#the kids are so funny but not knowing what a paper fortune teller was really had me scared for a sec

[reallyhailey]

why did I make my students a fortune teller and they had no clue what it was omg 😩

[dontcare77ghj]

All-New Halloween Spooktacular

Wanda x reader x Vision

"Halloween's a magical holiday," Billy told someone unseen as he walked into the kitchen dressed in a cape. "All about family, friends, and the thrill of getting to be someone else for the day."

"Wrong! Halloween's all about candy!" Tommy informed his brother.

"You're both wrong." Luna piped up from where she sat, eating toast. "It's about scaring people."

"That too." Tommy agreed. "But mostly about candy." He added.

"Where's your costume, Tommy?" Billy questioned, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

"This is my costume. I'm the cool twin." Tommy told him in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Lame." Luna shook her head.

"What does that make me?" Billy asked, tilting his head to the side. 

"A dorkasurus rex," Tommy said, smirking as he remembered the time Billy caused himself to fall playing Dance Dance Revolution.

"Not a real dinosaur." Billy rolled his eyes. "What's your costume, Luna?" He asked, glancing over his sister's grey jacket and pink dress.

"I'm a spy," Luna said, pulling on a pair of sunglasses. "Duh." She added, picking up her plate as the three kids moved into the living room. 

Quickly the three ten-year-olds noticed their usual seats on the couch were occupied by their uncle, who was fast asleep and snoring loudly.

"Man, he even snores cool." Tommy quietly exclaimed, Pietro on the couch. "I'm gonna wake him up."

"Don't!" Billy snapped, grabbing Tommy's arm.

"You scared?"

"Why would he be scared, Tommy? He's our uncle." Luna asked, tilting her head.

"'Cause it's four o'clock in the afternoon, and Billy's secretly afraid he's a vampire." Tommy teased.

"No, I'm not!" Billy denied.

"Yes, you are!" Tommy smirked. 

"Both of you, be quiet!" Luna hissed.

What none of the kids had noticed was that while they were arguing, Pietro had woken up. Pietro watched the three for a second before he flashed in front of his nephews and niece.

"Blood is thicker than water! I show you!" Pietro roared, causing the kids to scream.

Pietro began to chase the still screaming children around the living room before a loud voice interrupted them.

"Oh! Somebody better be bleeding, broken, or on fire." Wanda said as she rushed down the stairs, all dressed for Halloween.

"Whoa, Mama. Are you old Red Riding Hood?" Billy wondered, causing Wanda to frown.

"I'm a Sokovian fortune teller." His mother told him.

"Wow, that is so," 

"Rad!" Tommy exclaimed.

"Lame," Pietro said, causing Tommy to frown.

"Lame." Tommy agreed.

"Well, think it's cool, Mama," Luna said, smiling at the woman.

"Why, thank you, favorite child," Wanda said with a teasing grin to her other children.

"That costume is worse than the ones mom made us the year we got typhus." Pietro grimaced, staring his sister up and down.

"That's not exactly how I remember it." Wanda frowned, recalling a faint memory of herself, her brother, and an old woman with a fish.

"You probably suppressed a lot of the trauma." Pietro guessed.

"Mom has been weird since uncle Pietro got here," Billy announced, once more talking to someone unseen. "I think it's because she hasn't seen him in a long time, and he's what you call 'a man child.'"

"Want to talk about trauma? Someone drank my coffee this morning." Y/N said as she descended the stairs. "I'm looking at you, Pietro."

"What are you dressed as, Mom?" Tommy asked, looking at his mother.

"I'm Artemis," Y/N told him, pulling a fake bow off her caped back. "She's the Greek Goddess of the Hunt." 

"Whoa! Sweet costume, bro-ham-in-law!" Pietro cackled as Vision appeared behind Y/N. "Let me guess, traffic light!" He said, causing Vision to sigh. "Half shucked corn! A booger!"

"Yes." Vision sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes!" Pietro exclaimed with a grin before making his way over to the couch.

"Well, thank you two for humoring me," Wanda said, giving her partners an apologetic smile.

"I love Halloween. No-one had to ask me to dress up twice." Y/N shrugged, throwing her bow back onto her back.

"At least you got to choose your costume. I simply had no other clothes in my closet." Vision said before grinning at his wives. "You are incorrigible, darling. I know you have a secret thing for Mexican wrestlers." He told Wanda.

"Mi gusta mucho."

"Ellos son bastante buenos."

"Chili con carne." Vision said, causing his wives to laugh. "What do you say, kiddos? Who's ready for that first hit of high fructose corn syrup?" Vision asked, turning to the kids who were playing a video game with Pietro.

"Yes! Headlock!"

"Get out of here! Get out of here!"

"You never really told us anything about your brother," Y/N said, watching the three with a smile. "He's not what I expected."

"Yes. I had no idea that he'd be so,"

"Go!"

"Great with kids." Vision summarised, throwing his thumb up.

"Yeah, he's just full of surprises." Wanda shook her head.

"Well, I hope the two of you have fun tonight, darlings." Vision said, moving towards the door.

"What? What do you mean? You're all dressed and ready to go." Wanda asked, staring at Vision with wide eyes.

"I'm undercover," Vision told her. "Halloween is a bacchanal for adolescent trouble-makers, and the neighborhood watch is the only thing that stands between the trees and toilet paper." He explained.

"Ah yes, the age-old enemy. Children with toilet paper." Y/N teased her husband with a smirk.

"No. That's not what you're supposed to,"

"What?" Vision cut her off, causing Wanda to cross her arms and sigh.

"Well, you didn't tell me you had plans."

"Vis told me last night, Wand," Y/N announced, causing Wanda to narrow her eyes.

"And you're okay with this?"

"Mama, Mom, and Dad have been, well, not fighting, just different," Billy announced to the unseen person.

"Okay with it? Vis is going out with the neighborhood watch. What's there to be okay about?" Y/N wondered.

"It's the kid's first Halloween. We all have to be there with them." Wanda demanded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's the big dealio?" Pietro whispered as he came to stand with the three. "The big guy has conflict. The kids need a father figure for the night. Don't sweat it, guys. I got the old XY chromosome. Uncle P to the rescue! Huh?" He suggested.

"There you go. Problem solved." Vision agreed, lightly punching Pietro in the shoulder. "You have a spooky time tonight, kids."

"Goodnight, Dad!" 

"Bye, Dad!"

"Love you, Dad!"

"Sweethearts, be good." He said (mostly to Wanda) as he kissed both women's cheeks. "I smell crime."

"Oh, hang on, I need to put the pumpkin out," Y/N said before Vision left the house. 

She grabbed the jack-o-lantern from beside the door and followed Vision outside, shutting the door behind her.

"You understand your part of the plan?" Vision whispered.

"I'll keep Wanda distracted and keep my eyes open," Y/N whispered to her husband. "Be careful?" She asked.

"Always, darling," Vision promised, quickly pulling Y/N into an embrace before taking his leave.

"Where do you keep your water balloons?" Y/N heard as she re-entered the house. 

"What? We don't have water balloons." Wanda said as Y/N locked the front door.

"Not anymore. Wanda won't let me keep them in the house." Y/N teased, coming to stand beside her wife.

"Then where are we gonna put all this shaving cream?" Pietro asked, holding up two cans. Cans Y/N had no idea as to where they'd come from. "It was Luna's idea!" Pietro defended himself.

"I'm Tommy," Tommy said, holding a shopping bag in his hands.

"And don't you forget it!"

"You two don't even have costumes," Wanda said, looking between her brother and son. 

Pietro let out a scoff as he held a hand out towards Tommy. When the boy took it, Pietro sped the two out of the house, and when they reappeared, they were in matching costumes.

"Okay, but just remember that this is a respectable family." Wanda sighed. "If I see any funny business, I am going to magic you into a pickled herring." She said, causing Pietro to cringe. 

"C'mon Billy, Luna, let's get your pillowcases," Y/N said, causing the kids to jump to their feet. "It's T-minus ten to our Halloween spooktacular!" She grinned.

Back at SWORD headquarters, agents were in a flurry after Wanda's appearance.

"I wanna see a full work-up inside the hour," Hayward demanded of the agents examining the missile that was still glowing with Wanda's power.

"Yes, sir."

"Hayward. Hayward! You cut us off at the knees sending in that missile." Monica snapped, rushing after the director.

"Now we know who we're dealing with." He shrugged.

"There he is! The man who almost got murdered by his own team." Clint clapped, causing Hayward to snap around.

"Why are you still here?" He demanded.

"Because that's my family in there," Clint told the man. 

"And he's with us," Darcy said, standing beside Clint with Monica on her other side.

"I see, so if he's the struggling father, which of you is the sassy best friend?"

"There is no time for you to diminish your colleagues when you're about to start a war you can't win." Jimmy admonished, standing on Clint's other side. 

"Maximoff was never going to negotiate with us." Hayward waved him off. "We take her out, and this whole nightmare ends."

"We don't know that," Monica told him.

"And we're never going to now." Clint scoffed. 

"We have no idea what will happen in there or out here if Wanda dies." Monica reasoned.

"So what? We just surrender to that?" Hayward exclaimed, glaring at the red energy field behind him. "Not happening."

"We can't outgun her, and clearly antagonizing her is only making things worse. If Wanda is the problem, then she has to be our solution!"

"Captain Rambeau, Agent Barton, the two of you have become an impediment to this mission," Hayward told the two, causing Monica to sigh heavily.

"Technically, I was never assigned to anything." Clint shrugged.

"Constantly advocating on behalf of super-power-based individuals. Yes, I know your history with Carol Danvers. You know, you people who left still have the luxury of optimism. You have no idea what it was like what it took to keep the lights." Hayward shook his head.

"Monica might not have been around, but I was," Clint spoke up. "I remember what it took, and I can never forget. Wanda dusted. Y/N dusted. The two came back to a world where nothing was the same, and Vision was dead. Vision who had to die by Wanda's own hand."

"That's not an excuse for what Maximoff's doing. And the snap wasn't an excuse for what you did during those five years either." The director said, causing Clint to flinch.

"Don't use the last five years to be a coward, Tyler." Monica snapped, causing Hayward to direct his attention back to her.

"Maybe it's a good thing you weren't here when your mother died. Because clearly, you don't have the stomach for this job." Hayward said, causing the air to knock right out of Monica's lungs. "Get her off my base. Get them all out." He demanded the agents, who immediately surrounded the four.

"Yes, sir. All right, come on. Let's go." One of the agents said, pulling Monica out of the room, the other three not far behind. 

"Hayward is way overstepping his provisional authority," Jimmy complained.

"He was looking for a reason to sideline us," Clint commented from his side.

"He's up to something." Monica agreed as they came to a stop at a van.

"Let's go, everybody in." An agent demanded. 

With a second's hesitation, Jimmy punched the agent holding him. Monica and Clint quickly followed Jimmy's lead and attacked the guards holding them. Slamming the men into the truck and the ground, the three made quick work of the agents while Darcy watched in shock.

"Why didn't anyone tell me the plan?" Darcy demanded once all the agents were dispatched.

"You okay?" Jimmy asked Clint and Monica.

"Always am," Clint grunted, rolling his shoulder.

"Yeah, let's move." Monica sighed. Quickly the four found themselves SWORD ponchos and dragged the agents into a storage shed, far out of the way. 

"This is it. Game time." Tommy told the same unseen person Billy had spoken to.

"It's not a competition, Tommy." Billy sighed.

"Everything can be a competition, Billy," Luna said with a grin.

"Luna's right. It's even better when you're the winner." Tommy said before running off.

"Tommy!" Billy groaned before running after his older brother, with Luna in tow.

"Unleash hell, demon spawn!" Pietro cheered.

"Someone's got to follow after them," Y/N said, pressing a kiss to her wife's cheek. "God knows how many bones they'd break without someone watching." She added, following after the kids.

When Wanda and Pietro were alone, Wanda gave her brother a smile before taking a step towards him.

"Do you remember when we were at the orphanage after Mom and Dad died? What was the name of the kid who was always trying to steal your boots?" Wanda asked him. "You know, he was the one with the. He had the, he had the skin thing."

"You're testing me," Pietro said, pointing at his younger sister.

"No, I'm not." She immediately denied it.

"Hey, it's cool. I know I look different." Pietro said, gesturing to his hair.

"Why do you look different?" Wanda wondered.

"You tell me." Pietro shrugged. "I mean, if I found Shangri-La, I wouldn't wanna be reminded of the past either." He said, causing Wanda to freeze.

"Next house, Mama!" Tommy said as he and his siblings rushed over to the Maximoff siblings with Y/N right behind.

"Junior entrepreneur, over here!" Pietro grinned. "How about you let Uncle P help you maximize your candy acquisition, huh?"

"That'd be so cool!" Luna grinned.

"Yeah! Kick-ass!" Tommy agreed. 

"I feel the need," Pietro stated, holding his hand out to Tommy.

"For speed!" Tommy cheered, taking Pietro and Billy's hand. Billy grabbed onto Luna's hand, and with that, the four were off.

Speeding around the neighborhood for candy.

"Kick-ass," Wanda murmured as Y/N chuckled.

"I certainly didn't teach them that word," Y/N said as they began to walk down the street.

"Sweetheart, you swear more than anyone else I've ever met," Wanda told the woman. 

"Lies and blasphemy!" Y/N gasped, causing Wanda to giggle. 

"Oh! Hey, Herb!" Wanda said upon spotted their neighbor dressed as Frankenstein. 

"Hey, guys!" Herb smiled as the two approached.

"How's patrol going?" Wanda asked politely.

"Any trees meet the dreaded toilet paper yet?" Y/N smirked.

"No, not yet." Herb chuckled. "It's been quiet so far." He said before his com began to chatter. "Hold up, will you? Say again?" He asked his com. "All the candy has disappeared?" He asked, causing the two women to freeze.

Behind the man, Wanda and Y/N could vaguely make out the blue blur of Pietro speeding the kids around and causing hijinks.

"And now all the jack-o-lanterns have been smashed?" Herb asked as the kids let out a loud cheer. "And now everyone's covered in silly string?"

"Whoo!" Pietro cheered loudly.

"Sorry, girls, but I gotta bounce." Herb apologized.

"Well, maybe Vision can help you out," Wanda suggested.

"Vision? He's not on duty."

"Oh, isn't he?" Y/N asked, playing along with Wanda's confusion.

"We just thought,"

"Is there something I can do for you, Wanda?" Herb asked, sensing Wanda's confusion. "Do you want something changed?" He questioned, causing Y/N to frown.

"No, it's fine." Wanda shook her head, grabbing Y/N's hand and squeezing it comfortingly. "Never mind."

"All right. Peace." Herb smiled before walking away.

"That was good, sweetheart." Y/N complimented her wife. 

"I'm always good." Wanda shrugged, giving Y/N a smile.

Vision was on the other side of town while his family trick-or-treated. 

The further away Vision got away from his home and family, the stranger Vision noticed the town's people were.

He had noticed people robotically repeating their actions with blank expressions.

Vision stared at a woman and her husband for several seconds before he had to tear his gaze away when the woman shed a single tear.

Meanwhile, the group of six had made their way to the town's center, where the committee had set up a festival of sorts. 

"This is so lame. I can't believe you're making the kids return all the candy." Pietro groaned as Y/N led the kids away.

"I can't believe what a bad influence you are," Wanda said, turning to Pietro with crossed arms.

"Who beefed in your borscht?" Pietro asked, causing Wanda to tilt her head. "I'm just doing my part, okay? Come to town unexpectedly, create tension with the in-laws, stir up trouble with the rugrats and ultimately give you grief. I mean, that's what you wanted, isn't it?" He asked her.

"What happened to your accent?" Wanda questioned, pointing a gloved finger at her brother.

"What happened to yours?" He fired back. "Details are fuzzy, man. I got shot like a chump on the street for no reason at all, and the next thing I know, I heard you calling me. I knew you needed me." Pietro admitted as Y/N came back over.

"Alright, candy is returned, the kids are still being sourballs about it, but it's done." She clapped, standing beside her wife.

"Thank goodness for that." Wanda smiled.

"Uncle P, guess what?" Tommy exclaimed as he and his siblings ran over.

"They've got full-size candy bars a few blocks up! Mama, Mom, can we go?" Billy begged before his brother rushed away.

Tommy rushed away in a blur of blue.

"Next stop, Cavity Town!" Tommy cheered, reappearing with three candy bars in hand.

Everyone turned to stare at Tommy in surprise before Pietro let out a cheer.

"Right on, little dude! Chip off the old Maximoff block! You've got super speed!"

"I do?"

"Yeah!" Pietro grinned, holding a hand out to his nephew, who eagerly jumped to high-five him.

"It's okay, baby. You can take it slow, and you can," Wanda started to tell the boy but was cut off when he sped away.

"That's my boy." Y/N grinned as Tommy cheered loudly.

Wanda allowed Tommy to speed around the five for a few minutes before she threw her hand out and pulled the boy to a stop. 

"If you're going to break the sound barrier, please take your siblings with you," Wanda begged.

"Really?" Billy asked excitedly.

"Really?" Tommy asked sadly.

"Really, yeah. And please just remember to-"

"Don't go past Ellis Avenue." The twins chorused in unison.

"And?" Y/N wondered.

"Always stick together." They added.

"We know. We know." Tommy said as Billy took his hand.

"Luna, are you coming?" Billy asked his sister, who shook her head.

"I think I want to look at the stalls," Luna told him, glancing behind her at the stalls that were lined up.

"Oh, good idea. I'll come with you." Y/N said, taking her daughter's hand.

"Hey! be careful!" Wanda called as her family all went their separate ways.

Leaving her with Pietro.

Outside the Hex, Monica, Clint, Jimmy, and Darcy were sneaking their way to an empty tent.

"I'm just trying to do my part, okay? Come to town unexpectedly, create tension with the in-laws,"

"Who is that?" Monica asked, staring at the man on the screen.

"Wanda's brother came to town," Jimmy told the woman.

"That's not the punk I remember," Clint said, staring at the screen in confusion.

"Yeah, he's got a new face." Darcy scoffed.

"Over here." Jimmy quietly called. Monica and Darcy quickly rushed over to Jimmy while Clint continued to stare at the screen.

"What happened to your accent?"

"What happened to yours?"

"We shouldn't stick around here much longer." Clint coughed, pulling his eyes away once his daughter appeared on the screen.

"Give me two seconds. I just need to hack into the secure network on the base." Darcy told everyone as she typed away frantically at the computer. "Donezo! Now, should be able to access the data on Hayward's devices." She said, connecting the USB to her laptop. "Oh, that's interesting. Guys, Hayward figured out a way to look into the boundary."

"And he didn't share with the group." Monica scoffed.

"Is this Wanda, right here?" Jimmy asked, pointing to a glowing dot on Darcy's screen.

"No, the program is tracking the decay signature of vibranium," Darcy told him.

"Vision." 

"Why is Hayward tracking Vision?" Clint asked.

"I don't know. This is all I can access so far." Darcy told him.

"These other dots, those are Westview residents?" Jimmy wondered.

"The ones in Vision's immediate vicinity, yeah." Darcy nodded.

"So Hayward must have an accurate headcount by now." Jimmy summarised.

"Hayward's got to have some sense of their well-being. Where would that be?" Clint asked, playing around with the screen.

"Not sure."

"These people near the edge of town, they're bearly moving. Are they even alive?" Jimmy asked, looking over the dulled blue dots.

But Darcy didn't have an answer for that. In fact, she didn't have time to give him one before the laptop dinged, and the map began to move.

This was stranger than strange. Vision noted as he got closer towards the edge of town. 

It seemed the closer he got to the edge of town, the less Wanda cared about the people. 

The people were not moving about robotically anymore. They were simply still. 

There was a blanket of silence covering the street as Vision walked past the countless people on the street.

No-one made even the faintest of sounds, not even when he spoke to them.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Are those your children? Are you waiting for something?" Vision asked, but when no-one responded, he forced himself to move on.

Vision made his way to the end of the street before he decided walking was fruitless.

He dropped his disguise before he took to the skies.

He could hear the sounds of children laughing, people wishing each happy Halloween's and other pleasantries before noticed a car stopped at a stop sign.

Vision flew towards the car and lightly landed before the stopped vehicle.

There, in the driver's seat, Vision found Agnes to be behind the wheel.

"Agnes?" He asked aloud. "What are you doing here?"

"Town Square Scare," Agnes said blankly. "Where is it?"

"Oh, well, the Town Square, I expect." Vision joked, causing Agnes to laugh emotionlessly.

"Took a wrong turn," Agnes admitted, still staring out the front window. "Got lost." She shrugged as her eyes welled with tears.

"In the town, you grew up in?" Vision wondered, staring at his neighbor in confusion.

Agnes didn't respond, causing Vision's worry to grow so that he reached a hand out to her temple.

When Vision broke the wall in her mind, Agnes jolted violently and let out a loud gasp.

"It's all right." Vision soothed.

"You!" Agnes gasped, staring at her neighbor in shock. "You're one of the Avengers. You're Vision. Are you here to help us?" She asked with wide eyes.

"I am Vision, and I do want to help." Vision nodded, gently placing his hand on hers. "But what's an Avenger?" He wondered, causing Agnes to gasp.

"What? Why don't you know?" She demanded, snatching her hand away. "Am I dead?" Agnes asked, pressing her hands to her chest.

"No. No." Vision promised. "Why would you think that?"

"Because you are." 

"'Cause I'm what?"

"Dead," Agnes said, causing Vision to freeze. "Dead. Dead! Dead!" She yelled.

"Agnes, it is my intention to reach those outside of Westview and make sense of our situation." Vision explained, gesturing towards the town's end.

"How? No-one leaves." Agnes shook her head. "Wanda won't even let us think about it." She laughed. "All is lost," Agnes added as her laughter began to grow wilder.

"Agnes. Agnes, please calm down." Vision asked but was drowned out by the woman's loud cackling. "Agnes! Please."

Vision knew Agnes was too far gone to hear this conversation, so with a sigh, he pressed his hand to her temple once more.

Agnes snapped upright in her seat as her laughter died in her throat.

"I will fix this, Agnes. I promise."

"Okey-dokey, neighbor." Agnes chirped, smiling widely, as she did a U-turn. "Happy Halloweenie!" She cheered, driving away.

Leaving Vision to stare into the distance, just past Ellis Avenue.

"That's it. My way back into the Hex will be here in an hour. Just got to meet my guy over the ridge. Let's roll." Monica told the group.

"You can't do that," Darcy spoke up.

"Sure we can." Jimmy shrugged. "I'm a wiz at hot-wiring cars."

