#she’s just the queen of holiday decorations

[confettifluff]

very merry bridget marquardt christmas

[skeltnwrites]

The Shape of Family ‧₊˚❀༉

As a single dad, Steve’s world revolves around school drop-offs, bedtime rituals, and tee-ball practices—and he's struggling to keep up. But you're always there, happily lending a hand when he needs it most. / part one masterlist

part two - at the rec center's fall festival, you and steve finally make plans to hang out 11k

a/n - how did this end up twice as long as the first chapter this was supposed to be a short one!! general warnings/tags here

── .✦

Utah’s pretty this time of year. Fall is in full swing. The maple and cottonwood mellow into rich shades of orange, there is a constant crush of leaves underfoot, and the crisp scent of pine needles mingle with the breeze. Your neighbors go all out to decorate. Pumpkins are for sale on every corner and the apple orchards buzz with families for the harvest. This kind of weather has every brush of sunlight feeling like a hug you didn’t know you needed. 

The rec center hosts an annual fall festival, bringing hayrides, corn mazes, and costume contests. And though you wouldn’t normally volunteer on a Sunday, Steve’s hard to say no to. It’s not like he begged you or anything, a half-shrug and simple “If you want to” was enough convincing. 

You’d volunteer with or without Steve. You have the time and the goodwill and thus it’s a cork on the end of your monotonous work-week. But there’s no denying that Steve makes it a hell of a lot more enjoyable. He’s the sunrise after a long night, guiding you into the days ahead. And yeah, maybe you’re romanticizing too much. Too caught up in the way his tongue sticks out when he’s concentrating or how he mumbles to himself when he forgets you’re near. But working with him is delightful, nonetheless. 

You and Steve are friends now. Well, work friends. You’ve never actually hung out outside of the rec center but there isn’t a Friday that one of you doesn’t mention it while you eat lunch in his office. You’ve learned trivial little things about him, like his favorite brand of pen, the store he buys his groceries from, and how he likes his coffee– hot enough to burn, with as much sugar as he can get away with without attracting strange looks. You ask about Penelope often and he’s very open; eager to rant and rave about the latest details of their lives. She visits every now and then, usually too sick or naughty to be at school. So you’ve come to know her just as much. That she loves Barbies and Salt-N-Pepa and insects but not the furry ones. 

Being in each other’s lives is routine at this point– parking beside his car, leaving sticky notes on his desk, setting your bag in his office. It would be crazy to say you love him, you don’t, obviously, but you feel like you could. And you know you’d be devastated if he left the center. Your shift assignments are arranged so they almost always thread with his.

He’s always hated asking for help, but then you came, puttering into his office with a lovely smile and open arms and suddenly it’s not so bad. He’ll ask for your assistance on more projects than not: your advice, your creative eye, your hands to hang something that he most certainly could do alone. 

Like now, you trail only a few paces behind Steve, cradling a wicker basket full of decorations. He billows a tablecloth over the nearest picnic table, considering your dispute over the best holiday. 

“I dunno, I’m more of a Christmas guy,” Steve shrugs, smoothing out a ripple in the fabric. “The music is just inarguably better. You get to open presents and eat delicious food. Not really a contest in my book.” 

You hum, centering a plastic pumpkin. 

“Penelope is like the queen of Halloween, though.” The corners of his eyes crinkle with mirth. “This morning, she told me she wished she was born on Halloween so she could go trick-or-treating on her birthday.” 

You wear a similar expression, gaze flicking over to Penelope. She’s not far, crouched in a strip of dirt, parting a pile of leaves to search for ladybugs and other creatures. “I bet she’s excited for all that candy.” 

“That’s all she’d eat if I let her. I’ve already scheduled a dentist appointment for her in November– But, I’m just as bad, she gets her sweet tooth from me,” he admits. 

“Figured. The amount of Reese's wrappers I find in your trash.” 

He squeezes your shoulder playfully, not hard enough that you should need to squirm away but you do. “Whatever. Why are you going through my trash anyway, weirdo.” 

You click your tongue, “I wasn’t going through your trash! They are on the top where anyone could see.” 

“Mhmm, whatever you say… dumpster diver.” 

Joan, the youth counselor, whisks over to interrupt with arms full of mason jars before you can retort. Steve smothers his smirk with an answer to her question. Your tongue prods the inside of your cheek to prevent your own. 

It’s like this with Steve, now. Teasing and taunting each other like schoolchildren. A game of tug-of-war, where every knowing glance and light-hearted jab pulls the rope just a little tighter between you. It’s as thrilling as it is nerve-wracking. 

It’s not much later when guests filter into the festival. The earliest glow of sunset mists the courtyard in gold. There’s cider stations and pumpkin carving and a whole bunch of apple bobbers fighting to win a pumpkin pie. Monster Mash bleeds from several speakers lining the trail to the tented area you find yourself in. People dance and laugh and drink. It’s a very successful event for the rec center. 

Steve plops down on the bench across from you, Penelope at his hip. A silent, self-invitation he knows you won’t decline— you enjoy their company more than people-watching. He seems to find you no matter which way you drift, even through a sea of townsfolk. 

A big scoop of chili is spooned from his paper bowl into a second. “Blow on it,” Steve reminds, planting it in front of Penelope. 

She does blow on it, a spray of more spit than air that merits her a shoulder nudge to knock it off. 

Penelope simpers over her steaming food as Steve offers you an apologetic look. Last you saw her, she was waving her way up the stairs to the costume contest. She’s since been bundled up– a tiara traded for a knit beanie and the gown from her dress-up bin crammed underneath a thick sweater and spilling out the hem. 

The string lights bathe their faces in a white glow. It highlights the beauty mark on the slope of Penelope’s cheek, like a half of Steve’s pair in the same spot. It’s not often you get to just enjoy their company. No scrambling about deadlines or standards. It’s a calm you could get used to. But Steve’s always ten steps ahead, already plotting which crew needs the most tending to when he’s finished eating. He’s selfless like that. Your feet ache from running around, but Steve’s probably worse. 

“Penelope, is that what you’re wearing on Halloween?” You ask.

Her chin presses into the neckline of her sweater. “No,” she recalls, mouth full of sauce. “I’m being Dorothy.” 

Steve swipes a napkin across her lips before anything drips. 

“From The Wizard of Oz?” 

“Mhmm,” she grins, popping the spoon out of her mouth. 

“Very cool. Did you get your costume yet?” 

She nods, glancing at Steve, “Daddy made it.” 

Steve’s in his own little world, slurping his belly full of warm food and basking in the second of peace he‘s been given. But he blinks back into reality at your questioning stare, leaning in to hear you over the boisterous laughs of nearby people. 

You try to reel in your surprise, soften your features. “You made her costume?”

“Oh,” he waves a dismissive hand, “I just sewed a shirt to a dress. Nothing fancy.” 

“Still– that’s really cool, Steve.” 

He stirs his food, voice torn with guilt. “I dunno. It’s cheap.” 

“Costumes are better homemade. The ones in the stores are tacky. I bet it looks amazing.” 

Fragments of a smile find his lips, more a peace offering than a true one. 

“I painted my shoes red and I put so much glitter on them so they sparkle,” Penelope adds cheerfully.  

“You did?” 

She nods, shining with pride. 

“It’s been two weeks and I’m still finding glitter everywhere,” Steve comments, more amused than he lets on. He can’t be that mad when they’re little reminders of his favorite person in the world. 

“Are you dressing up?” You ask him. 

He huffs, side-eyeing Penelope. “Yes.” 

A glint forms in her eyes, a sly little smirk beneath. “Daddy is going to be the lion because he’s hairy.”

You laugh and Penelope joins you because Steve has a funny pouty face. 

He rolls his eyes. “Tell ‘em who’s your Toto?” 

“Cinderella!”

“No way!” You match her level of excitement. “Does she have a costume?” 

“No, but I have a basket for her to sit in.” 

You coo, “I bet Cinderella will love that.” 

Steve snorts because he knows you know Cinderella will in fact not love that. 

Cinderella is supposedly the grumpiest animal he’s ever met. She was a quick, unfortunately painful, lesson on boundaries for Penelope– not to pet certain areas or animals as a whole. Steve described her as an old, scraggly thing with a temper flaring unpredictably from one moment to the next. He wasn’t a cat person to begin with, growing up in a house with no animals probably started his revulsion to having fur on his clothes; but at two and a half, Penelope begged to feed the stray on their porch and she just kept coming back. 

Steve wanted a dog when he moved out, if anything at all; but in four years he’s learned more about sacrifice than any speech his parents tried to drill into his head. And Cinderella is practically Penelope’s best friend now. She sets aside birthday money for new cat toys– the crinkly ones are her favorite– and sneaks the cat through her bedroom window from time to time. She even cradles her like a baby, not without protest and the occasional scratch, of course, but Penelope knows the risk. 

“I told her Cinderella probably won’t want to come trick or treating but she can still take a picture with her at home.” 

“I told you she will want to go because there’s candy.” 

“Yes, but I told you cats can’t have candy,” Steve jabs her side lightly. 

Penelope only pouts. “That’s sad. I think she would like candy.” 

“It is,” he agrees, slotting a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. “But it makes them sick, remember? So we can’t share with Cinderella.” 

Her cheek melds with his sleeve, begrudgingly agreeing with a sigh. “Can I get my face painted?” 

Steve traces her line of sight to the ring of kids swarming the face painter. It’s not far. He can see well enough to recognize most of the children. Many are younger than Penelope too. 

But Steve hesitates, “Can you wait until I’m done eating? I’ll go with you.”

“Daddy,” she whines, pinching his arm hair. “You take forever.”

Penelope’s got magical little eyes. You don’t know how Steve ever says no. 

“I can take her,” you offer, stacking trash on your plate. “I’m done anyway.” 

“No, it’s okay.” He deflates with a sigh, curling into his ribs so he can see her face. “You can go by yourself–”

Her frown washes away just as fast as she peels herself off of his arm. 

“But! You have to come straight back when you’re done and you have to stay where I can see you. ‘Kay?” 

“‘Kay!” She beams, nearly tripping on her dress as she swings her legs over the bench and breaks into a run. 

Steve can’t hide the wobble in his smile as hard as he tries to be strong. Most of the hardships he’s faced as a parent are foreign to you, but clearly, this isn’t easy for him. 

“She’ll be fine,” you reassure with a ginger squeeze to his wrist. “We aren’t far if she needs something.” 

He nods, still locked in on Penelope. “I know, I know. I’m trying really hard not to be a helicopter parent as she gets older. It sucks though, feeling like she doesn’t need me anymore.” 

“Steve,” you deadpan, prying his attention back. “That’s… silly. You’re her dad, of course she still needs you. Maybe not all the time or as much but she’ll always need you.” 

“I dunno. I feel like she grows an inch every time I turn around. I never thought I’d say this, but I actually miss when she was in diapers. She’s cute now, but God was she cute then.” He chuckles to himself, eyes swinging from Penelope to you and then back. 

“I believe it,” you grin, admiring his girl. Her cheeks are red from the cold, like two tomatoes framing her lips. She might like to wear your jacket, you consider, but she’s so small, perhaps she’ll overheat from too many layers.

Penelope scrambles into the chair when it’s her turn, talking a mile a minute to the face painter. A funny wave of emotion roves over you. There’s affection and joy and and then something heavier and harder to describe. 

“I’ll have to show you her baby pictures sometime.” You hear the parting of a true smile. “There’s this one– it was her first birthday– I gave her a whole cake and she just demolished it. Had it in her hair and her eyelashes and in between her toes. She was so damn happy.” 

You exhale a happy hum, turning back to Steve. He’s propped on his elbows now, close enough to discern each eyelash from the next. It doesn’t startle you as much as it just scrapes the words right off your tongue. 

He’s reading you, churning, and chasing the right words all in between the blink of an eye. “We should hang out, you know? Like actually– We always talk about it but…” He shakes his head, trailing off. 

He’d let the words be carried with the wind if you wanted. It’s hard to imagine you’d say no, but people have surprised him in worse ways. Just when he thinks he knows someone, truly knows them, they cut him off like he’s no more than a dying branch. The ghosts of past someones and somethings still haunt him. It makes being so forward with you all the more difficult. 

You wear a whimsical sort of grin that you hide behind the brush of your hand, fighting your own flood of emotions. “Yeah– I mean, yeah. When?” 

Excitement flares across his features. “What are you doing on Halloween? You could come trick-or-treating with us?”

“Probably just home handing out candy– but Steve, I don’t want to intrude on Halloween. It sounds really special to Penelope.”

“You wouldn’t! No way, Penelope would be thrilled if you came. She talks about you a lot, you know?” 

“No she doesn’t,” you grin madly into your palm, peering over to her. Her face is dressed in a bright shade of orange now. With her pudgy cheeks, she reminds you of a little pumpkin. 

“She does! Swear it– on my life.” He’s not lying. He can’t hold your eyes when he lies, even about silly things. 

You huff, feeling foolishly giddy. “I don’t have time to get a costume, Steve.” 

“Nonsense. We can find you one. I’ll make it if I have to. The Tin Man and The Scarecrow are still up for grabs.” 

You swallow, washing the sudden dryness from your throat. Why does Steve have to be so damn cute and sweet all at once? “I dunno. Would it be fine if I didn’t dress up?” 

He chuckles dryly. “Penelope won’t have that, I can tell you that much. Plus if I’m going to be tortured into some itchy lion onesie I expect you’ll do the same.” He’s teasing, which is typical for you both, but it’s like you’ve forgotten how. 

“Steve.”

“Come on. If not for me, for Penelope. She’ll love it.” 

“Okay,” you settle. But you aren’t really settling. He could ask you to dress up on any other day of the year and you’d do it. 

Penelope races over– a tabby cat with long whiskers and a pastel pink nose– yelling, “Daddy, look!”

Steve beams at her like he stuck a lightbulb in his mouth, somehow brighter than before. “I see! You look so pretty, princess.” 

“I’m like Cinderella.”

“You are!” He pats her former seat beside him until she sits. 

Her long lashes flutter questioningly. 

“Nell, don’t you think we need, I dunno, like a Tinman or a Scarecrow to go with our costumes on Halloween?” 

She tracks his gaze over to you, adopting your smirk. “Are you coming trick-or-treating with us?” Her voice is uneven and bubbly with anticipation. 

“Do you want me to?” You ask genuinely. 

Penelope’s tongue wriggles in her mouth like she can’t find the proper words to express what she feels. But she nods in this bashful way against Steve’s shoulder that surprises you. 

“Are we being shy now?” Steve remarks, pulling her into his arms effortlessly to peck her hairline. 

“No,” she whines against his sweater, overjoyed to be smothered in love. Dry paint creases with her scrunched face. It’s an adorable sight. You keep wishing you had a camera on you because this is the kind of thing Steve probably puts in his photo albums. 

The moon climbs the sky quickly, draping the party in a silver veil. Many stay for the campfire and the promise of smores. But the later it gets, the crankier kids become for their parents. Penelope’s no exception, whining and clinging to Steve until he agrees to hold her. And he tries to work still, but his arms are starting to burn and stamping hayride tickets isn’t easy one-handed so he makes the hard choice to leave before cleanup. 

He feels awful, apologizing to several of his coworkers on the way out but most are too drunk on cider or too high on festive cheer to care. Besides, he’s paid a salary, doing this out of the kindness of his heart. He has no obligation to be here– you’d reminded him of that multiple times. But the festival does feel empty when they leave, even with half the town still around. 

ᯓ★

Steve lives in a quiet pocket outside of town on a curvy, secluded stretch of road. The directions he’d scrawled out on a receipt weren’t as useful as you’d hoped as one of the street names you were intended to turn on was smudged beyond legibility. But you made it, parked in front of a white house with a similarly white picket fence. Steve’s beamer is idled to your right. It’s strange seeing it somewhere that’s not the rec center. But it’s a familiar comfort between so much new. 

There’s a tire swing knotted to the oak tree in the yard, a collection of painted rocks in the pebble-lined path up to the house, and two carved pumpkins set outside the door, caving in on themselves but not yet rotting. A lot of love is shared here.  

Penelope answers the door when you knock. She’s half dressed– stockings hugging a pair of fleece leggings and a flowy pajama tank top. Her eyes outline your costume and light up with approval. 

You sport a flannel and denim overalls stuffed with prickly straw straight from the local farm, courtesy of Steve. But Penelope ogles your face paint more than anything– a stitched grin and two circles for blush. You hope it’s not scary looking. 

She doesn’t know how to let you inside– she’s not supposed to answer the door after all– so she hangs clumsily off the door handle until you ask, “Can I come in?” 

“Yes,” she teeters out of the way, closing the door behind you with a sweeping grin— the mischievous kind that makes you wonder what she’s up to.

The foyer is situated between the living room and kitchen, both of which are missing Steve. 

“Where’s your dad?” 

“Umm. Cleaning?” 

“Oh. Are you getting ready to go?”

“Yes, but I can’t find my shoes,” she makes a strangled face and shrugs with her entire wingspan.

“Do you want me to help you look?” 

She nods, “I think they’re in my closet.”

Penelope sprints up the stairs easily, leaning over the railing at the top until you hesitantly follow. You hope he won’t mind. You were technically let in. 

It reeks of chemicals upstairs. You stifle a cough and hope it’s Steve, not some science experiment in Penelope’s room. But you don’t worry long. The culprit swings around the corner, juggling several bottles of solutions and sprays. Steve would’ve barreled straight into you had you not thrust your arms out in defense, but still, all his things scatter across the floor. 

“Christ, you scared me.” He kneels, tucking a roll of paper towels against his chest. “Nell, you can’t answer the door without me.” 

“I looked in the window.”

You hand him a sanitizer and shimmy your hat back into place. It’s too big and far too floppy, sagging over your brows no matter how you situate it. Amusement draws his cheeks up as he realizes. You look ready to plop yourself in the middle of someone’s crops and he’s in a tee and jeans you might find him in any other day. His smiley-staring only makes you feel sillier. 

“The straw’s really a nice touch, huh?” Steve teases, picking a sandy stem from your collar with his free hand. He’s got that smirk you so often find on Penelope’s lips. 

You yank the strand from his grasp and poke the column of his throat with it. “I’m definitely more itchy than you’ll be.” 

His fingers encase the entirety of your fist like a shell. They’re knobby and mannish, stout against your own. But there’s a tenderness to his hold as he eases your fist away. You don’t push back, though you contemplate it. He’s never touched you for so long; he’s basically holding your hand. 

“Could’ve been the Tinman,” he says, releasing your fingers at your thigh. 

You suck in, like fuel for a reply, and exhale a breathy, nervous laugh. “And paint my entire body gray? No thanks.” 

He chuckles, eyes darting behind you. “Well, you look great. You like it, Nell?” 

You’d almost forgotten she was there. She’s quiet as a mouse when she wants to be. 

Penelope bobs her head behind you, patiently watching from the doorway to her room. “I have oh-ralls like that.” 

“You do,” Steve confirms, fidgeting with the nozzle on the disinfectant bottle. It reminds you of the smell. 

“You kill someone?” 

He stiffens. “What?” 

You flick the bottle of Windex, serious facade fading. “Smells like you’re trying to cover it up.” 

“Oh! No,” his shoulders soften, “Just a little spring cleaning… in fall.” 

You hum gaily. “I like your house.” 

“You do?” His voice is light, buoyant with relief. “I can give you a tour. A proper one.” 

“I would but I’ve promised a patient little lady I’d help her find her shoes first.”

Penelope beams when you glimpse at her. “I think they’re in my closet,” she shares with Steve. 

“I think so too,” he says, eyeing past her. “What happened to cleaning?” 

“I was but I had to find my costume first.” 

“It’ll be easier to find when your room’s clean.” He sends you a look, “Don’t let her trick you into cleaning for her. She’s sneaky.” Steve whispers the last part, loud and teasing. 

“I’m not sneaky!” 

“Mhmm. I’ll go get ready and then come help you, Nell.” 

“Then trick-or-treat?” 

“Yes,” he starts down the stairs, “Yell if you need me.” 

Penelope tows you into her room by the arm, unphased by the clinking of toys crammed behind the door. Anything in her way gets kicked or shoved aside without a second thought. It’s like her toy chest exploded, a kaleidoscope of pink and purple across the carpet. And no wonder it’s a mess; she starts chucking things out of her closet, adding to the pile spilling out like an avalanche—books, stuffed animals, barbie dolls, baby dolls, and so so many clothes. 

You squeeze by a play tent, scanning the floor. 

“They’re red and sparkly, ‘member?” Penelope calls from behind her closet doors. 

You tip a beanbag over with your foot, “I remember.” 

She babbles to herself as she looks, just like Steve does– little hums and scraps of thought that are hard to catch. It’s a funny thing, to see it translated from one human to another. 

It doesn’t take long to find the shoes, wedged underneath her bed with numerous other things. You go prone against the floor to dig them out and hold them up by the straps. “These it, Pen?” 

She gasps vibrantly. You wish you got up in time to see her face. 

“How did you know they were under there!” She shrieks, snatching them from you. 

“Just had a feeling,” you sit up properly, happily watching her slip the flats on. 

She practically twinkles, clicking her heels together like Dorothy. 

“They look stunning! You painted these?” 

“Yes,” she skips over to her dresser, shuffling through drawer after drawer. Anything folded surely isn’t anymore. 

“You’re a talented artist.” 

“I know. Daddy says.” Penelope yanks out a blue line of fabric. “My dress is so pretty. I’m going to be the prettiest Dorothy for Halloween.” 

“I know you will! You should give your dad a big hug for making such a pretty dress.” 

She buckles into the costume as fast as she can, patting the skirt down with a satisfied grin when it’s on. 

After several compliments and much debate, you’re able to convince her Dorothy would have a clean room. Penelope puts a few things away, but she’s easily distracted. And it’s hard to blame her with so many toys about. So you do most of the cleaning, but you’re happy to. It’ll make Steve happy– lest he finds out it was you– which makes you happy. 

The floor’s mostly cleared when Penelope decides Steve’s taking too long; it’s time for your house tour, with or without him. And when he doesn’t answer her shout it’s decidedly without him. She shows you downstairs first– the living room, the kitchen, the half bath, her favorite hiding spot underneath the stairs. All the while she explains her very detailed and strategic trick-or-treating plan. Staying out until midnight is the priority, she doesn’t seem to care if it’s past her bedtime, and filling several bags with candy is also high on the list. 

“And this is Daddy’s room.” She jerks the door knob several times before yelling, “Daddy!” 

“What?” Steve calls, muffled. 

“Let us in!”

“I can’t hear you– hold on!” 

Steve unlocks the door donning the promised lion onesie and a pair of sneakers. It’s ridiculous how handsome he looks even with a stupid fur collar and tail. 

“Cute,” is all you manage to say. He takes it as teasing, rolling his eyes, though you really mean it. 

“Can you help me? I can’t get my whiskers right.” He taps the cap of an eyeliner pen against his cheek where he’s drawn two lines. 

“Sure.” You take the stick and follow him through his room to the master ensuite. 

“Wait!” Penelope shouts and waves vaguely at the room. “This is Daddy’s room.”

You pause to look it over, jovially commenting, “Wow! Very nice.” 

And it is nice. There’s a rustic set of furniture striped in blue and green accents; paired well with the framed floral prints above his dresser. And the bed’s made, only slightly surprising, topped with a Care Bear’s quilt you assume is Penelope’s. 

In the bathroom, Steve leans against the counter, arms braced behind him on the sink rim. You shuffle in front of his legs, skimming knees accidentally. He has no abhorrence for physical touch, you know that for certain. He’s touchy with not just you, but everyone in the office. An arm around the shoulder, a pat on the back, a gentle squeeze to the arm– he gives these out like candy on Halloween. But even so, touching him isn’t always easy. It’s vulnerable, runs the risk of rejection. 

Steve smiles at you, ever-patient and encouraging when you stall awkwardly. 

“Sorry,” you whisper. Talking any louder feels illegal when he’s so close. You cup his jaw and steady your opposite hand against his cheek, picturing the line how you want it. 

But just when you press into his skin and flick the pen, Penelope slams a drawer shut, startling you enough to flinch. The ink slants all the way behind his ear like a jagged nail. 

You gasp and recoil, “Shit.” 

Penelope gasps twice as loud and Steve crumples into laughter, even more so when he turns to view the damage in the mirror. 

“Oops,” you chuckle nervously, thumbing at the black streak. “This washes off right?” 

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ve redone it like four times.” 

You douse your finger in water and work the pad across his happy cheek gently. 

He’s watching you. You don’t see, just feel it in the fringe of your peripherals. It’s not like he has many places to look when you’re a hair’s breadth from his nose. But he might as well press a magnifying glass against your face, point out every pore and blemish and hair you're insecure about. 

Your cheeks burn and the beginning prickles of sweat coat your upper lip. You brushed your teeth before you arrived, but how could you forget a mint? And what about an extra layer of deodorant? That wouldn’t have hurt. You glance at Steve anxiously and his eyes jump to Penelope. For once you’re grateful not to keep his attention. 

Penelope digs through his cabinet on a quest to find nothing in particular. 

You pull away to judge your first line as Steve opens his mouth. “Nell, go get your brush and hair ties.” 

The top half of her face pops up over the cupboard door like a puppet. “But I want my hair down.” 

“I still have to brush it. And I thought you wanted the bows?” 

She considers his words– her prior words– brows pinching before she shrugs, “Okay.” The cabinet door thuds against its hinges as it claps shut, and not a second later, Steve’s bedroom door slams as Penelope charges out. 

“You would not believe how often I tell this kid not to slam the doors,” he scoffs, though it’s devoid of any real anger. 

You take his chin again, packing away a grin. You have to focus. “Don’t move,” you prompt. 

He’s relaxed in your hold. Still as a stone, maybe apart from the slight tug of his lips when you resume drawing. 

“Tickles,” he murmurs when you lift the nib. 

You print another three to match the trio on his right. It’s not bad, but you wouldn’t say it’s good. The angles are skewed weird and one’s shorter than the rest. But if he wants them any better, you might not be the best person to ask. 

“How’s that?” You draw back, searching for any smudges. 

He spins, briefly inspecting his reflection before facing you again. “Perfect! Thank you!”

Perfect is definitely a stretch. 

Steve’s a perfectionist. You’ve seen it innumerably in the office. How he’ll spend hours revising something only to ruminate on an insignificant detail after. And with Penelope, every parenting decision is subject to endless second-guessing, as if her health and happiness hinges on the smallest nuances. 

But as much as he’s a perfectionist, Steve would never judge you in the same way he might himself. Your whiskers truly are perfect in his eyes, not for the shape or size, but because you drew them– wonky and all. 

The ink warps around his smile. You study his face under the guise of checking your work. Steve’s a handsome guy. An inviting kind of handsome, with shallow laugh lines and the start of stubble stippled across his jaw.  

“Wait,” you square his shoulders, brushing the nape of his neck to reach for his hood. The lion’s mane is laid gently over the top of his hair. 

“Now it’s perfect.” 

He smirks. “Sexy, huh?”

“Should leave this unzipped a little. The cougars will love that.” 

Steve laughs, harder than you think you’ve ever heard him. It’s so contagious even Penelope joins your hysterics when she returns, though she hasn’t a clue what you’re laughing about. 

“What’s so funny?” Penelope lurches into his legs with a handful of hair things. 

“We just think my costume’s kinda silly. Here, baby.” Steve heaves her onto the counter and props her right in between the sinks. 

Her dress pours over her crossed legs like a layered cake, baby blue and white gingham. Steve really did a great job with the stitching; you can’t even tell it was done by hand. And Penelope hasn’t complained about the fit once so it must be comfortable too. 

“Face forward please,” Steve reminds gently for a third time when Penelope twists her neck to speak. 

Penelope frowns at his reflection. “You’re pulling too tight.”

“Sorry. You have to stop moving though.” 

There’s a mild curve to his lips. He’s not aggravated with her fidgeting, in fact, quite the opposite. Maybe because you’re around, he’s in too good of a mood to spoil with something as trivial as his daughter's hair. But regardless, it’s endearing as it is entertaining to care for Penelope. He loves being a dad, even when it’s frustrating. And you can see the love as he braids her hair– how he cards through knots from the ends up and slowly sections off pieces to tackle one at a time. 

“I’m not moving.” Her chin droops as she scratches the polish from her nails. 

Steve cups her jaw, steering it back up. “You are, monkey.” 

“Monkey?” She chortles, seeking your gaze in the mirror to see if you also find the nickname funny. 

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs, seizing the rubber band from between his teeth. “Monkeys move a lot.” 

“Do they have tails?”

“Mhmm.”

“You have a tail 'cause you’re a lion.” 

Steve hums and bends back, evaluating his performance. “There. You look so gorgeous, Penelope.” 

And he really has done a great job, especially with all her wiggles. Steve takes a lot of pride in styling his hair– much of his confidence derives from it. And he tries to extend that care to Penelope; to teach her how gorgeous she is and that she deserves to be nurtured. 

Penelope shakes her head disapprovingly. “I’m Dorothy now, Dad.” 

“Oh, sorry.” Steve turns toward you instinctually, happy to catch your smile. 

“You look very very pretty, Miss Dorothy,” you correct. 

She slides off the counter, aided by Steve’s hand. “Can we go now?” 

Penelope waits patiently in the foyer for Steve to gather everything needed to leave. This lasts for all of about ten minutes before Penelope is halfway out the front door, too excited to wait any longer. 

“Wait, Nell!” Steve shouts from beside you in the kitchen. 

You’re choosing snacks and filling water bottles. Steve doesn’t really need to pack a bag for Penelope anymore, she’s a year and a half past diapers, but he likes to feel prepared. 

