#unicorn and the waterfall friend

[fairytalesandlegacies]

Trust Fall

• Author: fairytalesandlegacies • Fandom: Hogwarts Legacy • Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x Reader • Warnings: 18+ Characters | NSFW | MDNI • Word Count: 23.5k

Summary:

A heady rush of defiance and determination surges through your veins, lighting up all your nerve endings like a live wire, and in your eagerness to rebel against the enchantment, you end up doing the complete opposite of Sebastian's request, hands sliding under the fabric of his cloak and slipping it off of his shoulders in one swift, fluid sweep, silk-lined wool pooling at his feet as you dive straight for his necktie, making a fine mess of the striped emerald and silver satin in your eager attempts to loosen it, fingers curling around smooth silk and giving it a gentle tug to urge him closer, unraveling until it's completely come undone, spilling into the hood of his cloak. The words kiss me ring out inside your head, desperate and longing, and for a moment, you can't tell whether it's his voice or your own imagination, caught up in a fantasy you've been playing out inside your head for the past two and a half years. Or: Sebastian Sallow teaches you how to fight against the Imperius Curse late one night, and in the process, some long-kept secrets are revealed.

✨ Read On AO3 or below the cut ✨

Trust Fall

After a whirlwind first year filled with dragon attacks and crumbling ruins, keepers and keys and hidden passageways, bonds of friendship forged in secrets and fire, daring quests and trying trials to prove your worth to wield an ancient form of magic only few can see, you should have expected your final year at Hogwarts would be anything but uneventful — and that suits you just fine.

Though, eager as you are to move beyond the confines of the castle and take the wizarding world by storm, there's a part of you that isn't quite ready to leave this place you've come to call home just yet, a part of you that's still got a few more noteworthy memories to make. Luckily for you, you've got a best friend who certainly knows how to make things memorable.

Ever since that thrilling excursion to the Restricted Section back in your fifth year, the two of you have been sneaking out of your common rooms almost nightly to go on all sorts of daredevil adventures — midnight waltzes through the Forbidden Forest in search of the legendary unicorn den, swarms of lacewing flies fluttering all around you like traces of dark magic; summer nights spent sneaking out of the sweltering confines of the castle and stealing away to the lake for a refreshing swim, diving down to its depths to see if you can catch a glimpse of a pod of mermaids or the eye of the giant squid, exploring cavernous grottos hidden beneath the waterfall, turquoise and sapphires made of pure light dancing across the surface of the water by the glow of your wands.

And of course, just last autumn, the night the two of you flew to the top of the Astronomy Tower to make wishes on a shower of shooting stars, bright sparks of silver and gold lit up in his warm brown eyes as he'd gazed up at them with a wide smile on his face and slowly counted to eighteen — one wish for each year he'd been alive. You suppose it would've been a truly breathtaking sight to behold, only you were too busy gazing at something far more beautiful, charting constellations of your own design in the sun-kissed freckles that dapple his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

Luckily, you didn't have to wait long to get your second chance, a flurry of snowflakes swirling down from the sky the night the two of you snuck back up for an encore in celebration of your birthday a few months later, green and silver scarf wrapped around both of your shoulders to keep you warm as you blew out candles lit by an overzealous Confringo cast and shared bites of a slightly lopsided cake he'd insisted on baking himself (though you suspect the only reason it was actually edible was because he'd had help from the house elves.) You never told him, but it was the best birthday you've ever had.

That's just how it was with him. Sebastian Sallow had a way of making every moment feel like an adventure.

And tonight is no exception. An owl asking you to meet him at your usual spot wakes you from your bed at a quarter 'til midnight, and the next thing you know, you're following his Disillusioned form down a candlelit corridor, traversing well-worn paths you've come to memorize like the back of your hand. You assume you're off to the Undercroft as per usual, but the longer you follow, the more it seems Sebastian has other plans (either that, or he has no idea where he's going and is simply feigning confidence — wouldn't be the first time.)

"Sebastian," you hiss, but he doesn't seem to hear you, moving ahead at the same steady pace.

You try again.

"Seb—"

"Bash—"

"Oi, Sebastard!" you call out in a series of escalating whispers, running through your rolodex of well-loved nicknames until he finally hears you, a wrinkle in the hood of his cloak catching under the candlelight as he turns his head in your direction.

"Yes, darling?" he whispers back, and you don't need to see his face to know that he's smirking underneath his cloaking charm. You're suddenly very glad for your own Disillusionment Charm — even though you know he only does it as a joke, purely to rile you up, it still makes you blush up a storm every time he calls you that. Thankfully, you have a lot of practice brushing it off.

"Did my Quaffle hit you a little harder than I thought during last week's match?" you tease, relishing every opportunity to gloat that you were the one to score the final goal and lead your team to victory. "Undercroft's the other way entirely."

"Have a little more faith in me, darling. I know exactly where we're going," he reassures you, cocky as ever. "We're simply taking the scenic route."

"I wouldn't exactly call this scenic," you snicker, casting your eyes around the bare stone walls of the corridor you're currently sneaking down.

"Are you sure about that?" he counters, throwing open the unassuming double doors at the end of the passageway with a graceful flick of his wand.

What lies beyond steals your breath away, shivers akin to a haunting melody in an empty cathedral dancing across the back of your neck as you step into a corridor bathed in glittering golds, greens, and blues, kissed by silver in the light of the full moon spilling through wall-to-wall windows, a mosaic of painted glass depicting star-strewn skies over tempestuous ocean waves, fields of wildflowers dotted between snow-capped mountains, and twisting ivy redolent of the Scottish countryside curling in curtains around a sprawling scenery of a vibrant, lush green forest.

At the very end of the hallway, you spot a familiar fixture — the Serpentine Beast Window, leading right out into the middle of the Defence Against The Dark Arts Tower. How extraordinary — a whole corridor hidden inside of a window. Nearly three years here and you're still discovering new secrets about the castle, despite all your eager exploring back when you first arrived.

"Stumbled upon this little beauty earlier today and immediately thought of you," he says softly, and then quickly clears his throat. "I mean to say, I thought you would like it. And, judging by that little dip in the outline of your cheek that can only mean you're wearing your signature dimpled smile, I'd say I was right."

You turn to face him, exchanging one beautiful scenery for another, wondering just how many of your mannerisms he's got memorized, and could know to look for even when you're nearly invisible.

"And look," he adds with a smug smile, pointing toward the little alcove with the familiar clockwork fixture sat just beneath the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom as the two of you peer around the corner. "You see? Told you I knew exactly where I was g—"

Without warning, a bat-like figure emerges from out of the blindspot of the alcove, and the two of you immediately fall silent.

"Impertinent piece of— I know there's a secret room hidden behind here, if I could just—" Headmaster Black curses, flitting agitatedly back and forth in front of the clockwork cupboard, muttering all manner of incantations to try and figure out a way inside.

In your panic, the two of you bolt back behind the corner you've just rounded, hastily squeezing into a little recess in the wall of the corridor. You've never been the most graceful of people, tripping over your own feet and nearly falling flat on your face in your eagerness to escape, but Sebastian is well prepared for it, reaching out to steady you, grabbing ahold of your waist and pulling you into the little hideaway. Next thing you know, you're pressed right up against him, caged between the cold stained glass wall and the warm, heavy weight of his rapidly rising and falling chest, heart beating like the wings of a wild thunderbird beneath it.

You've never been this close to him before, but even though he's nearly invisible, you've all but memorized his every feature, so it's easy enough for you to map them all out — from the sharp curve of his jawline to the devil-may-care sweep of his hair, to the plush pink pout of his lower lip, and— uh oh, you're definitely staring. And maybe it's just a trick of the light, but you could almost swear he was too, that little telltale flicker as his eyes snap back up to meet yours.

Ocean blues filter through his Disillusioned form as the aquatic landscape bleeds through from behind him, making him look as though he's one with the water, moonlight dancing along the edges of his outline, igniting him in a soft silver glow. Sebastian was right, it is very beautiful in here…though you'd wager it's less to do with the colorful mosaic and entirely due to the man standing in front of you, lips a mere breath from yours, close enough to lean forward and—

Oh, you really need to sort out your priorities. If you're not careful, your less-than-pleasant headmaster will catch the two of you sneaking around past curfew, and that's worth two poltergeists on a good day. This is no time to be thinking about your best friend's lips, wondering whether they might taste like the strawberry sugar quills he'd snuck the two of you after dinner, or the spearmint toothpaste he uses every night before he goes to bed…

The sound of distant footfalls headed down the opposite corridor snaps you out of your reverie, accompanied by the dulcet tones of your irate headmaster, evidently giving up in his attempts to break past the barrier into the place that's been your refuge for the past two and a half years, until all you can hear is the sound of the Defence Tower's crackling Floo flames and the frenzied staccato of both of you trying to steady your breathing.

"I think we're safe now," you tell him, whispers disguising your breathlessness.

"Hmm?" Sebastian replies with a distracted hum, gaze snapping back up from the shape of your lips for the second time in as many minutes.

Sebastian shakes his head, and for a few nerve-wracking seconds you hold your breath in fear that he can feel the sudden jump in your pulse as he leans in even closer in an effort to peer around the corner, before giving you a quick nod of affirmation and slipping out of the passageway, taking what's left of the air in your lungs along with him. The glass wall against your back suddenly feels a lot colder without Sebastian's warm weight against your chest, and for a brief moment you wonder whether you've gone mad, wishing that Black had hovered around for just a little bit longer.

"Yes, it would appear so…for now, at least," Sebastian grouses, lips twisting into a frustrated scowl. "But if Black's been sniffing around the Undercroft, then it's only a matter of time before he works out how to get inside, and that means it's as good as lost to us as a safe haven. I'm…not sure where else we could go," he says, sounding genuinely heartbroken by the notion of having to cut this little nighttime rendezvous short.

You're about to join him in his lament, when a spectacular idea comes to you.

"Oh!" you exclaim, quickly clapping a hand over your mouth when the outline of his eyebrows shoots up in alarm.

"Sorry, got excited," you explain. Sebastian's lips quirk up in fond amusement.

"Follow me," you whisper, taking him by the hand and leading him up the staircase directly across from the hidden corridor.

"Where—" he starts, but you cut him off with a cryptic, "You'll see."

Without another word, Sebastian follows you up several flights of stairs, twists and turns leading you past Charms and up through the Astronomy Tower, sleeping portraits tutting at the two of you along the way.

"Can't believe I didn't think of it before, but, well…I've only just discovered it, and we've always had the Undercroft, so I didn't think…aha! Here we are," you whisper excitedly as the two of you round one final corner, coming to a stop between a blank stretch of stone and a tapestry of Barnabas The Barmy.

Sebastian looks at you like you've gone mad.

"Darling," he drawls, the affectionate moniker dripping with the urge to tease you senseless. "That's a bare stone wall."

"Are you sure about that?" you ask in a mimic of his playful prodding from earlier, lips quirking up in a smug smile at Sebastian's gasp of surprise as an ornate doorway bleeds into view, sprawling across the stone wall like fast-growing ivy.

With a confident smile, you breeze through the door and into a spacious moonlit room decorated in a blend of botanical greenery and gothic architecture, ceiling enchanted to reflect the world outside, sky full of stars glittering through an array of blossoming vines suspended from the illusion of a skylight.

You haven't quite finished setting everything up just yet, so it's still a little messy in some areas (a seemingly endless struggle to coax the paintings and fixtures to hang just right) but you're fairly happy with what you've done with it so far. A handsome writing desk strewn with stacks of dusty old textbooks, half-finished essays, inkwells, broken quills, and a bowl magically enchanted to fill with fresh fruit whenever you enter the room (courtesy of your friend Deek, who'd noticed you missing meals one too many times because you were too wrapped up in one of your projects, and decided to intervene) sits in one corner, while a potioneer's station with a trio of burners and a potting table with nearly-sprouted dittany and mallowsweet sits in another, a whole empty corridor just waiting to be filled with anything your heart desires (your own private library, perhaps) nestled in between.

"Is this…the Room Of Requirement?" Sebastian whispers from beside you, awestruck expression on full display now he's no longer cloaked by his Disillusionment Charm. "I thought that was just a myth."

"So did I," you chuckle, lifting your own with a casual flick of your wand. "…until a fortnight ago."

Sebastian turns to look at you, eyes narrowing.

"Hang on," he says, tone changing from fascinated to guarded in the span of a few words. "You've known about this room for two whole weeks and you haven't told me?"

You can't but feel a little pang of guilt over how hurt he sounds.

"Come now, it's not like that," you assure him, reaching out to take his hand. Despite his sudden shift in mood, he immediately takes it, fingers slipping easily between your own, sighing as you rub soothing circles along his thumb.

"Like I said, I've only just found out about it," you explain. "Professor Weasley showed it to me after I spoke to her about wishing I had a quieter place to study for my N.E.W.T.s. — suppose she took pity on me, seeing as two out of three of my only years here have been plagued by nerve-wracking exams — let me turn it into my own private study, and decorate how I please. She made me swear not to tell anyone, but…well…you're my best friend, Seb, of course I was planning on telling you. I just wanted to wait until I'd finished setting everything up first," you finish, eyes narrowing at one of the paintings above your desk set several inches above the others at an odd angle.

"You are a wonder, you know that?" Sebastian laughs, warmth flooding back into his features as he gazes down at you with a fond smile, giving the palm of your hand an affectionate squeeze. "You've got all these professors fooled into thinking you're this saintly, rule-abiding student, yet here you are, sneaking out past curfew with the school's biggest mischief-maker to learn forbidden magic in a secret room you swore you'd tell no one about. We do so adore restricted areas, don't we?"

"Forbidden magic?" you repeat, arching a curious eyebrow.

"Why do you think I invited you to meet me tonight?" he says, lips curving up in an impish grin. "I've got another spell I'd like to show you."

Your eyes light up in excitement, eager as the day he taught you Confringo.

"But first, I think you owe a tour of your secret private study, starting with…whatever those are," he says, curious gaze flitting between three magnificent archways connected by an imperial staircase just across the way, slivers of gold waltzing between the branches of two majestic oak trees twisting around the entryway of the first, a lullaby of birdsong and gentle ocean waves echoing from the bright, hazy doorway of the second, climbing vines curling like serpents around water-logged trees cloaked in mushrooms and moss, casting shadows like Celtic filigree across the marble floor as the soft silver glow of magically-conjured moonlight spills down the steps leading up to the entrance of the third.

"Oh, you mean my vivariums?" you reply with an air of feigned nonchalance, smiling at the way he gazes at them with all the wonder of a small child discovering magic for the first time. "Forest, swamp, coastal, or grasslands — where would you like to start first?"

Sebastian turns to look at you, eyebrows arched in astonishment.

"You mean to tell me there's an entire ecosystem in each one of these?" he asks.

"Well, of course," you answer. "Each beast I've rescued deserves to feel right at home, wouldn't you agree?"

"You've got magical beasts in there?" Sebastian huffs out around a disbelieving laugh.

"Would you like to meet them?" you ask, lips curling up in a bright smile.

"Would I like to— is that even a question?" he asks, jubilant.

"Please, lead the way." Sebastian sweeps into a low, theatrical bow and is nearly knocked off his feet as you eagerly tug him by the hand toward the first of four doorways, stepping from the serene moonlit study into a lush green forest teeming with birdsong and honeybees, lit by the soft golden glow of warm summer sunshine.

"—should really check on everyone anyway. I set up an automatic feeder and a toy chest in each one, but they still need to be brushed on occasion so I can collect all their feathers and fur," you ramble, but your idle chatter is lost on Sebastian as he stands there in the middle of the forest clearing, gazing awestruck at a pair of unicorns — a bright white female and her little golden foal, coats adorned with a series of swirling spirals that seem to shimmer in the sunlight — trotting toward you in the distance.

"I— I can't believe it," he breathes. "After all that time we spent searching, you finally found the unicorn den."

"Do you remember that mooncalf den we found in the middle of the Forbidden Forest that one time?" you prompt, smiling at the memory of one of your many midnight forays.

"How could I forget? The way you cooed over them. Adorable," Sebastian teases you with a fond smile.

"Fifty paces east and we would've found it," you tell him, delighting in the impressed look on his face.

"Huh," he muses softly. "All that time, we were so close. Funny how often that seems to happen."

You watch his gaze drift down to your entwined hands and settle there for a moment, heart thundering to the beat of swiftly approaching hooves. Before you can think of anything to say, you're pulled out of the intimate embrace by the arrival of your unicorns, the bright white female nearly knocking you off your feet in her enthusiasm to greet you. She nuzzles at your shoulder before shooting Sebastian a curious glance, her little foal hiding behind her. You've never brought anyone else into your vivariums before, and she has every right to be wary after everything she's been through.

"It's alright. Sebastian is safe, I promise," you assure her in a comforting whisper, reaching up to stroke along the bridge of her nose. She huffs out a breath and closes her eyes, shaking her head in an effort to get you to reach a little bit higher. After a moment's deliberation, she approaches Sebastian, bowing her head and allowing him to touch her. Sebastian shoots you a wary glance, asking your permission. You give him an encouraging nod, and slowly, carefully, he reaches up to gently stroke along the same path, letting out a delighted laugh when she huffs and nuzzles against his shoulder in turn.

"This is Hazel," you tell him with a soft smile. "A lovely woman by the name of Betty Bugbrooke bonded with her when she was just a foal, came to visit her in the forest every week. But one night, they were attacked by wolves, and Hazel ran off scared. Betty worried she might be injured, or worse— that poachers might have gotten to her. She asked if I could find her, give her a safe place to recover. It was only after I brought her here that I realized she was—"

On cue, the little golden foal takes this moment to make his grand entrance, squeezing in past his mother to head-butt Sebastian in the stomach, eager for attention.

"Oof," Sebastian laughs, raising his other hand to gently stroke the foal's mane.

"And this is Hazel's son," you chuckle, glancing back and forth between the two boys. "I haven't thought of a name for him yet — he was only just born last week. Perhaps you could help me name him?"

"You'd let me?" Sebastian asks, pleasantly surprised.

"I think it's only right. He seems to have taken quite a shine to you," you smile as the little foal head-butts Sebastian's outstretched hand.

"Either that or he thinks my fingers are carrots," Sebastian laughs.

"I don't think he's quite figured out how to work the automatic feeder just yet," you venture, glancing back at the row of little wooden crates by the entryway and making a mental note to double check you've conjured the spellcraft correctly. "Would you like to feed him while I brush Hazel?"

"Sure," he says, glancing warily at the automatic feeder, not quite sure how to use it himself. "Should I just—"

Before he can finish asking, you lift your wand and produce a fresh bag of beast feed similar to the ones you've used in class, handing it off to him before conjuring your brush and heading toward Hazel.

Out of the corner of your eye, you watch as Sebastian reaches into the bag and lifts a handful of food into the air, where it floats between himself and the foal, who eagerly reaches forward to chomp at the pieces. Sebastian chuckles fondly at the hungry little unicorn and sets about trying to figure out a name for him, listing a few choices out loud and asking him what he thinks of each one in turn.

"What shall we call you?" Sebastian muses, tapping a finger against his chin. "Oh, I know! How about a wood-themed name to match your mother? Let's see…how do you feel about Hawthorn?"

The golden foal snorts and shakes his head.

"Alright, I'll take that as a no," Sebastian chuckles. "Hmm…how about Rowan, then?"

The little foal stamps his front hoof in even deeper disapproval.

"Well, we can't very well call you Dogwood," Sebastian laughs.

Hazel lets out an impatient snort as she waits to be brushed, bringing your focus rather sharply back to her. You breathe out a hasty apology, but she merely gives you a look like she knows exactly why you were so distracted.

"Hush, you," you admonish her with a small smile, reaching up to brush the tangles out of her long silver-white mane.

Hazel lets out another huff like she's sighing at you, glancing over to watch Sebastian playing with her son, red-faced and laughing as the two of them chase each other across the clearing, before turning back to level you with another pointed look, nodding her head and nuzzling her nose into your shoulder, and you think it might just be the closest anyone's ever come to getting a unicorn's stamp of approval.

A little while later, the two of you are sitting at the edge of the forest by the toy box, discarded cloaks laid out underneath you like a makeshift picnic blanket, watching Hazel and newly-named Willow chasing an unpoppable bubble around the clearing, when Sebastian lets out a long, slow, contented sigh and leans his shoulder into yours.

"I have to admit, it's a wonder I've seen you at all these past two weeks," he says with a soft chuckle, gazing out onto the golden horizon, mesmerized by the way the sunlight kisses the surface of the lake. "I could easily stay like this forever."

He turns to look at you, sunlight dancing in his warm brown eyes just like the stars had that night on the Astronomy Tower.

"Here…with you."

Breath catches in the back of your throat as you look at him, eyes trailing down the curves of his freckled cheeks to land on his lips again. Here in the soft afternoon light, his freckles are more pronounced than ever, each one a kiss from the sun. You imagine him spending his summers running around outside, tearing through the countryside on all sorts of rollicking adventures, tending to the gardens and livestock in the village on his quieter days. Perhaps that's how he developed such a sturdy build, broad shoulders straining against the sleeves of his button-up, rolled halfway to his elbows, baring toned, freckled forearms that flex with each flick of his wrist as he guides the moving path of the unpoppable bubble.

You feel your body start to lean forward of its own accord, eyes fluttering closed, but manage to stop yourself before you do something monumentally stupid like kiss your best friend in the middle of a magically-conjured forest clearing.

"Ah, but then you wouldn't get to see the rest of my vivariums," you quickly recover, jolting yourself out of the moment.

"Merlin, I forgot," Sebastian shakes his head, seemingly coming out of his own little reverie. "This is just one of three."

"Four," you correct him with a small smile. "The doorway to the grasslands sits just above the entrance to the Room Of Requirement."

"I didn't even notice," Sebastian marvels. "I was so preoccupied with the three right in front of me."

You slowly get to your feet, dusting grass off the edge of your skirt.

"Well then, are you ready to see the next one?" you ask, holding out your hand.

"Absolutely," he says, taking your offered hand, though he does most of the heavy lifting as you help him to his feet. You expect him to let go once he's standing, but he only holds on tighter, slipping his fingers back in between yours. You can't help the rush of warmth that surges through you at the contact.

"Shall we take the scenic route?" you ask, inclining your head toward the darkened forest just ahead.

"Is there any other way to travel?" Sebastian quips back, eagerly following at your side.

Jobberknolls and fwoopers fly overhead, weaving between the autumn-kissed treetops as the two of you make your way through the thicket, while kneazles chase rolling puffskeins through the leaf-strewn undergrowth. As the two of you trudge along, the forest itself grows darker and darker, fading from the warmth of a golden summer's day into a misty moonlit night, the ground beneath your boots becoming steadily more uneven and unforgiving, solid dirt and gnarled tree roots giving way to soft, muddy earth dotted with moss and mushrooms, puddles of water stretching between patches of grass and tall, swaying cattails, until you reach the very edge of the forest, opening out onto the swamplands.

Sebastian lets out a sharp gasp, faltering for a moment when he sees two skeletal, horse-like creatures with wingspans the size of a Hebridean Black swoop down from the night sky to land at the edge of the forest, one pitch black like the sky above, one as bright as the moon.

"You have thestrals?" he whispers, equal parts amazed and apprehensive.

"There's a den just north of here," you tell him, giving the palm of his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Absolutely riddled with poachers, last time I checked. It's not safe for them out there anymore, at least not at the moment. So, Deek asked me to rescue a mated pair."

"Deek," Sebastian repeats, the name somewhat familiar. "That's that house elf that's friendly with Professor Weasley, right?"

"The very same," you reply with a small smile. "He's the one who helped me set up my study, in fact; encouraged me to rescue as many creatures as I could, give them a safe place free from the threat of poachers."

"Which is how you ended up with a mated pair of thestrals," Sebastian concludes, sounding both amused and impressed.

"Gomez and Morticia," you answer with a cheerful nod.

Sebastian glances at you, one eyebrow arched in amusement.

"It's what I've taken to calling them," you say with a small shrug. "Suits them, don't you think?"

Sebastian watches the pair of bad omens curl up together under the shade of a weeping willow, Gomez stretching out his wings to wrap around Morticia's shoulders like a protective shield, before leaning forward to nuzzle his nose against hers.

"It certainly does," Sebastian replies with a soft smile.

He turns back to look at you, teasing grin returning in full. "Came up with names for all of them, have you?"

"Of course," you reply with a jovial smile. "It would get awfully confusing if I didn't, especially with an entire herd of— aha! There they are, right on cue."

One by one, all seven of your mooncalves emerge into the clearing, moonlight dancing in their big, bright blue eyes, webbed feet splashing through muddy puddles as they all come hurdling toward you, jumping up and down, enveloping you in a cuddly circle. You greet them all by name — Millie, Mooncake, Marzipan, Vanilla Bean, Snickerdoodle, Pancake, and Jellybean — giggling and cooing over them as you ask each one how they've been, who's hungry, and who needs to be brushed.

Too wrapped up in your little herd to notice the way Sebastian's lips curl up in a soft, smitten smile as he watches you, heart fluttering inside his chest at how utterly adorable you are, how big and pure your heart is. Of course you'd have a whole herd of them. He shouldn't have expected anything less.

"Where on earth did you find them all?" he asks, huffing out a laugh as one of the braver ones comes sniffing around his ankles, peering up at him expectantly.

"Poacher camps," you explain, upper lip curling in a scowl. "Every so often, I'll come across an encampment near their den in the forest, catch them before they manage to steal away with their quarry. They mostly use cages with level one locks, so they're easy enough to pick while their backs are turned, but it's not exactly the quickest process. So far, I've only been caught twice. Managed to duel my way out of trouble without too much fuss — nothing a vial or two of Wiggenweld couldn't patch up — and more importantly, without any mooncalves getting hurt in the process. Poachers scare pretty easily when they find out a student knows Confringo — thanks for that, by the way."

You look up from your little herd of mooncalves to find Sebastian staring at you in astonishment, mouth hanging open like you've just revealed some grand secret double-life, so distracted he doesn't even notice the muddy paw prints saturating the knees of his trousers as Jellybean jumps up to nose at his pocket, searching for treats.

"You—" he falters, breath coming out in a disbelieving laugh. "You're amazing, you know that? I wondered where you'd been disappearing off to whenever you weren't with me. Speaking of which…I'd like to come with you next time, if you'll have me. Help you fight the baddies, keep these little ones safe," he says, leaning down to stroke the top of Jellybean's head and letting out a contented hum when she closes her eyes and makes a high-pitched squeaking sound.

"I take back every time I've ever teased you for going soft over these little gremlins. I can see now why you like them so much," he relents, chuckling as Jellybean purrs and nuzzles her head against the palm of his hand, eager for more scritches.

"Aren't they wonderful? They're so sweet and soft and silly," you laugh as you watch a trio of little ones chasing after a tiny floating moon conjured from the toy box with all the fondness in the world. "Oh, I just love them so much."

"Is that what it takes to earn your love? I'm at least one out of three of those things," Sebastian chuckles under his breath, eyes growing wide the moment he realizes he's just said that out loud.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that," you say, struggling to hear anything over the sound of Snickerdoodle happily crunching away as you feed him a handful of treats.

"Nothing," Sebastian lies, summoning a handful of beast feed from out of your bag with a flick of his wand. "I was just asking Jellybean here if she was hungry."

At the mention of food, all seven of your mooncalves come gallivanting up to surround you both, floating toy moon immediately forgotten.

"Alright, easy there, I promise I won't let anyone go hungry," Sebastian reassures them, laughing as their little pink tongues poke out to tickle the palm of his hand. There's no Hazel to tease you this time as you stand there, rooted to the spot as though you've just been Stunned, one breath away from sighing like a lovesick damsel as you watch Sebastian dote on your mooncalves, heart threatening to burst with the overwhelming love it carries.

You wait until the very last mooncalf has huddled in with the rest of their herd and laid their head down in the tall, swaying grasses to drift off to sleep, fur brushed and bellies full, before making your way to the next vivarium. Together, the two of you wade through knee-deep swamp water littered with lily pads and lotus flowers, cloaks soaked and caked in mud and moss, until you reach the mouth of a darkened cave, shards of moonstone jutting from floor to ceiling like rows of shark's teeth.

Led by the glow of your wands, the two of you carefully make your way through the cavernous passageway, a kaleidoscope of colors bursting across the walls each time your light shines through a cluster of crystals, until eventually, the light at the end grows bright enough to outshine even the strongest of light spells, a symphony of crickets and tree frogs and echoes of dripping stalactites giving way to the soft cries of seagulls and gentle ocean waves, moss giving way to seaweed, until the muddied puddles of the swamp meet little whirlpools of sea water.

Together, the two of you step out into a bright, hazy world lit by golden sunlight streaming through fluffy white clouds stretched across a brilliant blue sky, ocean waves crashing against massive weather-worn rocks surrounding you on all sides.

After thestrals and unicorns, Sebastian really shouldn't be surprised to learn that you have hippogriffs too, but he gasps in disbelief all the same when two of them come swooping down from the sky to land right in front of you, eager to be brushed and fed.

They're wary at first, only used to you, Natty, and Poppy from your daring rescue weekend last, watching Sebastian with a kind of cautious curiosity as he dips into a low bow, warm brown eyes fixed first to Highwing's golden gaze, and then Caligo's piercing bright blue. After a moment, the two of them bow their heads, allowing Sebastian to come stand beside you and brush them, Caligo affectionately nipping at the hood of Sebastian's cloak when he sneaks him a few extra treats from your bag of beast feed.

"Keep that up, and I bet he'll let you ride him in no time," you chuckle, plucking another loose feather from Highwing's bright white plumage and stowing it in the pocket of your cloak.

Sebastian turns to look at you, eyes wide with excitement.

Your lips quirk up in a smug smile.

"There's nothing quite like the view of the castle grounds from the back of a hippogriff," you sigh, mischief dancing in your eyes as you cast him a playful grin. "Want to see for yourself sometime?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Sebastian quips back, lips pulling up into a brilliant smile.

"Is it just the two of them in here, or are there any other surprises I should know ab—" Sebastian barks out a startled laugh as a bright white diricawl bursts into existence right beside him.

"Oh, hullo Gwyneira, nice of you to join us," you chuckle as the squat little bird marches up to the automatic feeder, bobbing and weaving without a trace of fear between the hippogriffs' taloned feet, and steals three helpings' worth of food before disappearing again with an audible pop.

You didn't think Sebastian's face had room for any more freckles, but after a long stretch of sitting at the edge of the beach, dark gray trousers rolled up to his knees, wool socks and worn leather boots discarded in favor of dipping his toes into the sand, tempting the water to come up and kiss the soles of his feet, you're proven quite wrong, a ruddy hue settling into the hollows of his cheeks as he squints against the blinding sunlight and watches in fascination as Caligo and Highwing take to the skies.

Eager to see where they're off to, the two of you make your way a little further east, where a large formation of rocks leads up a steep cliffside covered in a thick coat of lush greenery, cracked and crumbling steps ascending to the ruins of an old castle. It's a bit of a climb that's hell on both your knees, but the view at the top is well worth it, sunlight spilling over a landscape that seems to exist forever in the golden hour, rolling grasslands teeming with billywigs and honeybees buzzing about a colorful sweep of wildflowers, surrounded on all sides by majestic, snowcapped mountains.

Sebastian gazes out onto the horizon, elbows resting against the edge of the wooden guardrail fencing in the highest outlook of the clearing, mesmerized by the way the sunlight hits the glittering golds of Highwing's feathers and the cool blues of Caligo's as the two of them soar across the mountain range, when a flash of bright red wings swoops by overheard, wind curling its fingers through his hair.

"Is that— oh, there's no way," Sebastian gasps in unbridled excitement.

"Oh, did I forget to mention I have a phoenix?" you reply cooly, though your proud, beaming smile gives you away.

"Incredible," he says, a little breathless as he watches the legendary bird soar across the mountainous landscape. "Absolutely incredible."

He turns to look at you, sunlight catching against the back of his frame and igniting him in a soft golden glow, fixing you with a smile that's somehow even softer as he adds, "Every time I think I've seen everything, you always find a way to surprise me."

Sunlight spills across his features as he holds your gaze, kissing brand new freckles into the curves of his cheeks and the bow of his lips, and in that moment you've never been more jealous of the sun, longing to follow in its lead.

You're shaken out of the moment by a series of curious squeaks and whines, turning in time to see a family of nifflers eagerly waddling up the path toward you, keen to sniff you out and see if you've got anything valuable to nick. You introduce Sebastian to the felonious foursome — the infamous Irondale Pilferer, Calamity, his partner in crime, and their newborn twins, Mischief and Rascal. Sebastian greets them with a friendly smile, crouching down to tickle Mischief's belly and laughing when a handful of coins comes spilling out of her pouch. You tell him he's more than welcome to pocket them…if he can manage to keep them out of her brother's clutches.

Sebastian lets out a deep, contented sigh as he gazes out into the distance, watching as the sun slowly starts to slip beneath the mountains, bathing the clearing in hazy shades of citrus and rose.

