#somehow i came away attached to the old man the most

[seeminglyseph]

Man, I love Swansea. That old man genuinely just didn't want Daisuke to get stuck in a shitty dead-end job that would ruin his life. He could've stood to be less of a passive-aggressive asshold about it, but like... no one really plans on having a manchild having a quarter-life crisis and deciding to do a prolonged-multi-murder-suicide in the middle of your year-long life lesson of an internship.

Swansea regrets his life. Half his dialogue is like, "If you live your life like I do, all you'll have to show for it is a growing collection of aches and pains. Injuries on top of injuries that don't heal all the way and leave you older, uglier, and hurting in ways you never imagined."

Maybe I'm just projecting my blue-collar dad onto him too hard, but like, blue-collar work does like... fucking hurt. It wears the body down and injures a person a million times in a million ways and in order to earn a paycheque you don't take enough time to heal before you go back to work and work yourself hurt again. Every day hurts, you work yourself exhausted, then get up and do it again until your body breaks down to the point you can't do it anymore. Sometimes retirement becomes a joke because how many people die within a few years of retirement if they make it 'cause their bodies have worn down so hard from the work?

And Daisuke's kinda athletic with a lot of go-getter attitude and like... nothing but the fact that his mother thinks he's not doing enough, and the fact he didn't for sure know what he wanted to do with his life yet to say he wasn't like... going anywhere with his life. He was a bit young and immature, but like... he is young. Youth is about learning and being a little immature... Swansea even voices his regret that he would have had a lot to learn from Daisuke about things because of that youthful joy and interest in new things.

I know the core of the game is about Jimmy, Curly, and Anya, but Swansea and his mentorship of Daisuke, and his real ability to take responsibility is like. Damn, love that old man. Even if he had that Boomer trait of only expressing genuine heartfelt emotions at the worst and/or last possible moments.

[ryescapades]

Hiii!! I was recently reading some of your writings which absolutely slap ‼️

A scenario came to mind after recently reading a webtoon named Pure Villain(which I defo recommend) and I was wondering if i would be able to request a Narumi Gen x Mitsuri!Reader where the reader is a new officer added into the first division and is somehow on par or even stronger than Narumi himself??

And similarly to Mitsuri i was hoping she would have joined the KDF to help find a man and due to her being so strong and what’s better than fining a man who’s part of the KDF!? And for a little prompt if needed then maybe add a moment where Narumi needs support or in trouble with a Kaiju she’s there to help!!

wild heart | kaiju no.8

— sure, you've thought about giving up on love sometimes, but that doesn't mean you had completely lost hope. luckily, narumi is there to burn that hope back aflame.

genre/warning: narumi gen x fem mitsuri!reader, fluff, reader's former division is not mentioned, set in pre-canon timeline (around b-side era probably??)

a/n: sorry for the delay and thank you for the request anon!! hope i got everything down as per your req :> i read a few chapters of pure villain too!! wanted to understand the plotline so that i could write this better. maybe i'll read the rest of it once i'm through w all my other work TT

1.97k wc

"you're amazing and all, y/n-san. but i'm sorry, you're just not my type,"

it's been... what? three times? four? five??? you don't even know. you don't bother keeping track anymore. it's always the same reason in the end. confessing to boys you've had a crush on throughout your adolescent years had become something you would dread every time.

you confessed, they acknowledged your immense strength, how clever you were, and then ended up rejecting you, saying you're not their type. which was utter crap in your opinion. those were definitely backhanded compliments.

you've never pointed that out to them, obviously. you were too nice for that.

regardless still, were they intimidated? did they refuse because you were too strong for them? too strategically intelligent for your age? did they just want a sweet, pretty book smart girl as a partner instead?

or maybe it's just the boys from your old high school who were like that. or the ones from the neutralization college that you used to attend. who the heck knows?

hence growing up, you've learned not to easily be swayed by and get attached to those who were too sweet and too friendly, locking away your fragile heart. if you were to settle down, you'd decided it would be with someone who is as strong, as capable and as brilliant as you are. an equal, if not more.

"starting today, all of you here will officially be appointed as defense force officers,"

and where else can you find such a capable partner if not the jakdf?

assigned as the representative of your batch after scoring the highest in most categories, everyone in the division admired you. you were sweet, kind and passionate in your job. not once have you gone a day without expressing your compassion and honest praises to others.

even your superiors admitted you were one of a kind, a talent so outstanding they almost offered you a high-ranked position if not for your current lack of experience in the field at that time.

as you progressed further in the division, you'd become close to your fellow officers. fighting and training alongside them, getting to know them better as you worked together during missions to neutralize kaiju. but alas, none of those you've met in the defense force ever caught your eye. they were astoundingly strong, sure. but no one has been it for you.

along the way, you'd almost gave up in believing that love was ever meant for you, now only focusing on honing your own talents and relishing the satisfaction of getting to save people from the monsters using said skills. it was only until one day you were conveyed a message to meet with your captain, though you were initially not informed of what business you were called for.

“you wanted to see me, captain?” you greet just as you enter the office, the usual shy and sweet smile plastered on your face.

"i received a letter from the headquarters. it's addressed to you," your captain says, handing over a piece of parchment paper.

you eyes rove over the lines of formal sentences as soon as you have the letter in your hands, eventually they widen upon registering the words in your head. "a transfer offer to the first division?" you ponder, fingers idly tracing the ink swirls.

your captain eyes you for a quick moment before speaking, "you should accept it. it's not often that the higher-ups themselves offer a place in the first division. it's a place for the elites, after all. not to mention they'd freshly appointed a new captain there," the almost-grimace in their expression at that last sentence does not go unnoticed by you.

your eyebrows raise in bewilderment, "must be someone extra, extra capable to be replacing captain shinomiya,"

"oh, he's capable, alright..." you hear your soon-to-be former captain mutter quietly, causing you to wonder just what kind of person the first division's new captain is.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

you don't even get to meet your new captain.

hell, you don't even get to introduce yourself to any of the first division members because as soon as you had arrived in koto ward which houses the ariake maritime base, there's already a kaiju attack happening.

you're about ten minutes drive away from the base when you were notified to engage in battle, quickly suiting up and your rifle at the ready as the vehicle you're in immediately changes direction to head towards the location of the attack.

an unfamiliar voice pings in your earpiece. "officer y/n? i'm hasegawa eiji, vice-captain of the first division. firstly, i'd have to apologize that you're not exactly receiving the best welcome to the base right now but we clearly have more pressing matters here,"

your head perks up at that. "no, vice-captain. i'm perfectly fine with it. if anything, i could maybe see how my skills can stack up with the best of the best there is," you say with a giddy smile growing on your face, barely holding in a squeal out of pure excitement..

there's a small chuckle before your new superior continues, "i hope you won't end up disappointed then. feel free to take down any yoju you see on the way here. i wish you luck, officer."

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

on the other side of the battlefield, narumi frowns as he stands perched on the edge of the bridge, looking over the kaiju in the distance.

the yoju is easy enough to handle. shoot the core, bam, dead. the honju, however, is quite a hassle to deal with. it's fast, incredibly fast. sure, narumi's RT-0001 is able to detect synaptic impulses and produce foresight, but that doesn't mean it's any easier when there's two of the same speedy type of kaiju raging around in the area.

it's even more of a hassle when those two looming honjus response almost similarly to the other, as if their minds are one and the same. what are they, freak twins or something? narumi scoffs, running a hand through his bicolored hair and shaking off the dust from his combat suit where he nearly got crushed twice consecutively between two humongous fists, one from each of the twin kaiju.

well, nothing his ridiculously immense power couldn't beat, actually. but still, it'd have been nice if there's something...— his thoughts are interrupted by a loud gunshot to his right, his head quickly snapping to the side in search of a potential threat.

narumi's expression switches to a mix of a surprise and a little confusion, staring at what seems to be an officer who has her hand holding a... winch cable? he glances at the tow truck nearby, taking note of the slight burnt mark at the spot where the winch cable is supposed to be attached to the crane.

what the heck is that person doing? he thinks incredulously.

when you first shot the pulley that once held the cable in place, you didn't think your plan would work. it's kind of impulsive and a bit suicidal if you were to carry it out alone, you'd thought. but there's nothing else you can come up with, so you end up proceeding with it.

grabbing a dagger strapped on the side of your thigh, you manage to tie several overhand knots with the cable around the hilt before straightening up, bracing yourself for your next action.

"i really shouldn't be doing this... i don't have a death wish. i don't! i'm not even married yet. i can't die now!" you rant to yourself, taking a deep breath. you don't notice that a certain captain is staring at you clumsily fussing to yourself from afar, he himself jolting in shock when you land a harsh slap on your own puffed cheeks, as if sensing the pain himself.

you let out one last exhale before swiftly making your move, dashing forwards with the cable-tied dagger in your hand. your plan consists of only two moves; stab and wrap. stab the dagger into the leg of one of the kaiju, and then with your agility, wrap the cable around both its legs to hinder its movement.

you succeed in doing those two steps, of course. now who's going to get the second honju while you kill the first one? the cable isn't long enough to cover both giants. you could only pray that there's someone around strong enough to do that...

and pray you did.

because as soon as one of the honju had fallen down from having both its legs trapped together, you almost didn't notice the figure rushing forwards beside you, taking the same stance as you ready your rifle, pulling the trigger to finally finish off the first fallen honju at the same time the person next to you pulls his, two explosive gunshots ringing at the same time throughout the area.

the twin monsters fall dead simultaneously, blood pouring out of the large gaping holes as you stagger slightly, not aware of the overuse of your high combat power. a sudden but warm hand immediately grip your bicep, startling you from your exhaustion.

"how did you—?" narumi's astonished. you're so... powerful. you're also flexible and quick on your feet, maneuvering yourself around the stomping feet of the twin kaiju with so much ease. that blow you delivered with your measly rifle was almost as lethal as his own bayonet. probably the same type as ashiro, he wonders.

he stops for a second when he gets a good look on your face. "you're the newbie, aren't you?" he realizes as you too, survey him and his appearance with curious eyes. one thought comes to your mind almost right off the the bat when your sparkling eyes land on him.

"pretty..."

"... what?"

"what?"

the two of you stare at each other, dumbstruck for a moment. the man's cheeks flare, heat creeping up his neck that has your pupils zeroing on them out of pure fascination. "you just said i'm— i..." he sputters, causing you to finally grasp what you had just said. "oh my! sorry, i didn't mean to say that out loud," your own cheeks flush slightly, though your apology doesn't really sound like you mean it at all.

"you— you know what, nevermind! if i wasn't such a nice captain, i would've questioned you for your lack of respect! now report yourself to me, officer!" he fumes, still feeling the abnormal heat under his skin.

your mouth gapes at his statement, your mind backtracking to the fight earlier and remembering how he had quickly yet silently arrived to your aid when you most needed it, how eruptive his killing shot had been, how big and strong his hand felt when he steadied you. of course he's a captain, out of all things.

the sound of heavy footsteps approaching you interrupts both of your predicament. "ah, i see you've met the latest addition to our squad. narumi, allow me to introduce you to your new division member, officer y/n," the burly older man who you assume to be hasegawa states, sending a respectful nod towards your direction.

you've only heard of the name in passing, never seen the person himself as you were constantly stuck in your old division, never really had the chance to venture out on faraway missions and he was barely an icon only until recently. the most naturally talented soldier, on his way to become the strongest combatant of japan's defense force.

and he's your captain.

you don't bother looking at the second-in-command, too engrossed in observing the utterly gorgeous specimen of a man that is narumi gen. your heart thunders against your ribcage, the vibration steady yet tumultuous as if it's trying to free the organ from the chains binding around it.

he's it. he's the one for you. you just know it.

not a narumi fic of mine if it doesn't consist of at least one(1) blushing narumi lol /hj

©🅁🅈🄴🅂🄲🄰🄿🄰🄳🄴🅂. do not steal, translate or repost my work anywhere else !

[enviedear]

jackie and wilson — billy bonney

⤷ modern!billy au

tw— somehow this is 4.6k words. mentions of food and eating, talk of religion and bible verses, (i'm southern and was forced to go to church every sunday it reflects in the writing) smutty themes so, minors dni, 18+ only, kissing, fondling, skinny dipping, (they're in their undies) so horrifically fluffy

i can already tell this is going to become an ongoing series, so be sure to comment and lmk if you want more. also, this is influenced by my daily mantra

request

the summer heat feels like it's baking you as you traverse through the long grass of your farmland. birds call and screech in the trees lining the woods beside you. if you weren't so scared of walking the shortcut in the woods alone, your risk of sun poisoning may seem less apparent.

you grip the wicker basket in your hands tighter, eyes squinting to look for the lean farmhand-for-hire. in years past, you've been keen to take his place whenever your grandparents needed someone for an oddball job. working long hours with the older couple up until you graduated from the county high school. as the seasons changed, and you got older and busier, so did your grandparents. their work on their farm proved in dire need of help.

a simple fix—you. this summer, free from university and your internship, your parents elected you to spend the free time of your summer working on your loving grandparents' farm.

in the early days of the warm season, you managed pretty well on your own. you tended the vegetables and the fruits, took care of the chickens and sheep, and sowed the large fields with grain until sunset.

everything changed after an unfortunate incident with your grandpa's gargantuan baler. luckily, you were fine, but your pa's expensive baler was wrecked all to hell.

so here you were, now relegated to some pseudo farmer's daughter role, hand-delivering water and a full lunch to none other than billy bonney.

your grandparents say billy's nice enough, mannerly yet hushed. but you know there's more to it. at least if small town gossip is anything to believe, and here, it usually is.

everyone knows the crowd billy runs around with. he's also got a vile gang of friends. angry men with sly smirks who spend most of their free time loitering the town's local bar or gambling away their lives at lawrence murphy's corral. the type of men to carry a weapon at all times without any license, and quick to threaten to shoot with even the most minor infraction.

the knowledge was enough to have you hiding away from him every time your grandparents hired him for a job.

everytime that is, until now.

you knew with the way your pa sternly stared into your eyes that a complaint wouldn't be warranted. as your grandma instructed you to bring the farmhand some, "hearty lunch for his hard work," you came to terms with the fact that you had no right to argue.

not when you owe the old man a baler.

you finally reach the young man, covered in grime and leaning against his parked pickup, out of breath and sweltering. you try not to stare at the baler attached to the tractor, about twenty feet from his parked vehicle, your embarrassment over wrecking the last one still ever present.

his truck has its' doors wide open, blaring music through blown speakers. you try to avoid making direct eye contact with him, voice raised slightly to be heard over the folk song playing, "here. figure you're hungry."

lifting the tea towel from the top of the basket, you set it on his open truck bed. despite not looking up, you can see him hurry to turn his music down before sauntering over to you from the side of your gaze.

