#sniffles I miss my songbird boys

[mochiwrites]

I would like everyone to know that I have been COOKING with songbird tonight

the beloved may soon return <3

[the7thheroine]

Treech x mentor reader part 1/5

PART 5 IS IN THE WORKS READ THE REST 🤬🤬🤬

The one thing you had not expected was to be swarmed with your fellow academy students in a hall listening to a drunkard.

You sit between coriolanus and Sejanus, staring at a large screen displaying the 10th annual hunger games as Casca Highbottom, the creator of the games speaks on what is to happen.

“The prize is a bit different this year. The top performing students will each receive a tribute, only one, and which ever tribute… performs the best, will receive the prize, winning is set aside but will be taken into consideration…”

You could see coriolanus tense up next to you, every person in the room knew but never spoke on his situation. Out of anyone he was the one who needed the money the most, to pay for his life, his sisters, and his grandmothers. Sejanus looked ill, you knew that his father, most likely had bought him a tribute already.

“It’s gonna be fine, out of everyone I know, you could get a tribute to perform..?” You try and offer comfort to coriolanus. He turned to you still looking somewhat constipated and tried to offer you a tight lipped smile

“Thanks y/n… I really do hope so.”

“No problem coriolanus.”

“Now, oh excuse me Miss arachnid. Here’s announcing which tribute, will go to who.” Called Mr Highbottom

“Tribute 1….”

You could no longer pay attention. Would you be a top performing student? At best you were just above average and your parents would never buy you a tribute like Sejanus’s parents would

“Tribute 2 male!… Sejanus Plinth.”

Now he was really looking sick, you saw Coryo turn to Sejanus speaking quietly in his ear only for Sejanus to look even more upset murmuring something inaudible back.

That’s something you wouldn���t expect to see, Sejanus and coryo, whilst civil weren’t bestfriends. Especially on Coryos part. It’s strange, and yet, somewhat they click automatically. Sharp whispers were coming from Arachnid and some other students over Sejanus, ‘poor guy.’ You thought leaning back in your chair..

“District 7 male… Y/n L/n.”

Oh?

Oh.

Now that’s surprising. you were a top performing tribute. You took in the image of the boy, he seemed older, 17 or 18? He wore a bent out of shape hat and had glassed over eyes, he looked ready to scream or cry. His hair looked matted and curled, He had deep dark eyes, and squared shoulders from working in the woods, his hands were tightly fisted as he stared around at all of the others from his tribute.

You felt, pity, pity for the boy, the boy who’s your age and is now going to fight for his life, his district partner appears and looks even worse, her eyes red rimmed sniffling and crying as she’s marched up the steps to the stage, she’s Plinys tribute?

A couple tributes later and somewhat even getting worse for snow, he received district 12s female tribute, Lucy gray Baird.

She came to the stage wearing a rainbow dress, looking... calm. Her hair was a dark wavy mix, her skin a deep olive and she looked like a performer.

“What is she wearing… is she some sort of clown?”

Suddenly there’s screaming coming from the screen as Lucy gray sharply moves putting a snake down one of the girls backs.

Snow jumps up causing Clemensia to jump back away from him. He stared in awe at the screen, ‘maybe he does still have a chance..’ you thought glancing between him and the screen.

You stare at the screen as she lays still on the ground after being smacked by the mayor and left.

singing?

She’s singing.

She’s.. performing.

Snow was smiling, he has a performer, he has a chance still. All the other students were whispering in awe at the songbird.

The ceremony is swiftly bought to an end with the appearance of the games maker, Dr Gaul.

I look at snow, he’s looking around suspiciously, strangely, ready to stand up and go, but go where?

I look up at him, he stares back at me gesturing me to follow, I stand up smiling gently as sejanus before making my way to Snow.

“I’m going to the tributes trains arrival, come with me.” He says leaning in slightly.

“You really do want to win huh..”

“I have nothing left to loose.”

I nod. Determined. My tribute would be there too, maybe there’s an opportunity? Maybe he could win? I don’t want to see him die.. or have his blood on my hands. The prize seemed so small now compared to someone’s life.

[corruptedconfessions]

Naga!PresentMic!

Day 12!

This ones really short and rushed, but I had nothing to post for today so I sat and kinda just spat out a short drabble in one sitting last night.

It started out as what I planned to be a dark drabble but then I went soft so I honestly dont know the vibe anymore smh

It’s a shame, my favorite boy deserves better </3

Warnings: non-con, female reader. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were shaking hard, sobbing freely as every inch of your body was tensed, struggling and flexing against the strong tail that was wrapped tight around you body, holding you still as you were dragged back to your cage. It may not have bars or locks, but that damp cold cave was your cage in every sense of the word other than literal.

“Aw, don’t cry, songbird! Im right here! I didn’t expect you to get so worried you’d come lookin for me~”

You cried harder, weakly trying to slap away the hands that grabbed you under your arms, lifting you out of his coiled tail and instead bring you to a cool chest. Your already hot face got hotter, though you weren’t sure if it was from embarrassment or frustration at being manhandled like a child.

“I-I-I…”

You tried to force out insults, to tell him that you had been trying to run away not find him like some love struck puppy! To tell him that you hated him, to let you go, all the things you had screamed at him dozens of times before, but you couldn’t get a single word out. You could barely breathe around the sobs that shook through your chest, barely see through the tears that blurred your vision. There was little you could do other than keep crying, obediently letting the snake tuck your head into his neck as he wrapped you up in his hold.

“My sensitive little song bird~ I didn’t think you would miss me so soon.”

A clawed hand carefully pet your head as you’re breathing stuttered, sniffling wetly into his neck as you gasped weakly for air, letting out shuttered breaths as you hyperventilated, trying to breathe through the tightness in your chest.

“No…”

You managed to weakly whine out the word through the ache in your lungs only to be shushed sweetly by the naga, bright green eyes staring down at you with a concerned frown. You hid from his gaze, pushing your face harder against his skin as you kept shuttering, trying to stop the tears that kept streaming down your face.

You laid limply against his chest in silent for a while, letting the naga pet and nuzzle on you as you desperately tried to calm yourself. Eventually you did, the tears slowing to a stop and your ragged breaths calming down into soft hiccups. You almost found yourself drifting off, exhausted from running and hiding…and eventually crying when he finally broke the silence.

“I think I know how to make it up to you~”

You tensed in his arms, not daring to peek out. You already knew just from his tone the devilish smirk that was crossing his face, the lust that would be clouded in his eyes. You whimpered softly shaking your head against his neck, crying out softly when he pulled you away, slowly lowering you down to the floor.

“I know~ My sleepy little human! Always wanting to sleep the best of the night away~”

You trembled slightly, squeezing your eyes shut as he pulled your pants off of you, his long tongue flicking out of his mouth as he smirked down at you.

“You can sleep all you’d like once I’ve made this up to you~”

You flushed slightly as he lifted your legs, settling himself between your thighs as he smirked up at you devilishly. You hated yourself for how that look had your cunt twitching in anticipation.

You gasped, shuttering hard as you felt the wet tongue dragging across your cunt, managing to cover every inch of you as it writhed with a dexterity a human tongue could never manage.

You could feel his eyes bore into you as his tongue writhed, massaging your hole and your clit at the same time, drinking in every noise and face you made as you writhed on the ground under him.

You rocked your hips, whimpering softly, torn between squirming away or into the cold glide of his tongue across your cunt. Your thighs were drenched with his spit but somehow that made it hotter as you reached down to tangle your hands in the long blonde hair, desperately pulling his head closer instead of pushing it away.

You were instantly rewarded, that long tongue slowly wiggling its way past your first ring of muscle, sliding into you slowly. You shuttered squealing and whimpering as it rubbed against your sensitive walls, searching for that spot that was sure to have you falling apart.

“H-Hiza-SHI!”

You squealed throwing your head back when the tip of his tongue bumped against your g-spot, spasming as you clenched down on him. Immediately his tongue lunged for that spot, rocking and rolling against it as your eyes rolled back, mouth hanging open as you moaned his name, crying out and shaking.

He pushed deeper, practically milking your sweet spot as he watched you fall apart, drool trickling down your chin as you clutched his hair to ground you. It only took a few minutes before you were screaming, throwing your head back as you came, spasming and fluttering around his tongue as you rode out your orgasm.

His tongue slowly pulled out as you gasped for air, twitching and whimpering, weakly clenching down as he pulled out. You whined weakly in complaint, panting heavily as he lowered your legs, leaning up to swipe his tongue across your lips before dipping into your mouth. You couldn’t bring yourself to fight or complain as you tasted yourself on his tongue, holding open your mouth for him. 

“Good girl~”

[ibijau]

Asdsks your Worst Engagement AU is the best!!! Especially with how nhs's superpower is Making Good Friends. I can't stop thinking about lxc making nhs cry tears of frustration at some point, maybe even during sunshot, and wwx + jc being almost as ready to throw down as with the yanli/zixuan soup debacle. This is my give-nhs-ride-or-die-friends agenda.

Worst engagement AU // on AO3

Not quite what you asked, and oops, it’s jc and jzx instead of jc and wwx, but... nhs having protective friends who love him! here we go!

not fully sure where it stands in the timeline. Either nhs and jzx are still in their short friends-with-benefits phase, or it takes place shortly after. Either way, wwx isn’t around because he’s been sent back to Lotus Piers already :D

warning for mentions of animal death

However much Nie Huaisang has decided that he gets to do as he pleases this year, it is the first time that he appears to have simply missed a lecture. When Lan Qiren mentions it to his nephew at lunch, Nie Huaisang is still noticeably absent. Lan Xichen gets the message: his fiancé, his problem to solve.

His first idea, of course, is to check with the other two Nie disciples. After some probing, they reluctantly reveal that their young master received a letter from home. He seemed unhappy about the content and sent them ahead, saying he'd join them in class. He obviously lied but they don't think too disturbed by that. Just like Lan Xichen, they have gotten used to Nie Huaisang being somewhat unpredictable this year. To them, this is just another new oddity.