"Blimey, how long have we been in here?" he laughs, glancing down at the edges of his nearly-dried cloak. "It feels so real in here, I'd honestly forgotten we're still in a room inside the castle, and haven't just traversed the whole of the highlands in the span of— what, a couple of hours? This place feels never-ending, it'll be a wonder if we ever manage to find our way back."

He glances over at you suddenly, a worried crease settling into his brow.

"Do you know the way back, or do we just live here now?" he asks, huffing out a nervous laugh.

"Come along, lost boy. Let's get you home," you tease, fixing him with a fond smile as you take him by the hand and lead him down a curved, winding pathway that twists around the cliff face of the clearing, tall grasses and fragrant wildflowers weaving between the pickets of the worn wooden guardrail, down down down until you reach a magnificent waterfall spilling out into a vast, glittering lake on the periphery of a familiar terrain.

As you climb down the last moss-covered boulder and make your way across the clearing, you spot Hazel curled up around her little foal, the two of them softly dozing under the shade of an oak tree, gentle sunlight spilling through its branches in a lazy waltz across the lush green grass.

Hand in hand, the two of you step back through the doorway opposite the edge of the forest, and into the heart of your starlit study.

Sebastian shakes his head like he's coming out of a trance, glancing back toward the sunlit doorway to double check it hadn't all just been a dream.

"An entire world — sorry, four entire worlds — existing inside a single room in the castle?" he marvels, breathless laughter rushing out of him as he glances around the study. "And you managed to set all this up in just two weeks?"

"Well, I had a lot of help," you're quick to assure him, not wanting to take all the credit. "From Deek and the room itself."

"But you're the one rescued all those creatures, and you chose all the decor, didn't you?" he insists, playfully knocking his shoulder against yours.

"I suppose that's true…" you relent, lips curving up in a proud smile as you glance around the room, sleek mahogany bookshelves lining nearly every wall, just waiting to be filled with all your favorites, moonlit sky casting shadows on the polished marble floor through the twisting greenery adorning the skylight up above.

"It's magnificent, by the way…your private study," he tells you, voice soft and low as he turns back to look at you.

"Our private study now, if you'd like," you correct him, mesmerized by the way the moonlight dances in his eyes.

"A secret room that's just ours alone? Oh, I like the sound of that very much," he says, voice close to a whisper now as he keeps his steady gaze fixed on yours.

It's easier to catch this time, now you're no longer under the spell of a Disillusionment Charm, the way his eyes trail down to your lips and linger there, just for a moment. Your tongue darts out to swipe across your bottom lip in instinctual anticipation, and you could almost swear you hear his breath hitch, hand gripping yours a little tighter.

And oh, you're going to do something very stupid if you don't snap yourself out of this right now.

"So," you prompt, embarrassed by how breathless you sound. "You promised to show me something forbidden tonight?"

Sebastian blinks, eyebrows jumping to his hairline.

"What?" he blurts out, half shocked disbelief, half breathless laughter.

Ah. You just clocked the way that sounded. Brilliant subject change. Spectacular choice of wording right there.

"You— you said you had a spell you wanted to show me?" you clarify, cheeks burning at the eager look in his eyes.

"Oh," Sebastian breathes, shoulders sagging a little. He shakes his head to try and clear it.

"Right, we should—" he falters, suddenly nervous, hand slipping out of yours as he makes his way into the middle of the study. (You try very hard not to mourn the loss, the space between your fingers a little too empty without his to fit perfectly between them.)

The look he gives you as he stands opposite you is apprehensive, posture worse than usual as he ducks his head down in an effort to appear smaller.

"So…" he starts, lips pulling up in a wincing smile. "I trust you remember a little spell called…" he swallows. "…the Imperius Curse?"

All the air rushes out of the room like a Dementor's kiss, fear lancing through you like slivers of ice, leaving pins and needles in its wake.

It's been over a year since the catacombs. You thought he'd put all that behind him.

"Sebastian…" you say his name like a warning.

Sebastian puts his hands up in surrender.

"Allow me to explain," he says softly. "Please."

You purse your lips, eyes narrowed. After a moment's deliberation, you let out a sharp sigh and give him an impatient look, your silence giving him permission to continue.

Sebastian breathes a sigh of relief and nods in gratitude.

"Okay, so…hear me out," he starts. "You and I have both known what we wanted to do since the end of our fifth year, yeah? But getting Outstandings in our O.W.L.s is only the beginning. If we're to have even a shot at surviving life as Curse-Breakers, then we need to be prepared for what's out there."

"Even— no, especially— all the things the school deems too dangerous for us to even know about. Honestly, what's the use in Defence Against The Dark Arts if they're not going to teach us how to properly defend ourselves against the Dark Arts?" Sebastian scoffs, rolling his eyes as he riles himself up over his longstanding disdain for the curriculum.

Your lips twitch into a small smile in spite of yourself.

Sebastian shakes his head and lets out a wearying sigh, reeling himself back in, gaze softening as he turns back to look at you.

"Listen, I know you didn't want to learn it last time…but this time, I really think you should," he insists, solemn conviction laced with an undercurrent of soft, desperate pleading. "Not for the purpose of using it on anyone, but so you can understand how it works, the kind of power that comes with wielding it, and most importantly, how to fight against it, so that if anyone is ever fool enough to cast it on you, you won't be so easily subject to their whims."

A shudder runs through the both of you at the very thought, Sebastian bristling with a kind of fierce protectiveness you've only ever seen him display for a few choice souls — his twin sister, his oldest friend, and you.

"And the other two curses?" you ask tentatively, voice low and quiet as your vision swirls with sparks of acid green and crackling carmine, a phantom burst of pain unlike anything else in this world rippling across your abdomen as the memory of cold stone beneath your hands and knees overwhelms you. "Would you have me fight against those, too?"

"No!" Sebastian says a little too sharply, terror flashing in his eyes.

He takes a deep breath, grounding himself.

"The only one I feel even remotely comfortable casting on one another is the Imperius Curse. In the right hands, it's the only one that isn't inexorably harmful…the only one anyone's ever been able to fight against. With the other two, it's really just a matter of…of dodging it," he swallows thickly, a flash of guilt tightening his jaw. "Or…or enduring it."

Sebastian's expression darkens and you know he's thinking back to the Scriptorium again, his reaction so raw and visceral it's as though you're back on a different stone floor, tears drenching the hood of your cloak as he'd clung to you, shoulders shaking in violent, body-wracking sobs.

It's not as though he's made peace with what happened with his uncle, or that he feels more remorse for one grievance over the other. You suppose it's just a little easier to contend with your past mistakes, to quiet the voices of all the people you've wronged, when you don't have to look one of them in the eye every day…when they've been nothing but kind and loyal to you, and all you did in return was repeatedly let them down.

And you know, because he's told you countless times now, that there isn't a single day that goes by where he doesn't wish it'd been him instead, that he should've fought harder against your refusal to cast it on him. But that's an empty regret, because even if you had to go back and do it all over again, you still never would have let him be the one to take it.

"I'll never cast that spell on you ever again," he says, broken, choking. "Once was already too much. I'm so—"

"I know you are," you tell him softly, the same words you've repeated countless times since that quiet little moment in the Undercroft at the end of your fifth year.

You'd kept in touch over the summer, too eager to hear from him to follow through on any half-baked notions of needing space. And a good thing, too — Sebastian, it seemed, was just as keen to hear from you in return. He'd written dozens of letters — two, three, four, sometimes five times a week, if his owl was feeling up to it (though according to one of his letters, she'd start biting his fingers if he ever reached for his quill a sixth time in the span of a single week.)

He never veered toward the topic of your magic or what happened down in the catacombs, content to talk at length about the mundanities of your day instead, asking after your fancy new life in London living all on your own in the flat Fig had left you in his will, commiserating over the hardships of settling a late loved one's affairs. He never seemed bored in the slightest, even when you felt you were droning on about nothing, always happy to hear what you've been up to, even on the days you never left the house. To Sebastian, it seemed no subject could be exhausted, especially when it came to you.

In each new letter, he'd oh-so-casually ask about one of your favorite things, from sweets to flowers to the muggle authors you'd grown up reading, and every week, you'd find a little hand-wrapped parcel among his many letters — a box of sugar quills or a chocolate frog he'd picked up in Hogsmeade the weekend before, a bright blue jobberknoll feather he'd found at a nearby den and fashioned into a quill, fresh honeysuckles and hyacinths from his neighbor's garden pressed between the pages of a quote he'd scribbled down from one of your favorite books, along with an essay on why he liked it.

He'd been keen to keep you up-to-date on how he'd been faring too, eager to keep busy and make himself useful, helping his neighbors with various errands and tasks they might need done, tending to livestock and community gardens, helping to fix up the hamlet in the wake of loyalist destruction. He spoke like he was desperate to prove himself, prove he was keeping his word. A few times, you couldn't help but giggle at the way he sounded like an overzealous suitor trying to woo his intended, keen to sell up his accomplishments.

At first, you'd thought it was simply because he was lonely, that you were his only correspondent, but then Ominis finally broke his silence in July (insisting in his letters to you that given the choice between his family's company and Sebastian's, he supposed he'd rather tolerate the latter, and not because he missed the impish bastard, or anything — his words) followed by a tentative hope you're well from Anne in August. Though she hadn't quite been ready to forgive him back then, Anne was still anxious to know how her brother was faring, not-so-subtly asking if you'd heard from him in her owls to you, and, according to Anne's letters, getting an earful from one of her former neighbors.

After Anne left Feldcroft, she'd kept in touch with one of the neighbors she'd always been closest to — a kindly old woman who used to send over home-cooked stews when Anne and Sebastian first arrived on Solomon's doorstep, and who'd apparently been singing Sebastian's praises all summer for all the hard work that nice young man had been doing to help cut back on the gnome infestation threatening to overtake her rose garden.

Evidently, there were only so many times Anne could bear to hear about that poor boy's crumpled face every time the old woman mentioned Anne's name in passing, how sweet it was that he missed his twin, but wished her luck in her travels as she took a much-needed respite to mourn the loss of their uncle, opting to stay behind and look after the estate, that she'd finally broken and decided to send him a letter. Just one line — hope you're well — but to Sebastian, it was everything.

And yet, the frequency with which he wrote to you never wavered. If anything, it'd given him even more to talk about.

You remember how excited he'd been for term to start back up again — it was all the two of you seemed to be able to talk about in the days leading up to September. You'd grown so used to his presence, even if it was only through letters, that the stroll through Diagon Alley felt rather lonely without him, as did the train ride from King's Cross (though an afternoon of stories, snacks, and Exploding Snap with Ominis, Poppy, Natty, Garreth, and Amit certainly made for a lovely journey through the countryside) but seeing as he could easily get all his supplies in Hogsmeade and simply use the Floo Network to travel to the castle, it seemed rather silly to invite him to come all the way to London, just to go all the way back.

You remember the way the floor fell out from underneath you the first time you saw him again — teeth as white as a Patronus Charm against the sun-kissed glow of his skin, an impossible surplus of freckles scattered across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, spilling into the curves of his dimples as his lips pulled up into a bright smile, warm brown eyes lit up like afternoon sunlight across the forest floor, somehow even taller and stronger than he'd been only a few months prior as he'd rushed toward you and lifted you off your feet in a dizzying hug, shivers dancing down your spine as he'd buried his face into the crook of your neck and whispered, "Merlin, I've missed you."

By then, you'd finally begun to admit to yourself that maybe, quite possibly, you might have developed something of a small crush on your closest friend. This moment clearly endeavored to whack you round the back of the head with it.

Laughter caught like honey in the back of your throat as you'd pulled back to look at him, cheeks burning like you'd just hugged a living Confringo blast, and said, "Thought you'd be sick of me by now. We only wrote each other every day."

But Sebastian's sincerity only grew stronger.

"Never. Much as I looked forward to your letters, it's not the same as getting to see you in person. Merlin, can't believe it's been almost three months since I last saw you. You look—"

Sebastian paused, eyes lingering on the silken spill of your hair as it cascaded down your shoulders, longer now and out of its usual braid, the healthy glow that had blossomed across your cheeks from all those downtown strolls in the warm summer sun, same bright eyes, same soft smile you always seemed to reserve just for him.

"I sure hope the end of that sentence is good," you'd teased in the wake of the silence that stretched between you, momentarily worried you had some leftover pumpkin pasty on your face, or forgotten to repair a singe in your cloak.

But then Sebastian had let out the softest laugh, ducking his head in a sheepish grin and peering up at you through his lashes. And Merlin, how your heart raced.

"That's one word for it. Good. You look good," he said softly.

He looked at you for a moment longer, lips pulling up into a soft — dare you call it adoring — smile. And then he shook his head, and in the next instant it was gone, replaced by something sharper, cheekier.

"Though it appears you've somehow gotten even shorter since the last time I saw you," he added in a teasing lilt, lifting his arm and settling it atop your head as though you were a particularly moody armrest.

"Or you just shot up over the summer, you bloody tree," you'd quipped, wriggling out from under his arm, only for it to fall around your shoulders and stay there until they called for everyone to take their seats for the start of term feast.

Sebastian's laughter lanced through you like a bolt of lightning, and you spent far more time than you'd care to admit lying awake later that night wondering whether he'd planned it.

The next morning, you awoke to find him waiting for you bright and early outside of your common room, in the midst of a heated debate with the eagle doorknocker over the answer to the riddle when is a door not a door?

"When it's ajar," you'd answered as you stepped out into the corridor, eagerly accepting the freshly-baked croissant held out in his hand.

"That's—" Sebastian blurted out, flustered. "How is that more of a correct answer than a portrait? Ever heard of the Fat Lady? The painting of the ticklish pear? The doorways to both the kitchen and the Gryffindor common room are literally hidden behind a portrait. So technically, my answer was correct."

You'd never seen a doorknocker look so exhausted.

"Does this little serpent belong to you?" the bronze eagle asked you as it cast a wearying glance at Sebastian.

Now that's one hell of a riddle.

"I— yes. He's with me. Sorry," you answered quickly, turning on your heel and steering Sebastian down the corridor before the doorknocker decided to exact vengeance by locking you out of your common room later that night.

You glanced over at the serpent in question, shit-eating grin spread across his ruddy cheeks.

"Sebastian," you prompted as you took in the sight of him, out of breath as he greeted you with a cheeky hello you. "Do you know how many staircases it takes to get from Slytherin Dungeon to Ravenclaw Tower?"

"Oh bloody hell, not another riddle," Sebastian groaned.

"Seventeen," you replied, cheeks aching from the effort of trying not to laugh. "Seventeen staircases. And you climbed all of them this morning just to…what, argue the merits of what makes for a good riddle with my house's doorknocker? You do know I could've just met you in the Great Hall, right? You didn't have to go to all the trouble."

The redness in the hollows of his cheeks spread like wildfire across the bridge of his nose, nearly drowning out the smattering of freckles there.

"Well yeah, I could've just waited downstairs," he brushed it off with false bravado. "But I figured it's only right I escort my charge to her first day of classes. It is a special occasion, after all."

"Is it, now?" you asked, smile growing even wider.

"It is," he quipped. "Did you know it's officially been one whole year since the day we met?" he asked, puffing out his chest with a kind of pride that made your stomach swoop like you just fell through the vanishing step in the grand staircase.

"You mean since I knocked you on your arse?" you teased around a mouthful of warm flaky pastry and rich chocolate.

Sebastian pouted at you and made a grab to take back his croissant, barking out a laugh when you shrieked and proceeded to shove the entire thing into your mouth.

"The very picture of grace," he'd mused, smile fit to bursting as you stuck your tongue out at him.

"Speaking of which," he added, smile turning sly. "I think it's high time we had a rematch, wouldn't you?"

"Eager to make losing to me a yearly tradition?" you smirked.

"You wish," he snorted, smile fond as he rolled his eyes. "Meet me in the Undercroft after your last class, and we'll set the record back to rights."

"I look forward to sweeping you off your feet again," you countered with a playful smile.

Sebastian's eyebrows drew up the slightest fraction, lips pulling into a soft, amused smile as he let out a sound that was half hum, half laughter.

"Here's hoping one of these days I can manage to do the same," he'd mused, all the air rushing out of your lungs in a single breath as he took a step closer and reached out to swipe his thumb across your lower lip.

You had half a mind to wonder whether the duel had begun early, whether he'd been practicing wandless, nonverbal spells over the summer, and had struck you unawares with a combination of ice and fire charms, heart pounding in your chest as you watched his tongue dart out to lick a dab of melted chocolate off the edge of his thumb, darkened gaze locked on yours the whole time.

"See you then," he said, the low hum of his laughter stirring something that felt an awful lot like wings in the pit of your stomach, threatening to burst out of you and chase him down the corridor as you watched him walk away.

It took you five whole minutes to find your way to your first class, despite the fact that he'd literally walked you to the door.

You were still in a bit of a daze when you'd strolled through the sliding gate several hours later, hair wild from a particularly humid session in Potions brewing your first-ever N.E.W.T. level Draught Of Living Death, a streak of dirt on your nose from wrangling a screaming mandrake into a fresh pot of soil in Herbology — at least, that's the excuse you'd told yourself when Sebastian caught you off guard in the middle of your rematch, knocking you off your feet with a well-timed Depulso that had absolutely nothing to do with the way his forearms flexed beneath his rolled-up sleeves.

The spell hit you directly in the stomach and had you gasping like you'd just been struck by a charging graphorn. You vaguely registered the clattering of a dropped wand against worn stone, and in the next moment, Sebastian was on his knees beside you, hands reaching out reflexively and then faltering in midair, like he wasn't sure what to do, whether he was allowed to touch you.

You'd laughed it off, relieved for that first rush of air back into your lungs, head swiveling to where he kneeled beside you, preparing to see a sheepish grin, a wincing apology made less effective by a triumphant, gloating smirk, but all you saw when you looked into the eyes of your best friend was sheer terror, and you knew in an instant where his mind had gone.

Sebastian's gaze flitted between your eyes and the place you'd been hit — the very same spot his Cruciatus Curse had struck you less than a year prior.

"Oh Sebastian, it's okay," you reassured him, wincing at the slight wheeze to your voice. "I'm fine, see? It wasn't anything like—"

Sebastian's lower lip trembled, and in the next moment you'd been pulled into a tight embrace, shaking in his arms as seismic sobs wracked his entire body, an endless chorus of I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please forgive me spilling from his lips.

You'd held him back just as tight, assuring him between gentle strokes of his hair that you'd long forgiven him, that you knew he didn't have a choice.

"But I did have a choice," he argued, pulling back to fix you with a red-rimmed scowl. "I led you down there. I insisted. I'm the one who got us into that impossible situation in the first place. I made so many terrible choices, and all that time I let myself believe it was worth it because I thought I was doing the right thing. But in the end, all I did was hurt the people I—" he faltered, swallowing around a sharp burst of nerves that only had half to do with the guilt welling up inside him.

"I've had all summer to relive what I did to you…to everyone," he whispered softly, haunted by ghosts both living and dead as he'd looked into your eyes.

It's the same way he looks at you now, desperate and pleading for forgiveness you've already granted him, absolution he still won't allow himself.

You know how much he regrets it, how deeply it haunts him, even now. You know he's changed, learned from his past mistakes, determined never to repeat them. You know you can trust him. So if Sebastian wants you to learn one of the Unforgivable Curses, then you have to trust that it must be for good reason.

"So you're telling me it's actually possible to fight against the Imperius Curse?" you ask, still wary, but, you'll begrudgingly admit, curiosity effectively piqued. "How in Merlin's name did you ever learn how to do that?"

Sebastian lets out a breath he'd likely been holding that entire time, some of the tension unraveling from his shoulders as his lips pull into a smile like he's relieved you're still standing here with him, eager to share in something new he's learned like it's just another trip to the Restricted Section.

"Well, as you may have noticed, our dear friend Ominis is not exactly thrilled about our choice of career," Sebastian starts, and you can't help the small smile that curls across your lips as a litany of passive aggressive comments about how he'd better not see the two of you anywhere near the Janus Thickey Ward when he starts his residency in June, comes flooding into your memory. Sebastian clocks your smile and his lips twitch into one of his own.

"Keeps lamenting about how he wishes we'd choose something less dangerous," he adds, rolling his eyes in a show of fond amusement. "But that if we absolutely must, then he'd rather we go in fully prepared for what's out there. I'd assumed he was just going to help us practice a few defensive spells, offer to teach us some of the healing charms he's been learning shadowing Nurse Blainey. Imagine my surprise when Ominis Gaunt, self-proclaimed opposer of anything to do with the Dark Arts, offers to teach me the ins and outs of the Imperius Curse."

That certainly does surprise you, helping to put whatever remains of your unsettled nerves at ease. You know Ominis would never agree, let alone be the one to suggest practicing dark magic unless he truly felt it would be beneficial, unless he truly believed Sebastian could be trusted with such a thing.

"We've been practicing nearly every night in the Undercroft for the past several weeks," Sebastian goes on to explain. "I'd have told you sooner, but I didn't want to risk subjecting you to such a spell until I'd grown comfortable using it myself, fighting against its effects. Now that I have…would you like to see how it's done?"

A frisson runs down your spine, and you're not entirely sure whether it's thrill, fear, or some strange combination of the two. You swallow, only trusting yourself to nod.

"Alright then, draw your wand," he instructs, taking a few tentative steps closer until he's standing right behind you, gentle hands wrapping around the wrist of your dominant hand and bringing it into the air alongside his own.

"We'll begin with the wand movements so you can establish muscle memory," he says, warm breath ghosting across the back of your neck as he speaks in a low, soothing voice, sending shivers that have nothing to do with the forbidden magic you're about to perform racing down the length of your spine.

Together, you aim for the opposite wall, following his directions as he speaks them aloud. Arc up…left…up at a sharp diagonal to the right…and then straight back down in a figure four.

After you've completed your first circuit, Sebastian takes a step back and allows you to practice a few more times on your own, making sure you've got the movements just right.

"Good," he says, sounding impressed, but not altogether surprised. "Perfect form, in fact."

You can't help the automatic smile that curves across your lips at his praise.

"Now to put it into practice," he prompts, drawing his own wand from the inside pocket of his cloak and turning round to face you.

"Do you trust me?" he asks softly, fixing you with a serious, almost pleading look, like if you answer no it's as good as casting Crucio.

"You know I do," you answer automatically. Because even though you're still a little nervous at the prospect of delving into darker forms of magic, there's no one you'd rather learn it from.

Sebastian's eyes crinkle in a grateful smile, before quickly shifting back to something more serious.

"Alright then," he says, taking a deep, steadying breath. "Prepare yourself, I'm going to cast it on you."

"I'm ready," you tell him, standing with your spine a little straighter, wand at your side.

"Imperio," he intones, wand flicking through the air in the pattern he'd just taught you.

The effect is instantaneous, a serene sort of blankness settling over your mind like you're floating through the clouds, a comfortable warmth akin to dozing off in front of the fireplace spreading throughout your entire body. Then, clear as a bell, you hear Sebastian's voice ring out inside your head, instructing you to walk over to your desk and bring him back an apple from the bowl set atop. Without even questioning it, you do so, legs moving of their own accord.

"Finite," he says as you come to a sudden stop in front of him, a bright red honeycrisp apple held out in offering in the palm of your hand. The floating high disappears instantly, leaving you feeling out of sorts, a little dazed as you stare down at the apple, almost as if you'd dreamed you'd gone to fetch it.

"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" he asks, checking you over like he's the one preparing for a Healer's career. "It can be a little overwhelming when you first experience it. Part of why I asked you to bring that," he adds, pointing down at the apple. "The sugars will help you recover."

Sebastian's always had a bit of a sweet tooth, but the sudden uptick in the sheer amount of sugar quills you'd seen stuck between his teeth as of late suddenly makes a lot more sense. Slowly, as though testing the bounds of being back in control of your own limbs, you lift the apple to your lips and take a small bite, mulling over his question.

"It was…strange," you decide, aware that's the biggest understatement of the century. "I know I should've been scared, but instead I felt oddly serene."

"That's what it does to you," Sebastian nods solemnly. "Lulls you into a false sense of security. Tricks your mind into complacency, like you're merely a vessel and someone else is steering the ship."

"I can see how it earned the name unforgivable," you agree with a grimace. "I reckon the only reason I'm not nearly as unnerved as I should be right now is because I knew you were the one casting it."

"That's exactly why I wanted to be the one to teach you," he says with renewed conviction. "In order to learn how to defend ourselves against it, it's important to practice with someone we trust."

"Which is why," he adds with a wry chuckle. "You're going to be the one casting it on me next."

Your lips part in surprise. Even though you knew it was coming, it still catches you off guard.

"Are— are you sure?" you ask warily.

"Course I am," he reassures you with a confident grin. "As I said, it's important to know what it feels like from both sides, understand the kind of power you wield."

You stare at him for a moment, mulling it over, and then give him a curt nod, taking a few steps back to allow enough room for a safe cast.

"Remember, you have to mean it," he reminds you, stowing his wand in his pocket and standing in front of you with his arms behind his back. "Concentrate. Think the command very clearly in your mind."

You take a deep breath as you square your shoulders, assume your stance, and raise your wand.

"Alright, I'm going to cast it," you tell him, giving him the same warning he'd granted you.

"I'm ready," he assures you in an echo of your words.

"Imperio," you say aloud, and a warm weight like you've just been handed the reigns to the carriage of Helios himself settles into your dominant hand. The effect on your intended target is immediate, spine straightening as he stands to attention, an eerie green glow flickering to life in the heart of his warm brown eyes.

You nearly lose your nerve when you see it, an overwhelming, all-consuming realization that you're completely in control of another human being settling into the pit of your stomach like lead, terrified that one wrong move could potentially hurt your dearest friend. But then you remind yourself that he's the one who asked you to cast it on him, that you're learning this spell for a reason, and so you close your eyes and clear your mind, focusing on the task at hand.

Walk over to the desk and bring back one of Highwing's feathers, and then place it behind my ear, your own voice rings out inside your head, clear as crystal. You open your eyes in time to see Sebastian already on the move, watching with a kind of macabre fascination as he does exactly as you'd commanded.

"Finite," you say the moment you feel the quill gently slide into place behind your left ear — though at first you wonder whether you've done it right, when Sebastian doesn't immediately withdraw his hand, instead letting it linger to brush back a lock of hair and tuck it behind your ear to join the bright white feather. You're saved from worry when he clears his throat a moment later, the bridge of his nose dusted in a curious shade of pink.

"A perfect first cast," he tells you, and although you don't necessarily want to be proud that you'd gotten such a dark spell right on your very first try, you can't help but preen a little at his praise.

"Now, I want you to try it again, but this time, let's focus on recitation," he says, backing up a few paces and resuming his stance from before. "Think the words very clearly inside your mind and watch as they come spilling out of my mouth as though we were a living ventriloquist act," he quips, lips curling up in a wry smile.

Used to his rather dark sense of humor in light of things he should probably take a bit more seriously, you merely smirk and roll your eyes.

After another steadying breath, you lift your wand and cast it again, beginning with a simple, "Hi, my name is Sebastian Sallow, and I'm a seventh year Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," watching in equal parts wonder and horror as he repeats every word you'd just been thinking in perfect recitation.

That's what an utterly ridiculous idea comes to you, and, curious to test the bounds of the enchantment beyond mere facts and figures, you instruct him to say something you know he never would of his own accord.

"Hello, I'm Sebastian Mallowsweet, and cockroach clusters are my favorite treat in all the world! I can't wait to buy a whole barrel from Honeydukes the next time I'm in Hogsmeade," Sebastian repeats in a bright, cheerful voice that makes you giggle so hard you nearly slip up and lose your hold on the spell, but not before you get him to add in a hearty, "Perhaps I'll share some with my best mate, Duncan Hobhouse, the bravest man I've ever known."

"Finite," you manage between poorly-stifled bouts of laughter.

"Oh, that's just cruel," Sebastian chides you with a playful scowl, shaking himself out of the enchantment.

"I'm not sure what's worse, the image of a whole barrel of cockroach clusters, or the idea of voluntarily spending time with Puffskein Dunkein," he adds with a sharper shudder toward the latter. "Rest assured I'll get you back for that heinous slander."

At this point you're a lost cause, laughing so hard it's like you've downed a dozen shots of giggle water, shoulders shaking as you struggle to regain composure. Try as he might, Sebastian can't even pretend to be cross with you, lips quirking up at the corners in a fond smile.

"It's a power feeling, isn't it?" he asks softly, giving you an appraising look, curious to see how you'll answer.

"Is it bad that I sort of enjoyed it?" you ask, wincing as though you've just admitted something wicked.

Sebastian studies you for a moment, choosing his next words very carefully.

"There's nothing wrong with the thrill that comes with learning a bit of forbidden magic," he says thoughtfully. "As long as you're responsible about how you use it."

"Some people learn that lesson through trial and error," he continues, lips twisting into a self-effacing frown. "And to some, it just comes naturally. Given that I am speaking to the person who had the chance to take one of the most powerful sources of magic known to wizardkind and keep it all to herself, but chose not to…I think it's safe to say you've more than proven yourself."

Your lips pull up in a small, grateful smile.

"And let's not forget one very important caveat: I gave you full permission to cast it on me and make me say whatever you wanted," he reminds you. "So let me ask you this: would you ever cast it on me without my consent?"

"Of course not!" you answer without hesitation, scandalized by the very thought.

"There you go," he says with a reassuring smile. "So, no, you're not a bad person for enjoying that little moment of power, because in the end, all you did was make a friend say something silly."

"But the kinds of people who usually wield this type of spell…well, let's just say their intentions aren't quite so whimsical," he says, grounding you back in a sharper reality, the chilling warning like a gust of wind through lantern light, reminding just how dark and twisted the path through the woods can be.

"Which is precisely why you're learning it," he says with bright conviction. "So you can understand the dangers of it, learn how to fight against it."

"Now, with your permission, I'm going to cast it again, and this time, I want you to try to break it, alright? Concentrate on channeling your own wants and needs, making your own voice louder than the one giving the commands."

You give him a firm nod of affirmation, wand held steady at your side.

"Ready?" he asks.

"Ready," you reply.

Sebastian raises his wand.

You brace yourself for it this time, try to shake yourself out of the fog the moment it hits. Just before you slip under, you see Sebastian's lips curl upward in a mischievous smirk, dark eyes glinting with mirth. It doesn't take long for you to figure out why, when, true to his promise to get you back for your little cockroach clusters prank, the words, "Sebastian Sallow is the best in our year — a dueling champion, clever as Merlin, graceful as a phoenix on the wind," come tumbling out of your mouth without your approval.

You concentrate all your effort on trying to break his hold on you, your own voice snorting with laughter inside your head as you recall that first day in Defence Against The Dark Arts when you'd knocked that cocky little smirk clean off his face with a single blow. Dueling champion, my arse.

That little burst of your own laughter grounds you, gives you clarity, strengthens your resolve to push back against the commanding voice inside your head, until you feel the curse's hold on you start to weaken, little by little, like the steady tick tick tick of an unlocking charm, before all the right tumblers and springs click into place.

Spell broken, you decide that the best way to get Sebastian back is to take his own ostentatious accolades a step further, hand over your heart as you pretend to swoon, sighing, "Devilishly charming, too. I would gladly spend hours charting constellations in the freckles that adorn his handsome face."

"With my lips," you add with a salacious wink to really drive it home, delighting in the way his whole face goes up in flames, burning brighter than a Confringo blast.

(The fact that it's all true is irrelevant. The point of the thing is to tease him, and judging by the stupefied look on his face, you've succeeded.)

"I—" Sebastian falters, embarrassingly breathless. "Hang on, I didn't tell you to say any of that!"

"That's right!" you exclaim, doubled over laughing for the second time in as many minutes. "I'd already broken your hold on me, that was me having a lark," you tell him, beaming with pride.

Sebastian looks relieved and disappointed all at once.

"That's…that's amazing," he manages. "Broke free from the enchantment on your very first try. You really are something special, you know that?"

You sweep into a low, theatrical bow like a performer on a stage, lips curving up in a smile when he snorts with laughter.

"Alright now, don't get cocky," he chides with a playful roll of his eyes. "While that was excellent for a first try, I still managed to get in a few commands before you broke the enchantment. So, we're going to keep practicing until you're able to completely throw it off from the get-go, alright?"

"Yes, professor," you tease him, stifling one last bout of giggles as he levels you with an admonishing arch of his eyebrow, though the fond upturn of his lips gives him away.

"Cheeky," he chuckles, shaking his head.

You can't help but stick your tongue out at him, further proving his point.

"Now, as you'll have no doubt noticed, fighting off verbal vs. physical commands requires different levels of concentration and technique," he continues, assuming a professorial stance in spite of (or perhaps, unconsciously, because of) your playful commentary. "One is merely a matter of holding your tongue, but it's a different game entirely having to fight for control over the entire rest of your body."

"With that said, I'm going to cast it again," he warns, wand at the ready. "And this time, I want you to practice fighting against a physical command."

"Ready?" he asks, checking in one last time.

"Ready," you nod, back straight as you prepare for the incantation.

