#they’re enjoying the winter scenery for a bit :)

[royaltea000]

Christmas fanart for a Buddhist fandom

[capitalisticveins]

Your mutuals in a zombie apocalypse?

Im telling u rn I had to analyze this shi bc I didnt know what it was asking at first😭

@deviantaj (rip) — Went AWOL first day, survives, somehow made it across the world

@e0sphorus — Also went AWOL however did not survive solely bc he didn’t move around a lot and got caught in a herd

@themeridian — Stayed with the group, seems like team morale and emotional support, however dies to a disease because someone* keeps using the medicine

@scopekale — Stayed with the group, and smuggled their own solo supplies in, doesn't share, but also barely uses the group supplies. Survives.

@battygutz — Joined the group midway, gunslinger, almost gets killed like 17 times, but somehow, somehow survives by dumb luck.

@mhmmaybe — Lowkey the type to stay in one spot and give handouts to passing survivors, prolly owns a farm or sumthin. Doesn't have lots of trouble with zombies, survives alone

@justaclownwholikesducks — low pain tolerance + screams randomly + easy to scare = dies first 4 months I don't make the rules

@vind3miat0r — Does this thing where they leave the group randomly and no one notices but when they come back they come back with LOOT, dies on an expedition and ppl started to notice

@hammerhead-jpg — Idk why but he seems like the type to live within a community with walls and food n stuff. Miiiight survive depends if someone feels like destroying it. Wonder who 👀

@mrsmiagreer — Lowkey always gives a caring feel so they're one of the 2 doctors on this list, makes sure everyone's as healthy as possible, prefers melee...dies to malaria

@gumballrightfoots — Gives off bandit vibes that steals supplies from other survivors, but based off stealth and not brute force, survives

@mokozroach - Feels like one of those survivors where all they really want is food. No shelter, no proper hygiene (since that need turns into a luxury in the event of an apocalypse), they might even try that trick where they dress up in zombie guts and vibe with the herd. When the winter comes? …Maybe they die to the winter eventually, or scurvy, whatever comes first

@starlightreader - In the group without ppl remembering they’re in the group half the time, and it turns into a vind3miat0r situation where they’ll stay behind in some cases to enjoy scenery or search places longer for more loot and it’s a rare case ppl notice. Survives to join a community and leaves the group

@cyc-chilla - *Is the person who takes all the medicine bc he’s dedicated to surviving ts, resorts to quiet weapons to avoid sound, honestly an equal opportunist scavenger and protector with slight Clementine vibes, can’t tell if you survive or not

@boees whered boee go wtf

Boee - The second doctor on the list that doesn’t deal with the killing zombies schtick at all, if you get bit this is the person you want to be amputated by 🙏🏾 Dies to internal bleeding

@annahxredaxted - Leads a cult/community running water, food, and safety. Ik cult makes it sound sketchy but who’s gonna question her💀 You know what happened to Prescott in The Walking Dead Game Season 3? Yeah that happens to her community, dies to a zombie bite

@prince-damien-of-darkness - One of those people who follows a herd, far behind enough that the herd doesn’t notice, and does it so that when the herd reaches people, they wait till the herd leaves and grabs the stuff the people left behind in a hurry. Might go far enough to use zombie guts to disguise as a zombie and join the herd temporarily. IF they do disguise as a zombie they die to a gunshot, if they don’t they survive long enough to leave the country and find a safehouse

This ask and post has been in my drafts for 6 months as I tried finishing this, Nai doesn’t even remember this ask. If you wanna be added bc I lowkey forgot all my moots just ask dont be scared at all🙏🏾

[minthandsoap]

Marie and Jordan Celebrate Christmas!

1218 words

Godolkin University’s winter break was almost there, but Marie and Jordan decided to stay back on campus to celebrate Christmas together. All their friends went home to their families. Jordan and Marie would have done the same had the Li’s been in town. But they were off in Colorado skiing with their business partners. Jordan didn’t mind this though, happy to spend Christmas with their girlfriend alone. Marie and Jordan decorated their dorm with twinkling lights, a miniature tree adorned with colorful ornaments tucked in a corner, and an air of festivity that filled every corner.

On the eve of Christmas, they bundled up in warm jackets, gloves, and scarves, venturing into the city. The streets were adorned with glittering lights, and the city sparkled with festive decorations. Hand in hand, they strolled through the festive streets, admiring the beautifully illuminated displays and festive decorations.

"This is so beautiful," Marie exclaimed, her breath creating misty clouds in the cold air.

"It's amazing," Jordan agreed, their eyes sparkling with delight as they took in the festive scenery. Truthfully, Jordan is freezing their ass off but Marie wanted to drink hot cocoa with marshmallows and imagine her surprise when she found out Jordan didn’t have either. So now they’re outside in what felt like -100 fucking degrees weather going to the grocery store to get hot chocolate and mini marshmallows. Jordan didn’t mind too much though, it made their girlfriend happy so they were happy.

*****************

After they left the store (Marie picked up Santa hats for them to wear) they rushed back into the comfort of their dorm hot cocoa in hand as they browsed Jordan’s TV for a Christmas movie to watch.

“Let’s watch the Polar Express!” Marie exclaimed, settling onto Jordans lap, wrapping the blanket around them. She grabbed the remote ready to start the movie.

“Absolutely the fuck not,” Jordan responded grabbing the remote from her hand. “That movie freaks me out and the shitty kid in the yellow and glasses annoys me. We’re watching Home Alone,” they finished searching for their preference in movie.

“Freaks you out? Are you scared of the Polar Express?” Marie turned to look at them with an amused smile on her face. “Didn’t know I was dating a pussy,” she teased.

Jordan rolled their eyes at her, wrapping an arm around Maries waist. “I don’t mean it scares me it’s just that their faces are unsettling. Like they’re stiff yet fluid at the same time. It’s demonic and that movie shouldn’t exist.” Jordan huffed.

“Well, I don’t wanna watch Home Alone,” Marie grabbed the remote back from Jordan.

“Well I don’t wanna watch the uncanny valley shit that is the Polar Express,” Jordan stared at Mare. They noticed her eyes swelling and her mouth starting the move into a pout.

“Pleaseeeeeee? Pretty please?” Marie pouted forcing tears to her eyes. Sigh, Jordan knew that she knew they couldn’t resist that face.

“Fine, but we’re watching Home Alone right after.” They sighed. Marie happy, squealed and gave them a quick peck on the lips and played the movie.

Jordan enjoyed the movie a bit more than they wanted to admit.

Finishing their hot cocoa and the all of the movies they wanted to watch that night, they stayed up both wanting to watch the clock strike midnight.

"Merry Christmas, baby," Marie smiled at them when the clock hit twelve, leaning in to give Jordan a long and affectionate kiss.

"Merry Christmas, Mar," Jordan grinned in return, feeling the warmth of the moment.

"So, do you want your present now or in the morning?" Jordan asked playfully, their eyes glinting mischievously.

Marie feigned a dramatic pout, pretending to be upset. “We agreed to wait till the morning, so we can truly feel the Christmas magic,” she teased, nudging Jordan with a playful smile.

“Dammit kind of wanted my present now,” Jordan did a dramatic sigh. “You wound me Marie,” they sighed again louder, lying back, their head hitting their pillows.

“Yeah, yeah whatever. Now let’s go to sleep and open our gifts in the morning,” Marie laid back, pulling Jordan closer to the front of her body.

"Merry Christmas," Marie said again with a smile.

"Merry Christmas, Marie," Jordan smiled back warmly.

After exchanging goodnights, both settled in for the night, ready to embrace the Christmas morning that awaited them.

*********************

As the first light of Christmas morning crept through the window, Marie stirred from her sleep, eyes wide with excitement. Gently nudging Jordan awake, she whispered, "Wake up, Jor. It's snowing outside."

Jordan moaned sleepily before registering Marie's words, instantly sitting up. "Snowing?" they blinked, still in the process of waking up.

“I can’t remember the last time it snowed on Christmas,” Marie sighed to herself. “Let’s go outside!” She exclaimed.

"Fuck that," Jordan instantly replied. "It’s cold as shit outside and just as cold in this room," they shivered, pulling the blanket closer.

“Aww come here baby,” Marie cooed as she pulled them into her lap wrapping her arms around them, rubbing their back.

They sat there for a moment, basking in the coziness of the embrace, the snowfall outside now a picturesque backdrop to their Christmas morning.

Remembering that they needed to exchange gifts, Marie unwraps herself from their embrace (Jordan cursing and complaining about the cold again), Marie reached under her bed to give Jordan their gift.

“I hope you like it,” Marie looked down sheepishly holding the gift out to Jordan with both hands.

With eager hands, they unwrapped the package, revealing a sleek, red letterman jacket with intricate details and Jordan's initials embroidered in elegant script on the front.

“Holy shit, Mar, this is incredible!" Jordan exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise and joy as they held up the stylish jacket. "I love it!"

“The hoes are gonna love this,” they smirked.

“Excuse me?” Marie raised an eyebrow. “You want to die?” She looked at them pointedly.

“Im just joking, bad joke,” they teased. They leaned over to kiss Marie. “Thank you so much baby.” Jordan held the jacket close, envisioning all the times they could wear it. They’d let Marie wear their blue jacket so they could wear them together.

Jordan got out of bed and reached for the neatly wrapped gift intended for Marie sitting in a drawer in their desk. Marie tore the wrapping paper away, revealing a sleek wooden box. Inside, nestled on a velvet cushion, lay a beautifully crafted pocket knife. "Wow, this is incredible," Marie murmured, tracing the initials 'M.M.' carved delicately into the handle. "Thank you so much."

"I'm glad you like it," Jordan beamed, watching Marie’s eyes light up at the sight of the personalized gift.

“I also got you this,” Jordan pulled out another gift for Marie.

“Two gifts? Jordan that’s too much-“

“Just take it,” Jordan interrupted, forcing the gift into Marie’s hands.

As Marie unwrapped the gift, revealing a stunning pearl and chain bracelet. Her eyes widened in surprise and delight as she examined the intricate details of the jewelry. “Jordan, this is stunning," Marie exclaimed, turning the bracelet to catch the light.

"I thought it would be something we could both cherish," Jordan said softly, watching Marie’s genuine delight. “And so you’d stop stealing my necklace off my neck when I’m sleeping,” they added.

“We match!” Marie squealed putting on showing her wrist to Jordan who laughed and kissed her hand.

With smiles that mirrored the happiness in their hearts, they settled in together. They tuned in to a playlist of classic Christmas tunes, the melodies filling the air with nostalgia. Snuggled close on Jordan’s couch, they enjoyed the music, occasionally singing along to their favorite carols. Jordan even pulled out their guitar and played “Ode to Joy” for Marie. Time seemed to slow down as they savored each other's company, enjoying in the glow of the holiday season. They shared laughter, stories, and moments of quiet reflection, cherishing the simple joy of being together on this special day.

[dudadragneel]

Hello guys! It's me!

How are you guys doing?

So. My dear anon who requested the Winter Cabin sickfic, you waited far too long!

FINALLY! THE REQUEST IS DONE!

I'm sorry for the delay! But it's here!

Just a warning: this s*** is long af 🤣

I really hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!

💜

*requests are open, read pinned post*

Hii Duda, I thought of this idea for a request in a dream (funny I know) okay so picture the scene— SKZ is on break and it’s winter and they’re all staying at a luxurious cabin and y/n is excited to finally get some alone time and rest with her bf Hyunjin. But Hyunjin develops a bad migraine and he’s hesitant to tell her at first because she’s so excited for a romantic getaway but he decides to just be honest with her and tell her how bad he feels. Like he’s SO nauseous and keeps trying to be sick but can’t, We need the “I feel like I’m going to throw up” line somewhere in there because 🤭. Eventually he does start throwing up but then he can’t stop, every time he eats it just comes back up and he may be miserable but his lovely gf and members are always willing to help.

For an idol, having some free time was something as rare as seeing Halley's comet, so whenever they had, they made it worth every second.

This time, their so dreamed break was during the winter season, a time of the year when everything looked beautiful but also, sometimes, gloomy. The boys decided to rent a luxury winter cabin to spend part of their break and you were going as well.

Even though you went to some of their official schedules to keep Hyunjin company, sometimes you had to work or study, so you couldn't make it. So whenever he had free time or vacations, he would make sure that you both did as much as you could.

You were the organized one when compared to the rest of the group, so you were all packed a day before the trip.

Morning rose, despite being extremely cold, the sun was still rising and shining and it looked beautiful. You were going to leave at 7 AM to get to the cabin around 1 PM.

You were supposed to meet at the dorms and from there get on the bus you guys decided to rent and head for the cabin.

Arriving at the dorms, you were met with 8 frantic boys finishing packing.

- Good morning! Really, guys? Really?

You just stood there, at the doorway, with a not-so-amused or surprised look on your face.

- Oh hi y/n!

Han said running from one side of the room to another with a pack of clothes.

- didn't we plan this trip, like, two weeks ago? I'm not even surprised...

You said defeated as you entered the chaotic house and headed to Hyunjin's room.

- Oh, hello my love!

He said, going to give you a kiss and a hug.

- How's everything? All done packing?

- Almost. I'm just looking for my brush...

- You're bringing your painting kit?

- Yes! The scenery is beautiful, I felt inspired. I just can't find that brush...

- The medium-sized one?

- yeah!

- This one?

You said holding the brush in front of your face with a cute smile.

- Yes! You're life saver, babe!

- You left it at my house last time you spent the night.

- Thank you so much!

He packed his painting kit inside his bag before sitting on the bed. But one tiny action caught your attention, a subtle wince and a twitch of the eyebrow.

- What's wrong?

- what?

- you just winced. What's wrong?

- You noticed that?

- Yeah.

- We've been dating for 2 years and I still get surprised by how perceptive of details you are...

- So, honey, what's wrong?

- A teeny tiny headache...it must be from the cold

- Well, if it's from the cold then you gotta keep yourself warm. Put this binnie and these ear muffs. And this scarf.

You handed him a thick black scarf with a small piece of paper attached to it.

- Woah! You made this??

- Yes! Did you like it?

- It's beautiful! It matches any outfit! Thank you so much, babe!

He gave you a kiss and a hug and then stepped a bit away so you could wrap the scarf around his neck.

- Can you grab me that bag over there?

- Oh, you're bringing your camera?

- Yeah! This weather will give us some beautiful photographs!

- I'm bringing mine as well. A polaroid!

- Oh, you don't like my photos then?

He said jokingly and giving you a sassy look

- No, you silly! I just like the vintage touch to it! I feel like they portray better what we're feeling.

- So my photographs are lifeless?

- No, babe, stop.

You said smacking him on the shoulder, which made him laugh.

- I'm just joking.

You helped him finish packing and then headed to the living room to wait for the other members.

After 30 minutes, the dorm was still in chaos, and by now you were just wondering if you'd actually go on this trip.

- Guys, we have 40 minutes to get to the bus. Come on! I'm totally gonna mom you right now, but, make sure you're not forgetting anything and go to the bathroom before we leave. It's a 3 hours drive to the first rest area, so please.

- Wow, you really momed us...

You just dug your head into your hands and laughed.

Finally, everyone was ready to leave and they made sure that everyone was taking what they said they would, Chan and his computer, Felix and his brownie cooking stuff, and so on.

Much to your surprise, the company allowed you to go on this trip alone, without the staff, since you'd be going to a rather distant place.

So the bus was rented by all nine of you and it was a luxurious one, it was spacious, the seats were comfy, there was AC, heater, WI-FI, and some other cool stuff. Honestly, it felt more like a motorhome rather than a bus.

You sat with Hyunjin and he let you be by the window since you felt cold easier, so you could have some sunlight to keep you warm.

- So, we'll be trapped here for the next 3 hours, what do you want to do?

You asked turning to him with a big smile.

- Since we have a table, I'm thinking of sketching some stuff.

- Cool! Just be careful not to get car sick.

- I will.

- And I'm gonna start taking the pictures!

- Right now?

- Yeah! It's the perfect timing! I want to capture the raw moments, no posing, just you being your natural selves.

- Do you have enough tape/film?

- Oh I have plenty! A bag of them, actually!

He just gave a little laugh and turned his attention to his sketchbook.

You spent a good 30 minutes or more taking pictures of the boys and when you were satisfied you sat back down and opened a journal and started to glue them on the pages with little notes about the moments.

In the beginning, everyone was being loud and cheerful but then the duration of the trip hit and eventually, most of them were asleep.

Hyunjin was still sketching, even though you kept glancing at him and noticed he kept dozing off every once in a while.

- Babe, why don't you take a nap for a while?

- Hm?? I'm not sleepy...

He said pouting and rubbing his eyes.

- Yes, you are. I can see you dozing off

- I'm just resting my eyes...the light hitting the white pages is making my eyes sting.

- Really?

You took a glance at the white pages of his sketchbook and almost immediately closed your eyes.

- Oh, geez! Yeah, that's blinding!

You said making a dramatic pose that made him laugh. A laugh that always made you laugh.

- And you babe, what are you doing?

- Oh, I'm doing my journal!

- Now? Wouldn't it be better to wait until we got to the cabin?

- No, I like it this way. It feels more natural, to just let it happen.

- Interesting.

Hyunjin went back to sketching while you worked on your journal. He tried to concentrate on the pages in front of him but that stinging behind his eyes was still persisting, so he decided it would be best to just try and get some sleep.

- You know what, I'm gonna take your offer and get some sleep.

- I'll wake you up when we get to the rest area.

He put his headphones on, reclined his seat, and was asleep within minutes.

You finished your journal and also went to sleep, the weather was cold and the cozy clothes made you feel relaxed.