To Lan Xichen, it is concerning. Whatever else has changed, Nie Huaisang is still careful not to make Lan Qiren too angry at him, which means he wouldn't skip lessons without a good reason.

More alarmed than he would care to admit, Lan Xichen decides to look for his fiancé and figure this out. He goes first to the Nie disciples' cabin, but isn't surprised to find it empty. No traces of Nie Huaisang at the Jiang cabin either, nor the Jin one, but since Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan were both in class that was to be expected. Having eliminated the obvious, Lan Xichen starts looking everywhere he can think of, asking anyone he meets if they have seen Nie Huaisang. The answer is always negative.

It is already mid-afternoon when Lan Xichen, just as he was about to give up, finally finds the other boy.

Lan Xichen cannot say what attracted him to this particular garden, but as he walks around trees, he ends up noticing a muffled noise that grabs his attention. In a place with so many children, Lan Xichen knows what it sounds like when someone is trying to cry without being noticed. He doesn't even need to think about it and just goes straight for the source of that noise. Lan Xichen expects to find a child, or some young junior who perhaps got scolded.

Instead, sitting on a bench, curled up so tight that his head touches his knees, he finds Nie Huaisang sobbing.

“Nie gongzi?”

The instant he hears his voice, Nie Huaisang jolts and sits straighter, trying in vain to wipe away the tears that won't stop spilling.

“Nie gongzi, what's wrong?” Lan Xichen asks, striding toward his fiancé. “Did someone hurt you?”

Nie Huaisang furiously shakes his head. “I'm f-f-fi... I'm fine. I'm. D-don't bother.”

“You don't look fine. Is something wrong?” There was a letter from home, the other Nie boys said. “Did something happen in the Unclean Realm?”

That appears to be both the right and the wrong question to ask, because Nie Huaisang starts crying harder until it seems like he might choke if he doesn't calm down a little. Lan Xichen has seen people cry before, but never quite like that, because Gusu Lan disciples learn early on that they must learn to control their emotions rather than be controlled by them. Seeing Nie Huaisang so upset is distressing, and Lan Xichen just doesn't know what to do about it.

When Lan Wangji was little, he liked to have his back rubbed if he was upset. Lan Xichen isn't sure it will work in this case, but he has to try something.

The instant his hand touches Nie Huaisang's back, the other boy screeches.

“Don't!”

Lan Xichen removes his hand instantly. Before he can try to think of some other way to help, an angry voice rises behind him.

“What's going on here?”

Lan Xichen startles and turns around, only to be pushed aside by Jiang Cheng who sits on the bench, far closer than probably necessary. Just a few steps behind is Jin Zixuan, and isn't that an unexpected duo. They weren't far when Lan Xichen spoke with the Nie disciples, maybe they became intrigued by this and their friend's absence and decided to follow him. If so, Lan Xichen really must have been distracted to not have noticed them. His uncle would be disappointed in him.

“What did he say to make you cry this time?” Jiang Cheng asks, scowling at Lan Xichen who feels slapped.

This time?

Lan Xichen won't deny that things have been less than perfect between Nie Huaisang and him, but anything that might have caused his fiancé to cry happened before Jiang Cheng became friend with him. Did Nie Huaisang complain to his friends about being left behind by his mean fiancé and his big brother every time they've had to spend time together? If so, it brings new meaning to the way Jiang Cheng so often ends up putting himself in front of Nie Huaisang when Lan Xichen approached them. He had just assumed it was Jiang Cheng trying to take responsibility for whatever mess they were that time, the same he did with Wei Wuxian, but it might have been more than that.

And it's not just Jiang Cheng, Lan Xichen realises. Jin Zixuan, who came to sit on the other side of Nie Huaisang, is calmer but still throws Lan Xichen dirty looks.

“Tell us what happened,” Jin Zixuan orders.

“It's, it's my birds,” Nie Huaisang sobs. “T-they, at home, they had c-captured a beast for the juniors to, to fight against, but it...” he pauses, a few heavier sobs escaping him. “It escaped, and it, it got to the place I k-keep my birds and it, it killed them, almost all, and those it didn't kill are wounded, and, and...”

The tears become once more too strong for Nie Huaisang to speak through them, and he hide his face in his hands. Jin Zixuan and Jiang Cheng exchange a cautious but equally worried look, while Lan Xichen carefully kneels before his fiancé and brushes his fingers against his hand.

“Nie gongzi, I'm so sorry.”

Nie Huaisang tears his hand away and glares at him.

“D-don't lie! I know you think it's stupid that I have pets!” he hisses. “I know, I, I know I couldn't have kept them anyway, not after the m-marriage, I know, I know! But they're dead, and I loved them and... even my nightingale, sh-she was the best bird ever, she was so sweet, and sh-she's dead now!”

Jiang Cheng wrap an arm around Nie Huaisang's shoulders to comfort him, while Jin Zixuan awkwardly pat his knee.

“You can visit me in Lanling,” Jin Zixuan offers. “We have peacocks in the gardens, and my mother keeps some songbirds. I'm sure she would be happy to let you see them.”

“You think?” Nie Huaisang sniffles miserably.

“At worse, you can come to Yunmeng,” Jiang Cheng intervenes, glaring at Jin Zixuan. “We can steal some eggs from a wild duck and hatch them. Wei Wuxian has done it before, it drove my mother mad that the ducks followed him everywhere for weeks.”

Through his tears, Nie Huaisang manages a weak laugh.

“He must have loved the attention,” he chuckles, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. “I'd love to see that. I hope I can come, both to Lanling and Yunmeng. It'd be fun.”

“I can even ask my mother if she'd take in the birds that you have left, after your wedding,” Jin Zixuan suggests. “That way, you'll still get to see them often. Lanling is closer to Gusu than Qinghe.”

Nie Huaisang nods, and even smiles. Next to him, Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes.

“Jin-gongzi, who knew that you could be so considerate.”

“Ah, no arguing!” Nie Huaisang pouts. “I'm still sad for now! You can argue when I'm better, for now you have to take care of me.”

Jiang Cheng frowns and removes his arm. “You! Next time, I'll let Lan Xichen console you!”

Even Jin Zixuan can't help laughing at that threat, as if all three have forgotten that Lan Xichen is right there, kneeling in front of them. He is becoming used to being unwelcome among Nie Huaisang's friends and does not mind it too much anymore, but this time it still stings. He was the first to have found Nie Huaisang, the first to have tried to comfort him, and yet... but he probably deserves that. And it doesn't matter who comforts Nie Huaisang, so long as he is comforted.

“I see Nie gongzi is in good hands,” he sighs, startling the other boys. So they really had forgotten he was there. “I really am sorry for your loss, Nie gongzi. I know how important those birds are to you.”

He turns around, already preparing himself to explain to his uncle that these three won't return to class today, and wondering how to do it so Lan Qiren won't demand a reason. This really is important to Nie Huaisang and he deserves time to grieve and friends to help him, but Lan Qiren won't understand that. He barely understood when he nephews grieved their mother, after all.

Before Lan Xichen has taken two steps, he feels a pull on his robes. Glancing behind, he sees that Nie Huaisang has grabbed the fabric and is looking up at him with an unreadable expression. It is almost painful to see him like this, his eyes reddened by tears, his face splotchy, his hair a little messy from trying to wipe his face clean. He looks more like the boy he was last year, and that's an unpleasant thought. How much pain was Nie Huaisang in back then, if he only looks that way again at the height of sadness?

“Thanks,” Nie Huaisang mumbles sullenly. “For trying.”

“I wish I could do more,” Lan Xichen replies. “Since I cannot, I will leave you with those who can, and do my best to ensure you are not disturbed today. You will have to return to class tomorrow, though. I doubt I can get you more than a day of respite.”

“Thanks,” Nie Huaisang repeats, a little more sincerely this time. “I'll have this under control by then.”

He probably will, knowing him. Lan Xichen suspects that if he hadn't found him like this, he would never have even known that some of his birds have died. It's likely that Nie Huaisang would have preferred it that way too. In fact, since he went to hide like this and didn't tell anyone, Lan Xichen wonders if Jiang Cheng and Jin Zixuan too wouldn't have been kept in the dark.

Lan Xichen really is glad that these two apparently followed him.

Maybe he can't help, but he's glad somebody can.

[scattered-imagination]

EraserCloudMic

March Madness Fanfiction Exchange for @immalittleteapot​

@bnhafanfictionexchange​

sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoy! <3 this was so much fun to write!

They Were Roomates...ALL OF THEM

Hizashi sighed as he cuddled on his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest. Why was he locked in his room again? Watching nightmare before Christmas for the 5th time in a row, tears streaming down his face? He heard the door to their apartment open and close, hushed voices filling the space before it disappeared and was replaced with the sound of lips locking.

Ah...that's why.

He felt jealousy fill him as Oboro and Shouta moved to Oboros room to continue their makeout session. The jealousy was quickly filled with shame at feeling that way. He knew how hard it was for Shouta to connect with someone, and he knew how long Oboro had been pining for the brunette. He sighed as he noticed the movie ended. He buried his face in the pillow and almost screamed. 

Time to restart it again.

Just as he was about to restart the movie a knock sounded on his door. He startled before quickly turning off his ipad and rubbing the tears quickly off his face.

“cO-- Come in!” he called out, clearing his voice and pushing a smile onto his lips.

The door quickly opened with Shouta on the doorknob and Oboro latched onto his back. The white haired environmental science major grinning wide, cheeks flushed just like his criminal justice brunette boyfriend.l 

“ZASHI! We missed you! When did you get home? How was seeing your moms?” Oboro asked as he bounced off Shoutas back and into the room

Shouta puffed and rolled his shoulder

“Oboro, ask before you-” Oboro tackled Hizashi onto the bed “-barge in. sorry Hizashi, but to reiterate what he said, how was the trip?” Shouta asked as he walked into the room, a soft smile on his face

Hizashi huffed under the weight of the other and pushed him off enough for him to sit up. Shouta sat on the other side of him. Hizashi shrugged as he took off his glasses to clean them. Not noticing the worried looks the couple exchanged as they got a full look at his blotchy face.

