#or i guess in a crowd together at a pride festival

[enjoythesilentworld]

Simon's Month - Pride

day 18 @youngroyals-events

Simon invites his best friend and ~ultimate ally~ Wille to join him at Pride.

Or, S1 “I’m not like that” Wilhelm meets S2 petty Simon.

read below or on ao3 (T, 2.3k)

“And then,” Simon practically shouts, exasperated, “he just left, saying he had to be home for dinner!” He throws his hands up to emphasize just how ridiculous the whole situation is. Ayub tries to cut in, but Simon isn’t quite finished. “Like, I know his family is weird, but it was only 3pm. There’s no way they eat dinner at 3pm.”

They’re all gathered in Simon’s room, waiting for their pizza to show up, Rosh lounging in his desk chair and Ayub sat on his bed. Simon had called them in for an immediate debrief.

Rosh stares at him tiredly. “Isn’t this the third time he’s said he’s ‘not like that’ after you two have kissed?”

Simon gives her a look that says, duh, we’ve been over this.

“Okay,” she continues, voice flat and bored, “maybe stop kissing him, then.”

“Please,” Simon scoffs. “Have you seen him? If he kisses me, I’m going to kiss him back.”

“Yes, we’ve both seen Wille,” Ayub says from beside him. “But, seriously, bro, how long are we going to keep having this same conversation? What if next time you just… don’t kiss him back?”

“Or, I don’t know, fucking talk to him about it,” Rosh adds.

“No way.” Simon crosses his arms and leans back against the wall, a wicked smile growing on his face. “I have a plan to prove he is definitely like that.”

A few weeks later, sans more kissing or “I’m not like that” incidents, Simon invites Wille to join him, Rosh, and Ayub at Stockholm Pride.

When Simon raises an eyebrow at Wille’s quick acceptance, Wille punches him gently in the shoulder and says, “You know, allies are allowed at pride, too, Simon.”

That nearly makes Simon burst into laughter, but, instead, he nods sweetly, “Of course they are, Wille.”

Soon after, he tells Rosh and Ayub about his plan.

“Simon,” Rosh says in her lecture voice, “I get what you’re doing, but don’t force him out of the closet.”

“I’m not!” Simon exclaims, then calms himself to show how sincere he’s being. “I would never do that. I swear. I’m not going to take it that far. It’s just a bit of fun.”

Just a week after Wille’s 17th birthday, they meet at Simon’s, then they’ll catch the train into the city together. Rosh laughs at Simon when he exits his room, already peering out the window to check whether Wille has arrived yet.

“Woah,” Ayub chuckles. “New wardrobe, Simme?”

Simon glances down at his tight, cropped white tank top and ripped, baggy purple jeans. He’s even added a chain to the belt loop, re-pierced his ears with a couple black studs, and smudged some dark eyeliner on his waterline. He grins up at his friends. “Great, isn’t it? Wille’s gonna die.”

Rosh rolls her eyes. “I don’t know if dressing like—”

“Shut up!” Simon snaps, running towards the door. “He’s here!”

Simon only falters slightly when he sees Wille coming up the steps in his light-wash jeans and relaxed white tee. The summer sun has already begun to bleach Wille’s hair and bring out his freckles, which makes Simon feel a bit weak. Even if his plan doesn’t work, he’d take another rejection just to kiss Wille one more time.

Recovering quickly, pasting on a sly smile and dropping his eyelids slightly, Simon says casually, “Hey. Ready?”

His plan seems to be working already, because Wille nearly trips over his feet, catching himself on the wooden column of the front porch, eyes flitting over Simon rapidly.

“Wille?” he prompts again, holding back a smirk.

Wille’s eyes snap up to his, and he opens his mouth to speak. Simon catches the moment Wille notices the eyeliner, and no sound comes out. Simon grins.

“Come on guys!” He shouts over his shoulder into the house, then hooks his arm with Wille’s and leads him out toward Rosh and Ayub’s mopeds.

The train ride is rather normal, though Wille sits a bit closer to Simon than usual, and he keeps stumbling over his words whenever they make eye contact.

It makes Simon feel very pleased as they finally arrive at their destination, following the crowds of people holding rainbow flags and decked out in glitter toward the main festivities. Plan aside, Simon smiles wide at the sight of everyone coming together to celebrate, knowing how much work it has taken to get here, how many people have given so much to make this possible, how many people around the world still suffer for such an “issue”. That he gets to be here, with his best friends, proudly celebrating who they are, is a blessing.

The parade starts not long after they arrive, and somehow they manage to squeeze right up to the front of the street with a great view. All four of them watch on, amazed, as the incredible floats go by, a million colors, a million flags. It’s hot as balls, and Simon is starting to regret his choice of jeans, but he’s happy to be here, nonetheless.

He thought he’d have to work harder for his plan, but he doesn’t. Not far into the parade, he spots another boy smiling at him through the crowd of people. As the boy approaches, dodging through the sea of people, Simon notices how pretty he is, with his black hair buzzed short and a rainbow painted across his chest in lieu of a shirt. Not as pretty as Wille, but still quite pretty, and he’s smiling at Simon, so Simon smiles back.

Buzzcut slides up next to Simon and introduces himself. It’s a little hard to hear over the crowd and the music from the floats, but Simon grins and greets him back. With one part of himself, he attempts to listen to Buzzcut’s flirting. With another part, he watches Wille out of the corner of his eye. Wille’s smile has shrank slightly, no longer as intensely focused on the parade. No, now he’s only watching Simon, looking mildly jealous.

Simon giggles at something Buzzcut says, and Wille turns away, putting his back to Simon. That almost makes Simon scoff, because how can Wille have the audacity to be pissed at Simon when Simon isn’t the one who keeps stringing him along, playing this dumb push and pull game. Simon doesn’t want to force Wille out of the closet — of course he doesn’t, he’d never do that to anyone — but Simon could do without the confusing situation they’ve found themselves in where Wille keeps kissing Simon, kissing him in a way that makes Simon’s toes curl, then running away as if something is wrong with Simon. Simon doesn’t want to be an experiment, he does not want to be a secret boyfriend for the little rich boy to keep in his back pocket for whenever he feels like kissing a boy. Maybe Simon is just tired of wondering if there’s something wrong with him, something that makes him not enough for Wille, when Wille is all he’s ever wanted.

Maybe the heat is getting to Simon and making him a little emotional.

Eventually, Simon and Buzzcut get pulled in two different directions by their friends. The moment the other boy is out of their eyeline, Wille lightens up again, talking happily with Ayub about the different displays and which performers they’re excited about for that evening.

They head towards the park to grab a drink to cool off and to walk through the booths of vendors selling various merch or fundraising for certain organizations. Rosh and Ayub break off, looking for food, leaving Wille and Simon to browse, just the two of them.

He and Wille walk between tables and groups of people gathered on the grass. It seems everyone around them is wearing a big smile, so relaxed and carefree. Someone approaches them, saying they’re handing out free pride stickers. They offer up a whole plethora, every single pride flag you could imagine, and Simon happily takes a gay flag sticker, smiling at the pretty shades of green and purple.

Glancing over, he sees Wille staring at the stickers with wide eyes. He looks almost panicked, frozen in his spot, so Simon gently prompts, “Do you want one, Wille?”

Wille snaps out of his daze, eyes shooting up to meet Simon’s, then over to the stranger’s.

“No,” he smiles tightly. “Thank you, though.” Then, he turns and moves on to the next booth.

Simon smiles awkwardly at the person and heads after Wille.

“Hey—” he starts.

“You wanna go find Rosh and Ayub?” Wille interrupts, like he hadn’t even heard Simon, panicked look gone from his face. “I’m getting hungry.”

“Oh. Okay. Yeah, sure.”

Simon follows after Wille, moving through the crowds with purpose, and soon enough they find their other friends. The four of them find a spot on the grass to sit and eat, relaxing in the shade and enjoying the lively atmosphere. There’s still an hour or two before the music starts up, so they hang out there, joking and chatting with people around them.

As soon as the music starts up, they jump from their seats and rush towards the stage with the rest of the crowd.

It’s loud and packed and sweaty, and it’s everything. They jump and dance in the warm lights of the setting sun and the neon spotlights from the stage, singing along to the songs they know and laughing to those they don’t. Even Wille has fully loosened up again, taking Simon’s hands to swing him around in the small amount of space around them. Simon cackles, trying not to trip over anyone’s feet, or his own, his chest bursting with happiness.

At some point, their hands part, but they continue to dance, until Simon’s hand gets taken up by someone else’s. It’s not Buzzcut from earlier that day, but a different pretty boy with blonde curls and a bright smile. Over his shoulder, he sees Wille laughing and dancing ridiculously with Ayub, so he lets the boy pull him in to dance.

The plan is stupid, he decides. He can’t make Wille like him, he can’t make Wille come out before he’s ready. It isn’t fair of him. It all came out of him being selfish and a little heartbroken.

He dances with the new boy, but not too close, because it just doesn’t really feel right. It stays friendly and carefree, and the other boy is a rather good dancer, so Simon doesn’t mind. He focuses more on the music anyway, wondering what it would be like to be up on that stage, performing for hundreds of people. Maybe he could do that sometime, perform at Pride.

Simon glances over to check on his friends and sees Wille watching him. He’s just standing there, gaze switching between Simon and the boy beside him. Then, he’s turning around and leaving, pushing his way through the crowd.

Simon immediately follows after, waving off Rosh when she tries to stop him.

He barely manages to keep up, keeping an eye on the top of Wille’s head weaving between people.

They end up in a sparse part of the park, tucked in the back behind a tree. The sound of the performance still going on is muffled at this distance, just bass-filled background noise.

“Wille—”

“I get it, okay?!” Wille spins around, voice sharp. “It’s great to be out and proud and to have a community you connect with. I fucking get it.”

He looks really angry, and Simon feels guilt crawl up his throat. It was never meant to go this far, it was just supposed to be a fun thing to pull Wille out of his shell. Maybe Simon was pulling a little too hard.

“I’m sorry,” Simon says gently, taking another step forward. “I didn’t mean to—”

“You don’t think I wish I could do that?” Wille flicks a hand back toward where they came from, chest still heaving with frustration. “Flirt and dance with random boys? Pick sticker of a flag that,” he puts his fingers up to mimic quotes, “‘fits’ me?”

Simon remains silent, unsure of how to handle this situation. This seems like more than being jealous of the other boys talking to Simon.

“Fuck, Simon,” Wille sighs. The anger goes from his voice, and he deflates, suddenly just looking very sad, staring at the ground and running his hands anxiously through his hair. “It’s not even my parents or whatever. I didn’t— I didn’t even know I could like boys like that until I met you.”

Simon’s heart flutters excitedly in his chest at Wille’s words, despite the defeated tone. He takes another step forward, wanting to touch Wille so badly, to comfort him.

“I don’t even know if I do like any other boys. Or who I like at all. How the hell am I supposed to know?” He finally meets Simon’s eye again, brows knitted in confusion and sadness.

“You don’t have to know,” Simon says quietly, holding Wille’s gaze. “You don’t have to label it at all. You can like whoever you want, however you realize. There’s even an unlabeled flag. You can say queer or gay or nothing at all. You don’t owe it to anyone.”

Wille nods, looking slightly relieved, but he’s still got a wrinkle between his eyes, and Simon’s chest hurts at the sight.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been rubbing this,” Simon gestures around them, “in your face all day. I was just— I really like you, Wille. I mean, no, I love you. You’re my best friend, but I also love you, and it hurts to be kissed by the boy you love and then to watch him run away. I just got all mixed up and angry. I was being stupid. I’m really sorry, Wille.”  

During his rambling, Simon’s eyes had dropped to the dark grass, too scared to see Wille’s reaction.

“You’re not stupid.”

He looks up again and finds Wille standing right before him, only a foot or so separating their faces.

“I’m sorry, too.” Wille’s voice is quiet, and Simon is sure he wouldn’t have been able to hear it if the rest of the world around them hadn’t faded into darkness. “I shouldn’t have ever run away from you. You didn’t deserve that. I was just scared.”

“It’s okay.”

“No.” Wille grabs his hands, and Simon’s breath catches. “It’s not okay. But, I promise to make it up to you.”

He nods and gives Wille a small smile.

“I don’t know what ‘like that’ means,” Wille says, inching forward, “but if ‘like that’ means loving you, then I am definitely ‘like that’.”

“Wille,” Simon giggles.

“What?”

Simon grins up at Wille. “Kiss me.”

This time, Wille doesn’t run away. Instead, they run together, hand in hand, back into the crowd.

[campbell-rose]

Helluva Rewrite: Millie

Okay, i dropped my phone in water and was so scared i'd ruined it, but thank the gods it was fine. Though it's fucked so i'm going to post all the IMP redesigns in short order before it dies and i lose them forever. Onto Millie!

I wanted Millie to read as a country girl. I remember being like ‘oh, that’s her voice?’ when I watched the first episode, because for some reason it just didn’t match her design for me. I considered giving her back the white splotch in her hair, but decided to change imps and give fem imps white horns. I’ve got two guesses for why it was removed: 1) she was originally trans and it was changed 2) the dimorphism of imps was thought of after the pilot. Either way, I like it. I suppose the explanation for this version since her horns are fem is she might have been born intersex?

I wanted her and Moxxie to contrast in their designs, as such she’s wearing less while he’s fully covered, she’s tall he’s short, etc... Now, as a Wrath imp, she has a darker skin tone and has spikes on her body.

Now, as a character, i'll build off of what the show has given us.

Supposedly Millie is secretly very insecure? From leaks she’s like willing to die because she thinks she’s holding Moxxie back and in Unhappy Campers she had that whole breakdown. Now, I think this actually could’ve been built up a bit.  

In the rewrite, Millie is the youngest of her five siblings and the second girl. Now, from the bat lets make her a bit of a drain on the family. They hadn’t planned for her birth, and it was another child her parents had to take care of with limited money. She picked up on this when she was little, realizing that her parents often cut corners and struggle, and she perceives this as her fault. This ties into how she mentions her family going to Loo Loo Land, except in this it was once and was specifically for her birthday. She knows her parents had saved up for months to afford the trip and feels innate guilt for it. Boom insecurity explained. 

Now, in this Millie meets Blitzo first. They bump into one another once Millie moves away from the Wrath Ring to Pride to try and alleviate her parents’ stress. During this time Millie has been working as an assassin for a couple months and ends up bumping into Blitzo who was hired by a different person to kill the same target. This would be during Blitzo’s attempt to start his business in hell killing demons. They fight for a bit, then realize ‘oh wait... let’s work together!’ so Millie was the first to join IMP. 

Millie trains endlessly. When she isn’t doing her job, she’s at the gym. She is constantly striving to be the best because her parents pitted her and her siblings against one another (unknowingly, with things like the harvest festival). As a person she is very observant and emotionally intelligent. She is very kind and loves conversation. She also is very tight with money, and very appreciative of any gifts she receives because she grew up with little. She treasures things genuinely and is just all around a very genuine girl. 

Now, other than fighting, she is fairly mediocre at anything else, due to the culture of Wrath mainly being kill or be killed and you have to be tough. One hobby and talent she does have and is working on is singing, something she shares with Moxxie and works as something they can do together. Millie loves to play guitar and sing and is constantly striving to improve. On the topic of Moxxie, Millie loves him deeply and wants only the best for him and some part of her feels like she isn’t enough. 

All around I want this Millie to come off as a very confident and genuine person, trying her best to push down the deep feeling within her that she is a drain on everyone around her. So when people start showing her with praise rather than screaming in agony she is enthralled. She loves the cheers of crowds, as it was often Sallie Mae getting cheered on during the Harvest Moon Festival while Millie was always second best. She wants that kind of adoration and acknowledgement. 

That’s it. Gotta work on finishing Blitzo and Moxxie rn

[helluvaartcritique]

Pride art hater anon is back and I have more to say

I really don't like how they lined up Barbie with the tip os Loonas tail. I keep thinking shes wearing bell bottoms. They should have shifted her either to the right or left so the tip was less center with her outward leg. The pole on the left in the foreground is also so needlessly distracting. If anything, hey shoud have dimmed the colors on the poster thats tacked on so it doesn't steal focus. Also why have the city in the background? Why not move the banner from behind the characters to that space so people can actually read it? The buildings look like such an afterthought anyway, why have them if they don't matter and just take up space in an already crowded group shot?

I don't get it. I don't get what they were thinking when they made this. And I don't get why no one said, 'Hey maybe this looks a bit weird?' And also, 'isn't chaz dead?' And also, 'If strikers not gay why did he look at bliz like he wanted to eat him whole?'

Welcome back, anon!

I remember Mauesartetc on tumblr did some edits where the backgrounds of Hazbin's pilot were adjusted to have the main characters stand out. It was nice to see.

Same thoughts as you for the banner. We get to read Chaz's "I will fuck everything" sign but not the banner for the whole event?

I also thought Striker was mlm, especially in Harvest Moon Festival. (I actually ship Blitz and Striker together, fun duo)

But I guess Striker isn't there because he's homophobic (because we have to hate him even though his thoughts are justified.)

