#the kids always bring home 7 different colds at once and those linger for me way longer than everyone else

[liquidstar]

I have abs not from working out but from coughing so much all the time for like a decade that I might as well have been doing crunches

[maria-scribbles]

drunk words, sober thoughts

when his girlfriend has too many cups of spiked cider at tina's annual post-christmas bash, steve's reminded of a different party and a different girl who broke his heart.

fandom: stranger things

ship: steve harrington x ice skater!reader, past stancy

word count: 1.3k+

featuring: spiked cider, swearing, a high school christmas party, underage drinking, and a drunk declaration.

a/n: day 7 of my holiday challenge! this is kind of a follow-up to shadow skating, my fic for day one that features a figure skating reader, and so there might be some references to that but i don't think you'll need to read it to understand this one. unbetaed, all mistakes are my b.

come join my holiday challenge!

December 1984

"Hey, sorry I'm late!" Y/N said as she slid into the passenger seat of Steve's car, quickly closing the door behind her to block the freezing wind blowing outside. "I thought I lost this skirt but it turns out it 'magically' appeared in my sister's closet last month and she had 'absolutely no idea' how it got there."

"How convenient for Casey," He reached over to brush some snow from the shoulder of her emerald green coat and she smiled, grabbing his warm hand and dropping a quick kiss on the back of it before lacing her cold fingers through his.

"It's okay, she still hasn't figured out these are the tights I borrowed from her last Christmas." 

"Tell her she's never getting them back because you look beautiful.”

The girl ducked her head and tightened her grip on his hand. "Flatterer. Get going or we're gonna be even later than we already are."

"Okay, just let me do this first." And after pulling her in for a kiss that lingered, warm and safe like fire in a hearth, he put the car in drive and headed off into the cold night.

By the time they arrived at Tina's house and found a place to park on the crowded street, the party was in full swing, bass pumping loud through the front door, and Y/N turned to Steve with a frown as they stood on the porch, bathed in the soft glow of the lights strung on the roof.

"Is it, I don't know, tacky to show up this late? Oh my God, we're gonna look like idiots and it's all my fault-"

"Hey, we're fine, okay?" He said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead. "It's only an hour and all the cool kids show up late, anyway."

She cracked a small smile at his joke and laced her fingers with his once again. "Sorry, I don't really get to go to many parties so I'm kind of...nervous."

That was fair, the last time he'd seen her at one was the summer before freshman year, at the eighth grade graduation party the school hosted at the Hawkins community pool (not that he'd been keeping track, no). 

"We don't have to go in if you don't want to," Steve said, bringing their entwined hands to his mouth so he could drop another kiss on her knuckles. "We could go see a movie, maybe grab some food at the diner? I think I'm ready to try skating backwards so we could always go to the rink-"

"That's sweet of you but I'm not driving your ass to the hospital tonight," Y/N giggled at the way he rolled his eyes and mumbled 'gee, thanks' under his breath before she continued, her voice quiet and soft and oh so honest. "But seriously, I know how much you wanted to come to this and I really, um, I really wanna be here with you. Together."

Together. That's what they were for almost two weeks now, the best damn twelve days of his life, and while they never bothered hiding their relationship, they hadn't outright said they were dating yet; Tina's party was to be their big debut before going back to school in the new year and he couldn't wait to show the entirety of Hawkins High that this beautiful girl holding his hand, looking up at him with a bright smile on her face and sparkling lights reflecting in her eyes, wanted him.

"Pretty sure I'm the luckiest bastard on the planet, being here with you."

Y/N raised up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his, hand holding tight to his for balance. "Well then I must be the luckiest bitch. Now come on! Let's go party."

Things were great at first, aside from the typical nasty jabs from Carol and Tommy H -having nothing better to do than harass anyone who had the audacity to be happy in their miserable presences- as they danced with their classmates, arms wound tight around each other, spinning gracelessly, smiling and laughing and wrapped up in their own perfect little world.

And then Y/N had one too many cups of spiked cider. 

She was tipsy, swaying as she loudly sung along to Fleetwood Mac and when Steve caught her after she tripped over her heeled boots and sloshed booze on the hardwood floor, he couldn't help but think of a different party, a different time, a different girl. The night Nancy Wheeler broke his heart with one word, repeated over and over like a broken record: bullshit.

She was here, surprisingly, tucked in a corner across the room with Jonathan at her side, but the sight of them huddled close together, happy and in love, didn't hurt like it used to, like it did before he fell so hard for the girl wrapped in his arms, giggling as she twirled a strand of his hair around her finger and peppered little kisses all over his cheeks. 

"Stevie, baby boy, have I ever told you how cute you are?" She laughed delightedly at the blush rapidly spreading across his face and pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth. "So cute, so handsome, so beautiful."

"You're the beautiful one, Y/N," He replaced the half-full cup of cider in her hand with his can of pop -which she finished without noticing the switch- then steered her back toward the living room, away from the punch bowl. "Come on, let's get you home."

"No, Grandpa'll kill me if I come home like...like this!" She pointed to herself before clutching his hand in between both of hers like it was a lifeline. "Can I stay with you?"

At his nod, she squealed happily and wrapped her arms around his waist, the top of her head accidentally banging against his chin as she hugged him tight. "You're the best, Stevie! Stevie, Stevie...oh, like Stevie Nicks! Like, I love her but not as much as I love you." 

For the second time in this damn house, Steve was blindsided by the words of a drunk girl, feet frozen to the ground and brain just about short-circuiting as it tried to process what the hell she'd just said. "What?"

Y/N looked up, chin on his chest and a soft smile dancing on her lips and the blood rushing in his ears drowned out the pounding music, their classmates' chatter, everything and anything except her voice. "I think I love you."

"You're drunk, Y/N." He finally managed to croak after a long, long pause, in which the grin slowly slipped from her face with each passing second of silence; 'drunk words are sober thoughts' the saying always went, he knew it to be true firsthand, and yet something in him tried to warn him not to believe her (how could he, after all those terrible, shitty things he did to Nancy) as he somehow got his feet to move and started guiding her toward the front door. 

"So?" Keeping one arm around his waist, she shuffled alongside him all the way to his car and let him unceremoniously drop her into the passenger seat. "I just...that's just...ugh, words are hard."

He smiled to himself as he buckled her in and then rounded the car to the driver's side, her hand grabbing his and pulling it onto her lap the second he started driving toward his house. "They are, aren't they?"

Head leaned back against the seat, she took a deep breath and turned to look at him in the dim light of the dashboard. "Listen, I don't really know what love is 'cause I've never felt it before but...I think I could. With you."

Stopped at a street light, Steve met her eyes and tightened his grip on her hand and everything clicked into place when he said the words he'd been thinking for a month, ever since that cold December day he managed to pluck up the courage to ask her for skating lessons. "I think I could feel it with you, too."

Y/N might've missed most of his mouth when she leaned over for a kiss but to him, it was everything he needed. 

[justcafewriter]

Bittersweet

pairing : Oda Sakunosuke x Reader

genre : a mix of fluff and angst (only a little bit of angst i guess ^^;)

warning : contain death

prompt : roasting sweet potato

summary : a bittersweet memory always find its way to you whenever winter come

word count : 2.4K

a/n : another story from a different prompt for the 12 days of cheer collab. the general idea was to have Makoto as the main character and fluff as the genre but I recently have Oda brainrot thanks to my dear friend, Clio :') so here we go.

The sound of your kitchen timer ringed loudly, making you swiftly walk to the kitchen and stop where the oven is and turn it off before you put on your kitchen gloves and open the oven's lid. The smell of roasted sweet potato filled your nostrils, a satisfactory smile appeared on your face as you're checking if it's properly roasted and it did. You look at the clock, it's now 9am and you just need to change your clothes before you're finally ready to go. 15 minutes later, you're already in your bestest outfit, a necklace with a home-shaped pendant decorating your outfit nicely, you're wearing a bit of makeup and let your hair loose. You look at your reflection, smiling as you think that you look the way someone you'll meet like.

After you put on your shoes, you're ready to go with a box of roasted potato in one hand and a bouquet of flowers that you've already arranged yourself in another. A mix of Pink Camelia, Pink Carnation, Red Chrysanthemum and Forget-Me-Not. You look at the bouquet in your hand before your eyes drift to the frames that's standing on the table not too far from the entrance of your apartment.

One of the frames contained a photo of a young man with reddish-brown hair, his azure eyes seemed so gentle as he was smiling happily. Another frame contained a photo of you and that young man, there's a little scribble on that photo saying "first date with Oda ♡". You smile upon seeing those photos, a warm feeling crept inside your heart as you see the smiles both of you wore in that sacred moment.

With a heavy sigh you finally get out from your apartment. The weather is not that nice but you can say that it's not bad either, especially since it's December now. As you're walking, you see a lot of people around, some busying themselves buying gifts for Christmas and you're giving note to yourself to not forget searching for one.

It doesn't take long until you finally arrive at your destination. You're walking toward a big tree and lay a small blanket before you sit on it. You're smiling as you see the one who you want to see resting there.

"I'm here, Oda." You whispered as a gentle smile appeared on your beautiful face. "And I bring roasted potatoes too!"

Suddenly, your mind traced on the first day he finally has courage to talk to you.

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7 years ago

You were eating your favorite curry at your favorite small shop like you usually do when suddenly a tall man with stubble came and asking for 'usual'. You look at his figure before you try to continue eating your food. Yes, try. Because the man who just came was also the reason why you keep coming back to the shop. He gave you this mysterious aura which told you to not get too close to him but also at the same time you drew to him and your eyes landed on nothing but him.

Silent filled the room, only the sound of the chef (also the owner) cooking could be heard when suddenly the man beside you asked, "How's the kids?" which was answered with, "Like usual." By the chef.

Again, silence filled the room. You try to continue to eat when suddenly the man beside you said, "Do you like sweet potatoes?" You paid him no mind since you thought that he was probably talking to the chef again but then you felt a pair of eyes looking at you, so you were looking at your right only to be watched by a pair of beautiful azure eyes. You tried your best to not spit on your food because you swear that the curry seems like entering the wrong hole.You tried to gulp down that damn curry before you sipped the cold water beside your plates.

"You're asking me?" You asked, looking at him with your doe eyes, you saw a tint of pink appear on his cheeks.

"Ah, sorry if I'm being rude and yes I was asking you." He said as he rubbed his hair.

"I.. I like sweet potatoes." You said again, you weren't lying, it's not like you love them by lots but you enjoy eating them.

"Good. So you wouldn't mind to join us later? If you have time of course." A sheepishly smile appeared on his face.

Your face brightened at the invitation, not gonna lie, you were so interested at this man so having him inviting you was something that you'd like to have.

"Well, what time is later?" You asked, no matter how happy you feel you need to play it cool.

"Uhm.. later as in after we finished our meal." He answered. "I heard a saying that said, 'women have another stomach for dessert'."

"Well it's very much true and I feel like I need to accept your invitation, especially if it's coming from a gentleman like you." You said and the moment you said it, that man knew that you were a very special person and he knew that you would change him in any way possible.

"My name is Oda Sakunosuke." That man said while stretching out his hand.

"My name is Y/N." You said, while gripping that man's hand. The moment his large hand wrapping yours, you knew that you couldn't escape to fall for him more deeply.

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"Y/N-san! Odasaku! come here, come here. Sakura has practiced her singing skill and she will sing for us!" Kousuke, the oldest kid of orphaned children who Oda adopted said as he was welcoming you and Oda. It has been a year since you were dating Oda and you've met the kids countless times so they already welcomed you like you're always belonged there. Oda never knew why he introduced the kids to you and told you that he adopted them all. Well, he knew why. He wanted to know how your reaction would be. He was glad when he saw that you were very much okay with him having kids despite he was only 21 years old at that time.

"Oh, Y/N-san! You brought a lot of sweet potatoes!" Another child named Katsumi said after he appeared from nowhere.

"Yes, I'm gonna make roasted sweet potatoes because Odasaku said that you guys like them and we couldn't enjoy them that much last year."

"Your roasted potatoes taste so delicious." The youngest kid, Sakura, said as she approached you. The rest of two kids also joined you and Oda while they were agreeing to what Sakura said.

"Okay, okay. Odasaku and I will clean the sweet potatoes before we roast them so you all can prepare things in the living room and clean it up a bit. You say you will help uncle right?" You said and all the kids accepting your guidance before they stormed into the living room.

"How can they listen to you so well?" Oda said once the kids left the kitchen as he approached you. He wrapped his hands around your waist before he inhaled your scent and put his lip close to your jawline before he kissed it, that gesture made you turn around so you were facing him and process to kiss his lips before saying, "It's a secret."

A laugh erupted from both of you. Oda then pulled you closer to him before he planted a kiss on your lips, a passionate one if you could tell. The kiss made your feet feel like jelly and your lips burned in sensation of his sweet, honey taste lips. His stubble roughly rubbed the skin around your mouth but it didn't give you any effect to pull away.

"Uhm!!" You heard someone try to disturb the moment you have with Oda so you broke the kiss only to find the oldest kid, Kousuke gave you a 'what-the-hell-are-you-doing' look. "Sorry to interrupt but the potatoes won't roast themselves aren't they?" He snickered.

You and Oda were stuttering as you both tried to reasoning your action. Fast forward, all the seven of you were already in the living room with a warm roasted potato on the table and warm green tea accompanied it.

You were listening to Sakura singing a Christmas song then after that you were just listening to the kids rumbling about their days before finally the show that the kid wanted to watch has started. It was suddenly quiet, you were sitting in the back with Oda sitting beside you and his hand was around your waist. You put your head on his shoulder as you also lingered your hands around his torso. Both of you sit there in silence, watching the kids immersed in the movie that they watched.

After the movie finished, you saw the kids were all sleeping. Oda then moved them one by one to their bedroom with you helping him by preparing their bed and tucked them once Oda put them on their bed. After you tucked the last kid, both of you look at the sight of five angelic kids sleeping figures and you couldn't help but feel the warmness inside your heart and you knew Oda felt the same because you felt a pair of strong arms lingering around your waist as he hugged you from behind.

"One day… One day we will move from this town, we'll move to another place near the beach, where the kids can run as far as possible, where the kids can enjoy much sunshine while they're playing outside, where they will have baby siblings and play with them and teach them one thing or two. I, I'm sorry for being so selfish but please bear with me a little more. I promise you everything will be better." You heard Oda say those words before he kissed your crown. You, on the other side felt your tears run down to your cheeks.You knew about his occupation yet you still accept him and love him with all your might. Mafia who doesn't kill. That was what his colleagues called him. And you knew the reason why, he told you about it, about his dream, about how he wanted to be a writer, how he wanted to have a house with a window facing the ocean as he wrote the continuation of his favorite book. He shared his dream with you, shared his obsession and you were very much so supporting to his idea.

"I will wait as much as possible if it's come to you. To the kids that I thought of my own. That's how much I love you, Oda." You whispered but it was loud enough for Oda to hear.

You felt Oda broke the hug before he asked you to close your eyes and you did. Suddenly you felt a cold metal at the crook of your neck, then he told you to open your eyes. The first thing you did was to look down and there you saw a necklace with a house-shaped pendant. You ask him what it was about and he told you that it was a token, a token to what he promised to you; the next stage of relationship.

You couldn't help but crying at his explanation, he was so shocked because that wasn't the reaction that he expected.

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It was less than a year when you heard news from Oda's friend, Dazai, that Oda was seriously injured. Your head was spinning like crazy and your heart was beating so fast it felt like it'd burst out from your body anytime. The time when you come to where Dazai told you, Oda was long gone, his body already cold and lifeless. That was when your world sinked into hell, when your heart broke into pieces it couldn't be repaired, when you couldn't even scream in pain as you saw a lifeless body that belonged to a man who you loved dearly.

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A single tear escapes from your eyes as you reminisce the memory of your now deceased fiance. You saw his name engraved on the tombstone in front of you before you put the bouquet that you bring on top of his grave. It has been 4 years since Oda left you, and you also learnt about the kids he adopted, that they were also already dead because they caught up in Oda's last mission. Another tears escapes and run down to your cheeks, you try to hold it because you already swore to only show Oda your happy side, to not make him worry when he's watching you from heaven above.

"It's okay to cry." You hear a familiar voice of Oda's friend, Dazai. "I bet that's what Oda would say to you." He says again as he's walking towards your direction.

You saw him holding a small bouquet of flowers.

"Zinnia. Thoughts of absent friends." You say as you look at the flower.

"Longing for you, I'll never forget you, I love you and True love memories." Dazai says after he placed his bouquet next to yours. "Odasaku was so lucky to meet you." He says again.

"Both of us are lucky to meet each other, but not lucky enough to be together in this life." You smile bitterly as you spit on your last words. The words are surely hurt and the reality you're facing now is surely cruel and Dazai knew what kind of hell you've been through after you learnt a sadistic truth 4 years ago, after you learnt the fact that you lost the most important person in your life.

