#someone needs to come fetch their grandpa

[glorygodngore]

[oh-stars]

Boring

Love is wanting to tell someone every little detail of your day and wanting to hear about theirs.

a @steddielovemonth prompt | 1309 words | CW: N/A | Rating: G

--

Steve isn’t exciting. He knows this, he’s always known this. It’s why he hides behind fake smiles and follows the same beat as the rest of his peers rather than finding his own path like Eddie. He follows the local teams because that’s what everyone else did; he listens to pop music because that’s what’s played at parties and the first thing he hears when he turns on the radio; he wears boring clothes because his mom buys it for him and he actually likes how they look on him. 

It’s not something he put a lot of thought into until he started hanging out with Dustin and his friends, only growing when Robin came into his life and then it became this glaringly obvious problem when Eddie took an interest in him as a friend. Steve likes the mainstream, everyday boring shit that makes him blend into his peers, and fully fade to the background when he’s around his wonderfully eccentric new family. 

And now that he and Eddie are more than friends, Steve feels even more inadequate. 

His date ideas are cheesy and stereotypical. His ambitions in life start and stop at having a family in the future (which has changed since he was a kid – now he doesn’t equate having a family to a wife and 2.5 kids, but rather a cozy little life with his partner, maybe a few pets, and any nieces or nephews the party gives him. As long as he has Robin in his life and a partner, be it a wife or husband, who actually loves him, he’ll be content). Steve doesn’t have any passions he can turn into a career, and the few he did have, it’s far fetched or his body couldn’t keep up anymore even if he had the chance. 

Then there’s Eddie who shines so brightly and takes up so much space with every ounce of his personality. He has so many hobbies that could become actual careers, too many choices for him to pick from that there have been plenty of nights where he’s stayed up and talked Steve in circles over his choices. He has such strong opinions about everything, could rant for days about the lint he found in the dryer if he needed to. Nancy always says he’d be a great Phillip-buster, whatever that is, because he can just keep going without losing steam. 

He’s incredible and Steve is decidedly not. 

It’s something he ponders on his way home, nodding along to the Springsteen song playing on the radio as he heads for the trailer. It’s been a great day, one of Steve’s better ones lately, and he’s itching to revel in its many wonders with Eddie when he gets home. Nothing exciting happened, just a lot of little, wonderful moments that feel perfect to Steve. 

But they’re boring. He knows that. 

When he was a kid, he used to hear his grandparents talk about the most mundane things. His grandmother would fill his grandpa in on all the gossip she gathered from their neighbor or the way the price of milk went up at Bradley Big Buy. She’d have serious conversations with him about whether they should switch grocery stores or if going to one of the farms directly for their produce was a better idea. And in turn, he’d complain about the squeaky wheel on the mail cart at work or would go into detail about how lovely the lunch she packed him was, complimenting the sandwich like it was made of gold. 

They were the perfect couple in Steve’s eyes. He’s always wanted what they have. But his grandparents were so similar, they shared interests in ways that Steve and Eddie don’t. On paper, Steve and Eddie should clash and he knows opposites attract and all, but it doesn’t mean you want a life with them. 

So he holds in his excitement about his day. He’s just happy to have Eddie to come home to at all, that he’s allowed to just walk into the trailer and be a part of Eddie’s life. 

He parks next to Eddie’s van and pockets his keys. 

Eddie’s waiting for him by the door, perched on the dining chair. “Thought you’d be coming home soon,” Eddie says with a grin as he pops up. He loops his arms around Steve’s neck and kisses him, so sweet and soft. Another addition to Steve’s perfect day. 

Steve can’t keep the smile off his face. “I missed you,” he says, even though it’s probably too much, too sappy for Eddie. 

Instead of wrinkling his nose and making a snide comment, Eddie’s arms tighten around him as he beams, eyes crinkling with how wide his smile is. “I missed you too.” Another kiss, this one a little longer and deeper before Eddie’s pulling away with a peck. “C’mon. I’ve been losing my mind being here all by myself,” he laments, hanging from Steve a little. 

“Where are we going?” Steve asks as Eddie straightens up to drag Steve to the couch. He gets pushed onto one side as Eddie takes the other, sitting cross-legged and sideways so he can stare directly at Steve. 

“Okay,” Eddie says seriously, “tell me everything.” 

“What?” 

Eddie nudges Steve’s knee. “About your day. I want the…” His brow furrows as he looks up at the ceiling, eyes glazing over as he thinks. “What’s the sports thing I’m thinking of? With the scripts?” 

Steve cocks his head to the side. “A play?” 

“Yes!” Eddie snaps his fingers and bounces a little. “I want the play-by-play.” 

“Are you sure?” Steve asks, quiet despite the way his heart is picking up. “It was just a day at Family Video. It’s not like I’m a doctor or something more exciting.” 

Eddie leans forward and cups his hands over Steve’s face. “Everything you do is exciting to me, baby. I like seeing the world through your eyes. So yes, tell me everything,” he says, leaning forward with each word as he squishes Steve’s cheeks. He ends it with another peck, then two more like he can’t help himself. 

Steve laughs, but twists his body to mirror Eddie’s. “It’s been a great day,” he admits, eyes drawn to the loose thread on Eddie’s cushion. “Robin brought me coffee from that new shop on Main and her dad dropped off donuts for us on his way to work. Then Mrs. Peterson came in and she wasn’t a demonic she-beast from the underworld and was actually lovely for once,” Steve says. 

“Mrs. Peterson?” Eddie gasps. “The same woman who yelled at me for almost two hours for biking through her yard as a kid?” 

“The very one,” Steve says. “I think Rob and I were both too stunned to speak for a good thirty minutes after.” 

Eddie shakes his head, eyes bright with genuine interest – almost like he’s mystified. “See, this is the shit I wouldn’t believe if it came from anyone else but you.”

“What’s that mean?” Steve asks, softer but not harsh like he thought it would sound. Not that he wants to – he just knows how he comes off sometimes. 

“You,” Eddie says, poking Steve’s chest, “are special. You always bring the best out of people, man. Including grouchy old ladies who sold their souls to the devil for fresh gardenias in their flowerbeds.” 

Steve laughs and tilts forward so he’s practically in Eddie’s lap. They shift quietly so Steve’s laying on Eddie fully, arms wrapped around his middle. “You make it sound like I’ve got something exciting to say. It’s just boring shit.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong. You, Steve Harrington, are so far from boring,” Eddie whispers against his ear. 

And deep down, Steve thinks he may actually believe him. 

Steve lifts his head to kiss Eddie’s cheek. “Your turn. Tell me something about your day.” 

--

Thank you @lady-lostmind for betaing!

Ao3 Link

[alittlebitofloveliness]

Out of Context WIP

When Sylvia was four she watched her grandmother kill her grandfather.

It was a sunny afternoon in mid summer, a cool breeze blowing through the yard. Grandma had sent her outside early in the day, told her to be a good girl and go play, but when the screen door shut behind her it did little to muffle the sound of flesh hitting flesh, of grandpa’s shouts and grandma’s screams. Even still, Sylvia knew it was better to make mud pies than to stick around when the grown ups got ugly, so she sat in the dirt until grandpa came out to clean the gutters, looking the same as ever and not like he’d been beating grandma a minute before. Then he’d climbed the ladder, and grandma had come outside a minute later nursing a fresh bruise on her cheek, and she’d turned her eyes on grandpa with such a careful determination it sent a chill down Sylvia’s spine.

“Sylvie,” she’d said, and her eyes were all wrong but her voice was as soft and sweet as ever, “be a dear and go fetch you grandpa a cup of cold water for when he gets done his work.”

Sylvia knew better than to disobey, because she got food when she was at grandma’s and hugs and sometimes sweets, but only if she was good. So she went inside, but watched through the curtains instead of filling a cup because there was a terrible feeling in her chest that told her something horrible was about to happen, she just didn’t know what.

As she watched, grandma strutted towards grandpa in her pretty blue dress, long hair pinned up in a braided twist, prim and proper and sweet- and kicked out viciously against the ladder. Sylvia heard her grandfather’s terrified shout as he fell, down, down, down, and his head cracked against the ground, neck twisting, and then he was still, still, still. Grandma bent down and said something to him, her face a type of hard Sylvia had never seen before she looked up and happened to catch Sylvia’s eye through the window.

She beckoned, and Sylvia obeyed.

“You saw what happened, baby?” Grandma asked, smoothing Sylvia’s hair lovingly, and she leaned into the touch. Grandma was about the only person who was ever gentle with her for more than two seconds back to back.

Sylvia nodded.

You pushed him, she wanted to say, and now he’s dead, but grandma often spoke in riddles and Sylvia got the feeling that wasn’t the right answer. 

 “He fell.” She said instead, and the way Grandma smiled told her that was the right answer.

“That’s right, dearest,” Grandma agreed, “he fell. And we’re very sad about this, aren’t we?”

“Yes.” Sylvia agreed, even though she wasn’t, not really, because grandpa beat on her too, even if he didn’t beat on her as much as her own dad did, and it would be nice for once to not have to worry about getting smacked all the time.

“And no matter who asks, you’re still going to be very sad about grandpa falling, right?”

Sylvia was starting to understand. 

“Yes,” She agreed again, because grandma was the only person who never treated her like she was stupid, and she was not going to prove herself stupid now. Daddy went to jail for killing someone. Grandma was asking her help to make sure she didn't. “We are very sad about grandpa falling. He shouldn’t have been up there when he wasn’t feeling well.”

Grandma’s face broke into something like relief and she gave her a secret smile, the kind she saved just for her.

“Good girl,” she told her, “now cry.”

Sylvia did, and grandma let out a horrible wail, suddenly more heartbroken than anyone she’d ever seen. The neighbours came running and the police showed up and all the while Sylvia cried and grandma sobbed, her perfect hair starting to escape its pins. 

Late that night, when the police were gone and the last of the well wishers left them to their grief, grandma pulled Sylvia onto her lap.

“Sometimes,” grandma said, and Sylvia didn’t need to ask what she was talking about, “men like that need to fall off ladders. And sometimes those ladders need a little help.”

Sylvia thought of grandma’s kind hands and bruised up face, of moma’s drugs and daddy’s rages, and thinks she knows what kind of man grandma means. 

“I wish my daddy would fall off a ladder.”

“He will,” grandma promised her, “one day.”

Sylvia looked into her twinkly brown eyes, felt the soft fabric of grandma’s nightgown against her cheek, and knew that she meant it. 

[shijiujun]

FRIENDS MY KISEKI DEAR TO ME NOVEL JUST CAME AND OMG I JUST HAD TO READ BECAUSE I JUST HAD TO KNOW BUT GUYS IF THEY STICK TO THIS WHICH I THINK THEY WILL, EP 9 ONWARDS WILL NO LONGER BE RANDOM PAIN!!!!

THEY DON’T FORGET EACH OTHER. THEY REMEMBER EACH OTHER OMG!!!! IN THE NOVEL!!!

Anyway the novel is kinda cool cuz you can turn the cover around so Ai Di and Chen Yi are on the cover and BZY and FZR are on the inside instead too hahahahahaha

Spoilers:

Fan Zherui is just pretending to have amnesia because he knew he couldn’t fight against his grandpa and he works with his younger brother, the younger brother who he spoke about in Ep 7 who is set to become the heir of the Fan family, and his younger brother hides it from him while still feeding him info about Bai Zongyi and helps FZR lie in wait because they both need to remove his grandpa from his position and power - and that turns into a four year wait

BAI ZONGYI POOR BB?! He remembers everything too but he has issues with short-term memory after the knock to the head ie he needs to write things down to remember it hence the notebook and this why he can’t ever be a doctor again because he struggles to remember stuff if he doesn’t note them down - he remembers everything and he decided to open a pastry shop and doesn’t dare go look for FZR because he feels like he’s nothing and so far away from FZR now in terms of status

The person who helps them to meet is FZR’s younger brother 🥲 FZR’s brother is someone who sees pretty clearly lmao and GUESS WHAT DIS BIJ BE GAY TOO

SUPER ANNOYING THAT AI DI AND CHEN YI ARE NOT IN THE AFTER-FOUR YEARS SEGMENT IN THE NOVEL?! We don’t get Chen Yi Ai Di ending or extras wts are they chopped liver BUT I AM SURE the drama will do them justice

Ai Di only went to jail for a year so BZY was in there for three years before Ai Di went in I STILL DONT KNOW FOR WHAT I was speed reading need to go back and have a look

BZY opens the pastry shop and all the pastries there are items he said he would make for FZR

Since BZY went into jail, FZR would use medication to sedate himself and fall asleep so he could dream of BZY

It was also the Fan family who ordered for BZY to be hurt/killed in jail and FZR in the end gets to revenge - and argh the grandpa is seriously such a scumbag like the only reason he wants FZR back in the fam is so he can be used by FZR’s brother, cuz grandpa discovered the info web that FZR created for the gang but who knew FZR’s brother was kinda on FZR’s side hahahaha

Literally there’s nothing on Zhang Teng and that mysterious snitch and they just frickin disappear from the plot like WHAT EVEN WAS THE POINT and DILFs also didn’t get more screen time excuse me WHAT IS LIFE

Differences I can see between novel and drama right now by skimming briefly:

The beginning scene where Ai Di and BZY are in front of the gates of the jail, Ai Di is cursing up a storm because they turned back and it’s taboo to look back to prison cuz it means you’re gonna go back LOL

Ai Di didn’t fall out with Chen Yi because he’s talking to him and he scolded Chen Yi for not coming to fetch him in a sedan car because he specifically told him to pick up BOTH HIM AND BAI ZONGYI, to which Chen Yi said that it’s better for BZY to not be seen with them

Chen Dongyang only told BZY to go to jail on FZR’s behalf because he owed grandpa Fan a favour and had no choice but to return the favour in this way as requested. He hates it and said that it was a despicable and cowardly way of him to return this favour and in doing so, he ruined BZY’s future - at least he knows it?! Chen Yi chased after him to say that he would make amends and CDY said “remember that it’s your fault that he has to go to jail. it is yours and mine that his future has been ruined and we will forever owe it to BZY till the day we die.”

