albedo, who was now stood inside after slamming Kaeya's door open (leaving it ajar) looked panicked.

"What's the matter, Kreideprinz? This must be a serious situation because you've rarely ever come here." Kaeya teased, with a barely visible smirk painted onto his face.

"Forgive me for barging in Captain, but I've recieved a signal from one of my experiments in Dragonspine and it doesnt look like its a good one." Albedo's face was filled with terror, hands were shaking, and his normally relaxed body was stiff. Kaeya made mental notes of this as Albedo's situation is really a serious one, considering that the alchemist usually was proper and composed, seeing him streased like this was new to Kaeya, might even make him scared.

"Albedo, prepare your stuff and we're going to go to Dragonspine in a bit."

~~~

It's been almost an hour since Paimon had left you, you've already collected some of the last bits that Albedo had asked for, the only thing missing is a shard from the floating pillar on the peak of Dragonspine, and so you went off.

Going without Paimon felt weird to you, even if you were kind of annymoyed of her, you still appreciated the company that she gave you. Trudging up the path to the peak, you were getting extremely cold as some of the torches weren't alive, a sign that you were getting close to the top.

Legs trembling, knees unstable, nose clogged, you've crashed to the ground, the cold was too much to handle. The torches further up were not activated to keep anyone warm, from the looks of it, no one has touched the torches for years.

Your body was giving up on you now, the cold too much for you to handle, rethinking your life as you knew this was somehow going to be your last breath, you sighed, wishing someone a happy ending.

"Kaeya, my love, I hope you keep me warm."

~~~

Kaeya and a very panicked Albedo has entered Dragonspine and made their way to Albedo's camp, poor Kaeya was worried sick about the alchemist who was next to him, trembling in fear, hands shaking, not from the cold, but from his thoughts running through his head.

"W-what if someone messed with my experiments?! I'm not finished with those yet and those are highly dangerous items that if messed with, and will lead to unknown circumstances."

"Calm down Albedo, we're going to reach the summit in about 45 minutes. Maybe if you stop worrying we could get there a little faster." Kaeya told the little alchemist to hold himself together.

A while of walking has passed, about 8 minutes away from the camp, snow thick, and the torches were extinguised, something odd stood out to Kaeya.

"Hey Al? When was the last time you were up here?" asked Kaeya curiously, "about a week ago" was all Albedo said as he continued.

"Well if you were here a week ago, shouldn't there be no footprints up here? these almost look like fresh footprints from not too long ago." Kaeya kneeled to the ground, examined the footprints left in the snow, they look new as if someone was here hours ago.

"I guess you follow the footprints, I'll check for any intruders in the camp." Ordered the Kreideprinz to his companion.

A while of more walking while closely examining the footprints, they seem to get closer to each other, as if someone was struggling to walk and so the captain ventured further into Dragonspine, almost near the Peak of Vindagnyr.

Kaeya, peacefully walkong and somewhat enjoying the cold felt a little spike of a traumatizing aura, like as if he was about to see something that would break him, brushing that feeling off he kept walking.

A crunch was heard underneath his footsteps causing him to break his train of thought and turn back, sprinting to where a patch of red had tainted the snow.

Covered a little by the snow was a small body, looked like of a creature but it didn't look like an animal, the body almost looked human-like. Kaeya dug through with an old and rusty shovel that he found on the ground, dug up the body and gasped at what he saw.

Paimon was dead, burried in the snow dried blood smeered all around, he frantically scanned the area for more footprints on the ground and luckily he found more.

"So if Paimon is here… that means the Traveler is also somewhere in this mountain." Kaeya's eyes widen in horror.

He carefully placed Paimon's remains as if she was just relaxing on the rock and ran for the trail of footprints, the farther he went up the summit, the newer the footprints looked, the more frightened Kaeya felt, what if these were the footprints of his beloved? He shook his head to those kind of thoughts.

Kaeya arrived at the summit of the mountain, footprints nowhere to be seen, he used his elemental sight only to find a sight so cruel.