“It was fine. Ma and mum say hi, they made me bring back food for us to eat. Because as Ma says, we are all far too skinny” he chuckled softly

“Everythings okay at home?” Shouta asked, scooting just a bit closer

“Yeah, why wouldn't it be?”Hizashi asked as he put his glasses back on

“Well, you didn't say hi and you were cuddled in your blankets and I’m guessing that you were watching nightmare before christmas and these are your sad glasses-”

Shouta sighed and he covered his boyfriend's mouth.

“What loud cloud meant was, you don’t seem yourself Hizashi,” Shouta said softly, Oboro nodding frantically behind the other hand.

Hizashi gave a sad smile, happy for their concern… and upset because he couldn’t not be sad...especially with the perfect couple near him.

A couple he would never be a part of.

It was hard being so deeply in love with your two best friends...especially when both of them were in a relationship with each other.

Oh well… at least they wanted to be friends with him still.

“I’m fine...just….out of it I guess...I’m fine really” He chuckled sadly

Oboro and Shouta shared a disbelieving look before turning back to the blonde.

“I call Bullsh--”

“ZASHI! ITS BAR CRAWL TIME! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!”

Shoutas response was thankfully cut off by Nemuris entrance. He gave a silent sigh of relief and gave the couple an embarrassed look.

“It is Saturday….Nemuri Night” he shrugged

Oboro sighed while Shoutas fists clenched in his lap

“You don't have to go if you don't want to Zashi,” Oboro said, laying a hand on his upper back

“We can tell her to fuck off” Shouta agreed, laying a hand on his lower back

Hizashi flushed and bounced off the bed. When did they get so close to him? He shook it off and gave a shake of the head.

“sorry...I have to go...and it might improve my spirits” he shrugged

He quickly scurried away from the confused couple and into Nemuris arms. She might not be great at comforting him in love.

But damn did the woman know what alcohol to use to drown his sorrows

**5 hours later**

He felt himself moving, but it was too dark behind his eyelids to really tell. Tonight had been fun...well fun in what he could remember. He giggled softly

He could hear a door opening

What bar were they going to now?

“Kayama what the...Hizashi?!” S

“Nemuri what happened to him?” O

Shouta...Oboro? They didn't like to drink? What were they doing here?

“He drank Nemuris special dance...four time” a feminine chuckle sounded “He’s your problem now”

“Kayama I swear if you messed with him and--” S

“Shou, let's just get him to bed. He looks even more exhausted than he did this afternoon” O

“Have fun boys!” Kayama giggled before her face faded away

Hizashi squeaked softly as he felt himself being lifted into someone's arms… Shoutas? He could feel the stubble on the top of his head. Someone's soft but calloused hands, with a scar on the middle finger brushed the hair out of his face and tied it in a loose ponytail….Oboros hand. He felt himself smile sleepily as he snuggled into both touches. Chuckles sounded around him

“Damn he's cute” O

��He is...isn’t he...this is so hard” S

“I know babe...but he needs more time...then maybe” O

Hizashis brows furrowed in confusion as he tried to open his eyes. But it didn't work. He groaned in frustration, it only increased as he was laid on the bed. He tried to grasp at the body. Hands tucked him in and they began to leave

NO! He didn’t want them to leave...he felt tears start to trail down his cheeks.

“Don’t go...please...I’m sorry” he hiccuped

A Shhhing sound entered his ear and soon a weight on his left side and a weight on his right side surrounded him.

“Shhh Zashi, its okay” O

“Just relax...you’re safe and sound. Sleep” S

Hizashi swallowed

“But you’ll be gone when I wake up...and I’ll be alone when you are together…. And it hurts” he cried

“What do you mean?” O

“Shhhh” S

“I love you two so much, and I want to be with you two but you are so happy...I can't ruin that… I can't”

Who was he talking to anymore

“Is he-?” O

“You know a drunk Hizashi is an honest Hizashi” S

“I’m so lonely...and it hurts...and I love you two so much….it hurts” he cried

A humming sound filled the air...Oboro

And a soothing hand rubbed up and down his back….Shouta

He drifted off with tears trailing down his face, and the dream versions of Oboro and Shouta snuggling him.

**Morning**

Hizashi groaned as the sunlight filtering into his room woke him up. Why didn't he draw the curtains? 5 more minutes. He tried to get up but found that...he couldn't?

He blinked awake at the weight on him and looked around...paling at his discovery.

Shouta clinging to his back, face snuggled into his hair. Oboro holding them both to his chest, Hizashis head on his chest and his hands on Shoutas back. He began to panic.

Shit shit shit...what had he done?! He tried to squirm out before two sets of arms tightened around him.

“Stop moving” Shouta grumbled, snuggling his chin over Hizashis shoulder.

“We were enjoying this cuddle session” Oboro laughed sleepily, yawning and cracking his jaw

Hizashi blinked in confusion, stunned

“Um…” he whispered “what's happening?”

Oboro laughed while Shouta just mumbled nonsense.

“Remember last night? We tucked you in?” Shouta said softly and seriously.

“And you started to cry about your unrequited love for us?” Oboro smirked

Hizashi felt himself flush red as he covered his face and tried to roll over and die… but two strong grips held him in place.

“I am so so sorry. I never meant to let you two know. I know you both are in a happy, committed relationship and I would never ever do something to jeopardize that I promise! Please just let me die and I can make a proper apology and--”

Hizashis apology was cut off by Oboro...specifically his soft set of lips on his own. Hizashi blinked, not knowing what to do until he felt Shouta started to kiss the back of his neck lovingly. He blinked before nervously kissing Oboro back, flushing as the older kissed him back with a smile and enthusiasm. He felt Shouta chuckle against the back of his neck before Hizashi turned towards Shouta, the brunette capturing his lips in a kiss as well. Oboro now kissing his knuckles and hand while holding it in a gentle grip. Shouta pulled away from the kiss, keeping Hizashi between the two of them.

“We love you too Hizashi...we didn’t know if you wanted to be with us...but we should have asked you” Oboro said softly and kindly.

Shouta nodded, “We have wanted you for a while….” he flushed and he rubbed the back of his neck “...we would like to date you”

“Courting you!” Oboro sung out

Shouta rolled his eyes, though there was a smile on his lips

“All of the above...is that okay?” shouta asked, caressing the blonde's cheek, chuckling as Oboro leaned over to kiss them both.

Hizashi blinked before smiling happily yet nervously.

“Yes...yes please” he cried softly

“Oh Zashi” Oboro cooed as he held him close. 

“We got you songbird” Shouta murmured and he joined the hug, keeping Hizashi safe and snug between them.

“We love you Yamada Hizashi” Shouta stated

“And we always will” Oboro smiled

Hizashi sniffled and smiled

“I love you both….so so much” he murmured happily, snuggling into their embrace

[hecohansen31]

KINKTOBER (20: Loss of Virginity)

Gordan Merkel+Poet! Reader:

Hey lovelies!

This is my first fic on Merkel ever, so if you ever want to anymore asks, please let me know!

Also the concept of this belongs to the lovely @emmyrosee so please check out her blog, because we stan (1) queen, much love to you!

From the list of prompts by @rougepetale​.

SUMMARY: It was fate who brought them together, but it is war separating them. Will their last goodbye be hurtful or sweet?

WARNINGS: Loss of Virginity/ Unprotected Sex (... don’t do like Merkel... wrap it up)/Oral Sex (Female Receiving).

You and Merkel had basically grown up together, childhood friends since the start.

So, when he had joined the “Resistance” you hadn’t stopped at nothing to follow him, in your own way.

You had always been good with words, they flowed so easily from your mouth and onto the paper page that you couldn’t help but write what you felt, being repressed by a competitive regime, that stopped others from expressing themselves and meet again with their family, from which they were separated by the big and feared Wall.

You hadn’t thought you could become such a phenomenon but once your brother, who worked on the streets alongside Merkel had told you that the Stasi had started wondering who was “the bitch, who wrote those offending poems that they found everywhere in the city”.

You had started writing even more dramatic poems, speaking more freely and eventually it got you caught.

The fact that even international espionage agencies had started being involved in Berlin was enough for Merkel to freak out and order you out of the country, getting somebody to bring you with them abroad in secret.

But you hadn’t wanted to leave him and this had made you start an argument with him.

“You fucking don’t understand, (Y/N)!” he screamed at you, making you back up into the wall, where you stood onto, shielding your body slightly with your hands and Merkel backed immediately up understanding your discomfort “… I can’t have you running around, putting yourself in dangerous situation, anymore, the situation is fucking serious!”.

“…I know, Merkel” you weren’t stupid so you knew perfectly what he meant “…but it would break my heart to leave you here”.

“You don’t understand how much it hurts me” he mumbled, whispering slowly and grabbing your hand, bringing it to his cheeks, flamed and hot due to his own rage mixed with the love he felt for you.

The girl he had always considered nothing more than an annoying bother, always clutching at him, was now the one he would die for, had anything happened to you.

Like it might happen during those times.

Not only he was having trouble dealing with Percival, but the new agent from the UK didn’t make it easy for him and all he wanted was to have just one less thought, with you away somewhere safe…

… somewhere far away from him.

It pained him to think about it, but knowing you safe brought him more comfort than knowing you in Eastern Berlin, risking your life.

“… but it is the only way out of this I see” he mumbled softly, his voice becoming a whisper meanwhile he brought you in a strict hug, feeling you sniffle in his arms, slowly becoming more and more loose in his arms, giving yourself up to your own fate.

“I don’t…” you mumbled meanwhile a sob shook your tiny body, so tiny in his arms and so frail “… don’t think that I can live without you, Gordan”.