[genderfluid-insomniac]

“Mother!” Asmodeus Alice x reader

Something must have been ticking off your demon lover because Asmodeus was quickly looking around seemingly looking for someone and rushing you outside to a different exit to the school. You barely recognized this path and remembered it used to be used for emergency evacuations, tugging on his hand intertwined with yours and effectively stopping you both entirely. “Alice, what’s going on? You don’t suddenly rush us out without saying anything and not to mention you rushed your goodbye to Iruma,” you asked and squeezed his hand.

If there was something that would remain a constant it would be the strong sense of pride and devotion in the relationship he had with Iruma and you. There were times when it seemed that he and Iruma seemed like were a couple romantically and more valued than yourself. However, Alice himself said that he wanted to uphold demon law proudly (which wasn’t a surprise to you) and he was glad someone wasn’t treating him like he was on a pedestal or oogling him. At first, you thought he took this bizarre path to avoid the other students who usually glared at you for “taking” Asmodeus and several students who shouted compliments or praises at him.

His quiet muttering of curses and vigilant watch seemed to say otherwise since he didn’t give them any attention unless they crowded you or insulted one of them. He was shaken out of his daze and looked back at you blankly, returning to his usual happy expression and carefully looking around before pulling you close. “I’m alright, beloved. I’m just wary of my mother since she’s home for a couple of days and has made it her goal to spend most of her time with me and my friends. No doubt that includes you too.” he said sweetly and smiled.

Alice wasn’t ashamed to be seen with you in fact he often went of his way to make it known you both were taken and in a romantic relationship. Unfortunately for him that didn’t ward off the people that would still flirt with you or deliberately mess with him via you. His mother wasn’t going embarrass him in front of someone he loved so much or have a chance to be flirtatious with you like how she was at the festival.

You laughed and kissed the back of his hand, beginning to walk forward but walking beside him this time and looking around for his comfort. “Okay. I know how you feel about your mother and all. We can go to my place instead but you know we’re going to have to meet eventually right?” you said and nodded. Alice seemed to have stopped being so hypervigilant hearing your words and relaxed, cupping your face with one hand and kissing your cheek. “No! I will not show fear in your presence. We will simply have to be careful. Although, I’m well aware of that Name but I would rather prolong that as long as I can.” he exclaimed and continued walking.

You laughed while you shook your head. “Love, you don’t have to seem strong for my sake,” you said. Smiling with him and eventually making it to his house. You and Asmodeus snuck around to one of the side doors and crept in, bumping into one of the servants who instantly guessed that the master was trying to avoid his mother and promising to not say anything. His house was elegant and gorgeous as always; its white, blank, and gold color scheme decorated the inside, and a big grand door signified that you both arrived at your lovers’ room.

Just as it seemed like you’d both achieved your goal a high sweet voice called out and footsteps came your way. Oh no. “Oh Alice!~ Who’s this cutie?~” Mrs. Asmodeus asked and looked you over before her son could get you behind her, gently pulling you over and smiling brightly at you as you nervously smiled back. “Hello Mrs. Asmodeus,” you said and were interrupted before you could introduce yourself but apparently the woman could put two and two together. “Oh! You must be Name! Alice has told me so much about you and you are much cuter than I thought but if he didn’t sweep you up then I-” she was interrupted and you were pulled back to your darling lover with an arm firmly around your waist protectively.

“Mother! That was incredibly rude! You don’t pull someone new and then interrupt them much less someone this important! Much less flirt and try to seduce my beloved!” he shouted and couldn’t hide the blush that crept up his pale face, growling and gently walking you both inside as he shouted that his mother surely had paperwork to do than “pester” his lover. Once you were inside you could see he had practically deflated out of shame and irritation so you cupped his face and pulled him down to kiss him softly. “Az it’s just you and me now and we knew this was going to happen sooner or later. How about we cuddle and relax? You said you wanted to finish reading that chapter when we got back so how about we do that?” you offered and that must’ve lightened his mood because he smiled lovingly, laughing softly and humming in agreement.

[bradshawsbaby]

Trick-or-Treat, love🎃💗

Happy Halloween, lovely! How about a little costume party for our dear Hannix? 😉

The Hard Deck was more packed than usual tonight, orange and purple strobe lights spinning around the bar and illuminating the crowd of costume-clad aviators and their dates. Ever since Penny had started hosting an annual Halloween bash at her beloved bar, it had become one of the highlights of everyone’s year.

Music blared from the DJ’s speakers as people danced and flirted and ordered round after round of shots at the bar. The room was filled nearly to bursting, everyone dressed to the nines in the most creative costumes they could come up with. With a $150 cash prize for the lucky patron who was awarded “Best Costume,” every single guest had pulled out all the stops for tonight’s festivities.

In Jake Seresin’s not-so-humble opinion, no one in The Hard Deck looked better than his raven-haired girlfriend. Gazing at her from his spot at the bar, where he was awaiting another round of drinks for the Daggers, he couldn’t help but feel an inordinate amount of pride bubbling up inside his chest.

There was no one more beautiful on this earth than Natasha Trace, and she was here with him tonight—quite literally the Bonnie to his Clyde.

Their costumes had been his idea. Phoenix had adamantly insisted that she hadn’t dressed up for Halloween since high school, and she wasn’t inclined to pick the habit back up any time soon. But Jake had finally managed to wear her down with his endless pleading and pouts—not to mention the fact that he’d agreed to cook dinner for a whole week.

“Bonnie and Clyde? Seriously, Bagman?” she had laughed when he’d told her what he had in mind.

“What? You wouldn’t want to live the outlaw life with me?” he had teased in return, snagging her around the waist and pulling her in for a kiss.

The outlaw life suited her just fine, Jake decided, his green eyes still fixed on where she was laughing with Fanboy and Bob by the pool table. With a cute little beret perched atop her dark hair, a blouse that hugged her curves in all the right places, and a skirt that left very little to his admittedly overactive imagination, she looked every inch the 1930s femme fatale.

No wonder Clyde had been willing to risk it all for a shot at forever with Bonnie.

Once Jimmy finished filling a tray with fresh beverages, Jake lifted it up above the heads around him and began making his way back to his fellow Daggers. As he moved through the packed space, he heard the opening strains of a familiar tune, one his grandparents had loved listening to when he was growing up—“Witchcraft” by Frank Sinatra.

Setting down the new round of drinks atop the pool table, he immediately reached for Phoenix’s hand and tugged her towards him.

“Come dance with me,” he grinned, chuckling under his breath when she looked up at him with an arched brow and snapped at one of his suspenders.

“What about my drink?” she shot back, her dark red lips curving slightly.

“Bob will guard it for you,” Jake smirked, winking over at their friend before turning and pulling Phoenix out onto the dance floor.

As Sinatra crooned through the speakers, the blonde-haired aviator took his girlfriend’s arms and draped them over his shoulders, resting his hands on her hips and swaying slowly to the music.

“I guess dressing up wasn’t the worst idea you’ve ever had, Bagman,” Phoenix conceded with a begrudging smirk, sliding one hand down his chest as their bodies were pressed even more tightly together in the crush of the crowd.

“That’s high praise coming from you, Minx,” Jake laughed, pinching her hip playfully.

“Don’t get used to it,” she grinned, tugging on the front of his button down shirt to pull him down for a kiss as the music reached a crescendo.

Green eyes sparkling mischievously, Jake sang along with Ol’ Blue Eyes as the song slowly came to an end—“’Cause there’s no nicer witch than you…”

[alectoperdita]

At some point I got it into my head to write a bit more of the HSR fusion because I adore the Penacony storyline so much. But then I lost steam/motivation and it seems unlikely I'll finish it.

Was mainly supposed to be a rehash of Aventurine's and the Trailblazer conversation in the hotel room after the lobby incident, except Seto walks in halfway and is feeling overprotective of Katsuya against Aventurine. Well it'll live in my head I guess.

---

Almost two system weeks had passed since he last saw Katsuya. They parted fondly when the Astral Express dropped Seto off at his destination, further bound for Pier Point. Katsuya had kissed him goodbye, right in full view of the other crew members. March 7th positively squealed. Dan Heng watched the proceedings with his usual brand of neutrality. Welt and Himeko smiled like proud parents.

Seto would've been embarrassed if he, well, wasn't brimming with pride. A public declaration of affection was something he gladly accepted from Katsuya.

Instead, he pulled Katsuya closer and kissed him back, already missing his warmth and strong hands in the lonely times ahead.

They talked nearly everyday since then. Text messages, video calls, if there was a signal and time, they reached out to one another. Katsuya cajoled him about eating and taking care of himself, and he cautioned him to stay out of trouble.

But trouble and Katsuya went hand-in-hand, as he was soon reminded when he learned of the Trailblazer's next destination: Penacony.

It has been three system hours since Katsuya sent him that message, and Seto's worries only compounded since then.

There were numerous reasons to visit the Planet of Festivities: rest, leisure, but chief among them was the upcoming Charmony Festival. Hardly a place most people considered fraught with danger.

But Katsuya was Katsuya, and Seto, well, he wasn't deaf to the gossip working its way through the grapevines among the company's upper echelon (although sometimes he wished he was). By now, everyone knew of the Strategic Investments Department's failure to collect on the long-standing delinquent debt from Jarilo-VI. Of course they spun it, "renegotiated terms to foster a lasting partnership," but everyone inside and outside the department knew the project was a failure. And Seto had sat in enough interdepartmental meetings to hear whispers of their next target.

Penacony—once an IPC asset, its loss was a stain on the company's history.

Two system hours ago, he found out Strategic Investments had dispatched one of their Ten Stonehearts to the planet and he was on the next warp jump out of Pier Point.

He had never visited The Reverie Hotel before. The distractions Penacony peddled to its tourists were of little interest to Seto. Their technology and command of the memoria were what primarily interested him, but the management, the Family, were supremely protective of it.

The hotel spire soared over everything, casting a long, looming shadow across the entirety of the Alderson disk. The lobby could put the IPC's atrium to shame. Its scale and grandeur could make a person's head spin. It was teeming with milling guests, many recent arrivals stretching their necks as they took in their surroundings in awe.

Seto wasn't here to sightsee. His eyes combed through the crowds, hunting for a familiar face: March 7th, Himeko, Welt, someone he knew. Thankfully, Himeko's flame-red hair was hard to miss even in a crowd. He marched straight toward her, a man on a mission.

"Oh, hello, Seto," she greeted when she spotted him approaching.

"Where's Katsuya?" were the first words out of his mouth.

Her eyebrows knitted together for a second before smoothing out. "I believe he and March 7th went to check out their rooms. Katsuya never mentioned you'd be here too. Are you here with the other IPC representative?"

"The other IPC representative?"

She nodded. Her face gave away nothing, which was frustrating at the moment. "Yes. A Mister Aventurine. He was kind enough to help us sort out a mishap in the check-in process."

Seto bit his tongue to stop from swearing. It was too late. Trouble already found Katsuya. Found him on arrival it seemed. Which made it all the more concerning Katsuya had yet to respond to any of his texts.

"His room number?" Seto asked through gritted teeth.

The words barely left her mouth before he strode away.

[allfillernothriller]

Yard Act (+ Murkage Dave) @ Cabaret Sauvage, Paris, Dream Job Tour, 05.04.24

I made 4th-5th rows! Which isn't bad at all considering how tiny the Cabaret Sauvage is (there's no barrier, the front row's at the foot of the stage. From the 4th row, I wasn't further away from the stage than I was back when I was front row at Ally Pally for Jamie T).

I was once again rewarded for my decision to NOT listen to Murkage Dave before going. Hearing new stuff for the first time live slaps, that's why I love festivals and support acts. Successfully set myself up for a nice surprise ✨

I took a shit ton of videos, kept the parts that were decent enough, and compiled them in a montage like it's 2013. Here's the link:

[YouTube description:

[CW eyestrain: flashing lights @ ppl prone to seizures, proceed with caution]

Disclaimer! I can't afford a fancier phone and I'm no pro. Not to mention the fact that I will NEVER sacrifice my live experiences over footage. So yeah, it's shaky, but again, if I feel like dancing, I'll do just that; and if I'd rather keep my eyes on the band than make sure they're in the frame, that takes priority too. I guess what I'm trying to say is that those are primarily there for me to relive the memories, they weren't meant for aesthetics. Buuut, that doesn't mean I can't share them with you, does it?

Dropping this collection of excerpts from the gig like barging in your living room with a stack of pics from my latest trip. Look, I'm no film editor either, and evidently my brain was stuck in 2013, so that cringeworthy montage will have to do.

I know it's a shame I didn't record Payday & Dark Days (among others), but what can I say? I was too busy moshpitting.]

The atmosphere was incredible. There was a respectful vibe in the audience that made me feel safe. I actually partook in a moshpit wilfully and without fear for the first time in my life and that is a HUGE deal to me bc I'm usually too big of a wuss to try and on the rare occurrences I got caught up in one, people pushed too hard and some wound up hurt. Not this time. No one pushed too hard, no one tripped over, it was all friendly, benevolent horseplay and I HAD fun!!

A few complementary anecdotes:

When they played Land of the Blind, someone from the front row handed James a coin for the 'magic trick' part of the song. Who was this anonymous hero? Was it a spur of the moment decision? Did they just happen to have a coin in their pocket? Did they plan this??? So many questions. Defo in my top 3 most wholesome moments I've witnessed at a gig.

Most of my fellow croissants didn't know the words (I mean apart from The Overload and 100% Endurance bc they're from the 1st album; or they knew the words but couldn't pronounce them? Idk, point is, they didn't sing much), which was to be expected, but there were a few expats & brit tourists here and there, and throughout the concert, after a coupla moshpits & crowd movements, nearly all of us english speakers ended up gathered in a single group and we all sang along together: that was mint.

James pointed at everyone he could see wearing a trench coat and I was among them 🥰

Once again, not so many ppl knew the words, especially the newest songs. And there was me, who's obsessed with song lyrics, singing along nearly the entire time. The look on James' face when he made eye contact with me during When the Laughter Stops, Fizzy Fish and A Vineyard for the North, and realised I was singing too was priceless. He had the same reaction all 3 times lmao. The man was a mix of surprise, confusion, pride and amusement, he's such a sweetheart 🥲 I'm always a tad apprehensive when I get caught singing by the artist bc I don't know how'll they react, they all tend to feel differently about audience participation (e.g. Jamie T loves it so much when we sing along, I suspect it's one of his favourite things about going on stage and Brian Molko didn't pay it much mind, like it made not much of a difference to him lol) but James didn't seem to dislike it (I've heard there are artists who hate it but no one I've seen so far). I posted the bit from the video with the caption "backing vocals from the pit" to my Instagram story mentioning them and they shared it to theirs, so I take it they're okay with pit choirs.

James asked us to make some noise and when he saw how responsive we were, he had us do it 5 more times like he couldn't help himself and his giddy giggling made it impossible to be annoyed with him tbh

I love them. I love them so much.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Bonuses

One thing I didn't include in the video

The mandatory pre-gig youth hostel mirror selfie to show off my fit

Turning my trench coat into an Ace Trench Coat™ with merch

[meow-face]

I went to my second ever pride festival yesterday and I'm still sad about how it went.

Mostly because the only person I have to go with is my mom, who, don't get me wrong, is extremely supportive, but she's also a very grumpy person, and she hates crowds and has a much lower energy level than I do. She also made other plans on the day we planned to go, so our time at the festival was cut very short. We were also late to her plans because I wanted to stay longer, so she was a bit annoyed at me afterwards as well.

I don't know man, I always see these groups of friends at pride sitting in the grass, laughing together, and it makes me want to cry because I've never had that. I'm 23 now and my mom is still my only close friend. I've graduated college and all of my coworkers are 10+ years older than me, so not really any hope there.

I don't know what to do, I think I want to try and go to pride alone next year but I'm also pretty scared of that. Maybe I could make friends while there! We'll see what happens I guess! But I have no idea how I'd bring that up with my mom.

Anyways I'm super sorry this is just a straight up vent but I would appreciate any insight from more experienced pride-goers if at all possible. No pressure though either. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Happy pride yall.