"Imperio," he says, and in an instant, that same serene blankness creeps in, only this time, it's like you can make out distinct shapes in the fog, growing clearer and clearer the harder you focus, the more you ground yourself, holding fast to your own thoughts, your own feelings, your own desires.

His task is simple — button his cloak and straighten his tie.

You feel your feet start to move toward him, hands raising to complete the command, when—

No, your own voice rings out, loud and clear. I don't want to do that.

Your hands settle over the front of his cloak, pausing as they inch closer to the open clasp.

Button my cloak and straighten my tie, Sebastian's voice calls out again, more insistent this time. But the voice that answers — your voice — is so much louder and stronger.

No, you stand your ground, snapping back with a triumphant laugh. No, I really don't think I will.

In fact, that's the last thing I want to do right now, you muse, lips curving upward in a cheeky grin.

A heady rush of defiance and determination surges through your veins, lighting up all your nerve endings like a live wire, and in your eagerness to rebel against the enchantment, you end up doing the complete opposite of Sebastian's request, hands sliding under the fabric of his cloak and slipping it off of his shoulders in one swift, fluid sweep, silk-lined wool pooling at his feet as you dive straight for his necktie, making a fine mess of the striped emerald and silver satin in your eager attempts to loosen it, fingers curling around smooth silk and giving it a gentle tug to urge him closer, unraveling until it's completely come undone, spilling into the hood of his cloak.

You can't help but notice how pretty and pale his throat looks beneath it, adam's apple straining with each swallow, caught on the edge of a soft, stuttered groan as you slide your hands up the length of his chest, fingertips dancing across the back of his neck and threading through the soft chestnut curls at his nape. Your eyes follow the movement with a needy, yearning kind of hunger, consumed by the thought of how much prettier it would look littered with pink and purple bruises in the shape of your lips.

A sharp intake of breath sends your senses into overdrive, head swimming in an intoxicating blend of spearmint and strawberry sugar quills lingering on the edge of his lips and the tip of his tongue, and suddenly all you can focus on is how badly you want to taste it. The words kiss me ring out inside your head, desperate and longing, and for a moment, you can't tell whether it's his voice or your own imagination, caught up in a fantasy you've been playing out inside your head for the past two and a half years.

Whatever remains of the enchantment's hold on you is immediately withdrawn, sobriety washing back over you like a sudden plunge into a freezing lake, stumbling forward as Sebastian takes a few cautionary steps back. Instinctively, he reaches out to steady you, gentle hands prying yours from around the collar of his button-up shirt. He holds them there between the two of you for a moment, and then slowly glances down, letting out a small gasp when he realizes he's touching you, and immediately pulls away like he's just been burned.

He looks at you like he's afraid of you, eyes wide with panic and shame, a fiery red heat blossoming in the hollows of his cheeks.

For a moment, you're terrified you've crossed some sort of line, turned his stomach with the regret of having to eat his own words, all that lavish praise he'd bestowed upon you, all those gallant notions of a natural proclivity for responsibility, moral compass thrown off course by the magnet that always seems to pull you toward him.

Your mind reels as you struggle to process what just happened, one little moment changing the course of everything in the space of a few seconds. It all happened so fast — one minute you were fighting against the enchantment, and the next, your hands were in his hair, all sense lost to everything but how soft it felt beneath your fingertips, swept up in the way those warm brown eyes fixed on yours like he burned for you, sunlit warmth and dulcet sugar ghosting across your lips with each breath, and suddenly all you could think about was how desperately you wanted to kiss him, so focused on channeling your own thoughts and feelings into a shield to defend yourself against the curse, you unwittingly summoned everything you've ever wanted to the surface, all those long-held desires you've tried so hard to keep buried, unearthed.

You open your mouth to apologize for getting carried away, scrambling to come up with a reasonable explanation that doesn't involve spilling your deepest secrets, pouring your heart out to the man who's held it captive for years, hoping like hell the connection severed before he heard those stupid little words ring out inside your head, that you haven't completely ruined your friendship — but before you get the chance, he's the one who starts talking, a litany of apologies falling from his lips at a dizzying speed, promising you that he would never, ever use Imperio to make you kiss him of all things, begging you to trust him.

You blink in surprise. What's he on about? Of course you trust him. That was never in question. He's mischievous, certainly, a silver-tongued charmer when he wants to get his way, but you know he would never do anything as villainous as use potions or spells to try to get someone to…to…

Oh.

So you hadn't imagined it, then.

His thoughts. His words. His voice. Wrapped so sweetly around those two little words.

Kiss me.

Not a command, but a subconscious desire, just like yours.

Sebastian wanted you to kiss him.

A mad, blissful smile spreads across your face, heart pounding in your throat as it threatens to leap right out of your chest. Your lips part, willing the right words to come, to assure him it's more than alright, but his anxious steamrolling doesn't give you the chance.

"I'm sorry," Sebastian cries, agonized. "I'm so sorry. You have to believe me, I would never take advantage of you like that. I swear to you it wasn't intentional, I just got carried away in the moment and it sort of slipped out. Beautiful girl tugging at my clothes like that, soft hands running through my hair, the way your eyes sort of burned when you looked at me, I—"

His expression softens to something you'd dare call smitten, lips curving upward in a big, goofy grin as he plays it back, and then quickly shakes his head, admonishing himself.

"Merlin, there I go again," he sighs, wincing in embarrassment as he chances a glance at you, an earnest longing burning in his eyes that makes your heart ache with the need to reach out and touch him. "I've tried so hard for so long to keep my feelings in check, because I know you don't feel the same way, and the last thing I want to do is jeopardize our friendship, so I—"

You're certain the end of that sentence would've been lovely and heartfelt, but you'll never know for sure, the rest of his words swallowed in a soft, surprised oh as you rush forward, closing the distance between you and pressing your lips against his. It's soft and small and tentative, hands gently cradling the sides of his face to keep you both steady, but when you pull back a moment later, Sebastian looks at you like he's just been Confunded, his face an adorable blend between shocked and hopeful, sun-kissed freckles spilling into the curves of his dimples as his lips curve into a bright, blissful smile.

And then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it's gone, replaced by apprehension and disbelief.

"Wait," Sebastian falters, holding you back at arm's length and looking you over with the same care and consideration he'd shown the first time he cast the curse on you, concern etched into his narrowed eyebrows. "Are you still under my spell?"

You can't help the smirk that curls across your lips at his choice of wording.

"In a manner of speaking," you reply, sly smile turning soft as you reassure him, "but not in the way you're thinking."

Sebastian blinks at you, confused.

"Then why would you…do that?" he asks, like he genuinely can't believe you'd kiss him of your own accord.

"Because I wanted to," you tell him, and the weight of it makes you laugh like you're about to cry. "I've wanted to kiss you for so long, Sebastian, you have no idea."

Sebastian's breath comes out in a sharp burst, redolent of that same euphoric laughter bubbling up inside your chest.

"How long?" he asks.

"Since you took the fall for me that night we got caught sneaking into the Restricted Section," you tell him, smiling fondly at the memory.

"The first time, that is," you add with a wry chuckle.

Sebastian lets out a disbelieving laugh, raking a hand through his hair and grinning at you like he would gladly go back and do it all over again.

"And you?" you ask tentatively, hardly daring to believe this is actually happening.

Sebastian's lips pull up into a playful smile.

"About five seconds after you knocked me on my arse during our first duel."

Now it's your turn to let out a surprised laugh. All that time you spent thinking your feelings were one-sided, and he's the one who fell first.

"It took you five whole seconds?" you tease, slipping easily back into your usual banter, reveling in the fact that you can freely flirt with him now.

Sebastian snorts with laughter.

"Yes, well…if you'll recall, I was rather stupid back then," he heaves a dramatic sigh. "After all, it took me two and half years to finally work up the nerve to kiss you."

"I'm the one who kissed you," you remind him, quirking an amused eyebrow at him.

"Ah, still besting me, I see," he chuckles, warm breath ghosting across your lips as he takes a step closer.

"Oh, but I wonder…do I still have the power to knock you on your arse?" you tease in a soft, low murmur.

His eyes do a slow, deliberate sweep down to your lips, tongue darting out to lick his own in anticipation, before slowly trailing back up to meet your eyes.

"Every time you smile at me," he replies with a cheeky smirk.

"You charming bastard," you chide him, laughter swallowed up in another kiss as he leans forward to press his lips against yours.

"Mmm, that reminds me," Sebastian murmurs in between stolen kisses, smiling against your lips as you let out a needy whimper, already addicted to the way he tastes.

"So, earlier…when you called me devilishly charming and told me you wanted to — what was it — chart constellations in the freckles that adorn my handsome face…you really meant that?" he teases, positively beaming.

The look on his face is so smug, you're torn between wanting to knock him on his arse again, and wanting to kiss the stupid smirk right off his stupid, handsome face. (Though you already know which one is going to win out.)

"Oh, fuck off," you laugh. "Yes, I think you're handsome and charming—"

"Devilishly so."

"Yes, yes, you absolute menace. I think we've well and truly established that I like you," you wave him off, rolling your eyes in fond amusement. "Now, shut up and kiss me."

Sebastian chuckles under his breath and starts to lean forward, stopping just short of your lips, making you let out another impatient whine.

"Just one more thing," he says, remnants of mint and sugar ghosting across your lips as he leans in close, voice dropping to a low, prowling murmur. "You are, without a doubt, the most breathtakingly beautiful person on the face of this earth, and I consider it a goddamn tragedy worse than the falling out of the founders that I've gone this long without the pleasure of reminding you every single day from the moment we met."

For a moment, all you can do is stare at him, spellbound by his words, heart aching to leap right out of your throat and build a home inside his chest right next to his own, and then you're rushing forward, closing that hairsbreadth distance that might as well be the space between two mountains, crashing your lips against his and kissing him senseless.

Your hands are everywhere, tugging at his shirt, threading through his hair, pulling him as close as possible. So lost in the intoxicating touch and taste of him that you don't realize you've been steadily moving backwards until your backside collides with the sharp corner of your desk. You let out a startled gasp that quickly turns to laughter, head lolling against Sebastian's shoulder as your own shake with self-effacing mirth.

"Are you alright?" he asks, concern akin to a battle with an ashwinder and not a piece of inanimate furniture. You manage a small nod through your laughter.

"Damn desk, bruising my girl," Sebastian scowls, the words my girl sending a thrill like a bolt of lightning right through you.

You let out a surprised giggle as he picks you up and gently places you on top of the desk, settling between your thighs.

"The only kind of marks you should ever have on you are the ones from my lips," he whispers in between soft, slow, teasing kisses up the length of your neck, sucking a bruise against your pulse point that has you curling your fingers through his hair and moaning his name.

"Always hoped I'd hear you say my name like that," he murmurs in a deep, rumbling growl you can feel thrumming between your ribs like thunder.

Eager to return the favor, you thread your fingers through his hair and give him a gentle yet insistent tug, delighting in the way it elicits a rough, guttural moan in the back of his throat, pulse point jumping beneath your touch as you run your tongue along the curve of his adam's apple.

You're fairly certain one of the buttons goes rolling off under the desk as you tear open his shirt and splay your hands across his chest, pleased to find a whole new canvas of well-earned muscle teeming with sun-kissed freckled dotted between soft patches of chestnut hair, uncharted territory just begging to be mapped out with your lips.

By contrast, Sebastian is equal parts gentle and nervous. Clumsy, trembling fingers work the buttons of your blouse and the lacings of your bra until you're completely bare before him, the flowing fabric of your sleeves hanging loosely off your shoulders. For several long moments, all he can seem to do is stare at you like you're a miracle made real, licking his lips in anticipation as his eyes rake across your breasts.

Sebastian's gaze flickers up to yours, a silent plea. You let out a soft breath, nodding eagerly. In the next second, he's pressed in close again, warm hands skimming up the length of your torso before gently settling under the swell of your breasts, holding you like you're a precious artefact, pleasure sparking low in your core as hard-earned callouses graze across your nipples with a perfect texture.

Sebastian lets out a soft hum as he feels them pebble against the palm of his hand, eyebrows arching in a kind of curious fascination as he glances down at his own hands like he's just performed a spectacular bit of magic. Freckled cheeks curve into an eager smile as he ducks his head down, pressing a series of tentative, exploring kisses from the soft slope of your breasts down to the pale peaks of your nipples, taking one of them into his mouth and applying the gentlest bit of suction as he swipes his tongue across the sensitive bud, grinning in triumph as you let out a lurid moan and arch into his touch.

He pockets that bit of very useful information for later as he slowly makes his way back up toward your lips, eager to kiss you again, peppering fevered kisses across your collarbones and up the length of your neck, not wanting to miss a single inch of skin. Within seconds, he's captured your lips in a searing kiss, one hand tangled in your hair, the other gently cradling your cheek as he kisses you breathless, groaning into your mouth as you pull him flush against you, soft breasts pressed against the hard plane of his chest, heathered skirt hiked up around your hips as he cages you in.

Sebastian's rapidly growing hardness is an insistent pressure between your thighs, sparking your own arousal in a pleasant ache that pulses through your core with each touch. In an effort to get even closer to you, Sebastian shifts, and the head of his cock inadvertently grinds between the gusset of your underwear, sending shock waves of pleasure that have you gasping into his mouth, white-knuckling the sleeves of his shirt.

You can't take it anymore. It's too much and not nearly enough all at once. You need more of him. You need all of him.

"Sebastian," you sigh, breathless between kisses. "Do you— do you have protection?"

"Protection?" Sebastian pulls back to look at you, eyebrows arched in a look of adorable confusion.

"From what? I doubt anything will attack us while we're in—" he stutters as the tip of your finger curls into the waistband of his trousers and gives a suggestive tug forward.

"Oh," Sebastian's eyebrows jump in surprise.

"Unless you don't want—" you immediately pull back, feeling foolish.

"Oh, I want," he insists, drawing you back toward him, voice rough and pleading with exactly how much he wants. "I was just caught off guard. I wasn't expecting—"

Sebastian falters, nerves ramping up again.

"You have to know, when I asked you to come out with me tonight, I wasn't expecting any of this."

"I know you weren't," you reassure him with soft, gentle strokes through his hair. "I trust you, remember?"

Sebastian nods, breathing out on a sigh of relief.

"But, yeah…if you're asking me to be honest…stick a pin in trying to be a gentleman," he lets out a sheepish laugh, one of his hands coming up to attack a phantom itch on the back of his neck. "Then the answer is a resounding, embarrassingly keen yes. I very much want to."

"I do too," you admit with a shy giggle, fingers curling under the collar of his shirt to draw him in for another, softer kiss.

The moment the words leave your mouth, two small crystal phials appear next to you on the desk, labeled in pristine print across each side: infecunditatem temporalis, XXIV h. — temporary infertility, lasting twenty-four hours.

The two of you stare down at them for a moment, blinking in surprise, and then slowly pick them up.

"Well, that's handy," Sebastian remarks with a breathless laugh. "This room really does think of everything."

"Cheers," you murmur softly, instinctually linking arms the same way you've always done for every shot of Firewhisky and post-match Butterbeer toast, before downing your respective phials in one swig.

You set them back down on top of the desk and glance up at one another, suddenly nervous.

"I've never done this before…have you?" you ask, not entirely sure you want to know the answer. You've always been exceptionally close, but you doubt he's told you everything.

"Ah well, you know me…" Sebastian starts with a cocky upturn of his lips, and then immediately deflates, letting out a long, slow, defeated sigh. He knows he'd never be able to lie to you, but a part of him momentarily considers whether he should, irrational fear mingling with a deep-seated insecurity that you'll be put off when you find out he has no idea what he's doing. He's researched, of course. Extensively. But it's not like he's ever put it into practice.

"No," he sighs, admitting it like it's some kind of flaw. "Most I've ever done is kiss someone…and that was back in fourth year…on a dare."

He doesn't miss the way your shoulders relax, relief in the form of a small smile curling across your lips, and suddenly he's very glad he never did anything for the sake of just getting it over with, rebounding his hopeless feelings with some faceless stranger wishing it was you, giddy with a heady mix of nerves and excitement that he'll get to be your first.

And if he's very, very lucky, your only.

"And since?" you nudge, keen to hear him say it.

Sebastian's lips quirk up in a playful grin.

"There's only one person I've wanted to kiss since then," he says, leaning forward to capture your lips in a slow, deep kiss.

"Only one person I've imagined lain on their back as I fall to my knees and bury my lips between their thighs," Sebastian confesses in a low, hungry growl, punctuating each word with a searing kiss as he slowly works his way down the length of your body, mouthing at your neck, between your breasts, across the ticklish plane of your stomach, until he's on his knees in front of you, gazing up at you like you're a brand new constellation in a starless night sky.

"You've no idea how badly I've been longing for a view like this," he says with an appreciative groan, kissing a hungry trail up your inner thighs. "Makes the view from the top of the Astronomy Tower look rather dull by comparison."

You can't help the blissful laugh that escapes you, legs trembling beneath his eager lips. Sebastian pauses his ministrations to look up at you, eyebrows arching in lighthearted indignation.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I say something funny?" he admonishes, nipping playfully at your inner thigh and making you let out a sharp peal of laughter.

"No, it's just…oh, please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm just…pleasantly surprised, is all," you giggle.

"Whatever for?" he asks, rising back up to meet you. You throw your arms around his shoulders and pull him close, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose.

"You hear stories…about men who absolutely refuse to do that sort of thing, yet seem to expect it from their partners," you explain, thinking back to all those hushed conversations you'd overheard in the girls' lavatories, whispered in the dark before bedtime. "I suppose a part of me has always wondered whether you'd be the same. More of a taker than a giver in the bedroom."

Sebastian leans back to look at you, lips pulling into a frown.

"On the one hand, I'm insulted you think I'd do anything short of worship you," he says, diving back in to press a series of hungry kisses up the length of your neck that have you shaking in anticipation of such a promise.

"But on the other," he counters, pulling back to fix you with a teasing smirk. "It's nice to know you've spent a great deal of time thinking about what I'd be like in the bedroom."

A carmine blush creeps across your cheeks as you remember all the times you'd done far more than just think about him, careful to draw your curtains and cast a silencing charm so no one would hear you when you called out his name.

If only he knew…

…come morning, you'll make certain he does.

"Speaking of which—" Sebastian prompts, eyes darting around the room with an appraising frown, before landing on the desktop underneath you, broken quills and crumpled sheets of parchment hastily shoved aside to make room for your — ahem, more amorous ventures.

"This room might be fine for study and spellwork, but it's not the most romantic of places. I can fix that," he says, giving you a wry smile as he offers you his hand and helps you down from the desk.

"Just close my eyes and picture what I want, yeah?" he asks, looking to you for reassurance. You nod in encouragement, slipping your fingers between his and giving the palm of his hand an affectionate squeeze.

Sebastian closes his eyes and concentrates, summoning two and a half years' worth of fantasies to the forefront of his mind. A moment later, there's a soft grind of stone, and the two of you glance up in time to see a marble statue of an owl that's always sat in the alcove between the grasslands and the coastal vivarium twisting into an invisible recess in the floor, revealing a brand new corridor in its wake.

You let out a startled laugh as Sebastian scoops you up into his arms and carries you down the corridor, lulled by the excited thrum of his heartbeat as you bury your face into his chest and wrap your arms around his neck. In just a few short strides, you arrive at the end of the hallway, where a handsome set of oak doors adorned with elegant swirling filigree in blossoming flowers and twisting vines, crescent moons and little stars, springs to life like fast-growing ivy.

You reach out to turn the handle, and for a moment, you're plunged into total darkness, the room beyond an unfinished painting, transforming before your very eyes the moment the two of you step inside, polished floorboards rippling into place like piano keys playing an arpeggio, walls and ceiling a patchwork puzzle as they slowly piece themselves together.

Brushstrokes in deep ocean blues and dark verdant greens turn the heart of the Forbidden Forest under a midnight sky into a painter's palette, dozens of paper lanterns lit by softly flickering candlelight floating all around you like fireflies, bathing the room in hazy hues of silver and gold as they mingle with the light of the crescent moon trickling down from up above, ceiling enchanted to look as though it opens out onto the heavens, night sky glittering with thousands of shooting stars.

A trail of your favorite flower petals leads to a cozy alcove bed cradled between two recessed bookshelves brimming with pristine leather-bounds the two of you will no doubt spend hours perusing at leisure, gossamer curtains woven with intricate stars and crescent moons spilling down across the silken sheets.

The gentle cadence of rainfall taps its fingertips against the glass of an ornate three-paned window set just above the bed, painted in a perfect replica of the sprawling landscapes from the hidden corridor he'd shown you earlier in the night, while a crackling fireplace dances merrily in the heart of a cozy reading nook complete with two plush armchairs tucked together side by side.

Sebastian lets out a contented hum as the last little details of the room settle into place, glancing down to gauge your reaction, eager to know what you think.

"Oh, Sebastian," you whisper as you gaze around the room, candlelight dancing like flecks of gold in your eyes. "It's beautiful."

Sebastian beams. Of all the times you managed to leave him utterly spellbound tonight, it's a point of pride to finally be able to elicit the same response from you.

"Trust I've been dreaming of the perfect place to be romantic with you for quite some time," he murmurs, leaning down to nuzzle his nose against your cheek.

You gaze up at him adoringly and lean up to kiss him, butterflies taking flight in your stomach when you feel the hard press of his uncontainable smile against your lips.

"Now, where were we?" he whispers, whisking you away to the cozy alcove bed at the heart of the room and gently setting you down at its edge between the star-strewn curtains.

As though he can't stand to be parted from you for a second longer, Sebastian sweeps forward to capture your lips in another breath-stealing kiss, gentle hands sliding across the curve of your jaw to thread through the hair at the back of your neck, cradling the back of your head as he kisses you slowly, deeply, savoring every second.

He takes his time peeling off the layers of your clothing, unwrapping you like a gift, hands sliding between bare skin and soft cotton until your blouse comes spilling off your shoulders to pool around your waist, eager lips following its trajectory as he presses a series of adoring kisses down the column of your throat, tongue darting out to smooth across the tender, claiming bruise he'd left on your pulse point, smirking at the way it jumps beneath his touch, gently palming at your breasts as he makes his slow descent.

Where before he'd allowed himself a small taste, this time Sebastian indulges, falling to his knees and burying his face between your breasts, pressing lavish kisses in time to the beat of your heart, before taking the nipple he hadn't had the pleasure of tasting earlier into his mouth and applying a gentle suction, delighting in the way it elicits the same sinful response from you as it did before.

Not wanting to neglect either of them, Sebastian tries to mimic the same technique on the one not currently occupied by his mouth with his fingers, gently kneading the pebbled peak between his thumb and index finger. Clearly it's the right move, because the moment he does both in tandem, you let out a sharp gasp, arching your back in an effort to get even closer to him, fingers curling around the sleeves of his shirt and gripping tight.

Sebastian chuckles, a low rumbling laugh that vibrates like a crackle of thunder inside your chest as he worships every delectable detail of your breasts, until a series of pink and purple bruises in the shape of his lips starts to blossom across your skin. The sight of it stirs something primal inside him, little reminders lasting well beyond tonight that let everyone know you're his.

Sebastian would gladly spend the rest of his days buried between your breasts, but the curious, insatiable, thrill-seeking side of him is eager to keep exploring, map out every inch of your body with his hands, lips, and tongue until he's memorized every single way you love to be touched, keen to know what other addictive sounds he can get you to make.

He presses a trail of kisses down your torso, smiling when you giggle and squirm beneath him as his lips tickle the curves of your stomach, pausing when he reaches the waistline of your skirt.

"Lay back, darling. Let me take care of you," he insists in a low whisper, sending heat like an inferno straight to your core. You do as he asks, hair fanning out across the sheets, a cool press of silk against your fevered skin.

Deft fingers carefully work the buttons at your waist, unraveling your wrap-around skirt until it's laid out flat beneath you. Hands shaking from a mess of excitement and nerves, Sebastian carefully hooks his thumbs into the waistband of your knickers and slowly slides them down your legs, breath hitching when you tilt your hips to help ease them off, giving him a glimpse of your backside.

"Fuck, you're stunning," he says with a wrecked, desperate groan that has you blushing like you've just downed a shot of Firewhisky, laid bare beneath his hungry gaze as he takes a moment to drink you in.

"Can I touch you?" he asks in a quiet, almost pleading voice.

"Please," you tell him, just as desperate.

Nervous, gentle hands slide up along the outside of your thighs, smoothing over the curves of your hips before settling in the space between, breathing out on a soft, stuttered gasp as his fingers thread through the soft patch of curls at the apex of your thighs.

He skims a finger featherlight along the seam of your lips, testing the waters before delving deeper, a low groan rumbling in the back of his throat when he feels how wet you already are for him. Heat pools low in your belly as he slides between your folds in an achingly slow tease, sending shivers like shock waves rolling down the length of your spine, working you into a frenzy as careful, calloused fingers graze your clit.

Once he's satisfied you're ready to take him, fingers coated in your slick, Sebastian slips down to rub teasing circles against your entrance, driving you to the point of madness, canting your hips with soft little whines, until finally, he relents, slowly sliding his ring and middle fingers inside you and curling them in a come hither motion that has you gasping and writhing above him.

"Is this— is this alright?" he asks, concern bleeding through breathless exhilaration.

"It feels amazing, Seb," you manage, yours words barely more than a stuttered moan as his fingers twitch inside you. "Please don't stop touching me."

Your soft gasps and moans guide him to where he needs to go, thumb rubbing heady circles against your clit as his fingers curl in that blissful breath-stuttering way inside you. He works you into a maddening frenzy, pressure slowly building like an arrow being drawn across a bowstring, and Sebastian can't help but let out a low groan each time you flutter and tighten around him. If this is how incredible you feel against his fingers, he can't even imagine how amazing you're going to feel around his cock. Though that particular pleasure will have to wait just a little bit longer, because Sebastian isn't anywhere near finished with you yet.

You let out a needy whine as that delicious pressure suddenly disappears, only to be replaced by a sharp burst of breathless laughter as Sebastian grabs a handful of your backside and hauls you closer to the edge of the bed, coaxing your legs over his shoulders as he buries his face between your thighs.

"Forgive me, darling, but I need to taste you," he groans, tongue darting out to delve between your folds.

"Sebastian," you cry out as a burst of pleasure sparks through you, hands fisting in the sheets. Sebastian lets out another loud moan as you call out his name, tongue gliding down to lick at your entrance, burying himself deep enough to taste your pleasure at the back of his throat, before sweeping back up to capture your clit in a blissful blend of gentle suction and the sinful swirl of his tongue.

Slowly, carefully, he slides his fingers back inside you, curling them against that sweet spot deep within you, lips and tongue working in perfect tandem to worship your clit with the same eager attention he'd given your breasts.

You've never felt so feral in all your life, hands clutching at the sheets as you writhe above him like a wild animal in heat, Sebastian's name spilling from your lips in a flurry of sighs and soft, keening moans. With a contented hum, Sebastian reaches up to gently pry your fingers from the bedspread, lacing his own through yours and giving the palm of your hand an affectionate three-pulse squeeze, encouraging you to hold fast to him instead, not wanting to miss a single detail of just how wild he makes you.

Your other hand follows suit, seeking him out, chestnut curls even softer than the silk sheets as you curl your fingers through his hair and give him an insistent tug, and oh, he really likes it when you're a little rough with him, so desperate and needy for his touch that all you can think to do in that moment is pull him even closer, the low, throaty moans he makes every time you do only serving to heighten your pleasure as they vibrate through your core like rolls of thunder.

He brings you crashing over the edge, wrecked and breathless as you call out his name, begging him between stuttered sighs that you need him to be inside you, now.

Sebastian lets out a soft, blissful breath as he presses a few more kisses to your inner thighs, and then slowly rises to his feet, gaze locked on yours as he swipes the pad of his thumb across his lower lip, tongue darting out to lick the last of your release. The sight is obscene, riling up a primal pride deep within you that only makes you want him even more.

You sit perched on the edge of the bed, reaching up to slide his button-up shirt off his shoulders and running your hands down the length of his torso, soft curves over hard-earned muscle, freckles scattered amidst soft patches of chestnut hair like a star-strewn sky through a forest canopy, pausing to take a steadying breath as you reach the waistband of his trousers. Hands trembling from a mix of nerves and excitement, you carefully work the buttons to relieve him of his trousers, the last layer of clothing left between you.

You take a moment to drink him in, eyes raking down the length of his body in hungry appraisal, letting out a soft gasp as you take in the sight of his generous length, before slowly sweeping back up to meet his gaze again, thrill and desire outweighing any apprehension over his intimidating size. You understand now how he must have felt when he first saw you — every inch of him is absolutely stunning.

You wrap your arms around his neck to pull him down for a kiss, sending the two of you tumbling backward against the pillows, giggling and grinning as you cling to one another. Sebastian kisses you, soft and slow, his body a warm, comforting weight as he settles between your thighs, hovering above you. The two of you breathe in on a stuttered gasp as he takes himself in hand and slides the head of his cock between your folds, coating himself in a combination of his saliva and your release, hesitating as he lines himself up with your entrance.

"Ready?" he asks with a steadying breath, heated gaze locked on yours.

"Ready," you answer, just as breathless as you tilt your hips in invitation.

With a broken, blissed out moan, Sebastian slowly sinks inside, stuttered breaths ghosting across your lips as he closes his eyes and presses his forehead against your own, hips stilling the moment he hears your soft gasp from underneath him.

"How're you feeling, love? Are you alright?" he asks with an edge of panic to his voice, terrified at the thought of hurting you. He keeps still as a statue, giving you a moment to adjust to the sheer size of him.

It's indescribable — the most incredible pressure, a pleasant ache like kneading sore muscles, building and unraveling tension all at once; a feeling of fullness after a life spent starving; a kind of magic even more timeless and powerful than the rarity thrumming through your veins, wonderstruck by how perfectly he fits inside you, like the two of you were made for each other.

"More than alright," you reassure him with a breathless, euphoric laugh. "I feel amazing."

Sebastian lets out a sigh of relief.

"Merlin, that's one word for it," he breathes out on a blissful laugh, eyes rolling back at how amazing you feel wrapped around him. "You're perfect."

He leans down to kiss you, soft and slow and sweet.

"I'm going to start moving now…is that alright?" he asks after a few quiet moments, voice straining like it's been torture holding back.

"Please," you sigh, coaxing him closer as you wrap your legs around the small of his back.

Sebastian sets a slow and steady pace, achingly tender as his hips rock against yours in long, languid thrusts, pressing soft little kisses to your cheeks and the corners of your lips as he moves above you, whispering between kisses how beautiful and breathtaking you are. He's careful and controlled, each move dulcet and deliberate like a slow dance between the sheets, determined to make this perfect for you, determined to get it just right, because it has to be. Because this is you, and you are everything.

He's been dreaming of this moment for years, and a part of him still can't believe it's really happening, that he actually gets to be with you. He's spent the better part of the last two and half years convincing himself you'd never feel the same, that he was lucky just to call you his friend, selfish to want more, that he didn't deserve you…though that never stopped him desperately wanting you all the same.

He understands now why they call it lovesick — feverish blush prickling at his skin, heart beating like a staccato as he moves above you, hands trembling as they gently cradle the back of your head and draw you in for a slow, sweet kiss. It's all-consuming, burning through him in equal measures of fiery fervor and glowing embers, like he's just swallowed an Incendio charm. Incurable — though this is one life sentence he'll gladly serve.

It's overwhelming how amazing you feel wrapped around him, soft hands threading through his hair and tugging ever so gently, legs locked around his hips to keep him anchored in your depths, shallow gasps and stuttered ohs whispered in between soft sighs in the shape of his name as you gaze up at him like he is everything to you.

It would be all too easy for him to lose himself in the euphoria of finally getting to be with you, and Merlin, he wants to.

He wants all of you. It's like he can't get close enough, a primal hunger to fuse himself with you, body and soul, bury himself inside you like treasure, climb inside your chest and build a home inside your heart, dive down to your depths and spill all his secrets inside you, long-held confessions of how deeply he's fallen for you.

The words bubble up inside his chest like steam inside of a screaming tea kettle, burning his throat as years worth of messy, nerve-addled feelings threaten to spill past his lips. He wants to kiss the words into your skin, knit his love so deep within you, you feel it in your bones, with each pulse of your heart, his name a subliminal sigh with each breath you take, until you're inextricably woven together, until he's an irrevocable part of you, just as you are for him.

He aches for you to be his, because he's so desperately yours. He'd shout it from the top of the Astronomy Tower, from the stars themselves, if he could.

But if he does…he's afraid you might actually hear him. And Sebastian can't have that. He can't let you know the true depth of his feelings. Not yet. It's too soon, too much for something so fragile and new. He knows he can be a little intense, a little overwhelming. When Sebastian loves, it's fierce and unwavering, and as much as he wants to tell you, show you, how deeply he loves you, he's afraid the intensity of his feelings will drive you away.

