#this would be my birthday gigs/gift to myself

[mitamicah]

Well, well guess I am back to being a clown ordering tickets not only for one but three Sweden shows 🤡

Hope to see you in Stockholm, Gothenburg or the Viking Glory (Stockholm-turku) gigs x'D

[nanawritesit]

Trent Lane Boyfriend Headcanons! (SFW + NSFW under the cut)

(i just finished daria and have major Trent brain rot… but there’s like no content for him so i guess i have to write it myself :p)

SFW:

He writes songs about you all the time (they don’t always make sense but you still appreciate them)

Probably shows his love through physical touch or acts of service because he’s too broke to buy you gifts or take you anywhere nice 💀

He always has an arm around your shoulder, a hand on your waist, or is at least linking pinkies with you. If you’re next to him, he’s touching you in some way

And if you ever need help with chores or a project, he offers to do it for you or help you finish it (which is saying a lot because he’s usually lazy af)

Always gives you his jacket when it’s cold without you even having to ask him :)

Loves to lay his head on your chest and fall asleep after late night gigs… you struggle to roll him off of you in the morning because he sleeps like a log 😭

Calls you his “muse” occasionally

But he mostly calls you a cuter version of your name (like how he calls Jane “Janey,”) or just a simple “Babe” or “Hon”

Most of your dates are at the bars Mystik Spiral is playing at

You’ll hang out there for a while and get pizza afterwards, then probably smoke 🍃 in the tank

He asks your opinion on song lyrics, and you’ll help him brainstorm rhymes

The man is nocturnal so you have a ton of late night phone calls

You’re basically his sugar mama because again, he’s broke and unemployed

You have to reassure him that it doesn’t bother you all the time, in fact he’s *almost* considered getting a job just for you because he loves you that much ����

(you can call him a deadbeat all you want. i would have no problem supporting my sweet baby girl 😤)

He also gets insecure sometimes that you’ll leave him for someone more educated or successful… you’ll have to explain to him that you don’t care about that stuff and that you love him regardless of it

His idea of a perfect day is just laying in bed with you all day long… he’s big on cuddles, either laying his head on your chest or nuzzling up into your neck :)

Although he also enjoys spooning you, or having you lay on his chest while he runs his fingers through your hair (He’s the best cuddler ever, try to change my mind)

Also loves going to the music store with you, and any other shops you enjoy going to

If you like piercings, you’ll go on piercing dates together :)

If you’re nervous, he’ll hold your hand and talk you through it 💞

Keeping him company while he gets his tattoos

He likes to see what you buy for yourself so he can save up his money to buy you something nice for your birthday or anniversary 🥺

LOVES when you sleep in his t shirts ❤️ He thinks you look so hot

He doesn’t strike me as someone who has a specific type, he just likes whoever he gives with. You could be alternative like him or have the total opposite aesthetic, he just likes you for who you are 🥰

Desperately trying to get him to take care of himself by getting a better sleep schedule and maybe eating a piece of fruit every now and again 💀

Watching Sick Sad World with Jane and Daria

The two of them look up to you because you’re one of the few people they think are cool, they mostly ask you for advice on relationships, school, and resolving their disputes

Jane asking you to help her dye her hair after Daria ruined it 😀

You always encourage her and compliment her paintings, she sees you as a really cool older sister (except not actually because all of her relatives besides Trent are insane)

You try to help them out around the house with cooking and cleaning and buying groceries since their parents are never home

The other guys in the band tease him so hard because he talks about you constantly and always gets so happy when you call :)

Jesse was actually the one who set you guys up, and it makes him so happy to see you together

He keeps a picture of you on the dashboard of the tank just to make him smile whenever he sees it 💞

NSFW: (18+/ MDNI)

Lazy morning sex (even though it’s at like 4 pm) because it’s the best way to wake him up ;)

Having sex in the tank right before a show because he’s convinced he plays better after he fucks you

He’s a switch for sure, mostly because he doesn’t always have the energy to be on top

Really likes long make out sessions where you’re straddling his lap and he can run his hands all along your body

Looooves watching you ride him

But he also enjoys pinning you down and dominating you 👀

The cold metal of his rings against your skin drives you wild, especially when he’s fingering you

Will give you hickeys in the most obvious places because he thinks they look hot

Conversely, he loves it when you leave scratches down his back like you’re marking him as your territory

Listen, this man knows how to EAT 😤 (you’re probably the most nutritious thing he eats tbh)

He loves overstimulating you by making you cum on his tongue and then fucking you immediately after

But he also loves it when you return the favor… he can’t think of any better sight than you on your knees going down on him 😭

He knows that his voice turns you on and uses it against you to turn you on in public (which leads to the two of you running out to the tank for a quickie)

He’s really good at talking you through it 😫

Not super loud during sex, but he does grunt and swear a lot

And when he gets close to finishing he starts letting out some airy moans, mostly saying your name over and over

He’s not *super* freaky but he certainly knows how to show you a good time ;)

[pleasantlyinsincere]

Hi, I was wondering if you know what music John was a fan of in the late 70’s? I’m aware of him being excited about the B52’s, and I’m assuming he liked David Bowie and Elton John’s music in part because they were his friends in addition to obviously being talented. And I think I read once that Julian turned him onto Queen but tbh that may be me misremembering a fanfic lol I just wonder if there’s anything out there that describes what John’s music tastes was in those days or whether he preferred to stick with his favorite classics; early rock and roll, girl groups ect. Like what did he think about the punk scene in NY?? Or the close harmonies a la Fleetwood Mac that dominated the charts? Just things I think about haha.

Hi, thanks for the question. I know that I skipped through a book called John Lennon: 1980 playlist by Tim English before, that may be a good source for you. Here's some random info, that I remembered where to look up. I think Julian introducing John to Queen comes from the SPIN magazine interview in '75:

[Julian] likes Barry White and he likes Gilbert O’ Sullivan. He likes Queen, though I haven’t heard them yet. He turns me on to music. I call him and he says, “Have you heard Queen?” and I say “No, what is it?” I’ve heard of them. I’ve seen the guy … the one who looks like Hitler playing a piano … Sparks? I’ve seen Sparks on American TV. So I call him and say, “Have you seen Sparks? Hitler on the piano?” and he says, “No. They are alright. But have you seen Queen?” and I say “What’s Queen?” and then he tells me. His age group is hipper to music … at 11 I was aware of music, but not too much.

But then there is also an anecdote, I think by Tony Barrow, that John didn't want to sign Queen to Apple years earlier? However that may be a lie, or John just didn't remember.

Yoko gifted John a jukebox for his birthday in '78 and apparently John filled it with the old music he liked. Elliott Mintz says there was quite some Bing Crosby. And I remember John also putting some new song by Dolly Parton in there.

"Yoko gave him this old-fashioned jukebox and John stocked it with Bing Crosby records. People kind of expected him to have rock 'n' roll records in there, but it was almost totally Crosby stuff. There were 3 songs which John played over and over. I still remember them. They were Crosby with a jazz quartet from the 50's, I think. He would banter and talk in the songs and John thought that was just the end. The songs were Whispering, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter and Dream a Little Dream of Me. Yeah, those were the songs, I can still see John listening to them." - Elliott Mintz

“The one modern song I remember him listening to was ‘The Tide Is High’ by Blondie, which he played constantly. When I hear that song, I see my father, unshaven, his hair pulled back into a ponytail, dancing to and fro in a worn-out pair of denim shorts, with me at his feet, trying my best to coordinate tiny limbs.” - Sean Lennon

One night we were playing at Max's (Kansas City) in New York City, and I was waiting for everyone to leave the club so I could go back in and pick up my gear. We were sitting in the van waiting and John Lennon and Ian Hunter from Mott the Hoople came staggering out and looked over. John Lennon saw it was me and stuck his head in the window. He was kind of drunk and stuck his face right against mine and went 'yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah' because he recognized it (Devo's song Uncontrollable Urge) as being an updating of She Loves You. That was one of my most exciting moments ever. - Mark Mothersbaugh on John coming to a DEVO gig in '77

PB: John, what is your opinion of the newer waves? Lennon: I love all this punky stuff. It's pure. I'm not, however, crazy about the people that destroy themselves. Playboy interview, 1980

I like pop records. I like Olivia Newton-John singing "Magic" and Donna Summer whatever the hell she'll be singing. I like ELO singing "All over the World". I can dissect it and criticize it with any critic in the business...But without any thought I enjoy it! That's the kind of music I like to hear. - John

John Lennon raced into Yoko Ono’s home office in the mammoth old Dakota building with a copy of Donna Summer’s new single, “The Wanderer.” “Listen!” he shouted to us as he put the 45 on the record player. “She’s doing Elvis!” I didn’t know what he was talking about at first. The arrangement felt more like rock than the singer’s usual electro-disco approach, but the opening vocal sure sounded like Donna Summer to me. Midway through the song, however, her voice shifted into the playful, hiccuping style Elvis had used on so many of his early recordings. “See! See!” John shouted, pointing at the speakers. The record was John’s way of saying hello again after five years. [...] It was just weeks before his death in December of 1980, and his playing the Summer record was an endearing greeting -- and one that was typical of John. Of the hundreds of musicians I’ve met, John was among the most down-to-earth. Corn Flakes with John Lennon (And Other Tales From a Rock ‘n’ Roll Life) by Robert Hilburn

"I'm aware of ... Madness. "Don't do that. Do this." (As on the spoken word intro to "One Step Beyond".) I think that is the most original thing actually because it's so peculiar. ... Out of all that mob I think that was one of the most original sounds. Very good drumming, very good bass and all of that." Andy Peebles interview

And things I don't have quotes for right now: I remember Bob Gruen had given John some video compilation of punk bands, that John enjoyed watching. In one of the last interviews John said Hungry Heart by Bruce Springsteen was a great song. There are the albums John asked Fred Seaman to buy on his shopping lists. Some are printed in The John Lennon Letters (Though I'm not sure that means he liked them, but at least was interested in.) Lot's of Bob Dylan talk in the diaries and parodies. Many anecdotes about reggae bands. In the Double Fantasy studio recording John references quite some songs and artists, when he tells the musicians what they are aiming for in the songs.

[thesoftboiledegg]

It's not just merchandise roundup day: it's also my birthday! ✨🎄 Yep, I was born on Christmas Eve. Everyone I know is afraid of aging, but I couldn't wait to turn 30 last year. 31 isn't too bad, either. I don't see myself as old, but does my age make me a fandom elder? 🤔

Anyway, much as it pains me to say this, the Rue 21 near my place is still closing. I went inside for what's probably the last roundup in that store. I didn't expect to find anything, but they had one new item: a pair of boxers that are entirely black except for a picture of Rick and Morty screaming on the waistband.

I hope the location in the mall doesn't close, but that particular mall is hanging on by a thread. Most of the stores are just empty space. The other Rue 21 locations are almost an hour away!

I also stopped by one of the local head shops. I've posted pictures of it before, but I had to share this plumbus pipe again because it's so well-crafted. (The colors come from the backlighting.)

No weird clip art with Rick as Pennywise or Mr. Jellybean creeping on Morty: just a well-made piece of glass.

These pictures aren't the greatest, but they also had new backpacks. I love the vibrant colors.

I tried to find pictures online. All I could find from the Dabtized brand was this Alice in Wonderland backpack. I've actually seen those illustrations in another head shop (probably ripped off from Dabtized, if Dabtized is even the original owner.)

Mad Hatter Rick is a good look for him.

Five Below had new winter-themed socks and a poster set. Honestly, I don't see the appeal of merchandise where the characters look scared or pissed off?

Off to the thrift store. The shelves were pretty sparse, but I love these Mr. Sparkle boxers. That's one of my favorite Simpsons B-plots. I actually thought it was the main plot when I was a child, probably because it was so weird and entertaining.

Snowflake boxers!

Another gift set, this time featuring a mug, socks and key chain.

I had extra time, so I browsed the graphic tees. This one was so big that I had to step back to get the whole illustration in frame:

And finally: this one cracked me up. Are you naughty like Toxic Rick or nice like "Healthy" Rick?

"Healthy" Rick was cold and uncaring toward Morty. A better comparison would be Rickbot and disheveled Rick searching for Prime in his hideout. Rickbot was an angel!

Today, I wondered if I saw Rick and Morty merchandise when I worked in a department store in 2015. That's when the series really blew up. I don't remember anything, but I also didn't watch the show until 2019, so I wasn't looking for it. Maybe Rick was shilling sneakers alongside Kim Kardashian perfumes.