"No. You can't go back into the Hex." Darcy told Monica.

"Worst case scenario, Wanda removes my free will and puts me in ultra-low-rise jeans." Monica shrugged.

"Hayward has your blood work," Darcy announced. "You've gone through the boundary twice already, Monica. The energy inside has re-written your cells on a molecular level twice. It's changing you."

"Seen enough lab results to last me a lifetime." Monica shrugged. "I've seen cells metastasizing, cells in remission. I know what Wanda's feeling, and I won't stop until I help her."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"But I'm staying here," Darcy told the group.

"You can't stay here. It's not safe." Jimmy told her.

"Why would you want to stay here?" Clint asked.

"Darcy, what are you talkin' about?"

"I haven't made it through Hayward's last firewall. There's something big here, something that can help us. I know it." Darcy said.

"I'll stay," Clint announced. "Just in case you need me."

"Fine." Monica sighed. "I'll drop you the location. You meet us out there as soon as you can." She told the two before she and Jimmy left the tent. 

Jimmy and Monica found an abandoned truck which they quickly stole before driving away from the SWORD base.

Leaving Darcy and Clint alone.

"Seems the whole town's out tonight, huh, Luna?" Y/N wondered as she and her daughter strolled through the Town Square.

"There's a lot of people." Luna nodded, staring at the townsfolk curiously.

"Everything okay, sweetheart?" Y/N asked, kneeling in front of the blonde girl. "Are you not feeling well?" She pushed, pressing her hand to Luna's forehead.

"No, I feel fine, Mom," Luna promised, pulling her mother's hand away.

"What's wrong then? You've been acting off all night." Y/N commented, rising to a stand and pulling Luna over to a hay bale to sit.

"I can see things, Mom," Luna admitted, playing with her thumbs.

"Things like what, sweetheart?" 

"Emotions, I think," Luna told Y/N. "There are these colors all around everyone. I can see 'em change, Mom."

"That's okay, sweetheart. We can help you find out more about your powers."

"But, Mom, there's something wrong with everyone's colors," Luna said.

"What's wrong with their colors?

"They're all blue, all sad," Luna said, staring at the people who passed her. "And when they pass Mama, they're scared."

"I know, sweetheart." Y/N sighed, pulling her daughter into her side. "But me and your Dad are trying to fix this. We're gonna fix this." She promised the girl.

"Holy shmacaroni," Pietro commented, looking around the Town Square as Wanda laughed. "Wow!"

"Isn't it great?" Wanda asked with a grin.

"Damn it, if Westview, New Jersey isn't charming as hell." Pietro complimented, watching the people mill about.

"Now, I know that you think that I've gone full soccer mom,"

"You have." Pietro cut in.

"But it really is nice, right?" Wanda asked as the two sat down.

"Yeah." Pietro nodded before letting out a sigh. "I think Mom and Dad would have loved it."

"Yeah. I think Mom and Dad would have."

"Where were you hiding these kids up till now?" Pietro asked after a gaggle of children ran past them.

"What?" Wanda asked, snapping her head to face him.

"I assume they were sleeping peacefully in their beds." Pietro theorized. "No need to traumatize beyond the occasional holiday episode cameo, right?" He joked.

"No."

"You were always the empathetic twin," Pietro told her.

"I don't. I didn't."

"Don't get me wrong, you've handled the ethical considerations of this scenario as best you could." Pietro complimented. "Families and couples stay together, most personalities aren't far off from what's underneath, people got better jobs, better haircuts, for sure."

"You don't think it's wrong?" Wanda stuttered.

"What, are you kidding? I'm impressed." Pietro told her. "Seriously. It's a big leap from giving people nightmares and shooting red wiggly-woos out of your hands. How'd you even do all this?" Pietro asked, causing Wanda to fall into silence. "Hey, I'm not some stranger, and I'm not your husband or your wife. You can talk to me."

"I don't know how I did it," Wanda admitted with a sigh, looking down. "I, I only remember feeling scared. Empty." She sniffed. When Wanda finally looked up, she let out a gasp when she saw Pietro grey and full of holes.

Wanda squeezed her eyes shut tightly, and when she opened them, she out out a sigh. For Pietro was no longer grey and was hole-free.

"Are you okay?" Pietro wondered, staring at his sister in worry.

"I'm fine." Wanda smiled, waving him off.

"Sure you are."

"Hayward, you sneaky bastard," Darcy said as she continued to snoop through the director's files.

"You got that right." Clint scoffed, watching over the doctor's shoulder.

Darcy pulled up a new screen that showed Vision's blinking dot moving closer to the border.

"What's he doing?" Clint asked, staring at Vision's dot in confusion.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out," Darcy said, jumping up from her chair.

On the other side of the Hex, Vision had reached the edge of the town.

The closer he got to the town's border, the larger the foreboding feeling in his stomach grew.

But the closer he got, the clearer the energy field became. 

Blocked from the outside world. Vision mused as he stood a nose length's away.

Vision pressed his hand onto the field, and it was immediately sucked into the energy. 

Vision pushed his way through the energy field to see swarms of people, cars, and helicopters surrounding him.

But Vision could not spare them another thought as the more he tried to pull his body out of the energy field, the more pain he found himself to be in.

"He really does want out, doesn't he?" A man asked as Vision let out a loud yell.

SWORD watched as, before their eyes, Vision began to disintegrate.

"Oh no." Darcy gasped and began to rush forward with Clint right behind her. "Why aren't you helping him?" Darcy screamed, causing all the agents to turn and face the two. "He's coming apart!" She yelled when an agent grabbed her and pushed her away.

"Get your hands off her!" Clint exclaimed when he, too, was restrained.

Billy was alone when his head began to pound.

Billy was alone when he began to have images of his father in pain.

Billy was alone when he began to hear what was happening at the town's edge.

Billy could sense his brother speeding closer, and he held a hand out to stop him.

"Whoa, Billy!" Tommy cheered.

"Shh!" Billy hissed.

"Are you okay?" Tommy asked, watching his brother in concern. 

Billy ignored his brother as the screaming in his head grew louder.

"Mama!"

Billy and Tommy rushed into the Town Square to find both mothers, their sister, and their uncle sitting on hay bales.

"Mama! Mom! Mama!"

"What? What is it, Billy?" Wanda asked as she jumped to her feet.

"I hear Dad in my head. He's in trouble." Billy panted.

"What? Where is he?" Y/N asked, rushing to her wife's side.

"Let me go!" Darcy snapped as she was handcuffed to a car. "What are you doing?" She yelled when she saw Clint be smacked across the face with the butt of a gun.  

"Help!" Vision yelled, not caring that he was falling apart. "The people need help!" He exclaimed before he fell to the ground.

"I don't understand. What's happening to me?" Billy demanded.

"Where is he? Where's your Dad?" Wanda asked, staring at Billy with urgent eyes.

"Hey, don't sweat it, sis. It's not like your dead husband can die twice." Pietro joked.

"Excuse me?" Y/N asked, staring at Pietro with wide eyes. Before she could further question her brother-in-law, Wanda shot him with a blast of magic and sent him flying through the air. "Wanda!" Y/N exclaimed as the kids stared at their mother in shock.

"Billy, I need you to focus," Wanda demanded, ignoring her wife. Billy nodded at his mother and closed his eyes tightly.

"I can't tell. I see these soldiers." Billy said as the images flooded his mind. "They think he's dying!"

"Wanda, don't," Y/N said as Wanda's hands glowed red. But she couldn't say another word as time froze.

The last thing she saw was Wanda's eyes glowing red.

"Jimmy, do you see that? It's magic." Monica said as she and Jimmy drove away from Westview.

"It's moving!" Jimmy gasped. "Go, Monica! Go!" He exclaimed, causing the woman to press harder on the pedal.

"Go, go, go!" Hayward demanded, running away from the Hex. "Move, move, move!"

The agents began to scatter in a panic as the red energy drew closer to them.

"Are you serious right now?" Darcy growled as she was left alone, handcuffed to the car. "Clint, wake up!" Darcy exclaimed as the Hex swallowed everything around it. "Oh, fudge." Darcy sighed as she was hit.

The Hex swallowed the entirety of the SWORD base. Anything it touched changed to fit Wanda's script.

"Can anyone read me?" Hayward asked as he and three others sped away from Westview. "Can anyone hear my voice?" He demanded once more.

But no-one responded.

They were a part of Westview now. 

@x-uglyprincess-x @imthedoctorlove @loveinnoya @unknownalien3388 @bindythedemon @summersimmerus @buckmesidewaysandcallmesteve @natasharomanoffismywife @mcsteamy4ever @monxpeet @amywinehouseisgod-blog @milleniumloki @buckybarnesplumwhore @kennedywxlsh @drpepperobsessed @madamevirgo @superbsccissorsdeanexpert @itty-bitty-witch @essenceproxima @severusminerva @okkulta @mrscasnovak @niki-is-a-thing @sunshinepower17 @pinkninja200 @iflostreturntoflynnrider @simp4mcuwomen @blackfarrahfawcett @angelicl-y @bromieeeomieee @persie33 @ambria @1awesomemeash @montygator17 @runaway-mom-friend @gengen64 @tiny-freak @abitofeverythinggg

[starrysupercell]

Sooo... Now that its my wif- Tara's birthday... Are the Mystics (And Bo) gonna celebrate it :D? I can imagine Gene trying to set up some kind of surprise party for her, that would remain a surprise for like 4 minutes...

DANG IT. Past 12. TwT

But here you go! An outline for how Tara’s birthday is celebrated this year. 🧿 best fortune teller in Starr Park tbh. Your wife says hi 💜

I really gotta start keeping track of the Birthdays to have these things planned out.

~

One of the many good things about how much time Tara and Gene have known each other, is he knows she'll figure it out.

The surprise for her will be not the fact that there's a party because she can easily see that, but the extent of it, because she can promise not to sneak a peek at it.

(But now she's curious! Also, she's so used to checking on the future,* it takes a very conscious effort to not do so.)

So, while Gene keeps Tara preoccupied by taking a walk around the Park, Sandy, the Tribe, Gale and Mortis (because they're also friends with the Mysticals bc of the skins, shush.) are in charge of decorating.

So, with only two responsible adults in this group, how well do you think this is going to go? :)

Gale: So do you have a plan for the setup?

Sandy: hm? >.o oh. Yy*yawns*eah. here you go... *hands him a paper*

Gale: ...this just has a rough sketch of the main room and a couple of balloons.

Sandy- mm..felt sleepy but there's still.... -.-...time to...zzzz....

Gale:

Mortis laughs because well they'd just have to wing it! (He would definitely ask Emz for help, but she's busy with the teen crew for plot convenience) As long as decorations are already bought, it should an easy thing in setting it up the way they want it to look.

....decorations are already bought, right?

Sandy softly snores, and the Party Crew realizes that's their answer.

~

Meanwhile, Gene and Tara walk through the Park. The plan is picking up a few extra gifts along the way before heading back to the main party.

Their first stop is Barley's for some drinks! He gifts one bottle of Tara’s preferred drink, but does charge for the rest. Along the way, we see Brawlers greeting Tara and wishing her well on her birthday.

Colette’s very enthusiastic! She knows all the Brawler’s birthdays, and wanted to make something for Tara!

She doesn’t really have extra money recently, since there was some recent change in management, and she usually makes more detailed items, but because of the money problem, couldn’t buy as many materials she needed, but she’s derailing, so she hands Tara her wrapped gift.

It’s a cute hand-made Shade Plush!

Tara is delighted and thanks her for it. It’s a pleasant surprise, and she appreciates it. Colette fangirls a bit, thanking her, and then waving bye as the Mystics carry on.

~

Back at the Bazaar, they're trying to brainstorm on what to do. Well, half of them present are. Sandy is asleep and Nita + Leon are playing around the house.

Mortis says the only things he has back home are.. well, decorations of a more... gothic type..you know,.. (Halloween decors. they’re Halloween decors.)

Gale also offers up... some Snowtel hangings, but again, ‘tis not quite the right season to be jolly.

Bo suggests makeshift decorations. The twins are good at crafts! .. but more so along the lines of forest materials, not sand and...

Everyone’s drawing a blank, and decide that they could gather up their own share of materials, and see what could work best. Their time limit won’t really allow a break after all.

So Gale contacts Lou and asks him if he could meet him halfway with everything he can carry. Try not to get caught by the Penguin boss. Lou, ever the chaotic good guy agrees.

Bo gathers up Leon and Nita and they head out to see what they can scrounge up.

Mortis wonders if he should call up Frank too since he’ll be here later to set up and provide the music, but decides to be ~generous~  and just send a flock of his Bats to pick some things up for him. He sees them off adoringly.

With a content sigh, he lounges back and waits for his precious lovelies to return with his ideal decorations. Sandy sleeps on...

~

Back with Gene and Tara, the next item to pick up is the cake. Piper has the order ready-- a black forest chateau cake.

“Magnificent taste, darlings!” she compliments. she has it all boxed up very fancily. “It’s on the house. Take it as my gift for you. Happy birthday!”

She’ll also be attending the party later. Tara thanks her for the cake. She and Gene then take their leave.

Along the way to their last stop at the new Castle environment for the food, (because while they don’t know Ash very well yet, Tara loves trying out the new items and pizza is always great for a party.)

“Hey, Tara! ...hold up.” Edgar jumps down from a building they’re passing, just because he can and . “...this is from the rest of the Gang. Me too, I guess. Happy birthday.”

~

The party squad are actually worse off than before.

The Shaman Tribe are back, and the Twins became interested in using fabrics to try and make something too. so they’re playing around with it pretty much.

Gale just arrived, with Lou joined along because he was interested in the party planning too. (So, the snowtel is understaffed right now.) but they’re just chatting instead of working.

Mortis’ bats haven’t arrived yet, and he’s getting worried. They don’t usually take this long in running errands for him.

Leon and Nita are practically playing catch right now. They knock over something that looked priceless. Oh, a crystal ball, perhaps. Bo reprimands them.

They haven’t gotten much closer to making up the room...

There’s a knock, and the group freezes because oh no, they’re out of time. but it ends up being Frank. A very unhappy Frank who was suddenly surrounded by screeching batties who kept picking apart the house while he was packing up his set up for the party. They followed him there afterwards, along with several things.

Mortis tries joking it off ;; , and then very quietly and off-handedly apologizes when Frank doesn’t find it very funny.

But then so hey!!! you’re here so decoration time, everybody! let’s hop to it!

Gene’s Lamp, Sliver, floats in. Sent by Gene himself to check on the progress. They were nearing after all. The Lamp’s alarmed by what it sees. That is, absolutely nothing.

It glares around, and spots Sandy still sleeping. Sliver floats over to him, and hops on him-- Wake up!

Sandy does so, but is very grumpy. “what?”

Tara’s Birthday.

“yeah? what about it?”

Don’t you care?

“obviously.” he swats at the lamp. “it’s tomorrow.”

>:( Today. It’s TODAY.

“,” Sandy looks around, as wide-eyed as he could be.

broken crystal ball, a mix of decorations, and nobody currently fixing up anything from the looks of it.

They’re on the way.

Sandy makes a face. “ok... game plan on the fly.”

~

The final stretch of the day out.

Gene and Tara are nearing the Bazaar, and along the way, Gene starts to get heartfelt.

He reminisces how they first met, how far they’ve traveled together, how much longer they’ve yet to go.

He wishes he could think of something to give her that meant something like the other gifts that she received that day.

He was a Genie, but after everything they’ve been through, she deserves much, much more than what he could ever imagine to conjure up for her.

Tara smiles. “(Don’t... put me on too high a pedestal, my Friend.”)

Don’t sell yourself short either. You’ve done so much.

“(Yes. I have.)” Tara muses unhappily, thumbing the doll.

Gene suddenly gets the idea of what his gift could be, but he needs his Lamp to start on it.

~

Right before the two opened the door, a pair of bats were hanging up the last decoration.

And when the two walked in with the final party supplies at hand and are amazed at the display.

intricate ice sculptures and a more snowy feel set up where the food would go. the music section where Frank set up (who was talking with Mortis.) had a darker aesthetic, including the balloons over there.

Lastly the rest of the place was decorated with very cute works of art. no doubt the Tribe kid’s handiwork. she recognized it from when they stayed over, and the gifts Bo’s gotten from them and shown her.

You’d think that the seemed like the mix of fancier silver decorations, a more gothic theme and natural crafts would look odd together... and well, it was quaint, but it was very pleasing to see.

a patchwork of oddities, not unlike this park, really. She’s always been fond of odds and ends. Tara loved it!

Sandy yawns and walks over to them. “we actually just got done with the set up. but if it makes you feel better, we can still hide right now and yell surprise.”

Tara laughs. It’s okay.. it isn’t like she could be-- but she appreciates it. Sandy shrugs, like he didn’t just call all the shots and work in a hurry with the other eight. “you’re welcome.”

Lou offers to help set up the food and cake. Gale helps too, after presenting his gift too.

Frank and Mortis notice the arrival of the Birthday Gal and wave her over. They chat animatedly-- it’s been so long since they’ve had the chance to catch up! They should plan something soon. Tara agrees, and their gift is from the both of them. I can see it being a very nice piece of clothing, though I’m drawing a blank as to what.

The Lamp reunites with Gene, and their perspectives merge again. Oh. the party was really cut close, huh? but it worked out well! what a relief. a scrap book of actual memories is what you have in mind? how very sappy.... She would like it.

Lastly, Bo walks up to Tara, greeting her and wishing her well on this day. He hopes she likes what they helped with ....he then has the Twins apologize for breaking a few things around the house--

Tara dismisses it easily. They can be replaced. The Twins, that is. (joke to scare them.) But really, as long as they were careful from now on, it was okay. the cub and chameleon agree with no hesitation and then run off to cause more mayhem, but quieter this time.

The Psychic smiles. The guests would be arriving soon, and it was already so lively.

Time to party~!

_______

*I’m still deciding on the extent of her powers, so future sight might not be a thing, because of the characterization I have for her. I’m thinking something along the lines of “Can see past events, and make very informed guesses based on what she knows about people, but cannot see the future itself.”

[hearteyesbowen]

start of something new ☆ ricky bowen

what’s worse: accidentally auditioning for a play you didn’t want to be in, or falling in love with the lead actor in it?

warnings: fluff

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

It’s not that you hated school musicals, but you hated High School Musical. You never understood how they could break out into song and dance, or how everyone knows the choreography, or why Troy is so indecisive, or why Gabriella keeps having to leave somewhere every movie. The whole concept of that movie was so odd to you.

Nonetheless, you had to watch those movies for your friends, constantly. You’re best friends, Nini and Kourtney, became part of the cast and crew for your high school’s own production of the show. While they begged you to come along and audition for one of the parts or to help with costumes, you always said no. You did, however, help Kourtney buy fabrics and play the piano for Nini when she practiced her songs. You didn’t have any creativity in you to try and actually design costumes, and you definitely didn’t want to sing in front of a bunch of kids you barely notice in a school day. The only other kid you knew there was EJ Caswell, Nini’s boyfriend, and Ricky Bowen, Nini’s gorgeous ex-boyfriend.

You and Ricky were lab partners for chemistry class. He usually didn’t get the lecture and would always ask you for help with the class work or homework, but he was really sweet and funny. You developed a small crush for him a long time ago, but you never told anyone. Nini and Ricky began to date sophomore year, so out of respect for your best friend you got over your feelings for him and became more than happy for the two. They only dated for a month, ending on good terms after realizing they didn’t like each other in that way, but as friends only. Nini soon found EJ, you couldn’t deny developing those feelings again for Ricky. But you wouldn’t break girl code with Nini, so you shut out your crush once more.

“Come on, Y/N. Just come with us and you can see how fun it is.” Kourtney begged, using both arms to drag you across the halls and in front of the theatre door.

Nini was behind you, pushing your back tiredly. “You’re going to have so much fun! Maybe we can get you a part!”

“As what? The trash can?” You screamed, fighting back at your two friends. “I don’t want to spend my after school still at school! And Kourtney I swear if you keep digging your nails into my arm I will kick you.”

“Try me.” Kourtney warned.

You let out a loud whine and finally pull Kourtney’s strong grip on your arms out. You fixed your scrunched up sleeves on your sweater and held up your hands in defeat, hoping they would stop pushing and dragging you.

“I’ll go one time, and if I hate it then you both owe me.” You gave in.

They squealed in joy and grabbed at your arm again, rushing you both into the doors to the theatre. Nini opened the door so Kourtney can push you in. However, they didn’t realize that someone inside was already by the door. You were roughly pushed into a hard body, causing you both to fall. You landed on top of them, and heard a loud groan in pain. It took you a minute to get past your instant headache so you could look up and see who it was.

“Y/N, are you ok-oh no.” You heard Nini worry.

You placed your hands on both sides of the body you fell on and pushed yourself up, at the same time, feeling their hands at your waist. You were met with Ricky. His face was extremely close to you, so much so that your noses touched.

“I guess I can say that you fell for me, huh?” Ricky joked, pain clear in his voice.

“Sorry about that, Ricky. My friends are absolutely crazy.” You apologized.

You got up from the floor, offering a hand to Ricky. He took your offer, nearly pulling you onto the ground again with his strength. He rubbed the back of his head to where he landed.

“It’s fine, there’s no way I can be mad at you anyways.” He smiled. “Are you ok?” He moved his hand to the back of your head, rubbing in circular motions to soothe the pain.

You closed your eyes in peace, earning a chuckle from Ricky, “Yeah, I should be fine.”

“I’m really sorry, Y/N.” Kourtney yelled, running to you with Nini trailing behind her. “I’m also really sorry about that, Ricky.”

“All good, as long as Y/N’s fine then I’ll be ok.” Ricky said, looking at you with a grin. You shot him a quick smile. You looked back at your friends who gave you a confused, yet cheeky glance. You eyed them to stop making them act weird about you two.

“We’re going to go, I have to help Kourtney dress up Nini as Gabriella. See you around, sorry about falling on you again.” You rushed, dragging your best friends away from the now baffled Ricky.

You brought them to the costume rack that held all of the clothes you remember seeing Kourtney designing. The theatre was almost full, but everyone’s attention was mainly set on Carlos teaching them about the first dance number. You tried your best to hide yourself from Ricky, who you were afraid you would be foolish in front of again. Your two friends glanced at each other in confusion as to why you were being so nervous. They noticed you fiddling with your phone, almost dropping it as you grabbed it from your back pocket.

“What’s wrong, Y/N?” Kourtney asked, giggling at your panicking.

“I totally embarrassed myself in front of Ricky!” You whined.

