#summer said sap nap

[mushiewrites]

can you do 32 and 33 w karlnap i miss them a lot :(

from this post!

I ran a poll (here) and this is the pairing that won! karlnap my loves <3

32 - “What's with the bad mood? I think that may need to be remedied…” / 33 - “I am not even touching you yet!”

(lee!Sapnap / ler!Karl : 974 words)

“What’s gotten into you today, grumpy Gus?�� Karl eyed the brunette next to him, who was busy scowling at his phone. Sapnap was huffing out frustrated sighs every few minutes, getting to the point where Karl couldn’t ignore them any longer. “You look like a cat when their hair is all spiked up ‘cause they’re mad.” 

The elder wasn’t surprised when he was met with a muffled grunt, watching as Sapnap reached up and pulled the front of his hat down to block Karl from meeting his eyes. He let out a chuckle as he leaned closer to the smaller boy, slowly sliding the phone from his hands to give Sapnap the opportunity to stop him. He didn’t, and so Karl continued to take it until it was in his own hands, seeing Sapnap’s hands drop into his lap from the corner of his eye as he set the younger boy’s phone on the table in front of them. 

“Hey gorgeous, what’s going on?”

“Nothing.” Sapnap was staring blankly at his lap, his eyes following the movement of his fingers as he wiggled them, giving himself a welcomed distraction from the feeling of Karl’s stare. The action suddenly gave Karl an idea and he smirked mischievously as he decided to put it into motion. He moved quickly, pushing Sapnap down onto his back against the couch cushions and straddling his waist before he could fight back.

“Wh-? Karl, what-” 

“What’s with the bad mood?” He questioned, cutting Sapnap off and tilting his head to the side like a puppy would as he waited for a response. When he received none, he continued. “I think that may need to be remedied…” 

“What the hell, Karl what are you- nohoho! No, don’t!” Sapnap began to squirm when he fell into panicked giggles, watching as Karl held up his hands and began to wiggle his fingers. He attempted to grab at the menacing hands above him, but Karl dodged it, gripping on to Sapnap’s wrists instead.

“What? I am not even touching you yet!” Karl was giggling almost as much as Sapnap was, loving the raspy tone in the younger boy’s protests. 

“P-Plehease! Karl, lehets talk about thihis!” 

“No talking! Only laughing! Now, laugh for me, handsome.” 

Sapnap wasn’t prepared when Karl suddenly released the grip on his wrists, cackling when he felt pinches travel up and down his sides. He was twisting around as much as he could, trying to block Karl’s tickly fingers but finding it to be useless - Karl’s hands followed wherever he turned. 

“Nohoho! O-Okahahay, I’m sohohorry!” He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but whenever Dream would tickle him, apologizing normally worked. He figured he’d try it on Karl, hoping it would work. But the older boy above him just giggled, a smirk forming as he watched Sapnap writhe below him.

“Whahat are you saying sorry for, silly?” Karl asked through his laughter, smile growing wider when Sapnap shrugged through his squeals. Karl shook his head fondly, crawling his hands up to the boy’s ribs, slowly heading towards a very sensitive spot. Sapnap recognized this and pressed his arms down to his sides as tight as he could, laughing harder as Karl’s hands tried to continue their journey to his underarms but stopping to tickle at his top ribs instead. 

“Nahaha plehehease! Nohot there!” 

“Oh yes, there. Need to make sure my baby boy is smiling as wide as he can!” Karl teased in a high pitched voice. He was thrown into another round of bright giggles when Sapnap shrieked, Karl’s hands finally wedging themselves under his arms and pressing in, rubbing deep circles and doing quick pokes into the ticklish skin. 

“NAHAHA, PL-PLEHEHE- KARL! I- I CAHAHAN’T!” 

As much as Karl adored watching Sapnap blush and laugh himself silly, he didn’t want to overwhelm the younger boy. He gently pulled his hands out from under Sap’s arms, rubbing at his sides and tummy to help him calm down. Sapnap took in a deep breath, letting out the last of his giggles as he rubbed the tears from the corners of his eyes. When he moved his hands back down to rest by his sides, he was greeted with a very smiley Karl looking down at him. 

“I hate you.” Sapnap deadpanned in response.

“Sure you do,” Karl smiled, gently grabbing his hands and helping him back up into a sitting position as he caught his breath. “Now, do you wanna tell me what’s wrong?

“I’m just…tired I guess.” Sapnap groaned, cheeks still red from laughing but a frown finding its way back onto his face anyway. He turned his body towards Karl, flopping his forehead against the other boy’s shoulder with his eyes struggling to stay open.

“Why don’t you take a nap?” Karl wrapped an arm around Sapnap, running a hand soothingly up and down his back and smiling when he felt the smaller boy relax under his touch. 

“I don’t wanna waste the day…”  The words were muffled in the sleeve of his shirt but Karl understood. He lightly brought his hands to grip both of Sapnap’s shoulders, pushing him up slowly so he could look him in the eyes. 

“You’re not gonna waste the day, it’ll just be a small one,” Karl stood up from the couch, reaching both arms out and making grabby hands to hint that he wanted Sapnap to take them. “Come on, I’ll take one with you. We can cuddle!”

As much as Sapnap wanted to keep the harsh frown on his face, he couldn’t help but smile at Karl’s childish actions and sweet words. He rolled his eyes with a small giggle before taking the hands being offered to him, yelping when Karl yanked at his arms and pulled him up much faster than anticipated. 

“Let’s go, giggles, it’s time for sleep.”

[a-twistedheartslonging]

Nonhuman AU Trey

Ironically this baker is a type of cinnamon bear, but you wouldn't be able to tell since like his siblings he inherited his dad's green fur, though he is a lighter shade. It's more obvious if you take a look at his mother.

Said siblings climb around on everything, including Trey himself. He likes swinging them around when they hang onto his strong arms and... would be willing to do the same for you if asked.

He’s taller and has more muscle than his human counterpart, but also a bit more squish. Has some very thick dark claws, and human hands with some dark padding on the palm and fingertips. He has a little tail that isn't that noticeable given its size. Sharp teeth and noticeable canines.

Very interested in your little dull human teeth and small mouth.

Fur is fluffy and he has a lot of it. Arms, legs chest, underarms, floof happy trail, above his tail and the same shade of green as his hair. Now bear fur texture is shaggy and thick, but unlike regular bears whose fur is rough, dirty looking, and stiff due to dirt, leaves, tree sap, and old food, Trey takes very good care of his fur so it's great for burying your face in. Similar to other beasts he can and will use it to lure you in for cuddles and to give him scritches.

Like dogs, bears lose some of their soft, dense insulating underfur as well as some of their coarse outer guard hairs when temperatures climb. By late summer, they can look quite scruffy. However, as the weather cools and they layer on fat for hibernation, their underfur and guard hairs grow back. He is very not pleased when his fur gets scruffy in those hot months and how much he ends up shedding. Don’t worry, it won’t get in the goodies he bakes, in a world full of magic where the majority of the population are types of fur-having beasts, they know how to make sure everything stays sanitary. 

He very much appreciates you helping with brushing him out and unlike certain other guys, isn't a tsundere about asking, of course, he offers something yummy in return and will insist even if you say you're just fine with helping him out. It's totally because he just wants to pay you back and not because he wants to show off how good his baking skills are and how he can keep you fed.

Tbh even before you start dating you might end up gaining a pound or two because of him.

He’s too domesticated to hibernate but isn't opposed to taking naps when he can and can sleep pretty hard...unfortunately certain members of his dorm like to cause trouble and he ends up getting disturbed often.

Poor tired bear waking up all of a sudden and fur a mess because AceDeuce broke something and now Riddle is screaming.

The guy likes puns and dad jokes so if you think he isn't going to make any bear ones you're wrong.

Bear hugs. Human Trey already gives those warm comforting hugs, but bear beastman Trey? You will never feel more warm and secure in a hug. He smells like baked goods and has a comforting underlying musk. Loves how big and protective holding you makes him feel, you can't see it with your face smooched into his chest, but he has a very self-satisfied look on his face if you say anything about feeling safe with him.

Please scratch his back for him, his fur is thick, and it's hard to reach. You might even catch him doing this when he thinks no one is looking. He makes funny noises when you find a good spot. Is perfectly fine lying down with you sitting on his back and going to town on him with those nibble little monkey hands.

Speaking of noises, bears make a lot of them, and I don't just mean the growls they're known for.

Grunts are often used by mother bears to communicate with their cubs and can signal to cubs to climb trees for safety or to follow her. Now unlike regular male bears, bear beastmen are involved with their kids and do the same thing. Though admittedly Trey has a habit of doing this with you and his siblings when something goes down, though he doesn't expect you to climb up a tree, just get behind him. Though he can easily get you up there himself if need be.

Huffing is a warning to get away, teeth clicking is a warning but also a fear/stress response, and similar to humans, bears whimper when they are in distress or fear. It’s a sound that indicates submission or vulnerability. Hmm getting him to whimper because of submission though...

Adorably they snort when surprised or experiencing mild alarm but also when investigating a new scent or object. It makes me want to try sneaking up on him so he does it but I'm sure those adorable ears would hear me before I have the chance.

But also...Trey unintentionally does it the first time he gives the cute new human some sniff sniffs.

Bear mating strategies vary by species/breeds, with some relying on scent-marking and vocalizations to attract mates, while others engage in physical displays of strength and dominance. Male bears may engage in fierce battles with rivals for the opportunity to mate with a female.

Trey isn't the type to act outright aggressively but he's not against using his stature to intimidate and to be a sneak to get between you and the other guys. He's good at always finding an excuse. Needs you for taste testing, being his little helper for baking, or helping with the mountain of tasks he has on his plate as Riddles right pawed man.

Female bears are pretty selective with mates, size, and strength are two big parts of attraction for them, so he's going to keep finding ways to show off his strength and draw attention to how much bigger he is than you. Catch this guy carrying around huge sacks of flour like it's nothing and playfully teasing you when you try and fail to lift a bag.

...Trey really likes teasing you. Oh, the feelings it gives him when you look up at him all flustered or even all huffy from his comments. He can't help but want to see how far he can take it, but he needs to keep a level head. Can get pretty horny grip about it though.

Regular bears follow females to assess their receptiveness, regularly sniffing areas where the female has sat and the female herself when possible. Couples often play and rest together during courtship. They also engage in various pre-mating rituals, such as nuzzling, and pawing at each other. 

...no, he isn't going to sniff your seat like some weirdo. I mean, yeah, giving some sniff sniffs is acceptable in this society but not to that extent. He gonna sniff the hoodie you borrowed tho. You're totally going to get sniffed during hugs or when he's looming. He gets growly when his trailing after you/interactions gets interrupted, especially when the territorial part of his brain kicks in and certain other guys are nearby.

Oh, he has so much fun playfully chasing you around. Especially when he catches you, wrapping his arms around you before lifting you into the air...maybe giving your shoulder a little nibble if he's feeling extra playful. Don't worry, he knows how to be gentle with his teeth.

Don't expect to outrun him though, a bear can run 35mp and catch a horse.

The guy is great for napping and resting on and will encourage you to do so. He's going to want to turn your room in Ramshackle into a proper den for you two to rest and be away from the others.

Bear mating and junk info below. ⬇️

Mating season begins in May and lasts until early July. Mating mainly occurs during June.

Brown bears, American black bears, Asiatic black bears, sloth bears, giant pandas, polar bears, and spectacled bears all generally breed between spring and early summer.

A male bear recognizes an estrous female by her scent. He then walks behind her, shadowing her movements like he has a laser sight affixed to her rump. It’s certainly not uncommon to see a male following a female for hours and hours, he is biding his time until she's willing. Now I'm not saying he's going to stalk you but he's sure as hell going to want to stick close, especially if you have a mating scent...and pay a lot of attention to your butt. God, forbid you sit on his lap or bend over in front of him. As much as he enjoys the view, he's going to make sure to block it from others, just another reason for wanting to stick close to your back.

Male testosterone levels peak, not coincidentally, in June as well so he's definitely going to start getting some of that strong musk during that time.

Outside of the mating season, male bears pose real threats to smaller females (sometimes, albeit very rarely, killing them) so the close, persistent proximity of a large male is usually alarming at first. Eventually, hormones and habituation to the male overcome her initial trepidation.

With the bear beastmen females/the one the male is interested in don't need to worry as much about that, but Trey is def going to do a lot to show you that he's safe for you to be around and that you can be comfortable around him, he's very good at it too.

Alright so...bears have a penis bone, along with certain primates, rodents, shrews, hedgehogs, dogs, walruses, seals, sea lions, and raccoons.

It allows him to stay hard for longer, though with regular bears the actual mating process is typically brief, lasting only a few minutes, but can occur multiple times over a few hours or several days.

After mating some males have been shown to make intense tongue-clicking vocalizations and prevent the female from leaving, perhaps to give his sperm time to fertilize her eggs before she met another male. I'm picturing Trey getting pretty clingy after sex and using his great aftercare and cuddle skills to keep you from leaving and making that noise when you try to get up to use the bathroom.

[tonguetiedraven]

Season Three Episode One Thoughts

-Starting in the classroom is a brilliant idea. It gives a good reason for Rin to be reading, makes it clear we're out of summer break, and leads perfectly into Godaiin and doesn't make them have to set up a friendship for those two. We just dive in.

-The Kyoto's trio intro was perfect and the letter was entirely the way I wanted it to look, over the top reactions and all.

-I'm glad we didn't have to see the Amaimon brutalization of Rin. That would have been a bit rough for the first episode back and not having it will make some of the coming violence and gore with the zombies and lab more intense.

-Mephisto's clothes and room made my eyes bleed. Perfect. No notes. Everything is exactly as it should be.

-Liked the color sap of Gehenna and that they used the cgi heads to connect that to the gate for people who don't know about the manga and don't know that's Gehenna.

-The portraits fight was fantastic and I like that they had the same demons in there be the one that attacked Sei earlier. It makes it feel like there was a reason they were doing that mission and is a great setup to allow them to do the mysteries in any order they want. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see some of the others pop up later. The bathroom ghost is perfect for closer to the festival with that stuff.

-I like how they didn't spend a lot of time on Yukio withdrawing. They had Rin and Shura both point it out in different ways, and it's a good setup for the stuff later.

-Kuro napping on the table gives me so much joy.

-Hair clip. Just Hair clip.

-The outside eating lunch scene was everything I wanted. All of them hanging out and chatting and Izumo being entirely embarrassed and everyone looking at Rin after the demon shout xD

-The ending with Godaiin taking a moment to show him actively thinking about what demons really are and halflings, and how those drops might change how he sees Rin and whether he should use them and that leading directly to the rest of the group waiting on him and teasing him and wanting him to come for food.

-Mephisto echoing the opening narration with a more cryptic twist.

-The credit shot of the girl's bathroom. The ghost? Or just a nod for us?

All in all, I'm impressed they got that much and they set up so much for later. I really thought they were going to skip all the mysteries and I'm delighted they gave us Konekomaru's moments because honestly, the Illuminati arc and the portrait fight are both huge for him, and he doesn't have an arc of his own and rarely gets the spotlight.

I like the animation and think the palette and style suits Izumo and Shima quite well. I like the strong focus for friendship in the start and the questions about demons and humans they're setting up for later on in this arc. I am very hopeful and I've heard the Japan fans who got to see the first three episodes said the pacing gets better, so I am ecstatic.