He gently kissed your forehead and then pushed back to look at you in the face, muttering softly.

“You can and you will” he promised you, watching deeply in your eyes, before softness overtook him and he find himself strangely tearing up a bit “… how will I survive without you constantly annoying me?”.

You pushed him away, with a dark stare in your face, giggling shyly at his own joke, meanwhile you taunted him with a few fists to his chest, with had no effect on him although he faked to surrender under them.

But one hit him just right and you found yourself tumbling on the floor with him, one on top of the other.

You were confused by the sudden situation, not knowing if you had gone further than your usual friendship, mostly since Gordan’s lips were just under yours, a slight pressure towards the ground and you…

… he kissed you before, it was so sudden that you were taken aback, but quickly relaxed yourself into it, letting him take the lead to what was a sweet kiss, a farewell of some sorts and wanting more, desperately.

Even more with the way he grasped your clothes tight, almost wanting to rip them from your body.

You had to stop him, more to calm your quickening heart and regain your stolen breath, than from true disgust or rejection.

“I am sorry” he muttered, confused and not knowing whether he had wronged you or…

“… does your heart beat as quick as mine?” your hand pushed itself onto his chest and felt his heart rapidly beats against it, effectively answering your question ”…I have been feeling like this since I first met you, and you were nothing but an arrogant older boy”.

“… so… you can sprout insults but I can’t…” he mumbled, getting another hit on his chest, but a kiss to his lips soothed him.

And before you knew it, you were on the small bed of your childhood room, with your childhood friend, holding you closer to him than you thought was possible, meanwhile he laid sweet kisses onto your body, not forgetting any spot, as if he wanted to commit every part of your body to his memory.

The thought made you almost feel as if you already were missing him, as if he was already gone from your life.

You tightened your grip on him, and grabbed his hair in your hands, meanwhile he went down on you, sharing your juices with him, as he gently rubbed your clit, making you feel better and taking for a bit your mind off the dreadful thought of being separated by on ocean.

He brought you over the edge, after holding you onto it for quite a bit.

And then his member rubbed against your tender skin, still sensitive from you high, and you couldn’t help but blush a bit, slightly stilling in his close grip.

Something which didn’t go unnoticed by him, who gently peppered your face and neck with small kisses to make you relax and face him.

“What is wrong, little katze?” he mumbled as soon as he got your attention, no matter that you tried to avoid staring him in his beautiful eyes, eventually giving up and whispering your little secret.

“You are my first, Gordan”.

This left him wide-eyed and a smirk appeared on his face and you hid your face to your side, muttering something about making his ego just stronger, pushing him away, but he just made you face again, gently brushing his member against your clit, making you arch onto the bed.

“… I’ll make it special, if you want me to be your first” he said, caressing your sweaty hair out of your face, tracing with his thumb your lips “… I would have bought candles and flowers and all the shit, had I know it… and if you want to wait… we can…”.

“I don’t need “all that shit”, Gordan” you giggled, this time being the one that made him blush “… I just need you, and the thought of losing you, makes me so so…”.

“I don’t want to rush you…” he whispered onto your lips, before he laid a kiss there and you couldn’t help but smile into it.

“…I am ready, Gordan” you muttered, against his lips, caressing them one last time with yours “… I don’t want anybody else other than you, as my first”.

You saw tears shine again in Gordan’s eyes, but he ducked them down quickly to focus on the task ahead, entering you slowly and letting you get adjusted to it, meanwhile you hissed due to the painful intrusion.

Quickly Gordan’s hand joined yours and his lips went to your forehead, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, meanwhile he gently started moving as you squeezed back his hand, giving him the possibility to move, in you.

And with that you lost your last drop of innocence, blood coating the sheets as you laid in each other’s arms once it was all done, a phantom pain gently sobbing between your legs, but the knowledge that your last memory of your best-friend-turned-lover was so sweet, soothed any pain.

You would miss him, but you knew you would meet again.

You had grown up together, fallen in love and you had no doubt love and happiness were in your future.

You just had to wait.

---

@emmyrosee​ @blakewaterxx​ @lovelylangdonx​ @1-800-bitchcraft​ @rocketgirl2410​ @ladynuwanda​ @rosegoldrichie​ @lathraios​ @frenchbread4ever​ @bish-ima-clown​ @eternalnostalgia​  @raindeadbarbie @whitetigerlover17​ @harmcn​ @lilwolfgirl86​  @photography-ygs​ @bvbfob​ @courtcourt2607​ @born-of-the-sea @pearlsofperyl​ @ali-1864 @trilogyss​  @otps-4-life​ @christine-daae-songbird​  @babygirls-fav

[xmagicxshopx]

Moon Monsters - Chapter 3

Genre: Fantasy Adventure, Romance (possible smut later), Comedy Rating: PG-13 Warnings: none at this time Pairing: Jungkook x reader, Jimin x oc, Taehyung x oc Notes: werewolf!bts au. Not idol!bts. Same goes for GOT7. Single quote marks ‘ ‘ are for thoughts and double “ “ are for talking. Additional Notes: I proof read here and there. Also, this chapter just felt so visibly long as it was so I cut it short. But don’t worry! The girls are gonna have fun in the next chapter and the guys are gonna beat feet to make miracles happen~

Tagging: @och-ako @kfictionstories @trcvias @justbangtanandjams @lizardsocial @breadcaaat

Summary: You’re the CEO’s new personal assistant. But there’s something strange about him and the company you work for.

SERIES MASTERLIST

The petite female whom everyone knew as Mama Bird hummed a soft tune, almost sounding like a songbird herself, as she gently rubbed shampoo into her fellow female’s scalp.

It was more than obvious that you had no will to do anything. You were in that stage where you just wanted to.....disappear. You didn’t even want to exist. Just so you wouldn’t have to deal with this huge loss. Everything to your name was gone. Well almost everything. Thank god things like your credit and debit cards were in your purse. Your social security card and driver’s license were also on you. But that was about it. Everything else was....gone.

And so that’s how you found yourself sitting in the tub full of soothing hot water and lots of bubble bath. You faintly noticed the other female’s hands rubbing your shoulders in a massaging fashion and it would have felt amazing if you could stop seeing the image of your home going up in flames over and over again.

“I know it doesn’t feel like it right now. And I know nothing I say will make this any better, but just know that it’s going to be okay. Because we’re all here for you, sweet pea. You’re not going through this alone.”

“Thank you.......I know I sound like I don’t mean it. I just......”

“It’s okay. I totally get it. I’ve been there.”

You could hear the raw sincerity in the female’s voice. There wasn’t an ounce of bitterness or offence and it actually helped you relax a little. Perhaps it was safe to just be completely open and vulnerable. After rinsing your hair and making sure you were squeaky clean, the soapy water was drained and Mama Bird was helping you up and out of the tub.

Meanwhile, the two males were out in the living room devising up a plan. A plan that was going to take the whole Bangtan pack. The female mates included. They had already texted Taehyung and within 20 minutes, the male and his mate were barreling through the door in a flourish. The male looked around with worry all over his face when his eyes landed on the two males sitting on the couch.

“Where is she now? Is she okay? Has she been checked out?”

“Tae, baby. They mentioned in the text that she wasn’t in the fire. It’s okay. Just calm down.”

Upon feeling a soft, gentle, and warm hand on his upper arm, the male with shaggy, slightly long dark brown hair instantly relaxed and took a deep breath. He turned around and smiled apologetically down at his beautiful mate. He was the luckiest wolf out there to have such a wonderful woman like her. Her eyes were as soft and warm as her reassuring smile.

“Sorry, babe. I just----You know how I feel about our pack. Everyone included. Even if she doesn’t know she’s a part of our family yet.”

Taehyung may have been on the younger end of the pack, but he was a family man for sure. He was going to be the one who had a whole soccer team full of pups and was going to be the best uncle to all the other pups in the pack. Of course he hadn’t explained how mating worked in its entirety to his mate yet but.....well one day that conversation would have to happen. For now he got past the hardest part. And that was explaining to this beautiful woman in front of him who and what he was.

Thank the Moon Goddess she had accepted him. For Taehyung wasn’t prepared to literally die of a broken heart.

“Look who’s ready for a day at the mall.”

Everyone looked up and Taehyung turned around on his heel to see Mama Bird standing with her arm around a very somber looking you. Jungkook didn’t know how to feel as he stared you up and down. If the situation hadn’t been so depressing, he would have voiced how pretty you looked. Mama Bird had done good. Picking out a simple but cozy outfit for you. But that look of sadness on your face broke his heart.

“Oh sweetheart. I’m so sorry. The guys told me what happened. Come here.”

And be darned you started sobbing all over again as you flung yourself at Taehyung and bawled into his shoulder just as you had done with Jimin. After a couple minutes of soft cooing and shushing you, you finally let go of the male and sniffled while rubbing your eyes dry only for a tissue box to be handed to you. Taking the box gratefully, you excused yourself to go blow your nose and splash some cold water on your face now that you knew where the bathroom was.

When you returned, everyone was sitting in the living room. All eyes were on you but the only gaze you were returning was Jungkook’s. His eyes turned soft and he gently scooted over closer to Jimin so that you could take a seat next to him on his other side. Mama Bird was sitting on the floor between Jimin’s legs as said male was playing with his mate’s hair, making a mindless braid out of her soft strands.

“Before we go to the mall........I.......I want to see the building.”

You could tell some of the males in the room wanted to gently disagree but before any of them could get a word out, you quickly turned to Jungkook and took both of his hands in yours to plead with him. If only you knew your touch alone had already convinced him to give you anything you wanted.

“I need to see if there’s anything left, Kook. Anything.”

“Shhh. It’s okay. Of course we can go. We can do anything you want.”