"I still feel thankful that you live your life to your best, that you carry out Oda's dream and even you're doing more than he can do. You build an orphanage, you're taking care of unfortunate children and I'm sure Oda is gonna be proud of you." Dazai says as he pat your head, like a big bro he is.

"That's the only thing I can do." You say.

"It's getting cold now, let me take you home." Dazai offers and you decide that it's the time you need to go.

"Till then, Oda." You says before you rub his tombstone and accepting Dazai's offer to take your hand and walk with him, leaving a bittersweet memory behind you as you leave the cemeteries.

collab taglist: @animatedarchives @azxmii @yamaguchi-stan

[ryqoshay]

OTP Ask Meme (Impatient Edition) YohaRiko

Again, I know the point of these things is to wait for followers to Ask questions from the list, but reading though this one got me thinking too much. About all of my flagships. And I wanted to answer all of the questions. And not wait for a handful to maybe be asked.

Anyway, credit again goes to @lonelypond​ for this version coming across my dash. Reblog that version if you want to do this thing correctly.

Also, just because I’ve already answered these here, I’ve expanded on some for various reasons and left others short if I believe the reasons are obvious. So if you still want to do the whole interactive thing, you can still ask for clarification or whatever.

And finally, there will be spoilers ahead for Happy Life, and to a lesser degree the AU, both for scenes I’ve written and posted, as well as some that remain in my Notes and WIP Warehouse. I’ll try to remember to link to the chapters mentioned.

1. Who wakes up first?

Riko. Yohane is very much not a morning person, especially after a late night of streaming.

2. Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

Yohane. See above. However, if she doesn’t have time commitments for the day, Riko may occasionally want to stay in bed for some activities other than sleeping.

3. Who takes longer getting ready?

Either, though they are fond of getting ready together and helping one another, so in these cases, they’re done at the same time.

4. When they can’t sleep, what do they do?

Yohane has many rituals for inducing sleep involving all manner of meditation, incense, herbal tea, topical rubs, nightmare wards and more. Whether or not they work is up to debate, but Riko is comforted by the sentiment, as portrayed in Dream Warden. Yohane herself takes comfort from being near those she loves, particularly Riko, while she sleeps.

5. Who falls asleep while watching a movie?

Yohane, though it depends on the type of movie.

6. Who falls asleep last, watching the other with a small affectionate smile?

More often Riko, though Yohane does enjoy watching a sleeping Riko from time to time.

7. Who comes up with the cheesy pick-up lines?

Yohane. 100% Yohane. And she is well aware of how cheesy they are. And she knows how much Riko loves them.

8. Who gets extremely competitive playing Mario Kart?

Yohane gets competitive over games in general.

9. Who accidentally pushes a door instead of pulling?

Yohane is more likely to do so, though Riko can be absentminded on occasion.

10. Who sets the other’s ringtone to something loud and obnoxious behind their back?

Yohane.

11. Who rearranges the bookshelf/DVD shelf in alphabetical order?

Both have their reasons for their particularness in displaying their shelving; Riko likes to be able to quickly locate her favorite doujin while Yohane is considerate of the background for her ritual streams.

12. Who does the hands-over-the-eyes “Guess Who” thing?

Yohane. With as many different attempts at different voices and accents as she can.

13. Who points out a dog when they see one?

Early on, both, though for different reasons; Yohane out of excitement and Riko out of fear. Later, Yohane retains her excitement while Riko becomes more lax in her reactions.

14. Who’s prone to road rage?

Yohane.

15. Who’s prone to wearing socks indoor (or to sleep)?

Either

16. Who reminds the other to put on sunscreen before going to the beach (or pool)?

Yohane knows she burns easily and is pretty good at remembering, though Riko is mindful that her girlfriend can be careless at times.

17. Who carries all the important documents while traveling?

Riko.

18. Who gets the window seat?

Probably Yohane. Likely accompanied by some statement about missing being able to fly under her own power.

19. Who puts their cold hands/feet on the other?

Yohane.

20. What do they argue about the most?

Early after moving in together, Yohane had a bad habit of bringing home stray pets, despite it being against the policy of the apartment complex, as depicted in Hibagon. These arguments subsided once the policy was changed, as depicted in Phobetor.

21. Who’s clumsier?

Yohane, though Riko certainly has her moments.

22. Who texts more often?

Yohane.

23. Who is better with kids?

Yohane is better at keeping kids entertained with her antics while Riko is better at tending to their care, be it feeding them, calming them down when they’re upset or applying first aid; Yohane is pretty good with first aid as well, having had far too much practice on herself.

24. Who’s the better cook?

Debatable. As I mentioned in the Notes for A Roost for Weary Wings, Yohane is capable of producing higher quality results, but also fails more spectacularly. Riko may lack the skills and confidence to produce highly extravagant meals, but she is far more consistent in producing edible food.

25. Who mistakes salt for sugar?

Riko. Despite what one may assume from my prior answer. Yohane will still eat it, not only because she has a strange sense of taste, but also because her beloved Riri made it for her and she will be damned before letting it go to waste.

26. Who puts the fork in the microwave?

Possibly Yohane.

27. Who cooks at 2 in the morning?

Yohane.

28. Who lets the microwave play the loud beeping sound at 1 a.m.?

Definitely Yohane.

29. Who licks the spoon when they’re baking brownies?

Yohane. She’ll even bring her own spoon, as depicted in Valentine’s Taste Test.

30. Who likes doing the dishes?

Riko doesn’t mind it. Yohane dislikes it but is willing to balance the workload after Riko cooked.

31. Who has bigger cravings? What are they?

For food, especially exotic or exceptionally spicy food? Yohane. Although she does have a bit of a sweet tooth, as her favorites would imply. For enacting scenes from her favorite doujinshi with her girlfriend? Riko.

32. Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

Both, though for slightly different reasons. Riko believes it is romantic to know certain things about one’s partner. Yohane believes it is the duty of a fallen angel to know such things about their little demons… or fellow angels?

33. How do they eat ice cream? What’s their favorite flavors?

Yohane will often eat too fast and give herself a headache. Her favorite flavors are those of her favorite foods, chocolate and strawberry. Riko eats slower, more often out of a sundae dish than a cone, in part because a dish is better for eating at her pace, but also because it’s easier for Yohane to “steal” a bite or two. She enjoys Yohane’s favorites, but is also fond of mint and vanilla.

34. Do they go on dates? What are they like?

Absolutely. Riko prefers going to museums or orchestra performances, though she has dragged Yohane to several doujin stores over the years. Yohane prefers higher energy environments like amusement parks, though she has dragged Riko to several gothic Lolita clothing stores and occult shops over the years. Both girls look forward to events like Comiket.

35. What do they smell when they smell Amortentia?

Riko smells the slightly sulfuric scent of boiling eggs her parents made often while she was growing up, the clean, salty air of Uchiura, and a spicy, sweet and earthy scent to which she cannot match a specific memory. Yohane smells sweet black lilies, the lingering smoke from a myriad of incense that always permeates occult shops, and a spicy, sweet and earthy scent to which she cannot match a specific memory.

The last scent for both is an idea I had while Googling random stuff for this question. It’s basically how one website describe the smell of Dragon’s Blood resin when burned as incense. I want to bring it up in a scene or two in both HL and HL(AU), though there will be a difference between the kinds found here on Earth and up in Heaven, which may end up as a minor connecting plot point.

I realize this leaves Riko without something that she knows is directly related to Yohane, but I was trying to avoid using incense too much, as it already had three entries between them. Also, it technically is related to Yohane, she just doesn’t realize it right away. I’m hoping whatever I write someday will make that connection for her. Not that she’ll ever smell Amortentia in HL, but…

36. Which one is the secret snuggler?

It’s no secret that Yohane loves her snuggles. Riko is quieter about her desires, but can be quite insistent, nonetheless.

37. Which one offers their jacket to the other when they complain they feel cold?

Riko. Yohane is far more vocal about her discomfort, especially when it comes to temperature.

38. Who reaches for the other one’s hand while driving?

Riko is more likely to do so, though Yohane might as well. That said, I don’t believe I have them owning a vehicle in HL, so this probably won’t come into play anytime soon in my works.

39. Who leaves little notes in the other one’s lunch?

Riko, as the more consistent cook of the pair, she is more likely to make their lunch bentos for the day. (Bonus: What does it say?) Casual reminders of her love for her Yocchan.

40. Who is the most affectionate?

Both are quite affectionate, though Yohane is far more likely to initiate, especially in public though even in private.

41. Who is the big spoon/little spoon?

Riko is most often the big spoon. Though Yohane might try to have one believe elsewise.

42. What is their favorite feature of their partner?

Riko loves Yohane’s smile when she is passionate about something, be it her streams or games or whatever. Yohane loves the way Riko’s fingers dance across the keyboard.

43. What is the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

Yohane becomes increasingly aware of Riko’s behavior and attitude toward Chika and has to make a conscious effort to avoid holding anything against the idol group’s leader; she likes Chika as a friend, after all, and is thankful that she brought her into the group in the first place. Riko starts to include Yohane in her fantasies.

44. What are their nicknames for each other?

Yocchan and Riri

45. Who worries the most? Over what?

Riko is constantly concerned that Yohane’s abysmal luck will eventually cause her actual harm, as in more than just catching a cold or getting a scrape or small cut. Yohane also fears that her abysmal luck will adversely affect Riko.

46. Who initiates kisses?

Yohane all the time, in public and in private. Riko, in private.

47. Who says I love you first? How did it happen?

Yohane said it first in Revelations.

48. Who tells their friends/family about their relationship first?

That’s actually a good question. I haven’t decided yet for this ship. I mean I have plans for revealing that the blonde Mari knows, but as for the couple actually telling people… hrm… Off the top of my head, I’d be more likely to say Yohane.

49. What do they do when they’re away from each other?

Both are quite capable of entertaining themselves without the other. Riko can play the piano and Yohane can play her games until their fingers cramp if they are not actively doing something together. And they have Phobetor and Prelude to pet and take on walks and play with. It’s not until bedtime that they become more aware of the other’s absence.

50. Who gets overwhelmed by small acts of kindness?

Depends. Yohane is more the emotional rollercoaster and could easily be overwhelmed by kindness from the girl for whom she held a one-sided crush for far too long. Riko is also likely to moved, though more through something that fits into some trope she loves in her doujin; good thing Yohane can be quite genre-savvy when she wants.

[theresnosafeharbor4myships]

Chapter 7 of my Caryl fic Through the Storm is here! This fic takes place during & after ep 9x16 “The Storm.” Chapter 1 can be found here, chapter 2 here, chapter 3 here, chapter 4 here, chapter 5 here, chapter 6 here.

Through the Storm: Chapter 7 - Coming Home (also on 9L)

“I’ll be here, just waiting and hoping for every long dream of you to come true.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

________________________________

He hadn’t expected to enjoy playing in the snow after days and nights of trudging through powdery drifts and trying not to freeze, but the kids’ exuberance felt contagious.

Though RJ had it out for him, he kept Carol in his periphery as he ducked and hopped around trying to avoid flying snowballs, and joy flooded him when she joined in the fight. Her smile radiated brighter than the sun against the freshly fallen snow, and he let a few laughs out himself, the strange sound startling him. She’d even landed one solid missile smack into his chest, but before he could return fire, Judith, RJ, and Lydia ganged up on him, and suddenly he found himself at the bottom of a dog pile. Carol’s laugh reached his ears, and he couldn’t remember anything ever sounding so sweet.

The farther they’d trekked away from Hilltop, the more he’d worried she’d realize she made a mistake leaving her husband and her people behind.

But this was the first smile, the first peals of laughter, he’d witnessed from her since they’d happened upon those pikes and, with the tension he’d held in his chest easing, he knew he’d worried for nothing.

“Alright, kiddos,” Michonne scolded playfully, lifting RJ off of him. “Let Daryl up. The cold is gonna freeze his old bones and then who’ll take care of Dog?”

“Ain’t that old,” he grumbled under his breath, glaring playfully at Michonne before sneaking a glance a Carol. Standing a few feet away from them, a small smile graced her face, her eyes taking in their shenanigans, both amused and wistful.

“I will,” Judy offered excitedly before standing up and waiting for Daryl to right himself. “I liked taking care of him while you were gone.”

Daryl peered up at the girl from his seat in the snow, seeing the proud look on her face. At times, she reminded him of Carl, with that candid kid-stare from someone who’s seen too much for their age mixed with the envious ability to move past those horrors.

“Where is he?” he asked past the bittersweet ache in his chest.

“With Rosita.”

“I can bring him by later,” Aaron said, offering a hand to help Daryl stand. “I’m gonna head there now to get Gracie.”

“Thanks.” Daryl nodded, wiping the snow from his backside and clothes.

“Come on,” Michonne shepherded the kids closer to her as Aaron headed home. “Let’s go check on him.” She looked pointedly at Daryl. “I’ll show Lydia around a bit and bring her by later. I told Carol she can have the house on the corner, the one next to yours. Can you show her?”

His heart thundered so loudly he felt sure they could all hear it. It was really happening. Carol was back with them, and they would all be living within hundreds of feet of each other again. Michonne and Jude and RJ in a house next door to him, Carol on the other side. Living out in the woods alone, he’d always felt foolish even thinking it could happen again, that they’d all wind up in the same vicinity, in close proximity, feeling like a close-knit family instead of a fractured, dysfunctional, discontented rabble of people who once thrived only because of each others’ presence.

For a second, his chest constricted and he couldn’t breathe.

He nodded, trying to convey his gratefulness to Michonne with a simple look, hoping the others couldn’t read his every thought. She’d never said anything to him, but he sensed she understood his connection to Carol, his need for isolation after the loss of Rick and her decision to not only stay at the Kingdom but to marry the king.

He turned to where Carol stood a few feet away, waving bye to their friends. Cheeks pink from the cold, blue eyes blazing brightly, red coat lending her color she’d lost when she’d started wearing the drab Kingdom gear, she stole his breath, and like a tidal wave, all of the old feelings, the ones he’d denied even to himself, the ones he’d pushed down so far they only escaped in the subconscious of his dreams, thundered into him and swept his resolve away.

He loved her.

He didn’t even know when he’d started, but likely all the way back on that farm or somewhere out on the road. She’d grown on him, mean cuss he’d been then, without him knowing or his permission. Just slipped quietly and slowly into his veins like a steady lifeline, helping him grow, teaching him about compassion, showing him how to love. Even now, after all those years of loneliness for him, all the years of her choosing someone else, staying with him, marrying him…there’d never be anyone for him but Carol.

He swallowed hard against the lump in his throat, his blood heated, nerves raw, heart pounding, as he moved the few steps to stand beside her.

She dropped her waving hand as Judy turned the corner, and she turned to peer up at him, all radiant and vibrantly colored against the stark white of the world.

Words—his brain—failed him, so he lifted a hand to brush some lingering powder off the top of her hat.

“Judith’s got good aim,” she murmured.

He nodded and dropped his hand, just as hers reached up to brush snow off of his shoulder.  “Thanks. You, uh…ready to settle in?” He motioned down the street, wondering what it felt like for her to return here after so many years. He watched her face, hoping to catch some glimpse of…something…regret? disappointment? disdain?...but she seemed rather content at the moment.

“Yeah,” she nodded resolutely. “I am.”

He picked up his crossbow from where he’d dropped it and headed down the snow-covered street towards their homes. Carol fell into step beside him, and nostalgia nearly suffocated him with its power.

She’d come to visit him hundreds of times over the years, and they’d trekked plenty of places in and out of the woods, and even more throughout the Kindgom the past few months. But nothing prepared him for walking side by side with her down the streets of Alexandria knowing she was no longer married. Knowing she’d chosen to return to the place, the people, she’d left so long ago and had never returned to.

Until now.

The need to ask her what thoughts ran through her mind overwhelmed him, but he forced himself to hold back. It wasn’t their way, never had been. He’d wait until she felt ready to talk about everything, anything, or nothing. And he’d be here.

“From what I can tell, everything seems to still be in good shape,” Carol mused a moment later, her eyes surveying the houses they passed, the frames and top floors of the homes their only guide to the road in the whitewashed landscape.

“’Chonne and Aaron have done a good job keeping this place up. Michonne and the kids live here,” he pointed as the moved closer to the homes on the right.

“Rick’s house?” she asked softly, giving him a sad, questioning look.

“Yeah. She didn’t want to leave it after…”

She nodded as he trailed off, and he kept moving. “I’ll be living here.”

“The old house,” she murmured, and flashbacks of their first night in Alexandria, unsure, weary, on edge, and determined to stay together, filled his mind, the two of them and Rick plotting and planning, looking for a way to keep their family safe.

He quickly shut down the memories before they turned maudlin, his heart feeling too tender and exposed as it was with Carol right beside him, back with them.