BZY actually meets grandpa, mom and brother Fan in the hospital after FZR is admitted and he actually scold FZR’s mom for being a shitty mom and then after he goes to jail

Will go and look for some other iconic lines and stuff later but OOMPH I don’t know if it’ll be different from the drama itself but considering there’s only four eps left I am in favour of following the above JUST GIVE ME details on Chen Yi Ai Di and DILFs please. I forgot how brief and loophole-y Lin Peiyu’s plots were 😂😂😂

But this makes perfect sense judging from the teaser for Ep 9 because both BZY and FZR looked way too burdened for people who had complete amnesia LOL, but of course disclaimer that the drama MAYBE?? May not follow??? The novel?? But it should more or less

And it also makes sense for the distribution of episodes remaining too. All the above was revealed in the last two chapters of the novel plus two super short extras.

Basically a lot of smexy scenes LOL

[tequila-solar-storm]

Now for the angsty ask..

Yes the first outcome is for sure the more realistic one but thank you for including the drama causeee we were craving that!!

Picturing Ajaw realizing that he's not as satisfied as he thought he would is so.. SO! Mualani and Kachina being a bit accusatory HURTS. Definitely understand where they're coming from but oh gosh that's incredibly sad TAT

(the bonus happy ending made me laugh haha and ajaw (let me dream) will definitely do that, he'll go into the Night Kingdom just to fetch kinich out of it!!! I find it so funny that you wrote he's gonna live a century. He's not dying on Ajaw's watch any time soon for sure lol And the 10 grandkids!!!! Say yes for a big family for mamaKinich

Leaving you with a question —Do you think Kinich has other piercings on the rest of his body? If so, where?— And a virtual cookie! (Can't they stop creating useless ai and find a way for me to share real cookies through my phone smh???) take care author <3

—🌻

Previous Post

Please get a cookie for yourself and enjoy it on my behalf! That’s more than enough for me!!

Speaking of sending cookies over phones, I’m now just picturing someone happily scrolling through their phone when a cookie comes careening out from the screen and bashes them in the face HAHAHAHA

Anyways, to the questions!

Mualani and Kachina’s definitely going to be hit one of the hardest after Kinich perishes, so of course they’d be mad at Ajaw if he had a hand in Kinich’s demise! The realisation of feelings when it’s too late is just the perfect angsty scenario. Especially for Ajaw who’s suddenly surrounded by Kinich’s loved ones who don’t care about him as much as Kinich…

I’m glad you enjoyed the bonus happy ending!! I love the mental image of Ajaw kicking down the metaphorical door to the Night Kingdom going ‘YOU THINK DYING CAN HELP YOU ESCAPE FROM BEING MY SERVANT???’ and dragging a very confused Kinich back to life. Kinich’s going to be like ‘hold on I thought you wanted me dead??’ And Ajaw’s like ‘Kings need their servants and unfortunately you’re the only competent one!! (Lying)’.

Why wouldn’t Kinich live to 100? As Ajaw proved, dying is a skill issue and not a thing that comes for everyone HAHAHAHA

Kinich is going to be the best dad ever! He already learnt what not to do from his very terrible no good father, and what he should do from Elder Leik (The only dad he ever needs!!)! I can imagine Kinich having a big family where nobody is alone and everyone supports each other!!

Kinich’s going to be those super caring yet also strict fathers who raises his kids with all the love in the world! They all turn out to be super successful people and their family tree just. Explodes. They make a lot of Mora too!! Meanwhile Elder Leik’s the most doting and wise grandpa/great grandpa ever!!

Regarding piercings, I don’t think Kinich would be interested in more aside from his gorgeous ear piercings. His clothes are generally tight, which’ll be troublesome if they’re on his torso (cough, chest, cough). He uses his limbs a lot so no piercings there either. Not to mention piercings cost Mora HAHAHA

He might get more piercings if it’s with his friends, though! I can picture him getting matching navel piercings with Mualani! Otherwise, if I had to choose, I can imagine him with a tongue piercing! Kissing and doing other less than safe for work stuff with him suddenly turned a thousand times more intense 😳

[hermioneismyrealname]

Ep 6 empty mugs and jealousy

Well... Hm. I'm angry at mugs.

More sugar daddy shopping. Belts? Mahasamut, you innocent darling... He doesn't want them for you. The writer needs his bedroom inspiration, and he's thinking of a belt.

Rak is actually pretty cheery. Hm. Yes, I completely agree that he looks adorable.

JEALOUSY?! Hungry? Two scoops? Wah. DONT LIE TO ME THERE WAS NO WATER IN THERE! NONE. Also that mug is iconic. I want it but it looks small for the amount of tea I drink.

Shh.. not yet.. now you may speak

That was a good move, Mahasamut. You listen if they want to tell first. Brilliant. And wishing for someone's misery, heh. I really like his character. So far, other than abandoning the town that relies on him, there isn't much fault with him. Oh and Rak's heart eyes.

OH cousin! Wow... i want to be his mom. the money part not the getting cheated on. and... being obsessed with a complete ass. wow. abusive too. MAME ENOUGH WITH THE TRAUMA. As easy and terrible of a man like this sounds, to the point that this is unbelievable... I know some of my friends with this sort of background. So yeah. Yeash. And being called annoying when crying.. yup. been there. Next.

I feel like that the bratty cousin is going to be forgiven by the end of this. ONLY 14 MINUTES THROUGH? Jeez MAME. Ok. That hug was cute.

So i respect the hustle of a bunch of friends getting the inside scoop on an author's latest work, I'd be guilty of that too. However, if it wasnt at Mook's expense. Poor girl.

Ok this was also adorable.

but that steel beam must be uncomfortable. aaaand there goes the adorableness. HHAAHHAAHAHAHAHA! oh hello friend. Oh... wait... Did Rak change his pants? OI CONTINUITY STAFF!

my guy.... Khom... you were bought too. I read your book. Dont play coy.

Also

Yes Rak. Send it to Connor and have him come fetch his hubby. THERE IT IS! JEALOUSY! OOOOHHH!! Hydro turbines! Go green energy! (at least what i think they are)

oh. oohohohoh Connor... Oh Connor. You bitter jealous bastard. Who does Rak hug when he has writer's block. ahahaahahah! IF he is going to show up, I want the awful blond hair. YOU HEAR ME MAME?! Give me the full cringe.

That fight was cute but immediately i was distracted by this terrible interior design.

VIE IS MANIPULATING AGAIN. WAH! WAH! Her acting is very convincing. Ah kantoi. A hug? I really want to hate Vie here, but I do admire her manipulation tactics.

Mahasamut, why are you wearing a jacket around the house, near water? BINGO!! A CHILD! HEY NO DISRESPECTING MY MINT CHOCOLATE! YES. MEENA. I AGREE WITH YOU. YOU ENJOY THAT MINT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM! DONT LET ANYONE DISRESPECT OUR FLAVOUR.

Oh. yeah. Escape that deadass grandpa.

Oh they are going to get interrupted again. Mahasamut, I suggest you put your phone somewhere other than your trousers pocket. That was quick coffee making. AGAIN THERE IS NOTHING IN THAT CUP!!! WHY JUST FILL IT UP WITH SOMEHTING ITS PISSING ME OFF! I WAS GOING TO GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT HE DIDNT MAKE IT THATS WHY IT WAS SO QUICK BUUUUTTTT NOOOOOOOO

THAT MUG IS EMPTY!

OH THAT IS FUNNY. One always thinks its best to give people space, so afraid of disappointing someone while the other cant stand being left alone. HAH!

yeahp. RAk. Mood.

ehheheheh kid's got attitude. Oh brililiant attitude. Ok. Meena is favourite character. and she is emotionally intelligent. I'm completely Meena here. She is so expressive too!

Yeah... and the music change... welp. Sorry but where is the prep? We end it like that then? Sure.

What the hell do they keep pointing at?

And so now I realize, this is going to get worse. Today's ep was a little sweet. Soft. Comforting even. Rak's character development is back, it will go again next episode because of his cousin. His cousin, by the way, I do not like but I think there is going to be some sort of Oh, can i say it? Tong level redemption arc™️. And by arc, I mean a 2 degree curve because her character is shallow and close to pointless when the giggolo father plot exists. A little disappointed with this week's bingo, but alas.

[theonemarvelousness]

Without [Book 7 Spoilers + What If]

“I... am going to go with father. The the Red Kingdom in the East.” Silver says to his liege. 

Malleus calmly sips his tea. 

It’s raining outside.

“I can’t in good conscious leave him alone. Not with his magic gone. I--I’m asking for your leave, Lord Malleus. He... doesn’t have long left.” It’s strange, asking something of Malleus like this. 

The tea cup gently clinks against the saucer. “You have my permission to do as you wish, Silver.”

“Thank you.” Though, it doesn’t necessarily make Silver feel happy. But... nothing about this is happy, is it?

After a bow, he departs. Heading toward his father’s room to tell him. Yes, he didn’t ask permission or anything but... he can’t do it. He can’t stay here or return to the Valley. None of it’s home. And... how can he be... a proper knight if he can’t even...

Looking up, the rain is a lot heavier. Oh.

Heading to his own room, he opens the doors to the balcony, letting the shivering woodland creatures inside. “I’m sorry. I was speaking to Malleus.” He apologizes to them, closing the door after they’ve all come in. He retrieves a towel, drying the poor things off and cleaning up the mess. Directing them to the heater so they can all warm up. “I’ll be back later with some food. I need to speak with father.”

Unfortunately, father isn’t in his room... he might be in club saying goodbye to Kalim and Cater.

So, he heads to fetch--and stops as he sees the door open to Malleus’s room. He’s... never actually seen the door open if someone wasn’t entering or exiting the doorway. A little concern flares in his chest, heading to...

It’s destroyed.

Everything is broken and splintered. Fabric shredded. Wood burned. It looks as if someone destroyed it with great--did Malleus... do this?

Yet in an instant, magic swells--everything pulls itself back together as it once was. What a feat of magic! He’s always in awe.

“Malleus?” He asks, as he’s drawn close to the doorway. Is he--alright?

The door slams shut, and locks.

Worry grows in his chest, but he has no power to push inside. “...Malleus...”

Alas, what can he do?

---

The critters are so happy to have some nuts and berries. He’s glad he keeps a steady supply for them. Though, while he... 

While they chitter happily, he pulls out the ring from his neck, gazing at it. The beautiful clear stone. The golden design. The gold chain, too.

Father found him, with this, and a wish that his eyes remain as clear as this jewel.

What does that mean?

Who were they?

Why did they leave him somewhere, with that wish?

Was it in the Valley?

Was it somewhere else on his travels?

Why?

Should he even... does he want to know? Does he want to find them?

No. Not right now. Father’s dying, and he wants to be with him until the end. His magic’s gone.

It’s not long now. There’s not much time left at all.

Didn’t... he wish for a long, happy, healthy life for his father? For many more years? So that he can see a world of peace he’s dreamed of, and wished for? Why...

Aren’t wishes supposed to come true?

So many others’ did.

Why can’t his?

Why does father have to die so soon? Like this?

He was supposed to go on the internships with Malleus.

He was supposed to see him graduate.

He... he was supposed to... be there... for all of it.

Be a grandpa and--and see Sebek mature and--and see Malleus crowned king.

“What am I going to do without you, father...?”

[gravedigest]

Can only picture San gaming with them but on a PC, like tower and monitor and all and gets made fun of for it so much. However, using a computer rather than being one does make it easy for him to get up and stretch. And by extension, force everyone else (Deimos) to stretch too. He absolutely makes a comment about it too

Also, kind of curious. When it comes to the player's character in VR in DS, does it matter on the person's perspective? Like does the model change depending on how the person sees/remembers themself or is there something pre-made they're just plopped into? Or does it change depending on the game?

Sanford has 0 rig envy. He’s seen way too many of the negatives with his job, let alone the mess that is Deimos. He’s fine. No thanks. Grandpa gaming for Sanford. Doesn’t even go for a headset like Doc has ‘cause it makes him nauseous, and he likes being on his A game. The designated driver of group gaming.

At some point in the past Victor showed Sanford how to stick a magnifying glass to the monitor to get pixel perfect headshots, but he only does it if someone (Deimos) makes a comment about his lack of a rig. Only Doc knows he does this, while the other two are wholly in VR and can’t defend themselves from practical cheating.

As far as VR bodies go, I imagine it sort of depends on the game/software, sort of depends on person, sort of depends on the rig. Like, I imagine one would probably have a certain amount of biometrics stored, so things like height and length of arms might be something you would set up in the machine so virtual worlds can figure out the placement of your body and viewpoint, and its all easily fetched from one place (hence games containing the data of other people’s hardware. If you want to be stealth, there’s probably an option for default settings but then you’d need to have your brain understand the new size of your body so you move the right ways)

Theoretically you could fudge that data for catfishing/ego/shitpost/cheating purposes. Deimos definitely fudges that data. (And thus has become accustomed to “being in” weird sized bodies, and has his rig getting read by whatever he’s playing.)

Appearance-wise, there’s probably options. Rich people probably get their body scanned and rigged up for their avatars for certain stuff, like. VR business meetings. Otherwise it’s likely a lot of commissioned avatars and default stuff and custom-behind-a-paywall and other exploitation. If you gotta pay for showers you definitely have to pay for looking like yourself in VR.

I think racing games would be something where the avatar wouldn’t really matter, an fps has more typical goofball shit, but social or business software may have a sort of “Dress Code” and limits (and spyware).

[hideawaysplace]

This is for all the characters human and animatronic. Kid and adult. What is each characters cooking from 1 to 10

Lefty: 10/10 perfect.

R Freddy: 7/10 very good.

R Chica: 10/10 Teaches you to cook.

R Foxy: 5/10 Doesn't care to cook unless he really wants something.

R Bonnie: 3/10 Is not trusted to cook, would put foil in microwave.

Music Man: 9/10 Still calls himself a learner, his cooking is fantastic.

Helpy: 7/10 He is smol guy, he struggles but he gets it done!

Security: 8/10 Cooks for friends and family.

Fetch: 5/10 Cannot cook but he's such a good dog so he gets bonus points.

