#so exciting I wonder what will be next? like do they have more foliage to add bc I think they’re done with the animal variants probably

[dreamerlynx]

I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE MAN. All these adorable new variants are actually getting me to make farms around my base besides my dinky cow pen I haven’t used in years, I want these warm chickens specifically SO badly

and the new desert foliage is really great timing!!! because on my to-do list is making a giant underground custom mesa room to put all my new dogs in, so these are perfect for extra decoration

[d-targaryenshoe]

Blooming Love - Anthony Bridgerton

Word count: 1610

Summary: Having a picknick in a garden, together with your children, truly is a treat, is it not?

As the sun slowly crept across the sky, casting its warm, golden light upon the emerald green grass, Anthony and you, laid out a cozy picnic blanket in the Bridgerton's family garden. 

Your two daughters, Edith and Florence, giggled as they chased each other through the lush foliage, their delicate dresses billowing behind them like the sails of a ship. 

Little Gerald, meanwhile, sat contentedly in front of his father, absorbed in a game of peekaboo. 

The air was filled with the sweet scent of roses as if nature itself was conspiring to create a perfect, idyllic scene.

Your hands were full with a basket of freshly baked treats, and you paused for a moment to admire the view.

 "Anthony," you said, your voice tinged with wonder, "isn't it simply marvelous?"

 You glanced over at your husband, his strong, handsome features etched with a look of contentment that seemed to radiate from within. 

You couldn't help but feel a surge of love and gratitude for him, for your children, for this life you had built together.

Anthony smiled, his eyes twinkling with affection. 

"Yes, my dear," he said, taking your hand in his. "It is indeed marvelous. And it's all the more so because we're sharing it with those we love most."

 He leaned in to kiss your forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before pulling away.

 The tenderness of the gesture was not lost on either of you. 

You knew that soon enough, your lives would change irrevocably with the arrival of your newest child. 

But for now, you were basking in the quiet, peaceful joy of this perfect moment.

As if on cue, little Edith skipped over, her brown curls bouncing, her blue eyes shining with excitement. 

"Papa, Mama, look what I found!" she exclaimed, holding up a particularly beautiful flower.

 Anthony and you exchanged amused glances before thanking her and admiring the flower. 

"That's a lovely bloom, Edith," Anthony said, his voice full of pride. 

"Why don't you put it in your hair?" You suggested, helping your daughter pin the flower behind her ear.

You placed the basket down on the blanket as you tried your best to sit down on the blanket with the round bump in the way, but Anthony held out his hand and helped you settle down gently. 

"There you go, dearest," he said with a warm smile. "You're going to make quite a beautiful picture sitting there like that."

 He couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness, knowing that soon enough, your lives would change forever. 

But for now, you could just enjoy this moment, this time together as a family.

As Edith ran back to her game with her sister, Gerald started crawling towards the picnic basket, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 "Oh, let me get that for you, young man," Anthony said, scooping up his son and setting him down next to him. "You're just a bit too small to reach it quite yet."

 Gerald giggled, his tiny hands flailing in the air as if to prove his point, and Anthony couldn't help but laugh.

The sun continued to climb higher in the sky, casting long shadows across the lawn, but you all didn't seem to mind. 

You were content, for now, just to be together, to soak up the last moments of this idyllic, peaceful life before your world was turned upside down.

 And as you sat there, surrounded by the beauty of the garden and the love that bound you together, Anthony couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for everything you had.

You broke the silence, your voice barely above a whisper.

 "Do you ever wonder what kind of life they'll have, Anthony?" you asked, gesturing toward your daughters. "What kind of world will they grow up in?"

 He looked at you, his expression thoughtful. 

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I do know that we'll give them love, and we'll give them strength. And we'll teach them to always be true to themselves." 

You smiled at him, a tear trickling down your cheek.

Your conversation was interrupted by a sudden burst of laughter from your daughters. Edith and Florence had found a game of tag and were chasing each other around the garden, their giggles filling the air.

 Anthony's heart swelled with love for them, for the joy they brought to his life, and for the promise of the future they represented. 

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of young women they would grow up to be.

As if sensing his thoughts, you reached out and took his hand in yours.

 "They'll be fine, Anthony," you said, your voice steady and reassuring. "Everything shall be fine."

Gerald, meanwhile, had managed to crawl his way over to the picnic basket and was now sitting up, his tiny hands reaching for a cookie that he had spotted.

 "Careful there," Anthony said, gently pushing Gerald's hands away from the cookie. "We haven't had lunch yet. We should wait until Mama says it's time to eat." Gerald pouted, but reluctantly let his hands drop to the blanket.

Time seemed to slow down as you sat there, watching your children play. 

The warmth of the sun, the smell of the flowers, and the sound of laughter all blended to create a perfect moment that you knew you would cherish forever. 

But Anthony knew that this idyllic scene would soon change. 

He was about to become a father again, and with that came new responsibilities, new challenges, and a new sense of vulnerability.

"Do you ever think about the past, Anthony?" you asked, your voice barely audible over the sound of your children's giggles.

He turned to look at you, surprised by the question. "Of course I do," he replied. "But the past is gone. We must focus on the present and prepare for the future."

You nodded, your expression thoughtful. "Yes, you're right. But I mean, do you not ever have a single thought about what would have been different if we didn't wed one another?"

Anthony considered your question for a moment. It was true that you could have ended up in vastly different places if you hadn't met and fallen in love. 

Perhaps he would have married someone else, or you would have found someone else who could give you the life you deserved. 

The possibilities were endless. But as he looked at your happy family now, he knew without a doubt that he wouldn't change a thing.

"I suppose I do think about it sometimes," he finally said, "but only because it helps me appreciate what we have now. We could have easily been apart, and yet here we are, stronger than ever. Whatever it was, I'm grateful for it."

"No, no, I am grateful for you, for your family, all the lot."

Your conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

 You turned to see Violet Bridgerton making her way toward you, a smile on her face.

"Oh my-, Violet," you said, rising to your feet. "What a lovely surprise."

"It surely is" Violet replied, hugging you. "I couldn't resist the opportunity to see my favorite little ones." 

Violet leaned over to plant a kiss on each of your daughters' heads, eliciting giggles from both Edith and Florence.

Anthony smiled at his mother. "And how are you feeling, Mama? How has life changed with Eloise getting married?"

Violet considered the question, her eyes drifting toward the garden. 

"Well, it's certainly different, Anthony. I never thought I'd see the day Eloise would be wed. But, she's grown into herself so beautifully, and she and Philip are so very much in love. It's hard not to feel happy for them."

She paused, her gaze returning to the two youngest girls, who were now running around the blanket, their laughter filling the air.

 "Of course, I do miss having her around as much. She was always such a bright light, even when she was at her most mischievous. But children grow up, and they move on to their own lives."

You reached over and took Violet's hand in yours. "You know we'll always be here for you. And you must remember that Eloise will always be your daughter, no matter where she is or what she does."

Anthony nodded in agreement. "And who knows? Perhaps one day we'll have grandchildren running around the manor."

Violet smiled at the thought, her eyes shining with happiness. "Oh, I hope so," she said wistfully. "It's such a wonderful thing, watching your children grow up and start their own families."

You sat together in silence for a moment, lost in your thoughts until the sound of the children's giggles grew fainter. 

Realizing that they were getting hungry, Violet spoke up, offering her hand to her grandchildren. "Shall we go inside for some tea?"

Gerald accepted her hand. "That sounds lovely, doesn't it?" she replied. "I'm sure you all would love some freshly baked scones."

You watched the kids go inside the house with Violet and you let out a content sigh, leaning back on your hands.

"It's amazing how much they've grown, isn't it?" you said, looking at your husband. 

Anthony nodded in agreement, his gaze following your daughters as they disappeared into the house. "They are the lights of our lives."

As you sat there, lost in your thoughts, the sounds of laughter and clinking teacups drifted out from the house, reminding you of the life you had built together.

 It was a life that had started so uncertain, with so many obstacles in your way, but you had managed to overcome them all. 

[theonceandfuturequeenoftarts]

When Harry came running into his study one bright October day, the first thing Voldemort thought was, Didn’t I lock that door? Years of living with the boy – well, man now – hadn’t yet inured Voldemort to him constantly being underfoot and getting into places where he shouldn’t be.

His second thought was that the flush of exertion colouring Harry’s cheeks was rather fetching. Even if his hair was more of a windswept bird’s nest than usual and the knees of his jeans were dirty.

“Vee, you gotta come with me,” Harry said. His breathing was just a little heavy, likely from running about like an excitable child.

“Oh, I ���gotta,’ do I?” Voldemort teased in a deadpan tone, arching his brows as he watched Harry shift in place in the doorway.

“C’mon, don’t be pedantic; follow me,” Harry insisted. When he began walking over with a determined light in his eyes, Voldemort accepted his fate with a sigh, setting down his book and rising from his seat. Capitulation was better for his pride than losing, after all.

“Very well, lead the way.”

He pretended not to see Harry’s victorious fist-pump.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

When they reached their apparent destination, as indicated by Harry throwing his arms wide to present… something, Voldemort said, “What am I meant to be looking at?”

He couldn’t help but feel that Harry’s exasperated sigh was undeserved. “Leaves!” the man exclaimed, gesturing in front of them again.

“Yes, there are a lot of leaves,” Voldemort agreed slowly, wondering if the other man may have been caught with a stray confundus in the past hour.

“No, you–” Harry said, huffing out a laugh. “I raked some of the leaves into a pile. We’re going to jump into it.”

“We are not.”

“Uh, yeah, we definitely are.”

“Correction: I am not. You can do whatever foolish thing you like.”

“Vee, don’t be a spoilsport. Didn’t you ever want to play in the leaves when you were a kid?”

Tilting his head to the side, Voldemort gave it a moment of thought. “Not particularly, no. There weren’t enough trees around Wool’s to create an adequate pile, and the ground was too full of stones. I’ve never been fond of being dirty, either.”

“That is both sad and far too practical,” Harry said. “C’mon, a little dirt won’t hurt you, Mr. Big, Bad Dark Lord.”

“I’m going to remember you said that,” Voldemort threatened absently, glancing away from the leaf pile to watch the other man. “Is there a particular reason why you’re goading me?” 

Harry ducked his head, kicking one foot back and forth through the leaves and scattering them, though there were enough that it barely made a difference. “I dunno,” he said quietly. “When I was younger, I’d see some of the neighbourhood kids playing with each other in the leaves. I always had to rake them up and bin them immediately at the Dursleys'. It seemed like such a waste.”

And Voldemort was more than capable of filling in the bits that Harry wasn’t saying by this point. Sighing his defeat yet again, he turned away from the leaf pile, ignoring Harry’s disappointed sound. Then he let himself fall backwards, landing with a flump and sending leaves fluttering into the air around him.

Harry’s joyous shout preceded his flop into the leaf pile next to Voldemort by mere moments. Rolling back and forth and flailing his arms about with a smile practically splitting his face in half, Harry looked ecstatic. 

Reaching over, Voldemort plucked a leaf from Harry’s hair, letting it fall between them. Harry’s surprised eyes peered back at him, before they crinkled into happy half-moons behind his ridiculous glasses.

“Thanks, Vee,” he said far too sincerely for something so simple.

So Voldemort sat up, grabbed a handful of leaves and pitched it into Harry’s face, eliciting an indignant squawk. Before he could fully extricate himself, Voldemort was tackled back into the leaf pile, spitting out fallen foliage and rolling a cackling Harry off of him to pin the giddy man to the ground and stuff fistfuls of leaves down his shirt.

They both ended up flushed and dirty, but Voldemort couldn’t find it in him to complain.

[rollinouttahere-writes]

AS2L Intro

I finally got it done! The intro for this concept has come to fruition. Unlike Lucky Break, this won't be completely linear and will just kinda jump around to random events that I feel are worth writing.

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy x Child Reader

5.5k words

Grown ups did a lot of things that you failed to understand the point of, and even more things that you found unpleasant. There were even some things that managed to be both. Namely, family reunions. You didn’t get why they needed to do this every year. You already saw them often enough since you all lived pretty close. So why do you have to spend a whole day with them at some park? It doesn’t even have a playground. Boring!

Small pebbles tumbled through the grass as you kicked them. At the moment, you were far away from everyone else, having had quite enough of your cousins’ teasing and hair pulling. Between not getting along with any of the people here that were your age, and the aforementioned lack of a playground, you were bored out of your mind. Possibly even dying of boredom. 

As you keep walking aimlessly, you notice a sign out of the corner of your eye. Having nothing better to do, you go over to inspect it. It reads “Horseshoe Trail” in big, bold letters. There’s a picture of what you assume is the trail itself beneath it. Much like the name implies, the trail is shaped like a horseshoe, going out and coming back to an exit not far from here. You look to your left and squint, and you’re pretty sure you can see where it lets out.

Maybe going for a walk in the woods would be fun? It had to be more exciting than kicking rocks all day. You hazard a glance back at the pavilion where your family is gathered. No one seems to be looking your way… This should be fine. You make up your mind quickly and hurry onto the trail before anyone can tell you not to. 

This will be fine. Besides, you’ll probably be back before anyone even notices you’re gone. The trail didn’t look that long in the picture.

The trail is a refreshing change of pace. You stare up in wonder at the tall trees on either side of the trail. Other plants and flowers decorate your surroundings, making for infinitely more interesting scenery than the bland grass of the main area your family was hanging out at. You don’t get why none of them thought to go walking through here. It makes you feel a little special to have discovered something new and exciting.

There’s a lot of noise in the woods. From the rustling of leaves as squirrels dart around, to birds singing, to insects chirping. It’s all enchanting to you. You hum happily as you wander down the path, not a care in the world. 

