#proving i only have limited contact with grass again

[smallearthboundfindings]

[Image Source]

Hello, backstory enthusiasts, and welcome to the ...

George and Maria Special! tm

As you might, remember, George and Maria are an integral part of Mother 1's plot, arguably the reason the entire trilogy takes place, and yet, we don't know much about them, do we?

Well lucky you, because the Mother Encyclopedia goes way more into detail than the game ever did and I'm going to summarize it so you don't have to!

Open up for the complete story of the two that started it all. I'll try to state it in chronological order.

As our original tale begins in the early 1900s, so does ours. Thus begins... the timeline.

George, orphaned young and then fresh out of high school, takes up a job as a letter-boy for a prominent paper in the "big city" (city unspecified), later being promoted to journalist.

After writing a large expose on the president, he rises to fame but also falls into conflict with the chief editor that leads him to break off on his own and move to Mother's Day/Podunk on the whim of a Help Wanted ad in its daily newspaper, The Mother's Day Times (presumably alternatively The Podunk Times), where he was hired as the editor-in-chief for a novelization of the town's history.

(Note: I will be using the EarthBound Beginnings location names from now on for simplicity.)

Upon his first arrival in Podunk, the first person he met was Maria as she sketched a carnation bed, her illustrations later being chosen to appear in George's piece. This would later lead into their marriage.

From there on out, they lived rather peacefully, with Maria often playing piano concerts to the town's children alongside George, until a dark cloud appeared around Mount Itoi's summit and people went missing en masse to later return with complete amnesia of whatever happened to them. (Not to mention the flying furniture ensuing as well.)

George, being the journalist that he was, however, saw this as a scoop and started an investigative report. While having no luck with any clues, he would publish what little he did find. And immediately fell missing alongside Maria as well. Ironic.

Two years, later, only George returned, visibly aged to become a recluse, dropping his work on the newspaper to focus on studying PSI.

... Maria never returned.

Thus, the events described in-game continue from here as another black cloud strikes back. Mother 1 has begun.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Halloo, I just wanna say that after i typed the dialogue with Jamil about wanting to ride a magic carpet, (excited for your reply) I thought why not an imagine for Jamil (perhaps Kalim too?) and mc riding on the magic carpet. Then you know the accidental kiss from Aladdin. I feel so fluffy, thinking about it. IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD, only if that’s okay with you to write hehe please feel free to ignore my request and i understand that you have other requests to write! :)) take care of yourself!

Hello, hello.

You can read the in-character dialogue response you’re referring to here if you have not already done so. This imagine is Jamil-centric since I felt that would make the imagine flow better--and it ties in well with the dialogue response.

I watched and rewatched A Whole New World several times to try and get a sense of the feeling of flight and wonder! I wanted to impart that into my writing. I hope it was successful.

You’re in luck, Anon. This piece exceeds my usual 1000 word limit on imagines, but I made an exception since I have a friend that really loves Jamil. If you’re reading this, my friend, you know who you are.

Please enjoy, and take care of yourself as well.

***Warning: spoilers for chapter 4 of the main story campaign ahead.***

Imagine this...

“...uu. Yuu. Are you there?”

They followed the cadence of the silken call to the balcony. Yuu threw open the windows and peered down--and there he was, standing on a magic flying carpet and set in threads of red, gold, and black. An alluring, snake-like smile upon his lips.

Jamil Viper.

“I have come to steal you away for the evening, as promised,” he announced calmly, offering his outstretched hand. “Come.”

“Are you sure this is safe? The magic carpet was pretty hard for me to control before...”

Yuu tactfully neglected to add that, when they had last been piloting the carpet, it had been to escape his clutches. Yet here they were now, just a breath away from leaping back into his embrace. Oh, the irony.

“Do you trust me?” Jamil asked, his question flat and simple.

“Yes...?”

“Then all will be well.” he offered his hand again. In the darkness, his eyes were pleading, longing. “Come.”

Yuu gingerly accepted Jamil’s hand, and they immediately fell into his arms. Was that sudden floating sensation the feeling of being in the air? Or was that their stomach fluttering at his touch?

He smirked at their blushing face when they gazed up at him.

“Good girl.”

“J-Just shut up and drive already...!” Yuu sputtered back.

“Mm. As you wish. Make yourself comfortable, and hang on tight,” Jamil advised, gesturing for Yuu to sit. He reached for the tassels on the magic carpet and tugged.

They bolted into the bitter night sky, the wind nipping at their skin. Then--they dived back down, racing through past various school buildings and into the courtyard.

Shadows lurked in every twist and turn, every crook and bend. Under the moon’s silvery glow, the college seemed mysterious, mystical.

“Everything looks so pretty at night...” Yuu said quietly, taking in the sights. “It’s like a dream...”

Jamil nodded and yanked on the magic carpet again, directing it to shoot up at an apple tree. It complied at once--and he plucked a fat fruit off of a branch during the ascent. The leaves of the tree rustled and jingled upon contact

He tossed the apple at Yuu, who caught it with a free hand.

“A souvenir,” he called it, “to prove to yourself tomorrow morning that this was, in fact, not a dream.”

“Oh, stop being so cheeky,” Yuu mumbled, averting their eyes. They were lying to themselves if they said they did not appreciate the gesture.

“Speak for yourself,” Jamil retorted smoothly. “We’re going up.”

“Huh? What, even highe--w-whoah!”

The magic carpet rippled through the sky, tumbled past birds, and tore the clouds asunder. Bursts of cool water vapor kissed Yuu’s face--unexpected, but refreshing.

The carpet slowed--

And there it was.

The night sky unfurled before them, a vast swathe of black and violet fabric encrusted with diamonds. Yuu’s mind cycles through a number of words--shining, shimmering, splendid--but none of them seemed to be able to really embody the sight.

“It’s beautiful...like a whole new world,” Yuu marveled, for lack of a better term. They tried their best to etch the view permanently in their memories.

Jamil scoffed. “Hold your breath, it gets better.”

“How does it get better than this?” Yuu asked, rolling their gifted apple around in their palm. “Free food, great sights, good company...it’s perfect.”

“Oh, you’ll see.” Jamil flashed a wicked grin.

Yuu didn’t like that look of his--but there was no time for them to process what it could possibly mean.

For the magic carpet plummeted like a falling star.

Yuu’s hair flew up, and they screamed, clutching on for dear life.

The carpet flew in arcs and loops, throwing the couple every which way and back. Then, picking up speed, it dived again--and the wind barked in Yuu’s ears, sending shivers of fear throughout their whole body.

Yuu squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for impact.

“Don’t you dare close your eyes.”

Jamil’s voice was at Yuu’s ears, drowning out the whistle of wind. It was low and seductive, yet gentle...and it soothed them to their quivering core.

“Look.”

Slowly, Yuu peeled their eyes open.

The world around them unraveled.

The sky and stars above, the river they skipped across below, the grass and the trees sailing by. Mesmerized, Yuu reached out a hand and ran it across the waters. Moonlight and midnight magic dripped from their fingers.

Yuu laughed.

Yuu laughed and laughed, relishing in the moment until, at last, the magic carpet whisked them home to Ramshackle.

The ride back was a tranquil one, wordless but full of feeling. Yuu leaned against Jamil’s chest all the while. Warmth and love and tenderness enveloped them.

“I had a great time tonight!” Yuu confessed as they stepped off of the magic carpet and onto their balcony. “It was all so...magical. Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure.” Jamil brought a hand to his chest and gave a mocking bow. “It must be well past midnight by now though--and you must be off to bed.” He smiled smugly. “Do try to remember that tonight was not a dream.”

“I will,” Yuu promised. The apple remained in their hands. “Good night...” Their voice trailed off, but they were quick to throw in a last-minute remark. “Good night, my handsome prince.”

Jamil’s poker face faltered. “I am no prince.”

“You are to me,” Yuu reassured him softly.

Jamil pulled his hood over his face. The darkness of the night--and the shadow of his hood--did little to obscure the faint blush creeping onto his cheeks.

“...Rest well, princess,” he mumbled back, bringing his eyes to meet Yuu’s.

They stared at each other--knowing that they should retire for the night, but not wanting to leave the others’ presence.

If only time could stop now.

Suddenly, Jamil stumbled, lurching forward by the motion of the magic carpet. Before he--or Yuu--knew what was happening, their lips were locked.

The apple in Yuu’s hand clattered to the floor, forgotten.

Their eyes drifted shut--and they savored the feel, and the taste of one another. He cupped their face and pulled it toward his, deepening the kiss. A mewl, a whimper, escaped from Yuu’s mouth against his.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

A magic spell cast by the stars.

But a cheer soon pierced the silence and shattered the magical moment. “Whoo-hoo! Good going, magic carpet!”

Yuu and Jamil broke their kiss. They snapped their heads in the direction of the voice--and there stood a familiar face nestled between shrubbery and the trunk of a dead tree.

“K-Kalim?!” Jamil sputtered, his cheeks flaming. “What are you doing here?! Y-You should be asleep at this hour...!”

“Heheheh! There’s no need for sleeping when there’s love afoot!” Kalim planted his chin between his pointer finger and his thumb. “Operation make-sure-Jamil’s-First-Date-♡ ♡ ♡-is-super-duper-♡-heart-♡-thumping-and-lovey-♡-dovey is a huge success!”

“KALIM!!”

[letsunity]

Not Afraid - Chapter 4

Summery -  

The Bad Batch go to Tatooine to resupply and avoid the Empire. As per the usual, Omega gets separated from the group. Fortunately for her, Krayt's Claw just so happens to be nearby. Bossk and Embo guide her to Boba Fett, who takes interest in why the Kaminoans want her. It's a reluctant partnership, with the Bad Batch having to rely on Krayt's Claw to navigate non-military life.

With some wandering around, Bossk managed to get them a job.

It wasn't anything big, but the pay was good enough - They could get rations, fuel, the essentials.

According to the client, someone is stealing from local farmers. All they have to do is catch them, get their reward and move on. With Hunter's tracking, it shouldn't be a difficult task to complete. They were only dealing with a thief, so Omega would be fine to tag along, which she was happy about.

Seeing how excited she was to join was sweet.

"Don't expect anything, laddies and lady. It goes to plan if you don't have one!" Bossk hissed, cocking his blaster with a grin.

"That doesn't make any sense," Echo countered, pulling a face at the reptile.

"Because you're thinking like a soldier," Bossk smirked, flicking Echo's head. "Plans seldom work. All you need is explosives, knowing what you're doing and instinct. Trust yourself, your abilities, and retreat to bring back more explosives."

"Sounds great!" Wrecker agreed, itching to blow something up. "You guys can get the col illegal stuff, right? We can make things go boom?" The reptile snorted, equally happy about explosions.

With them so happy, Hunter was curious about something. Why didn't they rent speeders to this location; why walk?

The only reason would be that Boba wanted them to see something.

"You wanna see something cool?" Boba asked Omega, having a confident smirk on his face.

He whistled loudly, changing the tune with a harsh rhythm like he was imitating a call. Bossk already knew, rolling his reptilian eyes at his nephew. He knew that it was to give the squirt something special, but still, he was showing off.

Omega waited, uncertain of why he made that noise. While waiting, she saw a wolf-like creature climb atop a hill. Several others appeared, though far darker than the main one. The white one slowly stalked towards them, sniffing warily.

Boba knelt, lightly guiding her hand out and upwards. There was tingling at her fingertips like there was an electrical charge coursing through her. The titanic canid stepped to her, their wet black nose brushing against her palm. In that brief touch, there was the spark of connection.

She could feel it, and it could feel her. It lowered its head into her hand, making eye contact through the helmet.

The wolf grunted towards Wrecker, Echo and Hunter, shaking their head. It grumbled, making several sounds towards them as the other wolves began to run away. With a stamp of its reptile-like paw, it barked and ran off, leaving them confused.

"The centre returned makes seven; burnt comes and makes it six. Anguished are the five, particularly the four. Soon to be three, suddenly two. One shines through, seven again," Bossk translated, thinking over the cryptic warning.

"That's incredibly ominous," Hunter stated, unsure of what to make of that.

"You always get stuff like that from them. It's part of their cryptic 'future sight' or whatever they call it," Boba shrugged, not overly bothered. "Other than the ominous warnings, they're cool to meet. Get them some Wookie meat, and they love you; they're obsessed with it."

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

This new Empire seemed interesting. It didn't affect the Bounty Hunter's Guild, but it could prove profitable.

"Cad Bane. Am I right?" asked some stiff-upper-lip rookie.

Bane didn't care about them, not bothering to remember their name. Admiral Ram-whatever, it wasn't important.

"I prefer meeting on planets without incontinent clouds, Admiral. I don't like rain," Bane hissed, his distorted voice shivering the blank human. Humans had a habit of looking similar to one another. "My price is doubled for that alone."

"I understand, Mister Bane. I can assure you that you'll be incredibly well paid for," said Admiral Rampart, sitting across from the Duros. "There is a bounty on a child named Omega."

"Don't bother. That little brat Boba's probably already involved. At least with his father, you could make a deal, but the boy is annoyingly stubborn."

The kid wasn't popular because of that and was a pain in Bane's ass. His commitment to his rules was somewhat admirable, but it wasn't practical. Even with his little club, the jobs he'll get won't do him much good. He's not going to amount to much in the future.

"You misunderstand, Mister Bane. The Kaminoans want to capture her, and I suspect it's to encourage Tarkin to keep the cloning program. I want you to stop it."

"As I said, it's not worth the time. It doesn't matter where I go; the brat will follow. I'd lead him straight to you, meaning I lose credits."

"I don't want you to capture her, Mister Bane. I want you to kill her."

"Now, that's far simpler. That's triple my pay, but if you'd like, I'll bring you the skin like a rug."

"No, I only need her eliminated. The cloning program must end. To assist you, I'll have my best team to work alongside you. CT-9904 will follow your orders without question, and the other three will follow his example. If this 'Boba' gets in the way, kill him."

"Bounty hunter's aren't allowed to kill each other. I can certainly maim him, though. Give me some credits upfront, some immunity, and I'll bring you her head on a platter."

This was going to be easy.

With the weird female clone out of the picture, project War Mantle will be ahead of schedule. The Empire can grow and prosper without the expensive republican remnants. Unfortunately for this Bane fellow, he couldn't be in the picture afterwards. When the girl was dead, 9904 will kill the hunter as well.

Nobody will know that she existed or mattered. Even with this 'Boba' character, he doubted that things would go wrong. It's only a matter of time.

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

Meeting the wolves were amazing; the white one was soft and warm.

Omega liked the feeling of the grass against her hands, picking a few to inspect them.

While fascinated by the blades of green, she failed to see a nearby Loth-cat. It hissed and lunged at her, its fur raised and bristled.

Instinctively, Hunter aimed his blaster at the animal. It growled, the creature deceptively savage. Boba got on one knee and took some dried meat from his pocket, encouraging the animal to approach.

It hesitantly stepped forward, its pupils widening. It licked his hand then took the meat, backing away from whence it came. It climbed down a hole, poking its head back up again some moments later. Three minuscule heads popped up, chirping at the newcomers. It's only a mother protecting her kits.

Wrecker got down, wanting to have a go as well. Boba handed him some meat, motioning for it to come again. This time, one of the kits investigated, sniffing the food. The mother joined, then the other two kittens.

The family of feral animals chewed the meat, unusually passive and docile.

Omega lightly stroked one of the kittens, amazed by the feeling of their fur. Wrecker grinned, his gloved hand licked by the other two kits.

"Can we keep 'em?" Wrecker begged, looking at Hunter with puppy eyes.

"This is their home," Hunter answered, letting him down easy. "This is where they want to be, so this is where they'll stay."

First, it was reading their emotions, and now communicating with animals. It stank of force-sensitivity, even though he doubted it.

They skipped back into their hole, chirping at them as they passed. Omega waved goodbye, excited to see even more animals.

"How do you do that?" She asked, eager to learn it herself.

"Instinct. Mandalorians are raised from birth to trust themselves, to trust what their gut tells them. It told me that she was only protecting her babies, nothing malicious. You'll learn someday."

"I want to meet all kinds of creatures!"

"There's no limit to what you'll see in this galaxy, Megs," Bossk assured, ruffling the helmet she wore. "So long as Dad Batch are right next to ya."

"We're not the Dad Batch," Echo corrected, although he didn't sound so certain.

"Dad Batch or Bro Batch, either's good with me!" Wrecker smiled, slapping Bossk's shoulder. "We need a fight!" The Trandoshan snarled in agreement, eager to bruise the clone.

They were only a few minutes away from the farm, and in three hours, dusk would begin to set. The more Hunter hung with these odd pair, the more they grew on him. They were capable of skinning folk alive but having that protecting Omega was alright.

Boba was showing Omega a lot of things, even giving her his helmet. He was only three or four years older than her; he had a lot to teach. He was good with kids, too, something Hunter was still learning.

Then there was Bossk's nickname, Dad Batch. Hunter was mimicking what Cut did, so was he being a father to Omega? He never thought of being a parent before, but the past two weeks were unexpected. Maybe he could be a dad to her, be someone to look after her as she deserved.

Not only would Hunter learn a lot about being a mercenary, but interacting with children, too.

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

Saw looked over the bodies, the stench of burnt flesh searing his nostrils. His face scrunched in rage, practically seizing with pure rage.

"I'm sorry, sir, but none survived," Lorc sighed, shaking his head. "They were all wiped out. Not just that, but the dead trooper's wounds are the same as our departed. Friendly fire, presumably."

"Which damned clone was it?"

"That's the issue. It wasn't a clone; it was a random guy in clone armour," Edrio continued, confusing the man. "We've estimated five to have been shot by precise skills matching a clone. The rest were random people. The damage indicates a distance, probably a sniper."

"I know who did it," Saw spat, looking away from the burned bodies. "And we're going to make him pay for it. I want the Bad Batch; I want the one that killed these people as though they were swine. We'll make him suffer for this."

"He and the empire, sir," Mari agreed, charging her rifle.

Saw would destroy this empire, even if it killed him.

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

The farmer was both overjoyed and miserable.

The thief stole food and much of his equipment, most of which she can't replace due to financial struggles. Bossk terrified his Tooka cat, and Wrecker kept bumping his head on the ceiling. Being the second smallest, Boba wasn't concerned with the Toydarian's accommodations.

"Every night, the loth-rat takes more and more. I've set up traps, boobytraps, I even bought a droid, but they stole all of it!" She cried, hovering in distress. "I need them gone. I don't care what you do with them, so long as they leave us be."

"How're you going to pay?" Bossk asked, getting an elbow to the side from Echo. "If you want to afford rations, this is how."

"The local farmers have pitched in. The most we can do is fifteen thousand credits," she sighed, slowly drifting onto a chair. "Our crops haven't done well this year. That war has stripped the galaxy of life; even the planets are too exhausted from it."

"We'll take half," Boba decided, much to Bossk's annoyance. "Lothal's yaim par pirates bal smugglers. Vi ne'waadas eyn sur'haai olar," he added in a strange language, getting a grunt in response.

From the sounds of it, that was Mando'a, the tongue of Mandalorians. Hunter wasn't the best at languages; Tech was more specialised for that.

"By the light of Lothal's moons, you're a blessing to this valley," she whimpered, wiping her eyes. "We wish you luck on this bounty, Fetts."

Plural?

"I'm his uncle," Bossk explained to the confused four, patting Boba's shoulder and glancing at the Toydarian. "We'll make sure that they won't come again."

And so, the quest is on. Find the thief, get paid and get the hell off of Lothal. Omega was happy to be tagging along, asking about boobytraps and the sort. Wrecker picked her up, concerned that she was getting tired from the walking.

Echo would rather have stayed with Highslinger, but walking alone at night wasn't a good idea. Bossk took notice of his hesitancy, snorting for the clone's attention.

"I'm assuming it's all Techno Union?" Echo nodded at the question, the lack of feeling in his 'legs' creeping through his spine. What was left of 'his' spine. "We know a gal who can help with that. She fixes Dengar and Highslinger up after jobs. A friend of Omega's is a friend of ours."

"I'll have to take you up on that. I'd be happier to leave this all back on Skako Minor."

"We can blow it up if that'll ease the anguish."

"Did I hear blow up?" Wrecker interrupted, practically shaking from excitement. "What's going boom?"

"Nothing for now," Echo sighed, shaking his head. "You're going to drop Omega."

"I'm fine!" She assured, gripping onto Wrecker's armour. "Your eyes are pretty."

"Thank you," Bossk said, making a mixture of a chirp and purr in response. "You're a lovely young lady yourself. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, Lil Mega."

Ever since meeting Hunter, things just got better for Omega. She had Clone Force 99 and now Krayt's Claw, an odd but loving family of misfits. They made her feel special, more than just a mere assistant or failed experiment. Bossk talked to her like she was an equal, as did the others.

Being around them only added to the coldness of Kamino. They didn't show nearly the compassion Bossk did, and he'd only known her two days or so. Hunter, Echo, Wrecker and Tech were more family than the Kaminoans ever were, and she wanted it to stay that way.

Even though Crosshair was under the chip, she wanted to get to know him. The lads missed him, and she wanted to know who he really was. Not what the chip made him into or was making him do.

With Boba and his gang, it should be a whole lot easier to help him.

Far away, sitting atop a pile of stones, Fennec lowered her rifle.

[baepop]

J’aime III [final]

After meeting Jungkook again years after your heartbreak, letting him in proved to be harder than you both expected.

Word Count: 13k

Pairing: You x Jungkook

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Smut

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this series as much as I enjoyed writing it ;___;

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

You could not help the feeling of relief and overwhelming emotion that overtook you as you searched amongst the ocean of attendees for your family. Tears sprang to the corners of your eyes while shimmying past a couple of graduates embracing. You recognized your mother’s graying hair peeking through the crack of limbs before you. With a final push, you cleared into the field to greet your cheering family members. The first thing you noticed was the beautiful bouquet of flowers in your father’s arms. The next thing was the presence of your grandmother, which ushered in a fresh wave of tears. You hugged as many family members at once as you could, your shiny gown billowing behind you in the warm spring wind. You finally made it. These had been the most taxing 4 years of your life, but you finally graduated college with your criminal justice degree.

“Ahh, stop crying! You’re going to look ugly in the photos!” Your mother wiped the dripping mascara from your under eyes carefully. Normally, a comment like that from her would have you sneering, but you couldn’t be bothered as the overwhelming happiness painted everything in rosy hues.

After taking turns posing with every single one of your supporters, you all piled into cars and drove off towards your house where a family barbecue was already underway. You smiled giddily at the cheesy hand painted sign that read “Class of 2020” hanging on your porch, no doubt the messy scrawl of your uncles. In true family fashion, it seemed they had started partying long before the guest of honor should arrive. Your heels clicked against the pavement as you made your way to your backyard where children chased each other around and adults lounged around the grill, sipping from their cold beer bottles and talking loudly over the booming music that blared from your dad’s speakers. The sun shone brightly over your neighborhood in the vast and cloudless blue sky, so much so, that you had to squint and use your hand as a visor as you took everything in.

Your ample state of serenity would have been enough to carry you for the rest of the summer, if you hadn’t been startlingly cognizant of the unexpected presence standing awkwardly by your fence. Your body stiffened, your wary eyes squinting at his equally uncomfortable figure. Your mother patted your back as you turned to her, your eyes urging her to explain.

The expanse of time in between you having quit your job at the café and your graduation had been a blur. You had already known heartbreak prior to the crushing blow of those vile text messages, so your body was equipped with the sort of numbness you needed to survive that pain again. You threw yourself into your studies, even retaking classes you had gotten low grades on before. You were determined not to worry your parents like you had when Jungkook left. You were also determined not to repeat your mistakes in a moment of weakness, so you spent most of your time out of the house. And you had done a damn good job at it too since being on a first name basis with your school’s librarians served as tangible proof.

It was by no means an easy feat, however. Anytime you’d see Hobi’s or Jungkook’s name flashing on your phone screen, it’d take you back to the night you couldn’t sleep, and then to various other nights when you didn’t even realize the sun was rising because you had been having so much fun hanging out. You missed the days where the only pain you knew was the one at your sides from laughing so hard and not the one in your heart.

Mr. Kim had been flustered when you resigned over the phone, urging you to reconsider and wondering if everything was okay at the sound of your sullen tone of voice. You refused to elaborate, simply telling him that you needed to focus on your studies. It wasn’t exactly a lie, after all. But you knew the boys wouldn’t accept such an explanation, and you weren’t inclined to inquire about their little bet for fear of being manipulated again. You simply wanted a clean break, and that meant acting as if you all had never even met.

It was hard at first. Whenever your phone would ring nonstop, you knew it was because one of them was parked outside of your house waiting for you to come down. You allowed yourself to peak out of your window whenever that was the case, believing yourself to be a masochist above all else. The sight of Jungkook twirling his keys in his hand and holding his phone up to his ear, waiting for you to answer him, never quite left you.

Eventually, the calls and text messages stopped coming. Eventually, there was no need to look out of the window anymore, much to your relief but also disappointment. They had both given you exactly what you wanted in the end, a clean break. It had since been so long that you had seen any of them, that seeing Hobi regard you warily from the limit of your backyard was enough to stop you in your tracks.

“I invited him, dear. You two used to be so close! Go say hello, don’t be rude!” Your mom offered you a tentative smile as she pushed you in his direction before heading over to the grill. Ruby crescents formed on your sweaty palms. You cursed yourself for not being transparent with her about what really happened, but how were you to know she would ambush you like this? You pursed your lips while holding prolonged eye contact with your unwanted guest. Eventually, he offered you a small wave before shoving his hands in his pockets and shrugging his shoulders. You took a deep breath and removed your heels, knowing they wouldn’t fare well against the soft terrain that spanned past the concrete walkway.

You approached the boy with your hands on your hips. He offered you a coy smile but waited for you to speak first as you eyed him incredulously.