A few minutes into sleeping, Hyunjin noticed that the stinging in his eyes wasn't going away. Maybe he didn't get enough sleep? He didn't know, or rather, he didn't want to know, because deep down inside he felt a really light headache starting.

He woke up about 15 minutes before the bus arrived at their first stop, and just stayed silent, listening to music while you're asleep.

He was excited about the trip at first but that headache earlier, the stinging in his eyes, and the headache that was coming back now were worrying him. It was one of your first trips together in a while and he didn't want to ruin it for you, he knew you were really excited for it as well.

He felt nervous and disappointed, but he didn't want to worry you, so he decided to just brush it off. But he knew all too well that the stinging behind his eyes was a sign that a migraine was starting.

Before the bus came to a stop, his stomach was already starting to feel funny, he didn't feel nauseous but it wasn't settled as well.

The bus finally arrived at the rest area and they were relieved to finally be able to stand up and stretch their legs.

- Babe, wake up, we're at the rest area.

- Oh, Hyunjin. You're already awake?

- I woke up about 15 minutes ago.

- Are you okay?

- Yeah! Let's go!

The boys went directly to the bathroom and then to the counter to order some food, even though they had brought some with them, most of it was snacks, and they wanted to have a proper meal.

You got yourself some sweet bread and so did Hyunjin.

His stomach was funny but at the same time he was a bit hungry, so he brushed it off as being too much acid from not eating a lot during the ride.

He ate the sweet bread but it didn't sit that well, his stomach felt heavy after and still funny. He tried drinking sips of water to see if it would calm down but it didn't help. So he decided that maybe he would feel better if it was out of his system.

- Babe, I'm gonna go to the bathroom.

- Alright. I'm gonna eat some more.

He left to the bathroom and locked himself inside one of the cabins. He just stood there, breathing and trying to understand what exactly his stomach was feeling. And the light headache was starting to grow strong.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to throw up or not but something was wrong with his stomach.

He bent over the toilet and gagged, trying to bring something up, as he thought that throwing up might help ease the weird feeling in his stomach.

He gagged a few times without success and eventually one of the members came inside the bathroom making him freeze on the spot.

He leaned his back on the cabin's wall, as his head was beginning to pound from the effort of trying to throw up just a few minutes ago.

He squeezed his head in an attempt to make the pain go away but it didn't work. When he heard the member walk out he bent over the toilet one more time and tried contracting his stomach and gagged again, but nothing but saliva came out, and it certainly didn't ease the discomfort he was feeling. And to top that, the pounding in his head increased again by the effort he was putting his body through. He flushed, washed his face, and rinsed his mouth before walking out to meet with a worried expression on your face.

- Babe, are you okay?

- What?

- Not to be rude or invasive, but you took a long to come out. Is everything okay?

- Yeah. I'm fine. You don't need to worry.

- Okay. Let's go, the bus will leave in a few minutes.

He was trying to stay positive about everything, he didn't want to worry you, not when you were so excited for this trip.

The rest of the ride to the cabin was a mix between being chaotic and sleeping, and they couldn't wait to get there, eat, and sleep on a comfy bed.

The cabin was isolated, luxurious, and rather big. Its interior was mostly made of wood which had a nice contrast with the white from the snow outside.

- Woah! It's so beautiful!

They all said with their mouths wide open. Just like usual, the first thing they did was a little game to decide the rooms, and you participated as well.

In the end, you and Hyunjin got one of the bedrooms with a "king" sized bed.

You all went to your bedrooms to organize your clothing in the wardrobes since you'd be staying there for a little while. After that, the boys went downstairs to prepare lunch, they were starving.

- Let's go downstairs and eat something then we can decide what we'll do today.

- You can go first, I'll be there in a few. I gotta go to the bathroom.

- Okay.

You went downstairs and helped the ones in charge of cooking, prepare lunch.

After you left, Hyunjin entered the bathroom and the light bothered him a bit, there was this strange pain in the corner of his eyes when he tried turning them. His head wasn't giving him a break, it felt like the pain increased little by little as time passed. And to add to his suffering, his stomach wasn't exactly happy about it since earlier.

His mouth kept salivating and everything in his body kept telling him not to swallow any of it.

He just stood there in front of the mirror as he felt his mouth pool with saliva. He bent over the sink and just let it out of his mouth, it was so much it made him gag a little but he didn't vomit. He spat out a few more times before rising his mouth and going downstairs.

Lunch went on as usual, loud and fun. The food was delicious and warm, just perfect for the weather.

After lunch, some of the boys went to their bedrooms for a well-deserved nap, others played video games and you and Hyunjin decided to go out for a while since the snow wasn't as deep as to make a nice walk a difficult task.

There was a beautiful lake near the cabin and that's where you two went for a little date.

When you arrived at the lake, you were just as happy as you could be and Hyunjin was happy that you were enjoying the trip.

You turned around smiling at him and the image in front of him made him feel as if he was falling in love with you for the first time again.

The sun cast a light blue shadow on the snow behind you as well as the little bits covering the trees, and the light on the lake's surface cast a beautiful golden shine on your face. Hyunjin felt his heart racing at the beautiful image in front of him.

- I love you.

Was all he could say while looking at you with bright sparkling eyes.

- I love you too.

You kept on walking alongside the as he took pictures of you. Eventually, you reached a nice spot where you could relax so he sat down and pulled out his sketchbook and started to draw.

- What are you doing?

You asked him turning around and smiling.

- Just sketching the beauty in front of my eyes. I wish I had brought a canvas and paint with me. This scenery is just mesmerizing.

He just sat there taking in the imagery of the place.

But being in the cold was starting to show its effects. His nose was getting runny and the headache got a little stronger, he started sneezing which caught your attention.

- Bless you! You okay?

- Yeah! My nose is a little runny.

He said laughing at you with the cutest face.

- Let's get back to the cabin before we catch a cold.

You headed back to the cabin as the sun was starting to set, which made the place even more magical. You both turned back to look at that mesmerizing view one more and take the last picture of the day.

Getting back to the cabin everyone was sitting down deciding on what to make for dinner. But when they asked you what you wanted, Hyunjin's response made you raise an eyebrow.

- Hyunjin-ah, what do you want for dinner?

- Me? I don't know, I'm not really hungry.

- Really?

- Yeah.

You tugged his shirt and whispered into his ear.

- Are you okay?

- Yeah, I guess it's just the stress from the trip.

- Are you sure?

- Yeah.

You just looked at him and nodded, if he said so then why say otherwise?

He let you take a shower first because he knew you feel colder than he does.

The day had been nice until now, but everything started to go south the moment he entered the bathroom to take a shower.

Because of the cold, he obviously took a hot shower, and while that did provide some comfort in a way it also worsened his headache. The temperature of the water relaxed his body which made his blood circulate better, making his head start to pound. For a brief moment, he swayed to the side and leaned against the wall so he wouldn't fall and startle you. He changed the temperature of the water so it wouldn't feel as stuffed inside the bathroom and stopped to take a few deep breaths trying to control the sudden dizziness.

As he did that his stomach twisted making him feel nauseous. He leaned his head against the wall and kept taking deep controlled breaths to ease the nausea. But it was a failed attempt. He covered his mouth to surpass a gag so you wouldn't hear him because he really didn't want to worry you when you were enjoying this trip so much.

He bent over the drain and gagged silently and unproductively before he gagged again but nothing but bile came up.

He rinsed his mouth with water and washed his face a few times, calming himself before turning off the water.

He put on some comfy clothes and took a look in the mirror and notices how his complexion looked a little tired but he could try to lie to you by saying it was because of the cold. Even though he knew deep down you would notice something was off.

His head suddenly stung with pain and the dizziness washed over his body once more, he felt the floor sway beneath his feet and grabbed the edges of the sink for support, and crouched down before the worse happened.

He took deep breaths and tried to focus his eyes on the tiles of the floor.

When he deemed it safe, he stood up carefully and washed his face before leaving the bathroom.

Once out, he was met with a rather worried expression on your face.

- Babe, are you okay?

- Yeah. It's just because the bathroom was warm after the hot shower and I didn't want to leave.

He said laughing a little trying to cover what once was a slight headache and now was a pounding migraine.

He tried to brush it off but his body said otherwise. Suddenly his head stung making him squeeze it in an attempt to ease the pain away. Now he wouldn't be able to continue with the farce.

- Hyunjin, are you really okay?

- No.

He said almost breaking down but stopping before crying and making that pounding even worse.

He didn't want to ruin your trip or worry you, but now the pain was getting unbearable.

- My head is killing me.

- Oh baby, since when?

- Since morning, even before we left.

- Why didn't you tell me?

- It was so light before and I didn't want to ruin this trip for you. You were so excited.

- Hyunjin, you could've told me. You're not ruining my trip.

- I'm sorry, baby. I'm really not feeling well right now.

- Is that why you took long on the bath?

- Yeah, it suddenly got worse and it made me feel dizzy twice and I didn't want to pass out.

- Hyunjin, why didn't you tell me? You could've fallen! At least I'd be able to help you before you actually fainted.

- I'm really sorry, I didn't know it would get this bad.

- How bad is it right now?

- Like someone is hammering my head from the inside. I can barely open my eyes, because the brightness makes it sting even more.

- Oh my love. Come here.

You hugged him and pat his head, trying to relax him a little.

- Do you think you're up for some dinner?

- I think so. At least then I could take some medicine. Do you have it?

- Yes, I'll give it to you after dinner. Come on.

- One more thing. Can you please not tell the other members? I don't want to worry them.

- Okay.

You said sighing.

You both went down to meet with the boys in the living room and dinner was already set on the table.

- Let's eat!

Chan said smiling and sitting down.

You sat beside Hyunjin and gave him a little squeeze in his hand reassuring him you were right there for him if he needed.

You all began talking and eating and for a few minutes, Hyunjin kept eating and talking as well.

But as time passed, surprisingly, his headache increased even more. He grew quiet, which thankfully they didn't really give much thought to, as everyone was tired from the trip.

He tried to keep on eating, but his body decided otherwise. Each mouthful got harder and harder to swallow, to the point where he kept on chewing, afraid of swallowing the food. He took another mouthful and the process repeated until he managed to finally swallow the food.

He put his chopsticks down and leaned back on his chair, which caught your attention.

- Babe, you ok?

- Hm

He just hummed and nodded.

But his stomach was already decided that it didn't want that last bite. It started to turn and the nausea hit with full force, sending hot liquid up his throat not giving him much time to control the situation. He grabbed your hand and squeezed it tight.

He let out a muffled burp which ended up bringing his stomach content up even closer to his mouth.

- I feel like I'm going to throw up.

That was all he managed to say before a gag filled his mouth with vomit making him dart to the bathroom, you following right behind leaving everyone shocked.

- What just happened?

- I don't know. But he was a little off today, wasn't he?

When he got to the bathroom he barely had the time to reach the toilet before vomit spilled out of his mouth hitting the edges of the toilet in the process.

He grabbed the edges and kept standing up as he gagged and vomited everything he had for dinner. The fact that he had just eaten was the worst because it felt solid and harder to throw up and he swore he could feel every texture in his mouth as the waves came out.

You entered the bathroom shortly after and ran to his side and held his hair back as he threw up one more time.

- Oh my god babe.

He felt the grains of rice and that made him gag harshly, bringing up a stronger wave of vomit that arched his back and didn't give him time to breathe before another wave came out, this time coming out of his nose as well.

You tied his hair in a short ponytail and proceed to rub his back and stomach, providing him some comfort.

He just stood there, in the same position, grabbing the edges of the toilet for support, and left his mouth open, while saliva kept pouring out.

The whole strain that vomiting put on his body made his head feel like it was about to explode.

He could see black dots in front of his eyes and he felt the ground melt beneath his feet and his knees buckled without he could notice.

You were quick to grab him by his chest and waist to guide him down to his knees. You were thankful this time that he was rather light.

- Don't worry, I've got you. Let's sit down now, ok?

- ok...I feel dizzy...

He just let himself lean his weight on you as you had your arms around his chest and waist.

- let me stay like this for a while...

- Of course.

With the hand that was holding his waist, you decided to rub his lower back.

- You're gonna be okay. Just breathe for a while with me okay?

Chan knocked on the door before entering the bathroom to analyze the situation his dongsaeng was in.

- How is he doing?

- He threw up basically everything he ate.

- How are you feeling, Hyunjin?

Chan said kneeling down close to you.

- I feel like my head is going to explode. And my stomach just keeps on swirling around. Everything is bright and it stings my eyes.

He said, not daring to move from his position.

- I'll go tell the others what's happening and get your bed ready.

- Thanks, Chan.

You said giving him a soft smile.

He left the door open and Hyunjin tugged your shirt and motioned for you to close it before reaching the toilet. Once you were beside him again, he proceeded to throw whatever remained in his stomach.

- Oh babe, he's seen you sick before.

Hyunjin knew that, but he just wanted to be alone with you for a while. The lesser information around him, the better.

His stomach contracted painfully making him gag harshly another thick stream of vomit mixing with what was already inside the bowl.

The sigh and smell of it only made him gag more bringing more and more food up his throat.

- Jesus, babe. You're really not okay.

He threw up one more time before his stomach decided to eject only bile, and by now his throat was hurting with the strain and acid from his stomach.

- Honey, I think you're done. If you keep this up you'll hurt your throat even more.

- Hmm

You flushed the toilet, pulled him close to you, and cleaned his mouth with a wet cloth.

- Do you still feel nauseous?

- not that much...but let me stay like this a little longer, I don't feel like moving...

- okay...

You kept patting his head and drawing patterns on his hand and just let him relax a little.

- Are you feeling a little calmer now?

- Hmm

- Let's go to the bedroom then. Can you stand?

- I don't know...

He tried getting up with your help, but his vision got blurry and he slumped to the ground, the only thing keeping him from actually falling was you. You took a good look at him and noticed he was barely conscious, and you wouldn't be able to support his weight like that.

- Chan! Can you come here, please?

- What is it? Did he faint?

- Almost, we tried getting up but he just fell.

- Okay, I'll carry him to the bedroom.

Chan positioned himself in front of Hyunjin and you helped the sick boy get on his hyung's back.

- Don't worry, Hyunjin, hyung's got you.

Chan gave him a piggyback ride to your bedroom and propped him down on the bed, and you carefully guided him to lie down.

- Does that feel better?

- Hmm...

- I'll leave this bucket next to the bed, just in case.

- Thanks, Chan.

- we'll prepare some light soup for him to eat later.

Hyunjin just grumbled and shrugged at the mention of food.

- Are you gonna be sick again?

- No... just don't talk about f-food...please

- Sorry.

Chan left you two to go prepare something for his dongsaeng to eat once his stomach was a little more settled.

You got some cold water for the poor sick boy to drink to try to calm down his stomach and ease his throat.

- Here drink this. It's just cold water.

- Thanks...I'm sorry for ruining our trip...

- No babe! There's nothing to be sorry for! It's not your fault you're feeling sick.

- But I could've told you sooner but I didn't want to worry you...

- Stop saying that, Hwang Hyunjin.

You said firmly, which he understood, and shut his mouth before he made you angry instead of worried.

- Honey, can I take some medicine? My head is killing me...

- I don't think that would be a wise decision, babe. It's not good to take medicine on an empty stomach, and your migraine medication is rather strong.

- I don't know if I can handle this pain anymore.

- Then put this on.

You gave him an eye mask to help with the brightness and encouraged him to sleep while he couldn't take the medicine.

You guided him close to you and pat his head and started humming, you could feel his body relaxing and within a few minutes, he fell asleep.

He slept for about 2 hours before waking up, looking a little confused.

- Hey, babe. Are you okay?

- My head still hurts a lot...

- And your stomach?

- A little less nauseous...

- Do you think you can keep down some food?

- I don't know...maybe...

Chan brought the soup the group made while he was asleep, and they tried to make it as light as possible without losing all its taste.

- Here! We all helped make it! We hope you'll like it.

- Thanks, hyung. It smells good.

Chan left the tray with you and went back downstairs to meet the boys.

- I'll try to eat some...

- Good. But you don't need to force it. But if you can keep a few mouthfuls down, you can take your medicine.

- Okay.

He got a spoonful and hesitated for a moment before bringing it to his mouth. He took small sips of the soup to not upset his stomach.

- Hmm! It's good!

He said in a rather excited tone, considering how miserable he was feeling.

The boys brought bread for him to eat with the soup as well, so it could protect his stomach for his medicine.

He ate basically the whole soup and then took the pill with some water.

- It was really good.

- I'm glad you liked it.

You kissed him on the forehead and a bright smile, which he returned.

You two decided to stay seated on the bed because you knew that laying down right after eating in his state, would upset his stomach.

You watched some series and Hyunjin was dozing off every once in a while, and you were somewhat relieved. But you knew deep down this day was far from being over.

Hyunjin loved the food his hyungs prepared for him, it felt light on his stomach which he was grateful for. However, his migraine didn't give one sign that it was getting better. His head still pounded, it was as if he could feel every heartbeat inside of it.

His stomach started to twist and turn making him wake up, though he didn't open his eyes. He kept them shut in an attempt to go back to sleep but to no avail. The nausea grew stronger making his mouth start to produce more saliva, forcing him to swallow it.

But it didn't stop, his mouth kept pooling with saliva and he started to swallow convulsively, trying to keep everything in.

For a moment it worked, and he felt this relief wash over his body. But it didn't last long.

The nausea came back even stronger, his stomach was bubbling and he felt this bubble come up his throat and get stuck. He felt suffocated by it and he needed to burp.

He contracted his stomach lightly to force the burp out but it just brought up hot liquid up his throat and he knew this time he wouldn't be able to hold it in.

He stood up startling you, and quickly covered his mouth as he turned to his side of the bed. He tried getting up but it was too late, a harsh gag made some of the vomit come out, spilling through his fingers, but he kept his hand on his mouth, not wanting to make a bigger mess. He needed to get to the bathroom but he felt too weak to even get up from the bed.

