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theflashdriver · 10 months ago

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Sandopolis Square (Chapter 1)

The taste of grit filled Blaze that cat's mouth, disgusting her tongue and scoring across her teeth. Immediately she went to baulk, squirming to push away from the ground, but the pyrokinetic found herself both upside down and trapped in darkness. Her head was still spinning, shock from impact prompted panic as she pushed and pushed, only to find that the ground slipped through her fingers; she couldn't get a grasp! She was lodged up to her waist, buried, almost sinking, and unable to escape!

Something sounded behind the feline, but her ears were totally blocked! She began to kick, feeling her temperature rise as flames began to ignite within her palms. The cat was ready to explode herself from the ground, to take whatever mass she'd become lodged in with her, when she felt a familiar contact spread across her legs and down to her waist. The contact was continuous; gentle and yet thorough. Her kicking ceased.

She was in good hands, he was still here with her.

As soon as that hold was good and tight, Blaze felt herself tugged smoothly upward and free, like a sewing needle plucked from a pincushion. Though she'd only been in darkness for moments, the sudden brightness of her surroundings was blinding. She felt loose earth, now recognisable as sand, tumble from her frame as she spluttered. Despite having extinguished her flames, she felt warm and now heard the familiar rumble of psychokinesis just above her.

"S-Sorry," A familiar hedgehog called out, though still appeared as a blur as she blinked both the dark and rocky grains from her eyes, "Are you okay? Usually my landings are a lot smoother..."

"You're so naive," She groaned, only to halt herself before she could chew him out, "Can you at least flip me so I'm not upside down?"

"Oh, yes, right," The hedgehog quickly responded.

The cat felt herself rotate, her head being turned to the sky, as she was brought sit atop the sands she'd once been buried within. With a snap of her fingers she ignited herself in an attempt to burn away the sand only to feel it still clinging to her. After half blindly slipping the glove from her right hand she brought it to her eyes and began to pick away the glassy particulate rather than rub.

Soon much of the pain had vanished and she could more clearly see. Yellow surrounded them, they'd found themselves in a pit of sorts, flanked on all sides by sand dunes. The sky was a perfect blue, not a cloud in sight, with the sun shining down from a high noon position. Though she tried to keep her attention focused on taking in their surroundings, Blaze's gaze inevitably landed upon her companion as he rummaged through a rucksack not unlike the one on her back.

Blaze had only remembered Silver a little over a month ago, following a chance encounter. The two of them had been on individual missions in this dimension's past, both their worlds were set to be ruined by Doctor Eggman. The evil man had stolen the Jewelled Sceptre and apparently harnessed it to destroy continents, simultaneously ignoring the turmoil that loss caused the Sol dimension. They'd bumped into one another during the heat of battle, recalled each other while nursing their wounds and slipped back to her world together when the dust had settled.

Silver had been antsy though, longing to see if his work had saved his world and created the good future they'd sought in that life. With some effort, and a lot of posturing that it would be good for the Sol Dimension's defence, Blaze had managed to secure permission to come with him. She didn't want him to face this alone, not as he apparently had so many times since they'd separated. Unfortunately, his past efforts weren't reflected on this world.

"Here," A green metal flask was pushed into her vision, disrupting her train of thought, "I-I'm really sorry, Blaze. I'm not used to transporting two people..."

She looked to his eyes, scanning for aggravation at the present state of the world, only to find worry and regret over their rough landing.

"It's fine Silver," She hesitated before taking the canteen, if things were as dire as they seemed then resources were limited, "I'm just glad we made it here in one piece," Ultimately, feeling the grains still lodged in her gums, she settled that using a little would be wise, "Even if I'm not entirely sure where here is."

She brought the flask to her lips, swishing a small mouthful of water before realising she'd need more and internally cringing. A second swig was taken, followed by a lot more swishing. Another glance to their surroundings revealed the desert to be totally barren, not a hint of plant life in any direction, let alone a person. Admittedly their view was very obscured, limited by the encompassing dunes, but it certainly wasn't a good sign.

"This should be Station Square, we should be two hundred years forward from when we just were," He commented, as she turned away to spit, "But, based on our rough landing, maybe we're a little off..."

A ways behind him, the cat could now see a second hole only a stone's throw away, likely where he had ended up buried. Great clumps of sand still hung in his white fur, he hadn't bothered to tend to himself. After putting the flask to her lips one last time, forcing herself to swallow a mouthful of water, she screwed it closed and handed it back to him.

"We should search for land marks, see if we can recognise anything," He extended a hand and she took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet, "Though admittedly, I've only really been in the desert once, and that was-

Immediately Blaze stumbled, the princess felt herself slip back, embarrassment and confusion had made her forget. He stepped in almost instinctively, his hand found her waist before she could crash back to the ground. Immediately, her vision was blockaded by a white cloud that she soon recognised as his chest fur.

Daring to glance up, concerned yellow eyes bore into her, "Are you okay? Was your fall worse than mine?"

"No, it's not the fall, I'm fine," She quickly insisted, it almost sounded like she was snapping at him, "It's these... put me down, get me another pair of shoes from the bag."

He quickly put two and two together, letting go of her hand and shrugging the rucksack from his shoulders. Inside was a veritable mess of equipment, ranging from pocket sized cookers to changes of clothes and pop-up tents. Unfortunately, the cat couldn't think of much in there that would help if the whole world had truly been turned to desert. There were a few handkerchiefs they could cover their mouths with and goggles- intended for underwater but usable in a sandstorm- though little else seemed relevant. They'd been far more worried about difficult terrain and combat than sand and heat.

Things were off to such an embarrassing start, despite all their planning. She couldn't stand to look at him. Her formal high heels had pierced the sand, their small surface area sinking down the moment she'd put any weight on them. When moving at fast speeds it wasn't an issue but, she should have seen it coming.

No, not should have, she would have if she wasn't being so foolish.

After a moment of hearing his rummaging, her gaze firmly locked to a sand dune to their right, a set of shoes entered her peripheral vision; simple running sneakers. Perhaps they weren't perfect for their environment but they'd surely be a marked improvement of her heels. They were new and would need some breaking in, but at least they weren't riddled with holes.

"Thank you," She murmured, kicking her heels off and handing them to him.

"We can go back and restock, if you think it'd be safer," Silver offered as he rummaged to burry the useless shoes in the bag, "I had to leave the Chaos Emerald behind, but we've still got your Sol Emerald, right?"

Blaze felt her long coat pocket, the large grey gem had survived their voyage through time. His concern was plain, and undeniably directed at her. She felt a flutter in her stomach, even if though could remember their past and his countless showings of softness before, the current version of herself still wasn't used to this sort of attention. Ultimately, she shook her head as she quickly tied the white and purple sneakers.

"We should use what we have for now, but know we can turn back if we have to," She insisted, before beginning to lecture in an attempt to restore normalcy, "I'd need a clear space like this to conjure the burning portal though, ideally a place in the open air. It's best to keep that in mind as we proceed."

"Alright, if you're comfortable then I'm comfortable," He reached out to her again, ready to help the cat to her feet with a serious glint in his eyes, "Let's go figure out where we are!"

She took his hand, pulling and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet. This time she didn't sink as she found her footing, instead managing to maintain her more typical elegance. There was a single beat where they stood there, his eyes passing over her; making sure her fall was just due to the heels, that she was okay. The heat of the desert was already starting to get to her.

The cat rolled her eyes, letting out her usual claim of, "You're so naive," Just before he began to pull her along.

She let hedgehog lead the way, hovering just slightly off the ground rather than walking. It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the top of the nearest dune, her poking her head over the top just after him. Just as in the pit, there was no immediate sign of life; no plants and certainly no people, though there was plenty of space for things to hide.

Great sandy mounds spanned all directions, completely obscuring her view to the horizon. They were as common as wave marks on the beaches back home, almost more frequent frankly. There were no people, no flickies and no plant life whatsoever- just sand as far as the eye could see. Not too far away, one dune in particular stood out to her as excessively large. It towered over all the others, standing out despite being a single sand dune among countless others.

"We might be able to get a better lay of the land from up there." He pointed toward the area she'd just sighted.

Blaze had half expected him to suggest flying straight up, guaranteeing a good view, but instead he'd recommended something smarter. If they weren't alone out here, then that sudden movement would draw eyes from points hidden among the dunes and offer opportunity for potential foes to hide. On the scant chance there were nearby allies, they may even flee upon sighting him.

She gave an acknowledging nod, again following his lead. They crept over the tip of the dune before beginning to slip down the other side, slowing themselves but refusing to fully stop. Among the bright yellow sands, the two of them surely stood out as obvious targets. She'd heard of the creatures and machines he'd encountered in other futures, how often the danger matched that in the life they'd lived together. They couldn't afford to be surprised.

When they reached the next slope they found it was steep, Blaze was fairly certain she could climb it but the squeeze of her hand in his signalled an alternate suggestion. Tightening her grip, grabbing his wrist and feeling his fingers upon hers, psychic light washed over the pair of them and gave enough lift to ease the assent but not fly them separate from the dune. He landed them just a few metres from the top, shutting off the psychic glow once he was certain their footing was good. Unfortunately, they had to let go to continue climbing.

As they neared the peak, Blaze felt something beneath her fingers as her hand sank into the sands, something sharp and metal. Looking to her companion, she found that he had pushed his shoulder into the dune and noticed something similar. Metalwork, brown, thin and brittle, had been exposed. Blaze dusted her hand along where the metal was, finding it a straight, albeit battered, ridge that stretched on in both directions. Suddenly, the sheer size of the dune made sense; the sand had gathered around and atop something. Were the other dunes the same?

The gentle whirring of psychokinesis caught the cat's ear, she saw the symbol on his right arm light cyan as he gestured toward the sand hill. Their eyes met, he was looking for approval. She glanced behind them, taking in the endless dunes but still seeing no signs of life, and then gave a nod.

With a wave of his hand, just to their right, the sand was shovelled away and made to gently drift down the hillside. A pang of annoyance marred the hedgehog's face and immediately Blaze's thoughts were confirmed. Though he only revealed an area roughly the size of a ten metre square, a great metal frame with large rectangular gaps was made visible. The metal separating each hole was wider than her arm, though only an inch thick, and continuous outside of a few bent and torn sections.

The old metal frame was connected to a concrete mass with areas of broken concrete, worn away by time, with degraded rebar visible at various points. Blaze looked close to the frame's edge and quickly identified a pair of indents along the metal's centre, in which there were brittle shards of glass among the sand that had come to fill the thin spaces. The inside of the structure, beyond what he'd revealed, was entirely filled with sand. Evidently the holes in the metallic skeleton, surely created by the breaking of large glass panes, had allowed the desert to break through and fill the structure's inside.

"It's a skyscraper, knocked on its side," Blaze murmured.

"I think we're in Station Square," The hedgehog replied, resignation in his tone, "It's just less obvious than usual."

"Is it worth excavating this whole building?" Blaze mused aloud.

"I'm not sure, it's just so big," He responded, tugging at his chest fur, "And we don't know if the separation between floors is still intact, I might not be able to do just one floor."

"Maybe something smaller then? We've got plenty of options," Blaze gestured behind them.

"That's certainly true, it might be worth figuring out some landmarks and looking for an entrance to the subway. Usually there's an untouched pocket or two down there, maybe the sand won't have fully filled it," He shifted, finally scaling to peek over the top of the skyscraper housing dune. His ears shot up straight and much of the disgruntlement fled his body, "Actually, we might not need to uncover anything. I think we got lucky."

Blaze followed him up, looking over the edge. Just like behind them, dune stretched all around, but from up here they could see for miles. They didn't have to look that far to find something of note though.

What could only be a few hundred metres away, a large building looked to only be half covered by the sand. Two large walls stretched out in the shape of a V, a flat roof on either side was partially exposed. At the centre though, there was a large metallic sign that had surely once been elaborate- unreadable from this angle, assuming it was still readable at all. It wasn't a building the cat remembered, but it was obviously an important landmark.

The pyrokinetic threw a glance to her partner, taking in his overtly serious and plainly plotting expression. They really hadn't been reunited for long, but already she could see how time alone had changed him. Yes, he'd asked before unearthing the structure, but there was a certain strategic foresight and tact he was treating this whole situation with. Even this reveal that his world wasn't fixed, as he'd so completely hoped in the lead up to their journey, wasn't affecting him as harshly as she recalled setbacks upsetting him before.

He was less headstrong, the word mature came to mind; both of terms of his actions and how he was handling the state of his world. When he caught her staring however, Blaze's pride in him immediately melted into embarrassment.

She returned her gaze to the dunes ahead, "It seems like a good place to start, but I still don't see any signs of life," Blaze was sure that was a bad sign but, given their experience, it was probably for the better.

"In the times since we've been together, I haven't found any futures with other people, only machines or monsters," He responded, "But the lack of plants is worrying, I'm glad we have an easy way back," The seriousness in his tone had drawn her eyes back to him, only to find he was looking at her, "I'm glad you're here with me," Her tail stiffened straight, "Maybe outside of the city there'll be more of a chance? Concrete might be in the way, stopping the roots from reaching the good soil."

Blaze blinked, it was an astute observation, "Y-Yes, I presume so. There's certainly a chance. I suppose we don't know that the whole world is like this also, even if this is quite different from the Station Square we know..."

She'd rambled a bit, but he had done the same. He cautiously crept fully over the top of the dune and she followed, keeping her eyes pealed for any signs of movement. There was still a risk of Eggman's automatons surviving, they'd be more likely to survive an environment like this than the average citizens of Station Square. That and, assuming this was the doctor's fault, he'd likely have designed them to thrive in this biome.

The two of them slid down the far side of the sand hill, after finding it wasn't as steep as the portion they'd scaled. Once the ground drew close to flat again the feline was on her feet, eyes flitting back and forth across their surroundings in search of anything out of place. She still wasn't comfortable accepting that they were alone, but more and more things were looking that way. She even threw a glance up to the sky, scouting for flying machines.

He gave her a nod as he reached her side, a gesture she returned to confirm that things were still safe. Ears spiked high, she again followed as he led them toward the decrepit building. She scarcely even trusted the sand beneath her feet, perpetually listening out for the potential click of a trap buried underfoot.

Now closer, Blaze could tell that the building hadn't aged particularly gracefully. The entryway was sealed, a bent rod of metal and been wedged between the door handles and held for an unknown length of time. Wooden boards completely blocked what had assumedly once been windows, battered but seemingly enact. The stonework looked worse, perforated and speckled. A series of letters loomed over the doorway, spelling out a single word through browned metal that had surely been sandblasted over the past centuries. It was very fortunate that it had maintained enough of its shape to be readable.

"Casino," He seemed to dwell on the large word for a moment, before half shouting, "Oh, this must be Casinopolis..."

It was only now, back on somewhat flat ground and standing still, that Blaze noticed something. Without her high heels, the hedgehog was substantially taller than she recalled. Three inches, maybe even four? There was something else too though. Was it his jawline? His shoulders? They just looked... different to what she recalled. Perhaps her hyperfocus was just due to his immediate response to the state of his world; how things had clearly changed since she'd last been in this type of situation with him.

Tearing her gaze away, Blaze looked to the building again, "The boarded windows suggests there might be people inside, or at least there once were. Maybe this was a gradual change, things didn't become a desert over night."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Seriousness had reclaimed his tone, "Although, that skyscraper being knocked over maybe means there were multiple problems. Maybe there was an attack before the sand rolled in," He astutely pointed out, "I know desertification happens, I've seen it change places, but I've never seen station square like this, even when its been overrun by robots. On those occasions the weather has usually been unchanged. This can't be natural..."

"I would assume it's anything but," Blaze hummed in agreement.

Despite the space being thankfully uncovered by sand, there was no signs of life around it- theirs were the only footprints in the sand. The doorway itself also revealed a lot, the age of the metal bar wedged in the entryway suggested this place hadn't been open in a long time; the sandblast damage across the doors furthered that hypothesis, though keeping it shut may have been wise given the circumstances.

If people were inside, that suggested they'd been trapped for an extended period. Had someone locked them in? Had there been a breakage in the door's locking mechanism, leading a lone individual to brave the sand as they sealed their friends in... only for them to never emerge. Blaze did wince at the though they might be walking into a crypt, but another thought came to mind.

"They might have locked something inside here," The cat offered as a warning, "It would explain the barricade on the door."

"It's possible," There was heavy contemplation in his voice, Blaze could tell he was mulling over other options, just as she was.

He raised a hand, cyan energy flared both in his palm and upon the doorway. He threw a look her direction, she simply nodded in the affirmative as she ignited her palms and took up a defensive stance. With the simple gesture of his fingers into a fist, the metal bar folded outward at its centre and fully slipped the door handles. A beat of silence was allowed after the metal fell to the ground, there were no signs of movement inside. After that moment past, he threw out another gesture and the doors swung open.

The interior was dark beyond the doorway, but no immediate signs of sand within. She moved in lockstep with the hedgehog as he took steps forward, reaching out with his right hand and sending a sparkling motes of psychic light into the casino. As they approached and the lighting improved, the cat got a better view of the inside.

Huge was the only way she could think to describe the space, an overlarge room that plainly stretched deep into the sand dune. There were a few other doors visible, a restroom most obviously, but Blaze had to assume that much of the space was this large single room. Inside were old cassino fixtures, lights and structures, dotted throughout the building and creating various hiding spaces. There was little signs of sand, suggesting a lack of cracks in the structure, though it was present just beyond the doorway, perhaps having been kicked or blown in.

Blaze walked with him beyond the threshold, beginning to take stock of the endless sea of tables and chairs set ahead of them. To call the place cluttered would be an understatement, even ignoring the litter on the ground there was a sea of tables and chairs blocking the path ahead. Fresh shadows were endlessly moving, being constantly cast by Silver's efforts. They constantly revealed objects in shades of teal, but never a person or signs of a machine. Again the cat looked up, following one of his psychic orbs, but again there were no abnormal signs.

"With all this stuff around, I think, maybe, they locked the door so that the sand wouldn't get in after they left," The hedgehog posited, "Sand dunes can move massively with the wind, it'd make sense if they wanted keep their home safe."

"But why would they leave it in the first place?" Blaze hummed, still bouncing her vision across the room's darker spots.

"Maybe they could only hold out here so long, we've not been far but there's no signs of plant life or water,"Despite what he was saying, the hedgehog was still plainly on guard, "There's only one way to find out."

Raising his hand again, more psychic lights fluxed from his form to scatter and swirl around the room. Eventually, they managed to reach the room's centre, still without a single sign of a machine or creature, living or dead. Despite that, there were certainly signs of prior life; tables littered with accoutrements and bags. All the items though did seem somewhat superfluous to surviving in the desert; clothes, wallets, plates, cutlery, old toys and lots of chips from cassino games.

Eventually, having almost entirely filled the room with light, he brought his psychic efforts to an illuminated standstill. He kept walking despite that, scanning and began to use his psychic powers to poke and prod at junk scattered within the space. Her eyes flickered to him, catching the stark seriousness of his eyes. It really was as if a switch had been flipped soon after their arrival here, changing things she'd noticed over the days before...

"Are you comfortable?" He half whispered to her, eyes still to their surroundings.

"Almost," She responded, opening her palms to spread the light of her flames further, "There are plenty of spaces that could be used for hiding, if anything is still in here then I doubt it's a person. No sign of machines either though."

"Anything more you think I should do?" Silver asked, looking to confirm.

"No," She replied, after a moment of thought, "I just want to keep an eye out for a little longer, make sure that nothing tries to sneak up on us."

The hedgehog threw her a small thumbs up, gazing around the room once more, "I'll start searching while you stand guard," He confirmed after that moment had past, tugging the nearest table toward himself.

She responded with a nod, maintaining the fire in her palms. The space wasn't perfectly quiet, what with his searching and the ambient buzz of psychic energy, but no sounds were standing out to the cat. No skitter of the rubbish left scattered on the ground came, nor did any somehow silent movement. The potential for things to hide behind the lights above still worried the cat, but there truly were no signs of movement. She crouched low, glancing under the tables, but still there was nothing.

Having scanned the space for a while, she couldn't help but glance back at Silver as he made his initial assessment of the room, spreading objects piled on the tables throughout the room in an attempt to neaten everything out. With each step in his survey of the tables the ways he'd changed were becoming more apparent, from the disparity between their heights to the quietness of his steps. He looked almost professional, frankly tactical, in his work.

There truly was a significant difference in how he was acting now compared to under the freedom he'd experienced while staying in her dimension. The hedgehog had been so bouncy and joyous, just as she'd anticipated; beaming and rushing around, asking all sorts of naive questions and being so foolishly open with his emotions. It made sense that he'd changed upon arriving here and seeing his world in this state, but that switch was not quite what she'd expected.

The reveal of the future not being fixed was plainly weighing on him, but its impact wasn't showing that in the usual way. Rather than shout and pound his fists, as he would whenever Iblis reappeared, the hedgehog was quiet. There was though an undeniable tenseness in his frame and hardness to his brow. Despite part of her seeing the change as growth, the cat couldn't help worrying. He was still plainly emotional but he seemed just that bit better at controlling those-

"Blaze?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts as their eyes met, "Are you okay?"

"You're so naive, keep your voice down, I'm fine..." She bit her tongue for a moment, but spoke up before he could turn away, "I'm sorry things aren't like you hoped."

The hedgehog paused in his searching, though psychic light remained spread throughout the room and across the various objects. He half turned down to the table, his brow had further hardened and discomfort was plain on his face. The expression was hardly subdued, but compared to what she'd seen from him historically it was undeniably calm. No sobbing or shouting about how things were, though the sadness and anger behind those emotions was still present. Silver went to speak twice but seemed to catch himself, plainly struggling to arrange his words.

"There are two hundred years between my time and that of our friends; I sort of expect things to keep going wrong in their time for a little while longer, based on how often they have so far. That means I expect to keep finding my time in states like this. When the world is finally fully saved, I think I'll be surprised," He confessed, not quite meeting her eye, "But, things will be good in the end. This world will be fixed, the future will be wonderful, I won't stop until it is. I just know how difficult this task is now and, well, it's a lot harder than I'd assumed back when we were kids."

It was maturity, that's all she could think to call it. He was clearly frustrated with the situation, much more clearly now that we was talking about it, but the hedgehog must have seen his home like this so many times. The impact was still there, he was just used to it.

"Although, now that we're together again, maybe things will get better sooner than I thought. After all, together we can manage anything, I just know it!" The hedgehog decreed, shooting her the same sort of foolish grin he had in days prior.

"Y-You're still so naive," For whatever reason, his expression was having more of an effect now. For what felt like the hundredth time in this outing, the feline pulled her stare from him, "Let's get down to work, I think we're safe."

She hadn't intended it, but she'd jogged something in her own mind. With him now more concomitant, more understanding, she was now following his lead. The hedgehog had so consistently looked to her for help, just what was her role now? She stood by him still, but where? Was she following him, rather than things being the other way around?

Blaze felt the burning need to do something with herself; turning to one of the nearest tables and beginning to rifle through the piled valuables, the cat buried herself in work. She wouldn't let herself be left in the dust, she'd help him just as she'd promised in the lifetime before. Besides, no matter how he'd grown, he surely couldn't match her deductive prowess. She'd figure out what had happened here before he could.

Right?

#silvaze #silver the hedgehog #blaze the cat #sonic the hedgehog #sonic

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salixsociety · 11 months ago

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Local Flora, Folklore and Medicine

On connecting with the plant spirits of your land.

As a magical practitioner of any kind, or even as a pagan, there is major value in maintaining awareness of your surroundings. Though I preach that the responsibility of 'saving the environment' is not on the shoulders of the average non-billionaire, I do think we all owe it to each other and the world to know the plants we pick, get stung by, and walk on. Those are the same plants that offer themselves as food, medicine, clothing, and magical tool, but are generally met with a blind eye. So how do we get started with learning about them?

Acknowledging

I think as children we all passively learn about the plants in our environment. Grade school, our elders, TV. Kids in northern Europe learn about acorns, amanita muscaria toadstools, and chamomile. Kids in southern North America may learn about saguaros and sagebrush. Those plants are a great place to start. We learn to take them for granted as we get older, but they were the first you learned about for a reason! Their cultural relevance has stood the test of time. You can start looking into them just by googling - the internet has a surprising wealth of knowledge both cultural and conventional about the medicinal, nutritional, practical and spiritual applications of plants, especially those who have long-lived folklore. Wikipedia is a great jumping off point for further research.