“What…are you doing here?” You tried to keep the venom out of your tone, since you truly wanted to know his logic behind his sudden appearance.

“Couldn’t say no to your mom. She insisted and, I’ve been wanting to see you, so… here I am.” He peered at you through his lashes, but it still wasn’t enough to demolish the emotional wall you had built and reinforced these past few years.

You sighed, not feeling satisfied in the slightest. “Well, you really shouldn’t have come.”

Hobi nodded in a morose fashion, looking down at his feet while kicking small rocks into the dirt.

“Hoseok! Honey, come eat!” Your mother waved him over with a huge plate of food in her hands. Your head snapped in her direction as internally screamed at her audacity.

Hobi rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment but conceded to her request as he approached the food table with you closely in tow. Your mother handed you a plate as well, and you both took seats near the playing children.

Neither of you ate for a while, letting the upbeat music fill the heavy silence in between you two.

Eventually, Hobi cleared his throat to congratulate you on your big day. “Criminal justice, right? So, are you going to be, like, a cop or something?” Hobi took a bite of his hot dog.

“Not exactly. I have a job in the city waiting for me once summer is over with a small PI’s office.” Hobi nodded, clearly impressed by how together your life was.

“That’s awesome. I fucked my credits up, so I still have a semester left until I graduate.” Hobi chewed on his food thoughtfully.

You nodded along, finally paying attention to the plated food on your lap. You could only spare a few curt responses in between bites. “Music studies?”

The excruciating small talk continued until your plates were empty. As you sat and watched your two baby nephews wrestling on the grass, you heard Hobi finally speak up softly next to you.

“Can I at least know…what I did?” You turned to him, his eyes melting into yours in a moment of true affliction. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss you like hell. If there’s anything I can do to get you back, consider it done.”

Your eyes glossed over as a sudden wave of emotions raged beneath the surface of your cold demeanor. You broke away from his gaze to watch something, anything that would cut the intensity of the moment.

You shook your head, not wanting him to say anything further. When you spoke, your words came out small and strained. “I…know I shouldn’t have…but I read your text messages that night we fought, the ones between you and Jungkook. I know everything so…before you try and backtrack, please just don’t.” Your face hardened before you turned back to him, though your glistening eyes betrayed you.

His face was grave, nodding after you spoke and leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees in contemplation. A resigned sigh was his only response for the next few minutes.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry we were such douchebags to you. We just got so caught up and competitive and put you in the middle of it. That was wrong and…I…we never meant for you to get hurt,” He turned back to you to convey his adamancy further, “but I really am sorry, Y/N. You don’t have to forgive me, I just need you to know that I am.”

You sighed too, already feeling drained from the day’s events. This was the last thing you were expecting today of all days. Hobi’s admittance would have wreaked much more havoc in your life when everything was still fresh, but now, it was easier to bear. You weren’t in the business of turning back the clock on your friendship with him, but you were no longer mad enough to kick him out of your party. When he got up to leave after you didn’t offer any more, you watched his receding figure approach the entrance of your backyard before you called out to him. He turned around and found you coming after him much to his surprise.

“You don’t… have to leave,” You sighed heavily, releasing the tension you had been holding in your heart after all this time, “I accept your apology. I’m not sure we can go back to how we were, but I could never hate you. You were my best friend after all. Just…stay for a while. And eat some more before my mom complains about how skinny you’ve gotten.” You smiled at him weakly, wondering if he might start crying with the look of surprise on his face.

Hobi’s eyes turned into crescent moons as his brilliant answering smile bunched up his cheeks. He agreed and followed you back to the food table. You made him another plate while he joked around with one of your uncles, unable to fight off Hobi’s infectious laughter for long. The rest of your afternoon spent together was reminiscent of the fun times you used to have, except this time, you were both older and aware of how fleeting wonderful moments could be. The serenity from before found its way back to you tenfold in the end.

What succeeded your graduation barbecue were some of the most carefree days you had had since you were a kid. It felt so good not to have to worry about deadlines or even wearing pants for that matter. You relished in the feeling of not having any responsibilities as long as you could, knowing you’d be entering the working world in only a few months.

You often thought about what your coworkers might be like, and if working in the city was really as cool as everyone made it out to seem. Taking the subway was a daunting idea that you tried not to dwell on too much, knowing it was unreasonable to fret being the only person out of millions of commuters to not be able to figure it out.

Another idea that both excited you and made you nervous was the thought of living on your own for the first time in your life. Your parents had helped you secure a small apartment near your job since commuting from your house was out of the question. You had taken the time to purchase cheap furniture and appliances from the little savings you had as well as something professional to wear for your first day. You had spent much time wondering what working at an office might be like and stupidly hoping it’d be more exciting than just fetching coffee for higher ups all day. Sadly, that’s exactly what awaited you, but you wouldn’t find that out until the Monday after your family helped you move into your new place. After hauling the little furniture you had up six flights of stairs, they stayed for a while to help you get your things put in place and order pizza.

You assumed you were so tired from the days’ events that you fell asleep on the couch, since you awoke the next morning to an empty apartment and your internet fully hooked up. As you finished arranging your clothes into your drawers, you couldn’t help feeling pathetic at the wave of homesickness that cast a dark shadow over your exciting new endeavor. Figuring it was doing you harm to stay in on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and dwelling on the many miles that now separated you from your family, you decided to take a walk and get to know your new neighborhood.

You quickly found the city to be a much hotter and more humid place than you were expecting it to be as you sauntered down the block in flip flops, shorts and your favorite pair of sunglasses. There was no alleviating breeze to be had around any corner you passed, and as perspiration began trickling down your back, you kicked yourself for having the bright idea to leave your air conditioner’s side willingly. Still, you had to admit, the constant traffic of people in a rush and the endless line of businesses that caught your attention for miles on end was exciting enough to get your mind off of the fact that you were utterly alone now.

When you got tired of fanning your sweating face with your equally sweaty hand to no avail, you decided to stop into a café only a few blocks from your apartment for an ice cold drink and, at the very least, to get out of the sun for a while. As you stepped into the quaint shop squeezed in the middle of an entertainment store and a pet shop, you were grieved to find a distinct lack of cool air welcoming you, no doubt a result of the packed crowd awaiting you indoors. I guess everyone had the same idea, huh? Still, the small florescent bulbs that hung over small wooden tables without chairs was much more favorable to the beating sun shining on everything just outside of the shop windows.

Finding the idea of waiting in line with the rest of the hot and sticky people in there unappealing, you settled for taking stand at one of the tables and waiting for the shop to clear out a little. You didn’t mind in the slightest, since you didn’t have anywhere you needed to be per se. Besides, you loved people watching. Looking around the tiny room, you realized just how true the stories were about people creating businesses under a desk in the city of you’d let them. This café was a fraction of the size that J’aime was, but you could already tell it saw an exponentially larger number of customers. It had a charming minimalist vibe full of potted plants that hung along exposed ceiling pipes, abstract pictures on the walls, and a ton of wood accents to compliment.

You caught the looks of other wondering eyes and out of politeness if nothing more, shot a smile back before continuing to let your eyes wander. You idly thought about what the workload must be like for the employees there, reminiscing about your own time working at a café which was filled with tons of downtime. Looking behind the counter, you observed two girls who reminded you of the boys. While one wrung up orders diligently, the other sped around the bar making orders, though they lacked the charm and people skills your ex coworkers had to ease peeved customers in this irritating climate. Deciding it’d probably be best to just head home and take a cold shower, you slipped past the crowd and ventured into the unrelenting sun once more, vowing to visit the shop at a less busier time and get that iced chai you craved.

“Come in!” A grumpy voice beckoned you in from the other side of the door. You looked around the small studio before opening the door to your manager’s office. Your company was small given the nature of its work, renting out a room on the ninth floor of a much larger building full of other small businesses of the same size. Apart from yourself, there was an older woman who sat at her desk and didn’t pay your arrival any mind, and a slightly older woman that chewed on an apple and eyed you enough to make you uncomfortable.

With a resigned sigh, you turned the doorknob and entered, closing the door behind you. “Good morning.” You stood at the door regarding the blonde at his desk while fidgeting with the zipper on your purse. You were expecting to find a much older gentleman with a five o’clock shadow and a lit cigar in his hand waiting for you. Looking at his pale and slight figure and shiny platinum locks that hung over bored eyes caught you off guard to say the least.

“Well? Are you just going to stand there?” He couldn’t be bothered to give you his full attention. Realizing you probably looked like a scared calf in his office, you rushed to take a seat and tried to seem less nervous. This definitely wasn’t the welcome party you were hoping for.

“Y/N, right?” He spoke as he shuffled through some loose papers on his disheveled desk, a gold plaque at the edge that read “Min Yoongi”.

“Uh, yeah.” You watched everything he did like a hawk, wanting to be ready for whatever he’d throw at you.

“You had to think about your own name?” You gulped and blushed, feeling flustered already.

“N-No. I—" His hands stilled while organizing the papers, his eyes meeting yours sharply. After a moment, good humor seemed to find him.

“How are you liking the city so far?” You had to take a second to process his attempt at small talk.

“It’s um…well, it kind of sucks.” You swallowed thickly, praying he wasn’t an avid city boy.

He paused again, maintaining eye contact for a couple seconds before his eyes squinted into a disarming gummy smile. He chuckled as he finished clearing his desk. “Yeah, not many people like the city at first but,” he reached into a desk and gathered a clip board and pen, “it’ll grow on you, I promise.” You sighed with relief, taking the documents from his hand and eyeing them carefully. You recognized the non-disclosure forms immediately. “Welcome to the office. This is your first job out of college, I’m assuming?” You looked up and nodded. “I won’t give you a ton of stuff to do, I mainly just want you to get a feel for how we do things around here. Sound good?” You nodded eagerly. “You do speak, don’t you?”

“Y-yes! Yes, I do, that sounds great.” You both chuckled lightly, you with a twinge of embarrassment and him getting a kick out of messing with the new hire.

“Byulyi, get in here!” He called out to one of the women just outside the door, though you weren’t sure whom. In a split second, the door burst open and in sauntered the brunette with the apple. “That was way too fast, were you listening outside of the door again?”

“I sure was, boss.” She smiled cheekily and took turns looking in between you and him. You couldn’t help but smile at her antics, wondering if she had been working here for long. She seemed to have an immunity to Mr. Min’s intimidating persona.

“Mhm. Well, take her and show her around. And for the love of god, don’t scare her off like you did the last one. Now get the fuck out of my office, both of you.” You got up quickly and exited the room, waiting nearby for the girl who lingered behind.

“It’s not my fault! You’re just not hiring the right people!” She yelled as she closed the door quickly before an incoming projectile in the shape of a paperweight could strike her. A thud was heard from behind the door making you flinch. She turned to you and smiled, “Uhh, not you, though! I’m sure you’ll be great.” She gave you a thumbs up before leading you over to her desk. “This is where I do important bad guy business,” She pointed to her computer and keyboard, “This is the immense documentation that needs to be processed, necessary for me to do my job legally, “She pointed at the overflowing stack of papers shoved off to the side, “Oh and, that’s Gladys over there. She’s the real sunshine of the office, the absolute light of my life. Gladys, I love you.” You both looked over at the older woman who sat typing away on her keyboard too busy to acknowledge your inquisitive stare.

“Fuck off Moon.” Glady’s grumbled with her eyebrows furrowed towards the screen. The brunette turned to you while holding back a laugh.

“See? Isn’t she the sweetest?” You grinned and wondered if she was this hyper all of the time. She continued, “Now that you’re acquainted with everything, take this,” She handed you a debit card, “and get us some coffees. Run along now!” She watched you with amusement as you struggled to form words. You felt whiplash at trying to keep up with everything and everyone.

You looked down at the card in your hand, realizing your fears were coming true. “Um…how do you all take your coffees?”

“Surprise me.” She responded absentmindedly, already absorbed in the contents of her computer screen. You hurried out and took one last look back, hoping you didn’t get lost on your way back. Once you descended to the first floor via the elevator and stepped out into the late morning atmosphere, you shrank against the bricks that lined the building’s walls. You had been so nervous before you got there, and somehow you were even more so now. Part of you expected to have your nerves quelled once you got settled in, but that was definitely not going to be the case. Finding your footing would prove to be difficult when every single one of your coworkers was intimidating in their own way. It made you think about your first day at J’aime and how intimidating Jungkook seemed. The memory made you smile, lifting your spirits enough to get your small task done. You sighed and sprang up to your feet in the direction of that café you had visited the day before, not wanting to take too long and risk seeing anyone’s bad side just yet.

You played with the debit card in the pocket of your blazer as you crossed the busy intersection. The shop was now in plain view, so you decided to think about what order. Upon arriving, you noticed how the shop was way less busy than it was before, thankfully. There were a few people dressed in professional attire, similar to yours, standing in line as you took your place behind them. By the time you reached the cash register, you had settled on getting one black coffee, one with cream and sugar, one with dairy-free milk and a dirty chai for yourself.

“Will that be all for today?” The cutesy cashier chirped as she plucked the card from your extended hand.

“Yes, thank you!” You headed towards the bar area to wait for your order, pulling your phone out to keep track of the time as you waited. You weren’t sure how long they expected you to be gone, so you didn’t want to lag behind in the slightest.

“Jungkook! We’re out of chai…yeah…and matcha too! And bring more cup sleeves if you can, we’re running low…yeah…” You were startled out of your reverie at the sound of your ex-lover’s name. Your head snapped up to see the barista chatting away on her cell phone, balancing the device between her shoulder and her ear and a coffee in each hand. She turned around and handed you half of your order, startled to see you had already been watching her. She hung up and put her phone away, looking at you with evident frustration on her face. “I’m sorry but we’re out of chai. Can I get you anything else?”

“Um, I’ll just take regular black tea if you have it.” She nodded enthusiastically before busying herself with the rest of your order. How many people have the name Jungkook? You refused to believe she could’ve been talking to the same Jungkook from your hometown. Fate wouldn’t be so cruel.

When you arrived back at the office, you found the brunette perched on top of her desk as she had been before, scrutinizing her watch. You shut the door behind you with your leg since your hands were full of drinks. “Seventeen minutes. What the hell were you doing, new girl? Getting coffee from downstairs definitely does not take seventeen minutes.” She crossed her arms and waited for you to speak, quirking her brow when you didn’t respond right away. As you looked around the room speechless, you saw that your boss and the older woman had stepped out, leaving just you two present. “Well?”

You sighed and put the drinks down on her desk, turning to her and holding out the debit card for her to take. When she reached for it, you drew your hand back. She scoffed at your audacity, but you were determined not to let your coworkers intimidate you anymore. “I have a name, I’m pretty sure you know it too, yet you insist on treating me like a pet. Please stop. Also, I didn’t know there was a place to get coffee that’s closer, I just moved here and you didn’t specify. I’ll be quicker next time though.” You placed her debit card on her extended palm with a huff.

Her eyebrows shot up and a slow smile crept across her face. “Ah, so you do have a backbone! Good to know, you’ll need it to be able to handle the kind of work we do here.” She gave you an encouraging smile, “Trust me, I’m a fluffy puppy compared to our clients. And the fact that you’re a woman means you’ll have an even harder time in this field, take it from me.” You blushed and nodded thoughtfully, your irritation dissipating into momentary embarrassment for losing your temper so quickly. She motioned towards the empty chair next to hers, “Sit down, I’ll show you some basics today in terms of paperwork. You’ll be doing a lot of the tedious work since you’re new, but it really helps us out when we get new cases.” Her mood seemed to be instantly lifted despite your slight overstep. Regardless of the oddness of it all, you were relieved she hadn’t fired you on the spot and hurried over to learn as much as you could.

From that day forward, you had an easier time at work. Moonbyul had taken you under her wing and taught you a lot on your first week, even showing you her more patient side anytime you had a question which was few and far between. It wasn’t long before you two were joking the same way she would with Yoongi and Gladys. You rarely got to work with the former since he did most of his work out on the field and would sometimes have to travel for days on end. Gladys was grumpy and anti-social but really good at her job, so you tried to help as much as you could but mainly kept out of her way. They had set you up with your own workspace two weeks after getting hired, and by the third week, you had already established a routine during the weekday. You’d arrive bright and early, fetch coffee, start on any paperwork left on your desk the day before and get distracted multiple times a day whenever Moon decided to saunter over to your area and annoy you for fun. Whenever it was time for lunch, you’d pull out a homemade pb and j from a brown paper bag and a banana like clockwork. You were still waiting on your first check to arrive in the mail, so you didn’t have the luxury of eating out just yet.

However, on one hectic morning when you forgot to set your morning alarm the night before, you found yourself without a packed meal come lunch time, the fear of arriving to work late making you forgetful. When your empty stomach became too hard to ignore, you begrudgingly headed out in search of a place you might find something to eat that wouldn’t cost you all of the money in your bank account. You took a stroll in the direction of your apartment and observed all the shops along the way, even stopping to look inside the quaint café you had been inside a few times but decided against stopping there since it didn’t look like they had much food options. You continued down the block, deciding to stop in at a pizza place with only a few customers in line.

As your eyes scanned the menu above the register, booming laughter kept distracting you from your inner monologue.

“You’ll get your slice when you bring me my coffee!” The older gentleman in an apron spoke aloud while shoving a fresh pie into the brick oven with ease.

“I’ll bring you your coffee when I get my pizza!” Your eyes landed on the boy he was talking to. His back was turned to you, but you’d recognize him anywhere. They both laughed in unison. You were next in line, but you hesitated to step forward, knowing he’d see you if you did. Yet somehow, you couldn’t find the resolve to bolt out of there, despite your subconscious screaming for you to do so.

“Hellooo,” The older man waved a palm in front of your face to get your attention, “Miss, are you ready to order?” You couldn’t rip your eyes away from the back of Jungkook’s head to address the pizzaiolo, and subsequently, you watched the boy turn towards you in slow motion, the curious look on his face morphing into one of clear shock.

The older man grew impatient, so he called for the next person in line to step forward. You sobered up at the feeling of someone pushing past you, so you quickly hopped out of the way then turned back to Jungkook. He, too, stepped away from the counter and towards you, not knowing what to say. You both stared at each other awkwardly, laughing halfheartedly when neither of you could manage to break the ice. You clutched your bag to your shoulder with both hands, feeling both butterflies and a pit at the bottom of your stomach.

He seemed impossibly older, despite it only being a few years since you’d last laid eyes on each other. His hair was straightened now and had highlights, and his tattoos had grown in number. You ogled at his sleeve of artwork that trailed up and under his short sleeve shirt that clung to every muscle in his torso. It seemed he had gotten stockier over time, though he still wore the same dangly earrings and ripped jeans that you remembered he loved so much.  

“Y/N…what are…you doing here?” He smiled and crossed his arms observing you in the same way you were him.

“Oh, I…work not too far from here. I’m on my lunch break so…” You avoided eye contact, finding it strange how you two felt like strangers, despite all the history you both shared. “What are you doing here?”

“I actually work here too, in the city now, I mean.” He rubbed the back of his neck, a shy smile blooming on his facial features. “I manage the coffee shop a few stores down. It’s the small one by the pet shop, you can’t miss it.”

You giggled, “I think I’ve been inside once or twice, actually.”

“Oh yeah? What’d you think? Not bad huh?” He leaned against the soda machine cheekily, which had you giggling even more so.

“Well, considering you don’t keep it stocked with chai, I’ll have to deem it subpar at best.” You childishly stuck your tongue out at his crestfallen expression.

“You just happened to catch us at a bad time!” You both laughed heartily at his attempt to defend his store. “Seriously though, you should come by soon. I’ll give you anything you want, on the house.” You blushed and smiled down at your shoes, not knowing what to say. Is he flirting with me? Your heart skipped a beat at the idea, but the high didn’t last long once the memory of who he actually was came knocking.

You looked back up at his hopeful doe eyes and smiled weakly, “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind. But um…I should get going now, don’t want to be late and all.” His expression fell as you quickly waved and jetted out of the shop. You didn’t make it halfway down the block before you heard heavy footsteps running to catch up to you. When you turned around, Jungkook was behind you, keeled over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath momentarily.

“Wait! You can’t just leave without letting me know when I’ll see you again.” When he stood up, you noticed the sad look in his eyes. “Do you still have the same number? Maybe we can meet up some time, I can show you around?” You bit your lip, contemplating the idea.

“That sounds nice and all but…I don’t know, Jungkook…” You scratched your head, kicking yourself for not having a better excuse on hand. You’d be lying if you said you hadn’t missed him all this time, but still, you had to be careful with your heart from now on. Hanging out with him as friends might feel good platonically for old times sake but, you didn’t want to risk getting caught up again.

“Well, I’m not taking no for an answer. Say you’ll come see me at the shop some time! C’mon, you know you want too…” You smiled, remembering how cute he is when he begs. Finally, you sighed and agreed, making plans to have lunch together the following day around the same time. He was overjoyed to say the least, finally releasing you so you could hurry back to the office before being late. You hadn’t even noticed your lack of food, your stomach being full of butterflies instead.

The next day at work was oddly hectic. You barely had a moment to breathe, let alone check your phone for the time. You had even forgone the retrieval of morning coffee in favor of making headway on the mess of paperwork that had awaited you at your desk upon arrival. After sending out a retainer agreement and getting started on a surveillance report, you noticed your phone buzzing in your bag. By the time you had rummaged for it, you saw five missed phone calls from an unsaved number. Finding it strange since you never give your phone number out, you realized it might’ve been Jungkook, your lunch date having been long forgotten. You quickly checked the time to see it had been 20 minutes past when you agreed to meet up. You jumped up from your desk and announced you were taking your lunch on your way out of the door. You could hear Moon protesting from down the hall, but you resolved to deal with it later, needing to focus on putting out one fire at a time.

As you jogged down a few city blocks and turned the corner, you noticed Jungkook staring down at his phone while standing in front of his coffee shop. You were littered with guilt at the site of him thinking he had been stood up. Realizing he was calling you again, you answered your phone while walking towards him.

“Y/N!” You observed him begin pacing back and forth nervously, “I was worried I had the wrong number or something…did you forget about today? It’s cool if you did…” You bit back a giggle at his attempt to play it off. By the time he had finished talking you had already reached him, so you hung up and tapped on his shoulder. He lowered the receiver and turned around only to find you staring up at him apologetically.

“So sorry. I lost track of time at the office. Are you still able to hang out?” Jungkook laughed and slipped his phone into his back pocket. Is he blushing?

“Yeah, of course! Would you care if we had pizza?”

“I’d love some, actually.” You two walked down the rest of the block in silence. It was clear there was an elephant in the room that needed to be addressed before you could both chat like old friends. As soon as you both sat down with your food, he began poking fun at you for gingerly dabbing the grease off your pizza with a napkin.

“What are you, too good for us now?”

You rolled your eyes yet your persistent grin only grew in size, realizing it was a habit you had picked up after you two had stopped seeing each other. “Shut up! It’s a good habit to have. You should do it to actually.” You picked up the sliced and took a bite of the tip, eyeing him sternly. He held the eye contact as he shoved half of the slice into his mouth, grease and all, to spite you. You almost spit out your food while struggling to hold back your laughter. His distinct high-pitched giggle was music to your ears, fond memories of hanging out together pre-drama rushing back to you.

Once he finished chewing, he sat back and eyed you carefully. “So, I take it you graduated then? What made you move to the big city?”

You chewed thoughtfully before responding. “I don’t know…I wanted the experience, I guess. What about you though? I didn’t know you had plans to stay in the coffee business.” He flashed you his crooked smile and you could swear your heart stopped in that moment.

“I didn’t, actually. It just kind of happened. The opportunity presented itself when my lease was up, so I took the plunge. Wanted a change of scenery too I guess, lots of memories I couldn’t get away from back home.” He looked at you meaningfully before taking another bite of his pizza. You looked away, unsure of what he really meant to say.

“I’m surprised you had the heart to move away from Hobi to be honest. You two were thick as thieves.” His eyebrows shot up at the mention of your ex bestfriend’s name, a sour pucker lingering on his lips.

“Were. He quit the café shortly after you did. I ended up helping Jin run it for a while and hired a whole new staff. That’s where I was really able to get the management experience I needed…anyway…I haven’t really talked to him since. You two just kind of disappeared, it was really lonely for a while to be honest.”

You didn’t know what to say as he spoke so nonchalantly about the matter. On your loneliest nights you had always assumed they were off finding some other girl to play with, even going as far as to hurt your own feelings by imagining Jungkook playing pool with someone else. Never had you once imagined they might be as lonely as you were.

“I actually hadn’t seen Hobi after that either, at least not until a couple months ago. He crashed my graduation party. I was really mad at first but, I’m glad he did. I really missed him, and you, even though you both didn’t even deserve that much from me.”

Your jab made Jungkook smile. “Man, things got really fucked up between us, didn’t they?” He sighed, looking out of the window in thought.

“Yeah, they did…” Neither of you spoke for a while. You picked at your pizza, your appetite long gone.

“You found out about the bet, didn’t you?” His question caught you off guard.

“Yeah, I did. But we don’t have to talk about that, really. It’s in the past, right?’ You smiled at him then checked your watch, realizing you only had a few minutes to get back to work.

Jungkook watched you collect your belongings dejectedly. “It is, but at least let me show you I’m not as stupid was I was before? We used to have fun together, you have to admit.” You didn’t respond to him as you were in a hurry to dash out of the pizza shop as you had the day before. Jungkook hurried to your side and grabbed your arm before you could yank the glass door open. You turned around to find him inches away, his tormented eyes searching yours.

“Jungkook—”

He cut you off before you could protest fully. “Y/N, I’m truly sorry that I hurt you. You didn’t deserve it.” You tried to wrench your arm out of his grasp but failed. He was determined for you to hear him out. “Look, we were colossal assholes, I know this. And you don’t have to agree to be my friend again or even forgive me, but just… let me see you again. I really fucked up with you and I want to make it right.”