Nini smirked at you, “So you do like Ricky.”

Your eyes widened in fear, and you were at a loss for words. You couldn’t just tell your best friend that you may or may not like her ex, especially after you told yourself you wouldn’t like him again.

“No, you’re crazy.” You denied, massaging your head from the pain earlier.

“Y/N, tell me the truth. Do you like Ricky? Because I won’t get mad if you do.” She replied, holding onto your shoulders.

You let out a sigh in defeat, rubbing your temples, “I didn’t want to, I fought with myself to try and get rid of that thought of him for you. I’m the worst friend ever.”

“Hey, don’t ever think that. Look, I have EJ now, and we’re really happy together. And Ricky and I are friends. So if you like Ricky, then I’ll be happy for you. Besides, I always did think of you two together at one point when we were in middle school.” Nini smiled, bringing you into a tight hug.

“But isn’t that weird to date your best friend’s ex boyfriend? Like that’s just wrong.” You argued.

“Ricky and I were just confused sophomores trying to figure out if we really did like each other or if listening to those stupid fortune tellers was a good idea. You could barely call that a relationship. I want you to be happy, Y/N. And if it’s with Ricky then let it be with Ricky.”

“Thank you, but I’m not going to try and ask out Ricky.” You said, looking down at your phone.

“Why not? You know how those boys are, if you don’t do anything then nothing will happen.” Kourtney argued.

“Then I guess nothing will happen, it’s just a crush. I’ll get over it in like a week.” You lied, stuffing your hands in the back pockets of your jeans.

You heard the squeak of the theatre door opening, revealing the drama teacher, Miss Jenn. You had never formally met her, but you always heard great things about her from Kourtney and Nini. Apparently she was an extra from the original movie, but you wouldn’t know.

She strutted into the room confidently, holding a large stack of papers stapled together that you assumed was the script for the musical. She walked up to Ricky and began talking to him, so you turned away. You didn’t want to seem like you were staring, although her voice was loud enough for you to hear across the school.

“Is Ashlyn here? Ricky needs help learning ‘Start of Something New.’” Miss Jenn asked loudly, causing everyone to avert their attention to the two. You saw Ricky’s uncomfortable face, making you giggle to yourself.

“Ashlyn has a dentist appointment today, she won’t make it.” EJ answered.

“What about Seb?”

“He’s learning choreography with Carlos.” Gina replied.

“Does anyone else know how to play the piano?” Miss Jenn helplessly looked around for anyone who knew.

You now regretted coming with your friends to their rehearsal, because you knew exactly what was coming up next.

Nini and Kourtney jumped up, raising their hands and screaming for Miss Jenn’s attention. They furiously pointed at you, and you hid your face in your hands so no one would see you.

“Y/N knows how to play the piano! She’s so amazing at it!” Nini exclaimed, pushing you towards the teacher.

“Is this true?” She pondered, removing your hands from your face.

“I’m not that good.” You answered, shaking your head. You couldn’t help but look at Ricky who gave you a small grin.

“She’s lying. She learned how to play Mozart’s pieces when she was in the second grade!” Nini and Kourtney held your shoulders as they continued to talk about you. “And she has a beautiful voice.”

Miss Jenn raised her eyebrows at their claims of you, and she pointed to Ricky as if she were asking you to help him.

You tried to defend yourself, “I can play a little, but I don’t sing.”

“Liar.” Kourtney blurted out.

You let out a large exhale, closing your eyes and rolling your head back to the ceiling. Why did you have to have such supportive friends? You looked back down and opened your eyes, nodding to Miss Jenn and walking with Ricky to the piano. As you both walked together, you could hear the screeching from your best friends.

“Apologies for having to work with me, you didn’t seem to excited.” Ricky said nervously.

He pulled the piano bench back for the two of you, ushering you to sit down first. You sat down and waved your hands, “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just not that confident about playing in front of a lot of people. Theatre isn’t really my thing.”

“I didn’t think it was mine too, but you might be surprised once you get involved in it.” He chimed.

You looked down at your hands and smiled, feeling heat rise to your cheeks. You cracked your knuckles and your neck aimlessly, something you tend to do before playing. Ricky laughed at your actions, attempting to do the same.

“Have you warmed up?” You questioned, quickly playing different scales to get you ready to read the music he placed in front of you.

“Yeah, I’m all set. Do you know this song?” He asked, turning the page to show the music, which so happened to be the only song you liked from the movie. You quickly skimmed over the notes, playing along small parts.

“This is the only thing I like from that movie.” You confessed, quickly learning the music.

“You didn’t like the movie?”

“Nope, now focus, you need to learn this song for your play.” You laughed, nudging his shoulders.

Ricky chuckled, and watched as your fingers glides across the keys seamlessly. He was amazed at how beautifully you played the piano, learning and playing the song at the same time. You took a small glimpse at Ricky, smiling and gesturing your head to the music sheets.

“Living in my own world, didn’t understand

that anything can happen, when you take a chance.”

He sang, looking at you for approval. You nodded at him and eyed him to keep singing.

“Can you sing Gabriella’s part? Nini’s busy right now and they sound really proud of your voice, although you don’t seem to be.” He smiled politely.

“I can’t sing.” You denied.

“That’s a lie, because I remember I accidentally walked in on you freshman year playing and singing to Adele. You were right here, alone, and singing your heart out.” Josh countered.

Your eyebrows furrowed as you slightly tilted your head, “Stalker, much?” You giggled.

Ricky’s face instantly grew red as he realized what he confessed to. His hand went to scratch the back of his neck. “Yeah, that does sound pretty stalker-ish, my bad. But I know you can sing, plus you owe me one for falling on me. So start at the chorus.”

You laughed, gazing at the music before reaching for the keys and building up the song from the verse to the chorus. You cleared your throat, getting your voice ready to sing with Ricky.

“This could be the start of something new

It feels so right to be here with you, oh.

And now, lookin' in your eyes

I feel in my heart the start of something new.”

You let the notes from the piano ring out, allowing you to take in your small duet. You stared down at your hands, biting your lip to hold back the smile forming. You gazed up at Ricky, who already stared down at you. He had an adoring smile, breathing out softly.

“Beautiful.” He whispered.

You felt yourself blush, so you moved your head a little to the side to hide the flushed color forming in your cheeks. Ricky’s hand softly pushed your cheek to look back at him. He scooted next to you even more so that no space was left between you two. He hesitantly leaned in, you instinctively doing the same. Both your eyes closed as your faces grew more near.

“You could play Kelsi!” Miss Jenn’s voice erupted in your ears from the other side of the stage.

You and Ricky jumped at her scream, bumping your foreheads together. You both let out a soft laugh from the moment. He mumbled ‘sorry’ to you as he rubbed your arm soothingly. Then the clicking of Miss Jenn’s heels rushing towards you burned your ears.

You turned around in your seat so you could face her. The moment she was up to you, she grabbed your shoulders, bringing you up from the bench and shook you.

“You would play a perfect Kelsi! You have such an amazing voice, and no one auditioned for her.” Miss Jenn screamed excitedly. Nini and Kourtney popped their heads up from behind the costume rack giving you a thumbs up. “Please say you will take her part. We would love to have a talent like you in our production.”

“I’m not sure if I can do that. I’ve never even talked in front of my class.” You acknowledged, pulling Miss Jenn’s hands from your shoulders as politely as you could.

Ricky stood up from the bench and next to you, placing his arm on your lower back. “You know, I’ve never thought about being in a play either, and now I’m playing Troy. You should give it a shot.”

You smiled up at Ricky, almost saying yes on the spot as you knew you got to be with him more.

“Just think about it, alright sweetheart?” Miss Jenn asked sweetly. You nodded your head and she walked back to Carlos.

Nini and Kourtney called your name repeatedly, waving you to come over to them. You looked back at Ricky, who noticed them as well. He pulled your arm so you could stand closer to him.

“Before you go, I wanted to ask if you were free tomorrow. I want to hang out more together.” He spoke lowly, hoping no one around you would listen.

“That would be nice.” You respond, sending a smile before walking back to your friends.

Once you reached the front of the costume rack, they both popped out from between the costumes, climbing through the rack and in front of you. They jumped up excitedly as they heard the offer from their teacher.

“Are you going to say yes?” Nini held your hands, giving you a hopeful smile.

“You know I can barely sing in front of you guys. Now I’ll have to sing and play the piano in front of the whole school and more?” You complained.

Kourtney eyed you, “Do you really want to spend the rest of your high school years doing nothing? Have you ever even joined a club?”

“I joined marching band freshman year, that was fun.” You replied, scrunching your nose up at the memory.

“You played the clarinet for half a year because some flute player threatened to fight you after she thought you hooked up with her boyfriend. Have you done anything else that hasn’t almost gotten you killed?” Kourtney sassed.

You gave a large sigh, scratching the back of your head. If you were to join the play, you could be with your best friends even longer than usual, but you would have to sing in front of a bunch of people. But your friends were still right, you should put yourself out there and do something, besides almost getting into fights with jealous flute players.

“I’ll do it, but don’t expect this to be a regular thing.” You warned.

Kourtney and Nini screamed in excitement, pulling you into a group hug. They started to jump up and down, gaining looks from the other theatre kids. Nini was the first to pull away, bringing you in front of her.

“Now let’s talk about that moment you and Ricky had right now!” She squealed.

You pinched your nose in embarrassment, “I thought no one saw that.”

“Girl, everyone couldn’t help but watch you two.” Kourtney giggled.

“Can we save this conversation for later? I want to go home now and finish my work so I can sleep in earlier.”

“We’ll make it quick!” Nini exclaimed.

“Did he tell you anything?” Kourtney wondered enthusiastically.

“He told me he wanted to hang out tomorrow.” Kourtney and Nini awed at his invitation.

“I’m so happy for you, Y/N. Now go home and do your homework, we’ll facetime you later.” Nini brought you into a warm hug. You smiled at her and went to hug Kourtney too before you grabbed your backpack and left the auditorium.

➢➣ ➢➣

You closed your laptop after finishing your essay for english. You lazily cleaned up your desk of all your school supplies. You had just finished calling Kourtney and Nini again after explaining the details of what happened with Ricky. The night was still young, enough for you to put in a little practice time. Might as well get ready for the play.

You yawned, stretching your arms and back once you stood up from your chair that you had been sitting at for more than two hours. You moved to the other corner of your room where your keyboard was. It was placed right next to your balcony door, which was purposely there so you could play while looking out at the nature below you, or the tree that covered your view. You closed the curtains, though, you didn’t want anyone to watch you in your room late at night.

You sat back down, cracking your back again of the discomfort from earlier. The sheet music Miss Jenn has given you before you left was already on the stand: “What I’ve Been Looking For.”

“This song is weird.” You mumbled to yourself.

You spent the next 15 minutes playing along to the music. It didn’t take long for you to master it. Curiosity overtook you; what would it be like if you sang it?

“It’s hard to believe

that I couldn’t see,

you were always there beside me-”

The sound of a tiny pebble hitting your balcony window startled you. You stopped playing, listening closer for a few seconds to see if you were crazy. You shook it off, playing the notes again. You were disrupted again by another rock. Now you were sure someone was there.

You stood up and hastily walked to the glass door. You unveiled the curtain, but you didn’t see anyone through the glass. You unlocked the door and slid it open. No one was on the streets or the sidewalks.

“Y/N!” Someone from directly below the balcony whispered loudly.

You look over and see none other than Ricky Bowen. You sighed in relief, happy that it wasn’t a robber. His guitar was strapped behind him and he had the biggest smile on his face.

“Are you crazy? What are you doing here so late?” You whispered, smiling at how insane he was.

“I couldn’t wait until tomorrow to see you. Can I come up?” He asked.

“How? I can’t let you in through the front door, my parents will see you.”

“I can climb trees too, you know.” He laughed.

You smiled while nodding. He instantly started to climb the tree that stood tall enough to reach you. It didn’t take him long until he stood in front of you. You felt instant déjà vu when you remember how similar this moment was to the original High School Musical.

“I couldn’t think of something original to do without disrupting your parents, so I saw you had a tree and decided to be totally cliche instead.” Ricky laughed.

“You missed me that much, huh?” You teased.

He stepped directly in front of you, “You have no idea.”

You giggled, leaning up to his face. He smiled widely at you, staring between your eyes and your lips. You inched closer to his lips, Ricky doing the same. Why not tease him a bit first? You moved your head to the side of his and kissed his cheek.

Ricky rolled his eyes playfully, then gasped. You raised an eyebrow, wondering what sparked in his brain. His hand reached inside his denim jacket and pulled out a singular red rose. Your heart melted at the gesture. You took the flower and held it to your chest.

You grabbed Ricky’s hand and led him to the inside of your room. He looked around interestingly at the inside.

“What?” You laughed.

“Your room is nice. I hope I can be on here more often.” He sent you a wink.

He witnessed the music on your piano, making him smile. It didn’t take long until he also noticed the guitar hidden behind one of your dressers. He took off his own guitar that was still strapped behind him and set it down next to your bed.

“I didn’t know you played.” Ricky pointed to your hidden instrument and picked it up.

You smiled as he saw it, “Not as much as you do, I barely know how to play it anymore.” You took it way from his hands and set it next by your nightstand.

You sat down in the center of your bed cross-legged. You patted the empty space in front of you for Ricky to sit. He gladly sat down next to you.

“I came here for a reason, and it’s because I wanted to sing you something.” He picked up his guitar again and put it on his lap. “I’ll try and sing quietly.”

You clapped your hands excitedly. Ricky blushed as you watched him fumble with his fingers, feeling more nervous to play in front of you.

“When we’re underneath the lights

my heart’s no longer broken.

For a moment,

just for a moment.

When we’re singin’ side by side

there’s so much left unspoken.

For a moment,

just for a moment.”

Ricky strummed the remainder of the song, smiling to himself. You couldn’t help but tear up at the music. He looked up as he finished playing to see your flushed face. He quickly took off the guitar and placed it beside you on your bed.

“That was beautiful, Ricky.” You gushed.

Ricky moved in front of you, holding onto your hand. “Nothing is as beautiful as you.”

Ricky placed his lips at yours, finally kissing you after hours of anticipation. He left his other hand at your neck, and you held the same hand. You kissed back hungrily, and Ricky took note of this.

He pushed you back against your headboard, his legs in between yours. You tangled your hands in his hair. Ricky placed his hands on either side of your body. You couldn’t have been more happier than you were now. Everything felt so right.

“Y/N? Are you ok? Are you talking to someone?” Your mother’s voice from downstairs interrupted you and Ricky.

You pushed Ricky off of your body and smoothed out your bed. He quietly got up and tried to grab his guitar, making his way to the balcony.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just watching some tv.” You yelled, motioning Ricky out the door.

You secretly opened the window, letting Ricky step out. You both silently laughed. He was about to climb back down until you grabbed his arm to pull him back to you.

You pulled from his neck down to you, reconnecting your lips. It was quick, but still gentle. He pulled away, a dazed look in his eyes. You smiled at his reaction.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, beautiful.” Ricky whispered, pecking your lips once more.

“See you tomorrow.” You waved at him before he sneakily climbed back down the tree.

You locked the door again and closed the curtain before your mother opened the door. She inspected the room, anticipating a person on your bed or hiding in your closet. She only grinned once she saw your guitar out from hiding.

“Since when did you start playing guitar again?” She wondered.

“I just really, really like the guitar a lot more now.”

A/N - this one is a more fluffy story , i really like it though lol hope u guys like it !! love y’all xx

[edgy-ella]

I read your post about the Justice fight, and I have to say that I agree with your thoughts on it! I’m curious to hear your specific thoughts on the Wheel of Fortune arc and the Judgement arc as well, since you also said in your post that you had issues with those fights as well.

(Sorry for the late reply)

First of all, I’m glad you read my little ramble about Star S U C C (which you can also read here if you haven’t already please do I spent an entire afternoon on it), and I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Like I said in the original post, I don’t really have a ton to really dig deep into with Wheel of Fortune and Judgement because my problems aren’t nearly as well defined as with the Justice arc. They’re also comparatively more “filler-y,” at least when compared to Enya who had been built up since the beginning of the part. But since you asked, I’ll try to dig a little deeper with my thoughts on them.

Wheel of Fortune

This is without a doubt my least favorite fight in part 3. It’s not quite my least favorite in all of JoJo (that “honor” either goes to the Rock Paper Scissors kid from part 4 or the lucky dragon guy from part 6), but it’s up there. I should also say that there aren’t really any other fights from part 3 that I actively dislike, even some of the other not so memorable ones like Tower of Gray or Empress, so that’s a big of an achievement.

The whole fight against Wheel of Fortune is just sort of blah. It doesn’t leave any sort of impact on you. The fact that it’s a vehicle bound Stand isn’t all that interesting considering that we have already seen that sort of thing with Strength (which the characters point out by the way), the buildup to the fight itself was boring and repetitious, and the design of the monster car itself didn’t even feel all that intimidating.

I also don’t know what the hell the point of bringing Anne back here was, she added nothing to it and was really annoying. And it sort of sucked to see her character degrade from plucky and headstrong but way in over her head to just another girl to fawn over Jotaro. Her whining was just the icing on the cake of this fight for me.

With all that said, I will say that I found the visual gag of ZZ’s design (beefed up arms and wimpy everything else) really funny.

Judgement

First of all, I will not be talking about the twist of Avdol still being alive here because it extends outside of the scope of the arc itself. It’s an interesting topic narratively, and I may touch on it another time.

I have sort of the opposite issue with the Judgement arc as I do the Wheel of Fortune arc. Whereas I found the actual Wheel of Fortune fight lame but the joke afterwards funny, I found the Judgement fight super engaging, but the aftermath very...dude, what the fuck?

As the conclusion to Polnareff’s character arc of overcoming grief and moving on from his sister’s death, the fight is done phenomenally well in my opinion. As someone who went into JoJo with most of the major character deaths already spoiled due to memes, I knew more or less how and when the Sad Moments™ were going to happen. And don’t get me wrong, they were still sad when they happened and a total gut punch (hehe), but they lost that extra oomph just because...well, I knew they were coming. I did not have the Judgement arc spoiled for me. That scene of Polnareff chasing down “Sherry” in the field after her “resurrection” was probably the closest in JoJo I came to crying. Polnareff having to cast all that aside and destroy the clay dummy of his sister was an engaging and heartwrenching conflict.

Avdol is also at his best here once he enters the fray. Lasting impact of his return nonwithstanding, he’s just such a badass and manages to chew the scenery while also remaining calm and noble. His “Make it four wishes!” line was just perfect. It plays into his whole fortune teller thing and is just a fucking power move to say against a genie. Wish we got more moments like this from him but what can you do.

So, after all that’s said and done, after all the pain that he brought Polnareff by forcing the image of his dead sister to eat him like a zombie, how is he defeated?

They pee on him.

Yeah, that’s it. After all that, Cameo is defeated via a golden shower. It just...really feels out of place considering everything that already happened in the fight. This is where the tonal issues of part 3 really weigh it down, and unlike some other moments, it’s not particularly funny or endearing. It’s also worth pointing out that the last enemy Stand user, Manish Boy/Death 13, was also defeated in a very similar way, just replace number 1 with number 2. But it worked there because Manish Boy didn’t put Kakyoin (or the rest of the group) through nearly the same amount of hell that Cameo put Polnareff through, and Manish Boy is a baby who the audience doesn’t really want to see be beaten up no matter how evil he is. Sure, the scene of Avdol and Polnareff is another Funny and Epic Out of Context JoJo Moment™, but it just really doesn’t work for me. To cap it all off, Avdol does indeed burn Cameo down, not to death (which he probably deserved), but rather to a vaguely racist looking ashface. Lovely.

If that wasn’t enough, the whole bit about everyone except Polnareff knowing that Avdol was still alive was kinda messed up. Sure, I get not telling him while on the road in order to better keep it a secret, but once they got to the deserted island, why wouldn’t they tell him right away? Especially when they spot the disguised Avdol on the beach. I don’t get why they were so insistent on keeping it a secret from him when they get there from a character standpoint. From a narrative viewpoint, the reason is obvious, it’s to remind the audience of exactly what happened and Polnareff’s guilt about it so we feel more in his shoes when the fight against Judgement begins.

That’s not to say that I don’t think that the more serious arcs can’t end with jokes. The fight against N’Doul ends in him committing suicide whilst he talks about how he’s not afraid to die, followed up by Iggy putting gum in Jotaro’s hat. Nukesaku’s existence also arguably fills this position. However, context is everything. When elements of the narrative, be it character consistency or repetition or what have you don’t line up, it just leaves you with that feeling of “dude, what the fuck?”

That’s basically it on my thoughts for these two. I don’t really have anything to add for how I would write them if I were in Araki’s shoes, since I would just probably rebuild Wheel of Fortune from the ground up and have Avdol burn Cameo through his airtube rather than give him a golden shower (and probably change some of the beginning and end with the disguised Avdol). I don’t feel like either of those are particular engaging to talk about, rather than me proposing an entirely new way to defeat Justice in my previous post. So, I’ll just leave it there.

[okageshadowkingfannovel]

Book 1: Chapter 14

“Greetings, I am the fortune teller!”

Ari jumps at the sudden, loud voice that accosts him as he takes a first timid step into the Gulp tavern. He’s so distracted by the strange high-pitched sound that at first, he doesn’t quite register what’s being said. If you took a rat and told it to do chores for the next four hours, the sound of its whining and complaining would probably come close to sounding like this voice.

“Huh?”

“There’s a reason I can’t reveal my name. But ‘Love Fortune Teller Number 1’ Is what most people call me.”

Ari’s eyes finally land on the speaker. An extremely short - woman? He thinks it’s a woman anyway - wearing a muted purple dress with black and yellow stripes along the hem. The weirdest element though is a curious sack-like mask with jagged eye and mouth holes that covers the woman’s face.

“Love Fortune Teller Number 1 seems a little … different.”

“My boy, just one look at the crystal and I’ll identify exactly who loves you the most!” At this moment, she reaches into a pocket and slips out a huge crystal ball, seemingly filled with smoke.

“Am I in the right place?”

He looks around to be sure. It’s not a place he visits much, but Ari’s been in enough times to fetch his father to know what it should look like. Even midday, the place is fairly low-lit. Moody oil lamps cast a warm orange glow that goes perfectly with amber colored beverages in clear glasses. Immediately before the door there’s the bar. A grouchy looking woman, the bartender, stands behind it, eying Ari and ‘Love Fortune Teller Number 1’ with skepticism. This is the right place.