Another excellent method to start, and this one may be my favorite, is to go to a local thrift store and pick up a field guide for your area/state/province/biome. There are many different kinds! There are those with small blocks of text and little b&w scientific drawings that are purely designed to help you quickly identify a plant. There are those that have color pictures and an elaborate description of where to find the plants and what they do. There are those that focus on wildflowers, those that focus on trees, those that focus on medicinal plants, et cetera, et cetera. Choose one that suits your needs. If you're a beginner interested in folk medicine, choose one with color pictures that focuses on medicinal plants, for example. Then carry it with you for a while, or go on walks with it! Look around, listen to music, and try to identify the plants that stand out to you.

Recognizing

Of course, going around and looking at plants may not feel like a productive way to get into plants. How will I remember what they look like and what they do? That is where folklore comes in. I will never forget the moment I learned why 'Devil's Bit' is called that. I had read that folklore had it the devil, in envy about the potent medicine in the root of the flower, had come up from below and bitten off the rootstock of every single flower. The first time I dug it up I could see: it really does look like someone took off the bottom of the root. And this goes for many many plants in our immediate environment. Many native Americans refer to narrowleaf plantain (plantago lanceolata) as 'White Man's Foot' because it grows along footpaths and was brought over by European colonizers. 'Monkshood,' really does look like the hood of a monastic. Herbaria If you are dedicated to your plant related magic, a herbarium will be very much worth the effort. It's a compilation of any kind (a notebook, a google doc, a binder) wherein you can collect all the information relevant to you. It is massively helpful to write down every alternative name you know, the medicinal properties you use, et cetera. A physical herbarium can also include pressed plant specimens or cyanotypes of them, and a digital one can have pictures taken from the internet. Making your own scientific sketches of plants is also an excellent way to learn much about them.

Understanding

A basic understanding of botany may prove very useful when you get a bit more skilled at recognizing your local flora. Understanding how they reproduce, which plants threaten one another, how poisons work, what plants are native and which are not, and how to perform basic processing styles such as extractions, infusions, distillations, will be a major step in both feeling like you understand the scientific part of the plant as well as its importance in your environment.

Connecting

This is by far the most individual part of this whole process. Your religious inclinations, spiritual views on the world, et cetera, will shape how this goes. For me, as an animist, I connect with plants by acknowledging that they are alive and have a degree of sentience. I use them in my practice both intact and not - I tie off my illnesses to trees, thank plants I use to stand on or pull myself up from, and speak to living plants just as much as I work with and revere ones that I have to uproot or process to make use of them. Someone that is not an animist may not find value therein, but instead in something else. The important part is to stay conscious. Pay attention to details. Be grateful that you get to witness their beauty and make use of their applications. Marvel at the great web of interconnectedness that both we and plants are a part of. Wonder what the existence of a plant does for you, even if it just is what it is. How does the kelp in the ocean benefit you in your daily life even when you aren’t eating it? It does, somehow, I can assure you. Some great rabbitholes to dive into if you are keen to feel connected to plants are how trees in a forest are all connected, about mushroom mycelia, about how what looks like many shrubs or trees may just be one after all. Mother trees and how they sustain all the trees around them are one of my very favorite topics.

Practicing

The fun part! There are many ways to apply your newfound knowledge, and continuing to actively do so is the best way to keep learning. Safe and fun things to start doing immediately could include: - Processing plants for their practical applications, such as making rope or fabric from nettles, making baskets from willow twigs, carving musical instruments or sculptures from dried wood; - Making decorations in moderation, such as bouquets, wreaths, flower crowns; - Using them in small-time magic you will not be consuming. Many plants were said to ward off witchcraft, bad luck or bad spirits, and you can so easily hang a strawberry leaf above your door or keep an alder twig by your window; - Making art such as sketches, dyes, cyanotypes; - Harvesting small amounts and observing: I think we all remember picking dandelions as kids, noticing the latex flowing from the stems, and tasting it carefully. And there is more. I don't suggest doing this right off the bat, as you may do more harm than good in the beginning stages, but when you have learned a fair amount, feel confident in your ability to recognize a few plants, and frequently use some of your local plants in your magic, you could start stockpiling a bit. Take opportunities to gather herbs that are not endangered, bulk dry them, and store them in jars away from sunlight for use in the future. Please be sure to educate yourself on foraging etiquette and plant lookalikes! You may also grow a wish to assist your local environment by helping to manage invasive species. I highly encourage this! Educate yourself well on what the invasive species look like, how they behave, and how they are best eradicated. Be sure to be mindful not to get in the way of greater conservation efforts, though!

In conclusion: the wealth of the world is at your fingertips. Everything you need is where the nature is. Food, medicine, building material, warmth, fun, art, music, is all hidden in the sting of a nettle, the rustle of foliage, and the cushioning of a clover field. You are entitled to it all, so long as you stay grateful and conscious. ---- If you enjoy my work, please consider purchasing or commissioning some of my written resarch, ordering a reading, or commissioning my art. Click here to see the options. Thank you!

#germanic pagan #folk magic #apothecaric allerlei #ethnobotany #green witch #witchblr #herbs

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emeraldcatears · 1 year ago

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Making a Grass Autotile (part 3)

It's time to see how the tiles look in the game.

The first thing to determine is where to put them. I made a grass tile and a dirt path that are intended to be ground autotiles so those should be put in the game as part of the A2 block - the second group of the A tab.

The full image for this needs to be 768x576 pixels in size. I'll go ahead and open a new picture for this step.

The RPG Maker assets standards page shows how this is meant to be laid out.

These can be further adjusted in the database to be designated field or area type. If I'm reading this correctly this can determine how they interact with other tiles in the A2 portion of the tileset.

If Block A is "Field" then the transparent parts of the second and fourth tiles will autofill with the first and third tiles respectively. Otherwise, these designations seem to refer to how the tiles stack on the layers when mapping with auto-layering.

I believe "Field" is outdated and changed to "World" type in the most current MZ version I have.

Since World Type seems to be used for, well, overworld maps I'll go ahead and just make this Area Type and lay the tiles out without worrying about how the transparencies fill in like I would if I used World.

In short all that is to say I'll just paste my two tiles in next to eachother in the first two slots.

They look so lonely!

The beauty of things here is that I don't need a full set of tiles to start testing how they look in-game. I just have to have the ones I've made so far and can always save over this with a larger set later.

I'll go ahead and save this as Custom A2 and put it into the project.

Simply go to wherever you've got the project you're adding a your tiles to saved and open the img folder and find the tilesets to add your own. Make sure it's a PNG file.

Then open RPG Maker and open the project you saved the new tiles into and open the Database.

From here go to the tilesets button and the available sets appear. In this case I'll create a new set rather than just adding mine into an existing one.

At the bottom of the screen I can make room for a new set by changing the maximum and increasing it as needed.

Then find where you want to put the tilesheet. In this case I want it in A2 (Ground) so I select the image from the dropdown. Instead of appearing as the full image I made it displays the two tiles as just their representative pieces (the 48x48 section in the top left of the six-tile pattern that makes an autotile).

I honestly don't need to do much else at this point since this is just about putting them into the game to see how they look, but this is also the part where things like passability and terrain tags are set. They don't matter at this stage of the learnalong, though. I could also put other tilesheets in teh A1-E slots but I'm not worried about that at the moment.

Next I go to a map (in this case MAP001) and select my custom set for the tileset.

From there I can just draw the tiles I made into patterns the way I would the default assets!

Now, that took a while. While I know part of the time came from pausing to explain each step for the sake of the learnalong and that I'll get faster with drawing tiles with practice, it is important to take time to consider how long an original tileset takes to put together.

In other words, it takes hours upon hours to make a workable set of original tiles. If that's something you find doable then this post is also an appreciation of the time and effort that goes into it! It's "simple" in theory but it takes time and making them look good is a skill honed by practice. To everyone who puts the effort in: seriously, you all rock.

If you're not the type to put your own set together there are loads of other options for both free-to-use and paid tilesets made by others. Please appreciate the work put into each and every one of them and credit them as you use them.

#emeraldcatears's rmmz learnalong blog #rmmz #rpg maker #rpg maker mz #tilesets #tilesheets #pixel art

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xi218 · 1 year ago

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୨୧ goals ୨୧

Physical: working on being sober, ab workout routine, getting into bed earlier, not snacking so much, wearing the clothes you're saving for a "special occasion", trying out new looks and clothes, venturing out new styles, upgrading your basic hygiene routine, drink more water

Mental: journaling daily (or near daily..), decorating pages, keeping track of emotions both negative and positive and what triggers them. Get rid of the negative triggers and bring in more of the positive triggers.

Emotional: getting in touch with a therapist, dedicating a journal to release you emotions instead of bottling them in, interpret dreams, talking to friends when things upset me

Professional: working 1 hour more than usual, dont wake up and finish work before class

Personal: find your old hobbies (crochet), discover new ones (shirt making 👀), trying new food even if im nervous, complimenting people out loud, making an effort to hang out with friends when opportunities present themselves, limit youtube time

Finance: learn how to budget, no impulse spending, watch videos about making money with art and follow through

Important habits to have: waking up and going to bed early, using planner, having a morning and night routine but the freedom to change it/ leniency with myself if i dont stick to it

Important skills to build: how to communicate my own needs, learn what the line is between sharing and dumping (rather than choosing to bottle everything ive ever felt lol)

schedule ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭ ੈ♡‧₊˚

So you've picked your goals. Great. Now take a look at your schedule and figure out what things are taking up most of your time. Is it a long commute? Spending too much time scrolling on your phone? Waking up late? Going to bed late?

୨୧ time blocking / schedule:

☆ Mornings:

5-6am: exercise

6-7am: shower, get ready for class / library

7:30-8am: library for breakfast, get ready for the day

~class~

☆ Evenings:

get back from class, shower immediately, change into pajamas

eat dinner

finish homework

plan the next day, journal, go to bed

Assess how you spend your time and utilize it. Instead of scrolling on your phone during your free time, spend time with your loved ones (pets, kids, partner), instead of staying in one place while you're on a call, walk around to get steps in, there is always a way to implement your goals into your daily life.

Notice how I say fit your goals around your life. You don't want to be taking away important things like errands, jobs, school, being a parent just meet your goals- no. Use your time wisely. That's all. You can fit them.

On the larger goals like taking up a class/large skill, like dancing and painting. On fridays, you'll have dance class and on other days that you have free, you'll be painting a piece or reading your anticipated book, learning a language, trying out a new recipe, planning the next day, taking a spontaneous art class, etc!

Weekends.

Because I work a lot, I like to use weekends to really do deep work. Intensive study sessions. And because I deep work (work with no distractions) I don't need to study all day. I'm getting so much done in little time that I'll be done by the afternoon and I can go out and do errands, get all dressed up and have a nice day out in the city, or just have a relaxing day by doing chores, watching a nice movie and more!

3. Setting up a system so you can actually stick to those goals.

Keep a journal to keep track of what you did today. If you didn't reach a goal that day (and that's okay), ask yourself why? and how does it make you feel? Then take action on what you can do to reach it tomorrow.

i think post its in planner should be effective

Switching. We all know it��s best to not push yourself so hard. For example, don’t do intense exercise everyday. Walking and dancing throughout the day counts as exercise too, so by switching (depending on YOUR goals), you’ll have time for your other goals as well. Here is an example: on a rest day of no exercising, maybe that day is the night I have a ballet class. That is exercise as well. So instead of exercising in the very early hours of my day, I can use that time instead to do more studying OR have more time doing something else.

which means I can do one do the following: spend more time with my pet, read a few pages of my book, make a new recipe, etc.

Ex. 4am-5am - on a no-exercise day, i can study during that time instead. 6am-7am - more time to tackle my other goals.

Create a foundation. If you have an amazing day, felt very productive and accomplished, what's a habit that really helped? if you had an off day, figure out why and maybe your foundation can help.

★ That’s all!

#100dayswithddd

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cometconmain · 3 months ago

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Personally, when I created the writeup I have on my blog giving a brief rundown of my blog in the description it was less of a "don't interact because I don't know how/refuse to use a block button" in the sense described here and more intended as what I originally thought a DNI was supposed to be:

"I don't tolerate actual bigoted behaviour so don't waste your time coming in here thinking we'll be friends only to spring some bigoted bullcrap on me later thinking that was a normal thing to believe/say/do. Don't waste your time and don't waste mine. Here's where I stand on these real life actual problem things so you can just bail if you're not ready to accept that. If you can't critically consume fictional media and don't have anything substantial to say in your critical consumption, I don't have time for you so save your breath and mine and go back to your purity cult. Also if you're under 18 this blog is not for you. I am an adult and don't wish to have minors running around pretending like we're all chill with having kids on a blog with adult-only content actually when I don't kmow you exist or haven't been told in some way that you shouldn't be here despite how clear I've made it that this is an adult-only space. Leave.

And if I find out you're any of these types of people I WILL be curating my internet experience by blocking you."

You know? There are different ways to use DNIs that aren't "fuck you no you put all the effort in to not expose me to you" and are instead intended more like "Hey look interact if you want but I'm warning you that you're wasting your time long term if you think you can be shitty to real life people right in front of my salad, so to save us both the hassle I'm leaving it up to you specifically because I have no idea you exist and can't block you until I do so feel free to take that first step since you know we won't gel and you know I exist while I have not yet had the displeasure."

That said, people definitely shouldn't put real life issues next to fandom preferences and gripes. It defangs serious real world issues by trying to take the fangs off them and slap them directly onto the fictional things to lend credence to them because the person doing it doesn't know how to express their discomfort well enough to feel heard about it/expect people to dismiss anything they say out of hand so they grab whatever closest thing from real world issues already considered serious which could kind of fit if you do a handstand and squint through a cloud of steam. Which has the opposite effect, because now people are (rightfully) angry at them for trivialising real world issues to make people treat their perspective on fictional media seriously.

If you know how to criticise media and/or make sure you know the difference between actually potentially harmful handling of a theme within fictional media vs something made you uncomfortable and you want to express it and feel heard as part of processing it but don't know how, then you probably won't feel as strong of - if any - need to play up what you have a problem with. Because a) you know how to express your position to get people to listen to you, b) don't need strangers on the internet to validate you to know you're right because you're versed in identifying and talking about how to fix this problem in media causing potential harm to a marginalised group or otherwise teaching potentially harmful perspectives and here's why... and c) you know when something is just bothering you personally and probably have some healthier copes for it, like ranting into the void on your own post without using any main fandom tags and/or ranting to your friends and/or writing fix-it fic and or- you get the gist.

The day we start doing more of that is the day this whole 'anti-shipper' and responding 'pro-shipper' thing will probably calm down a little bit.

i don't respect DNIs not in the sense i go out of my way to break them but in the sense that i don't respect DNIs as a concept and consider them to be something of a red flag in general.

i'm not sure how to explain it but it's the combination of usually putting very serious issues on the same level as fandom stuff, the fact that half the time people don't even know what they're against beyond 'the bad stuff' therefore even further watering these issues down, and the idea that other people are expected to manage your online existence for you.

there's a passiveness to it that i think is actually a problem and it does not surprise me in the slightest that people with DNIs tend to view what media they consume as activism. do you get what i'm saying.

#not transformers

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pastafossa · 2 years ago

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Hey, Pasta! I have a sorta-dumb question, so feel free to ignore it. Soooo, I write fanfic-OC inserts a lot (Daredevil, TFAWS, Shadow and Bone, Daughter of Smoke and Bone), and I used to write the chapters - really more like oneshots - in a Gdoc and webshare it on Twitter because I hate plot and there was no need for any of that fancy fanfic page stuff. However, now that I'm on Tumblr, I have been told that the Gdoc method is insecure and troublesome (true) and that I should, if I may quote my sister, "Just post it in AO3 if you're gonna write so much."

I have the common writer's anxiety, so I've never been comfortable with sharing my work in such a public manner, but I decided that I may just make an AO3 account. But! I wanted the opinion of 1) a seasoned AO3er and 2) a writer I like and admire, so my question for you is: Is AO3 a site that you'd recommend/do you feel like there's a good community over there? Tysm!

This isn't a dumb question at all, and I totally get the anxiety to post in a more public way (and also thank you so much!)! So I've been on AO3 for about seven years now between my Pasta account and my old account. Before that I was a kid posting my first fics on ffn, I tried LiveJournal at one point, and I've obviously posted on tumblr, so I've tried a faaaairly wide variety of fic sites save for something like wattpad. And I have to say, even with its hiccups, AO3 is hands down my favorite fic site to write on, my favorite site to read on, and - imo - the best fic site out there for posting.

The tagging system is unmatched once you get the hang of it, and it makes it so, so gd easy for readers to find your fic based on whatever niche tropes or tags they might be looking for.

The way you can group fics together in a series is incredibly convenient.

They work hard to protect your fics and fic culture, defending it both from larger corporate entities and from puritans who believe fic shouldn’t exist - your content won’t every be swept away overnight like in the ffn purges of 2007 and 2012.

If your fic is plagiarized, they work fast. It took me less than 2 days to get a response from their team when dealing with the plagiarist last week.

No advertising, so not only are they not bound to rules by said advertisers, but your readers are free to read fic uninterrupted by ads (as always, consider donating if you can since they run on donations and are composed largely of volunteers!).

As the number 1 fic site, people will usually search for fics here first, so if you’re looking for readers or a community, this is the place to go.

As a writer, if you’re worried about troll comments, you can set each fic’s comment section to only registered users (so no guest comments). This weeds out the vast majority of trolls since most don’t want to go to the effort of making an account and waiting to get in. You will still sometimes get people willing to do that, or who’ll still go at you with their actual accounts, but I’ve found far less of an issue on AO3 than elsewhere - you can even set it, in that case, to ‘no comments’ or report the comments to AO3.

In my personal experience, the community is far friendlier on AO3 than on other fic posting sites. Probably 95% of my interactions and the reactions I see in other comment sections are positive, and the 5% is broken down 50/50 between either unintentional rudeness or actual trolls, which is manageable.

A few cons, in the interest of full disclosure, although ultimately I feel these are worth it for such a good site:

The site is mostly staffed by volunteers, and while they do their best, functionality updates can take considerable time. We only recently got a block button (preventing certain users from interacting on your fic), for example, and a mute button (so you no longer see fics from certain users) is still a ways off.

Comments are rare. I know there’s a ton of comments on TRT, and I am incredibly grateful for it and for the way it slides into comments on my other fics, but outside of big fics like that, interaction is a lot lower and it’s just something to know going in (although if you’re going from twitter into a fairly popular ship and/or large fandom, you might get way more interactions than from posting on twitter, so it’s all relative!). This is something I’ve found on most sites, and it’s the exact same way on AO3. Your hits will be highest, followed by kudos, and then comments. Generally speaking on oneshots, a 10% kudos to hits ratio early on (before repeat readers begin to push hits higher, since you can only kudos once but add a hit multiple times) is considered quite good. Lower that further for comments. After a bit, stop tracking the ratio because ultimately it’ll become meaningless, especially for chaptered fics where folks come back to read new chapters.

If you’re writing in google docs and try to copy+paste that into AO3′s form as is, you will learn very quickly that ao3 hates google doc formatting. You’ll get weird spaces where they don’t belong (especially if you use italics), the spacing will get fucked, all sorts of hiccups. I use the method from this tumblr post as a workaround. It’s a few extra steps but it’ll help you loads.

Speaking of: using their form to submit a fic definitely takes some getting used to. It’s a bit clunky I’m told, compared to other sites, but stick with it. My biggest advice here is, after pasting your fic in, do not post it yet. Use the preview function to see just how all the formatting is going to turn out. I’ve often found that it looks fine until I preview, and only then do formatting issues show up, which I can then fix. Again, extra work, but worth it for the pros listed above.

Honestly those are the only cons I can think of, and all of them are generally things you can either work around or adjust to as a writer posting there. They’re also absolutely worth it for such a good site, imo, and it’s the best I’ve found out of all of them. I have zero regrets posting on AO3 instead of another site. And I think you’ll come to love it, too, if you decide to join up!

#ask response #writing #ao3 #fic #fanfic #i've also noticed ocs tend to do fairly well on that site compared to others #and even small fandoms have categories so you're able to post for REALLY niche ships and stuff #i absolutely love ao3 and will always prioritize them as my posting main

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sorryimananti-romantic · 3 years ago

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Take Me Home (Chapter 5)

faerieprince!park seonghwa x oc (yena)

genre and warnings: fantasy, fluff, angst, violence warning

word count: ~15k

synopsis: prince seonghwa, the faerie prince of dark, has been having dreams about his own death by the hands of his friend, prince hongjoong of light, his only hope the girl with an incredibly familiar face appearing in those dreams telling him she'd go back in time to save him- the girl being yena, who's lived her life without memories of her childhood and a block in her mind, now out on a journey to get herself treated, where she'll encounter the princes and find her life changed in ways she never thought, discovering her powers and her soulmate along the way, love strong enough to survive through multiple timelines.

series masterlist

"Is there a reason Seonghwa is making so much effort to avoid you?" Yunho asked as they munched on the chocolate chip cookies he had stolen from the kitchen earlier. Yena turned towards the window in the living room, watching dusk arrive.

"There is a reason," she took a bite. "And it is mortifying, and I am not gonna tell you because I'll never hear the end of it."

Yunho was smirking now, "Why do I feel that I'm not wrong about what I'm thinking might have happened?"

"Whatever you're thinking," Yena glared at him, and then sighed, "It's worse than that."

Yunho snorted, almost choking on his cookies. "Are you both gonna keep acting like this? We leave for Antares in two days, I think you should just get over it-"

"Yunho," Yena wailed, putting her face in her hands. "I... I think I messed up."

"Why?" Yunho asked, genuinely curious.

"Seonghwa asked me to show him my memories of Antares," She said, looking at Yunho, who was trying his best not to laugh, "And you know how he does it by joining the forehead-" By now, Yunho was laughing loudly and Yena ignored him. "He mentioned direct contact, and I..."

Yunho clapped his hands, howling as he doubled over, and Yena didn't hold back as she slapped him twice on his arm, "That's why I wasn't telling you!"

"You kissed him!" Yunho laughed out loud, making Yena groan.

"In my defence, I did kind of... pause for permission, but... he is to blame too," she slumped further down on the sofa.

"I have so many questions right now," Yunho turned to her, and she looked at him pointedly, "Did he like it?"

"Go to hell, Yunho. I think he was enjoying it but then he suddenly stopped and said he needed to go, and I was mortified," Yena was almost crying now.

"He must have been confused," Yunho wondered. "So he did see the memories, right?"

"He did," Yena nodded.

"So are you gonna kiss me too when you show me the memories?" Yunho wriggled his eyebrows, making Yena gape at him as she kicked his legs.

"In your dreams, Jeong Yunho! Though technically, you'll see the memories from Seonghwa, not me. Kiss him all you like."

Yunho choked. Yena was grinning now. "You princes are all flirts."

"Oh really?" Yunho scoffed, "I guess you met Wooyoung."

"He's a shameless flirt, but San!" Yena laughed out loud, suddenly missing him. "I think he doesn't even realise that he is flirting. I've spent the longest time with him, so I know all too well."

"San can be like that," Yunho smiled. "So that's why Seonghwa won't even look at me."

"Yes," Yena sighed. "Tell him to just forget about it so we can focus on what's important. I'll forget about it too."

"Oh he won't," Yunho was laughing. "You'll see that he won't."

And indeed, that night when they sat to go over their plans for Antares, and how they were going to travel without Soyeon or Jinki seeing Yena, Seonghwa wouldn't meet eyes with her, and if he did, he would flush instantly.

Yena never knew she could feel so on edge too. And Yunho, he was clearly enjoying this.

"Us three," Seonghwa said, clearing his throat, "We'll leave first. We leave tomorrow night. Yunho, you'll have to speed us up, because Soyeon and Jinki will leave after dawn but Soyeon has water magic too. They'll arrive soon after us."

"Alright, I can get us there in about... two hours in the sea, but once we reach land, I'll be useless."

"I can portal us," Yena raised a hand, "Right in front of the Palace. Or at the outskirts of the city, wherever you prefer."

Seonghwa thought for a second. "Okay. Do you reckon we should tell Hongjoong about you?"

"I've been thinking," she met eyes with Seonghwa who looked away. "That the reason why you both were so quick with healing me is because Hongjoong already knew me. He did act suspiciously."