It still doesn't quite feel real that we got it after all this time xD It's more than I ever expected and I'm on cloud nine.

[gonnachasethestars]

@greenmechanicalgenius said: 💓 send a 💓 to feel my muse's heartbeat

The tanuki was stretched out on the couch. Today was a totally lazy day, summer was full of them. When it was really hot, he just had no motivation to do anything, which was why he often chose to work at more temperate climates. It got really hot, and dry in Minasato, which meant more gardening work, too.

Not that he minded that part too much. But it was so hot, that sometimes he watered himself, as well. Just a splash of cold water on the forehead.

It had been a mini ice cream party. Once the ice cream was finished, he hadn't expected what came next.

"Hmm?"

The sensation of Otto's head on his chest. It caught him off guard, and maybe his heart was beating a little faster from the closeness. The curious frown is a lazy smile within moments. It certainly didn't bother the tanuki.

"Maybe we should nap. The heat really saps my strength."

[hahagiggles3]

The *Happiest Boy (pt. 2 of "The Unhappiest Boy)

[Kusuo Saiki x gn! reader]

Word Count; 929

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

Summer was way too long this year. Somehow the weeks dragged on for what felt like years. Hot and muggy weather called for beach trips with friends and nights spent around a campfire in the woods. None of these excursions, surprisingly, ever went according to plan.

Swimming ended with Saiki saving everyone from drowning while they tried to stop Teruhashi from drowning, and camping ended with almost starting a forest fire and losing all the equipment. You all had to walk home covered in ash and sap at three in the morning.

But, as the vacation wound to a close and people started to repopulate the city, staying inside was a better place to be to avoid all the buzz. You and Saiki used the last few days to your advantage and lazed about. TV and books, naps and cozy meals filled the final days of summer.

‘We should get ramen and coffee jelly, I’m bored.’

Saiki rolled over to drape himself off the side of the bed and look at you.

“Oh really, you’re bored? The incredible Kusuo Saiki-,” you started as he smirked and held up your wallet, “-hey! Where’d you get that? I left it at home!”

‘You took too long choosing a manga, so I grabbed it. C’mon, you’re paying.’

Cursing his abilities, you rushed to keep up with him as he tied his shoes and left the house.

“You’re so mean to me,” you huffed.

‘I’m mean to everyone, actually.’

You grumbled something he didn't need to hear and shoveled ramen into your mouth angrily.

You flopped on his bed, lolling your head over to look at him. He chucked your manga from before at your head without looking. You caught it and told him he should stop showing off. He smiled because you couldn't see it.

The room was yellow with soft light again, and you were crowded on his bed watching a stupid horror movie. You were half asleep on his shoulder, but he was wide awake because of it. Not the movie, you. The firm, gentle pressure of you against him made his other chest tickle with the uneven feeling.

Now. Kusuo Saiki thinks things through. There is no deliberate spontaneity in his life. He causes no trouble, makes no mistakes, and does not act on emotional matters.

Kusuo threw that thought out the fucking window.

He turned off the TV, slipped his arm fully under your body, and pulled you completely against him.

You woke up with a jolt to find yourself haphazardly on top of Saiki’s lap, his hands holding you in place with a death grip that was definitely already leaving bruises. You stared at him tiredly. Usually he’d give a face and you’d look away, but oh how the tables have turned. His eyes darted everywhere but you, every time his gaze landed on your lap his blush deepened and he lurched a bit.

You sighed and pressed your chests together, resting your head on his shoulder. You pried his hands off of your waist (taking a great deal of effort) and slid them fully around you. Resting your forehead against his, you giggled as his back straightened. His breath fogged his glasses.

Saiki’s head had never been so empty. There was nothing but you.

“Kusuo,” you muttered.

Nevermind.

His head was immediately swamped with doubts and curses, ‘why did I do this it was a terrible idea, this is how I get the reputation of a pervert, oh god please don't hate me and definitely don't play along because you’re scared or anything ohhhh shiitttttt’

You lifted your head.

Oh god you’re gonna punch me aren't you.

Your eyes were stern.

Oh yeah definitely you’re tensing up you are 100% going to punch me.

A deep breath.

Sorry mom, sorry dad, sorry for wasting the gift of life on being a pervert. Seventeen years isn't bad though, maybe the world will be fine without me.

You slid your hand against his cheek.

Everything is over, this is it. Goodbye everyone.

Then you kissed him. The pervert who pulled you onto his lap while you were half asleep. The weirdo who was nothing but a jerk and a half to you.

Your lips moved softly against his while he sat perfectly still. You could mistake him for a statue.

What. What? What am I doing.

You slapped his arm, pulled away and glared at him.

“Kiss back, dumbass,” you said.

Dumbfounded, he nodded and leaned into you. You grabbed his face and kissed him again, your cheeks heating from the grip he still had on you.

“Take that Kusuo, I finally made you the idiot… damn it.”

He’d been completely still until now! God knows where this confidence came from. He kissed back, loosening his grip on your waist to rub up and down your sides. His cold hands slipped up to cup your face and pull you flush against his chest. You grumbled into his mouth, making him smile.

You pulled back suddenly, laughing as he leaned forward in an effort to follow your lips. You rested your forehead against his, giving one last peck on the lips.

“You look really pretty like this,” you mumbled. He took a deep breath, and moved his arms around your waist again, letting you fully wrap your arms around his torso and press your face into his neck. He rested his cheek against the top of your head.

“ Nothing could make me this happy,” he said quietly.

“Not even coffee jelly?”

“Not even coffee jelly.”

fin

[fruitcoops]

Sea Salt and Sunshine

Another combination response! These have been in my inbox for a while and I thought they wove together quite nicely for giving you all some summer vibes....in December. Credit for Coops and Sweater Weather goes to @lumosinlove!

Prompt 11: Back hugs

Prompt 15: The biggest, warmest hugs

Remus had a complicated relationship with sunshine. Or rather, sunshine had the unfortunate tendency of roasting the living hell out of his skin, causing him to blister, peel, and do various other things that really shouldn’t be used to describe a living person. The one positive side effect was that Sirius Black tanned like nobody he had ever seen in his goddamn life. That should be a crime, Remus thought as Sirius stretched out like a golden cat on the sand.

“Loops, you in for the next round?” Talker called from the other end of the beach, where some of the guys were gearing up for another game of volleyball.

“Nah, I’ll pass,” he answered, squinting in the glare off the ocean. “Might take a nap or swim for a bit.”

Sirius smiled slightly as he approached. “Bonjour, mon amour.”

“Hey, handsome. Enjoying the sun?” He sat down crosslegged next to Sirius’ shoulder and scooted as far into the shade as possible. The Florida sand was wonderfully warm, if not a little prickly this far from the water’s edge.

Sirius hummed and cracked his eyes open to look at him, reaching up to slide his index finger beneath Remus’ right eye. “Les taches de rousseur.”

“Maybe soon. We haven’t been here long enough for them to really start popping out,” Remus said, rolling to flop down on his back and prop his head on Sirius’ chest. “Are you going to nap or swim?”

“Not sure. How much time do we have?”

“Three hours until the next set,” Remus sighed as he stretched his arms and arched his back. “And twenty minutes until I need to reapply sunscreen.”

Sirius poked him on the bicep. “You’re already turning red.”

“Ah, shit.” Remus peered down at where he was pointing, and sure enough, a faint patch was already spreading. “You brought the aloe, right?”

“Mhmm. Looks like you’ll be getting a massage after all.”

“It’s so sweet that you think that’ll be sexy.”

“You’re always sexy. Even when you look like a grumpy little lobster.”

“Sap.” Remus leaned up and kissed the underside of his jaw, then rested his weight on his elbow to reach his cheek. “Hey,” he said between light kisses. “Come swim with me.”

“Oh, no, twist my arm,” Sirius groaned dramatically as he stood up and shook his hair free of sand. The curls were wild from salt and sea breeze, and he had avoided a haircut for long enough that the ends brushed the tops of his ears.

Remus tugged one that spiraled loosely in front of his face. “Race you there.”

He took off without another word, sliding awkwardly in the shifting sand despite his best efforts to stay on the balls of his feet as they ran. He could hear Sirius shout something behind him and glanced over his shoulder as they tore down the beach—the bright sunlight made the edges of those gorgeous eyes crinkle, and Remus grinned at him.

Five feet from the water’s edge and from victory, two strong arms wrapped around his waist and lifted him clear into the air, which was a feat few people could accomplish. “Sirius, don’t you fucking—”

A wave crashed over them just as Sirius hauled him into the water backwards, stinging his eyes and throat and silencing the raucous cheers of the rest of the team. For one peaceful moment, all Remus felt around the cool suspension of the ocean was Sirius’ arm resting near his hip and their legs brushing between the fine silt.

Another wave splashed against his back as he surfaced, carrying him a few inches closer to shore as he blinked water and sunlight from his eyes. Sirius came up next to him, still laughing as he tried to push his hair out of his eyes. “Does that mean I win?”

Remus tackled him back into the water.

He came up for air second that time and was immediately drawn into a hug; Sirius’ chin dug into his shoulder and his broad chest was warm against Remus’ back. He melted into the feeling, relishing in even the slight stickiness of salt drying on their skin and making his arms itch where the sun was hottest. “Alright, you win.”

He felt Sirius’ smile against the back of his neck. “Remus Lupin, admitting defeat? Who are you and what have you done with my ridiculously competitive fiancé?”

“You have the audacity to call me ridiculously competitive?” Remus spluttered, turning around so Sirius’ arms were draped over his shoulders. The sun caught the glimmer in his eye and sent butterflies through Remus’ stomach—I’m going to marry you someday, he thought giddily. “Do you remember the last time we were here?”

“Oui. I seem to recall you rubbing sunscreen all over Blizzard.”

“Fair skin solidarity.” Remus blew at a strand of hair that was sticking to his eyelashes, but it was too wet for his breath to do anything. Sirius smoothed it back and out of the way and Remus’ heart clenched. “I promised you something that day.”

“You did?”

“I did.” Remus splayed his hands along Sirius’ lower back and dipped him slightly, pressing a deep kiss to his lips. Even as the waves rumbled around them and tugged at the ground beneath their feet, they stayed steady. When he pulled away at last, his lips were salty. “I love you.”

Sirius’ eyes were still closed, but his mouth curved in a contented smile. “I love you, too. When we get back to the hotel, I’m kissing every single one of your freckles.”

“There’s a lot of them.”

“We have time.”

[pocketseizure]

The Flower Thief

A young boy comes to Hyrule and meets a princess with a terrible destiny.

Or, Ganondorf visits Hyrule for the first time as a child and falls in love with the green and beautiful land, even as he is warned away by the woman who will become Zelda’s mother. 

This story was written for Ties of Time, an Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask fanzine, which you can find on Twitter (here). The story is also (on AO3).

. . . . . . . . . .

Ganondorf had never been beyond the mountains separating the desert from the plains. The road from the fortress to the waystation was, if not well-traveled, safe enough for a child in the company of an escort. He’d crossed the bridge leading to the canyon pass a few times, always pausing to peer down through the railings at the great river rushing along the gully below, but this was the first time he was allowed to accompany a caravan through the Gerudo Valley pass and into Hyrule.

He thought he knew what to expect from Hyrule. He’d heard all manner of stories from travelers, and he was given Hylian books to study as he learned the language. Yet as the red earth and dry gravel gave way to healthy swards of grass, he could not open his eyes wide enough to take it all in. There was so much green, so much luxury. 

The climate changed as the caravan traveled east. The mornings were cool but not cold, and the days were warm but not hot. The sun was veiled by clouds that drifted like floating islands across the blue sea of the sky, dappling the light into gentle shadows.

Ganondorf was not prepared for the rain. Everyone took notice when the afternoon became dark and the air grew heavy, but no one seemed concerned. He was familiar with the storms that pummeled the open desert, fierce and veined with jagged lightning, and he was afraid of what the blanket of clouds might portend. He was even more afraid of the disdain of the adults, however, so he held his tongue. If he cried when the first drops fell on his skin, each tiny splash as soft as the finest silk, his tears went unremarked.

Vast fields spread before him as they rode east. Brightly colored wildflowers pushed their way through the tall grass on leafy stems, and the wind was fragrant with the sweet smell of growing things. The caravan turned north at the first ranch they encountered, skirting along the low fence marking its perimeter. Ganondorf was amazed to find that the crooked and neglected fenceposts were made of wood. He realized that, to the local farmers, timber must be far more common than stone. As their party joined the main road, the trees grew larger and the flowers became even more colorful. The early summer greenery seemed almost blasphemous in its profusion. Stalks of young wheat swayed in the breeze, and cows dotted the rolling plains.

At last, upon ascending the crest of a low hill, Ganondorf saw Hyrule Castle, its spires stretching bravely into the sky. This architectural feat would have been impossible in the desert, where the gale winds would quickly strip the tiles from the towers if lightning didn’t strike them first. The town spilling down from the castle walls was just as bold. Roads and houses spread along the wide valley of a river with no regard for how disaster might strike and send the water roiling from its banks at any given change of the weather. Hyrule was, he thought, a miracle.

Once the road approaching the castle town began to grow crowded, one of Ganondorf’s aunts pulled him aside as they watered their horses. “You must dress as we do,” she said. “The people of this kingdom are guided by superstition, and they will not look kindly on someone that they cannot fit into the stories they tell themselves. You will be in danger if anyone learns that you are different from us, and we may not always be able to protect you,” she warned him as she twisted his hair into a high ponytail and secured it with a jeweled band.

Taking care not to be noticed, Ganondorf exchanged his robes for loose pants and a sleeveless tunic. He had learned to appreciate being seen as special, but there had always been a part of him that wanted to dress like the girls his age. The thought occurred to him that perhaps it was only in Hyrule that he could be normal. Ganondorf resolved to use this situation to his advantage. He would break off from the group as soon as it was expedient to do so.

The women shed their travel cloaks in Castle Town as they merged into the throng of people converging in the central market plaza. Zora and Gorons jostled for place among the Hylians in front of the stalls, and Ganondorf spotted the leafy foliage of a few Deku Scrubs and even the broad shoulders of a Moblin. Almost no one paid any mind to the group of Gerudo that gradually split apart as they went their separate ways. A few people paused to cast glances in their direction, especially men, and Ganondorf’s companions seemed to enjoy the attention.

Ganondorf kept his own cloak drawn around his narrow shoulders. The bearded faces of Hylian men were strange to his eyes. He was disturbed by their large and clumsy hands, whose thick fingers sprouted coarse hair. Ganondorf didn’t want to attract their notice, and he was much more interested in seeing than being seen. He watched a team of laborers eating at the base of a tree emerging from the paving stones of the plaza, throwing their breadcrusts into a bed of flowers overgrown with weeds. In an alley leading away from the market, a woman emerged from her townhouse to throw water onto the cobblestones before whisking the puddle into a drain with a broom. And then, wonder of wonders, a fountain burbled its lazy jet of water toward the sky with no other purpose than to provide a pleasant breeze for the cat napping on its stone rim.

All of this was fascinating, yet Ganondorf was not satisfied. He wanted to see something even more rare and beautiful. If the town below the castle was filled with marvels, he could scarcely imagine what treasures might be contained within the castle itself.