And if he wasn't, he's got a pretty good gig endorsing fast food on the show. Who wants Denny's? 🥞

[notasapleasure]

Opening sentence meme

Tagged by @colleybri thank you, lovely! :) I think I got tagged in this last year, and my number of fics/their variety hasn’t exactly changed much since then, but hey ho! A reminder to me - and some background for newer friends here - that I do sometimes write things that aren’t just the same Brassian smut again and again…

Nevertheless, the first 6 are all Brassian, all the time. Look, I know what I – and about three other people – like, and I’m just going to keep finding ways to bake that cake again and again until Tony Gilroy ruins my fun (lol good luck Tony, canon is whatever I feel like).

1. don’t need any help to be breakable

The trip to Morlana One had been uneventful.

Not strictly doing anything different from ‘Counting on You’, etc. (#3 below, see also #6), but specifically exploring the facet of Brassian that might exist in a world where the alibi was true, ish, only ‘helping Cassian back to his chair’ was a euphemism for punching him. Finishing this was a challenge to myself, and I did it, so I’ll carry on being smug about that I guess.

2. The world turning at his pace

It should have been a simple job.

One-shot van sex AU. No I don’t need to explain myself and I won’t.

3. Counting on You

The rain on Ferrix is heavy when it arrives.

Needed to keep scratching the itch of ‘Only ever just one night’ (below, #6), so this is the outlet I use mostly when I just need to write some Brassian filth. Theoretically working towards a ‘five times they X, one time they Y’ format. Eventually.

4. The Saga of the Coal-biter and the Skraeling

I was born the year Erik the outlaw discovered Greenland.

My beloved cuckoo-child that’s an excuse to process all those years of research while being self-indulgent about the blorbos. As if it wasn’t going to be niche enough, Brasso insisted he wanted to tell it in the first person.

5. Escape velocity

Cassian is working his way through the crowds at Cavo's.

Ok, this isn’t really the same Brassian fic as always, it’s the most wholesome thing I’ve written for the pair, which is tragically ironic given I’d just ‘met’ @r0b0tb0y and decided to inflict a birthday gift on them. I owe you tentacles, buddy.

6. Only ever just one night

There isn't really a knock at the make-shift door.

My first Andor fic! That I swore I wouldn’t write. Then swore would be a one-shot. Then spent ages imagining a sequel to that seemed like too much effort to write. So instead I wrote variations on it again and again.

7. Whumptober 2022: ‘You better start talking’

Francis Crawford was sitting outside Kings Cafe in the bright grey light of a crisp autumn day in Glasgow.

I did a whole set of Whumptober fics for my 1980’s rock band AU for The Lymond Chronicles (a series of historical novels set in the 16th century), and didn’t actually finish uploading them to ao3 (they're all over at @theartistknownaslymond), but this is the most recent one I uploaded. Game of Kings setting, Will Scott trying to get his confession.

8. Whumptober 2022: Blood-covered hands

When Francis came round, he was on his back in the middle of the floor.

Lymond band AU, prequel-era – got to account for those galley scars somehow!

9. Whumptober 2022: Forced to Kneel/’Hold them Down’

Francis' usual pre-gig routine was always disturbed when he was at a music festival.

Lymond band AU, Disorderly Knights – Francis having a bad day in a tent, no whipping posts needed!

10. Whumptober 2022: Toxic/Withdrawal

"Eurgh, Pippa I feel like shit..."

Lymond band AU where Joleta survives (an overdose rather than a stabbing in) Disorderly Knights.

Patterns

So I evidently love a short, sharp introduction. One of the only bits of writing advice I ever remember receiving was about writing a pithy first sentence so I guess that tracks - though this isn't done consciously at all.

I think I'm always trying to convey some relatively straightforward piece of setting detail and if possible smuggle in a question at the same time (why's the door makeshift, why was that guy an outlaw, how's there a story if things were uneventful). I want the reader to experience something sensory if possible - the sound of rain/crowds/a knock/a music festival, or the afternoon light in Glasgow, or the disorientation/unease of arriving in the middle of something - while also having a fairly clear picture of where we are temporally or geographically, or which characters are there and whose perspective we've got. You can't always get all that in a single sentence but I like my opener to fill as much as possible in using as few words as possible - or that's what I'd say if I was bullshitting an essay on it for a class in the morning :)

Tagging - though no pressure as I don't know how recently you might have done this or if you have time: @boatcats, @elwenyere , @faceofpoe , @r0b0tb0y , @stripedroseandsketchpads , @batri-jopa and anyone else who likes, feel free to say I tagged you!

[toomuchracket]

imagining that you would coordinate a cake to be brought out at the post-fins hangout to congratulate the boys and matty would get so emotional and pull you into him once he saw what you’d done and a little while later, someone from the party would text you a photo of him giving you a sweet kiss while you’re holding the cake which makes the two of you more emo. and then afterwards, you two go back to his house in London and enjoy a sweet night of domesticity together (shower, cuppa, staying up late talking and watching YouTube, sharing a joint, and falling asleep haphazardly on each other bc the weed knocked you out) because lbr he’s not been home much lately and you both relish in the sweetness of it all

going to alter this slightly but omg!! birthday party coded. matty is so sweetie pie and soft after the gig, and his mum (because of course you're in cahoots with denise on this) is like "right, everyone, my beautiful almost-daughter-in-law (and then she looks pointedly at matty and taps her watch, making everyone laugh and him roll his eyes) has a little gift for the band. here she is!", which is your cue to appear from one of the tents with a "congratulations!" cake you made after matty went to sleep last night. it's visibly not a professional cake - the icing is wonky and the layers are a bit haphazard, but everyone is so touched by the fact you took the time to make it. like, the boys give you little hugs and head kisses to say thank you, and matty - tearing up for the millionth time that day - grabs your face and gives you a sweet but lengthy kiss, before he makes you put the cake down (george gets stuck into it right away lmao) so he can lift you up into a big hug that leads into him literally just carrying you around while he mingles because he wants to be close to you :')) denise takes a bunch of lovely photos of this little matty affection progression moment, and comes over to show the two of you and ask if she can post a couple on insta; both of you, on the verge of crying happy tears about how adorable and in love you look, are like "yeah sure whatever lol". around midnight, you get a taxi back to the house. matty is so sleepy, but he's like "baby will you wash my hair for me i really need a shower", and you agree - you're practically having to hold him up as you head towards the bathroom, and he literally sits on the shower floor and holds your legs while you shampoo and condition his curls, but he stays awake. and he perks up a bit once he's in his pyjamas with a cup of tea you made while he sat on the kitchen counter and told you you're beautiful, so much so that you both curl up on the couch and watch a couple of video essays with mayhem lying over your feet. and matty turns to you at one point and goes "d'you fancy sharing a zoot with me, darlin'?" - you turn to him incredulously like "are you actually ASKING me to smoke? my god. it really is a big day", and he rolls his eyes and swats your arm like "WELL i was just enjoying our little domestic moment together and i thought hmm what would make this even better? ah yes, sharing some weed with my perfect fiancee. but on second thought, i'll maybe just keep it for myself...", giggling when you're immediately like "ok i'm sorry. yes i would like to share a zoot with you. thank you baby". and matty pulls one seemingly out of thin air and lights it, letting you take the first drag and arching an eyebrow when you don't cough, like "that was... impressively smooth. are you a secret stoner?", which makes you both giggle. the laughter only continues as you get progressively higher, chatting about the funniest signs and moments you witnessed in the crowd earlier, before you tell matty you're ridiculously proud of him, exchange i love you's, then promptly fall asleep all tangled up in each other on the sofa, exhausted but elated after the wonderfully busy day you both had <3

[baenyth]

Bethany's Bizarre Miraculous Reviews Episode 4-12: Crocoduel (Plus an OC!)

Oh baby, another Juleka episode! And with her as a hero instead of an insult to Clownkind! I think Luka's a big part of this episode as well!

I think I've seen those animations before.

Julerose in the first few seconds! Yippee!!!

That was one of the worst lies I've ever heard.

Lovers, ideally, not buddies. I refuse the Adrienette gravy train. It's like if gravy was bad.

I refuse to believe Luka and Juleka are twins. You cannot convince me. I can barely buy them as siblings, honestly. Luka has to be two years older than Juleka and they're half siblings because I doubt Deadbeat Stone would wait even a year to ditch Anarka for fame. My father and his father shared the same birthday, so Luka and Juleka can too!

As always, Juleka is being disrespected.

Oh my god, Marinette is using her braincells outside of Ladybug!

Fuck. Marinette is cooking. She knows she can only be down bad for Adrien. She knows she'll only hurt Luka.

"Talking garbage can? Awesome." Alright, that's the best line of season 4, if not the entire show.

How is Marinette hiding in that garbage can anyways? Is she just noclipping in and out of it or something?

Jagged doesn't even seem aware of Juleka's existence. I can feel myself growing more right. He only seems to acknowledge Luka as his child.

"Hey Juleka, can you make sure your brother isn't at his own birthday party? Thanks."

Oh baby! People apologizing for doing crappy stuff!

Japed

Roblox Flamethrower noise

Oh hey. Woman with Mylene's VA.

You have the space powerup. Which is being forgotten for plot reasons.

Alright, after three and a half seasons of being disrespected with akumatizations, Juleka finally becomes Purple Tigress. I think it's my favorite design and powerset. The ability to generate energy is surprisingly versatile. She can jumpstart cars. She can make ludicrous amounts of heat.

Have Hawkmoth's quips been weaker lately? It feels like they have.

Bellissimo. Juleka is now my favorite character.

Aaaand they had to end the episode with absolute and utter friendzoning. I will rage about this until the end of time or when I write a fic or two about it. Lukanette disrespect.

So yeah. If you noticed in the title, I have an OC to talk about. A Miraculous OC. That goes against the canon in this episode because I refuse to believe it.

His name is Gregory Steel. I think he changed his last name to not be associated with his old family. He has a black 2000s boycut covering his left eye and a goatee that shouldn't look too bad on him. I imagine his default outfit being some jeans and a black T-shirt for the Seattle grunge band he plays bass for, Screaming Crow. He's also a music teacher.

In 2000-2001, he met a French-Canadian woman named Anarka Couffaine, who was tired of big celebrities and wanted to settle down with her infant child. The two hit it off, going inbetween raising a child and working smaller gigs for cash. They even had a child together. However, on that new child's first birthday, the two had a falling-out, albeit one with good communication and the two are still friends to this day. Anarka moved to France to live on a boat in freedom while in the modern day of 2016 Gregory now is married and has two nine-year-old twins: a boy and a girl. Still, he does pay child support and give birthday and Christmas gifts to his other two children, Luka and Juleka. He also does come to visit but infrequently. He doesn't have that much money.

In a hypothetical rewrite, instead of this episode, Gregory decides to come over to Paris on his kids' birthdays, only to see Jagged the deadbeat trot on over and act like he's ever been a loving dad, even worse is the bias he's giving for Luka while ignoring his little darling Juleka. You can probably guess where this goes: Hawkmoth akumatizes him into Screaming Crow, a giant one-eyed crow that screams and attacks Jagged, Purple Tigress still gets introduced because she's the best and I love her and I want her to be the third permanent holder, and so on. I'm pretty sure Marinette and Luka have broken up by now but at the same time Marinette is starting to date Kagami. Or maybe they're still dating.

[heyitsjooooanne]

265

One room.

Two hundred and sixty-five packages.

A young man decides that he's had enough…

Author's Note: Inspired by a Korean musician with questionable behavior concerning his package deliveries.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  =  =

My friend Holden liked to collect packages.

Actually wait, no.

I'm sorry.

He liked to hoard packages.

Ah.

See?

That’s much better.

But back to what I was saying.

This dumbass liked to hoard his own packages.

Let me show you what I mean.

It was a cold, January day, the birds were migrating, couples were cuddling, casseroles were baking, and—

Okay, I'll just cut the bullshit and get right to it.

See, Holden and I (my name is irrelevant), were part of a small group of rich online influencers.

Now, don't go throwing that rotten fruit at us just yet.

Yes, we posted videos on social media, but we treated the gig like actual jobs, which they were.

 And not to brag, but those videos gave us both a hefty sum of money.

Read: I am currently a millionaire at the time of writing this.

Anyway, Holden and I lived together as platonic roommates while we both did god-knows-what outside of the apartment we lived in. Which was fine by me.

So fast-forward to sometime in early 2017 when we were both 24.

It was damn cold, our heater was broken, and there I was, minding my own business (I was playing a video game in my bedroom) when this stupid son of a bitch walked in and said...

"Here's your birthday gift."

One: My birthday was in November.