"He's a wise man, he'll know how to act without causing a change," Yunho said, and Yena agreed. The only way they could keep Yena hidden was if they told Hongjoong.

"It's done then," Seonghwa said, getting up. "Yunho, you're going to the market with me tomorrow. We leave at night, so pack your stuff. And if you want anything... Yena, don't hesitate to ask."

Yena only nodded, and Seonghwa said an awkward bye as he left again, saying he needed to check things with his court one last time.

Yunho looked at Yena, who was pursing her lips. "That went well, if I have to say."

"Did it?" Yena cringed through her smile. "Gosh, he's uptight, isn't he?"

"He gets along," Yunho laughed.

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

Yunho had long left for his room, leaving Yena in the living room where she was dangling from the sofa upside-down, thinking.

She didn't even know why she was still here- she should be in her room. But they were going to Antares tomorrow, and she was nervous. It was as if the situation was finally sinking in.

A week from now, Seonghwa dies.

And this time, she had to make sure he wouldn't.

She blamed herself for not being able to save Seonghwa- she had sensed that it was not Hongjoong who fetched him. She should've acted quicker. They had been too slow. And no matter what everyone else said, she believed it was mostly her fault.

And she deserved all this misery she was going through.

She didn't hear the footsteps come in, and when Seonghwa cleared his throat, she almost tumbled down to the floor.

Seonghwa stared at Yena hanging upside down from the sofa. "Are you... okay?"

Yena, with some effort, sat back properly, the blood rushing down. "I'm okay, I was just... thinking."

"Thinking?" The look Seonghwa passed her was incredulous.

"Yes. Thinking," Yena's gaze was steel.

Seonghwa sighed as he, to her surprise, sat down beside her, stretching his legs. Yena looked here and there, not sure what she should do, if she should speak-

"I'm... sorry for yesterday," he finally said.

You seem to be sorry for a lot these days, she wanted to say.

"No, I'm sorry, I- I shouldn't have done that," Yena was cringing through the memory now, but relaxed when she saw a ghost of a smile appear on Seonghwa's face.

"At least now we know it works that way too."

It took a second for Yena to comprehend what he had said, and she scoffed. "I'm actually surprised you didn't test that theory earlier."

"Tell me about it," he muttered. Yena felt the urge to tell him that Yunho wanted to test that theory too, but held herself back. She wasn't going to joke now.

"Do you... hate me?" Yena asked. Seonghwa looked at her once, scanning her.

"I don't hate you, Yena. I like you actually. But... I don't know how to say this, the memories you showed me-" he inhaled, searching for words, "I'll tell you when we're in Antares. I have to confirm something beforehand."

Yena frowned. What was going on inside his head?

"Seonghwa, in Antares... promise me you'll be careful."

Seonghwa locked eyes with her this time, surprised at the desperation in her voice as she continued. "I don't think I can live with myself if the same thing happens to you again, so... promise me that you'll stay alert. Don't trust anyone. Keep your senses at high alert, okay?"

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

"It was. At least partially. Somehow, I think my presence aggravated Junyoung. I don't think he would have killed any of you with all of you present. It has to be something I did."

"Then it's my fault too," he said, his gaze soft, "for not recognising Hongjoong. For not telling you what I wanted to tell you that day."

"What day?"

"The day of the feast... I think it was something important, probably related to what was about to happen. I should have told you."

"Well," Yena smiled. "Now that you do know, you can tell me this time."

"I think I will," he said, and found himself brushing his fingers against her, and when she didn't draw back, he took her hand in his, fingers intertwining.

"You have to promise me that you'll not do anything stupid," Seonghwa said, and Yena looked at him pointedly. "Don't rush. Don't put yourself in danger because of me. Just... stay safe."

Yena squeezed his hand in answer, and they sat like that for a long time, lost in their own thoughts, and Yena knew that he, too, was thinking of the night in Antares when he had held her hand like this throughout the night.

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

"Make space, make space!" Yunho entered with several shopping bags, Seonghwa following soon behind him, and Yena cleared the table.

"Did you loot the entire market, Yunho?" Yena glanced at the several bags in Seonghwa's hands too.

"I was tempted, but two men can only carry so much," he grinned, searching among the bags, "Here, a dress for you."

Yena raised a brow as she held the bag, taking out the packed dress, tearing the wrappers-

To reveal a beautiful black dress, net covering the neckline and arms, held together by a belt at the waist-

It was the dress she had worn at the feast- the day Seonghwa died. She looked at Yunho, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he told her Seonghwa had picked the dress.

Seonghwa was clearly fidgeting as he looked at the impressed face she made. "I recognised the dress," he simply said.

"Well, I guess now I finally know how it magically appeared in my wardrobe," Yena smiled at the ridiculousness of the situation. If she had known that she herself would plant the dress in her own wardrobe-

"It's beautiful," she smiled at them both, thanking them. Yunho showed them their matching jackets, and Yena told him that was actually what they both wore at the feast. Among the various other things, Yunho had got her some chocolates, saying she could eat them when she was bored.

Dawn approached, and Yena packed the little bag Seonghwa had lent her, since she didn't have much and didn't need to carry much either. Only the basic necessities. She pondered taking the books and the notes with her, but she knew she wouldn't have time to read there.

Or maybe she would, but she would be in a state of panic, and when she was in such a state, all she was able to do was pace around the room. She would be doing a lot of pacing, she realised.

Leaving behind her room here felt like an awkward goodbye of its own- she wasn't sure when she got used to staying here. Yunho and Seonghwa came into her room where the secret passage was, and Yena donned her own cloak before following them down the tunnel.

As soon as they reached the ground, Yena portaled them to the road that led to the shore, the one she had seen briefly when she had arrived here with Yunho. After portaling, leaving them both dazed as a result, they walked to the shore where a sailboat awaited them. It was subtle enough, and it would only take two hours to reach the Kingdom of Scorpio anyway.

They set sail, Yunho sitting at the corner of the boat, one hand hovering over the water. Gradually, the boat picked speed until it was fast enough that Yena's hair fell free from the bun and flowed behind her. She watched the sea, the two suns bright and reflecting on the surface, and she felt like she was swimming over gold.

"Hongjoong's magic looks like this," Yena said to Seonghwa, who was sitting not far from her, "When he healed me, it was like a glow of light."

"It does," he nodded, pointing at Yunho's fingers, and she saw the light blue tendrils of magic- only slightly different from her sapphire magic.

"The Yena from the past is at the sea too," Yena realised, "Watching the Ruby Sea."

"Do you like it more?" Seonghwa asked.

"I think the Diamond Sea was the most beautiful," she said, realising only later it was his and Yunho's sea, "It was the first one I saw. I slept during the day and watched the sea at night when I was travelling to Altarf from Fomalhaut."

Seonghwa was smiling, "Yours is the Pearl Sea. I think you'll like it more."

"Ah," Yena hadn't thought about that. "We'll see."

She looked at the purple moon then. Somehow... she didn't hate the dark anymore.

—---------------------

"We're here," Yena said and gulped loudly. Sweat creased her brows out of nervousness.

Yunho patted her shoulder, "Let's hope we arrived before the others did."

"Let's go."

They entered the castle, Yena wearing a scarf around her face so no one would recognise her. She saw Yugyeom who tried to peek at her and led them to Prince Hongjoong's chamber, where he sat in the living room.

She was here.

She couldn't quite believe it.

She saw the two catch Hongjoong in friendly hugs, and then Hongjoong was staring at her with a curious expression.

Yena drew her cloak back, unwrapping the scarf from around her face. She heard Hongjoong draw a sharp breath.

"Hello, Prince. I'm Kang Yena of Space."

Hongjoong, mouth parted in surprise, looked from Seonghwa to Yunho, who were nodding. "How..."

"We don't have much time," Seonghwa said, asking them to sit. And Yena hurriedly explained what had happened, what was about to happen, and what they had to do. He listened intently, only nodding as she told him about the events.

"Welcome home, I say," Hongjoong looked impressed. Yena smiled at his kind words.

"The Yena from the past would be arriving any minute now with San, Wooyoung and Jongho. You have to act like you don't know me at all. All three of you. And Seonghwa- you know what to do now. Do not try to change anything."

"I agree," Hongjoong ran a hand through his ginger hair. "Seonghwa, you have seen her memories, so you know better what to do."

"Also, I need a place to stay- I cannot have contact with anyone except you three."

"Well," Hongjoong said, "I have five rooms here, one mine and the rest for the princes... Your only option is staying with Yunho or Seonghwa- I would have let you in my room, since it has an extra compartment, but my court and the princes go in and out freely. As for Seonghwa... he usually takes a single room anyway."

"And I suppose I can't have a room of my own now..." Yena looked at Yunho for help.

"It's too risky- you staying in Seonghwa's room won't garner attention, since he never lets anyone in his room anyway, even when he is in one of my rooms," Hongjoong was looking at Seonghwa pointedly, who shifted.

"Alright then," Yena said with a sigh. "Make sure to keep the room locked at all times then, I guess. You guys should go to the dining room now. They'll be arriving any minute."

Hongjoong showed Yena to her room, apologising for not having time to think of another solution, but Yena told him off, saying it wasn't time for her to be petty about such things when she had more to worry about. Seonghwa dumped his bags in the room and locked the room, saying bye.

Yena paced inside the room, the familiar gold interior pleasing her eyes. She was biting her nails now- they must have arrived by now.

She prayed the three were hella good actors.

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

Seonghwa watched as the doors to the dining opened, and he couldn't quite believe his eyes when Yena arrived through that door, accompanied by the 3 princes and their court members.

She was Yena indeed- but she looked different.

She looked fresh. The Yena he knew... she looked like she was tired of life itself. He watched as she bowed to the prince, and his vision got blocked when the other princes came to greet him and Yunho.

But he met eyes with Yunho and he had the same expression on his face- he couldn't believe it either.

Yena approached them, bowing once, and Seonghwa couldn't help but stare- at a loss for words.

He didn't even hear much of what Wooyoung narrated of their time together and their discoveries- he knew it anyway. But he watched the Yena in front of him fidgeting nervously, and he watched how friendly she was with San who was right next to her, and it looked like she held his hand for comfort.

His heart clenched at the sight, and he mentally cursed himself.

Yena told her side of the story then, and this time Seonghwa listened to her. When she finished, Yunho spoke, "Doesn't this mean we may have the Lost Princess right in front of us?"

Exactly like in her memory, Seonghwa realised with a jolt. Things were playing out just like before.

"I'll let Yeosang make that conclusion," Hongjoong said, "Though I must say, it makes sense. And if she is indeed who we've been looking for this entire time, there are people we need to find and punish for this act."

Exactly like the memory.

"Let's start with the healing first," Seonghwa found himself saying. "I am curious to see what's inside her mind."

Yena glared at him- and he realised that this Yena didn't like him much. Good for me, he thought. Hongjoong said they would start the healing tomorrow, and with that, they began their dinner. Seonghwa let himself relax as he ate, participating sometimes in the discussion, and amused to hear Yena make jokes- she was Yena, after all.

He left with Yunho after dinner, much longer after Yena left, and Yunho had to stop Seonghwa in the middle of walking, "I feel like I need to talk to our Yena now to make sure I wasn't dreaming."

He felt the same. He scoffed, letting him follow him to his room, which he unlocked and after entering, the two stared at Yena for several seconds.

"If you both are done gawking," Yena began, "Can I ask how it went?"

"God," Yunho wailed, sinking on the sofa nearby, "I think I like that Yena better. She sounds sweeter and friendlier."

Yena threw a pen at him, proving his point further. Seonghwa shook his head, "Everything went just like before. Just like you showed me."

"That's a relief," she sighed. "I guess you didn't stop staring at me this time too."

"I have a feeling that that Yena doesn't like me all that much," Seonghwa admitted.

"That Yena," she began, "thought you were a stubborn uptight hotheaded bastard."

Seonghwa's eyes went wide as Yunho laughed, "I mean, she wasn't wrong."

"I know!" Yena laughed along.

"Get out of my room, Yunho," he said, and Yunho, giggling, did, leaving the two staring at each other. Seonghwa muttered something about changing, and disappeared in the bathroom.

Yena looked at the king sized bed with dread. Were they going to sleep on the same bed now? She wished they had arrived earlier so Hongjoong could have called for an extra mattress. She couldn't exactly sleep on the single sofa seat either.

Yena was staring out from the window at the fireflies when Seonghwa appeared, and Yena was surprised to see him in a T-shirt and trousers, revealing his bare arms for the first time. She shook her head and Seonghwa stared at the bed.

"It's big enough," he said, "We should be able to sleep comfortably."

Okay, he was being mature about this. "Sure," she said, sliding in, making sure she was at the very corner. Seonghwa scoffed at her, and she made a face at him.

"I... I can't quite believe it," Seonghwa said after sitting down, staring at the wall in front of him, "You look different from that Yena."

"I do?" Yena looked at him in surprise.

"You look..." he glanced at her, scanning her face. "Weary."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she shook her head sarcastically.

"No," Seonghwa laughed a little. "You look tired, Yena. You've been through so much. That Yena I just met, she hasn't been through it, and she looked fresh."

"You mean to say I look like a zombie," Yena said, and before Seonghwa could deny it, she said, "Don't worry, you all tell me that at some point during this one week here. Let the healing session start, you'll know what I'm talking about."

"It was hard, wasn't it?" Seonghwa's voice almost came out as a whisper. Yena looked at him, smiling sadly.

"It was."

The two fell asleep looking at each other that night.

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

Seonghwa didn't wake Yena up and tried to remain as quiet as possible before he left for breakfast, making sure he locked the room. He did a double-take when he realised she didn't have dinner last night, and he cursed himself for not noticing, hoping she had had enough of the chocolates and other snacks she had brought.

Going to Hongjoong, he asked for an extra tray, quickly putting a variety of food on the tray and turned into a shadow, going back to his room, placing it on the table and leaving again.

By the time he returned, Wooyoung was already prowling around the table, "Good morning. You look tired."

"I am tired," Seonghwa admitted, taking a seat while Wooyoung joked about how he should make the most of this break.

The other princes arrived and they went into a discussion of healing strategies. San told them they would have to make a barrier because Yena’s power tends to cause a surge of explosion every time it gets too much for her. Hongjoong would be doing most of the healing, because it seemed like the black thread in her magic was scared of bright healing magic.

The princes moved to Hongjoong's study, catching up with each other before Yena arrived. She was talking to San, and he was surprised yet again at how comfortable they were with each other. She must have spent quite some time with him- seeing how she had even grown used to San's healing magic.

Yena caught him staring at her, and he immediately looked back at Hongjoong, who was discussing healing strategy with him.

Hongjoong got up, instructing everyone, and Yena laid down on the sofa in front of him, Hongjoong sitting in the middle, San on the other side, holding Yena's hand.

Hongjoong went in first, and Seonghwa watched Yena's expressions turn painful before she finally let out a scream, almost making him fall. She was gasping for air as Hongjoong drew back.

Yena gasped, "What was that?"

"That," Hongjoong said, "Was the black thread's fear you felt. Seonghwa, take a look."

Seonghwa nodded, locking eyes with her, and he put his fingers gently on her forehead.

Seonghwa saw it then- her magic, identical of Yeosang's. The Lost Princess, he immediately thought. He saw the pitch black thread wrapped around her power too, and it roiled as it saw Seonghwa's silver magic.

Something about the pitch black magic felt familiar to Seonghwa- he couldn't quite put a finger on what it was, but he had a feeling of dread. The feeling changed to surprise when the black thread began to unravel from Yena's- only slightly, extending to reach Seonghwa' magic.

Seonghwa couldn't react as the black thread grabbed him.

Seonghwa fought against the magic, glad when Hongjoong came in and sent a flare of light, scaring the black thread away.

Seonghwa opened his eyes with a gasp, jerking away from Yena, looking at her trembling with an astounded look on his face. Hongjoong patted the eldest Prince to comfort him.

"Why did that happen?" Seonghwa looked at Hongjoong.

"It may be because your magic is similar in nature to that?" Hongjoong scratched his chin in thought.

"It recognised you," Yena said, and Seonghwa looked at her. "It didn't get scared of you, like it does with the healers or anyone else, even San. It went to embrace you."

"Why?" It didn't make sense.

"I don't know," Yena wiped the sweat off her forehead, "You tell me, Prince of Dark."

Seonghwa and Yena glared at each other, and he heard San say something about how it must be because their powers were similar, but it didn't make sense. Why would it come to him, even when their powers were a bit similar? It shouldn't have.

Hongjoong suggested the next strategy- that Seonghwa wrap Hongjoong's magic as they worked with the examination. The black thread wasn't moving this time, as if anticipating- or was it because it didn't want to take a risk? Since magic had a consciousness of its own, Seonghwa wasn't sure what the reason was, so he gently touched Yena's blue thread, a cool wave washing over him. Yena's blue thread tried to break free from the black thread, trying to hold onto the silver and the golden light, but the black thread held it back.

Seonghwa heard Yena groan in pain. He ignored it, circling around the two threads until he reached the core- now broken, like they had told him. It was like a black box with a broken top, with the contents still inside. Seonghwa took a risk and decided to go inside.

Hongjoong said Seonghwa's name in warning, but he let his power dive in, until it was submerged with the blue memories, and suddenly he could see her life flash past his eyes, seeing several scenes flash past through her eyes-

Cold. So cold. She wore nothing and her feet and hands were swollen from the cold. Her bones were cold. Her body was on fire.

The scene changed, and suddenly Seonghwa felt a sharp pain-

Not in his head, but Yena's.

The boy- copper eyes. The man- black eyes with no mercy. The boy touched her forehead and she was screaming and screaming until her throat was raw.

Suddenly, she was lying on her stomach on the bed, her back on fire, while a man healed her back- it had been beaten raw.

The cycle repeated- she was beaten, she was healed, but she would not give in- not because she was determined, no, she had given up already. But because...

"She's useless," a voice said, "She can't master the power of time."

"Maybe if you had been a bit softer on her and used other methods-"

"I don't have time to be her uncle and give her candies so she can learn," the voice roared, "I want her to go back now!"

The scene changed again, and she was alone in her room, muttering her name.

I am Kang Yena. I am Kang Yena of Space. I am Kang Yena of Space.

The image clouded, until another image formed, and she was muttering something again-

I am Yena. I am Yena. I am Yena.

Her face was wet- she had forgotten her surname, forgotten everything, but she was touching her shoulder blade, and she turned to look at her back, but it was too dark and she couldn't see. So she just kept touching her shoulder.

Seonghwa was lost- he couldn't get out.

It was like he was living through all these memories himself- like all of this had happened to him, not her. He shouldn't have dived in-

Hongjoong, who had no idea why Seonghwa couldn't get out, and had been shaking Seonghwa without a reaction coming out from him, took the matter in hands and pushed Seonghwa out of the core, pushed him back and back until he was out.

He saw Yena's face wet with tears now because she had been sobbing in pain- it looked like she had seen all of that too. She got up with a gasp, breaking apart from Hongjoong and Seonghwa, and rushed to the bucket they had placed, throwing up. San immediately got up, holding her hair back, rubbing her back, but she flinched from his touch, surprising Seonghwa as he realised why.

Yena scooted back, surprising San, as she muttered in a frenzy 'don't touch me, don't touch me'. Seonghwa didn't realise he couldn't breathe as well- he couldn't look away from Yena.

What the hell had happened?

He watched Wooyoung wrap a cool breeze around her, wiping the sweat off her face and giving her water. He watched her wrap her arms around herself-

He didn't feel blood dripping out of his nose until Hongjoong pressed tissues to his nose. San put a hand on his back, taking his pain away.

And as soon as he felt better, San said, "What the hell was that?"

Hongjoong looked at San as if to scold him, but San was not having any of it, "You could have taken it slow, Seonghwa."

"I know," he shook his head, "I know."

San sighed. It looked like he hadn't expected this as well. "Did you... see something?"

Seonghwa only nodded, and Hongjoong told San that he had no idea what had happened. It seemed like only Seonghwa and Yena had seen it.

"I'm taking Yena back to her room," San said, not waiting to hear their response as he gently approached her. She had her head buried in her knees, her arms wrapped around herself.

"It's fine now, Yena. You're fine now," he touched her arm, and when she didn't flinch, he let some of his magic pass through his hand. It took her a minute to relax.

"Let me take you to your room," he said, and Wooyoung helped her stand up, but it looked like she had no energy. San picked her in his arms, asking Wooyoung to help him.

"Take her to your room," Hongjoong called out, "People will start asking questions from her if they see her in this state."

Seonghwa was in a daze- he just watched them take Yena away.

He shouldn't have done that- when he knew what had happened. He had seen it in Yena's memories. Should he have stopped?

Hongjoong subtly nodded at him. It was meant to happen, it seemed.

He needed to see Yena.

—------------------------

Seonghwa was about to go to his room after having settled down when San told him Yena was looking for him and he asked him to be polite to her because she already thought he was an intimidating sadist.

He was surprised, but then he remembered- he knew what he had to do.

And he knew he could relax and it would just happen- the flow of time.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Wooyoung and Yena have a friendly chat over chocolates- but she still looked exhausted. They must have grown close during their time together, he thought. He hadn't missed how relaxed the three princes- Wooyoung, San and Jongho were, around her. They weren't the type to make friends easily.

Of course, it must also be because her power felt so familiar- like Yeosang's. So naturally, they let her guard down around her. Still...

Wooyoung noticed Seonghwa, offering him a chocolate. He shook his head, standing in the doorway. "You called for me?"

Yena nodded, asking him to take a seat. "Wooyoung... Thank you for the chocolates. Can we talk alone?"

"Sure," Wooyoung said, winking at her before leaving.

Inside, Seonghwa sat, awkward, watching Yena as she closed the box of chocolates and faced him. "Are you feeling better?" She asked.

Seonghwa nodded. "Are you?"

"After chocolates, yes," she said, "I'm assuming you saw everything too."

Seonghwa inhaled. "Kang Yena of Space. The one and only Princess." He saw her purse her lips. "It's been 18 years since I last saw you."

"You remember me? I mean, the me from before?" Yena asked, eyes wide in surprise.

"I do," Seonghwa admitted, "Hongjoong does too, but he doesn't realise it yet. It's why I couldn't stop staring at you- my mind was tugging at something. You looked like Kang Yena, but I couldn't say it until I was sure."

"So I am.. Kang Yena. Yeosang's twin..."

"You are, and not one day goes by that Yeosang doesn't think of you or searches for you." Seonghwa was surprised to hear the words leaving his mouth.

Yena almost cried. "I don't remember him. I don't know if I ever will."

"You were only 2 when they took you," Seonghwa said, "I'm sure you don't remember him- he doesn't either. But he didn't forget."

"Neither did you," Yena said, "Did you see... everything?"

"I felt everything. I feel like my back is on fire," Seonghwa admitted. "You've been through hell, Yena. I'm sorry we didn't find you earlier."

"No, don't think like that," Yena said, but Seonghwa wanted to hold her, hug her and tell her that it was okay. "You couldn't have, you all were too young."

"Our parents tried their best," Seonghwa looked down. "But it's like you disappeared right off from existence- even your scent was subdued. We started to fear a rogue faerie killed you- or worse, took you to Earth so we couldn't find you. It was only because of Yeosang's connection that we knew all those years you were still alive."

"That's understandable, please, it's no one's fault. Don't beat yourself over it. Look at the brighter side- I'm here now. San found me. I think it was destiny- who would've thought things would turn out this way?"

Seonghwa only sighed. "I'm sorry for the pain I caused earlier."

"It's fine. It would have happened sooner or later," Yena dismissed him. "Can I ask you... what you saw?"

Seonghwa looked at her, frowning, but he began, "Junyoung. General Lee's brother. Junyoung's magic always caused you pain. The man had you... beaten and healed over and over again... You started forgetting everything except your name... and the birthmark on your shoulder."

"You know about it?" Yena asked, surprised. Had he seen it?

"It's the Kang family birthmark. Only Hongjoong and I know about it, other than Yeosang. He has the same as yours, except it's on his face- here," he said, touching the left side of his face, near his eye.

"Ah... so that's what it was," Yena exhaled. "I never knew why I always thought my birthmark meant something important to me. I had forgotten... Is that all you saw?"

"Yes," Seonghwa said, and Yena slowly nodded.

"I haven't told anyone what I saw yet..." Seonghwa said, "Do you want me to tell them? That you're Kang Yena?"

"Not yet," Yena said, "I want Yeosang to confirm it first. I want him to recognise me first if I am indeed his twin. If he doesn't... then I'm not."

