#wish me luck my heart won’t slow down

[g-ayyysexual]

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[lamiadrowned]

Hellooo! those jinx dating headcanons were so cute, could you maybe expand on Silco meeting Jinx's partner? 🩷

*:･ﾟ✧ silco meeting jinx’s partner

jinx x fem!reader | sfw

this made me so happy to write, the flashback we got of younger silco is heavy on my mind :,) missing him

it would definitely be a lot less intimidating than you’d expect!

in the month or so that you’ve been with jinx, silco isn’t immediately distrusting of you since she talks often about how great you are. not only that, but he can see the difference you’ve made in her life and her mental state. how cheery she becomes when she talks about you. how big her smile gets when he asks about you.

however, it seems she’s a bit embarrassed at the idea of introducing him to you. so, being the protective father that he is, he takes the initiative.

one day, as you’re heading home from work, you quickly reach for the switchblade in your back pocket when you feel a hand on your shoulder behind you.

you turn around to see there’s a woman (who is considerably taller and buffer than you) standing there, clearly surprised to see a knife pointed at her. “my name is sevika, i’m here on behalf of silco. he wants to see you in his office before the day ends. is now a good time?”

thankfully, you recognize the name. jinx had talked about going on a few missions with her. you lower your knife and shrug. “uh… yeah. yeah, now’s fine. lead the way.”

she nods and proceeds to walk with you a few streets down to the building, offering some polite conversation and reassurance– this meeting is solely for the purpose of introducing himself to you, since his daughter won’t.

she takes you to the door of silco’s office, opening it for you and wishing you good luck.

you don’t immediately see silco, but you do hear his voice. “take a seat wherever you’d like.”

once sevika shuts the door behind you, you take a deep breath and follow his instructions; sitting down at his desk and watching his own chair spin around so that he can finally come face-to-face with you.

your anxiety is through the roof and your heart won’t slow down no matter how many deep breaths you take, but you’re able to muster a polite smile.

he sees right through it, though. of course. like father, like daughter. “you seem frightened. i apologize if sevika gave you a scare.“

“oh, no– she was really nice. it’s just… i wasn’t expecting a meeting with the kingpin of the underground today.” you joke.

he laughs, which makes you a bit more comfortable. “another apology is in order, then. i know this is sudden, but jinx… she gets so bashful at the idea of introducing us. i figured, why don’t i take the big leap?”

you nod. “yeah, of course. she talks very highly of you.”

“and you, as well. she talks my ear off, a million words a minute if she finds a way to bring you up.” silco shakes his head with a growing smile. “it’s impressive, how quickly she’s become smitten with you. i’d think you were a sorceress if i didn’t know any better.”

you’re flattered by his kind words, and a bit excited by the fact that she seemingly talks about you so much. you must be doing something right.

the two of you continue on as you answer all of the questions he asks about your upbringing and your current life, and you ask questions about his. it almost begins to feel like you’re talking to an old friend, not the most feared and influential man in the lanes.

however, at one point, he suddenly becomes very serious.

“now, i feel this is an appropriate time to tell you this. you seem to be a genuinely good person, which is all too rare these days.” silco sighs. then, he clasps his hands together and casually leans forward onto the desk, resting his chin on his fists. “with that being said, if i ever come to find out that you have made my daughter suffer in any way, and you will never know peace again. do i make myself clear?”

your eyes widen. you’re finally starting to see why the entire population of zaun is scared witless by him. “understood. it will never come to that, though. i can only hope you take my word for it.”

silco nods in approval of your answer. he’s very impressed by your ability to remain calm in the face of his intimidation. it only proves to him that you’re as good as you seem, and that your intentions are pure– you have nothing to hide.

after a brief silence, he opens his mouth to speak again, but he’s interrupted by the sound of his office door slamming open.

“she’s missing!”

you’re shocked to hear jinx. she sounds frantic, voice hoarse and pitchy, like she can’t contain her terror. “i checked everywhere, high and low! we need to send one of your goons to–”

she’s silenced when she sees you turn around in your chair and meet her glare. her look of horror turns into one of confusion. “what the hell is going on here? is this an intervention?”

you snort at her question, patting the chair next to you, inviting her to come sit down. her shoulders slump and she lets out a dramatic huff as she sulks over to sit beside you. her arms cross defensively. “i don’t know what you weirdos think i did, but those fireworks going off last night were not mine, and to be frank, it’s kind of offensive that you’d assume i–”

“jinx, if you don’t mind,” silco puts a hand up, imploring her to stop talking. “we’ll talk about those fireworks later.”

“what?! i just said they weren’t mine.” jinx scoffs.

“you ramble when you lie. don’t you think i’d know that by now?” silco sighs. “that’s beside the point. since you had no plans to introduce me to y/n, i decided to introduce myself.”

you hum in confirmation. “that’s all. no intervention.”

it takes jinx a long moment to process this information; it seems as if she forgot silco has eyes everywhere, and when he wants something done, it will be done.

you’re almost expecting her to be upset before a beaming smile replaces the scowl on her face. “un-fuckin’-believable! i’m searching all over zaun for you, while you’re here, kicking back with him?!” she points in his direction.

“precisely.” silco steps in for you, aware that this is one of those times where she is very happy, yet tries to pretend that she is very upset. “if it’s of any reassurance to you– to both of you– this relationship has my badge of approval.”

instantly, you feel a sense of pride in knowing that you’d made such a good impression on him. he’s a man that’s very hard to impress, as far as you’ve heard.

you reach for jinx’s hand and squeeze it. her smile is almost as big as yours now. “look at that. i aced the big interview, and i haven’t gone missing.“

[pursuitseternal]

“Bites in the Night:” a series of Astarion x Reader drabbles from the days on the road…

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Part 1: “Go back to sleep, darling…”

Astarion x Fem!Reader | M | 1.4K of Romance

Summary: you’ve been fed on before, but you cannot deny how much you are the one who now hungers for it…

CW: consensual biting, blood kink, flirtation, a bit… angsty? First kiss

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No more bites in the night, he had promised. True to his word, Astarion always waited for your invitation now. Just a little offer thrown his way with increasing frequency. You can feed on me tonight.

You can’t help it, how addicting it is, waking with just that little ache in your body, watching the way he smiles at you, knowingly, as you sit and eat whatever breakfast your other companions had thrown together. It makes a pool of heat settle in your belly, as if you are the one now full to bursting and yet not sated. As if you are the one cursed with eternal hunger.

He always fights so beautifully those days after he drinks of your blood, almost dancing as he pounces and stalks and rips out throats like the true predator he is. You can almost feel it after, however, the expenditure of the limited power you grant him each time he feeds.

Soon, those ashen pools would settle beneath his eyes again, his movements slowing the longer into the day you journey.

The same happens today, that lethargy visible as the sun begins to set. So tonight, as you make camp, you find a reason to hesitate by Astarion’s tent. He is busy setting up the colored canvas of his structure. You see his hands are shaking as he bends down to tie and fasten the tether to the stake in the ground.

“I’m… gathering firewood,” you stop shy of his crouching body.

His head snaps as he looks up at you, brows furrowed in confusion. “And?” he snips. Perhaps the efforts he expended today took a greater toll on him that the grey in his skin even tells you. He sneers, clearly exasperated and annoyed. “I’m busy if you’re asking for my commonly-sought-for and usually riveting company.”

“No,” you force a easy laugh. “No I’m capable on my own, thank you.”

That earns another, deeper furrow of his brows, his fist clutching around the handle of his hammer now. “Then what do you want?” he purrs.

“You… didn’t happen to notice if there was anything that looked promising on the way here?”

Standing slowly, his face quirks into that familiar smirk, those brows now canting as he looks down at you. Crimson eyes flicker over your face, finally resting on the lingering marks of his fangs from last night. “Oh, I never stray my gaze far from the most promising things, but as for firewood? No.” He cocks his head, eyes heavy lidded as he scans your whole form now. “No, I was perhaps too… distracted to search my surroundings for something so mundane.”

You shrug. “Nevermind then,” you toss casually, ignoring the way your heart is rapping against your ribs.

“I… don’t think you wish me to nevermind,” he comments with equal indifference. Even as he slides one step into your path. “What did you really wish to say, darling?”

The words bubble from your throat before you can make them seem dispassionate. “You can feed on me tonight.”

His smirk tweaks just a hint higher. “I was hoping you would offer, darling…” He leans back, as if he is out of your way. “See you tonight, even if you won’t see me, my sweet.” You push past him, your hand accidentally brushing past his own arm, the chill of his body sending a little shiver through your frame. “Good luck,” he purrs as you enter into the brush and trees at the edge of camp.

Your evening passes with little event. Your pulse never slows, even as you lay in your bedroll, the soft crackle of fire unsuccessful at lulling you into any sleep deeper than a soft breathing with sweat-covered thoughts that grip your mind and body. Not dreams. No, you lay on your side in semi-consciousness, facing towards the dying embers of the fire. That’s how you hear the almost imperceptible tread of a foot in the dirt.

It’s slight, just a soft rustle and a gentle scuttle in the dirt beside you. But then you feel his breath, cold on your neck. Easily mistaken for a night breeze, except you have waited to feel it all night.

For a man who drips with sex, his very voice meant to make you tremble with need, he does not creep too close. His hand rests on your shoulder with uncertainty. The other gently sweeps back the stray strands of your hair from your neck.

His touch is reserved, hesitant, only brushing your body where necessary. Beneath that shell of seduction, you feel the self-doubt, the nerves worn to a shred from 200 years of abuse. And for as much as you long to turn and wrap your arms around him and his suffering soul, you fight the urge. You shut your eyes tighter, counting the second of your every inhale and exhale to make them sound sleepy.

Then comes his bite. That delicious puncture of your skin that hurts for a second, quickly tenderly cared for with soft laps of his tongue as he drinks from you. You try not to twitch, try not to lean your body against him as he crouches. He must think himself so stealthy, and you wouldn’t want to take that from your rogue.

All too soon he withdraws, but you feel the mass of his body lingering. You can almost hear his head twist as he observes you. “Go back to sleep, darling,” he whispers. “I hope it was as good for you as it was for me…”

“How…?” you begin, shifting in your bed to look up at him. His hair luminous in the starlight, his skin as pale as the moon.

That smirk only widens, a trickle of your blood runs from the elevated corner of his lips. “Please,” he gives a little chuckle, bending down to whisper right into the curves of your ear, “two-hundred years, and I know the dance of a sleeping heart… and the beat of one who just can’t get enough of me being so near them.”

You turn your head, looking right into those crimson eyes, now glowing a bit with his renewed strength.

“Next time you wish to do this again awake, you have but to ask, darling…” his lips purse as he finishes his words. But you notice that ripple of hesitation again. “I’m eager for any and all your suggestions, my dear.”

Now you hesitate, your eyes flicker between the way his long, dexterous fingers rest on his bent knee to the way his lips still are stained with your blood. You breathe, “Will you…” You swallow, unable to get the last words from your dry throat.

“Yes?” he encourages you, his voice barely more than a rasp.

“Will you… kiss me?” You feel your stomach drop in horror at your boldness.

But your daring earns you a smile that flashes his brilliant white teeth at you. “I thought you would never ask, darling…” he purrs, lowering his mouth once more. It is quick, well, quicker than you would like. His lips press softly on yours, the coppery taste of your blood touching your tongue. He begins to withdraw, but you aren’t done, your heart races again. Your hand flies into his silver hair, holding gently at the base of his neck, trying to hang on for one more moment. You feel his muscles soften, relaxing as he feels your want. That you invite him closer. His own hand moves similarly, tenderly lifting your chin, his lips beginning to move almost imperceptibly between yours.

You taste yourself more on his mouth, the slow languorous way he works into yours, sharing that flavor bit by bit.

Until he pulls back. You let him. Careful not to push, or tug him. Not to break his trust, for as much as he begs you for yours.

“So much for no more bites in the night,” he laughs quietly. “I… do like that, you know. It is ever so much more fun when you are awake.”

You say nothing. No coherent words can form on your tongue or in your mind. So instead you nod, you smile, your hand trying to grab the twisted blanket to fit back around you.

But his pale hands reach for it first. “Go back to sleep, darling,” he repeats, quieter than before as he pulls the woolen wrap to cover your body.

You feel sleep tugging you under at last, the soft throb of your neck almost as sweet as the ghost of his kiss on your lips.

And as you close your eyes, you breathe, almost feeling that powerful, glowing gaze watching you from his tent. Watching over you until the light of dawn.

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My other Astarion x Reader fics:

“The Rogue You Were:” part 1–Welcome me (NSFW)

“The Rogue You Were:” part 2-Cleanse me (NSFW)

“Just A Drop:” drabble as he turns Tav

[milfsloverblog]

Stood Up (Part 3) (NSFW)

Larissa Weems x fem!reader

Part 1 Part 2

A/N: This took me so long to write, I reaaaally wanted to write the angst (beware) but then got stuck at the smutty part (which is why it isn’t as detailed). I hope you’ll enjoy reading this chapter as much as the previous ones! Lil reminder that my requests are open and I’ll happily write for any of Gwen’s characters <3

~1,8k

Saying you had fallen for Larissa would be an understatement. In a couple of weeks the tall woman had insidiously made her way inside your brain and inside your heart. She was usually your first thought in the morning when your eyes fluttered open, and your very last at night when you went to bed and moaned her name, your hand buried between your thighs under the bedsheets.

You hadn’t dared use her phone number yet. She’d said to use it wisely and you weren’t sure that calling or texting her every time you wanted to would make her very happy. You knew she was a busy woman, probably working until late at night only to wake up early in the mornings, and the last thing you wanted was to bother her.

A couple of times you had thought about sending her flowers, you even had the perfect bouquet in mind. Some black pearl amaryllis paired with baby’s breath and eucalyptus. Love and passion, new beginnings, protection. The perfect bouquet. But you had no idea which school to send it to and even if you had, you still weren’t sure that sending flowers to a woman you were having casual sex with was a good idea.

———��

You sighed as you flipped the sign on your shop window, staring at the word “closed” written in bold letters while you locked the door. Thursdays were always slow and you had only made a few sales that day. You hated Thursdays more than Mondays, but at least you had Fridays to look forward to. Even more now that you knew Larissa.

“Lydia!” You called as you walked past Ellen’s and noticed your friend taking her cigarette break outside the restaurant.

The girl stubbed out her cigarette and waved as you approached her, pushing an awkward smile.

“Are you alright ?” You asked with a soft chuckle, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

“No, no I’m fine! It’s just…It’s so rare to see you on Thursdays!” Lydia laughed uncomfortably and rubbed the back of her neck.

You were about to answer when you noticed it, the silver hair through the restaurant window. You couldn’t believe your luck.

“Larissa!” You whispered, watching the woman for a few seconds before moving to walk inside the restaurant.

“No, no wait-“ Lydia tried to hold you back but it was too late, you had already pushed the door open and taken a few steps towards Larissa’s table.

That’s when you finally realised that another woman was sitting across from Larissa. A redhead with big glasses who looked around Larissa’s age.

The tall woman leaned in a little, telling her companion something that made her laugh loudly. Larissa smiled, looking proud of herself and you watched as the redhead put her hand on the blonde’s one on the table.