“And this’ll be yours,” he indicated as they approached the last house on the block.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her take in the large house, her face a mixture of pensiveness and determination as they approached the stoop.

“Should be all settled for you. There’s plenty’a firewood on the covered porch in back, and there should be a few canned goods in the cabinet. We can get more when you need ‘em. I can show you where the pantry is now—just let me know when you’re ready.”

Carol turned to him, a grateful smile on her face, and nodded.

He returned the nod and moved to head back to his house.

“Wait.”

His heart jumped, and he turned to her again, hoping she couldn’t read the expectant hope on his face. He wasn’t ready to leave her, but he didn’t want to crowd her. So much had changed in the past few days, the last few months. He felt he was learning her rhythms all over again, trying to figure out how and where he belonged in her life.

“I haven’t been on my own in a long time. Stay for a while?”

She asked so guilelessly, her request so genuinely unsure, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and show her where she fit.

Things had greatly changed for her too, and she didn’t know where she stood at all—she’d said as much. Probably felt like a pinball, getting unceremoniously knocked around at the whim of fate.

Her vulnerable request at any other time might have surprised him, but after everything she’d suffered and despite their years apart—or maybe because of them—she felt she could ask this of him.

Heart thudding wildly, Daryl nodded before trudging towards her, and together they mounted the snowy steps. He held the screen door open for her as she turned the doorknob and took her first step into freedom. He followed closely behind, shutting as much of the icy cold outside before setting his crossbow down just inside the door.

Carol followed suit with her quiver and bow and took a quick glance around as she grabbed the beanie off her head.

“I’d forgotten how nice these homes are,” she murmured more to herself than to him. She moved around, checking out the space, the furniture, the sparse décor, all of it vastly different from the Kingdom structures she’d become used to, and he decided to let her acquaint herself with her new home in peace for a few minutes.

“I’ll grab some firewood, get a fire going.”

He made a few trips from the back porch to the living room, stocking the wood inside so she wouldn’t have to for a few days, and each time he entered the room she stood somewhere different: at the kitchen island, staring out the front window, in the middle of the living room. He couldn’t help wondering what she saw as she looked around. Did she see a safe place? A space where she could heal and learn to feel joy again? Did she see too much square footage and wish for her king? Maybe she imagined Henry sitting on the sofa, standing in the kitchen, his coat hung by the front door and his boots haphazardly left in the doorway.

After getting the flames going, he stood dumbly near the fireplace for a moment, watching her, his heart and tears in this throat. Forcing himself to swallow both down, he cleared his throat and shrugged out of his poncho and the jacket beneath it, moving to hang them up on the coat rack by the front door.

“I never did ask you what happened,” Carol’s voice close behind him startled him. “I always meant to…”

He felt her fingers tracing a wide arch across his shoulder, and he realized her fingers walked the edges of the missing angel wing.

She stood too close, her voice softer than necessary, her presence everything he wanted and so overwhelming he felt like drowning. Slowly, he turned to look at her, her gaze curious and innocent.

She had no idea the alarm bells in his heart jangled incessantly in her presence, his fear screaming at him to retreat. It was too much, too soon, so close.

He took a slow step backwards, then walked to the couch as she unbuttoned her jacket and hung it beside his, the appearance of their belongings, side by side, as alarming as her touch against his back.

“Happened a while after the bridge,” he began softly as she sat next to him on the sofa. “I was out looking for him, runnin’ after every walker I saw in the woods that looked like it coulda been him. I ran through some brambles and some of the brush caught on my back. I heard somethin’ tearin’ but I couldn’t stop. After I took out the walker I was after, I went back and saw the wing had come clean off, and I…I just sat down right there and stayed a while.”

Her steady, sorrowful gaze remained on him, and he knew she waited for the things he was trying not to say.

“It’s where I built my camp,” he finally admitted after a pregnant pause. “I couldn’t find him, I’d lost a piece of this—of me. It’s the only thing I have left from…” He shrugged, the movement belying the swelling of his throat. “…from Before. Seemed appropriate that half of it tore off when he died.”

He wanted to say more, to tell her the other half and his whole heart belonged to her and that he’d rip them both apart if something ever happened to her. The words sat so heavy on the back of his tongue they nearly choked him. And still he couldn’t make them come out of his mouth.

Instead, the moment grew heavy with silence, Carol’s familiar gaze peering into him, and he worried she could read in his eyes every single word he didn’t say. It didn’t seem right, her intuitive stare pulling all of his emotions out of him while he sat in wonder of her own thoughts.

He absentmindedly rubbed at his knee, ready to escape the tension between them, to flee the rolling tides of emotion dragging him under, but Carol suddenly nodded gently, compassion written on her face, and let the moment go.

“So…you have a house here at Alexandria?”

He’d expected her question the moment Michonne had mentioned his house, but the tone—he couldn’t quite place it. Curiosity mixed with…confusion? hurt?—surprised him.

“For when I visited,” he explained.

“You never visited the Kingdom.”

He’d wanted to. More than he wanted to avoid people—not to mention the king—he’d wanted to visit. To check on her and see her smile. To make sure she really was thriving and taking care of herself, and that others were taking care of her, too. To see her happy and healed and part of a community and in leadership, a place he knew she belonged.

But he also couldn’t. It hurt too much to see her with a group of people who didn’t know the real Carol, to see her walk amongst a community that didn’t include Michonne and Judith, that didn’t include him. To see a ring on her finger that he hadn’t put there, to know she turned to someone else for comfort and advice, for friendship and love. He couldn’t watch the man put his arm around her, hold her, kiss her.

So he didn’t.

“Wasn’t the right place for me,” he stated simply, the phrase the only truth he could speak about it.

She gave him a small nod of understanding. “Apparently it wasn’t the right place for me, either.”

“It was,” he countered, his voice soft. “It got you back here. With us.” He felt the weight of his words in his soul, the realization of it drowning him again. “Just took some time is all.”

Her face nearly broke out in a smile, and she looked down at her hands. “You doin’ okay?”

If anyone else had asked, he’d have laughed at the irony of the question, but her soft tone, the concern lacing her voice—Carol—had his insides melting. “Better,” he acknowledged, though he hadn’t felt okay in years. Still, they’d delivered the Kingdomites to their new home and arrived safely back at theirs. This was the place it’d all fallen apart so many years ago. Maybe it could be the place they could put themselves back together too.

“You alright?”

She’d cut the air right open with her question, and he couldn’t help but do the same, though he hadn’t meant to sound like a prize ass. Of course she wasn’t alright. She’d lost her son, her home, her kingdom, and her husband.

“I will be.” She looked up from where her hands played with the cuffs of her sweater, and he saw both deep sorrow and a glint of hope in her eyes. “Sometimes I feel like I’m drowning in mud, and I’m okay to stay there, let it suffocate me…sometimes I don’t get a choice. And others…”

He let the room sit silent as she trailed off, not wanting to interrupt if she wanted to continue, content to just be if she didn’t.

“I still can’t believe this place. What it is, that it exists. I see Michonne and Judith…RJ…” She shook her head in awe. “And I want to fight back hard enough to knock the world on its ass.”

“You do that,” he assured her.

She shook her head, a look of derision on her face.

“I watched you,” he told her before she could deny it. “I saw you handle the closing of the Kingdom with all the grace of the queen you were. Saw you lead those people with strength and help protect them along the way. I watched you stand up for the path you knew was right, for you and for your people. I saw you walk away from something that didn’t work for you, that suffocated you. And I watched you walk down this street to a new life that you were ready to have. If that ain’t fightin’ back in this world, then I don’t know what is.”

Her eyes, brimming with tears, bore into his until he thought he’d drown in them, and he had to look away. He craved her presence, these moments alone with her that’d been too few and far between the past several years. But now that they sat here, the air thick with emotion, his heart heavy with need, it overwhelmed him.

What he wanted and what he could have with her had always seemed to run on parallel tracks, and now…now he didn’t know if the safe distance between those lines existed anymore.

It scared the shit out of him.

“Gonna head out tomorrow as long as it doesn’t snow anymore,” he told her when the silence ran too long, their earlier conversation obviously over. “Aaron and I are gonna go back for the animals. See if Siddiq’ll join us. Can’t leave them out there much longer or they’ll run out of food and water.”

Carol nodded and he continued. “You wanna come with us?”

He wanted her with him and simultaneously wanted space, and he wondered how on Earth he was going to live next door to her without going crazy.

Memories of the prison filtered through his mind unexpectedly. The comfort they’d shared, how close they’d grown. Her teasing nature and fierce spirit. How she’d drawn him out of his shell, his cell. Would it feel the same again? Could they recapture the intimacy they’d shared, cross the line he’d felt both sure and uncertain they toed so carefully? Would they find each other again, her so lost in grief and coming out of a marriage she no longer wanted, him too isolated and content to remain so for fear of losing people again?

“I think I’ll stay here and reacquaint myself with the compound. And I can keep an eye on Lydia, make sure she’s okay.”

The statement, almost a question, surprised him, but he kept it off his face. He’d hoped she’d come around to Lydia. Keeping her with them, with women who knew how to love, mothers like Carol and Michonne, and men who cared and would protect her with honor, would do wonders for the traumatized, hurting girl who’d never known what a caring family could do. Carol and Lydia could learn so much from each other.

He nodded, pleased that she was already willing to help the girl and that Lydia would have an advocate while he was gone. “Thanks.”

Daryl eased forward on the couch, feeling the time had come to leave Carol to her new surroundings. “You gonna be alright?”

“Yeah,” she answered immediately, confidently. “Thanks for...”

Her hand gripped his forearm, setting his skin on fire even through the layers of warmth he still wore. “For everything,” she concluded, her voice thick with emotion.

He nodded, unsure what to say. He absently patted her knee as he stood and walked to the door. Slipping on his jacket and poncho, he turned to look at her again, sitting so comfortably in a house that looked nearly identical to his—and he couldn’t help wishing it was.

“If you need anything…” He motioned to the right where his lonely, Carol-less house sat just next door. “Just like old times.”

She smiled and nodded, and he took one last, longing look at her before heading out into the cold.

He couldn’t prevent the near-smile that graced his face as he walked the short distance to his new home.

[zonerobotnik]

Day 7 - Pre-Garrison

Years before the war, before the Garrison, Keith and James worked together on a group project. --