You sat behind him, patting his back reassuringly.

- It's okay, babe. Just let it out. I'm right here with you.

You said, giving him a little kiss on his back.

The words of comfort coming from you relaxed him, so he let go of his mouth and bent over as another harsh gag arched his back sending another stream hitting the ground.

You quickly grabbed his hair to prevent from vomit getting on it and kept rubbing his back, up and down.

- That's it. Don't worry, okay? Just let everything out, you'll feel better after.

His body gave him only a few seconds to breathe before sending another wave of watery vomit up his throat, making him bent forward almost falling from the bed.

- Woah! I've got you, I've got you.

You said embracing him with your arms across his chest and pulling him back.

He burped another wave but the only thing coming out now was bile. His stomach contracted painfully, forcing something up to the point where his face got a little red, but only a tiny stream of bile came out.

- Honey, I don't think there's anything left in there. You'll just hurt your throat. Sit back a bit, lean on me.

He leaned his weight on you as you stroke his hair.

- I'm sorry for the mess...

- No, no, no. Dont, apologize. Dont worry. I'll clean this up in a bit.

You let him stay like that for a while, guiding him through deep breaths to calm down.

- I think I'm okay now...

- really?

- Yeah...I just feel lightheaded

- Then lay down, I'll clean this up.

- Okay...I'm sorry...

- Stop, please.

He laid down facing up, not wanting to give a chance for his stomach to do flips again and closed his eyes.

You left the room to get wet cloths, a mop, and a bucket to clean up the room before it started to smell like vomit and triggered Hyunjin's nausea again.

When you arrived at the kitchen, the boys gave you a worried look.

- Is everything okay?

- Yeah, I mean...Hyunjin threw up again.

- he didn't manage to keep the soup down?

- No... but he said it was delicious a lot of times, he really liked it, but his migraine is just making him suffer.

- Do you need help?

- No, at least not now. But I'd like it if you could keep him company later, so I can take a quick shower.

You said giving a shy smile.

They all agreed and just waited for your request.

Getting up to the bedroom, you found Hyunjin dozing off rather peacefully, so you tried to keep as quiet as possible while you cleaned the mess.

He didn't even flinch while you were there, so after you were done cleaning, you took the opportunity to take a shower. Yes, just like a mother would do with her kid.

You messaged the boys so one or two of them kept company to Hyunjin, just in case something happened.

Felix went upstairs to keep the sick boy some company while you showered.

Hyunjin woke up but was barely conscious and just greeted Felix confused.

- Felix? Hi?

- Hey, there. How are you feeling?

- Hmm, tired...

He said going back to sleep without much thought, making Felix giggle a little since he seemed okay.

He just stayed there, patting the sick boy's thigh, even though the latter didn't even notice until you came back.

You saw how he was still sleeping so you just whispered.

- Was it okay?

- Yeah. He didn't actually wake up, just for a few seconds, and went back to sleep.

- Thank God.

- We'll come upstairs in a bit to sleep as well, so if you need anything, you know where we are.

He gave you a pat on the shoulder before leaving the room.

Night fell and everyone settled in their rooms, despite the rather tiring day, the night was quite beautiful. And you were somewhat relieved that Hyunjin basically didn't move an inch since the ordeal earlier. You quietly laid down beside him and whispered a soft goodnight before falling asleep.

Around 1 AM, Hyunjin started to feel weird again. His migraine was just as strong as before and no matter how much he kept his eyes shut, they still stung.

He tried to focus back on sleeping, taking controlled breaths, but it was not working.

He didn't want to wake you up because he noticed that you were really tired and he knew that was mostly his fault, so he tried to deal with it alone.

He covered his eyes with one arm while his other hand rested on his stomach, and took deep breaths. But the nausea was settling in and it wanted everything out. He felt his stomach contract and try to bring up its content, his mouth started to pool with saliva making him start to swallow convulsively, while he squeezed his eyes and clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

The process lasted a moment but for Hyunjin, it felt like an hour. When he felt that horrible feeling going away, a wave of relief washed over his body.

He decided to turn to his side to not bother you, but that was the worst decision he made that day.

The moment his body turned, his stomach turned as well and sent its content up his throat without much warning, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep it down as he already felt the liquid hitting his throat and starting to fill his mouth.

He clamped his mouth shut and got up from the bed, rather quietly for someone who was about to throw up, so he wouldn't wake you up.

However, he got up too quickly, making his blood run through his body and making his head throb painfully, as if someone was hammering inside of it.

He leaned on the wall for support, while he still kept his hand over his mouth, he needed to at least get to the bathroom.

But he felt the strength drain from his body as his vision blurred with black spots. He panicked, not only was he not gonna make it to the bathroom but he was going to pass out as well.

He started to slide down the wall when someone grabbed him and held him up.

It was Chan, his fatherly instincts didn't let him sleep, knowing his dongsaeng was sick and anything could happen.

- Woah! I've got you, I've got you.

Hyunjin just looked up, barely opening his eyes to recon his hyung beside him.

His stomach contracted aggressively making vomit slip through Hyunjin's fingers and hit the ground.

- Oi! Let's get you to the bathroom, come on.

Chan quickly helped the sick boy to the bathroom, while the latter leaned his weight against him, which he didn't really mind since Hyunjin was light.

Getting to the bathroom, Hyunjin didn't even have time to reach the toilet so he went to the sink before vomit escaped from his mouth.

Chan stood by his side, holding most of Hyunjin's weight as he grabbed one of the edges of the sink for support.

Chan rubbed his back up and down as he threw up one more time and coughed.

- Oi, oi, oi! Let's move to the toilet, okay? Otherwise, we'll end up clogging the sink. I'll leave the water running for a while.

The older boy helped Hyunjin to the toilet, where he grabbed the edges and kept standing and looking down.

His stomach gave him a little break, only making saliva pour out of his mouth, almost like water.

Chan kept rubbing his back and reassuring him he was not alone.

- It's okay. Just take your time okay? Do you feel like you're gonna throw up again?

- Y-yeah.

Hyunjin barely managed to answer as a gag made him spill even more watery saliva.

He gagged again a few times but despite making him feel miserable and incredibly nauseous, his stomach wasn't sending anything up.

- I can't do it...

- What? You can't throw up?

- Nothing's coming up hyung...but it feels horrible

He was almost sobbing but he managed to hold it in since he knew that could just worsen his already killer migraine.

- Do you want me to help you?

- Please...

- Okay. I'll just press down on your stomach a little bit okay? It might feel uncomfortable but it will help.

- Ok...

Chan rubbed and gently pressed Hyunjin's stomach down in different areas to stimulate it to contract and expel whatever was left in there that was bothering his dongsaeng.

He gave one more gentle press in the middle and that stimulated a gag and a burp that brought up some vomit with it.

He kept standing up and just bent over a little more as he threw up after his hyung's help.

He barely managed to close his mouth and breathe before a harsh gag arched his back painfully, vomit coming out with even more force, making him bend even further and sway a little bit.

Chan was quick to wrap his arms around him and guide him down to his knees, to prevent the sick boy to injure himself.

- There, there, there. I've got you, hyung's got you.

He proceeded to rub his back from his lower back all the way up to his shoulder blades to help the sick boy expel everything inside his stomach.

And wave after wave, more and more vomit hit the water inside the toilet with a sickening sound, making Chan grimace a little.

- You're doing good. Let everything out.

He kept reassuring Hyunjin he was okay and that he was not alone.

Eventually, he was just dry heaving.

- Hyunjin, you're just straining your throat. Straighten your back a little.

Chan flushed the toilet and proceeded to help his dongsaeng through a breathing process to calm him down a bit.

Once he was finally relaxed he slumped down leaning his whole weight on his hyung.

- sorry...hyung...I feel...dizzy...

- Shh, it's okay. Just relax, I'm right here, I've got you.

Chan reassured embracing his dongsaeng as the boy's consciousness drifted away. In other situations, Chan would've gotten worried, but given what happened today, passing out was basically a blessing.

He waited a moment to make sure Hyunjin wouldn't wake up or get sick again before he stood up.

Chan got up, and helped Hyunjin up, which the boy also helped, managing to stand on his feet, still barely conscious.

Before he picked him up, Chan warned him so he wouldn't be surprised.

- I'm gonna pick you up, okay? I'll be careful don't worry.

The boy hummed in agreement.

Chan picked him up, carried him to the living room, and sat him on the couch.

- you good?

- Hmm.

- I'll take that as a yes. I'll go get a pillow and some blankets for you, okay?

- Hmm

Hyunjin's brain was barely processing any information at that moment, he was close to passing out, he just wanted to sleep.

Chan came back with the 'sleeping kit' and carefully helped Hyunjin lay down on the couch.

He barely laid down and was already falling asleep.

- Don't worry, Hyunjin. Hyung's right here.

He laid down close to Hyunjin to keep the boy safe and also keep him company.

A few minutes later, Felix woke up and found them in the living room.

- Hyung? What are you doing here?

He said whispering.

- Oh, Lix. It's Hyunjin. He woke up and got sick a few times.

- Is he okay?

- I think for now yes. He almost fainted twice, well, I think he actually fainted now. He won't even budge.

- I'll stay here with you guys as well.

- Oh, there's no need to. You can go back to sleep.

- I'd rather stay here and be able to help in any case.

- Okay, then.

Felix bought his pillow and blanket and settled in as well.

And one by one, the members gathered in the living room, and eventually all eight of them were sleeping close to each other.

Chan just kept observing as all his kids gathered around and smiled fondly.

The rest of the night went on without any other incident and they all slept peacefully.

The next morning, the day started with gloomy weather, the sky was grey signaling a rainy day, the perfect weather to sleep all day long.

You woke up to find that Hyunjin was not there and kindda panicked. You got up from the bed and started to look for him, you went to the bathroom and no one was there, so you went to the other boys' rooms and no one was there as well, so you understood what had happened during the night.

You made your way quietly downstairs and halfway through you noticed where everyone was.

You found them all curled up together on the couch sleeping profoundly, and you noticed how peaceful Hyunjin looked.

You couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of you and you carefully made your back to the bedroom and got your polaroid, when you went down again, not one had moved an inch.

You took a picture and then wrote a note before putting it in your journal and then joining them on the couch.

"Brothers from different mothers"

[taiyaki-translations]

Murmurs of Flourishing Blossoms - 3

Season: Winter Characters: Kaoru, Mika, Tatsumi, Midori, Izumi, Leo, Shu Translator: taiyaki-translations

Midori: Things are finally back to normal… I’m glad Anzu-san was there to support me. Otherwise, I would have already died…

Mika: Sorry, this was all ‘cause I was bein’ an idiot. I don’t even know how I ended up leavin’ the group~

Izumi: Hah, this guy’s the real idiot. Running off without a smartphone and getting himself lost, I don’t know how he even managed it.

Leo: What~ Everyone found us in the end, didn't they!? Idiot, idiot, Sena’s the idiot!

Kaoru: Haha, everyone must be hungry, right? Let’s hurry up and meet with Itsuki-kun. 

Hm? The person sitting across from Itsuki-kun… Isn’t that the client? Oh, it looks like they’re having a great time talking.

Mika: Ngah?! Oshi-san knew the client from before?

Shu: Honestly, I should be the one who’s surprised, Kagehira. Aside from the fact that you suddenly came here, I can’t believe a photographer I met in Paris brought in ES idols from Japan. 

It’s true that many photographers prefer models with the same cultural background as themselves because it’s easier to understand each other, but this is too much of a coincidence.

Tatsumi: Actually, I was curious about what happened when the client met Kaoru-san. I heard it was an interesting story?

Kaoru: Huh? Didn’t Anzu-chan tell you? 

You didn’t tell anyone because I was also involved  and you didn't know if I was okay with everyone hearing about it? 

Haha, you’re always thinking of the idols first. Then I’ll share that story with everyone now ♪

So, one night, not long after Christmas…

Kaoru: Oh, they haven’t removed the Christmas decorations yet. I wasn’t able to spend Christmas with Anzu-chan this year, but at least we are able to enjoy the snowy scenery together. 

“If you hadn’t accompanied me home, I might not have seen such a beautiful night view, so thank you”? You’re busy preparing for StarFes, there’s no need to thank me. 

They’ll probably redecorate this place for New Year’s soon. Actually, I prefer Christmas to New Year’s…

I ended up spending this Christmas at Starmony Dorms with everyone. There was a Christmas party where everyone exchanged gifts, and Hibiki-kun prepared a huge, beautiful Christmas tree that was pretty impressive ♪ (1)

Anzu-chan has been busy with SS Committee work, so I was hoping you could take some time off during Christmas, but as soon as it passed, you went right back to work. As expected of you~ 

Still, I have to nag you at least a little bit. No matter how busy you are at the end of the year, it’s not safe to work this late? 

(Come to think of it, the temperature is lower than during the day. Anzu-chan is a girl, so she must be more afraid of the cold…?)

Looks like it's gotten cold all of a sudden. Anzu-chan, please sit on this bench and rest for a while. I’ll buy a warm drink from the vending machine over there—

Hey, I’m back~ You didn’t wait long, did you? 

Here you go, hot chocolate. If you don’t want to drink it, use it to warm up your hands.

Kaoru: Girls are beautiful flowers that must be looked after carefully. Anzu-chan, take care of yourself too ♪

“Do you remember when we first met?” At that time, I said to Anzu-chan, “a beautiful flower has bloomed in Yumenosaki Academy”…? Haha, now that I think about it, I feel embarrassed. (2)

Oh, it suddenly started snowing. I’m glad we both brought umbrellas. Let’s head back quickly.

(Really, why am I tongue-tied all of a sudden? I was definitely able to talk properly earlier…!)

(Is it because we are done discussing work? I need to stay alert and respond properly~ Should we continue talking about the past? If I think about the details, I might be able to shift my focus.)

Huh? “Do you think this will be the last snow of the year”? Ah, time really flies. A whole year has passed in the blink of an eye.

A lot has happened this year. Last year around this time, I hadn’t even graduated from Yumenosaki yet, but now Anzu-chan is close to graduation. 

I remember last year’s StarFes MV was being filmed at a restaurant near the school. Anzu-chan even dragged Rei-kun’s coffin over, right? (3)

“It’s actually quite a useful means of transportation”? Haha, that’s why you brought Ritsu-kun to the site in that coffin too when we were filming at the ice rink? ♪ (4)

But next time something like that happens, ask us for help—

Uwah, who’s this person that suddenly popped out? That surprised me~ 

Huh? You want me… to be your model?

Kaoru: That’s roughly how it happened. To be honest, both Anzu-chan and I were surprised at the time~

Tatsumi: I see. After that, the client found out that Anzu-san is a producer and asked her to recommend some other idols, so Mika-san, Midori-san and I were also invited. 

I’m really happy that the producer thought of us when she was told to find idols who have a “gentle and soft” image ♪

Mika: Nnah, how did Oshi-san get to know this photographer?

Shu: As you may have suspected, this photographer is an impatient person who doesn’t make plans and just does whatever that comes to their mind. Well, I can’t say it’s a bad trait for an artist, but—

Leo: That’s right, that’s right! You have to catch the inspiration when it comes! Wahaha, Shu knows me well ☆

Shu: Hm, I didn’t mean to praise you. 

Anyway, isn’t there a big exhibition opening in Paris? They asked to take your pictures for that exhibition. 

Of course, I also didn’t want to miss this opportunity to showcase my own works. However, they already made a reservation for the exhibition hall that I had my eye on, so we coordinated the use of the space and gradually became friends. 

After choosing you as their models, they said they would hold their exhibition in the rose garden, and gave me the space they had reserved. I offered to help make the costumes so as not to be indebted to them. 

Mika: Eh?! Oshi-san is helpin’ us make our costumes? 

I’m so excited…! I’m really looking forward t’ collaboratin’ with Oshi-san…!

Translation Notes: 1. Referring to the story HOT WINTER. 2. From Kaoru's Sub Story 1 3. Referring to the story Holiday Party. 4. Referring to the story Dance on Ice.

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[coldresolve]

Moneymakers, pt.xxix // Returning

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The further out of the city they get, the more Conrad’s anxiety grows, like a pit in his stomach expanding for each block passed, threatening to press against his diaphragm to interfere with his breathing. By the time they reach the suburbs, he’s crying.

It's a form of torture in and of itself, to be so close to freedom, so close he could almost reach out and grasp it. To watch people mill about their daily lives with zero clue as to their proximity to his situation. But Davin gave him another ultimatum. Either he followed along willingly, sitting quietly in the back seat of Renee’s car, on his best behavior – or, at the first sign of trouble, they’d bind and gag him and transport him in the trunk again.

And it’s not that he doesn’t understand that he very well could cause a scene that would catch the attention of other drivers – even with Renee sitting beside him in the back seat, he might have a feeble shot at doing something. And maybe if he wasn’t still sick, he’d have the energy to try. Conrad is just sick and tired. Tired of suffocating. Tired of desperation, of terror, of the persistent threat of violence.

He complies.

Is he supposed to feel ashamed about that?

Beside him, Renee sits silently, gaze fixed out the window on his side. After their conversation, he’s been reserved around Conrad, not interacting with him more than strictly necessary, and then doing so dispassionately, short of words. Conrad doesn’t want to dig around in it. That’s something else he’s tired of – the constant fight to convince his captors to have a shed of humanity. Maybe it just can’t be taught, or shown, or learned. He’s tried of failing.

They’re on the highway for about half an hour, and Conrad, still fighting the urge to cry, tries to at least enjoy the scenery a bit. It feels like it’s been years since he saw a field, and even if it is barren and bleak this time of year.