Jimin and Taehyung shared a glance with each other. Yep. Their youngest wolf was whipped like the lovesick puppy he was. Hell, he was more whipped than whipped cream. Speaking of the other two males in the room, Taehyung cleared his throat and spoke softly and gently to you so as not to come off as insensitive.

“Before you go, we’d like to properly introduce you to the girls. Since you’ll be spending all day with them. I know you’ve already met Mama Bird but you’ve not met my lovely lady yet.”

Upon being called lovely lady, the other female in the room smiled bashfully and nervously started to fidget with her fingers. If you hadn’t been so overcome with sadness at the moment, you would have found her more endearing. You took in her appearance. She was quite beautiful. Long, black hair and a cute face. You could understand why Tae had the hots for her.

“You see, us guys have kind of started a thing where we give our girls.....like.....Indian Tribe names? There’s Jimin’s Mama Bird and as for myself. Well.......this gorgeous woman here is my Black Widow. Because of her beautiful black hair and she spins tales like a spider spins her web. Sometimes I tease her and call her Author-nim but at the end of the day, she’s my beautiful black widow. I’m forever tangled in your web, baby. Never forget that.”

“Taaaaeeeee. Ssstooooppp.”

Now who was whipped? While the pale female was now flushed pink in a blush of shyness, she stuffed her face into her mate’s chest while the male just chuckled and held her tightly. The sight actually made you smile a little; helping you forget about your troubles at least for a few minutes. It was then that Mama Bird spoke up and she said casually in her motherly soft tone,

“The boys have told us a lot about you. Taehyung here calls you Miss Korea from what I understand. I can see why. You’re very pretty. You could definitely compete for Miss Korea.”

‘I think we’d both prefer Mrs. Jeon. Doesn’t that have a nice ring to it?’

If it wasn’t for being in a room full of people, Jungkook would have told his inner wolf to stuff it. But now wasn’t the time for that. It was then that the boy realized your hands were still holding his and his knee jerk reaction was to pull away but he managed to resist and instead gave your hands a soft, gentle squeeze of reassurance.

“Th-Thank you for your kinds words. And it’s nice to meet you both. Your names are really beautiful in their own right. I can tell they’re very fitting.”

Not wanting to be rude but also wanting to survey what might be left of your home, you turned back around to fully face the male in front of you and he simply nodded in understanding. Clearing his throat, Jungkook stood up and helped you up with him before turning to the small group.

“I’m going to take her to the apartment building and see what we can find. We’ll meet you guys at the mall and go from there.”

“Sounds like a plan, Kook. Good luck, sweetheart. Call us if you guys need anything while you’re there.”

“Will do. Thanks TaeTae. And thank you for everything, Mama Bird.”

“No problem, sweet pea. You’re welcome over any time.”

Suddenly there was a squawk that shattered the moment followed by a high pitched, “Jimin you pabo! Jimin you pabo!”

“I hate that bird.”

And that’s when you and Jungkook left while listening to a cackling Taehyung as he tried to teach the parrot more phrases while Black Widow tried to scold him; telling him to be nice to his hyung. Part of you wanted to stay and enjoy the fun but there was a larger part of you that needed some kind of closure. Hell, you were still trying to wrap your head around the fact that you now had no home. How could you possibly think about going out and having fun when you were now homeless???

While you were mindlessly walking to the car and climbing in to buckle up, Jungkook was rapidly texting away in the pack’s group chat; explaining what had happened and that phase one of the plan was being set in motion. He’d keep them up to date if he succeeded. If this worked, Jungkook would be the happiest man alive. Climbing into the car, he buckled up himself and started the drive back to the burned down apartment building.

The trip was shorter than you expected it to be. Since the time you had been at Mama Bird’s house, all the fire trucks were gone and all that was left was......other tenants like yourself. Police were carefully escorting them into the building; showing them where it was safe to try and see if there was anything left for them to salvage. Sniffling, you felt a hand on your knee and you quickly turned to face Jungkook. His eyes were full of sorrow and sympathy.

“Come on. Let’s go see what we can find.”

After a police officer safely escorted you to your apartment door, he left the two of you to your own devices so that he could continue to help other tenants. There was nothing left of your door. The only way you knew it was yours because you knew the pathway to your room. Sniffling behind the breathing mask you had been provided to avoid any possible smoke or other toxic fume inhalation, you carefully stepped into the room. There wasn’t much left. Not that you expected anything less. But still.....one could hope.

Despite the breathing mask, it did little to help Jungkook’s extremely sensitive nose. Not that he was about to let you know that. Looking around, his heart broke all the more. Your home was so.....tiny. You lived here? For three years you lived in this tiny place? His inner wolf huffed and growled in mild annoyance. No mate of theirs was going to live in such horrible conditions. Which brought the young male back to his task at hand. Phase one of the mission.

Convincing you to come stay with him.

Meanwhile, you were looking almost desperately for something. The male found his head tilting slightly to the side; looking like the spitting image of a confused puppy. What could you be looking for? A family photo perhaps? Just when he was about to ask, you let out a heart wrenching sob and almost fell to the floor. Which wouldn’t have been safe since there were shards of glass and scorched metal material everywhere.

“Oh my god.....there’s actually a piece left.”

“Wait---Be careful!”

But you didn’t listen. You still reached down and picked up a charred looking object. As you picked it up, what looked like ash was falling down at your feet but upon closer look, Jungkook realized it was stuffing. In your hands was a half destroyed stuffed animal. It appeared to once be a cat. It was silent till he heard you softly sobbing; your shoulders shaking from the pure sadness racking through you.

“This was from my mother. She......She gave it to me before she left me here with my dad. Don’t get me wrong, I love my mother, but......she’s too much of a free spirit. She didn’t want to be strapped down by my father and I, I suppose. She left this as a parting gift when I was 8. I haven’t heard from her since........Jungkook this was all I have left of my mother.”

And then it brought on a whole new kind of pain as you suddenly sobbed even harder and threw yourself at him. Audibly crying, you asked him in devastation,

“Why didn’t she want me, Kookie? What was so bad about dad and I?”

At first, the young wolf had no idea what to say. Perhaps it was due to his canine instincts, but how could a parent ever leave their child? It blew his mind. A parent never abandoned their pup. Never. Holding onto you tightly, he gently rocked the both of you back and forth as he shushed you gently.

“You’re a good daughter, beautiful. There’s absolutely nothing bad about you. It’s your mother’s loss. Not yours. Never forget that.”

After a few more minutes of crying your heart out, you finally pulled away from him and pulled yourself together. Sniffling, you stared down at what was left of the stuffed animal and said softly,

“Is it stupid that I want to keep it?”

Gently shaking his head and causing his soft, dark locks to flop back and forth, the male spoke up gently as he replied soothingly,

“No. It’s not stupid at all. Let’s see if we can get an evidence bag from the police officer so you can safely take it with you.”

“Take it with me......”

You let out a bitter laugh before adding, “Where am I going to go? I suppose I’ll find a motel somewhere close to the office building.”

‘A motel? A motel?! Over my dead fluffy body! No mate of ours is going to be staying in a motel!! Of all places!’

It was all Jungkook could do not to tell his inner wolf to pipe it down out loud. Okay. This was it. This was his chance to bring you, his mate, home with him. Nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his heart pounding in his ears, he cleared his throat and asked through the breathing mask,

“Why don’t you just stay at my place?”

He quickly added, “There’s plenty of room and we can drive to work together. This way you can save money on gas to help save up money for a new place. It can just be till you get back on your feet. It wouldn’t be anything permanent.”

As much as he’d love for it to be.

You stood there feeling.....Well......You weren’t sure how to feel right now. Everything was happening so fast. Your home had been burnt to a crisp, you’ve bathed and dressed in a stranger’s house, you’ve been introduced to strangers who you were about to spend the whole day with, and now your coworker was practically begging you to stay with him.

“J-J-Jungkook. I don’t know. I don’t want to impose----”

“You won’t be. I promise. I swear.”

There was something unique about staring into someone’s eyes when that was all you could see and right now Jungkook’s eyes were pleading with your own which were filled with uncertainty. Would this even work? Could coworkers living together actually work? Was it practical? Or should you just throw caution to the wind and go for it? After several tense seconds, you sighed and let your shoulders slump as you said in mild defeat,

“Okay. I’ll stay with you. But it’s only temporary.”

You barely got the words out before you were being swept off your feet. Overcome with joy, Jungkook had wrapped you up in his arms and started to gently swing you around while letting out one of those cute higher pitched laughs that he did whenever he was excited about something. The question was......why did you know this? Finally setting you down on your own two feet, you looked up and could see his huge bunny smile despite only being able to see his crinkled eyes.

“I promise it’s going to be fine. You’ll be able to live comfortably while searching for a new home. I promise.”

You really didn’t even know where to begin on thanking him. Perhaps for him it was no big deal but for you it sure was. Taking someone in was a huge deal. Sure they were coworkers but still. You were still getting to know each other. Especially since you two would be working on that project together. This would be a change for sure.

“Thank you, Jungkook. I really can’t thank you enough. Look, I can help around the place. I can do the grocery shopping and----”

“Yah yah. Don’t worry about that stuff right now. I’m just glad you agreed. I’m happy to have you over. It’ll work out perfectly.”

You stared up at him, still a bit dazed from how fast everything was happening. You lost a home and gained one all in a matter of hours and it still felt as if you hadn’t even fully comprehended that you lost everything to your name. Which reminded you, there was still the rest of the apartment to search. Turning back to the male, you asked timidly,

“Could you hold him while I keep looking?”

“Of course. I’d be honored to. What’s his name?”

You were probably just overthinking things but.....It touched your heart and made tears sting your eyes when he referred to your stuffed animal as a still present being rather than a past tense being.

“His name is Garfield. Because he’s orange.”

But sadly, you’d never be able to tell that now. The poor thing was completely covered in soot and ashes. Even though you couldn’t see it, Jungkook had nodded in understanding as he stared down at the object. It was then that an idea popped into his head. Which also triggered a reminder to let the pack know phase one of the mission had went successfully.