“Oh, are you not interested?” Love Fortune Teller Number 1 asks, wiggling stubby fingers over the crystal ball. “What a sad thing - a young man not invested in his love life.”

“Um, no, that’s not …”

“Great! Here we go!”

Love Fortune Teller Number 1 intensifies her finger wiggles, passing her crazed digits over the crystal’s surface.

“Hey! Hey! Hey!” she starts in a strikingly un-majestic way, “Show me, my crystal ball! Show me the one with whom this boy’s life is entwined … hmmm … yes, yes! Ah, it’s coming to me through the fogs of the beyond. Yes, yes.”

“Uh … ma’am, I really have to go-”

“Whoa!”

“What?”

“A childhood friend! Let’s see. Begins with a J. Jodie … Janice …”

“Julia?”

“That’s the one! Yes, her love for you … it shines through the fog … though it sometimes gets obscured by the confusions, the frantic ups and downs of adolescence.”

“I see.”

“Despair not, boy! Do not give up hope!”

“Oi! Love Fortune Teller Number 1! Leave the kid alone,” the bartender suddenly yells.

“Despair not,” continues Love Fortune Teller Number 1, as if nothing just happened, “people inevitably change … as does the love between them.”

Ari stands there for a moment, the words weighing heavy on him with their surprising insight.

“Go home, lady! You’re drunk!”

The fortune teller finally whips towards the bar, and nearly tips over like an unbalanced top.

“I am not drunk! I’ve only had a few! I’m saving love lives here!”

The bartender says nothing, but emphatically points towards the door.

“Fine. Young man, come see me should you ever need some clarity on matters of the heart. I’ll be at the Parm Inn … probably sleeping.”

With that, the little masked fortune teller drops the crystal ball back into her pocket and makes her way tipsily out the door.

“Sheesh!” exclaims the bartender, “she’s been doing that all day. I know we’ve been closed for a long while, but people need to pace themselves. It’s the middle of the day!”

Ari just nods, mildly distracted by the fact that this makes two people now who’ve told him that his childhood friend, Julia, has been harboring a major crush for him.

“Anyway, what can I do for you, hun? Your dad hasn’t been in if that’s why you’re here.”

“No. Uh … actually, I was wondering if anyone … I mean, have you heard anything about a …” Ari feels obligated to lower his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “… a map of evil kings?”

The bartender stares at him for a minute, but then turns and nods her head towards the other side of the bar. “That one’s been going on and on about it since we reopened.”

Ari follows her gesture and finds …

“Is that the ringmaster?”

Further into the bar, the oil lamps give way to sunlight leaking in through two small arched windows set high in the wall. Most of the tables sit empty, waiting for the late evening when drinking heavily is a bit more socially acceptable. However, at one table tucked away in the corner, there sits the rotund figure of the circus ringmaster. His mustache, his wide empty eyes, and his tall top hat are unmistakable. The bartender nods, but then sighs with disdain.

“Once he starts to drink, he really gets drunk. Don’t know what to do with him.��

The rotund man shifts to readjust his seating and then dramatically tilts his head back to put away another drink. The sound of a deep, guttural burp crosses the bar. Ari grimaces.

“Thanks, ma’am.”

Forcing the disgust from his expression, Ari makes his way to the far off table. When he finds his place just behind the ringmaster’s shoulder, the smell of sweat, peanuts, and stale popcorn hits him one hundred fold and he has to painfully stifle a gagging cough.

“Stupid troopers,” mumbles the ringmaster to himself, “ugh, leaving without me …”

Another burp punctuates his lament.

“So this is the lowlife who’s spreading that swill!”

Suddenly, Stan pops up out of the floor.

“Hey you! I hear you’ve been spreading tall tales that there’s more than one Evil King!”

The ringmaster jumps and spins round in his seat.

“What?! … o-oh … you’re that kid … the one I saw the other night, with the shadow.”

“Yeah,” Ari confirms.

“Now that I got a good look,” he says, getting up from his chair and stumbling closer to Ari, “you’ve got an interesting shadow with ya there.”

“Interesting?! Agghh, fine! Whatever! Just know this, fat man - if you speak of this ‘Map o’ Evil Kings’ rubbish again, I may just shut that mouth of yours permanently!”

“Oh?” replies the ringmaster with a hiccup, “you want it? Sure thing.”

He reaches into his waistcoat and retrieves a tattered, crease patterned sheet of parchment the color of over steeped tea. Ari takes it gingerly.

“Lately, they’ve been saying a fearful Evil King’s shown up in Madril. I swear, it’s true. Ha ha ha, it’s funny really. So, what are you going to do about it, Shadow Evil King?”

The words make time stand still. Ari stares at the ringmaster, re-evaluating the man behind the polka-dotted waistcoat and the peanut smell. Even the village elder thought Stan was just some weird magic trick, but the ringmaster … he knows?

“Shadow Evil King?” repeats Ari dumbfounded.

“Curses,” spits Stan, “you’re more than just some drunk mortal, aren’t you? who are you?!”

“Ugh, I think I’m gonna barf …”

Ari scrambles back a step.

“Heh heh, too much fun last night.”

“Answer me!”  barks King Stan.

But the ringmaster pays him no mind and falls back into his chair.

“Barkeep, give me 10 minutes and then bring over another bottle, would ya?”

“Not today, ringmaster! I’m cutting you off. You’ve got 5 seconds to get out of my bar and back over to the Parm Inn.”

Feeling that his interrogation of the ringmaster has decidedly come to an end, Ari moves back towards the tavern entrance before he can get caught in the bartender’s last nerve.

“Hey boy, wait! Why don’t we take a look at that map.”

“Oh, right.”

Ari almost forgot about the limp piece of paper still clutched in his fingers. He looks around, notices the bartender irritably making her way over to the unbudged ringmaster, and decides to slip over to the opposite end of the tavern. He turns up the flame in one of the oil lamps and holds the map up to catch the orange light.

The map has been folded and unfolded in a variety of different ways, each leaving a sharp hill or valley in its memory. All the world is there, rising and falling with the abundance of crinkles and creases. Ari’s eyes immediately fall on his home country, a shape like a dribbled glob of gravy. Around its edges are nameless squiggles and lines representing only God knows what. But to the north in the gravy glob country, there is Tenel, shown by a tiny little dot.

“Eh? What’s this? 1 … 2 … There are more Evil Kings than myself?”

Scanning his eyes over the expanse, Ari notices the other, more unusual map markings. Little black crowns are stamped all across the world. One blocks the dot labeled Madrid to Tenel’s southeast and another covers Rishero, a place further south that Ari’s never heard of before. But not just towns, they cover all over, haphazardly, without rhyme or reason.

Ari can’t help but notice that no such black crown appears in Tenel.

“On top of that, where’s my crown?! I’m not even on this stupid map! James! James! Where are you?!”

In the next moment, a glowing white portal blossoms up from the floor, spitting wind and mist into Ari’s face. James slowly emerges from the mist, but backwards, facing away from his master.

“Like the setting sun … the glistening moon …”

The evil butler spins around, seeming startled by the change in scenery. He quickly recovers and genuflects.

“Oh, Master! How might I serve?”

“James!” Stan barks, flailing about in classic Stan fashion, “straiten this out, will you? Am I not the one and only Evil King? The successor of the great Evil King Gohma? Who are these other Evil Kings?!”

“Hmmmmmm,” muses James as he gazes upon the map, “well, Master, I will tell you. These others are impostors. Encroachers. Evil Kings only in name.”

“Fake Evil Kings?” asks Ari.

“Precisely. While you were inside the bottle, my Master, they must have stolen your powers, and then went about claiming to be Evil Kings. That must be it!”

“You got all that just by looking at the map?”

James shrugs. “How else could such a thing be? There is only one Evil King and that is my Master.”

“Hmmmmm, I see. I knew something was wrong. These Tenel villagers called me - me - my dark majesty, a … ‘nice guy!’”

“Well, you did get that one lady’s hat out of the tree …”

“Shuddup! Naturally, if my power were at its peak, they would have wept and groveled before me. Yes! That must be it! So it was all the doing of these usurpers! These self-proclaimed Evil Kings were stealing my power!”

“How did they-”

“There is just one thing to do! Slave, you know what that is, don’t you?!”

“Uh …”

“Master!” James exclaims excitedly, “Of course! Of course!”

“Indeed! We’re going to take out all of those phony Evil Kings and get back all of my dark powers!”

“Oh … uh …”

“Then, the whole world will tremble and kneel before me as they rightfully should! Slave, let’s do this! An expedition of conquest!”

“But, um, K-King Stan … uh … Julia … girl …”

“You have nerve, slave! I may not have my full power, but you disobey me and a three hour tickling torture will be waiting for you!”

“Tickling?”

“Master,” James intervenes, “if I may, the teenage girl, Julia, has a bit of a crush on your slave.”

Ari stares at James. Even the evil butler knows?!

“For a kid as uncool as you,” James continues, “this could be your last chance for romance. That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?”

“… well, I wouldn’t have put it quite like that …”

“Touching …” Stan says flatly, “But you’re my slave. You are stuck with me! Ha ha ha! Enough of this romantic rot! We must pack for the journey! To your house! Come on, Slave!”

“But …”

“Oh, that ‘Map o’ Evil Kings.’ How infuriating! Don’t lose that, Slave. It should keep us on the trail of those upstart impostors!”

Before Ari can cough up any more half-formed protests, Stan slips back down into the floor and James bows himself back into the whirling portal. He is left alone with the crushing defeat of having lost love before it could even begin. Feelings of uncoolness settle over him.

Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6 • Chapter 7 • Chapter 8 • Chapter 9 • Chapter 10 • Chapter 11 • Chapter 12 • Chapter 13 • Chapter 14 • Chapter 15 • Chapter 16 - Finale

NOTE: Okage Shadow King is owned by Sony Computer Entertainment and Zener Works. This novelization is purely a fan-work and the writer claims no ownership over the characters, general plot line(s), etc.

[lovemesomesurveys]

When did you last see someone you know in public? It’s been awhile. I wouldn’t want to run into anyone right now. :/

Do you enjoy going to the dentist? Noooooo.

When did you last eat something you didn’t like? I don’t recall, it’s been awhile. I only eat the same few things to be honest and obviously those are all things I like. Sometimes I’m not in the mood for those things, though. I have a messed up appetite and sometimes I don’t feel like eating or nothing tastes good. Sometimes eating for me is more like a chore.

Do you think you’d survive if zombies took over the world? Nope. When did you last hang out with a bunch of friends at one time? A few years ago when I had friends.

What kind of music is your least favorite? EDM, techno, house music stuff.

Are you and your best friend complete opposites? We have our similarities, but yeah we’re also pretty different.

Would people around you say you’re regularly a mean person? I hope my family doesn’t think I’m mean. I know they’d say I’m moody and sensitive, though.

Do you like the color yellow at all? Yes, it’s one of my favorite colors.

If you were to write a novel, what would it be about? >> I have no idea, which is why I’m not writing a novel. <<< Same. I have no motivation or inspiration to write one.

How many times have you logged in to Bzoink? (it has a counter) Zero.

Are you currently pretending to be someone’s friend? No.

Are you an impatient person? Yes.

Are you afraid to watch movies that have sex scenes with your friends? Why would I be afraid?

Who sings the last song you listened to? I forget what song it was at the moment. 

Why do you think some actors dont want to see their movies/shows? I know for me that I hate seeing myself on a recording. It’s so cringy seeing and hearing myself. I critique everything. I actually took an acting class in college (me? an acting class? wild, I know) and one of the things he had us to do was we’d do scenes by ourselves or with someone else and he recorded them so we could watch them back. The worst part? We did this as a class. We all watched each others. Ugh, I died every time. ANYWAY, I imagine that’s how it is for actors. They’re their own biggest critics. 

Do you think fortune tellers are the devil’s messengers (haha)? I don’t believe in that stuff because I think it does mess around with evil stuff.

Would you rather use napkins or paper towels? Paper towels.

Do you go to the pool in the summer time very often? >> I never go to the pool. <<<

Have you ever had a serious issue involving your eyes? Just that I need glasses. 

Have you ever watched South Park? Who’s your favorite character? I’ve some parts of episodes here and there cause my brother watched it a lot. I wasn’t into it, though.

Do you have sensitive teeth? Yes. 

Do you enjoy or hate snow days? Why is this your choice? It doesn’t snow here.

Do you turn pale when you get sick? I’ve been told that.

Does it bother you to get shots in the mouth? Does it hurt? It’s not a pleasant experience. 

When did you last talk seriously with one of your parents? Yesterday. I talk with them everyday.

What is the day of the week currently? Wednesday. 

Is anything exciting coming up in the next three months? Christmastime.

Do you ever borrow money from someone? My parents or brother sometimes. Well, with my parents don’t expect it back, but I do pay back my brother.

Do you know anyone who tells every single thing you say? No. I used to know someone like that, though.

When did you last kiss someone on the cheek? Who was it? My Nana last year when they were here visiting.

Why do you think people like Lady Gaga so much? Ask ‘em.

Do you have a lot of enemies, or not so much? I don’t have any.

Can you count backwards from 100 without a mistake? Yeah.

Do you have any friends you’ve had since birth? My mom. ha.

Do you care if your friends talk badly about you? Uh, yeah I’d care if my friends talked badly about me. 

Would you rather drink out of a straw or just the cup alone? I use straws.

Does anyone ever say they miss you often? No.

Would you rather become a wizard or a vampire, if you had the choice? Neither.

Is there anyone out there who has made you feel miserable? No, my life and health do that.

Do you have a problem answering personal questions? Usually not on surveys. 

What color is the vacume-cleaner in your house? Black.

Have you already moved out of your parents’ house? No.

Are your parents divorced, married or seperated? They’ve never married, but they’re together and have been for over 30 years.

Have you ever thought you might just have obsessive compulsive disorder? No.

Do you think it’s rude to text someone else while on a date? If they were having an ongoing conversation and were totally into their phone, yes. 

What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? I’ve seen a lot of funny movies.

What are your views on our current president? It’s 2AM, let’s not get into that.

Has one of your websites ever quit operating or shut down? Were you sad? It sucked when Xanga shutdown. So many surveys I had on there. :(

Is it awkward to see your best friend’s parents out in public? My best friend is my mom, so no it wouldn’t be awkward to see my grandparents out in public. Unfortunately, both my maternal grandparents have passed away. :(

Who is the person you talk to the most in your house? My mom and brother.

Is there a television show out there that you never miss? >> I wouldn’t say never, but there are a few shows that I make a priority to keep up with. <<< Same. And if I do miss it, I go back and watch it when I can.

What movie have you seen too many times to be healthy? There’s a few movies I’ve seen countless times now because they’re on TV quite a bit. I genuinely like them, but the reason I’ve seen them so many times is because they’re on a lot. I like to have my TV on, which often serves as background noise, so if I see there’s a movie on I like I’ll put that on.

What are the last two digets of your phone number? Nah.

Does it creep you out to see people with mullets? It doesn’t creep me out, but I admit I don’t care for the hairstyle at all. Sorry. 

What is your biggest responsibility in your household? I don’t really have one?

How cold did it get where you live, last winter? Our winters get into the 30s (F) at night and low to mid 50s during the day. That’s really cold for us Californians who get triple digit weather during the summer and experience a lot of 80-90 degree weather. I love winter time.

Do you ever wish you could go back in time to redo something? So many things I’d like to change.

Ever accidentely pull out a filling from your tooth? I’ve lost some before.

Do you ever wonder what your exes are doing? Mostly just when asked about them in surveys, which is like all the time. 

Have you ever been caught in a huge lie with your parents? Yes.

Do you ever listen to the radio anymore? No. My parents and brother play their Spotify in their cars. Sometimes I’ll put mine on.

Does it bother you to have personal conversations with people? I just have a hard time with conversations like that.

Ever ride in a limo? When did you last do so? Yeah, several times. My dad used to drive limos when I was a kid. It was so cool.

Do any of your body parts hurt at this moment in time? Yes.

Are you sober at the time being? Yes.

Do any of your friends constantly do things to annoy you? My family does sometimes, ha. But I’m sure I’m annoying all the time. :/

When did you last eat a Starburst? What color was it? Wow, I don’t even know. It would have been quite a few years ago.

Have you ever lied to someone & said they could sing when they couldn’t? >> No. Also, I don’t really believe that singing is a thing you need to be “good” at in order to enjoy doing, so it doesn’t matter to me if someone’s singing sounds good to me or not. It’s something one can do simply for the joy of doing it. <<< That’s true. 

Do you ever call backstabbers out on what they do? I don’t know any, thankfully. I’m also not like a backstabber vigilante who goes around taking on backstabbers lol.

How many people in the world do you trust? A few. I don’t really have an issue with trust, I just have a hard time opening up and expressing myself. Like I said, personal, serious conversations that involve feelings and emotions are difficult for me.

[tcswritings]

Fate and fortune.

When Mick can’t get Mina, the fortune teller, out of his head the day after he met her, he decides to get a little support from a friend.

***

“I still can’t believe I’m up at this time on a Sunday.” Daryl groaned as he and Mick slendered past the colourful booths and trailers, breathing in the smell of roasted almonds and cotton candy. “Have you ever heard of ‘sleeping in’, man?”

“Aye, but you were so pissed ‘cause you couldn’t come yesterday, so I thought you might wanna join me today.” Mick replied cheerfully as the two now made their way through a little crowd of excited children, careful to not step on any little feet.

“Yesterday was Saturday!” Daryl moaned. “I would’ve hit up some beer cart, get pissed and have a great time, knowing I wouldn’t have to be at work the next day.”

“You have a serious problem, man. Try and enjoy yerself for once without a drop of booze or whatever-the-fuck-you’re-on-at-the-time some day, aye?”

“Yeah, maybe just stick your holier-than-though attitude up your arse, ‘cause if I remember correctly, you were pretty into whatever-the-fuck-I’m-on when-”

“Not the point.” Mick smiled lazily.

“My life is hard, Mick.” Daryl sighed dramatically. “Damn kids at university make me realise that I’m gettin’ old.”

“Yer twenty-six, hardly older than all of them. And I’m takin’ a wild guess here, maybe, but I think it’s yer hangover that makes you feel old right now.”

“It’s not a hangover!” Daryl sounded appalled. “I was at work yesterday, mind you. Only had a few beers with colleagues afterwards. You just don’t understand what it feels like not to be healthy and in shape like you are.”

“You’re cranky. Stop that, it ruins my mood.” Mick smiled to himself, his friend’s whining amused him greatly.

“It’s Sunday morning, what else could I be but cranky?” Daryl moaned as he looked around the place. “Where are we heading at, anyway?”

“Ah, nowhere. Just lookin’ around, y’know.” Mick shrugged and put his hands into his pockets.

“Nah, you’re not, you’re looking for something.”

“What makes ya think so?”

“You’re not even really looking at anything? You seem awfully determined.” Daryl nagged.

“Okay, I’m lookin’ for somethin’ then. Better said, someone. Here, wait.” Mick stopped right next to a little coffee cart and reached into the pocket of his jeans for his wallet. He opened it and pulled out a piece of pale pink paper, handing it to Daryl who unfolded it, read it and drew his eyebrows together.

“What’s this? Who’s Mina?”

“A fortune teller at this fair.” Mick replied a little absent-mindedly, as his eyes now wandered around the fairground.

“That raises a lot more questions than it answers, man.”

“What? Oh, yeah.” Mick snatched the note out of Daryl’s fingers again. “Declan had a funny moment yesterday and he dragged me into this fortune teller’s trailer.”

“What the hell?” Daryl raised an eyebrow. Declan wasn’t exactly known for believing in the fine arts of divination.

“Aye, that’s what I thought. Anyway, kinda expected some wrinkled old eerie hag inside, yanno, but she was young and cute. We talked, she told me some really weird things about myself and when we went back out, I found that paper in my pocket.”

“You wooed a fortune teller? Okay, that’s kind of cool? What weird things did she tell you about yourself that you didn’t know yet?”

“I’ll be damned if I know, didn‘t get half of it, to be honest, but the note says she wants to see me again and-”

“Wait. Are you saying that you’re taking me on a DATE with you?!” Daryl’s eyes went wide. “Mick, what the fuck?”

"It’s not a date!?”

“Oh god, do I really have to tell you how fucked up that is?!”

Mick rolled his eyes at his friend. “It’s not a date!”

“I wanna go back to bed!”

“It’s not a date, Daryl, just hear me out!”

“Do you need a chaperon for your first date? What the hell, why-”

“It’s not. a. date! ” Mick repeated impatiently. “I mean, there might be one, maybe but-”

“But you thought you’d take me first and... well, do what exactly?!”

“Do nothing. This is not a date and you’re not supposed to be a chaperon.”

“So you’re just taking me to randomly look at some hot woman or what?”

“You don’t even know what she looks like?”

“Oh c’mon, I know she’s hot. You always get the hot ones.” Daryl shrugged and crossed his arms, looking up and shooting his friend a challenging look.

“I didn’t get anyone. That's not what this is about.” 

“Is it that you saw her in twilight yesterday and now you wanna make sure she’s also hot during daylight before you ask her out?”

“What, Daryl-”

“ And when she’s not, you’re gonna introduce her to me?”

Squinting in disgust and also lost for words a little, Mick looked down at his friend. “You. are. sick."

“No, you. are. weird. Bringing me along to your dates now - yeah, yeah I know, it’s not a date. Just tell me already what I’m doing here, Michael!”

“Okay, alright!” Mick rolled his eyes. “Well, uhm. That’s a bit- well. Okay, I promise that it ain’t gonna be weird or so, just come an’ look at her for a bit, maybe?”

“Why?” Daryl shrugged. “You want a stamp of approval? I’m sure she’s smart and beautiful, they all are.”

“Exactly!”

At this point, Daryl was completely lost. “Okay, now you’re no longer making sense. Not that you ever do but-”

“That’s exactly the point, man! A smart and beautiful woman slips me a note, askin’ to see me again.”

“So...?”

“I can’t handle that. Y’ know my dating history is fucked up. It’s too much. I shut down, I need help.”

“Oh wow, so... basics, eh? Alright, when a girl and a boy like each other, they sometimes-”

“Daryl.” Mick sighed, closing his eyes in exasperation.

“Oh my god, sorry, I just can’t believe that you’re being so... I mean, are you trying to tell me that you’re...”

“Am what?”

“You’re insecure?! About a situation that’s so plain simple?”

“Hell yeah, of course I’m fuckin’ insecure!?”

“I don’t believe it.” Daryl let out a baffled laugh. “Elvenlike, six-foot-five pretty boy Mick O’Loughlin is insecure.”