He watches flocks of migrating birds pass above, headed south for the winter. Watches clusters of cows or sheep grazing on misty fields. As they drive though a wooded area, he spots a herd of wild deer hopping through the underbrush at least a hundred and fifty yards out.

Maybe it does give him some peace. The fact that life goes on. That it doesn’t stop, even for what he’s been through. That beauty can still manifest in small ways here and there.

He tries to bottle that peace down as something he can take with him going forward, as something worth fighting for. If not for Howard or his dad, if not for the people who took time out of their day to search for him, or whoever else might have been affected by all this – at least for the mere continuation of life, to be an observer to growth and death and rebirth. Isn’t that enough?  

They reach the summer home neighborhood around noon. Conrad almost forgot what Renee’s parents house looked like from the outside – he wasn’t exactly paying attention the last time he was out here. The chalked white façade stands out among the other houses, contrasted by black frames around the windows and doors. It looks recently built, or at least freshly renovated, with dozens and dozens of pots scattered throughout the property, flowers wilted and dead.

Davin pulls the keys out of the ignition, and is quick to get out of the car before Conrad has so much as clicked off his seatbelt. Conrad looks up at the second story window, boarded up on the off chance a curious passer-by should see what happens inside. His stomach churns, but then Davin opens his door and gestures for him to get out.

Conrad hesitates.

Beside him, Renee lets out a breath through his nose. “If you so much as twitch in the wrong direction, I’m gonna beat you so bad you won’t be able to lie down afterwards. Follow Davin.”

The way he says it, monotonous compared to his usually near-manic flair, makes Conrad wince. When he gets out of the car, Davin gives him an apologetic smile, but nonetheless gently takes him by the arm.

Conrad feels like a man headed for the gallows as he is lead to the front door, and although he wishes he could bear that feeling with his head still held high, he can’t help himself from shutting down, feels his gaze come out of focus and drift to the ground. With Renee at his back and Davin to his side, he patiently waits for the latter to unlock the door. His feet drag over the threshold, and Davin locks the door behind him.

And just like that, he’s back in the form of captivity that’s so well known to him by now, it has a strange familial tint to it.

This house, these walls.

💵

Time passes silently, right up until the moment it suddenly doesn’t anymore. It shifts the second they come for him again, like a record getting stuck on the needle; Conrad feels as though the vinyl shatters into a million fragments.

They always bring him back to square one. Always back to that scared, bewildered state. Always back to realizing whatever progress he thought he’d made was for nothing. He starts shaking, and the words get stuck in his throat, and the amalgamated memory of all the previous streams comes flooding back into his head.

Conrad is frozen on the bed as they both enter his room.

Renee’s expression lack that sadistic, giddy spark today – more than anything, he just looks like a man set on completing a job. They’ve cut his cast off for the occasion, but he still keeps his arm at a right angle by stuffing his hand in the pocket of the black jacket he usually wears on the streams. In his other gloved hand, he’s dangling a set of handcuffs, which he throws on the bed next to Conrad.

“Hands in front this time around,” he says.

Conrad blinks at the cuffs, a feeling of nausea in his throat. “You want me to…?”

“I do, smartass. Cuff yourself.”

For a while, Conrad just stares at the cuffs like they’re a foreign object, as if they’re incomprehensibly complex. Slowly, he reaches out and loops his finger around the cold metal, pulling the handcuffs closer.

Renee lets out a groan. “Get a fucking move on.”

Wincing, Conrad bites down his nausea as he clicks one cuff over the abrasions on his left wrist, and then over the ones on his right. He looks up, seeking the gaze of Davin, only to be met by that detached seriousness that usually surrounds him on streams. He shouldn’t expect more from the man, he knows, and yet he always does.

Renee grabs him by the arm with his good hand, hauling him to his feet. “C’mon,” he says. Conrad stumbles along, walking backwards for a while to look Renee in the eyes, a plea stuck in his throat, but before he can say it out loud, Renee just grabs him by the shoulder to spin him back around, pushing him ahead of himself.

“I’m still sick,” Conrad says hoarsely in the hallway.

“Good for you,” Renee mutters, and doesn’t let him slow down his pace.

“Please, just, just give me a break from this,” Conrad whispers, and there’s tears in his eyes now. “Just this one time…”

The hand on his arm hauling him up the stairs doesn’t seem to care how wobbly his knees feel. His cuffed hands cling feebly to the railing, feet dragging up each step.

“You don’t have to do this, you know you don’t have to—”

On the plateau at the end of the stairs, the hand on his arm shifts to grab him by the front of his shirt, pushing him back-first into the wall. Renee’s sneer is unmistakable. “Are you gonna shut up on your own, or do I have to make you?”

Conrad lets out a whine, not meeting his eyes.

“Look at me, you fucking coward,” Renee growls low. The hand in his shirt pushes him further into the wall, he can feel knuckles brush ominously against his Adam’s apple.

Conrad reluctantly does.

Renee’s gaze is pitch black, piercing, and full of disgust. “Are you going to shut up?” he says. “Hm?”

Conrad nods.

“Say it.”

“I’m… I’m going to, to shut up.”

Renee doesn’t smile, even though Conrad is pretty sure he normally would in a moment like this. Instead his sneer fades a bit, and he nods to himself. “About time you fucking did.”

And he pulls Conrad along into the second story room.

Previous / Masterlist / Next

[ciaossu-imagines]

how would kakei shun celebrate christmas with his significant other? thanks so much, my dear 💙

i hope you haven't had enough of me yet 😭 haha!

I could never have enough of you 😊 It always makes me happy to see you in my inbox and to see the wide variety of amazing requests you send my way! Thanks so much for sending this in and I hope you’ll enjoy the headcanons!

I think that Kakei’s time in America really endeared him to the American style Christmas. While Christmas in Japan is very understated or a very romantic holiday, Kakei liked how the American Christmas included pretty much everybody, single or taken, family-oriented or friend-oriented, crafty or not. There’s some part of the American style Christmas for everyone to enjoy, in his opinion.

Because he really took to the holiday, I think he brings the bits that he likes best back with him to Japan when he moves back home. He starts by introducing it to his family and close friends, trying to establish some Christmas traditions with them.

By the time that Kakei really gets serious with his partner and is in a relationship with them, they’re pretty aware that Christmas is special to him and that he celebrates it a little differently from most. This is because I do think that most of Kakei’s romantic relationships start from friendships and the two will have celebrated together as friends before, probably doing a Secret Santa gift exchange and grabbing a special holiday meal together with all their friend group.

When Kakei and his partner get around to spending their first Christmas season together, he really wants to make the holiday season really special for them. He wants this holiday season to really not only set the tone for their future Christmases together, not only wants to use it to build some traditions that are special to him and his partner, but he kind of wants to impress his partner and give them some really romantic, lovely memories of their first holiday together. This is made a little more difficult by the fact that Kakei really isn’t traditionally romantic and his love languages and how he shows his affection to his partner are very understated and practical ways.

I think he tries to find good winter date ideas. Though he’s not super-talented at it or anything, Kakei can ice-skate at a decent level and he definitely plans an ice-skating date with his partner, holding their hand while they skate around under the pretense of ‘helping them’. Afterwards, they take a long walk in the winter air, sipping hot drinks and enjoying the pretty scenery.

He would definitely want to get out and see the Christmas light displays with his partner. It’s a fun and simple date idea, where they get to see all the pretty, elaborate illuminations, stop by food stalls, and enjoy a Christmas market. While they’ll mostly look at all the things in the Christmas market together, they give each other fifteen minutes, at the end of their time at the Christmas market, to go off on their own in case there’s anything they want to buy for a Christmas gift for the other.

They definitely get fried chicken and have a winter picnic together in a blanket fort, something Mizumachi suggested as a cute date idea to Kakei. Half the fun was building the blanket fort together and Kakei definitely brings it down on the two of them at least once by sitting up just a bit too much.

Because Kakei knows that Christmas Day proper will be spent having a big meal and a party with all his family and close friends, and thus he’ll be really busy, he takes Christmas Eve and makes that the day that he spends completely with his partner. Their day will start really early, decorating a small Christmas tree together and having their breakfast in front of it. Once that’s done, they’ll bake Christmas cookies together before watching a Christmas movie together. They get outside for some fresh air and exercise, maybe even having a snowball fight or building a snowman together. When they get back inside, it’s getting close to supper time so they work together to make a simple but delicious Christmas supper together. Since turkey will play a big part the following day, I think they make something more traditionally Japanese together, like nikujaga. They end the evening by exchanging gifts before they part ways for the evening, with a sweet kiss under a sprig of mistletoe that Kakei put up just for that express purpose and which he has been using to get kisses all day.

[weatherly-courtsenior]

Respite Care Benefits

For those seeking a break, Weatherly Court offers respite care Medford locals recommend, providing a comfortable and supportive environment. Residents enjoy the convenience of chef-prepared meals, scheduled transportation, and concierge services, all aimed at making life easier. The community’s in-house fitness center and salon ensure that everyone can stay active and feel their best. Social activities like game nights and movie matinees with freshly buttered popcorn make it easy to stay engaged and connected. The pet-friendly community means furry companions don’t miss out on the fun either. Whether in need of temporary care or a full-time home, Weatherly Court’s thoughtful amenities and services help residents feel at ease and thrive in an elegant setting.

Care and Respect

Dementia can affect people in different ways, but at Weatherly Court, residents find a place where they are treated with care and respect. The dementia care Medford community offers a range of services, including three chef-inspired meals each day. Every meal is made to order with fresh ingredients, seasonal menus, and that classic restaurant-style service. Residents can enjoy the comfort of knowing that each meal is thoughtfully prepared to meet their needs. Whether it’s a cozy breakfast or a delicious dinner, Weatherly Court brings a dining experience that feels like home. Guests are welcome to join in for a meal and experience the care and quality firsthand. It’s all about making everyone feel at ease and well-cared-for.

The Geography of Medford, Oregon

Medford is nestled in the Rogue River Valley, surrounded by some pretty amazing landscapes. You’ve got the Rogue River flowing through the area, which adds to the natural beauty and offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun. The city sits at the base of the Cascade Mountains, so if you like hiking, camping, or just taking in the views, you’ll be set. The climate here is mostly mild, with warm summers and cooler winters, though it can get a bit snowy in the higher elevations. Medford’s location makes it a perfect spot to explore the outdoors but still enjoy the conveniences of city life. Whether you’re into nature or just love the views, the geography of Medford has something to offer.

Edenvale Winery in Medford, OR

Edenvale Winery in Medford is a great spot if you’re into wine and scenic views. The place has a relaxed, welcoming vibe where you can taste some amazing local wines. You’ll find everything from reds to whites, and they’re all made right on the property. The winery sits on a beautiful piece of land, so you can sip wine while enjoying views of vineyards and the surrounding hills. If you’re up for it, they also offer tours where you can learn about the winemaking process. It’s the perfect place to unwind, whether you’re a wine enthusiast or just looking for a peaceful afternoon. Edenvale Winery has that laid-back charm that makes it easy to spend a few hours enjoying the scenery and flavors.

Medford Winter Lights Festival Offers Fireworks, Live Performances and More

The Medford Winter Lights Festival sounds like a great way to kick off the holiday season. It’s awesome that the event offers something for everyone, especially with the fireworks and live performances, to keep things festive. The tree-lighting ceremony with the 65-foot Norway spruce must be a beautiful sight to see. It’s also nice that the festival is free and family-friendly, making it easy for everyone to get into the holiday spirit. Pear Blossom Park in downtown Medford seems like the perfect spot for something like this—there’s just something special about outdoor events during the winter. It’s events like these that really bring the community together and make the holidays feel even more magical.

Link to map

Edenvale Winery 2310 Voorhies Rd, Medford, OR 97501, United States Take S Stage Rd to Rogue Valley Hwy 99 1 min (0.5 mi) Turn left at the 1st cross street onto Rogue Valley Hwy 99 2 min (1.2 mi) Get on I-5 N 3 min (0.8 mi) Continue on I-5 N to OR-62 E. Take exit 30 from I-5 N 3 min (2.8 mi) Follow OR-62 E and Poplar Dr to your destination 2 min (0.7 mi) Weatherly Court Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care Community 2184 Poplar Dr, Medford, OR 97504, United States

[veghelyicsaba]

Car Rental with Driver for Family Travel from Budapest to Vienna: A Convenient and Comfortable Journey

Planning a family trip from Budapest to Vienna (or vice versa) is a thrilling prospect. These two beautiful cities are separated by just over 240 kilometers (150 miles), offering a short but scenic journey through Central Europe. For families, especially those with children, elderly members, or lots of luggage, a car rental with a driver can be the ideal travel solution. It combines comfort, flexibility, and convenience, allowing your family to make the most of the journey between these two cultural hubs.

Why Choose a Car Rental with Driver for Family Travel?

1. Hassle-Free Cross-Border Travel When traveling between countries, especially with family, there are multiple considerations such as border requirements, directions, and logistics. A car rental with a professional driver simplifies these challenges, as drivers are experienced in cross-border routes and can handle all required formalities, including navigating any border controls and paperwork.

2. Comfortable and Spacious For families, comfort is essential. A private car provides ample space for children, strollers, and luggage. You can select a vehicle size suited to your family’s needs, from luxury sedans for smaller families to spacious minivans for larger groups. With a driver handling the route, you can relax, enjoy the scenery, and spend quality time with your family.

3. Flexible Schedule and Stops Unlike trains or buses, a car rental with a driver allows you to set your schedule and even add in stops. Whether you want to stretch your legs, visit a charming small town along the way, or grab a bite, a private driver can accommodate your plans. Popular midway stops include the town of Győr or the historic abbey in Pannonhalma, where you can take a break and explore.

4. Stress-Free Journey for Parents Traveling with children often requires a bit of extra planning and care, especially when it comes to keeping them entertained and comfortable. With a driver handling the road, parents can focus on family time, games, or a quiet moment with a book. The private car also offers the flexibility to take restroom or snack breaks whenever needed, making it a much more family-friendly option than other forms of transport.

Key Benefits of a Car Rental with Driver Between Budapest and Vienna

1. Door-to-Door Service Starting and ending your journey right at your hotel, residence, or airport means you skip the hassle of managing luggage through train stations or bus terminals. Door-to-door service is especially helpful for families, as it minimizes transfers and waiting times.

2. Scenic Views and Opportunities to Stop The drive between Budapest and Vienna is picturesque, with lush countryside, small towns, and historical sites along the way. A private car allows you to pause and take in these sights at your leisure, letting your family explore Austria and Hungary at their own pace.

3. Privacy and Personal Space Public transportation can be crowded, especially during peak travel seasons. A private car rental provides privacy for your family, creating a personal and comfortable space for your journey. This is particularly important when traveling with young children who may need to nap or play quietly during the trip.

4. Safety and Convenience Local drivers are well-versed in navigating Central European roads, including the autobahns in Austria and highways in Hungary. They’re experienced in handling winter driving conditions, ensuring your family’s safety, particularly if you’re traveling during snowy months.

Top Destinations Along the Budapest-Vienna Route

1. Győr Roughly halfway between Budapest and Vienna, Győr is a charming Hungarian city with Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets, and vibrant cafés. Known for its historic buildings and riverside views, it’s a lovely stop to stretch your legs and enjoy a peaceful town atmosphere.

2. Pannonhalma Archabbey This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a Benedictine abbey located in the Hungarian countryside, slightly off the main highway. It offers breathtaking architecture and beautiful views, making it a worthwhile stop for families interested in culture and history.

3. Neusiedler See Located near the Austria-Hungary border, Lake Neusiedl is a great stop for nature lovers. Known for its wetlands, birdwatching, and tranquil lakeside views, this area is perfect for a short picnic or photo break.

What to Look for When Choosing a Car Rental with Driver

1. Experience and Professionalism When selecting a car rental company, prioritize those with experienced drivers who are familiar with the route and can offer a safe, comfortable journey. Professional drivers will often have experience in entertaining families with stories or insights about local culture and history, enhancing the travel experience.

2. Family-Friendly Vehicle Options Look for a car rental service that offers a variety of vehicle sizes. Vans or SUVs with plenty of space for luggage, child seats, or strollers are ideal for family travel. Many companies also provide amenities like Wi-Fi, snacks, and child seats on request.

3. Transparent Pricing and Flexible Policies Confirm the pricing upfront, including any potential fees related to tolls, border crossings, waiting time, and parking. Some companies may offer fixed rates or all-inclusive packages, which can help families budget for the trip with ease. Additionally, flexible booking and cancellation policies add peace of mind.

Advantages Over Other Forms of Transport

Train Travel: While trains offer scenic routes and space, they require managing luggage and transferring at stations, which can be challenging with kids and a lot of belongings.

Flight: Flying is often costly and involves airport transfers, security checks, and time-consuming boarding, which can be stressful for families.

Bus: Buses are economical but lack privacy and flexibility. They also tend to be crowded during peak travel periods, which may make the journey uncomfortable.

Final Thoughts

A car rental with a driver from Budapest to Vienna (or the reverse) is the ideal choice for families seeking a blend of convenience, comfort, and personalized service. With the freedom to create your own itinerary, explore scenic stops, and enjoy door-to-door service, you can make this journey a memorable part of your family adventure.

[altruistbloger]

I Knew Nothing About Skeena Cat Skiing, and Now I’m a Master at It!

Have you ever heard of Skeena cat skiing? If you’re like I was a while ago, you might be wondering what it is and why it’s become such a hot topic among ski enthusiasts. Skeena cat skiing offers an exciting way to experience the beauty of British Columbia's winter wonderland, and I’m here to share my journey from novice to enthusiast in this thrilling sport!

What is Skeena Cat Skiing?

