#or the rest of the year; that would be fantastic

[yamumsyadadd]

the forgotten girl (16)

this is the final chapter. Maybe in the future I will write another chapter, but for now it’s the end.

As the morning came, tiredness washed over me. Last night was amazing, fantastic, everything that it should’ve been three years ago. I felt alexia’s grip around my waist tighten, moving to kiss her forehead and run my hand up and down her back. 

“It wasn’t a dream?” She said, whispering. It made me laugh. 

“No amor. It was real. Very real.” 

We stayed like that for a while. No talking, just soaking in each others company. 

“Are you hungry? I can go get us something?” I spoke up after a while. If I was hungry, I’m sure she was too. 

“No.” Alexia’s stomach gave her away, rumbling loudly. I raised my eyebrows at her, “well yes I am but can we just go together?” 

She’s afraid I’m going to leave and not come back. I can tell, she won’t say out loud but I know. I hate myself for ruining her, for making her doubt herself. 

“Vamos! Let’s go.” 

We both got up and got ready. Breakfast was peaceful. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable, it was light and airy. 

The rest of the month carried on much the same. Shoots for Nike, training for league games and for the Champions League. The little free time I did have, I made sure to spread equally between Alexia, Keira and Lucy, as well as the team whenever we had team nights. 

“She’s scared you’re going to run away when the seasons over.” 

Keira and I were laying on the beach in the dark, it was the only time we would’ve been able to see each other outside of training and we both jumped at the chance. 

“What?”

“You have the Olympics, and camp. She’s scared it’ll get too much and you’ll leave, especially if you don’t win or make it further than Spain does.” 

“That’s not going to happen. I promised her I wouldn’t leave. Plus she’ll be there too.” 

It took a week before alexia and I had time to be alone. Training was ramping up, our first champions league semi final against Chelsea was less than a week away. Leg 1 at home, leg 2 in London. 

“We need to talk.” Alexia’s face fell as soon as she opened the door. 

“Oh? Okay?” 

I dragged her through her own apartment to the lounge room, pushing her down to the couch and grabbing her hands. 

“I’m not leaving. Not now, not when the season ends, not again. I will not leave unless you make me or you are coming with. I know you have your worries and have been communicating them with others, but can you please communicate them with me too. I don’t care who you tell but please also tell me. We can’t figure it out otherwise.” 

“The season ends soon, then we have our separate camps and the Olympics and then-“ 

“And then we will come back to each other. No matter what. You win or I win, or lose. It doesn’t matter. We will come back to each other. Our story doesn’t end yet, I won’t let it.” 

—————————————————————————

The season ended on a high of FC Barcelona. Winning the treble. Alexia scored an absolute worldie in the first ninety seconds of being sub on in the Champions League Final. 

Both Alexia and Amelia embarked on a much needed holiday before separating for camp and the Olympics. A holiday far away from the typical Ibiza.  

In the hidden valleys of Italy, they eloped. Amelia had never thought about getting married to anyone again, but coming back to Alexia was like coming home. She was the light at the end of the tunnel, the fresh air among the smog. It should’ve been Alexia and Amelia from the beginning but something things don’t work that well. 

After Australia got grouped at the Paris Olympics, Amelia went on to be the best wag she could be. Supporting Alexia and Spain (but not their coach), through the quarter finals, semi finals and into the bronze medal game. She supported Alexia as much as possible. 

Holding on to her as she cried tears of disappointment and frustration after the Brazil game. Singing her praises and love after the win in the Bronze medal game against Germany. 

Eventually, Alexia would retire and the happy couple would adopt two children, they’d go onto telling their story to their grandkids. Supporting their daughter as she played her first game with the FC Barcelona Women’s team. 

While a part of Amelia Higgins-Scott died on the faithful day, a part of her was reborn too. Emily was never forgotten, her ashes and their wedding photo sat on the mantel above the fire place. Amelia was more than happy to answer questions when their kids were growing up. 

Alexia’s foundation ‘more than 11’ kicked off, when Amelia retired, they travelled the world helping with the foundation work. returning home whenever their kids needed it. 

[rafayelxsylusho]

Random thoughts about Zayne and his children.

I had this in my drafts for so loooong.....I'm just not good at writing fluff 🫤

It was an idea I got from the tik tok trend "the plushies he gave me, the plushies I gave him"

Zayne🥼

* You have two girls, they both have their father's personality. The oldest one looks just like her dad and the youngest one has your eyes but the rest is all Zayne. They are both really smart like their father but when they grow up they want to be hunters just like you.

It's as if the universe has conspired to create two smaller, feminine versions of the man you love, each a perfect blend of your DNA intertwined with his. Their personalities, too, are the qualities you love in Zayne, the oldest, a strategist with a razor-sharp mind, and the younger, an explorer with a gentle soul. To have them is to have a piece of Zayne's essence living on.

*Your daughters have most certainly inherited their father's notorious sweet tooth. It seems that wherever Zayne goes, his little clones follow, their enchanting smiles lighting up whenever they spot something sugary or indulgent. The sight of them, eyes wide and pleading, has a way of melting Zayne's resolve like the chocolate chips in their ice cream desserts. The result of their shared indulgence is a calendar filled with dentist's appointments, a necessary evil that has become a recurring event in your family's life.

*Their shyness has them reaching for the comforting warmth of your or Zayne's hand when they are around unfamiliar faces. They are timid, prone to retreating into the safety of their parents' embrace when meeting new people, their eyes peeking out uncertainly from behind the shelter of an arm or a leg. However once they've decided they can trust the unfamiliar faces, they'll emerge from their shell, and they start throwing random medical facts and trivia. The older one, in particular, has a gift for retaining and repeating the most obscure and fascinating pieces of information she's picked up from her father.

*When you are away for work and the youngest one misses you, Zayne sits with her, small body curled up against his chest, while he plays the video of your wedding day. The one where your laughter rings out, crystal clear and filled with joy, as you celebrate the start of your journey together. As the video plays, Zayne watches over your daughter, his eyes tracing the curves of your face, the way your smile lights up the room. He sees the way the little one's eyes flutter as she tries to stay awake. He watches as she falls asleep, her small hand curled around his pinky finger, her breathing slowing and evening out. Even in sleep, she reaches for you, her small body twitching towards the screen as if seeking your comforting touch.

*Zayne goes above and beyond to create memories with you and the girls. He organizes family outings, from hikes in nature to visits to museums, always seeking something new while strengthening your bond as a family. And at home, he indulges in their whims, playing make-believe games and reading storybooks, his voice taking on fantastical tones as he loses himself in their world.

*From the moment they entered the world, your daughters seemed to possess a sense of tranquility that set them apart from the average, often fussier infants. Zayne would watch in awe as they established a sleep schedule that would be the envy of any new parent. They rarely cried or fussed without cause, even when they were hungry or tired they would rarely resort to the ear-piercing screams and wails that were typical of a cranky baby. Instead, they would fuss softly, their small faces scrunching up as they silently communicated their discomfort.

*As the years passed and your daughters grew more independent, you found yourself yearning for one more, a final addition to complete your family. Throughout this pregnancy you dreamed of holding a tiny, wriggling bundle in your arms, of feeling the weight of a newborn's head nestled against your chest once again. As much as you longed to know the gender of your baby, you and Zayne had decided to leave it as a surprise, wanting to be caught off guard by the reveal in the delivery room.

As the due date approached, you found yourself imagining a little girl, a third daughter to join her sisters in a sisterly trio. You envisioned matching dresses, shared secrets, and a lifetime of friendship that only sisters could share. Zayne would joke about being outnumbered, about being the only boy in a house full of women, and you would laugh, imagining the chaos and the joy.

However, fate had a different plan in store, and as you lay on the hospital bed, your legs trembling from the intensity of labor, you heard the doctor's voice ring out, clear and filled with joy.

"It's a boy!" he exclaimed, holding up the squirming, crying, and incredibly alive baby. As the doctor placed him on your chest, his tiny body warm and wiggling against your skin, you looked down to see a face that was unmistakably your own. But as you looked closer, you saw the unmistakable glint of Zayne's hazel eyes.

With your son came the inevitable challenge of sleepless nights. Your son seemed to have inherited your own struggles with a proper sleep schedule. You found yourself up late into the night, rocking him in your arms as you sang soft lullabies and bounced him gently, trying to coax him into a state of peaceful slumber. The sleepless nights that you had not experienced with your daughters were tripled with your son. Zayne would lay him down in his crib, only to hear his cries echoing through the baby monitor mere moments later.

As your son grew and developed his own unique personality, you couldn't help but see so much of yourself reflected in his actions. While your daughters had been calm and easy from the start, your son seemed to be a whirlwind of energy and mischief, a carbon copy of your own spirited and vivacious nature. You watched in amusement as he tore through the house, his tiny feet pounding against the hardwood floors as he chased after his sisters, his laughter echoing off the walls. He was a bundle of endless energy, always on the move, and always seeking the next adventure.

Like his father he was a quick learner, his mind absorbing information like a sponge, and his thirst for knowledge seemed to know no bounds. You watched as he tackled his ABCs and 123s. While he may have inherited your charming personality and striking features, his aspirations and role model lay firmly in the form of his father. It was a testament to the incredible bond they shared and the profound influence that Zayne had on your son's aspirations. You watched with a mix of pride and amusement as your little boy began to imitate his father in every way possible. At a young age, he started copying miniature versions of Zayne's professional attire, proudly parading around the house in his own tiny lab coat and stethoscope. The sight of your little one playing doctor with his sisters, his concentration and focus mirroring Zayne's intensity, never failed to bring a smile to your face.

Your home was filled with a warmth and a joy that only a loving family could bring, and you reveled in the chaos and the laughter that echoed through the halls. The walls were adorned with framed photographs capturing the essence of your family's love story, each one a memory etched in time, a moment to be cherished and celebrated.

Zayne watched as your daughters shared secret whispers and giggles, their bond as unbreakable as the day they met, their faces lighting up with a joy and a innocence that never failed to steal his breath away, He watched as his son tackled the world with a fearlessness that never ceased to amaze him, and he knew that he had played a small part in shaping a child who would one day make a remarkable man.

As for you, the love and the admiration in his eyes grew even more intense. You were, without a doubt, the love of his life, the partner who had stood by his side through thick and thin, the mother of his beautiful children. In you, he saw the embodiment of strength, of beauty, and of an unwavering commitment to your family. He knew that without you, he would be lost, and he thanked the universe every single day for bringing you into his life.

[lilacmingi]

ANTLERS AND ALL

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works. And please don’t spam-like!

Pairing: Deer hybrid!Yeosang x fem reader

Word count: 12,820

Note: This has been months in the making. I’ve been wanting to write deer hybrid Yeo for years 🥹

Birds were chirping, creating a little melody in the atmosphere, the breeze was blowing, softly rustling the leaves on the trees, the golden sun casting rays of light through the foliage. It was a beautiful day and one you took advantage of by setting off into the outdoors.

The dried leaves beneath your thick-soled boots crunched under your weight as you made your way down the narrow nature-made trail in the woods. You'd been walking it for a couple years and the trail had only gotten more noticeable thanks to how often it was followed. One might assume you were an outdoorsy type, but you weren't. Most of your days were spent indoors or at work, going about your daily life, however, you did make it a habit to get out and traipse the trail, as it was always a good mood-booster. Besides, a little fresh air never hurt anybody.

Every so often you'd stop to examine and admire a unique mushroom for wild flower with an eye-catching hue, sometimes snapping a photo before moving on.

A small meadow laid ahead, the sight taking your breath away even from the distance you were at. Usually you stayed on the trail, but this sight was one to behold and you wanted nothing more than to go check it out. So, you strayed from the path and made your way through clusters of dried leaves and tangled roots until you arrived at the clearing. The sight was breathtaking and looked like a fantastical place that a fairy might roam. Tall wisps of grass that reached your shins covered the entirety of the clearing with clusters of white wildflowers dotted about. The direction at which the sun shone down on the meadow through the clouds cast almost angelic beams down on the earth. It was when your eyes skimmed along the land that you spotted something out of the ordinary, a head of reddish brown hair amidst the blades of grass and ivory blossoms. Your gaze traveled up, following something sticking out from the top of his head, your eyes widening when you realized it was a set of antlers. A hybrid.

You took a tentative step forward, the light crunch of a leaf under your shoe might as well have been a twig with how quickly the man's head jerked in your direction. Your body stiffened and you opened your mouth to speak, but before a single word could be uttered, the hybrid took off.

Startled by his sudden and swift exit, you were frozen for a few seconds before naively chasing after him, while calling out, "Hey, wait!"

The knee-high grass whipped past your legs as you took off through the field after the hybrid boy. He was already way ahead of you, but you shouted again in hopes that he'd hear you and stop.

"I won't hurt you!"

He kept running, moving through the trees with grace and agility, leaping over branches and tree roots. It was futile to even attempt to catch up, he was nearly out of sight, so you slowed to a jog and stopped, hunching over to rest your hands on your knees. He was gone.

All you could do was stare at the spot you'd last seen him, left in a bit of a daze after your abrupt encounter. A sigh of defeat expelled from your lips and you took a few steps back before reluctantly turning around, heading back across the meadow, returning to the trail you were walking.

It didn't sit right with you that he just got away. You couldn't pinpoint why you were so concerned for the hybrid boy, but knowing he was running the woods alone made your stomach twist a little in discomfort. Where was he going? Did he have somewhere to stay? Would he be okay? And most importantly, would you see him again?

Worrying about a complete and total stranger was a bit ridiculous, but you couldn't help it. Hybrids didn't always get treated well and were still being accepted as members of society, so naturally you were concerned.

The antlered boy is what kept you coming back to the forest more often than usual. There was a part of you that hoped you'd see him again, then maybe the worry that had made itself at home in the pit of your stomach would go away after finding out he was okay.

You returned to the woods almost every day, stopping by the meadow you'd seen him in. Every walk you took you ended up returning home with no results.

It had been a few days since you stepped foot on the trail in the woods not far behind your home due to weather. Despite that, you hadn't given up hope, stepping back out into the thicket as soon as you possibly could, lacing up your hiking boots and taking off.

You followed the worn dirt path, still slightly damp from last night's rain, the soles of your shoes leaving faint prints in the earth. The undergrowth and wild plants had a fresh green look to them, the natural aroma of petrichor in the air. Your steps slowed to a stop, your eyes drifting over to the meadow in the distance, lingering for a moment too long as you hoped to spot the deer hybrid again. The chances he'd be in the meadow again after you'd previously spotted him were highly unlikely, but you looked anyway, searching for a pair of antlers amongst the blades of grass.