You sighed as he finally let you go, slinging your bag over your shoulder and blinking tears away. “Jeon Jungkook, are you ever going to stop reappearing into my life and having to apologize every time?” You watched him rub his neck before looking down at you with those big doe eyes again. You smiled, feeling like the worst was over.

“This’ll be the last time, I promise.” The resolve in his voice and stare shook you, the notion striking you as both genuine and romantic as hell. Still, you had to admit you might’ve been inclined to think any grand declarations on his part were less than innocent.

You sighed and pulled the door open to the pizzeria, but before you left, you told him to give you a call sometime.

Jungkook didn’t waste any time in giving you a call. In fact, your phone began vibrating on your way home that same day. You thought it odd that he’d know exactly when to call you, but a second of clarity had you looking across the street and meeting his eyes. He waved at you from the coffee shop windows and you couldn’t help the goofy smile on your face as you crossed the street.

“Hey!” You greeted him breathlessly upon entering the small establishment.

“Heading home?” he busied himself with checking off items on a keyboard.

“Yeah. I just got done work so…”

“I’m actually wrapping up here now so, I’ll walk you. Give me a few minutes.” His proposition made you nervous but you agreed nonetheless, waiting for him outside of the shop to avoid the curious stares of his employees. Within minutes, you were both walking in the direction of your apartment in the most painstakingly slow pace. The sun was casting a fiery golden glow on everything it touched upon its descent, including Jungkook’s stunning features. You tried not to look at him too much, afraid you might give away what was lying beneath the surface of your hesitation to let him in again. It eluded you how you could still be so into him after all this time and after so much history. You remembered something your mom had told you long ago, about long-time crushes being signs of love. You scoffed at the idea of being in love with Jungkook.

“What’s wrong?” Jungkook turned to you, mirroring the humor on your face. The thought of telling him what you were truly thinking had you chuckling aloud.

“It’s nothing. Just something funny that happened at work. Anyway,” You looked up and saw your apartment building come into view, “Do you want to come up really quick and see my new place? Normally I don’t invite people up but, it’s only fair given that you invited me to your housewarming.”

“Wow, I am honored. Truly.” Jungkook’s sarcasm had you shoving him playfully, earning a fit of laughter from the boy. As you two paused in front of the steps to your place, you both turned to each other. You were taken aback at the look of indecision on his face. He pressed his mouth into a hard line as he took turns looking at you, then at the entrance to your building, then down the block. “I uh, can’t. I’m sorry…lunch tomorrow though? We’ll go someplace new.”

“Oh, um, sure.” You weren’t sure what to make of his refusal to come up with you, but you decided not to pry, although you were feeling a little rejected deep down.

“You won’t forget me this time?” He smiled at you cheekily and bit his lip, looking at yours for a brief moment then focusing on your eyes with a gulp.

You giggled and tucked some hair behind your ear. “I won’t! I promise.” He watched the door close behind you before setting off down the block and away from view.

As you threw your bag and blazer onto the couch and flung your shoes off, you immediately skipped gleefully towards the bathroom to run a bath.

You and Jungkook had made it a habit to have lunch together every day at the same time after your pizza date, much to Moon’s amusement.

“Heading out?” She spoke up as you passed her desk on your way out. You turned on your heel to look at her curiously.

“Uh, yeah. On my lunch break. Did you need anything?” She got up from her chair to sit on the edge of her desk, eyeing you with a mischievous glint in her stare.

“So, you’ve started wearing perfume every day to eat pb and j sandwiches on the bench outside, alone?” She lowered her glasses and tipped her head towards you, knowing exactly what to do by now to push your buttons.

You rolled your eyes then perked up. “Wait, how do you know that’s what I used to do for lunch?” The girl laughed at your innocent question.

“We have windows, you do know that, don’t you? And I’m assuming this is the same person you’ve been texting nonstop with a big smile on your face?” She turned to Gladys who was surprisingly paying attention to you two bicker, for once. “I think someone’s got a boyfriend, don’t you?”

“I reckon she does!” Both of them started hollering in laughter. You blushed, checking the time and avoiding their patronizing stares. You began opening the door before Moon piped up again, causing you to pause at the door one last time.

“Go get ‘em tiger! Don’t let him get away!”

Just as any other day as of late, you exited through the downstairs doors and began merrily walking towards Jungkook’s café. You two certainly weren’t completely back to the way things were before, but you felt a great deal of joy in his company as you had before and even looked forward to your time with him every day. It was nice to have someone to explore the city with, even if it was at short intervals. But it was also nice to have a friend in such a big lonely place. Having Jungkook nearby was great. For instance, just last week the weather began to drop dramatically since it neared October. Your air conditioning was still installed and making your apartment cold at night, so you convinced him to come over after work and remove it. It didn’t take much coaxing on your part, but as soon as it was done, he all but flew out of your apartment, much to your confusion and disappointment yet again. You were starting to think something was up, but you didn’t want to come off as whiny or anything, so you never brought it up. Besides, you two weren’t exactly dating or even officially friends, simply old acquaintances catching up. It felt out of place to bring up something like that. Still, you couldn’t deny how things had started to feel as of late. It was odd at first, interacting with Jungkook regularly completely devoid of sexual tension, given how you two started all those years ago. But lately you’d catch him looking at you in a way that was anything but friendly, to which he’d get flustered and pretend it never even happened. You weren’t used to this version of Jungkook, being well acquainted with his overly cocky and flirtatious mannerisms. You wondered if he assumed you were still mad at him, and if that’s why he was going out of his way to be respectful and not hit on you in the slightest. You couldn’t lie and say the idea of him flirting with you again like he used to didn’t excite you, but you also wanted to keep a level head about the situation. You hadn’t been with anyone since that fateful night, and you were homesick above all else, so you didn’t want to jump into Jungkook’s arms and regret it afterwards.

But what if Moonbyul was right? What if you didn’t take the risk of talking to him about your feelings and end up losing out on an amazing guy?

As you turned the corner, you saw Jungkook waiting outside of the shop as per usual. He was already facing your direction, so he instantly saw you from afar and waved shyly at you. You smiled, feeling how warm he made your heart feel, and resolved on making a move, somehow someway.

“Hey, you.” Jungkook beamed as he looked down at you, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Hey,” You smiled back, looking down to hide the blush forming on your cheeks, “What’s on the menu for today?” He was wearing the same leather jacket you often saw folded up in his work cubby and it made your heart palpitate.

“How’s Korean barbecue sound? I know a good spot not too far from here.” You perked up at the proposition and began walking together towards the restaurant while making light conversation. By now, you had both gotten into the rhythm of taking turns talking about work or what new Netflix anime you had discovered that week. Since it had been so long since you’d seen your family or friends from school, hanging out with Jungkook like this was especially nice.

As you sat at the restaurant and listened to Jungkook talk animatedly about some new coffee beans he had ordered for the shop, you decided to cut him off, Moon’s words of encouragement echoing in your mind.

“Jungkook…” The boy looked up at you with wide eyes and a mouth full of food. You smirked at the sight, feeling calmer somehow. “Why…don’t you ever want to hang out at my house? Or invite me to your place for that matter?” Jungkook finished swallowing his food and put his chopsticks down, realizing what you were getting at. “N-Not that it’s a problem or anything! I just, wanted to know…” You tried to backtrack after watching his expression turn grave.

“I’m actually seeing someone and I’m…I don’t want to—”

“Oh... Okay,” You began stabbing at your noodles with your chopsticks to dissimulate from the sheer shock. You hadn’t considered he was taken in the slightest. I’m so stupid.

Jungkook watched you warily, his own eyes wide as he hurried to do damage control. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s just casual sex, but still I---”

“You don’t have to explain, really! I understand. It was just a question, Jungkook.”

“Y/N…” You finally looked up at Jungkook to see the pity evident in his gaze which somehow cut deeper than the realization that you had already lost him. You felt your eyes begin to water, so you started grabbing your purse and jacket to leave. As you sprinted towards the door, you heard Jungkook calling out to you and garnering the attention of the entire restaurant. You couldn’t stay behind to listen to what he had to say. You know he wasn’t the bad guy, but it made you feel better thinking that he was instead of admitting that you had started to foolishly get your hopes up again. You sped walk back to work, tilting your head up to deter tears from falling and ruining your eyeliner. As a result, you bumped into someone at the corner in front of your office building and dropped your purse, spilling all of its contents onto the pavement. Squatting down and apologizing profusely, you began to cry. A pale hand began helping you pick up your things amongst the crowd of pedestrians.

“Jesus new girl, I take it your date didn’t go so well?” You paused to look up, realizing it was Moonbyul you had bumped into. You began full on sobbing as she patted your head and helped you up. She held you close to her as you two entered the building, not saying anything more on the matter but handing you a tissue once you got back to the office and leaving you alone for the rest of the day to sniffle at your paperwork in privacy.

You hadn’t met up with Jungkook again after your embarrassing display of emotions that afternoon. It had now been weeks without so much as a text from him and just as before, you were both grateful and dejected about the current state of affairs. As a result, you found yourself on the couch with a pint of ice cream in your hands on a Friday night, watching the same romantic comedy you always did when you were feeling bad for yourself. It was a bit of a ritual at this point. You weren’t proud of it, but it brought you too much comfort to quit it, especially when you never had any plans on the weekends anyway.

As you shoved a spoonful of rocky road into your mouth and lip synched to the script of the movie verbatim, the buzzing of your phone caught you off guard. When you flipped it over and saw Jungkook’s name on the screen, you nearly choked on your desert. What the hell!? Feeling oddly suspicious, you grabbed your phone and headed over to your window only to find that Jungkook was, indeed, outside. Your heart sank, feeling déjà vu mixed with panic. You weren’t ready to see him again after your last catastrophic encounter, and certainly not while wearing a ratty old hoody and a sad topknot. As you let the phone ring in your hand and watched him from above, he looked up and made eye contact with you. You cursed yourself for not drawing the curtains as he mimed towards his cell phone. You picked up the call and held it to your ear but didn’t say a word.

“Buzz me in.”

“No, go away Jungkook.

“I want to see you. Buzz me in right now.”

“NO!”

“Yes! Or else I’ll stand out here all night, I swear I will Y/N.” You groaned and hung up, trudging over to the intercom box on your wall. With the push of a button, Jungkook was ascending the stairs three steps at a time, giving you no chance to change or even tidy up your apartment. Three loud knocks disturbed the solitary peace in your small studio apartment. You groaned again, hesitating on opening the door. When you finally decided to do so, you put the chain on the door so that it could only open a few inches.

He held back a grin when he saw what you did. You peaked through the gap in the door with a quirked eyebrow. “Why are you here Jungkook?”

“Why are you mad at me?”

You rolled your eyes and sighed, this conversation not getting any less painful than it would’ve been weeks ago when the embarrassment was still fresh. ”I’m not! I’m mad at myself. You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? So, you can go now.” Jungkook stopped you from attempting to close the door, keeping his hand above the bolt and leaning in so his head was close to yours.

“Then why does it feel like I fucked up somehow? Please just let me in so we can talk properly?”

“What part of no don’t you understand?! You should go now, she’s probably waiting for you.” Jungkook sighed and bumped his head against the side of the door, already exhausted with the conversation.

“I told you, it’s not like that! It’s not like…” Jungkook stopped himself, looking down at the floor but you weren’t going to let him get off that easily.

“Like what? Like us? Is that what you were going to say?” Jungkook looked back up at you, torment evident in his eyes.

“Yes! Okay? Like us! We were the real deal, whether you want to admit it or not. You may not have thought it, but I sure as hell did.”

Your lips quivered as you stared at him, your eye contact hard and emotional. “Are you implying that I didn’t care about us?! Are you serious!? Jungkook I was so broken up about everything! Hell, I still am! But I’m a real idiot, falling for the same person over and over again despite it ending the same way each time.”

“Oh please,” Jungkook scoffed bitterly, fighting with himself for finally saying everything he had always wanted to but couldn’t, “Y/N you broke my fucking heart into a million pieces when you just dropped me from your life like nothing. Without giving me a reason, you just moved on and left me behind. I was so fucking in love with you, since before I had to move away. And the crazy part is that I still am!” Jungkook’s voice began breaking as tears silently spilled down your cheeks. You pressed your hand against your mouth to stifle your sobs. “But just when I finally start to move on, you show up again and make it impossible! Even though I tried hard to keep things platonic, I can’t help myself. I’m the real fucking idiot here.”

Your fingers shook as you undid the chain from the door. You opened it and took a second to speak so your voice wouldn’t waver. “Don’t say you’re in love with me if you’re not. I can’t take it if—” Jungkook pushed the door open and crashed his lips onto yours in one motion, effectively cutting off your sentence and taking your breath away all that once. He held your face with both hands as your tears continued to spill, your knees giving out from the intensity of the kiss. Thankfully, Jungkook reacted by taking hold of you by the waist and carrying you over to the couch. He sat down and placed you on his lap. You refused to break the kiss, relishing in its sweetness as your fingers knotted themselves in his soft hair.

“Stop crying.” Jungkook spoke in between kisses, wiping your cheeks only to find fresh tears spilling anew.

“I can’t help it!” You sobbed which made Jungkook chuckle softly. He kissed your forehead and laid your head on his shoulder, rubbing your back and your head to soothe you until you were only hiccupping.

After a while of laying on him and listening to his heartbeat, you sat back on his lap to face him, knowing you probably looked like the hottest mess to ever walk the earth, but decided nonetheless to throw caution to the wind. “Is it really okay that we’re doing this? I mean, you’re seeing someone…”

“I was. I broke things off weeks ago after you ran out on me. I figured that wasn’t the reaction of someone who didn’t care, and if I had any chance of getting you back then I didn’t want anything to ruin it.”

You nodded thoughtfully and continued on. “Why did you make that stupid bet?”

“Because I didn’t want to lose you. I was stupid enough to think you might wait for me when I left, and when I found out you were with Hobi…I don’t know… It made me absolutely crazy. I didn’t want to risk driving you away by confessing how I felt, especially since I was under the impression you weren’t that into me, so I tried to act cool about the whole thing. I should’ve never accepted that bet.” Jungkook let his head fall onto the back of the couch with a thud.

You took both of his hands in yours and squeezed them. “I think I get it now…but from now on, let’s just be open and honest about how we feel, yeah?” Jungkook smiled and nodded, looking back up at you with that dreamy gaze you loved so much. You couldn’t help kissing him again, but this time, you didn’t cry. You two continued making out on your couch, feeling no need to talk or interrupt for any reason. It was as if you two were making up for all the lost time, sharing sweet and tender kisses that mended your broken hearts. When you grew sleepy, he carried you to your bed and let you lay down on his chest until he heard your breathing even out. After checking to make sure you were actually asleep, he slipped out of your apartment quietly, leaving you to awaken the following morning to an empty bed. You almost started to believe it was all a very cruel dream since there were no signs of him being in your apartment last night, that is until you received a good morning text from him explaining he had to be at the coffee shop for shipment early the next day. Your heart was instantly full, realizing that Jungkook loved you after all. You finally felt ready to admit to yourself that you were in love with him too, and for the first time in a long time, you felt like you could breathe again. You buried your face in your pillow and screamed. You just couldn’t believe it.

You spent the rest of the day humming and prancing around your apartment while doing chores. Never in your life had you ever been in such a good mood while scrubbing floors on your hands and knees. You knew it was lame to be this excited about Jungkook coming over after the shop closes, but you couldn’t help yourself.

However, by the time you buzzed him in, you had deep cleaned your entire apartment, washed your sheets, placed lit candles on every surface in your apartment, painted your nails and watched them dry, watched a movie, and took a nap on your couch. He was 3 hours late and it was enough to put a damper on your wonderful mood.

As you heard him running up the stairs, you yanked the door open and instantly began berating him, but it didn’t last long since he didn’t waste any time on kissing you as soon as you began.

“Jungkook, wtf! Mm… It’s 1:00 in the morning! Mmm…Where—” He took you by the waist and pressed his lips against yours, walking you back into your apartment and kicking the door shut behind him. You tried to protest in between kisses, but each one was sweeter than the last, ultimately resulting in you melting in his arms and letting him have his way with you.

Eventually, he broke away and looked around at the dimly lit setting. “Wow, it smells really good in here!”

“Jungkook!” He laughed childishly as he watched you struggle to maintain a pout. He knew you were no match for his charms.

“Don’t be too mad! I’m really sorry. I had a ton of coffee spill on me right before close, so I had to go home and shower then come back. I ran as fast as I could.” He brushed his nose up against yours, coaxing a smile out of your stern face in the cutest way possible.

“Don’t you live around here?” You stared up at him in confusion as you ran your fingers through his damp hair.

“No, I live in another borough. Nothing was available within price range in this neighborhood when I first got to the city. Now can I continue kissing you?” He flashed you his crooked smile as his arms tightened around your waist. You pretended to be in deep thought about the proposition, so he tickled your sides as punishment for keeping him waiting. You squealed and laughed, struggling against his immovable hold on you.

“Okay, Okay! But, kiss me where though?” You giggled at the boy’s theatrics. He paused dramatically mid assault on your squishy sides, then looked up at you questioningly. When you quirked a brow at him, he reached down and picked you up from your thighs, hooking your legs around his waist as he carried you both to your bed. You laughed as he threw you down onto the bed, making haste to remove his shoes and shirt. It was genuinely entertaining to watch him so excited to have sex with you, but when you observed the way his body had changed under his clothing since the last time you saw him naked, your laughter died in your throat. He shot you the cockiest smile as he undid his pants and let them pool around his ankles. You watched him climb onto the bed in between your legs in nothing but his Calvin Klein underwear.

“Do you need help with this?” He bunched the bottom of your oversized shirt in his hands. Your mouth went dry at the feeling of your arousal pooling in your underwear, so you bit your lip and nodded. He carefully pulled your shirt over your head and removed your shorts. Once you were both in your underwear, he placed both hands on either side of you and leaned down, attaching his lips to yours once more.

Your heart was beating furiously in your chest, your fight or flight instincts trying to kick in. You closed your eyes, trying to stay in the moment with him. Jungkook could feel you stiffening at every touch, so he took a moment to look at your face and ask if something was wrong.

“Nothing, I’m just nervous. I know it’s dumb, since this won’t be our first time…but it kind of feels like it is, you know?” Jungkook sat back on his heels and thought for a moment.

“If you’re nervous I’ll leave again, I won’t. I’m here to stay, if you’ll let me.” He took your hands in his and kissed the back of your palm softly. Your heart squeezed at the display of affection. “I want to be with you, for real this time. And if you’re not sure how you feel about us yet then we can take our time. We don’t have to—”

“If there’s anything I’m sure about right now, it’s that I love you, too. And I want this just as much as you.” Jungkook froze again for the second time. He seemed to need help on maneuvering the situation going forward, so you got on your knees and placed a tentative kiss on his lips. He responded immediately, dwarfing your cheeks with his large hands as he kissed you back hungrily. You pushed him back onto the bed and climbed on top of him, having found the confidence you needed to finally open your heart to him. He glowed in the aftermath of your confession, unable to hold back his bunny smile no matter how much you kissed him. His joy was contagious, causing you to plant cheerful and impatient kisses down his chest. Before you could reach his navel, he flipped you over and took hold of both of your hands.

“Mm, no. You first, I want to make you feel so good for making me the happiest man on earth just now.” You blushed as he spread your legs apart, feeling how sticky your underwear already was. He looked at you as he took hold of your panties, waiting for you to nod before he slid them down your legs. When he opened your legs again, Jungkook whistled at the sight of you dripping for him which made you want to close them but his overpowering strength didn’t allow it.

He palmed your sex, watching you lustfully as he did and with a tentative finger, began massaging your folds to feel just how wet you were for himself. He hissed as his fingers glided effortlessly up and down, spreading your juices around. You blushed even further, biting your lip to stifle a moan.

He pulled your worn-out lip from your teeth with his thumb. “Don’t hold back, I want to hear you.” You nodded silently, bucking your hips towards his hand for more. He smiled, sliding a finger into you. He circled around inside of you as you moaned, stretching your walls out a bit. He slid his finger in and out of you a few times before adding a second, earning a louder moan on your part. You loved his ministrations, losing yourself in the assembly of pleasure building up as you threw your head back and closed your eyes. When he curled his fingers inside of you in a ‘come hither’ motion, he leaned in, focusing on the way your facial expression contorted with pleasure. You grabbed onto his shoulder for dear life as your orgasm snuck up on you with just a few flicks of his wrist, causing your legs to shake under the steady hold of his hand. His fingers were drenched as he pulled him out of your sensitive core. You lay panting in a sheen of sweat as you watched him sink down in between your legs and plant a few kitten licks on your clit.

“Ah, fuck Jungkook!” You twitched with each lick, but overstimulation and all, it felt too good to ask him to stop. You muscled through the discomfort since his sloppy wet kisses to your core fueled your desire for more. Your walls eventually began clenching as fresh arousal began pouring out from you. You would have stained the bed sheets if Jungkook wasn’t lapping every bit of you up with his tongue. “I want you to fuck me.” You looked down at him expectantly, but he simply shook his head and eased his tongue into you. You fell back onto the bed with a plop, deciding that he was getting off on making you exceedingly needy for his dick. You pleaded in between moans, their succession increasing with every flick of his tongue. You no longer felt sore but rather ready for more, longing to be filled up. Your pelvis twitched, a telltale sign that you’d be cumming in a matter of seconds. Jungkook’s lips sealed themselves to your clit as she sucked on you eagerly. You grabbed handfuls of his hair and squeezed his head with your thighs as you came impossibly harder than you did before. He licked at your folds throughout your convulsions, lapping every last drop until your legs sank onto the bed. You rested your hands on your heaving chest, smiling sleepily and thanking him. The last thing you saw and felt before you drifted into unconsciousness was Jungkook coming to lay beside you and softly sifting strands out of your face.

When you awoke, it was three in the morning and you were sprawled out in the middle of the bed, leaving Jungkook to curl into a ball at the corner and fall asleep. Your chest tightened at the sight of him, feeling bad for not having made room before dosing off. You gingerly nudged him until you heard him breath extra deeply and stretch out. He looked up at you and smiled. How he looked so sexy with bed head and sleepy eyes, you’d never know. You brought him to the center of the bed with you, planting a kiss on his lips though it evolved into something more, his raging boner from before pushing up against the fabric of his briefs and into your thigh. You broke away from the kiss and looked down, bringing your hand down to his clothed erection and palming it sensually. He bit his lip and pushed his boxers down his muscular thighs, not wanting to waste any more time not being inside you.

You massaged his leaking cock as he positioned himself above you, rubbing the head of his member along your folds for lubrication. When you began leaking again while squirming underneath him. He pushed against your entrance, meeting a bit of resistance but not stopping until he reached the hilt. You both sighed in contentment as your walls hugged him tightly. He looked down at where you two were connected, then up at your face, smiling groggily.

“What?” You couldn’t help but smile too, reveling in the intimate moment in the early morning between the sheets with your dream guy.

“Say it again.” He looked down at your lips then at your eyes, holding his position without moving an inch out of you.

You furrowed your brows, unsure of what he was talking about at first. After looking at that bunny smile forming on his face, you realized exactly what he was asking for. “Ohhh, you mean the L word.” You giggled teasingly. “Hmmm…nah, I don’t think I will.”

Jungkook’s mouth set into a hard line before resolve set his eyes ablaze. “That’s okay, I can always make you.” Your eyes widened as he threw your legs over his shoulders and leaned down, bringing your knees to your chest. The new position allowed his cock to pump into your g spot perfectly. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing.

You held onto his biceps tightly, your mouth in a permanent “o” as you deeply felt every little movement of his hips. After carefully pulling out of you almost all the way, he thrusted back into you roughly. Your answering cry was music to his ears, inspiring him to set a torturous pace in his mission to get you to say the four-letter word. When he noticed tears forming in the corners of your eyes from sheer pleasure, he ceased rocking into you and dropped your legs in favor laying on top of you and kissing your tears away. His arms caged your head as he brushed your hair away from your face again. You smiled and wrapped your legs around his waist, rubbing his cheek with your thumb.

“You’re really beautiful, you know that?” He spoke softly as he looked at you in earnestness, almost with a sadness that caused his features to sag in the dim lighting of the streetlights shining in through your window. You were speechless, your heart feeling so full in that sweet moment. You looked into each other’s eyes for a while before he leaned down and began kissing you again. His lips were saccharine and addictive as they molded around yours like puzzle pieces. Your tongue slipped into his mouth and he readily accepted it, swirling his own around it in a seductive dance. When the steaminess of the kiss got him sufficiently riled up, his body responded by thrusting into you. You both moaned in unison at how easily he slid from your increased wetness. He looked down again and watched his dick disappearing and reappearing at your core. The fact that Jungkook wasn’t holding back his own moans only served to turn you on more. A symphony of groans filled the room as he picked up the pace, pounding into you without mercy. You watched his muscles contract with each movement before you fell back onto the bed to give into the rising sensation in the pit of your stomach. He turned his attention back to your closed eyes and gaping mouth. His name spilled from your lips repetitively and with conviction as you felt yourself climbing higher and higher.

“Fuck, Jungkook. I love you…I love you… I love you…” You repeated the words he wanted to hear as you came for the third time that night. You encouraged him to cum inside of you since you had long been taking birth control responsibly, and so he did, both of you thoroughly enjoying the feeling of him filling you up inside. When he pulled out and collapsed beside you, you both caught your breaths for a while, eventually turning to your sides to peck each other until you both fell asleep.