Skeena cat skiing is an amazing adventure where skiers are transported to pristine slopes in the Skeena Mountains using a snowcat. A snowcat is a special vehicle designed for traversing snowy terrains, making it perfect for reaching untouched areas that are ideal for skiing. This means you can enjoy fresh powder snow away from the crowded ski resorts, allowing for a more peaceful and thrilling skiing experience.

The Thrill of the Adventure

When I first heard about Skeena cat skiing, I was intrigued but nervous. The idea of skiing in deep powder snow and navigating through backcountry terrain sounded both exhilarating and a bit daunting. However, after doing some research and talking to experienced skiers, I learned that the guides are there to help and ensure everyone stays safe.

The experience starts with a brief safety orientation where you learn about the equipment, basic skiing techniques, and how to ride in the snowcat. Once you’re equipped with your gear and knowledge, you hop into the cozy snowcat and head out into the wild! The excitement builds as you get closer to the skiing spots.

Why Choose Skeena Cat Skiing?

Stunning Scenery: The views in the Skeena Mountains are breathtaking. You’ll find yourself surrounded by towering trees, rolling hills, and expansive snow-covered landscapes. It's a photographer’s dream!

Fresh Powder: One of the best parts about cat skiing is that you can enjoy fresh powder that hasn’t been touched by other skiers. It’s a magical feeling to glide through soft snow.

Small Groups: Unlike traditional ski resorts, cat skiing often operates in smaller groups, which makes for a more personalized experience. You can make new friends while sharing an unforgettable adventure.

All Skill Levels Welcome: Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced skier, Skeena cat skiing is accessible to everyone. Guides will match you with terrain that suits your skill level.

Tips for Your First Cat Skiing Adventure

Dress Appropriately: Wear layers so you can stay warm and adjust to the changing temperatures. Don’t forget a good pair of ski socks, gloves, and goggles!

Listen to Your Guide: They’re there to help you navigate the terrain safely. Pay attention during the safety briefing and ask questions if you’re unsure about anything.

Have Fun: Remember, it’s all about enjoying the experience. Don’t worry if you fall or struggle at first; everyone is there to have a good time!

Conclusion

I started my journey into Skeena cat skiing knowing nothing, but through the thrill of the adventure and the support of experienced guides, I’ve become a true enthusiast. It’s a fantastic way to explore the great outdoors and improve your skiing skills. If you’re looking for a new winter adventure, I highly recommend giving Skeena cat skiing a try. You might just find yourself falling in love with this incredible sport, just like I did.

[discovermodesto]

Are You Ready for Modesto's Changing Seasons? Here’s How to Stay Prepared Year-Round

Living in Modesto means experiencing distinct seasons, each bringing unique weather patterns that call for a bit of preparation. From the crisp winter mornings to the dry, hot summer afternoons, knowing how to stay prepared ensures a comfortable and safe experience in any season. Here’s a local’s guide to handling Modesto’s seasonal weather changes with tips for your car, home, and everyday essentials.

1. Winter Weather Preparation: Stay Warm and Safe

While Modesto winters are mild, temperatures do dip, and occasional fog can make driving tricky. Here’s how to prepare:

Check Your Heater and Defroster: Ensure they’re in good working order to keep your car windows clear and cabin cozy.

Inspect Tire Tread: Good tread provides traction on potentially slick winter roads, helping you stay safe in colder conditions.

Layer Up: Keep warm clothing handy for early mornings and cool evenings. A blanket in the car can also be helpful for emergencies.

2. Spring in Modesto: Managing Allergies and Spring Showers

With spring’s arrival, pollen levels rise, and allergies become a challenge for many. Here’s how to handle it:

Replace Your Cabin Air Filter: A fresh filter helps reduce pollen and allergens inside your car, making drives more pleasant.

Inspect Your Wipers: Spring showers mean clear wipers are a must for safe driving.

Stay on Top of Allergy Medications: Keeping allergy medications nearby can help you enjoy Modesto’s lovely spring scenery without discomfort.

3. Summer Prep: Beat the Heat

Modesto summers are known for their intense dry heat, with temperatures often reaching the triple digits. Here’s how to keep cool and protect your vehicle:

Maintain Your Cooling System: Regular coolant checks and inspections help prevent overheating, which can be common in high temperatures.

Inspect the AC System: Ensure your car’s AC is working efficiently to stay comfortable during those hot summer drives.

Use Sun Shades: Park with a sunshade to keep your car’s interior cool and avoid any damage from the intense sun.

4. Fall: Prepare for Cooler Weather and Falling Leaves

As temperatures begin to cool and leaves start falling, it’s a good time to transition and make sure you’re ready for the changing weather:

Check Your Brakes: Fall is an ideal time to ensure your brakes are in good shape, especially with winter on the horizon.

Clean Vents and Gutters: Keep leaves and debris from clogging your car’s vents or gutters, as buildup can reduce airflow and cause damage.

Monitor Tire Pressure: Cooling temperatures can affect tire pressure, so make sure your tires are inflated correctly for safer driving.

Essential Tools and Items for Year-Round Modesto Weather

Emergency Kit: Include essentials like a flashlight, jumper cables, a first aid kit, and extra water.

Blanket and Extra Clothing: Keep these items on hand for unexpected weather changes, especially during winter.

Sunshade and Sunglasses: Protect your car’s interior and your eyes from the sun during the hot summer months.

Final Thoughts

Being ready for Modesto’s changing weather keeps you safe and comfortable through every season. From chilly winters to hot summer days, these tips will help you handle any forecast Modesto has in store. And for a reliable, local solution to keep your vehicle in top shape year-round, Mobile Mechanic Modesto is here to help with convenient, professional service tailored to your seasonal needs.

[jarofstyles]

Cozy

Hello… we’ve got mountainrry author and hairdresser y/n here 🍂 I hope you enjoy!

They’re sweet babes.

Check out our Patreon!

WC: around 3k

WC/ around 3k

I hope you enjoy. I will do a part 2 if you’d like 🔮

—-

If there was one word she would use to to describe Harry, it was Cozy.

Y/N had never met someone who was so… soft. So warm in her life. He radiated the heat and comfort that a fireplace did on a snowy winters day. It made a lot of sense, considering where they lived.

Harry thought better in the woods. Being a writer, it was easier to keep his mind at ease when he was mostly alone. He had tried a plethora of places to try and write. Coffee shops worked out alright at first but the smell of coffee was too tempting and it messed with his stomach. The park was beautiful but one too many footballs to the head made him rethink it. It was a step in the right direction, though. Nature seemed to soothe his racing mind and have him be able to focus on the words he was writing versus the thoughts swirling around his head.

It had been trial and terror but somehow, he had managed to write his first number one best seller when he spent a month in a cabin in a mountain town. The inspiration never seemed to dry up, and it prompted him to take the generous earnings he made from the freelance writing he did on the side to buy his own cabin, not too far away.

It was this beautiful town he was eternally grateful for. It’s his oasis, his home, and where he met his lover.

Y/N had been a beautiful surprise packaged in a hairdressing apron. He had let his locks get overgrown being holed up while he wrote. It was to the point that his mother told him she would fly out to take scissors to his head if he didn’t go and get it done as soon as he could, which resulted in Harry taking his cell phone and searching the nearest salon.

It landed upon Sweet Thang. A smaller, up and coming salon in the little ski town he now resided in. The reviews looked fantastic, his mop needed a trim desperately, and it was only 10 minutes down the mountain. So he hopped in his truck and got down to thee town, finding a space on the street and headed into the salon, only to get the surprise of his life.

Y/N was immediately someone who he wanted. He was blown away with just how soothing her voice was, how she had managed to knock him out of his quiet, reserved space he usually got into when writing and made him want to talk. Which he did. Harry chatted and laughed with the pretty hairdresser with magic hands and the ability to relax him with her voice and a simple head massage. He had never clicked with someone so quickly in his life, which led to him asking her on a date after the best haircut of his life.

A year later, he was deeply in love, moved to the same little town they met and writing his 3rd best seller (fingers crossed) while he waited for her to come back home. Sitting in their dining room, his laptop sat on the oak table while the snow fell on the growing blanket, inches piling up soon. The man had woken up after she left with a kiss to his forehead and decided to work in their brightly lit common area today, needing the slight change of scenery. He moved about the house depending on the mood of the scenes he was writing.

His ears perked up as he heard the garage door mechanics pulling up, alerted to the fact his soon to be wife was now home. They’d moved fast, sure, but Harry didn’t have a single doubt. Their first date, he knew she would be his. Of course it was probably a bit of the romantic in him, he was a fucking writer after all, but he adored her. Worshipped the ground the woman walked on. He stood from the chair, stretching his back and winching at the cracks before making his way to the kettle. Every day she went to work, he made sure to have the kettle going when she arrived home from work. Her post day ritual of her herbal teas was adopted by him, taking down two mugs as his body giddily waited for her to walk inside.

“Honey, I’m hoooome.”

The sweet voice brought a grin to his face, leaning his ass against the counter as he watched her plop her snowy boots on the weather tray and hang her tote bag on the hooks harry had installed after he had tripped on her totes one too many times. Considering he stayed home most of the time, he was usually the one to work on the house. She was on her feet all day anyways.

“There y’are, mt gorgeous girl.” His voice traveled to her as her socked feet padded over to his tall frame. Immediately, she sank into his warm embrace, snuggling into the soft sweater he had put on to keep the chill out. He always chose the coziest things, but especially because of this moment. The time of day she would come home in the winter and seek out his heat, his comfort. A soft hiss left his teeth as he stroked her cold hair, pulling her closer as he kissed the top of her head.

“Freezing’ out there, isn’t it? Even just putting stuff away in the garage got you all frosty.” He sighed, not liking her being cold at all. Harry kept the fire stoked all day, taking breaks for his own brain to feed the fire and mess around so the house was toasty for his love to come home to. He had never felt such a compulsion to take care of someone before Y/N. Now it was a pleasure, second nature.

“Mhm. But I knew you’d have it feeling good at home.” She got on her toe, giving a peck to his lips before burying her face into his neck. Her cold nose made him wince but he didn’t pull away, instead enjoyed how she rubbed it back and forth on the heated skin, Y/N knew how creepy it sounded but she never felt close enough. Part of her wanted to crawl under his sweater and simply listen to his heart and feel his hands run up and dow her back for the rest of time.

“Made sure the fire was on all day. I’ll have to chop some wood tomorrow, though. Tea water is on for now,, wasn’t sure if you’d want jasmine, chamomile or mint.” She usually switched between the three while harry settled with his standard.

“Thank you, my angel.” Y/N sighed against his neck, kissing delicately over the vein there. “I can see you’re writing the softer stuff today.”

Harry had a series of predictable patterns. If he was writing lighter, softer things, it was in the brightly lit dinging room, open to the living room. Intimate scenes he wrote at the desk of their bedroom. More intense, dramatic scenes would be written in his home office. There was a space for everything. Outdoors in the summmer would be a wild card, though.

“Mhm. More world building. Dynamics forming. You know the same old.” He sighed, inhaling a deeper breath as she let her weight sag into him. He stroked over her back, going under her cardigan to the thin black tee shirt she had underneath. Y/N smelled like shampoo, the green apple and mint kind. It was his favorite thing, he thinks. “Made some muffins this morning for breakfast. And I’ve got pizza cooking in the oven now. Made the one with the peppers for me and your specialty one for you.” It had been a later day at ther salon as the holidays approached, and Harry tried not to complain. She had the whole week off starting now, and he knew her hands could use it.

“How’s your wrist?” Her wrist had been giving her some trouble lately with how much she moved them, Harry suspected some carpal tunnel. He knew all too well about it considering he had his bouts with it and typing. “Wear your brace today?”

A black bandage covered wrist escaped from behind him, raising up to show his eyes before going back behind him to cling to his solid form. “Yeah. Bothered me when I was using the scissors most but the brace helped. Don’t say I told you so.” She pepped, hiding her face in his shirt because yes. Harry had in fact told her so when she had been skeptical.

“I would never.” He smirked though, and she could feel it against the top of her head. “M’just glad it made it hurt less. Don’t like my girl in any pain. I remember how badly it can hurt. Remember? That’s why you showed me the wrist elevating mouse pad. Worked wonders for me. No shame. You’re working hard, but that’s why you’re getting your break now, hm?” He gently peeled her back so he could look at her face, polished fingers cupping her warming face. His glasses were on, a favorite yummy look of hers on him, stubble growing on his jaw. Harry looked delicious, if she did say so herself.

“Yeah.” She sighed, moving her hands to rest on his shoulders. “And that means you’ve got to take more breaks during the day to give me attention.” She blinked at him a few times, utterly serious. Harry could get into the zone and forget the house was bringing around him, so she wanted him to be aware.

“Of course. My favorite little distraction will be walking about. Probably in my sweaters because on top of being distracting, she’s a silly little thief.” He squeezed her cheeks together to make her lips pout, kissing them sweetly as she humphed in protest. “Plus, think I need a trim myself. So I hope you’re well versed in using kitchen scissors to cut-“

“Do not finish that sentence.” She placed a hand on his mouth. Her faux snarl melted when he kissed the palm over his lips, letting it move to scratch the stubble. “I like this. Keep it for a bit, for me. At least this week.” She felt it under her fingertips, moving back and forth on the texture of the hair on his chin and jaw. It was a personal favorite of hers, when he let it grow out just for her.

“Hmm. I can.” He smiled lazily, leaning his cheek into her touch. “But then I don’t want you complaining about carpet burn down there. Know your thighs are extra sensitive to it. I plan to spend all my free time there.” There was that mischievous glint in his eyes, but for once she was looking forward to said shenanigans. When they surrounded her pleasure, she truly couldn’t complain.

“Oh? Is that the type of week we’re having?” Manicured nails gripped his soft sweater, kicking a leg up behind her as she batted her lashes. Y/N looked ridiculous but he loved her, so he just laughed, pinching her hip lightly to make her cut it out. The little yelp was cut off with his mouth, successfully quieting her with a sweet kiss. Slightly obnoxious when he made a ‘mmmmm’ sound against them, making her want to giggle but refusing to pull away.

When she found an escape, a gasp was exaggerated at the extended kiss. “You tried to suffocate me!” The accusation held no weight, flopping right back on to his chest. Harry’s cheeks were slightly sore from the size of his smile. Moments like this, the domestic and cute were things he often dreamt about. Now he had his forever muse. The sole inspiration behind half of the feelings of love and yearning in his writing.

“I would apologize….” He trailed off, sneakily grabbing under her thighs and picking her up to set her ass on the counter. “But I am not sorry.”

The beep of the oven cut her off, Harry leaving her sitting on the island while she kicked her feet in protest.

It was something else. Watching his hand slip into the checkered oven mitt, sliding the pizza pans out of the over one by one and setting them on the counter to cool. The smell was incredible and her mouth was already watering, thinking about how good it had been last time. Harry was an incredible cook, especially with his spin offs to Pinterest recipes.

Watching him bop about the kitchen was somewhat arousing, too. Seeing his broad back as he picked things up, set them down, cut into things. Watching him pop a finger into his mouth to ‘clean it off’. The concentrated look on his face and the purse of his lips when he tried to get exact measurements. Y/N mourned the loss of that experience today. Damn work.

“Sexy little househusband.” She cooed, peeling her cardigan off and tossing it onto the nearby stool. He loved sitting her on the counter instead, and every time she tried fo ask why he would shush her. So rather than fight it, she accepted the inevitable. “Making me food when I get home, cleaning the house. It does things to a woman, y’know.” Twirling a strand of hair around her finger, she made a show of looking him up and down- because god damn, those pants did him some real service- and she giggled at the raised brow he gave her while he put the overhead fan on.

“Oh? You are something else.” He sighed, returning to her open thighs. His hand settled on her hip while the other grazed her cheek, pressing a soft kiss to the opposite. “I’ll gladly be your sexy little househusband. As long as you let me write my books that sell millions of copies and sit in my chair while you do the head massage thing…”

He was so cute. Y/N had learned early on that her cause of death would probably be him.’ Harry being too cute’ plastered on her headstone. It was a nice way to go out, she thinks.

“Oh, you’re good.” She mumbled, taking each side of his face in her palms and squeezed a little to make his lips push out, kissing the wet pout. “Too good. I’m gonna give you such good head tonight. Mind blowing. Show stopping. Ridiculous. Pizza and being cute. Too much for me to handle.”

This made Harry perk up. Immediately. Of course it would- but he was particularly fond of her mouth. The things it could do and the words that came out of it. It was a never ending stream of love that flowed from him right to her, and it always felt matched. Reciprocated.

“There will not be a single complaint from me.” He said, slightly slurred because she had his lips squished with her hands on his cheeks. “Sounds good. Perfect? Actually. Let me block out my calendar. Next chapter can wait. Please.” He leaned forward and caught her lips again, the hands on her lover's cheeks loosening as he tugged her body to be flush against his. Indulging in a dirtier kiss, a hand straying to his hair and brushing it out of his face while he slipped under her tee shirt to feel the hot skin of her back again. Harry swore he would never get enough of this. Even in its simplicity, it was the most beautiful feeling in the world.

“Dork.” The word was mumbled against his lips, the buzzing feeling in the now slightly swollen flesh making her smile. “That was too sexy of a kiss. I need to eat some pizza and take a shower before any sort of intimacy happens. I smell like developer and shampoo.” She pushed his chest a little, making him sulk. Harry didn’t care either way, but he wanted her comfortable. Plus, in his mind, that meant she was going to put on sexy panties. Or none. He would love that.

“Fine. I need you fed and energized. The week break is going to be a lot of fun for us… so I need to make sure your in tip top shape. Especially if you’re going to be living with me inside of you. My beautiful girl…” he sighed, eyes taking in her face again. “Got spoiled rotten with you. Didn’t I?” The switch between dirty and sweet could give anyone else whiplash, but Y/N simply grinned.