Just how he found Paimon, the Traveler is sprawled out on the ground, body parts spread in weird places that seem very uncomfortable. Kaeya ran towards the Traveler in fear of their heart not breathing.

"My beloved! Please tell me that you're alright" Kaeya sobbed, "just give me a sign, please, anything that might tell me that you're alive" the Cavalry Captain cried harder.

Far off in the distance stood a man, blond hair as bright as the sun, his posture primmed and composed, his hands elegantly gliding accross the sketchbook at the scene infront of him, cereulean blue eyes shimmering with a sinister glare, the Kredeprinz smirked.

"I'm so sorry, Captain. It appears that your Traveler froze to death because of the materials I have asked of them to gather for my experiments. Sadly, I had more intentions than you thought. The traveler does not belong in this world I tell you, how can just a supposedly other-worldian just waltz into our world without the intention of destroying it? Not when I've already found out what they are, their whole being. I'm sorry but I had to do the job that the eleventh couldn't do."

Albedo sighed happily, finishing his sketch and finally ending his experiment here.

[lilydalexf]

Old School X is a project interviewing X-Files fanfic authors who were posting fic during the original run of the show. New interviews are posted every Tuesday.

Interview with Piper Sargasso

Piper Sargasso has 25 stories at Gossamer, but don’t miss her website where the fics each have cover collage art. If you are a fan of Mulder/Scully romance, there are a lot of MSR fics to read that are set in different seasons of the show. But like the show that never stuck to one type of story, Piper’s stories have variety, so you can also find AUs and /Other.  Big thanks to Piper for doing this interview.

Does it surprise you that people are still interested in reading your X-Files fanfics and others that were posted during the original run of the show (1993-2002)?

It does, but I love that people are still into it! Writers back in the day put so much work and love into their writing, and it's nice to know that the stories are still being appreciated to this day. As for my own stories, it puts a huge smile on my face to know there are still people out there checking them out and hopefully enjoying them.

What do you think of when you think about your X-Files fandom experience? What did you take away from it?

It was such a positive period of my life. I made some amazing friends who became something like older sisters (and some brothers) to me, even though I was a little ridiculous when I was in my early to mid-twenties. It was also a much-needed confidence booster. I was a pretty shy person and loved writing, but never had the nerve to show anything to anyone. My first fanfic was completely horrible, but because of it I made my first XF friend and super beta, Mimic117. Between her guidance and the encouraging words from my Yahoo group I was able to do something I really loved and felt great about myself and my abilities for the first time. That will stay with me forever. That first story was truly atrocious, but it was a catalyst for great things in my life when I needed them the most.

Social media didn't really exist during the show's original run. How were you most involved with the X-Files online (atxc, message board, email mailing list, etc.)?

I remember trying this cool new thing called an AOL chat room, but they were more interested in perving on each other than talking about the show. Once I knew about fanfiction I kept seeing that some of my favorite authors kept mentioning IWTBXF in their notes, a Yahoo group named I Want to Believe. I looked it up, joined, and with great trepidation made my introductory post. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and talking to my favorite authors in the group was a little like meeting a celebrity and finding out that they're awesome in real life. After IWTBXF fell apart, an off-shoot called Beyond the Sea was created with almost all of the original group transferring over. I stuck to my little family there and didn't branch out into much else, other than the rare dip into Haven. Ephemeral and Gossamer, of course.

What did you take away from your experience with X-Files fic or with the fandom in general?

Mostly the overwhelming feeling of acceptance and confidence to write, something I was sorely lacking before in my life. I fell in with the best group, that's for sure! They made me feel like being a professional writer could be an achievable goal.

What was it that got you hooked on the X-Files as a show?

The commercial advertising. The pilot spoke to my supernatural-loving, angsty 15 year-old soul. I watched it religiously every week. There was nothing like it. It was off-beat, but serious (most of the time) and fulfilled my insatiable craving for the paranormal and weird. You just couldn't get that from Melrose Place and Beavis and Butthead, you know? It definitely helped that David Duchovny was adorable and the character of Scully was the strong and intelligent icon we needed in the 90's and beyond.

