#or huddled under the covers wrapped in each other's embrace

[hayaku14]

something about kaishin being each other's safe haven gets me all

[stevebabey]

question on my lips

kia ora my loves, i'm stuck with writers block on another piece and this is hopefully the cure <3 its all sweetness as usual [established relationship + fluff + 2k words] mucho mwahs as ALWAYS <3!

Steve’s in a bad mood.

Which might be very fair considering the state of the weather outside. Flurries of snow batter against the windows and a hair-raising chill leaks into the panes, painting them in condensation. It’s cold. You don’t want to be caught outside on a night like tonight.

But, somewhere across town, there’s a reservation under Steve’s name that is being wasted. At a pretty restaurant, with 2 too many forks for your taste — but Steve had insisted. Even put on a suit.

And even though Steve has told you he prefers the quieter nights in with just the two of you, he seems quite… miffed that you can’t go anymore.

Maybe not quite a bad mood but… well, it’s a hell of a pout he’s wearing.

Amber drenches the wall of the room, lit by your bedside table lamps — a cozy cocoon that feels worlds away from the blizzard coming down outside. You’re actually quite excited; there’s seldom a comfort like being in Steve’s arms when it’s cold like this. Tangled together in your bed, letting his perpetually blazing heart heat the both of you.

But… he’s still pouting. You’re both unwinding a bit, taking off what you’d managed to put on before the weather took a turn for the worse — but Steve’s stuck, hands in his pockets. He seems to be fumbling with something.

His silence worries you more. Maybe you hadn’t realised how actually upset he was that your plans were cancelled.

He had been mentioning it all week, all month actually- since he’d first made the booking. Some claim that you’d love the food and he loved any occasion to see you all dressed up and drool-worthy— (“Not that that’s not all the time, babe.”)

“Steve?” You say. His head jumps up, hands in his pockets going still. “C’mon, come to bed.”

He softens at your coaxing words. Like the very sound of them, the sweet nature of your words, melts his hardened edges. He nods, tugging off his tie and beginning to work on his belt.

In the meantime, you creep into the bed. It smells like a smattering of something sweet that you know to be Steve’s hairspray, fabric softener, and maybe what you think love might smell like if it had a scent. You sink into it lovingly. Warm. Safe.

Your eyes find him instinctively. Watching, observing, drinking in the sight of your lover soothes you like nothing else. Love spools messily in your chest, like a knotted ball of yarn strewn through your ribs. It aches sweetly. Steve catches you as he’s pulling a pair of sweatpants up his calf.

“You’re staring,” He states plainly, but he’s smiling a bit, lips turned up in the corners. He jumps, hiking his pants up over his hips, and wanders closer.

You nod, hair scrunching against the pillow. Your voice comes out a bit muffled when you speak. “That a crime?”

Steve grins this time. He pushes the covers back, kneeling on the mattress beside you — pausing to push back the hair covering your eyes. He smiles down at you, eyes fond. “If it is, lock me up, baby.”

He pauses, thumb drifting over cheekbone lightly. “I could look at ya all day.”

Something delightful purrs behind your ribs, warm and all-encompassing. Where you would’ve once hidden your face away, this time you just let your glee wash over your face — and let Steve see every second of it. You’re happy. Steve makes you happy.

Steve gives an awed exhale and flops, bouncing down on the mattress beside you. He works the duvet around, bundling up as best he can before his hands begin to search for you. Traversing across the sheets, seeking, til they meet skin. He hums happily. Pulls you into his chest and lets you figure out how you want to wrap around him, like unkempt ivy. He’s warm, as always.

You’re not even trying to sleep yet, either of you, just having a moment huddled up in each other's embrace. The wind whirls loudly outside. You wonder what you’d be doing if your plans had gone through.

“M’sorry,” you say into his chest. It rises and falls with his breath, soothing and constant. “That we couldn’t do dinner. Y’seemed really excited.”

Steve makes a little noise, saying that he agrees. For a moment, your words hang in the air and then he clears his throat, pulling you closer.

“S’okay, not like you can control the weather.” He murmurs his reply. He pulls back to peer down at you with suspicious eyes, a tease on his tongue. “Can you? Because as your boyfriend, I should totally know that, and considering what we’ve seen—“

“Shut up,” you giggle. You poke him in the ribs because you can’t think of a good jibe back.

“Shutting up,” Steve says, before snuggling back closer. There’s another moment of quiet. The window rattles in the absence of words. Steve sighs.

“Just…” He starts. You can already tell he’s got his thinking face on, a little furrow between his brows. “Had some good plans for tonight, is all. Not a big deal.”

“A plan within a plan,” you muse thoughtfully. Steve chuckles. “How layered this night could of been!”

“And instead, you just have to have this, huh?” Steve murmurs, dejection creeping into his voice. Your heart twists. He must’ve planned a lot just to watch it go down the drain.

You pull back from his embrace and catch his eyes, searching his face. Disappointment lingers in his expression and it pushes a pout onto your lips.

“Well, is there anything we can do? That was like your plans?” You ask.

Steve breaks into a grin, giving a chuckle — but a glint in his eyes says he’s grinning for another reason. He stares at you lovingly, eyes dragging up and down your face as he seemingly thinks of his answer. He shakes his head.

“Nuh uh. Nothing we can do tonight.” He says, a tad forlorn. His hand on your back sketches a soft stroke up your spine. You shiver in a good way and Steve speaks again, eyes searching somewhere behind you, imagining something. “Well, not— not the way I want to do this.”

There’s a long pause. At the same moment a soft realisation blooms in your chest and on your face, Steve seems to realise he’s said too much. His eyes widen, the apples of his cheeks turning scarlet.

“Were you gonna—?”

You push back from him, suddenly sitting up in the bed. Your heart thuds loudly in your chest, risking bruising the inside of your ribs with each resounding thud. You don’t even mind because… because…

Steve sits up too, wide-eyed expression still on his face. He looks flushed, taken off guard — he clearly hadn’t meant to tell you today. Well, he had meant to tell you today but he wanted to ask you at dinner, on one knee, and then the storm—

“You were gonna ask?” You squeak. A smile wobbles on your face as you try to rein in your reaction, even as joy floods every nerve. “Tonight?”

Steve seems unsure of the right way to answer. “Yes,” He stammers. Then crushes his eyes closed, dropping his eyes closed to curse. “Shit, I wasn’t supposed— I had it all planned! This isn’t—“

Steve pushes his palms into his eyes for a moment, dragging his hands down his face. You feel a pang of remorse for ruining your own surprise but it’s completely overshadowed by the rampant happiness. You can’t help yourself for what you say next.

“Yes.”

Steve blinks. “What?” A grin grows on his face, like your own is contagious even as he shakes his head. “I haven’t even asked you yet!”

He’s laughing, a glorious sound, and so are you. You're so full of love you feel stuffed like you’ve just eaten, it fills every crevice of your body. You nod. You think your teeth might be aching with how sweet the boy before you is— pouting and giving away his own surprises.

“I know,” you breathe. “But if- when you do, it’s a yes.”

And you’ve known it before. You have known it long before tonight that yours and Steve’s futures are knitted together so intricately that where one goes, the other follows. Still, knowing it and saying it— the difference steals your breath. You feel like a teenage fool again, back to the first time Steve ever asked you, ‘Be mine?’

Steve sinks into the pillows, deflating into them with a blinding grin. Like he hadn’t been sure up until right then. He giggles. Another awed sound, like he can’t quite believe what’s happening.

“Okay,” he breathes. You sink down too, curling up into him. His warmth feels burning hot now as he pulls you back into his arms, the same as he had a minute ago; this time, you swear your hearts are an inch closer.

“I gotta come up with a whole new plan now, don’t I?” Steve asks, eyes shining as he peers down at you.

You laugh a little bit, delirious, and shake your head. Gathering courage, even as your stomach twists up in the best way.

“Nope. You can… you can ask now, if you really want.”

You hope your voice betrays everything you mean; that he could ask anywhere and you would say still say yes. That it didn’t need to be somewhere fancy, didn’t need to be a big spectacle, he didn’t even need to get on one knee and you would still say yes.

Steve stares down at you, drinking in the sincerity of your expression and he softens impossibly more. Smile lines you adore get scrunched up as he gives a shuddering breathy laugh, punched out of him by his own enormous affection. Christ, he loves you.

His hand raises, cupping your jaw sweetly and he tugs you closer to meet him in the middle. You come home to him, lips meeting lips as he kisses you deeply and maddeningly. There are a thousand sentiments in his kiss, I want to marry you and I love you among them.

He pulls back and rests his forehead against your own. His hand on your jaw rubs soothing, fingers tucking some stray hair behind your ear.

“Got a plan.” He murmurs, a wickedly handsome smile on his face as he taps his temple.

You’ll have to wait, it seems. You think you can stretch your patience a little longer, especially for this. Your cheeks are beginning to ache from your smile.

Another quiet moment. Then, your eyes light up with the recollection of an earlier memory. They skirt across the room and land on their target, Steve’s crumpled pair of slacks on the ground. You recall his fumbling with his hand deep in his pocket.

Steve follows your eye-line and the moment he spots what you’re looking his head whips back.

Steve fixes you with a stern look, a warning that says don’t. You move an inch, more to tease than anything — you don’t want to see anything til he’s the one giving it to you — but you don’t get very far anyway.

“Oh no, you don’t—” Steve’s arms around your middle tighten, pulling you closer as you pretend to reach off into the distance.

He shifts you easily, setting you down into the pillows and then squishing himself atop you. You let out a strange noise, a surprised yelp as Steve lightly crushes you beneath him, a slightly maniacal grin on his pretty mouth. His hair is a mess, cheeks still glowing, and he looks utterly in love.

You wiggle a bit, seeing if you can free a limb. Maybe to pretend to escape, maybe to dig your fingers in and hold him closer. Either way, it’s fruitless.