“You did indeed. Now feed me and let me shower, househusband. Let me start this week off with a bang.” The woman didn’t even need to look up to know his mouth was open to retort something filthy. “And you should keep that mouth quiet if you want it to happen.”

Y/N didn’t hear a peep as she plated the pizza, smirking to herself all the while she heard the snap and crackle of a new record being put on.

She was home.

[taminoarticles]

— Tamino for Holiday Magazine, No. 384, Autumn/Winter 2019-2020 (x) (x)

Tamino-Amir Moharam Fouad

Photographs by Karim Sadli Styling by Max Pearmain and Interview by Marc Beaugé

Tamino was born in Belgium to an Egyptian father and a Belgian mother, but his roots, dreams and memories are elsewhere. Here are his answers to the Holiday questionnaire

Do you enjoy traveling alone? Of course. I believe in the virtues of solitude and alone time. When I’m on tour, I often travel by myself. I arrive in a country I don’t know and get my bearings. You get a better understanding of a country when you go there on your own.

What do you do when you’re alone? I make music, and I read. This summer I devoured the first volume of My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgård.

What’s your travel style: tour guide or head off on your own? Neither one. The best thing is to follow a local—not a guide, just someone who’s really familiar with the city and can show you the best places.

Is it possible to go somewhere and miss the unmissable? Depends. The things we think we can’t miss are never really unmissable. I visited the Eiffel Tower when I was in eighth grade. It was great, but I’m not sure I’d go back now. But I visit the pyramids whenever I go to Cairo. Why? Because they’re breathtaking. I don’t think there’s any other place on Earth that’s so monumental, so mysterious, so incredible.

Would you rather travel by car, plane, or train? I hate the journey because I’m always touring, which means I’m always traveling. I don’t have a license, so I don’t drive. Planes? I used to love them, but I’ve ended up hating them. I’m too big to be comfortable on a plane, and I’m not rich enough to fly business class.

Do you look out of the window of the plane or do you disdain the sky? I’m capable of getting into a fight to bag the window seat.

What movie only works on a plane? Bad Times at the El Royale, with Jeff Bridges. I’ve watched it on land and on a plane. And it was much better on the plane.

What languages do you speak? German, English and a bit of French. Right now I’m learning Arabic on Duolingo. I’m starting to understand a few words and sentences, but I can’t say anything. I can’t even order a meal in a restaurant. I haven’t gotten to the “food and drink” section yet. But I know all the names for domestic animals.

What’s your weakness when it comes to food? Lebanese. Mezze, hummus, etc. I like all of it.

Which place has the best street food in the world? Lebanon, obviously. Whatever Italians may think.

What’s one thing you absolutely cannot eat? Pineapple. I’m allergic to it. My tongue swells up when I eat it. The worst thing is that I love pineapples.

Do you post your holiday photos on Instagram? No, I avoid it. Actually, it doesn’t occur to me. When I’m on holiday, I take photos of the scenery. I keep them on my phone, and no one ever sees them, including me. I’m not really into selfies—or Instagram.

An item of clothing you’d never wear on holiday? A pink T-shirt, maybe. No, wait—Borat’s green swimsuit. I think that’d be quite hard to carry off. But maybe I’m too conservative.

Do you go to supermarkets when you’re abroad? Same as Instagram. I avoid them whenever possible.

Do you think the mountains are most beautiful in summer? Yes. I’m not obsessed with the seaside, in any case. I prefer lakes. For instance, I love swimming in Lake Geneva.

How do you visit museums? I have a very special technique. I focus on one or two artworks and spend a lot of time looking at them. I ignore everything else. It’s a form of snobbery, and I'm totally okay with that.

What would you consider the ideal number of guests for a dinner party? I enjoy one-on-one conversation, but it’s always a bit of a risk. If you get it wrong, it can be a disaster. I speak from experience.

Is there a smell you will always associate with vacations? The smell of the sea, I guess. No, the smell of suntan lotion, actually. It’s not the best smell there is, but it definitely smells like vacation.

Do you enjoy sunbathing? No, not really. I’m half Egyptian, so I tan very quickly, even if I don't want to.

How long can you stay at the beach? It depends entirely on the book I happen to be reading that day.

Is there a place you never tire of visiting? I really like the town of Dahab in Egypt. I’ve been there several times and never get tired of it. But so far I don’t think I’ve found a place I love so much that I’ll return throughout my life.

Where would you build the house of your dreams? That question is way too tough to answer. I don’t have a favorite city; I still haven’t come across it, but the house would have to be near a river or a lake. Most importantly, the view from the window would have to look like a painting. That would be the deciding factor.

THE END

[puppypeter]

✨ All fics are complete! ✨

He Loves Me Cause I’m Cute, He Thinks I’m Pretty Funny | 2588 words 📱

He watches it back one more time after it posts, checking for typos in his subtitles and captions, and has to laugh again.

Steve fucking Rogers? His brain thought he could pull Captain America, literal superhero and America’s favorite sweetheart?

“Hello I’m a 35 year old amputee living in New York and I think that I could get Steve Rogers.”

OR

the one where bucky posts a tiktok and steve is utterly smitten.

Summer Slipped Us Underneath Her Tongue | 10712 words 🧳

Bucky is a tour guide who enjoys sharing the rich history and culture of each city they pass through with a bunch of early-20's college students who just want to know the cheapest place to get drunk.

Except for Steve, who asks Bucky for a personal tour around his hometown.

The rest is, as they say, history.

You Make My Heart Skip A Beet | 3853 words 🧑🏼‍🍳

“I made soda bread.” Steve lets out the 6’2” supersoldier equivalent of a squeak. “Oh, I love soda bread,” he says eagerly, rolling forward on the balls of his feet like he does when he gets excited. “My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up.” The tips of Barnes’s ears turn red, and he mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, “I know.”

Ollie Meets Bagel | 5517 words 🥯

He was a skater boy, Steve said let's get bagels, boy.

Steve wants to start doing this twenty-first century thing properly. He gets help in the form of skateboarding, skateboarders, bagels, and Sam Wilson.

Taxi | 5113 words 🚕

Bucky Barnes was, he hoped, a good taxi driver.

He's so good, he actually tries to return lost property that ends up left in his car and... well. It has some unexpected consequences involving a National Icon.

Enough said.

Leg Day | 12157 words 🏋️‍♂️

“So talk to him,” Sam says.

“I can’t,” Bucky groans. “I can’t, Sam, I. He just.” He fluffs his hair up and stares at Sam, distraught. “I want him to bench press me.”

“Okay, so it’s serious,” Sam interprets. “Got it."

(Or: The one where Sam is Bucky's long-suffering roommate, Bucky is a hot mess of a millennial, and Hot Steve spends far too much time on the Lat Pull-Down machine.)

Love In Aisle Four | 2127 words 🛍️

When Bucky needs to swing by the supermarket after a long, hard day of work, the last thing he expects is to meet a cute grocery clerk named Steve…

Coming Up Easy | 45515 words ✍🏻

“Listen, I was just thinking,” Steve says, his face open, eyebrows raised in a tentatively hopeful expression. “Why don’t you come stay at my place for a while? I’ve got an office that I barely use, and a change of scenery might do you good, right? Help you beat that writer’s block?” With a crooked smile, he adds, “I promise I’m not a serial killer.”

While Bucky would normally crack a joke about how that’s exactly what a serial killer would say, right now, all he can do is blink at Steve in surprise, heart tripping over itself in his chest. Steve wants him to come and stay at his place. In Massachusetts. Just the two of them.

"Oh," Bucky croaks. "I- Wow."

“I mean, no pressure,” Steve says hastily. “Totally fine if you don’t wanna. I just thought I’d offer, in case it might help, y’know?”

“Yeah.” Bucky ignores the little voice in his head that sounds an awful lot Nat and Becca, telling him he’s setting himself up for heartbreak. “I mean, if you’re sure, that would be amazing.”

Anywhere The Wind Blows | 8845 words 👨‍🚒🎖️

After a catastrophic fire that shakes him to his core, Steve Rogers quits his job as a Brooklyn firefighter and relocates to a cabin in the remote Canadian wilderness, wanting quiet and solitude and to maybe never have to speak to another human being ever again. He gets his wish, more or less, until a recently injured Bucky Barnes is discharged from the Army and rents the cabin next door.

The Safer Course | 7918 words | Part 1 of Won’t You Be My Neighbor 🏡

When Steve moves to the suburbs in 2033, he intends to retire from superhero life.

He does not intend to fall in love with his pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

Every Year I Have You | 7064 words | Part 2 of Won’t You Be My Neighbor 🏡

Steve set the bar pretty high, as birthday presents go.

Bucky is determined to outdo him when July 4th comes around.

Beneath The Mistletoe | 21203 words 🎄

Bucky had a bet with his sister that if he didn’t have a boyfriend to bring home for Christmas by the time he was 25, he had to give her $200 and go blonde for a year. But now he's 25, it’s nearing December, and not only is Bucky as single as ever, but he’s also running low on cash. He doesn’t exactly want to bleach his hair, either.

At least Steve is willing to upgrade their relationship from best friends to fake boyfriends.

The Settler | 52203 words 🍞

“What do you want to do?”

Steve pauses and looks at them.

What he wants is to stay with them. He doesn't have any family left, they all died before he even joined the war and became... this. Captain America turned whatever he is now. But Natasha and Sam have become his family over the years. Not just because they're on the run together, fugitives and vigilantes, but way before that too.

He doesn't want to leave that.

But he knows that, realistically, he can't stay with them and they can't stay with him.

So he looks at them with a smile and lies. “I don't know.”

OR; In which Steve retires and finally finds a place to call home.

You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory | 1148 words 🐈

"Alright, Bucky," Steve slows his steps, watches his neighbour stop at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. There's a canvas bag in his hand that Steve didn't notice earlier, cream coloured with the figure of a sleeping, black cat painted on it. "Have a good day."

He thinks Bucky's cheeks pink up a bit right then and there, but Steve can't tell. He's too distracted by his pounding, foolish heart, by the way Bucky smiles bashfully, and ducks his head. The way he seems like he wants to stay.

To Believe In Tomorrow | 3959 words 👨🏻‍🌾

Bucky's mornings at the community garden get a little more interesting when the new guy shows up.

Maybe This Christmas | 24873 words | Part 1 of Maybe ❄️

Bucky’s not going home for Christmas. But it’s fine. He’s spending Christmas alone in his apartment, but it’s cool. He’s not feeling up to seeing his family after his accident anyway, plus he has to work. He’s totally fine with it. But then he runs into Steve, literally, and suddenly his Christmas isn’t looking so empty after all.

-----

Hurrying was a bad idea. Bucky’s foot hits a patch of ice and slides out from under him in what would have been a comical cartoon banana-peel-like trip, if it wasn’t happening to him, and he braces himself to hit the ground. This is going to hurt.

“Fuck,” Bucky screeches, but as he lands on his back, it’s not the cold hard concrete he expected, but a solid mass beneath him. Oh god, Bucky thinks as he realises he smacked into the person behind him and took them down with him.

Maybe This Year (Will Be Better Than Last) | 133868 words | Part 2 of Maybe ❄️

Last year, Bucky Barnes met Steve Rogers. Well actually, he slipped and fell on him. What followed was the best Christmas either of them had ever had. But what happens when Christmas is over and life returns to normal? What happens after the Christmas miracle?

-----

Bucky should have known. He did know. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are. And Steve is the best thing that has happened to him in a long time, possibly ever, so of course it couldn’t last.

Maybe This Time (I Hope I Get The Chance To Say Goodbye) | 34561 words | Part 3 of Maybe ❄️

Steve and Bucky Barnes are happily married. They've made it through some hard times and come out stronger and happier, together. Then Steve gets called on to come out of retirement for the most important mission of his life and everything changes. Everything.

-----

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas…” Steve starts singing along softly, and Bucky chuckles, before leaning his head onto Steve’s shoulder, always happy when he’s in Steve’s arms.

“From now on, our troubles will be miles away…” Bucky joins in.

Dancing round their living room, just as in love as ever, their troubles seem light-years away, if not non-existent.

Sadly, they’re closer than they think.

The Unexpected Gift | 9504 words | Part 1 of When Winter Comes 🐕

Steve Rogers is fine.

After ending a long-term relationship with Sam Wilson, Steve moves back to New York. He's tired and lonely but depressed? No. At least, that's what he thinks.

From the window of his apartment, he watches a dark-haired man and his service dog sitting in the park, wondering what his story is.

The Winter Storm | 2218 words | Part 2 of When Winter Comes 🐕

"If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability you see yourself through my eyes, only then would you realize how special you are to me."

After Bucky and Steve confessed their feelings for each other, life has its own twisted way to challenge the most profound love.

One January Night | 4213 words | Part 3 of When Winter Comes 🐕

Before going back to work, Steve Rogers still has things to learn: 1- Depression is a bitch and the battle against it isn't an easy one. 2- Dating a person with disabilities comes with its share of challenges.

Bucky Barnes Has His Shit Together (And Other Lies He Tells Himself) | 14159 words 🔒

You’d think a guy who owns one of the most successful bakeries in Brooklyn, has a million-dollar smile and that antiquated good ol’ boy charm, blond hair and blue eyes and biceps for days, would know what’s what.

But don’t let that fool you: Steve Rogers is a mess.

Obvious | 917 words ☕

"Oh, I have a prompt! So, it makes me laugh how painfully obvious Steve and Bucky's feelings are to everyone when they're in that pining, slowburn, does-he-doesn't-he phase. But imagine Steve and Bucky working in a coffee shop together and constantly bickering, nudging and playfully flirting with each other. And all the employees and patrons are so invested in their relationship and just want them to kiss already but no one realizes that Steve and Bucky have been married since they got out of HS."

[viastro]

when the stars align | lee seokmin

ミ★ synopsis: four different seasons, four different lives, and you meet seokmin in each and every one.

ミ★ genre: reincarnation!au, soulmate!au (?), angst, fluff, some humor

ミ★ warnings: major character death, mentions of blood and car accidents

ミ★ word count: 6,320

ミ★ pairings: seokmin x gender neutral reader

ミ★ notes: hi guys ! this is my first oneshot after about a month of not releasing any ? i recently started winter quarter at my uni and i’m also working now so i probably won’t be able to release oneshots as much as i used to </333 i hope that’s okay </333 but anyways, thank you to @sunlightwoo​ for helping me come up with a few ideas for this oneshot ! sorry for lying to you about who this was about, i didn’t want to get strangled <33333 i love you <333 i hope you all enjoy this, make sure to give seokmin lots of love <3

The sky is so blue today, you think to yourself as you sit on the bus, heading towards your workplace. Resting your head on the window, you stare up at the sky, music pouring in from your headphones as the busy city scenery flashes by before your eyes. 

You lift up your head when you see that you’re close to the hospital, quickly pressing the button to signal that you want to get off. The bus stops in front of the building, and you lift up your bag from the seat and walk into the middle aisle. You step off the bus and walk in the direction of the hospital, glancing up to see a man standing in the middle of the sidewalk, staring up at the sky. 

The sky is so blue, Seokmin thinks to himself, tilting his head to the side as a small smile forms over his features. You feel your heart stop in your chest when he looks back down, only to lock eyes with you. A tingle makes its way down your spine as you stare at him, similar to the feeling of getting shocked when you touch a person's hand. 

He’s pretty, you think to yourself. Immediately pausing right after that thought registers in your head, realizing that you’re literally stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and just staring at the pretty man. You look away, heading straight into the hospital without another glance back. 

Seokmin watches as you disappear, running a hand through his hair at the strange feeling he got when the two of you stared at each other. Shrugging his shoulders, he turns back towards the hospital, letting out a nervous grin as he walks inside to start his new job.

“Yn, you’re here!” You grin at Soonyoung, giving him a thumbs up as you put your things into your locker. “Wow, we’re sharing a shift together? That’s new. I wonder why Seungcheol scheduled us together after the rather… unfortunate…”

“It was not unfortunate!” 

“You almost jumped out of the 8th story window.” 

“Sounds fake.” You stop and turn towards the blonde, squinting your eyes at him. 

“Yn, this is serious! The patient thought I was cute and asked for my number but I got too shy and told them I’m married!” Soonyoung cries out onto your shoulder, and you silently glance at your clipboard as you let him screech in the middle of the hallway. 

“I don’t get why you said you were married.” You mutter, clicking open the pen and writing down a note on the patient’s form. Soonyoung looks up at you, and yells, “I don’t either!”

You turn your head and give him a smile, placing the clipboard between your knees and squishing Soonyoung’s face with your hands. He pouts at you, and you just continue to hold his face.

“This is a you problem.” Soonyoung glares at you, before pushing your hands away as you laugh at his reaction. “I should just jump out the window, I’m humiliated.”

You pull the clipboard back up, flipping the page over and looking at the other side. You mutter out, “don’t do that.” as you write more notes, only to pause when you don’t hear a snarky response in return. Looking up from the clipboard, you turn your head, only for your eyes to widen.

“SOONYOUNG! ABSOLUTELY NOT!” 

“I’M GONNA DO IT!!!” 

“KWON SOONYOUNG!”

Soonyoung rubs the back of his neck, giving you a sheepish smile after the reminder of what occurred a few months prior. You slap his shoulder, making him let out a whine of protest. 

“Don’t ever do that again.” 

“I wasn’t actually going to jump.” You roll your eyes, throwing the lanyard over your neck that displays your ID. You give Soonyoung a close-lipped smile, “Let’s go.”

The two of you step out of the break room, walking over to the front desk to ask which patients checked in. Minghao glances up from his monitor to find you and Soonyoung heading in his direction, and he lets out a heavy sigh, making you squint at him.