You’re walking for a while, a lot longer than you thought you would be. It starts to dawn on you that the trail was perhaps longer than you originally assumed. You start to feel nervous about how mad your parents will be if they notice you wandered off. Looking back, you wonder if it would be better to just turn around, or if you should keep going. The end can’t be that far away, can it?

A fallen tree is next to the path, and you walk over to sit on it while you try to figure out what you should do. You fiddle with your pink, frilly dress that your mom insisted you had to wear, tugging and picking at the seams nervously. Mom was definitely going to be mad when you got back… Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to just keep going even if it does turn out to be longer?

The sounds of foliage moving behind you snaps you out of your anxious daze. You tense up. Whatever it is sounds bigger than a squirrel. Slowly, you look over your shoulder and towards the source. Bushes shake as something works its way through them. You want to run, but you’re rooted in place by your fear. The bushes rustle louder as whatever is in them is about to pop out. Your tiny hands fist the fabric of your dress painfully tight.

A furry creature suddenly springs out and lands on the log next to you. You yelp and fall backwards off of it. The creature creeps closer and… meows?

You sit upright and finally see the animal for what it is. A cat. Instantly, your fear melts away and you squeal excitedly, “Hi, kitty! Can I pet you?” You stand up and reach out to the cat, only for it to hop off the log and start walking away. “Hey, wait! Come back!” You start walking faster, following the cat into the woods.

“I promise I’ll be gentle!” Your attempts to reason with the cat were moot, it just kept walking. Occasionally it would look back at you, but it didn’t stop. It hadn’t hissed at you yet, though, so you keep following it. You didn’t even realize how far you were getting from the trail.

Your dress keeps snagging on branches from the local shrubbery, slowing you down significantly. With every pause you take to rip your dress free, the cat gets further and further away, but you don’t give up.

It isn’t until you trip and fall over a root sticking out of the ground that you officially lose sight of the cat. You whine and slowly push yourself up. Your foot hurts from getting snagged on the root, the sandals you were wearing did nothing to protect you. It takes a minute to get back up onto your feet, and when you do, you realize that it isn’t just the cat that you’ve lost sight of.

The trail is nowhere to be seen. Tears begin to well in your eyes as you’re hit with how bad this is. How stupid could you be to have run so far away from the trail? Your parents are going to be so mad when they find you. You whip your head around wildly as you walk backwards, looking for literally any possible hint of the rail.

Suddenly, the ground dips behind you. Your arms flail as you try to catch yourself, but the ground is too slippery for you to get any traction. The next thing you know, you’re falling backwards and rolling down a hill. You scream and try to catch yourself on something, but you’re too disoriented to be able to hold onto anything for longer than a split second. Rocks and bushes attack you as you violently tumble down the hill.

When you mercifully roll to a stop at the bottom, your head is spinning and everything hurts. You whimper as you roll onto your side and try to get up. Something wet drips into your eye and stings, making you flinch and rub at it. You pull your hand away and see that it’s stained red with blood. Just like that, you burst into tears and sob loudly. You cry out for help, screaming for anyone to come to your rescue.

But no one comes.

Then, because today wasn’t awful enough, loud thunder sounds through the forest, and it begins to rain. Cold droplets fall and soak into your dirty, torn clothing. You sniffle loudly and force yourself to stand despite your body screaming at you to lay down. Sitting in the rain sounds terrible. You need to find somewhere dry to wait this out.

Looking around, you don’t see anything nearby that you could hide under. Seeing as that you’re already horribly lost, you pick a random direction and start walking. Well, more like limping. Your already sore ankle is now swelling, and the straps on one of your sandals ripped off during the fall. It’s barely hanging on and is more than a little uncomfortable to walk in. You trudge forward, sniffling and crying as you stumble through the woods in search of shelter.

It feels like an eternity before you see something through the trees that piques your interest. It looks like a small building isn’t far from here. Your tears dry for the first time and you smile, thinking that maybe you were closer to where your family was than you thought you were. You hurry as much as your pained body will allow.

The closer you get, the more your smile fades. The building you were looking at was some abandoned, broken looking shack. There weren’t any other buildings or signs of people in sight. Despite your disappointment, the rain pelting you encourages you to go inside the shack regardless. 

The door had fallen off and was laying outside of the structure. You step on it as you go inside, and it creaks loudly under your weight. Your disappointment only grows as you see that the roof had caved in. Rain was pouring into the dilapidated shack, leaving only one corner of it somewhat dry. You press yourself against the shelf in the dry spot, shivering in your wet clothes. 

Deciding that your sandals were more of a painful hindrance than a help, you unbuckle and kick them off. Next, you slip off the once cream colored cardigan your mom had insisted you wear with your dress. It got all torn up and covered in mud from your fall, plus there was some blood on it from the cuts you got. The frilly dress you had on was in a similar state. Your mom was going to kill you for ruining the outfit she picked out for you just for today.

Given that it was already ruined, you scrubbed your face with the sweater, trying to wipe away the blood you felt on it earlier. You wince as it touches a particularly tender spot on your head and pull it away. The sweater is now smeared with even more blood and dirt. You sigh and toss it next to your discarded sandals.

With nothing to do, you sit in the corner and wait for the rain to stop. Your stomach growls loudly, which makes you remember something. Reaching into your pocket, you are ecstatic to find that the candies your grandpa had slipped you hadn’t fallen out during your tumble. You smile softly and unwrap a piece of chocolate before popping it into your mouth. At least you have one good thing going for you. You look around the shack while you savor the chocolate, and your eyes are drawn to a box on the shelf next to you.

Having nothing to do, you pull it off and start rifling through it. There are some old flashlights, duct tape, and some ropes in it that you carelessly toss behind you. At the bottom of the box, you see a tiny key and a jewelry box. You grab both curiously and wipe off the dusty box. One of those cool skull-things that you see on pirates ships is on it, which only makes you more curious. Giving the box a shake, you hear something rattling inside of it.

Trying to open it didn’t work, so you put the small key into the keyhole. Much to your relief, it fits and unlocks the jewelry box. You pry it open and find a necklace inside. It feels extremely brittle in your hands, and it has the same pirate skull on it as the box. There is a piece of paper in the box, too. You pick it up and unfold it, finding that there is something written on it.

Congratulations on your lucky find

I wonder what desire you have in mind

Close your eyes, make a wish, and break the pendant in two

Whatever you want most will come to you

Now that was exciting. You looked at the apparently magical necklace in your hand with a surge of joy and intrigue. Maybe getting lost wasn’t so bad afterall! You kick your feet as you try to decide on a wish. You suppose that you could wish to be back with your family, but… did you really want to waste your wish on that? Did you really want to use a magical wish to be teleported back to your parents that will definitely be furious with you.

This is your wish. Why shouldn’t you use it for something that you want? But what do you want? To have more fun? To have a family that actually likes you? Those things would be nice. Would it be okay to squeeze two wishes into one? There’s only one way to find out.

Closing your eyes, you say your wish, “I wish to have fun with a family that loves me.” With that said, you snap the necklace in half. You keep your eyes closed for a few more seconds, then crack one open and look around. Nothing happened.

Both of your eyes open and your cheeks puff out into a pout. Why didn’t it work?! You got your hopes up and everything! Today was the worst! Who would leave a fake magic necklace here to trick someone? That’s just mean!

You’re about to throw the broken necklace away from you, but then something happens. You start to sink into the ground, with your legs disappearing in mere seconds. You flail, trying to pull your legs back up, but you can’t and you’re sinking down even more. What’s happening?! Were you sitting in quicksand?!

In a last desperate attempt, you grab onto the shelf next to you. You’re already up to your neck, only your arms and head are still free. You let out a high pitched scream, hoping- praying that someone will hear you and come to your rescue, but the shelf you’re grasping tips over, plunging you into darkness.

You expect the quicksand to drown you, but that isn’t what happens. It feels like… you’re floating. In the air. Experimentally, you wave your arms around. There is nothing around you. Death not being imminent did calm you slightly, but not entirely. Not when you were seemingly floating through some weird darkness. It felt like you were falling, however gently, so maybe if you wait long enough you’ll end up… somewhere?

Was this happening because of your wish? Was the necklace mad about you trying to squeeze two wishes into one? You whimper and curl into the fetal position as you fall, feeling stupid for making a magic necklace mad at you. Hot tears well in your eyes and drip down your cheeks as you cry to yourself.

Abruptly, your descent ends and you feel solid ground beneath you. Instead of pitch black, you can see a soft light peeking through your fingers. You pull your hands away and look around. You’re in a forest. But… it doesn’t look like the forest that you were just in. The trees are massive; way bigger than any that you’ve ever seen. It also sounds different. The woods that you had just been walking through sounded mostly quiet minus some birds chirping, but this place was much louder. The bird calls sounded different and more plentiful, and you could hear plants all around you rustling. Whatever was moving them sounded huge. 

Pressing yourself up against a nearby tree, you look around frantically, looking for any sign of other people. You saw nothing but more trees. Worse yet, it was starting to get dark. Your heart was pounding in your chest and you felt like you were about to start crying again.

Your hands flex nervously, and you’re distracted when you feel something in the palm of one of them. You look down curiously and open your hand. Your face scrunches in confusion when you see some weird looking necklace staring up at you. It’s got a skull and crossbones on it, and the skull looks like it’s biting something between its teeth. Maybe a stick or something? You flip it over in your hand and examine it closely.

You’ve never seen this thing before. Why do you have it?

Before you can ponder this mystery further, you hear a loud growl. You snap your head up and look around. You don’t see whatever made that noise, but you aren’t about to wait and find out. The necklace is stuffed into your pocket and you turn around to face the tree you’re standing next to. It isn’t easy, but your terror about becoming a snack to whatever made that noise motivates you to scale the tree faster than you would have expected. You climb until you find a cluster of branches that you can settle into securely.

The sun was setting fast, and the forest was rapidly becoming too dark for you to be able to see anything around you. You press yourself into the branches while rubbing your exposed arms. The wet dress you were in was doing nothing to keep you warm, and you found yourself wishing you still had your sweater. Even if it was soaked and torn up, it would be at least a little better than this.

Animal calls resounded all around you, ones that you’ve never heard before. You don’t understand where you are. You were just lost in the woods at home. How did you wind up in this strange forest? Was it just a different part of the woods that you’ve never seen before? How had you never noticed these huge trees before? Well, you suppose your mom has said that you don’t pay attention very well…

Another growl cuts through the air, but this one is from you. Your stomach takes the time to remind you that it’s been a while since you last ate. Digging around in your pocket, you pull out a few more pieces of candy and start eating them. It’s not like there’s anything else you can do right now. You need to find your way out of these woods, but you’re too scared to do it in the dark, so you’re going to have to wait until morning.

Your parents are going to kill you when you finally get out of here.

The night passes by slowly. With how noisy it is, and how scared you feel, sleeping is almost impossible. You do eventually nod off, but you’re awoken by a ray of sunlight shining right into your eyes. You whine and rub at your eyes before cracking them open. Light is filtering through the leaves and all the way down onto the forest floor.

Movement catches your attention, and you snap your attention to it. Much to your relief, it’s just a small bird that is perched on your knee and watching you curiously. It has green feathers on its body and colorful feathers forming a large fan-like crest on its head. The bird’s head tilts and it lets out a series of whistles before leaning down to peck at the frills of your dress.

“Hi, birdie. Do you know how to get out of here?” You knew that a bird couldn’t answer your question, but it was nice to talk to something.

The sound of your voice made it glance up at you again, but it quickly ripped a frill off of your dress and then flew away. Yeah… that was about as helpful as you thought it was going to be.

After giving your surroundings a thorough scan to make sure there wasn’t anything scary nearby, you climb out of the tree. You wince as the tree bark digs into the soles of your feet. Much like your sweater, you find yourself bemoaning the fact that you ditched your sandals. You reach the forest floor and look around warily. You weren’t able to see any houses or anything from up in the tree, so you had no idea which way to go. So, you just started walking in a random direction and hoped for the best.

Your stomach growled again. You checked your pocket for more candy and after rifling through a bunch of empty wrappers, you found one last piece. As hungry as you were… you felt like it would be dumb to eat your final piece of candy now. It’s stuffed back into your pocket as you resolve to save it for later.

What feels like hours pass, and you have yet to see so much as a trail, much less a person or building. It’s starting to feel hopeless and like you’ll be lost forever. You stop and sit down on a rock, wondering what else you can possibly do right now.

That’s when you hear it. Crying. You’ve never been so happy to hear that sound before. You scramble off of the rock and run in the direction of the noise, feeling a sense of relief that you’ve never felt so intensely before. You bound through some tall grass and find yourself in a small clearing. There aren’t buildings or anything like that in sight, but there is someone here. A boy with black hair is sitting in the middle of the clearing and crying into his knees.

Taking a look around, you don’t see anyone else here. This isn’t exactly what you wanted to find, but maybe he knows how to get out of this place. The boy doesn’t appear to have heard you stomping through the grass, so you approach him carefully and call out to him.

“Hello?”

The boy flinches and whips his head around to look at you. He stares at you with wide, teary eyes, and his face has dirt smeared across it. You think that he’s about the same age as you. It looks like he’s also had a bad day.

When he doesn’t respond, you take a few more steps towards him. You try talking to him again, “Are you okay?”

He sniffles loudly and wipes at his face with his arm, “I’m okay… I’m just lost.” Your heart sinks upon realizing that he’s no better off than you are and won’t be able to help you. The boy looks up at you hopefully, “Do you know the way out?”

You avert your eyes and shake your head, “No… I’m also lost.” That little bit of hope he had in his eyes dies instantly and he hangs his head again. It makes you feel bad that you can’t help him. You crouch down next to him, “My name is (Y/N), what’s your name?”

The boy sniffles again and speaks in a quiet voice, “I’m Luffy.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Luffy. I don’t know the way out of here, but maybe we can be lost together?” The proposition hardly sounds appealing, but it’s not like either of you have any other options right now. Not being alone will be better than nothing.