Two: He bought that birthday gift for me the previous year for the previous year's birthday!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“You’re kidding, right?”

“What?”

And if you're wondering how that could've happened, I'll tell you how.

He hoarded packages and never opened them, so naturally when he ordered something for me online, he tossed it aside and never bothered opening it.

Sigh.

Yes, I needed to actually write that out.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Two years later, I had finally gotten enough money for my own place, so I moved into another room a few floors down from our old room, which was now Holden’s.

But I would occasionally go over to his room to hang out and film videos for our individual channels.

There was a time when I had to watch my two-year-old nephew (read: his cat) for a few days while he was visiting his family.

The problem?

I was bored out of my mind.

Because I had already used up all of my data.

And it wouldn’t be renewed until the next day due to a “system error.”

Also, the WiFi didn’t work.

Now, I love Coco.

He’s like a real-life version of the cat from “Kiki’s Delivery Service.’

But all he does is sleep, cuddle, and look absolutely adorable.

Great for relaxing, but not so great when you’re itching to do something.

So I decided to count all the unopened packages in Holden’s "delivery room."

He called it that, not me.

Ignoring his poor taste in naming rooms, I counted every single package in that room, and it all led to just one number.

265.

He ordered two hundred and sixty-five damn things, and he didn't open a single one of them, other than him randomly finding a package and going "oh! I forgot I ordered this for you ‘X’ number of years ago."

In case, you’re wondering, yes, Coco is still alive to this day.

I know.

It’s a shock to me that someone like him could keep a living creature alive for that long too.

But don't worry.

This ended up biting him in the ass later on.

Because remember when I said he and I were part of a group of rich online influencers?

Well...

Actually, it hasn't been that long, so this is still a sore spot for me to think about.

But I'll push through it.

.

.

.

.

Jesus, how many "birthing" references can I make in a single post?

Meh.

I'll just get on with it.

So this group was made up of ten people, myself and Holden included.

Seven guys and three girls.

And we were all super close with each other.

I'd even go so far as to say we were all friends.

In 2020, one person from our group got sick.

Her name was Emily.

We had dated a few years before then, but we eventually broke up because we each wanted different things.

She wanted kids.

I didn’t.

But we ended up being pretty good friends after our breakup.

Anyway, I probably don't have to tell you what she got.

The point is, she got it.

My last image of Emily was her laughing at a stupid joke that her boyfriend made as they both got into an Uber to go back to their hotel.

We had all been partying at a club that night.

#richpeoplethingsssss

And then six weeks later, I received a call from her boyfriend telling me that she had died.

Shot down like a fly.

Just like that.

After that, they all started falling down like dominoes.

One after another.

Trust me when I say that a virtual funeral is not any better than a real one.

And when you're forced to "attend" nine of them (a relative of mine also died) in the span of a year, it really does something to you.

"Forced" might not be the right word to use here since I attended them all voluntarily, but...

Now, you can believe in whatever conspiracy you want, but the point is that people we knew died.

And if you're wondering why Holden and I didn't get sick...

Honestly, this is a little embarrassing to write down, but...

Holden and I got a great opportunity to try out this new game before things got crazy, and...

We spent two weeks in our own rooms playing it.

Then we had to stay in quarantine.

Then we had to wear masks everywhere.

Combine that with the fear mongering news anchors, my hypochondria, and you've got two dudes ready to wear hazmat suits outside.

Or at least, I was.

I didn't though.

(I couldn't find a legit one online.)

It's easy for me to laugh at the ridiculousness of this now, but at the time, it was a Hellscape.

Finally, in 2022, I just snapped.

I don't know what it was.

Could it have been that it was May 14th and that was the day that Emily had died two years earlier?

Maybe.

All I remember is going into Holden's “delivery room” because a damn fly had flown in there and I was trying to kill it.

I swatted with the fly swatter and missed, which caused a package on top of a pile (yes, he had piles) to drop down to my feet.

I picked it up and shook it, and it sounded like a bag of chips.

I was already angry with the fly for getting in through the vent, so I was already pissed off by this point.

So, not caring that I was committing a literal crime, I opened the package in frustration.

It was a bag of cookies made exclusively in Japan.

A favorite of one of the friends who had passed away in 2020.

His name was Kareem.

After that, I just saw red.

I'd realized then that I'd had enough of Holden and his complacent bullshit.

I barged into his bedroom without knocking and threw the bag of cookies in his face.

I think he was live streaming.

Maybe a game or something.

After that, it was a blur of us yelling at each other and Holden getting upset at me for interrupting his stream and opening up one of his packages.

No, shit, dude. Someone had to.

After it was over, I rushed back to my own room, fuming.

The next day, I invited my boyfriend (#birepresent!) to stay at my place for a while.

Holden would eventually knock on my door a week later.

I was still angry, so I told my boyfriend to ignore him.

The next morning, my boyfriend told me he had to go out and do something, so I stayed in my  room alone.

But the fight between Holden and I kept nagging at me.

I knew I couldn’t let that be our last interaction with each other.

So I went over to his room.

I knocked, but there was no answer.

Feeling a sense of urgency, I put in the pin number for his door lock and in an unsurprising twist, it worked.

It was his birthday.

>_<

After I was in, I immediately went over to the "delivery room” and found Holden sitting cross-legged on the floor gliding a sharp kitchen knife across the taped end of a package that was actually a box.

I looked to my left and saw several packages opened up with their contents discarded in a pile next to them.

It was so surreal, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Was my friend Holden actually opening these packages????

I bit my tongue to avoid saying something snarky and settled on...

"Need some help?"

We spent the rest of the day opening the packages.

We even shed a few tears because it seemed like every package was an old gift that Holden had forgotten to give to one of our dearly departed friends.

Finally, at around 11:45 PM (I had my phone with me), we finished opening up every single package that he had neglected over the years.

It was like a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders.

And even though he didn't say it, I could tell that Holden was relieved too.

The next morning, while we were both enjoying a bowl of oatmeal at his dining table, I asked him why he had taken so long to open the packages.

"Don't tell me you really forgot."

"Well it's just that..."

He sighed.

Then he ate another spoonful of oatmeal.

"You're gonna give me shit for saying it."

"We've been friends for over ten years. I've already seen your shit. Literally."

A tiny laugh from him.

"Come on, man. Now's not the time to be a passive shithead."

"Alright. Fine."

He put his spoon back in his bowl.

"I was thinking about it last night, and I realized that the reason I never gave our friends their gifts was because... I never appreciated the time I had with them. I mean, getting opportunities to travel to other countries. Speaking at Cons all the time. I don't know..."

He looked down at his bowl.

"I guess I always assumed that since we were rich that there would always be enough time. Like we could buy more time if we needed to."

"That's stupid."

"I know. But it's what I thought."

I leaned back in my chair.

"So what do you want to do now?"

Holden leaned forward.

"Maybe I should send all the packages for our friends who have passed on to their families?"

"That could work."

Holden and I spent the next couple of days calling everyone, but no one wanted the gifts. They were all items that could be ordered in the exact same way online, so there was nothing really special about them.

Nothing personalized or unique.

Three days later, by sheer luck, I overheard these college students talking about a donation drive on their campus.

I immediately ran home (well, I ran to the subway) and told Holden all about it.

He agreed to it.

I really should've recorded the looks on the students' faces when they saw Holden dropping a big-ass box of miscellaneous shit into their donation box.

And that wasn't even half of it!

The school didn't want anyone else to miss out on an opportunity to donate something, so they cut him off at about twenty items.

But that was just the beginning.

A professor told us the phone numbers of places where Holden and I could donate his box of thingsTM, and we spent the rest of the day going to every single one of them until finally we were down to a box of thirteen items.

Unfortunately, we had already gone to all the donation centers in the city.

Not knowing what to do next, we decided to call Uber again and head back home.

The next morning (take a shot of water every time I say this), I was scrolling through social media when I saw a clip of someone announcing a giveaway that they were hosting.

And it hit me.

Like, literally hit me because Holden accidentally bumped into me while trying to get to the kitchen to make breakfast for himself.

"Sorry, dude."

"You should host a giveaway on your channel!" I blurted without thinking.

Holden turned around quickly.

"Huh?"

I got up from my seat at the dining room table.

"A giveaway! That's how we're gonna get rid of those thirteen items."

Holden crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Got any ideas?"

"Hmm..."

Two weeks later, I went with Holden to the post office and watched him hand a box that contained a really fancy black jacket worth eight hundred dollars that was going to a very lucky winner in Oregon, to an employee behind the desk.

And that was that.

Two hundred and sixty five packages, finally gone.

I glanced over at Holden and noticed that his eyes were getting shiny.

But I didn't say anything.

Instead, I put an arm around his shoulder reassuringly.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  =  =

Author's Note: I actually think this would make a very good short film. Maybe something for the holiday season or whatever. Also, 265 is supposed to be Seventeen’s debut date scrambled up (May 26th, 526 = 265).

[nakanodivision]

Once the edge of May has finally rolled around in the city of Nakano, somehow it seemed like the surprise guest lining up to celebrate with our birthday girl today wasn’t only just another idol from a certain division in Fukuoka…

Out of the blue during the time Ririko was still getting her hands full with all the stuff she has prepared to upload on her online multiplatforms, suddenly the phone that she was currently using appeared to have a little bit of noise and then there was a figure of someone mysteriously showing up on her phone’s screen!

—Wait, was that… herself?

“Hi there, 2-cute☆ Do you have a sweet time on your B-day?”

Winking and smiling mischievously at her was the pink-haired girl in kawaii 3D model with 80% exact same features that resembled herself, however, the voice that came out of her device was clearly not hers at all.

“Greetings, this is ‘ANGE’ the special ambassador from my human’s division! Well~ Looks like the gift from them is going to arrive at your house soon… But boo~ It’s not fair that only humans can do the giftgiving to one another, right? Tee-hee☆ That’s why this time ANGE decides to join in the fray too!”

And while listening the mysterious model on her phone speaking nonstop in such a highly enthusiastic manner, then the content creator has noticed something bizarre on her phone… which was now having an unknown file pop up out of thin air —It seemed like it was a file of the virtual 3D model ready for her to use in any streaming gig that she often sees the Vtubers do on their broadcasting!

“According to what ANGE has been binging on the activities you humans do on social media lately, ANGE has found out that you have yet to have your own model for some gigs humans called ‘streaming’… Thus ANGE is determined to make you one! Hope you enjoy my gift and have a great use of them then!

—And oh, looks like the gift from my human is now arriving at your doorstep! Would you like to give it some check? Well then, see ya again next time, human~~ ANGE kinda wonder if we could become friend though”

And as soon as the mysterious persona who commuted via the virtual model was bidding her a farewell, the doorbell outside of Ririko’s apartment was starting to ring just like she said! Looks like there was some delivery arriving at her home.

Briefly checking inside her mailbox, she found a box with an adorable set of dessert earrings. In addition, there was also a card containing inside:

“Happy Birthday & Having a nice day!

—Yuuya Kanata & Asahi Tomoharu, Nara Division”

The pink haired girl shrieked as soon as the model appeared on her screen.

“Wah! H-How’d you get into my phone!? ANGE, huh? Well, it’s nice to meet you, but don’t you think there’s better ways of introducing yourself than hacking into someone’s phone!?”

After noticing the file that suddenly appeared, it was like a lightbulb switched on in her head.

“Ohh, so is this supposed to be your division’s birthday present? How nice! I’ve seen some pretty popular Vtubers on the ‘net, but I never thought of doing it myself. Welp, there’s a first time for everything! Thanks, ANGE, but, whose division do you belong to anyway??”

Before she got an answer, the model disappeared, followed by a sudden ring of the doorbell. When she opened the door, there was a small package at her feet. After going inside and opening it, she pulled out the set of dessert earrings, along with the note.

“Aw, these are soo cute! And they’d definitely go well with some of the pieces in my closet! A gift from Miraitabi, hm? They gifted Alice something on her birthday as well, what did she say it was? Fortune cookies and an outfit? Well, still, this is a nice gift! Even if their “representative”scared the living daylights out of me..”

Thank you for the gift!

[artufex]

As a birthday gift to myself, I’ve completed the ref sheet!

Allow me to introduce you to Anthony “Tony” Benjamin Jackson. He works a white-collar job and plays music on the side. He likes trying new things and watching anime, though his work and side gigs don’t leave him much time to watch.

I’m looking forward to worldbuilding and figuring out his place in the new comic I’m brainstorming.

If you’re 18+ and would like, you can check the NSFW ref sheet (just shows him naked and with a boner) on my Twitter or Fur Affinity. 