What got you involved with X-Files fanfic?

In high school I had a friend who was as obsessed with the show as I was. Maybe more, since she once had a slumber party that was exclusively to binge watch her taped episodes (the other girls who wanted to mess around with spells and the Ouija board weren't thrilled that she couldn't be swayed away from it) and she often drove me from play rehearsals in her convertible with the top down and the theme song blasting to the heavens, much to my delight and mortification. A couple years after we graduated she told me about the piece of fanfic she wrote. Insert a record screech here. What?! You mean there are thousands of stories dedicated to my favorite show? And hundreds more get added every month?! I was obsessed. If I could've stopped working and slept at my computer desk I would have.

What is your relationship like now to X-Files fandom?

Sadly it's nonexistent these days. I have great memories and it holds a big piece of my heart, but I haven't been active in a long time. I would love to see a huge revival, and would definitely want to be involved in that in some way, were it to happen.

Were you involved with any fandoms after the X-Files? If so, what was it like compared to X-Files?

I read a lot of Harry Potter fanfiction for a while, but I never could expend the kind of energy and time I did for the X-Files fandom. It came at a perfect time in my life, and so far nothing else has measured up to it.

Who are some of your favorite fictional characters? Why?

Besides XF characters? Off the top of my head I really love Hermione Granger, Buffy Summers, Elizabeth Bennet, and Claire Fraser for their sass and strength of character, Severus Snape for his complexity, and Christina Ricci's version of Wednesday Addams for her pure awesomeness. She's pretty much my spirit animal.

Do you ever still watch The X-Files or think about Mulder and Scully?

I do occasionally. I watched the series from season 1-7 so many times that I started to burn out, but I get on my X-Files kicks sometimes and binge it again.

Do you ever still read X-Files fic? Fic in another fandom?

Like with the show, I'll get nostalgic and need to consume all the fanfics my greedy little eyes can behold until I move on to something else. It can feel a little lonely though, if you'll excuse the drama. We're not in the heyday anymore, so it feels a little like walking through a ghost town. Many of the stories out there are suspended in time because the show ended, or people stopped writing.

Do you have any favorite X-Files fanfic stories or authors?

I know I have dozens, but I'm drawing a blank. My ultimate favorite is any well-written MSR casefile with UST finally resulting in RST. Those are my unicorns!

What is your favorite of your own fics, X-Files and/or otherwise?

I have a silly one called Baby, It's Cold Outside that I sometimes read around Christmastime. It was a fluffy song-fic, but I can see the scene so clearly in my mind when I read it and it's just pure fun. I also like my Donnie Pfaster series. I can see the potential in my writing with those, which makes me feel I could really write something special someday. Plus, he's such an interesting little slimeball to write and read about. Bless his heart.

Do you think you'll ever write another X-Files story? Or dust off and post an oldie that for whatever reason never made it online?

I still think about the two WIPs I haven't finished. I wrote myself into a corner with This Mortal Coil, and honestly I think it needs a total overhaul. I think Dana Scully's Diary would be a fun one to finish. I hate that I never finished them.

Do you still write fic now? Or other creative work?

I think about writing fanfic now and then and I've had a couple original novels sketched out, but there are so many other demands on my time that I haven't gotten very far. I still plan to see the novels through, even if no one but interested friends and family read them.  

Where do you get ideas for stories?

I used to watch an episode and really study the actors' expressions and actions, always trying to find new angles to the stories we all know. A lot of times things would just come to me and I'd get so excited I couldn't sleep until I wrote a good chunk of it down.

What's the story behind your pen name?

The friend who introduced me to fanfic told me the best way to choose a pen name was to make sure it derives from the show. For a couple days I looked at the titles and summaries of episodes and agonized over just the right name. Finally Piper Maru and the summary from Triangle, which mentions the Sargasso sea, stood out and just clicked.

Do your friends and family know about your fic and, if so, what have been their reactions?