Luffy looks at you again, then nods and starts to stand up, “Yeah… we can be lost together.” As soon as you’re up, he grabs onto your hand like it’s a lifeline. You two start walking again, but it’s obvious that he’s still upset.

Something about his sad face makes you want to do whatever you can to make him feel better. You think hard as you walk with him. Then, an idea pops into your head. Candy makes you feel happy, so it should do the same for him, right? You pull out your last piece of candy, saltwater taffy, from your pocket. You stare at it for a moment, feeling conflicted. While you are hungry, you want to do the right thing.

Holding out your hand to Luffy, you present the taffy to him, “Do you want some candy?”

This makes Luffy come to a halt and stare at the offering. You pull your hand from his and unwrap the candy for him before holding it up to him again. That seems to snap him out of it and he quickly snatches it out of your hands and eats it. The fast movement startles you slightly. He must’ve been really hungry, too.

Finally, he grins at you, “Thank you! Do you have any more?”

You look down, now feeling a little guilty about snacking on your candy all night long. “No, I’m sorry. That was my last piece.”

Luffy blinks in surprise, “And you gave it to me?” You nod, not really seeing it as a big deal. It was just one piece of candy. Before you can blink, Luffy lurches forward and hugs you tightly. You’re lifted off the ground a little, then dropped back down. He pulls away and smiles widely at you, “Let’s be best friends, (Y/N)!”

Best friends? Just for some candy? Well, he seems nice, and you could always use more friends. You return his smile with one of your own, “Yeah, let’s be friends.”

With the new friendship established, you and Luffy resume your trek, but now he is much more bubbly and talkative. He’s rambling about pirates when he suddenly looks around and lights up, “Oh! This looks familiar! I think we’re almost out!” Luffy breaks into a sprint and you’re forced to run to keep up. Rocks and plants dig into your bare feet, making you wince, but you feel a surge of joy at the prospect of getting out of this stupidly big forest.

Finally, the trees thin out and both of you are free. A small town can be seen in the near distance. It doesn’t look familiar at all, and definitely isn’t your hometown. Was it a nearby town that you’ve never seen before? You guess you and your parents don’t get out a lot, so that makes sense.

Luffy doesn’t give you much time to catch your breath before he’s running again. As you run through the town with him, you notice how weird it looks to you. None of the roads are paved, and you can’t see a single car. It looks super old, like something out of a history book. Where are you right now?

You’re forced to make a hard right as Luffy turns and runs into one of the buildings. You stumble in behind him and look around the place. It looks like a restaurant or something. You’re dragged towards a counter while Luffy calls out, “Makino! I made a new friend!”

A woman with green hair is behind the counter and smiles warmly at Luffy before flicking her attention to you. Her smile drops instantly and is replaced with a look of concern. “Oh dear, are you alright?”

Oh right, you did get pretty dirty and hurt from your fall yesterday. You look away sheepishly, embarrassed to be looking like a mess. Your mom would definitely scold you if she could see you right now.

“This new friend of yours must be pretty great if you haven’t even noticed me yet.” A new voice cuts in. You look up as a man with red hair and a straw hat spins around in his seat. He has three scars over one of his eyes that you can’t help but think look really cool. Like Makino, his relaxed grin drops when he sees the state of you. One of his hands reaches out and pulls something out of your hair. A small twig with a leaf on it. He raises a brow, “Rough day, kid?”

“Shanks!” Luffy abandons you to clamber up to the man, and you’re left standing alone and feeling very self conscious about your appearance as you notice even more people staring at you.

Makino comes out from behind the counter and crouches down next to you. Her warm smile is back and she starts wiping off your face with a wet rag. “Why don’t you tell me your name, sweetie?” You mumble out your name while avoiding eye contact with her. She hums in acknowledgment, “(Y/N)? That’s a lovely name. Now, can you tell me what happened to you?”

“Well… I wandered away from my family because I was bored, and then I got really lost in the woods because I was chasing a cat. Then I fell down a big hill and got all dirty and hurt.” Saying it all out loud made it sound really dumb.

“And when did all of this happen? Just a little bit ago?”

“No, it happened yesterday, and then I was lost in the woods all night.” You winced as she wiped at a gash on your head.

“You were in that forest all night?” Makino looked shocked at your statement.

“Yeah… I tried to find my way out, but I couldn’t, so I slept in a tree until morning.” Again, you felt embarrassed about your situation. How stupid were you to get that lost all because you wanted to pet a cat?

Makino still appears to be shocked by your story, but she tries to force another smile onto her face. She stands up and takes your hand, “Come into the back with me. I have some spare clothes for Luffy here, and I think they’ll fit you.”

The prospect of having clean clothes sounds amazing to you, so you follow her without any protest. When you’re in the back of the restaurant, she takes the time to clean off the rest of the blood and dirt from you before giving you some clothes to change into. The shorts and t-shirt are much more comfortable than your tattered dress, so you can feel your mood lifting instantly just from having them on. You were still barefoot, but you weren’t about to complain. Makino examines your discarded dress with a puzzled look, then shrugs and tosses it into a bin.

You’re guided back out to the main part of the restaurant, and placed in a seat next to Luffy. Shortly after that, a plate of food is placed in front of you, as well as in front of Luffy. He happily digs in, but you hesitate, “I don’t have any money…” 

Your concern makes Makino chuckle, “Don’t worry about that, it’s on the house. You look like you could use something to eat.” Her words were enough to demolish your already weak resolve, prompting you to start wolfing down the meal. It tasted amazing and was a relief to your empty stomach. It didn’t take long for the plate to be completely clean.

As soon as you're done, Makino comes back over to you and starts asking questions. “What do your parents look like? Do you think they’re nearby?” You tell her that they probably aren’t around here and rattle off a description of them. She frowns and doesn’t seem to recognize them based off of your description.

Shanks chimes into the conversation, “What’s their ship look like? We just docked a little while ago, I might’ve seen it.”

“Ship? My parents don’t have a ship.” The question confuses you. There aren’t any big bodies of water around your town as far as you know. Why would your parents have a boat?

“Oh? So you’re local?”

“No, I’ve never seen this place before.”

Makino perked up at that, “You aren’t from Goa Kingdom, are you?”

You shake your head, “I don’t know that place.” You tell them the name of your hometown, but all that does is make everyone look confused. Everyone looks around at each other, silently asking if anyone recognizes the name. It would seem that no one does.

“Well, if you aren’t from around here, then you definitely got here on a ship. Did your parents get a ride here from someone else?” Shanks stares at you more intensely, as if trying to find answers written on your face.

“We weren’t on a boat, we were just at a park.” The questions were starting to frustrate you. Your town had to be nearby. There’s no way you walked that far.

Shanks stares at you hard, then his eyes drift up and focus on the gash on your head. He sighs and relaxes his expression. “Your parents are probably lurking around the docks, you should try looking for them there.”

Luffy sits up straight and turns to face you, “Oh! I can show you where they are!” He hops down from his stool and doesn’t wait for an answer before hauling you off of your own seat. You’ve barely made it out of the restaurant before another person runs out after you.

“Wait! I’m coming, too!”

You look over your shoulder and see a girl with red and white hair running after you two. She looks to be a few years older than you. 

Luffy smiles at her, “Hi, Uta! Why are you coming with us?”

Uta reaches out and pokes his cheek, “Because I know that you only offered to go so you can sneak onto Shanks’ ship.”

“Nuh-uh! I want to help (Y/N)!”

She rolled her eyes and lightly shoved his shoulder, “Yeah, right. You’re definitely going to sneak onto the Red Force as soon as you see it.” The two start bickering amongst each other, not paying you much mind as you all make your way to the docks.

All of this is very confusing and overwhelming. You have no idea where you are or how you got here, but at least the people you have found have been really nice. This situation wasn’t great, but it could certainly be worse.

At least you made a new friend.

[starbuug]

"For your eyes only."

(Sans x fem! reader - smut&fluff)

You trudge through the snow, your eyes scanning the dimly lit walkway for any sign of your little sibling, Frisk. You've been searching for what feels like hours, but hide and seek with frisk is always like this.

As you turn a corner, you notice a small package waiting for you on a nearby rock. It's wrapped in brown paper and twine, with a note that reads: "For your eyes only."

Curious, you unwrap the package to find a beautifully crafted music box. The melody it plays is hauntingly familiar – it's the same tune that plays on the cliffside of Mount Ebott, where you first met Sans and the gang.

A shiver runs down your spine as you wonder who could have left this gift. You look around, but there's no one in sight…

Over the next few days, you receive more mysterious gifts and messages. A bouquet of rare underground flowers appears on your doorstep, accompanied by a poem that speaks of secret admiration. A small, exquisite painting of the underground's sunset shows up on your wall, signed only with a single letter: "S".

You're both intrigued and unsettled by these gestures. Who could be behind them? And why are they so afraid to reveal themselves?

Wanting to uncover the identity of your secret admirer, you begin to investigate. You ask Papyrus if he knows anything, but he just shakes his head and tells you about how he wishes someone would do that for him.

Determined, you decide to follow the trail of clues yourself. You retrace your steps through the woods, searching for any hint that might lead you to the mysterious gift-giver.

It isn't until you stumble upon a hidden area in the forest that you finally find what you're looking for. Surrounded by foliage, you discover a series of sketches and poems that seem to be about… you.

The artwork depicts you exploring the underground, laughing with Papyrus, and even sitting alone on a rock overlooking a waterfall. The poems speak of admiration and longing – someone has been watching you from afar.

And then you see it: a sketch of yourself standing next to Sans at Grillby's barbeque stand at last year's annual gathering event followed by something scribbled out multiple times

Your heart skips a beat as realization dawns on you – Sans…

Feeling both excited and nervous; you seek out where he usually sits, next to the ruins entrance.

You find Sans sitting cross-legged against his usual tree stump - lazily shuffling playing cards around with magic.

"S-Sans?" You start, nervously picking at your nails.

Sans looks up, his eyes locking onto yours with a mixture of surprise and sheepishness. He freezes, the cards hovering in mid-air, as he takes in your presence. For a moment, you just stare at each other, the only sound being the distant hum of the underground's eerie ambiance.

Sans is the first to break the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "Hey kiddo… " He trails off, his eyes darting away from yours as he attempts to put the cards away.

You take a step closer, your heart racing with anticipation. "Sans, can I talk to you for a minute?" You ask, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in your stomach.

Sans nods slowly, still not meeting your gaze. He sets the cards aside and pats the ground next to him, inviting you to sit down. As you do, he lets out a deep breath and finally looks up at you, his expression full of vulnerability.

"You found out," he says quietly, his voice laced with a hint of resignation. "I guess I wasn't as sneaky as I thought."

You smile softly, feeling humorous. "Found out what?" You ask, already knowing the answer.

Sans chuckles nervously and rubs the back of his head. "You uh.." He pauses, realizing you were joking. "I've had feelings for you for a while now... but I didn't know how to tell you."

“So you stalked me and left me little gifts?” you smile.

Sans's face turns a deep shade of blue as he looks down, his voice low. "I wouldn't call it stalking, exactly... I just wanted to get your attention, and I didn't know how else to do it." He pauses, scratching the back of his head again. "I guess I'm just not very good at this whole 'expressing feelings' thing."

He looks up at you, his eyes locking onto yours with a mixture of nervousness and hope. 

"But I uh... Y’know, you're just so pretty and nice all the time, and I dunno… you just make me feel things that I've never felt before." He takes a deep breath, his voice wavering slightly as he continues. 

"I was afraid that if I told you how I felt, you'd think I'm weird or something.. I don't wanna make you uncomfortable.” Sans looks down again, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "But I guess it's too late for that now, heh. You already think I'm a stalker." He trails off, waiting for your response with a slow breath.

As he sits there, looking vulnerable and unsure of himself, you can't help but feel a pang of affection for him. Something is endearing about the way he's willing to put himself out there, even if it means getting hurt. You reach out and gently place a hand on his shoulder, feeling a spark of electricity as your skin touches.

"Hey, It's okay, Sans," you say softly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Sans's eyes flicker up to yours, a hint of surprise and hope in them. He looks at your hand on his shoulder, then back at your face, his expression softening. "yeah?" he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Mhm,” you confirm.

He takes a deep breath, and you can see the tension in his body begin to ease. His shoulders relax, and he looks up at you with a small smile. "I- cool, yeah," he says, his voice still quiet. "I was kinda worried that you were uh… creeped out or something."

Sans looks up at you again, his eyes searching for permission or reassurance. "Do you... do you feel the same way?" he asks, his voice shaky. The question hangs in the air between you, leaving you feeling breathless and unsure of how to respond.

You smile softly, feeling a flutter in your chest. You take your chance and lean in. 

As you do, Sans's eyes lock onto yours, and he meets you halfway. Your lips touch his teeth, and it's like nothing you've ever felt before. The kiss is soft and gentle, but it's filled with a pang of newness.

Sans's hands come up to cup your face, his fingers brushing against your skin as he deepens the kiss. You lean in, and your heart skips a beat as you realize that this is happening.

You both move slowly and sweetly, with a sense of tentative exploration. It's like you're both feeling each other out, trying to gauge the other's reactions and emotions. But as the moment stretches on, you can feel the tension between you building, until it's almost unbearable.

As you break apart for air, Sans looks at you with a dazed expression, his eyes shining with happiness. "Heh heh," he laughs nervously. I've been wanting to do that for too long."

He smiles at you, his face radiant with joy. "I'm really glad I took the chance," he says, his voice filled with emotion. You can't help but smile back at him, feeling a sense of connection and intimacy that you've never felt before.

Later -

You find yourself lounging on the couch in Sans's house, surrounded by the glow of the TV and fast food containers. Sans is sitting next to you, his arm draped casually over your shoulders as you both watch Alphys and Undyne engage in a heated game of "just dance" on the TV.