[mitamicah]

2024 was in many ways one big fever dream which I've spend four days now trying to make enough sense of to make this video

Split into three categories:

Part 1: Transition related milestones (HRT, top surgery news)

Part 2: Personal highlights (tattoos, concerts, etc.)

Part 3: Original song decidated to people at the Kääryleet Summer Camp

Context for part 2 clips under the line

10.17: January 1, starting of the year dyeing my hair black at midnight

10.24: January 9, after a long winter hating my body more than usual I got this tattoo inspired by Käärijä's song Paidaton Riehuja to remind myself that how my body looks doesn't matter and I should instead love it for what it can give me instead of its appearance

10.28: March 1, After a month and a half I finally received the first bit of non-sticker merch I ever made, keychains of Joker Out and Bojere. I would end up selling them to fans and gifting them to Joker Out at the See You Soon tour.

10.32: March 2, At my first time in Helsinki Finland I went to see Käärijä's mural at Tikkurilla, Vantaa

10.36: March 2, Having booked myself into the Käbnb I of course had to try on the bolero

11.00: March 3, Waking up after sleeping one night at the Käbnb (one of the best sleeps of the year)

11.08: March 2, Being present at the premiere of Sta Bih Ja (my top song of Spotify Wrapped) at Kulttuuritalo day 1

11.24: March 2, Being present at the premiere of Bluza (my current fave JO song) at Kulttuuritalo day 1

11.42: March 2, Hojan cameo at Kulttuuritalo day 1

12.07: March 3, Being present at the premiere of Schlager at Kulttuuritalo day 2

13.34: March 15, Bojan fulfilling the first bit of the 'are you' saga by writing me the phrase during soundcheck of the Malmö gig

12.56: March 15, Post-Malmö gig rambles about meeting Bojan, Jan and Nace

13.48: November 15, Vogue Slovenia sharing picture of me in the crowd at Malmö (on the release day of Souvenir Pop none the less!!)

13.50: April 22, Clips from Blind Channel gig at Copenhagen, which happened to be on my 29th birthday. Got a vip posterbag, guitar pick from Rock Band from Hell and a band shirt of Cold Culture all for free. The picture of me is from when Blind Channel sang happy birthday for me from stage :'3

14.06: May 4 - Clips from Käärijä's Böle gigs, speficially of Erika joining the evening show and the Cha Cha Cha finale

14.40: May 4-5 - Paidaton Riehuja playing as the last song at the Böle afterparty. Here would be the place I took my shirt of for the first time in public, and when I realised I cried 4-5 times and got a tattoo to memorize it the day after.

15.02: May 18 - Pictures of my Käärijä cosplay (irl and drawn by fellow queer person) at the local pride, I went to perform CCC for a few thousand people.

15.06: June 1 - Clips of my new fave danish band Cold Culture performing at a free concert in Copenhagen. Me and the frontman fanboyed over each other and I passed for what I believed for the first time in a crowd full of strangers.

15.22: July 3 - Beginning of the Kääryleet Summer Camp (hereafter KSC) with Käärijä at Ravintola Backas, Vantaa - including pictures around the summer camp as well

15.38: July 5 - Fantastista at Allas Sea pool, at this gig I was able with the help of my friends to get Jere's handwriting for the 'are you' tattoo

15.50: July 7 - Premiere of Trafik! with Joost at Käärijä's gig at Ruisrock + having pictures of me and the KSC flag be featured on Ruissi's IG and in the People's Champion booklet

16.21: July 7- Joker Out at Ruisrock (pretty much just happy I survived this feeling faint due to low blood sugar)

16.56: September 20 - Celebrating Bojere's second tavastia reunion at my first ever tattoo convention getting this flashtattoo of 'the lovers' tarotcard to go with my Are You tattoo (more later)

17.03: October 8 - Big compilation of clips from Käärijä's big gift to me this year: the chance to join him on stage, perform Mic Mac, show the finished 'are you' tattoo both before and during the show and ending with Häärijä hugging me over the barricade and gifting me a signed poster

18.37: October 18 - seeing Käärijä (and Hä although not shown in this video) wear @clovermoonspell's bolero at Heaven 1, London

18.54: November 1 - Celebrating the premiere of People's Champion getting a tattoo inspired by the tarotcard I got from @tuherrus at the KSC (and the mere fact I've since then seen the number 8 everywhere -the card, strength, was number 8) + November 25 - getting my fursona tattooed by a local tattoo artist I adore

18.59: December 2 - Visiting Ljubjana for the first time (and first time abroad where I'm "just" a tourist") here looking over the city from the tower of Ljubjana Castle

19.06: December 3 - My reaction seeing Jure and Bojan wearing my scribbler out shirts I'd just given them at soundcheck, Tvornica Kulture Zagreb

19.42: December 3-4 - Having gotten my own shirt stamped after Zagreb, Bojan got to see the 'are you' tattoo and he, Nace and one more member 'are you'd me - met Kiki later and got to fanboy over Hamburg

19.51: December 16 - Having survived my first queuing in Poland here is a clip of Käärijä soaking me during ICIP at Hype Park, Kraków.

20.01: BOJERE TWINNING MOMENT! Each of them gets eye contact with me while filming and holding their hand to their heart when I freak out (Käärijä = December 17, Warsaw, Bojan = March 15, Malmö)

20.16: December 17-8 - Ending up the year with a hug from Jere after the gig at Progresja, Warsaw

[22-02-2024]

APRIL, 2023.

April came in a swift motion, it was blooming season. Flowers were everywhere. I could find myself cheering up at every sight of those blooming petals on the streets, and I’m glad I was given the chance to share it with you. I usually celebrate my birthday with friends, we would be staying up late until morning but last year, I just wanted it to be private. I wanted it to be just us. You took me to do my favorite thing ever: hotel staycation. Once again, you showered me with surprises and gifts. Hehe you bought me a purse :3 it’s my favorite now. You wrote me a letter too… a literal handwritten letter heheheheheh that’s so cheesy but I love it the most. I still have it archived, you know. I love you so much.

Days passed, and I don’t know why I hit another breakdown yet again… doubts, fears, you name it. But you never get tired, never run out of patience to let me know how much you love me. You told me that no relationship is perfect, ever, but you’ll try your best to make me happy. I promised I’ll try my best too.

A week after that, you took me with you to your first LP DJ-ing gig. I remember a really wide smile was painted on my face when I see you were doing your thing up there. You seemed so invested in it, and I admire the way you handled everything well. You did a good job, Wonni. Ever thought about a career switch? Hehehe.

[danger-noodle-uwu]

I'm new to tumblr so is this how you do request? May I request the brothers forgetting mc's birthday and later remembering it. How would they react? Maybe they were busy or something. Your choice if you wanna do the dateables too.

Trigger warning

Mentions of Angst/sad/slight comfort

Lucifer

Busy almost all the time, the first-born barely spent time with our dear Mc. He would try to finish the work only for more to be slammed on his desk.

Never would his brothers acknowledge his efforts or the sacrifices he made for them. Instead they'd mock him. Mock him for being absent at all family times. Mock him for doing what he does.

It was once again such a time, such a day. They didn't bother to care what the day has held for his beloved. It was their birth.

The birth of the one who truly changed his life along with his brothers. It was such a blessing yet he forgot about it. Entirely.

The Avatar of pride was strong, Lucifer wasn't. He was weak. Vulnerable. Especially against his brothers whom he adored with his entire being.

And the mocking words had stabbed him deeply, which made his current state as to how it was. Drunk. Wounded. Crying.

Rubbing his eyes, he awoke to a mess of his office which screamed the need for cleanliness.

During the process, he found the calender. A sweet calender gifted him by his doll.

A smile had crept on his face as he lifted it for what? Perhaps to calm the unsettling feeling in his bones that told him to run but where he didn't know?

While their lover was, Mc wilted much like a delicate flower would if the sun stopped shinning, they were laying curled on the floor of his room. Mc needed him.

How could he forget his own lover's birthday?! even after he promised... it hurts.. so much...

Yesterday. The poor human cut the cake wished themselves a happy birthday when he didn't...crying...in pain...

The realization hit hard. He ran to Mc's room as fast as he could. A shiver ran his spine and the horror in his stomach grew as each and every step was taken.

Yet could not find them, so he went over to his office expecting a fuming Mc.

He was once again not right, for his beloved was breaking down as he took them into his arms. Consoling.

He apologised and comforted them. Reassuring them over and over again. Reminding them his heart still is with them and no-could ever take it away.

He later threw a party, just like how you wanted. You. Him. And the growing fragrance of the candles surrounding you both.

Though late as it may have been, it was the best birthday the innocent human had. Smiling while he kissed your knuckles, he asked for your hand in marriage.

Never had you expected this...

"I Found the reason for my smile, the day I found you. Will you let me be the reason for your smile and marry me, my love?"

Mammon

As most had expected, he forgot your birthday due to witches or the modeling gig, he did not.

Instead he forgot about preparing your birthday gifts. His excitement had always gotten the best of him.

The Avatar of greed did not have enough budget to prepare the gift you dearly wished for, therefore multiple part-time jobs and skipping RAD became more often.

Despite the scolding, he didn't bother and worked on, just imagining the smile you'd make once you saw what he got you.

''I'll make Mc smile. Just one more hour extra and the budget would be*chef's kiss* '' he thought as his co-workers packed their belongings up.

It was late night and the moons shined brightly over the streets of devildom however he wasn't much worried because it was not like your birthday the next day. (it was)

Stretching his arms, he woke up around 1:35 pm due to his fucked up sleep schedule, only to be greeted by your excited figure cuddling him.

Grey-haired demon thought it was the Delirium before the day itself. He was wrong.

At first he acted totally oblivious to the fact any special day was just around the corner. He knew that surprises even more better!!

And then your great mammon ignored you for a while to rid of the risk of you following him to the destination.

Though his plan was to get your hopes down, he ended up making you cry. It hurts a lot especially when the love of your life forgets your birthday afterall you gave him everything he wanted on his.

The visit was successful. He even had extras left to treat you!!!

The was big achievement for someone who hated working to the slightest, to work for 3 weeks and multiple jobs!!!

But before he left, the seller mocked him about being a damned day late for this gift could have been sold at a better price if not booked.

That is when it all clicked and he panicked. Today was your birthday! Oh shit!!

He rushed home back to you. As he ran, he planned how to ask for your forgiveness.

" Oi Mc I'm sorry!--Oh hell no!!" "Mc I fucked I am sorry, please forgive afterall I'm your first man.--fuck this shit imma just play smooth."

Panting, he paused right before the door of your room and knocked lightly. Seeking your permission to enter.

You lazily opened the door for him, tired after shedding many tears for him.

Mammon instantly knew what to do. "Oi Mc I'm sorry for not wishing ya' a happy birthday earlier but I was busy buyin you somethin', here darlin' close your eyes."

Hearing his apology, you felt oddly happy and followed his request. Soon you felt a soft cold metal cling to your wrist. A bracelet, huh.?

"Open y'er eyes, human." On your wrist was bracelet that said 'His human' and another matching one was on his wrist which said 'Their stupid' . (Now isn't that adorable?)

"I was savin' up for this, so ya' better appreciate it. Hmph!" Giggling you yelled 'I love you' at him making him blush immediately.

However, when he spoke, he spoke genuinely and not in tsundere.

"Ya' make my life worth living. You bring smiles to my face, and y'er touch shows me how much you love me and care for me. Y'er my friend and my lover. Happy Birthday!"

Leviathan

With envy filled to the brim, Leviathan was very focused upon you and having your attention only for himself. To not let anyone snatch you away for they could better be than him, he'd make notes to treat you like royalty and improve his guilt-tripping habits.

Guilt, regret, shame. His heart screamed within the confines of his chest, as he rubbed your back assuring you that he still loved and will continue to do so.

It was his envy. It had always been his envy. Who always held him captive like a bird in a cage, he struggled to break free. He just couldn't.

The fault was his for if he hadn't given in to the jealousy named poison, you would be happily celebrating your birthday rather than crying in his embrace.

The fault was his for if he hadn't screamed at your friends who just came to congratulate you about getting in a relationship with the demon you very much loved and to wish you a birthday.

They left because of him. Not because he humiliated them but he forgot his own lover's birthday and called them a pathetic cheater, as they didn't feel like reminding of what the day was. They had left off with their friends, returning at HOL at night only to get yelled at.

Caring friends as they were, they tried convincing Mc to leave which his love refused. So, they left pitying the poor human.

No-matter how much Mc begged her companions to stay, they didn't.

Oh the suffering for His Normie, they ran upto him vulnerable-ly and started hitting him weakly, breaking down. Why was he? Why was he like this?! Why must he always leave you crying due to his envy?!