Just like all the other times you went out searching for the hybrid, you found nothing and headed further into the woods until you arrived at the place where you would normally circle back and head home. For some reason, you decided to keep going, abandoning the familiar trail and searching further this time. It was harder to navigate due to the large clusters of wild plants covering the ground and no trail to follow. You mentally marked your spot by choosing a tree with a unique moss pattern growing on it as your returning point. You ducked under small trees and stepped over clusters of briars, wincing when they got caught on the fabric of your pants.

You didn't want to stray too far from the path and lose your way back, so you tried to only walk straight, moving a little deeper into the woods. Everywhere you looked, you only saw trees and wilderness. Just when you were considering turning back and giving up for the day, you spotted something, your eyes widening at the sight that greeted you. The deer hybrid that you'd been searching for was on the ground a few feet away, letting out small noises of distress, a net tangled around his antlers.

You couldn't believe it, it was him. You didn't think you'd see him again.

Without thinking, you started moving forward, making sure not to approach too fast so as not to startle him like last time. The light crunch of small twigs under your feet announced your presence as you approached, alerting the boy.

The man's head jerked up towards you, his eyes wide with fear as he scrambled to his feet only to trip due to the large net, which he stepped on.

"It's okay. It's okay." You held your hands up in a placating manner where he could see you weren't holding anything that might cause him harm, making sure to keep your tone gentle as you spoke.

He stilled, his frightened gaze still locked on you, unsure of your intentions.

"I'm gonna help you." You said, coming to crouch beside him.

When he didn't try to bolt off, you started working to maneuver the netting around the blunt points of his antlers. His wide eyes followed your every move while you worked diligently to untangle the rope around his deer-like appendage. He was terrified and it made your chest ache.

It took a while, but the moment he was freed, he scrambled away from you, putting some distance between you both.

"It'a okay." You assured him. "I'm Y/n. What's your name?"

He blinked, his chest heaving up and down with short, rapid breaths. He was too scared to speak and you knew you wouldn't be getting a name from him.

"Do you have a home?"

He hesitated before shaking his head a little, if you weren't paying attention you would've missed it. His clothes were dirty and slightly tattered, his hair mussed. It was obvious he'd been roaming the woods for a while.

There was no way you could leave him out in the woods after knowing he didn't have a home, it would just tear you to pieces.

"Do you want to come with me?" You asked tentatively, staying put where you were so as not to make the hybrid run off.

His round eyes stared unblinking at you.

"I have food and a bed. You'll be safe."

Though he was scared out of his wits, you could tell he was trying to discern wether or not you were a threat and you could only hope that saving him helped him realize you meant him no harm.

The air was silent, save for the occasional rustle of the leaves in the breeze as you waited for what felt like minutes for a response. Finally, the man nodded, albeit slowly while getting to his feet, never taking his eyes off you.

A sigh of relief escaped your lips and you gave him a gentle smile. "Come on, then."

You started heading back the way you came, moving forward a few paces before you realized you didn't hear a second pair of feet behind you. Glancing over your shoulder, you saw the deer hybrid standing in the same spot, looking unsure even though he agreed to come with you.

"It's okay." You told him. "This way."

After that, you could hear his quiet footfalls behind you. He trailed along silently, keeping a sizable gap between the both of you, clearly still wary, and that was perfectly fine. If he was most comfortable keeping his distance, you'd let him.

You made it back to the mossy tree you'd passed earlier, returning to the familiar trail. Part of you was relieved you didn't lose your way, thankful you had a path to follow now. You threw a glance behind you every once in a while at the hybrid to make sure he was still following along.

"I didn't mean to startle you that day when you were in the meadow." You spoke up, feeling the need to fill the heavy silence in the air.

As expected, you received no response, which prompted you to continue talking.

"I walk this trail often. I like to enjoy nature."

You assumed talking about yourself would help build some trust between the both of you and put the hybrid at ease, but every time you glanced back at him, he looked anxious as ever. That's when you gave up on talking for the remainder of the walk.

"Here we are." You announced when you emerged from the tree line, gesturing to your home.

You approached the front door and stepped inside, waiting for your new houseguest to follow, which he did. The door was gently pushed closed as the boy made his way around the living room, taking in everything.

"You can sit down." You gestured to the couch, which he examined for a moment before taking a seat.

He looked so uncomfortable and on edge, his posture stiff and rigid. You hated that he felt like he needed to be alert at all times and it made you wonder what he'd gone through to make him that way. The knot in your stomach worsened at the thought of how he might've been treated by humans, especially being a deer hybrid.

You circled around to the front of the sofa, making sure not to get too close to him, keeping a safe distance in order to keep him as comfortable as possible. His large brown eyes darted around the unfamiliar environment before landing on a bowl of chocolate bars you had on the coffee table that sat between the both of you.

"You want one?" You asked him, picking one of the fun size candy bars from the bowl. "It's chocolate."

He flinched back when you reached over and held the sweet out, but brought his hand up to take it from you. He fiddled with the wrapper for a moment, finally getting it open and taking a small bite. There was a spark of happiness in your chest when you saw a flicker of pleasant surprise on his face.

"I'm sure you're hungry." You mentioned, unsure of how long he'd gone without food. "Stay here and I'll make you something."

You scurried off to the kitchen, scouring the pantry for something quick to make for your guest. Your searching gaze landed on a can of soup. That would have to do. It's the quickest thing you could make.

You poured the contents of the can into a bowl and stuck in in the microwave for a couple minutes, watching the numbers slowly count down. Every so often, your eyes drifted to peer into the living room, checking on the nameless hybrid seated on the sofa.

The microwave beeped, bringing you back to the task at hand. You removed the steaming bowl of soup and placed it on a hot pad to prevent any burns, sliding a spoon into the savory broth.

As soon as you reentered the room, the man's head jerked in your direction.

"It's just me." You announced, watching his eyes track your movements. "I brought you soup, I hope that's okay."

The bowl was cautiously passed to the man.

"Careful, it's hot." You warned, shuffling back to sit in a chair, observing him.

He stared at the soup, lifting it to his nose to give it a sniff, taking in its aroma before he took the spoon, scooping up a bite and bringing it up to his lips.

He blew on it, giving the broth a little taste, going back for a few more spoonfuls, his rigid shoulders relaxing just a fraction.

"You think you could tell me your name now?" You asked in a subdued tone.

He swallowed a mouthful of broth, licking his lips before answering in a barely audible voice, "Yeosang."

You breathed out a little sigh, smiling faintly.

"Yeosang." You echoed. "It's nice to meet you."

After he finished his soup, he lowered the empty bowl down to the coffee table and discreetly slid it towards you to show that he was finished.

"Would you like more?" You asked, taking the bowl.

He shook his head, the movement so slight you almost missed it. There was a part of you that felt like he should have more food, but it was very likely he didn't have much of an appetite due to being so nervous, so you accepted his answer and went to the kitchen to wash his dirty dishes.

When you returned to the living room, Yeosang was messing with a hole in the leg of his dark jeans.

"Would you like to bathe? I have a shower and hot water." You offered.

He sat there in silence, not giving you any response except for that same wary expression that was almost constant.

"You'll have the bathroom to yourself." You added. "I won't bother you."

He shifted in his seat before giving a tiny nod.

You led Yeosang to the bathroom down the hall, showing him how to turn on the shower in case he didn't know how, letting him know he could use your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You laid out a towel and tossed a washcloth into the shower, making sure everything was prepped and ready for him.

"I'll let you have your privacy now, but if you need anything just let me know." You told him. "I'll go find you some fresh clothes while you shower."

With that, you exited the bathroom, closing the door behind you and leaving Yeosang to himself.

The deer hybrid turned around, getting a look at the bathroom. It had been so long since he last bathed, never in a shower though. His eyes moved to the mirror to meet his reflection, the sight that greeted him making him pause. He was filthy. His hair was unkempt, his entire face lightly smudged with dirt, and his clothes were stained and ripped in different places. How long had he looked that way?

Tearing his eyes away, he started removing his clothes, tossing the soiled garments into a pile on the floor before turning on the shower and checking the water temperature to make sure he turned the correct knob. Once satisfied, he stepped inside, sighing as soon as the steaming water hit his body, his muscles relaxing immediately under the warm stream. He stood still for a few minutes just to relish in the new and unfamiliar feeling of the water hitting his back. Yeosang had never had a shower before, but being able to control the temperature of the water was unimaginable.

He leaned his head back to get his hair wet, careful not to let his antlers bump anything. He washed his hair, gently massaging his ears with the bubbles, the scent of the shampoo and conditioner being rather pleasant. He'd never used that stuff either. He picked up the washcloth and put some body wash on it, scrubbing his body and ridding himself of the outdoor residue that clung to his skin.

The steam that had built up inside the shower escaped in billows when Yeosang pulled back the curtain and stepped out. His little tail flicked behind him a couple times, flinging small droplets of water. A pleasant sigh of relief expelled from his nostrils. He'd forgotten what it was like to be clean. He retrieved the towel from where it laid on the toilet lid and used it to dry himself off, feeling like a new person.

Yeosang opened the bathroom door and stuck his head out into the hall, letting out a small noise when his antlers bumped the doorframe by accident. He didn't see you in the hallway, his eyes dropping down to the pile of neatly-folded clothes on the floor. He leaned down and picked them up, bringing them into the bathroom to change into.

He didn't know why you were being so kind to him. Maybe it was a different method to make him feel comfortable so you could take his antlers. His hand instinctively reached up to brush along the relatively small growths coming from the top of his head. Sure, they'd regrow if they were ever removed, but the thought of having them sawed off to be displayed on a plaque made Yeosang's skin crawl.

Deer hybrids didn't have massive sets of antlers due to it being an inconvenience in day-to-day life, which should be enough to avoid being a target, but to some, deer hybrid antlers were special due to them coming from a half human half animal. It wasn't legal to do so, but a handful of sick people were willing to break that law and unfortunately, Yeosang had encountered a couple of them.

Yeosang's head jerked towards the bathroom door when he heard a faint sound coming his way. He watched as a shadow moved in front of the door, coming to a stop just outside. It was you. He could tell by your scent.

He still wasn't sure wether to trust you or not. You were being awfully kind to him—suspiciously kind. Though no one had treated him the way you had, he wondered what your angle was, if you had a motive, and what your true intentions were.

Even though the soup and shower were nice, he was still wary and on edge, ready to bolt the moment things started going south.

You were stood outside the bathroom, the shower no longer running. You had your ear pressed to the door to see if you could hear anything, hoping your houseguest was alright. Just as you were about to announce your presence and check on him, the door opened and made you flinch, stumbling back a little.

"Oh!" You blinked, taking in Yeosang's appearance.

His reddish brown hair was damp and the fresh scent of body wash hit your nostrils. Past the wet tendrils of hair, by Yeosang’s right eye, was a couple of pink splotches on his otherwise blemish-free skin. The marks were pretty and unique, adding to his already stunning appearance. The large t-shirt you'd found for him looked cozy and thankfully the sweatpants didn't seem to be too short. You'd given him the biggest size you owned.

"Look at you." You smiled. "You look nice."

Yeosang just stood there, his eyes glued to the floor. He was still uncomfortable and you couldn't blame him for it. Offering him soup and letting him have a shower wouldn't be enough to earn his trust.

That night, you set up the couch nicely for Yeosang, giving him one of your softest pillows and a large fuzzy throw blanket. You lingered for a moment to make sure he settled in before slowly inching away.

"Goodnight, Yeosang. As always, if you need anything, just let me know." You extended the offer once more before reluctantly turning to head down the hallway.

The room was cloaked in a dim light from the moon outside the window. It had been about fifteen minutes since you left the living room and you couldn't stop thinking about the deer hybrid, worried that he might not be able to sleep. You tried to justify your actions of bringing him into an unfamiliar environment, telling yourself over and over again that he was in danger out in the woods all alone, and he willingly came home with you. So even though he didn't speak and was skittish, him following you back showed some semblance of trust, which was a relief.

The following morning, you got up and slowly walked into the living room, your bare feet shuffling against the floor. A faint smile of relief settled onto your features when you saw Yeosang sleeping peacefully on the couch. It was a welcomed sight and one that brought you some solace. You silently snuck into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, hoping your guest woke up with an appetite. You did your best to keep the noise to a minimum, mixing up pancake batter and getting the pan hot.

It wasn't until the four four similarly-sized cakes you'd spooned out started cooking that you heard the faint sound of footsteps. Glancing over, you saw a head of reddish brown hair and one eye peeking around the corner into the kitchen. When you spotted Yeosang, he ducked back around the corner.

"It's okay." You chuckled faintly. "Are you hungry?"

His antlers poked out, followed by the upper half of his head, one of his deer ears twitching slightly. At the question, he shuffled out and started heading over to the stove, coming to a stop a safe distance away while trying to get a look at what you were cooking.

"Have you ever had pancakes?"

His eyes met yours before moving back down to the pan and he nodded.

"Would you like anything in them?"

The expression on his face could only be described as surprised confusion.

"I can add stuff to the batter. Blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips."

At the mention of sweet chocolate, his eyes widened.

"You want chocolate chips?"

He nodded, almost as if he wasn't sure he was allowed to customize his breakfast despite you offering it. You promptly sprinkled some chocolate chips into the bowl of batter, returning to the partially cooked plain pancakes in the pan and flipping them over.

Yeosang stood by and watched your every move, looking on in interest as you spooned out batter and created somewhat circular pancakes.

You finished up the rest of the batter and plated the pancakes, giving three chocolate chip ones to Yeosang and then serving yourself, heading into the dining room.

"What would you like to drink? Apple juice, orange juice, milk, water?"

You had to watch Yeosang and wait for him to nod when you listed a particular beverage, getting the signal when you said milk.

"Good choice." You smiled.

When you came back with a glass of milk for him and your own drink of choice, you brought along a bottle of syrup for the pancakes. Yeosang was quick to reach out and discreetly take the bottle from where you set it, popping the cap and drizzling it over his pancakes.

As you ate, your gaze flickered up to look across the table at Yeosang who'd forked a small bite of his chocolate chip pancakes. You watched in silent anticipation as he raised the fluffy hotcake to his lips and took a bite, chewing it for a moment. His eyes brightened and a barely audible gasp could be heard from where you were seated, observing as he took another bite. Seeing him enjoy the things he ate brought you a sense of comfort and warmth, especially after knowing he'd been roaming the woods alone with little to no food.

You suppressed a giggle when you noticed Yeosang's lips smeared and speckled with melted chocolate from the pancakes.

His head jerked up at the sound, his wide brown eyes staring at you. You discreetly gestured to your own lips and he was quick to lick away the chocolate and grab a nearby napkin, wiping over his mouth for good measure.

"I'm glad you like it." You commented.