Somehow, you’re not all the mad with the situation; squished lovingly beneath your hunk of a boyfriend so you don’t go scampering around searching for a- for your engagement ring.

“Can I at least get a kiss?” You ask, knowing he’ll say yes. If there’s one thing, it’s that Steve never denies you a kiss if you ask. His eyes look a tad misty as he looks down at you so so fondly, eyes drawing down to your lips.

He doesn’t disappoint.

[lght-roastcoffee]

⋆ ˚｡⋆ Rainfall ⋆ ˚｡⋆

prompt: Sharing an umbrella┆Tuna-Tober ⊹ Day 6

pairing: Charles Xavier x fem!Reader

wordcount: 740

warnings: established relationship, alcohol use

author's note: We’re halfway done! Only five more fics left before I can set this challenge behind me! Like I said yesterday under the other Charles fic, I do plan on writing two fics tomorrow as a way to catch up after I got sick earlier this week, so get excited!

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢-𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘴 ˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹

The pub was loud and noisy as I sipped on the pint of beer in my hands. I was supposed to be celebrating with Charles, but it seems he’s caught up in whatever his colleagues are having him do. I look over my shoulder from my spot at the bar and spot him downing a massive pint of beer. He’s going to feel that in the morning, I fear.

Charles had just presented his thesis on mutation in the human genes and his theories on these mutations accessing abilities unknown to mankind to this day. And to celebrate the end of his master’s program before starting his venture into his doctorate program, a party was arranged at the pub closest to the school. Charles had also invited Raven and I, but it seems I’ve been left to my own devices. Raven couldn’t come because she was called into work at the restaurant she’s been working at. But I was free and looking forward to being in Charles’ company for the night.

The man himself stumbles into the bar stool next to me leaning heavily on the counter. The bartender sets a new, but significantly smaller, beer glass in front of him before turning to the other patrons. The dazed smile on Charles’ face has me returning it with one of my own.

“Charles,” I start, “is it such a good idea to be drinking so heavily when we have a meeting in the morning?”

He chuckles, turning his head to face me, his hand reaching to grab mine. “It’s alright, love. We don’t need to be there until later, so we can nurse my inevitable hangover with a nice breakfast.”

He leans down and kisses my temple. My eyes closed at the contact, pulling a smile from my lips. Clumsily, he separates from me, standing to take his coat off of his chair and reaching for some bills in the pockets. I get up to do the same, watching as he downs some of the beer that had been forgotten about, shaking my head as I do. Charles placed a few bills on the counter, enough to cover his tab and mine (which was only the one beer), then took my hand and led me to the door.

As we exited the nice, warm pub, I huddled closer to Charles as the cold wind of the London fall washed over us. Not only was it cold, but it had started raining at some point.

“Ah, no worries!” Charles says, briefly letting go of my hand to reach back through the door for an umbrella.

Turning back to me, he opens it up and holds it over our heads. He wraps an arm around my waist, tucking me into his side once more before ushering me on the wet sidewalk. We continue like this down the block towards his townhouse. Before we were able to reach the steps, the umbrella flew out of Charles’ hands and down the sidewalk, leaving us without shelter from the pouring rain and soaking us. We try to run after it, but it’s gone before we can reach it.

We both stand there, clothes soaking through, the cold settling into our bones. Suddenly, Charles starts laughing, bending over, hands on his knees. I join in and walk to his side as he extends back to his full height. I wrap my arms around his neck as his loops around my waist, pulling me into his still-warm body. Our foreheads meet and we stare into each other’s eyes. His blue ones sparkle with child-like joy.

“You’re gorgeous, love,” he breathes out, a hand raising to brush my wet hair back.

I stare into his eyes, rubbing my thumb on the back of his neck, before softly pulling him down in a kiss. He returns it, pushing a little further into the embrace. His lips move slowly against mine, tasting of something sweet and the beer he downed before leaving the pub.

Overhead, thunder sounded, cracking against the silence of the street. We pull apart, laughter ringing out as he takes my hand and hurrying back towards the steps of his townhouse. Getting the door opened, he pulls me along with him into the foyer. We discard our drenched coats and scarves before standing in front of each other once more.

“You are truly beautiful, I hope you know that,” he sighs, brushing my cheek with his fingers.

[full-cowlings]

𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆

❝   𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐲𝐨𝐮  𝐢𝐬  𝐚𝐬  𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥  𝐭𝐨  𝐦𝐞  𝐚𝐬  𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠   .   𝐢  𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰  𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭  𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞  𝐢  𝐬𝐚𝐰  𝐲𝐨𝐮  𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭  𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞  𝐰𝐚𝐬  𝐧𝐨  𝐨𝐧𝐞  𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞  𝐲𝐨𝐮  𝐨𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬  𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐭   .   𝐧𝐨  𝐨𝐧𝐞  𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞  𝐟𝐨𝐫  𝐦𝐞   .   ❞

꒷︶���꒥꒷‧₊˚꒷︶꒷꒥꒷‧₊˚

Summary ; In which Izuku sleepily tells you he loves you for the first time ... making the occasion be on valentines day morning .

Warnings & Notices ; More so general fluffy shit more than valentines day stuff specifically !

Word Count ; 1556

Light shone in through the curtains of Izuku's dorm room, like the early morning the hues of the world bloom anew as if each were a tiny flower reborn , daylight unwrapping the hues of the world.

The orange hue of the light shining through onto you two was enough to make you both stir, the clock had only read 8:00 am , barely reaching past dawn.

The two of you laid together, entangled in each other's arms as you slipped into the comfort of Izuku Midoriya's safe embrace. Upon the newfound light that hit your face, your eyes fluttered open, though only slight.

Upon opening your eyes, you're met with the sight of your lover facing you. One of Midoriya's arms is wrapped around your waist, holding you close to his warm frame, while the other cradles the back of your head, which had helped you lay with your head against his clavicle.

You pulled back slightly, turning your head so you were now facing him, to which your eyes softened as you sleepily gazed over his own peaceful form. His hair tousled, his nostrils flaring slightly, matching his slow, breathing pattern in his sleep. You snuggle up against him, chest to chest and your heartbeat slowly catches up to his, as if your bodies reacted simultaneously to your warm touch.

Both of your bodies are buried under the covers, yet you can see his silhouette from the dim light peering in... and you can't help but notice how ethereal he looks in the time. Like the angels blessed Izuku even more in the morning, when he was at his calmest state, mind finally able to relax and get some rest.

And it almost feels surreal that you're there in that moment, in his arms and embrace. Something you wouldn't change a thing about.

Suddenly, it dawns on you the day that it is — February fourteenth, making it Valentines Day ... Izuku being the only one you ever wanted to share this holiday with.

Your mind delved into thoughts about such a thing, realizing this was your guys' first time spending Valentine's day together... though you were secretly hoping all along to be his Valentine, of course. And he yours.

The thoughts soon dissipated again though once the sound of a yawn came from your right, turning your gaze back to your boyfriend as the viridescent hues of his eyes opened as well.

Izuku's eyes were set on you almost immediately, not even beginning to think about moving from the position you two were tangled in at that moment. The feel of your weight against him, your body heat against his own and the own steady beat of your heart meeting his as well was the closest thing to perfection he'd ever think of finding.

Along with you , of course.

" G'morning, 'zuku, " you mumbled softly.

A smile slides across his face, his gorgeous green eyes staring back at you. But he says nothing for that moment, instead leaning down to close the small little space between you two . Your lips meet at the slightest and softest touch, then they part just as quick as they had met.

" Good morning, sweetheart. "

His morning voice is huskier than his normal tone of speaking, the sleepiness still settled in his words as he slowly begins to wake up in order to start the day.

Then, his gaze slides across the room to the alarm clock on his bedside table, the time now being 8:15 am , the date underneath it in a smaller font than the one used for the numbers.

Izuku's heart flutters at the thought of it finally reaching that holiday, his eyes meeting your figure that was still huddled against his own. He's startled by the feel of you shifting, like you had decided to begin the day of plans you two had in mind.

However, Midoriya's hold on you tightens, keeping you in place in his arms.

It's not forceful, not in the slightest, but it does show his more clingy and softer side. Something that appeared much more often than even the usual around you during the early hours of the morning.

"Not yet," he mumbles, shifting himself this time so that while your head was against his collarbone, his own laid in the dip where your shoulder meets your jaw. " Can't think of a better way to start today than like this. "

You give a soft hum, one of affirmation that has a lingering hint of contentment in there as well. For you'd gladly take any excuse to be in his hold for as long as you both could be.

Though you both knew that the time to get up and start the date you two had planned would be soon enough — perhaps that's why he wanted to take this moment for everything he had.

Izuku's eyes fell closed again, tilting his head slightly to press soft kisses against your jawline , trailing behind your ear, down your neck and cross your shoulder. His lips against your skin was a familiar sensation that you'd never get tired of, feeling like there was nothing more that you loved then when he met your skin in the way he did now.

" 'm so happy you're my Valentine, [name]," he mumbled in the midst of his small affectionate assault , the hand on your waist tracing soft patterns and shapes into your side. " Don't wanna spend this day with anyone else other than you, Izuku."

You feel his smile against the skin of your shoulder — the green curls of his tousled bedhead tickling against your skin as he nestled into your warmth, just as you did to his.

"Love you, i love you so much... I'm so lucky to have you here, with me." Whether it was the sleepiness Izuku felt or whether it was him finally getting the courage to muster such words, he didn't know. But what you knew was that it had heat rushing to your face, surprise lacing your features before it was switched with a small smile — eyes flooding with nothing but love and admiration for the young hero laying in front of you.

Though when his head lifted from it's position in the crook of your neck, it seemed like Izuku soon realized what he had just said. For soon heat rushed to his freckled cheeks as he went to sputter out an apology. " I... I said that aloud, didn't I? I'm sorry! it just sort of came out without me thinking and my mind didn't let me run through my words, I spoke without thinking! I really didn't mean to say such a thing y-"

You had cut off Izuku's small apology tangent with a small laugh, lips meeting his own for a few seconds before you pulled back to look over his face. Lifting your hand from its position of being wrapped around his torso, you took his cheek in your hand, gently connecting his freckles with your fingertips. "I love you too, Izuku."

