#shes no longer the rambunctious kid she was and it reflects in her design but shes still adventurous

[cinnabeat]

kh keeps giving characters haircuts and im displeased

[we-are-inevitable]

modern art // javid (ch. 1)

A/N: hi !! so some of you may remember an old songfic i did in march of last year, titled ‘modern art’ after the song “IDK You Yet” by Alexander 23. well, i’ve always thought that that one shot would work great as a stand alone fic, and here we are! i have ch. 1 edited and SO MUCH of it as changed- like, for example, the fic is a chapter fic now !! regardless, i hope you guys like this !!

WARNINGS: depression, anxiety, self-deprecation, past addiction, mentions of addiction, just general Bad Times- pls be mindful when reading !! it’s just very Not Happy rn ADDITIONAL INFO: all characters are in their mid-twenties in the fic. oh also this is probably important but it’s a soulmate au !!

Read On AO3!

tag list: @bound-for-santa-fe @wannabecowboypunk @shippingcannons @yahfancyclamwiththepurlinside @smallsies @deliciouspeachpirate @newsies-is-my-erster 

Jack doesn't know what’s going on with himself, but he knows that he could really use his soulmate right about now.

They’ve communicated before. Never verbally, and never enough to reveal who they were. Perhaps they are both just... dealing with some unspoken fears, dealing with the worry of rejection sitting heavy in their chests. Perhaps they both like this mystery- the uncertainty that came with the notes scrawled across their bodies in a handwriting that isn’t their own.

Or perhaps they just aren’t ready to take the plunge. To grow up and face the harsh fact that, as soon as they meet, wherever and whenever that may be, a new chapter of their life will unfold. Consume them. Change anything and everything they’ve ever known or held dear.

They had been braver when they were children, that much was true. Jack remembers staying up late often, writing notes on his skin and watching in awe as the replies appeared. He remembers the giddy rush of trying to quickly wash off the ink on his wrist when they ran out of space to talk, and, oh, how they talked. There were school days when Jack would go to class exhausted, feeling like he’d been walking through quicksand for miles on end, but all of it had been worth it. The exhaustion he felt had been worth being able to talk to them until two, three, four in the morning. Sometimes he regretted it, of course, but only because it was harder for him to focus in class. Never because he was upset at them.

He could never be upset with them.

Even now, Jack remembers a lot about his soulmate. They liked music. They knew how to play the piano. They were into a few video games, even some that Jack had never played, and said that they always tried carrying a book with them wherever they went. Jack remembers that, as a younger kid, they liked Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, but also liked analyzing Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe and a bunch of other fancy authors that Jack had never even heard of. They were intimidatingly smart, and sometimes, would carefully correct Jack’s grammar whenever he misspelled a word or something- but they were never mean about it, they were just… there. A steady presence that he could count on.

Fifteen year old Jack dreamed of finding them one day. But now, twenty-five year old Jack is losing hope.

He can’t exactly help it. For starters, he and his soulmate haven’t communicated in… well, shit, it had to be nearly a year. Maybe nine months or so, but there’s no way to tell for sure, and even then, their conversations since reaching adulthood have been dull, for lack of a better word. A few positive comments here, a ‘have a good day’ there- it’s all so mundane, and neither of them can be blamed for it. They both have busy lives- or, well, Jack does, at least. His job as a graphic designer is hard enough on its own, but the added pressure of doing freelance work and commissions on the side has been eating away at him for weeks, coupled with debilitating self-doubt and lack of motivation for… anything.

Saying that he’s overwhelmed is the understatement of the century.

There is always another design, another client, another meeting, another deadline, another sleepless night as he stares at a blank canvas and prays for a spark of inspiration from whatever God is listening. Usually his inspiration comes from the world around him- his friends, city life, even the quiet confines of his apartment, but right now... Jack is stuck. He had holed himself up in his room days ago, trying and failing to get out of bed every morning when the time came to work- and thank God that the majority of his work could be done from home. His boss was understanding, too, to an extent.

Still, though, there’s a constant heavy weight on his chest that prevents him from moving most days, and he’s lucky if he even gets up long enough to shower or eat or do literally anything aside from lie in silence and count the cracks in his ceiling.

Nothing had happened to him recently to bring this on, from what he can tell. Jack has always been the happy-go-lucky leader, the man with a plan, the guy who always knew just what to say to motivate others into doing the best thing for themselves, but when that responsibility is reflected back onto himself, Jack feels helpless. There are words waiting to be said, sketches waiting to be drawn, designs waiting to be sent to clients… yet Jack lies there, motionless in his room for three days before he even has the energy, the willpower, to pull back his curtains and allow the sunlight to shine through. There is so much he wants to do, so much he needs to do, but he can't bring himself to do any of it.

In all twenty-five years of his life, through all of the things he’s been through, the ups and downs and foster homes and graduations and birthdays and funerals and therapists and rehab facilities and whatever the fuck else life decided to throw at him, Jack has never felt so worthless, so… lonely. His closest friends are all moving on with their lives. Many have already found their soulmate, have settled down and hidden their rowdy, rambunctious pasts behind skeletons in a closet. They’d all gotten their adventures done and over with in high school and college, and most are moving onto bigger and better things in life. They have careers. Families. Some have children, others have pets, a few have an insane amount of plants to care for.

All have seemingly left Jack behind in the dust.

No one told him when to flip the switch.

No one told him when he had aged out of adventure.