When Penelope doesn’t answer, he meets her on the porch to explain, “I’m almost done. And we still have to take pictures.” 

“I don’t wanna. I’m ready to leave.” 

“Well, we aren’t leaving until I get a picture of Dorothy.” 

She sighs, lugging herself back inside like she’s got bricks for shoes. “What about Cinderella?” 

“Go and look– get the treats.” 

She scrambles into the kitchen, snagging a jar of cat treats from the counter quickly. You shoulder the backpack and follow her out. Steve joins you not long after, two flashlights and several glowsticks in hand. 

“No Cinderella?” Steve asks, unzipping the bag pressed to your back to stock with more things. 

“No,” Penelope pouts, vigorously shaking the jar in the air. “How can I be Dorothy without Toto.” 

He yanks the zipper back up, then pats her head, “Keep calling. Where’s your jacket?”

“I don’t need it.”

“You will. It’s gonna get cold later. When it’s dark.” 

“It’ll mess up my costume. Dorothy doesn’t wear one.” 

“Let's bring it, just in case. I’ll carry it.” 

Steve jogs back inside, coming out this time with a camera around his neck, a jacket over his shoulder, and a plushie in hand. 

“Here,” he sets a blue stuffed dog on Penelope’s lap. “Backup Toto.” 

Penelope glares up at him, insulted. “This isn’t Toto.” 

“I know. But if we wait for Cinderella we might not have time for trick-or-treating. Why don’t we bring the treats? See if she’s started without us?” 

Penelope deflates, stuffing the dog in her wicker basket. 

“Can I take your picture now?”

“Why, Daddy?” 

“So I can remember how beautiful you look tonight.” 

A petulant bow creases her lips as she peers up. Round, sullen eyes connect with his. 

Steve squats in front of her, taking her much smaller free hand in his. “I know you’re sad about Cinderella but she’d still want you to have fun, right? And she might show up later. I just want to get a picture now so I don’t forget.” 

Penelope nods and Steve kisses her forehead, standing and backing up a few paces. 

“Smile, baby. Please?” He blinks at her through the viewfinder. 

She offers a strangled face– more of a toothy open mouth than a smile; not even close to wide enough to round her cheeks or crescent her eyes like the real deal. But it’s funny and just as cute. Steve snaps a photo and the expression drains from her face as fast as the camera’s flash.

You wander behind Steve and her eyes flick to you. You try funny faces first, frowning so deep your jaw aches, pulling the tip of your nose up like a pigs, winking terribly, but none of it works. Your fingers arch into bunny ears behind Steve’s hair and you stick your tongue out at the back of his head, but still, no dice. 

You have a really awful idea. You’re pretty sure you might die of embarrassment. But it’s worth it to get Penelope to smile. 

“Hey, Penelope? Remember when you told me dinosaurs are silly?” 

She nods. 

“Well, I have a really good dinosaur impression. Can I show you?” 

She nods again, equally jaded. 

You take a deep breath and shake your head, mentally preparing yourself and simultaneously erasing Steve from existence for the moment. A feral screech erupts from the back of your throat, the kind of sound you didn’t know for sure you could make. 

Steve buckles in his crouch, barely catching himself on the pavement with his free hand. A chorus of emotions ripple his features. He’s shocked and then amused and finally focused on capturing the picture, but what resonates the most is a fondness for you. 

You cup a hand over your mouth, rendering a string of different noises, inspired by several animals because what the hell does a dinosaur sound like anyway? You haven’t the faintest clue at the moment.   

Penelope fuses her lips together, unbreaking. 

“Come on Nell, I see that smile,” Steve rallies. 

But she doesn’t give up easy. She’s like Steve in that way. 

As a last resort, you press your lips to your mouth, blowing a raspberry and screwing your face in disgust. “Oh my God, Steve! Did you just fart?” 

He gapes at you, then Penelope, tickled and tongue-tied for comebacks. He can’t think straight, not when you’re making a delightful fool out of yourself, on his behalf, especially. As far as he’s concerned, Penelope’s smiling now or at least failing awfully at hiding it. So he takes several photos of her as she unravels into a giggly heap on the driveway. 

Certainly one of them is photo-album-worthy, but you continue your stunts anyway. “Goodness, what did you eat today?” You backpedal a few steps, fanning the surrounding air, partially to hide your own laugh. “Penelope do you smell that?” 

“Ew! Daddy!” 

You aren’t sure if Penelope actually believes you or if she just wants to join the fun but either way, she’s convincing. 

“I didn’t do it!” Steve defends, dropping the camera on its sling and raising his hands in surrender. “I think it was Penelope this whole time.” 

You gasp. “Penelope!” 

“I didn’t!” She cries, shaking her head aggressively. “I promise, I didn’t!” 

“I dunno. The closer I get the more stinky it smells.” Steve slinks up to her with outstretched hands that threaten tickles. 

She screams when he snatches her up, swearing up and down, “I didn’t, Daddy!” 

He’s well-practiced at being the tickle monster; knows every sensitive strip of skin to target. She was doomed from the start. Giggles spill out in jagged layers punctuated with gasps of air. Steve tickles her all the way down the driveway to the car, out of breath himself by the time he sets her on the trunk. 

Penelope deliriously eyes his hands where they rest on the beamer. 

“You ready to go trick-or-treating, Little Miss Dorothy?” You ask. 

She nods, dimples deepening with mirth.

“Here. Will you start it?” Steve fishes his keys out of his pocket and tosses them to you. “Come on, pretty girl.” 

She slides into her car seat happily, bouncing with excitement as he buckles her in. Steve’s told you before it’s not always so easy. 

“I really didn’t fart,” Penelope says. 

He chuckles, sewing a kiss to her cheek, “I know, baby. We’re just kidding.” 

Steve settles into the driver’s seat, depositing the stack of developed polaroids in your lap. You shuffle through as he backs out, flashing him your favorites; the best is one where she’s planted a hand on her hip and is rolling her eyes. You adore this little drama queen more and more every day. 

The drive’s only a few minutes, just to a denser part of the neighborhood to avoid long stretches with no houses. Steve parks against an empty grass lot behind another car. This area’s already bustling with kids which adds to Penelope’s anticipation. 

“Daddy, look– it’s Minnie Mouse!” 

Steve inspects the crowd through the window. “Yeah, you remember when you were Minnie Mouse?” 

“I was?” 

“Mhmm. You had ears and I painted your face. You were little.” He unbuckles, grabbing the backpack stashed at your feet. 

“Oh. Am I still little?” 

He pauses to melt, just to himself and only a bit. It’s too early to be sentimental– a long night of fun awaits. Steve cranes over his seat to see her face. “Yes, you’re still little. But you’re growing a lot. I think you might be as tall as me, one day.” 

“Nooo,” she giggles, waving her foot at him. 

“I dunno,” he sing-songs back, squeezing her shoe before turning back around. 

Steve distributes a handful of glowsticks, shoving a few extra in Penelope’s basket. You guys start down the block as the sun sinks below the treeline, more than enough time to complete Penelope’s plan which she reminds you of. She takes Steve’s hand, then yours, and it strikes you suddenly how much you appear as a family to outsiders. It’s not an unwelcome feeling, just a strange one. 

At the first house, Penelope knocks hard and declares to the elderly woman who answers, “Trick or treat!” She repeats it, insisting with wide eyes that she deserves two pieces of candy for her double effort. And the woman can’t resist her charm, obliging with a handful of pieces. Steve jokes it off, calls her a bargainer, but you gawk at the interaction. 

At the second house, she points to you and Steve, arguing you deserve candy too since you’re both in costume. And it works, scoring you each a piece that ends up in her tote anyway. By the third, you can’t keep a straight face, her antics are hilariously cute and you compliment Steve for raising such a little mastermind. 

You fall into a routine steadily, loafing along the road with Steve while Penelope trots up to each house. 

“Last year she was Snow White and the year before a cat,” Steve explains when you ask. 

“She likes princesses’.” 

“Less so now but yeah. She used to say she wanted to be a princess when she grew up.” 

“Can’t blame her.” You watch her fondly from afar. She picks a piece of candy off the ground and debates before tossing it in with the others. “What does she wanna be now?” 

“Changes all the time. Last it was a detective.” He beckons Penelope over. “Nell, what do you want to be when you grow up?” 

She fiddles with her basket handle. You’ve done two streets and it’s almost full. You're starting to think you’ll have to buy a pillowcase off of someone.

“Umm… Can I be a trick-or-treater?” 

“What!” Steve flips her braid over her shoulder, “That’s just for one day, goofball.” 

“Well… then,” she hums, squinting at the surrounding swarm of characters and creatures. “Maybe a pirate?” 

You and Steve share a look of amusement. You do that a lot now. It’s instinctual. Finding each other's eyes, even in a room full of people it’s easy. Sometimes there’s just too much joy not to share. 

“Daddy, how many houses are left?” 

“There’s quite a few on this street. You tired?” 

“No. Can I see? I want to count.” 

She doesn’t seem tired to you but Steve’s able to read her with the tiniest details. It’s like he’s got superpowers sometimes– dad superpowers. But maybe he’s just guessing, it’s getting closer to bedtime.

Steve boosts her onto his shoulders with a hefty groan about “getting old” which you bicker over because he’s only twenty-six. 

Penelope counts eleven houses, eight with lights on, but buzzes about a particular home illuminated with rainbow LEDs and a giant spider. And it’s even cooler than she described up close, mansion-like, decked out with spotlights and decorations taller than you and Steve combined.

A motionless clown holds a bloody bucket of candy outside. Their decorations are so extravagant, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s fake. But you’re pretty sure the clown just blinked and you make sure Steve’s aware of that, not that he was letting Penelope go alone anyway. 

Steve scoops Penelope up before she gets very far up the driveway despite her complaints. 

“I’m not scared, Daddy,” she assures. And there’s nothing that tells you she is– she’s just as cheery and bright-eyed as before. 

“I know, princess.” He rubs her arm, scanning for other statues with the potential to come alive. “I’m kinda scared, though.” 

She tips her head at him, puzzled because it’s always the other way around. But her arms coil around his neck, a loving press of affection that she learned from him. 

And whether he’s actually afraid to be jumpscared or just subconsciously ingraining in her that it’s okay if she is, you aren’t really sure. Probably both, and either way, it warms your insides. 

The clown cocks its head slowly when Penelope reaches in the bowl. 

She cocks her head back, innocently amused. “Trick-or-treat?” 

The clown nods, pushing the bowl toward her. 

Steve sags just a hair but remains very much on high alert. 

You mouth your appreciation— “Thanks.” Thanks for not scaring my coworker-friends-child who I’ve grown really fond of and would hate to see cry. 

“Daddy, can we go in there?” Penelope points to a tunnel opening, fringed with black streamers and flashing lights– some sort of haunted house walk-through that wraps around the home. 

“No, baby. That’s for big kids.” 

She spots a group of teenagers exit the other side, screaming, laughing, and doubling over each other into the grass. 

“I really wanna go– please, I’ll be so brave. I’m not even scared,” she pleads, flashing him a wobbly frown. 

But there’s no expression she could pull right now that would change his mind, not when he hears a chainsaw buzzing inside. She could throw herself on the ground and kick and cry and he’d still refuse. He knows enough kids that have been traumatized by horror-movie-type creatures and characters; he’ll be damned if his daughter becomes one of them. 

Penelope sulks for a few houses but she has loads more candy to collect and decides not to waste her time for too long. 

“Can you hold this?” She thrusts her basket toward Steve. It’s overflowing at this point; you’ve all started cramming candy in your pockets, hoping it’s cold enough outside that nothing melts. Steve’s been beating himself up for three blocks for forgetting the backpack in the car. 

“Sure,” he says, retracting his hand from his pocket.

But before he takes it, you joke, “Better keep an eye on him. He might eat some when you’re not lookin’.”

Penelope studies him for a long moment before shifting the bag toward you. 

“Penelope! You don’t really believe that do you?” He scoffs, breathily laughing.

You cackle as she shrugs and sprints to the next house. 

Steve bumps your shoulder, snaking a hand in the basket to steal a pack of M&Ms off the top. “Blowin’ my whole operation.” 

“Steve,” you scold and bump him back. “Don’t get me in trouble.” 

“She won’t notice.” He waves you off, tearing the wrapper with his teeth. “But if she does I’m saying it was you.” 

You whack his arm, glowing bright as the moon, “Asshole.” 

Penelope doesn’t complain about her feet aching once the whole night and you know they probably do because yours started hurting forever ago. Surely she gets some kid-sized Oscar for that. And Steve being the great dad he is offers to carry her on the way back to the car anyway. 

“Daddy?” 

Steve hums, hoisting her up where she slips. 

“Can we go trick or treating tomorrow?”

He glances at you, confirming you also hear this cuteness. “No, baby. Tomorrow’s not Halloween.”

“I know, but we should still go. I bet lots of people still have candy. Like, leftovers.” She yawns into his shoulder where his fur hood has been tugged down to warm his neck and double as a makeshift pillow. 

“Don’t you have enough candy?”

“No. I need more Reese’s for you.”

“You’re gonna give them to me?”

“Only some. I like them too.” 

“That’s kind of you.” 

Her eyes are half-lidded and struggling, but she’s still awake as Steve stows her into her car seat. She chatters sluggishly to keep herself up and you and Steve entertain it; it’ll make bedtime easier if she doesn’t fall asleep in the car. Perhaps handing her a pack of Smarties was overkill because apparently, it has enough sugar to wire her longer than the five-minute drive home. 

No slower than Steve can lock the front door, Penelope dumps the contents of her bag on the floor. A bouquet of candy wrappers, big and small, enough to last her months if she’s patient. 

“You can have five more pieces tonight.” 

Penelope smirks at Steve before he’s even finished. “Ten?” 

“Six. But you have to brush your teeth for twice as long.” Before she can rebuttal he shakes his head. “Final offer.” 

“Fine,” she huffs, combing through her pile. She sorts them into categories while Steve prepares her bath. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is already on– Steve has a bad habit of forgetting to turn the TV off when he leaves– but you find the remote when Penelope asks you to turn the volume up. 

“You can have these,” she announces, pushing a chunk of her goodies toward you. It’s mostly things she doesn’t like: twizzlers and dark chocolate and anything with peanuts. But she did sneak in one of your favorites you’d mentioned earlier that night. She really is a sweetheart. 

“Thank you, Penelope. That’s very nice of you.” 

“These are for Daddy,” she points to a second pile, smacking loudly on the gummy bear she just decapitated. “He loves chocolate but he got a cavity once because he ate too much.” 

“Are you talking about me?” Steve hollers, clambering down the stairs two at a time. 

“No?” Penelope giggles. 

His hands snap to his hips once he treks into the living room. “Alright, it’s bath time then bedtime Miss Dorothy.”

Penelope looks utterly betrayed. She’s only eaten three things and– “It’s not even late yet,” she whines. 

He pretends to check his watch, “It is.” 

It’s not but she can’t tell time yet. 

“Can we watch Oz, Daddy, please? There’s no school tomorrow, ‘member?”

“We watched it last night, peanut. Why don’t we watch a Halloween movie?” 

Peanut, pumpkin, princess, he calls her all sorts of cute things. Is it wrong to wish he called you cute things too? 

“I wanna watch Oz. I’m Dorothy so we have to.” She drags out the last syllable until she runs out of breath. 

Penelope’s over-tired. Delirious and whiny and easily hysterical when she doesn’t get her way. And it’s not that Steve thinks he should give in when she’s like this, he’s just tired too. And you’re here and it’s the weekend so what will one movie really do? He can guarantee she’ll fall asleep during it anyway. 

“Okay. Only if you’re super-duper fast in the bath.”

She shouts and whizzes upstairs. 

Steve diverts his attention to you, “You wanna stay? I can make popcorn.” 

Of course, you’d love to stay, and not just for the promise of popcorn, but you’re afraid if you do, you’ll never want to leave. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” He makes a face– a ridiculously lovely one. “Go sit. We’ll be quick.” 

They aren’t quick but there are photo albums on the coffee table that you’re happy to look through in the meantime. You flick through beats of their life like stills of a movie. There are baby photos, school pictures, movie stubs, plane tickets, and several people you don’t know the names of. It’s weird– getting snippets of things about them you had no idea of. You’re filling the gaps as you go. 

Penelope returns first, frolicking her way to the entertainment center in fresh pajamas. She’s on a mission by the looks of it, making a mess of the VHS collection in the cabinet. By the time Steve arrives, most of the films are splayed across the carpet. 

“Oz is already in, silly goose. We watched it yesterday remember?” 

Penelope drops the tape in her hands, “Oh.” 

Steve hunches over her, slotting the films away one by one. She doesn’t help much, but he doesn’t seem to mind. 

Penelope clambers onto the couch beside you and Steve beside her. It’s a long sectional, enough room for several others. But Penelope scoots in right beside you so you're hip to hip. And Steve makes himself comfortable more in the middle cushion than the farthest. 

His onesie has been traded for sweats and his whiskers scrubbed away– though a faded, gray smear crosses his jawline. You consider telling him, or licking your thumb and scratching it away yourself, but it makes you feel less weird to be the only one still in costume so you let it stay. 

“I like these,” you tug the cotton pant leg of Penelope’s outfit. It’s a matching set, frilly and plaid with a black cat stamped to the torso.

She tucks her lower lip away sheepishly and pushes her crown into your shoulder. Her hair's damp, soaking your sleeve cold, but you fawn at the affection more than anything. 

“Did you find that picture? From her first birthday? I think it’s in there.” Steve gestures toward the closed album in your lap with the remote but remains glued to the TV. 

“No, I didn’t finish looking.”

“I wanna see,” Penelope arches over your legs, prying the book open. 

Steve rewinds the film to the start and pauses it so he can look too. 

You thumb the plastic sheet over a recent image of Penelope scrunching her nose at the camera, a riot of stickers across her face. 

“RoRo!” She taps the photo beside it. It’s a haphazard blur, most likely captured by Penelope; you make out the shape of Steve first, then the less angular, slightly shorter person– a woman, RoRo. You think Penelope’s mentioned her before but nothing about the picture rings any bells. 

“Mhmm. That’s Robin. Remember this was at the airport?” 

“Is that when we got pizza?” 

“Yeah!” Steve rubs her arm. “You have a good memory.”  

You turn the page, revealing a set of grainy, blue-tinted photos from the same roll of film. Steve looks young for his age now, but he looked like a baby then. Strangely though when there’s an actual infant in his arms. He was thinner then but even softer in the face. Not unhappy, per se, but maybe missing a lightness he has now.  

“This was on my twenty-third birthday,” he explains. “Look how little you were!”

“Did I eat cake?” 

“No, you were too young, baby.” He chuckles, pointing to another photo. “You tried a banana for the first time in this one.”

“I like bananas.”

“You didn’t used to.” 

Steve and Penelope share slices of their pasts fondly. You study the photos, compare these reflections to the people you find yourself next to. There’s an unexpected pinch in your chest– not getting the chance to know these versions of them, it makes you sad. But it’s a happy sort of sad. You’re grateful to know them now. 

Penelope begs to flip through another album but Steve decides it’ll be too late to finish The Wizard of Oz if they do. His true reluctance stems from how emotional the first one made him– though you’ll pretend not to notice for his sake. 

Steve bets Penelope an extra Reeses that she’ll fall asleep by the time Dorothy meets the scarecrow. It’s unfair, really. You tell Penelope not to pinky promise it but she does. And she loses awfully, yawning within five minutes and startling herself awake within ten. You scoff when Steve starts carding through her hair– her guaranteed snooze switch. It’s evil and you tell him so. So of course, that finishes her off long before Scarecrow makes an appearance; she curls into Steve’s side and digs a heel into yours. Poor girl never stood a chance. 

“She had a lot of fun tonight,” Steve utters. It’s alarming at first, how his voice eclipses the TV like there isn’t a child snoring against his stomach. But she doesn’t stir. He knows she won’t. 

“Did you?” You ask, skating between a whisper and not. 

“Very much. You?” 

“Mhmm. Loads,” you answer without hesitation. It’s possibly the easiest question anyone’s ever asked you. “I think Penelope’s right.”

He quirks an eyebrow against the front of the couch. His cheek is sinking further into the cotton like he might fall asleep. 

“We should go trick-or-treating tomorrow too.” 

His lips wane into a soft smile. If he wasn’t so drained he might laugh too. “What should we be? Penelope has a strict no-repeat costume rule.” 

You hum, scraping your memory for the best costumes you’d seen. There were Power Rangers and Ghostbusters and several Batmen with their Catwomen. But the image of one young family sticks out the most in your mind. A young pair of parents with their son and daughter decked in moody black and white. 

“Addams family?” 

“Who’s who?” 

“She’s Wednesday. Obviously.”

Steve chuckles, accidentally too loud and Penelope twitches against his thigh. He draws her against his chest readily and strokes her spine with the back of his hand. “Obviously,” he whispers. 

“You’re Morticia and I’m Gomez, though.” 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She’s tall and pretty. Strong jawline, kinda sassy. I think you’ll make it work.” 

You’re flirting. You know you are as soon as you say it. And you don’t mean to, it just happens; the words come intuitively as blinking. Your brain does all sorts of crazy things around Steve. 

“You think I’m pretty?” He’s smiling hard. You can’t tell if he’s serious or not. 

“Pretty sassy, yeah,” you deflect. It’s a safer truth than admitting you do think he’s pretty. 

He rolls his eyes. “My mom says Nell gets her attitude from me. Says it’s payback for how I was as a child.” 

You gawk emphatically. “Were you a bad kid Steve Harrington?”

“I wasn’t bad– just needed attention I think.” 

You hum. It’s a little surprising since you know Steve’s an only child to wealthier parents. You’d pegged him to be spoiled in both money and attention.

“Are you close with your parents?”

He shakes his head, “Not really. Talk every now and then.”

“Sorry.” 

“Don’t be. I came to terms with it a while ago. Even more after she was born.” He skims his lips against Penelope’s head. “I can’t imagine not being in her life. You know, not really knowing her? Not knowing her favorite things or when she’s hurting or what she’s up to every second of the day. I don’t think that’ll ever change.”  

“She’ll be so grateful to have that kind of relationship when she’s older.” 

“Yeah, maybe. Like way older.” His shoulders droop as he sighs, “She already thinks I’m smothering her. Wouldn’t hold my hand yesterday because she’s ‘too big’ she said.” 

“Already?” You laugh.

“I know!” He groans. “I almost cried.” 

“She loves you. Kids just show it in strange ways.” 

“Yeah… She forced me to hold a slug last week.” 

“You held it?” 

“I had to! She was so excited to give it to me.”

“Aww. You’re a good dad.” 

Steve's eyes caper down and his cheeks pinken. “I’m trying to be.” 

Apart from the movie and an occasional sleep sigh from Penelope, silence swallows the room. It’s a comfortable silence; the kind you only get around people you’ve known forever; It feels like you’ve known Steve your entire life. You have to remind yourself it’s only been a few months. Remind yourself this is the first time you’ve ever even hung out. 

You find yourself drifting to the future. A future, with Steve and Penelope. Vacations and school events and hiking trips and movie nights and so much more. It’s silly. It makes your heart want to rip itself from your chest. 

Steve clears his throat. Your fantasy is only partially dissolved. “I’m gonna take her upstairs. Put her to bed.” 

You lean forward and press into your knees, gearing to stand. “Okay. I should get going. It’s late.” 

“Stay for a minute. I’ll walk you out.”

You have no reason to decline but even if you did, you aren’t sure you would be able to. Saying no to Steve is as hard as saying no to Penelope. They have the same puppy-dog eyes– brown and soft as sun-baked clay. That must be it. 

Steve strains to stand with the added weight. He’s strong but Penelope’s four now and having growth spurts like there’s a race to be the tallest kid in school. She clings to him instinctually, slotting her face into his neck like it was sculpted specifically to be her pillow. Her gangly legs sway against his thighs as he slowly climbs the stairs and disappears onto the landing.  

You don’t notice Steve’s return. He’s much quieter than before, taking softer steps and more calculated movements. He doesn’t have the buffer of his body heat to soothe Penelope back to sleep if she wakes. The palm on your shoulder startles you. 

He whispers an apology from behind the couch, voice sweet and buttery as caramel. You let him guide you the short distance to the front door– expecting it to end there– but he presses into a pair of laced sneakers thrown beside the entry table. 

The night’s chill is jolting, even in your coat. It’s easy to forget the months are slipping into winter when Steve’s around. He radiates warmth, not just in sun-kissed skin and honeyed eyes, but in his tone and his touches and every aspect of his spirit. And it bleeds like a fire. Brushes your cheeks like flames and stirs perpetually in your belly like magma. 

He walks you the entire length of his driveway to your car. Probably would’ve opened the door for you if you didn’t beat him to it. 

“Thank you for inviting me Steve,” you say, lingering in the threshold of your open door. 

“Thank you for coming. I’m really happy you came. So is Penelope.” 

“As much as I am looking forward to The Addams Family next year, we should plan something… maybe a little sooner?” 

“Mmm. Let me check my schedule first,” he teases, rapping his fingers against the roof of your car. 

“Whatever, boss-man.”

You still don’t get in. There’s a stretch of silence, not awkward, just a placeholder for when the right words come. And they don’t. Not tonight anyway. You could hug him? Peck his cheek? Pat his back as he might yours? 

You settle for a safe and simple tight-lipped smile. He appreciates it just the same. 

“See you Friday?” He asks. 

“See you then.” 

Steve guides the door closed after you settle in. He waits until your taillights have completely fizzled out in the shadows of his street to stroll back up to his house. 

He thinks of you as he locks the front door and again as he finds your hat on the sectional and a third time as he slips under his sheets. Steve isn’t sure what to do. He feels sick. His heart is hammering and his gut twists itself in knots like it does when he’s afraid. He hasn’t quite figured out what about you is so scary but how can he possibly wait until Friday to find out? 

[alessiamalfoyzabini]

Howl at Midnight

Pairing | werewolf!Jimin x human!Reader

Word Count | 7.5k

Warnings | +18, angst, smut, halloween theme, an apparently abandoned castle (don't trespass on other people's property 🤧), mentions of a pact made with the city's residents, poison, MC doesn't really have much choice 💀, forced nudity, dark themes and also yandere (?), underneath MC finds the situation exciting, bites and marks, sink the canines and drink blood, PWP, oral sex, pussy worship, dubcon, begging, virginity loss, unprotected sex (use protection!), vaginal sex, big dick, knotting, MC abandons herself to her fate (I think Jimin's supernatural nature contributes in MC's choices), eat cum, this is not for minors.

This fanfiction is dark and yandere, if you don't like the genre, don't read and if you are not of age, don't read.

I don't want to hear any complaints in the comments, thank you.

This does not reflect my way of thinking or living at all, it is just a work of fiction, it is like watching a horror movie, many of us love horror movies, but we would never dream of what we see in those movies happening in reality as well.

Simply put, this story was written for entertainment purposes, it should not be seen as a reflection of my values, opinions or morals. I absolutely do not condone such acts.

⤷ Summary | You always thought you lived in a quiet, small town. You never imagined that the locals would be able to keep such a secret for centuries, you fell into their trap… But it doesn't seem so bad.

➢ Author's Note | Hi, guys!!! 🥹

My best friend and I challenged each other to write a Halloween-themed story using the following keywords: werewolf - halloween - virginity - castle - poison.

I don't know why I came up with such a story, it was supposed to be something simple but my dark side took over WAY too much 💀

Anyway my best friend liked the story and suggested that I publish it, so here it is, I already apologize for any mistakes and for the plot which is not who knows what 🥺

Howl at Midnight was written for recreation, but I still hope you enjoy it ❤️

PS: I really didn't know how to classify this story, when in doubt I put the warning “yandere,” since there are behaviors that go a little beyond 😵‍💫

Permanent Taglist | @katherine-kookie, @btsuga-d, @reallygenerouskoala, @takemeaway5402, @velvet-stardust2002, @jimincrystal, @ke1k029, @kylafox09, @pantara, @themwordsblog, @angelicsmilesworld

It's a rather dark night, you think, as the flickering lights of street lamps barely illuminate your path. You and some of your friends have decided to spend Halloween night roaming the more desolate streets of your small town, rather than attend the party of the school's homecoming queen, the most popular and at the same time most hated girl ever by you and your friends, a common ground that has certainly welded your friendship.

You are reminded of the afternoon you spent at Glenn's house deciding how you would spend Halloween night; Glenn's initiative had been rather unique, since he was not a fan of that holiday.

“It will be fun, everything is so scary at night, we might even meet a real vampire! I mean, not like Edward Cullen, I mean one who doesn't sparkle-” but Glenn's excited monologue had been badly interrupted by his girlfriend, Claire, who had hit him over the head with a book, and who knows why, said book was actually titled Twilight. You remember giggling, willingly accepting that idea, but now...

“We were simply supposed to go for a walk, Glenn,” you mutter ruefully, looking around, “Do you want to tell me where you're taking us?”

The red-haired boy snorts again, settling into his vampire costume bought at a thrift store stall, “Come on Y/N, what would life be without a little thrill?”

Claire, for her part, nods in turn with a euphoric smile, as if she knows something you don't, prancing merrily dressed as a red devil among black lace decorations and lace.

“Life would be as it has always been, wonderful,” you blurt out nervously, freezing suddenly.

The asphalt has run out and the streetlights have stopped dimly illuminating the entire street, you are at the edge of the most talked about lands in your town. When and how exactly did you get there?

“Here we are, my girls,” you hear Glenn say, satisfied with his feat.

“What are we doing here?” you swallow, far from cheerful.

Answering you is Claire, “It's an abandoned castle and this is Halloween night, what do you say?”