A wave of relief washed over the green-haired male, the panic in his viridian hues turning to something that one could only begin to explain as what true love was always described as in fairytales.

"I'm... I'm so glad to hear that."

It was a whisper of admittance, but a genuine and true one .

The pair of you laid there for a while longer, looking for more words to say. But found out that maybe it's true what they say, that silence is golden. Because the look in his eyes told you everything you'd ever wanted to hear.

It was then that you knew that this Valentine's Day would be something special... because you were with Izuku Midoriya.

And he was something special on his own...

as was the love you two shared.

[carb0n-m0n0xid3]

AAAAA

IM SUBMITTING MY POEMS FOR WRITING CONTEST IT SO SCARY

ughh i hate this i hope i do good

ive posted them here before but here they are again, i revised some i think

Enjoy :3

Winter sighs

Through the creaking bridge,

under where waters rush,

the rocks lie submerged

with crawling algae lush.

The soft snow décor

dresses the aging trees.

Falling to the floor,

from the sky they dance and flee.

A disturbance in serenity

calls a lonely cry,

echoing throughout the woods

and into the starry sky.

The moon looks down in pity

to watch the sunken eyes

of the vagabond canine,

barely grasping to its life.

Through the freezing night,

the sorrow dies down.

The animal of the forest

becomes part of it now.

Infatuation

We were never made to be alone,

as proven by our suffering

when cast aside by those

in whom we tend to lean close to.

But beyond the love of friends

and family comes another,

one that bonds two closer

to where they act as one.

The heart is a fragile organ,

but eventually there comes a time

where it is most seeking.

The new need of attention

claws at their young minds

as they begin to explore a new world.

A world not known by outsiders,

but more by those who dwell within.

The world of awareness,

love and affection.

This affectionate infection

has drawn my eyes to you

in hopes that you would notice

my yearning glance.

Yet, distanced our bodies stand,

across the plane of passion.

Mine longs your soothing embrace,

so our hearts be face-to-face,

beating rhythmically in tune

as a soft song for both me and you.

But all is just a persistent dream

I wonder with impatience.

Though, high hopes still remain

so sometime in the future,

maybe our souls may dance together.

Always and Forever

I glanced about the dark void,

seeing nothing, yet hearing something.

It was similar to a muffled panic,

echoing softly around me, following as I trailed,

taunting and teasing me as it grew loud.

Its annoyance increased as I covered my ears tightly,

wishing for these screams of terror

to just simply go away.

But they would not stop persisting,

swarming round and around me,

growing from whispers to wails in mere moments.

The horrific noises swirled around my head,

bringing to me unimaginable dread.

Yet amid screeching panic, it stopped,

the atmosphere growing calm and light.

“Child” called a booming, soothing voice.

I looked up whilst uncovering my ears,

and behold, a massive glowing figure appears.

Gently, He reaches down to me

with a loving, caring hand.

“Why do this to yourself?” He said,

the obvious concern echoing beyond me.

As He drew me closer,

I could make out worried features

etched across his warm, radiant face.

“What are you talking about?”

I answered back sheepishly,

watching the affectionate being.

“You know you cannot lie to me, dear Child.

You may think it is time, but listen,

You have much more left ahead of you.”

He had responded with a voice of pity,

knowing of my true intentions.

Thus, he had begun to retreat me

to the growing void beneath,

carefully placing me back down

towards the pitch-black ground.

“Now return to those who love you,

those who care for you so dearly.”

The figure’s light had begun to dim,

fading away completely just as

His words, echoing throughout:

“I am with you, Always and Forever…”

“Wait!” I say, feeling my face

wet with tears as I wake.

Huddled all around me

were my closest friends and family,

turning from melancholy

to a rather joyous state.

“Thank God, you’re alive!” few had said,

hugging each other beside my hospital bed.

They had longed to embrace me as well,

though refrained with compassion

at the sight of my fragile condition.

My heart twisted with throbbing guilt,

watching as my closest friend

approached with a sad smile.

She was the first to come near,

holding me tight with eagerness.

Her words shook when whispered out,

filled with remorse and tenderness:

“I know what you did,

what you have done to yourself.”

I tightened my weak grip around her,

painfully sobbing into her arms,

seeing my own weak and wrapped in gauze.

“I’m so sorry” I choked out,

realizing that my actions were quite foul.

How could I be so selfish?

How could I be so stupid?

“Do not apologize” she mumbled back,

tears freely flowing down,

landing on the soft blue medical gown.

“We’re all here for you, no matter what.

Always and Forever.”

SORRY FOR THE LONG POST, THANKS YALL ❤❤❤

[onouwu]

Mermaid Hunter's Lesson

The ocean’s depths concealed a multitude of secrets. Among them, a group of enchanting mermaids. Their iridescent tails shimmered in the oceanic twilight, drawing attention away from their fleshy halves.

Hiding amidst a city that looks like underwater ruins, they lived their lives in harmony for the most part. However, their tranquility was being threatened by an unexpected hunter— a researcher’s lapdog named Elina. Her lean and athletic form trained by years in the ocean, despite not being native, she was a force to be reckoned with.

On this day, the hunter was hot on the mermaids’ trail; the propellers attached to her back like wings pushing her through the aquatic labyrinth swiftly. Despite lacking fins, she was fast and agile, imposing a game of cat and mouse upon the inhabitants of the sea with her dart gun.

However, the chase had taken a toll on the mermaids, who tried as hard as they could to defend themselves by pretending to not exist. Among the mermaids was Seraphina, a mermaid with long, flowing, purple hair. The most daring of them all, a protector of her people. Her emerald eyes reflected a plan, honing in on the two clasps holding the helmet in place. She moved with the stealth and grace of a marine predator as she approached the hunter from behind. With a swift motion, Seraphina reached out and sliced at the straps of the clasps with her clawed fingernails, then tore the helmet from the woman’s head.

A gush of tiny bubbles erupted around them as the woman gasped in surprise. Her world was muted, the hum of her suit’s engine and her own steady breathing replaced by the solemn, haunting quiet of the deep ocean around her head. Panic blossomed on her face while her blonde hair spread out in the water, her eyes widened as the realization set in. She attempted to ascend, to break free from the depths and gulp down the sweet, saving air from above.

But the mermaids rushed to her. One of them, a lithe creature with a tail as purple as twilight, shot forward and held the woman’s arms behind her in an embrace as intimate as it was malicious. The hunter struggled, her desperate thrashes echoing silent turmoil into the sea. The mermaid’s strong arms bound her.

Another mermaid swam forward, her dark eyes meeting the woman’s. Her slender fingers reached toward the zipper of Elina's swimming suit, it yielded to her pull. The fabric parted, revealing the bare skin underneath.

The contour of the hunter's ribs, the curve of her breasts, the subtle play of muscles under the skin. The hunter's chest was heaving, a futile attempt to draw breath from a source that no longer existed.

The mermaid reached out, her fingers tracing the lines of her captive's body. Her face was expressionless, her eyes absorbing every detail, every nuance. It was as if the creature could see Elina's lungs clinging desperately to the precious air that remained trapped within, huddling to the warmth of her pounding heart. The mermaid's arms wrapped around the hunter, pressing their bodies together. Elina could feel the strong beat of the mermaid’s heart against her chest as a dark plan expressed itself in her eyes. She could see a terrifying, meticulous thought brewing but she was helpless to do anything other than find out in its unfolding.

And then, the final act of their underwater ballet commenced. The mermaid leaned in closer, her mouth covering the woman’s with an unsettling tenderness, tongue slipping between her clenched teeth. A gasp, a struggle, but it was futile. The mermaid’s gills billowed, and she began to pull, to drain the very life-giving air from Elina’s lungs. It was a violation unlike anything she had ever experienced, a theft of the very essence of life itself. The mermaid’s eyes remained open, watching her face as it contorted in desperation and agony. There was no malice in her gaze, only an intense study and a dark satisfaction. The hunter’s lungs contracted, the vacuum increasing with each passing moment, a relentless force that seemed to reach into her very soul.

Those gentle arms squeezed around her chest, tens of the creatures gathered around to watch her slow and deliberate torment. It was as if the mermaid was tasting her fear, savoring her suffering, getting back at her for every moment she spent in the ocean. A vast emptiness that spread through her body, consuming her from the inside.

Elina felt her body give in, her futile struggles becoming slow and heavy as a flurry of bubbles stolen from her lungs passed through the creature's gills and drifted toward the surface. Her vision blurred, her thoughts scattered, her very existence narrowing down to the sensation of the mermaid’s mouth on hers, her helpless little heart’s frantic march towards oblivion into the arms of an unforgiving creature, and in the presence of many more. The hunter’s world dimmed to blackness for a moment... Then the feeling of those cruel, uncaring lips returned. As if the punishment had continued in the afterlife... they felt more vivid. The pressure on her chest felt rhythmic and forceful, then gentle, as if a head was placed upon her chest... then it all disappeared. A sudden return to consciousness was violent, filled with confusion and disorientation. Elina’s lungs spasmed, a relentless cough forcing water from her system as she heaved on the shore. Her mind was a tumultuous whirlpool, unable to grasp the reality of her survival.

The water around her legs receded with each wave. Her eyes, clouded with pain and disbelief, sought to make sense of her surroundings. The feeling of sand under her hands and the salty sting of the sea breeze seemed surreal.

A movement in the sand caught her eye, a shadow darting towards the ocean. But it was gone before she could focus, leaving her only with the haunting sound of retreating waves. An uncanny chill crawled up her spine, a realization that something inexplicable had occurred, something far beyond her comprehension.

She staggered to her feet, her body aching and her mind foggy. Something felt different, a sharp stinging of her abdomen. Glancing down, she gasped at the sight of her belly. There, etched in raw, reddened flesh, were words that sent a jolt of terror through her very soul: “Stay out.”