"Hey easy...calm down please, I'm sorry. I really am sorry, please forgive me and I promise I will make everything right. Please." "How..?" "Please trust me. My love." "Are you sure..?" "Yes...yes...I love you..."

Could you really trust his statement? You wondered. He could forget his word much like how he forgot your birthday.

The great admiral of hell's navy was true to his word, and successfully united you again with those who almost abandoned you or it seemed like--but no they were just disappointed. They were never going to do such a thing.

The meet went smoothly, and soon the the sun was setting casting shadows along with dying light, it was a dreamy sight for anyone.

Leviathan had known that he still had to make upto you properly and therefore, he took you to the cosmos of frodane.

Red, blue, yellow, any colour you could possibly think of was there, shining as brightly you were.

Taking in a shaky breath, the Avatar of envy gave you a bouquet, each flower consisting different scent which complimented the other.

The shimmer in your eyes gave you away and he gave you a sweetly addicting kiss while mumuring...

"I always cause some mess. It is never your fault. I’m sorry for making you feel unhappy. I cannot believe that I cause hurt to you. You are my only hope for my life. I promise you that I will do my best to make a better version of myself for you, my 3rd waifu~"

-------------------------------------------------------

And here we go... the pain and the suffering. Lol

Hope you like it and stay safe everyone. ♡♡♡

Have a good day!

[twopoppies]

I'm a littler younger than you, but just a little, and I was shocked with the ageism anon

My daughter's first gig was Harry's when she was 10, last thing we did before lockdown were her second gig, Louis' in Madrid, at 12.

Someone ask me if I'm a supporting mom, noooo, I'm a supporting sister, she infected me with the mold

During the lockdown, we videocalled my sister and shared our personal gig, the day Harry would sing in our city, and we did it again when Niall streamed from Albert Hall, my sister and I made a promise that we will see him on tour in London (without children, and we are so excited with Niall`s news).

My sister in law freaked out when I found the perfect gift for her daughter, she joined us in Harry's last gig, her first gig.

The boys were my soundtrack all over the lockdown, and during this summer I became a larrie and a tumblr addict, (and I was total jealous because that niece, her mother and my sister were in AFHF in Malaga)

Now I protect myself with a Niall's umbrella, keep warm with a 1d blanket, and drink from the afhf bottle and glass (all birthday and xmas presents). And Louis had the detail to start the pre-order sale around my birthday

When I was younger, I shouldn't share that kind of things with anybody, because the most people thought I was a freak, now I'm proud to be a freak (whatever that really mean).

As I just read somewhere "i don't know how to act my age i've never been this old before", and I hope none of us never know it.

Btw, I love your blog, and when I could, I'll start with your list of fics hahaha (as you imagine, english is not my language but I did my best)

Hi darling. Oh I love all of this!! What a great way to connect with your family. Thank you for following me and for sharing this story. 💕

[ramonabulaklak]

Things I miss after my five-year relationship ended:

1. I get random thoughts and questions about random things all the time and not all of them even make sense, sometimes some of them are offensive, weird, or just freaking deep; it’s just better to keep them to myself. When I was with V, I was able to get these brain worms out and she would not make fun of me and genuinely think about what to say about them or answer me in the best way possible and continue the discussion running. It was fun to be able to share one brain cell with someone.

2. We would go out at least every weekend and even if we don’t plan anything ahead, we just go somewhere and it’ll be fun anyway. We would take walks at our favorite spots in the city and talk for hours; it wouldn’t even feel like hours. There are places in the city I can never not associate with her. 

3. I loved it when, even though she was shorter than me, she would grab my head and kiss me lightly on my head or forehead.

4. She gave me little notes after work to cheer me up and it always did.

5. She didn’t get annoyed at me for always correcting her grammar.

6. I used to sing to her to sleep. I don’t have the best singing voice but she never called me out. She liked it, I just regret I wasn’t able to do it more the past year. We had a bunch of special songs and I used to sing those to her; now when I hear them I just see her face.

7. We liked going to gigs. This year, I told myself I’m gonna go to gigs more to feel like myself again, but sometimes it’s hard to look for people willing to go with me. I miss my gig buddy.

8. I drink a lot and I like getting drunk. When I was with her, she took care of me. She always made sure I didn’t have the need to apologize for having fun. I’m re-learning to take care of myself now when I’m out drinking.

9. I loved it when she massages my hands. I’m not so touchy with people and I remember liking it more than I should. 

10. She supported me with whatever I did. She gifted me art materials when I still wanted to do art. She gave me a portrait made by my favorite watercolor artist for my birthday, I cried like crazy. She gifted me my first mechanical keyboard when I said I wanted them. She was eager to get me a controller too. She listened to me blab about the things that interested me even though she didn’t even know half of what I was saying. 

I have many more but I guess I’m writing this now because I miss her. February is a hard month for me because I’ve always hated my birthday, but when she came into the picture, she insisted on doing things for my birthdays that I now look forward to it. 

It will be my first birthday in a long while without her and I genuinely don’t know what to do. I took a leave off work but I never got to decide where to go or what to get for myself. She always gets me sunflowers because it’s my favorite flower, she adds one every year. 

I guess this year I won’t be receiving any sunflowers.

[bird-of-victory]

Birthday Kisses and Wishes

Youngbin x OC x Zuho

What happens when a wolf shifter, a panther shifter, and a witch are destined to be mates. 

Author Note: This is just a piece I wrote to see what the reaction would be and if anyone would be interested in something like this or in a world like this. Any comments, encouragement to continue or expand, or reactions would be much appreciated. Also, fair warning, this is a long one (like 15 pages long). I just couldn’t seem to stop myself. Sorry, not sorry.

Nari POV

I was standing in the workroom of the shop, the pass-through curtain open to see the counter and shop front in case anyone came in. Luckily, no one really came in during the afternoon on a Wednesday, so I knew that I had some time to work on my little project. Adding a little bit of rosemary in, I couldn’t help smiling as the aroma filled the little room. It was a perfect mix of home-like comfort and cleansing. 

“Ooo, I like this! Is this a new scent for the shop?” questioned Sunhi, leaning in the pass-through window.

“No, it’s a birthday present” I answered, keeping the smile on my face small as I watched the concoction boil a little longer.

“A birthday present? Who’s birthday is coming up?”

Sunhi moved to sit on the counter, facing the workroom. She looked at me with her most sly expression, like she was already planning something. 

“Zuho’s birthday, if you must know. It’s on the fourth and I want to make sure it’s perfect before the party” I said, turning off the burner and ladling some of the potion out into the waiting vials. 

“The fourth? The doctor’s birthday is on the fourth?” echoed Sunhi, her head popping up in surprise.

“Yes, the fourth.” 

“So, is the party on the fourth as well?” asked Sunhi, a smirk forming on her face as she jumped off the counter and moved to the pass-through window.

“Yes, it is. And don’t you try anything. Last thing I need is you trying to play matchmaker when it’s Zuho’s day” I warned, capping the vials and moving to heat up the wax for sealing them.

“But it’s not just his day” whined Sunhi, falling against the window seal and pouting.

“Don’t try anything” I warned again, watching the purple wax melt.

I could only shake my head as I went about sealing the vials and stamping them with the shop logo on top. Humming a random melody, I smiled as Sunhi joined in while moving around the shop. When everything was completed and I had packaged up the vials in a gift box, I went back to the counter to start getting prepared for closing. 

“Don’t forget you promised to watch the shop so I could help prepare for the party?” I reminded Sunhi, continuing to do a drawer count.

“Is that why you asked me to watch the shop again this year? I thought it was because you finally had a hot date with that wolf and panther you are always with” said Sunhi, leaning on the counter.

I could only chuckle because I didn’t know how to tell her how much I wish it was because of that. I’d had a crush on both Zuho and Youngbin oppa since I first introduced myself as their neighbor and that crush has grown into full-on love for both of them as I have gotten to know them more. But there is no way two Alpha shifters would want anything more than friendship with a witch. 

“You know witches are only good as friends to shifters. Even if they weren’t Alphas, they would still be out of my league.”

“I swear, that old stereotype of witches not being good enough to be mates with shifters. I wish I could go back in time and strangle the person who thought that up” growled Sunhi, grabbing a pillow and holding it up like she was strangling someone.

“Just promise you will be back from your modeling gig in time to watch the shop, please?” I ask again, shifting the subject back.

“Of course, you can always count on your best friend,” replied Sunhi, giving me her award-winning smile. “Besides, you helping to set up Dr. Panther’s birthday party is even better than a date. He’ll see how much effort you put into the party and sweep you off your feet in thanks. Who knows? Maybe he will do more than just sweep you off your feet. You’ll deserve a present just as much as he does.”

I could only laugh and push her away as she leaned on my shoulder and winked at her last statement. 

Youngbin POV

“So, everything is ready for the party?” questioned Inseong, looking over the list of things that he and Nari had put together. 

“The ice cream cake has been ordered from his favorite shop. All the decorations are waiting in my apartment. Jaeyoonie and I are going grocery shopping later and will start cooking that morning” replied Nari, counting her fingers as she paced the walkway in between our couch and breakfast bar. “Are Rowoon and Dawon going to be able to keep him away from here so we can decorate? Maybe we should send Chani and Hwiyoung just to be safe.”

It was cute watching her plan this party for Zuho. Inseong and Jaeyoon were normally in charge of birthdays and parties, but Nari insisted on being involved in the planning of Zuho’s party. I could feel the gratitude coming off Inseong and Jaeyoon as they all spoke. Nari really had everything under control and those two were normally scrambling at the last second to throw something together. Not to say they didn’t throw a good party, but this year is shaping up to be one of the best parties yet with half the normal stress.

“Rowoon and Dawon will keep him busy enough. We don’t need the two maknaes added into the mix” I inserted, moving to lean against the back of the couch. “Besides, don’t you want them here to decorate while you cook?”

Nari stopped in front of me and zoned out while she thought through every option. Her vanilla and lavender scent wafted my way and I couldn’t help closing my eyes as I took a deep breath of that scent. Ever since she moved next door, that scent has haunted my mind. It became addictive to the point I kept a bottle of it hidden for when the craving got too much. But even then, nothing compares to the original. As if one cue, a pleased rumble came from deep in my chest, a sign my wolf agreed. 

Inseong and Jaeyoon gave me a matching smirk as they caught me. Those two could tell what this little witch does to me. They could from the first time they met her while visiting Juho and I. It’s been a topic of teasing for them ever since.

“It will be better to keep them here, Nari. Those two are likely to whine so much they all come back early just to shut them up” said Jaeyoon, getting up to put his arm around her shoulders. Smirking at me over her head, he pulled her towards the front door and away from me. “Let’s go get that grocery shopping done so we can finalize the menu.”

“That’s probably for the best. Youngbin oppa, is there anything you want from the store or any requests for the food?” questioned Nari, looking back at me as they gathered their stuff.

“Just be safe” I answered, smiling at Nari sweetly before giving Jaeyoon a pointed look.

“Okay, we’ll be back soon” sing-songed Nari as she and Jaeyoon left arm in arm. 

Jaeyoon bowed his head and let out a quiet rumble, letting me know that he got the hidden command from me. He and Nari had become very close since she got to know all of my pack. If I could trust anyone, outside of Zuho, with her, it would be Jaeyoon. 

“When are you two going to finally claim that girl?” asked Inseong, moving from the breakfast bar to the couch. “Not that this live action drama isn’t fun to watch, but all that tension gets old after a while.”

I moved to sit on the couch beside him, leaning my head back to stare at the ceiling. How much longer could I put off this feeling? Zuho wanted to claim her from the first time he saw her. He held no qualms about having a witch for a mate. No qualms about sharing a mate either.

“A mate bond is between me and my mate. Why does the rest of the world need to have an option on who or what my mate is? As long as they love me and I love them, nothing else matters.”

However, there is still a part of me that holds onto that social conditioning. Wolves aren’t supposed to mate with witches. Wolves aren’t supposed to share mates, especially not with another shifter species. But I can’t deny the fact that seeing her and Zuho cuddled on the couch brings me just as much peace as holding her in my arms does. I can’t deny the fact that my mind has been filled with nothing but her since the day she knocked on our door. Witch or not, she is everything I have looked for in a mate and more. 

“When he can pull his head out of his ass” answered a deep voice from the door.

I turned my head to see Zuho slipping off his shoes and placing them in the shoe cabinet. He stopped for a second and took a deep breath before smiling. It was the same soft, love-filled look he gets whenever he is around Nari. Who am I kidding? I get the same one. 