You grit your teeth, shaking your head, “You're crazy, I'm not going in there!” you take a step back, your heart stirring, but Glenn stops you in a single moment.

“Where do you think you're going? I promised your brother I'd keep an eye on you,” he tells you sternly, and you know he's right, you can't just leave on your own, the streets are empty but it would still be dangerous.

“Don't you want to see what it's really like inside, aren't you the least bit curious?”

Short answer? No.

More articulate answer? Fuck no.

“Come on, don't be a wimp now!”

You snort, casting a glance at the castle in question.

It is as large as it is gloomy; the older inhabitants of the town have always spoken of the presence of various monsters within it, which is why the lands surrounding the castle are so large, preventing the actual growth of the otherwise large and well-populated town. Some of the land had been ceded to keep the monsters quiet.

That's some bullshit. And you're certainly not a wimp.

What will you find in there, maybe overgrown spiders? You shake your head, certainly nothing up to the Acromantulae seen in Harry Potter.

“I'm not afraid,” you limit yourself to saying, Glenn and Claire seem satisfied with your answer as they begin to step over half of the downed iron bars surrounding the gates of the immense building. It bothers you that they haven't bothered beyond you, but it's Halloween night; you can't really spoil their fun.

You hold on tightly to one of the rusty old iron bars, lift one leg trying not to fall off because of the bulky skirt of your witch costume, and end up straight on the ground covered with dry mud and grass, thank the heavens that it hasn't rained in the last few days, otherwise goodbye costume, although more like an elegant medieval dress and nothing more than that.

“Guys, wait for me!” you exclaim as you turn toward them, but you find yourself rolling your eyes.

The darkness is almost completely pitch black, only the moon high in the sky gives you some brightness in that open space surrounded by green trees and uncultivated grass. Your friends are not there.

“Please tell me this is a joke, please,” you growl, turning only a few seconds to climb over the railing, “Glenn? Claire?”

A shiver of unease snakes down your spine, as if someone - or something - is watching you. But you immediately banish the absurd thought. The Halloween atmosphere always makes everything quite scary; your friends chose that place for that very reason.

Imagining that you simply find them in front of the castle's entrance, you also wander down the path that actually looks like anything else by now. You will meet each other there.

The wind blows without worrying about your bare shoulders because of the dress's boat neckline; the cape had long since been taken away along the way. You bought it in an antique store and the elderly man seemed quite eager to get rid of it. He even gave you a discount.

The sound of falling leaves under the force of the draught is quite terrifying, especially now that you've discovered you can't use your cell phone. There is absolutely no service there, and isn't that how the best horror movies begin?

A frustrated groan leaves your throat, you don't have to think about it.

“Glenn?” you try to call out once more, but along the path echoes the hoots of an owl that is probably scrutinizing you with condescension, wondering why a silly girl like you is wandering around in such a desolate, godforsaken place.

When you arrive at the gates of the castle, you find yourself admiring the extraordinary Gothic architecture of the huge, ancient building made of stone and marble. The fact that it has survived over the centuries without any kind of restoration is a testament to the good materials that were used.

One by one, you walk down the stone steps, sudden thunder jolts you violently, and with fear in your veins you throw yourself toward the immense reinforced door, finding it ajar, a sign that Glenn and Claire must have already entered. You ignore the hint of annoyance, since they could at least wait for you, you must escape the sudden storm.

Wordlessly you notice the large, thick black clouds enveloping the sky, obscuring even the immense full moon.

You carefully close the ancient gateway, looking around the thick-walled atrium decorated with paintings that are surely worth more than your current home, not to mention the carpet you are walking on, though a bit worn, is definitely from the time of the castle's founding. You wonder which lord lived there and whether it can be traced in the history books.

“Claire?” you whisper, afraid of disturbing someone, but who exactly?

Sighing wearily, you really have no time or inclination to play along with your friends, you rest your hand on the wrought-iron railing of the staircase, beginning to climb so that you can find those two idiots as soon as possible and get home safely.

They say 'God makes them and then matches them up,' right? You mentally growl, well, you would’ve just wiped them out instead.

Between corridors that are not real corridors but dead ends, some narrow and some exaggeratedly large, you finally find the wing reserved for rooms, hating the enormity of that place.

“Hey, you ... are you here?” you ask, slowly opening a bedroom door with one eye closed and one only slightly open, fearing to find the two lovebirds doing strange things in the leto of an abandoned castle, because they would be perfectly capable of it.

But what you find is just a lavishly decorated bedroom absolutely empty of any other life forms but you.

“This is definitely a joke,” you chuckle mirthlessly, clutch your arms to your chest, and continue that unwelcome tour of yours, continuing to open rooms at random, with no more expectation of finding anyone in them, until you come to a rather large bedroom.

Quite different from the others, which up to that point had been yes, beautiful, but empty, lacking a soul.

This one was immense just like the castle itself, yet warm, thanks to the burning fireplace. The four-poster bed was adorned with red silk sheets, as were the velvet curtains tied to the solid wooden columns, on the walls finely decorated with gold paint were hung medieval tapestries, depicting hunting parties, running horses and wolves, wolves everywhere. One that particularly strikes you depicts two wolves and a woman in the center, they seem ready to bite her fiercely, you notice with discomfort.

High glass windows with curtains left open allow lightning to illuminate the entire room, followed by a terrible, howl-like rumble.

That horrible noise seems to awaken you from the sort of trance you fell into while admiring the surely master bedroom, and you finally take serious note of the burning fire. Why a working fireplace in a castle uninhabited for years?

“To many the night brings counsel, to me it has brought a lovely maiden, I see...” you gasp surprised and terrified, turning toward the silky, warm, yet slightly hoarse, almost growling voice.

A relatively young man watches you with his shoulder resting against one of the stained glass windows. You had not seen him. No. He was not there before, you are absolutely sure.

His dark, shiny hair has been grown down to his neck, some curling around his sharp, elegant jaw, the neck left bare by his unbuttoned, white shirt is a set of sinuous, sharp, powerful lines. The soft black pants do nothing to hide the wonderful figure of his long legs, his feet are bare, you notice. He feels perfectly comfortable, as if... as if that were his home.

“I-I... I'm sorry, it's Halloween and some friends of mine thought...” you try to explain with your hands clasped to the skirt of your dress, but you are immediately interrupted by the man's sophisticated, sassy giggle.

“They thought it was a brilliant idea to violate my property?” you pale at his question.

“We... the whole town believes the castle is uninhabited,” you reply with a shy breath, trying to justify them.

The young man breaks away from the glass window, slowly approaching you, you take steps back, inadvertently bumping into one of the pillars of the bed.

“And does it look uninhabited to you, little girl?”

Little girl? By the look of him, he wouldn't seem that much older than you, in fact.

Now that he has moved closer, standing only a foot away from you, you notice details of his face that you did not catch a few moments earlier.

He has high, pronounced cheekbones, and his lips seem so plump and soft that you blush at the thought of kissing them, his nose is well-proportioned and straight, while the peculiar shape of his eyes gives him a rather sweet and angelic air, although the fun written in them is anything but angelic.

“I didn't know, I'm really sorry, sir,” and it's true, the last thing you want is to be a nuisance to someone you don't even know, “I'll get my friends back and we'll leave right away, I promise.”

Dark eyes rimmed with long eyelashes watch you closely, before dropping to the rest of your body. Suddenly you remember the deep cleavage of your witch's dress, your skin burning under his watchful gaze.

“Right now there is no one else in the castle, except you and me,” he approaches again, you can feel his warm breath meet your neck, you shiver as the man clasps one hand above your head, around the pillar of the bed, doing the same with the other. This makes it clear how statuesque his physique is, compared to your more petite one, you also catch a subtle citrus fragrance, light and not cloying, is that him?

With a huge effort, you process his words, widening your eyes. No one else?

“But how-”

“In my opinion you made it all up, little girl,” he sneers, "Just admit that it was your curiosity that drove you here," but you shake your head, vehemently denying it.

“I really came here with friends!” you fret, you've never been good at handling pressure and this guy is not helping you at all.

“Oh, really?” a devilish smile makes its way across his soft, smooth cheeks, "So it's just a coincidence that you're wearing this dress?" you don't know how to answer the question, you can't, not when he lowers a hand over you, brushes the outline of your face with a finger, trailing down the delicate line of your neck to your cleavage, your rippling, shivering skin longs to receive his touch once more, you struggle to recover.

“Th-this dress?” you stammer in shame, his finger is still grazing your chest and you are doing nothing to push it away.

“Mh-mh,” he nods, pushing your cleavage down a few millimeters, enough to make you squeak with red cheeks, “How much do you know about this castle and its owners, little girl?”

Nothing, you'd like to answer, but your eyes already communicate your answer as he pulls back, finally letting you breathe. His scent still hovers around you, though.

“Year 1479, the people of the town of Howl enter into an agreement with the seven lords of Midnight, ceding a part of their lands to these noble lords and agreeing to send a virgin once every ten years, on the so-called Halloween Night,” he narrates, leaving you speechless, “In return, none of the townspeople would be hunted down and killed, does that ring a bell?”

“L-Listen to me, I really don't know what you're talking about, I definitely have to go now,” you nod at your own words, but the door slams shut along with a new and terrible rumble, an anguished cry involuntarily leaving your throat.

“The dress you're wearing is soaked in poison, little girl” the imperious tone terrifies you, automatically your body closes in on itself, as a kind of protection.

“This must definitely be a joke, it is Halloween after all,” you whisper to yourself with tears in your eyes.

“It's a security, for us. It ensures that the girls don't run away, because we are the only ones who can neutralize that poison” you don't know why the man started speaking in plural, you just know that you have to leave, even though something inside you is screaming at you not to. Because it could end very badly.

“You'd better take it off, your body might absorb more poison than is really necessary, the sooner we start the better,” he sighs, beginning to take off his white shirt, showing off a well-built, smooth chest and abs studded with thin scars lighter than his skin, swallowing without any more salivation, following long lines of black ink that weave across his pecs, forming some kind of mark, perhaps related to some cult.

“What are you doing!”

The man tilts his head, his soft hair following the movement meekly, and grasps the edge of his pants, running his forefinger and thumb over it defiantly as he watches you, “I'm taking what was given to me, little girl,” he sneers again, not at all impressed by your shock.

It was not uncommon for him and his brothers to be served girls who were totally unaware of their own destiny, they were tiresome at times, they would not stop shaking and crying, praying not to be deprived of their purity, but you smell so delicious that it might make him go beyond your dullness.

The fabric of his excellent quality pants slowly flows over the flawless skin of his toned legs, the blood rushes straight to your cheeks, and your heart misses a beat with a strangled “iiih” as you realize that the stranger has not only freely undressed in front of you, but is not wearing any underwear.

You've certainly never seen a naked man in person, but based on your anatomy books, that is definitely not a normal penis.

With a strange feeling of dizziness and no little embarrassment, you realize that even at rest, it is definitely big, with a swollen base almost as big as perfectly round testicles and such obvious purplish veins that you wonder if it is actually already hard, in its own way. Could that vibrant pink be an indicator? God, what the hell are you thinking?!

After a little dizziness your eyes fly to the closed door, you have to leave, run.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asks you, smiling with a hint of danger in his eyes, “Do you want to run? Run away from me? Know that this will only excite me more.”

You try to look away from his cock, with extreme difficulty, as he spoke, his cock had moved slightly, as if agreeing with the man's words. You ignore the slight jolt between your legs.

“If I can get through the gates of your property, will you let me go?” you propose almost shyly, staring into his sly eyes.

“Um... if I let you go, you'd die from the poison, but if that's what you want...” he shrugs, making you frown. The story of the poisoned dress might be bullshit to convince you to let him fuck you, but what if it's not?

You shake your head, it's all just a bluff. This man is clearly a pervert, maybe he gets off on fucking on such nights with stranger women.

“That's what I want.” you assure with a note of panic in your voice, the desire to escape is so urgent you can hardly think, “Open the door.”

But the man shakes his head, “Strip and I will leave you free to roam my lands until I find you.”

“I don't-!” the words die between your lips, his singsong expression gone, giving way to a sternness that clashes with his regal features, the difference making that contrast frightening.

“I like to play, little girl ... but I don't tolerate whining, don't make me angry, because I might decide to take you now, we have a bed available right here and now,” he hisses, clenching his fist against the polished wooden backboard of the four-poster bed. The more he looks at you, the more his balls throb fiercely; he's trying to control his desire; if his cock hardens, that's the end.

You're the first woman he's seen in 60 years, finally his turn has come, and there's no way he'll let you go. Do you want to play? He'll let you, but eventually you'll give in to his desires. The scent of your sweet virgin pussy makes his wolf growl, eager to get out to meet you.

Perhaps you sense something strange, because with trembling fingers you go to unbutton the side opening of your dress, a little sorry to him, the plunging neckline raises and shapes your breasts invitingly, though the stench of the poison with which it is imbued leaves him disgusted. An idea of humans to persuade chosen women not to flee, his eyes scroll over the ancient clock hanging above the door, the hands turn and you have just four hours to go before the poison takes effect, killing you. He would be sorry to see you die without having had a chance to taste you first.

“Tic-Tac, the clock is ticking, little girl... the slower you are, the more likely you are to die,” he informs you with a smile, your fear written all over his face igniting his loins; he has to restrain himself so he doesn't jump on you, and you're aware of that now, too.

Your eyes study his shoulders, they have stiffened noticeably, and with embarrassing speed you unfasten the last side button, letting the soft black fabric of your dress slip off like a veil, leaving you in your bra and panties. You start up under his eyes, which move to observe every nook and cranny of your body, from the soft breasts enclosed in the cups of the purple lace bra, going lower and lower, past the delicious curve of your hips to the tightly clasped mount of Venus covered by more purple lace. You yourself realize that for a man who wants to possess you, that kind of lingerie might make you look like a neatly wrapped gift in his eyes.

“Don't stop,” he tells you hoarsely, his eyes veiled with glowing lust.

The blood leaves your veins; if he were to take you, you would already be ready to receive him. As your fingers move to get rid of your bra as well, you realize you don't find it such a disturbing idea after all, even when you finally pull down the light fabric of your panties, showing off something no boy has ever had the honor of looking at, his nostrils flaring as if to inhale something in the air, you are aroused.

“You'd better start running, little girl, I'm going to give you exactly twenty seconds head start,” his voice comes out as a guttural sound, making you widen your eyes and really run, when the door suddenly opens wide.

You don't even wonder what strange contraption he used to close or open the door without having to physically do it, you just know you are definitely in danger.

Every nook and cranny of the castle is an unknown, he owns it, he may know passages unknown to you; therefore, you always try to wander the corridors with no visible openings. A tense, animalistic roar makes you scream in terror, with spirited eyes you look down the stairs, you are close to the stairs to the hall, the door has not been locked, you just need more time, you can make it.

You sling yourself barefoot down, almost tumbling from your haste and throw yourself out, skipping the stone steps and then to the wild path, short of breath and fear dictating your decisions, you remember it took you a good twenty minutes to get to the castle, but walking the whole path is out of the question, it would be too obvious and easy, you necessarily have to lengthen the path and consequently put in more time to get away from that terrifying place.

With horror you realize that you don't know where Glenn and Claire might be at all, would he hurt them if he found them?

Of course he would.

You don't know the man, but you have noticed all too well the bestial aura around him; he is someone capable of harm, and he will harm you if you cannot escape him.

Your feet step on scattered branches on the ground and you whimper trying to ignore the pain, another roar - or maybe it's a howl? - rips through the air, mingling with the howls of the rushing wind, and you stifle an anguished cry.

Scratches open along your body, trees ravaged by bad weather and never tended seem to want to block your way in every way possible, and the darkness certainly doesn't help.

Like a wounded animal you limp aimlessly, not imagining the hunger of the ravenous beast that sneers at the scent of your blood.

You feel tired, sluggish at times, your peripheral vision somewhat obscured, an excruciating doubt makes its way into your mind. Could it be that the story of the poisoned dress was true?

But why sell it to you, how could the seller have known that your friends would take you to that castle on Halloween night?

You begin to stagger, a sharp twinge in your head stops you, it is so painful that you collapse on the icy, muddy ground.

You realize you are screwed in every sense of the word when a weight suddenly crushes you to the ground, you scream in terror and wide-eyed, trying to shake it off.

Jimin doesn't think twice about clasping you in his vigorous arms, burying his nose on your neck damp with cold sweat, the accelerated beat of your heart rumbling in his own chest, driving him to moan with need. He presses himself against your soft curves, basking in your feverish warmth despite the stormy, icy night.

“Don't hurt me,” you shake your head with your eyes closed, trying to fight the unusual fatigue to plead with him, "Please, I was wrong, forgive me...I won't come back here again, I swear," the boy snorts against your flustered skin.

He reluctantly lifts himself up to allow you to turn toward him, you find some strength to open your eyelids wide, being invested by his sometimes divine appearance. His eyes, no longer as black as you thought they were, are tinged with an extraordinary shade of gold, he watches you from receptive pupils as you notice the grin on his mouth, a mouth larger than you remembered. There is something strange, not human, about him now. And despite the run he must have made to keep up with you, he doesn't have the slightest hint of fatigue in his breath, he's as fucking fresh as a newly bloomed rose.

“You're dying, little girl,” he hums, shaking some hair off your forehead, you lose a beat at the sight of long claws where once there were short, well-manicured nails.

The claw grazes your skin unhurriedly, you feel it scratch without hurting, you anxiously lick your lips closing your eyes, you are so sleepy that you even willingly accept your fate, Jimin snorts through his nose, almost laughing, before lowering himself onto your jugular.

It would be really easy for him to sink his canines into your flesh and bite your throat to rip it out, but fortunately for you he is not a vampire. All he wants is to sink his cock into your pussy and make you cum repeatedly, but if you died it would be hard to put his plan into action. He wants you alive and receptive.

He licks a long streak of saliva onto your delicate neck, heedless of the dirt that has stuck to your skin, before gently biting you. Your reaction is immediate, you start sobbing like a puppy at the feel of his fangs penetrating your flesh, you cling to his shoulders trying to move him weakly from you, and you kick awkwardly with your legs, legs that are locked in a vice grip by his. That way it is easy to feel something hard and heavy pressing against your belly, you try not to think about it as the man seems inebriated by the taste of your blood flowing straight down his throat.

The bitter taste of the poison is revolting, but fortunately your blood has such sweet notes that it counterbalances that horrendous taste in a balanced way, here, now he just has to lick your wound thoroughly. He collects the last rivulets of your blood with his tongue, before dripping his saliva into the tiny holes created by his sharp canines, little holes that begin to close with light smoke, cauterizing the wound and partly removing the poison toxins from your blood.

With no longer a grip on your throat, your head falls limply back to the ground, you gasp trying to fight off the shock of such an experience.

“Mpf!” his tongue invades your mouth treacherously, the taste of your blood making you squeal on his lips, so unfairly soft and pleasant to the touch. The hot and unusually long muscle pushes into your oral cavity eagerly, saving your life has as if awakened the more primal side of Jimin, one of the seven lords who unleashed hell in Howl's town. And the mating ritual has begun, but you cannot know this.

You break free by gasping for air, “W-why?” you stutter breathlessly, “You don't even know me!” you cry as you drive your nails into his forearms, triggering in return a reaction of possession in him, prompting him to grab your thighs and lift them onto his shoulders to your profound horror, he is so wild as he spreads your legs wide open to sink his face in between them that you can't utter a single breath.

As he runs his tongue along your pulsing, hot folds, Jimin realizes with nastiness that during your escape you got wet for him, he had smelled your arousal as he pursued you, on some people the quickened heartbeat has that effect, but the sweet and slightly salty taste of your juices are now a definitive proof for him. And you can't deny it, you love how he teases you by slowly sliding around your swollen clit, plays with it by holding it between his lips and then releasing it after sucking hard, almost biting it. He tortures it by pricking it quickly with the tip of his tongue and then returns to lapping your thick juices from the soft slit, which seems to melt every time that devilish tongue penetrates it, managing to lick and stimulate walls that a normal tongue could never reach.

You shyly move your pelvis against his face, your thighs stained with your arousal tremble against his cheeks, and a terrible heat makes you pant desperately. The man abandons your slit to push himself again against your unbearably sensitive folds, they are so moist that you can hear the noise they make every time that cursed tongue stimulates them to push a few millimeters toward your clitoris, never reaching to touch it.

“God!” you curse, suddenly reaching out an arm to grab his hair, not recognizing yourself when you desperately push him against your pussy, longing for the pleasure he was spoiling you with at first.

His arousal makes him grunt like a wounded animal as he sinks into your core with languid, sensual movements, rewraps your desperate clit with his lips and tongue before continuing with more direct, zigzagging movements, crushing it at times with the flat part of his tongue and then flicking it with the tip soon after. He would never stop kissing and licking you like that, his tensed cock vibrating each time he eats you up a little more, delightedly swallowing your juices, enjoying retrieving them each time they flow between your wide-open, rosy thighs. A clearer, liquid substance squirts slightly out of your slit, causing you to shake around his head, you clench your lower lip between your teeth with tears sliding down your flushed cheeks, you are instigating Jimin to pleasurably hurt you, and the funniest thing is that you don't even notice.

Finishing licking some of that shiny, transparent substance from your inner thigh, the boy moves up your body, biting slowly at the flesh of your belly and then higher and higher to the softness of your breasts, titillating a turgid nipple before pulling it between his lips.

“W-What are you doing to me?” you gasp, wishing he would never stop adoring and cuddling your body, why? Just moments before you were running from his clutches, why are you lifting your pelvis now, inviting him to take you as if you've been waiting for this all your life?

“Are you just...” he murmurs, before kissing your chin with his devilish lips, "Responding to your desire" he kisses your mouth again, an electric sensation forcing you to comply, chasing his tongue with yours, collapsing to the spicy taste that is now all over his mouth, your taste.

With half-closed eyes you realize that the dark lines of ink are moving, taking the shape of a wolf watching you, you have no way to comprehend the unsettling sensation that invades you. The man, with one hand pressed against your bare back, forces you to turn away without you having any say in the matter, you find yourself with your face to the ground and the wind blowing down your back, shivering under his fiery, golden eyes, your legs trembling from the effort to keep you on your hands and knees, fighting the sweet pain pulsing in your naked pussy.

“Now hold still, little girl,” he murmurs in your ear in a husky voice, sensuously pumping his cock with one hand, swollen veins pushing against his palm, which squeezes along the entire shaft to the base, then back to the thick tip from which he is already dripping his thick cum, "I need to get all the venom out of your pretty little body, am I right?" he sneers, positioning himself at your entrance.

You open your eyes wide, panic stifled by arousal, but it's still there nonetheless, clenching your fingers between the grass and damp earth, rubbing your knees against pebbles that make you moan in pain. The length of his cock begins to push against your slit, forcing it open for him, a choked cry leaves your throat, feeling your walls that, despite their wetness, struggle to let him in.

“You're still so tight,” hisses the man unfamiliar to you, "I must spoil you some more, huh?" he chuckles, sliding his hand between your legs, using his index finger to stimulate your throbbing bud, you gasp arching your back and raising your buttocks toward the man, who takes the opportunity to plunge his cock another inch into your entrance, which throbs and squeezes him rhythmically, almost making him lose control of the situation.

The sensation of the claw grazing your folds each time he presses and massages your swollen clitoris brings you almost to the edge, you feel a wild sexual desire, something you never experienced even during your teenage years, a crucial period of sexual development.

“Go ahead, please!” you exclaim breathlessly, pressing your forehead against the ground, every single millimeter that moves inside you without really penetrating you is like torture, your index finger moving languidly, and you're going fucking crazy.

“Are you really begging?” he teases you, you grit your teeth until it hurts, but finally you give in.

“Please... fill me, take me!”

“Do you want it?” he asks again, pulling the tip almost completely out, the only part he had managed to get in, you clench your legs desperately trying to recover what your intimacy has lost.

“Yes! I want it! I want your cock, I want it to fill me all the way, and I want it now!” you growl with an anger that burns under your skin, looking at him from behind, his face is an emotionless mask, but his eyes...oh, those never lie, you read the fire of desire in them, he's suffering that anticipation as much as you are. Bastard.

“You begged for it so well, little girl... I'll just have to satisfy you,” the cavernous tone clashes with his appearance, but it anticipates what happens next and leaves you breathless, abandoning your contracted clitoris he grips your hips tightly, almost penetrating your delicate flesh with his claws, pushing himself into you with a vigorous thrust, instantly breaking the thin membrane at your entrance, effortlessly. The burning that follows makes your eyes water, your body instinctively trying to escape the man's savage assault, suddenly realizing that you have lost your virginity that way, out in the open, sweaty and dirty, just like an animal.

The man on top of you hisses and makes strange deep sounds, inebriated by the sensation of his throbbing cock finally and completely squeezed between your trembling walls, trying to adjust to the abnormal size. You gasp whimpering, moving your pelvis trying to disentangle yourself from the overgrip, his claws are hurting you, but he doesn't seem to want to let go, not now that he is buried so deep.

With a grunt he thrusts out slightly, watching as your pussy instinctively clings to him, as your thick juices and virginal blood wet his entire length, lubricating him. Leaning toward you, he lets a long trickle of saliva fall back between your buttocks, slipping between them reaches the point where you are joined. He thrusts back into you forcefully, striking deeper and deeper, and you feel every detail of his cock penetrating you and thrusting higher and higher, touching points so delicate and sensitive that you howl meekly, like a she-wolf offering her whole self to her mate, the pain has been replaced by the need to be possessed, you move against his pubes with urgency, the thread of pleasure is getting thinner and thinner, you feel incredibly wet, practically soaked, and the sounds of your union are so obscene that you are shamefully aroused. Your walls flutter drunkenly with pleasure, at one point with the thick, red tip he manages to hit the entrance to your cervix with precision, you stiffen whimpering breathlessly, and Jimin collapses on top of you, continuing to move his hips tirelessly and with spellbinding sinuosity.

You take it so well that it is impossible for him not to want to have you again and again, throwing back his head to be hit by the moonlight that increases his desire, his pupils widen and he feels his testicles clench with urgency as the base of his cock swells, making him shake all over. Without a second thought, he begins to enter you with deeper and longer thrusts so that his whole cock sinks into you without any more constriction, he hears you panting and crying and this only causes him joy, you are completely abandoned to him and your sensations.

You're about to come, you're not so ignorant that you don't know what's happening to your body, you've even heard of intense orgasms, but this... god, this is going to be devastating, you know very well. It's nothing like the ones you had with masturbation, this one is deeper, snaking through your lower belly and you feel it in your uterus. You stiffen all over, trying to block the erection that keeps pinning you down between hard, sensual thrusts, every time it touches your cervix you risk going crazy.

“Don't stop me, little girl... It's here, isn't it?” he gasps at you, slamming into you once more, high up between the entrance of your uterus and another sensitive area that makes your clitoris and walls tear with intense pleasure, your toes curl and you can't help but nod desperately, "Alright, love," he replies without even realizing it, kissing your bare, sweaty shoulder, his knot is almost complete, but he wants you to come before he gives you his cum.

He teases a sensitive, turgid nipple with the tip of a claw as he reaches the point of your union, massaging your folds to help you come, though with a hint of naughtiness he doesn't dare touch your clitoris, he wants you to orgasm on your own, knowing that the intensity then will be greater and you will collapse weak and distraught in his arms.

“Oh, fuck-!” you widen your eyes, being hit by a pressing and beautiful sensation of jouissance, sucking him furiously into you amid tremors and searing waves of pleasure, the same clear liquid as before leaks from your slit, this time in a greater quantity, causing Jimin to grunt as he is run over by your jet, slamming into you almost brutally, streams of his cum fiercely fill your core, as if to mark you for life, and finally his knot swells completely, locking him inside you.

Although immobilized, he cannot stop coming, his testicles quivering violently, and only one thing could quell his aching desire. With his eyes now almost completely encompassed by the black pupil, he pushes your hair away from your neck, exposing your previously tortured skin.

“Why does this go on?” you ask feverishly, confused by the enormous weight widening your walls and locking his big cock into you.

“Sssh” he rubs the tip of his nose against you, making you shudder, "Just wait a little longer" his words are followed by an excruciating twinge, his grown canines penetrating like blades into your skin and sinking into your flesh amidst your shocked and submissive screams, your body surrendering to his force, instinctively submitting and waiting for him to finish marking.

Jimin loves blood, your blood, it pleasantly bathes his tongue with its density and sweetness, he moans with need as he loses himself in your scent, instinct commands him to move his hips once more, even though you are both locked together, with a weak moan you take in the last strings of his cum, resting possessively in your belly, you feel heavy and unbearably full, but at least he seems to be finished, you feel him relax as he once again licks the holes left by his teeth, healing them. He looks like a wolf cleaning up after his mate after mating.

“What are you?” you ask wearily, by now surrendering to the idea that the man cannot be a mere human, that probably everything he has told you, from the poison-soaked dress to the deal with the town, is real.

“Jimin” you hear him grunt at such a low frequency that if you hadn't been alone, you probably wouldn't have heard him. You snort weakly.

“I asked you what you are, not your name,” you murmur, the strange, heavy weight preventing you from moving, hissing as Jimin moves awkwardly between your legs, putting you in a more comfortable situation, letting you rest against his chest lethargically, occasionally kissing the back of your neck and licking your neck, or behind your ear.

You'd be lying if you said you didn't like all that attention; you feel a delicious bite around your heart as you cling to his embrace, protected from the evening chill.

You don't know exactly how long you spend like this, maybe forty minutes, maybe an hour, the fact is that finally that thing between your legs seems to melt away, making you sigh almost strangely.