"Yena," Seonghwa looked at her in disbelief, "I know. I remember. You don't have to wait for his validation, because even if he doesn't recognise you at first- and he will, because of your twin powers- I do. I remember, Kang Yena."

Yena took his hand in hers, squeezing them gently. "Thank you, Seonghwa. But I... I don't know if you will understand, but I want to meet Yeosang first. I want him to say my name. Until then, I'm just Yena."

"I don't understand why," Seonghwa said, squeezing her hands back, noticing the faint bracelet-like scars across both wrists, "but okay. I won't tell them this. If Hongjoong asks, I'll only tell him that you saw bad memories."

"Thank you," Yena looked at him gratefully. Seonghwa's heart ached at the sight. Yena let go of his hands, sighing. "I want you to go all in with the healing. I don't want to wait anymore. You and Hongjoong, go all in and rip that black thread out of me. I can't bear it anymore. Can you do that for me?"

Seonghwa wanted to say no, that it was dangerous, but he knew it was desperation speaking. "Okay. But if I ever feel it's too much, I'm going to stop."

"But-"

"No excuses," Seonghwa waved his hand, "You've been through enough pain. No reason to give you more."

Yena inhaled, pursing her lips. "Fine," she said. Seonghwa nodded, telling her that she should rest now, leaving with a goodnight.

He almost collapsed on the floor as soon as he shut the door. Even though he had seen it all, experiencing it felt like the first time, and...

He needed to see his Yena.

Seonghwa walked- almost rushed to his room, unlocking it hastily, shutting the door behind him. A single lamp lit the room, and Yena was staring out of the window.

Seonghwa gulped. "Have you had lunch? And dinner?"

"It took you long enough," Yena said, smiling, "Don't worry, Yunho sneaked in food."

Seonghwa sighed, "I just met Yena. When she got those horrible memories back- I felt the pain too."

"I know," Yena smiled sadly, and Seonghwa found himself walking to her.

"What you experienced, Yena," he breathed, and Yena looked at him in surprise as he held her by her shoulders, "I'm truly so, so sorry."

"Seonghwa-" Yena began, but she was cut off when Seonghwa hugged her, one hand caressing her hair, one going around her waist, Yena's own arms limp by her side.

"I felt all of it," he whispered. "I wish we didn't have to get your memories back."

"Seonghwa," Yena said, wrapping her arms around his waist, "It's okay. I'm okay."

"You weren't," he said, breathing in her hair, smelling strawberry, "I wanted to hug you back then. I couldn't."

"I guess it was because I was here," Yena scoffed at the ironic events.

Seonghwa drew back a little, holding her still, his hands cupping her face, pushing her hair aside. He kissed her forehead gently, and Yena couldn't breathe as he drew back.

"I guess this was meant to happen," he smiled. Yena was smiling too.

"We'll know tomorrow," she said, crossing her fingers.

Breaking apart then, Seonghwa went to his side of the bed, Yena lying down as well, both of them turned to each other.

"I was thinking," Yena began, "that since you know what's gonna happen next, please don't try to change it."

Seonghwa nodded, "I think I can do that. I'm not even trying- it's just happening."

Yena understood. "Also, when do you think I can leave this room to feel the court members out?"

"I'm still not sure if that's wise..."

"We can't just let everything happen all over again," Yena said. "If I remember correctly... Tomorrow, you're gonna spend a lot of time healing me. I could go around when you're all busy."

Seonghwa thought for a minute. "Promise me you'll portal back if something happens, or if you feel weird, or if you sense Junyoung. You have to."

Yena crossed her heart. Seonghwa smiled in approval. She sighed, "You know what's going to happen tomorrow. The barrier won't really work- I'm going to end up transporting you all in a time-portal... Let it happen," Yena was now absently playing with Seonghwa's slender fingers. "Don't avoid it- don't try to change it."

"I won't," he said, watching her caress his fingers.

"And tomorrow night," Yena looked at him, "You are going to show me the memories of my childhood."

"Oh, right," Seonghwa recalled now.

"Don't end up kissing me now that you know it works that way too," Yena smirked.

To her surprise, he smirked back, "I'll try to hold back."

Yena rolled her eyes, throwing a pillow at him as she turned his back on him. "Goodnight."

Seonghwa was tempted to do things to her, but he held back. "Goodnight."

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

When Yena woke up, she found Seonghwa gone and a tray of breakfast consisting of eggs, sandwich and juice on the table.

As she ate, she started planning. How would she be able to sense Junyoung if he was masking his power? And what of his uncle? Was she looking for him or Junyoung? Or both?

She raked her head as she thought, going over everything again- but she did not know how to begin.

Let's just get started, she thought, I'll probably figure out something soon.

Yena portaled into the garden, first, making sure no one was in the hallway through the windows before portaling inside and trying to walk as naturally as she could.

She encountered Yugyeom on the way, who said hello. He seemed normal enough.

After about an hour of aimlessly walking, she saw Jaebeom.

Prince Hongjoong's Right Hand. Could he be either Junyoung or his uncle? She didn't feel much from him- he had a similar feel to him as Mingi, so she guessed he had fire magic too.

And when she saw him light one of the candles with a flick of his finger, she realised it was not him.

Yena portaled back to her room when she heard footsteps. She sat on the table, crossing out people in her mind.

She needed to see Seoho- but she couldn't now, because he was supposed to encounter the past Yena two days from now in the hallway, where he would say something about how she's been spending all her time in the princes' company...

Two days. Two days from now means the day before Yeosang and Mingi arrive.

And then the next day would be the feast.

So to encounter Seoho- who she was starting to suspect more and more now- she would have to meet him some time two days from now, on the day when Yeosang and Mingi would arrive.

Could it be Seoho? She thought. She never felt much power from him. He was kind to her all those years in Fomalhaut, Cheetah knew him, the kids knew him.

The only odd thing about him was that he never showed his magic, and that he left everything behind to go to Hamal. Sure, maybe he was ambitious. Maybe he wanted to work in the court.

If he was Junyoung, why would he become Seonghwa's Right Hand? Why would he spend all those years like this?

Nothing made sense. So Yena just slumped in her seat, deciding she would have a final talk with him two days from now, and if she didn't find anything, she would just have to save Seonghwa on the day of the feast.

Somehow, she felt that it would be a very difficult task.

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

Seonghwa had a long, long day.

Hours of healing Yena had eventually led them being time portalled 2 hours, which was strange enough. He had to put in his power in Yena's as a brace, and that was tiring too. They had dinner, and Seonghwa had spent some time talking with Hongjoong about all that had happened, and what Yena had instructed him to do.

"If I taught her time travel magic," Hongjoong said, "I suppose you should listen to her. Let things happen of their own accord, don't try to interfere. That's all we can do for now."

"You should come to my room when you're free," he said, "We have to discuss more about how we are going to catch Junyoung."

"I have a lot to do right now, so tomorrow. I'll see."

After that, Seonghwa noticed Yena walking in the garden, and he realised he was meant to go after her. He joined her, and found himself asking about her life. And then he offered to show her his memories.

And when he was done, when he found her crying, found himself unable to draw away, oh, he wanted to kiss her so bad. He wanted to kiss her senseless right there.

He held back. He could barely talk after that, spending some time in the 'comfortable silence' before Yena went back to her room.

He stayed there. He wasn't sure he would be able to hold back if he went to his room.

And he realised it then. It happened again.

He was falling in love with Yena all over again. He was already down that lane.

He had fallen in love with her twice- he couldn't wrap it around his head. The fact that in the previous timeline, he had already known Yena without realising. He had always known Yena. It was a loophole, and only he remembered it. Not even Yena.

What would Yeosang say, he thought.

To hell with it, his subconscious said, and he went to his room.

Yena was beautiful, he realised as he scanned her face- dark circles lining her eyes, the moles on her face. Even in that simple attire, she was beautiful. And to him, this Yena, the one he knew, was more beautiful than that Yena.

Yena saw him, her face brightening as she started, "I have a plan, two days from now..."

She faltered as she saw Seonghwa's eyes go dark, and with a flick of his finger, he turned off every light in the room except the small lamp as he walked to her.

"Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to hold back tonight?"

Yena frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"This," he said, taking her face in his hands and joining their foreheads, making Yena suck in her breath, "I don't know how I stopped."

Yena realised he must be talking about how he had showed her past self their childhood memories- she was right. In the past, when she had seen those memories and Seonghwa hadn't been able to draw back...

Yena groaned and brought him closer by his collar, their breaths mingling. "What's holding you back now, Prince?"

Seonghwa smiled as he kissed her. Softly. Once. Twice. Thrice.

Yena didn't mind him being gentle one bit- her legs were going weak. Her eyes fluttered as he kissed the mole on her nose, the mole near her eye. She sighed, taking him to the bed, where he sat and she straddled him as she ran her hands through his hair, drawing it back, scanning his face.

He was beautiful.

And she couldn't stop staring. Seonghwa cupped her face with one hand and she finally kissed him.

And she wasn't gentle.

In her defence, this was revenge for the library. She was pleased to hear him groan with pleasure, his hands going to her waist and eventually he fell back so she was on top of her.

And he wasn't having that.

He flipped, earning a little scream of surprise from Yena as he laughed, and oh, he did kiss her senseless then, his hands roaming all around her body, her hands only cupping his face, occasionally roaming at his chest.

Once they were out of breath, he lay down next to her, turning her towards himself, letting her use his arm as a pillow. He caressed her face, playing with her hair, and she caressed his, both out of words.

She buried her face in his chest and embraced sleep.

—----------------------

Seonghwa woke up with a gasp- he was covered in sweat and he couldn't breathe.

"What's wrong?" Yena asked, rubbing her eyes as she turned towards the window. It was still night time.

"I had a dream," he said, running a hand through his hair as he slumped back against the bed. "It's..."

Yena sat up a little, patting his arm to comfort him, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's the same dream," he said, "But this time... when Hongjoong pointed the sword at me, he dropped it. And I... when he turned back, I grabbed it, and-"

Yena hugged him as he shook- he wasn't crying, but he was not feeling well. "It's okay, Seonghwa. It's just a dream-"

"It isn't," he said, breaking apart, "And you know it too."

Yena bit her lip. What were the chances that this was supposed to happen? That he was supposed to have this dream?

"Maybe you were supposed to have this dream? Because so far, the timeline hasn't changed. You've seen dreams of Hongjoong- Junyoung killing you, so maybe you saw this dream too? Maybe this was what you wanted to tell me on the day of the feast?"

"I don't know, Yena," Seonghwa sighed. "I feel... sick."

"Everything will be okay, Seonghwa, don't worry," Yena patted his back as he brought his knees to his chest. "I'm here. I'll make sure nothing happens."

"Some things.. we can't avoid Yena. Some things we just can't avoid."

Yena couldn't respond to that, so she just held him as he sighed.

"I can't sleep now. Not in this body."

Yena looked at him- he felt so small, huddled together like that, his brows furrowed in pain. "Are you... gonna change?"

"Don't get scared," he said, and shut his eyes, silver encircling him until...

A wolf lay on the bed, and Yena gasped- it was majestic. His fur was mostly shades of grey, and his silver eyes twinkled. He encircled around himself, putting his paws underneath his face.

Yena dared to touch the fur on his body- it was incredibly soft. His body was rumbling- a purr as she caressed his fur. Yena almost laughed- she had never seen his animal form, though she had heard about it from San. It truly fitted him.

"I wonder what my animal form is," Yena said out loud, sighing as she lay down, playing with his paws. He put his face on her hand then, and closed his eyes.

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

A day later, Hongjoong was in Seonghwa's room, the Yena from the future in front of him. She had just told him about the dreams- the dream Seonghwa had earlier of Hongjoong killing him, the same dream that Yena of the past had during one of the healing sessions, and finally, the dream Seonghwa had a night ago.

"So when he first had that dream, it happened, right?" Hongjoong said, sitting back on the sofa, "If someone planted that dream in his mind, that means they knew about your time travel."

"That's the thing," Yena said, "The only people who should know about my time travel are us 3, and Yunho. Yunho too had a dream about saving me, but that's because of his magic- water has memories. But with Seonghwa..."

Yena looked at Seonghwa who grimaced, "My magic doesn't work that way."

"Could that mean that we are going to make another mistake in this timeline, and you'll be time-travelling again, but this time you'll be the one who plants the dreams?" Hongjoong scratched his chin as he thought.

"Can I even do that? Plant dreams?" Yena wondered.

Hongjoong shrugged, "Your magic is portals and time and space. I don't think you should be able to do that... Unless Yeosang knows something about this. Maybe this thing was also kept a secret from the public?"

"I don't know," Yena groaned. "But if Seonghwa had the dream about killing you, why would he do that? Does that mean it was Junyoung wearing your skin again?"

"Could be," he said, "Seonghwa wouldn't kill me, would he? Would you?" Hongjoong wiggled his eyebrows at Seonghwa, who rolled his eyes.

"If you tempt me, maybe I will," he said, smirking.

"Ho, ho. Look at him. I'll die by his hands!" Hongjoong wailed dramatically, making Yena laugh.

"No, but that has to be it, right? It has to be Junyoung... I don't know anymore," Yena sighed in frustration. "We only have tomorrow now. The feast is the day after. Keep everyone busy tomorrow, I have to check a few things."

"Be careful," Hongjoong warned, and Yena nodded.

"I'll try."

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

It was the night that Yena had met Yeosang.

And the Yena from the future was- at this point- wondering if she should just come clean to him and take his advice on how to prevent the tragedy from occurring. He knew the time magic better- even though she possessed it. He would know what to do.

Plus, she missed her twin. She had gotten used to the feeling of having a brother during those months she spent in the alternate dimension.

She also missed Seonghwa- he had been with the others- and her, the whole day. She had gone out of her room since she knew the past Yena wouldn't come out until tomorrow, and had lunch with Mingyu, where he went on about the other court members and she went on about her horrible healing sessions. She had missed him.

Then she had gone to her room- the room she had used before, and placed the dress in the wardrobe. Yena would see it tomorrow and wonder who had gifted her the dress.

Now Yena was in her own room, wondering if that night Seonghwa had slept there with the others or had come back. She had been busy making calculations about tomorrow- the day.

Yena stared out of the window, looking at the moon. Gosh, she missed Seonghwa-

She heard the door unlock, and a smile appeared on her lips. Seonghwa, however, looked very tired.

"I know you spent the whole day with me, but I missed you."

He passed her a lazy smile, taking off the outer layer off his dress, revealing a simple shirt underneath. "I missed you too."

"Liar," Yena stuck out her tongue at him, and he spread his arms, Yena gladly going to hug him.

"I missed this," he said, burying his nose in her neck as he breathed. Yena patted his back, and they went to bed, lying close to each other, staring at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow is the day," Yena said, and Seonghwa took her hand in his, squeezing it. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," he said, "Everything will be alright."

Yena knew that he, too, felt nervous. Yena turned to face him, admiring his side-profile. "Will we be okay?"

Seonghwa turned to her too, planting a kiss on her forehead. "We should be," he said as he caressed her face, tucking her hair aside. "I think... I think I know what I wanted to tell you at the feast. At least part of it."

"Oh, and what is that?"

Seonghwa locked eyes, "I wanted to tell you that I love you."

Yena's mouth parted in surprise, but she scoffed. "Is that why you looked like you were going to throw up that day?"

Seonghwa burst out laughing, covering his face, looking like he was in pain, "I did not!"

"Yes you did! I can show you the memory right now if you don't believe me!"

Seonghwa was about to defend himself, but a smirk grew on his face, and Yena instantly knew what he was thinking. "Show me."

Yena's smirk fell. Naughty. She shook her head, but drew him closer as she kissed him, showing him that memory.

When she was done and was about to pull back, Seonghwa kissed her back, showing her how he had been looking at her all day long today, and she hadn't even noticed. Yena was smiling through the kiss, but then-

She suddenly felt something familiar in his magic- not his silver magic that she felt safe in, but-

She drew back, scanning his face. Had it been her imagination?

"What's wrong?" He asked, his eyes worried.

It took her a moment, but she smiled, "Nothing. Nothing, just... I love you too, Seonghwa. I love you more than you realise."

Seonghwa instantly relaxed, and she kissed him.

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

The day of the Grand Feast had arrived.

Seonghwa had left rather reluctantly, but she had pushed him out, saying he had to go now or else he would end up changing the timeline just because he was being lazy.

Yena was doing the calculations- right now, the princes were gathering for the feast. Yena was wondering when would be the right time to change the timeline so there would be only one Yena in existence.

It was one of those rules too- two versions would exist until the timeline indefinitely changed. The fact that the two Yena existed meant that everything that happened was supposed to happen, or whatever did change was insignificant enough- for now at least.

Yena decided then- she portaled outside Hongjoong's chamber, pretending to have just left. She encountered Siyeon on the way- god, she missed everyone- and had to hold back the urge to hug her.

Yena was parading down the hallway when she finally encountered Seoho. He waved at her, approaching her.

"You look different," he commented. Yena was surprised he noticed.

"Hello to you too. You look like you had a nice sleep too."

Seoho laughed, "Sleep hasn't been kind to us both, it seems."

"Ah, yes," Yena said, trying to recall what Yena and Seoho talked about last night so she wouldn't be repeating anything. "How's the preparations for the feasts going?"

"They're going fine, I went to the city today. The people look happy," he said, shifting from one foot to another, "Do you wanna have lunch with me? If you haven't already?"

Yena considered. The Yena inside Hongjoong's study wouldn't be out of his chamber for the whole day, so no one would suspect. "Sure. I was hungry anyways."

"Good," he said, nudging her along to the hall, where some other people were already in the middle of the lunch. They piled food on their plate and took one of the corners in the room.

"How did the Prince decide to pick you as the Right Hand? I'm so curious!" Yena said as she put rice in her mouth.

"Let's say I worked my way up- hard work pays," he grinned. Yena sighed internally. He really, really felt normal-

Actually, she didn't feel magic at all from him. Now that her block was gone and she was able to sense magic like the princes-

"Is that the only tip you have to give?" Yena shook her head, trying to pretend she was focusing on her food and not feeling out anyone who passed by to check if her magic was working okay.

"Hard work and trust, I think. You have to be able to trust each other, don't you think?"

Yena looked at him. "Of course. But what did you tell him about... Seoho?"

Seoho sighed as he munched on his food, "Just that I hadn't been in the best environment."

"Come on, not all of Fomalhaut was bad, was it?" Yena looked at him. She could feel the others by their magic just fine. Why not him?

"You're right," he smiled at her. "I did make some good memories too, thanks to my friends."

Yena smiled back, looking at him hard, as if she could peel the illusion off if there was one. "Do you... use your magic now?"

Seoho paused, "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just because I realised I never saw you do magic. You always said 'next time' when we were kids," Yena smiled at the memory.

"It's not something I like to use, unless I absolutely have to," Seoho drank from his glass, and his neck craned, "And thankfully, the Prince understands."

Yena was staring at him.

"Are you alright?" Seoho asked, clicking his fingers in front of her. Yena jerked.

"Sorry, I got lost," she smiled, drinking from her own glass, hoping her hands weren't shaking. "I can understand. Now that I'm able to use my magic better, I don't know what to do."

Seoho scanned her. "Did you get better at portals now?"

It took her a moment to realise that he knew about the portals from way back in Fomalhaut. "Just getting along. It's hard."

"If you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask," he said as he finished from his plate.

Yena gulped, "Sure. So how do you like Hamal? It's your new home now, isn't it?"

Seoho then went on about Hamal, and it took all the effort Yena had to sit through the conversation, hiding her hands underneath the table as she nodded along.

"I'll visit someday," Yena smiled, getting up. "I should go now- I have to meet Seulgi."

"Sure, let me escort you-"

"Oh no, it's fine," Yena shook her head, and he came closer as he laughed at how violently she shook her hands.

"Okay, okay, I won't. See you later," he said, and flicked her forehead, Yena grabbing it as the pain went across her forehead.

"When will you get rid of that habit!" She laughed through the pain, clenching her forehead as she looked at Seoho.

And it took him a moment to smile- Yena had seen it. His expressions had totally changed.

"Soon," he said, waving bye as he left first, muttering something about an errand he just remembered.

Yena went outside the hall and instantly portaled to her room, slumping on the floor.

She had seen the moon shaped scar on his neck when he drank water.

The same moon shaped scar she had seen on Junyoung's uncle- a family birthmark, like hers. But his uncle's scar had been on the right side, and this was on the left.

It couldn't be...

Yena felt her life flash before her eyes- how had she met Seoho first?

In the orphanage that she had lived in before going to Cheetah. He had already been there.

His family... He had only ever talked about them. And his magic- he had never shown it either.

He had lived in Fomalhaut for years- before going to Hamal 3 years ago. He had always stayed close to her.

But... if he was Junyoung- it didn't make sense. Why would he make friends with her? And if he really was there to monitor her, why would he leave for Hamal? And the fact that he had done nothing all those years? He had always been a friend to her, hadn't he?

Was it really the moon shaped scar? Yena was suddenly doubting herself.

If he was Junyoung...

She realised it then, and it really did feel like a bucket of cold water had been dropped on her.

The magic she had felt inside Seonghwa last night- it really had been Junyoung's magic in his mind.

It was why during the healing, Junyoung's magic had not been scared of Seonghwa's magic and had approached him as if it knew him.

Seoho-Jinki.... He was Junyoung, and oh- he had been planning long enough.

As Yena stumbled to the table, shuffling through the notes, sweating, she realised that he must have plans to somehow control Seonghwa's mind tonight- the dream that Seonghwa had about killing Hongjoong. How long, just how long had he been planning all of this?

Yena scanned her notes, shouting in frustration as she threw them back at the desk. It didn't matter anymore- it wouldn't be Seonghwa who would die now-

It would be Hongjoong.

—-----------------------

The timeline had changed.

It wouldn't be Seonghwa dying anymore- it would be Hongjoong.

Somehow, Junyoung knew about the time travel. Knew she was back to save Seonghwa. He knew, and he had changed his plans.

Yena portaled to the dining hall where the princes and herself would be having the feast now-

Only to see that none of them were there. She checked the time- something was wrong.

If the timeline did change, had the other Yena disappeared?

Yena rushed to Hongjoong's study, to his bedroom, checking each room until she realised that none of them were there. She clenched her hair, thinking.

Were they already in the throne room?

Yena portaled inside the throne room- or at least, tried, but she ended up falling hard on the floor in the hallway. And she realised that the switch had been made- the past Yena was gone now.

The timeline had finally changed.

Yena ran, out of breath because of the sudden switch, and she saw Yeosang first, walking with Mingi and San.

"Yeosang!" Yena called and he turned.

"Yena? Weren't you with Seonghwa?" He scanned her, "When did you change?"

"I have no time to explain, Yeosang- Hongjoong is in danger."

"What do you mean?" San asked.

"We have to get to the throne room, now. No questions." Yena started running, and the others followed her, asking what exactly was wrong.

Yena saw it then- through the glass doors of the throne room- Seonghwa and Hongjoong inside.

Hongjoong pointing his sword at Seonghwa, saying something to him.

Yena tried portaling inside, but she couldn't- there was some sort of a magic barrier this time too. Yena punched the door frantically, San holding her back as she sobbed in frustration.

"He's... he's gonna kill him," she managed to say, "Yeosang, help me. He's gonna kill him."

"I can't break the barrier," Mingi said, looking at Yena for help. Yeosang, frowning, touched Yena's forehead.

"You're from the future, aren't you?" He realised. Yena nodded, shaking her head. There was no time to explain.

"Mingi, where are the others? Join powers and break the barrier," Yeosang instructed, and as if on cue, they heard footsteps- the other princes had approached.

"Yunho realised it was a distraction," Jongho said, peeking inside the throne room, and Mingi told them to try and break the barrier.

Yena didn't feel the tears streaking down her face- she watched as Hongjoong dropped the sword.

It was going to happen.

Yena breathed deeply, took Yeosang's hand in hers, and mustered all of her power into creating a portal.

Inside, Hongjoong had turned his back now and was about to go, but Seonghwa grabbed the sword. His face...

It was not him. Or he wasn't himself.

As soon as she heard the cue of the barrier cracking, she opened the portal, leaving her twin's hand and jumping in, landing right in front of Seonghwa as he tried stabbing Hongjoong but saw Yena appear in front of him.