The meaning was clear, a warning. A message from the depths, from the creatures she had sought to hunt.

As Elina staggered away from the beach, her mind replayed the horrifying experience, the faces of the mermaids etched into her nightmares.

She heeded the warning. The ocean, once a realm of fascination and conquest, had become a forbidden territory.

[jenos-eye-smile]

catching the dreamies looking at you :))

nct dream scenarios where they can't take their eyes off uuuuuu

MARK

you and mark spent sooooo long bickering over what food to order but eventually you decided on pizza. the delivery arrived and you tucked in straight away.

halfway through the meal, your cheeks stuffed, you feel mark's eyes hovering over you. looking up, you catch him with a broad smile plastered across his face. "what? what are you looking at?" you grunt, mouth still full. "aigooo. look at you" he replies, leaning forward and wiping crumbs off your lips with his thumb, pinching your cheek and chuckling to himself. "cute" he whispers under his breath.

RENJUN

exam season was getting close and you had decided to study alongside renjun in the library. you worked together for a while but now the two of you had become super focused and continued your essays in silence. it was then that you realised that you could no longer hear renjun typing.

looking up from your work, you see him solely concentrating on you, instead of his laptop screen. your eyes meet his, catching him a little off-guard. embarrassed, he blushes and covers his grin with his hand. "sorry," he apologises, "i got a little distracted", he says smiling sweetly at you.

JENO

you had a hectic week at work and couldn't wait to meet up with jeno at the weekend to de-stress. he greeted you with a sweet eye-smile and a warm bear hug.

you were now sitting opposite each other in a local cafe giving him a debrief on all the office gossip. you found yourself rambling on and on and realised that jeno was no longer chipping into the conversation. "jeno? are you listening?". he looked startled at the mention of his name. "yes yes, i am sorry" he says "i-" he pauses, "it's just-" again he stutters. "you just look so pretty today, i can't take my eyes off you". you giggle and he joins in too, grinning broadly at you. (.◜◡◝)

HAECHAN

you had fallen asleep in haechan's warm embrace, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist, and your faces just inches apart. haechan shuffled backwards to get a better view of you. he couldn't get over how cute you looked. your eyes tightly closed, mouth slightly agape, chest rising gently with each breath.

unable to resist touching you, he repeatedly swept his thumbs lightly over your soft cheeks and pink lips, not once taking his eyes off you. the feeling of his smooth finger brushing across your skin made you wake and your eyelids flutter open. too tired to ask questions, you pull him in closer again and snuggled into his chest. "i love you" he whispers, squeezing you tightly. "i love you too" you reply.

JAEMIN

jaemin was walking you back home late at night after a date at the cinema together. you were both so engrossed in discussing the plot of the movie, that you barely noticed when the pavement started to spot with rain.

the rain began to get heavier. you look at each other panicked, as you realise neither of you had packed an umbrella. "it's okay" you reassured him "we can run home and dry off there!". and so the both of you began sprinting through the rain. you were soaked from head to toe within minutes. at this point you gave up on trying to avoid the puddles and ran straight through them instead, jumping and splashing water everywhere like children and giggling as you got progressively more sodden. you look up from stomping your feet and see jaemin flashing a smile. "i love seeing you so happy" he says. you flash a smile back and run towards him. he opens his arms and you collide with him, hugging his waist tightly "you make me happy" you whisper.

CHENLE

it was a cold evening and you were wrapped up in one of chenle's cosy hoodies. it was farrrrr too big for you. you had huge sweater paws and when the hood was pulled up, the fabric fell infront of your eyes causing chenle to giggle uncontrollably. subsequently his dolphin laugh caused you to have a laughing fit too.

later on, exhausted from all the laughter, the two of you huddled together on the sofa, scenes flashing on the tv. you were engrossed in the movie, chenle however was not. instead he kept glancing in your direction, softly smirking at you. your eyes catch his own momentarily and you smile back. after a few seconds chenle erupts in laughter once again and you join in, only stopping when you were both out of breath. "you're too adorable" he chuckles, ruffling your hair.

JISUNG

you were both in need of some fresh air after spending a lazy sunday morning cuddling in bed together. jisung had suggested a slow stroll around the local park so you could both get some sunshine and a stretch. the spring flowers were all in bloom making the air smell sweet like honey.

all of a sudden, a tiny snow white puppy sprang on you, jumping up at your feet. immediately, you kneel down and pet its soft fur. jisung however, still surprised at the arrival of the dog, was slightly hesitant to join you. "look at its cute little face!! there's nothing to be frightened of" you say, looking up at jisung while cupping the puppy's face. "aren't you just the cutest?" you continued, now directing all your attention back at the dog. "not as cute as you though" jisung murmured under his breath. "huh? what was that?" you teased, looking back up at him. "nothing" he replied, smiling brightly as he finally knelt down on the grass next to you.

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Winter with Foul Legacy HCs

Foul Legacy Childe x Reader Genre: Fluff, a tiny bit of Comfort at the end Pronouns: Gender Neutral (no pronouns mentioned) Warnings: Snow, ice, insecurity, mentions of needles (knitting)

~ * ~ -Happy winter!!! The time of year where it’s cold and gray outside, but luckily home offers refuge and toasty warmth! -Honestly, Liyue winters are kinda boring weather-wise. The temperature drops and clouds cover the sky, but rarely do you get snow or ice- it’s good for commerce, at least -But this year via sheer luck it did end up snowing!! A once-in-a-lifetime experience for the Harbor!!-It also means that no one in Liyue really knows how to deal with snow or freezing temperatures, so you get time off from work- at least until the ice melts a little -It’s quite a nice feeling, being able to sleep in and wake up slowly, rolling over in bed to gently ruffle Foul Legacy’s hair as he clings to you. He knows you’re not going in today due to the awful weather, and chirps and trills drowsily with delight, bumping his head into your hands because he gets to spend the entire day with you!! -For a while you both just stay in bed in each other’s embrace, under several layers of blankets. Occasionally Foul Legacy’s claws prick your skin and he whines apologetically, snuggling into the crook of your neck as you hug and reassure him that you’re fine -Eventually you yawn, stretching your arms and rising to your feet to make breakfast. Childe grumbles when you get up but quickly follows suit, talons gently wrapped around your waist as he stands behind you and rests his chin on your head. Whenever you cook, you always give Childe a few morsels to snack on- the sweet clicks he makes always bring a smile to your face -Once you’re done eating, you throw on some warm clothes to go walk around outside!! You very rarely get to see real winter weather, so you want to experience it as much as possible -To replace his regular scarf, you give Childe a thick knitted scarf instead- one you may or may not have made yourself, it’s a secret!! Foul Legacy doesn’t get cold nearly as easily as you do, but he still chirps and happily wraps it around his neck, crystalline blue eye shining with joy -Childe prefers to hold your hand the entire time you’re outside. With your small hand encased in his much-larger claws, he can be sure that you don’t slip on the ice! He used to live in Snezhnaya- he knows how much it can hurt -Even so, he can’t resist the banks of snow that have accumulated in places, and will often leap into them!! It’s a lovely sight to see Foul Legacy rolling around in the snow, trilling for you to join him, which of course you do. You get colder much quicker though, so the moment you begin to shiver he lifts you into his arms!! -If it starts actively snowing you’re treated to the sight of Childe sticking out his tongue to catch snowflakes. He blushes and looks away when he notices you staring, but you simply laugh kindly and smooch between his fangs- if Childe wasn’t flustered before he certainly is now :)  -Eventually the chill catches up to you, making you curl and huddle against Childe’s chest as he makes his way home, feet barely skirting over the top of the ice. The warmth of your house hits your fingers and the tip of your nose, the skin numb yet burning from the change in temperature -He wants to bundle you on the couch for snuggles but you insist on making a hot drink first!!! Childe pouts until you mention hot cocoa at which his eye lights up, happy chitters falling from his mouth, claws gripping the edge of your countertop -One of the sweetest things you’ve seen this year is Foul Legacy delicately holding one of your mugs, talons dwarfing the small cup as he gingerly sips hot chocolate. He’s a bit overeager and accidentally burns his tongue, sticking it out with a little yelp of pain which you quickly cure with a forehead kiss <33 -Once you’re finished with your drinks, Childe tugs on the edge of your shirt towards the fireplace, wrapping himself around you when you sit down. His fluff is especially soft because it’s cold outside, and the minute you sink your fingers into it he starts purring, tilting his head so you scritch the best spots!! -Speaking of which, his hair and fur fluff up a LOT in the winter even if he doesn’t get cold easily- you often wake up with your face buried in it!! It’s like a floofy cloud that warms your chilled skin :) -You knitting Foul Legacy a big sweater, end of story. He plays with the yarn as you knit, not knowing who you’re knitting for- you like giving him little surprises!! -He ends up tangled in the yarn, blinking like a cat. It’s wound around his claws, hooking on his armor- somehow he even got some wrapped between his horns!! You can’t help chuckling as you help set him free from the yarn’s villainous clutches, the apologetic little grumbles making you laugh even harder -The warmth and coziness from the fireplace and the snow outside makes Childe extra cuddly, and eventually he nudges your knitting supplies away and rests his head on your lap, taking your hand in his claws and setting it on his head for more pats -Sometimes, late at night when the only light is the fire dancing in the hearth, he feels guilty by the fact that you’re spending your time off with him. Surely you must have family and friends to visit, right? And with how little time you get away from work he knows it’s difficult to visit them and care for him at the same time. He never says anything, but you can pick up the signs from how his grip tightens around you, head pressing into your stomach -Really, he doesn’t know how you do it- how you’re so good at knowing when his mood drops, but somehow you always know the right time to squeeze him back, hand running through his ginger hair as you reassure him that there’s nowhere you’d rather be than here -And he knows you’re telling the truth, when he looks into your eyes and sees the soft gleam of gentle affection shining back at him, and in that moment Childe’s never felt so loved before -Your quiet humming is what calms his tumultuous thoughts, sending him off to sleep with the gentleness of clouds and starlight. It’s dark outside, but he knows snow is falling again, and drowsily he croons. Perhaps tomorrow you can explore more; find some ice to walk across, admire the snow-capped trees and mountains so similar to his homeland, and with those dreamy plans in mind Foul Legacy drifts off on your legs, a blissful smile spread across his mask-like face -Childe lets out small snores as you pet his fluffy hair, arms wrapped around you carefully so as not to poke you with his armor, and the edges of your lips quirk upwards. Quietly you pick up your needles and resume your knitting- if you’re lucky, it’ll be ready by tomorrow, and you’ll get to see that wonderful expression of delight on your beloved Abyssal moth’s face again <33