Oh. Oh. It suddenly dawned on you that you were witnessing a date.

You took a step back and accidentally bumped into Lydia who dropped the empty plates that she had been carrying. Immediately the whole restaurant turned to look at the two of you, including Larissa and her companion.

You kneeled at the same time as Lydia did to pick up the broken pieces of glass, your back turned to Larissa.

“I’m sorry, babe,” Lydia whispered, glancing at the tall woman still sitting down in her booth. “I tried to tell you, I…I’ll spit in their food if that makes you feel better.”

You looked at your friend, eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill, and shook your head.

“That won’t be necessary.” You managed to say, “We’re not together. She’s free to see whoever she wishes to see.”

With that you got back on your feet and took a deep breath, turning around to look at Larissa who immediately pulled her hand away from the redhead’s. She opened her mouth to speak but you didn’t care enough to listen, instead choosing to get out of the restaurant as quickly as you could.

As soon as the building was out of sight you burst into loud sobs, letting the tears run freely down your cheeks. And it was silly, you knew that. Larissa didn’t owe you anything, she wasn’t yours and you weren’t hers. You weren’t even mad at her, you were mad at yourself for allowing this to happen.

Of course, she would want to date someone more like her. Someone her age, someone who did more in life than owning a flower shop. You knew that you were different from Larissa in almost every aspect but somehow you had hoped that maybe…

Fuck, it hurt. Your heart squeezed painfully in your chest as you realised that you had fallen in love with a woman who probably saw you as a mere distraction. And you could never be mad at her, because it was all your fault.

——————

The next few days were hell. Every time you closed your eyes you’d see images of Larissa and that redhead woman and it made you sick to your stomach. So much so that you skipped dining at Ellen’s that Friday.

You resented every single person that came into your shop to buy flowers for their partner, your teeth grinding each time someone mentioned their loved one.

“Your partner is lucky, I bet they get showered in flowers a lot.” The tall man standing on the other side of your counter said.

You looked up at him and his beige coat, and then back down at the bouquet of stargazer lilies he had bought. He had been here twice this week already. Yesterday he had gotten a dozen of white tulips and you couldn’t help but wonder if the man knew what these flowers meant.

I’m sorry, the tulips said. I miss you, the lilies added.

“I don’t have a partner.” You simply answered as politely as you could. “I’ll be back in a second, I need to get some organza.”

You walked to the back of your shop, shuffling through your organza rolls to find one that would match the bouquet.

“Ha!” You smiled victoriously and made your way back to the front of the shop, stopping dead in your tracks when you saw Larissa standing where the man had been just a couple of minutes earlier.

Your eyes quickly scanned around the shop, the man was gone. It made no sense, because if he had left and Larissa had walked in, the bell over the door would have rung twice, and it didn’t ring at all.

“I waited for you on Friday night,” Larissa’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts, “But you never came.”

You bit back a snarky remark and walked to the counter where the lilies were still waiting to be wrapped.

“I didn’t feel like going to Ellen’s.” You answered, keeping your eyes down as you cut the organza.

“You haven’t called, or texted.” She said, making you shake your head a little.

“Yes, well, I know you’re a busy woman. Didn’t want to bother you.” You shrugged, still not looking at her.

“You’re right, I am a busy woman. But I would have made time for you.” Larissa took a step closer and you put the scissors down, taking a deep breath before looking up at her face.

“I don’t think we should see each other again.” You said as straightforwardly as you could, watching how Larissa’s mouth dropped slightly open as she processed your words.

“Why?” It came out of the older woman’s mouth as a whisper.

Because I’m in love with you but you aren’t in love with me, you wanted to say.

“Because it wouldn’t be right to that redhead woman I saw you with last week.” You shrugged and went back to wrapping the bouquet.

There was a moment of silence before Larissa suddenly started laughing, and it made the anger bubble in your body.

“Yeah, it’s so funny, isn’t it? So, so funny.” You said through gritted teeth. “I really hope it made you feel good about yourself, me fucking you and you fucking me. I know I’m not good enough to be with someone like you, hell you probably wouldn’t even look at me if I walked past you down the street. But, fuck, it hurts. It hurts to know that if I had been a little more like that redhead, maybe you would have wanted me. Really wanted me, like I want you.”

Larissa had stopped laughing then, her blue eyes wide as she listened to your rant. She frowned because she thought she’d understood what you were implying but it couldn’t be. You couldn’t possibly be in love with her.

“Marilyn, the redhead, is my employee.” She eventually said after a few seconds. “And she is the closest thing I have to a friend. I don’t know what you think you saw that night at Ellen’s, but it wasn’t a date. We do like and respect each other, but it’s nothing like that.”

You just stood there quietly, realising you had been even more stupid than you’d thought. You wanted nothing more than to disappear.

“You fell in love with me…” Larissa said barely audibly and you shrugged, fidgeting with the lilies in your hands.

The cat was out of the bag now, it would be useless to deny your feelings after your clear display of jealousy.

“Yes, I did. Can you really blame me though? You’re everything anyone could wish for.” You eventually said, daring to look up at the tall woman.

Larissa leaned on the counter, her face stopping only a few inches from yours.

“Tell me again how we shouldn’t be seeing each other.” She whispered, her eyes dropping to your lips.

What happened next happened so quickly, you barely had time to register it. You closed the gap between Larissa’s lips and yours, her hand immediately grabbing the back of your neck to pull you closer.

She walked around the counter and lifted you as if you weighed no more than a feather, only to take you to the back of the shop and lay you down on the workbench where you prepped the flowers each morning.

You could smell the roses and carnations that surrounded you when Larissa kneeled between your now naked legs, a couple of thorns dug into your back but you could not have cared less.

“Have me, please!” You begged, aching to feel the woman’s touch on your skin again.

How special it was, you thought as you looked down into Larissa’s eyes and she looked up into yours, to have a goddess kneeled between her worshiper’s thighs, her mouth and chin slicked with their arousal.

You knew you wouldn’t last long when the coil in your tummy tightened dangerously, threatening to snap at any second.

When you came moaning Larissa’s name, the woman’s heart swelled in her chest. You loved her. Someone loved her. She was loved, finally.

“I love you too.” Larissa whispered in your ear as you came down from your high, placing a soft kiss on your panting lips.

She loved you.

Thank god. Thank god for the imbecile who had stood her up.

[loveandpeaceanddoughnuts]

excerpt from the first chapter of my slow burn Vashwood romance, Like Real People Do [regularly updating on ao3!]

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The problem was that Wolfwood was in love. Hopelessly, stupidly, pathetically in love with Vash the Stampede. It hadn’t started out that way, of course. Did it ever? All he knew was that somewhere between July and whatever godforsaken town they found themselves in now, he had fallen hard.

The blonde had ridiculous ideals, a bottomless stomach, simultaneously the best aim and the worst clumsiness of any man he’d ever met. He was brave and reckless and foolish and brilliant, and he was utterly out of reach. Wolfwood didn’t suppose that Vash had even considered the possibility that he was anything but a traveling companion, a sidekick. Not maliciously, of course. He figured Vash cared for him about as much as he cared about anyone, that being far too much. But Vash cared about him like a puppy, or a very reliable gun. Wolfwood loved Vash like the sun, like an angel. Like a man.

Tonight, Vash opened a nondescript door in a nondescript lodging house and flipped a smile over his shoulder at Wolfwood. “Only one bed, preacher man.”

Wolfwood looked him up and down. “You don’t usually complain, needle.”

Vash laughed and flounced in, sprawling on the bed with a puff of dust. “I’m still not, don’t worry. Dontcha wish you could bring a girl back or somethin’ though? Must get old havin’ to share with me.”

Wolfwood looked intently at his cigarette. “Sure. But I wouldn’t want ya to get lonely. Not my fault you always strike out.”

Vash pouted. “C’mon, they just don’t know what they’re missin’!” He put on an exaggerated baritone voice. “The six million double dollar man, the Humanoid Typhoon, the peace-loving gunman! Ladies can’t help swooning for me!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Wolfwood smirked. “Just lemme know before you kick me out for your conquests, huh?”

Vash nodded earnestly. “Of course! I’m not a jerk.”

“Tell that to the girls next time.”

Vash sat up on the bed, a hand pressed dramatically to his chest. “You wound me, Nicholas.”

Wolfwood rolled his eyes. “C’mon. You definitely won’t have any luck if we don’t head downstairs before closin’ time.” He hefted the Punisher on his shoulder and sucked in another lungful of smoke.

Vash posed in the room’s cracked mirror, making sure his hair was spiked up as high as possible. “Alright, alright. Let’s go!”

Wolfwood claimed a table in the corner and got to work building a cloud of smoke around himself. Vash leaned on the bar, his red coat fanning out as he gave a megawatt smile to the girl behind the counter. “Two beers please, gorgeous!”

Wolfwood shook his head with something like fondness. Vash always came on too strong. He’d likely be picking up the pieces of the blonde’s broken heart later tonight, but he wouldn’t complain. At least he got to hold something of his.

Vash stumbled his way to Wolfwood’s table a few minutes later, waving a hand to disperse the smoke. “I was cultivating an aura over here,” Wolfwood groused.

“How is anyone gonna see us like that?” He slid Wolfwood a beer. “Here, make this last, alright?” Wolfwood stared into the bottom of his glass as Vash leaned his toned forearms on the table. “I think the bartender girl likes me,” he grinned.

Wolfwood snorted. “Ya mean she didn’t slap you yet?”

“Heyyy they don’t all do that!” Vash whined.

“Whatever you say, blondie. Ya gonna kick me out of the room then? Give a man time to find other arrangements, would ya?

“Nah, it’s not like that. Not yet, anyway. Besides, I don’t wanna get locked down too fast. The night is young!”

“Whatever you have to tell yourself.” Wolfwood pretended not to notice Vash’s failed attempts to wink at the bartender, who was conspicuously avoiding any glimpses toward their table. Eventually the gunman tired himself out and slumped on the tabletop, defeated.

“Maybe I read the situation wrong somehow, Wolfwood. Ya think that’s possible?”

He blew a slow stream of smoke to the ceiling. “It’s not impossible.”

“Awww man! She probably thinks I’m ridiculous.”

Wolfwood stared at Vash long enough that the blonde started to blush. His voice was uncharacteristically soft. “Who cares what she thinks.”

“Hah, yeah. I guess so.” Wolfwood couldn’t take his eyes off the soft pink that dusted Vash’s cheeks, the way it crept down his neck and reached the tips of his ears. It made him dizzy, reckless.

“No really, who cares what she thinks? Anyone would be lucky to be with you, Vash.” The words were out before he could swallow them, and Wolfwood briefly considered drowning himself in his beer.

“Gee thanks, Wolfwood. Guess it’ll be another cozy night for us, then. At least till someone realizes my worth.” Sarcasm lingered on the last word, like he didn’t quite believe it.

The cigarette suddenly felt like it was burning Wolfwood’s lips. He stubbed it out hard on the table, willing the awkwardness to dispel with the smoke. “Well. I’m gonna call it early. Good luck down here.” The priest was up and gone before Vash could protest.

As soon as he disappeared upstairs, Vash slumped down his seat. Why did he always do this? That would’ve been such a good opening, he thought miserably. When was Wolfwood going to realize?

The familiar doubt that haunted Vash reared its head. Wolfwood was never going to realize, because he would never think of him like that. Could never want him like that . Vash wasn’t even human, just a battered, alien thing.

He picked up Wolfwood’s discarded cigarette in shaking fingers and pressed the end to his lips. The paper was cold and damp with Wolfwood’s spit, but the core was still warm. Vash sucked it softly, the acrid burn in the back of his throat like a penance.

[targaryenofrph]

Subject to Change by Kelsea Ballerini Sentence Starters

Change the pronouns and tense as needed for your verses.

The right and the hard thing are sometimes the same

Thank God he broke my heart in my hometown

Thank God I got a strong gut feeling leading me to somewhere new

I guess, haven’t decided if I’m gonna stay brunette

If I’m honest growing up, it kind of hurts like hell

Just leave a daisy on the dashboard

Back to the basics ‘cause they’re bigger than they seem

Give me that typical, simple love, it’s the little things

Just pull me in and kiss me slow

I could go to bed before 11:30

I could go read a book that tells me not to worry

I could do a load of laundry that’s just been sitting dirty

I could show up on time and maybe even early

All my inhibitions are gone by a quarter to twelve

I could go for a walk and maybe eat a salad

I could pick up my guitar and write another ballad

I could even meditate to live with less distraction

We go back like Pontiac seats

If I got an aisle with a mess I gotta clean up, I know you’ll be showing up with bleach

Got a couple nights that have slipped my mind

Proof and photographs have been deleted

We both know our hands ain’t clean

If you go down, I’m going down too

It’s a good thing we’re each other’s kind of crazy

If you rob a bank, I’m your getaway Mercedes

God knows that’s what friends are for

I keep all your secrets by the dozen

You know where my skeletons sleep

Hypothetically, if you ever kill your husband, hand on the Bible, I’d be lying through my teeth

Even if I wanted to I can’t snitch

Thirty to life would go quicker with you

Wrecks you in the worst way

Your hair’s a little longer

How long will you be back in town?

Are you still drinking that Jack and water?

Why don’t you let me buy you this next round?

I can pick you out of a line up, even with my eyes closed

My hands know just where to be

My body won’t forget our history

For old time’s sake let’s take a ride

Let’s ride the long way home tonight

Every little thing coming out of your mouth, I like how it sounds

I guess they call it falling 'cause you end up on the ground

You can���t live forever with your head up in the clouds

That night you told me I hung your moon

Did you only get me high to let me down?

I’m sleeping by myself in a bed I didn’t make

Did I wake you up on the wrong side of the bed?

Is there someone’s body that you’d rather be laying with instead?

How did we go from summer to cold as ice?

Are we really lovers if you’re changing your mind?

I’m not asking for much, just a little reliability

Baby, talk to me

Tell me what you need

Don’t leave me hanging anymore

Maybe it’s just dumb luck or somewhere in God’s plan

Whatever got you here to hold my hand is some kind of magic

You make me believe in something bigger than just me

Baby, you make the impossible feel like it’s all logical

Lying in your arms, could be Jupiter or Mars

You say I hang the stars in your eyes but you put the universe in mine

Who I was before you, I forget

I don’t get how you broke into my mind and opened it

Maybe someone up there lost a bet

'Cause now I’m saying all the things I never say

If you want consistency, then that’s something different than me

Loving me is no easy breeze

I already know I’m no walk in the park

That voice in my head says to slow down

That’s just the kind of risk that we take

My head is yelling that I could get hurt

I ain’t looking for a one-night rodeo

You’re drunk, go home

Yeah, I know you’re a Virgo, that’s the third time you told me

2020 was a weird year

Ain’t the homecoming queen, but better believe I cried

Therapy for one turned into therapy for two

When you get married that young, you got a lotta shit you gotta get through

If I said I had it all together, I’d be lying

But I’ll die trying

I’m doing my best

I’m letting the rest roll off my shoulders

I don’t always get it right

I think that showing up is good enough for me

Wish I could take it back, I would have never asked if I knew we wouldn’t talk anymore

Sometimes I try to say the right thing and it comes out wrong

I live in my head till the sun’s up

Even I can admit that it’s fucked up

Must be nice to be so nice and beautiful

Were you still alone at the party?