It was not difficult to sneak past the guards posted along the outer wall. They were slow and he was small. Just to be safe, Ganondorf used his modest measure of magic to quiet his footsteps while shifting the color of his cloak to reflect his surroundings. He had a fair amount of practice evading the watchful eyes of his mothers and aunts, and he liked to think he was skilled at avoiding detection. Or perhaps it was simply the case that the soldiers standing at the castle gates did not expect anyone to enter. Perhaps they assumed that no one would dare.

The courtyard on the other side of the outer wall was surprisingly pedestrian. Wooden crates were piled near the servant entrances, and a small moat ran between uneven patches of grass that had been trampled by men and horses alike. Ganondorf challenged himself to make his way beyond the castle’s inner wall, which was somewhat trickier but not beyond his abilities. There wasn’t much to be seen here either, nothing more than a few narrow walkways lined with mossy stones sunken into the spongy earth between overgrown shrubs.

Ganondorf was disappointed. The curving rows of proud cypress trees surrounding the Gerudo fortress and the tiled mosaics glittering under its shaded awnings were much more impressive. Ganondorf paused at a muddy puddle lingering in the shadow of the castle’s mold-spotted wall. He debated whether to continue on or turn back, wondering if perhaps Hyrule’s beauty lay more in its wilderness than its towns. He decided that he had seen what he’d come to see. There was no need to remain here.

As he turned, Ganondorf caught a breeze that carried a sweet fragrance unlike anything he’d ever encountered. Intrigued, he followed the scent along the inner wall of the castle until he found himself at the gate of a secluded courtyard garden. 

Tall bushes with glossy leaves separated the garden from the bare stone of the castle walls. Each of the bushes bore a profusion of white flowers as large as his palm. The scent was stronger here – richer than jasmine and as fresh as the sky after the rain.

Before he was aware of what he intended to do, Ganondorf found himself slipping his knife from the sheath at his belt to cut the thick woody stem of one of the flowers, whose petals spread elegantly from the golden shimmer of the nectar at its center. He had never seen anything so beautiful before, and he wanted to hold it. He sliced through its stem and watched as tiny beads of sap welled from the incision. As he withdrew his hand, clutching the flower alongside his knife, Ganondorf heard the soft murmur of a woman’s voice, quiet but resonant.

“He’s a good man, I think,” the voice said as it grew louder. “My honored mother wouldn’t have chosen him if he weren’t, Hylia rest her soul. He’s kind, and he has a strong will. And that’s the problem; that’s precisely the problem. He will make a good king. But then what need will there be for a queen?”

Ganondorf watched as a young woman stepped into the garden. The deep chestnut of her hair was accented by her dress, which was dyed with an indigo as deep as the sky at twilight. A white-haired woman of the same age trailed along behind her, as silent as a shadow. 

“Tensions are mounting at our borders,” the woman continued, “and Hyrule does not need a king. Hyrule needs peace. I will do what I can, yet I worry about the signs in the stars…”

Ganondorf knew he should flee, but the princess was so beautiful in her garden that he couldn’t help but stare. It was like a scene from a fairy tale. He was transfixed.

A moment later the spell was broken, but it was a moment too long. Ganondorf pulled his foot back to retreat, but the princess’s Sheikah attendant was on him like a cat at the slightest hint of movement.

“What have we here?” she murmured, her voice as soft as velvet. “Such a pretty girl, with such a sharp blade.” The Sheikah bent his hand so that the bones of his fingers twisted. Ganondorf dropped his knife but managed to hold on to the flower.

“A girl after my own heart,” the princess remarked with laughter in her voice. “Bring her closer, Impa, if you will.”

The Sheikah released Ganondorf, but not before giving his hand another painful squeeze. The warning in her touch was clear. Ganondorf understood that he was trapped, utterly and completely. He waited for panic to rise in his throat, but it never materialized. He realized that he might be forced to remain here, with soft grass under his feet and the delicate scent of white flowers lingering in the air. Perhaps such a fate would not be so terrible.

“On a tour of the castle, were you?” the princess prompted.

“Who sent you?” the Sheikah hissed with narrowed eyes. “Tell us and you might survive.”

The princess raised her hand, and the Sheikah fell back.

“How do you find my castle?” the princess asked as she gestured to the flower in Ganondorf’s hand. “Do the gardenias please you?”

Ganondorf knew that neither force nor speed could extricate him from this situation. Words were the only thing that had any chance of saving him, but his tongue was like lead in his mouth. He could only gaze at the princess, who seemed to glow in the pale sunlight. His fingers tightened on the flower.

The princess saw this and smiled. “It seems a shame for us to keep all of these gardenias to ourselves,” she remarked, switching to fluent Gerudo. “We can stand to part with one. I hope you will consider it a gift, but take care not to touch it. Its petals will blacken at the slightest contact with your skin. The flowers cannot survive after they’re removed from the plant.”

She began to reach out, perhaps intending to draw Ganondorf’s hood away from his face, but she allowed her hand to drop to her side. “We will release you,” she told him, “but you must not be caught on your way outside the castle. Nothing will protect you should one of the soldiers find you within these walls.”

The princess smiled again, but her eyes were like ice. “There is nothing here to be stolen that cannot be freely given,” she said, “but remember always, child – Hyrule does not take kindly to thieves.”

Ganondorf did not need to be told twice. He turned and ran, bending to snatch his fallen knife from the grass as he fled from the princess and her garden.

He was careful not to touch the gardenia as he made his scurrying and surreptitious way back outside the castle, but the flower’s petals were already tinged an unhealthy shade of gray by the time he was able to stop to catch his breath. They had begun to curl at the edges, and their sweet smell had grown sour.

Now there was no reason not to touch the flower. Ganondorf stroked its smooth white petals and touched his nose to the golden center of its blossom as he crouched against a dirty wall in a back alley of the market. Even as its petals spoiled before his eyes, the gardenia was divine in its beauty.

Ganondorf used his knife to cut away the rest of the wooden stem and tucked the flower into an inner pocket of his tunic. He wanted the fading flower and the memory of the castle garden to be close to his skin. The furious beating of this heart had slowed now that the danger of being caught had passed, but Ganondorf was still haunted by the cold eyes of the princess.

He would have to be more careful next time.

[tinyshe]

This portrayal of an imagined 'goblin market', in which scary-looking goblins offer fruit to two terrified young women, was painted by English artist and Royal Academician Hilda Koe (1872-1936) c.1895-1901. There is very little available information on Koe, other than her membership of the RA. This remains her best-known work, painted in a style that shows a clear pre-Raphaelite influence.

Goblin Market                                                                                         Christina Rossetti                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Morning and evening

Maids heard the goblins cry: “Come buy our orchard fruits, Come buy, come buy: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpeck’d cherries, Melons and raspberries, Bloom-down-cheek’d peaches, Swart-headed mulberries, Wild free-born cranberries, Crab-apples, dewberries, Pine-apples, blackberries, Apricots, strawberries;— All ripe together In summer weather,— Morns that pass by, Fair eves that fly; Come buy, come buy: Our grapes fresh from the vine, Pomegranates full and fine, Dates and sharp bullaces, Rare pears and greengages, Damsons and bilberries, Taste them and try: Currants and gooseberries, Bright-fire-like barberries, Figs to fill your mouth, Citrons from the South, Sweet to tongue and sound to eye; Come buy, come buy.”          Evening by evening Among the brookside rushes, Laura bow’d her head to hear, Lizzie veil’d her blushes: Crouching close together In the cooling weather, With clasping arms and cautioning lips, With tingling cheeks and finger tips. “Lie close,” Laura said, Pricking up her golden head: “We must not look at goblin men, We must not buy their fruits: Who knows upon what soil they fed Their hungry thirsty roots?” “Come buy,” call the goblins Hobbling down the glen. “Oh,” cried Lizzie, “Laura, Laura, You should not peep at goblin men.” Lizzie cover’d up her eyes, Cover’d close lest they should look; Laura rear’d her glossy head, And whisper’d like the restless brook: “Look, Lizzie, look, Lizzie, Down the glen tramp little men. One hauls a basket, One bears a plate, One lugs a golden dish Of many pounds weight. How fair the vine must grow Whose grapes are so luscious; How warm the wind must blow Through those fruit bushes.” “No,” said Lizzie, “No, no, no; Their offers should not charm us, Their evil gifts would harm us.” She thrust a dimpled finger In each ear, shut eyes and ran: Curious Laura chose to linger Wondering at each merchant man. One had a cat’s face, One whisk’d a tail, One tramp’d at a rat’s pace, One crawl’d like a snail, One like a wombat prowl’d obtuse and furry, One like a ratel tumbled hurry skurry. She heard a voice like voice of doves Cooing all together: They sounded kind and full of loves In the pleasant weather.          Laura stretch’d her gleaming neck Like a rush-imbedded swan, Like a lily from the beck, Like a moonlit poplar branch, Like a vessel at the launch When its last restraint is gone.          Backwards up the mossy glen Turn’d and troop’d the goblin men, With their shrill repeated cry, “Come buy, come buy.” When they reach’d where Laura was They stood stock still upon the moss, Leering at each other, Brother with queer brother; Signalling each other, Brother with sly brother. One set his basket down, One rear’d his plate; One began to weave a crown Of tendrils, leaves, and rough nuts brown (Men sell not such in any town); One heav’d the golden weight Of dish and fruit to offer her: “Come buy, come buy,” was still their cry. Laura stared but did not stir, Long’d but had no money: The whisk-tail’d merchant bade her taste In tones as smooth as honey, The cat-faced purr’d, The rat-faced spoke a word Of welcome, and the snail-paced even was heard; One parrot-voiced and jolly Cried “Pretty Goblin” still for “Pretty Polly;”— One whistled like a bird.          But sweet-tooth Laura spoke in haste: “Good folk, I have no coin; To take were to purloin: I have no copper in my purse, I have no silver either, And all my gold is on the furze That shakes in windy weather Above the rusty heather.” “You have much gold upon your head,” They answer’d all together: “Buy from us with a golden curl.” She clipp’d a precious golden lock, She dropp’d a tear more rare than pearl, Then suck’d their fruit globes fair or red: Sweeter than honey from the rock, Stronger than man-rejoicing wine, Clearer than water flow’d that juice; She never tasted such before, How should it cloy with length of use? She suck’d and suck’d and suck’d the more Fruits which that unknown orchard bore; She suck’d until her lips were sore; Then flung the emptied rinds away But gather’d up one kernel stone, And knew not was it night or day As she turn’d home alone.          Lizzie met her at the gate Full of wise upbraidings: “Dear, you should not stay so late, Twilight is not good for maidens; Should not loiter in the glen In the haunts of goblin men. Do you not remember Jeanie, How she met them in the moonlight, Took their gifts both choice and many, Ate their fruits and wore their flowers Pluck’d from bowers Where summer ripens at all hours? But ever in the noonlight She pined and pined away; Sought them by night and day, Found them no more, but dwindled and grew grey; Then fell with the first snow, While to this day no grass will grow Where she lies low: I planted daisies there a year ago That never blow. You should not loiter so.” “Nay, hush,” said Laura: “Nay, hush, my sister: I ate and ate my fill, Yet my mouth waters still; To-morrow night I will Buy more;” and kiss’d her: “Have done with sorrow; I’ll bring you plums to-morrow Fresh on their mother twigs, Cherries worth getting; You cannot think what figs My teeth have met in, What melons icy-cold Piled on a dish of gold Too huge for me to hold, What peaches with a velvet nap, Pellucid grapes without one seed: Odorous indeed must be the mead Whereon they grow, and pure the wave they drink With lilies at the brink, And sugar-sweet their sap.”          Golden head by golden head, Like two pigeons in one nest Folded in each other’s wings, They lay down in their curtain’d bed: Like two blossoms on one stem, Like two flakes of new-fall’n snow, Like two wands of ivory Tipp’d with gold for awful kings. Moon and stars gaz’d in at them, Wind sang to them lullaby, Lumbering owls forbore to fly, Not a bat flapp’d to and fro Round their rest: Cheek to cheek and breast to breast Lock’d together in one nest.          Early in the morning When the first cock crow’d his warning, Neat like bees, as sweet and busy, Laura rose with Lizzie: Fetch’d in honey, milk’d the cows, Air’d and set to rights the house, Kneaded cakes of whitest wheat, Cakes for dainty mouths to eat, Next churn’d butter, whipp’d up cream, Fed their poultry, sat and sew’d; Talk’d as modest maidens should: Lizzie with an open heart, Laura in an absent dream, One content, one sick in part; One warbling for the mere bright day’s delight, One longing for the night.          At length slow evening came: They went with pitchers to the reedy brook; Lizzie most placid in her look, Laura most like a leaping flame. They drew the gurgling water from its deep; Lizzie pluck’d purple and rich golden flags, Then turning homeward said: “The sunset flushes Those furthest loftiest crags; Come, Laura, not another maiden lags. No wilful squirrel wags, The beasts and birds are fast asleep.” But Laura loiter’d still among the rushes And said the bank was steep.          And said the hour was early still The dew not fall’n, the wind not chill; Listening ever, but not catching The customary cry, “Come buy, come buy,” With its iterated jingle Of sugar-baited words: Not for all her watching Once discerning even one goblin Racing, whisking, tumbling, hobbling; Let alone the herds That used to tramp along the glen, In groups or single, Of brisk fruit-merchant men.          Till Lizzie urged, “O Laura, come; I hear the fruit-call but I dare not look: You should not loiter longer at this brook: Come with me home. The stars rise, the moon bends her arc, Each glowworm winks her spark, Let us get home before the night grows dark: For clouds may gather Though this is summer weather, Put out the lights and drench us through; Then if we lost our way what should we do?”          Laura turn’d cold as stone To find her sister heard that cry alone, That goblin cry, “Come buy our fruits, come buy.” Must she then buy no more such dainty fruit? Must she no more such succous pasture find, Gone deaf and blind? Her tree of life droop’d from the root: She said not one word in her heart’s sore ache; But peering thro’ the dimness, nought discerning, Trudg’d home, her pitcher dripping all the way; So crept to bed, and lay Silent till Lizzie slept; Then sat up in a passionate yearning, And gnash’d her teeth for baulk’d desire, and wept As if her heart would break.          Day after day, night after night, Laura kept watch in vain In sullen silence of exceeding pain. She never caught again the goblin cry: “Come buy, come buy;”— She never spied the goblin men Hawking their fruits along the glen: But when the noon wax’d bright Her hair grew thin and grey; She dwindled, as the fair full moon doth turn To swift decay and burn Her fire away.          One day remembering her kernel-stone She set it by a wall that faced the south; Dew’d it with tears, hoped for a root, Watch’d for a waxing shoot, But there came none; It never saw the sun, It never felt the trickling moisture run: While with sunk eyes and faded mouth She dream’d of melons, as a traveller sees False waves in desert drouth With shade of leaf-crown’d trees, And burns the thirstier in the sandful breeze.          She no more swept the house, Tended the fowls or cows, Fetch’d honey, kneaded cakes of wheat, Brought water from the brook: But sat down listless in the chimney-nook And would not eat.          Tender Lizzie could not bear To watch her sister’s cankerous care Yet not to share. She night and morning Caught the goblins’ cry: “Come buy our orchard fruits, Come buy, come buy;”— Beside the brook, along the glen, She heard the tramp of goblin men, The yoke and stir Poor Laura could not hear; Long’d to buy fruit to comfort her, But fear’d to pay too dear. She thought of Jeanie in her grave, Who should have been a bride; But who for joys brides hope to have Fell sick and died In her gay prime, In earliest winter time With the first glazing rime, With the first snow-fall of crisp winter time.          Till Laura dwindling Seem’d knocking at Death’s door: Then Lizzie weigh’d no more Better and worse; But put a silver penny in her purse, Kiss’d Laura, cross’d the heath with clumps of furze At twilight, halted by the brook: And for the first time in her life Began to listen and look.          Laugh’d every goblin When they spied her peeping: Came towards her hobbling, Flying, running, leaping, Puffing and blowing, Chuckling, clapping, crowing, Clucking and gobbling, Mopping and mowing, Full of airs and graces, Pulling wry faces, Demure grimaces, Cat-like and rat-like, Ratel- and wombat-like, Snail-paced in a hurry, Parrot-voiced and whistler, Helter skelter, hurry skurry, Chattering like magpies, Fluttering like pigeons, Gliding like fishes,— Hugg’d her and kiss’d her: Squeez’d and caress’d her: Stretch’d up their dishes, Panniers, and plates: “Look at our apples Russet and dun, Bob at our cherries, Bite at our peaches, Citrons and dates, Grapes for the asking, Pears red with basking Out in the sun, Plums on their twigs; Pluck them and suck them, Pomegranates, figs.”—          “Good folk,” said Lizzie, Mindful of Jeanie: “Give me much and many: — Held out her apron, Toss’d them her penny. “Nay, take a seat with us, Honour and eat with us,” They answer’d grinning: “Our feast is but beginning. Night yet is early, Warm and dew-pearly, Wakeful and starry: Such fruits as these No man can carry: Half their bloom would fly, Half their dew would dry, Half their flavour would pass by. Sit down and feast with us, Be welcome guest with us, Cheer you and rest with us.”— “Thank you,” said Lizzie: “But one waits At home alone for me: So without further parleying, If you will not sell me any Of your fruits though much and many, Give me back my silver penny I toss’d you for a fee.”— They began to scratch their pates, No longer wagging, purring, But visibly demurring, Grunting and snarling. One call’d her proud, Cross-grain’d, uncivil; Their tones wax’d loud, Their looks were evil. Lashing their tails They trod and hustled her, Elbow’d and jostled her, Claw’d with their nails, Barking, mewing, hissing, mocking, Tore her gown and soil’d her stocking, Twitch’d her hair out by the roots, Stamp’d upon her tender feet, Held her hands and squeez’d their fruits Against her mouth to make her eat.          White and golden Lizzie stood, Like a lily in a flood,— Like a rock of blue-vein’d stone Lash’d by tides obstreperously,— Like a beacon left alone In a hoary roaring sea, Sending up a golden fire,— Like a fruit-crown’d orange-tree White with blossoms honey-sweet Sore beset by wasp and bee,— Like a royal virgin town Topp’d with gilded dome and spire Close beleaguer’d by a fleet Mad to tug her standard down.          One may lead a horse to water, Twenty cannot make him drink. Though the goblins cuff’d and caught her, Coax’d and fought her, Bullied and besought her, Scratch’d her, pinch’d her black as ink, Kick’d and knock’d her, Maul’d and mock’d her, Lizzie utter’d not a word; Would not open lip from lip Lest they should cram a mouthful in: But laugh’d in heart to feel the drip Of juice that syrupp’d all her face, And lodg’d in dimples of her chin, And streak’d her neck which quaked like curd. At last the evil people, Worn out by her resistance, Flung back her penny, kick’d their fruit Along whichever road they took, Not leaving root or stone or shoot; Some writh’d into the ground, Some div’d into the brook With ring and ripple, Some scudded on the gale without a sound, Some vanish’d in the distance.          In a smart, ache, tingle, Lizzie went her way; Knew not was it night or day; Sprang up the bank, tore thro’ the furze, Threaded copse and dingle, And heard her penny jingle Bouncing in her purse,— Its bounce was music to her ear. She ran and ran As if she fear’d some goblin man Dogg’d her with gibe or curse Or something worse: But not one goblin scurried after, Nor was she prick’d by fear; The kind heart made her windy-paced That urged her home quite out of breath with haste And inward laughter.          She cried, “Laura,” up the garden, “Did you miss me? Come and kiss me. Never mind my bruises, Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices Squeez’d from goblin fruits for you, Goblin pulp and goblin dew. Eat me, drink me, love me; Laura, make much of me; For your sake I have braved the glen And had to do with goblin merchant men.”          Laura started from her chair, Flung her arms up in the air, Clutch’d her hair: “Lizzie, Lizzie, have you tasted For my sake the fruit forbidden? Must your light like mine be hidden, Your young life like mine be wasted, Undone in mine undoing, And ruin’d in my ruin, Thirsty, canker’d, goblin-ridden?”— She clung about her sister, Kiss’d and kiss’d and kiss’d her: Tears once again Refresh’d her shrunken eyes, Dropping like rain After long sultry drouth; Shaking with aguish fear, and pain, She kiss’d and kiss’d her with a hungry mouth.          Her lips began to scorch, That juice was wormwood to her tongue, She loath’d the feast: Writhing as one possess’d she leap’d and sung, Rent all her robe, and wrung Her hands in lamentable haste, And beat her breast. Her locks stream’d like the torch Borne by a racer at full speed, Or like the mane of horses in their flight, Or like an eagle when she stems the light Straight toward the sun, Or like a caged thing freed, Or like a flying flag when armies run.          Swift fire spread through her veins, knock’d at her heart, Met the fire smouldering there And overbore its lesser flame; She gorged on bitterness without a name: Ah! fool, to choose such part Of soul-consuming care! Sense fail’d in the mortal strife: Like the watch-tower of a town Which an earthquake shatters down, Like a lightning-stricken mast, Like a wind-uprooted tree Spun about, Like a foam-topp’d waterspout Cast down headlong in the sea, She fell at last; Pleasure past and anguish past, Is it death or is it life?          Life out of death. That night long Lizzie watch’d by her, Counted her pulse’s flagging stir, Felt for her breath, Held water to her lips, and cool’d her face With tears and fanning leaves: But when the first birds chirp’d about their eaves, And early reapers plodded to the place Of golden sheaves, And dew-wet grass Bow’d in the morning winds so brisk to pass, And new buds with new day Open’d of cup-like lilies on the stream, Laura awoke as from a dream, Laugh’d in the innocent old way, Hugg’d Lizzie but not twice or thrice; Her gleaming locks show’d not one thread of grey, Her breath was sweet as May And light danced in her eyes.          Days, weeks, months, years Afterwards, when both were wives With children of their own; Their mother-hearts beset with fears, Their lives bound up in tender lives; Laura would call the little ones And tell them of her early prime, Those pleasant days long gone Of not-returning time: Would talk about the haunted glen, The wicked, quaint fruit-merchant men, Their fruits like honey to the throat But poison in the blood; (Men sell not such in any town): Would tell them how her sister stood In deadly peril to do her good, And win the fiery antidote: Then joining hands to little hands Would bid them cling together, “For there is no friend like a sister In calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, To fetch one if one goes astray, To lift one if one totters down, To strengthen whilst one stands.”