My now husband always knew, and he thought it was cool that I had a hobby that made me so happy, but he was never a reader. My parents found out when I was about 24 and my step-dad would tell EVERYONE about it, much to my horror. Most reactions were of the bland, "Oh yeah? That's nice." variety but I definitely got some weird looks from others. The worst was when I found out how much of my racier MSR stories my parents read. My step-dad thought it was hilarious and teased me a little. My usually open-minded mom was uncomfortable, but tried to be supportive. It's all fun and games until your daughter starts writing psuedo-erotica for anyone to see!

Is there a place online (tumblr, twitter, AO3, etc.) where people can find you and/or your stories now?

Circe Invidiosa very generously hosts a page for me at http://pipers.invidiosa.com.

(Posted by Lilydale on January 26, 2021)

[katehuntington]

2020, 1st edition Disclaimer: ‘Kate Huntington’s Author & Fanfiction Recommendations’ is a platform for writers, to show appreciation for their work and expand their audience. I do not claim to be the author of these stories, neither do I own them. Read each writer’s warnings carefully, most of them are rated +18. 

Without further ado, here is my list of recommendations.

One shots 

“While You Sleep” - written by @foreverwayward​ Fluff - Dean Winchester - 617 words       A heartwarming little fic about Dean living the domesticated life we all wish he could have. The writer has a very clever way of storytelling and the end might come as a surprise, only adding to the emotion it already brought along.

“Imagine” - written by @pennydrabbles​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 800 words      ‘Imagine calling Dean after a bad day and saying you miss him,’ says the header of this marvelous little story. It’s soothing, with strong descriptions, yet never over the top. Simplicity isn’t necessarily a bad word. It takes skill to not overy describe a scene and let the tale be told by the personal emotion of the reader. The author is able to do this with such elegance, that you actually feel Dean’s comfort.

“Heartbeats” - written by @there-must-be-a-lock​ Fluff - Dean x Castiel - 930 words      Castiel is fascinated by the human heart, but doesn’t quite understand it, until he becomes human himself. I’ll start by saying that I don’t ship Dean and Cas together, but I do appreciate the people who do. What this little piece of art does is incredible, however, because while I was reading, I found myself rooting for them. The writer does a great job by using the literal human heart as a backbone of this story. Intriguing and very well executed.

“Everything That’s Yet To Come” - written by @fictionalabyss​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 812 words      Dean experiences what the future beholds, with the people who he wishes could be there. The author took me by the hand through this moving little one shot, which feels like a collection of greatest hits and wishes come true. It offers peace and closure not only for the older Winchester brother, but for the reader as well. Beautiful piece of writing.

“Take A Drunk Girl Home” - written by @amanda-teaches​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 1869 words      Dean taking care of others; it’s his nature and shows what a kind soul he truly is. The situation sketched here is no exception, and it’s softer than one can imagine. The pace is steady and the balance between fluff and comedy is just right. A lovely read.

“New Beginnings” - written by @our-jensen-ackles-love​ Fluff - Dean x Reader - 1665 words      New Year’s Eve; a new start, a new life and plenty of reason to celebrate. A lovely ‘feel good’ story that makes us forget about the monsters, pain and loss Supernatural is known for. The level of fluff is equivalent to cuddling with puppies.

“When He Cries” - written by @revengingbarnes​ Angst/fluff - Dean x Reader - 1894 words       When the woman who Dean loves falls victim during a case, the hunter has trouble dealing with the aftermath. And, boy... Does that hurt to witness. This is one of the most breathtaking stories I have stumbled on. The realism that is used to describe the gruesome and horrific angst, the emotion that is laced in every word, had me clutching my chest while reading. It’s is a beautiful piece of art.

“Nobody” - written by @soaringeag1e​ Angst - Dean x Reader - 2561 words      This one shot reminds us why we should never stay angry with a loved one and let a fight unresolved, because what if something bad happens and we won’t have the chance to make it right? The writer gives a great sense to that fear and having to watch Dean go through this nightmare is truly heartbreaking. 