"thank you," his voice surprises you. it's gruff but gentle. "you kin to the old couple?"

you're not sure why, but you take offense to his question. sure you've ignored him, but you know that he knows who you are. you meet his stare, your tone dry in response, "i am."

he inclines his head toward the basket, ignoring your reply with a hum, "what'd ya' bring me, hon?"

your eyes roll unabashed at his endearment, "my grandma threw a bit of everything in there. i know there's some jambalaya— the last bit of our mud cake too."

"you're spoiling me, you tell her i said thank you," he pauses, peering down at you, "are you going to be bringin' me my lunch everyday?"

his question is innocuous but something in the way he says it makes your stomach drop. you shrug, "sure, i guess."

"i'd like that." he slips the words out before his hands dive into the basket, fishing out one of the water bottles.

you nod, confused by him, "yeah well, be careful. i guess i'll see you tomorrow."

at that you turn from him, walking your trail again to get back to the house. you fight the urge to look over your shoulder and catch a glimpse of him. some proof he's really there, that the interaction actually happened.

because despite the second-hand opinion you've held on him, billy bonney was unexpected. annoyingly so.

as you finish up your day, you can't help but think about the encounter with the dark-haired farmhand. you've known of him for years, sure, but you never expected much of him.

just another one of jesse evans’ rowdy boys.

shocking, that billy would be so different. or maybe, just better at hiding his depravity. you think back to his voice, rough around the edges, yet littered with tenderness. it’s not until you think back to his gentle smile that you realize, there’s a kindness that exudes from him, and it’s got you hook, line, and sinker.

you wonder if he's always been this way? you like to think he has. even if it is only a platitude for your undeniable crush.

in the following days, you continue to bring the farmhand his lunch, stopping to talk to him longer each noon. he's easy to talk to, apt to ask you about your day, or if you need anything. you can't exactly explain why, but you're drawn to him.

it's extra muggy as you pack up his lunch and make your way to him, breaking from his time on the baler to lay in the bed of his truck.

he doesn't take notice of you until your basket finds home right beside him, blasted speakers blaring yet another folk tune.

"hey there," he greets you with a grin, his white work shirt wrought with soil, the short sleeves haphazardly rolled, "you know i'm starting t'get used to this."

you smile back, feeling a warm sensation spreading through your body, "i'm sure you are."

billy takes a look in the lunch basket, grabbing out some water first to clear the dirt on his hands, "you wanna hang around for a bit?"

you hesitate for a moment, not sure if you should. not only do you have a long list of chores, you also still find a bit of nervousness around the young man.

but billy's been nice enough, and if he's anything like his friends you assume he would have shown it by now, "i guess i have some time."

billy nods, handing you a water and patting the free space beside him. you hop up, close enough that his side brushes yours.

the sensation sends shivers down your spine as you try to focus on conversation, pulling for anything you can say. for a moment, neither of you speaks, the only sound is coming from the music blasting from his speakers. an old rock song today, different. your eyes try to look anywhere but at him, taking in the vast expanse of farmland around you.

"must be nice to have all this land to yourself," billy says, breaking the silence.

you nod, grateful for his compliment, "it is. my grandparents have worked hard to keep it running."

"i can tell," billy says, taking a swig from his water bottle, "they got a good thing goin' here."

you agree, taking a sip from your own bottle. the sun beats down on your skin, making you feel sweaty and sticky. billy, on the other hand, seems used to it. he looks up at the sky, squinting against the sunlight.

"you know, i was thinking," billy says, steady voice breaking the silence again, "what would you say if i took you out sometime?"

your heart skips a beat, your mind going into overdrive. you never expected billy to ask you out, even more so that you’d be so willing to entertain the idea.

you hesitate for a moment before answering, "i don't know. i mean, i barely know you."

this is a half truth, you know him. only this version though, the sweet billy bonney who works on your family farm and takes his lunch breaks with you. you don't have any idea who he is outside of these moments.

at least not first hand. just second hand gossip. you wouldn’t even know which stories are real or fake. you’re not sure if he’s a convincing actor or genuine soul. there are rumors he shot a man back in his hometown. that he launders money with jesse evans’ gang. that he’s a cheat from a rodeo front, taking ignorant peoples’ bet money.

billy hums, breaking your anxious thoughts, "what'd you wanna know, hon? i'm an open book."

you chew on your lip, thinking about it. it could be a smart move, you're curious about him and need to know more. you need to know what about him is fact or fiction. but at the same time, you're afraid of what the truth may be, "i don't know," you say finally. "i mean, work, for example. is this all you do?"

billy cracks a smile, "no, hon’. this s’more of a side job.” he sighs, “i was a pickup for jesse evans' rodeo for a while, but that new fella' that just came to town—mr. tunstill, he's got me a better gig."

you furrow your brows, already on edge by the mention of his previous employer, "and what exactly is that?"

he chuckles a bit, "he's got me as a producer, but i do show on the weekends."

"so what? you're a full-fledged rodeo man? with bulls and all?" you'd always know of jesse's grimy ‘rodeo’, really just used as a gambling den and club, but you're intrigued by the idea of billy actually doing it. especially working with tunstill, a sincerely kind wealthy man from overseas. it must be a stark contrast to jesse’s.

"i guess. it's a good time and you can make honest money dependin' on the event," he pauses, "it's not like jesse's, if that's what you're wondering."

you look away from him, "my pa never let me go. when i turned twenty-one i tried to go with a bunch of my girlfriends. he about had a stroke keeping me out the door."

"he's smart, you shouldn't go. those guys are bad news." he's talking quieter now, less sugary and more solemn.

you fight your previous embarrassment, opting to stare straight into his pale blues, "you hang around those guys."

your sentiment is clear and billy goes hush for a long few seconds before speaking, eyes closed, "do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags."

you know those words, heard primarily while crammed in a pew, "you're a religious man?" you don't mean to, but your question comes out a bit unconvinced.

he opens his eyes back up, a spark of something you can't place within them, "no, not really. jus' something mr. tunstill keeps repeating to me. i didn't really pay it any mind till i met you."

you try to ignore the way his hand inches closer to your own, "why's that?"

"not sure. just seems easier to abide by now. i'd hate to end up like them. i know you don't like 'em." his voice is soft, but the hand that takes hold of yours isn't.

you look down at your feebly interlocked hands, hesitating, and then taking his hand with the same conviction, "no, i don't," a breath, "but i like you."

billy's face lights up at your words, and he leans in closer to you. you can feel his breath on your face, and your heart races with excitement and anticipation. you’ve never felt to entrapped in a man before, so ready to dive in head first.

without thinking, you reach out to touch his sun kissed cheek, and he leans into your hand. your fingers trace a path down his cheek, and then down to his lips. you have an overwhelming urge to kiss him, and you're surprised when he pulls back.

"i'm sorry, i shouldn't have done that." you say, feeling embarrassed.

"no, it's not that. it's just… i want to take you out on a real date. something proper." his cheeks have grown far more pink, only this time it's not the sun's doing.

you consider his words for a moment, before nodding, "that sounds real nice, billy."

he grins, and you feel a flutter in your chest. how he managed to make you feel this way so soon, you're not sure.

"you free this friday?" he asks, amusement in his tone.

you release his hand, grabbing for your phone, "should be, my boss loves me," a stupid joke, but you hand the touchscreen to him, "put your number in, so we can plan a time."

you climb down from the bed of the truck, peering up at the farmhand as he adds his number to your phone. when he's done he hands you back the phone, the sun casting an auburn glow to his hair.

you look up at him, and he smiles down at you, "don't be a stranger." he jokes.

you give him a laugh, "wouldn’t dream of it," you add, "i'll see you friday— i'm going into town with my grandma tomorrow. i'm sure it'll last all day."

billy hums, "till' friday, honey."

you turn and head back to the house, smiling to yourself, feeling happy and alive in a way that you haven't felt in a long time.

the next day, thursday, you wake up early to accompany your grandma into town. the older woman drags you up and down shopping centre's, moaning on and on about how cheaply things are made now.

you make it through the first ten stores without your smile cracking, you think it must be a finely tuned talent.

it's not until well after lunch the woman decides to slow down, stopping at a local diner to eat. she does most of the talking, gossiping about everyone she's run into today.

you love your grandma and you enjoy your time with her, but you're too focused on tomorrow to really be good company.

if she notices your change in behavior though, she doesn't comment. highly unlike her.

by the time the sky is more dark than light, you two head home. she plays old country music the whole ride, teeny-bopper songs that remind you how young she used to be.

and when you finally lay your head down to rest, you don't try to fight off the supercut in your mind of your sweet farmhand.

the next day, fateful friday, arrives with a mix of nerves and excitement. you find yourself checking the clock more often than usual, the anticipation building as the day progresses. your mind drifts to the possible plans for the evening, wondering where billy might take you on this 'proper date.'

a bit after the sun hits noon, you finish up your chores on the farm, your thoughts consumed by your impending evening. you decide to freshen up and put on something nice, an easy way to get your mind together.

your closet here is less thorough than the one at home, but the innocent tops and bottoms of your late teens still fit. you look less severe than you'd normally for a date. forgone are the dark, tight, and sultry clothes of your college town, leaving you looking ever so sweet.

the early afternoon arrives, and you hear the distant rumble of his pickup as it approaches. you feel alight with a muddled mess of nerves as you make your way out of the house to meet him.

you look over your shoulder when you crack the door open. making sure you haven't awoken your sleeping grandparents, who rarely miss their three o'clock naps.

the summer sun is high in the sky, casting a bright glow over the landscape. billy's leaned up against his truck, staring expectantly at your front porch— staring at you, you realize.

as you walk to him, you can't help but notice the effort he put into dressing up. his filthy work shirt is replaced with a clean, green linen button-down, and there's a hint of ambery cologne in the air. he offers you a genuine smile, eyes lighting up as he takes in your appearance.

"hey there, beautiful." he greets you, a hand coming to rest on your shoulder blade, comforting.

"hi," you reply, returning his saccharine smile. "you clean up nice."

he chuckles, a bit bashful, "well, i figured it's a special occasion."

you let him lead you to the passenger side, where he opens the rusty pickup's door for you, you fight back your grin when he follows in after.

as you drive into town, the atmosphere is a blend of excitement and a tinge of nervousness. billy takes you to a quaint little restaurant a bit outside of town. it's casual but with dim lights and a cozy ambiance. certainly it's the most romantic restaurant around without heading an hour out into the city. the two of you share stories and laughs, finding little to no lull in conversation.

"you want any dessert?" you ask, fiddling a loose thread at the hem of your blouse.

billy shrugs, "i've never said no to some banana puddin'. what'd you say?"

you giggle, nodding in agreement. you feel high off of his company. you're giddy and doing a horrible job at hiding it, but he doesn't seem to mind. instead, he relegates to matching your optimism, only validating every enamored thought of him that rings in your mind.

the warm evening air swirls around you as the two of you exit the restaurant. billy offers his hand, and you gladly intertwine your fingers as you stroll down the sidewalk. the town square is alive with the soft glow of streetlights.

as you walk, the conversation continues, easy and simple. billy talks animatedly about his past few weekends at the rodeo and shares some amusing anecdotes about the other rider’s on the circuit. you, in turn, finally divulge your baler incident, much to his chagrin.

the final hours of afternoon are slowly rolling in, and soon you find yourselves back at his pickup truck. you assume he'll drive you home, but to your surprise, he takes a different route, heading towards the backroads right beside your land. you raise an eyebrow, curious about this unexpected detour.

"where are we going?" you inquire, a playful smile dancing on your lips.

billy smirks but doesn't say anything, keeping the destination a secret. the road is winding and narrow— made of dirt and full of large potholes. you know your little front-wheel drive could never make it. eventually, he slows the car off the path, onto the side of the road.

there's an apparent trail just to the right of you, and when billy opens the door for you, he immediately ushers you toward it, "don't worry, we won't go too far in."

you'd be lying if you said the setting sun wasn't adding a level of unease to the idea of entering the woods, but when you look at billy, eyes bright and smile true, you throw aside your worries.

the young man is true to his word. the trek into the woods only lasts a few minutes before you see it. an azure expanse of water— a secluded lake surrounded by towering oak trees and a backdrop of rolling hills.

you turn back to look at him, shocked, "how did you find this?"

"jus’ by chance a few years ago. i figured you'd been out here before, living so close," he remarks, "but i like that i got to show it to you." billy admits, a devoted glint in his eyes.

as you stand there, gazing at the serene lake, you feel a sense of wonder and gratitude for this unexpected and beautiful surprise. you can't remember the last time the familiar landscape of home felt so awing. billy seems to be taking in your reaction, a quiet satisfaction evident on his face.

"it's breathtaking." you finally say, your voice hushed in appreciation.

billy grins, seemingly pleased with your reaction, "so are you."

you turn back to the water to hide your flustered expression.

you watch him find a comfortable spot by the water's edge, sitting on a large flat rock. you follow suit, letting your head nestle into his chest. the sounds of nature surround you—the rustling leaves, the gentle lapping of the water, and the distant calls of birds. it's a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the town and the farm.

you look up at him as inconspicuously as possible, eager to commit his image to memory. his umber hair curls at the nape of his neck, slender nose burnt from the sun, his freckles apparent, and his ever-inspired blue eyes reflecting the water ahead.

you look away as your heartbeat quickens, afraid that if you peer up any longer he'll be able to hear the rhythm.

"can you swim?" you ask, toes dipping into the waters below.

billy's gaze softens, the radiant hues of his eyes flickering with warmth as he looks down at you. his calloused hand idly tracing circles on your back, comforting, "yeah, i can swim. why? you wanna go for a dip?" he replies, a playful glint dancing across his face.

enthusiastically, you nod, "i'd love to. it's been ages since i've been swimming in a place like this."

with a charismatic grin, billy stands up, extending a hand to help you rise. he doesn't hesitate to unbutton his shirt and free himself from his pants— clothed only in his black boxers.

you try to be as carefree as him, but you're slower to shed your attire. by the time you do, he's already shoulder deep in the water.

you make your way to the water's edge, stepping in. the cool embrace of the lake greets your skin as you wade in. the sun now casts a dim golden glow on the rippling surface.

as you move deeper into the water, you feel a sense of liberty wash over you. you let out a contented sigh, feeling weightless and unburdened. billy is a few feet away from you, beckoning you to come closer with a smile on his face. you oblige, splashing water playfully in your wake.

as you approach him, he wraps his arms around your waist and pulls you close. you can feel the heat emanating from his body, warming you up in the cool water. your bare skin presses against his, and you can feel a hint of longing course through your veins.