Group projects were the worst. The teacher picks random pairs to work together on something and you get graded on how well you did AND how well you got along with your group. So, when the group project was announced, Keith couldn't help but shrink into his seat. One by one, people were picked out into groups of two. He dreaded when his name would be called, and honestly was hoping he would be forgotten, just this once. He didn't expect the cold feeling in his chest and the lump in his throat that formed when he was, indeed, skipped over. He stared at his desk silently, resigning himself to doing the project alone. It was better this way. Really. Another chair was set in front of his desk and he looked up in surprise to see James Griffin sitting himself down across from him. “Isn't that just the way? The teacher forgot your name again.” He said with a pleasant tone. “I've volunteered to be your partner this time instead of working alone.” “No one told you to do that, James.” Keith frowned at him. “No, but I decided to anyway.” James set down a binder. “So, we have to construct something out of paper-mache. What do you want to build?” Keith shrugged. “A plane?” “Sounds good.” He started to write down on the blank lined paper he'd turned to. “Any particlar type of plane?” “ Mm...a fighter jet, actually. Like the ones that always fly overhead and do those cool tricks in the air.” Keith nodded. “A fighter jet.” James erased “plane” and wrote “fighter jet” instead. “So, you want to make one like the Galaxy Garrison has?” “Sure?” Keith shrugged. James hung his head and laughed a bit, shaking his head. “Ah, you're hopeless. Why don't you come over to my place after school and we'll work on it? We have the whole week to get it done. Plenty of time.” “I'll have to ask my caretakers.” Keith said, glancing away. “So, ask them. I can wait.” James nodded. “It's for school, after all.” Keith nodded, moving a hand to his arm. James frowned a bit and moved his hand to Keith's. “Let me see.” “No.” Keith shook his head. “You should talk to someone about it.” James sighed. “I'd just get put with a new family. It's nothing serious, just a drunk that flails his fists when he gets excited about his shows.” Keith mumbled. “It was an accident.” “Well, as long as that's all it is.” James moved his hand back to his binder. “So, we'll go to your place, you'll talk to your foster parents, and then we'll go to my place for dinner and to start on the project.” “...Sure.” The smallest hint of a smile reached the black-haired boy's lips. – “Nervous?” James asked him as they walked up to the door. “A bit.” Keith nodded. “If you'd like, I can do all the talking.” James offered. “...No, I can do it.” Keith shook his head. “You sure?” James asked. Keith nodded, then hesitated before slowly shaking his head. “Alright, let me do it.” James placed his hand on Keith's shoulder. “People have a hard time refusing me anything, I've found.” Keith grinned a bit. “Really? Since when?” “Since everyone but you.” James said, then watched as Keith walked up to the door and knocked twice. The door opened and a man looked out, holding an ice pack to his head. “Oh. You're home. How was school?” He asked, motioning them in. “School was...okay.” Keith nodded. “Got a group project.” “Yeah?” The man walked over and sat on a chair. “Hey, grab me a beer, would you?” Keith walked over to to the fridge while James went to the man. “Sir, my name is James Griffin. I'm Keith's partner in the group project. I think it would be in the best interest of the project if he were to stay over at my place for the week. You wouldn't have to worry about waking him up for school, or getting him out the door.” “I could sleep in?” The man asked, interested. “Yes, you could sleep in.” James nodded. “Oh, well, then have at him. Just, uh, bring him back, okay?” The man looked at Keith. “Pack a bag, you're sleeping over at his place for the week.” “I am?” Keith asked, surprised. He pulled out a can of beer and walked over to hand it to the man. “Yes, you are.” James told him. “Go pack your bag, I'll call my mother and let her know.” “...Okay.” Keith shrugged and headed upstairs to his bedroom. He carefully stepped over the sleeping cat at the top of the stairs and made his way to the room he shared with two other kids. He opened the door and walked in, picking up his duffle bag to pack in some clothes and other essentials. “You leaving?” One of the other kids asked. “You're not running away, are ya, Keithy?” “Sleepover.” Keith replied as he zipped up his bag. “Oh. Well, good. About time you actually made a friend, you're such a downer.” The kid shrugged. “It's just for a group project.” Keith shook his head and carried the bag out of their room. “Try to have fun, eh?” The kid called after him. James was just getting off the phone when he rejoined him. “Mom says that she's making extra, so there's plenty to eat. And she's getting out the extra bedding if you don't want to share a bed.” “I don't mind sharing.” Keith shrugged. “Hey, try not to get yourself hurt or nothin', alright?” The man asked. “I don't want them taking you away and no longer paying me for watching you.” And this is why Keith didn't think of this guy as anything but a caretaker. “I'll be careful.” He assured him. “James will keep me in line, no worries.” “Good.” The man nodded. “Then, see you next week. Have a good time.” “We will.” James assured him, opening the door and ushering Keith out. Once the door was closed, he chuckled a bit and walked to the sidewalk ahead of Keith, who was lingering by the door. “What?” Keith asked. “I told you that people have a hard time saying 'no' to me.” James grinned at him cockily. “Oh. That.” Keith slipped his hands into his pockets. “Whatever, you won't get me to comply and fall for your charms.” “We'll see about that.” James waved to the car that was pulling up to pick them up. “We've got the whole week.” Keith adjusted his backpack on his shoulders and the dufflebag on his arm and climbed into the car after James. – James' house was...quiet. And clean. James was an only child and his parents were loving and doting and he felt a twinge of envy as he thought of how the last time he'd been doted on like that was his father, before... He couldn't think about it. “Keith?” Mrs. Griffin smiled. “Do you want pears or peaches with your spaghetti?” “Uh...I don't know.” Keith shrugged. “Go with pears and green beans.” James told her, taking Keith's arm. “Come on, let's go to my room.” James' room was just as impeccable as the rest of the house. There were plastic models of different vehicles carefully painted on the shelf next to the desk, which was clear except for a pencil case and a desktop computer, and there was a folded set of bedding sitting on the bed, which was perfectly made. There was a bookshelf filled with all kind of intellectual books near the door, and a Galaxy Garrison wall-scroll hanging by the bed. It had all the look of someone that was secure in his home life and his life goals. Keith felt envious again. “So, there's a pull-out cot under the bed you can sleep on, or you could just share my bed with me.” James said as he walked over to take the folded bedding off the bed and setting it to the side. “Put your bags anywhere.” “Where do you keep your clothes?” Keith asked, noticing a lack of a dresser. “In the closet.” James walked over to an extra door Keith had noticed and opened it. “See?” He gestured to a neat arrangement of shelves and hangers. “Oh.” Keith set his dufflebag on the floor and took off his backpack. “I guess...we'll get started, then?” “We can start tomorrow.” James assured him. “Tonight, we'll eat dinner and go over our plan for it. Tomorrow, we collect the ingredients for it. Have you ever made a paper-mache before?” Keith shook his head. “Nope.” “Well, we've made a few together.” James smiled. “We can probably make it about the size of your average pinata, only there won't be candy in it.” “...Huh.” Keith shrugged, feeling lost. “So...how big is that?” “About...” James held his arms out the width of his chest and then from his neck to his waist. “That big.” “So, how do you make a paper-mache?” Keith asked. “Well, first you get several tiny strips of paper. Construction paper is always good. Then, once you have those ready, you prepare the glue. I'll show you what I mean tomorrow.” James took off his backpack and set it down by his computer desk. “We should probably finish our homework for tomorrow, while mom's cooking dinner.” He unzipped his backpack and pulled it out, setting it down on his desk. Then he shook the mouse to clear the screensaver and typed in his password. “What do you listen to while studying? I like listening to The Moody Blues.” “I...don't listen to anything.” Keith said as he watched James pull up a folder and access a folder of music inside it. Then he set the entire album to play and got up, moving to his bed with his homework and pencil case. He set both down on the bed and got comfortable, shrugging off his jacket and untying his shoes. “Well? Come sit down. Oh, and take off your coat and shoes.” Keith nodded and knelt to untie his boots. “What are we listening to?” “Days of Future Passed. It's one of their best albums.” James said as he set his shoes by his bed neatly and then opened his homework packet. “I...honestly expected Mozart from you.” Keith admitted, walking over to sit on the bed, bringing his backpack with him. “Why, because I'm a genius?” James raised an eyebrow. “Because, I dunno, it's what all serious, smart guys listen to.” Keith shrugged. “Consider me the exception.” James smirked a bit. “Besides, you're smart, too. What do you listen to?” Keith frowned. “I...don't know.” He admitted. “Sometimes I get a song in my head, but I can't find it anywhere. No one knows it. But, I want to hear it. I dream about it.” “Sing a little?” James asked, reaching for Keith's backpack to get out his homework packet for him. “Uhm...” Keith started to vocalize a little, his voice shaky and uncertain. Song sounded nice, though. There was something almost tribal about it. When he finished, he cleared his throat. “So, uhm...any idea?” “Hm..” James checked his phone, which had been running a music recognition feature. “Nothing's come up. Maybe it's something your mother used to sing to you.” “Maybe.” Keith looked at the computer. “What's this song?” “Dawn is a feeling. It’s the second song on the album.” James got up to turn it back to the beginning of the song and then they started on their homework together. – Dinner was nice and peaceful. James talked with his parents about school, their project, and deflected every question about Keith's home life by asking about how father's work had been. His father worked as a Colonel at the Galaxy Garrison, which kind of explained his enthusiasm about the place. His mother stayed at home, but ran a small business of her own making and selling jewelry online. “My father and his father before him were both in the military.” Mr. Griffin said proudly. “My wife was also at the Garrison as an engineer, that's actually how we met! I bet Jimmy's gonna find his future bride there!” He playfully punched James' arm and grinned. “How come you're not there anymore?” Keith asked her. She sighed wistfully. “I had some...medical complications. We've moved past them now, but by the time we did I'd already started having too much fun with my business, and I love being here for James when he comes home!” She smiled brightly and reached out to rub his head. “So, Keith, what about your parents?” Mr. Griffin asked. “What do they do?” “My...parents?” Keith pursed his lips. “My father was a firefighter. He died while doing his job when I was eight years old. He was a hero...but, that's why I'm in a foster home.” “You don't have any other family?” Mrs. Griffin gasped. “What about your mother? Grandparents?” “My father didn't have any living relatives, and my mother left us when I was just a baby.” Keith wrapped his arms around himself. “Dad said she's somewhere very far away, and that she loves us, but I never got a letter or anything. It's not like we moved!” Tears welled up in his eyes and he gasped when Mrs. Griffin got up and went to throw her arms around him. “Oh, baby, I didn't know. It's alright, don't cry. If you ever need anything, anything at all, you know where to find us. And James will be happy to help you, too.” Keith buried his face in her chest, clinging to the closeness. She held him like that for a bit before he finally let go and she kissed his head before going back to her seat. After dinner, Keith followed James upstairs and sat on his bed while James opened his closet. “You're mom's...really nice.” “She's loving.,” James smiled and picked out blue pajamas. “Do you want the shower first? These should fit you.” He passed them over than got out his own. “They're cotton, so you shouldn't have any allergy issues, if you have any...” “I'm not allergic to anything.” Keith said, taking the pajamas and looking them over. “Uhm, I guess, if you're offering.” “I'll show you to the bathroom.” James set his own pajamas on the bed, neatly folded, and led him out of the room. Keith followed, clutching the borrowed pajamas to his chest. “So...do you do this for all your group project partners, or just me?” Keith asked as James opened the bathroom door for him. “I don't make a habit of this.” James replied vaguely. “I'll wait in the room for you to finish. Don't take too long, okay?” He turned and walked back to his bedroom. Keith walked in and shut the door, sighing a bit. This wasn't really necessary, James was being ridiculous. Still...it was a nice kind of “ridiculous”. – James looked up as he came back in. “All done?” Keith nodded. “I...forgot to grab underwear, so...” He went to his duffle bag. “I gotta change it.” “I'll be back.” James grabbed his own pajamas and clean underwear and left the room. Keith looked around the room as he got undressed and considered how nice it must be to not have to worry about roommates. James came back in a bit later, dressed in his pajamas, and then his mother came to them with a plate of cookies and milk for dessert. “Thanks, mom.” James smiled as she set them on his desk. Then she kissed both their heads and headed for the door. “Sleep well, dears.” She said sweetly, closing the door behind her. Keith reached for a cookie. “...Wow.” “Yeah, she's pretty great.” James grinned. “So, uh, you need the cot pulled out?” “No, I'm okay with sharing.” Keith shook his head. “Okay, then.” James picked up a cookie and his glass of milk. Keith grabbed his own glass and took a sip. He was still adjusting to all this. After they finished their dessert, they climbed into bed and Keith found he was rather close to James as a result of it. His cheeks a bit pink, he turned to face away from him. “It's a bit...smaller than I thought it would be.” He admitted. “Do you want the cot?” James asked, reaching for the lamp on the bedside table. Keith shook his head and James pulled the cord. “I'm good right here.” “Alright. Good night, then.” James settled down next to him with a contented sigh and adjusted the blanket over them both. – Keith, James found, was a clinger. He clung to him while he was asleep, he sleepily gripped James' sleeve as they ate breakfast and, by the time Mr. Griffin dropped them off at school on the way to the Galaxy Garrison, Keith was feeling more awake and less clingy. “Alright, so we've picked our design.” James said as they left school when it let out. “The teacher approved of it, though she's clearly skeptical we can pull it off. Let's go to the store and buy some colored paper. We're going to need some other materials, too.” Keith nodded, then looked up when James' mother pulled up in her car and called them over. They got in and headed for the store. “How was school, boys?” Mrs. Griffin asked cheerfully. “School was okay.” Keith shrugged. “There was a pop quiz in History.” James told her. “A lot of people were groaning over it.” “Well, pop quizzes tend to be surprising.” She smiled. “Oh, while we're out, did you want your allowance, Jimmy?” “Yeah, thank you.” James nodded. “Wow, allowance. Spending money.” Keith said wistfully. They pulled up outside the mall and she unlocked the doors before digging into her bag and handing James an envelope. “There's your allowance for the month, honey. Oh, and here's some money for the supplies. You remember where Jo-Ann's is?” “Of course.” James took the envelope and wad of cash and put both in his pocket. “Need anything?” “I'm running low on purple beads.” She nodded. “You two boys have fun, call me when you're done.” “Come on, Keith.” James got out and Keith followed him. After checking to make sure it was clear, he led Keith into the crowded, noisy mall and waved to his mother as she drove off. “Stay close.” He told Keith, taking his hand. “I'm not a little kid.” Keith huffed. “No, but it is crowded.” James pulled him along past the crowd and Keith followed at pace, looking around at the different stores. “Have you been here before?” “Uhm...no.” Keith shook his head. “Okay, follow my lead. First we want to get some craft supplies. After we've gotten what we came for, then we can relax and enjoy the mall.” “It's noisy.” Keith reached up to rub at his hand. They passed through a crossroads and Keith caught a whiff of something delicious down the left side. Curious, he looked over and saw a big sign that said [FOOD COURT]. “We'll get some food later.” James told him, then pulled him close so a woman with a baby stroller could pass them by unhindered. “You okay?” “I'm fine.” Keith pulled away once the stroller was gone and walked on. “So, where is this Joann?” “Jo-Ann's is a craft store.” James walked alongside him. “You should really hold my hand, Keith.” “I'm not a little kid, James.” Keith insisted impatiently. “I can handle--” He was abruptly cut off by a smaller kid slamming into him before he could even notice he was coming and they both hit the floor. “Aya! Miho, be careful!” A woman ran up to them. “Lo siento, chico. Lance, apologize to him.” “Lo siento.” The boy, Lance, pushed himself to his feet. “Uh...it's...siento? I guess? It's okay.” Keith got up and dusted himself off. The woman smiled at him and then led the other boy away, scolding him in another language as they walked. “What was that?” Keith asked, watching them go. “That was why I said to hold hands.” James held out his hand and Keith took it. “Come on, Jo-Ann's is right over here.” He led him into a big, pale yellow store. Finding the craft supplies, once they found the place, was easy. Keith let James lead him around and he pushed the supplied cart from aisle to aisle, listening to James talk about what they'd need for their project. After their shopping was done, they went to the Food Court and James bought them both hamburgers and milkshakes. “Well, this has been an interesting experience.” Keith said as he unwrapped his hamburger. “I don't know if I'll be coming back to the mall, though. At least, not frequently.” “You don't get out much, do you?” James asked. “No. Too, uh, risky, the foster families said.” Keith shook his head. “And my dad lived away from town, so we did a lot of stuff at home.” James nodded. “Sorry about your dad.” “I'm...I'm okay. I don't need sympathy.” Keith bit into his hamburger and made a surprised but pleased sound. “Mm!” “What?” James laughed. “This is delicious!” Keith pointed to his hamburger. “The meal that feeds America. Try the milkshake next.” James nodded to it. Keith brought the chocolate milkshake close to him and took a sip, letting out a surprised shiver but also a soft moan of happiness. “That was cold but really good.” James chuckled. “Note to self, bring Keith to the mall for hamburgers as much as possible.” “Why?” Keith asked, surprised. “Because you hardly ever smile. It's nice seeing you do it.” James smiled. “Makes your eyes light up.” He reached up and poked his nose and Keith wrinkled his nose in surprise. “It's nice having a reason to smile.” Keith nodded, taking another bite. James nodded, then looked at the bag full of craft supplies. “Think we'll get a good grade?” “If we don't, it's your fault. I have no idea what I'm doing, so I'm just following your lead.” Keith pointed a finger at him from his otherwise-occupied hand and took another bite of his hamburger. “Then you better pay attention.” James grinned, taking a bite of his own hamburger. “Duh.” Keith chuckled. – “Oh my god...” Keith breathed. “You still have this?” James walked over to look over his boyfriend's shoulder and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Our first group project.” He hummed. “Of course.” Keith looked over the years-old paper-mache Garrison fighter jet and laughed a bit. “I thought for sure it would've been destroyed by now, either by time or Galra attack.” “Nope, she's a hardy thing. Her partner's here, too.” James reached for a second one. “You were worried we'd get a bad grade for these, but we got the best in the class, remember that?” “Yeah.” Keith nodded. “They got displayed at an exhibition, too.” He looked at James and kissed his cheek. “Hey, let's bring these back to the Atlas and show them to Shiro.” “I bet he'll love them.” James nodded with a smile, then his gaze fell on a family picture. His hold on Keith tightened a bit and Keith sighed, kissing his cheek gently. “Do you really think they're still out there?” “We gotta keep hoping.” Keith said softly. “We still haven't cleared out all the camps, and we won't stop looking until we know for sure what happened to them. Same with Hunk's family, and Shiro's.” James nodded and kissed the back of his neck. “Come on, let's pack these up and get back to the Garrison.” Keith nodded and turned to face him. “Well, what's the rush? I mean...we could make some memories here.” “I don't know if I want to do that.” James shook his head. “I have too many innocent memories with you in this room I want to preserve.” “That's fair.” Keith nodded. “Alright, let's get going.” James kissed him and then they picked up the paper-mache fighter jets to walk out with them. Keith looked back at the room as they left it and let out a soft sigh before following James downstairs and out to their hoverbikes. End

[pcychedelic]

Meet Me At Sundown

Relationship(s): Byun Baekhyun/Reader

Tags: Soulmates AU; Angst, Fluff

Rating: Mature (mature themes, strong language, implicit sex, and mentions of prescription drugs)

Content Warning(s): Car accidents, mentions of death, PTSD

Synopsis: The moon rises just as the sun is setting, and who would’ve thought that it would bring soulmates with it.

Chapters [Word Count]:

Chapter 1 [2.5k]

Chapter 2 [2.7k]

Chapter 3 [4.5k]

Chapter 4 [2.5k]

Chapter 5 [2.8k]

Chapter 6 [3.1k]

Chapter 7 [5.9k]

Chapter 8 [1.7k]

Chapter 9 [2.5k]

Chapter 10 [3.6k]

Epilogue

Click on the links above to read chapters on Asianfanfics (AFF).

Friendly reminder that mature words are censored when you’re reading as a guest on AFF, so make sure to log into your AFF account and turn off the content filter to read the chapters without censors.

Read Chapter 1 below.

Chapter 1

You watched as the setting sun bathed the streets in a warm glow. To you, everything looked better during the golden hour—no matter how many people and cars rushed against time, the seconds seemed to slow down as daylight rolled over your side of the Earth and went to illuminate the other.

“Hey. Are you listening?”

You glanced to your side and saw Chanyeol looking at you.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I was just looking at…”

“The sunset,” he chuckled. “Yeah. We all know how fascinated you are by sunsets.”

It was true. Sunsets were one of the few things that you could focus on without feeling like you were being suffocated. You weren’t allowed to do sports anymore, so when you weren’t working, you poured all your energy into painting. The pictures you painted somehow always gravitated towards sundown—the canvas would be smothered with orange hues whenever you felt good, and pink or purple replaced it when you weren’t. Even if you weren’t painting about the sky, those colors would always be present in your portraits, like they were the only colors that your mind knew.

You always had a thing for it, but after the incident, something felt different. It reminded you of something important but couldn’t quite remember.

“Sorry,” you smiled shyly. “What were you talking about again?”

“I said I had a dream.”

Jongin and Kyungsoo, who were seated across the table, looked up at the same time at Chanyeol’s last word. Chanyeol then started cutting his steak a little too excitedly.

Dream.

You took a sip of water and swallowed slowly while you carefully chose your next words.

“Dream, as in… a regular dream or that kind of dream?”

Dream wasn’t a word that was taken lightly. Technically, it meant the succession of random images in your head while you slept, but it also meant getting a glimpse of your future—your future partner, to be exact.

The person you would be spending the rest of your life with will appear in a “special dream” and people who have experience this had said that you would just know when that dream comes.

A year ago, your sister woke you up in the middle of the night. She was sweating profusely for someone who slept with the air-conditioning blasted on high. At first, you thought that she had caught the flu and had woken you up because of the pain, but the smile that was plastered on her features told you otherwise. She described it as the best dream she ever had, the kind that you would never want to wake up from.

She had also said that from the moment you open your eyes, everything will seem to sparkle, like the last puzzle piece in your life had fallen into place and the world suddenly made sense. Last month, she married the man that she had woken you up for.

“That kind of dream,” Chanyeol confirmed. “The dream.”

Kyungsoo started taking a special interest in his half-eaten pasta and pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something. However, he remained quiet, and Jongin spoke up instead.

“What was it like?”

Chanyeol set down his fork and knife and stared at the window with a wistful smile on his lips.

“It was like… like a movie,” he began. “I dreamt that I was at work. I was working behind the booth, scanning through song requests for the show and suddenly this girl showed up and everything behind her became blurred. It was as if the world stopped spinning just to focus on her and when I looked at her face, she had this glow that warmed me up from head to toe and… and I just knew. I thought, ‘So this is what it feels like. This is what the dream feels like.’”

You all looked at him in awe, amazed by how vivid he remembered it.

Usually, dreams are forgotten almost immediately after people wake up. The Dream, on the other hand, lingered in the subconscious forever, eternally branded at the back of people’s heads. Doctors and other scholars said that it was the only dream that we could remember from start to finish, which is probably the reason why people who had experienced it could narrate it perfectly, even the most insignificant details.

“Do you know who she is?” You asked.