After a couple days, you decided Yeosang needed clothes, ones that weren't borrowed. Thankfully, after he showered that first time, you went to get his torn, stained garments and peeked at the tags to get his size before tossing them into the trash.

Yeosang's always vigilant and wide eyes followed you across the living room as you tossed your bag over your shoulder.

"I need to go buy you some new clothes." You told him, absentmindedly fiddling with your keys. "Are you going to be okay staying home alone for an hour?"

He stared at you, a response you often got any time you asked him something. He still wasn't talking.

"I'll lock the door when I leave." You mentioned.

Finally, Yeosang gave a little half nod.

"You can watch TV." You gestured.

His gaze followed the direction you pointed to, staring at the black screen. You could see that he didn't seem to know how to work the TV even though you'd watched it with him the day before, if you could even call it watching, he stayed pressed against the opposite side of the couch the whole time you were in the room.

"Here." You moved to turn on the TV, the last channel you were watching flashing up on the screen. You pressed a button and pulled up the massive list of channels. "You can watch whatever you want. Just pick one and press this big OK button." You demonstrated, placing the remote on the coffee table in front of him. "And you can have more chocolate bars if you want, just don't eat too many or you'll get sick."

Yeosang looked almost overwhelmed at everything and you didn't know if it was from all the information you were giving him or the freedom.

"I'll try to be back soon. Don't answer the door for anyone except me, okay?"

He nodded, his attention locked on you until you stepped out the door.

The house was quiet, save for whatever was playing on the TV. Yeosang glanced around the room, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he had your entire home to himself. He let whatever was already on continue playing, his foot tapping against the floor. He wasn't really watching it, his mind wandering as well as his eyes that drifted away from the images on the television and to the decor in your living room. He never really got a good look at it, too afraid to do so.

He finally got to his feet and headed over to a bookshelf beside the TV. It had a photo of you and who he assumed were your family placed on one of the upper shelves. He was able to pick you out right away. His fingertips traced the shape of the frame, looking at your gleaming grin. Other items on the shelf were pretty vases and little decorative geometrical sculptures. He slowly made his way around the room, looking at all the items and personalized pieces you had sitting about, familiarizing himself with the space.

Eventually, his curiosity led him to your bedroom, his bare feet padding across the hardwood towards your open door. There were many things that caught his eye when he entered, one being your little wall shelves with tiny items lined along them. He shuffled over to get a better look, liking how the fuzzy rug on your floor felt against his feet. There were cute little trinkets of all sorts and even pretty rocks placed neatly along the shelf. Amongst the tchotchkes were a couple framed photos of you and other people. You looked so happy in all of them. On the walls were posters and colorful pictures depicting different things, photos and cutouts, each one different but somehow having a cohesive appearance. Everything was fairly neat, your nightstand was a little piled up and your desk area had a few stationery supplies strewn along it, but besides that, your room was tidy.

As Yeosang looked around the space, he noticed something—you didn't have any dangerous things in your room. No weapons or plaques with animal heads or horns on them. Everything in your room was cozy and sweet... just like you.

Yeosang meandered around the rest of the house, biding his time by familiarizing himself with the place and sorting out how he felt about his current situation. He still didn't feel comfortable in this new environment, however, he did feel safer, even if he was a little scared. At least he didn't have to worry about hiding anymore or wondering where he was going to sleep.

Then there was you. Your behavior was the complete opposite of the other humans he'd encountered, and yet, he and his family were already betrayed once by people he trusted. He didn't want that to happen again, but it was difficult to keep his guard up when you were so caring.

Yeosang slowly picked up the remote and pressed the menu button, scrolling through the channels, trying to figure out what he wanted to watch. He wasn't familiar with TV shows or movies, only hearing about them, so he didn't know what he wanted to see. He clicked on a few different channels, moving on to another when he wasn't interested. His browsing came to a halt when he saw a man and a woman kissing. He gasped softly, his eyes glued to the screen. His heart thumped in his chest at the sight displayed before his wide-eyed gaze. He'd never kissed anyone before due to living a sheltered life in the woods, but he always imagined what it might be like. Yeosang absentmindedly licked his lips, wondering how yours might feel on his.

A noise outside snapped Yeosang out of his daze and he jumped to his feet, scurrying over to the window when he heard the sound of a car. His body went rigid when he saw a man get out and make his way up to the front door with something in his hands. Yeosang stepped away from the window so he couldn't be seen, backing up further when heavy footsteps thudded on the front porch and a couple quick knocks were given to the door.

Your words about not answering the door for anyone echoed in his mind. Yeosang froze up for a few seconds, listening carefully, his ears twitching. Then, slowly, he creeped back to the window to see the man getting back into his vehicle and driving off down the road.

Yeosang spent the rest of his time running back and forth from the couch to the living room window, jumping at every little noise he heard, thinking it was that man coming back, but it never was. He attempted to distract himself with whatever he found on TV that caught his interest.

After what felt like hours, the sound of the lock clicking announced your presence before you even stepped inside the house. Your arms were laden with multiple shopping bags and you had a small box in your hand.

"I'm back." You announced, not missing the way Yeosang seemed to perk up at your return. "I found a package on the porch. I hope the mailman didn't startle you while I was gone."

Yeosang blinked in realization. The mailman. He didn't get mail back home, so he didn't know that's who that man was and immediately assumed he was there to harm him.

"Anyway, I got you clothes." You smiled, setting the bags down on the coffee table. "You wanna take a look?"

Yeosang leaned forward, his eyes meeting yours, then dropping down to the plastic shopping bags and carefully reaching inside one of them. He pulled out a plain-colored t-shirt, a black tank top, and two pairs of sweatpants, one black, one gray. He proceeded to the second bag and found a couple pairs of jeans and three more shirts, one of them long sleeved. Finally, in the last bag were socks, boxers, and a simple pair of shoes.

"I just got you the necessities." You murmured, hoping you didn't go overboard. "And I didn't know what style of clothes you liked so I kept it simple. I hope that's okay."

It was more than okay. Yeosang was only expecting an extra set of clothes, maybe two. He felt like he didn't deserve it, but he knew he couldn't decline, especially not when you were staring at him with expectant eyes glimmering with hope.

"Do you want to shower and change into a fresh set of clothes?" You asked, making him glance down at the borrowed garments he currently had on.

He nodded and chose what he wanted to wear, following you towards the bathroom where you got him out a towel and washcloth like last time.

"If you ever want to shower, you can. This bathroom is yours just as much as it is mine." You told him.

He set his fresh clothes on the closed toilet lid with his towel, trying to imagine coming into the bathroom whenever he wanted to bathe.

"I'll leave you to it." You excused yourself, pulling the door shut behind you.

You went back to the living room and removed the rest of Yeosang's new clothes from their bags, tossing them into the washing machine, busying yourself by washing dishes from breakfast earlier that day. One thing you'd learned about the skittish deer hybrid in the last four days was that he loved chocolate. You weren't sure what his living situation was like prior to you finding him, but it was obvious he wasn't familiar with most foods or technology. This led you to believe he'd lived away from society for most of his life, though if that was the case, how did he get clothes?

As you pondered explanations, you didn't notice Yeosang enter the room.

You flinched after spotting him in your peripherals, your hand coming up to clutch your chest.

"You startled me." You exhaled, taking in his appearance, your already racing heart jumping into your throat.

Yeosang was wearing the black tank top, the fabric clinging to him and accentuating the shape of his body as well as showing off his incredibly muscular arms. On the upper parts of his shoulders and biceps were speckles of white, like those on a baby deer; that little detail was enough to lessen the shock that his physique caused, but you still couldn't tear your eyes away. His face definitely didn't match his body.

"The clothes look nice." You finally managed to speak, realizing you'd been staring for too long. "I'm glad they fit."

Yeosang nodded and tugged his gray sweatpants up a bit, glancing down at the outfit, one of his deer ears twitching slightly, still damp from his shower.

"Do you like them?"

He gave a little nod in response, making a sense of pride fill your chest.

A week passed and Yeosang still wasn’t speaking. He only communicated with nods or shakes of his head. He'd flinch away sometimes when you held something towards him and continued to keep his distance for the most part, only standing near you when you were cooking. He seemed to be interested in that.

You were laid in bed, snuggled into your pillow with the covers pulled up and bunched around your neck, just how you liked it. Slow and relaxed breaths slipped past your parted lips as you slept, unaware of what was transpiring in the living room.

While you rested peacefully, Yeosang was the complete opposite. He'd woken up with a start, his chest heaving up and down, sweat perspiring along his forehead. His hands trembled as he recalled vivid images of the two humans that tried to hunt him down, the haunting images flashing in his mind. His heart thudded violently against his rib cage, his entire body riddled with panic as a tiny whimper slipped out of him.

He sat upright, grabbing his pillow and getting off the couch, his feet moving on their own down the hall. He stopped just outside your bedroom, staring into it.

If you need anything, just let me know. Those were the words you said to him every night before you went to bed, telling him to come get you if anything was wrong. Without thinking twice, he entered your room and stood by your bed, reaching out to gently tap your shoulder. You stirred in your slumber and he tapped you once more for good measure. Your eyes opened and you were greeted by the sight of Yeosang standing at your bedside clutching his pillow, his eyes wide, brows pulled together in an anxious manner, and his entire body trembling like a leaf.

"Yeosang?" You uttered hoarsely. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head vigorously and your heart sank. The covers on the opposite side of your bed were pulled back and you beckoned Yeosang over.

"Come on."

He stared at you for only a moment before skittering over and placing his pillow on the bed, sliding underneath the covers. In order to keep him comfortable, you stayed put on your side of the bed, even though every part of you was screaming to hold the poor guy and comfort him.

"Did you have a bad dream?" You inquired softly.

In the dim lighting, you saw him nod.

"I'm sorry." You paused, chewing your lip. If you knew what it was he dreamt about, you'd be able to console him, but for now you'd have to assume it was about something he experienced prior to you rescuing him. "Whatever it was, it wasn't real. It was just a dream, maybe something that stemmed from a bad experience. You're okay though. You're safe. No one's gonna hurt you. I won't hurt you."

Yeosang swallowed thickly, the light from the moon outside catching on his glossy eyes and you weren't sure if he was tearing up because of your words or the fear coursing through him.

"Everything's okay." You soothed, your hand moving towards him only to freeze, reminding yourself to keep a distance. "Whatever happened in your nightmare wasn't real."

He released a shaky exhale, his hands gripping the covers to ground himself to reality. You laid there watching him for minutes, wishing you could hug him or something.

"You gonna be okay?" You inquired faintly.

He let out a little hum and nodded. He'd never hummed in acknowledgement before.

You awoke the next morning to find Yeosang sleeping peacefully beside you and it appeared that he was closer than what you remembered. He was laid on his side, one of his ears twitching softly in his slumber. His hair was slightly messy, his head turned slightly in a way that his antlers didn't press into the pillow. You had the urge to reach out and touch them, but pushed it down, knowing he'd hate it.

Instead of waking him, you decided to get up and make breakfast in hopes to cheer him up after the rough night he had. As you slid discreetly out of the bed, Yeosang woke up, his breath hitching sharply as his head abruptly lifted up from the pillow. He had a look of panic in his eyes, his hand only halfway moving towards you, almost as if to stop you.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I was just going to make breakfast."

His round eyes drifted back to your spot on the bed, his hand retracting as he gave a single nod.

That first night wasn't the only time Yeosang came to your room. He slept on the couch the following night and seemed fine, but ended up shuffling through your bedroom doorway the night after with a pillow clutched in his arms. It surprised you when he willingly showed up a second time, especially since he still displayed skittish behaviors with you. When you asked if he had another bad dream, he shook his head.

"You just can't sleep?" You had asked him, to which he nodded.

Of course, you allowed him to join you once more, still keeping your distance to accommodate him.

The third time it happened, you were telling him goodnight and making sure he was settled in, but he wouldn't lie down. He just kept sitting, like he was hesitant to even attempt to get comfortable. That's when you offered to share your bed again. To your astonishment, he agreed. Since then, he started sleeping with you regularly, no longer comfortable on the couch.

On one hand, you worried that he'd been uncomfortable on the sofa the whole time and didn't say anything about it, but on the other, his willingness to sleep in the same bed as you meant you'd finally built some trust with him, which was a good sign.

Yeosang shimmed underneath the sheets and covers, adjusting himself to where he could rest comfortably. It was a pattern you started to become accustomed to.

"I'm sorry if the couch wasn't comfortable. I could've made you a pallet on my floor with blankets if you would've preferred."

He was quick to shake his head dismissively, bringing you a bit of relief knowing he wasn't uncomfortable on the sofa. That meant he preferred sleeping in your bed, which made your chest warm.

You gave him a brief closed-mouth smile, turning your head back to stare at the ceiling.

"I know it's only been a couple weeks now, but I'm glad you're starting to trust me—or at least I hope you are." You closed your eyes, letting out a relaxed sigh. "Goodnight."

Yeosang hummed in response, shifting just a little before going still.

You were abruptly awoken from your deep slumber a couple hours after drifting off by small sounds of distress coming from the opposite side of the bed. You instantly turned to check on Yeosang, only to find him tossing his head back and forth, his expression twisted in anguish. He was having another bad dream.

You reached over to gently tap his arm, not wanting to startle him awake.

"Yeosang." You whispered.

Another tiny noise left him and he flinched.

"Yeosang, wake up."

You placed your hand on his arm, giving him a gentle shake. At the light touch of your hand, his eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright, chest rising and falling quickly as his breathing started to become panicky. He looked around the room with wide, fearful eyes, trying to make out his surroundings.

"It's okay." You soothed in an attempt to steady his breathing. "You're okay. It was just another bad dream."

His frantic eyes met yours, his breathing slowing just a fraction at your words. Still, it was clear he was dealing with the remnants of his nightmare and a faint whimper escaped him, the sound making your chest ache.

Without giving it a second thought, you opened your arms to him, unable to let him go through this again without comforting him. The first time, you were mindful of his distrust towards you, but this time all you cared about was making sure he was alright.

"Come here." You beckoned gently.

His breathing was still ragged, ears tilted down slightly in a fearful and submissive manner. As soon as he processed your open arms, he dove in and wrapped his own around you, tucking his face into the crook of your neck, being sure to avoid poking you with his antlers. His entire body trembled as he clung to you, making your heart squeeze with a bitter mix of pity and sympathy.

"It's okay." You cooed, cautiously sliding your arms around him, rubbing his back in a soothing manner. "You're okay. I'm here."

A choked noise left Yeosang, his nose pressing further against your neck. A lump formed in your throat and you had to swallow it down, fighting back tears that threatened to well up in your misty eyes. Just what kind of horrible things did he experience that caused him to be plagued with nightmares?