“The Demon Inside You” - written by @foreverwayward​ Smut/angst - Demon!Dean x Reader - 4375 words       Curing Dean from the demon that he has become proves to be difficult when he’s so hard to resist. What else is hard to resist, is this beautiful pitch black one shot. I don’t read Demon!Dean fiction often, because it still feels foreign to see the character who I love so much turn into something evil. This however, is so gripping and well written, that the darkness swallows up the beholder. Rough, hot, sad, narcissistic, all these ingredients packed up in one hell of a story.

“Curves And Edges” - written by @kittenofdoomage​ Smut/fluff/angst - Dean x Reader - 4375 words       This equally sweet, sexy, funny and sad story is a big shout out to all women who think they don’t meet the beauty standards and feel like they will never be good enough to get noticed. It is one thing to replace a name with Y/N and call it a reader’s insert; it’s a gift to make every person reading this feels like they are the character in this story. The author handles every woman’s insecurities with grace, making her words both relatable and soothing. Her spot on version of Dean reminds us that we are all beautiful, desired and unique.

“Hold Her Tight” - written by @waywardbaby​ Fluff/smut - Dean x Reader - 2955 words     ‘A story of a deep need to feel someone close to you’, is how the author describes her work. I couldn’t have said it better, because this one shot isn’t about sex; it’s about love making, and there’s a difference. What I also appreciate, is that Y/N takes the time to pamper herself. We all deserve some self care.

“Watch Your F!cking Mouth!” - written by @impala-dreamer​ Smut/comedy - Dean x Reader - 1984 words       Dean falls under a literal curse, and it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I was wheezing, couldn’t breathe and died laughing. It’s astonishing how the writer can juggle comedy and sex without the two taking each other down. An uplifting read.

“Thank God For Sexual Frustration” - written by @winchester-fantasies​ Smut - Dean x Reader - 4398 words       God had nothing to do with writing this sinful story; we can thank the author for that. When Y/N is on a dry spell that has her frustrated, Dean helps her out in the best way imaginable. Delicious smut served in three courses, because we all know Dean keeps his lady satisfied.

Series:

“Life For Rent” - written by @winchest09​ Smut/angst/fluff - Mobster!Dean x Escort!Reader  - WIP      This amazing series follows an experienced, smart and resilient escort, who is ruled by contracts, money and aliases. When Dean becomes her client, he makes it his mission to understand what this interesting woman is hiding.       Conspiracies, deceat, crime. A strong family bond, blossoming love, oh, not to mention the sex. This series is intriguing beyond imagination and certainly not just another mobster fanfiction. The writing is smart and I could tell from the first paragraph that it’s loaded with hints and foreshadowing, but I couldn’t pick them out. This triggers a curiosity like an itch I can’t quite scratch away until I finish reading this story. And so I wait eagerly and drop everything the second a new chapter comes out.  An absolute must read!

“Findings” - written by @kathaswings​ Angst/smut/fluff - Dean x Reader - finished. Update: Sadly, this series is no longer online      This story starts out with what seems to be a routine demon hunt, until Dean and his brother find a frightened five year old survivor amongst the blood and corpses. Keeping the smart little Mackenzie safe and getting her back to her older sister proves to be difficult, because this case is a whole lot bigger than they anticipated and is likely to change their lives forever.      This is one of my favorite Supernatural series and I revisited it recently. The overall story arc is a mystery I just had to unravel and I couldn’t put it down if I wanted to. The bond between Dean and Mackenzie is so precious. Writing a child isn’t easy. I’ve read plenty of books and seen plenty of films in which the maturity the creators added wasn’t natural, but this author handles Mac’s dialogue amazingly well. What’s also interesting is the jumps from point of view between Dean and Y/N, giving very personal perspectives on the gripping story.