Everybody wanted to see you

Everybody wanted to be you

Was it worth it to seem so perfect?

Did you think you’d feel more fulfilled?

I bought the shoes where the bottom is red

Who the hell am I trying to impress?

I got what they call a dream job

I’m happy with what I have

Even the bad days ain’t all that bad

I’m doing alright right where I’m at

[tinycoded360]

Friends out of water chapter 4---Trouble

It had been two days since Forest had set up what she hesitantly called her tank. Ana paused before the glass, her eyes tracing Forest’s bedroom beyond.

With Forest at work, the silence of the room was punctuated only by the gentle gurgle of the filter. Ana circled her domain once more. If doubtful thoughts weren’t plaguing her, she was being consumed with boredom. Her mind would taunt her with how much she lost. This tiny size made her helpless and dependent. She needed Forest, but she feared he didn’t need her. She couldn’t work, clean, or help with anything in their relationship. She feared it was a matter of time before he realized this as well.

*I’m just a waste of space like this…. * Ana thought. *He’ll get bored or tired of taking care of me……. What can I do to be useful? * Ana racked her brain, but it was hard to come up with tasks she could do, when she was stuck in the confines of her tank. She had even tried to turn back to her human form, at least then she could do stuff out of the tank even if she was tiny. But no luck on that front. Try as she might, she was stuck.

*It would be nice to have something to do……. not just to prove me worth……I……. it’s so boring……. I can only swim in circles so many times. *

Ana considered the issue at hand, mulling over how to convey this restlessness to Forest without wounding his feelings or seeming ungrateful.

*He’s already done so much for me. He could have easily hurt me or sold me off to someone……I just need more……I just don’t want to be a burden. *

Ana sighed, bubbles escaping her lips to waltz upwards in a slow dance. She wished she could do more by herself. It was so hard not to have her independence.

Suddenly, the front door clicked open, heralding Forest's return. Ana's heart leaped. With swift, graceful strokes, she surged to the surface, her arms resting delicately on the open edge of the tank. Gills pulsating gently against the cool water. She listened to the cadence of his footfalls; she could recognize them as his. She blushed to herself. *Here I am like an eager pet waiting for…….no! stop that, Forest doesn’t see me like that…...he loves me, I’m still his girlfriend. *

The door to his bedroom swings open. She eagerly watches as Forest's familiar form approaches. He looks tired, but his eyes brighten upon seeing her.

"Hey there, little mermaid," he greeted warmly, reaching out to trace a finger along the curve of her back. Her scales felt smooth against his fingertip. A ripple of contentment washed over Ana; his touch was a balm to her unsettled thoughts.

"Got it all sorted," Forest declared, his deep brown eyes alight with the news. "Next week is ours." A soft smile played on his lips as he leaned down toward Ana's aquatic domicile. His kiss was gentle, engulfing her small face in warmth. She closed her eyes, savoring the affection.

Forest pulled away from their kiss and then reached into the tank; his large hand entered the water, palm open and inviting, creating a tiny whirlpool that drew Ana near.

Ana swam into his awaiting hand, her delicate form settling into the cradle of his fingers. Her ear fins fluttered lightly against his skin, tickling him, while she wrapped her arms around his thumb for balance. As Forest carefully lifted her partially out of the water, he was mindful of keeping her gills on her back in the water.  Ana felt the change in elements, the air cool on her wet skin.

“I’m having trouble reaching out to your friend, Melody. She won’t respond to my texts or calls. Do you have any advice?” Forest asked.

“Oh…..she really doesn’t like humans; she was honestly grossed out that I was dating humans, and she really didn’t like it when I told her I really liked you,” Ana replied, her tone turning sad.

Forest’s face turned, considering. “Ana, how many people or well-merfolk did you talk about us too?” It still bothered Forest that they didn’t know who attacked her.

“Nobody! Well, just Melody…..but she won’t do anything to hurt me!”  Ana defended.

“I’m not trying to accuse her of anything; it’s just…...maybe she told someone or mentioned it. It’s just odd that you didn’t know about this ‘shrinking’ thing and who would do such a thing.” Forest reasoned.

“I…...I…. guess she might have said something; I just don’t see her doing something to hurt me on purpose,” Ana replied, deep in thought. She thought back to how Melody reacted in disgust when she mentioned staying with Forest long-term and joked about telling him the truth. At the time, she had said it in a joking way, but a part of her meant it. It didn’t matter much in the way she meant it, Melody had not reacted well and had gone into a rant on how evil humans where and gross they were, and how she doesn’t understand how Ana could stand dating any of them. But they had moved on from that and enjoyed the rest of the night, surely her friend wouldn’t have caused this on purpose.

“Well…...it doesn’t matter much if we can’t get a hold of her to talk.” Forest continued.

“She really doesn’t like to talk to strangers, especially humans. I know! Call her again. I’ll speak into the phone this time. If she checks her messages, she’ll likely call back if she knows it’s me,” Ana suggested, leaning forward in Forest’s hand.

Forest called again, but her friend once again didn’t pick up. He brought the phone down close to Ana. The smart device was huge a wall of smooth black digital screen.

“Melody! It’s me, Ana! I really need your help; please call back! I’m staying with my boyfriend Forest. Please give him a chance. We need to meet up with you. If our friendship meant anything, please call back!” Ana pleaded, her tone desperate. She really hoped her friend had some knowledge of this shrinking method or knew someone who did.

After the message was left, Forest removed his hand from the water, letting Ana go. He then returned with her fishbowl. “You want to keep me company while I cook?” He asked.

Ana gave him a bright smile. “I’d love to!”

*******

Later that night, Ana was asleep in her tank. Forest sound asleep in his bed.

Ana woke to a sharp pain. She withered. This felt like after she got shrunk and her body transformed into a mermaid. Her scales started to peel off, sliding off her like a snake shedding it’s skin. Her sharp nails chipping off and being replaced by normal dull human ones. Under her scales, human skin rapidly grew as her scales slid off. Her sharp teeth falling out and rapidly being replaced by normal human ones.

Ana gasped for air, water surging into her mouth. She could not breathe!

Her gills had receded, just leaving a smooth back with a small indentation of where they had been.

She franticly kicked and pulled her arms through the water, trying to get to the surface. She couldn't breathe underwater—

 The water that had been Ana's sanctuary was now a suffocating trap. Desperate for air, her lungs burning, she kicked frantically with her human legs, so weak compared to the powerful thrust of her mermaid tail. Her tiny fingers clawed at the glass walls as she surfaced, gasping and coughing, her heart pounding in terror. The water's surface tension felt like a barrier she could barely penetrate.

She weakly paddled to the plastic pink Barbie bed, which was made to mimic inflatable bed floaties for pools. Forest had bought one for her as an enrichment to give her something to hold on to if she wanted. Now, it served as a life raft for her.

She lay shivering on the floating bed. It felt so much colder now that she was in her naked human form. Pieces of mermaid scales still clung to her skin in patches. Her newly formed human skin felt raw and new, sensitive to touch and sensation. She curled up in a fetal position, her arms hugging herself.

"Forest!" she screamed, her voice a hoarse whisper.  She didn’t know if he would hear her and wake. She’d probably be fine, but she was cold and scared. This wasn’t normal. Usually, she’d be able to control this change, but this happened on its own. What if she kept changing back and forth again and again? These changes were draining. Especially going from Mermaid to human. She felt weak and tired.

If these changes happened too quickly and too often, it would kill her. Or if she changed in the wrong environment, she would either suffocate on land or in water if she wasn’t careful. This was worse than being stuck in only one form. She shivered in fear. Maybe this is how her attackers meant it to be: a slow, agonizing death.

“Forest!” She yelled again, her voice cracking with fear.

She watched as his giant form stirred from his bed.  He groggily sat up in his bed. He looked over to her tank, his hair disheveled from sleep. His eyes widened at the sight of Ana sitting on the floatie, bare and shivering in her human form.

"Ana!" Forest's voice was thick with concern. He stumbled out of bed and rushed over to her. He scooped her up, bringing her close to examine her.

Ana trembled from fear and cold, but she was unharmed, if shaken. She looked up at Forest's intense face looming above her, momentarily afraid until she saw the concern in his eyes.

Forest's thumb moved in gentle, assuring strokes across the small of Ana's back. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a soft rumble that vibrated through his chest and into her tiny frame.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice tinged with worry. "But I can't control it, Forest. The shifting... it just happens."

He frowned, concern etching deep lines into his brow as he cradled her even closer to his chest. "I've got you," he murmured, his eyes dark pools of determination.

Forest examined his tiny girlfriend. “What’s this?” he asked, running a finger down her side, feeling the patches of scales. As he rubbed at them, the scales started to peel off. He made a face of disgust.

“Hey! It’s just my scales; I shed them when I change,” Ana explained. Wrapping her arms around herself, she brought her knees up to her chest, feeling self-conscious.

Forest raised a brow in interest. “Oh? Like a snake?”

Ana rolled her eyes. “I guess it’s not like we reabsorb our scales. They have to go somewhere. See, I lost my teeth, too. I just grew normal dull ones after.” Ana explained, opening her tiny mouth to show her giant boyfriend.

Forest squinted, “Huh, I guess those aren’t sharp anymore.” He bent down and looked inside her tank, and sure enough, her ‘mermaid’ tail and skin lay at the bottom of the tank, slowly breaking apart. That part he found gross, but he was mindful enough not to point that out.

Forest set her now tiny girlfriend on his pillow. His mouth twitches in a grin at the sight of Ana trying to stand and then stumbling back down. It seemed she was having trouble walking on her human legs.

“Don’t laugh at me!” Ana scowled at him. “Growing legs is exhausting; it takes me a bit to regain my land legs.”

“I’m not laughing.” Forest defended, but his tone gave him away. “Here, I’ll be right back.”

Ana sat on the soft pillow. She felt bone tired. Her limbs are hard to move. It was true that it took some time to regain the balance needed to walk on human legs. Often, merfolk found a safe place to change so they could rest and regain their motor skills.

Ana shivered. It was harder to maintain her temperature in her human form, and being mouse-sized didn’t help. In her mermaid form, she could withstand much colder temperatures.

Forest returned with her fishbowl. Forest placed a small fishbowl of water on his bedside table.

“Just in case you turn back in the night. If you do anyway, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll stay in this form. But if you turn back in the middle of the night, I can get you into this. I’ll have to redesign your tank if it’s an issue.” Forest explained. His hand reached down and scooped her up.

 He then settled onto the bed with Ana nestled on his chest. His hand rested over her like a weighted blanket, warm and comforting.

The warmth of his body seeped into her, the steady thump-thump of his heart a lullaby. Ana curled up, a tiny figure against the vast forest of his chest hair.

"What am I going to do with you?" Forest teasingly asked, his tone fond. His chest rumbled under Ana's body as he spoke.

"Love me," she said simply.

Forest's hand curled more snugly around her. "Always," he whispered.

Ana smiled, basking in the affection and tenderness in his voice. He had proven time and again that he would keep her safe, no matter what challenges they faced.

Forest gently stroked her back, his touch soothing and grounding. "Get some rest," he said. "I'll keep you safe."

"I know," Ana whispered, already drifting off to sleep. Her body relaxed into his, comforted by his steady warmth and the beat of his heart.

Forest lay in the darkness; his hand curled protectively around Ana's tiny sleeping form. He savored the feel of her curves pressed against his palm, the rise and fall of her breaths, the soft sounds of her sleep.

He could get used to this, he mused—a mouse-sized girlfriend.

Next chapter (5)

[chambersandfogg]

May 30th, 1919

Somehow, I have found myself a fifty-five year old man. While I have had either the good fortune or the misfortune (all these years on and I’m still uncertain which it is) to avoid the ravages of age, my mind is that of a person who has been on this earth for five decades and seen a nearly world-ending war. One would think that these experiences would bring wisdom with them, but that remains to be seen. All I know I’ve gained is a kind of weariness that reminds me of being a boy, but now without any of those hardships.

To think of that boy now brings no small amount of relief, a bit of awe, and a certain measure of grief. My life is inarguably better than it was and yet, I have no sense of who I am really am. Perhaps it is the lack of possibility—when you are a young, the future stretches before you like an endless road. And then, over the years, you get set in your ways, your thinking, your very being. You become limited by your own experiences, perspectives, and, for most, your physical form.

I see it in my colleagues—those I still correspond with, too worried about the consequences of seeing any of them in person. They write of how they wish they could go adventuring as they always have but their heart or their bad leg won’t let them. Even John has sometimes spoken of how his leg and hip bother him, slow him down, though he talks of it as a mere inconvenience and nothing more. I try to be compassionate and understanding in my responses, though I always have to take special care writing him back on the subject, for every time I think of him immediately coming into mortal danger when arriving at the front, a kind of furious anger fills me, the likes of which I have not felt before. It embarrasses me, to still be so easily riled by the events of a war already being written about in history books, but everything with John always did provoke me faster than anything else.

I have yet to see him in person—travel still limited in the way that it is—but I fear he will try to hide from me the more serious ways in which his injuries affect him. He certainly went through a considerable amount of effort to hide the incident from me in the first place, always skating past my questions in his letters and having me write, not to the infirmary, but the neighboring town. In any event, the burns did not seem to slow him down too much during the war, considering he was right back out there far sooner than I would have preferred. I suppose I should just be grateful we’re both alive—I am grateful, deeply. But it irks me to think of him in pain or distress.

But all of that is old news at this point—I fear that he and I will discuss matters ad nauseam if we both refuse to move on. Neither one of us is very good at backing down from a fight.

Perhaps I am fixating on others’ troubles because I have so few of my own. I am certainly not resource limited. Especially since I began playing my luck on the stock market, the wealth that I have is practically unthinkable. It certainly would have been beyond the imagination of the boy who hawked newspapers on street corners to support his mother.

What would he think of me now? He would be glad, I think, to be out of the grips of poverty and equally astounded at that fact. But would he be disappointed in my fairly sedate life? Would he be horrified at my loneliness?

For all their struggles—learning a new language in adulthood, being so far from their homeland, even if there was nothing left for them in Ireland—for all the ways in which my parents were impoverished, they were never poor in company. Two people so in love they crossed the ocean with only the other to talk to; who had a child to enrich their life, not fill it; who made a warm and loving home out of a one-room tenement in the middle of a strange nation—these were not people who were lonely. It hurts to think of how they would have grown together as they aged, of the way their love would have deepened if father had never died. Perhaps mother would have been more inclined to travel, less afraid to stray too far from her husband’s grave for too long. Maybe her vibrancy and sharp mind would not have withered on the vine, the way I’ve no doubt father’s would have if she had been the one to an early grave. I never would have been company enough for either of them. No child could have filled that hole of grief.

Which is why I can never take a wife, nor have a child. It pains me—a sword in the soft spot of my chest—but there is nothing for it. Despite the fact that I’m sure I could find one—while I may not be much to look at, especially off stage, I am rich and, as far as anyone knows, of good stock and name. The myth of Charles Chambers has become so complete that no one remembers he appeared from thin air like one of his illusions. Charlie Coughlin, for them, was never alive.