He supposes that's one of the many reasons he's always been so drawn to more fiery forms of magic. After all, they're just like him. Fervent. Insatiable. Incendiary. Kindred — kindling — spirits. Cast with the best intentions — to protect and keep warm — but one wrong move, too much, and it becomes dangerous, destructive.

Sebastian has spent his whole life being told as much — that he's too much. Overzealous. Unrelenting. Reckless. Doesn't know when to stop. Breaks everything he touches. Loses everyone he loves.

He can't lose you too.

He's a wildfire, and you— you're a forest teeming with birdsong and greenery, and he's terrified that with one wrong move he'll burn you to the ground, when all he wants to do is keep you warm.

So he holds himself back, concentrates all his efforts into taking it slow, swallowing a symphony of lovesick confessions and pouring the softest version of his love into every touch, determined to make this perfect for you, determined to get this just right. Because maybe, if he gets this right, he'll actually be lucky enough to keep you.

"So perfect," he sighs as he moves above you, soft and sweet.

"Tell me what you need, love," he urges between stuttered breaths and slow, languid thrusts. "To make this perfect for you, too."

You can tell he's holding back — each touch a little too gentle, a little too careful, a little too reserved — and you think you know why, because you know him.

Sebastian Sallow has never done anything halfheartedly, so when he loves, it's without reservation — fiercely, deeply, perhaps a little madly.

You also know that he's lost just about everyone he's ever loved.

Though you've never actually spoken the words out loud, you know that he loves you too. It's always been there, unspoken, thrumming beneath the surface of every interaction.

You can hear it in the silence of a lazy afternoon spent cloud-watching under the shade of a flutterby tree in the summoner's courtyard, splayed hands edging across the grass until you feel the accidental brush of his pinky finger against yours.

In little gestures played off as teasing banter, covert hands sliding stacks of toast and chocolate croissants across the shared desk of your first class, wrapped in scribbled notes admonishing you for missing breakfast after yet another sleepless night.

It's in the way you wish each other goodnight, stretching out the moment with hastily stifled bouts of laughter and stolen glances over your shoulders as you watch him make the long trek back from Ravenclaw Tower to Slytherin Dungeon, hesitant to part after yet another nighttime lark, despite the fact that you know you'll see each other the very next day.

In the way he insists on coming along with you on some of your more daring ventures, pushing down his deep-seated fear of spiders and instinctively stepping between you and a thornback ambusher seconds away from incapacitating you with its venom.

You've always known Sebastian loves you, but up until tonight, you've always thought it was in the same way he loves Anne and Ominis. Fond. Familial. Kindred.

That was before you'd felt the weight of his lips against yours, the tremble in his hands as he'd pulled you close, the beat of his heart thundering in time with your own.

Now that you know it runs even deeper — not just friendly or familial love, but romantic love, too — it adds a whole new layer of vulnerability. And if he loves you the way you think he does, the same way you love him, then you know why he's holding back. Because when someone is your whole heart, the prospect of losing them is that much more terrifying.

This is a man who has endured more pain and loss than most people could even dare to imagine. This is a man filled with more fear and guilt than anyone should ever have to bear. Afraid to fuck up again. Afraid to hurt you again. Afraid to lose what little remains of the people he loves. Afraid to let himself have what he wants, because deep down, he still doesn't think he deserves it.

Afraid that he is too brash, too broken, too intense, too much for anyone to ever want, the weight of his grief too heavy for anyone else to carry, spirit too bright and burning for anyone to ever want to get close enough to touch.

And maybe he is. Maybe he is too much. But that's never stopped you wanting all of him just the same. If he is an untamed beast, then your heart is a vivarium, a home built for an occamy at its full potential. For you, he could never be too much, because you could never get enough of him.

He's a wildfire, but you've always been drawn to his warmth, his light, bright sparks lighting up your coldest, darkest nights. You wouldn't just walk through his flames, you'd dance in them, safe in the knowledge that you'll never get burned.

Because he's a wildfire, but you are a hurricane, and you're more than a match for his heat.

So when he asks you, soft and sweet, what you need make this perfect for you, that's exactly what you tell him.

"You. Just you," you sigh as you lean up to press a trail of kisses in between the freckles that dapple the pale column of his throat. "I want all of you, Sebastian. Please, show me how badly you've been wanting me all this time, too. Don't hold anything back. I can take it…anything and everything you're willing to give."

Sebastian's hips still as he pulls back to look at you, lips parted in surprise.

"Are— are you sure?"

You lean up to kiss him, slow and deep, your answer little more than a sigh against his lips.

"I'm yours, Sebastian. I've always been yours," you whisper. "Now all you have to do is take what's yours."

Sebastian gazes at you, stunned for a moment, breath catching in his throat. And then his eyes darken, and that charming smile that's always made you weak in the knees curls across his lips, adoration burning like the heart of a wildfire in his irises as he keeps his steady gaze locked on yours.

He laces his fingers with yours and pins your entwined hands above your head, holding you captive, using them as an anchoring point as he begins driving into you with rough, zealous thrusts that hit deep and steal your breath, his other hand coming up to smooth across your cheek as he pulls you in for a kiss, swallowing his own name as it falls from your lips in a stuttered sigh.

"Like this, love?" Sebastian groans, the hard line of his smirk pressed against your lips. "Is this how you want me fuck you?"

"God, yes. Please, Sebastian—"

"As you wish, darling," he growls, picking up pace even faster, his thrusts coming even rougher. "You've no idea how badly I've wanted to have you just like this."

"Tell me," you urge, voice barely more than a whisper.

A litany of lovesick confessions spill from his lips in between desperate, hungry kisses: how deeply he adores you, how beautiful you look laid out beneath him, how amazing you feel wrapped around him, how you must've been made for each other with how perfectly you fit together, how he's been dreaming of being with you like this for so long and he can't believe he's lucky enough to actually have the real thing.

How he'd love nothing more than to keep you forever, make you his in every possible sense of the word (because he's yours, he's always been yours, every beat of his heart belongs to you and you alone) wants you to feel the ache of him throbbing between your thighs days after he's made love to you, a constant reminder of what you've done together; wants to leave claiming bruises all over each other's necks so that everyone will know you belong to one another.

You tilt your head back, bearing your neck in offering, and Sebastian lets out an appreciative groan, swooping down to leave another mark right below the first, fire dancing in his eyes are he pulls back to admire his work.

"Mine," his voice rumbles through you like thunder as he presses the word into your pulse point.

"Yours," you sigh, leaning up to graze your teeth along the column of his throat, eager to claim him in return.

It's enough to drive him over the edge, burying his face in your neck and breathing in deep, greedy lungfuls like you're a burst of fresh air after a life spent drowning, praising you between hungry kisses. How he could gladly spend the rest of his life right here between your legs. How wild you drive him with the sounds you make, the way you call out his name.

"I've wanted to hear you say my name in every possible way — in laughter, in sighs, in gasps…in screams," he says with a prideful smirk as he gives a rough snap of his hips that hits deep enough to pull his name from your throat in a sharp, breathless gasp.

Sebastian lets out a low, throaty chuckle that sends shock waves straight to your core, heating burning every inch of your skin like a shot of Firewhisky as he tells you how badly he wants to watch you come undone beneath him, feel you wrapped around him as your body clings to him, see himself reflected in your eyes as you call out his name, to know that he's the only one who can make you feel like this, take you apart just to be the one that completes you.

The hand that's spent all this time tangled in your hair, gently pressed against the curve of your cheek, comes down to wrap around your waist, tilting your hips upward and pulling you roughly against him, the new angle giving him access to an even deeper sweet spot inside you, each thrust causing the space where you're connected to grind against that sensitive bundle of nerves, sending waves of pleasure radiating throughout your entire body as he keeps a steady, consistent rhythm, buried to his hips between your thighs, building you to climax until you're crashing over the edge, fingers laced with his as you fall together, fluttering around him, pulling him in even deeper, an endless chorus of I love you, I'm so in love with you, I'm yours falling from his lips as he spills deep inside you, calling out your name like it's a sacred prayer and you're his salvation.

Sebastian collapses against you, panting against your neck and pressing lazy kisses to your cheek before rolling to the side to lay on his back. You're barely able to get out a breath before he's pulling you into him, coaxing your head onto his chest, wrapping his arms around you in a protective hold, burying his face into the top of your hair and breathing you in with deep, contented sighs.

The words he'd said to you as he'd fallen over the edge repeat inside your head like a mantra, pulling your lips into a bright, blissful smile.

"Sebastian?" you ask as you snuggle in closer, heart full.

"Yes, darling?" he asks, still breathless but utterly blissed, voice muffled by your hair.

"I love you too."

You feel his whole body relax, exhaling on a long, slow, contented sigh that almost sounds like a sob toward the end, like he's relieved to hear you say it out loud.

"D'you know," he says into the comfortable silence after a few moments, lips pulled into a bright smile as he glances over at you. "I've seen entire ecosystems co-existing inside a single room tonight — bloody hell, I saw a phoenix — and all of that still couldn't even hope to compare to being with you," he marvels, still a little breathless. "To think, we could've been— I mean, two and a half years. I can't believe it took us this long to finally act on our feelings."

You lift your head, a playful look in your eyes as you gaze up at him dreamily.

"We just took the scenic route," you tell him, smiling as you lace your fingers together and press a kiss against each of his knuckles in turn.

Sebastian's chest rumbles with laughter as he nuzzles in even closer, pressing kisses to the top of your crown. You do the same to his chest, charting constellations of your own design in the sun-kissed freckles you find there, falling into a deep, comfortable sleep before you have the chance to name them all.

[echantedtoon]

A Lovers' Circle (Poly Haishira x Reader) Ch7 Date Weekend: Sunday

(Or alternative title- Obligatory anime shopping montage. Just an excuse for Y/n to get to know everyone before the real romance starts. I'm using the chart above as headcannons ages for Sanemi's sibs for a modern au for future reference. Short chapter. 

Warnings for some nudity mentioned but nothing NSFW.

Hearts conquered so far: Mitsuri and Gyomei and secretly Kanae.)

Taglist: @shadyd3ar @jcrml @tengensangel

@miniverse-zen @mysteri0uz

Remember if you want to be added to the taglist lemme know

Bright sunlight shown down from the sky and illuminated the entire world in a nice warm glow. Soon fall would be hear turning the leaves shades of yellows, reds, oranges, and brown. Cold weather would soon follow after with the spookiest day of the year right around the year before eventually snow would fall and bring with it icy sidewalks and the likelihood of being pelted by snowballs. 

So it was a good idea to get out and enjoy the warm weather while you could.

"Dammit! Im fine!" Obanai scrunched up his face and narrowed his eyes but didn't stop his girlfriend from pushing his bangs from his face to frown at him.

"But what if you get lost?"

"We're going on a hiking trip to see a waterfall and then we're going to the movies," he deadpanned, "It's not like we're going skydiving."

"I know but what if you run into a wolf? Or a wild bear?! "

His hands were held up bluntly. "We'll be fine. It's not the first time we've been in the woods. You go have fun at the mall."

She still frowned at him but didn't argue- Only reach over to give him a big kiss to his forehead leaving a red lipstick mark he'd wipe off later. Right now they were in front of the local park waiting for everyone else to arrive. Most of them were already there, minus Shinobu who needed to wrap up some last minute emails concerning her part time job at an office and Gyomei who was coming by bus after picking up his .. Girlfriend? Did she count as his girlfriend if they've only been on three dates? He guessed they were still just casually dating right now and testing the waters. Y/n seemed like a nice girl or 'unicorn' as Shinobu put it but he still wasn't too sure what to think..She seemed ok at least to him. Maybe that'll change later but who knows?

The sounds of the park around them continued through the air as kids ran around giggling and squealing their little heads off playing. Swings to be swung, slides to slide, and jungle gyms to climb. Lots of little smiles on little cute faces running around playing or toddling after parents walking around. Or in Sanemi's case allowing his little brothers and sisters to be climb all over him where he stood eating an energy bar in one hand while his other arm was slowly lifted up and down with two little boys and one little girl clinging to him. Three of his little siblings with a fourth standing just standing off to the side. The second oldest other than himself. No doubt babysitting a few of their little siblings today.

Kanae was letting one of their other little sisters mess with her hair and admire how pretty she was. She was rather pretty. However the sounds of a little PING sound took his attention off his friends and towards the pocket on Mitsuri's right side as her hand automatically dug out her phone and looked at the screen. 

"It's Shino! She says she's running late so she's just heading to the mall to meet us there."

"Oh. That's convenient." He didn't think they'd be able to leave on their hiking trip until Mrs. Shinazugawa came back to take over her youngest children. "Anything else from Mei?"

She shook and one of her braids smacked against his cheek. "Nope! But the bus should be here soon! Ooh! This is gonna be so much fun!"

Considering if they'll get here already. They were taking so long and it was already painful enough to have to fork over fifty bucks after loosing that stupid game Tengen decided to make them do. Sigh. Oh well still better than loosing a hundred dollars each. He didn't want to lose that too-

"THEY'RE HERE!"

Well it's about time!

The tall, unmistakable form of Gyomei walked down the road and started making his way towards them walking slower than normal because of the smaller woman walking next to him holding his arm. You smiled at them all and waved an arm at them all as you got close enough to be heard.

"It's about time you all showed up. I was starting to grow a beard from how long it took."

"My apologies." Gyomei smiled despite his apology. "But we're here now. Is everyone else here?"

"Except Shinobu. She's gonna meet the girls at the mall. We still gotta wait for Sanemi's mom to come back before we leave too-" he gestured behind him at the giggling little kids despite Gyomei obviously not being able to see them. "-but she should be back anytime now. The girls can go ahead and leave." 

"Are you sure?" Mitsuri gave him a puppy eyed look. 

"Yeah. We'll be fine. You girls go enjoy your frilly spa day. Well meet up with you after Sanemi drags us to the movies."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

It wasn't him her cupping his face and gifting him a giant smooth to the forehead before excitedly looping an arm around your arm and excitedly began to pull you towards the other girls. In fact you were barely able to shout a goodbye to Gyomei before the unusually strong woman literally dragged you off towards the other girls. They were all there except for Shinobu whom Mitsuri briefed you about meeting you all there, and Kanae who had to wrestle one of Sanemi's baby sisters off her before joining you all there. Mitsuri and Suma both super giddy with excitement.

"This is gonna be great! We're going shopping and then to Salan,Sauna, and Beyond!"

..You blinked. "What's Salon, Sauna, and Beyond?"

As if you had insulted her,her family, her friends, and cat- Suma gasped so loud you jumped as she clutched her turtleneck. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SALON, SAUNA, AND BEYOND IS?!"

"Um. No? Should I?"

"YES!," She yelled at you waving her arms around, "It's like only the greatest place ever to get your nails done and get pedicures and it has like these REALLY good massages that help melt stress awa- HEY!!"

MAKIO shoved her head aside with a hand with a deadpanned look. "It's a salon and spa with an attaching sauna room and one. It's a pretty popular place to go unwind and relax."

"Oh. I've never been there before."

"YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE?!"

"YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT, BLOCKHEAD!!"

"Kanae, tell her to stop being mean to me!"

"Ok. Let's calm down now. C'mon. We don't want to end up missing our bus."

Hinatsuru was lightly surprised you didn't run away or show annoyance at the fighting but remained smiling as Kanae hered the still arguing wives towards the bus station where you first arrived with Gyomei. It also turns out the boys were not going to be going with all of you like they did Friday night and all day Saturday when you weren't around. Instead they planned on having a few hours to just bond with the boys as the girls just bonded with each other which includes a nature hike, movie Sanemi insisted on dragging them too, and then they planned to go somewhere to eat before meeting back up with the girls near the end of the day at the sauna. Sounded like a plan. 

The ride to the mall was pretty generic. On the way there you sat by Mitsuri and talked with her about your pets. Her cats and bunnies and your goldfish you named Goldielocks.  It was a peaceful ride up to the ginormous building that was your city's local mall complete with a lot of stores inside. And conveniently waiting for you all in the parking lot was Shinobu, eating what looked like a granola bar while she was waiting for you all to show up by the entrance. It got a raised brow from Makio.

"Really?"

Shinobu shrugged again looking at you all. "You all were taking too long. I got hungry and ate something."

"Too long? It's eight in the morning still!"

"Let's not fight anyone! I wanna swing by CePora's! They have this new Summer's End eye shadow palette I've been wanting!" 

"I think the yellows and oranges would look good on Makio," you added trying to get the group moving, "Let's go in and see if it's still there!" Your arm gestured towards the large building.

Luckily that seemed to have worked and the group ended up being dragged by Mitsuri all the way to the escalator and up to the second floor where she then proceeded to not stop until she was dashing through the automatic front doors of the famous make up chain of stores. It was ok. You got a cute little compact mirror in the shape of a Tanuki so it all worked out before someone directed your group towards the check out and then a few different stores. This time a few clothes stores.

Honestly you were surprised one mall could have five different clothes stores and no one seemed to care. 

Your attention was mainly upon the plethora of outfits Suma and Mitsuri thrusted into your arms and insisted you try on because-

"You'd look even cuter next to Gyomei if you wore these!"

Nice to know that they cared about their friend at leas and you did end up liking a few of the outfits so that was a plus. Until Hinatsuru pointed out something with a gentle hand on your shoulder. 

"Hey. We've been going to all the places we like. It's not fair to Y/n to just drag her everywhere without stopping where she wants to go as our guest. Let's go where she wants." She smiled at you. "Pick wherever you want to go, Y/n."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Where do you want to go?"

"Well, there's a bookstore here that has a new recipe book on deserts from Canada I'd really like to get."

"Consider it done!"

It was a nice trip to said bookstore where Mitsuri bought herself at least three romance novels and you think Shinobu got herself a book of space sciences. It was another small thrift store or two before it had occured to you all that it was noon already and you all were very hungry. Mitsuri's immediately reaction was to suggest going to the resident cat cafe, but knowing her appetite Shinobu suggested that you all go to the other mall restaurant that had an all you can eat buffet instead. Yeah. That was probably the better idea considering that Mitsuri had finished off her twelveth plate by 12:45 and about ready to go back for her thirteenth. You weren't even done with your own plate yet but giggled as she looked at you in question before you held up a napkin to her and smiled sweetly.

"Here. You have some gravy on your cheek from the mashed potatoes."

She blinked at the kind gesture but smiled widely. "Thanks!"

It was a mutual agreement that they approved of your gesture by the many smiles you've gotten from them. "So, Y/n. How's your day so far?"

You beamed brightly. "It's been wonderful! I can't remember the last time I've had so much fun!"

"Don't you go to the mall?"

You shook your head. "Only sometimes if I need to pick up something or if I'm shopping with my family. I don't really have a lot of friends who're free or like to go shopping with me."

"You don't have friends?"

"Well...Not a lot. My one friend is usually working and studying hard for his bachelor's and he's already busy enough with his boyfriend so we don't get to hang out as much as we used to."

"AW! That's so sad! It's ok!" You were suddenly grasped up into the arms of one pink haired girl who squeezed you tight enough to make you wheezed and pop a few of your bones as she hugged you to her. "We'll be your friends now! We can go on trips and I can do your nails and-"

"Mitsi! You're suffocating her there!"

Green eyes blinked before looking down at your pale face before she squealed out and pushed you away with a worried look. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! Oh my gosh! Are you ok?!"

You slowly gasped a lungful of air after getting squeezed like a lemon before nodding. "Y-Yeah. I'm ok." 

If you counted being squeezed like an orange ok. But you weren't going to fault her for it especially since she's been so nice to you so far. After a moment of you all just talking, mostly about what they were doing for classes starting Monday tomorrow or what they all did at the beach together yesterday when the waiter stopped by the large table to collect the dirty dishes ..and gave an annoyed dirty look at Mitsuri who was scarfing down the remainder of her thirteenth plate before adding it to the stack he had to take away eventually.

"Eh...Is there anything else I can get you ladies?," he asked despite still eyeing the stack of plates with narrowed eyes. His tone not hiding his annoyance either.

"Can I get some of the devil's food cake on the menu?" Mitsuri beamed up at him widely as his nose wrinkled up. 

"I'm sorry but we're OUT," he bluntly stated before reluctantly grabbing the tall stack of dishes and grunting annoyed. "Can I get anyone else anything?"

Mitsuri blinked giving a glance at the stack of dishes the waiter was forced to carry away before guiltily and ashamedly looking down at her own hands. It caused a chain reaction of glares and frowns from the other girls glaring at him annoyed back.

"No. Just bring us the check."

The waiter seemed annoyed still but relieved to start collecting everyone else's plates adding it to the big pile in his arms before pausing as you gently reached out to gently tug on his sleeve and smiled politely. "May I please have some of the devil's food cake on the menu? Just add it to my part of the check please."

Now this time every gave you wide eyed looks at the audacity of the situation especially when Mitsuri was literally right THERE next to you but the waiter was all too happy to smile at you. "But of course. Give me just a minute to get back to you."

"Thank you very much!"

There was just dumbfounded silence as he walked away after picking up Kanae's dishes and hauling them away from the stunned group as you all sat there stunned other than you who only smiled... Eventually Mitsuri broke the silence with a mumble. 

"I thought they were out."

"What the heck, Y/n?!," Makio demanded as you just smiled at her as she gestured to Mitsuri and you. "She's right there! Did you freaking forget or something?!"

"Oh no. I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Why you-"

"Makio, calm down. We can't stop her from buying her own dessert if she's paying for it herself." Despite Kanae's soft tone, her look was obviously disapproving. "It's not like we can demand someone that they can't eat something."

Makio didn't say anything but she shot you a glare as you still smiled at her and Mitsuri sunk down further into her seat as everyone awkwardly waited for the checks to be delivered along with your dessert. About five minutes later the same waiter returned looking a little less annoyed but still had that blunt tone to him as he placed down at least seven checks for you all and a second later a VERY big delicious smelling, mouth watering, chocolate upon chocolate cake slice in front of you. 

"Here you are, Ma'am."

"Oh thank you! If you wait just a second, I'll give you your tip!" You clasped your hands happily as he smiled at you... Before you bluntly reached over, grabbed the plate, picked it up, and just placed it back down in front of Mitsuri who blinked in surprise. "Look, Mitsuri! They had some after all and what luck we were able to get you the last piece!" Her eyes widened bigger at you. "Aren't you lucky?"

Everyone stared gobsmacked as you just hummed along going to dig around in your purse for a second to pull out a five dollar bill before holding it up to the waiter whom looked like he was slapped across the face. The moment you waved the bill in his face, he glared at you before snatching it from your hand and stomping away from you table. There was another awkward moment as you left the thirty dollars for your part of the meal on the table before you blinked at the wide eyed stares given to you.

"What? Did I get her the wrong cake?"

Instead of an answer you were given a squeal from Mitsuri and then after another bone crushing hug as she hugged you with a large smile. "THANK YOU SO MUCH!  THIS IS LIKE THE NICEST THING A NEW PERSON HAS EVER DONE FOR ME!!"

You smiled wider looking at her. "No need to thank me. You shouldn't be treated badly just because of your appetite." She blinked as you patted her arms. "That guy's a jerk. Forget about him and just enjoy your cake. My treat."

She continued to stare at you before her face turned to a bright red and her hands let go of you to clasp her cheeks. "I-I don't know what to say. Oh my- Such a gesture!"

"You don't have to say anything. Just enjoy yourself. Sorry if I didn't explain it earlier."

"Oh. So that's why you ordered it." 

Makio slowly relaxed as you nodded.... Oblivious to the lovestruck, blushing face Mitsuri was giving you before you slowly got up to excuse yourself to the bathroom and asked them to watch your shopping bags in the meantime. The SECOND you disappeared from sight, Mitsuri slammed a determined palm down on the table and clenched a fist.

"Ok! It's official! Let's do all we can to get her together with Gyomei! She's absolutely perfect!"

"Huh? Where did this come from?"

"Oh..N-No where but we owe it to Mei to try and get him a great girlfriend like he deserves! So let's make her feel welcome! I mean like c'mon! She's literally perfect! She even tipped the waiter so we didn't have to!"

"Are you..blushing?"

"N-NO! I'm just very flattered at the gesture!"

By the time you got back, Mitsuri was already done eating and giddy again especially when you came back. The group gathered up the bags and decided to stop by two more small shops to pick up some pre-ordered stuff Tengen already paid for (a canvas and a box of hard to get paints) before they ushered you back out of the mall and on the street. At least four shopping bags hung from your own arms as Mitsuri held your hand and pulled you along behind her continuing to babble on about...Well you lost track after the part where she told you about how she got into ballet but you politely listened since she seemed so happy now dragging you down the road as cars drove by and people passed by on the sidewalk.

The building they stopped in front of was a smaller building than the mall but still bigger than your house. The sign on the front saying Salon, Sauna, and Beyond. Ah! So this must be the place that they were so excited to go. You allowed Mitsuri to excitedly drag you in after the others and the nice smells of rose air freshener hit your nose along with the cool air from the ac. The inside of the building was mostly white with a few paintings on the wall, some soft looking chairs, and a reception desk where a middle aged woman smiled at you all. Ah. This must've been the waiting area. 

The woman smiled at the group and waved a hand. "Good afternoon. Are you here to book an appointment?"

"I have a reservation for a group under Kocho actually!"

The lady took a moment to rummage around on her desk and look for something.. before nodded and happily looked at Shinobu. "Of course! We have your party booked for our three o clock reservation. If you'll follow me, you can get a locker for your belongings before proceeding to the salon floor."

In an instant Mitsuri looked excitedly at you. "Have you ever been to an onsen before, Y/n?"

You nodded. "My cousin had everyone go to one for her bachelorette party, so I've been to one once."

"Oh you'll love it then! The water is from natural hot springs so it's got minerals that's really good for your skin! But first we're getting our nails done and-"

And off she went again. 

It was ok still. You still were going to have a good time. It was just a small matter of getting a small safe place to put your shoes and bags before following the others to the other section of the salon separate from the onsen addition. Other an an older woman getting highlights in her hair, your group had the entire place to yourselves. 

It was a strange and new but not unpleasant experience there. After all you've never had your nails done let alone had anyone else take a nail file to your nails or had your feet soaked before getting a pedicure for the first time. As said it wasn't a bad experience just new. However you declined the massage offered to you. By the time three hours had passed and everyone had a turn to everything that was offered to them(none of you noticing the second group being escorted towards the onsen), it was time for the onsen according to Suma. There was only one problem however-

"Hey. Um..I don't know how any other way to say this,  but I don't feel comfortable washing with you all before we go to the onsen."

You weren't actually planning on getting into any onsens either and was just going to sit on the edge as they soaked, but you had to bath before going into the onsen and you didn't feel comfortable doing that as a group. Luckily Shinobu seemed very understanding and smiled at you. 

"That's fine. We're not going to make you do something you're not comfortable with so why don't you want outside for about fifteen minutes? We'll all be done by then and you can join us when you're done."

You sighed relieved. "That's great!"

"Good. When you're done just go through the doorway and down the hall. We'll be through the green door."

"Ok! I'll remember that!"

Guess who decided to show up in your life again? Yep that's right. Bad luck.

You had waited outside of the bathing area with the long fluffy white robe and the soap the spa ladies had given you to use and waited about twenty minutes for them all to get done (an extra five minutes just to be sure) before deciding to see if everyone was clear. A quick shout didn't get any response and a careful peek inside revealed that indeed no one else was in the room. Perfect! You were able to scrub down really quick and change into the robe you were given before wrapping a towel around your hair. Now let's see. Shinobu said they'd be in the room down the hall from here through the green door. Perfect! Easiest directions ever!

...or it would've been if you weren't staring at two exactly identical green doors at the end of the hall. 

You stood there dumbfounded staring between the doors again. There was a sign saying which one was the men's section.. unfortunately it had fallen off the wall where it was hung up and for some reason had been kicked to the middle of the hall so you had no idea which door it had been hanging above. Was someone trying to play a joke?! Or did no one notice the sign on the floor?! Or did they just not care and just kick it out of the way?! Either way you were screwed in this situation. Great.

Ultimately you decided to go through the right door. There was no one else in the spa besides yourself, your group, and the employees. The worst you'd do is enter an empty room or run into an employee who you'd just explain that you were were lost, and you might just run into the group. So you didn't think when you pushed open the door. When you stepped inside. When you smiled at first hearing the sloshing sounds of water. When you called out happily.

"Hey! I'm sorry I took so long! I got lost so-"

You froze as at least six heads turned to look at you in the doorway. 

It felt like an eternity to process what you were seeing as your mind just blue screened, but at the same time it felt like someone dropped a boulder into your stomach and jabbed ice into your veins with a syringe. There was definitely a group occupying the onsen in here alright...however it was uh...

They were definitely not girls. 

Six pairs of eyes stared at you. Some frozen in shock, some confusion, and at least in Sanemi's case it was a big 'wtf' look. Speaking of which-

IT WAS THE WRONG DAM ROOM!!

The boys all stared at you from somewhere in the room. Rengoku, Tengen, and Sanemi from in the water. Obanai sitting on the ledge looking wide eyed frozen at you with a towel around his middle and his mask still on his face. And Gyomei and Giyuu standing off to the side looking like they had been having a conversation but stopped when you walked in. However-

HOW WERE THEY ALL SO RIPPED-

"*ahem*" Eventually it was Gyomei who broke the extremely awkward silence by clearing his throat making you jump and calmly gesturing a hand back to the door. "Y/n, I believe you meant to enter through the o-other door."

"IMSOSORRY!!OHMYGOD-"

The door all but slammed behind your quickly disappearing form and the sound of your quickly retreating footsteps left everyone else staring there stunned in the aftermath.. before Tengen snickered body shaking lightly before his entire head was thrown back with his loud booming laughter echoed off the tiled walls.

"HAHAHAHAHA!! Well if she didn't think you were good looking before she does now!," he loudly announced with more laughter that turned into sputters and coughs once Sanemi splashed water into his face.

You didn't mention anything about this to the others. Didn't even answer them when they asked what took you you so long and why your face was burnt red. You only squealed out that you got lost but didn't answer anything else. Thankfully they didn't push it and you were able to try to forget about it..but failed. You were horrified by the time you all left and the guys were literally RIGHT THERE  in the lobby and...

Absolutely chill?

They didn't look the least bit out of the ordinary and just greeted their girlfriends like it was any other day except for Tengen who gave you a deeply amused smile but before he could say anything Obanai kicked his leg hard enough to make him wince. So hopefully he wouldn't be telling anyone else about this- A gentle large hand placed on your shoulder causes you to jump out of your stupor and snap up to a concerned looking Gyomei. 

"Are you alright?," his tone was gentle and concerned. "If you're uncomfortable being around after..*ahem*" His own face dawned a light pink. "I-I can pay for a taxi to take you home."

"N-No! I-It's ok! That was m-m-my fault! Um...How was your hike?" You quickly changed the subject.

Taking the hint he nodded clearing his throat. "I-It was wonderful. The forest was very vibrant with life and the waterfall was especially alive. There's not really anything that sounds quite as powerful as the Earth's own power."

"It sounds beautiful."

"It was."

*Until Sanemi dragged us to that ghost story knock off."

"HEY!!" You turned to catch Sanemi pointed and angry hand to Obanai. "SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY TWO IS A FANTASTIC HORROR MOVIE! WAY BETTER THAN THAT SNAKE CRAP SHOW YOU BROUGHT!!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW GOOD STORYLINES WHEN YOU SEE THEM!!"

"That is enough!" The sudden shout from the otherwise soft spoken Gyomei was so out of the ordinary that it made everyone turn on the spot in shock and surprise. His face turned down on a frown towards the both of them. "This entire day was supposed to be about spending time with one another not argue over who has better taste in films. Further more you both are being very inconsiderate to make such fools of yourself in front of our guest for this trip. Now will you both please kindly stop going at each other's throats?"

There was a stunned small moment of silence as the both of them slowly relaxed back looking suddenly guilty. After another few seconds Gyomei nodded before looking back to you apologetically. 

"I'm very sorry."

"It's ok. I really don't mind anyways." 

"No. It's not ok. We were supposed to relax today without any fighting. They promised and now-.." He just sighed. "It's getting late and we all have classes and work tomorrow. We should all return home and get a good night's sleep. Do you need me to drop you off?"

You shook your head at him. "No it's ok. I can walk home after I take the bus back." 

"Then allow me to walk you home. It's the least I can do."

After such a kind gesture,how could you say no? That's what lead to you both walking down the street with your arms linked and the sun barely in the sky, and him carrying your bags in his other hand even though you told him he didn't have to but he insisted. It made a warm fluttery feeling go off in your chest that barely let you register saying goodbye to everyone else. And you definitely didn't see the way Mitsuri was giving you the 'first crush' eyes or the very approving look Kanae gave you. Only focusing on the fact that you were home now and the good feelings in your chest didn't go away even when he handed over your bags. 

"Thank you for walking me home."

He smiled. "As I said before it's the least I could do. I'm just happy you had fun with the girls today. I hope Mitsuri and Suma weren't too overwhelming. I know they can be a lot." 

"No they're great! I had so much fun. It's the best time I had for a long time to be honest." 