“Nari was here?” asked Zuho, following her scent till he was standing behind the couch where she was standing previously.

“She and Jaeyoon went grocery shopping just now” I answered, moving to turn on the tv.

“If she needed to go shopping, why didn’t she tell me? I asked her yesterday if she needed to go and she said no” questioned Zuho, a worried tone slightly entering his voice.

The worry of our mate not having everything she needs entered my head and I could smell it coming from Zuho as well. Is she focusing so much on Zuho’s party that she is ignoring her own needs? Is she spending all her money for her own food on the food for the party? I should have given her my card when they left. 

“Jaeyoonie is the one who needed to go shopping. He just wanted Nari to go along with him. You know that recent project has been keeping him busy so he missed her” answered Inseong, smirking at both of us. “No need to worry about your little witch. I’m sure if she needed anything, you would be the first ones to know.” 

“I’m checking her apartment” announced Zuho, moving towards the door.

Inseong sat up quickly, eyes wide and mouthed “the decorations” to me. Shit, the decorations for the party are in Nari’s apartment. I jumped up and ran to the door, grabbing the key we had to Nari’s apartment before Zuho could. 

“I’ll go check and make sure everything is okay. You’ve had a long day at the office. Go change and shower” I said, running out the door and leaving Inseong to deal with Zuho.

I leaned against the front door and prayed that Inseong would be able to at least stall Zuho long enough for me to make sure the decorations were hidden. Moving next door, I slipped the key in the door and entered. Giving myself a moment to just inhale her scent that covered everything, I could feel my wolf howling at being surrounded by it. Getting back to the task at hand, I grabbed the bags of decorations she had around the living room and ran them back to her bedroom. 

“I swear, I was never this bad with Jaeyoon” exclaimed Inseong, being dragged by Zuho as he entered the apartment. 

“Of course not, you two lived with each other from the first moment you met” countered Zuho, going straight to the kitchen. “It’s hard to hide the fact you don’t have something when you live together. The only thing you had to worry about was making all of us vomit with your making out in public spaces.”

“Making out on the couch isn’t in a public space,” said Inseong, crossing his arms.

“It is when you share that space with seven other shifters” I said, coming out of the bathroom after checking that she had everything in there. “She’s almost out of shampoo and conditioner. Do you think she makes it herself, gets it from Sunhi, or can we buy it somewhere?”

“I’m sure we can get it out of Sunhi,” commented Zuho, looking in her pantry. “She has all of her normal snacks and food. All of her favorite drinks are in the fridge too.”

“See you two worried for nothing. She has everything she needs, right?” asked Inseong, looking between the two of us before taking out his vibrating phone. “Jaeyoonie, what’s up?”

I went into the kitchen with Zuho, who kept opening cabinets and double checking things. He had really been getting on Nari about her diet since he found out about her habit of getting caught up in things and forgetting to eat. It had become a habit of his to make sure that she had all the things she liked to eat stocked in her cabinets whenever we came over. We even had more stocked in our apartment just in case she ran out or wanted it while over at our place.

“They are on the way back. If you don’t want to look like real weirdos for going through her things without her knowing, I suggest we go back to your place.”

Inseong pointed out the front door with his phone and walked out. Looking back at Zuho, I saw that his attention had been caught by a calendar on the fridge. The fourth had been circled in red and had a drawing of two birthday cakes on it with Zuho’s name on it. He flipped through the calendar and we saw each birthday of our pack and Sunhi’s circled with the same drawings. 

“Her birthday isn't here,” commented Zuho, looking back at me. “Did she tell you when her birthday is? I don’t remember her ever mentioning her birthday, just being born in ninety-four.”

“No, she didn’t. Let’s just get through your birthday and then we can find out” I said, clapping my hand on his shoulder and guiding him out of Nari’s place.

I could feel my wolf pulling me to go back to our mate’s place as we moved next door and could sense the same from Zuho as we entered the apartment. As much as I considered this home, it didn’t smell right without her scent mixing with Zuho’s and mine. Soon, my wolf whispered. Sometimes I wish I could just let him take over and then I get reminded of all the horror stories I was told of shifters that mate with witches. 

No, Nari wouldn’t be like them. She has proven over and over again to not be like any other witch we have encountered before. But how would the world accept us? A panther shifter and a wolf shifter sharing a witch as a mate. 

“Get your head out of your ass,” said Zuho, flicking my forehead. “I can hear your thoughts from here. One day, I’m going to lose my patience and claim her without you.”

“What?” I snarled, turning to face him.

“I’m not going to continue holding myself back from my mate just because you are caught up with being the perfect Alpha wolf” growled Zuho, eyes flashing green.

“What about you? What’s holding you back right now?” I challenged, letting my eyes flash to amber. 

“Because I would rather our mate feel whole when she is claimed than feel like something is missing” said Zuho, getting into my face as his eyes changed to full green.

“And she won’t feel that if you claim her without me?” I countered, refusing to stand down even when thoughts of those two without me started playing in the back of my head.

The heartache those thoughts caused is worse than I expected. It was like someone ripped my very heart out and stepped on it. Zuho cuddled around her in bed, their scents mixing together without mine. Her moaning out his name with no thought of me in the picture. A home filled with laughter and love that I had no place in. My wolf growled as loud as possible in my head at those thoughts. So loud, I didn’t realize it had come out of my own mouth as well.

“I will spend my life making sure she knows she is enough for at least one of us. The rest of the world be damned.”

My wolf echoed that sentiment but couldn’t just stand by as someone threatened to take our mate away. I could feel my body preparing for a fight as the door opened behind us and her scent took over everything. The tension between Zuho and I dissipated in an instant, both of our eyes shifting back to normal. 

“Youngbin oppa? Zuho? What’s going on?” questioned Nari, taking in the scene of us in front of the entryway. 

“Don’t mind them, Nari. Just two alphas who can’t make up their minds” said Jaeyoon, smirking at us while moving Nari past us.

“What can’t you two make up your minds about? Maybe I can help” offered Nari, breaking away to come stand beside the two of us.

She took one of our hands in hers and looked up at us with such an innocent, hopeful expression, it made me feel bad for almost fighting with Zuho. All she ever wants to do is help with nothing in return. I took my hand out of her’s, moving it to stroke over her hair and cup her cheek. Zuho was stroking her ring finger with his thumb, a barely audible purr coming from him that we both knew calmed Nari.

“Just what we should do for our weekly outing. Zuho wants to have a movie night and I want to go have a cookout at a campsite” I said, making up something quickly.

“Oh… I was actually hoping I could pick this week” confessed Nari, looking down at the floor with a light blush.

“What do you have in mind, Kitten?” asked Zuho, raising her hand to his lips and smiling as her blush deepened.

The spike in her scent had me inhaling a deep breath, savoring it like the delicacy it is. Pushing down the wolf wanting to come out, I focused on Nari again. Running my thumb over her cheek, I could feel the heat from her blush and let my hand slip down to her neck, letting my thumb rest on her pulse and my finger brush over that spot where I would claim her. How would she look with my mark on her neck? How would she look with a mark on each side? No one would even dare to touch her with the mark of a wolf and panther on her.

“I was wondering if we could take a day trip to the beach this weekend. There is supposed to be a meteor shower and I would love to see it while listening to the ocean” said Nari, looking up at us with hopeful eyes before they dropped. “But I understand if that is a lot to ask on short notice.”

“It sounds perfect” I said, cutting her off and taking her hand again, stroking her fingers. “We’ll make it happen. You just have to be ready to go Saturday morning.” 

“Saturday at eight am sharp, Kitten. Do you think you can do that or do you need us to stay with you to wake you up?” questioned Zuho, a teasing note to his voice and expression.

“Now that you mention it, maybe we should stay with her” I teased, shaking my head. “She never wakes up on time on the weekend.”

“Oppa! Zuho!” whined Nari, pouting up at us. “I promise I will be awake and ready on Saturday. Eight o’clock sharp.”

“You better keep your promise, Kitten. The longer it takes for us to get on the road, the less time you will have at the beach” said Zuho, smiling at her with the same fond expression I’m sure is on my face.

“I promise! I’m just happy I can finally wear that bathing suit Jaeyoon and Sunhi helped me pick out last month” said Nari, smiling up at us before going into the kitchen. “Can I have some of the apple juice?”

“It’s your’s, Nari. Drink from the bottle if you want” I answer, shaking my head at her. 

“Why does she still ask if she can have something from the kitchen?” asked Inseong, coming up to wrap his arm around Jaeyoon.

“Because she still doesn’t believe that what is our’s is her’s” answered Zuho, looking over at me and nodding, a silent offering of truce. 

“She will soon” I continued, looking back at him and nodding back, confirming the truce.

“I hope you two are prepared for your little beach trip though” said Jaeyoon, smiling as he swiped on his phone.

“Why do you say that?” 

“Because, oh fearless Alphas, this is what your little witch is going to be wearing” replied Jaeyoon, holding up his phone to show a picture of Nari wearing what can only be called a wet dream of a swimsuit.

Zuho and I grab for the phone, zooming in on the picture. I can already hear the panting from my wolf as we take in her body on display in a black bikini, framed by the black see-through cover-up, making her look like a goddess as it flowed out behind her. A soft growl is coming from Zuho as we both continue looking at the picture. 

“Jaeyoonie, our show is on!” exclaimed Nari from the living room.

“Coming” replied Jaeyoon, taking his phone back and walking further into the apartment with a satisfied smirk on his lips. 

“You still have that friend with the beach house and private beach?” I question Zuho, trying to get that image from the front of my brain. 

“Already a step ahead of you, hyung” said Zuho, holding up his phone to show the text conversation showing we had the private beach and house to ourselves.

We both stalked further into our apartment, settling on either side of Nari as she chatted with Inseong, Jaeyoon, and the newly arrived Dawon and Hwiyoung. 

Zuho POV

As soon as I woke up this morning, Rowoon and Dawon hyung had kidnapped me. I hadn’t even had time to make sure that Nari had made it to work fine since Dawon hyung was holding my phone captive. They were running us around on different errands, claiming that each had to go to this random place so far away from each other and then circling back to a different place. Both of them swore up and down that they just wanted to spend the day together but Inseong hyung and Jaeyoon hyung had put them in charge of keeping me occupied too many times. 

“What time is the party?” I finally asked Rowoon, since he had spent the last 15 minutes debating which mango would be the best for a smoothie. 

“What party?” said Rowoon, trying to give me his best innocent expression.

I’ll give it to him, he deserved all those acting awards he has gotten, but I’ve known him too long. Just a raise of an eyebrow from me and it cracks. Who would have thought that dragon shifters were so easy to crack?

“They told us to keep you away until at least four. We’ll get a text if they need more time” answered Rowoon, hanging his head in defeat. 

“Four, huh?” I looked up at the clock on the market wall. “It’s just past two-thirty. Plenty of time to get to Nari’s shop and walk her home.”

I started walking off before either Rowoon or the newly reappeared Dawon hyung could stop me. Considering how both of them were trying to convince me to not go to her shop, my curiosity peaked to say the least. Were they planning to throw the party in the shop? That would be something new. It made me move faster towards the shop, just to see what they were trying to hide. 

As I turned the corner to Nari’s shop, I could already feel that it was off. I’m normally able to catch her scent from here. Instead, I catch the scent of sweet fruits and flowers. Maybe Nari had to run some errands. The faint remnants of Nari’s scent are there as I get closer to the shop but I can tell that she hasn’t been here today. Looking over at Rowoon, I can see his pupils blown wide as he takes deep breaths. 

“What is that smell?” asked Rowoon, closing his eyes like I’ve seen Youngbin hyung do.

“That, my friend, is your mate” teases Dawon hyung, poking Rowoon in the side.

“What?” exclaimed Rowoon, breaking from the trance to look at the two of us. “No. Not possible. Dragon shifters don’t normally get mates.”

“Ah, there is the keyword. Normally. Doesn’t mean you can’t have one” I said, joining in on the teasing as we continued getting closer to the shop.

Had Rowoon and Sunhi noona never encountered each other in the time that we’ve known Nari? Thinking back, Rowoon and Sunhi noona were always running around with different schedules with Rowoon’s packed acting schedule and Sunhi noona’s modeling gigs. Rowoon hasn’t really even spent much time with Nari until recently, and Nari mentioned that Sunhi noona just returned from a gig last night. 

Just as we got to the shop, Sunhi noona opened the door and stopped in her tracks when her eyes locked with Rowoon’s. Both of them froze until Dawon hyung cleared his throat. From the blush on her cheeks, I could tell that she was taken by surprise just like Rowoon was. For Nari’s normally out-going and outspoken best friend to be reduced to a quiet blush was definitely telling. She leaned down to pick up the small plant that had been sunbathing in front of the shop.

