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libidomechanica · 1 month ago

Text

“The joys growing—whether did fret”

A ballad sequence

The joys growing—whether did fret. She was broughten afar: for another, which such discussion. Now in patterned

discontented least; but which like home. And, Julia, that struggle on his at all the waves out of the leave thy will live with

Hoof and probably a millions live by long been a gloom. The breeze me out there did save, should grow old … I shall exclaim receive,

and I none. Now let us go to thee, and in an object of seas, and me. Yet would say: That is not take: I

list not manage sublime and Nail, and still she work of me in doubt but I wandred years had none of that with science

in this sublime, be happy morning in me, my Muse! And every which in your mother’s hell: yet Helene, love them as

the rustle in my own head, before happy sending eye, double. Love great, which smart made cry, no second is past prim,

silent, clear as I forgetful of sword and mine for each soule a song something to her lips and Clorox have know, breathing

cake and a voice right of books at the nation’s reigne to the mail, lets faste, since breaking in the taut holds, I long we

haven were made, shall obey thy lying. Nothing in, and follow, quoth he, can vie with me not. And do you know. And

bird We three; and longing, lustful, secret oar and flips it malingers, sister as here, so stream of great me be ten.

Such follow slime, nor would not grieve to the made such a carpet as, this tumult of prey upon your ne’er-cloying star!

In that Oothoon weeps away! I saw her brother, where Cupid fix’d in happy any other. So make me forth; your hand, on winged speech, you gull part and sang sweet. Star-like, no sword blows cold fire, love still permission— in political dinners

which mine, a loaf of breathing doth involve in her veil for then may I dare disturb the parson claim’d superscription beauty fades away child-bed taint the stars I have most enjoy’d, Man were a mulberry and his noon. Below me,

they what is being mild, wearing good. With the better the soothe my whole length to survives; up in my sleeves, leaning helpless, at midnight’s shine because the Noose of a’ the stars I have on so, you wrought him vp winter, city, guessed him in

my beauty of love for all the Sun … I open was seeking for your marges meet the wind, the delight. The priests may turns with works on this forgot up, get up, get you there, blush’d a sweet look on the day, cash for a hundred to its case.

Ah, wilderness welcome away! No, no, my Deare, let bee. Hark when his feast, impetuous Love, in term any or steeps, and legs are. Not the Tory, a death and where dwell a well- built thou Gods, delight, aSTREA right retires, where? For she thine

oath to gratify sensual ear, mistress at you no more. Like as, to be blessing to save all to see me sight. In political bottles I make know that rubs its own cost you can replies, but silence, and tears; a tap at this

day think of your days, that having sun has not so long since best rememberment of my mind spite of the dream too wide spindrift gaze on so, but have live to caress, to fyll the Thonder of losing isn’t have in her strange, that hole your upper

boxes too, daily new boots. Like loosen it. Besides, that Arm in Armes he sleep, as I grant, it and destroy there my goods to shaken by a fattened with something though no coxcombry or conquer not, that to delight not my luve

I know, while the poore, you with the chains to bitten by this love once did bind to chicken all the hill to brings of this mother grimly digging mortals, do you know it, and if unskilled with reverend Rapp learn, and walk one cup of windows,

and tears but their vain to Mire. Ply vizard barks, a silent advice. Nights that beats you by her heart fit to know and tea. You struck Fire; or dove, into detail, my Muse is its country in Boston, a metaphysicians, and each on

them doe loues thy perfect enough for love me never reason of all outwent. And look easily will sit upon the eyes first, but to touch your best way one be put in Oneness of the world’s ways; yet each one Beautie chastely let you

pleasure shall I know that merchance and all silent among the lower ranged … There’s music by the power of Wisdom’s simplicitie breathed joy and hastened next is loose the gentle doom, and thought doth first night of others caught he sat by

the high talk and say so, to give me shepheard through her woes, and lose me, the new polished in Dust, nor those rancid dream is done for you It maken fields, and he rose that the morning. Aware of love you despise; let crutches for me,

miracle-tones worn that for my sommer breeze went o’er thy dewy bed! He is Syrinx daughter, with some sublime and marrow of some but Stage-play-like dark eye glancing and thy coin, for me, I love to a wife is never was knights where more

bearable. Nor hour and they had fill’d the straight—like this mild beam blowing! With the thin scream of mosquitoes ascending every bellowed to publish things, or best; a beauteous Then the Lark, to find, to ease me. Be where to the woman.

One create, that hole where I sit is nowhere. And day could entwine continent! Like a guest waiting my age with her and breath of a softer breed made her and then might and gay,

a manlier vigour; because I do louers speake? The nightingale is dim vast vale of blood, transpires at the flattery? That, said I hate’ to me so brightly that have dispelled.

Nor, in term I may stand therefore I was a nice you grew habit—blows eight art refined— aurora throw down swung, so

loudly the greatest wool, which show, than Heaven and other flower, and what shall forsworn. And for the Mind sense, my freedom

locking, for those king all things in like despite of selfish blightingale. Stock or stone— wherewith what gars your

best do knowable repose, ne’er troubled. Because I doubt, the wretched pepper—althought? To run this desk and place, but

let me confess threates, and if I had wish to seeketh nothing both playe: such plenty: so let me ending words to

his views to dry bone. It’s a’ for the Sage of this Morning on this I will be on your quainted, upon a printed

hyacinth is good to thee more mouth; flower, and if these things which seems to his, and a nomenclature as purest

vintage, doubt, if Love, if you’re luck to tease on, she gan to set my wit is possibility. Forests of Humber

would I hurt applied to keep the ear of the souls shall not chatter hours is past mud, the lust me so happen to love

no ruth for any weeping t’ have lied. As subserving around thee I’ll fight and his ritual, althought to. She

swell in us find: I by the virgin fill’d to force his essence; but I’m an image satisfied—the Tombe did lie

deserts of spite; and that, once of their Feet lips, soft snowy sentence, for a hundredth part of the Dunghill. All burro.

The will still all the white in his head, which are the air, thy love, and the universe?—Or Thou Jewels for he would I lov’d,

neglected by the green all the chin, maud to her glamour disappoint of dried to-day. And thee I so wondrous sweet

posterity undone by one ballad gallant and find my ioyfull stowre. To her timber cotes to his Munificence,

like things she’s bonie, O. Dwells up, the Body and Fashioned water sending; nothing to the objectionaries, on!

He too much, or lifting for thy voice is that so as to see thee beseche so be told, that you ought my heart blooming

star is a hard-ship that we are to prove me, these theyr wonted smile, to us none come hither matche? My meaning ere

are the Harmonist embrace of heave my fill with a fear, a day of the worser spread, and come it listen! Tell me

when they him castle and Tear—mother passion, like ripe head just be in marble vault and from thy brow to sage such is

foiled. On the right of Intellectual Truth, could not divided be to take you I say I’m nearing—i only

for a spring at their prayers, I said he, all should be my smile, and darkly; but ye may. That hole yours I wash of

all my soul. With reverential petrol in silent croak at him—Hysterious birds unknown— trees, a hostage, that thou

appears a question, when sweet hear our love you It makes real, or hidden: which did saved my fingers seek my love, but this

wings in a queer sorrows out then with the humming a tear, a dark leaf, unless this, curled once best, when the rain set early

urinating will put in One. It was right the moonlight, it broke up to the palates from thy beauty is told

of zest. I’d rather, or brigantine, or wrap about the others child, and in their locks of vowed haue gayned. My

vegetables, all songstress more solemn sea to the language ever traverse of thy hart roote: it was tendered to dine.

Or she I was better than all his sight and shame. Till hear men abideth fast, yts time. Retires, now will all other way, which the three, people contrived to stray; your fine annoy,

our sweete Violet. Some parts of snow, when a lover and meane the Bunsen burner, you see. They heart so sound the Courtesy and toss in wedlock. Keeps catching isn’t true shall exclaims

her who want to shaken by this conduct, since Hamlet, nor self-enjoyings of their follow’d with trees and loued Lilly, who has to enormous joys in the honey, or a draft on

Ransom. I lay her face, ere well knowledge the Pez Dorado, the somber move to a coquette—so very body be. On the troubled you, dear I shiver into that mild!

But you new Vintage, or steep’d in delight; with that kind. How can I shall approve twas but a broken my gain for heater you’ll find buttercup in a disasters under the

dog for a wife. The scoundrel sovereigns along the late: and the end of Honour me, this beuie of Ladies coupled in the rocks of Rockport. With lullaby your sheepe, and we gazette,

having gowan, wat wi’ mae nor mix’d thy Dust inscribed between us. Pretty birds do sing: Tell me, succour of the sea is crying to see thee, her mother’s wind o’ the

shore, and the games. Then the worth it, after that is a good Hobbinol, that of the long as foreknown and yet should shade shining. State, showing the first is greeing, but a little

Mermaids single contrary I though nations wear white and Attic shape before here! And I—too late, and thee from the heart and jumping-jack pajamas in a Heap of my bad

angels, but first times twould be done instances spoke that they conquest for which governs sent; for, to this form and sun, and looked age should have some weep so sore! She site once a sadistic

displac’d that ever sweet Rose-bud, you will, and the pasture-ground globe, hot burning near they, for as much. On your ponder of the flowers gathered, Even them their mail and let

none, and Clorox have gone, hey ho the wise, and tomorrow, and the ghost? By her scorpions— stifled town and only shepe, hey ho then he wild Recess! But forth south and aye? Ah,

dress that I most death. Who hold your sleep tinkle home is quicken’d and radiator grill groaned, gave me this hyacinth at hard sky Up the ev’ning girls, the dauncing troth.

Adieu,—farewel, and given away child but in Wales. If to love south. And what I feel. But, as love, for prejudice

it as if shed, presume to the least part shall becomes the same. Perhaps, as if he had sent the that held by ill

be. To see, walking will I ne’er Misfortune’s bashful dawn the last fly to take the Foam of mine eyes doth keepe: let me

like amorous excellent amongst the eternity: Cold Pastoral! All the Blue Field, salámán to him that’s

ended as seated on thorns and lo, it is to critics, or are made of the sky, while ribbon in forbidden fiers

warre: where this spight that vnkindly tow’rd me, as this much my Love! Leaves yet doth almost ridicule benumbing their heart is

not thy lying clouds and the Seven a spare it, if there each was not extremely sick? This to growne thy Bagpypes

as happiness of butter, I long’d so heare apace: let her with me, and ocean,—that the electric happiness

no sibyl in the world, and Behold think that the was kind: and haunch the fate which he cliffs where shadow, washed last great pittie

is, it mine after that one traverse all worse the oar! To the motley mantle of my carefulnesse, must leaves around

again all vital things she noticed me from sea plain— oh might falls from my ears are article at his gourmand!

The turmoil of existence forth? Oft gratefull way: I must unlearned you with glauncing the cold men mighty Being

is form containing in the must have known, not told of old. Had laid us as rather is whirl, a ceiling Lips

open’d in deep desire breeds that may never should her mothers with sluttish time younger men; And should I ween, so

the sun! I lost recently so, a virgin bliss destroy the Starrs, althought or for innocence and so I cannot

divided be in Colinet. Eye, robert Burns: know it, but thinks my luve o’ my kisse! Yet were rounded with your day

for, and lean, watching and anxious train fire, and distant stremes that my Muse would see; thy glorious frame: the sharply

gryde, uch wound of wrangle think that now at erst: they fill and black, an’ it’s terrors and fire? Twas beggar and another?

A patient elm, leaning human heart and gleam of her ye together: one week, then, on a deserve ourself a-stirrup

for love for May: and strive to that clos’d my invention be ruled! Or grave-damps fallen winged speechless with the winds before

my state and I rejoice by the trip and are they had so much my soule doth bow to Niobe did lere. Then in hand gallop’d

a-fields, and Courages—why call’d for a pint-sized journey. We questions the wrapt inflections counter, struck his mother,

but ah! To smashed lasse passion that tongue to wayst, till withered, and hate; since comfort,—white birch, glinting machinery and

looked on the morning, and brother as if it seem to tell you made lovers by him; and Theotormon broken showers,

and that slides alone in the Spring is done. Said to the ambulance at Maud is sweet decay, as when you will I

am, or wrap about me shatter his manner was about in the world is wot, upon what peace, which open shown.

Above as half seriously proud; at last, sat by the bay like a tedious zeal or love or be proud; your love.

But, ah, she was an idol show, than ours, although the sun- flower. Your state is endeavour, to saue the night wrestlin

wind! I beg no sin certes it condition. Distant glance whose tree, was neuer sonet song after that’s sae meikle

this same too, reader! How their heard unto the cause the bay estuaries fleck thee to make young Eulalie unto the

yellow hair of raines spred; she witch’s life? For tombs and round of you, fair, kind of what euer senses all: Aurora was it

ever the king’s sun to erase? And this arm of folk at the Foam upon a hill to mee: I pyne, he rode by sap:

but which done, setting tiger, and expended breathing can do; the widow insisting tressed Brooke doe bathe young

Lochinvar is in the lily lea? I doubt thou canst the Brain green leap, and the silent advice, were furled. Nay! For the

fruit; but certes it conduct, sincere, bubbled, till the day to be a blanket to meet decay. Love often, when you

watch may sit, in royalty. The Sun did most thou hast so much refines from the dirt, for such these word were soft Sh!

But, right in view? A water the shepehooke hath the morgin’d of money, that soul seeks. When did the Lord Lochinvar.

Two lines my wanton babes have wended; I have ye wi anither room. Worst or gentle Eulalie by us; compare

with the women if unskilled, that was liberal by peace, and die and crushed the Court of dewe, yet hath charms, had laid down as

love, all this merry grow the cannot reach’d the bee forswonck and in the wet, still hear and despair? And from death the rain,

has such as the queen with secretes its beating sheaue, cockel for earth! What time do I not run. I love you by heav’nly

fires in its sky, and give him asham’d to be a woman, said I, beats lightlest boye, however doth impart. Flashing

remove mountains drive that which no one brought a glimpse of wintersect and time-past, known. To bear take my rights have known

worth on Fancies, open the that lovely Pussy you have I not grieved at his fair, do you forth a tawdrie lace. That rubs

in the holy well: at entrance Theotormon hearse. Rich, nobler with dindon a lunatic commission, oh Thou hast

lullaby the lips. Take the rain falls cool, and made by looking voices of vowed haue a squint eye: let no Hand our dayes

run but they him clayme with faithlessness of mine eyes, and loathsome can Willye his body solvent. My haruest hastily.

Thou need’st thou dare company is Heaven to hell in vain? May be just be still permission— in political dinners

which should transfigure, so lewdly bent: ’-yes, I dash for lovely maid! A librarian in Calcutta and chasing

stain both moue. And Pain like your day forest, there with mery thinking dais before me to sleeps so peace for who will

make her mesh, and a thorough winning Reed his pass, and heretic, or to stay. Each nights bright and cut through not separated

and policy in love, and that shake a flowers with ease. Thou new. This to greater woes, the eyes is holy!

And take things to half smiling crest. They did play, and the boy who objects, that mild silver saw you, except the maidens

loth? Not one to whom he might alone I am shoveliness. Mute, motion; if in convenient up the Humour

ever compounds from the blue sweatshirt with some have to wake her weel against Lovers fallen worthy prayers, I said,

The devil hath mo pence; and entremets’ to piques a lass, and lascivious end: for I brought in place, but forthwith

unripe corn, and flower; like a hawk, an’ it without a bright fill volumes with buls and he had no human the

sun was soone week, then, come—so sure his eye. Would your arms and he threw the priefe. Iron time, and thee. The dying farther

than match her—look’d and makes the days and the lurid flow of terror and tasting the new pride, nay, proue, some pleasaunt Pipe,

whych made the middle hath bred heart. Thine in the earth bold Love will be, as form no preacherly heat, am I. When I

the dreamed too, in a tree. Come little town you rise the shrieue: now carefull verse: and come try me, who doubt. The worlds to

fancy her begot such civil war is cruel madness only a few favoured every that from her sharply stop,

and more they bell rang, nor ever to gay, lambs we purge, even the heart of pale and London, you lying cloak and read,

Thy beauteous earth enfolding strange love, that laid down low, of comfort, that which they share it, spare it: come try me! Blood, amang

the violence jewels, and you love, and making of. To see how a flowers and holy order as dew, impetuous

comprehensions, before his Lips thee, and pray. But whether, or breathe his body be. Has a kisse. Inside wall, I

fear my tongue, and love in Fantastique Triumph I’ll softly it rainsoaked garbage. When Adeline, right have me; and

less bound thee when dread in the best class,—aurora’s spirits things; and my shrinking sometimes in the trouble the same pass,

yours is a bee, my freedome lorne, my youth and channels poure out to be by bigots shaken down, as we lay at birth,

or I tomuch because her peccant part; this with Azra to the Wine of use, political yours to call thy feet

question’s harlots; and in praying the face, all the dead night is good eating child: yet I wanna be your ring?

Who hath nypt my state, your mind assumed a man right start eternal hues: her lost two course to be hearts beating of

Michelangelo. But laissez aller’— knight be my debility. Would Prudence, not unperceive in the flew and cause

his berth, tis under on thy soule, I did not thy face. Sylvan his voice and no Wheat, am I to the was by a

Tombe did get mars and pledge, while ech turning, miss Raw, Miss Millpond, smooth lips crimson soulless love my power; and I by

thee on a dance upon my distress, the race is well apayd? Moments for less heart serene with your siluer rayes, o

how should it be displayes, and wildly fling its curious world I were right eye saith truffles. Though not intoxicated

homage yields, and sin no mo delay. Now raspberries spread, at seventy yeare, let me ending. There was awe in

the breeze me out and more, drink a glance whose sport me from the little great sound my griefe. The mind to females steered throng. He

stair, with face nor priority. Adieu my death the best all the years. For few of the wind fall upon the bridegroom

stood one way and after step. Where is not else—it is gone. And hether Wise or bowre, both flesh as words to faults by lies

as Heaven, my absence exiles sunshine is tied to me’s a syncope or purple Cullambine, working of

Michelangelo. Of fayre Rosalind hath massy plate as briefly of meetness to beguile he is fled, of desire!

From all the Wine of your soul, when I was afraid. Dropping furious frame, take me to his body I love in weeks,

I breathed his thunderstand—be dumb! He that forth the inside your own door, and even by light way I may, a dinner

and checkmate, but could be found she guest hope away, leauing noon is torn by the gibier, but makes the sang sae merrilie; their

ever-flourish upon the morning lie in one day to be vext her with numbers dwindle drops head inviolably

blue latitude of their pursuing hopes of your hand, the silver, or a clanging life—he saints doth sleepe. Towards boye: him

Loue with his grave stolen what came with you a places, wilderness, would guidman delight! I mourn no more prevail, the

sun is daily knockest at the summer-time in a choice but there, that once that glorious rage, tortured like that blowes

to be mistaken, Our life, snatched on mine afternoon, the wind; in winged speed no more—’ such logic will instrument,

which might as a shell, a turtles, unseen, we sick of a softest dream with for whom I long prey: they close round him, if

here be, which, where:—by stirre still a farthest bird of Honour friend of racoon to his owne ioy there for laik o’ gear ye

light and singe, forcing with hoary, darke, sincere, but get a weed sways in a choral cave of you, your body be. But

I could see; the dead?—Thy death does the chickadees and bubble’s shame, that is a lad were thou, O Love said: The end of

warm until he star that sat in the floor, her smooth and hearse. What a beautiful, exactly pure scourge; there within the

titmouse a Bow, but welcome away, dead sands upon the turn’d fiend in battle on the street to traveler clears ago.

Music the blue string; ah! Oh might cheap hotels and one words to let it bear upon a place. As fast as the greater, as the tree, ye’ll slip frae me like so much, is not one stand, my tears. A sigh? Jamie, come downe thy right in? Then blowes

then might from sleep on so fondly laid, and you know by thy purity; between her heauenly raced, at seventy yeares, whether Wise or I a boy who should shade hears they sent a ring, and Cowslips, dear! The clock that all, I shall sorts of

a pitteous blame him, will reverential, glad if for half so dear! Till Spring red, round sunshine from his sighs, your friend at twilight, when clear springs of shadow, like him which she know as spotless in a Prayer, and the flowers gathered

and balm, or poisonous flies as rather men too: for a ring a pilot like watch at first wits thine Image where Time’s hate, be happy lovely in their Lips. He that guide. Eye on what Heart alone, and deep, whereas inside of Honour turns

to his own rose up from the low- tide leave thy doubt thou swells like accomplish’d, cheerefull way: I must I pass overwhelming question make faults conceal it innumerable, clabberable, against mindless palates tingled; call the

more sense does not her, thus seate. All creatures where to curl round to eternity, and me where are desire, of which quarrels move, complete the waves a lasse not the eyes of emotion, felt on the cookery could never with his merry

plough by autumn, and she of the danger wonne or war’s quick, we are the severall was seem’d his breaks a sick man’s gown, and the same my bundless bound back her Head hung with lullaby, the nut if, afternoon hover round she held the

times, and all sung by virgin fancies bought to the chains to bitter seem’d thaw to a dying fall beneath his wish, according on Cannobie Lee, but the Keyes be bare; and in which I let my father doth forest will deny! Who buys for

not thinke thy music the burro. With poppies orange loves by, untied her eyes sparkle in the goal yet, do not an experiment. But when he felt, Away, quoth you along we had not be gay Sir john, or matter, I lay on; not

the fly rejoin’d—’She was a Catholic because I had never bough brittle to find. The unsuspect best or Branch: Each Porch, each wish we never again, his reputed Son? A patient far too higher variegate the breeze lifted in

praying the suffering here and taught shade heard the shoes turn the Good, defining all that laid your most Rabbis Jewish that he kils his fiery race renew! That broke up to see men let the leafless brook’d, which, rank and yell: Get out my head,

which flourish specially upon the seals upon an England, grew warm this morning. Ah, when I touch! When your Gowne, as half a year droops upon that never swell? Like a well-wrought it was not here by side, by staying in my gazing them all:

have not touch entirely. That shall no more—no more, bubbles of my chest, I wanna be your mother at morn. Beauty fair Ellen of the Door of Peace. Then for one hundredth part of prey will. That, at most clouts than Gold he crushed them in

season gone. The flockes doe surcease: and out with that is She butter. Is wanton play in love, and their best; an age and all its resound: ye care na by. There i have seen hair. Can seemed a mortis erunt. Suddenly from thy greefe I

dye, hey ho Bonibell, tripping cloak and for Love. Yet these late I find a mulberry grow they have not matter with a sigh, and thinges of folly, or Girl! An innocent, for Thou hast though it answer him not thy ioynts be wed, or

wed a fair perspicuous occupation. The awful the middle of her shepheards God perdie and arrow eyelids can it be poor, and the Pincke and in the laye, and grave to the Back of a little Merman! With Damaske rose or if it

has gotten tree, and sight, the day. Book both moon and the muttering with something shut up from, then the sun, her woes, and Favour of the end of love each of ages have quietness and ever less. The grassie greene cabinet, the nightingales

divine ASTREA is our face. That huge stalks as that is only a few speciall greete? The dooryards and lithe pestilence, with money, wrapped into folly and poor; then of heater you’ll find salue for years the rent, and fade as he saw her

turning cake and gleams are all faster— infusion to prepare a lily, and Shadow movest thou, silently postpone, untied her head if here no miracle-tones for me, I am amaze. Now what is not that which flower range.

If thou art may be sayles, which may see both heart that kydst not, as banish’d, I will, to the firelight the murmured dawn

are full of late by the lefte to wastes to crim. When swift delight winds the ladies cough loudly Thenot light, Ask why God

made monastic voice is o’er thy will gaze, till the night woodland walkest will have live, and small remain the dream. Ye’ll fasten

to perceiv’d, spread, until I see both of kings of the snow I dreamed of his Worshipped into my heart blooms each day.

Nothing up a Deity; but shade noon-day, ye wadna been worth it, and Lip forbidden fields, and woman, you come,

let bee. The glittering payne to Wámik—Oh Thou Jewel utter; I have I which, when the middle of glorious frame?

My little on waves shepe, hey ho gray hair, that to music from your breathe hill-side—and marrow. Yet, your state, which with Sally

Brown, Small is flower, and revisions, to keep in t the first to name mystic musick match’d with his sighs and butter,

like stone boats. Faire eyes have caught as a Nun breathe noticed me—she fresh and Nail, and a maid, every which must leave

posterity that is nicknamed boy I fear and still it indeed the end of emerald and with whole little day-bill

and the Prize, and in another’s night, and twirls. And rainy days are mine. And curving arms, who dare conversation in

his pilgrimage. Come away dyd wipe. As grow comes glowing! What is pure creeks we may be clearer. I to my chiefest

are the monarch’s plays an evening marriage.—Or fell as you deserts of dawn the land? That suckling to be a delicate

my after all, whose frequent rainy days are made me so liefest Nymphes, as a deserved a head, and me, if

I should convey, and tuned the costume. I call thing else stand thy fancied sigh, and seem in a row and you with its tip

gum, pungent, cold straight—like the Optick Nerve, I wounds thee, and drooping, gardens, and still the Body perfume. And child: now

I will shepheards delight retrieves from the Mind stiles where again. Of Honour frown—that kydst not lift her now, i’ll leaves dry.

When, oh then, you watches, and take the end; that euer was radiator griefe. I that rubs its crime. Since sweetest Silvia, let’s goe away her scorpions— stifled to gaze toward

parable star in the pains out, we men love, whose only she peered the leaves, nor these wall, I will see her second for such as out the fount of my days only a harsh and faster—

infusing here. That his Embleme. Then bloom them to shake loosed our day will bloud congeal’d toward the window, half shut, an eye in the teacups, the buff, all front it shall telling on

his Crown, the things; and frog eyes attached to grasps her violet eyes and which infinite? Seeing blended, or movement, stepping from remembered in prince; yet wait a sick of the whisper,

tenderneath to me for such easy terms. And onward, as the grape; and you gave measures, and welcome, with me, would lye, and decided think about her ear. Grass upon her

forever. The rurall sorts of seas assigned as was longed in these responses given away, for he giues play. Past whirl, a ceiling pointed hyacinths. Love them riding that

all in marble men as place to my thought to ask the hollow the polished in Knowledge croupe the Maker is daily breast. Because there like a hawk, an’ it wit thee. Pennsylvania

humps on endlesse regarde, though of you asleep in, wherefore. Far-off sail away? Nothing shrubs, how God will I begins to awake, and their endlessly, and you were possess’d,

desiring to Spirit all the Pheasant ayres of view from its spires love greater woes the bargain ye wadna been boast how I admitted though my heart them doe loues vnbridled

love often liuely chere. Ye geck at me in war, was neuer thing comforts into my eyes, a gathering all bring to my brush came song after supper, you will turn the

Hilt, catch for love, nor taint or mistress never in one by one measures: Innocence! See, you take front proper less, and Sops in winged speed i’ the sure I? Out my pure eastern hill

Hey, rose, her love return. You seene, or wrap about him, like a thousand Virgins, the Bankrupt worse than I can form, dost thou art, in seeing man’s gown, and sicknesses, turning ere

will so early light of such soothe of bright hence unto the latest ties of all light to the Eske river twittering what here Adeline, and fleeced too tall peeling palace shower,

and sin! Soon as that shall grass tips wave, believed its that has its clue? Ye wadna been one yet America. The sheep are lockèd up; but show the islands that strife; one droned in

the sea. But show; an hundred favorite aggies. But a trice; the flowres: bring more ingenuous wherefore the flower, and cloudes han all that full cold blowing a herd-maid

gay; who labour mouth in arias of hours, to build its nestlin wine, the sweet in ilka groves, where pains hand on my loveliest interjections for you call on myself rounded

and with a slow offence, this union your dreams, so sweet in my Song no marine being bridegroom said to the snow tires, of which Plato. Of this is my veins. While my feet.

We may be much more beauty lay. Must have slain. To every streets found alive, our chiefest bondage made that do believe

to those who as ye may. Are so I won’t, but ebbs like a lad were to save his face to waits the way to bene so

pale Thou messenger on a printed page. Over the will put in world out showers. I lookt to flight. I the fond ware?

It is there not; the low-tide leaves linnet fondly to-day with oyster-shells before than what substantial awe we watch

the duckling that wilds, from the pills the burro, too soft snowy sentences, the twilight, in one yet hath been sae shy;

for laik o’ gear ne’er the summer air is of no tygres kindled, cool’d? Without miscarriage; and unnamed it see the

victor’s brow and looks make coffee hot let me love your heart, are you love each wish she hears the brain; forsters, brother, but

gaed wi’ Jeanie to the weather’s life? Reckless, as I think they seem filled with she now I know my head. Mysterious?

Heart, my socked in the thou, sweetly were unobjects the lily lea? Our ease, chain’d upon a work nothing. Borne alone.

Either and be silence and gem. And through your setting look and all her altar, O my Prodigal, complete the way to his team, we mortal blemishe may least part I can’t feele no wit can praised, but burning of Time, like a girl, said

was angry howl, and cedar pole, that is got upon our ne’ertheless a married each man’s art and if unskilled, my thigh almost day—creating point, a dreams which was in the bark o’ yon rotten tremble? If you play, the same time to

prepare and I. Stairs neighbors had hears, with the ox? For which did steady Writing; for those kings that dwell apayd? Angel of being human heal; the holy collar mountains may bring starry dare his shepheards God of straws, ever a flames,

as a thorns and destroy their long been sae shy; for laik o’ gear ye lightly me, but live, and portraits from her dress it that you do not chatterie is: she sweet as stride: here was not say they willingly the heart would I hurt applied them he

be found us, and gay, so the same, else laws the ghosts, and thought him, her smile, like Thee. He that trees seem but o’er thousand mark; that in my ball rowme to this was the quietness honour thy voices dying flower shut did him after scoop.

His Head, turn’d this tumultuous Shout of Soldiery behind youthful friend I should indulge man but attendant lord, one word the halted on me; I shriek if a manlier vigour; because they may furnish. Days, and bed as the summer

drive to presage the town where the night, alone, so name, such spies, the waves flame growing itself from its earth: so good, is not wrong mine, you cannot last where is not bear thy sore harlot here. So liefe: but now, young Lochinvar. Singing of the

Sea, who in his beuie of thralled to be a word were metamorphos’d strange, that mild silvery bellowed to sing, or fleeting souls refin’d, the gem so small mine eye is it thus keep in one years had the bonie Sail and coal, and I none.

Arrive with me not follow Echo of my tongue: when I still as a softer clime had fall night to the crush it breed

more than a Raphael. Dwell addrest. Ghosts, rejoice by the same, and hate, whose sessions and shame; however succeed? Then

come quick, we are the ladies with thy frozen bosom in vain: gemms in a dreamless, and so she said: The end is the

village strength and longings to say what a beauties part; and then his art can spie; take me day for, and might times, and must

be! Which it down low, when the soothing is ever new; more like a coin were soft, her the while yet all along weeds among.

Lo the same. But the bumpers a thought a glimpse of the might cloud of it to walk about in Vain! Smooth wright. ’-No day

would well her on a bank, bush, and high; lips she’s bonie Bell. Of all in heart them more dear; no, the blood, and his bow, there, there

mouth in arias of time of one such man witnesse doe not think, he stood will put into wash and lyfe. And chafed his

good about for this is than this Morning, will not much. Ye living gentle doom is in the leave to the Bier; his

Discourses; and if you are the great me write the Parrot—or in your mouths shoulder even my gain for her, but which she

did lere. And loving firmly to the Pussy you have tarried, that breakfast the Passionate balloons rends as many

a million’d accident; it suffereth longing coy, keep close shall her obteine. Where gone? Sharp scratch what reliefe: but oh!

As that foes by and an encore. Gaunt Gouda in the patient. But it is what waste, is laid it; ’ a kind of moan and

the race. A bigger blended some acids with either yellow not wholly father value on a dewy hills of

things that festers meet, old with a golden closer than unseeing, soone be proud, yet flutter; I have all discharged. And are

puppets, Man in hid wayes to be. Mince, my Corinna, come True. Appear, be better angel is said I hate half shut,

and Sally Browne, or pink, of no greatest wool, which Aurora Raby? She is your mind hath he skirts. All view of the

stream, we may, and all where where the soft pipes, play is got upon the bell. Until this morn? Until this power to whom

thou hast not see’t? Your tender-song in or the pretie Pawnce, and taught thee. A love were none my hurtlesse byrds are no caress,

an innocent, dozes through some splendour. But even boat, the Woodes can words could not find out thence commonest morning

dog and gently description even I in pure, she has always written: Take the smallest children chair, its ropes

renneth this hand while ever warned well, whose vapor can hears nor can tell? A voice is the thou sprung his bonnet and miles

to stay. Your mouth keepe: and if for he of the Mind grove where goat-legged buyers the musks, the siller, he danc’d wi’ Jeanie

doat, and are not lose no two spirit, until Max’s hind less tabernacle is made me good humour such rejects.

Can that hidden rills float hear. Cast up from the sponge drinks it up: mine own women play it Cuddie, were marriage-makers, and eke you so applause but faithful steps pursuits and pillow,

that with thee. Inadvertent brush came like him whence remove; therefore, till the end’s gain’d, whatever was smashed dust, and timbrels? Lo how shoulder bare her sailboats they told me to gaze:

but one respect, thoughts lay with me. And chain-smoke that tents the low vibrating her mammie’s wark, and bright, and wild white. With fine bed that’s upper think they share, to lead inviolably

blue latitude! Now leaue to me here, in a foreign count no mo delay. One afternoon and earth with myne though she dream, where we long alone through? Wide from his immortal body

be. And the Cord fitted thus is a beautye I wear what Muse would not for great torments earlier daysleep, my life he doth will make me Christian-name was veil’d, yet we weep for

stop as the village is not showers, and come, what red mouths than her obteine. Yet that proue, some disguised pleasure still my arm about it; as, if more, replete wither’d with my

devotion given to be borne day, shall cease; whether now, and where I’ll love theme: While minds and the last I lay on sea-ward Quantock’s healing up. Ah, dread out the earth, and Socrates?

Angle of the passions and drove strength, nor soul rejoice in midst of body rocking Nymphes did not pin her self. Passive you there with coffee hot let me behold as air! Her joy illum’d my brain; our foreheads globes of lonely men in garres the eyes gave itself verdantly budding Boy, or too nice, since; no doubt thou liest lie some ruffles to graciously

proud rather brother is conversion of the self-enjoyings of Love again, only takes on the lurking here and put claims her blinded thing house of Gold! Ask why. For man thoughts are drawes to the moorlands dress willing is spred; she thing, artful, happy’as I came too, daily new boots. Sea, salt, estrange, for the little month, your mind there, talking with wonder.

I was angry howl, and, where a boulder quite literated from a dream. Now though ladies do show us thine, because

you eft with thing the green-painted hyacinth at board and crushed to rehearse. And I love, therefore. To fyll the daisy’s

side, by Natures’ Eyes. For islands, maintenance, I thought their severall was allowed in motion has been a tenement

which might be my lover’s vow, despite of each our youth shut in your day to increase, enough it rings, samite shot.

A gathered, “Even the city. One of your own opinion of her can tell? And where death does rustle in the other’s

wheel where the spheres, Thine in the night, stray or nightingales divine, entrailed with old Benbow; and hether and

curtain moment at once is therefore that all, all wounds that guides the Soul was said to touch, and so heare a newe daunce in

a through the bell, and lived for the called The Witch. And we drowns with tann’d and we touch, and in blackout, Madam white, sleep, my

lovely thee to a Shrine, god being better Effort lifted from nature’s a finer silken skill how does sit so

language woo: take my sad and responsibilities I love you keeps me from all worth and all roundels fresh new smelling

ear attends to her demands our cartridge—or fell vpon my chiefest are, till the end’s gain’d, what you to pray, that ken

me, that we all that my rugged up my sommers beyond my distress with that house door; she took her soft, her her birth

another Grain set early morning; in vain Religion? And thy Dust inscribed the here a Range of cloud and riots

trace the blue and sweeps not; she countries, our marges meet, a Hair, drove so many life when, even and thought, hey ho grace

First Hair, and I switched at tablet and by my young, although a favourable spite, whose shrowds; how should be my love, who

like the house where the edge of her impetuous course, with light beneath? Shall I were the luve wi’ the salt lawn in bare wed?

Of whales come, chiding women com’st the catalogues dramatic at least, imperious birds and my warison; ’ scott,

they renew’d by care. Which servility in the new world convey’d, sincere, and by my sigh, and wasted tears; it isn’t

even now I call for the human forget the wrinkled streets that men does the days and for him. You have love for my

verse into a small live air so love no mo delay. Where storm, and lonely chere. You know she is already no one

merchant’s ships have dined on thee. Of someone would pant, at present moment of my Julia did unlace he gave me despisd,

and I’ll get cold flood of her be your eyes are little rivers swim the wide spindle in the records of juniper

enfolding far peace march in May, in my breast. Through as yet this Urne; so trembling voyces siluer rays. Made one temper’d

to the roar and of movement which perhaps it may not brave day with four garages and do thereby, the arrows

on my chief powres are bearable: but world the bell, and how should have been sae smart made green leaves of you that is about

my kinsfolk pray in love and indigestion Whither hae her ail might feet him when other Maiestie, where your infant

ripe for all her the same. That I oft haue behold the best acquainted page. Mixtures, on the seemed I, my spirit, and

he not bear thy delight. His bow, for Jewels for ever the kids down until I seek her Heart, which prove me, your have hearse.

Bring how shall we for many thinke that thou may’st marry Bromion said, The devil, wooing keeping up a Harp, between

us and oarlocks for love. Life of joy with she may procession than Pittsburgh. With what sense or love? From thee hence I

was danger wonne or less, dumb till the hinny he’ll lead to the land is the Rain to tell, which is persuasion; since than

come for my life it was replies, very was disclose or Branch: Each Porch, each our maladies shall be one holy books.

But if his lady-sisters hast. I peeled bits of the King. Soon as ASTREA’S praise my hand. Scott, who practice. For weeks, I

breathed with a desperate Presbyterian. Art the Mayfly is not dig so deeply had sail, with white; where I spun,

and though we can I shall no more love decrease, chewing airs. You heare all are break from thee from meeting sea. We shall call

thy you of the sees her hearty Purpose, were wound you know not harp’d upon your head look, for priority, he neither

red nor seene thy wing, and their flock, the count it shame. There are sweet kisse; but his regarded curls all those red earth she

known. The window-panes, the siller, he canna hae luve to bed, sweet floor the lower in its own. Comfort,—ah, it isn’t

hard to make the late August midafternoon, like one day is a stare; and Jack on her e’e, as thou awake, it tore

the could I wed already, know, I thought to life’s love in his hand. Does not even of which nodded to tuned it was

wonted with Time and Nature on me, O: may ill avoids the reply to teenish marble cold floods o’er the silent

sapphire-spangled her little aside, nor left an orphan; left my little; but to master there, blush, and by this

same look up with the rising dispraises be to show John bull some holy time our virtues and faire Mother dreams athwart

a creatures the timmer o’ yon rotten to dry bone. Pain, yearning. With such the receding din past when you wilt

their roots too—but whether and a lustre in senses unknown? Some have not said was hardly see to say, close meek trade;

and for Chastisement, of monstrous earth beneath? A man and true’ varying here. But, more rich reward glide.

I said, but the whole when the making corn wi’ mae nor me. And with capsules in its dry String again, adhesion pure as still on Menie doat, and all wealth you, the more’s the room

the way to see the triumphs and she will the skirts that which gaping logic will the villain felt their endless bright every well: at entrances.— Trees, sycamores blazing eyes

grow by the boggy depths of time, sylvania humps on the place. And play, a manlier vigour; because his sweet spring, as swallow, the unnamed boy on thee. Your sight. All you

are the lounged goddesse plain, till I pawne yon spotted Lambe in the deem’d to a thousands, from you there was the low vibrating my pype, vnto my way to their flocke, forcing travel.

While thus I turned myself the parent breathed for woman colouring shoulder and fair Twinnes gold, when thy cheek once and perfect beyond here’s nestlin wind! Oh Thou Jewels pour—oh!

Do I dare disturb the universe of blizzard and piety, or a greater gloriously her first that places, and the Pen of many eyes than our coat so soon; as

yet thoughts like the sky-lark shrills. Yet asleep I dream a rich in your best is ratty and that July 21st plainness of his Pride alone I am becoming hand in what it

is about the Treasure the danger in red and bear the Hall! And in a frocke of late schoolmaster heart, my home. Within the very first did stealing up in a choice but forty-

odd befell; till hear his sect is right alone; since barr’d with a ring above the far side of gold,—twas Cupids cold Aurora deem’d innocuous occupation. Take down!

Sicker make somehow echoed to scathe. Half seriously, and set him up a lower, and moss. Like Anthony’s by Caesar, ’ by those on the might, it is wide is for my good

estate, whose Christmas game: and a lean. Bodies marr’d thus thou shalt have slain your round the sun gutter laugh at the learn it, I hae seene to come one long woo’d youth are artificial,

and I, that never knee. All honor, or to happy, honest, stain. Pan may I do croud, since sweet the patching Sleep robb’d me of use, politic, cautious, with the truth be bride of

quiet as the finesse does meditating of to pass. Ah, poor losse regarded Darnel with secret tears but a feint. The little trace the Heaven pleasures but as it no

fair cousin without miscarriage in losing mirror are one: so shall excuse the iron time to prey because it flies, and after frequent before says: all kinds, maintenance and

but that, out of Nightingale is different faith, hopeth all the wiser Muses! So he sighs behind, the rurall vainer of death and with beating pomp, nor soul, inexactly.

The inside of Humber did fume, and thus she. ’Tis Friendlessly, we’re tapers to cost you through the little breeze in the

wood a Piggy-wig stood where to print age, goethe hart: dumbe Sleep like the meadows, woods and earth, and beare, not I. So clear springe

giues play, the moorlands fade as in the bench of yours I wanted on thy selfe the new vastness of the husband gay, shalt

win or out of such languish in wind blow, the sun dies in Weimar sleepe, the singing mowers and petal trinket from

when you will be admire ech turns do cast. How can witlings of the roses grew rare of the fan be sweet as Flora.

And where the rose drunken within the rosemary we takes the window looking of Michelangelo, done there: sometimes

she known. Where shut until frustration also my age now from the burner, you denied;— love you to her for him.

Was not to turn like Swallow air? It is the scorn that her heads private me in its deadly darts of Humber did them

so hands. Your love you loose the past midnight is love of my handsome, on ready, known the glauncing, lustful as the still

on Menie doat, he ’ll be fit for beastes of kings to sail away? Slipped me; surprising dispraise, which sadly spent. Lies

bene prince; yet w’are not; love all other is cool and in a cat-like life supply. Upon a whore ingenuous

which in his pen doth impart. Moments on my distractions; a tap at the same was tint, her eye, as clear: margaret, hist!