Ralpho: 2/10 Why cook? Eat someone else's food. Not Lefty's.

Funtime Freddy: 7/10 Best food is cakes!

Michael: 2/10 This guy needs lessons.

Jeremy: 6/10 Better than Michael.

Nightmarionne: 9/10 Doesn't need to eat, cooks for his son.

Plushtrap: -2/10 Has eaten a frying pan before.

Alec: 7/10 Getting better, lessons from Dad.

Hazel: 6/10 is not allowed to use the grill however as it is very hot.

Millie: 6/10 Likes to cook for herself and her Grandpa sometimes.

Sarah: 3/10 Does not cook, usually just throws some food together like a cream cheese bagel and a fruit salad.

Greg: 4/10 instant noodles is as much as he knows.

Oscar: 8/10 Has had to make dinner by himself sometimes.

Devon: 4/10 Very limited knowledge.

Kelsey: 8/10 he is still learning.

Pete: 9/10 Spent a lot of time learning to cook from his father.

Chuck: 3/10 Cannot cook anything beyond a boiled egg and a grilled cheese, loves it when his brother cooks.

Stanley: 6/10 trying to learn to cook more.

Matt: 2/10 Takeout exists for a reason.

G Freddy: 1/10 burns toast.

G Chica: 1/10 She just eats the food.

Roxanne: 4/10 Understands a little more but not perfect, which is why she often refuses to cook anything out of fear of embarrassment.

Monty: 8/10 Surprisingly very good.

Daycare Attendant: 5/10 Only know fruit snacks and juice boxes but they want to learn to cook real food.

DJ Music Man: 2/10 Never been in a kitchen before.

Mini Music Man: 7/10 When you are alone, you get bored, and there's a kitchen full of food, and you have a lot of time to teach yourself!

Vanessa: 5/10 Coffee, Take out pizza, and homemade chicken wraps are her diet.

Vinnie: 10/10 Had a grandma who taught her to cook.

Gregory: 3/10 not trusted at a stove, plus Freddy is a protective parent when it comes to knifes.

Cassie: 2/10 No food knowledge.

[dat-carovieh]

In dire need of change

Ship: Geraskier

Rating: T

Wordcount: 5.8k

Chapters: 5

Tags: Stardew Valley AU, Farmer!Geralt, Elliott!Jaskier, musician Jaskier, Getting together, Fluff, First Kiss

Read on AO3

Chapter 1

The city was loud, like it always was and Geralt should be used to it, he grew up here but the longer he was working in this office, the worse it was getting. Nearly daily he had a headache, it started when he got up and got worse over the day. He did the same thing every day and he couldn’t handle it anymore. He had never known what he had wanted to do with his life. Vesemir had tried everything to help him find his calling but maybe for some people this just wasn’t a thing. He got up from the couch and went to his cupboard, somewhere there his phone charger was buried. He rummaged through the drawer and pulled out the cable. His eyes locked onto an envelope he had nearly forgotten. He remembered, he had gotten it from his grandfather, Vesemir’s father, shortly before he had died. He had told Geralt to open it, when he felt crushed by his life and needed a change.

He took the envelope and went back to his couch. He didn’t believe, it would help him at all. What could a letter do to change his life? Roach jumped on his chest as soon as he had thrown himself back onto the couch and cuddled against him, purring. He ripped it open and started to read the short letter.

“Geralt,

If you're reading this, you must be in dire need of a change. The same thing happened to me, long ago. I'd lost sight of what mattered most in life... real connections with other people and nature. So, I dropped everything and moved to the place I truly belong. I’ve enclosed the deed to that place… my pride and joy: Kaer Morhen Farm. It’s located in Stardew Valley, on the southern coast. It’s the perfect place to start your new life.

This was my most precious gift of all, and now it’s yours. I know you’ll honor the family name, my boy.

Good luck.

Love, Grandpa”

Geralt looked up. A farm? What was he supposed to do with a farm? Probably farming, he thought with a sarcastic laugh. Roach looked at him offended at the movement of his chest. He petted her head apologetic as he reread the letter, before he called Vesemir.

Vesemir seemed to think it was a great idea for Geralt to move to Pelican town and take over the farm, Vesemir grew up on. It had been empty for a while now but he was sure, Geralt could make something great out of it. Vesemir had promised him to take care of his flat and getting his furniture to the Valley soon. Apparently, he knew some people living there and made some calls, to make sure he would be welcomed to the town as soon as he arrived.

He had packed his bag and convinced Roach into the cat carrier. It had nearly cost him a finger, but now she was safely secured on the bus seat next to Geralt, sleeping through the bus ride.

He stepped out of the bus and was greeted by a redhaired woman with a bright smile. Vesemir had mentioned he would be picked up from the bus stop. He wasn’t sure how he felt about interacting with people just after arriving but he would suck it up and it would probably be good to have someone showing him everything.

“Hello! You must be Geralt!” she explained happily.

“Hmm,” Geralt replied and nodded, hoping he didn’t come off too rude.

“I’m Robin, the local carpenter. Mayor Lewis sent me here to fetch you and show you the way to your new home.” Carpenter sounded nice to Geralt, he liked people who did work with their hands.

“The farm’s right over here, if you follow me.” She didn’t seem to have issues with him barely replying, worked for Geralt. True to her words, the farm was just around the corner.

“This is Kaer Morhen farm,” she announced as they arrived at a house. Geralt looked around and his stomach dropped. The house looked fine but the land was fully grown over. This would be a lot of work. Good thing his grandfather had left him some money as well to get him through the first couple of weeks until he hopefully could make some money. That was if he didn’t give up on the farm before he gotten along far enough to actually plant something.

He had quit his job for this so he should probably try to make it work.

“What’s the matter?” Robin asked as if she wasn’t seeing the mess. “Sure, it’s a bit overgrown, but there’s some good soil underneath that mess!” Geralt surely hoped so. He didn’t know jack shit about farming so that whole thing would be a fun experience. “With a little dedication you’ll have it cleaned up in no time.” No time sounded a little too positive for Geralt but he suspected, manual labour would be good for him. “And here we are, your new home.” It looked cosy, maybe a little run down but much better than the crap apartment he had lived in before.

An old man came through the door of the farmhouse, he had an impressive grey moustache and wore a brown hat.

“Ah, the new farmer!” he said cheerfully, as he looked at Geralt. Geralt nodded at him. “Welcome, I’m Lewis, the Mayor of Pelican Town. You know, everyone’s been asking about you,” he explained. Geralt raised an eyebrow.

“They do?” He should have expected in a small town like that people would talk about everything. That was a thing he would miss about the city. He couldn’t vanish between everyone. People usually found him weird and here everyone might be talking about this soon. He immediately felt the anxiety rising.

“Oh yeah. It’s not every day that someone new moves in. It’s quite the big deal! But I assure you, everyone is really nice, I’m sure you will fit in greatly,” Lewis assured him. Geralt hoped so.

“So… you’re moving into your grandfather’s old cottage. It’s a good house… very rustic.” They all turned to the house, that surely could use some work.

“Rustic? That’s one way to put it…” Robin answered. “Crusty might be a little more apt, though.” Geralt couldn’t suppress a small snort.

“Rude!” Lewis exclaimed. Robin also laughed. “Don’t listen to her, Geralt. She’s just trying to make you dissatisfied so that you buy one of her house upgrades,” the mayor explained. A business woman, Geralt could respect that and who knew, maybe he would take her up on that if the farm would run smoothly.

“I might think about this,” Geralt answered. Robin looked happy about this.

“Anyway… You must be tired from the long journey. You should get some rest,” Lewis tried to steer the topic somewhere else. He also was right, Geralt felt tired and a little overwhelmed with everything. “Tomorrow you ought to explore the town a bit and introduce yourself. The townspeople would appreciate that.”

“Alright thanks,” Geralt answered, nodding.

The introducing was something Geralt really dreaded but he would have to get through this. Before they said their goodbyes, Robin explained to him, she had left some tools for him inside so he could start working tomorrow. Finally, they left Geralt alone. He took a full turn looking at everything that now belonged to him. He would not panic right now. He would manage somehow, he would.

The door creaked as he entered. The cabin looked incredibly cosy. There was only one room but he probably wouldn’t need much more. There was a small bed, a TV, a table with benches and even a fireplace. To the left there was a small kitchenette. Just a fridge and a small stove and a counter. One more door was there, probably leading to the toilette. He threw his bags to the ground and let Roach out to explore their new home.

In the fridge he found some food, the mayor must have kindly left for him and after a quick dinner, he went to bed early so he was ready to start working early in the morning. It had been exhausting and he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Read the other chapters on AO3

[moony-chu]

Beloved Keeper of the Forest

!!Major 4.8 event spoilers + was written before Appendix (take it as an alternative ending of sorts)!!

Much like everyone else, Apollo wasn’t sure where he was, why he got there, or what clothes he was wearing. It reminded him of some kind of forest sprite from the stories he read about when he was a child. He liked it so much that he would have to try and find something similar when he got back to Teyvat. If he was being completely honest, he would probably have to consult Chiori about making him something as he most likely wouldn’t find anything.

The forest was certainly different than the one back in Sumeru, but it was beautiful. All the inhabitants were very kind, even if it took a moment to get over the initial surprise that they could talk and were all origami. Unlike Nilou, who he had come across earlier, the animals didn’t seem to have a set title for him since he wasn’t in the supposed prophecy. Still, Almond insisted on calling him the keeper of the forest with how much he’s already cared for the animals.

The forest’s residents were much more lively than the ones in Teyvat. Whether it be some lily pad competition with the frogs, the tavern that they all frequented, or the squirrel princess and her subjects, every one of them had their own personalities and stories. It was one of the reasons that Apollo decided to stay put in the forest while Nilou and the Traveler went out to find the dragon. If the dragon came back, the animals would need someone to protect them. Apollo saw himself as the best option for that since he technically wasn’t apart of the prophecy.

Apollo had a great time with the animals in the forest while the others were away. Sure, he worried for their safety, but Grandpa Almond always reassured him that they would be fine as they were the heroes foretold in the prophecy. In a way, the little hamster reminded him of his mother. She had always been the one whose comfort resonated with him the most out of his parents. His father always simply tried to soothe him, which wasn’t bad, but his mother would explain what and why his emotions were valid, but wouldn’t give him slack if he was in the wrong. It was one of the many reasons he respected her so much and one of the reasons she and his father worked so well together.

“I got you,” He chuckled, catching one of the origami frogs before they hit the water. It was ironic how these frogs would jump around lily pads all day but couldn’t touch water without having to recover for at least a few hours at the tavern.

“Thanks Apollo! You’re a lifesaver,” The frog chirped. It jumped in his hands to turn around and face him. Although the frog couldn’t change its expression, the man could see the gratefulness in its face. None of the animals had the ability to redo their origami to properly show their feelings, but they could communicate them just fine with how they spoke.

“It’s no problem, really. Just be sure to be careful, alright?” Apollo replied, bringing the frog to the ground.

“I will!” It replied, hopping off of his hands and back onto a lily pad. The man stood back up, carefully watching the pond. This was where he spent most of his time since the frogs weren’t the most careful creatures. Grandpa Almond had said that he would fetch him if he was needed elsewhere, so this was the best place for him to be. Plus, the frogs were entertaining and seemed to take more of a liking to him than the other creatures.

The sound of rushing water and lily pads splashing was quickly interrupted by a familiar voice calling out to him from behind. “Apollo!”

The man turned around, only expecting to see three people coming up to him. Instead, there was 6 people and a little dragon approaching him. His focus was set on said dragon for a moment, looking it over in interest. He hadn’t ever actually seen a dragon before, and this one didn’t look like it was made from origami. However, he was drawn out of it by Paimon before he could analyze it further.

“Oh, welcome back,” Apollo greets, walking towards the group. He was surprised to recognize most of the group, save the cat woman. His eyes flickered to Hat Guy just to see his eyes widen ever so slightly. “How did it go with the dragon? None of you are hurt, are you?”

The blonde woman (Navia, his mind supplies) shakes her head with a fond exasperated smile. “Nope. All of us came out unscathed,” She answered.

“How has the forest been Apollo? Has the tavern ran low again?” Nilou piped up, approaching him with a worried gaze. She grabbed his hands, searching for an answer.

Apollo shook his head as he chuckled. “No. The forest has been great. I can only wish the forest back in Teyvat could be like this when we return,” He said, gently squeezing her hands. “Ah, speaking of, did you guys happen to learn of how to return? I love the forest, but Tighnari wouldn’t be too keen if I stayed forever.”

“Yep! All we have to do is take a boat back or touch that bookmark up there on the cliff,” Paimon said, pointing up to the cliff in particular. “You’re lucky we found out Apollo. I wouldn’t want to deal with an angry Tighnari either,” She added, shivering at the thought.

Nilou chuckled, letting go of Apollo’s hands and stepping back. “Tighnari isn’t that mean Paimon.”

“This Tighnari you keep mentioning must be strict with how you keep speaking about him,” Navia inquired; her hand settling on her hip.

“I’m afraid Paimon might be exaggerating a bit,” Apollo said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Tighnari’s truly kind once you get to know him. He just makes sure his peers do their job properly,” He explained. “Though I doubt he’d believe me, I don’t think he’d be too upset once I explain the situation.”

“Ah, alright! I must say, he reminds me a lot of Clorinde,” Navia smiled.

“Now that you mention it, they really are alike. They’re passionate about their jobs, they look mean but are secretly nice…” Paimon trailed off, doing little circles in the air.

“Anyway, I don’t believe we’ve properly met before,” Apollo said. He walked towards Navia, holding his hand out. “I’m Apollo, a forest ranger from Sumeru,” He greeted.

Navia eagerly shook his hand. “I’m Navia, president of the Spina di Rosula. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” She said while shaking his hand. “Say, you’re Lyney’s partner right? I’m sure I’ve seen you around Poisson.”

Apollo couldn’t help the heat that rose up his neck at the mention of Lyney. He hadn’t seen him for a while as his monthly trip to Fontaine was coming up within the next few days. “Ah, yes, I am. I stuck around for a while during my last visit to help out the people of Poisson with whatever they needed,” He said, letting go of Navia’s hand. “I am truly sorry for what happened to Poisson as a result of the flooding.”