[queengiuliettafirstlady]

Dancing in the rain

Dancing in the rain

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing: Luke x OC (Julie)

Part of Summer Days Sultry Nights Content Creator Challenge hosted by @violettduchess and @aquagirl1978

Prompt: 9. Summer storms

Tag: Established relationship Childhood sweethearts to lovers Fluff Kisses

Word Count  511

Author’s Note A summer storm gives the two lovebirds a perfect occasion to enjoy the weather dancing through it and laughing all the way, finding shelter in their cozy home, taking their time huddling and cuddling in their warm bed, sharing intimacy and bathing in the love that bound their hearts together. 🥰

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess

@nightghoul381 @william-rex @candied-boys @writingwhimsey

@fang-and-feather @moonstruckmelancholic

@wistfulwanderingone @rjthirsty @lichtluv

@ike-garden2024 @jollibeeshappiness @starzyquee              

@maeko-kun @rkmaru

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

Thank you for everyone who will like, reblog, or comment please be gentle with me english is not my first language so please do not leave rude comments I apologise for eventual errors I hope you will like it 😊

The luscious green mountains and hills they were used to stroll by, kissed by the first few light of the rising sun or bathed in the warm colours of the setting sun rays were now misty covered with a thick fog, harsh winds rustled through the bushes as the rain pit patted mercilessly on the tree leaves soaking the vegetation around, only two figure were crazy enough to be out in such a weather and were right now laughing like children running hand in hand amidst the forest, their clothes soaked a transparent veil over their skin, their hairs stick to their head they continued to dance carelessly amidst the storm smiling in relief as they finally found the way back home, sheltering under its protective roof as a thunder roared into the sky melting with their hearty laugh as they slide inside, a carefree smile curling their lips as they bathed together talking about anything and nothing at all, letting the warm water of the bathtub relax their tired muscles, their gaze mirror of one another reflecting all the shear devotion and untamed adoration he felt for her as he took her face in his hands kissing her forehead

“I love you to madness Julie.”

“I love you too Luke so much.” he melted his lips on hers in a sweet slow kiss they reluctantly broke apart from, giggling at the feeling of they splashed payfully one another, before his eyes got caught by a droplet of water trickling down her bare body smiling at the sensation of her fingers tracing one of them trailing down from his hair and onto his shoulder, leaning over t press a light kiss on his heart, the warmth of that gentle contact spreading in him, unable to contain himself he hugged her revelling in the way she nuzzled in his chest, leaving a tender kiss on her forehead, staying like that until the candle flickered softly noticing they would have run out of light sooner or later he helped her getting washed as she did to him.

Reluctantly they stepped out of the bath welcoming the softness of their clothes sliding on their skin, sleep clinging to her features he smiled taking her in his arms like a princess, sitting along her into their shared bed, adjusting the duvets around them before wrapping his arms around her form once more, his voice a tender murmur soothing and melting her heart whole, she slide closer to him smiling blissfully as he left an achingly tender kiss on her forehead 

“Good night my princess.” her voice spoken for his ear alone she curled her fingers to grip the shirt of his pyjama, feeling his arms tighten around her protectively. 

“Good night my bear.”

Soulmates destined to be together bond since the beginning with affection deep rooted in their hearts, they drift asleep in a dreamy land where they were together still, embrace in each other arms a cradle and a shelter for their lives together to spend leisurely in the home they created with love.

[synnthamonsugar]

Io Saturnalia! Can we get some Petra/Variks fic?

Joke's on you, I'm into it 👉👉But it's still a very crackish pairing so it definitely counts!

At the beginning of the Wolf Rebellion, Petra Venj had no friends at the Tower. No friends in the Reef, either, not after what she'd done — except for one. Variks, The Loyal embodied his title in each letter and message sent, in every after-work radio conversation back at the tiny City dormitory she'd been granted as a part of her employment agreement. His voice alone was reassurance against the jeering rumors, veiled hostility that might've been tolerable if it was open; at least then she'd have something to confront.

She had no doubt that, had eliksni and humanity been on good terms, he would have come in person, been a warm face among the unwelcoming masses.

This is what compels her to make the journey to Europa, swapping the Ceres Galliot for a less conspicuous ride before exiting Vestian space. Petra covers the Queen's insignia on her cold-weather suit when she deplanes, huddling into the fur lining of her hood as snow bats at her bluing cheeks and gathers on her lashes. She half-sprints to the coms station, thankful there are no patrolling guardians in sight. 

She knocks heavily enough to be heard through the howling wind, but amicably enough – she hopes – to be non-threatening. The door creaks open, and she holds her breath.

Variks startles — and almost as quickly collapses into a defeated sag. "Petra . . . are you here to—"

"I'm not here to arrest you," she says, softly resting a gloved hand on the furred collar of his cloak. He wheezes a relieved sigh, standing a bit taller with it. Touches her shoulder, ushering her inside. 

She notices the empty socket where his left prosthetic was attached. Lifts it to take a closer look, and finds the connectors destroyed. 

"What happened?" 

"Eramis," he mutters.

"Take me to her — I'll thaw and dock her myself." It's an empty, nonsense threat made in the heat of anger, but in that moment she might've carried through on it given the opportunity.

He looks at her, tired. "My fights shouldn't be yours."

"They should be … they were. Variks, it's not right you have to live in exile. I miss being on the same side as you. I miss you." 

He tugs her into an embrace, his lower hands resting loosely against her back, his upper right draped loosely across her shoulder. She wraps her arms around his body in a furiously tight hug, face pressed to the rough weave of his tabard, hands grasping at the tail of his cloak.

"We still are."

She looks up, and he dabs away the tears gathering at the corner of her eye. His fingertips linger a moment at her cheekbone, four eyes locking on one. 

At once she bounds upward and he catches under her thighs, lifting her face-to-face. She presses her forehead against his, fingers stroking the sides of his face as he does the same.  She kisses first between his eyes, next at the soft juncture between his lower jaws, her own fitting perfectly in the gap. He reciprocates, softly fluttering mandibles across her lips, as she deepens the kiss against his open mouth. 

They remain locked in each other's arms and mouths. Ignoring the cold and circumstances, it felt like the old days: the times of bored indiscretion in the Vestian Outpost; the euphoric jubilation when Oryx was knocked from his throne; the desperate good-luck wishes before dangerous missions. They rest awhile in the soft glow of each other's warmth and the modest camp fireplace, reminiscing about the past and catching up on what they missed.

[elvendara]

AU-gust day 14

14 Aug 23 Wizards & Witches

Saeran lay in Yoosung’s arms, red hair tickling the blond’s nose. He inhaled and squeezed tighter, remembering the first time they’d seen each other. Yoosung was once again following a furry friend through the grey landscape of the city. He’d cast a spell on the rodent so no one could see him. There was fear and anxiety as they ran through the streets. Something was wrong, someone, somewhere was in trouble.

As he followed the rodent into the dark and nosceous inducing alley, he came to a complete stop and slapped a hand across his nose and mouth. The smell was unbearable. The rodent, noticing Yoosung had stopped following him, returned and stood on its hind legs, nose twitching.

“I know, I know. Just…give me a sec.” he pulled a handkerchief, thank you mom for insisting he always carry one, and wrapped it around his head. The smell was a bit more bearable though he tried to take only short quick breaths.

They took off again and soon enough he heard a small cry in the darkness. Slowing down he approached tentatively. Shadows covered the area, light only slightly filtering in from the waning sun, but there, huddled in a corner between a dumpster and the wall was a small child. The boy looked up, startled as Yoosung approached.

Yoosung guessed he was about his own age, but so frail looking that he was afraid a single touch would shatter him. The large amber eyes staring back at him were frightened, and he tried to scooch his body further away but there was nowhere left to go.

“It’s OK, I’m not going to hurt you.” He stopped walking forward and squatted in front of the boy. Closer inspection showed that his hair was a vivid red under the grime. His lip was split but the blood was already dry. He had a black eye that looked fresher and some bruising on his arms and legs with varying degrees of healing.

Living in the city with a decent family Yoosung had not been privy to much of the darker aspects of society, but since his magic had manifested, he had seen more than he cared to in his 13 years of life. More than enough for an entire lifetime. Whoever had beat the boy, it looked to be an ongoing occurrence. Most likely culprits would be his own parents. The thought boiled his blood.

He sat and took out a chocolate bar he had been saving for after dinner.

“Are you hungry?” he held out the bar halfway between them and waited. The boy wiped his tears, creating another streak of filth across his cheeks. He blinked at him and hesitantly reached out, ready to recoil in an instant. The body language made Yoosung clinch his jaw with anger at how unfair life was.

The rat climbed up Yoosung’s leg and onto his shoulder. He could feel the satisfaction raidiating off his body. The boy’s eyes widened even more at the sight.

“This is…well…I guess he doesn’t have a name, but, he’s my friend. He led me to you because he was worried.”

“About me?” his voice was soft and angelic.

“Mmhmm.” Yoosung nodded. “Would you like to pet him?”

“Can I?” the chocolate was forgotten in the curiosity of something new. Yoosing picked up the rat and set it gently on the boy’s lap. He smiled with genuine delight, as if he’d never seen anything like it. He pet the rat and it snuggled close.