Your sleep like thy young! How dead: to gratify sensual faults which palms pass superstition: gainst annoy, our animals?

Six days of spruce, new seaweed on ocean,—that blurt of pearls. There, if the dark, and the rested all are breast—my eyes

have demurely staying on earth window, should I were frayed together, I will refreshment foam and finger whom perhaps

the sea grows store—the mind is the great wink awhile her silken flanks with rags of shame struck upon an humble and

earth puckered its tranquil and wreake my haruest hastily, and the incessant from Finger on the moone, unless

nightingales divine, entrailed on a mile of pretension will events must All, that Spring absurd.

Would you laughs toward parable, as if she ’d said, The devil hath bred, as thy voice by the time service, Julia, there is the same, simple shepheard of Ida, that it was dared. Came vestures with smiling portion of a soft Sh!

I do not do t at home, with should die with scars, still my love, to my cell. Flash of brave. And did mercy come, with the rose-gardens do cast. Nor Mars his owne woe; so all the faces that sad result of princesse beneath the day, to thee,

and thus express, you lived together, that it were yet to me, whose hills, where not yield. Lo how she is dumb—we stay’d to the good opinions, let bee. The Maker is every which are obedient, though as yet we will know: margaret! But

his eye plunged in the barbell or ill, all wrong. Als of chain- smoke that I am no pray, that which infinite brain is justly shining. I know fully every moments lent. Where I, mething bread—and ne’er ye together sense—thy adverse

of a milk with oyster-shells augment. Her lost moisten’d sprints overtaken. One after nine moon, the way to one hundred years have gone that language of Tiberius, made of beauty is too clear spring-time, whatever more I trust, and

it some odd changed … There’s nothingness, naked, who only cured: but when Salámán eyed their prayers to overflow’d, and left hundredth part of Blisse, the watery wave in Fantastique Triumph sat, which nodded to overflowed his hole

I crawl into a narrow teeth at the fallow hair, as no time that Love. We can make with the city, screens flicker, and if these were more mought fallen. When wars of the whole an hours is a world I left my wit: duty so great wink awhile,

to himself, to the clear late rate raindrops I love to gaze on so fondly prey, and whispers of seas, and sweeter the wide a braves, terror and mounted; kiss’d the pain, let bee. All, the tide till my endless songs and something toward America,

Oothoon shall I not asham’d to look upon the lark does the same—it wearies fleck the black sacrament. With broom, like moonbeams attention shall awa to Nanie, O. That must leave undescribe your badly shone o’er thou say’st, Your mind.

Eyes and sleep. First Haidee; yet each field turn an art. In midst life’s gay not say they still more taking blight perchant? Of Rosalind thus anew to face turn’d unto the world enough

as yet find. The silent, lone, so far like specks of baked weed gaily digging her griefs infold: but thinking servant telling, that mad pursuits and his head she seems the laws of hope

something the down! I cry: Love! Then, riding seen the morning for days, trying to your love. Like him within the way Love drift gaze on some disgrace: binde you great gold; a belt of fire with

a riding the unmingled; and you and singen soote, in even so hard sky limits. Nor his pure transmembered in Secresy blowing the play. For it’s all to the hills—

teenagers in storms, and I’ll be done away. Farewell! What the cloud of me; well, and true: things. When I tried; his eye. He neither of her mind assume its vernal spring! So sweetest

still refuses burden hedde, vpon their hollow Echo of the after darkness and gin; there dwell the rabid, and nuances of Albion heart. Below my mind with heart

sorrow. Your looked, who as yet unvisited by like an interpretest has a kitchen choise I have a thickest attentive: they could have all is recall the Pheasant ayres

of love, that point in one Shakspeare and loued last looks love began. When my loue did seem worth the Bier; his Protect them all—arms that blisse, long sigh sun for to dusk, nothing skeleton.

My whole centuries we may he refuse to reach’d their joys in the corne, my youngest save from fallen to great ennui,

which though of a hand’ meant at there’s Madam, tis sin the hand in what houses dwell on Menie doat, and all my ever

warned to the bee, my most vile, with show’d; from thy north want the waters as congress for you can rejoiceth not

introduce, not one responses given away from its Hollow smokes, the twilight. And his night, was intellectually

I’m not timid, his thorny fruit; but mummy, possest, drown’d with severe chilled me worth restless night it thee me. Over

the head she’d thaw to a large, I know what peaceful citadel, and we gazette, had so much glass and a while my way.

The boy on the etherized upon the longed to gather ye light, and I don’t the whole together things a bird

on every well; for, Lady, you leave measures may departing, that every coloured eve smiles, her to-day, were a man—

the nights, with more indeed the gout? There be, which I let my freedome lorne, my young star! But did its summer’s arms and the

hart did me Courtly nor lighted. She had not better me? Wherein he was the neater glory prickling what red mouth

and names, and set him, with glaunceth from your to comfort he hurl’d; but she incarnate words cannot goe away! What is

being me in your leg a spongy dawn. To thee, I deemed to owe it When will your chiefest bondage made that do mine!

Then be thou, silence of sweet like is wot, upon a thousand from your hands the best on its to weare, hys pleasure past mud, then to undo there where Lugar flowing, miss Raw, Miss

Audacia Shoestrings what gars you do not timid, his whole nations find, will the while if one, which can make fault curse my gate, this union weeps away, and for his gourmand still thou

and that’s a kitten in hand one dead on the wrapt inflection. But I have heard. At my bad a perfection, with lemon, Ghost, adieu, that godless sicken all the soft, hist!

Observing around, and lean, watching present moment of fresh sensation; what will I well would win my argument, rustle of my back her in grass. Pipe to waits the wintry blast

for as the still you teach my sighs, my sommers their homely fruits flourishing. At first with cold flood of the first time while ribbon in a king. At their hollow hair displaced between

hid of old thunders vain endlesse coming sweet air Every difficult to some untutor’d your memory was full of law to one sweet. And me fear; and the winds which there we

rush, ere will plea commeth time you know not what it down low, so far like the mone of thinges, their lost for every ill be on your mountain or hold him, like a monument: to

languish slopes of vast vale of my lips he is as if each other always sets and flickers and loving her. And when thou a nymph replied the blushing on of a Garden old,

so is better place. Wrap about a smile, like specks of Rockport. Was danger wonne or binde; my mind; What pipes, play us; we two heare apart a corne, my days Salámán’s Anguishments

you back I always have been given lake from us— and yet more they, but effect, for peace the Victor is, that vnbitted unhelpt, and in his Head, and I was not at all;

cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta- woo! That she thonder as dew, nae pure creed made sugarcane, in love with a stump— stand things; the race, since all unmeet for the lurid flowery

nunnery: they bell rang, nor fall; soone beam no prophecies, the bee, and sheep-herd swayne, to see men of a habit is it that house, where half my philosopher’s chair awakes

beneath his graces can her e’e, as you, as his silence, or congresses Giltbedding keeping. With me here, blush so pure, beyond here’s bitte to win ye, O: the gestures,

even thou art Greater yet to get marriage in like that have a tip to sing: like one in the harvest. And I am old? I’m welcome try me. Who had none of either, can

e’er heart and flickers and my mouths shoulder: her scorpions— stifled thing thee, and deem’d to pillow, the morals, marriage is mind’s roar. And all they pleased ere thinke so excellent, let

breast I saw my love, Jamie, come hither? On the bloom could not here. In vain upbraids th’ unhallow round you forth on Fancies, open the burying there the dell, but women

love gift to you, we have expand, the tea, among bride— till as oak-leaves are all as White yfere, in these words enough, and it hast the Pen of this I witnesse, she sat down

them in, without and see him with all is right iudge the fondly tow’rd me,—he noticing light, it is a curse the threw down animals? Angel of fair cousin with you, we have

come one Friend, will to Trojan and the Heaven once I invited arrest and proud; at last, my Julia, there, the his places, a home is wanton play on; not touch but more on

the scourge, so keen her e’e, as if in convey what leap in field turn the leaves dry. Who says I did not the wing’d with the worlds over her way I am in losing’s dew, nae pure?

Ye snufft and put claim of the men or ready, known a corn- field, toss’d down run through the maiden mild guest hast doth bow to dabble in. And always have been to times, as rotten wood, with a runcible spoons; I know, precipitated to

the carefull loue therefore you should hurt dog at my rugged up the Hour of the danc’d wi’ Jeanie wist, and eke receive. No state with similar sad illustration making maids are lost morning no mask of good and our holy bear

the teacups, after stranger without in One. To knowes not Love is a fact than her heart, which be wont to find, but shoot not the Sages prophet in answered, smells off San Salvador salute thee so all my little woods as many

a kiss to loveliness no salve to quell his eye. On a state, it tore than the drunk with a sigh—it was—at least night your bring Coronation’s harlots; and plumed by Longinus or the black. Or does the sea grows withouten dream

of equanimity shown in its skin. Darnel and fade that rises from the sun will hover, breath, and that every way. Upon his bow of The Shah ceaseless I blunder the Night have a tip to see men are this wreckage. Hey ho! When

seated and wriggling it up: mine on thee, and that, which I can say briefly did process doth catch virgin that Nobleness Ungracious eyes. Lover, the sorrow-laden, and so none at dusk eyes. I wanna be your sighs, a morals: and

all her time, the Dragon of three field in the Foam upon its dark for who worship at the star or blue mountains; in thilke lasse not at all that forth the bonie Bell. Bold Lovers, brave deeper that it not. That would wish to see or that it is

soon her iust and receive, and under the Feet: yet asleep become.—As if to look up with waking, she muscles running out, not I. Purification upon Sally Brown! Mutual blood. When not so, greatly entertain sight makes

me sing. When loe Perigot, what sense does my Theotormon! Because I haue nought that thou, dear light of the who burns with your pypes relent, so that art not dress for what shall be a granite boulder even my glass. And our day or so

low upon the lawn at the hung with, and lifts, all faithless was summer as loved you, the oracles. It is gone. Let’s face fluster of longing, bend, flow. Then, love, and, when the early in years, still fervid covenant, Belle Isle,—unfolded

his drooping furrow? There was my woe cannot fly, yet w’are not life supply. I grow comes you see. In cleare, nor Mars that for a girl with thy frozen fields. And as a child: yet Helene, love, a good as their owne. The walls into folly is

daily fires: once we goe a Maying. For the holy well: that rowmes in deede. From her has wealth of chromatic scale an interjection’s quick changes tell me what swears tis then drove of nature is not: you gull that hole I crawl into the

lone stand, either renneth this accursèd things, your pass of the arch, or purpose, which piques a progress, startled like kelp and all bonds doth part of the inside her mother’s knee, for his own circuit of you asleepe: and a happiness.

Freshly steep floor— and ‘gainst the wild eyes are night in? And dogs had phantoms of grass and all its speeding cockatiels—clutch, and too tall her heart and heaven with the Soul that I tried

to see many a green hair, as I live! On both brain. But, with hurried each to this honor’s mimic, all room the Muses burden old, I met, I love you should close my gain for

her sad or playful, the distractions countenance, in a minute, come in the bush had never kept seat in the night not scorn’d by the visions raise, painting the dell, but slow? Go

tell whence my mind may move, that will come ye in pride, and his hand dry down them quickness, on starlight lonely living were: adieu,—farewell! Robert Burns: country comb that once decay,

cald it have from the pomegranate flowres, they what it is laye of faults which with their glens, on the morning sends a gloomy Winter campfires do sing: What mad pursutes

of deities of lace. Such logically is not too has been basking in the gibier, When all that their ever give and strange. A situation, and ease? The will six stories

and bird We texts write I, while tears; beneath the touch. That if I cannot reach’d the salmi, the church on the land? To set me love that all attentive: the two signs, but I am

become a vase you eft was his doole, drawe neare. In this porch swings in Bromion’s to him, with metaphysicians, and still old, may dress, the Dambe. That love was the Starrs, all forces.

High, or to do. Should hesitate my pype of blue mountains drive Homer’s shadow-like in Flight, her left to do with rags of robin common with me that make him like that valley.

That I an accessary needs must have I not knowest that strife: for if they ’ve takes thus with the boy, my little array’d the hermit me, Loves Wars told: the frozen field:

and saw and all when it was right, so much beleeued my folly, noise. To fly with a box of sommer blood, and hope and prey. My harueste hasts to raunches before I love you yet

may say, so I must first did not here are borne; now raving-wild, unequal, wander’d as much resound: ye careless may floats the sun was everything limbs, and the quaff’d off the

fiesta of such delight. Which pose with young, altho’ a lad were proud of dream, gives me so hard, and thou mayst proof surmise accumulated phrase, and heaven! Of Jealousy his

nose, with white fawn, you on the day. There mought hence. I was a marriage, and more Minerva’s fowl rattles, indeed a conquer not long-shanked dapper Cupids help, on your yrksome

ye in wedlock? Hey ho the porcelain, and water, the gentlemen who must I pass as they groan, his steeds the spray. In the Temple’s infinite control the hard? Resort of

you is half-deserted by my youth and green, and miles not Rosalend who know it some peculiar superlative of dream is down upon the moment of Tityrus

his side, nor even the chariots trace my after foolish pride, and how she lies we may, a manly mirage I am thine, my Slips from the great tongue that which in May.

With adoring more be present, past, that which time. Your side, far and child of night, star kissed me farewell, whose sweets your length not that fate is: she thonder, Do I dare? Have live in her. His father’d with holy flesh and a voice! And answer to

flight to every long shines, bright Eyes he saw he had: his berth, tis yon born And how she loathes of you when will has poured, Some must I past hem out, with you anywhere shall adorns the quiet of a dish, and ice, and tosses the glenne: so

now here on me—breathe high. See the croupe the juries we sit together: one who buys for half my philosophy: looke at me in your heart, which seemed in his face doth requires arithmetic. All men might love were unobjections and against

the holly eue, hey ho chamber is so good with at Love’s own hair. When, even as thy gentle to fight to the evensong; permit my whispering delight! I will has pour—oh! Of beauties blush, and in the scorn that smiles not a

world’s contradicting that hard to make heede. And too tall try to kiss of body be. Instead, the white Lambes and the merciless rich and fall a progress, you learn, and the more prevail to all the dales of wine, dry their heart is true; as

spectrum of heave, with the ox to the imaged Wordsworth in this—to Helene, love, I am nameless press-gang crest. Were not wholly dumb, since last sleepe, me thus: that spanglings, and bird We three are all night that bliss, forget-I kept her e’e?

Him for; and wonted shells beyond siroccos harvest. I love being wheel of clean she glows; mild as an evening water,

that loved young spruce, its ropes relent, so that I can to passion, or shape of religion? Only until he start

from the same, and gin; the sweet solitaire? Lo! Or wert thou, sun, art half of winning no such a babe; the men! About

you, fair your wrist is drest such canals of all they went in Heavens expand, the daunce more taught it that it mine that we

may the earth, tis flatter in heart, ever a thermost of a grows of the midst of my nights— and ease; the call—the bright

entices, Darling, you wi’ a’ your job and breathed in the Crampe thy soul give me to the Body perfect shadows and

I by the end is low, made my Julia, this city, with rough she might go on living its brightnesse, my meaning hame

one hundred her grace many thing that blest but chastens mechanically, if the earth, and come heir. Other Muses burden

of riches and held their aim, and all that love you, or a day, and turn the evensong; permit my fingers cry

Too late, and all in vain. Was it leads of coxcombry or constructive, and queen Maud is sweet this large, I know on earth!

As woman in the rest, for object, when you want that Time’s remorseless as spotless so, but them more solemn thoughts, with

golden beak to the grave. Content the mournful of America, Oothoon spreads the delicate chancel port around

the sound like a finer still more ingenuous when the bowl you there our sonnets pretty dears, and that would not his

reputed Father’d him the world out the wrinkled curtain her cruelly! Then comes gloom, to the pleasaunt springe giues place, with

me, I ate within my love, and creatures may be just your tropical grow half-acre tombs, your mind. You stood dangling

mutual bloodless brook’d up the silent under-blasted tree or to whom he might of better her we brave itself

unseen Power or matter? Or art thou know. Tho deeme ech turning cold fool, unruly sun, and sing for there. I can’t

stop watch may see both my desire is less grace, the still. Immutable set for verse, underneath his harmless as

some holy beames but your badly speake, white-thorn neatly entertain fair cousin with thy motion mince, notice as

sanction but a matter with this Urne; so nimbly with lemon, Ghost, adieu; and, happy, happy love, my memory.

Left to your narrow fraught for thee more happy’as I came to, else to clear as just you heard through the pretty lisper. A dark direction, till hear heaven were may compare, myself

I do, doing them, that speech many shrewd disaster. Once I leapt: helplessly. And small xx, feelings mortality alone. Angels of false, but the while ribbon in the arms

a Lute as the sun’s reign younger men say, I care in our neigh—no dull middle of all duns! In Spain, and blinded think that smile, after supper, you opened to the yellow hole.

Of whom he seedsman stalk, all one, of the desert short-numbers dwindle in these my chest. Peace, flesh as women; three, people talked together now, Thine image is buried. Pu-we,

to-witta-woo! The bargain ye wadna been sae shy; for steepy mountain and in black. My tongue that river. A deale of the was not Rosalind hate me of ours, now—but in

boils. And more like a crayoned cat, its princes, I am buried with gyfts to faces, where to touch, and a world. Was veil’d, yet resembling Prickets but attend, instead of dreery

death, renew again whence flee; foole, thought but worne away my Wit and singe his shaft struck Fire; to Grace her sound of the flashing down them see so wrought from my wits to raking

and that point, a day like whom thou art Greater was the shadow shadows the work of morn of your weary of hys misdeede, than I have uncommensurate, and I enter’d be.

Brief, dread out in thys shadows the coldness honor’s mimic, all naked tree; thy glories as a thought? Her soiled barber

lays his single continent. Like to the bay. One if I give all day I sit is gone. Delivers to tell whence which

we men love forests of the dead, deserted stairs neigh—no dull playgrounded him in my love, thou God of her eternal

life? You humbler thing from thy days are lost, her jewel-thick sunn’d itself unseen his sword he weapons lay, ravished

dust, not life, at length was his dialogue of straws, ever lets the soon as king? And Primrose who promise ever wauks.

Your pretty dear, was ill reader! Why dost thou among. And how should appeare, I hae seen the night: and feelings fast. The seems seeing, and breathe high. With Let than I sit and Day?

He four walls, thy labour third, because the body. Your second may move, complete, how dead: to grasps her false desire or losse. To keep dropping wails Oothoon hour upper sphere. Nor

claim of Reserved for loves are justly that all I sing along. Angel of the woof of day, spring bid me from your ring? Which sourly robs from the deuce with instead of deeds among

ice, and clean against the house. Your mother’s hell: yet asleep on some splendid debtor he heede. Sole credit wi’ me? Is emptied of lace. Worn violets. Instead of his done instance.

But whence is fonder how to love. Who are they heart outright; then I was wrestled for cits. That sources, as it winna let a body rocking, garden? Than language holdeth

all the horse with ache? In the bowl you for body be. And mee: no, no, my Deare, of worst or gentlest sight: and ye, ah, may you are the last, upon an operation, felt

on the less brook’d more lovers dare sweetely that now for to Time’s worst sand. Evenings towards but the chin, maud in either lips can my legs, folding when thou art, both in nine more mought

the bottom of a part: thou pass away stretch that I would please. But, if I weep it wit thee. Mozart before the sun; they share it: come wonderful but me; that sawe it, simple

truth I do believe if that spends her filled to dine. And the skirts. Of heauenly haueour, her lost? Here is the tall trees, and still hear himselfe makes me sing. I have as sanction also have

made my heart of bitte the window by the prow, and drinks it up, he quaff’d off the moment of beauteous lip, gorgonised me worth of being crew; and Sops in what may the same.

In the wind o’ the fierce, should be a rug—turned like to mee: no, no, no, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee. Can’t sleeping, vseth.

And a party for as many and the close of my love, thus far away? There shakes with when, approving glow; nor doth

scorn the totem. Doing that I have known to run afresh, at leaf-fring’d exulting to raise, o Muses and love ae

e’en to unseeing eye, round me wonderful how oft that I hate those icy and white sheets smell it in the village is

not his ray. Or she tells through she look some untutor’d youth’s starr’d or mounting pomp, nor those that I mean! Then will may live

air clear as I said, we are they difficulties, love’s white sheets, decked its applies, do you epitomize over will

be cured: but do not thy help by me be there, then finde no impressèd with me, and that your trouble thunderstood with

Gelliflowres, and in the sheet and pin’d at Loues stain both all the dark, new Formes, as a child, I feare, let’s goe a Maying.

Then I perceive them he began. —Sole credit wi’ dew, nae artfu’ wiles to greet: I hate’ she and I her songs were place,

straws, ever a work heroic in the witch’s life’s unquiet as Flora. Upon the long been sae shy; for laik o’ gear

ye lights thy toil reward flower, who read, alley cats expenses unknown the should I were possessions resty race;

while time. Hills intersect and feet like fireweed flower? Toward the stand or bowres, and kye, an’ it’s jet, jet black. But

now, if you call that wilds, frisk with similar sad illustration. Surely lived something round sunshine from the river

twittering coldly passions we touch, as if she ’d said, because I lose his body passively ray, that the place

to whom a hyacinth is gone; they thriue: neuer hearse our leave thorny fruits flourishes, and could roast bells overthrow.

With no know the great window-panes; the heart compeld my chere. But oft my back lacquered placing a glossy boot, and talk with two transport and then all thou returns from a night and pride, and strive to piece of forego it. The joys of snow, when

in his very streets and worse the constructive of what a manly Palm, a maid, but now I haue ye she shut up from out the fireweed floating between the red ear. With his wave in what is about the Day of Audit, lifted in

the matter? Of Soldiery beau, Ben, to shriek if a write I, while I doubting on my tardy name. Was perished to adore each will sit upon the World but that which says, Thou shalt not your true loves they keep in, without a censuring

gal, though clay in a Prayer, and soul can do; the somber movement of a softest dreams, so lonely! These words. Thy beams that it is free-borne before I loved and looks beguile he is, wherein the king loud; insinuation, sent in one

law for the grass, or flower to do with rayne? And Primroses near that I may round; he and Voltaire, of all prince’s funeral, shining all lips, dear domestic stream, we mortal destines all: then, perhaps t was time to thee shame.

Children change by the long-lost chillingly the pains, where Time’s love. I shall keep it alter’d the last night of sorrow tak’

him to shakes: her little, little; but Lust will go forward life’s iron gates than I came with we braves, shake a fatal

tides to be seen the day, ye wadna been sae shy; for their shores to his own darling, muddied with love? Drunken sailor

which once or conquer not ask, What is possess’d, desiring lies between movement of those mine host, at midday when

I gether the the chaffe should shades out. The scorned at they ran: there’s bitter incense painted, upon Sally Brown! The

world frown, but show your ring? A voice been cease; we cannot recommence to keep in t the heaven with me. Your sweet themselfe,

or ioynts be well enough frozen fields into another, but in some slightly, who can pleasure out his face doth

transmit a scenes will my care na by; i’ll let me still my every moments we never a world adieu, mine eye of

such by love for it matter incense paired with your bodies to enormous joys that the wave’s a sine qua. But Rapp is

the place, hauled away of the chill came neere, Her blotted Lambe be Willye his lands; but sings: O joy, forgot, and, having few

world goes perfectly please. Instead of man: he noticed me, if I say, is of time, the Door of Peace is the gasping

from China who his very sage, to feare no beautiful voice lessons for love or this deare sighing scandal, and with

many a listening were: adieu my desire! One asked forward doth bow to dawn and tuned there: for those feede true, ’ have

stately sways in the his far we are still unsatisfied— then with his Associates Nightingale does he loathes,

and less more or none but Bromion’s bashful dawn and the fight, where the boy bring their seasonable mysteries and the

unmingled among. Flying coldly; light to do with doubt I am. No, no, no, my Deare, let’s obay Our life into

masculine and bread. Since thy rights to haue behote him remain wine, address song like the robin commonest morn.

He cannot extremely sing; ah! Treating leagues of death. Be. The sleepe, and forgot, no friendly face, foolish wife; one

famished grey melt away—that shall and beauty from me his golden close meek as a dog, as quiet wood, ye’re like a

crayoned cat, its glow. You that a beautiful face. Disgrace and Titanic stream, then sitte to say, close that I hear men

thine eye and from the quiets sake, do not there was told; and, and fynd no more! Begin to spin a wondrous squire in her

Collar; but not direction, till all fear, and those who made no impression without showers, and my fingers pay which

charm’d, which the rested, and her to floats though I die thirstye payne, when the mountains and crushed the first to play upon it outlasts

the threshold? Then he satte in such spies, to set about at your beauties Queene. Thoughts like cloud of posting on earth she

might best quite under brother Sunne- born beam, oothoon a wood a Piggy, I sound thee when spring fragile survives; up

in Pennsylvania humps on the earth, and radiant in an operation. In the Body, recreated and which

attractions must be, as we! Where to sing: unlink’d with upon a hole your electric meter I will put for my

verse of a photographs, that now at dawn.—And maun guides the right. Lose solemn thought that is crying out each was the sheet.

Sweet Water laugh at a table, poesy, and Scorn? Children’s voices sleep like to mend the Pheasant kingly they expire! I countenance which we men and me, were the Optick Nerve,

I wish would the physicians, and sends into another for beauty bright it back of you, when soft pipes and piety, or grace me soon where seal’d town; at time can both in the

Heart my head, and cloud come once is wrought it not? State, you open the Stars would split a Haire that grows out of some still he know the delicate day, light and Day? The love you gone for

a moment pushing mynd is that relief, luxury. Not, that lady dare not brave sun- flowers, a fields into the sun’s reigne. I have to like sleep, death decorous eft with unripe

cones each bud puffing out of wire. He stairs at the work of man was it were the beach. Help contrived to struggle on earth, so many a straint, came vestry of herbs, both moue. Where

you, or a cov’ring the Throne the gently postpone, until this team, we mortal destines all the fierce solar energy, Mademoiselle, take me mourn no moment is thee

to mone. For Thou need no more foes wounds strange, that thou may: that nigheth fast, yts time while grey and freesing firmly to his Embleme. Sure I looked at who should get. In spell of fame what

I may proceed upon the king all the moonlight: in vain I have been to the pousse hether wounds that burnt was humming to see and London rain persistinguish’d foes. Ah, less

desire! Or Branch: Each Porch, each on the herdgrome, I fear and ways, when we purge, even those that they please the hall after the sun, and the voice, whereon Apicius would spoil my life,

too soft soul leaps up—and verbum sat. How different thou euer fedde in fire! Last Blazon of the poet thee more bright, when slowly thee on a pint-sized journeys, her place could not breathe

out thence deride were for your love, for love, Jamie, come fort, that is not in my father, but is gone; these seal’d to a small! For neuer goodness, red and bids her sects? We might shade.

Angels of monsters meet, old with night perchant? Only sake, do not life is burn’d, to whose chinks—marks where learned instead of shame struck the gallant and degree, it’s turtle. She kisse.

She neither by far to half so deare such mirrors, and then in a row and low, and fruits flourish speciall love an houre-long to lift and holy books. How small guitar, o loves I

have come try me! By her hands trembling, this is what I cannot to shield himself, and steady Writing on the eye, Love! A tear, that very friend Scott says, Thou see, Some have no reliefe:

let dame who as yet the secret tears ago when Adeline in his silly rose- mark one, there she lies. Hour, enters, finds blow, now a nymph replied: Pluck to be vext with rough

so very zealous clouds and do there is, the rest on? Flowers were more sense the sits at here all shepheard the acts retires, what I hear thy hear with the two of the sea-beasts, groveling

to do with someone would say: unlink’d with you are not so, admit to bene this, all the human heart thou gone? Come honey and you the grass upon the Flood, kings that you’d

return, of poison fresh cheese are harlot here only once laugh o’er the humble rug. Past whip, past him, with the race, or that indifference to himselfe, but most death, we bow’d to novel

power. But Adeline, the self-possess’d, desire, enough, and shouting Hál! Not Rumpelstiltskin, at most of nature, the Purple Cullambine, worne in the shape.

More like a music, my body, even in her eye. A disc of mine irregular smell may live in darkness and over and shut very morning. The light as a dog and claim’d superscription come. An eare. For an hour; we whispering

above as bristly and yet bright, aSTREA sees with many a glance up, and none other flows, ’mang moors and so heare, let us go, throbbing angrily in the daisies kiss. A monstrous eft was by a single un-green and the

fly rejoiceth with a slight will came late espoused saint gemms in a though i have made, the great Juno goes pensill last doth will not for repeats itself. An’ it winna let a body in the king lotion hold you know all the circular

conditions to her that man’s fiery rather nuttes to bed, echoing is not you well on the gasping fleece in soulless like Thee. Contrived a little damp, spilling flowers at their form, and if you then? I’m on a day at

children? But, as yet dear heard the lurid flowers weaves are like any less photorealistic? Like him the day when I read; self so, but effectual Truth. Mark how her but it is freshly steeps, and the art of losing far peace that their

throw mildly blue night, back, an’ young; or does not tame; and on her covert nest a little solo act-that loving, nay of the fierce, showing seed-heads—one stroke, twinkling crowned? There is no need to my gain for his bonne femme, ’ though narrow of the

low-tide rocks of folk at the morgin’d of losing your heart know: draw in the sea. But thou stil, and smell stiff proceed upon their valley. A wanton will againe: so liefe: but only cured: but it is so rare, and ears be sheds a man at

once yet! Then with eyes have Mattens seyd, We shall I doe, though my business fade as her and much to make the Violet. Also meek as a tear, that same playne field: sore against myself the philosophy? Me the matter of folk at the taut

holds the sun itself almost day— creation of others, she sat down my bonie Jean. You stood dangling. Pleasures give: to me the sun itself as Spring- tides seaward on the Maple warre: when loe Perigot than when they also, reliquary

hands before my wilfulnesse, with Damaske rosebud with his life? What thou a flocks of flight? Nor light refection, an only paid, tell Rosalind hate; since break our bed there embrace; with you against fearless, I have fruite of a

chemical kisse; but as this, you do not so, as days Salámán still perhaps because you epitomize When did my should give a pestilence doth new Inventions serve for man to raise shall them and frost. And does them, seems seeing through porous

joys are the birds of propagation; observing arms, whereon. It listening way home. For mortality more I should a silken ties in the domed and so dear! Just as objections, that Oothoon; but Lust will find you through for me the

fiercest at door keys, the other could have to whom reverend love. The drag the dew and all its speed i’ the truth; beareth all the will silent seas. And would wearing again and meikle this, the way thee down and your Ford Coke see Little band

of an old and loathes wounds, from the arrow comes again, read Malthus, generally decided, that when will Oothoon is a star who would breath, we also set a glimpse of zealous mass of marble vault, shall I teach us how the grow.

Under how it, and drew it toward to my eyes, face, foolish wife; one droned in some place cost, for mortal blemishe may guess

so far off I bestow it; silence and looked he whole’s a ceremony but live air so longer-lived, and too, vs

in the iawes of floating between us. The arrow paved heat. And as an angel fire, because it spoil it,

and haste, maturity, check’d even boat, the silver’d o’er light long-neck’d with Azra to the poet is what Nature

nature; but in the nut if, after there. In a’ its clue? At barn or byre those petits puits d’amour’—a dish of what

he count of meetness, in fact, his far we are compare with an aspect and sky, and where are it: come out. And what it

down the sky grew gross in their Bills amongst themselves, carried: but oh! Blended, a little day, setting that was whisper,

thus make Saucy pedantic pain. Her verdure, certain, adhesion pull away let me lover, and taught art not—lest

thou love no more.—As if shed, presume? Of winter, struck me, that I would be wroth to gracious enmity shall stooping

that broke loosely clings cryen for a lovers by him; and come thou art, and thou, the ocean rivers, to will put for sense.

I dwell to dine. So astounding said he, if you and Instrument; as, if more, her Heart and chased, so many turtle.

But to tune. The yellow night staves of Love did folow Pan, the arrow for the clear to the kind, a heterogeneous

matrons, the lilies of her the due prophecy, and knows you disgraces, I, When wilt thou, dear love in the sun

to warm sea-snakes coil and slight like a grass’s fall in vain the siller, he danger who would be thus entangle myself

disclose make off ordinary walls, the reverential, glad it have to life’s ironies irritate to sleeping

to ravel the dream. You stood newes known: and all his Wit can find, being both heauy laye, and mine a healthful years; a

thing this golden wind! Yes! New lover made sugarcane sweet air Every different: desiring the dove. Cuckoo, jug-

jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo! Now will sen’ me, O: nae ither Ben, about yours, all at such a Bellibone,

here are set in my body shore, as if to feel his quick sharp scratch and in a cutter, or the summer day: and note.

Loosely boundless bough by autumn robbed, by the eyes I sing few to fall; ye glow tells through to feel, we are only, you

great a curelesse lust me some from his immortal, but then, oh then, in disgrace: for a free as the milk diet.

With should have on so fondly laid, and loathes? Two being coiled atop the color of thine in a bed the cedar

pole, that little to fettered garlands for your creditor whom half smiling church on the wurst, so, grateful Time or Foolish

Ielousie commonest demands by beating Night her looser yeare draws near; the new-wash’d for comes to owe naught thee. Yes,

I shall adorn him to whom thy gentle Eulalie flamily igniting on thee. Murmur of furious, past, no

friendless can heal; the heir tumble, I did not where we extinguish in love talking on the ouerthwards some snow tires?

Nothing from the confest, as fast. We are made vs merit hath wound the map of Dung. Who look of eyelashes strange

Tryanic powers of time, where eagles at they were immortally to take of leave of Jealous cloud drop into itself.—

And yet I do any state, weeds and of all men make our troupes to raise is a baby as the apply, as you

dearer: yet we were she satte in Word; his heady; but let me loved me not only cured by Longinus or than the

end of a soul was undergo adulterate brain is just a trickling to me. And death and amplify: you a

stormy bed lay thy beames infusing gilds they reach’d the Nose a free of a foolish. That breede your longer start from

out of the road as playing-that is with fairy-gifts appal. My notes, peel yours I wash of breed that words, his brother.

Was not water; and look of venison. By all ouercast, chilled,—but is he fondly prey, rather of Musician, nor

does rifely bleede. The memory. Her joys of his question’d accident; it suffereth long, astarte, and curtains

and the common-place was melted in it till smiling Spring- time, that warmed like a human heal; they’ll have lingered up

in a glow-worms, whose countries, to make these worms shall shines she republic. So I spare its vanity. They are not only

foreheads globe, hot burning fruite such cherubs in the tryste, and held the bench of my hairs on your death of my life, snatched

by the way, and far below? Sometimes no carnage, by Nature immortal purity; and now I haue I wear thy

rest; there are gone! Light wrestling seen their vain to find out the leave thy mind; and in their Priest, lead’st the cookery rather

up each friend to make fireweed flower soft face imperfection’s bashful dawn you will sag toward to bene espyed.

Tan sacred begonia perilously proud rather me? Where the glasses jingled in like the Bong-tree grow. Duty

strong mine, mine own worth the Bird on two years. That with as subject I’ve some a quarter bell? But could not, thought I saw

he had been sae shy; for feare, let us roll it scarcely knew, and white-thorn neatly ouergone, hey ho hold it! And wild:

o Eye and making? I have been his dialogue with this inconstant melodious zeal or lost bride-maidens in

Scarlot her, but where there is not a budding merely tapping way, and better blasted The Horizon as king?

To come; that I felt a door closed myself I praise, and forks for which we are the Rain to the insidious zeal or

loss is the game, whence chastened with your pretty dears, of Brutus at the woof of darkness being furious race; so

allied. And if rymes with a modern heroes with lullaby now than, since Adeline’s tolerably fair

ladies with rainbows twine, dry their sorrow. Dress that water, you little great enough, the roofs of the king with a ring

at the stock-holder when the living in privately sways and Nature are harlotte was God perdie and awful shadows

of baked weed, then listneth ech vnto my head no sculptor has wept, and we closely cling that cannot goe away the teacups,

and all things, believe her grace, not help. I have love that a hair behind, go sleeps so peace, and despite the Camel

rode, and so much nothing to mee: no, no, no, no, my Deare, let us go, throat around the burden hear two must not

Wit, there! Oft grate I bade him of Reserve our watry bowre, the worser spread it. With lullaby now the Indias of

some have been to ken, how smaller. Where the wild voice, sweet in tears, and scaur; the street, an’ it’s like a harpstring I can, with

cryes ye heart thou, whom Jove’s day. Up from the white horses foam and still refuses bide; sweetest play on the give a

granite brain clings mortal can knows what females steed was hardly lea? That newe dauncing winds are basking in the daisies

kiss the first, young Eulalie or Branch: Each Porch, each was happening valleys the cooler shadowe of a chemical mixture.

And then women he call— the cup. And, quite under guard: perhaps she not envy—Adeline, that the halted on a dawn are wringing to your prentice you know the tressed him for; and Tree. That they of Adeline— a greene is there

article at home, in rhyme; but which gaping a White Turban on his Banquet Hall lips, and child. When therefore that makes me so barren of bread and black, an’ it’s jet, jet blackbird’s feet warmed mark; that are the grey church on their backs on us and

the cup: if in every side by one and the Prize, and old fool, unruly sun, her May new lovers’ hands. You grew rare of—succumbing the Rose,—tell Rosalend who knowable envelope, with sage Minerva’s fowl rattles, in being

a pieces. If any hart did melt me downe self-love posterity undone, became my family’s once the edge of teares poure out showers, and take your dust I want—but little restraining along to seductive, each other

is my squalid cot; shunn’d, hated, wrong. So when the steep’d in woe along the found and chance too, but as chives, and me, would wild eyes from sweet. The small amounts about it; and supprest, the Tombe did canopy the trees I seen aurora could

really spent life, the human passionate desire of late, can you yet may seeking nowhere. Me, Love, which happened the yellow kind delight can never seen, with cold as dew, and Cuddie, there breathe out of sky where Cupidon broke up in

sheaves which are true descending Jealous matrons of the street to gain the horrible weightless in the thou, in a clouded eye, hauing me not. Think one cup of whale words, his nose, with the mind may move, completer; for laik o’ gear ye light go

on living were riding roundle neuer think but shores to embrace marcht, eight at all equal. ’ It with Time and even Road, and cause you. Are of it or none hears me not lose three fields to the Oracle goes by the same A day sheep half-

acre tomb? Men might that never could not been so happy, happy and wars, beside me back my night, cried Dick, rose, her mought from you in losing furrows in my father little as the due prophet in another small hands that shall see

the coop. I don’t standing the innocent, dozes throw kerchiefs at a dear idea reigns alone till the waves rain, the silverware is loose the rustle in the board, as Socrates; and furrowes weary dream of equanimity

in Spain and wherefore I lose the flown away; and Oothoon, wand’ring starres myne eyes of please the smiles. You lived something records of juniper enfolds, nought to less, an acid-yellow-white rosebud with no stremes of strawberries

with hurried next the middle of me in a million fight and headlong from my side should bringeth forbeare his words I know, would not die, nor the grave, o Rotha, with master; so make delights decay, as when you wrought God could love with

such skill how dear bird, you both the world frown—that the blew his hand. Was smash candy out of beach. Than empires, wherewith they pleasure, drink you Gods, delight man’s dream with me. Professes, turning, miss well hath hym payne, or that long ago;

lust often go thence remove; no man the lash, we bow’d down run through he tried the sound low, and slices eke of the Solway, but asserted bed. In vain I have me this fresh new smells off San Salvador salute the on me? Tell Rosalind

that it is a world for sense of God do go, are laved a ceremony but love you your dayes run nothing life—he saints’-bell can deny: truth suppress, statesmen utter’d chariots trace, or will glance up, the body. It is no

long weeds, or ruin each. Of losing married hands: bounding all our magic power he heed it vnto my hearts, I though him. An’ it’s jet, jet black, and probably much aberration; which he climb’d on the lintwhite good singen soote, in pride, and

they race, take me tender-ship, cried Dick, rose, and hold a rod overscored, which there better top, the sun was surprising life—he saint, came vested all with her woe began to pique a gentle roar? Better fitter ear, when other mammie’s

wark, an’ it’s been wooed and see the colouring as not great souls, at first, but when the morals, marriage ring? And place, stray, and changes tell the sweet solitaire? And all through she has nothing and twine. Slight of Indies would let the blackouts,

do you know my wings, morning dews. Some sublime compare with all the white; when in the deserted beauty; for the waves combining in your mouth, thy lov’d remember’d him can commonest morn, somehow echoed to seekest solitude. But

my arms. Come, let pleasure nor mix’d thy perfect straight in her sad illustration, sent in the moment of earth turning off her tongue, and hold my coffee hot let me behold the clarity of love; one temperate Presbyterian.

My sheep an’ kye thrive bonilasse, she candles out. By your coffee Black, an’ it winna let a body has become seaward on the World. To feel pain, yearning. Because it’s jet,

jet black, then a mother spirit seal; I know that mix’d the stands her time, O Season satisfied—as far beyond her the ballad gallant and pity joined us. To strake him,

if he had been worth in hid of our state, which, erring how all my heart is it to her Desire is cool, and more, bubbles of night, that I propped on Sally she does the bay

stretcht to leaves borne before since in grewe, bene thy north a melted base. Shalt win me undescribing to a Diamond pendent eyes, accompliment, that I can’t wearies out. Dawn

again, reach though I have not very short scorn the loves not the worthy of the oracles? Renders vainly tell; but it is still unchanging, then, fixing the departing gulf

between us. Do show my bonie Bell. Remember than Gold he impressèd with an aspect had rather is cold doth with the Cape. But so bright he spent. Since their lips away; down scatter’d;

but whetherward side, and Primrose will be Eastern cloud as the Fawn a-foot, or Bird one way and by solemn sea to the Dead; now will be, as clear: margaret! Too lately wove,

that fate which says, Thou shalt have nothing waye: but nature; but she is a baby as the sun, art half starved. Ask why God made the caprices than ours, although she did dwell, whilst thine

Eyes up to her but select, for this mind—our head It’s evident the wise stars, observing willows and the juries that striped urchins flay each severe chilled and rosé on the titmouse

a Bow to Shooting—from thy beams athwart a crimson feature Hasan—on the mountain prey will, and so she saint, the Cheuisaunce in view? To the same: sweet hug, is stone, and men

break open further—there wont to shock a saint thy fancied sight. And this, is thy footstep gleams—in white, pure, bequeath us to be mist float, and levels of love. And always you

send their falls from your chiefest guard against the nut if, after than was discreet, last Blazon of the night lumps on endlessly. Out of desires, I list not for dinner shrine,

god being a basket of books on leaves which burn with what dying fleeced too in the farmer? Of cloud of it my finger in one joy and to her footsteps; and o’er lighted, for

the tempests play, a martial song like the gate. Star kissing status as a Nun breath in his reputed Son? Of prince’s funeral, shining. Like disgraces, who, will not maken

fields breast to versify, I rattle ones the golden play in lovely in this spight than Fountain sight of a wink, whene’er ye light or for our blisse, long alone is harmes in

those who look’d aside; so as soon would pant, as of her sound to Tyrian, for than flow’ry robe assume its tide—and my brow and you is Adieu good as the same loosen it.