Navia waved her hand, dismissing his condolences with a smile. “We’re recovering from it just fine. There’s no need to dwell on what happened right now,” She said.

“We came back to ask if you wanted to come with us to help the citizens with their other problems before heading back to Teyvat,” Nilou says.

“Yeah! Mini Durin here is dragging along Hat Guy to apologize for terrorizing the people here!” Paimon chimes in, referencing the two that hadn’t spoken the entire time.

Hat Guy just tch’d at the mention. He grabbed his hat and pulled it over his eyes before crossing his arms and looking away.

The dragon, Mini Durin, approached Apollo, tentatively hovering in front of him. “Are you…one of the people I hurt?” It asked.

Apollo’s expression softened as he shook his head. “No, I’m not. I’m just one of the people that wound up here like the others you’ve been with,” He said. “But these animals are.”

Mini Durin flew a little closer to him. It’s little paws fiddled with each other as its head moved from looking at him to looking back at Hat Guy (who was back to looking at Apollo). “Do…Do you think they’ll forgive me?”

Empathy took over the man’s expression as he gently took one of the dragon paws between his fingers. In a way, he could see himself in the little dragon. It was small and vulnerable, trying to redeem himself for something he never even did: hurting the inhabitants of Simulanka. It’s how his ex made him feel when they were together.

“Well, I can’t speak for them, but I think that you can show them how sorry you are with time and kindness,” The man said. “You never hurt them directly, only made them afraid. That’s much easier to atone for than if you had done anything bad,” He reassured.

Apollo could’ve sworn he saw tears in the little dragons eyes before it hugged his arm. He chuckled at the gesture, gently petting its back.

“Looks like Mini Durin has another friend,” Navia laughed. “Maybe you should’ve come with us. It might’ve gone quicker with how quickly he’s warmed up to you.”

“You should explore before you leave Apollo. I’m sure the citizens of Constellation Metropole and the miners would love you,” Nilou chimed in. She walked closer to the two, chuckling at how Mini Durin nuzzled into the man’s arm.

“Speaking of leaving, Paimon’s just about to go crazy with how long she’s gone without real food!” The fairy(?) said, falling on her back in the air. The traveler laughed at her antics, rubbing her head affectionately.

“I agree. The Spina can’t run itself!” Navia said, adjusting her hat.

Nilou gently scratched the dragon’s head, watching it fondly. “We were going to go to the Cliff of Prophecy to head back to Teyvat since Mini Durin has apologized to the miners and citizens of Navia’s city,” She began. “Hat Guy was going to stay with Mini Durin to apologize to the forest animals. Would you like to come with us?”

Apollo couldn’t even get a word out to answer the question before the dragon got off his arm and frantically flew around his face while shaking its head. “Can you please stay and help? I don’t want the animals to be mad at me,” Mini Durin asked.

Hat Guy tch’d again at the dragon’s words, as if annoyed by the prospect. He began walking up to them while talking. “You can’t expect—“

“If you want me to help, I will,” Apollo replied, cutting off Hat Guy. “But I can’t guarantee how the animals will react to your apology and I won’t try to tell them that they have to forgive you. That’s up to you to earn their forgiveness,” He added.

Mini Durin nodded, moving his arms up and down happily. “Thank you, thank you!” It said, earning a laugh from most of the group, save Hat Guy and Paimon.

“Ok, now that we know Apollo isn’t coming with us, Paimon’s stomach needs some proper food,” The fairy whined. She started floating towards the cliff, the traveler following close behind.

“Get back safely,” Nilou said. She gave him a small nod before heading off behind the traveler and Paimon. Navia quickly joined them, giving the three of them a wave.

A small awkward silence soon filled the air as Apollo was left with the small dragon and a man who never seemed to want anything to do with him. He saw him occasionally while going to or from his weekly visits with Nahida, but Hat Guy always seemed to actively avoid him. They’ve never properly interacted, so it always confused him, but he never pushed it out of respect for the other’s boundaries. However, he’d been wanting to speak with him about the possibility of him knowing who was behind the letters.

“Where do you want to start?” The man asked Mini Durin, who was now nervously hovering beside him. He noticed the dragon staring at the pond, where the frogs were still hopping around without a care.

Apollo turned around to properly face the pond, keeping his gaze on the dragon. He noticed the way it started fiddling with its paws and plush claws, eliciting another soft chuckle from him. “No need to be nervous. All you have to do is go up and explain it to them. We’ll be right here if you need us,” He encouraged. He had noticed Hat Guy’s presence on the other side of him when he turned around, but chose not to acknowledge it.

Mini Durin moved forward, but stopped before it got close enough to the frogs to acknowledge it. It turned back to Apollo, who gave it a little wave, before turning back towards the pond again. The man could’ve sworn he saw it take a deep breath before it approached a group of the frogs, who seemed to be arguing about whatever training they were doing for the competition. If anything, Apollo figured they’d be angrier at each other than at Mini Durin.

The silence between the two men was heavy while they both watched Mini Durin speak to the origami frogs. Apollo couldn’t notice much, but the air felt like it was almost suffocating to Wanderer. Being so close to him after all this time was something he still hadn’t been ready for. Nahida’s been encouraging it for some time, but he always brushed it off as unimportant.

“So, ‘Keeper of the Forest’ huh?” Hat Guy eventually spoke up. He kept his pointed gaze on Mini Durin, trying helplessly to ignore the feelings bubbling in his chest.

Apollo laughed at the title. “I’m assuming Grandpa Almond mentioned that to you?” He asked. The man glanced over at Hat Guy, watching him nod in affirmation. “It isn’t part of the prophecy like Nilou’s, and I’m assuming yours and Navia’s, is. It’s something Grandpa Almond came up with after I chose to make sure the forest would be alright after the traveler and Nilou left,” He explained.

Hat Guy didn’t respond to it. Of course it hadn’t been part of the prophecy. For how good of a person Apollo was, he never seemed to get the recognition he deserved. “I figured since everyone else filled the rest of the prophecy,” He scoffed.

The man didn’t take any offense to his tone. Hat Guy wasn’t known for his softness after all. Still, he’s been wanting to talk to him, and this was probably his only chance. “Why are you staying to help the little dragon talk to all the residents here?” He inquired.

“It’s Durin. Mini Durin,” Wanderer corrected, still watching the dragon in question closely. They weren’t close enough for him to hear what they were saying, but the frogs were jumping around now. “And it wanted help, so here I am. Helping it,” He answered simply.

The straightforwardness of his answer made Apollo turn to look at him. He wasn’t sure why, maybe to gauge his sincerity, but it just seemed like he should. Like muscle memory almost. “I’m sure Mini Durin appreciates it. It was pretty attached to you when you guys all came here,” He said.

“Yeah, I guess,” Wanderer responded, keeping his answers short. He was used to Apollo’s talkative nature at this point. It only got worse whenever the air was awkward. He hated how endearing he found it.

Silence fell between them once again, only being slightly less awkward than before. It was only broken when Apollo spoke again, trying to keep up a conversation. “Do you like being in animals’ company?” He asked, glancing back to Mini Durin to check up for a split second.

The question made Wanderer turn to actually meet Apollo’s gaze for the first time since that day in the Akademiya. Of course the man was genuinely interested in what he had to say. It irritated and endeared him all the same. “I guess. They tend to be less tedious than other people do,” He answered with a scoff. “Why are you asking?”

“You should come by the forest sometimes then,” Apollo said, disregarding Hat Guy’s question. “Most of the animals there won’t bother you if you don’t bother them, so it’s pretty relaxing. Not to mention that some will appreciate the company,” He said, smiling. “If you need someone to show you around, just come to Gandharva Ville and ask for Apollo. I could show you the more secluded spots,” He added. Honestly, the secluded part was based off of what he had observed in Hat Guy’s behavior. He never saw him really around others besides Sethos, so he figured he didn’t like people much.

Wanderer’s eyes widened at the sudden request, which he quickly hid by looking annoyed. It shouldn’t have been surprising to him. Apollo was always willing to accommodate to other’s needs, even complete strangers. Perhaps a part of him believed that Apollo was upset with him over what he did, even though he knew that couldn’t be possible. “…I’ll see about it,” He muttered.

Apollo smiled, happy to have made some sort of progress. There was a small part of him that urged him to try and make friends with Hat Guy. He didn’t know why, but he wasn’t opposed to it seeing as Nahida was fond of him as well.

The small yellow toy sword on Hat Guy’s waist quickly caught his attention due to how out of place it seemed. First of all, his entire color scheme was blue and teal. Not that you couldn’t introduce other colors into that, but yellow wasn’t one that looked particularly good. Second, to the extent of his knowledge, Hat Guy was a catalyst user and hadn’t ever used another weapon. Third, it was a toy sword. Hat Guy didn’t strike him as a guy to carry around toys.

“What’s the sword for?” The man asked, leaning slightly to get a better look at it.

“It appeared when I woke up. I haven’t been able to get rid of it,” Wanderer explained, eyeing Apollo as he leaned closer. “It’s the Hero’s Sword.”

Apollo hummed as he looked closer to examine it a bit more, trying and failing to find more significance to it than previously observed. He sighed and stood back up, slightly disappointed. “You would think the Hero’s Sword would be more…hero-y,” He said. “Though I suppose it makes sense, considering everything else here.”

Wanderer made a small noise of affirmation at the comment. He turned back towards the pond, checking back in on Mini Durin. It had moved to the biggest lily pad in the center with the rest of the origami frogs at the pond. They all seemed to be playing with each other and messing around, much to his relief.

“You want it?” He asked, facing Apollo once again. He didn’t even wait for an answer before grabbing the sword and handing it to him.

Apollo stared at it for a moment, having been caught off guard at the sudden offer. He took it, seeing how heavy it was. “Oh, uh, thanks,” He expressed, though awkwardly. The man patted down his waist for a place to put the sword. Miraculously, there was a sheath seemingly meant for a sword of that size. He put it there, noting how much less it clashed with his own outfit.

The man brought his attention back to Mini Durin after, wanting to see how it was going. He smiled when he noticed them all getting along. To be truthful, he had been unsure as to how the frogs would feel seeing how scared they were. Now, it just made him happy to see that fear gone.

“We should probably grab Mini Durin before the frogs drag it into their competition,” Apollo spoke up. “It has a lot more apologizing to do anyways,” He added. The man began walking towards the animals after, only stopping when he noticed that Hat Guy wasn’t following him.

“Are you—“ He was cut off by suddenly being carried into the air. Panic struck him for a second before he realized it was just Hat Guy carrying him.

“Don’t get any ideas. Do you want your socks to get wet?” Wanderer asked before Apollo could say anything. He carried him over to the large lily pad, carefully setting him back on his feet. “Let’s go then. He wants his friends to help him out.”

A/N: Coming back from the dead to enforce oc content. Please interact if you guys happen to want more of this silly little guy. I would be very happy to post about him and his lore more 😊

[sunshine304]

Legend of Fei Ep 33

I kinda forgot to keep on posting this here. XD

We ended last episode with Li Yan in a predicament as she helps a wounded old man who was running from Disha…

Well, that was resolved quickly… Ying Hecong gets alerted to Li Yan’s problem by his totally not CGI-pet snake, so he and Yang Jin come to he rescue. YHC calls many more CGI snakes to the inn, clearing it out of customers and Disha alike. Sooo.. not only are Disha afraid of snakes, I guess, but Tong Tianyang also gets bested by some teenagers. Again. XD

A-Fei buys a horse to carry her up most of the snowy mountain, but of course she’s duped by the seller who works for Disha. Or rather, he was paid off by Lu Tiankuang to give her a horse that hates snow. Okay then. XD That bit of exposition was sure something! Lu Tiankuang is yet another drama queen, but a pretty one this time. He watches her ride off, smirking, because that’s in the job description for Disha. Smirking is very important!

Li Yan & Co help the old man escape, reassuring him that they hate Disha. They arrived at some old temple (I guess) where there are several children but no adults.

So the old man is called Liu Youliang, but I’ll hopefully not need to remember the name. Anyway, Li Yan wants to send him to safety with the kids, but then old Liu learns that his old general from the army is dead as well as pretty much everyone else from the Xiao family. He’s been secluded for 20 years and is seriously out of the loop… He doesn’t know any of the people that are brought up but he does know Li Zheng. XD Because of course he does, everyone knows sexy grandpa! ♥

Yang Jin looks kinda grim (? I'm not super sure what that facial expression is supposed to convery here.. seriousness? Sadness?). Does he know the man or is he just sad for him? Hard to tell.

Okay, old Liu was tasked with guardian the HTYS until his boss would send someone to fetch him again – which was 20 years ago. Oops. He also knew Chongxiao and kept up correspondence with him (though it seems Chongxiao didn’t think it was necessary to keep the guy up to date on news about… who is actually ruling right now etc.), so when he didn’t hear from Chongxiao anymore, he decided to leave his mountain and go looking for him. I guess he went a bit out of his mind up there. Our beloved trio is just like, "Aww noo not the HTYS again." XD

Li Yan & Co help the old man escape, reassuring him that they hate Disha. They arrived at some old temple (I guess) where there are several children but no adults.

So the old man is called Liu Youliang, but I’ll hopefully not need to remember the name. Anyway, Li Yan wants to send him to safety with the kids, but then old Liu learns that his old general from the army is dead as well as pretty much everyone else from the Xiao family. He’s been secluded for 20 years and is seriously out of the loop… He doesn’t know any of the people that are brought up but he does know Li Zheng. XD Because of course he does, everyone knows sexy grandpa! ♥

Yang Jin looks kinda grim (? I'm not super sure what that facial expression is supposed to convery here.. seriousness? Sadness?). Does he know the man or is he just sad for him? Hard to tell.