Jimin gently untangles himself from you, leaving your warm shelter slowly and with a feeling of emptiness that stuns you, your legs finally relax and you try to move them to regain some mobility, you feel his cum pushing to come out and two of his fingers enter you, plugging your entrance. No claws, you notice as he slowly turns you around.

You hiss at the burning, your knees are completely ruined, but Jimin begins to sprinkle them with kisses and saliva, the man is back between your thighs again, you can see his long, wild hair shining as he licks and sucks your skin from time to time, all the way to his fingers, he moves them slowly inside you and you twitch involuntarily, closing your eyes at the warmth of his tongue licking a thick streak of cum and juices dripping roughly from you, pushing it down to your hypersensitive clitoris and you moaning in pain.

“Don't do it,” you gasp, closing your legs tightly, but he doesn't give up, grabbing your chin between two fingers and forcing your mouth wide open, your heart faltering with a strange emotion, you let him spit all his creamy load into your mouth, running along your tongue with a surprised cry.

“Swallow,” he orders with a gleam of interest in his eyes.

You do as he tells you, wanting to please him in every way possible, accepting him back into your mouth for a slow, intimate kiss. It is also dominant and sweet, intense.

“I'm Jimin, a werewolf and also one of the masters of the castle,” he explains pushing you against his bare chest, you hug him back as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be there, clasped to him on a bed of dry leaves, "You are my mate, it's no accident that you were chosen ... being a virgin at your age is unusual for humans, but not for us wolves, you waited for me," he emphasizes with fire in his eyes.

“But ... my friends?” you can't help but ask, which makes him chuckle.

“My people have learned to be among humans, they recognized you by scent and led you to me at the right time, they are fine,” he informs you with a caress, “In fact, you should worry about yourself,” he says with a note of reproach.

“H-How?” fear advances again.

“I've waited too many years for your birth, little girl... it's time to repay the wait,” he hums as something hot and hard returns against your belly.

“Jimin, wai-!” too late, the tip of his cock captures your entrance again, this time with more ease and the next thrust has you writhing against him with tears in your eyes, “Oh, shit!”

© 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐨𝐲𝐙𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐢 -  𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝. || 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝/𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝.

[dotster001]

How they get you under the Mistletoe

Summary: Twst NRC students x gn! reader. How they get you under the Mistletoe.

A/N: Merry Christmas if you celebrate that! If not, happy holidays! I was gonna do the staff too for this, but it got so long 😂 if people enjoy this, I can do the staff and RSA/Noble bell.

The Long awaited Part Two

Ace Trappola

You have no idea until it's too late.

You had to admit, despite the strict rulebook she made, the queen of hearts knew how to throw a holiday party. You were finishing off a glass of the best sparkling cider you'd ever had when you felt an arm around your waist.

You turned to see Ace, just in time for him to lightly punch your shoulder as he told some random student, "And this one? You shoulda seen them, they really whipped our asses into shape."

"You're exaggerating," Deuce pouted from next to him.

"Am not," Ace said. He pushed you slightly forward and gestured to you.

"You wouldn't know it by looking at them, but our beloved Y/N can be a hard ass."

He took a step forward, and whispered, "Huh. Would you look at that prefect. It appears we are under the mistletoe."

You wanted to wipe that smug grin off his face, but it was too late. His lips were already on yours.

The world around you faded, and for a moment it was just you and him. Then you were brought back to reality by …

"Ew, Ace," Deuce groaned, and walked away, as did the other Heartslaybul student.

You were about to follow after them to apologize for Ace's tomfoolery, when he grabbed your wrist and whispered, "Hey, we're still under the mistletoe. Can't wreck tradition, now can we?"

Deuce Spade

You were setting up decorations together

First years were in charge of setting up the decor for the Heartslaybul holiday party. Ace and Deuce had of course come begging on their hands and knees for you and Grim to come help.

You'd decided it would save time if you split the work, so Ace and Grim were working on the upstairs hall decor, while you and Deuce were working on the common room.

You were on a shaky ladder trying to hang up some garland and mistletoe, when Deuce panicked and held your ladder still.

"I feel better knowing that I'm holding the ladder still for you," he said, looking up at you nervously.

You nodded, and finished hanging the things, before climbing down (sort of) into his waiting arms. You were about to say you were okay, when you noticed his reddened cheeks, and his eyes flicking between the mistletoe and your lips.

Knowing Deuce as long as you had, you knew you'd have to initiate the thing he clearly wanted. You pressed a quick peck to his lips.

His eyes widened, then darkened as he smiled mischievously. He grabbed your face and kissed you fervently until Grim came through hoping to escape, and screamed.

Riddle Rosehearts

You have to follow the rules.

Riddle had been acting funny the entirety of the party. He'd been quiet, and his face was a bright red, but you figured he was probably tired from exams, and/or stressed about returning home for the break.

It was nearing the end of the party, when he suddenly approached you with a stern frown on his face.

"I know you aren't a member of Heartslaybul, but remember, when you are in my kingdom, you have to follow my rules."

"Why yes, your majesty, of course," you gave a mock curtsy. "And now I'm sure you're gonna tell me what rule I broke?"

He scowled before he turned away.

"Rule 533, the queen and their beloved must share a kiss under the mistletoe, if the holiday is being celebrated under a full moon."

"I'm your beloved?" You couldn't decide whether to tease him, or flush yourself. But this whole thing was very vulnerable of him, and your heart was melting.

"Yes" he whispered. "Now are you going to follow me to mistletoe, or do I have to punish you?"

You gave a fake sigh, "Lead the way, your majesty."

He led you under the mistletoe, and gave you a chaste kiss.

"That's it?" You scoffed.

"What do you mean that's…"

You cut him off with a deep kiss, that he reciprocated incredibly quickly.

When you pulled away, it hit you.

"Wait, isn't it a crescent moon tonight?"

His eyes widened at being caught, and he said the first thing that came to his otherwise empty brain.

"Off with your head!"

Trey Clover

A quiet (orchestrated) moment alone

You were helping Trey with the baking for the party. Knowing Heartslaybul, the party itself was going to be raucous, so having some time to just chill with Trey was nice.

Once everything was in the oven, you began trying to clean up some of the clutter.

"There's no need to do that right now," he said with a soft smile. He took a seat and patted the chair next to him.

"Come sit for a moment, just relax," he hummed before crossing his arms behind his head, closing his eyes, and leaning back.

You took the seat next to him, and did your best to find a comfortable position before sighing.

"I'm not an old man like you. I can't just sleep anywhere."

He opened his eyes and cocked an eyebrow.

"Old man?"

"Yeah, let's face it Trey. You're an old man in a college kid's body."

He smiled mischievously. "That so?"

He pulled out some mistletoe he'd been holding on to and held it above your head, using his other hand to seductively caress your jaw.

"Well, ya gonna give this old man a kiss?"

"That came out weird," You said with a laugh.

"I know, I heard it after I said it," he winced. "Still…"

He leaned in even closer.

"Part of that question still stands," he whispered.

Before you could tease him with a "which part", he was kissing you like he was starving, and you were his last meal.

Cater Diamond

Doing an innocent trend

Being the token non magic student at NRC, Cater knew you were a gold mine for content. You'd become a frequent guest on Cater's magicam, and a popular one at that.

So when Cater had told you before the party that he would need you for a trend later, you didn't think too much about it.

Now he was dragging you off somewhere, giggling over his shoulder as you spilled your drink, or tripped on a stray student. You figured you'd pay him back later.

He stopped abruptly, and told you to stay put as he set up his camera. You had ten seconds once he started the camera to get set, so he always filled you in while he set up any filters or sound bites he wanted.

"Kay, so you're under mistletoe right? So the trend is to kiss your bestie's cheeks under the mistletoe, then hug. All you gotta do is stand there and look fabulous, until the hug part."

It sounded like a pretty boring trend to you. But, whatever, that's why Cater was in charge. He finished set up, pressed the button, and the ten seconds timer started. He ran back over to you, gave you a reassuring, "ready?", And then kissed your cheek on the far side to the camera as the video started.

He kissed your other cheek, and you began to move closer for the hug, when his arms were around you, and he was kissing you.

He took a step back, and took in your appearance, which was flustered and shocked. Your jaw was dropped so far you were certain it was on the floor. And your heart, oh God your heart, you were worried it was beating way too fast.

The set time of the video ended, and Cater practically skipped over to his phone, where he checked the video, added some effects, put in some tags, and posted it.

All you could do was watch him the entire time, words completely gone from your brain.

After the video posted, he put his phone back in his pocket and gave you a smug grin.

"I tagged you in it," he said, eyes looking softer than usual as he pointed to the pocket you kept your phone in.

You pulled it out, and looked at the video you were tagged in.

"Kissing my crush under the mistletoe to see how they'll react."

Leona Kingscholar

It was an accident, but he's not complaining.

Ruggie had asked you to bring Leona the food plate he'd asked for, since he was trying to put as much food in Tupperware as he could before the Savannaclaw party finished. You were a good pal, so you agreed, knowing full well that the second the plate was secure, and you were in arms reach, you would become a nap buddy.

But you weren't complaining. Even though Savannaclaw was hot, it still felt nice to cuddle with a heater during the holidays. For the vibes, of course.

Just as predicted, he opened a single eye, had you set down the plate, and suddenly, you were a little spoon.

"Thanks herbivore," he hummed half heartedly as he nuzzled into your neck.

You were finally starting to drift off, when you were flipped on your back, and he was hovering above you. His eyes were lit up with mischief as he looked down at you like the prey you were beginning to realize you were.

"I guess my nap spot just happens to be under the mistletoe. You'll indulge me, right herbivore?"

Then his lips were on your neck, your jaw, your cheek, but never your lips, until you whined at him to stop teasing you.

He laughed lowly, and whispered, "As you wish." And finally gave you what you wanted.

Ruggie Bucchi

If you don't know how he does it, hi, you must be new. Welcome to the fandom 😂

"Laugh with me," he whispered, and before you could cuss him out for being a prick, he was already giggling and walking you both over to the mistletoe that you'd seen a Savannaclaw student and his Octavinelle boyfriend making out under an hour ago.

When you both stopped under it, he gasped in mock surprise.

"My my my, what have we here? It appears we've been caught under the mistletoe!" He said, as his grin turned sneakier and sneakier now that he was certain he'd won.

His tail was wagging at a mile a minute as you "reluctantly" puckered your lips out to him. He pressed a chaste kiss to your lips, and you thought it was over.

But Ruggie is an opportunist.

Hours of making out later, you finally pried yourself from Ruggie's embrace, but only on the promise that you would bring back some hot chocolate to share.

Jack Howl

You'll have to initiate.

The entirety of the party, you'd seen Jack's eyes flicker to the mistletoe, over to you, and then down to the floor in embarrassment.

He'd made sure neither of you wandered over in that direction, and if you asked him if something was wrong, his cheeks would darken.

Naturally, because this was Savannaclaw, you, Ruggie and Jack were the only ones there for party cleanup.

You subtly made eye contact with Ruggie and nodded towards the mistletoe, then towards Jack.

Ruggie grinned and made a gesture for money with his hands. You rolled your eyes and nodded, and he smiled.

"We're out of garbage bags, I'll be right back guys," Ruggie said before leaving the room.

Jack started to follow after him, and you grabbed his arm.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"We have trash bags right here," he nodded at the obvious box of trash bags, and you cursed Ruggie in your head.

"He's just giving us privacy, come over here," you did your best to pull him over to the mistletoe, but he was made out of stone.

"Why?"

"Gah! Just trust me!"

He frowned, but allowed you to pull him over. Once you were under the mistletoe, his tail started wagging like a fan, but his eyes couldn't meet yours.

You pressed a soft kiss to his lips, until he sighed, and relaxed.

It was over far too soon, but you knew Jack would probably explode if you overdid it. And you'd rather not have that happen.

What surprised you, though, was how you were suddenly engulfed in his arms, as he buried his face in your hair, and held you close.

Azul Ashengrotto

His wingmen are simultaneously the worst and the best.

The Monstro Lounge was having a winter themed night. Azul may or may not have been planning with the tweels how he was going to effortlessly get you under the mistletoe.

You arrived, as planned, with Grim, and had taken a seat at a table near the VIP room.

"Prefect! I apologize for interrupting your meal, but I was hoping you could look at the menu I'm thinking about for the next semester."

"Of course," you stood up and followed him to the chosen spot, but now that you were here, he was nervous to initiate. So he continued pointing out dishes on the menu until…

"Have you kissed them yet?" Floyd shouted from across the lounge.

"Yes, you see we've been keeping other students away from the mistletoe, but they are starting to get upset. I'd hurry up if I were you," Jade said at a much subtler volume.

Azul turned a bright shade of red as you looked at him.

"I…well…prefect?"

You gave him a nod, and he took a deep breath, and kissed you.

"God finally!"

"Subtly, Floyd!"

Jade Leech

You don't know until it's too late, part 2.

"There's something I'd like to show you in my room. My new terrarium has produced interesting results."

You were following Jade to his room, when you realized he was no longer walking with you. You turned around and saw him furrowing his brow at his phone, and typing something.

You walked back over to him to ask what was wrong, and you were suddenly pulled flush against him as he gave you a smug grin.

"Looks like you've trapped me under the mistletoe," he said as though he wasn't the one who had pulled you in.

"Ah well," he sighed, with a surrendering smile, running a gloved finger along your jaw, then tilting your chin up. "if that is what you truly desire, I suppose I shall have to oblige."

Floyd Leech

You have three options.

There are three ways this can go, and it all depends on his mood.

Route 1:

Floyd had joined you in your booth and continued slouching, until he finally just laid himself in your lap.

"Floyd, there is mistletoe over there," Jade said as he dropped off the food you'd ordered.

Floyd groaned, "Shrimpy and I can just kiss over here. What's the big deal about a leaf?"

Route 2:

Floyd immediately grabbed your hand when you set foot in the Monstro Lounge. He giggled excitedly like a kid on Christmas morning.

"C'mon Shrimpy! We gotta kiss under the mistletoe!"

Whether you're flustered or not doesn't matter. Prepare for excited sloppy kisses.

Route 3:

Floyd said nothing as you entered the lounge and he just….scooped you up. Long boy was way too strong to fight off, so you just kind of let him. But that was the only way to get along with Floyd really. You just had to be along for the ride.

Once he reached where he was going, he adjusted your position so that you were pressed to him, and his hands were under your knees, and you wrapped your arms around him for more support.

"Hmmm…. I've caught myself a Shrimpy," he said lowly, but his eyes were glittering with excitement.

"Well, it's too late for you," he leaned in and nibbled your lip. "Because according to Azul and land people's traditions, that leaf above us means you have to kiss me."

Kalim al Asim

Just asks you like a normal person.

The Scarabia holiday party was hopping, obviously. You'd expected nothing less. He'd planned for everything including...

"Y/N! Let's go kiss under the mistletoe!" He said excitedly as he grabbed your hand.

He froze for a minute then looked at you sheepishly.

"Only if you want to, of course, but I'd really like to kiss you, please?"

How could you say no to those puppy eyes?

"Of cour-"

The words weren't out of your mouth when he was pulling you to the mistletoe, and excitedly kissing you all over your face, really anywhere he could reach, like his affection for you was exploding in kiss form.

Jamil Viper

A quiet moment, in private.

You knew Jamil was probably in charge of a lot for the party. He seemed particularly stressed, too, because after this he had to oversee cleanup, and then helping all the students get ready to go home for break.

So you stayed out of his way during the party, and offered to take over cleanup manager, while he helped final inspections and packing.

He finished a little before you, then helped you finish, and invited you for tea in his room. When you both had your tea, he exhaustedly flopped backwards on the bed with a groan.

"That was a lot," he sighed.

"Yeah, but you have a little break now," you said, massaging his shoulders.

He sat up with a start.

"I was supposed to kiss you!"

"Huh?"

Instead of answering, he just started fervently making out with you. Eventually, your lips were free as he held you close and kissed your neck and the rest of your face.

"What do you mean you were supposed to kiss me?"

"Under the mistletoe," he managed to get out. "It's the whole reason Kalim put the stupid thing there."

Vil Schoenheit

He just asks (pt 2) He's not an animal, potato.

The holiday party was a formal affair in the Pomefiore dorm. Vil was seated in his throne, with Rook standing by his side, as his potatoes mingled. His eyes were on a single potato. You.

At length, Rook gave a laugh.

"Roi du poison, just go kiss them. You know you want to."

Vil sighed, and gave a glare to Rook, but it was too late. He was already calling you over to the throne.

You arrived and gave a mock bow.

"Your highness," you said with a grin. "You called?"

"Yes," since you were going to act like a smart ass, he'd play with you a little. "I'd like you to join me under the mistletoe, if you'd be so kind."

Your jaw dropped, and you looked like a blubbering fish. He smiled to himself, and stood up from the throne, gracefully taking your arm and walking to the mistletoe.

He tilted your head up with a single finger and smugly asked, "Well?"

You gave a vigorous nod. He laughed and pressed a soft kiss to your lips.

Then he just walked away.

Always leave your audience wanting more.

Rook Hunt

Everything seems normal-WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU COME FROM?

He must have been hiding nearby. Waiting for you. A part of you was chiding yourself for not knowing.

You had intended to walk past the mistletoe into the kitchen, where you would get some more snacks. No one had been around. You were certain.

Rook dropped from the sky just as you stepped under the mistletoe.

"What the fuck!" You shouted, but he was simply giggling, and wrapping his arms around you, trapping your arms to your sides.

"You let your guard down, Mon Trickster."

"Yeah, that's on me," you sighed.

"Is the prey surrendering?" He laughed out in amusement.

You gave an experimental wiggle, then sighed .

"Yeah, looks like it."

He leaned in and spoke against your lips, his warm breath sending a shiver down your spine.

"Then I'll take my prize now."

Epel Felmier

Thinks it's stupid…until it's not.

"Kissin' under the mistletoe is a stupid tradition," Epel said for the fifth time in an hour. But this was the first time you'd heard it. You'd been elsewhere all day. But he'd said it to literally everybody else.

"Yeah, it kind of is," you laughed back, and his frown deepened.

"W-well, it's not that stupid," Epel said.

"Sure it is, I mean who even came up with it?"

"It's not stupid! I'll prove it to ya!"

He grabbed your wrist and dragged you off under the mistletoe, and kissed you hard.

"See? Not stupid," he said smugly. Until he realized what he'd just done. Then his face turned a bright red.

"Fuck," he muttered. " 'S a stupid tradition."

Idia Shroud

Lmao not happening.

He'll die before he goes to the holiday party. And he'll die before he participates in such a stupid normie tradition.

Sorry Idia simps, but you know I'm right.

Malleus Draconia

Over prepares.

Whoever was in charge of decorating….had definitely overdone it.

The ceiling was covered in mistletoe. You couldn't go more than a couple steps without finding yourself under another sprig.

"Child of man, are you enjoying your festivities?" Malleus suddenly boomed from behind you.

"For sure!" You turned to face him with a smile. "Thanks for inviting me!"

Malleus smiles for a moment, then releases the fakest gasp you've ever heard.

"Child of man! It appears we are under the mistletoe!"

You look at the multitudes of mistletoe on the ceiling, and laugh, "I think it'd be weirder if we weren't under the mistletoe."

He furrows his brow and pouts. "Lilia told me about the human holiday tradition where you must kiss if you are under the mistletoe."

Oh.

OH!

You felt your cheeks warm as you put two and two together.

"O-okay, if you want a kiss then-"

His lips are on yours immediately, his hands in your hair and on your back, like if he stops moving them you'll be able to escape his grip.

He pulls away and licks his lips seductively.

"There, we have not broken tradition."

You both walk a couple of steps, then…

"*Fake gasp* Child of man! We are under the mistletoe yet again!"

Lilia Vanrouge

Hijinks and mischiefs.

You have no idea how you ended up under the mistletoe with Lilia. But now he was floating around you in circles, tapping his chin thoughtfully with a satisfied smirk.

"Now what do I do with you, little human? It appears you have fallen in a trap set by the very crafty Lilia Vanrouge."

You felt his breath on the back of your neck, as he hovered close behind you, but not close enough to actually touch.

"I suppose I could let you go."

He whispered.

Then his breath was on your right ear.

"Or I could trap you here forever so that you have to kiss me whenever I want."

He floated in front of you and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. Why it hadn't occurred to you to just leave him there, you had no idea. But with all the hovering and breathing on your skin, you thought you would lose your mind if he didn't kiss you soon.

He hummed to himself, then tilted his head and leaned in close. As his lips were about to brush against yours, he abruptly shifted up and pressed a quick peck to the tip of your nose.

Then he grinned and flew away.

Cheeky bastard.

Silver

A goodnight kiss.

Silver had fallen asleep halfway through the party. He'd woken up at the end, when you were about to leave. He knew it had been snowing, so he'd offered to walk you back to Ramshackle.

As you reached the door, Silver found himself taken with how beautiful you looked surrounded by the snow. Your eyes glinting from the cold, your hair shining with the glitter of snowflakes. Truly radiant.

"Wait," he said softly as you turned the handle.

You turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. He walked closer, and took your hands in his, rubbing his chilly nose against yours affectionately.

"I don't know if I'll get to see you again before break is over," he whispered. You leaned the rest of the way in and softly kissed him, before slowly pulling away and stepping inside.

"Goodnight Silver," you whispered, and he swore he'd never been more awake than that moment.

Sebek Zigvolt

It's stupid until it isn't (pt 2)

"Y/N keeps walking very close to that mistletoe. Dangerously close," Lilia whispered to Sebek.

"So?" Sebek asked, as though he hadn't been watching you do this for the last half hour while you talked to some random second year in his dorm.

"It looks almost like Donovan is doing it on purpose," Lilia said with a smirk, nodding at the second year in question. At a second glance, Sebek saw Lilia was right. It looked like he was trying to back you into it.

Sebek scowled. "It doesn't matter. It's a silly human tradition of little substance."

His train of thought was interrupted as he heard you laugh loudly at something Donovan had said.

Without a word he marched over to you.

"Human!"

"Oh, hey Sebek!" You turned with a smile. "What's-"

He wrapped a single arm around your waist, and pulled you close as he kissed you under the mistletoe.

He kept the arm around your waist as he turned to Donovan, who had a rather ugly scowl on his face.

"EXCUSE ME DONOVAN, MY HUMAN AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE A PRIVATE CONVERSATION IN THE HALLWAY CLOSET!" Sebek said, louder than even he intended. But your flustered expression, and Donovan's rage, as he walked you to the hallway, made it all worth it.

....

Tag list- @lleoll @shytastemakerthing @stygianoir @leonia0

[lovebugism]

ooooo what abt for blurbcember being alone on Christmas Eve w Steve x reader & once one of them realizes they are alone when they called they speed over and spend the night together, maybe confess some feelings too👀

hope you like it!! — you call steve when you end up alone on christmas eve and he comes over without thinking twice, 'cause that's what best friends are for, right? (friends in love, hurt/comfort, 1.4k)

blurbcember ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚

Just a moment ago, Steve Harrington was on his couch. He had an arm around his girlfriend and a scruffy cheek on her hair as they watched A Christmas Story for the third time that evening. His dad was snoring over it from his spot on the recliner while mom watched on from the kitchen, where she’d just popped in another batch of cookies. 

Everything smelled like vanilla. Like home and the holiday season.

Then the phone rang. His mother picked it up, hiding her wine-drunk slurs as she answered. It was for him, of course, because it was you. “Feel like spending Christmas Eve getting drunk with me, Harrington?” you’d ask through the static of the receiver.

It’s like he blinked and he was in your childhood bedroom, splitting a bottle of your dad’s expensive liquor with you in your twin-sized bed.

The too-big house down the street was dark and empty, with you abandoned inside of it. The entire mansion was horribly clean — too clean — like no one actually lived there. The only Christmas decoration in the whole place was the tiny Christmas tree on your dresser. It basks the two of you in a golden hue while you laugh together in similar colors.

“So your parents just… left you here?” Steve presses, lying on his side at the edge of your mattress, propping his weight on his elbow.

You nod and take a swig from the glass bottle. Your lips shine with the amber liquid until you swipe your tongue against your buzzing bottom lip. “Holiday party at the Carmichael’s. No kids allowed,” you answer. You manage to smile as you say it — ‘cause you haven’t been a kid for a while — but it’s still slightly forced. 

Steve can see right through it.

“Still,” he insists with a furrow to his brow as he takes the bottle from you. “That’s really shitty.”

“Well, my parents are basically the king and queen of being shitty, so…”

Steve scoffs an emotionless laugh and raises the whiskey to his lips. The thing glugs when he tips it back. He takes a small sip, just enough to coat his tongue, because he knows he’ll have to go back home eventually. He licks at his shining rosy lips, just to feel how numb they are. 

“Your parents are shitty, and mine are… total fakes,” he concludes with a lopsided, sorrowful grin.

“Drunk enough to vent yet?” you tease, smiling down at him with your cheek tilted to your shoulder.

“No— I mean, there’s… there’s nothing to vent about, you know? They’re just, like, putting on happy faces for everyone at the party like they weren’t totally falling apart two days ago. Now it’s just like… nothing ever happened.”

You figure by “nothing to vent about,” he means that there’s a world of shit to vent about but that he doesn’t really feel like getting into any of it. You don’t blame him. He’s not the one who called his best friend on the very brink of falling apart, anyway.

“Is that what you were doing when I called?”

He nods, blinking slow and smiling soft. “Thanks for saving me, by the way.”

“Bet you’re missing loads of fun right now, Harrington.”

“Yeah, right,” he scoffs and passes the whiskey off to you. “Right now, my dad’s passed out in his Laz-E-Boy, and my mom’s watching the same Christmas movie over and over and over again.”

The visual makes you laugh.

Steve laughs because you are.

“Yeah. I mean, Nancy’s into it, I guess, but that’s just because she’s way too nice to—”

“Nancy’s there?” you blurt before you mean to, gaping with a shock you couldn’t hide if you wanted to. You thought he might’ve been as lonely as you were. You figured that’s why he dropped everything for you without thinking twice.

Your confusion makes his face screw up. He’s too oblivious to understand. “…Yeah?”

“You said you weren’t doing anything important!”

“It wasn’t important!” he exclaims, right before realizing how insensitive he sounds. He cowers, as though Nancy could somehow hear an entire block away. “Well— Not that she isn’t important— It’s just that—”

He stammers hopelessly. ‘Cause he doesn’t know how to say “you’re more important to me” without sounding like a total douchebag.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he settles on, suddenly shy about the whole thing. His eyes fall to your comforter because it’s easier than meeting your eyes. His fidgeting hands pluck at the tiny pills of cotton.

“Steve…” you whisper in an airy sigh because you don’t know what else to say.

He can’t tell if that’s good or bad, but his name sounds like honey spilling from your lips, anyway.

“Her brother’s there, though! And all his little shithead friends— so it isn’t like she’s totally alone,” he assures you in a single breath. You can’t tell if he’s saying it more for him or for you. “Plus, you said you were here by yourself, so I… I wanted to make sure you weren’t alone.”

“And they say chivalry’s dead,” you tease despite the distinct warmth swirling in your chest.

Steve flashes you a crooked grin to hide his similarly hidden feelings. “Well, whoever said that has never met me. Obviously.”

“You should really go back home, though,” you tell him. It’s not like you want him to leave. You’d rather him be here all the time. You’d rather it always be Steve and never anybody else. But it can’t be like that. It can’t ever be that way.

“What? No!” Steve shouts with his face screwed up in offense. The lights from your Christmas tree leave harsh shadows on his chiseled features, making them that much sharper. 

“Your girlfriend’s there, Steve. And all of your friends—”

“Not you, though. And you’re, like, the most important friend I have.”

“Steve,” you groan.

“I’m serious,” he insists, even though he’s laughing at your dramatics. “I’d much rather be here with you than pretending to be happy with everyone else.”

Your chest aches — a dull, hot, and empty ache. It’s like his words are a knife, and he’s just pierced your sternum with it. “You’re not happy?” you ask him in a fragile, broken whisper.

“I mean, I am, I’m just…” he trails off when he can’t find the words to say. He sighs and lays back completely, relaxing for the first time all night beside the warmth of you. His honey eyes concentrate on the shadows on your ceiling until he’s brave enough to speak.

“I don’t know… I love Nancy and everything— you know that. But… I never felt like I had to stop pretending around her, you know? It’s like I’m still trying to impress her. All the time. And with you, it’s just like…” 

He loses the words again. Your relationship is much harder for him to describe. The way he feels about you can’t be put into words. He’s not sure that there’s any that even come close. 

“I don’t know— It’s just easier,” he concludes with a heavy sigh. “Don’t read into that too much, alright? I’m just tipsy.”

He’s only had a couple sips of alcohol. He’s not even close to being tipsy. He’s content, at best, but you’re probably more to blame than the whiskey.

You know all of this, too, but decide not to press it too much.

“Noted,” you nod, huffing as you lie on your back beside him. His fuzzy Christmas sweater scratches you when it rubs against the skin of your shoulder. You can smell his deep, woodsy cologne and the hot chocolate on his breath. You shouldn’t get as lost in it as you do.

You wonder if he ever has the same problem with you — if the smell of your perfume, or your hair, or your strawberry lipgloss drives him crazy — or if it’s all in your head.

It might be better kept up there, either way. 

Saying anything out loud might change things too much.

“But, you know, just for the record or whatever,” you start in a gentle whisper and with a teasing glint in your eye. 

Steve’s already smiling when he turns to look at you. He falters slightly when he realizes how close you are — enough to feel your whiskey-coated breath fan against his chin. He doesn’t know why it makes his heart race. 