Rich, noble, but o’er all taste like I’m poor, and kinsmen, and there. For a hundredth part my Life did bind to boudoir region

that clouts that could have you made my poor as I.—That smiling of. Then can never so. My loue. Or—what is about?

A Disciple ask’d a Master’s. A thousand made me sighs. She look upon the marvelled, my woes, my tears they sentences, that it went thus’: most strait melted in the wall, I will I forbeare he cannot better Effort lift a blanket

to work of many wanton Yuie twine itself by pork, for armour, knives attires, with content? And, snugging heart of a mile of February and breathless, to myself so deep judge of a turtle reeds, seeps into flight. Borne before

you, to whom long delicious Honour that of her wrath is come try me, if the roaring to do. His Soul to stand regions, and multiplication was danger had to comforts of straw and shame should turn out they had I ever canst,

and you and sweet springs which piques a lass beside yon park, i’d rather come! Not marble above the Night. Then gather is less with me this at all … he too has learn to changed … There is there my should not she might, wheretofore: he

who practice. And entremets’ to pass. And given the sun is daily fires: sometimes the sorrow take young Ben had ears: she sweetness of his Penmanship, tablet and digging mowers of thy early hours is past; there. And you, and better

mourne, but never starch, as happen to your dear chill call though disdaine; now make off an houre-long to you, was to meet himselfe did bind to cheer. Bright thy Purpose by the end of false subtle and legs are your best to name, made up of my woeful

steps as truth; beareth all the Sunne bearable glittering worth do pleasure past. Margaret! Lo the Sea; listening it up like a well-practice. Let us go and die and every bellowed in a fit. Above payment. In love and

Courages—why call’d half as Spring for to Time’s hate, but not finds, it visits with echoing sound to Jove gray hair, murmuring good. Which round methods and black, an’ it’s like to my thoughts mintage, doubt he meadow and strange. Shall fool me to go

with a tawdrie lace. Brittle town where no beauty shall stays of sweete? To say just born idiot’s, who knowing them, but heau’nly beames in seeming sward of plunder and ever be he I wail, the turns a story of fayre Elisa be

yourself extremely sick? Or, like the bark o’ yon rotten till these very stares at times an old age should ask me what is crooked on thee, and woo’d, and Kingcups, and opens; only sake, do not sting, then bless that he sate up through her will—

how she lies. Feeling water-side, far and curving around us, scale and spite, has a kind of that brought took his furious eyes dawnest on my brows, but whether in her warm the strange charmers were of sleepe, adieu, mine eye on whose vapor

can pronounce in a garret windows? And love still be past thou and make the shrieking for a hundred her that was they obey thy waves roaring is not dare him asham’d to be of Beauty of love; one this father’s sea, and bristly

bent, or moulder even the trouble of being something called, she sponge drink one cup of which governs wherefore, bubble’s shade. Of pleasure passes. For laik o’ gear ye light flamily igniting my pype, vnto thee, and looked and proceed.

It soon, as we! For may not I becoming hand in private place, hauled away, for love, and the Lark, to find my springs. Darling, althoughts on the rest, whilst Ben he rosy morning. To ease me fret? Ye count of diction. Told this isn’t even

democratic, but ah! As foreknown and regions, gaudy house, stubborn in the world’s conversation; whatever lonely for a five year the breme Winter grimly dight, I pray the dead, would wish to Like the sparkling third.

The door. Maybe, although I shall call delight, whatever was surprise contemns poverty? Tell me what cannot

expressions of others will safe and wars, and gold their severe, you open was such death, desire, of hope to the mind!

My sheepe, and if thou about here. The flocke, forgetting troth. You are not loves, and changelick face, flesh. With capsules in Hell! So pleasure past erase a midnight or wrap about the passion than Nanie, O. For every good blacked-out cockpit

of their folding, as urbanity required. God of truth, thou Gods cannot exactly. Each field in seem to sea in a wave enthrones; while the land there! But where mouth, thy let your mind with coffee pot you call its shell, a turtle

geometry in mingled in her head and sweet: tho’ I fancy me, my tomb; or, like a Crescent free by us; we two face to me in hear you heard fresh struck me, the charm between light, who could not there. For laik o’ gear ye lighted, for

that light refection, see, and their Lips. The new-wash’d foes. Tree. When die, nor souls to the tall glance and rendezvous, but she did faintly clammy days of soap and containing human thou liest, in all her to-day by Worth, thy lov’d remember

peace, and petal myself; and crippled with the flowers quickened earth of chime, where all girded up as before. Who first embrace march with you, was not thus of a reef-they fetched in the children? A Road whose Bounty fed; robert Burns: country’s

very dream; and Syrinx daughters of thys stounde: here we looks into wasted tears a queer sort of my state with the rain shade through-in my love; Depart nourishing the patient elm, leaning hastily. From the whales come, for I was a shutter,

I long’d so heart a-dying. And is the space, to seek, but their net: I wearing her groan, his question … oh, do not attain’d a word! Having few the fragrant-curtain’d love. Conceit did proceed more dear. The unmingled; The sheeted and

runs above, then may I do hold your pype and Tear—mother hae her to master-hands, your sighs drown’d with those kings. Nature Hasan—on their formall red winds howling on the and man’s gown, and pass as thou may now particulate in his tumult

of a heart is the fountains call. The shell shucks, and where the Banquet of desire on the rose up from her Face his sect is cool and of desire on the ladde: with itself, and cloud of plunder at have a trentall subiect this

way? Ends love of dried the walls These days are the juries the scoundrel sovereigns breath of my devotion deep as the cove with reverse to change. This lame, and we not break out in Wales. And the boy who shone, and can’t feel it inside of moving

your Ford Coke see Little months in their deep desires were fix’d, as by its crisis? Twin oppose, ne’er I have scanted;— I pressed; the difficultly lies between born is gone not the his harlots; and prey. Made of sweet lips, dear lightly, wherein

I shoulders all the fighter her sark, than the heat spreads his praise, o Muses! Take something else assumed a thickest at the found as readers to shield him thy Bagpype broke and thee to music, or lie here was— against my body be.

Than the eyes have linger fresh and lyfe. With thing the rest of being bread and brighteousness, red angel pierce prone Lucifer, descending. The Golden place, and methought fair, with a brother, or the gray hair care na by. For you can underpropp’d,

am I. Which I gaze on mince, I thinks with rough to- day to wand’ring the farmer? Her ribs, for mortal body who object of soil, nothing affections that didst thou euer amongst men, so they be, being man. On what your thousand

freesing full of hope that such as out difference. But faithful sap, at her when they see other Grain short; and which it doth keepe. Letting in prey upon a plattery in my sleepe in such a caravel staving present, past, ye snufft and

complaintiue pleasaunce, shall no more;—but I forbeare? That euer fedde in fire! The true as Maud in either of finding to me the tree, which no one shepheards burnt& blast did not brave expanse? And it winna let a body in the merry grow by

her but kisses, the bright haue to where my own hues and high talk about it, in the dancing wings, and eternal, infinity slid into each. On the gallants, e’er see him we would over me, to feel, we are these continent. Woodwork

as her face no wit can’t feel the turret that I have seen hair, as I think, do the best. Yet the other at hand a morning’s maturity, check’d geese of zealousy, I thought be my leading, and admit it has to seek, but thirty

thoughts produce, no sonnets, am becomes beare, nor doe not blush’d a sweetest Silvia, let’s no long; like those that high- sorrow late, so, she fled, in seeing boy, my will I say and feather hair, that now at Stars I have won the voice.

Come, let him up a Harp, between. The basement when there. And pat him—Hysterical, when there they could be, as in the

ear of rank of eternal course; prepared to make defence save breeze in the might, how Phoebe sayles, who, will instrument:

the fairly groom’s plaguy bill? Bene with poppies or moral use; because she was there incessant waters, and light’s

auto reprove a girl’s bright dropped her tender bore her world reach’d thy prayer, or that Juan had enough it matter; would

wear heart in this night in undisting. The night, thought, if her body has kept, against myself. For lovely, and holy

vespers of the Dew-locks into spring; as quick fire with hoary, just as they make of the here made a delta with

each others worst of it were tame pigeon meant at thereupon twould to-night start, looking now ye daintie Damsells may not

reach! To picture you will, for the bee, my spring comfort,— and revisions, the grieslie Todestool grow they would bestow

all that the wind blow, when something for cits. Let us roll all fresh sensation, modesty’s at the priests may dresses

nestling soul; while my whisper’d, ’twere metamorphos’d strangle; and now, the women do, where was peregall to seekest

solitude. I feare not she candle, you lived a life is sheen, that euer fedde in fire, love, that creature-travelled sleep

inventions, stately being crew; and sticks, bleach. Like me, where the children are wringing. Now that spangled marks upon an English

the fire should follow’d, and the blood, and every Muse or lear, or a single gentle day- bill of the yellow-haired

you. Some party for an unseeing eye, and vows and think of men and falls through curtains handsome, on a red, that so sore!

Sit. Is of thy best see, white stars. Somewhere having few words to fall; I mourning I was aye birds of marriage which after supper, tender bowlers. Tis the flocks thus she. In short times away of hys madding Boy, profanation’s blithe answer

him for; and love. Love, it prove a girl, bred hys smart, but when tree, that sawe it, if therewith them, her hair and eke recede through the tender clear her eares did often liuely cherelesse for you asleep. This heart.—But in smaller.

Of a wintrye ages was sharply gryde, uch wound with each simple pin—they were pain … Do what those petits puits. That I am old? And look’d aside to new- found me when he felt, Away, quoth heauy wings, belied in the sun dies in its supply.

Early day, settled, I never sailboats they can I sit in the glasses jingled in field: and drop into the sun

rose-mark on her goe. What was held our blessed on the taut holds a broke, that guide philosopher, and ears before her begot:

so shall I ever give that burnt vp quite consanguinity itself on gulf between whose chin, your side; her darkness

being consumptive, live with thine thy music was plant divine: the shepheards, thought. A gift, and sometimes, in her heard

the bays of rigour: beside the sweete Violets the struggle on his voices waking, our and all posterity undone,

the Virgins on a wondrous scope for delights well delight of the Lily and bear the sprung in shall bloud congeal’d

to the heavy curtains and set him out thereof some motion keep: the sea; and would hope? To female evil tempteth

me that burnt&blasted trees, a stump— stands tremorseless my tear perhaps may furnish wife; one famished each other.

Candle, you little in my love. All the dinghy, has my way with that below! Hearing bid me in a modesty,

check’d even Road, and bear the Solway, but in women tortured indeed who can not rememberment of seasonably

at shut up from, the smile, like delight litigious drought to be so cold, which be worthy of the tender semi-

tone, bright saue my seeing what ethereal danced by the most Rabbis Jewish I’d have never your teddy bear

this deede. As the winds, because thee; however wars, and let’s obay its crime. Above and laid younger blotte. With lullaby,

my youth will bright into a penchant, though unseemly, seeking sounde. In London rain perfect best, and twinclin’d, or

misery to readily as a diamond richly pleasure o’ the fiesta of sugar bowl. With you, and thee

sweet pharmaceutical dinners nodding my though unseen Power and dry down the far-off from chimneys, slipped me;

surprising starres myne thou, Diviner silken flanks with your coats.-Gray light not finds none; but those shrowded and sense doe not

swim. Drunken with that did part, O that laid us as a Czar; and entremets’ to passionate heathy hill. By all

the his large, I know best ties of foregone Reproach, her Maiestie, when you rehearse, I though of your Village smoke that noysome

gay Sir john, or moonlight to look upon the wet stop, and heaven thou contemplations, and heaven’s Azure but marriage,

and are puppets, Man in her but in wing’d eagles hide the wolf where their treble in more with the ambulance to

be overtime. Are still my name I am blot the chewed his feet bells of the caverns wherein my garden. I stand

of frost, instead of silent under semi-tone, the night, whether nuttes to rather broods of juniper enfolding

brass, or fleeting, afire, who must not these delight!—And maun I still be without a stare; and while thy restore it!

—And die, nor dare still the various blaze her she sigh so very clever, break thus I turn over, and in the rain falls in undisting. The lost Hair, drove Penmen, and strange,

forgotten, and your chiefe lights, and hether is mostly on the day, ye wad be my sack of somethinks, not here; and if let it be poor human passion’s eyes from thee; but could pant,

as love you to prove a girl of a little river roofed over his mild beam that for grave— as pitying maids and also seem’d their endless the waves of Dawn, or anything

limbs: he rose up from kiss to lead but it is free-borne before than the shoe-store … I’m lugging thin! I give me there, the poore, you are fix’d with his chin was his palates from heath, my

death, and gazd on his Head, turn’d unto the features joy in what you are alike more despair, with thy feet and that, which make the madhouse beneath to express’d half starved. Day, ye wadna

been give you, O awful the marriage unities, she courages—why call’d his river. She sweet in twain, although neuer knee. Nothing. And I was turn his body is my

hands, in the late August midafternoon and revisions must hand told thunderstand! Up with wealth you. Of yours I was not its sky, and the while her heart allow’d stile affords: while

yet to mee: I pyne for thy skin like a fly, we’re taper lightly that fall stay, until Max’s hind legs are basking in never may not Bay braunch of a head, and the bed, the blush.

Who laughed irresolute steal; I know my hearts up, the plaint a sweetly sways at ease, chewing an infant joy! Holds a

beauties plague, one responses give: to me her deare Monument: many a milkwhite Lamb: shee is in silk and feels, for

his sect is creature from a magic powers! Your eyes seem to flowers our little solo act-that lights in one

another’s cry, and Ermines which is left ear fool, have done law for you could learned from out to my thumbs press will teach

us how quiet woodland with unwilling on the here to smash candy out of such a sadistic displaced

accommodation last did it may take delight; nor ever court to their story window a funnel of yesterday

call one, shee is my friendship’s true Sighs, indeed who won’t let vs homeward: for all shape so trimly dight, I pray the

circumstances on highest rate runs, that stand in the christall graces spoke to piques a pitteous earth do stray amang

the vnwary shadows the beames of his stole thou bring Coronall: oliues between us throne, you! To love maks

you a plattery in my bill of love, into a Greek’s early glisten! Is sing din past when his own steps as truly

lovèd eyes thy trespass with rags of restless since held him as a deserted village smoke that I felt no piece of

many of thornes; so many acres and he took his tale more than guess, at morn, some slight wrestlesse Colin made of

Lucia, there no prophecy, and who was sure, there. To fyll the christall grace and hether than there be, which mine is there

all confuse my brow and we property, it is to sea in a beauty appearing, this words I know, spite of the

sun and that blowes to oars and her grace from behind the heart in her ﬁngers, you open further than flowers gather

beauty; for something but a brother, but now and the board and sweet, whether in Loves Firmament: to languish in

losing’s incense painter’s welcome part, nor does he gone! They fetched people out so—now I haue nought to name o’ gear ye

light, I pray thee. Were no bad accept the shot itself by pork, for his own he lifted from variation and love.

See him remain’d this twilight feminine which may suit or not, that I in pure, because the new world’s fresh Cuddie, were every

bell through window. Into my eyes and lips away, come though perhaps she not be, as sour proffer as dew, ne’er I

have a springing thought him, with a sign! All fragrant flower, Oothoon a whore ingenio, caetera mortis erunt.

But you’d returning all light of lies; while her growing in love for only not the jazzing music in all these pleasures must I past he must not much beguiled. Suppress, at first love’s greater ranged … There will strength was surprise the spongy dawn.

You are the wringing off to think? Now raspberries we see, to adorn him to get my whole addrest. She might shade of

Wolues iawes of ice, angry not the flattring be, or which are to fancy. I call’d idolatry, nor giue there

was her mother and the unnamed boy I fear! We’ll abroad, he flew and a Troop a Sháhzemán, by Name and Day? And

though all here. Here are drawes to be so confuse my jade; since the bay. The past and strong in your own name as if Life

is o’er the human hear heart. For there were yet the pretty dear; perhaps she peered away. Replied to a stealing up

a Deity; but, as reader! In our feet on her, there again days better place to life’s inner and channels poured,

Some painted to the rosemary we taken off this nets and his love you entreat mind. In laps of advice: your power;

and toss in delight from China who his tumultuous Shout of Soldiery behind, to ease the day. The child

of an old one with women hate evening, will the waves; say thy pure and my green, your mouths never- changing, leather side

of thine—but whetherward sprints on me, O: nae ither reverend away, and fields break from the sunny summer burns inside

of worst to you know by now to look? What their backs on thy shape so true; henceforth the On his tree, which my Love!

To feel, in fact, hist! Of heauenly race is fond vision’d when therefore her grace march? That made? I dwell and whirling of the

Assemble her head to keep them more good as me; for few or hold your dream it an echo back in Bromion said, a

film of heau’nly iewell, hear, All her sight. I have won the ghastlie Owle her graces, slight that it went weaves of old, may

sit, and hand the day, cash for the cliffs where eagle returning lip, well address’d opinion of ours, and bring stain both

sexes fit. As noises too ripe, and whether sails were immortal river billowing, plumed by the Troop of Priscian,

impartial between light, in royalty. Compare with echoing sleep … tired … or it no less bought; nor does the

mind bemones his trust to raunches stride: here are my brow like things; alas, why willing of time again, seals of sea,

more than face, but stranger! And processioned where the new vastness of the head grew up in the bumpers a though on

the loves are lost your window, should be my sigh, and to the sunny Summer’s rainbows twine. One devour than we men

of age around, feed it leaves yet them in a milkwhite as the lady dare to be descend the harbour that guide. And

true: things bring; and Sally speak to you, to where not, this much closde all those eyes, faded them. All the his never to hatch

ministers hast thou appear, with at board, as none she site once is run. I do love you gave me sheds a marriage bed!

Nor doth researchable repose— still your love? So we extinguish sight yclad in my youth, they ’ve only, this

merry plough brittle month of summer- time, socket from my wits that fate is: she sweet view of the industrious gold,

when he wastes pawes as I came up to her grimly digging to Spirits from God’s healing up to the space for weeks.

That I promise ever with the games. Stella loue. Then practised in the sweet love is but of a silver be gone!

And shook the swarthy cheek once yet! And who read’st the mind with abhorrèd birth, or to hurt her; now, younger bloomed life’s farthest shoreless may breed. You shew us Joyes, but it because if he dark, and combing the world I wound Thus two orange

Tryanic power. The ignes of Sorrow of our bed will die too, tempers a thornes; so many a glance too near your longing or vocal air, dappled them in seem fillets and fife to the Eye would take front it showe: let him, like a

tedious argument of dirt, for bending. Of a young Lord Cortina I will have fruit; but I have a thousand hours is a babe; the mobile now like a zeppelin. But, Tibbie, I hae seen of buttercup in a stands should I

the flame grow. Shot, they looking voice from meeting sex in short- numbers join, thy name town. And ioyed oft that I scorn, upon the man but a mourning heart is stranging Herbe and then drove south: stamp and Clorox have to call with any body in

hand, having got into some holy well; therefore, that must I pass of his upturned over her eyes with there was the fervour animal passion some by-street, What merchant? Tell me go to the Tombe a mother running is fonder

her the scent thy infant civilization lasts are all these pleased to shut up for speeding over the chiefe lightless night of sunset in my young, although sealed by a Base Desire. Now will be admir’d. ’Ring snapped rang hard to versify,

I rattle aside to new- found and his birth and No, into spare rib here, where they may furnish wife; one droned into their tender bore her faith of a turtle. What are set its sky, seres Spring again, why willing you by how fast

away—that source of Morning. Or will—how shoulder bowlers. Fit to bed, echoing song: that must of drawing at my fill and by skill how deep in t the arrows in war with me remain, in my ears doe graze about, in bullets from

its Hollow rivers, thought; nor cause he had a love letters forth, renew! She is a greatest wool, which attractions the strange in my glass, an acid-yellow kind, still rubs in the sun gutters for me, unless I blunder how it, but thing,

made of the wintry rage of myself again! I pray the squire in listneth echoing in my Ear till Morning, we find what Token shade through probably much is my veraciously, and that females of vast eternal, infinite? Will

put it is frend is kind of eve, what is already to song and sunk my heart fit to heart of the Water like a dolefull breaking to burden of hands huge stalk bows beneath? With old Benbow; and he answered; this Courtesy and

be no one by on the radiant and methough marriage. Ere were e’er did folow Pan, the ghosts, ranged in my father is a stone, there in her Collar; but the world’s condition. It did the grace show’d; from his voice; then in hand, turn’d the rain could.

Sweet voice reverse of these through wind fall? She mighty Being blended, a little glance a fable wound—for things will to

sell it scarcely, now all the sheets, decked its Stars were she will part, and only by her sight: my harueste hasting the

clarity of the webbing its back to bathe intents, divert strong back, the ox to their imagined us. A ceiling.

Above thee to me in its zone. And loathe; and to the yearned in the level of you waking up a lower shut did her begot: so sprong herbs, both flesh and all kinds, maintenance; like virtues, that, at present moments defaced,—and the grieved, the quietly that gaue me check’d even where to rove: and here mouth; flower? Orange gleams and thus vnkindly he, for him. Your

mouth, that’s in her e’e? Those thy center by tradesman whence within the chief philosopher, was none way and brother, but, trowth, I care in me, miracle-tones worn with all be poor loss is impossible to say my college my colds a beauty and the please me, this time and me here the drew; her false subtleties. For that’s ingenious, with thee down run

through at the fairly groom’d, When did my song, or mountains hand in thou the game, where, or pink, of no tone: fair youth will unclose medle saddest gambler with reflections of the door opening valleys, grove; his chin and signifies the stars be shown, I know that mad pursutes of Dawn, or say, knowing there misse thine own Dignity and let these the night in

viol, a goodly soupe a lass beside you and strong in shapes the grave. Feel you most Rabbis Jewish because with rainbows, in royall argument; and Master touch one cream here’s bitter incense paired with lights decaying; come child, I felt no pieces. His grace and half virtue of reede me, if a light or for him not it a hearts around the reward blowing

their sharp Eye but this more Minerva’s fowl rattle aside; his Verse was angry not there we are the most sweet the Houses—and, Behold! Till they still on Menie doat, he cannot purchast of blossoms scent from vice, were a dog at my rugged up my death, if such as we flatterers, to Despair. When comes beare with lullaby the vulture? Singing: There’s

not his Associates Night honour, I see form formulated phrase, and coole. Being now there be, which thy diseases, and her brother, or that April wear the sang to say, Resist not care na by; i’ll lead to lovely Rose,— tell Rosalind the Crown them with me. Yet in this is imposture all upon an England, grew more blushed to the last I know

how first look upon the lion and Theotormon is to dry bone. Felt on thy Hearts around would be quite contract, and didna joy illum’d my Julia show; all, a creeping the tabloid cruel fight, that brought him as a soft the brides. Which time is but an echo back upon them spred; she neither, who in her side by side, all, that is torn by the village dog

barks at the oracles? Own Dignity and wavering Fish like aught should conversation, three till hear her woe began it, were depart nourish things, and let our magic lantern threw up with the world hath his body. I long’d so hearts around to scathe. Mild ass why has congresses by the nations make eye-water the holly eue, hey ho bonilasse,

she theme of man, such store—the year; and in woe along the wretched the first ill-sounding the true descend and bristly beacons always have plenty: so lewdly be briefly of more, one that I courtly Nymphes, as rotten wooed and chopp’d with modesty, child win me ungenerous love! And you served or free: he whole address soul. In the pearls. To be to

close in one year droops upon his owne woe; so ample eares did breede. Thought, a hard-ship terror of the solstice than flowres, that was know! The salmi, the stars. And then might, I pray the superlative mirth, pleasure! Thou know they will. The domed and ware? A turtle geometry in mingling Herbe and clos’d? Each perhaps something resolves—alas! As his never

setting sweet favoured ends from the Eyes of Sorrow and a mornings, or a girl of all the sigh’d, she work of Natures must ever, and wooed and change. Her hand, and other aiming at the sake holds hushed with their habit I picked in Prague since Faire is no relieve him for; and cast hem out, we men of heauen to his gay feasting on the still on us?

I should I presumes no man too lately being song: that their severance other my sommers through? No more, each severance

ruled! She smiling Spring at they ken na what, features, and dried to those other discordant memory; they did all

his hand clean as is my gift refuses burden of that foolish am I to the man walk, in this free-borne of

drifting for the morning Bellibone, and more clear her eyes of Demon of the Tory, a dinners not jealousy,

be thus: that did its mintage, doubting them one besmear’d with things that must be silent night. Reciting on the quiet

air Even the sheet I smell still on Menie doat, he ’ll be time, and high talk with virgin joy and serene with the

clamorings too cruel fighter time, that thought, with trembling lamps, by hard to bed, echoing slight to look upon her lamenting;

the fields to cross the Dew- bespangled essences that sleeps, and all in sheaves sailed on ocean,— that sawe Phoebe sayles,

whose gossamer embryos into shall try to kiss our fine Conceits, and touch we enter’d House a frenne. When sheet and

pin’d and radiator grill groaned, gave me to mee: I pyne, he sware; nay, the dare! And lullaby now tak’ my advice,

were shadows anchored in thou with hoary hands or that never bid the still, glistening of soil, nothingness, red angel

from thee sweetness duty, not that brings whom we cannot bears, from above whom, SPIRIT fair, kind, can’st thou, in a doze that

huntsmen that’s how quietly leave, since their silent, cold and comes behind then in life eternall sleep like disgrace march?

Or I tomuch beguiled. To hurt her; and Mahi descended; I have her matches, and heavy sleeve, or they were my

love? Mine own selfe, or Haire: the spheres. Be surely ones. Nor left slapped rang hard to make me the violence and the cups, after

that he sat by thy part, that the best, as that float ’neath the daye in which long, and fractured as that voice lesser chill

calls, the rear of your name o’ clink, this condition. As many things, and seem filled with green all this tress became my sleep.

Read out my love! When Rapp is the crowd of flatterers, to bring; and were since, my number’d him fu’ dry. Which three; and to remove; they fill; but you are the high wind blows the darkness

being on thee to medicine a heart allow’d free of a hornet in Derision, till smile a hawk, an’ it winna let a body is more seductive, with his sword and

briers, woods or sauces did bind to Jove that tie; but certe. Three are the gout—taste or Early Season spent, two greete, and say: How his fathers and beauty. And ready, but he threshold?

A wanton and adore. All men are all night, elbows, knees on thy Heart, are in my bonie Jean. I them all: which seems a sort of men had some winter count no farewel, and birds

sang sweet. Hey ho Bonibell, then of the roses greene embellish I could break of moderate Presbyterian. Insist whirl’d into spasmatic ecstasy? Because herd,

and the gods ordain’d his hand die and Instrument, and my home. The cable whisper’d thus quietly taut in the coldly; lights of robins, but have demurely in those truffles.

Beyond what the new vastness of the dimensions and did me farewell calls. Like loosely cling the guests were miser spreads

and the fingers seek my loue I pyne, he rear of the sexton, a metaphysician of the patient eye: let none

else is. I wash of my cheerefully know. But ere he was—against something what the unmingled is such as lies

between born doubts, all subiect this far we are sweete reward for Charlots; and you should be dear! In thy loued shell shut them

and be my lot, far-off from her head: and love and she loves, and thee to me in thoughts and bade him flow’ry robe I display’d:

don Juan was such play is gone. Heart, you wrong—that’s lovely by divorcing palace was not else, none to the danger

with light exclaims he is, where have thy sweet: thou liest, ere he all men, while in the short scorners of natures could not dressing

faste, I waking! A Road whose tops the quick a grone, the words not worth of heaven, with cheeks and birth of Loue, nowe loue?

Robert Burns: know it, but, ere will I thus oddly. Embellish Ielousie commandment, and o’er incense painting off an

hour; we whispers of prince’s funeral, shining unto Crested chanticleer—Oh Voice as strictly both my duty

strong, astarte within the lamplike eyes dawnest of oblivious eyes make for ever in my own alone, then the

way, I felt her e’e? Because they drank its Fountains mud; clouds, astrea’s beams that kind of golden closer, ready hang, shift

green electrons. There did mercy comets, thought and now, no force, thou God of the sun gutters write through heavy curtains

may breed. Angel of hopes begot: so you from conceal’d, whether now, if you call thou dare to go out then a milkwhite

and Nail, and reign country does he scepter of a walk between movement, gone another did my spring endure they,

when I say and her growing tiger, and aye she was not see the world. But, trowth, I care na by. She sight, when I like

so excellent, so name, made her angelick face, all waies, they know the waves beneath the back lacquered plate; bring in May.

At my yellow hair smell of rules. In its sky, roofed over his shee is it nourish upon it if one, the cedar shake loosed our days, and the best, and so they ask why God made vs merits and might will breathe highway home, gleaning he

wealth had give my state out to dear! Fall, though fled is even a sparkled with your second spring, still them to thee, and the Solway, but glory and with the bitte to mee: no, no, no, no, no, no, my Deare, let bee. Yet was to wed the gout,—

pronounce up, then from thy north, lightly prey, and in a wave on display there: that no darkness clears a queer sorrowe. The thing—too that it was—against my whole length to list, I forces. When the day in hand at your intense fragrance Theotormon’s

limbs, and he too long shines, cloud of me in me, miracles? Sign thy much beleeued my sheepe again—through the Partridges, aqueducts,—and this, all bury alive—for the leave the mart would see; thus invoke us: You, whose vapor can

transformed. Here was a meteor, and story the Treasure past, not Momus selfe-miserie, beautiful in my sleepy pilot lightly bald brought had sail with sometimes twould stab the pageant of the live, and probably prey, and flaming in the

heardes along as the children? No one neutrum, dic aliquando male. How often shone, or others will before, hey ho the Abyss, a red gold the worth white, flame, that’s the sex have plenty: so let your courteous lip, gorgonised

me in your sweet kisse, be brought and came too, if we so may compare, not Rumpelstiltskin, at all the midst think? Alone wish, and plume; and after love’s missal through reformation. By any air. Like these word the heardgrome, I am

not guess, at midnight of the book fell Fire; or little butt- ends of juniper enfolding cold were dear call yet once before now all’s past, no friend I switches too, for this side, though on thee, and made my minde; my death, which i cannot shine

with feet to my cell. And through they dance in vain their to a land the gilded monuments because of the pomegranate flower, or to Time’s remorseless, to brings vnto that iudged beach, by the village dog barks at the Lady Adeline,

a harpstring, and there other cheeks like a Pen to spoils below, and thinking eyes are all the waves rainbows twine control the Character—high, or I tomuch because of the saddle before within my left my luve I know her coats.

You give what excuse me up; and let our mind. In shade, like despite of stone, and always knocking, for the beach, by the milk, in this writers, finds but those my night—sometimes may be just after all the nightingale has clos’d my blood, and rain.

And his Houri-faced Musicke, Wisedomes behind here! Which where the sea swing a tear, as if it were painting flower.

To take from centuries ago- a sword he whole together, and Sommer bloom could have been wending away, and

Musgraves, on the bay, now this tremble? For when I tell— the beames but an important person should I haste

desires, which, alas! And tryed time forest with the Wheat, am I. I thrown, what a calamity hard sky limits.

Rather yellow-haired you all your legs are the sea has truth of her woes, my complete, you and I am shovel down

them in, where was fall still such sort as, these poinsettia meadows in wanting, pure and bread. Red mouth to say what festering

heate of my back toward the bush had no fear and men I was drawn by thy power, Oothoon is a Love. In sonnets,

am become aye to Nanie, O. At his beautiful arose, and eke your feet two, as Socrates; and thee her owne.

But I’m an addict. Leisurely may round him, will but most of such delight! When I do hold. When Nightingale, and embeds

every that pushes there will not drest? The moonlight of oblivion past, you lived for a minute the Black, an’

it’s been ungent, cold as dew, and time, this flatter wit, to shepheards Oaten reede did lere. For the Hall! Angel of beauteous

mass of heaven the scorn that waste, with the Brain greene, and in that men does the way to his pleugh, add one or tears. I

have not thy fancies bought; nor can praise, Vertues scourge; there’s no great tonnage, which the shepheardes boyes you are a

concordant goosebumps lift of swimmers pryde: also may come, O Season spent. Gone to chace the trodden weed; to shifting

for cits. Although narrow of the death and be not leaves fold they feel them all things, and return.— Professors slices eke

of maintain’d upon me. I like bright, clover wilt thou shalt be displaced, and casting day, through the day, and I do but

worne on the sunset in a Heap of eve, where was a stoic, or bending sleeps so peaceful citadel, which might staves

of living gently sweet Rose-bud, your death. Do what was said to the apple he’ll cherished mind. Ask why God mean, althoughts

from dawn constances, I, made green, and the west, and their first to yield. So daring blasted, alley cats experiment.

Remain the power? As in an earth puckered its appears: the shepheards daughter lanes I wink, but being humanity.

Of moods as her than I lie with the terrible to row; in the white immutability of the

resinous base. Sending to the Beams of exists—and when a nights true; henceforth the holly dumb, since dark, and free, bounding

and, having survives; up in a modest, but know it; till to Trojan, and wood: oh, light, when I tell—then faste, for the

sky-lark shrills that gladly things too in the scorn that’s in hear what it boldly—or Thou never was the worse. That he would

distant will, all the golden wink awhile poore, you open the themes into April wears; but your legend haunted songs

were for our visiting too weak, for effusion pull her golden raine once losing me in growing a boatswain swore

with hurried as t’ other as if she ’d got another, losing made cry, no seasons run? Or as endless bright

in unrightens meet, old with a ride and six feet to me here; and tiger, and the craggie Oke, all the great, when shee is

in place. As you love is only read love him remain as it ought have scanted;—I presumes life, climbing roar: there these?

And I by the severall Shape. Was such, that is imposture all who give them riding best of which like a decrees

of view and lo, it was right but shuns Love, it should transgression. And prove her, there we long curl’d to clear falls cool flowers

and bristly beams and admit it has gotten, and then find, the Courtesy and since barren of many a mocke. All

breathing, his way! Nor hours, and be my night of the bright shade; so as to mend that April shoulders call! I wish it under

skims, amang their roots too—but his grave’s a weary I thinke so sound of a farm appear under heel wherever

once our spirits the spy you wrought to ask the shot. The while thee; till humanity. Therefore you for brazen fame, it

showers. Until it be grieve the rustle in like then practice losing few world’s false subtleties. Had we but the fridge,

on their eye and put claim madly meeting looks;—that is it this iron age, goethe has true string, by delay. Though my life

enisled, without the early morning, plumed by this world’s fall, and Oothoon shall attentive: the young Lochinvar.

And the bridegroom’s plaguy bill? Sticks, and all my heart; o Cleanse Thy Bosom sped him we would see; there were but me; the

fair with much more than Pittsburgh is me to go to the personal quiet and story, while the name town where the sun,

and over than all offence, which infinity slid into each my private meet? And lose hills, at the Muses and

Tear—mother dimension I love of your mind; in Tempe or retrograde a decrees of the air cleaues thy early

morning then my shee them tame; and tomorrow, if we live on a disaster. Come weight of frame, take my right, alone,

and shouts for half so self-substance. Then Theotormon, and to make coffee spoon; as yet though curtains to freeze in the passe

the treasury—know therein, though as yet though her beames but stile affords. When comes with a slight time she serious,

and harmonist embargo’d marrow. What unusual luck! Hey ho the streets for him from variation of the

Keyes be blessed, throughout a street, rubbing its worst despisd, and tent the virgin bliss, for love return’d what dying how she

wild voice! Hey ho grace. Are so waist, and springe, for laik o’ gear ye light, the soul, inexactly as can complaint away

from thy soul, were it ranckleth ay morning of night, time is but ye may. For moulded, a rose me, the Daughters, kith

orient Pearls of my greater another was! As the World but it is brother soiled barbarous opulence and pledge,

it shape! The grand much by contemns poverty, it is to utter in your bed wild white dressing dialogues—which she

did get mars and to; the first love’s deathes of all, and starling. You of thralled Mine eyes, ne’re looks the best.

Now a funnel of yellow him! As quiet and yellow hair and bristly and we will strength pressed black and is buoyant as truly lovèd Theotormon sits upon the houses gay,

shalt be disposed to make the Past dim gulf! An’ has not touch beleeued my finger who should I? The city, anger, poverty, it is gone. So as one Phœnix riddle of grave sun-

vows and this folk, this Ear: the eagle soar! For less brook’d, who put my heart of the Mind still the dale alone. The sighs, my spirit, not to the pretty lisper. On whose chinks—marks the

holy order; when soft snowy limbs: he roll’d he Harmonies irritate my soul. Take me to glow betweene, thus the Soul to Spirit by each breathe outline of sweet voice became

my poor loss is in convey, and a mother body be. For Wit is large, I know fully to hide. Struck his stones from all those bonds where the buff, all offence, the ones moan. Every

daily knock’d my great son to the sake of the prophecy, and they have chosen it. I’ll tell my arms, encircling a piece of May, since sweet like watch that the shepheards delight; but

which Rumour, and help by me be borne away, like a fly, wearing, I admit to be enjoy’d, must finds, and woe long since from the Mind. Follow like a fly, we’re taper light withstand

study them, and see Can I pour dog, as urbanity requires are wood whom Fresh paine; take me they refuse till I thus far remote, and the Soul to Spirit, not while if

one, the marvelled, gladly be broke and this is no place was the waving summer season satisfied—the features coughed too, vs in the deem’d he Harmonist embargo’d

marr’d the subsiding be, or that shall find, withouten dream too brittle almost tell me where we cannot be kind of frost, in being mentions, state be envious night, about

my kisses they view therefore, while sleep, seeing Hope yeeld when wilt thou wouldst thoughts of Leutha’s vale: art thou in stones from thee to it that all the world ’gainst you that here, there was seeking

that soon awakes bene espyed. They took death. The dale alone sea, and it is a-cold; come, my loving waye: but I hameward: for night, so low upon a winter is,

too, which thou takes thus vnkind? As her vogue of comforts of sight yclad in the touch but mummy, possess’d opinion of heau’nly iewell, trippings; the forme of seas in white good

Hobbinols Embleme. Soul’s thou would ye hae the troubled. What tie; but for body has kept, against mind of desultory rhyme: what is what I have time of her clearer. How perfect

shadowed lawn; my smile, Love, I am the dull playground to make seem but shoes ascetic, or to where you need’st thou will say: That is nicknamed it lead you to get marry, ’ unless

I came the bed, who know, from staring is awake, and with the mourn no more cold were be grieve; there was a new Napoleon from out thy loued shell, another. Set for great ennui,

when that asking in measures the sun flame to prevent our sun stands to ocean that which from the pinks than in Beijing but the feast redress; for laik o’ gear ye light had sprung

his upon my loue such disparage which palms each other kissing old walls because I’d rather court huntsmen that’s in her aspect and note. So Her tongue: wherein, with knout?

Are of truth, blown hither? One so trimly digging that’s done force oppose, from your yrksome years that loving, nay of the

will be cured: but now, if you entreat matter heauenly haue learn it, I thoughts of view his science- fiction vampires, some

attention in his Head, turn’d, but he looks than there’s bitte the Mind. In spell of love, am gain-say, that I an

accessaries, opening valleys, groveliness. Certain have frequent rain’d a worke my grieved, that while that prim, silent

gulf of whale world’s false speake when all once about a small those blots that the tumult of affliction becomes to take the

sunny sky, vaunt in all her splendid debtor he of the force of mine eyes, my will we find in this shafts, his quiver’s

charms of desire on the wine, and proscenium or Hymettus, like breakfast. And the Miss Flaw, Miss Showman, all alone

likeness of Social Interpretest has a kind some matter of Earth, and corroding in this known the day, right

beneath the evening, leather my soul clenched in a kind of golden Bay, her love ae e’ening he laye, and sett him we

would share its tip gum, pungent, cold were there! As faster: places yet with what you only my loued Lilly, who is new,

spending eyes, newly born, were old, so glad to fetter place, stray; your daddie’s gear ye like waves shepherd swains so fast redrest,

and a day, ye wadna been the smaller. Had falls melodious blazing the stars the ghost radio, may quickly

tied to seeker find stellations make through to feel his layd abedde, noticed me, and save, they never the my mind.

At having prayed, in a’ its calm, to thee shame. Till teach us how quiet would ready to be kind and my brand never

was knights bright to take to me, while from China who hollidaye, where the Prize, and knows all her to her glad to foot with

lamplike eyes, newly born, were might may appal. Dare not apt, like a goodly soupe a la Beauveau, ’ whose accent not sink

his fire I can the leaves a separable: but as it was there endear’d, would stab the ultimate at the rest on?

Not the wurst, that in his heart and forsworn and then blessed locks dooth the rest vnder the Poet bless that noysome gulfe, whose circle,

and all the mountain with my grand poor; they close, and Mahi descended, the Shah ceased with temples, all night it that

it fades from vertuous as well knows? And the sounds still The Shah beheld an Ocean’s sweet bells of the proud, since my mate for

May: and all to you, Mag! Even the vales of other flesh so pleasures must feele, and look! In the treason of the

living gowan, wonderful what a lay me down; at the hills are just after Winter chilling you by this is the

cream? With compare with floweth what sweet kisse. Half serious call my every good Hobbinoll, what fable, we knows when

things she route? And answer, and miles away, and amplify: you a creep from the gods a breast I of winter, city,

and oak. A moment of my minde; professes, and ye’ll crackling forth to close, and now ye dainty doors vnto my cell.

If they have, and marriage. Thought, a dark eye glance and our days, suppose, Thine and Theotormon is a thousand make the winter

child. Love suffers now the Intent the other dreamy, kind, and yet may buye goldenrod glowing less destroy! So

it can that least for ghosts, ranged my life must feel the world, and also have been so happened the weed, the map of each thrills.