Morning came all too quickly, and with it, the departure of the man you were finally able to call yours. However, you didn’t let him go until you had asked him to move in with you. He agreed excitedly to the proposition, marking the start of many milestones you’d eventually reach with the love of your life. Afterall, the considerable loss you both felt in the name of love meant the rewards you’d reap were worth the risk. ♡

[translations-by-aiimee]

Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 5

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 5 - Expert

The subsequent calm was something Lin Yan wasn't expecting. The thing seemed to have decided it tortured him enough and nothing else happened the rest of the night. Lin Yan changed back into his clothes and unplugged his computer. Even though he knew that that probably wouldn't do anything, the screen actually powered off and didn't come back on at all in the night.

Perhaps a new storm was brewing in the silence, but Lin Yan was too exhausted to worry about it. The alcohol that was left in his system worked as a great tranquillizer, and he rolled over and fell asleep.

While he was deep in sleep, something cold pressed itself on his lips again, but Lin Yan was too much a heavy sleeper to realize it.

When he woke up, the entire room was clean. All the red paint had disappeared, the light gray printed wallpaper and the screen wall painted by the students of the Academy of Fine Arts were intact, and the glass was spotless. There was no other evidence to prove that the absurdity of last night had ever happened except for the shameful traces of liquid on Lin Yan's body and clothes. He took a bath and threw the red clothes into the washbowl. Compared with the power of the invisible thing, he was clearly at a disadvantage. Instead of running around without a plan, it was better to observe what happens as things unravel.

After he finished packing things up, Lin Yan took out his phone and texted Yin Zhou about the meeting place. Unexpectedly, he got a reply almost instantly: See you at the school gate in half an hour.

Lin Yan looked at himself in the mirror. Within just two nights, he looked like he had been doing drugs for years, he had a scruffy stubble growing, and his eyes were red. The mint scent of his shaving foam made Lin Yan feel for the first time that his typically monotonous life was actually so much more beautiful than that. The blade was thin and sharp. Just one long stroke across his neck and there would be nothing left.

Humans were such fragile creatures.

"Shit. . ." Lin Yan hissed, sighing at his unfortunate luck and put his fingers under the water. His hand had slipped and he sliced his fingertip on the blade, red blood seeping out. Lin Yan wrapped a bandaid around his finger, leaning against the wall and pondering about how unlucky it was to feel the pain.

He didn't know what kind of dye was used on the funeral clothes, but it had bled dramatically in the water. After a while, the whole basin of water had been dyed red. Lin Yan glanced at it in disgust as he left and slammed the door shut.

At 8 o'clock, Lin Yan saw Yin Zhou holding a Scallion pancake and some fruit in front of the school gate.

The two of them regretted trying to drive. The roads were clogged with morning rush hour traffic to the point that they couldn't even see the end of the lines of cars. What genius designed this kind of urban roundabout? Five ring roads surrounded the main road and they were forced to convene together every morning and night.

Lin Yan and Yin Zhou were nearing the third ring road and they still didn't have any temper, so all they could do was turn on the radio and eat the breakfast that Yin Zhou brought.

"A 13-year-old boy from a remote village in Sichuan was found hanged at home wearing a red coat. The locals suspected it was most likely cult-related. It is reported that the boy's time of birth and time of death are both extremely negative times and very suitable for. . ."

Lin Yan snapped the radio off.

It seemed that everything in the world had been messed up overnight. Even this kind of unreliable news could be relayed to the public.

Yin Zhou didn't care. He swallowed the last bite of his pancake and hiccuped. He said with satisfaction: "I spent the rest of the night in the library. I was starving and I couldn't buy anything. It's great to feel full."

"There was no exam recently, what were you doing at the library?"

"I was studying the enemy's intelligence. This enemy works in the dark. Can we defeat it if we understand how it operates? What do you think, buddy?"

Lin Yan turned his face to look at the crowded traffic outside the window. He stayed silent for a while before he said softly, "Do you really believe that there are ghosts in this world? I feel like something is wrong with me. Maybe I should see a psychiatrist first."

Yin Zhou's eyes widened in surprise: "Come on, even if something's up with you, I'm totally normal, yet we both saw those clothes yesterday."

". . . At your house the day before yesterday, I was the only one who thought it was cold, and I was the only one who could feel ‘it’ in the house."

Lin Yan sorted out his thoughts and told Yin Zhou his experience of being choked by someone last night.

Lin Yan wasn't expecting it but Yin Zhou exploded after hearing this, and blurted out: "Fuck, that ghost was a rabbit master* during his lifetime?" He scanned Lin Yan's face over and over again: "Little Brother Lin, don't tell me. . . you can be considered a nice-looking guy if you look closely. He's dead and maybe he's lonely and wants to recruit you as his wife."

*because they would kill the rabbit by snapping its neck

"Fuck you. If you aren't going to be serious, get out of my car and leave. Don't forget to burn two boxes of condoms for me when I croak." Lin Yan said quietly. The car behind him honked its horn twice, and Lin Yan realized that while he was talking, a 5-6 metre gap had cleared in front of him. He hurriedly followed the line of traffic.

"Furthermore, in the middle of the night, I obviously saw that the whole house was covered with red paint, but in the morning there was nothing. It was as if I had been dreaming."

Yin Zhou dragged the backpack out of the back seat and hugged it in his arms. He said, "Hey, let me show you the results of my brother's research." As he talked, he opened his bag and took out a dozen crumpled papers from it and spread them out on his knees. He flattened them with his hands and started going over them from top to bottom.

"You can't take care of shit. I feel uncomfortable just looking at those."

"See, the attributes of a wife. This ghost saw it perfectly."

A grass mud horse roared and ran across Lin Yan's heart.

Sure enough, these geeks are something else.

"Listen carefully." Yin Zhou pushed up his glasses with his long fingers: "There are generally two modern interpretations of ghosts. The first is due to the discovery of dark matter. You know the law of conservation of energy?"

". . . Go on." Lin Yan gave him a blank look.

"The universe expands at a certain rate every year. If the law of conservation of energy goes as normal, where does the energy that supports the expansion of the universe come from? According to this question, modern physics puts forward the concept of dark matter and dark energy. It does not generate electromagnetic waves, cannot be sensed, and cannot be measured. The law of gravity estimates that dark matter and energy account for 96% of the mass of the universe, and the remaining 4% is what humans can now recognize."

"Many unexplainable phenomena are therefore attributed to the results of dark matter, such as meridians in traditional Chinese medicine, the power of the mind, and ghosts. There are many discussions on this field abroad, but it is obviously blocked in China and difficult to find." Yin Zhou spread out his hands.

Lin Yan nodded. This was a bit like a science fiction novel he had read once.

"And the second one?"

"The second type is attributed to electromagnetic waves. The environment in which the deceased died is not conducive to electromagnetic wave attenuation. The powerful thoughts it had before death form a unique energy field. If a person's own frequency is similar to it, it will resonate when they come into contact. The waveform of the original ghost is greatly strengthened so then the two can sense each other."

Lin Yan was stunned: "You mean I. . . resonate with the ghost?"

Yin Zhou said indifferently that it was possible. He turned and smiled mysteriously: "Do you know how to explain love at first sight using electromagnetic fields?"

Lin Yan's heart stuttered.

"It's just resonating. It's the same with both men and women."

Yin Zhou sighed: "I don't want to fall in love for a while. It's boring, it's like a ghost."

The cars finally started moving again, and they finally got off the third road ring after being stuck for three hours. Lin Yan turned on the navigation and stepped on the accelerator to hurry towards the destination.

He always thinks that love was just like a ghost; he didn't believe in either. He only understood the panic and anxiety he felt when he encountered it, but he has never imagined that ghosts were also like love, triggered by a specific reason in a specific environment and dragged forcibly into the abyss, unable to escape.

"Have you been in touch with anything special recently, or have you been to anywhere special?"

Lin Yan thought about it for a moment and shook his head: "No. Every day I'm in the study room, tutor's office, library, home, cafeteria, there's nowhere else. But I have come into a lot of contact with lots of things from several dynasties."

Yin Zhou clumped the pile of information in his hand, and put it into back his backpack despite Lin Yan's contemptuous eyes, and clicked the buckle shut.

"Impossible. The electromagnetic waves would have decayed early in a small object, even if the Maoshan technique was used."

A thought suddenly flashed through Lin Yan's mind.

"There was this one place. . .Last month, my old man arranged an internship position for me on an archaeological team. It was a tomb with small specifications. I was there for less than a week."

Yin Zhou's eyes lit up all of a sudden: "There's this show, we should wait and check it. . . what the fuck!"

Lin Yan slammed on the brakes. Yin Zhou's head slammed into the windshield with a bang, and he wailed in pain.

"What are you doing?! Braking like that is going to kill you. What if we got rear-ended?!"

Lin Yan looked at the empty windshield in shock. He pulled the car over and, when he turned to Yin Zhou, his face changed.

"You. . . didn't see that just now?"

"What!" Yin Zhou took off the glasses that had been knocked off-kilter, trying to push them into their original spot, and couldn't help complaining in grief.

"There was a hand. . . stretching down from the roof of the car."

Yin Zhou was stunned and looked up at the window glass cautiously. A truck came up from behind, went around their car and drove on.

Lin Yan was too scared to speak for a while. He recalled the stiff white hand that had slapped on the windshield from the roof of the car just now, but it disappeared in a blink of an eye. There were speeding trucks or tankers everywhere on the sixth ring road. He opened his mouth and looked at Yin Zhou. The other party understood his thoughts immediately. Yin Zhou took a breath and hesitated: "Then this thing. . . it wants a human life."

Lin Yan shook his head. He always felt that there was some motive behind everything that had happened, but he couldn't say it out loud.

They drove out of the city in a blink of an eye. The endless rows of poplar trees and the green border fields in the suburbs relaxed the tension of the two people in the car a lot. Lin Yan rolled down the car window, and the car air mixed with the fragrance of flowers and plants that poured in. Inside the car, the stuffy scent of the pancakes was blown away.

After the twist and turns the GPS took them on, the car turned onto a rugged path paved with stones. The surrounding buildings were replaced with independent bungalows and small farmyards. A yellow dog squatted on the steps and stretched its neck. Some hens gathered in groups lazily together. Every now and again, they passed by a white goose on the side of the road. Lin Yan slowed down and stared at the map displayed on the GPS. He glanced at Yin Zhou distrustfully.

"If I keep going, I'll have to turn around to go back to the village. Did your mother send us to a reclusive expert?"

Yin Zhou leaned over to study the map, then turned his head in confusion and looked out the window. He happened to pass by a house, a yellow mud bungalow, with a faded couplet on the door. The old man in front of it only lost two front teeth, and he was leaning back to watch the excitement. . Yin Zhou scratched his scalp suspiciously: "The address my mother gave is at the end of the village, and she said it was amazing. Let me buy some tributes to bring with me. I can't do it alone."

So Lin Yan stopped the car when passing by the market, and bought two gifts according to Yin Zhou's suggestion. . . that bastard.

"Are you sure about all this?" Lin Yan looked embarrassedly left and right, carrying a live turtle in one hand and walking back, Yin Zhou happily pointed at the turtle's head and said, "What do you know? , These kinds of psychic masters rely on this stuff to keep up with their lifestyle. Trust me."

Lin Yan threw the two bastards into the trunk, took out a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Yin Zhou. He also opened a bottle for himself and took a few sips.

The country cicadas cried one after another, and the green wheat was headed; it was a wonderful scene of peace and prosperity.

Several children wearing red and green were squatting on the ground playing fan cards not far away. Lin Yan asked Yin Zhou: "What did your mother saw that name of the expert was? I'll ask around."

He couldn't help but imagine a scene of a bamboo hut with a mantle drooping in front of the porch. An old man in white with his hand stroked his beard and smiled slightly. He and Yin Zhou knelt forward on one knee, clasping their fists and begging, "Master, please guide me!"

Yin Zhou took a note from his pocket. He squinted at it, and said perplexedly: "Second Immortal Gu."

Before Lin Yan had enough time to swallow, all the water was spat back out.

"Ahem. . . is that so?"

In a small courtyard in the northeast corner of the village, Lin Yan and Yin Zhou found the legendary Second Immortal Gu’s house. When Lin Yan saw Second Immortal Gu's respectable face from outside the door, the regret in his heart was like torrential rapids. There was an enclave in an empty black room; he didn't know which god was being worshipped. An old woman in blue flower cloth sat cross-legged on the futon with her eyes closed and rests her mind. The red cloth strip that was tied to her forehead was quite imposing.

"This posture rivals some of the best dancers out there!" Yin Zhou pointed at the scene inside and couldn't help muttering softly.

"Come on, this is who your mother mentioned. Be respectful." Lin Yan said embarrassedly.

"What should we do?"

"Let's take a look first. Maybe the real person hasn't shown up."

Lin Yan and Yin Zhou walked through the door. Hearing the movement, the immortal woman lifted her eyelids slightly, and hummed from her nose aimlessly.

"Oh, ahem. . ." Yin Zhou couldn't hold back his grin and quickly concealed it with a cough.

What happened later was a farce. After receiving the turtle and two hundred yuan brought by Lin Yan, the woman suddenly became energetic. She worshipped the gods with incense and poured a bowl of clear water on Lin Yan while muttering words. After turning around Lin Yan more than ten times, she finally opened his eyes sharply. Lin Yan was so frightened by her that his body was shocked. The only thing she did was shout: "Aha! I saw it!"

"There is a little girl standing behind you!"

Lin Yan and Yin Zhou looked at each other, each holding their breaths.

"Oh, this baby girl died terribly. She said that she was locked up and could not be born. She didn't have money to buy clothes, and she didn't have money to pay her way through death. That's why she's gotten involved with you. . ."

"Wait, I'll ask her how to resolve this. . ."

The immortal woman closed her eyes and began to sing. Lin Yan pointed at the door to Yin Zhou and said: "Do you need someone to grease your feet, what are you waiting for?"

After reciting a long list of words, she opened her eyes and saw that there were no longer two other people in the room.

The immortal woman had no choice but to touch the newly collected two hundred yuan and shook her head, muttering that the young people nowadays are really impatient. Then she staggered around to pack her things up.

When she picked up the bastard turtle, she couldn't help but give a long sigh.

[nattspencer]

You finally came

Missy x Reader

Summary: The Reader is trapped and can’t see Missy for a lot of months, until the Time Lady can finally find her beloved.

A/N: English is not my first language, therefore I’m really sorry for any mistakes, let me know about them. Writing this was really fun and I had the opportunity to actually talk and meet who requested it, that was really awesome, you are really awesome, so I really hope you like and that this little thing brightens your day.

Warnings: Mental games, prison, lack of freedom, mention of anxiety and depression.

Word count: 2k

Not my GIF

    The part you miss the most is the sun. Not only the brightness, the warmth, but also the way it paints the sky in orange and pink shades when it dusk and dawn. You miss the sky too, so gorgeously blue, all tones of it, changing slyly throughout the day, so imperceptive to the busy rushy lives below. You remember just laying for hours in the green grass in your childhood just to see the clouds, all different shapes and forms. Not to mention the smells, the fresh air, the leaves, petrichor. It brought you so much peace and you just miss everything.

    It’s just so very dark outside. No moons, no suns, no planets, just the black abism of the universe. It could drive someone mad. Maybe it’s driving you mad, maybe you just can’t see the difference between the telepathic illusions and the reality anymore. Who are you trying to fool? You are mad. Definitely human minds are not made to be frozen in time, or to be tortured by some sadistic maniac, and no, this time you’re not talking about your sadistic maniac, actually, all you desired was to see her face one last time. You’re talking about some other creature, some that you never even saw the face, but it was there, deep on your skull.

    Seems ages ago when it all happened. You and Missy were chased by a platoon of Judoon for months, and no matter what you do, they were always there, every time closer to catch the entire TARDIS with both of you inside. It was on one of these times that they finally got you in their hands. The Time Lady had fried the ship’s dematerialization circuit on the last escape and the spare one was a bit too difectful, she then contacted someone on some market that she didn’t have time to explain quite well to you, but of course, it was a trap. As soon as you got your hands on the piece, you were surrounded by Judoon's troops, all you had time to do was to hit her vortex manipulator, before they blocked it. The very last contact you had with her was though the psychic link she held on you.

    “I’m sorry Missy, I love you.” Seven words. That was all you were allowed to say until they blocked it too.

    There was no escape left, and in a blink of an eye, you were transported to their ship, completely surrendered. Even in such a situation the Time Lady didn’t leave your thoughts, how she could ever live like that, all the chase, all the trouble, there’s no use in both of you getting caught, so you made a decision. She gifted you with all time and space, it’s time for you to give something to her in return. You begged to the rhino creatures to let you serve her sentence, one prison two sentences, quite a good deal to be honest. From far behind  you an ice monotone voice agreed, it seemed to be the contractor, all was set to stone.

    Since then you live between the stone and metal walls, with only a little barred window where you could see the abism of nothing, sometimes you like to just stare at the little distantes spots of stars and try to connect the dots to form images, it was a good way to pass the days. Lights in the ground made the place backlighted and it was almost a bit cozy if it wasn’t all that existed there. You wish your body was working properly, almost all your metabolisms were frozen in time, probably only your brain were still working to keep you conscious, and it took months for you to relearn how to turn off and sleep but still you miss the taste of food. God, what wouldn’t you give for a piece of chocolate.

    As much as sleep makes you forget you’re here and numbs your pain, it also scares you to death. It wasn’t unusual for you to get nightmares, at times it felt that you weren't sleeping at all, the difference between them started to get fuzzy as the days passed by but Missy was present in every single one of them. Sometimes she would just laugh while she breaks all your bones, sometimes she would just spend hours mocking out loud all your flaws, insecurities and talking about how much she contempt you. Sometimes you saw her choking to death, sometimes she killed you, well, this last one stopped occurring these days, maybe they ran out of ideas, there’s a limited amount of ways to kill someone and you think you experienced them all.

    However, sometimes you just pretend she was there, plastic and static like a picture.. You would talk to her about your day, your difficulties, just to see another face around helps, especially that one you loved, although an answer never was expected, it reminded you too much about the nightmares. Sometimes you just imagined her laying with you on the floor of your cell and staring at the roof while you remember all the adventures you had with her, all the time and space, all the creatures, all the running and most of all, all your moments together. Even if you were just a casual sex to her, she was way more to you.

    Another ordinary day passed by, this time the nightmares were harder then the usual and you were afraid of everything. You would be crying if your tears hadn’t dried so long ago, now you were just writing on the wall, it became quite therapeutic thanks to the chalk you held in your pocket, but you only used it when it was really necessary to write your feelings down, too afraid that it could end when you needed the most. Suddenly a noise was heard and a new shadow could be seen by your side. It was happening again. You didn’t dare to look.

    “Y/N?” Missy’s voice called your name and you couldn’t suppress your body from recoling “Y/N!” The sound of her heels getting closer to you was deafening. Your elbows rested on your knees and your hands covered your head turning your body in a tiny little ball of fear. You were ready for the first assault when all it came was a caress stroke on your shoulder, still, you shivered in terror. “Hey baby girl, it’s me, it’s just little old Missy.” a gentile voice spoke.

    “It’s not, you’re not real, she didn’t come for me.” You said in a tiny trembling voice.

    “I did. I was looking for you restlessly, poppet, I finally found you.”

    “You’re just another mind game. What are you gonna do this time? Kill me again? Break all my bones? Tell me how disposable and useless I am? Go ahead, I’m waiting.” You’re getting sick of it, all you suffered wasn’t enough?

    “Oh baby, I’m so sorry about what you’ve been through… it’s all my fault, I shouldn’t let you come with me to that shop. Please look at me.” Her hand danced carefully between your curls. It’s been so long since anyone touched you like that.

    “Please, please go away or ruin me. I can’t take these games anymore. Please don’t give me hope, that’s all I ask.”

    “He’s dead, Vansell is dead, I killed him myself.” Her voice was bitter. “Neither he nor anyone will ever put their hands in a single hair of yours ever again. I promise.” Vansell? You never heard this name before. Finally you glanced at the woman kneeling by your side. “I could feel you know... all your pain, all your misery from our psychic link. I was powerless, completely useless, he blocked all my answers, I couldn’t send anything to you and that killed me. Please Y/N, believe me, I’m here. Truly. We can leave.” She was fully bared before you, no mask, no mocking, that was purely her. Suddenly a smell caught your nose.

    “What smell is it?” You couldn’t contain the question inside your mouth.

    “I-it’s your perfume. It reminded me of you” Her eyes drifted from yours in embarrassment and then it was the first time you allowed yourself to truly look at her. Missy was ruined. Big black bags laid beneath her tired blue eyes, her hair was frizzy and falled roughly from her coiffure, she was almost without any makeup, all seemed to fall out with time. You couldn’t imagine any of that, not the way it is in front of you. 

    “It’s really you?” Your voice was muffled with fear.

    “It’s me, baby girl, we can go home.” The Time Lady’s voice was cotton-candy soft.

    “I’m scared.” You stated frowning.

    “I know you are.”

    “I don’t think I can move. I waited for so long but now I’m just too anxious and terrified to do anything.” It was confusing, your body was confusing.

    “I’ll be by your side. We are going to have very difficult days, but I’ll be there. I got you. I’ll be your safe place, just like you became by when I needed the most.”

    “Y-you don’t have to. Just leave me on the earth, you don’t need a broken pet.” Your heart skipped a beat, you could never be so special to her.

    “The very last thing you said to me was ‘I love you’, let me prove to you that I feel that too. You became way more to be then just a pet, Y/N.”

    “You really came.” There was no doubt, even in your sweetest dream you could imagine that, your self-loathing would never allow you. Finally you let yourself smile, the first one in months.

    “I did. and I’ll always come to you.” Your faces were close, and slowly she leaned over you and met your lips with hers.

    This kiss was definitely different from the others you shared with her. It was slow, delicate, sweet, as if nothing matters to her more then be there with you. Her hands cupped gentilly your face and you could feel her hearts beating fast through her palms. Her tongue danced the most private waltz with yours, showing with every single moviment how much you meant to her. The entire world faded to you, there were no problems, no insecurities, no fears, it was just you and your safe place. Only when you two were complete out of breath your kiss was broken, and she rested her forehead in yours.

    “I can calm you down with a bit of hypnosis and we can go home, how does it sound?”

    “Oh, so you haven’t used it yet.” 

    “No. I would never use it without asking permission. You’re far too important.”

    “Then do it. I want to go home with you.”

    The first nights weren’t easy to go through. You were too afraid to sleep and suddenly realize you’re still on that cell and this wasn’t more than a dream, too afraid to wake up one day and realize that Missy wasn’t there. However, the Time Lady was indeed always there for you, dealing with every single one of your fears, lulling every single one of your nights, helping you with teas and hypnosis whenever it was needed. With time, bit by bit, you were getting back to be yourself again. And then, you asked to see one of the things you missed the most, the sunrise.

    Missy took you to the most marvelous place you ever saw. She was too excited that you wanted to leave the TARDIS and see something that, for her, it needed to be perfect. And it was. Two wonderful suns raised up upon the green valley mountains and warmed your skin, the sky was beautifully painted by orange, red and pink shades like in a masterpiece. The fresh wind blows your hair and fills your lungs with joy. Your favorite Time Lady wrapped her arms between your waist and rested her head on your shoulder standing behind you. Suddenly the realization falled on you, you’re finally free. A great view and your girl, that’s all you could ask for.

    You are free.

[stilesloverdaily]

You Found Me

Cedric Diggory x Hufflepuff!Fem!Reader

Words: 4k 

Warning: sad cause Cedric is dead and i’ll never forgive JK for it. ANGST, FLUFF. reader is hufflepuff. SERIOUSLY prepare tissues

♡ playlist ♡

Cedric ran out into the Hufflepuff common room, shrugging on his House cloak with one hand as he rushed to get to his potions class, as he’d slept in. “Crap.” The sixteen, soon to be seventeen, year old boy whispered to himself as he stubbed his toe on the chaise on the way out of the boy’s dormitories. A tendril of his hair fell in front of his face for a moment, before he ran his hand through it.

Helga shook her head above the fireplace at the boy’s foul language, before turning back to what she was doing, taking a sip from a golden cup. Her badger-covered-frame on the yellowish brick wall, as the sun fell in from the circular windows near the low ceiling. A fire aflame in the fireplace, continuous and homey, cheerful. Green plants covered the room, hanging and potted, ferns and ivies as well as the cacti dotted around the space. Occasional feet passing by the windows, creating brief shadows in the light. The rounded transparent glass showing the flowers and grass of the floor level to them.

“Sorry.” He quickly apologised to both Helga and the bumblebee coloured chaise. Diggory opened the rounded door and ran through, his books in his arms. A gasp took him from his frantic mind in a rush as he hit something. Reaching forward with one arm automatically, he caught the arm of the girl he had ran into, helping her stay upright. “Sorry.” He spoke once again.

Y/N looked up at the taller boy, with brown locks, fair skin and grey eyes, the boy wonder, the golden boy of the Hufflepuff house. Cedric Diggory was the captain of the Hufflepuff quidditch team, where he played seeker, and was also a school prefect. She had had the biggest crush on him, everyone did, and kind of looked up to him as a person as they were in the same Hogwarts house. “It’s okay.” She spoke softly, her cloak slowly falling from her shoulder.

Her eyes held a warmth that Cedric hadn’t seen before and it made his stomach feel a light, reminding him of the fireplace from the common room. His eyes showed a light that was hard to see around here, something that was optimistic and merry, unlike the events of the previous years at their school.

“I was in a rush, and I wasn’t really paying attention.” Cedric muttered, his palm still on your forearm and his eyes still locked onto yours. “I should actually head out, um…” The boy trailed off, lost completely in you.

“I’m Y/N.” 

“Cedric.” He hummed.

She coughed after a moment, stepping out from his arm, reluctantly. Shaking her head lightly, a hair falling from her ponytail as she motioned behind him, “I forgot my Transfiguration textbook…” He slowly nodded as she stepped around him and towards the entrance honey-coloured wood barrels.