“I saw that!”

“Why did Cheol let the two of you work on the same shift after Soonyoung almost died?” Minghao asks himself, and Soonyoung rests his head in his hands. Shrugging your shoulders you lean against his desk, “I don’t know, ask Cheollie.” 

“Anyways…” Minghao begins, and you let out a giggle. You lean your head onto Soonyoung’s shoulder, waiting for Minghao to finish up typing. “Yn. You’re training the new guy today.”

“I’m training the what?” 

“Lee Seokmin, today’s his first day. Seungcheol wants you to watch over him.” You bite the inside of your cheek at the fact that you have to watch over another new nurse. Leaning forward, you ask Minghao, “Where is he?”

“I’m here.” The three of you turn around at the sound of the sweet voice, and your heart immediately drops into your stomach when you realize that he is the man you practically gawked at when you were about to head in. 

“I’m Lee Seokmin, nice to meet you all.” He says with a grin, only to tilt his head when he locks eyes with you. He points his finger in your direction, “I think I saw you outsi-.”

“No you didn’t.” You interrupt, and he bites the inside of his cheek. 

“I’m pretty sure I did.”

“Sounds like a scam.” 

“Is it?”

“Do I need to pull up the security cameras just for you guys to confirm this or can you finally leave me alone?” Minghao interrupts with a tired expression on his face, and Soonyoung snickers behind his hand. Squinting at your overwhelmingly pretty but rude coworker, you slap him on the back of the head, before pointing at Seokmin.

“Let’s go do nurse stuff.” And with that, you walk away, not checking to see if he’s following close behind you as your face is incredibly hot from trying to act like you’re not embarrassed. 

“Are they always like that?” Seokmin asks Soonyoung, to which the blonde nods his head with an entertained grin on his face. “Yeah, you should go hurry after them. They’re not gonna stop and turn around to check if you’re following.” 

Seokmin’s eyes widen, before turning to look at you again, only to find you nowhere in sight. Now panicking, he quickly waves bye to Minghao and Soonyoung, before running down the hallway to find you. Soonyoung and Minghao watch as Seokmin hurriedly turns the corner, only to run the other way when he doesn’t find you.

“Ah, why can’t yn be nicer to the new recruits.” Minghao mutters to himself, and Soonyoung tilts his head to the side when he sees you poke your head over the corner and call out to a very lost Seokmin, gesturing for him to come over. 

“I don’t know. I think this time will be different.” Soonyoung says quietly, watching as you and Seokmin sneak glances at each other as the two of you look over the clipboard. Minghao purses his lips, before turning back around and facing his PC. 

“Only time will tell.” 

“You wanna go buy drinks? Are you crazy?” Seokmin asks you with a chuckle, and you let out a tired groan, turning and resting your forehead onto his shoulder. His eyes widen slightly at the contact, before reaching out and patting the back of your head.

“I just, I’m so tired. One of the patients tried to throw their pee at me and I-”

“They tried to what?”

“And then this other patient’s wife yelled at me about touching her husband’s chest but I was just trying to hear his heartbeat.” Seokmin’s eyes continue to widen the more you tell him about your rather chaotic day at work. Tilting his head to the side, he recalls that his day went rather smoothly in comparison. 

It’s been a couple months since Seokmin first started working at the hospital with you, and the two of you have gotten relatively close. There’s no denying the attraction and the chemistry between the both of you. Minghao and Soonyoung even have an ongoing bet on when the two of you will finally start dating. 

“By Spring they’ll be together.” Soonyoung says, and Minghao slaps his shoulder.

“Absolutely not, they won’t be that slow. They’ll be even slower. I bet by Summer they’ll be together.” 

“50,000 won?” 

“50,000 won.” Soonyoung confirms with a nod of his head, and Minghao lets out a small smirk. Standing up to his full height, he extends his hand towards the blonde.

“You got yourself a deal, Kwon Soonyoung.” Soonyoung glances down at his hand, before smiling cockily to himself as he reaches out and grasps the latter’s hand.

“Right back at you, Xu Minghao.”

Seokmin lets out a grin, jostling his shoulder slightly to make you lift your head up. You pout up at your pretty coworker, and he smiles down at you. “Okay, I’ll buy us drinks.” 

Your pout turns into a happy smile, and the two of you quickly walk out of the hospital doors. You immediately shove your hands into your pockets, shivering slightly from the brisk winter night. Seokmin notices you shiver out of the corner of his eye, and he remembers the red scarf wrapped around his neck. 

You’re about to make a comment about how it’s cold, only to freeze when Seokmin removes the scarf from his neck and tenderly wraps it around you. Your eyes slowly trail up towards his own as he softly ties it so that it’s covering your mouth. He looks up into your sparkling eyes, and gives you a smile, his face a bit pink from the cold.

“Don’t catch a cold, yn.” Seokmin says in a soft voice, eyes full of warmth as he stares down at you. You nod your head in response, as no words seem to currently be forming in your brain. He smiles, before motioning towards the direction of the bar. 

“Let’s go drink.” You watch as he heads off towards the bar without another word, and you aimlessly follow him, wondering why you suddenly feel so warm.

“I-” You hiccup, and Seokmin chuckles at the drowsiness to your eyelids as you fight to stay awake. Resting his chin on the palm of his hand, he takes a sip of his water, as he decided to not drink a lot in order to make sure you get home safe. “You what?”

“I want a pet.” You mutter with a drunken giggle, and Seokmin smiles at how tired you are. Letting out a breath, he stands up from his seat and walks over to your side of the table. You notice a looming presence to your left, and you slowly turn your head and glance up at the figure, seeing Seokmin staring down at you with an amused expression on his face.

“Why are you so… tall?” You ask, and Seokmin shrugs. He helps you up out of the chair, making sure to put money on the table and grab your bag as he escorts you out of the bar. Rubbing your eyes once the cold air hits you, you turn your head to look up at Seokmin, wondering why your heart is so warm whenever you stare at him. 

“Tall… pretty… nice…” You begin to quietly count all the nice qualities about Seokmin as you lean against him, and he laughs when you stop walking, holding up all ten fingers towards his face. 

“This isn’t even all of the good things about you.” You say with a squint to your eye, and he shrugs his shoulders at you. “I wouldn’t say that I’m that great, yn.” 

Your eyebrows furrow at his response, and you reach out and slap his shoulder, eliciting a whine of pain. You shake your finger at him, “You are great! Don’t you,” You burp mid-sentence, making Seokmin smile. “Don’t you ever say you’re not great ever again.” 

Seokmin nods his head, raising his hands up in surrender to emphasize his answer, and you give him a content grin. Your eyes widen when you see a snowflake fall onto the top of his head, and the two of you look up towards the sky to see millions of snowflakes descend towards the ground. 

You let out an excited smile, turning your head to see Seokmin already staring at you with a soft grin on his face. Your heart stutters within your chest when you feel that familiar feeling of warmth, and you bite the inside of your cheek. 

“First snowfall of the year.” Seokmin mutters quietly, looking back up towards the sky as a means to stop his face from turning red at how ethereal you look. You squeeze your fists at your side as you stare at the pretty man, hearing your own heartbeat in your ears at how nervous you are. 

“I love you.” You state, and Seokmin freezes, slowly turning his head to look at you with wide eyes. Seokmin glances behind him before looking back towards you and pointing at himself, “Me?!”

You nod your head, pointing directly at him. “You.” 

Seokmin feels warmth flood his features, and a sheepish smile slowly forms on his face as he lifts his hands up to feel how hot his cheeks are. He turns back towards you, “Really? You’re not just saying this because you’re drunk, right?” 

You nod your head again, patting your heart as a way to try and calm it down. Seokmin tilts his head to the side, “Are you gonna forget that you confessed to me?” 

Pursing your lips, you shrug your shoulders. The pretty man gives you an incredulous stare, making you chuckle in response. “We’ll see~”

“Yn, you can’t just-”

“Do you love me back?” You ask, watching as the snowflakes fall down around the two of you. The visual is similar to that of a painting, with your surroundings being painted in a brilliant shade of white. It makes it appear as if you’re an angel sent from heaven. Seokmin stares at you in silence for a moment, before nodding his head. 

“I do. I love you.” Seokmin says softly, and you bite the inside of your cheek harshly to stop yourself from smiling. He steps forward, “But yn, we need to talk about the fact that you might forget-”

You bend down and quickly make a snowball, before throwing it at Seokmin’s face. You let out a bright laugh as he sputters, trying to wipe the snow away. He stares at you in shock, before pointing directly at you. 

“I’m gonna get you for that.” 

“Bet you will!”

The sound of your guys’ laughter fills the cold January night, the first snowfall of the year.

“Are you gonna take yn out to eat somewhere fancy tonight for your guys one year anniversary?” Minghao asks as Seokmin looks through the patient’s folder. Seokmin glances up at his newly dyed silver-haired friend, giving him a grin. “We were thinking of something simple, they’d rather we save money.” 

Minghao chuckles, nodding his head. “Sounds like something they’d want.” 

Seokmin tilts his head, glancing down at his watch. He purses his lips, realizing that you should’ve come in already since your shift started a couple minutes ago. 

“I wonder if their bus is late today.” Seokmin says, and Minghao checks out the time. He nods his head, “It probably is. Life’s unexpected, that’s why I told them to get a car.” 

“What if they get into traffic in the car too?”

“Then that’s on them.” Minghao responds, and Seokmin rolls his eyes with a chuckle. He opens his mouth to say something when the two hear the sound of sirens. They turn towards the entrance of the hospital, seeing multiple ambulances pulling up and hurriedly taking out injured patients. 

“What’s going on?” Soonyoung asks the two as he walks up to them, seeing everyone beginning to be transported in a gurney. Seokmin shrugs his shoulders, eyes squinting when one of the EMT’s comes closer with the injured patient.

“Might’ve been a bad accident, I’ve seen something similar to this only a few times. Such as the bad accident with the bus a few years back, lots of casualties.” Minghao answers, watching as the nurses hurry towards the emergency room. Seokmin’s heart stops when he sees a red scarf on the gurney.

“Y-yn?” Seokmin says quietly, eyes widening when the nurses push the gurney past them. It’s as if time comes to a slow when he lays eyes on your lifeless body on top of the gurney, watching as the nurses hold the oxygen mask over your mouth and nose. 

“Yn.” Seokmin breathes out. Soonyoung and Minghao’s mouths drop open when they recognize you, and Minghao immediately wraps his arms around Seokmin to prevent him from chasing after you.

“L-let me go!” Seokmin shouts, beginning to panic when he can’t free himself from Minghao’s grip. Soonyoung looks at Seokmin, “You’re not in the right headspace to help them right now. I’ll go, they’ll be okay.” 

“No! Let me see them! Let me help them!” Seokmin yells out in pain, continuing to struggle against Minghao’s hold. He lets out a sob when Soonyoung runs after you, “LET ME GO! LET ME- LET ME GO!”

Seokmin’s knees buckle underneath him as he lets out a blood-curdling scream, and him and Minghao slowly sink to the floor. Silent tears fall from Minghao’s eyes as he holds onto Seokmin, trying to mutter out soothing words as his friend breaks apart right in front of him. 

“Please, live.” Seokmin sobs quietly. 

It’s only a few hours later when the surgeon steps out of the operating room with a solemn expression on her face, that no words need to be said for Seokmin to fall apart on the floor of the waiting room. With Soonyoung and Minghao quietly crying as they try to offer him comfort. 

The clouds are pretty today, You think to yourself as you walk to the auditorium that holds your calculus course. 

“Yn!”

You turn your head in the direction the voice came from, and your eyes brighten when you realize that it’s Mingyu. He walks over to you with a happy grin on his face, textbook in his grasp as he pats the top of your head in greeting. 

“Morning, Gyu.”

“You ready to learn about derivatives?” Mingyu asks, and you scoff at the tall man, nudging him away from you. “Don’t ever say that cursed word to my face.” 

“Derivat-”

“You absolute whorebag.” You interrupt, causing you and Mingyu to break out into laughter at your lingo. The two of you converse as you head towards the building, and you suck in a deep breath, smiling at the fresh air. 

“You know how it’s Spring, Mingyu?” You ask, and Mingyu purses his lips in thought. He points towards the weeds on the ground after a moment, “Cause the weeds pop up?”

“Okay... that too. But that’s not what I was thinking.” Mingyu chuckles, looking up at the sky to see the pretty white clouds. “What is it then?” 

You smile excitedly, jogging a bit so that you’re now in front of Mingyu. He glances back down at you, eyebrow raised as he sees you lift your arms up and gesture around your guys surroundings. He looks around, finding the cherry blossom trees beginning to sprout the beautiful pink flower that you love so much. 

“The cherry blossoms are blooming!” You say with a bright smile on your face, and Mingyu laughs in embarrassment when you spin around as if you’re in a coming of age movie. You only stop when you see someone smiling up at the cherry blossom trees. 

The cherry blossoms are blooming, and the clouds are nice. Spring is here, Seokmin thinks to himself, taking a deep breath of the nice air. He adjusts his bag with a smile, turning around to walk to his building, only to pause when he locks eyes with you. 

The two of you stare at each other for a moment, finding the other to be familiar. However, neither of you are sure why. You let out a breath, raising your hand up and giving the pretty man a wave as you smile. 

For some reason, Seokmin feels an overwhelming feeling of relief when you smile at him. He slowly lifts his hand up and waves back at you, an ethereal smile etching itself onto his features. 

“Spring is beautiful!” You shout out towards the man who holds a smile that can outshine the sun. Mingyu chuckles in amusement, watching as his best friend and a stranger fall in love right before his eyes. Seokmin nods his head as he stares into your bright eyes, feeling warmth flood his chest as he says, 

“Yeah, it is!” 

It’s only Mingyu who notices that Seokmin wasn’t talking about the season. In fact, you won’t realize he was talking about you until it’s too late.

“It’s so damn hot.” You mutter to yourself as you sit in front of your fan, wondering when you’ll be able to get your AC fixed in this fucking oven of an apartment. Your phone rings beside you, and you pick it up, seeing that Joshua’s calling you. 

“Are you coming to my rescue now or do I have to hang up again?” You joke, and Joshua chuckles on the other end of the line. “Very funny, but I’m heading to your apartment now. I brought my friend, he usually sets up the AC’s for my family.” 

“Old friend I’m assuming?” You ask, and Joshua nods his head even though you’re unable to see it. 

“Very old.”

“Bitch! I’m younger than you!” You hear a sweet voice say, followed by laughter and apologies from Joshua. You smile, letting out a sigh of relief. “I’ll see you soon, Shua.” 

“See you.” 

Only thirty minutes pass of you laying in absolute agony on your floor that you hear your doorbell ring, and you practically drag yourself to the door. You whip it open, seeing Joshua staring at you with an amused expression on his face. 

“You look hot.”

“I’ll wipe my sweat on you.”

“Ew, that’s a bad first impression on Seokmin.” Your eyes widen slightly when you remember that Joshua brought a friend. You let out an awkward laugh, “I was obviously joking.” 

“It’s okay, I knew you were kidding.” The sweet voice you heard over the phone interrupts, and you glance over Joshua’s shoulder, only to feel your breath get taken away when you lock eyes with the man. Your heart beats rapidly against your chest as the two of you stare into each other's eyes in silence, an indecipherable emotion making itself apparent.

“Yn, this is Seokmin. Seokmin, this is yn.” 

You slowly reach your hand out towards the man, giving him a small smile. He grins back at you, extending his hand and grasping yours. You let out a breath when you feel a shock of electricity go down your back, while Seokmin bites the inside of his cheek at the feeling. 

“T-thank you for coming to fix my AC.” You mutter quietly, and Seokmin nods his head. The two of you let go, hands awkwardly falling to your sides as you do so. Joshua looks between the two of you with a raised eyebrow, “Why are you two so quiet? It’s weird, there’s so much tension it makes me wanna hurl.” 

You squint at Joshua, reaching out and slapping his shoulder as the both of them step into your apartment. He giggles at your reaction, patting your head affectionately. “I don’t know how long you survived in this hot ass apartment, but Seokmin will fix it soon.”

The man in question rolls his eyes as he takes off his jacket, placing it onto your coat rack as he walks over to your broken AC. Seokmin turns around and points at Joshua, “You’re helping me too.”

“Me?!”

“Who else?”

“Yn.” 

“You have no manners at all, do you?” Seokmin asks with a disappointed expression on his face, causing you to burst into laughter. His heart fills with warmth at the sound, and he turns to glance at you.

what is this? what am i feeling right now? Seokmin asks himself as he watches you turn around to head into your kitchen. You turn back with a smile on your face, giving Joshua and Seokmin two thumbs up.

“I’ll get you guys some cold water!” Joshua throws finger hearts your way as a response, making you roll your eyes with a chuckle as you disappear into the kitchen. Joshua turns to glance at Seokmin, noticing the furrow to his brow. 

“Do you know yn?” Joshua asks, making Seokmin break out of his daze. The brunette runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head no at Joshua’s question. “Why would I know them?” 

“I don’t know, it just seems like the two of you knew each other.” Joshua answers, and Seokmin bites the inside of his cheek. He turns to glance at the kitchen, watching as you quietly dance as you place the ice cubes into the cups. Letting out a breath, he turns back towards the AC, preparing to open it. 

“Nah, we’ve never met before.” 

“This is stupid.” 

“It’ll be so fun!” 

“Jeonghan’s the last person I’d expect to look forward to going to a fortune teller.” You say with a grin, watching as he practically drags Joshua into the small shop without another word. Seokmin and you glance at each other, shrugging your shoulders. 

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Seokmin asks as he opens the door for you, and you let out a groan. 