Seonghwa was being controlled, and in the brief second that he recognised Yena, he battled with all of his will in his mind, managing to break free a little and push his own hand aside- but it still wasn't enough, and something in him broke as the sword slid inside Yena's stomach.

Yena jerked- a painful sound left her mouth. It felt like a sting first, until the pain started to settle, like a burn throughout her body, but all she looked at were Seonghwa's eyes-

His pupil changed from black to silver, and she realised that she was right. It hadn't been Seonghwa.

Hongjoong held Yena, his eyes wide in panic as he looked at Seonghwa- he, too, was utterly surprised. The barrier fell with a shatter and Yena thought she heard Yeosang scream, but someone appeared behind Seonghwa-

It was Seoho. He still hadn't taken off his skin. With a quick wave of his hand, he had a black wall of magic up against the other princes, a set of shackles on Seonghwa's arms, who fell to the floor, not being able to face Yena at what he had done. Yena wanted to tell him that it wasn't his fault, but the pain was too much, and Hongjoong was debating pulling off the sword and healing her when he was thrown back by Seoho's magic.

Yena fell on her knees, and Seoho approached her, taking the sword out of her stomach, blood immediately pooling on her shirt as a new wave of pain consumed her.

"Heal her," he ordered Hongjoong, waving a hand at him- Hongjoong frantically clawed at the collar that had appeared on his neck, restraining his magic. "I said heal her, don't try anything else."

Yena shook her head as she looked at Hongjoong, and she looked at Seonghwa who looked as if he was trying to say something but wasn't able to speak.

Hongjoong approached Yena, putting a hand over her wound, and Yena spit blood, but the wound was starting to stitch back, leaving her dizzy, her head utterly heavy. As soon as it was stitched back, Hongjoong sent a shot of his magic at Seoho, who deflected it.

"No tricks, Prince," he said, kicking his stomach. Yena groaned in pain.

Seoho bent down in front of Yena, nudging her chin up by his finger, and Yena was tempted to spit on him. His eyes were no longer brown- they were amber.

"Junyoung," Yena managed to say. He only nodded.

"You and me are going to have a lot of fun, Kang Yena," he said, holding her hands and Yena could do nothing as the same shackles appeared on her wrists that she had worn for years.

The last thing Yena heard was Hongjoong groaning in pain and Seonghwa unable to speak. They were utterly helpless against his illusion magic. Seoho touched Yena's forehead, making her unconscious.

The Prince of Dark and Light could do nothing as the both of them disappeared- along with the shackles on Seonghwa's arms and the collar on Hongjoong's neck, and the black wall of magic. Yeosang came rushing in, frantically looking around.

"Where's Yena?" He asked, "Where is Yena?"

Seonghwa finally screamed.

San and Wooyoung held him, trying to comfort him as he frantically sobbed, and Mingi and Yunho went to help Hongjoong up, who was still clawing at his neck, the two telling him it was alright, that there was nothing there.

Yeosang fell to the floor, Jongho holding him as he stared into the distance. "How could both of you do nothing?!"

Jongho reprimanded him, telling him to choose his words carefully, but Yeosang was not having it. He looked at Hongjoong- at least he was looking better than Seonghwa right now. "Explain."

Hongjoong told him then- about Yena time travelling because Seonghwa had been killed by Junyoung in the previous timeline, how Hongjoong and Yeosang himself had taught her the time magic. Seonghwa, after finally getting a hold of himself, told Yeosang about the dreams, and the rest of the story.

Seonghwa told him that Jinki- Junyoung had called him just before he met the others today, and he had touched his forehead- after which he remembered nothing- it was like he was trapped in his own mind while somebody took over. He had called Hongjoong to the throne room, and Hongjoong had realised it was Junyoung inside him, which is why he had pointed the sword at him- he could feel Junyoung's power radiating from him, and he thought that Seonghwa was Junyoung, when Junyoung had been standing right behind Seonghwa himself- invisible to sight.

Seonghwa told Yeosang that he managed to break free before he stabbed Yena, thus avoiding a fatal wound that Hongjoong was able to heal, before Junyoung took her.

Yeosang did thank Seonghwa then for being able to save his sister, though it hadn't turned out well in the end. He held Seonghwa as he sobbed again, as Seonghwa told him that he loved Yena and that he was so sorry for not being able to protect her. Yeosang held him, and told him they would bring her back at all costs- he wouldn't lose her again.

The princes went back to Hongjoong's room, immediately planning. They had no time to waste, and they started making sense of the two timelines to see what had gone wrong. They were able to connect the dots, just like Yena had.

Except the one thing that mattered the most- why he needed Yena. Why Junyoung took her again.

"As a leverage would be a simple answer, but I don't think that's all he wants from Yena," San said, "If he knew about the timelines... I think he wants something from Yena."

"What if he planned all of this?" Mingi said, "It looks like in this timeline, he changed the plan. Why would he do that?"

"That's what I don't understand," Seonghwa said, "He could have gotten rid of me. Why use me to get rid of Hongjoong?"

"Maybe his magic is the only one that can stand up against Junyoung's," Yeosang looked at Hongjoong, "Though he didn't know how to stand up against him yet. It's the first time we encountered him."

"That must be it. If I was able to get rid of his magic inside Yena's mind, he must be aware that I can do harm to him."

"Can you feel her power... Yeosang?" Yunho asked. Yeosang shook his head, sighing.

"It's just like before. She is alive... but I don't know where. And if Junyoung can mask her power, how will we ever find her?" Yeosang looked desperately at his brothers, tears filling his eyes, "What am I gonna do?"

Everyone was silent for a few moments that they allowed themselves for the sake of Yeosang, who was silently crying. "Why does it feel like she was living a better life when she had not met us?"

San went to Yeosang, hugging him, "I've known her the longest, Yeosang. And I can say for sure that she's never been happier in her life. When she first met me, she had no joy in her eyes. You haven't seen her like that, but I have. So trust me when I say that she was happy with us."

Yeosang nodded, wiping his tears, "I feel like I have failed her."

"We all are gonna feel that, but we cannot dwell on our emotions. She risked everything for us, and we'll do the same," San drew back, looking at the princes.

"I have a plan," he said, "Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yeosang and I- we recognise Yena's power better because we've been in direct magical contact with her, isn't that so?"

Hongjoong nodded, realising where San was going with this, "We have four continents other than Fomalhaut. Yunho and Seonghwa can take care of the Kingdom of Aries, Yeosang and Mingi can take care of their continent. Hongjoong and I can take care of Antares and Fomalhaut, and Wooyoung and Jongho will take care of our continent- we search every corner. I don't know if Junyoung will stay on one place or be on the move- but we try."

"I think the last place he would be in is Antares, but we'll make sure we leave no rock unturned," Hongjoong said, nodding at San's plan. "We can start like this. It's the only option we got."

"We leave tomorrow then," Yeosang said, "There is no time to waste."

"Tomorrow," Jongho said, "Tonight, we stick together."

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

Yena opened her eyes- and blinked to check if she had actually opened her eyes or not.

It was utterly dark- she was blind.

Yena tried to move, but her hands were shackled- together this time, in front of her. Her legs were free, but it looked like she was in a small room, with no window. She kicked with her legs, examining the space.

It was a very, very small box- she realised with dread washing over her, making her panic short of breath. Her hair was matted to her face and she drew her arms up to push it away, the weight of the shackles making her breathe quicker.

She tried mustering her magic- but it looked like it had gone to sleep now.

Yena brought her knees to her chest then. There was nothing she could do. She was back to the nightmare that she had escaped from.

So she began reciting her comfort words to herself.

I am Kang Yena of Space. I am Princess Kang Yena of Space.

She hoped none of the princes blamed themselves over what had happened. She hoped Yeosang and Seonghwa and the rest were okay.

She let herself cry until sleep embraced her.

—-----------------------

Yena felt like she was floating.

She groaned, getting up on her knees as she ran her hands around her- it was utterly dark, and she felt short of breath. It felt like wood- and a few splinters scratched her skin open. But there was wood not only on the floor, but at the sides, at the top-

Was she in a still in a box?

Yena lightly tapped the side- it did feel like a wooden box. She slumped back, running her hand up, realising the box wasn't large enough that she could stand. She tried to take deep breaths- now was the time to think.

She was floating, she realised with a jolt. It felt like she was on the sea, and the noise she had been hearing- it had to be waves.

Yena let her eyes adjust to the darkness, finally spotting a tiny hole from which a trickle of light leaked through. Getting on her knees, she peeked outside.

It was dark, and she thought she saw the purple moon. But-

Green.

Green gems glittered off the surface of the sea. It had to be the Peridot sea, which meant that she was on the way to the Kingdom of Leo. Mingi's Kingdom.

She would be so close to her home.

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

Why did Junyoung want Yena?

That was the question that nobody was able to find an answer to, the one that kept them from sleeping all night. Seonghwa and Wooyoung, as wolf and hawk, had been out most of the night trying to detect Yena's scent, but to no avail. The others had split into trying to track Junyoung from his possessions and finding anything on his background in Hongjoong's library.

In the morning, they gathered one last time before parting ways, in which they discussed the little they found in the library. It was mostly about General Lee's powers, and most of it they already knew. How much Junyoung had inherited from his father, they weren't aware. Seeing that he could create illusions to this extent and mask his scent so well, it had to be enough.

Though they did not want to part, their best strategy for now was as San had said- to scatter until one of them felt something, and then they would gather. But the question looming over their heads was that if all those years back then, they hadn't been able to detect Yena's power, would they now?

Hongjoong believed that since her power was now in its full might, it was going to be very hard to mask it without Junyoung running out of his own power soon. They had to find her before he started controlling her through his magic like he had tried to years ago.

The princes parted ways, leaving San and Hongjoong in the study where they had conducted all those healing sessions in. The two of them were staring at the very sofa Yena had laid on, zoning out, until Hongjoong spoke.

"I feel bad for Yeosang, but I feel worse for Seonghwa," he said, "Or is it just me?"

"Yeosang only got to meet his sister for a day," San sighed, "But Seonghwa... it seems like what runs between him and Yena is much more."

"Exactly. She time travelled back- so she had all her memories of us with her," Hongjoong shifted. "And Seonghwa saw her memories of their time in Antares before he ever got here. I can't imagine what he's going through right now, Seonghwa- I've never seen him like this."

San clicked his tongue. He was devastated, and the only thing holding him together was the hope that he would find her somehow, "I feel like he's gonna snap when he sees Junyoung."

"I feel so too," Hongjoong shook his head. "Even I feel I'll snap. I did spend 4 months with Yena- 3 if we exclude the one month she went missing in that dimension. I miss her a lot."

"You remember?"

"Yeosang, when he saw this Yena, he touched her forehead and saw their memories together- it's how he could confirm that she was from the future. So I feel bad for Yeosang too- he didn't know his sister for just a day. He knew her as long as I did."

San rubbed his face. "We've all grown attached to her, haven't we?"

Hongjoong was smiling, "I think you know her the best now. You spent more time with her than anyone else- and only you know Yena- not Kang Yena, but simply Yena. That's why you said you'd go to Fomalhaut, isn't it?"

"Partly," San admitted, "She told me so much about the place she thought home. And if Junyoung was there this entire time, it means there's a chance they might go there. I don't think Junyoung would risk keeping her in a prince's territory."

"Let's give ourselves two days here- search all of this kingdom, leave no stone unturned. Then let's go to Fomalhaut."

San nodded at Hongjoong. "Sounds like a plan."

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

Wooyoung and Jongho arrived at Rukbat at night.

Jongho had to force him to rest during their journey since he had been awake all night scrounging through the Kingdom of Scorpio for a clue. He had been visibly tired, but he had offered to speed up their boat, and Jongho had to threaten to knock him out, saying he would be no good if he was out of energy when they arrived, which finally made him go to sleep.

Jongho had called upon nature then- the animals responded to him no matter where he was. With the help of a few sea creatures, they reached earlier than expected.

Accompanying them were their own court members; Siyeon and Jeongin, Hyungwon and Changkyun, plus San's court members- Seokmin and Mingyu, who would be leaving tomorrow to take care of his kingdom while he was away, with Hyungwon and Changkyun who would be doing the same while Jongho was away.

"I don't think Junyoung would be stupid enough to go back to that place in the mountains, isn't it?" Wooyoung asked as they stood outside his castle, having had dinner and sorting things out before they began the search.

"I think we should just take a look, so we leave no stone unturned," Jongho said, standing with Wooyoung as they stared at the sky and the mountains ahead. "We don't want to end up finding he's been there all along. I know he won't be, but still."

"For the peace of our mind?"

"For the peace of our mind," Jongho agreed. "Where do you think he'll take her?"

"I don't know," Wooyoung sighed. "Somewhere we couldn't think of, if I have to say."

"With the type of a person he is, having acted as Seonghwa's Right Hand all along, I'd say he'd mock us even with where he keeps her now."

"What's the chance that he's going to keep her somewhere in Seonghwa's own kingdom?" Wooyoung asked as they reached the foothills of the mountains, "Or even her kingdom?"

"To mock us more, sure," Jongho shook his head. "He might as well be in that very house. If he can use illusions, we might as well be staring right at him but see nothing."

"He can deceive my eyes, not my nose," Wooyoung said, his sense of smell the gift that he was proud of. "I should go around sniffing in every kingdom."

Jongho smiled slightly, "I wonder why you aren't a dog. Why a hawk?"

Wooyoung slapped his arm, but he had to admit he might as well be a dog. "Why are you a bear? Why is Yeosang a meerkat?"

"That reminds me," Jongho said as he lent a hand to Wooyoung, climbing on a bigger rock, "I wonder what Yena's animal form is."

"If she's a meerkat, I'm gonna lose it," Wooyoung smiled, reminded of the time when Yeosang had first shifted into a meerkat and he couldn't believe his eyes. "I think she should be a cat. It would suit her."

"Or a bunny. She sometimes looks like one."

"We all thought Yeosang was gonna be a bunny," Wooyoung laughed. "If he had, I would have stolen him and kept him as a pet. I'm still tempted whenever I see him as a meerkat."

Jongho shook his head at him. "Try keeping Hongjoong then."

Wooyoung grinned. They finally reached the point from where Yena had spotted the house. Wooyoung finally shifted into a hawk, circling the area and sniffing it out, while Jongho shifted into a bear, taking the shortcut down to the lake and examining the area.

Wooyoung shifted back as he entered the house, feeling nostalgic. Jongho joined soon after as they stood in the room where Yena had been kept in, zoning out.

"I miss her," Wooyoung finally said. "I hope she's..." Safe? Fine?

"Me too, I hope she's okay," Jongho said, patting his shoulder, "I hope she knows we're looking for her."

"She better!" Wooyoung said, huffing, "I'm gonna be very disappointed if I learn she gave up when she comes back."

"She's strong," Jongho smiled, putting his hands in his pocket as he looked out of the window, "She won't give up. Not this time."

Wooyoung prayed that it was true. "Let's go. We should check if there are more cottages or any place where someone could live in these mountains."

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

Yeosang was angry, and Mingi had to admit that he was a little scared.

He wasn't angry at him exactly, but his eyes were fierce, his mouth set and he kept staring into space, as if Yena would magically appear out of thin air. Which wasn't impossible, but if she did portal somewhere, it would be a place she knew and not Yeosang's kingdom, which she hadn't seen in about two decades.

"I don't know where to start," Yeosang sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair as he paced around his study, where Mingi sat staring less at the map in front of him and more at Yeosang. "It's like I'm back to being two, except at that time all I could do was watch the others worry like I am now. And now, it's me."

"Do you remember? You were only two," Mingi said.

"I don't exactly remember that very moment, but you know how it went on for years. Until everyone died. They'd be shaking their heads in disappointment if they could see us right now."

"Yeosang, you need to relax a bit-"

"I can't, Mingi-"

"I mean you need to think with a clear head. I understand that you're angry, but this won't get us anywhere. Save the anger for when we find Junyoung."

Yeosang looked like he was about to retort, but he sighed, slumping down on the sofa beside Mingi, his arms folded as he stared into space again. "We need a plan."

"Yes," Mingi pushed his glasses on his nose as he spread the map in front of him. "We're all scattered, and we just have to wait for a clue, but what can we do right now?"

"What can we do?"

"We have to know our enemy," Mingi said, and Yeosang looked at him in surprise, a faint smile on his face.

"Since when did you say wise things, Song Mingi?"

Mingi's face crinkled as he laughed, shaking his head, "Come on, I'm not that bad." Yeosang kept staring at him, until Mingi finally gave in. "Okay, maybe I say stupid stuff sometimes-"

"You do, though," Yeosang corrected.

"You smart-mouth," Mingi slapped his arm. "We have to think like Junyoung. We have to figure out his strengths and weaknesses."

"Right," Yeosang bent forward, "His strength is obviously the illusion magic, which he has grown a lot stronger than it should have been. His weakness..."

"Hongjoong's light magic, healing magic basically," Mingi reminded him, "But is it the healing nature he is afraid of, or just bright light magic generally?"

Yeosang scratched his chin in thought, "Your fire magic could very well stand as much a chance as Hongjoong's magic. What do you think?"

"If the black magic is really scared of light, then yes," Mingi nodded. "Now, if you were Junyoung, where would you keep Yena?"

"If I was Junyoung..." Yeosang huffed. "I don't know. Probably somewhere the others would never imagine finding her."

"In plain sight?" Mingi suggested, "Using his illusion magic, that is?"

"Not really in plain sight, but not very hidden either," Yeosang looked at Mingi. "If he uses his illusion magic a lot, he's bound to run out of energy and would need to replenish. Since he's masking his own and Yena's scent, he would have to use his magic wisely. He can't have an endless source of magic now, can he?"

"He shouldn't," Mingi nodded. "Now the question- what does he even want Yena for?"

Yeosang sighed, sitting back once again, thinking. "I have the craziest theory, but I need to do some research first. Let's go to the library."

"Not the library again!" Mingi wailed as he followed him.

taglist: @sweethoneykcals @jjoonggurt @sincostansan @bewitchedinyourhunger @bultaollaburn couldn't tag: @soliyaa @ansko

#seonghwa x reader #seonghwa #park seonghwa #park seonghwa x reader #ateez x reader #park seonghwa angst #park seonghwa fluff #park seonghwa smut #seonghwa angst #seonghwa fluff #seonghwa smut #ateez imagines #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez au #seonghwa imagines #seonghwa scenarios #ateez scenarios

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agape-bakery · 4 years ago

Note

Tiktoker mc who just posts bullshit videos that get too many likes?

🥶

I chose Asmodeus and Leviathan for this so I hope you don't mind!

Asmodeus and Leviathan with Tiktoker MC

(Alternate title: MC being a sussy little baka)

Asmodeus

We all know Asmodeus has many social media accounts and Tiktok is one of them, he has a verified check and everything

All he has to do is stand there and look pretty! (which is what he does all day)

His Tiktok is SO different compared to yours

While he dances, shows off his outfit for the day, does a mini vlog, maybe a thirst trap or two

You would just have random videos that have millions of likes

And with those pov: you're a girl in discord and I'm your incel daddy 😈

Or you just trying to guess some random quiz and failing miserably and the video cutting at the perfect time

Asmodeus gets a laugh out of your content more than he likes to admit it

Considers you as his friendly rival, the both of you compete over who gets more likes and comments

Asmodeus forces you to join his TikTok dances and you give the most minimal effort

Your followers eat it up though

Leviathan

You use Tiktok?? Y U C K

What a normie!!

(As if he didn't fully know about the Furry vs Gamer War back in 2018, and downloaded the app at that time to laugh at it)

Fully expects your content to be those basic dances and looking at the screen with a picture or a video over your head, or those LED rooms having some overrated sayings over and over again

But upon finding out that it's the good, actually relatable, and funny bullshit videos, Leviathan is hooked

Likes and comments your videos, might save the ones he likes the most

He gave permission for you to record him so he was often in your TikTok

Another video of yours blew up with you saying in the text-to-speech that he was the Mordecai to your Twilight

Leviathan nearly died from laughing, especially when reading the comments

There is a moment that he gets insecure, because why does your content get so popular after such a short time? Granted he doesn't post much on his account but still-

You reassure him that the both of you shouldn't care about numbers, you only make it because it's fun and makes other people laugh anyway, you wouldn't do it if it's only for numbers

Leviathan actually grows popular due to his own content and being in yours all the time

You're shipped by your followers and they will never stop at teasing and jokingly blocking you because the both of you are cute together-

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moominnyu · 4 years ago

Text

oblivious [kevin moon]

🧸🎀 — pairings: kevin moon (the boyz) x gender neutral reader

🧸🎀 — tw: none.

🧸🎀 — wc: 3751

anyone who knows kevin to a personal level would be sorry for the guy, frustrated in his behalf even.

now, don't get me wrong, he's a handsome young man with a sweet personality, a nice car and good friends. he's a member of one of the hottest, on the rise k-pop boy groups, with a honeyed voice and great dance skills. he could probably bag anyone he wanted with minimal effort on his part, whether they work or not for the same industry as him. but the problem for kevin moon starts around someone who has little to nothing to do with the idol world.

you're kevin's friend, his little childhood friend from back when he was in america, and current best friend even here in korea. kevin's childhood friend who's only an university student, and knows as much about idols as you know about calculus— that is, nothing—, kevin's childhood friend who works part time in café, and still gets allowance from your parents, kevin's childhood friend who lives just three blocks from his dorm, who is so used to be by his side that you practically live at his dorm alongside his members. kevin's childhood friend who is... just his childhood friend and nothing more.

he's been on the unrequited love side of the spectrum for too long that his problem no longer relies on the fact that you guys are friends probably since you were both fetuses inside your mothers' wombs. he already felt this way about you when you lost your first tooth when you were six, even when you smiled at him with an incisor missing. he already felt this way about you when he taught you how to ride a bike at the park when you both were nine, even when you fell on your face and had a big bruise on your left cheek that remained on your skin for two weeks after that. he already felt this way about you when you turned fourteen and you stopped being a tiny shrimp and started looking more like what would later become his ideal type. he already felt this way about you when you guys were seventeen and he was starting his little youtube channel with one of his friends, and you would watch his videos with a genuine excitement that matched his. he already felt this way about you when you moved to korea together, not even knowing what was ahead of you but knowing that you had each other whatever happened.

he's been in love with you for way too long, so long that he already had every single inner monologue, argument, discussion and debate he could possibly have with himself about how absolutely wrong and criminal it is to have a crush, or rather, be in love with your best friend.

he won in absolutely zero of these arguments against himself, as he always came to the conclusion that it was wrong, you two were friends and that's it, that you probably saw him only as a brother, if anything. but he had received his very needed push in the back by his members, now close friends of both of you, that insisted that it was normal: you were attractive, funny, sweet and a perfectly viable choice for him due to your closeness, anyone in his situation would probably be the same, and he would be a fool if he let go of the opportunity. with your looks and personality, you could get a partner anytime you wanted, and time was ticking for kevin, which, in turn, prompted him to act with you in mind, courtesy of sunwoo who mentioned he'd be the one making the moves if kevin didn't do it first.

and, so, it started, the tortuous process of courting.

he didn't outright tell you he liked you, as he wanted to test the waters first, so he started with simple and minimal things, things that would go completely unnoticed by you unless you saw him as something more than a simple friend, unless you saw him in the same light as he saw you.

hugging you a tad bit tighter and longer when he greeted you, getting leaves out of your hair or clothes for you, tentatively holding your hand when he wanted to guide you somewhere, placing his hands on your waist on hips when he walked past you; all little things that made his pale cheeks burn up a crimson color and his stupid, traitor heart beat uncontrollably against his ribcage... all little things that you remained completely apathetic to.

“don't be afraid to up your game, hyung,” haknyeon had offered some advice, and as if it served as comfort to kevin, he had friendly palmed his back to show empathy for him, who sat with his head down, face hidden in his hands, “i think y/n is great! they definitely haven't noticed yet, and that's why they haven't said anything!”

it was another one of those nights where he was overcome with feelings, when the tug on his chest became too heavy and when the feeling of urgency became desperation. none of what he did was working out the way he wanted it to, and everytime he was left with more questions that answers: did you really blush when you brushed hands while reaching for the salt, or was it his mind playing tricks on him? were you really staring at him with such dreamy eyes when he was sketching or were you just spaced out? he could never tell.