Spinning around to turn to Y/N, “Wait.” He held his arm out, grabbing her wrist lightly as he spoke. Turning around, her skin tingled at the limited skin to skin contact that there was, due to her cardigan sleeves higher up her forearms. Her eyes gazed up into his as he spoke, “Did you want to uh,” He shifted on his feet. “Want to hang out later?”

Cedric’s Potions class was gone from his mind, even if he would be chewed out by Slughorn, something in him needed to talk to her. Y/N smiled at the boy wonder, “Yeah, I’d like that.” What can she say, it was like they were drawn together.

Three months later

They had been dating ever since, even if it took him a couple times to officially ask for her to be his girlfriend, and Cedric had never felt more content. 

She supported him through his games, cheering in the stands in her black and yellow wool scarf, her jumpers and earmuffs, sometimes he even got distracted due to how cute she always looked. It felt weird for her to be dating the captain of the quidditch team and a prefect, as though all eyes were on them, but she didn’t care and people were nice about it.

The two of them became the golden couple.

Y/N was there for when he wanted to put his name into the goblet for the TriWizard Cup, even though she assured him that he didn’t have anything to prove, he understood but guaranteed you he wanted a challenge and to show that Hufflepuffs weren’t dimwits or duffers and could win such a prestigious award. She admired how loyal he was to their house, and it became one of the things she liked about him, his loyalty.

Cedric had been through the first two TriWizard events, tying first with Harry Potter, and to say that Y/N was on the edge of her seat during the events, was an understatement. She barely sat, having to always shift out of nerves for her beloved boyfriend. After the first event, she was sure that the next two events would leave her anxiety driven.

The second event, she was submerged as part of the task. Although not in real harm, Cedric had reached the village not long after Harry, and was shocked to find the item stolen from him was Y/N, and that she wasn’t safely on the sidelines. He swam directly to her in an instant and freed her from the restraints, not having the previous knowledge that she was indeed in no harm.

Once back on the shore, she had awoken, informing her boyfriend that she wasn’t in any harm, but he still held her face in his hands and checked her over for any signs of trauma. Giving her a short kiss, it was a reassurance if anything, but also a show of care.

A towel was placed over her by a teacher, before she grabbed one for Cedric. Hugging him in the towel, to help share her body heat and the need to hold him closely after terrifying events. Her heart was pounding against her chest, absolutely knowing he could feel it, but she couldn't help it, even if he was using a Bubble-Head Charm. He appreciated Y/N so much, the thought of putting her through so much worry or her being in any danger was the only downside to the tournament, he hated to see her so filled with anxiety or worse, hurt.

Her arms were wrapped around his torso, trapping him in the towel with his arms underneath, her head resting under his chin as they warmed each other up; her towel wrapped across her shoulders and held taut in her hands to keep herself warm also. Cedric beamed to himself, before moving to kiss the top of her head, humming against her. She smiled softly into him as he moved so his left cheek sat on top of her hair and closed his eyes, embracing her touch.

Cedric could stay like that all day. With her, safe.

The night before the final task, Cedric had asked Y/N to meet him in the common room, as he had wanted to take her somewhere special to them.

On their first official date, the captain of the quidditch team decided to take Y/N to a hidden spot he’d found in the castle that was abandoned. To get to this special place, you had to fly. He took her on his broomstick, after a small debate whether she trusted him or not. The conversation had begun upon the sight of his broomstick and the allusion it was safe to have two on it. She had rejected at first, saying riding with two was difficult, to which he bragged about being an experienced flyer.

She trusted him, of course, he was the head of her house’s quidditch team. But, she wanted him to work for it a bit. Y/N, of course was a trusting person anyway, it was in her nature, in her appointment to her Hogwarts house.

After small playful banter, she agreed although still nervous. Ced just had a playful smirk on his face as he assured her it was safe, which got her thinking how many girls he’d flown to the hidden spot or had just ridden on the back of his broom, causing her tummy to flip anxiously. Ignoring that feeling, she got on behind him and held tight and the journey to their destination was one to awe at.

Flying high, the two flew above the castle, amongst the clouds, passing the moon. Looking at their school, she noticed how breathtaking it could be from this angle, the castle’s sharp spikes giving a thrilling allusion but also providing a strong fairytale atmosphere. The lights in the castle windows made their flight feel dangerous in the sense that they could get caught, giving an excitable ailment to their ride. Gazing across the expanse of their school, she smiled leaning against Cedric’s back with a content sigh.

Cedric didn’t refuse the contact, feeling tranquil at her touch.

After rounding the castle a few times, Cedric flew to one of the spiked coned roofs, that held light through an opened rectangular window, easy to spot in the darkness. Flying closer to the window, he asked her to get off and into the window which she scoffed at, no way was she getting off a broomstick this high to get through the window.

“Please?” He softly spoke.

Y/N sighed, holding him tighter as she shuffled close to the windows edge, and successfully climbing through the window. He smiled and waited for her to safely get inside before climbing in himself, holding his broom securely.

Y/N opened the round honey wood door, spotting Cedric straight away standing with his arms behind his back as he swayed on his feet, staring at a knot in the wood floor. He was wearing weekend clothes, a grey sweater that complement his eyes, a yellow shirt collar poking out from underneath, some dark brown khaki pants accentuating his long legs, and some black converse fitted on his feet. His hair was styled messy, with little gel, a curl left hanging above his right eyebrow.

Upon hearing the door open, he saw Y/N quickly shutting the door to the girl’s dorms so as to not let light into the room, before she turned back to him. She was also wearing weekend clothes; a pair of black skinny jeans around her legs, frilly white socks in a pair of dijon coloured flats, a pale peach t-shirt with loose dandelions on, a black school cardigan and the classic house scarf. Her hair was down, and pushed behind her ears as she beamed up at him, the firelight lighting up her soft features.

Her smile was contagious as his lips turned up, as he smiled from ear to ear whilst she walked towards the centre of the room to meet him. Leaning down slightly, he kissed her lips briefly and pulled back.

Chuckling softly, she laced her arms behind his head and pulled him back in gently to kiss him again, for longer. It was sweet, full of passion and caring, a peaceful moment between the two. Helga noticed the two kissing, and as she was about to say for them to go to sleep, she held back, letting them be young. A smile to her face as she looked on at the two, not creepily but with remembrance, to be young and in love.

Pulling apart, he smiled softly down at her, “Ready?” Nodding, the two headed towards the door to exit the common room, Cedric walking behind her like a gentleman. Helga decided that she would keep their secret rendezvous to what it was, a secret. Passing through the castle kitchen, the two made their way to a door leading outside just like their first date. Coming across a broomstick on the floor, Cedric muttered the one word and it was up and infused with the young warlock’s magic.

Flying that night was much like the first time they had done it, whimsical and thrilling. The wind whipping through her hair, causing her nose and cheeks to become rosy from the brisk air. Stars out and scattered across the sky, a rather clear night few clouds could be seen in the moonlight. Y/N tightly held her boyfriend, having complete trust in him after having done this more than once before.

The two had come up for secluded dates during the weeks, and alone time that could only be shared between the two.

After reaching the spiked roof, Y/N climbed off, quickly followed by Cedric, the candlelight illuminating the space. The space never stopped to take her breath away.

Candles were placed safely around, lighting the area, a blue cerulean blanket on the floor surrounded by a few random pillows of different patterns and colours. A picnic basket stood to the side of the blanket, the weaved hamper holding delicious goods. The two had brought things like plants and photos to help decorate over time, the former proving quite difficult.

Sitting in their regular spots, the two began to discuss everything and anything, always falling into conversation easily. The topic of the following day’s task talked about briefly, but not wanting to worry Y/N, Cedric decided to change topic. They discussed the letters they had received from their parents, and what was going on at school. She mentioned a wacky conversation that Seamus, her and Ben had that day in their Care of Magical Creatures class and the joke that the Weasley twins had told her earlier on.

The two talked for what felt like hours as they ate and drank apple juice, until Cedric grabbed her hand, looking her in the eyes. She smiled at him and as he kissed her hand, she realised something. Although they had dated for almost a year, nine and a half months, she decided that she, Y/N Y/L/N, was indeed in love with Cedric Diggory. They had both said they loved each other about two months after they met, but she didn’t just love him, she was in love with him. She saw a future with him, yes they were seventeen, but she saw it all.

Marriage, kids, and a happy life. Together. 

Cedric however, had seen this about four months in, seen his future with Y/N, had seen that he was in love with her, everything.

He reached into his back pocket with the hand not holding hers, pulling out a bracelet. It was threaded, with thin green-ish leather straps, a heart pendant hanging in between a woven section. “I want you to have this.” He spoke softly in the quiet air between the both of them. She awed at the bracelet as he tied it around the wrist he was holding.

“It’s beautiful.”

It was, although simple, it had felt like the most complicated, amazing piece of jewelry she had seen.

“I was going to give it to you after the task tomorrow, but I decided to do it now to say thank you.” He sighed softly, moving his eyes from her wrist to her eyes. “For staying with me through all this Cup tournament thing. For loving me as much I love you, and being the best thing to come into my life. Although I was sorted into our house, with my accomplishments I doubted whether I still belonged to it, or if I had betrayed it somehow. But, you showed me that I haven’t, you’ve humbled me and brought me back down to earth, been with me through the highs and lows. I love you.”

Tears had slipped from her eyes, to which he happily wiped away, claiming something as beautiful as her shouted be crying. Leaning forward, Y/N kissed him with all she could wrapping her arms around him, breathing in his familiar scent that she’d become accustomed to.

The two seventeen year olds fell into each other’s arms, cuddling each other tight, holding the other close as possible. Before the two of them fell asleep, however, they decided to go back and rest up for tomorrow. Whilst Cedric prepared the broomstick, Y/N blew out the candles, coming to the decision that they’d clean up after he won tomorrow.

As the candles died out, all that was left was the darkness of the room, when a chill ran over her shoulders, as she glanced back before leaving on the broom. Ignoring it, she hugged Cedric tight on the broom, they’d be back tomorrow probably.

Y/N had never screamed so loud, her heart had been ripped from her as she ran forward towards the maze wall.

No, it wasn’t true.

They were going to get married, have kids and have a happy life together. It couldn’t be.

More specifically, she didn’t want it to be.

The two had gone to the final task, a maze, with high hopes and hopeful smiles as Cedric was in the lead. He was so close to winning, they could taste it. He walked her to the spectating area, to which she gave him a kiss for luck, before he joined Harry, Fleur and Viktor near the entrance. She should’ve known, something about the kiss didn’t feel like luck, it felt like a goodbye.

She pulled him in tight, her lips against his in a smooth motion as they fit together perfectly, a tug in her stomach which she ignored as he let the moment take them before he had to go.

Her body shivered from the cold british air, the clouds hiding the warm sun, calling a dreary nature to the day. Y/N had turned to Hermione and Ron, wishing her best to Harry as well, which they returned for Cedric. She did the same with Fleur’s sister.

She stood staring at the wall in anticipation for what felt like years, swaying on the balls of her feet in her usual way that she had been during the first task.

Only for Harry Potter to emerge, with Cedric in his arms lifeless. He was shouting about Voldemort had murdered him, and that Cedric was too good to die by an accident, but Y/N’s ears were ringing, she barely heard anything the glasses wearing brunette said.

Each step forward she took was equal to the harsh beat of her erratic heart, a shrill scream at the sight of the boy exiting with the boy she was in love with in his arms. Approaching his body, Harry had moved away, tears staining his cheeks much like hers, her hands reaching for Cedric’s face and chest as she knelt beside him. Her cries were resounding throughout the field the maze had been placed on.

Bringing his head into her lap, she dragged his upper body into her arms, crying over his corpse. She heard faint voices and felt people trying to pull her from him, but she blocked it out.

By the time the stadium had cleared, and McGonagal helped whisk the maze away, it was just her, Cedric and his parents. She had no tears left, her cheeks stained with the remnants, which made her face taut. Her right hand was softly placed on his left cheek, as if he were to break if she used too much force, his body having become cold and still, his face had paled and any signs of life were gone.

She would have stayed with him like that for eternity if she could, holding him close as if would bring him back. It was only when she heard Hagrid’s voice, who knows how long later, that she was brought out of her trance. Y/N protested against moving, but knew she had to in order to lay Cedric to rest.

There was hardly a funeral, just a leaving feast turned speech about him by Dumbledore, and despite his death, Harry was recorded the winner of the tournament. He refused, even tried to give the money to Cedric’s parents, who also refused. The funds ended up in the hands of the twins for their shop, they say they dedicated the opening to Cedric, she didn’t go though.

His death proved to be an inspiration to students, some ‘Support Cedric Diggory’ badges still linger throughout the castle, his death not in vain. His bravery against Voldemort was unmatched in Y/N’s eyes.

Dumbledore asked if she wanted to say something at the feast/memorial, which she did and Harry didn't.

“Cedric was a friend for all, that’s just who he was. He was loyal, hard working and trusted. His death won’t be in vain, I won’t allow it, neither would he. Cedric would want people to learn and act in wake of his death, stand up for what is right and just. Work hard for peace and care for others around you.” A few tears fell from your speech, as you breathed in. “Thank you.”

Later on, she’d found out from Harry that Cedric wanted him to take his body back to her, whilst he’d helped other people out even after death.

Y/N didn’t return to their spot for about a month, when she finally decided it was time. It was the weekend, she secretly flew up on her broomstick, it wasn’t as magical as it had been with him and it was daytime. Climbing in, the room felt cold, abandoned and just empty, although it was still how they had left it the night before he passed.

Light streamed in through the window she’d entered from, shining on what was left of the candles, the blanket and pillows, the basket and cups as well as the dead plants. It illuminated the badge she had on the wall which Cedric didn’t like much, saying ‘Support Cedric Diggory’. The photos were in clear view, pictures of the two of them sharing happy moments played out in a video before her, along with a picture of him from the start of the tournament. Taken the day he found out he’d been chosen, a smile on his face as he beamed.

The dead plants reminded her of the void in her shattered heart, and how she couldn’t be in the common room unless passing through because the memories were too much. The common room filled with plants and life, it was once one of her favourite places. It reminded her of her loss and all the emotions that happened in that room, everything that had happened in the space she was standing. The struggle to get the plants up safely.

She cried.

She fell upon the dusty pillows and cried after weeks of keeping it together.

Weeks of seeing reminders everywhere, people coming up to her and commenting on how they’re sorry and it’ll get better.

After the sun had faded, she lit the candles as her tears stopped, getting up from her position. She walked to where she placed her broom, reaching for the broom she brought next to hers. Picking it up, Y/N walked to lean it against the wall with the photos. Technically, it was all one wall as she did stand in a cone roof. Standing back, she smiled slightly at Cedric’s broom standing next to his picture, the broom that brought them here many a time.

She hated the thought that one day, she would leave this school and this spot would be empty and cold forever. Or at least until someone found it.

Still staring at the broom and picture, she spoke, her throat scratchy from crying. “I’m glad we bumped into each other, I’m glad you found me.” His photo winked at her and she laughed lightly, twirling the bracelet on her wrist.

Y/N came back every weekend from then on, talked to the space and pictures and sometimes did her homework there, or to get peace and quiet. She said hello to Helga everyday, to which Helga nodded back. Helga made sure to watch over her and watch her grow to be a proud member of Dumbledore’s Army, created in memory of Ced.

She told Dumbledore and Harry about the spot, to ensure that she could come back every year on the day they met, but other than them, the secret spot was never discovered by anyone else. Which made her think how Cedric Diggory found it in the first place.

Cedric never told Y/N that Helga told him about it.

tagged: @itsnolongerteen​ @justsomewritingsandshit​

[beyondconfessor]

Principle Decisions [7/24]

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Lilith/Zelda Spellman

Summary: She had engaged in dominatrix services from Sabrina’s principal. It was enough to make her light-headed. 

N.B.: Also posted on AO3. This is pure fantasy, please suspend your disbelief. Chapter ends angsty with mentions of self-harm (nothing explicit or overt, just a Lilith advising Zelda that she was pushing her limits to hurt her self)

Zelda chewed on her thumbnail, looking across the expanse of lingerie she owned. She was suddenly finding herself indecisive over what set to wear––something she usually wasn’t.

Usually, she’d go for the ivory and black set (a favourite), but Lilith had seen that. There was a ruby set, but Zelda wasn’t sure she liked how it went with her hair. Maybe the emerald, she wondered, or the black (also a favourite).

She sighed, standing in her dressing robe. She never fussed this much when dating any man, outside of the occasional birthday. It’d been some time since she was nervous over the idea of what to wear, which only further set her in a state of unease. Was it because Lilith initiated her enough that she felt a need to impress the woman, or was it something deeper?

Was she perhaps so lonely, that she’d projected a romantic fantasy onto the woman? It wasn’t unheard of.

But that didn’t solve her current issue: the choice between lingerie.

It was hardly as if she had anyone else’s opinion to ask. She’d never been one to have close female friends. She had a group of girlfriends in school, a long time ago, but she wouldn’t ever refer to that as being close friends. There’d been far too much backstabbing and bitching of one another to be anything but rivals masking as friends.

Perhaps that said something about her more than she liked. The closest person she could refer to as a friend was Constance Blackwood, and that was only because Constance had once advised, while drunk at a mixer, that everyone was a bunch of cowardly bitches and Zelda was the only person she trusted to tell the truth.

But she couldn’t contact her about this.

Sighing, she drew away, grabbing at the ivory set. It was an old favourite and would just have to do for now. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t already had sex with the woman (though both times had been impromptu) and Lilith had seen her in lingerie before. So what did it matter what she wore? She was showered and clean, and in the end, it was all that mattered.

She switched for the emerald.

And then she dressed in a simple black dress, smoothing the arms down. The dress was simple, casual, and acted as a disguise for her as she came down the stairs.

“Ohh, you look nice,” Hilda said. “Off to somewhere?”

Zelda looked at the time. It was still early in the morning at least. “The office, my laptop is in the computer shop, and I have work I need to get done by Monday.” Not entirely false. She did plan on going to the school’s library afterwards.

Hilda seemed to frown at her but didn’t say anything. “Well, I’ll be off to Doctor Cee’s, did you want me to drop you off.”

Zelda paused. There was no way in hell she’d allow that. “There’s no need. I’ll be at University for some time.”

“Are you sure, I finish at four, I could pick you up again?”

Zelda pressed her lips shut. “Quite,” she said. “What time are you leaving?”

“Oh, well Doctor Cee’s opening so I’ll probably wander off in about fifteen minutes.”

Zelda nodded. She’d leave a little later; otherwise, Hilda was likely to see her going the opposite way to the University, and she honestly didn’t need that. Besides, she usually ended up fifteen minutes early.

Zelda realised her mistake too late when she realised that Saturday mornings were quite busy with the weekend markets, causing the streets to be busy with pedestrians, leading to arrive on the other side of town late.

Dreadfully late.

She was an entire ten minutes late. Tardy by all accounts, and when she rang the doorbell, Lilith opened it up with raised brow. “I believe I warned you that I don’t appreciate late clients,” she said, blocking the door.

“Believe me. It was not by choice. I had forgotten about the Saturday mid-morning traffic. I don’t usually drive to this end of town, as you can imagine. Or to town at all on the weekend.”

Lilith’s eyebrows rose, “Perhaps I should buy you a GPS, and then you can listen to its advice on traffic? Or perhaps I should have you read the clock face on the wall until I’m satisfied that you can tell the time?”

Zelda flushed. “It won’t happen again.”

“Mm, odds are now in the favour that it will occur again,” Lilith said, before pushing away from the door to allow her entrance. “But you can make it up to me. Get inside before someone sees you, Ms Spellman.”

Zelda shivered, stepping into the hallway. Though she expected Lilith to lead her up to the bedroom, the woman instead led her down the hall, past the kitchen, to the garden.

Zelda swallowed. The garden was outside, and it was a Saturday. Having parked her car, she was aware that the businesses on either side of the building were open. The streets were not busy by any stretch of the definition, but the garage door had been open, and the mattress store had its lights on.

She trusted that they weren’t aware of what Lilith’s business was, given that it was unmarked, but felt nervous nonetheless as Lilith opened the door to the patio, leading her outside.

“Yesterday, I admit I was deliciously surprised by the reaction you had,” Lilith said, as she continued to lead her from the concrete to the stone path leading underneath the great tree. “And I have the strangest suspicion that you are an exhibitionist.”

“Exhibitionist?” Zelda said. “I hardly think so.”

“Mm, and if I fucked out here with the sound of the mechanics working on cars, you wouldn’t get off on the idea that you had to keep quiet?”

Zelda flushed. She could hear the sounds of hammering on metal, the odd chatter and laughter from the garage.

“I bet if I even just told you to get undressed right now, you’d be in a quivering mess at the idea of kneeling on the grass, naked as people were next door going about their lives.”

Zelda shut her eyes, looking away. Admittedly, she could see the point that Lilith was getting at. There was every possibility that, perhaps, she wasn’t entirely against the idea of outdoor sex. “Isn’t exhibitionism the idea of being watched?”

Lilith shrugged. “For some people. For some, it’s just thrill that they might get caught.” Lilith’s hands were slipping over her waist, and suddenly Zelda was finding herself back up against the great tree. “If you’re very, very quiet, no one will know. But if you’re loud, and I know you’re loud, the man will go out of their way to peak over that great big fence and see what’s going on and we don’t want that, now do we?”

Zelda looked to the fence line. It was rather tall, difficult to see over. They’d have to get a stepladder to do it. Which given that they’re a mechanic, was not entirely impossible for them. Likely they had one lying about or boxes, or some sort of implement they could use to peak over if they were curious enough.

“Do you think you can be quiet?” Lilith enquired, and her hands were already tugging up the skirt of her dress, fingers raking over her bare skin. “Or will I have to gag you?”

Zelda scoffed. “I can be quiet,” she assured. “I do live in a house with three other people.”

Lilith drew over her skin, playing with the lace on her hips as she leant forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. Zelda sighed into her mouth, drawing her lips over hers as she wrapped her arms around Lilith’s shoulders.

There was something about the way that Lilith kissed. A tenderness in how she first started, drawing over her, before she would deepen the kiss, drawing more and more passion into it until it was teeth and tongue and Zelda felt as if she was drowning in rapturous delight.

And then Lilith’s mouth was drawing down her neck and shoulders, kissing there as she unzipped the dress and shoved it down her arms, leaving it to bunch around her waist as she moved to draw her mouth over her shoulders, her clavicle, down over her breasts peaking from teal lace and silk.

Lilith drew the straps of the bra down her shoulders, allowing the cups to slip down over her ribs, exposing her breasts.

“Give me your hands,” Lilith said, before kissing her again so dizzily, that Zelda forgot to ask why.

She dropped her hands from Lilith’s shoulders and felt the woman slip what felt like a leather cuff over one hand and then the other. And then Lilith was pulling back and drawing Zelda’s cuffed arms up into the air, over a branch.

Looking up, Zelda watched as the woman attached a double-ended snap hook on a metal clap on either cuff, over the top of a rather sturdy branch, leaving Zelda to stand awkwardly with her arms in the air.

“Much better,” Lilith said, raking her eyes over Zelda.

And then Lilith’s mouth was descending again.

Zelda’s hands grasped at the branches, trying to hold onto something as her legs became unsteady. It was divine and sinful at the same time. She could hear the sound of drilling, of hammering, of men talking and laughing to each other and as she became more and more aware of them, she felt a tightness tugging low in her belly, a need to gasp and swallow back the building sounds.

It was different to when she had brought long-term partners home or had masturbated in the depths of her sheets. Here, there was an absolute desire to want to get caught. To have the men intrigued, trying to peak over the fences and see nothing, knowing that something was going on.

Zelda whined low, biting her lip to prevent it from escaping as Lilith laughed, her tongue and teeth working on once breast as her hand worked the other.

“I once made someone orgasm from this alone.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Zelda responded breathlessly, eyes squeezing shut as she leant back against the tree.

“Usually, you argue with me. And here I was, all ready to prove my point,” Lilith said before dropping her mouth again against the nipple, teeth drawing over as she did something with her mouth that caused a sudden spike of desire to shoot straight through to Zelda’s core.

“God! Lilith I…” she rocked her hips, a whine pulling from the back of her throat. She wanted more. She was so close already she could feel her legs trembling.

Lilith pulled back, eyes staring up at her and Zelda clamped her jaw shut, trying to stand strong. “You will need to be careful,” Lilith warned. “If you can’t be quiet, I might have to find something else to do with you.”

Zelda swallowed and nodded, head rolling back to look up at the tree and the dappled light. She felt a hand squeeze over one breast and then felt Lilith tug at the bunched dress, dropping it down her legs to spill around her feet.

“If you’re quiet, I’ll give you a reward later.”

Her head dropped down, eyebrows rising “What kind of reward?”

“Be good, and I’ll let you know,” Lilith said, as her fingers played with her breast and nipple, squeezing with enough pressure that Zelda bit her lip, holding back the whimpers. “Can you be good for me?”

“Mmhmm,” Zelda managed to say, under certain in how the woman knew how to do what she did.

“Good,” Lilith said, and then her mouth was kissing down, between her chest, over her ribs, and down and Zelda was pressing her hands back against the tree, listening to the sound of mechanical work and idle chatter fill her as Lilith reached the scrap of emerald between her thighs.

She expected it to be pulled down or pushed to the side, or whatever, but Lilith’s tongue drew over it prominently as she drew a hand down Zelda’s waist, nails dragging over the skin, across the hip to thigh and then she was tugging at the back of Zelda’s leg, bending the knee until Zelda had a leg thrown over Lilith’s shoulder.

Her shoe fell off onto the ground, and Zelda didn’t care. Didn’t care if it got muddied or grass stains, not when Lilith was doing whatever that was.

Grasping at the bough of the tree, Zelda pressed her back against bark, feeling it scrape over her body as she rocked her hips over Lilith’s tongue.