“Saeran!” a voice interjected into the darkness.

“Oh! That’s my brother, I…I should go…thank you.” He said and stood, handing the rat back. They were close, almost eye to eye. Yoosung didn’t want to leave, but what else could he do? The boy walked away, looking back once and waving. He saw another boy at the end of the alley waiting, as Saeran reached him, he embraced him and it set Yoosung at ease, this was not the cause of his hurt. He himself sighed and walked away.

The next time was the same, and the time after that. Three times his furry friends led him to Saeran. The fourth was the last, almost 5 years since the third time. Again, he lay in a dark alley, having been beaten badly. It was as if he didn’t care what happened to him. Yoosung had taken him home and cleaned him up.

His furry friends had grown since the first time and his apartment was full of animals that came and went as they pleased.

“How do you always know where to find me?” Saeran had asked.

“I put a spell on you the first time we met.” Yoosung answered.

“Of course you did.” He sighed with a weak smile as he sat on the sofa. “Why bother with me at all?”

“Someone has to, and my friends would never let me hear the end of it.”

“Why do they care?” he eyed the array of animals before him, hands itching to dig into fur. The dog obliged, laying its head on his lap happily. With a sigh Saeran gave in to his impulse, why was petting a dog so satisfying?

“They’re very good judges of character and have an incredible sense of justice if you can believe that.” Yoosung gave Saeran a cup of tea and they sat mostly in silence.

They’d been together ever since. Saeran stayed and they built a life together. He never thought much about his magic, didn’t really use it for more than communicating with the animals and to help those around him when he was able, but he was more than thankful that it had brought him the love of his life. He kissed the top of Saeran’s head, and the man sighed in his sleep, snuggling more, as if he was trying to meld into Yoosung’s body. He laughed and closed his eyes.

[witherhusbandsislife]

Day 7: Sleep

Prompt: Sleep 

Characters: Fwhip, Sausage

Ships: Fwhip x Sausage 

Season: 1 

Time: Before the death of the Ender Dragon, when Xornoth was terrorizing the emperors and Sausage wasn’t fully corrupted yet 