Papyrus is sitting on the floor, his back against the coffee table as he slurps on takeout spaghetti. He looks up at you and grins, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Hey, the human's older sister! This human game is the best!"

Alphys and Undyne are completely absorbed in their game, shouting insults and encouragement at each other as they battle for dance dominance. Sans chuckles and shakes his head, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Those two are something else," he says, his voice low and amused.

You smile and lean into him, feeling a sense of comfort and belonging. It's nice to just hang out with friends, without any drama or stress. You glance over at Papyrus, who's now watching you two with interest.

"Hey, bro," Sans says, noticing Papyrus's gaze. "What's up?"

Papyrus grins mischievously. "Just wondering when you two are going to make it official," he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

Undyne pauses their game, looking over at you with interest. She raises an eyebrow. "Official? What's going on here?"

Sans rolls his eyes good-naturedly. "Oh.. nothing," he says. "Don't worry bout it"

But Papyrus is intrigued. "Come on! Spill the beans! Are you two a thing now?"

You feel your face heat up, but Sans just laughs and pulls you up off of the couch. "Maybe we'll talk about it later," he says slyly.

The room falls silent for a moment as everyone waits for you to say something but then Alphys speaks up saying 'I ship it!' making everyone laugh including yourself.

Sans drags you to his bedroom (it's clean - papyrus makes him tidy up every Sunday) and lies down on his bed. 

“Finally some privacy,” he sighs.

“Finally,” you giggle, mocking him.

You find yourself lying down next to Sans on his bed. The room is quiet and cozy, with only the sound of Papyrus's distant laughter and Alphys's excited chatter traveling from downstairs. Without saying a word, Sans reaches out and gently brushes a strand of hair behind your ear. His fingers graze your skin, sending shivers down your spine. You feel a flutter in your chest as he leans in closer, his face inches from yours.

Suddenly, you're kissing again, soft and gentle at first, but quickly growing more passionate. You feel yourself melting into the kiss, your arms wrapping around his neck as he deepens the kiss.

As you break apart for air, Sans's hands begin to roam over your body, tracing the curves of your waist and hips. You can feel the heat emanating from his touch, and you know that things are about to get interesting.

Sans pulls you closer, his lips crashing down onto yours once again. This time, the kiss is more urgent, more desperate. You can feel the hunger in his touch, the desire to consume you whole.

“Sans,” you whine. “Touch me… please.”

Sans's eyes light up with desire as he hears your plea, and he quickly obliges. His hands move down to your thighs, his fingers tracing the edge of your shorts before unbuttoning them and slipping underneath. You feel your heat drip as his fingers brush against your skin.

As he touches you, Sans's body language becomes even more intense, his fingers gripping your hips with a fierce passion. You can feel his hunger for you growing with every passing moment, and you know that you're on the verge of something incredible.

Sans's fingers dance across your clit, teasing you as he explores every inch of your body. You feel yourself getting lost in the sensation, your mind clouding over with pleasure as he touches all the right spots. He slides one finger to the entrance of your pussy and sighs.

“Can I?” He asks carefully.

“Y- yes please,” you moan.

"Shit,” Sans breathes. “Do y’know how long I- I've wanted to touch you, to taste you... to make you mine.”

With that, Sans's finger slips inside of you, his thumb on your clit.

As the heat between you two builds, Sans suddenly pulls back and looks at you with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I want to see all of you," he whispers, his voice barely audible over the sound of your ragged breathing. You notice his blue glowing cock poking out of his pants. 

“Off,” you point at his pants as you pull down your shorts and take off your shirt, revealing you have no bra on.

Sans doesn't wait a second to follow your orders, letting his cock spring out of his shorts. Once you have gotten fully undressed, Sans goes right back to fingering you. An idea pops into your head, and you spit on your hand, slowly moving it towards sans dick.

As you spit on your hand, he looks up at you with a mixture of surprise and excitement. His eyes lock onto yours, and he can't help but let out a low moan as your hand wraps around his cock.

You start to stroke him slowly, your hand moving up and down his length, as you continue to lie there, exposed and vulnerable. Sans's fingers never stop moving, still pumping and rubbing you as he pleasures your body.

The sensation of his fingers inside you, combined with the feeling of his cock in your hand, is almost too much to bear. You can feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge, your body trembling with anticipation. 

Sans's eyes never leave yours, his gaze burning with intensity as he watches you touch him. He seems to be savoring every moment, every sensation, and you can tell that he's been waiting for this for a long time.

As you continue to stroke him, Sans's movements become more urgent, his fingers moving faster and deeper inside you. Suddenly, Sans leans in close, his skull brushing against your ear. 

“I- I'm close,” he groans.

“Me too..” you reply.

“Alright sweet thing, we’ll cum together, alright?” You whimper at his loving but dominant behavior and nod slowly.

After a few seconds, you and Sans both reach your climax, ruining his once-clean bedsheets. Your moans and groans combine into a sexual symphony, hopefully not to be heard outside of his room. You both collapse into each other's arms, sighing contently at your release.

“You're beautiful, y’know that right,” he sighs. 

You blush and giggle but before you can reply- 

“HEY! WHAT’ER YOU LITTLE FREAKS DOING UP THERE, YOU TOLD US YOU’D WATCH MEW MEW KISSY CUTIE! ALPHYS WAS SO EXCITED!,” Undyne shouts through the door.

You and Sans rush to put on your clothes and Sans opens the door casually. 

“Be down in a sec, chill out!” He turns back to you and helps you up off of the bed.

“We'll continue this later, yeah?” 

You nod in agreement and walk down the stairs to have a fun movie night with your best friends.

Thanks for reading! like if you enjoyed - lmk if you have any comments or suggestions on how i write!

[thecapricunt1616]

Promptober Day 1 👻

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐛 (𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐭) : You had just landed at Boston airport last night, got a rental car, and Luca drove you to the beautiful little AirBNB that was decked out in adorable Halloween decor. Of course to break in the new space you went for a few rounds as soon as you got there, and you had left your phones off since you got on the plane since neither of you wanted to be bothered, and if you didn’t see it you wouldn’t have the anxiety that came with feeling you were required to reply even though neither of you had any interest in having conversation with anyone but eachother at the moment, so none of your alarms had gone off thankfully.

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: OMG! Hello! Welcome to day 1/31 of #TheBearblrPromptober2024! I am so excited to be taking part in this! If you didn't know, this prompt list was created by my lovely, wonderful, beautiful, smart and amazing friend @carmenberzattosgf! Everyone say 'Thank you Dirty Olive Martini!' for creating such a fun list & allowing everyone to use it! Halloween is my favorite holiday out of the entire year, so I'm reporting to you from the past 👻🔮ooooooo magical time travel🔮👻 I'm queuing this alllll the way back on 9/5 🤭! Can you tell how much I love Halloween?! Haha! I will be doing TWO Posts a day this October (I'm a psycho! I know! Hence why I'm reporting to you from the past hehe)! I will be participating in #TheBearblrPromptober2024! - you can view my schedule & masterlist for this celebration right 🦇here🦇, Now- I will also be posting my own celebration at night- #TheCapricuntsKinktober2024! You can view my schedule & masterlist for that celebration right 🎃here🎃! I hope you all enjoy what I've cooked up for this upcoming month, I'm hoping to also be cooking on the asks that have been rotting away in my inbox for god knows how long in between posting, since all of Sept. was spent preparing for this celebration! Okay, I promise every authors note will not be this long - I just had to get the intro out of the way! Lastly if you'd like to be added to my taglist for either celebration, just click on the celebration links on my masterpost also linked above & comment, I will add you! Alright, without further ado- Let #TheBearblrPromptober2024 begin! oh my gosh it’s FINALLY October! I have the first 14 prompt/kinktober blurbs done. It’s gonna be a big month!! I hope I have the writing bug up my ass the whole month I have 46 more prompts to get done omfg!! 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.1k 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Fluff, Mentions of smut (no active smut) 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬: @/𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐤𝐚-𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬

You and Luca had finally gotten some time off. You were currently studying law at the University of Copenhagen, and decided that you were going to take the fall semester off because you and Luca had just gotten engaged and wanted time together to plan your wedding. Luca had made his way up to head pastry chef, so in celebration Luca had surprised you with a trip to Salem to see the foliage and do other fun fall things. 

Halloween was always you and Luca’s favorite holiday. In the 3 years that you had been dating, you had always picked out cute couples costumes together, The first year, You were Fred and Daphne from Scooby doo, The next you were Lilo and Stitch, and this year you were going to be some girl called D.VA and Luca would be a guy called Soldier 76 from some video game that he was always playing when he had free time.

You weren’t so sure what it was, you just knew she wore a cute leotard that made you feel like a superhero and an adorable pink bunny rabbit she carried around, and he even ended up finding a cute bunny backpack for your costume to go with it. Halloween though, was over a week away. You had just landed at Boston airport last night, got a rental car, and Luca drove you to the beautiful little AirBNB that was decked out in adorable Halloween decor. 

Of course to break in the new space you went for a few rounds as soon as you got there, and you had left your phones off since you got on the plane since neither of you wanted to be bothered, and if you didn’t see it you wouldn’t have the anxiety that came with feeling you were required to reply even though neither of you had any interest in having conversation with anyone but eachother at the moment, so none of your alarms had gone off thankfully.

You woke up, entangled limbs and pumpkin printed sheets, cheek mushed on Lucas pec comfortably, as embarrassing as it was, a little bit of drool crusted in the corner of your mouth. What could you say? The 7 hour flight on top of 4 hours of tacked on extra traveling and then nearly 3 hours of intense hooking up with your boyfriend that had the stamina of a stallion wiped you out to say the least. 

The room was still comfortably dark, just a sliver of light peeking through the blackout velvet curtains. 

You peeled your cheek off of his warm chest,  your eyes fluttering open to see your beautiful boyfriend sleeping beneath you still. You planted a gentle, loving kiss on his collarbone, before getting up and tending to your plans you had for the morning. Your loving, wonderful fiancee had gone through all of the planning of your trip on his own, because he wanted to surprise you. He’d known you’d always wanted to go to Salem, especially around Halloween which was your two’s special holiday.

You slip on your fluffy baby pink robe, adorned with bats that he’d bought you for the trip, as well as your nightmare before Christmas slippers and pad out to the kitchen. Your first line of business was to feed your black cat, Since it was your cat together, of course he was named Salem - Who was meowing and weaving between your legs, asking for his breakfast.

“I know baby I know baby!” You coo, picking him up and kissing his fluffy head as you walked to the kitchen. After you got him all settled, you got working on the Classic English Breakfast for Luca using the groceries that you’d ordered from instacart last night. Pork breakfast sausages, poached eggs, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, black pudding, and sourdough toast with lots of english butter, which you realized costed a whopping $6 opposed to it only being 2 back home. 

Just as you were getting everything plated on the table, you heard a cough come from the bedroom “Lu?” you called, hoping his throat felt a bit better then yesterday. Luca hated flying to say the least. 

“Are you cooking” he called back with a light cough. 

“Mm breakfast is made pretty boy” you went and stood at the doorway to see Salem had made his way to cuddle up on Lucas chest. “And petting him so close isn’t gonna help that dry throat” you told him, going over and kissing his forehead gently. 

He puckered his lips for a kiss and you lean down, brushing his messy blonde tufts out of his eyes and giving him a gentle kiss. “What did you make?” He asked softly when you pulled away, taking your hand and kissing the pads of your fingers gently. 

“I made you some green tea for that airplane throat, and your favorite, classic English- cmon. Let’s go curl up on the couch and watch Goosebumps” you told him and giggle as he pulled you to lay on top of him since Salem had went off to go play with his toys 

“Mmmmm - I don’t think that’ll be enough, I think I’m in the mood for something a little sweeter” he said softly in your ear before taking the lobe between your teeth and tugging gently. 

You giggled at the way he’d been awake  for not even 10 minutes and he was already trying to get you out of your robe this morning. 

“Breakfast, then dessert, let’s go handsome” you gently played with his pretty blonde locks and he hums. 

“I guess breakfast will get cold, mm” he said and kissed the side of your face lightly. “And I can tell you if your egg poaching skills have gotten any better” he teased, pushing up the bottom of your robe and squeezing your bum between his palms, trailing his hands up to your hips.

“It will- I know what those hands are up to” you giggled as they made their way back down to cup your heat through your panties. 

“They have a mind of their own in the mornings” he said with a small smirk. You hum and leaned in, kissing him deeply just enough to make him believe that he had won this little battle that he’d started with you, before pulling away and getting up with a frisky grin.

“Well it won’t be a fair judgment of my eggs if you let them get cold, Lu!” you giggled and made your way out to the dining room, leaving him cold in bed.

“You’re gonna pay for that - we don’t have anything planned today” he chuckled as he finally got up to follow you.

Tag List: @carmenberzattosgf @daysofyellowroses @mouseymilkovich @gallaghersgal @carmybrainworms @l4long-winded @babyspiderling @southsideserendipity @djlnkaled

[typhoons-mess]

On The Edge Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak of a story an anon requested. Really excited to show this off soon. This is a Dagur X AFAB Reader

Authors note: Also, if you would like to be tagged in any Dagur content I do please let me know!

[Update 9/29/2024: My hyper fixation is pulling me back in-hopefully I’ll actually work on it since I got two stories going at once!]

It felt good being back to the edge after that strenuous training session, as Hiccup would put it. He’s been focusing more on accuracy to make sure we all can hit Vigo’s ships since the double in the last few days. We can’t afford to fail. Astrid landed next to me and dismounted Stormfly landing her feet on the hard wood beneath us. “Well, that session could have been worse.” She sighed out moving a piece of hair out of her eyes.

Letting out a snort as I patted my dragon. “Yeah. The twins could have accidentally set Snotlout on fire from their terrible aims.” Astrid shoulders shake from her laughing.