Chanyeol shook his head, and you weren’t surprised. Most people get The Dream even if they haven’t met their significant other, or, rather, they haven’t realized that they already met them. This was because the human brain wasn’t capable of inventing faces, science explained. People subconsciously remembered the faces of strangers they have seen at some point in their lives, and their minds utilized them to fill in the gaps in their mental pictures when they dreamt.

For you, it seemed terrifying to know that your life was intertwined with someone that you didn’t even know well enough, but you didn’t mention this at the table because Chanyeol was obviously really happy about it.

You were happy for him too, but you couldn’t help but think about what could have been with him.

Chanyeol paid for the early dinner the four of you just had, saying that it was his treat for getting The Dream.

Kyungsoo asked if he could leave first because he didn’t feel well, and Jongin offered to drive him home and said that he shouldn’t take the subway if he was feeling sick. Kyungsoo nonchalantly accepted Jongin’s offer and you and Chanyeol waved goodbye at them as Jongin’s car pulled out of the parking lot and drove away.

You started walking away and Chanyeol had to jog to keep up with you.

“Hey, wait up,” he said as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder. “Where are you going? Are you going home?”

You shook your head and pointed at the smoking area just behind the restaurant that you ate at. “I want to smoke a stick or two before I come home to the essays that I need to grade. Is it just me or are twelfth graders getting dumber every year?”

Chanyeol laughed. “You’re too mean to be a teacher.”

“So I’ve heard.”

You took a stick out of your pack and lit it, the paper and tobacco cackling from the heat. You inhaled the cold November air along with the smoke, your lungs expanding to take in death, only to blow it out again. You flicked at the butt of the cigarette and watched as the grey ashes fell gingerly from the burning tip down to the ground, thinking of how much it resembled snow and how something so deadly could look like something beautiful.

“Hey,” Chanyeol softly said as he squeezed your free hand. “You’re spacing out again.”

It wasn’t like you did it on purpose, spacing out. It was part of the aftereffects of your trauma, your doctor had explained, how you could notice even the smallest details of things, from the sounds a person made while chewing to how the lights of the skyline that can be seen from your bedroom window flickered as if they were stars.

You were hyperaware of your surroundings, like your body automatically paid attention to every single thing to avoid trauma-related cues. Dr. Kim had associated it with the increase in your fight-or-flight response, a common symptom among people with whom you shared the same burden with.

“I’m sorry,” you apologized. “What were you saying?”

He sighed and looked at the moon, which hung too low in the night sky given how early into the night it was. “I said that you didn’t look too happy when I told you guys about The Dream.”

You took another drag of your cigarette while you thought of something to say. Were you that obvious?

“Of course I’m happy for you, what are you talking about?” You said as you exhaled smoke. “I just… I thought of how afraid I would’ve been if I dreamt of someone I haven’t met yet. I think it’s easier to fall in love when you know who they are.”

You weren’t exactly lying, but Chanyeol scoffed anyway, knowing all too well that you were holding something back. He knew you better than you knew yourself.

“Sure.”

“Yeol,” you sighed. You knew where he was steering this conversation to. “You know we can’t talk about that anymore.”

Chanyeol looked down and put his hands inside his pockets. “About what?” He stupidly asked while kicking the pebbles on the pavement.

He already knew what you were pertaining to; he just wanted you to say it. He had tried to start this conversation with you at every chance he that he got, but you shut it down whenever he did.

It wasn’t because you didn’t want to talk about it; it was because you felt that it was unfair for the both of you to linger on something that just wasn’t meant to be. It did keep you up at night sometimes, but you didn’t want Chanyeol to do the same—especially now that The Dream came to him. It was like forcibly reopening a wound when your body had just began healing; it wasn’t right, and it definitely wasn’t healthy.

But you were also aware that no matter how many times you try to avoid having this conversation with him, he would just continue to bring it up until it blew up on both of your faces.

You exhaled. “Do you really want to talk about it?”

Chanyeol’s head snapped back up. “Yes.”

“Okay.” You put out your cigarette on the receptacle. “But I’m having this conversation with you just this once. Go.”

“Tell me honestly how you felt when you heard about my dream. No bullshit.”

He held out his pinky finger like a little kid, gesturing you to promise him that you would tell the truth.

You smiled despite rolling your eyes. “Alright,” you said, intertwining your pinkies together and touching your thumb to his. “I wasn’t lying that I thought of how afraid I would be if that happened to me. But I wasn’t lying when I said that I was happy for you, either.”

“I know.”

“Our relationship is just so complicated, Yeol. You know that.” He nodded, listening intently. You continued, “We’ve been best friends for, what? Seven, eight years? And when you came to my place that night and hugged me and told me that you didn’t care about The Dream and you wanted to be with me… it terrified me. So much.”

You didn’t realize that you were shaking until Chanyeol pulled you into his chest and soothingly rubbed your back.

He was so warm—he always had been, and you couldn’t remember the last time that he hugged you like this. You didn’t want to cry, but your tears just flowed out from your eyes, staining his shirt.

“I wanted to say yes. God knows how much I wanted to. But that isn’t how the world works, Yeol. We couldn’t make it work even if we tried. There’s someone out there for the both of us, and that isn’t each other. Look, you found yours now,” you said breathlessly.

You looked up at him to gauge his expression at your admission. His huge, round eyes bore into yours and you could see a million different emotions stirring up inside them: love, hurt, but above all, sadness. His eyes gleamed with regret, and yours probably did too.

You hated The Dream.

It stopped you and Chanyeol from happening without even giving you the chance to begin. You hoped that you never get it, and from the countless textbooks that you have read, it was possible. Some people were destined to live their lives on their own without having someone waltz into their dream uninvited and you wanted to be just like them.

Who was the universe to decide your other half for you? It was unfair. It was cruel. It was painful.

Chanyeol kissed your forehead and you held your breath to stop yourself from crying even harder.

“If you’re happy for me, why are you crying?” He softly asked.

“I just hate the world.”

He chuckled as he hugged you even tighter. “That makes two of us.”

 The walk home had been silent, neither you nor Chanyeol said a word while you strolled through the streets holding hands.

At first you declined when he offered to walk you home because you didn’t want to burden him, but he just smiled goofily and said, “I didn’t bring a car so I’m walking whether I take you home or not, so might as well.”

You walked everywhere, and even though it was tiring, it was where your mind was at peace.

You knew that Chanyeol didn’t bring a car on purpose just so he could walk you home, and you hated how your heart swelled at the gesture. He was perfect, fictional-character-type-of-perfect, but like all other perfect things, he just wasn’t for you.

You gently rubbed your thumb against the back of his hand, thinking that it would be nice if the two of you ended up together in some alternate universe or in your next life.

If reincarnation was real, you would still want to be born as a part of his life, and you hoped that the universe would decide to be generous once and for all and let be reborn as his other half.

“Well, this is me,” you said as the two of you arrive at your front door. You turned around to face Chanyeol, your hand still linked with his. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“You’ll see me every day.”

You chuckled. “Yeah, don’t make such rash promises.”

You tried to slip your hand off of his but he pulled it back until you were once again engulfed in his embrace.

“I mean it,” he whispered against your ear. “You’ll always be my first love.” He kissed your cheek before pulling away. “Goodnight.”

That night, you dreamt of being at the beach, your body dipping into the soft, white sand and your eyes looking at the sunset.

The sky was painted with a thousand different colors, not just the usual orange, pink, or purple that you used when you painted. The kaleidoscope of hues reflected onto the water where they seemed to dance along with the ocean and you just wanted to drown in all the colors.

It was the most beautiful sunset that you have ever seen, even in your dreams, but you were so focused on taking in its beauty and you failed to realize that the sunset was ending.

At the final second, just before the sun drowned into the water and took all the colors in the sky with it, you saw a green flash burst from where the sun last peeked and you felt something that you thought you had forgotten—hope.

Read the next chapters here.

[binbonsadoration]

Say Something - Part 8

Nick Tortano x Reader

Summary: You and Nicky Tortano are old friends that grew up in the same neighborhood and went to the same schools - childhood best friends.  What happens when life takes you both down two different paths, causing you two to drift only to bring you together ten years later as undercover cops trying to bring down one of the biggest drugs rings in Boston?

Only time can tell.

A/N: This will be a collaborative work by myself and the amazing @benbarnesescape.  Nicky doesn’t get near enough love, and so, here we are making sure that he gets at least a little slice of the love that he so deserves.  We do hope you enjoy it <3

chapter 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, chapter 4, chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 7

Nicky found himself still in confusion, his eyes watching the supposed couple take their route out of the small diner and out into the chill air.  Swallowing thickly, there was a moment where Nicky just remembered.  Days where things were different, where you would find the steps toward him instead of away.  The thoughts had his jaw clenching, the muscle tight and he breathed out.

What was he going to do now?  Your last encounter wasn’t the best, a scene that he tried his best to dismiss even if all he wanted to do was protect himself.

Protect you.

His world had crumbled that day, the love that he had in his heart fading into nothing more than ashes in the wind, and all he wanted to do was bury himself in the pain.  To be numb, and never allow himself to experience anything like that again.  It had been your presence that reminded him of that moment.  The last of the light slipping away, leaving him with a heart buried in the darkness that dwelled within his hometown.  

A darkness that he would soon find himself sinking into without hesitation.

A darkness that he accepted, and approached without fail.  

A place that was home now.

His steps leading him away were slow, hesitant.  Features were scrunched, that evident debate sketched against his hardened features that dared someone to challenge him in that moment.  Ever since that day within the library he wanted to make it up to you.  Asked about you when he wasn’t given a task to complete for Sal, a hope that you were doing well.

‘A boyfriend...’ The words echoed against the air, as a frustrated breath escaped dry lips.  

The word was foreign in his mouth, his thought on the image of you.  The more matured version of the girl he once well so well.  The version that occupied his thoughts, his dreams, only to be replaced with an image of you with this guy that was named ‘James’.  Emotions were a bitch, that much Nicholas Tortano was aware of.  Those feelings that he tried so desperately to rid himself of.  That was always the case until he found himself face to face with you.  Found himself wanting to reach out, to fix all the stupid mistakes that he had made, and admit once more that love that he only had for you.

Sure, he had his fun.  Those that Y/N described as cute, dumb and easy.  Those girls were never something that was a permanent fixture.  Nothing more than a means to an end.  Something that would pass the time, allow him to lose himself if only for a moment.

While Nicky wanted you to be happy, prayed for it even, the thought that your happiness didn’t involve him bothered the absolute hell out of him.  He had always seen the two of you together, a house that you built into your own in Boston with a couple pair of feet pattering down the hallway with a soft giggle that would immediately have a smile venturing to your lips.

Needless to say, the thought of you with someone else – a guy that was nothing like Nicky.  A guy that had his shit together, wasn’t putting his time and energy into something that would ultimately get him killed; smart, and able to give you anything that you needed, or hell … anything that you wanted.

Another breath surged from his lips, something of frustration and anger balled up within in his chest while he fought off the tight feeling that had fingers tightening against the paper bag in his grasp.  Jamming his free hand within his pocket, fingers caught the paper that lingered in his pocket.  Paper that had him debating, eyes narrowing slightly at the scribbled numbers that peered back at him.  It only took a moment before the decision was made.  His pace coming a bit quicker before he was standing in front of his apartment.

It wasn’t much.  A small space that gave him all he needed in terms of commodities.  It wasn’t as though he lived there, not really, when his head would find the pillow of his latest conquest.  That wasn’t what was on his mind in that moment, as he tore into the bag and stripped away his jacket.

His mind came skimming back to that moment.  The way your lips pressed against another’s, feeling that immediate green eyed monster take hold before another breath escaped his lips.  Taking a seat on his couch, fingers gripped at the burger, but his eyes took in that same piece of paper.

So many questions took hold.  A need to know why she was so interested in what was doing by the docks.  Why she was other there in the first place?  The way she immediately went into defense the moment that his fingers reached for your arm.  

There was so much that he needed answers to.  Especially when it came to him.  

Did you still love him?

Did you still love him the way that you once had?

The way that he still did.

‘....fuck it.’

Reaching out for the paper, arms that were now on display flexed as he gathered the paper in his grasp before he pulled the device from his back pocket.

The past was slowly beginning to catch up to him.  The visions of you when he protected you.  Was the one that made sure that if someone bothered you would be dealing with him.  Something that he still would put out into the world, except you didn’t need protecting any longer.  Not when you were the one pulling a knife and catching him off guard.

He needed answers.

Maybe that was why he was dialing your number without another thought, his tall frame leaning back against his worn couch while holding onto a breath that he didn’t realize he was holding onto.

‘Hello?’

The sound of your voice had him breathing out, a twinge of nerves coming to him before he was smirking.

‘Hey, angel.’

It only took a moment for the recognition to kick in, the sigh sounding on the opposite end that had him smirking that much more.

‘You weren’t done with our conversation?’  

He inquired, flipping the script regardless of the fact that all he wanted to do was confess his forgiveness once more.  He had never meant to hurt that.  That wasn’t what that was all about.  He wanted to protect you, knew that with the death of his Mother that his life wouldn’t do anything but spiral into an oblivion that he couldn’t have you connected to.  A request lingering on the lips of those that ran the town lingering in his ears before his Mother fell ill.  A promise that if he took care of them, that it would be a returned notion. Something that fell on deaf ears until his heart shattered into a million pieces, his Father losing his job and wanting better for his brother.  There was no other choice – not in his eyes when he agreed to the terms and conditions of a life that would require some blood shed, and his finger permanently hovering over the trigger of his 9mm.

There was a beat of silence, something that he didn’t expect until you were finally talking and Nicky was left with a narrowing gaze settling on the dingy paint that covered his walls.

‘You sure are curious about the ‘bad boys on the playground’?  Or, so you like to call them.  Why so interested?’

His own curiosity was pegged, and regardless of the fact that she had brushed it off as being concerned about him.  Something that he believed, though getting the sense there was more that she was telling him.  Nicky knew the reactions of those that were in it on the opposite side of things.  While most would have seen him as a ‘bad guy’, one of the those that was on the wrong side of the tracks, causing trouble and adding to the news that coursed the screen that had citizens gasping in disbelief.  He was only doing what he thought was necessary.

While others thought of him as dangerous, a made man, it was the secret that laid behind that title that many didn’t know about the man.  Something that Y/N knew all too well.  It was one thing to pound his fist into someone’s face, send the butt of the gun into someone’s temple, but when it came to ending someone life was a very different thing.  These people that got in the way of his boss – they were human beings with families – wives, children, and he had already watched the life drain from his own Mother.  He refused to watch someone else, to experience the pain that someone else would feel in finding out that their Father or loved one was killed in cold blood.

The thought had him sighing out, swallowing almost harshly as he listened to the familiar voice on the opposite end of the phone.  

Listening to the explanation, something that sounded more like an excuse, he cut you off.

‘I’m sure you have a great reasoning, but … I need you to listen to me.’

It took a moment to get your attention, some convincing on his part, where he had to cut you on more than one occasion.  

‘Y/N – please, just let me talk for a minute.’

There was continued talking, an almost frustration in your voice when he heaved a sigh.

‘Y/N – damn it! Will you please listen to me for a fuckin’ minute?’

The frustration was evident, a tone that hung loosely over his words as you fell into silence that felt hesitation.

‘I love you.  I always have – hell, always will.  Seeing you with .. whatever the fuck his name was bothered the absolute hell outta me.’

Words came with a softness, a bitterness that hung in the air when he thought of the two of you together within the diner.

‘You were always my end game.  Ever since we were kids, and regardless of the fact that you don’t believe me – yeah, I may have went for the cute, dumb and easy, but you .. you’re the one that always lingered in my head in knowing that I could never have you.  That I wanted to have you by my side, protecting you, being the person that you needed – and you pushed me away.  I’m sorry that I did the same.  I was scared, worried, and broken – I didn’t want you to see me that way, and I knew that you deserved better.  You didn’t need the boy that lost his world and was swallowed up by the darkness.  I knew that I could never be the man that you needed .. the man you deserved, but I want to try.  You can’t tell me that you don’t want to see where it would go?’

There was a bit of silence, speaking once more before you could allow the words to flow.

‘I have some things to take care of tomorrow morning, but meet me by the docks around .. lets say one?’

While word were stated in the form of a question, it was more of a statement that seemed to be answered with a knowing sigh that made a smirk quirk against his lips.

‘See you then, angel.’

With that he was hanging up the phone, a hope that things would change.

That if you agreed that he would have to keep what he was involved in a secret, the only way to protect the few people that he loved in his world.

To protect you.

tags: @just-nikkii, @ladyblablabla, @drinix, @youveseen–thebutcher, @marauderskeeper, @thesandbeneathmytoes, @cutie-bug, @banditthewriter

[bonjovian]

JJBA: Blood Ties Chapter One

Masterlist

Chapter II

Fear. That's the one thing Grace had felt. Well, that and the slight pain from the amount of force her mom had used to push her small body away from the slowly approaching hoard of Stand users. Or, at least, that was what her mom called them. Grace had no clue what Stands were, but that would change. She was hidden behind a pile of boxes in the alleyway she was shoved into. She peeked over one, seeing her mom being pushed and beaten by what Grace saw as an invisible force. All she heard was yelling, but her mother remained quiet. They connected gazes for a brief moment. Hot tears stung both their eyes, both knowing how this would end.