You tugged the comforter up a little higher to make sure it was covering Yeosang before proceeding with your gentle and calming ministrations. His breathing had evened out a little at that point, but you didn't dare stop comforting him. Your hand moved up his back and into his hair, only combing through the back of it, steering clear of his ears and antlers, assuming it might make him uncomfortable if you touched them.

When you tried to readjust your position to get more comfortable, Yeosang's hold on you tightened and his body tensed in panic, making your heart shatter.

"I'm not leaving." You assured him. "Just readjusting."

With your reassurance, his hold loosened just enough for you to get situated. You let out a faint sigh, closing your eyes and continuing to card your fingers through his soft locks, listening to his breathing even out. Knowing he was beginning to calm down diminished your worries and you could only hope that he'd be able to rest easy now.

Your gentle caresses along Yeosang's back and through his hair slowed as you started drifting off back to sleep, your movements stopping completely after some time.

It was the warm rays of sun that stirred you from your slumber the following morning and a comforting weight on your chest that reminded you of what took place the night before. Your bleary eyes peeled open, squinting at the golden streams of sunlight illuminating your bedroom, blinking a few times to adjust to it before trailing down to the hybrid sleeping on you. Yeosang looked so tranquil, his eyes closed, lashes resting delicately on his cheeks as slow and deep breaths pushed past his slightly parted lips, that pretty birthmark on full display. He was breathtaking and it wasn't something you were just noticing. From day one, you found Yeosang to be mesmerizingly beautiful, his facial features almost too perfect, something you could only categorize as angelic or ethereal.

As if he sensed you were staring, his lids opened, his gentle chocolatey irises landing on you. You smiled at him in greeting, your eyes crinkling slightly.

"Pretty." Yeosang uttered softly under his breath.

The word barely reached your ears and your brows raised in astonishment, but instead of being shocked that he spoke, you were more focused on the heat that made its way to your cheeks in response to that single word.

"Thank you."

Yeosang blinked, visibly surprised that you heard him, both of you slightly flustered in your own ways.

"Did you rest well?" You asked, changing the subject, your voice hoarse from sleeping.

He nodded.

"Good. I was worried about you." You spoke softly. "I can go make breakfast if you're hungry."

The expression on his face let you know he was open to that.

"Anything specific you want? You seem to love chocolate chip pancakes."

At the mention of the sweet hot cakes, Yeosang nodded eagerly, not trying to conceal or downplay his enthusiasm for once.

"I'll go get started. You can stay in bed if you want or you can come watch. It's up to you."

As you left the room and rounded the corner, the faint shuffling of bare feet followed behind you, the edges of your mouth twitching upward into a half smile. Even if he didn't show it, Yeosang liked being near you, or at the very least in the same space as you, especially lately.

He watched from a few feet away as you mixed up the pancake batter, dropping chocolate chips into it. You pushed the bag of sweet morsels towards him in a silent offering. His eyes met yours as if to ask permission, to which you nodded. He cupped his hand and let you shake out a few from the bag for him. As you flipped the pancakes, you couldn't help but let your eyes steal glances at Yeosang while he ate the chocolate chips in an adorably discreetly manner. You allowed him to snack a little while you cooked, piling up three warm pancakes onto a plate for him.

You sat by Yeosang at the dining table, eating your own breakfast that you prepared for yourself, watching him chew a small bite of pancake, smudges of chocolate on his pretty lips.

"Yesoang." You chuckled softly, taking a napkin and wiping the corner of his mouth without giving it a second thought.

He flinched at your touch, gasping soundlessly and freezing up.

"Oh." You pulled your hand away. "Sorry. You had some chocolate on your face."

His human ears turned a faint rosy hue along with the apples of his cheeks as he averted his gaze and continued to eat in silence. You were left to simmer in your embarrassment and self-chastising, knowing you overstepped by getting in his personal space. You shifted awkwardly in your chair, taking a sip of your drink in hopes that it would wash away your humiliation.

"I... really like the indoor rain." Yeosang spoke suddenly, staring down at his plate, cutting up the remainder of his pancakes.

It was the first time you'd been able to properly hear his voice. He was soft-spoken, but the timbre was low and smooth like silk, almost melodic in a way.

"Indoor rain?" You echoed his words in confusion, blinking out of the little daze you were put in by his mesmerizing voice. "Oh. The shower."

He nodded.

"So you haven't used a shower before?"

He shook his head, answering softly, "We used the stream."

We. So he did have a family, or had, and he did live in the woods.

"The stream." You parroted, nodding.

This was a huge breakthrough. Yeosang was talking. Not only that, but he was giving you little fragments of his life.

The rest of breakfast was quiet, which was fine. You didn't expect Yeosang to immediately start chattering right away and was willing to give him time to fully open up.

A few days passed and Yeosang spoke a little here and there, muttering one or two word responses in an indistinct tone. He didn't divulge any more information about himself, which only confirmed your assumption that he would only share when comfortable.

It was a relaxed Friday evening and you were stood in front of the stove cooking chicken for dinner, some vegetables roasting in another pan.

"I used to have this a lot." He spoke up, taking you by surprise.

"This? In the woods?"

He nodded.

This information caused questions to form in your mind, piling up with the other ones.

"So you had a garden?"

He hummed, giving a single nod of his head, watching the meat sizzle in the pan.

"And the chicken? Where'd that come from?"

"Outside." Was all he said.

"Outside?"

He didn't elaborate on that, so you decided to let it go for now. Yeosang had already said everything he wanted to and you weren't going to push it.

Dinner was mostly quiet, save for Yeosang's small hums of appreciation as he ate. Afterwards, you cleaned up the kitchen and washed the dishes while Yeosang sat in the living room watching TV, hugging a pillow to his chest. Every so often you'd glance out into the area to check on him, happy to see that he was comfortably seated and not sitting stiffly like he was for the first week he was here.

You stepped into the living room, wiping your hands on your sweatpants before dropping onto the couch with a huff.

"Alright. Kitchen's clean." You announced, your eyes drifting to the TV where a Korean drama played, something he watched often when he was left in the living room. "You sure do like these shows."

Yeosang's deer ears lowered slightly in embarrassment.

"I can't say I blame you. They're addicting." You chuckled. "A little cheesy sometimes, but there's something about it that keeps you hooked. Ah. Here's one now."

Yeosang turned back to the screen, watching one of those "cheesy scenes" you spoke about where the female lead was in a bedroom with the male, the atmosphere romantic, but the both of them not acting on anything. Naturally, the girl stumbled backwards and ended up on the bed with the man collapsing on top because she grabbed him for stability.

Yeosang's eyes became rounder, his ears flicking and twitching as a rosy hue painted his cheeks.

The male lead hovered over the female, their gazes locked on one another as the space between their faces slowly diminished. Then, just when their lips were about to touch, the female's phone rang, causing the two to scramble away from each other.

Yeosang gripped the pillow tighter in his arms, letting out a noise of protest which made you start giggling.

"I knew that was gonna happen. It always does." You huffed out.

Yeosang turned to you with brows tugged together in shock.

"Yeah. That happens a lot." You told him.

He whined a little, dropping his face into the pillow.

Commercials started playing and the sound of a female voice narrating an ad for vacation homes filled the room.

"Maybe you'd like an island paradise at a luxurious beach resort, or maybe you'd prefer a relaxing stay in a cozy woodland cabin."

Yeosang's head raised from the pillow, watching the television screen where a mother, father, and their son were sitting by a campfire in front of the cabin. You noticed his attention glued to the TV, a look of longing in his eyes.

"I miss home" He uttered, his soft voice coming out quietly.

His words squeezed your chest, making your heart ache dully.

"Did you have a house?"

"A cottage. I lived with my parents. I was happy there."

You frowned, waiting to see if he would continue.

"We had friends, human ones. They'd bring us stuff from town so we didn't have to leave home. That's how we got chicken."

Now you knew what he meant when he said "outside" earlier.

"Why didn't you want to leave? Hybrids are accepted into society now."

"My parents didn't trust them, but we trusted our friends." He shook his head, making a knot form in the pit of your stomach.

"They betrayed you—didn't they?" You asked faintly, sendsing that things were about to take a sour turn.

He nodded. "Mean hunters found us. They wanted my antlers... wanted my dad's antlers."

You pressed your lips together, sighing heavily through your nostrils.

"We were so scared." He murmured, clutching the pillow tightly in his arms. "They told me to run."

"Who told you to run?" You inquired gently, hoping to coax an answer out of him.

"My parents."

"And are they..." You trailed off, hesitant to ask such a sensitive question.

"They were trapped."

"So you don't know if they're..." Your sentence went unfinished again and he shrugged.

"I'm sorry." You whispered. "I'm so sorry. That's cruel and twisted."

Yeosang swallowed thickly, adjusting his hold on the throw pillow still hugged tightly to his chest.

"If it's any consolation, most humans would never treat a hybrid like an animal. I know that's probably hard for you to believe, especially since you've had bad experiences with humans, but there are good people out there."

His gentle gaze met yours. "Like you?"

A strong emotion you couldn't put a name to rose in your throat, your face getting warm.

"Y-yeah... like me." You nodded.

Somehow, you ended up back in the kitchen, baking a chocolate cake. You needed something to take your mind off Yeosang's flustering words, and yet, he was the one you were making the cake for, thinking he needed a mood-booster after discussing his traumatic experiences. Naturally, the smell attracted him to the kitchen, luring him in like a moth to a flame. He squatted in front of the oven, staring inside, his little tail flicking in fascination behind him. You suppressed a chortle, leaning against the cabinets.

"You've never had cake before, have you?"

He glanced over his shoulder at you before turning back to observe the sweet treat, shaking his head in response.

"You love chocolate, so you'll love cake, especially this one."

He stayed in the kitchen with you for the remainder of the wait time and even watched you ice the cake.

"Would you like to try?" You asked, holding out the butter knife.

Yeosang slowly reached out to take it, following the steps he'd seen you carry out, scooping out some chocolate icing and slathering it on the cake. His eyes were focused, his lips pursed in concentration as he spread the sugary substance messily across the surface of the dessert.

A fond smile graced your lips. "Good job."

He flushed at your praise, struggling to finish icing the cake before stepping away with a faint but proud grin.

Just as the sun began to set, you stepped out on the back patio, sitting on the concrete stones that made up the platform, a fresh slice of cake in hand. Your conversation with Yeosang played on repeat in your head as you took a bite, chewing quietly. You finally got his story, or most of it, at least. It was heart-wrenching and you didn't even hear the details. Whatever you assumed had happened to Yeosang was so much worse. He was told to run and he did, hiding out in the woods for who knows how long. He never said.

The faint creak of the back door opening caused you to turn your head. Yeosang stepped out onto the patio, outside for the first time in three weeks. He lowered himself to sit beside you, crossing his legs and staring up at the blue and purple-streaked sky.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" You uttered softly.

Yeosang nodded, taking in a deep breath of fresh air, letting it fill his lungs.

"How's the cake?" You asked, gesturing to his sizable slice which already had a chunk taken out of it.

He smiled softly and nodded. "Good."

It was nice to have him respond verbally instead of silently, reminding you of the progress that had been made.

As usual, Yeosang got a little messy with the cake, chocolate icing clinging to the corners of his lips in the most endearing way.

"You've got a little something here." You gestured to your own mouth to indicate that he had food stuck there.

He blinked at you with his large eyes and leaned forward a bit, a look of expectance on his face. That's when you realized he was waiting for you to clean it for him. That awareness was enough to make your cheeks warm, but you ignored it and reached for a napkin you brought outside, using it to gently wipe the edges of his mouth. He smiled shyly afterwards, going back to eating his cake in silence.

Minutes later, your empty plates sat idly on the concrete patio, both yours and Yeosang's gazes on the sky, which was now streaked with vibrant hues of purple, blue, and pink. As stunning as the sight was, your attention drifted elsewhere, your eyes slowly moving to Yeosang, roving over his captivating side profile and antlers. He seemed to pick up on your staring, his head turning a fraction in your direction.

"Sorry." You muttered an apology. "I didn't mean to stare."

Something in the air between you two shifted after that and no matter how much you tried to ignore your feelings or push them away, they were there. You spent the rest of the evening suppressing those unfamiliar emotions swirling in your chest. It didn't help that Yeosang had gotten cuddlier at night, opting to snuggle as close as he could to you. You brought a hand up to caress his hair, your fingers barely brushed one of his ears which twitched in response.

"Oh. Sorry."

Instead of pulling away, he responded by nuzzling closer, silently encouraging you to continue. You carefully let your fingertips rub at the base of his ears, a sigh leaving Yeosang's lips in response, letting you know it felt nice.

Little by little, your hand migrated up towards the base of his antlers. You knew you were probably pushing it, but you wanted to see how far he'd let you go. With the faintest touch, you brushed your fingertips along the smooth bone of his antlers, tracing up from where they emerged from his hair. He tensed imperceptibly before relaxing again.

"They're very pretty." You uttered faintly, tracing the shape of his antlers. "And they belong right where they are."

You couldn't see it, but Yeosang smiled, letting out a short huff of laughter, your words causing an uptick in his pulse, your touch lulling him to sleep.

"Cake again?" You asked with a small grin, joining Yeosang on the couch.

Since baking the confection the day before, he'd helped himself to it, already on his third slice.

He nodded, licking icing off his lips.

"I'm glad you like it." You said with a pleased smile. "Just don't eat too much. You'll get a stomachache."

He hummed in acknowledgement and took another bite, closing his eyes in bliss.

Yeosang finished the rest of his treat, moving to set his empty plate down, which you were quick to take from him, going to the kitchen to wash it. When you returned, you dropped back onto the couch cushions, chuckling at the sight of Yesoang rubbing his stomach.

"Full?"

He nodded with the faintest hint of a smile.

You settled against the back of the sofa and watched the TV contently, happy to be able to sit like this with Yeosang.

It wasn't until you felt a hand tentatively placed on yours that your attention pulled away from whatever was on the screen. Yeosang was chewing his bottom lip, his cheeks painted with a touch of blush, fingers curling around yours. Your gaze flickered down to your joined hands, a swirl of something pleasant flaring in your gut at the sensation it brought on.

"Thank you." He uttered softly. "I never said it."

"You didn't have to." You shook your head.

"I wanted to." He murmured. "You've done so much for me."

"You deserve it. You've been through a lot."

His gaze softened at your kind words, his gentle eyes moving over your features, lingering on your lips for a fleeting moment. That alone made your heart jump, the air suddenly charged with tension as you stole a glance at his lips in return. As if he was hesitant about his own actions, he leaned in a fraction, but stopped.

"It's okay." Your voice lowered to a whisper.

As the space between your faces diminished, Yeosang's eyes darted down to your phone sitting idly at your side. He was quick to snag it and shove it between the couch cushions.