He chuckled too and looked like he was going to say something but at the same moment and elderly couple smiled at you while walking into the building next to your home. "Oh look, Dear. A young man walking his lady home. How charming. I remember when you used to walk me everywhere-"

"Oh no. He's not my boyfri-..He is?"

The look of surprise on his face as his head turned to you wide eyed. "I am?"

There was a silence other than the chatting older couple just entering into the building and leaving you both alone staring at each other for a long moment. Eventually you looked down at your feet and rubbed your arm.

"I-I mean.. Would you like to be?"

His white eyes widened to the size of plates as he was taken aback before the brightest shade of red came over him as he just.. couldn't believe it. Before a big smile replaced the shock and he nodded. "Y-YES! I mean- *ahem* I would like that very much. However are you sure you'd like to have me for a boyfriend. I will not sugarcoat the obvious." A hand gestured to his face. "I am blind and scarred."

"If I was really shallow to not date because of looks, then I wouldn't have agreed to that first date with you."

"I am seeing other people whom I love and care about very much. .. I'm not going to break up with them or any other outrageous demands."

"I wouldn't even dream of asking you to break up with them! I think they're wonderful people so I couldn't ask you that. And it's not going to be me dating them. I'm going to be dating you and I'm ok with that." You smiled. "You're the first guy I dated that's been completely honest with me and so kind. It makes me feel like I'm the luckiest person in the world."

"I-... Don't speak like that please."

You blinked. "Huh. Why?"

"Be-Because the beauteous genuity of your words only make you sound more beautiful to my mind."

Huh. You were both closer than he remembered. Just a few inches from one another twinkling under the lights. And you blinked at the sudden closeness too. Face going a dim pink and a few chuckles from the moment escaping you. Barely anyone was outside now, too busy inside mingling, eating the food, and enjoying the evening. So it was just you two. Alone out here with nothing but each other for company. His mind felt completely blank and numb but in a good way, compelling him to reach his hands up and cup a cheek of yours something his rational brain wouldn't allow himself to do. Inches away now. You didn't move away.

He stared at the woman in front of him, this silly silly woman with the beautiful voice. If he was watching this as an outsider, he would've laughed at how they were literally just strangers less than a while ago, but right now it didn't seem any of that or anything else mattered. Not even the topic they had been discussing just a few seconds ago. Or removing the hand that now cupped her cheek. Maybe it really was a mutual madness they both shared or some form of chaos in their lives, but right now....With them being so close...And so vulnerable. It was only natural of course-.. It's what soulmates do-.. Of course they would since-...

They kissed.

"Hey. Do you think Gyomei is going to be angry at us still?" Sanemi gave his girlfriend a glum look as she patted his back. 

"Of course not. He's just stressed trying to make a good impression is all. I'm sure he'll be just fine." Her boyfriend didn't look convinced as he gave her a pout. Oh well. She was distracted anyways by the ringing of her phone in her pocket to which she promptly pulled out and automatically held up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Kanae! Quickly I need help!"

She blinked as Gyomei's voice cut through the phone. "Mei? Are you ok? What happened?"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BOYFRIEND!!"

[yandere-writer-momo]

Yandere Head Canon:

A Friendship Forever

Yandere Platonic Unicorn x GN Reader

This is a self indulgent piece for all the people who always wanted a unicorn as a friend when they were young (albeit a crazy one).

Tw: Kidnapping, being held hostage (affectionately), platonic yandere, and yandere themes

Your hands ran a brush through Andromeda’s white main. The unicorn leaned into your touch with a whinny.

“Andromeda, I cannot stay here.” You softly whispered to your longtime friend. The unicorn turned her head to look at you, her soft voice rung in your brain. It still unnerved you that she’d always communicate with you telepathically despite how many years she’d done this…

“But it’s safe here. You said you didn’t want to get married or grow old, so I brought you here.” Andromeda’s white ears flapped against her head, another whinny left her lips.

“I said that when I was five, Andromeda.” You sighed softly. “I’m in my twenties now-“

“Humans are a fleeting existence! You’d whither away if I didn’t step in!” Andromeda nodded her head. “You’re my best friend! I cannot bear to lose my best friend!”

Andromeda rose to her feet before she shook her head, her dark eyes held a playful glint in them. “Come on! We can frolic together in the enchanted forest just like we always have!”

“We can play forever! This is much better than being with humans. Humans are bad! But not you… you’re the best!”

Andromeda nodded her head at you, a snort escaped her muzzle when you didn’t get up right away. “I know you’re not tired! You’ve slept for hours! Come on!”

You sighed when Andromeda stomped her hooves at you to encourage you to get up. The unicorn happily whinnied when you obediently followed her. “There we go! Want to race to the waterfall?”

“Andromeda, you know you’ll win.” You sighed when the unicorn stamped her hooves against the forest floor.

“Not true! I let you win sometimes!” The unicorn began to circle you as she shook her mane about in a playful manner. This unicorn was still quite childish despite the many years you’ve known her. “It’s been a fifty-fifty!”

Andromeda bumped her head against your back. “Well, if you don’t want to do that, we can make flower crowns in the field!” The thought seemed to excited the unicorn who began to bounce up and down. “You can make your flower crowns and I can eat some flowers! That’s a fantastic deal, wouldn’t you say?”

You gave the unicorn a sad smile. This mythical creature could never understand you properly. You knew her will came from a good place, you’d never starve her or worry about rent anymore… but you missed your friends. Your human friends. And time seemed to pass by so differently in this enchanted forest. The weather was always perfect… And that’s when a terrifying thought entered your mind. How long have you been here exactly?

“How long have I been here with you now, Andromeda?” You softly asked the unicorn, hopeful for reassurance that it’s only been a few weeks… that you still had a life to go back to if you tried to escape.

Andromeda thought for a moment before she stomped her hoof on the ground. “It’s been about five months here, but that’s fifty years in your world!”

Andromeda circled you. “I upset the balance of the forest for my very best friend! But the spirits are not upset with me since I’ve been alone for so long! Yes, yes! We will be together until the end of time! Just you and me… friends forever.”

You felt a few tears run down your cheeks as your situation finally sunk in. You really were trapped here forever with her…

[heartfullofleeches]

Yan Unicorn who’s actually super snobby and hates everyone besides their darling

[unicorn is a centaur to make things clearer]

It's said those with the purest souls gain the beast's favor-

You weren't so sure you fit the bill. You told your fair share of white lies, stole - though nothing more criminal than sweets before dinner. You've lashed out at people who've upset you. Had thoughts of causing said individuals downfall - all in all not exactly fairest of heart material...

And yet..

"You pushed your brother down the steps when you were five years old. Leave."

Another rejected traveler. They scarcely had the chance to plead their case before your lover shooed them all away. From one look - you judged their characters better than your own. Noble figures, speakers of faith, the weak and weary at the end of their rope - all belittled and banished by the unicorn's known eyes. You came across the mythical creature by pure coincidence following a hitching trip with a friend. They drive away within five minutes of initial contact while you were urged to stay for reasons the unicorn refused to confess. It's been about a week since then and you've been staying with it in a cozy cabin behind the waterfall you found them at.

You're snapped from your thoughts as the braid you were weaving slips from your fingers - strong arms lifting you off the unicorn's back and into their lap."

"Forgive me for disrupting your work, but it seems you've stopped process and gotten lost in your head again. Has my little helper grown tired? Do you need another soak in the springs? Perhaps a massage?"

You mess the lace around your wrists as they adjust the flower crown atop your head. "No, just.. wondering why you reject everyone who stumbles across this place, but you let me in. Why am I different?"

They sigh, brushing fallen leaves off your clothes. "If I am to be honest for once I must admit I'm a liar when it comes to most of my reasons for disliking your kind, but I am being truthful when I say I can read you all like a book. Your inner self speaks to me in a way different from any mortal I've met in all my years. Your company has been the greatest by far and I intend to keep it for as long as able."

"....are you sure it wasn't because of those baked apples I was carrying?"

"That may have been a small part - yes, but better yet why don't we stop talking now and get you ready for a bath."

[austinbutlerslovers]

Wondering if you would do this as I love wil Ohmsford from Shannara chronicles maybe him and the reader are at the lake and the reader goes in for a swim and wil joins her and the end up admitting there feeling for each other and it’s ends with them having sex in the hut

Am I Causing you Pain

Label Mature 18+

Summary Wil is hesitant to get close to anyone, except you. When you meet him at your usual rendezvous near the lake a series of unfortunate events befalls you. As you continue to suffer bad luck Wil steps in to save you each time without hesitation. The more he takes care of you the more he realizes he has hidden his feelings from you far too long and seizes the opportunity to release them caring for you to completion in his hut.

💝Romantic Smut 💝 Fluff•friends to lovers• graphic injury• wound care• foreplay•virgin smut• first time •missionary•pull out ejaculation •after care•fluff ending.

•The rarest unicorn 🦄 of all, Wil Ohmsford smut! 🧝•This is a full bodied friends to lovers story. •Story based on Wil wanting to be a healer •You are his best friend in the village •Light timeline change/ Wil lives alone/ hut description/short hair requested. •Soft romantic journey with hard smut •Pics of Wil sprinkled throughout because he’s so majestically beautiful

Inspo: 💝special request @jessica987

Am I Causing You Pain?

You wander through the forest on a familiar path you’ve traveled a dozen times before. You hear the waterfall before you reach the clearing and see it powerfully cascading down the rock face. You take a glance all the way to the top noticing the ominous storm clouds forming in the distance. You might not be able to stay at the lake today if it rains which would completely ruin your chances of seeing Wil.

You and he have arranged this same meet up every few weeks when you run in to each other collecting supplies at the open market.

The village you both lived in was very mundane and small you both grew bored with the limited ways for young people to seek enjoyment there.

You are both roughly the same age he a year older. You grew up together never having left more than five miles outside of this place. He is your closest friend, though he prefers to be left alone you are the only who seems to be able to get close to him.

He lives in a hut not far from the waterfall and has never shown you exactly were. He hated living in the close confines of the village so moving here made sense for him to be at peace. He always said he never really felt like he fit in and you believed him.

You look around ensuring you have arrived to the lake before him and change in privacy tying tight your usual strips of cloth on your body to protect your modesty and placing your folded clothing on two large rocks.

You quickly enter the water wading all the way in until your feet no longer touch the bottom it’s colder than usual. You dip your hair back and splash your face a few times focusing out in the distance as you see the movements of Wil at the shoreline. He’s already ridding himself of his boots and slipping his shirt over his head peeling his pants down and standing up his firm muscular body only covered by cloth shorts.

You smile admiring his beauty lifting your hand from the water to wave at him as he waves back. Even though he prefers to be alone and is resistant to change you can’t help but notice he has the chiseled defined body of a warrior and the regal flair of a king. Each time you lay eyes on him he looks back at you with a spark of something more than admiration though he is quick to change it.

You watch as he places his clothing in his shoulder bag with his boots against a tree and walks from the shoreline into the deeper waters to meet you. His face is so focused and stern as he swims.

When he gets closer his handsome features warm into a smile his eyes light up as he reaches you “I’m glad you came, it looks a little ominous today“ he says glancing up. “I’m freezing Wil the lake is much colder than last time” you say smiling at him through slightly chattering teeth.

He surprises you not wanting to see you suffer and wraps his strong arms around you hugging you to his chest. You both try to avoid eye contact with pleasant smiles as you tread water together enjoying the warmth of each others closeness for the moment.

Droplet suddenly begin to patter across the lakes surface “Oh no my clothing!” You exclaim both paddling quickly to the shoreline to save what you can.

As you reach the bank you are being pelted heavily by rain. You find your clothing and shoes soaked on the rocks where you placed them.

You are so dismayed as you collect the sopping wet items in your arms.

You look over at Wil looting through his leather bag all of his items still dry thanks to the coverage of the trees. He gets dressed remaining untouched by the rain beneath the canopy of leaves and branches above him finishing by lacing his boots.

He looks over to see you shivering nearly naked and holding your wet clothing in your arms, his heart drops. You are unsure what to do unable to walk back to the village like this.

“Come with me I don’t live far” he gestures. You follow him into the tree line as you walk into the woods barefoot you immediately step your full weight on a jagged sharp stone “Ahhhh” you cry out in pain the stone pierced you intensely. You look down and turn over your injured foot revealing a deep gash that begins heavily leaking blood droplets all over the ground.

Wils eyes grow wide once he realizes what’s happened. “You’re hurt!” He says rushing to kneel down infront of you placing his hands to check your foot, it is a very deep cut he looks up at your shivering form holding your wet clothing and boots.

He stands and opens the flap of his shoulder bag removing the contents into his pockets taking out his facial scarf placing it over his shoulder and collecting the wet clothing from your arms replacing them inside.

He kneels down and you lift your leg as he ties his scarf around your foot in a makeshift bandage to hold the bleeding. He turns kneeling offering his back “I can carry you, I don’t want you walking on that injury” he says over his shoulder.

You take up his offer and climb onto him. He has his bag across the front of his chest and your arms draped over his shoulders. His hands slide under your bare thighs holding you firmly against him as he begins to walk. You take a deep breath trying to relax, the placement of his hands making you feel things, intrusive physical thoughts you’ve never had about him before clouding your mind.

“I’m so sorry about all this” you say in his ear trying to refocus as he carries you. He doesn’t mind at all “No need to worry I have all my Ingredients prepared for vegetable soup at home for us, I usually eat alone so this is a treat for me” he smiles at you over his shoulder.

You begin to study his perfect jawline and broad muscular shoulders and his pointy elf ears you’ve always wanted to touch. You never noticed how tall and strong he is carrying you so easily, his innocent angelic features always distracting you from the fact that he is a young man now and you are constantly trying to stifle the feelings you’ve recently begun having for him.

It doesn’t help that at each step he takes your inner thighs bounce against his lower back, you try to focus on anything else besides the friction of your body’s rubbing together. This is the longest you’ve been so close. Whenever you touch more than a brief moment Wil is quick to turn away.

He continues to walk under the canopy of trees keeping you both dry as it rains. You come to a clearing with a meadow his hut centered in the distance. He lets you down, as you step on the grass it’s so flat and shiny and soft you squeeze your toes into it. He smirks looking over at you enjoying your little moment.

You step forward from the tree line into the meadow clearing and look up to the sky, the rain has stopped. “Wil look a rainbow” you say excitedly pointing up as he joins your gaze

“It is really beautiful” he says looking down at your face instead. You’re staring up in awe at the vivid colors. You’ve never seen anything like it this close. Wil sees a rainbow here every time it rains and he finds you even more alluring to look at.

He takes your hand to grab your attention noticing your lips are turning blue. “You need to dry off and warm up and I’ll need to mend your foot” he says glancing down at it with concern.

You completely forgot you are wearing tied wet strips of cloth with almost your entire body exposed and your foot bleeding. He makes you feel so comfortable in his presence you forgot it could be considered immodest.

You follow him across the meadow up a step and into his hut. As you enter the doorway It’s very colorful and spacious inside. His walls painted indigo blue with birch wood floors. Everything is arranged neatly in the space with lots of hanging light catchers made from tiny pieces of glass casting beautiful shimmers of light around the room.

He has dozens of books on healing tucked neatly in a tall bookshelf by the window. His bed is in a nook at the back of the hut covered in a sheer curtain canopy draping from the roof, the mattress covered in a thick colorful quilt. A sky blue reading chair and table are under the window at your right.

He has dozens of species of small plants shelved in a large box garden window on your left. Little notes of descriptions are sticking out of each one. You walk over and lean in smelling the yellow one that you think is the most beautiful you read the note on it in his handwriting -“marigold”

Wil works behind you gathering chopped wood from a pile near the door he places a few pieces in his wood burning stove at the entrance. He starts a fire and sets a kettle on.

He walks infront of you to the back of the hut kneeling down at the foot of his bed opening a large trunk, he sifts through the items holding up one of his full sleeved winter shirts and a long piece of fabric that could be used as a scarf.

He walks back and stands in front of you “Please get changed I’m going to get some rope and hang your clothing, I will take the vegetables I prepared and cook them outside.” He hands you his clothing and gathers the basket of chopped vegetables with his shoulder bag and quickly leaves you in privacy.

Once the door closes you untie your top, cupping your breasts they are freezing , you untie your bottoms and pull his shirt over your head it falls just covering your modesty with one shoulder peeking out. You take the scarf and tie it around your waist making it a skirt.

You head outside to help him with his tasks. Stepping out into the meadow you see a large pot hanging over a fire boiling the soup. He’s attached a rope to the side of the hut and the other end to a tree he’s wringing out and hanging your wet clothing.

“Wil I can do that.” You rush over before he gets to your undergarments face flushing as you take your top from his hands wringing it and tossing it over the line. He sees you can take over and heads back inside to remove the kettle from the fire.

He picks an assortment of his herbs from the box garden window grinding them with a pestal and mortar adding in the boiling water mixing it into a salve. He goes to the bookshelf and grabs his mahogany chest full of his medical supplies arranging what he’ll need on the table near the reading chair. He returns outside to see you’ve finished hanging your clothing.

“Come inside and Im ready to mend your cut“ he says and ducks back in.

You walk in and see him standing at the table focused intently on threading a needle

“Sit here“ he gestures his head to the reading chair.

He’s so serious when it comes to healing and medicine you look at his stern face deep in concentration and smile admiring how he must really want to be a healer. “What is all of this?” You say looking at his supplies neatly arranged on the table in front of you.

“I want to make sure I mend your foot properly, I’ve been studying healing and medicines for quite some time, I want to practice some things that I’ve learned to help you” he says finally lancing a knot in the eye if the needle.

You sit down in his blue reading chair and he kneels in front of you maneuvering directly to the bottom of your foot. He sees there is blood already soaking through the bandage. As he unwraps it the blood begins dripping once more indicating to him the cut is deep and his assumption is correct it won’t be able to heal closed he will have to sew it shut. You look around the hut at the floor and realize you have left little red footprints everywhere “ Wil I’m so sorry about the mess” you cover your mouth in embarrassment.

He dips a tiny cloth in the salve he’s prepared and rubs it into your cut cleaning it out “ Ahhhh” you cry out gripping the chair it’s so painful . “That’s alright “ he says his vibrant blue eyes finally flashing to look up at you kindly. He continues to clean around the wound

His fingers feel so cold and delicate as he works to care for you. He puts a cloth beneath your foot to catch the fresh blood droplets releasing from the disturbed gash.

Looking at the size of the injury he realizes what he needs to do will be quite painful for you. “I need you to lay on my bed” he says wrapping your foot in a makeshift bandage and assisting you there. He pulls open the sheer curtains and you crawl on top of his soft bed laying down on your back with your hands resting on your navel.

He collects his needle and sterilizes it by fire, burning it over a candle at the table. He sits on the end of the bed and you part your legs wider making space for him. He sits closer in between them holding your foot with the injury above his lap. He steadies his hand, the needle has cooled and is ready to be used for his purpose.

He removes his makeshift bandage from your foot and goes right to work. Holding your foot steady he pierces the needle into the top of the cut. Your eyes widen and your body tenses It is one of the worst pains you have experienced in your life. You squeeze your eyes shut and grit your teeth but you are unable to stifle the scream that erupts from your throat . “AH Wil it’s so painful” you cry out as he lances the needle you feel the thread hot as if it is burning as he pulls it through. “WIL…. “ you speak up again chest rising and falling eyes almost in tears “ how many times do you have to do that? “ He eyes it “12“ he responds. You let out a disparaging moan and cover your hands over your face.

He wants to comfort you somehow. Based on your reaction It’s slowly dawning on him you will probably pass out unable to endure this type of pain. “You are a really brave girl” he says piercing the needle in a third time you cry out and tremble as it turns into a sob. He pulls the thread through it feels white hot, your gash now throbbing painfully as he works.

He tries not to focus on your screams and cries it’s already distracting him so much, he knows he needs to pull these stitches right. He works expertly piercing and pulling the thread through as quickly as he can until it’s taunt the top of the gash now sewn shut.

Ha talks to distract you as he continues “I was really excited you came to see me today and I’m sorry this happened to you, I’m going to mend it right you’ll only have a scar as a reminder “ he says glancing into your eyes with a soft smile to reassure you.

He turns his attentions back and pierces the needle into your foot again. Your body goes into shock you lay your head back and start sobbing the tears rolling from the corners of your eyes down your cheeks the pain now unbearable. He almost stops hearing you cry like that he wants to hold you and tell you it’ll be alright comforting you and letting you rest, but he cant he has to finish his work.

You never imaged having him mend the wound would be more painful than the cut itself. You wetly blink your eyes staring up at the roof. This time when he pierces the needle into your foot you don’t let out a scream your body only winces involuntarily.

You lift your head up watching him delirious from the agony which your body is changing into something else. You feel like you’re floating

He’s in pure concentration on your foot, his slender fingers expertly sewing. He’s going to stitch you together like a piece of fabric. You lightly laugh finding it a little funny.

He looks at you his face showing concern. “Are you alright?” his words echoing. When you don’t answer he refocuses on your foot you see him drive the needle in again everything goes black.

“ Are you alright? “he asks a second time because you are neither laughing or crying there is only silence. He looks over at you as he finishes threading the last stitch. You’re completely out.

He ties the knot and rips the thread. He admires his work 7 perfect stitches and 13 pierces of the needle down your delicate foot. He stands replacing your legs together on the bed.

He applies more salve on the cut wrapping it with a clean bandage. Going into his trunk he retrieves a blanket placing it over you neatly and wets a cloth wiping away your sweat and tears.

That’s when he stares at your beautiful face and his heart swells. Your eye lids are moving rapidly as you dream. He kneels next to you and takes your hand in his “I’m so sorry I hurt you, and I’m sorry this happened because you came to see me, I care for you deeply I never want anything to hurt you like this again”

He expresses his hidden feelings as you sleep finally unlocking something inside of himself he’s been keeping closed for so long. He lovingly presses his cheek on your hand before placing it back on your chest. He leaves your side to finish cooking the soup as he waits for you to come back.

The sound of loud crickets chirping and the cracking of the fire in the wood burning stove wakes you up. Your eyes fly open its night fall and candles light up the room around you. You sit up realizing you’re still at Wils place and your parents will be worried sick in the morning that you haven’t returned from seeing him as usual.

“Wil!” You call out feeling scared that you might be alone. You hear him approaching the hut and enter. He has a somber look on his face that turns into a smile seeing you awake. “You were out for a few hours” he says coming to sit on the edge of the bed “are you hungry?” He asks. Your stomach is completely empty you nod vigorously. He smiles at you warmly “Come sit outside with me“ he says taking your hand.

He helps you walk out of the hut down one step to the ground. A thick quilt is in the grass with two pillows. He sits you down on the quilt and takes the ladle into the soup pot hanging over the fire pouring you a bowl. He brings it to you and lays down at your side his hands behind his head peering up into the night sky.

You blow on the soup cooling it enough to eat, the flavoring is excellent and you eat quickly so famished sipping the last drops and setting the bowl on the grass next to you away from the blanket. You look over at Wil still gazing up breathing gently.

You lay down next to him, looking up as you gasp in awe, there are stars everywhere covering the entire expanse of the sky. He looks over at you and smiles. “I knew you would like this because of how excited you were about the rainbow today” you look back to him gratefully your eyes already telling him what he needs to know.

You gaze up at the billions of stars and feel so small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. You look over at Wil relaxing, he has such an impressive presence the way he carries himself with purpose, how he’s naturally so intelligent, and he always knows exactly what to do when a challenging situation arises.

“ Wil… there’s something special about you”

you say breaking the silence, it’s hard for you to explain but you try.

“I’ve always known you were different, I believe you have what people call a destiny in you that everyone will admire even more than this entire village…. you …you should leave this place and discover if you have a greater purpose..”

Your heart breaks knowing you might never see him again, but also knowing he has something more to offer the world. He thinks for a while and smiles releasing his hand from behind his head and pulling you gently onto his chest.

He places his hand on top of your head raking his fingers into your hair comforting you both.

“I will leave one day” he says staring back up at the stars. “I understand I don’t belong here but it’s the only place I have ever called home “

“What will you do when you leave ?” You ask curiously.

“I want to be a healer” he says trailing his fingers down your neck to your shoulder and caressing his fingertips there softly relaxing you even more.

You smile suddenly realizing he’s letting you in, touching you intimately without turning away, it is something he has never done before. You have a little feeling he wants more than a friendship with you and it sparks a burning question in your mind.

Please Take Me

“Wil when you leave here can you take me with you?” You ask as a shooting star streaks across the sky. You close your eyes wishing on it that he says yes. He shifts over on his side looking directly at you. “I’m planning to take you with me” he says softly, his thumb strokes your chin as he leans in closely to your face hesitating then planting a gentle kiss on your forehead eyes transfixed on your soft lips after.

You lean in and kiss him without reservation. It shocks him to the core, his lashes flutter as his eyes close giving in to you. He’s never wanted to kiss anyone as much as he’s wanted to kiss you in his life, a new sensation swells inside of him as you brush your lips together passionately kissing under the stars.

His blood begins coursing through his veins down his groin hardening his length. He quickly rolls on top of you. His eyes soften as he looks into yours he focuses on your mouth leaning forward and pressing his plush lips to them again feeling like he’s in a dream.

His kiss is harder this time and he prods his tongue between your parted lips wanting to taste your mouth. You bring your hands up holding the nape of his neck, your body begins tingling from his deeper kisses making you let out a whimper against his lips. You dig your fingertips into his hair.

He lifts from your body and pulls you onto him standing up carrying you easily. You wrap your legs around his waist as he takes you inside. He pushes the door open and brings you to his bed. Opening the canopy curtain with one hand and laying you down with the other. He makes quick work of removing all his clothing and you do the same nimbly discarding your shirt and makeshift skirt. He climbs into bed with you and lays at your side.

He rests on his elbow eyes wandering and admiring your beautiful naked form. You can’t help yourself as you look back at his perfectly toned muscular body, you start to trail the tips of your fingers over his chiseled six pack abs down to the patch of hair on his lower stomach, just above the spot your hand is curious to touch the most, his large throbbing cock you stare at in disbelief.

“Can I touch you?” you ask peering into his eyes. It’s what he wants more than anything the tips of his ears and chest reddening as he nods “Yes” he says voice faltering from arousal. Your fingers slowly trail down and wrap your hand around him for the first time.

A gasp escapes from his lips your fingers feel so delicate on him as you explore the veins of his shaft softly trailing up and squeezing the tip making his abs tighten as his cock twitches in your hand. He sees the curiosity in your eyes already knowing you’re a virgin, which is why he has never wanted to sexually awaken you before. “Have you…had sex?” He asks to make sure, trying to calm his breathing. You shake your head no.

He tries to refocus his heart now beating heavily in his chest he starts doubting himself unsure if he’s making the right decision to take you as your first. You see the conflict on his face and spread your legs apart for him “Please take me Wil” you whisper.

He wants to deflower you immediately overcome with arousal. Leaning in close he guides his hand between your legs and slips his fingers through the soft lips of your wet folds rubbing into them gently. A moan escapes from your throat as you lock eyes with him, never having been touched like this before and feeling a new sensation blossoming you never knew existed.

He kisses your mouth as he parts your folds gliding his fingers up and down between them until you are soaking wet for him. He carefully slips two fingers inside of you all the way to his knuckle. You feel I slight pinch and gasp against his lips but it isn't too painful.

He keeps his fingers inside curling them softly against a certain spot that has you seeing stars, his passionate kisses never leaving your lips. He wants to stimulate you as much as possible to give you the first orgasm of your life on his cock.

You start to pant into his mouth and clench on his fingers from the stimulation. Sensing the increase in your arousal he climbs on top of you settling his weight between your legs. He gently slides his fingers in and out of you as you close your eyes and softly moan from the euphoric feeling of them dragging against your tight inner walls.

His fingers are making squishing noises he's gotten you so wet, your thighs are soaked. You feel something inside of you shift wanting to be even closer to him you open your eyes seeing his angelic face above you and bring your hands to trail down his strong broad shoulders settling on his lower back. You pant heavily enjoying the intense feelings he’s causing to course through you but not knowing what you should do.

He slowly removes his fingers from you and replaces them around the base of his hard swollen cock. Lining himself up with you he hesitates “Is this what you want?” He asks breathlessly, needing to know your answer before he will go any further.

“Yes Wil” You say gazing into is eyes conveying your deepest desire for him “I want you so much” you say pulling his lower back making him inch forward.

“Then take it “ he says releasing the hold around the base “ take my cock it’s yours ” he confesses.

You are flooded with so much sexual arousal you immediately take over pulling his shaft forward and gently pushing the head of his cock against your tight entrance “Oh!” You cry out your eyes gently rolling back as he penetrates into you, both moaning as he sinks in burying so deep he breaks your virginity the burning ache forming as he stretches you out around his large size.

You whimper then cry out clenching tightly on his cock making him gasp and completely stop inside of you.

He thinks about pulling out the concern is written all over his face. "If im hurting you I’m going to stop" he says “Am I causing you pain? Do you still want this?” His eyes are searching yours wildy for the answer.

You gaze back into his striking blue eyes reaching up tracing your finger over the pointy tip of his ear “ I want this Wil“ you whisper. “It’s just all new to me I don’t know what I am supposed to do” you admit.

His cock pulses inside of you with excitement he loves so much what he’s about to make you experience with him.

“Just relax for me and let me take care of you” he says reaching down between your body’s finding your wet nub and gently rubbing his fingertips around it.

You start to moan differently as you feel sexual pleasure begin to form inside of you for the first time blossoming open like a flower you stare into his eyes with astonishment. You are so full of him and wanting more the dull ache dissipating as you relax around his size nodding for him to continue.

Your small whimpers soon turn into moans of pleasure as he rides into you, gently pulling out with each thrust before softly returning back in. “You feel so good on me” he breathes. Your face in pure bliss beneath him with how he’s completely dominating your body.

He increases his pace to make you orgasm amplifying his thrusts wetly smacking his hips into you rocking you with each deep hit of his cock. He's so powerful you tilt your head back overwhelmed with pleasure and just let him take you.

Your vision blurs as your breaths increase, panting so hard you suddenly feel your self clench around him an explosion of intense pleasure rips through you making you shiver and moan loudly for him as your walls flutter tightly on his cock and he rides you through your first orgasm.

“Ughh..Wil… you feel so…incredible” you moan out tears brim and fall from your eyes. Your toes curling as you grab the sheets beneath and he continues his powerful thrusts into you making you his.

He lowers his chest on yours wiping your tears away with this thumbs as he slows down his thrusts “you took me so well” his voice is deep and full of lust “you’re perfect” he presses his mouth on yours in a hard kiss full of his compassion for you.

He releases his kiss and increases his thrusts wanting to cum hips smacking into you as he presses his forehead to yours panting against your face and catching your mouth in hot kisses, when you feel too good on him.

As he’s about to cum his breaths shudder into your mouth and his thrusts falter. He lifts off of you quickly sliding out, his hand wrapped around the base of his cock as it begins to pulse he pumps it over your body as you stare at him in awe.

His plump lips open, his pupils are blown wide and his chest heaving as his abs constrict, he vigorously pumps his cock as he finishes spreading a silky warmth across your naval.

His body immediately softens as he releases his cock, chest is still rising and falling as he breaths heavily staring into your eyes full of complete satisfaction.

He squeezes your thigh tenderly before leaving the bed to grab a cloth. He carefully wipes down your naval cleaning off all of his sperm.

He discards it in a small hamper near the trunk and blows out all of the candles. Once the hut is dark you see the outline of his naked form in the moon light his cock now soft as he slips back into bed with you.

Pulling down the quilt you both lay on the sheets bringing it back up to chest height laying together face to face. “Are you alright?” He asks with a light concern stroking his hand through your hair “Yes of course Wil” you smile at him your eyes full of intense unyielding love. You've already fallen so hard for him vowing never to leave his side after what he made you experience.

He kisses your lips and pulls you into him resting your head on his firm bicep, your cheek is pressed against his chest as you inhale his scent of soft chamomile and sweat. You blink heavily until your eyes remain closed and you pass out.

You awaken to the sounds of loud birds chirping around the hut soft rays of sunlight just creeping into the windows at dawn

Wil is gone you touch the mattress infront of you where he slept and sit up startled he isn’t there, your clothing is folded neatly at the foot of the bed.

You get dressed and rinse your face using a glass jug of water in his kitchen space. Sitting in his blue reading chair you find it challenging to put on your second boot. The swelling and tenderness in your stitches making you wince as you stand up and bear weight on your foot.

Walking slowly you head outside putting less weight on the injured one. Wil is returning to the hut carrying a basket on his arm. He hands you an apple from the top “ breakfast?” he says smiling. You take it from him and eat “We need to return you to the village now I know that everyone is looking for you” he says and you nod in agreement. He puts the basket of full of apples in his hut closing the door behind him.

You begin the long trek back to the village. After a few paces across the meadow your already not feeling well your foot squishing painfully in your boot on the fresh stitches. You slow down and Wil keeps your pace.