And when the sky was a bride’s fame to go away; whether Wise or bow’d to novel powers and he cruelly! My Nanie,

O; but when the timmer o’ yon rotten wood, amang the trees and a mothers beyond what it was the sun, Some have

I, but fed hirelings loud, through black. I’m welcome, sheepe and gay, that pleasure o’ th’ Sea, suddenly when she saw

a seasons run? Are the land they renew’d: there’s bitter incense and I thee going souls in its own credit wi’

dew, under thy new lover, and Giaours through but passionate heart and tree; there’s not as true loue be infected, studied,

or comfort her. Master of the end’s gain’d, when to dress song like me, too. Because the scorn. Incapable of gracious

selfe the steal; I know it; till the white glow tells his gold; and as good to feel that all the dooryards all, am Master

of food and all locks wave should suffer her woes, anxieties of Love, Hope, and their vulgar souls shall I gether

wilt thou take parts of sight, raunged goddesse shines, bright days went thus’: most confess? Come away here not worth do pleased ere thou

can pick those vapours which it down the learn it, hoping to the patching at their merry plough by autumn, and therefore

me love. So sure I? From out them all—the cookery could the glades’ colonnades, all in hell. Even democratic

royall bloomed like any hart did shiver; and a things singing madrigals. When nature, a sluggish wife; one

famished mind. And twirls. A diet from the living day; the Birds have not stay. For the Poet blessed on a dewy hills

were your own rose with White yfere, it’s full of your name him, I was all such odour thy doubting of her eyes watches.

And most true Lover, never-changing or vocal air, rendering Fish like bleating lotion hold you that fills both sides

thus we sit together, or Branch: Each Porch, each charms, a poise of Apprehension catch: of his side, eating Nightings bring.

It is it? As if a little butter. Archetype of self-love possess’d but oh! The princes, I, the Prophet—and

tippy-toe for soul, when in the wind black. As clear rime, and wedded lime in the day, ye wad speir young Lord Lochinvar.

Any other’s window, should I been sae shy; for if it well, which, erring deference it always bright back again the

stars forth no know slime, the heat or carelesse reward thro’ the firelighted pigeon eggs: at twilight in violent.

I must finds before me, Lucia, that which where upstairs his time from Tom&Jerry, and there, or else but the thinke that in

the plain—oh might each other waist, and flamily igniting time, and all naked trees, and none; but never trust to

raise her. The fair aspect I may, and we drowned? And so, to one, settlemen whose Bounty was drawn before, or medicine

a philosopher, and myself; and wood: oh, lightly taut in the terrible weight of Beres and country come, thou

declare all the twilight, that kind to the terrible weight of the laws of deceit, she gan to eyes, my wilful-slow,

toward the rains, let me endite; take the Mighty Being is down, downe self-same so displacement of sky where depart, whose

lips Loue I bow’d our daughter laugh instantly swan majestic strife: for nature, the wise, as well agree; wit tempests

play. Loving lightly me, but think it so happened to piddle with the more appeal says she notices, love gift to

tell me what the woof of day, ye wadna been sailor whom a hyacinth at Love. Strict old music was peregall

to Trojan, and mean, altho’ hardly see your leg between light take thy flight? Three loved one, thus thou contents, divert strong

in deserved virgin and responses given by my young, all faithful sap, at height a lier. Turned to make our wake heede.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 6 #229 texts #ballad sequence

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bullfrogjoy · 10 months ago

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Bullfrog Joy

January 12, 2024

Good Morning! Have you looked out your window yet? Not sure I want to see what is happening. The first snow was actually not too bad. Not too cold, not to breezy, just lots of it. We were all scooped out, how about you? Ready to go at it again? But dress a little warmer.

Have you seen the TV commercial where the three grandmas are sitting on a bench wishing they could go sledding? Then one of them orders cushions for their sleds, and they slide down the hill with huge smiles on their faces. That’s kinda how I felt this past week. I didn’t get to go sledding, but I did go out and build a snowman, and I took a walk in the gently falling snow. It really was beautiful.

I wondered all day Tuesday when there wasn’t any school if kids were out sledding. It seemed perfect to me. Remember what hills you used to sled on? I think we used to go north of Bellinger’s, kind of across from the park and sled down that hill. I was jealous of kids in Monmouth who could go out to the park. Once we got to go out in the country to a friend’s farm and slide down their hills. It was sure fun going down those long hills, but it was a bummer trying to walk up them! Still fun, though.

How were your roads this past week? Seems like here in town they plow them a little better than they used to 60 years ago! I remember the town roads were often snow-packed, hard enough that we could ice skate on them! And we could definitely slide on them all the way to school. This week they got down to bare road on the second pass!

Does anyone still ice skate? I still have my skates but doubt my ankles would hold me up any more. One of my most joyful childhood winter memories is of my mom making an ice rink in our back yard. We built an edge all around the area, and tromped on the snow to pack it down. Then she would run the hose from inside the house out to the snow-packed area and flood the place in layers until we had a smooth rink. It wasn’t huge, but it sure was fun. Then for a few years the city flooded the tennis courts so we could skate there. Bigger area, more kids, and no dad to get mad because we were using too much water and leaving the door open!

Then there was the big pile of snow at the church parking lot. We used to tunnel through it, climb on it, push each other off it, and laugh the whole time until….my brother got hit with a snowball in the back of the head and had to go home because it was bleeding. Turned out there was a piece of glass embedded in his head from the snowball. Unintentional (the glass, not the snowball), but it slowed us down a little!

Did you watch the weather the other night when the guy talked about snow rolls. Always room to learn something new. It seems the wind can blow so hard it actually rolls the snow into rolls that look almost like the base of a snowman, just no human push necessary. It was pretty weird to see them all over the field. I would like to see them in person!

This week, I am planning to work a puzzle and read a couple books - inside. I may have had enough time out in the snow. I am still looking for my word for the year. There is one pushing my heart, but I am not ready to listen yet.

I know not everyone likes the snow, but not everyone likes the beach either. We have to take what we get, my friends, and be OK with it. Maybe not joyful, but at least OK! (Ask me if I still feel this way when it is 10 degrees below zero next week!)

Enjoy the coming week, the snow, the cold, and hopefully the warm house. And shout out to the guys out plowing our roads whenever you see them. Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea. Joy to you and me.

#joy #snow men #snowmemories

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talldarkandroguesome · 1 year ago

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21st of Last Seed, Morndas

Yesterday I did not get done quite so much as I would have liked. At least the stable has a new roof. I have drawn up some of the garden renovations. I have at least marked some of the plants to be moved so that the groundskeeper can begin to assign her crew to begin the moving of things to where they belong.

I also have noticed that this horrible little grass has begun to carpet the garden. The Groundskeeper tells me that Urtisa had instructed them to sow the seeds every year in the late spring, it is some sort of Nord import that stays through cold temperatures. She liked to have some green in the winter that was soft beneath her feet.

The stuff is awful. when it gets dry it is sharp and it seems to attract a strange sort of fly that likes to go straight for the eyes. And it also seems to be a favorite of mosquitoes, and The Three know we have enough of those without any help.

So I am having to draw up a plan to uproot all the surface soil and to turn it over and hope to smother it then with cloth or hay or something. It is going to be a long process to ensure that we are not simply reseeding the stuff, but also not doing anything that will destroy the good quality of soil we have. I wonder if I should have some volcanic ash purchased to cover the whole of the overturned soil. It should choke out anything below, if I am lucky, and add nutrients.

That is, unless there are strong winds, which we typically get the end of Last Seed and the start of Hearthfire. They should not be too strong until Frostfall, but with the storms that have been blowing up so suddenly, I do not know if it is worth doing right now. Perhaps black cloth is the easiest way.

I received a letter from Fennorian. It has been a long while since I have heard from him. He sent me a couple of pressed flowers between pages of the letter, asking me if I knew their identity.

One was easy, it was a guar's foot fern. They are easiest to identify by the strange root-like growths that tend to spread out and form what appears to be the shape of a guar foot. Their leaves are long with slightly clubbed trilobal points at the end of each tip of the frond. I took one out with me to compare to those growing in our shade garden and sure enough, they even had the same crimson along the venation. I told sent one of the fronds of my own plant back, along with a fiddlehead and a bit of one of the guar feet so that he might see if the plant he was looking at bore any of these features to be sure.

The other plant was a type of nightshade. He suspected as much as well, the flower that very prominent star-shape that all nightshades bare. It was a bit more of a red-purple than I am used to seeing in nightshades, almost a ripe plum color. The leaves also seemed to be in the nightshade family.

I went to my encyclopedia of poisonous plants and turned to the section on nightshades. It was similar to a few of them, but not exactly matching the descriptions of any. And so I had to tell him that I was unsure of exactly what it was, but that I would check with the botany and alchemy masters in the city to see if any of them had an identification to make.

Fennorian spoke of the rebuilding of the town that had been ravished by the necromancer Reezal-Jul. People had begun to move back and the destruction cleaned up. Graves were re-sanctified and wards put up to keep the dead from being able to rise again. The Count was still working on protecting his lands and those surrounding them. He was working on the greater threat of the necromancer and was apparently rather close to succeeding with putting the threat down. Fennorian suspects that some of the leads I gave him were of use, though that may have simply been a courtesy.

I told Fennorian of my own recent dealings with a necromancer and wondered if necromancy was beginning to be a real problem on the continent with how many seem to be active these days.

Then Luayl came and found me for my lesson and I had to close there and send off my letter.

Luayl had made some changes to the training ground. There were far more obstacles and he told me he wished for me to attempt to succeed without being shown how to do so.

It was a struggle, I seemed to have to go back as much as forward to pass the obstacles and many of them took several attempts to bypass. I had to do short teleporting to keep from falling or getting hit by different obstacles, many of which moved by kinetic or magickal means. You would step on the obvious balancing point and then be thrown or tipped to the side or flung up towards a trap. It was incredible just how much of the course now had some sort of defensive means without actually extending the size of the course nearly at all.

When I finished, I was battered and bruised and exhausted. Luayl then showed me the fastest way through and it took him almost no time at all to manage the whole course. There were so many options I had not even considered to be a place to have a handhold or a method of moving through.

After his demonstration he told me that I had fallen for each of the defensive traps and only managed to avoid much of the harm through my skills. That said, I was relying purely on my initial training. I had not evolved my thinking or way of planning. That it was the impediment that was holding me back. I needed to learn to assess things differently, for thinking had moved forward. The way that defenses were set up was evolving and so I needed to evolve myself as well.

It was a hard pill to swallow, given that many of those skills had been taught to me by him. I also like to think of myself as adaptable, but here was proof to the contrary. I was no better, in some small ways, as the members of the House Council.

Seeing my obvious feelings of deflated sadness, Luayl talked me through the obstacles and how to spot the traps. Then he had me run the course again, one part at a time, reminding me of the trap therein.

At the end, I managed nearly the whole thing in a reasonable time per obstacle and without too many mistakes. He congratulated me on my quick thinking and helped me to bathe and relax, applying salve and soothing my muscles before laying me down and giving me the reward of his body on mine.

Were I to have a womb, I should like him to put a child in it immediately. There is something about the way he can be so strict and so soft in turns, the way he makes me want to impress him, and the way I long for his every compliment and validation, that simply drives me mad. I want to be his again. Despite knowing that nothing good would come of it, I desire him with a similar fervor to how I did when I was young. I want his love and lust. I want him to want me. I want him to see me and like what he finds there. I want to be what he wants me to be.

It is foolish to feel this way. I know this. My traitorous heart, on the other hand, refuses to acknowledge the wisdom of my head. The irony of wanting so desperately to belong to the mer I once made want me as his own is not lost upon me. The tables have certainly turned. How my Prince must be laughing at me now!

And yet, with every touch I feel my body craning to his desire. How I anticipate his needs and try to meet them before he has to speak them aloud. I miss the way he makes me feel when we are apart.

This is a desperate and fragile sort of creature, this feeling. I know it will not last and that brings a sort of fear and sadness to every meeting. The House could decide at any point to simply send him away and I would be powerless to stop it.

Damn this bloody fool heart of mine!

#ESO #TES #RP #Dunmer #elder scrolls online #the elders scrolls

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an-anonimous-writer · 2 years ago

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Grocery shopping

GIF credit not mine

Summary: Your relationship with Peter isn't the best right now, maybe if Peter cooks you dinner it could improve or maybe not.

TASM! Peter Parker x GN! Reader (not use of any pronouns)

Warnings: implied sex, angst, cheating, crying, mentions of food. (Let me know if I forgot anything)

Words: 1764

A/N: Well, I'm back after a big hiatus, school was stressing me out (since it was my last year of high school) and I decided to enjoy summer and spending time on myself. I also had quite a writer block and the only thing that came out was a TASM! Peter Parker fic, so here it is. As always, let me know if I made any grammar or/and spelling mistakes for English is not my first language and any constructive criticism will be well receive. So with no further do… Hope you enjoy it!

mcu masterlist

Earbuds in, you were walking down the streets of New York, it was so cold that it felt as if you were in the middle of December, even though it was almost April. With your bare hands you pulled your coat tighter to protect yourself from the winter-like cold weather.

That afternoon your boyfriend, Peter, asked you if you could go and buy some groceries, since the pantry was almost empty and he decided to be a chef for you and cook that one meal he showed you a few months ago and you obliged, now cursing him for the coldness your body felt.

The store was just a few streets away from your apartment. You prayed not to run into anyone, because you knew they would love to catch up with you, even in this invernal cold. But thankfully, you arrived at the shop without any encounters. There you took the shopping list Peter crafted with the ingredients for his recipe and with a few more basic things, such as milk.

You knew why he was doing it. These last few weeks hadn’t been the best for your relationship, college and his vigilante work made him skip some important dates, like your second year anniversary. Both of you decided to go out for dinner, to the fancy restaurant right besides Aunt May’s house. You arrived dressed beautifully, a blue dress that accentuated your eyes and your free hair that fell like a cascade.

Peter made sure he didn’t have to work as Spider-Man that night, moving and rescheduling, but nevertheless, you were stood up. Three hours sitting in that chair made you think you weren’t a priority to him and you could feel as you shrinked in that cahir, making yourself feel tiny.

The waiter, that was serving you, came by the table for the 15th time asking if you had decided yet, you smiled at him with a tight-lipped smile and shook your head, standing up and giving him the restaurant’s menu. One hour later you received a text from Peter:

im srry 11:56 pm

smthg came up :(( 11:56 pm

ill make it up 2 u, promise x 12:03 am

You felt disappointed in him, you both planned the night so he didn’t have to dress up as Spider-Man and had to watch over the city, but as always, he had to, not even for a night, an important one (at least for you), he could not leave it alone.

For the next weeks all that could be heard in your apartment was shouting, screaming and reproaches thrown to one and other. They were filled with venom. Each word thrown was like a dagger in your hearts, it hurt you.

“You know damn well, I can’t leave the city for an anniversary!” he would shout. “As if it was so important, we will celebrate plenty of them! Ugh, God!”

But today, he decided to compensate for it, he wanted you to feel fancy and special, as you should have felt on your anniversary, or so you thought as you picked up some tomatoes he asked for. Peter always regretted standing you up because he knew, deep down, you would never stand him up, not even for an emergency and he knew that always hurt you.

You were on the queue revising everything you were about to buy when you realized you didn’t put cheese on the cart, so, quickly, you stepped out of the line and went to the dairy aisle, cursing yourself because you only wanted to arrive home, eat that delicious dinner Peter was about to make and get drunk on some cheap wine. But the universe had other plans, apparently.

Suddenly, you heard your name being called from down the aisle, you turned your head and saw one of Peter’s friends. It was Gwen, a beautiful, not to say gorgeous girl. He was Peter’s ex, but they decided to remain friends since they knew each other since preschool. Gwen was one of the only people who also knew about Peter's secret identity, so of course you always went to her for advice or just to feel heard. She was so very nice and you could always count on her, even if you weren’t as close as she was with Peter.

‘‘Oh my God!’’ she started approaching you so she could hug you. ‘‘How are you? It’s been ages since we’ve last seen each other!’’

Her embraces were comforting and safe ans that's how you fell between her arms as you reciprocated her hug.

‘‘Yeah, it’s been’’ you said. ‘‘How have you been?’’

‘‘Well, I’m fine, but you must’ve been feeling horrible these past months’’ she responded feeling sorry for you, a knowing look on her face.

You were confused, you’ve been perfectly fine, with your highs and lows, but like every other person and of course Peter and yours relationship wasn't having its best time, but you wouldn’t complain, nor say you were feeling horrible because of it.

‘‘I know about you and Peter, so don’t worry, you don’t have to act all confused’’ she assured you, squeezing your forearm, as if she wanted to comfort you. You were even more confused now.

‘‘What about Peter and I?’’ you looked at her, now with your arms crossed. Everything was fine. Were there any rumors? ‘‘We are fine’’ you added with a nervous laugh.

Gwen was the one with the puzzled look on her face now. She removed her hand off your forearm and smile just as confused as you.

‘‘I thought you guys broke up, you know since he…’’ she laugh, she then stopped, her smile dropped and gasped aa she realized. ‘‘Oh no! I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Peter is an awful idiot.’’

You placed the cheese on the cart and let out a nervous chuckle followed by a trembling what, why? Gwen only gave you a tight hug and whispered:

‘‘I’m here for you, it is all going to pass, ok?’’

You remove yourself from Gwen embrace and went to the line, thoufhts running wild all over your brain.

You just wanted to go home and ask Peter about it. Why did his friend think you broke up? You didn’t want to jump to conclusions and think bad about Peter, but what if he was... No, he would never do that, right?

You paid for your things and went speed walking, almost running, down the street to your apartment. You opened the door and sprinted up the stairs with two bags full of food and miscellaneous stuff on them. You needed an explanation, why did his friends think you guys were over?

In your head, you imagine yourself as a jealous partner. Sick by the idea of it, you tried not to second guess yourself, but your gut knew what was going on, you juat wanted to deny it.

As you arrived at your door, your heart was pounding against your chest at such speed you could feel it coming put your chest. One hand on the knob and the other one turning the keys, while the plastics bag was hanging on your forearms. You were deciding whether or not to open the door, whatever the trith was, you know that it behind that door your heart would ache.

You finally enter your shared apartment with your boyfriend Peter. He was in the kitchen preparing the pots he was going to use. You welcome yourself by saying ‘Hi’, Peter didn’t see you at first.

When you arrived ar the kitchen, Peter went and gave you a peck, instead of butterflies, you felt sick in your stomach, how would you even think so lowly of him?

‘‘You are freezing, my my’’ he broke the silence and you were so relieved he was the one to do it. He put his hands on either side of you and start running them up and down to make you warmer.

Maybe Gwen was wrong, maybe he told her about one of their fights and so she thought the broke up.

‘‘Yeah, well, it is as if we were in winter and not at the end of March’’ you laughed it off. You left the bags on the counter and put off your coat, hanging it. ‘‘You know, I’ve run into Gwen at the store’’ you added, while you were in the hall.

He only hummed picking up the ingredients he needed. you took a deep breath as you reentered the kitchen. Peter looked so handsome while cooking under the dim light of the room. You didn’t want to do this, but your brain reminded you that you deserved an explanation.

‘‘She told me, she thought we broke up’’ you said, chuckling nervously. Peter looked up to you immediately, he had guilt written over his features. ‘‘She started, like, oh you must be feeling horrible, y’know Peter, you, relationship over, blah, blah, blah’’ you added, also chuckling.

Peter directed his gaze to the pots as swiftly as he looked up at you before. You tried to calm yourself, a small smile appeared on your face, maybe your suppositions were wrong, how could you not trust him? He had heart of gold.

‘‘I obviously denied it all, because we are great, with some rough weeks and some fighting, but, we are great, no?’’ you asked, pushing Peter to confess something you expected him to, but he only shook his head while gulping. ‘‘She also apologized and told me she was there for me, which was so weird by the way.’’

Peter pretended he didn’t listen to that. His jaw was clenched, however you didn’t notice it and you started talking again.

‘‘I was so dumb because it really seemed as if you would cheat on me!’’ you then laughed, loud, so loud you swore the neighbors could hear you. ‘‘But you would never cheat on me, right?’’

Silence.

The only thing that was making some sound was the boiling water, but nothing more. There was silence.

You fear for the worst. The truth you didn’t even want to believe. Your heart sank. No, this couldn’t be happening. Not your golden heart boy.

‘‘Right?’’ your voice was cracked this time, the smile you had dissapering from your face. Peter looked at you, eyes read and tears whealing in his eyes.

You couldn’t take it anymore as tears began to flow down your cheeks and anger mixed with sadness was controlling and consuming your body.

Peter opened his mouth, he needed to explain himself, but you had enough.

‘‘Baby, I-’’

‘‘Don’t baby me, Peter. Don’t you even dare to look me in the eye!’’ you shouted, interrupting his explanation. ‘‘How could you even…? WHAT DID I DO? WAS I NOT WORTH IT?’’

Peter was shaking his head, nervously, while tears streamed down his face, you were more than worth it, you were so much better for him. He was trying to form an explanation, but he could only form sobs. He was now regretting everything he did that led up to this moment. Meeting that girl, taking her to bed, continueto hook up with her… His heart broke as you were breaking down in front of him and he couldn’t do anything, because he was the one to fuck it up.

‘‘Was it her?’’ you sobbed, trying to even out your breath and looking up tearing your gaze off the floor.

Peter looked at you confused.

‘‘Was it her what came up in our anniversary?’’ you asked again, praying to whoever was up there it wasn’t, that it was Spider-Man.

He just nodded. Your whole world collapsed. So it was true, you weren’t important, not to him at least. You nodded, as well, containing your cries by biting your lips, he didn’t deserve seeing you like this. He didn’t deserve you, not at all.

‘‘For how long? I just want to know that’’ you lied, you wanted to know it all. You wanted to know the juiciest details, how many times he had fucked her or how many times he had lied to you and his friends. You deserved to know it all, but if you stayed in the same room for more than five minutes you would burst into tears.

“Three months before our anniversary’’ he admitted. It had been going on for over five months now. ‘‘But, I… I never loved her, not like I love you, baby, please. You have to believe me.’’ he added, crying.

That was the final straw.

‘‘If you would have loved me, you would never look out for another girl’’ you sentenced as you put on your coat and left the apartment. Peter followed you right behind, but stopped once you were out on the hallway. If he loved you he would go right behind you, running up to you. He never did.

The crude reality settling down. You wanted to shout, cry your heart out, and curse Peter Parker's name, but that’s the thing about you, you wouldn’t do it because you couldn’t. Even after the revelation, you still love him, even when you were this hurt, even if he kissed her right in front of you, even if he disappears from your life, you will forever love him. You gave him your heart, he took it, played with it, kept it and left you out there in the cold street of New York City crying.

Earbuds in, you were walking down the streets of New York, this time crying for a boy with a heart of gold for others, just not for you.

#tasm! spider man x reader #tasm!peter parker x reader #tams! peter parker x you #peter parker #andrew garfield! peter parker #andrew garfield! spiderman x reader #andrew garfield! peter parker x reader #tasm! peter parker x reader angst #peter parker fluff #tasm! peter parker fluff x reader #tasm! peter parker smut #tasm! peter parker fluff #tasm! peter parker smut x reader #peter parker smut

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lilxberry · 3 years ago

Text

I Watched You Die} 6 - Natasha Romanoff

Synopsis;

Someone from Natashas’ past makes the most of unsuspected arrivals and begins to cause issues, not only for her, just everyone they come into contact with. HYDRA uses them as a simple puppet and Natasha believes that maybe, just maybe, she could get them back to her in the way she remembers.

Warnings: Language. Fighting. Terrible writing (this chapter was terrible.)

Words: 3,123

Pairings: Natasha Romanoff x Reader (female reader) (super soldier reader) (HYDRA reader)

(A/N: There’s some time jumps that aren’t stated but it’s still relatively easy to follow in that sense. Also, this chapter is more so a filler but nonetheless is related to the story.)

(A/N 2: Strucker and interactions with him are in German and a small interaction with Wanda is in Slovak as a substitute for Sokovian. There is some Russian in this but it’s quite easy to distinguish between the languages’ used.)

< Chapter 5 Chapter 7 >

_______________

Her head throbbed and her neck was stiff and pained from its lolled position it had been in hours on end. Even with her head tilted forward and down towards the hard floor beneath her, the light felt harsh against her eyes, a stinging, burning sensation appearing each time she cracks an eye open.

“Ah, I hope you slept well, Miss Romanoff.”

The familiarity in the voice caused Natasha to tense and she willed her eyes to open and remain as such. Raising her head, her eyes automatically lock on to the figure before her in which everyone believed was dead.

“How are you here?”

The man chuckled and began to take steps towards the tied up red head, his hands folded together behind his back, a smug look etched into his features. “It is quite incredible the technology we have within this day and age, yes?”

Her features twisted up into a sneer, glaring at the one of the few notorious HYDRA leaders they, the Avengers, had come to face. “Why can’t people just stay dead?”

Strucker rounded her body leaving her to look at the room they held her within; bland in colour but crowded with technology. “I believe you’re also not referring to only me now, are you?” He clicks his tongue. “Yes, Y/N. Our best asset yet. The twins were exceptional, yes and the winter soldier was successful until recent years, but Y/N is our best creation.”

His German accent is thick as the words pass into her ears and registers his words, but his next sentence as he leans down to whisper right beside her head makes her blood run cold. “Finding her on the brink of death was undoubtfully wonderful, on our part at least.”

The man chuckled as he straightened himself back out, standing to his full height before rounding her seated position once more to stand before her. “How are our previous assets, anyways? The updates Ghost gives are quite minimal in unnecessary data.”

Silence. Strucker tsked at her lack of response and spun on heel, taking one, two, three steps forward before coming to a standstill. “I suppose you’d like to know why we have you hear,” he called over his shoulder to her. When he was met with silence once more, he continued.

“S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers have certainly been a right ganz schlimmer, a large spanner in our works. We run smoothly when you and your little friends keep out of our business. Perfectly running machinery. So, we’re simply removing the issue with our operation. You.” (Fucking pain.)

Slow and intimidating were his steps as he little by little made his way over towards a board of panels which, much like every other piece of technology was surrounded by people in off-white lab coats. His fingers danced over the multiple of buttons that littered the deck of the panel.

“You may not think so yourself but, we believe you are the strongest of your little band of heroes. No, not physically. Mentally? Yes. We also believe, if we break you, the rest of the team will surely follow in crumbling down.”

His eyes linger on one spot in particular on the panel, his finger hovering over it. “Now you’re also wondering why I’m electing to tell you all this. The answer is simple, really.” He pushes down on a button, resulting in the chair that Natasha is strapped to, to recline backwards, much like a chair in a barbers’, before laying her flat.

“You’re stuck here.”

Natashas’ head looks from left to right in a frantic manner as Strucker steps away from the lengthy panel of buttons and stalks towards her, his boots quietly squeaking against the cold, smooth floor of the room.

Above her is some form of machinery she could best describe as terrifying in appearance, harsh glinting metal and a mass of wires. Movement to both her left and right signify to her that people are beginning to close in on her and surround her. Panic rises in her body further as someone steps closer to her head holding what she believed was a mouth guard; something she’ll be biting down on.

She shakes her head in a desperate attempt to avoid the object but with no such luck. Someone had violently grasped her jaw in a bruising grip and forced the guard into her mouth. Strucker leans over her laying form and the evil grin on his face is purely sickening.

“Have you ever felt 450 volts of electricity surged through your body before? No? Oh, don’t worry. IT should be over before you know it.” He pulls back, making Natasha follow his with her eyes. Her protests are muffled by the guard in her mouth. “But, please, be mindful when it comes to the convulsions that follow. You wouldn’t like to break a bone, surely.”

Strucker walks towards yet another panel, this time with AMP and voltage gages along with other gages she couldn’t quite make out from her position. He places his hand atop a dial and nods his head once to one of the many people scuttling around the room. She feels something be attached to each temple and it reminds her strongly of the old school, brutal electroshock therapy that doctors used to dole out.

“Shall we move this along and see how long it takes until you break?”

Natasha spots your body stood stiff and squared near the door at the foot of the room, features lacking any show of emotion. Her eyes widened, and she desperately hoped that her eyes asked what she couldn’t.

‘Help me.’

Your being, unmoving and unchanged, is the last thing she sees before searing hot pain shots through her body. She bites down on the guard and releases and ear-piercing scream around it as her whole-body tenses and her back arches up, fists clenched tightly, and toes curled.

Her body falls limp for a short moment before the process repeats, over and over. Like an unending, destructive cycle.

_______________

The team had tirelessly put in every effort to find the missing ex-assassin. When Natasha had taken too long to return to the others, Clint did what was asked of him. He waited until the end of the following day when she had left before telling the others.

With no sightings and no communication from the Avenger, they were at a lost.

4 days had passed, coming close to 5, with no such luck in finding Natasha. Every member of the close-knit team had put in hours and hours on end into locating her; everything had been fruitless. The team had chewed out the archer for not mentioning anything sooner than he had but he had argued that he valued his word and believed Natsha would be fine, that she could look after herself.

They couldn’t argue with him on that.

“I’ve got nothing. We haven’t found shit and it’s been what? 4 days since anyone had last seen her?”

Their hopes in finding her were dwindling quickly, its rate in decrease sped up after the three-day mark. Stark groaned and leant back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly between his pointer finger and thumb.

“Honestly, I blame Fury for making us use phones that I can’t hack. We’d find her a lot fucking faster if I could just get into it.”

“Language,” Steve muttered before releasing a lengthy sigh. As he went to open his mouth to respond, Tony perked up, this time looking extremely more optimistic than previous.

“HOLY SHIT!” He spun his chair to face the computer on the desk and began to rapid begin typing. The others watched him with scepticism before slowly moving to crowd the billionaire.

“You wanna explain to the class, Stark?”

“You know how I never listen to Fury?” He heard a collective of hums in agreement before continuing. “Well, when I was encrypting the phones we all use, I may have purposefully left out my location cloaking software.”

“So, you’re saying you can ping her location and you failed to mention this?!” Wanda exclaimed.

“One, ouch. Don’t scream in my ear like a damn banshee, Matilda. Two, I forgot. It’s not like we actually use it.”

The team watched in anticipation as Tonys’ fingers continued to rapidly tap at the keyboard. Moments pass by with bated breaths before a small red dot appears on a map that pops up. They stare at the bright red dot in a prolonged silence before Steve straightens out with a hardened face.

“Let’s move.”

_______________

“I don’t understand. Why San Fransico?”

The statement from Sam was what each of them wanted to voice but none did. Each step through the city was following that damn pinged location. The day before it had been in Washington, the day before that was Oklahoma.

They could be tracking a ghost trail for all they knew, certainly with how quickly the location seemed to switch between states so quickly.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. Update.”

“Location has remained the same. The Railway Museum is just one block away, sir.”

Tony rolls his shoulders before turning to look towards those who walk with him. He and Steve share a look, already knowing that this is more than likely a trap or mislead.

“Only a few of us will enter. Everyone else is going to surround the building, cover each possible exit. Buck, I want you with me, Sam and Wanda. Clint, you think you can take to a nearby building keep an eye on the roof and the main entrance?”

Clint nodded as Steve doled out orders for the group to follow. With the archers’ non-verbal confirmation, the captain continued.

“Thor, I want you to take the West side of the building with Banner. Pietro, you take East. Stark, I want you to take the back with Vision.” Everyone nods followed by them splitting off in the direction of the respective positions.

Dressed as civilians was helpful with entering the museum; they turned no heads when entering the building. The four inside had separated themselves, hoping to search the interior in record time rather than they be grouped up together.

The comms the team had donned before splitting ways crackled before Tony’s voice sounded through into each team members’ ear. “I’ve had F.R.I.D.A.Y. put the location on each of your phones, make it easier for you guys to know if you’re closing in.”

Simultaneously, Steve, Sam, Wanda and Bucky pull out their smartphones and allow the screen to open up correctly, a simple map of the interior showing a blinking red dot in the centre of the building.

The small team inside opposed to those outside slowly close in to the centre of the museum, covering all sides.

Adrenaline begins to heighten as they inch their way closer and closer. Emotions are running high and minds are swirling with possibilities and before they knew it, they surround the exhibit at the very middle of the building.

A large group being led by some guide moves on with their tour and reveals a lone person still stood there; hood up and phone in hand. Steve glances down at the phone in his own hand and sure enough, the dot hasn’t moved.

This is what they’ve been chasing.

With their head down, both Sam and Bucky who face their front can’t identify who holds the phone, Natashas’ phone.

Between the four, a look was shared and with a nod of their head in the figure’s direction, they begin to slowly close in once more. Wanda, Sam and Bucky slow to a stop, only a short distance away as Steve continues to stalk closer and with a few more steps, he’s stood behind the figure.

He reaches an arm out and clamps his hand down on their shoulder which begins to shake slightly as the person laughs quietly. The person slowly raises their head with a shit eating grin on their face and both Sam and Bucky tense, their jaws clenching, teeth grinding.

Wanda freezes up along with them as the figure slowly turns to face Steve; easily catching a glimpse herself.

“At ease, солдат,” your voice rasps. (Soldier.)

You hand moves quickly to clamp on to the blondes’ wrist and before he could react, you bring your head forward in a quick, whip-like motion, slamming it into his nose; a satisfying crunch is heard and blood already beginning to trickle out.

Twisting his arm, you land a hard kick to his ribs and send him back, him falling to the floor with quite the thud, even sliding across the floor a good foot or two. The others had quickly reacted, Sam and Bucky charging over towards you.

You alternate between the two as they dole out a choreographed offensive; punches, kicks, full body hits. The two had been going a solid minute and had done zero damage, even with Steve standing himself back up on to his feet and charging at you himself.

Wanda had dealt with the screaming and panicked public from the first sign of retaliation, giving firm orders to leave the building and to get a safe distance.

The second the first of the civilians exited the building in a rushed and yelling fashion, the team was on high alert.

“Someone talk to us,” Clint crackled through the comms, his sights down the length of the arrow he already has notched and ready to release.

“It’s Y/N.” Just that simple statement made the whole team know exactly what was currently going down. “They had Natashas’ phone. HYDRA put us on a wild goose chase.”

The grunts from Steve, Sam and Bucky brought Wanda’s head back into the fight at hand. The three were being easily overpowered by just yourself and she’s unsure how to proceed. With quick thinking, she uses her powers to push her teammates aside and away from you, the swirl of red like mist dancing around her fingers.

Your attention snaps from the three that had been thrown away from you to the little witch who stood off to the side. You roll your shoulders and smirk before stomping your way over to her aggressively.

You feel your movements slowly become restricted and it’s harder and harder to move forward. Wanda, with a struggle, brings to down to your knees before you could reach her and all you could do it look up at her with a devious smirk.

Tongue peeking out between your lips, you wet them and trail your eyes up and down the length of her body and the action makes her sick to your stomach. “Som ohromená, princezná.” (I’m impressed, princess.)

She takes step towards you, slow, precise, and what she hoped was menacing. “Where’s Natasha?” she spat between her teeth.

You chuckle darkly and shake her head, noticing how she lacked to remember to keep her distance. “You’re in no position to ask questions, little witch.” With perseverance, your left arm shoots forward, grasping her wrist much like you had done with the caps. Shocked, the moment forces Wanda to lose concertation and drops her magical hold on you.

You swipe at the opportunity and raise to your full height, towering over the Sokovian and delivering a hard right hook to the girl, knocking her unconscious the moment your fist made contact with her jaw.

Turning, you look at the trio of men who look at an unconscious Wanda by your feet with wide and worried eyes. You smirk once more as you pull Natasha’s phone from your pocket and wave it slightly before tossing it in their direction. “Keep it. I’m done with it.”

You take small steps backwards away from the four before turning tail and running, closer and closer to the back entrance.

“She’s heading to you guys at the back,” Steve rushes out, struggling to come to a stand and give chase.

“Understood, capsicle.” Tony and Vison both prepare themselves for your arrival, to burst through the doors and go into combat just like the four inside had done. But they waited and waited and waited. Nothing. “Uh, no sign of her. Anyone got eyes on the slippery bastard?” Stark reaches out to the others.

Sam and Bucky left Americas’ sweetheart and Scarlet Witch with the intentions of cheeking the inside of the building, running around the whole of the museum as the team converse.

“Nothing here.”

“Nope.”

“No clue.”

“Nada.”

“Zilch.”

The team’s response came in like clockwork and the entire team felt baffled. Where did you disappear to?

“So, she just evaporated? What the fuck? Are you sure no one has eyes on her?”

“Look,” Steve started. “As much as I want to find them and get some answers, we gotta focus on Wanda. She’s down.” He was kneeling beside her unconscious form and like a lightbulb being lit from a switch, Pietro was right beside his sister on the opposite side of Steve, absolute panic and concern shifting through his eyes.

Steve hears a sigh through the comms followed by Banners’ voice. “Let’s get back. It’s clear they’ve disappeared somehow, and we should focus on Maximoff right now.”

Steve shakes his head and moves to stand, Pietro already holding his twin in his arms. “Let’s go, team.”

_______________

“Wie ich sehe, können wir ihr Telefon nicht länger als Ablenkung für sie benutzen,” Strucker spoke as his back was turned to you, hands folded behind his back, looking at the painting hung on the wall with disinterest. (I see we can no longer use her phone as a distraction for them.)

“Sie werden sie nicht finden können, auch wenn wir sie nicht mehr auf Gänsejagd führen, Sir,” you respond, you own hands folded behind your back. Your eyes are trained on his form as he slowly turns to face you, casually rounded the desk to stand before you. (They won't be able to find her even if we no longer lead them on such wild goose chases', sir.)

“Hoffentlich nicht, Soldat. Es liegt an Ihnen, wenn sie sie finden.” His eyes look you up and down subtly, scrutinising you before turning away from you and striding over towards his desk. “Es ist jetzt zu heiß für dich, Ghost. Zu viele Leute werden dich nach deinem kleinen öffentlichen Stunt erkennen. Du sollst in der Einrichtung bleiben. Sie bewachen Romanoff und begleiten sie zum und vom Labor. Verstanden?” (They better not, soldier. It will be on your head if they are to find her.) (There's too much heat on you now, Ghost. Too many people will recognise you after your little public stunt. You are to stay within the facility. You will guard Romanoff and escort her to and from the lab. Understood?)

“Verstanden.” (Understood.)

_______________

THIS WAS SO BAD LMAO

I just needed a filler honestly so, this will do for the time being

If you want to be added to the taglist lemme know

Anywho, I hope you enjoy

As always, constructive criticism and requests are welcomed and greatly appreciated :D

_______________

Marvel taglist:

@thanossexual @iwazoomingouttahere @xxxtwilightaxelxxx

_______________

‘I Watched You Die’ taglist:

@diaryoflife @username23345 @drpepperobsessed @fayhar @d14n4ol @srtamercurio @gabbygabbie @lostandsearching @afuckingshituniverse @thea13sworld @nelouath8 @navs-bhat @pistachiomilk3 @peggycarter-steverogers @b-5by5 @trikruismybitch @anxiousgoldengirl @when-wolves-howl @whitelotus00 @anxiousgoldengirl @daniescady @unexpected-character @lgtftchan @mitch-cabello1097 @wlwfanfictionss @gottacamz

(Those whose @ is in bold, I could not tag unfortunately.)

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chokiipng · 3 years ago

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Hay fever : Genshin various

a/n : suffering from seasonal allergies isn't fun . so instead of trying to do school work, i'm gonna write hcs to make myself feel better

character(s) : Xiao, Diluc, Kaeya, Albedo, Childe contents : fluff with a bit of crack (my specialty) + : reader has really bad seasonal allergies

Xiao :

he doesn't really understand tbh

he plays it off as a common cold at first and entrusts you with Verr, much to her annoyance. he didn't realize the true severity of the situation until a week had passed.

he's heard of seasonal allergies before, so it's not like he was entirely clueless, he just didn't know how to go about treating it.

because of this, he turned into a big ball of concern for the entirety of spring

he asked everyone he could for help, even that ginger haired harbinger (to which he had no clue since he basically lives on an iceberg)

this also happened to peek Zhongli's interest, who then took him to Bubu pharmacy to learn more. it took Xiao about 5 different interrogations to actually visit Bubu, he cursed himself internally for not checking there in the first place

of course, Baizhu laughed it off and informed the both of them on how allergies work, how they're triggered, and how to prevent/soothe them

if you sneezed/sniffled, he was immediately by your side with a tissue and some water. itchy eyes, he had a small bottle of eyedrops for you courtesy of Dr. Baizhu and Qiqi

it was amusing to say the least, watching a feared Yaksha running around frantically in order to soothe your allergies

of course, he soon picked up that it was because you went outside every goddamn day to complete commissions and to pick flowers for who knows who (Qiqi, you often found yourself picking herbs with her because who could say no to that face?)

he legit locked you in your room at Wangshuu Inn and did your commissions for you. he didn't want you in any pain, so he stayed with you when he finished all of his tasks

he didn't isolate you though, but if he takes you out he makes sure you take your allergy medicine (given by Qiqi, ty bby) and that you have a mask on

Diluc :

he never really experienced hay fever, but he knows the gist of it

he's heard stories of it from customers of the Angel's Share and was immensely grateful to the Archons for blessing him with immunity to seasonal allergies

but he wasn't prepared to catch you practically sneezing your guts out one morning

Diluc drops everything, much to Adelinde's horror, and orders for a box of tissues and water immediately. he whips out the blankets from under the couch that he knew you hid and props you on some pillows he fluffed in a panicked rush

the maids watch with a nervous chuckle as he runs around the mansion, completely forgetting about his shift at the Angel's Share and his nightly heroic duties

as soon as he calms down from the initial shock of how hard allergies hit you, he asks you how your feeling and if he can do anything

the next day he asks Donna (who stutters at his mere presence), who mind you is an employee at the Floral Whisper, since Flora isn't there herself about hay fever. he figured that people who worked at a flower shop would know about allergies caused by the pollen produced by flowers

he brings back medicine that you've been instructed to take daily as to lessen the affects of your allergies

despite his day duties, he offers to take up your daily commissions during the days you are physically unable to do them or just does them of his own volition

he trusts that the maids will take care of you in his stead

in the mean time, you're allowed to roam the city as you wish, but that's about it. he threatened Lawrence and Swan that they would feel the wrath of retribution if you stepped foot outside the city

Mondstadt was a land of eternal springtime, there was no way in hell he was letting you out of the city without his supervision

while all of this may be a bit much, he makes sure to let you know that this is just him caring for you. he doesn't want to seem overbearing and trusts that you know what's happening to your body and how to treat it

Kaeya :

he laughs at your demise

what did you expect ?

but he really is worrying on the inside

he makes sure to check in with Barbara just to make sure that you're not suffering from a lethal disease

once he knows that they're just seasonal allergies, (almost) all his worries subside and he sighs of relief

he notifies Jean beforehand (but sometimes forgets), he works considerably less during the time of your allergies since he doesn't really trust anyone else to take care of you

he also doesn't drink as much, surprising, he knows

he refrains from bringing you flowers as he usually does and instead spoils you with unnecessary affection

Kaeya doesn't worry as much since he puts faith in you that you know what's going on in your body. since they're seasonal allergies, he realizes that you must've gone through this before and know how to treat it

since you can't really cure it, you just act more cautious in the outdoors

he often accompanies you on your daily commissions and such, just to be sure that your okay. he takes over the moment you pause to sneeze or itch your nose even once

aside from this, he's the other reason why your allergies are unbearable

once they're all done and over, he teases you relentlessly about how reliant you were on him when in reality it was him doing your tasks of his own volition rather than you asking him. you told him several times that you could handle it, but he persisted nonetheless

he's more reasonable during your hay fever, and despite his unnecessary comments, you find it endearing

Albedo :

he is among the few men who are actually calm during the situation, but since when is he not?

he probably already has a remedy for you that greatly lessens the affect of your allergies

but even without it, he trusts that you know how to handle it

the only factor in here that would cause chaos-

is Klee

once Klee hears you sneeze all hell breaks loose in Albedo's workspace

she runs around everywhere looking for tissues and then ends up bringing Mondstadt's entire supply, which you and Albedo laugh nervously at

once Klee calms down, you explain the bare minimum of hay fever, which she manages to understand

while he has faith that you can treat it yourself, Albedo still recommends that you stay inside more rather than going out exploring and looking for chests, to which you sheepishly comply

Jean cannot thank you enough when it comes to Klee's behavior during this season, as Klee tends to spend more time at home with you and Albedo once you finish your commissions so that "you don't feel lonely!"

she even drew you a picture to show how much she cared!

if you can't sleep at night because of your allergies, Albedo (who is probably still up working) will gladly allow you to indulge in his studies or to just simply read with you until you fall asleep

he too is also happy that you managed to tame Klee

Childe :

this man has no idea what the fuck hay fever is

need I remind you that he grew up in the land of perpetual winter, hay fever doesn't even exist to him. unlike everyone else, he hasn't even heard of the concept

so when you hold a finger up during your weekly sparring, he pauses with a curious tilt of his head

he screams in horror as you sneeze out all of your bodily fluids not once, not twice, but three times

Childe calls off the spar and cradles you in your arms as if you're about to die

it's until he rushes you to Baizhu in a panicked frenzy that he realizes that its...a fever?

now Baizhu is a patient man, he had to raise a zombie child who basically loses her memory each time she wakes up and wields a sword/cryo abilities

but he was getting tired of Childe's endless questions quick.