So, yes, I could get a wife with ease—one who would, no doubt, be beautiful and clever and eager to start a family. Perhaps I could even contrive some kind of disguise to age with her, tell the children the truth when they are older. But I would have to watch them march off to the afterlife as well, and I’m not sure I could bear it. I’m not sure I could bear getting married—even without children—only to have to do it all over again with the same lies and secrets. When I fall in love—if I fell in love—I suspect it would be forever.

I have yet to discuss these matters with the one other person who understands, but how am I meant to write to John and ask his intentions toward marriage? I’m sure if he has eyes on someone, he’ll tell me when he means to propose. Or perhaps I will read about it in the papers like everyone else.

I know it is improper—immoral even, in some eyes—to think of such things, but even as a young man I thought that John was a striking��[the rest of the paragraph is crossed out so completely as to be unreadable]

It is best not to put it to paper, even here in the privacy of my diary. There is no point to such stray fantasies thoughts anyway.

I have forgotten father’s face. I had a photograph taken of mother and I before she passed but I can no longer conjure the feeling of her hand in mine nor the sound of her voice. Every friend or colleague I’ve ever known will someday fade from memory, or has already, vanishing like morning mist in the heat of the day.

Now, the face I see most clearly when I close my eyes is John’s. And his face, like my own, is ever unchanging.

[from the personal diary of C.X. Chambers]

[listen to New Year’s Day wherever you get your podcasts. to read the pre-1917 entries, join atypical artists and get access to the archive of 24 entries (5,000+ words), as well as ad-free episodes. to receive future monthly missives straight to your inbox, sign up for free here]

[amandayetagain]

jackparse mostly Kent pov but it’s lyrics from my playlist in chronological order

I remember you and me / yeah I remember everything

i think there’s been a glitch / 5 seconds later I’m fastening myself to you with a stitch

put your lips close to mine / as long as they don’t touch / out of focus eye to eye / til the gravity’s too much

Save me til the party is over / kiss me in the seat of your rover / real sweet but I wish you were sober

two birds of a feather / say that they’re always going to be together / but one’s never going to let go of that wire

it felt just like a joke / I show you don’t / and now we’re talking / I know your ghost / I see her through the smoke

but it broke my heart / in a million ways / then I fell apart / in a foreign place / and all I wanna do / is find a way back to you

people have been asking where you’ve been / they say have courage and I’m trying to / I’m right out here for you / just let me in

and it broke me big time / it’s funny and I’m laughing baby / you think I’m alright / but I’m actually bloody motherfucking batshit crazy

no matter where I go / you’re always there somehow / it’s an endless cycle / even though your body isn’t right here in this room / I still feel your presence like the scent of a perfume

do you miss us? Us? / I felt it you held it / do you miss us? Us?

please don’t shut me out again / please don’t slam the door / you don’t have to keep your distance anymore

I meant “don’t go” / it came out as “goodbye” / you said “fine” / when you should have said “we could try”

cause that’s just the way life goes / I push my luck it shows / thankful you don’t send someone to kill me / I love you I’m sorry

why do we like to hurt so much? / that’s what you get when you let your heart win

guess you take all the pain that you think you deserve / won’t sleep cause it’s easy to hurt tonight

and I’ll dream each night of some version of you / that I might not have but I did not lose

when it kills your heart / but you can’t say no / when it burns you red / but you can’t let go / the deepest cuts / well they heal so slow

tell me why / there’s a wire in my brain / that doesn’t know the difference / in loving and in pain

So I replay every second / like I like how much that it hurts

and in my head / the visions never stop / these ribbons wrap me up / but when I reach for you / it’s just a supercut

I saw you there / but it was a shadow / a desperate attempt of making you feel close

and if the walls could talk / they’d make it sound like you were there

everything looks good on paper / displayed on the shelf / and nobody thinks they should save her / cause she’s doing well

I’ve tried to pray / I’ve bruised my knees / I’ve tried to bring you / back to me

Would it be enough? / if I could never give you peace?

I’ve seen it / in the poems and the sands / I’ve pleaded / with the powers and their plans / I tried to / rewrite it but I can’t / it’s the history / the history of man

do you tell all your friends / that things ended well / that I’m overdramatic it was chill / do you lie and say you don’t want to see me again? / cause I do it too / both of us like to pretend / so we feel like we’re cool

I hope in your head / you see me instead / cause you’ve been in mine every day since then

arguments in your garage / all the ways we sabotaged it / what it was and what it wasn’t / we’ve been swimming on the edge of a cliff / I’m resisting but going down with the ship / it’d be so nice right? Right? / if we could take it all off and just exist / and skinny dip in what we under the bridge

[lightning-writes]

good heart (faulty machine of a man) - 19/30

fic summary: bucky meets someone at therapy

chapter summary: rue calls bucky (alt: nothing platonic happens after 12 am)

word count: 2150

tags: post endgame, pre tfatws, slow burn, canon divergent, canon compliant, au

warnings: none

a/n: we love a flirty bucky x rue moment! also some ruby lore!

AO3 MASTERLIST X

The clatter of his phone vibrating on the wooden floor makes him groan. Who the hell is calling him after midnight? He rolls over and sees the bleary image of Rue’s face.

Panic rises in his chest as he stands. He answers the phone with an alarmed, “Hello?”

“It’s a video call, friend, get me away from your ear.”

Bucky holds the phone out to see Rue in a bathroom. She has the phone propped behind the sink, rubbing something onto her face, and she looks down at the phone.

(He first notices her exposed stomach from the cropped tank top, then her pierced nipples again. He can’t presume her intention, but he doesn’t know which Rue’s getting tonight. And it makes his ears hot.)

“Jesus Christ, James,” she startles him out of his thoughts. The phone is in her hands now, her face close to the screen. “Look at those pectorals.”

Bucky looks down at his shirtlessness. Automatically, his hand flies up to cover himself.

In a muffle tone that he can only believe is to herself, she mutters, “I mean, I knew you were jacked, but goddamn.”

(Bucky has no idea how he should feel about this statement, but it certainly does make him feel something.)

She sets the phone back down and begins to braid her hair. To him, she says, “Vick has Frank over, so I thought I’d call you. I’m just getting ready for bed.” She peeks down at the phone. “Were you sleeping?”

“Kinda.” He wasn’t, but his answer is more acceptable than saying he was trying to find a comfortable spot on the floor of his nearly empty living room. “But, it’s fine.”

“Great.” She applies something else to her face, taking her time rubbing it into the skin. “I just had half a bottle of wine, so be prepared for that.”

(He makes a non-committal noise, wondering what drove her to drink.)

“Anyway, what’s up, how was your day?”

“Uh, fine?” He walks into his dark bedroom and finds a shirt. He doesn’t even have a lamp; he has to turn on the bright overhead light and frowns. He sits on his bed with only one pillow left. “How was yours?” he asks, unsure.

He watches her walk from the bathroom to her bedroom. She sits on the bed with a huff, and he notices the shelves above her headboard. Dried orange slices and small twinkling light hang from the bottom shelf, and he sees a plant vine that nearly brushes her head. Under the shelves, there are photographs taped to her wall, some people, some landscapes. He sees the shine of a still wrapped condom when he averts his eyes.

 “Glad you asked.” She calls attention back down to her. “So, you know how I work at Waterway? Well, so did Maeve, until we broke up, so everyone working there knows our story and mostly everyone knows about the whole Dean situation. So, apparently, Maeve just posted her engagement to Instagram, and literally, Bucky, I kid you not, everyone on staff asked me about it. If I was sad about it, if I’d seen it. As if I didn’t block her on all my socials already! You’d think they’d have more decorum, but obviously not!”

“I’m sorry,” Bucky offers. He got lost in the rant for a moment, but he finds his way out by the end.

She plows through his sympathy. “So, I went– wait, are you… against hooking up or anything?”

“What?” He’s confused by the sharp turn of conversation.

“I mean, being from the 1940’s and all that,” she says impatiently, “I don’t want to offend you with my sexcapades.” 

“You won’t,” he nearly laughs. “Trust me.”

(She pauses for too long a moment, and he wishes he knew what she was thinking.) 

“Okay, so I went to this lesbian bar I’d gone to with Maeve once, and tried to hook up with someone, but I had no luck - I bet the loser vibes were just emanating off me - so I asked Vick if we could have a girls’ night. And she’d said yes, but then canceled at the last minute!” She brings the phone close to her face again, to whisper, “Frank asked her to dinner, and she thinks he’s going to propose soon, so I guess she’s jumping at every opportunity? I don’t know, I don’t believe in marriage.”

“Didn’t you prop–”

“Anyway,” she says dramatically, giving him a hard look through the screen. He suppresses a grin. “So, while they were out - which I’d like to point out, it was ten o’clock when this happened - Dean came over, like he fucking knew I was alone and rejected, and he dropped off my stuff I’d left at his apartment. And I told him I’m not returning shit because it’s not like I’m keeping fucking tabs on all the belongings in my house!”

Bucky notes how much she swears but doesn’t comment on it. Instead, he asks, “Is that a normal thing to do?”

“Have you ever watched a ‘90’s sitcom?” Rue scoffs. She’s now laying in her bed. She brushes the end of her braid over her face idly.

“Actually–”

She doesn’t let him finish. “So, after he left, I had my wine, I did my skincare, and I called you – lucky you!”

“Lucky me.” He tucks his arm behind his head. She watches him with another expression he can’t place. “Aren’t you tired, after all that?”

She sighs, her mouth twisted in a rueful smile. “Honestly, my brain won’t shut up.”

“I can’t sleep, either,” he confesses after a beat.

(He’s tempted to tell her he can come over or they could go somewhere, but he doesn’t want to fluster her, like she’s been.)

“Give me a house tour,” she declares unprompted. She’s laying on her side, giving him a playfully stern face. “You’ve been to my place, but I’ve never seen yours.”

“You didn’t give me a tour.”

“You didn’t ask for one.”

He rolls his eyes, schooling his amused look. “There isn’t much to see,” he admits.

“I demand entertainment, Barnes,” she pounds a fist into her bed.

(His brain stalls when she calls him by his last name.)

Bucky gets up and turns the front facing camera to his bedroom. He has a dresser, a laundry hamper, and a nightstand. He doesn’t give commentary as he enters the living room, showing his TV, still on, his record player, its speakers, and his small couch. He discreetly kicks away his sleeping setup on the floor as he moves to the kitchen. Rue watches, quietly, drinking from a cup with a familiar bird logo.

“That’s it,” he suppresses a yawn as he sits on the couch. “I told you, not much to see.”

“Oh, but it definitely entertained me,” she says. She looks sleepy, too; her blinks are slower. “Were you watching something?”

“Whatever’s on at,” he checks the time, “at two in the morning.”

“Hmmm,” she hums. He passes a hand through his still shower-damp hair. She then sits up. “Wait, did you get a haircut?”

He’s startled, fingers still combing through his hair. “...uh, yes?”

“You know, if I knew calling you was just going to be a thirst trap, I would have prepared better.” She pauses. “A thirst trap is–”

“Yeah, I actually know what that one means,” he interrupts.

(He briefly wonders what she meant by prepared. He also wonders how long they’ll continue this dance. WIll it end in a grand finale or will the song scratch to a stop?)

She gives him a curious look. “So, you know what you’re doing.”

He shrugs, “I’m just existing.”

“Well, exist less hot when I’m too drunk.” She flops back, dramatically throwing a hand over her forehead. “You know, this is what got us into the Thanksgiving mess in the first place.”

“Is that right?”

“It looks nice, your hair,” she ignores his comment, “I mean, it looked nice before, but…”

She yawns. He yawns.

There’s a long stretch of silence between them, and Bucky wonders if he should be the responsible one to call it a night.

“Can I tell you a secret, Buck?”

“Are you sure you want to do that? In light of the Thanksgiving incident?” She gives him a flat look, and he gives her a soft smile. “Yeah, Rue, I want to hear your secret.”

“I’m… miserable.”

(Her whisper breaks him.)

“I’m miserable, and I deserve it.” She wipes a tear curling down her cheek with the end of her braid. “I’m miserable, and I deserve it, and there’s nothing you can say to make me think otherwise.”

“Okay,” he responds too casually. She gives him a sharp look. “You know, if you were calling to have a pity party, I would have prepared better.” She tries to mask her amusement blooming behind her mad features. “I would have put up a banner… or maybe, some balloons–”

She huffs. “Okay, I get it.”

“I think…” Bucky pauses, eyes avoiding the screen to fully form his thoughts. “You don’t deserve to feel miserable.” He looks at her then, and shrugs a shoulder. “If you did, you wouldn’t.”

“Go on.”

He chuckles. “If you did deserve it, if you really were a bad person, I don’t think you would feel so miserable. Your misery is… it’s your guilt. I mean… you know what you did wasn’t great, and you actually feel bad about it.”

“All right, big boy, we get it. You go to therapy.”

“You studied therapy,” he counters.

(He pointedly ignores her ‘big boy’ comment.)

“Yeah, okay, but it wasn’t like it was my first choice,” she retorts. “Listen, I didn’t want to tell you this before because I know you have paranoid tendencies, but it seems like I’m a sinking ship and, apparently, a glutton for punishment, so I’m gonna tell you–”

“That’s a big preamble for you telling me you almost worked for Shield.”

Rue props herself up with her elbow, again, staring at him so intensely, it almost looks like the video is frozen.

“How could you have possibly known that? That’s super confidential.”

(Bucky had left the gym immediately after receiving the call from The Toad. He met with him at Red Hook Pier, in the rainy night, because better safe than sorry.

“Soldier,” the Toad greeted him in Russian. 

Bucky hands him the envelope thick with cash. “That’s not me anymore.”

He hands Bucky the envelope of information with a knowing look. “You will always be a soldier, even if you aren’t the Winter Soldier.”

“Anything I need to know?”

“How do the Americans say it,” he says in English, accent thick and stumbling, “‘The call is coming from inside the house’?”)

He just says, “I’m a former spy.” 

“You don’t even know my last name,” she protests.

“Is that right, Ruby David?” he challenges.

He watches realization spread across her features. “Okay, fine, I should have guessed you’d do this. Re: paranoid.”

“Prepared.”

“Distrusting.”

“Vigilant.”

“So, what else did you find?” she asks abruptly.

He’s quick to answer, “What are you worried I’d find?”

“Not worried.” She fiddles with her braid. “Just… curious. I’ve been pretty much an open book, other than the Shield stuff.”

To be fair, she’s telling the truth there. Aside from standard information about her and her family, Bucky mostly found information about her rebellion throughout high school, skipping class, failing class, getting caught smoking all over campus. He saw she’d been arrested at the age of twenty for protesting and a string of bar fights. She also had a long list of lovers, ranging from her age to much older, in quick succession. She’d been paid for her relationships, something the Toad called a “sugar baby”.

Her history with Shield had been brief and mostly one-sided. She’d done a lot of research into finding out whether they actually existed and how she could join them. When she’d been accepted, she had started training… and had backed out a week before initiation. It aligns with what she’d said about taking in her brother.