We continue our chatter as we head down to the ‘hall’ to have dinner with the others. Taking a seat in between Heather and Snotlout we all dig into our meals as Tuff tells us another one of his jokes. “-But somebody better explain how Yak stew got into my pants!” Hitting his palms on the table as he laughs hysterically. The others around laugh as I cover my mouth to contain my chuckles, even Hiccup joins in.

“Hey! Speaking of soggy pants, you ever wonder what happened to Dagur and his crazy pants?” This makes everyone stop laughing and give a confused but stern look to Hiccup’s inquiry. The though of someone mentioning Dagur makes me choke on my drink, which prompted Heather to look my way.

Back on Berk when we were younger, first time Dagur arrived, me and Hiccup were playing together by the cliff sides. Dagur asked if he could play with us, and of course we both agreed since he was a guest. It was nice to have someone different than Hiccup to play with, even if he was a bit rough. One time we decided to race, by choice of Dagur of course. We would run all over the village with Hiccup being in last and Dagur and I running head-to-head with each other leaving the small boy behind. Turning the bend to go into the forest I remember tripping over a branch and scraping my knee. Looking down at the tore in my pants I can see scratches start to weep some specks of blood out. The strangest thing happened though. It was the first time I ever saw Dagur-well concerned for another living being.

“Look your f-fine! Just stop crying and-just here!” He tore off a piece of his clothing and wrapped it around the small wound as I wiped the tears from my eyes. It seemed hard for him to find the right words to comfort me. Looking up at him he blushed as he held out his hand for me to take, lifting me up off of the foliage. Seeing that I was now ok he stomped away as Hiccup came around the corner, panting as he stopped next to me.

“What-what happed?” He asked out of breath.

“I have no clue.” Puzzled I watched as Dagur stormed off to the great hall.

I whipped my mouth as Ruff slightly turns her head to look at Hiccup. “No not really.”

“What brings Dagur up anyway?” Fishlegs says looking puzzled as he puts down his second piece of Yak.

“Nothing!” Putting up his hands in defense,”-but since were on subject of Dagur now-uh-do you ever wonder why he helped Heather escape form Vigo?” Hiccup questions looking at all of us.

“Probably to make a distraction so he could escape himself.” I chimed in wiping my mouth as Astrid nodded with what I said.

“Maybe. I don’t know-“Heather raises her eyebrow in question, “-but was if it was actually the first step toward a new life.” We all tensed up knowing that this would cause an outburst with Heather.

“Hiccup-“I try to warn him to not bring it but got interrupted with Heather slamming her fist down onto the wood of the table.

 “A new life? Dagur? A dragon doesn’t change its marking Hiccup.” The force from the hit knocking her drink onto her lap and mine. Fishlegs tries to intervene with knowledge of some dragons who can actually change their markings.

“You get the point!” She says looking down at her axe in frustration.

“Well, you are probably right, but look at Stoick! Who would have thought he would have ever learned to ride a dragon. I mean it could be possible that he’s changing.”

“Y/N’s right. Y-You never know, next time we see Dagur- “

“I’ll SPLIT THE FATHER KILLER IN TWO!” Slamming her axe into the table right beside her, splitting into into two.

We all stared in silence for a good minute. Afraid saying anything else might make that axe split one of use into two. “Yep. Ok. I-I think we get your point.” Hiccup says a bit frightened like the rest of us. Noticing the thin tension, she makes her way to the door of the clubhouse. “I better go I have island patrol tonight.”

“Actually! I will take that. I have a way more important mission for you and Snotlout! It’s-uh-one final recon mission to check out our target”

“What are you talking about? We went last time.” Snotlout as confused looking between Heather and Hiccup. “I know, that’s why I’m sending you two again to be one the lookout for any last-minute changes. And you should leave. Tonight.”

“Tonight?!” Shouts Snotlout.

“Jeez Hiccup. Are you trying to get rid of us?”

“Yes-NO no that’s crazy why-why would I- “

Heather chuckles, “I’m kidding Hiccup. Relax. Come on Snotlout sooner we leave, the sooner we get back.”

“Take your time! And by that, I mean be safe!” He sighs looking back to me and Astrid. We both look at each other puzzled as to what was going on in Hiccup’s head.

When we all left to go to our respected huts for the night, me and Astrid headed out together. “Something seemed off didn’t it. ”Astrid looked puzzled as she asked me. “It could he is just nervous about what’s going to happen soon.” I shrug. Looking at me she mimics the same response, “I guess you could be right.” I give her a sympathetic smile and I put my hand on her shoulder. “It’ll be alright Astrid. We just have to trust him.” She looks at me and chuckles. As we near our huts we bid each other goodnight and headed inside. Even though I trust Hiccup something did seem off. He never mentioned Dagur this much before. But that could be thought more tomorrow as I sluggishly made way straight to my comfortable bed.

Tomorrow.

I can ask him questions tomorrow.

[chronicparagon]

The mare wandered through the meadow, the dew-laden grass refreshing against her soft muzzle. The moon hung low, a silver crescent that echoed the mark on her forehead. She halted, her violet eyes scanning the horizon for the first light of dawn. Her mane and tail danced in the gentle breeze, shimmering with the ethereal glow of the moonlit night.

The forest loomed around her, towering guardians of shadow and enigma, murmuring secrets known only to the creatures of the night. An owl hooted, its haunting call resonating through the trees. The mare lifted her head, ears perked at the sound. Fear was a stranger to her; she had roamed these woods for ages beyond her reckoning.

Her hooves clicked against the crystal-studded earth as she made her way to the stream. The water was icy and clear, mirroring the stars above like scattered gems. As she leaned down to drink, the crystals sparkled, casting an otherworldly glow on her coat. It was a stark contrast to the gentle radiance that usually enveloped her, a reminder of the curse that had taken her true form.

Suddenly, a rustle in the underbrush drew her attention. Her head snapped up, ears swiveling to pinpoint the source of the noise. A young figure emerged, clearly not from this land, as she could sense. There attire was strange, and the scent was foreign to these woods. Her eyes widened and narrowed as she moved closer to investigate the source of the sound.

@fallesto

“Ooh! Ow!” Hushed complaints joined the rustling in the underbrush.  Please…Please don’t let any spiders or snakes hiding here. Don’t bite me, don’t bite me! Please! Harmony thought as she weaves between the foliage for the clearing.  A soft sigh follows those words.

“I knew I should have taken that turn earlier! I have no clue where I’m going now.”  Ah, well. All she can do is get out of the underbrush, take a break, and gather her thoughts before taking the next step.  The curved figure emerges from the dense greenery lined with vines and thorns. Tiny, red scratches from the thorns adorn her calves. She has yet to discover the loose leaves and twigs caught in her long hair.  Exhausted but relieved, the traveler takes one step forward.

“Huh?!” Suddenly, a sharp pull at the back of her hair catches her. Harmony’s head jerks over her shoulder to find a lock of her dark hair caught by a thorny branch.  The moonlight casts the crimson shine in that silken lock, now tangled and wrapped around the branch.

Damn it!

She huffs as she reaches into the underbrush, only to wince when sharp ends graze her slender hands.  Then, a sound halts her pursuit for the captured strands. Silver eyes widen as dread rise deep within her. That sounds like footsteps, and they are coming closer!  Terror kicks her heart to rush in a hurried pace. She turns away from her hair to the source of the steps.

Is it a friend or foe?

Could they be human, fae, or a monster?

She gasps to see who or what could be here.

“A-ah! Oh! Oh, my-“ She gasps as dark brows rise.  Fear disappears, only for sheer excitement to take over when she sees a figure she heard since childhood. A mythical creature she adored when she was a little girl.

“A unicorn! Unicorn! Y-you-real! Real unicorn!” A grin stretches her lips as excitement fills her eyes.  The unicorn looks far more beautiful and graceful than she can ever imagine. She's absolutely radiant, she can't help but stare! Her eyes shine bright in pure wonder

She’s so, so pretty! She thought, only to squeal when the unicorn approached her.

Oh, my stars! She’s coming! She’s coming over! Easy! Don’t scare her. Harmony told herself, still smiling. “H-hey.” Harmony softens her voice for fear that loud sounds could scare her. She ignores her own predicament for now. How can she worry about that when encountering one of the creatures from her childhood dreams?

“Hi! My name is Harmony and I'm from outside the forest! I don’t mean trouble. I kind of got lost and it’s now dark and stuff!”  She holds back another squeal of delight but it’s harder to contain the thrill of this encounter.  

“Um, I’m not sure if you can talk, but if you can, may I please know your name?”

[moon3verland]

♫09

<- Prev | Love Unmasked | Next ->

✎ PAIRING! Lee Heeseung x Kang Hana (1st person)

✎ SYNOPSIS! You always wondered if Heeseung would love you back. If he would be the perfect Boyfriend. Or even husband… Too bad you’re too insecure to even ask him out. But what exactly happens to the two of you after an incident…

✎Genre! Childhood Friends to Lovers, Angsty at times, written series, unrequited love, one-night stand

ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ:ɢᴏɴᴇ-ʀᴏꜱÉ 1:35 ─────ㅇ─── 3:37 Volume: ■■■■■■□□□□

➥

The morning sunlight filtered through the windows of the nursing classroom, casting a warm glow over the desks and students diligently taking notes. Hana sat focused, her mind absorbed in the lecture, when suddenly she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning slightly, she saw Jaehyun placing a delicate bouquet of roses on her desk with a note and a small gift.

Curiosity and a hint of excitement fluttered in her chest as she picked up the note. "Meet me at the lake near the town square," it read in Jaehyun's elegant handwriting. Hana's heart skipped a beat, a rush of anticipation tingling through her as she read the message again, a smile tugging at her lips.

The class seemed to drag on forever as Hana's mind wandered, imagining what Jaehyun might want to say at the lake. When the bell finally rang, signalling the end of the lecture, Hana gathered her belongings and made her way outside, clutching the note and the small gift in her hand.

The crisp autumn air greeted her as she walked towards the town square, where a serene lake shimmered under the midday sun. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the scent of fallen foliage and the promise of something beautiful.

Jaehyun was waiting for her by the edge of the lake, a soft smile lighting up his face as he saw her approach. He held out his hand, and Hana felt a surge of warmth as she took it, their fingers intertwining in silent reassurance.

"I hope you liked the roses," Jaehyun said, his voice gentle and filled with sincerity. "I wanted to do something special for you."

"They're beautiful," Hana replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she glanced down at the bouquet. "Thank you, Jaehyun."

They walked along the water's edge, the gentle lapping of the lake against the shore providing a soothing backdrop to their conversation. Jaehyun seemed momentarily lost in thought, his gaze lingering on Hana as if trying to gather his courage.

"Hana," he began softly, his eyes meeting hers with a depth of emotion that took her breath away. "These past weeks with you have been more incredible than I could have imagined. You've brought so much joy and warmth into my life."

Hana's heart fluttered as she listened, her pulse quickening with each word Jaehyun spoke. She felt a rush of emotions—happiness, excitement, and a touch of nervousness mingling together in her chest.

"I've come to realize," Jaehyun continued, his voice steady but filled with vulnerability, "that what I feel for you goes beyond friendship. Hana, I... I've fallen in love with you."

Time seemed to stand still as Hana absorbed Jaehyun's confession, her heart overflowing with a mixture of disbelief and joy. She searched his eyes, finding honesty and a depth of feeling that mirrored her own.

"Jaehyun," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly with emotion, "I... I think I've fallen in love with you too."

A radiant smile spread across Jaehyun's face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He opened it to reveal a delicate necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, sparkling in the sunlight. "I want you to have this," he said softly, placing the necklace around Hana's neck.

"It's perfect," Hana murmured, her fingers brushing against the pendant. She leaned forward, her lips meeting Jaehyun's in a tender kiss that spoke volumes of their newfound love and the promise of a future together.

As they held each other by the lake, surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature and the echo of their shared feelings, Hana felt a sense of peace settle over her heart. She had found unexpected love in the most unexpected of places—a love that blossomed amidst the challenges and joys of life.

Minji's eyes widened in disbelief as she blurted out, "He did WHAT?"

Hana chuckled nervously, slightly taken aback by Minji's loud reaction. "He asked me out," she admitted, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Minji's expression quickly shifted from shock to delight. "Oh my god, Hana! That's amazing!" She grabbed Hana's hands, squeezing them tightly. "I can't believe it! What did you say?"

Hana shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. "I said yes. We're going to meet at the lake near the town square later."

Minji squealed with excitement, her eyes sparkling with happiness for her friend. "I'm so happy for you, Hana! Jaehyun seems like such a great guy. You deserve this!"

Hana blushed, feeling a rush of warmth at Minji's genuine joy. "Thanks, Minji. I'm really looking forward to it."

The two friends shared a moment of quiet excitement before Minji suddenly pulled Hana into a tight hug. "We have to celebrate this! How about a movie night and sleepover at our place? The whole gang can come over."

Hana grinned, nodding eagerly. "That sounds perfect."

As they discussed plans for the evening, Hana couldn't help but feel grateful for Minji's unwavering support and friendship. It was moments like these that made her appreciate the bonds they shared even more.

Later that evening, Hana and Minji set up their dorm room for the movie night and sleepover. They arranged blankets and pillows on the floor, stacked up snacks on the coffee table, and dimmed the lights to create a cozy atmosphere. The rest of their friends soon arrived, each carrying bags of popcorn, candy, and their favorite movies.

Danielle, with her bubbly personality, immediately took charge of the movie selection, while Hyein and Haerin started setting up their makeshift beds. Hanni, always the laid-back one, lounged on the couch with a bag of chips in hand, ready to relax.

"So, spill the details, Hana," Danielle exclaimed eagerly, plopping down next to her with a bowl of popcorn in hand. "What's the plan with Jaehyun?"