“well, that's obvious,” sunwoo retorted, plump lips on a straight line. he scratched his head and nudged kevin on the ribs, “you're the one who knows them best, you should that y/n had never had a partner before, it's likely they're just oblivious to your advances,”

an imaginary lightbulb flicked on on top of kevin's head at that moment when he realized sunwoo was right.

in all the years he's known you, you've never showed any kind of romantic interest in any person. it wasn't that you were short of suitors or admirers, quite the contrary, actually, you've had that sweet tendency to smile at everyone that happened to make eye contact with you since little, offer your help whenever needed and an ability to make friends with anyone in a matter of seconds. kevin was sure, during all his high school years, that the reason why he was liked was because of the halo effect, produced by the fact that he was always by your side.

but, you, even with many suitors and secret admirers, never once brought up the topic of dating and crushes in front of kevin. he thought it was better that way, honestly, he's a bit more mature now but back when he was still a teenager, he was sure he wouldn't be able to take it if he heard you talking about another guy, all starry eyed and blushing. but that didn't mean he didn't feel curious about it.

one time, against his own mental advices to just mind his business in case he ended up with a broken heart, kevin asked you about a guy in your class who he overheard your classmates teasing you about.

“oh, yeah, you mean james, right?” you sat on the floor of his bedroom, copying the answers from his textbook onto yours. you had bit your pencil and narrowed your eyes, thoughtfully, “i tutor him on sundays. nice guy.”

“i know who he is,” kevin answered, matter of factly, as he reclined back on his desk chair. he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as some form of idle distraction from the unsteadiness of his heart, “i'm asking you why were your friends making kissy faces at you when he was talking to you.”

he had sounded more stern than he intended, but, then again, that moment was the very first time he ever saw you blush and fix your hair in front of a dude, the first time he saw you act shy around someone.

“he invited me to prom last week,” you answered, continuing to write down on your notebook with your cute, pink gel pen, “and my friends think he likes me because of that.”

“how are you so sure that he doesn't like you?,” it's obvious he does, kevin thought, otherwise he wouldn't look like such a fool, stuttering and scratching his nape like an idiot everytime you two interacted. not that he's one to talk, though.

“because he's just being nice to me,” you frowned, “he always is. he walks me home when you can't, invites me to get coffee after tutoring, he saves me a spot next to him when i'm late for class,” you didn't lift your head from your notes or ever stopped writing, that's how trivial james's acts of ‘kindness’ were for you, “he even gifted me chocolates last valentine's.”

that's crush behavior, kevin wanted to say, but he didn't. he didn't want to implant the idea in your mind, making you overly conscious about it and forcing you to end up confused about your own feelings. if you liked him back or not, he decided, was for you to find out on your own, unprovoked.

“do you like him?,” but there he was, having to open his big mouth out of morbid, masochistic curiosity.

you lifted your head, finally looking up at him with a raised eyebrow, “no?”

“then why were you blushing when he was talking to you?”

“because julia was making a big deal out of it,” you said, frowning with certain annoyance and embarrassment, “and because noah kept telling him we look so cute together.”

“no, you don't.” kevin chimed in, perhaps too fast for his liking.

“that's what i'm saying! we're just friends!” you sounded a bit exasperated, probably tired from all the teasing, “just like you and me.”

thanks to sunwoo, remembering that useful, albeit painful, conversation served kevin to switch his approach around you. thinking about it, back then, it should have been his first clue about your lack of awareness. he discarded as simple, intentional obliviousness— he thought that james was so obvious about his crush, you might as well were just trying to ignore it and not acknowledge it to avoid having to awkwardly reject him; but this obliviousness of yours lasted even much, much after that, when you guys moved to korea together and the people you met there were equally interested in you but ended up receiving the same treatment of complete lack of interest. even eric had, at some point of your early friendship, when he had a pitiful crush on you that lasted a couple of months.

with a new, more direct approach in mind, kevin moon hadn't given up yet.

he began to make his hints a bit more obvious so that the wouldn't fly over your pretty, little head like the ones before did, and he was pleasantly surprised to find out that it worked with great efficiency.

complimenting you every chance he could, both looks and personality wise, often mentioning how you're the only person to make him this happy, how his day gets better when he sees you.

and alongside the not so subtle flirting, your reactions began to grow in intensity as well. instead of the usual, coy nudge you'd give him when he complimented your appearance, you'd purse your lips and look down when he'd say that he thinks you're absolutely stunning. you'd bite a smile, cheeks heating up, when he'd, purposely on accident, casually sit close to you while watching movies, both of your sides pressed against each other. when he'd press an unassuming kiss to your temple after dropping you back at your place, you'd lean into his touch for a bit longer than usual, and you'd look a blushy mess of shaky eyes and pursed lips once he did pull away. even when he wasn't trying, even when his focus was on something else entirely, the amount of times he'd catch you staring at him and then move your eyes away as soon as he noticed were too many for them to be a simple coincidence.

all of these interactions made him hopeful, made him think that he did the right thing by slowly approaching you in a way that you felt comfortable with. by the time he decided to finally confess to you, he was so sure you were, at least, confused about it, that you were seeing him in a new light now and that you weren't sure how to act around it, and that was enough for kevin, he just needed to go past that friendship relationship and then he'd work the rest, with you.

and with this realization came yet multiple other inner debates about how to go around the confession. should he prepare for it? invite you to a picnic at the beach and confess to you when you both are enjoying the sunset? or should he just be spontaneous? you've never liked anything too flashy, after all, and you valued honesty over anything else.

he chose to just do it one day, chose a time when you two are alone and tell you normally like he would do with any other thing. after all, you two were best friends who could tell absolutely anything to each other with no shame, and his feelings for you didn't change this.

but, whenever he thought about finally doing it, whenever he practiced his exact words in his mind over and over again until he was confident enough he wouldn't stutter, the moment would get interrupted by outside forces. like younghoon deciding to watch a movie in the living room where you guys were at, just in time when kevin had said he had something to tell you, like sunwoo coming uninvited into his room when you two were finally alone, saying that he was bored and asking if you wanted to play mario kart together. or that one time when kevin had managed to build momentum in his favor, mentioning how much he appreciates you and how lucky he is to have you by his side unconditionally, and just as he was about to utter the three important words, your mom had the inopportune need to call you, at three a.m. in the morning, because she had a nightmare about you being swallowed by the kraken.

being stuck in this predicament didn't dishearten kevin, though. he's wanted to tell you how he feels since forever, he wasn't gonna give up over a few unfortunate interruptions.

the perfect time to do it comes spontaneously, unprepared, just like most of those peaks of inspiration he feels out of the blue somedays.

tonight, you're staying the night at his. you had went grocery shopping earlier in the afternoon, and kevin bought the ingredients to bake you some brownies after your insistence and pleads, clinging to his arm and pointing at the deliciously looking pictures of them in the premade mixture boxes, so now you're sitting on the counter of his kitchen while looks for the ingredients in the frige, reading the recipe out loud for him from your phone while swinging your legs up and down.

“a double boiler?”, kevin leaves the fridge door open when he walks up to you and leans in so that he can get a look at your screen, “what the heck's that?”

“it says here that it's a fancy term for a... small saucepan filled with an inch of two of water set over low heat,” you read out loud, then lifting your head with a confused grimace, “huh?”

“i don't know,” kevin kicks the door closed after retrieving the butter, shrugging and trying to pretend he didn't notice how you stared at his lips just a second ago, “i'm just gonna make that one old recipe, the one we know and adore.”

“yeah, i don't know why you felt the need to change it,” you set your phone down and hop down the counter to give him more space, “you know i just eat whatever you make.”

“you like your brownies a bit more fudgy, don't you?” he takes a bowl out of the cabinet, and places it right beside where you're standing. he offers you a smile, a bit shy but genuine, “and i like to spoil you.”

at that moment, sunwoo walks into the kitchen. he makes a small gesture of acknowledgement to you and walks past kevin to get to the fridge. you follow him with your eyes.

“hyung, i'm heading out,” sunwoo grabs a water bottle and closes the fridge again. he stands by kevin and points at the bowl where he's wisking the eggs, taking a short sip of his water, “can you save me some brownies?”

“i'm not making these for you, you know,” kevin sighs.

“just one, then,” sunwoo insists, eyebrows up and pout on his lips, “you know i love brownies.”

“i'll save you some,” you smile at the younger guy lightly, “where are you heading?”

sunwoo shrugs and scratches his nape, “had the sudden urge to go to the movies.”

“alone?” you inquire, trying to supress a laugh.

“don't judge a man for his hobbies, y/n,” sunwoo flicks your forehead with little force, and kevin hates that ugly feeling in his gut when you giggle and poke your tongue at him, “gotta go now, i've already purchased my ticket.”

and with sunwoo leaving, everyone else out on individual schedules and chanhee dead asleep on his room, you both are, technically, left alone in the dorm for once and for all.

kevin pretends to be too preoccupied with spreading the thick batter in the baking pan to notice that the perfect opportunity to do it is just unfolding in front of him. he knows that the reason why he keeps getting interrupted is because he likes to take his sweet time with it, dragging it out as much as he can so he can prepare his heart for it. he decides he's not gonna do that tonight.

just as he opens his mouth, your phone dings on the counter. kevin busies himself with putting the baking pan in the oven while you reach for your phone with the spatula he used in your mouth.

“who are you texting?” he asks once he notices your wide smile and soft giggles.

“yurina, one of my uni classmates,” you lick your lips after you're done licking the batter off, tossing the spatula into the sink, “she's happy because she asked her crush to be her girlfriend,”

“and did she say yes?”

“well, she wouldn't be happy otherwise, don't you think?”

there's an one-sided awkward silence when kevin rests against the counter while staring at you intently texting back and forth with this girl from uni.

a moment of doubt crosses his mind. should he really do it? something tells him he shouldn't, that he should just keep quiet, but he's been walking through this desert for so long ago that stopping now feels wrong when he can practically see water in front of him.

love gives him a push in the back.

“what about you?” he asks, and he internally cringes at the way his voice cracks a little at the end. he clears his throat, “i mean, are you interested in anyone?”

your thumbs stop typing suddenly, and you remain frozen for a moment, staring at your screen. you're blushing a little when you slowly lift your eyes towards him, and he mirrors such expression when his hopeful heart does a little flip.

“why—why are you asking all of a sudden?”, your voice sounds tiny and you look a bit doubtful of him.

“well, you never tell me about stuff like this,” he scratches his eyelid as he looks down at his shoes. the awkwardness is almost painful, and he's sure he isn't the only one feeling it right now, “is it someone you can't tell me?,” he makes a small pause in which he lifts his eyes from the ground and looks at you, “a close friend, maybe?”

silence fills the kitchen. the hen shaped cooking timer clicks as it counts down the minutes for the brownies to be ready, hour phone pings with new upcoming messages, the tv in chanhee's room makes deaf noise in the backround, yet, none of you talk.

when you refuse to meet his eyes that come looking for you, biting the inside of your cheek and looking down, kevin realizes he's going to be the one who breaks it, unfortunately.

“did i hit the jackpot?,” perhaps he sounds hopeful, or perhaps the silence was too loud that his voice now seems to over-volume it.

you finally look up from the floor, “why am i the only one being interrogated?,” you sound a little more like yourself when you block your phone and cross your arms on your chest, lips pouty and the tip of your ears a little bit red, “you also never tell me anything about stuff like that!”

“i'll tell you if you want,” he murmurs, trying to analize your reaction, “if you tell me first.”

in the heart fluttering moment, odds are in his favor, he knows. it's on the way you look at him through your eyelashes, shy and maybe even a bit flustered, the sugar rush on his veins at the sight of your blush, ever telling of your feelings. because he knows you so well he knows that his hunch is right, it's because of your connection that he can feel that it's no longer one-sided, that, as much as he feels for you, you feel for him.

“why don't you,” you make a small pause to press the back of your hands to your hot cheeks, “why don't you say it first, then?”

“how about we say it at the same time?,” even in his certainty there's still cautiousness, as if he needs confirmation even if he can read your heart, “at the count of three.”

“okay,” you smile at him with warmth, gentle, still laced with a shyness that makes your eyes a bit glossy, and it's the prettiest thing kevin has ever seen, “one.”

“two.” he says, his heart on a frenzy, mind a bit hazy with quiet excitement for what's about to come.

“three!” you both say, and there's a small pause before any of you continue:

“you!”

“sunwoo!”

#the boyz x reader #tbz x reader #kevin moon x reader #the boyz #tbz #kpop x reader #idol x reader #fluff

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mushroompoisoning · 3 years ago

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A Note For Felix - otterverse writing

Decided to do some otterverse writing to reveal some lore on c!wallace from an outside pov :D enjoy!

Hey Felix! I hope this note finds you. In good health would be best, but since I'm leaving it on a random bench I saw you visit once or twice I'd be surprised if you found it at all.

The apocalypse has been over for a fee months now, so it's a little late for this maybe, but I thought I'd say it anyway! Maybe give some form of closure? I dunno, just felt like gettin' it off my chest.

To start off strong: My name is not Marri, and I am not human. I have't been for a long time. I have no name to replace "Marri" with, but know it isn't me.

Maybe not the greatest start to a letter to someone I spoke to maybe five times, but it gets worse.

I know your Wallace, as you call him. I know him for two different reasons.

One: I was in the same cell block as him.

Two: I watched him die.

You're familiar with weird shit so I don't think I have to sugarcoat my story, but I will shorten it.

When I was born, I matched all the requirements for an illegal program at the hospital I was born in. I don't remember the name of it. Wallace also fit this.

He was born a few years after me. I remember the day he got brought in as a baby, kicking and screaming.

He was nothing special. He barely made the requirements to be in the program. I was worth fighting for, apparently, so they made an effort to keep me alive. Most kids didn't last as long as I did.

I'll spare you the details of growing up.

The disease changed us when we got it. For me, it reversed whatever weird ability I had to know what threat was coming for me. If something is a threat to my life, I can't see it.

Wallace had grown wings. He wasn't considered special enough to save when his health rapidly declined, so they three him in the vat of molten lava instead.

I watched him die. I also watched his hand reach out to pull a doctor into the tank a week later. I watched him get up and walk away just fine.

I never saw him after we both escaped. Not until he became roommates with Leon.

There it is, an origin story to your super villain boss. Take it as a warning, I guess.

He may not be gone forever.

-Marri

#the otterverse #wallace writes #here yall go lmao enjoy

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yunhoiseyecandy · 4 years ago

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✕ 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞; 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞

✕ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞; 𝐬𝐦𝐮𝐭, 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐟𝐟

✕ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠; 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢 ◆ 𝐟.𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

✕ 𝐰/𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭; 𝟐.𝟓𝐤 — 𝟑.𝟎𝐤

✕ 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬; 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐱, 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥- 𝐟.𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠- 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥, 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲

✕ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬; 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲

[𝐭𝐚𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭]

𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲!!

@multidreams-and-desires , @latte-fairytaekwoon , @tinkerbellwoo , @hanatiny , @vocalyunho , @cloudyyeonnie , @little-precious-baby , @galaxteez , @sunshinesanflower

─────

you were never really one to believe in love, just the mere thought of falling so hard for someone making you cringe.

but despite your many efforts to block out all those confusing emotions, there was one person who just might’ve been your hardest catch yet,

song mingi

you remember the first time you walked into the small and cozy coffee shop, the smell of hot chocolate welcoming you as soon as you stepped inside. it was a quiet place that people went to either catch up with a new friend or work on things that they should’ve had done by now.

and more than often, you found yourself in the tucked-in corner next to the tinted windows, fingers grazing over the keyboard of your computer while you sipped on your coffee. which to you, meant nothing more than a late afternoon study session that had you on edge due to your professor’s late assignments that he’d sprung out of nowhere.

you found this little shop to put you at ease, which is exactly why you spent most of your free time here alone, taking in just how good it felt to let go every once and a while.

of course, you did bring a friend along with you sometimes, but they never seemed to appreciate all the little things you did.

the different kinds of people that would come and go, the way a chalkboard ran across a whole wall and people had an opportunity to write down how they were feeling that day. and one of the things you found most attractive about it here would have to be the selection of cakes and cookies they had on display at all times.

it made you feel like a kid all over again, and it didn’t help the fact that they let you taste test some of their newest additions. but that might’ve been since you’d visited them so often, which came to no one’s surprise.

but one thing you had never truly came to see, was the pair of eyes that lingered over you whenever the bell on the door would jingle at around four pm. or the small smile that painted their face when you sat down at your usual spot.

mingi had come to know you since you’d moved into the area, only ever making small talk when you ordered your usual coffee with three sugars and only a dash of creamer. it was like you made this job ten times better, but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever tell you that.

and as if you were reading his mind, the sound of a bell ran through the shop as you smiled warmly at him. he tried not to seem too happy about your presence, looking at you from the corner of his eyes to make sure you didn’t catch him checking you out.

his arm nudged san’s, nodding his head over to you so he knew to take your order. “dude, are you kidding me right now?” san said, his voice laced with amusement. “you need to talk to her, not me.”

mingi scoffed, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” but they both knew exactly what was going on, and mingi’s pride would never give in. he didn’t know what was wrong with him, he was usually the one to make the first move when it came to dating.

but there was something about you that made him shy, and he was starting to get confused about all his emotions. you were too pretty to him, and he was scared that if he said one thing to you, you would call him out and not want anything to do with him.

so he decided to do the one thing he knew he’d have a chance with; beg san to find out more information about you. though now that he thinks about it he made it easier for san to find a way to flirt with you, and that made him want to punch his best friend for even suggesting anything.

san looked at him, sighing when he saw mingi was trying to cover up how panicked he was inside. “fine, but I swear to god this is the last time.”

and so it was. mingi still remembers the way san asked you question after question, and he couldn't lie and say he didn't feel bad for bombarding you with them.

but it was worth all the cringey and awkward conversations because that night, about an hour past the whole in the wall shop closed down for the day, mingi sat across san with stars in his eyes as the older one talked to him about every he'd found out about you.

your favorite color, what you're going to college for, your hobbies, and just about everything he could fit in before heading home for the night.

it made a shy smile spread across mingi's face, and it didn't seem to leave. well, that is until he fell asleep.

but as much as he felt like he could talk about you all day, just going off of the things san said, it would make him feel even better if he'd actually be able to talk to you.

and not just from taking your order

"it's not that hard, man." he said to himself, a horrible attempt to use the small amount of courage he'd been saving up. "you've done this before, it'll be just like a walk in the park."

and now that he thinks back on the whole mess of a situation, he laughs at how shot his nerves were that day. considering where you both are today, it's like he'd been worrying over nothing.

as soon as you saw a glimpse of his red hair moving towards your direction, you felt a jolt of happiness in your body while you moved a piece of your hair out of your face.

you heard him cough, and you took that as him making you aware of his presence. "uh, it's y/n— right?" he said, his words coming out rushed even though hed told himself to be calm.

you turned your head to the side, hands playing with a napkin on the table. "yes, I am. can I help you?" you saw him shift uncomfortably onto his other leg, and he shoved his hands in his pockets while his eyes fixed on your lips.

"do you think we could hang out sometime? there's this really good italian place down that street that opened not too long ago.."

little did you know, that restaurant would end up being one of your favorites.

—

mingi's eyes fluttered open, taking in the light that was peeking through the curtains. he'd be freezing if it wasn't for the heavy blanket pulled over both of you, but he only really cared if you were warm enough.

it's been almost a year since you both had started dating, and if you were honest it's felt like much longer than that.

you were at the happiest point you think you'd ever been, and never in your life did you think someone like mingi would love you endlessly. it was a perfect match, and never in did it truly occur that people this perfect actually exist.

he felt your body dip into his touch, your back against his chest as he smiled warmly at you. "are you awake, baby?"

you groaned at him, not wanting to wake up just yet. his fingers traced shapes on your thighs, soon making their way up to your stomach and running over the stretch marks that lay on your skin.

"mm, mingi." your voice was low as you spoke to him, and you couldn't help the soft moan that slipped past your lips when his hand played with the hem of your underwear, teasing you.

you felt him smile against your neck, his lips soon attaching themselves to the skin below your ear and he kissed the area softly. "yes?"

without any more words, you grabbed the hand that was teasing you and pulled it up your body, slowly guiding it up your shirt and making his large hand squeeze your already hard nipple.

he caught on to what you wanted quickly, grinding into your ass while his lips and hand worked on your body slowly.

you'd always loved how his lips felt on you. whether it be on your own, your neck, or any other part you couldn't help but want more when he'd pull away.

and he knew what they did to you, which is why he always made sure to take his time kissing your body before anything else. "mingi, I need more."

a sharp gasp left you when he pushed the covers off of you both, moving to lay between your legs as he caught notice of what you were wearing.

it was one of his striped black and white shirts, only one button holding him back from adoring your body. "I don't remember saying you could use my clothes," he kissed up your stomach, "do you think I could have it back?"

you giggled, doing him a favor and slowly taking off the shirt all while keeping eye contact. he felt his cock grow harder when he saw the wet patch on your panties, and he couldn't help but spread your legs open as he layed down on his stomach.

"lay back," you did, but couldn't help and look down at him while he did what he does best.

his hands slid up and down your inner thighs, stopping once they reached the top of your underwear and pulling them down painfully slow. he'd always loved how sensitive you were, and it always made him so impatient with how wet you got when he's barely even done anything.

maybe it was because of how hard it was starting to get for him to control himself that he let himself go, or it could've been because he's always wanted to taste you, but without any warning his mouth connected with your core and he moaned into you.

"ah, fuck!" you moaned, throwing your head back as your back arched. at this point you didn't even care that your neighbors might hear you, and that thought left as soon as it came when he wrapped his arms around your legs, pushing you even harder onto his tongue.

your mouth was wide open, eyebrows furrowing when he slipped a finger in you as his lips closed around your clit, sucking on it harshly.

"so good, you taste so fucking good." his breath was hot against you, and a silent cry left your mouth when his finger curled up inside you.

you were close, and the more his movements sped up the harder it was getting for you to hold on. "mingi— I'm gonna cum-"

as soon as those words came out you regretted it, and you watched him pull away fast before leaning back on his legs.

but it's was impossible for you to get frustrated, because the view in front of you was more than enough to push you over the edge. his hand moved over the bulge in his shorts, slowly moving up and down as his head fell back.

"god, I can't wait to fuck you." his eyes roamed your body, taking in the way your hair stuck to your forehead. "hold your arms above your head, doll."

trying your hardest to ignore the slick that lined your inner thighs, your arms raised and you gripped the pillow covers while you watched him pull his shorts down.

no matter how many times you've had sex with him, his cock never fails to make your core throb with anticipation. the tip was bright red, and a vein ran from underside the base all the way to the tip. just the thought of tasting him had drool pooling in your mouth.

he took one of your legs and placed it on his shoulder, gripping your calf as he ground down into you. "you're always so good for me, and you never fail to make me weak,"

"my valentine."

he pushed in slowly, watching your every movement to make sure that you weren't in any pain. your eyes screwed shut, taking in the way he filled you up perfectly. it was like you two were made for eachother, a perfect fit.

his hips soon found a rhythm that had you both seeing stars, the only thing being heard throughout your shared apartment being your moans and his grunts along with the sound of skin on skin.

his skin was warm against yours, beads of sweat trickling down his chest and onto his abs the flexed with every thrust he gave you. "mingi, right there!"

he payed attention to the way you squeezed around him, not wanting to cum just yet and trying his hardest to feel you cum first. "you close, sweetheart?"

you nodded your head, unable to form proper words with the way his cock kept hitting your sweet spot. "f-fuck,"

your lower half felt numb except where you both met, and he dropped the leg that was on his shoulder so he could lean down and reach deeper inside you.

it was the way the tip of his cock hit your cervix multiple times that made your legs twitch, your body going numb as you came with a loud moan. it was too much for mingi to handle, and he could feel himself slip over the edge when you screamed his name.

his hips slowed down, pulling out of you and rolling on his back beside you. you were both exhausted, but as much as you wanted to snuggle into his chest and let sleep take over you, you both really needed to get cleaned up.

"I'll go turn the shower on," he said, kissing your lips and sitting up. you couldn't help but laugh at him, it was like he knew what you were thinking.

"thank you, mingi."

he could feel your eyes on him when he stood up and made his way to the bathroom, and some part of him made him feel all shy like he hadn't just ruined you five minutes earlier.

"if you keep staring at me like that, I might have to go back in for round two." he laughed out.

you giggled, pulling the blanket over your body, "happy valentine's day, baby."