"you're s'beautiful," he whispers, his breath hot against your ear, sending shivers down your spine. "prettiest girl i've ever seen."

you chuckle slightly, looking beside him to the water, "you're just blowing smoke up my ass."

his hand finds your cheek, gently beckoning you to face him fully, "why would i ever do that?" he hums, "i only say things i mean, honey."

you blink at him, too far gone to stop your gaping, "you're a charmer, billy bonney. do you hear that a lot?"

he laughs, both hands now coming to rest at your hips, forcing you to wrap your legs around his, "i only need to hear it from you."

he says it so carelessly, without a thought. he's telling the truth, you surmise.

"why? you like me or something?" the words come out genuine, despite your teasing intent.

billy's eyes trail down to your lips, "i like you a whole lot, honey," you feel his grip grow steadier, holding you closer to him. he looks back up at you, gaze tempting, "i like you s'much i worked an extra four days on your farm jus’ to see you."

the revelation hangs in the air, and you find yourself caught in a suspended moment, the water lapping gently around you. billy's admission resonates, sinking deep into the newfound connection you've shared over these past days. his stare, earnest and reserved, locks with yours, and you can't help but feel a swirl of emotions.

a smile plays on your lips, a mixture of surprise and awe, "that's dedication." you reply, a playful sparkle in your eyes.

billy grins, his hands still securely holding you. "only for you, honey. i'm nothin' if not devoted."

you gleam at his words, intrinsically leaning closer to him. you're so close to letting your lips brush his before you stop, eager to see the weight of his affection once more, "you can kiss me now, if that's what you're waiting for."

with that, he presses his lips to yours, kissing you with a hunger that leaves you breathless. you wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer to you, savoring the taste of him on your tongue.

billy breaks the kiss, his lips trailing down your neck and collarbone, leaving a trail of kisses and nips along the way. you tilt your head back, giving him better access to your skin, letting out a soft sigh as he finds the sensitive spot on your neck.

"you're gonna be the death o'me." he whispers against your skin, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine.

your fingers tangle in his hair as he continues his assault on your neck, alternating between gentle kisses and nibbles. you can feel the heat building between your bodies, the water around you providing a cooling effect to your heated embrace.

billy's hands slip down to cup your ass, pulling you closer to him so that there's barely any space between you. he grinds his hips against yours, earning a moan from deep in your throat. you can feel his hardness pressing against you through the thin fabric of his boxers.

your eyes flutter open and you lock gazes with him, the intensity of his gaze mesmerizing. you tilt your head back down, allowing him to steal another kiss. his tongue teases yours. his hands roam up and down your body, exploring every inch of you he can with a passionate fervor.

you can feel yourself being taken into the depths of him until you can barely think or breathe. it's only when he finally pulls away, that you realize the afternoon has fully evolved into the beginnings of nighttime. the sky above you is almost entirely dark, littered with stars.

somehow, you still don’t think the kiss was long enough.

billy smiles at you, brushing his hair away from his eyes. you can't help but smile back, feeling content and happy.

"i think i like you too much." he murmurs, his warm breath caressing your skin. you laugh softly, feeling the same way.

a hum of agreement, "me too." you whisper back, pulling him into a tight hug. you stay like that for a while, enjoying the warmth and comfort of each other's embrace.

as the night deepens, you and billy finally decide to make your way back to the truck. billy helps you out of the water, his touch lingering as you both reluctantly part from the tranquil lake. the air is filled with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, their symphony accompanying your footsteps as you follow the narrow trail back to the pickup truck.

the woods, now cloaked in darkness, take longer to exit. the moonlight filters through the dense canopy of leaves, casting shadows on the forest floor.

once back at the truck, you find yourself wrapped in a cozy blanket billy had thoughtfully brought along. the drive home is filled with a comfortable silence, the events of the evening settling into a cherished memory. the road is dimly lit by the truck's headlights, and the night sky is a canvas of stars above.

as you approach the farmhouse, the thrill of the night lingers between you and billy. he parks the truck, and the engine falls silent. the two of you sit in the quiet for a moment, savoring the experience.

"thank you for tonight, you were real sweet." you say, breaking the silence.

billy turns to you, a peaceful smile playing on his lips. "i should be thanking you, for goin’ out with me. so thank you, darling. i think you're real sweet too."

"i'm real glad we met." you add.

he reaches over, his hand finding yours, fingers intertwining in a comfortable gesture. "me too," he replies, his gaze holding yours.

with a reluctant smile, you open the truck door, preparing to step out. billy, however, stops you with a gentle tug on your hand.

"before you go," he starts, a hint of uncertainty in his eyes, "i was wonderin' if you'd like to do this again sometime. maybe i could take you down to the rodeo?"

the question catches you off guard, but the sincerity in his expression is undeniable. you feel a warmth spread through your chest, and you nod, "i'd like that, billy."

he grins, the moonlight casting a soft glow on his features. "good. it's a date then." you agree, leaning up and placing a peck on his pink lips before stepping out of the truck.

it's not until you're safely inside that he drives away into the night, the sound of the engine fading into the distance.

even as you slip into bed, the memories of the night play in your mind like a vivid dream. you drift into sleep with thoughts of the lake, the evening kisses, and the now waivered apprehension of the farmhand.

you've found yourself ensnared with billy bonney.

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[rs-hawk]

Fluff only for this one. Woman Reader (sex irrelevant)

Your Godly lover had given you immortality after They nearly lost you. They couldn’t bear the idea of losing you. You hated Them for it even all these centuries later. You had to watch your family grow old and die. Your younger siblings. Their children. Their children’s children. Eventually you couldn’t even be around their descendants. It was too hard. All you could do was set up a trust fund each time you found out another had been born. You still had to take care of them somehow. They were all that was left in this world of your family.

You were a whispered legend in the county you lived in. Some thought you were a Spirit of the Forest that was from the pre-Colonization of the area. Some said you were a monster, lurking and read to eat unsuspecting youth who wandered into your trees. Others said you were stolen by a man who killed you. Very few whispered the truth, because those who had eventually were forced away from the area to allow it to be settled.

It wasn’t until some of your youngest sister’s descendants moved back to the area that you allowed yourself to peek at them. You’d find excuses to go to town, to find them. Your sister had been gorgeous. Maybe the most beautiful woman aside from your mother that you’d ever seen. She was tall, with eyes like clay, hair like midnight and skin so smooth you always wanted to be the one to paint it. Her descendant was none of those things aside from beautiful.

Her eyes shun like the midday sky, with hair that curled and twisted in ways you’d never imagined before the settlers came. Her face was round and childlike despite the life line that aged her face. Her skin burned easily in the sun that your sister loved, but there was ink on that skin. A permanent painting of a bird. You couldn’t help but smile. The more you saw her, the more you wanted to get to know her. You were attached. You did get to know her. You two chatted, and her voice sounding like a melody. You loved her. She was almost like her sister had come back to you.

Then she died.

You felt like your heart was torn out of your chest. You screamed, cried, begged your Godly former lover to let you die, but They didn’t. Then, a few days after, you stood at the edge of her funeral, watching her cold body be lowered into the ground. You saw her husband standing there with their child. A beautiful little girl who reminded you so much of her mother.

It wasn’t long until you saw that same beautiful little girl curled up in a ball in the middle of the woods, sobbing. Her father said he wanted to go camping, then left her. You couldn’t let the search party find her. They would give her back to that man who said she ran off, and she was too young to deny it.

As you sat with her head in your lap and she started to fall asleep, having washed the dirt out of her golden hair, your Godly former lover appeared before you.

“This will hurt. It always does.”

You look at Them, your lower lip trembling. “I know, but I had to save her. He would have just done something else if this didn’t work.”

They look down at the little girl, tilting Their head. “Her heart reminds me of hers. Pure. Soft. She will grow up to be kind, just like her.”

“I miss her,” you whisper, voice cracking as you look down at the sleeping child.

Your Godly former lover lays Their hand on your shoulder, squeezing it softly. “I’m sorry for what I did to you. I love you.”

“I know. I wish you didn’t.”

“I know… me too.”

[twst-kumi]

Weeping Maiden [ACT II]

My tablet died recently, so there will be no art to go along with it.

[Act II] CHAPTER 2

The fight against Leona was strangely faster. Unlike the fight against Riddle, Yuu was more willing to beat him up. It was almost like he had a personality switch. Ace and Deuce were the most confused of his changes. They felt like he was supposed to be aloof. Somehow they were sure he was like that. 

“_So what about my sister? Who did you say you were keeping? Huh?”

Leona’s blot was gone, and the fight was finished but Yuu didn't let go of the Lion Prince. He looked thin but he sure was strong. 

Yuu's overprotective drive was strong. He didn't let Leona go, punching him again and again. It was [Name] who stopped them, or at least tried. 

“_Yuu, it's okay. Let's stop now…”

She grabbed his arms to pull him away. Pulling his arm back, Yuu accidentally jabbed her nose. Both siblings didn't move an inch as they looked at each other for a minute. 

“_It wasn't on purpose…. Don't cry!”

Without missing a beat, the young girl teared up. Yuu hated it, when she cried like that. It made him panic and lose his cool. He wiped her tears while trying to quell her.

If Vil didn't know about Yuu’s twisted attachment to her, he would have thought they were normal siblings. 

Ace and the others looked at them a little confused. Yuu and the pretty girl seemed close. The black-haired young man pulled her in his arms in an attempt to get her to stop. Leona groaned painfully as he rubbed his jaw. He didn't think the herbivore could hit that hard. 

“_ I'm so happy! Do you know how worr-!

_ What the hell are you doing here?”

[Name] was startled by Yuu’s harsh tones. She looked at him to see the horrified look on his face. 

“_ What do you mean? I should be the one to ask that. I searched for you everywhere!

_ You shouldn't be in this world. It wasn't in the deal!

_ What deal?

_ That's none of your business. What about your careers? You should return home instead of -!”

Yuu stopped in the middle of his words as he felt the sting of her slap on his cheek. She looked at him hurt. 

“_ None of my business? You disappeared for 3 years. 3 fucking years!

_ That’s not-! What do you mean 3 years?”

Yuu asked, confused, he was 16 years, and she should be 13 years old. His little sister was 3 years younger than him. Looking more carefully, she looked different from what he remembered and it made him even more worried. It was strange he was sure it had been a few months. Unless…

Yuu couldn't help but feel a long shiver going down his spine. 

[Name] sniffed while trying to wipe her tears off. She glared at him. Yuu grimaced before pulling her into his arms. He had many questions but pushed it back wanting to only focus on the moment. His lovely sister was there with him. Although he didn't know why they still sent her into this world, he felt reassured to have her near. 

Yuu never noticed how dependent he was on his sister until he lost his only link to her. His eyes closed, and he took a deep breath in the familiar scent. It was the same smell, warmth, and child he used to hug tightly. 

“_What is happening?”

Heric asked as he came running. When he noticed there was some commotion and the matches were delayed. He immediately looked for [Name]. He was surprised to see her in some random guy's arms. He couldn't help but feel jealous. They had both similar features but also…. Different. Every time he looked at the two, the RSA student surprised himself by having a strange thought. It was almost as if something unnatural pushed him to do something he never wanted.

[Name] looked toward Heric before wiping her tears. The young girl pushed Yuu slightly to look at him. Vil sighed before using a handkerchief to pad her eyes. Her eyes were going to be puffy, and even worse her mascara was getting smeared. 

“_Sorry about that Heric. 

_It’s nothing… But rather who is he?”

He didn’t want to sound like a jealous boyfriend, but his word got out rather abruptly. She wasn’t even his girlfriend. He did have a small crush but it wasn’t to that point yet. 

Yuu couldn’t help but grimace at his tone while his sister just frowned confused. 

“_I’m her brother, Yuu. 

_Ah… I see…”

Heric looked at him a little weirded out. He understands that as a brother he could be overprotective. Even more so since [Name] seemed to attract troublesome people around her. But that stare wasn’t normal. Heric felt a long shiver going down his spine like he was going to die if he took a more step. 

Observing him more, the RSA student was even more suspicious of Yuu. [Name]’s brother was 3 years older, so he should be around 18. That man looked no more than 15, since he is an NRC student he must be 16 at least. 

“_I’m Heric, I’m [Name]’s schoolmate, If you don’t mind me, you look really  young, how old are you?”

The young girl looked at him strangely. As she was going to say something, Yuu interrupted her and answered the question.

“_I’m 16 years old, thank you for taking care of my little sister but it would be better if she stayed with me. She is only 13 after all.

_13???”

Everyone looked at Ruggie whose ears flattened, the hyena coughed a little in his fist.

“_She looks 16, I’m surprised. She looks older.

_I don’t look 16, I AM 16.

_Uh?”

This time it was Yuu’s time to be confused. He was certain she was still 13. 