“This ain’t about looks, man. It’s about...well, this.” Mick wiggled the note between his fingers. “When do things like that ever happen, eh? They certainly don’t happen to me? You know that. It’s a spoof, it must be. She’s a stunner and she was nice. What would she want with me? Huh? Maybe she was just takin’ a piss outta me yesterday!”

Daryl shot his friend a confused look. “Why would she? I mean, what reason could she even have?”

“I dunno! That’s the point, I don’t get women! Just come with me for five minutes, say hi and later tell me if ya think she looked genuinely interested or not. Can’t risk and judge the situation all by myself. I’m stupid. Ya know I’m stupid!”

“Well? You’re kinda giving off some really pathetic teenager vibes right now, I’ll give you that?”

“Aye, I know! How could I not? I can’t see any reason why any gal would do such a thing with me, okay?”

“Mick, what the fuck, that’s- that’s so sad, man.” Daryl sighed. “Maybe just think about it for a bit. She managed to slip a note into the pocket of your jeans without you noticing. That takes guts and some effort. Of course she’s interested!”

“Ya think?”

“Yeah! Besides, it’s usually you who’s good at reading body language. What’s wrong, are you broken or something?

“Somethin’ like that, aye?”

Mick let out a heavy breath, his eyes still wide in panic and Daryl realised that his friend was genuinely freaking out. There was a little pause and that’s when he understood.

To say he was truly broken was probably quite an overstatement but after all that happened to him in regards to dating matters, it was probably just a logical consequence that Mick felt as anxious as he did. Daryl still didn’t quite get behind the self-doubts but if it made his friend feel better, he would do him the favour, that was out of question.

“You like her, then?” he eventually asked.

“I dun’ know her but I liked the way she talked to me? Little weird, sure, but sweet. And she read my palm and what she read wasn’t all to bad, apparently, ‘cause she didn’t throw me outta her house. Uh, trailer, I mean, I dunno if she actually lives in that thing?”

“Makes sense.” Daryl nodded, suppressing a laugh. “Just one more thing. Taking me on this expedition and not, let’s say, Orla or someone who actually knows something about women... you’re desperate, huh?”

“Orla is busy with that weirdo Pete, Jessie is spending the weekend with Ann and I’m kinda fuckin’ desperate, aye.”

“I’m the last resort.” Daryl closed his eyes and put his hand over his heart. “I’m swooning with friendship feelings.”

“Nah, I’d still prefer ya over Declan in those matters, if that’s any consolation?”

“Yeah, he’s the worst, I gotta give myself that credit.”

“And hey, I don’t plan to go on any date today so we can later see him and Ash in the hospital and maybe hit up Rosamund’s afterwards.”

“Now we’re talking.” Daryl nodded again and gave Mick a pat on his shoulder. “Okay, I’m in. Let’s go and look at your lady and pretend we’re just passing by.”

Mick closed his eyes and let out a relieved sigh, putting his hands together and bowing slightly. “Thanks.”

“Hey, if you blow this again, can I have her?”

“Not funny.”

“Too soon? Sorry. C’mon, let’s find her.”

***

Mina Malone sat in her rocking chair on the little front porch of her mother’s old trailer. It had just started raining, just a little, but the large and colourful parasol that was fitted to the porch’s railing served her as reliable rain protection and the slight breeze made the little windbells over the trailer’s entrance door chime and the lovely sound of it as well as the soothing bickering of the raindrops made Mina feel very content and peaceful. She had always liked the rain and it’s sound, and she could never quite comprehend why most people avoided going outside on a rainy day while it could be so refreshing.

Of all seasons, Mina had always loved autumn most and there was a chance that her favourite time of the year could even get a little more exciting this year than she had anticipated so far. Her mind wandered back to the handsome stranger who had visited her trailer yesterday, together with his friend. Smiling to herself, she turned the page of the magazine she was reading, wondering if he had already found her note. He must have; she had made sure to slip it into the pocket where he kept his cigarettes. (Unless he had made the decision to quit smoking the moment he left, but Mina highly doubted it.)

While his friend seemed to be of the loud and attention-seeking kind, the young man she had laid her eyes on striked her as unassuming, quiet and thoughtful, despite his impressive stature. He was very tall and lean and he had an unusual, handsome face and the colour of his eyes was out of this world. She wondered whether he was aware of his charisma. Probably not; he seemed generally confused when she addressed him; as if he was used to people going for his outspoken friend first, which she couldn’t comprehend at all. Not to say that the friend left a bad impression but it was certainly not him who had drawn her right in. 

A man’s husky voice interrupted Mina’s thoughts.

“Excuse me? Miss? Are you the hot fortune teller?”

“Daryl, what the fuck?” another man’s voice hissed. A slightly deeper, fuller voice which startled her - she had heard the voice and the accent not too long ago.

Frowning, Mina looked up from her magazine and turned her head. She spotted two tall figures standing several metres away from her trailer, huddling together under a black umbrella and expectantly looking up at her. One of the two had an unruly mane of bright red hair and he was all clad in black and when she eventually recognised the other man, her heart skipped a beat.

It was him. Her green-eyed stranger from yesterday.

Thank you, fate, I owe you big time!

Trying to hide her excitement, Mina put her magazine away and stood up from her chair. When she leaned on the porch’s reiling, she smiled down at the two. “Who wants to know?”

“I do! Oh, and I brought back your boyfriend!” the redhead pointed to his friend, who closed his eyes in what seemed to be embarrassment.

“Oh my god.” he groaned and Mina had to swallow down a laugh.

He looked just as adorable as she remembered him.

“Well, I am a fortune teller!” she eventually said. “Not sure about the ‘hot’, though.”

“Well, I was brought here to confirm that you are.” the redhead nodded, and he held up his hand, his thumb and index finger forming an ‘O’ which earned him a firm slap to the back of his head from his friend.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ.” Handsome Stranger hissed.

“Ow, what? Isn’t that why you brought me here in first place-”

“You were supposed to look, not fuckin’ talk!”

“I always talk, what exactly made you think this would be an exception?”

Mina crossed her arms in amusement as she watched the two guys banter for a while until she decided to chime in again. She leaned forward on the reiling.

“Can I help you two with something, maybe?” she beamed. “Some palm reading? Tarot cards? Meditation? I’m not so good with crystal balls, but they’re not reliable anyway. Too foggy.”

The ginger man laughed at the remark but Handsome Stranger still seemed reluctant.

“I dunno, I just kinda-” He paused, apparently at a loss of how to go on.

“You just kinda came by to say hello?” Mina suggested with a warm, inviting smile, leaning a little further over the reiling.

He smiled back. “Aye, I guess?”

“You could’ve called? I left you my number. In a really old-school manner that I’m very proud of, by the way.”

“Aye, I know. It’s just that...” Handsome Stranger bit his lip and looked over to his friend, then back up at her. “Uhm. Don’t- please don‘t make me explain that.” 

How cute can someone even be? “Don’t worry, I won’t. I’m happy you’re here! You two want a drink? I just made some tea!”

“Actually,” the redhead said, “I still have a few things to do.” He turned to his friend. “How about I go and see Declan and we meet in the bar later this evening?”

“I dunno, I said I would join you-”

“Mick, I am being your best friend in the world right now. Don’t be stupid.” The ginger friend smiled and reached up to give her stranger - Mick - an encouraging pat on the back. “Later then! ‘t was a pleasure, Miss Mina!” he called up at her before he snatched the umbrella out of Mick’s hand, waved the two goodbye and took off.

Mina and Mick looked after him for a few moments and when he eventually turned around again, Mick let out an apologetic sigh.

“I’m sorry, he’s a bit of a, uh... a bit of a weirdo.”

“He seems kind of eccentric, yeah?” Mina laughed and nodded. “I like that.”

“Well, good for me, I guess?”

“So. Mick. That’s really your name?”

“Michael, actually. Everyone calls me Mick, though. Please- please do. Any time someone calls me Michael, it feels like my mother calls me out for some shit I did.”

Mina let out a hearty laugh. “Okay? It’s cute, I like it. So, you wanna stay down there and get soaked or do you wanna come up and keep me company?”

“That depends.” Mick bit his lip as he eventually approached the porch and casually put his arms up on the reiling. “Uhm. Seems like you got cozy on yer porch but, I dunno, would y’ join me out there? At the fair, I mean?” He pointed back into the direction he came from.

“So, you don’t wanna talk to me?”

“Nah, yeah, I do, it’s just that I’m much better at these things when I don’t have to sit still and focus.” Seeing Mina’s slightly confused expression, he quickly added: “Okay, well, uh, that came out wrong, it’s not that I don’t wanna listen to you, it’s, uh, well...” He eventually let out a little sigh. “Okay, let’s just say I’m eccentric, too.”

“Funny, I had a feeling right away.” Mina replied with a little smirk. “Well, I think I can close the trailer for an hour or so? It’s almost lunch after all and it doesn’t take a whole lot to foretell that I’m gonna be hungry soon... alright, I’d love to join you for a little stroll!”

“You have an umbrella?”

“Won’t need one.”

“But it’s raining and Daryl - I mean, my weird friend - just took mine.”

“It’ll stop in a bit, I’m sure. And I have a hood, see?” Mina turned her back at Mick for a moment, showing off her purple hoodie.

“Well, that should do it.” he smiled, secretly admiring her shape. “You come down here?”

“Of course.”

Mick held out his hand to her. Being smitten with his little gesture of chivalry, she placed hers in it and lightly hopped down the few stairs.

“Take me away, stranger!”

***

The Dirty Deed was about half full at six thirty in the evening. Busy murmur as well as the cheerful clinking of glasses filled the air and Daryl had been half-listening to his fast-rambling friend for a good while now. Orla was pouring her heart out to him about her current... he couldn’t quite remember as what exactly she referred to him, probably ‘boyfriend’, but he couldn’t be sure. It was hardly a real conversation anyway, Orla did most of the talking, while he just nodded and “Hmm!”ed in the what he hoped to be right moments and while Daryl usually enjoyed Orla’s views on men and, above all, her insight into the female mind a lot, his mind just kept drifting off today. 

“... and well, I guess Peter and I are kind of official now?”

“Hmm.” Daryl nodded.

“I mean, I dunno. Would you say we are?!”

“What? Uhm, isn’t that something you’re supposed to know?”

“Yeah, sure, it’s just-“ Orla stopped and made a face when Daryl picked up his phone for the umpteenth time today and she had to admit that she was a little irritated by his lack of attention by now. 

“Why are you checking your phone every five minutes?” Orla nudged Daryl’s side, trying to get a glimpse at his phone’s screen.

“Waiting for a message.” Daryl replied, holding the phone out of Orla’s reach as she tried to snatch it away.

“Yeah, d’uh, I figured? A message from whom?”

“Mick.”

“Why are you wating for a message from Mick?”

Daryl looked over to Orla now. “Why are you asking stupid questions? he’s my friend, he’s allowed to message me?”

“Yeah, I know, I’m friends with him, too, but I’m not waiting for him to randomly message me on a Sunday while I’m talking about stuff to another friend?!”

“Who said it’s random? I just wanna know how his date went, that’s all.”

“What? What date?” Orla frowned.

“Did someone say date? Who’s on a date?” Rosamund called as she hurried over from the other side of the bar, where she had just handed a few other guests their drinks. She leaned on the counter, very eager to absorb every bit of gossip from her favourite young guests.

“Holy shit, her hearing ability is insane.” Daryl muttered but Orla wasn’t going to drop the subject.

“No one’s on a date?” she said to Rosamund. “I mean, I’d know if Mick was dating, wouldn’t I?”

“Not if he only met her yesterday, after you took off!”

“Mick is dating?” Rosamund exclaimed cheerfully, clapping her hands in excitement.

“He’s not dating!” Orla insisted. “He’d tell me first!”

“Yeah well, maybe he didn’t want to disturb you while you were busy fucking Pizza Pete last night.”

“Daryl, that’s-”

“Oh my god. I need to know everything!” Rosamund blatantly interrupted Orla. “Who is she? How did they meet? Was it love at first sight? Oh wait, you guys have been to the fair yesterday, right? He didn’t even tell me that he met someone while he was here last night!”

“Because he hasn’t!” Orla interfered firmly but Rosamund didn’t pay attention to her.

“Oh my god, did they just bump into each other in front of a balloon cart? Did their eyes meet? Oh damn, it would take a really tall girl to meet Mick’s eyes just like that. Is she tall?”

Daryl made a face at the barkeeper. “You seem particularly interested in Mick’s love life. No offense, Rose, but that’s extremely weird.”

“Ah, no, come on, lad, you’re weird.” Rosamund snapped. “All I’m sayin’ is that he deserves being happy for once. Don’t you think? He’s too precious to die alone.”

“Like he can’t be happy on his own!?” Orla grumbled. “Alright, enough of this nonsense. Daryl, once and for all, if Mick was really dating, I’d be the first to know! He’s my best friend, mind you.”

“And I’m telling you that, for once, I happen to know more than you do!” Daryl grinned at his friend, speaking slowly, savouring every moment of the - admittedly - rather unusual circumstance.

Just when Orla tried to come up with a clever comeback, Daryl’s phone buzzed. All three simultaneously turned their heads and stared at the device on the counter. Daryl picked the phone up and unlocked it and when he saw that the two women were still curiously staring at him, he frowned.

“Some privacy, please?!” He turned around on his bar stool, away from Orla and Rosamund. “You two are worse than my mother, Jesus Christ.” he muttered, only to let out a pretty un-daryl-esque squeal of joy in the next moment. “Hah! It’s him. He’ll be here in a minute. Ask him yourself when he gets here, I already said too much anyway.”

“Yeah, and once he gets here, we’ll all see that you’ve been trying to wind us up with this whole ‘Mick is dating’ crap.” Orla snorted, picking up her empty glass and holding it out to the barkeeper.

Rosamund took the glass and dug out the bottle of ginger ale from under the bar.

“Orla dear,” she began as she poured her guest a new drink, “you’re not suggesting that our boy can’t find himself a lady, eh? ‘Cause that would be kinda cruel, considering that the two of you are oh-so-best friends and supposed to see the best in each other?”

“Ah, come on, that’s not what I meant?” Orla replied. “It’s just... I know he doesn’t open up just like that. Not right after he met someone. It took Leila weeks to win him over!”

“Yeah, that was because Leila is Leila.” Daryl said. “You know better, Orla, and you know it just takes the right person sometimes and, I dunno, correct me if I’m wrong but I’m kinda getting a feeling here that you merely... well, how am I supposed to say this - “ he made a dramatic pause, “- hate the thought that he might open up to a lady who is not you?”

Rosamund snorted as she handed Orla back her freshly filled glass.

“Whoa, that’s bullshit?” Orla snapped back and also shot the barkeeper an offended look. “If he found someone like that, well... I’d be happy for him, of course!”

“Well, here’s your chance to tell him just that!” Daryl said as he stretched a little to look over Orla’s head through the hallway to the pub’s entrance. He waved over to Mick who had just stepped inside, shaking off the rain and taking off his jacket, hanging it up on one of the little hooks in the hallway.

“Fuckin’ rain, man.” Mick grumbled as he hurried inside, leaning over the counter to Rosamund who greeted him with a kiss to his cheek that he returned.

“Ugh, you’re soaked.” the barkeeper shuddered but eventually smiled warmly at him. “Why, hello handsome. The usual?”

“Nah, I’ll have a coke.” Mick answered as he also gave his friends some heartfelt hugs and he took the seat on the right next to Daryl.

“Sorry I took your umbrella earlier.” Daryl said sheepishly as he looked at Mick whose hair was really dripping wet.

“Aye, that was a bit of an arsehole move.” Mick nodded and he thanked Rosamund as she handed him his drink, raising the glass and taking a large sip. The glass still at his mouth, he looked around and noticed that the three of them were staring at him expectantly for some weird reason. He frowned and lowered his glass a little.

“Why are y'all lookin’ at me like that?”

“Nothing? Drink up, laddie.” Rosamund said.

“Yeah, it’s nothing!” Orla shook her head, trying to sound as casual as possible. “Just happy to see you.”

“Ugh, no, come on.” Mick groaned, rolling his eyes at Daryl. “You told them.”

“I, uh, kind of did, yeah.”

“Why would you do that?!”

“They made me do it!” Daryl shrugged, and both Rosamund and Orla gasped.

“OY, don’t blame this on us, y’ nasty little fucker?!” Rosamund protested.

“Yeah, you could’ve thought of an excuse when I asked you what you were doing with your phone earlier? Instead you just-” She paused, looking like she just got hit by a truck. “Wait. Does that mean- wait, so you actually met someone?” she asked Mick.

“Can we not talk about this right now?” Mick groaned, lighting himself a cigarette. “I just got here, lemme have my drink in peace.”

“Please tell me you two screwed your brains out, ‘cause she totally looked like she was up for that!” Daryl said.

“What is wrong with you?!” Mick shot back, sounding exhausted and looking like he was battling a giant headache. Daryl could have that effect on people at times.

“It’s why I left you guys alone, man, she was looking at you like she was ready to-”

“Please, for fuck’s sake. leave me alone. All of you.”

There was silence for a few moments and, surprisingly, it was Mick himself who broke it again.

“Okay. Y’all listen. Aye, I met someone. Yesterday. No, we did not screw our brains out and yes, I’m gonna meet ‘er again. On Tuesday, to be exact. She seems really great and I don’t wanna blow it before it even started and that’s all I have t' say for now.”

Rosamund clapped her hands again, looking more than statisfied. “That’s some good news, laddie. I’ll drink to that later. Oi, I can’t wait to tell Elias-”

“Nah, yer not gonna tell anyone, especially not Father Moore. Any time I date, or try to date someone, happens seldom anyway, he always looks at me like I’m gonna pull a Declan and get meself some illegitimate hellspawn, just because it’s cool.” Mick paused and bit his lip again. “... and that sounded really horrible, y’know, given the circumstances. Dammit.”

“It’s alright, lad. We know you didn’t mean it like that.” Rosamund assured him.  “The wee one will be back on his lil’ feet in no time, we all know it.” she insisted, her voice firm, as she poured all three of them as well as herself new drinks. “Hey, you’re awfully quiet, dear!” she eventually said to Orla.

“Huh? Oh. Yeah, I just... sorry, I was lost in thoughts.” Orla smiled and raised her glass. “To Ash, eh?”

“To Ash.” the other three nodded in agreement, clinking their glasses together.

There was another moment of silence until Rosamund decided to approach the lighter subject again.

“Alright, just one more thing!” she looked back at Mick who already prepped himself up to utter some more heartfelt protest. “No, don’t roll your eyes at me, this is important. Did you at least kiss her, laddie? ‘Cause, if you ask me, that’s a must in the early stage of dating. You can’t date someone without knowing if you click in that area?!”

Caught off guard by the question, Mick let out a surprised laugh. When Rosamund and also Daryl kept looking at him expectantly, he merely gave a little shrug and smiled down into his glass.

(... to be edited/polished/continued! Just had to get this off my chest now ‘cause I was in a mood. :3)

[qdtquietdownthere]

Day 11- A day of reflecting in an art gallery and painting, glueing and giggling in the sun.

Day 11

The waking up process, if it can be called a process, is the trickiest part of the residency actually. Waking up in your own bed, in Tottenham, seeing your flatmates, talking about the day ahead. It is a different world. I have to go from that, to the tube, then be in Pimlico. To this new, yet familiar place of comfort. What is the most exhausting is this point of change and transition- waking up in the life you are used to then diving into a day of fresh, exiting, uncertainty. No one really understands whats going on, and no one really wants to listen to me describing every detail of my day. I do not think this is something I would enjoy to do either. It’s lonesome in this sense. A temporary community which no one else is experiencing. That is so special though. I feel useful, like my existence and participation means something. 

I am very aware it is ending. Second last day. I am so comfortable now.

I walk around the area following a gentle map. I have walked these streets before. The Thames, the Bridge, the view of brutal Battersea, the tiny parks and the contrasts. There are so many contrasting textures, architecture and people. An area of extreme wealth, and then a definite lack of it. I feel uncomfortable with it at points. In my favourite park which sits just behind Tate Britain I watch a very wealthy man spend half an hour with a puppy trainer and his pedigree puppy. He tells me they have traveled from Devon. There is a visible contrast when you look for it. You can maybe hear it more than you can see it. I hear coffee orders which are 3 minutes long, decaf, soy, skinny milk. At the community centre in Churchill Gardens a cup of tea will always be milk and one sugar. I wonder where I sit in this pool of people, I wonder where other people see me belonging.

CCA is based next to Tate Britain and I try to go in to see the degree show but I am told it ended last week. There aren't many students around, ever. The whole time I have been in Pimlico I haven't noticed anyone who jumped out to me as looking like a student (whatever that means). I guess they have all gone home for summer. Over the past week I have seen a few Chinese students, as I guess flying home at such a high price isn't necessarily an option for international students. I wonder about the loneliness of living in this city when your purpose of being here is to purely be a student. I did my undergraduate at Leeds and it was the loneliest time for me. Sometimes I would walk to town, to the big Boots and back, just to get out, see people and feel like I was a part of what everyone else was doing. I worked all through university but I didn't really hang out with work friends, and with a class size of 10, well, there wasn't much social life going on. I wish I had gone out more, joined societies. Even if they didn't interest me, I should have pushed myself. I was nineteen and maybe I was shy, but I think what kept me being lonely was a reluctancy to say I was lonely to anyone apart from my family and friends who all lived back home in Edinburgh. I think about the mother I met during the babies library session at Victoria Library and how she was frustrated there were no classes on for her thirteen year old son. Kids don't want to look uncool, and I think this can continue for some people into university. There is a pool of opportunity in this pool of young people who are desperate to engage in a world, but scared and uncertain how to. No one whats to stand out from the self conscious crowd of teenagers and there is opportunity in making activities which both work with, and eradicate this. 