[yuukei-yikes]

Been thinking about what kind of interaction haruka and seto would have since they never spoke with each other (from what i know), but i think they'd be the cutest together because they're both so... idk i just love them (they are my wiwis you have to understand). Setomary harutaka double date would be insane, like, picture this: while haruka and seto would probably be talking about how much they love their girlfriends (they are full of love and whimsical feelings), takane would be like "how tf do i start conversation with this lovecraftian ass creature (with due respect)" because mary wouldn't know what to say either BUT SHE WANTS TO SHE'S JUST REALLY SHY 😔😔😔

oh i got GREAT NEWS for you

you know im always talking about post str haruka keeping a little distance from the dan cuz he knows them but they dont know him and etc etc etc etc. well! i actually hc that outside takane shintaro and ayano of course, SETO is the one member of the dan haruka is very good friends with in early post str. and thats cuz.... he is also the one member of the dan (again outside the quartet)haruka has actually spoken to before being konoha!!! its time for me to talk about the novels again❤️

IM ABT TO KAGEXPLAIN TO YOU BUT ILL GET TO SETOMARY & HARUTAKA AT THE END and my hcs on their dynamics :3 but first let me tell u abt seto&haruka's and mary&takanes friendships. spoilers duh

in the sixth novel, haruka stays over at kenjirou's house for 1 week while he works on the game with him. there haruka meets ayano for the first time, and finds out mr tateyama has FOUR kids. despite haruka is pranked a little by these mysterious 3 siblings he never meets them directly. its rly funny cuz haruka's like can i introduce myself to them i mean im gonna be staying for a week. and ayano's like WHAT. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT. and harukas like ok damn i guess i wont meet them

but haruka DOES meet seto during his stay! its one of my FAVORITE chapters of the whole novel. this bit has a 2 page illustration cmon!!!!!!! SETOS HAMSTER BITES HARUKAS FOOT

ok erm anyway. chapter summary of seto&haruka's interaction: haruka went to buy some snacks at the convenience store at night, and when he comes in seto's hamster hanao BITES his damn foot!!!!!! (attacker shown on pic) seto rushes right over like NOOOO HANAOOO

haruka and seto share an awkward greeting bc seto wants to run away asap but haruka's rly desperate to meet him so he invites him to eat the free pudding he won at the grocery store and seto accepts. then they sit and chat while eating pudding :3

haruka invites seto to come to the festival, seto thanks him but says he cant bc he's bad with crowds and he also has a job interview for being a part time paperboy. he assures him his other siblings will show up (as we know, kido and kano do show up but haruka never knew they were ayano and setos siblings at that point!!!)

when seto starts talking abt this job interview he mentions his mom is dead. in that conversation haruka finds out about ayaka. idk about the original line in japanese, but haruka says "mr tateyama's wife is dead?" because of course from his pov the shock comes from his relationship with kenjirou. he feels rly bad that kenjirou acts all happy and normal at school while going through this. seto acts surprised haruka didn't know

haruka expresses sadness over being such a pain for kenjirou then, but seto says that's not true and that kenjirou talks about him all the time. *pretends to be normal about kenjirou*

seto reveals kenjirou called haruka his pride and joy while drunk, which makes haruka tear up. while drunk he also said he'd bring haruka over to make him be ayano's boyfriend lmao and seto says he and kano&kido freaked out about it and were like WE WILL PROTECT U FOR THIS GUY NEECHAN😡😡😡 WHICH IS LIKE. A LAYER OF CONTEXT TO A BIT THAT HAPPENS EARLIER IN THE NOVEL bc they give haruka A REALLY HARD TIME when he arrives and its basically implied they did this bc they were afraid he was gonna hit on ayano lol (jin jokes in his author's notes he literally wanted haruka to hit on ayano literally for shit and giggles but his editor was like dude this is ooc can you take this fucking seriously)

it's also implied seto read haruka's mind when he arrived and since haruka had been thinking of takane and being kind of... he was like her hair her eyes her lips etcetc he was just.... being a 16 year old about it. and seto assumed it was about ayano, told his siblings and there kano went in disguised as ayano to give haruka a piece of his mind. honestly read the sixth novel its hilarious idk if its cuz its a novel with all my faves but its one of the best erm anyways back to the pudding chapter

before seto goes his eye power activates and he basically almost collapses or something. haruka gets rly worried but seto is able to calm down and he leaves. i hc that in this scene seto found out haruka was dying. i dont have proof other than seto probably read his mind there. but i like the hc😄

anyways!! fast forward to the end of the eighth novel, seto (and mary and hibiya) are in the real world while literally everyone else is dead inside the daze. they make a phonecall because of reasons i wont explain and everyone is screaming into it trying to talk to the outside guys, and haruka has a single line where he says "kousuke its me haruka!!!!! remember when we had that pudding together 2 years ago!!!!" hehe its so cute im so glad jin added that

basically. haruka and seto BEST FRIENDS. when haruka is back post str he would be very comfortable with seto and seto would for sure approach haruka and hang out with him. i definitely think haruka's the closest to seto outside of the yuukei quartet!!! like come on theyd be such good friends🥺 i was thinking of harutaka cat last night and i 1000% think seto is the one to find them a pet. seto is always taking haruka to see cats

NOW!!! MARY&TAKANE!!! they definitely don't have as much interaction as haruka&seto bc jin would rather die than write proper scenes for his female characters alone However it is said they hit it off immediately when they meet! ene makes an unforgettable comment abt mary and momo being gay which mary doesnt understand and momo like a good kisaragi wants to kill ene. anyways thats a little funny one

ill talk what i remember the most! the fourth novel: shintaro wakes up and finds mary complaining she can't talk to ene and it turns out shintaro's phone has no battery. shintaro explains the concept of a Charger and Electricity and Mary's like whoa ene eats some weird stuff huh

so she starts looking for a charger. shintaro tells her not to hurry bc theyre better off without her anyways and mary gets mad at him and tells him to stop MEAN to ene!!!!! and says she must ALSO feel lonely in there!!!! and shintaro's like o_o!! ok damn!!!!

that's the only mary&takane i can think of. but they're really good friends i think takane's as much of a tease to her as she is to everyone but mary doesnt always understand LOL but they get along well :3 theyre besties :3 like for real mary momo & ene have a girl gang that could rule the world.

then mary finds some snakeskin in a drawer with the charger and shintaro and kido almost shit their pants etcetc BUT when mary got mad, shintaro has some rly cute thoughts about ene. he remarks how absolutely no one in the dan ever questioned what the hell is ene or how she works, bc theyre all weirdos so of course they dont question other weirdos(and one of my fave shinene lines, where shintaro admits hes developed an affinity for her and that it's because of her he met all these nice people and she might as well be his salvation *fucking explodes*) anyways. he thinks ofc mary and ene hit it off. i think its so cute that mary wanted to talk to ene and just took shintaros phone to do it!!

anyways. THEYRE ALL BEST FRIENDS :3 :3 :3 :3 setomary & harutaka double date is totally possible. and we should get seto&takane to be best friends too like i think theyd be sooooo funny together. i ALWAYS say when takane gets her body back there is no way she could walk so comfortably like she does and since seto (and kano) are there i hc seto carries her back to the hideout from the lab💥💥💥

harutaka & setomary is so funny since ive been in the fandom for so long i can tell u people always compared them like the insane pda ones and though i dont rly agree with that i still think its a funny and nostalgic hc. i think itd be cute if seto told haruka he likes mary but no one else. like everyone KNOWS. duh. but he tells haruka IDK I LIKE THIS HC Because kano and kido will tease him and ayano and mary are awkward with each other (bc i say so) so seto tells haruka like omg i have a crush on mary ://3 and haruka's like omg no way whats ur fave thing about her *kicks feet* they should get to talk abt their crushes together OKAY.

i do think haruka&takane start dating pretty soon or are dating in whatever moment seto comes to haruka to talk abt mary so idk i think its cute if seto went to haruka also bc he's like. hes the only person i know who has a partner 🫡 i like a lot of ships that i think happen eventually and all have their own shitshows and moments but i think haruka&takane are the very first to get together and everyones like yeah. they're the couple ig. Ok sorry someone hold me down before i start talking again about harutaka being the romance love story of kagepro

ermmm basically yes best friends!!!!!

[steeltwigz]

I'm so so sleepy so it isn't done yet, but here's a lil wip from Sonic n Amy fic that I wrote at one am

It takes place during a pride parade becuz I'm also a sucker for Pride celebrations

"I'm sorry."

It was whispered, like a confession. Combined with the wind and the cheering of the parade below them, Sonic almost didn't hear it. Almost. He turned towards Amy.

"Sorry?" He said, "For what?"

Amy was staring at the crowd, hard, from their shared perch on the ledge of a rooftop. If looks could kill, they'd have a lot of cleaning up to do. She gripped a bottle of water tightly in her hands and sighed.

"For everything," she mumbled, turning further away from him. "The way I treated you, how I used to chase you and ..." She trailed off then, and swallowed. She turned to look at Sonic, face determined, like she was staring down some particularly tough badniks instead of sitting on a rooftop overlooking the Station Square Pride festival. "I hurt you. And I'm sorry."

"Oh. Hey, Amy-" Sonic held out a hand to pat on her shoulder as Amy looked like she was about to explode beside him. She continued.

"And I'm sorry it's so late, I know I should have apologized sooner but with everything that we do, we hardly have time to spend together and I thought maybe the festival was a good excuse, but I see the way you look at couples here and I didn't realize I did so much damage and I'm-"

As Amy started to ramble off more apologies, Sonic blinked, aghast. He snorted. It rose into chuckle, until Amy paused to turn to him, her turn to be aghast, and he broke out in side-splitting laughter. He tumbled backwards onto the roof.

"Sorry, sorry-!" He said, from his new vantage staring up at Amy, "I didn't mean to-" he sat up, but stayed behind the ledge this time, "what do you mean 'the way I look at couples'?"

Amy swallowed and fidgeted with the bottle in her hands. "The way you get... There's this face you make, it- uhm... I didn't mean to stare at you by the way, I just-" Sonic held up a hand to stop her and she muttered a 'right', then turned away to think, furrowing her brow.

"Oh!" She snapped her fingers, "d'you remember that time you tried to feed Knuckles a chili dog? And he got all grossed out, and you laughed at him? It's like that."

Sonic shot forward. "Wh- it is not!" He insisted, laughing again.

"Sonic Prower The Hedgehog, it most definitely is," Amy smiled, her tone stern but posture relaxed. She quickly turned thoughtful again though and hugged her knees to her chest, hiding her face in her arms. "And it's my fault. I made you hate dating because I was such a jerk."

Sonic stilled for a moment, humming, thoughtful as well. He fought down a nervous chuckle, sighing instead, and returned to his perch next to Amy.

"You were a jerk," he began as he sat down, though noticing how Amy shrunk in on herself quickly added, "but you apologized! And I appreciate it, Amy, really." He paused. "We can work on that later. But anyway, that isn't why I think dating is weird. I just- uh-" Sonic rubbed his chin. After a moment, he huffed and turned to Amy. "Look, you know I don't wanna date you-"

"Yeah, 'cause I was a creep." She said, and glared at the bottle in her hands.

"No- well, yeah, you shouldn't have done most of that but- what I mean is, even if you were totally respectful and did it all right or whatever, I still wouldn't have." Amy turned toward him then, face still tucked into her arm but looking confused and slightly less like she was ready to crush the bottle in her hands. "I don't really.. /do/ that. The crush thing. Or dating, or any of that." He looked weirdly embarrassed as he tried to wave nonchalantly, nervously running his free hand through his quills.

"To be honest," he continued, scratching his cheek awkwardly, "I didn't think it was something people really did outside of the movies. I guess it just never really worked for me, y'know?"

He didn't turn back towards Amy for the whole talk, and stayed decidedly still, watching the parade continue on. It was mostly silent as they sat together, cheering from the crowd distant ambience below them.

It was weird, Amy thought as she studied the profile of Sonic's face and digested what he had said, that someone could've missed something so integral to her own life. It made sense, she figured, turning and watching various flags and floats pass by. A certain pattern of white and green caught her eye and Amy sat up slowly, realization dawning.

"Oh." She said.

"Yup." Sonic replied, popping the 'p'. They both watched the parade in silence for a moment, before Amy slapped her hands into her face.

[hag-lad]

Yeah June is almost over but I finally put together my Pride altar. I think I put it off because I’m feeling so disconnected from Pride now that it’s become synonymous with corporate marketing and individual “brand,” rather than any kind of genuine community.

My first kiss was at Pride. I used to go to Pride with my gay & trans friends every year, I used to protest with political action groups, I used to go to gay bars and drag nights and queer art shows frequently. I don’t do any of these things anymore, and I’ve been trying to figure out why. But of course, there isn’t one single reason. It is the corporate takeover, it is the hyper-inclusive overcrowding, it is the trivialization of our liberation into essentially a pop music festival, it is the defanging of our formerly radical politics subsumed by liberal marketability, it is the ubiquitous intoxication, it is my own aging process and waning energy, it is my own self-concept as a kind of misfit in the lgbt community at large… It is the deep sense of non-belonging that just gets worse every year.

I love being a lesbian, I love the gay and trans friends I still have, and I categorically love and support all lgbt people in our fight for liberation, but I still feel so alienated. I don’t like bars, I don’t like crowds, and most scandalously of all, I really don’t like most self-identified queer people I meet. I hate that I even feel this way, but I’ve interrogated the feeling so much and I think it’s less about the “community” itself and more about the generational gap. Young people who self-identify as “queer” have norms and a culture all their own; it’s barely recognizable to the lgbt community that I came of age in. The way they talk, the identifiers they use, their perception of our political agenda… it is fragmented and sectarian, but paradoxically so inclusive, the whole thing feels kinda hollow and meaningless. I don’t know where I fit into their “community,” and I don’t even want to anymore.

Maybe I’m just aging into a total hermit and I’m just bitter about the kids who still get together and have fun in ways that I don’t, but it doesn’t really matter. Fun, in this current climate of hyper-conservative moral panic specifically targeting trans and gnc people, is the least of my concerns. I want lgbt liberation. I don’t know how to get it. All I’m sure of is how much I owe to past generations of gay and trans activists. I’ll honor my history and try to stop agonizing over the present. I guess.

[wiypt-writes]

25 Days Of CHRIS-mas

Day 19: Christmas In New-York

Summary: You and Nick start the festive season in style.

Pairing: Nick Vaughan (Before We Go) x Reader

Warnings: Bad Language, fluff. 18+

W/C: Hazard a guess about 1k? Posting this on phone- no idea!

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction, any likeness to any persons or events in real life are purely co-incidental. I do not own any characters contained herein bar the reader and/or any original characters. I do not give consent for my work to be copied and posted/translated onto any other sites. If you see this fiction anywhere other than Tumblr, it has been taken without permission.By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer and ALL warnings posted here.

A/N: this is posted on mobile with my left hand. Apologies in advance for any mistakes!

Day 18: Curtis Everett (Snowpiercer)

25 Days Of CHRIS-mas Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Day 18: Curtis Everett (Snowpiercer)

It was the last day of November and it was a busy, busy day for you and Nick.vThe jazz band he was in had earned the honor of playing at the annual tree lighting for all of Central Park and it was being hosted at Tavern on the Green.

Nick had been a ball of energy when you’d left for work that morning and hadn’t stopped messaging you all day, telling you how excited he was. And now as you were running through the apartment trying to get yourself ready for his big night, he couldn't keep still himself.

"This is huge," he smiled. "I'm so happy to spend it with you, honey."

You chuckled and paused to look at him, “me too, Nicky. And I can’t wait to watch you play… but I can’t find my purple scarf!”

He grinned, "no need for it," he produced a gift bag from behind his back. "Early gift."

You were already dressed in your booties, tights and coat, the sweater dress he'd bought you under your coat. "Nick..."

He winked and handed you the bag.

You plucked the tissue and looked inside, with a delightful gasp. A green tartan scarf presented itself, woolen and thick, thin tassels on the ends.

“Nick!”

"Like it?"

"It's beautiful," you beamed as he took the material from your hands and wrapped it around your neck.

"You are beautiful, this..." He kissed you softly along your red painted lips, "is just an accessory."

“Charmer.” You chuckled at him. “I love you”

"I love you." He chuckled.

Your cab arrived and the two of you were quickly whisked off to Central Park, meeting up with the rest of the band for their warm up.

The sun had sank below the skyline and the winter chill was upon you.

You greeted his friends and band mates warmly and took the mulled wine you were offered. You found a seat nearby and got comfortable, your eyes and ears tuning in on Nick as his trumpet and fingers warmed up.

The concert only lasted half an hour or so before the lights were turned on. As the cheers spread throughout the crowd, the band picked up for their final number and you smiled as Nick easily did his four stanza solo at the end

Proud as you could be, your heart warmed more as you watch him hit that final note. The kick off to your holiday season was official, your second together.

They were applauded off stage and Nick made his way over to you, his cheeks red from the cold as you smiled.

“Good job.” You gave him a quick kiss.

"Thank you," he winked. You waited for him to put his trumpet away and he grabbed your hand, "let's take a walk."

“You don’t wanna stay for a drink with the band?”

"Hmmm, okay, just one. I want to enjoy the night with just my girl."

You chuckled. “Okay.”

Mugs of eggnog laced with cinnamon and brandy were passed around as the band leader toasted to a job well done for the night and a prosperous year behind them. You could see the pride on Nick's face for landing a dream job. The band he was with was one of the top jazz bands in the state, and had concerts regularly booked in auditoriums and theaters through the city, including the coveted performing arts center.

After you’d chatted for a while, Nick led you away after goodbyes and the two of you headed out.

It was cold, your body kept warm as you walked by your tights and coat, your new scarf and leather gloves. You kept your arm twisted around Nick's, your entwined hands stuffed into his pocket. You strolled through Central Park, in the direction of home, some six blocks away.

You gave a contented sigh and Nick pressed a kiss to your temple.

“Remember the night we met?” He asked as you carried on walking towards one of the small stalls selling drinks and food

"How could I forget? You were playing for tips in that bar on 3rd," you smiled. "I bought you a drink."

"You were very forward," he chuckled.

“No point being shy,” you shrugged, “gets you nowhere.”

"I've always loved that about you."

“What, the fact that I’m obnoxiously brash?”

"In a way." He chortled. "You say what's on your mind, I admire it."

The two of you stopped walking as flakes of snow began to fall, the backdrop of lit trees and an illuminated gazebo behind you.