[celestialking]

That's so cool! I'm just smiling so big right now I love hearing about this kinda stuff ^-^

What's the longest you stayed there? Also any stories you'd like to share? Of course not forced 'cause I'm sure that can be kinda personal so you don't have to!

-🥀

I dont mind sharing stories, i can tell you about my favorite :)

I'll put it under a readmore cause it's a bit long mostly cause it's the most detailed one I have. But I'm welcome to share other memories as well :)

The way I go about my shifting is the sleeping route so I think in real time I was only there for a few hours but in dsmp I was there for 2 or 3 days.

I went to Kinoko. Absolutely breathtaking in person♡. It actually was a lot warmer there than I thought so that was a surprise. But it's okay cause there's a ton of shade.

There's a bunch of taller mushroom and trees that tower over the pathways. There are strings of fairy lights are hung up in the branches of the tops of the trees for light. I didn't really ask how they were powered being so high up? I didn't really think to.

I kinda just hung out with Karl and Sapnap the whole time. Mostly Sapnap tbh. George hung around a few times but he always said he would be busy and then wander off. I dont think he was actually busy because we'd find him napping in the stupidest places. I know because I tripped over him under a tree. Also he let me wear that cloak he has, very reluctantly however. The red one with the fluff lined around the neck. He said he doesn't wear it often, I can tell why tho that thing keeps the heat it. I got hot after just a few minutes.

There was never any mobs around kinoko other than the occasional bunny or bird so I never really saw anything dangerous, the area was just too bright.

I don't remember what Karl was doing for the most part, this was back when kinoko was just sort of starting out so I'm assuming he probably left a lot to go talk to Foolish about payment and things like that. But it's fine me and Sap kinda just chilled. He showed me around a bit.

Time kinda passes fast there. Not like minutes fast. But the days are definitely shorter.

Oh goodness but I'd definitely go back there again. It was so nice T^T. Uh but I'd definitely bring more summer type clothes cause it was kinda warm

[frostsinth]

I sighed, shifting and rolling again, unable to get comfortable. My bloated stomach weighed heavily down on me, no matter what way I lay my tired body. These days it came down to my internal organs taking turns getting squished; but none took their turn quietly. And I was more restless and tired than usual today.

Unvar shifted behind me, and I jumped as his hand came around to settle on my cheek. I craned my neck back, looking up at him. He blinked at me sleepily, giving a lazy smile.

“Can not sleep?” He guessed, stroking his thumb along my face.

I sighed, giving up and hoisting myself to a sitting position with a grunt. I lay back against him, bending my knees up and resting my wrists on top. The big Tlaloc had been joining me for my midday naps since my stomach had first started to swell and my energy levels sapped. Sometimes it was the only time we would see each other until nightfall; both of us were kept quite busy with the demands of running the tribes. I relished the time curled up against him, and always slept much better with his warm body at my back. Even now, when we thinned our bed of furs to just a few on the ground to try to minimize the summer heat.

“I can’t get comfortable,” I grumbled. My emotions had been absolutely chaotic as of late, and even his concerned question had me borderline ready to snap at him in irritation.

He reached out with his other hand, stroking my hair comfortingly. “You have been... restless this last week.” He said, switching to the Tlaloc language halfway through the sentence.

We both worked hard to speak in the opposite tongue to our native one, but sometimes what we knew how to say and what we actually wanted to say were too different. Most of our conversations had become this smattering mix of both languages. But I didn’t mind. He was speaking my language a little better every passing day, and I was nearly fluent in the Tlaloc tongue now; in no small part thanks to regular lessons from Galen.

I grunted in a very Tlaloc manner, shuffling my hips to try and relieve some of the pressure on my bottom. “You try growing a tiny beast inside your stomach and then tell me how restless you feel.” I shot back.

Instead of being hurt or insulted, Unvar chuckled in amusement. He thumbed my hair back from my face, twisting it between his fingers. Reaching up with his opposite hand, he began to braid it absent-mindedly.

“I am sorry this burden falls to you,” He murmured soothingly, “I would carry it for us if I could.”

I sighed again. “Stop being sweet. I am trying to be mad.”

Another deep, rumbling chuckle that I felt in my back rising from his chest. “It is better this way,” He seemed to decide as he wove my hair with his thick fingers, “You are more patient than I. Stronger.” He gave me a goofy grin, “My brave Ma’iitsolema.” He switched back to his native tongue.

I almost winced at his words, and I didn’t answer, looking down at my hands in my lap. At least, what I could see of my lap. My stomach had swollen much faster than any pregnancy I had seen before, and even the Tlaloc women seemed impressed with the size to which I had grown so quickly. For me, it was disturbing. I had no idea what to expect with this pregnancy, nor did any of the Tlaloc. It had been some time since the last half-orc had been born into a tribe. Often times, I feared the worst. Unvar was twice my size at least, and if the fast growth of my abdomen was any indication, the baby was taking after him.

“...But you still seem troubled.” He pressed into the silence, switching back to my language.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, pursing my lips. He wouldn’t admit it, but I knew he was just as worried as I was. I caught his concerned looks in the shadows of his excitement. Whenever he thought no one could see him. I appreciated the brave face he put on for me, and I never let him on to my own concerns for the same reason. No wonder he thought I was handling the stress of the pregnancy better than him.

I gave him a small smile, reaching out and stroking my tiny hand across his cheek. He dropped the braid he had been working on, covering my hand with his and leaning into my touch.

“I’m fine. Just tired. And very uncomfortable.” I worked at the strange language in my mouth, hoping I had managed the words alright.

He ran his thumb across my knuckles, studying my face. “I thought maybe... maybe you miss family.”

I stiffened a little at his words. “Family?” I echoed, surprise having me falling back to my native tongue. “What do you mean?”

He paused, searching for the right words. I waited with bated breath, uncertain what to expect. Unvar had no immediate family to speak of; not within the tribes. There was rumors of an uncle, his father’s brother, but he had long since left the tribe to live out his grey years (as the Tlaloc called it) on his own deep in the mountains. For Unvar, the clans were his family; he cared deeply about each of his soldiers and took time to get to know every member he could. Ta’nik seemed to be the closest thing he had to a sibling, though they had only known each other for about a half dozen years. But perhaps there was some other member I had yet to learn of. He didn’t speak much of his parents; his mother had died when he was young, and his father a few years back in battle. The memory of them seemed to bring him pain, so I never pressed it.

“When women grow tlalockin,” He finally started, seeming to still be chewing over the words, “They want their own mothers, and look for their birth family.” He sighed, switching back to his native tongue for the next part. “The Shaz’gul say it is the tlalockin inside them, seeking to learn from where they came. Their mothers are anxious, and so seek the wisdom of those who have raised them.”

My face dropped as I realized I had misunderstood. It was not his family he had meant, but mine. I felt a strange numbness overcome me. After I had agreed to stay with him last spring, he seemed to avoid the subject of my family. As if speaking of them would conjure my desire to return to them. I had been quite content with the arrangement. It allowed to bury my own emotions regarding them.

“Oh...” I managed after perhaps too long of a pause. I reached up, running my hand through my hair. Tracing my fingers over the braid he had set into it.

“We never speak of them,” He pointed out quietly, as if hearing my thoughts, “But I have thought that perhaps now you may want to, because of tlalockin in your belly.” 

I didn’t answer for a time, trying to sort out the jumble of my thoughts and emotions. “...I don’t have a family.” I told him numbly.

“When we meet, you said you have family in Osfar.” He reminded me softly.

I chewed at my lip, swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat. I felt his big hand cup the back of my head again, and he slowly sat up. Wrapping his huge arms around me.

“I am sorry,” He murmured into my hair as I turned into his embrace, “I did not mean upset you.”

I reached up, curling my own arms around his neck. Burying my face in his chest and breathing in his soft scent. I hesitated, playing with his hair with my fingers for a moment.

“My mother died giving birth to me,” I explained softly, closing my eyes, “And my father was rarely home... it was better when he wasn’t...” I felt him wrap his arms a little tighter around me and sink his nose into my hair. “But when he died, I was yet unmarried, and had no place to go.” I turned my head, resting my ear against his chest so that I could hear his heartbeat. “I remembered that once, when I was little, he had taken me with him to visit his brother’s family in Osfar... I think he had hoped they would take me in and he wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore.”

“I do not like this man.” Growled Unvar.