Hana blushed slightly, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "Well, he left roses and a note on my desk during class today," she began, a smile spreading across her face as she recounted Jaehyun's sweet gesture. "He asked me to meet him at the lake near the town square later."

Minji squealed again, clapping her hands together. "Oh my god, that's so romantic!"

"Yeah, it was really sweet," Hana agreed, glancing around at her friends' eager faces. "I'm looking forward to it."

Hanni raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Do we sense a budding romance here?"

Hana chuckled, shaking her head. "Maybe. We'll see."

As they settled in for the first movie, laughter and chatter filled the room, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere. Throughout the evening, Hana found herself surrounded by the love and support of her friends, their excitement infectious and comforting.

Between movies, they shared stories and memories, catching up on each other's lives and offering advice and encouragement. It felt like a perfect escape from the stresses of daily life, a reminder of the importance of friendship and camaraderie.

As the night wore on, Hana couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the people in her life. Despite the ups and downs she had faced recently, she knew she was fortunate to have such amazing friends who always had her back.

When the final movie ended and the room grew quiet, Hana glanced around at her friends, their smiles warm and content. "Thanks, guys," she said softly, her heart swelling with affection. "Tonight was exactly what I needed."

Minji grinned, pulling Hana into another hug. "Anytime, Hana. We're always here for you."

With a sense of contentment and anticipation for what the future held, Hana drifted off to sleep that night, grateful for the love and support that surrounded her.

© moon3v3rland— all rights reserved to me. Please do not copy or steal my work in any way. Taglist: @milanco @mitmit01 @bbbonni @stormy1408

If you want to be added to my perm tag list, feel free to send in an ask or just fill out this form!!

[queengiuliettafirstlady]

Recipe of Love The sweet discovery of Gingerbread 

Recipe of Love The sweet discovery of Gingerbread 

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing:   Luke x Julie

Part of : Ikemen advent calendar hosted by me and @candied-boys

Prompt : December 5 -  Gingerbread 

Tag:  Established relationship Domestic Fluff Romantic Fluff Kisses

Word Count : 950

Author’s Note:  A normal day in the countryside turn into so much more when a couple of nobles gift them a very peculiar gift, they would use to their own advantage to savour slowly the sweet taste of love. 🥰

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @aquagirl1978

@william-rex @candied-boys @writingwhimsey

@fang-and-feather @moonstruckmelancholic @lichtluv

@wistfulwanderingone @rjthirsty @ike-garden2024      

@maeko-kun @oda-princess @rkmaru

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

Thank you for everyone who will like, reblog, or comment please be gentle with me english is not my first language so please do not leave rude comments I apologise for eventual errors I hope you will like it 😊

The day was sunny despite the frizzy wind blowing through the foliage of the forest, the leaves danced in the wind scattering over the cultivated fields, caring nothing of the weather they wandered hand in hand through the streets stopping from time to time to chit chat with the farmers and merchants they met along the way, as they reached a luxurious mansion, that in their village was a title given to any house built in stone rather than wood, a finely dressed man went running toward them.

By no mean such behaviour would have been considered appropriate for a noble but in the place ruled by Lord and Lady Randolph the aristocrats were encouraged to behave as they wished, even if this broke the rules of social etiquette set by the nobles living in the city.

“Your highnesses I am so overwhelmed with emotions I can barely tell you how grateful I am to meet you there.”

“Hey nice to see ya too George.” 

With a casual wave Luke approached the man, wrapping one arm around Julie’s hips.

“Your mill is still working ?”

“Oh yes, the farmers around there never stop praising the job you two have done.”

“We have merely given the idea the praise all goes to you George for building it.”

“You are too kind Lady Randolph.”

“I always tell her that.” 

Ever protective Luke smacked his lips on hers in a kiss she didn't shield away from giving in offering a good show of their love to the astounded Baron Flake.

“Ahahah I see you two are so much in love as ever.”

Reluctantly Luke pulled away smiling proudly when she leaned her head on his chest gazing at the noble as she sighed dreamily.

“We can’t help it.” 

With a smile the Baron shot a glance at his mansion before turning to look at them with a bright smile.

“You see I was so excited to meet you two because me and my wife have a gift to give you.”

In that instant a curvy woman wrapped in an elaborate orange dress with yellow embroidery reached the group taking place next to George.

“You helped us so much with the building of the mill we wished to give you a token of our gratitude.”

“Thank you so much Elaine, we really do appreciate it but you didn’t have to.”

“We know but we wished to.”

“Thank you, your kindness is much appreciated.” 

With a bow she reached to give Julie a basket whose candid fabric covering it was kept in place by a red ribbon.

“We can’t wait to hear what you think of it.”

“Don’t worry George, we will. Take care of you too.”

With her arm still hooked in his Julie and Luke strolled away from the mansion walking the same familiar path that through the forest led to their cottage.

“It smells so sweet .”

“You are right.”

“I wonder what it is.” 

“Well there is only one way to find out.”

Playful smiles danced on their lips as they took their time to reach back home, taking delight at the sight of the sun’s golden hour casting its light upon the hill painting it with hues of yellow and oranges. 

Once they reached their bedroom though they completely forgot about the treat too lost in naughtier activities, thus only when it was about dinner time and he went to the kitchen to cook followed in tow by her they noticed the basket still on the table.

“It seems they really adore us.”

“I am glad they do but even if they don’t there is no way I would go back to the palace.”

“Me neither.”

With a smile Luke turned around to wrap his arms around her, revelling in her giggles as he took her princess style in his arms only to slide in the drawing room, smiling fondly at her laugh as he placed her on his lap on the sofa, brushing his nose on her own.

“Though I have to say I am pretty curious about what there is in it .”

“Do you wanna open it now ?”

“Of course, what about you ?”

“You can bet.”

The basket he had previously carried in with them landed on her lap, like a child her eyes glimmered with curiosity as he swirled the ribbon around his index finger followed in tow by her.

Their matching green eyes widened as they took in the inside of the basket, carefully Luke took a piece of the strange pastry holding it between his teeth as he looked at Julie, an inviting expression in his light green eyes as he ogled at her, smiling as much as he could with the piece of sweet in his mouth at the rosy blush taking hold of her cheeks and yet one moment after she reached to sink her teeth in the soft sweet eating away piece after piece until they finished it, welcoming his lips as they melted on hers, his arms wrapping around her, they both fell in the magical spell of the moment at least until he reluctantly pulled away leaning his forehead to hers.

“You know I think that sweet has aphrodisiac properties.”

“Ahahha any food it is for you Luke.”

“It’s not my fault if you are so sexy Julie.”

With a strange sound between a moan and a purr she nuzzled into his chest pulling away only to take a card that landed on the floor.

“What did it say ?”

“They wished we could like it and apparently the name of the sweet is gingerbread.”

“I knew it existed but I never ate it before now.” 

“Me neither.”

“Did you like it ?”

“Very much and you.” 

“Yeah … especially the kiss part.”

“Luke.” 

“Eheheh Ya really are too cute Julie like there is no way I would be able to resist from kissing you.”

Julie rushed to hide her face in Luke's muscular chest, smiling at his hearty laugh, taking delight in the way his arms tighten around her, nuzzling onto his shoulder as he looked at her with a fond smile.

[mountain-in-springtime]

mama you been on my mind

pairing: sam x reader | word count: 965 | warnings: one curse word, one super duper slight implication of nsfw | my masterlist

summary: this one's more about the vibes if i'm being honest, but it's about sam and the reader spending time together at a botanical garden.

author's note: i'm not sure how i feel about this one, but i couldn't get the idea out of my head, so i figured i'd share it with y'all. i feel like the idea could've been a bit more fleshed out, so i might come back and edit this later. we'll just see how it goes. also sorry that this one isn't quite as happy as my other fics/blurbs. also it was inspired by and named after the song "mama you been on my mind", specifically the jeff buckley cover, which i'll link below.

Laughter rang through Sam’s ears as you ran ahead of him, giggling and ushering him to follow you. As he caught up, he saw you pointing to a bush of tiny pink flowers. They smelled like heaven and were probably the prettiest plant in the whole garden. Sam watched you as you stared at them, unable to stop the smile that spread across his features.

You eventually turned to look back at him, asking “What’s got you all smiley?” as a quizzical look overcame your face.

“Nothing,” he replied, giving his head a small shake, “It’s just a really nice day.”

You looked at the sky above you and let a slight grin take hold, “Yeah, it really is. I’ve been hoping for weather like this.”

“Me too,” he agreed, “Just enough sun to not be cold, but enough clouds to not sweat our asses off.”

You let out a small giggle. “Yep. Couldn’t have said it better myself, Sammy.” He smiled in return, and you let a moment of silence fall between you, happy to just be in each other’s company. You looked at the different plants and flowers as you wandered down the garden’s path, occasionally pointing one out to Sam. A butterfly flew by at one point, landing on your head just long enough for him to snap a few pictures.

"How'd they look?" you asked eagerly.

"I think they're gonna come out beautiful," he replied, "Your pictures always do."

A small blush formed across your cheeks. "Thank you, Sammy," you giggled, "You're always so sweet."

He quickly shushed you, placing a finger over his lips. "Don't say that so loud," he said in a joking whisper, "I have a rock star reputation to uphold."

You rolled your eyes. "Whatever you say, Mr. Rockstar. I still think you're sweet"

A small chuckle left his lips, and then the comfortable silence returned as you two strolled along. You went back to looking at the foliage in quiet wonder while Sam could barely keep his eyes off of you. He focused on every excited breath you took and every plant that you seemed to take special note of. He finally broke the silence when your path forked into three directions, asking “So, where to next?”

After a brief moment of consideration, you replied, “That way,” pointing to the rightmost path, “i think we’ve already gone down the other two, and this one should come out by the cafe.”

“Oh, thank god,” Sam said, moving his hand over his stomach, “I’m starved.”

“Sammy, you should’ve said you were hungry! I wouldn’t have taken so much time stopping along the way,” you answered, a small wave of guilt painting your features.

“No, doll, it’s fine,” he assured you, “I want you to have fun without feeling rushed.”

You gave a reluctant nod. “Okay, but next time say something.”

“I promise,” he replied, “Now let’s finish up this trail.” He watched you excitedly walk ahead, taking in the wonder of your surroundings, glancing back occasionally to make sure he was following along. Seeing you so effortlessly happy made his heart swell. Joy radiated from you, and it made you all the more beautiful.

These were the moments that Sam treasured most. The times when you were so overcome with the world around you that everything else seemed to fade away. They were the moments when you were most yourself, and they were the moments that would stay in Sam’s mind for long after. It was times like these that made Sam remember why he was so in love with you.

He eventually caught up to you in the trail, and you excitedly grabbed his hand, pulling him to the latest plant you had seen. Soft laughter fell from his lips as you continued to point out flower after flower, elation pouring from every inch of you.

The two of you neared the end of the trail when your phone began to buzz. You quickly retrieved it from your bag and answered the call.

“Hey!” you began, happiness still coloring your voice. “No, I’m at the gardens with Sam. We’re about to have lunch,” you said, nudging Sam and gesturing to the cafe ahead. “Oh yeah, I’d love that! At six thirty?” you paused for a moment, “Okay, I’ll see you then, babe. Love you!” You placed your phone back in your bag and turned to Sam.

“Who was that?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

“Chris. He wants to take me to see that new movie I was talking about the other day,” you explained.

“Ooooh a date night, huh?” Sam teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

You gave him a small shove, “Yes, Samuel, my boyfriend wants to have a date night.”

He let a small giggle fall from his lips, “Well that sounds fun. You want me to drop you at home after lunch so you can get ready?”

“Yeah, that’d be really nice of you, Sam,” you replied, “Thanks.”

“It’s the least I can do,” he answered, “Now let’s go get some lunch.”

“Alright,” you laughed, walking ahead to the small cafe. Sam stayed behind, watching as the sun painted your hair and reflected off the small bracelets on your wrist with a small smile on his face.

He knew that you would probably never love him in the exact way he loved you, but in this moment, that was okay. He didn’t need a lifetime of sacred “I love you”s or secret touches. He was grateful for the love he had and the time he got to spend with you, and really, that was all he needed. It was enough to bask in your light and feel its warmth. And with that thought in mind, Sam moved forward, content to spend an afternoon in your glow.

taglist: @westernwoods (anybody who wants to be tagged in future stuff let me know!!)

[xxnashiraxx]

End of the year questions!!

4, 11, 13, 19, 20

ily!!!

Thank you, friend!!!! 💗💗💗 Answering from this post!

4. Movie of the Year? Godzilla Minus One- I am a HUGE FAN of Godzilla. When I was little my dad used to put on the old movies, and I'd draw him everywhere- I even made a comic book that was terrible cause I was five, but whatever. I had plushies, still do, stickers, figures, wall art, and home decor. I was also obsessed with Mothra- I am currently tattooless, which is a travesty, but I know one of the firsts I get will be Mothra! Also, if you haven't seen the movie, it was AMAZING and so good, it made me cry a few times- genuinely wonderful 🖤🖤

11. Something You Want to Do Again Next Year? Probably go back to the East Coast! I didn't get to see Salem (my little goth heart was very sad about that), and we didn't have enough time for New York which I NEED to see tbh. Hopefully in the fall! I know it'll be insanely busy with the foliage and Halloween, but I'm willing to risk it.

13. How Was Your Birthday This Year? It hasn't happened yet- it's on the 26th! I am hoping it'll be awesome! I have to work in the afternoon that day, but I hope for a nice dinner and maybe a mini cake or something like that 😊

19. What're You Excited About for Next Year? I did answer this one in a previous ask, but I can have more than one goal! Finishing my fic is one, but also tons of art, and new experiences! I want a tattoo already GOD DAMNIT.