“And you play what’s on yours,” you smiled, “I can always tell how your feeling depending on what you use as your practice warm ups.”

"And what was I feeling tonight?" He inquired.

“You played the James Bond theme… you meant business.” You said and Nick laughed. “But earlier today you played Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Your go to when you’re just… just so, calm, serene, happy.”

"It's because I am," he swallowed. "I'm happier than I've been in a long time. You've walked into my life and turned it upside down for the better. Pulled from a place I'd been stuck in for so long. I feel it in everything I do. The way I play, the way I go about my day."

“Good, because you’re stuck with me, Vaughn.”

"Well, I’m glad, because this would be really awkward," he chuckled as he pulled the velvet box from a pocket inside his coat.

Your gloved hands flew to your mouth, “Nicky?” Your voice was a choked whisper

He opened the lid and a stunner of a setting sparkled back at you. "Marry me, Y/N, say you'll spend the rest of your life me?"

You blinked back the tears as your eyes moved from the ring to his as you nodded. “Yes, a million times, yes.”

He grinned and plucked the ring from the box whilst you pulled your left glove from your hand. Nick took the sparkler between his right thumb and first finger, your left palm nestled in his left hand and slipped the ring around your wedding finger.

You squealed in delight as you cupped his scruffy cheeks and pulled him in for a deep, searing, consumating kiss whilst snow fell upon you.

“Merry Christmas, baby.”

"Merry Christmas, Nicky."

🎄🎄🎄🎄

Day 20: Me (Playing It Cool)

[bitsandbobsofwriting]

Soulmate AU Part 4 (final part):

Uther continues to be very OOC and Merlin is presented to the Kingdom; luckily enough, everyone already loves him. The Future starts to come together...

Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

The summer passed in much the same way the previous year had; awkwardly polite conversation between Merlin and Uther, Leon panicking at everything, Gwen being exasperated, Morgana and Merlin pissing about, and Arthur watching it all with exponentially growing fondness.

Eventually, it was Yuletide again. Yuletide meant Arthur’s 18th birthday. Arthur’s 18th birthday meant revealing Merlin to the Kingdom; announcing him as The Crown Prince’s Soulmate.

There was an odd mix of feelings surrounding the upcoming event. Both Arthur and Merlin were ecstatic at the idea of not having to hide and sneak around anymore, but Merlin was a foreign peasant boy. The common people would love him, Nobles and Foreign dignitaries? Not so much. Granted, Arthur had a powerfully intimidating presence, when he chose to display it, Morgana could glare anyone into submission, and even Leon was known to be passive aggressively threatening when it concerned Merlin’s safety and respect, but not all could be daunted into compliance. Merlin would surely face discrimination.

That, and the growing spotlight meant that it would become much harder to keep his magic a secret. With Uther’s insistence that Merlin be... part of the family, they’d already had a few close calls.

Thankfully, not much else had changed, or it had changed for the better. Arthur and Merlin still scared everyone else shitless when they popped up to each other, but Morgana’s visions seemed a lot less terrifying now. Leon still had heart palpitations when Merlin and The King were in the same room, but Gwen, Gaius, and Hunith relaxed more; the Physician especially could see the pride glowing in Uther’s eyes, and the awkward fondness he held for Merlin (even if that wouldn't protect him if Uther discovered his magic).

Nevertheless, no ones’ fears or aspirations stopped the passage of time (though Merlin, in his increasing power, had put it on his “List of Things to Try Before I Die”), and Arthur’s crowning ceremony crept closer, day by day.

Hunith, Merlin, Leon, Gwen, and Gaius were gifted front row seats to the event, and as annoyed as Uther was at having the front row taking by commoners, a servant, and a young knight, he didn’t dare argue; he’d learnt that it was pointless now. Morgana was stood behind Uther’s throne at her own seat, giving Arthur a rare smile, not a hint of teasing in her expression, and Arthur returned it easily, comforted by the dream she told him she had the previous night (of adoring crowds and a grinning Merlin) despite his nerves.

The ceremony of course went of without a hitch, a rare smile on Uther’s face, and tears on all the faces of Arthur’s front row.

After an uproarious round of applause and chants of “Long Live The King, Long Live The Prince!”, the room cleared, leaving only Uther, Arthur, Morgana, Merlin, and a few faceless guards.

(Gaius, Hunith, Gwen, and Leon rushed off, wanting to be at the front of the crowds in the courtyard when Arthur and Merlin were presented to the Kingdom.)

Merlin didn’t hesitate in rushing up the steps to Arthur, wrapping his soulmate in a tight hug and whispering his pride into his blushing ear. For once, Morgana didn’t roll her eyes at the display of affection; Arthur may have occasional spurts of arrogance, and the two of them still acted like immature children occasionally, but she loved them both dearly. Uther did roll his eyes, though he could not hide his fondness from Morgana, who raised (yet another) teasing eyebrow at him. He glared at her half-heartedly before clearing his throat, and the boys jumped apart with a start.

He wordlessly nodded towards the door of the Throne Room, and walked out regally, his steps fast and heavy and his cloak billowing behind him. Merlin and Arthur followed quickly, hand in hand, and Morgana walked closely behind them, the guards bringing up the rear. The group finally made it to the large double doors that opened out onto the balcony above the courtyard, though it was two corridors previously that they began to hear the cheering and festivities below.

Arthur could feel Merlin’s hand shaking in his own, and squeezes it comfortingly, giving him a reassuringly soft smile as he murmurs, so Uther can’t hear them:

“Don’t worry, it’ll only be a few minutes, then we’ll come back in. You’ll be introduced to nobles and such during the feast,-”

When Merlin begins to look even more distressed, Arthur rolls his eyes good-naturedly and continues before his Warlock can interrupt him:

“-yes, I know, we’ll have to mingle, but this evening, it’s just us and the others. We’ll take some food and wine back to yours, and we can have some fun and all fall asleep in front of the fire together. Alright?”

Merlin takes a deep breath and nods, but before he can say anything, Uther stops his conversation with one of the guards and abruptly turns around, his face tersely concerned.

He takes one look at the boys before tutting and stepping towards them. Arthur freezes in shock as Uther begins to run a gloved hand through his hair, neatening it out and flattening it properly under the newly placed crown before stepping back again with a satisfied nod of the head. Arthur’s wide eyes stare straight ahead, and Morgana (having snuck in front of them to watch the whole ordeal) has to stop herself from snorting at his face. If she thought that was funny... well.

Next, Uther’s eyes move to Merlin, where he gives an even more disapproving tut and steps forward once more. He removes one of his gloves quickly, wetting his thumb with his tongue before wiping it just a little too harshly along Merlin’s nose, muttering-

“How the hell are you always so Godamn grubby?”

-to himself. Morgana doesn’t manage to hold in her giggles at that, clamping a hand over her mouth as she dedicates this whole scene to memory forever. Arthur is staring at his father with not even an attempt to hide his bafflement, but at this point, Uther is too busy brushing invisible lint off of Merlin’s shoulders to notice the incredulous stares from the three teenagers (and all the guards).

He finally steps back, huffing out a sigh, and muttering-

“That will have to do, I suppose.”

-before turning back to the doors and gesturing to the guards. Morgana, and Arthur have only a moment to regain their composure before they are ushered out on the balcony; Merlin staying back as he had been informed to do that morning, though he can hear the cheers get impossibly louder as the three royals greet their people.

Arthur glances back, just quickly, giving him one last smile before facing his people and standing in support of his father’s kingly speech:

“My people! Today, on this year’s Winter Solstice, my son has come of age!-”

The crowds had quietened significantly when Uther began, but another cheer went up at his words, and he paused, holding a silencing hand up:

“-I now present him to you, as Crown Prince Arthur Pendragon, heir to the throne of Camelot, my successor!”

His hand moves to gesture at Arthur, and the Prince steps forward as The King steps back, a wide smile on the blonde's face as his people cheer for him. He waves back, eyes searching the crowd for Hunith, Gaius, Gwen, and Leon; they meet gazes just as Uther steps forward once more, holding his hand up again:

“There is other news! It is...-”

He looks to Arthur, settling a hand on his shoulder and giving him a small smile. His voice quietens a little, but it can still be heard by the crowd:

“-it is with great pride, that I announce-”

The moment ended as quickly as it had started as Uther turns back to the crowds below, raising his voice again:

“-that my son has found his soulmate!!-”

Arthur had been expecting loud cheers, but their audience grows quiet and still at the announcement, as if frozen in suspense. As he peers over the stone barrier, he can see almost everyone in the crowd pairing off slightly, pulling their soulmates closer as they wait with baited breath to see their Prince’s partner.

Inside, Merlin takes a deep breath, but relaxes slightly when he sees Arthur unclench his own nervous fist, holding it behind him in preparation, invitation, for Merlin to take it in just a few moments:

“-I present to you, a close family friend of the royals,-”

(Morgana scoffs and rolls her eyes, but thankfully no one is paying her any attention.)

“-a skilled physician in training, and a trusted citizen of this Great Kingdom,-”

He gestures towards the door behind him, and Merlin takes his first shaky step forward, coming into line with Arthur as Uther finishes:

“Merlin, of Ealdor!”

Arthur and Merlin walk to the front of the balcony, hand in hand, as the loudest cheers Merlin has ever heard explode from the crowd. Despite the thunderous noise, Merlin can still pick out the cheers of his mother, uncle, friend, and older brother, and the leisurely applause from Morgana behind him, and he smiles in spite of his nerves. Arthur squeezes his hand once more, and they raise their joined fists to the crowds as they grin, struggling to hold in their laughter at the sheer amount of joy on the faces of everyone (bar Uther, of course, he just looked marginally happy)  present.

Merlin has become even more recognised around the kingdom; normally seen trailing Gaius (who is also well-known, and well-loved) or, as inappropriate as it might be (at least according to Uther’s council), hanging around with Morgana and Gwen during the day. The castle’s servants and the majority of the knights had guessed that Merlin was the soulmate of either Prince Arthur or the Lady Morgana, what with how often he was with them and the way King Uther was apparently ok with that, and gossip spread like wildfire. But the loud cheers just drive home how well-loved Merlin is, and he tears up in response.

Merlin and Arthur finally step away from the edge of the balcony, and Uther continues his address of the people, though it passes by in a bit of a blur for Merlin, and he tunes out fairly quickly. He’s vaguely aware of Arthur running a soft thumb over his knuckles, and Morgana stepping towards him to clutch the edge of his tunic (loud crowds had never been her thing), but the speech and the cheering are drowned out by his racing thoughts.

~

Uther’s speech finally came to an end and the crowd dissipated. The King rushed off immediately, after sending what could almost be described as a respectfully fond nod in Merlin’s direction, but Morgana, Arthur, and Merlin luckily had nothing pressing to attend to before the feast, and had around an hour of time to waste (read: relax).

Despite Leon escorting the three of them to Merlin and Hunith’s home dressed in full armour, sword strapped to his hip, the journey took twice as long as it normally did, with various nobles and citizens alike wanting to stop them in the street and congratulate them. Arthur and Merlin were endlessly polite and extremely grateful for the support of their (now shared) people, but Leon’s forceful insistence that they “have somewhere important to be, My Lords, My Lady” went quietly thanked.

Hunith, Gaius, and Gwen met them at the house, and a round of tight hugs was shared; all staring fondly when Hunith wouldn’t let Merlin go for love nor money, whispering tearful exclamations of pride in his ear.

The hour felt like it passed in mere minutes, but it was enough time at least for Merlin to relax a little. Morgana and Gwen helped Hunith get ready, and Merlin definitely did NOT tear up when she came out of her room dressed like royalty, a string of Morgana’s pearls around her neck. Arthur and Morgana had deliberately stored a spare set of clothes here so they didn’t have to go back to the castle to change, and the Prince just about managed to force Merlin into a new jacket and cloak (”Why?!”  “Because you have to, it’s protocol, you have to be dressed differently.”  “That’s fucking stu-”  “Merlin, I love you, but shut up and get changed.”  “...Prat.” ) .

The seating arrangements weren’t too terrible. As per normal, Uther sat at the head of the table, with Arthur around the corner on the King’s right and Morgana to his left. Merlin sat in between Arthur and his mother; Leon was, unfortunately, on guard duty, though thankfully he was being assigned to Prince Duty (training, hunts, patrols, bodyguard, etc) more and more, meaning he was stood at the wall behind the two boys. 

Thankfully, the only stranger anywhere near Merlin was a respected Camelot noble seated opposite him, and he seemed far more interested in boasting about his son to the King in the hopes of winning him a knighthood than he was in Merlin, and payed barely any attention to him other than the occasional distasteful glare (they did not go unnoticed by Arthur, and simply guaranteed that his prick of a son wasn’t going to end up anywhere near a sword).

So all in all, the feast wasn’t too bad. Merlin’s stomach was turning a little, but Arthur’s hand on his thigh under the table and his mother’s shoulder occasionally brushing against his own calmed him right down, though he still kept well away from any alcohol or too-rich foods, worried about making a fool of himself or turning his stomach even more.

The Gang also had Gwen serving them. Morgana had given up on her pleas to have her join them at the table fairly quickly; she could argue with Uther endlessly on many things, but she knew she was never going to win this one. At Guinevere’s insistence that today wasn’t about her, and Morgana shouldn’t ruin Uther’s tenuous good mood on Arthur’s birthday AND coronation AND soulmate-reveal-day, she gave in. But Merlin appreciated the feeling of friendly eyes, both Leon’s and Gwen’s, on his back for the course of the feast.

Just like during the celebrations of Arthur’s knighting ceremony, the tables were cleared from the room to make way for music and dancing, though this time Arthur and Merlin didn’t have to hide their partnership.

Merlin’s stomach turned more at the mingling he was forced to do, answering awkward questions about the purity of his blood and where he came from and his education and his understanding of social etiquette, almost all of which were phrased in condescending and/or downright spiteful ways. But the way Arthur’s arm, looped through his, tensed, and the scowl the Prince sported when Merlin couldn’t bring himself to, partnered with Leon’s comforting shadow (and even Uther’s, when the question’s strayed into cruelty) made him feel at least justified in his discomfort.

Morgana, at the quiet request of Merlin, spent the entire night by Hunith’s side, shielding her from the malicious glaring of nobles who felt cheated by her accidental winning of a position in the royal family. She was granted at least a little respect due to her being a relation of Gaius, who was highly respected and close to the King, but that was about as far as her favour went, and she was eternally grateful for Morgana’s steadfast presence and silent-but-deadly brand of defence.

The night passed slowly, but not so unpleasantly that Merlin was too desperate for it to end, though that changed rather jarringly when he found himself without Arthur for the first time. The Prince and Merlin had been stood next to each other, though involved in different conversations; thankfully for Merlin, he had been having a rather lovely chat about country-life with the wife of a knight. It was when she was pulled away by her husband to converse with another that Merlin realised that Arthur had also been pulled away by whoever it was he had been talking to.

Merlin tensed when he couldn’t immediately spot his soulmate through the crowd, but took a calming breath when he did spot Leon stood dutifully against the opposite wall, Guinevere next to him. That was fine, it wasn’t Arthur, but it was better than nothing, and he allowed his anxiety to swirl in his lungs for only a moment before he began his soft-stepped journey across the hall. 

He caught Leon’s eye, thankfully, and the knight frowned slightly at the empty space next to him before sending a reassuring smile his way, nodding in encouragement and understanding.

Alas, he only made it halfway when he was stopped by a rather harsh hand on his shoulder.

He turns around, barely swallowing a gasp and a flinch, only to come face to face with the noble he had been sat opposite during the feast. The hand was uncomfortably tight on his shoulder, and Merlin wanted more than anything to push it away, but instead he forced a smile on his face and bowed his head respectfully, hoping beyond hope that Arthur would make a reappearance or Leon would see his discomfort and be able to come up with an excuse to abandon his post:

“Lord Otto, a pleasure to see you again.”

The drunken Lord let out a huff of sarcastic laughter, pressing his thumb even more severely into Merlin’s collarbone:

“Hmm, a pleasure indeed. Tell me boy, how is it that you, a peasant, think yourself worthy of such a magnificent soulmate?”

Merlin’s eyes widen in shock. No one had been so obviously disdainful, but the over-indulgence in alcohol, the Lord’s privileged seat at the table, and Merlin's lack of any sort of protector had evidently given him a boost in confidence. Merlin stuttered for a few moments, not quite sure what to say, before quietly coming out with:

“Well... I... don’t really know, I-”

He’s interrupted by a far softer hand on his other shoulder, but is even more shocked when, instead of Leon or Arthur, he found The King stood by his side, flicking an incredibly scornful gaze between Lord Otto’s hand and face. It does nothing to dissuade the Lord, and Merlin can’t disguise his wince this time when the hand once again tightens it’s grip.

Merlin had hoped he’d been subtle, but the clenching of Uther’s jaw tells him he had not been; before he can worry about what social rule he had broken and how Uther was going to punish him for it, The King finally settled his glare on Otto’s face:

“I must insist that you remove your hand from my boy’s person, and refrain from making such improper inquiries.”

His cold tone almost sends a shiver down Merlin’s spine, but the confusion of having Uther being in defence of him (a Warlock) stops the reaction before it even starts. The Lord glances up at the crown sitting strongly on Uther’s head, seemingly reminding himself of his company, before dropping his hand from Merlin’s shoulder as if he’d been burned.