I almost laughed. “Nor I... But I thought that I could travel to his brother and... maybe stay with his family for a while.. until I figured out what to do next.”

Unvar stroked my hair again, seeming to chew this over. “... Do you still wish to see your Uncle?”

I shook my head. “He was...” I stopped, dropping off and swallowing hard, “I didn’t like him much either. I just thought I had no where else to turn. I don’t know if he would have remembered me. Or knew of my father’s death.”

“You were traveling to see him when I found you,” Unvar concluded. Slowly, the big Tlaloc leaned back, peering down at me curiously. “It bothers me. If your father was not around, who keep you safe? When you were little?”

I didn’t want to answer that, and dropped my gaze. Resisting the urge to burst into tears at the emotions that suddenly welled up in me at the memories. Unvar encased me in his arms again, curling his massive body around me.

“Ma shin nkinta’lsha,” He promised, kissing the top of my head. “I will keep you safe.”

I smiled sadly, untangling myself to look up at him. I cupped his huge face between my little hands. “You are all the family I need, Unvar.”

He leaned down, resting his forehead against mine. We both closed our eyes, and sat for a moment in silence, breathing the same air. Finally he sighed himself, and took my hands in his.

“If not family, what troubles my hal’shaleen man’dwe?” He asked, twerking my nose gently with his thumb. “You cannot sleep with war on your chest.”

Now familiar with the Tlaloc phrase, I leaned back against him without questioning it. Slowly, he relaxed, laying back down on the floor. I hesitated, still feeling very raw and vulnerable having shared such a dark part of my life. But my eyes went to my swollen stomach, and I rested my hand on top. I chanced a glance at Unvar out of the corner of my eye, and saw his brow knit together.

Quietly, his own hand came up, resting atop mine. I shifted, slipping out from under him and lightly placing his palm flush to my abdomen. Resting my tiny hand on top of his. I turned to look at him more fully now, and let my face tell him all the things I couldn’t find the words to. I saw a look of pain flash in his eyes, and his lips twitched. Both our eyes returned to my abdomen.

“It seems to be taking after its father,” I told him softly, tracing my fingertips over his knuckles. “... You are troubled too.”

“I... I am afraid I...I am afraid I have set the day of your death.” He breathed, and his deep voice shook. My throat burned to hear the pain in his words. “I am afraid that our child...” He dropped off, and I felt his big fingers tighten beneath mine. “Now that I have known life with you, I cannot survive a life without...”

I nodded slowly. Confirming the fears we shared. But I stroked my stomach tenderly with my opposite hand. 

“I am scared too... but...” One tear did manage to escape now, and I quickly wiped it back. “I do not care... I would willingly die for this child... Our child... for our family.”

When I looked over at Unvar, his eyes were closed. His thick brow taught. I squeezed his hand beneath mine, and he slowly opened them. I gave him a small smile.

“I am restless only because I cannot wait to meet our child. My only fear is that I will not-”

“No.” He interrupted me sharply, his voice louder than before. “Tlaloc and shikoba have had tlalockin together before.” His face softened, and he stroked the back of my head again. “I will not lose you. Not ever, my little  Ma’iitsolema.” The smallest of smiles tickled the corners of his lips. “I will keep you both safe.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his determination. I leaned back against him, watching his hand stroke my stomach gently. I smiled, feeling better for finally having voiced my fears.

“I have never doubted that, not for a moment... Mah’un de, bal th’ez uk man’dwe.“

...

Another little snipit of the happy couple. Just lovely gooey moments for everyone to enjoy. I imagine that before she gives birth, Karianna gets quite large. Unvar, the ever doting husband and father to-be, is very attentive to her every need.

Hopefully this little insight to them answers a few more pressing questions. More one-shots to come in the future, I’m sure! The MasterList link below has the full story of these two (Li’un Ma Shkio) and the other epilogue actually follows up on this part a few months later. Enjoy!

MasterList  -  Epilogue 1

[allie1804-fan]

Please Assist Me (Chapter 20)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8,  Chapter 9, Chapter 10 , Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15 , Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19

She Said

The spectacle of an entirely speechless Keanu was one to behold when he unwrapped the test. I’d been bursting with the news since the morning before when I got the result so it had been an endurance test for me not to have anyone to share it with for over 24 hours. I knew there were long months ahead to get through but it was lovely to share the joy of this moment with him and go to sleep secure in his arms after almost a month apart.

My mind since finding out had been racing, projecting forwards to how far along I’d be by key dates like the summer holidays, Keanu finishing John Wick 4 filming, the Matrix 4 Premiere …… and I was worried about the immediate future too.  I hadn’t been especially sick with either of my previous pregnancies but I had been incredibly tired. With Eva, I was doing modelling contracts but not every day so, on days off, I remember just sleeping for ages. Obviously with Miguel, I had a toddler to care for so I couldn’t nap unless she did but I sure took advantage of that time whenever I could. I was also worried about the home schooling which was really full on. How was I going to soldier on through that? And by the time Keanu would be home again, I reckoned I’d already be nearly 20 weeks along. I suppose he would at least be there as the strain on my body got greater.

I also told myself not to get ahead of myself. It was such early days and whilst I’d not suffered a miscarriage myself, I had plenty of friends who had in these early stages. And the spectre of stillbirth was also there because of Keanu’s own experience. Until this baby was here, I was sure neither of us would rest easy.  I didn’t really want to share the news with the kids until the pregnancy was better established. I was pretty sure they’d be pleased but they might worry about the new baby somehow taking priority and if the worst happened, I didn’t want to have to explain about how not all babies make it to full term to an 9 and 7 year old. But I also knew friends who had kept their pregnancies secret, suffered a miscarriage and then felt they couldn’t share the pain of the loss afterwards so maybe openness was the best option with our close friends and family and maybe even the kids. I’d have to add this decision to my list of things to talk about with Keanu.

 He Said

When I woke up the next morning,  my first reaction was to pull the human hot water bottle in front of me into my chest, relishing being together again. And then I remembered. She wasn’t just my partner anymore but also the mother to be of my child.

A big smile spread over my face at this thought. Then worry creased my brow.

Sophia had said she reckoned she was around 8 weeks along - that left 32 roughly for anxiety and things to go wrong!

She’d managed to book a scan for before my return to New York so we’d hopefully get to see the baby, tiny dot that it would be, and get the dates confirmed.

She actually reckoned it was that amazing day in NY that we’d conceived. The dates were right and she remembered someone telling her years ago that your chances were better if the woman also climaxed when the man did as this had the effect of sucking up the sperm further with the contractions in the vagina. Who knows if there’s any truth in that but I certainly remembered the powerful sensation of being sucked into her very well!

32 weeks. Man that seemed like forever. And the dates were a little freaky too. If you calculated by her dates, then the baby was due on New Year’s Day 2021. Ava had been due in early January and was born sleeping on Christmas Eve 1999. Jen and I had conceived after being careless after a Matrix Premiere party. At least this time, there was nothing accidental about this baby and no nagging doubts about the relationship.

We’d have to tell Cheryl in case anything got leaked and then there were the kids and our families to consider. I was cautious but also remembered my therapist’s advice - the one I’d seen in my 40s after years of suppressing the processing of my trauma after Ava & Jen’s deaths. She had tried to get me to accept that worrying about things on your own was never healthy and that being hopeful that good things will come doesn’t jinx things and nor does preparing for bad things to happen stave them off magically. I rationalised that all we could do was take care, have regular check ups and try to enjoy the journey.

I know Sophia was probably more anxious than her first pregnancies, in part due to her age but also due to what had happened to me and Jen. I decided to suggest we hire some help with the home-schooling to ease the daily stresses of her life in the coming months.

And all these thoughts had gone through my mind before Sophia even woke up!

Eventually I felt her stir and she turned in my arms to give me a sleepy morning kiss

“Morning handsome”

“Morning beautiful mama”

She smiled

“Oh you’re not gonna be one of those men who reduces their partner to a mere vessel for their child are you?”

That made me chuckle.

“Naaah, but you’ll let me be a little bit excited right?”  I placed my hand on her belly  again.

“ Right” she said and leaned in to given me a gentle kiss which quickly deepened into something more heated. Then she pulled away and looked over at the clock.

“We don’t have time lover boy”

I groaned, but knew she was right, - it was already 5 to 7

“Hey get used to it! And Don’t worry we have tomorrow to ourselves”

I gave her a quick squeeze and just then Eva and Miguel burst into the room.

“Keanuuu” was their first cry and so the day began!

 She Said

On Keanu’s first day back, it was a school day so he got to witness  the transformation of my dining room into a mini classroom with each kid stationed in front of a laptop with headphones in on an off for a morning with exercises to do in-between. Luckily, although there were 5 kids, they were only spread across 2 year groups so 3 (9 year olds) had one set of exercises and 2 (the 7 year olds) had another. He helped out by listening in to the 7 year old’s lesson while I supported Eva’s year group with theirs. Miguel delighted in bragging that Duke Caboom was helping him with his addition, making Keanu give the teacher a little wave on the zoom screen.

After lunch together, Keanu sent me off for a nap and sat down to read them all  some chapters of the Roald Dhal story we had started and then and got them all playing quiet games like hangman and battleships for a while. When I came in,  they had just started watching “Up”. I tried to suggest an alternative but it was too late and they were all set on it. I mean, I love that movie but I had a feeling Keanu wouldn’t have seen it before and he wouldn’t be expecting one of the early moments. I was proved right when he made a rapid exit to the kitchen when that scene played out and I followed him to make sure he was alright.

He was leaning over the sink, trying to pull himself together and I slipped my arms around him, whispering.

“It will be OK darling, we’ll take all the care in the world to keep this baby safe and well, I promise! We just have to take it one day at a time”

He turned then and held me close and didn’t speak for a few more minutes, stifling a couple of sobs against my shoulder. When he’d got himself a bit more together, he  pulled back and looked at me, eyes a little red from crying.  He let about a shaky breath before speaking.

“Sorry - that just took me by surprise and, it was, it was like all my worries in the few hours since finding out were playing out on the screen and it was “ he shook his head. “It’s just a bit  overwhelming how much I want this baby with you and how horrifying the prospect of losing them is”

“I know sweetheart, me too, me too and I tried to get them to pick another movie but they were already set on it!”

“Yeah, I’d heard good things but I didn’t know the detail.”

“It’s wonderful, you should see it through for the pay off!”

 He Said

That evening as we were both slumped on the sofa, exhausted from the 5 kid day, I told Sophia my thought about getting her some support with the home-schooling. I thought she might be all “superwoman” about it but she admitted to finding it gruelling even today with my support and a little nap.

“I just can’t describe how energy sapping it is being pregnant. It’s not like I’m doing anything out of the ordinary but “

 “Hold it hold it, you’re growing a human being, don’t call it nothing out of the ordinary!”

“You know what I mean! And women have been doing this for thousands of years at the same time as tilling the land or working in a factory. Getting help does seem a bit ridiculous but at the same time, I so want it! What do you think the others will think?”

“What Julie and Miranda?”

“Yeah. I mean are they going to feel I’m cheating or something!”

“Not if you explain why ......”

“Yeah, about that. How do you feel about telling people?”

“Weeeell” I rubbed my chin thinking it over. “There are pros and cons right? I’m probably pro on balance because I think being open is probably better mental health wise. I don’t know about the kids. I mean it would be hard if you told them and ....

“And something went wrong ..... like in ‘Up’?”

“Yeah like in ‘Up’.” I squeezed her hand remembering earlier.

“I mean, actually maybe ‘Up’ is the answer. They’ve watched it before and I think we had a little chat about that scene the first time around so ....”

“Ok, so let’s go for it”

“Ok, Tomorrow if the scan is ok, deal?”

The next day, we drove together to the hospital but I dropped Sophia off first just so we wouldn’t be making an entrance together. We were also both masked up and I wore a beanie so hopefully we’d escaped any opportunist paps.

The wait was brief in the obgyn waiting area thankfully and we went in having a brief chat first to confirm when Sophia’s last period was etc before she was asked to lie down for the scan.

I  gripped her hand - I don’t know which of us was more nervous!

The screen showed a cone shape black area which was the uterus as revealed by the ultrasound waves and then there was a tiny circle which flashed in and out of view  - the doctor explained that was the heartbeat.

We each had tears of joy rolling down our faces.

The doctor left for a few minutes while Sophia wiped away the jelly and got dressed again.  I pulled her up for a kiss, still choked up.

“Thank you”

“No Thank you!” was her reply.

 She Said

After the relief of the scan, we made the next appointment for the end of the first trimester which Keanu was aiming to fly back for. Then we headed home, with me meeting Keanu in the car park rather than walking out together, again hoping to avoid any stalking paps. We picked up some lunch from a deli and headed back home. After our meal, Keanu sent me to take a nap – he had some e mails to catch up on regarding the upcoming shoot schedule and he could see that the visit had taken it out of me. I snoozed for a couple of hours, waking to find Keanu had joined me and was spooning me with his arm slung around me, hand on my belly again. I didn’t mind him being possessive of it!

I stretched and slowly turned round to see if he was sleeping too but he quickly opened his eyes.

“Hey, is that better?”

“uh huh – I needed that thanks”

“How long do we have before we have to fetch the kids?”

“What time is it?”

“Nearly 3”

“OK, well we have an hour and a half”

“time to show you how much I’ve missed you he said in a low voice, while softly stroking my breasts through my t-shirt, that OK?”

“mmmm more than OK”

We had slow, gentle sex and I delighted in the fact that we could vary from the intense, the jokey, gentle or wild when it came to sex, whatever felt right and this soft focus version was just what I needed right then, being in the unenergetic pregnant state that I was with tender breasts and erratic emotions.

Over at Julie’s we left the kids to play in the garden for a while and we embarked on telling her our news and the plan to get a tutor to help me with home-schooling on my days. Luckily she was both delighted at our news and happy with the tutor plan. I promised to keep her and Miranda involved with the process and then we headed home with the kids being the next ones to receive the news once we’d eaten dinner.

 He Said

As dinner plates were cleared away, we told the kids to stay put as we had some news.  Sophia was the one to tell them that she was going to have a baby so they would hopefully have a baby brother or sister in the New Year.

Eva was attuned to the language and quickly asked

“Why only hopefully?”

“Well, right now I’m pregnant, you know that word right? And the baby is very, very small, just developing and growing. And sometimes babies don’t develop right and so there isn’t a baby in the end.  Do you remember that happened to Ellie and Carl in “Up”? Hopefully everything will be just fine and the doctors and Keanu will be looking after me really well but I can’t promise you, OK?

“But I don’t want you to be sad like Carl and Ellie” Eva’s eyes had already filled with tears.

“Me either” Miguel whined.

I could see Sophia’s lip quavering too and swung into action, standing up and lifting first Miguel and then Eva to stand on their chairs which I pulled near to me.

“Come on Sophia, over here for a group hug.”

So we all stood together and hugged them close while I repeated what Sophia had said.

“We all want this little baby to come, I know and like Mom said, I am going to look after her and the doctors and you two too and everything should be absolutely fine, OK so try not to worry and just be super helpers to your Mom while she has all this work to do, looking after you two OK?”

They both solemnly nodded.

“Can we have a brother?” Miguel asked excitedly?

“Now that I definitely can’t guarantee!” I said laughing. You don’t get to choose if it’s a boy or a girl”

“What do you want?”