“I’m glad I make it easier on you,” you confess, so suddenly soft, as your sparkling eyes flit between both of his. “‘Cause being with you is easier for me, too.”

Steve’s rosy lips curl into a quiet smile. 

His chest sparkles with a foreign emotion, and he isn’t completely sure why. Your words feel almost like a proclamation of love, but maybe he shouldn’t read into any of it too much. Not how gentle your words sound or how you’re looking at him right now. 

You’re just tipsy, after all.

[rose-tea-and-strawberries]

I watched the episode of House of Mouse where its the Christmas special and Pete's in and that got me thinking-

I cannot remember if you've already made a post regarding Christmas at the HoM, so consider this in September:

Since it's implied Christmas doesn't exist in TW, let's say Yuu starts making gingerbread cookies out of habit. And after that, she is halfway through the pudding when she realises that Christmas, in fact, has never been brought up before amongst her friends.

A quick check later and she leaves the pudding to set while wondering where she's going to find the occasion to give her friends holiday treats.

So sometime before Christmas she brings the cookies and pudding over to the HoM after wrapping them up fancy for her work family-

Only for Pluto to flaunt his special sugar-free gingerbread biscuits in full view of the villains' table.

And then Maleficent calls Yuu over to ask where did Pluto get such cute cookies with pine trees piped all over them-

Yuu, most likely: 'I made them myself for Christmas :). But Christmas doesn't exist in TW, so I couldn't think up a special occasion to give my friends Christmas treats :(. Especially considering all the effort that went into the cookies :( Jamil wouldn't call that cost-effective :(

Jafar is internally cursing out his protege, while Maleficent and the Queen of Hearts immediately start trying to convince her to make their twisted versions cookies :) and only their versions :) no, shove off mal, she's going to make dear riddle cookies that don't break any rules whatsover :) not your grandson :) sod off you hag :)

Anyway, I was going to add something about a kiss under the mistletoe but it's not even November yet so I'll save it until then

Please don't let this ask get eaten-

Hi!

Wow, I am loving these House of Mouse!AU asks. Life has been crazy these past few months so coming back to Tumblr to see that people are still interested in this really makes me smile 🥰

I remember writing something about that special last year that was kind of similar to what you said - I love the fan trope where our/Yuu's world's holidays/traditions don't exist in twst. The angst and fluff potential is just so good (I remember there was this one episode of Winx Club where the fairies try to cheer Bloom up by having a christmas party but they misunderstand everything and Stella interprets 'christmas cheer' as 'a christmas cheer' like the type cheerleaders do and I feel like that's the kind of endearing shenanigans you'd get in NRC)

I think that's what makes the House of Mouse so neat - it's kind of like a best of both worlds situation where there is a mix of both fantastical Disney magic and parts of our world (so Yuu can feel more at home, in a way)

Okay but back when I was in another fandom, I wrote a christmas themed drabble where a character made personalised gingerbread people for his entire class where he decorated each biscuit to look like them and I think that's definitely something Yuu would do (as well as the usual christmas themed ones, of course - she likes to go all out like that)

But yes, I see the shippers using this as a way to sail their ship. Yes, of course they want to throw a christmas celebration as a way to make Yuu happy - but it wouldn't hurt if they indulged in some light trickery now would it. Cue cartoon shenanigans where everyone is sabotaging each other, leading to total chaos and a Yuu that is both frazzled and totally oblivious.

"C'mon, Jaffy - just 'cause your little protege doesn't appreciate Yuu doesn't mean you have to ruin things for us. Where's your christmas spirit?"

"You don't even celebrate christmas!"

"Neither do you!"

Not to mention all of the animal companions that want special christmas treats as well (much to Pluto's irritation and obvious jealousy)

Thanks for the ask ♡

[hazelsmirrorball]

Teacher Things | Hazel Callahan

parings: Teacher! Hazel Callahan × Teacher! Reader, Summary: It's Halloween in Rockbridge elementary and Hazel decides it's a good idea to play secret admirer with one of the teachers. a/n: hi! I'm in love with this story. I decided to mix something that I've been thinking of doing for a while Abbott Elementary X bottoms. Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did writing it! Also the bold letters mean that they are doing a private interview! warnings: English isn't my main language so excuse any mistake! Not proof read.

The bell rang loudly filling the halls mixing with the loud voices of the kids that were heading towards their classrooms. The teachers patiently waited outside the door greeting every single kid that entered. The hallways where different from their day to day. Miss L/n had stayed all night up decorating the halls to make them spooky for halloween.

"Hi! I'm principal PJ. I still don't know how I ended up ruling this school but might I say I love it here. I’m the literal queen of this school, everyone does what I say, it’s like I direct them or something. There’s a lot of perks of working at Rockbridge elementary,  Hot teachers, smart kids and the paycheck. Being a principal is the best, so I welcome you to my lovely kingdom. But enough about me, let’s talk about my untalented and ugly staff so you guys can see what I have to work with everyday. Look, there we have one of our annoying second grade teachers, Y/n. I'll leave you guys to it and let me say if you need more beauty shots, I'll be in my office" PJ said while tilting her crown down sending a kiss towards the camera. She turns to the left and the camera slowly follows her walking towards one of the students eating a lollipop. PJ quickly takes it out of her hand and eats it herself. She walks away leaving the kindergartener alone crying in the halls. 

"Hello!! I'm Y/n L/n. But around here everyone calls me Miss L/n. I've been teaching second grade here for about four years now and honestly it's a blast. I love the kids, I love the school, I love my coworkers, I love the classes, I love my mood ...Sorry l am rambling but in my defense it's one of the best holidays of the year. Halloween!  and this year is different because we got the opportunity to dress up this year. They also let me put the whole school in halloween decor. All the kids are so excited to wear their little costumes and eat candies. That’s why I had to step up my game. Guess what I am? No? Okay. Well I’m a bumblebee cause people say I’m sweet like honey and sometimes that is cloying, but that’s nobody's buzzness. Did you get the joke? Did you understand?  Because I am dressed as a bee? I know you got it, I see that smile on your lips, cameraman. Anyway, let me just get to the point, I teach second grade and around here we all love to have fun. Do you want a Frankenstein cupcake? I made them myself" She said with a huge grin stretching out her hand with a cupcake toward the cameramen while the kids in the background made cute cupcakes. Her face was covered in frosting and her costume was covered in glitter. 

Hazel Callahan, giggled as she excitedly greeted her first graders, exclaiming proudly “may the force be with you” as they entered the classroom, her Anakin Skywalker costume intact. She watched as her little students entered the classroom all giggly while holding onto buckets filled with candies she had personally requested them to bring so they could exchange with their classmates. When the last student entered, her eyes trailed towards the end of the hall where she could see Y/n L/n handing her kids a lollipop while they entered. Hazel stared at her in aw, as she did a dance battle with one of the kids that was dressed as a hip hop dancer. Y/n stinger got caught on the door making her fall back as all the kids from her class ran up to her to help her up. She shook them off by saving countless thank you’s. Y/n threw her head back laughing at her kids following the action as Hazel stayed in her place being starstruck by her beauty. She waited a few seconds to catch her eye and waved at her with a soft smile which Y/n happily returned. Being lost by the sudden interaction Hazel couldn’t feel the small child tugging on the bottom of her robes trying to get her attention. 

“Miss Hazel! You are staring at Miss L/n again” The child exclaimed quite loudly making Hazel jump up and panicked. She quickly crouched down to be at the same level as the kid. 

“Alex, what did we say about yelling?” Hazel said softly, trying to push back her flushed face. Alex looked down towards his shoes shaking his head. 

“That we shouldn’t do it. I’m sorry Miss Hazel. I was trying to get your attention because I needed to tell you something but you were looking at Miss L/n. I heard that in their class they are making cupcakes today. What are we going to do? It’s Halloween we should do something fun” Alex said, raising his head and grinning excitedly towards Hazel. Hazel mirrored her expression. 

“Well, I talked to Principal PJ as she said we could blow bombs outside. So after we exchange candies right after recess we can blow some things up” Hazel said resting her hands on his shoulder grinning. Alex quickly squealed in excitement jumping up and down. Hazel followed his actions moving side to side. “Wait, what did you need to tell me that was so urgent?” Hazel said quickly remembering what were his true intentions. 

“I actually don’t remember” Alex said, making a thinking face. 

"Miss Hazel!  Jeremy is kicking me again" a kid screamed from inside the classroom making Hazel quickly enter the room to detain the fiasco before it got worse. Jeremy was quite the fighter and she didn’t feel like cleaning up blood today. 

Hazel Callahan didn't expect to like being a teacher as much as she did but now after being a  teacher for about a year, she was starting to get the hang of things. She enjoyed the kids' presence, they made things actually fun for her and the best thing, aside from the kids, there was Y/n L/n. Having Y/n around made the teaching experience quite refreshing. She was around the same age as Hazel  but she had been teaching there for about four years just like her close friend and English teacher, Josie . Hazel had tried several times to get in their little group but it was quite hard for her to click with the teachers. It wasn’t that they were mean or anything, it was the fact that they didn’t take the rookie teacher seriously. Adding to the fact that Hazel wasn’t the best when getting social clues, for some people, it felt like they were talking to a child while they were talking to Hazel. 

“Miss Callahan, I wanted to inform you that the camera crew just got here today, so don't be surprised if they catch your fine ass. You look quite attractive with those robes." Principal PJ said, peeking her head through the door. Hazel turned around with a scared look on her face seeing PJ wiggle her eyebrows at her. Hazel’s hands dropped stopping the two kids that were originally fighting. 

"Excuse me?" Hazel asked, raising an eyebrow at PJ making her wink at Hazel. 

"I'm just playing but remember that they...Oh look they are here now! Here we have Miss Hazel Callahan. She teaches first grade and she's been working here for about a year, yet she can barely get a hold of her class but we are working on it. So enjoy your time with her. The hottest teacher in the school. Bye" She exclaimed while she left Hazel standing agape in the hallway with a camera crew filming straight at her. Hazel quickly took her glasses off, cleaning them on her robes nervously while the kids screamed as loud as they could in the back of the class, the kids once again starting their fight.

“First of all, I'm not the hottest teacher here, I'll leave that to Brittany and second of all I have perfect control of my kids. Didn’t you guys catch on camera me stopping the fight? " Hazel exclaimed defensively while putting on her glasses and looking at the camera clearly stressed. Her hair was now messy pointing to several directions as her breath was unsteady. 

"Miss Hazel! Help me, Jeremy is still pulling my hair now" a kid yelled from the back of the class quickly gaining Hazel’s attention. She quickly ran towards the back of the class and the camera crew quickly behind her. Hazel tried pulling Jeremy off one of the other kids but he wouldn't move.

"Jeremiah, let go!" Hazel said while falling desperately to get his attention. 

"I'm not letting go Haze! She bit me with her stupid vampire teeth" Jeremiah yelled still not letting go of his grip becoming stronger. 

"First, I told you even though you are stronger than me to call me Miss Hazel. Second of all, we said no bad words in the classroom and that included the word stupid.  Now let's just try to be in a loving mood, it's Halloween, don't you guys want to be in a loving mood?!" Hazel asked desperately, trying to convince the kids to let go of each other. All the kids around them were unphased by the interaction, exchanging candies while the fiasco unfolds.

"NO!" Both of the kids exclaim pushing Hazel down towards the floor. She closed her eyes in pain waiting for a few seconds for the floor to eat her alive. She let out a sigh, dragging herself to one of the classroom doors praying that someone, beside PJ or Y/n, would help her out. 

"How are you kids so strong?! Sylvie!  Sylvie please, please help me. Sylvie I know you can see me" Hazel exclaimed as she gripped on the side of the door from the floor. She reached forward holding her leg desperately not wanting her to move. Sylvie stopped dead in her tracks staring down at Hazel with pity. Her eyes were nearly covered in tears as she begged her to come and help. Sylvie looked towards the break room as she turned her back from it, taking a step into the classroom but not before quickly rolling her eyes at Hazel. Instantly the kids stopped fighting while the ones that were exchanging candies  sat down hiding their sweets.

"How?" Hazel mouthed to the camera while watching the kids stay like statues with Sylvie.

"I'm Sylvie. Please do not associate me with the principal or I will call the authorities against you. If it were my decision, I would have been principal and I would have said no to this little filming festival you have going around here. But since l am not principal, I have to answer your dumb questions.  I am the other second grade teacher here at Rockbridge elementary. The only person I don't get annoyed at in this school is possibly Hazel. She isn't the worst teacher in the world but she isn't the greatest. Kids here can be little shits but I have them under control. Hazel on the other hand doesn't. She lacks control and I truly believe she's one of the kids." Sylvie said to the camera while moving to the side to let into view a giggling Hazel Callahan exchanging her candies  with her students excitedly.

Meanwhile, Josie  and Annie walked together to the break lounge ready to eat their lunch and enjoy their break. Both of them worked on the second floor with the middle school kids and they were exhausted.

"Good evening, I'm Josie and I teach seventh grade english. I've been in this school for four years and quite frankly still don't know why I've stayed so long."

Annie sat down taking her food out of her neatly prepared lunch box while Josie took her mug to serve herself some coffee. Both of them took in the wonderful peace and quiet that surrounded the break lounge, something that it always lacked. But the peace and quiet was interrupted by the door slamming open and a visually alarmed Hazel  coming through, Sylvie following behind shortly after.

"I'm so done with those little pieces of sh.. You"  Hazel took a deep breath pointing at the cameramen. "Stop following me with those stupid cameras. You're making me seem like I'm a bad teacher” She said while her eyes twitched, making Josie hide a chuckle with a cough. She continued to drink her coffee attempting to calm herself.

"I don't think they're making you seem like a bad teacher, maybe you're just being one” Annie  responded while taking a bite of her sandwich making Josie  "cough" even louder.

"Annie.  I came to this school the same time Hazel Callahan did and it still surprises me that she is still here. There were fifty new teachers and surprisingly the only two left are Hazel Callahan  and me, I thought she was going to be the first one to leave, yet here she is, still struggling and still not getting the hang of it" Annie said to the camera while fixing the nonexistent wrinkles of her dress.

"Well, I have you know I am a great teacher! My students say it to me all the time when I get emotional. I bet you don’t even cry with your students. My students and I had a Halloween party, something that didn't even cross your mind to have today. We exchanged candies, had a dance party and watched movies. They love me. I love them. And all you did was bore you kids to death today, I suppose. What did you do? Make them read" Hazel responded angrily while looking at the peaceful Annie. 

"Actually, yes. We read about the history behind witches. Something you can actually do to learn since you come to school to learn not to party. But I guess you didn't get the memo since all you did was go to frat parties in college" She said taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Jokes on you I wasn't even in a frat. But I just know your kids wanted lollipops and by the way I gave my kids lollipops and none of them threw them at each other so I believe that's progress"Hazel said proudly while looking in the fridge giving her back to the teachers letting them see the back part of her robes covered in lollipops.

"Congrats! You are getting better, Callahan. I am really proud” Josie  applauded while placing her cup of coffee down.

“But I don't think you should get your kids hopes up with Halloween. You should show them the gory things that I showed mine today. Real, scary, halloween movies. When they’ll get older they will thank you for teaching them how to survive a psycho. ” Sylvie responded while sitting next to Annie.

"Aren't your kids seven?" Annie asked concerned, raising an eyebrow at Sylvie.

"And your point is, Anabelle?" Sylvie asked while taking a sip of her black coffee. 

“I already told you, my name isn't Annabelle, it's Annie" she said seriously while glaring at the woman.

"I will not stop spreading love in my classroom.I love Halloween and no one and I mean no one  loves 

Halloween more than me" Hazel exclaimed sitting down with her arms crossed. 

"Hellooo fellow teachers!" Y/n exclaimed throwing flower petals in the air while entering the break room. 

"I highly doubt it" Josie responded while looking at her best friend, dressed up in her vibrant yellow costume. She was holding onto a basket filled with sweets while her wings neatly placed on her back. Her hair wasn't styled as usual, instead it was pulled back in two braids with her antennas.

"Happy Halloween to you, and you, and you" She said, handing a beautifully devoted Halloween box to each of her coworkers.

Annie smiled softly, Josie whispered a thanks and Sylvie rolled her eyes, but deep down she loved it. Y/n headed towards Hazel giving her a bigger box than the rest. Hazel blushed hard, taking in the gift in her hand while Y/n placed down her things. 

"Thank you, Y/n. I appreciate it a lot" She said smiling softly but her smile got wider when she sat next to her.

"You're welcome Hazel! By the way, I love your wizard robes. A lot of my students dressed the same. It looks cute" she said, playing with the ends of Hazel’s robes. 

“Actually, Y/n. Hazel’s dressed as An...” Sylvie started but quickly got cut off by Hazel slamming her hand against the table. 

"Thank you, Y/n! I was trying really hard for that wizard look. I really like your bee costume. I know everyone was buzzing about it” She said excitedly while trying to hide her  blush. Y/n threw her head laughing hitting Hazel’s shoulder softly making Hazel blush more if it even was possible.  

"Thank you! I wanted to go all out today, I heard that the party was going to be the bomb.” Y/n said winking towards Hazel which made her grin excitedly. 

“You know about that?” Hazel asked confusedly, while taking her food out of her bag. 

“Yeah! My kids were telling me about some big plan you have after recess. I was so excited for the afternoon party I forgot to bring lunch" She smiled at her while opening a water bottle and looking down at her notes to fix anything that was incorrect for the party the school was throwing later today.

"Here, have my sandwich" Hazel exclaimed quickly, planting the sandwich next to her. She looked up from her paper shaking her head.

“Don't worry about it Hazel. You should eat, I can wait until later.” She responded by trying to hand it back at her but she shook her head.

"Have it, I'm not even hungry" Hazel said smiling softly while shrugging trying not to worry her.

"Thank you Hazel! I owe you one" Y/n said, taking a bite while Josie  looked at the camera suspiciously while drinking her coffee.

"What? I'm not hungry. My stomach is filled with brownies, candies and cupcakes. Plus the cupcake I had this morning, if Y/n’s hungry I wouldn't mind giving her my food!! Or anyone not necessarily her, I give my food to everyone that wants it, look. Here have this kiwi" Hazel exclaimed while taking out the kiwi she was previously eating and handing it in to a kid that was passing by. The kid stared at Hazel weirdly before continuing walking.

"So,what are you guys doing tonight? Anything special planned in this spooky evening" Hazel asked, trying to change the subject while they all peacefully ate. Everyone stayed quiet but Hazel anxiously taped her finger on the round table making Annie groan and speak up.

"Well, since you're being nosy, my boyfriend rented out a movie theater to watch movies tonight” Annie responded, closing her book. Y/n squealed, turning to her with a smile. "It was so romantic. What did you get?" Annie asked, directing herself to Y/n, but she simply shrugged.

“The kids gave me some beautifully made cupcakes, those that count?" She asked sitting next to her, Sylvie laughed making the two girls stare at her.

“It's sad that you want that to count," She said, taking another sip of her coffee.

“Don't listen to Sylvie, she's just jealous the kids didn't give her anything because they are scared of her” Annie said, rolling her eyes as Y/n fixed her posture awkwardly. 

"My kids love me, they know my second grade class is the superior one and they did get me sweets. I just don't like them" Sylvie responded, getting a bag of candy and throwing it on the table leaving Annie in shock.

"Well, maybe you'll get something later, the night is still young" Hazel said suspiciously while looking at the camera with a smirk. As if it were by cue a delivery man opens the door holding a big strawberry bouquet.

“Delivery for Y/n L/n” the delivery man said while reading the card. Y/n excitedly got up taking it in her hands and placing it down on the table picking the card to see from who it was. She quickly smiled at the delivery man saying thanks before he left. All the teachers looked at the bouquet waiting for her to say who it was from.

"From who is it?" Hazel  asked while standing next to her with a huge grin on her face.

"It says spooky berries  from a secret admirer, " she said, picky a strawberry eating it.

Josie, Annie and Sylvie stood outside in the hallways with the camera crew Filming them.

"It was Hazel" the trio said at the same time while rolling their eyes.

"This is beautiful! The person that got me this has to know me really well, I love chocolate covered strawberries. They are literally the best thing to ever exist on this planet"

" You see! I know her well!! I got her that gift and went all out! I'm proud of my hard work and the smile on her face is to die for. So ha! I win Halloween" Hazel exclaimed happily at the camera while grinning.

"Breaks over, I need my teachers in their classrooms so they can take the kids to that dumb party Y/n’s making" PJ said entering the lounge and getting herself some coffee.

"Nothing you can do will ruin my mood today PJ. So I will take that as a compliment" She responded, taking a picture of the strawberries.

"You got yourself that gift? That's sad, even for you L/n" PJ responded while taking a sip of the drink.

"Actually, it was a secret admirer" she responded, not even looking at her.

"Hazel, it was Hazel" PJ said, looking at the camera in the hallway while taking a bite of a strawberry she had taken from Y/n's gift.

"Also how are you guys enjoying the reality show we have going on here?" PJ asked, winking at the camera.

"I feel watched and stalked" Sylvie responded seriously.

"I didn't ask you. Hazel?" PJ turned her head towards Hazel who started to pick up her things so she could head back to her classroom. 

"This isn't a reality show PJ. it's a documentary for schools with poor funding so I don't think we should be proud of that” She said while standing up and putting her tote bag on her shoulder. 

"You know what I'm not proud of, the fact I haven't received my Valentine's Day gift yet" PJ said only for her to hear. Hazel shivers while looking at her with the same expression as before. "Now everyone chop chop. We don't have all day" she continued while applauding obnoxiously.

Everyone started leaving the teachers lounge leaving Hazel to herself to open the box Y/n had given her, she slowly opened the box and opened her eyes wide when she saw the gift.

"Oh, I've known about Hazels' crush ever since she started working here. But I love seeing the reactions she does when she thinks I don't know a thing about the little gestures she does for me. That's why I decided that I should give something back" Y/n said smiling to the camera holding the gift she had received from her. In the background you could see Hazel dancing excitedly and when Y/n turned around to look at her, She froze waving at her trying to act cool which Y/n responded with a smile while quickly turning to her classroom.

Hazel looked at her kids jumping up and down at the party and she smiled. She looked at the camera men and then down at her hand.

"I'm going on a date today" She said screaming while joining her kids in a dance battle.

Josie looked at Hazel and then at her best friend from the other side of the school gym and smiled softly at her.

"You asked her out, didn't you?" Josie asked, looking at Y/n.

"Yes, I think she’s cute." She responded while looking at the dancing Hazel. Both of them looked at how Hazel huddled up with the kids with a box shaped thing in her hands. 

“Wait, is that a bomb?” 

[aspens-apothecary]

Mabon Celebration Ideas!

As some of you know, this Saturday is Mabon, the celebration of the Autumn Equinox. Some also refer to it as the "Pagan Thanksgiving", as you celebrate the bountiful harvest and are thankful for the earth and its many gifts.

Mabon marks the time of equilibrium, where the days and nights are of equal length. During this time, it is good to set intentions that involve decrease, such as ending unhealthy habits, self-destructive behaviors, or bad relationships.

Decorating for Autumn

This a great time to decorate for the coming autumn and spooky seasons leading up to Samhain! I like to open the windows and then cleanse my space(usually a simmer pot and smoke cleanse) and after, i actually physically clean the house.I then close the windows and stir my simmer pot, while setting new intentions for the household until the spring equinox. I then collect the things I want to decorate with(the usual fall decor; pumpkins, pine cones, leaf garlands, gourds and an autumn wreath on the door) and then decorate to my hearts content!

Release and Move Forward

Another thing I usually spend time on is meditation, centering myself, letting go of past baggage from the year and setting new personal goals and intentions until spring.

Find a nice spot outside, where you feel connected to the world around you. Take a journal with you, and meditate. Write down what you want the next few months to bring into your life. Set those intentions in any way you choose.

Have a nice Hearty Meal

Who doesn't love a good meal with great people? You can make a roast, hold a potluck Mabon dinner ect, I usually host a bonfire night and everyone brings their own dishes to feel the group. During covid, I made a pot roast for my fiance and I! You could also do a picnic!

Fall Activities

Apple Picking, Corn Mazes, going to a Pumpkin Patch, all fall activities that are fun for the whole family, as a cute date, or great solo fun!

Honor Persephone and Demeter

If you are one to honor deities/spirits during the holidays, Persephone and Demeter are two that will definitely fall into Mabon.

According to the myth, Autumn is the time where Persephone must leave her beloved mother and travel to Hades, to fulfill her role as the Queen of the Underworld. Each year she lets go of the concerns of the upper world, and willingly descends to guide the souls of the dead over the threshold of Life and Death.

Creating an altar, and leaving offerings for them in honor of their sacrifice is an amazing way to celebrate.

Other

Other things you can do include cleansing ritual baths, Divination for the new few months, hiking, offerings for the local nature spirits, make a gratitude list for the last few months and thank the earth for her gifts

Mabon Symbols:

Cornucopia (horn of plenty), pinecones, seeds

Colors: Orange, red, yellow, brown, copper, dark yellow, dark green

Foods: Corn, beans, squash, apples, pumpkins, cider, root vegetables, pomegranate, wine

Herbs: Yarrow, rosemary, sage, mugwort, rosehips,

Stones: Amber, citrine, cat’s eye, aventurine, sapphire, jasper

Flowers: Sunflowers, thistle, marigolds

Deities: Mabon, Green Man, Demeter, Persephone, Morgan, Pomona, Inanna

Animals: Owl, stag, blackbird, salmon

I hope this gives you a few ideas! Add your own ideas to this list! These are just the ways I like to celebrate!

[ashleyfableblack]

A Mother's Day Eternal Courtship Jam. Love is complicated. Love takes work. For a Big Mama Bughorse with a family spanning several species it can take alot. A hard tale about love and family some may find all too familiar. TW in hashtags

"THERE'S my SPECIAL Boy..." Chrysalis beamed a grin of gleaming, razor-keen fangs at Pharynx as the guards shut the balcony bay doors behind them. She levitated a bunch of grapes from a nearby table of assorted dishes and goblets, offering them. "MY Pharynx. Come. Sit with me. Something to eat?" Pharynx politely refused with a reserved smile. "No, thank you, My Queen." Purple grapes. Very plump, ripe ones at that. He wasn't surprised that she knew his favorite fruit. Though he'd gotten to spend very little time with her since The Exodus of their people, he had little doubt that her agents were still hidden among his Lovebug kind. She likely knew more of their affairs than he did. Making his way to the heap of cushions she was lounging upon he climbed the pedestal and sat. "Happy Mother's Day." He gave a sheepish grin. After last years celebration he hadn't been sure what to expect from her. 'Mother's Day' wasn't a changeling concept. Every Day was Mothers Day as far as The Hive was concerned. His people's decision to adopt the pony holiday as a lovebug tradition was received awkwardly at best. But Chrysalis was a Queen and the Mother of her entire race and she was certainly making a go at it for her sons sake. She was looking healthy. No doubt she was eating very well. Her pony wife had made it very clear that she alone would give her wife all the love she needed. She had always been large, so tall, beautiful and majestic in an indefinable way, by changeling standards. But she seemed larger still, these days. Her chitin gleamed, dark and smoky. The pitting of her limbs seemed reduced. Her mane of spidersilk seemed more like the hair of a pony. Her shape even seemed different. Her plot, in particular seemed rather... round. He wondered if she was unconsciously adapting her form to suit her wife or maybe to fit more closely with their pony subjects? It was a common enough trait among changelings in deep-cover. Her eyes shifted between her two sets of irises as she looked him over, examining him both visually and taking note of his emotional state. "I trust your trip was well. Hmmn." She could see he was particularly troubled but spoke nothing of it. Decorum was to be observed. She was a Queen. "Where is your idiot brother?" Pharynx chuckled. "Heh. He got pulled into a discussion on some artsy-craftsy garbage about 'decorative baking' with one of Queen Twilights advisors. The bubble-headed pink one." "Ah." Chrysalis nodded. "That would be Pinkie-pie." "That's the one. Ugh." Pharynx shifted uneasily on the pile of assorted cushions and royal-blue throw rugs. Some creatures would say that all ponies looked alike. He knew this to be untrue. Though he was a lovebug he still had a changelings eye for fine detail. Ponies of any tribe were very distinct, visually. Their personalities on the other hoof, on that he could definitely see their point. They were all so cloying, so irritating. They all just blended into one big blur of annoying, bouncy, frivolous children to him. Tasty as food but still, annoying. "I told him to just go on with her and he could meet us later. Seemed just as well."

"Indeed." She pursed her lips, studying him. The Queen took a sip from an ornate silver goblet. "She has a way with most creatures, one I would imagine fitting your brother's demeanor all too well." Pharynx regarded the view. He could see why his Queen-Mother had chosen to make this balcony into a receiving area. From here, New Canterlot castle had an impressive view of the surrounding land. From the peaks of far-off Yak-Yakistan to the tides coming in off the Celestial Sea. This perch was as tactical as it was deceptively pleasant. She could plot out an entire campaign from here as easily as charm unassuming diplomats. He sighed. He missed those days as a changeling agent. Chrysalis broke his drift into the past with her sharp, multi-tonal Hive voice. "But you desired a private audience." It wasn't a question. She knew. "Yes." He cleared his throat, straightening himself. "Yes, My Queen." Her emerald snake eyes stared expectantly. Most of his life those eyes had been a place of comfort to him. She was his Queen-Mother, the source of all life for his people. However, in this moment, he would almost be anywhere else than in their gaze. Still, he had planned. He had prepared. This was the time and this was his moment. He was going through with this. "I wished to speak with you on a personal matter, My Queen." Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. "Pharynx, it's not like you to be so nervous. Speak." "I needed to-" he paused. His deep, gravelly voice cracking, he cleared his throat. He couldn't believe it but he was actually trying to recall Thorax's 5-5-5 rule for dealing with his anxiety. Or was it 3-3-3? UGH. He would have to punch him when he saw him next time- more than he usually did. "I needed to apologize... to you, My Queen."