He bows his head shallowly, making himself look as subservient as his pride could manage, and Uther gives him a barely restrained look of disgust when he looks up again, interrupting any quivering apologies he might have made:

“It’s getting rather late, and you’ve indulged enough for one night, do you not think? I suggest you end your evening here, Lord Otto.”

All three knew that it was not a suggestion, and Otto bows once more before muttering a humiliated, red-faced “Right you are, Your Majesty” and waddling out of the hall, towards the guest chambers.

Merlin let out a breath, his face just a little flushed as Uther spares him a quick, concerned glance before pushing him gently towards an on-going conversation between Arthur and a group of knights on the other side of the band. Merlin lets out a relieved breath when he sees his partner, but quickly frowns in concern when he then sees the tense line of Arthur’s shoulders and the way his eyes were darting around the room. He’s obviously paying only the shallowest of attention to the conversation at hand; but then they meet gazes, and the tension drains out of him as he sends a relieved smile Merlin’s way.

Arthur politely excuses himself from the conversation, using the blinding smile that only made an appearance when he was manipulating courtiers and nobles, before making his way through the crowd towards Merlin, evidently trying to disguise his desperation. Merlin was absent-mindedly aware of Uther keeping pace with him, the supportive hand on his shoulder-blade not leaving even when Merlin sped up slightly.

(If Merlin had been thinking about anything other than just being at Arthur’s side again, he would’ve found the odd mix of disgust and gratitude for Uther’s presence very confusing.)

They finally reach each other and Arthur grabs Merlin’s hand gently, pulling him to his side and landing a soft kiss to his cheek. Uther finally removes his hand from Merlin’s back, and it’s the absence of touch that reminds Merlin of The King’s presence. He turns quickly, hand safely in Arthur’s grip, to give Uther a flushed, timid smile:

“I... uh... thank you, My Lord.”

Uther gives him a tight smile, though you’d have to be blind to miss the slight fondness in his expression as he shakes his head:

“Hmm, I’ve been looking for an excuse to get Otto out of here for at least an hour, the man is intolerable, his incessant rambling about his unremarkable son even more so.”

Merlin nodded awkwardly and tightened his hold on Arthur’s hand, but before either boy can say anything, Uther lets out a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders and settling hesitant hands on one of their shoulders each:

“I... am proud of you both, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. One day, this Kingdom shall be yours, and it will be golden under your rule.”

Merlin almost manages to forget the whole... unforgivable genocide thing, and gives The King a weak, though grateful smile, running his thumb over Arthur’s knuckles when he feels the blonde shake slightly. Arthur tears up at Uther’s words, but thankfully manages to keep his voice steady as he quietly replies:

“Thank you, father, we will do everything in our power to live up to your legacy.”

(An utter lie, considering they plan on undoing pretty much everything he’s known for the moment they come into power, but Uther doesn’t need to know that, and the sentiment remains.)

Uther gives Arthur one last gentle smile, before lowering his hands and straightening his posture, going from awkwardly doting father to detached mighty King within a second. He nods at each of them before turning and walking regally away, his cloak billowing behind him and his golden crown shining atop his head.

Arthur tilts his head in question and tugs Merlin’s hand slightly when he sees the small frown on the younger’s face:

“Merls? What did Otto do? He didn't hurt you, did he?!”

Merlin looked up at him in shock before blinking away the surprise and chuckling:

“Ah, no, nothing like that, just asked how a peasant ended up with such a magnificent soulmate.-”

Arthur looked like he wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or offended on Merlin’s behalf, so he settled for an odd mix of the two:

“-That didn’t bother me though, it was... Uther called me his boy.”

Arthur dropped his chin slightly in shock:

“He what?”

Merlin shrugged:

“He said “I must insist that you remove your hand from my boy”. It was very... disconcerting, and oddly endearing considering what he’d do if he knew what I was.”

He whispered the last part quietly, and Arthur raised his eyebrows in surprise before chuckling quietly:

“Wow, never thought I’d see the day. My father being protective of a commoner and telling me how proud he is all in one evening, perhaps the world is ending.”

Merlin snorts, rolling his eyes and softly responding:

“Hmm. He may be a bit of a prat, but he does love you, and he has his moments.”

Arthur narrows his eyes at Merlin good-naturedly, a smirk dangerously close to breaking out on his face:

“You know Merlin, you may be right, but you’re still the only person I allow to say it aloud without sanction.”

Merlin just smirks and raises an eyebrow; Arthur laughs, and the world feels right.

~

It was late by the time Arthur and Merlin finally decided to call it quits. Morgana, Gaius, and Hunith had left around an hour ago, Gwen following them the moment her shift ended. Technically, someone had come to take over from Leon about halfway through the night, but he stuck around, patrolling the shadows of the room with one eye on Merlin always.

(The boys had insisted that he should go home and relax, but were quietly grateful when he stayed.)

They had been wanting to leave for hours, and normally they could easily get away with such an absence, but this particular celebration was in their honour, it wouldn't do to leave too early, so they finally made their way out of the hall when the crowds had halved and it was approaching midnight.

Uther gave them one last pat on the back when they said goodbye, and the tension practically melted off them when they stepped foot outside, despite the freezing temperatures of winter in the dead of night.

Leon stepped out just a moment after them, and the three of them make quick work of the journey to the house, not wanting to dally in the frigid air and just a little desperate to find themselves in the comforting presence on the family they had built.

They arrive just in time to find Hunith pouring out mugs of hot chocolate (a luxury that Merlin and Hunith never had in Ealdor), and Gwen adding another log to the fire. The next round of hugs was quicker than the last; everyone was tired and eager to settle down, to push the insensitive questions to the back of their minds and revel in the positive feeling of things moving forward.

Arthur had removed his cloak immediately upon entry, folding it precisely and leaving it on the table in the hall, his golden circlet following shortly after, cushioned by the soft fabric, but Merlin excused himself to their bedroom, changing into comfier clothes and washing his face. He had been looking forward to leaving all night, but now that he was home, he found all he wanted to do was collapse in bed and sleep, Arthur securely in his arms.

A knock at the door broke him out of his slow moving thoughts, and he frowned slightly, Arthur wouldn’t knock:

“Come in.”

It was Leon that opened the door, having rid himself of his sword and most of his armour (a pain in the arse, considering he’ll have to wake up early to put it all on again, but oh well), and he stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door again behind him. Merlin sent him a tired smile, but Leon saw through it and raised an eyebrow:

“You alright, Birdy? Anyone in particular you’d like me to embarrass during training or council meetings?”

Merlin laughed and shook his head:

“No, that definitely won’t endear me to people. Honestly, it was a lot better than I was expecting, and having Arthur scowling at people and Uther defending me was rather entertaining in the end.”

Leon snorted, muttering a quietly amused “yeah, I bet” before stepping forward and enveloping Merlin in a tight hug, one hand on his back, one in his hair, holding him close. Merlin melted into the embrace, clutching the back of Leon’s tunic tightly as the older man swayed on his feet slightly, murmuring:

“I’m proud of you, little brother. You handled everything just fine, the kingdom loves you; you’re doing great.”

Merlin lets out a deep breath and steps back, though was grateful to feel Leon’s hands still on his shoulders as he replies:

“Thank you. Honestly, I’m just exhausted, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with this for the rest of my life, and I... I don’t want to disappoint Arthur.”

Leon rolled his eyes good-naturedly and ruffled Merlin’s hair:

“You could never. He loves you more than anything in this world, Birdy, you’re made for each other, after all. He would abandon all of this in a heartbeat if he thought it would make you happy.”

Merlin frowns slightly, clenching his jaw:

“Yeah, I know, that’s what worries me. We’re meant to... bring about a golden age or whatever, and we can’t do that if we leave, but I’m not sure I’m going to be any good at the... politics, or the court manipulation or anything that comes with... with running a Kingdom. I know it’s a long way off but...-”

Leon nods in understanding and squeezes Merlin’s shoulder softly:

“You’ve got plenty of time to learn. And hey, if you want to stay away from the politics? Fine, Arthur and Morgana have plenty of expertise in that area. You’re a physician, Merls, not a courtier, and the kingdom already loves you, not because you’re a good politician or anything like that, but because you’re a good person, and you’re worth loving. Just keep being yourself and you’ll be absolutely fine. And besides, you’ll always have us lot to fall back on when you’re unsure; you’ll never be alone, little brother, I’ll make sure of it.”

Merlin nods and sniffles slightly at Leon’s words, giving him another tight hug. They step back into the hall, and Leon gives Merlin’s hand a gentle squeeze:

“Ready? I can tell them you headed to bed, if you just want some sleep?”

Merlin smiles and shakes his head, pulling Leon to the living room, where everyone is undoubtedly crowded around the fire surrounded by blankets and pillows.

~

From that day forth, Merlin’s life becomes a lot more... official.

He was officially given sword-fighting lessons by a few of the older knights, though thanks to the lessons Leon, Arthur, and Morgana had given him already, he held his own pretty well, and they were more than impressed with the skill level of someone they had assumed was a complete beginner.

He was officially invited to the occasional council meeting (at least the boring, everyday ones). He was always a silent spectator, his participation discouraged, though his presence expected; Arthur always made a point to ask his opinions afterwards though.

His new duties and lessons, on top of his pre-existing duties as the Physician’s Apprentice, AND having to keep his magic hidden and his reputation intact, was all somewhat overwhelming for Merlin, but the steadfast support of Arthur and Morgana when it concerns politics, and Gaius talking Uther down when The King wants Merlin to be more involved in court life, definitely help him in everyday life. Gwen’s hugs and Leon’s hair ruffling are certainly God-sends as well.

The oddest thing was the way people addressed Merlin now. He wasn’t even of age yet, but people were calling him Lord, and servants bowed at him in the corridor. There wasn’t much he could do about the nobles without making some incredible social faux pas, but he always flushed at the servants and insisted they stop bowing and just call him Merlin, at least when no one else is around. 

Thankfully, both visitors to the Kingdom and local nobles tone down the snootiness, especially when Uther publicly shows Merlin respect and rumours (correct rumours) spread of Arthur and Morgana’s protectiveness.

Merlin’s birthday was celebrated minimally, though there was, once again, a mix of feelings upon the realisation that he was now only one year away from being of age, and things would surely get even more intense when that happened. But they all tried to push it from their minds, at least for the time being.

As winter broke and the sun came up on what was undoubtedly a Spring day, Merlin felt the most refreshed he had in a long time, though his mood dropped instantly when he, Arthur, and Morgana were summoned to Uther’s private study... only to be given another mini, awkward “I’m proud of you” speech, and given a week off.

Of course, Arthur was still somewhat expected to keep up with his training at least a little, but really, there was nothing forcing him to.

They exited the study flushed with pride and excitement at the prospect of doing whatever the hell they wanted for a week, and met Gwen in the hall. She was worrying her lip between her teeth when they saw her, but she instantly relaxed and raised a questioning eyebrow when she saw the grins on their faces, and Morgana explained what had happened.

It was that evening, whilst relaxing in Arthur’s chambers, that Merlin heard the dreaded echo of “Emrys...” in his head.

He groaned, dropping his head in his hands, out of both frustration and the pain of another’s voice unexpectedly materializing on the inside of one’s skull.

It was just Arthur and Merlin in the room, and the Prince immediately moved from his own chair to kneel in front of his soulmate, running his hands up and down Merlin’s arms as he shakily asks:

“Merls? What’s wrong?”

Merlin just looks up at him blearily, one hand taking Arthur’s and the other rubbing his temple:

“Fucking... scaly arsehole.”

Arthur tenses and frowns as he answers:

“I thought he had given up months ago? Why is he calling you now?”

Merlin shrugs, slumping back in his seat:

“Who knows, he didn’t say, he just-”

“It’s important, bring your little... friends, if it makes you feel any better.”

“-never mind. He just said it’s important, and I can bring my “little friends” if I want.-”

He snorted in dry amusement before continuing:

“-as if I would’ve listened if he told me to go alone anyway. I really thought that me thinking “Fuck Off” as loud as I could helped him get the hint. Apparently not.”

Arthur rolled his eyes before looking to Merlin in concern:

“Well... do you want to go? Or do you want to just hope he goes away again?”

Merlin sighs, but before he can answer, the voice echoes once again:

“I will not go away this time, young Warlock. This is important, and I have very little else to entertain myself with, other than being an annoyance to you. Come.”

He huffs in frustration, standing abruptly and taking Arthur’s hand, dragging him to where their swords are kept as he grumbles:

“He’s not going away this time. Let’s fetch Leon and head down.”

Arthur dutifully follows, strapping his sword to his hip and locking the chamber doors behind them, not speaking until they were approaching Leon’s door:

“No Morgana or Gwen?”

Merlin halts, clenching his hands tightly as he thinks for a moment:

“Hmm. No, I don’t want to freak them out. We can tell them what happens later, but I don’t want Morgana to have to face him again.”

Arthur nods, and knocks quietly on Leon’s door. He opens quickly, and Arthur and Merlin are thankful that they didn’t wake him, though quickly notice his panic when he sees their grave faces and swords.

The explanation is quick, and within a few minutes the trio are making a stealthy journey down to the Dragon’s Lair. There are no dramatic appearances this time, the great lizard is already perched regally on the edge of the platform, waiting for them.

He tilts his head when he sees their tense forms at the gate:

“I’m grateful that you did not bring the Witch.”

Arthur and Leon look to Merlin in confusion as he bristles, tightening his grip on the sword at his hip as he speaks:

“Yeah, well, I didn’t fancy you trying to kill my best friend again. What do you want?”

The dragon does what the trio guesses is the closest to an eye roll and dramatic sigh that his great form can manage, before lowering his head and speaking in English:

“If you won’t listen to me, I suggest you use your new found, though temporary freedom to meet with the Druids. They have all relevant information on the prophecies, you can learn of your destinies from them. The closest camp is a day’s ride from the Eastern border of Camelot.”

Merlin raises an eyebrow, but Arthur beats him to it:

“And how would you know that? How did you know we had time off?”

The dragon tilts his head and huffs out a dry laugh, the hot air making the trio sweat under their thick cloaks (it may have been Spring, but it was still cold) :

“I know a great many things, young King.”

Merlin and Arthur can practically feel the way Leon tenses, even from a  few paces away. The man, ever the knight, was obviously incredibly uncomfortable with the idea that this dragon knew the goings on of the world, could listen in on conversations, all while being chained in the basement. Before either knight can say anything, Merlin tilts his head, a challenging look on his face as he regards the dragon:

“You... you keep saying destiny, but destiny is pre-written, the whole point is that it’s going to happen no matter what anyone involved does, no matter the interference. So why are you so desperate to have us know it, and work towards it? Us knowing or not knowing won’t alter things either way, unless it’s all a pile of shit and you’re manipulating us.”

Arthur smirks at Merlin’s quick mind and Leon looks impressed, the two of them turning their own challenging gazes on the rather thoughtful looking reptile. He mutters something along the lines of “you weren’t so bloody clever last time,” before lowering himself even closer to the ground, closer to Merlin:

“If I were manipulating you, then I wouldn’t send you to a third party known for being pacifist and unbiased, would I? Destiny isn’t completely certain, it is simply one of many likelihoods, the most... benefitting likelihood, is the destiny of you and your soulmate.”

Merlin scowls:

“Benefitting for who? Something tells me that one day you’re going to ask us for something, and we’ll be powerless to say no, thanks to all this... help you’re giving us, and it’ll be a mistake. So, benefitting who?”

The dragon shifts his jaw in such a way that resembles a smirk, speaking once again in the rasping language that Leon and Arthur don’t understand:

“Do you not want magic, yourself, your people, to be free, Emrys?”

He raises himself to his full height, stalking towards the ledge and stretching his leathery wings out. The trio manage to hold their ground in his dauntingly large presence, but their hands do tighten around their weapons:

“Go to the Druids, tell them Kilgharrah sent you.”

With that, he tips himself over the edge, falling for a second before snapping his wings out once again and shooting upwards towards the shadow-bathed ceiling, thick chain clanging loudly with the sudden movement.

Merlin huffs and turns to ascend the steps without another word, grumbling to himself about “stupid fucking dragons” and “my one week off and I have to deal with this shit” . Leon and Arthur look to each other with a shrug and a mix of genuine concern and mild amusement on their faces, before hurriedly following Merlin back through the castle.

~

Thankfully, it took almost no effort for Arthur and Morgana to get Uther to allow them to leave the Kingdom on their little vacation. It being under the guise of “visiting Ealdor” meant that it was perfectly within the realm of reasonable requests to have Leon tag along as “protection” as well. Guinevere was coming because they of course would need a servant whilst they were out and about (though Uther was definitely beginning to suspect that something more was at play between Morgana and the serving girl).

Unfortunately, Hunith was unable to get the week off work at such short notice (mother of the Prince’s soulmate or not), and there was no way they’d be able to justify asking The King for Gaius to tag along, so they didn’t even try. But they set out the next afternoon, having filled Gwen and Morgana in on Kilgharrah’s rather vague and annoying directions.

Neither of them were particularly happy that they had gone to see the Dragon without them or that they were just... doing what he said, but destiny or no, consulting the Druids on Morgana’s visions and Merlin’s magic was still a good idea, and they’d never get a better chance.