Now, they would never say it, but Jack knows. He knows. Saturday hangouts and trips to the bar had been replaced by Sunday church services and playdates for the kids. Rather than hearing yelling from his living room after his friends had all been teetering just on the edge between tipsy and fucked up, Jack hears the news, and documentaries, and podcasts, and the ghosts of a past life that he still seemed to be desperately clinging on to.

Katherine had been the one to tell him that he needed to grow up, though she didn’t put it in such a blunt manner. No, she’s just.... gently urging him to find a bigger apartment, or buy matching furniture from a place that is not a thrift store, or purchase dishes that weren’t of the plastic Walmart brand. She says it was because she wants to see him in a more professional, "adulty" lifestyle, but he knows it’s really because she can see that he’s a mess.

Deep down, Jack knows she’s right. She’s always right.

He just can’t help but feel cemented in place, dreaming of the past while dreading the new future ahead of him.

Jack never asked to feel so broken for no reason. All of the hope and optimism he had felt as a teenager was gone, lost in a sea of uncertain plans and shitty jobs and bill extensions and canvases dropped onto the floor with no rhyme or reason. And, yes, maybe Jack would look dramatic to someone who didn’t know his situation, but Jack knows what dramatic feels like. Dramatic feels like watching his best friend, Charlie, belt onstage in front of a backdrop that he helped create for the school play. Dramatic feels like laughing at the top of his lungs while walking through a random gas station at two in the morning, joined by Race and Al, all while higher than a kite. Dramatic feels like driving to the outskirts of the city with Katherine, climbing onto the roof of an old building and screaming about all of their stress, their anxiety, their insecurities, just to have some form of emotional release.

Dramatic doesn’t feel like sadness. It’s not supposed to.

Not for Jack.

He had been so… so happy, as a teenager. Proud and defiant and carefree. He was the kind of guy to skate and smoke weed in Central Park until midnight and take a math test at eight in the morning the next day. He was the kid who stood on a table in the cafeteria and came out as bisexual to everyone around him, just because of a dumbass bet that he didn’t even get paid for. He was the boy who wasn’t at all good in an academic sense, but who always knew how to talk himself out of trouble, who always came up with the most ridiculous- or most believable- lies to cover his ass when he needed it, who was always the class favorite, the teacher’s pet without meaning to be.

Jack had felt on top of the world back then, but now he’s struggling to even get off of the ground. The longer time goes on, the more lost Jack feels inside his own life. He feels like something was missing, something big. Something bigger than himself.

When his mother was alive, which now felt like lifetimes ago, she would often echo this old wives’ tale about how it’s best to find your soulmate while you’re younger, just to save them- and yourself- the pain of being alone for a long time. Jack had always kind of believed her; logically, he knew it was true, but he had always told himself that it wouldn’t happen to him. That he would be fine alone, though it wouldn’t be ideal, and that he would have plenty of time for soulmates after he got out and made a name for himself.

He’s starting to think, though, that maybe she was right. Maybe Jack had waited too long to make a move, to make contact again, because now, he just feels nauseous even thinking about it.

Don’t get him wrong, he knows the negative effects of self deprecation and not taking his own mental health seriously, he’s been to rehab before, blah, blah, blah, but, fuck, how could he put his soulmate through something like this? This fucked up state of mind he has now. Jack can’t even imagine talking to Katherine about this, and Katherine had been his best friend for over a decade. He can’t just meet his soulmate now- it’s been too long, he’s too messed up, they won’t like him, they’ll hate him for not trying hard enough, and Jack will just end up alone again, wasting away in his bedroom because no one fucking cares. No one cares. He has nobody.

That’s not true. He has Medda, his mom, his savior, his impulse control, but the thought of telling her that everything is acting up again makes him want to scream. He has Tony, but Tony has Al, and Tony and Al have a kid- a sweet little five year old girl who calls Jack ‘Uncle Jackie’ and takes no shit from anyone. He has Katherine, but Katherine has her soulmate- this dude named Darcy, who Jack doesn’t have much of an opinion on because they just met, like, a month ago, and Jack hasn’t exactly been emotionally ready for a hangout session between the three of them. He also has Charlie, and Charlie has certainly seen him in worse times- like when Jack was kind of hooked on pills for the entirety their freshman year of college- but Charlie has grad school to worry about and Charlie would hate him if he bothered him with this.

Still, there are other people who would listen, probably. He could easily talk to Elmer, or Romeo, or Specs, or Jojo or Finch or Sean or a fucking therapist but that’s just it, isn’t it? If he talks, he burdens, and Jack Francisco Kelly would rather run himself into the ground than be a burden anyone.

So, he makes a vow.

He makes eye contact with his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He’s gripping onto the sink, holding on for dear life, as he stares into his own sunken eyes. He takes in his appearance. Damp, messy hair, falling down to cover his forehead. Pale skin, which isn’t normal at all. Dark circles have taken their place around his eyes, and his smile- one of his favorite things about himself- is… nonexistent.

Distantly, Jack registers himself dumping a full bottle of ibuprofen into the sink. And then, he does the same thing with the bottle of melatonin from his medicine cabinet. The valium follows. He lets the water run for a long time. It's not that he doesn't trust himself- he'd done so, so good in rehab, and he doesn't even feel urges that often anymore- but it's better safe than sorry, especially since he's like... this.

This is not the Jack Kelly he’s used to anymore. This is not the Jack Kelly he wants to be.

But this Jack Kelly is the one who vows not to reach out. The one who vows to only answer when his soulmate is ready, and maybe not even then.

He doesn’t have to wait long, though.