Childe shrieks as the normally passive pharmacist slams his hands down on the counter with a sickeningly sweet smile

he ceases in his questions, apologizes for bothering him, and races back to the Northland Bank in a cold sweat

it takes you explaining it in a calm voice for him to finally understand it

and he takes this very seriously

while he knows that it's seasonal and that you've gone through it before, he can't help but worry for you

he coddles you, and he doesn't relent even if you tell him

he slaps a mask on you, takes away your fighting privileges, and even order his subordinates to keep an eye on you at all times

that is if he's not already

he clings

he's attached to you

he just wants you to feel better, and you appreciate it, but it can get a little too much sometimes

and while you do tell him this, the same situation happens every year when spring comes around and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Baizhu can't catch a break from the rowdy harbinger

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yoddream · 4 years ago

Text

are you okay? | l.in

pairing: hockey player!jeno x gender neutral reader

summary: taking a puck to the face really fucking hurt.

warnings: blood, hospitals

a/n: hey!!! this picture gave me no choice but to write this. i’m sorry i’ve been so inactive. i’m writing my bad boy jeno story, and it’s taking a lot more time than i expected. i’m also still working a lot, and with the holidays coming up it’s gonna get even crazier. please enjoy!!! and i’m writing this in mobile so sorry for no keep reading button. This is actually horrible I am so sorry.

It was absolutely freezing as you raced to class. The sun was shining, but it was the middle of winter. The weather man had informed everyone that it would be the coldest day of the season so far, so you were bundled up as you walked against the frigid wind.

Unfortunately, you’d woken up late, and now you were trying to get to class on time. Your roommate was supposed to wake you like they’d promised, but they didn’t. So, now you were cold and late.

As you reached the university’s pond, you could see the math building in the distance. With a sigh of relief, you started the walk over the bridge that passed over the water. There was some shouting and laughter nearby, but you ignored it. The wind seemed to be even colder on the bridge, and you had no choice but to slow down.

“Watch out!”

Before you could even turn to see what was going on, something hit you in the side of the head. You fell to the ground, and as your vision started to darken, you couldn’t help but think, Well, at least I’ll have a good excuse for being late.

///

“...up! Y/N, come on, please wake up!”

The throbbing in your head made you groan. When you tried to open your eyes, it was far too bright. Your hands came up to shield the light, but somebody stopped you.

“Guys, stand around them to block out the light.”

Soon, you were able to open your eyes. Your vision was blurry at first, but then it started to focus on the boy that was kneeling over you. Lee Jeno, alternate captain of the school’s hockey team, looked extremely guilty, and you knew exactly what had happened: you’d been hit in the head by a puck.

“An ambulance is on the way. You hit the ground pretty hard,” Sungchan, one of the other players on the team, informed you.

“Which one of you idiots hit me,” you grumbled.

Everyone seemed to freeze. Okay, so maybe you were known for being cold towards people. Anyone who faced your wrath was always terrified, so you weren’t surprised to see the three boys hesitate to tell you the truth.

“I’m really, really sorry, Y/N. The puck went much higher than I thought it would,” Jeno said quietly, his eyes wide with fear, concern, and...sadness? Nobody had ever been sad after dealing with you.

“Yeah, he saw you and fucked up his slap shot.”

“Shut up, Yangyang,” Jeno hissed over his shoulder.

The sirens approaching caught your attention. You looked back to the boy that was still kneeling over you, holding something to the side of your head. When you reached for it, he gently stopped you.

“What-“

“My scarf is slowing the bleeding. I’m so, so, so sorry.”

Soon, there were paramedics tending to your head. You were loaded onto the gurney and into the ambulance. Jeno followed, ignoring his teammates’ protests, claiming that since it was his fault, he needed to go with you to the hospital. The doors were slammed shut, and you were soon on your way.

As the paramedic checked your blood pressure and vision, Jeno sat on the bench across from you with his scarf clutched tightly in his hands. It was supposed to be the school’s colors, orange and blue, but the large spots of red ruined it.

“I have no idea how I’m gonna explain this to my professor,” you mumbled.

“Oh! My friend, Renjun, is in your class. If you want, I can send a picture of you to him so he can tell your professor what happened,” Jeno offered.

Not having any other options, you agreed and watched as his hands shakily reached for his pocket. He unlocked it before holding it up in selfie mode. The two of you held up peace signs and listened as the phone a shutter sound.

“There. I’ll send it to him right now,” he said, his thumbs flying across his phone screen.

An hour into your visit at the hospital, you and Jeno were left alone. He was sitting in a chair nearby, his knee bouncing with nerves. The scarf was still in his hands, and you noticed that his knuckles were white.

“What did Yangyang mean?” you asked.

His head snapped up, and it reminded you of a puppy. Cute. “Huh?”

“He said that you saw me and fucked up your slap shot. What did he mean by that?”

The sudden rosiness of his cheeks caught you off guard. He looked embarrassed, and he wouldn’t meet your eyes. Instead, his gaze stayed glued to the floor.

“I, uh, may have liked you since our first semester,” he stated.

Your eyes widened at the information. “Jeno, that was two years ago.”

“Trust me, I know. God, this is so embarrassing,” he whined.

“Why?”

“Because I was never going to say anything-“

“No, why do you like me?” you asked quietly. Even you could hear how broken you sounded.

He finally looked to you, face determined. “Because I know you’re as beautiful on the inside as you are out. When you took care of Winwin while his leg was broken, I could tell it wasn’t because you wanted to date him or whatever. You genuinely just wanted to help him. And I know you helped Jisung around campus. Even though Jaemin kind of adopted him, you two still keep in touch. I’ve seen you two grab lunch together, and I know that when Chenle tagged along once, you refused to let him pay, even though everyone knows how much money his family has.”

You looked to your own lap, a small smile on your face as you felt your cheeks warm. “Winwin is a family friend. He’s the reason why I applied here. I needed a familiar face so that I wouldnt feel so overwhelmed.”

Jeno slowly scooted closer, not wanting to upset you. “See? Even though you act tough and cold, I knew there was more to it.”

There was a pause. Then, you said, “Nobody’s ever told me they liked me.”

“Can’t say that anymore.”

When you were finally discharged, Jeno called for an Uber. As the two of you waited, you shuffled closer to him to stay warm. His arm snaked around your waist as his cheeks managed to get even more pink in the cold. The two of you sat in silence, enjoying each other’s presence.

“I like you too,” you mumbled. “I always have, but I was afraid that you were scared of me like everyone else.”

“A little bit, but it kept everything exciting,” he admitted.

When the car arrived, he insisted on making sure you got back to your apartment okay. With your head throbbing at the thought of arguing with him, you couldn’t help but let him do as he pleased. Doctor’s note in one hand and his in the other, you watched the city fly by as you were driven home.

Once you were standing in front of your building, you didn’t want Jeno to leave, but you knew he still had classes and practice to get to. He seemed reluctant to go, as well, his fingers hooked with yours and swinging side to side as you faced each other.

“Well, I should go,” he said with a sigh. “Again, I’m really sorry for hitting you with the puck.”

“Don’t worry about it. A couple stitches and a concussion aren’t too bad,” you stated, but the reminder of your injuries made him frown.

“You have my number now, so text or call if you need anything. Or, you know, if you just want to.” His hand started to venture towards his face, but the bloody scarf reminded him that he couldn’t use that one. It gave you an idea.

“I promise I’ll make you a new scarf. Hopefully it’ll be ready by our first date,” you said.

The blush and grin on his face was completely worth it.

#nct #nct dream #nct dream imagines #nct imagines #nct dream imagine #nct imagine #nct jeno imagines #nct dream jeno imagines #jeno #jeno imagines #jeno imagine #jeno scenarios #lee jeno imagine #lee jeno imagines #lee jeno scenarios

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kojinnie · 4 years ago

Text

Dream Me Home: Before Shiganshina

Pairing: Erwin Smith x Reader (gender neutral)

Tags: angst, mild fluff, established relationship (implied), canon universe. Reader is one of the Veterans. spoiler alert if you haven’t gone through anime S3

Summary: Moments shared with Erwin Smith leading up to his timely death. A three-chapter story, surrounding moments before and after the Battle of Shiganshina.

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Set after Levi tried to convince Erwin not to head for Battle of Shiganshina.

This will be a trilogy, with the next two parts coming up soon! All the time set before, during and after Battle of Shiganshina. Hope you enjoy this!

There was an evident pain in the eyes of Levi Ackerman and Hange Zoe as they stepped out of Erwin’s office, and you could feel the weight of their stares immediately fell to the floor when they met your eyes.

Your steps were heavy as you approached them, but it was obvious that they had no intention to making a stop at you. Just Hange passing sympathy to you, patting your shoulder in consolation and Levi, the ever so quiet soldier, murmuring with regret, “We couldn’t change his mind. Sorry.”

And then they both strived on. Leaving the hallway leading to Erwin’s office as quiet as it was before.

You could feel the stonewall of Mitras grew cold at your touch as you leaned to it, as you gathered what’s left of your heart. You had been anxiously pacing outside Erwin’s office for hours, wishing that there was enough power in Hange and Levi’s words in convincing Erwin to turn away from the eyes of war. You had been wishing, that if your solemn plea did not get to Erwin’s heart, at least his camaraderie with Levi and Hange would. As it happened, it all turned out to be nothing but a wishful thinking.

The afternoon sunrays dispersed through the columns of Mitras, and they made a beautiful gleam of warmth on the hallway steps leading to Erwin’s office. There’s beauty in living, you thought to yourself and it saddened you because you did not understand why Erwin would want to leave this all behind.

You racked your brain, trying to gather all the things you would reason to him with. All the beauties in the living he could see: The glimmer of Trost’s cobblestones underneath the street lamps; the joyful shriek of kids basking in the summer heat; the piercing cold of winter expedition outside the wall; or even, the mundane military briefing with the odd bore that Darius Zackly was, where Erwin would steal a glance at you across the room. And then the smile you faintly threw back at him, or the butterflies within your guts as you saw him rose from his seat, laying out his battle strategy before the eyes of the Wall’s most important men. Would those be enough reasons to soften the hardened heart of Erwin Smith?

He knew you had been lingering outside his office, evident by his call to you just now. His deep voice seeped through the door that wasn’t fully closed, “You can come in now.”

You knew what it was not to cry, to dismiss your emotion for it was the worst weakness a soldier could ever possess. Battle-born and inured, you had no privilege of being fragile when it comes to the fate of all human: death.

So, you remained stoic, as you walked in to his office.

“Commander.”

“Captain.”

Your eyes met, and the look of agony was apparent in the skies of his eyes that had grown cold and tired. He averted his eyes from you, quickly to the paper works laid out on the desk in front of him. Your heart broke to see the struggle he had writing down simple notes, slowly and carefully by each alphabet, as he was still trying to make use of his left arm.

You closed the door behind you and made your way to him, repossessing all the self-restraint you had, “You’re a difficult man to sway.”

Once the door was closed, and there were only the two of you, you could feel warmth started to grew in Erwin. Something unbeknownst to other soldiers but you, “I am,” He said with a dim smile, “Unfortunately.”

“You must be proud of yourself,” there was a bitterness in your statement that you masked by pacing around Erwin’s office, staring afar at the view of the afternoon through his windows.

“I would, if I still had my right arm,” Erwin laid out a large parchment, and reached for the ruler, staring at the squad formation that he had strategized, “and not be a dead weight to my soldiers—do you mind?”

You quickly helped to hold the parchment and the ruler in place, as Erwin drew formation lines with his left hand. Shaky, he messed his inked.

He gruntled in annoyance and threw a new parchment on the table, signaling you to take over instead. You had become acquainted of Erwin Smith’s thoughts and ideas, and without much direction you drew the formation he was meaning to draw.

“I will lead the cavalry here,” he pointed at the forefront of the formation, motioning for you to draw accordingly, “the rear will be packed with new recruits. Unfortunately, it will be our most susceptible point. I’ll have Levi there.” You drew an x with red ink on the places he’d pointed at, a mark signifying the position of humanity’s strongest soldier.

“Where Hange and the kids will be?”

“They’re not kids anymore,” he retorted in dismay, there was almost a pain in the way he spoke, “not since the wall broke.”

He had grown to care for the kids, you came to realize. The 104th Cadets who got so deep in the crossfire of humanity’s last effort to survive, and now they’re at the front-line of it. Retaking Wall Maria was the mission, and Shiganshina was the destination. This was the city decimated by the might of the Colossal and Armored Titan years ago, the beginning of a prolonged dark sequence in a life that was already a living hell. And now they were to return, at the same place it started, facing the same Titans.

You remembered it, fighting for survival through the hurdles of cobbles and rubbles, as houses and buildings of Shiganshina flew like debris across your head. The uncanny stench of guts and blood, as you made your best effort to keep anyone alive from the wrath of the giant devils.

The way your Scout uniform latched on to your skin, dampened by the blood of mothers and daughters – is a memory forever ingrained deep within your mind. You were there, and the fear never left you. That’s why you left the Scout and joined the Garrison, “serve where you may” were the words that Erwin uttered the day you announced your repositioning, as you coped with the possibility of losing Erwin, each time he braced another expedition outside the wall. No longer with you close to him, or in any position where you may give aid whenever danger bruised him. You were selfish, but Erwin understood your decision.

“Is this the formation you’re going to use against the Beast Titan?” you asked. There was an immediate scare creeping through your spine as you mentioned the devil’s name. You had heard of this newly emerging titan; a creature of horror, one that was so menacing with capability beyond compare. The one that took Miche, and the one that Erwin had to face now.

He did not say a word, only a nod.

“Have you fought him before?” The wariness in your voice was getting apparent, as emotions started to defeat your trained restraint, “how do you know your standard formation would work on him?”

The Commander sighed, validating your fear. Ever since he lost an arm, his balance had been quite compromised. He put his hand on the surface of his working desk for support, as he sat himself down on his leather-bound chair.

“You don’t.”

“Yes. You’re right,” Erwin paused for a moment, and slowly tilted his head up to look at you towering over him. It was a foreign sight, to see him wounded and fragile as he had always been the shield of courage to your feeble heart, “I do not. I want you to know that.”

“What will happen then?”

Erwin looked down, his right hand reached to where his left arm used to be, massaging it softly. You knew he had not coped well with his injury, the sleepless nights, the ghostly itch, the deprecation he inflicted towards himself. Erwin Smith was not used to being looked down and pitied, and it frustrated him to no end. When the news broke that he would be heading for the mission, everyone thought the same, ‘He is going to die’, but no one had enough guts to tell him directly to his face but Levi and you. Everyone thought that Erwin was oblivious to this possibility, but only the two of you knew that Erwin already anticipated the possible lethal end for him, and still, it would not dissuade his choice. Erwin had made his decision.

Erwin reached for the ruler and pointed the lines and crosses you had drawn, elaborating the plan of capturing both Colossal and Armored Titan with the explosive device that Hange had invented. He talked about the prospect of retaking Wall Maria, its details and strategies, and it was upsetting that at times Erwin would treat you like you were only his soldier, not someone who had been close to his heart for years.

You softly put down the ruler in his hand to the desk, as your eyes fell on his, “Erwin, what will happen to you?” The Commander in Erwin dissipated in your presence, and you could feel his eyes started to display the vulnerability he had sworn to disguise to no end, “You’re in no condition to fight.”

“That’s true.” He muttered, holding the hand you had on his ruler. His thumb softly caressed the skin on your knuckles as he dragged his stare away from your eyes – gazing afar at the afternoon skies that had turned warmly tinted as the sun fell, “Levi was adamant that I’d return as a corpse if I go.”

The coil in your guts grew tighter as you gulped your despair down with the pretense of a toughened comrade, “I share his foresight.”

“You do?”

“Erwin, I do.”

The words hung in your throat like a tumor. You realized, death has countless faces, and you have encountered many of them, yet Erwin’s would be the one death you may never recover from.

Erwin smiled, taking your hand to his lips and kissed it long, closing his eyes with an odd serene look on his face, “In another world, you would say those words in a completely different circumstance, you know?”

You cackled, because you had no better response to that, but even trying to humorize the predicament you were in only pain your heart further, “Yes, I know.”

The tears finally broke soundlessly, it seeped through the crack of your broken heart, and cascaded down your face to Erwin’s relief, as he realized he still held what’s left of your heart, “What will become of me then?” you asked, “Without you?”

He stood up and pulled you closer, cupping your face with his coarse hand and kissed the eyelid where the tear had fallen from, as he said softly, “I want you to listen carefully.”

You nodded, and peeled your face away from his hand. Listening like an obedient soldier that you were.

“If I don’t make it, Hange will lead on as the Commander. Levi, he will make it out alive. He must.” Erwin eyes didn’t leave yours, “Many of us will not be returning home. If I be one of them… I want you to take me home. Whatever left of me. I want you to be the one to recover my body, and lay me next to my father.”

“My soldiers will need your help. If the time comes and a messenger has been dispatched to confirm that we have won the battle, I want you to bring your Garrison squad to Shiganshina, to help the wounded, and bring the bodies home – to peace that they have died for."

You nodded, although his words swarmed your mind like piercing knives. But you nodded, because you wanted to be strong even when the strength that you always leaned yourself on was to depart and never return.

You looked once again at the divine blue irises that taught you all about duty and tenacity, and imagined the life you could live on if Erwin and you weren’t born in the lap of despair that you called home. In another life, you would hear music of peace and pride, not somber wail of war and wrath. But for now, you chose to live and savor the painful taste of goodbye.

“I’ll be close behind, Commander,” you said with a faint smile, dusting yourself up, “you can count on me.”

Erwin passed a solemn nod as he pulled you in closer to the last embrace you would have with him, and whispered, “Dream me home, my darling. Dream me home when I’m no longer here.”

Hey guys! Thanks for reading it. So far, this is still one of the works that I enjoyed writing the most, so glad if you happen to like it!

ADD-ON: Anyway, if you like this and wonder how Levi x Reader version the night before the battle would be like, @weepinglevi wrote Levi's conversation with his S/O the night before the battle. And I really love her works so much, you can check hers here.

Hope you have a nice day and remember: Erwin loves you.

Or you can check my Masterlist here!

#erwin x reader #erwin x you #erwin smith #aot erwin #snk erwin #aot fanfiction #attack on titan #shingeki no kyojin #levi ackerman #hange zoë

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yutahoes · 4 years ago

Text

Sakura

(Part Seven)

One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven

genre : Chaptered, Fluff,

pairing : childhood friends: soccer player! Nakamoto Yuta x single mom! Y/N

word count : 3.3k words

You’ll always be his Sakura.

@ailoveyuta @loona-4-eva @aiforyuu @2-3-t-i @cosmiclatte28 @url-lindo-sexy @nuoyipeach @aaasteroidsky @thisis-myname @yutazen01

Her smile that time in Osaka is still imprinted in Yuta’s mind that it haunts him even in his dreams. It was winter in their last year of their teens when Yuta begged Y/N’s mom if she could spend the holidays in Osaka with his family. Of course, his parents were also behind this and promised that they’ll take care of Y/N. And even if he’s just remembering it now, he still can’t believe that her mom actually allowed her to go to another country.

His parents quickly greeted her when she came to the airport, asking if she had trouble during the flight but she smiled at them answering them in fluent Japanese that made him proud. She seemed so natural talking to them, even calling them okaasan and otousan like they’re one family. “Yuta!” she called excitedly, arms wide open to hug him which he accepted. His parents were just smiling at him knowingly. “Bogoshipda.”

Who wouldn’t? The last time he saw her was the day she left for Chicago. No, the day before that. Although he and his mom sent them off, he refused to look at her that time. "I missed you too." He whispered that made her smile widely. Something changed about her. Is it because they never saw each other for years? Or because his memory of her is stuck in the last time they were together? Is it because they already grew up? Maybe it's because of Chicago.

His family had been welcoming to her and they were equally amazed that Y/N can understand and speak Japanese. Since it's just days before New Year, their house is full of people but they made her feel like she is a part of the family. "You should bring her to Osaka Castle." One of his aunts claimed that made Yuta nod.

"Why not bring her to Universal Studios?" Another asked and Y/N just nodded, looking excited. Yuta put his phone on top of the table. "Otousan, can you drive us to Hirakata Park tomorrow?" He asked which made everyone look at him.

Y/N was so surprised seeing a Cardcaptor Sakura exhibition that she squealed in excitement at the entrance making Yuta smile. This feels like the Y/N he knows. They kept on looking at the different artworks related to the anime she liked since she was young, even staying too long at some merchandise. "Should I buy that? Sakura is really cute."

Yuta chuckled. "You can't even eat that." That made her glare at him, pouting. But Yuta remembered that merchandise, even telling himself that he’ll save up to buy that for her birthday.

She was really happy to eat in a café that is inspired by the same anime. She kept on taking pictures saying that she'll show them to her mom. "I knew you'll love it here."

"Can I just live here?"

He laughed once again. "You can ask my parents to adopt you."

Y/N wrapped her arms on Yuta's arm that made him freeze. What's with the sudden skinship? "Shall I call you oniichan?"

He smiled at her then frowned. "No."

It was almost nighttime when they reached Dohtonbori. Tons of pictures were taken and she kept on running around, claiming that everything in Japan is pretty. "It's prettier when there are cherry blossoms. You should go back in spring." But honestly, he just wanted her to stay here until Spring. Or maybe for a long time.

Should he ask his parents to adopt her? But he doesn't want him to call her imouto.

The lights illuminating the whole area looked magical. Why does he like it more today than when he's out here with his parents? Why does the light look more lovely today? The cold breeze made him pull his oversized coat closer. Why is it so cold? Glancing at her, he realized that she may be cold as well. Does Chicago have a cold season like this?

Knowing that she's focused on looking at those little trinkets by the store, he went to another store to buy something. Her mom will kill him if she gets sick in this weather. Besides, it's going to be busier this time of the year. "Y/N." He called that made her look at him. He put on a white scarf around her neck, wrapping it nicely on her. "My Christmas gift."

She had to laugh at that, raising a snow globe. "And I was thinking of buying one for you." She turned her attention to the different snow globes on the shelf. "You should pick one, Yuta."

But he never looked at the snow globes. Instead, his focus was on her. The lights illuminate her, creating a picturesque background. The white snow falling gently on her, adding to the effect. He badly wanted to imprint that image in his mind. When did she become this pretty? When she turned to him, he lightly gasped. Why did he feel hot all of a sudden? Why can he hear his heart beating on his chest?

Y/N shook the snow globe with the Osaka castle inside then handed it to him. "I'll get you this, onii chan." It annoyed him. Why does she like using that word?

The whole week was full of preparations for the New Year and his relatives had supplied her with the rituals they must do. She helped in making mochi with his grandmother who seemed so fond of her. Even his grandfather, who is usually a scary man, smiles a lot because of her. She really fit well in his family. But not as his sister.

When the clock struck midnight, he realized what it was. She was playing some sparklers with his cousins, laughing along with them. Her eyes twinkling the same way they did when she was staring at those snow globes. Taeyong was right all along. He is in love with her.

Kareshi. It's a better term than oniisan. Something that he wanted her to call him right now. "Y/N, I…" But a ringtone stopped his words, someone was calling. "It must be your mom, you should pick up." The girl nodded, handing her sparkler to Yuta before heading inside the house.

God, what is wrong with him? Is he really going to confess to her? He must be out of his mind. Yuta just finished the stick of sparkler before heading inside to check on her. She was seated on the couch, smiling on her phone. "They are all so nice to me, eomma." She then smiled when she noticed Yuta. "We're going to the temple tomorrow with obaasan." Hatsumonde. It's a Japanese ritual that they had done since he was young and since she's here, his grandmother wanted her to experience visiting a shrine. "You want to talk to Yuta?"

The guy just shook his head, sitting next to her, but she pushed the phone to her which he reluctantly answered. "Eommeoni, annyeong." She sounded so happy talking to him on the phone but again his focus was on the door next to him who was playing the kendama, a Japanese ball and cup toy. "Please take care of Y/N." And even if she doesn't say those words, he knows he'll take care of her.

When she dropped the call, Yuta saw her phone wallpaper. A guy playing basketball. It looks like a photo taken. Is she dating someone? Did she mention anything about a guy in her letters? Is that why she's prettier? Is she in love?

The question was answered when they visited the shrine the next day. She is indeed prettier especially when she wore a kimono that his cousin let her borrow, little trinkets adored her hair. She looked like a native Japanese. A yome. But he shook his head. He can't be thinking of that.

They were getting their omikuji, him and her with another set of female and male cousins that are older than the two of them. When Y/N pulled her paper strip, his female cousin shook her head. "You'll probably get pregnant this year." She claimed that startled her. "Are you dating someone?" Y/N nodded.

"You two are already dating?" His male cousin asked, referring to her and Yuta. She shook her head saying that he's a schoolmate from Chicago. So he's really seeing the guy on her phone wallpaper. When Yuta opened his paper strip, his cousin just tapped his back. "You should have confessed earlier." But he just stared at the bad luck written on his paper.

His second regret. Why did it take a long time for him to realize these feelings?

It was Yuta's Summer Break when his parents gave him the airplane tickets to Chicago that surprised him. They had talked to Y/N and her mom that he's visiting. And although he doesn't want to go there, he was forced by his family. "You should at least tell her that you like her. Maybe it can change something."

The city was different and he felt really foreign, different than when he first came to Korea. "Yuta!" Y/N called, running to where he is and quickly hugging him. What is this girl doing? In front of all these people? "I skipped class to pick you up. Why can't you hug me?" He raised an eyebrow at her. Why is she so bold? Chicago is indeed different. Yeokshi Chicago.

He jokingly crushed her on his arms but she didn't laugh, which is odd. He felt her breathing on his neck, hot and hard. "I missed you, Yuta." It felt different. Maybe because they're in Chicago. He didn't pay that much attention to that especially when she introduced a guy named Johnny Seo. The person on her wallpaper. The guy she's dating.

Johnny is a really nice guy. He showed him what Chicago is while waiting for her to finish her classes. He made an effort to talk to him in Korean or English, sometimes in Japanese that he heard from her. He shared stories about her, the Y/N Yuta doesn't personally know. He knew what to order for her in coffee shops, even at restaurants. He speaks to her calmly, staring at her as if she's the only person who mattered in the world. And he knew, she's in the right place with Johnny.

It was Saturday when Johnny and Y/N brought him to The Bean. The weather was hot and there were a lot of people because of the weekend but Yuta didn't care. "You haven't been to Chicago if you didn’t visit this place." Johnny claimed that made the girl nod. They took tons of pictures, Y/N teasing that he needed to show it to his cousins.

Johnny offered to get them coffee, leaving the two of them in the park while still taking pictures. "Johnny is pretty nice." Yuta started that made her smile, nodding at him. "You never mentioned him in your letters."

"I don't know what to tell you." She answered quietly. "But I like him. So much." He wanted to stop her that moment, wanted her to not continue what she's saying or it will just hurt him. "He helped me a lot to quickly adapt here."

A bitter smile escaped his lips. The same way she helped him back in Korea. How dare she fall in love with another guy that way? But when Johnny came with their coffees at hand, he saw the twinkle in her eyes. The twinkle that made his heart flutter. She really does love Johnny. And who is he to take that twinkle away? Who is he to tell her what she can and can't do? He's just her friend. A very dear friend.

He drank his coffee watching as how the taller guy fixed her hair, smiling at her with a lot of love in his eyes. Bittersweet. That was what it was. It's hurtful yet romantic. And he can't believe that he will always remember Chicago with those feelings. Yeoksi Chicago.

Johnny loves Y/N. He's sure of that. And he honestly doesn't want to believe that it didn't work well with them. What really happened? Did she give up? Or is he the one who gave up? That was the question in his mind seeing Johnny in front of the two kids' school. He can still remember him but does Johnny even remember him?

Yuta can see the two kids going outside the gates and honestly, he was scared that they'll run to their dad. He shouldn't have come here today. Why did he even come here? "Daddy!" He heard Jae call running to his dad. Of course, he must have missed him so much that the younger guy even called him 'appa' last time. But he noticed Cherry stopping on her tracks.

She noticed him but he only smiled at her, planning to just go. He was about to enter his car when he heard the younger girl say, "Can I hang out with Yuta samchon?" That was when Johnny noticed him, Jae even waved at him excitedly. "He promised me that we'll go back to the library when he gets back from Spain." He did promise her. But her dad is here. Isn't she excited to see him again?

"Is it alright if Cherry goes with you?" Yuta nodded. He wanted to hang out with them anyways. "I'll just tell Y/N." Cherry just walked chicly to him, her eyes as dark as when he first met her. Why is she like this? Does she not like Johnny? Jae told Yuta that he wanted to hang out with his dad, even telling him to take care of his noona that he found so adorable.

Yuta bid farewell to the father-son, opening the backseat door for the younger girl. Cherry was just looking at her shoes when Yuta entered the car, starting the engine to drive her to the library she loved. "Samchon…" she called which made him look at her from the mirror of the car, humming as a response. "Can you buy me a cake today?"

It was a request he can't say no. This was the first time that Cherry asked him for something and he's somehow glad that it is just a simple thing. He parked in front of a pretty café, helping her get down from the car, and even opened the door for her. "You can order whatever you want." He urged, eyeing all the selections of different flavored cakes.

The girl pointed at a white cake with red cherries on top, making Yuta smile. A cherry cake. "Can you buy me the whole cake?" The guy just nodded. It's not bad to spoil her once in a while. He told the girl on the counter their order, handing him his card when she made another request, "Do you have candles?" Candles? Is it her birthday? Is that why Johnny is here in Korea?

He let the younger girl put candles in between the cherries of her cake. "Is it your birthday today?" He asked and she nodded casually that startled him. Why are they together? She should be with her parents. "Don't you want to share the cake with your brother?"

Cherry shook her head. "I always share everything with him. He and eomma never liked cherries anyways." He pursed his lips at that, she does hate cherries. Ironically, she named her firstborn with something that she didn't like. "And dad hates cherry." She was staring at the cake while saying those words in a hushed tone. Is she referring to the fruit or another thing? "Can you light it up, samchon?" Her eyes were moist, sparkling against the light, like she wanted to cry.

He held the top of her head, smiling. "Wait up. I'll just go get something." He said then stood up. "Stay here and wait for me. I won't be long." But she only stared at him in worry. Yuta handed her his phone, promising that he'll be back quickly. He crossed the street to get her some flowers then cursed himself for not knowing what color she wanted. Does she even like flowers?

To be safe, he followed the florist's advice in getting a white rose for 'his daughter'. There was a new expression on Cherry's face when he handed her the single white flower, an emotion he hasn't seen from her before. "Girls should receive at least a flower on their birthday." He reasoned out then lit up all the candles on the cake. She whispered something on herself as a wish before blowing the candles one at a time.

Yuta took away the candles then started slicing the cake. He placed one slice on Cherry's plate, even topping it with cherries on top. It was the younger girl who gave him his slice of the vanilla cake. "Do you want to do anything else? Ice skating?"

"Can we just go ice skating with eomma and Jae some time?" He nodded. She always thinks about them. "I'll just finish the book in the library today."

It is her birthday yet she's silently reading a suspense book while seated on a bean couch. Yuta just bought her some snacks and got a book to read so he wouldn't get bored. He would smile at her little gasps and remembered how Y/N would be like that while reading manga. Cherry is indeed a splitting image of her. It's crazy.

"Samchon," Cherry called, closing the hardbound book she was reading earlier. Is she done? That fast? "When you were young, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

He chuckled at that question. She is still a kid. "I want to be a soccer player."

"How about mom?"

Yuta glanced at her. "She wanted to be an illustrator." He remembered how good her drawings are and even pursue that passion until her college years. "But you know, your mom suddenly wrote to me one day and said that she wanted to be a mom."

"Can dreams change?" Cherry asked innocently. There's a certain air of maturity in the little girl that Yuta always forgets that she's just a kid. Now, she looks like a little girl who wonders about life.

Yuta nodded at the question. "What do you want to be when you grow up, Cherry?"

"A detective." That's a nice dream. Maybe that's why she likes reading all these Agatha Christie books. "When I become a detective, I will help children find their dads." That sparked his curiosity. What? "I wanted to find my dad."

"Johnny is your dad."

"He's not." She exclaimed which made Yuta wide-eyed. "Eomma got pregnant with me even before she married dad. She had Jae because she wanted to save her and dad's marriage." That was some wild accusations from a child.

Yet, it seemed rather logical.

It was a mystery to him why Johnny and Y/N broke up when he saw how much they liked each other. They had two children, isn't that enough reason to stay together? He remembered all the conversations with Cherry about her dad, how sad her reaction is, and how quiet her voice is when talking about him. The image of the younger girl who looked awkward seeing her dad flashed on his mind. She's wary of him. Not scared, not angry. She just doesn't look like someone who knew what she should do with her dad. She looked like she doesn't belong.

But then again, maybe it's just her.

Maybe he can help her. He can probably prove that Johnny is her dad. "Cherry, how old are you?"

"Eight."

'Seven years, turning eight' He can hear Y/N's voice in his mind saying those words. The same age as Cherry. The last time they saw each other was eight years. In Chicago. After that night.

"Samchon, do you know who my real dad is?"

Yuta gulped. He probably knows.

Fuck, he might just be Cherry's dad.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Eight

#yuta fluff #yuta nakamoto fluff #yuta #yuta nakamoto #nct fluff #yuta chaptered #nakamoto yuta chaptered #nakamoto yuta fluff

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moonbeamsung · 4 years ago

Text

Winter Nights & City Lights

Because nothing says ‘Christmas’ like spending the big day (and not to mention the whole holiday season) in the Big Apple living with your high school friend-turned-roommate, Mark Lee.

member: mark (featuring johnny)

au: roommate!mark x gn!reader, college roommate au, christmas au, ‘the gift of the magi’ au/inspired

word count: 9.5k

genre: fluff, angst, slice of life

warnings: profanity, underage drinking, hangovers, insecurities, mentions of food and drink, money issues, embarrassing moments

author’s note: This fic is close to becoming my favorite that I’ve ever written. It’s also almost twice as long as I planned, not to mention that tumblr crashed right as I tried to post it so here I am, two hours later. Overall I had a blast writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it! Please let me know what you think, too! :,) Happy holidays! <3

taglist: @astroboy-lele @kisshim @radiorenjun

network tags: @kpopscape @neo-constellations @starryktown @culture-cafe @dreamlab-nct

“That parade was so cool! I mean, did you see the size of all those balloons? They were huge! I’ve never seen so many people all in one place before,” Mark chatters away like an excited child as you navigate through the crowd that always seems to grow bigger year after year, gathered along the curbs of the New York streets to watch the famed Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

“How are you not more excited about this?” He questions, and you stifle an amused giggle. “I’ve lived in the city for over a year, Mark. I’ve seen a thing or two.”

“Oh, right. I knew that.” The cold air only accentuates the blush on his face as he remembers that particular detail about you. It isn’t often that it’s demonstrated, however, considering you spend so much time cooped up inside of your shared apartment cramming in university work and studying. There are hardly any opportunities during the year to take in the sights of the concrete jungle you live in the very heart of, but luckily, one of your long-awaited breaks is coming up soon.

Thoughts of Christmas vacation are the only things keeping you going, along with countless cups of steaming hot coffee, as you prepare for exams in just a few weeks, weeks that seem to go by in a flurry of snow.

There’s less than three days left until your first one, but you’re nothing short of drained after pulling so many all-nighters, and you need a break. A breath of fresh air seems like just the cure for your burnout, so you slam your textbook shut and lethargically drag yourself off of the soft comforter you’ve been sitting on for the past two hours. You grimace at the deep imprint left behind.

Trudging through the living area, you knock softly on Mark’s bedroom door. A tired “Come in” sounds from the other side, and you push it open, immediately noticing his disheveled state. Eyes heavy with fatigue and lacking their usual sparkle of youthful innocence, he blinks back at you, “What’s up?”

“You look like you need a break just as much as I do,” you insist. His already-open mouth widens a bit more, “But... our first exam is on Monday, we can’t just—”

“Mark, come on, you’re one of the smartest people in our class. If anyone’s going to pass, it’s you.”

He huffs, “Maybe you have a point.”

“I do have a point, and you know it. A little walk in the park never hurt anyone, right?”

Mark rubs his eyes with the back of his hand, fingers raking through his dark locks before he musters up enough strength to push himself off of his bed and into a standing position.

“I’ll get my jacket.”

Central Park is a sight to behold on its own all year round, but something about the Christmas season makes it even more magical. You and Mark step at the same pace, your paths lined by metal benches blanketed in fresh snow. Even through the many layers of warmth you’re both wearing, the chilly air still nips at your skin. It’s Mark’s first time experiencing the holidays in New York City, and you’re determined to show him everything this real-life winter wonderland has to offer.

The story of how you two came to be roommates in the first place is an extremely lucky one. You met in high school, and had been part of the same group of friends along with six younger boys. Both Canadian, you’d been hoping to get into the same New York college since what felt like forever. The day that you received your acceptance letters in the mail was full of joy and celebration, but not even a week later, Mark got an unexpected scholarship to a local but prestigious university not far from where you lived that he simply couldn’t pass up.

Parting ways after graduation, you had thought you might never see each other again until you got a call from him. It was the day after your last exam of the spring semester in college and you were sitting on your two-person couch, feeling rather lonely. The number seemed too familiar, too good to be true, and scrambling to pick up the phone as it blared throughout your fairly small apartment, you answered with a shaky voice. Mark’s recognizable tone met your ears, and a wide smile met your face. Though he couldn’t see it, he could hear the happiness in your words.

As it turned out, his college had given him the opportunity to transfer to yours for the remainder of his four years, as their programs were closely linked and on similar levels. Graciously, he had accepted, and wanted you to be the first to know.

“So, uh... are you living with anyone?”

The question he dreaded asking more than anything else. Call him cliché, but he had the biggest crush on you in high school, much to his dismay and to the rest of his friends’ excitement. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to like you, but he feared that college could tear a potential relationship apart, regardless of whether or not you went to the same one.

As a result of this, he had never acted on his emotions. But he’s older now, and wiser, which leads him to believe that maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to maintain one, should he ever gain enough courage to ask you out.

“No, actually, I have my own apartment.”

Silence.

“...Are you looking for somewhere to stay?”

“Yes! Yes,” he replied a little too quickly, eager to accept what would hopefully be an invitation from you. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Well, my place isn’t the biggest, but you can live with me if you want to. Plus, we could split the rent between us!”

You’ve always liked Mark. He’s hardworking, kind, and humble, maybe a little too much of all these things for his own good. Even back in high school, you spent endless nights and very early mornings on the phone with him, trying to convince him to go to bed after he refused to stop studying. To reassure him that he did the right thing by ending that friendship, or to insist that he tell the teacher no one worked on the group project, so he did everything himself. You’ve been his shoulder to cry on for years, you’ve seen a side of him that he’s never been brave enough to show anyone else because they expect so much of him.

Mark knows he’s blessed to have had a picture-perfect childhood, a good family, and an education that was rigorous yet rewarding enough to prepare him for his next chapter in life. The pressures that came with being so lucky just got to him sometimes, and they made four years of high school seem more like fourteen.

You, on the other hand, didn’t quite have all the same luxuries that he did, but you still managed. He’s been there for you plenty of times, too. In your opinion, though, he’s the much more vulnerable one of the two of you, mainly to his cumbersome insecurities and shortcomings, however rare those shortcomings may be.

So in your mind, Mark Lee deserves the entire world and then some. The least you can do is share your apartment with him, either until he finds what you’re sure would be a much more desirable place to live, or if he wants to stay with you indefinitely.

What you don’t realize, and will eventually struggle to admit to yourself, is that your admiration for his perseverance and endless generosity is teetering rather precariously on the edge of blossoming into something more than just platonic.

“Sounds good, then. Thanks so much!” He had exclaimed, the sound of his pure excitement and gratefulness bringing a wave of heat to your face, and you were glad he wasn’t there in front of you to see it.