Being extremely careful, the young wolf took out his phone and was tapping away his update and his idea while still carefully cradling what was left of your precious gift from your mother. Your mother.....You had mentioned you love her. It was hard for Jungkook to wrap his head around that. Your mother had abandoned you and yet you still found it in your heart to love her. It blew his mind how full of love you must be in general.

Hopefully with time, you’d find a spot in your heart to love him too. Because he sure as hell loved you. With every fiber of his being.

“Well......I guess there’s really nothing left......God so much money was in this place.....”

“Do you have renter’s insurance?”

He immediately regretted asking for he could tell from your posture and the way you looked down at the floor......that you didn’t have much of any insurance aside from what the company provided it’s employees.

“No.....I......I had planned on getting it with this promotion and the raise but......I guess I ran out of time.”

“Hey hey. It’s okay. We’re going to help you rebuild. You’re not in this alone, beautiful.”

Beautiful......he had been calling you that the entire day. Had he always called you that? Looking up at him with curiosity and confusion swirling in your eyes, you asked softly,

“Why do you keep calling me that? Do you really think I’m beautiful?”

Oh sh---- He hadn’t even been thinking about that, really. It just came so naturally to him to call you beautiful. It was kind of his pet name for you, he supposed. Smiling awkwardly behind his breathing mask, he ended up nervously scratching behind his head as he tried to come up with an explanation that wouldn’t send you off running.

“Well of course I think you’re beautiful. You’re not the Miss Korea of our group for nothing.”

There we go. That was slick, right? Pretty smooth? Hopefully???

It seemed to be enough to satisfy your curiosity for you simply nodded but he was certain you were blushing behind your mask as you shyly looked away. Dear god you were adorable. He just wanted to wrap you up in his arms and cuddle you all day long. But there was a mission to be completed. Now that you had accepted his offer, there was a lot of work to be done within this day’s time.

“Let’s get that evidence bag and head over to the mall to meet the others.”

After he softly told you to watch your step, his inner wolf practically screeched at him to just take your hand and help guide you through the rubble. It felt so natural to hold your hand. Even if you didn’t return his strong feelings right now, being in love with you was still one of the best feelings in the world.

Once the both of you were back outside, you were in luck as they had plenty of bags for safe transport of any salvaging the tenants might have found. Carefully putting what was left of your precious Garfield into the bag, you carefully zipped it up and finally took your breathing mask off. Thanking the police officer for everything he had done, the both of you were now heading back to Jungkook’s car and that was when you realized-----

“My car!? Where’s my car?!”

You always parked out in the front of the building because that was really all the parking the building could own. You hadn’t thought about it before but now that everything was settling in your mind, you realized your car was nowhere to be found.

Great. This day just kept getting better and better. First your home goes up in flames and now you were going to have to file a stolen vehicle report. Before you could freak out any further, you felt a pair of warm hands starting to gently rub at your shoulders. That was the second person today to try and give you a shoulder massage. Jungkook didn’t even have to tell you to relax as you figured it out on your own. Taking deep breaths, the two of you just stood there next to his car as he continued to rub his hands expertly over your shoulders.

“Thanks, Kookie.......I don’t think I’d be able to make it through this day without you. Actually I know I wouldn’t have.”

Indescribable. That’s what this moment, this feeling, was like for him. You just told him everything he wanted to hear. Well......one of the things he wanted to hear. His inner wolf was yipping and howling with happiness and dear lord it was like being on cloud nine. This had to be what Heaven felt like. He was sporting the brightest bunny smile ever and was grateful that you couldn’t see him to question him about it.

However, Jungkook needed to remain, strong, cool, and calm for you. So wiping the huge smile off his face and trying to keep that same soothing voice as before, he made a small clear of his throat before replying softly,

“I’m always going to be here for you. You’ll always have me in your corner. And that goes for the rest of us. Tae, Jimin, the girls. We’re all here for you. Since the police are here, why don’t we go file that report now? That way we can skip the station and just go straight to the mall.”

“That’s a smart idea. Let’s go.”

After approaching the policeman from earlier, he was kind and professional as he both offered his sympathy and explained that they actually have some paperwork for such things here on site in their vehicles. So there you stood with a clipboard, pen, and the paperwork necessary to report your stolen vehicle. This was crazy. Who would want your vehicle? It made no sense.

Once you had filled out the paperwork and handed it back to the officer for processing, it was now time to head to the mall. Jungkook would occasionally glance over at you in the passenger seat and every time you’d be staring down at what was left of your poor stuffed animal. He could only hope his plans would help heal your sadness over the loss. God you lost so much though. He couldn’t even fathom the sadness and emptiness you must be feeling. You must be terrified.

That was why, when they had finally found a spot to park and were climbing out of the car, he walked over to your side and gave you a hug. It probably could have been classified as a bear hug, honestly. It took you by surprise but you returned his gesture nonetheless. It was almost like it was his turn for everything to finally sink in. Even though he wasn’t the one that just lost everything. But for a wolf, his mate’s pain was his pain.

“I’m really sorry you’re having to deal with all of this. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re feeling right now. I’m so so sorry, beautiful.”

It felt natural to hug him back. Honestly, you could just stand there hugging each other all day and you’d be happy as a clam. Was that weird? You had only known Jungkook for about a week or so. But some people just click. So perhaps you and him simply click and there’s that great chemistry between you. Maybe that’s why Namjoon picked you to be the younger’s assistant instead of anyone else.

“Thank you, Kookie. It means a lot. Like I said, I wouldn’t be getting through this day without you. Everyone’s been wonderful but you’re really here for me. But let’s get going before Taehyung and Jimin send out a search party for us, huh?”

You smiled up at him as you reluctantly pulled away. He too was smiling as he nodded and took your hand once more. It was nice to know that you weren’t pulling away from the movement because it was becoming more and more natural to take your hand in his. He could tell you weren’t sure what to do with your fingers so he took the risk and laced them with his own. He half expected you to tug away but if anything, you gave his hand a gentle squeeze. God his heart was soaring.

After confusing texts in the group chat, the two of you managed to find everyone in the food court. Food......Did you really even have much of an appetite after the morning you’ve had? No. That was a big fat no. However, you knew that if you were going to survive this day, you were going to have to eat something. Taking a deep breath, you sat down at the table with everyone and reluctantly let go of Jungkook’s hand.

“How did it go, sweetheart?”

Your initial reaction was to be sour and bitter about it. It went horribly at best. But Taehyung was just asking and you would never actually respond to him that way. Just as Jungkook was about to help and answer for you, you found the strength to open your mouth and replied weakly in a small voice,

“It......There was nothing left. And.....on top of everything else, I had to file a stolen vehicle report.”

You could feel the pity. Even though you knew their hearts were in the right place. This day just honestly sucked. Massively. And the worst part is, you had no where to go where you could just soak in a tub with a nice bath bomb. Because you had no home. You were homeless and now without any way of transportation.

“Oh sweet pea that’s awful! I’m so sorry.”

“Thanks, Mama Bird. I’m just glad the vehicle is paid for. It wasn’t anything special but I kind of need a car to get places.”

“Sure sure. That makes total sense. Gosh. Well don’t worry. We’re going to show you a good time today and it’ll make you forget all about the icky stuff. Right, Widow?”

You glanced over across the table to see Black Widow was leaning against Taehyung with her head resting on his shoulder. You got the feeling crowded places like a mall weren’t really her thing and honestly, you yourself weren’t really feeling up for big crowds either. At least not today. However, the woman with the silky black hair nodded her head and spoke up softly,

“Yeah. We’ll have a good time.”

The table took this moment to break up and scout out what was in the food court. Honestly it had been ages since you last went to the mall. Being an adult didn’t really allow you much fun time like that. You couldn’t help but notice Jungkook was following you like a puppy. Not that you minded but you feared he was sticking close to you out of pity.

After everyone regrouped and sat down with some food, the mood was quickly lightening up. Especially when Taehyung picked up one of his fries from the basket he was sharing with his mate and said,

“Look! It’s Jimin!”

That got the poor boy a jab in the arm and a smack to the back of his head all at the same time for he was sitting between his mate and the blonde up for discussion. While Black Widow was lightly scolding the shaggy haired male and Mama Bird was trying to sooth her man’s ego, you sat there nibbling on some crackers that was supposed to go with your bowl of soup but you hardly touched it. Of course Jungkook took notice but he didn’t press or say anything. He probably wouldn’t want to eat either if he was in your shoes.

Once everyone had ate, to which you surprisingly ate at least half your bowl of soup, it was time to part ways. The guys were going to head out and do ‘guy stuff’ while the girls were going to stick around the mall to do ‘girl stuff’.

However......while the day’s plans looked the same, the actual plans had changed dramatically. Even as they all stood there in the middle of the mall, people were already out and about on their own little missions. Jungkook couldn’t wait for this evening. His mate was in so much pain right now, but hopefully once the sun went down, all that pain would go away. Or if anything, would at least ease up.

“Okay, babes. Here’s our cards. And remember, no one buys any clothing without my Fashionista Notary Stamp of approval. Lingerie included. Got it?”

You were dumbfounded as you watched all three boys casually whip out pieces of plastic like it was no big deal. Taehyung handed his mate his card as did Jimin handing Mama Bird his card. And then there you stood staring down at Jungkook’s credit card like he was handing you a beheaded fish or something. Looking back up at him as he was still holding the card out to you, you shook your head and said with a stutter,

“Kook--- N-No. I can’t accept this. Please. I can----”

Just as the youngest was about to gently argue, Taehyung slid between the two of you and gently took your hand and guided you over to a nearby corner where there was a small lounge. Gently setting you down, you were about to argue when the male beat you to it.

“Babe. I’m not going to pretend that I understand what you’re going through right now. But I can promise you, Kook isn’t doing this out of pity or anything like that. Hell, none of us guys are. It’s just something we do whenever we all go out together. Try not to take his gesture the wrong way.”