<previous next>

tag: 

@cocomollo @owodi @illytian @mmysticc-ev0let @oreolover1

[bumblesimagines]

Imagine:

Getting help from Daryl

Request: Yes or No

~~~

Your feet hurt. They've been hurting for weeks. Staying on the move had sounded like a good idea at first: less chance at meeting strangers, less chance at losing things, less opportunities to get attached. But now, as you run blindly through a forest with the dead following and every muscle in your body weeping, you're beginning to rethink the idea.

The leaves crunch beneath your boots and you breeze past a large tree, only having a split second to see the man before you slam into him and crumble to the ground. You groan, pain blossoming in your shoulder and it only intensifies with the backpack strap digging into your skin. You hear him curse and huff as he gathers himself and then regains his footing. An arrow catches your eye but you don't dwell on it and instead crane your neck to look up at the man, hoping to see a friendly face.

But he looks terrifying.

He glares down at you as if your existence ruined his day. He sucks his teeth and adjusts his crossbow over his shoulder, his glare remaining persistent as he looks over you, likely searching for any signs of a bite. You can help but notice some minor details: his backpack is small, hardly any use for weeks or months of solo travelling, his body was full and muscular meaning he'd have to have at least a semi decent diet, and he looks clean. Barely a speck of dirt on his face.

"You oughta watch where you're goin' next time." He speaks in a gravelly voice soaked in a southern accent. His glare softens the slightest bit. "You good?"

You don't get the chance to answer that no, you are most definitely not good. before the groans and growls of the dead grow louder. He turns and instinctively grabs his crossbow, aiming at them and shooting near-perfection accuracy. You take the distraction and swipe the arrow from the ground, stumbling up onto your feet and bolting in the opposite direction. You hear him shout after you but you don't stop. Either the dead will make a meal out of him and slow down or they'll keep him occupied until he takes them all out. You feel a prickle a guilt at the relief that fills you.

You make good distance, at least a mile or maybe two, before you slow down. Still in the forest but progress was progress. Your chest burns and you slump against a tree, leaning against it to keep weight off your exhausted legs. Your fingers loosen around the arrow and the guilt returns.

What if you had judge him too quickly?

What if he had been a husband and father?

What if his people came looking and somehow found you?

Your eyes squeeze shut and you brace your hands on your knees, feeling your bottom lip begin to quiver. Good people were hard to come by in the recent years, and he had the chance to put an arrow in your skull but didn't. Anyone else would've done it. You would've done it. You had done it.

The familiar hiss of a walker fills your ears, far too close for comfort. Your eyes snap open and you turn your head to look at it but before you can react it lunges. It's weight forces your knees to buckle and you collapse on the floor again, arm pressed to its collarbone as its jaws snaps inches away from your face. Your free hand searches for the arrow you dropped in shock and your finger brushes against the tip of its metal.

Then, you hear the whizz of an arrow and a squelch.

Blood splatters lightly onto your face and the walker thankfully goes limp. You shove it off you in one quick motion and sit up, whirling your head around to look at your savior.

"The hell were you thinkin' runnin' off like that?!" The man from before snaps at you as he walks forward, ripping the arrow from the walkers skull and tucking it back into its rightful spot.

"I was thinking I didn't want to die."

"Yeah? How'd that work out?" His demeanor seems odd. It almost feels as if you're being scolded by an old friend. He offers his hand and you stare at it. You want to take it. You really want to take it. But doubt creeps into the back of your mind.The outbreak had brought the worst out of everyone. It couldn't have been any different with this stranger. He doesn't let you think too hard on it though before he grabs your arm and flings you up onto your feet.

You take a moment to regain composure and try to avoid his gaze. You spot the arrow on the floor and pick it up, offering it back to him. "Thank you for helping me." You murmur and wipe away the leaves and dirt sticking to your clothes and arms.

"You been out here a long time, huh?" His voice gets softer, gentler. There's a hint of familiarity to it. He watches you, this time without the cold glare, and clears his throat.

"Name's Daryl."

"(Y/N)."

"Tell me, (Y/N). How many walkers you killed?"

Gifs aren't mine.

[ladylamrian]

Fantastic Beasts ✨️

Female Main Character: Alex

Pairing: F!MC × Nik Ryder

Summary: Alex discovers another side of the supernatural world.

Word counting: 3.4K

Rating: General (Fantasy, Fun, Fluff, Magic)

With Harry Potter Hogwarts references added

Warnings: none

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Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to read, like, comment, or reblog my stories/fanfics. It means so much to me! Please inform me if you would like to be added/removed from my new Tag List.

Taglist: @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @lilyoffandoms ; @liviusofpella ; @secretaryunpaid ; @blackcatkita ; @dutifullynuttywitch ; @rosepetals1 ; @mxdanni ; @peonierose ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @jdstar88 ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @stars-are-within-me ; @artbyalz ; @choicesficwriterscreations ; @choicesmonthlychallenge for Choices March Challenge (Prompt: Nature, Animals, Awakening)

Thanking @secretaryunpaid for edit beneath

Author's note: An old fanfic rewritten and expanded ✨️🦄🧚🏼‍♀️

After Nik led his girlfriend, Alex carefully through the dark woods, he finally removed the blindfold from her eyes. She gasped at the beauty in front of her. The fields were glade-green and the sound of chirping birds filled the air. Bees are murmuring in that strange cult hum and flit from flower to flower, surfing the short spaces as they go. The bayou was always so special for Nik, but this time he led Alex somewhere else, near the bayou. Mother nature is beautiful, but her eyes were focused on something else.

"Whaaa?! Are these...?"

"Welcome to the beautiful side of the supernatural and magical world, rookie. Forget your fears, nightmares and welcome this great side of this world.", Nik wispered and gently brushed her hair to the side while she got surprised of the sight in front of her.

Trotting towards them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Alex has ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly golden eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of them were held in the vast hands of a young man, who came jogging after the beasts.

"Nik!! How are you, my friend?"

"Hey Anton, I'm fine and you don't mind if I brought Alex along? She's new in this supernatural and magical world and didn't had the oppurtunity to explore the beautiful parts.", he introduced her to his friend.

Alex slowly stepped closer towards one of the majestic creatures and tried to touch one, but it quickly backed away.

"Are these Griffins?"

"No, Hippogriffs, but they're very similar to the Griffin with the horse rear replacing the lion rear. And that's Anton, my client and a good friend. A few years ago I helped him to track down the missing pegasi which were held captured by the Blight Brothers in Arizona."

"It was a dangerous mission, but you pulled it off. Nik, because of you not only the pegasi, also many other magical creatures were saved and gained back their freedom. I will never forget that.", the friend thanked the young nighthunter.

After hearing what Anton said, Alex gave her boyfriend a sweet smile, showing him how proud she felt. He shyly glanced back at her with a crooked smile on his face. Who knew that a young man giving the bad-boy-vibes with a dark past could be so golden at the same time? His heart, so pure and still he didn't like to show it and kept it hidden from the world. Risking his life to save others... Somehow she felt very grateful to call that man her boyfriend.

"Ummm, well, shall we head a little further to show Alex a few other species?"

"Wait, I want to pet this Hippogriff first before we go. Can I?", she gazed with pleading eyes. The friend immediately agreed.

"Sure. When humans approach Hippogriffs, a proper etiquette must be maintained to avoid danger. Hippogriffs were intensely proud creatures, and an individual must show proper respect by bowing to them, and waiting for them to bow in return before approaching. Eye contact should be maintained at all times, without a single blink. The Hippogriff should be allowed to make the first move. If offended, it might attack. Hippogriffs were tameable, but only by experts in their care like me. I'm a wizard. Although, Hippogriffs could also be fiercely loyal and protective of those who had earned their trust."

"Eeeek, I'm getting Harry Potter vibes from you right now. Nik, your befriended with a wizard which is soooo cool!!! Anton, can you do magic? Are you from Hogwarts?"

Nik chuckled because of the loud excitement of his girlfriend, while Anton got nervous and so did the Hippogriffs, but he quickly managed to calm them down.

"Raahhh!", one of the creatures answered in response.

"I can only do a little magic, because my main job is to take care of these creatures and no, I'm not from Hogwarts. Whatever that is."

"You're really doing a great job, Anton. Uuuhhh, but do I really have to bow to touch them?"

"Don't worry, these ones were well tamed by me. Just pet them, I'll hold them."

Again, she stretched her arm and placed her palm on one of the Hippogriff's feathers while Anton held it near her for support. She softly stroked the creature which stayed calm now and gave her a curious look. Even Nik decides to give it a try to pet it now.

"An amazing creature. Hey rook, you likin' it?"

"I love it, Nik. And I want to see more. Pleeeeeeease?"

Her puppy eyes and one "Please" already melted his heart and he asked his friend to give both of them a tour. The three of them walked further with the gigantic Hippogriffs following right behind until they reached the fields and the tiny house of Nik's friend. In the backyard of the wooden house, he showed them, the magical creatures, he has been protecting and taking care of before releasing them. Even keeping a close eye on them was important when the creatures were in the wilderness. To prevent any danger and to appear quickly for any rescue or help. Some magical animals even decided to visit Anton more often or even stayed with him, especially the way he gently cared about them.

"Anton, the bound between you and the magical animals... it's... it's amazing. Damn, it's outstanding!! And you're not even a fae which are already naturally bound with nature."

"Right said, Anton is the best!!", a mysterious voice answered.

Alex quickly turned around and realized that one of the Hippogriffs just... talked??

"Uhh, can Hippogriffs talk?"

"Uhhh, no. That was just a series of high-pitched whistling or piping notes like eagles always do. Hippogriffs are partly eagle as you can see."

"No, I... I heard real words coming from that bronze colored Hippogriff."

"Is that girl talking about me, Ash?", she heard the bronze colored creature answer again.

"I don't think so. Come on, let's eat something. I'm hungry.", the gray colored hippogriff talked now.

The gray colored beeing pulled at the long chains Anton was holding which were attached to it's thick leather collar and signaled him something. The young man immediatly gave in and got led by the Hippogriffs to see what they wanted. The wizard friend recommended Nik to show Alex a little bit around on his own. Nik's always welcome to his home. Then Anton left the two alone.

"I think Ash was hungry."

"Who's Ash?", Nik asked her.

"That's the name of the gray Hippogriff."

"Okaaaay, I don't remember Anton mentioning the name at all. Well, wanna see the pegasi next?"

She excitedly nodded and both of them were headed towards a field where beautiful winged horses enjoyed the fresh grass of the season and some of them even flew around. Before Alex could let out an excited shriek, Nik quickly covered her mouth with his palm.

"Shhh, we don't wanna scare them. Pegasi are mild-tempered, docile animals, unlike unicorns. A herd of Pegasi used to live in the Bayou, but now they're just a few of them. Since they're imbued with magic from heads to hooves, Pegasi are sometimes poached and sold to collectors or killed to be used for parts in spells."

"That's so sad, I'm glad you went to that mission in Arizona to save them. They're so beautiful and such majestic creatures, Nik. You know, I learned that Pegasus isn't a type of creature, it's actually the name of the winged white stallion from Greek mythology and while Pegasus was one specific creature, his name has often been used as a defining term for winged horses in general. Also, his role was to bring thunderbolts to Zeus."

"Damn, you're good. I love it when you speak intelligent stuff."

"Thanks. Just imagine that one day a pegasus will bring you your arrows."

"That would actually be cool, my intelligent girl."

"Oh Nik, I love it when you call me intelligent."

"Then why did you sometimes played the dumbass last year?"

His girlfriend gave him a playful nudge and he lets out a warm laugh after teasing her.

"But no, really, I like it when you praise me. You even once said that I'm powerful and strong. Like I'm no helpless princess anymore, waiting for her knight in shining armour or prince charming to come for rescue. And what you also said about the faes. That the faes need worship to the ground I walk on. But seriously, that line sounded very cheesy."

But Alex quickly realized that Nik's focus was somewhere else and followed his gaze. A white pegasus carefully trotted towards him. That majestic white stallion got carefully closer, but still watched the two of them from a safe distance. A crystalline droplet appeared out of nowhere and floated in the air beside the creature's eye.

By touching the tear, everything around Alex faded away and she find herself in an animalistic body. Having hooves instead if feet, gigantic feathery wings and the body of a horse. She saw a vision about the creature's past Everything in the perspective of the creature. The night had fallen already.

"Neeigh!"

Tied up with a rope, the pegasus was captured in a small cage in a dark room, seeking for food, fresh water and freedom like many other creatures around . Some of them are also the pegasi from it's own herd. The Blight Brothers have captured the pegasi after it left Anton's backyard to go for a flight.

"Don't worry pegasi of my herd, stallions and mares, I will find a way out of here.", it promised it's pegasi companions.

"We won't get free. I've been captured here for almost a week now."

The pegasi turned it's attention away from it's own herd and focused on the unicorn calling out. She was a beautiful mare, had white fur, a sparkly pink mane and a horn on the top of her head.

"My name is Sunburst, the leader of the pegasi herd in the bayou of New Orleans and I won't let any human steal our freedom from us."

"And as an leader you're still befriended with one human called Anton?! My name is Moonlight and I'm telling you, all humans are the same and..."

Their conversation got cut as a blond haired man suddenly began opening the cages and freeing all the captured animals in a hurry.

"Okay, time for everyone to escape before Scourge and the Blight Brothers catch us. Hurry off, to your beloved freedom!! Anton's going to be happy 'bout this."

"But... Isn't he working with the Blight Brothers?", the female unicorn wondered herself.

A feeling of happiness and hope appeared. One by one the young man released every creature from their cages and they immediately flew or ran towards their beloved freedom. When the last creature got freed, Sunburst, the pegasi leader suddenly discovered several men, the Blight Brothers appearing towards the human.

"You're a traitor, Carl Drogo!!", one of the men yelled at the animal rescuer.

"I'm not Carl Drogo, you bastards! I'm Nik Ryder, a nighthunter and your biggest nightmare!!"

As the Blight Brothers attack, the nighthunter kept fighting, threw punches and shot arrow after arrow to keep the bruisers distracted until the last creature made it's safe escape. But they're too many of them and they slowly began surrounding the bleeding hunter.

"Damn...", Nik silently cursed as he realized that he was in trouble. All the bruisers against him. He was alone.

But then... Sunburst, the pegasi leader came into action. Flying above the dangerous bruisers, it kicked and stomped with it's hooves to buy the hunter enough time to escape before leaving Arizona for good. And it worked!! While the animal kept the bad guys busy, Nik quickly took his chance to escape while looking after the winged horse. Making sure that it escaped too because he wouldn't allow it if it got captured again. And it worked!! Flying across the nightsky with the rest of it's herd, the leader of the pegasi hoped that the rest of the creatures and the mysterious nighthunter will be on their way back home too. Safely.

Then the memory of the underground trading ring dissipates around Alex like a mist and she found herself back in the woods in her own body. Without knowing, she was leaning against Nik. The white pegasi which the two of them were watching was already gone.

"Hey, what's the matter?", Nik, her boyfriend got worried and gently touched her cheek and leaned to make eye-contact.