If Lilith wasn’t careful, she was going to make her climax in her underwear, likely ruining them.

Who was she kidding? She could feel how wet she was already; it was slick and sticking, sliding with every movement. Her underwear was ruined already.

What she really wanted was the woman’s fingers inside of her, fucking her like she had yesterday.

Zelda bit her lip and made the terrible decision to look down just as Lilith looked up. Her eyes were bright, a smirking pulling at her lips as her tongue slid over, firmly pressing as her hand continued to squeeze and pinch.

It wasn’t enough sensation, and as Zelda’s hips jerked, her bare heel digging into Lilith’s back, she felt a string of curse words leave her mouth. There was a brief sound of mechanics stopping, laughter dying with a curious lilt of conversation as the men needed to pause in their work.

And then Lilith's fingers were tugging the underwear aside, and her tongue was sliding over her sex, and two fingers were pressing inside of her, and Zelda knew she needed to keep quiet. She knew she couldn’t say another word.

Tilting her head into her bound arms, she tried to muffle the moans spilling from her. And then, like relief, the orgasm came, and she was whining into the flesh of her bicep, focusing on the way that she was squeezing around Lilith’s fingers…until they slipped away and Lilith’s tongue gave a last lick.

Zelda drew in a breath, eyes going skyward to focus on the sun before she dropped down to look at the smirking woman as Lilith slowly eased Zelda’s foot onto the ground. And then she was rising, her hands holding Zelda steady as she kissed her.

Tenderly, softly her lips moved over hers, and Zelda felt herself quiver with the touch. An ache building in her chest.

“Look at you, you almost managed it,” Lilith said.

“Almost?”

“Oh yes, you were rather noisy just before the end. A passing grade, I suppose.”

“Passing grade,” Zelda nearly yelped, eyes narrowing. “What in God’s name does that even mean.”

Lilith hummed, her hands drawing circles over Zelda’s torso. “It means that you’re all mine, and I get to inflict all sorts of punishments to you.” Her hand came up, cupping under Zelda’s jawline, her thumb stroking over her cheek. “Don’t worry. I promise that you won't enjoy this as much as I will.”

Zelda shivered, standing up as tall as she could as she adjusted her grip on the tree. There was nothing she wanted more than to touch Lilith right now. Stroke her hands over her skin and run it through her hair. The most she could do without looking to wanton was lean back against the tree and hoped she looked as seductive as possible.

Lilith’s eyes darkened, a slow breath pulling into her lungs, and Zelda knew she had her for the moment. That if she said the right words, she could do the very same things to Lilith that she’d done to her.

And right now, the idea of tying Lilith up and going down on her until she was pleading, was exactly what she had in mind.

Lilith laughed, looking away. “Oh, I don’t think so,” she said. “Whatever naughty thought you have in your head if you want our roles to reverse, you’re going to have to ask me very, very nicely.”

Zelda considered asking to be untied, to act as the dominant one in this situation, but it defeated the purpose. She didn’t want to ask. She just wanted.

“Now be a good girl and wait here for me,” Lilith said, her hand dropping away. Zelda watched as she stepped back, and then made her way down the stone path, back to the house. It left Zelda tied up, her bra still around her waist, underwear sitting uncomfortably to one side, and her hands bound above her in the tree.

Zelda shivered as a breeze brushed through the garden, making her all the more aware of her undressed state, even with the warm light coming through the trees.

She ended up kicking off her other heel, uncomfortable wearing just one shoe, and standing on the balls of her feet, leaning back against the tree as Lilith finally returned with items in tow.

“Don’t you look good enough to eat,” Lilith proclaimed, setting her tools aside. Zelda eyed them with interest before Lilith’s brow rose, and she used her frame to block the view of whatever was brought out. “No peeking,” she said, before bending back over her assortment, seeming to hum to herself as she chose between them.

Zelda pushed on her feet, already growing tired of waiting, before Lilith picked something up and turned around, holding whatever it was behind her back.

She tucked it in the back of her skirt and then walked up, hands drawing over Zelda’s body, her nails raking over her hips to the dip in her waist, and then up.

“I’m going to turn you around, and then I’m going to mark your back, and you’re going to take it like a good girl because you were late. Do you know how many minutes you were late?”

“Ten.”

“Fifteen,” Lilith correct. “You should have arrived at least five minutes before your allocated session.”

Zelda nodded, feeling the haze of endorphins slip over her still as Lilith reached up and unbound her before having her turn around and binding her up again.

The woman pressed against her back, and Zelda sighed as she felt how warm she was. “Do you remember your safe word?”

“Music box,” Zelda confirmed.

Lilith’s hand combed through her head, nails bluntly rolling over her scalp and Zelda sighed into the touch. Sometimes it felt like Lilith was conditioning her, that when she combed her fingers, it was a reminder that she was safe. And then Lilith pressed a brief kiss to her back, and Zelda sighed at the touch.

If it was the case, she didn’t mind a single bit.

“Let’s begin then, shall we?”

The flogging session drew over her back, and Zelda felt the mixture of endorphins acting as a somewhat effective numbing agent. Lilith’s strikes were strong and firm, and Zelda felt the leather strike down her skin and around her breasts. When the nipples were hit on the very edge, she hissed, pushing up on her toes. She’d taken eight strikes so far––halfway there.

Lilith paused, stepped forward to press her kiss down her back, unclasping the bra to it drop away.

Zelda exhaled, her heart beating fast as she felt the woman’s hands hold her steady. Her skin felt hot, and the cool hand drew over her, soothing. Zelda could feel her nerves running raw, building pressure in her chest. If she pushed too far, she was going to cry again.

But if she was honest…a part of her wanted to.

Work had built to new capacities of stressful, and there was so much she needed to do––with her computer out of action, she was doubling her work.

She would never allow herself to break in front of her family. But Lilith wasn’t family.

The strikes came again, and Zelda gripped at the bough of the tree, holding onto it firm as she felt one, after another. The sound was loud and sharp. There was a different feeling of the strikes than it had been in the office and the bedroom.

By the twelfth strike, she was biting her lip, feeling the emotions build inside of her, and suddenly she was in doubt that she did want to break. The sex had been wonderful, and the bondage was soothing, but this…she wasn’t sure she liked this.

Thirteen, Zelda gasped. It hit hard over her shoulder, ringing through her body. There was a masochistic want growing inside of her, a need for the strikes to be harder. She wanted it to hurt. She wanted them to burn across her back and mark her skin. She deserved it. Need it.

Fourteen. Zelda’s nails dug into the palm of her hand. One more, one more was all she had to stand and then it was all hers.

Her eyes were pricking as she stared at the tree, studying the grooves, and then Zelda could feel her mind receding away. She could feel the sting against her back, hear the sound of weapon, but all she could think about was––

A hand touched her and Zelda flinched, feeling anger grow inside of her as she turned over her shoulder to look at…

…at Lilith.

Her arms were undone, and she was falling against the woman, and Lilith was pulling her back to stand up again, eyes searching over her. “Where did you go?” she asked, and there was a firmness to her voice. She was displeased with her.

Zelda felt that harder than any strike and pulled herself backwards, onto her feet as she leant against the tree and crossed her arms, covering her chest up. “Unless I suddenly developed the ability to teleport, I didn’t go anywhere.”

Lilith’s eyes narrowed at her. She picked up Zelda’s clothes and then made a gesture to her head to get inside. This wasn’t the place to discuss.

Zelda followed her into the house, the door shutting behind her as she was lead to the kitchen. On the wall, Zelda could see they still had another hour of the session left.

But Lilith didn’t move to make tea. Instead, she directed Zelda to sit down in one chair, as she sat across from her, setting the clothes carefully to the side of the table. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer me honestly.”

Zelda looked up at her feeling a curtain of red hair cover half of face. Jaw clenching, she nodded.

“Are you using these sessions as a way to punish yourself?”

“As opposed to what?” Zelda inquired. “Aren’t these sessions meant for punishment?”

“Let me re-phrase the question then,” Lilith said, unimpressed by her response. “Are you using me as a proxy to self-harm?”

Zelda stared at her. Perhaps once upon a time, long ago, she’d been partial to such a thing, but that had been years and years ago. So far ago now that she could barely recall. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, but the venom wasn’t in her voice, and Zelda found herself looking away, feeling the words claw at her.

Lilith’s hands reached out, covering her own and Zelda looked up, swallowing a painful lump in her throat. “You need to be upfront with me about this.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head, and then “Not at first…”

“But today?”

“Today I…” she didn’t know how to admit it, that a part of her had sunk into the scene, needed to feel the hits hurt and sting, past her limits. Well past her limits. She should have stopped at the twelfth hit.

Zelda drew her hands away from Lilith, pulling them into her lap. She bit her tongue, trying to shove the rising emotions back down her throat.

Lilith sighed before her, her own hands dropping away. “This is as much my fault. I should have checked in with you sooner. But I can not and will not be that proxy for you. We can engage in sex, and we can engage in BDSM if it’s truly a sexual exploration or kink that you enjoy, but I will not hit you just because you want to scratch at your trauma.”

“Trauma?” Zelda yelped. “This is not an ill-attempt to hurt me for the sake of trauma.”

“Are you so sure? Because I think you came here because you wanted to feel something, and instead of hurting yourself or using drugs, you came to me.” Her head tilted at her, and Zelda felt as if she was cutting through every barrier Zelda had. “You’re drowning, and I will not participate in that destruction.”

Zelda scoffed, looking away. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“No, but I know people like you. Burying themselves in work and family obligations, burning themselves out until they can’t feel anything, getting off on a well-placed pat on the head. You don’t need a dominatrix. You need a therapist.” She stood up then, and Zelda watched as she went into one of the many cupboards, pulling out a card before she came over and handed it to her.

Zelda looked at the card. It was white and blue, simple, with a little embossed ocean wave in the corner. “You’re giving me the card of a therapist.”

Lilith nodded. “Get help before you destroy yourself. Believe me, I’ve been down this path, and you won’t find salvation at the end of it. You’ll just sink further and further until you’re letting men do things to you that you’d previously never allow.”

Zelda took the card, her expression tightening. “It wasn’t just about that.”

Lilith’s face softened as she sat back down. “I enjoy engaging in your services, Zelda. But I also have a duty of care to you and myself.”

Zelda bit her tongue, pulling her hands away. She didn’t like the way the woman was looking at her. She didn’t like how she’d peeled back her skin and peered underneath, seeming to touch at the core of Zelda that she, herself didn’t want to acknowledge.

How dare she? She didn’t come here to seek counselling services. She asked for a simple transaction of labour, and now that was being refused.

“Well,” she clipped. “I suppose a thank you is in order.” She rose to her feet, suddenly feeling far more naked than she liked as she snatched at the clothes on the table and began pulling them on. “And, I suppose that’s the end of it, then?” she inquired.

“You don’t have to pay for this session. And don't leave, you should––”

“No, I insist. We engaged in services, and you were apart of them,” Zelda said, hearing the coldness in her voice. “It’s only fair that I pay you what services were rendered. Don't bother about anything else, I hardly need any alleged aftercare since, apparently, I'm only engaging in this as some sick attempt to hurt myself.”

Lilith’s face drew tight, her lips pressing shut as she seemed to bite back a comment. Zelda thought about pushing at it, prodding at the words beneath the surface, but knew it wasn’t worth burning any more fuel onto whatever fire had grown inside of her.

Instead, Zelda zipped up her dress as Lilith took out her receipt book, signing the paper over.  Zelda reached into her handbag and pulled out her wallet, handed the cash over.

That was the end of that, she thought, fixing her hair. Like Hell, she would attend a therapist. She’d sooner return to attending confession at the local catholic church.

[write-like-you-mean-it]

A Hunter’s Prey: Killua’s Return

My mind buzzed with every single emotion at once. The nausea was replaced with a rock as big as my stomach. Fear gripped my heart to the point I could feel it tightening around and squeezing the life out of me. The thought of life growing deep inside of me pounded against my skull. When I told Illumi I wanted to have his child, I didn’t mean this soon. 

The air around me began getting thinner and thinner as I tried to breathe in any amount of oxygen in my lungs. My hand grasped the front of my shirt as if I could force my lungs to take in any more. My vision started to cloud as I became fixated on the white stick in front of me. 

I threw the stick across the room as tears finally flowed down my cheeks. I should be happy. We wanted a kid; however, it should’ve been later. Why wasn’t I careful? Why wasn’t he careful? Illumi wouldn’t have planned this. No, Illumi wouldn’t have done this on purpose. 

Panic subsided to a dull throb in the back of my head. Tears continued to fall down my cheeks until I felt there was no more that I could cry. My mind was a metronome of two thoughts: I was happy and pure terror. While I was excited to marry Illumi, having children was a bigger step. This child would be a Zoldyck. They would be forced into a lifestyle that I wasn’t entirely sure I was comfortable with them doing. 

My mind still wasn’t clear the next day. I couldn’t cancel on Gon a second time as Killua’s arrival was less than a week away. I needed to talk with Killua about everything. Something didn’t seem right and the only person who may be able to help was Illumi’s younger brother. 

“Good Morning!” shouted Gon as I made my way across the clearing and to the familiar rock. “Are you feeling better today?”

Gon’s smile almost made me want to match it. He was so self assured that it was almost disgusting. Today, Gon was without his cast from the broken arm. Gon waved the newly formed arm as if to show that he truly is whole again. 

“Morning, Gon,” I responded. The green-haired boy’s face scrunched as he studied me intently. For that split second, I wondered if he could tell of my predicament. Could he sense what was off with me. No. No one would be able to know. 

“Do you feel better today?” he asked before stretching his hands up high,a routine he would always do before our morning run, and I took it as a sign that he knew nothing. 

“Yeah,” I sigh. “It must’ve been a small bug. I didn’t want you to get it but I’m much better.”

Gon still had the smile on his face during the full run. We spirited through the trees like vipers. During this month, I had become accustomed to running. It wasn’t a hobby that I had enjoyed before now. Gon was able to help me feel better, faster than I ever had before. Truly, he was one of the most intelligent children that has graced my presence. Would my child be like him?

I quickly shook the thought from my head as the end of our run came within view. If I were able to hold Ren for the whole two hours today, I would finally be at my goal. 

We stopped only for me to catch my breath before the actual preparations. I took a stance with my feet shoulder-width apart, took a deep breath, and started. The cooling sensation of Nen flowing through my body always left tingles up and down my spine. 

“Oh, I received a letter from Killua yesterday,” said the boy who was doing some push-ups with his newly formed arm. “He’s excited to come meet me. I wrote to him when you first arrived because I wanted to ask if it was alright that you two met again. He didn’t seem too happy but we already planned to go in search of my Nen.”

“Where do you think you’ll look?” I asked.

“We were going to go talk to some old friends. They should be able to find someone.”

I should’ve known that he wasn’t going to tell me. While I was a friend, trust should not have been easily given. Killlua was still hiding from his brother and I was still in contact with Illumi. A double edged sword for both of us. 

“I hope you do get your Nen back, Gon. You’re too special to not have this power. If I could, I’d give mine to you. It would be better suited in your hands than my own.” My words weren’t forced but I still felt a new ache deep within my heart. Gon was still a child. A child that had his life ripped from this Earth and he hasn’t even hit puberty. Maybe it was better for him to not be a full time hunter. He should be a full time child while he still can. 

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

It took until the day Killua was to arrive to finally grasp the two hour mark. Only three hours before Killua’s return did my sweaty, tired frame hold Ren for two hours. Gon counted down the seconds as he started jumping with excitement. 

“You did it!” he shouted. Overwhelming emotion hit me as the once distrusting child became so excited when I finally hit my goal. A goal only created to meet his best friend. A goal that only mattered to Illumi. “Try your power again.”

“Huh?” I questioned. “I already met my limit.”

“No, no. You told me last week that you were able to produce fire. Show me.”

I finally realized what he meant. He wanted me to show my Nen in its physical form. I place my hand up and switch my Nen to fully form in my hand. The flame grew bigger than it ever had before. It was a beautiful flame that felt cold to my own touch. I closed my hand around the fire and focused solely on the piece of metal that I’d felt before.

Miraculously, it appeared. This time it wasn’t jagged and raw. The edges were still harsh but only in places where my hand didn’t fit. I must’ve leaned hard into the conjuring category rather than staying a transmuter. 

“You don’t have any fighting experience. Do you?” questioned the child. He was anxiously watching his phone in case Killua would arrive early. Every few seconds, he would look at the device and his smile would drop. 

“No,” I say. “I’ve only practiced with Zeno a few times. I had barely the fire.”

“Why’d you choose a knife? Shouldn’t you try to use your first attack more? Maybe you could even change it inbetween. Like fire that quickly changes to a knife. They’d be great for long range attacks. Shorter ones can be the fire and metal.”

Gon, while being young, had many ideas that I hadn;t thought of before. The only reason I had the metal knife was from when I saved Machi. The knife vanished in my hand and was replaced with the burning fire. So it can change back and forth. 

I decided to take Gon’s ideas and put it into practice. I held my hand straight out and released a burst of flames from them. It was good enough to singe some of the taller grass. I closed my eyes and thought of the fire changing to another attack. Nothing happened. Instead, the fire slowly faded. 

“Maybe it’ll take more practice. I didn’t really know mine quickly.” He thought for a second after checking his phone. “Killua might be able to help. He is a transmuter after all!”

“Speaking of Killua, shouldn’t we return back to the doc. Don’t you want to be there when he arrives?”

“Yes. I’ll race you,” cried the child after he had already started running. I let out a sigh before chasing after him. 

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

Killua’s boat was late. Gon had gotten to the point of pacing in order to calm himself. I’d never seen him so excited in the month I’d known him.His joy brought a smile to my face. There was very little for him to look forward to since he lost the ability to use Nen. Seeing his best friend again was the goal. 

Once the boat arrived, Killua, followed by a little girl, was the first ones to step onto the island. Gon ran up to him and started to ask about his travels and friends and Alluka and everything that would come to his head. 

“Whoa Gon slow down,” commented Killua. “You’re being embarrassing.” Although his words sounded as if he were annoyed, his tone did not. Instead, he looked more happy to see his friend too. Alluka gave Gon a hug. 

It took them a few minutes of talking before Gon remembered my presence. “Oh Killua, this is my new friend Y/N. You may have met her before.”

The white-hair boy’s eyes turned into an icy glare. “Yes. I remember her. What is she doing here?”

“Hello Killua,” I started trying to be polite. “It’s nice to actually talk to you.”

“I’m not going to repeat myself again. What are you doing here?” 

“I-I’m here to see you. And to meet Gon. I’ve heard so much about you that I wanted to actually get to know you.”

“Gon you do know that she is dating my brother,” growled Killua as he pushed Alluka behind him. Passersby started to look at us. A few scoffed at the bizarre situation where children seemed in distress from an adult. 

“I know we got off on the wrong foot last time,” I start. “I really don’t-”

Gon interrupted. “She’s been hanging out with me. I’ve been training her in Nen. Just like Bisky did for us. I gave her a very hard goal but she was able to keep it. It was the only way she could meet you.” 

Killua’s eyes were still locked on mine as he whispered something between the two boys. I let them have their privacy in the hopes of proving myself somehow. 

After much deliberation, Killua seemed to find a solution. “Okay. If you can prove to me that you’re not under Illumi’s control and have free will in loving him then I’ll listen to what you have to say. He had put so much emphasis on ‘loving’ that I knew he wasn’t serious. There was this twinkle in his eyes as if he knew something that I don’t.

“Okay,” I say. “What do you want to know?”

“Nothing until I know if you’re not being manipulated. You and I both know that Illumi is a manipulator.”

“Yes but what does his Nen type have to do with anything else?”

“Are you stupid? The needles. They can control people. Illumi did that to me to force me to run any time I couldn't win a fight. Truly, he is evil. I bet he did it to you too.”

“No,” I say. “Illumi would never do that.” I mumbled my words while shaking my head; however, there could be some truth to Killua’s words. It was rather weird the pull I had towards him. I had always chalked it up to actual love. But could his manipulation last for so long?”

A crowd was starting to gather around us. I, thoroughly confused, looked towards Gon as if he could do anything. “Let’s go back to my house. We can talk about this more.”

Killua, begrudgingly, agreed. 

Once at Gon’s house, Aunt Mito expressed how she was cooking dinner for all the new guests. We, on the other hand, stayed outside to finish our talk before Aunt Mito would finish the meal. 

“Alluka, it is nice to finally meet you too,” I said while Gon and Killua were catching up with Mito. Killua wasn’t far out of sight so he could keep an eye on her. 

She looked confused at why I was talking to her. 

“Oh, let me introduce myself. I am YN and I am dating your brother, Illumi. I’m not sure if you picked that up earlier.”

“You’re dating mean brother? Why?”

“Nope we do not talk to Alluka,” interrupted Killua while pulling her into the other conversation. “I’m doing this for everyone’s safety. I was left along with my thoughts once more. Illumi’s siblings really don’t have a strong pull towards their brother. Kalluto seems to be the only one who actually has nice feelings. Milluki has a weird disdain for him. Killua despises him. Alluka doesn’t like him. How many enemies has Illumi made?

Killua and Gon finally returned when Mito had to get back to cooking. “Where I found my needle was in my head.” The former assassin’s hands became a sharp point. “I can easily see if there is one and get it out. If there isn’t then I’ll answer just about anything about my brother.”

“If there is?” I question. 

“Then I think you have bigger things to deal with.”

I lean down so that I am eye-level with Killua. “I trust your brother so I’ll trust you.” My heart started to beat quicker as I closed my eyes. The pain was only there for a second. An instant of blinding pain and a sudden relief. I could feel blood drip from the entry point down my face. 

When I opened my eyes, I saw blood mixed with a small pin. “See, I knew my brother would have pulled some shit like this.” 

I almost didn’t hear him as my whole world crashed before my eyes while I stared at the small pin. Illumi had been manipulating me the whole time and I didn’t even know.

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Full Masterlist

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

In Chains (Chapter Eight) Electric Blue (Trafalgar Law)

It’s too much; I can’t do this. Samira frowned and stooped in defeat. She was worn out; her arms were extremely heavy and ached. Why couldn’t she do exactly what had been asked of her?

The glass bottles laid out in front of her were shattered into millions of pieces; not the outcome she desired. Her goal was to move them – not by much – but even this was proving to be too hard. Her Devil Fruit seemed to be based on destruction alone, and that was enough to discourage her. Maybe Law had it all wrong.    

“May I have a break?”

Said man agreed; this would be the third she had taken since this morning. He had to hand it to her though, she was trying and had not yet given up.

“Five minutes, then either you stop or start again.”

Samira nodded forlornly and rose, staggering over to him. Once she sunk down onto the ground next to the crate he was sitting on, she stretched her tired legs out and forced the numbness from them. It felt like small needles were piercing her skin.

“Any idea how long we’ve been out here?”

Law tossed a decanter of water near her feet. “Since sunrise; five hours, give or take.”

“And I’ve done nothing but break a few hundred bottles since we started,” she grumbled. Laying back in the grass, she covered her eyes with her arm and sighed. “I don’t understand it; I can’t move them.”

Law remained quiet. He may have overanalyzed her Devil Fruit a bit; it was much easier than he’d originally thought. Arsenio explained it as a force, so he assumed at the time she could manifest the stored energy around objects, but that was not the case.

It was chaos, pure destructive force. Samira may have been able to limit her power, reduce its strength, but eventually it had to go somewhere.

“You can’t tame disorder; you can lessen its range though.”

Samira hummed in question and removed her arm. Did he say something?

Law had an idea, but Samira wasn’t going to like it. He stood up and gathered his sword from the ground, then moved to put some distance between them.

She watched in skepticism. “What are you doing? Going to get a little training in too?”

“Stand up, Amunet-ya. We’re going to try something,” Law ordered. He didn’t want to give away too much about his plan, but he knew that she’d never trust him again otherwise.

She listened without a complaint and stood in front of him. “Okay … what now?”

Law activated a room and unsheathed his sword. With a clean and well-planned swing, he cut her casted arm at the elbow joint. It fell with a thump onto the grass near her feet.

My arm … he took my arm. Samira stared in horror at the unnatural stump. There was no blood spewing from the wound and no pain to follow; it was just gone.

Like Arsenio. Was he going to cut her into pieces too?

“I don’t understand. Just what are you doing to me?”  

Law grinned. “Isn’t it obvious; I’m tearing you apart.”

“And what does this have to do with my training? Put my arm back on; I know you can.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You don’t get to order me around.”

With another swipe of his sword, Samira felt her balance give out and collapsed onto her rear with a loud grunt. Her leg was gone now too. Anger consumed her; she felt utterly helpless.

“Did I strike a nerve, Amunet-ya?”

Yes, he did. The entire point of this exorcise was to help her control her power so that she didn’t ever have to feel helpless again. Samira dug her teeth into her bottom lip and glared at him.

“Put me back together. I didn’t ask,” she snarled.

Wisps of red and black moved between her fingers like an electric current. She tossed out her hand and shot the bolt of energy towards Law, eager to hit him in his smug face. The bolt hit, but Law switched places with the crate he had been sitting on at last second; it burst into nothing but slivers of burnt wood and fell into the grass as the sparks hissed out.

Law moved quickly behind her and placed the blade of his sword to her exposed neck. “Almost had me there. Not too bad.”

She panted in exhaustion. Maybe she took it too far, but surprisingly she felt much better. Still, she shot him a glare.    

“My limbs; I want them back.”

Law ignored her demand and grinned. “I can reattach them.”

He laid his sword down and kneeled beside her, taking her casted arm into his hands. Her brown skin was warm against his palm – something he tried to ignore as he pieced her back together.  

“Move your fingers for me,” he ordered.

Samira did so and was surprised to see that her fingers worked as they had before. She sighed in relief.