─────

#mingi smut #mingi fluff #mingi angst #ateez smut #ateez fluff #ateez angst #kpop smut #kpop fluff #kpop angst #ateez #kpop #ateez scenarios #ateez fic #ateez mingi #ateez x reader #kpop boy group #kpop fanfic #mingi scenarios #happy valentines day

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devilishsahbi · 5 years ago

Note

Hello! I saw you're requests open and I was wondering if I could ask for an nsfw request with mammon? I'm a real sucker for soft sweet nsfw stuff so like maybe a confession scenario because Lucifer seems really interested in mc and mammon gets jealous? And sweet sentimental first time together, lots of I love yous lol Only if you want to of course! Thanks!

a/n: this is almost 5k words of like... angst and fluff and then smut. so, i hope you enioy! 💕

different sides of love. mammon x fem! reader

GREED. IT WAS HIS SAVING grace, his addiction, his curse⏤he desired all that the world could give him, wanted nothing more than to have his pockets full of grimm and still not have enough to satisfy his wants and needs. At least, that was what he told himself, until that greed, the pivotal part of his sin, became skewed towards something else.

His greed now extended towards you. Your smiles, fond hugs even though he pushed you away, the sleepy jokes you'd text him at night, even the barest glance in his direction. All of it. He wanted all of it and more, more than you would ever give him, because he desired more than just kind words and sweet reassurances from you.

He wanted your love.

For him, the words would never come. He expressed it in other ways, as often as he could, even if you didn't notice or know it was him. A little extra grimm in your wallet; some food hidden from Beel during his kitchen raids; text messages late at night when you couldn't sleep through the devildom storms, even when he was dog tired and unable to keep his eyes open; and when you were awake writing essays, the faintest glow of your pact mark upon your hip even if you didn't see it.

Mammon could feel it, sometimes, if he tried hard enough, when you traced it with your fingers. Felt your touch like a hot, iron brand, because while he had the ability to stop it, to not get feedback from the magic that bound you, he didn't want to. It both tortured him and pleased him to know that you acknowledged the mark at all, even if it was absentmindedly touching it out of habit.

So when Lucifer stepped in and changed made his interest in you known, it pissed him off. All in the span of a week, the most powerful of them had shifted gears the moment he sensed competition and had made it a point to draw your attention to him, to engorge his pride as the eldest⏤and the eldest got everything he wanted. Power. Prestige. Fear.

At dinner, when Mammon's boiling point reached a peak, Lucifer made his final move. It was as Asmodeus was lecturing Beel on getting oil in his pores and everyone else was listening to the conversation, laughing, that he spoke up. Mammon could make out the words, make out what was being said.

Lucifer had offered you a night in his room.

He didn't even wait to hear your answer. He was so wrapped up in trying not to snap⏤he had the most control out of all of them, damn it, and he wouldn't let his jealousy and greed stop that⏤that he got up out of his chair and left the house without even saying a word. Left his D.D.D, wallet, and keys on the belfry, and slammed the door behind him.

He hadn't even stopped to listen to you say,"No."

You waited for Mammon to return, even after everyone else retired to bed. You deliberately ignored the suggestive brow raise that Lucifer gave you as he big you goodnight, nervously clutching Mammon's D.D.D in your hands and watching the door nervously. You were too worried to even think about that now, not even what it meant.

You tried desperately to contact him through your pact, but he was either ignoring you or had cut off the connection somehow. As far as you knew, he had never cut the connection before⏤Satan had told you that Mammon almost always kept his pact marks with the witches closed, but exclusively left yours open for use. And now it was closed or entirely useless.

The clock hand ticked past eleven, twelve, and approached one without Mammon giving even the slightest sign of showing back up. You would normally text him by now, but he had left his D.D.D and wallet, and it was raining so hard outside that your gut clenched painfully at the thought of him walking in the rain without even a way to call for help.

It wasn't like he would call you, though. He never did, even if it was clear he needed it; his brothers were cruel, even if it wasn't completely obvious to any of them that they were. They always thought the worst of him, even though he thought the best of them always. You saw it in his easy submissiveness, the carefully orchestrated plans to get them to interact with him even if it was in anger. You didn't understand why he would go to such lengths to earn even the slightest of attentions from his brothers; you had tried desperately to offer him that kind of affection, but he pushed you away every time, like it wasn't what he wanted.

You had no clue what to do anymore.

When it became clear that you were sitting up for nothing, you went upstairs to take a shower. A hot one, one that you would regret later when your nerves were screaming at you to stop and turn down the heat, but you needed something to take your mind off of Mammon and the insane need to go outside in the storm and find him. A shower was the best way to do that.

As you got the water running and set out your favorite pajama set, you took the time to look at the pact mark sitting proudly on your hip⏤perhaps greedily, you second guessed. It devoured the expanse of your pelvic bone, diving down the curve of your hip to lick at the start of your thigh, curling into the valley between hip and leg. It was a startling golden yellow, more vibrant than a tattoo, and held more heat than the rest of your body. Your other pact marks never felt like Mammon's; they were cut off, blocked, and nearly transparent on your skin. You never asked them why.

And, as odd as it sounded, you felt it was too personal to even try to.

You stayed in the shower for a good while, waiting until your fingers pruned and all of the worry had seeped out of your body. But the moment you stepped out of the shower and pulled your nightclothes on, your thoughts went straight back to Mammon, worrying⏤what if he had gotten called by one of those witches? What if he had gotten trapped in town?

On the way back to your room, you peeked inside Mammon's bedroom. It was dark, still, and not a thing had been moved, from what you could tell. So you shut it, gently, and padded down to your door and slipped inside before any of the other brothers could bother you. You didn't know if you could deal with Asmo's teasing or Lucifer's suggestions right now without blowing up and going to Purgatory Hall, or chasing after Mammon.

Flicking the light on with an angry sigh, you tore the towel off of your head and looked towards your desk for your D.D.D⏤and froze.

There, with his elbows propped on his knees and head bowed, was Mammon. Rain water dripped from his hair and landed in solid droplets on the carpet floor; his jacket had been abandoned, his white t-shirt nearly transparent and clinging to his lean frame; he was thoroughly soaked to the bone, and yet he wasn't even shivering like you would if you had stepped outside. Steam from his abnormal body temperature evaporating the water curled into the air; your room felt half like a sauna.

"Mammon?" You breathed, rushing over to him in relief. He didn't move or acknowledge you as you gripped his shoulders and pushed him back to look at his face. "Oh, Mammon…"

He looked like he had been sent through the wringer and back. A fresh bruise was blooming on his jaw, already fading rapidly with his healing. He had several scratches on his cheek and near his eye. His lip looked to have been busted open several times, the wound not quite healing completely. All of the scrapes and cuts were dirty, hindering his power to some extent⏤or he was holding back, as usual, because he felt he deserved it.

Mammon had gone looking for a fight and, clearly, had found one. Several, by the looks of it.

With shaking fingers, you tipped his head back and examined the scrapes more thoroughly by your lamp. Traced the skin with a pained grimace. "Mammon, what happened to you?"

He didn't answer. You didn't know if you wanted to hear one.

"Let's get these cleaned up, okay? But get out of those wet clothes, please. I'm sure you have a pair of sweatpants in here from that heatwave last week."

When you moved away from him and turned your back to rifle through your closet to find the first aid kit⏤you had invested quite heavily in it after realizing how prone you were to "accidents" with the brothers⏤you heard the sound of wet clothes being peeled off and dropped to the floor. It took everything you had in you not to imagine the way the fabric parted from his skin, glistening in the light and beads of water tracking down his neck from his hair.

You tore open a few packs of alcohol wipes and bandaids, listening to him shuffle from your chair to your bed. He let out a faint groan as he sat down, the springs shifting and popping underneath, and you winced at the thought of him hurting. He probably was in some pain, if he had gotten into as many fights as you thought he had.

When you were sure he had made himself at least partially decent, you turned around and made a pointed effort not to let your eyes sink directly to the indentations of his hips or the faint dusting of pale hair that vanished into the sweatpants.

With all of your supplies on the bed beside him, you nudged yourself between his legs and moved his face up where you could clean the wounds out properly. He didn't even fight you as you moved his head around, hands coming up to rest lightly on the sides of your legs when you were close enough that your body was a hair's breath away from touching his.

Something was seriously up with him, but you didn't even know where to start.

"These look awful," was all you could say as you picked up an alcohol wipe and began cleaning the outside of the wounds. Gravel and dirt came away on the cloth. His eyebrows furrowed at the sting, but that was all of the reaction you got. A normal Mammon would be milking it for all it was worth; but instead, he was completely, utterly silent. "I hope whoever did this is crying in a back alleyway, just so you know."

His lip quirked. Just a bit.

When you were done with the scratches and the deep gash near his eyebrow, you moved on to the gastly split in his lip. When you ran the alcohol wipe over it, it bled anew, aggravated by the sudden movement. You dabbed at it carefully after that, unaware as Mammon carefully began following the curls of his pact mark peeking out of your pajama shorts.

"Ya didn't have to do that," he whispered when you were finished. His voice was completely hoarse, as if he had been yelling at the top of his lungs for the past three hours, when he spoke. "I could'a done it myself."

"You could have, but you were already here." You tossed the bloody wipes in the trash can beside your bed, then settled your hands on his shoulders. The skin was cold from the rain, but underneath you felt the demonic heat surging just under the surface. You half expected him to stutter out an objection and shove you away. It didn't happen. "And… I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Wha' for?" Mammon sneered in reply. His lip cracked open and a thin line of blood ran down his chin. "Wasn't like anyone else was worried. Luci never is."

"Lucifer?" You inquired, feeling his fingers tighten on your legs as you uttered the name. The controlled bunching of muscles against the pads of your fingers, moving as he stiffened up. "What does he have to do with this?"

Mammon snorted. Whoever this was, you weren't familiar with them; the scummy second born had vanished. In his place was this raw, angry man who had no idea what to do with his anger except put it out on someone else.

"When does he not?" He huffed. His breath ruffled the slowly drying strands of hair near your collarbone. "He's got everything ta do with this. I could've killed him, then. But I did'n. I had to leave. Do somethin'."

"What…? What did he…?" Your thoughts drew back to dinner; at what Lucifer had asked you. Offered you, since it was your decision. You had told him no, but Mammon had stormed out before that. It had been odd, but Asmo had assured you it happened all the time… But now, you had a sinking feeling in your gut that told you it was for a good reason. "Oh."

"Uh-huh." Mammon pushed you away then, gently, and got to his feet. His eyes were fixated on the door. "I'm gonna go ta bed. 'Night."

"W-wait!" You grabbed his wrist and pulled him back; or tried to, anyways. He stopped, half turned his head to you to listen. "I didn't… You just… You left before I answered. I told him no."

He laughed, sarcastic and sharp. "Sure you did."

"I did. I mean, I really did tell him no." You watched the muscle in his jaw tic. "You really worried me, Mammon, leaving like that. I thought something bad had happened to you…"

"Is tha' all that stopped ya?" His voice was painfully soft. "From tellin' him yes? Me leavin'?"

Your stomach rolled. You hadn't intended on telling him like this, but there was no other option. You could let him leave, let him hate both you and Lucifer forever; or, you could tell him that you loved him, and erase that hard frown on his face.

It was obvious what you chose.

"Mammon." You approached him carefully, releasing his wrist the closer you got to him. You stood toe to toe with him, him a little taller than you were, and reached up to hold his face in your palms. His expression didn't change, but you felt him tensing, felt his entire body shift at the touch. He looked so sad, angry, and fatally jealous all at once that it made your heart hurt to even look at him. "I told Lucifer no because I don't love him. I love you⏤the great Mammon, avatar of greed, the scummy second born. Not him. Just you."

And before he could register your words, you rose up on your toes and kissed him. You were gentle, mindful of his split lip, and felt the slow pull of his face turn into shock.

You pulled away, just so you could meet his gaze, noses brushing. His eyes were wide, pupils blown, and a faint blush had crept up his cheeks. He suddenly felt far too warm, the rain completely evaporating off of him in wispy curls. You watched him swallow, his throat working around a knot.

"It's okay if you don't feel the same," you whispered, reluctance in your tone as you lowered yourself to your heels. Your hands dropped from his face to rest lightly on his chest. "I didn't know what I was⏤"

Your breath left your lungs when you were scooped up, pressed so close to him that you felt every muscle against your body flex, his body heat sinking through the flimsy silk pajamas you wore. His lips pressed brutally against yours, hard and searching, fingers digging into the soft flesh of your hips.

You pulled away, desperate for air. He chased your lips before you could take a breath, claiming them once more, dragging your bottom lip between his teeth. You tasted blood, but it wasn't yours; it was oddly sweet, blooming from his split lip. He didn't seem to mind, tongue swiping against the part of your mouth deliciously.

Mammon shifted your weight abruptly, bringing you up by your legs to position you higher. Your locked your ankles around his waist, fearful of falling on the floor, and his hands snuck up the backs of your thighs and under the silk of your pajama shorts, gripping the flesh in a bruising hold.

"Mammon," you gasped when he released your lips, dragging his mouth down the side of your cheek to press kisses to the hollow of your throat. "I don't… Are you s-sure?"

"Sure o' what?" His voice was rough, grainy with lust when he pulled back from your neck. You watched as his eyes, normally a brilliant cerulean blue, darkened when witnessing the flush of your face, the swell of your lips. He held your weight with an arm under your legs, the other coming up to brush your lips with his thumb.

"Of… this." You swallowed deeply when he moved his hand down to cup the side of your neck, fingers hovering over the fluttering pulse of your artery. "Me. I'm just a human. You even said so yourself⏤"

"I lied." He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead. His entire body relaxed, as if that anger and tension and jealousy had been drained out of him on one fell swoop. "You ain't just any human. You're my human. Got it?"

That was as close to a confession as you were going to get. The honesty in his eyes was overpowering; the scarlet flush of his cheeks hot underneath your questing fingers; even his heartbeat told you all that you needed to know.

He meant it.

"Got it," you whispered faintly. He grinned then, a flash of teeth, and began walking towards your bed. "What…?"

Mammon dropped you on the bed like a dead weight. The back of your head hit one of your softest pillows and you squirmed to get comfortable as he parted your legs and moved himself between them, placing his hands on either side of your face.

You stilled, a deer in headlights as you met his predatory gaze with your own. His pupils had shrunk into narrow slits, much like his demon form's when he was irritated. But then he seemed to calm down, his aggression softening, his pupils returning back to normal. His fists relaxed on either side of your head.

"Sorry," he croaked, leaning down and burying his face in the curve of your shoulder. Your eyes fluttered closed as he placed kisses upon the skin there. "Almost lost it there. Figured ya didn't wanna deal with that right now."

"You mean you almost shifted?" You inquired, humming pleasantly underneath his attentions. He was placing hickeys wherever he could reach, moving his hands to sneak up your shirt and take a firm hold of your hips. "Mammon?"

"Mmf. Yeah." The pale haired demon shifted between your legs, but this time you clearly felt his arousal thigh, hot and pressing against the sweatpants he wore. He moved again, this time hissing right in your ear when he pressed firmly against your heat, the silk shorts and underwear already damp. "Shit, [Name]. Shit. I ain't gonna last long like this."

You had half a mind to tell him, desperate for friction he wasn't giving you, to just go for it raw. But he seemed to have other plans in mind, shimmying down your body. You whimpered at the loss of contact, attempting to rub your thighs together, but his hands came down on your knees and spread them apart.

"Uh-uh." Mammon hooked his fingers in the waistband of your pajama pants and panties, dragging them down and off of your body. You gasped at the feel of cool air between your legs, automatically attempting to close them again, but Mammon nudged them back open and settled between them. "There. Look at ya, all wet and ready ready for me."

"Mammon…" you whined. You fisted your hands in the pillow beneath your head.

"Are ya still sure?" When you looked down between your legs, at his face, he looked hesitant. Unsure. His fingers ghosted around your knees but never went farther. Insecurity was creeping in and you cursed his brothers for making him this way; you were absolutely certain that, before they had fallen, he hadn't been like this. But then he wouldn't have been Mammon. "I, uh, don't wanna force ya into somethin' ya don't want."

You smiled reassuringly and sat up, moving your hands to cradle his face once more. He leaned into the kiss you offered him, hands sinking into the bend of your hips. You pulled back, stroking his cheekbones with your thumbs. The scratches and gashes had already healed. "I'm sure, Mammon. I've wanted this for… a while now. If you're having second thoughts…"

"No." It was a growl; but he almost immediately became a little embarassed by it. He ran his hands up your back and fiddled with the clasp of your bra. "No. I'm not havin' second thoughts. I'd be stupid if I did."

You pulled your shirt off when he had managed to unhook your bra, tossing both items somewhere on the floor. You then reached for him again, smattering kisses all over his face. You felt his skin grow hotter under the affection, felt him press as close as he could in the position he was in. "Pants off. I feel way underdressed."

He snickered, fully back to himself, and wormed out of the sweatpants, kicking them off on the floor. He didn't give you time to admire him in his full glory, lit with the gentle light of your lamp, and got on his knees, dragging you into his lap.

You felt him⏤all of him⏤pressing against you, as close as a second skin, unnaturally warm and smooth. He didn't move to kiss you and instead let you thread your fingers through his hair, staring at your face with adoring eyes.

If he had been anyone else, they would have told you they loved you. What came out of his mouth as he moved in to rest his forehead on your shoulder, kissing your collarbone, was far better than any simple 'I love you'.

"My human," he breathed. He rolled his hips against you, devouring the sharp inhale you took at the sudden friction. "No one else's."

"No one else's," you agreed, a cracked moan passing your lips when he rolled against you once more, following a deep, hard rhythm that you had no doubt he would be mimicking inside you in short order. "I love you, Mammon. I really, really do."

He grunted into your shoulder, unwilling to give up the dry thrusts he was using to maintain his sanity. You felt his acknowledgement of the words in the gooseflesh rising all over his body. You smothered a loud cry into his neck when one particular upward roll of his hips had the head of his cock pressing sweetly into you. Just for an instant, and then it was gone, with him mumbling,"Shit. Up."

You lifted your hips obediently, following the urging of his hand on your hip. He slipped his free fingers into you, groaning against your breasts when you unintentionally dug your fingers into his hair and pulled him closer.

A few strokes and they were gone, leaving you nearly irate with need. You squirmed, close to reaching down and stimulating yourself, but he batted your hand away and positioned himself at your entrance.

"Gonna be a tight squeeze," he whispered against your breast,"but I doubt ya have the patience for anythin' else."

"You're not wrong," you whispered, words muffled by a moan as he finally sank inside you. It was most definitely a tight squeeze; the bare thrusts he had given you before weren't indicative of his size in the least. You gripped his shoulders, half in pain half in pleasure as you lowered yourself at your own pace, eyes watering dangerously⏤with happy tears, you noted, feeling the antsy flutter of your heart.

He rubbed your back and let out sharp exhales the more of him you took in. When you finally hit the hilt, hips flush against his, he locked his arms around you and whispered, strained,"Don't. Move. Please."

You froze in place. Listened to him breathe deep, not just because of the threat of him orgasming right then and there, but because you felt his body temperature skyrocket. Felt the bristling of his back as his wings threatened to tear through his human form. Felt heat against your cheek where his horns would be.

"Mammon?" You asked quietly, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Mammon took a few deep, calming breaths, before placing a kiss on your neck. "Yep. Just a minute. Gotta… shit, hold on."

And you were falling onto your back, Mammon pushing past what you thought you had already taken, and sitting far more deeply within you than you had expected. Your mouth popped open at the sweet burn of being stretched, turning into a moan when he pulled out and sunk back inside.

"Better," he mumbled to himself, reaching up and lacing his fingers with yours. Your fingers tightened against his as he repeated the motion, rolling his hips and teasing you relentlessly. "You alright?"

"Perfect." You locked your ankles somewhere above his tailbone and leaned up, catching him in a deep kiss. He pressed you back down, unconcerned as his weight bore down, and ran his tongue over your bottom lip. You nipped at the sore scab on his bottom lip before allowing his tongue to move past your mouth, swiping against yours almost lovingly.

Then, he began to move. Your legs clamped tight against his hips, moving with each thrust he gave you, deep and pointed and ramming against the sweet spot every time. Every rock of his hips was solid, measured, and had you to the brink of tears once more.

He broke from the kiss and buried his face in your neck, panting hard. You could already feel the pressure behind your navel building, curling into a feeling that you couldn't ignore. You managed to bury your scream in your pillow just seconds before it came, teeth boring down on the fabric as your orgasm rocked through you like an earthquake.

Mammon continued on, this time a little less controlled, chasing his own release as you rode out yours, chanting your name desperately. You felt yourself clamp down on him, arousal building once more at the desperation in his voice, and just as he reached his peak, you heard the whoosh of wings, felt the swelling inside you reach a head, and teeth sink down into your shoulder.

He came hard, slamming himself back inside you with one final thrust, every muscle in his body as tight as a strung wire. His hands tightened against yours with enough force that you almost were sure he would break your fingers in half.

All at once, he relaxed against you, wings stretched pleasantly into the air. You giggled tiredly and touched one, startled when he twitched inside you.

Mammon leaned back and pushed up onto his hands, meeting your amused gaze with an almost horrified and bewildered look. "I couldn't stop it."

"I know." You laughed and slung an arm around his neck, dragging him down into a sloppy kiss. "You bit me, though."

"Yeah." He sounded sheepish now, but you detected a smug undercurrent as he reached up and traced the brand new mark on your shoulder. Take that, Lucifer. You'd notice it in the morning and, hopefully, not beat him into next week for it. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Mm. It's fine." You sighed when he pulled out of you and tugged his sweatpants back on. His wings and horns vanished like they had never been there. "What are you doing?"

"I was goin' back to my room." Mammon blinked at you as if it was obvious. "Why?"

"I wanted you to stay." You rolled over and patted the open spot beside you. "Just for tonight, if you're uncomfortable with that⏤"

"Hell no, move over for the great Mammon!"

fin.

#mammon #obey me x reader #obey me #obey me mammon x reader #obey me mammon #swd mammon #mammon x mc #mammon x reader

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sleepybutwriting · 5 years ago

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I Believe You're My Soulmate | Wakatoshi x Reader

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Pairing: Ushijima Wakatoshi x Reader

Summary: Soulmate AU where the first thing your soulmate says to you is written on your wrist. With the phrase you got, you always pictured your soulmate as some nerdy guy, but boy are you wrong.

_____

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I believe you’re my soulmate.”

Those were the first words you would receive from your soulmate, engraved on your wrist as a constant reminder that your true love was out there somewhere. And he was a huge fucking nerd!

At least that’s what you had always pictured. Why else would the first words of your soulmate be so formal?

As much as you liked the idea of one day putting a face to the sentence, you never thought of finding your soulmate as a top priority. You believed that whatever happened, happened, and you would find them when you were ready. So in the meantime, you focused on you.

And along the journey of finding yourself, you always managed to learn something new. For example, you really loved to play volleyball. You first got into it when one of your friends Hinata from middle school had begged you to set for him. The more you learned about it, the more you wanted to do.

You ended up following him to Karasuno High, where you both continued your volleyball journey and joined the volleyball team. Although none of the girls on the girl’s volleyball team were as motivated as the guys one, so you would often end up sitting in and practicing with them whenever you had free time in order to get in some extra practice.

Today, Kageyama, wanted to work more on his serving, while, Hinata wanted to work on his spike, and you wanted to practice your receives, so you all made a plan to come in early and work with each other. It was the last day before summer break so you all thought it was important to cram in as much as you could. You were at it for almost an hour when the rest of the team finally showed up.

“Before we begin today, I have some great news” Takeda stated excitedly, causing everyone to abruptly stop and focus their attention on the young faculty advisor, “It appears that a few players from our team have been offered to attend the Shiratorizawa summer volleyball camp. It’s really hard to get into and although it only lasts for a few days, it’s a wonderful learning opportunity for up and coming players to expand their skillsets. Directed more for first years.”

Everyone’s mouth dropped, eyes staring expectantly waiting for Takeda to say which of them had got in. Even you were bouncing up and down silently praying that it was you who got picked. There would be nothing you would love more than to play with the best of the best from other schools. A good chance for you to show off your skills as well as learn new ones. You’d been waiting for another chance like this ever since you had played against Nekoma and Aoba Johsai in a practice match. You needed another challenge.

“What are you waiting for? Tell us who got in!” Tanaka shouted, unable to stand the suspense.

“Yeah!” Nishinoya added, backing him up. Takeda just grinned at their impatience before continuing.