As you reach the treeline and the ground becomes firmer you are practically limping and dragging your other foot. He comes to kneel infront of you “ I have to carry you it’s too soon to walk this far”he says, you climb up and rest against his back relieved and exhausted from the pain. He carries you the rest of the way to the village.

As you pass by the water fall this time the sun is shining brightly over it and you smile thinking of how differently the day would’ve gone If you had swam together and gone home like usual. Never experiencing sex for your first time with him. You press your face into the leather shoulder of his jacket smiling remembering all the things he did to you last night as he carries you. Then another thought slowly creeps into your mind.

“Wil if you were to leave, when would you plan to go?” you want to know if he will actually leave the village after what you said.

“I think in a few weeks time when your foot heals, I want to leave the village with you” he peers over his shoulder at you smiling knowing you want to leave as soon as possible with him. You lean forward and press a kiss against the shell of his pointy ear “I’ll be ready” you whisper smiling.

After a long while you finally emerge from the forest to the large valley filled with dozens of small cottages. A large archway welcomes you with an awning that reads “Shady Vale”

🪴END 🫐

[tanglepelt]

Falling into the Zone

AO3

Danny gets lost in the ghost zone having entered via natural portal. The one good thing out of it is he catches a vigilante likely saving them from death.

Tim was not originally in my plan. It was just going to be Danny seeing new sites. Then Tim fell into Dannys arms.

It was meant to be an uneventful trip into the ghost zone. Danny just needed to get to Amity and then back before the fruit loop noticed. Danny was not attending that gala with Vlad without a way to defend himself if he could help it.

Vlad wanted his little badger to attend a gala with him. Of course, his dad agreed right away and sent him off. No matter how tired he fought against it. Vladdy knew best Afterall. Who cares if it makes Danny extremely uncomfortable? Not his Parents.

Even his mom knew he didn’t like Vlad. She just went along with it of course. It would be a good bonding experience for the two.

It couldn’t even be a day trip. No. Vlad had a suite in some hotel in Gotham. They would be there two days early. There was no need for it. The fruit loop is only doing it to make him even more uncomfortable. To rub his wealth in his face or something.

The first day was spent just being lectured on proper etiquette followed by threats if he didn’t behave. He wasn’t going to risk Vlad releasing his experiments on Amity when he wasn’t there. So, he would behave at the gala. Only the gala got specified in that deal.

Danny couldn’t even contact his friends to warn them. The fruit loop had “accidentally” knocked into Danny causing him to drop his phone. Only to “accidentally” step on the phone breaking it.

There is no way the outfit Vlad had specially made didn’t have some form of anti-ecto properties. He was starting to think there was more to making himself look better. It was a disaster waiting to happen.

If Plasmius made an appearance at the Wayne Gala. That was on the bats. Danny wouldn’t need to get involved. If Amity doesn’t need help, he’s sure an experienced vigilante could handle it. He had no experience and handled it himself.

Danny was set to behave, be good and stick around. He was trapped in the hotel room anyways. Anti-ecto shields keeping him stuck.

Then a glowing green portal opened in front of him. Which Is odd. Now he wasn’t at the Gala so why behave? Was it a bad choice? Probably. He didn’t care, better than staring at a wall.

He went through it. Right into the ghost zone. The portal closed behind him. At least he didn’t have to worry about Vlad following. All he had to do was make his way to the Fenton portal warn Sam and Tucker and be back within an hour. Should be easy.

He’d have to find an excuse for how he got out. But that was future Danny problem.

Current Danny problem was being lost in the zone. Nothing here looked familiar. It was all new, with different islands and different doors.

The farther he flew the more he saw.

Floating islands made of candy, waterfalls in thin air, floating rivers with glass walls and flooring you could see ghost fish swim, and the massive number of flying animals.

He had seen dragons, unicorns, rabbits using their ears to fly, there was even an emu. They all just were chilling in the zone. Now he knew animals resided in the zone. Cujo was proof of that. He just didn’t expect there to be so many.

The sheer size of the zone shouldn’t surprise him. It was officially known as the infinite realm for a reason. A place that connected every universe and every dimension to the afterlife. Even if you believe when you’ll die you go to the void you must pass through the realm first. Anyone who dies travels through it. Only around 2% ever stay. Yet 2% of an infinite is too much to count.

Those who remained in the infinite realm had tragic deaths or had business left to attend to.

Take ghostwriter for example. He died in the fire that took down the library of Alexandria. It’s why he was so protective of his books. His human life ended trying to save the books of the past. He couldn’t protect them so now he can write books his own way. On top of having a library of all the past books to ever exist. Danny destroying his book reminded him of his death.

No one wanted to relive their death day.

Danny was content to take in the sights. See a whole new area of the zone. Once he figured out where he was this area would go on their map. Better than no map but certainly not the infimap.

This area of the zone was astounding. So much better than by the prison.

An island of floating water with what appeared to be mermaids and mermen.

An island with large trees and a giant nest. Humanoid creatures with wings resided there.

Did the zone have property value?

The Fenton portal was right near walkers’ prison. Maybe they just opened the portal in a bad area.

Danny had even passed a few ghosts while flying. He had prepared to be attacked. Yet none came. The ghost just looked at him and left. He wasn’t sure but Danny is positive one called him a baby. Which rude. He is 15.

Around an hour in, he was about ready to ask someone for directions. Someone had to know where the prison, the far frozen or even the river of revulsion was. He was interrupted before caving.

A bright green light came from above.

Another natural portal. He was tempted but knew better. He could end up in the wrong time. No, he needed to get to the Fenton portal or frostbite.

While he was considering what to do a body fell right into Danny's arms. A human. Black hair red/black/yellow cosplayer outfit and a black mask. There wasn’t much time to process.

The screaming from the portal was overwhelming. Then a boomerang hit him square in the face. A tracker?? Listening device?? something attached. Something was being shot through then with a woosh the portal closed. A grappling hook??? Yea, that’s a grappling hook. Well, half of it got cut off when the portal closed. Thankfully it wasn’t a body part.

Danny did crush the device. He didn’t want Technus to get his hands on that technology. It was far smaller and more advanced than what he had. Regardless of what it was. Not worth a potential headache.

Either way, it’s not like it would work.

Tucker had specifically made stuff to work here. Which Danny didn’t have. Man, maybe he should have thought twice about rushing into the portal. No, his impulsive thoughts were of use. Regardless of if Danny was here, the guy passed out in his hands would have fallen. Which means who knows if he would have survived.

It was more important than ever to get to frostbite.

Danny went to investigate the wounds it all clicked. The boomerang, grappling hook, and tiny device. This was Red Robin, one of Gotham’s Vigilantes.  One of Gotham’s Vigilantes was unconscious in his arms with a bleeding head.

That wasn’t good.

Thankfully Sam had made him read up on all the vigilantes in Gotham. She stressed not to reveal himself as Batman seemed to have a bad reputation with metas. Which was funny.

Danny was half-dead not meta.

Batman shouldn’t have a problem with him.

Unless he hated the undead.

Back to the problem at hand. Well, three. First, a human was in the realm. Secondly, the human was injured. Thirdly he had no idea where he was. Bad odds.

There wasn’t even anyone to ask for directions from.

Danny had never been more relieved for Cujo to show up. It was at least some sense of normalcy in the zone. When Cujo grabbed him by the ankle and dropped him and his guest off at the far frozen he could have cried tears of joy.

Frostbite took one look at the situation, and it was off to their medical bay. All the wounds were superficial, well, and apparently a sedative. Red would be awake soon. Now Danny just had to figure out what to say and how to explain the bracelet now on his wrist.

Humans were the ghost here. Red could just fall through the island into the zone if he wasn’t careful. Sam and Tucker each had their own devices in case they weren’t in the speedster.

Red bolted awake. Checking his mask then looking around the obvious med center. Not even double looking at the yetis. Then he made eye contact with Danny.

“Where am I”

“The afterlife!”  the look on Red’s face said that was the wrong thing to say. He probably assumed he died or something.

“You didn’t die first off. Secondly, stop messing with that bracket, take it off and you’ll fall through the floors.” Danny gave him his best-pointed look. He didn’t think it was effective. Red did stop messing with it. “You fell in a natural portal. Guess you fell for me, right into my arms. You're actually very lucky most who fall don’t make it out alive.”

Red then started messing with his sleeve. “Tech doesn’t work here, has to be specially made.”

The vigilante kept fidgeting with gadgets and gizmos. Even pulling stuff out of his belt. It wasn’t a surprise when nothing worked.

“How do I get home”

“I can take you once Frostbite gives you the okay. Well, frostbite and I. I’m not trusted with the infimap alone. Accidentally travel through time three times and you get deemed a problem. It's not my fault the fruit loop stole it from me.”

“Don’t leave out how you failed to return it Great one” Frostbite boomed as he walked in. Evidently letting in a chill as Red shivered. “Let me look over the human and then I can return you both to the human realm.”

The checkup went well. All Frostbite did was make sure he wasn’t going to pass out again. Nothing else. Frostbite grabbed the map.

No warning given frostbite grabbed the vigilante’s wrist and asked Danny to place his on the map.

“Take us to where they need to be”. There was a trick to the map. Not specifying a place.

Only frostbite landed nicely in some dining room. Danny and Red slammed into a wall. Red’s mask was gone; Danny’s ghost form was gone. There go secret identities.

“Welcome back to the human realm young ones. I shall take my leave. Do try and avoid the natural portals that spawn. You both were lucky.” Frostbite spoke voice full of humor. Frostbite used the map to return to the far frozen. Leaving Danny alone with a bunch of strangers.

He took in the faces around him.

Red Robin was timothy drake Wayne. Alrighty… how was he getting out of this situation. All the black-haired blue eyes people were just focused on him.

After a lot of explanation and a lot of Danny’s personal information being shared, it wasn’t that bad. He was at least able to warn the bats about Vlad.

[mirisss]

Whispers of Moonlit Hearts

Fairy crown prince! Hong Joshua x afab! Fairy! reader

Wordcount ≈ 3.7k

Warnings: forbidden love = sad, I think that’s it though. 

Genre: fantasy, royal, fairy, forbidden love, 

Summary: In the mystical realm of Elaria, a prince and an elusive fairy form a mysterious connection in the Enchanted Forest. Their unspoken affection blossoms amidst the magic in the heart of the enchanted realm.

A/n: This was inspired by fall and Halloween, exactly how, I don't know. Also, I tried a new style of writing for this one so please let me know if you like it more or less than my usual style.

When something is bolded it means it's like a new chapter.

Third person POV

In the heart of the Enchanted Forest, nestled between ancient towering trees and glistening waterfalls, lies the mystical kingdom of Elaria. The air is always sweet with the scent of blooming flowers, and the soft glow of enchanted fireflies illuminates the night. Elaria is a realm where magic weaves through every whispering breeze and dancing sunbeam, and mystical creatures roam freely under the benevolent rule of the Fairy Council.

At the heart of Elaria, a grand palace crafted from shimmering crystals and adorned with vines of glowing blossoms stands tall. It is here that the handsome young fairy prince, named Joshua, is soon to be crowned king. 

Joshua possesses a kind heart, his eyes as bright as the morning sun, and his laughter as melodious as the song of the forest birds. He is loved by all in the kingdom for his compassion and wisdom, traits that are said to be gifts from the ancient magical beings who once roamed the land of Elaria.

As the day of his coronation approaches, the kingdom buzzes with anticipation and excitement. The creatures of the land, from graceful unicorns to mischievous pixies, all eagerly prepare for the grand celebration. The palace gardens are alive with vibrant colors, and the sweet melodies of fairies practicing their enchanting songs fill the air.

Deep in the midst of the Enchanted Forest, where the moonlight weaves through the leaves like silver threads, there dances a young fairy named (Y/n). With eyes as bright as the stars, she possesses a spirit as wild and untamed as the forest itself. (Y/n) is known throughout the realm for her graceful dance and playful laughter, which can rival the melodies of the forest's songbirds.

She flutters through the woods with delicate wings that shimmer in shades of iridescent blue and silver. Her laughter is infectious, drawing mystical beings near with its joyous cadence. Around her, the air seems to sparkle, and flowers bloom in her footsteps. (Y/n) is a friend to all the creatures of the forest, from the elegant unicorns to the mischievous sprites, and she spends her days in the company of these magical beings.

In the soft glow of twilight, you can find (Y/n) dancing amidst the fireflies, her movements a symphony of grace and light. With each step, she weaves spells in the air, casting a magical aura that enchants all who witness her dance. The mystical beings of the forest gather around her, joining in her playful games and reveling in the enchantment she brings to their lives.

Under the silvery glow of the full moon, (Y/n) danced amidst the ancient trees, her movements as fluid as the gentle breeze that rustled the leaves. The forest was alive with enchantment, and little did she know, it was about to become even more magical.

As (Y/n) twirled, her laughter tinkled like chimes in the night, drawing the attention of Prince Joshua, who happened to be exploring the woods in disguise, his royal garb concealed beneath a cloak of twilight shadows. Intrigued by the joyful sound, he followed the melody of her laughter until he spotted her in a moonlit glade, surrounded by curious woodland creatures.

Joshua hid behind the creatures, enchanted by her dance just like the fireflies who danced with her in the night. Her wings sparkled as if they had been adorned with diamonds. Joshua was awakened from her charming spell as she suddenly came to a stop and looked right at him. 

“Hello there, nightwalker,” Joshua was surprised that she had seen him for her shining eyes had been closed during her dance, yet she knew exactly where he had been standing for the last couple of minutes admiring the beautiful fairy’s dance. “Hi, you must be the one they call ‘Lady of the Moon’, or am I mistaken?” Joshua walked over to the moonlit space where the girl had been dancing previously, all to take a closer look at the fairy. “That is true, they also call me crazy for only socializing with the woodland creatures rather than the other fairies, so take your pick,” Joshua couldn’t help but snicker at the fairy’s remark, everything about her so far intrigued him like no one had ever done before. 

“And who might you be, nightwalker?” (Y/n) slightly flapped her wings as she floated around in the air around the boy whom she had never seen before. Though he was mostly covered by a dark cloak, she could still see part of his handsome face and proud stance. Indicating that he was from the city, a noble fairy. The cloak might have been dark but the material was thick and expensive, not something just an ordinary woodland fairy would possess. 

Joshua was conflicted over whether to reveal his identity or keep it hidden. He deeply desired to know more of the dancing fairy in front of him, though as crown prince of Elaria, he feared that she wouldn’t wish to speak more with him. Carefully, he lifted his hands and lowered the hood of his cloak, revealing his face to the girl who fluttered her wings and danced around him. 

“My name is Joshua, what is your name, Miss Lady of the Moon?” (Y/n) gasped as the mysterious man revealed his face and his name. The man was crown prince Joshua of Elaria. The man who would soon be the ruler of the Enchanted Forest. (Y/n) immediately fell into a bow. “Excuse my manors, your highness. My name is (Y/n),” “Please don’t bow to me, (Y/n). I am not here as your prince, I am simply a nightwalker wandering the forest, you may call me Shua,” Joshua extended his hand toward (Y/n), offering to help bring her out of the bow. 

(Y/n) hesitantly took the prince’s extended hand and raised herself. “Thank you, Shua. It does feel wrong to call you by such a name though if it is what my prince desires I shall obey,” “How come you’re out here dancing in the moonlight?” (Y/n) flapped her wings once again, slightly rising from the ground, twirling in the light breeze. “It’s peaceful, most of the time it is just the woodland creatures and I. No one here to judge us, meaning we are free to do what we wish. And also, I enjoy the Enchanted Forest during nighttime a little more than during the day, I can’t explain why, it is just how I have always been,” 

Joshua removed his cloak, revealing his wings. Prince Joshua’s wings were a marvel to behold, reminiscent of the dawn sky kissed by the first light of day. They were expansive, stretching gracefully from his back, and shimmered in hues that shifted like the colors of the morning horizon. The base of his wings was a deep, velvety indigo, reminiscent of the twilight sky, blending seamlessly into shades of cobalt and sapphire as they extended outward.

In the moonlight, his wings took on an ethereal glow, casting a soft luminescence that illuminated the night around him. Delicate patterns, reminiscent of intricate constellations, adorned the membranes, their silvery lines glowing softly, enhancing the wings' otherworldly beauty. Each movement caused the patterns to dance, creating a mesmerizing display of light and shadow.

(Y/n) gasped in awe as Joshua revealed his magnificent wings, their iridescent splendor catching the moonlight in a dazzling display. Her eyes widened in wonder, mirroring the sparkle of the stars above, as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. The enchanting patterns and delicate shimmer left her utterly mesmerized, her heart skipping a beat at the ethereal beauty of his wings.

A sense of reverence washed over (Y/n) as she realized the true nature of the prince standing before her. She sensed the depth of his royal lineage and the immense responsibility he bore. Yet, despite his regal appearance, there was a warmth in his eyes and a gentleness in his smile that put her at ease.

Unable to contain her admiration, (Y/n) stepped closer, her fingers gently tracing the intricate patterns on his wings. "They're... they're extraordinary," she whispered, her voice filled with genuine admiration. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."

Joshua’s eyes softened with gratitude at her words, appreciating the sincerity in her gaze. He extended his hand, inviting her to touch his wings, a silent gesture of trust and friendship. As her fingertips brushed against the soft wings, a subtle, magical energy tingled in the air, sealing the bond between them and marking the beginning of a remarkable friendship in the heart of the enchanted forest. “May I dance with you?” Joshua asked as he smiled at the girl who admired his wings. (Y/n) answered with a smile and a little nod. 

Under the luminous embrace of the moon, Prince Joshua and (Y/n) took flight, their wings carrying them gracefully into the night sky. Their movements were as harmonious as the melody of the forest, twirling and spinning amidst the stars, leaving behind a trail of stardust that shimmered in their wake. The enchanted night seemed to come alive with their dance as if the very essence of the forest was celebrating their newfound friendship.

With every dip and soar, they laughed, their voices mingling with the night wind, creating a joyous symphony that resonated through the trees. The woodland creatures below, drawn by the magical aura surrounding the pair, watched in awe. Deer peeked from behind ancient oaks, rabbits paused in their midnight nibbling, and owls hooted in rhythm with their dance, adding a natural melody to the enchanted evening.

Joshua and (Y/n) shared a connection that transcended words, their laughter echoing the shared secrets of the forest. They danced with a grace that mirrored the rustle of leaves and the flow of streams, their wings flickering like shooting stars as they spun and glided through the night. Their movements seemed effortless, guided by an invisible thread of understanding that bound them together.

As they descended back to the forest floor, the woodland creatures approached, their eyes filled with admiration and curiosity. Squirrels chattered excitedly, and butterflies fluttered around them as if offering their applause to the charming pair. Joshua and (Y/n) greeted their audience with smiles, their laughter blending with the night sounds of the forest.

In that magical moment, surrounded by the wonders of nature and the camaraderie of woodland beings, Prince Joshua and (Y/n) found solace in each other's company. Their dance in the moonlight had not only enchanted the forest but had also woven the beginnings of a timeless friendship, destined to be celebrated by both the mystical realm and the hearts of those who witnessed their extraordinary bond. 

The sun began rising from its sleep as the newfound friends sat on the ground admiring the song of the birds as they too awoke from their sleep. Shua hastily stood from the ground as he realized just how long he had been out there in the forest. (Y/n) followed after the prince, standing up though the girl was confused over why he seemed so distressed. “Is something wrong, Shua?” 

“I have to leave, I should have been back at the castle long ago,” The prince hurriedly put his cloak back on and he began to leave. After taking a few steps he stopped and turned back to the fairy whom he had been dancing with all through the night. “I’ll come back to visit you as soon as I can, I promise,” “I’ll be waiting for you, here in the meadow,” And so the two parted ways, dreaming of the next time they would see one another. 

As the moons waxed and waned, Prince Joshua continued his visits to the Enchanted Forest, drawn back by the irresistible pull of (Y/n)'s laughter and the warmth of her spirit. Each encounter deepened their friendship, and with every shared moment, the bond between them grew stronger.

In the quiet glades and under the starlit canopies, they talked about their dreams and fears, shared stories of their respective worlds, and discovered the depths of each other's hearts. Their friendship was a sanctuary, a place where they could be their true selves without the constraints of titles or responsibilities.

Unbeknownst to each other, their hearts were entwined in a tapestry of emotions. Shua found himself captivated not just by (Y/n)'s beauty but by her kindness, her laughter echoing in his dreams. (Y/n), too, found herself thinking of Joshua when the sun dipped below the horizon, his smile lighting up her thoughts like the first rays of dawn.

As the seasons changed, the forest bore witness to stolen glances and lingering touches, both hesitant yet filled with unspoken affection. Their secret feelings, like the delicate petals of a rare flower, unfolded slowly, revealing the depth of their connection. The enchanted forest, with its ancient wisdom, seemed to embrace their burgeoning love, its rustling leaves and melodious birdsong serenading their hearts.

In the quiet of the moonlit nights, Shua and (Y/n) found solace in the shared secrets of their hearts. They longed for the courage to confess their feelings, yet the fear of changing their precious friendship held them back. Little did they know that the forest, with its timeless wisdom, was gently guiding them toward a love that was as boundless and eternal as the enchanting realm they called home.

A moment suspended in time, a culmination of unspoken words and lingering glances, set against the backdrop of the Enchanted Forest. The air was thick with anticipation, charged with the magic of the night, as the prince and (Y/n) stood beneath the silvery canopy of leaves, bathed in the soft glow of the moon.

Shua’s heart beat like a drum, echoing the rhythm of the forest around them, as he gently cupped (Y/n)'s face in his hands, his touch as tender as the caress of a morning breeze. His eyes, deep pools of emotion, searched hers for permission, and finding nothing but trust and affection, he leaned in slowly, his lips meeting hers in a soft, hesitant kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as their lips touched, a gentle and innocent connection that sent shivers down their spines. It was a kiss filled with the sweetness of friendship, the warmth of unspoken love, and the promise of something more. The world around them faded away, leaving only the sensation of each other's presence, the softness of their lips, and the shared heartbeat that echoed the depths of their feelings.

As they pulled away, their eyes met, and in that silent exchange, they acknowledged the depth of their emotions. A tender smile curved on Joshua’s lips, mirrored by (Y/n)'s, as they realized that their friendship had blossomed into a love that was as boundless as the Enchanted Forest itself. At that moment, the entire magical realm seemed to celebrate their love, with the rustling leaves and twinkling stars bearing witness to the beginning of a beautiful, enduring romance, destined to be etched into the tapestry of their hearts forever

“Come with me to the castle, (Y/n),” (Y/n) looked up into the eyes of the boy she loved dearly, tears silently filling them. “I can’t, Shua. I can’t leave my home here,” “Please, darling, you can always return here, if you come with me to the castle, you can attend my coronation ball and I can introduce you to my parents, if we do that, we can be together forever,” (Y/n) walked a few steps away from Joshua, turning her head to look up at the moon. The winter sparkles slowly fall around them. “Why can’t you stay here with me?” 

“I have a duty to my kingdom, (Y/n). I’m the crown prince of Elaria. I can’t just leave the throne, I have no brother or sister who can take it for me. I am the lone heir to the throne,” “I need some time to think, Joshua. I have lived in this forest my entire life, I don’t think I can bear to part with it or the woodland creatures who have spent countless nights with me dancing under the night sky,” With that, the lovers parted ways, for the first time, their goodbyes were laced with sadness and hurt rather than overflowing with love. 

The night of the coronation ball arrived, and the grand palace of Elaria glittered like a thousand stars. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers, and the soft glow of enchanted chandeliers illuminated the magnificent ballroom. Velvet curtains, rich in hues of midnight blue and silver, cascaded from the high windows, creating an ambiance of regal splendor.

Noble fairies and mystical beings from all corners of the realm gathered in their most resplendent attire. Joshua, now dressed in royal garments adorned with intricate patterns of silver thread and sapphires, stood at the entrance of the ballroom, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of excitement and responsibility. His crown, a masterpiece of enchantment, rested upon his head, symbolizing the weight of his new role as the king of Elaria.

The ballroom was alive with music, the melody of harps and flutes weaving through the air, inviting couples to dance in perfect harmony. The guests twirled and swirled, their laughter and conversations filling the space, creating an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

Amidst the grandeur, Joshua’s eyes searched the crowd, longing for the presence of (Y/n). He felt a pang of sadness, a void in his heart, as he realized she wasn't there. Despite the festivities, his thoughts kept drifting to her, the absence of her laughter and her smile casting a subtle shadow over his joyous occasion.

Unbeknownst to Joshua, (Y/n) had chosen not to attend the ball, her heart torn between her happiness for his achievement and the ache of unspoken emotions. Instead, she stayed in the quiet depths of the Enchanted Forest, her thoughts with the prince even as she danced beneath the moonlit canopy with the woodland creatures. The stars above seemed to reflect the sorrow in her eyes, mirroring the bittersweet nature of their relationship.

As the night wore on, Joshua fulfilled his royal duties with grace, his laughter mingling with the melodies of the ballroom. Yet, in the midst of the celebration, he couldn't shake the feeling of incompleteness, a yearning for the presence of the one person who held his heart in the gentle embrace of her hands.

After the glittering coronation ball, Joshua couldn't shake off the lingering sense of emptiness that enveloped him. Fueled by an overwhelming desire to find (Y/n), he ventured into the Enchanted Forest once more. The moon hung low in the sky, casting ethereal shadows among the ancient trees as he searched, his heart pounding in his chest.

With each step, he called out her name, his voice carrying through the rustling leaves and the whispers of the night breeze. "Y/n!" he cried, his tone filled with a mix of urgency and longing, but there was no reply except for the symphony of the forest.

Alone in the fading light, (Y/n) clutched the letter that would change everything, tears staining the ink. Each stroke was a reminder of a love that was slipping away, leaving her stranded in a sea of heartache. As she heard the cries of her lover come closer she hurried to leave the envelope on the ground where they shared their first kiss before she left, seeking shelter in the deep dark forest she called her home. 

Finally, he reached a familiar clearing, where he had often met (Y/n) under the moonlight. There, beneath the soft glow of the stars, he found a delicate parchment bearing his name, placed gently upon a bed of moss. His hands trembled as he unfolded the letter, his eyes scanning the elegant handwriting.

"My dearest Shua," the letter began, its words imbued with both love and sorrow. "I cherish the moments we shared, the laughter, and the unspoken bond between us. But I must follow my heart's path, even if it leads me away from you. Know that you will always reside in the deepest corners of my soul, and our memories will be my guiding stars."

Joshua’s heart sank as he read her words, realizing that his beloved had chosen a different journey, one that didn't include him by her side. He closed his eyes, a mixture of grief and understanding washing over him. The forest seemed to echo his pain, the leaves whispering their sympathy in the night.

In the quiet of the Enchanted Forest, beneath the sorrowful moon, Joshua stood alone, holding the letter to his chest as he let the reality of her absence settle in. Although he couldn't hold her in his arms, the memory of their shared moments, the warmth of her smile, and the echo of her laughter would forever be etched in his heart, a bittersweet reminder of a love that had once blossomed in the magical depths of Elaria.

"My love, my heart aches with every step you take away from me. I wish I could rewrite fate, but the burden of the kingdom weighs heavily upon my shoulders. Please know that my sacrifice is not a measure of my love for you, but a testament to the duty I must uphold. May time heal our wounds and bring you the happiness you deserve." Joshua said out loud, wishing that the wind would carry his heartfelt words to his lost lover. He then left the forest, throughout his long reign on the throne he never once returned to that sacred spot in the forest too scared he would find (Y/n) dancing with someone who was not him. 

[hcdragonwrites]

Letters (a @journey-to-the-au Drabble)

I made another thing (yeah I couldn’t help myself but this one is shorter I think. I hope you like it!) I just. Brain fire.

Inspired by <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/journey-to-the-au/722003448742248448/may-we-hear-about-the-yaogui-attack-0-apologies" >This Post </a>

(Also I suck at linking things I’m so sorry.)

Liu crossed out the line on the parchment before him, splashing ink onto the stone beneath his feet in an frustrated spray.

“No that doesn’t sound right either!” He gritted his teeth, growing frustrated. General Liu, one of the Four great Generals of Flower- Fruit mountain and friend to its King Sun Wukong, had a dilemma.

He set the brush down, still getting used to holding it in his hands. Wukong makes this look so easy! But things of the unmonkey nature came easily to Wukong- how could they not ? He had mastered the mysterious arts that had given him such power, had defeated the demon who had first claimed Water- Curtain Cave in his absence (and more beside.) Wukong had walked among the men of the world and had claimed treasure from dragons.

Wukong would be able to hold a brush with ease and write words with a steady hand. The general tugged at his fur and looked about himself. Rolls of parchment lay about him like discarded rinds of watermelons. All the failed attempts to transcribe what his heart was trying to speak. He tugged more, hairs coming free.

When Wukong spoke of his experience in the world abroad their mountain, he had mentioned how the important people within that strange world of mortals and immortals would communicate through scrolls and parchment.

“It was too quiet at times for my liking!” He reminisced once, splashing some wine as he gesticulated upon his throne. “What silence! What needed to be written that couldn’t be communicated with a clear voice?” He would then call for one of the troop of his subjects to retell a story, for Wukong loved the telling of a yarn through voice and act.

Liu had understood why one would want words written down however. The things he wanted to say- to tell- either fled him like mist before the sun or stuck in his throat like a peach stone. The Marshal scratched behind his ear, brushing the notched edge and remembering. Remembering her.

Rin Rin.

Liu had never been one for such deep hesitation as he was now. In all the Aolai country, among and betwixt the unicorns and the phoenixes who preened and called themselves the most beautiful, where the leopards and the tigers roamed and boasted their own majesty, Liu had faced all that threatened his home with bravery. He loved this mountain, from every blade of grass to every luminous stone deep in Water-Curtain Cave. He thought none of the beasts or birds or celestial bodies in Heaven was more beautiful than his home.

Except Her.

He wanted to tell her. Tell Rin Rin how she rivaled all the clouds in heaven for her softness. How no flower could compare to her eyes and how they shined like the sea when the sun hit it. Her smile could make the trees cry and her anger could chase the stripes off a tiger.

Liu was afraid. Not afraid of her. Afraid to miss this opportunity! His tail lashed and sent a bit of paper skittering over the stone floor, knocking into several stone bowls of almonds.

The mountain was a paradise. The waterfall that crashed beyond, the pine forests that dotted the slopes where their needles spiced the air. He had faced tigers and demons, fought and thrown himself into situation after situation of danger without a second thought for himself.

Now he was hesitant. He acted as he had on that day Wukong had found Water- Curtain cave: hesitant. Marshal Liu had not been hesitant since that time- so why had he returned to this state ?

Liu looked down at the paper and groaned.

“I just want to tell her how beautiful she is…”

Steps approached from outside Liu’s room.

“So this is where you’ve been!” Wukong called, stepping into the room with a frown on his face. “I have been waiting for you in the Throne room for hours! Sentries have spotted what look to be the makings of a camp. We have a troop of creatures lurking in the shadow of our mountain and I need my Generals— what is all this stuff ?”

Liu didn’t bother to cover up his failings- he just lay his head on the stone table and glared at the brush.

“You only called for a meeting a few minutes ago, my king.” He replied from the table.

“Minutes- hours. It has been too long! What have you been up to in here?”Wukong picked up a paper scroll, the feathered crown on his head bobbing.

“You are as pretty as a … hmm. You never finished this one Liu!”

Liu moved his face to flatten into the stone table, feeling his cheeks burn and his ears itch. Of course my king would start reading them.

Shuffling paper noises sounded again as Wukong picked another scroll up.

“My heart becomes a candle when you are near—“ he frowned. “You crossed out the rest in a mess of black.”

Liu wished he could dissolve into the stone.

“You smell as sweet as a magnolia flower- your eyes are the shape of stars —“

“Please My King.” He begged. “Spare me.”

“You wrote them Liu! I am only reading.”

“And I ask for mercy, please.”

“Seems you’ve had trouble finishing whatever you were trying to say.” Mused the Sage.

“None of the words formed well enough on the paper.” Marshal Liu sighed. There came a shuffle and a brush beside him. He lifted his head to see Wukong had crossed his legs beside him, a shoulder companionably against Lius. The Monkey King twirled the brush between his fingers, unrolling a new scroll of parchment.

“If I help you Write your love poem to Rin, Will you stop mooning so sadly ?” Wukong cocked a brow at his general, side eyeing him in a way only a friend could.

Marshal Liu felt his pride pricked, just a bit. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Liu- you have been my friend for countless years. Longer than most monkeys usually live.” Wukong dipped the brush into the inkwell, checking the ink stone and grimacing at its diminished size. “I know you from the tips of your ears to the ends of your fur. We have fought and bled side by side. You may be a master at strategy and planning but. My friend.”

Wukong turned his whole face to stare at Liu. “You suck at hiding how in love you are with Rin Rin.”

The Marshal sat up, opened his mouth to defend, to deflect —

Wukong, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, waited. His face set in a neutral and very are you really going to argue with me? expression.

Liu closed his mouth, tugged at his fur and set his chin on the stone table. “She makes me feel so—-“

“Mhm.”