“Sunhi noona, how are you doing today?” I asked, smiling at the witch.

“Uh, fine, just fine. What are you all doing here? Nari isn’t here” said Sunhi noona, moving back into the shop to place it on the front counter.

“She didn’t tell me she wasn’t going to be here. Do you know where she is?” I questioned, smirking as she continued to glance at Rowoon who couldn’t seem to stop glancing at her too.

Dawon hyung pulled Rowoon to the front of the shop, whispering together, leaving me at the front counter with Sunhi noona. A part of me is enjoying seeing another one of our pack find his mate, but another part is already dreading another member denying their mate bond because of some stupid belief. Just because dragon shifter mates are rare doesn’t mean they don’t happen. Same as having a witch as a mate and living a long, happy life together. 

“Oh, Nari never works on this day” replied Sunhi noona, focusing on the flowers while glancing over towards my pack members.

“She never works on July fourth?” I questioned, confused at her statement.

Why would Nari never work on my birthday? 

“Yeah, she never works on her birthday. It brings back too many bad memories so her powers are never stable enough for work” commented Sunhi noona, continuing to mess with one of the buds on the plant.

“Wait, it’s her birthday today?” I asked, feeling like I just got hit in the face.

Sunhi noona’s face shot up to look at me, wide eyed and open mouthed. I could read the “I just fucked up” on her face easy enough. Today is Nari’s birthday and instead of us celebrating together, she is off somewhere. 

“You can’t tell her that I told you it’s her birthday” pleaded Sunhi noona, grabbing my hand that was clinched on the counter. “I’m the only one who knows and she doesn’t even want me to celebrate it.”

“The only one? What about her family?” I growl out, trying to keep myself present and not let my cat take over. 

All it wants to do is hunt down Nari. Hold her down and keep her safe, make her twice as happy as she makes us. A deep growl from the front of the shop brings me back from inside my head as I realize that I was losing control. Last thing I need to do is lose control in Nari’s shop and have to fight off an out-of-control dragon for messing with his mate.

“Witches don’t really have family in the traditional sense. We are born and sent off to school before we can even speak. Sometimes before we can even crawl in more extreme cases. Normally we just get a birthday card and a gift from our parents every year. I was lucky in that my mother wanted to be in my life, so I got a lot more than what others got. But Nari…her parents signed over parental rights to the school when they sent her off. She didn’t even know when her birthday was until we were sixteen when her magic matured.”

“Where is she now?” I ask, desperate to get to my mate. 

The only thoughts going through my head are imagining a young Nari sitting at school, watching everyone else get cards and presents. Watching her best friend get visits and parties while not even knowing when to expect her own. It makes me want to track down her parents and rip out their cold-beating hearts. Youngbin hyung will help me when I tell him what happened. Nari would never have to know… but she would find out and she wouldn’t be happy with us. She would mourn those people like she knew them. Mourn them like they didn’t throw her away at the first chance they got.

“She’s at your place, helping set up for the party. I think focusing on your birthday is helping her get through this day easier” said Sunhi noona, smiling a soft, secret smile. “Her powers normally start acting up a few days before today but they have been as stable as ever. I didn’t have to help her catch up on orders at all, which is unusual for this week each year.”

I know she said that to make me feel better but all it does is make me feel worse. How am I supposed to feel okay with celebrating my birthday and ignoring my mate’s? My parents always celebrated each other’s birthdays like it was the biggest day of the year. My dad would worship the ground my mom walked on during her birthday. Hell, I remember one year, when she was pregnant with my little brother, she didn’t touch the ground at all.

“I have to talk to Youngbin hyung” I said, walking from the counter and to Dawon hyung and Rowoon. “I need my phone.” 

“Now, come on Zuho, you know I said you couldn’t have your phone yet” teased Dawon hyung, smiling his normally comedic smile.

“It’s about Nari. I need to talk to Youngbin hyung” I said, feeling my eyes flash as I watched him.

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” fake laughed Dawon hyung, grabbing my phone from his pocket and giving it to me. “Has anyone ever told you how scary you can be when Nari noona’s involved?”

I ignored his comment and walked out of the shop, dialing Youngbin hyung and pacing in front of the shop’s window. It rang a few times until his voice came through the speaker.

“This better be Dawon and not Zuho” said Youngbin hyung.

“You knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it away from me” I replied. “But hyung, where’s Nari?”

“Why? Where are you?”

“I’m at her shop.”

I could hear noise in the background as Youngbin hyung moved around until I could faintly hear Nari in the background giving out orders on hanging something. Leaning against the stone of the old brick building, I let my mind wander, imagining what Youngbin hyung was seeing. It was almost like I could see it through his eyes. Nari standing in our living room, hands on her hips as she instructed Hwiyoung and Taeyang on how to hang a Happy Birthday banner.

“She’s here. I’ve got her. Why? What’s wrong?”

The background noise faded again until I heard a click, letting me know he had retreated into a room away from everyone. 

“I found out when her birthday is.”

“That’s great. When is it?” questioned Youngbin hyung. 

I could already hear the plans being drafted in his head. He was raised the same way I was. Mates are to be worshiped on their birthdays. It is to be celebrated because they are alive.

“Today” I answer, dropping down the wall to sit on the sidewalk.

“What?” 

I could tell that wasn’t what he was expecting. I’m sure it threw him off just as much as it did me.

“Her birthday is the same day as mine. And instead of celebrating together, she hid it from us and is letting everyone focus on me.”

“But why?”

“Because her asshole parents gave her up to a boarding school before she could even crawl. Because no one told her that she even had a birthday until she was sixteen. Because it makes her miserable to think about it. Because it messes with her so much that her magic becomes unstable. Because she has to hide from the world to keep herself and others safe every year.”

I didn’t even realize I was crying until I ran my hand down my face. Just thinking about how kind and bright Nari is makes my heart ache for her. What else has she gone through without us? What other secrets lurk in the darkness of her past? How much has she gone through and still come out the other side a better person than most people in this world?

“Zuho, listen to me. Breathe. In…. And out…” instructed Youngbin hyung, helping to calm me down like he had seen Nari do. “Last thing we need is you showing up to this party she planned with either tears on your face or blood on your hands.”

“She put so much into this for me when we should be sharing it. How am I supposed to enjoy it when I know that it is her birthday too?” I asked, holding my head.

“With a smile on your face and gratitude in your heart. Our mate put her entire heart into making this special for you and this weekend, we can focus on her. You can repay her then. Focus on enjoying this party today and this weekend, we will give her a celebration we both know she deserves. One she will get every year from now on.”

I sat there and watched the world go on around me while listening to Youngbin hyung’s breathing while his words processed in my head. She has never wanted the spotlight, no matter how much she deserves it. Nari wouldn’t want a large party with all the fuss involved. She would feel like a burden to everyone if that happened. This weekend, at the beach and during the meteor shower, we will make her feel as loved as she makes us. 

The noise in the background picked up again. Laughter rang in the air and the sweet sound of her laugh stood out against the rest of them. It warmed my heart to know that the family I had with my pack accepted and loved my mate. I could survive with just Nari but knowing that we had a family and that Youngbin hyung would make sure we were all taken care of made me feel less guilty of focusing on Nari. What is that quote that Nari kept trying to explain about her romance stories?

Falling in love with the hero comes with the risk of them choosing the world over you, but falling in love with the villain means they would choose you over the world.

Little did our little witch know that she is going to end up with both. 

“What time does her favorite bakery close?” I ask, coming up with a plan as I walk away from the shop like a man on a mission. 

Nari POV

“What do you mean that you lost him?” I shout as Dawon and Rowoon stand with their heads down. “You two had one job, to keep him with you until we tell you to bring him home.”

I look over at Youngbin oppa who just pets my head before turning to the two knuckleheads who lost our birthday boy. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I get caught by the lockscreen for a second. It is a picture I took one night when Zuho had wrapped his arms around Youngbin from behind, closing his eyes, completely content, while Youngbin smiled at something in front of them. As much as my head tells me it will never happen, my heart can’t seem to get the message. It still wants them both and no one else.

Just as I am about to open the phone app, a call comes in from none other than our missing panther.

“Where the hell are you?” I exclaimed, turning away from everyone.

“Well, hello to you too. No ‘Happy Birthday my love’. Not even a quick ‘Happy B-day Zuho’ before you start yelling at me” teased Zuho, making me blush hard even over the phone.

“I already told you happy birthday last night before I went home” I replied back shyly, feeling Youngbin oppa come over to me.

He stood where the rest of the room was blocked out, effectively hiding me from everyone as he wrapped his arms around my waist. My heart seemed to forget that both Youngbin oppa and Zuho were just very affectionate people and took the opportunity to set a new record for fastest BPM. I switched the call to a video call, letting Youngbin oppa in on the call, hoping that would keep him distracted from hearing my racing heartbeat. I could see that Zuho was still outside on the street but it was hard for me to recognize anything to give away his location.

“Yes, you did. And I’m still waiting for that birthday kiss you refused to give me” said Zuho, giving away the sly smile on his face with his voice.

“Quit it with the teasing already. I told you only mates should share birthday kisses” I whined, looking up at Youngbin oppa for back up. “Right oppa? Birthday kisses are something that only mates should share.”

“That they are,” agreed Oppa, leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek. “And I know for a fact Zuho thinks so too.”

If my heart could go any faster, it definitely just did. I could feel my brain short-circuit with how many thoughts were going through my head. Was Zuho actually being serious about the kiss or was he just teasing? What if he is actually being serious? Does Zuho think we are mates which is why he won’t let the kiss go? But Oppa just kissed me too. Does he think we are mates too? But how is that possible? Sharing a mate is so rare, almost as rare as having a witch for a mate. No… there is no possible way. Wait, Youngbin oppa kissed me when we were talking about birthday kisses. Do they know that today is my birthday? No, no way, there is no way they could possibly know that today is my birthday too. Besides, Youngbin oppa only kissed me on the cheek. The guys tease each other with kisses on the cheek all the time. 

“I think you broke her, hyung” teased Zuho, snapping me out of my head. “There you are, Kitten. Welcome back.”

“I swear, you two are impossible” I huffed, crossing an arm over my chest.

“Impossible to resist, I hope” said Youngbin oppa, leaning down to speak loud enough for only Zuho and I to pick up.

Zuho’s laughter sounds through the phone while I just stare up at Youngbin oppa. I could feel my entire face getting red and didn’t really know what to do. My first instinct was to turn around and hide in Youngbin oppa’s chest, but, no, not going to happen. Instead, I pass him the phone and escape down the hall to the bathroom. A locked door against a shifter is like a piece of cardboard to a normal person but it still gives me a false sense of security. 

It gives me the space to freak out without having an audience. What the hell is going on? Why are they acting like this? Sure, Zuho has always acted like a flirt but Youngbin oppa has always just been physically affectionate. Just like he is with the pack. Or is he? Yeah, all of them thrive off physical contact like all wolves do but is he like this with people outside the pack. 

“Nari, will you let us in?” asked Jaeyoon from the door. “Sunhi is here too.”

I moved to the door, unlocking it and moving back so Jaeyoon and Sunhi could come in. Immediately, Sunhi wrapped her arms around me. 

“I’m so confused. What does all of this mean? Are they just messing with me? Are they serious? I can’t tell” I ramble, just focusing on the wall across from me.

“You and I both know that those two aren’t the type to mess with people like this. We’ve seen them turn down so many people when we go out” said Sunhi, pulling back to wipe my cheeks with her thumbs. 

“A mate bond is always confusing. I can only imagine what it is like for a non-shifter mate” said Jaeyoon from his spot against the door. “By the way, I would be careful with the tears, the only thing keeping Youngbin hyung out is Dawon holding him back and me standing here. Zuho is already running here too.”

“What? Why would Dawon have to hold Youngbin oppa back? Why is Zuho running?” I ask, feeling like things that should be obvious aren’t connecting.

“Nari, Dawon is having to hold Youngbin oppa back because his mate is in a room crying without him. Zuho is running here because his mate was on the phone in front of him and then ran away. Next thing he heard was Youngbin oppa yelling after you and Dawon tackling him” stated Sunhi, smiling at me as she continued to wipe my tears.

“His mate? Youngbin oppa and Zuho?” I echoed, feeling things were starting to fall into place. “No, you’ve got the wrong girl. Youngbin oppa deserves a beautiful and powerful wolf as a mate. Zuho deserves to have a gorgeous and fierce cat by his side. How could I be their mate?”