Wordcount: 760

~~~

The hot chocolate tasted like home. 

Like home, before the demon had arrived and made everything so dangerous and different. It tasted like his childhood, huddled with Gem and Sausage under one blanket with a cozy fire in the hearth and plenty of silly ghost stories to whisper to each other when they were meant to be asleep.

Fwhip wished he could go back to those days, just for a bit, and be able to rest without the fear that haunted every waking and dreaming second of his in the present.

A startled yelp echoed from the kitchen, and Fwhip slid easily off the bed, padding in stockinged feet to poke his head in the kitchen with an exasperated sigh, the sight of Sausage absolutely drenched in milk greeting his eyes.

“One second in was in my hand and the next the cup just exploded, Fwhippy I swear I’m not doing this on purpose,” Sausage protested at the look on Fwhip’s face, the pile of shattered mugs on the counter speaking for itself.

“My cups are not that delicate,” Fwhip said. He knelt by the mess of shards, Sausage dropping next to him and stopping him from grabbing a piece with a soft hand against his cheek, lifting his head to meet Sausage’s kind blue eyes, remorse and mild amusement dancing together along with the pure devotion and loyalty Sausage was known for. 

“I’ll replace them all for you, my love,” Sausage said softly, tilting his head and pinning Fwhip in place with his piercing stare. Sausage tended to forget the effect he had on people, sometimes.

 And it didn’t help that Fwhip was also madly in love with him, and already prone to letting the adorable man do whatever he wanted with him. 

Relenting, he nodded, and Sausage pecked a quick kiss on his lips before wiping away the mess of milk and broken glass away with a towel, depositing it on the counter along with the remains of the other mugs.

“Don’t touch my cup,” Fwhip grumbled as a final protest, getting a sweet laugh out of Sausage. Watching him fumble with the cocoa powder and sugar, Fwhip snorted to himself and got up, dusting his knees off and gently pushing Sausage to the side, dumping the powders into the milk and stirring briskly. 

Sausage smirked at him from the side, accepting the finished hot cocoa and putting it to the side in favor of pulling Fwhip against him, trapping him in his arms with a wicked grin. 

“Can’t get a hug without trapping you in with me,” Sausage complained lightheartedly, tucking his head on top of Fwhip’s as the smaller man hugged him back, dropping his head against Sausage’s chest. 

“I was a bit busy cleaning up your mess to give you a hug,” Fwhip retorted, voice muffled by Sausage’s skin and shirt. 

Sausage huffed into Fwhip’s ginger curls. “It was a teeeeenie tiny puddle, not a lake.”

“Not with the amount of times it happened, rose.” Fwhip pulled back, grabbing the freshly made cup of chocolate and heading back to the bedroom, Sausage at his heels. 

Setting down the cup of steaming chocolate next to his own cup of cocoa, Fwhip slipped under the covers, Sausage going around to flop on the other side. 

Before he could get the cups, though, Sausage tugged at him, wrapping a strong arm around his waist and pulling him down to cuddle with him, faces close enough for their breaths to mingle together as Sausage caged him in the warmth and comfort of his embrace.

“What about the- mmf-“ Fwhip was silenced with a sweet, chocolate tinted kiss, Sausage exhaling softly as he ended the kiss, still holding Fwhip close. 

“Shhh, just let me hug you for a bit,” Sausage whispered into Fwhip’s ear, warm brown curls tickling the side of his face. There was just a hint of something in Sausage’s voice, fragility or need, that made Fwhip acquiesce, settling closer and nuzzling his nose along Sausage’s collarbone, once hand loosely draped across his chest and the rest of him tucked against Sausage’s side. 

He had been… different, lately. Ever since the demon had shown up. Sausage was more fragile, randomly asking if Fwhip trusted him or derailing an activity to drag Fwhip away for some one on one time or just grabbing him and holding him tightly, as if he was scared.

Scared of what, Fwhip couldn’t hazard a guess. Sure, the demon was dangerous, but it wasn’t that dangerous, just a threat. It’d be defeated soon enough, whether by Gem’s magic or some other ruler, perhaps even himself or Sausage, just stabbing the demon and killing it the old-fashioned way, without any of Gem’s over dramatic sparklies. 

Everything would be fine, he promised Sausage in his mind. Whatever anxiety this was, it would pass once the demon was gone, and then everything could get back to normal. Not that Fwhip didn’t like cuddling Sausage, or sleeping with him, but the constant visits were starting to drag on his schedule and duties a bit. 

Sausage was worth it, though, and so Fwhip snuggled in closer to the bigger, warmer brunette and settled in for the night. The soft breaths tickling the top of his head softly made Fwhip guess Sausage had already passed out. Fwhip had found him up at all kinds of time poring over maps and strategies and all sorts of things multiple times in the last few weeks, so he wasn’t particularly surprised at Sausage’s exhaustion. 

Tomorrow, he’d sit Sausage down and they could have a proper chat. But for now, he just closed his eyes and let sleep take him, the warm comfort of Sausage by him and the scent of nostalgic hot cocoa in the air driving away any nightmares. 

The next day, Fwhip woke up to an empty bed and an invitation, clearly drafted for multiple people at once, lay on the nightstand alongside the cooled chocolate from the night before, inviting Fwhip and Gem to join Sausage in the Nether for some Wither Rose bonding time. 

Fwhip resolved to talk to Sausage about the demon later, and packed his pickaxe and sword for the trip.

[atwttgfanfic]

### 1. **Training Spar:**

In the training room, the air was thick with the scent of sweat and determination. Victor and Sarah faced off, their movements fluid and fierce as they sparred. Each strike and counter was a dance of familiarity and trust, but also of unspoken tension.

Sarah lunged forward, and Victor caught her, their bodies colliding. For a moment, they were pressed together, breathless and close. His grip tightened instinctively around her waist, holding her firmly against him. Sarah’s hands rested on his chest, feeling the rapid thud of his heartbeat beneath her palms.

Their eyes met, the intensity of their sparring dissolving into something far more charged. Victor’s face was just inches from hers, and he could feel her warm breath against his lips. His gaze dropped to her mouth, the temptation to close the gap almost overwhelming.

But then, with a growl, he gently pushed her back, breaking the spell. “You’re gettin’ better, kid,” he said, his voice rough, masking the turmoil within him.

Sarah nodded, her cheeks flushed, not just from exertion. “Thanks, Vic. You too.”

### 2. **Night Watch:**

On a night watch, the darkness cloaked them as they sat side by side on the rooftop, scanning for any signs of trouble. The city lights flickered below, casting a faint glow that softened the hard edges of their world.

Victor handed Sarah a flask, and their fingers brushed, sending a jolt through both of them. As Sarah took a sip, she felt his gaze on her, heavy with unspoken thoughts. She turned to face him, the flask still in her hand.

“Something on your mind?” she asked softly.

Victor hesitated, then shook his head. “Just makin’ sure you’re okay,” he replied, though his eyes said more than his words.

Sarah smiled, passing the flask back. “Always, when you’re around.”

The silence stretched, comfortable yet charged, as they continued their vigil, side by side but worlds apart in their unvoiced desires.

### 3. **Medical Check:**

After a particularly brutal mission, Victor and Sarah found themselves in the makeshift med bay, tending to each other’s wounds. Victor sat shirtless on the edge of a cot, wincing slightly as Sarah cleaned a deep gash on his shoulder.

Her fingers worked deftly, but she couldn’t ignore the heat of his skin under her touch or the way his muscles tensed and relaxed with each movement. Victor’s eyes never left her face, watching her with a mixture of gratitude and something deeper.

“You’re good at this,” he murmured, his voice husky.

Sarah looked up, meeting his gaze. “Just want to make sure you’re okay,” she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

Victor’s hand reached up, covering hers for a moment, his touch gentle despite his strength. “Thanks, kid. Means a lot.”

Their hands lingered together, a silent acknowledgment of the bond that kept growing stronger, even in the face of danger.

### 4. **Sheltering from a Storm:**

Caught in a sudden storm while out on a mission, Victor and Sarah took shelter in an abandoned cabin. The rain pounded on the roof, and lightning illuminated the small, dark space intermittently.

They huddled close for warmth, wrapped in a shared blanket. The small space and the storm outside heightened the intimacy between them. Sarah rested her head on Victor’s shoulder, feeling his arm wrap around her.

The sound of the rain and the thunder became a background to the rhythm of their breathing. Victor’s hand traced absent patterns on her arm, a comforting, grounding touch.

In the flickering light, he looked down at her, his face inches from hers. The urge to kiss her was strong, but he held back, knowing the complexities of their situation. Instead, he pressed his lips to her forehead, a gesture filled with all the unspoken words between them.

“We’ll be okay,” he whispered, more to himself than to her.

Sarah nodded, her eyes closing as she leaned into his embrace. “Yeah, we will,” she whispered back, finding comfort in his strength and presence.

These moments, charged with emotion and unspoken tension, marked the evolution of their relationship, each one bringing them closer yet reminding them of the delicate balance they needed to maintain.

[nanamikentoseyebags]

𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊 LISTEN TO THE FOREST TRILLS

trying to escape from the cares and worries of the real world, @vagabond-umlaut you and satoru took a walk in an old forest, where on a small glade, you lay down on the grass somewhere in the shade and read, occasionally taking your eyes off the book to look at each other at the same time and burst into silent laughter. your happy faces were illuminated by the light of the morning rays, lower and lower staining the white trunks of the birches, which, hiding one behind the other, went away from you into the distance of the green forest. you enjoyed the realization of exactly the same fresh, young life force in you as the nature breathed everywhere around. it seemed as if all the animals were still slumbering in their shelters, insects lurking under the tree bark or huddled in cramped layers of moss, resembling the impenetrable pine forests in their infinitesimal diminutive form. and only the song of the birds came to your ears with magical overtones, bringing happy memories with it.

listening to the enthralling melodies the both of you raised on your elbows, resting your cheeks in your palms and gazing lovingly into each other's eyes, as if you could see in them the scraps of your magical life together. there, the notes of a familiar song began to play from your record player, and satoru, like a true gentleman, bowed and held out his hand to lead you in a romantic waltz, until you two became dizzy and he took advantage of the moment to press his lips to yours. there, you danced in your shared bedroom, shouting familiar lines into the comb. there, you both worked, sitting at the table and now and then pouring strong tea into each other's mug. but all the time his hand involuntarily reached out to yours because the feeling of your presence was the most precious treasure he had. something that he would not have traded for anything in the world. and you sensed it too. now the two of you could read it in each other's shining eyes.

-blanks - what do you do to me

-02:25 ━━━━●───── 03:16

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

-wallows - scrawny

- 01:23 ━━━━●───── 02:46

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

-jawny - honeypie

-00:55 ━━━━●───── 02:15

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

-khalid - 8teen

-00:18 ━━━━●───── 03:48

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤㅤ↻

-saint motel - preach

-01:02 ━━━━●───── 03:04

⇆ㅤ ㅤ◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷ ㅤ↻

putting the book aside, you moved closer, laying your head on his shoulder and wrapping your arm around his waist. satoru grinned contentedly, encircling his long arms and legs around your small figure. you got lost in each other's embrace, alternately covering your faces with hundreds of kisses, that before you noticed the whole forest world, finally awakened, was quietly watching you. insects flying in the air triumphantly flapped their wings, birds seemed to chant quite familiar tunes of your favorite songs. two small forest fairies settled on the petals of one of the flowers were observing you with soft smiles and dreamily sighing. the fairies knew that you would carry this love through eternity.

[lovelybarnes]

the way he loves- b. barnes

pairings: bucky barnes x widow!reader warnings: mentions of red room, but mostly fluff and cuteness about:  the five ways buck shows he loves you and the first time he actually tells you. for heavenlybarnes' love in verse challenge a/n: literally hate this but i am drop dead tired rn

you had told bucky barnes you loved him long after you knew you did—long after you’d felt the sweet butterflies that sprouted each time you talked to him or caught his eyes on you. only after the knowledge had enveloped you whole, wrapped you in its unyielding embrace until you were teeming with it, brimming, spilling over with your love for bucky did you tell him, lying under the covers and in his arms, pressed against his chest—with his eyes glimmering even prettier than the stars in the sky, you told him you loved him, feeling the gentle weight of his eyelashes on your cheeks when he smiled. 

he could feel it too, embedded so he could never forget—would never want to because you were ingrained, your gentle reassurances threaded in him and your patience bleeding into his edges.

he loved you beyond words, but the poems of love he was feeling were lodged in his throat, and he wasn’t able to get them out.

you had smiled at him in that soft way that was so you, an index finger light on his cheek while your thumb pressed into the cleft of his chin. you kissed his forehead then, followed by his nose and both of his cheekbones until you landed on his lips.

“you don’t have to say anything,” you promised quietly, graceful words falling on the guilt on his tongue, soothing it away like water on fire. “i just couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

he kissed you again, murmuring a thank you with the circles his fingers rub on your waist, his lips dragging his love on your jaw.

he still couldn’t speak it, not yet, but even if he didn’t recognize it, he let you know it was there.

-

the first time bucky met you, little bears were huddled in your hand as you offered them to him a few days after he’d arrived at the tower, nodding kindly when he declined with a silent answer. every other time he came out of his room and spotted you, you were holding some type of candy, always enough to extend some of it toward him. it only took endless patience on your part and a variety of sweets until he accepted, and suddenly you were buying two bags of candy instead of one and leaving them outside of his room when he didn’t feel like coming out.

candy became something… yours. which meant that bucky began paying attention to it, especially when your apartment became littered with it—particularly when he realized that the gummies you’d leave behind always seemed to be the same ones.

the lack of red and blue—and sometimes a very specific shade of green—gummies wasn’t something sudden or new, but it did bring him memories of the yellow gummies he’d find himself eating frequently. 

bucky didn’t really even think about the color, eating whatever you would give him, which meant that yellow and orange gummies were always left behind until he ate them, clearly not carrying the same hatred for them that you did.

(which was lucky, because bags of gummies would always be left nearly half-empty, almost entirely consisting of the colors you avoided, but a few of the others left because you knew bucky liked them too.)

bucky never said anything, just held back a little smile when he saw you squinting to see if it was a pink or orange lifesaver while bucky popped whichever his fingers found in his mouth, unsurprised when it was usually orange.