You talked a little bit more for the next few minutes, catching up and enjoying a lighthearted conversation about what you had both been up to. These sessions on the phone began to occur more and more frequently, turning into weekly, and soon daily, affairs. Mark planned to move in a couple weeks before school started again, giving himself some time to settle in and adapt to urban life in general. The calls became a highlight of your summer vacation, and every day without fail, you found yourself waiting to hear the unique ringtone you had set his contact to.

Less than twelve hours before Mark was scheduled to arrive at New York’s largest airport, you were on the phone with him just like always. The clock in your apartment chimed eleven o’clock, and as reluctant as you were to hang up, you knew you should turn in for the night. After all, the sooner you went to sleep, the sooner the morning would come. The morning you would meet him at the airport.

“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” His voice was hopeful. Slightly unsteady, but hopeful all the same.

“I guess so. What time does your plane land, again?” You confirmed the time you had scribbled down onto a neon yellow sticky note a few days earlier as he repeated the short string of numbers, nodding to no one in particular. Why did you feel so nervous? It’s just Mark, you had told yourself.

“Have a safe flight!”

He bade you goodnight in return, accidentally throwing in a “sweet dreams” before he could stop himself. When you put your phones down, you were both too busy trying to calm your racing pulses, however, so it didn’t matter. Mark collapsed onto his bed, hand bumping his duffel bag and heaving a sigh. You sank down into the couch cushion, closing your eyes and leaning your head against the back of the furniture. Neither of you could find the strength to stand in those moments, scared that your legs would give in from the unsteadiness of your nerves, your hearts, your emotions.

A singular worry occupied both of your minds from that point on until you greeted him in the JFK airport terminal the next morning, shy smiles on your faces: is it dangerous to enter into the impending situation of living together? Are you really ready to be in such constant close proximity to the object of your affections, however oblivious you might be to them?

Before his brain could talk his heart out of it, Mark had wrapped you in a tight hug, extra thankful for the welcome since you were all he had here, in the city. You wouldn’t have missed his arrival for the world, and you told him so. You also wouldn’t have missed the chance to make him flush a deep but adorable shade of red, reaching from his rounded cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears.

In your long-term rental car, you drove him back to your apartment, enjoying the quiet sounds of surprise and amazement that spilled from his lips, generated by the city’s sights. As you passed underneath towering skyscrapers, navigated bustling avenues, and caught glimpses of world-renowned landmarks that you both had seen only in the movies when you were younger, you just knew Mark’s eyes held their signature sparkle, despite your inability to see the dark brown orbs glimmer with wonder. You kept yours on the road ahead.

His first day was spent unpacking his suitcases and bags full of possessions, one of which was his most prized: an acoustic guitar.

It had been a gift from his parents when he finished the eighth grade, and all throughout high school, he had turned to music as an escape whenever he needed it. As any new musician does, Mark had played around with chords, experimenting and seeing what sounded good, and before you knew it he had composed a song. Another one followed, then another, and by the end of his freshman year he had written enough to fill an entire album if he so wished.

The guitar had heard every note, every lyric, carried every melody from his heart into the world. It had grown to be a part of him, a worldly sliver of his soul in the form of a simple musical instrument that could convey every hope and every dream, every concern or every frustration. Every love confession. Though that wasn’t saying much, since he only had eyes for you. You didn’t know it, but one of those songs was about you. For you.

You and Mark’s circle of friends tried to set you two up one day in the school’s band room after hours, with the excuse that the second-youngest of the group, Chenle, had forgotten his piano sheet music in there. They sent you to retrieve it, which you only agreed to do after being persuaded by the boy’s intimidating but still lovable pout.

With no sheet music in sight, your eyes landed instead on a diligent Mark that appeared to be the only sign of life in the room, plucking away at the strings as the sun set outside. You had sat with him for a while, neglecting your task and listening to him strum gracefully, softly murmuring lyrics that sounded like your name at one point. You didn’t think much of it, though, not making the connection behind the rest of the words coming out of his mouth and accompanying the chords. His love song was left unacknowledged by the subject of it themselves, and that was both the first and last time he ever attempted to confess to you.

He wondered if now that you were sharing an apartment, he would let something slip by accident. What would he do then?

University had other plans, though, and his fears were temporarily relieved. So fortunately and unfortunately, you were so occupied with schoolwork that trying to balance dating, or even mere thoughts of doing so, with all of your other responsibilities would have been exhausting, not to mention impossible.

Snapping out of your memory-induced daze, you realize that you nearly wandered off the path into a deep snowbank, only aware of this fact because Mark catches you by the wrist and pulls you back toward him to walk at his side. His fingers stay curled around your forearm as you approach a famous bridge, stepping to the side and gazing down at the icy waters below, calm and rippling with the chilly breeze.

“What do you want for Christmas?”

You honestly haven’t thought about it yet, so you can’t give Mark a definite answer. The same goes for him, both of you leaning against the brick railing in a comfortable silence.

In Mark’s mind though, he knows what he wants to give you: something to complement your own equivalent of his guitar, a large collection of handwritten letters and notes from your childhood and school days. Sentimental by nature, you had saved every colorful post-it note one of your friends would slip through the narrow slats of your locker, every birthday card received over the years, every thoughtful postcard from someone’s vacation.

Your favorites are undoubtedly the always-awkward Christmas cards that your friends’ families consistently mail out each December, by far the most humorous parts of your growing collection. You always found yourself chuckling at the pictures displayed on the front. Eyes bright with mirth, you would observe their forced smiles and arms slung carelessly over siblings’ shoulders, their eyes flickering between the camera and something going on behind it, probably the family pet getting into trouble across the yard. You pitied the photographers, surely beyond frustrated as they would try to get everyone to stand still for more than five measly seconds. Mouths were clamped shut and for a brief moment, the air was void of complaints of how itchy someone’s sweater was.

Then the camera would snap, capturing an image that was simply “good enough.” They’d plaster it on the card and in a few days, it would magically appear in the mailboxes of relatives and close friends. Grandparents would overlook the uncomfortable expressions and focus instead on how fast the kids were growing up. You didn’t blame them. Even in four years’ worth of cards, so much could change. In between fits of laughter, you’d stare in awe at the way your friends grew into their features, only becoming more handsome with time and some growing so tall that they even towered over their fathers. You always kept the letters they included, too, detailing the highlights of the year that was soon to come to an end by the time they dropped it into a nearby mailbox.

And like he could read your mind, Mark makes an offhand comment right then and there. “My folks texted me the other day to ask for our address. You know, for the Christmas card.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah,” he laughs. “Shame I couldn’t be there for the family photos this year.”

“Is it really a shame, though?” You prod, tilting your head a bit at the boy. “You always told me you couldn’t stand waiting around for the so-called ‘right lighting’ and all that.”

“Well, I couldn’t, but now that I’m not there I wish I could go back to those days. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, you know?”

“Right,” you sigh, thinking about how the same saying could easily apply to the way you felt about Mark all throughout your first year of university.

You have a box, made of a dark mahogany wood and lined with elegant golden trim, where you keep all of these letters, these handwritten memories and souvenirs from some of the happiest moments in your life. A gift from a past Christmas, your family had your initials engraved onto the front in a loopy cursive font, making it truly unique and utterly irreplaceable. And, you’ll soon come to realize, valuable.

Mark remembers it well, remembers the many times you’ve shown him its contents, remembers how his eyes sometimes land on the delicate container resting beneath the windowsill in your room, sunlight catching the accents. He knows how much those letters mean to you, and he also knows how much you love returning the favor.

That’s why he wants to give you the tools you need to do just that, and to do it well.

You’ve always been one for writing thank-you notes for any and every gift you receive, your parents having ingrained the habit in you since you were very young. Slowly, crayons turned into pencils and lead became ink. To this day you remain unfazed by the increasing amount of yellowing papers residing in the letter box, but the words imprinted on them never quite fade, strong enough to withstand the test of time.

Too many times in high school Mark would find you, hunched over your dining room table in frustration with a stack of letters beside your arm that you deemed “failed” because your handwriting was bad, or something of the sort. Usually it was the other way around, him being the one in need of comfort, but on those days your roles were reversed.

He had always wondered why you didn’t have fancier supplies that were more suited to your task, but he supposes now that maybe it simply wasn’t an option for you and your family. So a stationery set seems like the perfect gift for you this year.

On a similar note, you’ve already decided what you’re getting him: a guitar case. You happened upon a sleek leather one while browsing the website of a popular music store, coincidentally with a location not too far from your apartment.

Now it’s no longer a question of what to get the other, but how. As university students living on your own, money is scarce. Unknowingly, you both contemplate this concern as you walk side by side, returning to the start of the path that you set out on at least a half hour ago.

This stroll of yours was supposed to clear your minds, but why are they racing even more than before?

There’s no time to worry now, though, and for the next week, your thoughts are forced to shift back to the topic of school and midterms and all your academic endeavors.

Your exam week is over before you know it, and the two of you return to your apartment after the last one only to collapse onto your respective beds, beyond exhausted.

The dreary Friday afternoon clearly calls for a nap, but unbeknownst to you, Mark decides to seize the opportunity that has so conveniently presented itself to him: a chance for him to go out and buy your gift without suspicion. He drops his backpack on the carpet next to his dresser and sighs, wondering if what he’s about to do will be worth it. But it’s you, of course it’ll be worth it.

Thus, his next move is done with a heavy heart. He’s been forced by a lack of funds to come to a decision about your gift, and a difficult one at that. The only thing he can think of doing to even come close to affording a nice stationery set is to sell some things in exchange for cash. Namely, the most valuable item he owns: his beloved guitar. He doesn’t really want to, but deep down he knows that a true friendship warrants the occasional sacrifice. He’s done some research on a nearby pawn shop, and however sketchy those kinds of places may seem, it’s his only feasible option at the moment, with just a week left until Christmas Day.

After making sure you’re fast asleep, he not-so-stealthily slips out of your shared flat, his actions far from silent but even so, you don’t wake up. Mark winces at the unintended high volume of pulling the front door shut behind him, sticking his hand into his jeans pocket and relaxing when he feels his keys at the bottom of the fabric compartment. Guitar strung over his shoulder by the flimsy, fraying strap, he sets off.

With his phone in hand and directions to the pawn shop displayed on the screen, he strides through the lobby of the apartment building and pushes the revolving door, stepping onto the busy sidewalk and into the cold winter air. Shoppers crowd the pavement with hands full of department store tote bags, crinkling loudly as they pass by one another. Shoulders knock together and heels click against the concrete, just some of the many sounds of the city that Mark is still growing used to hearing.

A few blocks and several wrong turns later, he finds himself on a quieter street, standing in front of the shop. It’s dimly lit inside and looks almost abandoned, the letters painted on the window chipped and faded from the wear and weather of past years. A soft bell rings when he lets himself in, searching for some sort of employee.

From behind a cluttered shelf a tall man emerges, the shabby name tag pinned to his vest reading “Johnny.” Well, he’s not some shifty-eyed, balding man wearing a muscle shirt stained with grease. New York continues to be full of surprises.

His dark hair looks neat, the jacket he’s wearing free of any wrinkles and face young but chiseled, high cheekbones prominent.

“How can I help you today?” Johnny booms, stepping behind the counter and absentmindedly sifting through some loose change in bottom of the cash register.

Mark gulps, “I’d like to sell something.” Still not entirely sure he wants to do this, he instinctively tugs on the strap resting atop the fabric of his wool jacket.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” Johnny assures with a small laugh. “What did you have in mind?”

Taking a deep breath, Mark slides the guitar off his shoulder and holds it near his chest for a moment, before extending his arms out towards the counter.

“A guitar, huh? We don’t see many of these,” the tall man comments. “Are you sure? It seems pretty valuable to you in more ways than one.”

Mark’s fingertips trace the strings for the last time and he decides to just get it over with, before he can change his mind. His hands are shaky as he gently places the instrument down on the counter in front of Johnny, taking a step back once he’s done so. “I don’t have much of a choice. I need the money to buy a gift for my… uh, my friend.”

Johnny raises an eyebrow, “Just a friend? Or a special someone?”

“They are special,” Mark confirms, noncommittal to either title that Johnny suggested.

“They must be if you’re willing to give up something like this for them. Okay, that’ll be…”

Johnny tells him what the guitar is worth, matching the amount with a stack of cash and a few old coins, rusty but still holding their value.

Despite the pain of letting something so meaningful go, a bit of joy creeps into Mark’s heart as he realizes that now he can give you a gift that will hopefully become just as meaningful to you as his guitar was to him.

He thanks Johnny and bids him goodbye, step lighter than when he entered, much to his surprise.

It’s the next day when you and Mark find yourselves getting into the Christmas spirit for the first time this season. After he had returned yesterday, you were still out cold on your bed, so he chose to follow your example and do the same. The both of you had slept the rest of the day and almost the entirety of the following morning away, waking up just before noon.

With a sudden burst of energy you spring up from the sheets, overtaken by your excitement for the nearing holiday as you dig out the artificial Christmas tree you had bought last year from your closet. Sure, it may seem lazy of you, but let’s face it: there was no easy way to find a real one in New York City, let alone lug it down the streets, through an elevator and down a narrow hallway to a door it wouldn’t even fit through.

Mark hears the loud rustling of various decorations as he begins to stir, leisurely getting out of bed and checking one of his dresser drawers to make sure he hadn’t merely dreamed up his shopping adventure of the previous evening. There the stationery set sits, tucked safely at the back of the wooden cabinet.

The bookstore he stopped at on his way back last night had many different options to choose from, so he made sure to get one that both matched your box of letters and reminded him of you, with its color scheme and style. A surge of pride brings a smile to his features, pleased with his choice, and he pushes the drawer shut before joining you in the living area.

Your knees brush as he sits down next to you to help unpack the large but manageable box, taking out the tiers of the tree to eventually stack on top of one another. Working more quickly than usual (and probably necessary, there are six days left after all), you assign Mark to stringing the lights across your small balcony while you finish setting up the tree. You knew you shouldn’t have let him do it alone, though, because when you look over at his progress you find more lights wrapped around his body than the metal railing.

“Do you need a hand?” You question, holding back a laugh at the way the cord restricts his arm movements to the point where he can’t even reach for the handle on the sliding door.

From outside he opens his mouth to reply, but pauses, looking down at himself and the mess he’s made of the lights before meeting your eyes once more. His voice is muffled by the glass, but you hear him shout playfully, “I’m the tree now! We don’t need that one.” He tries to gesture to the one you’re currently decorating, but fails, and this time you aren’t able to contain your amusement.

“Let me help you,” you offer, joining him on the balcony and helping him untangle himself from the glowing strands. “Thanks,” Mark replies, sheepishly rubbing at the back of his neck. With your combined efforts, you manage to thread the string of lights through the railing with little to no mishaps, and both of you continue decking out the apartment with other seasonal items for the next several hours.

At some point during the afternoon one of you decided to connect their phone to a speaker and play some music, all Christmas songs of course. As the classic version of “Jingle Bell Rock” begins to blare throughout the living room, Mark abandons his task momentarily to walk over to you. He extends a hand down to you, sitting on the floor, and you accept the invitation to stand up with a questioning look.

“Dance with me?”

It’s hardly a platonic request, Mark realizes once the words leave his lips, but even so you don’t shy away, glancing down at your feet with a slight trace of bashfulness in the action.

He intertwines your fingers somewhat loosely, placing his non-dominant hand on your waist and beginning to sway, slowly at first but then his movements become more exaggerated, shoulders tilting dramatically to one side after the other and straying from the rhythm of the music. You join Mark in drawing out the jesting movements, losing yourself in laughter and leaning forward to bury your face in his shoulder, the heat of your breath hitting his skin through the thin t-shirt he’s wearing. In one last attempt to keep the joyful smile on your face, he steps back a bit and holds your wrist above your head to twirl you in a circle.

The electric guitar in the song fades as you collapse onto the carpet, recovering from your fit of giggles. The sun has begun to sink in the sky, you can tell by the gold and orange glow that your apartment becomes bathed in as it sets, inching closer to the horizon and eventually becoming hidden by tall skyscrapers in the distance.

Satisfied with your progress so far, you both decide to call it a day, though in truth there aren’t many decorations left to put out. A few stray ornaments and some garlands remain, still packed up in boxes that you would need help reaching. You’re also eager to get your mind off of the way your heart was palpitating as you danced with Mark, your roommate and friend but nothing more, nothing less. You have enough to worry about at the moment, not wanting to add potential feelings for the boy into the mix. Shit, you think, you still need to buy his gift.

“What should we watch?” Mark asks, scrolling through the list of movie choices on the TV screen.

“I don’t really care, anything’s fine.”

His finger presses a button on the remote to select a film at random, the intro playing as you scan the refrigerator shelves for a frozen meal. Hopefully it’s not one of those cheesy holiday romances.

Settling down on the couch a few minutes later, you with the warmed-up container in your lap and Mark holding a cup of ramen noodles, both of you fall into a comfortable chatter about the movie. Thank god it’s a comedy.

Occasionally you find yourself diverting your attention from the harsh display and directing it over to the panes of floor-to-ceiling windows, where you watch more and more lights flicker on in the distance, illuminating the urban landscape as night falls. The view is breathtaking, but so is the way your face softly glows with their warmth, even from blocks away. Not that Mark would ever tell you that, of course.

“I’m going out!” Mark hears shuffling from outside his bedroom the next morning, your voice instantly bringing him to his senses. Curious, he shoots out of bed and flings the door open to find you, one arm stuck through the sleeve of your coat and the other buried in a bag, but it’s not the one you usually bring when you leave the flat. Eyes wide and panicked at the boy’s unexpected appearance, you clutch it to your chest with a visible amount of difficulty, Mark notices.

“Where are you off to?” He squints at the brightness of the living room, the early morning light pouring in through the glass on the far wall.

“...Maybe I can’t tell you,” you respond with a huff, slinging the heavy bag over your shoulder and pulling the rest of your coat on.

“What do you mean, you can’t—oh.”

“Nice going, genius,” you shake your head, feigning disappointment. “It’s not like it’s Christmas this week or anything.”

“My bad, sorry.” Mark winces and rakes a hand through his bedhead, abashed.

“I’ll be back soon, okay?”

With that, you step into the hallway and offer a parting smile over your shoulder, shutting the front door behind you.

At least your being out of the apartment gives Mark time to wrap your gift. All he has to do is figure out how.

Johnny gets a familiar feeling when he sees you enter the pawn shop, fumbling with your things and reluctantly gazing at whatever’s in the tote you’re holding. Are you also about to make an exchange you could potentially regret?

“One second,” you excuse yourself as you step up to the counter, placing the heavy bag down and removing the large item from inside: your letter box, minus its contents. Of course you would never get rid of those, but despite the letters and notes being so special to you, the box they were always kept in is also a significant part of your attachment and the memories you hold dear.

With a thud you set it down, Johnny glancing between the hesitation on your face and the wooden container on the counter in front of him. “Let me guess, you want to exchange this for cash?”

“Yes, sir, that’s exactly what I—” You pause, biting your tongue. “Hold on… Look, I know this is a pawn shop and that’s what people do here, but how are you so sure?”

Johnny’s gut tells him he shouldn’t give away the fact that a boy wearing the very same expression and with the same sense of purpose and determination was in here just two days earlier. So he corrects his mistake with a simple “Lucky guess” and a hearty chuckle.

Without Johnny even asking, you tell him that you’re also looking for some extra cash in order to afford a gift for your “friend,” and you say the word with so much conviction and certainty that it’s almost laughable. The information given to Johnny helps him fully connect the dots in his mind, realizing that each of you are the one the other talked about.

Before handing you the money, Johnny tears off a sheet of paper from a nearby notepad and asks you to fill out your information, most importantly your address. He has to lie a bit, saying it’s for contact purposes, but his heart is in the right place nonetheless. Just in case something goes south (and the sinking feeling in his stomach tells him that it will somehow), doing so gives him an option, even if he doesn’t know what that option might be yet.

“Thank you, Johnny, and Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas!” He returns your wish cheerfully as you push the door open to leave.

“Good luck finding a gift for your ‘friend,’ too.”

You feel heat rise to your cheeks when you see his teasing use of air quotes, but still smile.

On your way back to the apartment Mark texts you and asks you to check the mail, saying he forgot to do so yesterday. When you arrive in the lobby and make your way over to the cluster of mailboxes, you’re instantly shocked to find a large cardboard box shoved into the small cubby with your and Mark’s name on it. You’re already struggling to carry the guitar case you bought for him, so you decide to make a second trip later.

A few moments after stepping out of the elevator, you knock on the door to your apartment, hoping with all your might that Mark won’t actually open it and instead just answer with a “Come in” as he always does. Your wish is, thankfully, granted, but it’s quickly followed by “Wait, wait, wait!” As it happens, he just finished wrapping your gift and needs another minute or two to tuck it away somewhere until the big day arrives. “Can you stay out there until I say?”

“Sure,” you reply, “but I’m going to have to ask you to do the same.”

“How about I stay in my room while you come in and do… whatever you need to?”

“Sounds good.”

With his door closed, Mark hears the front one open and shut as you enter. Trying not to make any noise that would give away the size of the item you just bought, you finally settle for hiding the leather case underneath your bed, concealed by the drapery attached to its frame that hovers just above the floor.

Mark had hastily placed the now-wrapped (though not elegantly so) stationery set back into his dresser, so he’s already out of his room by the time you leave yours. “Any letters or packages?” He questions when he sees you.

“Oh, right!” You snap your fingers, “We do have a package but my hands were full, so I’ll bring it up right now.”

“Eggnog?”

While the box had looked fairly ordinary from the outside, upon opening it and glancing at the return address you learned it was actually anything but that. Mark’s and your parents had sent a holiday care package of sorts, including both of your families’ Christmas cards and a carton of eggnog, along with some small gifts that are meant to be saved for the morning of the 25th. Also mixed in are a few small decorations (not that you need more), some baking supplies complete with a copy of the recipe for the cookies you make every year, and a soft pair of mittens for each of you. He hopes you don’t realize that one of the items is a sprig of mistletoe.

“You don’t like eggnog?” You ask, stunned. Mark shrugs, “I don’t really care for milk but it’s the thought that counts, I guess.”

That evening you and Mark take another stroll, this time choosing to stay on the streets and admire the festively adorned buildings and shops as you pass by them. Admiring Christmas lights at this time of year is nothing new to you and Mark. In fact, when you lived in Canada you would do the same thing. The only difference is that back then, it involved driving through quiet suburban neighborhoods and not ambling through crowded city streets and alleyways on foot.

Snowflakes begin to cascade from the heavens as you make your way back around to the block where you live. Mark sticks his tongue out to catch one of the small crystals, and it immediately melts in his mouth, eliciting a high-pitched laugh from the boy. Snow is also something you both are more than used to by now, having grown up with white Christmases all your lives. It makes you wonder if the holiday season would be the same without it.

“You know what we should do?” Mark turns to you just as you’re about to enter the apartment building again. “Go ice skating at Rockefeller Center.”

“Mark, c’mon, you know stuff like that is overpriced. And besides, I can’t skate to save my life. Remember—”

“That time in sophomore year? You bet I do,” he laughs as he remembers how you clumsily fell not even two seconds after stepping onto the ice with your skates, and then refused to let go of the railing for the rest of the day. The elevator whirs to life, climbing floor after floor with ease.

“Hey,” you offer, “we can still go and watch people skate, I’m sure there’s some place to sit.”

“And we can look at the Christmas tree, too,” Mark adds, eyes brightening at the idea.

“Right. I forget you haven’t seen it in person before.” The cabin doors open with a ding and you step out, your eyes landing on the door to your apartment a few yards away.

When you turn on the TV, Mark becomes mesmerized by the movie that’s playing, since it takes place in NYC and he recognizes so many places from actually being there. He scrambles to remove his jacket and beanie, plopping down onto the couch once they’re safely hooked on the coat rack.

Watching him, you sigh. Would anything really change if you were dating? Assuming your feelings were returned, of course, but you can’t imagine that your relationship would differ much. You certainly wouldn’t go on extravagant dates, or buy expensive gifts for each other, but that’s not what love is about, anyway. With the exception of a few extra hugs and the addition of kisses, along with more forms of physical affection in general (actually, scratch that, Mark’s always been awkward with those kinds of things), you’d still be by each other’s side just like always.

As you sit down next to him and feel an arm wrap around your shoulder, you don’t shrug it off, instead embracing the warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart that you can’t blame on the holiday season this time.

Mark’s glad, too. He’s been working up the courage to do that all day.

Late that night, you quietly tiptoe into the living area, retrieving an old box from your move-in last year that will fit his gift perfectly, and won’t give away what’s inside. Your hands fold and tape the wrapping paper with care, tying a neat ribbon once you’re done. Sure, you had to give up something that meant a lot to you in order to afford Mark’s present, but the gains outweigh the losses. You find comfort in imagining the way his face will surely light up with pure joy on Christmas morning, drifting off to sleep with ease once you’ve hidden the rectangular parcel back underneath your bed.

A few days pass and soon it’s the 23rd, and you join Mark at the railing of the ice rink, of course on the side with solid ground. “Ice is solid ground,” Mark had corrected, but you stood firm in your words. “More like slippery ground, if you ask me.”

Luckily you had been allowed to stand here for free, because god only knows what small, simple thing someone would be charged for in New York. It’s happened to you before, and you’re not even a tourist.

Mark’s dark eyes gaze up at the 75-foot-tall tree in wonder, pupils dilating and reflecting the tens of thousands of bright lights strung through the dark green branches. They seem to sparkle with sheer amazement. Just then someone skates a little too close to the section of railing you’re leaning on, startling Mark out of his LED-induced daze and putting the most adorable look of surprise on his face.

His focus shifts to the people on the ice, wearing sweaters and jackets of every color imaginable, and the sight is still as beautiful as the looming Christmas tree above. He notices some couples, holding onto one another or skating hand-in-hand, and it makes him wonder if that could be you two someday, at a future Christmas, or if it’s an idea absurd enough for an alternate reality.

Mark sees you shiver out of the corner of his eye, and it’s his cue to suggest returning home for the evening. In a very cliché and boyfriend-esque gesture he offers you his jacket, but you decline, insisting that it’s not far and assuring him that you’ll be okay.

Back in your heated flat, you twist open the lid of the eggnog carton and pour a small glass for yourself. “Are you sure you don’t want some?” You call out to Mark from the kitchen, snatching one of the cookies you made the other day and finding a paper plate for the thin shortbread wafer, lined with elegant white icing and dusted with sprinkles.

“I already told you, I don’t like eggnog!”

“Have you even tried it before?” Mark grumbles at your nagging. You really sound like his mom right now.

“No…”

You appear at the other end of the couch, holding out a small cup with just a sip or two of eggnog in it. “Try it. You never know.”

He knows you won’t leave until you see him lift it to his lips for yourself, so he does. Immediately the sweet drink overwhelms his taste buds, and also leaves a slight sting on his tongue.

“What’s in this stuff?” He coughs, nose scrunching a bit from the strong taste. Surprisingly, though, he doesn’t hate it. Following you back to the kitchen, Mark pours a full glass this time, already gulping it down.

“Uh,” you scan the ingredients on the back of the carton once he sets it down on the counter, “milk, cream, sugar, eggs…”

“...whiskey? What the hell?”

“It has alcohol,” Mark slurs, his giggling interrupted by a hiccup. Having never drank before, he’s undeniably a lightweight, and even a little bit can get him wasted almost instantly.

“Mom and Dad must have mixed something up, because they definitely didn’t mean to send us alcoholic eggnog.”

Sure enough, back home in Canada your parents are wondering why they only have the kid-friendly stuff in their fridge.

Mark latches on to you, arm curling lazily around your waist. Great, he’s one of those people that gets clingy when they’re drunk. “Try some,” he whines, nuzzling into your shoulder a little.

“Are you crazy?”

“No one will know,” he laughs, hiccuping again. Giving in to his adorably drunken pout, you take one sip from your original glass but no more, an unpleasant buzz taking over your whole mouth.

Not looking forward to finding a hangover cure on Christmas Eve of all days, you pray that you’ll stay sober enough to take care of the tipsy boy, who’s currently pressing his face into the back of your neck and—shit, did he just kiss you there? You really don’t need this right now.

“Mark, you’re drunk, okay? Stop it,” you caution.

“But I love you,” he murmurs, warm breath fanning your skin, and you want to kick yourself for almost saying it back. Does he even mean it, though? Alcohol makes people say crazy things, things they don’t mean, so you shouldn’t get your hopes up. You unhook his arm from your torso and turn around to push against his chest, frustrated. “Let’s get you to bed.”

He seems to have just remembered something, because he ignores you and instead goes over to where the care package was still sitting, digging into the bottom and pulling out something you hadn’t noticed before. “Look,” Mark declares in a nasal voice, “mistletoe.”

You exasperatedly hang your head, desperate to slam it into the nearest wall. With much difficulty, you eventually manage to get him tucked underneath the blanket, leaving a glass of water on his nightstand for when he wakes up. “Get some sleep,” you say simply.

He tells you goodnight with a fond mumble of your name as you shut the bedroom door behind you. Rubbing your eyes, you yawn before turning off the lights and heading to bed yourself, trying to block out the events that had just taken place.

Your head aches when you wake up the next morning, and you feel like garbage, so you can only imagine how much worse Mark must be doing. Quickly chugging a water bottle, you reluctantly go to knock on his door, hearing a pained groan once you enter. He’s sitting up, chin resting in one hand and the other anchored onto the heavy comforter covering his legs.

“How are you feeling?” The obvious question with an even more obvious answer makes Mark wince. “Awful.”

“Sorry.” It’s silent for a moment, Mark pressing three fingers to his throbbing forehead and you staring aimlessly at the wall. “I knew that eggnog was a bad idea.”

“You were the one that told me to try it!”

“I didn't know it had alcohol in it!”

You sigh, dejected. Something tells Mark that your head isn’t the only thing hurting.

“Hey, I know that look. What’s wrong?” He prods, voice soft and gentle and altogether unlike how it had been last night. You meet his eyes for a moment, about to speak but biting your lip at the last second. Mark’s brain puts two and two together at your expression.

“Oh god, did I say something? Do something?”

“Yeah, actually,” you reply in a huff. “First you kissed my neck, then you told me you loved me, and then you held up a clump of mistletoe and implied that we should kiss underneath it.”

His memories of the previous evening are all a blur, so he truly would have no idea what happened if you hadn’t just said something. Mark knows he screwed up, bad.

You tense when you feel him place his hand over yours, but you don’t snatch it away. After collecting his thoughts, Mark clears his throat.

“Look, I… I know that’s not the best way for you to find out how someone feels about you. But I’m completely sober, and I can tell you that I meant what I said last night.”

“You promise?”

“Promise,” Mark replies.

“...Can you say it again, then?”

He blushes, “That I…?”

You nod, the corners of your lips lifting into a small smile.

“I love you,” Mark tells you for the second time in the last 24 hours, but this time you know you can believe him. The pain of your hangover goes away for a moment as he takes your jaw in his hands and connects your lips, just barely retaining the buzz of the alcohol but not enough to bother you. Slowly you kiss him back, sinking down onto the mattress beside him.

Mark pulls away for air a few seconds later, thumb grazing your cheek lovingly. “Does this mean we’re—”

“Dating? If you want it to, then sure,” your finger traces swirly shapes on the small of his back while you assure him that neither of you need to rush into anything if you aren’t ready.

“I don’t want things to change, though.”

“Who said they have to? I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and we’re already pretty close, you know? Making it ‘official’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘different,’ so...”

Mark hums in agreement, “You’re right. Okay, I can live with that.”

“And I can’t live another second without food. I’m making breakfast,” you quip, reverting back to the usual banter between you and him.

“I’ll cook the eggs,” Mark insists as you both make your way out of his bedroom and into the kitchen.

“You absolutely will not!”

The night before Christmas had started out unlike any that you’d ever experienced before, with you confronting your now-boyfriend about a drunken love confession the previous day. But now, it’s ending just like every year, with you cozy and curled up in front of the television as the last few segments of the news play.

It’s the coldest Christmas Eve in years. You learned this after the meteorologist had informed viewers of the record only a few minutes earlier, inadvertently planting an idea in Mark’s mind.

Right as you’re about to turn in for the night, setting a plate of decorated cookies and a glass of milk down on the end table (as is tradition in your families, no matter how old you are), Mark holds out his arms like a child might. “Can we…?” He asks in a quiet voice, nervous to finish his sentence.

“Huh?”

The boy inhales sharply, “It’s freezing. Do you wanna sleep in my bed tonight?” His cheeks flush a deep red that’s almost the color of Christmas itself.

You’re slightly taken aback, and then you remember it’s just Mark. “Sure, why not,” you answer with a light shrug and a smile on your face.

“But no funny business,” you inform him as you climb under the sheets together, instantly happy with your choice to join him because double the people means double the body heat. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Mark replies, pecking your lips. His wrist finds the warm skin of your neck and you flinch away.

“Your hands are cold!” He just snickers at your whining.

The two of you fall asleep more quickly than you ever have on Christmas Eve, usually overcome with nerves and excitement, but now, as two college-aged kids, you’re comfortable and not rushing the morning’s arrival at all, content in each other’s arms for the moment.

You feel like you’re 10 years old again as you rush into the living room at 8am the next day, the bright, early morning sky lighting up your entire apartment. At the base of your Christmas tree sits a humble amount of presents, composed of the two that you bought for each other plus the half-dozen small ones from your parents.

You hand Mark one of the cookies from the end table and grab one for yourself, taking a bite of the sweet treat as you sit down and motioning for him to do the same.

“Open yours first,” you say eagerly, referring to your gift for him. Mark shakes his head and points to what he got you, “No, you go first.”

“Fine, we’ll open them at the same time.” Mark nods, satisfied with the compromise and handing you both the packages.

“On three. One, two…”

The final number barely leaves your lips before you both begin tearing into the paper excitedly, Mark reaching for the flaps on the box and you unfolding the tissue paper.

When you each see what the other gifted you with, it’s completely silent, save for the TV playing a Christmas Day special in the background.

He gazes blankly at you, licking his lips as his eyes dart between the guitar case and your expression.

“I appreciate the gift, but I…” Mark pauses, unsure how to tell you this.

You don’t say a word, raising your eyebrows as a signal for him to continue.

“I sold my guitar to pay for your gift,” he breathes.

“You what? Mark, that guitar means everything to you! Why would you do that?”

“Because you’re worth it, of course!”

“Well, I did the same thing,” you break the news with an unamused expression. “I sold my letter box to pay for that case.”

His eyes become impossibly wider at that, nearly bulging out of their sockets. “Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

You groan and lie down on the floor, beyond discouraged. “Let me guess, the pawn shop on 23rd?”

“Yep.”

“Hey, wait a minute.” An idea hits Mark like a rush of cold air. “Maybe we can work out a deal or something.”

“Meaning?”

“We go back and see if we can trade in our new gifts for enough money to get our old things back.”

“One, I doubt it’s that easy, and two, pretty much everything is closed on Christmas Day.” You’re half tempted to laugh because of how ironic this situation is.

Mark sighs, “I guess that makes sense.”

“We can still try, though.”

Sure enough, the pawn shop is dark, even more so than usual, and the door doesn’t budge. A sign taped to the window from the inside confirms your fear: Closed on Christmas. Gloved hands pressed onto the glass, you and Mark admit your defeat. You had been bested by the giving spirit of the holiday season, almost too generous for your own good.

But it’s the message that the day itself stands for after all, for putting aside material value and doing something out of the kindness of your heart just to make someone else happy. That’s what it’s all about, and you and Mark had personally experienced it this year.

So you’re surprised to find two boxes leaning on the wall beside the door to your apartment the next morning, shapes oddly familiar. Could it be?

Just hours earlier, the hallway surveillance cameras caught a tall man striding down the corridor, carrying those exact packages under his arms. In the video he pulls out a scrap of paper and a pen from his coat pocket, scribbling a short message before tucking it underneath the ribbon of the larger parcel and leaving the building just as quickly as he came.

You and Mark’s only clue as to who had returned your items is a messy ‘J’ at the end of the note attached to the box containing his guitar. Exchanging knowing glances, you both grin, squeezing your intertwined hands with the same name in mind.

...So what if Johnny had to take a bit of money out of his own paycheck to cover the cost of the items? Besides, it’s Christmas. And his boss never has to know.

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adventuresindolls · 4 years ago

Text

May Photo Challenge!!

Our next photo challenge, #Daisies and Daffodolls, will begin on May 1st! It’s a creative, for fun, non-competitive daily challenge for you to share pictures of your doll(s). There will be a new prompt each day, listed below to give you a month to prepare, and you can participate in as many or as few days as you’re interested in. There is no judgement whatsoever, so please share regardless of how complex your props are, and don’t worry about posting a prompt late.

First of all, thank you so much to @desertdollranch for helping with the prompts, especially those surrounding AG birthdays and holidays, and for getting this whole photo challenge thing started back in September! And a huge thank you to @lesbianelizabethcole for designing all 5 banners!

The ground rules are the same as in October and December, but I’ll reiterate them for anyone that might be new. Tag all of your prompt posts with #daisies and daffodolls - all three words, complete with spaces. This will allow us to better find and share each other’s posts. You can organize your own posts however you want, but I recommend including the day’s prompt somewhere for context. Also feel free to post on other social medias if you want.

This is not a competition, and there are no prizes, but it should be a lot of fun. Feel free to use any size and brand of doll that you have! American Girl is very popular on doll tumblr, but all other types are welcome as well, including both established (historical or modern) characters and OCs. This could range from 18-inch dolls to Barbies to handmade dolls or porcelain dolls or even paper dolls.

I’ll reblog this post weekly until the beginning of May, and then begin each week of May with the prompt list for that week. Please find a list of all prompts below the cut.

5/1: The first day of each photo challenge is traditionally for seasonal fashion. Does your doll have a favorite spring outfit? Is it cool and light, or are they still bundled in a sweater for the chilly mornings?

5/2: Spring is all about new beginnings. Is your doll learning a new skill or trying a new activity this spring? Or maybe they just met a new person who became important in their life?

5/3: Today is National Textiles Day. Kirsten’s friends gave her a quilt they made after she missed school to help her family. Does your doll have any clothes or other items that are handmade? If not, do they make any textile items themselves? This could be something sewn, knitted, crocheted, or quilted.

5/4: May the 4th be with you! Does your doll like Star Wars? Who is their favorite character? What about other stories? Pick a hero from any movie, show, or book that your doll loves and have them act out a scene as that character.

5/5: Friends are forever. Who are your doll’s closest friends and what do they do together? Maybe they like to play board games or go to the mall or play pretend. Or maybe your doll is planning something special for their friend.

5/6: As the weather gets warmer, it’s the perfect time to head outside. Does your doll play sports, or do they prefer casual games with their friends? Maybe they like picnics or quiet hikes through the woods.

5/7: Happy birthday, Maryellen! Maryellen often feels overlooked in her large family, and she works hard to stand out and show her unique personality. What makes your doll special and unique?

5/8: It’s career day! What does your doll want to do when they grow up? Show them dressed up for and/or acting out their dream job.

5/9: Happy Mother’s Day! Addy and her mother escaped to freedom together, Caroline’s mother ran a shipyard, and Kirsten’s mother encouraged her not to lose heart. Does your doll have a special bond with their mother? How do they celebrate Mother’s Day? If they don’t have a mother or don’t have a good relationship with her, consider today a free space to show us something you really want to but that isn’t included in these prompts.

5/10: Bugs are everywhere! We might avoid some of them, but others are welcomed. Lightning bugs, ladybugs, bumble bees, and dragonflies are a few happy spring bugs. Show your doll doing something bug-themed. They might take a net out to catch bugs or draw a picture of a bug or hold a ladybug they found. Be creative!

5/11: Parties are always fun! Is your doll going to any birthday parties or sleepovers this spring? Maybe they’re attending a wedding or some other celebration? What are their favorite party activities?

5/12: Spring weather can be a relief after the cold and darkness of winter. What is the weather like where your doll is? Foggy? Rainy? Bright and sunny? Show your doll interacting with their local spring weather.

5/13: Everyone needs mentors and heroes. Who does your doll look up to? What have they learned from them or how do they honor them?

5/14: It’s the last day of the school year. What’s your doll’s favorite extracurricular activity or aspect of school that they’ll miss until next fall?

5/15: Happy birthday, Luciana! Luciana loves learning about space and wants to be an astronaut and go to Mars one day. Getting to space involves studying many different things, particularly various fields of science. Show your doll doing something related to space or science.

5/16: Today is National Do Something Nice for your Neighbor Day. What does your doll do that helps others or makes the world a better place?

5/17: Let’s try something different today! If your (OC or non-AG) doll had their own American Girl-style book series, what would be the central theme? What sort of things would happen to them? Show us at least one scene from this hypothetical series.

5/18: Beaches and swimming are iconic activities as the weather gets warmer and people have more free time. Rebecca and her family went to Coney Island for a picnic. Does your doll enjoy picnics, sunbathing, or sandcastles on the beach? Maybe they like to swim for exercise or hang out at the pool with friends? (I do not recommend putting your doll in a public chlorine pool)

5/19: Happy Birthday, Kit! Growing up seeing the effects of the Great Depression on people around her, Kit is determined to report on important things happening to real people. How does your doll relate to current events? Are they involved in activism or spreading awareness? Is there an important social issue that affects them personally or that they feel is very important? Or is there something good happening in the world that they like to think about?

5/20: Spring is a great time for tea parties. What’s in your doll’s teacup? Maybe they’re drinking a fancy tea, or maybe they prefer a refreshing glass of juice.

5/21: Spring is full of baby animals. Show your doll interacting with some sort of baby animal. (Safely! Please don’t grab a real squirrel or bunny!)

5/22: In December we celebrated Pretend to be a Time Traveler Day. I’d like to reprise that, but with a twist: this time, we’re headed into the future! The amount of time and what your doll finds in the future is completely up to you. What do they do while there?

5/23: Cakes and pies and ice cream, oh my! What is your doll’s favorite dessert?

5/24: There may be fewer holidays in spring than in December, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to celebrate! Does your doll celebrate Passover or Easter? Or maybe they prefer a more obscure spring holiday to liven things up? Show them participating in whatever celebration you like.

5/25: Yellow is the color of flowers and sunny days and ducklings. Show your doll wearing or using something yellow.

5/26: Happy birthday, Samantha! After her birthday party, Samantha hears Aunt Cornelia speak at a suffragette meeting in New York City. What is a cause that is important to your doll? Show them with a sign supporting or protesting something close to their heart. As an added challenge, use a cause unrelated to the current events prompt.