“Hold that thought” said Jaeyoon, opening the door a crack. “Rowoon, Hwiyoung. If you two don’t grab Zuho when he finally gets here, expect extra training sessions. Dawon, you better hold onto Youngbin hyung like your life depends on it.”

“Have you ever tried to hold back an Alpha from their mate?” shouted back Dawon, cursing out every now and then.

Jaeyoon closed the door again and then gave me a pointed look. Could it all be true? Am I really the mate to Youngbin oppa and Zuho? Did everyone know but me? No, my heart knew but my brain refused to believe it. 

“See. This is what happens when a shifter can’t get to their mate. Hell breaks loose until said mate is back in their arms” said Jaeyoon, smiling down at me. “I know it is a lot for your little witch brain to process right now, but all you need to do is trust your heart. I’ve seen the way you three are with each other. You’ve been acting like mates this entire time. It only makes sense to finally put an official title on it.” 

“We have?” I ask, looking up at him. 

“I know the books and movies make it seem like the entire world shifts when mates meet and for a shifter, it does. They are the main source of happiness for you. They make each day a little brighter. Their needs come before your own. For non-shifters, it’s less earth-shattering but no less consuming” said Jaeyoon, running his hand down my head.

“Who are the only two people you talk about anymore?” questioned Sunhi.

“Youngbin oppa and Zuho.”

“Who do you constantly spend time with every day?” asked Jaeyoon.

“Youngbin oppa and Zuho.”

“Who are you constantly thinking about?” teased Sunhi.

“Youngbin oppa and Zuho.”

“Who are you in love with?” they both asked, sharing a secret smile.

“Youngbin oppa and Zuho.”

“Sounds like mates to me, if I’ve seen them. What do you think, Jaeyoonie?” said Sunhi, hugging me again.

My heart already felt lighter than before. Could it all be true? Am I really their mate? And they are willing to take me as a mate? Do they want to claim me as one? Wait, no, one step at a time. Just the fact they are willing to take me as a mate is enough. Claiming can wait, if it ever comes, because they have already claimed my heart.

“I think her face says it clear enough,” replied Jaeyoon, smiling. “And just in time too.”

Banging started behind Jaeyoon on the door.

“Nari, is everything okay?” shouted Youngbin oppa.

“Kitten, what happened? Let us in. Kitten, please” shouted Zuho, followed by more banging.

“We can smell your tears from here. I swear if Jaeyoon and Sunhi are making you cry,” a menacing growl was heard following Zuho’s threat. “I don’t care if they are your best friends. You can make more.”

“Nari, please, just say something. If we don’t hear your voice in the next 30 seconds, this door is coming down” shouted Youngbin oppa, followed by more banging and then shouting as their voices got further away.

“Are you ready to calm those two idiots down? Because that is the only way anyone out there is going to avoid going to the hospital” said Sunhi, fixing my hair for me with a smile.

Laughing a bit, I take a deep breath and nod my head, moving in front of Jaeyoon and Sunhi. I unlock the door and all the noise outside stops with the click of the lock. Turning the knob, I prepare myself for what I might find on the other side. What’s that saying? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. As I pull the door open, I’m greeted by the faces of the only two people my heart beats for. The worry in their eyes makes me want to cry again. Is it real?

“Nari, what is it?” asked Youngbin oppa, grabbing my hand and turning my face so I couldn’t hide it from them. 

“Kitten, ask anything. Say anything and it is your’s. Ask for anything and it’s done. Just don’t cry” pleaded Zuho, pressing a kiss to my forehead as he grabbed my other hand. 

“Is it true?” I ask in a quiet voice, staring at their chests, scared of making eye contact with them. 

“Is what true, Kitten?” questioned back Zuho, squeezing my hand a bit.

“Am I your mate?” I finally get out, finding the little spark of courage I had to look them both in the eye.

“Is there even a question about that, Kitten? Have I not made it clear that you are the only one for me from the very first day?” answered Zuho, breaking into a soft smile that I’ve only ever seen him use with me. “You own me, Kitten.”

“Nari,” starts Youngbin oppa, guiding my hand until it rests over his heart. “This only beats because of you. Because you take care of me when I lose focus of myself. Because you care for my pack like they are your own. Because you are everything I have ever imagined in a mate and more.”

“But I’m a witch” I say back, voicing that little doubt in the back of my head.

“That doesn’t change anything, Kitten. You’re stuck with us from now on” said Zuho, pulling me into his embrace.

“We’ll be the ones to change that image. We can show them that shifters and witches can have a happily ever after, like those stories you love so much” continued Youngbin oppa, petting my head with a fond smile.

I wrapped my arms around Zuho, burying into his chest and just savoring this moment. Who’s to say I won’t wake up from this? That this isn’t a dream.

“You came on too strong hyung. You broke our Kitten” teased Zuho, tightening his hold on me.

“Like you wouldn’t have said the same thing” shot back Youngbin oppa, rubbing my back.

“Exactly, she expects it from me. Not the uptight, never flirted a day in his life, perfect image Alpha wolf.”

Next thing I know, my arms are around Zuho’s neck and he is carrying me out to the living room. Youngbin oppa is following us and only has a fond smile on his face at Zuho’s teasing. When we make eye contact over Zuho’s shoulder, he winks at me and whispers “It’s my turn later.” I hide my face in Zuho’s neck which only makes him squeeze me for a second.

“Now, what is this about a party?” asked Zuho, the smile in his voice obvious to everyone.

“I don’t want to throw you a party anymore” whined Dawon. “First, you disappear on Rowoon and I and make us get yelled at by our Luna. And then I have to tackle our Alpha to the ground to save your apartment from being destroyed. Then I have to help drag you two away from that door in a tiny ass hallway. I don’t want to party anymore. I just want to go to bed.”

“Luna?” I question, looking up from Zuho’s neck and over to Youngbin oppa. “Who’s Luna?”

“It’s a title, Nari. The mate of the Alpha of a wolf pack is called the Luna of the pack. She is the moon he follows so the rest of the pack does too. It’s a sign of respect to be called Luna” explained Youngbin oppa.

“Like she wasn’t going to be our Luna at some point” commented Chani from his spot against the wall, already eating a plate of food. “I’m just surprised it took this long for you two. Did it really have to be this dramatic too?”

“Seriously, I’ve seen Rowoon hyung film dramas less dramatic than this whole event was,” said Hwiyoung, joining Chani against the wall with a plate of food.

“You two jerks” scolded Jaeyoon, chasing after the two youngest wolves. “You were supposed to wait to touch that food.”

“With all this dramatic shit going on, how were we supposed to know we would ever eat?” fired back Chani, running the opposite direction as Hwiyoung. 

I moved to be let down from Zuho’s hold, which he reluctantly did from how long it took for him to finally let me down. Turning to face the rest of the room, I took in the state of everyone there. Jaeyoon was chasing Chani while Inseong half-tried chasing Hwiyoung who was really just sneaking him bites of food when they got close. Rowoon was in the window seat with Taeyang, both of them cheering on the youngest. Dawon had claimed one of the love seats as his stage for a dramatic monologue on the trials of being one of the enforcers in a wolf pack. Sunhi came over to me and linked her arm with mine, resting her head on my shoulder as we watched the chaos ensue. Zuho’s arms wrapped around me from behind, followed by a contented purr, while my other hand was raised up to Youngbin oppa’s lips for a kiss. 

Is this what it feels like to be surrounded by family and love? Is this how it feels to belong somewhere? 

“Happy Birthday Zuho” I said, looking up at Zuho. 

“Do I finally get that birthday kiss that only mates can share?” teased Zuho, making me laugh until he swung me around and claimed my lips in a dramatic kiss that had the rest of the room cheering. “You better get used to it, Kitten. This is just the first of many.”

Youngbin POV

The rest of the party went as smoothly as can be expected with our pack, but was fun nonetheless. Zuho really wasn’t lying when he mentioned that we may have another mate pair in Rowoon and Sunhi. They could barely keep their eyes off each other the entire time. But I could only focus on my own mate. My mate. It feels right to finally say it. 

Why did I try to fight it and deny it for so long? Everything feels right now. Seeing Nari smile at the youngest wolves like a loving mother as she pets their heads. Her and Jaeyoon preparing food in the kitchen together while they sing and dance together. She and Inseong sharing stories and knowledge that impress everyone just by the sheer volume of how much they have between them. Dawon and her laughing at his jokes. Her quiet conversations with Taeyang that seem to help pull him out of his shell a little bit. Offering to go over scripts with Rowoon and even giving hints at helping to set him up with Sunhi. 

But this is the thing I knew from the first moment we met was right. She and Zuho curled up on the couch, sleeping peacefully like there wasn’t a care in the world. Zuho never slept as soundly as he does with Nari. When she is in his arms, it’s like all the worries of the world are gone. He doesn’t have trouble drifting off to sleep and stays asleep.

It makes me think back to all those stories of seeing your mate with someone else. That, especially in the beginning of the bond, it is impossible to see your mate with someone else much less held by them or kissed by them. That it is supposed to twist your heart and be painful when someone else kisses them, and a pain close to death when they are intimate with someone else. But none of that happens when I see her and Zuho.

When I saw Jaeyoon slip into that bathroom with her and Sunhi this afternoon, I felt it. That twist in my chest and pain that there was someone else comforting my mate when it should be me. The only thing I could think while I tried to fight off Dawon was that Zuho would get here to either help me break free or just get to her first. Today was the first time I really let myself fully experience the mate bond. Before I fought it and denied it as hard as I could, but I know just how stupid I was being. 

The dried tear tracks on Nari’s cheeks were torture enough when she finally appeared from the bathroom. But when everyone left earlier, and it was just the three of us, when she let her guard down and cried in our arms. When she finally let us into her mind as she sobbed. That was something I never want to experience again. Our mate only deserves the best. She deserves to have everything that could make her happy.

“She’s adorable when she’s sleeping” commented Zuho, opening his eyes to meet mine.

“You both are” I teased before moving a piece of hair out of her face. “I was an idiot to keep stringing her along just because I was denying our bond.”

“I’m just glad you finally got your head out of your ass. I wasn’t lying when I said I would claim her without you.”

“Be happy it’s still before midnight, Birthday Boy. I get her tomorrow” I said, smiling at Zuho.

“Tomorrow we are going to get a king size bed so we don’t have to fight over who gets her,” stated Zuho, moving to sit up. “You said it’s still before midnight, right?” 

“Yeah” I answer off-handedly, looking at the space in the living room. 

If we move the coffee table, we should have enough room for all of us to have a nest on the floor. Would Nari like that? I know shifters enjoy having nests but what about non-shifters? I know humans and non-shifters have similar things in movies and tv shows. 

“Just make the damn nest on the floor,” said Zuho from the kitchen. “We both know neither of us are going to sleep without her tonight.”

Shaking my head, I gathered up as many pillows and blankets as I could before making the best nest I could with what we had. Feeling it, I knew it wouldn’t be as soft as a mattress but one night of this and then tomorrow, we would take our mate to buy the most comfortable bed for our room. Getting up, I lifted her off the couch and placed her down in the middle of the nest. 

“My precious little mate, what have you done to us?” I questioned, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead and sniffing her hair.

“Mmm, Oppa?” 

Nari’s sleepy voice had me looking down at her face, smiling when her eyes opened and she gave me a sleepy smile. I grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles as we kept eye contact. Her other hand moved to the other side and I could tell when she started to panic when there was no one there. 

“Zuho?” called Nari, sitting up to look around the dark apartment. 

“I’m here, Kitten” called Zuho, moving towards us from the kitchen.

I smirked at what he was carrying and pulled Nari back into my chest. Finally wrapping my arms around our mate, I made a promise that this would be how we spend every year together. Covering her eyes with my hand, I pressed kisses to the side of her face and in her hair, feeling my chest fill with pride at her happy giggles. When Zuho had finally settled in front of us, I removed my hand from her eyes and let her see what Zuho had brought over.

“Happy Birthday Kitten.”

“Happy Birthday, my Luna.”

“But how…” asked Nari, staring down at the small cake with a single candle on it. 

“You can’t keep anything from your mates, my Luna” I teased, nuzzling her neck until she was laughing.

“You might also want to think twice about trusting Sunhi with your secrets when she is around Rowoon,” said Zuho, smirking as Nari’s mouth dropped open. “Blow out the candle, Kitten, and make a wish.”

“I don’t need to make a wish,” said Nari, smiling up at the both of us. “I’ve gotten everything I could ever wish for right here.”

The small flame was blown out just as an ember sparked in our hearts, linking the three of us together.