Not when a heart appears on the back of his hand the next morning.

It’s there when Jack wakes up, and, honestly, it almost brings Jack to tears- but not necessarily for happy reasons. Sure, Jack wants to be happy. Who wouldn’t be happy after seeing something like this? A lopsided heart drawn in red ink, right on the back of his left hand- it was the definition of a symbol, of a romantic gesture, and Jack wants so badly to write back, to strike up conversation, to draw a goddamn heart, but… he can’t.

He can’t, and that’s horrible of him, and he knows it.

Right now, though… Jack can’t even work up the courage, the energy, to call his mom.

His soulmate, whoever they are, is going to have to wait.

[lblb-actuallywrites]

Princess Pino’s Birthday

My fic for the Edens Zero Big Bang, to go with @i-write-fanfics-to-procrastinate ‘s lovely artwork. Have some Weicca, with a side of Weisz-Pino Brotp.

~~~

“Oh, but you have to come to my birthday party, Mr. Weisz! Say you will, pleeeeeease?”

Weisz chuckled at the memory as he finished buttoning up his shirt.

‘A personal invitation when there’s already an open invitation to the public,’ he thought. ‘I’ll never understand that kid.’

He’d been in the middle of designing a new piece of tech with Hermit when the Princess of Granbell Kingdom burst through the door.

“Mr. Weisz, Miss Hermit! You know what next week is, don’t you?” she spun around the lab as she shouted, skillfully hopping around the machine parts and workshop debris like a bunny.

Hermit turned away from the blueprints in front of her, smiling wide. “I sure do!”

“No? What’s next week?” he raised an eyebrow in false confusion.

“It’s my birthday! I’m turning eleven, remember?”

“Eleven already? Geez, you’re ancient!”

Pino pouted briefly, before her excitement took over. “I’m gonna have a biiig party!” She spun on her toes with her arms out. “Everyone will be there, it’ll be so fun!”

“Really? Everyone, huh?” Weisz asked.

“Yeah. And that means you and Miss Hermit, too. You’ll be there, right?” she asked, clasping her hands together.

Hermit smiled. “Of course.”

Weisz feigned reluctance. “I don’t know. We’ve got a lot of work to do here.”

“Oh, but you have to come to my birthday party, Mr. Weisz! Say you will, pleeeeeease?” she begged, tugging on his arm.

Weisz looked at the giggling princess and couldn’t pretend anymore. “Yeah, sure thing, kid.”

“Yay!”

Weisz straightened his collar as he thought about having to socialize for hours on end.

‘Eh, I’ll find a way to ditch and go back to work.’

Just as he began to regret accepting Pino’s invitation- he was never not going to make an appearance at the party, but he should’ve at least been smart and not given her any expectations- his thoughts turned to a certain Nobleman’s blonde daughter.

’At least she’ll be there.’

Weisz watched in the mirror as his face rapidly turned pink. Then he shook his head, clearing that thought from his mind as he walked out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~

Happy meowed indignantly.

“Too bad, cat! You need to get off Pino’s present so I can finish wrapping it.”

The blue feline grumbled at being moved from his chosen spot. Not one to be inconvenienced, he took his revenge by walking across Rebecca’s hands as she tried to wrap the handmade bow, nearly tearing the paper in the process.

“Get. Off,” she said firmly, tossing him to the floor. He grumbled and sulked out of her bedroom and towards the sun room in defeat.

Rebecca finished wrapping and tied a ribbon around it. Sighing, she walked over to her mirror and fidgeted with her bangs.

‘I wonder how long it’ll be before Weisz tries to ditch the party,’ she thought, chuckling to herself.

Looking at her reflection, Rebecca realized that, in messing with her bangs, she only succeeded in pushing them too far to the side. She combed through them with her fingers, reshaping them over and over again, to disappointing results.

Rebecca groaned and shook her head, resetting her bangs. Opening her eyes, though, she found that they’d fallen more towards the center instead of pushed to the side, and her curly hair was half-draped over one shoulder.

She took her hand away and stepped back to look at her full reflection. The pin in her ash blonde hair matched her dark blue halter top and detached sleeves, and with her new bang style, black jeans, and boots, she liked the ensemble even more.

‘I wonder what he would think.’

The thought had her turning her head away from the mirror and her cheeks blushing bright red. Her hand moved to fidget with her bangs again, but she forced herself to stop in time to avoid ruining them.

Before she could let her nerves ruin something else about her outfit, Rebecca grabbed Pino’s present and left for the castle.

~~~~~~~~~~

Homura stood in the hallway outside the royal bed chambers, her back and shoulders perfectly straight, waiting for the Prince and Princess to leave their rooms for the party. Her red and orange shirt was in pristine condition, no wrinkles or creases to be found.

The bedroom door to her right opened and Prince Shiki stepped out, adjusting his wrist cuffs.

“Allow me, your Highness,” Homura said as he stopped next to her.

Wordlessly, Shiki offered her his wrist. As she fixed his cuff, she stared at the shape of it, the Crest of Granbell Kingdom: a heart with a dot in the middle, resting soundly in the crevice of two horns. It clicked into place and she stepped back.

“Thanks, Homura!” Shiki said with a bright smile. “You ready for the party?”

“I am prepared.” She nodded, clasping her hands together in front of her.

“‘Prepared’ makes it sound like a mission, not a party,” he chuckled.

She nodded again. “Duly noted.”

“I like your shirt.”

Homura stiffened. “Thank you,” she said, semi-monotone.