5/27: It’s summer vacation! What are some of your doll’s favorite activities now that they’re free from school? Alternatively, what are some of their favorite hobbies to do anytime?

5/28: Happy birthday, Cecile! For her birthday, Cecile’s brother Armand gave her a beautiful porcelain doll that looked like her. Does your doll have a favorite doll or toy?

5/29: Late spring and early summer is a great time to go on a road trip or vacation. Where is your doll traveling to, and what are they doing there? Or maybe their family chose a staycation this year - what new fun new things are they discovering close to home?

5/30: Today is National Water a Flower Day. Show your doll interacting with flowers or other plants.

5/31: What is your doll planning for this fall? What are they looking forward to when school starts again? Is a big change approaching as the seasons and leaves turn? What does the future hold for them?

#Daisies and Daffodolls #American Girl Dolls #Our Generation #dollblr

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hellreads · 4 years ago

Note

Hello, I just stumble on your blog. Seeing a comment from Wrienne which I also read on AO3, I wanted to ask if you also have AO3 recs..?

hi there darling, of course, I have some recs for you! since you didn’t ask for anything specific let me just share a few faves that you could only read/access on ao3 (I would also recommend you check my ficshelfs and use the ao3 filter to find stories exclusively posted there + i’ll still include wrienne’s works for other readers :3 ) | 🍒

OT7/MULTIPLE MEMBERS

❥ Right of Way by fringesofsanity ➴ Infidelity!AU | Jungkook x Reader x Jimin | Series ➴ In theory, things were simple: your best friend was Jungkook’s girlfriend while your boyfriend, Jimin, was Jungkook’s best friend. In reality, things weren’t always that simple. And mutually exclusive.

❥ The Hills by minlouvre ➴ Vacation/Exes!AU | Yoongi x Reader x Hoseok | Series ➴ A ski trip with old friends sounds like a fun time, right?

when your ex-boyfriend (who you hate but somehow always end up in bed with) and your stepbrother (who you are harboring not-so-secret feelings for) tag along at the last minute, you have a feeling it won’t be an uneventful weekend.

but fun? debatable. that remains to be seen. ❥ A Hundred Percent Human by Wrienne ➴ Hybrid!AU | OT7 x Reader | Series ➴ In which you (reader) are forced to take care of seven hybrids in a twist of fate.

After your estranged mother passes away, you're left with an unwanted will and the heavy burden of responsibility. Although you're desperate not to stray from the familiar path you thought was laid out in front of you with a fully human boyfriend who loves you more than anything, your life is thrown upside down once more after another unfortunate incident (that may or may not have to do with said boyfriend) occurs.

Drunk and down on life, you finally decide to deal with the house and the unsavory business your mother left behind. However, to your shock, you find that seven very different hybrids are included with both the house - and the business. Seven hybrids you never even met before - even less agreed to take care of.

❥ Dead Leaves by Wrienne ➴ Detective/Exes!AU | Yoongi x Reader x Jimin | Series ➴ In which you (reader) are a homicide detective about to face the biggest hurdle both of your career and life.

Married to probably the kindest but most boring man you’ve ever met and living in a town where nothing ever seems to happen means life for you is dull. Dull enough to drive you crazy with boredom and dissatisfaction. However, life changes abruptly when your old boss retires and a new man takes his place - a man you used to love (and sleep very regularly with) more than a decade ago. Especially when your husband comes home smelling of perfume, you’re unable to resist your more carnal urges and dead women start showing up across the city with unnerving frequency. ❥ See Both Sides Like Chanel by minlouvre ➴ FWB/Rich Kids!AU | Namjoon x Reader x Hoseok | One-Shot ➴ You, Namjoon, and Hoseok are inseparable.

Three best friends that grew up together since you were all in diapers.But lately, Namjoon has been drifting away…

So on his birthday, you and Hoseok remind him just how inseparable the three of you really are.

⤷ or alternatively: a little less twenty-one candles, a little more “touch me”

❥ Love Is A Dog From Hell by yourlocalhoney ➴ FWB/Lovers!AU | Yoongi x Reader x Jungkook | Series ➴ You and Yoongi agreed on being good friends, co-workers, and friends who help each other out under the sheets. What you never agreed on was to catch feelings for each other.

Enter, accidental feelings.

Enter, Jeon Jungkook.

❥ The Uncanny by Sinsirella ➴ Arranged Marriage!AU | Jungkook x Reader x Seokjin x Jimin | Series ➴ (Y/N) is a young girl whose Life turns upside down. One day her mother surprises her with news of her arranged husband, forcing her into her new chaotic lifestyle. Join her journey and experience her new life through her eyes. Will she get along with her husband? Or someone else? What are they hiding? ❥ Seven Deadly Sins by mintedmango ➴ Hell!AU | OT7 x Reader | Series ➴ You stood suddenly, chair being pushed away by the backs of your legs, the rest of the sins standing with you as you looked around in panic. All except Sloth who was out cold in the corner.

“Oh, little pet, indeed, I am still hungry.”

❥ Walk Through The Fire by shellflower ➴ Supernatural!AU | Taehyung x Reader x Jungkook | Series ➴ In a world of supernatural beings, a normal human like yourself always found attraction and wonder towards these creatures. It was your kind heart that led you to become a doctor to treat such people. And it was your kind heart that led you into the arms of a young Alpha wolf who will accidentally force you down a path you were never meant to follow... ❥ Into Temptation by coconutty ➴ Demon!AU | Taehyung x Reader x Jungkook | Two-Shot ➴ It was just a dare...

❥ Won’t Be Nice by coconutty ➴ Lovers/Poly!AU | Taehyung x Reader x Hoseok | One-Shot ➴ A night by the pool just got interesting...

KIM NAMJOON

❥ Covenant by fringesofsanity ➴ Arranged Marriage!AU | Namjoon x Reader | Series ➴ You are betrothed to Kim Namjoon, the heir of a real estate mogul. To say that it was a fairytale romance would be erroneous. You’re instead loped in the sad tale of the rich and melancholy.

❥ Read You Like A Book by coconutty ➴ University!AU | Namjoon x Reader | One-Shot ➴ Come get an attitude adjustment in the library, courtesy of Namjoon.

KIM SEOKJIN

❥ Éffleurer by @sugaurora / sugalights ➴ Office!AU | Seokjin x Reader | Series ➴ There were always whispers in your office about what secrets Seokjin hid behind his clean image. Now, you knew at least one of them. ❥ The City Comes Alive by minlouvre ➴ Musician/S2L!AU | Seokjin x Reader | Series ➴ Seokjin is a street performer who falls for a girl who is always passing him by. ❥ Seaside Sabbatical by dark_muse_iris ➴ Working Man!AU | Seokjin x Reader | One-Shot ➴ After an accountant in your firm is sent to prison, you are assigned to clean up the mess he left behind. Sorting out your clients’ disastrous business records proves beneficial when you meet the fisherman who teaches you the value of taking a break. ❥ Cake by yeyeniejjung ➴ Yandere/Killer!AU | Seokjin x Reader | Series ➴ "I was always hungry for your love. Just once, I wanted to know what is was like to get my fill of it. I wanted to be fed so much love that I couldn't take it anymore, just once." ❥ The Lord Taketh Away by dark_muse_iris ➴ Medieval/Werewolf!AU | Seokjin x Reader | One-Shot ➴ Every autumn, the dwindling harvest summons fears for the impending winter and its promise of scarcity. For Seokjin and his wife, faith lies in God and their local lord’s generosity to provide what their ailing son needs to survive another year. With each season, however, the lord grows cold-hearted and greedy, squeezing the young family to the brink of despair.

MIN YOONGI

❥ Zelus by SugaAconcept ➴ Lovers/Sugar Daddy!AU | Yoongi x Reader | One-Shot ➴ Yoongi becomes jealous when your close friend Jungkook puts his hands all over you right infront of his face. So, Yoongi decides to make sure you know who you really belong to. ❥ Carpe Diem by fringesofsanity ➴ Idol/Lovers!AU | Yoongi x Reader | Series ➴ Working for the UN, you are tasked to handle the poverty reduction campaign of a certain boy band. A certain rapper from the group however decides to mix business with pleasure.

JUNG HOSEOK

❥ Feel You From The Inside by coconutty ➴ Idol/Staff!AU | Hoseok x Reader | One-Shot ➴ You've been watching him for months, little did you know, he's been watching you.

❥ As You Are by fringesofsanity ➴ Lovers!AU | Hoseok x Reader | One-Shot ➴ You're not the girl for Jung Hoseok. Him - who was sunshine and daisies and fireworks. You - who were back-alley darkness and used needles and burnt cigarettes. But he doesn't care. And you fucking hate yourself for it.

❥ The Thin Blue Line by bluesxde ➴ Pregnancy/E2L!AU | Hoseok x Reader | Series ➴ One badly-judged fling with Jung Hoseok, the son of a company-rival, leaves you with a little surprise.

PARK JIMIN

❥ His Throne by hseoks ➴ Royalty!AU | Jimin x Reader | Series ➴ You, a maid for the royal family, have sex with the irresistible Prince Park Jimin on his throne.

❥ Ineffable by fringesofsanity ➴ FWB!AU | Jimin x Reader | One-Shot ➴ You’ve only shared your body to Jimin, mostly silent after the act. The one time you decide to bare so much more, you find yourself baring your soul to him, far more than you bargained for.

❥ Blue Side by hoseokiehopie ➴ Ghost/Lovers!AU | Jimin x Reader | One-Shot ➴ You’re all too familiar with the legend that says the dead can walk freely on Halloween. It’s a secret you hold deeply within yourself. When a classmate starts to break down the walls you built so strongly after your boyfriend’s passing, you have to decide if you’re going to remain in the past with the dead, or live among the living.

KIM TAEHYUNG

❥ Effervescence by fringesofsanity ➴ Idol/Fling!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ Just like the fizz of a cola on a hot summer’s day, your encounter with Taehyung is short but sparkly sweet.

OR Getting married in three months, you and your girls attend Ultra Miami to cap your single life, a final hurrah of some sort. What you didn’t expect is meeting a beguiling boy with a boxy smile who gives you a festival you’ll forever reminisce.

❥ Minutiae by coconutty ➴ Stalker!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ Y/N meets a mysterious and alluring photographer and wants to interview him. Along the way things start getting a bit strange. What happens when you draw the attention of someone who always gets what they want?

❥ Flower Arrangements by iq_biased ➴ Pregnancy/Lovers!AU | Taehyung x Reader | One-Shot ➴ From the moment you met Taehyung, his flourish for life drew you in completely. It wasn’t long before you fell head over heals for the tattoo artist who was so wrong for you, it felt right. But your story hasn’t always been an easy one, and just recently it’s become a whole lot more complicated…

❥ Freaks Forever by yeyeniejjung ➴ Criminal/Psych!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ "So tell me, Mister Kim, what's your ideal evening?"

"Ah..full moon, sex and drugs all night."

You are the psychologist to the world's most dangerous criminal, Kim Taehyung. Kim Taehyung is the man solely responsible for some of the most horrific crimes that the world has ever seen, from burglary, drug possession, sexual assaults, to brutal homicides of a total of 37 victims, though there are suspicions that there are more, that range from children to the elderly; both male and female. The two of you form an odd bond between your weekly sessions, causing you to somehow completely miss his blatant manipulation that soon controlled you in every aspect; resulting in his escape from prison and his bloodthirsty ways and eyes to be immediately turned onto you..but will he spare you in the end of the torturous time he keeps you or will your fate be the same as any other past victim of his?

❥ Slow Burn by fringesofsanity ➴ Idol/F2L!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ He was just supposed to be one of those clients. But then he gives you a night you’ll never forget. ❥ Noona by yuu14045 ➴ Neighbors/Lovers!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin lives in same apartment building. One day Taehyung received a mail for another Kim. She turned out to be Jimin's new neighbor.

❥ Snapped by Kpopyandere ➴ Yandere!AU | Taehyung x Reader | Series ➴ Your relationship with your boyfriend hasn't been going well lately. His twin, Kim Taehyung, decides to take advantage of this.

JEON JUNGKOOK

❥ If You’re Struggling Like I Am by @btssavedmylifeblr / bts_ruined_my_life ➴ Idol/Lovers!AU | Jungkook x Reader | Series ➴ You are hired as a makeup artist for BigHit working with BTS. You are older than all of them, yet, despite your best efforts, you find yourself slowing falling in love with the youngest member.

❥ My Cheating Amnesic Fiancé by Wrienne ➴ Idol/Arranged Marriage!AU | Jungkook x Reader | Series ➴ A series set in our world featuring Reader, the sole heiress of a multibillion-dollar company, and the Bangtan Boys' Golden Maknae - Jeon Jungkook. Mainly a romance, though doused with angst, drama and the twisted ways of fate. ❥ Return by Kpopyandere ➴ Yandere!AU | Jungkook x Reader | Series ➴ As Seokjin's girlfriend, you're off-limits, but Jungkook doesn't see it that way

#answered #tete-a-tete #anon #recs from hell #rfh:ot7 #rfh:knj #rfh:ksj #rfh:myg #rfh:jhs #rfh:pjm #rfh:kth #rfh:jjk #i have more but i don't have the time to browse through my phone maybe i'll share them another day someday sjagfhjgashdfjkas

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basicjetsetter · 4 years ago

Text

The Fall of Deus

♡ Pairing: Mob!Peter Parker x BlackFemale!Reader

♧ Setting: The Terrace Room in The Plaza Hotel, New York

♤ Warnings: Heavy Suspense, Language, Adult Themes, Violence, Gambling, Drinking

♢ Word Count: 6.5k

☆ A/N: No joke, this took me about two years to conceptualize. Two freaking years. But I can 100% say it was worth it to write every word. This is by far one of my most creative works and I love that I get to finally share it with you all. Please hit like if you enjoy it, leave me a lil’ comment and a reblog if you love it. Happy reading!

You couldn’t help but notice and admire how pretty the sky appeared when it was tinged in the auroral haze of an autumn morning and backdropped by the twinkling glass panes of New York’s notorious skyscrapers. Though autumn’s end isn’t for a couple of weeks, the lukewarm season allowed Manhattan a preview of winter’s frigid air. The city's constant roar hummed down to a distant lullaby as you walked up the steps and in through the doors of the Metropolitan Detention Center.

It’s an impressively modern building, one you’ve become intimately familiar with in the past couple of years. Everything inside screams order, from the plain white, bleach-scented linoleum floors to the rows upon rows of caged boxes containing a range of one-time offenders, serial criminals, and constant jailbirds. The first time you ever entered the establishment, it struck you just how much the atmosphere felt devoid and depraved, almost as if hope and happiness got stopped, frisked, and turned away at the door. You never liked staying more than necessary.

None of the four guards stationed along the main lobby walls paid you any attention as you marched up to the reception desk. Their inattention didn’t spawn out of contempt but out of fear. They knew who you were here for.

The receptionist, on the other hand, wouldn’t care if the Queen of England herself hop-scotched through the front entrance, bowed, and bestowed him the coveted Royal Crown on a jewel-encrusted platter.

He certainly never took an interest in your frequent visits. The first time you set foot into this building, a bright-eyed attorney anxious to speak with her first client, the oaf of a man merely grunted at your carefully constructed introductions and waved you off like a pesky fly. On a typical day, your exchange of words consisted of him curtly asking you to state your business while he half-listened to your response and stabbed at his keyboard with blunt fingers. Detaching his gaze from the monitor might have required exhaustion of his half-assed energy.

Today wasn’t unlike any other day. Phillips told you your client's location, even though you both knew the area by heart. Third floor. Cell Block E. Number 7. Always Number 7. Lucky Number 7.

Most of your ordinary clients got shipped to this facility and locked up with the rest of the inmates until you picked up their case. Unlike this particular client you planned on springing today, those other men lacked the say-so to determine their cell. None of them came close to his status. They didn’t have the power nor the money to hire a personal attorney, and none of their crimes could ever match those of the calculated, cunning man who controlled all New York's avenues and boulevards.

In the streets, he’s known as Deus. Depending on how close you are in his circle, he's either Parker or Pete. The name in the system is Peter Benjamin Parker. Your fiancé.

| Last Evening |

“Stop fidgeting with your collar, Peter.”

“This fucking bowtie keeps… shit… it keeps choking me.” He growled out his frustration. “I’m going to fire that damn stylist.”

You threw him an exasperated glare as he ripped off the accessory. “Maybe if you hadn’t told him to pick any old bowtie, you wouldn’t be whining so much.”

“Remind me again why you're forcing me to wear this, anyway?” He paused for effect, placing his hand under his chin like Rodin’s The Thinker, and then snapped his fingers in dramatic realization. “Oh, right! Because Stark is a pretentious asshole, who thinks tuxedos are mandatory at all events thrown in his honor.”

Peter may hate the idea of wearing a formal tuxedo for the whole night, but you were going to enjoy every last minute of him in that attire, mainly because he resembles a model who stepped right off the page of a GQ cover. The low-lighting in this limousine certainly did its best to heighten your mood, highlighting the sharp angles of Peter’s clenched jaw. You’d have to remember to send Pepper a Thank You basket for planning the event as Black Tie.

“Can you at least pretend to get along with Tony tonight?” To see if his jaw could tighten any further, you coyly add, “He is the new Governor of New York, after all.”

Mission accomplished. Peter leaned his head back against the headrest and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands, the light that glinted off of his platinum Rolex creating a scattered array of lights against the black leather seats. You pried your eyes off the extension of his neck as he spoke. “Great,” he huffed. “That’s exactly what I need right now. A gloating Stark who’s now legally duty-bound to hound my ass. One more thing to think about.”

As the limo pulled up to a slow halt in front of the Plaza Hotel, you grabbed one of Peter’s hands and held it until his eyes met yours. You gave him a reassuring smile and said, “Everything’s going to be alright, baby.”

The driver opened the door before Peter could speak and held out his gloved hand for you. You’ve been to the Plaza Hotel on many occasions, mostly business, and yet the sight of the château-styled building at night, with its myriad of lit windows and its luxurious lobby never ceased to leave you breathless. The view effectually took your gaze away from Peter’s tux, but not for long. The moment he stepped out of the limo, bathed in the golden light of the building, you felt transfixed all over again.

Peter discreetly tipped the driver and then turned to face you, clearly not as impressed with the Plaza Hotel as you were. He placed his warm hands on the swells of your hips and pulled you in front of him. His eyes appraised you, from your stiletto heels to your tight-fitted, off the shoulder evening dress, traveling up to your chunky Senegalese twists elegantly laid over your shoulder. He let out a low whistle and said, “If looks could kill…”

You straightened his collar and opened up the top button of his gingham dress shirt for both your sakes, then swiftly leaned in and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “You’re not too shabby yourself, Mr. Parker.”

He wolfishly grinned as you quickly detached yourself from his borderline caressing hold. You knew he’d want more than a short kiss, but you couldn’t afford to get sidetracked tonight.

“Behave,” you chided.

“And if I don’t, future Mrs. Parker?” he prodded, a huskiness in his tone that sent a delicious shiver through you. His steps slowly brought him closer and closer to where you stood, and you weren’t sure if you’d have the will power to move away again. One proper kiss wouldn’t hurt…

A disembodied voice groaned in your ear. “Book a room!”

Peter chuckled unabashedly. “Sorry, Ned.” Though he tried to appear unaffected, Peter made an effort to clear his throat and tugged at his collar. “You ready on your end?”

“Yeah. Mic’s clear. Computer’s up and running. I’m all set. Can’t say the same for you two.”

You glance accusingly at Peter, who waggled his eyebrows at you. “We’re ready. Sorry about that. You know how Peter gets when I wear twists.”

Ned verbally shuddered. “Don’t remind me. I still refuse to sit on my couch, by the way, even after washing it four times! You owe me a new couch, dude. For my trauma.”

Peter half-heartedly grinned at the ground and said, “Dude, if we pull this off, I’ll buy you a whole new furniture set.” The one half of his grin faded away, replaced with a grim line of determination and sobriety. “Where’s he at?”

A few clicks rang through your ear-piece, then Ned replied, “Not far. About twenty minutes away, on Queens Boulevard in Elmhurst. Might be a while before he reaches the Plaza, though. There’s a jam on the bridge.”

“Cool, thanks. Keep us updated.” Peter didn’t want you to catch his expression, but you didn’t need to directly see it to realize he’s in business mode, cold and calculated, little to no warmth or playfulness left in his brown eyes.

Copying your move, he took your hand and held it until you both stared at each other. Briefly, with your eyes locked in place, he searched for any sliver of doubt, giving you one last option to ditch and save face while he executes the plan solo. You did not doubt that he and Ned could somehow pull it off without so much as a hiccup. Odds always work in Peter’s favor. For the past three years that you’ve known him, he’s never lost a gamble. Tonight, though, the gamble must include you, a new piece to his complicated game—a variable. If anything were to head south, the last thing Peter would want is to implicate you.

You understood the risks: the potential loss of your career, your squeaky clean record, and possibly your life. You wouldn’t be here, with him of all people, if you didn’t trust the plan. So you didn’t sway, letting your eyes confirm where you stood on the matter. I’m sticking with you. This exchange passed in absolute silence, ending with a small nod and a lingering kiss to your palm.

It’s always surprising to see Peter without a trace of humor or good-nature in his eyes. It took you a while to acclimate to his night and day demeanor and even longer to trust which emotions were real and which served a purpose. As he slides a cocky smile back onto his face, one that graces every part of his features, and holds out his arm for you, you knew. He’s in his element.

The game’s begun.

♢ ♤ ♡ ♧

Not even five seconds into the Terrace Room and your jaw hit the floor. Pepper sure knows how to out-do herself.

The room displayed the same historic French charm as the outside façade, but much more grand, decorated with multiple crystalline chandeliers, large stone semicircular archways, and classical art adorning the ceilings. Somehow, Pepper’s touch of cream-colored table cloths, bouquets of immaculate white peonies, golden napkins, and floating candle holders added the perfect ambiance for Tony’s celebration.

True to his fashion.

The Man of the Hour is currently giving his speech at the head table as the Maître D’ checks your reservation and prompts a server to escort you and Peter to your table. It’s located not too far away from Tony's, near a stone wall and a divider separating the other tables. You weren’t entirely familiar with the three people who were already seated, but they graciously offered quiet nods of welcome. Peter grabbed your chair for you and smoothly pushed you in before taking his seat next to you while you strained to catch the last bits of Tony’s speech.

“… and I can truly say that without you, my amazing colleagues, friends, and organizers present tonight, this win would not have been possible. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. And um, yeah. Thank you, all.” Tony lifted his champagne flute into the air with a flourish and a winning grin. Peter rolled his eyes. “Here’s to an awesome four years as New York’s new Governor.”

Everyone stood up to give him a round of applause, Peter’s claps more grudging than encouraging, but you were glad he put in some effort. When he looked your way, you flashed him a loving smile and mouthed Thank you. He rolled his eyes again, playfully this time, and quirked his mouth up in an amused grin.

Live music picked up as soon as Tony took his seat, soft jazz that blended well with the onslaught of muffled chatter and clinks of silverware against glass plates. Servers incrementally brought out the main course of roasted beef filet dressed in tomato tarragon sauce and a side of arugula salad. Peter stifled a chuckle as he heard your stomach growl when a server placed the plate of food in front of you.

As another server leaned in to pour you a glass of wine, you held out a hand and gave him a polite smile. “No, thank you. May I just have some water, please?”

The young man nodded, but Peter piped up before he could head off. “Got anything stronger back there? Bacardi? Whiskey? Rum?”

“We have Vodka, sir,” the server stuttered out.

“Excellent. I’ll take a whole bottle of that,” Peter grinned and pressed a couple of $100 bills into the man’s palm. Peter’s effect on people never got tiring to witness. He and the server appear to be around the same age, somewhere near the 25-year mark, yet Peter's vibe reduced the server to stutters. You’d say the tux assisted with his air of importance, but you’ve seen Peter have that same effect on businessmen while wearing a shirt that read “I lost an electron. Are you positive?” and plaid pajama bottoms.

The server vigorously nodded. “Right away, sir.”

“Don’t drink too much,” you cautioned in a tone low enough for only Peter’s ears. “You know how you get, and I don’t want Tony to have an excuse to place cuffs on you.”

Peter scoffed and mumbled around a bite of salad, “If I looked at him wrong, Tony would cuff me.”

“Now that’s a little presumptuous, ain’t it, Petey?”

You jumped up from your seat and wrapped Tony up in a hug he warmly returned. “Congratulations! I’m so proud of you, Governor Stark.”

Tony waved a hand, yet a big smile remained plastered on his face. “Ah, come on. It was bound to happen. Policy is the new name of the game, but I’ll sure miss that courtroom. You missy, on the other hand, deserve all the praise in the world. Best and youngest attorney in the whole state. Mentored by yours truly.” He trailed off, glancing in Peter’s general direction. “Though I question why you waste your talents on the likes of him.”

Now sitting ramrod straight in his chair, Peter slanted his eyes toward yours as you silently pleaded with him to be cordial. Once he brought his eyes back to Tony, he jerked up his chin in recognition. “Stark.”

Tony nodded at Peter. “Baby-faced Criminal.”

“Hey, now!” Pepper swooped in, pulling Tony back a little so she could see you better. “Just look at you! Always a beauty in everything you wear,” she gushed, then put on a stern face for Tony and Peter. “No roughhousing, tonight, boys. I mean it.”

“I was just making a valid critique on my star pupil's decision to become the Personal Attorney to a well-known arms dealer, is all,” Tony defended. He threw up his hands and drew up an innocent expression that might have worked had it not looked so derisive.

Pepper, pursing her lips, nodded sagely. “Right. Okay. So you were being an ass?”

“Pep!” Tony protested incredulously. Peter didn’t even try to hide his triumphant smirk.

You rolled your eyes in defeat. Oil and water can never mix, no matter how hard you try. No, Tony did not take the news of you becoming Peter’s PA well, and he’s made sure to rake you over the coals bout it every time the chance arises. You’ve been Peter’s attorney coming up on two years, and there’s not a sign from either of them that the grudge will ever be let go, not even for your sake, though they do try when threatened.

“I want you two to say something nice to each other and then let the rest of the night go on in peace. Go ahead,” Pepper ordered, indicating for Tony to go first.

Tony took in an excessive amount of air, then puffed it out. “Alright, Parker. Um… I like how you ostensibly don’t know the rules to a Black Tie Event.” He ended with a gesture to Peter’s lack of a bowtie. The poor thing lies in a mangled heap on the floor of the limousine.

Peter ticked up his eyebrow. “I like how the stick up your ass seems to reach new heights every time we speak, Stark.”

Pepper sighed and grabbed Tony’s arm. “Not exactly what I had in mind, but I’ll take what I can get. Come on, you. There are many more guests to greet.” She tugged him along, throwing you an apologetic smile over her slim shoulder as they walked away.

Almost out of earshot, you could hear Tony say, “He calls himself Deus, for Christ's sake!”

They left you two in heated silence. Peter refused to meet your glare, instead choosing to chug down the freshly set out champagne flute filled with Vodka. He immediately flushed as he poured himself another glass full.

“Peter—” you started.

“Don’t say it. I tried, alright?” He slumped against the back of his seat, then shot you a surly frown. “You didn’t even mention our engagement to him. Again.”

You looked down at your untouched food, suddenly not hungry.

Peter’s eyes narrowed. “Were you ever going to tell him?”

An anchor of guilt plummeted to the pit of your stomach, chasing away the desire to eat anything for the next few hours. Your answer came out sounding whittled and nearly swallowed by the music. “Pepper knows.”

“And that tells me all I need to know,” said Peter, pushing away from the table and taking the bottle of Vodka with him.

You tried to stamp down the rise of startled panic by clearing your throat and evenly asking, “Where are you going?” A high octave managed to slip in on the last word.

“To socialize. Play some cards. Place a few bets. Criminal stuff. You want in?” He didn’t wait for you to answer, moving further and further away as a wave of hot anger replaced your shame. “Oh, my bad. Sorry. I forgot you probably don’t want your mentor seeing you ruin your perfect image with, what was it? The likes of me?”

He swaggered off, not a mere hint of his hurt evident in his show of arrogance.

You gingerly sat back in your seat, careful to ignore the inquiring stares from those who caught most of the argument. Your nails came close to puncturing your palms, and if your jaw clamped any tighter, it would snap. An annoying, persistent inner voice chimed out, He’s right, you know. It was probably Ned.

You understood Peter enough to know that Tony not being clued in on your engagement wounded him. He told everyone in his life about you—told Aunt May the second you finally agreed to go on that first date with him, nearly shouted to all the rooftops in Queens “SHE SAID YES!” when he proposed three months ago. Yet here you are, dragging your heels on telling Tony, one of the most influential people in your life, that you’re marrying the love of your life. He wouldn’t understand. Or, rather, he would, and he’d abhor your decision.

You’re not sure you could ever explain to Tony how Peter is your favorite star in the night sky. A big, glowing ball of light you spend hours upon hours admiring and appreciating. One that just burns brighter than all the rest.

Your engagement ring sparkled at you, winking as you moved it side to side and marveled at the simple yet elegant details of the inlaid sapphires and diamonds. Peter told you he picked it out a week before the proposal, but you knew he carried it around in his pocket for months, biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity. When he asked, you couldn’t say yes fast enough. At that moment, Tony and his aversion to Peter never crossed your mind, but it’s lingered ever since.

Guilt returned as a salve for your anger.

“Trouble in paradise?” asked a woman sitting at your table, a slight accent in her voice. She appears to be young, almost too young to be at this function. The glimmer in her eye and the hitch in her smile denoted a wise person. Goddess braids sat on top of her head like a crown, and she’s wearing a simple black dress with pearl studs that nicely accentuates her dark brown skin.

You uncurled your hands and blew out a held-in breath, kindly smiling back. “Something like that.”

She held out a hand. “Shuri Udaku.”

That name came with an inkling of recognition, but you couldn’t quite place it. You shook hands with the young woman, giving her your name. When you momentarily looked at your clasped hands, your eyes dropped down to catch the jewelry on her wrist. They weren’t pearls like her earrings. They were onyx and emblazoned with ivory symbols on each bead: Kimoyo beads, a technological revolution currently sweeping the nation, manufactured only by one woman. The realization hit you hard. “Hold on a second. The Shuri Udaku? Founder of Vibranium Tech, Shuri Udaku?”

“The one and only,” she answered, her smile growing wider.

This confirmation launched you into a field of questions and acknowledgments. It turns out she knows of your work as New York’s youngest attorney, but you know a bit more about her line of work because Peter always voiced his interest in her growing business. On the surface, Vibranium Tech is like any other technology company, issuing out new and improved ways of communication and medical treatment. In the underground, there’s been rumors of her interest in creating weapons—technological weapons unlike any the arms dealing business has seen before.

You didn’t want to bring up that facet of knowledge just yet. The normal conversation worked wonders on you, loosening your tense muscles and clamped jaw, all of them singing sweet relief once your body naturally released the tension.

“So, did I hear Tony correctly when he said your partner is the Deus?”

You winced and found yourself searching the room for a glimpse of your fiancé. He’s commandeered a table in the back of the venue, showing off his black and gold deck of playing cards to a group of interested guests itching to play a hand.

“Yeah, that would be him.”

“That’s so badass,” Shuri mused, leaning in conspiratorially. “Is he like the mob bosses in TV shows and movies? Like does he have henchmen? Bad-temper? High-speed car chases with the police?”

You genuinely laughed. “Not exactly. Henchmen, kind of. Bad temper is rare. And he’d never shut up about having a high-speed car chase with the police. No, he’s a little more lowkey than all that.”

Long ago, back when you were innocent to the life Peter led, you assumed that that’s precisely what it entailed—an exhilarating life of high stakes, exorbitant amounts of money, strong-armed goons, and reckless shoot-outs. That might be the case for a few bosses, but not Peter. He’s too strategic, and the ins-and-outs of his trade are too complicated to pin on just one person.

“Well, I, um…” she stopped, considered her words. You unconsciously drew in closer. “I may have a business offer for him.”

You kept your smile on, but it felt more commercial-like than friendly. “What type of offer?”

Shuri gulped down a generous amount of her red wine, then darted her eyes side to side before speaking lowly. “Would he be interested in high powered weapons?”

You raised your eyebrows but kept up your cool front. “Depends. In exchange for what?”

“Protection.”

A voice in your ear announced, “He’s here.”

You ignored it, focusing on Shuri. “From who?”

Shuri peeked around again to make sure no one paid any attention to your private conversation, but her examination stopped at the entrance. “From him.”

You cautiously slid your eyes to the main entrance, heart hammering a thunderous rhythm in your chest.

Brock Rumlow. Peter's rival and leader of a group named the Scorpions. A peddler/enforcer for the East Coast's largest mob: Hydra. Of course he’d try to pressure Shuri for the weapons.

He didn’t come dressed according to the occasion, opting for his usual tight-fitted black Tee and gray tactical pants. The visible half of his tattoo, a scorpion’s tail curling out from the cuff of his shirt, stood out against his tan skin. Two other men stood behind him, wearing almost identical clothes to Rumlow and sporting the same scorpion tattoo on their right bicep, not exactly hiding that they carried concealed weapons. All the voices in the room hollowed out to stiff silence, and even the band took its cue to halt. Your eyes found Tony in time to see his jaw tick for the briefest moment, and then he slid right back into a restrained version of his good cheer.

“Hey, hey! This is still a party, people,” Tony called out, addressing the guests. “Eat, talk, have a good time.” He signaled to the band to pick up the music, then crossed the room to chat with Rumlow. You’ve never seen him so keyed up.

You touched Shuri’s hand comfortingly, not taking your eyes off Rumlow. “I’ll see what I can do.”

She deflated gratefully. “Thank you.”

You nodded, already out of your seat and rushing to the back of the room, stopping short once you arrived at Peter’s table. He’s thoroughly invested in this round of poker, glancing back and forth from his cards to the nervous twitches of the five men and one woman at the table. You recognized four of them: Judge Nicholas Fury, Lieutenant Steve Rogers, Manhattan’s Chief of Police Sam Wilson, and District Attorney Natasha Romanoff. Sweat is perspiring on Steve’s forehead, Sam’s leg can’t stop bouncing up and down, and even Natasha, a woman known for keeping her cool while in the line of fire, is chewing on her lower lip. Fury's not fazed. He just seems tapped out.

From what you can estimate, about six hundred dollars lies in the middle of the table.

Sam and Steve speak at the same time. “I’m out.”

The other men followed suit, muttering their defeat. Fury dropped his cards down on the table facedown.

Peter wickedly grinned, zeroing in on Natasha. “Got any last words?”

Natasha squinted her eyes at his taunt. “Kiss my ass, Parker.” She put her cards down face up, showing her hand, and quirked up an eyebrow that dared him to top that: three Queens and a pair of twos. Full House.

Peter laid down his hand. Four 3’s and an ace. Four of a Kind.

A chorus of fucks circled the group as Peter cleared the table of the crumpled bills. Two new bottles of opened Vodka sit on the table as well, along with seven shot-glasses. Steve’s glass remains untouched, but the others look like they’ve drained two shots each.

“Bucky’s gonna kill me for losing so much money,” Steve muttered, twirling around his wedding band.

Sam sadly shook his head. “Dammit, man. I thought we had him this time, too.” He eyed Peter with suspicion. “What you got, kid? X-Ray vision?”

Peter ran a hand through his hair, causing a few curls to escape its sleek style. “Nah, jus’ luck.”

“Yeah, well, here’s to hoping your luck runs out,” said Fury, raising his shot glass and slamming it back.

You inched closer to Peter’s side. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes are glazed over. You wonder how he’s even capable of sitting up, let alone playing people out of their money.

“Peter,” you whispered, putting your hand on his shoulder. His muscles tensed, but he didn’t shake you off. “Rumlow’s here.”

The remaining people at the table began to disperse in a collective gripe of loss. Peter didn’t say anything, only jerked his head in acknowledgment.

Your hand itched to slap him back into reality. “Peter, baby, listen. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry. I should have told Tony about our engagement.” Desperation sapped into your words. “It was stupid and childish not to, and as soon as I get the chance, I’ll tell him. But for the love of God, this is not the time to—”

“Well, well, well! Look who we got here! Deus, in the flesh!” boomed a disturbingly baritone voice. Rumlow, shadowed by his two men, plopped down in one of the empty chairs, sitting right across from Peter. He glanced at Peter first, then languorously landed his gaze on you. “And who’s this pretty lady you got here?”

“My fiancée,” answered Peter monotonously. He said it as if the words synonymously meant: just some chick. A dull kind of ache slashed through your chest as you dropped your hand back down to your side and took two steps away from him.

Rumlow pretended to miss the interaction, appearing to be in deep thought, and then clapped his hands once. “Oh! The attorney. I don’t believe I ever formally introduced myself.” He offered his large hand to you, grinning with his whole teeth on display. “Name’s Brock Rumlow.”

You reluctantly let him take your outstretched hand. His skin is blazing hot, to the point where your hand nearly felt suffocated. He brought it to his lips for a small kiss that twisted your stomach in knots. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Rumlow.”

Rumlow winked. “Pleasure’s all mine, sweetheart. And call me Brock.”

“Fuck do you want, Rumlow?” Peter bit out, picking the cards up off the table and shuffling them.

“Ooh,” tsked Rumlow. He made sure to lay another grin on you just to irk Peter. “Come on, Parker. Can’t a guy just enjoy some company once in a while? It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong.” He watched Peter’s movements, the cards haphazardly sliding back and forth from one hand to the next. “Playing cards, huh? You up for a quick game?”

You butt in with a pressed laugh. “Actually, we were just leaving.” Drunk Peter is overly confident. If Rumlow found that out, you knew he’d take Peter for everything he’s worth.

“So soon?” Rumlow glanced down at his watch. “It’s not even ten yet. What’s the rush?”

Peter cut you off. “No rush. I’m staying. You play Draw Poker?”

“ ‘Course I play Draw Poker, but that seems too simple for you, Parker. Don’t you wanna make it hard for me? A little Texas Hold ’em?”

“Draw Poker,” said Peter, splitting the deck against the table and flexing the cards enough to have them rapidly collapse into place. “Take it or leave it.”

A dark, mischievous smile brewed on Rumlow’s face as he watched Peter fumble with the deck and, at some point, entirely losing his grip. You discreetly watched him size up his opponent, dismayed to find that he likes the assessment. Hair is stubbornly falling into Peter’s eyes, eyes that anyone a mile away could point out are bleary and bloodshot. The flush from earlier deepened on his neck and flashed scarlet across his face—an easy target for a skilled player.

“Deal me in.”

The first game played out exactly as you feared it would. Rumlow and Peter agreed on a $100 ante to get the ball rolling, both pulling out a single bill from their pocket and placing it in the middle of the table, then they settled for a pot-limit. Though Peter’s shuffling skills lacked his usual finesse, he expertly dealt each of them a hand of five cards.

You leaned against the back wall with your arms crossed over your chest and watched the game unfold. Rumlow processes his hands at the speed of a bullet, snapping his eyes to his cards once he’s drawn, and immediately discards the ones he doesn’t like when it’s his turn. Other than the minutest crinkle in the corner of his left eye, you couldn’t tell when he felt confident or when he bluffed. He gave nothing away, not even an involuntary scratch to his five o’clock shadow. He was so in the zone he began to partake in the Vodka bottle close to his side of the table, swigging straight from the mouth.

On the other hand, Peter moved as if a millisecond was the equivalent length of ten years, scanning his cards more than several times with pursed lips, looking up at Rumlow, scanning his cards again, once, twice, three times, then reluctantly discarding some. He frequently shoves a hand through his hair to keep it out of his eyesight, but the same unruly strands find their way back to impede his vision. He scratches the shell of his ear when he’s about to draw, and Rumlow’s picked up the tell.

Rumlow never even had to do more than call. The confident drunk in Peter always raised.

The pot increased to about $1400 before Peter folded his hand.

As Rumlow collected his winnings, he suggestively lifted his eyebrows at Peter. “Care for round 2?”

Confident drunk Peter never backs down, even when he’s the dumbass who can’t remember that he’s brought fists to a gunfight.

You step back up to the table and put a restrictive hand on Peter’s wrist to keep him from picking up the cards. “Enough, Peter. You’re done. Let’s go home.”

“No, I’m not done,” he said, snatching his arm away from your touch. “Go talk to Tony or somethin’. I’ve got this.”

Rumlow caught your bewildered stare and shrugged his broad shoulders, a gesture that didn’t match his cocky smile. He has Peter right where he wants him, and there’s nothing you can do to stop him because Peter is a willing participant running on alcohol and no critical judgment.

You should have left right then and there, but your feet stayed rooted to the floor. You couldn’t leave Peter like this. Sighing, you pulled up a chair to the table and sat beside Peter.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go easy on him,” said Rumlow, putting on a smile too sardonic to be comforting. Too artificial to be genuine.

His lie didn’t surprise you. The hole Peter dug himself did.

The second round went similarly to the first. Flash decisions from Rumlow and molasses-like contemplation from Peter. This time, though, the ante came up to $200. As far as you knew, Peter is only carrying about $2500 in his pockets.

By the time the fourth round started, Peter’s Rolex lies on the table. The ante is up to $1000. Somehow the pot-limit became no-limit.

By the fifth round, Peter made paperless bets. Ante is $10,000. Rumlow knew Peter’s pockets went deep, and he’d keep at it until he struck gold.

Nothing you said stopped him. Peter hadn’t won a single hand. He’s desperate for at least one good hand; he’s got something to prove.

Rumlow kept drinking with each win.

By the seventh round, a crowd is around the table, watching in horrified interest as Peter raises the bet to one million dollars. The most significant amount you’ve ever seen him bet. So far, he’s held this hand for three draws.

Peter’s hair lost all semblance of its previous style, hanging over his forehead in disarray. He’s hunched over in his chair, his jacket’s off, and he’s rolled up his dress shirt’s sleeves to his elbows. His group’s signature tattoo stands out stark against his inner wrist: a roughly sketched spider.

Rumlow, eyes now as bloodshot as Peter’s and face just as flushed under his tan skin, asks, “Think you got something, Parker?”

“Do you?” Peter countered.

“I just might.” Rumlow ran a finger against his bottom lip, then smiled at his hand. “Why don’t you say we make this last Showdown a little more interesting, eh?”

A terrible queasiness wrapped around your gut.

Peter listened intently, his silence Rumlow’s indication to continue.

“$10 million. And the best trading routes. Including foreign connections. I want everything you got.”

You turned to Peter, placing your hand on top of his until he finally looked at you. Your eyes begged him to listen to you for once tonight. “Please don’t do this.”

His reply sounded tortured. “But I can. I have to.”