"Your kind caused so many problems," Grace heard a voice yell, followed by the distinct cracking of bones. "It's a wonder why we hadn't found you sooner!" More sounds of punches and bones breaking. The copper taste of blood lingered in the air, and yet her mom was still quiet. She didn't even try to fight back. Grace's small body convulsed with fear, fighting back a scream as she turned away. She knew the sun would rise soon, and she had to choose: try saving her mom and probably die in the process, or run and have a chance at living. So she ran. She looked back once, seeing her mom motionless on the ground, blood pooling around her broken body. She continued running, all the way to the old mansion Dio owned, making sure to avoid as many people as she could.

Grace awoke in a cold sweat, tears staining her face as she clutched her sheets. "Nightmares," she huffed as she looked at the clock. 3:42 pm, the sun was still out. "Damn, dad's probably out running errands or something," she muttered, dragging herself out of bed. She rummaged through her dresser and eventually decided on her usual style: t-shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans. She strolled to the huge library of the old mansion she called home. After Dio's death, she tried getting rid of the bad image it carried. Technically speaking, it was still belonging to a vampire, but at least she didn't have an aggressive hawk as a guard. A lot of the damages from the battles in '89 were still there, however, like the carved up floor from Vanilla Ice's battle with Polnareff. She only knew the history of the mansion from her mother.

She was drawn from her thoughts when she about ran into one of the numerous bookshelves, her Stand, Holy Diver, holding its hand out to stop her. A soft wryy echoed from the Stand before it faded. "You've always been so protective of me," Grace laughed, sitting down in one of the old chairs. "Man, what will I do without you..." She grabbed one of the books she had previously piled next to the chair and thumbed through it, the musty scent of the old paper bringing a smile to her face. Her Stand peeked over her shoulder.

"What is it?" Grace asked with a laugh. "You interested in the book? It's just one of mom's journals. This one's specifically about those old stone masks that made mom and dad who they were, and technically made me who I am."

"Grace!" She heard a voice yell, "I'm back!"

"I'm in the library!" She called back as she stood up before running to see her adoptive father, Hol Horse.

"Of course," she laughed, hugging him.

"Holy Diver been keeping you company?" Hol Horse laughed as he ruffled Grace's hair. One of Dio's old followers, Hol Horse was "retired" after bullets from his own Stand, the Emperor, hit him in the face. He was now in his 60s, scarred but just as goofy as ever.

"What are you doing up? Normally you sleep until 7," he asked, "... Was it another nightmare?"

"Yeah," Grace sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Of Paramore again?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. The usual," she laughed sadly.

"Hey, don't worry," Hol Horse sighed as he hugged her. "Paramore was an amazing woman. She wanted to make sure you were safe. She'd be so proud of you, continuing her research."

"Thanks, Dad," She laughed.

"Why don't you get some more rest, kid. You still seem tired," Hol Horse laughed and ruffled her hair again. "Oh, and I did get that blueberry cheesecake you like if that makes ya feel any better."

"Thanks," Grace chuckled softly as she walked back to her room.

"Oh wait! There's one more thing," Hol Horse said as he ran over to Grace, "Another letter for you. No return address, as usual. Do you want me to just get rid of it? It could be those assholes again."

"I want to read it at least, so we can maybe compare it to the other letters." Grace calmly grabbed the envelope and tore it open with one of her claws. She tossed the envelope to the side and unfolded the crumpled letter. "Oh? This is different! It isn't a threat! Though it's kind of sad to say that I get excited about those kinds of things."

The handwriting was a lot cleaner than the normal letters, despite the appearance of the paper itself. "Speedwagon Foundation?" She asked, tilting her head slightly when she saw the repeated mentions of that name.

"Oh, the Speedwagon Foundation. They help out the Joestar family and investigate supernatural things," Hol Horse said calmly, "I don't know if Paramore had told you but your father, Dio, his body wasn't truly his. He stole the body of a man named Jonathan Joestar. So indirectly, that makes you a Joestar. Have you ever noticed the star-shaped birthmark near your neck?"

"Oh, that?" Grace asked, "I've just never acknowledged it. Thanks for telling me, dad."

"So I suppose the Speedwagon Foundation wants to talk to you for some reason or another," Hol Horse said calmly. "Strange how there isn't a return address. Maybe one of the employees was nearby?"

"Seems about right," Grace said calmly, "Wait, I see a name. Neil Speedwagon. Is he the leader or something?"

"I believe so. I might have to get in contact with Joseph to make sure, but I'm pretty sure Neil is the descendant of the original founder. Maybe he's still around here? Grace, do you want me to go find him?"

"Please do. I want to meet Mr. Speedwagon. He might know more about mom and dad, considering the supernatural research they do."

Hol Horse nodded and walked outside, readying Emperor just in case. He was no stranger to people trying to attack him, as those who followed Dio tended to be ostracized in Cairo. Grace watched carefully from the shade. I hope he finds him soon, Grace thought. She sighed and walked back to the library, grabbing the journal and picking up where she left off. I might as well get comfortable...

[ramennoodlesandnarusasu]

A kiss never forgotten

*Chap 1: A drunken night*

*Chap 2: A blurred night*

*Chap 3: The bath house*

*Chap 4: A Thousand pieces*

*Chap 5: Heart beat*

*Chap 6: Surprise*

*Chap 7: Sunsets, trees and you*

*Chap 8: What now?*

*Chap 9: Healing the unfixable*

*Chap 10: So, this is it?*

*Chap 11: What now?*

*Chap 12: Kids and kisses*

*Chap 13: Its time*

*Chap 14: Tears*

Chap 15: Somethings different?

Naruto looked at his face in the mirror, his face was drained of pigment, eyes strained and heavily blood shot. He hadn’t seen Hinata or his children in over a week, it was killing him to not go over there and literally bash the door down.

It was hurting Naruto, all of this felt like hell to him, not seeing his children, worrying constantly about what Hinata may have said.

Has she said something bad about Naruto? Or worse about Sasuke?

What if they hated him? What if they wanted nothing to do with him now? Did he ruin any chance of having a happy relationship with his children so he could chase his own happiness? How could he be so selfish?

“Naruto your up again? This is not helping, thinking the worst situations. Baby please just give it a week more before you go and talk to her?”

Naruto looked up at Sasuke with deeply heavy eyes, he wanted to hope that he was right that he was only over worrying about the whole situation but in reality, he was crumbling inside, his mind at that moment was his worse enemy.

“Sasuke it’s been a week, she hasn’t come to see me and what if she told the kids some horrible stuff about us?”

Sasuke adjusted his silk night gown whilst keeping constant eye contact with Naruto. He moved forwards slowly. The light bouncing off of Sasuke’s silk gown danced around smoothly creating a midnight sky colour.

Naruto was so mesmerized by his boyfriend, he could not mentally comprehend how he always looked like an angel that collapsed straight from the heavens at all occasions especially considering he just got out of bed.

Sasuke’s hair was loosely dangling in front of his eyes, his long fingers struggled to move some strands which had broken free and started to bother his vision.

Naruto tensed when Sasuke touched his shoulder to comfort him, he slowly came forward and pressed his warm lips on Naruto’s cheek, leaving a trail of butterflies which set Naruto’s skin on fire.

“Naruto, look at yourself.”

Naruto did exactly that, he saw a man drained of sleep. Purple skin deepening under his eyes, golden hair messily tangled in several knots. How has one week of worry turn him into this? How could Hinata do this to him again?

“Can you honestly tell me that worrying is helping? You are running yourself to the ground.”

Naruto was so sleep deprived and swamped with various emotions that the next thing he did he would regret so deeply.

“You would have no idea what I feel Sasuke, you barely see your daughter, I don’t know what kind of family you are trying to hold onto…”

“Fuck I’m sorry, I…”

Sasuke quickly removed his hand from Naruto’s shoulder. “Naruto, don’t treat me like I am your enemy. I am not Hinata, I am not the person who ran you down to the ground. You weren’t yourself for how many fucking years? Your family may have seemed normal from the outside but fuck sake you have been crumbling since the words, I do.”

Naruto was exhausted and mad, he was taking out his pain on Sasuke when all he did was give a shit about him, something he didn’t have with Hinata. How could he be treating Sasuke like this?

“I know I’m sorry Sasuke, I was out of line, forgive me?”

“Hmph”.

Sasuke potted whilst crossing his arms in frustration, but his breathing had seemed to simmer down to normal capacity.

“I just wish I could see my kids again Sasuke.”

“And you will, in time, if you really want you could go barging in right now, it’s your house after all. But wait one more week, I promise it will be okay.”

Naruto looked at crimson eyes which still seemed a tad pissed off and put his faith in them. If those eyes, warm lips and hands would lead him to salvation, he would follow them till the ends of the earth.

“Okay Sasuke.”

“Bed?”

“Hm, yer okay.”

-1 week later-

“I’m nervous Sasuke.”

Sasuke placed a loving hand on Naruto’s shoulder, reassuring him that it will be okay.

“Huh…okay, let’s go.”

Naruto raised his hand, lingering for a few moments in anticipation before knocking three times on the door.

Silence, torturing silence. And then, noise. Food steps coming closer and closer, each creek of the wooden floor becoming louder, echoing in Naruto’s ears. Each creek striking more and more fear into his already flustered heart.

“Naruto, Sasuke… Thank you for coming, we have the house to ourselves so be comfortable.”

Naruto and Sasuke shared a small glance of suspension and fear, but nothing could have prepared them for what they would hear in the next hour. They followed Hinata into the house. They were hit by the scent of fresh baked cookies and rich coffee beans, a welcoming house full of life and colour.

Sasuke wasn’t moved by the homely feel of the place, his defences where still up and ready to jump at any time to protect Naruto from crumbling once again because of this woman.

“Hinata cut to the chase, why did you tell Naruto to come today and pre-warning I’m not afraid to fight a girl.”

Hinata looked up at Sasuke with wide eyes, but in 2 seconds she was laughing hysterically pushing tears aside.

“Sasuke trust me I don’t want to fight you, I actually called you over to apologize, have a seat and I can explain.”

Naruto and Sasuke were hesitant but ultimately complied with her. Once everyone was seated and served cookies and coffee Hinata let out a long sigh.

“So… I wanted to explain what happened to me that night and why I reacted so terribly.” Hinata tossed her dark hair away from her face, she sipped on the coffee slowly as if trying to manifest this conversion in her head, struggling to find a starting point to her plea.

“Look I have nothing against you two, but I was really drunk and I was really upset… after Naruto left, I was so lonely and I realized I had let go of someone really special… I was being selfish.”

Naruto was shocked he didn’t know what to think anymore, last week Hinata was being…well, a bitch.

“But Hinata you said all those things, about me and Sasuke...?”

Hinata stood up angrily.

“You don’t think what I said to you hasn’t haunted my mind this entire week? It took me so long to even get the courage to ask you over.” Tears filled Hinata eyes as she shacked furiously in place.

“Sasuke, I’m sorry, I truly am. I was jealous, I was selfish. Me and Naruto were miserable together, I know that better than anyone else, then why… why did I want him back again?”

Sasuke didn’t looked phased, he just calmly looked at her with a stone-cold expression plastered on his face, whilst Naruto on the other hand seemed like he was about to go into cardiac arrest.

“Hinata, you properly realized what I great human being Naruto is and started freaking out about what you were going to do without him in your life, let me recommend something for you.”

Naruto looked at him with pissed off eyes.

“Sasuke don’t, Hinata has been through a lot as well.”

“Why are you defending her…still? After the shit she pulled last week, after that disaster of a marriage?”

Sasuke stood up from his chair, scraping the wood in the process from sheer force.

Hinata put up her hand towards Naruto to shut him up.

“No, I can take it. What is it Sasuke?”

“Well Hinata you have been a mom for a long time and let’s not sugar coat it… you have been living off Naruto for many years, with him out of the picture you were stressed about who you would be… The wife of the Hokage is no more and let’s not forget if Naruto wasn’t nice enough to let you keep this house you would also be homeless. So, I guess this is why you are stressing out… my advice is to find something your good at and start working again, find a passion or something and stop living in Naruto’s dam shadow, be your own fucking person.”

Sasuke took in a deep breath and glanced over at Naruto who was absolutely shocked. His jaw hitting the floor and eyes widened in disbelief. Hinata was looking down towards her coffee, a face full of sadness and annoyance.

“It pisses me off to say this… but Sasuke is right.”

“Hinata no, don’t say that.”

“Sasuke is right Naruto, you can’t be defending me for the rest of my life, protecting me from every little thing. I guess I needed to hear that… thanks Sasuke.”

“Don’t worry, blatant truths are my specialty.”

Sasuke looked at Naruto and grimaced, Naruto still didn’t know what he was feeling. His face was as white as a ghost and his expression may as well looked like he saw one as well.

Naruto was used to being the one that had to bend, to accommodate. Did Sasuke just make Hinata change…? Did she really just say that… that she was wrong? Nothing was making sense to Naruto’s brain, he was not used to this at all.

“Naruto, we should go soon.”

Sasuke was walking over to Naruto, bringing his slender hands forward to reach for Naruto and pull him up before Hinata stopped Sasuke, laying one defiant hand on Sasuke’s shoulder.

“Please, let me fix this? I feel like Naruto hasn’t forgiven me yet.”

Sasuke’s eyebrow rose in annoyance, his shoulder tensing in frustration.

Naruto got up still in utter confusion.

“Um Hinata, thank you. I promise it will be okay in time okay, when…” Naruto stopped mid-sentence.

“When what Naruto? Tell me!” Hinata’s eyes turned desperate for restitution, for forgiveness. She needed it, she had to hear it if she was going to survive the guilt that was eating her from the inside out.

“When can I tell the kids about me and Sasuke?”

-Silence-

The room rang quiet, the floorboards making more noise than any living creature in the room.

“Oh, well… I guess whenever you’re ready, but…”

Sasuke and Naruto now both tensed with anticipation, what was Hinata going to say? Did they already know…

“Can I please be a part of it, I want to show to you guys I support you two, so can I help as well?”

Naruto looked at Sasuke with absolute shook, a wave of relief washing off his face. Sasuke also had a slight glint of relief in his eyes but he was much harder to read unlike Naruto who was practically crying from happiness.

Naruto moved towards Hinata, taking her into a tight embrace.

“Thank you Hinata.”

-

The two ex-lovers smiled and wiped away tears that escaped their eyes.

Sasuke was happy for Naruto, unbelievably happy for him. And in that moment, it hit him, he had never been so invested and joyous for someone else�� he was falling for this man so quickly it was nearly terrifying how Naruto could evoke so much emotion in him, but he knew he would never replace this, never in a million years.

-

Naruto woke up different, much different. He felt as light as air, like he slept on a bed of clouds or something like candy floss. He tugged out of the blankets stretching each muscle whilst nearly melting off the bed and gently landing on the cold floor which was weirdly refreshing. He looked down towards Sasuke who was still peacefully sleeping, his hair falling on his lips, hands softly cupped near his white pillow which cradled like beautiful face, so at peace.

Naruto smiled and walked out, going straight for his daily shower.

The water was gloriously warm it slowly washed away everything that had happened, revealing a different Naruto. He walked out of that shower, changed, lighter and new.

His skin glowed, it radiated like golden sand on an isolated beach, his freckles danced softly across his masculine body, he was more painting than person at this point. The perfection that was the man who walked out the shower was no mere human but more a god finally at peace.

Naruto walked to the kitchen, surprised Sasuke hadn’t woken up yet, his curious mind had him double and triple checking the room to see if he had finally woken up.

He toasted some bread and started to heat up some coffee. He took a bite of his toast and sipped on the steaming coffee, it all went down happily making his stomach dance in joy. Everything was different, for some reason the coffee tasted sweeter, the air sweeter, his body lighter.

Naruto finished his breakfast, leaving the plates in the sink for later. He walked over to the room, slowly looking in to see a sleeping Sasuke. He curiously looked at Sasuke, questioning the absolute impossible.

“Sasuke never sleeps in…”

Naruto started to walk forward ready to wake his boyfriend, but before his fingers could touch warm skin he retracted. He walked out and decided to let him keep sleeping, after all he felt strong enough to walk out that door, into the world alone.

-

Naruto walked out of his new house, a beautiful little brick house on the outer area of the village, near the forest a beautiful little house with many small animals crawling all over. He loved this new area, this new house, this new feeling.

This was one of the first times Naruto was going to work without Sasuke, it was widely strange but he felt strong enough to not need him. He felt for the first time in so long that he could stand on his own two feet and feel strong, secure and happy.