You stared up at him with all kinds of mixed feelings swirling in your eyes and your heart. Sneaking a glance over at the small group, you could see Jimin trying to keep the mood light but you could see how tense Jungkook’s shoulders were for he had his back to you.

“But.....you and Jimin have girlfriends. It kind of makes sense that you guys would do that for your girls. But Jungkook and I----”

“He’s doing this as your friend. And......I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

Taehyung dramatically leaned in and whispered above all the noise from the mall,

“He’s always wanted to be part of the Sugar Daddy Club. Poor kid.”

If lightening your mood was what he was aiming for, it unknowingly worked as you leaned back from him and rolled your eyes so hard it almost gave you a headache. With a light and playful shove, the male just laughed and gently helped you up from the lounge and escorted you back to the group.

“She’s all yours, Kook.”

And there the two of you stood, as if you two were the only people in the mall. Was that a blush creeping up your neck trying to burn your cheeks and ears? Yes. Yes it was. And you couldn’t help but notice Jungkook too was lightly blushing. With a sheepish smile, he held out his card once more and this time you took it.

“Buy anything you want. It’s yours.”

“It still has to have my notary stamp of approval!”

After stating his conditions, Taehyung turned back to his beloved mate and gave her a sweet kiss on the lips before playfully tapping her nose and speaking softly in a loving tone he reserved only for her.

“Remember your task for the day?”

“Yes. Unfortunately. Manicure and pedicure. Tae what if I chicken out in front of the girls? Please. Can’t we pick something else?”

“Babe. Look at me.”

Black Widow stared up at her mate with eyes full of anxiety as he gently gripped her shoulders. And just like that, one look into his warm eyes and she instantly felt better. He was the only one who could calm her down whenever her anxiety got the best of her.

“You can do this. They’re there to pamper you. They keep all their stations and equipment sanitized and their job is literally to be good to you. You’ll be just fine. And if you succeed, I’ll give you a big reward. A really big one.”

“You’re so gross. Ew. Get away from me.”

The two of them ended up laughing as the female tried to act disgusted with her mate. But Taehyung just clung on and started being overly affectionate as he smothered the entire side of his mate’s face with kisses. However, settling down before he got thrown out for public indecency, he pulled his girl close once more and whispered,

“Pick out a pair of lingerie for me, okay?”

“Fine. If it’ll get you out of here. You guys have a lot to do today.”

“Tell me about it. Namjoon and Jin hyung are already at the dealership lot scouting out the best fit. Yoongi and Hoseok hyung are at the furniture store. Small Fry and I are going to head to the cafe and see what we can find. Pray for me. You know I don’t get along well with cats.”

“If I have to suffer through some old man touching my hands and feet, then you can suffer with a bunch of cats.”

“This is why you’re my mate.”

While Taehyung and Black Widow were being overly mushy and gooey, Jimin and Mama Bird had their heads together talking softly as if they were saying goodbye for the last time. It actually made you feel.......jealous? Was that the feeling gripping and trying to suffocate you? Was that what it was like to have someone special? You have never had a boyfriend before, but you’ve had a couple one night stands. Nothing romantic.

“Try to have fun today, okay?”

You looked up to see a mildly worried looking Jungkook trying to smile down at you. Attempting to smile back, you nodded and spoke softly above all the noise around you,

“I’ll try. Thank you again for everything, Kookie. I know I keep saying it but....”

“Hey, it’s okay. I want to do this. Honestly I wish I could do more.”

“Okay, guys. Let’s leave the girls to their own devices. We got lots of guy stuff to do.”

[what-the-fel]

Epitaph

Summary: The grand magister’s memory is vivid, far-reaching, and most often, more trouble than it’s worth. (One-shot, for the weekly prompt “Empty.”)

(See: http://archiveofourown.org/works/10449402/chapters/23066595)

He should be fast asleep by this hour, but he rarely sleeps through nights like these.

“Rommath.”

The boy is hesitant to leave the safety of his blankets; gaps in the roofing let in quite a chill wind during the winter months—snow, if they’re really unlucky—and he’s willing to wager the floor’s prickling with a fresh layer of frost, this late at night.

But an audience with the prince of Quel’Thalas is not so easily refused, no matter how many times he has to be told that the title has no real value this far from Silvermoon.

It’s got value to Rommath. Kael may not let him kneel, but he reveres the prince all the same.

Even when he can hear the mattress groaning, footsteps light on the floorboards as Kael crosses the room to his bedside. The prince doesn’t always live up to his title, when the nights are late and sleep is seldom, sparse at best.

Doesn’t matter. Wide-eyed, teary, and trembling or no, he’s royalty.

“I’m sorry,” he sniffs, pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t wake you—”

Rommath sits up with a shrug, eyes darting back to his book where it lay spine-up amid his sheets, runes pulsing softly across the cover in the lowlight. “Wasn’t sleeping.”

“It’s late.” His tone is almost reproachful, but that’s the closest Kael comes to concern. “If you fall asleep during lessons, Telestra will have you flayed and tanned. And when she finds out it’s my fault, she’ll make me wear you around when the weather calls for a cloak. Oughtta get some rest.”

As should he, truly. But Rommath’s fretting is best kept to himself. Kael loves to be the subject of many things, but worrying and wringing hands have never been among them.

Rommath rolls to his side, making space for the prince on his pillow; he knows how this goes.

“I’m sorry, I really am sorry,” Kael tells him again. “I’m so sorry.”

Rommath stays silent, as per the usual.

Silent when Kael sniffles and chokes back a sob; silent when Kael slips an arm around him—like a stranglehold, just sweeter—and smothers the rest of his miserable sounds in Rommath’s shirt; silent when he’s soaked through the fabric, hot tears cooling against his skin; silent through the ‘I just want to sleep, Rom’s and the ‘I’m so tired’s.

He stays silent until Kael manages to do the same—fingers still twisted up in Rommath’s shirt and flanks heaving with every breath, but silent.

When he speaks, the words are gentle, so as not to disrupt the tenuous peace. “I have nightmares too.”

Kael flicks a glance his way, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “The same ones, over and over?”

“You remember when I first came to live here? I still used to dream about my brother.” He pauses to pull the blankets up around them, layered thick over their shivering shoulders. "I would wake in tears, crying for my mother and father—Minn’da, Ann’da, they got him, they got him, they got him!—and somehow you always managed to be there when I woke, kneeling beside my bed. Remember what you would tell me?"

Kael coughs into his arm, nodding his reply.

“There aren’t any trolls in Dalaran.” Rommath works his hands free from beneath the prince's weight to take him by the wrist. “You’re safe here. And if you’re not convinced and you’re still scared, you can sleep on this side, so they get me first.”

The prince smiles weakly, lips no less pale and ashen.

“And when I wouldn’t quit my sniffling, you’d hold me close and hum,” Rommath continues. “Seemed an odd approach to me, but you’ve got a voice like a songbird and your tunes always reminded me of my mother’s hymns.”

“Just odes and ballads Father made me learn,” Kael says, an idle explanation. “Are you going to sing to me?”

Rommath gives his head a curt shake. He possesses neither the voice nor the confidence. But the prince prods at him all the same, eyes wide and expectant in the dark.

“I don’t know any odes or ballads.” Not a lie, but not much of a real reason either; he’s no songbird, more of a sparrow—a small, twittering thing, flitting about with no true direction. “Not by heart, anyway.”

“Then sing me one of those hymns.”

The boy frowns, pushing a few strands of dark hair out of his eyes. “I can’t sing them without her.”

Kael doesn’t argue this; he misses his mother too, says so often. “Then tell me a story.”

“Story?”

“Tell me a story about you,” the prince says. “You never talk about you. I want to hear about you.”

“Not a very interesting topic, I’m afraid.” He wets his lips, nervous, but they stick shut anyhow. “Wh...What do you want to know?”

A thoughtful frown furrows the prince’s brow. “Why’d you come here?”

“Here?” says Rommath, squirming in Kael’s grip. “You kind of...pulled me. And I didn’t want you to be scared.”

“I’m not scared,” the prince says hastily.

“I know, I know.”

“Not what I meant anyway,” Kael tells him.

Rommath tilts his head to one side, a silent plea for explanation.

“Why’d you come here?” Kael asks. “To Dalaran?”

“To bunk with a prince, of course,” he says dryly.

“That’s no answer.”

He hesitates. “I...wasn’t benefiting as much from my tutelage in Silvermoon.”

The words are his father’s. He wonders if they taste just as sour in the High Minister of Arcane Magic’s mouth.

“Why’s that?”

“Too slow for Father. And Instructor Antheol called me a troublemaker.” He shrugs as best he can with the prince’s head hidden in the crook of his neck. “I ruined his set of learner’s tomes, so he lashed me. I cried in front of the whole class. Didn’t want to go back after that. Father was furious. Now I’m here.”

Kael keeps quiet, no sniffles and no sobs, just long enough for Rommath to mistake him for sleeping.

“I’m glad you came,” he says finally.

“To Dalaran?” Rommath asks.

“Right here.”

He smiles a sweet smile for Silvermoon’s smallest prince, the sort he uses so sparingly, and almost exclusively on Kael. It’s the best reply he’s got to offer.

“Tell me another story.” The weary words seem to stick together, swallowed up by a yawn, but his hold on Rommath is tight as ever, and he gives no indication that he intends to let go. “So you don’t fall asleep. I don’t wanna be alone.”

“All right.” Rommath has never much cared for sleep anyway. And even if he ever has, he cares for Kael more. “So there once was a little boy, and his mother was a priestess…”

He should be fast asleep by this hour, but he rarely sleeps through nights like these.

Outland’s sky is a void, in the most literal sense of the word. An endless void, streaked with bands of endless light. The Twisting Nether is in plain view tonight, gold and green and red all tangled together in a chaotic mess that one can only appreciate after staring into that damnable void for months—years. Light, it’s been a year.