Okay, old Liu was tasked with guardian the HTYS until his boss would send someone to fetch him again – which was 20 years ago. Oops. He also knew Chongxiao and kept up correspondence with him (though it seems Chongxiao didn’t think it was necessary to keep the guy up to date on news about… who is actually ruling right now etc.), so when he didn’t hear from Chongxiao anymore, he decided to leave his mountain and go looking for him. I guess he went a bit out of his mind up there. Our beloved trio is just like, "Aww noo not the HTYS again." XD

A-Fei has a month to find the lotus plant. Thank you for some kind of time span here, I still don’t know how much time is passing! I think they mentioned last time that about a year or so has passed since A-Fei went out into the Jianghu? The show sure doesn't want to tell us much about how long she's been roaming around. Also like, is her mother fine with this? Does A-Fei write home to let her know where she's been and what she's doing?

The evil plan works: The horse really doesn’t like the cold and refuses to keep on moving. A-Fei loses the tug'o'war with the horse. She… ties the reins to a tree stump. That's… uhhh. Uhm. You hope it’ll still be there when you come back? You didn't even tie it all that well, really? That mountain still looks quite far away and you also have to go up there… Ah well… (We're not getting into how it's not very caring to leave the horse exposed to the elements like this while you go off for what could be days…?)

MU XIAOQIAO MY BELOVED!!! ♥

Well, at least A-Fei's horse now has company I guess.

Oh we’re all meeting up on the mountain now for a little showdown, yeah? Because Lu Tiankuang is there as well and we get some exposition by a passing farmer that he’s called Snow Wolf because he grew up in a wolf den on the mountain. As one does. Can’t help but find this guy kind of hot. IDK. It's the Jack Sparrow hair and the hint of stuble and the symmetrical face I guess. )Also, just thankful that Disha has someone there who is ruggedly attractive instead of a completely bumbling fool…)

Back at Li Yan & Co. They’ve talked long enough with each other for Disha to arrive. sigh Old Luo gives Li Yan the super secret map that leads the way to the HYTS and tells her to memorise it. She is now the only living keeper of this information. I can’t help but think that Chuchu should be here because she keeps info like that in her head after glancing at it once. Li Yan… not so much. XD Old Luo, you sure as hell are an optimist!

Old Luo then makes a fake deal with Disha only to set the map on fire and sacrifice himself so the others can flee. As usual, some old person hands over their wisdom to the young people and then goes and dies. XD I see a pattern…

In Penglai, the two old monks reminisce about the times when Xie Yun was young. Wang Yibo really doesn’t have much to do these last two episodes besides lying still and looking dead. XD He did have a lot of dialogue to get through before, so I guess this is a nice reprieve.

A-Fei’s surprising abilities include awesome free climbing skills! Up a sheer frozen mountain cliff. Of course! XD

Right on cue, everyone is up there when the lotus starts blooming! It’s nice that the flower waited until the three opposing parties have arrived! A-Fei fights with Mu Xiaoqiao and with the Lu Tiankuang before there’s a small avalanche or something. Editing sure is happening here.

BTW I really like A-Fei's outfit! I've liked most of costumes so far, she's got some really good looks. But I can't help looking at her here with that bit of fur trim and an otherwise exposed neck and think, "Please, girl, wear a scarf, you'll catch a cold!" XD

While A-Fei is unconscious, Xie Yun speaks to her in her dream/mind and tells her it’s okay to let the lotus go and that she should just come back to him. :( A-Fei is like, “nope, it's worth it”. THEM! T_T

Awww, Zhou Fei and Mu Xiaoqiao bond! ♥ I love him, please don’t die! You’ve got all the markings of someone who will give A-Fei his wisdom and then die again! (He'll likely die. I'm already sad.) But really, they’re so cute together, teasing each other and obviously respecting each other a lot.

Let’s see what Li Sheng’s doing, huh? He’s now at Chongxiao’s old temple of Qi School, looking for the old master. He’s moving through the forest with its misleading formation, being trailed by the "Black Judge" who wants to become master of Qi School and is a petulant child about it. He is trailing Li Sheng in such an obvious manner that I really can’t believe Li Sheng doesn’t notice! Like OMFG, just turn around once, he’s basically right behind you! And then the guy stumbles, because he really is this incompetent! XD He is now confused and doesn’t know how to get to the temple, but at least he remembers to get out of the forest again. My man, how stupid are you?

Tong Tianyang gets beaten up by Shen Tianshu because he’s failed to get the map for the HYTS and got bested again by teenagers. He at least remembers some things about the map, among them the fly-whisk of Chongxiao, which pisses Shen Tianshu off more because Gu Tianxian was supposed to watch the old man. Uhhh in the past or right now? It sounds a bit like now, but it must be in the past, right, because Chongxiao is dead as far as we know? (I've also forgotten who Gu Tianxian was… sigh)

OMG keeping all these Disha guys straight really is a chore…

Anyway, Tong Tianyang is sent to seclusion to sit down and draw what he remembers of the map. And he better remember a lot of it, or else! XD

Shen Tianshu grapples with the fact that he is surrounded by idiots. Poor man. XD

[mythicalgemwrites]

Selkie x F! Reader (Linn) Part 1

Sorry for not posting earlier guys! I've been very busy with online classes.

Warnings: mentions of drowning. Pics are not mine, all credits go to the owner!

M! Selkie X F! Reader

Living on an island your whole life has its perks. From the fresh scent of the salty ocean air to the calming sounds of the waves crashing lazily, it never failed to wake you up with a serenity that could be found nowhere else. You had lived alone with your Toller pup for the past couple years, in the house that your grandparents had left for you. You grew up with them, as your parents always had to move from town to town due to their profession. They were both marine biologists and had taken up a job at a top secret research facility when you were 12, so they decided to let you stay with your beloved grandparents. However, on a stormy day a couple years ago, when you were 19, both your grandparents got caught in a storm while they were out fishing, and they never came back. During the funeral, you had found out that in their will, they had stated that you should get the house, in the event of something tragically happening to them.

And that’s how you got the house three years ago. When it became too lonely, you decided to adopt a Toller puppy for company, and you had named him Sam, which was your grandpa’s nickname. He provided good company and unconditional love, which is important in every home. The house had its own dock leading to the beach, so every morning, after your walk, you’d put Sam’s retriever genes to good use and play fetch with him, fetching the ball from the ocean was one of his favorite past times. Whenever you brought him to the beach, you sometimes feared he was going to be the reason why someone almost drowned. To date, you were grateful nothing like that had ever happened, but you sometimes couldn’t brush off that fear. You were a writer, and sometimes, you couldn’t control how far your imagination went, and sometimes, the words you put on paper would be some of your worst fears, if they were to come alive.

As the days go by, and the weather gets chilly, you would often take Sam on a walk to the nearby cove, usually in the warmer months it would be filled with children playing by the beach and in the waters, but as the weather got cooler, it was mostly couples going on romantic walks, or some who preferred the solitude, just came to enjoy the sunset. On this particular day, there weren’t many people by the cove, just a couple strangers. It was around 6:15 when you threw the ball the last time, and waited for Sam to retrieve it. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, fully inhaling the chill autumn air, when you heard a whelp coming from the water. Opening your eyes, you saw Sam caught on a wave, and struggling to get back to you. In a panicked state, you took off into the water, not worrying about the growing current, but more worried about your faithful companion, struggling in grasps of strong waves, at least for a dog his size. As you grab him by his collar, attempting to pull him out, another wave comes crashing into the two of you, causing you to go under. Trying to call for help, and failing, as the water fills your lungs, you stop struggling, knowing it might make your situation worse, however, Sam starts barking, with his head barely above the water.

Suddenly, you could feel yourself being pulled out of the water, and being held against a broad chest by strong arms. Once you reached the water, you looked at your savior, beautiful greenish-blue grey eyes met yours, and you saw a cute familiar face looking back at you. It was Linn, the barista in the cute local café. You had to admit, you’ve always had a crush on him, but from afar. You didn’t know anything about him, except that people claimed that his family had lived on the island for years, centuries even.

He had shaggy brown hair, and small freckles were scattered along his face. With his help, you got up from the ground and called out to Sam. “Are you alright? I saw you getting pulled under and saw your dog barking. Do you want me to call someone?” he asked , in a boyishly deep smooth voice. Gaping like a goldfish out of the water, it took you a few seconds to process what was said. Coughing, you rasped out “ Yes… I’m fine, thank you! My dog , Sam, got caught in the waves, and I tried to get him out.” you started babbling like a lost child. “ Can I call someone to come get you?” He asked again, a hint of concern in his eyes. “ oh, no… no it’s okay, I live alone, well with Sam. There’s no one to call.” you said, trying not to act like a 15 year old who just couldn't help but be nervous around her crush. “I’ll be fine, really, I just need to walk home and dry out. Thanks again for helping!” you exclaimed. Calling Sam to you, the both of you started to walk home. “ Hey! Wait!” you heard Linn calling from behind, “ I’ll walk you home, if that’s okay. It’s getting dark anyway. I’ll see to it that you both get home safe,”. Before you could say anything, you felt him putting his jacket over you, helping with the chill. You didn’t realize you were freezing until he wrapped his jacket around you.

When the three of you reached your home, Sam was happy to be back in the warm embrace of his bed. Standing by the door “ Would you like to come in? Maybe a cup of coffee… or tea or anything else, if you prefer?” quickly giving him the option of whatever he preferred, to make sure you didn't seem ignorant. Sure, he worked as a barista in the local café, but that doesn't mean he loved coffee, right? “ Um, sure! Anything will do,” he said, as he followed you in. Looking around, you kicked yourself in your head, not keeping up to the schedule you set yourself for cleaning up around the cottage. Sure, it was decent, but paper everywhere? A heaping amount of mugs were strewn around your coffee table, as you sat there working on your next work.

Quickly picking them up and moving them to the sink, you filled up the kettle and turned it on to boil. “ There’s tea and coffee in the cabinet above the kettle, feel free to help yourself. I’ll go get dried up,” the words left you, as if you were telling them to an old friend, hoping to not make a fool of yourself anymore, you gave him a sheepish smile and made your way upstairs to your bedroom.

(Linn pov)

I made my way to the cabinet, looking through the various tea blends. Something which would help with the cold temperature would be nice. There in the right corner of the cabinet, was a box of peppermint tea. It would definitely help make her feel better, since she was soaked to the bone. I can’t help but feel a sense of concern for her. This beautiful strong woman that I always encounter in the café I worked in, and possibly have a crush on, I can’t believe I never spoke to her. I’ve always seen her writing in the corner of the café, in her spot, as my coworkers and I have labeled it. She always seems so sure of herself, and always seems ready for anything, but today, out in the water when I saw her struggling, something came over me. I had to save her, felt a sense of protectiveness for her, hence why I offered to walk her home. Taking two bigger than average mugs from the cabinet, I filled them up with the boiling water, after placing a tea bag in each and placing them on the coffee table before the couch. Her dog was in front of the heater, longing for some warmth and hoping to dry off. I heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs.

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw Sam laying before the heater, trying to get warm. Making my way to the tiny laundry room, I picked up Sam’s towel. Making my way to him, from the corner of my eye I saw Linn, sitting on the couch, two steaming mugs of what seemed to be one of my teas in front of him.

“ I made some peppermint tea, it helps with colds, we don’t want you to catch one now do we?” grinned Linn.

Thanking him, and taking the mug he held one, I sat next to him on the couch. Keeping some distance between us, I asked him if he wanted to use the bathroom to clean up.

“ If you have any spare clothing that might fit, I’d like that! It’s okay if you don’t though!” he nervously exclaimed. “ I do have some spare clothing that belonged to my grandpa, they should fit. Gimme a sec! I’ll go grab ‘em, and a towel too!” I exclaimed, leaving the cozy embrace of the couch.

Making my way to my room, where I kept a spare drawer full of my grandparent’s clothes, I dug out a jumper and a pair of pajama pants which belonged to my grandpa.

When I went down, I saw Linn drying Sam with the towel that I had left by his dog bed, and Sam being the belly rub loving dog he is, happily accepted Linn drying him with the towel, belly rubs being a necessity. Letting out a chuckle at the scene before my eyes, I held out the spare clothes and a fresh towel to Linn.

“ There’s a bathroom two doors left from the stairs upstairs,” I exclaimed, reaching for the doggy towel he left by the couch and chucking it in the laundry room. “Thank you,” he exclaimed, leaving to go to the bathroom.

Once Sam was dry enough, I picked up my mug of tea, making myself comfortable on the couch. Looking out the living room window, rain droplets trickling down the class, I sip on my tea, waiting for my guest to arrive from the bathroom. A couple minutes passed, looking up when I heard soft footsteps heading towards me, I offered Linn a smile and patted down the space next to me on the couch. “ Here, you can leave once the storm stops,” I handed him the mug.

We both sat beside each other, talking about what we remember about my grandparents and how we never spoke to each other when we were younger. Sam sitting at our feet. The dying fire casted a warm allure on his face, illuminating the soft scattered freckles. Hours passed as we enjoyed each other's company over another mug of tea, laughing at all the brief mutual moments that were shared between us. He mentioned that he would always get excited to see me whenever I visited my grandparents by the docks. I didn’t want to admit it, but I always loved to catch a few glimpses of him, whenever he wasn't looking as well.

I laughed at his words, tired but somehow feeling rejuvenated. It had been a long time since I last laughed with someone. It felt good to let go.

His expression of awe paused me mid laughter. He was gazing into my eyes, as I his. For a brief moment, his gaze averted to my lips. Moving his gaze up to my eyes, as soft as a whisper “ May I kiss you?” he asked, a foreign emotion lingered behind his now soft eyes.

Giving him a gentle nod, I felt him place his hand at the nape of my neck. Inhaling a deep breath, his scent which reminded me of the sea with a hint of musky peppermint enveloped my senses.

Linn leaned in, gently bringing my face towards his. He closed his eyes, and for a brief few seconds I admired him until mine shut involuntarily as I felt his lips on mine. After a few seconds, he pulled away, still gazing into my eyes, “ I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a while now,” he said, with a sheepish grin, before kissing me again.

He deepened the kiss a little, giving my bottom lip a light lick before pulling away. “ I regretted not telling you how I felt about you earlier… I did ask permission from your grandpa before he passed. The last thing he said to me was, he’d be happy if you chose me,” he paused for a second, a hint of sadness and regret casting a shadow on his blue eyes. “ I… I need to tell you something. I might … might not be who you expect. And I understand if I’m not who you want,” he stammered. Grunting, “ The rain’s about to stop. I should probably get going,” he said as he started to get up.