I walk across the courtyard from CCA and find a different art show; “Observer: John Latham and the Distant Perspective”. Latham’s body of work explores derelict land outside of Edinburgh and was developed from an artist placement with the Scottish Development Agency. The three month long artist residences took place in different locations, from industrial settings such as fishing villages to a residency exploring the mental health care service (https://mapmagazine.co.uk/john-latham-incidental-person). What was the desired outcome of these residencies? Well, the hope was that by involving an artist, “his creative intelligence or imagination can spark off ideas, possibilities and actions” ultimately benefiting development projects in Scotland (Lyddon, 2007). When the committee introducing Latham to the project asked if the artist was going to solve problems, Lyddon replied “No, the artist is going to show us problems we didn't know were there”. In the end, if there is ever an end to a body of work, Latham decided to explore the area in Midlothian from an areal perspective, or ‘from the distance’. It was from this, and through interacting intensely with archival aerial photography from the area, he was able to map out distinctive land features from the shale industry and turn these into a piece of re-conceived monumental, or sculptural work. The act of doing this changes how the public interact with the local landscape. I find the work fascinating and oh so funny to have stumbled into work made in this context during my time doing the residency in Churchill Gardens. I haven't continued to read into the work of Latham, but it has brought up interesting ideas as to how perspectives of place, how history, and fresh eyes can have an impact on how individuals engage with space. I think of how my view of the streets have changed since I began engaging in the area. How the image of a street morphs the more you walk down it. How the build up of memories connected to place erode and evolve as you step away then interact with them again. I am lucky to know these streets now and I get an overwhelming sense to draw them. Once again I'm excited by the power of naming, of bringing into the spotlight, places or people to create a transformative effect on how we engage with them. As I have been unable to draw or make during my time on the residency, I have taken up naming and writing lists of names instead. My diary has one section which includes as many names I can remember from all the people I have interacted with since my time in and around Pimlico and Churchill Gardens. Drawing cements and validates a memory or idea through the act of mark making, and I believe the power of naming and writing these names validates all the connections I have had to people over the course of the two weeks. I have found this at least itches my little creative scratch. Or rather, it scratches my creative itch.

In the afternoon I return to the Thamesbank Centre to volunteer with Shambush as part of the South west festival. With children from the surrounding housing estates, Shambush are holding creative making events in local community centres to try and create a way for children to engage with art and their neighbouring communities. We work to a brief which is to design, paint and glue onto paper ‘solar panels’ these of space, which will later be put together and secured to a huge metal structure and presented as a space shuttle in the gardens of Tate Britain. For each making event a child attends in their local area, they receive a stamp on their ‘space engineer passport’. It is a fantastic idea and I find it so exciting to hear that there is an activity in place to connect these very separate housing estates which tend to never really mix. When speaking to both Shambush and the local children who come to do the making session, it is apparent that Tate Britain is another world to this community. Im not surprised. It is a twenty minute walk away, yet completely inaccessible as a cultural engagement. This is sad but a very real reality.  Fine art is most easily digested by those with the confidence to enter into the gallery space and those with the education to understand how to interact with it. 

The kids are wonderful and messy and giggly and I laugh a lot with two girls in particular. We are silly and happy and I feel in my element. I feel so lucky to be in this space making with such interesting and wonderful kids. A group of boys come over and make maths themed solar panels. One boy manages to name every dwarf planet in our solar system and I feel very stupid when I talk about the ‘fire hurricanes on Venus’ (he probably knows the scientific latin name for them). Its so great how the space works. We are outside, the sun is shining, kids come and go and there is a real sense that we are in the heart of the community. We are on Peabody estate on Tachbrook Avenue so the street is lined by beautiful tall flats. In its centre is the park which is connected to the community centre, so every flat can watch down on us. I speak to one boy who is in year 5 and he says because of the park he has lots of friends who are older and younger than him. It is a place for all ages. 

Throughout the day only two parents come and talk to us and engage with the activities. Its a shame because so often it is the parents who are cautious and scared to venture out and try new things, and go new places which ultimately gets passed down to the kids. When we age we tend to view creativity as something that we have or we don't have. The older we get the more we become aware that we can or cannot draw. The older we get the more we isolate ourselves from activities and places we don't feel comfortable, or that accentuate the fact we cant draw, or paint or act. The kids seem to want to come to Tate when we tell them their work will be shown there, but unfortunately that isn't enough, it is about the parents. Pimlico toy library was great for this, and Shelia was really passionate that she was creating a space which was confidence building for parents. This is vital. 

The children power through the activities and start getting a little bored. I suggest making some space themed origami fortune tellers. Im worried that maybe I should have asked before doing this but Shambush are lovely and energetic about getting stuck in and keeping busy. The kids seem to love it and I get a real sense of right. I don't really know how to describe it. I feel in my element. This is huge for me and something which means the world when you're at the start of a career as a young artist who is still trying to find her feet. I wouldn't have had the means to experience bringing ideas to a children's art session before this and I feel so lucky that I am in this position. I feel validated that it is met with so much enthusiasm. 

The afternoon wizzes past. The father of the two girls who I had spent a lot of time with is brought down by his carer to go to the park. From the top floor flat their mother calls them up to go and help with caring for the neighbours. They give me lots of cuddles goodbye and run off with hands covered in glue and crisps. I cant help but think about what a potentially tricky life they must have, but how wonderful and giggly they are. I wish I could meet their mother and tell her how great they have been. How great all the kids have been. I leave and have a little cry down the phone to my friend because I'm so sad it has ended. It felt pivotal for me as just me, as someone who is unsure of my next steps, of what areas of work I would like to pursue. It is because of this afternoon, and because of this residency that I have been given this opportunity and this space to gain confidence and experience in wonderful exciting and giggle fuelled roles. 

Today is one of the best days I have had. Volunteering gives the residency a whole new level as i feel I'm working as part of a service which is effecting change. This is something I have a growing need to do. Its a wonderful thing that these two great volunteering opportunities with Shambush and the food distribution with Mike happened on my last few days. I feel I am more ready for them at this stage. I think about the residency ending, but on a larger scale, I think about goodbyes. I am not very good at them. I am home and I'm writing lots, I will have vegetable ratatouille for tea and I am going to have a gin and tonic too, because the sun is shining and I am happy. Big day tomorrow. Sad day. Big day. Last day. 

[pseudonym-lux]

Character Questionnaire - Astrid Turner

Basic Character Questions. 1. First name     Astrid 2. Surname     Turner 3. Age When writing the journal: eighteen During the events in the journal: five, ten, sixteen, seventeen

Physical / Appearance 1. Height     5′6 2. Weight    115lbs. 3. Build     Athletic/hourglass, lean and a little muscular 4. Hair colour     Black 5. Hairstyle     Loose, or tied back out of her face 6. Eye colour     Brown 7. Scars     Plenty. Left thigh, right ankle and right arm from her mother. Many others from her many fights with rogue vampires. Most are hidden beneath her clothes 8. Type of clothes     Edgy. Leather jackets, anything black unless it’s a dress or skirt. Ripped jeans. Combat boots. 9. Are they in good health?     Well aside from not having a heartbeat and being half-dead, I would say so.

Personality 1. Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?     Pessimistic without a shadow of a doubt. 2. Are they introverted or extroverted?     Introverted. 3. What bad habits do they have?     Keeping secrets. 4. Mental Handicaps     Minor PTSD. 5. How do they want to be seen by others?     As strong, like she can handle anything the world throws at her even if it should crush her under the weight of it. 6. How do they see themselves?     She knows she’s a generally closed off and distrustful person 7. What is their greatest fear?     She won’t be able to protect the people she loves, that her secrets will get the hurt or killed or something even worse 8. What are their biggest secrets?     That she hunts vampires, doesn’t have a heartbeat and is a Vampire-Human hybrid. 9. When was the last time they cried?     When she killed her mother and watched her burn up from the garlic oil she injected into her. 10. What haunts them?       Killing her mother. 11. If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?       Her knowledge of vampires and hybrid status.

Friends and Family 1. Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?     She has a small family. It consists of her grandparents. 2. What is their perception of family?     It’s important and you should never take it for granted that you have one. You never know when they’ll be taken from you forever. 3. Describe their best friend.      Well, you see, she has two, so I will describe both of them. Hazel Warner is a ray of sunshine. She is bubbly and sweet and kind and the person you go to when you don’t know what to do and just need someone to lean on or listen. Theo Beckett is the defiant jock stereotype. He cares about his friends and is actually really smart and good at school and wants to be a good person. 4. Ideal best friend?     Combine Hazel and Theo into one person. 5. Describe their other friends.     Ha. Funny. You think she is capable of having more friends. But I suppose that this is the category that Lonnie would fall under. Alonzo “Lonnie” Bonilla is an approximately 300-year-old vampire that was friends with Astrid’s father, Malcolm, and is a reformed vampire that helps to reform other vampires as well.

Past and Future 1. What was your character like as a baby? As a child?     She was a very sweet baby and child (up until 5 that is). 2. Did they grow up rich or poor?     Neither. Maybe upper middle class. 3. Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?     She was nurtured for sure. Her parents were very loving and her grandparents were as well. 4. What is their greatest achievement?     The fact that I can’t think of one is very sad. 5. What was their first kiss like?      She hasn’t had it yet. 6. What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?      Killed them. 7. What advice would they give their younger self?     Life is a shitstorm. But you will survive it. 8. What smells remind them of their childhood?     Blood. Ice cream parlours. 9. What was their childhood ambition?     To be a ballerina. 10. What is their best childhood memory?     Running around in the backyard on a sunny day with both her parents. 11. What is their worst childhood memory?     Watching her father be killed. 12. Strongest childhood memory?     Watching her dad cut a vampire’s throat, choking on the blood spray and then having to watch as another vampire then killed her dad.

Love 1. Do they believe in love at first sight?     She did when she was little but doesn’t anymore. 2. Are they in a relationship?     Nope. 3. When did your character last have sex?

4. What sort of sex do they have?

5. Has your character ever been in love?     Nope. 6. Have they ever had their heart broken?     By someone she’s romantically interested in? Nope.

Conflict 1. How do they respond to a threat?     Not well. By trying to fight it. 2. Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?     FISTS. 3. What is your character’s kryptonite?     Her friends and family. 4. If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?     Saying thing implies this to be a material item, not a person, so she would save her book on vampire lore. Since this is her house that would mean all the photos of her parents would be at her grandparents' house and that would be the only other thing she would try to save. 5. How do they perceive strangers?     With distrust. 6. What are their phobias?     Atychiphobia - Fear of failure (failing her friends and family)     Autophobia - Fear of being alone (losing her loved ones and having no one)     Heliophobia - Fear of the sun (instinctual, she knows it’s bullshit)     Iatrophobia - Fear of doctors (she was poked and prodded a lot by doctors as a kid)     Nosocomephobia - Fear of hospitals (again, she spent a lot of bad time in the hospital) 7. What is their choice of weapon?     Typically a stake, but she also really likes knives. 8. Have they ever been bullied or teased?     Pity the fool who tries.

Work, Education and Hobbies 1. What is their current job?     Vampire Hunter. 2. What do they think about their current job?     It doesn’t pay, like, at all, but the job satisfaction is high and it’s a good way to get her anger out in a productive manner. 3. What are their hobbies?     … vampire hunting 4. Educational background?     She hasn’t graduated from high school yet. 5. Intelligence level?     I mean, she’s no genius protege but she’s smart for sure. 6. Do they have any specialist training?     Does knowing how to kill vampires count? 7. Do they play a sport? Are they any good?     No and No.

Favourites 1. What place would they most like to visit?     Literally anywhere warm and sunny because that brings the likelihood of encountering a vampire down to practically zero. 2. What is their favourite colour?     Black. 3. What is their favourite day of the week?     Friday. 4. What is their favourite food?     Doritos.

Possessions 1. What is in their fridge?     Food. Beverages. Probably lunch meat, cheese, lettuce, assorted fruits and veggies, juice of some kind or another, milk, leftovers. 2. What is on their bedside table?     Probably Doritos. 3. What is in their bin?     Crumpled paper, wrappers, empty Dorito bags. 4. What is in their purse or wallet?     Not a lot. The essentials mostly (ID, debit card, cash, points cards/gift cards). She has a stamp/rewards/etc. card for the ice cream parlour as well that she always carries with her. 5. What is their most treasured possession?     The book of Vampire Lore she got from Lonnie.

Spirituality 1. Who or what is your character’s guardian angel?     Ha. 2. Do they believe in the afterlife?     She wishes that she could. 3. What are their religious views?     If, and this is a big if, there’s a God out there, he’s abandoned Earth. 4. What do they think heaven is?     She doesn’t think there is one. 5. What do they think hell is?     Her life? 6. Are they superstitious?     Not generally. 7. What would they like to be reincarnated as?     She doesn’t want to be reincarnated. 8. How would they like to die?     Peacefully.

Values 1. What do they think is the worst thing that can be done to a person?     Being turned into a Vampire. 2. What is their view of ‘freedom’?     Having the choice to do what you please, when you please, without having to worry that the potential consequences could cost someone their life or cause an injury or something else bad to happen. 3. When did they last lie?     She told her friends she imagined the “man” (vampire) that she saw watching them. 4. What’s their view of lying?     Sometimes it’s necessary to protect people and keep them from worrying.

Daily life 1. What are their eating habits?     Doritos. 2. Do they have any allergies?     Nope. 3. Describe their home.     Homey? Cluttered in a “lived in” sort of way. Cozy. 4. Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?     Whatever the middle of that spectrum is. 5. What is the soft drink of choice?     Dr. Pepper

Miscellaneous 1. Who is their hero?     Her dad. 2. What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?     She wouldn’t if it were up to her. 3. Are they comfortable with technology?     She’s a teenager living in 2017. She’s very comfortable with technology. 4. If they could save one person, who would it be?     Her dad. 5. If they could call one person for help, who would it be?     Lonnie. 6. What is their greatest regret?     If she had to pick one, maybe killing her mother. But even if it’s something she is haunted by doing, she doesn’t necessarily regret it. 7. What is their perception of redemption?     It’s very possible, but it takes a lot of work and effort to truly redeem yourself. 8. Do they believe in happy endings?     Not really. 9. What is their idea of perfect happiness?     No Vampires and her parents are alive. 10. What would they ask a fortune teller?     To fuck off. She doesn’t believe in fortune tellers. 11. If your character could travel through time, where would they go?     Back to when her father was killed. 12. If they could have a superpower, what would they choose?     She would trade her “superpowers” for a normal life any day.

[tefltraininginstitute]

Please Mind The ___________ Gap (with Matt Courtois)

We speak with one of our favorite guests, __________ about _____________. An antidote to free talk activities, _____________ are a great way to get students to _______, listen to each other and ___________. ___________ activities can even be used in teacher training. Listen to fill in the _______.

 Tracy Yu: Hello, everyone. Welcome to our podcast. Today, we invite our regular podcast guest Matt Courtois.

 Matt Courtois: Hey, I'm a regular guest now.

 Ross Thorburn: Actually it's been pretty irregular for the last six months, but I think you're probably our most prolific guest.

 Matt: I'm honored.

 Ross: You should be.

 [laughter]

 Matt: I'm honored to be back again.

 Ross: It's awesome to have you back. I thought it would be cool today for us to talk about gaps which force students to talk to each other.

 You were talking earlier about doing a teacher training on this topic. What made you choose that as a topic for teacher training where you work?

 Matt: Through some classroom observations and my new company, I'd noticed that in every class there's going to be mixed levels of students. I found as a teacher whenever you would just ask students an open question and say discuss with your partner, the same thing happens every time where that confident student tends to be more proficient, but not necessarily.

 The more confident student in the pair starts talking immediately and the other one gets more and more lost. They aren't necessarily listening to what the student is saying. Maybe they don't understand what the student is saying and they don't stop and try to understand.

 Maybe they're trying to think of what they're going to be saying next. While one person is talking the other person has to be listening, but they aren't necessarily listening if they don't have to.

 Ross: How about we divide our discussion into two parts? We can talk about why information gaps are useful. What's the point in having them? Then we can go on and discuss some examples.

 Why are information gaps useful?

 Tracy: The information gap provides the students a reason to complete it and also relate it to their motivation. For example, I'm so curious to find out the answers when I'm doing it.

 Then that's naturally just try to increase their motivation during this learning process. Another thing is maybe, I don't know, provides extended opportunity for them to practice or develop soft skills. For example, you have to clarify something from each other, right?

 Ross: You have to check the information that you've perceived is what you think it is, right?

 Tracy: Yeah. It's not just only one skill involved in this kind of either activities or tasks. There are so many things happening in the same time.

 Ross: How about we start with that before we go into any more detail? What's an information gap?

 Matt: I'll give you mine. We can go one by one and see who has the best definition, I suppose. I've explained it as whenever in pair work you give one student some information that the other student needs to figure out.

 Maybe that information is given to them in the form a picture. You can give that student a picture and the other student doesn't get to see the picture. You can give the student some text and the other student doesn't get to see it.

 Maybe you can rely on the students' personal lives. If I have to interview Tracy about her upbringing, you can assume that one student doesn't know everything about the other student. I need to learn that information from Tracy.

 Tracy: I'm just thinking about information gap. It might be easy for people to fall into the trap like, "Oh, I have to deliberately create gaps when they're communicating." It's quite dangerous actually just my pupil is trying to create gaps. When actually it's really about...It's the information that the people need to complete the task or the activity in the classroom is genuine or is real life related.

 For example, jigsaw reading. You want to find out what happened in different part of the story, like I want to know more information, like the characters.

 Ross: What's a jigsaw reading, Tracy?

 Tracy: You have something I don't have and then I have something you don't have.

 Ross: We just took a text and we cut it off, basically. We give some of the students one part of the text, some another part, and then everyone has to answer all the questions. Something like that, right?

 Tracy: I think it is. Of course, typical information gap activity. I'm thinking when you're running this activity, you don't just want to make it just for the information gap purpose. You probably want to have some other questions the people can think about when they're discussing, not just purely trying to find the information itself.

 I probably need to use a language that politely asks my classmates to share the information with me.

 You probably disagree because the information you have and the information he or she has is completely different or focus on different aspects. At this point, you probably want to argue or debate it with each other.

 Matt: I think even "Tell me what's on your paper and I'll tell you what's your paper," and then you have to come up with something together. There is some incidental language that comes up.

 Because if we set it up in the way where I need some exact information from you and if you're expressing that to me and I can't fully understand what it is, I'm going to try to -- I don't know what you call that -- repair that conversation. Repair that interaction.

 I'm going to try to get you to paraphrase what you said where I try to get it to some way that I can understand what you're saying. Like a genuine focus on accuracy because you need to understand what the person said, right?

 Tracy: Yeah, I totally agree. I'm just saying you don't want this kind of information gap activity to turn into something just for the information itself.

 I observe a lot of classes. I also taught classes before. I realize the students they deliberately just want to gather information. There's not much communication between.

 As a teacher, you have to emphasize it's not just complete task sheet. It's also sharing the information and to agree with each other on how can you get the information from your classroom.

 Examples of information gap activities

 Ross: How about we talk about some examples? Another classic one, one that I guess I've done the most, is a warmer or often is a wrap up. If you were going to force me to tell you what's my favorite activity, I'd probably say back to the board where I write a word or a phrase or something on the board and then everyone else has to describe it.

 That's such a pure, really simple information gap. Everyone else in the class can see a word behind two students they have to describe it too.

 Yeah, I love that. I love doing that at the end of class as a like, "Here's some words or phrases that we learned today." The person in the chair has to think back to which word can it be? Then everyone in the class has to think. They just learned these words, but how can I create my own definition of this word for someone else?

 Matt: Yeah, really cool.

 Ross: I think something else that...It's so easy to create these gaps in classes face to face. Even just something at the beginning of the class, the teacher can do if they all have the same textbook is just go, "I'm gonna open my book to a page. I'm gonna describe what's on the page and you guys all have to try and guess what page it is I'm describing."

 The teacher's using this language ad everyone's looking through the book and trying to find something that applies.

 Matt: Another really simple thing you can do as a teacher a lot of times, let's say you have 10 students in your class, if you print out five handouts instead of one for each student a lot of times that's going to really help you to create that information gap. Again, if you set up the activity correctly.

 Tracy: Information gap activities might be challenging for young learners. I'm going to observe the class. It's kind of a reading skills focus for this lesson, but the teacher is still using the pictures of the text as a prediction.

 Even that, I think the teacher manage to let the students having two different pictures. Then they are trying to tell each other what they can see in this picture and then use it as a springboard to predict what is going to happen in the story.

 Matt: With that age group, one of my favorite things to do is a running dictation where you have a text or where you have something outside the classroom. Either the person inside the classroom has some questions, they need to ask the person who can move around and they go and look.

 Or with very young kids I've done the thing with the picture before. You just stick the picture outside the classroom. They run outside and they go, "It's got two legs. It's got a head." The person inside is like, "What color is it?" They have to go outside and look again. Yeah, there's a big gap that you can place there quite quickly.

 Ross: The natural next step in that once the pictures been drawn is to then look at the original picture and compare it to their drawing. Basically, you can have a really good reflection session if you did the information gap well.

 You can say like, "What language could I have used when describing the picture that would have helped you draw it better? Which words do you really need to know the most out of this interaction?" They can identify that themselves.

 Tracy: Also with young honors, I love one activity with different age groups. Even with little ones or a little bit older ones and you can try to tweak the activity based on their English level or age group. When we're young, we make fortune teller.

 Ross: This is the thing that's got like four corners and you open it?

 Tracy: Yeah.

 Matt: They're going to see you gesturing and you know exactly what it is.

 Ross: Yeah, that's funny.

 Matt: The thing is as soon as you do the gesture, I have no idea if people listening will know what on earth we're talking about.

 [laughter]

 Tracy: It's like a origami stuff. Then you just fold it into a fortune teller. It's a great activity. Of course, you have a, I don't know, one-hour lesson and that can be part of it. You can show the students how to do it. Maybe have the students watch a video, like a one minute. The other half the students they make a list of what vocabulary they have already either learned or they knew about this topic.

 After they finish their different tasks, they come together, and then either pair them up or work in groups. The students who watch that video of how to make the fortune teller, we're trying to tell the other students how to make it.

 Of course, they will be provided different tools. They can do it. They can show each other. Also, aim this process. They need to think about, "Oh, how can I tell my classmate? If my classmate makes something wrong, how can I remind him or her?"

 Matt: You reminded me when I was a teacher. I did some demo classes for new students where I would do a magic trick with playing cards. At first, students would see me do the magic trick. They would think it's so amazing.

 At the end, "How do you do it?" Then get a few of the students to come back and stand behind me as I was performing the trick, so they could see how I was doing the magic trick. Then they went out to the rest of the students and talk them in English how I performed that magic trick.

 Again, that's the information gap right there. I didn't realize at the time that was what I was doing. I was giving some people the information how to do the magic trick, and then everybody else really wanted to know how to do it because it was a cool magic trick that they could show their kids, or whatever.

 Ross: I think that goes back to Tracy's point earlier. Information has to be interesting. "I got to learn this cool magic trick." If you can really bamboozle people at the beginning, go, "Wow. How did he do that?" This is real motivation there. I really want to overcome this gap.