"Aww, the pegasi is gone. And I couldn't even pet it, Nik."

"They're very shy, so it's gonna be very hard to pet one or even find one. I'm surprised that this one even dared to come that close to us. Well never mind, I can show you other cool creatures if you'd like. Maybe a tiny jackalope or some pixies?"

"How about unicorns?"

Sudden silence hang between them. After a moment he began to speak, but this time his voice heavy, jaws clenched and eyes drowned in her's.

"The hell!! I'm not even letting you near a unicorn, rook. They're dangerous and not like the ones from My Little Pony where everything is sparkle, glitter and rainbow. Unicorns are territorial and they attack whoever comes in their near unlike pegasi, rook."

"Not all are like that..."

"Oh yeah, met one before?!"

"Uhhh maybeeee..."

"Wait what?!! Where? When? Whyyy?"

"Uhhh, last month. But she was a friendly one and she even talked with me, relax. I guess beeing partly fae gives me the abbility to talk with animals and understand them. Isn't that cool?"

Without words, Nik gripped Alex softly by her wrist and pulled her with him through the dark woods, back from where they came from.

"Heyyyy, where are you taking me?!!"

"Headin' home."

"If you want to go home then leave, I want to explore..."

"Rookie, no."

"Rookie, yes!!"

"You never listen."

"You don't understand. Look how great this day begun and now you ruined the whole mood, Nik."

Gggrrll...

The girl bumped into Nik when he suddenly stopped walking after hearing a strange noise. Both of them got alert. A skeletal creature slinked out from behind the bushes and began hissing at the young couple. Nik protectively stood infront of her.

"Nik, what is that?!"

"Shhh, don't worry. These creatures have canine skeletons and are covered with moss or vines. They can be killed if their skulls or spines are destroyed."

"What do we do? You didn't brought your weapons along. How are we...?"

"You run, I'll handle."

"No way, Nik!! Not that again. Seriously?"

Nik tried to calm her down and pushed her away from danger, towards safety as the skeletal creature appeared closer.

"Gggrrll...", the skeletal creature aggressivly snarled.

Time seemed to slow down as it jumped in the air towards the young nighthunter and landed on him. Both crashed on the ground, the creature above the Nik who desperatly tried to escape its grip

"Gggrrll..."

The creature ready to strike...

"Nik!!", Alex panicked.

Without knowing, Alex stretched her arm, showed her palms where a light blast appeared and hit the moss creature hard. First the wood monster hestitated, then it decided to leave Nik and... to hunt his girlfriend down instead. This time, it lets a powerful shriek out while desperatly tried to signal her to run away.

"Ggggrrr..."

"Come here you freaky monster!!! You don't scare me at all. Let him go!"

Before the moss creature could reach her, Nik quickly leaped on the creature, preventing it from getting near her and at the same time letting out several strong whistles by pressing the tips of his thumb and forefinger together up against the tip of his tongue.

"Phhwwwht!"

While Alex got confused why Nik suddenly began to whistle, a majestic falcon appeared from the sky and flew towards Nik and the moss creature. It somehow began to help Nik by peeking angrily on the creature's skulls.

"Kack-kack-kack!"

Both struggling, while Nik and the falcon tried to fight it, but the monster kept biting and snapping to release itself from the hold. Alex had to do something quick before Nik gets more injured, the monster's claws made him already bleeding.

"Run, can't... hold... longer!", Nik desperatly begged her, but she decided to stay.

Alex remembered what had she learned in the fae realm and began to concentrate. Closing her eyes, she pictured a crystalline blade, radiant with golden light. Her fingers abruptly curled around the smooth, glassy warmth of a handle! After a while, as she opened her chocolate-brown eyes, she discovered to see a long, slender blade of light gleaming in her palm! She held her magical weapon with confidence and immediately knew what to do.

Swinging the weapon up and without losing more time, she sprinted towards the monster. With enough strenght while keeping a safer distance towards Nik and the mysterious falcon, she finally brought her sword down. Slashing through the creature's neck with a blow so hard, that the blade bit through the dirty ground.

"Hyyaaa!!"

The moss creature's body crumpled, twitching beneath her sword. Then, she picked up it's snapping head and blew it's glowing eyes like candles, and it's body fell still.

"Damn, that was hot.", Nik got impressed by his girlfriend.

Letting the creature go and letting her golden sword disappear with magic, the girl quickly hurried over to Nik who was still lying on the ground. Alex gently helped her boyfriend on his feet and assisted him to walk while the mysterious falcon flew away.

"I'm fine, it's just a little blood. Are you okay? Why didn't you ran away when I told...?"

"Because we're a team, remember? You told me that last year when I wasn't listening to you, right? And you're not fine, you're hurt! Let's get you somewhere safe. We are not far from Anton his house, right?"

"Yeah. And I'm fine, thanks."

The injured hunter gave her sly smile after she reminded him that they were a team.

"Nik, what was that before?? You whistled and then a falcon came... Uhh, how did...?? That was cool! Awesome!! That... That was... How???!!!!!", she couldn't believe what she just saw and asked him.

After a little silence, Nik finally spoke in a nervous tone while his eyes faced the ground as both of them were strolling towards the wizard's house.

"The thing is... The falcon and I share story. A past. When I was still living in Elijah's house in the woods, I found it. It was a tiny chick. Near it's nest I discovered two dead falcons, it's parents. And well..."

"Oh Nik...", she placed a hand on his shoulder for support. Afterall Nik his birthparents also died when he was a tiny child, so that little falcon chick reminded Nik of himself.

"Soooo yeah, I kinda raised the falcon. I named it, fed it, taught a few tricks and took care of it. Poor little fella' lost it's parents like I did, so I had to something. So just like Elijah took me, I took this falcon. Alex, you're the very first one I'm sharing this. And please don't share this embarrasing story to anyone, especially not Katy."

"But it's not embarrasing, it's heroic. You're a hero, Nik. A protector. But I see... You don't want your tough guy act be ruined, huh? Oh my Nik, you're such a hidden softie and I love you.", she giggled and pinched his cheek with love.

"Ouch. Hey?"

"You're welcome, dear. By the way, what name did you even gave your falcon pet."

"It's not my pet, rook. It's a free living creature, a friend and well... I named it... I named it Arrow."

"Arrow? Just like the arrows of your crossbow??"

"Arrow. Because this bird flies really fast just like a shooting arrow. Like really really fast, rook."

"I see. Not bad actually, Nik. Definitly better than any nicknames you give. Or should I say Nik-names??", she giggled while Nik rolled his eyes after hearing that bad joke.

"Stop it, rook.", he grinned.

"Fine... Oh hey, Nik!!"

"Hmm?"

"Since I met your wizard friend today, I was wondering... What Hogwarts house would you like to belong to?"

"What kind of question is that? From where did you got that idea?"

"Just answer!! I'm curious to know."

"Well, I don't know. Never thought about that. Would a Gryffindor suit me?"

"Oh definitly, but I actually see you more as a Ravenclaw because you know a lot of things."

"Me? Ravenclaw? You think I'm intelligent??", Nik surprised by Alex's opinion, so she decided to explain it more.

Nik Ryder was indeed a very brave man with enough strenght and courage. Life made him tough, but he also showed his knowledge and intelligence. Several times he came up with new ideas, suggested what to do next and got into the leader role very well without noticing. By staying loyal to his companions and thinking about every next step, he lead his friends through adventures. He was the one and only who found out about Alex's missing father, her mysterious benefactor and that she was fae royalty instead of an ordinary human. Mysteries and puzzles solved all thanks to him, she explained.

"So yes, these are the reasons why I think a Ravenclaw would suit you too. Means I have a very clever boyfriend.", she praised.

"Oh yeah? Thanks, my dear girlfriend. And you're definitly a Hufflepuff.", he winked.

Thanking @secretaryunpaid for this beautiful and magical edit above. -> Full view here , when you scroll down beneath to find the monster and hippogriff <-

So credits to @jamespotterthefirst , for these beautiful templates which she created and I was allowed to use for my MC and LI. I also made some changes with the colors and added my own edits/pictures.

[gailstorm]

Long post ahead.

Yesterday, we moved my grandmother into assisted living. I’ve been up here in Pocahontas for most of the week helping my mom pack and spending time with my precious MiMi, who had multiple strokes at the end of last year and cannot take care of herself anymore.

And she’s been looking forward to moving into her new place. It’s back in her hometown of Jonesboro, where some of our family still lives. She has multiple friends and old neighbors that are in this exact facility, and she makes new friends as effortlessly as breathing. My mom is staying with her there for a few days, and said that she’s doing well so far.

I know this is the right decision, and that she’ll be happier and safer. But the change has been surprisingly emotional for me. It’s not a shock that she moved, because she was talking about wanting to do this even before her strokes. She is 92 years old, and has experienced the worst moments of her life while living here. I completely understand her wanting to leave.

I stayed here by myself last night, which felt strange and hollow. For most of my life, my grandparents lived in Jonesboro. I was far more attached to those two houses than I am to this one, which they moved into back in 2010. Being here alone feels shockingly lonely…and I’ve lived by myself (with a dog) for several years. But this place—MiMi and PaPa’s house—is supposed to be filled with family.

I should be able to hear my hard-of-hearing PaPa’s booming bass explaining this year’s crop yield, my Uncle Bobby’s wall-shaking laughter, my Aunt Becky’s always-reserved, quiet alto as she cooks the best meal you’ve ever had. But they’re all gone now.

In less than a two-year timeframe, the three of them passed away. My uncle first, dying of an undiagnosed heart condition in his sleep at his home near Seattle. After being informed of his death, my mom and I joined my aunt up here in Pocahontas to break the devastating news to my grandparents. Witnessing the worst moment of their lives is one of the most heartbreaking memories of mine. Just two months later, that same aunt died of cancer, which was diagnosed about a year beforehand. My MiMi was adamant that she was going to be with Aunt Becky as she passed, as she wished she could’ve been with Uncle Bobby. She held my aunt’s hand as she drifted away while in hospice care.

This was January-March of 2020. My grandfather had developed dementia before this point, and my family could no longer take care of him ourselves…especially after the two aforementioned huge losses. We begrudgingly put him into a nursing home down the road from the Pocahontas house, and my MiMi visited him every day. COVID protocols soon hit, and she was only able to talk to him on the phone and see him through a glass window. The guilt of putting him there overwhelmed my MiMi and my mom, but it was unfortunately necessary. I think my mom still regrets it.

I moved to Texas in January 2021. I had to move to a large city for my then-job, and I loved Austin, so that’s where I chose to go. I hated leaving my family during such a difficult time, but they encouraged me to go live my dream. My PaPa even joked that he would drive down to Austin and see me.

His health deteriorated as the months went by. At the end of November that year, he passed away with my MiMi by his side. He was 93 years old, and held out as long as he could. He was easily the strongest man I have ever known.

I came home for his funeral, wishing that I could’ve been there with him as he passed on, or with my mom when she heard the news. During this time, I learned that due to the skyrocketing housing costs in Austin, my rent was going to go up an extra $600 per month. There was no way I could afford that, and my job agreed that I could work from Little Rock instead. A part of me hated moving back, because I loved my little apartment. My precious dog, Marley, had passed away months earlier from pneumonia while we were out there, and it somehow felt like I was abandoning him as well as my dream home in my dream city.

Being back near my family for the last two years has been the right decision, but it’s also been tough. One of my nieces has been in and out of the hospital with anorexia for nearly these entire two years. She’s been completely inpatient since last August.

Dealing with all of the aforementioned losses, plus my niece’s health, plus my lunatic brother’s violent threats, plus my MiMi’s strokes and deteriorating mental health, I don’t know how my mom even functions. My cousins and I help her with everything, of course, but she’s so fucking tough that she usually wants to do things herself, her way. I’m looking forward to her being able to finally relax knowing that my MiMi will be safe and happier than she has been in years.

So at this moment, I’m here alone in this half-furnished house, reminiscing. My cousins and I will take turns staying up here and fixing things until we sell it. I’m not mourning the loss of the house itself (as I did with my grandparents other two homes) but the fact that the concept of “MiMi and Papa’s house” now ceases to exist.

I’m lucky to have had my PaPa for 37 years of my life. I’m lucky be nearly 40 and still have my MiMi. She’ll be 93 in August, and though she stays positive, she has mentioned that she’ll be glad to be with my aunt, uncle, and grandfather again, as well as her other friends and family members who have passed. She’s not ready to pass on or give up, but she has no fear of death. I selfishly want her around as long as possible, and her chance of a happier, longer life is now much more likely with her move to this new facility.

These past four years have been fucking awful for my family and myself, but hopefully, a positive new chapter is now (finally) beginning.

[gomzdrawfr]

Gravity

this is a short fic of my oc Raven and Price, feel free to ignore this :] it's properly tagged ((I hope)) anyways if you do read it do lmk how you feel about it :3

word count: 917

Tags: angst, slow burn, enemies to lovers, unrequited love, emotional hurt/comfort, character development and introspection of Raven, complicated relationships, pinning, idiots in love, Raven is simping real hard ngl, Raven is bad at feelings, so is Price, stolen quotes, brief mention of violence, author has not written fics in months

notes: Blue is Raven, Green is Price, Italics can be Raven's own thought or a third perspective thing

Maybe that’s what love is, finding the one person capable of utterly destroying you, but won’t

As this realization dawned on her, fear gripped her heart.

Not sure when it all happened, how it happened in the first place. A weapon like her capable of feeling something, a dormant part of her, long forgotten and locked away in the deepest part of herself, now comes spilling out, and she barely can keep them at bay.

This is why you never play with your food.

Perhaps the moment of realization came one night when she decided to observe him, as she often did, but this time it was different.

Instead of the usual sight of the Captain entering his office and burying himself in paperwork, accompanied by the sight of smoke from the cigars he favored (four in a night, to be exact), she saw a disheveled man. He stumbled into the room, one hand clutching a bottle, and collapsed onto the nearest sofa.

Drunk, that much is clear.

She found herself smiling behind the scope, a smile she quickly wiped away.

Focus. 

And so she did, her gaze tracing over his tousled, unkempt hair, the scarf on his neck that had shifted slightly and fallen off, revealing a trail of freckles cascading down from his cheek. Her eyes wandered down his back to his waist—how could a man his size have such a small waist?

But her favorite? His hands.

Rough, calloused, and adorned with faint traces of pink and green on his knuckles. His left hand, in particular, had a subtle prominence of veins, now loosely gripping the bottle.

What day was it to get this drunk?

She stepped closer.

When did she get into the office again?

Carefully stepping over the scattered papers and books near the sofa, she carefully squatted down, and gently placed her hand next to his on the floor.

Warm. Always so warm.

She felt the heat emanating from his palm, tempting her to hold it.

Perhaps she could, considering he seemed unlikely to wake anytime soon.

Despite her initial indifference toward this man, the Lieutenant now turned Captain she was supposed to kill, she couldn’t deny the growing curiosity she had for him. 

It’ll pass. She thinks.

It only gets worse, the more she watches him and the more they occasionally go throat to throat with each other, more things and feelings start bubbling up.

Suffocating, distracting….addicting.

This unexplained attraction that has now gone beyond mere curiosity and interest has fallen into a deep pit of attachment and want.

A dangerous development, one that she comes to realize all too late. 