Grabbing onto his hand, “ No...don’t! Please… It’s late, you should stay!” I stopped him. “And I’ve had a silly little crush on you too… I just never knew how to tell you” I whispered. He sat next to me, slowly, as if I were made of fine china. That, at any moment, I might crumble. “ You did?” he breathed, his breath close enough that I could feel it on my face.

“ I also know what you are. Grandpa made sure to educate me on myths, and he said some were not myths. I’ve seen you carry your pelt around sometimes,” I closed his hand between mine. “I know you’re a selkie, Linn. I don’t want you to hide that from me.” I breathed, gazing into his eyes. I could catch a glimpse of adoration in them. “Thank you… for not running away, even when you knew what I was,” he sighed. I gazed at his lips, before catching them with mine, a soft peck, to let him know I accepted him for who he is.

[little-ramram]

Dandelion Fields

Dandy just resigned from Joja's monotonous and repetative work and wants to escape the big city. Luckily, she was left with her Grandfather's farm and after some time of process, Dandy arrives in Pelican Town on the first day of spring

Dandy arrived on the first day of spring. Papers of her inheritance and resignation took the entire winter in the big city, all that trouble seemed worth it once she stepped out of that bus. With a friendly face of a ginger carpenter, it felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the frowning faces of her former co-workers when she worked back in Joja.

"Hi, I'm Robin. The local carpenter," Robin greeted Dandy with a smile. Extending her hand to shake hers, she noted the sure and firm grip of calloused hands against her soft palm.

"Soon your hands'll be as callous as mine when you start working around the farm," Robin noticed as well. "I'm not much for a welcoming party but I'm pretty alright, yeah? Mayor Lewis told me to fetch you myself so there's nothing you can really do. C'mon, let's head to your new home."

With only a smile and nod to give, Dandy was half-relieved Robin didn't leave any room for a response as she started leading the way to her Grandpa's farm. Half-ashamed as well to not be able to introduce herself properly to the kind woman.

The way to the farm was deep in the forest, and yet Dandy felt it to be a short walk despite the silence they both held.

To her shock, the moment they passed through the wooden gate, the entirety of the farm was in ruins and in such a sorry state Dandy let out a loud gasp.

"What's the matter?" Robin though, felt differently. "Sure, it's a bit overgrown but underneath that mess is healthy soil. You'll have this farm up and running!" What an optimist, Dandy thought.

"And this is your new home!" Robin gestured upon the beat up cottage. Some roof tiles were missing, the walls covered with overgrown moss and vines, and the porch missing some planks, this house was far from a home.

Mayor Lewis emerged from the beat up cabin brushing the dust off his wrinkled hands. Surprised, Dandy looked up at the Mayor. He is old, with a sporting white mustache and brown suspenders, he didn't look much like a man in his 50's. Dandy made sure to look up Pelican Town's mayor before coming here.

Round eyes full of vigor and a straight gait, it's easy to mistake the old man to be in his 40s if it weren't for the greying hairs.

"Welcome! I'm Mayor Lewis of Pelican Town," he marched down the steps with ease and enthusiasm. "You know, everyone's been asking about you. It's not everyday someone moves in so you're quite the big deal!" Mayor Lewis shook with both hands and smiled warmly as Dandy.

"I cleaned up the cottage for you, it's a good house. Very 'rustic'," Mayor Lewis mentioned.

"You really didn't have to," Dandy finally found the courage to speak. Exhausted from the bus ride, she was silently building up that courage to at least utter a thank you.

"Oh but I insist. As Mayor, I have to take care of Pelican Town and its citizens. With you included," Mayor Lewis spoke proudly.

"'Crusty' might be a little more apt than 'rustic' though," Robin jokes, "don't you think, Dandy?" Dandy couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"How rude!" Mayor Lewis speaks out. "Don't listen to her, she's just trying to sell you one of her house upgrades."

Robin gasped exasperatedly.

"Anyway, you must be tired from the long journey. You'll surely need some rest. You can wait till tomorrow to explore around town and introduce yourself. Everyone would appreciate it," Mayor Lewis returned to his composure and walked away right after, leaving Dandy with Robin.

"Oh! I mustn't forget, this bin right here. Put your produce in and I'll pick them up at night to sell them for you. Good luck!" Mayor Lewis quickly added and returned to his exit with Robin following him behind.

Dandy couldn't help but feel a bit pressured and feel more exhausted. She would surely sleep soundly this entire night, despite the entire cottage creaking and wailing. She would need it, for the work she has ahead would not be an easy one.

[missramu]

Fishing lesson

Hello there! Enjoy another one of the kiss prompts!

Kiss number 22: in a rush of adrenaline

Matenro, the division from Shinjuku, had an entertaining tradition. Every once in a while, whenever their days off coincided with each other’s, they would go fishing. It was a hobby Jakurai had in common with Hifumi, and Doppo ended up tagging along with them. This weekend would be no different, and the doctor even made a reservation to have a guaranteed spot...

If it wasn’t for Doppo’s boss.

“I am truly sorry, sensei… I am just garbage, the worst kind you can find, and I ruined our day out…-“

The salaryman apologised, showing once again his low self-esteem, and sounding pitiful even during a phone call. Jakurai felt he wasn’t helping Doppo enough during their appointments.

“Do not worry, Doppo-kun. Don’t say such things, as it is not your fault after all. We will go fishing the next time, alright? There’s no need to be so hard on yourself…”

Jakurai cut him during his speech, not wanting Doppo to deprecate himself. He knew well his teammate was sorry, so everything the doctor needed to do for him was to reassure and calm him down. After all, Doppo didn’t ruin a single thing nor was his fault. If it was someone’s fault, it would be his boss for not respecting his leisure time. As he had predicted, Hifumi would make him company in order to finish Doppo’s tasks as soon as possible, so it would be just him at the fishing centre this time.

After –once again– reassuring the couple at the other line of the call that it was going to be all right, he hanged up the phone, making a half smile as he put it back on his pocket. He found lovely how Hifumi could be so devoted to his partner, sacrificing his own day off to help him and keep him company. With his teammates still on his mind, he started gathering his supplies: fishing rod, a replacement reel, lures and everything else he could need.

Just when he was going to leave his house, his phone buzzed again, this time receiving a call from someone completely different.

“Hey hey old coot! Whatcha doing on this loooovely Saturday morning?”

Ramuda’s voice announced him as cheerful as usual. Of course, who else would call him during his free day?

“Why, good morning to you too, Ramuda-kun. I was about to go fishing-“

He announced, holding his phone with his shoulder as he fetched his car keys, opening the vehicle’s trunk to start packing his gear.

“Ohh, one of your booring hobbies? Lemme guess, you’re going with your teammates, right?”

The fashion designer laughed at the other side, rummaging through his desk to pick a lollipop to unwrap and enjoy.

“That was our initial plan, yes”

Jakurai left out a heavy sigh, deciding that his gear could wait for a little, as he found himself incapable of holding the phone with his shoulder as Doppo could do.

“What do you mean with initial?”

Curious, the younger man popped the candy out of his mouth, paying real attention to Jakurai.

“I mean that they cannot come this time, so I am going alone”

“Boo-hoo, then Jakurai must be feeling soooo lonely!”

His curiosity changed to a tone that could be considered a mock or real concern. The doctor, knowing his partner, interpreted his words like what they were: something in between; real concern disguised with jokes, because that’s just how Ramuda was. Jakurai laughed softly, shaking his head a little.

“Why don’t you come with me, if you are so concerned about me being lonely?”

A small gasp was heard at the other end of the call, audible enough for Jakurai to notice the fashion designer’s surprise.

“Uh-mhhhh, fishing sounds a bit too boring for someone like me, but I guess I could go and make you some company! Don’t want my old man to be all gloomy!”

That was Ramuda’s way to announce that he was free and willing to go with him, if only he was honest enough to recognize he wanted to spend the day together with his lover.

“Alright then. I’ll be at your place in 30 minutes, so get ready. I guess you do not have a rod, do you?”

“Nuh-uh! As I told ya, I’ve never went fishing. You see, I don’t have grandpa’s hobbies!”

“Very funny, Ramuda. I’ll lend you one of mine, then”

“Wow, so cool! Thank you babe! See you real soon!”

Before Jakurai could reply, Ramuda ended the call, leaving the older man wondering whether he liked or not to be called “babe”. Letting that aside, he finally got everything in the car and, before heading to Shibuya, he came back home and fetched another rod for his new companion.

As scheduled, the doctor was in front of Ramuda’s shop just in time, only to see Ramuda was waiting for him. Jakurai chuckled, not expecting him to take fishing so seriously. He was dressed with a knee-length jean overall full of patches, a plain and short-sleeved blue crop top, matching sneakers and bucket hat.

“I didn’t imagine you would take this so seriously”

The doctor announced jokingly, rolling down the window and inviting the designer in.

“I must follow the aesthetic, you know!”

Replied the designer, opening the door and hopping in the passenger’s seat, grabbing the seatbelt and securing it. He then kissed his partner on the cheek as a greeting, giving him a paper bag.

“And I got you something too! You gotta be fashionable if I’m coming with you. I can’t let you ruin my reputation as a top designer”

Sceptically, Jakurai took the bag before starting up his van, checking what was inside. The contents surprised him, as he was expecting a present like the one he received last time –when Ramuda gifted him that one hat with the “women want me, fish fear me” phrase–. This time it was also a hat, but a decent one. One Jakurai could wear without having everyone’s eyes on him. The doctor smiled, putting it on and kissing his partner’s cheek.

“Thank you for gifting me this. I shall cherish it”

Ramuda giggled, opening a lollipop and lifting it cheerfully.

“You’re soo cheesy! I just wanna see you dressing fashionable for once, and not like a grandpa!”

Soon enough, the couple headed to the fishing centre, Jakurai driving back to Shinjuku. The ride was short and full of bickering from Ramuda to Jakurai and vice versa, since the doctor couldn’t help but fall right into the other man’s shenanigans.

After parking the car, they both got out of the car –Ramuda previously put on a pair of sunglasses–, got the fishing gear, and proceeded to go in. The staff welcomed the older man, as he was a regular there; and was asked about where did his teammates were as well as who his new companion was. It didn’t take them longer to realize he was the leader of Shibuya division, because Ramuda soon started to behave like, well, like him. The room was soon filled with cheers echoing how cute he was, as the designer was laughing and taking pictures with everyone that wanted one.

“I’m glad you’re already having fun, Amemura-kun. I can’t wait to see how will you react to fishing itself”

Jakurai waited for the crowd to calm down, heading right to his partner and gently reminding him what were they going to do. The smaller man put his phone back on his pocket, grabbing his boyfriend’s hand and going with him to the ponds.

“Since it’s your first time, I should tell you about this place”

The older man led the way, waltzing around fellow fishermen and families that went to enjoy their day.

“This is the Ichigaya Fish Center. People from both Shinjuku and other places frequent it, and, as you can see, it is family friendly. That’s because they don’t have a focus on professional fishing, having a small pond with goldfish that’s very popular among children”

Seeing his usual spot free, Jakurai went there, placing everything –starting by opening their chairs– down. Ramuda launched himself to the chair, enjoying the remains of his lollipop while the doctor continued his explanations.

“Since it’s your first time fishing, I’ll guess you don’t know how a rod works, am I right?”

“Yup! I mean, I know that you have to use a bait and things like that…”

Ramuda stopped mid-sentence, appearing paler and frowning.

“Wait wait waaaait a minute there. I’m totally NOT touching a worm, for your information!”

Jakurai laughed, sitting by Ramuda’s and starting to assemble both rods.

“Rest assured, it is not allowed to use live baits. They only permit mashed baits, so you will not be touching any worms”

The young man let out a relieved sigh, now intrigued by the doctor’s assembling task. He would ask him whenever he got a question, no matter how silly it could be; and Jakurai replied with pleasure, thanking Ramuda’s interest. It didn’t take them long to be completely ready, Jakurai handing Ramuda a rod and making sure he was holding it right.

“Always make sure to tie the knot tightly. A bad knot may make you lose a good catch. Understood?”

“Right and clear, mister!!”

And, like that, Jakurai taught his partner how to throw the rod, what led to a couple of failed attempts –where a fisherman’s hat was related, as well as an apology for “fishing” his hat– and a final success that made Ramuda enthusiastic enough to keep going.

“It’s important to know that fishing takes patience. Do you think yourself capable of such thing?”

Jakurai joked, receiving a pout as a reply from the pink haired man.

“I can be pretty patient if I want, humph!”

“Alright then. Keep an eye on your bobber, and if you see it shaking, then a fish is nibbling on the bait. If you see it going completely under the surface, quickly set the hook before losing the fish”

“Aand… How do I do that?”

His question was answered with actions: a fish happened to nibble on Jakurai’s bait, and he took that as an opportunity to teach Ramuda.

“It’s simple. You just have to do this–“

As soon as the bobber submerged completely, the doctor quickly rose the pole, pointing it straight in the air.

“By doing this, the fish will swing to you. Like that, you will have successfully catched a fish”

The designer looked at him in awe, amazed by the scene –and by how hot the doctor when he rose the pole–. He set down his rod and rushed to Jakurai, who was now holding his catch gently.

“Remember to hold it carefully. Pond fishes don’t usually have sharp teeth, but you may find fishes with spiny fins and, overall, they are very slippery. You have to hold them behind the head, without fear and gently”

Ramuda looked at the carp full of curiosity, admiring how his partner was holding it. He estimated that it was about 60 centimetres long, and laughed at the sight of its moustache.

“Before releasing it back, we remove the hook with these–”

Jakurai motioned to his other hand, showing a pair of needle-nose pliers. He took out the hook with ease, showing his skills and how accustomed he was to the activity, leaving Ramuda to wonder for how long he has been fishing.

The younger man took out his phone, making the doctor pose for a picture. Jakurai agreed happily, letting him take a picture.