“You scared me for a minute,” she admitted. Looking out at the crate she blew apart in her attempt to attack Law, she bit her lip in shame. “I managed to do it again; destroy.”

Law hummed and attached her leg. “Because that’s precisely what your Devil Fruit is meant to do. I was wrong about its capabilities, believing that the force could be used to move an object. It crackles like an electric current, and expands rapidly on contact, like it did with the crate, but the longer it fosters inside you, the more damage it does.”

“Not the exact words I wanted to hear, but I understand.”

It was a part of her, connected to her emotions. It grew with her fear; her anger; her pain. Samira knew only one approach to control it; to control her emotions first.

“I know what I have to do,” she stated in glee.

Law was eager to find out.

“Another time,” he advised.

The wide-eyed look on her face made him laugh. “There are chores to do, and I still have materials to get in town before the stores close.”

Because of the festival. Samira perked up and reached out, grasping Law’s hoodie. “Go with me to the festival tonight. I really want to go.”

Law grunted in annoyance. “Don’t give me orders; I’m the captain and besides, we’re leaving first thing in the morning once the Log Pose sets.”

“That’s why I asked you to go with me,” she pouted. “So, you can keep an eye on me and make sure I return to the sub at a decent hour. We don’t have to stay long; I just want to experience my first festival before I never get the chance to again.”

Law pinched the bridge of nose. Was she serious? Her act may have worked on lesser men, but it wouldn’t work on him. He separated from her and stood up, resting his sword against his shoulder.

“Go back to the sub. You have chores to do,” he ordered.

Samira got up with a bounce in her step. “Then can we go? You said I have chores, but I can do them as soon as I get back.”

Where was this energy coming from? Law rolled his eyes; he’d think about it.

--

Penguin stared at her in amazement.

“How?”

It’s not like he doubted Samira, but he also knew how his captain was.

Samira honestly didn’t know either. “He seemed a little annoyed, so maybe I pushed him too much.”

“Either way,” Shachi stated. He took the lead as he peeked over his shoulder at them. “He gave his permission, so we shouldn’t question it.”

Penguin agreed; however, he was still amazed. Samira somehow convinced Law into permitting them to proceed to the Festival of Colors. As sudden as it was – Samira went to them once the sun had set with the news – Penguin was more than pleased to celebrate one last night before the crew continued their journey, even though he was her sitter.

“Did Ikkaku not wish to go?”

Shachi grunted in annoyance.

“Is she gonna be there too?”

Samira held back a laugh. “Yes. I asked her too. She went ahead of us; said she had something to do before the festival started, but she promised to meet up once she was done.”

“Perhaps she’ll get lost,” Shachi laughed.

No sooner had the word left his mouth, a colorful explosion of sea green dusted his face.

Samira covered her mouth and nose in fear of it being poison, but a familiar voice calmed her.

“Too bad, dunderhead.”

Ikkaku came out from the shadows of the timberline with a laugh. The same green powder covered her hands and boiler suit, but unlike Shachi, she didn’t seem to mind.

“The hell is this powder? Can it kill me?”

At his comment, she rolled her eyes. “No, idiot. It’s made from corn starch and food colorant.”

Penguin hummed in agreement. “I heard about this. The powders made in the village are thrown to pay homage to the bright colors seen during the spring season. There’s a legend too; one about an evil demoness, but most of the village celebrates the Festival of Colors to bear witness to a sense of brotherhood and social harmony.”

“Get the message,” Ikkaku brought up. “I was doin’ something nice for ya.”

Shachi wiped his mouth. “Didn’t have to throw it into mouth.”

“No, but how else was I gonna shut that mouth of yours?”

He glared at her, and tried to argue back, but Samira interrupted him with a cute laugh.

“It sounds like so much fun. I can’t wait.”

Ikkaku beamed. “The inauguration started at an earlier time, but the festival is still on, music and bonfires. I bought enough powder to throw, since the colors stand out more in the daytime and we missed the literal color toss.”

“That’s no problem,” Samira declared.

Penguin agreed. “Better get movin’ then.”

He led them down the remainder of the foot path towards the square; festive tunes lured them closer. The wavering lite of the bonfire caught his eye, and the mouthwatering scent of homecooked food consumed him; it was divine.

“Look at all the people,” Samira stated.

She had never seen so many in one place; not all of them could be natives, she thought. Layers of bright powders covered their skin as they danced and partied. She was in awe. Lured forward, Shachi stopped her.

“Ya can’t go,” he mentioned.

She rose a brow and before she could ask why, he tossed blue powder over her head, dusting her stark hair. She laughed in excitement.

“Suits ya.”

Penguin tossed his arm over his shoulder. “And a face full of green suits you.”

He grunted and tossed some at said man; he was also hit in the face and gasped as it got into his mouth.

“Want some more?”

Shachi bombarded him with color, going as far as to chase him into the crowd.

“Can they ever act normal?”

Their crewmate rolled her eyes.

Samira laughed again. “I think it’s cute. They seem close, like brothers.”

“Those two have always been together,” Ikkaku clarified. “The Captain recruited them at the same time; way before me or anyone else I heard.”

She was intrigued. This was honestly the first bit of information about the crew Samira had learned. She smiled and tried to locate them in the crowd, but they were gone. Her attention went to the bonfire where several female natives were dancing, and her mind was set.

“I want to dance; come with me please.”

Ikkaku turned red. “You sure? I can’t dance.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Samira admitted. “It’s not routine, so we can dance any way we want.”

She took her hand and ventured forward. The warmth of the fire lured her closer until she came to an opening that encircled the bonfire; the dancers were allowed a wide girth to prance around, enough space to accommodate several people. Samira closed her eyes, hearing to the sound of the drums. Her foot moved along with the rhythm and little by little her hips rocked with the tune.

“How do you do that? Get lost in the music.”

Samira hummed. “It’s not hard; I have a connection to it, many people do. I become part of the music and the music becomes part of me.”

“Seems easier said than done,” she confessed.

Samira shook her head in disagreement. She released her hand and intermingled with the dancers, facing Ikkaku as she pranced on the calloused pads of her feet to the metallic sound of the lute. She transferred her weight from one foot to the other, rocking her arms above her head as she leapt from side to side.

“Come and dance,” Samira shouted.

Ikkaku refused, hesitant to embarrass herself, but Samira was having none of this. She led her into the circle and urged her to dance. Ikkaku glanced around for incentive; every person was dancing a unique way; no two people danced the same.

“Where do I start?”

Samira beamed. “Start with your body; move your hips or sway your arms.”

As an example, she pirouetted and rocked her arms.

Ikkaku imitated her with a snort; it wasn’t so bad. She wasn’t as sinuous as Samira was, but she had a style of her own; unrefined and spirited.

Each danced in fits of laughter. This was the most fun either of them had in quite some time, Samira above all – the last occasion being her brother’s inauguration into kinghood. It was nice to eventually relax a little. Too bad Law didn’t come along with them; he could use a break.

Samira panted in exhaustion and searched the amassing throng; everyone seemed so pleased. This is the reason why a woman near stood out to her. That electric blue eye staring at her deeply with cruelty; that broad and recognizable grin.

Daiane?!

An explosion of color overwhelmed her, the thousand varying shades interflowing, masking her.

Ikkaku saw the wide-eyed expression on her face, like she had seen a phantom, and touched her arm.

“Are you all right?”

Daiane – if that happened to be her – had disappeared once the powder scattered.

“Yes … exhausted,” Samira assured her.

A break was possibly what they required.

“We need to find the dunderheads, so let’s do so,” Ikkaku proposed.

Samira agreed in uncertainty and tailed her into the throng. She remained particularly close to Ikkaku until someone pulled on her arm and halted her; pressure from their grasp shot an intense pain up her arm.

“No reason to stop on my account, sweetheart. I rather appreciate seeing you dance; suggests that I haven’t yet broken you.”

Pulling her arm away, Samira turned and tried to grimace. She was horrified, because who stood before her was a pinnacle of torment and nightmares for her.

“My, what a lovely expression. Reminds me of our past sessions,” Daiane cooed. Zany swirls overtook her eye; the other remained concealed behind a patch with an hourglass shape on it.  

Samira trembled. Why was she here? Daiane wasn’t a tracker. So, why send her? Sinking her teeth into her lip, Samira took an uneasy breath and prompted her Devil Fruit.

“You will not take me alive.”

Daiane laughed. “That's the plan, sweetheart.”

Spider-like appendages came from her back; two hoisted her from the ground and two rose above her head posed to strike.

Samira had certainly not seen her this way before. Was she a Zoan too? Her heart hammered in fear. Exactly how was she intended to battle this woman?

[yatorihell]

In The Darkness Chapter 62 - To Find A Horcrux

Noragami x Harry Potter AU

Words: 1,632

Summary: The trio has done their Quidditch tryouts, and Yato gets some advice.

Also available on Yatorihell AO3

“The question is, what is the horcrux?” Yukine empathised. “It could be something we would never find, like Excalibur.”

He and Hiyori watched as Yato shoved his leather gloves on his hands and tightened the straps with his teeth, securing them around his wrists before clapping them together. Despite the faintly annoyed look on Yato’s face, the conversation drawled onwards.

“We know where Excalibur is,” Hiyori corrected. She stole a glance at Yato with her next words. “And like Madame Kofuku said, there may be more than one.”

“If there is more than one, then we’re screwed,” Yato said flatly.

Hiyori and Yukine exchanged guilty looks as Yato sighed, already feeling guilty for snapping.

All they had done since Potions class – where Madame Kofuku had revealed the Sorcerers very soul was divided and practically immortal – was talk about horcruxes; what they were, where they might be hidden, how many exactly there could be. It was beginning to drive Yato mad; not with his friends, but with the idea that the Sorcerer would need to be ‘killed’ multiple times before becoming mortal.

Their previous quest for the prophecy now seemed useless, as well as a failure. Sakura had practically died for nothing…

Yato threw a glance at them as he secured his padded arm protectors and tugged at his cloak. “Look, we can’t do anything over here. The Order is already looking for horcruxes, and there won’t be any in Hogwarts.”

Though Yukine and Hiyori didn’t reply, Yato could sense the mutual apology. Fighting and speculating wasn’t going to help them, and he didn’t want his mind to be preoccupied right now.

Yato picked up his broom, feeling the polished wood slide over fresh leather in his grip. The bristles grazed the ground as he, Yukine and Hiyori made their way to the Quidditch pitch through the blustering wind.

Whilst it was an unspoken truth, returning to Quidditch was Yukine’s idea of a distraction after the last two years of death and doom they had been through. Something they could enjoy again without the looming threat of Dementors ready to knock them out of the sky or being kidnapped mid-air.

They spilt up once they reached the pitch, wishing Yato good luck as they meandered their way to the stands with their scarf tails flying out behind them. Yato watched, knowing that both Yukine and Hiyori had secured their places on their teams, and now it was his turn to do the same.

The Quidditch teams seemed to have become somewhat rusty, with older, more experienced students dropping out in favour of focusing on their N.E.W.T.s – something Yato really should have been doing.

Admittedly, he was relieved to find out that it wasn’t just him neglecting his studies. Bishamon and Kazuma – each now Head Girl and Head Boy – were still captaining the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams. Then again, they had been Prefects and team captains for a while now; being Head Students would be a walk in the park.

Yet, here he was, stood on waterlogged mud and patches of grass, surrounded by fresh faces and awaiting his chance to prove he was still the best Seeker Hogwarts had seen – for Slytherin, at least.

Yato could spot a few dots in the surrounding stands, spectators come to watch newbies fall out of the sky or support their friends. Yato had the latter as a distant shape waved down at him from the closest stand of his left – Hiyori and Yukine.

Yato took a deep breath when his name was called by the team captain – someone he didn’t recognise but had sharp features. His eyes raked over Yato’s crop of dark hair that brushed his brow and hovered on the dated broomstick in his hand, immediately judging his ability whilst his feet were still on the ground.

Yato’s mouth quirked in cocky arrogance when their eyes met.

If they wanted a Seeker, they would get a Seeker.

~

Yato sighed into his cauldron. Every spare class on his timetable was filed with Potions, yet he was not improving at all. He wished Yukine were here to scold him – instead, Yato saw a sea of seventh-years brewing the same potion as him to varying degrees of success.

His eyes flicked to Nora at the back of the class. She hadn’t said a word to him nor looked in his direction since the incident on the train. Well, maybe she had been watching him, but he just didn’t know it.

Yato looked back into the goopy mess in his cauldron as the bell rang out, signalling the end of the day. The students clamoured to throw their cauldrons into the sink at the back of the class in a cacophony of noise and shouts. Yato hung back from the crowd, and when he saw Nora leave, he too dropped his failure into the sink. Wooden hand brushes had already picked themselves up and begun to scrub at the melding mess as it oozed down the sink.

Yato examined the potion mixture that had ended upon his robes and sighed again. He was useless at this.

“Still no luck?”

Yato turned and found Madame Kofuku stood behind him, gently smiling. His eyes flicked to the door, found it shut, and flicked back to Madame Kofuku. It was just the two of them. “No, Miss.”

He could see disappointment flicker briefly in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a genial warmth.“You’ll get better,” Madame Kofuku reassured. “I’ll make sure of it.”

A small silence stretched out between them, and Yato already knew there was bad news as soon as he saw the door was shut.

Madame Kofuku shuffled and her voice dropped slightly. “The Order thinks they may have discovered something.”

Yato’s head cocked to the side and his hands rested on the sink edge behind him. Half of him didn���t want to know, but the other half was desperate to make this end, to go back to his normal life.

Nevertheless, Madame Kofuku told him.

“We think the horcruxes may have been made recently. The people we’ve spoke to… they alluded to the idea that the Sorcerer was making horcruxes after the First Wizarding War. It seemed he came so close to death that he wanted to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. Then again, we can’t be sure if we can trust this information.”

Yato exhaled. It was news, but this information came from acquitted Deatheaters – claimers that they had been forced to fight for the Sorcerer under the Imperius Curse. Whether or not that was true, it wasn’t much to go on.

“I’ve also had… an idea.” Madame Kofuku spoke carefully, and Yato caught the guilty undertone as her eyes shifted away from his when he made eye contact.

“With your Legilimency link to the Sorcerer, your ability to see what he is doing, we thought you may also be able to access his memories.”

Yato frowned. “I thought that only works with eye contact?”

“Normally, yes.” Madame Kofuku confirmed. “But you were able to see Daikoku in the Ministry through the Sorcerer’s eyes. Your link is strong; I don’t know how but you are the key to his mind. You might be able to find the horcruxes faster than we can.”

Technically he saw the attack through a snake’s eyes, but who’s to say the Sorcerer wasn’t an Animagus like Sakura? However, Madame Kofuku had a point. He could see through the Sorcerer’s eyes just the same as he could. Maybe his memories weren’t off-limits?

Madame Kofuku could see Yato processing the information, the dull scrape of brushes working away behind him. Guilt clawed at her throat. “I’m sorry to have to ask this of you, Yato. I may not be able to help you find the horcruxes, but I can help you with your classes.”

With that, Madame Kofuku turned on her heel and paced across the room to her desk. Yato followed in her wake, scooping up his bag and shouldering it, his mind already whirling.

The click of a lock and an ear-numbing scrape of a drawer being opened made Yato wince, but a second later Madame Kofuku’s pink hair remerged from behind the desk. In her hand was a dog-eared, discoloured copy of a book. The cover was nearly obscured by a multitude of spills and stains, but Yato could make out the title ‘Advanced Potion Making’.

“I used this for my N.E.W.T. exams when I was a student,” Madame Kofuku said. She looked down at the stained book with a smile, fond memories of her younger days resurfacing. Days when she would concoct potions and have accidents that would leave her hair pink and the classrooms in disarray. She looked up at Yato and held out the book. “And now it’s yours.”

Yato tentatively took the book in his hands and thumbed through the yellowed pages. Hundreds of handwritten scribbles stared back at him; slantways in the margins, squished in between text, or written above crossed out sentences. Each one a modification or note about ingredients; a perfect guide on potion making.

Yato looked back at Madame Kofuku, lost for words. She smiled in return.

“I hope this helps you more than I can,” Madame Kofuku said, but her tone turned to one of cautious advice. “But if I can only give you one word of advice for finding the Sorcerer’s memories, it will be to open your mind and let him come to you.”

Yato winced inside. Madame Kofuku had taught him less than a year ago to raise his guard to stop the invasions that plagued his dreams, and now she was telling him to let them down.

And it was precisely what he was afraid of.

[salaka-chan]

Hello and welcome to my 2nd chapter :3

Have you already noticed that Gaius' third eye looks different compared to the other Garleans? I really needed a backstory and here it is! I hope you will like it and I hope you enjoy reading it. <3

              https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660071/chapters/70606650

Shards of the past

She gazed lovingly at him with her jade-green eyes as she gently stroked his head, trying in vain to tuck the unruly hair behind his ears. Her slightly trembling calloused hands finally came to rest on his cheeks before her soft voice broke the silence. "You will grow up to be a beautiful man Gaius. You have your father's eyes and face and with each passing day you resemble him more."

"It wasn't my fault! Appius started calling Quinta a traitor just because she's missing her third eye. I wanted him to stop but... instead he called me a gutter brat of a... a...", Gaius paused and bit his lower lip angrily. Blood ran down his chin and dripped onto the worn floorboards.

His mother exhaled audibly before carefully running her hand over the extensive blue swelling on his cheekbone. "Sometimes it is better to be silent and retire for the time being. Battles are not won exclusively by brute force Gaius." With a fluid motion she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed away the dark red line on his chin.

"But if the other one sees that I am stronger, he will leave me alone! You don't need words or pretended silence! The stronger is automatically right too." Gaius noticed that his mother was now cleaning his chin with a little more pressure.

"You are still so young and inexperienced. Practice restraint and you will see that new paths will open up for you."

Sullenly, he turned his face away from hers and looked towards the window. It was already evening and the last dark red rays of the sun were beginning to fade on the horizon. As his mother put back her handkerchief, she clasped his face again and forced him to look into her eyes. "I know you are strong, but learn to understand. Empathy, restraint and patience also show strength."

"But..." he had to blink a few times before continuing," it's so hard mother." A warm smile was on her lips. "Even as a seasoned man, your father, much like you, had his problems with it."

Silence filled the premises as mother and son gazed steadfastly into each other's eyes. Her lips formed a soundless," My little wolf.". No further words were needed.

The following days passed without any incident. It was already late evening when Gaius looked down spellbound at the book in his lap. Complicated formulas occupied most of the pages, explaining the causal relationship between voltage, energy and resistance on a scientific basis and putting it into context with current Magitek technology. He was aware that he would not be a gifted engineer like some of the other tech-savvy ones at the academy, but he wanted to use this branch as a means to an end. His mother's pleas would not be in vain. He would prove his strength. In the way SHE would want him to be. Even though he resembled his father in outward appearance, he would not make the same mistakes as him. He would not lay down his life as a lowly soldier in battle. Instead, he would rather be passive and strengthened the army from the background. Although it was not possible for the Garlean to cast magic, thanks to their advanced technology, they still had a great advantage in open combat.

His father's gunblade was leaning against his bedpost. Countless scratches adorned the medium-sized blade. The cylinder was defective and could no longer be recharged, yet Gaius cared for the weapon regularly. It was the only thing his father had left him. … … … A paralysing emptiness reigned inside him when he received the news. His mother had been found in a secluded back alley. Dead. A drunken mercenary was about to have his way with a girl and no one around paid any attention to what was happening. No one WANTED to see it, except his mother. She stepped in and wanted to settle the argument through dialogue, but the outcome of this situation turned out differently than she had imagined. None of the people present on the spot could testify in the interrogation how it had come to the murder of his mother.

Motionless, he stood in front of his mirror and gazed at his image with a fixed gaze. The golden eyes studied the petrified features, those that had so often been caressed by the familiar calloused hands of his mother. The same one that had received countless kisses full of affection. Most of the time she had kissed his third eye, laughing in amusement when he complained that she was tickling him.

During each of their hugs, she had held him tightly against her, tousling his unruly hair even more as she whispered lovingly, "My little wolf," in his ear. A term of endearment she had only uttered when they were alone together. He could still feel the warmth of her body, while her scent was still present in the room.

His golden eyes took on a glassy expression. "Do you see it now, mother? The strongest always win, that is the law of this world. The strong get to rule over the weak." He pulled out his pocket knife and flipped it open. Without a moment's hesitation, he placed it on his forehead and with precise accuracy, cut out smaller pieces of flesh around his third eye. Dark red blood poured from the wound and most of it ran into his eyes as he continued his work unflinchingly with meticulous precision. Meanwhile, his lips were pressed tightly together in a thin line and made no sound at all.

Finally, he wiped his face several times with his sleeve before he went to his bed and took his father's gunblade. Back in front of the mirror, he examined the result of his work, the expression in his eyes now having changed. Wild unbridled determination flared in them. He would become a conqueror. On the battlefield he would show no mercy and subdue anyone who dared stand in his way. As a son of Garlemald, it was his duty to protect the Empire and suppress or destroy anything that stood in her way. All will tremble before him.His knuckles stood out white as he tightened his grip on the gunblade while looking at his third eye in the reflection.  

A vertical eye that was capable of analysing the surroundings better than magic gifted beings would ever be able to.  Blood continued to flow from the deep flesh wound, dripping at irregular intervals onto the floor, while a single telltale tear mixed with it and drowned in the mass. He would become a wolf, which will tear everything and everyone in the air. He was ready.

---

---

Gaius groaned in agony as irrepressible pain consumed his consciousness and seemed to steal his mind. Every fibre of his body pulsed in sync with his heartbeat, while even breathing pushed the Garlean to his limit. Dying. He could have simply died like his father on the battlefield, and given his current physical condition, that was still a possible option. Breathing as shallowly as possible, he tried to open his eyes to scan the immediate surroundings and evaluate his situation, which also turned out to be an extremely painful affair. At first, he only saw dark colour gradients before he realised that someone was bent over him, motionless. Bright, large green eyes looked at him with a rather cold expression and he couldn't help but think of jade for a moment.

--- The fresh evening breeze made the individual blades of grass bounce up and down, while one of the young woman's elongated black ears tilted to the side. Her puffy tail twitched jerkily as the man beside her began to stir, while the sound of a smaller waterfall rang out in the distance, occasionally punctuated by the excited chirping of birds.

Amber gold met jade green. Time seemed to stand still as the two eyed each other, never breaking eye contact at any moment. During his campaigns, the Legatus had already encountered countless beings, but the presence and the sight of this woman made his body freeze and he forgot all his pain for a short moment. He felt neither fear nor affection. Rather, it was a feeling he had always assigned to the weak up to that point. Fate.

"I didn't think you would wake up so quickly. Your condition is still critical and I am not sure to what extent my healing powers can contribute to your further recovery."

When the man tried to sit up, the stranger pushed him unyieldingly back onto the bed. "You will remain lying down. For now."

A mirthless laugh escaped the Garlean, which shortly afterwards turned into a rasping cough and the pain finally robbed him of his senses. Blackness enveloped him and let him slip into a dreamless sleep. A Miqo'te had saved his life. The irony of this situation was unparalleled in its absurdity and he would accept his assigned fate with his head bowed. At least for this brief moment.

[msmoonfire]

How to prep for Lammas ❂

I know witchy fellas, it’s boiling hot & sunny out there. But we gotta put it in the effort. All together. Till the end. Till Lammas.

Briefly explained, Lammas or ‎Lughnasadh opens the harvest season around August 1st and our ancestors would know the perfect timing of it by watching the rise of the star Sirius at the dawn after a long while not showing. This sabbat originated by the Celts whom used to propitiate Lugh to ensure sunny weather and a fruitful harvest. He was their god of Light, excellently proficient in all arts & protector of thieves, travelers and merchants.  Moving to the southern areas, this celebration was still existing in a more earthy practical variant: mother Earth, plants, fresh produce, seeds and grains were the actual focus. These other people couldn’t care less about Lugh. They only cared about showing gratitude to Nature as a whole, often by baking the first LOAF MASS of the season (Lammas, a bread loaf) after months of summer break - we should stop baking at home from Beltane day till Lammas day, unless we’re home-based bakers and do that for a living;)

So, as usual, in this post I’m going to give you tips & ideas to prep for august 1st. Which means these are not things you should do on the very day, but BEFORE. Don’t rush last minute darlings. We can do this. 

Let’s get readayyyy. ✽

1. Local farmers’ markets should become a routine. Ok, hands down we all need the supermarket to survive on a daily basis but you can surely minimize your shopping list, so you can go buy fresh produce at some farmers’ market. Buy organic stuff there, not at the mall. This is a good easy way to re-establish a direct contact with Earth and welcome earthy energies into your life. Plus, it’s going to be a refreshing walk every time.

2. Improve the lighting in your house/room. Besides Samhain, this is by far the best time of the year to purchase new lamps, led lights, lanterns; fix bulbs that are out, remove useless/broken curtains, buy candles, add fairy lights everywhere etc... Being a metaphor of the sunny weather, daylight and artificial lighting in general must be of primary importance in your environment. Enhance natural lighting during the day, set up a nice and diffused lowlight illumination system at night. Don’t forget your backyard ‘cause...

3. You should take good care of your garden. I don’t care how busy you are, we all have at least 5 spare minutes to trim out dead leaves from our plants. If you own a piece of land or have a rather big veg garden, please don’t forget about it. Pay special attention to your plants/trees, do a little bit of cleaning every day, pick what’s ripe, cut out dead leaves, get creative with your lawn mower, water the vases, work the ground... The goal is to have a beautiful, curated garden by august 1st. But if you don’t have a garden or similar...

3.2. Buy your fav aromatic plant & look after it. Choose herbs that you prefer adding to your meals (if you’re a diy pro or make your own soaps etc.. feel free to use that fragrant plant in your products), so that you’ll be able to use it quite often without forcing yourself. I personally do it with basil. Basil is my daily go-to, I love its smell and taste. Again, the goal is to buy a plant in July and prove to Mother Nature that you can nurture it properly until at least august 1st. Get in touch with the “green world” and upgrade your basic skills. In other words...