By the time Mikey had moved out, Hydra would have been outed, and Shield had dissolved.

(Bucky had been there for that one.)

“Yeah, you’ve been pretty honest,” he finally says.

She hums, eyes blinking slowly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Bucky is picking up the bedding from the ground and transferring it to his bed as her eyes are downcast. He settles into bed and sighs. “I get why you didn’t. I wouldn’t have told me either.”

Her lips quirk a soft smile. And she yawns again. And he follows. A hush falls between them, just the sound of them breathing. Bucky feels his eyelids grow heavier. The glow of the TV outside casts a dim glow into the bedroom,

“I should get going,” she finally sighs. “I have work at seven tomorrow morning.”

“In three hours,” he corrects.

“Fuck.” She turns on her side. She repeats, “I should sleep.”

Bucky mirrors her. “So, go to sleep.”

“You first.”

Bucky closes his eyes and pretends to snore. He hears her surprised giggle, and he catches her biting her lip as she gazes at him.

“Stay on the line.”

“Okay.” He switches his phone to his other hand. “Good night, Ruby.”

“Sweet dreams, James.”

[comfy-whumpee]

Jane: Interlude

Whumptober 21 - found family. CN: BBU, missing person search.

-

It took far, far too long for her to realise. She needed to do a head count every morning. She needed to keep better track of who was in the house. She should have known immediately if someone had gone. She should have their trust enough that they wouldn’t disappear in the night. She should know them well enough to know where and why they had disappeared.

She should never have given up on Boo.

The thoughts crowded in a vicious cycle in her head as she drove into town with Tenten in the passenger seat. He’d insisted on coming even though she’d rather face her abject failure alone. He was probably the only one she’d bring. He could go out alone, and talk to strangers on an even footing. He could ask around while she scouted further afield and made calls. Mrs Kaur was coming up to help, as was Neeta, who thankfully had a day off. Nobody else was able to come. Nobody else could help her, and she couldn’t know whether Boo had left on purpose, so filing a police report was useless.

It was all her fault. She had brought Jane back. She had disrupted the house. She had thrown something new into the mix. She hadn’t asked. She hadn’t checked with them. She had assumed everything was fine and gone to bed happy that she’d helped someone.

It’s all my fault, she imagines telling Dr Cerasale when she sees him next, for her fucking counselling that she got for her fucking broken family. Well, look at her now. She’s broken another one.

You were responsible for them, Dr Cerasale says back, in her head. He wouldn’t say it in real life but she’d fucking deserve it if he did. Just like you were responsible for your son.

Tenten is silent. He probably understands what happened. She’s let him down, as well. He’ll feel less safe at the shelter now, because of her.

“Let me know if you want to go back,” she tells him as they park. “Call me if you want to, for any reason.”

She’s given him a phone. He’s tucked it into his jacket, and merely nods at her. She doesn’t know how he isn’t terrified, but she’s glad he’s not. Maybe he’ll break down later. She’ll probably miss that, too.

She’s been in Boo’s room and confirmed all their things were left behind. It’s proof that they were driven to leave. This wasn’t planned.

Maybe they know Jane. Maybe she reminds them of someone. Maybe they thought she would take their place. She doesn’t know. She knows so little about them, and she’s been so complacent.

The sun stings her eyes. As soon as she went up to get them for breakfast and found their room empty, she’s been on the move. She searched the house. She searched the garden. She ran through the lanes near the house, imagining them passed out, injured, dead in the hedges. She covered miles through sheer panic. She told Roman, who went white as a sheet and locked himself in his room. She told Kamala, who burst into tears for less than a minute and then forced herself to be calm. She didn’t have time to deal with either of them.

She told Tenten, and it took Tenten telling her for her to think about asking in town.

So now she’s striding through the streets with their one picture of Boo, taken for their passport and never since used. Their passport, that’s still in her bureau in the front room, where they could have taken it but didn’t. She shoves their bland little photo in front of everyone she goes past. She sees the distaste in their eyes at her unkempt desperation. “Have you seen them? Have you seen them, please? Please look out for them. Please, have you seen them?”

Tenten is on the other side of the road. He is the picture of calm. He shows the photo in front of him as he walks. “Has anyone seen my friend? Can anyone help me?” he asks. People shake their head at him, apologise, and wish him luck. From Avis, they turn away with averted eyes.

She can’t do this again. She can’t think straight. Her heart won’t slow down. She can’t lose another. She can’t take this. She can’t.

“Please, they’re vulnerable,” she begs parents and children alike, the former shielding the latter from her raw despair. “I just want to make sure they’re safe. Please.”

She’s not speaking to the people in front of her. She’s pleading with the world. Just let them be safe. Let them be okay. God, she has a brand new Romantic rescue back at the shelter with nobody better than Kamala to keep an eye on her. She’s so fucking reckless for thinking she could do this alone.

She needs Mrs Kaur to get to the house and look after them. She needs Neeta on the streets with the flyers she said she’d make. She needs help. She needs her family back.

“Have you seen them? Please look, please, they’re vulnerable…”

Everybody shakes their head.

[feyhunter78]

Targaryen Inc (6/?)

Description: Alyra is starting to get hope that maybe Aemond might return her feelings when a woman steps off the elevator asking for him.

Three weeks, three weeks until the charity ball, and Alyra was proud to say that her and Aegon’s departments had been doing an excellent job. The public was abuzz, reporters wanted press passes, and sponsors were practically begging her for tables. It was all going swimmingly, and she couldn’t be happier. Adding to her happiness was Aemond appearing in her office with a bouquet in hand.

“Are those for Helaena or your mom?” She asked, eyeing the bouquet of roses, baby’s breath and sunflowers.

He shook his head. “They’re for you. A thank you for accompanying me this past weekend, having you there made the event much more enjoyable.”

Alyra took the flowers and smiled at him. There was a card attached and she read it aloud. “To my dearest Alyra, your unending support and comforting presence never fails to give me courage, I wouldn’t have won, if it was not for you, my good luck charm. Yours truly, Aemond.”

She held the flowers to her chest. “Aemond, this is so sweet, I don’t know what to say.”

He smiled and took the fake flowers out of the vase on her desk and motioned for her to give him the bouquet. “I don’t think I would’ve gone to the event if you hadn’t been at my side, so I wanted to express my gratitude.”

She watched as he poured water into, then arranged the flowers in the vase. “Well, they’re beautiful.”

“I wished to find one that matched your own beauty, but unfortunately nature has not yet caught up to you.”

Alyra felt the heat rush to her face, and she laughed nervously. “You are such a charmer. Maybe you should join Luc in sales?”

He leaned on her desk, face inches from hers. “But then I would be farther away from my good luck charm.” His voice was low, and his eyes drifted to her lips for a split second.

She was pretty sure she was going to melt. He’d been flirting with her almost nonstop since the award dinner, and it was giving her what she feared was a false sense of hope.

His phone rang, and he straightened up, checking the number then heading back to his office.

Alyra held a hand to her heart, willing it to slow back to a normal rate as she admired the flowers.

She was typing up an invitation for a sponsor, hoping to get it finished before the office closed, when a dark haired woman stepped off the elevator. She looked around, then headed straight for Aemond’s office.

Alyra called out to her, “excuse me, ma’am, are you lost? This floor isn’t open to visitors.”

The woman stopped and turned her vivid green eyes towards Alyra. “No, I know where I’m going.”

Alyra stood and put on her “customer service smile” then stepped out of her office and in front of the woman. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to need to see some ID or for you to let me know who you have an appointment with.” While she spoke, she subtly motioned to one of the security guards.

“That won’t be necessary, he’s knows I’m here.” She said, dismissing Alyra with everything but the actual words.

This woman was starting to piss her off. She looked to be in her later forties, with long black hair, and was dressed in some goth hippie outfit. There was no way in the seven hells she had an appointment with Aemond.

“Unfortunately, you can’t go into offices without a visitor's pass or an appointment. If you’d like to wait in the lobby, Mr. Davis can escort you down there.”

“I have an appointment with Aemond Hightower, he should be expecting me.” The woman said, looking Alyra up and down before attempting to sidestep her. “Aemond didn’t inform me his assistant was so aggressive.”

Alyra blinked at the woman, biting her tongue to keep from scoffing. “Ma’am, why don’t you wait with Mr. Davis?” She nodded at Davis, who came and took the woman’s arm, guiding her back towards the elevator.

The door to Aemond’s office opened, and he stepped out, refillable water bottle in hand.

Alyra hurried up to him. “Aemond there’s a crazy lady here claiming she has an appointment with you? She has no visitor's pass, and she called me your assistant.”

Aemond cocked his head. “I don’t have an assistant?”

She rolled her eyes. Even highly intelligent men could still be dense as rocks. “That’s not the point.”

“Besides, it would be a waste of your talents to stick you in an assistant position.” He smirked, then plucked a stray leaf from the collar of her blouse. “Though I would not argue with having you so close during the workday.”

He was trying to kill her, he had to be. “Aemond, the crazy lady.” She reminded him, wanting to run and hide back in her office,

 His eyes flickered to the older woman who stood by the elevator with her arms crossed. “Oh yes, Alys, we met at the award ceremony. We’re going out for dinner.”

That hurt to hear, but she shook it off, reminding herself she was still at work. She needed to be professional, but she was by his side the whole night, there was no way she wouldn’t remember that woman. “I don’t remember her.”

Aemond dropped the leaf and Alyra watched it fall to the carpet. “We met while in line at the bar, you were talking to our tablemates.”

Now she remembered, he’d gone to the bar alone, while she stayed back and listened to the woman sitting across from them talk about how she ruined her cheating ex-husband’s life.

Curse her and her inability to tear herself away from a good revenge story.

“Oh, okay. I wish she would have said that or gotten a pass from the lobby. Especially considering what happened with your grandfather.” She said pointedly.

Aemond grimaced slightly but thanked her for her concern and walked past her, a smile on his face as he approached Alys.

Alyra returned to her office, but didn’t miss the smug look Alys shot her. “Bitch.” She muttered under her breath, before deciding that now was the perfect time to check on any legal issues regarding the ball. She knocked on Jacaerys’ door, and he called for her to enter.

“Alyra, what’s up?” He looked up from his computer and sat back in his chair.

“Some hippie has a date with Aemond, and she was so rude to me about it.” She seethed, sitting down in one of his chairs with a frustrated huff.

“Was she rude, or were you just jealous?” Jacaerys asked casually, jotting something down on a legal pad.

Alyra opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

“We’re family, and Aemond is my office neighbor, you think I don’t see how many times you go into his office?”

“We’re planning a major event.”

“You wore, in your own words, ‘your hottest but still professional dress’ to the award dinner.” He deadpanned.

Sometimes she really hated how well her cousin knew her.

“It’s a good dress, I wanted to look nice.” She argued, trying to dismiss his completely correct theory.

“For Aemond.”

Alyra slumped forward and buried her face in her hands. “Fine, you win, I like Aemond, I’ve liked him since my first day. But I don’t think he feels the same way, and I’m not going to ruin a good working relationship just because I have a stupid crush on him.”

“Does it still count as a crush, if it’s been over two years?”

“I don’t know, I thought maybe we were getting somewhere, he asked me to go with him, but then he introduced me to people as his co-worker.”

Jacaerys winced in sympathy.

“Right? And then he bought me flowers, and was flirting with me, but now he’s going on a date with some rude old lady?”

“She’s elderly? You’re jealous of a grandma?” The tone in his voice suggested he was trying not to laugh, and she fixed him with a glare.

“Well, she’s in her middle to later forties, maybe? Her face doesn’t look it, but you can tell by the hands.” Alyra said, reciting what she’d learned from some late night plastic surgery show.

“Aemond’s into older women, interesting. I wonder if it has anything to do with…” He trailed off at the curious look on her face.

“Has to do with what?”

He shook his head. “I shouldn’t have said anything, it’s not my story to tell.”

“Jace, come on, you and I both hate when people say that.”

He held his hands up in surrender. “I know, I know, but seriously. He told me the story in confidence, and I won’t break his trust, not even for you.”

Alyra pouted at him. “You hate me,” she whined, trying to persuade him the way she did when they were kids.

Jacaerys rolled his eyes playfully. “Don’t puppy dog eye me, I’m not telling you.”

Alyra sighed, if he really wasn’t going to tell her then it must be something deeply personal to Aemond, and she wouldn’t push the subject. “Fine, I’ll drop it, but I’m not going back to my office until they leave.”

Jacaerys nodded. “Fine with me, I wanted to talk to you about something anyways.”

Tag list: @nyctophilic0vitnir, @svtansdaddyx, @fan-goddess, @depressedperson88

[daemonwritesstuff]

୨୧ ———This present is for… @fourtyfourcatss——౨ৎ

A/N: sistah!! it’s soy good to see you again 😍 (you’ll understand what the hell im talking about here) anyways, it’s always good to do a trade matchup with you, this was also very fun but energy taking 😅 I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed yours C:

Your Jujustu Kaisen life is just below here, my dearest sistah!

Wait, Jaxrel… how does this relationship go?

I know you’ve been matched with Yuuta, I see potential with him for sure yes, but has anyone thought of suguru? Probably not but I do, let me tell you how you met.

It was a windy day outside, it was also very rainy too, you were in your apartment after a hard day of fighting with opponents, now this is where Geto comes it, he was actually a friend of yours at first, and since he has children he usually lets you watch him while he does some things, he notices how much his children adore you a lot.

He used to fake having a friendly and kind facade with a someone (Yuuta) but expect Gojo and also importantly you, he really enjoyed your presence, there was something special about you that he couldn’t quite get a good hold off in til a little later, he enjoys how opinionated and honest you were, there were so many things about you that Geto really liked about you.

Now, when you guys are together it’s just so wholesome and just sweetening for a sight, he enjoys cuddling you a lot in private a lot, He also loves the way your hair looks, he would absolutely love playing with your hair, would definitely tell you to style it all the fucking time

He loves spoiling you by giving you simple or thoughtful gifts and taking you out to wherever your heart wants too, if someone keeps pestering you and you are getting annoyed he will take this into his own hands, he won’t let his lover be annoyed by some rando human.

He also looks up to you being optimistic and realistic, he would always just be so astounded out of surprise somehow.

GOJO SATORU: I think he would be very supportive of this relationship! he would definitely tease the HELL out of you both when you start dating, would probably set up some prank on you both, but it probably won’t happen when suguru will catch him.

YUJI ITADORI & NOBARA KUGISAKI: You guys are the platonic trio, You guys are very good friends, friends that would hang out together with Nobara and eat snacks and watch movies and talk about them after the movies done, you guys would eat at restaurants for sure, when they found out you and geto started dating yuji was just super supportive of your guy’s relationship and hopes the best for you both, while nobara does support you but has some little suspicions of him.

TOGE INUMAKI: Well, when he found out he was just like “cool”, he looks up to you a lot actually, you guys are definitely working partners.