“This is bringing back some memories! I used to be your teacher, but you’re the one teaching me now!”

They both smiled bitter-sweetly, remembering the old TDD days. The bitterness didn’t last long, because now everything was in the place it should be. No more misunderstandings that could make everything tangle up the way it was tangled before.

“Now it’s your turn, Ramuda-kun. Show me what you can do”

As soon as the picture was taken, Jakurai put the fish back on the pond, watching it swim away before sitting back and launching again his rod.

“Alright! Well then, here we go!”

Ramuda launched his pole, looking to Jakurai occasionally in order to check if he was doing it right. After he reassured him, he gazed again to the bobber, frowning as he focused on the task.

“UGH! This is taking forever! Why don’t they come faster?! Silly fishes!”

As the older man had anticipated, after 10 minutes motionless, his partner lost what little patience he had.

“What was the first thing I told you before starting, Ramuda-kun?”

“That it takes patience…”

He replied, somewhat irritated and frustrated.

“And what did you answer?”

Jakurai kept the conversation going, taking his chance to bicker the designer.

“Geez, I know, I know! I gotta wait! Now shut up, old coot!”

The lilac haired man laughed, launching his rod back in the water and providing Ramuda with small talk to help him overcome dullness. As someone who had lots of energy, he needed to be in constant movement; and activities such as fishing could be frustrating due to long waiting times and needing to be calm and quiet. For that, they kept talking about whatever topic they could find, keeping the designer entertained and focused –not losing his patience was the main goal–.

Their counting, after a while, was still negative for Ramuda. Jakurai managed to catch three medium sized carps and a big one, whereas the younger man only had a couple of failed attempts.

“I swear if I don’t get one the next time, I’m launching this stupid rod to the pond and never coming back!”

The doctor could notice how this was more frustrating than entertaining for his partner, and started to feel sorry for bringing him here. But the feeling didn’t last long, because soon enough Ramuda’s bobber went underwater again.

“Now, Ramuda-kun! Do it as I taught you, quickly!”

The designer reacted swiftly and, thanks to his efforts, he finally succeeded and raised the pole straight, catching his first fish. He grabbed it just like Jakurai told him to, and right after taking out the hook, he started to jump enthusiastically, laughing with pride and showing off his “prize”.

“Look!! I got it, I got it!!”

He couldn’t help but laugh, smiling widely for his picture. The doctor felt relieved, letting his recent thoughts go away, washed by his lover’s laugh.

“Yes, you did it very well. Congratulations on your first catch, my love”

Moved by the adrenaline, Ramuda jumped to kiss him after releasing the carp, clutching to the doctor’s neck and trusting him to hold him. The kiss was eagerly replied, Jakurai caressing his hair after putting him down again. The designer’s broad and sincere smile was something he would never get tired of watching.

“See? You just needed to be patient”

[chris-evans-indian-fanfic]

Love

One-Shot

Description: Asexual!Bucky thinks he is broken beyond repair, until you show him that he has been complete all this while.

Warnings: Angst, bad language, mention of sex toys, romance and fluff

@jtargaryen18 organised a writing challenge for reaching 4k followers and of course I have to participate multiple times! 😍 I am sorry this entry is a little late 🙈

My Main Masterlist

A/N: This is the first time I am writing an asexual character. Whatever I have written is based upon my knowledge that I have gathered by reading various articles and posts on asexuality. The reason I am writing this is because I want to have an equal amount of straight and LGBTQ+ stories in my masterlist, so that there's something for everyone to enjoy. Hence, if you are an asexual person or know someone who is, and you realise that anything in my story is incorrectly represented, then please let me know. I will immediately correct it, issue an apology and accept my mistake publicly. 

I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but Tumblr and AO3, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

…

"I cannot fucking believe this!" Karen shouted, "What are you like gay or something?"

Bucky winced at her venomous words. "You need to leave," he said in a quiet, respectful tone.

"Like hell I am going to leave. I want answers!" she placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. "What is it? Am I not sexy enough for you? Are you not attracted by this?!" she gestured towards the skimpy lingerie currently hugging her body.

Bucky met her eyes as he responded, "I do not want to have sex with you." 

She huffed, clearly not convinced, "Why not? We have been going out for what, 3 months now? And you still don't want to have sex with me? What is the issue here? Is it-" she paused suddenly, her eyes traveling down his torso to his crotch, "You can't get it up can you?" she sneered.

Bucky shook his head, too exhausted to deal with her, "Karen, it's nothing like that. I just do not want to get physical with you. That's all."

"Oh! Ooooohh!" she bent backwards a bit, "So it was fine to hug me, cuddle with me and hold my hands. But when it comes to sex, you suddenly become a pious celibate saint! What the fuck Bucky?"

Bucky sighed, and handed Karen back her coat, "We are done. Please leave."

She laughed dryly, "Oh abso-fucking-lutely we are done. You know what I think?" she asked while wearing the coat, "I think that you are too old grandpa and that your tiny ass tortured gay dick cannot salute on its own. Because no man in his right mind would deny this," she again pointed to herself. "Super-soldier my ass," she muttered as she left.

The door to his apartment closed with a loud bang, leaving an echo in its wake. Bucky stood still, rooted to his spot. If it were not for the silent tears rolling down his cheeks, anybody could have mistaken him for a statue. 

Slowly, he sat on the floor, his gentle sobs rocking his body as he hugged his knees. 

Decades of torture by the hands of Hydra had left him crippled, physically, mentally and emotionally. When he had been saved by Steve, he had started to piece his life back together, bit by bit. Things such as books, movies, music became tiny jigsaw pieces that slowly filled the void in his life. 

After the final galactic battle with Thanos, Bucky had been officially initiated to the Avengers team, or rather what was left of it. The team soon became an extended family, a family that Bucky was still getting used to. It was especially irksome when Sam and Scott decided to set him up on a date with Karen from Research & Development (R&D), despite his protests.

It wasn't that Bucky didn't desire a relationship. He wanted to be close to someone, experience romance, feel their heartbeat in a close embrace and place light kisses on their forehead. 

But he didn't want to have sex.

At first, he thought he might not have met the right woman. So he searched for porn online, which did little to sway his feelings. He put the issue on a backburner, the safety of the people and the urgency of his missions steering the wheel of his life for a while. 

But when Sam and Scott proudly announced their grand plans for Bucky's date, he remembered his "issue" again. He looked at Karen closely whenever they went on dates together. She looked perfect. Beautiful hair, soft glowing skin, curves in all the right places, all packed in a graceful, slender body.

Bucky liked being close to her, but he was still not getting aroused. Hence, he stopped her advancements everytime she tried to get physical. Karen tolerated it for a while, before her patience wore out tonight.

As the sun rose in the sky, Bucky was still seated on the floor, his cheeks now stained with tears that had stopped sometime in the night, though a sniff escaped from him every few minutes. He looked at the sunlight pouring in from the window, broken by the window-panes, landing at his feet in two rays with a comforting warmth. It was in that moment that Bucky realised, Hydra had truly broken him.

🏳️‍🌈

"We have various types of dildos available. There's The Classic, Textured, Long and Thin, Short and Thick, Vibrators, Transparent Plexiglass Dildos, Strap-Ons, G-Spot Dildos, Double-Ended, Squirting Dildos and ones that also come with a suction grip. Are you looking for yourself or are you looking for something to enjoy with your partner?" the helpful saleswoman asked you.

You stroked your chin in thought, "It's only for me. I already have a vibrator that I bought about a year back. The G-Spot ones have never really worked for me. I am looking to try something new. What is the suction grip one?" 

The attendant handed you the dildo and showed you the suction grip at the end of it, "You can use this to place and stick it on any flat surface you want, whether it's the floor or the wall or the side of your desk. It guarantees a completely hands-free pleasurable experience."

You stuck it on the wall besides the showcase to test the theory. It worked. "Neat! I will take this one," you smiled as the attendant went to fetch a fresh piece.

You paid for your new sex toy and walked back to the Avengers compound with your small white shopping bag in tow.

When you reached your desk, you heard Karen bitching as usual about something to Jessica. At first, you blocked them out like you did almost everyday, but then a name in their conversation caught your attention.

"He's the Winter Soldier alright. He's completely frozen down there," Karen whispered loudly with disgust. 

"Even that red sexy lingerie didn't do anything for him?" Jessica gasped dramatically.

"No!"

"That's crazy! That hot-red piece will convert even the most gayest of the guys! And it didn't do anything for him? Wow," Jessica responded.

Karen added, "You know something? I have always thought he was extremely weird. Like, dude, I know you were tortured by Hydra or whatever, but get over it man! It's been years since he was free. He should enjoy life and stop being such a wimp. I am 100% sure he is impotent."

"You know I was digging into him the other night," Jessica said in a hushed whisper, "and I saw a message board online which suggested that his penis has been completely cut by Hydra. This person knows all such secrets about these alleged superheros. You should follow him."

"What is his username?"

"Proud-Flat-Earther-MotherFuckers. Wait, I will send you the link," Jessica offered. 

Having heard enough of their nonsense, you made your way towards the HR department. Maybe both Karen and Jessica had forgotten, but talking about the personal lives of Avengers was strictly against the rules and was considered as reason enough to fire employees. 

You filed a complaint with the HR and within a few hours, both the women were fired on the spot. You savored the moment with relish, as their faces turned aghast at the realisation that their actions had consequences. You went up to them, watching the pair clean their desks, with unabashed glee. 

"You know something Karen?" you asked her, "Just because a man refuses to have sex, it didn't mean that he's a wimp, or gay or an impotent. But if you do choose to think of him that way, then it surely makes you a sexiest and a homophobic person."

Karen looked at you furiously, "You bitch! I lost my job because you went and blabbed in front of the HR!"

You chuckled at her outburst, "Oh my dearest Karen. Yes I did go and rat you out to the HR. But that's not what got the two of you fired."

"Then what did?" Jessica asked as she joined the conversation. 

You folded your hands for effect, "Your hateful comments and toxic views cost you your jobs. People like you think that just by using the latest iPhone or following the latest trends, you are a modern, 21st century person. But in reality, it is your open mindset which makes you a member of the modern society. If you would open your mind just as much as you open your legs, trust me, the two of you will be much better off."

You turned to leave, but stopped yourself, "Just a suggestion. Stop using words like gay and impotent as insults. It will help you retain your next job for a longer time." You winked at their speechless faces, and happily returned to your desk. 

Your job in R&D was taxing and so, you always found yourself working late. Today was no exception either. As you left your office at around 8pm, you saw Bucky heading towards the elevator which led to his apartment. You always had a soft spot for the brunette super-soldier. For starters, you couldn't even begin to comprehend the tortures he must have endured in his past. And the fact that he was trying to piece his life back together again? It was truly commendable.

He always kept to himself, his eyes downcast and his body language unsure. And after what you had heard today, you felt even more sorry for the guy. Turning towards the cafeteria, you picked up a box of vanilla-strawberry French macarons for him, thanking the heavens above for the free food available at the Avengers compound. You held the white bag with macarons in your left hand, being mindful of not confusing it with the similar white bag in your right which contained your new sex toy. 

A few moments later, you found yourself in front of his apartment. You had visited him twice before to adjust his vibranium arm or to sort out a few tweaks, but never before had you visited him so late in the evening. 

You knocked, feeling a little hesitant as you did so. He was surprised to find you standing on the opposite of the door, however, he still greeted you courteously nonetheless. 

Before you could state your reason for the visit, he said sincerely, "I heard what you did today. Thank you. I really appreciated it."

Now it was your turn to be surprised, "Oh. Ummm. It's okay really Mr Barnes. It was nothing. You don't need to-"

"No. It wasn't just nothing. You could have turned a deaf ear and ignored them. Yet you chose to stand-up for me. Thank you," a small smile laced his face and you melted on the spot.

You had a crush on Bucky. A BIG one. Could anyone blame you? This guy was a hot, sexy mess of an ice-cream sundae that left you hungry for more even on the coldest nights of the year. 

You realised you were staring into his steel-blue eyes like a creep, and immediately cleared your throat. "What-what they did was wrong. Karen had no right to demean you for your desires or lack of them. I-," you sighed, "I am sorry for what she said. It was disrespectful and hurtful. So I brought you something that I hope will cheer you up."

You awkwardly raised your right hand, "I got you some vanilla-strawberry macarons from the cafeteria."

Bucky did cheer up a bit at the mention of his favourite food. He eagerly took the bag with a huge smile, "Thank you," he said once again as you shook your head. "Thank you for everything you do to keep us safe Mr Barnes. I must be on my way now. Goodnight," and with that you left, grinning like an idiot.

🏳️‍🌈

You took a bath, ate your dinner and slipped into comfortable pyjamas. Excited to try your new sex toy tonight, you unpacked the bag expecting to see the nondescript box of the dildo. Instead, 5 delicious macarons stared back at you with innocence. 

You stumbled backwards in shock, the impact of your action settling like a dull, heavy weight in your stomach. "Oh no no no no," you whispered, horrified.

You immediately rushed to your window and pulled aside the curtain to look at Bucky's building, as if expecting to see him staring daggers at you. One of the privileges of working with the Avengers? You got to stay in a nice apartment within the compound itself. Your residential complex was a little further away from the main building, covered easily by 15 minutes of walking. 

Feeling hyper, you frantically searched for a coat and almost ran out of your house. You rushed back in to keep the box in the bag and again, dashed towards the elevator. 

Hoping that Bucky would have yet to open the box, you sent a silent prayer to all the gods and goddesses in the skies above, even Thor. Meh, you never know when an ex-Avenger could be of help.

You sprinted towards the other building, a multitude of thoughts clouding your mind- What if he was offended by it? Would he file a complaint against me? It would be sorta ironic if I was fired for this! Shit he would think my apology was false and I am probably mocking him.

You reached his apartment, a panting, huffing mess of a person. You knocked frantically, his door shaking with force at your desperation. However, you jumped as Bucky whispered your name from behind you, "Are you okay? What's going on?" he asked with concern as you turned around to face him.

"Did-did you op-open the bo-ox?" you questioned him while panting like a dog. 

He furrowed his brows in response, "No I was planning to open it in a few minutes. Please tell me what's going on. Why do you look so scared?"