Chrysalis furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?" She adjusted her irises to study the shimmering pattern of emotions emanating from her lovebug son. Guilt, radiated from him like smoke from a oil-fire, guilt, shame and a deep, black loathing. She craned her neck and drew slightly closer. "You've nothing to apologize for." Pharynx visibly shrank. The words and the feeling behind them hit him like fists. "Respectfully, My Queen-" his lavender eyes glanced to her "I feel I do." Pharynx sighed hard. It had been years in the build-up. He'd finally opened the door. Nothing to do for it now but walk through. "Mother... I failed My Hive. I failed our people. I failed myself. Most of all, I failed you." His lips pursed as her struggled to contain the breaking dam inside his chest. Chrysalis straightened herself. She narrowed her eyes, her intense gaze could cut through stone. Her ears flitted as she listened intently. "Continue." Pharynx stared into the floor. His eyes looked to the same past his voice spoke from, a time some decades ago now. He could almost see the timeline in front of them, the chain of events which led him to this moment. "Look after her." He paused. The word, the identifier, it stung his tongue to say it. "That's what you said to me. The first thing you ever said to me. Look after her. You ordered me to protect my idiot younger sister, my broken, faulty twin." Pharynx sighed. "She was born wrong. You knew it. I knew it. She wasn't like the rest of us. From the moment I crawled out from our egg and looked back at her, still wobbling around, she was silent in the hive-mind. Not a ghost, not a whisper, just nothing. But rather than just leave her to our sisters to be eliminated, you ordered me to protect her. You seemed to value her, maybe me as well, if by proxy." He looked into his hooves as if searching for the secrets of his past in them. "You didn't give us designations like our sisters. We were different. We got names. I would be Pharynx. She was Thorax." He bit his lip. The dam was stressed but holding. "I wanted you to be proud of me. My Queen. My Mother. So, I protected her, the idiot. The coward. The weakling. Our sisters knew she was born wrong and they hated her, wanted her gone, if not dead. She was not of The Hive. She smelled wrong, tasted wrong. None of us could hear her in the Hive Mind." Pharynx gritted his tiny nub fangs "But I protected her from them. I kept her safe. When they bullied her, I fought her fights. When she failed missions, I cleaned up her mess. When she betrayed us, ran away like the traitor she..." He paused, the words caught in his throat. The dam was cracking. "The traitor he was. I still obeyed. I kept the patrols from finding him. I guided any incidental seekers from his pathetically obvious hiding spots. I even masked the scent of his fear in the air- THAT took ingenuity. But All for you, My Queen. All for The Hive. I protected him even up until..'" Pharynx shuddered. He hesitated to even say the words. The name his changeling people had given to the day of their near-genocide. The day their home was destroyed and the lovebugs were born. "The Exodus. I could have stopped him. I could have stopped all of them. The cowards." He gritted his teeth, hooves clenched against his thighs like fists. "The ingrateful, treasonous scum. The filthy pony intruders, that stupid draconequis-thing, my traitorous brother. I could have stopped them but I didn't." Pharynx looked to his Mother, His Queen. He owed her the respect of looking her in the eyes when he said this. When he admitted to the price of his shame. "I had a choice to make. In that moment I had to choose. To be the perfect daughter for you like I always wanted to be..." The weight of his guilt was crushing. The dam was breaking. Held back for the last thirty years The edges of his eyes moistened. "Or be the... the worthless... Son... I always knew I had needed to be."

His shoulders shook with the pressure of containing the tears. Gritting his teeth he continued. "I hated him. He wasn't a Changeling. He wasn't one of us. I hated him for being weak. I hated him for being different. I hated his stupid smiling face. I hated his stupid feelings, his selfishness, his self-important, self-righteous- OH, he was SO much better than the rest of us, he was better than The whole HIVE. He was so special, like those stupid pathetic little ponies. But I-" Pharynx choked. "He... He was braver than me. He was Thorax. He was... your son. And I made my choice." His lips quivered. The hot stinging droplets formed. His vision blurred and he looked away, sending the tears to patter against the cushions. "I could've stopped him, Mother. I could've saved you from all that. I could've saved all our sisters. I should've stopped him. I wanted to. I... I wanted to be strong for you. I swear I did. I swear I- but I couldn't- had to- I had to be- Ff- Ff- Ph-" Years of self-loathing buried the rest in a mass of sobs as he pressed his face into his hooves. The dam was broken now. Pharynx was broken. His chitinous body convulsed as he wailed. Like a tiny foal, he shrieked, loosing out the tears of self-hatred he'd held deep inside for decades. The venom within him had rotted away, cold and black, like tar on his heart for years. Pouring out from his eyes now, it burned, searing like fire. His lips curled back, baring his tiny lovebug faux-fangs. They were not the fierce, dagger-like sabres of a changeling. He chattered them together, trying to finish his thoughts but all that came out was a gibbering, wailing mess. To his shock Chrysalis pulled him to her barrel. Without thinking, he threw his hooves around her, hissing his tears into his Mother's chitin in thick, painful sobs. Several minutes passed as years of hate poured forth, drenching her chest. Not as The Changeling Queen-Mother but as his Mother, she held him firm and steady. Several minutes passed as years melted away between them. Finally, enough of the pain drained off, Pharynx found his words again. "Mom? Do you... hate me?" Chrysalis stared back at him with her giant serpents eyes. In all these years, he had never called her that. No drone had. 'My Queen'. 'Majesty'. 'Excellency'. 'Queen-mother.' 'Perfect One'. 'Exalted One' 'Our Beloved Perfection.' Never 'Mom'. She considered the question in silence. Her horn glowed. In a small eruption of emerald flames a trinket appeared in Pharynx lap. Her multi-tonal voice cut through the tense silence between them. "Do you know what this is?" He looked to the trinket. A fine golden chain set around a series of opaque transparent flakes of shimmering, almost crystalline material, chitin from a changeling. As many times as he'd seen his alicorn mother-in-law wear it, of course he knew what it was. "This is the wedding token you gave to Queen Twilight." "And its significance?" He swiped away a bubble of snot with the back of his forelimb. "It's an ancient pony practice- unicorn, specifically, to give an expensive token of affection to a mate." She starred expectantly.

He expanded- "Adapted during the fusion of their 3 tribal cultures to include the Terrestrials... Err... colloquially, 'Earth Pony' tradition of an exchange of a family heirloom ... one holding a more personal value than one dependent on the unicorn system of material worth." Chrysalis nodded. A smile began to warm her lips. "And what is this?" "It's your token to your mate- Queen Twilight." The Queen gave a small huff of impatience, touching the article with her pitted hoof to accent each word. "What. Is. This?" Pharynx wasn't certain what his mother was asking him. He lifted the article carefully in his hoofs and examined it. He'd never actually seen it this close before. He could see now the small plates of chitin were quite old. He had always thought they were just tiny clippings his Mother had made from her wings, emulating the pegasus practice of giving their mate one of their primary feathers. But that couldn't be. They were far too old for that. Their translucent quality was caused not by their age, but by their structure. No only that, they were slightly curved and shaped irregularly, each slightly smaller than the last. They were fitted plates. "These are..." he straightened as the realization dawned on him, suddenly taking even greater care to be very gentle with the artifact in his grasp. "These are the plates of a grub's first molting." She nodded again, her smile growing to expose her fangs. "They're yours."

Chrysalis draped a hoof around his shell. Pharynx fought to find the words. "Mine? But... How? Mine? They're... How did y-" "Your idiot brother saved the discards of your first molting. Don't ask me how he secreted them away or where he hid them. None of your sisters ever knew." She looked from the tiny bracelet to the astonished Pharynx. He stared at the jewelry as if it were speaking to him in a foreign tongue. "I've never found the knowledge in the Hive Mind, anyways. " She gave a wistful sigh. "I remember. You had both just completed your nymph molt a few days before. He came to me, all puffed up and smiles, and presented me with a set of baubles he'd made. A necklace and a bracelet. He'd managed to cobble together the materials from one of our caches of acquired valuables. I'm still not sure how he learned the skills required to craft them, half-dumb as he was. Still, he did. A necklace from his own remnants..." She lifted the trinket in her green flames. "...and this, from yours." In an implosion of magic the matrimonial token vanished, teleported back to Twilight's dresser. Pharynx stared in silence. She'd held onto such a thing, all these years, in secret. With a gentle touch of his angular cheek, Chrysalis regarded him. "I gave this to Twilight, my immortal love, as an act of trust, to honor the ancient custom of her people. It was only a thing but it was my most precious of things. And if I could trust her with this thing I could trust her with my hearts." She stroked his cheek, drawing close. "I am your Queen. I designate you all with purpose." Her snakes eyes held him like a helpless little grub. "When you hatched, I knew it. You were never born wrong. But you were born different. You weren't like any of our kind, ever, more like..." She paused, catching herself as if to keep a secret. "Yes, I named you. I knew what you were, as I have all my children from the dawn of our kind. Your foolish, flighty brother, he was Thorax, 'my heart'. You..." She smiled in a warmth he had never seen from her before. "...you were stronger, fiercer stuff. Pharynx, 'my voice'." As she smiled down at him the tears came again. He didn't fight them this time. "I've never hated you. In all The Hive, I've thousands of drones. Infiltrators, Warriors..." She wiped at his cheek with her pitted hoof. "But I've only one Pharynx. One you. You are my son."

He returned her smile, wiping at his cheeks.

They sat in silence. Maybe for the first time in their lives, they were truly Mother and Son, as Pharynx would see it. "Any other questions?" She gave a playfully irreverent smirk. still draping a hoof over his shell. "Heh... Maybe... Another hug? My Q-" She cut him off, pulling him into her hooves and squeezing her son tightly. He embraced her in return. He could almost taste the love in the air around them. It was an unusual feeling, this warmth. Was this 'acceptance'? It was alien but certainly not unwelcome. If this was what Thorax was always going on about Pharynx could get used to this 'family' business. The balcony-bay doors creaked open. A guard broke the tender silence of their moment with her announcement. "My Queen. Prince Thorax awaits Her Grace." Chrysalis looked to the guard, then to Pharynx. He smirked, making to hop up. "I'm gonna go pound him." The Queen rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Don't pick on your brother." Pharynx sniffled and froze. He had an almost pouty quality to his silent obedience. She sighed in resolution. "Fine. You're brothers..." Pharynx leapt up with a burst of energy and sprinted for the door. From the halls Chrysalis could hear the sounds of things being broken and shouting of various slurs of endearment. She chuckled and took a large mouthful of the grapes, chomping them down hungrily with a smug, self-satisfied smile. "Best. Mom. EVER."

[twstfanblog]

!*~Valentine's Times~*! pt 2

A/N: Here's the first half of the dorms! I decided to add in my own world-building into this fic because that's my favorite part of writing honestly! Hope you enjoy it! Word Count: 5.5K Warnings: She/They Pronouns OC, Gets mildly spicy, swearing Pairings: Established poly (Yuu/Azul/Jamil/Malleus), Alluded to Riddle/Floyd, Alluded to Jade/Trey, Alluded Ruggie/Leona L (NRC Staff ft OCs). O (Here). V (Scarabia, Pomefiore, Ignihyde, Diasomnia). E (Crack)

O is for the only one I see...

~HEARTSLABYUL~ 

Valentine's Day was one of the most important days in Heartslabyul. Not just because it was the holiday covered in the Queen of Hearts motif, but because it was the literal marriage anniversary of the Queen and her first King. The man who arguably kept his fiery wife in good spirits and happiness, saving nearly hundreds from beheadings throughout his life. Even when the queen remarried, every February 14th she would all but explode from the love she still held for her former king.

As the centuries passed, the Queen's Anniversary was brought to other parts of Twisted Wonderland, morphing into Valentine's Day from multiple cultural adaptations. While still considered a minor holiday, it was widely celebrated. So, Heartslabyul as the Queen's dorm, took Valentine's Day very very seriously.

Yuu looked at the students of the Queen's dorm, watching the Heartslabyul crew rushing around in a pure panic trying to decorate. Riddle clearly wanted to make the school-wide holiday tea party perfect, more than likely nearly sending his own teen heart into mini cardiac arrests the second a single rose was found off by a petal or color. The dorm was in such hyper-focus, Yuu was able to walk around as though invisible, letting out a low whistle as the collared students running past them started reaching the double digits. They stop in front of a display of roses, each bloom so perfect and similar it kind of freaked them out…

“Maybe the chocolate will help him calm down…”

“HEY!” Yuu startled and turned, seeing Deuce with another student. Each with an armful of creepily perfect flowers in one arm and Deuce pointing directly at them. “NO LAZYING-...Oh. Yuu, what are you doing here?” Deuce shoved his share of flowers into the other first year's arms, ignoring their groans as he walked toward them, “The Valentine’s Day party isn't for hours. Did you come to help decorate?”

“Ha. No. I came to spread cheer-”

Deuce quickly placed his hands on Yuu's shoulders, staring into their eyes as though he were begging them for mercy, “Yuu, whatever shenanigans you have planned. Not here…Not today.”

“Oh my God. Calm down.” Yuu brushes off Deuce’s hands, smiling as they instead teasingly fix his dorm jacket, “I'm actually here to deliver cheer. In fact, can you do me a favor and get everyone in one place? I don't wanna run around trying to find everyone.”

He gives them a distrusting look but still sighs in acceptance. Looking away, he brings a hand to his mouth as he thinks, “I think everyone is mostly in the garden…Clover-Senpai is in the kitchen. So…” he smiles, pointing behind him with his thumb, “I'll grab Clover-Senpai and we'll meet you in the garden!”

Yuu beams, clapping their hands, “Perfect! See you in the garden, Deuce!” 

The two of them split, each running in opposite directions. Soon Yuu found themselves rushing into the maze, following the sounds of Riddle's yelling. They slow their jog, looking at the half decorated courtyard in mild amazement before Riddle's voice cuts through their thoughts.

“Trappola! I will ask you again…What is wrong with this picture!?” Riddle gestures toward a singular bush of bright red roses.

Ace seemed just as fed up, making loud humming sounds as he nearly shoved his face into the bush to look at the roses, “Besides the fact there's nothing wrong with the damn bush? No! I haven't the faintest idea, Housewarden!”

Yuu watches as Riddle physically turns away from Ace, hands covering his face with his head tilted toward the sky. He turns back, face growing its impressive shade of red as he points to one of the roses, “I SAID ‘ROSE RED’, TRAPPOLA. THESE ROSES ARE PINK.”

“WHERE!?” Ace’s face was quick to press against Riddle's hand, annoyingly trying to figure out what Riddle was seeing. When he could only see the roses as the red he asked for, he turned to Riddle, glaring, “WHERE!?”

“By the Seven! I'd dare to call them FUSCHIA!”

Somehow over the screaming match, Yuu heard a groan to the side of them. Cater sat at a table, card stock scattered around him with his ‘Cute’ handwriting spelling out people's names. Yuu smiles as they pick up their own card, raising an eyebrow at Cater’s mumbles.

“I can't. I'm not strong enough. I have to kill Idia by giving him his chocolates in public. There's no way #terrorone and #terrorjr are gonna be done fighting over this before lunch. Trey’s locked in the kitchen and I have to keep them from killing each other…”

They were barely able to keep their laughter in check, placing their name tag back down and yelling out loud enough to be heard over Riddle and Ace screaming at each other, “Hi~!”

Cater snaps up, eyes wild in fear as he looks at them, “Yuu, sweetie-”

Riddle snaps his head in their direction and points to the entryway of the maze's courtyard, nearly foaming at the mouth as he glared toward them, “GET THE FUCK OUT!”

“Aha!? Riddle, my hair is already half up. We can fight, right the fuck now.”

Silence passes through the courtyard. Riddle takes deep breaths, face held in his hands as he walks aimlessly to burn off his steadily growing aggression.

Ace watched Riddle with a wary eye before turning to Yuu, “Look, prefect. Unless you're here to help, I don't think you should stay long…” the unspoken ‘Riddle is going insane’ ringing clear.

Yuu smiles, shaking their head and patting their bag, “Not staying or helping. But…I come bearing gifts-”

How Riddle walked that fast in heels, on grass, with his short legs and not falling, Yuu didn't know. But the second-year stomps up to them, grips them tight by their overall straps and yanks them close. For a brief moment, Yuu felt fear, looking into Riddle's bloodshot gray eyes.

“Yuu. You are like a sister to me. I care about you deeply and I feel genuinely grateful that we were able to become friends. But whatever…nonsense you have cooked up. Don't. Literally. Don't. I think I would actually hurt you-oh…”

During Riddle's increasingly manic speech, Yuu had reached into their tote and presented him with his bag of chocolate. Tied closed with a bright red ribbon, fashioned to look like a flower bloom. Inside were rose-shaped milk chocolates filled with strawberry jam, crown-shaped sugar-coated strawberry gummy candies and gold-colored chocolate pearls. They smile lightly as Riddle slowly takes the bag from their grasp.

“You…you actually brought a gift for me…”

“Yeah. That was kind of my plan for today. I knew everyone was gonna be busy putting together this big ass party for today. So instead of doing the easy thing and waiting for the chocolate exchange later tonight, I decided to visit you guys all early and gift you your chocolates as a pick me up.” Yuu leans forward, smiling as they flick Riddle on the forehead to snap him out of his trance, “Because I'm so nice.”

Riddle sighs, holding the chocolate with both his hands, “I'm…I'm going to take a break. I think we all need it. Ace, we'll fix the roses later.”

Ace sputters, flailing his arms and just barely stopping from flinging his jacket off as he wretched a paint sample from his pocket to shove in Riddle's face,”I LITERALLY COLOR MATCHED THEM TO THE DAMN SAMPLE YOU PASSED OUT!?”

Riddle looks at the swatch, plucking it from Ace’s hands to bring it closer to his face, “Oh dear…this is last year's swatch. It's faded…”

“...” Ace breathed in deep, head tilting back as he let out an anguished-sounding yell before dropping to his knees and curling up in what Yuu could only call defeat.

They reach into their tote, pulling out another bag tied with red and black ribbons. Inside were milk chocolate-covered pitted cherries along with plain and red luster-dusted white chocolate heart shapes. Yuu drops the bag beside Ace’s head, chuckling as the first-year grabs it with a huff and opens it to eat one of the chocolates.

“We're here!” Deuce walks into the courtyard, one hand raised in greeting and the other dragging a bleary eyed Trey behind him.

Trey sighed, taking his hand from Deuces hold to pull his glasses off, “I've got 20 minutes until my cakes need to be out of the oven.” After cleaning the smears from his glasses, he places them back on his face only to have his eyes creasing at the scene before him, “What happened…?”

“Nothing of real importance-CATCH.” Yuu chucks a bag tied with dark green and yellow ribbons at Trey, barely giving the third-year a chance to realize something was being flung directly at his face.

Luckily Trey was able to catch the bag, looking into it with curiosity before he smiled. Dark and milk chocolates shaped like clovers with green chocolate pearls filled the bag. He opened it to examine the sweets, feeling proud at how well the chocolates looked compared to Yuu’s first attempts, “You did really well. I’m glad you took my advice, the chocolates seemed to have firmed up properly.” He pops the sweet into his mouth and chews, eyes widening at feeling the shell break “Oh! They’re filled…hm…The lavender paste isn’t as sweet as I’d normally make it, but it's really smooth and I like how it blends with the chocolate-”

Yuu pats the third-year’s shoulder, interrupting his critique, “Trey, thank you…but dude this is not a peer review thing, just eat the chocolate.”

He chuckles, reaching into the bag again to grab a different chocolate, only to snort at finding a green toothbrush in the bag as well, “I just want you to know I’m proud of how well you did.” 

Deuce looks on in question, humming under his breath before quietly asking Yuu, “Did you bring me chocolate too?”

“Are you one of my most special boys?”

“...” Deuce grew flustered, looking to the side as a small blush colors his cheeks, “Y-ya?”

“Then you get chocolate!” Yuu pulled out another bag, tied closed with blue and black ribbons. Inside were milk and blue luster-dusted white chocolates in the shape of spades, but the bigger shapes were cut-out marshmallows of yellow chicks.

Gasping, Deuce takes the bag gently in his hands as he looks at the marshmallows in poorly contained adoration, “I…Yuu, I can't eat them. They're so small. Yuu, I can't eat a baby chicken!”

Riddle grunts from the table beside Cater, chewing thoughtfully on one of the gummy crowns, “Don't waste food.”

Cater hums, raising an eyebrow as Yuu smiles at him, “Sweetie…you know I don't like sweets…” the thought Yuu went out of their way to make him a bag still made him feel appreciated though.

“I'm aware. So here.” They pull out a bag tied off with orange and red ribbons. Inside were dark chocolate circles that looked to have piped on emoji faces. Brightly multi-colored diamond-shaped gummies filling up the bag.

“Oh. My. SEVEN! Yuu, this is totally cam-able!” Cater grabbed the bag, eyes glittering just how adorable and on brand the bag felt for his account. Even if he couldn't eat the treats it felt nice that Yuu made sure the bag was cute for his Magicam.

“I also made sure to use the most bitter chocolate and Jamil, unknowingly, helped me make the Sriracha paste. Plus the gummies are sour coated.”

“...” Cater stood up and wrapped Yuu into a hug, swinging them around before he placed them down with a wide smile, “I'm going to take a hundred photos and then eat it all at once!” The third-year then zipped off to a different corner of the courtyard, bag and phone in hand as he started to hunt for the perfect lighting.

Yuu smiles, clapping their hands before walking toward the entryway, “Welp. My work here is done. I'll see you boys later tonight for the party. Try not to, like, kill each other before then.”

“No promises.” Riddle and Ace speak in unison, the two redheads glaring at each other once they realize the other had spoken.

Riddle then perks up, quickly standing and following after Yuu to speak to them in private, “Actually. You're going to Octavinelle, correct?”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Would you take my and Trey’s chocolates to the twins?”

“HA! No.” Yuu turns, a smile on their face as they move to walk out of the maze.

“I-! Why not!?”

“You have legs?”

Riddle huffed, stomping his foot before crossing his arms, “You know very well that if I hand Floyd his chocolates, he won't unhand me.”

“Fucking suffer. That's your boyfriend.” Yuu waved over their shoulder, smiling wide as they sang out, “Bye~!”

Riddle huffs, watching Yuu rush out of the maze and leaving them to their work. He turns back to the courtyard at the sound of a muted crunch and Ace yelling.

“Motherfucker! Yuu, one of these still had the pit in it!”

~SAVANACLAW~

Savanaclaw was somehow on par with Heartslabyul in terms of people rushing around. Though it seemed less of an organized panic and more so people were sprinting for the fun of it.

Yuu steps farther into the dorm, raising an eyebrow watching a group of students zoom past them. They raise an eyebrow as they touch one of the rock formations and turn heel, sprinting back into the opposite direction.

Ruggie appears, softly glaring at them as he gently elbowed them back toward the mirror, “Ay! No. Noooo. Leona's asleep, you can't be here.” 

“Did all of Savanaclaw join the track team?”

“Don't try to change the subject. I don't know what you did, but Leona's banned you from the dorm whenever he's asleep until further notice. He's paying me a good chunk of change to enforce it. So…” Ruggie bends down, arms locking behind Yuu's knees and lifting them over his shoulder to deposit outside of the dorm.

“How about I bribe you though?”

Ruggie stops, quietly pondering before he asks, “What kind of bribe?”

Yuu holds a bag to the side of his face, the plastic bag tied shut with brown and yellow ribbons. Three chocolate-dipped donuts surrounded by multi-colored mini donut-shaped white chocolates.

The hyena was quick to place them down, snatching the bag from their hand before he spread his arms wide, “My good pal, Yuu! Welcome to our humble dorm!”

“Fucking shameless. Anyway, the sprinting? What the fuck is that about?”

Ruggie hums, opening his bag to pull out one of the donuts, “Oh. It's a bit of a tradition in the Afterglow Savanna. Since it's so hot, chocolate doesn't really last long there. So it’s kinda custom to sprint your chocolate to the object of your affections. But it's also a claiming thing.” He points to the three students sprinting against each other, “Those three found out they're trying to give chocolate to the same person.”

Yuu laughs a bit, raising an eyebrow in question, “What's stopping them from throwing their chocolate at the person so it reaches them first?”

“Don't joke about that. It's stupid but one of them might actually do it. Trust me, I know. Valentine's Day makes everyone kinda stupid.”

“Oh, you're above that Ruginald? Don't feel the need to sprint your chocolate to the love of your life?”

Ruggie smiles, shrugging as he reached for one of the mini donut shapes, “Why would I? No one's dumb enough to try to give Leona chocolate and Leona isn't running anywhere.”

“I see. So you know your prey is cornered.”

“Why are you in the dorm?”

How neither noticed Jack standing a few feet away from them, blotting out the sun, they didn't know. But they simply waved at his stern expression.

“Hi Jack!”

“Hi, Yuu. You're banned from the dorm until further notice.”

Yuu waved him off, opening their tote to grab his bag of chocolate, “Oh it's fine. I bribed Rugward already.”

Jack turned to Ruggie, eyes narrowed as though to say ‘really?’ as he watched the second year pull out another donut, “What?”

Ruggie doesn't wait to have his mouth empty, speaking around the donut, “No idea what they're talking about.”

Yuu laughs at Jack's soured expression, “Don't worry, I have a bribe for you too.”

His expression didn't change, but his perked ears and quick swish of his tail showed how eager he was, “I don't want your bribe…”

They pull out a bag tied close with white and orange ribbons. White chocolate bones filled with pear jam, five mid-sized spheres of milk chocolate and scattered orange chocolate pearls.

Jack's face fully changed, showing his surprise as he held his hand out, “Oh…this is actually pretty nice…”

“What? Did you think I was going around giving people bags of live scorpions?”

Ruggie snorted, “That does sound like something you would do…”

“Rugamillion, where would I find that many scorpions in this weather?”

Jack had already pulled a chocolate bone from the bag, chewing it quietly as his tail wagged from the taste of pear, “That's the only issue you'd have?” He eyed the chocolate spheres with a more critical glance, shaking one lightly, “What's in these?”

“Probably scorpions.”

“Hahaha, fuck you. Those are hot chocolate bombs, but instead of cocoa mix I used that protein powder you keep at Ramshackle.” They smile, shrugging as they slowly elbow past Jack's body, “You can have a warm mug of protein-packed chocolate milk before bed. Get those gains in your sleep.”

Jack knew they were on their way to Leona's room. Sighing as he relented, they'd cause more of a fuss if he and Ruggie tried to remove them, “That's not how that works and you know it.”

“Can't hear you over the sound of me walking up the stairs.”

Ruggie’s snicker was barely audible from the second floor of the dorm. Yuu tipped-toed into Leona's room, quietly closing the door behind them. They walk closer to the bed, trying to not laugh as Leona's tail started to increasingly slap against the bed in an attempt to make them leave. Just as Yuu stood beside the bed, Leona's eyes blinked open drowsily.

It took a few seconds before Leona groans, rolling over and pulling his pillow over his head, “What the fuck do I even pay Ruggie for…?”

“You want like…a list or…?”

Leona groaned loudly, pointing back toward the door, “Get out. You know what you fucking did, get away from me.”

Yuu laughs, sitting on the bed and swatting away the tail hitting against their side angrily, “Aw~. Come on, it wasn't even that bad. Vil helped you get the green food coloring out so all's good right?”

“What the fuck do you want?”

“I brought a gift~!” Yuu pulls out a bag tied by yellow and orange ribbons. The bag was filled with various kinds of chocolates in the shapes of crowns and lion heads, golden pearls scattered inside. They shove the bag against Leona's face cooing as the beastman glares at them, “Happy Valentine's Day you fucking depressed mess.”

Leona glares quietly. But soon he rolls his eyes, snatching the bag away from Yuu's hands, “I should have killed you when I had the chance…”

Yuu grinned, knocking their head against his shoulder, “But ya didn't!”

“Seven, I hope this chocolate kills me…”

“Oh, I'm not that nice to you…but I do have a second gift!” They reach back into their tote, pulling out a purple velvet bag pulled closed by golden drawstrings. They placed it on Leona's lap, smile turning mischievous as he warily eyed it.

Leona picks up the bag, opening it slowly, tail flicking in curiosity. He looked into the bag, only to narrow his eyes at seeing nothing inside. There was clearly a weight, so it wasn't empty. Normally he'd just tilt the bag over to dump out whatever was inside, but this was his bed and Ruggie just washed the sheets. Instead, he reached inside, grunting as all he felt was powder.

He barely noticed Yuu had left the bed, quickly opening the door as he pulled his hand out of the bag. Leona squints his eyes at the gold dust on his fingers, “What the…” He wipes his hands on his pants, only to widen his eyes at the fine streak of gold glitter left behind, “YUU!”

Yuu giggled from her place at the open door, “Enjoy your bag of gold, your majesty!” Their giggle turning into a cackle as they close the door just in time to avoid Leona launching one of his boots at them.

“RUGGIE, WHAT DO I PAY YOU FOR!?”

Ruggie huffs from the lounge, raising an eyebrow at Jack, neither of them moving as Yuu sprinted to the mirror, “What, he needs a list or something?”

Jack looked at Ruggie in silence before he pulled another chocolate from his bag, “If he asks, I'm telling him you got bribed.”