Just like Kilgharrah said, they found the Druid camp two days into their journey from the city, almost a day’s ride beyond Camelot’s border. They had to be careful, wear disguises, but they were travelling through virtually untouched wood so they didn’t run into anyone, not even a pesky group of bandits made an appearance.

When the first tents came into sight through the trees, the group stopped to take a breath and prepare themselves, giving each other one last round of dubious looks before beginning to walk again.

They barely make it to their third step when Merlin pauses and takes a stuttering breath, clenching his fingers around Arthur’s sleeve in a white-knuckled grip. The others crowd around him worriedly, but relax (only slightly) when he looks more confused than anything else. Before they can ask what’s wrong, he peers between them towards the tents:

“Uh... how are you- are you Druid? Is this one of you?”

Arthur’s eyes widen as he realises:

“Someone’s in your head again?”

Merlin nods distractedly but doesn’t move his gaze, speaking louder:

“Hello??”

Finally, a middle-aged man steps out from the camp; he wears floor length, dark green robes, and his silver hair almost falls to his shoulders. He gives the group a kind smile before finally focusing in on Arthur and Merlin, bowing his head slightly:

“My Lords. Our seers saw you coming some days ago, and we felt your presence the moment you entered our wood, Emrys.”

Merlin clenches his jaw slightly:

“Please don’t call me that, my name is Merlin... and... Kilgharrah sent us?”

He says it as if it’s a question and the Druid gives Merlin an assessing gaze, before nodding slightly. Before he can verbally respond, Leon steps subtly in front of the others. Morgana rolls her eyes at his protectiveness and Arthur huffs, but before they can challenge him, he asks:

“What do you mean, you felt his presence?”

He tilts his head again and smiles slightly, as though amused:

“Em- Merlin is rather powerful; we can sense him from miles away, his magic is incredibly... distinctive.”

Merlin frowns, holding Arthur’s hand protectively in his own as he side-steps Leon:

“What does that even mean? I’m not that powerful.”

The man shakes his head slightly and gestures behind him:

“Come. I imagine you have many questions about many things. The camp awaits your presence, My Lord.”

Merlin frowns at the title, but the Druid turns his back and begins walking back into the centre of the camp before he can challenge it. He gives a small shrug and a quiet “well, here we go” to the others before following his trail, Arthur’s hand still clutched tightly in his.

They all receive peculiar looks as they walk through the camp. Life seems to stop as everyone pauses what they’re doing to stare at the intruding teenagers (and Leon), but they keep their heads down, all letting out a relieved sigh when the man leads them to a tent, gesturing for them to sit around a table, and closing the fabric gently behind him.

He turns around with relaxed shoulders and an easy smile, not acknowledging that none of them are sat down and are instead gathered in a huddle by the table:

“My name is Iseldir. Druids don’t have strict hierarchies, but I’m considered the chieftain here, welcome.”

He looks at Merlin as he speaks, and the young Warlock nods slightly. He opens his mouth to speak, but shuts it again with furrowed brows; Iseldir raises an eyebrow and Merlin hums thoughtfully before trying again:

“I was going to introduce everyone, but something tells me that you already know who we are.”

Iseldir smiles again and nods, the expression on his face looking something similar to pride:

“Yes, I know who you all are. I see that you are learning to trust your instincts, My Lord.”

Merlin grimaces:

“It’s just Merlin, please. It’s bad enough that everyone at the castle calls me Lord now, I’m not even of age yet.”

The Chieftain’s smile widens in amusement as he nods, and Morgana is the next to speak up, her hand clutched tightly in Gwen’s as her voice shakes only slightly:

“We were sent here to learn about our... destinies?”

Iseldir nods, politely ignoring the way Merlin reaches behind him to grab Morgana’s wrist comfortingly, and how Leon and Arthur rest their hands near their swords:

“I have everything we need laid out here; it isn’t too complicated and we should get through all of it by this evening.”

The teenagers finally move to the seats, but make no effort to hide the way they shuffle the furniture to be sat closer together. Morgana and Merlin are sat in the middle, Arthur and Gwen flanking them protectively; Leon remains standing, a hand on each of his magical kid’s shoulders and a blank, though slightly challenging look on his face. Iseldir raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t comment, moving to sit on the opposite side of the table and shuffling a few papers around before looking up with a smile:

“Let us begin.”

~

The general mood of the room could be judged accurately by how tense Leon was at any one moment. Though he remained standing, he was relaxed and curious when Iseldir told them about the extent of Merlin’s powers (which Merlin looked incredibly dubious at), and he smiled proudly when they were told of Merlin and Arthur’s intertwined destinies (the nature of their soul-bond means he already knew they had some sort of great future, and this only proved it). 

It was when Iseldir hesitated slightly as he gave Morgana a pitying look that Leon tensed up, and tightened his grip on her shoulder.

“You must all remember that destinies are... tricky. They are incredibly difficult to avoid, but it isn’t impossible; the future is not set in stone.-”

Morgana takes a deep breath and straightens her back, taking Merlin’s hand in her own and settling her face into a determined grimace:

“Just come out with it. Just tell me.”

Iseldir gives her a comforting smile as he nods, turning a sheet of incredibly ancient looking paper over and pushing it across the table towards them. On the scroll is a old, rough charcoal drawing of a woman with long, dark hair, her clothes somehow elegant and tatty at the same time. Her face is covered by a hood, but her arms are outstretched and violent looking flames extend from her hands, burning and destroying all the foliage drawn around the edge of the paper.

Morgana reaches a shaking hand out to touch the drawing but withdraws her hand before she makes contact, ignoring the tears gathering in her eyes as she looks up at Iseldir again:

“That’s me, isn’t it? Burning things?”

Iseldir nods slowly before speaking, his voice low and gentle, understanding:

“It is said that if you come into your full power, you will unite with The Once and Future King’s Bane. Your heart will freeze over, you will become consumed by hatred and fear and bitterness, and you will work tirelessly to bring about the downfall of Camelot, the downfall of Albion.-”

Arthur interrupts:

“Albion?”

Iseldir moves his gaze to the Prince, giving him a tight smile as he explains:

“The Kingdoms to be united under one name, Albion, with yourself as King.-”

He looks back to Morgana, his smiles turning just a little encouraging:

“-Like I said, the future is not set in stone. Arthur’s Bane came into existence several years ago, we’re keeping close watch on him; he has yet to show any... troubling, signs, nor have you.”

Merlin scowls slightly in though, before slowly saying:

“Arthur’s Bane is... a person?”

Iseldir raises an eyebrow and nods, letting out a breath of subtle relief when Merlin seems more genuinely worried than murderous.

Gwen is the next to speak up, her voice strong and her face determined:

“None of that is happening,-”

She reaches forward and aggressively turns the scroll over, squeezing Morgana’s hand as she continues:

“-not ever.”

Leon’s gasp has everyone’s eyes drawn to the overturned sheet, only to see a colourful image appear on the paper. The first figure to materialize is clearly Morgana, though in this drawing she is grinning, hood down, eyes golden and flowers in her hair. Next, Merlin and Gwen appear either side of her, Merlin’s eyes also glowing as he summons matching flowers in Gwen’s hair, Gwen who is pressing a kiss to Morgana’s cheek. Leon and Arthur appear next, in full armour with bright grins, a golden crown on Arthur’s head.

Iseldir chuckles, looking up at Merlin who is giving himself a satisfied nod as the golden glow fades from his eyes:

“Trusting your instincts indeed; you didn’t even need an incantation, very impressive.”

Merlin shrugs before turning to Morgana with a grin. She returns it with a shaky one of her own, once again feeling not-quite-so-scared thanks to the ever-comforting presence of her family.

~

They slept that night in a large tent that had been prepared for them, and were woken up early the next morning. They were given a proper tour of the camp and introduced to a few people. 

Leon had questions about how the camp was run, in terms of enforcing rules and staying safe, so he was quickly introduced to a few of the elders. Whilst he had been reluctant to leave the others at first, Arthur’s teasing laughter and Morgana’s rolled eyes convinced him to spend the day away from them, learning about as much of Druid politics as he could.

Merlin and Morgana were quickly introduced to the strongest magic users, and whilst Merlin was taken aside to be given some lessons on healing using magic, Morgana was taught meditation techniques and breathing exercises by the camp’s most respected Seer.

Gwen sticks mostly with Merlin; whilst she had no magic to heal with, the herbal knowledge that was being shared was fascinating and she was eager to memorise as much of it as possible. She of course wandered over to check on Morgana occasionally, at first out of concern, but then out of pride, out of a desperation to never forget how relaxed and happy and at-home her soulmate looks.

Arthur spends the morning with Merlin, but quickly grows bored. Perhaps he should take more interest in healing considering how often he and the knights get injured, but he’s already got Merlin, Gaius, and now Gwen, so why waste the effort? Instead, he finds Morgana and the Seer. The sense of relief he feels to see his sister looking so at ease with such an easy smile gracing her face is almost overwhelming, but he doesn’t disturb them, sitting a little way away and silently watching them.

The Prince didn’t even realise he had fallen asleep until the tell-tale pop and the sudden shadow of someone stood above him jolts him from his nap. He opens his eyes blearily to see Merlin crouching next to him, an amused smile on his face and his hand out-stretched:

“Come on sleepy head, the others are waiting for us, it’s time to eat.”

Arthur takes a deep breath, allowing Merlin to pull him up before he stretches and rubs the sleep from his eyes. The sun was only an hour or so away from touching the horizon and he could see no one else in the little patch of woods Morgana had previously been sat in:

“Morgana?”

Merlin smiles softly, taking Arthur’s hand and leading him back towards the tents:

“Happy. She joined me a couple hours ago and we were practicing some simple spells, turns out she has more magic than just visions-”

At Arthur’s slightly affronted expression, Merlin chuckles and rolls his eyes:

“-You were exhausted, Arthur, don’t deny it. You got this holiday because of how hard you’ve been working, we didn’t want to wake you. We’ll show you a few tricks tomorrow alright?”

Arthur pouts and huffs slightly, fighting the smile trying to appear on his face as he nodded his agreement. Merlin just laughed at him again as they entered the meal tent, finding spaces with the other three.

~

The next morning was just as relaxed, though this time the five of them stayed together. 

Leon, Arthur, and Gwen sat against a fallen log as they watched Merlin and Morgana show their magic off. A small audience of Druids had gathered as well, on account of Lord Emrys’ presence, and whilst Morgana tired quickly, not used to having such free access to the magic that had been inside her for years, Merlin could go for hours. He used few actual incantations, manipulating water and flowers and floating lights with just a little concentration and some imprecise waving of his hands. 

Noon, unfortunately, came rather quickly, at which point Leon sighed and stood up, giving Merlin a sad smile before looking to Arthur:

“If we want to be home with a day to spare, we should start the journey soon.”

Arthur nodded in agreement and the rest of the group joins Leon in standing. The Druids disperse fairly quickly, but Iseldir stays with them, giving Merlin a pat on the back and a wide smile:

“It was a pleasure to have you here My Lor- Merlin.”

Merlin snorts in amusements but nods his appreciation, and the five of them wander over to their tent to gather their belongings whilst Iseldir collects the horses. 

It’s only half a candle mark before they’re riding back out into the forest in the direction of Camelot. The teachers and elders, including Iseldir, wave them off with proud smiles, and whilst Merlin and Morgana are sad to leave this sanctuary behind, they were grateful for the freedom and safety and lessons they’d had, even if it was less than two days. Their utter faith that things would change when Arthur took the crown, that one day Camelot would feel just as safe, gave them something beautiful to look forward to as well.

Their journey home was just as uneventful as the journey out. When they finally pulled up into the courtyard with a day and a half of their free week left, Leon took everyone’s horses to the stable and informed a servant to tell the King of their arrival, whilst the others headed straight to Merlin and Hunith’s house. They had to wait for Hunith and Gaius to finish their actual jobs, but soon enough the whole group was crowded around the kitchen table. 

Arthur and Gwen (who, though no one else would admit it, has the best memory of all of them) re-tell the prophecies and destinies.

Both Hunith and Gaius were furious once again at Morgana’s so-called destiny, but smiled proudly at her determined disposition, and the obviously magical drawing (the flowers seemed to move and the golden eyes definitely glowed off of the page) that Merlin pulled from his pocket. The others hadn’t even realised he’d kept it, but are grateful.

Next, Merlin and Morgana talk about their lessons. Gaius was intrigued by the healing knowledge Merlin and Gwen had gained, and after double checking that the door was locked and the curtains were drawn, they even showed off a few spells to their captive audience.

(There were times that Merlin showing off even the slightest bit of magic would give Hunith a heart attack and nightmares for days; she finds it doesn’t bother her so much anymore. She knows that Arthur, Morgana, Leon, and Gwen would never let anything happen to him, and the new stories of his apparent great power certainly helped ease her mind as well.)

Finally, Leon spoke about what he had learned from the elders; all bout how they keep camps running, their democracy, and how knowledge is preserved and passed on. It was a little boring, if any of them are being honest, but the bright grin on the knight’s face kept them from interrupting him.

Eventually, it came time for everyone to head to their respective beds and sleep. There was no denying that they’d had an amazing few days, but it was also a few days of constant activity and sleeping rough... they were all exhausted. 

As Arthur and Merlin curled up under the covers, grateful for the slightly chilled night making cuddling easier, they let out simultaneous breaths of relief.

Arthur ran a hand through Merlin’s hair softly as he quietly spoke, aware of Hunith asleep in the next room:

“You think we’ll be alright?”

Merlin sighs and Arthur tries not to let the anxiety in his stomach swirl too violently at the lengthening silence. Finally, Merlin turns over to face his soulmate, shuffling even impossibly closer and giving Arthur a small smile. Arthur doesn’t comment on the nerves in the younger man’s eyes:

“There’s all this pressure on us to fulfil our destinies, to save the world, it’s a little... overwhelming. My whole childhood I tried to forget the fact that being Prince Arthur Pendragon’s magical soulmate would mean... everything, in one way or another, some day. And now that day is fast approaching, I can feel it, and I still have no clue what I’m doing. And that’s not even considering Morgana.-”

Arthur’s hold around Merlin tenses at the mention of his sister, and Merlin presses a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw before continuing:

“-I would give up all of it, everything, to save her. To see her happy. But... do I really have the right to make that decision? My people are counting on me, but you and Morgana and Leon and Gwen, you come first, and you always will.-”

Merlin rolls onto his back again, staring at the ceiling with furrowed brows as Arthur watches him mournfully:

“-I’ve spent so long being terrified of the fact that I know you would give up your crown if I just asked you to, and now I’m close to making the same decision myself; giving up everything for one person, to the detriment of the world.-”

He turns his head to face Arthur again, tears in his eyes:

“-I don’t know what to do, Arthur.”

The Prince clenches his jaw, having to push down the swell of anger at... everyone really. Kilgharrah, the Druids, the Gods, whosever idea this whole destiny shit was. Arthur often thought of himself as a fully matured adult whose place in the world was clear, but at times like these, he’s reminded of how young he is, and how Merlin is even younger.

He pulls the Warlock into a tight embrace, tucking his dark hair under his chin and running a soft hand over his back:

“I will stand by you, always, and we’ll figure it out, we always do. The future is fluid, Merls, we just have to keep an open mind and push through. We’ve all been through a little bit of hell, but that day? That you can feel approaching? That’s the day we change the world. I’ll force my father from the throne if that’s what it takes,-”

Arthur feels Merlin tense to argue, but rushes on before he can say anything:

“-not just for you, but because it will be the right thing to do, one day. This Kingdom, and then the world, will be golden, and the five of us, and Gaius and your mum, will be together every single step of the way. Ok? You don’t have to do anything, Merlin, not alone, not ever.”

Merlin relaxes again, and Arthur can feel his sigh of relief across his collarbones. The room goes silent for a while, and Arthur only just hears Merlin’s quiet words before he slips into a sleep filled with peaceful dreams full of meadows and flower crowns and golden eyes:

“Yeah... I think we’ll be alright.”

~

THE END!!

After thinking about it for a few days, and re-reading the series, I’ve decided that I actually like the ending here!