4. Try to excel in every project/activity you start. Remember what you read earlier? Blame Lugh for this one. Lammas day is like a test: if you want Nature to be by your side during harvest time, you must earn its trust through proving that you’re able to achieve great results - because you’re a hard worker.  July is about learning, attending classes, practicing, studying. My advice would be to not start a bunch of random projects now: be picky and commit to only one or a few. Be honest with yourself, modest with timing and consistent in everyday practice so that in august you’ll be skilled enough to unleash your best potential. This is your time to shine!

5. Do your research on baking bread. Yes, exactly. Read recipes, articles, books etc... On Lammas day you want to have fun baking your first bread loaf of the season, so you’d better be prepared. It’s a fun experience even if you’re not a pro baker, at least you can try a new hobby to fill your free morning/evening. But baking a beautifully decorated, tasty, fragrant bread loaf would take Lammas to the next level though.

If you don’t own an oven, purchase a small electric one for less than 50$. It’ll be useful to cook other foods in the future without stressing the hell out of your microwave. 

*for our celiac fellas*: grains and gluten are clearly off-limits for you. However, Lammas’ celebration involves CORN as well. Try to make your gluten-free dough with corn flour, rice flour or other ingredients that are suitable for you. Focaccia, polenta and pizza doughs are also suitable for the occasion.

6. Include apples, grapes and corn in you cosmetics or in your diet. Since these fruits are in season, why not take heed of their benefits? Simply buy things like apple shampoo, grape lip balm, apple snacks, grape masks... A BAG OF CRISPY POP CORN...These are valid examples. You have a wide range of choice, you’ve got the powahhh.

7. Grab a book and a glass of Albariño/Pinot Noir/Rosé. That’s how you pamper yourself before Lammas. A rocking chair in the garden, proper lighting for reading, a cushion, your fav book and a glass of fine wine. 

Alternatively, you can elegantly snack on grapes or sip some super refreshing apple juice from a chic crystal goblet!

8. Develop a grounding routine. For those who are new to the grounding concept, I’ll break it down real quick. We’re always moving, on the go, running, rushing, driving, working out, traveling, walking, cleaning, fidgeting, passively entertained, distracted by screens or social media etc... The practice of grounding promotes the exact opposite to reach inner balance and fulfillment. Basically, it’s very good to be swift and active, but being incapable of sitting still while quietly dealing with ourselves is a huge, major problem. Imagine rooting yourself into the soil: you can lay down or sit comfortably on the ground without a mat and really feel the Earth underneath. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, choose a meditation method that you like, visualize yourself being as static and peaceful as a tree... Or simply be. You’ll find a way to contemplate these OFFLINE moments away from photos, screens, sounds, people... This routine should take 10-20 minutes of your day. Make sure it takes place in nature, or alternatively in places where there’s actual grass, ground or nearby your (aromatic) plants so you can touch them if you need to.

9. Get creative with corn magic and corn art. Lammas has a solid tradition of corn use for various purposes. As you’re prepping for the big day, start featuring corn kernel/cobs in your magic. If you don’t practice - which is totally fine - carry a small amulet bag with corn inside with you. If you’re an artist or crafter, paint the kornel or use cobs for artwork!

10. Be out in the sunlight, sun bathe or simply breathe fresh air, get outside, enjoy all things outdoors :)

Hope this was helpful and inspirational fo you all, good luck and happy Lammas darlings.

Floods of love,  msmoonfire (IG: @msmoonfire)

[always5hineee]

Hell and Back- Chapter 15: Canyon Birds (Trial 21)

Word count: 1894

Chapter warnings: Dangerous actions

[Please do not replicate any of the behaviors read in this book.]

-----

       "Alright, the limited power is Suho this time." Y/N said, finally having calmed down from their not-so-joyride.

       "Luhan was originally going to go, so why not have him do it now?" Sehun pointed out.

       "Uh-" Luhan started to sau, before Kyungsoo agreed.

       "Yes, that would make the most sense."

       "I don't know if I-"

       "Alright, Y/N, hit the button," Kris said, trying to get a move-on as quickly as possible. Noting his nervousness, Y/N leaned over, muttering a small bit of reassurance.

       "Luhan, the sooner you do the challenge, the sooner it will be out of the way. They get harder, so the longer you wait, the worse it's going to get. It's your second challenge, you're almost there." He breathed in.

       "Yeah, I guess, but still... I have a bad feeling about this."

       "We'll keep you safe, don't worry."

       "I... If you say so." Making brief eye contact with her, she realized that he was even just slightly shaking. Was he actually that scared? She put a hand on his shoulder, nodding, then clicked on his name. Watching it load up, she called everyone back to attention.

       "Alright, the next trial is... Parkour?"

       "That sounds like fun." Baekhyun shrugged.

       She looked over at Luhan, who was now completely white.

       "Are you okay?" She whispered.

       "I- I can't- that's not-" His hands were tangled together, knuckles pale with the pressure he was putting on his own skin. He was obviously trying to get the words out, but he was just stuttering over and over, practically zoned out.

       "He'll be fine," Kris waved a hand. "What's the rest of the challenge say?"

       "Uh," she looked down. "The price of dropping out is still... 'failure', whatever that means. The italics..." she squinted to see them. "Apparently there are a few bridges nearby. We need to pick one, and he can cross it by jumping between the beams on one of the outer edges."

       "That explains why Suho is out." Kyungsoo mentioned, always analyzing the reasoning behind each challenge. "If it's a bridge, there's water underneath, so he'd be at an advantage." Kris continued driving, pulling onto a left turn. He evidently knew where the nearest bridge was. As it was becoming late afternoon, there were periodic cars, but it didn't seem like anyone would bother them.

       Everyone started to get out of the car, although Luhan remained in place. She looked to him, then out the window at the bridge. Just as the app had said the sides were lined with support beams, although they weren't very deep. Or sturdy. It wouldn't be impossible to make it across, just very, very difficult. He'd have to focus.

       "What's so bad, Luhan?" she asked in a low voice, trying to make it not seem like a big deal. "Even if Suho can't use his powers, we still have Sehun with wind, Kris with flight, and Kai with teleportation. Even past that, Tao can reverse time if something bad happens, or you could even use your powers on yourself." It was ironic how just moments before she had been complaining about the reliance on their powers, but now she was trying to use it to calm Luhan down.

       "I... I don't... I just don't really prefer being high up." She tilted her head slightly, not having expected it. Although Luhan was clearly one of the shyer members of their friend group, he had never seemed so shaken by something.

       "It'll be alright, come on." She grabbed his hand, half helping, half pulling him out of the car. Putting her arm behind his, she placed a hand on his lower back, trying to steady his shaking. As they walked to the edge of the bridge, she looked down, head spinning at the distance. Even aside from his self-proclaimed discomfort, the height would worry anyone. Still, the rest of the boys seemed nonchalant about it.

       "Let's get a move on!" Baekhyin cheered, jumping around dangerously close to the unguarded edge. She looked over to the man she was supporting, his eyes dilating in and out, proving to her that his vision was falling between focused and blurry.

       "Listen," she muttered. Step on the first beam, and I'll follow you on the bridge side. You'll be on the outside edge, I'll be on the inside. The requirements never said I couldn't help you, yeah?" He looked at her, acknowledging her words, but was unable to nod or say anything. "It'll be okay, I promise."

       She helped him over to the bridge, trying her best to cover up how terrified the man was. She knew that at least some of the boys must have known that this wasn't quite his thing, but she still didn't want him to suffer the embarrassment of everyone watching it. His ankles tremors with weakness as he stepped out onto the first bar- the only one still supported by the Earth. Removing her hand from his body, she carefully crossed around the wall to come face-to face with him on the other side.

       As she was on the bridge and he was on the beams, he was a bit shorter than usual, gripping the edge with white knuckles. She placed her hands on top of his, palm to the overtops of his hands, allowing her to firmly grab onto his wrists as best she could without hurting him. He looked up to her, eyes on the brink of watering as they darted back and forth, occasionally glancing to his feet.

       "Don't look at the ground. You're fine. I've got you, okay?" He breathed in, the noise shaky, trying to nod. "Alright, now you just have to step to your left. Can you do that for me?"

       "B-but-" He started trying to say, the first words he'd spoken since he'd gotten out of the car. "But I can't see t-the floor unless-"

       "Just keep reaching your foot out until I tell you you'll make it, okay?" He had no choice but to do as she instructed, feeling around for the wooden beam as his hands slid excruciatingly slowly, guided by hers, along the edge. "Good." She reassured him as he just lightly touched the beam with his foot.

       Once he was on the second beam, she looked to his feet. The distance from them to the water had increased a sizable amount, even in just that one large step. She glanced back to the group of boys, who was watching eerily silently. Normally they would be joking around, or just not paying attention at all, but for some reason, this intrigued them.

       "Let's go on to the next one."

       "I- I don't want to, I can't-"

       "You'll be fine." She kept repeating. "Everything's going to be fine. Just keep going." They made it onto the third, then to the fourth. By the fifth beam, they were nearly to the center of the beam. The rushing water below was roaring in her ears, making it impossible to concentrate, but she still tried to keep Luhan's eyes on her. "Good, now just step."

       As he reached for the fifth beam, testing it with his foot, it was about the same as the previous times. His leg was still shaking uncontrollably, but he hadn't slipped. Once he mounted the beam, shifting his wait and drawing the other foot over, though, she heard a sickening crack. Looking down, she saw that the beam was writing at its ties with the bridge, clearly already failing under Luhan's weight.

       "Alright, next one-" She prompted, trying not to sound panicked."

       "J-just give me a s-"

       "No!" She said, laughing awkwardly. "No, you need to move now Luhan. Right now."

       "I-" Instinctively, she looked back down to the beam, which was already leaning. Feeling it under his feet and seeing her look, he, out of habit, looked down. Not only was he faced with the near-breaking-point board supporting his entire body, but he also leered into the seemingly endless abyss, rushing water taunting him at the bottom. Yelling in surprise and terror, he half-shook, half-jumped, causing it to snap completely beneath him.

       "Luhan!" She screamed as he fell instantly, wrists torn from her grip as the angle wrenched his hands away from her. Leaning over the bridge, she was reaching out, as if able to stop him with her sheer willpower. His face was nearly blank, as if his brain had shut down the idea of his fall altogether. Quickly, Kris appeared underneath him, grabbing him by the waist like a firefighter catching a trapped kitten. He swiftly brought the man back up past the edge of the gorge, sitting him down on the grass. Running over, Y/N knelt next to him, winding her arms around his shoulders as he rocked back and forth slightly.

       "I am so, so sorry, you're okay, everything's okay." She was shushing him as if he were a little kid, trying to get his crying to subside. It wasn't a soft, dignified crying, either. He was completely racked by sobs, holding his head between his knees in terror. "It's all right, everything's all right."

       "We still have to finish the challenge, though." Chanyeol said under his breath. Chen tried to shush him, but Luhan overheard, sending him into even more of a panic.

       "Just give him a second." Suho said with a sigh. "He can try again when he's ready."

       "No!" He shouted, startling everyone. She tried to keep him from freaking out, running her hand over his shoulder blades, but he continued to yell. "No! I'm not trying again! I'm not! I'm not! No!"

       "Luhan, we-"

       "I'm quitting! I'm dropping out!" He said, tears still streaming down his face as his body heaved. He was going to cry himself to the point of throwing up.

       "Honey, you can't do that-" she started to warn him, running a hand through the back of his hair as he continued crying. "We don't know what the catch really means, and if you stop now you can't play anymore.

       "I don't care!" He yelled. "I don't care..." Wiping his eyes, he tried to stand, nearly falling if not for Y/N catching him. He pushed her off rather rudely, walking past the car.

       "Luhan, come on-" Suho ran after him, trying to grab him by the arm. Shaking him off, he moved from being terrified and shaken to just angry.

       "I didn't even want to be a part of this to begin with. It was a fun idea, okay? But this is ridiculous. This is only the twenty-first challenge, by the end, what will we be doing? You all can keep playing for as long as you want, but I refuse to put myself through this anymore."

       "But the failure, it's not-"

       "I don't give a shit. How is this-" He pulled out his phone, waving the app around. "This stupid little thing going to ruin my life? I'm not dumb, they just want to mess with us, and it's gonna get one of us killed. Well you know what?" He pressed a button, Y/N leaping forward to try and stop him, but it was too late. The screen had shifted to a maroon color, a white message reading that he had left the game.

       "I quit."

Go to Chapter 16

[daybreak-academy-fanfic]

Daybreak Academy: Chapter 15

White Day

Summary: In which Strelitzia falls even more in love with Anora, and Ephemer accidentally overshares his thoughts on the headmasters. Word Count: 1,577 First | Previous | Next ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆

The purpose of White Day is to give back what was given to you. The thing was, Anora didn't know how you could repay someone for gifting you a hand stitched plush doll. A card felt stupid, and she barely knew how to sew a button on, let alone create another plushie for a stranger. A stranger, mind you, who only now decided to make some form of contact with her.

Well, at least she knew some things about her perfect stranger. Too bad finding anything that was a creamy white proved impossible. There happened to be patches of daisies scattered about campus, so Anora did pick some of them a day or so in advance. She also managed to find a white marker at the school store (which was now under new management since the debate club fiasco) so she could decorate the last gift bag left from Valentines. Also at the school store, Anora had found a couple white notebooks with a gold embossing on them. She looked for anything to put in the bag so there would be more than just the candy she hadn't eaten yet.

Anora glanced over at her clock and nearly cursed at the time. So far, she could say that the bag could be presented, if she felt like it. The leftover candy filled about a third of the bag, then there were the daisies she had found, and she even happened to find chibi-like stuffed mice who served as spiritual stand-ins for Miss Bianca and Bernard. However, Anora had to meet with Ephemer soon- she had managed to convince her stranger-friend to meet her at the concrete slab, but at this point she might have to take Ephemer with her. Would he be mad at the detour? Glancing at the time again, Anora would just have to hope he could understand.

Meanwhile, Ephemer was rather patiently waiting for Anora at the school gates. He was sitting on the grass, legs folded, and staring up at the sky in amusement. There was a cloud that looked a lot like an elephant- it was slowly starting to morph into a giraffe instead. When Ephemer looked back down, he saw Anora running up to him; she was waving at him with one hand, and the other was firmly holding a goodie bag.

“Aw, you didn't have to get me a gift!” the boy teased as he stood up.

When Anora caught up to him, she shook her head, laughing just slightly at him. Ephemer raised a bemused eyebrow at her.

“It's not for me, then?” he then surmised.

Another shake of her head made Ephemer feel a bit envious.

“Who is it for?”

He didn't get a direct answer, instead Anora gestured for him to follow her. Giving a small shrug, he did so without question- it's not like he wasn't familiar with every inch of the campus anyway. A part of him just didn't expect for her to lead them to a place behind the cafeteria; the space was rather unkempt with shrubs boarding the school wall and a few trees that had been planted eons ago. There was even a decent sized concrete slab that provided cover for some kind of underground electrical system. Why on earth was she bringing a gift bag all the way out here?

Strelitzia's heart stopped when she saw someone with Anora. It then proceeded to go into overtime when she realized that she recognized the boy with her. It was the same boy she had run into before Valentines Day- the one who said his friend didn't bake as often as she did. For a moment, Strelitzia feared that Anora had been the friend he had talked about, but then she shook it away in remembering that his friend had been named Skuld. What was he doing with Anora? She didn't mention bringing someone with her?

“Are you ever going to tell me who that's for, and why you're just leaving it out here?”

“A friend.” Anora hummed, looking back up at the boy with a smile. “Like you.”

Something about the boy seemed to jolt in a small realization- either from the answer itself or from hearing Anora talk. Strelitzia then watched in envy as he put on a million-watt smile.

“I hope they know I'm a tough act to follow!” he even teased without skipping a beat. Anora offered a small laughter as she finished arranging the gift bag. When she stood up, she gave the boy a nod and together they left for the day.

Strelitzia didn't wait to see what Anora had left behind. What she saw made her clench her chest in shock. Anora had left Strelitzia a White Day gift, in thanks for making her Chirithy. The girl sat down on the slab as she went through the bag's contents. Her gasps with each shift of the bag's contents got louder and more surprised as she went on. Anora had put so much thought into the gift bag that Strelitzia found her heart fluttering in adoration.

Was this love?

. . .

Ephemer quickly decided that he enjoyed seeing Anora smile. It was a bit hard to explain, but she was able to smile with her whole face. There was so much joy in her expressions that you almost couldn't help but smile back at her. It didn't even take much to make her smile either. Just seeing the tents set up for the seasonal fair was enough to make Anora's face light up in wonder.

It was Anora who led them around the fair- Ephemer dutifully followed and enjoyed her child-like wonder. They tried a few games and even won some prizes. Ephemer gave them all to Anora; today was all about repaying her for her Valentines gift, after all. As the day wore on, the more Ephemer started to become curious about this girl. When he got them some food, and they sat down in the grass, he finally decided to ask her some things.

“So what's your story?” Ephemer asked. “Everyone's got one.”

Anora, who had been happily nibbling on an oversized lollipop, stopped moving. She refused to look at him. But, unfortunately for her, Ephemer was stubborn.

“A bit shy, huh?” he bemused. “Don't worry, I'll go first!”

This earned him a little side glance of curiosity. He beamed at the off-handed approval, but then something hit him.

“Oh geez,” he then realized, “This is going to be a bit harder than I thought… Where do I start? Oh, um… Oh! I know! Okay, so get this, Ava's not actually my mom- in fact, she's only ten years older than I am!”

Anora raised her eyebrow at him, deliberately giving her lollipop a lick to show her skepticism.

“It's kinda funny, actually,” Ephemer grinned, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. “For as long as I can remember, the headmasters -Ava, Ira, Invi, Gula, and Aced- they were the closest thing I had to a family. I mean, as far as I'm concerned, Ava is my mom. Invi's the aunt that'll slip you some vodka if you ask for it, Gula's a weird mix between a big brother and an uncle, Aced's just one big teddy bear once you get to know him, and Ira's the one that stops everyone from having too much fun. We're a weird family, and we're not perfect either, but it feels just right. You know?”

Suddenly Ephemer jolted in a realization. “Oh wow! I didn't know I could over share like that! I'm so sorry!”

To his relief, Anora gave a small chuckle. But then her smile faded into a frown.

“Usually, things come easily to me.” she quietly admitted. “I hate it. I want to struggle. But when I do, when I can't do something on the first try… I give up. Sometimes, I avoid doing new things. It's dumb...”

“I don't think it's dumb.” came the thoughtful reply from Ephemer. “I think it just means that you know your limits.”

Anora didn't look at him. He made it sound so easy- for her, it felt like beating her head up against a wall. It was an awful feeling. Sensing her discomfort, Ephemer tilted his head.

“What does come easily for you?” he wondered. “Based on your tests scores in the entrance exam, you're a pretty well rounded learner.”

The dark look Anora gave him made the boy sheepishly chuckle.

“I'm not the best example of a teacher's pet.” he admitted. “Every time there's rumor of an interesting student, I go search 'em up in the student records. And, you're free to hate me for this, you were one of the most interesting students this school's seen in awhile. Like, years, awhile.”

This did not help Anora's outlook on him. Ephemer shrunk a little in his spot, knowing that he had stepped well beyond his boundaries- and for once, he was actually admitting to it too. Just when Ephemer believed he was going to get the silent treatment for the rest of the day, Anora calmly said;

“I like skating.”

“I bet you're good at it.”

Anora held her lollipop a bit tighter as she gave him a small nod. She never thought she was that good, but she did enjoy it. A small smile finally came across her lips as she decided that, once she and Ephemer knew each other better, maybe she'd show him.

[toomuchponytail]

Whumptober #8

So this is kind of a continuation of prompt thirty nine....sorry for the un-requested continuation, the length of this thing, and the angst. 

The detective can’t think, he can’t focus on anything other than the pain radiating from where their partner had shot them, they were in the back of their minivan, laying down in the back seat, covered with one of the road-trip blankets, it all felt like a mockery now that they knew that their partner was a crime boss and, well, probable serial killer. They kept fading in and out of consciousness, the van stopped several times, at one point four heavily armed men climbed in the car, the detective hazily recognized them as the crime boss’s core people.

Their partner’s core people, rather, they fight down a wave of nausea, how could they have been so stupid?

There was a whispered conversation and a drop off, and the van was moving again, except now only themselves and their partner were left in the car. The detective felt a little stronger now, they didn’t bother sitting up, it wouldn’t make a difference anyway, they were in a pretty powerless situation, plus their partner had a gun and had already proved that they wouldn’t hesitate to use it on them.They also didn’t know if they wanted to be the ones to stop them now that they knew it was their partner, to be honest they’d rather just lay here bleeding into the seats, taking deep measured breaths to avoid completely losing it, they didn't think that they were capable of much else right now.  They tried not to think, their head resting on a hot pink car seat slowly causing their neck to stiffen painfully, not that it was worse than the gunshot wound, even if that had sort of faded to a dull ache,but it just added insult to injury.

Or injury to injury, like this whole day had been.

The detective listened to their partner drive in silence, which was very different from the person they knew, who always had to have some music playing while they drove, and favored their 70′s top hits station.

“Why no music?” They rasp finally, figuring that keeping quiet wasn’t going to keep them alive anyway, a lot of people in their last moment wish they could have one more conversation with the person they loved most, but most people didn’t have their killer and their partner filling the same roles.

Their partner didn’t turn around--they’d known that the detective was awake, “I didn’t want to overwhelm you, how you feeling?’

“Like I was shot,” they mumble bitterly, earning a chuckle from their partner, “I did it for us, promise, plus, it will be a wild story to tell won’t it?”

“For us?” The detective asks incredulously, wincing at their sudden movement, they want to say more but their head is swimming, a wild story? Were they really not planning on killing them?

Suddenly there’s the flash of red and blue behind them, the sound of a police siren, their being pulled over! The detective can’t read their partner’s face, but they imagine that they’re nervous, this is the end of it, the detective has never been so sure of anything in their life, their partner would be arrested, something they still couldn’t find within themselves to want, and they could go home, put this part of the nightmare that was now their life behind them.

But their partner has other plans, they pull over, before the officer reaches the door they reach back and hand the detective an evil looking knife, they meet the detective’s confused eyes, “Stab them or I will,” they command coldly, their eyes flat and merciless, the detective wrapped their trembling fingers around the handle of the knife, knowing that if their partner got to, they’d just kill the officer.

But there was no way that they could do it, no way in hell, they watch in growing horror as the officer comes to the window.

They should have known that it wasn’t going to be that easy.

Their partner smiled brightly at the police officer, they needn’t have bothered, the grim determination on the officer’s face revealed that he knew what was going on.

“Step out of the car,” they command, their hands shaking already.

The smile instantly dissolved from their partner’s face, “I’m sure there has been some mistake?”

“I don’t think there has, keep your hands where I can see them,” their partner complied the detective watched, all the while feeling sick, they pushed themselves to their feet, exiting the van, the police officer turned to face them, and smiled, they’d gotten the detective's partner in handcuffs, but they’d be able to get out of those of course, the detective had seen it before, they probably had already gotten the keys.

“It’s over man,” the officer sighed, they’d be dead in seconds if the detective didn't act--god they’d never forgive themselves for this. The swirling lights making the officer look like he was at a parade or an very patriotic rave, “We’ve--”

The detective can’t think about what they’re about to do, if they think about it they will never be able to do it, in one quick motion they pull the police officer closer to them and plunge the knife into their stomach.

The police officer looks at them in shock, face going pale, eyes widening to something almost comical, They take a shuddering breath, their hands go to the handle of the knife still buried inside of them.

“No, no, don’t take it out, you’ll bleed to death okay?” The detective instructs gently, laying them carefully down on the grass, “I’m so-sorry bud, I--I didn’t want to, you’ll be okay though, alright? If I let them do it they’d have shot you, you know they don’t miss, god I’m so sorry!”

The police officer gasps as their body meets the ground, they look at the detective with pain glazed eyes, “G-get aw-way...Get away from them if you c-can,” the whisper fiercely, “Y-your k-kids?”

“They’re at the babysitters,” the detective works his jaw and looks away, “I-I think that’s where we’re heading next.”

The police officer shakes his head slightly, fighting to keep his eyes open, “Th-there’s a perimeter on the highway, you’ll n-never leave th-the city.”

The detective’s breath hitches in their throat when their partner takes their bloody hands into their own, “We aren’t leaving,” they remark coolly to the police officer at their feet, “besides I own this city, it would make sense for me to leave it,” they help the detective back to their feet, their bloody hands so gentle to them--it is too confusing for the detective to think through, the adrenaline that was keeping them upright was begging to give way to more trembling, their gunshot wound they notice absently is white-hot and painful again, they think that they’re going to be sick.

Right before their partner starts the van again, the answering police sirens in the distance, they make eye contact in the rear-view mirror, “I’m going to stop you,” the detective says sorrowfully, unable to make their voice go above a whisper.

Their partner’s eyes are sad, “I was hoping for something else sweetheart.”

They have to ask, it’s the detective part of their brain, the faulty bad quality detective part of their brain, the part that should have known,“What could that possibly be?”

“I wanted you to join me.”

“And together we’ll rule the galaxy?” They ask bitterly, bile in their throat.

Their partner smirks, something far too endearing to belong to a serial killer, “I was hoping to start with just the city, but dream big darling, sky’s the limit.”

The detective doesn't trust their voice to say anything back, hot tears are already burning their throat and the back of their tired eyes.

“Just think about it,” their partner asks gently, then, they turn the engine over and start back down the street, “Now let’s get those kiddos.”