“I really like the ocean waves at the bottom.”

A blush rose on Homura’s cheeks, getting brighter the longer Shiki focused on her outfit. She brought her hand up over her mouth out of habit.

The sound of a door down the hall opening interrupted Homura’s embarrassment. It was Princess Pino’s bedroom door, and she came bounding down the hall at Shiki.

“Hi big brother!” she yelled, tackling him.

Shiki caught her easily. “Hey Pino! Happy birthday!”

“Happy birthday, your Highness.”

“Thanks!”

“Princess,” a smooth voice spoke from down the hall. “You need to get dressed for your party.”

It was Witch, the “Shield” of Granbell Kingdom and the Princess’s personal guard. Her long, green hair was tied back in a loose french braid that swung lightly behind her as she walked.

“Okay, Miss Witch!” Pino said, releasing her brother from her iron grip.

“Hello, Prince Shiki, Lady Homura.”

“Hey, Witch,” Shiki said with a small wave.

“Good Morning.” Homura nodded.

“Come, now, Princess,” she said softly, her hand placed gently on top of Pino’s head.

Pino nodded and spun around, waving to her brother. “I’ll see you at the party!”

He smiled. “Sure will, kiddo.”

“Yay!” she clapped her hands together, smiling brightly as she ran back down the hall.

Shiki looked back at Homura and met her eyes.

“Let’s go.”

~~~~~~~~~~

As Pino ate her curry burger breakfast that morning, she couldn’t sit still; kicking her legs and bouncing in her seat, it was enough to catch her grandfather’s attention.

“Excited?” King Ziggy asked.

“Mhm! I can’t wait!”

Ziggy smiled as she took the last few bites of her food, jumping out of her chair and running to the door. Witch, who had been standing diligently in the corner, followed her to her room.

“Alright, Princess. It’s time to get ready. Your guests will be arriving soon,” she said, gently closing the door behind her.

“Are you excited, Miss Witch? Everyone’s gonna be here!” Pino jumped backwards onto her bed.

“Inviting the entire Capital City to the castle for a birthday party is sure to have interesting results. I look forward to it.”

She sat up. “I thought it would be cool for everyone to see it! And it’s more fun with more people, anyway. It’s such a big place, but there’s never anyone here.”

Witch smiled. “Your kindness and consideration for others is admirable, Princess.”

“Thank you!”

Her head snapped to the side at the sound of voices in the hall, looking at the door before leaping off her bed and running out the door. Witch sighed in amusement and followed after the rambunctious birthday girl.

“Hi, big brother!” Pino yelled, launching herself at Shiki.

He caught her easily as he and Homura gave their ‘Happy Birthdays.’ Witch smiled at the scene. She’d always appreciated the bond the two siblings shared.

“Thanks!” Pino said.

She hated to ruin the moment, but time was of the essence. “Princess,” she spoke as she walked down the hall towards them. “You need to get dressed for your party.”

“Okay, Miss Witch!” Pino said, letting Shiki go.

“Hello, Prince Shiki, Lady Homura.”

“Hey Witch.”

“Good morning.”

“Come now, Princess,” she said calmly, resting her hand on top of her head.

She spun around and waved to her brother. “I’ll see you at the party!”

Shiki smiled. “Sure will, kiddo.”

“Yay!” she clapped her hands together, smiling brightly as she ran back down the hall.

“Princess, you need to focus,” Witch lightly admonished her as she followed the bouncing girl into her room.

“I’m excited!”

“I know,” Witch hummed in amusement. “But it’s almost time for you to be ready for your guests.”

Pino skipped to her wardrobe. Witch stood behind her as she flung the doors open, trailing back and forth in front of it, examining her options.

She chuckled at the ecstatic princess marching in front of her wardrobe, looking at each article of clothing with a critical eye, like a general to their soldiers. An illusion only enhanced by the contrast of her spinning on her toes to turn around when she got to either end of the closet.

“I got it!” Pino said, grabbing a white and blue dress shirt and matching skirt, black leggings, short brown boots and a yellow necktie with a heart on it.

“An excellent choice, Princess,” Witch said.

~~~~~~~~~~

“Okay! We’re all gonna play hide and seek!” Pino said to the silent crowd below her. “You’ll all hide in the castle and the courtyard, and I’ll find you!”

The people exchanged tiny whispers and confused glances, the slightest murmurs of which drifted up to the balcony.

“Participation is mandatory,” King Ziggy’s deep voice silenced the crowd’s whispering, paired with a serious look in his eye, before looking back at his granddaughter and returning her bright smile.

“Okay, everyone, go hide! And good luck!”

Rebecca reached forward and grabbed Weisz’s wrist as he started moving.

“You’re coming with me,” Rebecca stated. “What? Why?”

“Because I’m not gonna let you sit somewhere you can easily be found just so you can say you participated. You’re going to actually participate. Play like you wanna win.” She dragged him towards the hall.

“Rebecca!”

She ignored him.

“Rebecca, wait!”

No answer.

“Seriously?”

Still nothing.

Weisz groaned. “Fine.”

Only then did Rebecca turn around and acknowledge him with a satisfied smile.

“Good. Now come on, I know a good place to hide.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“Shiki and I found this place years ago. I don’t know what it was supposed to be, but it never gets used anymore.”

Weisz helped her move the tapestry, behind which was panelling nearly indistinguishable from the wall it sat in. Rebecca pushed on it, then slid it to the side.

Behind the panelling was a dark tunnel that stretched beyond where the light reached.