He had never felt so refreshed and alive. He practically skipped to work, smiling at each villager that passed by.

Naruto picked up some apples to nibble on at work, talking a little bit to the merchant, who was widely inquisitive about the new merchants coming in from other villagers.

Naruto reassured him that Konoha Merchants would not be affected by the changes to occur, that they would actually profit from this decision. The merchant sceptically looked at Naruto but took out his hand to shake Naruto’s and told him he believed in Naruto and his choice. The merchant even threw in some extra apples for free as a gift for Naruto.

Naruto happily accepted and was on his way to work.

-

Naruto walked into his room, the paper work seeming less intrusive in his room, the atmosphere clean and welcoming. The sunlight coming in from his window welcomed him in, pulling him forward to his seat.

“No Sasuke?”

“Oh Kakashi, nah I let him sleep in.”

“Tch, why not me too?”

Naruto smiled brightly, chuckling lightly at Kakashi’s comment.

“One-day Kakashi if you work harder then maybe, just maybe, I will give you half a day off.”

“So, either something really good happened or Sasuke is mystical in bed for you to be in such a good mood?”

“Yeah something amazing happened yesterday, but we have work to do Kakashi, don’t think changing the subject will let you off.”

“Dam”

-10.30 am

Sasuke ran into the room bashing down a pile of paper work Naruto had neatly stacked together.

“Your cleaning that up” Naruto said whilst lovingly smiling at Sasuke from his desk.

“I’m so sorry I’m so late, why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Yeah why didn’t you wake him up?” Kakashi said sarcastically from his corner.

“I wanted to let you sleep, plus you looked way too cute to wake up.”

“Pff, I would have woken him up with a brick.”

“Oh, hush sexually frustrated grandpa” Naruto mocked whilst standing up from his chair.

Naruto walked over to Sasuke and took him into a deep kiss, long enough for Kakashi to start making gaging noises in the background.

Sasuke was still a tad flustered from the sprint, but he was soon soothed into Naruto’s embrace. Something about his beating heart, his hugs and his scent just calms Sasuke in seconds. By the time Naruto let go of Sasuke he was fully composed and ready for some paper work.

“As I said Kakashi it was a good day yesterday.”

“Honestly what the fuck happened? Or do you have some magical sexual powers Sasuke?”

Naruto ignored Kakashi by taking Sasuke into another deep kiss.

-

7 pm

The day was drawing to an end, a perfect day for Naruto, work went so well, everything falling into place smoothly. Kakashi, Sasuke and himself had worked throughout the day without a break, but it hadn’t seemed draining to Naruto he was still wide awake filled to the brim with energy, he was so deliriously happy, he had never felt so alive.

Naruto stacked the last papers into their files whilst Sasuke and Kakashi teased each other on the opposite side of the room. Naruto looked at the last piece of paper that was in the room, he packed it away neatly in the file named ‘A’. He closed the cabinet and let out a deep breath and smiled.

He turned around to look at the room, it was empty, actually empty, everything was done. He couldn’t believe it after months of being under so much pressure he was done. Naruto could feel a small tear escapes his eye, which he quickly wiped away.

He let out a happy and accomplished sigh, walking slowly over to Kakashi and Sasuke.

“Hey guys let’s go out to celebrate, we finally after months have finished every paper in this room.”

Kakashi looked at him with questioning eyes.

“Fine…Ille pay.”

“Wahoo!”

“You would think we was broke and homeless” Sasuke said whilst rolling his eyes.

“You would think you had your job because you were talented but in reality, you only got here by sucking dick” Kakashi proclaimed back in annoyance.

“Oh, burn Sasuke, even I can’t save you from that, that was good Kakashi.”

Naruto high fived Kakashi whilst walking out the door, whilst Sasuke stayed behind literally engulfed in flames, preparing to kick both of their asses.

-

Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi walked out the room laughing and smiling. Joyous and proud energy literally seeped off their bodies like rays of sunshine. There boisterous energy followed them everywhere they went, infecting others as they went along. Soon enough they lead a group of friends to the bar to celebrate a night of drinks and laughs.

*Chap 16: Its time*

[barbecuedphoenix]

200 Followers: 11 Things About Me

So I was re-tagged a week ago by @eldarya-scenarios. (I had no idea I tagged you twice, dear. ^_^ Having two aliases is awfully sneaky.) 

If you’re a little curious on who your friendly fan blogger is behind the Leiftan icon and the barrage of text-winks, feel free to read on. Watch out though: it’s a long post like everything else I write... 

And if not, please continue to enjoy this blog’s smart-assery and the text-winks. ;)

1) Why did you name your blog the way you did? ...Because that’s the screen-name I use for my main Eldarya account. I’m not very creative with names. :( Not to mention that it��s probably very politically-incorrect to say ‘Barbecued Phoenix’ in the faery realm. Huang Hua would not be amused. And my blog is guaranteed to be politically-incorrect as far as folklore and faeries are concerned. ;) My screen-name is actually homage to a Neil Gaiman short-story called ‘Sunbird’, which is still one of my favorites from its double serving of dark humor and culinary catastrophes. And it sounds really funny when you say it out-loud (at least that’s my opinion).

2) What was your last meal? *checks bowl next to laptop* Eh… a fruit salad I scraped together from some Rainier cherries and leftover cantaloupe slices. It’s summer here, and I enjoy my fruits. :)

3) Jeans or skirts? …I must have at least nine different pairs of jeans in my closet, half of which I don’t even wear most days. And just one pencil skirt. Because at least once in my life, I’ll need to go to a court room. So there’s your answer. :)  

4) What’s your favourite letter of the alphabet? In the English alphabet, ‘L’ is my favorite. It just rollllls off the tongue so nicely. :) 

5) Favourite fandom/shipping? I’m a mercenary crack-ship writer. Anything goes so long as characters are in-character. ;) *cough* Truthfully, I haven’t shipped anything in a fandom since I was eleven or twelve, and that was waaaay back when the cartoon series Avatar the Last Airbender premiered. I think that experience has inoculated me to serious shipping. So now, while I enjoy seeing a well-developed, well-paced canon romance (because it means the creators have really thought the story through), it’s never a huge concern for me who’s paired up with whom. Romance isn’t actually the selling point for me for a lot of stories; it’s individual character development and plot direction that counts.   And anyway… fan shipping is really a fabrication. With a bit of imagination, effort, and tactical writing, functional relationships can be spun between anything and anyone, and unraveled in the same way. Even when keeping all parties in character. So why blow a gasket over shipping? To each their own dirty little fancies. ;)

As for my fandoms… they’re a patchwork quilt of games, books, movies, TV shows, anime from a lot of different sources, and it changes every year. For the sake of time, I’ll give a rundown of just the fantasy/supernatural genres I’ve been following for a while (translating some of the titles to English when possible):  

Games: the Dragon Age series, Folklore (also called FolksSoul), Uncharted, the Persona series 

Books: Discworld, His Dark Materials, the Dr. Siri Paiboun series, the Temeraire series, The Tiger’s Wife, Brisingamen, pretty much anything done by Neil Gaiman… the list goes on. With a few rare exceptions, I’ve shifted from being a high fantasy lover (those tropes get old after a while) to an acolyte of more low-key genres like magical-realism, fantasy-historical-fiction, and satirical-fantasy.  

TV Shows: Supernatural  

Anime & Cartoons: the Fate series (even though my fanfiction ends up making fun of it 95% of the time, it’s still a really intricate universe), the Avatar series  

Movies: Practically anything done by Studio Ghibli and Tomm Moore, ‘Coraline’, ‘Corpse Bride’, ‘Therapy for a Vampire’, ‘Let the Right One In’, ‘Groundhog Day’, the very first installation of ‘The Hobbit’   

6) What’s your favourite sport? (You don’t necessarily have to play it) Favorite sport I can’t do, but love to watch: Surfing. Forget berserk football matches; give me a crazy Australian riding a tunnel wave any day. :D  Favorite sport I can do: Bicycling. I’m no Tour de France candidate, but my bike regularly takes its share of unreasonable hills and descents in the city where I live. Personally, It’s a great way to get around. ^_^

7) What’s your idea of a perfect day? Getting everything on my list done with minimal coffee and hair-pulling.  -_- Sorry… I’m still listening to the robot half of my brain. Switching over.  Start the day by making a difference and sharing a good time with both the students I see where I work, and the odd friends and colleagues I do have. Attend a really good lecture. Then take a quiet bus ride to the beach or an aquarium, where I can watch all the wildlife shenanigans I want. Tourists included. Cook something awesome for lunch or dinner, and eat it to discover that it’s still more awesome. End the day with a good book, an avalanche of blankets, and a conveniently-rainy night. And maybe a quick Skype/phone call with my dad.  ;( Oh there I go, listening to the sappy half of my brain. Switching over.  

8) What animal do you hate with all your soul? The logical part of my brain tells me I have no cause to loathe any animal for existing. But the cave-woman part of my brain still gets creeped out by a few of them…. Geckos especially. Because the house where I grew up was infested with them (like a typical equatorial house, actually). The geckos could be found on absolutely any flat surface, even the underside of the table and on the ceiling, so we always had to check right before sitting down that something cold, bug-eyed, and squirmy wasn’t going to drop on us in the middle of dinner. And they also liked to appear in other surprising places: like in your shoes (as my father found out one day while rushing to work), inside drawers, inside trash cans, crushed between door hinges, trapped in the kitchen sink, and inside the refrigerator a couple of times (worst idea ever, for a lizard).      One of the best things that happened to me on moving to this corner of the United States: no geckos anywhere. I can clean my apartment with an easy heart. \o/    

9) Can you dance? Besides some lingering muscle memory from my early days doing classical ballet... no. :(  I’d really like to take up Spanish Flamenco though. Generally, I do better with choreographed dances rather than impromptu club-dancing. As all my friends have told me. I’ve given them so many priceless memories on the dance-floor… 

10) What’s the name and age of your favourite character? (OC or otherwise) I can’t decide on a ‘favorite’ character in media; there’s too many of them. So how about a favorite OC instead? ^_^   Right now among the Eldarya OC cast, my favorite would have to be Zephania ‘Zee’ Tantiango because she’s a magnet for trouble as a protagonist very dynamic heroine to work with. (She’s 23, in case you’re interested.) Zee is actually the latest incarnation of the ‘funny-but-unlucky action heroine’ archetype I’ve spent years working on, and I’m happy with how she’s turning out so far. On one hand, she’s the typical small-town heroine who’s sharp, plucky, energetic, and more than a little kooky herself; the story never stops moving once she starts improvising in a tight situation. :) But there’s a strong undercurrent of tragedy in the way she continues to isolate herself through her pride and her decisions, especially because she’s allergic to either admitting that she’s in real trouble, or cutting herself some slack for her mistakes. There’s a lot of sadness behind that finger-snap smile. I’m still debating on whether to give her a good ending, or a bitter one. :(  No, that was not a spoiler for the fan-fiction that’ll one day hit this blog.

11) What got you into your favourite activity?(i.e how did you start?) Favorite activity? Like… a hobby?  Well the longest-running hobby I’ve ever had is writing (no guesses there). And it was more-or-less self-taught. As a kid, nobody could take me anywhere without a book in my hand, or some other adventure happening inside my own head (which made it awfully inconvenient to get my attention in a mall… but hey, I never wandered off). And writing short stories was always the most entertaining school assignment for me.  But it wasn’t until I started home-schooling at thirteen that I found the time and need to write something for myself, putting to paper those increasingly-complex sagas and fan-fictions that lived in my head (because my short-term recall just couldn’t keep track of all the dialogue and plot twists anymore; I needed to start recording my stories to make sense of them.)   And I haven’t stopped since. :)

Uh-oh. Here come… my questions. For @mentacomchocolate, @areyntheheartseeker, and @the-irish-hoor​. 

Why did you name your blogs the way you did? ;)

What would your honest personal reaction be if you accidentally stepped into a fairy ring, landed in a strange place, and got threatened by a fox-lady wielding fireballs?  

What’s your dream job in this life?  

Is there anyone you have a crush on that you’re still really embarrassed to admit? Would you like to mention them anyway? ;)  

If there’s only one book genre you could spend the rest of your life reading, what will it be?  

What are the top 5 things you geek out over? (Today, at least. ;) )

If you’ve been given a 24-hour advance warning that the world is definitely going to end (i.e. via Death Star), what will you do?

And if you’ve been given an exclusive two-person escape pod during above scenario, what/who would you bring with you to escape the planet? Would you want to?

If your friends can agree on one thing about you, what would it be? Do you agree with them? 

What’s the most embarrassing thing that happened to you this past week?  

What do you remember as your most incredible feat of endurance to date? Physical, mental, and/or social?

*looks up* ...All right, those are some weird questions. I won’t blame you at all if you ignore them. 

[chimchiminiekookie]

Colorless | 02

Summary: The world is split in two, there are the colorless, and then there are the gifted, as in gifted with the sight of colors. Apparently, once you find your soulmate, when you really accept him or her, or when you finally realize that it’s true love, the colorless are supposed to be able to see color.

Genre: Soulmate!AU

Member: Seokjin x reader

Word Count: 4,456

Author’s Note: Hey guys, so I’m sorry this took so long, but I seriously wasn’t kidding when I said I had such a hard time writing about Jin, I just find his character strange to put into writing? Like I know how he is, but he comes out so different in my writing that  had to write this chapter at LEAST 4 times. Enjoy!

 Seokjin | Yoongi | Hoseok | Namjoon | Jimin | Taehyung | Jungkook

Seokjin wasn’t just your teacher.

You stared intently at the front as the back of the classroom where you were positioned at started getting rowdy as the end of your class neared and the two week long Christmas vacation slowly approached. But the only thing that really had your attention was the small box in your hand. It took you nearly a month looking for the exact one, all to give to him for Christmas. When the bell finally rings, you’ve already twirled the end of the ribbon hundreds of times around your finger.

“Yah, Y/N. We’re going ahead.” Joy slams a hand on your desk to get your attention as you continued to stare at the teacher’s table at the front of the room.

“Oh!” You blink up at Joy and Yerin in surprise, “Sure! I’ll see you two during the break.” You grin at them while they blew kisses in your direction as they walked out the door.

You gather your things, only holding onto the pink box that you’d been tinkering with every since you finished wrapping it in the early morning. Rounding the corner, you catch a glimpse of Mr. Kim Seokjin, on his way to his car.

You quickly run up to him, “Jin!” you wave your arms in the air.

He turns back to look at you, instantly gleaming at the sight of you running, “Oh, Y/N, I thought I told you not to call me by my first name when we’re at school.” He shakes his head while patting yours at the same time, “Nevermind, it’s already Christmas vacation anyway.” He climbs into his car, but before he can shut it, you hold on quickly to the door.

“Don’t be late for our dinner tonight! All my parents have been talking about since we started putting up decorations was their Seokjinie.” You make a disgusted face at him.

He looks up at you seriously, giving a small snort of a chuckle and anything he says after that has already been lost to the silence that already took up your mind as the colors started creeping up again on his suit jacket which you now realized was a dark grey color in contrast to his usually bright persona, his eyes went from black to chocolate brown, his cheeks already manifested that pink blush whenever it was cold as smoke came out of his mouth in between his pink supple lips as he talked. He was beautiful, and just as fast as it had appeared, it disappeared along with Jin who was already driving away in his car leaving you to marvel at the disappearing blue color of his car and then everything was once again grey.

You walk home in utter euphoria, passing by the bridge and stopping at the old lady’s wooden crate of whatever food she was selling that day. Today it was just loaves of bread, you buy two, smiling gratefully at the old woman.

“I heard it’s time for your vacation.” She smiles at you.

You nod you head enthusiastically, “Yup! But don’t miss me too much, okay? I’)) drop by every few days!”

She laughs at your cheeky answer, “Was I really that transparent?”

You wave goodbye, “I’ll see you around!” she waves back just as much.

That was a grandmother you passed by during your second week of high school back when you were still a freshman, in the morning, you help her carry the wooden crate that was just way too heavy for her to bring and after school you’d buy whatever she was selling.

“Oh?” You notice that girl you sat next to in World History walking hand in hand with that student librarian, “Hi!” You greet them brightly.

The boy smiles in your direction, looking at his girlfriend expectedly. But she only stares at you in confusion.

“Yah, this is Y/N. She sits next to you in World History.” He chuckles nervously, “I’m really sorry about her, she’s always like this.”

“Ah. You’re that girl who likes Mr. Kim.” she snaps her fingers.

It takes the three of you a few moments just blinking before you realize what she’s just said and in front of a student that you noticed is quite close with Jin, “I-I-I don’t!” Your face heats up in embarrassment.