The days pass slowly here, like someone poured tar in the Sands of Time; maybe his thoughts just feel faster, because they’ve been racing often as of late, or maybe it’s just that every time he searches the sky for a sun, he sees a void.

Because the sun is sitting right over his shoulder—or lying, as a matter of fact, with his eyes squeezed shut as he slumbers. Must be night, then.

Even the sun must set, at the end of each day; even Sunstriders suffer. Kael is mortal, after all, even if the rest tend to forget.

Rommath remembers.

Most often, it’s the nights that remind him. The prince still shakes and shudders in his sleep, but he doesn’t ask that Rommath wake him, not anymore. “Why bother?” he asks now, wearing some twisted parody of a smile. “The waking world’s not much better.”

So Rommath obeys, as he always does, opting to stand guard instead. “Stands” is a loose term.

More often than not, he ends up seated at the prince’s bedside or kneeling like a devout, his head in his hands and his eyes drifting shut. 

If asked, he’ll say it’s willpower that he keeps them open, fixed on the sheets below—he memorized the pattern long ago, but that’s fading too.

If he’s being honest, it’s just fear, nothing more.

Fear for his prince. Fear for his people. Fear that they all might die in this Light-forsaken “promised land,” ripped apart by demons, their bones left to dry in the dust and the stagnant air.

He is powerless, armed with nothing but his loyalty, and he fears that his loyalty might not be enough to save them when—

“Rom?”

Trust Kael to interrupt his thoughts the moment they begin to wander astray. The prince is kind like that.

Rommath’s fatigue weighs heavy on him; it’s a struggle just to lift his head and set his shoulders straight. Or maybe he misses sleep more than he thought. “Be still.”

For a moment, Kael complies, silent save for his labored breaths. He feels along the edge of the bed, searching in the darkness for Rommath’s hand, and pulls it to his chest so he can feel his royal blood racing recklessly through his veins.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?” he asks finally, once he can breathe.

Rommath shakes his head, propping his chin on his hand to keep himself upright. “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“No?” Brows drawn in a frown, he reaches to brush his fingers over Rommath’s cheek, to trace them along his jaw. “Were you praying?”

“I’m not religious.”

“You’d pray when we were boys.” He tilts Rommath’s head back, gentle as he forces him to meet his gaze, the way only Kael can be. “But you stopped.”

The prince’s eyes burn too bright in the darkness—green that gleams, green that glows. His expression is calm, surprisingly tranquil in all consideration, but there’s an intensity to his stare that chills Rommath to the marrow, any that’s thawed since Northrend.

“I missed my mother, that’s all,” he says, shrugging.

Kael’s gaze is even, but the curiosity that sparks in his eye is blinding in this dark. “Have you no faith now?”

The Light cannot reach this far into the void.

Rommath is silent, even his breaths. He can’t even be sure he’s breathing at all until Kael twists his fingers in his robes, pulling him close, and his lungs give out on him.

“You need your faith here,” the prince tells him, his voice softer than a whisper. “You need your prayers.” Angling his head closer, he brushes a rather persuasive pair of fingers over Rommath’s lips—surprisingly tender. “I need your prayers,” he adds, almost as an afterthought. His laugh is hoarse, so dry that it hurts to hear. “If you won’t pray for us, then pray for me. I do believe I’m breaking, Rommath.”

True, perhaps—the prince’s chest rises and falls much too slow, even when he sleeps, like the weight of the world and all its worries is stacked on his sternum, and he’s struggling to survive. But Rommath still wishes he wouldn’t say so.

“Maybe I just spend a little too much time here, too close to the Nether—all that chaos is going to tear me apart,” he says softly. “I want to go home.” The prince looks at Rommath the way he used to look at Silvermoon from the sixth floor of Sunstrider Spire. “You’ll pray for me, won’t you?”

He doesn’t speak a word. He hasn’t the heart to tell his prince that prayer doesn’t work, nor faith, nor the Light. They’ve strayed too far; they’re beyond help now.

The merest ghost of a frown crosses Kael’s features, just the bare bones of unease, near invisible in the darkness. “I find your silence...a tad unnerving.”

Well, he finds Kael’s pallor a tad unnerving, but he thinks better of himself before he points this out. Instead, he takes the prince by the shoulder, using him as an anchor as he hoists himself up onto the bed, joints aching and head spinning. He doesn’t say a thing, and he doesn’t plan to.

Kael’s next breath sounds closer to a hiss, too much air forced through clenched teeth and tight lips, but he’s smiling—or something like it. “You were the quietest boy I’d ever met, you know. I swear sometimes you’d go days without speaking. You’d just stare at things, contemplating, like you were trying to understand them in a way no one else could.”

A heavy sigh slips out from the corner of his mouth, but he doesn’t feel any lighter.

“Did it ever work, I wonder?” The prince leans back to share his thoughtful smile, eyes narrowed in contemplation of his own. “Did you ever manage to find your own perspective, your own...ah, unique frame? Did you ever appreciate life—things—people—in some vastly different way?”

Rommath’s shoulders hitch in a measly half-shrug—the way Kael’s got him pinned won’t allow for much else—and shakes his head. Miserably introspective, he considers himself a great many things, but unique has never been among them.

Odd, maybe.

“I don’t know,” Rommath says softly. He can only hold Kael’s gaze for a moment before he finds himself staring at the sheets once more, but a moment is plenty for him to see the prince as he always has. “Perhaps...once or twice.”

Kael grins brighter still, drawing him close so he can feel the prince’s breath hot on his cheeks.

It’s moments like these that grant him the briefest respite from his worries, these few scarce moments of peace and calm.

“Stay awake a little longer, would you?” asks the prince, those soft words he’d spoken so many times as a boy. “You’ve got to keep talking, so I know you’re still here.”

“Shall I tell you a story?”

Kael breathes a contented sigh, resting his forehead against Rommath’s. “Please, yes. Tell me of home, of Silvermoon.”

“Ah, an excellent choice, Your Grace,” he says, nodding his approval. “I’ll tell you of the hero-prince who brought us back.”

“No.” Kael tenses, and Rommath’s world tenses with him. “I don’t think—I can’t—”

“None of that nonsense,” he tells him, shaking his head like his voice shakes and the ground shakes beneath them, the cosmos quaking, breaking apart. “If I had to put my faith in anything, it’d be you.”

Kael doesn’t look convinced, just queasy.

“Fine, all right,” he says. “I’ll save all the tales of splendor for your return. Bet there’ll be plenty of parties and parades.”

The prince smiles like a flash of lightning—fleeting, but it makes an imprint in Rommath’s vision, unmistakable. And when the earth beneath them crumbles, Outland ripping itself to pieces, he tells himself it’s just a thunderclap—any respectable lightning bolt demands applause, right?

Right.

“I have a proposition,” Rommath says—soft, the way his voice should be. “What if I tell you a story of a boy and his prince, and the tutor who locked them out of the house for twenty-two hours straight so she could get laid?”

He should be fast asleep by this hour, but he rarely sleeps through nights like these.

Too bright.

On holiday eves, the braziers stay lit until dawn.

The elders had called it tradition, when there were still elders to prickle about customs and rituals, but most all the elves knew then as they know now—the fires had been meant for the drunkards, a light to guide them back to their homes.

After Silvermoon’s fall, they’d become something else entirely.

Now, they honor the embers. Just like they’d been told.

“We are broken, burned to ash,” their prince had said, “but let them watch and see—we will rise again, reforged stronger than before.”

Kael and his silver tongue.

The crowds hadn’t even heard how his voice wavered. They’d stitched their new emblem on every banner and tabard and flag, emblazoned their new names on every house crest, and risen they certainly had. Of course—they had to rise if ever they were to fall again.

And tonight, the city of Silvermoon remembers.

They remember their houses and homes, their loved ones lost, their names and the pride they had felt once—when their families were vast and storied—when their families were more than just themselves.

Rommath remembers when the Day of the Dead was nothing, a meaningless holiday, when all the memories he’d had to honor weren’t memories, but people, alive and well.

He remembers his father, a stiff noble with a starched scowl, but an unrivaled skill for spinning stories. He remembers an uncle, cantankerous and loud, with skin as brittle as wet parchment left to dry in the sun. He remembers the father before that, who had a voice like a whisper and ghost-white hair that fell down past his knees.

He remembers a time when he didn’t have to remember.

He’s sure the others remember just as well, as they crowd the streets below, clinging to the braziers, watching the flames.

There’s no power in ashes, he thinks, scowling. (Not scowling, really; it’s just how he looks, now.)

What do they expect? All their memories to rise from ash like the phoenixes of legend?

No. Not everyone can be so unfortunate. It is no blessing to see the dead reborn. But the fall of Silvermoon is years past, and they seem to have forgotten, despite the shambling horrors that still prowl along the southern shores of the Elrendar.

Rommath, in all his infinite luck, has received a rather recent reminder. But Quel’Danas remains shrouded in stormclouds and shadows, tonight.

It is far nicer to be visited by memories. Mere memories cannot do harm. A little insomnia, perhaps—nothing more.

Rommath cherishes his memories.

He remembers Dalaran as it once was, a city of violet and gold, of streets filled with magic. He remembers Lordamere Lake and the trees, and counting down the days until the fall equinox to watch the leaves turn brittle, the colors of flame. He remembers Silvermoon as it had been, rich in both wealth and number, and Kael’s grin when they’d return—the city was his, and he’d loved it fiercely.

This—Kael—he remembers most often, remembers him in everything.

In his books, in his solitude, in his twisted-tangled blankets when rest eludes him.

He’s no stranger to sleepless nights, kept awake by his guilts and his griefs, these memories of his.

Every night is the Day of the Dead to Rommath.

He remembers a time when he was not the only one to wake in the midst of the night to darkness, panting and terrified, and he remembers a time when he owed all his sleepless nights to his company, not his lack thereof.