“The players from Karasuno they selected are… Y/N, from the girl’s team, and Hinata, and Tsukishima from the boys.” You and Hinata stared at each other for a second before you both shouted out in joy, high fiving each other. The rest of the team also joined you giving the three of you a ‘congrats’ while patting your guys’ backs. Tsukishima didn’t seem affected by the news, the serious look he always kept on his face never fading.

“Wow, Tsukki! This is great. Aren’t you happy?” Yamaguchi questioned him.

“I would expect them to choose someone like me. And I guess I could picture why they would pick Y/N. What she lacks in blocking, she makes up for in receiving and attacking. But what I don’t get, is why they picked a small fry like Hinata.” Tsukishima answered, obviously trying to rile him up. But Hinata played right into his hand, marching right over to him and beginning to argue with him on how he’s improved.

You probably would have done the same if you weren’t already used to Tsukkis cold personality. You knew he just got a kick out of getting a rise out of people and accepted it as a part of him, so it doesn’t bother you as much as it did when you first met him.

When school had finally ended for the break, you were eager to already begin camp, not wanting to wait until tomorrow. But the day had arrived sooner than you had expected. Shiratorizawa Academy wasn’t too far from Karasuno. You had passed it plenty of times when out on your team practice jogs. But you and Hinata had still made a plan to meet up halfway so you could walk in together.

You had told Tsukki about it, but he wasn’t interested. Stating that, ‘just because we’re on the same team, doesn’t mean we actually have to show up together.’ So it was just the two of you. Both gleaming with excitement.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” Hinata asked jumping up and down in place, unable to contain his excitement. With each step you took, you could also feel your smile beginning to grow.

“Of course not. How could I?”

“Me neither. Kageyama was trying to hide it, but I could tell he was jealous.” Hinata laughed, thinking back to Kageyama’s face when he heard the news. “Man, I wish we were there already.”

“Well, then why are we walking so slow? Let’s pick up the pace already.”

“Last one there has to pick up balls next practice match?”

“Deal.” and with those final words, you both took off right towards the Academy at full speed, trying to outrace the other.

You had arrived out of breath and sweaty, nearly collapsing the second you both passed through the doors to the gym. “I win!” You both shouted at the same time. “No, I did!” you both argued again simultaneously.

Hinata quickly looked around the gym before locking eyes with Tsukishima and calling him over. “Who do you think won?”

“You’re both losers to me, so what does it matter? And I would appreciate it if you two didn’t acknowledge me while we’re here. I’m here to learn. Not babysit.” And with that, he turned and walked away not wanting to discuss the topic further.

“Dang that was harsh.” You mumbled, watching him walk away.

“Yeah. He must not have slept much either,” Hinata joked, causing the both of you to snicker.

The first day of camp had you all riled up. You had seen a lot of people from other schools that you had recognized, but a few people were completely new. Some you had never even heard of, but all of them were great players, even for being first years. You felt really intimidated by everyone but had no problem getting along with, and even making friends with a few of the other girls, as well as a few of the guys.

And even after you had practiced all day, some of you would continue to practice playing two on two or even three on three matches. Just depending on how many people you had gathered that day. And this day was no different. You and Hinata had even convinced Tsukki to join you in a three on three practice match against, Kindaich from Aoba Johsai, Goshiki from Shiratorizawa, and Lev from Nekoma. Hinata even decided to up the stakes by making a wager that the losers had to clean up, and buy the winners dinner.

So now you were all pretty into it. Most of the other students had headed home, but a few upperclassmen from Shiratorizawa who had watched you all practice, lingered. Goshiki had mentioned that they were keeping an eye on him to take notes and tell him what he needs to improve on, but they were a little distracting. Mostly because of how intimidating they were.

Wakatoshi, who was apparently the ace that Goshiki had planned to replace, was really tall with a muscular build. While the redhead next to him, Tendo, was only slightly shorter with a skinnier frame. You weren’t exactly put off by them, but their general presence was pressuring. Although you had never officially met them, you had seen them play and they were both incredible. Practically unstoppable. And you wanted more than anything to be on there level. So, of course, it would be a distraction to play in front of them.

But nonetheless, you were determined to win. Mostly because you were starving and really didn’t want to clean up. So you gave it your all, Hinata and Tsukki doing the same.

The game was getting close to the end, and you just needed to score two more points to win. Thinking he had this, Hinata ended up screwing up on one of his receives and sent the ball flying backwards, directly towards the two upperclassmen who had lost interest a while back and were now talking to one another ignoring the match. Until someone shouted a “lookout!” successfully grabbing both of their attention.

Before you knew it, your body was flying towards the ball in a last-ditch effort to save it and send it back towards your two teammates. You jumped as high as you could and had managed to make contact, sending it over to them perfectly, but it had all happened midair, so as soon as you hit it, you lost your form and you were now heading straight for the ground before Wakatoshi caught you, causing you to crash into his chest instead of the floor.

You were trying to wrap your head around what just happened. It all happened so gracefully and fast that you were still in a little bit of a daze. Slowly, your mind started to come back to you. And as you processed what had happened, you couldn’t help yourself as you uttered out “what is this some kind of Wattpad novel?” while laughing like crazy.

It was just so smooth, and he was like a real-life prince that it had all fit so perfectly as something out of a storybook. Wakatoshi was about to speak before Tsukki yelled over at you abruptly interrupting him before he could get a word out.

“Hey! Do you want clean up duty or something? Quit screwing around, were outnumbered here!” Tsukkishima yelled, pulling your thoughts away from the man in front of you in time to remind you that you still had a game to win. You didn’t waste another second wiggling out of his grip and darting back on the court.

Hinata ended up scoring the last point earning you a final win. The two of you high-fiving while the three losers walked away sluggishly to the supply closet to get the cleaning equipment.

“That was a great spike, Hinata!” You praised, Tsukki just rolling his eyes and mumbling an ‘it was okay.’

“Forget my spike, what even was that save you did with the ball. I mean with your reflexes, you’d make a great Libero.”

“Ooo,” you responded giving the thought a once over, “I guess it would be fun to give Noya a run for his money.”

Tsukki just laughed at your comment, like it was the funniest joke you had told all year. “You’d make a better libero if you could catch your balance after you receive the ball.”

“Tsukki you’re always so cold. When will you just admit that you’re jealous of my mad receiving skills?” You argued before a deep voice sounded, cutting your argument short. You turned around only to come face to chest with your prince charming from earlier.

“I’m sorry to bother you,” Wakatoshi stated, bowing slightly at you, “but I believe you’re my soulmate.”

The two boys had the same shocked reaction as you, but they were still able to move unlike yourself. Immediately yanking their gazes to stare at your frozen form. Your brain had officially short-circuited. Here you were, staring up at this greek god, whos towering over you. He’s nothing like the nerdy kid you pictured as your soulmate. He was...better. Is that even possible?

How was it that the dream guy you pictured growing up, just seemed average when compared to your actual soulmate?

Oh, god. How long were you standing like this? You have to say something quickly. Your brain was yelling at you to respond to this man. You just kept repeating the phrase ‘say something cute.’ Hoping that something cute actually would come out and you would be able to win him over. Until finally, you managed to spit something out.

“H-hi soulmate. I’m Y/N.”

...Shit

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make-sterek-canon · 4 years ago

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That night I saved you || PolArm oneshot (KinnPorsche The Series)

Getting hurt being somebody's bodyguard is part of the job. It's inevitable.

Getting killed is another thing entirely. In Pol's eyes, it's unacceptable. Even more if the one at risk is Arm.

“That night I saved you”

[Pol’s POV] (Italics = emphasis/others; italics and bold = thoughts)

Extremely warm night. Sticky climate. His suit is completely ruined from all the sweat and dirtiness. There's also some blood mixed in there. Snot too, probably. Pol can't tell.

He's holding Arm down with one hand and the gun with the other. Arm is unconscious and not even responding to any external stimulus. All Pol can feel is his heart beating in his chest. Too slow to be noticed but it's something, some hope in the dark situation they're in.

Pol needs to get Arm out of there and fast or he'll lose him, and he's definitely not ready to say goodbye just yet. Maybe not ever.

He pushes the button on his earpiece but dead silence welcomes him from the other side. He takes off the damn thing rather violently. Time to put into action his last resort then.

"Pete! Pete!" His shouts fill the air. The bullets are still flying around and there's too much noise. He waits a few seconds, then tries again. Calling Pete desperately. Unrelenting sweat is falling down his face and neck, wetting even more his white (not anymore) shirt.

"Here!" He hears, and he sighs in relief.

"Listen! Can you handle it? I need to get Arm some help, he's in bad shape!"

"Go, I'll cover you!

That's all he needs to get going. Ducked behind a pile of sturdy-looking boxes, Pol tries to pinpoint Pete's position so he'll know where to move. Judging by his shouts he might be somewhere to the right and if Pol remembers correctly there's an exit that way. He needs to move to reach it though and it's easier said than done since he still has to protect both himself and Arm from getting hit by stray bullets. The only way is staying crouched while dragging Arm's motionless body.

Unresponsive as his fellow is, Pol is taking longer to do just that. He also needs to call someone to come and get them because they took Pete's car this time and of course he's the one that has the keys.

Pol curses under his breath. He'll definitely make a copy for next time. If there was a next time. There is still the possibility that none of them will survive the night after all.

After countless and torturous minutes he finds himself closer to the right side exit. This abandoned warehouse is big but not enough to get yourself lost.

Fortunately, no one has seen them and Pol hopes it stays that way for a bit longer.

"Hang in there, Arm. We're almost out."

He hasn't moved yet and Pol is starting to think that he's been dragging a corpse all along, but the sole thought is quickly getting to him and there's no time to lose.

The air is even more stickier and dense outside than inside the building, and Pol is heavily wheezing from the effort. Resting Arm's back against the facade, he places a hand on his chest to support him while taking the phone out with his free hand. Scratch that. He decides against it when not even two seconds have passed. They were not going to make it if they had to wait for someone from the major clan to come.

"Think, Pol. Think..."

Raising his eyes he suddenly notices an old gray Sedan some meters away, parked on the side of the smaller building, part of the main one but detached.

"This better work."

Hauling Arm as carefully as his own banged up body allows him, he walks to the vehicle. It should be easy to open since its windows are not armored as Pete's and the rest of their cars. Or if it's a getaway car as Pol suspects he could probably find the keys nearby, placed there for the owner to grant a fast escape.

First things first, he rests Arm against the car and checks to make sure it isn't open before looking for the keys. Crouching close to the driver's side tire Pol sticks his hand in the space between the car's fender and the tire, finding the keys on top of it. Bingo. After grabbing them he gets up and when a shot rings out, his hand opens on instinct dropping them to the ground. The bullet impacts against the gravel right next to where Arm is and Pol's breath stops working for a second, scared that he might have been hit.

"Where do you think you're going, scum? Put your hands up and turn around. Slowly."

Pol does as he's told, facing the man. He's pretty much average looking, not as big in size as Pol and he's definitely tired if his labored breathing is any indication. He has to take him down. And fast.

The quietness doesn't last long when the man steps forward with his gun still raised. The distance is shorter and Pol takes that chance to surprise his enemy, crouching down and getting some gravel to throw it to his face. That gets him a shout in response and he promptly throws himself against the man next to take the gun away. It flies off somewhere. But that's not the end of it. The man only needs a moment to collect himself and he attacks Pol. Avoiding blow after blow, he counterattacks when he has the opportunity, but he's not fast enough to block a sudden kick to the ribs. Falling to his knees in agonizing pain, Pol raises his head to look at the man, who's got a karambit and is brandishing it right in front of his face.

"Very nice... Just stay there like the dog you are. Fucking useless." He snickers and Pol flinches in disgust. "Your fuck-buddy must be dead, huh? Don't worry, you'll be following him soon enough..."

Pol glances Arm's way and his eyes tear up but he bites down hard on his lower lip to prevent the tears from falling. It's highly efficient since the pain distracts him from feeling anything else. He's not going to give the bastard the satisfaction to seeing him cry. Not for his own life, but for his fallen friend. The defiant look Pol sends the man's way makes him smile sadistically.

"Ah, that look... I'm so gonna enjoy butchering you like I would do a pig..."

A sudden movement causes Pol to look behind the man, a bit to his left. The man notices but it's not enough for him to turn around or even move. There's no time since he already has a bullet embedded in his skull. The dead body falls forward right into Pol but he moves before it touches him.

Still kneeling, he looks up at the shooter. Vegas.

"Empty promises... I hate people who are all bark and no bite the most." He says, with a gravely tone full of disdain.

And suddenly it's like a staring contest. But this time there's neither winner nor loser.

"Where's Pete?"

Pol is not sure if he should answer though he somehow knows that Vegas means no harm to his friend.

"Still inside."

"Get the fuck out of here or I'll finish you off. Less Kinn's bodyguards means less threats to my clan."

"Why won't you then?"

"What?"

"Finish us off."

"Let's just say that a certain someone wouldn't like that. Be grateful."

Guess who.

With nothing more to say, apparently, Vegas turns around and walks to the main building, gun in hand and ready. You can still hear some commotion happening inside. Pol watches him go for a second before getting up to get the keys from the gravel to open the car. He checks on Arm then, looking for his pulse in the neck. It's there. Weak, but there. Pol heaves a sigh of relief.

Getting him inside the car is not as easy at it looks but he manages to lay him down on the back seats. Pol is still not sure how is he that unconscious but he suspects he was brutally hit with something, and he worries that Arm might have a concussion since he's bleeding quite profusely from the head.

The road is completely empty on their way back and Pol speeds through it with too little care for anything else than getting Arm the help he needs.

Pol is so focused that he swerves and almost goes off the road when his phone rings unexpectedly, strident in the silent car.

His heart still in his throat, he answers after a few more tones ring.

"Pol, it's Pete."

"Hey... How are things there?" He asks the best he can, trying to steady his racing heart so it could return to normal.

"Calmer. I- I think we did it. The cargo is ours" Pete's voice is wavering a little, and Pol is not going to ask how they got it since he already knows. They had outside help and if Boss Korn found out he'd be anything but happy. But he won't say a thing. He's never been a whistleblower and he won't start now.

"Casualties?"

"Not many. We came prepared after all."

"Yeah..." Pol distractedly says, looking at Arm through the rearview mirror.

"What about Arm? Where are you taking him?"

"Where do you think?"

"Dr. Top? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Pol grips the steering wheel so hard that both his hands start hurting, and he asks with his teeth clenched. "I don't have many options at the moment, or do I?"

He doesn't trust the man either but it's also true that there's nobody else they can go to. Dr. Top is as mysterious as he is a good doctor, and he'll treat Arm fairly.

"Ok, ok. Do what you have to do."

Running a trembling hand through his thick and slightly sweaty hair, Pol exhales slowly. "Pete, Arm... he... I'm not sure if he's alive. He hasn't moved or anything since before we left. He had a pulse when I got him into the car, but it was weak. He... he may be dead for all I know and fuck, I'm not okay with that..."

"Pol, you need to calm down," Pete says softly. "It's going to be okay, you hear me? He's gonna be alright. He's one of the toughtest men I know. So stop thinking. It's definitely not helping."

"It's just-"

"No, and whatever you might want to say? Just keep it for when he comes around. Okay? Call me when you get there."

"Yeah."

"Pol."

"Yeah, alright. I'll call you."

"And... ?"

"Stop thinking. I got it the first time, Pete."

"Just in case you forgot."

"Right... See you."

"See ya."

Then Pol hears a "Vegas, what the f-" and suddenly the line is cut off.

He doesn't move or says anything for a while, but the silence becomes too much and he feels the need to fill it.

"Vegas came to help... Can you imagine? That sadistic bastard helping us... Well, more like helping Pete." Pol mumbles, looking in the rearview mirror from time to time. "He saved my life. I'm not sure if I should be grateful or scared. I owe him, big-time." He doesn't know what comes into him but in a flash, Pol hits the steering wheel quite violently. "Fuck, Arm. Talk. Open your damn eyes. Can you at least hear me?" Regret washes over him the second he explodes. "I can't believe I'm doing this... I'm sorry. Fuck. I'm sorry. I should have been there for you sooner. If you die...” Don't you dare die on me.

The Anakinn residence comes into sight, imposing and in complete darkness except for the lights on the front facade.

Next to it, Dr. Top's house lies. It kinda looks like a cabin and it has all the comodities and necessities but if he lives there is basically because it is in his contract. Other than that, he comes and goes at will. No questions asked.

Getting out of the car Pol opens the back door to take Arm out. He doesn't even care about leaving the car open since it's not his and carries Arm bridal style towards the house. The entrance light turns on before he reaches the wooden door and it opens, showing the doctor in silky maroon pajamas. He's the definition of tall, dark and handsome. That's probably why Boss Tankhun and Vegas' brother Macao are head over heels for the man.

"Sleeping, Doc?"

The man smirks for a microsecond and urges Pol to get inside. "Leave him on the dining room table." He quickly follows the orders. It was like someone had told the doctor that they were coming because the table was clearly prepared for an emergency. Leaving him there, Pol steps back. That's when he takes a moment to evaluate Arm's state by himself. He's too damn pale. But other than that he looks like he's sleeping.

"Can you tell me what happened to him?" The doctor asks while checking Arm for vitals and shining a light into his eyes.

"I don't really know. I wasn't even close when it happened." Pol explains. "But I guess he was hit with some kind of weapon or thrown against something..." He stops talking, swallowing hard when he notices that his voice is breaking.

"It must be a concussion... Has he been unconscious the whole time?"

So I was right. Pol nods, not trusting his voice just yet.

"I'm gonna need you to be vocal, Pol. Get yourself together and talk."

"Y- yeah, he's been like that since I found him lying on the ground."

"That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Pol clenches his fists. Son of a...

"Okay, you can wait outside. Drink some water. Eat something. Do whatever you want, but get out of my sight."

"What? No-"

"Yes, Pol. You're making me uncomfortable, and you don't want Arm to suffer the consequences, right?"

Frowning and still with his fists clenched, he barks a resounding negative, storming out of the dining room after glancing at Arm for a brief second.

If he lets himself get carried away and closes the door with more force than necessary nobody can really blame him.

Pol doesn't know how much time he spends sitting on that awfully orange colored sofa, but he's been dozing off for a while, his eyes opening and closing non-stop.

But he knows he obviously lost the battle when he's startled awake by a hand shaking him. His own grabs that hand determined to get it off him in the worst way possible but he's promptly stopped by a familiar voice calling his name. "Pol, it's me."

Pete's delicate face welcomes him when he opens his eyes. "Pete. You're here." Surprise follows and he sits upright. "Why are you here? I thought you were with V-"

"He dropped me off and went back to work. He's got some unfinished business to attend..."

"Yeah, I can only imagine." Pol snorts, running a hand through his hair and clearing his throat. He feels it scratchy, like something got stuck there.

"Have you drank or ate anything? I don't want to be that person but you look bad..." And it must be true when his friend is looking at him in such a worrisome way. He doesn't even get upset for not having called him.

"I just can't... I feel like throwing up every time I think about it. Arm..." The reality hits Pol in that exact moment he remembers why he's in the state he is in. "Fuck. Arm. Pete, how is he? Do you know? Has the doctor talked to you? Is Arm... ?"

"Stop. Man, you're freaking out and that's not going to help either of you," Pete tries to calm Pol, taking his hands between his. "He's alive. He's fine. But he's not waking up. Dr. Top said that it'll probably take some more time for him to come to his senses. He also said that he's suffering from a severe concussion and that he's lucky he has no brain damage. So it's just a matter of time until he..."

"I want to see him." Pol declares, getting up in such a rush that it desestabilizes him for a second.

"You're going to hurt yourself even more. So stubborn..." Pete mutters, frowning while holding him by the elbows. "Has Dr. Top checked you up? Ah, don't bother answering. I already know what you're gonna say. Sit, for fuck’s sake."

"I need to see him," Pol almost begs. He just wants to see with his own eyes that Arm is alive. Is that so hard to understand?

"No, it's not." It's almost as if his friend had read his thoughts but he just said it aloud. "You know, it should have come as a surprise... but it just makes perfect sense. You are always together, and don't let me get started with those meaningful stares and little touches... Say, when you do you think it all started?"

"What do you mean?" He's still not ready to admit it out loud. Not if he can help it. So he chooses to play dumb instead.

Too bad Pete doesn't think the same.

"When did you fall in love?"

"You're being more nosy than usual..."

"I'm just curious."

"Should I ask you the same then? About you and that... man?" Pol answers back, quite forcefully.

Pete stills for a moment, with his eyes being the only thing giving him away. "I guess I deserved that one."

Feeling bad, Pol quickly backpedals. "No, I'm sorry. I just don't want to talk about it. It's not the moment nor the place."

"You're right," Pete shrugs sending him a tiny smile. "But don't think this is over."

"Oh, trust me. If I know you, and I think I do quite well, I just know you're not dropping it out anytime soon."

"Just delaying it. Because you look awful and I pity you."

Pol can barely contain a laugh. Pete is that good. He's a ray of sunshine among the darkness that lives within them. Even when he's had it really bad himself. Being a ball of happiness is his greatest charm.

"Okay, jerk, now make yourself useful and take me to him."

“Methinks you should ask nicely,” Pete pouts, obviously faking being upset.

“Well, me thinks you're being ridiculous.”

“Ah, you're no fun...” Sighing, Pete puts an arm around Pol's waist, and he instinctively puts his right arm around Pete's shoulder as support. "Alright then, I'll take you to your lover boy. He's rocking the Sleeping Beauty look, let me tell you."

"I'm telling him once he wakes up."

"Oh yeah? Then I'll tell Boss Tankhun to punish you later.

Pol snorts. "As if I hadn't had enough beatings for two lifetimes..."

"At least you weren't almost killed like a million times. Those guys were ruthless. The bullets kept coming and I thought I was a goner."

"You don't know the half of it," he mutters shaking his head, remembering how Vegas had saved his ass. Probably the same way he had saved Pete's if you think about it.

It seems like while Pol was asleep Dr. Top had moved Arm from the dining room to the guest room that was next to the kitchen and the toilet. Not by himself, of course, but with Pete's help.

The bedroom is neither big nor small, and it looks cozy with that warm wall decor paper beige colored with golden motifs. There are some paintings and portraits here and there, and a wardrobe in the bottom right corner, not too far from the full sized bed.

Arm lies there, still a bit too pale but he doesn't look like he's dying anymore. Pete was right in his Disney comparison and Pol cracks a smile.

"Whistle if you need me. I'll be in the living room." Pete interrupts his train of thought and he just nods, following his friend with his gaze as he leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

Turning around, Pol walks to the bed and sits on the right edge, facing Arm. His hand moves before he can think about it and he places it over Arm's heart. His heartbeat is steady and Pol closes his eyes to calm himself. They're both safe and together. Together... As if the touch was burning him he removes his hand from Arm's chest.

"I'm going crazy... There's no other explanation." Pol sighs, running a hand through his hair as a nervous gesture. "You really need to wake up, Arm. That doctor freaks me out and I don't like the thought of you spending the night here. I want us to go home."

It's right then when Pol notices that Arm's hand is palm up on the sheets in a clear invitation. After clenching and unclenching his fist a few times, he closes the distance and grabs Arm's hand with his own, lacing their fingers. He's almost tempted to kiss the back of his hand, but what he does is leaning towards Arm to whisper in his ear in a soft tone: "Are you going to leave me hanging? I didn't peg you as a cruel man..."

At first Pol thinks it's his brain playing tricks on him or maybe a muscle reflex but when it happens again it makes him lose his breath. Something is squeezing his hand. Leaning back a little, he looks into Arm's chocolate eyes, unblinking. Awake at last.

"We're even then, because neither I pegged you as a romantic man..." His voice sounds extremely hoarse but it's like music to Pol's ears.

Wetting his lips, he smiles from ear to ear. "Ass."

This time, neither of them smile in solitude.

~~o~~

Hi!

Writing this second oneshot was a challenge. It almost killed me, haha. But it was fun and I loved writing it. So worth it!

I hope you guys like it ^^

Here’s the first ArmPol oneshot I wrote. This one is a continuation. Kind of~

I’ll probably write a third one (last?) and maybe a Vegas/Pete spin-off!

Now go give the teaser for the series some love.

Thank you! <3

~Aeriel

#kinnporsche #kinnporsche the series #polarm #armpol #jobbas #basjob #fanfiction #my creations

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