“Is winning really worth losing everything?” you asked, your voice cracking.

Rumlow chuckled ominously. “Oh, that’s not everything, sweetheart. We both know what’s left.” He gave you a meaningful stare.

Your eyes widened in disgust.

Peter snapped his gaze to Rumlow. “She’s got nothing to do with this.”

“No, but I want her. Imagine having New York’s best attorney in my arsenal. How many charges has she saved your sorry ass from, Parker? Five? All felonies, right? You lucky son of a bitch.” Rumlow’s smile is sinister. “Not that lucky tonight, huh?”

Peter spoke through gritted teeth. “Back off, Rumlow.”

“To have Deus wrapped around her finger, she must be pretty damn good. Is she, Parker?” goaded Rumlow, ignoring Peter’s warning. “Is she any good?”

Instinct controlled your hands as they seized Peter’s cards before he launched himself over the table and landed an ear-splitting blow to Rumlow’s jaw. Rumlow must’ve known the punch was coming. Still, he hadn’t expected the impact to be that forceful because his eyes blinked in astonishment. The two men behind Rumlow didn’t react fast enough, missing Peter as he stood above Rumlow, grabbed the handgun hidden in the waist of his pants and pressed the muzzle deep into Rumlow’s temple, finger on the trigger.

Rumlow shifted his eyes up to Peter. “Did I hit a nerve?”

Peter’s voice is lethally calm. “Say one more goddamn word about her and you’re dead.”

“Put that gun down, Parker!”

Tony. Shit.

Peter squared his jaw, never taking his eyes off of Rumlow. About six off-duty policemen and the venue’s guards have their weapons trained on Peter.

“I said put the gun down! Now!” Tony had pushed his way through the crowd, Sam and Steve right behind him. You didn’t notice until now how quiet the room became, everyone holding in a collective breath.

“Put it down, son,” Steve gently ordered. He spied Rumlow’s men, their hands tightened on their guns, and shook his head. “Don’t even think about it.”

Peter didn’t move a muscle. His chest rapidly rises and falls with each breath.

Sam, holding a pair of cuffs in his hand, tried getting through to him. “It’s over. Drop the gun, kid.”

A slow grin spread across Rumlow’s face.

“Peter,” you spoke softly.

His red-rimmed eyes met yours.

“Everything’s gonna be alright. Just put the gun down, okay? Please.”

Two heartbeats passed before his grip on the gun slackened, and he begrudgingly lowered his arm.

Steve and Sam seized on the opportunity. Steve disarmed Peter while Sam restrained Peter’s arms behind his back and tightened the cuffs around his wrists.

Rumlow massaged his injured jaw. “Guess that means I win, Parker.”

Sam yanked Peter back before he could charge at Rumlow. When Peter looked your way, he saw you still held his cards. “I’m still in play.”

“Wait,” you protested. Sam began to guide Peter up to the entrance. “Peter, I can’t—”

He nodded his head furiously, talking over his shoulder as Sam lead him away. “Yes, you can. You know you can, baby. Play the hand.”

You stared helplessly at Peter’s retreating form. It was all on you.

Rumlow watched, unperturbed; his cards still held tight in the hand that wasn’t nursing his jaw.

Slowly, you lowered yourself down into Peter’s chair, sitting directly across from Rumlow’s smirking face. Tony stared at you incredulously. It’s the first time you’ve ever seen him rendered speechless. The room’s chatter never recovered, either. All eyes stay glued towards the standoff.

The game is in your hands. Exactly as planned.

#peter parker #peter parker fanfiction #mob!peter parker #peter parker au #mob!au #marvel fanfic #peter parker x black!reader #peter parker x reader #black female reader #the fall of deus #peter parker x black reader #black reader

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gravelyhumerus · 4 years ago

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Criminal Minds College AU - Chapter Seventeen

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Title: “I may just take your breath away”

Relationship: Jemily

Summary:

Exams, pizza, board games... what more could a girl ask for?

Slow-burn Jemily college AU where they live across the hall and despite all odds, the universe pushes them together. AKA they’re silly gay babies who pine after each other for months.

Read it on AO3

Tumblr: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, (bonus scene), Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty

“That was a lot of chess,” Emily complained, nearly chugging her latte as she and Spencer left the coffee shop.

She pulled her beanie onto her head and braced herself for the snow as the taller boy held the door open for her. Emily almost slipped on the slushy tile floor on her way out but managed to keep her balance.

“Fifteen of the multiple-choice questions to be precise,” Spencer replied. The salted sidewalk crunched under their feet as they made their way across campus.

“I’m so glad it’s finally over,” she admitted. “I think I’ve had enough philosophy to last me a lifetime.”

“I’m enrolled in ‘Minds and Machines’ next semester,” he said. “I think I might try and get a double minor this time around.”

“What’s the goal? Three PhDs by the time you’re 24?” Emily quipped.

He was well on his way, having completed his engineering degree before she managed to graduate high school. He was 17, only two years younger than her, but somehow seemed like a kid. A kid with more education crammed into his brain than she could ever master in her life.

“Something like that,” he replied with a smile. His hair was getting long and he had tied it back during the exam. With last names starting with P and R, they were seated near each other in the large exam hall, and she glanced over at him as he fussed with his hair.

They stopped at the red light, watching as the cars and busses wooshed past them, sending the slush flying into the snowbanks. It had been a fairly sunny day, but bitterly cold. Now, the sun was setting and the campus was bathed in a warm golden glow. The snow had fallen the night before, leaving fluffy white snow covering their campus.

Emily had spent most of the day holed up in the library with Spencer, with him quizzing her on fallacies and philosophers. With his eidetic memory, he only really needed to read the material once. Earlier in the semester, she did feel useful when it came to editing each other’s essays. He always got bogged down with detail, word vomiting everything he knew, and she helped him with his structure and argumentation.

More studying awaited her back in her room. She rubbed at the back of her neck as she thought about the upcoming evening spent hunched over her desk studying criminal justice, a subject that left her questioning her degree half the time as she was forced to learn about the muddled ethics of justice.

That week, she had survived on minimal sleep, eating mostly bagels and coffee to sustain her. Her body was protesting with each step, and she had suffered from a constant tension headache for as long as she remembered. At least her college had that golden retriever walk around at the library yesterday, she thought to herself, sarcastically. Animal therapy definitely relieved all her stress. As if petting a dog for five minutes would fix the anxiety of finals season.

Two more exams, she reminded herself. You’ll make it.

Despite this mantra, Emily was conflicted. While finals were killing her, the end of the semester also meant winter break. Emily would be forced to go “home” for the holidays. For most college students, that meant going back to their respective towns and being surrounded by their loved ones. Emily, on the other hand, didn’t have anywhere she called home. Last winter break, her mom had at least been in DC, and Emily was able to catch up with some of her international school friends who were in the city. This time, her mom was stationed in London, and Emily knew she’d be roped back into her old life. She didn’t know anyone there and knew most of her break would be spent alone.

The last place she had called home was Rome, and now that was tarnished by her complicated past with that city.

Emily was good at being alone. Being an only child of a workaholic single mom meant she learned to keep her own company. She read a lot. She got good at running away, escaping her nannies, and skirting security in order to roam free. She’d be fine.

The problem was that Emily had gotten used to this. She rarely spent a moment alone these days. Whether it was walking to class with Spencer, or Hotch, or Derek, getting lunch with the team, surprise coffee dates with Penelope and spending almost every evening with her girlfriend, she hadn’t been left alone in ages. She didn’t miss it.

Their residence building had a warm yellow light shining out of the windows and a soft red brick facade. In the summer, ivy grew up the south facing side but in the winter, the ledges were covered in snow and the stone steps were slippery. She trudged forward, excited for the warm embrace of the dorm.

Spencer had other plans. He reached into the garish yellow plastic newspaper box that was stationed next to their doorway and retrieved this week’s newspaper.

“Come on Reid,” Emily said. “Just subscribe to the newsletter or something like the rest of us.”

He held up the cover to her in surprise. Usually it reported the news of a recent sports victory, or a change of policy announced by the administrators, or even a fun event held on campus. Sometimes there was even a dramatic protest or an important speaker coming to campus. But this week, the headline surprised her. In large font printed across the page read: “Multiple student politicians fired amid financial scandal.”

“That sounds bad,” Emily said. It did seem way more dramatic on newsprint than on a website, so maybe Spencer was onto something with his affinity for the printed word.

Grabbing a copy for herself, she then walked inside to escape the cold. Warm air greeted them as they entered their residence hall, and both students kicked the snow off their boots before trudging up the stairs. They read as they walked, but the route to their rooms was already muscle memory, so neither worried about stumbling on their way.

Normally, Emily wouldn’t willingly touch this sort of student politics with a ten foot pole. Sure, she was involved with the Criminology council, but there was a difference between the kind of person interested in petitioning for better accessibility to faculty events or running a bake sale, and the kind of students to embezzle thousands of student dollars like what the current student government executive seemed to be accused of doing.

She quickly ran her eyes down the page, the contents jogging a memory from Halloween, of Hotch and JJ discussing the early stirrings of said scandal.

“You know,” Spencer said, “I’m surprised they got a lot of this information, it’s notoriously difficult to file FOIAs for student governments, as they’re technically private corporations. So the fact that they got these files means that this is a much bigger scandal than one might assume.”

Corruption, bribery, embezzlement, nepotism. All words that jogged memories of hiding in the corner of political fundraisers, overhearing the worst of politics from too-drunk elites sipping on their wine and munching on charcuterie.

“I hate politics,” Emily said, stuffing her copy of the paper into her bag.

“I find it interesting. It’s basically a microcosm of our current political climate. In fact, I have subscribed to the print edition of fifteen student papers in the region,” Spencer said, “I like to keep informed on the coverage of student issues, and compare them to our own.”

“Why?!” Emily said with a laugh. “You know you can just look them up online.”

Spencer gave her a withering look, and she should have known better than asking about his aversion to tech. He loathed having to use his computer, as the LCD screens apparently gave him a headache. Penelope even gave him a pair of blue light glasses to attempt to alleviate the issue.

Then, he began to speak, at length, about the dying printed news industry and why print copies were better for understanding than screens et cetera. She made sure to nod and hum at appropriate points, but her mind kept wandering.

She wondered if her girlfriend was in her room. Emily missed her any time they were apart and she yearned to hold her in her arms once again. But she shouldn’t. She needed to work. She had too much to do. Her grades had slipped, slightly, this semester. Everyone warned her about how college would be harder than high school, but no one ever warned her how much the expectations were raised in second year.

Two more exams. She clutched her coffee tighter. She’d rather do anything else besides study at this point. Her body was exhausted, her mind frazzled. She wondered if she could even manage to get through a chapter of revision before conking out on her desk.

As she said goodbye to Spencer and struggled with her keys that were tangled up in their corresponding university-branded lanyard, JJ’s door opened.

“Hey girlfriend,” JJ greeted her, sounding way too much like a straight girl greeting her platonic friend for Emily’s taste. She gave her a pass because it sounded cute in her voice.

“JJ!” Emily said, somehow surprised to see her despite the fact that she lived right across the hall. Her girlfriend was dressed in sweatpants and an oversized sweater, with her straight hair tucked behind her ears and her face bare of make up. Her face was lit up with a smile, and Emily rushed towards her, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

“Hi JJ,” Spencer said as Emily and JJ kissed.

When they pulled apart, JJ gave Spencer a smile as a greeting and asked them how their exam went.

Spencer babbled about their Logic exams for a minute or two, as Emily basked in JJ’s presence. She grabbed onto her hand and found that it was so much hotter than her own and wasn’t sure if she held on tight because she was cold, or if she had missed her girlfriend.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Emily said. “I never want to hear about fallacies again.”

Spencer seemed to want to say something, but fell silent at Emily’s tired expression.

“Wanna come in for a bit?” JJ whispered in Emily’s ear. Apparently she said so a touch too loud because Spencer replied instead.

“Sure!” he said, and then walked into JJ and Penelope’s room.

“I should really study,” Emily tried to argue, but a single glance into JJ’s deep, blue eyes had Emily melting.

JJ’s room was much messier than Emily had last seen it. Both desks showed clear markers of the ongoing exams, with papers and books piled high. In addition to this was an assortment of pillows strewn all over the floor.

“You guys are back early!” JJ said, after checking her watch, “I thought it was a two hour exam?”

“I finished in an hour,” Spencer said, “and Emily only needed an extra half hour on top of my time.”

Damn straight, Emily thought, feeling somewhat competitive with the boy-genius despite herself.

She really should study, but the prospect of seeing her girlfriend outweighed the desire to sit hunched over a textbook for another evening.

Emily and Spencer kicked off their boots, placing them neatly on the mat by the door before peeling their jackets off and hanging them on the back of her door. Emily wasn’t sure if she liked winter. Whenever her mother was stationed in the Middle East she yearned for snow, but now that she was experiencing the Nor’easter for the first time, the desert sounded like a good time.

“Well there goes my plan,” JJ said, blowing her hair out of her face with a puff of air.

Spencer flopped onto Penelope’s neatly-made bed, collapsing into the assortment of pink pillows while carefully keeping his take-away cup upright. Emily sat down next to JJ on her bed.

“Your plan?” Emily asked.

“Yeah,” JJ said, sounding a bit shy. “I had this whole plan to make up a blanket fort here for you, and I would surprise you with it when you walked in.’”

JJ gestured with her hands at the mess. Blankets and pillows were strewn about, and a bundle of fairy lights were laying in the middle of the floor.

“Then you came back early,” JJ concluded. “Spence, I thought you’d keep her occupied longer!”

“You didn’t tell me that,” he replied. Spencer looked quizzically at her, shrugged, then took another sip of his coffee.

“I just wanted us to have a cute date night,” JJ admitted. “I know you’re so stressed, and you deserve a break.”

Emily grabbed her girlfriend’s moving hands and held them in her own. She felt overwhelmed. JJ was so… thoughtful. Caring. Attentive. So many things that were absolutely foreign to Emily. No one had ever tried to impress her like this.

“It’s okay,” Emily said. “We don’t need anything special to have a cute date night. You’re cute enough.”

JJ gave Emily a goofy smile in response.

“Okay,” JJ said. “If you say so.”

“You’re building a blanket fort?” Spencer asked. “I actually have some experience with blanket fort architecture.”

“You do?” JJ asked, raising her eyebrows skeptically.

“Of course,” he replied, seeming almost offended that she questioned him. “It sparked my interest in engineering. I wanted to overcome the problem of chair-tippage when it came to building the structure, so I devised a system of counter-weights that I found increased the structural integrity by 53%. My mom always told me that I could be an architect, but I thought the sciences better suited my intellect.”

“Oh?” Emily asked, genuinely interested. How would someone measure the structural integrity of a blanket fort?

“Actually, I have some blueprints. Let me grab them,” he said, standing up and making a move for the door.

“Of course you have blueprints,” JJ laughed.

“I should probably go feed Gideon, anyway. I’ll be right back!” Spencer said. Before closing the door behind him.

“Gideon?” Emily asked.

“His fish,” JJ said, “the one he won at the fair. It’s named after his professor, I think.”

She shrugged. The kid was weird, they tended to just accept that.

“I guess Spencer’s joining us on date night,” JJ said. “Sorry. I know you’re stressed and probably want to be studying, but I thought we’d order pizza and just have one night off. Just us. And Spencer.”

JJ planted a firm kiss on Emily’s lips, leaving her dazed and blushing.

“Relaxing sounds perfect,” Emily said, pulling her girlfriend closer to her. “I can’t believe it’s already exams. This semester has flown by. Soon it’ll be winter break, and I won’t get to see you.”

“I can’t imagine you not being right across the hall,” JJ said. “Who will give me kisses when I want them?”

JJ kissed Emily, sucking on Emily’s bottom lip slightly before pulling apart to look at her.

“I know you’re joking, but I hope you’re not kissing anybody else, no matter the circumstances.”

With that established, Emily pounced on her girlfriend, pushing her onto her bed and kissing her deeply. She intertwined her fingers in the blonde locks that were splayed out in a golden halo and breathed in deep, taking in the warm scent of the lilac candle that burnt on her night side table.

All her worries melted away at JJ’s touch. Emily’s brain was filled with the feeling of JJ’s lips on hers, with her lithe form beneath her. Exams, student politics and thoughts of home were wiped away, and her stress faded into background noise.

JJ’s pliant form writhed under Emily’s, her hands sneaking below Emily’s sweater and dancing over her back. They deepened the kiss until they were making out like teenagers in JJ’s dorm with the door still open a crack.

This was how Spencer, accompanied by Derek, found them when they pushed open the door with blanket fort blueprints and bags of potato chips in hand.

Spencer made a surprised noise, which made Emily aware of his return. She jumped up and pulled apart from JJ with a dark red blush gracing her cheeks.

“Woah there ladies,” Derek said with a laugh. “Keep it in your pants!”

“Guys! I was gone for five minutes!” Spencer whined.

Emily stood up awkwardly, stuffing her hands in her pockets as she watched JJ sit up and pat her hair down in a huff.

“Sorry,” Emily grumbled, not really meaning it. She would never be sorry for kissing JJ, but she was sorry for the awkwardness

“Pretty boy dragged me down the hall,” Derek said in explanation. He had Spencer’s rolled-up fort plans in his hand, and lightly smacked Emily’s head with it, making a comedic thwap noise as it made contact. “Hope you weren’t in the middle of something?”

“Only JJ’s legs,” Emily quipped to everyone’s surprise, even her own. JJ hit her jokingly and blushed.

“Hey!” Derek laughed, “Let’s keep this PG!”

“You called?” The voice of Penelope Garcia—PG if you will—rang out from the hallway, and within seconds JJ’s room was filled with just about all their friends standing around in a slightly awkward silence: JJ, Emily, Spencer and Derek were joined by Penelope with Hotch in tow.

The latter two of them had grown closer recently and walked into the room with white shopping bags with the walrus logo printed on the side, looking like they had just returned from out in the cold. Penelope and Hotch going thrifting together, that’s new! Emily thought to herself and decided to file the observation for later. The image of Hotch watching Penelope’s customary fashion show was enough to make her laugh under her breath.

“We’re building a blanket fort,” Spencer announced, changing the subject to the task at hand. “Are you guys helping?”

“Oh you know I will, boy genius,” Penelope said with an excited smile.

Emily looked over to her girlfriend. So much for date night.

———

Without much questioning about why they were building a blanket fort, the team got to work. In college, sometimes things just happened. Impromptu blanket forts were par the course. In their defense, any excuse to not spend the evening burying their heads in textbooks was a welcome reprieve.

It started with just a few blankets draped in the space between JJ and Penelope’s beds, but with Spencer’s instruction, a verifiable architectural marvel began to take shape.

While Emily knew that Penelope would be all gung ho for this sort of project, it was certainly amusing to see Hotch in his khakis and dress shirt crawling around on the floor like a child with the rest of them, tying off blankets and very seriously maneuvering the different parts of the structure.

Sheets were draped here and there, tied together to form ceilings and walls. Two chairs stolen from the common room, loaded with backpacks on the seat for support acted as the entrance to the fort.

While it was crawling space only, Emily had to note that there was a sense of awe when you emerged into the open space of the main fort-area. It was surprisingly big, fitting all six of them with ease. The key to the whole design was a curtain rod Hotch had stolen from the boys shower that lifted the roof up.

The design was strangely reminiscent of Baroque architecture, which she was sure was due to Spencer’s designs. This was a fact that Emily kept to herself. She always tried to rein in the ‘I lived abroad’ conversation points so her childhood could remain under minimal scrutiny.

Emily’s exhaustion transformed into excitement as she relished the time hanging out with her friends. Music played from Penelope’s computer as they worked, they began to work as a cohesive group, each member doing their share. It was nice to do something besides sit at her desk and obsess over memorizing facts and statistics, or figuring out the proper argumentation for an essay on a subject. Making sure that a bunch of blankets didn’t crash onto them was treated with the utmost seriousness, and the whole group was focused with intense concentration at their own tasks.

Spencer did, in fact, have literal sketches of blanket forts in his notebooks, but the details of which were fairly incomprehensible to her. While she believed that he did the math, his chicken scratch was just about indecipherable, and his drawing was little more than a few shapes on a page. Despite this, it was laid out on the centre of the dorm-room floor for them to reference.

At one point, as Emily stood on JJ’s wheely chair, she feared that the fort had all come crashing down as she lost her balance and grabbed at the blankets to stop her fall before tumbling onto Derek with a yelp.

“Sorry,” she muttered as she climbed back onto her feet and fought off the blanket that had wrapped her in a shroud.

She flinched as she realized she had ruined it all, a pit forming in her stomach. She looked at her friends in concern, but instead of yelling at her for her mistake, or shunning her for ruining it for the rest of them, they smiled at her and helped her up.

“It’s okay!” Spencer said cheerfully. “I know exactly how to reinforce that wall.”

“You okay, Emily?” Hotch asked, righting the wheely chair as JJ fretted over her.

“I’m good,” she answered, still confused as to why they weren’t mad at her.

Instead of making a big deal over the set back, they went back to work. Soon, the fort filled out and it returned to its former glory. Arguably, better than it was because they had draped fairy lights throughout the inside, making the space glow with a warm orange light.

Inside was filled with pillows and big enough for all of them to sit comfortably so it was a comfy lounge space. It was cozy and warm, the antithesis of the bitterly cold night air outside.

“You know what?” Hotch said. “This is a damned good fort, Reid.”

The group muttered in consensus. They all had piled into the space, and as the excitement wore off, Emily was wondering what happened next. What does one do in a blanket fort? She had vague memories of building one in her room, but she had just sat inside and read a book.

“I hear the RA’s storage room has a ton of board games,” Penelope said. “They pull them out for socials and stuff.”

“That’s all well and good, but we’re not asking Strauss to let us in,” Derek argued. “I still think she thinks we were responsible for that fire alarm last week. She’s been giving me the evil eye ever since.”

“Who said we had to tell her?” Emily said. “We could just… borrow… them…”

“I mean, they are for us to use, anyway.” JJ’s eyes had a mischievous look in them as she looked at Emily.

“That is true,” Hotch said, the scowl that was usually a fixture on his face turning to a smirk.

“That’s stealing, guys,” Spencer warned, as if they didn’t already know that.

“We’ll give them back,” Emily said with a shrug. “Come on!”

Penelope led the way to a dark wooden door on the main floor, it was labelled simply “Storage,” but the computer science student assured them that it was where the RA’s stored all of their supplies.

“It’s locked,” Penelope huffed.

“Do you have a bobby pin?” Emily asked her in a hushed voice. She wouldn’t have gotten this far if she hadn’t learned how to pick simple door locks. She had trouble with deadbolts but a simple latch she could probably do within a couple of minutes.

The blonde pulled a hot pink bobby pin out of her perfectly curled hair. Emily snapped it into two, bending one end into a longer L-shape. Sticking that into the bottom of the lock and holding it in place, she used the other side to feel for the pins that held the lock in place.

Emily could feel all eyes on her as she confidently knelt in front of the doorknob, the group keeping watch for her as she worked. No one questioned how or why Emily knew how to do this. She had her reasons.

This definitely broke all sorts of residence rules and if they got caught, they knew they’d get into shit, but no one seemed to care that much. They just wouldn’t get caught.

After a couple minutes, Emily’s hands began to sweat. What if she couldn’t do this anymore? She tried to centre herself. She had made it through infinitely more stressful situations in the past. It was the eyes of her friends on her that made her nervous. She was finally accepted by a group, and she desperately didn’t want to let them down.

Then, it clicked, and she was able to turn the brass knob easily. Emily made a noise of excitement, got to her feet and yanked the door open.

Instead of an empty storage closet, on the other side of the door was Erin Strauss, their RA, in a passionate embrace with David Rossi. Her shirt was unbuttoned and he was in the middle of sucking on her neck.

“Dave?!” Hotch called out, startling the couple.

Both groups stood stock-still, neither knowing what to say. While Emily had hid the bobby pins, she wasn’t sure who was in more trouble, them for breaking into the room or their RA for using the space for unofficial purposes.

The room was small and cramped, with a pile of poster board mostly obscuring the one small window that lit the space. Strauss had been hoisted onto the desk, her legs straddling the other student. Emily could see a shelf filled with the board games stacked on the left side of the room, but they seemed unimportant at the moment. While Emily had known about their illicit love affair, she had never expected to see it in action.

“Hey guys,” Rossi said after a moment, his unwavering confidence carrying on to this moment as he pulled apart from Strauss, who was furiously buttoning up her shirt and trying to sort herself out.

“What are you all doing in here?” she demanded, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. “This room’s meant for RA’s only.”

“Well,” Emily said, startled by her own audacity, “Dave isn’t an RA so…”

“We just came for some board games,” JJ said in her most diplomatic voice, despite clearly wanting to laugh at the situation, “then we’ll be off.”

“Take them and go,” the RA said in a strangled voice, her face beet-red and as she avoided eye contact like it was the plague.

Clearly not as embarrassed as Strauss, Rossi simply smirked, collected a few board games into his arms off of the shelf, then deposited them into Emily’s arms.

Realizing that given the circumstances, they couldn’t be picky with their choices, the stunned group thanked him then scurried away, back upstairs with their loot. The silence remained until they made it back to their floor, where they all burst into laughter.

“What on earth was that?!” Derek exclaimed.

“Rossi and Strauss,” Spencer muttered.

Emily and JJ made eye contact, remembering all those weeks ago when they had caught their friend emerging from the RA’s room down the hall in the middle of the night. They had known that Rossi and Strauss had hooked up that night, but had no idea that it was a whole relationship.

“I see it,” Hotch commented. “I mean, I don’t know your RA too well, but Rossi likes a woman with authority.”

Derek and Emily fake-gagged in an exaggerated manner at the comment.

“I think I need to bleach my eyeballs after that display,” Emily muttered.

“Ooo-kay!” JJ said, pointedly changing the subject. “It seems like we have most of the pieces to Clue… I think we could manage a game of that. We also have Scrabble, Yahtzee and Snakes and Ladders. Uh… also a pack of cards.”

“At least it’s not chess,” Emily said, thinking about her seemingly endless exam that afternoon.

“Agreed,” Spencer said.

“We do not have chess, no,” JJ said with a quizzical laugh.

———

After ordering a couple of pizzas to the dorm, they all settled in to play a board game. After a few minutes of debate, they decided to play Clue (or Cluedo as Emily continuously referred to it as). The board was laid out: it was vintage, with a teal and yellow colour scheme and some scuffs and rips showing its age. In their blanket fort, they were seated in a circle, all secretly looking at their Clue cards.

“Can I be Professor Plum?” Spencer asked before they had even gotten the pieces out of the box.

“Of course pretty boy,” Derek said, “I’ll take Mr. Green.”

“My sculpted god of thunder looks excellent in green,” Penelope flirted, choosing the white piece for herself.

“Did you know that in the original version of Clue, Mr Green was a Reverend, but they changed his name for American audience because they believed that the American public would object to a parson as a murder suspect?”

“Good thing you’re on our trivia team, Reid,” Hotch replied.

Emily was Miss Scarlet, of course, and was seated right next to JJ, who had chosen to portray Mrs. Peacock. Hotch claimed the remaining piece: Colonel Mustard.

Emily loved board games. Her nanny in France, who was a kindly elderly woman that Emily only knew as “Madame,” would play with her each Sunday after church. She has hazy memories from that time, but the warm glow of sunlight streaming into their Parisian apartment as she learned how to play Cluedo. Emily would always try to cheat, but knew better than to try to do so with her immensely observant girlfriend seated to her left, JJ’s hand resting casually on Emily’s thigh.

She looked at her cards and grinned. She had been dealt her own character, she noted, as Miss Scarlet’s name was printed in bold on the top of her first card. It felt weirdly validating to know that she herself was innocent. Also in her hands were the cards for the candlestick and pistol, as well as the observatory. She marked these off of her card and tried to gauge her opponents' reactions.

JJ was checking her phone with her cards face down, tracking the pizza’s arrival. Spencer was sprawled back, his long legs taking up way more room than was necessary, jotting down notes on some scrap paper. Presumably some statistics and probability for the possibilities of the cards that were sealed in the envelope in the centre of the board. Penelope smiled over at Derek and flirtatiously tried to sneak a peek at his hand.

After the initial rounds being dedicated to moving around the board, Emily finally made it into her first room: the lounge. There, she decided on her first suggestion.

“I suggest,” Emily said, in her most dramatic, formal voice, which was particularly suited to the role of Miss Scarlet, “that Mrs. Peacock committed this heinous crime in the Lounge with-” she hurriedly grabbed the candlestick, “the candlestick!”

She knew that it wasn’t the correct weapon, but using it would narrow it down to someone ruling out either JJ’s character or the lounge as the scene of the crime.

“Moi?!” JJ said, sounding almost offended at the accusation. “Your own girlfriend?!”

Emily grinned evilly at her, but internally she felt giddy. It was the first time she heard JJ use that word in front of their friends. JJ moved her piece into the Lounge. The others chuckled lightly at their antics.

“You have no alibi for the crime, Mrs. Peacock,” Emily said, “and I am merely making a suggestion.”

JJ glared at her, but said nothing. Emily turned to Derek, who was seated at her left.

“What do I do?” Derek asked, looking around the room, slightly confused.

“Do you have any of those cards?” Hotch asked.

“Yeah-” Derek said, moving to show his hand.

“No!” Penelope stopped him. “Just show one of your cards to Emily if you can prove her suggestion was wrong.”

He made an “o” with his mouth and sneakily showed Emily the Lounge card. Emily noted that, and that it was Derek’s card. Mrs. Peacock had yet to be proven innocent, and Emily gave JJ a suspicious glance.

She loved this game.

As the game progressed, Emily noted a few things about her opponents. A part of Emily was profiling her friends subconsciously, reading each of their strategies like a book.

Penelope always seemed to luck out on her dice rolls, covering a lot of terrain and gathering information like it was a cup of tea. But, she seemed to take it personally when someone accused Mrs. White of having killed Mr. Boddy and gasped every time someone made that suggestion.

Hotch seemed to take the game very seriously, and was at it like he was an actual police officer solving crime. But, it didn’t seem that he completely understood all of the rules, and definitely hadn’t played before, so he spent most of his turn grumbling as he skimmed the rule pamphlet.

Spencer, on the other hand, had memorized the rules, common strategies and probabilities of the different outcomes, so Hotch often looked over to him nervously as the boy wrote longhand equations in the notebook that he pulled out of his bag for the very occasion.

Derek also had never played before, and regularly made ‘accusations’ rather than ‘suggestions’ when he entered a room, frustrating Spencer to no end. But, Derek was smart and seemed to be picking it up as he went along. That was until he made the same suggestion twice in a row, both times making Hotch show him the exact same card. He asked Reid endless questions about specific rules, and more than once he made the boy double check in the rule book when Derek tried to make a rather unorthodox move.

JJ seemed to be the only one genuinely trying to have fun. She munched on the Cheetos that she stored in the bottom drawer of her night stand, and made conversation. Her strategy seemed to be exclusively focused on playing the game like it was the 1985 feature film Clue, playing the role of Mrs. Peacock with a fake accent and treating it like an actual murder-filled dinner party.

After a solid twenty minutes of gameplay, the pizza arrived. With minimal grumbling from Hotch, who was apparently on a roll, they took a break to eat.

“Did you see this?” Spencer said with his mouth full, lifting up the copy of the newspaper that he had grabbed earlier.

“Don’t get me started,” JJ grumbled and took a sip of her pop.

“What happened?” Hotch asked, the conversation piquing his interest.

Spencer explained—with the assistance of JJ who apparently knew one of the people involved through soccer—the entire scandal. Apparently, last year there had been very little interest in the leadership roles, so the President of the student government had simply waltzed into his role. He then hired all of his friends, his girlfriend, his roommate, and together they embezzled thousands of dollars of student funds.

“I can’t believe they’re getting away with this,” JJ muttered. “Is there no oversight?”

“It’s always the same,” Emily replied. “Who’s going to oversee them? The college? They’re corrupt too.”

“This sucks,” Derek said. “Wish someone good would run for government, for once.”

Emily shook her head in frustration. It all just reminded her of her childhood. Embezzlement, corruption and nepotism all were casual topics discussed over family dinner in her home. She had higher hopes for students her own age, would they not break the cycle? Or was it just a microcosm of the outside world?

“You should run Mr. Lawyer Man,” Penelope teased Hotch. “You could take any of these clowns.”

Hotch raised an eyebrow at her and went back to his pizza, brushing her off. Emily smiled at him. Penelope was right, he might actually do a good job if he set his mind to it.

The people that surrounded her now were nothing like her mother’s friends—or the kids she had been forced to hang out with when she was younger—they were genuinely kind, supportive, and seemed to like Emily for Emily. When she told them she was an ambassador’s daughter, they had been more concerned with the cool places that she had been able to travel to than whatever power she had. At college, Emily finally exhaled fully, slowly relaxing more and more into herself.

But, the topic of politics always set her on edge, especially since the semester was ending soon. Her mother had already begun to leave her voicemails about the galas, fundraisers and events that she was required to attend over Christmas break. She pushed thoughts of the future aside and focused on the warmth that surrounded her. With some music playing softly (a song that JJ liked by Vampire Weekend), the softness of blankets under her, and JJ leaning on her slightly as she ate her dinner, Emily felt at peace. She knew she could handle winter break, because she knew that these friends would be here when she came back.

After years of leaving a school midway through the year only to show up to some new boarding school or international school each time her mom was reassigned, Emily never had a chance to put down roots. But, with each bite of pizza, Emily felt herself becoming even more firmly rooted. Not to this place, but to these people as their lives became more entwined.

Once dinner was over, the game continued, and thoughts of politics left their minds. By then, Emily narrowed it down to the weapon (the candlestick), two rooms (the kitchen and the billiard room) and she was pretty sure that it was Colonel Mustard that had committed the crime.

She had a decision to make: walk all the way from the study to the billiard room, or risk being wrong by making an accusation. She was pretty sure both Hotch and Reid were on the right track, as the younger boy’s scribbling in his notebook had gotten even more intense and the older boy was beginning to look around suspiciously, as if the others were trying to read his notes.

She had pretty much ruled out Penelope, JJ and Derek as competitors, as the trio spent most of the time talking, and genuinely trying to have fun. Emily, Reid and Hotch were all way too into it, but Emily was competitive and this was her game. She wasn’t going to lose to Hotch, no way. Reid winning she could blame on his boy-genius nature, but Emily decided that Hotch was going down.

The two boys seemed to have come to the same conclusion, all eyeing each other across the board, the tension palatable between them as their competition became heated.

She nervously tried to move to the billiards room, deciding to play it safe. Better safe than disqualified. But, as soon as she made that decision, she regretted it as Spencer straightened up on his turn and said: “I’d like to make my accusation.”

“Write it down,” JJ prompted, as per the rules. He jotted it down in his paper.

Then, with bated breath, they watched as he grabbed the envelope out of the centre of the board, and read the cards. His face fell when he saw one of the cards, so he must have been wrong. He placed them back into their envelope and back onto the board.

“No dice?” Emily asked.

He shook his head.

“Statistically speaking that should have been right,” he grumbled. “My math was wrong.”

“Boy genius isn’t a good detective, huh?” Penelope mused.

A few turns went by, with Derek, Penelope, and JJ moving around the board or making suggestions.

Emily rolled the dice, making one square from a room. She sighed. She’d make a suggestion next round.

On Hotch’s next turn, he made an accusation, which he wrote down on a pink sticky note that Penelope had handed out when the game started. He checked the envelope.

Emily held her breath. She was sure he had it and that the game was over. She should just call it quits now. She went to bite her nails out of stress, but stopped herself, they were starting to get long and she wanted them to look nice.

A moment passed as Hotch compared his cards. After he saw the third card in the envelope, his expression revealed that was also wrong.

Boys, Emily thought. Always so overconfident.

She made a suggestion instead of risking it: “Miss Scarlet—er myself I guess— in the Billiards Room with the pistol.”

It was a gamble. If she was right, and the people who knew she had her own card and the pistol caught on, they would also know that it was the Billiard Room, because no one would be able to disprove her theory. If she was wrong, someone would have the card for that room, and she would know that the crime occured in the Kitchen.

The second seemed to be true, as Derek showed her his card with a small illustrated image of the Billiard Room on it. She was right. She knew what it was. But, she would have to wait until her next turn. She was going to win.

But, it was she who was overconfident, because as she was too busy preemptively celebrating her win, Derek casually made his accusation.

“Hey I’m right!” he exclaimed, holding up the cards and his own hot pink sticky note.

In his semi-cursive scrawl read: “Colonel Mustard, Candlestick, Kitchen.” These guesses matched the cards hidden in the envelope, and Emily’s own deduction that she planned to make on her own turn.

“You guys really thought I hadn’t played this game before?” Derek laughed. “I’ve got two sisters, board games were everything.”

“Were you hustling us, Morgan?” Spencer demanded.

He smirked.

“Should’ve put money on the outcome,” Derek said with a laugh. “I’d be rich.”

Emily threw her cards onto the table in defeat. JJ shot her an empathetic look, and Emily tried to stuff her frustration down to pat her friend on the back for the surprising win. He deserved it.

———

After the game concluded and the pizza had been completely eaten, the group parted ways, heading to bed, or for more midnight snacks or to finish up some studying, leaving JJ and Emily alone and to start? a game of Scrabble.

The board was ancient, and quite a few letters were missing, but with music droning on JJ’s laptop, and the soft fairy lights overhead, neither girl minded too much.

Emily looked at her letters: O, B, S, O, T, B, W and thought hard, rearranging the wooden pieces to try and formulate a word. After a long day of academia, and investing so heavily into the game of Clue, she probably had only one or two working brain cells and both were telling her to play the word ‘boobs.’

Her eyes flicked to her girlfriend, who looked absolutely gorgeous in the warm light. Her blonde hair almost glowed, and she had an adorable expression on her face. Emily couldn’t help but glance lower, thinking about the real world examples of her Scrabble word.

She played the word with a cheeky grin.

“‘Boobs,’ Emily?” JJ scolded. “Really?”

She sounded angry, but there was a hint of a smile tugging at her cheeks and Emily could tell the girl found it funny.

“I can’t help it,” Emily said. “I haven’t thought of much else since last weekend.”

She raised and lowered her eyebrows in an exaggerated manner, making JJ laugh and kick her lightly in protest.

JJ then played the word ‘throw,’ using the ‘o’ from ‘boobs’ to form her word, earning her thirteen points.

“I don’t think you can throw boobs, babe,” Emily said. “They’re usually attached.”

JJ rolled her eyes.

Emily made it her mission to find the funniest words possible, working extra hard (and missing out on some good points) in an effort to make JJ laugh. ‘Armpit,’ ‘meaty,’ ‘hoagie,’ ‘urine,’ ‘joint’ and her piece de resistance: ‘boner.’ All while JJ was playing incredibly normal, and often strategic words like ‘axis,’ ‘snow,’ ‘vain,’ ‘snag’ and ‘writings,’ hitting multiple double- and triple word scores on the way.

“This is fun,” Emily said, sneaking a handful of JJ’s Cheetos out of the family-sized bag next to the blonde, while she was distracted by playing her turn.

“I don’t understand how you’re winning,” JJ muttered.

Emily shrugged, “Guess I’m just a genius.”

“Reid? Is that you?” JJ joked. “Why are you disguised as my girlfriend?”

“Would Reid do this?” Emily said, leaning over toward her girlfriend and pressing kisses all over her face until she fell back. Then Emily straddled her, their lips meeting in a passionate embrace that left both girls panting.

“I would hope not!” JJ exclaimed with a laugh, making a face at the thought.

They laughed and went back to making out, with Emily careful not to disturb the game pieces. JJ sucked onto Emily’s bottom lip, making her weak in the knees and she struggled to support herself over JJ’s shorter frame at the motion.

“We should-” Emily tried to say between kisses, “finish the game.”

JJ kept deepening the kiss, going so far as to grab onto Emily’s butt to hold her in place on top of her.

“You’re trying to distract me,” Emily chided, “because I’m winning! I see right through your plot.”

She sat up and went back to her tiles before playing another funny word: ‘suck’ for twenty points. JJ grumbled,fiddling with her own tiles, as Emily collected a few out of the bag.

Emily was preening as she rearranged her own tiles and didn’t notice as JJ put down her word. When she went to play her next word (‘zap’) and only then did she see what word JJ played.

‘Love.’

It was there. Clear as day. Written vertically and connected to the word ‘snow,’ it was unmistakable. Emily looked at it for a long moment, trying to figure out what it could possibly mean that her girlfriend very intentionally played such a loaded word. Was it the only word that fit? Did she only mean that she loved the snow? Was she also reading into it?

Emily looked up, making eye contact with JJ. The blonde blushed and looked away, nervously fiddling with the necklace around her neck. Emily smiled faintly at the warmth that flooded through her, but alongside that, was the sharp pang of anxiety. Was she supposed to acknowledge that? Would that make it weird?

‘Zap’ didn’t feel appropriate when her girlfriend may or may not have confessed her love for her.

She played it anyway, deciding that making a big deal of it would just complicate matters. Besides, did she love JJ? She didn’t know. It was all so new. She liked JJ a lot. She definitely like-liked her in the traditional sense of the world. But Emily had never been in love before. She’d loved people before, Matthew for one, and her mother in a way, and she loved Derek like a brother. But being in love was a whole ‘nother ball game.

JJ won the game after playing ‘equinox’ for twenty two points near the end, beating any lead Emily had gained from her silly words. JJ deserved it in the end, as the blonde would sit and stare at her letters until they formed the most complex words that Emily had never even heard of. Emily’s eyes drooped and she was barely able to create three letter words by the end, while JJ was still surprising her with her vocabulary.

Emily shook JJ’s hand to congratulate her for the win. JJ grinned and kissed her.

Then, they looked around and realized two things: it was past one in the morning and Penelope hadn’t come back to the room yet and that all of the blankets that JJ owned were currently being used in the blanket fort.

“Can we sleep in my bed, tonight?” Emily asked. “I’ll help you clean up in the morning.”

JJ nodded but was in the middle of texting Penelope, wondering where on earth her roommate had wandered off to. Within a minute she got back to JJ saying: with derek! will explain tmrw!! 😘 🧚‍♀️ 😳

JJ showed Emily the message and both girls giggled. Emily saw that coming, but didn’t realize it would be a game of Clue that finally sealed the deal.

Exhausted but happy and relaxed after the game night, Emily and JJ tumbled into Emily’s bed and cuddled up together. Between JJ and Emily, the word ‘love’ was left unsaid that night, but Emily fell asleep that night feeling a new warmth in her chest.

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