“She’s so—!”

“Mhm…”

“I just can’t get the words out!” The Marshal admitted finally. “Each time I start to tell her, I freeze. I’ve tried so many times!”

When Rin and He had shared a sweet patch of strawberries he had tried to say how he loved her.

When Rin had been tending to a scratch on his face, chiding and reprimanding him for his recklessness again. Her anger had made him want to hold her and reassure her that he was fine.

When they had decided to stay out late, tails curled together as they counted the stars. Liu had wanted to compare her to each one.

And each of these times his words had either fled him or had refused to come out.

“And you thought to write them out because they keep getting stuck.”

Liu nodded.

“Give me the words and I’ll write them down.” Wukong set the tip, ready. “If I write this for you, then will come and put your mind back to keeping our mountain safe?”

Guilt itched beneath his fur. “My King i'm sorry—“

A affectionate rub of Wukongs head against his own shut the general up as the king tugged at his ear in play.

“Liu. I may not understand the power of what you are feeling,” Wukong cut off, tail thumping against the Marshals “but that doesn’t mean your feelings aren’t important. And … seeing you so distressed makes me distressed. I can help my friend in this simple task at least.”

Liu felt a warmth well from him. For all his Kings boasting and prideful proclamations, Wukong cared for each of his subjects - even in the face of his incomprehension. He would do what he could to ease his friends, his subjects, his families struggles. Wukong began to write as Liu began to speak, his face warm and his hands slowly beginning uncurl from his fur.

After just an hour with Wukongs transcribing and Liu describing, the confession was complete. Liu clutched the scroll and strapped it to his side.

He had been able to attend the Council with a lighter heart and a smile on his face. The discussion and the plans to increase patrols along the pine forest to the west of Flower Fruit Mountain had been unanimously agreed upon as the troubling information came to light.

The scouts' reports had indicated that there had been activity - a half made campfire kicked over and cold with bones from what looked like a small deer- not a few leaps and bounds from the slopes. Liu had frowned at the description of the tracks- five footed, fur and the scent of musk in the air. Another band of Monkeys … but they seem to be scouting us as well.

When Liu had this brought to attention, an immediate patrol had been sent out to gain more information on how many may be circling their home. The unspoken kept being danced around but all in that council chamber had a suspicion. Demon Monkeys….

Until they knew further who and what they were facing, Wukong wouldn’t risk a war troop to prowl the nearby hills and leave the rest of his family and people exposed.

Liu had a bit of time beneath the growing moon of night to find Rin Rin now. Before his nerves left him. Wukongs handwriting had made the words look better, flow better, feel better to the Marshals eyes. His King had sat through his flowery language, and had written it all diligently if with a little bit of snorting at times. (“Don’t compare her to pine nuts!” “But she smells of the pines and the wood and everything I love!” “…. But pine nuts ?”)

If his words failed him, Liu had them written down. If they stuck in his throat, he could pull them apart with the help of his letter. His heart was thumping, his fur was sticking out a bit as electric nerves rolled on his skin. Liu was in full armor having come from council, and it jangled softly in the night air. But it was a comforting jangle- a separate staccato rhythm against his body.

As the moon rose outside of Water-Curtain Cave casting the spray in silver light, Liu gazed out. Some other monkeys mingled in the cooling air enjoying the clear night. Tending to loved ones by either grooming fur, sharing ripening fruits from the many orchards across the vast mountain, or cuddling down in the soft grasses to gaze upward. Liu greeted each in turn, butting heads or brushing hands. Pride welled in him, making Liu stand taller. This was his home- his family. The peace they lived in was hard won and protected by their King and his Marshals- and that peace was precious.

A small bundle of babes shot past, one carrying a lychee fruit as a prize to be kept from the others. A pair of older simians gazed into the waters of the pool, leaning into each other. Liu would fight a thousand demons, all the celestial beings in the world, to keep this peace. He would tame dragons and pull the moon down from its boughs in Heaven to preserve this peace.

Liu turned, green eyes seeking. There, just beneath the pomegranate tree overlooking a mossy spray of water, he spotted the cloud gray of Rin Rin. Even in the shadow of the tree he could see her moon flower perched behind her ear, the fur perfectly groomed in wonderous swirls. He wished he had a bouquet of moonflowers to bring her or a cup of tea to present to her. He wanted to come bearing gifts and to tend and tidy her hair and weave flowers throughout it.

He came bearing his heart instead.

Said heart thumped against his chest. Steady Liu.

Liu took a moment to groom his finger through his fur, his tail, and to dust at his armor. He grabbed at a small patch of pine needles, snapping them between fingers and briefly rubbing the tips over his fur. He wanted to look his best to smell his best to be his best.

Then, gathering himself and tapping the scroll's top at his hip, Liu straightened and stepped forward.

He would tell her how much she meant to him. He would show her how much she was worth to him- between the words he had been able to wrangle and place onto a page.

Liu would never get the chance to unwind that scroll however. The night air that had been full of gentle chatter and warm conversation was broken by screams as the mountain's peace was shattered into a thousand screams of fury and fear rang off the mountain.

[chellerbelles]

Rogue & Gambit Fanworks Week 2024

Day 4: Rogue and Gambit are physically separated & Fantasy AU

I think that the prompt "Rogue and Gambit are physically separated" is a really interesting one, because there are so many way of interpreting "physically separated". Is it by choice? Happenstance? An enemy attack?

Could they be locked in cells? Could they simply doing different things in different places? Maybe one is dead.

There's lots of Rogues and Gambits in my story who have "black armbands" signifying that their original soulmate is either dead, or was never born.

However, the scene I share below is one that coincidentally combines both of todays prompt.

Faerie Rogue and Faerie Gambit flew together though the Enchanted Forest Deck, busy waving good bye to all their new friends. Their white armband were very close to being entirely gold.

The unicorn and centaur herds only had a few left. Most of the nymphs, satyrs, elves, gnomes, and dragonkin had gone to their new universes. Almost all of the leprechauns and other spirits of mischief were still here, mostly because they were having too much fun playing pranks to focus on bonding.

“Such a pretty forest,” Faerie Rogue said, stopping to admire the view of a short waterfall pouring into a small lake. Everything was so green and vibrant.

“Yes, but, lifeless,” Faerie Gambit replied softly. “No animals or insects. Even the plants aren’t right. It’s like living in a painting.”

Faerie Rogue nodded. “Yeah. Sad.”

They hovers in the air for a time, just admiring the view. Then Faerie Gambit frowned.

“Do you hear that?” he asked.

“Hear what?” asked Faerie Rogue.

“Someone crying?”

They both listened hard, then Faerie Rogue gave her boyfriend a nod. The two began flying in what they thought was the direction of the crying noise. They flittered here and there, trying to locate the source.

Faerie Gambit eventually spotted a hollow in a tree. He poked his head inside and saw a Rogue of about 13 years old, wearing a tie-dyed hooded pixie dress. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, and her face pressed into her knees. He waved Faerie Rogue over, and the two flew inside. Sparkles of light followed in the wake of their fluttering wings.

“Hi there,” Faerie Gambit said.

“Are you okay?” Faerie Rogue asked.

The girl lifted her head, and wiped her face. “Ye-eah, I’m fine.”

“So those are happy tears then?” Faerie Rogue asked, and glanced at the name on her white armband, “Rainbow? Hey, that was my original name too.”

“It was?” Rainbow asked in surprise. “I met a lot more Annas and Maries and Anna Maries than I did Rainbows.”

“Me too,” Faerie Rogue replied. “But it’s a very common faerie name, so it’s probably the equivalent of Anna Marie where I’m from.”

Rainbow managed a laugh. Faerie Rogue patted her cheek.

“So, happy tears then?” Faerie Rogue gently pressed.

Rainbow sighed. “I guess. In a way. I don’t know.”

Faerie Gambit flew down onto one of her knees. “Why don’t you tell us all about it?”

Rainbow looked at him anxiously.

“It’s okay. We won’t bite,” Faerie Rogue said with a giggle as she flew over to the other knee.

Rainbow took a deep breath. “It’s all my fault.”

“What is?”

“This. All of it. It’s my fault the soulmate bond got cut and all our universes were destroyed,” Rainbow said, and the next words flooded out of her like she’d been holding them in. “These people kept trying to get me, and we worked out it was because they were following the soulmate bond to find me, so Mystique said we should cut it so they couldn’t find me, and it seemed like a good idea at the time, but then… Then…” She started crying again.

Faerie Rogue and Faerie Gambit looked at each other.

“Aww petite, don’t cry. It’s not like you knew the universes would be destroyed,” Faerie Gambit said. “Or did you?”

Rainbow shook her head violently. “No! I didn’t! I had no idea or I never would’ve agreed!”

“Okay, good. That’s what I thought you’d say,” Faerie Gambit said with a nod. “You didn’t know, and you would’ve done things different if you had. Now you know, and you know better for the future. Sometimes we make the wrong decision thinking we’re making the right decision.”

“Making the wrong decision doesn’t usually end the universe,” Rainbow replied with a sniff.

“That’s true,” Faerie Gambit replied with a grin. “And when you get to your new universe, next time you made a wrong decision, it won’t seem so bad.”

“Making mistakes is part of life,” Faerie Rogue added. “You’ve now made the worst wrong decision you could ever make. Honestly, I’m kinda jealous that you got it out of the way so young.”

“It’s going to make the rest of your life so much easier.” Faerie Gambit nodded emphatically.

Rainbow choked out a sound that was half laugh, half sob.

“Maybe you’re right,” she said, still sounding choked up.

“Maybe we are,” Faerie Rogue said.

“Or maybe we’re not and we don’t realise we’ve made another mistake,” Faerie Gambit joked.

“Remy,” Faerie Rogue scolded him.

He grinned winningly back at her. Rainbow made another noise that was more laugh than sob this time.

“So,” Faerie Rogue said, patting Rainbow’s knee. “Have you met your soulmate yet?” She’d noticed Rainbow’s armband was completely white without a shred of gold in it.

Rainbow shook her head.

“Are you afraid of what he’s going to think?” Faerie Gambit asked gently.

Rainbow nodded. “He’s going to know. There were all these Rogues being pulled into my universe while Mystique was trying to cut it.”

“How come they didn’t stop her?” Faerie Rogue asked with a frown.

“When the first attempt didn’t work, Mystique left to get help, tools,” Rainbow explained. “We had to track her down.”

“That makes sense.” Faerie Rogue nodded. “Well, I know it’s scary, but you’re going to have to meet him eventually. People are leaving for their recreated or new universes. Decks are starting to close as they’re being emptied.”

“It’s going to be pretty easy for your soulmate to find you before long,” Faerie Gambit added sagely. “May as well face it on your, uh, legs, and not curled up in a little ball.”

“Not that you don’t make a cute little ball,” Faerie Rogue added cheerfully. “Be brave young human.”

“We have faith in you,” Faerie Gambit added.

The last strand of their armbands turned gold, and Faerie Rogue and Faerie Gambit vanished in gold light.

[estrellita-wrights]

UNDER A STARRY SKY

-> TW: Flames, mention of fire, graphic description of human catching fire

-> "The Bonds that Tie Us" (Modern AU)

-> tags: shy boy x outgoing girl, childhood friends to lovers, confession, fluffy romance, unrequited love, angst no comfort

-> A/N: The main character's name is Phillipines. There is a country named Philippines. This might be weird to read if you live in the Philippines. My deepest apologies.

Philippines lied on his bed, exhausted. It was another unsuccessful day of trying (and failing) to confess to his long-time crush and best friend, Crystal. For goodness sake, it was the 4th time this month he had messed this up.

Phillipines sighed. He had only himself to blame, after all. The atmosphere was perfect, and he made sure no one would come and disturb them. (Thank you, Aqua. But I have failed you.) In the end, he got cold feet. Everything was perfect. Only his cowardice kept Crystal from knowing how deep his love for her truly ran.

There was a loud knock on the door. No, it was a series of knocks. A familiar rhythm, probably a Disney song. Phillipines heart raced. He knew only one person who does that in this house. Phillipines ran to the door, almost tripping on his own two feet. He fumbled with the doorknob, his mind urging him to open it faster.

The door clicked, and then finally, Crystal.

Crystal's beautiful sun-stone eyes always had a way to put Phillipines in a trance. Her lovely rose-dyed hair was not in a high ponytail or a fancy braid today. Today, it ran loose, cascading down her back like a waterfall. Even so, she still had a little hair accessory. A very colorful unicorn hairclip that kept her bangs from covering her eyes. Yet, even so, she fiddled with her hair, faux-tucking it behind her ear. 'Was she nervous', he wondered.

If Crystal was nervous, Phillipines was doubly so. Phillipines had never seen the bubbly girl so quiet, so nervous. "Are you alright", he asked, holding her hand. Crystal nodded slowly, giving him an awkward smile. She asked him to go with her to their secret place. "Hey", she said, in a quiet voice, "Let's go to the place." Phillipines agreed, though he was still a little worried about her. (He got blushy later on when he realised he held her hand).

~~~

Phillipines pointed at the sky. "That one over there is Orion, the hunter." Crystal's face was scrunched up, eyeing the sky with intensity. Suddenly, she stood up with a jolt, shouting "I know that one! It's the Little Dipper, right?" She looked at him expectantly, like a little kid wanting to be praised for scoring an A+ on math. Unfortunately, all she got was a pat on the head and a look of pity. "Close," he said, an undeniable softness in his eyes. "It's the Big Dipper, which is inside the constellation Ursa Major."

5 minutes of peaceful silence ensued. Followed by a nerve-wracking 10. Why isn't she speaking? For goodness sake, he hasn't lifted his hand from her hair. He's touched her for far too long. Is she uncomfortable? Did he make her uncomfortable? Her hair was so soft. A flurry of thoughts zoomed into Phillipines mind, causing him to nearly short-circuit.

A minute in, and Phillipines regained his bearings. He must withdraw his hand, and quickly, before Crystal gets the chance to ask him a question he would rather not answer. She looked so beautiful, basking under the starry glow of the night sky, smiling at him. Phillipines forced himself to look away, tearing his eyes of her own ruby orbs, for he knew he would not be able to let go of her otherwise.

Yet Crystal brought his hand down to her cheek, and snuggled into it. She looked into his pale turquoise eyes, and whispered to him.

"I love you."

Phillipines was silent. You could almost see how the little gears in his head turned, processing the information. Crystal confessed to him. Crystal, his best friend for nearly a decade, had confessed to him. Crystal, whom he had held unrequited feelings for 5 years; his dearest friend, his most beloved person. That Crystal confessed to him. He couldn't believe it. Was this really happening?

She smiled at him so softly. It was real, and he knew it. Phillipines heart felt like it was about to burst. A beautiful blush made its home in his cheeks. In a small voice and with the sweetest smile, Phillipines said what his heart had been begging to say since the beginning. "I love you too, Crystal."

~~~

This was a wonderful date", Crystal whispered, squeezing Phillipines's hand. The newly-formed couple were already holding hands, their backs leaning on the old oak tree. Phillipines fiddled with the grass next to him. "If only I knew it was a date", he said, "Then I could've brought you some flowers." (2 hours before, Phillipines had prepared a bundle of beautiful pink poppies, which were Crystal's favorite flower. Unfortunately, he chickened out.)

Crystal looked at Phillipines as if he was a little silly-billy who couldn't see what was truly important to her. She plucked a wildflower from the ground, and placed it behind his ear. Philippines blushed. "Don't worry", she said. "I prefer this one." She smiled at him cheekily, giving him a little wink. Phillipines wondered whether his heartbeat was audible, seeing how loud it was beating. He couldn't stop the blush dusting his cheeks, nor the dopey smile plastered on his face. A feeling of contentment washed over the couple, along with an awful smell. Something was burning.

The smell of smoke attacked his nostrils. Phillipines looked up, and behold, a cloud of smoke covered the sky, thick and dark. "Fire".

The ground was covered with weeds of all sorts, flammable. It was only a matter of time before the grass catches fire. Phillipines's pulled Crystal's arm, and ran as quickly as his non-athletic body could. A terrifying scream stopped Phillipines's in his tracks. Crystal let out a pain-filled wail as fire consumed her whole. Phillipines watched as the flames consumed her skin, unable to do anything except listen to her screams (The nearest water supply was miles away).

Phillipines woke up in his bedroom, his back drenched in cold sweat. It was all a dream. Phillipines breathed in a sigh of relief...and smoke invaded his nostrils. Looking up, he saw an unwanted amount of dark fog, covering the ceiling.

Immediately alert, Phillipines crawled out of his bed, into the hallway, and down to where they keep the fire extinguisher. The kitchen was in flames, two of his roommates were screaming, and everything was in chaos. Just a regular saturday morning.

Phillipines pulled Crystal out of the way (along with the bucket of water she was about to pour on the flaming electric stove), and used the extinguisher to put out the flames. He turned off the stove with his trusty oven mitts, and gave Crystal instructions on how to use the other fire extinguisher.

Through their combined efforts, and Phillipines's leadership skills, the kitchen fire did not reach any other room. Aqua, who was too busy saving his romance novels to put out the flames (even though the books were safe in his room and had he focused on putting out the tiny fire in the kitchen 30 minutes ago, wouldn't even be harmed), is now cheering Phillipines for "saving our lives". At that very moment, the fourth and final roommate, Kalachuchi ("The Terrifying") entered the room. Upon seeing the mess her roommmates had caused, mumbled something about only being gone for 10 minutes.

A couple of moments later, the gang was seated in the living room, eating pizza Aqua ordered. Crystal's "beautiful fried rice" was deemed unedible by the majority and forcibly thrown out of the window by Aqua, even though both Kalachuchi and Phillipines were willing to eat that horrible charcoaled monstrosity. Suffice to say, it was still chaotic, but much more preferable compared to a kitchen on fire.

Crystal was currently bragging about the beautiful poppies Aqua had supposedly given to her, her smile as bright as the sun. Apparently, she had caught him placing it on her windowsill late at night. If Crystal was the sun, then Aqua would've been an abandoned underground mineshaft which was flooded in 1991. The boy had only wanted to help his best friend out (and get rid of the clingy girl who kept invading his personal space and looked at him with googoo eyes yuck). Unfortunately, Crystal had no idea what his intentions are, and interpreted it as she wished, no matter how much he protested. To be fair, he looked very dashing from her windowsill.

Ah yes, Phillipines was withering from the attention Crystal was giving to Aqua. Logically, he knew it was just a dream, but that didn't stop the pit forming in his stomach. Seeing Crystal's arms around Aqua (as Aqua screamed for help) gave Phillipines's unwanted feelings. Nevertheless, his conscience won out, and he moved to free the boy when...

Kalachuchi placed a hand on his shoulder (gentle yet firm, as she always was), asking him if he was alright. Was he that obvious? Phillipines gave her a wry smile and nodded. He moved to "save Aqua from the dragon", shrugging off Kalachuchi's hand and her concern.

[thewingedmuse]

Tarot/Oracle deck cleansing tip

(this might not be for everybody)

If you believe your deck has a form of consciousness or personality of its own, or you want to foster your connection with it, then this might be for you. Please reblog if you find it useful. ✨

Deck consciousness isn't like human consciousness so don't be freaked out if this concept is new to you. Everything in this world has a consciousness of its own, whether it be a waterfall, a house, a tree, a rock or abstract things like love, healing energy and air. Are they full-fledged with the capability to think and reason, love and hate? No, not so intricate. Could you tap into it or amplify your bond with it? Yes, you can.

Deck cleansing process:

1. Have the deck in front of you and try to tap into its energy. Feel what it is like and what it reminds you of.

Advice to newbies — If it's your first time doing this don't worry about accuracy. No pressure. Doubting or second guessing would only break the flow. You're getting to know a new friend (your deck). So just treat this like a first impression of your deck. You'd discover new things about it in the future.

2. Now that you have a feel of your deck's unique energy signature, try to sense the accumulated energy left on your deck from previous readings. It could appear like negative dark clouds or it could appear differently to you. It might only be just a feeling.

3. Now, you could do this either way:

(a) This requires some energy work. Visualise a clear stream/a pool of cleansing water/a bright cleansing light (or just use whatever feels right to you). When it feels solid enough, send it over to the deck and ask it to use this energy to cleanse itself.

(b) This is if you are confident about your bond with the deck or the consciousness within it. Ask it to heal itself with the energy it has an affinity with. For example my Crystal Unicorn deck has an affinity with crystal. When I asked it to cleanse itself, it would cleanse with crystal energy by amplifying it so that the light drowns out the accumulated stuff from previous readings. It looked pretty cool like lights radiating around :)

That's it, pals and folks! Feel free to let me know your experience with it or what you think. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask!

[milarqui]

Scarlet Lady: Silencer

Directory | Intermission 2

Tikki watched the encounter from one of the flowerpots nearby: since Chloé wasn't carrying a bag with her now, this was the best way she could stick close to Chloé in case there was an Akuma.

Unfortunately, that still meant having to deal with Chloé's issues and her father's. Such as today.

“How good to see you, Bob!” the Mayor said, greeting a rotund man with sunglasses over his bald head she knew was Bob Roth. “And little Xavier–”

“Ah! XY!” Oh yeah, this was the boy Chloé liked for some reason. His music was decent, but nothing to write home about.

“Of course!” M. Bourgeois apologized. “You remember my princess?”

“How could I forget,” Roth said neutrally. Not that Chloé seemed to care, as she was making eyes at the singer.

“Hello XY! I got you Daddy's best table!” Chloé said.

“Thanks, Clarice,” XY said in a bored tone.

“Uh, it's Chloé,” her wielder corrected, not that the singer seemed to care. “Daddy, don't forget to comp XY's meal!”

M. Bourgeois was clearly not as enthusiastic about the idea as his daughter.

“Ma chérie, that's a little–”

“Don't worry, you can still charge M. Bob.”

“Ha. Ha,” the older man laughed humorlessly.

“Thanks, Cassie.”

“Chloé.”

Once more, XY didn't seem to care much about the correction, as he pulled out a laptop.

“Alright, let's hear what you cop– uh, created,” M. Roth said, as XY pressed a key, and music came out of the laptop's speakers. Chloé sighed in pleasure, but Tikki sighed in boredom. All of that boy's music always sounded the same to her ears.

“It's so cool, like you~” Chloé said. Tikki wondered if her wielder had an ear defect or if she was just blinded by her celebrity crush.

“It's the same as last year,” M. Roth stated. Tikki would have said that it was the same as everything else XY had ever made, but she had to stay hidden.

“Eh?”

“Oh, so it is,” XY blandly replied. “My bad.”

“No big deal. As for visuals...”

“Visu-what?”

Tikki blinked.

“Don't worry, we'll use my usual method,” M. Roth continued. “If you're short on new ideas, borrow someone else's.”

As if the manager couldn't fall lower...

And yet, as the two men laughed, she could see Chloé smiling.

Given her attempt to steal Marinette's design for the hat contest, Tikki could tell Chloé just felt like at home amidst her fellow plagiarists.

----

“We're looking for visually and musically creative talent! You have two weeks to send in your videos!” Bob Roth, the well-known manager, announced in his usual hammy style, from Marinette's phone as she showed it to his friends.

“It's the perfect chance to showcase Kitty Section!” Marinette suggested.

“And your designs!” Luka added with a smile.

“You guys will make something awesome for sure!”

Everyone in the group turned to Adrien.

“Huh?” Rose mumbled in shock.

“Adrien, you're not joining us?” Marinette asked, worried.

“It goes against my dad's contract, but it's okay! It doesn't bother me!”

“Sure looks like it bothers you,” Marinette replied, taking in on her friend's tense smile and shadowed features.

----

During the next two weeks, both Kitty Section and worked hard in everything to be made. Rehearsals, choreography, fittings, brainstormings, designings... a lot of work went into a music video, particularly one that had to be thrown together in such a short time, but the five teenagers rose to the occasion with greatness.

It was during one of the rehearsals that Marinette had the perfect idea for the designs.

“You know I love unicorns~ And nothing makes me feel better~”

Quickly, she began to put her idea down to pencil and paper, letting her prodigious mind become awash in patterns and designs... unaware of the fond looks the group's lead guitarist was giving her.

“I see their faces everywhere I go~ Dreaming about them in the night!”

----

“I only want them to be mine, mine, mine!”

And, of course, when the final product was finished, they sent it to their unofficial fifth member.

“THEY LOOK SO GOOOOOD!” Adrien cried out, tears waterfalling out of his eyes as Plagg patted his cheek.

“There, there,” the Kwami said, having expected this reaction. It wasn't as if he hadn't complained about it for the past two weeks.

“No fair~!” Adrien kept crying, even as the video kept playing.

“I dream about them every night!”

----

SUBMISSION ACCEPTED

“We did it!” Kitty Section and their costume designer cheerfully shouted.

Unaware of what was about to happen.

----

One week later, Marinette was at the Liberty, talking with her friends, slightly worried.

“They're sure taking their time...” she noted: despite the promises that they would get an answer soon, M. Roth's company had yet to send an answer on the video contest.

“They must've gotten a lot of videos and haven't chosen a winner yet,” Luka pointed out, knowing how things could be in the musical field–

“DUDE, WHAT THE FRIG?!”

Everyone turned to Ivan, who had just rushed into the room, clearly angry about something. Which was way out of character for the boy.

“Ivan, what–?”

“That dweeb XY ripped us off! Look at the TV station!”

Juleka quickly picked up the remote and turned on the TV, which showed the tail end of a music video.

One that all five people in the room were intimately familiar with, given that they had worked on it for two weeks. Hell, the singer's costume was almost identical to what Marinette had made for them!

Only, there were a few differences: every Kitty Section reference on the stage had been replaced with an XY monogram.

“XY is here to debut his new sound and style!” the announcer said. “A true original! You've outdone yourself, XY!”

It was only five seconds of video, but it was more than enough to suddenly turn the interior of the room into an atmosphere that promised both sides of hell for the singer and his manager.

“Oh, you hack frauds are dead,” Marinette declared, clearly ready to press her point straight into Roth's face – along with her fist. And the same for everyone else: for all that they were the nicest people around, Bob Roth had really managed to press their buttons.

----

Arriving to the studio where XY was showing off his 'new video' was easy.

Entering, however, became harder.

“No solicitors,” one of the men-in-black at the entrance stated.

“Hey! That's our music and our costumes!” Marinette yelled, filled with righteous anger at how her and her friends had been robbed of their work.

“And your problem,” the man-in-black replied, uncaring.

Kitty Section looked at each other. It was time to plan.

----

“ROOOOOAR!”

“Ahh!”

“Eek!”

“HELP!”

Ivan had grabbed his video's costume and was now running after Rose and Juleka, who were screaming in 'fear' as they attempted to stay ahead of Ivan.

“Our friend is akumatized!”

“There's no heroes to save us!”

The men-in-black rolled their eyes.

“Kids, c'mon.”

“That's not going to work on us.”

“Do you think we're that stupid?”

Behind them, Luka and Marinette struggled not to burst out laughing at the oblivious men-in-black, as they took advantage of their distraction to sneak inside without them noticing.

Yes, you are that stupid, Marinette thought as they made their way in.

----

Finding where the thief was showing off their ideas was somewhat complicated, mostly because they couldn't just stop someone and ask, but a few minutes later they found the studio behind one large door.

“Your new single is way better than your last one! It's your best hit!” they heard Alec Cataldi exclaim as they opened the door.

“There he is!” Marinette whispered.

“How can they praise him when he messed up the music?!” Luka asked, disgusted, while Marinette took in the decorations that were such a rip-off from the ones she had made.

“And he made such a cheap costume and set up!” she realized, offended that XY would so mess with her work. “Isn't he rich?!”

“And where'd you get this look?” Alec continued asking, not realizing what the singer and his manager had actually done.

“Oh, my personal designer, uh...” he said, nodding at a girl standing next to him.

“Chloé Bourgeois.”

“Right, Cleo.”

“Of course,” Marinette growled. She had already tried to steal her work once, who else would it be? The two of them angrily pushed open the door and walked up to the hack and the thief, who were accompanied by the manager. Marinette pulled up her phone.

“M. Roth, I sent you this video on the group you're blatantly copying!” she shouted, queuing Kitty Section's music video.

“Oh, please, there's no similarity!” the manager blatantly lied.

“We were just... inspired!” XY had the guts to say.

“'Inspired'?!” Luka shouted, grabbing the cheap knock-off mask XY was wearing and ripping it off.

“OW!” Luka hadn't been gentle when he did it.

“You didn't create this mask, Marinette did!”

“Mon Chouka!” Chloé chimed in. “I worked so hard on that mask! Are you calling me a liar?”

Marinette felt like ripping off that false innocent face off her... face.

It looked like Luka would beat her off the punch.

“I'M NOT CALLING YOU A TRUTHER!”

----

“Fine, you won't admit the truth? Then I will! Right now, LIVE!” Marinette shouted, pointing at the manager in righteous anger – only for the manager to grab her by the arm.

“If you do that, I'll ruin you and your friend's careers by telling them you're the copycats!” Roth maliciously replied. “Who do you think they'll believe? A renowned producer, or some nobodies?”

“Wha–?!” Marinette exclaimed in shock.

“You won't make another costume ever again!” Roth threatened.

“Of course, I won't let that happen to you, mon Chouka!” Chloé said.

He liked to think he was a calm guy. But... that comment made something snap in him, and he turned to fire a glare that could have probably stripped the paint off the studio's walls.

“Uh, um...” Chloé babbled as she realized that maybe she had made a mistake. “W–What's that look for?! I did nothing wrong!”

She turned around, giving her back to him.

“I'm just saying, with your looks, you could go solo like XY! You just have to ditch your loser friends!”

Luka was so beyond rage, that when he saw the black butterfly fusing with the mask he had taken from XY, he didn't care.

“And forget about Dupain-Cheng, her designs are way too complicated! Do you know how hard it was to copy them?”

That did it. He put on the mask.

“And also–”

He flipped her off with both hands.

“Oh fuck.”

----

Luka quickly transformed, becoming covered in what looked like a motorcyclist body suit, complete with a helmet that only showed his eyes, and he reached out with his left hand.

“Uh, Luka, what are you–”

“Shhhh,” Luka – or, more like, Luka's Akuma – shushed, getting closer.

“Eek! Don't touch me!” Chloé shouted, and suddenly grabbed XY, who found himself with Luka's hand on his lips.

“Huh?” the singer mumbled.

“L–Luka?” Marinette said, shocked as she finally realized her friend had been Akumatized.

As Luka pulled away from XY, out of the singer's mouth came a wiggling blue jellyfish-like thing.

“Haha! I'm the best! I'm the richest! I'm famous!” the jellyfish said in XY's voice, before it was snatched by Luka.

“EEK! Akuma!” Chloé shrieked, before running off behind one door. “See you later, bye!”

Then Luka started to move his hand...

“Tsk, there goes my chance to silence her for good.”

… and somehow spoke with XY's voice.

“Luka, don't do this!” Marinette begged, approaching her friend. “It's not justice!”

“Marinette, I won't let anyone hurt you again,” Luka said, still with XY's voice. “You're an extraordinary girl. Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody.”

Marinette felt her cheeks starting to burn as she kept listening on Luka's words.

“You're the music that's been playing in my head since the day we met. I won't let anything happen to you.”

And, as Luka left, Marinette clenched her fists.

That was the most romantic thing I've ever heard... she thought, and you said it in XY's voice!

But, never mind that, she needed to hide and transform! So she quickly ran out the exit and into the first bathroom she could find.

“A love confession!” Pollen said as soon as she could come out of Marinette's bag. “I'm not surprised, my Queen commands attention!”

A blushing Marinette closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on the matter at hand.

“P–Pollen, he's an Akuma! Who knows if he meant it!”

“Hm, I don't know~” Pollen sing-sang, clearly enjoying the moment... even if it was not the moment.

“G-Geez, Buzz On!”

----

“You can't escape me, Bob Roth!” the Akumatized Luka said, still using XY's voice. “And I'll force you to tell the truth on live TV!”

“Eek!” the manager yipped, sounding almost like a little girl. “Don't touch me! I have influence!”

“I can't let you do that, Luka!” Marigold shouted, landing between the Akuma and the manager.

“About time!” Roth complained – and before she could react, he grabbed her by the shoulders and used her as a shield. “Stop standing around and protect me!”

Marigold didn't even have the time to get loose before the Akuma touched her lips with his fingers – and another jellyfish, this one with the same colors as her costume, flew out of her mouth.

“Venom! Bien Joué! Just use your Lucky Charm already!” she heard herself shout before the Akuma stole her voice.

WHY?! she silently cried out. The cowardly idiot not only had ruined her plan to protect his ass, he had taken advantage of the distraction to run away, taking a lift at the other side of the building.

“Byeeee!” the thief sang as he disappeared – and, to pile on Marigold's misery, the other idiot showed up.

“Marimold!” Scarlet shouted. “Hurry up and sting him!”

I can't use Venom without my voice! she thought, and tried to convey it with signs.

“You can't talk?!” Scarlet realized, and then (like the Chloé clone she seemed to be) started to laugh at her. “Hahaha! What a loser! I can't believe you let your voice get stolen–!”