“It doesn’t matter to me one little bit – just a healthy brother or sister for you two.

The mood had lifted at last though I could tell it had been hard on Sophia.

 She Said

 After the kids had gone to bed, the tears I’d had to hold in when we were telling them about the baby flooded out.

“Tough huh?” Keanu said after I’d stopped crying and dried my eyes.

“You know it was less about the baby and more just their loss of innocence. It  reminded me of how I felt when my parents told me they were getting a divorce.  I guess it’s the moment when you realise life isn’t all candy bars and unicorns!”

“Yeah I know but look how strong and resilient you are now -  it was  tough but it will help them in the long run. A dose of reality isn’t necessarily a bad thing”

“Yeah but the look on Eva’s face broke my heart a little bit!”

“I know, but what a lovely, loving little girl - what she said about not wanting you to be sad like Carl and Ellie …..”

“Stop it, you’ll make me cry again!”

“Well that’s not hard!”

“Shudup you, you!”

“What?”

“You gorgeous lovely man, I guess!”

@fortheloveoffanfic @kindainlovewithk’eanu @omg-imagine @iworshipkeanureeves @fics-not-tragedies @ficsnroses @keanureevesisbae @penwieldingdreamer @witty-wallflower @paperplanesandwallflowers @bitchyslut99 @ladyreapermc @toomanystoriessolittletime @fanficsrusz @keanuficfiles @bitchyslut99

[angrylizardjacket]

the last house at the end of the street {Daniel Webber}

A/N: 2871 words. This is for @rogerandhishair and also batnon, both of whom I love, but especially Gabs for helping me along the way and inspiring me, and yelling about Daniel a lot. Was this meant to be cabin!Daniel? Yes. But it’s lakehouse!daniel now! So part of my family is originally from Wangi Wangi, and I used to go there a lot when I was a kid, esp. around Christmas/Summer time. It’s a very chill, picturesque place. God I hope this is coherent to anyone who’s not Australian. Feedback would be great!! Fluffy As Hell and AGGRESSIVELY Australian.

“This is where horror movies happen.” You tell Daniel, the two of you stopped for lunch at a spot you’re told is only a five minute walk from the property he’d bought once he’d had the means. It’s in a place called Wangi Wangi, which you’d never heard of before, but you’d been assured that you’d love it, and, alright, looking over the sparkling water of the Lake, seeing the little boats bobbing their way across the water, the smell of the gentle breeze as it whistles softly past the native trees, you’re actually rather charmed by it. But you still can’t help yourself. “Seriously, this is where Crocodile Dundee himself crawls out of the lake to kill his helpless victims, which probably includes us.”

“Crocodile Dundee isn’t a horror movie,” Daniel tells you flatly, his lips quirked in the barest smirk, and your expression turns to a frown as you consider it. “You’re thinking of Friday the Thirteenth.”

“No, I’m thinking of... - Wolf Creek!” It’s like a eureka moment, your eyes lighting up, and oh, somehow it’s just so endearing, the light of the sun glinting off the water to highlight your smile. “I’m thinking of Wolf Creek,” you tell him with a self-satisfied conviction, going on to half-jokingly explain that ‘wolf is going to crawl out of the creek and kill us, just like in the movie’. You’re fully aware that that’s not what Wolf Creek is about, but it doesn’t really matter, because it makes Daniel laugh.

The property is the last house on the street, a dark gravel driveway leading to a spacious garage next to a handsome, red brick home. The windows are large, filling the rooms with air and light, looking out over the Lake, a view you know you could really get used to.

It’s empty, bare walls and plush, clean carpets, linoleum you’d replace with actual tiles when you get a chance. He’d always said he wanted a house by the lake, always told you how much he’d adored coming out here as a kid, and now, seeing him lean against the balcony out the back, smiling like everything was right in the world at this very moment, you can’t blame him. Wrapped your arms around him, you press a kiss to his back, between his shoulder blades, before perching your chin on his shoulder.

It’s so serene.

It’s going to end up as a holiday home, but you’re both between projects, so you’ve got the time to fix it up, to make it perfect. But for now, tonight, the first time you’ll ever sleep in this quiet little dream you’ve picked out for yourselves, you sleep on a blow-up mattress in the main bedroom, talking and laughing and dreaming up schematics in the Summer air. The window is open, and if you’re quiet, you can hear the lake lapping at the shore. 

Tomorrow, you can start the process of making it perfect, but for tonight, it sort of feels like it already is.

It’s not easy work, it’s the tail-end of Summer, though February is still painful at the best of times. You’re covered in grime and grout and paint, and retiling a bathroom and a kitchen is far more involved than you’d realised. Painting room after room hurts your back, and you know that when you’re done, you still have to do the skirting boards, and replace the counter tops and furnish the whole house. You’ve got the basics, a refrigerator, and wifi, and deck chairs, though they’re uncomfortable metal fold out ones, but you get through the day, jamming out to Spotify playlists that keep your spirit up. 

Naps become common, as does having at least three water bottles in the fridge at all times. Each. You’re sweaty more than you’re not, but it’s worth it, it has to be. 

One particularly hot afternoon, Daniel wraps his arms around you where you’re reaching into the fridge for some cold water, and you squawk at it. You’d just been taking a break from painting the main bedroom, giving yourself a rest before powering through to the marginally-cooler night.

“I’m so gross right now,” you protest, feeling every point where your shirt is sticking to you, but he doesn’t release you from his loose grip.

“So am I,” he laughs, pressing his face to your back, wiping his grubby forehead on your back, covered in sweat and grim from where he’d been replacing the wood of the back porch. You wriggle, yelping at that, though you don’t protest, and when you shut the fridge, you turn to him with two bottles in hand. He takes the one you offer, finally letting you go, grinning from ear to ear. 

“You wanna head down to the lake for a swim?” He offers, and it’s almost four in the afternoon, still feeling hotter than hell, and the lake sounds so enticing right now.

“Absolutely.”

Daniel always seems to know when your mood is dipping, he takes the paintbrush or tool that you’re working with, and you want to protest, because you’ve still got some of the wall to do but -

“Tomorrow, there’s always tomorrow.” He’ll assure, and something about the way he says it eases the tense set of your shoulders. Tired and covered in paint, he’ll grab a drink for the both of you, so cold it feels like a godsend, and you’ll walk down to the shore. There’s a little, stone pier that’s a ten minute walk from your house, with other people’s overturned canoes resting in the grass nearby, and something about the sight is so full of implicit trust. You sit, side by side, on the pier, feet in the water, watching boats cross the skyline. Some days it’s clear enough that you can see Swansea on the other side. 

The stress washes away with the water, leaning against Daniel, your head on his shoulder.

“I was thinking of getting, like, a dinghy or something,” he muses one evening, sunset having painted the sky lilac. You yawn, having spent the day finishing off painting the skirting boards; it meant you’d officially finished painting the house, and all that was left to do was replace the linoleum countertops in the kitchen. It had thoroughly sapped the energy from you. “Maybe not a dinghy, maybe something bigger; we could go out on the lake and swim, maybe fish, just have a time of it.” He sounded tired too, and he takes a swig of his beer before resting his head against yours. The moment hangs in the air, warm and gentle like the last rays of sunshine, and you tuck your arm into his, basking in it.

You’re rather wrapped up in refurbishing the home for the stretch of time that you spend there, you’d missed Christmas and Australia Day, and before you know it, the house is done. It smells like fresh paint and plastic from your new furniture and appliances, and you find yourself burning candles everywhere to make it smell like home.

You get used to the comforting sound of the lake, the rustle of the wind through the trees, and it becomes routine to walk through the park that borders the left of your house, going out to the picnic spot where you’d stopped that first day, overlooking the whole town and it’s surrounds. Daniel takes comfort here like you’ve never really seen him before. Seemingly stress free, he finds himself enjoying afternoons exploring the Conservation Park nearby; sometimes you join him, sometimes you take a nap, and wake up when the sun’s setting, the air’s cooling, and you find yourself with a blanket over you, and a little bunch of wild flowers on the coffee table. Daniel, you can hear, is cooking dinner in the next room, listening to music and humming along. Something about it makes your heart melt, just a little.

It seems like it’s all too soon before you’re both off again, to work on new projects, the real world calling you back, but at least now you know you’ve got this refuge when you need it.

The year drags on, and for all it’s filled with fun and achievements, you find yourself longing to go back to the little lake house. 

You return just after New Year’s. It’s the middle of Summer, and this time you buy a barbecue for the back yard, and a tent, because you’ve got a beautiful park right next door, it would be a shame to under utilize it. You get to know your neighbors, the people around the street, and it’s surprising how friendly they are. You suppose you do live at the end of the road, no-one further down apart from the animals in the park, and the vacationing families in the holiday homes a few kilometers away. 

Johnno, who lives four doors down, baulks when you call him Johnothan, and in the same breath invites you and Daniel to his Australia Day get-together that’s happening next week. You tentatively accept, but he seems to sense your hesitation.

“Listen, it’s just a little thing, get all the neighbors round and have a splash in the pool, get the barbie runnin’ and listen to Triple-J’s Hottest 100,” he pauses, shrugging, not even giving you time to process everything he’s said, “I don’t really go in for all that patriotism stuff, but it’s a good excuse to get everyone together, you know?” Daniel accepts with a bright smile, and Johnno’s on his merry way.

“Please tell me you understood anything he said,” you half laughed, and Daniel grins, nodding, explaining that you’d essentially been invited to a very casual lunch.

Personally, you think having a pool while living so close to a lake seems like overkill, but you wouldn’t turn down a kind invite. 

“I feel like I’ve seen your face before,” Johnno’s expression is thoughtful as you and Daniel hover by the barbecue, feeling a little out of place in the spacious backyard, surrounded by people and their families. There’s kids splashing about in the pool, older women sitting on the porch under an umbrella holding glasses of champagne, and men scattered about, talking to each other like old friends. Johnno, for his part, is diligently sweating away, cooking enough sausages to feed a small army, with plates piled high of more food to be added when there’s room. He’s not even wearing an apron, just a pair of board shorts, wielding a pair of tongs with one hand, a beer in the other.

Daniel laughs a little at that, the sound warm and good natured, and a woman comes out of the house holding a bowl of freshly tossed salad. 

“Jen, babe, where have we seen him before, he’s got a face I recognise,” Johnno asks, and the woman, Jen, joins him after putting the salad on the fold out table that had been set-up beside the barbecue. She frowns for a little, but it’s not unkind, and Daniel beats them to it.

“I was on Home and Away a couple of years ago.”

And both their faces light up, talking over each other with their own realisations as they nod, agreeing that that’s where he’d seen them. It’s slow at first, once Jen leaves to head back inside, a few of the people who come out after her, carrying drinks of their own, or more food for the table, they give you and Daniel an appraising look. As time passes, it seems the news of a celebrity in their midst spreads to the rest of the gathered neighbors, though it just means that everyone’s more excited to talk to them, well Daniel, than they were before.

“He’s the cute one from Teenage Kicks,” a teenage girl whispers a little too loudly to her friend, maybe her sister, while they’re all lining up for food. Daniel tries to hide his smile and pretend like he didn’t hear them, stepping up, grabbing himself a paper plate, and collecting food. 

“I feel like they’re too young to have seen that,” he mutters to you, though he’s grinning a little, and you can’t help your own smile at his amusement.

Soon enough, just like you’d watched earlier, the others start to talk to the two of you like you’re old friends, but Daniel never leaves your side. You’re a little bit surprised at how much you find you’re enjoying yourself. You and Daniel take up residence on a set of banana lounges beneath an umbrella. At one point, he goes to get the both of you new drinks, giving you a quick kiss on the forehead before he goes, and you’re pretty sure you actually hear the two teenage girls give a dreamy sigh from where they’d been trying to inconspicuously watch the two of you. While you found it a little strange, they obviously meant no harm by it, and when you smiled at them, they both averted their gazes quickly, embarrassed at getting caught.

The whole day feels surreal, like a moment from someone else’s life, where the sky is always blue, and grilled pineapple is a delicacy, and it feels like a home away from home. 

You don’t stay long; his shooting schedule for his next project has him in America in late February, and your own project is set to enter pre-production only a few weeks after; you’re sad to leave the haven of the lake house, but excited to say goodbye to the heat of the Australian Summer.

Every so often, you get invited to neighborhood events, usually by Johnno or Jen, though you’ve actually kept up communications with a few people from around the neighborhood, having enjoyed that Summer afternoon too much to let the people you’d met go completely.

You return sooner than anticipated, at the start of July, the two of you having a few weeks off and wanting to see what the property was like in the Winter, out of sheer curiosity.

It’s absolutely freezing. The wind cools as it crosses the lake, and chills you to the bone. It’s only made bearable when you and Daniel wrap yourselves in various duvets, curled up on the sofa you’d bought for the porch, drinking hot drinks and enjoying the view as much as you could. You think you prefer the view in the Summer, everything seems that little bit more gold around the edges, but here, now, he wraps his arm around you, lets you wrap yourself up against him.

“We should bring people out here,” he muses, breath warm against your cheek, a small comfort on this overcast evening, “like friends and stuff, ‘nd family. In Summer of course.”

“Spring,” you suggest, “before it gets too hot.” He nods, but doesn’t answer for the crack of thunder that rumbles ahead of you, and the two of head inside quickly before being pelted with rain. The rain itself sets the atmosphere nicely when you head back inside, curling up on the sofa, planning on who you could invite to your little lakeside paradise.

Bit by bit, as you collect memories in the house, you collect knicknacks, and then there’s photos on the wall, and props from projects on display, and you have friends and family around, you invite the neighbors for a barbecue of your own, and then there’s little scratches and knocks along the walls, and someone spilled something on the carpet that didn’t manage to come out entirely, but you find that you sort of love it. It feels lovely. 

There’s a little yacht docked to the bigger pier that’s only about a twenty minute walk from your home, but it’s yours. The guest room is always neat when a friend comes to stay. In 2019, you politely decline the invite to ‘Johnno and Jen’s annual Australia Day Shindig’, you tell them you have family plans. In a sense, you’re not lying; you have the other three stars of The Dirt over for Australia Day, and they make themselves at home on your sofa, on your spare bed, on a blow-up mattress. There’s something freeing about the lake house, about being away from prying eyes, and while you watch the boys toss themselves into the water from the yacht, you feel contentment spreading from the warmth in your chest to the tips of your fingers.

You have your own little barbecue that evening, everyone still in board shorts, hair curling from the salt water and sitting around the back porch. Colson’s singing along to half of the Hottest 100 as it plays from your bluetooth speaker, and later, you’ll all watch the fireworks over the water. Daniel seems in his element, grinning from ear to ear as you’re all discussing your upcoming projects, how they’re all looking forward to the The Dirt premiere in only a few months. Iwan’s got a few television opportunities, Douglas is going to be doing some philanthropy, and Colson’s got his album coming out soon. Both you and Daniel have films going into production in the near future, and you can see him regarding his friends with a quiet pride.

This is what had been missing, you realise. 

The house was finally perfect.

[isolaradiale]

Summer days drift along, the cozy air of offshore breezes drifting nothing but pleasant scents and desires for it to never end. Were it only so easy as that, for happier days long since gone to have never ended. “Hm. If only,” someone muses softly, one hand pressed to her cheek as a foot twirls beneath her desk. Shoulders ease with a release of a sigh from Pleiades’ lips, observing the ongoing lives which many have fastened themselves into. Whether of those older residents of a years time or fresher faces, she could only imagine the trials which they faced to be more hardship than what payoff they might be getting---regardless if it be the stars themselves or the very ones under their watchful gaze.