KENTO NANAMI: I don’t think he’d really react much, but he would be happy for you and him too, he wishes you the best of luck (😭)

Technique: Attack Cancellation

“I-impossible!! That was… that was my greatest technique, and you brushed it aside!?” — NAPPA TO SON GOKU (DRAGON BALL Z)

So quasar, here are some things about attack cancellation, and I thought it fitted you very well because of your personality, I just felt like this would fit it.

You are the user that can nearly stop any attack once it’s imitiated by the user themselves or other users (and etc), it also includes other attacks such as projectile attacks, melee attacks and also some other unstoppable attacks

This Technique will make you a Special Grade Sorcerer.

Domain: Puszka martwego spokoju — Dead Calm Can.

Now your wondering why I gave you that name from Demon Slayer. I can explain (I’m not good at these much, so I apologize if this isn’t the best.

With using this similar to Giyu, you use your weapon (you’ll see it under this…) you can make most attacks stop with just hitting them with your weapon and around you, you’ll be surrounded by a calmness, wind, and when you see the water slow down into just a glass floor, that’s when you know you can stop any attack with just that.

Your special weapon is… A Bow! 🏹

What was this reason why I gave you a bow, with interacting with you and learning more about you’re personalitys, likes, and more through out the matchups, your personality and just your aura is just so mystically calming and warm, and your able to comfort someone and help out someone in need, this is why I gave you a bow, it’s a very special one too /IMO

[queenofyumcha]

excerpt of 'take heart, beloved'

Ship of this excerpt - Vattier de Rideaux/Emhyr

Another day, another betrayal. White hot fury burns in his stomach and he throws his papers to the desk in disgust.

Emhyr is not a man who allows himself such weakness. So he claws back control, he does not rage, he does not kick and flail and scream, for he is not a child who cannot control his anger. Yet his anger burns cold and it burns for vengeance. His frustrated grip on the quill tightens till he feels ink drip down his palm, smearing black across the scattered documents.

The quiet cough startles him more than he would admit, Emhyr hurriedly smoothing his expression to calm blankness and motioning for his spymaster to leave the open doorway.

“Ah, Vattier. I don’t suppose you could pretend to have not witnessed any of that?”

“Witnessed what, your Majesty?"

As tired as he is, Emhyr cannot help a chuckle. The other man’s presence is a soothing balm to his senses, a quiet moment of calm in the whirling maelstrom that the court can be. Vattier rarely raises his voice above a speaking level, keeping his tone light and impartial. 

“I do hope you’re here to bring me good news, Vattier.”

“I’m afraid that’s hardly what you employ me for, your Majesty.”

Another plot, another assassin to try their luck. The common squabble between lower houses, scrabbling on their knees for an extra scrap of power, another gold coin to line their pockets, a title just a little better than their neighbours- all that fight for a bounty that will be lost to another greater house the next day when court resumes. The rising costs of grain, the rumoured threat of pestilence.

“Enough of that." Emhyr gestures to the reports Vattier has brought him, every part of him wishing to drown the papers in ink until nothing can be made out.

Emhyr gestures between them. "Enough of this. Majesty this, majesty that. When we are alone- Emhyr will suffice.”

“That- would not be abiding by protocol… sire.”

A scoff, far too honest and far too bitter for his liking, escapes. “I write and rewrite protocol as I please, Vattier. And it pleases me to have you address me by my name.”

“Understood- Emhyr.”

How interesting. Vattier has flushed a little, excited? Honoured, perhaps, at this bending of the rules for him, at this faux intimacy Emhyr has allowed.

“It’s late. I won’t keep you from your rest any longer, your Majesty- ah, Emhyr.”

The other man clears his throat and he clearly wishes to beat a hasty retreat to adjust to how Emhyr has adjusted their social rules. Pity that Emhyr won't allow him that respite. His spymaster, off-kilter... How entertaining.

“And what if I wanted you to?”

Emhyr smiles, slow, languid and looks up at him through lowered eyelashes. It’s a delicate balancing act between solicitousness and reservedness, not wanting to appear too eager unless he gives the other man too much power- the choice to deny Emhyr simply because he wants this too much. 

“If I desired your company?”

Vattier looks taken aback, though not offended, but all the same, for a moment Emhyr feels a swooping feeling in his stomach, not dissimilar to missing a step on the stairs. He watches Vattier intently as the other man takes his time to answer, tracing the binding of the reports he holds absentmindedly as he thinks.

“If you desired me in any capacity, I would be flattered.”

Vattier’s words are cautious, careful not to overextend his interest in case he has misread the situation, misread Emhyr’s interest, or misread Emhyr’s intentions.

A smile curves his lips. This spymaster of his is no fool.

A glass of wine is poured. And another. 

Tonight, Emhyr does not sleep alone.

The other man touches him as though he were crafted from spun glass, as though he would shatter into pieces with one careless motion.

Emhyr is flattered and irritated in equal measure. He wants to be touched and to touch in return. He wants to forget, for just one night, the pieces of the Empire scattered across his desk.

He wants Vattier to kiss him, to leave bruises upon his skin so he can remember come morning, he is a man of flesh and blood, not an imperial construct that bleeds ink upon parchment, a chessboard enchanted to keep moving, unhindered by human fatigue, by mortal needs. 

He wanted power. He has it. He had not known what a struggle it would be to keep it.

Vattier fumbles with the fastening of his breeches, all of sudden clumsy and abashed under Emhyr’s gaze, the look of the older man’s flustered face bringing a bubble of delighted laughter from Emhyr’s throat.

How entertaining, the idea that he could unnerve such an unflappable, composed man.

He cups Vattier’s groin, biting back a laugh at the way he freezes under Emhyr’s touch, erection straining at the fabric but too polite, too deferential to take what he wants, to move without Emhyr’s permission.

It’s amusing.

It’s also not what he wants from the older man.

“Do I really inspire such anxiety in you, my dear Vattier?”

He straddles the man, grinds down upon him and smiles angelically at the way Vattier curses at the brief contact, his hands white knuckled on the armrests to keep himself from moving, from bucking up into Emhyr's warm body. Vattier, ever a man of discipline. The other man’s face flushes red and only darkens as the distance between them shrinks until they’re chest to chest.

Emhyr coquettishly places a hand on Vattier’s chest, playing at the sweet young man far too innocent to ask for what he wants, only smiling wider when Emhyr feels his theory of what Vattier desires confirmed, the older man's heart thunderously beating a rhythm beneath his touch. It’s no longer a novelty to be wanted, but hungry desire still tastes just as sweet.

He’s a pretty, vicious thing.

The kind of young man that older men want to break apart in their hands.

A fantasy, to yield and submit beneath them, an otherwise unattainable prize to be broken in.

He leads his spymaster to the bed, allows him to kiss his neck, to pin Emhyr to the bed, Vattier's body a cage around him. Vattier is more confident now, taking as he pleases, his movements bolder and less tentative. It arouses Vattier, the knowledge of just who he has splayed out beneath him, whose legs he has wrapped around him, the power he feels in their position.

The power Emhyr allows him to feel.

How sweet, to think he has any kind of hold over Emhyr. That Emhyr doesn't control everything in this room, including the life of his spymaster.

One wrong move and Emhyr disrupts Vattier's pretty little fantasy. One wrong move and Vattier risks the executioner's axe.

Vattier's motions are hurried, eager at the thought of possessing him, of conquering him in this way- aroused at the thought of Emhyr supplicant and pliant beneath him. How... predictable. Emhyr finds himself disappointed without understanding why.

He wants to ruin Emhyr, in all the best ways.

If Emhyr was a weaker man- perhaps he’d allow him to.

[theworldisquietheretooquiet]

A Lesson in Doors, Dresses, and Daggers

A mostly sweet meet-cute since I’ve been writing a lot of angst lately! Inspired by @fellowshipofthefics' great AU-gust mashup prompts :)

17. Locked in a room & S. ‘I’m sorry I took so long.’

AO3 2401 words

Nienor and Finduilas meet for the first time, get locked in a room together, and flirt through fashion advice.

"I'm sorry I took so long."

Nienor slips in the room and stops short.

“This is not the king’s office.”

The Elf who stands with her back to her, bent over a table cluttered with broken weapons turns around.

“And you aren’t Orodreth.”

The stranger laughs and flips her blonde braid over her shoulder. “His hair is longer than mine.”

Nienor reddens and starts forward to offer an apology and an introduction, pushing the door open wider. Why must Nargothrond have so many blasted rooms?

Before she can take more than a step though, the Elf cries out and gestures for her to stop.

She freezes in confusion and the heavy wooden door swings shut behind her.

“Oh no, you shouldn’t have let it close! The lock is broken, it won’t open from the inside now.” The elleth places down the rusted dagger in her hands and goes over to the door. She brushes past Nienor as she does so, smelling of polishing oil and flowers.

She pulls on the handle a few times to demonstrate the situation and sighs, frustration lining her face.

Nienor bites her lip and tries to think of what to say. There is still too much blood in her cheeks, but it is not all there because of embarrassment anymore. This Elf-maiden has no right to be angry at her; how was she meant to know?

But the elleth’s annoyance seems to be passing, she sighs again then offers Nienor a rueful smile and comes to stand before her.

“Well, no matter, someone will find us soon enough, I am sure.” She peers down at Nienor’s face, and her eyes brighten.

“And perhaps this is good fortune disguised as bad! I have wanted to make your acquaintance for days now. Lady Nienor, it is lovely to meet you.”

Nienor finds herself returning her smile and she takes a few deep breaths. Her heart had not yet slowed down since she had run all the way from her chambers, after realising she was late.

The Elf wanders back over to the pile of weapons. There are many more on shelves around the room, rusted and tarnished. This is probably some old storage closet; it is very small. Nienor wonders what this elleth is doing here.

“You were meeting with the king?”

Nienor awkwardly leans against the door and nods, before realising the maiden is back focused on her task, turned away from her.

“Yes, we had an appointment at six bells. However, I got terribly distracted writing a letter to my mother, and in my rush, I must have lost my way. It is taking me a little while to gain familiarity with all these stairs and levels and corridors.”

The Elf’s voice sounds amused as she answers. “Then you are forgiven for your interruption and its consequences. And do not worry –” She turns briefly and gives Nienor a quick grin.

“The king is famously late himself, so I’m sure you have caused him no trouble.”

Nienor is startled by the words. That had been her major concern and she is relieved to hear so, but this must be a high lady of the court to speak so familiarly of Orodreth. What bad luck to blunder on her first meeting with someone clearly important.

“I – I hope I have not, my lady. It was not a matter of great importance, which I wished to ask him about.”

“Oh?” The elleth drops a broadsword with a broken blade on the pile and the metal clang rings in Nienor’s ears.

“Perhaps I could offer to assist you with it? It seems wise to fully draw on the hours we’re stuck here so they’re not wasted.” She smiles at Nienor as she leans back against the table.

Nienor’s fingers twist in her skirt and she glances at the firmly shut door. But she nods and gives a strained smile. “Thank you, my lady, that is kind of you.”

The Elf waves her hand dismissively. Nienor sees two fine rings on her fingers, one she thinks might have a crest on it, and another set with a blue jewel, on her fourth finger. Is she betrothed?

“It is my pleasure! So, what is it you wished to ask the king about?”

“Well – it is the Midsummer feast in a half months’ time, and I am not sure what to wear. King Thingol’s court had certain traditions, but so far clothes seem to be different here, so…”

The Elf-maiden opens her mouth to speak but Nienor quickly continues. “I know it is hardly a matter for a king. But I had quite an enjoyable discussion with him about Iathrim fashion at my welcome banquet, and he said to always come to him with queries.” Her voice trails off.

“No, you are right, it is just the sort of thing he would take joy in dealing with. But he is always exceptionally busy these days.” The elleth clears her throat. “Anyhow I would love to help you with it.”

Nienor looks at her and sees her grinning, easy and happy, and her stomach twists.

“So, the simplest element to remember is the colours.” The Elf gestures to her own gown. “All shades of blue, especially when adorned with silver are favoured, throughout the season somewhat but especially at the feast.”

“Ah yes, that is similar in Doriath.” Nienor smiles, more than a little relieved that some customs are the same.

Her companion inclines her head. “Yes, it is one of the oldest traditions, from the days before this kingdom, and before my father’s people ever returned to these shores. Blue and silver catch starlight the best, you see.”

Ah, so she is half Noldorin at least, Nienor thinks, as she nods to indicate she understands.

“For the celebration itself it is popular to have small bells sewn into the edges of sleeves and hems.”

She frowns, wondering what the story behind that is. And what her mother would think if she returned in a dress that jangled every time she moved.

The Elf must see her curiosity because she laughs lightly and says, “For many in Nargothrond, summer returns their minds to The Dancer of the West. She who is called Nessa in the old tongue and who, they tell us, danced on the ever-green lawns of that land.”

The forbidden language makes Nienor’s face twitch, her years in Doriath pulling taut inside her, but she does her best to hide it. “Ah, so the bells are to pay homage to her and her skill?”

Shrugging, the Elf says, “I believe that is how the idea of the thing started. But mostly we keep doing it as it is a festival for dancing, and it’s a glorious thing when all our feet sing together.”

Then she winks. “It also makes it most fun when couples attempt to sneak away and, ah, do things best suited for the shadows.”

Nienor feels her whole face go crimson and hot. She does not know where to look.

The elleth laughs, but it is empty of mockery, and thankfully continues speaking.

“The key elements to remember for the garment itself is that your overdress should have a lower and sharper neckline, to better display your underlayer. And at the wrist your sleeve should fall and become wider.” She indicates her own flared sleeves, the cuffs embroidered with small white birds.

“Oh, and,” she smoothly closes the distance between them in two steps. “Dresses and tunics in Nargothrond have been fitting tighter than this since Fingolfin was king. May I?”

Nienor realises the Elf’s hand is hovering over her body. Swallowing, she nods her permission and cannot help tensing as the elleth reaches out and runs her fingers over the material at Nienor’s ribs and waist.

“Yes, it will need to be much tighter than this. A closer fit will suit you better too, Lady Nienor.”

She feels as if the walls have marched in two feet in the last few seconds. Her face is on fire and still the Elf-maiden’s hand lingers.

Breathing quickly, Nienor darts her eyes up to the elleth’s face. For once the bright smile is absent and it is a mask, her eyes calm but intense as they focus on Nienor.

Her heartbeat is even quicker than before, pounding in her chest.

But just as she can’t bear it any longer, she will have to say or do something, the Elf abruptly steps back, dropping her hand.

Nienor exhales, long and low. She watches in disbelief as the elleth returns to sorting through the mound of weapons, humming quietly to herself.

She can still feel the ghost of fingers on her ribs and allows herself one fast glance down to check they are truly gone.

The close space and lack of an escape settle heavier in Nienor’s mind, and she clenches her teeth. Inhale. Deep breath out. She presses her hands hard against her legs.

Nienor leans against the solid door again, letting it take her weight.

She will show this bold Elf-maiden that not all of the Edain fall at Elvish feet with the slightest pressure.

“Thank you for the advice, my lady, I will keep it in mind.” The elleth does not turn around and simply inclines her head. Nienor frowns and watches as she examines a dagger with rubies set in the handle and – are those teeth marks on the blade? The Elf places it in the larger pile on her right.

“You have not yet said why you are in here. I presume you knew this wasn’t the king’s office.”