“An opening.”

That was Marigold's voice.

And Luka's fingers on a shocked Scarlet's mouth.

Idiot, Marigold thought. Knowing that she'd be unable to bring her full power ahead, she pulled out her top and swung it to grab a higher point. Scarlet followed her, and as they climbed away from the Akuma, Marigold picked her top-phone.

Text Chat Noir, she sent to Scarlet.

You text Chat Noir! Scarlet replied.

“You can run, bugs, but you can't escape me for too long,” Akumatized Luka said. “I'll find you and Bob Roth!”

----

At the entrance of the studio, Ivan, Rose, and Juleka were still waiting for Luka and Marinette to come out... and they were getting worried.

“I hope everything's going okay...” Rose said, and Ivan nodded.

“The commercial break's been going for a while too...” Juleka answered, checking her phone.

The gate to the studio opened all of a sudden, and a large man ran out, clearly in a hurry.

“Wuh?! Is that Bob Roth?!” Juleka asked, shocked.

“Why's he running?” Ivan wondered.

They got the answer when someone walked out, following Bob Roth, wearing a full body leather suit and a helmet covering everything but his eyes.

“Who is that?!” Ivan shouted.

“You don't think...” Juleka could recognize who had passed by them... or, rather, who it was supposed to be.

Rose was just stunned at the sight of the obvious Akuma.

And then the three members of Kitty Section looked at each other with dread.

“Maybe we shouldn't have let them go alone,” they agreed.

----

Back at home, Adrien was showing Nathalie his friends' music video, pointing out the blatant thievery Bob Roth and XY had carried out.

“It's in Père's best interests to know his business partner's unethical practices,” he argued, “like plagiarism.”

Much to his relief, Nathalie nodded. Clearly, she could see that this was a serious matter.

“I'll pass on your concerns,” she said, and firmly walked out of his room, carefully closing the door behind herself.

“That's all I can do, though I don't have much confidence,” he said as Plagg came out of his hideaway. “Unless there's a public backlash...”

However, Plagg wasn't looking at him, but at the window.

“Hey, look.”

Adrien looked, and saw something unexpected.

“Marigold?” he realized.

“Scarlet Lady?” Plagg asked as well.

“That means...! My friends might've been Akumatized! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Adrien cried out, brandishing the Miraculous Ring. “Plagg, Claws Out!”

----

“I am here!” he announced, and was pleased to see Scar jumping in shock. “I checked your texts about the Akuma, what's the plan?”

Marigold put up an awkward face, while Scar made a lot of gestures while attempting to say... something.

“Wait, you lost your voice?!” he realized, and began to laugh. “Hahaha! Truly we've been blessed!”

Then he approached Marigold and gave her a playful nudge with his elbow.

“Goldie, we don't need to rush with this Akuma, right?” he said, winking at her.

But then, instead of speaking up, she moved her lips and made a wordless noise, similar to the one Scar had made.

“Oh no, my poor Honeybee!” he exclaimed, realizing she had suffered the same as Scar, and he hugged his fellow heroine. “We'll get your voice back right away!”

He could feel Scar's anger and what was likely her flipping him off, but he paid her no mind. He pulled his baton-phone, knowing that it was the best way for her to 'speak' now.

“So you can't use your powers... and you can't detransform,” he said, summarizing the situation. “So we're fucked."

Marigold quickly tapped away at her top-phone, sending a message.

“You want to make Silencer say 'Venom' or 'Lucky Charm' with your stolen voices?” he asked, and she nodded. “How?”

She sent him another message, and he quickly read it.

“Huh?! Would that work?”

She smiled as she sent another message.

“Well, you're right that we don't have much choice.”

He got another message... but this time it was worthless. Namely, Scar making a selfie.

“Thanks for the contribution, Scar,” he sarcastically said.

----

The phone rang at the Hôtel de Ville, and a hand pressed a button.

“André, it's me, Bob!” the manager screamed. “I need the police!”

“No problem, Bob,” Silencer said, using the voice of André Bourgeois, who was now voiceless and struggling against the tight ropes holding him in place. “Just tell me where you are.”

----

As soon as the lift doors opened, Silencer reached out and grabbed Bob Roth.

“Thank you for escorting my prisoner, Officer Roger,” he said with Andre Bourgeois' voice, shocking the poor police lieutenant.

“Who–?” he asked, shocked at being tricked by an Akuma, but he was drowned out.

“EEEEK!” Roth said, once more screaming like a little girl as Silencer pulled him and threw him on a chair.

“I could easily take your voice, Bob Roth,” the Akuma said with Marigold's voice. “But what I want is for you to admit what you did!”

“NEVER!” the manager shouted.

“You think I can't make you?”

He switched to Scarlet Lady's voice.

“I can ruin you like you threatened to ruin Marinette!”

Then to Andre Bourgeois'.

“I know everyone in showbiz, Bob!”

Then to XY's.

“I'll never sing for you again, Dad!”

“Fine, fine, I'll do it!” Roth begged. “Why couldn't you just threaten my son?”

“Like that would've worked,” Silencer said, giving the manager a deadpan look.

“Damn, you knew.”

----

As they entered the studio once more, the television stopped showing ads, which were replaced by Bob Roth's cringing mug.

“Dear viewers, we're back with an exclusive interview with Bob Roth~” the voice of Alec Cataldi sounded out, although Marigold knew it wasn't him: this had to be Silencer!

“Hey, maybe we should let this play out,” Chat Noir suggested, eager to see the man getting punished for stealing his friends' work, but Marigold sent him a message.

“'It would be revenge, not justice. He'd just take it back later,'” he read aloud before sighing. “Well, you're right. No fun, but right.”

Marigold playfully stuck her tongue at him. Then he got another message.

“'You better not let an Akuma make XY or Chloé Bourgeois look bad'...” he read, wondering how that could not happen, and looked at Scar, who was also sticking her tongue out at him. “Leave the convincing to Marigold.”

----

The heroes quickly bursted in the set, and Chat Noir tackled Silencer out of the way while Marigold took Roth away.

“Mind your business or I'll shut you up forever!” Silencer threatened with Scarlet Lady's voice.

“Aw, but I'm hilarious,” he said, grinning and fending off his stretched-out arm.

Marigold dragged Roth to the first room she could find that would be isolated enough, which, much to her joy, was a dressing room she could use to pull off her plan.

“See here, Marigold! You need to hurry up and get rid of this guy!” Roth ordered, but she paid him no mind as she began to put together what she needed.

“This is all those brats' fault anyway, kitty whatever. Should've just let me steal the idea,” the man kept talking, making her twitch in anger. “Are you seriously doing arts and crafts right now? And where's Scarlet Lady?!”

Alright, that did it. This wouldn't be heroic, but it would feel amazing.

----

Scarlet Lady cuddled up with the tied up XY, who was struggling to move away from the superpowered stalker.

----

With Silencer running to attempt to find Roth, Chat Noir knew it was time to find the enemy and see what Marigold had come up with to do her part. And he also knew how to trick the Akuma.

“Oh nooo, Marigold, where'd you go?” he shouted, knowing that Silencer would be unable to resist the chance.

“I'm here, Chat Noir!” the Akuma said with Marigold's voice. “I defeated Silencer, meet me at the film set!”

He struggled to avoid cracking up, and just barely kept his laughter out of his answer.

“Sure, you got it!”

As he began to run for his destination, he found Marigold in the same corridor, holding her top with a few additions.

“There you are!” Chat Noir happily exclaimed, and he eyed the top. “What is that, 'Venom'?”

Marigold nodded.

“Got held up?” he asked, and Marigold's smile told him there was a story there that he'd love to listen to.

----

In the same dressing room Marigold had taken him to, Bob Roth was currently (unwillingly) cooling his heels thanks to the judicious application of a full roll of duct tape, tying him up to a chair, and rolled out of the way like junk.

“DAMN YOU MARIGOLD!” Roth screamed.

----

As they entered the film set, they found Silencer there, alone, and Chat Noir smirked as he pointed at Marigold.

“Too bad, Silencer, Marigold still has her superpower!” he taunted.

“Impossible!” Silencer exclaimed with Marigold's voice, making Chat Noir grin even wider. “I stole your voice! How could you summon Venom!”

And then the tricked-out top began to shine and twirl, and Marigold stuck her tongue at the Akuma, who realized too late that he had been tricked by the heroes.

“Aw crap,” he said, still using Marigold's voice, but before he could attempt to run away, Kitty Section tackled him.

“Hold still and take it, Luka!” the three teens shouted, grabbing him by the arms and torso to keep him from moving.

“Wuh – guys! Let go!” Silencer said, still using Marigold's voice.

“Omigod is that how you talk?!” Ivan said, laughing at how ridiculous it looked.

“No! Snap out of it!” Juleka ordered, while Rose hugged him even tighter.

“You can't do this!” the blonde girl shouted. “This isn't what we or Marinette want!”

The words caused Silencer to stop struggling, as he pondered the truth of it... giving Marigold the time she needed.

“An opening!” Kitty Section announced as Silencer became paralyzed by Venom, finally allowing Chat Noir to grab the Akumatized object.

“Thanks for the help, Kitty Section!” he said, smiling.

“Juleka, he knows our name!” Rose whispered, excited, but her girlfriend was checking something else.

“Uh, where'd you get a net?” she asked, pointing at the object in Marigold's hand.

Amazing what you find in dressing rooms, she thought, as the jellyfishes flew away from Silencer and she caught them with the net, putting her voice back where it belonged. Picking the one she had seen coming out of Scarlet's mouth, she found her sitting next to XY, who clearly looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the universe other than here (and who could fault him?).

“Here, Scarlet, we got your voice back,” she said, showing the red-with-black-spots jellyfish. “Just put it in your mouth.”

Scarlet made a disgusted sound and crossed her arms in front of her.

“What?”

Scarlet kept making similar wordless sounds and tried to push her back when she approached the voice.

“Just take it already! You have to fix things!” Marigold yelled, annoyed by Scarlet's skewed priorities. Then she looked down at it... and decided that, if Scarlet didn't want it, then she could probably use it.

But when she made to eat it, Scarlet changed her opinion. Clearly, a life without hearing herself talk was too hard for her to imagine.

----

As Scarlet cast the Miraculous Cure, Marigold rushed back to find Luka, who was finally recovering from the effects of Akumatization.

“Ugh,” he mumbled, still a bit disoriented. “What happened?”

“You were Akumatized, but it's fine now!” Marigold said.

“It's a scandal, Marigold!”

Everyone turned to the piece of junk Bob Roth, who had managed to drag himself to the film set along with the chair.

“Tying me up in a dressing room?! But at least you did one thing right!” he yelled, turning to Luka. “Serves you right, thinking you could make me tell the truth! Like I'd admit I stole Kitty Section's song and look for my son! HA!”

Then the man noticed how Marigold and Luka were smirking, and he felt dread going down his stomach.

“... uh, why're you smiling?”

“Because, Bob Roth,” Marigold said, before pointing to a camera... manned by Chat Noir, “you are on Candid Camera!”

“Smile!” Chat Noir added with a smile that wouldn't be out of place in the Cheshire Cat.

“GAH!” Bob Roth yelled, as he realized he had actually confessed the truth to all and sundry! He had to fix this quickly! “Ahahahaa! Obviously I was just joking! I love, uh, Kitty Section, which is why I'm signing them a record deal and having them finish the show!”

As he said this, he was sweating like it were midday in mid-summer, knowing that he was this close to getting his business ruined.

“Can we get that in writing, Bob Roth?” Luka imperiously asked.

----

As Kitty Section quickly went to pick up their things, Chat Noir had to leave, and Marigold hid away so she could undo her transformation, just as her hair comb beeped for the end of her transformation. Returning to the set, it was to see everyone getting ready for singing their song, and she walked up to Luka.

“Luka, um, did you mean what you said? As an Akuma?” she timidly asked, but he shook his head.

“I'm sorry, Marinette, I don't remember. I hope it wasn't mean.”

“Ah, no–” she said, but before she could add more, he spoke.

“You're an extraordinary girl, Marinette,” Luka said, and she felt her entire face burning. “Clear as a music note, sincere as a melody. You're the music that's been playing inside my head since the day we met.”

Marinette gave a silent nod, and as Luka walked to the scenario, she collapsed on the floor and against a wall.

THAT WAS SO MUCH BETTER IN HIS OWN VOICE! she yelled in her mind, even as the ghost she was giving up squeed in delight.

Poor Marinette was left K.O. by the sudden confession, and as she gathered her wits, things were not much better.

“T–That was a love confession, wasn't it, Pollen?” she asked.

“Sure sounded like one to me!” her Kwami teased her, as the music started.

“Aw, geez,” she muttered, as she noticed Luka's eyes zeroing in on her. “How am I supposed to act now...?”

----

After all the kerfuffle was finally sorted out, Adrien was in the middle of his piano practice, as he went over what had happened to his friends.

“Thank goodness things worked out for Kitty Section,” he said; not only did they get that record deal, they had also ensured that all of their work would never be associated to XY, who (along with his father) was very lucky had not been slapped with a demand for plagiarism. Even if Gabriel Agreste had threatened to make things worse for Bob Roth.

Someone knocked on the door as he talked to himself and Plagg.

“Adrien, delivery,” Nathalie announced, and he stepped off the piano to grab the rather large package she had brought to him.

Putting it on a low table, he ripped off the tape.

“Huh, wonder what–”

And then he opened the package and gasped.

“My own Kitty Section costume?!” he shouted in joy. This must have been sent before everything that had happened, which meant Marinette had taken the time to sew him up one in the middle of all the hard work she had done.

“Oooo,” Plagg said, somewhat amazed at how good it looked.

To hell with piano practice, this was super-cool! He quickly donned the entire costume – unicorn mask included! - and posted it on his social network accounts. He may not be an official member of the band, but he would gladly show his love of his friends' group!

----

He had learned many things about crocodiles while taking care of Fang, and one of them was that crocodiles liked to hunt by ambush.

“Alright, Jagged, why'd you call me over so late?” Bob said as he entered the room.

The crocodile was not an animal that liked to run on land. No, they would wait under water, near the surface, unmoving... until prey got close enough.

“I'm in a bad mood so you better have a good reason!” Bob continued to yell, unaware of what was about to happen to him.

Because, as far as Jagged had been concerned... this man was prey today. And he was about to make clear his displeasure about the rotten thing he had tried to do.

“Why's it so dark–”

What a perfect cue! He stepped on the light switch, and the spotlight flashed over him.

“Bob.”

“EEEEKK!”

Ah, the sound of prey that knew how utterly fucked it was. He glowered at the bastard that had tried to ruin several lives that were very important to him.

“Let's talk about you threatening my favorite designer. And my ki– uh, her friends.”

Whoops, nearly slipped out. He hoped Fang was having as much fun as he was.

----

CHEW CHEW CHEW

Tasty thing! Shiny, with color of meat like Father gives me! Feels good to rip!

“DADDYYYYY! JAGGED STONE'S STUPID LIZARD IS EATING MY SHOES!” Loud Human shouts.

Who cares? Father said to chew on these things Loud Human put on her legs, and that was what he was going to do!

----

Desperada

@zoe-oneesama I think Jagged would have learned stuff about crocodiles, even if Fang still behaves like a dog! (Also, can't wait for Crocoduel)

By the way, that's 441 pages, 176582 words, 951399 characters.

[our-magical-world]

❀ My waiting room ❀

NOTE: I haven't shifted yet, this is based on my script and ideas for this DR

My waiting room is a magical forest with cottagecore and fairytale vibes.

In the middle of the forest, there is a glade with a cozy cottage where I can stay, sleep, cook or relax. I have a kitchen, a bathroom, a living room with a fireplace, a room with a double bed and an extra room for guests. There I can read books, journal or work on my scripts for my DRs. I also have a magical notebook that acts as the LIFA app: anything I write there becomes true instantly. I can manifest food, items or summon characters from my DRs and script scenarios with them (for example, a picnic in the forest with my party from my fantasy DR). I can also sing as much as I want, and of course, explore the forest.

In the forest live magical creatures such as fairies or unicorns. Only non-dangerous creatures can be found, and they cannot hurt me or any of my visitors. There is a waterfall and a small natural pool where I can bathe or refresh my feet after exploring the forest for a while. If you keep walking towards the edge of the forest, you will find different portals that lead to my different DRs. Shifting from there is instant: I just have to go through the portal and find myself there.

In this place I look like my fantasy DR self, who is very similar to my CR self, and wear fantasycore and cottagecore outfits. The people from my other DRs can visit me there, but only if I want (if I feel like being alone, they'll leave me alone), especially my friends, teacher and s/o from my fantasy DR. But if I wish to summon people from other realities, I can also change my appearance (with the magical notebook, or I may script a magical mirror) to match the version of me they know.

It is a space between worlds, completely safe and relaxing, with no responsibilities, tasks or quests to do.

Bonus: My style in my waiting room

[glazedwriter-mystery0014]

Raise of The Bloodied Angel.....

Meanwhile in the lands and realms of The Ancient Territories were completely destroyed and ruined by unknown terrors and other dark chaos to their homes and kingdoms of The Crystal Islands but now it change different, changing into a different dimension with black arts and incomprehensible magic from it I just feel with corrupted, black crystals and dark magic colored stones as it’s affect it to the grounds and the blood red waters with death-like in its darkness and fallen souls…..

The historical figures and the crystallized statues turning into a figure of demons, life threatening gargoyles, devil like dragons and black knights around to the palace as the destroyed palace forming into black as coal color yet ancient and age-old castle with blackish red colored blood waterfalls and glowing ember like torches as streaming down throughout of the empires and cities…...

Inside of the ruined palace, the colorless unicorn troll servants and maids were doing their own schedules and orders on their staff leader of the staff members as one of them respected him and their queen as they’re extremely respected her and admired by her. Everything calmly and peacefully until something happens…...

Butler #1: THE QUEEN IS AWAKE! THE QUEEN IS AWAKENING FROM HER SLUMBER!

Butlers and Maids and Servants: 😟😦😧😕😮!!!!

Butler #1: The queen is awakening.... From one of the dungeons and the burial places of.....Obsidian Grove Graveyards.....

At Grotto of the Obsidian Phoenixes....

???: ...... *Opening both of her eyes slowing as her emotionless eyes are darker shaded colors of blackish and crimson reddish blood while the concealed eyes are completely black as night.*......

???: H-Hmmm..... *Looking around in opposite direction of this place and looking one of her limbs as it’s shaded in obsidian-black along with her fingers.*.....

??? #2: Your highness!

???: Hm?

???: *Turning the head in opposite direction to the one of the maids and servants.* …...Candy?

Candy Floss: My queen is finally awake.

???: How long I awake, Flossie?

Candy Floss: I think you’re awake in January, your mastery…..

???: January, you say?

Candy Floss: Yes, I afraid so, madam.

???: ......I see.....Candy, I think you and others might want to step back a bit.

Candy Floss and Other Servants/Maids: 

???: .......*Using both of her arms and then starting to break one of the rusted and ageless chains one by one as she can feeling one of her wrists.* 

Candy Floss: W-Whoa!

Maids and Other Servants: !!!!!

???: ......[Sighing composedly.]........Candy, take the others back to the palace....I’ll meet you and others there....

Candy Floss: Yes, your highness..... Come on everyone, back to the palace. *Walking away from Grotto of the Obsidian Phoenixes with the other servants and maids while the awaken corrupted queen was now completely alone in the grotto.*

???: ..... Hmmm.... *Looking around the statues of the obsidian blacked phoenixes and gravestones of one of the deceased soldiers and family members of her mother’s and her family’s before her eyes started to tear up with sorrow and pain from her heart as her heart was completely broken.* ...... My friends.... My peoples.... My love.... My sisters.... My b-brothers.... My sweet children.... I fail..... I fail all of you.....

At the ruined and dull-colored ageless palace ......

???’s Nightgown:

???: ..... *Looking at the window emotionlessly and unhappy.* ....... 

*Knock*, *Knock*, *Knock*

???: Hm? *Turning her head around and saw one of her devoted servants, Berry who is pushing a cart of the uncommon herbs, tea bags, and half-broken tea sets.* 

Berry: My lady, your tea is ready. 

???: Oh....Thank you, Berry......

???: .......Berry....King Orion and her sister is going to destroy the other tribes and other kingdoms.... And including the families and the children....

Berry: ..... *Nodded his head slowly as she is finish of making the queen’s tea and then giving her gently.* .....I know my lady.....I know.....

???: .... They aren’t going to stop unless someone who is going to have to end them down...Very....

Berry: But who?

???: *Then looking at her windows and thinking of herself as she’s closing both of her eyes as she is realizing something from her mind.* ..........Berry, where my mom put her things from?

Berry: At Obsidian Temple of Shadows next to Haunt of the Scarlet Army and Cells of the Crystal Soldier, my queen....Why?

???: Because I’m going to do something different....Something unsacred....

From isolated lands and territories of “Obsidian Temple of Shadows”......

The corrupted ruler was in Obsidian Temple of Shadows as the temples and chapels were covered in obsidian black crystals and corrupted minerals along with graveyards, mountains and valleys, and destroyed graven images as she is heading inside of the massive caverns and gargantuan grottos with decayed chains and tarnished crystals without any light from it.... 

???: .....

The corrupt queen taking in the sights of this ruined place left and right to right and left until she’s spotted of a antiquated and shattered staff attached to the black glasses and mysterious crystals in opposite direction of it....

???: ...... *Walking to the glowing black glasses and shimmering mysterious crystals as she is looking at the dark-colored and shattered staff with corrupted and heart-shaped hidden crystal.* .....The Dark Heart of The Dark Domain.....[Whispering herself soundlessly.] ....Hmmm...

???: ....... *Thinking and thinking of her mind and her thoughts as she is thinking if she is going do the right thing but she’s can’t letting both of the fiendish rulers attacking another nation as she is exhaling on and off and then started to summons the black rituals as she’s close both of her eyes.* ........

???: ...... “Ladies of the hades and abysses.....Lords of the netherworlds and the underworlds” ......

???: ...... “Queens of The Crimson Empires....Kings of The Demon Islands....” ......

???: ...... “ With or without of the soul and spirit combined of nightmares and pains as it or they’re following every each and every single one of the corrupted lyrics and languages of The Black Angel itself....” .....

???:..... “With or without bringing miseries and misfortunes from the fallen souls and the fallen divines as I am bringing these chains, the chains and the shackles of the ancestors’ and their descendants’ wills from The Titan Mountains and The Devil Mountains....Bringing them to breaking and unshackled with languages of The Lutine Baroness as it will brings all of the deceased innocent spirits and the heartbreaking souls with vengeances and punishments....” ......

???: ...... “From the faded skies of The Obsidian Hill Ruins & The Bloodriver Empires as my full-blooded ancestors controlled with strengths and weaknesses...As I’m here to beckon my own full-blooded ancestors of The Devil Witch Caste and The Dark Phoenix Warriors to brings me with abilities and forces of your own bloods and your own strengths...” .....

???: ..... “Sisters of The Black Tower Tribe and Brothers of The Black Water Warriors...I, the full-blooded daughter, the long-forgotten and blue-blooded juvenile of Crowned Empress Juvela Crystalstones and Crowned Emperor Giyf Stormtail, here to beckon every each and every one of you to daughters and sons of the blue-blooded and full-blooded families of the leaders and the rulers of The Islands of The Prisca Chains........ To beckon each and every one of you to brings me the heart of The Vengeful Monarch....” .....

???: ......Bring me..... *Opening her eyes as her eyes glowing as red as blood with anger and hate.*

“....TO MY OWN HEART AND MY OWN SOUL!!!!”  

As she is finished the corrupted words of the black rituals...... Something happened.....

???: *Her body lifted higher and higher as the nefarious spirits and dark shadows throughout of their own afterlife fate run around in circles of her as her eyes started in tears of glowing and blackish red colored blood troughing to both of her cheeks as her eyes open widely with reddish red of corruption and dark magic from her corrupted transformation.*

..... The nefarious spirits and dark shadows still run around in circles of her as the dark colored grounds and dark enchanted crystals started to create a powerful earthquake to the unknown necropolises and the hidden burying grounds and late dungeons, and including the long-forgotten territories and ageless, unknown ruined islands as the dark enchanted crystals started glowing brighter than the shimmering stars itself.....

..... The shattered and dark staff started to unleash itself from the affected  dark enchanted crystals as the dull-colored and unemotional queen formed into a dark and vengeful goddess as it’s lower down from her corrupted transformation.....

???:.....

???: ....... *Started to walking to the shattered staff without hurrying as she is grabbing the shattered and dark staff as it’s still glowing brightly before her own obsidian blacked angel wings started to form unhurriedly.* .........

???: ........

Back to the ruined palace......

???: ....... *As she got back to her home, one of her devoted servants and maids running to her with nervously look from one of their faces.* 

Candy Floss: My queen.... Is that you?

???: .....Yes....Yes, it’s me....

Mint: My lady, you’re so look different again than before....

Red Velvet: My queen, there unknown tribes want to meet you....

???: Oh really? ....Hmmm.... Well then, take me where you spotted them, Velvet.

Red Velvet: O-Of course, my queen. 

In the destroyed royal meeting as both of them arrived....

Red Velvet/???: *Both of them opening the doors closely as one of them glancing at the dark leaders of the primitive tribes and long-forgotten kingdoms who’re gazing at the corrupted queen before the maid leaving her as the corrupted queen told her to.*

???/King of Dark Phoenix Trolls: Are you.... Are you the daughter of Queen Juvela Crystalstones?

???: ..... Yes..... Yes, I am.....

Few of dark leaders/corrupted crowned rulers: 😲😧!!!!!

???/King of Dark Phoenix Trolls: .... Hmm.... *Moving slowly to her as he glances at her unemotionally appearance.* I see you’ve wounded dear one....

???: ..... They destroyed my realms..... My peoples and my kingdoms.... My friends..... My siblings.... And my adopted loving children.... They destroyed everything I had....

???/King of Dark Phoenix Trolls: ..... I know my dear..... All of us lost our cherishable memories and wonderful memories just like you until one day ours were completely destroyed and shattered by our own enemies....

???: ...... I want to end them.... I want vengeance....

???/Queen of Undead Trolls: So are we, we want vengeance and revenge of our own enemies who’s ruined our lives! 👿👿👿

???/Queen of Harpy Trolls: She’s right your highness, but we can help you~ After all~ We are your mother’s devoted allies~! 😈😈😈

???/King of Centaur Trolls: And her trusted generals and loyal commanders....

???: .... Really?

???/King of Gorgon Trolls: All of us will obey of your orders and trust you my dear.... Are you full-blooded queen and strong warrior too.....

???: ......

???/King of Dark Phoenix Trolls: So.... Before we think, what is your name my dear?

???: .....I have a name once, but I refuse to tell you but then again, my name will be change....

???/Queen of Harpy Trolls: Oh~?

???: ...... My name will be....  Agrona. Crowned Empress Agrona Onix. And I’ll be your..... Your Theano Queen.

 Hey every gifted artists and talented writers, sorry I didn’t posted of my blog, I was very busy and tired from my college but don’t worry I am still thinking and creating brand-new ideas of other things I’m going to make for the future. And I’m also hope of all of you gifted artists and talented writers like this fanfic I made, I did try my best to making so unrelated and interesting yet a bit of dark in it. But have yourself a good day and have a blessed day with your friends, your families, and your loved ones~! And P.S. you want know who is Crowned Empress Agrona Onix and where is our beloved small queen at you say? Well.... Let’s just say it’s extremely secret.... ψ(^Ф∀Ф^)ψ  

The lighting gif and images is belongs to Google and Pinterest I found.

Zips and Tide belongs to @sparklistories​, @sparklijam​

Unicorn Trolls, ???, dark leaders of the dark leaders/corrupted crowned rulers is belongs to @gloomycherub-mysterious​/ @sullenwriter-log/ @glazedwriter-mystery0014​

Dewdrop and Melody, and the others belongs to @galaxy12sblog​

Oractrolls belongs to @bloodmoon24​

Hunter, Titan, and Selene belongs to @lasirenacanta​

[mollish-art]

ok I watched like 2 different brother bear clip compilations for this so I hope I’m right. First image: u!boo gets rained on/takes a bath/walks under a waterfall and is mopey about it.

Second image: Mermaid enemy or boss, possibly Niki because genloss was kinda about how content creators(esp women and queer ppl) were boiled down to stereotypes and mermaids are something Niki has been associated with since OSMP, along with “nice”.

Third image: Sneeg and Charlie attempt to hide from who I’m guessing is U!ranboo, it doesn’t work, they attempt to communicate that they’re not interested in eating them or were once a friend, and neither sneeg nor Charlie believe them. The image is taken from brother bear, wherein the moose are two arguing-but-love-each-other brothers and are talking to an offscreen bear (transformed human) who is insisting they won’t eat them and was once human.

fourth image: u!sneeg and u!Charlie, possibly ranboo as well since there’s three unicorns, have to go through a misplaced door

I am amazed at the effort you went through to analyze these teasers! I'll be honest, I didn't put a whole lot of thought into them, myself, so I apologize in advance if the reveal for any of them is lackluster in comparison to what you were hoping lmao

I won't confirm or deny any of your theories, but they are interesting to read!

[thecaptainsgingersnap]

OC Interview Questions - Nature: Gwen

🥀 [WILTED ROSE] How good is your OC at meeting deadlines? What motivates them?

Gwen is great at meeting deadlines. In her line of work, things are often literally life and death, so that's a pretty good motivator.

🌹 [ROSE] Does your OC believe in true love? Why?

She definitely does. Why else would she go to the ends of the earth and be willing to lose everything for a boy shed only meet two days earlier?

🍄 [MUSHROOM] How likely is your OC to eat random berries/mushrooms they find?

Not at all.

🍁 [MAPLE LEAF] What is your OC's favourite season? Why and what do they do during it?

Gwen loves fall. She loves to drive through the countryside looking at the changing leaves.

🍂 [AUTUMN LEAVES] Does your OC view piles of dead leaves as a mess or as fun?

She thinks they're so fun!

🌰 [CHESTNUT] What food group does your OC mostly eat (e.g., grains, fruits)?

Dairy is her favorite (especially peanut butter ice cream)

🏵️ [ROSETTE] What flower symbolises your OC best and why? What does the flower mean in floriography?

A sunflower. She's bright and fun and always looking for the light, but she's also study and tough enough to weather a storm. It stands for strength, happiness, confidence, self-esteem, ambition, devotion, healing, inspiration, loyalty, nourishment, opportunity, pride, vitality, warmth, and wealth

🌻 [SUNFLOWER] Where would your OC get lost in the moment/beauty of the place?

On one of their first dates, Tequila took her hiking in the mountains. They went up this trail for a few miles and at the end there was a ridge with a huge waterfall cascading down into a crystal clear river. The sun was shining on it and they're were rainbows glinting in the spray. It was breathtaking.

💐 [BOUQUET] If you could send your OC a bouquet, what flowers would make it up and what is the overall message?

Yellow roses and sunflowers because I admire her and would want to be her friend.

🌾 [RICE SHEAF] How picky is your OC with food? What will and won't they eat?

She's mildly picky. She'll try anything once but she knows what she likes. She will NOT eat haggis!

🌿 [HERB] Is your OC religious? What do they believe in?

Gwen's not actively religious. She likes to go to church sometimes on holidays just for tradition's sake and she pays when things are especially dire but mostly she just believes in being nice and trying to do as much good as she can.

☘️ [SHAMROCK] How passionate is your OC about things they love/hate?

Gwen would go to themes of the earth for the people/things she cares about. She would also go to war to fight something she hates.

🍀 [FOUR LEAF CLOVER] Would your OC spend hours looking for a four leaf clover?

No

🌲 [EVERGREEN] What does your OC's dream treehouse look like? What tree is it built upon?

Gwen is more of an underground tech workshop kind of girl.

🌳 [DECIDUOUS] What's your OC's favourite thing to do at the park?

She likes to play with her dog Winslow

🍃 [FALLEN LEAF] What's the darkest period of time your OC has been through?

After her dad died while trying to stop Poopy. She was... Not good for awhile.

🌵 [CACTUS] How physically resilient is your OC?

Very, she's a Kingsman.

🌱 [SEEDLING] What new passions/hates is your OC discovering?

Since meeting the Statesman she's developed a great interest in both liquor making and the rodeo.

🌴 [PALM TREE] What are the stops on your OC's dream cruise? What boat are they on?

Gwen isn't really a cruise person. The thought of being out in the middle of the ocean with no way to get to shore until the boat docks gives her anxiety.

🌸 [CHERRY BLOSSOM] Does your OC believe in legends/myths?

She lives in Scotland. Their national animal is a unicorn. Of course she does.

💮 [WHITE FLOWER] Has your OC ever kissed someone? Who, when, and where?

*gestures to Tequila* next question?

🌺 [HIBISCUS] What does your OC think is the prettiest name?

Arabella

🌷 [TULIP] What is your OC's favourite flower and colour?

Sunflowers and blue

Nature Asks