“I’m coming to find you!” Pino’s gleeful voice sang from the PA speakers.

“Come on, let’s go,” Rebecca said, stepping into the tunnel.

Weisz rolled his eyes and followed her.

It was a tighter fit than he had expected; the tunnel was narrow, only a few feet wide, and Weisz was almost too tall to fit inside, with only an inch or two of clearance above his head.

“Great hiding place you picked here, Rebecca.”

“Yeah, I remembered it being bigger,” she said as she settled her back against the wall. Weisz leaned against the opposite wall.

“Now what?” he asked, turning to face her. He froze when he realized there was only about a foot of space between them, maybe less. With nowhere to go to widen the gap, he was glad it was pitch black in the tunnel so Rebecca couldn’t see the bright red blush he was certain was spreading across his entire face.

“Well there’s nothing to do but wait for Pino to find us or the game to be over.”

“Yeah, which is exactly why I wanted to get found quickly and then go back to my workshop.”

“Boo hoo. It’s not so bad. It’s not like we have to sit in silence or anything,” she said.

“Won’t voices coming from inside the wall be a dead giveaway?”

“Oh? I thought you wanted to be found quickly.”

He couldn’t see Rebecca, but the tone of her voice told Weisz she was raising a smug eyebrow at him.

“Shut up. You’re the one who wants to take this seriously,” he said, turning his head away from her.

Rebecca chuckled. He turned his head back, staring at the place he assumed her face was, conjuring her image in his mind.

“So, what’s it like working with Hermit?” she asked.

“It’s fine. She gets on my nerves a lot, but I think it helps in the long run that we piss each other off. Spite is one hell of a motivator and source of inspiration.”

Rebecca chuckled again. Weisz’s heart skipped a beat.

“Yeah, you’ve always been like that.”

“Like what?”

“Not a people person.”

“What’s so great about people?” he asked sarcastically.

“There’s a lot to like when you’re not being shy.”

“Wha- I’m not shy, I’ve never been.”

Rebecca snorted. “Okay.”

“I’m not!”

“Even when we were little, you would rather play with machines than kids your own age.”

“Well machines tend to be more interesting and less talkative than people.”

“That’s a sad life, Weisz.”

“Shut up.”

Rebecca laughed again, louder than before, and Weisz thought that he might just be able to listen to that sound forever and never get tired of hearing it.

“Hey,” she said when she calmed down.

“Hm?”

“Do you remember when we first met?”

“Of course I do. You wouldn’t leave me alone until I played that stupid game with you, Shiki, and Homura.”

“Oh, bull! You wanted to play, you’re just a shy boy who couldn’t admit it.”

“I was not.”

“Whatever, tsundere.”

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

Rebecca burst out laughing again. “It means you’re shy as hell.”

Weisz groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Toasted marshmallow boy.”

“I hate you,” he chuckled.

“And the way you acted around Homura is the textbook definition of a tsundere with a crush.”

“I never had a crush on Homura.”

“M’kay,” she said, her tone very clear about how little she believed him.

He shook his head and rolled his eyes again.

“I didn’t, but whatever.”

“You’re kinda cute when you’re in denial, y’know.”

The air in Weisz’s lungs evaporated and he struggled to breathe, nearly choking on his sudden lack of oxygen.

“You okay?” Rebecca asked. Weisz imagined her raising her eyebrow.

He cleared his throat. “Y-yeah.”

The calm in the air was replaced with a silence nearly as thick as the darkness they sat in.

‘Cute? She didn’t mean it like that, though.’

It was Rebecca’s turn to clear her throat. “So, um… yeah..”

On the other side of the wall, distant footsteps were walking down the corridor towards their hiding spot. Though the tunnel was still pitch black and silent, Weisz could feel Rebecca’s tension; He was surprised to find he was a little tense, too.

“There’s no way she’ll find us,” Rebecca whispered confidently.

“If that’s even her.”

They waited with bated breath, listening to the footsteps grow louder as they moved down the hall towards their hiding spot.

They stopped breathing entirely when the footsteps did, just on the other side of the wall. The lack of noise in the hall only made their breathing and racing hearts seem louder.

Weisz glanced in Rebecca’s direction; though they couldn’t see each other, he knew that she was looking at him, too. His racing heart surprised him, and he didn’t know if that was because of the possibility of being found, or because Rebecca called him cute.

It could’ve been either, and he decided not to look too deeply at the implications of the latter.

Eventually, the footsteps on the other side of the wall moved on, going further down the hall and away from their hiding spot.

Weisz and Rebecca let out a collective sigh of relief when they couldn’t hear the footsteps anymore.

Rebecca chuckled quietly. “You’re so into this.”

“Shut up.”

The sudden light was blinding.

“I found you!” Pino’s voice sang from the entrance.

“What? How? We heard you walk down the hall!”

Rebecca’s indignance at losing a children’s game was only irritating to Weisz because he was indignant, too.

“Oh, that was Witch. I knew this tunnel was here, Shiki showed me forever ago. So I decided to trick you!” Pino explained, as bright as ever.

“An excellent idea,” Witch said proudly as she walked back towards the tunnel. “Truly worthy of a Princess.” She patted Pino on the head. 

Rebecca groaned and Weisz made his way out of the cramped and dark tunnel, stretching as he did. He wasn’t sad to put it back behind the tapestry where it belonged.

“Damn,” Rebecca sighed as she stepped into the hall. “I was hoping we were gonna stay hidden for a little while longer.”