You chuckled amusedly at his actions.

"Don't worry." You assured him. "That won't interrupt us."

His face moved closer to yours, inch by inch until his soft lips finally laid themselves upon yours. The sensation that followed had your breath hitching softly, his lips like velvet against your own, kissing tentatively. You brought your free hand up to his cheek to cup it lovingly, the touch making Yeosang hum and lean closer. His hand released yours only to hover in the air, his actions full of uncertainty.

You parted ways long enough to gently take his wrist and guide his hand to cup the back of your neck, moving the other to your hip.

"Here." You told him.

He smiled softly. "I've never done this."

"It's okay." You whispered, leaning back in to kiss him, this time with more passion and confidence.

His hold on you tightened and he scooted closer, craving the proximity. A cluster of butterflies tickled your stomach, a flurry of sensations overwhelming you in the best way possible. Kissing Yeosang was quite the experience and you didn't want to stop, both hands sliding into his hair, brushing past the base of his ears, eliciting a deep sigh from him, his warm breath fanning your lips, adding to the array of pleasant sensations you were experiencing. Deciding to push the envelope a bit, you applied pressure to the base of Yeosang's ears, massaging them as you kissed him. A low noise escaped the back of his throat, vibrating against your lips, his hold on your waist tightening.

You parted ways with him, your breaths coming out in short bursts, mingling with Yeosang's.

"Wow." You breathed out.

"Are you... my girlfriend now?" Yeosang asked softly.

The innocence in his tone made you giggle.

"Yes. I suppose I am—if you want me to be."

He was already nodding eagerly before you could get the sentence out. You beamed giddily, cupping his cheek. The Yeosang before you was a far cry from the one you found in the woods trapped in a net.

"And I'm your boyfriend?" He inquired tentatively.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

"I'm heading to the grocery store. Would you like anything?" You asked, slinging your bag over your shoulder.

Yeosang shifted in his spot on the couch, wrapped in a fuzzy throw blanket, pursing his lips in thought.

"More chocolate chips?" He asked, chewing his lip bashfully.

"Noted." You chuckled. "I'll be back soon."

As you twisted the doorknob, you paused.

"You sure you don't wanna tag along?"

He shook his head. "Not ready."

You understood, nodding. "Alright. I'll be back soon."

The grocery store trip would be brief, as you didn't have many things to pick up. Some instant ramen, snack foods, and the chocolate chips Yeosang wanted more of—he'd been snacking on those a lot. You were about to get in line to check out when you spotted a candy bar display, reminding you that you'd run out of them recently, as that was another thing Yeosang liked to eat. You took a few off the display, your attention drawn to a bulletin board on the wall above the candy rack. An array of papers and fliers were pinned to the board, including one in particular that grabbed your attention. A hybrid rescue facility. You didn't have any groceries that needed to be put into the fridge or freezer, so you made a mental note to stop by on the way home.

Your car rolled to a gradual halt at the curb and you stepped out onto the street, approaching the hybrid rescue facility, bold letters announcing the company's name plastered on the windows of the storefront. You were only there to check it out and see how legitimate the business was, stepping inside to take a look around. By the entrance was a display holding brochures. As you were reading over an informational pamphlet, the sound of fretful voices grabbed your attention. You raised your head and glanced over your shoulder to see who was speaking. Standing just a few feet away was a male deer hybrid with partially grown antlers and a female deer hybrid beside him, they were both speaking frantically with an employee from the facility, but you couldn't make out what was being said. Both hybrids were wearing clothes that were ripped and stained, indicating they'd been in a pretty bad situation before their arrival here.

Your eyes widened in disbelief, your heart leaping into your throat. Could it be?

"Excuse me." You spoke up, cautiously approaching the two hybrids who turned towards you with curious expressions.

"I don't mean to bother you, but would either of you happen to know a deer hybrid named Yeosang?"

The man and woman's eyes widened.

"Yeosang? You know our Yeosang?" The woman asked, her tone carrying a mix of relief and panic.

"Yes." You nodded. "I rescued him from the woods a month ago. He's at my house right now."

"A month ago?" The man echoed in surprise.

"Yes. I can take you to him right now."

"I'm sorry, but they need to stay here and be processed." The employee cut in.

"Then I'll bring him to you." You promised the parents, heading towards the door.

Yeosang was startled by your abrupt entrance and the way you rushed inside, tossing the groceries haphazardly onto the kitchen counter.

"I know you said you weren't ready to leave the house yet, but you have to come with me." You told him.

"Why?"

"I found your parents."

His expression fell into one of utter disbelief.

"They're... they're okay?"

You nodded. "They're at a hybrid rescue facility in town."

Yeosang wiggled his way out of the blanket burrito he was in, shoving the fabric aside as he got to his feet, fumbling to slide on his shoes. He followed you out to your car, which you had to help him with since he hadn't been in one before. You started the engine and took off back towards town.

"How did you find them?" He asked, staring ahead at the road.

"I was at the grocery store and saw a flier for a hybrid rescue facility. I was curious, so I decided to stop by and when I went inside, they were there. It seemed like they were just rescued."

"How did they look?"

"Frantic, but unharmed."

He sighed in relief, swallowing down the lump that rose up in his throat, he was feeling so many emotions at once.

You hardly had time to park at the facility before Yeosang was wrestling with his seatbelt, trying to get out.

"I got you." You assured, clicking the buckle out of place for him.

As soon as he was freed, he started trying to open the door, his hand moving over the inside. You unbuckled yourself and hopped out of the car to help him, hurrying after the hybrid as he took off ahead of you and entered the building. Scrambling in behind him, you saw the way his frantic eyes scanned over the lobby, landing on his parents who were now seated off to the side wrapped in blankets and speaking to the same employee you saw earlier.

"Yesoang." His mother cried out, rushing forward to embrace him in a hug.

His father did the same, his arms wrapping tightly around his son.

You were overcome with emotion at the touching reunion, watching as they clung to one another. You kept your distance, letting them have their moment, talking amongst themselves and catching up after being apart.

"What happened to you guys?" Yeosang asked them.

"After you ran off, I made a deal with the hunters." His dad said. "I'd give them my antlers if they didn't harm your mother."

Yeosang's tearful eyes met those of his father, traveling up to his antlers that were in the process of growing back. "How did you get out?"

"Employees from the facility were searching the woods for hybrids living off the grid. They found your father and I in the shed those hunters kept us in." His mom's gaze became distant, a frown etching onto her features. "We were treated like animals, barely fed and kept around just so they could saw off your father's antlers and sell them."

Overhearing the conversation, you frowned, broken by his mother's recollection of events.

"The nice people here saved us though." His father added. "They called authorities and got those hunters locked away. We've been speaking with a lady and she's assured us that the facility is going to help us get back to normal life."

Yeosang smiled. "That's great." His gaze then moved to you.

He stepped away from his parents, gently taking your arm and bringing you over.

"This is Y/n. She saved me." He chewed his bottom lip, his fingers finding yours and sliding into your palm, curling around it. "She means a lot to me."

Yeosang's parents smiled warmly.

"Thank you for bringing him to us and taking care of him." The gratitude in his mom's voice was palpable and made your heart swell, a feeling of gratification warming your chest.

You returned the grin. "Of course. It was the right thing to do."

"So," You began, turning to address Yeosang now. "I guess this means you'll be moving back to the woods?"

That familiar look of panic flashed across his features and he shook his head, squeezing your hand. "I wanna stay with you." He muttered before turning to his parents with pleading eyes.

Having Yeosang continue living with you was all you wanted, but it depended on his parents and how they felt about that.

His dad laughed. "Your mom and I will be fine on our own. You don't have to worry about us."

Yeosang beamed brightly, his eyes glimmering with unadulterated joy, vowing to visit them often and check in from time to time.

The sun was shining brightly, warming your skin with its brilliant rays. You shielded your eyes and stared out at the tree line patiently, standing out on your back patio. The man you'd been waiting for emerged from the clusters of evergreens, carrying a basket over his arm.

"Hello." You greeted.

"Hi, pretty." Yeosang responded, his cheeks dusted pink at his own use of the pet name. He was a little shy about it, but wanted to try out something new. "Mom really liked those chocolate chips you sent. She wanted me to bring some muffins back. She's been learning new recipes."

"How sweet." You grinned, heading inside.

Two weeks had passed since Yeosang was reunited with his parents. They were taken back to their old home in the woods and were provided assistance from the rescue facility to return to their old life. They even went into town on their own to get groceries. Yeosang had changed a lot too. He was now having full conversations with you, still a little on the bashful side at times, but making progress.

"How are your parents?" You asked, stepping inside the house.

"They're good. They're happy to be back home again."

"That's great news."

"Oh. Mom said she'd like for you to come visit next time." Yeosang told you, placing the basket of muffins on the kitchen counter.

"I'd like that a lot. I'm curious to see where you used to live."

He chuckled and came up to wrap his arms around you, gently nuzzling his nose into your hair. "Thank you again for everything. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't rescued me."

A warm rush of adoration spread throughout your chest at his grateful words.

"You know, after I saw you in the meadow for the first time, I kept coming back to look for you."

He raised his head, his widening eyes met yours, rounded with surprise, but full of reverence.

"I'm sorry I ran away." He apologized.

"There's no reason to be sorry. You were wary of humans and rightfully so."

"If you weren't so persistent in finding me, I would've never met you. Thank you."

You smiled, turning your head to press a kiss to his cheek, your lips lingering on his skin. "And I'd do it all over again."

Masterlist ᝰ — enjoyed this imagine? reblogs & comments are very much appreciated!

DO NOT steal, plagiarize, copy, repost, alter, or translate my works in any way

🏷 @h3arteyes4mingi @weird-bookworm @poppy2007 @parkjennykim @evidive @mxlly143 @lizzymizzy-blogg @minhanbyeol @dinossaurz @laylasbunbunny @iammeandmeisiam @delulu18 @spooo00oky @tiredlittlevirgo

[scotchiegirl]

Obviously Nate's father-figure-ness to Hacker/Hitter/Thief is subconscious and rightly so because they're all adults and have adult relationships as well, but I do think that Nate's previous experience as a father does affect how he interacts with his kinda-kids-adult-coworker-family.

For Eliot, obviously, Eliot is Nate's mirror. Eliot is the metaphorical violent foster kid who has a connection with Nate's grizzled mentor persona. They get each other, they understand each other, they're just two fucked up kids from outwardly normal and interiorly fucked up families. They're not parent and child and they never will be, they're too similar for that. They can side-eye each other's references and be a little "girl, what were you doing at the devil's sacrament" with each other's thoughts and they just click.

Nate is a lot more of an active mentor and guide and, yes, father figure to Parker. He defends her ability to be part of a family to Archie so strongly that the old man completely revised his own views. He pushes her to the same level of excellence that Archie did, but for different motives and also provides her with a support system and a soft place to fall.

But for Hardison, Nate's fatherly moments come across far more harshly than with Eliot or Parker. He still feels intense respect for the young man and his skills, but those emotions are more frequently expressed towards other characters and even antagonists than to Hardison himself. It almost feels like Nate is subconsciously uncomfortable with feeling positive mentorly or fatherly feelings towards Hardison.

I'd like to offer the suggestion that Nate is uncomfortable being fatherly with Hardison because Hardison is exactly the son Nate would have wanted Sam to grow up to be.

On a purely physical level, Hardison is the youngest and a male (and mentally has way less baggage to unpack than either Eliot or Parker, making him act more childish on occasion and far lighter than the rest of their little family.) All these things Nate would subconsciously respond to with a distant ping of being reminded of Sam, especially in his grieving state.

But Hardison is also principled, and clever like nothing on earth, and a fantastically hard worker, and sarcastic and funny into the bargain. All things that sound like... Nate. And like Maggie. And as the child doesn't fall far from the parents most times, we can assume Sam would be as well. So by working with Hardison, Nate is almost forced to face that Sam wouldn't have stayed his ten-year-old self for very long. As Nate says in the Cross My Heart Job, he would have eventually become a teenager, and then a young man. And he would have driven Nate up the wall, and probably have inherited all of Nate's "trouble with authority" genes, and maybe, who knows, been good with computers. Much like another young man, a 24 year old genius with a problem with authority and a smartphone.

Nate never stood a chance.

[lovebirdgames]

Hello everyone, hope you are well! We have a bit of unfortunate news to share today.

Sadly, Lite has decided to retire from freelancing and will no longer be doing the Sprite/CG art for Heartbreaker. We completely support her decision and really wish her all the best in her next pursuit, knowing she will shine in whatever she chooses to do, as her creativity and talents are boundless!

It was 8 years ago this month we reached out to her for that first Peter sketch and the rest was history! We were so blessed to have her on board for Band Camp Boyfriend. She was a delight to work with and her art will continue to make many band kids and otome lovers smile for years to come. We will miss working with her dearly! I joked to my sister, "This will just be one of the first HEARTBREAKS of the many HEARTBREAKS in HEARTBREAKER hahaha *sob*" Hopefully the rest of the heartbreaks will be confined to the game!!

For now, Lite has agreed to help us out with more concept art. This will help us get our ideas down, and hopefully help out the artist who takes her place, whoever that may be. We will go looking for our next Sprite/CG artist (and BG artist) when the time is right--for now, we are focusing on writing and won't be ready to commission art for another year or two. If you know someone who might be interested, or you yourself might be, then please keep us in mind!

Lite also graciously worked on chibi art for Heartbreaker so you will still see her wonderful art in the game and in our promotions. <3

Just like with Band Camp Boyfriend, there is very little that can knock this train off the rails! I am remaining optimistic we will fill her spot with yet another fantastic artist because there is so much talent out there! In the meantime, we will work hard on the story so we will know exactly what we need when the day comes.

Lite created some beautiful promotional art to reveal Heartbreaker and I would like to move forward with that so you can know the premise and I can freely talk about this new and memorable cast of characters. We were initially going to do the reveal in June when the game's story begins but...I can't just sit on this beautiful art for that long, I'm not strong enough! But I still want to reveal Heartbreaker on a special day...hmm...

Y'know what, there's already a special day coming up this week...

See you soon~

[ghastlyaffairs]

for something as trivial and simple those feelings sure are hard to get rid of

also made a gif a version for fun + alt version with no tears under the cut

the gif is in very low resolution...this is a feature (i could make it bigger but that would require saving each frame individually and than glueing it all together. also i feel like low resolution suits it better. aesthetically and fits the mood)

[xxplastic-cubexx]

BIRTHDAY HAUL courtesy of a very lovely friend of mine 🥺

bonus goofy pics of a bday snack i had earlier with my favorite menace …..