It’s a mixture of frustration and anticipation, unsettled for the uncertainty and possibilities, on another, the inner beast clawing in the deep part of her chest that screams the need for something.

It wasn’t love, or was it?

Is love supposed to feel like this? The feeling of someone extending their hands into an open wound, a sliver of a hole that somehow cracked open, allowing them to touch the most broken, delicate part of their soul that had long been forgotten.

In all honesty, he had done nothing, if their banters and conflicts counted as nothing. 

A not-so-distant memory bubbled up. 

“Tell me why I shouldn't put a bullet through that pretty head of yours, Raven,”

Price's voice was a harsh whisper, his fingers entwined in her hair, forcing her to meet his burning gaze.

That same old glare, always in control wasn’t he? 

“Growing a beard out, Pricey? It suits you” Price’s eyes widened for a split second, wavered even, before he regained composure.

Not as controlled as he would like to be whenever it’s her.

“How the hell did you kno- never mind that- answer the que-” “The hat sucks though,” she interrupted, a smirk playing on her lips. Another moment of silence, the cold feeling of the muzzle digging into her chin, but the grip on her hair loosened ever so slightly. “Does it actually?” “Yes” “Hm, guess I’ll wear it more often then” She couldn't stifle her amusement, even if she tried.

If he wanted to, he would have pulled the trigger a long time ago, and yet here they are.

Dancing around fire, blades and gunpowder like a couple of moths.

Both yearning for more, even if they know things will go up in flames.

She supposed, if she truly were to die in his hand, perhaps it would be worth it. 

Because death sure has gentle, ocean eyes. 

A grunt pulled her out of the memory as she returned to reality, it seemed the drunk Captain somehow managed to turn around and lay on the couch with the side of his face pressed onto the couch. How can he be comfortable like that? The sight made her chuckle lightly, as she leaned forward and brushed his hair away. The loose strands moved ever so slightly, soft in her hands, and she watched as the lines and wrinkles smoothed from the gesture.

I'm letting it happen aren’t I?

I’m going to let you love me, just as much as I love you, and let it ruin me. 

She planted a small kiss on his forehead, her lips remained for a few moments selfishly on the warm skin, as her gaze lingered on his sleeping form silently, a tender gesture that surprised herself.

It didn’t matter if she didn’t fully comprehend what love is, at least for now.

For now, this will do. 

additional notes: the flashback is inspired by this doodle The first quote is from John Green's novel, "The Fault in Our Stars."

[valentiwyo]

UNTIL I FOUND YOU | WOOSAN - CHAPTER 1

genre »» childhood friends to lovers

pairing »» choi san x jung wooyoung

warning »» cursing

"I came to you with my secret feelings and childhood. See, I'm grown and I'm still here, Wooyoung. I have never given up on you even though we fell out. I still love you as you are..."

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

SAN'S POV

When I was 10 years old, one day, I fell to the ground and my knees got injured. That day, my whole life changed...

The little boy, who reached out his hand to me and lifted me off the ground, suddenly stepped into my world and took everything that was mine away. He stole me away. My whole ego got into his air and now, again with the same boy being a grown man in front of me, I realized that that ego never came back to me.

Jung Wooyoung, I guess, was my childhood friend. Our parents forcibly placed the two of us in the same house the year we started college. While this situation bothered Wooyoung, and he showed that to me without hesitation at every opportunity he found, I was staying with him with my trembling chest. I was looking away every time he looked at me and my palms were sweating every time he was next to me. I hadn't complained even once about staying by his side.

Because I had a crush on my childhood friend.

But somehow we got used to it. Even though Wooyoung ignored me at school; and even pretended not to know me, after a year of routine experiences, all this turned into habits, and things that used to annoy me in the past became ordinary for me. I was used to loving him that way.

The awareness of my feelings for him dawned on me when I was 17 years old, and as I grew up, my feelings grew with me. For him, I was nothing but an acquaintant who was kept with him by the force of parents, and I was somehow used to this too. And now I couldn't help but take my gaze away from him, who was sitting across me, listening to the teacher, or not, with his palm on his chin, scribbling something in his notebook in front of him. I knew my feelings for him were no longer innocent. When my attachment, which flourished as a kid, turned into a huge love today and reached a level that could no longer fit in me, which was absolutely not innocent. I was not innocent. None of us were...

"Psst! San, what's the answer to this question?"

As Mingi, who was sitting next to me, whispered into my ear, I directed my attention to him and turned my head.

"Solve it yourself."

"Why the fuck would I bother when the school's top student stands in front of me? Do I look like a sucker?"

When I took a deep breath and looked at him with my expressionless look, Mingi got the message, pressing his lips together, and backed off. The bane of my life, my best friend, Song Mingi. He suddenly showed up next to me in our freshmen year and said that I was the most popular student at the school and became friends with me. Although, initially, I thought he was nothing but a self-seeker dickhead, I somehow accepted him, but over time, our bond became stronger and our friendship, which was established on behalf of all this popularity, turned into a real and unbreakable one.

"I want your leisureliness as hell. You don't even pay attention to the class. Do you eat books instead of three meals a day??"

"Nah, I'm just a little spaced out."

Mingi turned his face to me as he put his palm on his chin. "What's on your mind?" He asked. Since we were sitting in the back, our voice was unlikely to be heard in a class of sixty, but we were still whispering. As my gaze and attention slipped again to the boy whose long hair bangs covered his eyes, I sighed and examined his facial features longly. The only place where I could watch Wooyoung for so long was during class. I loved watching him, and the whole world had to witness this; Jung Wooyoung was the most beautiful person I've ever met in my life. This was not only with his appearance, which I came to the conclusion as we grew up, his inner beauty was reflected on his face as well.

There were times when he was grumpy, maybe a bit noisy, but at the end of the day, when he put his head on the pillow, he was a guy who pondered about his worries in his life for a long time. Wooyoung was considerate, even though he wasn't showing it, he had always bothered his pretty little head about something. I was the only one who knew him better than anyone else; he knew that himself too. But when we graduated to the senior year of high school, we somehow fell out with each other. We weren't hanging out together like we used to. He wasn't smiling at me, because we grew up. As we grew up, we changed, and as we changed, he found himself new friends whom he could spend time with. The only thing that didn't change was my feelings for him. On the contrary, over time, they had grown bigger and turned into an enormous thing.

"Same old story. His face keeps haunting me all the time. Even if I look at him for quite some time, it's never enough; I want to talk to him."

Mingi knew very well about whom and what i was talking. While I kept saying to myself that I should share my feelings with someone that brim over me, I spilled my guts on Song Mingi, the first person I came across, and he was not very surprised at all.

"You live in the same house. How hard can it be to talk?"

"I don't know. It's like he's running away from me."

"Dude, you go to him then. Didn't you already say that you have nothing to lose?"

"You have a point honestly."

While I was still watching Wooyoung, talking to Mingi, even a little bit, brought me a few ideas. He was right. All I could lose about Wooyoung right now was that we lived in the same house. His attitudes, stares and behaviors towards me; it's been a long time since I lost all these.

While I was thinking about him, maybe doing this by peeking at him for minutes, Wooyoung turned towards me very slowly, and as our gaze met, my knees knocked together. I, who constantly averted his gaze, did not do that with the concussion of being caught while staring at him all of a sudden. Just then the school bell rang and it was as if everything was keeping up with our situation. Wooyoung had stood up. I thought he would turn his back and leave, but no, he walked towards me. I held my breath. After Mingi grinned next to me and pinched my arm slightly, he said, "I'm outa here," and left us alone.

"Choi San."

Hearing Wooyoung's husky voice made me gulp down and lift up my head completely. Now he was standing right in front of me. There was only one desk between us, which was trembling from swinging my legs. Wooyoung's gaze was slipping there from time to time. I wished he didn't understand how excited I was.

"Were you going to say something?" He asked, his sharp gaze focused on mine.

"No, where would you get that?"

As Wooyoung smirked and rolled his eyes, a few seconds later he looked at me again and rested his both hands on the desk and leaned closer to my face. He came closer and closer, and he didn't stop. His eyes narrowed as his gaze hovered between my two irises.

"I've known you for ten years and you think I can't understand that you want to say something to me from that look of yours? You've been staring at me ceaselessly since the morning."

"But I already do that all the time."

"What??"

As Wooyoung was taken aback, I made use of the situation and got close to his face a little bit, which made him stumble slightly back. "I say that I've been staring at you all this time already, have you just noticed?" I murmured, arching my eyebrows.

"You are pissing me off."

"I didn't do anything, Wooyoung."

"And that's what pissing me off."

My lips parted. I swallowed back the words lined up in my throat and I couldn't answer him back for a while. While he was standing in front of me like this, I wanted to make use of the situation and didn't take my eyes off him for a moment. My gaze hovered on his plump lips, where he made it bleed from biting during the class; on his delicate hands, where he often rested on the desk; on the blonde highlights between his dark hair; or in his pupils that crystallized and shining as he looked at me...

"Let's talk at home," I said. Everyone else's gaze on us didn't bother me, but I said this because Wooyoung might have been somehow bothered due to this situation; he didn't like to draw attention. That's why he ran away from me most of the time. The gaze of others made him run away from me, but he still misunderstood me.

"Excuse me, I wasn't supposed to talk to the most popular guy at the school here, because people may get it wro-"

My deep exhale and the shift of my hand to his wrist took place at the same time. While I was holding him tightly and pulling him towards me, his word was interrupted, and instead, he completed it with swearing out.

"What the hell are you doing?

Now, our shoulders were touching each other while he was sitting next to me, and my hand on his wrist was slightly loosened. I had my heart in my mouth at that moment.

"You still have the habit of understanding everything the way you want. Sit next to me for this class."

"I don't fucking want."

As he attempted to get up, my hand on his wrist tightened firmly again, which I was somehow warning him not to go away while one of my eyebrows was arched.

"I don't even care if someone sees us together or misunderstand, that's it."

I licked my lips and once again murmured in a calm tone, "Sit next to me, Wooyoungie~" Now, my gaze was more stagnant and my eyes were begging him to stay a little longer. I was like a vulnerable cat when I was with him, constantly losing to him. In fact, maybe, it's been years since I lost to Wooyoung...

"Damn it! Fine," He said as he pulled his wrist between my hands and crossed his arms. He was staring at me, frowning. I smiled calmly, "You still obey me."

"Talk a bit more and I'll show you what happens next."

I nodded as I shut my mouth, smirking. I missed him like crazy, and if we still had our old intimacy now, I, who goes crazy with a single touch from him, probably wouldn't be able to survive in that house. In the past, Wooyoung would hug me and hold my hand. He would kiss me, because we were brotherlike and that was the excuse for all this. However, I never saw him as a brother. When I realized that the behaviors we fit under the name of brotherhood were actually under the wreckage of that name. When I realized my feelings, it was when Wooyoung and I had fallen out with each other.

He might find my feelings for him childish or wrong. Maybe when he found out, he would yell at me and get mad, but I couldn' t lose him anymore. Because that would also mean losing myself.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

- @ valentiwyo on twitter

[castillon02]

Fried Pie at the Flying J

Angela put her phone down and looked alive behind the counter. The suits who had just come in were different than her usual run of weathered old Texans, although they had the familiar road-stunned look of long driving in the past and long driving ahead, same as most people who came into the Flying J. People liked to stop here in this place so deep on the highway. The gas was reasonable and the food was good. If you had time to stop and eat, the attached Denny’s had the cleanest bathrooms for fifty miles, but she figured that wasn’t what these guys were after.

Sunglasses Suit---he hadn’t bothered to take off his designer shades when he came in---made a beeline for the door that wasn’t to the Denny’s, and he put his hand on the other suit’s arm when the man made to follow him. “Hang on. You won’t want to go in there.”

“Hmm? Why?” Ooh, a British accent!

Sunglasses Suit jerked his head at the sign on the door: The Original Fried Pie Shop.

“Oh.” British Suit made a face. Rude. Don’t knock ’em till you try ’em, bud. Especially if you’re from England. Even Angela had seen enough TV to know about bangers and mash. (Her opinion? Needs more barbecue sauce.)

“They’re basically empanadas,” Sunglasses Suit said, sounding defensive. 

“I dare you to tell Camille that,” British Suit replied, arching his eyebrows. The hint of playfulness lightened his old boot of a face, made him look suddenly handsome.

“No deal,” Sunglasses said, maybe ruefully. “Anyway, Mama liked them, so---” He swallowed. The past tense hung heavy in the air. Poor fella. He had a black shirt on beneath his black suit jacket, and now that looked more like funeral-wear than Johnny-Cash-wannabe.

British Suit briefly put his hand on Sunglasses’s shoulder.

Sunglasses cleared his throat. “Anyway, just stay out here and find something that will suit your picky palate.” He went in to buy some pies---which, yeah, were basically empanadas, but with fruit in them. Or meat. Or cheese and pizza sauce. The Original Fried Pie Shop didn’t discriminate when it came to fillings.

British Suit perused the aisles---something military in his walk, hard to peg what. He ignored the candy and the Hostess stuff, stopped in front of the nuts and jerky, and stared with what might have been horror at the hot food station.

Angela pursed her lips. Sure, their jumbo breakfast burritos weren’t exactly gourmet, but she had made them fresh only two hours ago! And there was always the breakfast croissant if the guy missed Europe so bad. Jeez, wait until he got a load of what they had at the Exxon. “Can I help you, sir?” she asked with her most professional cheerfulness.

British Suit turned and approached her. “Angela,” he said, his eyes glancing off her name tag, “I’m afraid I don’t know what a ‘tater tot’ is and why it should be in a burrito.”

Angela eyed him. Bless his heart. Was he serious? “Fried grated potatoes. They add crunch,” she said, and added with sweet vengeance, “Would you like a free sample?” She wanted to see his judgy British face when he found out they were good. 

Sunglasses Suit chose that moment to exit with his bag of pies. “Come on, Bond,” he said. “I got you beef and vegetable. Don’t pretend you don’t eat beef pies in the motherland.”

British Suit, Bond, smirked at her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get that sample,” he said, flashing his eyes up and down at her.

Jesus Christ. Had he somehow turned a tater tot into an innuendo? And was she really thinking that it was a shame she’d missed out?

Bond turned away from her. “Got what you needed, Felix?”

Sunglasses Suit, Felix, nodded. “Yeah. It’ll be good to---you know, the family will appreciate it,” he said. “Anyway---come on. Burnin’ daylight,” he added, his accent heavier than it had been. More familiar than it had been.

A small-town boy, Angela realized, who’d grown up and left for the big wide world like so many kids around here did. Had his mama driven him to DFW to send him off to college, and they’d stopped for pies on the way? How often had he come home after that, in between traveling the world and making friends with British folk? 

Well, Felix was here now, and he’d remembered the pie. There was probably a good son under that suit, buried deep, in the same place he kept the accent. She worked in a gas station in the middle of nowhere---she saw every day that some things buried deep were worth coming back to, even if it was an effort to get there.