‘She just wanted to win the game,’ he reminded himself

“You wanted to stay hiding in that tunnel with Weisz?” Pino asked.

Her question was innocent enough, but there was something about it that Weisz didn’t like; the tiniest glint in her eye, the smallest twitch of the corner of her mouth.

‘She’s always been too clever for her own good.’

“I-I wanted us to be the last ones found! Or at least as close to it as possible. I really thought we were gonna get more mileage out of that hiding place,” she said, dejectedly crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well everyone I found so far is going back to the ballroom. Grandpa said the food would be set out, so you can eat now.”

“And suddenly I don’t mind losing so much.”

Weisz chuckled at Rebecca’s obsession with all things edible. “You do that, I’m gonna go back to my workshop.”

“You don’t wanna stay?” Pino asked, her eyes widening. “You’re not hungry or anything?”

“Look, kid, I told you, Hermit and I have a lot of work to do. I’ll make another appearance later, okay?”

Pino’s expression completely redefined the phrase ‘turn that frown upside-down.’

“Okay! But you have to promise.”

Weisz chuckled and rolled his eyes. “I promise.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A few hours later, Weisz made his promised reappearance in the ballroom. The crowd seemed a bit thinner, though not by much.

He scanned the room, looking for Pino, and found her playing with city kids her own age near the kitchen doors. Moving towards her, he stole a mini biscuit off the table to pop in his mouth.

It was at that moment when Pino looked up and saw him, running over to him as best she could through the thick crowd.

“You came back!”

“I told you I would. Didn’t you believe me?”

“Of course I did! But I’m still happy you’re here,” she said, with a bright smile to match.

Weisz patted her head. “Well, I guess I can stay for a while,” he said, feigning reluctance. “You go back to your friends over there, they’re probably more fun to hang out with than me.”

“That’s not true at all! Oh, but I should, we were talking.”

“Go on, kid. You can hang out with me whenever you want.”

“You mean it?! I can come hang out with you and Miss Hermit in your workshop, too?”

‘Opportunistic little shit.’

“Eh heh… Only if you be careful around the equipment. And only if we’re not too busy.”

He had a strong feeling that, even with these vague guidelines, he’d just bitten off way more than he could chew.

“Yay! Okay, I’ll see you later, Mr. Weisz.” With a final wave, she made her way back through the crowd to the city kids.

Weisz shook his head. In doing so, he caught sight of Rebecca, chatting in the corner with Homura and Shiki. Even at this distance, her smile made his heart skip a beat. Immediately following this heart anomaly, it became way too hot for comfort in the ballroom.

It wasn’t until he stepped out on the balcony that he could breathe and relax. The cool dusk air was soothing, and the view of the sun setting over the city, casting it in a golden glow, was not one to be missed.

‘What’s wrong with me?’ he thought. ‘Why am I so focused on Rebecca? Do I… Do I really-’

“Hey, Weisz,” Rebecca’s voice spoke from behind him, interrupting his train of thought.

He jumped slightly, his shoulders hunching up. He forced them back down in an attempt to look normal and unaffected. “Hey.”

She moved to stand beside him, tapping her fingers lightly on the railing as she did. Her back was ramrod straight, much more rigid than normal.

‘Why do I know that?’

The implications were adding up, and Weisz wasn’t sure if he was prepared for the final solution.

When she spoke, her voice was quiet “I, um…” she cleared her throat. “I… had fun.. t-today, um…”

Her eyes were closed tightly, her tension palpable in the air that occupied the space between them. It was somehow both too much space and too little.

“Uh, yeah, me too. Surprisingly.”

She hummed in amusement. Another tense, awkward silence followed. No matter how hard he tried, Weisz’s shoulders wouldn’t stay down and his muscles refused to relax.

Rebecca took a deep breath, leaned her head back, and groaned at the sky before bending over and laying her forehead on the balcony railing.

“Why is this so hard?” she muttered, just barely loud enough for Weisz to hear.

The question wasn’t directed at him, but he responded anyway. “What is?”

She stood up. “I-” she sighed, scratching the back of her head. “I just- I… likeyou.”

She spoke quickly, and her voice was barely above a whisper, but her words had Weisz’s shoulders hunched all the way up to the moon that was just starting to appear in the sky all the same.

“What?”

Rebecca turned her face away from him and gripped the rail in front of her tightly. “I… oh, come on, don’t make me embarrass myself again.”

Weisz couldn’t form a coherent thought or sentence even if he wanted to. Somehow, his brain was working in overdrive and also stalled at the same time. He could just imagine the smoke coming out of his ears.

“I- ... um…”

“Just say ‘thanks, but no thanks’ so we can move on already, okay? We don’t ever have to bring it up ag-”

“I.. think I like you, too.”

Rebecca’s eyes widened and a bright red blush spread across her face; Weisz knew he had a matching expression.

“Think, or… or know?” her voice gave away her vulnerability.

“I… think I know.”

Rebecca chuckled once. Then again. Soon enough, she was laughing even louder and more brightly than she had been in the tunnel, which dragged a small chuckle out of Weisz.

“Sorry, I don’t know what was so funny about that,” she said when her laughter subsided.

“Neither do I, but at least it’s not as awkward anymore.”

She smiled, then tugged at her lips slightly with her teeth. “Did you mean that?” she asked, her voice back to being small and vulnerable. “About… a-about, y’know..”

“... Yeah. I-...  you’ve been on my mind all day, and… now that I think about it, kind of… everyday? I- I mean… like, I…” he sighed, releasing the tension in his body only for it to return almost immediately. “I know what you meant about this being hard, now.”