20. What's Something You Learned This Year? That I should do things I like to do, that I should stop thinking so much about what other people think of me... it's an ongoing lesson, and one I usually resist a lot, but it's slowly worming its way in. 💗

Thank you for asking, friend!!! ILY TOO 💗💗

[phytochorion]

How the Forest Finds the Island

Chapter Seven - Blurring the Boundaries

Before he knew it, Sen found patches of green and red lichen brightening the trunks of his trees. He had to admire Askarya's eye for composition. While sharing the same living space, both of them mostly got on with their own business, but they were happy to stop and catch up when they passed the other by.

The height of summer rolled around, and as Sen had feared, the little creek began to dry up. It didn't disappear entirely, though, and the roots of the ginkgo saplings had now developed enough that water was no longer a serious concern. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, two of the saplings that had been afflicted with rootworm didn't make it. He was observing the algal flora of the creek one day when he saw that their leaves had yellowed and were beginning to fall. The others still had their summer foliage, but it looked like autumn had already come for this pair.

Sen did what he could to stabilise them, but ultimately death took them, and they were reclaimed by the soil.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

For the next week or two, Sen wandered in a cloud of apathy. Death was a natural part of life, it was true, but it cut him to his core when he lost something so important.

Si-woo and Askarya had come to stand with him the day after the trees had died. Si-woo performed a ritual to appeal to the souls of the island, beseeching safe passage for the souls of these two little trees back to where they had been given life.

Sen had appreciated that. And he still had the rest of the grove to care for. But all the same, the excitement and wonder of finding himself in a freshly moulded world had dulled somewhat. With his motivation ground down, he wished he had some new task to distract him, but there was nothing except his routine. Photosynthesize, water, check for parasites, sleep. Repeat.

One evening he sat looking out across the plain. It was much the same as it had ever been. The ground cover was getting denser though, and patches that had been bare earth and rock before were now claimed by new kinds of moss and ferns, slower to get here but suited for a life where others couldn't thrive.

Askarya, who he had barely seen since the funeral, poked their head through the leaves.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Go ahead." Sen managed a smile.

The lichen fairy settled down, legs kicking in the air. They were silent for a few minutes.

"What's the good of magic," wondered Sen "if it can't save what we love?"

Askarya pondered this. At length, they spoke. "The purpose of magic is not to overcome the natural world, but rather, to help us find our place within it."

Sen looked at them sidelong, eyebrow raised and trying not to show how impressed he was.

"Don't you sound wise all of a sudden. Is that your own realisation?"

"I'd like to say yes, but truth be told, I heard it from my uncle."

"Well, he sounds an insightful man."

Sen tasted the air with his delicate crown, picking up mostly the smell of dust.

"You mentioned your cousin before. Do you have any other family?"

"No, just those two," sighed Askarya. "My cousin's name is Likhith. We're not on bad terms or anything, but he can be a little shit. Had a whole island to himself and wouldn't even share it."

"Hey, look on the bright side," enthused Sen. "You wouldn't have met me otherwise!"

Askarya snorted through their nose. "My uncle is Pankaja. He's old, very old. To listen to him, you'd swear he was the first one out of the sea when the planet was young. I don't know if I fully believe that, but he's a treasure trove of information and stories, all the same."

They trailed off, watching the sun dip down.

"I miss him. I have no idea where he is now. Keeps a low profile, so whenever I meet up with him it's down to luck more than anything. Still, it's never lonely. Have you met Khajee?"

Sen gave them a blank stare.

"No, of course you haven't," mulled Askarya. "Well, no time like the present."

They stood, walked backwards and spread their arms, the lichenous thalli all over their body raising. Sen watched, enthralled.

Askarya began to chant silently, lips forming syllables he couldn't quite catch. They moved their body and limbs, fluid yet frenetic, before throwing their head back as a warm glow enveloped them. Before Sen's dazzled eyes, the gentle light took on the form of a figure standing alongside Askarya.

They were the same height as the lichen fairy, dressed in flowing robes and a loose headscarf. The most unusual thing was that they seemed translucent, especially at their edges, as though in the process of fading into the background. Sen had to squint and adjust his focus a few times to make sure his vision wasn't playing tricks on him.

"Gongsun, I'd like to introduce you to Khajee," smiled Askarya, "my partner."

Sen blinked. "Wow. Um, alright, I… ahem, it's a pleasure to meet you, Khajee."

They bowed to each other.

"Likewise, Gongsun," the hazy fairy answered in lilting tones. Now that the light had faded, Sen could see that all throughout, from their skin and filamentous tresses to their clothes, Khajee was suffused with a deep ochre tint.

"So, how long have you been together?" Inquired Sen.

The two looked at each other.

"Spathian, was it?", estimated Khajee.

"Yeah, early Spathian," confirmed Askarya.

"Wow," Sen repeated, "that's quite the commitment."

"No kidding, hasn't always been easy, but we made it work," teased Askarya, putting an arm around Khajee, who rolled their eyes.

"Having someone there for you when times get tough is essential, you know?", the orange-hued fairy added.

"Yeah," nodded Sen, though to tell the truth, he wasn't familiar with the feeling.

"Well, if that'll be all…" Khajee trailed off. "Good to get to know you a bit better, Gongsun."

"The same to you, I'm happy to chat any time!"

Askarya watched them contentedly, then tilted their head back and uttered a string of syllables. Just like that, Khajee was gone, the only sign of their existence an orange glow fading around their partner.

⸙ ⸙ ⸙

Late summer had come and gone. Autumn rolled around. The savoured rains arrived, to the relief of all.

Sen finally felt he could relax. His surviving trees were thriving, big enough to accumulate some defensive compounds and fend off parasites on their own, now that they were no longer water-stressed.

With little to do, he ended up visiting Si-woo more often. The progymnosperm fairy had lashed a bundle of dead branches together into a raft, and it was here, floating on the lake, that they met up. Some of Si-woo's trees were already mature and starting to spread their spores, so he collected any which remained unfertilised and pressed them together with water and spilled resin into little cakes.

One day, drifting on the current under the fading sun, Si-woo mentioned that he'd been back to the spot they had visited together.

"Tadgh's terracing is working as planned. You should see the place, with this rain it's already transforming itself from dry overlook to verdant fen!"

"I'd love to, perhaps I'll fly out tomorrow," mused Sen. "I wonder if Askarya would object to being carried?"

Si-woo snorted, taking a bite of his cake. "Dare you to try."

Sen laughed, looking around. "Water level's come up a bit. I'm sure your trees are glad."

"Oh, totally! And with all the spores they're producing, they should establish in this area nicely. Problem is, though, if these ones keep reproducing with each other, they'll run short on filial diversity in no time."

"The same with my ginkgos," noted Sen. "I only brought two seeds, both from the same tree. And the other cuttings are extensions of myself, so they’re all ramets."

Si-woo looked coastward. "I don't fancy flying all the way back to Epiphyllia. Transporting spores is a nightmare in any case. They spill like nobody's business."

"I wonder if there's an easier way," continued Sen. "The flight I made nearly killed me, but I'm not familiar with the climate or air currents around here. Perhaps if there's a strong prevailing wind, or other islands to use as stopping-off points, it'd be more feasible."

"The climate here is unpredictable," added Si-woo. "These islands are diverting whole air masses around them as they grow."

"I've noticed," murmured Sen. "Epiphyllia is drying. It's what pushed me to fly out here in the first place, and you, I take it. And I'm certain we won't be the last."

[karebear4499]

You Are My Sunshine Chapter 9

Sunshine slowly walked around her brother and approached the glowworm curiously. Rascal wanted to stop her--this could be a trick; a distraction so that an even deadlier predator could ambush them—but the worm seemed harmless enough, and Sunshine appeared to know him very well.

“How did you find yourself all the way out here, buddy,” she asked, leaning closer to his level. “Does Biggie know you’re here?” She looked at Mr. Dinkles with a worrisome expression, knowing how distraught Biggie would be if he lost track of his beloved pet.

As if on cue, the glowworm’s name was being called, his pursuer’s voice growing louder as he emerged from the brush behind him.

“Oh, there you are, Mr. Dinkles,” Biggie said in relief, scooping him up in his arms and glaring at him sternly. “You can be pretty fast when you want to be, but warn me next time, would you?”

Mr. Dinkles just stared blankly back at his owner. “Oh, I can’t stay mad at that face,” Biggie gushed, hugging and nuzzling his face against the worm.

Sunshine almost didn’t want to interrupt their interaction. It was super adorable, despite the worm’s lack of expression; she couldn’t even tell if he was blinking. “Uh, hey Uncle Biggie,” she finally spoke up.

Biggie briefly took his attention away from Mr. Dinkles and addressed the younger troll. “Sunshine,” he shouted, pulling her in for a hug, “aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

Sunshine yelped in surprise as she was lifted off the ground. She was more than excited to see another familiar face, but she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing out in the middle of nowhere. He wouldn’t have gone so far from Pop Village on a whim.

“Did…you come out here to find me,” she asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” Biggie replied, nodding, “we figured Poppy and Branch would need some extra help looking for you. We weren’t sure if we could pull it off, but Mr. Dinkles appeared to have picked up your scent.” He held the glowworm up proudly as he declared this.

“He can do that,” Sunny asked in astonishment.

“I know right,” Biggie added, nuzzling Dinkles some more, “Even after all these years, he’s still full of surprises. Yes he is, yes he is.”

The foliage started to rustle again, and Sunshine quickly ran to hide behind Biggie. “Oh, no need to be afraid,” he reassured, “it’s just the rest of the search party.”

“Search party?” Sunny repeated. She hadn’t expected to worry that many trolls.

“There’s the troll of the hour,” Smidge shouted as she hugged the younger troll.

“Aunty Smidge!”

“Aw, look who’s still as fashionable as ever,” Satin said, noting Sunshine’s jewelry her and her sister had gifted her. “Oh, you look pretty good too, Sunshine,” Chenille joked, eliciting a playful glare from the child.

“Satin! Chenille!”

“We finally found you, Sunshine,” Guy Diamond cheered, his voice tinged with autotune.

“Uncle Diamond!”

“And last but not least,” he added playfully, as a blur of glitter shot out of his hair like a cannonball.

“Sunny!” Tiny shouted in excitement as he landed in his best friend’s arms, hugging her tightly and mumbling incoherently. Sunshine wrapped her arms around him awkwardly and tried to make sense of his ramblings. She could just barely make out the words, “sorry,” “annoying,” and something about being a better friend.

“Wait, wait,” she interrupted, holding him out in front of her, “Tiny, you think I left…because of you?”

Tiny sniffled and wiped his eyes as he looked back at his friend. “You didn’t?”

“No, of course not,” she said, laughing, “You’re my best friend.”

Tiny began laughing along in relief as he glanced back at his father. “Sometimes it does pay to listen to your old man,” Guy smirked.

Rascal watched the group’s touching exchange as they all gathered around his sister for another hug. Even though he hadn’t been part of her life, he was grateful that she had been surrounded by plenty of other trolls that cared for her.

A notion that she had realized far too late.

“Sunny,” Tiny asked, “Why did you leave then?”

Sunshine sighed, placing her friend back on the ground. “I don’t even know anymore,” she said, gazing up at the sky. The hot air balloon was long out of view now; she didn’t think she’d ever be able to catch up to it. “I guess I was looking for something that I had all along.” She allowed her tears to flow freely down her cheeks as she hugged herself. “I threw it all away for something that was impossible to find.”

She hadn’t been fully listening after learning the truth about her parents, but she faintly remembered the last thing Delta Dawn had said to her before her outburst.

“Even though you lost your parents,” she had said, “The universe was still kind enough to give you a family.”

Poppy…

Branch…

Hard to remember

Summer or winter

When they haven’t been there for me

They were the closest she had ever known to having a mom and dad. They had been there through every up and down life had to throw at her.

Friends and companions

I can always depend on

Branch and Poppy

That’s who I mean

They had raised her, taken care of her; heck, they had named her.

I’ve taken for granted

The seeds that they planted

They’re always behind everything

If she was sad, Branch was there to dry her tears. If she was hurt, he was there to bandage her up and keep her safe.

Teachers and seekers

And both arms out-reachers

Branch and Poppy

That’s who I mean

Every bedtime story, every lullaby, every goodnight kiss, had come from them.

Wish I could turn back the hands of time

Say what they mean to me

When she was little, Poppy would tell her that she loved her “from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.”

If they said so, I would give them the world

If I could

I would

“But the most important place to keep Poppy’s love,” she would say, “is in your heart.”

My love and my laughter

From here ever after

Is all that they said that they need

If none of that made them a family, she didn’t know what did.

Friends and companions

I can always depend on

Branch and Poppy

That’s who I mean

Branch and Poppy

That’s who I mean

My family

The rest of the group watched with pity as the young troll wept for her family, Tiny hugging her leg and Smidge passing a box of tissues around.

“Don’t worry, Sunny,” Rascal assured, placing a hand on his sister’s shoulder, “We’ll get you back to your folks.”

“How,” she sniffled, “It’s not like any of us can fly.”

“Never say never, sis,” he said confidently. Racing into his tent, he began tossing various tools and building materials outside, the Snack Pack catching what they could. “Time to put y’all’s construction skills to the test!”

…

Poppy and Branch’s hearts had never been heavier.

They had come so close to saving Sunshine, only to have her torn away at the last minute. Everyone back home was going to be devastated when they returned. Definitely not as devastated as they were at the moment, though.

Poppy was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the balloon, two scrapbooks on either side of her lap. The one on her left was her own personal scrapbook she had started making when Sunshine was a baby. Every page was chock-full of pictures and mementos she had gathered over the years—her and Tiny Diamond playing together, her Trollton John Hair-o-ween costume, little bits of eggshell Poppy had found in her hair after her first bath.

She had been planning on giving it to her once they found her family. Now that they knew that day would never come, she had hoped to be able to fill it with even more memories.