“You know, for all we’ve asked of them, it simply won’t do to only give back what they’re supposed to work for regardless. After all, deities should be gracious when their subjects have far exceeded their expectations. Or something along those lines.”

A wave of her hand at her musings with the lean back in her chair. Shifting a hand to adjust her glasses, she tucks blonde tresses behind her ear in thought of it all. Perhaps, with the knowledge they have now, it would not be so hard pressed to do even a little as that. Fingers are quick to align themselves to her keyboard, tapping away for moments on end as if to calculate the appropriate approach on the matter, let alone to inform the others of her brief decision, and before long the very solution which would usher in a time of rest for the weary souls who have done more than any should ask of them.

Time flows ever on upon the island, unchanging as ever... until a lavender aura, hardly seen by the untrained eye, begins to drift upon the citizens. Aromas of familiarity enticing their senses, the sound of a voice calling their name in the distance which might pull their focus from a task at hand, slowly sapping their strength with each passing second. Tenderly, like a long forgotten lullaby meant to soothe one into a gentle slumber before all goes white...

“Oh, but do rest well, my little subjects... there’s no denying you really have deserved it.”

                                                      ☆               ☆                ☆

So what’s happening?

Simply put, all of your muses have drifted to sleep after the more lavender tinted aura has overtaken the wards and even the branches. Whether they were hanging out somewhere outdoors or even chilling in their home, they would have felt their strength slowly fade and a heavy tiredness overwhelm them before falling asleep. Don’t worry, though! Many of the NPCs seem to have caught any in more unfortunate circumstances (standing up when this all happens) so that they wouldn’t have been harmed when sleep overtook them.

How does this work?

Essentially, your muses will experience dreams while in this sleeping state. Or, more specifically, memories that are posed as dreams, drawn from the characters themselves. Your memories can be either big or small, little ones which hardly have any effect other than the smallest blip of happiness or those that have made an astounding impact on you as a whole. Though, most notably, they’re intended to be good memories! Ones that are heartfelt or were of happier moments. Anything that fits in these moments, whether it was time spent on a battlefield or just leisurely laying in a tree eating a fruit, are all capable of manifesting in these dreams.

Likewise, while you sleep, your character’s body will be given all the benefits of getting a good nights rest by tenfold, rejuvenating itself over time the more dreams they experience. If you didn’t feel well rested before, you definitely will feel high energy at the end of it all, at least for a short while before it gets all used up over the next few weeks.

Basically this is the Stars way of saying you all deserve a good rest.

Are we the only ones who can experience our dream?

Absolutely not! More than your own muse can share your dream, whether they’re from the same world or a stranger entirely. You’re welcome to have anyone and even a multiple of people, not just one other, experience the memories with you as you see fit.

Cool, but what about bad memories?

The intention of this is to give people relive their good memories and dreams overall, though that isn’t to say some bad ones can’t slip in due to a hiccup or two. Sometimes it just happens. So if you really want your character to relive some bad memories, we won’t stop you at all, so feel free to slip in some bad memories as well if that’s what you’d like to do.

Are we stuck with only one memory?

Absolutely not! Please don’t feel stifled that you are only kept to one memory or dream. Throughout this time, muses are absolutely able to cycle through many different memories that you want to explore, whether it be your own or falling into another dream of someone to experience. Feel free to shift through as many memories as you want in either one thread or several, the sky is the limit.

Is there a wrong way to relive a memory?

Nope! It’s completely up to the mun on how they might want to relive it. If you’d prefer to have your character to be a third person viewer, such as merely observing the memories pan out while they watch on and essentially watch themselves interact with the world as it happened, that’s completely fine. They can still interact with the setting and people in their dreams and memories just the same, though in a way there would be two of them walking around: themselves as they are and the them from the memory itself. However, you can also take it as a first person stance, such as you being put in place of your memory self and interacting that way, as if you were truly reliving that moment.

Can we alter memories at all?

No. Nothing changed in these dreams will permanently alter any memories. Even then, while the memory doesn’t have to play out to every little detail as your character recalls, the core event of the memory will still conclude as it would have. That being said, if your memory is of a farewell to someone, you can’t alter it to where they would stay indefinitely and the dream would find a way to make it end how it would have come to pass. However, little interactions are perfectly okay, such as telling someone you love them when you hadn’t before and receiving a response that was never given, or more playfully removing an item from the scene which would make the memory figure in question have to look to find it, etc.

Do we have to have our characters participate?

As with every event, this is very much optional! Maybe the aura didn’t affect your character at all, so you’d still be awake. Hopefully it might not be a little too strange walking by and seeing some people napping on a random patio or against a wall, though... but at least the NPCs are still wide awake to take your coffee orders and drive you around, right?

I have a question I don’t see here. What do I do?

If you have any other questions, just send an ask to the MASTERLIST and we’ll get it answered as soon as we can!

How long will this run for?

The event will run from 8/15 through tentatively 8/25!

[ravenforce]

All you had to is ask

Requested by: @jocey-2001

Prompt: Not sure if you’re accepting prompts at the moment but I would love if you could to a Natasha Romanoff x Reader one shot where they are at a avengers party and Nat is flirting with the guys to see what the reader's reaction would be. (Not dating but maybe the could be something between them by the end?) thanks in advance x

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x fem!Reader

Word Count: 2504

Warning/s: None

A/N: Hey! Sorry, I’ve been AWOL for a while; I’m a tired baby. I’m not sure what I did here, I apologize if this doesn’t make sense. I still hope you guys enjoy it. xx

Masterlist

***

You have known Tony Stark since you were a child. Your family has been friends with the Starks since you could remember and you live on the estate opposite theirs. Tony was the annoying big brother you never had. At first, you and Tony didn't get along. You found him too loud and too proud, while he finds you too nice.

You two bicker about everything until one day, Tony found out you're a genius as well by pointing out why his formula wasn't working. At first, he was annoyed that a child just bested him but you weren't the type to gloat. Since then, even with a ten-year gap, you and Tony have been inseparable. When he took over Stark Industries, he hired you and you agreed easily; you're after all the third brilliant mind he's ever known.

When he asked you to join the Avengers though you were doubtful he's your brother and how could you say no when he's giving you the best puppy face he could ever muster.

"Come on Y/N, it would mean the world to me if to know that my sister has my back on this one," he pleaded.

"Stop being dramatic Anthony," you said as you continue to type away your report on your current project.

Tony sighed dramatically on his seat across your table, you rolled your eyes as you look at him. "What makes you think I'm fit to join your superhero team? I'm a lab rat, T. I got zero fighting skills whatsoever," you ranted.

He wanted to chuckle. Now who's being dramatic, he thought.

"First of all, you're not a lab rat. If you are, you're definitely the prettiest and smartest lab rat I know," he said as he walked around your table and give you a head kiss. You just sighed and hummed happily on your seat.

"Second of all, you have fighting skills. Your father didn't enroll you on all that fighting summer classes for nothing," he continued. You're pretty sure your father signed you up for those classes for self-defense, not actively going on fights but you held your tongue.

"Plus, you can train physically. I'm sure Roger's would be kind enough to train with you," he said with slight aggression on his voice.

You leaned back on your chair to regard him, he just crossed his arms against his chest. He looks smug, he knows he got you. "Fine, if I die that's on you," you said. He just laughs at you, there's no way he would let anything happen to you.

***

It's been a couple of months since you officially joined the Avengers but you still haven't met all of them as some of them has been dispatched in a mission. So far all you've managed to do is finished your suit and other R&D projects at Stark Industries and keep up with the training schedule Agent Maria Hill gave you. Training is often with Steve, Clint, and occasionally, Wanda. The boys were great, they claim that there's nothing much they could teach you since you're clearly capable. Wanda is amazing and really friendly, she goes out of her way to make you feel welcome and included to which you're thankful.

It took another month before the rest of the team arrived back at the tower. Thor, Sam, and Rhodey arrived first from their mission in Germany, and they've taken an instant liking to you. The team was already gathering for early dinner when Natasha and Bruce arrived from their mission in Russia.

"So where's the new girl everyone was gushing about?" Nat said as she sat on her usual spot from the table. Nat may have been away since but she has heard so much about you from Steve, Clint, and Wanda.

"Tony called her downstairs for some meeting," Steve answered just as Tony walked in.

"Speak of the devil," Rhodey teased. Tony just grinned and sat on his designated seat.

"Y/N's not here yet?" Tony asked while shoveling food on his plate.

"We thought she was with you?" Clint asked to which Tony just shrugged.

Before he could answer though, the audible tapping of heels approaching can be heard from the corridor even before you entered the dining hall. When you did, Nat's breath caught in her throat. She heard you were a genius like Tony, a capable fighter as well but no one told her how gorgeous you are especially in a navy blue three-piece suit. You were too tired and too riled up to account for your surroundings that you didn't realize the whole team was in the room.

Nat watched the confident sway of your hips as you walked towards the bar.

"That bad?" Tony asked from across the room laughing.

"I swear to God Anthony, throw me against those jackals one more time without so much as a warning I would end you," you husked loud enough for him to hear as you pour yourself three fingers of scotch.

Tony laughed harder. You poured yourself another glass before you decided to walk to the dining table. Only then did you realize how many people are in the room.

"Shit, I'm so sorry. I'm so used to coming home with just Tony here," you said as you unconsciously undo three buttons of your suit's undershirt. Nat gulped as she watched the movements of your fingers.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked.

You downed the rest of your scotch. "Nothing I can't handle, thanks for asking," you answered the captain politely.

"Anyway, you've met the others before you left this morning. Now, meet Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff," Steve said.

Bruce waved and smiled at you, you smiled back. When your eyes landed on Natasha though, you felt like all your exhaustion from today's meeting fade away. When she gave you a small smile, you felt like you're on fire. The rest of the night was relatively uneventful, everyone migrated to the living room after dinner to unwind. You spent the majority of it lounging on Tony's recliner while listening to everyone, quietly drinking your goblet of scotch, and subtly watching Natasha sit way too close to be platonic to Bruce.

Maybe they’re dating, you thought. You shook your head lightly before taking a long swig on your drink, it’s really none of your business anyway.

***

Between your job at the Stark Industries and missions and saving the world, you rarely see Natasha. Whenever Fury gives you missions, it's always with Tony and Wanda while Natasha's always with Steve and Bruce, which for no apparent reason infuriates you. You just wanna get to know her but the universe seems adamant to keep you apart. At long last, after three weeks the team has caught a break and Tony being himself saw it as an opportunity to throw in his usual parties. Everyone groaned when he announced his plan for the night.

"Settle down children, it'll be low key," Tony promised.

Knowing your best friend, it'll be far from being low key so you decided to shower first and take a nap. Besides, who goes to a party on time. When you decided you're fashionably late enough, you dragged yourself to the venue wearing a crisp white oxford with one too many buttons undone, black leather jeans and red Louboutins. Wanda immediately spotted you and hugged you before dragging you to the bar.

"You look amazing Y/N," she said as you both settled in at the bar.

You laughed, gave your order to the bartender before looking back at Wanda.

"That's why naps are very important," you said as you bumped your shoulder against your friend. She laughed heartily before turning on her seat to survey the crowd. There's got to be at least a hundred people in the room, SHIELD agents as well as R&D personnel from Stark Industries.

You spent the majority of the night talking to Wanda about anything and everything from work, what sort of experiments and tech you're working on your lab, to her life before the Avengers, to his brother. From time to time, members of your team would gravitate towards the bar and stopped to chat; both you and Wanda didn't mind. You took note thought that one particular person didn't seem inclined to do the same, you watched Natasha from the corner of your eye talking to Bruce, again. The mere sight of him close to Natasha makes you want to roll your eyes but you reigned it in and carefully kept your poker face in place. You downed your scotch before asking Wanda if she wanted to do shots, just as Natasha subtly cast her eyes in your direction.

***

Unbeknownst to you, Natasha was having an internal breakdown as she watched you chat, laugh and stays by Wanda's side all night. She had very limited interactions with you but on those handfuls of occasions, she took quite a crush on you. She finds it inconvenient to have feelings for anyone on the team but she couldn't help it with you. Even from a distance, she can see why everyone seem to gravitate towards you; you're smart, funny, friendly, soft yet lethal. She's jealous that Wanda gets to know you on a deeper level.

She wished she was the one who stayed behind so she was the one you met first. Maybe then she won’t be in her current predicament; sitting across the room, forced to watch the object of her affection with someone else. She frowned at the mere thought, she’s not a sap but she’s frustrated. She was brought back to the present by Wanda's laugh, and almost broke her wine glass when she saw where Wanda's hand rests on your thigh. She gritted her teeth loud enough for Clint, who was sitting beside her hear.

"You should really just ask her out," Clint said without taking his eyes off you and Wanda at the bar.

"Witches seems to be more her style," Nat said without looking up from her wine glass. Clint chuckled, it's extremely rare for Natasha to feel insecure and jealous.

"They're just friends," Clint tried once again.

Be as it may, Natasha doesn't like not knowing. She doesn't like guessing, so she devises a quick plan that she thought will tell her how you feel about her. She scanned the room and quickly found the person who will help her with that. She took a swig of her wine before quickly striding over to Bruce who was conveniently speaking with you, Wanda, Tony, and Steve. You caught sight of her in the corner of your eye as she approached your group.

"Hey guys," her greeting more enthusiastic than usual and punctuated by her hand landing on Bruce's arm. Surprise was evident in Bruce's face, Natasha was not a tactile person unless she wants to be. Steve and Tony just gave each other a look while you and Wanda pretended not to notice, which irked Natasha even more.

"What are we talking about?" Nat asked without taking her hand on Bruce's arm. Poor Bruce looks like he's gonna have an aneurysm.

"These nerds are talking science," Steve answered.

Nat batted her eyelash at Bruce, her voice dripping with honey as she asked, "oh anything good?" Face completely stoic as you watch the display, you carefully analyzed the interaction to determine what Natasha's endgame is.

Bruce laughed. "Nothing much. I just found out Y/N does not only have a double degree in biology and mechanical engineering but also has a Ph.D. in biochemistry," he explained.

Nat made eye contact with you, "impressive." She didn't intend to sound so breathless but she couldn't help it. You, on the other hand, had the audacity to look sheepish.

"It's not a big deal," you tried to dispel the attention away from you. Nat grinned at you but before she can say anything else, Wanda leaned closer to you and give you a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Not a big deal? You're.." Wanda wasn’t able to finish before the sound of shattering glass echoed in the room. You looked at Natasha's bleeding hand, furrowed brows and deep scowl. She's staring at you and Wanda.

"I'm sorry, I just..I'm gonna get cleaned up," she stammered before she untangled herself from Bruce and walking away.

You quickly jump off the bar stool. "I'll go check on her," you explained before you disappeared to the direction of the clinic. While walking the long corridor, you go over everything in your head. You have a theory but you didn’t want to assume, you need just one more proof.

***

When you arrived at the clinic some intern was prepping to check on Nat's hand. You strolled inside without so much as a warning. The intern acknowledges you, “Ms. Y/L/N.”