You bent over double, your stomach cramping thanks to your impromptu running, "Thi-this is your bag," you held up the package, "That ba-bag is mine."

"Okay," Bucky said slowly, still unsure of your behaviour, "Should I open the door to retrieve your bag?"

You nodded as he stepped aside, "Why are you not wearing any shoes?"

You looked down at your feet at his query, small blades of grass had stuck to your naked feet along with dirt. "I was in a hur-hurry to get to you," you managed to say between your breaths.

Bucky just nodded in response. It was then that you noticed the pack of paper tissues in his hand. He opened the door and stepped inside, beckoning you to follow him. He pointed to the white bag kept on the table while he looked at it with worry. "Will it explode?" he solicited.

"Uhh no," you replied awkwardly.

"Is it dangerous?" curiosity etched on Bucky's face as you swapped the bags.

"No, it's nothing like that," you looked down at your feet, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks with embarrassment.

He narrowed his eyes, "Then what is it?"

"I can't tell you," you quietly admitted, "but here are your macarons. I am really sorry for this. Didn't mean to disturb you from whatever you had planned," you pointed to the box of tissues still in his hand. 

Bucky noticed the underlying question in your statement, "I was about to watch a movie. So needed these to clear the mess."

Your eyes went wide at his sincerity. While you had a crush on him, you definitely did not want to know about Bucky's late night masturbation adventures. Shaking your head, you raised your hands and started walking backwards, "I am sorry I disturbed your nightly… activities. I get out of your hair."

"Actually, would you like to join me for the movie?" Bucky asked hopefully, "We have the macarons and you seem like you need to calm your nerves."

You were surprised for the third time that day. Did Bucky just ask you to masturbate with him? Or have sex while eating the macarons? Or did he want to eat them after you guys have had sex? A flurry of questions swirled in your mind as you stared at him with a slightly open mouth. 

Bucky interpreted your gaze and stumbled to clarify himself, "As friends! Would you like to watch a movie with me as a friend?"

You slowly nodded your affirmation, "Yeah okay. Which movie are we watching?" 

"The Notebook," he revealed with a smile, "It's an extremely emotional movie. Ummm what's the term? Tear-jerker? Uhh yeah, it's a real tear-jerker of a movie."

"Oh so that's why…" you pointed at the tissues. "Yeah," he confirmed, "I tend to cry a lot while watching that movie. And… ummm… I am the kind of person who cries ugly. You know, all tears and snot. So yeah… I need the whole box."

"That's… that's actually sweet," you smiled, "Trust me you are not alone. I start crying as soon as the titles appear on the screen."

He got excited at your confession, "Yes! Exactly! It's because you know what's going to come and you are just mentally preparing yourself."

You chuckled with him in affirmation as he led you further into his apartment.

You freshened up a bit in his washroom, making sure to clean your feet and the residue on your face from the sweat.

Bucky was standing besides your bag when you entered the living room, "Now that we are friends," he intoned, "will you please tell me what's inside of this?"

You sighed, "Mr Barnes-." 

"Bucky," he corrected you and you smiled. 

"Will you promise me you will not take any offense or be insulted by it? I really did not mean to swap the bags."

"I trust you," Bucky said with assurance.

"It's…it is a sex toy," you mumbled quietly. Any normal human wouldn't have heard you, but Bucky's enhanced hearing caught your words flawlessly. 

He took a moment to process your words, and finally, to your amazement, burst out laughing. 

You sheepishly smiled at his reaction as your heart felt a little lighter. "That is embarrassing," he agreed with a wide grin. 

The two of you settled on the couch as Bucky's chuckles lessened. He kept the box of macarons between you two, but hesitated to begin the movie.

You sensed his curiosity, and clarified, "I haven't been in a relationship in a very long time. It's been… 2 years I guess… since my last breakup." You took a deep breath, "And my job doesn't exactly leave a lot of time on my hands for dating or one-night-stands."

Bucky seemed to consider your words for what felt like a long time. Finally, he asked quietly, "What does it feel like? To… to want another person… sexually?"

You blinked your eyes, thinking you must have misheard him. But then, his gaze met yours, and you knew his question was sincere.

"It feels like…," you raked your mind in search for the appropriate words, "...like your entire body is on fire, and you need the touch of the other person to quench your thirst. Like, just for a few moments, you want to shut your mind, and let your body think for you."

Bucky nodded slowly as you finished, "But what if you feel that in your heart? And not for your body?"

You squint your eyes at his question, "What do you mean Bucky?"

He placed his head in his hands, "I just… I don't feel like that with anyone. I mean, I don't want to have sex. Trust me I have tried everything. Literally everything. Still I don't feel aroused… I am broken, aren't I? Because this is abnormal, right? No matter how hard I try I will never be normal."

Your heart shattered at his words. You had heard about his horrid nightmares, but to think that he was struggling to accept himself, thinking that he was broken, even when he had so much love to give, was depressing. You could not just stand by and watch.

Gently, you placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bucky, look at me." When he didn't comply, you urged him, "Bucky, you are not broken. It is completely normal to not have any sexual desires."

"No it's not," he scoffed.

"Yes it is," you coerced him, "Do you know what is asexuality? It is the complete absence of sexual desires. Many people-"

He interrupted you, "There is no such thing. You are making this up."

"I am not," you replied indignantly, "Research indicates that more than 1% of the American population is asexual. Also, experts believe that more people might be asexuals because they think that they "haven't found the right person yet"," you ended with air quotes.

With no reaction from him, you sighed and got up, "Do yourself a favour. Use the internet and learn about asexuality. It will help put your mind at ease." You left after giving that piece of advice.

Bucky stayed in the same position for a few moments after your departure. He nibbled on a macaron as he considered the movie playing in front of him. Unable to focus, he promptly shut it all and carried the box to his bed. The macarons disappeared into his mouth as he tossed and turned, feeling restless. 

There was no way asexuality was a thing. If it was, then how come there were no movies, tv shows or even advertisements on asexuality? That's because it wasn't normal, right? Maybe you had just lied to him to make him feel better? Maybe you took pity on him?

He looked at his phone on the table near the tv set, your final words repeating in his head in a loop. The combination of tiredness and laziness encouraged him to take your advice in the morning.

🏳️‍🌈

You didn't see Bucky for 3 days after your fateful encounter with him. The fact that you still had your job at the Avengers Tower meant that he hadn't filed a complaint yet with the HR. And for that you were grateful. Friday came and you found yourself working late, again. It was around 10pm and you were still in your lab, almost done with the work. That's when you heard the small swoosh of the lab doors opening and closing.

You looked up from your table, and found Bucky staring intently at you with his blue eyes. He cleared his throat and tentatively took a step towards you. "You were right," he said slowly, "I researched online, read a few articles and spoke with the in-house therapist. I am an," he took a deep breath, "an asexual."

You closed your laptop and smiled at his confession, "How are you feeling now?"

"Honestly? A little bit better. I feel somewhat free," he admitted while gripping the white bag in his hand a little bit tighter.

"That's great! I am so proud of the progress you have made," you beamed at him, but sensed his hesitance as you neared him.

"What's wrong?" you gently inquired.

"You are… not… I mean… by any chance… asexual?" he winced at his own question.

You chuckled lightly, "No I am not."

"Ahh, then it's okay," he murmured and turned as if to leave.

You stopped him by placing a hand on his firm bicep, "What's going on?"

He shifted on his feet, visibly uncomfortable and anxious, "I was just… no nevermind it's stupid."

"Bucky," you said his name in a stern voice.

He sighed again, "I thought… I mean I owe you a movie because… of that night… and so… you know… would you like to watch it? The movie? But why would you? You deserve better… you are not an asexual. You are normal. Why would you want to go on a date with me?" he finally ended his mumbling.

You looked at him with squinted eyes, trying to decipher what he had muttered. "Did you just say you would like to go on a date with me? But it was stupid because you are an asexual and I am normal?" you blinked as he nodded.

"Who told you that you are not normal?" you asked him, a little irritated, "Bucky look at me." This time he complied, "You. Are. Normal. As normal as me, as the other Avengers or as anybody else in the world. Do not, for even one goddamn second, think that there's something wrong with you because there isn't. Are you listening to me? Am I clear?" you wagged your forefinger at him.

Amused at your outburst, he nodded with a sheepish grin. Clearing his throat, he asked you again, "Would you like to watch a movie with me tomorrow? As a date?"

You placed your hands on your waist, "Yes."

His grin widened as he asked you the next question, "Still mad at me?"

"Uh-huh."

"Maybe these cupcakes will help," he shyly held up the white bag in front of you, "I made sure they were cupcakes," he added with a smirk.

You graciously accepted the bag, "Cupcakes will always help."

"Great! It's a date then. Tomorrow… at 4pm? My apartment?" Bucky suggested.

You agreed, and he left with a goodbye. As soon as he was out of sight, you opened the box, expecting to see the usual cupcakes inside. Instead, you found that the sweet treats were decorated with cute messages such as "U R Cute" , "Be Mine?" , "So Sweet" and so on. Feeling mushy at his adorable gesture, you bit into the sweet treat as you headed back to your apartment.

The next day, you made sure to wear a purple dress, complete with black, grey and white accessories - the colours of the asexual flag. Bucky beamed at you as he welcomed you into his apartment. He had made a snack mix from popcorn, crispy pretzels, chips and nachos, the perfect accompaniment to any movie according to him, and you couldn't agree more.

The pair of you watched The Notebook in silence, except for a few sobs and sniffs here and there and the straight up bawling during the emotional parts of the movie.

After a while, the film ended but your date continued. The two of you talked about everything, right from the meaningful discussions about the government policies to random questions like "which mythical creature would you be and why?"

Soon, it was time for you to head back to your apartment. Bucky offered to walk you and you happily agreed. But before you left, he asked you nervously, "Would you like to have a second date?"

"I would love to," you beamed, "Which movie should we watch the next time?"

He ran his hand in his somewhat disheveled hair, "Uhh… I actually made a date jar. Wait, I will get it."

He brought over a glass jar, filled with tiny bits of folded paper, "I thought we could have dates that start from each English alphabet. We can pick and choose at random from the jar."

Tears pricked the corner of your eyes again at his thoughtful and romantic gesture. You gingerly picked one note from the jar, excited for the adventure that awaited the two of you.

🏳️‍🌈

It took more than 2 years for the pair of you to finish every date in the date jar, except for one. Whether it was jet-skiing in the ocean, taking classes for flamenco dance, him teaching you self-defense or going on a wildlife safari together, you and Bucky finally got through it all. Only the letter "P" was now left.

In these 2 years, any distance between the two of you had practically vanished. Bucky was comfortable in removing his bionic arm in front of you. Moreover, he had started sharing everything with you. Right from his darkest and disturbing nightmares to a pretty butterfly that he may have seen during his missions, Bucky made it a point to ensure that you were a part of his life, and you had absolutely no complaints.

The two of you had also discussed about your sexual desires, and Bucky had been comfortable with you using your sex toys as and when you wished.

Bucky was the perfect boyfriend anybody could ask for. He was considerate, thoughtful, a hardcore feminist and gave the best foot-rubs in the world. And so you were nervous. Nervous because the two of you had never actually sat down to talk about the nature of your relationship. And as the day of the last date loomed nearer, your anxiety increased. At first, you thought of making a second date jar, but he had quickly dismissed the idea, stating that he would be caught up with multiple things after the last date ended.

As you sat in the car that Bucky had sent for you, your apprehension grew. Bucky always picked you up, however this time, he had asked you to come alone in the car. Maybe he wanted to break up with you?

By the time you reached the park it was pitch black. You were sure Bucky had paid the guards to keep the gates of the park open just for you.

As soon as you entered, you saw the pathway lined with 25 lamp posts, leading you towards a breathtaking archway decorated with fairy lights and your favourite flowers.

On every lamp post, a photograph of the two of you - which were taken on your dates - was stuck along with a note. The notes described how he fell in love with you over and over again on every single date. Your progress was slow, as read each of his meticulously written words with tears in your eyes. You collected all of his notes and the photographs, and finally headed towards the lit archway.

When you entered it, the instrumental notes of the song "All of Me" by John Legend reached your ears.

You walked ahead and reached a bend. Upon crossing it, you were showered with rose petals as the live music grew louder. And at the end of the archway, your boyfriend, James Buchanan Barnes, was standing in a tuxedo, looking as sinfully good as the forbidden fruit. The entire area around him was lit with soft fairy lights that cascaded gracefully between tall lamp posts. Even on the ground, small wooden lamps illuminated the grass across the area. A live band was playing the music and your Bucky was standing with the most gorgeous bouquet of red roses that you had ever seen.

Your vision turned blurry as you started crying, and looking at your tears, he started sobbing as well. "No no no I can't cry now," he managed to say between his sobs while giving you his handkerchief, "I have to do this."

He got down on one knee and took your hand in his. You both laughed as you started crying harder. He took a deep breath and said your name, "These 2 years have been the most magical years of my life. You have accepted me as who I am, what I am, and never once tried to change me or make fun of me for it. I never thought I would be treated with the amount of respect that-" he started crying, unable to finish his sentence.

You sat beside him and handed him your kerchief. "Yes," you said with a tear-stained smile.

"Let me ask you first!" he exclaimed between his sobs.

You laughed and wiped your snot as he cleared his throat, "I love you so much. You are the only one I want to-" he started crying again.

"Yes!" you answered his unsaid question.

"I haven't asked you yet!" he exclaimed again as the two of you giggled between your sobs.

"Okay c'mon Bucky you can do this," he muttered to himself as you beamed at him. "Okay," he looked into your eyes and whispered your name, "Will you do me the honour of marrying me and becoming my wife?"

You choked up at finally hearing the words. Rendered speechless, you could only nod as fresh tears escaped your eyes.

"You have to say yes!" he almost shouted with excitement.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!!" you matched his enthusiasm as he slipped a ring onto your finger. His large arms then engulfed you in a bear hug, wrapping you in a safe and secure space for eternity to come.

Permanent tag: @donutloverxo @notyourtypicalrose @just-one-ordinary-fangirl

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