 Wrap Up

 Ross: Tracy, when you were in teacher training before, I think you used this podcast as part of an information gap. What did you do?

 Tracy: For teacher training, I divide the teachers into two groups. Each group listen to one podcast. Then the podcast focus on the different areas of language teaching and learning. Each group actually has some questions they need to find the information.

 Then I get them back. They have to share the information that they listened, then try to exchange the information that they got out of the podcast. Number one is definitely very efficient because they are doing the same thing. Folks on different content at the same time. They come back and then exchange.

 Number two, when they're sharing the information -- there will be a lot more information come out when they're talking to each other -- is a great springboard, not just for sharing the information related to the podcast, but also about their experience, about their opinion. It generates a lot of discussion.

 Ross: You were saying earlier the information is hopefully useful and important to learn if they're new teachers. There's your motivation.

 Matt Courtois, thank you for coming back and recording with us again in a third location.

 Matt: It continues to be a pleasure.

 [laughter]

 Tracy: Thanks, Matt.

 Ross: Miss you so much. Thanks everyone. See you next time. Bye-bye.

 Tracy: Bye.

[dovechim]

where the lines overlap (m)

jimin x reader red strings of fate soulmates! au

8.8k words

rated m for dirty talk, creampie kink, idk i just wanted to write a jimin soulmate au but whoops my finger slipped?? :/

recommended music: where the lines overlap by paramore! it’s my favourite paramore song EVER :)

Summary: there’s an ancient Chinese folklore of the red strings of fate that connect one person to another. These two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, and the magical, invisible thread may tangle or stretch, but it will never sever. You’ve never believed in these mystical threads of fate like everyone else, but one day you suddenly gain the ability to see the threads connecting the people around you.

 The door slams shut, jolting you out of your peaceful reverie. If it had been anyone else, you’d be beyond annoyed to be interrupted while doing your weekly readings, but not when it’s him. The person in question knocks gently on your door before peeking his head in, strands of his bleached dove gray hair spilling over into his eyes, and you can’t help but smile at the sight of him.

“Hey, I got dinner on the way back,” Jimin’s cheeks round out into a smile that reaches all the way to the crinkles at the corners of his eyes. Every time he comes home he’s constantly sweaty and worn out, but it’s part and parcel of the life he chose as a dance major.

Tossing aside your notes, you follow him out into the small dining area of your shared apartment, still in your sweats. When he makes a move to sit at the table, you give him a playful swat on his chest.

“Shouldn’t you wash up first? If I’d known you were this gross, I wouldn’t have agreed to room with you two years ago,” you pretend to wrinkle your nose at his sweaty form, all while ignoring the way his shirt is moulded to his chest.

“Says the one still in her sweatpants. Looks like someone isn’t that hungry tonight,” Jimin smirks back, reaching across the table to grab the box of takeout that you were in the midst of opening. “I could totally do with those extra calories after Hoseok hyung cracked down on us today…”

“I’m just kidding Chim,” you hastily snatch back the takeout box just as he opens the lid of it, the delicious smell of hot noodles and fried pork slices wafting into the air. “Oh my god this smells so good, I’ve been starving all day!”

“Wait, Jinwoo didn’t come by? It’s your free day right? I thought he usually comes by to hang out in the afternoons,” Jimin pauses in his chewing to study your expression carefully, but you’re too busy inhaling mouthfuls of stir fried noodles.

“Jinwoo oppa said he was busy today,” you say around a mouthful of vegetables and noodles. “He has that huge midterm coming up next week, so I told him he should stay home and study.”

Jimin looks like he’s about to say something snide about your boyfriend of nearly 6 months, so you stuff a large piece of meat into his mouth instead.

“Yes I know, he was busy last week and the week before that too, but we’ve been dating for a while so we don’t need to see each other so often. We’re over that honeymoon stage already.” You say in a dismissive tone, focusing on chasing the remaining few strands of noodles around with your chopsticks and avoiding his gaze.

He looks reluctant to drop the subject, but during these two years of living together, he’s become more than apt at reading your body language. Sensing that he won’t get anything more out of you, he moves to change the topic, running his fingers through his sweaty hair and pushing it back from his face.  “Taehyung asked me to go with him to get a reading done today after dance class.”

This piques your interest.  “Really? At where? At that new agency near school?” 

“Yeah,” he says as he stands and reaches to get two mugs, pouring water into both of them before returning to his seat. “Apparently they have a student deal, like a buy one get one free thing. Do one test and get the second one free.”

“Did you do it?”

“Nah, I didn’t want the food to get cold,” Jimin raises his eyebrows playfully. “Besides, if I’d been a minute later I think you’d have starved to death.”

Resisting the urge to flick a stray pea at him, you roll your eyes in mock exasperation. “I’ll have you know I’m more than apt at calling for delivery, Park.”

“Yeah, I know, they probably have your order memorised already,” he giggles, and in his mirth the water in his cup sloshes over onto the table. It takes a while for his laughter to subside. “But on a serious note, do you wanna do it?”

“What? Me? You know I don’t believe in those things,” you meet his eyes over the rim of your mug. “It’s ridiculous. How can a total stranger see the red line of fate between me and my supposed ‘soulmate’ if I can’t see it myself? Do these mythical lines even exist?” 

“So you don’t think Jinwoo is your soulmate?”

“No, I do. I don’t need some red string to tell me that, and definitely not some shady little fortune teller. Why should I pay someone money to tell me something I already know?” You wrinkle your nose at the thought of who knows how many people these agencies have been scamming all these years, ever since people started believing in the red string of fate that ties them to their soulmate. There’s silence in between the both of you as you watch Jimin trace the rim of his mug tentatively with his fingers.

“Yeah, it seems pretty shady to me too,” he says finally.

“But Chim, you know you have my support if you ever wanna go to one right? Don’t let my scepticism stop you. It’s just a glorified matchmaking agency anyway.”

He makes a noncommittal noise in response, eyes fixated on the handle of his mug. In an attempt to lighten the mood, you reach over and pinch his bicep lightly. “I bet I’m a way better matchmaker than any of those agencies anyway. Want me to introduce you? I have tons of hot friends, maybe… oh what about Yeri? She’s a dance major too so you’ll definitely like her! She’s been pestering me to introduce you to her ever since I told her about your 8 pack abs.”

“Wait, you told her about my abs?” His eyes widen comically, and the once sombre mood is lifted. “My non-existent abs? Or to be more accurate, ab, as in singular because it’s just a layer of fat?”

“Park Jimin, you’re a horrible liar, I’ve seen when you walk out of the shower with no shirt on,” you shoot him a glare that’s meant to admonish, but immediately start dissolving into uncontrollable giggles when he starts to pat his lower stomach.

“Do you hear that, _______? It’s the sound my belly makes when it’s full, but more importantly that’s the sound of fat and not muscle,” he says as he continues to tap on his lower stomach like one would a drum, and it’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever seen him do.

“Shut up or I’ll go over there and see that layer of fat for myself,” in the midst of your laughter you reach over and attempt to grasp the hem of his shirt, but he stops you when he swoops you into his arms and deposits you on the kitchen counter behind you. Your legs instinctively part, making room for him to situate himself between them, and with both arms pinned tightly to your sides, you can’t move.

From up close you can see every single detail of his angelic features, warm brown eyes the colour of dark honey partially hidden by the delicate skin of his hooded eyelids, paper thin ivory skin revealing networks of veins beneath them, to his cute little button nose that he likes to scrunch whenever he’s laughing way too hard at one of your jokes that probably wasn’t all that funny. Your eyes trail down to his lips, resting on the cupid’s bow of his upper lip and the full plushness of his bottom one, remembering the exact way he likes to bite down on it in concentration during his dance routines. It’s impossible not to have tension with a roommate of the opposite sex, and you and Jimin are no exception. The tension bubbles just under the surface every time you catch him fresh out of the shower and yet to put on a shirt, or when he sees you walking around the house without a bra, thinking he won’t notice. But to acknowledge this tension would be the tipping point, that one last drop of water that breaks the surface tension. 

Jimin tears his eyes away from your lips. “I should go shower.”

You almost miss the feeling of his gentle breaths on your collarbone and you can still feel the warmth from his hands on your waist as you watch him head for the bathroom. But a sense of guilt floods your chest the second he steps out of your line of sight, and you’re reminded that you already have Jinwoo.

*

Maybe it’s your guilty conscience that prods you into saying yes when Jinwoo invites you to a frat party at his house, when usually you’d beg him to stay in for the weekend instead. You drop Jimin a text, letting him know that you won’t be home till late, but he doesn’t reply. He’s usually at the dance studio putting in extra hours on the weekends, so it doesn’t bother you. 

“You look great babe,” Jinwoo’s eyes slide over your body approvingly. He steps closer and winds his arms around your waist, resting his chin on your shoulder as his eyes meet yours in the mirror. You smile at him in response, giving yourself a brief once over. The black off shoulder dress that you have on is a little short and tight for your liking, but the look on Jinwoo’s face is more than worth it. He’s always complaining that you don’t dress up enough for him, so this is the least you could do, especially when attending a party with him. Twisting around in his grasp, you fend off his hands with a giggle as they trail down your sides teasingly. 

“We’re gonna be late for the party, c’mon,” you say as you grab his hands to keep them from trailing any lower. He responds with a pout, but reluctantly backs off and leads you toward the door.

The frat party is Jinwoo’s usual scene, so he blends in effortlessly the moment he steps into the house. Choruses of greetings and cheers meet the both of you, and you awkwardly hang back as your boyfriend is welcomed into the party with slaps on the back and hugs from his fellow sports science majors. He’s swept away into the heart of the party with a wave of people that seem to emerge from nowhere, and you’re left trying to navigate the sea of bodies amidst the pounding music that’s already way too loud. Swallowing back a pang of regret, together with the fervent wish to be back home and snuggled under your covers, you make your way to the kitchen for a drink, hoping that a shot or two will at least make this entire night a little less painful. 

You’re still way too sober than you’d like to be when a pair of familiar arms wrap around your waist. You tense for a moment, the alcohol and loud music dulling your senses but relax again when you realise that it’s just Jinwoo. He seems to be already more than half wasted, slurring against your neck.

“There you are babe… I’ve been looking for you all night,” he mumbles. His hot breath on your neck makes your palms clammy with sweat instantly, and you try to stave off this strange feeling of anxiety that suddenly overcomes you. “Yugyeom told me we’re free to use the rooms upstairs… how ‘bout it babe?”

The urge to reject him outright bubbles up in your throat, and instantly a feeling of guilt washes over you, replacing the earlier anxiety. 6 months into your relationship and you haven’t been more intimate with Jinwoo apart from some light petting, and even though he tells you sweetly that he’s willing to wait however long it takes, his patience has been wearing thin recently. It’s not that you aren’t attracted to him- you tell yourself. He swept you off your feet (literally) the first time you met him- nursing a sprained ankle from an overeager attempt at volleyball. That instant connection between you and him was undeniable, and even though you’d never gone for a soulmate reading, Jinwoo believed in this whole line of fate thing- and he’d gone for a reading behind your back. You were angry at first, but when he told you the result, it was impossible for you to stay mad at him. He’s your soulmate, and soulmates are supposed to be attracted to one another in every way possible.

So you give him a smile and kiss his cheek. “Why don’t you go on ahead? Give me a minute and I’ll be right up.”

He seems to take a minute or two to register your response before his eyes widen. “R-really?”

“Yes, really.” He’s out the door and heading upstairs in a flash, and you resist the urge to just bail on the party and go home immediately.

You reach for your phone to check for any new messages, trying to steel your nerves and definitely not looking for an excuse to back out. For some reason your stomach sinks when there isn’t a reply from Jimin, and you lock your phone again, jaw set in determination as you pour yourself another drink. Maybe if you’re drunk this night won’t be so bad after all.

One drink blurs into another, or three more, and when people’s faces around you have blurred into unrecognisable blobs you decide that you’re finally drunk enough. You have to elbow people out of the way in order to get to the stairs, but you’re far past politeness and niceties by this point. When you reach the landing, there are three rooms down the hallway, and you try and recall if Jinwoo had told you which room to meet him in. But your memory is foggy, and you decide the best method is trial and error, so you knock on the first door and open it.

The first sight that greets you is a mess of tangled limbs on the bed, so you decide that this is the wrong room. You’re just about to apologize and close the door again, but a very familiar moan stops you in your tracks. Through your blurry vision, you can just make out a familiar silhouette on the bed with another girl on top of him. She’s stripped down to her bra already, and his hands are firmly on her waist, encouraging her to grind down against him as he moans again.

“Jinwoo?” Blinking rapidly to clear your blurry vision- be it alcohol induced or from tears- his face suddenly comes into full focus, and you almost wish it hadn’t.

Maybe it’s the loud music from downstairs, or maybe they’re just too caught up in the heat of the moment, or maybe your throat is more raw than you thought from all those shots- Jinwoo doesn’t stop as he reaches to unhook the bra of the girl on top of him. Nausea rushes up and nearly threatens to consume you, and you tear yourself away from the door, taking the stairs two at a time.

The image of his hands on her porcelain skin is burnt into the back of your eyelids, and your hands are trembling in an effort to retrieve your phone. It takes you a few tries to unlock it successfully, and even more to find the name of the contact that you want. When you find it, you press the call button harder than necessary, and pray that he picks up.

“Hello?” His voice sounds rough, and he’s panting from exhaustion, but that single word alone is enough to slow your panicked sobbing.

“Jimin? I’m sorry for calling in the middle of your practice but-” Your voice cracks, and he instantly knows that something is wrong.

“______? What happened? Where are you? Are you okay?” His barrage of questions immediately sends a pang through your heart, and a renewed bout of tears threatens to engulf you.

“No. I’m not okay,” you choke out.

“I’m coming to get you, just drop a pin on your location and stay there okay?” His voice drops into baritone whenever he’s worried or upset, and the lisp of his satoori is more prominent than usual.  

“Okay,” you whisper, and the rustling sounds in the background tells you that he’s hastily packing his things in the dance studio and running out. You don’t want to press the end call button, because then you’d really be alone at this party and forced to think about what Jinwoo is probably doing right now, but you have to send Jimin your location. So you end the call and make your way outside, sending your location to his phone.

*

It’s a fair distance from Jimin’s dance studio to the frat house you’re at, but somehow he arrives seemingly seconds after you hang up. Worry is creased along his forehead, bare with his sweaty fringe swept back and his eyes land upon you immediately, taking in your tear stained cheeks.

“______, what happened? Wait never mind, tell me later. Let’s go home ok?” He drapes the jacket he was carrying across your shoulders, wrapping an arm around your waist to guide you to his car nearby.

The warmth of his arm around your waist lends a sense of security you’ve never felt with Jinwoo, and you lean into him, burying your nose into his chest and allowing yourself to breathe in the comforting scent that is all Jimin. He opens the car door for you, making sure you get in safely before heading to the other side. You’re not sure how you last the drive back to your apartment, but the streets and signs pass by in a blur of colours.

You’re a walking zombie, numb with tears by the time Jimin helps you settle into your bed, tugging one of his oversized dance shirts over you and helping you to peel off your dress from underneath. He kneels on the floor with your feet in his lap trying to take off your shoes, and reaches over to tuck you in and presses his lips to your forehead gently before turning to leave. You stop him with a hand on his wrist.

“Chim? Can you stay with me? It’s just… every time I close my eyes I see him. With her.”

“Of course,” he murmurs, and positions himself on the floor beside your head.

“No, not there,” you tug on his hand and shift in your bed, lifting the covers and motioning for him to climb in. 

He seems to hesitate for a while, but eventually gives in and slides under the covers beside you, and your bodies fit together perfectly. It’s not the first time you’ve slept in the same bed with him, you used to do this all the time before you got together with Jinwoo, and the aching familiarity of feeling the contours of his body against yours makes everything feel right again. His chest against your back feels solid, and you feel relaxed enough to try and close your eyes again, and this time with the weight of Jimin’s arms securely around your waist, all that greets you is the welcome darkness of sleep.

*

“______? I’m so sorry baby, I swear-” A voice startles you from your sleep, and the familiar voice sends a jolt through you. You struggle to sit up, belatedly realising that Jimin is still sound asleep in your bed and Jinwoo is currently pounding on your door. Your heart leaps into your throat as your mind races for a way to somehow hide Jimin somewhere before Jinwoo makes it in or else-

The door bursts open and you almost regret giving Jinwoo the key. “Baby, I’m so sorry, I can explain-”

His eyes land upon Jimin, who’s just stirring awake, and you can almost see the rage that fills his eyes.

“What the fuck? What is he doing in your bed? Did you fuck him?”

“Jinwoo, we didn’t do anything,” Jimin starts, but Jinwoo silences him with a nasty snarl. 

“Get your hands off my girl.”

The reality of the situation sinks in, and indignance fills you. “How is this worse than what you did last night? I saw you and her grinding each other with my own two eyes, and you still have the nerve to act like this?”

“Last night- I can explain. I was drunk, and when Nayeon came in, I thought she was you. I didn’t realise it until I woke up a couple of hours later, and that’s when I knew I fucked up, baby. I swear, it was an honest mistake!” His eyes are imploring you to believe him, and you can’t help but glance at the way Jimin’s fists have balled up in your sheets and his jaw is clenched in anger.

“You won’t let a silly mistake get in the way of us right? We’re soulmates,” Jinwoo pleads. “Listen, if you forgive me, I’ll forget that he slept in your bed last night.” 

“What? How the hell is that even the same thing? I don’t think you get the situation here-” Jimin is furious, but you quiet him with a glance. 

“Jimin, I think you should leave.” You say calmly, and he shoots you an uncertain look before reluctantly getting to his feet. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

Jimin doesn’t acknowledge your last statement, brushing past Jinwoo on the way out. Once he leaves the room, Jinwoo visibly relaxes, and makes his way to sit beside you on the bed, taking your hand into his. You immediately want to wrench your hand from his grip, imagining how his hands were all over Nayeon last night, but force yourself to remain put.

“Thank you for giving us another chance, baby. No matter what happens, we’re soulmates and the red string between us won’t ever break.”

*

“Mhhm babe, just wait a second ok? I have to finish this paper,” you say as Jinwoo mouths at your neck. You’re almost reaching the concluding paragraph of your thesis, and the end of a very long all-nighter. You’re positive that the bags under your eyes and your sallow complexion is less than attractive right now, but Jinwoo doesn’t seem to mind as he continues to feel you up, sliding a hand under your shirt and towards your braless chest. It’s been a month since that incident at the frat party, and it’s hard not to reject Jinwoo’s many attempts at intimacy without being reminded of that night. 

For the past month Jinwoo has been inviting himself to stay over in your room almost every day, and it left you with barely any chance to talk to Jimin alone. The relationship between you and Jimin is more strained than ever, and you don’t miss the way his lingering eyes glimmer with regret whenever he sees you and Jinwoo in the apartment, or the way he awkwardly avoids any interaction with you after that night. 

Irritation wells up in you, and you attribute it to crankiness from pulling an all-nighter. You place a hand on his chest and push him away firmly, struggling to focus on getting your last few sentences just right. The submission is in less than two hours, and you can’t afford to be distracted. Jinwoo only rolls his eyes in annoyance, but you don’t notice.

“God, I can’t believe this,” he says as he starts to gather his things. “Why call me over if you’re gonna be like this? I didn’t come over to watch you stare at your screen you know.”

“I’m sorry babe but I really need to finish this and-” The sound of a door opening interrupts you, and you look up, fully expecting Jinwoo to be on his way out but he only meets your gaze. 

“Is that Jimin?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, I think so. He’s probably leaving for his morning run, why?”

Jinwoo narrows his eyes at you. “You don’t wear a bra around the house? Especially when you live with another man that’s not your boyfriend?” 

“Why are you making a fuss out of this all of a sudden? I’ve been living with Jimin for two years, and there’s nothing going on between us! He’s just like a brother to me,” you abandon your laptop and reach for his hand, but Jinwoo rips it away.

“Really? A brother? Do you really expect me to believe that? Especially when you won’t even go for a reading like I asked you to?” Jinwoo sneers, looking down at you from where he stands.

“What? What are you talking about? You know I don’t believe in that red string of fate stuff,” you cross your arms over your chest adamantly. “I thought I made that clear when we started dating.”

“How would I know if you aren’t fucking him behind my back? Is that why you’ve been pushing me away lately? With all the time that you two spend together holed up in here, it’d be so easy for something to happen and I wouldn’t even know.” Jealousy is an ugly creature, and you see it reflected in the way doubt and malice worm their way into his eyes, once filled with so much love and admiration for you. “If only you’d just take that damn test-”

“Enough, get out. I don’t need this shit right now, we can talk when you’re calmer and not jumping to conclusions,” you head over to the door and open it, motioning for him to leave.

He hesitates for a second and you almost wish he’d enclose you into his arms and apologise, like he always does when the both of you argue. But this time he storms out without a word, leaving you to collapse in a heap in the middle of your room, staring at your unfinished paper on your laptop with tears blurring the sentences into unrecognizable chunks of text.

But then your fight or flight instinct kicks in, and you grit your teeth, blinking away tears and completing your last sentence, typing with more force than needed. Once done, you save the document and upload it to be submitted, before reaching for your phone and scrolling through your contacts list until you find the name you’re looking for.

Kim Taehyung.

You’re more than thankful that Jimin’s overly boisterous, cheerful classmate had grabbed your phone to program his number in even after just running into you when he’d been by the apartment to go over a group project. You hadn’t been expecting this number to come in handy anytime soon, at least not in this way.

“Hello, Kim Taehyung? It’s _______ here. Do you want to go for a reading now?”

* 

Sweat collects on the palms of your hands, and you hastily wipe them on your jeans. Standing outside the agency, you feel the weight of all of the stares from strangers around you, and you’re not sure if it’s entirely your imagination, but your shoulders grow heavier from their judgemental eyes.

“Relax, _______.” Taehyung squeezes your arm.

“Easier said than done,” you roll your eyes at him in a pathetic attempt to hide your nervousness. “What happens in there?” 

“They’ll read your left hand, take a closer look at your ring finger since that’s where the string is tied,” Taehyung says as he places hands on your shoulders, guiding you into the building and towards a row of chairs that are lined up beside the receptionist counter. The entire room is decked out in a bright fuschia that makes your head pound, and the scent of lavender that’s meant to soothe achieves the opposite effect instead. The walls are decorated with pictures of successful soulmates, and posters boasting of the success and accuracy rate make you want to throw up in your mouth. “Then you have to provide a specific name, and they’ll tell you if you and that person are a match.”