She blinks a few times, probably thinking and you pray to God that she realizes nobody can know that you have a thing for Mr. Kim Seokjin, “Ah.” she pounds the side of her fist on her open palm in realization, “I must have you mistaken for that other girl, Yoona. Sorry. Let’s go Namjoon.” she starts to pull him away in haste.

You stare at their retreating forms, stopping at the old lady with Namjoon making a fuss about wanting bread. She looks at you from behind his arm, and gives you a wink and a slight smile as if to say your secret's safe with her.

You walk down at the patch of grass connecting to the river that flowed under the bridge you were walking along a few minutes ago when a familiar cat walks over to you, nudging the loaf of bread in your hands which you were already going to give to her anyway. You set the bread down for the cat to eat as you lay next to her on your back, looking up at the sky, grey as usual.

You sat in your room, hours after getting home. You stared at the pink box, the longer it took you to give it to him, the less confident you were getting at actually giving it to him. It’s fine. Your family had a secret santa picking, except he wasn’t who you actually picked. I mean, it could be explainable, he was your teacher, perhaps you could mask it as a gift of gratitude? If Jin even so much as found out it had an inkling of feelings, he’d make fun of you for a year. You rest your forehead on the wooden table, nervous for the exchange of gifts later that night after dinner when everybody arrived.

“Anybody home?” Like a sailor to a siren song, you instantly sit upright, already feeling butterflies just from hearing his voice. Jin has arrived.

“Jin! Great to see you again! It’s been so long!” You already see your dad giving him one hell of an embrace.

“Easy there dad. You might kill him before Mom’s meatloaf does.” You chuckle at their antics.

“Well what can I say? I don’t get to see my beautiful daughter’s boyfriend everyday.” He gives Jin a few pats on the back, “Getting meat on those bones I see, my wife’s gonna be happy to hear about that.” He quickly exits to inform your mother of Jin’s arrival.

“Jin.” You grin at him from across the living room.

He opens his arms wide, as he waits for you to get in between for an embrace, “Hey there Y/N. Long time to see.” He smiles softly at you as he continued to hug you. You feel the heat radiate off of his clothes, and the smell of his cologne as it lingers in the air. Your surroundings become clear with color as sparkles of red and green show up in your line of sight. You clutch the box in your hand, just about ready to give it to him.

“What about me? No love for me?”

The smile falters, almost, but you catch it in time. You look from behind Jin’s figure at your big sister Irene.

You quickly let go of Jin, amd run up to her to give her a hug, “Of course you get a hug, I missed you so much, Irene.”

That was your sister Irene, she was Jin’s girlfriend. And unlike you, Irene was every and any guy’s dream girl. She and Jin were in college, with her going there full time for her masters and Jin taking weekend classes for his while also teaching at your high school.

They met when you had to bring Irene to a parent teacher conference because your parents were out of town, but Jin insists he saw the two of you grocery shopping a year back. That same day, they went out for a coffee date. A month later, Jin finally told Irene how he remembered seeing us a year ago even though for the death of him, he couldn’t remember what he’d had for breakfast the day before, he was in love, he’d seen the dark coal color of Irene’s hair, and the supple redness of the apples in her hands, ‘like an explosion’ he’d call it for the nth time he and Irene would recount that story. It made you sick to your stomach. Loving your sister, and having these feelings for Jin when he’d already found his soulmate. This wasn’t right. But that didn’t stop the constant spreading of color whenever Jin was around. How it followed him, and when he left, it’d all go back to black and white. So you push those feelings back down in your stomach, where they wouldn’t bother your poor old cardiovascular muscle.

“Did you hear what I just said? Y/n?” Irene’s face was directly in front of you now.

“Hmm? Yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking about mom’s meatloaf.” you look over at Jin who jokingly pulls a finger across his neck like he was dying and you give a snort of a laugh. But then you see Irene, lay her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck and suddenly you feel like vomiting.

You quickly rush over the the coat hangers and grab your scarf and coat, “I’ll be back. I just need to buy some...some- uh.”

“Feminine products?” Jin suggests. You knew that he knew you just needed to get out of there. He was helping you cover up, if only he knew why you needed to get out of there.

Before Irene could even say another word, the door has already been slammed shut. You made your way to the nearest 7-11, nearly 5 blocks away into the very center of the town, you stared at the stupid lollipop you contemplated on buying for the past 5 minutes until you noticed a senior from your high school, you think his name was Jisung with two of his younger friends near you, of the two, one was your classmate, who gave you a friendly grin, and waved hello.

“Oh, hi, Jaehwan.” you crinkle your eyes at him, “Enjoy your winter break.” you give a small wave and move your attention back to the aisle of candy in front of you.

You heard feet shuffling and muffled whispers, and exactly as you looked up, they’d pushed their skinny other unknown friend towards you clumsily, you may add.

He had his head down, and hands in his pocket, but you tried to get a peek at him anyway, “Hi?” you raised your hand in front of his chest for a handshake, “I’m Y/N, I don’t think I’ve seen you around before, are you a senior like Jisung?” he was on the tall side, so you expected him to be a senior.

He lifted his face slowly when he realized you were taking control of the conversation, “S-Seongwoo. I’m in the same year as you, but my class is all the way at the other side of the building so we’ve never met.”

You stare at him in awe. He was quite, beautiful. Like a face you wanted to paint, “Ah, well, I like that Orion’s belt on your cheek.” you giggle at the strange placing of beauty marks on his face, “I should get going.”

You grab the lollipop off of the shelf, and walk towards the cashier, and just before he could scab the product you realized you’d left your wallet at home.

“Oh shit.” You groan, “Nevermind, I won’t be getting it.” you stalk slowly towards the exit.

By now, Jin and Irene were probably cuddled on the sofa right next to the Christmas tree. You couldn’t bear to see that, so you take a turn towards the grassy riverbank you were on earlier, and like instinct the cat was already here.

You lie on the grass, as the cat makes itself comfortable and lies right next to your head. It wasn’t fair that this was happening to you. You loved Irene and you wanted nothing but happiness for her, but at the same time you felt the same for Jin, and even though you want to the of them to be happy, you didn’t want them to be happy with each other. You sniffle as the tears in your eyes trickle down the side of you face.

“Meow”

You look at the cat, “God, I’m such a horrible person. How could I even think something like that.”

“Like what?”

You jump and scream in surprise when Seongwoo’s face suddenly pops up in front of your face, accidentally bopping him on the head as well.

“Oh my God!” You rush to sit next to him, “Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” You caress the already reddening mark on his forehead, “I’m such a klutz.”

He opens his eyes, blinks a few times, “Never been better.”

You quickly retract your hand, like getting burnt on the stovetop, “I-I should get going. My mom’s rank meatloaf isn’t gonna finish itself.”

Seongwoo gets up ungracefully, “I-I could bring you there, walking all alone in the cold at night nonetheless isn’t the best idea.” He inched closer to you, “You might get shanked.” he whispers

You giggle, “Well, I guess I don’t want to get shanked.”

“Alright then!” He runs to his bike, “Get on.”

When you two finally arrived at your house, Jin was sitting out in the cold. From the footsteps going to and from the front steps, he’d probably been pacing. He had his arms crossed on top of his knees as he looked out into the cold winter night, then finally at you.

He jumps up, patting his clothes and walking over to Seongwoo with a hard glare, “For Pete’s sake, Y/n. It’s already past ten.”

Your cheeks fill with warmth at the thought that Jin had been waiting out here in the cold for who knows how long just to wait for you to get home, “S-sorry. I lost track of time.” Your words turn into mumbles as you tried to focus on the fact that Jin, your Jin was angry at you.

“Yeah.” He grabs your arm, pulling you farther away from Seongwoo, “I see that.”

“Hey Mr. Kim, Sorry about that-”

He whips his head towards Seongwoo, “And I take it you don’t own a watch, Mr. Ong?”

You pull your arm free, “Hey, Jin. Take it easy. If it wasn’t for Seongwoo I’d still be at least an hour away from here. He wouldn’t let me walk home alone.” You felt bad for Seongwoo, he’d already sacrificed whatever time he probably had with his family for you, only to reach this spectacle upon arrival.

“Honey?” You peek from behind Jin, where your mother is standing by the doorway all snug in her sweater and apron, “Did you bring a guest?”

“Oh, no. It's fine, I can just go find my friends-”

“Nonsense!” She rushes over to the front lawn and grabs hold of Seongwoo’s arm, “Nobody needs to spend the holidays without a hot meal at this time of night.” She walks him to the front door, “Y/n, why don’t you make you guest a cup of hot chocolate?” She shoots you a quick wink and thumbs up behind both Jin and Seongwoo’s back that has you groaning.

You try to reach your room upstairs as fast as possible without spilling any of the hot chocolate your mother had you juggling after filling it to the brim, “I’m really sorry about my mom.” You laugh nervously.

Seongwoo chuckled nervously as well, dinner just finished and even though Seongwoo played it cool as a cucumber, you could still feel the effects of Jin’s unwavering glare on the poor guy.

“Sorry about Jin, too.” You mumble.

“He’s a pretty cool teacher, but a scary guy in general.” He scratches the back of his neck before getting his tongue burnt on the hot chocolate.

“Yeah, he treats me like his little sister, since he’s dating my older sister. She was the pretty one, trying to calm Jin down the whole dinner.” You instinctively tidy your room, finally conscious that this was the first time that a boy your age was in your room. The first guy that’s ever been in your room was Jin.

Two Years Ago

You rush home, cutting class instead of finishing the whole day, nobody even remembered your birthday. Not Irene, and not even your mom or dad who both decided to take a long needed vacation on their youngest daughter’s vacation, not even your friends, remembered. You slam the front door shut behind you, the tears already threatening their way down your face as you felt like crawling up to your room. Jin didn’t even come to class today.

You open the door to your room, when the lights are switched on and Jin’s in your face, singing “Happy Birthday” with a stupid alpaca birthday hat, and a round cake with unicorns on it, all while he had the world’s largest shit eating grin on his face.

That was the first birthday you ever spent with Jin, first of many, you to just sat on the floor, streamers and decorations everywhere with Jin’s stuffed alpaca on your bed as you two ate cake with your bare hands.

Seongwoo shrugs, “The only time he really calmed down was when you distracted him long enough to get his attention away from me and onto you.” He takes another daring sip of his hot chocolate, this time not getting burnt, “Thanks for having me over tonight by the way.”

“No problem.” You two just sit there staring at each other, “But what about your plans? Where’s your family?”

Seongwoo shrugs, “They left for some crazy business convention or cruise thing last week.” He slumps his shoulders, “Didn’t even tell me when they’d get back.

You sigh, moving over next to him and placing an understanding hand on his shoulder, “I know the feeling. My parents always forget about me too.

Seongwoo looks over at you slowly, “But for once… I think I’m glad that they’re gone.

Your face gets hot again before Jin’s bursting through the door asing Jin what time Seongwoo’s leaving so he can bring him home which Seongwoo takes as his cue to leave, but not before you get up to give him a quick peck on the cheek as you point to the mistletoe just above your door frame, “Tradition.” You shrug.

“Tradition.” He repeats stupidly with a grin.

5 Years later

You’re already in your car, on the way back to your hometown, which for the past four years you were in college you never actually saw unless it was decorated in over the top Christmas decors. But now you were just living in the city, and just didn’t have enough time to come home, until now. You park on the block over since there were already too many cars in the driveway anyway.

Upon entering the threshold, your met with a suffocating group hug from your parents and sister. When that’s over, you’re enveloped in an even tighter embrace from Jin. He and Irene didn’t work out, but that didn’t mean they couldn't be friends. Irene always said, Jin had always felt more like a friend to her than a soulmate, but you would’ve guessed the opposite when you’d listen to her cry herself to sleep for two weeks when their relationship finally imploded. Of course, you’d never tell her that.

“Where is it?” You mom is the first to ask the question that’s been in everyone’s mind since you even declared you’d come home for your birthday.

You roll your eyes, pulling out your left hand from your pocket and pushing it in their direction, everyone cooed and awed at the ring, except Jin who stayed silent by the stairs.

Irene clears her throat, “Alright, why don’t you put that baby away before I steal it.” She pulls the ring off, dropping it in your open palm, “I’m gonna get upset that you’re getting married before you, you know.” She gives you a cheeky wink, “I’ve got first dibs on you.”

Which was why an hour later you were at the spa with Irene, getting mani pedis and facials all before going shopping.

“So…” She starts.”

“So?”

“Are you sure about this whole marriage thing?” She makes a weird hand motion in your direction.

“Am I sure?” You scoff, “Irene, we’ve been together for 5 years, if I’m still not sure, that’d just make me a bitch for dragging him along for so long.”

“Hmmm, right, right.” She mumbles, “But what if he’s not the one-”

“I don’t care about that anymore.” You shrug, “I am tired, Irene. I am so tired of fighting against fate and destiny. If fate or destiny didn’t want me to end up with this person, then they should have done something about it years ago.”

“I’m sorry.” She lets out in a quiet squeak, “Not just for my comments, but because I took every chance I could to rub my relationship in your face.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“Yeah, you do. I’m not a dipshit, Y/n, I’ve seen how you looked at Jin, and I knew that you felt something for him, but I just kept pushing and pushing and pushing in hopes that you’d understand that he was mine and one day you’d find your own, but when you did, everything just unraveled.”

“I just hope you know that I’m glad you found your forever person Y/n. I’m just not sure it’s with the right guy.”

You looked at her with wide eyes, “W-what do you mean?”

She shrugs, “You’re a smart girl Y/n. Figure it out.”

By the time you get home, it’s already late at night, your dad is shoving some fireworks he bought for your birthday in your face and Jin is nowhere to be seen.

You run throughout the neighborhood, searching for Jin, even at your old high school where he used to teach.

“Happy graduation to both of us!” Jin take the tassel from your cap and places it on the other side then gets a picture from both your camera and his thanks to your parents.

“I still don’t know why you’ve decided to just stop teaching here. I thought you loved it here. I thought you’d at last take over the Science department once you were done with your Masters degree.”

He hold his hand up to your face, “Oh please, if anything, they would have to make a whole new department here on Psychology. These fools know better than to clump me with a bunch of wannabe subjects.” He scoffs.

“I’m serious, Jin. I was so ready to come home every now and then adn have the task of visiting here at least once during my visit to have lunch with you.” You dig inside your bag for the right bag.

“There’s nothing here for me anymore.” He sighs, “I don’t have any purpose to be teaching here.” He smiles sadly at the gym, “If anything, it’s the students here who have made the biggest impact on me.” He digs into his bag as well, pulling out a small box right as you pull yours out.

You open your first, a small parka, way too small to fit on you, that’s for sure.

“It’s for RJ. I don’t want you getting RJ cold while you’re partying it up in college.” He rolls his eyes at you.

He opens up his box, taking a good look at the tie you bought for him, he splutters a laugh, “I love it, Y/n.” He looks at you fondly before enveloping you in an embrace, “I’ll treasure it always.”

You smiled to yourself, imagining RJ back at your house, still warm and snug in his parka. You turn around, just about ready to give up, when you see him, sitting at the very top of the staircase, a beer in his hand. You sigh, walking slowly towards him, you raise your arm, silently, he does too and you find your spot next to him.

“It was scary how adult you suddenly looked while you were walking towards me, like just yesterday you were laughing at the corniest jokes known to man, said by yours truly.”

You shrug, “We all grow up.” You chuckle, “It has to happen one way or another.” You grab a beer from the six pack next to him.

You both take a sip, “Happy birthday, Y/n.” You look over at Jin who’s smiling sadly at you.

You feel the tears in your eyes, “Why does it feel like the last Happy Birthday you’ll greet me for a long time then?”

He shrugs, “Because in who knows how long, you won’t be around to celebrate your birthday with me anymore. You’ll have someone else.” He stares up at the sky, “And even when that’s gone, I’ll still be here.”

Everyone knew about it. Back in high school, why Seongwoo’s parents pulled him out and opted for homeschooling, why he wasn’t here with you now. This would be his second procedure for the year.

You sigh, “Huntington’s is a bitch.” You grin grimly at the beer bottle, “I wanted to be there by his side, but he insisted I come home.”

“You love him right?” The sounds in the night seemed to stop at that question.

You nod your head slowly, “Almost as much as I love you.” you take a swig from your bottle, “Even when he knew, he still did this.” You gesture towards your engagement ring.

“You’re with a good guy, Y/n.” He drinks, “In fact, I don’t think I’d ever approve of anyone other than Ong Seongwoo.”

He gets up, walks over to his car and fumbles with a lighter from his pocket for a while before coming up wo you with a cake that looks like he decorated and wrote on himself, “Happy birthday, Y/n. Blow your candles and make a wish.”

You look at him and back at the cake, contemplating, you shut your eyes, and blow, “I wish you’d tell be the truth.”

When you open your eyes, all Jin says is, “It’s always been you.”, and then the light peck on the lips, the goodbye kiss to what could have been had things worked out in the beginning and that’s when color surrounds you.