Nienor winces at her own joke and is not surprised when the answering laugh rings a little hollow.

“Ah no. I am, um –” She turns and studies Nienor’s face for a long moment in silence, then says “I am looking for a weapon, a dagger, that belonged to my – to someone important. A truly foolish servant assumed it was to be gotten rid of.” She sighs and shakes her head. “Apparently it is common to keep unwanted items at the back of your wardrobe, in old, locked chests.”

Nienor bites her cheek, unsure how to respond. It was a far more personal answer than she’d been expecting, and she is aware of the colour that has risen in the elleth’s cheeks and the way her hands have curled into fists.

But despite this, she steps closer and meets her eyes, pushing down any hesitancy. Their colour brings to mind the way the sunlight hit the floor of her bedroom in Dor-lómin.

“I am sorry you have lost something of value to you. I do not mean to say I know how you feel, but I have felt further away from my lost loved ones since leaving my home in Hithlum. It is irrational, they are no closer than they have ever been. But the comfort of simply being near something they touched is never to be understated.”

“Yes,” the Elf-maiden murmurs, her eyes intense on Nienor’s but her posture relaxed and calmer now. “That is exactly it. I have more things of hers but the possibility of being deprived of even one is… very hard.”

Nienor thinks of Morwen, the look on her face when they arrived in Menegroth and were told Túrin was gone. “You cannot bear to lose them in any more ways.”

The elleth nods wordlessly and something passes between the two of them, a sharp second of understanding that reverberates in Nienor’s chest and lodges in her heart.

The following quiet is not uncomfortable but after it has drawn on a while, Nienor breaks it, saying softly, “Would you like me to help you look?”

“Oh, thank you,” the Elf smiles at her, smaller and sadder than before. “But I think I ought to give it up. I had searched most of the room before you arrived and this was one of the final places in the city for it to be, anyway.”

“Well, I am sorry.” Nienor returns her smile. “I will help you hunt down the servant if you like. Make them go and test every dagger in Nargothrond on themselves, just to make sure.”

A short, surprised laugh pushes past the elleth’s lips. “Who knew Men were so bloodthirsty? Again, I thank you Nienor, but no, it was not really his fault. It was a mistake without malice.”

You are kinder than I am, Nienor thinks and does not say.

The Elf-maiden walks over to her. “And, about before, I –”

The door swings open with a bang and they both jump.

An Elf with long dark braids stands on the threshold.

“Finduilas, there you are! I was wondering –” The elleth stops, seeing Nienor, eyes going round with surprise.

“Lady Nienor! I did not expect you to be – here. Princess, I apologise for interrupting. I thought you were alone.”

Nienor steps away from the Elf – from Princess Finduilas. Her mind moves sluggishly, refusing to adjust to this new information.

The princess glances at her quickly and then smiles brightly at her friend. “Egleriadis, you are our valiant rescuer, thank you! Lady Nienor lost her way, and I failed to tell her in time that this door is broken, and will not open from the inside if closed, so we became trapped.”

Egleriadis’ wide brown eyes go to the door, then to Nienor, then back to Finduilas.

“What a piece of bad luck, Princess! I hope you weren’t stuck for too long?”

“No, no, not at all, and it was very pleasant finally getting to know our new guest.” She smiles at Nienor, who cannot quite feel her face it has gone so red.

Egleriadis opens her mouth to say something more, but Finduilas grabs her arm, props the door open with an old shield, and manoeuvres her out the room in one fluid motion.

“Come along El, let us leave Lady Nienor to make her appointment with my father, as was her original intention.”

As the two Elves turn away, Finduilas looks back a final time.

“It really was a joy meeting you, even in this way, Nienor.” And then, so quickly that if Nienor was not staring, eyes still wide and stunned she might have missed it, the princess mouths I’m sorry, flashes an apologetic smile – and winks.

She stays standing there, open-mouthed and processing for a long time.

[knightyoomyoui]

Dahyun x F Reader - “Rewrite The Stars”

HAPPY 50K READS TO THIS BOOK AND BELATED HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY TO OUR JJANG DUBLANGDUNGIE BABY SUPERHERO, KIM DAHYUN! #HAPPYDAHYUNDAY2023💞🎈🎉

I know that I'm way too late on updating this, a week passed after her birthday and I'm really sorry for that. I've been really busy with all the school stuffs especially that I'm recovering from being drained on our midterms. WE'RE IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, BY THE WAY ... SO HAPPY PRIDE MONTH ALSO TO MY READERS AND EVERYONE WHO ARE PART OF LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY!

And since this is released in Pride Month, expect that I blended the story to show my support and respect for gay people. I just really hope that my average English vocabulary and how sensitive the topic included in this story won't cause misunderstanding that might offend any members of the community who reads this. I swear I don't mean to hurt anybody's feelings, all I just want is to express my love and acceptance for you guys. Lastly, this doesn't portray Dahyun's parents in real life. I repeat, this is alternate universe FANFICTION. This has nothing to do to their true personality. TRIGGER WARNING: homophobia and discrimination

A cold, peaceful, starry night in the seaside area where the two lovebirds YN and Dahyun are currently strolling together as they let out the remaining time they had to just run out after spending their moment with some of the things they wanted to do.

Both sensing that their feet are slightly aching from the amount of time they've spent walking around the places they've gone through, YN led the initiation for them to take a space across the length of the stone barrier on the seaside.

They climbed while helping the much smaller Dahyun reach the layer. When they did, they sat aside from each other as the waves of the body of water were now present in front of them.

Inhaling the salty, fresh aroma of the breezy air, both felt the relaxation they'd needed for a short break, which was sent through their bodies to at least lessen their tiredness.

They were quiet for a moment until YN planned to bring them into a conversation to escape the silent and awkward atmosphere they may have constructed.

"How's that for a celebration?" YN asked, keeping her sight on the splashing waves of the Seoul sea with a smirk on her lips.

"The best one I had so far." Dahyun smiled largely, glancing at her lover's side profile. "Thank you for this, YN. I enjoyed it a lot with you."

"Glad that I did, you deserve it Dahyun-ah. You did really well earlier on your class." YN clapped her hands as she tilted her body to face her beautiful girlfriend. "Woah, it's still so awesome. Being the top scorer in the test. Congratulations again."

Dahyun giggled sheepishly and blushed. "Yah! I couldn't have done it if it wasn't for you, okay? Y-your... good luck message you sent me while I'm about to pass out from reviewing motivated me back up. So I give the credits to you, babe. That's for you too and my another way to express how grateful I am at you for being my supportive girlfriend."

Dahyun pursed herself to give a kiss on her cheek. Her face enlightened and heart bloomed at her love sign. "I'll do the same for you when you got one next time."

"Do as you wish, Dubu. I'll need that too since I've learned it's effective." YN playfully replied. Dahyun found it hilarious as she grinned.

The two went quiet again to resume their admiration for the sight they were watching together in front of their eyes. This allowed YN to recall this particular fact that popped into her mind and realize something interesting afterward.

"Dahyun."

"Hmm?"

"We're on the road to taking that first whole year, right?"

"Yeah. It would be our first anniversary too." Dahyun blushed at how special it would be for them to also celebrate once they arrived there successfully.

"We've been together for that long now... and I just think that what if..." YN paused to slow it down and not make it too sudden for Dahyun to understand easily.

She is now looking at her, as that halt in the middle of her words got her attention entirely. "What if it's time for us to let your parents know now about our relationship?"

Dahyun stared at YN after hearing that. It got her in a short recall that she and YN were already approved by YN's parents, who have willingly lent their blessings as a way to support the two lovers.

That was a few weeks ago. They were about to inform Dahyun's parents after, but Dahyun requested that they take more time to do it. YN understood that she wasn't ready as much as she is, but that didn't make YN interpret that she was ashamed to announce this to her parents.

All YN knows is that Dahyun is nervous, and she gets it because this is both their first time being in a relationship together. They have to take things slow.

"I mean... yes, I know that last time you said that we should give it a time for now but I'm not rushing you, okay? I just have this idea that what if we have our own parents have the knowledge about us before we reach our first year together." YN explained her suggestion calmly.

Dahyun looked away and nodded, taking her girlfriend's side understandably. "I do get it, and I agree with you."

YN's curves in her lips formed at that response. not until it stopped when Dahyun followed up on her words.

"But I don't know why. I'm still nervous, YN."

That same exact reason is what YN got again for the second time. She respects it and wants to accept it truly, but couldn't there be a much wider story behind it to make it even more... concise?

"Then tell me, Dahyun-nie." YN glanced at Dahyun, lowering her head down. "I'm always here, ready to listen to what bothers you. You know that I stayed to be your company too, right?"

Dahyun nodded.

"Let me know. What makes you nervous about revealing our status to them, Dahyun? We can use it to prepare ourselves more."

She reached for Dahyun's hands clasped together and held them in her touch to ease the lady's feelings. It helped Dahyun, and it permitted her to breathe lightly before answering your concerns.

"It's just... m-my parents. My family."

"What's with them?"

"I grew up on a highly religious family, YN and this... w-what we have here... I'm scared that they won't let it pass through."

YN went speechless. Hearing Dahyun's fears, it struck her to the complete clarity that she was involved to many church services with a purpose. That's because their family was a lifelong servant of God, passed and influenced through their generations, to become a believer and follower of all the gospel of the Lord.

And it seems that she and Dahyun's relationship doesn't include to one of the beliefs that were applied to their bloodline.

"S-so you're nervous because... you're thinking that they won't accept us for what we are?"

Dahyun nodded, her sadness and embarrassment growing inside of her. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything, YN. I just want you to understand. I want to say again that I may be nervous... but I'm not afraid of introducing you to them."

You were noticing some little sniffs and shivers on Dahyun; indicating that she's dealing now with her emotions attacking her. Being a considerate and carefree girlfriend like you always do for Dahyun, you pulled her towards you and wrapped her in a warm cuddle.

"I know. Don't overexplain too much, I'm not angry. Do you know why I couldn't take your words as a lie to me?"

You began caressing her back and stroking her long dark hair from behind to add the soothing effects of your comfort.

"It's because you still decided to come after me despite knowing the consequences it will bring when it comes to your religion. That's enough for me to become grateful and appreciative of you, Dahyun... that you still chose to love me even though they say it's wrong."

"I love you too much, YN. I couldn't resist it. My heart just wants you." Dahyun buried her face deeper in to your arms.

"I love you too... always, Dahyun." YN smiled and kissed the top of her head. "We'll get through this. I'll accompany you. I'll be there on your side and whatever happens, we'll face it together."

Dahyun lifted herself to replace her head to lay it down on YN's shoulder and circle her arms around her waist.

YN pressed the side of her head against Dahyun's as the two proceeded to view the captivating nightsky beyond the sea without any more traces of worry about the obstacle they had to encounter soon.

- 2 DAYS LATER -

A not-so-tiring and stressful class schedule has just finished as usual. Dahyun is riding with YN on her motorcycle, holding onto her body like her life depends on it. Probably due to her not being too used to it as a medium of transportation.

They are on their way to Dahyun's address, with Dahyun instructing all the directions on where they'll take and the turn that will lead them to her house.

Their main agenda begins today. Dahyun will finally introduce YN to her parents, as per what they talked to each other days ago.

"There, the third house on the right. The one with the second level had lights on." Dahyun gave her final instruction after they crossed another street.

YN listened, slowing the speed of her motorcycle using the brake. It stopped just in front of Dahyun's residence.

They hopped out together on the seat. YN escorted her to take off the helmet on Dahyun's head and fix her hair.

Knowing what would happen tonight, they viewed the exterior of the house, where the two people they had in mind to confront with regards to their plan are just right there inside; unknown to what they're about to encounter.

"This is it, huh?" YN sighed and licked her lips. "You good, babe?"

"Yeah. We're already here. There's no turning back now. I just hope my expectations come true." Dahyun rubbed her forearm and stared at the gate in melancholy.

YN reached for her girlfriend and side-hugged her to show good luck and comfort. "They will. We must have to."

She looked at the doorbell displayed beside the gate. Turning her head, she looked at Dahyun to ponder a question. "You ready?"

Dahyun only nods. YN kissed her on the forehead one more time before she let Dahyun nervously press the button, sending an alarm to the inside of the house.

Opening the gate, she entered first, bringing YN with her as they locked hands from behind.

The door opened after they gathered the attention of the people inside the house. As it swung in full swing, Dahyun and YN saw a middle-aged lady with proper home attire standing in front of them.

"Hello, mom." Dahyun acknowledged the presence of her own beloved mother personally.

Mrs. Kim smiled sweetly at her only daughter and accepted Dahyun's willing hug. "Good evening, my little tofu. How's school?"

"Just an ordinary school day, as usual, Mom," Dahyun answered. Mrs. Kim nodded.

Behind her, a space was taken when her husband and Dahyun's own father, Mr. Kim stood behind his wife and hooked his arm around her. "Dad." "You came home safe," Mr. Kim commented as he hugged her daughter back. He lets go, just for him to notice that his wife was squinting her eyes, observing the young stranger standing with their daughter. "It seems that you brought a guest with us tonight." Mr. Kim reacted. "Who is this, Dubu?" Mrs. Kim pointed at YN. The two looked at each other, and YN gestured discreetly to Dahyun that it would be alright. "Uhm, good evening to both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Kim. The n-name's YN, I'm Dahyun's classmate in our university." YN bowed respectfully in front of the two.

Dahyun and YN looked at each other to compose theirselves. Giving theirselves a trustworthy nod, their hands slowly intertwined with one another.

Returning their gazes back at the married couple and wonderful parents of such a lovely, down to earth woman, the person who personifies those attributions courageously monitored the pair.

"And mom... dad, I would like you to meet YN here as something more."

"Mr. and Mrs. Kim, your daughter and I are in a relationship." YN proudly spills out her announcement to the parents. "Dahyun here is my girlfriend."

Their faces fell off into a mixture of seriousness and confusion. Furrowing her eyebrows, Mrs. Kim asked YN. "What did you just said?"

YN and Dahyun looked at each other, the concerned and frightened sight of Dahyun's face on what she's spotting to her parent's reaction is what makes YN's nervousness and worries increase.

"Did we hear it that clearly? Y-you two... are" Mr. Kin who is sporting that befuddled expression, inquired about the information they just learned.

"Yes, Dad. YN is my girlfriend. We've been together for 8 months and counting-"

"Dahyun. What is this?" Mrs. Kim interrupted her daughter to express her cluelessness about what is going on between them. "You're saying that she's not just your classmate nor a friend... but what? A girlfriend?" She said, with a glimpse of weirdness in her tone.

That's it. YN and Dahyun's hearts fell at that one particular obvious note that doesn't require any long or precise definition to do so. They got the answer to what they sought.

"Are you serious right now, Dahyun?" Mr. Kim mentioned her daughter without her nickname, another one for Dahyun to clearly tell that they are in a serious mode. "You're telling us, right here. On my property. In front of us, your parents who raised you what wanted you to become just to show us the opposite as what? That you're gay?"

"And what if she's gay, Mr. Kim? Does that off-"

"Silence, kid." Mr. Kim warned YN, daringly pointing his fingers at the defensive girlfriend. "Don't you dare speak to your elders without permission."