“Wait, I have to ask about a specific person? They can’t tell me who my soulmate is off the bat?”

Taehyung nods in confirmation.

“And they don’t need the person that I ask about to be present either? How does any of this make sense?” 

He only shrugs nonchalantly. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. Anyway, you have nothing to lose right? Jimin says you don’t believe in it anyway.”

Taehyung’s deep voice calms you a little. “Jimin told you about me?”

“I swear, you’re all he can talk about,” he rolls his eyes. “I’m kinda surprised you asked me instead of him.” 

His words remind you of the real reason why you’re here, and you hesitate a little before saying vaguely, “I just… needed to prove something to someone. Once and for all.”

You don’t mention how letting Jimin know about this would mean having to tell him about the fight with Jinwoo as well, and that would be one more opportunity for Jimin to tell you that you should break up with Jinwoo, more evidence to fuel Jimin’s dislike for your boyfriend. He already has plenty as it is.

The receptionist interrupts your musing when she calls your name, and you give Taehyung’s hand a small squeeze before standing and taking a deep breath.

“I’ll wait for you here okay? You’ll be fine,” Taehyung flashes you a boxy smile that’s a lot more reassuring than you expected of him, and you return the smile gratefully.

You’re ushered into a small room with a lone desk and two chairs. The bespectacled young woman on the opposite side of the desk is dressed in a doctor’s coat, and you resist the urge to roll your eyes at the shadiness of this entire concept. Instead, you greet her politely and take a seat opposite her.

“Welcome, _______ssi. Thank you for letting us reveal your soulmate to you. I’m Dr Lee Yoojung, and I’ll be your consultant for today. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during this session, please let me know.” She pauses slightly to let her words sink in. “Now to begin, if you could place your left hand on the table?”

You comply, and watch as she closely examines your palm first, before focusing on your ring finger just as Taehyung had mentioned. She traces the tip of your finger down to the knuckle, her feather light touch is gentle yet unnerving at the same time. She hums lightly in satisfaction before releasing your hand.

“Tell me, _______ssi. Do you have a person in mind that you’d like me to evaluate for you?”

A lump forms in your throat, and you’re almost unable to get the next few words out. “Uh-hm, yes, I do actually. His name is… Kim Taehyung.”

Yoojung frowns in concentration, tracing her fingers over the light blue veins in the junction of your knuckle. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid to say that he’s not your soulmate. There’s no string connecting the both of you.”

You let out a breath that you didn’t know you’d been holding, relieved that she’d at least passed this preliminary test of yours. “C-can I do one more person?”

She smiles reassuringly. “Of course, go ahead.”

“Jung Jinwoo.”

This time she seems to take a little bit longer, encasing the entire palm of your hand in hers and closing her eyes in concentration. You study your hand in hers just as intently, hoping to spot just a glimpse of this fabled red string of fate around your ring finger. After what seems like an eternity of silence, Yoojung finally opens her eyes with a smile.

“______ssi, I’m very pleased to tell you that Jung Jinwoo is indeed your soulmate. The string connecting you to him is a little hard to focus on at first, but it’s definitely there. It’s been knotted and tangled recently, have you two been going through a rough patch?”

Your heart is in your throat and all you can manage is a nod.

“Ah, just as I thought. Don’t worry, _____ssi. This red string of fate may tangle and stretch, but it will never break. Just as the two of you may have disagreements and misunderstandings, in the end you will always find your way back to each other. Your fate is written in the stars, and reflected in this string of fate between you.”

Her words are met with silence as you release a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding. You’d known with all your heart that Jinwoo was your soulmate before coming in to do this silly little test, but with recent events, the niggling doubts were increasingly harder and harder to ignore. This test was a way of squashing those tiny little doubts once and for all, but somehow hearing it confirmed like this by a total stranger makes you feel uneasy. Instead of being reassured like you thought you would be when you called Taehyung, disappointment sits like a stone in the middle of your chest, and all you can do is nod and thank Yoojung, rising from your seat mechanically.

You walk out of the room in a daze, and Taehyung has to grab your wrist before you walk straight into the glass doors. 

“Hey, are you okay? What happened? Did you get the result you came for?”

His words jolt you back to reality.

No, I didn’t. “Yes, I… got the result I wanted.”

“Then? Why do you look like your dog just died?”

Because I was hoping I was wrong. “Taehyung, I need to go.”

“Wait, where are you going? You don’t look so well, let me give you a lift. Jimin would kill me if anything happened to you on my watch.”

You attempt to ignore the lightheadedness that threatens to consume you at the sound of his name, but you accept Taehyung’s offer gratefully.

“I need to go to Jinwoo’s.”

*

Your heart is pounding incessantly in your ears as you knock on Jinwoo’s front door hesitantly. You’re not sure why your vision is slightly blurry and the lightheaded feeling hasn’t gone away ever since your visit to the soulmate agency, but you have to tell Jinwoo about it. He’ll be so happy that you finally went for a reading, and everything between you will be alright again, if only this damn throbbing in your head would go away- 

The door swings open unexpectedly to reveal Jackson, Jinwoo’s flatmate. His blonde hair is tousled as if he only just woke up, and he’s mid-yawn. Upon seeing you,  he shoots you a look of concern immediately, reaching out to help steady you when you take a few shaky steps forward into the apartment.

“Hey, ______ are you okay?”

You wave his question away. “Is Jinwoo in? I need to talk to him, it’s urgent.”

Jackson runs his fingers through his hair hesitantly. “Uhm yeah sure, he’s upstairs but I’m not sure if-”

“Thanks!” You immediately head for the stairs, not waiting to hear the rest of his statement. You find the door to his room with ease, having been here so many times before, and knock once before pushing open the door.

 “Jinwoo, I went for a reading and-”

It’s like déjà vu, except seeing it a second time doesn’t make it any easier. Jinwoo startles awake, sheets falling to his waist to reveal a bare chest riddled with dark violet marks. Nayeon gives a little whine when Jinwoo displaces her from her position with her head on his chest, and moves to wrap her arms around his waist as he sits up in bed, panic filling his eyes at the sight of you standing in the doorway.

But it’s not the way she presses her breasts into his back, begging him to come back to bed in a breathy voice, or the scattered clothes on the floor, or even the hastily discarded used condom on the foot of the bed that makes it feel as if the entire world has stopped. Your eyes are fixated on that thin, glowing scarlet line that connects Nayeon’s fourth finger to Jinwoo’s, and when you look down at your own fourth finger, the ribbon knot of a red string is clearly visible as well, but instead of resembling the clear connection between the two lovers in bed, yours trails off and fades into the air like the last breath of spring air, the final motes of sunlight before the darkness of night engulfs it.

*

The agency was wrong.

Jinwoo is not my soulmate.

I can see the red string of fate.

The red string glows ominously on your fourth finger, and for a while it’s all that you can see. Even in your dreams, the only thing you can see is the line between Jinwoo and Nayeon, and even though you try to convince yourself that it’s not real, you must have made it up in your delusion, the mocking red glow on your left hand proves you otherwise. After an entire sleepless night, you’ve just about reached your wits end, so you dig out a pair of woollen gloves from the back of your wardrobe and tug them on, even though it’s right in the middle of summer.

You lie awake staring at the ceiling until you pick up the sound of keys at the front door. It can only be Jimin only just getting home after a late dance practice, and you continue to listen as he enters the apartment, dropping his things in his room. An unspeakable urge to see him makes you get out of bed, and when you open the door, you startle to find him just about to knock.

His damp hair is hastily stuffed under a black beanie, and at the sight of you, he withdraws his clenched fist. He folds his arms, looking uncomfortable and you almost sigh in relief when you observe that his usual habit of sweater paws prevents you from the urge to check if you can see his red string of fate too. Realising the silence has stretched on for way too long, he clears his throat.

“Um, I wanted to see if you were awake yet. I got coffee on the way home but the barista messed up my order so I had to get two cups and I wondered if you wanted the other one-” his nervous rambling is adorable, and the way he avoids your gaze by looking down at the floor makes your heart ache. 

“Sure, thanks Chim.” The sound of his nickname sets him at ease, and he gives you a hesitant little smile.

You follow him to the dining area, lingering awkwardly behind him as he hands you your drink. You immediately catch on to his lie, since he got you your go-to drink of hazelnut macchiato, extra shot. But he looks so nervous that you let it go, and instead stare at him for a while, drinking in his presence that warms you up more than any cup of coffee.

“I broke up with him.” You interrupt him mid sip. The abruptness of your statement makes him scald his tongue and he remains silent for a while, soothing the tip of his tongue by running it across his bottom lip. You follow the gesture with your eyes, suddenly distracted by the thought of feeling that tongue against your skin.

“I went for a reading with Taehyung,” you say next, dragging your eyes from his lips to meet his eyes.

“I know. He told me.”

“Wait really? But this literally happened like just yesterday!”

“He has a big mouth, in case you haven’t noticed,” the corners of his mouth curl upwards in a brief smile, and his eyes crinkle into his signature eyesmile that never fails to make your heart feel ten times lighter in response, and a sense of warmth bloom in your chest.

“The agency was wrong. Jinwoo is not my soulmate.” Two out of the three sentences that you’ve been repeating to yourself over and over spill out of your mouth before you can stop it, and you bite your tongue to keep the last one. 

I can see the red string of fate.

“Oh.” He fiddles with the rim of his coffee cup like he always does when he’s nervous, channelling his energy into movement of some sort. The urge to move and dance and make art with his body is something that’s been programmed into him right from birth, and damn if he doesn’t take your breath away every time you see him dance. It’s like he was made to perform, his body light as a feather that drifts effortlessly on the current of the wind, graceful yet full of power at the same time. Every time you attend one of his performances he never fails to amaze you, but he’s always modest and insisting that he has a long way to go. And that’s when you realise that you don’t even have to see the ring finger on his left hand for proof, because you’ve been in love with Park Jimin all along.

“Park Jimin, I’m sorry, and I love you,” the words come out in a rush of exhilaration. 

“Wait, what? Did the agency tell you I’m your soulmate?” He finally brings his eyes to meet yours, and the hope in his eyes burns a warm caramel brown.

“No,” you tell him, and watch as his gaze falls back towards his coffee cup again. “I’ve been in love with you ever since you asked me to move in with you, after that time I got kicked out of my old apartment and took on a part time job backstage at your dance academy. I’ve been in love with you ever since the first time I watched you dance, and every time you come home from dance late but still remember to bring me food. I’ve loved you every time I watched you doubt yourself after a performance, and that time you said you were going to double your practice hours but dropped everything just to pick me up at a party. I’ve been in love with you all this time, and I’m sorry it took me so long to realise it.”

“But… what about the soulmate agency? Taehyung said… he said you got the result you wanted. But if it’s not me then…” 

“I don’t care about the agency,” you say as you close the gap between you and him with a single step. “This is all that matters to me. I trust us more.”

You reach for his hoodie and pull him in, colliding your lips onto his own plush ones. The sweetness of his favourite matcha latte lingers on his tongue, and you feel him hesitate for a second before he kisses you back, and just like that it feels as if a piece of your heart clicks into place. He moans into your mouth, and you relish every single sound from his lips. But he pulls away suddenly.

“______, I need to tell you something.” 

“Unless it’s about how you’ll fuck me till I can’t walk to make up for all this while, I don’t want to hear it,” you latch your lips onto his neck, and feel the way he tenses in surprise.

“Damn, I didn’t know you had such a dirty mouth on you, princess,” he allows his hands to slide under your thighs and lift you up. You wrap your legs around his waist, immediately relishing the contact between your core and his firm abs as you take in his new pet name for you.

He walks you to your room and deposits you gently on the bed, and you immediately spread your legs for him, eliciting a moan from him. Jimin reaches for the waistband of your sleep shorts, pulling them down to your knees. He smirks at the sight of your already damp panties, and takes the time to caress your slit with two fingers” 

“Wet for me already baby? And I haven’t even touched you properly yet.”

“Please Jimin,” you buck your hips towards him, desperate for more friction.

“Please what? You’ll have to be more specific,” he teases by blowing gentle puffs of air upon your soaked core, and you whine in frustration.

“I want your tongue. On my clit.” He rewards you by sliding your panties off, discarding them somewhere behind him as he spreads your lips with two fingers. Just when you think he’s going to tease you more, he swipes at your clit with the flat of his tongue, and your hands dive to entangle themselves in his hair.

Jimin alternates between suckling your clit and dipping down toward your slit, and the sight of him between your legs fulfils a fantasy you didn’t even know you had. When he adds two fingers to the mix, you tighten around him immediately.

“Fuck, you’re so tight, I can’t wait to feel you around my cock,” he licks his lips, coated with your arousal as he works magic with his fingers, and you can already start to feel your walls trembling in response.

“Jimin, I’m so close,” you whimper as you thread your fingers through his hair, and he gives you a smirk from between your thighs.

“That’s it baby, cum on my fingers so you’ll be wet enough for my cock.” Such filthy words coming from his sweet innocent mouth should shock you, but at this point you’re too far gone to care any longer. His fingers seek out that rough patch within you and attack it mercilessly, and when he sucks your clit with just the right amount of pressure, it sends you over the edge and you nearly sob.

Jimin continues to thrust his fingers to help you ride out your high, and you allow him a few more moments before pushing his hand away and reaching for the waistband of his sweatpants with your ungloved hand.

“Hey, I meant to ask you, why are you wearing gloves only on one side?”

You frown at him in mock displeasure. “Really? I’m about to grab your dick and all you can ask is why I’m wearing gloves?”

His response is cut off as you palm him through his sweats, and he feels hot and heavy even with the thick material in between.

“If you’re going to be like this, then don’t tease me princess,” Jimin pants.

“Gladly,” you pull down the waistband of his sweats, releasing him from the confines of his underwear as well. The tip of him is an angry red, and already leaking precum. You pump him up and down a few times, relishing the feel of him, hot and silky, thick and hard in your fist. When you dip your head down to give him a few teasing licks, his response is immediate, throwing his head back and exposing the creamy column of his throat while whining in desperation. 

You move to situate your core over him, and he stops you with his hands on your hips.

“Wait, do you need me to use a condom?” Even in his desperation he’s still ever the gentleman, and you smile at him with one hand on his length, rubbing the head against your slit teasingly.

“It’s okay Chim, I’m on the pill.” 

He places his hand over yours and together you guide him into you, and throughout the entire act he never breaks eye contact, and it’s the single most intimate thing you’ve ever done in your life. You finally have to break eye contact and gasp his name as the slow burn stretches you out, but you’re barely down to his base when he whispers some of the filthiest things you’ve ever heard him say.

“Babygirl, you’re so tight, do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this? Watching you walk around the house in nothing but my white shirts with no bra on, did you want to tease me, hmmm? Answer me,” his whispers send a shock of electricity down your spine.

“What if I did?” 

He only growls in response, and the way his hands span your waist immediately makes you feel both fragile and secure at the same time in his arms, as he gives a harsh thrust upwards. “Fuck, you’re practically dripping for me, did you ever think about my cock inside you? I know I did, especially when you wear those sleep shorts of yours that don’t cover anything at all.”

You can only moan in response as he litters your neck with bruises the shape of his lips, as he guides you to ride him while thrusting into you simultaneously. “Jimin… please…”

“Please what babygirl? What do you want?” His words come out a little harshly against the crook of your neck as he slams into you harder, and the delicious wet sound of his balls slapping against your slit makes you cream all over his length. “Mhmm you’re making such a mess… look at you, dripping all over my cock like this.”

“Jimin please, I’m so close,” you dig your nails into his shoulders, and every time he bottoms out you feel your second climax drawing nearer and nearer.

“I can’t wait to fill you up, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to see your pussy overflowing with my cum,” he moans against your neck. “Can I cum inside you? Please say yes baby.”

The desperation in his voice lets you know he’s also close, and you clutch onto his shoulders for dear life as he increases the strength and speed of his thrusts. “Chim, I want your cum so bad, just give it to me.”

Your words are just the right thing to push him off the edge, and he grasps your hips firmly to seal his hips to yours, giving two hard thrusts before he spills his cum inside your walls. The warmth and intensity of his spurts of cum makes you convulse around him as well, and he rides out his orgasm, breathless and panting.

You rest your forehead against his collarbone for a minute, completely out of breath and spent.

“Wow Chim, I didn’t know you were into things like this.”

“Like what?” He pulls you into his chest as he moves to lay his head on your pillow. 

“Like dirty talk. And creampies.” His spent length slips out of you in the process, and some of his cum dribbles out onto your slit. You watch his reaction as he sees his cum on you, and he reaches to cup you with his palm, massaging his cum back into your skin gently and pushing it back inside you. 

“Hopefully you didn’t think it was weird or creepy or anything,” he says, a faint blush staining the apples of his cheeks.

“I’m still here aren’t I? And I think it’s kinda hot too.” You glance back down toward his hand as he continues to play with your cum drenched slit, but that’s when you see it. The red string of fate on his fourth finger. Jimin follows your gaze down to his fingers, and he completely stops short.

Your eyes follow the red line all the way from the knot on his finger, to where the scarlet line leads them up… up to where your gloved hand is currently resting on his chest. The line stops short just outside your covered fourth finger. Before you can reach with a trembling hand to tug off your glove, Jimin beats you to it, and there it is.

An uninterrupted, complete scarlet line of fate that glows faintly in the dim lighting, from your finger to his.

Your eyes fly to his immediately.

“What-”

“I can see it too,” he whispers against your skin.

“Since when? Why didn’t you tell me this?” You interlock your fingers with his, unable to take your eyes off the red string that overlaps in a single unbroken chain as your fingers weave together.

“Ever since I saw you that day backstage. Ever since we met.”

“And you didn’t say anything all this while?” You squeeze his hand in yours tightly. “Park Jimin, you’re an idiot.”

“I know, but I’m your idiot.”

A/N: ahhhhh there r probably a ton of mistakes bc I speed wrote this over like 2 days so please forgive me! also, i’m sorry for the severe lack of updates, uni has been kicking my ass lately, but nevertheless i hope you liked it! please feel free to leave feedback!!! <3

addie

[fandoms-live]

anne ep 6 my thoughts while watching

ahh the beginnings lol bash first good impression but winnies parents ugh baby delphine so cute bash knitting?? yes easy to be with - easy way out gilbert caring so much about his outit josies mom helping her aww thats goals but focus on boys isnt so much cute what is that cake oh jk its perfect aw my baby anne caught feels for gil :( too bad he doesnt feel back what happened to the whole dance scene ok gil plus daffodils is so cute radish is spectacular hehe at least he waves to her but :(((( no winnieeee ruining everythinggggggg since when do you care??? hahahaha but she does galloped out of the pages of a novel splendid chin diana lending dresses aw so sweet cufflinks i dread that scene walking you home aw jerry could it be true? just very confusing feelings - omg i love the veil reference bennet and darcy hands touching!?!?!?!??!?! eyes were ruby observed gazing aww this is so beautiful crush but she never answered ugh matthew fixing his hair who is he trying to impress lmfao love the acting can never say it enough the radish lolol might as well call to the end likes to loves wowowo love out of a friendship good question romance spoils friendship she looks so pretty all the great stories about unrequited love the baby horse is so cute aw offer as a suitor - he has SM TO OFFER i love bash i love this whole fair scene oml cakes can be sensible? numbers as good omens cute wild horses couldnt stop me her awe at everything is so cute fortune teller >> totally fits annes vibe frauds are a big sad tho love how anne didn't pay her tho i want good answers annie lol aw frauds rip baby delly is so cute and i love the girls fangirling over her aw i iwish anne werent so oblivious AWW MY HEART IS IN PIECES NO ANNE MY BABY at least she wasnt led on for long tho shes really quite an exceptional person i love that i want a lynde relationship that shit is wholesome asf yee ms stacy thank you for winning this is for my girl awwwweeee awe she's back from college!!!! yay andrews the elder yay marilla won YES JERRY my boyyy billy tryna impress her lol utter domination aww lol but the other kids are like lmao what diana and jerry sneaking off aww thats so cute the gloves so iconic but i hope she doesn't get her heart broken someone deserves happiness here at least OMG THEY KISSED on the lips holy fuck i.did.not.expect.that go diana so forward my love dont shit on queens groundbreaking immunology research - the sorbonne good parents but still that was odd from nigel yay but theyre doing well rose such a nice last name im glad gil introduced his smile is so sweet winnie and anne meeting uh oh haha anne exposed fraud yeet ah i hope she doesnt miss the cake comp this bitch is like wha i wouldve settled for one me too girl awwwwww the baby 27:00 classmate and family friend false them arm in arm is so cute i want that but ahhhhh ostentatious my ass i hope so wins so bad oh no oh no oh no oh no yay gil for going after her yay the HEARTS IN THE BACKGROUND mary wouldve found that really funny i love how he said that to comfort her aww anne my baby is so sad aw matthew didn't win either... :((( im so sad now uhh aw i hope he doesnt get shit on thanks jack for the tips but dont shit on my child badge of honor i love that far from a prize winning day in every regard aw BUT DIANA AND JERRY kissing hand to kissing mouth so coute literally going to hell in a handbasket THATS JUST WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING LMFAO but the liniment thing was funny hehe im not unlucky - most unusual  I LOVE THAT still not over diana kissing jerry oml but i hope her parents don't find out that ship was so good issa tethered balloon but thats so cool in the 1900s look down haha theyre about to get heart attacks was that charlie that idiot oh jk its not but prince edward island pretty hello world where they gonna land lol i love how happy they are in this scene square dancing aww moody thats who it was in that pic dancing winnie and gil no its supposed to be anne right??? who even is winnie sets of 6 that was in class the other day aw where gil tho diana and anne i love their friendship so much luv theyre all so happy aww gil in the middle rip annes heart aww no chemistry anymore what how did this happen josie and the beginning whats happen gil secret sweeheart? PRISSY THATS HER NAME josie sneaking out lol moody and ruby aww josie and billy aww this seems kinda sweet but he said pretty jk thats sorta materialistic they kissedddddd aw she feels uncomforatable stop him stop go girl ugh billy what a douche circassian circle what are these names lol aw josie so sad matthew and stacy her reasons tho so funny AND HE AGREED BC OF IT AHHAHA aww rumors are spreading rip josie but now everyone knows L i'd hate that matthews adorably awkward whats ANNE ABOUT TO DO YES GIRL billy what a dickwad aw theyre all turning on her now yes the feminism i love that aweeeeee anne my child whats she doing making her own paper? thats wild about whawt josie? for the whole town to read uhhh idk about that fuck it ended