then, a couple of months into your relationship, you found a bag of gummies you’d bought a while ago pulled open after coming back from a mission, half of the candy gone. a few days later, it was still there, untouched even after another bag had been opened.

you blinked, a finger reaching to make the opening wider in order to see better, surprised to find only red and blue gummy bears, as if the bag was tailored for you.

you’d snuck a peek at bucky, feeling the love he couldn’t voice as he squished an orange gummy worm, checking to make sure it wasn’t red.

-

before bucky and you became involved, you got him into baking shows.

particularly, one that put out a new episode every week, which you would always watch together so you could properly react and experience it with the other. the tradition carried on into your relationship and watching each new episode only got more exciting with time as the competition drew to a close for the season. the finale was long-awaited, with jokes that you would be watching when the finale finally aired, whether the other was there or not. .

as luck would have it, you were sent off on a mission in sokovia from the day the episode aired until three days later, and you expected to come home to bucky, poker face in full blow when he would sit down to rewatch it with you.

instead, you arrived to an expectant bucky who hadn’t watched it yet—after your full permission—in favor of seeing it with you, just as excited with anticipation as you were.

you felt it there, too, as bucky pulled you as close as he always did on the couch and settled in to watch it with you, squeezing your hip in excitement as the intro played, mumbling in disappointment as your favorite competitor added salt instead of sugar.

-

although they seemed muted in color now, weathered at the edges and staticky, bucky had memories of his mother. pinched features when he would track mud in through the house, worried crinkles when he was sick.

all loving, as his mother was, showing him and his sister she loved them as much as she could, whether it be in the simple words she’d press onto their foreheads, or the chopping of the knife as she’d slice fruit up into little cubes and hand the plates with sweet sticky fingers to her kids. something unasked, simple, but bucky had never felt more loved than when he ate fruit chopped by his mother.

he had told you this memory before, staring at your ceiling as he remembered her and the taste of the apples she would serve, your attention fully on him and a smile lightly adorning your face.

he hoped you would remember when he chopped jicama up for you one evening when you were splayed on the couch, laughing along to a television show with the sound of a knife against the board as background noise.

bucky took special care in arranging the pieces on a plate, making sure to spread them out in a way that the lime and salt would reach each of them. the pink of his tongue peeked out from between his lips as he squeezed drops of lime around the plate, then the granules of the salt until he got to the tajin, which he applied with a care he could only summon so easily when it came to you.

you had felt it then, too, gasping when he handed the plate to you with a kiss against your forehead.

-

you had gotten used to being alone, embraced it each time you watched couples walk by tangled in each other, blind to anything that wasn’t the other, while you were destined to be lonely forever—because a widow should have no ties to anyone except herself. it was a reminder that frequently popped up in your brain even after you were free from the organization, free to create loyalties to other people, to love in the way you had been itching to do.

then, bucky barnes. bucky barnes with his blue eyes and soft hair and sweet smiles. bucky barnes who would not let you be alone.

even before you were together, armed with the knowledge that you could protect yourself from any threat, bucky would always insist on accompanying you wherever you went, no matter if it was walking beside you as you browsed grocery aisles or walked your dog, or even just sit in the passenger seat as you drove to get gas.

it never changed once you were together, except for the kisses he was able to plant on your temple before he went to search for your favorite cereal, the hand he was finally able to set on your thigh while you drove, the arm he could wrap around you as you let your dog run around the park. he would lock your seatbelt when you got into the car, let fingertips linger on your cheeks after he’d tucked away a stray piece of hair before remembering he could kiss you now and pull you closer to do just that.

you had asked him once what it was about, interlacing vibranium and skin together so he was aware you weren’t upset about it, just curious. he had shrugged, subconsciously drawing your hand in his closer to his body, rubbing small circles into the back of your hand.

“‘just don’t think you should ever be alone.”

you had smiled at him, bringing his hand to your lips to press your lips against metal in thanks. he’d blushed, leaning in to nudge his nose against yours, pressing your lips to his in the middle of the cereal aisle.

-

you don’t think you’ve touched a door handle—opened anything from jars to doors—since you met bucky barnes.

he was a gentleman, the epitome of chivalry; who, even if you insisted it wasn’t necessary, wouldn’t hold back from racing out of the car to run to your side in order to open the door for you. he’d always fasten his pace a little bit more so you wouldn’t be the first to arrive at the door and hold it open for you if you were a few paces behind, even if you were far enough behind for it to become awkward how long he was waiting for you.

he had decided that you were his queen who had enough on her plate and deserved nothing less than not having to lift a finger. you’d laughed when he told you, cooing at him, and brushing a finger against his nose before kissing his forehead.

since then, he brought you your favorite drink from the coffee shop you liked each time he thought you would need it. he cooked for you on the nights where you were tired, helping you make your secret cookie recipe and decorate them with you, always telling you they looked great even when it was clearly a lie. he would slip fuzzy socks on your feet when you were cold, help you celebrate after something good happened, and helped you shower after missions that would leave you lost and sniffling, unable to do anything but cry.

he was there, his love interlaced in i’m so proud of you, sweetheart, in the kisses pressed to your hand and the tenderness with which he treated you.

-

one month after you’d uttered the words he’d shown you, he found you in the kitchen, preparing his favorite meal as a surprise, dog tags clinking together as you moved to the beat of the music you played. he marveled at the care you put into making his food, the love.

“bucky!” you exclaim when you finally catch sight of him and the bouquet of flowers in his hands, gifting him a grin that nearly parts your face in two. your face softens even more when you notice they’re your favorite ones. “oh, honey, i guess we had the same ‘let’s surprise the love of my life with something, huh?” you laugh, walking toward him to the melody of the song playing through the kitchen. you kiss his nose and then reveal a spoon from behind your back, asking him to try it with a goofy smile.

and he told you.

“i love you too.”

[lepusrufus]

Some (slightly angsty) vamp fam being wholesome and loving each other bc we need it 

Now keep in mind I’m in no way a writer but i wanted to write a teeny lil fic based around this sketch (the alternative was a short comic which i do not have the time for lol) so enjoy the angst and fluff under the cut

The frigid wind was howling outside, crashing against the towers of the Dimitrescu castle. Yet they stood tall and proud as they have for centuries now, the thick stone walls protecting its inhabitants from the winter cold. 

On the inside, the halls were filled with echoes of heels running across the polished floors, accompanied by the giggles and laughter of the three daughters of the house. Cassandra was in the lead, a comically large hat held in her gloved hands, followed by Bela and, lagging behind, their youngest sister Daniela. She deliberately stayed behind to -jokingly of course- mock their pursuer’s efforts to catch up. Each time she turned to yell a “we cannot be captured” or “give up and we may spare your hat” a small sigh escaped their mother’s lips. 

“Come now, daughters. You know as well as I do that I must get ready for tonight’s meeting.”

Alcina made no efforts to quicken her pace though, she knew that her mischievous daughters would not run too far ahead. After all, where is the fun in having so much distance between you and your pursuer that you can’t even see and make fun of them. At least that’s what Daniela always said. 

Despite her air of tiredness, Alcina couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips at the sound of her beloved daughters’ giggles. They may be up to no good occasionally, but they knew better than to cause their mother embarrassment, especially when it came to Mother Miranda. The meeting was still distant. For now she could afford to spend some time with them. 

The trio rounded a corner, the first two quickly slipping out of sight while Daniela lingered there and turned towards her mother. 

“Fine, we’ll give you the hat back,” she shouted and, for a second Alcina looked at her daughter hopefully, until she held her chin between two fingers in an exaggerated pensive expression. “If we can get a pet lycan!" 

Alcina grimaced at the mere thought of one of Heisenberg’s beasts coming even close to her castle. Her clean castle.

"Never." 

"Good luck then!" 

Daniela spun on her heels to follow her sisters, but lost her balance for a moment, slamming an elbow against the window placed right behind her for support. She had a tendency to get a little clumsy when excited, though it never became a problem bigger than a couple insignificant vases getting broken or an accidental -according to her- shove against her sisters. That is, until today.

The latch on the old window rattled from the combined force of Daniela’s hit and the wind outside that has been pushing against it all day long. This was the final hit that it needed to give out. The window opened forcefully, letting in a cold burst of winter air from outside that howled through the hallway. Daniela got knocked to the ground, more due to the pain caused by the chilly air than from its force, and instinctively tried to crawl away from the window while shielding herself from the cold as best as she could. The pain, however, became quickly unbearable and an agonized scream that bordered on a guttural grow pierced the howling of the wind. 

"Mom!” Daniela called out desperately, now balling up in the fetal position. 

Her mother however was not far, having witnessed the whole ordeal and now rushing towards her with heavy steps from the other side of the hall. Even the other two, hearing Daniela’s scream, dropped their game and came back for their sister. 

“Dani- " 

Bela had to quickly grab Cassandra’s shoulder to stop her at a safe distance. As much as it pained her to see her younger sister writhing in pain on the floor, she knew that all three of them being in that state would get impossible for their mother to handle. And Alcina indeed handled it. She was at her youngest’s side in mere seconds, forcefully shutting the damned window with just enough self control so as to not shatter it, and then knelt down to Daniela’s shivering form. She gently scooped her up in her arms, holding her close to her body and almost wincing at how badly she was shaking.

Alcina spared only a glance towards the elder daughters "Go around. Meet me in my chambers,” came her booming voice and, although she wasn’t mad at them, they couldn’t help the shiver that ran down their spines. 

“Yes mother,” they replied in unison and the next second a swarm of insects had replaced their bodies. 

The journey to Alcina’s chambers was little more than a quick blur of hallways and heavy booming footsteps. She shoved the door open, crouching to enter and made a beeline for the pile of blankets neatly placed on the bed. Daniela was lowered down on one of the thicker covers so that her mother could wrap her up in a better attempt at warming her up. She then was promptly picked back up, now cocooned in the soft blanket, and Alcina went to sit on the couch placed right in front of the fireplace while tightly holding her daughter in her arms. 

Contrary to popular belief, Alcina’s body was quite warm to the touch, unlike her daughters’ cold skin. On chilly winter nights it was common occurrence for the girls to come to her, demanding cuddles with the excuse that their rooms felt too cold. She always complied, gladly allowing all three of them to huddle around her like kittens for a bit of extra warmth. 

Which is exactly what Daniela was doing right now, her small body almost glued to her mother’s chest and her head shoved in the crook of Alcina’s neck. One hand was covering her face, muffling the sound of sobs, while the other was damn near clawing at her shoulder trying to hold the blanket tightly around herself. It pained Alcina deeply to see her in such a sorry state. Her hands were tightly holding her daughter and she bent down to kiss the top of her head, whispering gentle words of encouragement. 

A slight buzzing sound reached her ears as Bela and Cassandra entered the room, their expressions riddled with worry. Bela wordlessly approached the fireplace, it’s flames dying down from not being fed in a while, and added a couple logs that quickly ignited, casting a warm light on the room and its current inhabitants. Cassandra on the other hand was standing a couple feet away from her mother, not knowing what to do. The hat was still in her hands, her grip tightening further with each muffled sob that could be heard from Daniela. It took a few moments for Alcina to notice her, but when she did, she called her to sit by their side with a slight motion of her head. Cassandra was happy to oblige, quickly sitting down by her mother and helping her with keeping Daniela wrapped in  the soft blanket. Bela joined them too after taking care of the fire. She knelt in front of Daniela and started to slowly rub her shoulder hoping to bring some comfort while her other hand went to Cassandra’s.

They sat like that until sobs turned into soft sniffles and until those died down too. Daniela stopped shivering and was instead just enjoying the warmth of her mother’s embrace, recovering from the whole ordeal. Until she let out a sigh, still not budging however. 

“Well that sucked major ass." 

Cassandra couldn’t stop the small chuckle that escaped her lips at the sight of Alcina fighting the urge to reprimand her youngest for her choice of words. When she looked at Bela, she saw the same struggle to keep a straight face. The very air in the room seemed lighter, no longer carrying the very real possibility of one of them dying.

"No more heels for you. From now on you can only wear flats,” Bela said teasingly, finally allowing her shoulders to relax. 

“You’re only mad I’m taller than you,” came Daniela’s reply, who had turned around in her mother’s arms to give her sister a light shove. 

Bela gasped, indignated, and went for a rebuttal, but was promptly interrupted by Cassandra’s sudden burst of laughter. She buried her face in her hands, muffling the sound, and leaned against her mother. 

Alcina finally managed to let out a sigh of relief, her grip on Daniela loosening, and she leaned back against the soft cushions of the sofa. She closed her eyes, just reveling in the sound of her daughters giggling and throwing light teases at each other as if the last half an hour or so did not happen. These girls were really able to bounce back from anything. 

But that was still a close call. She was already making plans to have someone come to the castle and repair any old window with a faulty lock so that such an accident would not repeat itself. It wasn’t unusual for things in a castle to get old and less effective as they once were, but Alcina couldn’t help blaming herself for not properly upkeeping her home. Her and her daughters’ home. 

A shift from the three girls pulled her back from her thoughts. Bela got up to sit by her side, now all of them huddled around her and giggling at whatever joke Daniela just made. 

She could have a maid call the repairman later. Right now she just wanted to enjoy the quality time with her daughters, in the safety of her warm room. Not that the girls seemed to have any plans of letting her get up anyways.