I hope y’all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, thanks anon for sending the idea to me all those months ago! :)

[violetnotez]

hi! may i pls make a request for bokugo, todoroki and midoriya hcs on what they would do if they had to vs their secret crush in the 1v1 ua sports festival arc? i hope you have a great day!!🥺

Hi babe! Im so sorry it took so long to make these, but I literally couldn’t stop thinking about this idea cause it was so fricking cuttteeeeeeeee

I did headcannons as well as a short one shot right after, I hope thats alright! <3

Music Genre: Pop | BNHA

Characters: Bakugo, Shoto, Izuku

Warnings: cussing

Music Collection | Tip Jar | Requests!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Bakugo

This dude right here ^^^

Sorry but-hes not gonna be too kind

Bakugo most deifnitely is denying every single damn sign that he has a crush on you

He deifnitely doesn’t stare at you for way too long during class, or doesn’t smirk to himself when you got past this first round, and his heart didn’t drop to the floor when he realized he would have to fight against you

Nope, deifnitley not

😑😑😑 Bakugo stop being a shit and admit you have feelings

Kirishima was the one who first recognized his crush on you, and you know damn well he noticed Bakugo’s demeanor instantly changed when he saw your face flash against his in the versus round

When Bakugo saw that on the screen, his shoulders instantly stiffened, his eyes steeled, and he stuffed his hands into his pockets so no one could see how tightly his hands were balled up

Only Kirishima noticed the change in his best friend as his freinds cheered at the line up

“Hey-you okay dude?” He asked, his voice full of concern as he tried to place a hand on his shoulder

Of course, Bakugo being the little shit he is, shoved his hand away with his shoulder, standing up quickly

“I’m gonna go get ready for the 2nd round,” he grumbled, giving his friend a side eyed look and he turned his back on the stadium and going to the hallways to chill

Now, even though he was rudeeeeeeeee af, this dude is freaking the hell out internally

He wants to win so badly, but-at what cost? Something was different with you-he was okay with putting his all into each and every fight

If he had to hurt himself, or hurt his opponent to come out on top-that’s all that mattered right? But for some reason, the thought of hurting you made his body feel queasy and made him feel like shit-

this never happened to him, this possessive want to protect someone and keep them safe-this was such a foreign feeling that it kind of scared him

Was he getting soft? Was he not tough anymore?

He didn’t know what to do-go easy on you and potentially let you win, making him look weak? Or go all out, making sure he wins to the point that he hurts you-which would make him feel like shit after. Would you hate him after? Could he handle that idea of you despising him for hurting you?

These thoughts were making him so conflicted to the point of rage , and Bakugo being Bakugo, he was just fuming internally,

his digits were tugging at his strands, his fist colliding with the table as a curse slipped through his lips

He didn’t know what to do and it was fucking annoying to him

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧ ✧･ﾟ:* ✧

“So I guess we’re paired together huh?” your voice echoed through the deathly silent room, the sound sending a cold shiver down Bakugo’s back.

He quickly looked up, his chest tightening at the mere sight of you leaning against the door frame.

“This is my fucking room-get out,” he grumbled, his crimson red eyes squinting at you at an attempt to look intimidating.

You simply rolled your eyes, a small smirk playing on your lips.

You had known Bakugo for too long and too well to get scared at his harsh words anymore.

“I don’t see your name on the door,” you quipped back with a grin, “and besides, it might be good Im in here. You’re so loud somebody’s gonna think you’re talking to yourself.”

Shit-was he really starting to talk to himself now?

Bakugo swallowed a clump of saliva, a pit growing in his stomach. If he was talking to himself-did you hear everything he had said? Did you know he was actually thinking of going soft on you?

You noticed how he stiffened at your words, a gruff exhalation of breath leaving his lips.

“Don’t worry, I was just joking around-“, You simply chuckled, shaking your head as you sat down next to him. “-but you still are really loud though.”

“And you’re still fucking annoying, as always.”

“Ouch!” You smiled, scrunching up your nose in mock hurt.

Bakugo pursed his lips, hating how cute he found you when you made that expression.

You didn’t seem to notice the way Bakugo was affected by your movement, taking a deep breath.

Something in your expression had changed-you no longer looked so carefree and relaxed. You gave him a concerned look, your teeth gnawing at the side your cheek.

“So is something on your mind? You’re usually always cussing someone out, but cussing at the air isn’t usually your thing.”

His feet shuffled under the table, his hands way more clammy than they usually were. So he really was being too loud- he needed to think of soemthing to tell you. And something realllllll fucking quick.

But he couldn’t-he felt like his was gasping for air, just staring at your waiting face. God, why did he have to actually like you like that? Now as he’s looking at you, something in his heart hurt-he couldn’t hurt you. He just-couldnt. He’d feel like a dick after and he’s never be able to forgive himself if he laid even a scratch on you.

Why was this so fucking hard?

You sighed, your tongue swiping your bottom lip as you look down at your hands.

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine,” you looked up, your eyes piercing to him and making his lungs feel shut off. “But-dont let it affect you. I want you to come at me with all you got-“

You gave him a devilish grin, your eyes sparkling.

“-I wanna rub it in your face that I actualy beat you in front of a whole ass crowd. Might be good for you ego too,” you gave out a laugh at the last sentence, Bakugo’s shoulder softening slightly.

“Tch-,” he grunted out, his crimson eyes rolling in their sockets, “-like you could ever fucking beat me.”

You gave him one final look, your eyes quitting at him with a mischievous glint.

“We’ll see about that,” you gave him one last smile, standing up from your chair.

“I’ll see ya later.”

Bakugo heard your feet walk out the room, that tell tale click of the door closing softly reverberating in the room. He let out a sigh, something about your words making him feel like a huge weight just left his shoulders.

If you wanted him to go all out-then he’d do it.

Izuku

Dude, this poor baby

He’s actually freaking out. Like HARD.

Izuku wants to win pretty badly to prove it to himself, his family, his mentor/role model...but at what cost? Hurting you?

Hahah well that’s funny cause that ain’t happening

He’s legit thinking of just going easy on you-what’s the harm in that? Sure he might lose, but at least he wouldn’t have to deal with the guilt-

This dude is not very good at hiding his feelings for you, so of course Iida and Ochaco already know of this infactuation obsession Izuku has for you

They kinda have to explain to him that’d it be really really stupid to just let you beat himjust because he didn’t want to hurt you

Iida basically explained that it’d hurt the “pride and prestige quality of the games” if he didn’t “fight to his fullest” and “y/n’s honor would be incredibly diminished” as the fight “wouldn’t be fair nor honest”

Which basically translated to just fight her Midoriya

Uraraka told him that you could hold your own, and you wouldn’t ever get mad at him cause like-it’s the point for everyone to fight their all to win

So Izuku kinda took a chill pill

Until he stepped into that arena

Cause ohohoohohoh it is wayyyyy different from talking about fighting to actually doing it

He’s kinda nervous at first-cause it’s happening. He has to actually fight you like this. In front of everybody.

Damn fate really did not like him right now did it?

You come at him full force-and holy CRAP did it throw him off

But it kind of woke him up to the situation-if your going to try your best, then he felt a little bit better forcing himself to do his best as well

Doesn’t mean he doesn’t wanna scream “Sorry!” And run over to you everytime he blasts ya with OFA, but it’s all good

Your fight was a little bit longer than the others, but in the end, you lost to Izuku

You two were seriously burnt out though-you got cuts and bruises everywhere from falling (and a big ass headache), and Izuku’s arms looked like burnt fried chicken

Deku felt pride in himself, cause damn you were really strong and he actually fought you off but-he hurt you AND made you lose

Looking at your face, he feels like shit-cause of course you look really beat down knowing you won’t be advancing to the next round

His foot stumbled forward, wanting to go see if you were okay

But the teachers quickly usher you two to go see the nurses, so he just had to give you an apologetic look until he could actually talk to you

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧ ✧･ﾟ:* ✧

Izuku sat on the make shift bed, every movement he made setting off a plethora of crinkling noises from the paper overlay.

Everything seemed to be okay with him-he was actually surprised to hear he wasn’t as beat up as he thought he really was. Over course, Recovery Girl scolded him for taking such a risk on his body with his quirk, but with a big smooch on his cheek he was ready to go.

He heard a click of a door opening, expecting to see Recovery Girl come hobbling over to check his vitals one last time-until he looked up and his heart stopped on his chest.

There you were, banged up and bruise, your stance favoring your right side.

You seemed to be pretty surprised to see him too-your eyes widened in shock, and your shoulders stiffened at the sight of him.

Izuku’s head was going on overdrive-how were you feeling? Where you okay? Did he hurt you that badly? did you hate him? Was he invading your space just being present?

The thoughts were coming a mile a minute, his mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish as he kept watching you with a stunned, blank expression.

To his relief, your shocked expression turned into a small smile and your eyes softened as you looked at Izuku’s shy gaze.

“Hey,” you simply said, breaking the awkward silence of the room.

Izuku quickly cleared his throat, repeating a “hey” back to you as he watched you sit down, his toes scrunching in his battered red shoes.

Guilt was bubbling in his stomach, his brows knitted in pain as you tred to sit down on a hospital bed. You were practically limping your way to sit down, the unmissable look of pain knitted in your brows.

God, he did that? To you-out of all the people in the world, you were one of the last people he would ever want to land a finger on. Of course, you had messed him up pretty badly, but it just felt strange to know he had caused you this discomfort.

“Are you-you feeling alright?” He asked quietly, his voice meek and hesitant.

You gave him another strained smile, using the table next to you to support your weight.

You weren’t going to deny it-Izuku really did a number on you. In the fight, your adrenaline was kicking in so much that the pain was barely even noticeable to you. But now that you were calm and collected, the throbbing pain that seemed to be everywhere was coming out in full force.

“Yeah, I’m doing okay-I guess,” you gave a small chuckle, trying to hide the grimace as a zap of pain pierced your bruised rib cage.

Izuku immediately noticed that look on your face, his feet touching the cold linoleum floor.

You felt hands gingerly circle around your sides, the pressure reassuring yet light, heat from another person radiating onto your back.

Midoriya was supporting your battered body, leading you to the closest bed and setting you down gingerly.

To say the feeling of Izuku holding you was making you flustered was an understatement-you were freaking the hell out. But something about him holding you was so comforting-even with him beaten up, and him being the reason you were in this portion- he still somehow was able to make you feel safe and protected.

“ ‘Zuku,” you asked, your heart thumping a mile a minute, “what are you-you doing?”

He set you down gingerly, his hands light and feathery against your skin.

“I-Uh,” He have you a sheepish grin, his cheeks red and his voice a stuttering mess from that nickname. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-to offend you, you just seemed like you were hurting...”

You tilted your head with a grin, your hand wrapping around his wrist for support.

“Don’t worry-you didn’t,”

His face light up, a warm relieved grin on his lips.

“Oh good! I was worried, cause after the whole match and everything, and you looked so hurt, I just, I don’t know, I was worried maybe you wouldnt want me around but I just didn’t want to-“

For some reason, that relief that you didn’t hate him had released the stuttering of poor Izuku, his brain going once again at a pace much to fast to comprehend.

You could barely catch a word, but you were able to stitch his thoughts together, a giggle escaping your lips.

He couldn’t be more adorable, could he?

Your heart pounded in your chest as your digits wrapping around his freckled cheeks. The sensation of your skin so close to his made his mouth stop in its tracks, his emerald eyes wide with shock.

“You really think I’d hate you ‘Zuku?”

God-he love that nickname. Your voice sent a shockwave if electricity through his body, his mind helplessly numb and in control by you.

Even with you cradling his cheeks, he couldn’t bring himself to look at you.

“I-Uh-Uh....maybe?”

Izuku heard you sigh, your teeth gnawing at your bottom lip.

He know it would look strange to anyone walking in, with him standing in between your legs and your hands wrapped against his cheeks. He knew he should move, just in case of the off chance somebody could walk in, but-he didn’t want to. He was in love with the feeling of your body so close to his, finally able to drink in every beautiful feature of your face, put every perfect sensation into his memory....it was nerve wracking yet soothing and he never wanted this moment to end.

“Deku, I could never hate you,” you smiled gingerly, your mind fighting your digits from tracing each adorable freckle decorating his face.

He looked at you with wide, confused eyes, his bruised lips parted and mind blank.

You said-you didn’t hate him?

He felt a rush of relief completely envelope his body, feeling on top of the world. You didn’t hate him for fighting you-and you even said you could never hate him. Was he really that lucky to have such a sweet crush like you?

He felt so happy he just had the undeniable want to just kiss you-you we’re close enough after all, he could just lean in to you....

“Oh-uh,” he quickly stuttered our, terrified he would actually act on what he was thinking, “Thats-thats great, thank you,”

You chuckled at his flustered ness, his cheeks a raging red from his thoughts-he definitely wouldn’t ever stop being a nervous wreck around you.

Shoto

Honestly, you would never know Shoto had a crush on you

hes just SO HARD TO READ

Also this boy would be the last person to realize he had a crush in the first place

very very oblivious poor baby

anyways, because of this oblivious part of him, he’d probably figure out he had a crush right then and there

Like, as he sees your face flash against his, and theres a big VS symbol in between you two

He gets this terrible, sinking feeling

like OH SHIT I have to fight them 

He knew something was different this time around, because with everyone else he was fighting agains,t he could give two shits about them

but with you, the person he was actually fighting against felt important now

He just didn't want to fight you

So that through him off- big time

*queue a shoto todoroki internal monologue

this guy is really having an epiphany rn

Like dang- all those times I would stare at them, or get angry when somebody hurt them, or my face would get really hot when they told me “hi” meant I liked them!?

This pooor thingggggggggggggggg

Now,

 Shoto isnt egotisitical-

 hes just practical

So he knows that he would probably win this match-

 he saw you as a great fighter, yet his quirk was alot more flashy and powerful than yours

So he had either two options:

one) was to just go all out and try to finish the match ASAP, or

two) prolong it, so you could get some exposure to the heroes watching

(spoiler alert- he goes with number two)

But what he doesn't realized is how FLUSTERED he gets when hes fighting you

He’s never been close to you like this before, even if you are fighting-and damn he didn't realize he had been craving this 

He was making more mistakes than he usually would make in a match like this, so it was harder for him to keep the upper hand like he thought he would

But, of course- this is Shoto Todoroki we’re talking about

He finally zaps out of this love sick puppy phase and he starts to fight you for real now- 

anddddddd he manages to push you off the stage boundaries

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧ 

Shoto took a deep breath, his lungs feeling icy from his quirk and his body heavy with fatigue.

Damn- that was a hard ass fight.

The sound of a roaring crowd was piercing his ears, Present Mic’s booming voice echoing the results of the matchup.

“Todoroki” seemed to be echoing throughout the stadium, his last name a mantra in the speakers.  He won the match after all- he’d be advancing.

Shoto licked his lips, the tang of blood sparking in his mouth. Shoto didnt really feel much in these moments, as he could never really appreciate the achievements he had under his belt at such a young age.

But right now, something different was bubbling in his stomach- Shoto turned to look at you, your knees digging into the gravel and your fists balled into the dirt, your head laying low.

It wasnt rocket science to tell you were feeling down about loosing the match, and Shoto could see you were frustrated by the circumstances- he won, and you didnt.

Watching you struggling to get up from the icy ground he had made, your body beaten and bruised....he felt-guilty.

Suddenly, he felt his feet walking towards you, his heart beating a mile a minute in his chest.

His head was swarming with nerves as he held out his digits, his palm stretched out in a peace offering.

“Here,” his voice was smooth and deep, sending a shiver down your spine as you looked up at his outstretched digits.

You gave him a quizzical look, almost as if to say “what are you doing?”

Shoto bit his bottom lip, looking at the side as his cheeks flushed red.

“Take my hand-you’re injured.”

His tone was placid and calm, his bi colored eyes boaring into yours. It was just so confusing....he won the match, so why did he want to help you?

“Why?” you asked, your voice groggy and thick.

“Because-you’re hurt, and I’m certain my old man wouldn’t want me to be doing this. So I want to do it.”

I small laugh escaped your lips, the sound so sweet that it made Shoto’s face even more red and his heart beat faster in his chest.

“Shoto Todoroki being a rebel-“ you joked, shaking your head as you laughed, “I wouldn’t expect that from you.”

You looked up at the Todoroki son, a smile on your lips as you took his hand.

Ah crap-Shoto was really over heating at this point, his mind going haywire as he tried to figure out why it was so hard to keep his right side at bat as he pulled you up from the floor.

He found something so endearing about how small your palm was compared to his-it fit almost perfectly in his, the skin soft and warm against his.

Shoto cleared his throat, his eyes dancing nervously, trying his best to get his nerves in check.

“Is that-a bad thing?” He asked, feeling slightly sad that you had taken your hand out of his to dust off your tattered PE pants.

“Nope,” you said, popping the “p” in the sentence, “I think it’s a good thing-I like it.”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

[dovenymph]

little lune

authors note: inspired by @soulmemesarc birthday prompts!🥳🎂 also this is unedited sorry for any typos

" no no no! breakfast in bed for the birthday girl/boy/angel! lie down, let me take care of this... "

" so there's this tradition. a law, really. i have to kiss you as many times as your age. so prepare yourself, babe. "

find my masterlist here

word count: 1.9k

you and harrison really didn’t have much in common.

this, you discovered, on your first date. he’d seen you at his neighborhood coffee shop on multiple occasions and prayed each day that you couldn’t see the infatuation building in his eyes, hoping one day soon, he’d’ve built up the courage to finally talk to you.

and you both thank god that that day had come and you spent nearly the entire day tucked away in the corner of the cafe talking about everything and anything.

he loved dogs, liked to consider himself a dog dad, even though the blue-grey staffy he showed you just over one million pictures of, technically belonged to his best friend. you on the other hand, grew up with cats curled up at your feet.

harrison could stay out all night, and did most weekends! very used to having to scrub last nights remnants off his body in the mornings and piecing together the events through blurry instagram stories. whereas, you were much more lowkey. always down for a good time, but couldn’t really stand the feeling of other people’s sweat on you while packed in a crowded club

despite this, the two of you fit together like puzzle pieces. like he was the sun, and you were the moon.

when harrison first brought up the comparison, you laughed and teased him for being such a cliche but when he smiled down and replied with “just for you, my little lune”

your face burned under his palms as he spoke the pet name so adoringly and with so much kindness in his eyes. and in that moment, you both knew that your differences in opinion were trivial and the only thing that mattered was you both bonded over your growing affection.

your face burned under his palms as he spoke the pet name so adoringly and with so much kindness in his eyes. and in that moment, you both knew that your differences in opinion were trivial and the only thing that mattered was you both bonded over your growing affection.

there was one thing you both had in common though and that was sleep.

there was one thing you both had in common though and that was sleep.

you could sleep for hours each, harrison very proudly bragging that his record was 18 hours straight.

whenever you went over to his house, he immediately locked the two of you in his room, receiving many suggestive comments from his roommates about the nature of your activities, but in reality he just locked his arms around you and took you to dreamland with him as the two of you slept the day away.

so it was no surprise that that was the position you both were in right now, the morning of your birthday slipping away like a handful of sand through open fingertips.

soon enough though, the ring of your phone had gone off too many times for you to ignore and you had to wake up and face the multitude of happy birthday calls you were receiving, without a doubt waking your boyfriend in the process.