“When You Least Expect It” - written by @coffee-obsessed-writer​ Fluff/angst/smut - Jensen Ackles x Musician!Reader - WIP      This gorgeously written slow burn series kicks off when Jensen visits the idyllic town of Seaside. After a bad breakup he keeps his mind occupied with the organisation of a music festival, hoping to find a musician that fits the vibe he has in mind. He meets a spirited, undiscovered performer, not only her voice catching him by surprise. A friendship blossoms, with potential to grow into something more, but will their past allow the love they feel for each other?      Talking about an epic love story, but it’s so much more than that. The music that plays such an important factor, the setting that is Seaside. The fabulous supporting characters Bri, Rob, Jason and Jared, the wardrobe, not to mention the wonderful little gems and details that this author weaved into the story, showing how much love she has put into it. This is without a shadow of a doubt my favorite RPF I’ve come across.

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the work of the authors above, don’t be afraid to let them know. I’m sure they will appreciate it. Feel free to share!

If you have any suggestions or would like a tag in the future, drop a request in my inbox or send me a message.

Love, Kate

‘Kate Huntington’s Author & Fanfiction Recommendations’ taglist: @adoptdontshoppets​ @fangirlxwritesx67​ @idksupernatural​ @indecisive20something​ @tranquility-or-chaos​ @winchest09​ @wingedcatninja​

[littlev1234]

Sketching

I had a lot of ideas for the tattoo artist/florist/piercer AU...so instead of writing a proper fic, I’ve been writing random scenes.

Sequel to Rustling the Bouquet, but can be read by itself. I’m also still taking Ash/Eiji/Shorter requests (not including NSFW, and I sadly haven’t read the manga yet).

I’m sure several things in this fic were inspired by @kizunah‘s amazing headcanons; make sure you check them out!

Fandom: Banana Fish

Pairing: Ash/Eiji/Shorter

Words: 1,952

AO3 Version: Sketching

Tension surrounded the trio currently eating at Chang Dai. Since Shorter’s family owned the place, their meals were discounted enough for Eiji to not feel guilty about Shorter paying. The lunch break started off amiable, and easy conversation had flowed between them for a while.

But now there was only one egg roll left. Ash and Shorter narrowed their eyes at each other, as if daring the other to make a move, and their chopstick-wielding fingers tensed.

Anticipation fluttered in Eiji’s chest. His gaze flicked between them, and with each passing second the hostility thickened. Shorter moved his hand just slightly closer, but Ash clicked his chopsticks together in warning. Both deadly serious over the last delectable appetizer, they fell back into a strained silence.

The glares they sent each other were truly intimidating…until five minutes had passed and still no one had moved. Eiji, long past done with their antics, glanced at a clock on the wall. How long were they going to keep at this?

An idea popped into his mind. He picked up his chopsticks, and thanks to their staring contest, neither Ash or Shorter noticed.

Eiji took a deep breath. This was probably a terrible idea. It might be too soon for him to be so bold in their newfound friendship. However, he wasn’t about to waste the last of his lunch break on this.

He snatched the egg roll and took a large bite.

“What?!”

“Eiji?!”

Eiji pointedly ignored their looks of betrayal as he chewed his prize. It was really good, he had to admit.

Slumping in his chair, Shorter groaned. “What the hell man.”

“I was about to win that,” Ash grumbled, and his mouth turned into what was suspiciously close to a pout.

Eiji swallowed before responding. “You were letting it get cold. Plus if I hadn’t done it, who knows how long you would have taken.”

“Well, I guess it is almost time for us to go back to work,” Ash sighed.

“I’ll ask my sis to make extra for us when we come back tomorrow,” Shorter decided. His disappointment had already vanished, and he casually linked his hands behind his head. “And of course you’re invited again too, Eiji.”

The Japanese male, who had taken another bite, awkwardly tried to quickly chew and swallow. “…ah, thanks! I’d love to.”

“We’ll try not to get that ridiculous again,” Ash said.

Shorter scoffed. “No promises.”

Eiji grinned. “Well, it’s not like I was bored.”

“How about we exchange numbers?” Shorter suggested.

“Sure.” Eiji reached into his pocket, but then Ash suddenly placed a hand on his arm. Startled, he questioningly met the blond’s no-nonsense expression.

“Don’t do it. You’ll regret it,” he whispered.