[biophonies]

when I drew this comic 3 years ago I had NO idea how far it would reach. I'm happy to finally share a corrected version with proper abbreviations, and even MORE state names of indigenous origin ♥️

however, the goal of this comic was to inspire people to do your OWN research on indigenous history. To question everything we have been taught, and everything that has been pointedly left out. This erasure, this “forgetting”, of history is not just of the past… it is happening now. - Across so-called Canada, the US, and US-occupied islands, native women are victims of murder at 10-12x the rate of non-native people, and are the most likely to go missing without being searched for by the law. - Native reservations have the highest rates of poverty in the US, with over HALF of tribal homes with no access to clean water (with more joining this list by the year) - Native people are 6-10x more likely to be unhoused than the rest of the population, and native teens suffer suicide rates higher than any other demographic. This list of modern day genocide goes on (thank you for compiling @theindigenousanarchist <3) and yet take a look at those environmental stats!

Native people manage to do SO much for the planet as a whole - thanklessly - and with all this stacked against them. Don't even get me started on kin fighting in south america. Could you imagine if there was help? #landback is resistance to genocide, and it is the key to saving our warming earth.

So look into it and the other hashtags, cuz a cartoon goose ain't a substitute for a proper education. Love to my grandparents who always kept a map of tribal territories of turtle island on their wall, to speaking on our Tsalagi & Saponi heritage. Love & solidarity forever, happy research, and happy #indigenouspeoplesday

LANDBACK.ORG

(Also, if you care to support the artist, I'm publishing a book ! and writing another - a fantastical afroindigenous graphic novel - that I post exclusively about with tons of other art on my patreon.)

[enbyhyena]

Hey, wait! Please stop scrolling for a sec!

Please bear with me and read to the end! I promise it'll be worth it.

My name is Nexys, and I am queer and disabled. For years I have been striving to create the most tight-knit safe space (that's ACTUALLY safe) on the internet, using content creation as common ground. And we're really starting to take off!

But I need your help. Please reblog this post so that I may meet new people and make new friends! My community has been lifechanging, both to myself and to the people within it. I really feel like my Twitch, YouTube, and Discord communities have been making a difference in the lives of some of the most disadvantaged and marginalized people in the LGBT and neurodiverse communities.

We often play games like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and Pokémon, with the occasional challenges and other genres thrown in. Sometimes we even invite our chat to play the games with us! So if this sounds like the sort of community you'd be interested in, please join our Discord Server so you don't miss out!

I'm a small creator, and due to my disabilities cannot hold down a normal 9-5 job, so any support and engagement from you—time or money—is a lifechanging opportunity that could potentially alter the course of my life and the lives of my loved ones. Even just dropping in to say hello would mean the world to me!

But I know time is a precious resource, so if you're too busy to sit in with us but still want to support the cause, for as little as $1/month you can become a Patron or for one-time donations buy me a Ko-fi! And depending on what you choose, there may even be some free artwork and other fun perks in it for you!

Thank you so much for your time! Me and my community really hope to meet you, and we hope that you, dear reader, have a fantastic rest of your day/night! Happy Pride!

❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🩷🤍🩶🖤🤎

[kimbapisnotsushi]

just saw a comment on an ig post of gokurakugai going "guys i KNOW when a manga has anime material trust me this will get adapted in TWO YEARS" and i was like WHOA buddy hold on a fucking minute i think absolutely NOT. we're not even probably going to finish in two years!!! we've barely even STARTED!!! a studio shouldn't even be THINKING about picking up gokurakugai yet!!! they need to treat their animators with basic respect and not sacrifice their health for the sake of profitable production first!!!

[tigergendermoved2tigergender]

I kind of wish warrior cats ended after arc 1 and it was remembered as a classic children's series that got cut short and had a small but nicely filtered fandom in the year 2023. I would miss very specifically Leafpool and Squirrelflight and the dozens of amazing MAPs based on the later arcs but at this rate I think we need to just stop

[starkwlkr]

teenagers | hugh jackman

an: i love y’all thanks for supporting my delusions about a 55 year old man (are y’all tired of me posting hugh/logan fics yet?? lol)

Your seventeen year old daughter, Olivia, leaned her phone against the paper tower holder. You and Hugh were getting breakfast ready while Olivia did god knows what. You would see her film tiktoks and take selfies for her instagram often so you assumed she was doing that. You were proven right when music started playing from her phone.

“I think the apple’s rotten right to the core. . . “

You watched as Olivia danced to the song. You weren’t even sure what the dance was, but you found it fun. Hugh just stood there completely confused.

Olivia finished the dance the turned her phone to record yours and Hugh’s reaction. She obviously posted it to tiktok where marvel fans found it funny that you and Hugh didn’t know what was going on.

oliviaaajckmn: 1 million dollars and I’ll make mum and dad do the apple dance in their costumes

wandasmagic wolverine is so brat coded

peter3stan PLS MAKE THEM DO THE DANCE

gwenpool “thank you olivia jackman” we all say in unison

buckysarm MAKE THEM DO THE DANCE AND MY LIFE IS YOURS

Hugh was a family man, it was no secret. Something he always loved doing was bringing his kids to work. Your two boys practically grew up on the x-men and avengers set. When Olivia was on set, Hugh was basically her assistant.

“Dad, I want a smoothie!”

“Dad! You’re not holding the umbrella right!”

But that was baby Olivia. Teenage Olivia spent most of her time in Hugh’s trailer or annoying her father while he rested in his trailer.

“Liv, go annoy Ryan or Shawn. Let me take a quick nap.” Hugh mumbled. He was still in his wolverine costume using a jacket as a blanket.

“I just want to know why Thor was crying? And don’t say who’s Thor! I saw the footage old man!”

“Oh my god! Is that Loki?”

No, the god of mischief wasn’t on set of the new avengers movie. Olivia had named her puppy after her favorite marvel character. The internet found it funny that wolverine or your character wasn’t the favorite.

Olivia was currently paying you a visit on the new avengers movie. To her, it did feel weird seeing you behind the camera instead of in front, but at least you were still part of the new marvel phase.

Pedro Pascal, the new Mr. Fantastic, asked for permission to pet the miniature dachshund. Olivia nodded and smiled when Loki the dog immediately took a liking to the older man.

“This is so beautiful I think I might cry.” Olivia fake sobbed as Loki started exploring the avengers set, he almost tripped over several wires, but Olivia saved the pup from getting tangled. It reminded her of all the times she almost tripped on the camera wires when she was younger.

“Hey, mother,” Olivia greeted you with a kiss on the cheek. She wasn’t the only one giving you a kiss, Loki had jumped into yours arms ready to give you kisses. “Loki missed you too.”

“Only Loki?” You teased. “Or are you just here to get a picture with Pedro?”

“You know me so well, mom.”

[mattybsgroupie]

— movies ★ matt sturniolo

— CONTENTS: established relationship; handjob (m receiving); boob sucking/nipple play (f receiving); semi-public; sub!matt

— NOTES: hello my darlings!!! SUB MATT IS BACK!!! nothing much to tell about this one, it's super short and super simple, just jerking him off at the movies lmao. not proofread but hope you enjoy anyways! thank you for almost 1,7K i dont deserve all of this love, yall are just fantastic.

when matt and i first started dating, the movie theater was our favorite place. it was dark, comfortable, and no one would disturb us. as we grew into our relationship, date nights were no longer a priority, but we both knew how much we missed it. the innocence, the butterflies in my stomach, the nervousness about holding his hand, the giggly kisses and the awkward confessions.

“are we really doing this again?” matt asked me with the biggest smile on his face, adjusting his sweater. i nodded, glad that i was able to convince him to go out.

“we want… whatever’s next” he said to the cashier as he interlocked his fingers with mine, raising his free hand to his pockets, looking for his wallet. “yeah, this one” he nodded and grabbed the tickets, leading us to our assigned seats.

i didn’t know how long it had been since the movie started. i would often lose myself on matt’s blue eyes, his skin reflecting the red colors of the big screen, his poorly done beard emphasizing his sharp features. i couldn’t resist placing a few kisses on his jaw, receiving chuckles and a squeeze on my hand, almost as if he was warning me to behave because he was actually interested in whatever we were watching. 

until the scenery changed. the lights turned warmer, the music slower and suddenly it was hard to breathe. i felt my chest raising on its own as the sensual atmosphere took over the room, matt’s grip on my hands tightening, silently asking me to take my eyes off of him and pay attention to the erotic scene in front of me. 

we didn’t expect such an explicit act. the actress had removed her bra, flashing her bare breasts to the few people at the movie theater. matt’s mouth fell open in surprise and i audibly gasped, quickly raising my palm to cover my sudden noise.

both of us turned our heads to each other, widening our eyes as we tried to hold back our laughs. “i promise i’m not looking” matt joked, pretending to block his view.

“you can look” i giggled, adjusting myself on the chair and getting closer to matt, letting my hand rest on his thigh. “i know how much you like boobs”

“well” he stopped for a second. “you’re right, but i’d rather look at yours” matt checked me out from head to toe, a grin appearing on his face as if i was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.

i decided to be bold. my free hand moved to the hem of my sweater, pulling the cloth upwards and revealing just a bit of skin - enough to get him excited. i mentally thanked him for always choosing the back row, giving us privacy to our heated makeout sessions back then.

“please?” matt whispered, his digits reaching for my exposed tummy. “wanna see your boobs, please”. 

it was definitely risky, but i couldn’t resist his pleading blue eyes, the way his top teeth bit his bottom lip, how his fingers caressed my belly. what seemed like nothing to others was already too much for us, along with the adrenaline of doing the same silly things we did years ago as teenagers in love. i had blew him at that same seat several times, but it was different now. as if we weren’t supposed to be acting that way. and it felt too fucking good to ignore.

i finally gave in, pulling my sweater and revealing my breasts. i wasn’t wearing a bra, making this way easier for matt, who immediately shoved his face in between them, muffling a “thank you” i was only able to hear because it was a habit. he would always thank me for anything i gave, even my boobs. 

his beard tickled my skin as he moved downwards, resting his cheek just above my left tit. he wasn’t going to speak, too busy sticking his tongue out to tease my nipple before latching his lips around it. matt sucked so hard i left out a sigh, bringing my fingers to his hair, caressing his brown locks as i whispered how much of a good boy he was, which certainly didn’t help his impatient self. matt squirmed around on his chair, trying to get comfortable and ignore the growing tent inside his pants.

“need help, baby?” i asked, brushing my digits over his boner. matt nodded desperately, not letting go of boobs until i wrapped my knuckles around his covered length, making him gasp from the sudden contact. “what’s got you like that, hm? was it the movie or me?”

“you” he said, hiding his face on the crook of my neck. “always you”.

“such a good boy for me” i praised, receiving a muffled whine in response.  “nuh uh, keep it down. you don’t want them to hear us, do you?” matt denied with his head, jointing his hips forward, silently asking for me to actually jerk him off. i knew it had hit him too. the nostalgia, the excitement, the risk of doing something we shouldn’t. 

matt dragged his lips across my chest as i finally got a grip of his cock, placing my hand inside his pants and slowly pumping his shaft. he placed his tongue on my nipple once again, sucking it at the same pace i would stroke him. with long minutes of a lazy and steady handjob, matt was far gone — he couldn’t care less about the movie, frantically chasing for his orgasm.

i could feel his chest panting as i heard the heavy sighs coming from the back of his throat. matt was trying so hard to stay quiet and yet, he failed, letting out a cracked moan when i brought my thumb to his leaking tip, rubbing his slit as i tightened the grip on his throbbing cock.

“cum” he whispered to me, not opening his eyes. i pretended i didn’t hear it, my eyes glued to the big screen in front of me. “please, wan’ cum” matt spoke again, replacing the lips on my boobs with his hands, massaging my flesh.

he wasn’t getting what he wanted — my attention and permission. “princess, please” he pleaded, now covering my neck in kisses as he mimicked on my nipples the same movements i did on his slit. i savored the moment for a bit, hanging my mouth open as his kisses turned into love bites.

“hold it” i said, loosening my fist. matt whined at the loss of contact, throwing his head back in frustration. “you look so pathetic, baby” i cooed, running my fingers through his hair before cupping his cheeks. he looked so, so fucked out. “such a needy boy, aren’t you?”

“no” he pouted, blue eyes covered in desperation. “i’m good, i promise i’m your good boy!” matt said, moving his hips upwards, trying to get some relief to his aching cock.

“you’re gonna have to wait until a really loud scene comes up” i told him. “we don’t want anyone to hear this good boy cumming all over himself hm?” i asked with faux sympathy, feeling his length twitching against my hand. he wasn’t gonna be able to hold much longer.

“boobs” matt practically begged. “i will keep my mouth on them and i won’t make any noises” he said, more to himself than to me.

“yeah? you wanna cum sucking my boobs?” i teased matt, who vigorously nodded while adjusting himself one last time. he spread his legs open, waiting for my cue. “go ahead” i encouraged him and he immediately latched his lips around my nipple again, muffling his needy sounds as i jerked him off, my fingers pumping his swollen length rapidly enough for matt to cum seconds later.

matt’s whines turned to whimpers as he reached his high, releasing the sticky spurt over my hand. i couldn’t see it, but i knew the inside of his pants looked like a mess. he panted heavily as he slowly came back from his orgasm, thighs still trembling after holding it for so long.

i kissed the top of his head as i finally removed my palm from him, raising it near my mouth and licking his cum. “don’t do this to me” he said as he watched me, pulling my sweater down. “i’m gonna get hard again”

“good thing we have the whole movie left” i smirked before sealing our lips together in a passionate, hungry kiss. 

after all these years, we were still the same kids who started dating at the back row of the movie theater.

[haziells]

my way

until it reaches the void state

(this will be a long post)

1. the end, the beginning.

I knew about the law of attraction years ago thanks to social media, so there it was, like every day trying to manifest my desires.

I was fed up, every day was the same.

My heart healing and breaking everyday, the same cycle of hope and hopelessness continues.

was it always going to be like this?

would I always have to let fears take over me?

I couldn't trust, I didn't believe that just by believing I could get what I wanted but at the same time I had no other option.

I couldn't go on like this, I didn't want to go on like this, I just wanted to end my life, I gave up and cried, cried, cried thinking that this would be the end, that I wouldn't be able to be happy and that was it.

I gave up and thought I was resigned to living a shitty life.

But I cried so much that all the sadness that was in me came out, all the fears that were clinging to me came out.

That's when I felt peace, when I realized that no, I wasn't going to give up that easily, that I first have to do it and do it well, not keep trying.

So I persisted for only 2 days, as I already had my desire for that moment and yes, after 2 days my 3D had already reflected it, it was exciting.

did i reallt do that? was it just a coincidence?

No, it was really me.

I was happy for a few days until the fears returned but this time I was afraid of losing my desire, that's when I realized that fears have no meaning.