“Damn, the betrayal of it all…”

~OCTAVINELLE ~

The lounge was in a quiet period, both Azul and Jade in the back office looking over their weekly reports. While it would be briefly closed for the school-wide Valentine’s party they were going to open their doors again in the later hours. A romantic dinner under the sea was simply too good for any couple to pass up. And while it would cut into their own romantic endeavors, Azul was more than willing to make the sacrifice for the increase in sales.

Azul hums, looking through his papers with a furrowed brow, “Jade, do you have the drink sales? I can't find them.”

“Hm…No. I already reviewed them and sent them off to Sam via Floyd.”

A moment of silence passes in the room before Azul puts his papers down, eyes widening once he realizes the time, “Jade, it's been nearly an hour. He should have been back by now.”

“...” Jade looked up, closing his eyes as he sighed. They were so busy today, he had hoped his brother wouldn't cause trouble due to boredom or frustration that he couldn't see his ‘Goldfish’ until later that night. But it seemed, once again, his wishes had gone unanswered, “Would you like me to find him?”

Sighing, Azul shuffled his papers again. That was a disaster waiting to happen. While FLoyd was more prone to chasing his object of affection around, Jade was no better. As Yuu put it ‘Every brain cell starts to function only to get Trey’s attention’, “No. If he's not back in the next hour though, I'll have to deal with the price of losing your assistance-”

Suddenly the door bursts open, Floyd's wide grin the first thing they see, “I brought Shrimpy~!”

The red and white figure clutching to Floyd's back waves, “He brought me~!”

Jade smiles, moving to one side and giving Floyd a space to drop Yuu unceremoniously onto the couch, “Yuu, what a surprise. I assumed you would use the class-free day to sleep well until the PM.”

Yuu rolls their eyes, opening their tote and looking through it, “Oh trust me. I would be. Instead I'm being nice and running around the dorms to deliver cheer to you over-worked losers.”

Azul tilts his head into his palm, raising an eyebrow, “My pearl. I adore you, truly. But if this is one of your ‘pranks’-”

“Oh, my Seven. I do one thing and now I'm labeled as being a danger the second I wanna do anything!”

Floyd hummed, flopping into the opposite couch as he put his feet onto the coffee table, “I mean you did poison like…two dorms in one day.”

“I didn't directly poison anyone, so it wasn't my fault. Now shut up and take your treats.” Yuu grabbed out three bags, throwing them each at their respective owners, “Repayment isn't necessary, but you boys know I take cash, credit, or life debts.”

Floyd looks down at his bag, teal and light purple ribbons tying it closed. It was just…a big ball. It looked like a basketball, which was kind of cool, but looking at Azul and Jade's bags he couldn't help but pout.

Azul looked flustered at the bag. Tied closed with light purple and white ribbons filled with chocolate truffles shaped at Octopi, white chocolate pearlescent shell shapes and purple pearls scattered throughout.

Jade’s bag had the same ribbons as his, the bag filled with the same white chocolate pearly shells and a mix of milk and Dark chocolate mushroom shapes.

Floyd scowls, glaring at Yuu, “Shrimpy this is sucky. Why did you make my chocolate so lame!?”

Yuu only smiled, holding up their hand and making a squeezing motion that only served to make him angrier. Did they wanna be squeezed? Cause he'll do it. Instead, he looked at the chocolate in his hand, growling as he gripped it tighter. Eyes widening at how easily the chocolate gave under his fingers.

He instead started to giggle, eyes sparkling at seeing the basketball was just a shell and inside were the same pearly chocolate shells and even teal luster-dusted fish.

“Aw~! Shrimpy! This is so cool, how'd you make a chocolate shell like this?”

“You gotta make two halves, then melt them enough that the edges stick together. The hardest part is smoothing it out…”

Floyd hums, opening his bag and looking at the broken shell pieces, “Seems easy. I wanna try it.” He stood, ignoring Azul's stern calls about how he was supposed to be helping with the reports.

Azul scoffs, watching Floyd openly ignore him as he leaves the room, “Great, now he's going to play in the kitchen.” He turns to Yuu, shaking his head and sighing, “I really must find a way to weaponize you. I would send you into rival restaurants and it’d be burned to the ground in a matter of minutes.”

“What if it’s underwater?”

“We both know you’d find a way.”

Yuu laughs, patting their bag, “Keep talking about me like I’m a threat and I won’t give you your second present.”

“Oh?” Azul perks up, folding his hands under his chin and smirking, “First the chocolate and now a second present? If you didn’t owe me money, I’d think you were trying to butter me up for a favor.”

Yuu opens their mouth to reply, only to stop hearing a sniffle beside them. Azul and Yuu turn to the sound, Jade’s face schooled into a frown as he pitifully sniffles and wipes at none existent tears.

“...Jade?”

“Oh. Don’t mind me, the least favorite. You two continue to playfully flirt.”

Azul glares to the side, mumbling under his breath with a blush, “We aren’t flirting.”

Yuu smiled and shook their head, “I knew you’d do some shit like this…”

Jade sniffs again, deepening his frown as he tilts his head back, “So sorry, my tears must be bothering you both. I will try to cry more discreetly. Boo, boohoo.”

While Azul sighed at Jade’s theatrics and Jade increased his theatrics, Yuu reached into their tote and slowly pulled out a large toadstool mushroom. They made Jade hold his hand out palm up before gently placing the mushroom into Jade’s hand.

The Eelmer sniffs again, but brings the mushroom closer to his face to examine, “Hm…A lovely Toadstool sample…I suppose this will-” Jade jumps briefly, feeling the mushroom move of its own accord. He watches transfixed as the mushroom’s stem splits to reveal a small body, the top of the toadstool taking the place of a hat as tiny eyes blink up at him, “Oh!”

Yuu gestures to the fairy now sitting contently in Jade’s hand, “This is Franklin. Answer his three riddles and he will lead you deep into the woods to a mushroom patch you have never seen before.”

Jade smiles, his ‘sadness’ quickly forgotten as he and the fairy stare into each other's eyes, “Amazing. To think I would hold one of you elusive creatures in my hands after years of your tauntings!”

Franklin looks into the Eelmer's eyes mildly fearful, only to relax and perk up when Jade hands him a single mushroom-shaped chocolate. Nibbling it thoughtfully as Jade stands from the couch.

“I shall leave the two of you to your devices. Azul, I believe we were due for a break anyway. So if you'll excuse me, I have terrariums to share and riddles to solve.” Jade left just as quickly as Floyd did. A pep in his step and polite enough to close the door behind him.

Yuu stands, walking to Azul's desk and leaning their hip against it as they tauntingly poked his cheek, “And then there was one.”

Azul huffs, but still reaches his hand to hold Yuu's, his thumb lightly stroking the back of it, “Honestly. You joke they're my bodyguards, but they'd leave me to such a predator as you without a second thought.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“Of course not. You have something of mine don't you?”

“Just because it’s a gift for you doesn’t mean it’s yours the second you know it exists.” But Yuu still hands over a large purple and teal-colored binder. Leaning farther on the desk until they were simply lying on the dark wood, kicking their feet as Azul looked through the binder.

“...” Azul was confused. He had expected something cute and disgustingly sentimental, photos of them or sweet messages of devotion. Instead, the binder started with a stylized page with what he recognized as Yuu’s measurements. Looking through the pages, he only saw photos of clothing, shoes, and accessories of his date-mate's preferred styles. Each photo came with a small tag showing the price and retailer. Flipping through more pages, Azul looks at Yuu over his glasses, “So…How is giving me your wishlist a present to me?”

Yuu smiles, taking a pen from his desk and marking a few hearts on certain photos as he turned the pages, “Well, this is an order guide for you. You buy me things from this handy little book and I’ll wear them for you.”

“Hmm. While I’m content to have an easy guide for the next few gifts I could acquire for you. Again, I ask, how is me buying you clothing a gift to me?”

“Well, I would hope you’d buy me a full outfit, but…” They shrug their shoulders, smiling coyly

Azul raised an eyebrow in question, only to have his expression grow flustered seeing what was on the next page. Lingerie, stockings, all manner of frilly scantily clad things. He brought the binder closer to his face, blue taking over his cheeks the more he turned the pages. 

The binder was slammed closed once he reached the more…risque centered lingerie, eyes staring wide at the siren draping themselves across his desk, “...Oh…” He looks at the closed binder on his desk then back to Yuu. Soon he matches their teasing expression, leaning forward to brush their lips against each other, “I'll think about it~.”

The kiss they shared was quick, if only because Azul pulled away to push his chair back from the desk. He pats his thighs, eyes commanding Yuu to sit in his lap. And they do so easily, cuddling into his hold as they straddle him.

“Happy Valentine's Day, Azul~.”

“Happy Valentine's Day, my pearl. I will admit, this is a splendid way to spend my break.” He nuzzles into Yuu's shoulder, kissing along their neck softly as his hands start to wander. Letting out a whine when Yuu stops his hands and pulls away.

Yuu smiles at Azul's disgruntled expression, “Well?”

“...Well, what?”

“I gave you two presents. You gotta give me something if you wanna make out.”

Azul growls, pulling Yuu closer to bring them in for another kiss, growing more frustrated when the magicless mage leans away from his lips. Realizing with their current position he wasn't getting any more kisses unless Yuu leaned back toward him. 

He sighs, reaching to open one of his desk drawers, “I'm not giving you my present until the exchange. You can live with being patient. But, my mother sent you a Valentine’s gift so I will give that instead.”

Yuu knew it was the right call to send chocolate to “Mama Grotto”. They just hoped that it'd survive and taste just as good in the sea.

Azul pulls out a flatl wrapped box, offering it to Yuu, “She kept insisting that I tell you I purchased it for you. I couldn't fathom why; you and my mother are on frighteningly good terms…”

Yuu opens the box, gazing curiously as they pull out a simple oyster. With the help of a letter opener and Azul's practiced hands, the oyster was opened to reveal a perfectly rounded teal pearl. Yuu gasps, eyes glittering at the small gem, “OH~! It's so pretty! I love it!”

Smiling, Azul rests a hand against his cheek, the other securely gripping Yuu's hip, “I'm glad. If you may, leave it here. I'll get it fashioned into a necklace for you.” He pushed up his glasses, mumbling under his breath as Yuu poked at the pearl, “Why would my mother insist this was a present from me…?” “Oh! Azul.” Yuu smiled, just on the edge of hysteria as they struggled to speak through their laughter. They had pulled the pearl out of its fleshy cushion, revealing the fact the pearl was already fashioned to be a very obvious engagement ring.

[darkenedreaper]

Pairing: Ellen Ripley x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Fluff

Summary: The newly married couple adjust to some new accessories…

A/N: This is only a short but there are more works in progress

Newly Weds

You and Ellen had recently gotten back off your honeymoon. You’d been married for just over 4 months now. You had a simple but beautiful wedding; just what Ellen wanted. She didn’t like a fuss being made about her, she told you countless times and although you were prepared to go all out for her, you were also prepared to give her the wedding she dreamt of. You’ve been together for 4 years but settling down together back onto earth with Newt took its time, especially after the years you’d spent with Ripley up in space, never thought you’d touch the Earths surface again, especially after the multiple attacks from Xenomorphs, being stranded on a planet, and being right in the middle of a Queen Xenomorphs nest. It was around another 4 year when the three of you were finally settled into your new home, and new lives on planet Earth with Jonesy and Newt.

And so when you both took your first holiday abroad to where Ellen and Newt had chosen to go to for the first time ever, you proposed. You didn’t want to overwhelm Ripley too much, but it felt right to have a photographer or two hidden round the corner. It was a simple but heartfelt proposal; you got down on one knee, took her hand, vowed your life to her, and popped the question. After she said yes a million times over Newt was squealing and jumping up and down in her little summer dress that Ellen had bought her after a girly shopping day. The ring was everything Ellen had wanted. So when Ripley said yes, and you’d embraced each other nearly in tears, you bent down to Newt and promised to love her and protect her forever, when you surprised her with a little silver bracelet with her name engraved on it.

When you got back home you shared the news with all the Marines at a weekly dinner/family time you all had. Safe to say they nearly broke the dining table and chairs they were all that excited.

Your wedding was beautiful. You were both dressed exactly how you wanted. Ellen was stunning that day, you tell her she’s stunning everyday but on the day you married one another she had a glow to her. Throughout your ceremony and vows you never took each others eyes off the other. Of course, the Marines and their families came to the wedding. Newt was the flower girl, Vasquez and Hudson were the bestmen/woman. Drake argued with Hicks because they both wanted to be in charge of decorations. Gorman and Bishop were in charge of food, Bishop was very particular as he wanted to make sure his best friends’ wedding went exactly to plan, as well as pleasing the guests. Ferro and Apone were in charge of everyone and ensuring the cake was military protected.

When your ceremony was over and both wedding rings were on you walked down the aisle having the marines chuck flower petals over you while everyone was their own photographer. Newt was skipping behind her loving parents down the aisle picking up some petals to put behind her teddys ear. When you sat at the table ready for food and cake at the end you and Ripley were hand in hand, only parting now and then see to friends, and see families of the marines… who were up and dancing with Newt before the cake had been cut. Some gave a speech and some felt their eyes water at the speeches, but no matter the emotion or reaction you and Ripley were sat together, souls and hearts interlinked. When it was time to cut the cake you both had your hands covering each others as you pushed the knife down through the 3 tiered cake. When you both got a piece cut, Ripley putting a small bit of cream on her finger, letting you lick it off, because shoving her whole piece of cake in your face. Even though it almost caused a food fight, the venue erupted with laughter and you swear you’d never seen Ellen’s smile so bright.

The night was drawing to an end. Some were clearing off and others were staying slow dancing or finishing off the cake. Vasquez had took Newt home with her partner for the night as she saw the small girly was tired and wanted to give the new brides a chance at focusing on one another. You and Ripley whispered some sweet and soft words to each other, arms wrapped around each other and soft kisses were placed gently. Later that night you went back to the fancy hotel that everyone had booked and went up to your en-suite room, there was some more cake but especially made for yourself and Ellen. And when I tell you that cake was put to use that night, it was. You consummated your marriage, so to speak, for hours that night. It was rough, slow, sensual, rough, slow, and sensual. You experimented and touched each other like you never had before. Kisses lasted longer, lingering fingers lasted a little longer than wanted as some grew impatient, the cake was drawn up each others body’s and the others tongue ran up and licked it all up. And clothes… yeah the clothes were ripped off.

The next morning you woke up admiring one another. Admiring your wife. It was a proud feeling to finally call Ellen your wife which you told her so that morning. And all she did was stare deeply into your eyes telling you softly that she loved you while she did her best to comb down your bedhead hair with her fingers.

And so 4 months on you were driving back from a shopping run with Ripley in the passenger seat and Newt safely and securely buckled up in the back with her teddy, getting through a doughnut you’d bought her, and softly singing along to the music you’d put on that she’d requested.

You had your hand resting in the middle of Ellen’s thigh gently caressing it with one or two fingers when you didn’t have to use two hands while driving. It was one of the small things Ellen majorly appreciated. She feels loved, acknowledged, and seen when you do the little things. Now this, your hand on her thigh whilst you were driving a 4x4, she found extremely hot, but she found it caring aswell. She was playing with your wedding ring, spinning it round on your finger and polishing it with her T-Shirt when she could. She’d gained a habit of these; if you were holding hands she’d play with it, in bed cuddling her arm would be resting over yours and either playing or stroking your ring. She thought she couldn’t already but she finds you even more attractive now that you’re wearing a wedding ring. She likes it because it looks good on your but also because she knows everyone can see you belong to someone. She likes it on you because she knows you like to show it off. Fiddling with your ring caught your attention to which at the next red light you leaned over to kiss her which she highly appreciated. She intertwined her fingers with yours and said, “This is staying on”.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

TransRightsReadathon Sales & Freebies!

I will be collecting books that are reduced or made available for free by authors for the TransRightsReadathon here. Feel free to share any that you know of that I might have missed:

Queeird: A Collection of Unusual Trans Masculine Erotica edited by Max Turner | ebook 2,80 £, paperback 6,30 £

Androids and aliens, werewolves and vampires, furries and… tentacles? This is a collection of unusual, and at times monstrous, erotica featuring trans masculine characters. From the ridiculous to the romantic, expect kinks, quirks and tropes. All the stories feature trans masculine main characters, with a variety of cis, trans female, trans male and non-binary lovers.

Deck the Holes by WrenVLothaire | ebook 0.50$

It’s Yule, a celebration Aloysius is well versed in but never has the time of year been his favorite. But with Malachai, a partner with whom he’s come to love and cherish, this holiday may not be as somber as it’s always been. This time he has a surprise in store. Let’s just hope the owner of the home approves of the decorations. t4t, trans man MC

Tales of Genesis I-III by H.S. Wolfe | ebook free, (the book one that these short stories are based on costs 1.99$)

Out of the Rain by TinyLesbianRobot | ebook 0.50$

Echo interrupts a lazy morning with a strange request of Ender. The first in a series of shorts set in the Genesis universe and can be read as a stand alone without having read In The Garden Of Echo t4t, trans man MC & trans woman MC

The weather has taken a turn, forcing Flax and Lost to rush for shelter.  But now that they've found a place to dry off, Lost's drenched clothes are clinging to her, and Flax is finding it difficult to keep from staring... This story is a non-canon short set in the world of my novel 'Messenger': just under ten thousand words of warm, fluffy, robot-on-angel-on-human smut, a cozy and affectionate scene between women who love each other a whole lot. transfemme MC

Rien Gray's Trans Rights Readathon Sale | ebooks 60% off, $6.00 for 2 books

Follow a fellowship of sapphic knights as they’re seduced by witches, queens, goddesses—and each other—in a dark, lush fantasy inspired by Arthurian legend. genderfluid butch MC, agender MC

Valerin the Fair by Rien Gray | ebook free (+ other free sapphic books)

genderfluid butch MC

Our Monsters by Jemma Topaz | ebook 69% off, $1,23

Rosemary Dulahan, answering a strange job posting, arrives in Monstertown – a place inhabited by magical beings from another world. Navigating the politics of sphinxes, lamias, and secrets, she must learn how to get along with her non-human coworkers and maybe romance a few monster girls along the way. There's nothing she wants less than getting caught up in a murder mystery troubling all of Monstertown… but the mystery doesn't care what she wants, and she's about to discover the darker side of her new world. trans woman MC

A.A. Fairviews TransRightsReadathon Bundle | ebook free

In celebration of the second TransRightsReathon you can grab A Doctor's Touch and Peaceful in the Dark for free.  Following a trans masc vampire and queer werewolf- these stories are as sweet as they are sensual.  transmasc MC

Bury your Gays & Bound in Flesh | ebook free

Anthology of tragic queer horror & anthology of trans body horror by ghoulish books

The Fealty of Monsters by Ladz | ebook free

Winter 1917. After years on the run from a dangerous cult, twenty-three-year-old Sasza and his father have established themselves among the Odonic Empire’s ruling class. But there’s a problem: Sasza is a vampire, and vampires aren’t supposed to get involved in human governance. What the aristocracy doesn’t know, after all, cannot hurt them. Unfortunately, Sasza is far more involved than a stealth vampire should be. Not only does he work to quell the rumors of the vampires’ responsibility for an unsolved massacre, his lover is also the pro-proletariat Ilya, the Empire’s Finance Minister, who tries to recruit Sasza into the same cult hunting him. Then—the Emperor declares war against the Vampire States. Diplomacy has failed. Sasza quickly learns that he will do anything to preserve peace–including giving in to the monstrosity he spent so many years concealing from even himself. nonbinary MC

Trans Readathon by Wicked Witch Writes | ebook 50% off, $5

Your Body is Not Your Body anthology | ebook $1,99

A centaur seeks illicit surgery in an alien bodily modification club. Two medieval monks react to their transformation and demonic pregnancy in very different ways. A resourceful trans teen destroys sports bigots through the power of pluckiness...and abundant body horror. A stellar cathedral crosses galaxies to dump the corpse of God into a star before the mission devolves into a panoply of psychedelic orgies. A doxxed teen falls victim to violent assault and dishes out some harrowing retribution of their own. Over thirty Trans and Gender Nonconforming creators unite to voice their rage, and the rules of conventional Horror go out the f$%&ing window in this collection featuring murderous pleasure-bots; proselytizing zombies; acid-filled alien cops; science run amok; sorcerers, ghouls, cannibals...and that barely scratches the grave-dirt.

Blood from Stone by Bellamy Scott | ebook PWYW

Hitting a deer while driving a country road is unfortunate, but common enough that no one expects it to re-order the fabric of reality as they know it. For Sam, a rogue stag on a summer night takes his husband, his life, and his name in a single blow. As months of grief pass, he things he's begun to get used to his new reality, until an encounter with a childhood friend changes it all over again. BLOOD FROM STONE is a story of an old lady doing good deeds for bloody boys on the side of the road, of poisoned wine, and of a trans man Becoming Real.

Becoming Light by Riley Nash | ebook free

When people meet me, they see a bright faced, happy-go-lucky kindergarten teacher who will do anything to support his friends. Not everyone knows the struggle I’ve faced to become the man I am today.  Now it’s finally time for the gender-affirming surgery I’ve been dreaming of for years. But when an emergency leaves me without a caretaker, the only person who can take me in is my best friend’s aloof, reclusive, and incredibly sexy dad. The one who has no bedside manner and struggles to communicate. The one I’ve had a crush on for years. The deeper we see into each other’s worlds, the stronger the attraction gets. I’m not sure either of us can make it through the next four days without giving in. Trans man MC

​TransRightsReadathon Sale by Matthew Zakharuk | ebook 50% off, $2.50

a story of trans transhumanism + a dystopian gothic

[xxnomadsxx]

omg wait, there’s that holiday special. Idk if this is timeline compliant for when they discover the Grey trolls in your Nomad AU but lol would they be involved with the festivities? Poppy dumping glitter and sparkles and invitations and gift exchange chards over their village omg. The attention this would attract. And the ferals, omg

They do miss out on the first two holidays specials Timeline wise, but if they were there for them they would go like this. For the first one it would be Branch freaking out about the Bergens and staying 20 feet away from them (He would emphasize with them about Poppy coming on too strong and would try to tell her that) he would also be struggling with being around happy trolls. Thing is there too for emotional support…and so his brother doesn’t get eaten. The grey village would stay 1000 feet away from Bergen town till eventually it being deemed safe for them to visit

The second holiday special would be the grey trolls struggling to give the other genres gifts (there gifts would be weapons, food, traps, cloaks, or just practical day to day items the grey trolls think they need) they realize how “boring” and “weird” there gifts are so the whole special would be Branch freaking out what to give the queen of Pop (he was told she gave the best gifts and got really worried) while in the background random grey trolls are freaking out about what to get others (the feral (trolls?) don’t care what the other trolls think and just get them a bunch of food or dead animals. In their minds they’re amazing gifts. Thing got someone a chicken, like a normal sized chicken which in comparison to the trolls is HUGE!!!!) in the end the trolls love what they were originally got by the grey trolls since they were cool gifts (all the gift were used for not there intended purpose)

The timeline first holiday special for the grey trolls would be after they are discovered and have been getting along with the other trolls. Poppy and Branch’s brothers sees how little holidays they celebrate and how watered down the holidays they did have were (they were toned down to not track attention from predators) so the special would be them and a bunch of different trolls overwhelming the grey trolls, like covering the village in decorations, confetti, invites and soooo MUCH GLITTER!!! (Not to mention the brothers drowning Branch in gifts that were very childish and trying to do a million activities to make up for loss time) It’s similar to how the first special goes with how they try and do a million holidays at once, but eventually Branch has to step up and tell her she’s freaking out the village (they were super scared they would be found by predators and honestly it was way to much) soon the other trolls see what Branch means and they tone it down to a quick gift exchange and hot meal (the feral (trolls?) didn’t mind much since they can take down anything that would threaten them and just learn about the holidays and party hard…they somehow overwhelm the pop trolls!?!??!)

Branch’s brothers struggle to get the right gift at the gift exchange and overwhelm Branch. Thing watches it all unfold laughing, until he walks down handing Branch his gift..to which he promptly hugs Thing telling him he loves it!!! (which he hasn’t done to any of the brothers gifts) The brothers are seething with jealousy and watch as Thing gives the smuggest face as he hugs Branch (the gift was a knife that Branch had broke so Thing upgraded it and put his initials on it, it’s the small things that count)

[tessa-liam]

Turning the Page  

Home is Where the Heart Is -8-

Choices, The Royal Romance, AU 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Series Masterlist 

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who belongs to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match. 

Rating: M🔞Warnings - Series will contain crude language, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 2501 

Home is Where the Heart Is – 8 

Chapter Summary: Madeleine reveals her threat to the Royal council, while Liam makes initial preparations to bring Riley and William home to Cordonia. William, with Riley’s help, decorates a gingerbread house for his father. Liam arrives in New York on Christmas Eve. 

Music Inspiration:

Bless the Broken Road, Selah, Melodie Crittenden 

All I Want for Christmas is You, Mariah Carey 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.  

A/N2: My submission for @choicesflashfics, Week#64, prompt #2 - “I’m not in the mood for a lecture.” 

A/N3: My submission for @choicesflashfics, Holiday Prompt #82 - “The only thing I want for Christmas is you.” 

A/N4: My submission for @choicesdecember2023, prompt, Food and Feasts - ‘Gingerbread House.’ #choices monthly challenge 

A/N5: My submission for @choicesholidays, Winter Holidays 2023 prompt event, Week5 – This is the best Christmas ever! @angelascribbles  

Brooklyn Heights, New York City 

As Riley carefully placed the gumdrops on the roof of the gingerbread house, William stood nearby, watching her intently. “Mama, put red one there,” pointing to the chimney top. William was serious about the details of the house. For him, everything had to be ‘just right’. 

Riley softly smiled. William wanted everything perfect for his Christmas gift to his father. 

"Mama, can I help?" 

"Of course, honey." Riley handed him the bag of candy, and William began to place them on the house, giggling as he did so. 

"You're doing a great job, LiLi. Your Daddy will be so proud of you.”  

"Look, Mama! It's finished." 

"Yes, it is ... almost. We just need a few more pieces of candy and we should put more ‘snow’ on the roof." 

William squealed with delight as Riley handed him the piping tube of frosting to hold, as they began to finish the roof together. 

Just as they were finishing up, Riley heard the front door open, and she turned to see Matteo coming into the brownstone, a large bag of Chinese take-out food in his arms. 

"Surprise! We thought we'd bring dinner." Daniel announced while Matteo nodded his head to the royal guard standing next to the entrance. Daniel followed, stomping the snow from his boots. 

"Thanks, guys. You're the best." Riley carefully moved the house to the counter to set, to make room for dinner.

"Unca Dan Dan! Unca Matty! Look what Mama and I made." William tugged at Daniel’s coat. 

"Wow, that looks so cool, LiLi." Daniel squatted down for a mini fist bump. 

William beamed, "It's a gingerbread house for Daddy. He's going to be surprised." 

"He will. I'm sure he'll love it." Matteo placed the bag of food on the table and pulled out his phone. "We should take a picture." 

Riley nodded, "Good idea. Come on, everyone." 

They all gathered around the gingerbread house, smiling as Matteo snapped a few photos. 

"Perfect. Thanks, guys.” 

"We got your favorites, Ri. Orange chicken, vegetable lo mein, and fried rice." 

"You know me so well." Riley smiled appreciatively. 

“Ummmm ... Ri?” 

Riley looked at Daniel, noticing he was moving his head toward the Royal guard. “Do we need to feed ‘Lurch’ over there?” he whispered. 

Smirking, Riley shook her head ‘no’ and asked, "What's the special occasion?" 

"Just a quiet night in. It's been a long week of travelling." Matteo sighed. “I am beat.” 

"Well, we have three days here before we leave for Greece," Daniel shimmied over to kiss Matt on the lips as William climbed into his toddler seat. 

"What's happening in Greece?" Riley asked, puzzled. 

"Matty’s corporate New Year's Eve party is being held at a private estate this year in Athens," Daniel answered. 

"Wow. Sounds fancy." Riley grinned, setting plates on the table. 

"It will be.” Matteo winked at Daniel. 

“Speaking of fancy ... and what about you, Riley?  What has Liam planned for you and William this Christmas?” 

Riley glanced at the royal guards standing near the entrance. She knew Liam would be returning in a few days, knowing that the guards received the King’s itinerary this morning. "Actually, I'm not entirely sure, yet." 

"Maybe a romantic dinner up in the Hampton’s," Daniel suggested, waggling his brows at Matteo. "The man owns a private jet, Dan. The sky’s the limit." Matteo added. 

Riley giggled, "Who knows? I am just thrilled he will be here with us," mussing William’s hair as he returned her smile. 

"So, how are things with you two?" Riley asked, changing the subject. 

"Good. Great, actually" Daniel replied with twinkling eyes. 

"Couldn't be better, Daniel is right. The change of scenery has been fantastic," Matteo agreed, giving Riley a wink. 

"Uh, ha," Riley chuckled, suspiciously. "Okay ... what is it?” Riley laughed, knowing her best friend all too well. 

"We might have some news." 

"Daniel ..." Matteo shook his head, "Not until after we formally announce it." 

"Spill. You can't just say something like that and not give details." Riley demanded., chuckling.

"Okay, okay. I cannot keep it a secret any longer. We're getting married!" 

Riley gasped, "Oh my god, Daniel! Oh! You guys! Congratulations!” 

"Thank you, Ri.” Riley stood up and gave Daniel a huge hug. Matteo smirked, knowing all too well that Daniel could not wait to tell his best friend the good news. 

"I can't believe you're getting married. That is amazing.” Riley gushed hugging Matteo.

"We're really, really happy, Ri. And we could not have done this without you. If you hadn't encouraged us to take a chance, we would have never realized how perfect we are together." Matteo gazed lovingly at Daniel. 