“mmm, tell them to fuck off” he muttered as your cousin wished you a happy birthday, the phone being passed around to all your relatives.

“can’t babe, m’family’s callin’”

“b-but… we haven’t had a birthday snuggle yet”

the softness in his tone (his teddy bear persona being reserved for your eyes only) practically melted you “almost over, m’love”

five minutes later, the last of your cousins and aunts and uncles had wished you a happy birthday and you hung up, the multiple conversations taking away any last shreds of slumber.

you looked over at haz who had his face smushed into the pillow, his soft, blond hair swept into his face, looking as delicate as ever. his hands involuntarily twitching at the comforter as they called out for yours to intertwine with.

with a smile you cautiously slipped off the bed, but he still awoke anyways, poking his head up like a child. “where ya going?”

“to start the kettle, go back to sleep.”

“no no no!” he whined “breakfast in bed for the birthday girl. lie down, let me take care of this.” he dragged himself out of bed, placed a tender and loving kiss to your forehead before shoving you to the mattress and throwing the covers over your entire body, leaving you nothing but a giggling white sheet.

his heart soared in his chest at the sound as he made his way to your kitchen. he’d only been over your place a few times, your relationship still relatively new. so he tried his best to quietly turn on the kettle and then locate your pots and pans to get started on a birthday breakfast for you.

as he was flipping the pancakes, he started thinking about making a little smile with the strawberries and that brought a little smile to his face.

he barely recognized himself when he was around you. he was so lovesick, so head over heels for you. unlike he’d ever been with any of his previous girlfriends.

your relationship wasn’t in the early stages per-say, he openly called you his girlfriend, and you your boyfriend, but he still felt the need to impress you, he still felt nerves creep in his stomach before every date. the honeymoon stage, as some liked to call it. the comfortability was just around the corner, he was sure of it. but until then, he liked to keep you on your toes.

placing the meal on a tray and walking back to your bedroom, he thought to later tonight and bit his lip. he had planned something for you, something grand. it was a little much for your first birthday spent together, but he only realized that after everything was payed for; but you deserved it. you deserved all the magnificent things life had to offer, and he would fall to his knees in order to be the one to give them to you. so he hoped you would like it.

“happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday my darling, happy birthday to you” he sung as you looked up at him from under the covers.

“thank you, lovie. it looks great.” you smiled and he carefully placed the tray on your lap, crawling up next to you.

“anything for you, lune.” he spoke with a kiss to your lips.

that was how the morning progressed, bites of pancake shared here and there, syrup flavored kisses peppered in between.

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

haz’s wet chest was pressed against your back in the bath. the room scented vanilla and filled to the brim with bubbles and candlelight.

“what do you want to do later today, haz?”

“anything you like sweetness, you’re the birthday girl.”

“hmm, nothing planned big guy?” you teased, and he splashed a little water on your exposed torso.

“of course i do… but, it’s still your day, you can do whatever you want.” he replied, pressing kisses to your neck.

“whatever i want?”

“mmhmm, have whatever, do whatever… have me do whatever you want… to you” he spoke, voice deep and kisses hard.

your heart rate picked up, sure he could sense it as he pressed his tongue to your pressure point, gasping you consented with “i like the sound of that”

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

“haz… can you at least slow down???”

“sorry! sorry! it’s not my fault i swear!” he retorted, swerving in and out of his lane.

“yeah well i can’t exactly tell now can i?” you snapped, feeling around the blindfold he insisted you wore

“hey! don’t mess with it! we’re almost there!” harrison looked over at you and worried his bottom lip in nervousness. the location was only down the road and every possibility was running through his head. did he invite enough of your friends? sure you got along with his housemates and coworkers, but he didn’t want you to feel awkward at your own party. was it too much, would you feel too pressured?

he turned into the parking lot and took a deep breath, you were here now, so it was now or never. “can i take it off now?”

“yes, sweetness.”

you yanked it off and immediately looked around, face contorting in confusion.

“cmon, it’s around the corner.” he grabbed your hand and started to make his way.

“i- i hope you like it. if you don’t that’s fine, we can do something else. i swear! no pressure really, this, this is really just an idea. but i thought it seemed fun, so i, yeah, again, i just hope you like it.” he rambled, about to add on another reassurance that you could leave whenever you wanted when your gasp interrupted him.

“woah…” you took in the field before you. fair games, food trucks, rides and even a ferris wheel covered the entire ground. your friends already enjoying the festivities.

“haz this… this is amazing…” your head snapped towards his as you thew yourself into his arms. “th-thank you so much, oh my god!”

harrison knew that if you weren’t anchoring him in that moment, he would’ve floated to heaven. you were so sweet and happy, he was more than elated.

“it’s all for you, babe. let’s go enjoy, yeah?” he said, pride running through his veins at the good job he did.

you found your friends, all giving you bear hugs and dragging you away from harrison to go on rides. he didn’t mind, he got to spend all day with you, and you were too good not to share.

he sat at one of the picnic benches as tom brought over two slices of pizza. “mate, i gotta say, this is fucking awesome”

harrison beamed at him at the compliment. “yeah i know!”

tom laughed and shook his head, “wanna call you a smug div, but honestly, y’should be proud of yourself.”

harrison felt his cheeks warm at his friends words. “thanks mate, i- i’m just glad she likes it.”

tom let out a *whapush* noise, “so whipped.” and harrison just rolled his eyes, but bit back any denials. he was whipped for you. not only did the thousands in pounds he spent for tonight prove it, but the way his heart danced in his chest at the mere though of you, did too.

“yeah, i guess i am” he smirked, meeting tom in a fist bump and beelined towards you.

you felt his arms wrap around your waist from behind as you spoke to your friend, her eyes lighting up at the scene.

“mind if i steal her for a moment?” he asked, giving your friend his best puppy eyes, to which she giggled and shook her head, sending you a wink on her way.

“y’alright, birthday girl?” he muttered, head buried in your neck.

“more than alright. thank you again haz, i really, i really don’t know how i can make this up to you.”

he spun you around in his arms and gave you a passionate kiss, trying to convey all his love through it, hopefully telling you that you didn’t have to make anything up to him, that he’d buy you the earth if it’d make you smile.”

when he pulled away, you stared up at him like he was a figure from your dreams and he thinks you understood him.

“cmon, let’s go on the ferris wheel!”

“lead the way, lune.”

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・．

the night sky surrounded you both as you at at the top of the ferris wheel, looking down at the city.

“so…,” harrison began. you hummed in response and he squeezed your clasped hands together.

“so there's this tradition. a law, really. i have to kiss you as many times as your age. so prepare yourself, babe.”

you laughed and scooted impossibly closer to him, “oh yeah?”

“mmhmm! now remember, i don’t make the laws, only enforce them.”

he began to count upwards from one and kiss your lips. some soft and light, others held out and leaving you a little breathless.

“so many kisses tonight, i love it”

“well there’s more where that came from.” he said, “now where was i? oh right, 16…”

[andmyvape]

"Please tell me you're not wearing that."

Elayn looked down, then back up with a wide grin. She tugged at her bright rainbow suspenders with her thumbs. "What, not tacky enough?"

Serana gave the ensemble another slow scan. "No, it's… definitely tacky. The combat boots with the khaki shorts is a nice touch."

The grin got wider as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. "They're going to be throwing candy, and I wasn't anywhere near prepared enough last time."

Serana rolled her eyes, but softened it with a smile. "You're ridiculous."

"Isn't that why we're dating?" her girlfriend asked as they headed out the door.

She took a moment to lock up while Serana laughed. "'Careless Whisper' on a boom box outside my window. I can't believe my dad didn't kill you. I know you stole that, by the way. We both went to see that movie when it came out."

"They marketed it as a romcom!" Elayn protested.

They were in the car now. It would be a trick to find parking, but they were running early thanks to Serana's habit of scheduling everything. Elayn was more the type to go with the flow, but living together had her adapted enough that the flow she went with was largely dictated by Serana's schedule. As a research chemist, she worked interesting hours at times, but Elayn was a good roommate, she cooked and cleaned, mostly because she had the time. Lacrosse wasn't a well paying sport compared to something like soccer, but the off seasons gave her plenty of time to maintain their loft. 

"Five dollars an hour?" Elayn griped as the machine printed out their ticket. 

"Homophobia strikes again," Serana said with mock solemnity. 

She snorted and wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's waste. "Which park did you say this thing started in again?" 

It was a little place surrounded by tall buildings, but it was a green patch in a city largely made out of grey. It being Pride Month, the grey was broken up by rainbows. The two wandered around as they waited for the parade to start. 

Well, at least, they started to wander when Elayn caught sight of a dog and all but dragged her girlfriend over to say hi. 

"What's his name?" she asked, so full of enthusiasm she practically floated. "Can I pet him?" 

The dog's owner, someone with a short haircut in a crop top that was orange, yellow, and white striped, nodded. "If he lets you. Sometimes he's not so-- oh gosh," they said, eyes wide as they watched Elayn kneel down and offer a hand to sniff that was immediately accepted. "You must have good vibes." 

"She's a dog person," Serana said with a laugh as the dog put its front paws on Elayn's shoulders so he could lick her face. 

"What's his name?" she asked through slobbery kisses. 

The butch grinned. "That's Duke, I'm Cas. It's nice to meet you!" 

The two introduced themselves just in time for a volunteer to come up with bottles of water. "Our city got voted best water in the state," she said cheerfully. "Take a few, it's gonna be a hot one." 

Before the march, there were speeches. The first was an introduction to the city's first pride parade since the 80s. The second was from a drag queen inviting everyone to the show later that night. Finally, the speeches were closed by an Episcopalian pastor trying to make up for the rest of Christianity's sins. 

"It's starting!" Elayn said excitedly when the crowd started to funnel out of the park. 

The march went down the sidewalk for a few blocks. Traffic was halted and the waiting cars honked while passengers waved. Elayn waved a lesbian flag, Serana had a bi flag, and the two of them dragged a rainbow striped cooler. 

"Mom! Mom!" Elayn heard behind her. "Look, it's two cicadas going at it!" 

She glanced behind her. There was a set of twins, about twelve years old, one of them draped in a trans flag and holding the cicadas that were indeed trying to reproduce. Elayn snorted and hit herself in the face trying to keep a laugh contained. "You like bugs, huh?" 

The girl in the trans flag beamed. "They're my favorite! Well, except for tarantulas, but Mom won't let me have one." 

"The rabbit gets out of its cage enough." The way the girl's mom said it, this was an age old argument. "I don't want to squash it when it ends up in my shoe."

"I had a snake when I was growing up," Serana chimed in. "A corn snake that never got out." 

The twins turned out to be part of a family unit. One twin was trans, and their older brother was too, and as Elayn found soon, was very excited to start HRT. "Get a Gc2b binder," she said. "When I'm feeling like a flat day, it works really well." 

The boy, a younger fourteen, practically floated with excitement. "I will!" 

Serana chatted with the parents while Elayn occupied the kids. "Have you folks been to Pride before?" 

Their mom, a woman named Chelsea, shook her head. "Nope, both kids came out last September and they've been talking about the festival ever since." 

"You seem like really supportive parents," Serana said. It carried the weight of one speaking who has not had contact with their parents since high school. 

Chelsea could tell, and she opened her arms for a hug that Serana was more than happy to accept. 

The march was only about a mile long, and it ended in another park. Elayn craned her neck and said, "I think I see the beer line, wait here?" 

"We will!" said the girl, who was very proud to be named Luna now. 

Serana and Chelsea shared a grin. "I guess we'll wait here," the mom said. 

It was a bit of a line, which was probably not a good thing, but apparently people were restricted on how many drinks they could buy, so at least there was that. While Elayn waited, she was joined by two people wearing pronoun pins that said "she/her". 

Elayn's jaw dropped at the sight of one of the girls' dress, which was a flowing, fae like ensemble. "Holy shit!" she said. "You look amazing!" 

She blushed and ducked her head as she smiled. "Thank you, I got it from Amazon." 

"It's her first Pride," her friend added.

That just amazed Elayn more. "With the sparkles and the green eyeshadow, I wouldn't have guessed. Everything you've got going on is just amazing."

"Thank you!" she squeaked. 

Elayn wasn't alone in thinking the dress was gorgeous. Another person came up to compliment it, and they had such dope tattoos that Elayn could not help but comment. 

"The guy that did them is great," they gushed. "He does blacklight work too!" 

So she got a website saved on her phone for the next time she really wanted to get a tattoo on top of the three she already had; scrollwork on her bicep, a wolf on her shoulder blade, and a small date on her wrist that was the day she met Serana. 

When she got back to her girlfriend and the others, an IPA in hand that was frankly piss, she told them about the girl in the fae dress. 

"I saw her!" Serana exclaimed. 

"Amazon." 

"No way." 

Next was food, especially if she was going to drink a beer. Assuming she actually drank it. "There's some food trucks," she pointed out. "I could go for a corndog." 

"I'm going to get some mac and cheese," Serana said. 

"Mom! Mom!" Luna's twin brother, Ian, tugged at his mom's sleeve. "Can we get pretzels?" 

Chelsea sighed good-naturedly. "I suppose. Do you two want to meet up after?" 

"Over by the stage?" Elayn suggested. 

The group separated. She found the line for corndogs and funnel cake. While she was waiting, the woman ahead of her glanced her way, so Elayn said, "Howdy!" 

"Hey there, hun!" She clapped her on the shoulder. "Having a good time?" 

"I am," she said with a grin. "Everyone here is so nice. There were some moms back there handing out hugs!" 

"Well, I'm a mom, would you like a hug?" 

"I would love that." 

It was a lovely hug, the woman was warm and smelled floral. When they separated, she said, "I'm Elayn! It's good to meet you. Can I get you a corndog?" 

As she pulled out her wallet, the woman waved her money away. "It's Nessa, and actually, I'd like to buy you a corndog." 

"You don't have to--" 

Nessa laughed. "I miss my daughters, you'd be doing me a favor." 

They chatted while the line went down, about lacrosse and about university. It turned out Nessa's two daughters went off to college in other cities, so it had been a while since she saw either. "I had a son," she said. "But now I have a very happy daughter, and I'm so proud of her." 

"I wish I had a mom like you," Elayn said, thinking about growing up foster care. 

Nessa grabbed her in another hug. "Now you do!" 

When she got back to Serana and the others, they were listening to the music booming from the speakers. She had to yell to tell the group about her new mom. 

Chelsea looked a little sad, because she could connect the dots, but Luna and Ian were too busy freaking out over the cotton candy Nessa had bought her too. 

Not long after, the stage was occupied. Elayn was chatting with Luna with her back turned, so she missed it until Serana tapped her shoulder and turned her around. 

"Holy shit!" She hollered and clapped at the sight of a gorgeous, sequin clad drag queen in four inch heels doing a backflip off the stage and onto grass. "Holy shit!" 

As it turned out, the drag queens took tips, and it was at that point that Elayn knew she was about to spend a lot of money. Each queen that performed, and there were many, got a five in exchange for the sheer joy Elayn got when the queen before her touched her hand. 

When there was a break in the performances, she went back to Serana, who had a smirk on her face. "Should I be jealous?" 

Elayn cupped her face, and in a fit of sheer enthusiasm, kissed her girlfriend soundly, to the delight of the twins who hooted. "Don't worry, babe," she teased. "You're the only queen for me." 

"Flatterer." Serana swatted at her chest, but the smile on her face was pleased regardless. 

It was all a blur from there. Fair food, loud music-- and Elayn found beer that wasn't piss! She taught the twins a new vocabulary of cuss words the moment she found out their mom was fine with foul language. They parted around five in the afternoon, when a voice through a megaphone warned attendants that the festival was about to start catering to adults. There was a concert with more drag queens, this time in much more risqué outfits that Elayn would have given a kidney to see on Serana. 

When she said something, her girlfriend got a light in her eye. "Really now?" she purred. "Maybe for your birthday." 

By 11pm, Elayn was high on the party atmosphere and a few beers. The festival was over, and the walk back to their car would be a trick. "Did you have fun?" she asked Serana as they walked hand in hand. 

She got a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad I have you. When are we getting married?"

"When I figure out how to surprise you with a ring."