She hummed in amusement. “Yeah, but… it’s out there, now, right?”

“Y-eah.”

“Hey, Weisz.”

He glanced over to see her looking at him, biting her lip slightly, eyes darting back and forth. “Hm?”

She nodded to herself, took a deep breath, stood on her tiptoes and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.

His eyes widened so much, he thought they might just pop out of his head. His shoulders hunched up to an all new height, and he found himself unable to look at Rebecca out of sheer embarrassment.

“Uh, I… uh..” he mumbled.

Rebecca chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

Weisz just leaned down and hid his face in his arms on the railing. If he added together all of the embarrassment he’d suffered throughout his life, he was certain it wouldn’t even be half as much as what was making his body curl in on itself at that moment.

“Shut up.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Later That Night

“Happy Birthday, Pino!” they shouted as the Birthday Princess blew out the candles on her cake.

The crowd of citizens had cleared out of the castle nearly an hour ago, and of the few close friends that remained, Rebecca was the only one who didn’t either live or work in the castle.

“Thanks!” She said, the same bright smile she’d been sporting all day still shining. “And thanks for letting me invite the city into the castle, Grandpa, I’ve never played a game with so many people before!”

King Ziggy patted her on the head. “Of course, Pino. It was a grand idea.”

“It was pretty fun,” Rebecca said. “Even Weisz had fun, didn’t you?” she added, taking a sip of water.

“Not even a little bit,” he said, a half-smile on his face.

“Not even hiding with Miss Rebecca was fun?” Pino asked. Her words were innocent enough on the surface, but for the second time that day, Weisz felt what the little princess was really saying, and, for the second time, didn’t like it at all.

Rebecca choked on her water and his shoulders hunched up for what must have been the hundredth time that day.

“Not. In. The. Slightest.”

“Awh, that’s too bad,” she said, though he could see the slightest sarcastic curl to the corner of her mouth. “Did you at least have fun in your workshop?”

“Yeah, machines are more fun than people any day.”

“I can still hang out with you and Miss Hermit in the workshop sometimes, right?”

Hermit looked at Weisz with one eyebrow raised and a smirk. She would never mind an interruption from the energetic princess.

“Only if you do what I said earlier. Do you remember?”

“I have to be careful around the machines and only when you’re not busy, right?”

“Yep. Too bad we’re busy all the time.”

“That’s no fair, Mr. Weisz!” Pino pouted.

“Don’t worry, Pino, you can come see us whenever you want,” Hermit said. “Though I don’t know why you’d wanna hang out with Weisz, but you’re always welcome.”

“Yay! Oh, but Mr. Weisz is really cool, and he always talks to me even when he says he’s busy.”

“Aw, you have a fan,” Rebecca teased him quietly.

“Shut up.”

[olivcrfm]

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐍: 𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑶, 𝑮𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑺𝑶𝑵, 𝑮𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑽𝑬, 𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑨𝑨, 𝑨𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑰, 𝑲𝑨𝑹𝑶𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑬, 𝒁𝑨𝑯𝑼𝑹𝑨, 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑳𝑰𝑵𝑯 .

adoringly referred to by lia as the ‘park-davies clan’, truthfully i made this a while ago but i am just now sharing it with the masses, because i thought it’d be nice if someone other than lia saw my hard work. sound off below and tell me who your favorite is, or don’t. @ofmargos​

𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐎 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: male

general appearance: curly dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, 6’1”, & a deep dimple on his left cheek.

personality: he's optimistic and gracious. of course he's also capable, gentle and disciplined. milo has less pleasant traits too. his narcissism and inconsideration tend to get in the way even at the best of times.

special talents: guitar! which acts as an escape from the rambunctious park-davies household

who they like better: he won’t admit it, but margo. he’s a mama's boy. literally glued to margo’s hip but claims that he likes them both the same.

who they take after more: appearance wise, oliver, literally an almost exact clone. personality wise he’s got a lot of oliver’s positive traits, and a lot of margo’s negative ones, but most of the time acts as his own person.

personal headcanon: margo was actually the one who suggested putting milo in guitar instead of drums which was oliver’s suggestion.

faceclaim: jordan connor

𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: male

general appearance: unkempt short curly dark brown hair, hazel eyes, 6’0”, a small birthmark over his eyelid.

personality: he's responsible and stable. of course he's also tolerant, orderly and creative, but they're far less prominent, especially compared to impulses of being disruptive as well. grayson has plenty of less favorable characteristics too. his shallowness and childish nature tend to get in the way, much to the annoyance of others.

special talents: painting! it’s his biggest passion and he’ll probably end up opening a museum or going to art school

who they like better: oliver, literally will bug margo 25/8 asking when daddy is going to come home and always has to be wherever oliver is.

who they take after more: opposite of his brother all of margo’s positive traits, with a majority of oliver’s negative ones. contrasting with his brother he acts more of a mix of both his parents.

personal headcanon: his love of painting go to the point where oliver and margo literally had to give him his own room in the house to paint, so he could store all his art supplies and easels and such

faceclaim: gavin leatherwood

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: female

general appearance: shoulder length chestnut brown hair, light brown eyes, 5’ 3”, & freckles covering her face.

personality: she's friendly and playful. of course she's also rational, enthusiastic and exciting, but these are in a way balanced by being pompous as well. of course gen has plenty of lesser desired aspects too. her negativity and intolerance pose plenty of problems, though more on a personal level than for others. fortunately her playfulness helps lighten the blows and moods when needed.