“Huh…?” Eiji looked over at Shorter, who only smiled wider.

Why was it dangerous to share numbers? He wanted to have them and be able to talk to them. Deciding Ash must be being silly, he did it regardless.

He repeated the process with Ash’s phone number. Then, just as he started to slide his phone into his pocket, the device buzzed.

“I warned you,” Ash said.

Thumbs poised over his phone screen, Shorter leaned forward. “I hope you like memes, Eiji.”  

--

Ash’s pen left thin black lines of varying sizes, thicknesses, and curvatures across coarse sketchbook paper. Each flick of the wrist and bend of his fingers brought the picture further to life. In front of him lay his inspiration: the refined vase shaped petals of a white calla lily. Meanwhile, Shorter’s and Eiji’s conversation created a pleasant background noise that he tuned into every now and then.

Or at least it was until Eiji released inhaled a sharp breath that had the blond’s brow furrowing with worry.

“Are you all right?” Shorter questioned.

Whipping his head around, Ash saw the Japanese male set down a pair of pruners and look down at his fingers. He placed his sketchbook beside a pot and hurried over.

“Are you hurt?” Ash demanded, and he peered down at the damage. Soil stained the creases of Eiji’s skin and could be seen under his blunt fingernails. What caught his attention, however, was the bead of blood forming and sliding down the thumb.

“It’s nothing.” Eiji’s voice held only truth; he just calmly inspected the prick and headed to the counter.

Unlike Shorter, who accepted the reassurance, Ash felt a wave of attentiveness that left him restless. He followed Eiji to the sink. “That could get infected. Let me help you bandage it up.”

The florist shook his head as he grabbed the first aid kit from a drawer. “All I have to do is wash it and put a bandage on it. I can take care of it.”

Ash hovered over him as he turned on the sink. “Okay…don’t scrub too hard or you’ll aggravate it, and don’t put on the band-aid too tight—”

Eiji used his good hand to pointedly nudge Ash’s chest. “It’s literally just a poke, Ash. I can handle it.”

He finally took a step back and out of the other’s personal space. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Eiji to handle himself, but he had this insistent desire to make sure.

“He’s trying to mother hen you. It happens.” Shorter sat down on a stool and leaned his arms on the counter.

Ash crossed his arms. He wasn’t being a mother hen. He was just looking out for them; it was only natural. Especially when one considered any number of things that could happen from the smallest injury.

Eiji finished cleaning the wound, patted it dry, and wrapped it up. He gave an exasperated smile when he noticed Ash still watching, and the blond finally looked away.

“Ironic, huh? He goes crazy over other people but won’t take care of himself. One time he jumped into a lake right after getting a tattoo.” Shorter flashed a toothy, shit-eating grin at Ash.

“What? Why?” Eiji questioned. Anyone could tell that several scenarios must be running through his mind right now.

“I was at a bonfire, and I was dared to do it. I sure as hell wasn’t going to chicken out,” Ash defended.

“I don’t recall anyone daring you. It was more of a suggestion that you decided to do.” Shorter placed his hand next to his face to stage-whisper to Eiji. “He was plastered.”

The blond huffed. “You were wasted too, so don’t act like you were any better that night.”

Shorter laughed and leaned precariously back on the stool. “Yeah, but I didn’t end of with an infected tattoo, Mister Tattoo Artist.”

“I’ve never been to a bonfire. They sound pretty crazy,” Eiji commented. His eyes showed more interest than wariness, however, and that observation caused a question to pop into Ash’s mind.

“Are you old enough to drink, Eiji?”

“I don’t remember what the drinking age is in America, but I assume so. I’m twenty-five.”

Surprise left Ash staring at Eiji in disbelief, and Shorter narrowly avoided falling off the stool by grabbing onto the counter.

“Twenty-five?” the white male repeated.

“Damn, I never would have guessed that you were older than us,” Shorter breathed.

Eiji’s mouth curled into a huffy pout. “How old did you think I was?”

“We figured eighteen or nineteen,” Ash explained.