Less of an effort when you had company, at least. She was glad this Felix had someone with him---even if it was that weird Bond guy.

[sweetperversiongirl]

Ian Gallagher has the gait of a large and formidable predator. He's always been like that. Even at 15, he looked like a skinny teenage Bengal tiger.

Mickey remembers every movement, every curve of that muscular and strong body, every freckle on his milky skin. He remembers the sun reflecting in that fiery red hair, making it look like unstoppable raging flames.

Once upon a time, he allowed himself to fly too high. Like the brave but reckless Icarus.

He didn't just burn his wings. Mickey lost his head and burned to the ground, leaving behind only a pathetic handful of ashes. For a moment he thought that was all, but he quickly realized how cruelly mistaken he had been. Even separated from Ian by hundreds of miles, he continues to burn, but he still doesn't regret one minute, one fleeting moment spent near this man.

Mickey sits on the tiled floor of the Guanajuato cat shelter and thinks about what his life has become. Where once Mickey simply survived to continue his miserable existence, now his priorities have drastically changed. Now there's more to his personal world than just him. Somewhere far away, in the Windy City, lives the one and only person for whom Mickey is willing to do anything. That doesn't mean he'll throw himself in front of bullets for Ian. More accurately, of course, he wouldn't hesitate to do so if it were a matter of protecting, of saving. But Mickey knows it's easy to die for another man. It's much harder to go on living away from half his heart for the sake of making that person happy.

A local old-timer, a ginger tom cat named Rusty, sits across from Mickey and scrutinizes him with intelligent green eyes. Rusty has lived here for a long, long time, probably most of his life, and so far no one has wanted to take him in. The shelter's owner, Maria, didn't have the courage to get rid of an animal whose gaze literally penetrates deep into the soul of everyone Rusty bestows his precious attention on. In fact, there have been very few such people over the years, and somehow Mickey has been lucky enough to be among them.

He has no idea how he earned the favor of this willful beast. Hell, Mickey doesn't even know why he came to this rescue shelter in the first place, months ago. Since then, however, he and Rusty have become real friends. Of course, as much as that's even possible with cats. Mickey doesn't quite understand why he's become so attached to this snooty bastard. Maybe it's the fiery red hair, or the green eyes, or the fact that Mickey needs a friend, and he's getting pretty bored with human companionship.

And no, Rusty doesn't make Mickey think about Gallagher more often. Simply because you can't think about anyone more than every second of your existence.

Rusty is as independent and arrogant as any member of the feline family. Unlike Ian, he is not looking for someone to be important to him. He doesn't try to be important to anyone. He is completely self-sufficient, unless, of course, he takes into account senile arthritis and progressive deafness. Mickey teases him affectionately, calling the cat Firecrotch.

Now he has to part with his furred friend forever, and it makes Mickey's stomach twist painfully. But now someone else needs him. Someone who once left a gaping hole in his chest that no one, not even Rusty, can ever fill.

Lowering his gaze, Mickey looks down at the cat and reaches out one last time to touch his fingers to the soft, age-tarnished red hair.

"I hope you'll forgive me, buddy."

Rusty's emerald eyes radiate what Mickey would call understanding and appreciation. He could, if he really believed that animals were capable of something like that. Perhaps Mickey has just never encountered true blind devotion before. The realization of this fact makes parting with Rusty even more painful, but Mickey will make sure his friend lives his life in comfort and convenience. The considerable sum he intends to leave to Maria will clearly help him in this. He trusts this woman. At least as far as her wards are concerned.

Mickey holds out an envelope full of cash to the landlady.

"Take care of him. Please."

Closing the door behind him, Mickey finds himself in a narrow alleyway, red-hot from the midday Mexican sun. He looks up at the pale blue sky, squinting against the bright light. No, he doesn't feel like Icarus. More like a phoenix ready to rise from the ashes.

It's time for him to run. He's been doing it for as long as he can remember. Mickey is always running from someone: from Terry, from Svetlana and the baby, from the one true love of his life, Ian. And now he's running from the cartel.

He has no idea how this epic marathon will end for him, but he's very tired.

But this time, a glimmer of illusory hope flickers in his wounded and broken heart. Hope that this escape will be the beginning of something really important.

[esters-notepad]

It may not always be obvious on the outside, but the inside of my head is a weird place. Somehow, my brain attached itself to the idea of combining the @chrumblr-whumblr challenge with Johnny Cash songs, and wouldn't let go until I made a list. Half of the songs are from American IV, the other half from a collection of greatest hits. If somebody wants the list, drop me a comment and I'll post it!

No guarantees that I'll write all through May. In fact, no guarantees that I write anything more about this at all. But I did write something for the first prompt: blindfolding.

Jenkins tried to breathe slowly. The rough sack over his head trapped the heat and damp like crazy. As if this blasted jungle wasn't hot and humid enough in the first place! His hands were going numb from the too tight handcuffs around his wrists, and the stones on the ground dug painfully into his knees and shins. The one silver lining of the day, Jenkins thought wryly to himself, was that the Koreans didn't seem to know that Susan was a girl's name. They'd taken down his rank and full name without so much as a twitch. Not at all like the first time he'd been taken prisoner of war, by the Germans back in 1944. They thought he was from the WAC at first. Then, after an intrusive medical examination established his maleness beyond a doubt, they'd scheduled him for execution in the morning, as a sexual degenerate. Thankfully, he'd been rescued that same night. Jenkins shook his head, trying to put the memories from his mind. Apart from that horrible day in Normandie, Pa's little scheme had prepared him well for a life in the Army. Everywhere he came, there was speculation about what the S meant, of course: Stan? Sam? Steve, perhaps? Jenkins never told anybody, but it always came out anyway. Sometimes he'd have to bust a few heads over it, but usually it stayed at good-natured ribbing. He was a good soldier, and people appreciated that.

Jungle animals cried out to each other. Somewhere in the middle distance, a motor vehicle drove away. The Koreans talked with each other, softly enough that Jenkins couldn't have heard what they were talking about even if he'd understood the language. Jenkins shifted his knees, trying to find a softer spot. He idly wondered what his old Pa could be doing right now. He had to be getting on in years, just like Ma. He'd gotten a Christmas card from him once, the year after their big showdown. Jenkins never replied, could never think of anything to say, and so there weren't any more cards. Did the old man even know that his son had gotten married? Maybe Ma had told him. Jenkins couldn't help himself. When he thought of Milly and Ma in their little cottage at the edge of town, he broke out in a proud grin beneath the sack. The two most wonderful women in the world, caring for each other in his absence. And ever since his last leave, Milly was expecting. She knew, of course, that he had no intention of putting his own sons through the same hell he'd grown up in, even though it had worked out all right for him in the end. So when she wrote to tell him the good news, she wrote "I know that if it's a boy, you want to name him Bill after my father. But what if it's a girl? Then can we name it Sue after you?" I love you, Milly, Jenkins thought. Dear God, I love her so much. Keep her safe - keep the baby safe - please keep me safe, and let me come back home and meet the baby and provide for them. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

[avalonandpals]

reupload of a fic

hello new people! I have noticed that yall have been liking my Felix x David stuff so while im working on my newest fic I thought to reshare an old one :] the ao3 link will be pasted at the end for those curious, but i will also post the fic here for easier reading!

DISCLAIMER TAGS: Amputation, Blood, Mild Gore mention, Vague “adult soda” mention (could be anything but I intended it to be alcohol), Limb Loss, First Kiss, Confession

David spotted the blaring red lights of the exit gate in the corner of his vision, quickly pivoting past another one of the Huntress’s hatchets before tightening his grip on Felix. The bridal carry might not have been the most stable way to hold the poor man, but David sure as HELL was not just going to dangle this prince off of his shoulder. This only had to work for a few more seconds anyway.

“Yer daft ‘apeth- Felix! Stay with me! C’mon, ‘ve seen you get hit by worse and live!”

King felt his heart flutter like a butterfly as Felix pressed his head against his chest for support, but the groan of pain vaguely shaped like his name that came afterwards was enough to stomp that poor — albeit metaphorical — insect into the dirt. It was quite obvious that Felix was already slipping away from consciousness. He was worse than when David had gone to save him. The poor German had been left for dead on the other side of the realm as the world collapsed around him, forcing him to crawl to safety and huddle in a corner like a stray animal waiting to be slaughtered.

But of course, that didn’t happen. David was too stubborn to leave him behind, so he instead went for a rescue. The other survivors felt too bad to try and convince him to leave one of their own behind, but it’s not like their pleas would have done much to deter him anyway. Felix was one of the few people who David properly respected, which was in no doubt thanks to that one incident from however-long-ago. Yes, that time when Felix took a hit for David in the end game so the latter had a chance of making it out alive. He deserved protection for that at the very least. He bet on King. You’d never lose if you bet on King.

Another hatchet flew by David’s head, narrowly missing his ear by about a centimeter or two as the huntress continued to hum behind them. He leaned over Felix’s withering body in order to protect him from incoming hatchets, so much so that David swore he could feel Felix’s faulty breathing brush against his cheek as they ran.

By this point King was horribly exhausted. His legs felt like they were about to give out, and the untreated gashes on the rest of his body were starting to catch up to him. To be honest; he didn’t know how he was able to run over to Felix, much less pick him up and carry him all the way to the exit gate. He sort of just noticed the blonde man’s absence and took off. He was on death hook. Sure, he might’ve been at the other exit, but it was still worth checking. It was sort of just dumb luck that David was able to find him, especially with his body in such a weak condition. It had carried him this far, so surely it could go a bit further, right?

David had only three steps left to go before the Huntress’s final hatchet sliced just below his left shoulder, rendering that limb completely useless as King howled in pain before collapsing to the ground mere inches over the finish line. They had made it, but only just. The Brit slowly turned to the injury in his shoulder before being struck with an overwhelming sense of nausea as he saw how deep the wound truly was. His eyes widened as he saw how limp his arm had become. It barely looked like it was even attached to his body, with the only tell being that he could see the bone connecting it to the torso. It wasn’t uncommon for David to return to the campfire with injuries, but he’d never been this close to losing limbs with the exception of an occasional finger or two.

Felix — who David had failed to notice he was on top of — was somehow not dead from the impact King had left when he fell. Sure he was bruised and would not be standing straight for a good while, but he was still alive. David had saved his life from the Huntress, who was now screaming at the tendrils that blocked her from her prey. She had been too slow. The survivors had won. Felix hissed through his teeth as blood poured out of his wounds, his half-lidded eyes resting on David before slowly drifting to the shredded flesh barely hanging off of his body.

“Ach du Scheiße…” he muttered, staring at the wound in absolute horror.

“Dunno what that means…” King clenched his teeth in an attempt to brush off the pain. He was lucky to not have died from the shock of the injury, perhaps the street brawls had left more than just cool scars after all. “No mither. Could still probably carry ‘ya with one arm.”

Richter opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. His mouth was left hanging open as he slowly inched towards death, eyelids falling shut once more as if he were slipping into a deep coma. David sighed a bit before moving his working hand up to Felix’s jaw and closing it for him, panting as he lay his head on the German’s chest.

Felix was too handsome to eat flies.

He could feel exhaustion gnawing away at his joints as his breathing began to falter, unable to keep up with the amount of blood he had just lost from that final hatchet. David heard the faintest murmur of thanks rise from Felix’s chest and into his ear as the German rested a bloody hand on top of his savior’s head. He tried to say, “don’t mention it,” but all he could really muster was a brief, “mhh…” before he got lost in the hypnotic rhythm of Felix’s heart, slowly ushering him into a deep sleep as footsteps rapidly approached.

But he was too tired to open his eyes anymore. All he could do was rest.

And so he did.

And so they both did.

——————————————

Felix’s eyes slowly fluttered open as the soothing sound of a crackling fire tickled his ears. He could tell he was in the sad little shack that they called a med-bay by the scent alone; that being of blood and wild herbs. While he couldn’t say that he outright hated them, they were definitely not something he liked waking up to. It always symbolized cumbersome nights of recovery, waiting, and most likely being bed-bound. Sometimes you could get lucky and just have to quarantine until a plague or infection dissipates, but most of the time you were in here for a few ‘days’. It was pretty hard to actually tell how long anything was anymore, most of the time you just had to check a watch that was nailed to the wall or a tree somewhere to tell if a day had already passed by or not. The bunks was one of the only places with a working clock that a survivor had stolen from one of the realms, and it was always behind by ten minutes.

The poor German turned over in his cot to face the fire so he could warm up some more, groaning as his body reminded him of how much damage he had sustained during that last Trial. His limbs were sore like he had just caught a terrible cold, crying for him to stop trying to move so they could at least get a minute of rest despite the fact that Felix had been immobile for the past five hours.

“Scheiße,” he hissed through his teeth, grunting as his body went limp after turning onto its side.

David — who had been sitting shirtless on a nearby cot waiting for him to wake up for a few hours now — cocked his head to the side in an attempt to catch Felix’s gaze. “Easy now, don’t wanna hurt yourself.”

Richter stared at him with wide eyes as all of the memories detailing what he had been doing before ending up here blinked back into his mind. “Where’s everyone else?”

“They got back fine.” King leaned over to a half empty six-pack on the ground before grabbing a can and opening it with one hand, then offering it to Felix as the latter finally managed to sit up.

Richter took the can and swirled it around in his hand for a bit before tilting his head to try and catch a view of David’s left arm; the same one that was brutally shredded by that huntress during the trial which was now completely hidden from view. He felt a pit open in his stomach as he realized why he wasn’t able to see it.

It was because David’s arm was gone. It had been amputated after he had arrived back at the camp. The only thing that seemed to remain was the shoulder blade, and even then it was practically invisible under all of the bandages tightly wound around his bare torso. King would occasionally grit his teeth to try and stomach some phantom limb sensations whenever they would pop up, but the pain was unavoidable. It was weird to see him so calm at something like this, but there wasn’t much else to do. It would go away whenever he died at the next trial. It felt horrible to boil down a usually chronic disability to, “just wait and it will go away”, but both of them were sort of numb to the bizarre rules this realm forced upon them. The guilt still lingered, however. Richter had lost some of his limbs four or five times already and he knew how painful it was to look over at your missing body parts and go, “that’s going to be the death of me next trial”, to know that the system was against you and that you would die because of something you couldn’t avoid. It was agony, and he’d just caused David to feel that for himself, even if it was King’s choice to go back and save him. It just hurt.