I already have it, why would I lose it?

2. I discovered Tumblr and the void state.

I didn't know what void state was, but as soon as I read about it, it caught my attention.

By then my self-concept had improved, I was still dealing with my fears but not as much as before.

So, I made a friend who explained to me more about the void state and she told me that she manifested her house through the void state.

I got excited and hopeful, I read some methods on how to get in and tried to do it, but I couldn't.

I couldn't do it, the simple idea of getting everything so easily sounded easy and fantastical to me.

But one day I realized who I really am, that I am everything, that nothing and no one has power outside of me.

I was filled with satisfaction, joy, peace, I felt like laughing knowing who I am and how easy everything is.

How did I first enter the void state?

so I had a subliminal audio playing in the background while I was meditating.

I thought...I am so powerful, I am capable of anything, I can have whatever I want whenever I want.

At that time I was very sleepy because I had taken some exams, so I just thought "my physical body is going to sleep and rest and I'm going to the void state"

After all, the void state is me and there is nothing easier than being me.

And so it happened, I entered the void state and knew that I already had everything just as I wanted, then I came out and continued sleeping while I didn't stop smiling and feeling a sensation of peace and extreme happiness.

I woke up and stood calmly until I realized what had happened...

I was scared shitless when I realized that I had entered the void state for real and that at that moment I should have everything I wanted and that was when 3d reality disappeared before my eyes.

Everything began to collapse and I felt a huge current of energy running through my entire body, as if it were a waterfall flowing inside me.

I was very scared, I won't deny it, but after all I did it.

(I swear that just as you see in the gif, that's how I felt at that moment)

The following days I couldn't stop shaking and feeling scared because I didn't understand how it was possible that 3D could disappear just like that.

Then I read someone here talking about non-dualism. @lotusmi

Then I understood my experience.

Since that day everything is much easier for me.

I have entered the void state 3 times.

that manifests?

.cure my depression.

.cure my anxiety.

.trust myself.

.longer eyelashes.

.my desired person in love with me.

.money.

.be able to manifest easily.

.prettiest voice.

.I am spoiled.

The rest of the things I manifest are more private.

But basically for me this is the best thing that could have happened to me.

I will mention who were the bloggers that I read to understand more about the void state and about who I really am.

@gorgeouslypink

@lotusmi

@beesfairlyland

@msperfect777

I will also mention a blogger whose information I also like and I find it cute.

@sugarplumfairy777

If you want to know more, you can send me a direct message, no problem.

[simpingland]

Req: Can you write something with Ewan Mitchell and his co-star (pronounced feminine) where they are on the set of season 2 and how he is surprised by every performances that fem gives (Fem's character is bad and perverse), since since the recordings of season one he was already staring at her surprised by her actings and now with Season 2 he wants to spend more time with her, plus he likes her.

The Rehearsal// Ewan Mitchell x Fem!actress

Summary: Ewan is a method actor and it has been working fine for him. But he regrets this decision when season 2 of HOTD starts with a love scene, being partner with a lovely talented actress who propaply hates him and his mathods. But nothing is better than asking for help when one needs it, right?

|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|

Ewan watched from the monitor, patch removed but wig still on, your close-up was impressive. One look at you and you could see all the ambitions that were going through your character's mind, and he himself regretted not having told you yet. The good news was that filming for season two had just begun, and in this new season, Ewan had the opportunity to do scenes only with you.

They shouted cut, and you immediately broke into a smile, laughing after such an intense scene. You received compliments as you were photographed to keep the raccord straight.

"Congratulations, that's a good start," the director said to you. "Remember you have a special sequence tomorrow, get a good rest."

Yes, you remembered. And Tom (who played your brother Aegon) smiled mischievously at you. It was a kissing scene with Ewan, with whom you had barely exchanged a word since the moment you were confirmed as part of the cast, a year and a half ago. You only spoke a little at the audition, which was a chemistry test, and he was a sweet, unassuming guy. When he was announced as the official actor of Aemond... it was something different. You didn't interact in the scenes in the first season, his scenes were shared more with Fabien and Tom, while you had shared scenes with Olivia and Phia (Alicent and Helaena). The chemistry your characters were supposed to have was only hinted by the placement of you both in the scene or montages of shots that you only saw once the series was released. And in the meantime, Ewan had stayed away from all those with whom he didn't share any dialogue, with the excuse of staying focused on his character. Tom had already told you numerous times that Ewan thought you were a fantastic actress, but you always responded the same way.

"If he does, let him tell me so. Then I'll be flattered.”

When the script for the second season came, both of you, in your respective homes, had your hearts skipped a beat. Your character would approach Aemond in the throne room in the middle of the night. And there they not only talk, but share a kiss that promises to go further in the following seasons. Aemond confessed his love for your character, and being that it was a story taken from the world of Game of Thrones, it was sure to end in much more intimate scenes. Normal for actors and comfortable for a cast that was so friendly and close. But with Ewan being so distant and serious? It was difficult. You didn't even dare to call him. Nor did he call you. What you did do was call Tom.

"She hasn't spoken to me once since we started filming. I've seen her look at me sometimes, like she's trying to talk to me but then, before I could say a word, she's gone quiet again. Tom...I don't think I should take being a method actor so seriously," he said to the other actor.

"It amuses me immensely to be the connecting point for both of you. Don't worry, Ewan, she's a sweetheart, and very understanding. She knows that everyone has their own procedure. So if she has respected your method, you should respect hers."

"And what is her procedure?"

"According to Phia, she loves to walk back and forth repeating her lines in a thousand ways."

Right, Ewan saw the video Phia sent around the group so everyone could see how lunatic you looked. And even there, after discovering you were being filmed, you smiled tenderly at Phia asking her to stop. What else would he have missed since you weren't talking?

You had already taken off your wig, your hair was loose and your dress had been off for quite a while. You were waiting to take off your make-up when your trailer was called. You were expecting anyone, happy to have any interaction with the wonderful team around you, but when you saw Ewan, the smile must have dropped a little.

"Sorry if I'm intruding. Is it late?" Ewan asked you as he saw your friendly greeting getting lost in the air.

It wasn't dark yet, and the next day's filming was starting early, so you genuinely didn't know what to say to him.

"Well... I have to finish off some of the lines for tomorrow.’

The lines you had to say with him, and he knew that. But since that wasn't an invitation, Ewan understood instantly and nodded.

"Well, I just wanted to tell you...it's been an awesome first day of shooting for you. It's no wonder you're a fan favorite."

That made you blush.

"Well, that means a lot coming from you."

He smiled sheepishly at you, you were taller than he was, standing on the trailer and he was on the grass a few stairs down. And yet he seemed way too big.

"I promise I'll be on time tomorrow so we'll have plenty of time to rehearse," he said, trying to get out of the strange conversation he had started.

You nodded and watched as he walked away, the patch in his hand and taking off his seatbelts. Did he come with the intention of chatting? My God, you'd had a chance to talk at length with your fellow cast member and you'd wasted it? You needed to go over the scene as much as possible!

"Ewan!" You called out to him, hanging almost on your doorstep, he turned with that agility that is so engaging on screen (and in person). "Are you done for the day?"

"I've got to get out of my costume. But...yes, I'm done."

"Would you mind..." you mumbled in an exaggeratedly loud voice for him to hear. How embarrassing. "Would you mind dropping by again to rehearse?"

Ewan stood still for a second. He watched you from afar, so affectionate and shy, totally contrary to your character, and felt a deep tenderness.

"I'll be back in half an hour," he promised you.

You looked forward to it, and you'd be lying if you didn't say that you'd put your make-up back on a bit. Ewan, on the other hand, was hurrying more than usual to remove his own clothes, forgetting to remove his fake scars in the rush that followed him. He was punctual, and in thirty and a half minutes, he was knocking on your door again.

"I really appreciate you doing this, Ewan," you said as he climbed into your trailer.

"Don't worry, it's going to be fun."

You looked at each other for a second, smiling, kind of gawking, which was nothing like the scene you had to recreate.

"How do you prepare for a scene?" You ask.

"I listen to some music. But I want to try what you do. "

He looked at you expectantly, and you suddenly felt embarrassed. Like the girls at the school function.

"So... I close my eyes, and I create a map where everything looks a little bit like the set."

"And what do we choose to be the throne?" Ewan smiled, which made you blush even more.

"Well... "There was a fully finished teacup, with the inelegantly squeezed bag next to it, dripping. You'd forgotten to clean it up completely. "That cup itself."

Ewan frowned slightly, teasingly, and nodded. The next step for you was harder to explain.

"Now, Ewan, I need some space."

He sat down on your couch, script to one side, the bastard having already memorized it all. And from there he watched live what he'd been craving for months, watching you pace back and forth. You read the annotations and your lines.

"They will never forgive our family for what I did," Ewan replied, intoning in the silky voice he gave Aemond.

"If it's any consolation, I doubt they would be willing to let us live even if we had given them the throne willingly, Aemond..." though you paced, your hands and gestures maintained theatricality, and you repeated the phrase three more times, all with trapped deliberation. "This pantomime of repentance can only convince Mother...but not me."

"What pantomime do you mean?" replied Aemond.

Then your character stopped looking at Aemond to stare at the Throne. In this case you stopped to stare at the ugly teacup. You had to hold back a smile. Ewan looked at it too.

"It's impossible to fool you, it always has been." Ewan got up from the sofa and approached you, as Aemond does with your character. "It is a crude, chaotic and ugly object, but always that which I have desired."

Then the laughter you'd been holding back escaped, unable to think of the mug as anything else. And Ewan laughed with you, all the tension disappearing instantly. Now he could understand the affection with which everyone spoke of you.

"I'm sorry, really," you said, getting serious again. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise, this is fun. I'm going to try your method. Shall we close our eyes?"

"That's right."

You closed them at the same time, thinking about the huge room, illuminated by a silver light that simulated the moon. And after a few seconds, Ewan opened his eyes to look at you. Although you didn't have your white hair, or the elegant dress, your eyes were the same, as beautiful and bright as they were behind the cameras. And he had the privilege of being the focus of your attention and having them in the foreground.

"Though I think I was always more subtle with another of my longings..." he whispered close to your lips.

"That you tried at least" you whispered back.

"When I get the throne I'll need someone as sharp as you to accompany me. There is no woman in the seven kingdoms who compares to you."

Then came the kiss. You looked into Ewan's eyes, up his nose and down to his lips. What was there left to throw yourself? Not much, but with him being so reclusive, with that being one of the few times you spoke to each other, it felt strange to pounce on him without consent. So you walked away, leaving the scene there.

"We can work this out with the director and the intimacy coordinator, if you like," Ewan suggested, a little flushed and extremely sweet.

You poured him a cup of tea while you discussed the romance that your characters might have developed over the years that the series skips. You imagined romantic scenes that might have led up to that kiss and concluded that they were a toxic couple, but possibly better than Rhaenyra and Daemon.

"You know, I love the way you act and I love that I discovered your process," he confessed. "I think the admiration part is not going to be too hard to act out."

"Oh...my process is really ridiculous, everyone laughs at me. I'm glad it at least works. But it gives me a hard time at auditions," you laughed nervously.

"Well, it's true that it's fun to watch. But it's certainly worth it. I don't think you have anything to envy the others, you're...magnetic." He said it with a seriousness that moved you, adding to his intense gaze. "I'm sorry I wasn't smart enough to tell you sooner, because I've been thinking about it since the day they put me in the same room you were in, back at the audition.”

You froze a little, so you just said what you felt in the simplest way and with the most honest smile.

"Thank you."

Ewan took the last sip of his tea and before he left you remembered one of the thousand questions you had for him.

"Is there a reason you haven't removed the scar? Something to do with method acting?"

"Scar?"

You touched his cheek, where the scar began, and Ewan understood instantly.

"Ah, gee, I completely forgot to go through makeup. I'll get a telling off tomorrow."

"Not if you sleep on it until tomorrow" you joked. "Let me help you, I love fake wounds."

You stood next to him, towering over him a little, and lifted the thin layer of silicone with the delicacy you had seen in make-up artists. You were envious of the woman who was in charge of characterising a person as curiously attractive as Ewan. He also smelled exaggeratedly good.

When you took it off, you threw it into the creepy teacup from earlier.

"I've almost run out from, the costume department before," he justified himself. You took the opportunity to wipe that part of her face with a makeup remover wipe. "I usually do this part myself..."

"I know, but I like it..."

And while you were stroking his face with the excuse of cleaning it, Ewan was watching your lips, and didn't notice that you had noticed. You pushed the wipe away, stroking his chin, and at the same time, you both pressed your lips together. A strange kiss, something special, sweet and soft. You stretched it out, standing almost still, afraid of what would happen if you broke apart. When you finally did, you looked at each other with a look of confusion, though neither you nor Ewan pulled away.

It was a dangerous idea, he was your partner, and you had been unprofessional. You broke away.

"I think you should rest. I've distracted you too much." Your tone came out agitated and Ewan rose slowly.

"No, it's all right. I liked it. I liked everything. Didn't you?" He had emphasised the word 'everything' and was looking at you with lambent eyes.

"Yes...I loved being with you."

He said goodbye with a smile of his, and you bowed at your door like a little girl. Most of the team had already gone to rest and you barely noticed.

You had to put on more concealer than usual the next day because of the lack of sleep you'd had from that strange kiss. Ewan had kept his promise and had arrived a good while earlier to re-rehearse the scene. You did it without the kiss or the lights, just with the director's instructions and with your cheeks flushed as you exchanged glances.

"Did you practice with the kiss?" the intimacy coordinator asked you.

You were completely silent. Ewan answered for you.

"Not really, maybe it's better to give a first kiss at the moment of the shot. More realism."

"Well, then I guess you've worked out the sexual tension and dynamics of your characters."

Ewan nodded and smiled, which made you smile. Had he put hours of sleep into your little meeting yesterday? Yes, he had, and he told the woman who was putting on his scar who asked him who had removed it the day before. When you returned to the set, lights on, costumes on, cameras rolling, Ewan looked at you in the distance, asking you with his eyes if you were ready. You nodded with a shy smile, and began to act when they shouted action.

Aemond, still dressed and coming from the castle library, walked into the empty throne room to watch you. You walked behind him, in a smart dressing gown, your hair loose and trying uselessly not to make a sound. Aemond then spoke aloud.

"They will never forgive our family for what I did."

You approached Ewan, who still wouldn't look at you.

"If it's any consolation, I doubt they would be willing to let us live even if we had given them the throne willingly, Aemond..." You leaned into him a little, as the director had recommended. He was so tall and so tense that you felt as safe as if you were leaning against a stone pillar. "This pantomime of repentance can only convince Mother...but not me." Then Aemond would look down to see you out of the corner of his eye, which made your character - and you - nervous.