“That’s the worst thing you could’ve possibly said in this situation.” You whine, making Seokmin laugh at your reaction. The frown on your face slowly morphs into a smile at the sound of his laughter, and you rub the back of your neck.

It’s been a few months since you and Seokmin met, and the two of you have become friends. You were later introduced to Jeonghan, who looks like an angel and is an absolute angel, but has devilish tendencies when it comes to games. Now the four of you are close, and you try your best to ignore the way warmth floods your face when Seokmin sends a smile your way. 

 “It’ll be okay yn, let’s just head in to make sure Jeonghan and Joshua don’t get scammed.” Seokmin tells you, and you nod your head with a grin. You let out a low whistle at the sight of all the crystals on the tables once the two of you enter the shop, before your attention lands on Jeonghan and Joshua talking to a rather old lady. 

“So you guys don’t actually use the crystal ball?” Jeonghan asks, and the fortune teller nods. She giggles, patting the ball softly, “It’s just for decoration.” 

You and Seokmin snicker behind your hands at the look of awe on Jeonghan’s face, and the lady hears you, as she glances up and looks at you both. Her mouth drops open slightly at the sight of you and Seokmin, and she waves her hand for the two of you to walk over. 

You and Seokmin share a glance, before heading over to the table and switching seats with Jeonghan and Joshua. The lady extends her hands out towards you and Seokmin, and you both tentatively reach out and grasp her hand.

“You’ve both lived such tragic lives.” She mutters, and you raise an eyebrow. 

“I beg your pardon?” 

She glances up at you and Seokmin with tears in her eyes, and the two of you stare at her in shock at how emotional she is. She squeezes your hand, giving you a sad smile. 

“The two of you are soulmates. Born as the same star but were later separated. In other words, your hearts are tethered to one another. In each and every life you’ve lived, the two of you have found each other and fell in love.” Warmth floods you and Seokmin’s features at her words, and you both don’t dare to share a glance. Joshua and Jeonghan grin, finding this all to be rather precious. However, Joshua’s grin slowly turns into a frown when he catches sight of the tears falling from her eyes. 

“Why are you sad? Isn’t this a good thing?” Joshua asks, and the fortune teller bites the inside of her cheek. The five of you stay in a relative silence, and you find a frown etching itself onto your face when she looks back up at you. 

“Because the two of you were never given the chance to be happy. Fate would rip one of you away from the other when you were close to reaching your destiny.” Seokmin’s mouth slowly falls open at the news, and you stare at her in shock. The fortune teller runs a hand through her hair, giving the two of you a solemn look.

“This is your third and final life as it seems that your stars will no longer align in the future. I hope fate will let the two of you be happy and leave you alone this time, so don’t wait until it’s too late.” She says quietly, and you abruptly stand up from the seat. Seokmin looks up at you, and finds that your eyes are filled with tears. 

“This has to be a joke. This is a joke. There’s no- there’s no such thing as soulmates or reincarnating.” You mutter, and the fortune teller shakes her head at you. She opens her mouth to speak, only for you to shout, “Fate doesn’t exist!” 

The fortune teller gives you a sad smile, reaching out and wiping away the tear that’s escaped from your left eye. “Then why are you crying, my dear?”

You harshly bite your bottom lip, quickly wiping your eyes. You push the chair and walk out of the shop without another word, promptly ignoring the calls of your name from your friends, and instead choosing to bask in the warmth of the summer night air as you try to put as much distance between you and the fortune teller. You feel a sob bubble up in your chest, wondering why you feel so much pain. 

“Yn!” You turn at the sound of Seokmin’s voice, seeing him run up to you. You rub your eyes to try and get rid of the tears, only to feel your breath get taken away from you when you’re encompassed in warmth. You slowly lower your hands, finding that Seokmin has wrapped his arms around you in an embrace. “S-Seokmin?”

“It’s okay, fortune tellers are paid to tell us weird things. There’s no need to worry, yn.” Seokmin tells you softly, rubbing the back of your head as a means to comfort you. You close your eyes, hiding your face in the crook of his neck as more tears flow from your eyes. 

“You don’t believe her?” You ask quietly, and Seokmin shakes his head. “No, I don’t.” 

You nod your head, continuing to feel the overwhelming pain in your chest as the two of you hold each other. You open your eyes to find the moon glowing down onto the two of you, with millions of stars shining bright in the air. 

fuck fate.

“I love you.” You confess, and you feel Seokmin turn rigid in your hold. He slowly pulls back to get a good look at your face, and you give him a small smile. 

“You love me?” He repeats, and you nod your head. The two of you stare into each other's eyes, and his beautiful brown eyes bore brightly into yours as your confession sinks in. Seokmin finds millions of stars in your gaze, a direct rival to that of the stars in the night sky that hangs above him.

“Do you love me back?” You ask quietly, and Seokmin gives you a small smile as his own eyes begin to water when an overwhelming emotion washes over him. And so, he nods his head.

“I do. I love you, yn.” 

You let out a smile as you make a waving motion with your hand, watching the scenery pass as Seokmin drives the two of you to the beach. You turn your head to glance at your boyfriend, finding him quietly singing along to the music as he drives. He seems to notice you staring at him though, as he lets out a grin.

“You think I’m handsome?” 

You immediately scoff, reaching out and pinching his cheek. He lets out a little whine of pain, causing you to laugh and retract your hand. “Of course I think you’re handsome. It’s why I confessed to you.” 

Seokmin rolls his eyes, sparing you a glance as you eat a piece of candy. He looks back towards the road, feeling nothing but content as he drives. “So you only confessed to me that night after the weird fortune telling because I’m handsome? Not because we were born as the same star?” 

Letting out a giggle at his weird way of saying the sentence, you grab a sour patch kid and place it into his mouth. You watch as his face scrunches up slightly from the sourness to the candy, and you chuckle. 

“I love you for you.” You say softly as the two of you pull up to the stoplight. Seokmin lets out a sigh, finally getting the chance to turn to look at you now that you’re at a stop. “Wanna get married?” 

You choke on the piece of candy you were eating, causing Seokmin to burst into laughter. You reach over and slap his shoulder twice, still coughing as you take a large gulp of water. You shoot a glare at the pretty man, “That’s such a lame way to propose.”

“Yeah, but you still had a great reaction. It’s all about the element of shock, love.” You roll your eyes, turning your head to see that the light has turned green. “I guess you have a point.” You mutter, making Seokmin grin. He presses on the gas, and heads into the intersection. 

“Does that mean you said yes to my proposal?” Seokmin asks as he stares at the road in front of him, and you purse your lips. You turn your head to face him as you answer, only for your eyes to widen.

“SEOKMIN THERE’S A TRUCK COMI-” 

You don’t get the chance to finish your sentence as the car flips over. 

And you don’t get the opportunity to tell Seokmin that your answer was yes.

However, fate decided to let your stars align one last time.

You walk down the sidewalk on your way home from school, smiling up at the orange and red leaves that are falling from above you. You shove your hands into your pockets, stepping onto each and every crunchy leaf in your path as you enjoy the sound it creates. 

“I love Fall, I wonder if the scenery is this beautiful at SNU.” You whisper to yourself, looking up at the blue sky. You squeeze your eyes shut when the reminder of all the new responsibilities that will be placed on your shoulders once you live on your own next year.

Being an adult sounds hard, You think as your gaze slowly trails over to an orange leaf falling from the tree. You watch as it lands on the top of a student’s black hair, and you raise an eyebrow at the uniform. 

“He goes to the other high school.” You mutter, tilting your head to the side when he plucks the leaf off his head and smiles at it.

“Ah, it’s really Fall.” Seokmin says softly, squinting back up at the tree with a grin on his face. He lets the leaf fall back to the ground before running a hand through his hair and turning to continue to walk home again. 

He stops in his tracks when he looks up from the sidewalk, only to lock eyes with you. Your heart beats rapidly within your chest as the two of you stare at each other in silence, the orange and red leaves falling from the trees around you both. 

why... why is he so familiar? why do i feel... relieved just by looking at him?

why does it feel like my heart is breaking as i stare at them?

Seokmin looks away first, ignoring the thoughts in his brain as he stares directly at the ground and continues to head home. You quickly follow suit, looking at anything but the pretty man as you try to calm your beating heart. 

Time comes to a stand still as the two of you pass each other, the leaves continuing to fall as you do so. You bite the inside of your cheek when a bit of distance is put between you two, and you come to a stop. You slowly turn your head to look back at him, tears falling from your eyes as you let out a breath.

Seokmin stands not too far from you, tears trailing down his own cheeks as he stares into your sparkling eyes. He bites the inside of his cheek, before sending a tentative smile your way. He lets out a wet laugh when you smile back at him, feeling warmth flood his features as more tears pour from his eyes. 

home.

“I’m Seokmin!” He greets from afar, and a feeling of relief washes over you when you hear his voice. You quickly reach your hands up, wiping away the tears on your cheeks as you stare at him. However, it’s of no use.

it’s like i’m finally home.

As tears fall from your eyes, you smile at Seokmin, finding him to be brighter than the sun when you shout back, 

“I’m yn!”

[lifeofkaze]

Cherry Blossoms

Neville Longbottom x Reader

 A/N: Dear @nevilles-top​ you picked 🌸 and that’s what came of it. Enjoy Wifey C, love you loads 💛💚

Warning: NSFW, +18 only, exhibitionism (kinda?)

Word Count: ~ 1.900

Her neighbours had no decency.

Mrs. Poppy Wilson had always prided herself on living in a proper neighbourhood with proper families. But the new couple that had moved in next door had been a thorn in her side from the beginning. Well, they weren’t exactly new, they had moved in over a year ago; but they had been a source of aggravation ever since. Whenever she saw the two of them, they would touch each other, holding hands or even kiss in public. She wasn’t even sure they were married.

She was leaving her house on this egregiously hot day in late spring when the sound of cheerful whistling caught her attention. Peaking over the edge of her perfectly trimmed hedge, she saw her neighbour tending to blooming flowers in his front yard. Due to the heat, he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He looked perfectly scruffy and Mrs. Wilson stared at his exposed chest disdainfully, an indignant huff leaving her lips. Didn’t he care what people would think?

Startled at the sound, Neville Longbottom lifted his head and raised his hand in greeting with a mock smile as he saw his uptight old neighbour staring from beyond the edge of his garden. Not wanting to associate with the likes of him, Mrs. Wilson turned on her heel and marched off.

 *

But Mrs. Wilson hadn’t been the only one observing the scene.

You watched the old hag make her way to her car before your attention turned back onto the sight unfolding before you. Neville had been working in the blazing heat for the better part of an hour now. You could see from your spot by the window kitchen how he wiped the sweat off his brow before lumping another sack of garden soil onto his worktable underneath the blossoming cherry tree dominating the place.

Neville had gotten the tree for you as a birthday present last year, because he knew how much you loved the sight of it in bloom. It had been way smaller back then, but of course Neville knew the odd trick to make it grow into a magnificent tree much faster than it would have under normal circumstances. It bloomed longer and brighter than others, often drawing wondrous glances from people passing by.

You watched in awe as he expertly tended to the plants he had been growing over the course of the winter. A shiver ran down your spine as you saw how tenderly he handled the small seedlings, imagining how his rough hands would feel on your heated skin right now.

Neville was fully concentrated on his task, the tip of his tongue, which you knew he could work wonders with, slightly peeking out between his luscious lips. Not being able to withstand his gravity any longer, you grabbed two glasses and a jug of lemonade, carefully bearing your charge outside on a tray.

His face instantly lit up as he saw you approaching. He gracefully accepted the drink you offered him, gulping the first glass down in mere seconds. You could imagine how hot his flushed skin must be from working in the sun, the speckled shadows of the branches of the cherry tree not casting a lot of shade.

As he poured himself another glass, he caught you staring.

“What?” he smirked, his mouth curving into that crooked smile that never failed to make your stomach dip.

“Nothing,” you mumbled, blushing a bright red. To overplay the situation, you hastily set your glass to your lips, letting the cool drink wash down your throat in deep gulps.

You heard Neville chuckle deeply as he set down his own glass, moving over to you.

“Someone seems thirsty today.”

You almost spit out your drink again. Coughing from surprise, you couldn’t help but stare at his lean arms that crossed in front of his chest. You didn’t get that kind of muscles from working out; they were shaped by the hard physical work Neville loved to do so much.

Noticing you were staring again, you knew you might as well be honest. “Can you blame me? I mean, look at you all being topless and scruffy like that,” you whined.

Neville’s smile widened and his eyes sparkled with amusement. “I meant the drink,” he laughed.

As he saw the shade of your face deepen, he reached for the belt you wore to cinch your dress in and hooked his finger under it, pulling you towards him.

“But if that is what you need...”

He didn’t finish his sentence but you wouldn’t have listened anyway. Your breath hitched as you felt Neville’s breath against your ear, then his lips on your neck as his mouth planted light, feathery kisses on your skin.

You sighed appreciatively at the tingling he left on your skin before you turned your head around to meet his lips. The kiss was tender at first, but it quickly deepened, desire rising in both of your chests. Neville moaned against your mouth as you nipped his bottom lip, grabbing you by the waist and turning you around. Without breaking your contact, he steered you backwards until your back hit the wooden wall of the tool shed next to the cherry tree.

A gasp escaped you as Neville’s hands travelled down your sides, firmly gripping your thighs and hoisting you up, now only held up by his body and the shed behind you. You wrapped your legs around him and buried your hands in his hair, feeling his growing erection press against you.

The support he gave you suddenly shifted as he let go of one of your thighs to nestle with the clasp of your holder-neck dress. It quickly came undone and Neville lost no time in pulling it down, exposing your bare chest to the sunlight. You dipped your head back as his tongue teasingly played with one of your nipples, while a gentle breeze caressed your bare skin.

“What about the neighbours?” you barely manage to rasp out, concentration rapidly dwindling at Neville gently sucking on your tits.

“They’re out,” Neville hummed, the vibration of his words making you shudder.

All your concerns were drowned in a cry of pleasure as Neville’s hand pushed the hem of your dress up further and let this thumb run over your clit through the fabric of your panties. He knew exactly how to touch you to drive you absolutely mad.

Your hands still tangled in his hair gripped tighter and you bit down on where his shoulder and his neck connected; not hard, but hard enough to coax a hungry groan from your man.

There was nothing but heat now, around you from the blazing sun, inside you from the rhythmic circles Neville’s skilled fingers were drawing. As he noticed your squirming against him, he withdrew his hand.

“Slowly now, doll,” he growled into your ear. “I don’t want to miss out on all the fun.”

He set you down to let you remove your panties. You immediately grabbed his hand, pulling him into the direction of the door to the shed. You didn’t think you could wait any longer to feel him inside you.

But Neville didn’t move. He pulled you back towards him, the fly of his jeans now open; he hadn’t pulled his trousers down more than he had to. At the sight of his hard cock waiting for you, you bit your lower lip, anticipation coursing through your body like an electric surge.

“Come on, now,” you whined impatiently, but Neville shook his head.

“The weather’s beautiful darling. I want to feel the sun on my back when I do you in by every trick in the book.

With that his arms encircled you again. He pushed you back against the wall and groaned as you propped one of your legs up on the nearby table, granting him unobstructed access to your dripping pussy.

“What are you waiting for then?” you moaned, knowing full well how to turn your man on even more.

With a flash in his eyes, Neville buried his face in your neck, sucking on the sensitive skin as he pushed his cock inside you. By now, you were so wet for him, he didn’t lose any time by waiting for you to adjust, but started pounding into you in a demanding rhythm that took your breath away.

The breeze from before had picked up, sending a shower of light pink flowers down on you. You would have laughed at the cheesy scenery of you being fucked by Neville in a whirl of blossoms, but you didn’t even notice.

Everything around you had faded, everything but Neville and the way your laboured breaths came in unison with the grinding of your bodies against each other. Your head swam with passion, and you raked your nails across Neville’s bare back as you felt your release draw nearer.

After a few more thrusts the knot that had been building inside your stomach was close to bursting, when you suddenly heard the door of a car slam shut and the unmistakable scuffing step of your nosey neighbour drawing nearer.

You slowed down for a brief second, knowing full well the drama that would ensue if she saw the two of you getting it off in your garden.

But you were so close and Neville, sensing your hesitation, locked eyes with you, holding your gaze. He held a finger to his lips, motioning for you to be silent, all the while maintaining the constant rhythm of his thrusts.

He brought his hand down and laid it on your clit again, rubbing over your sweet spot with his thumb. You couldn’t keep it together any longer. Your orgasm exploded with might, the waves of pleasure making you shiver uncontrollably, threatening to drown you. You clung to Neville for dear life, your head filled with his scent of earth and sunscreen and passion.

Neville silenced your muffled cry of pleasure with a searing kiss, your body shuddering against him and the feeling of your walls tightening around his cock sending him over the edge as well. He groaned against your mouth, all care forgotten.

 *

Mrs. Wilson was annoyed.

Not only had she missed her train into town and had been forced to return home early, she was still flustered at the audacity of her neighbour’s shirtless gardening antics.

When she entered her front yard, she furrowed her brow. If she hadn’t known any better, she could have sworn she had heard a muffled scream from the other side of the thick hedge separating their gardens.

What were those unruly people up to again?

With determination she marched to the spot where she knew the foliage of the hedge was thin enough to look through.

And sure enough, as she peeked through the bushes, she saw her neighbours both outside now, sitting at the wooden worktable under their outrageously blooming cherry tree. They were sipping lemonade and stole kisses now and again.

She huffed indignantly, the sound of it drawing their attention. As they saw her face through the gap in the hedge, they raised their glasses in salute, laughing more happily than they had any right to.

As they started kissing again, Mrs. Wilson turned around and rolled her eyes.

She’d had enough of these people.

No decency whatsoever.