"It was all you two,” Riley countered. “You both just needed a push in the right direction.” 

"We're so glad you were the one to push us. This is the best Christmas ever!”, Matteo grinned. 

"So, when's the big day?" 

"We haven't decided yet. But we're thinking sometime in the spring," Daniel squeezed Matt's hand.

"That sounds lovely. I can't wait." Riley paused ... “Oh, I mean ...” 

"Neither can we. Riley, would you do me the honor of being my maid of Honor?” 

"Oh, yes! I'm really, really happy for you guys. You deserve all the happiness in the world. Yes! I would be honored.” 

"Thanks, Ri. That means so much to me." 

As they sat down and began to eat, Riley could not help but feel a tinge of sadness. She knew that the wedding would be beautiful in Greece, and she was happy for her friends, but ... she could not help but wish that she and Liam were engaged, too, and planning a future. 

"Mama, can I have some chicken?" William asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. 

"Of course, honey." Riley placed a piece of chicken on his plate, cutting the piece into bite size portions. William dug in, grinning. 

Standing up from the table, Riley's eyes were filling with unshed tears as she excused herself from the table, turning towards her bedroom. Needing a chance to breathe and have some space, she walked into her room and clicked the door closed behind her. Riley bowed her head, wiping the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks, and slid down to the floor. 

It was hard not to think about all the ‘what-ifs’.

What would have happened if they could have found Tariq in time to stop the wedding?

What if Liam had chosen her the night of his coronation instead of Madeleine?

What if Liam had chosen her, scandal be damned? As she sat on the floor, more memories surfaced.  

A memory of her and Liam together in the blue grotto in Italy, when Liam mentioned abdicating the throne as a way of moving forward. 

'There's this thought I can't shake off ... what our life could look like together. You and I. Without the court and the Crown.' 

'What does it look like?' 

'The parts I know? We elope and get married in a small, private ceremony...' 

Riley wiped her tears. knowing that this was in the future for Daniel and Matteo, but not for her. 

‘But you can't abdicate, Liam. You wouldn't be happy if you gave up the throne and... you wouldnt be you. In your heart, you know that.’ 

’If I do marry Madeleine, can you go on like this? Stealing moments, meeting in secret?’ 

"Mama?" William’s little voice sounded outside her door, interrupting her thoughts. 

"Yes, LiLi?" Riley softly spoke, standing up and wiping her tears away. She opened her door to see William looking up at her. 

"Are you sad, mama?" William pointed to her eyes. 

"No, honey. I'm just happy for Uncle Dan and Uncle Matty." 

"They marry?"  

"Yes, they are. Isn't that exciting?" 

"Mama, are you and Daddy marry, too?" 

Riley took a deep breath and put her arm around William, "someday, maybe." 

“We can be a real family." 

"We're already a real family, William. No matter what happens, you and I will always be together." 

"Promise?" 

"...and Daddy too?" 

Riley closed her eyes, her hands trembling as she tried not to break down. She was unable to speak and was trying to catch her breath. 

"Mama? Why crying?" 

"I-I'm sorry, William. I'm just feeling a little sad. It has been a long day.” 

Overhearing William, Daniel pushed open the bedroom door.  

"Hey buddy, go see Uncle Matt and finish your dinner." 

“Okay, Dan Dan.” As William went back into the kitchen, Daniel sat down beside Riley and hugged her tightly. 

“Riley?" Daniel questioned his friend. 

"Y-Yes. Everything's fine." 

"Doesn't look like it." 

"I'm just...it's hard, you know? To watch my best friend, get married when..." 

"I know, Riley. It is difficult. But remember, you and Liam are in a good place, now. And who knows? Maybe someday, you will be the ones getting married." 

Riley’s breath shuddered as she looked at Daniel, searching his eyes, staying silent. 

"I understand this is hard, but you can't let the past hold you back. You and Liam have come so far. You just have to take things one step at a time." 

Riley's cell pinged with a message. Picking up her phone, ‘Liam’ appeared on the screen.  

Cordonian Royal Palace 

Olivia, standing in for Liam, and standing for the Royal council, sat at the King's desk. Rashad and his father, the Crown’s personal legal counsel, sat on the sofa next to Liam’s large ornate desk. Madeleine's heels could be heard clicking down the hallway, stopping outside of the study door. Madeleine cleared her throat before Bastien opened the door and allowed her to enter. 

Entering the King’s study, her face was impassive. 

"Where is Liam?" 

"The King is occupied with important matters. He's asked me to represent him in this meeting." Olivia coldly, but politely answered the ex-queen of Cordonia. 

Madeleine’s glare turned nasty as she looked at Olivia in disdain. 

"Keep it up Madeleine. As the King’s representative, you will deal with me and answer all the questions I am looking for. Is that understood, Madeleine? I am not your subject.” Olivia sat back confidently. 

"I am not in the mood for a lecture," Madeleine scoffed.

"Very well. I am here to discuss the matter of the succession of the Crown. I trust the council has brought you up to speed?" 

"Indeed, they have." Olivia responded. 

"Good. Then there is no need to waste time. Let's get down to business." Madeleine said with a smirk. "As you know, the King has yet to select a queen, and secure an heir to his throne. Given his indecisiveness, I propose that the council appoint an heir, should Liam not produce an heir by his thirtieth birthday." 

"We're well aware of the succession laws, and I assure you, the council will make the necessary decisions, should the time come." Olivia rebutted. 

"The King's appointment must meet the established criteria. Should the King choose an heir that does not meet the qualifications, the council is authorized to remove the heir from the line of succession." 

"Your point being, Madeleine? I am sure that you understand that you no longer have any sovereignty in Cordonia." Olivia confidently countered. 

"My point is, is that if he fails to produce an heir, then the council has the authority to choose an alternate. I propose that the council select my unborn child to be named as the heir, since the child was conceived while our marriage was valid. My child meets the requirements, and should the King fail to produce an heir, the council would have no choice but to appoint my child." 

Rashad's eyes narrowed. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, Madeleine. The law is quite clear. A child cannot be appointed as an heir, unless said child is adopted by the monarch first." 

"...and Liam could adopt my child,” Madeleine seethed. 

Rashad continued, “that would require the child to live under the guardianship of the monarch, which is not possible, given the circumstances. Your residence is in Morocco, not Cordonia. as per the marriage dissolution filed legally." 

Olivia nodded, "The council will consider your proposal. In the meantime, Liam's position is still unchanged. He is free to choose his own heir, should the need arise.” 

Madeleine stood up from her armchair and turned toward the bay window overlooking the gardens, contemplating her retort her arms crossed.

"Madeleine, you cannot expect the King to simply appoint your child, when he has another option." Olivia rebutted, knowing that Madeleine was aware of William. 

Rashad added, “again the law is quite clear. A child who is conceived by the monarch while married or not, has the right to a place in the line of succession, even if the parents are not together." 

"Even if the child is a bastard? He was conceived outside our marriage.” Madeleine spat, frothed with resentment. 

"Yes. As was your child," Rashad reminded her. 

"This is absurd. We are done here....guards!” Olivia summoned, as Madeleine was escorted out of the study by the Royal guard. 

*** 

Liam, Leo, Drake and Bastien watched the entire exchange virtually from Liam’s personal quarters. 

"Do you think she's capable of harming Riley?” Drake wondered aloud. 

"Yes, I am sure of that. If not herself ... her father. Liam sat back in his chair, his hands steepled in front of his mouth, annoyance etched on his face.

"I think that she is desperate and will do whatever she can to get what she wants.” Leo added supporting his brother. 

“Bastien, begin the surveillance protocol on the countess and her father, Liam commanded. 

“Consider it done, your Majesty.” Bastien confirmed, standing to leave the room. 

"Do you think it’s wise to bring Riley and your son back to Cordonia?” Drake questioned. 

"It's the only way, Drake.” 

"What if Riley doesn't want to come back to Cordonia?" 

"Then I will support her decision, but I have to at least try.” 

Liam stood, walking to his private chambers, with phone in hand.

‘Hello Riley!’ 

‘Liam, hi! How are you?'

‘I'm well. How are you and William keeping?’ 

‘We're doing great. We miss you, though.’ 

‘I miss you both, too.’ 

‘I have a proposition for you...’ 

‘Oh?’ 

‘How would you and William like to come to Cordonia and stay with me at the palace after Christmas?’ 

Riley blinked, not sure how to respond.

‘When I go home after spending Christmas week with you...come back to Cordonia with me.'

'Liam, you can't be serious.'

'I'm quite serious, love.'

'You want me and William to come to Cordonia and stay with you in the palace?'

'Yes, I want you both here with me.'

'Li, I don't know. That seems like a big step.'

'I understand your hesitation. But please, just consider it.'

'I will see you in a couple of days, love. We can talk more then.'

'OK, I am looking forward to seeing you, Li. William made something special just for you.'

Liam smiled, 'I look forward to seeing it, but love, the only thing I want for Christmas is you.'

Thanks for reading!

📌All fics & edits: @ao719 @txemrn @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @charlotteg234

📌Liam x Riley, MC/ OTP: @jared2612 @irisk12 @thesvnsins @walkerdrakewalker

📌Liam x Riley, OC: @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @walkerdrakewalker @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesfrog @amandablink

📌Liam x Sophie: @charlotteg234

📌Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesflashfics @choicesdecember2023 @choicesholidays

[lilacmingi]

SCROOGE

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works

Pairing: Grumpy Seonghwa x Christmas enthusiast!fem reader

Word count: 3,480

Note: Another imagine from my Christmas series on Wattpad from 2021 <3 since this imagine originated on Wattpad, there will not be any continuations

You brought your hand up, tapping your knuckles against the door of your soon-to-be home. The hinged barrier swung open, revealing Seonghwa, the owner of the apartment.

"Hi. It's Y/n. We went out for coffee last week to talk about me possibly being your new roommate." You told him.

"Yes, I know. I called you yesterday saying you could move your stuff in."

"Right." You chuckled, nervously. "I don't know why I said that."

"It's fine. Do you need help?"

"Yes, please. It's not much, but it'll take me a while to move it all by myself."

Seonghwa stepped aside, allowing you to roll your suitcase inside.

"Wow. This place is nice. Very spacious." You commented.

"Thanks. Let me show you to your room."

You followed him down the hallway to the empty bedroom that would soon be full of your stuff. When you saw an ad for the opening online, you were quick to contact Seonghwa because you heard the room was mostly furnished. There was a queen sized bed that just needed sheets and a comforter, a few shelves and a desk. Just the basics, but it was enough for you.

You thanked Seonghwa and placed your suitcase by a wall before leading him to your vehicle where he helped you take out boxes, carrying them up to the apartment.

As much as you wanted to talk with him and get to know your new roommate better, you couldn't. Carrying the boxes from your car and to the apartment left you breathless.

Seonghwa walked behind you, his eyes catching sight of writing on the box he was carrying. Glancing around the side, he saw the words CHRISTMAS STUFF scrawled on the box in bold sharpie. His top lip curled in disgust. Just thinking of the holiday made him want to hurl. Too much cheer, too much happiness, too much music, and too much for him. You seemed like a nice person, so he tried to give you the benefit of the doubt and attempt to look on the bright side.

She's just got this one box. She's probably not one of those overly cheerful people who are obsessed with Christmas. He thought.

You let out a huff as you set down the last box.

"Finally. Thank you for helping out."

"No problem. I'll leave you to it. If you need any assistance, just let me know."

"I will. Thanks."

Seonghwa gave you a small nod before closing the door and leaving you to yourself.

"Okay." You rubbed your hands together. "What first?"

It didn't take long for you to get settled in. Before you even knew it, you had all your boxes empty and everything was put together. You had your sheets and comforter on the bed and put all your little knickknacks and other items onto the shelves. You smiled to yourself as you took a gander around your new room. Thought you had just moved in, the place was honestly already starting to feel like home.

You had been staying with Seonghwa for almost a full month now. It was nearing the end of November and you couldn't help but notice the lack of Christmas decorations in the apartment. Normally, people would have their trees and decorations up by now, but the whole pace was bland and didn't give off any holiday cheer at all.

"I noticed you don't have any Christmas decorations." You mentioned as you waited for yours and Seonghwa's ramen to cook.

"I'm not really a Christmas person." He answered.

"Oh." You frowned. "Well, to each their own."

As you stirred the noodles in the pot of boiling water, an idea popped into your head.

You decided right then that you were going to take it upon yourself and decorate the apartment, making it look festive for the holidays.

The next day, you left to go Christmas shopping. You had brought a few Christmas decorations with you from home, but it wasn't enough—you needed more.

A few hours later, you returned to the apartment with an armful of bags. Thankfully, Seonghwa didn't seem to be around as you lugged the newly purchased items to your room.

Once you had everything unpacked, you started to decorate, stringing garland along the shelves in the living room, placing little nutcrackers along the windowsill, all while listening to Christmas music.

You hummed along as you strung tiny fairy lights across the coffee table, maneuvering them around the tiny reindeer and snowmen figures.

You heard a door open, followed by the shuffling of feet. Turning around, you saw Seonghwa standing at the end of the hallway that connected to the living room. You thought he wasn't home, but it appeared he had been in his bedroom the whole time.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Decorating." You answered with a smile. "I didn't think you'd mind."

"I don't love it." He answered. "But you live here too, so I guess it's fine."

"Ah. Good." You turned your attention back to the task at hand, bobbing your head to the festive music.

You heard Seonghwa's soft footsteps for only a moment before the sound ceased.

"Could you turn off that noise?" Seonghwa asked, seeming a bit irritated.

"Oh. Sure. Sorry."

"It's fine." He muttered, walking out of the room.

You did what Seonghwa asked and turned the music off, opting for headphones so you could listen in peace and enjoy the music without disturbing him. His reaction kind of stunned you. He said he wasn't a Christmas person, but his reaction almost made it seem like he hated the holiday. You didn't think about it too much, as you still had a box of Christmas stuff from your house to put up.

By the time you were done decorating, the place had a cozy and festive feel to it, one that made you feel warm inside. Seonghwa may not care much for Christmas, but there's no way he can't like the bright and festive decorations you put out. A proud smile spread across your face as you admired your handiwork.

Seonghwa returned to the room, walking over to the wall where you had hung two stockings. His face scrunched in distaste as he lifted one of them up.

"What is this?"

"That's your stocking." You told him. "It has your name on it."

"Well, I don't want it."

"What? I painted our names on the stockings myself."

"I didn't ask you to get me a stocking."

"You didn't have to."

He grumbled in response.

"You know, it's proven that Christmas decorations lift your mood." You told him.

"Not mine."

"We'll see about that."

A few days later you and Seonghwa were sitting in the living room watching TV. Your eyes drifted from the screen to a huge empty spot in the living room. As happy as you were that you decked the place out with Christmas decor, something was missing.

"We need a tree." You commented aloud.

"No we don't. What you did is plenty."

"Come on, Seonghwa. You can't have Christmas without a tree."

"If you wanna go, by all means, knock yourself out, but I'm not going."

"Don't be such a Scrooge." You ruffled his hair playfully. "Plus, I could use an assistant to help choose the perfect tree."

Seonghwa gave you a hard glare, but stopped when he saw the bright expression on your face. As badly as he wanted to say no, he couldn't.

"Alright, fine. If it'll make you happy, I'll go." He gave in.

"Wonderful!"

Once the both of you were all bundled up, you jumped in the car and drove off to the nearest Christmas tree farm.

"There it is!" You pointed.

You pulled your car into a parking space and stepped out into the lot. A sign at the entrance of the tree farm read: Get your Christmas trees here! You hurried across the small parking lot, Seonghwa dragging behind. Closing your eyes, you took in a deep breath, enjoying the scent of the trees.

"Do you smell that?" You asked.

"Not really." Seonghwa muttered.

You ignore his response, scanning the selection of evergreens.

"Let's look at this tree." You pointed. "It looks really nice."

You walked over to said tree and began inspecting it, running your fingertips along some of the the needles as you walked around the fir. Upon inspection, you shook your head.

"There are some dead limbs on here. We don't want that."

"Of course we don't." Seonghwa remarked sarcastically.

You continued your search, passing by trees that didn't catch your eye. You finally came to a stop when you spotted the perfect tree. It was the perfect height, not too tall, but not too short either. The fir was perfectly healthy and had deep green needles.

"This is the one." You stated.

Glancing around, you called one of the employees over, showing him the tree you wanted.

"Alright. We'll get it all wrapped up for you." He told you before walking off.

As you waited, you spotted a man dressed as Santa Claus sitting in a large, red chair under a small awning. There were no kids around, so you decided to have some fun.

"Hey Mr. Claus." You greeted the man as you approached.

He smiled warmly. "Hello, young lady. What would you like for Christmas?"

"Oh." You were surprised he asked. "I didn't expect that." You chuckled.

"Why? You're never too old to get a Christmas present from Santa."

You smiled, then began to think about what you wanted. You knew Santa wasn't real and that this wish couldn't be fulfilled, but you wanted to tell the man anyway. You leaned in, whispering something in his ear.

"Oh a very kind wish." He responded with a nod.

His eyes trailed over to Seonghwa who was watching you from a distance, a soft expression on his face and a slight twinkle in his eye.

"I have a feeling it'll come true." Santa told you.

Oblivious to Seonghwa's staring, you gave the man in red a gentle smile.

"We'll see."

You returned to your grumpy roommate who put on his usual sour expression when you walked up.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Oh. I was just talking to Santa." You answered with a shrug. "I thought it would be fun."

"Aren't you too old for Santa Claus?"

"Apparently not." As you answered Seonghwa, you spotted a small stand nearby serving hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies.

"Ooh. They're selling hot chocolate. You want some?"

"I don't know."

"You're seriously gonna turn down a delicious, hot, chocolatey drink? It's chilly out here. A hot cocoa would warm you up."

"Alright, fine. I guess I'll have one."

"Perfect." You smiled and headed over to the small stand, ordering two medium hot chocolates.

The man working at the stand had your drinks ready before you knew it. You started rummaging around in your bag for cash only to stop with you saw Seonghwa reach across the counter with money in his hand. You glanced up at him, but he kept his gaze ahead as he grabbed his drink. You followed suit, taking your beverage. The warmth from the liquid seeped through the cup, radiating onto your cold hands. You took a sip, the sweet, cocoa coating your tastebuds and warming you from the inside out. You let out a hum of satisfaction before taking another sip.

"Thank you for paying. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it. That was very nice."

"It's no problem." Seonghwa answered as he sipped on his cocoa.

About that time, one of the tree farm employees approached you to let you know the tree was ready. Behind him were two other employees with your tree resting on their shoulders.

"Thank you so much. My vehicle is this way." You motioned, leading the group to your car.

They tied the tree snugly to the roof, ensuring that it didn't fall off on the trip home. You paid the man who you spoke with about the tree and bid him goodbye, wishing him a Merry Christmas as you left.

"This stupid tree is making a mess." Grunted Seonghwa. "Look at all these pine needles."

"That's just part of it. We can always clean it up later." You told him, reaching for another ornament. "Why don't you help out?"

"I'm not decorating."

"At least put this one on."

Seonghwa sighed, pushing himself up from his spot on the couch. When he reached for the ornament, he stopped. Pinched between your fingers, hanging from a silvery string was an ornament of Toothless the dragon. Seonghwa blinked a few times before bringing his eyes up to meet yours.

"What do you think?" You inquired with a bright smile. "He reminds me of you, so I thought it was fitting that I buy it."

He didn't answer—he couldn't.

"Oh. Check this out. I got one for myself too." You pulled out another ornament, this one depicting the Light Fury.

If Seonghwa's eyes weren't wide already, they sure were now. Seeing you grinning brightly, holding both ornaments made his cheeks warm. Did you not realize that the two characters were in love in the movie? Were you aware of what you were doing?

Based on the cheery gleam in your eye, you were completely oblivious to the fact and he didn't know if that made the situation better or worse.

"Seonghwa?" You called.

He blinked himself out of his daze, returning to reality.

"Sorry." He murmured, taking the ornament from you.

"Look at the bottom." You urged.

He turned it upside down. Written in tiny, white letters was, Our first Christmas 20XX

Seonghwa's face was on fire at that point. First the matching ornaments, now this? It was all becoming too much and it didn't help that he had a massive crush on you.

"It's..." He started to speak again, but the words were stuck.

"You're speechless." You chuckled. "I'm glad. Why don't you hang it on the tree?"

He slowly moved towards the fir, hanging the ornament on a branch. He momentarily debated about going back to the couch, but decided not to.

"I don't mind helping out." He told you, his voice coming out quieter than he intended.

Your face lit up at his offer.

"You mean it?"

He nodded.

You let out a small squeak of excitement. "Grab an ornament and put it wherever." You told him, gesturing to the box of festive tree decorations.

He then began pulling ornaments out of the box, strategically placing them onto the tree, making sure each one was spaced out just right and filled in any gaps.

Once the tree was finished, you stepped back and got a look at it. The lights you had strung around the fir were ready to be plugged in. You couldn't wait to see what the tree looked like all lit up. As you prepared to plug in the Christmas lights, you noticed Seonghwa was out of the room. Before you could call his name, he came rushing in with a handheld brush and dustpan, dropping to the floor to sweep up the needles littering the hardwood panels.

"Sorry." He chuckled softly. "I can't stand it."

Once he cleaned up the needles, you placed the tree skirt around the metal base that held the evergreen.

"Alright." You clasped your hands together, grabbing the plug once again. "Are you ready?"

"I suppose." Answered Seonghwa.

You shoved the plug into the outlet, the tree coming to life, giving off a warm glow and illuminating the room. A soft gasp left you as you marveled at the festive sight before you.

Despite the merry spectacle in front of him, Seonghwa's eyes were on you the whole time. The lights on the Christmas tree reflected off your large eyes, making them twinkle in wonder and doubling your cuteness. He could feel himself falling even harder for you, which wasn't totally a bad thing.

"You know what we should do next? Bake cookies."

Seonghwa was quick to regain his composure, acting indifferent and pretending like he wasn't just ogling at you.

"I've had enough Christmas for today, thanks." He responded.

"Baking cookies isn't a Christmas thing." You told him.

"Still. You can bake them yourself. I'm not interested."

Truth is, he was interested. He hated Christmas for so long and suddenly you come along and start changing his mind in just a few days. The idea was nearly impossible for him to comprehend.

"Are you sure? This is my last offer." You told him.

Seonghwa sucked in a deep breath, weighing his options. If he baked cookies with you, then he would be able to spend more time with you, which he really wanted. So, in the end, he agreed.

In all honesty, he enjoyed baking with you. Did you make a mess? Yes, a little, but the important thing is you both had fun and also made some delicious chocolate chip cookies.

You were right. Baking cookies isn't just a Christmas thing, but it did somehow feel festive, which Seonghwa, for once, didn't completely hate.

Christmas approached quicker than you had anticipated. You didn't have anywhere to go or anyone to hang out with, so you opted to stay home and have your own little Christmas party with Seonghwa. He wasn't too keen on the idea, but you knew that you would somehow win him over as you had with other festive things.

You managed to talk Seonghwa into letting you play Christmas music. To your surprise, he was more easily persuaded than you expected.

You were currently baking gingerbread cookies that Seonghwa helped you make. The two of you sat in the living room playing board games and card games while the cookies baked in the oven. Seonghwa had just beat you at an intense game of UNO when you heard the oven beep from the kitchen.

"Oh! The cookies are done." You pushed yourself up from the floor. "I'll be right back."

You exited the room, going to the kitchen to take the gingerbread cookies from the oven. They looked incredible. Each one was perfectly shaped like a little gingerbread man. The next step was to decorate them, then they would be ready to eat.

"Hey, Seonghwa. If you wanna come help decorate the cookies they're-" You came to a stop when you saw him standing by the tree near the window.

"Look." He pointed. "It's snowing."

You walked over, standing beside him and peering out the window. Sure enough, there were large, fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky in a flurry, coating the street below in white powder.

"Wow." You marveled. "This is perfect. A white Christmas."

"Y/n." Seonghwa called out softly.

"Yes?"

Seonghwa took your hands in his, taking a step closer just as a slow Christmas song begin to play, the music filling the room.

"Can we dance?" He asked.

You nodded, sliding your arms around his shoulders. Being in such close quarters made you feel a bit bashful, so you tried to distract yourself by focusing on the song.

Seonghwa held you close as the two of you stood by the window, swaying to the music and watching the snow fall outside.

"Look up." He told you.

You did as he said, lifting your gaze only to spot mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

"I thought you didn't like Christmas." You remarked with a smirk.

"Not entirely."

You knew what was coming next and you were more than ready for it.

"What about decorating the cookies?" You asked, your eyes glued to his lips.

"The cookies can wait."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he closed the gap between you, placing his lips gently on yours.

Your hands that were previously resting on his shoulders moved to his hair, gently running your fingers through it. You could feel Seonghwa's body relax under your touch, meaning that he was enjoying it. You couldn't help but smile a little against his lips.

"I have a confession." Seonghwa uttered once he pulled away.

"That you like me?" You grinned.

"Besides that." He chuckled shyly, his cheeks tinted pink.

"What's the confession?"

"You made me appreciate Christmas. I've never really been a fan of Christmas. It's just too merry, too happy, and too bright—but seeing the way your face would light up whenever you would do anything Christmas related, made me see things differently."

You couldn't help but smile at his confession. Truthfully, you had noticed a change in him over the past month, and knowing that you played a part in that made you happy.

"So, that means you'll participate in Yuletide traditions?" You asked, hopefully.

"Perhaps."

"Then let's go decorate those cookies." You took his hand, attempting to lead him to the kitchen, only for him to swiftly pull you back towards him.

"First, one more kiss."

Hongjoong ❄︎ Yunho ❄︎ Yeosang ❄︎ San ❄︎ Mingi ❄︎ Wooyoung ❄︎ Jongho

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

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

[igotanidea]

Gifts: Dick Grayson x reader

christmas bingo day 12: gifts

***

„I thought we said no presents this year?” Y/N frowned looking at the pile of packages under the tree in her apartment.

„Oh those?” Dick laughed getting up from the floor „all empty, it’s just a decoration. You know, I was raised as an only child in Wayne Manor. I’m used to something more -”

„Dick Grayson, don;t you dare finishing that sentence!” the frown on her face and arms crossed over her chest should have been enough of a warning, but he didn’t really care.

„-lavish.”

As on command, they both looked at Y/N’s old artificial Christmas tree that most definitely saw better times. The branches were shabby and thinned and the balls did really poor job at hiding it. Most of the times she didn’t care about how it looked, focusing rather on creating warm holiday atmosphere and uplifting the spirits, but now, with such comment coming from him and the weight of the world on her shoulders it hit hard. Possibly harder than he ever intended, and stupid unwanted tears brimmed in her eyes.

„Y/N! Oh my god, Y/N, sunshine I didn’t mean-” he stuttered, shocked and terrified by her reaction. „I was just-”

„Well I’m sorry your girlfriend is poor as a church mouse.” she sobbed „i;m sorry your girlfriend cannot afford a lot of things you got used to while living in a billionaire house! I’m sorry I’m a shame and disgrace and -”

„Oh my god.” Dick almost rolled his eyes at her theatricals, reading right through her little performance. ‘You’re a drama queen, you know that?” his hands found a way to her shoulders and pulled her into his chest, his body shaking a little from the laugher she joined soon enough. „Unbelievable.”

„In the best way I hope?” tiniest smirk appeared on her face as she slightly moved away from him and looked up, squinting and tilting her head rakishly.

„You know you are -”

„I swear if you’re going to say I’m your present I might have to kiss you.”

„Oh no! Don’t threaten me with a good time, princess.” he lift her chin with index finger forcing her to look even higher. „I might actually give in and then what?” his eyes flickered „besides, are you sure, you’re not wearing something pretty underneath all those layers just for me? I think I’d like to unwrap my present now....” Dick muttered, purposefully turning his voice deeper, hoarse and sensual adding a little bit of teasing touch here and there trying to make her relent.

„Have you been listening to the Jimmy Fallon’s new Christmas song?” she wriggled out, not without effort and giving him a knowing look before bursting out laughing at the view of his unshameful grin.

„Obviously. Those are masterpieces!”

„There were like two of them Dick...”

„Two masterpieces! Did you listen to them?”

„Please don;t start singing-” her begging was cut short as Dick put on the Spotify playlist and started doing exactly that, making her dance wildly around the apartment.

It's Christmas time, my dear,

And we said no gifts this yearI got one question if you'd let meWhat did you get me?

As Dick got through the last line of the first verse his expectant gaze landed on her.

„I hate Christmas shopping” she chuckled reaching to the cupboard and retrieving a little package. „You know me too well.”

„Cupboard? Really?” he grabbed it in an instant with a grace worthy of a Nightwing, spinning it around and inspecting carefully. „It’s way beyond your level, Y/N. I’m disappointed.”

„Really?” she raised an eyebrow „where did you hide mine?”

„What makes you think -?” she shot him a ice cold gaze and got hands raised in surrender in return „ok, fine! Fine!” he turned towards the storage room grabbing the neatly packed bundle and handing it to her with a bow „milady.”

„Well thank you, fair knight.” she chuckled bowing „hey Dick?”

„Yeah, sunshine?”

„Maybe we should drop the no gifts policy what do think? I can;t remember a single year when we actually stuck to it...”

„Are we both liars then?”

„No. Not at all. I think - but it’s very bold assumption - that we might be in love! Can you believe it!?”

„No way! What makes you say that?!”

„Nothing. Absolutely nothing....” she mumbled a second before his lips met hers in a gentle kiss, replacing all the unnecessary words.