Felix’s breathing stopped for a moment as a cold chill ran across his body like a swarm of ants, deepening the pit of guilt in his stomach as David turned his head back towards the fire and grabbed himself another can. Shame lingered in their minds like a foul odor. Both of them were worrying about what the other was thinking so much that they couldn’t even make eye contact. Instead, both of their gazes were focused on the flames.

“Thank you, David,” Felix mumbled, knowing that those three words were beyond an understatement for how much gratitude he truly felt but unable to come up with anything else.

King took a heavy sip of his drink before exhaling and fixating on the fire again. “Don’t mention it.”

“No, I mean really. Thank you.”

They both look up at each other in unison before turning back to the fire, embarrassed. It felt like they’d just been caught staring. Felix sighed and took a sip of his drink before attempting to rephrase, instead of just throwing more of them out and hoping David understood.

“You went back to save me during the collapse, while you were injured, and then you lost your arm for me.” Felix’s words became heavy with emotion as he stressed the severity of David’s actions, so much so that he had to put a hand over his thumping heart to try and calm himself.

David could tell he was about to say something important. Felix didn’t often fumble his extrovert facade this hard unless it was something stupid that involved emotions. He’d only heard him do this a few times before and that's because he just so happened to keep walking in on Felix rambling to trees about how much he missed his life outside of the realms. He looked like he’d gone crazy. King was sympathetic to his plight, and while he wasn’t the best at emotionally consoling people he at least knew when to give them space or to find someone else who’d do the sappy talk for him. Of course it wasn’t like he didn’t want to try doing it for himself. However, he felt much more comfortable knowing that Felix was being comforted by someone who was less likely to fuck up their words as much as he would, so this situation was already making him unusually nervous. He wasn’t even shocked when he first discovered how introverted Felix truly was. Deep down he sort of just knew, most likely because he knew the telltale signs of faking a personality. He knew it all too well. David could sort of tell how fragile Felix’s mind was and therefore did his best to not get emotional around him.

The stray thought of him saying, “no more bullshit,” to someone ever again was too much. The thought of his ex-boyfriend Tristan in any context was just too much.

He hated to admit it, but romance felt terrifying now. What’s worse is that deep down he knew that his heart had it out for Felix. Usually he’d be able to at least get himself to pull off a few flirts or perhaps snag a date if he got lucky, but this time was different. He didn’t want these feelings. Well, he did want them — they were one of the few things that still gave him a good adrenaline rush — but he knew that Felix wouldn’t reciprocate; especially not with his pregnant girlfriend in the picture. Of course David wasn’t angry at him for that or anything, if anything he was mad at himself for being unable to shake these feelings, and the more he thought about it the stronger they got. David had felt a weight lift off of his shoulders when he realized that his thoughts didn’t linger on his fumble with Tristan as much as they used to, but it felt like they’d come back down twice as strong when he’d caught feelings for Felix. He wanted to love him so bad, but he just couldn’t bring himself to that.

“Like I said, don’t worry about it. You needed the save ‘n you made it back in one piece so it’s fine.” David took another heavy swig of his drink like it was medicine, attempting to drown the pain he was putting his heart in by trying to push himself away from this situation. “You don’t need to say anythin’ sappy if you don’t feel like it. Don’t owe me anythin’, y’know?”

“But I want to. I want to tell you something.” Felix’s voice shook with urgency as he turned back to David with puffy eyes like he was about to start crying. The sight was so unusual that it forced a response out of King. He just couldn’t stop himself this time. Felix looked too upset for him to just brush off. He could be cold at times, but he wasn’t heartless.

“Well, then I won’t stop ya.” David turned to Felix and tipped his can slightly. “Shoot.”

The other man took a deep breath before attempting to speak. He wasn’t usually this open about anything, but this time he felt like he needed to be. How better to express your gratitude than to open up to someone?

“Do you ever think we’re going to get back home?”

King let out a grim chuckle to mask his sadness. “Don’t know. Nothin’ out there for me anyways. Not anymore.”

Surprisingly, Felix laughed along. Hearing how far this man had fallen since arriving here was haunting in its own way. “I don’t think there’s anything for me either.”

David blinked. “A girlfriend and a baby seem pretty ‘something’ to me.”

“Who’s to say the entity will ever let us out? The mystics, they’re here to figure out how it works, to harness its power… escaping is like an afterthought to them. When you’re in its maw it’s already too late. She’d have to willingly let us out and I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. I studied her after she took my father and while I don’t know everything I can say for certain that she’s never let anyone escape before. Even if that happens, I’m sure that my girlfriend has already moved on, found another person to help her with the baby… I don’t blame her. I left her alone while she was seven months pregnant to go find my father… I could never show my face to her again if I returned.”

“She’s your girlfriend, ‘n you said this happened to your dad already. Who’s to say she wouldn’t believe you if you told her? Maybe she’s still waiting for you.”

Felix swallowed heavily as his knee started to bounce. Anxiety consumed him. “I don’t know if I’m waiting for her anymore, David. I want her back, I want my baby back, I want to see my daughter… my son… whoever they end up being, but thinking about it just… kills me.” Tears began to stream down his face, the mentioning of his unborn baby seemed to be breaking him. “I have done nothing that pushes me closer to escaping. I can’t lose hope but the more I dwell on it, the worse I feel. I have to put my mind through hell to make sure I do not lose hope, but the longer I do the more I wonder if this is the right way to go, and I feel so guilty. I can’t keep torturing myself to stay alive or I’ll give up, but not thinking about them makes me feel like I’m abandoning them… but who’s to say they haven’t moved on from me? The child, who’s to say they haven’t been born by now? She needs someone to help her with the baby. I don’t doubt that she’s found someone else to help her… not because she doesn’t love me, but because she has no other choice. She has to let me go for the baby’s sake, and she’s too good of a person to not know that.”

David looked back to Felix’s chocolate tinted eyes, staring into the soft sapphires with a gaze full of pity. It was a minor change in his expression yet Felix caught it immediately, so he kept going.

“The only thing that makes this world bearable is the people. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be here alone, to be here without someone like you.” He gestured to the large patch of bloody bandages covering a devastating slash across his stomach. “This would have killed me if you didn’t come back. You lost your arm to make sure I made it out alive. Even in other trials, you take hits for me whenever you can to make sure I come back to the campfire.” His tears got worse. He spoke like he was giving a speech at a funeral, suffocating in his own emotions as David scooted closer. “You constantly unhook me even if it gets you sacrificed, you’re always there to help me. You make me feel safe and I-I can’t find words to thank you with…” His words sunk down to a quiet, vulnerable murmur as his confession finally slipped out of his lips. “I love you, David. I owe you so much.”

Felix opened his mouth to continue speaking but was immediately cut off by David impatiently pressing his lips against the Germans. King’s remaining arm went around Felix’s back to pull him closer, holding him in a passionate embrace as the man melted into his soft yet sturdy grasp, unbothered by the stinging pain his wounds were emitting. David briefly moved out of the kiss, his hot breath flowing down Felix’s neck as he moved over to the side of his face, quietly mumbling “You don’t owe me anythin’…” before leaving a soft peck on the German’s ear. “I’ve gotcha, Felix…”

Richter’s eyes fell closed, his tears soaking into the fabric on David’s bandages as he murmured a small “danke,” before cautiously putting his arms around the Brit’s body, wary of any unknown injuries that he might come into contact with while doing so. David moved his thumb up to Felix’s face and began wiping away the tears streaming down his cheeks as he too started to cry. He’d wanted this for so long. This was it. Felix loved him, Felix actually loved him. His heart swelled with emotion as he comforted the poor man before being pulled back into another gentle kiss as Richter’s coos softly massaged his ears. His advances were so thoughtful and tender… this was one of the few times he’d truly felt happy down here in the fog. Probably even the only one. He felt so horrible for Felix. David’s hand moved back down to hold the poor man as he recalled the moments in his life where he too had lost it all. At the very least David now had something more to live for than just an adrenaline rush, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some dumb killer take it from him.

Felix’s hand drifted up to David’s face to brush away tears lingering on his jawline before softly kissing the scar on the bridge of his nose, his warm exhales trailing down King's face to accompany his tears. They were here for each other now. They would work the other things out later, right now they were lovers sharing a tender moment, touching the heart of the other as they recovered from a grizzly attack.

And in that moment, the fog became slightly more bearable.

[magnus-sm-writes]

“Sea-Longing” appears in The Lord of the Rings as an affliction that makes the Eldar yearn for their ancestral home of Valinor. It’s said that, when an elf hears the cry of seagulls, they start to long for that home across the water. Thus the name.

I will be the first to admit I’m not an elf. Nowhere close. I’m short, clumsy, and I have terrible senses at best. I’m the epitome of a Tall Man. Well, Short Man. But I do find that Sea-Longing really affects me. Maybe more than for most people.

I’ve been coping with depression since I was pretty young. As a lonely kid who was different from the rest of the kids in ways I didn’t understand (but they understood plenty well), I never fit in. I had this intense feeling of loneliness that still settles in my chest sometimes. It’s like the giant maw of a cavern.

During these periods of emptiness, my depression is at its worst. I don’t do anything. I lay in bed and either sleep or rot. I can’t easily get out of the slump. And, more than anything, I want to be near the water.

I used to think that this was out of some misplaced urge to drown myself. It almost happened when I was a kid. My deadname means “of the sea”—fitting, and ironic.

Following that train of logic, I never, ever went near a body of water for fear of l’appel du vide’ing myself into the abyss. And since I can’t swim, that would be it. No more Magnus. Just bones in the ocean. Which is a terrifying idea.

Last year, after my husband and I moved in with my parents, I was in a major depressive rut. Nothing was pulling me out of it. I felt completely directionless, like a boat untethered in the ocean. No matter what I did—go out into the sunlight, do skincare, take baths—, it just wasn’t working to help me. I was reading a lot of Lord of the Rings fanfiction at the time because it was an old comfort of mine, and I came across the wonderful fic rebuild your seawall (brick by brick) by DeHeerKonijn.

I was… startled. It felt like Legolas was feeling exactly what I was. An emptiness so deep and wide that it was as impossibly big as the ocean.

So I looked more into the concept of Sea-Longing. And though it might seem silly to become so attached to a fantasy ailment, I got really emotional. I didn’t feel alone anymore. Even to attach a name to the feeling made it seem less overwhelming.

And I knew: I had to go to a body of water.

There’s this lake about an hour from my parent’s house that we used to visit sometimes. I still have dreams about it, and in them, the clouds surround the lake in such a way that there’s nothing else. Just the lake and the fingers of land that curl into it from the edges. Something about it is magical. True, real magic.

The very next day—because I’m impulsive like that—, I packed up my ham-shaped bag with my poetry journal, a book, and my phone charger, and I drove to the lake.

It was a foggy day. Sprinkles of rain came down from the sky. Not enough to even have my windshield wipers on the lowest setting, but just enough that I had to turn them on every couple of minutes. I had a chai latte in my cup holder and a dream.

When I arrived, it was still foggy and overcast. It wasn’t the dazzling blue lake I had wanted. But somehow, it looked just like it felt in my dreams. Otherworldly. Perfect.

I finished my chai latte while gazing out at the lake. Then I slipped on my backpack and made my way out to one of the curls of land. Seagulls cried out.

Lake Saint Mary’s is a manmade lake. That doesn’t make it any less beautiful. As I made my way along the rock-lined path, it was like I was being hypnotized. My breath settled heavy in my lungs like the fog over the water. Geese waddled away from me grumpily.

The only way I can describe it was as though everything else was gone. It was me and the lake. I stood at the edge of the path and watched the gray waves. Fog obscured the horizon. For the first time, I understood how sailors felt when they were on the edge of the world. Peaceful. Terrified.

I only feel that way when I alleviate my Sea-Longing. It’s a freedom unlike any other. When that void is filled, I feel so wonderful and safe I just want to freeze that moment and hold it in my hands.

Sea-Longing is a very strange thing to have. Now that I have more structure in my life, it doesn’t come around so often. When I feel it coming on, I go to great lengths to keep it at bay. But it also is a reminder that I, too, am a living creature.

Maybe my Sea-Longing is a callback to the first fish that walked on land. I wrote a poem about that, how wonderful and strange it must have been to be something brand-new. I think it might have felt a lot like standing on that finger of land looking over the gray lake. Surreal. Wonderful. Right.

[mollydastoertchen]

Do you have an OC with a funny/weird/unusual creation story? (not the story of the character itself, but the way the character happened / you suddenly got attached; any character you didnt plan on keeping around, but then kinda did?) Tell the story!

So, you know, I thought about this a LOT. Like, I have so many OCs but noone really came to my mind. Sure, there is Manuel - a human OC that replaced an Argonian The Elder Scrolls-character in the end, but it didnt tickle my fancy.

But then it hit me.

All the WHACKY OCs we have in World of Warcraft! I can say, without a DOUBT, that all of those characters I have had the most ridiculous story. Their creation comes solely from playing it, derping around and from what kind of shenanigans happen during our playtime.

My main tank, the undead warrior Tertso. Tertso was my first WoW character that I played with you, that I leveled up and boy do I love my baby. He is a raging barbarian who only can give angry and unintelligible sounds a la keyboardsmash.

Nota, my druid taur. Nota somehow, somewhen became known as the leather whore (because she's a leatherworker and she needed TONS of leather to craft stuff). She kind of became a random milf in hot latex & leather clothing.

But the one who really started this idea to your question is Mobai. A dark elf hunter who is... old... and senile... Who has no idea what is happening around him and what, who constantly forgets everything around him. And whenever he is in danger, he randomly gets heart attacks and dies to let others deal with his problem. and all his pets have weird names and also get molested. A LOT. (pls note, this all just a dumb joke and i dont endorse this or anything, its just fucking stupid humor). So we have this senile crazy old man who shoots at people screamin "JUST HOLD ON FOR A SECOND BOY OR I CANT PROPERLY SHOOT YOU".

Theres also my undead mage, Henrius, who is cronically depressed and just wants to die. He uses his ability to freeze in an iceblock to block his "boyfriends" attempt to grope his ass.

Also lets not forget Arinaghi, my troll priestess, who is married to her DAAARLIIING THARGO the orc warrior. They have only eyes for each other, abd they have this adorable way of talking to each other: "DARLING IM GONNA GO PUNCH THIS THING! - OKAY DARLING, I WILL MAKE YOUR BOOBOOS GO AWAY!". god, those two are chaos pure.

And then there is also Ranigaar, my troll shaman. She is always angry, has the smoker voice 5000. She doesnt care so much for healing as she cares for doing damage, so her poor patients are always getting a bit left behind. ("Heal was through, your body is soaked!") xD

All those characters just.. plopped into existence and were just formed by the random gamplay and jokes. There are a few more, but oh boy, I wanted to share those.