special talents: baking! something that she’s really passionate about, probably idolizes mary berry, and is frequently found in the kitchen

who they like better: both, she’s an angel child who could literally never pick between her parents.

who they take after more: appearance wise, neither of them kinda looks like her grandmother. personality wise margo to a T, they tend to not see eye to eye because of this but love each other first and foremost.

personal headcanon: when margo was pregnant with gen, oliver would read her the same bedtime story, and now anytime she has a nightmare she asks oliver to read her the same story.

faceclaim: kaylee bryant

𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: female

general appearance: curly brown hair, light brown eyes verging on being hazel, 5′5″, & a slight dimple if she smiles hard enough

personality: she's discreet and outspoken. of course she's also resourceful, curious and incisive, but that’s far less prominent, especially compared to impulses of being vindictive as well. of course sanaa has a range of flaws to deal with too. her aggression and argumentativeness sour the mood many a time and just affect all around negatively.

special talents: dancing! specifically ballet and jazz, she’s extremely graceful and takes dancing extremely seriously

who they like better: both, but if you ask her she would say neither of them because she’s fiercely independent and has the ‘i don’t need anyone’ mindset

who they take after more: appearance wise, she takes after her birth mother who she’s no longer in contact with. personality wise, she’s definitely her own person, doesn’t take after margo or oliver, nor does she let her siblings affect who she is.

personal headcanon: because of her talent for dancing and ballet, she worked her way towards a soloist for the new york city ballet.

faceclaim: zendaya

𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐈  𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: male

general appearance: short tight curly hair, dark brown eyes, 5′10″, a birthmark on his hand, & a small scar behind his ear from when karoline scratched him

personality: he's focused and decisive. of course he's also punctual, open and curious, but those are often overshadowed by tendencies of being thoughtless as well. of course asani has plenty of character faults too. his unfriendliness and pretentiousness are far from ideal, much to the annoyance of others.  

special talents: film making! extremely talented, had an obsession with directing and films when he was younger, lowkey a pretentious asshole, but he pulls it off

who they like better: margo, because she tends to be more honest with her criticism of his films, but also because he models a lot of himself after her.

who they take after more: appearance wise, he takes after his paternal grandfather who he’s still in contact with. personality wise, he tends to take after both margo and oliver, because honestly just desperate to make both his parents proud.

personal headcanon: he has been in a bunch of different film festivals, and even though oliver has offered to help pay for actors, he uses his siblings and friends as acors instead

faceclaim: chance perdomo

𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: female

general appearance: shoulder length dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, 5′6″, & a small scar on her nose from a fight with sanaa

personality: she's outspoken and gracious. of course she's also witty, persuasive and innovative, but they're often slightly tainted by a mindset of being argumentative as well.  of course karoline has plenty of lesser desired aspects too. her dishonesty and conceited nature cause plenty of grievances on often personal levels.

special talents: ice skating! ever since margo and oliver took the family to go ice skating once, they enrolled her in classes, and she’s been sharpening her skills ever since

who they like better: oliver, but that’s only because she’s tends to get in a lot of trouble with margo, and he is very lax with her discipline, and let’s her get away with more

who they take after more: appearance wise, her biological father who she is in contact with. personality wise, she takes after the friends she’s made along the way, def a popular kid who was naive and vulnerable at one point.

personal headcanon: her first time ever trying to achieve a stunt that only few in the ice skating world have pulled off she fell and nearly sliced her palm open

faceclaim: madeleine madden

𝐙𝐀𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: male

general appearance: unkempt curly hair with shaven sides, dark brown eyes, 5′8″, & small moles covering his face

personality: he's reflective and sympathetic. of course he's also decisive, fun-loving and charismatic, but they're less prominent and often intertwined with being hostile as well. of course zahura has a fair share of lesser days too. his irrational nature and pretentiousness cause plenty of grievances, much to the annoyance of others.

special talents: photography! especially travel photos and action shots, loves diving off a cliff to get that perfect picture, definitely an adrenaline junkie

who they like better: both, he hangs out with both of his parents just as much, and thinks that they’re both equally lame, but loves them regardless

who they take after more: appearance wise he takes after his biological mother who he’s no longer in contact with. personality wise however he is basically an amalgamation of all of his siblings positive and negative traits.

personal headcanon: originally got into photography because the girl he had a crush on was enrolled in the class, and he thought why not, but it became his passion

faceclaim: mena massoud

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐇 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊-𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐒

gender: female

general appearance: long dark brown hair, dark brown eyes that become lighter in the sun, 5′2″, & a big birthmark on her shoulder

personality: she's gracious and organized. of course she's also innovative, empathetic and sharing, but in a way they're lesser traits and tainted by behaviors of being insincere as well. of course linh has plenty of rainy days too. her extreme nature and demanding nature aren't exactly fun to deal with and just affect all around negatively.

special talents: theater! started with behind the scenes stuff like makeup and costume design, but that wasn’t enough! she wanted the spotlight! and she got it!

who they like better: both, she get an earful from both of them about theatre tips and what to do during an audition, but also she’s babie and they lowkey spoil her

who they take after more: appearance wise, her biological mother who she’s no longer in contact with. personality wise, you would think she takes after her siblings or her parents, but she’s very much her own person with hints of her family throughout

personal headcanon: her first ‘big break’ was a high school theatre production of beauty and the beast, where she played belle, shocked both ollie and margo with her talent on stage

faceclaim: jessica vu