"What pantomime do you mean?"

Then you looked at the throne, now there was no laughter to disturb you, only the terrible seat of swords before you. And Aemond was looking at it too.

"It's impossible to fool you, it always has been. It is a brutish, chaotic, ugly object, but always that which I have desired."

After a pause, he turned fully around to look at you, his height becoming primordial in that short distance. In that low light, Ewan's visible eye looked into your eyes, dropping to your lips subtly.

"Though I think I was always more subtle with another of my longings..." he whispered in his velvety tone.

"That you tried at least" you replied trying to keep your composure. If they knew how hard you were struggling not to fall to your knees at that moment they would have nominated you for an Emmy by now.

"When I get the throne I'll need someone as clever as you to accompany me. There is no woman in the seven kingdoms who compares to you."

He stroked your face gently, something that coming from Ewan was tender and expected, immensely pleasing, but then you remembered that Aemond could never be so gentle in the face of his urges, and you let your own out. You pressed yourself against him, pressing your lips together with all the assurance you had longed for the night before. You could feel Ewan intensify your kiss even more, placing his hand on your neck. All the possible kisses that had been going on in your head during the night were now dwarfed by the kiss that was happening right there. As fierce as your characters, with the longing you had just discovered that you and Ewan had shared for a year and a half.

It was only when they shouted 'cut' that you broke apart, catching your breath and barely breaking away. Some applause, chatter and comments from the team, you could hear little of what they were saying. You pulled away flushed, laughing at the sudden intensity. You looked at the director as Ewan smoothed his jacket.

"Let's look at the shot, I think it was simply perfect, congratulations."

Another round of applause, and you felt Ewan brush your unruly hair out of your face, stroking it as he ruffled your hair.

"What a pity not to have to repeat this scene..." He confessed.

"That's the thing about being so talented," you joked.

"Obviously..." he removed his patch and turned back to you to ask in a quieter voice, "although I'd love to have more private acting classes with you..."

You smiled at the hint.

"I'll give them to you if in exchange you let me remove your fake scars again."

"Deal."

[draconic-desire]

🔶 Rex Dracorum 🔶

Yandere Zhongli x Reader

At this year’s Lantern Rite, you happen to cross paths with a dragon, much to the chagrin of the one who holds you in the palm of his hand. The result has you trapped between them.

Warnings: Very brief mention of nsfw at the end, implied kidnapping, forced relationship, yandere behavior. Basically my version of what would have happened if Zhongli and Neuvillette actually met at the Rite…

Despite the contract irrevocably binding you to the Lord of Geo, its progenitor allows you a surprising number of freedoms.

Sometimes, you can pretend like he didn’t steal your life away with a simple signature. That he didn’t back you into a corner, making you decide between two evils: to be his wife and mate, or watch as everything and everyone you ever cherished suffer the wrath of the rock.

Why me?, you would plead aloud, desperate for any loophole, any escape from your contract. Why a mortal geologist with only a few mora to her name?

You’re one of the few who appreciates the rock over the gem, my precious lapis, he’d reply cryptically. Always riddles and non-answers, layered statements garnished with polished words.

If you could reverse time, you would have refused his invitation for tea that first time. Little did you know that each of those subsequent meetings, each time you spent listening to his fantastical tales shared between steaming cups, you were digging your grave a foot deeper, his hold on you constricting an inch further.

Perhaps if you had rejected him outright, he would have viewed you not as a unique mineral, but as another insignificant pebble in a sea of endless, colorless sediment. As no more than the dirt beneath his boot.

Instead, you must seek refuge from him and his stifling, suffocating presence in the times between the cracks, like now, as you take in the transformed Liyue Harbor, adorned with lights and colors brighter than any precious stone.

Hailing from Liyue, the Lantern Rite has always been a time of celebration and reflection for you and your family. Now it represents one of the only times the invisible shackles are lifted from your frame.

Although Zhongli does initially insist on walking you through the harbor, arms interlocked as he parades you around while monologuing about Liyue’s rich history, he permits you to venture off on your own and explore while he entertains his associates or work clients during the day. Although you know there are constantly eyes on you, usually a certain grumbling yaksha, this precious time almost feels like normal.

Today, you’ve decided on a stroll through Qiaoyang Village. The quiet, leisurely existence that its inhabitants have adopted fills you with a rare tranquility. Walking at a slow pace among the many street vendors, the scent of tea leaves, fresh mint and spices, permeates your nose, beckoning you forward. Your tea stocks at home are getting a bit low, you mentally remark, and having some of your own gives you an excuse to occasionally opt out of the times Zhongli wants to drag you out again.

Your mind set, you turn to find yourself a fraction of a second from running straight into a wall of boxes.

No—looking down, you spot a pair of black and gold boots, leading up to black trousers and elegant blue robes. A pair of matching gloves holds the boxes in place. There’s actually a person carrying all of those parcels.

Due to the boxes obscuring their view, they notice you too late—with startlingly quick reflexes, they manage to avoid running into you, but given their sudden halt mid-step, the boxes in their arms go toppling to the ground.

You gasp at your stupidity and immediately drop to your knees to maintain the stranger’s fallen goods. Embarrassed at your carelessness, you stumble over your words. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t see you—”

A gloved hand rests on your own scrambling fingers, calming your frantic attempt to organize the items. “No apologies necessary. I am the one at fault for not being more alert.”

Turning to face the stranger, who is now crouching beside you, the air in your lungs extinguishes as your eyes lock.

Undoubtedly, this man is one of the most handsome individuals you’ve ever laid eyes on.

Long, silver hair cascades around his sharp, defined features: almond eyes with striking lilac irises, high cheekbones and full lips, a tall, muscular frame clearly sculpted with subtle muscle. His attire—sapphire robes, adorned with lighter accents and intricate whirls of ocean blues—is clearly of expensive taste and sophistication. The jabot and dewdrop pendant around his neck suggest he’s Fontainian, perhaps associated with the court there.

You must look like a gaping fish out of water, for the man helps you to your feet with a kind smile. “I must have given you quite the startle. Are you feeling alright?”

His deep baritone rings through you, similar yet so unlike the proud voice of the Geo Archon you’ve grown accustomed to. Blinking twice, you regain your bearings and pray to the Seven—excluding one in particular, who would be very unhappy with you—that the man didn’t notice you gawking at him. “Ah, yes, I’m fine. Again, I’m very sorry for being so distracted. If any of your items are damaged, I’m more than happy to pay for replacements.”

“That is quite generous of you, but I can assure you that won’t be necessary. You see, these boxes merely contain tea, nothing more.” To prove his claim, he bends down to retrieve a box that opened when it landed, revealing simple, sealed bags of leaves.

Your shoulders sag in relief. It truly seems like no damage was done. “Well, at least let me help you wrap them up together. I know a trick that will make carrying them all much easier.”

The white-haired male nods, followed by a subtle smile. “That’s very kind of you. I accept your proposal.”

After a quick stop at another stall to buy twine, you start to work on binding the boxes together. You count more than ten in total—who needs that much tea, anyway? The amount of it is almost comical, but you can’t bring yourself to actually poke fun of the man. Not when he’s looking at you with such an endearing smile. Like he’s seeing you, not just the wife of the Lord of Geo.

Your face heats. “So,” you start, trying to focus on your knots and ties and not the stranger’s eyes boring into you, “can I ask why you’re carrying so much tea?”

“Well, I originally was transporting some goods back to Fontaine for my friends and colleagues, but I decided to partake myself. It was buy ten boxes get half off,” he replies, as calmly as if he were stating an obvious fact.

You can’t help it. A giggle escapes your lips as you quirk your head to the side. The innocence with which this man admitted to being scammed endears you greatly, and you can’t help but play along with him. “You know, that’s a pretty good deal.”

He smiles, then, a subtle thing paired with a tinge of pink along his cheeks. “I thought so, too.”

Your smile grows in tandem. Speaking to others, especially other men, without your husband hovering above the conversation is quite rare for you these days—though you have no doubt you’ll be questioned about it later once Xiao reports the encounter to him, if he hasn’t already—

A hand rests on your shoulder, the landing a bit too heavy and the grip a bit too tight. “Ah, my beautiful wife. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

The sound of Zhongli’s voice sends a jump through your bones. Archons, you knew you were being followed, but you’ve never been located and corralled this quickly. A flame of indignation, which has long since dimmed from an inferno to a mere flicker, sparks in your chest. You’re rightly upset that your time has been cut short, and even before you learned this interesting and undeniably attractive foreigner’s name.

You look up at Zhongli and open your mouth to explain the situation, that you were merely helping the other man secure his absurd amount of tea boxes, but the words die in your throat.

The Lord of Geo’s amber gaze is sharp and deadly as stone, directed at the other man. His jaw tightens and he grinds out, “Neuvillette.”

The silver-haired man’s eyes narrow as his gaze roams from the hand on your shoulder to meet Zhongli’s glower. “Rex.”

Your brow furrows in confusion as you glance back and forth between the two men who look two moments away from ripping each other to ribbons. It’s obvious they know each other, and the name Neuvillette rings a bell of recognition in your mind. But what really concerns you is the term by which Neuvillette called Zhongli. To your knowledge, no one refers to your captor as Rex Lapis except Xiao, who knows of his draconic—

Oh. Oh.

The realization slams into you with a wave of clarity as your head slowly turns toward the other man. The silver, slitted pupils, the shimmering blue horns and pointed ears, the aura of power and hydro around him…

Horrified, your mouth falls open as you truly take in this man, Neuvillette.

No, not a man. The restored leader of Fontaine, the Hydro Sovereign.

You’ve been casually conversing with not only a dragon, but also the Chief Justice of the Region of Justice. One of the original powerhouses of Teyvat, from which the Seven gained their gnoses. And, given the death of the Hydro Archon, there is currently only one in existence restored to their full power.

“Shit,” you breathe, a bit too loudly. Purple and gold irises snap to you in sync, one filled with thinly veiled concern and questioning and the other with building anger and possession.

On cue, Zhongli snakes his arms around your waist, pulling you taut against his side. You swear you feel the hint of claws digging into your skin through the fabric of your dress, the remnants of his exuvia form.

“I had hoped to avoid meeting you here,” Zhongli states, eyes roaming over the scene, the scattered tea boxes, the twine in your hand, as he pieces together the situation, “but my wife is too kind for her own good sometimes.”

Neuvillette’s eyes browse over your form, examining your tense muscles and downtrodden eyes, the arms that remain at your sides. He’s seen cases just like this time and time again in court, but even so, it doesn’t take a legal profession to ascertain that you’re not particularly fond of your husband. And given Morax’s propensity for contracts, Neuvillette’s senses immediately go on alert.

The Chief Justice clears his throat. “Not at all. I think it quite generous of her to have dedicated her time to making my travels easier.” He tries to give you a reassuring smile, but you’re too focused on Zhongli who, despite his collected demeanor, you realize is a thread away from snapping.

Just what kind of battle between dragons have you gotten yourself into the middle of?

“Is that so? Perhaps she took pity on an old man such as yourself. I hear it can be difficult to carry so much after you’ve departed from your prime.”

“Old man?” Neuvillette barks a laugh, but quickly coughs and regains his composure. “Quite ironic coming from you, Rex. Besides, I feel quite reinvigorated these days. One can only assume it’s due to the balances of power returning to their rightful due.”

Zhongli flashes a hint of his canines, the only giveaway to his building rage. “Rightful is quite a biased term. We wouldn’t want to start a war now, would we?”

Neuvillette’s eyes glint like a sword ready for battle. “And you would know quite a bit about inciting wars, wouldn’t you, Rex?”

Dear Archons, you need to stop this before these two lunge at each other’s throats.

“Zhongli,” you try to placate with a soft voice, the name and tone you know he so adores from you, “I believe that Neu—uh, the Chief Justice was on his way back to Fontaine. I only wanted to help him wrap up his purchases correctly for the journey. If we assist him together, then we can head to the Pavilion for tea after, yes?” Part of you is disgusted at yourself for having to grovel, but you can’t allow two immensely powerful draconic beings to brawl over tea in the middle of the village.

Though you have an strong inkling that the argument isn’t over tea.

Your suggestion lands. Zhongli’s muscles relax as he peers down at you, those immovable, amber eyes softening slightly as he drinks you in. The roaming hands across your back and waist, however, hint that you’ll be getting an earful in private. Though of the likely punishments he has in store for you, that’s the least of your worries.

With a single snap of his fingers, Zhongli uses the power of geo to bind Neuvillette’s parcels together. “There. Consider the issue resolved. My wife and I have matters to attend to.”

Zhongli quickly begins to pull you away, and you think you hear a growl over your shoulder from Neuvillette’s direction. “Careful, Rex. I would be most displeased to have to take one of your contracts to court. In the face of the law, they aren’t as omnipotent as you believe them to be.”

You wince, the statement hitting a bit too close to home. Zhongli, on the other hand, goes as still as stone. “That sounds awfully like a threat, Neuvillette.”

“A mere warning. It is of your own fault to read too deeply into it.”

Neuvillette then turns his attention to you, placing a single tea box into your shaking hands. You have no clue when he separated it from the rest.

Leaning in, his voice drops, low enough to be directed to you, yet you know Zhongli hears it clearly. “You are more than welcome to Fontaine. I will see to your accommodations personally, if you so choose to visit. I believe a spirit like yours would be greatly appreciated in our nation.”

All you can do is shake your head forlornly. Never in a million lifetimes will Zhongli allow it, not even before this encounter. You’ll have to settle for seeing Fontaine through your dreams alone.

Straightening with a frown but understanding the position you must be in, of the contract that binds you to the Geo Archon, Neuvillette lets the matter drop. He turns to leave, but not before throwing over his shoulder, “And her name isn’t wife, Rex. It’s…”

You swallow thickly. “(Y/n),” you finish, a mere breath.

Neuvillette gives you a final smile in return. “My offer will always stand, (Y/n). Happy Lantern Rite.”

Moments after he’s out of sight, Zhongli dips his nose into the crook of your neck, breathing in your scent and rubbing his over your skin. “You stink of that other male…but I know how to amend that.”

Needless to say, you did not make it to tea that afternoon.

It wasn’t until that night when Zhongli was asleep, clawed limbs and scaly tail entangled with your naked form, that you deem it safe to open the tea box Neuvillette gifted to you.

Core pounding, you grimace as you stand, the many possessive and claiming bite marks and bruises across your skin even worse than usual. He didn’t lie about wiping any scent of the other dragon away, if the past few hours of nonstop sex were any indication.

You make your way to the kitchen trash, where Zhongli had immediately disposed of it upon arriving home. Heart pounding, you lift the lid.

A shimmering blue vision reflects in your pupils.