They had found the other scrapbook in Sunshine’s bag shortly after they had left Lonesome Flats. Unlike Poppy’s, the pictures in this one were all hand-crafted out of felt and paper, the cut-out edges of each piece slightly jagged and crudely shaped.

That didn’t make it any less special; Sunny was still learning when she had made them. Poppy liked to jokingly call it her “training scrapbook.” Along with the pictures, there were little words captioning them on each page, some misspelled and some with letters written backwards. As she turned the pages, though, the cut-outs became smoother, and the writing more legible.

She stopped in her tracks when she found a page seemingly hidden among the rest. The picture looked similar to Sunny’s family portrait, only the trolls on either side of her looked nothing like her. One was pink, the other blue. Instead of standing hand-in-hand, they were hugging her. And at the bottom of the page, she had written “MY HEROES.”

Poppy felt a fresh wave of grief wash over her as she hugged the scrapbooks close to her chest, hoping her tears weren’t ruining any of the pictures. Her and Branch had been a part of every major milestone in Sunshine’s life. The first time she met the Snack Pack, her first steps, her first song; they were there. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t come from their hair. She was their little girl; their only Sunshine. “I’ll cherish these moments forever,” she whispered.

One of her tears splashed against her Hug-Time bracelet as it chimed. “I don’t think I’ll ever know another troll that gave better hugs,” Branch said, moving to sit next to his girlfriend and wrapping his arms around her.

“Or one that had a more beautiful voice,” Poppy added, remembering how Sunshine used to sing along with some of her lullabies. “She had the most adorable laugh, too,” she continued, “and sometimes she would laugh so hard, she would snort.”

They shared a bittersweet chuckle as they continued to reminisce, flipping through the scrapbooks together and pointing out some of their favorite memories in them. While Branch was holding Sunny in just about every picture they were both in, his favorite one was from the day she had gotten lost in the bunker. It hadn’t taken him too long to find her—they just followed each other’s voices—but the second he’d spotted her, she had raced into his arms and refused to let him put her down. Poppy had stopped by just in time to witness this, the little troll crying into Branch’s shoulder and Branch stroking her hair and assuring her that he wasn’t going anywhere.

It was too adorable not to capture on camera.

As for Poppy, she couldn’t possibly choose a favorite. Every single moment held a special place in her heart. She loved each and every little thing about her Sunshine; she was kind, funny, honest, and smart. It surprised her just how fast of a learner she was even at such a young age. She had heard her favorite bedtime story so many times that she learned it by heart.

Poppy choked back another sob as she placed her hand on top of Branch’s.

“Once upon a time,” she began, “there lived a king and queen who had everything they could have ever wanted; a lovely castle to live in, a kingdom filled with loyal subjects that loved and respected them…”

Branch wiped his own tears away as she recited the tale. Poppy had made it up on the spot one night when Sunshine was having trouble falling asleep, and Branch had practically melted when he realized it was semi-autobiographical.

“The only thing that they didn’t have that they wanted more than anything else in the world,” he continued, “was a child. So one day, they went outside to their royal garden, and they planted a magical seed.”

“Every day the king and queen made sure to take extra special care of the seed as it grew,” said Poppy, “watering it, singing to it, letting it know just how excited they were to meet their child…”

“Until one day,” Branch added, “it bloomed into a beautiful flower, and nestled in between the petals was a little princess.”

“The king and queen proclaimed their promise to the kingdom,” Poppy continued, smiling sadly, “They promised to love and protect their princess as long as they lived.”

Branch looked downcast as he struggled to properly finish the story. He couldn’t bring himself to say the right words. “But the king did break his promise, Poppy,” he said, Poppy’s eyes widening at his revision, “He hadn’t meant for it to happen, but he was careless; he let the princess slip away from him.” He stifled a guilt-ridden sob as he concluded, “And he never forgave himself.”

Poppy shook her head sorrowfully, hating that her boyfriend was blaming himself for losing Sunshine. “Oh, Branch,” she said, pulling him into a tight hug as they both cried together.

“I’d give anything to hold my baby girl again, Poppy,” he bawled, “Just one more time.”

At that moment, Poppy’s ear twitched as she briefly pulled away from the hug. “Do you hear that,” she asked.

“You hear her voice on the wind, too?” Branch replied.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” she said, as poetic as that sounded. She walked over to the edge of the balloon, trying to pinpoint the source of the sound through the clouds. It wasn’t just one voice she seemed to be hearing.

“Get closer, Satin.”

“I’m trying! It’s not like I’ve done this before!”

“Pedal faster, Smidge!”

“If I…could go…any faster…we…would be going…back…in time…”

Branch joined her as the clouds finally parted, revealing a rather crudely built aircraft that was somehow stable enough to hold its multitude of passengers. Satin and Chenille were on either side trying to steer them in the right direction. Smidge was positioned precariously on the underside, her face turning red from the effort it took to pedal in order to keep them all afloat. The balloon part of the aircraft was Mr. Dinkles, a bicycle pump sticking out of his mouth. “Poppy! Branch,” Biggie shouted, him and Guy Diamond both waving to catch the others’ attention.

“What are you guys doing out here,” Poppy called back.

“We have big news for you,” Guy replied, “we found Sunshine.”

The two trolls let out worrying gasps once they’d heard this. That had to be the worst possible way for the news of Sunshine’s passing to get to their friends. “We’re so sorry you guys had to find her like that,” Poppy said.

“You mean, alive and well,” Tiny asked playfully after popping out of his father’s hair.

Poppy and Branch gasped again, this time giving each other surprised but hopeful looks. Sunshine survived the fall? Was it really possible?

They didn’t have to wait long for that question to be answered, as Biggie tilted his head to the side to reveal the little yellow trolling perched atop his shoulders. “Hi,” she called to them, giggling happily.

Poppy couldn’t contain her joy upon seeing Sunshine, not that she tried to. “Branch, it’s her,” she yelled, wrapping her arms around him and jumping up and down, “It’s her! It’s really her!”

Branch smiled the biggest smile he had ever mustered. He still wasn’t done crying, but there was no more sadness in his tears.

It really was her.

The group hopped onto the balloon one by one, Sunshine nearly tackling Branch to the ground as she landed in his arms. Smidge was the last to board, beyond out of breath. “I’m a’coming, Gam Gam,” she wheezed, collapsing dramatically to the floor.

Most of the group rolled their eyes, but Branch paid her no mind as he held Sunny in the tightest hug he had ever given, not wanting to risk losing her again should his grip loosen. “Sunny,” he said, “You’re alive.”

A concerning thought suddenly popped into his head. She had plummeted off the edge of a cliff! She was alive, but that didn’t mean she was okay. “Are you hurt,” he asked, carefully looking her over, “Does anything feel broken?”

“No, Daddy,” Sunny laughed, “I’m fine.”

He sobbed with relief as she hugged him again, but slowly pulled away as her words settled in. “W-what did you just say?”

A high-pitched squeal interrupted her as Poppy suddenly swept her up into her arms, spinning her around and peppering her face with kisses. “We thought we’d lost you,” she said, squeezing her tightly.

“You could never lose me, Mama.”

Poppy gasped loudly and fought back another flood of happy tears. “M-mama?” she repeated, pointing at herself.

Sunshine nodded as she looked between her and Branch. “You’re the only family I’ve ever known,” she said, “and I wouldn’t trade either of you for the world.”

Now it was her turn to shed some tears of joy as both parents wrapped their arms around her, muttering “we love you”s and vowing never to let go again.

When asked how she managed to survive the fall, she gestured towards the previously unseen Country troll among the group. “I’d like you guys to meet my brother, Rascal.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Rascal greeted, tipping his hat and extending a hand to Branch, “Thanks a million for taking care of my sister.”

Branch returned the handshake and replied, “Thank you for saving our daughter.”

The Snack Pack joined them all in a group hug. Sunshine thanked them all for helping her as she smiled warmly at Poppy and Branch.

They were finally a real family.

No…

They always had been a real family.

…

[tameblog]

Happy Monday GPODers! And happy March! Saying goodbye to February means we’re one step closer to spring and all of the color, excitement, and work that the new season brings. But as we head toward a very busy time of year, let’s not forget to enjoy the last bits of peace and quiet that the winter slowdown brings. To help us appreciate the last weeks of winter beauty, Lila Johnson in Mill Creek, Washington shared some photos from a snow storm that recently hit her garden. Lila has shared her space many times before (Lila’s Colorful Containers, The Rest of Lila’s Wonderful Washington Garden, and Lila’s Autumn Garden are some recent features) so if you’re wondering what her gardens look like without a thick blanket of snow, be sure to go check out those previous submissions. Hi, we had snow for about a day and a half, and as excited as a child on Christmas morning, I was out the door into about 3″ of snow to walk around my garden to snap some pictures. So pretty! My family knows I go bonkers when it snows, although I will not drive in it. Snow creates a pristine, lovely scene. Enjoy the photos! I absolutely adore being able to see our contributor’s gardens during the different seasons. We’ve seen this scene in Lila’s garden before, the arbor and pathway usually lined with plants of various shapes and colors, but it could almost be a completely different space when covered in a few inches of snow. While not as colorful, the bright white snow clinging to every surface really makes you feel like you’re entering a winder wonderland. And Lila did an incredible job capturing all of that winter wonder, up close and from afar. Though it is the close-ups that I often find most fascinating and captivating in winter gardens. Wintery scenes can be magical, but it’s the interesting ice formations that always feel artfully created. Even a humble stem can look like something interesting and otherworldly with an icy adornment. Another scene we’ve seen before, transformed by winter’s wonderful white accent. If you’d like to see these lovely spots in Lila’s garden with some more color, check out Lila’s Autumn Garden in Washington: Part 2. Before winter rolls in, these vignettes are absolutely ablaze with bright fall colors. Structural branches and evergreen foliage is essential for interest in any winter garden, but being able to include some winter bloomers is taking the slow season to the next level. Getting to admire a fresh snow AND a pop of floral color from these pink camellias is truly the best of both worlds. Another sentiment I often get in winter is, “How did nature even manage this??” And that was exactly my first thought when I saw this image from Lila. A fern frond managed to freeze in place well enough to become a collect all of this snow along its arch. What an awesome feat of nature to capture! Lastly, what is more classically beautiful than a bunch of big evergreens coated in that fluffy white snow? Thank you so much for sharing this magical snow day with us, Lila! I’ve been patiently watching our last snow piles melt away (and secretly keeping my fingers crossed that this is the last we’ll see of it for the year), but your excitement and beautiful photos reminded me to not take this time of year for granted. If we do end up getting one last storm in March, I’ll be outside snapping photos like you did. Are you sick and tired of snow, or wishing for one last big blizzard before spring rolls around? Or maybe you’re in a warm climate and wish you could experience a few snowy days in winter? Let us know in the comments, and consider sharing your late winter garden with GPOD! Follow the directions below to submit your garden via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link

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Happy Monday GPODers! And happy March! Saying goodbye to February means we’re one step closer to spring and all of the color, excitement, and work that the new season brings. But as we head toward a very busy time of year, let’s not forget to enjoy the last bits of peace and quiet that the winter slowdown brings. To help us appreciate the last weeks of winter beauty, Lila Johnson in Mill Creek, Washington shared some photos from a snow storm that recently hit her garden. Lila has shared her space many times before (Lila’s Colorful Containers, The Rest of Lila’s Wonderful Washington Garden, and Lila’s Autumn Garden are some recent features) so if you’re wondering what her gardens look like without a thick blanket of snow, be sure to go check out those previous submissions. Hi, we had snow for about a day and a half, and as excited as a child on Christmas morning, I was out the door into about 3″ of snow to walk around my garden to snap some pictures. So pretty! My family knows I go bonkers when it snows, although I will not drive in it. Snow creates a pristine, lovely scene. Enjoy the photos! I absolutely adore being able to see our contributor’s gardens during the different seasons. We’ve seen this scene in Lila’s garden before, the arbor and pathway usually lined with plants of various shapes and colors, but it could almost be a completely different space when covered in a few inches of snow. While not as colorful, the bright white snow clinging to every surface really makes you feel like you’re entering a winder wonderland. And Lila did an incredible job capturing all of that winter wonder, up close and from afar. Though it is the close-ups that I often find most fascinating and captivating in winter gardens. Wintery scenes can be magical, but it’s the interesting ice formations that always feel artfully created. Even a humble stem can look like something interesting and otherworldly with an icy adornment. Another scene we’ve seen before, transformed by winter’s wonderful white accent. If you’d like to see these lovely spots in Lila’s garden with some more color, check out Lila’s Autumn Garden in Washington: Part 2. Before winter rolls in, these vignettes are absolutely ablaze with bright fall colors. Structural branches and evergreen foliage is essential for interest in any winter garden, but being able to include some winter bloomers is taking the slow season to the next level. Getting to admire a fresh snow AND a pop of floral color from these pink camellias is truly the best of both worlds. Another sentiment I often get in winter is, “How did nature even manage this??” And that was exactly my first thought when I saw this image from Lila. A fern frond managed to freeze in place well enough to become a collect all of this snow along its arch. What an awesome feat of nature to capture! Lastly, what is more classically beautiful than a bunch of big evergreens coated in that fluffy white snow? Thank you so much for sharing this magical snow day with us, Lila! I’ve been patiently watching our last snow piles melt away (and secretly keeping my fingers crossed that this is the last we’ll see of it for the year), but your excitement and beautiful photos reminded me to not take this time of year for granted. If we do end up getting one last storm in March, I’ll be outside snapping photos like you did. Are you sick and tired of snow, or wishing for one last big blizzard before spring rolls around? Or maybe you’re in a warm climate and wish you could experience a few snowy days in winter? Let us know in the comments, and consider sharing your late winter garden with GPOD! Follow the directions below to submit your garden via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.   Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here. Fine Gardening Recommended Products Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil. Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation. Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency. The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs. 2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. Source link