"You may go, I'll take it from here. Thank you," you said to the intern. He nodded before scurrying away from the clinic. You washed your hand before putting on some medical grade latex gloves. You sat on the chair in front of Natasha and begun cleaning her wound.

"Thank goodness these are shallow wounds. You wouldn't need stitches," you said. You chance a glance on her face, she still has her eyebrows scrunched together and her lips set on a deep frown.

"Thanks. I got this. You should go back to Wanda," she said quietly as she took the bandage from your hand. That's it, you thought. That's all the confirmation you need, suddenly all the faux friendliness and excessive touching with Bruce makes sense.

You stood up, pulled the latex gloves and threw it in the bin. When she finished putting bondage on her own hand, you walked back to her and grabbed her hand to inspect her work. You looked up a minute after and she's watching you.

"You know if you were so interested, all you had to do was ask," you said as you caressed her hand. She gaped at you.

"Wanda?"

"Is my friend," you answered.

"I wanna be your friend," Nat said. You stepped closer to her.

"Is that all you want, Tasha?" You husked her name out.

Nat gulped, "I want you." She's so close she can practically taste the smell of mint on your lip gloss.

"Good," you said as you pull back. "You're buying dinner tomorrow then," you continued as you step away from her. Heady from the scent of you, she struggles to make sense of what's happening.

"Natasha," you called out to her. She looked up to find you watching her by the door, she nodded before you left. You're practically skipping back to the party when you passed by Clint. He just watched you for a second before he continued towards the clinic. He found Natasha staring at the door.

"Hey, what happened?" He asked.

Nat looked up at her and grinned, "I think I got myself a date."

[svnnysidevp]

ship meme for All hehe

𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗲  /  * accepting  !

are u ready 4 this . zimzalabim

𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆 & 𝒔𝒚𝒅  !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  syd solely because lane is a little bitch n refuses to cook whenever he sees so much as a spiderweb in the kitchen

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  uhhh kinda wanna say lane once he gets over all his issues w commitment :) it’ll take a while but he’ll get there n it’ll be a nice cute quiet romantic dinner !

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  lane no question abt it that is a period full stop

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  lane on the sexual front syd on the romantic side ? but lane can be romantic too if / when he feels like it !

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  lane . he alrdy did it once so i mean :) but after the whole fake dating thing he wouldn’t find a reason to leave anymore :)

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  syd mayb just bc of the way lane is NJKSDNFDS

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  LANE

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  lane mostly sends cooking recipes and syd sends lil writer’s blurbs abt characters / plots he might forget in the morning so like both ig

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  LANE

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  mmm syd !

𝒂𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏 & 𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒚  !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  aspen sets it free somewhere on the back porch she cant kill spiders : (

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  aspen !

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  nelly mayb ! during one of their nice nights together just hangin out n getting high she jus leans in n aspen has lowkey been waiting for this for a while :’)

004.  .   .   .   𝐢����𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  aspen !

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  nelly since thats the plot NSJKDNFS she was less committed than aspen was and when they both realized that it was a sobfest ha ha

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  aspen at first but then nelly later on when aspen finally finds someone else and she realizes what she’s been missing this whole time

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  close compet but im gna say nelly , simply because she’s the one who invites aspen over to take naps all the time

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  nelly ! aspen always quick to reply tho :/

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  nelly 

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  aspen no doubt !

𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒐 & 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒌𝒂  !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  milo ! but he doesnt kill the spider either just lets it out the window .

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  milo is the more romantic one so it would be him !

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  evika . milo gets hard almost immediately its so embarrasing . NJKSNDJFS 

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  evika !

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  evika , maybe ! she doesnt want to ruin him but honestly milo’s felt more alive than he ever has with her around

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  evika , especially when milo gets a gf while theyre still makin sex tapes 

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  evika !

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  well theyre like . roomies so they dont rly send texts NJKSDNF but mayb evika ?

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  LOL evika no contest

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  milo bc he cant help the sap :/

𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒋𝒖 & 𝒍𝒚𝒍𝒆  !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  lyle hehe

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  if we’re talking abt proposing their whole cheatin situation it was probably definitely heeju who was like “ what she doesnt know wont hurt her :) “

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  heeju ( see above )

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  heeju !

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  mmm heeju , mayb ? it cld be either of them ngl LOL

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  heeju is awfully possessive over her sister’s boyfriend :) likes to remind him who she does belong to when shes giving him head in the family bathroom

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  heeju who will do anything to not get a real job LOL

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  lyle sends her cute lil sketches that hes worked on . heeju saves them all even if she doesnt reply to any of them to avoid looking like she’s been waiting for his texts :/

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  heeju ! shes a good camgirl for a reason

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  heeju ! or maybe they said it at the same time tbh who knows they just rly like the sex NJSKDNFS

𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔 & 𝒌𝒊𝒚𝒂 !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  kiya ! moses is big baby scared of spiders : (

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  LMAO moses probably ! he does it when theyre both drunk and after their fifth round of sex for the night and hes high on life and love and is like fuck it lets do it baby i know the law

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  moses !

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  MOSES !

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  MOSES do u see the pattern here NKJSDNFS

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  kiya doesn’t get jealous much bc she believes that whatever she and moses has is real and he only loves her : ( moses only gets jealous when hes around and can see her hanging w someone else and takes it upon himself to fuck her into remembering who she belongs to ! 

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  moses :)

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  moses but theyre mostly just booty calls and sexts and half hearted “miss u”s

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  moses !

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  moses ! because hes a fool . and kiya’s a fool for saying it right back . :)

𝒍𝒆𝒙 & 𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  lex !

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  aH probably lex because he’s a lil meticulous like that and would have everything planned down to a T !

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  arian ! lex did a lot of planning for this fake dating but was always scared to initiate anything physical so arian had to do it for him :)

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  LEX ! again , if it isnt anything physical hehe when it comes to like dates or w/E

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  arian’s ex would probably come back to him first bc lex is a big dick LOL but honestly at that point lex would feel more for arian than his own ex-boyfriend so he’d be the one left behind rip

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  lex !

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  arian ! lex does a lot all the time he is a walking bullet journal .

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  arian ! 

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  arian !

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  lex ! it freaks him out a bit bc falling in love was not part of the plan but once he did fall he couldnt stop it so here he is … just a guy standing in front of a guy .. asking him to leave his bf and choose him instead !

𝒄𝒆𝒍 & 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒐𝒙 !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  cel !

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  maddox ! cel would be surprised but it wld also warm her emotionally stunted heart : (

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  cel ! it was by their favorite tree and after they’d had yet another argument . it escalated v quickly after that .

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  both of them ! they fuck like bunnies . anywhere n everywhere . its so embarrassing like pls there r children here … NJSKDFNSJDF

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  cel would b the first to distance herself if she felt like they were getting too close again ? she doesnt think she deserves anything happy . tragic !

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  both of them ! they’re both equally possessive over someone they claim isn’t theirs !

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  maddox !

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  maddox ! cel replies to none of them but thinks abt them the rest of the day .

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  cel !

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  cel . they were drunk n she was affectionate n she missed him : (

𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 & 𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  no one ! peter is fond of spiders he keeps them in a jar or lets them out the window as per mason’s request

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  peter ! he’d stumbled over his words the whole time but he powered thru bc his love for mason outweighed everything else :(

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  mason ! after his theatre showcase at the camp . peter turned pink from head to toe .

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  mason ! peter is a big baby when it comes to relationship tingz seeing as he’s never been in one so mason would have to take the lead and be patient with him re: everything :(

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  mason would be more likely to but tbh neither of them bc theyre the best boys and love each other too much to do that the end .

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  peter ! cue that whole summer of him giving mason crush advice for SOMEONE ELSE like a fool !

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  mason ! he’s influenced peter and now there r days they both stay in bed cuddling until noon .

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  mason ! peter replies to all of them tho dont worry :(

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  mason !

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  peter . he backtracked over his words and frantically reminded mason that if he didnt feel the same way it was fine and there was no rush ( internally he was like haha please dont break my heart :( .. ) but the sigh of relief he felt when mason said he loved him too ? BREATHTAKIN !

𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏 & 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒊 , og legends !

𝐰𝐡𝐨   .  .  .  .

001. .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 ?  levi .

002. .   .   .   𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 ?  levi . it was a shotgun wedding . only one other of brooke’s sisters , half stoned , turned up as witness .

003.  .   .   .   𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  levi ! it was bound to happen though , after all the incessant flirting and back and forths . inevitable .

004.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ?  both of them ! 

005.  .   .   .   𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ?  both , too . theyre both equally bad for each other it’s . heartwarming :)

006.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬 ?  arden , initially . then when she and xun started hangin out more levi turned into that :eyes: emoji so fast

007.  .   .   .   𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐞𝐫 ?  levi ! 

008.  .   .   .   𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝟑𝐀𝐌 ?  levi ! it’s mostly just him telling arden he misses her . or the bed emoji . either way arden comes for him anyway .

009.   .   .   .  𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 ?  both !

010.   .   .   .  𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 ?  arden . the first time she says it to levi is when they’re on the rooftop of her sorority house havin sex . the night sky is pretty and the music is muffled from beneath them and levi sounds so nice moaning as she ride him prompts it to slip from her lips ! her heart stops a bit but then levi says he loves her too and it’s okay again , they’re okay again ( more than okay as he continues to help her chase her own orgasm on his dick ! ).

[hegemoneapple]

Basilisk Eyes: Chapter 13: Alohomora and Wingardium Leviosa

Crossposted: Basilisk Eyes by Hegemone | Completed: Chapter 13 out of 157 | T | AO3 | FFN | WATT | HPFF

Summary: As Harry Potter slays the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, blood and venom get in his eyes, mostly blinding him. While Harry learns to adapt, he makes some new friends. But this is more than a story of adaptation and friendship as there are threats... and Harry isn't the only one with a past that haunts him.

oO0OooO0OooO0OooO0Oo

A few days later, Harry woke up early—shivering in the early morning chill that filled the small space of his room; he had been sleeping with the window open all night long hoping that Hedwig would come back. He listened for her small noises on her perch, but the room was quiet except for a cricket chirping from beneath his wardrobe. He left it alone. 

He could smell the rain in the air. “It’s 5:43 am” sang the lyrical voice from his staff. He was glad to be up early before the sun made his room blindingly bright. 

Hermione must be writing a novel in response. She probably is spending all her time in the library researching. Hedwig would be weighted down and have a hard time making it back with all her scrolls. That was it. That was why it was taking so long. 

He wondered how Hermione was handling the end of term with no exams and the weeks of study that she missed while petrified? Knowing her, she was probably frantically interviewing the professors trying to catch up on everything she missed. He could imagine Ron rolling his eyes in exasperation.

He wished he had written more in his message. He had so much more he wanted to say to both Ron and Hermione.   

To distract himself from the yearning and the waiting, he worked on trying to make his staff work reasoning that it had to be more than a talking clock.

When he held it, it gave him the same sort of magical charge that his wand gave off. It wasn’t like electricity, which was more of a surface sensation of static, this was something that seemed to connect to his very core. His broom felt this way, too, but more subtly.

He held it and tried “Wingardium Leviosa,” but couldn’t detect anything flying around the room. He locked his wardrobe and tried “Alohomora” and nothing happened. He tried it on Hedwig’s cage and nothing happened. He tried it on his bedroom door, but this time the staff was touching the base of the door when he muttered the spell and he heard the lock pop open. It had to be in contact with the object! He tried the wardrobe and Hedwig’s cage again, but touching the staff to the doors this time and they sprang open! A small thrill raced through him.

He also realized that he was no longer groping around his room for his furniture as he moved through the space, but rather reaching out confidently and finding it where he expected it to be.  

He decided to try Wingardium Leviosa again while holding onto the table by his bed and nothing happened, but when he said it while holding on with one hand and touching it with the staff in the other hand, it floated up a couple inches off the floor and he was able to move it around the room easily. When he let go of it, it settled onto the floor with a low thud. He levitated it back to its normal spot.

What would happen if I touched the staff to something I want to read? He wondered.  He pulled out one of the leaflets from under his bed and tried it. Nothing. He thought about it really hard and felt the paper flutter under his grasp as if a breeze had caught it, but still nothing was revealed. He suddenly felt sapped. There must be a spell.

All the while he was trying these spells, there was a niggling feeling in the back of his brain. He half expected Ministry owls to come swooping in as they had last year when Dobby bombed the kitchen with Aunt Petunia’s masterpiece pudding.

He hoped that what the Healer had said about the restriction of underage magic being adjusted for him was really true, but when had any government, magical or otherwise taken care of things efficiently. He decided to stop. If the Dursleys got a message from the Ministry of Magic, they’d surely lock him in his room with no wands or staffs or Hedwig and he’d be stuck there for the rest of the summer with absolutely nothing to do; not even read. The thought made his heart constrict.

oO0OooO0OooO0OooO0Oo

The days passed very much like the days before. Harry did manage to take a shower and though Vernon pounded on the door, shouting at him to stop wasting water when he’d barely begun, it was still refreshing.

Harry was figuring out how to cook breakfast and not get burned (he used an oven mitt) while doing his best not to attract the ire of Uncle Vernon. Once Uncle Vernon was off to work, Aunt Petunia lined up jobs for Harry to do. In between, Harry took naps. He was still so tired. He noticed that he had to fasten his belt a notch tighter to keep his trousers up. He just didn’t have much of an appetite.

He spent a good portion of one morning cleaning out the fridge after he misjudged where the shelf was as he was putting away the orange juice container and the sticky substance splashed all over the shelves. After his initial dismay, he decided to approach it as a puzzle and tried to figure out what things were by touch and smell. He had to be careful to put things back in the right spot… no longer just to satisfy Petunia’s sense of order, but now because he needed to know that he was grabbing the jam and not the pickled herrings.

Some jobs were easier to do than others. He was banned from loading the wash after (according to Aunt Petunia) the disastrous effect of including a red sock in a load of whites. How was I supposed to know? Folding was fine, but sorting laundry was a lot tougher. Some of it he could figure out by touch—Aunt Petunia’s clothes were easy to tell apart from Uncle Vernon’s, but some items were totally perplexing. It took a lot longer as he had to figure out through touch if a shirt was inside out or not. Aunt Petunia was so rigid about how items were folded to fit into drawers.

Ironing was okay, just tedious, and sometimes painful if he drifted into a daydream and touched the hot iron. He had a burn on the pad of his index finger that was especially annoying now that he was completely dependent on his sense of touch.

If Aunt Petunia wasn’t close by, he could listen to a radio station that he actually liked, as long as he didn't stay too close to the radio because it would lose the signal and just emit static when he was next to it which made tuning it challenging. At first, he’d tune it to music radio stations, but it didn’t take long before he was captivated by the BBC news stories. Petunia bustled in and snapped the radio back to her favorite station that took popular songs and made them perversely instrumental. Harry gagged at the tunes.

He thought about Madam Pomfrey wanting him to spend the weeks at home so he could rest. He bet he would have gotten more rest if he had stayed at school than he was ever going to get at the Dursleys. He was surprised that his Aunt wasn’t happier to see him given that he lightened her chore load considerably. 

But when did anything she did ever make sense?

He made it through the days and then the evenings with the Dursleys, and finally was able to escape to his room. At the threshold, he listened to see if Hedwig had arrived while he was doing the dinner dishes. He was disappointed to be greeted by silence and found it hard to fall asleep—every nighttime sound made him still with anticipation, willing Hedwig to alight on his windowsill with a rustling message tied to her leg.