Eiji released a long-suffering breath. “Well, that’s better than what happened earlier today. A deliveryman came in and asked for an ID because he wasn’t sure I was old enough to sign for the package.”

Ash failed to stifle a snort, and Eiji shot him a glare.

They effortlessly swung to a different topic as the conversation continued. By the time a customer came in, Ash had almost forgotten his original mission there, and he quickly snatched his sketch book to ensure no harm came to it.

--

“What if I try holding the umbrella?”

“I’m the tallest; it makes sense for me to hold it.”

“But Eiji’s still getting wet. Tilt it that way.”

“We already tried that—Christ, Ash, you’re about to trip me.”

“I don’t want to get rained on either!”

Eiji sighed. Ten minutes had passed since they started walking down the sidewalk with one umbrella, and those two hadn’t stopped bickering since. He didn’t see what the big deal was. Sure, the rain soaking his arm was uncomfortable, but it was only his arm. Apparently Ash and Shorter didn’t have the same opinion; Shorter was trying to protect his mohawk at all costs, and Ash was practically plastering himself onto Shorter to avoid the demonic droplets.

“I’m fine, really,” Eiji insisted.

“We’re not letting you sacrifice yourself for us,” Ash firmly stated.

“He’s right. We’ll figure it out.” Shorter pointed at an awning near the entrance of a store. “I have an idea. Let’s stop under there.”

Eiji and Ash followed his directions, and, when they were under the protection of the awning, Shorter asked Ash to hold the umbrella. Then he slid off his jacket and handed it to Eiji.

“Here. It’s waterproof.”

Eiji hesitantly accepted the clothing. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah! It’ll keep you dry.”

“Well, thank you, then.” He put on the jacket. The fabric swallowed him, as he expected, but its warmth was comforting, and he certainly didn’t mind the sharp scent of Shorter’s cologne around him.

“Just make sure to take care of it,” Shorter added. “All right, let’s try this umbrella thing again.”

---

Mondays sucked. Waking up sucked. So, by that logic, it was perfectly understandable for Shorter to be shuffling down the sidewalk with all the alertness and urgency of a sloth.

Walking beside him, Ash poked his cheek. “Come on, wake up. You’re going to run into something.” And, just after the words left his mouth, the blond quickly gripped Shorter’s arm to tug him closer. A cyclist rushed by, narrowly missing the Chinese man. “See?”

“That—” The near-accident roused him enough to rub at his eyes, but a long yawn proved he was far from fully awake. “…that doesn’t count. She almost ran into me.”

“Okay, fair enough.”

“Ash! Shorter!”

They stopped and turned at Eiji’s voice. When they spotted said male jogging toward them, their greetings of return died in their throats.

Eiji’s expression was as soft as ever, but their gaze was directed further down. Thus far they’d only seen him in long-sleeved uniform shirts and khaki pants—now he was sporting a white tank and red athletic shorts.

Lightly defined lines revealed lean muscle along Eiji’s calves and thighs. His arms showed the gentle rise of biceps, and on one shoulder was a subtle tan line that wasn’t quite covered by his tank top strap.

When he stopped in front of them, Shorter realized his mouth had fallen open, and he shut it with a click. He wanted to glance over at Ash to see if the blond had reacted similarly, but Eiji was handing him something, so he mindlessly accepted it.

“I decided I’d give back your jacket before I head to practice,” Eiji explained. “Thanks for letting me use it the other day!”

Oh, right. Jacket. Shorter hadn’t even noticed Eiji carrying it. “I, uh…thanks.”

“I need to get going. See you guys later!” And with that, the Japanese male walked off, offering them a view of his toned shoulders before he turned a corner and left their sight.

Several long seconds passed before either spoke.

“…Ash?”

“Yeah?”

“My bisexual ass is awake now.”

Ash snorted, and, when Shorter turned his head to look at him, started laughing. The incredulous tone, directed at them both, revealed that Ash had been just as distracted. Shorter busted out laughing too.

They arrived at work four minutes late, but they agreed it was well worth it.