"Especially that you don't know us well. How disrespectful of you." Mrs. Kim scolded the young woman. "And what were you trying to say? That having our daughter to reveal that she's gay offends us? YES! It's not just like that. It's blasphemy! A shame to our family!"

"Dahyun, when did we ever tell you to be like this? This isn't how we teach you to grow up in the future." Mr. Kim asked Dahyun who is now bowing her head down in embarrassment and guilt.

"I-I'm sorry. Mom, Dad. I just wanted you two to know and understand that I love YN so much."

"And we want you to know that it's not right for both genders. To be exact, two women to engage in a romantic relationship or simply, to love each other. You know the words and so do we, Dahyun. That's what it says on the church and in the bible!"

"And yet, you brought her here, and for what? To say in our faces that you two are girlfriends, while knowing that it's against our beliefs?!" Mr. Kim grunted in frustration. "Aren't you both even ashamed of yourselves?!"

Dahyun is now crying beside YN, who quickly noticed the poor state of her partner as she consumed all the hatred they've got for their own undeserving actions. YN looks at Mr. and Mrs. Kim with poor and pleading eyes.

"Please, stop. We didn't mean to cause any disrespect or offense to both of you. We're simply loving each other and I am here with your daughter, desperately telling you two that we all just wanted both of your blessings for our relationship as we want our sides to support what we have for each other." YN persuades her partner's parents, who actually turned out to be one of the existing homophobes, while she eases the wailing Dahyun.

"It's too bad that we aren't alike on what we believe in when it comes to love. For me, we shouldn't dictate or choose for others on what we should love. Love is not just for men and women only and certainly, if that somebody makes you discover what is love, then you might as well go for it without anybody restricting you." YN said as she stood in her position to defend her and Dahyun as much as she could.

"Enough!" Mr. Kim stomped his foot aggressively on the floor, scaring Dahyun and intimidating YN in the process. "You don't lecture us as if you know better than we are. Twist it whatever you want, being gay is a sin to the heavens and to the gods above. You two are clearly disobeying the wise gospel of the Bible and as a father , I would not let that forgiven for what my daughter has done."

"I'm so disappointed, especially to you Dahyun. After all we've done to ensure that you'll live in a good, normal life, this is what you'll repay us?" Mrs. Kim shook her head disapprovingly.

"Go inside. Now. We'll deal with this privately."

YN looked at Dahyun concerningly. The latter nodded and tried her best to assure her lover that she will handle it.

"I'm sorry." Dahyun muttered before letting go from YN's grasp.

"You shouldn't be. Go on. Just remember that we're not done with this." She said as she wipes one more teardrop away from Dahyun's devastated demeanor.

"What are you whispering to my daughter? Leave, now! And don't you step here on our property ever again. Or better, stay away from my daughter." Mrs. Kim harshly gestures for YN to disappear.

"Don't make us be the ones to separate you two from each other. Stop this nonsense as soon as possible!" Mr. Kim offers a warning to YN before pulling Dahyun with them inside and slamming the door shut.

YN sighed heavily; her eyes became watery after enduring the pain and remaining calm and patient with all of their backlash against your identities.

She clutched her chest and stared at the door worriedly, wondering what Dahyun would go through with her parents' hurtful insults and lecturing.

"I'm sorry too, Dahyun. Just hold on tight, they'll accept us someday." She whispered to herself before she weakly returned to her motorcycle to go home after being rejected by Dahyun's unsupportive and discriminating parents due to the truth that you and Dahyun are in a lesbian relationship.

THE NEXT DAY

YN was sitting in one of the kiosks located on the far left of the engineering course building, awaiting the arrival of her girlfriend, whom she wanted to greet and check up on instantly after what happened to both of them last night.

Her eyes soon caught a trace of Dahyun entering the gate, with the security guard scanning her belongings first before she was given access to enter the grounds.

She abruptly moved her feet, intersecting in Dahyun's direction, and used herself to become the blockage on her path. Dahyun was taken aback at the sudden emergence of her girlfriend around her.

Both stood in their spots, and they shared the same sorrowful and pained look in their eyes when they looked at each other's faces.

"Dahyun." YN muttered her partner's name solemnly.

Without any further ado, Dahyun came towards YN and crushed themselves in a hug. YN felt the vibrations in her skin, created by the muffled sounds of Dahyun's cries, burying her face on her upper chest.

"I'm sorry."

"What did I tell you yesterday? It was nothing, Dahyunnie. At least we tried, right? And we were aware of them doing that to us. Don't take all the blame here," YN said, lowering her voice.

"Are you okay? Did they do something bad to you?"

"No. Even if they do, what they all said about you still hurts worse."

YN winced and twitched her lips in her words that struck directly in her heart.

"I couldn't think straight, YN. I didn't even get a proper sleep from having you on my mind while I'm being distracted by all these rude and cruel words they spat on you," Dahyun said, squeezing your arm. "I'm still in disbelief that they had that side, and I couldn't be more frustrated about it. They didn't care for your feelings, YN!"

"Yes, I do admit that it hurts a lot, but I have to be strong for us, Dahyun. I give you my word that I will do everything for us to retort them into the appropriate attitude they must have. I won't give up on us, okay?"

Dahyun hummed in response, signaling a similar desire as yours.

"Save your tears up and don't be sad now, babe, we still have a day to complete." YN kissed Dahyun on the cheek, which won her a slight smile of positivity in return for being relieved at least.

Days have passed, and they used them to recover and move on from their first attempt at convincing Dahyun's parents to accept their identity and their so-called forbidden relationship.

They still meet up outside, away from the vision and lack of knowledge by Dahyun's parents that their daughter couldn't stop herself from being attached to the only person she prefers to enjoy all these moments while storing this flaming love, almost making her think that nobody could ever do the same to her other than YN.

Same as what could be told to YN, she only wants and needs Dahyun in her life, no matter how many objections and judgments are thrown at them; she will never let her guard loose to express the love that fuels her whenever she has Dahyun with her.

Both are determined in their unconditional love; it looks like the opposing side has to do anything worse from time to time until they succeed in yielding either of them to their ridiculous principles.

One day, both Dahyun's parents hit the bullseye when they greeted their daughter, who had just gone home on a fake excuse.

Dahyun had to stay in the stairs and pause her steps as her eyes widened when her mother unveiled some news to her that easily had her irritated and surprised at the same time.

"You thought you would just sneak up to us thinking we wouldn't knew about this, don't you?" Mrs. Kim said as she presented a polaroid featuring a captured photo of Dahyun and YN hanging out on an arcade.

"M-mom?! What is this? Are you spying on us?!"

"We had someone to do it for us." Mr. Kim followed. Dahyun's dumbfounded look switched to him. "Haven't we told you enough that you should stop this joke between you and that disgusting gay associate of yours?!"

"Don't call her that! She's much better type of person that y-"

Dahyun didn't had to finish her words when she met an unexpected slap on behalf of her mother who didn't allow her daughter's over the limit outburst to her husband.

Stunned by the attack, Dahyun's terrified eyes wandered to the figure of her parents, who stared at her with smug faces. Probably, they are even thinking that Dahyun deserved the karma they perceive it to be.

"I've had enough of this nonsense and disrespect, Kim Dahyun! Listen to me, from now on. I dare you, if you ever set yourself close with that girl and continue to be stubborn. You don't have a home to stay anymore," Mrs. Kim said, furiously warning her daughter, who is now in shambles.

"Break up with her... or we will take everything we gave from you. That gay companion of yours... or your own parents. Make your choice before we do it ourselves."

Dahyun ran upstairs as she couldn't bear the heavy upset housing inside of her from her parents' unsupportive and rebellious policies for her wellbeing.

She slumped down on her bed before throwing all the pillows away from her room as a method of releasing her anger.

Dahyun stared at the ceiling while replaying all the words that her mother told her, especially the choice she had to make.

She loves YN ofcourse, but she does loves what she also have in her life aside from her too.

A proper education, balanced allowance, cozy house, a personal room.

She has what most of the youngsters like her to dream and wish on just to make theirselves or found out that they're are indeed in a good life.

Although her parents are now showing their new side that Dahyun is completely against with, that won't change the fact that they are her parents, the provider, the one who introduced her to this world.

Without them, she will never be standing where she is right now.

Now in the midst of turmoil, it was all come down to this two choices.

Deeply thinking about what would be her decision, Dahyun couldn't help but to be extremely stressed and agitated that she must have to face this instead of just simply being accepted not just by who she really is, but also to her relationship with YN.

Meanwhile, the married Kim couple watched as their daughter infuriately made her way to her room. Mr. Kim who became speechless from the slap given by his wife, cleared his throat and cupped Mrs. Kim's shoulder.

"Hon, you shouldn't have done that. Wasn't that a bit too far?" The father suppressed a slight concern for her daughter's emotional state.

Mrs. Kim shook her head and sighed. "No. That's just right. She must be disciplined. Our kid is growing up to be a troublesome."

She went back to the kitchen to prepare their dinner for tonight, leaving Mr. Kim to mentally contemplate her wife's actions.

THE NEXT DAY

In one of the tables placed inside a fancy restaurant, YN was there on her own reserved one, sitting and waiting patiently as she observed all the people minding their business to keep herself pleased and distracted by the time at least.

After many minutes of waiting, Dahyun has entered the restaurant and roamed her eyes around to find her girlfriend. She saw a hand raising and got it.

"Hi babe." YN stood up and kissed Dahyun on the cheek to welcome her beloved partner. She looks beautiful in her pearly white dress, which matches her flawless skin.

"Hi," she timidly replied, and she took the seat pulled by YN with an act of gentleness.

YN quickly sat and fixed her posture to prepare herself for yet another wonderful moment she'll be having to share with her girlfriend.

She wanted this to be a surprise date for Dahyun, which is why she picked this place for them.

"How are you doing, babe?" YN smiled while asking that. She couldn't contain the joy forming inside her.

"Fine."

That was very... short and cold coming from her. It helped YN to snap out of being indulged at this precious time when she's having to identify that there's something wrong with Dahyun.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Dahyun gave another thrifty response. "Why did you want us to be here? I won't be staying for long anyway."

YN furrowed her brows; that was new from her. Something is now telling her differently, upsetting her anxiety. "Wait, Dahyun, are you really okay? What do you mean about that?"

Her lowered head, frowned lips, slumped shoulders. That's the usual things that YN recognize whenever Dahyun isn't feeling well.

And all of it are evident in front of him simulteanously. She's beginning to not liking what's going on.

"I'm just here to talk to you about something."

"I-I'm listening." YN slapped his lap. "Just tell me please, I'll be here to h-"

YN was reaching Dahyun's free hand resting on the table when the latter pulled back, disheartening the lover.

"There's no need."

"Dahyun. What's going on?"

Dahyun bit her lips before lifting her eyes to match your troubled gaze. She would be lying if she didn't tell you that those looks pierced her heart. She didn't want to do this, but she has to. and she just wants YN to understand.

"YN, I think we should break up."

YN's eyes widened, her senses ruptured temporarily, and the whole world around him turned upside down.

Only the sounds and movements of her crumbling heart being smashed by the words formed like a sledgehammer that she didn't expect to be heard of Dahyun saying it to her were noticeable.

"I'm sorry, but we had to. That's all my purpose of coming here. Goodbye." Dahyun stood up from his seat, alerting YN, who was about to be left alone in this place. They were supposed to share a wholesome moment together, arguably the best one they would have.

YN clutched her pocket, where a small box containing a very memorable item was stored inside.

She stood up from her seat, speeding her footsteps to chase Dahyun who is also increasing the pace of her walk, obviously wanting to escape her confusion.

"Dahyun!"

YN crossed the street, moving next to the sideway where Dahyun is now meters away from her.

"DAHYUN!"

She decided to run this time. Her agility became a necessity for her to catch up her girlfriend seemingly ignoring how painful she had just done to her lover.

"D-DAHYUN! DAHYUN! HEY!"

YN dodged all the bypassers, taking all the available spaces to use it as her never ending way to finally reach her girlfriend. She touched and grabbed Dahyun's arm, rotating her around to make her face you.

"Let me go, YN!"

"I will if you tell me what was that for!" YN and Dahyun were both being brought on by their overflowing disastrous emotions.

"What did you just say? Y-you want us to end all of this? All that sudden?"

Dahyun still tried to break from YN's hold as she avoids her look but her strength is giving up also to her decrease of composure.

"Look at me." YN cupped Dahyun's face. "What happened? What did they do to make you say that? Huh? I know you didn't do it volunta-"

"They just... h-helped me to realize something."

"Realize WHAT?!"

"That even if I stayed with you, I will still lose everything!" Dahyun screamed in return. YN was befuddled at Dahyun's reasons. She doesn't get what she's referring to. How can them being together would cost Dahyun whatever she has in her life currently?

Unless...

"Dahyun, no. Don't say that. They threatened you, I know it. I see it on you! You can't just fool me with that excuse, we both know that not the only time they tried to tear us apart!"

Dahyun bowed her head as pair of rivers were now visible on her face, staining her cheeks wet from the burden she's carrying placed by her parents through this situation.

"J-just let me go, YN. Please, I'm doing this for us."

"So you think that breaking up with me would solve everything?"

"YES! And you know that all too well, YN. We can't have this any longer, don't you see that these aren't leading us anywhere for the better? Why don't you try to wake up and that we're just hopeless after all?!"

YN scoffed, astounded by the words chosen by Dahyun. She just couldn't believe it that it's the same person she didn't mind at all that will display that kind of negativity who's letting out those unpleasant words he's hearing right now.

This Dahyun she's encountering was successfully blindsided and manipulated by the prejudice and homophobic beliefs of her religious parents.

It felt like she was defeated. She lost the battle. She wasn't able to save her Dahyun from all of these selfish views.

"So that's it?" YN's lips shuddered, and the first teardrop released in her eyes. "You don't love me anymore? What have they done to you? W-what happened to us, I-I thought we were going to solve this together?"

"Have you already given up, Dahyun? Because I haven't... and I would never. Am I the only one anymore who's still holding on for us? "

Dahyun disregarded the disguise she's wearing the entire time, unable to resist your distraught appearance making her feel incredibly guilty and saddened.

She cupped your face this time while holding your arm for support. Wiping the trail of wetness on your cheek, she glanced at you apologetically.

"It's not easy, YN. I didn't want to do it. Ofcourse, I would prefer you to stay with me or run away with you but I have no other choice, YN. This is a sacrifice I'm making here. I can't lose either you or my life."

"Your l-life? What does it have to do with this?" YN asked puzzledly.

"M-my parents... they'll scrap everything they gave to me if I remain linked to you. It's not that I'm siding with them, but please I want you to understand what I'm doing here, YN. I can't let them do something to you."

YN's breath hitched, heart pounding in pain as she learnt that.

"W-why are they doing this to us? Couldn't they just be happy for what we are?"

Dahyun nodded as she sobbed. Removing her hands from covering her mouth, she holds YN's hands and patted it.

"I'm really sorry. You know I want you too and it's not a secret I try to hide, but the more we progress... with all what's happening to us because of me, that's where I could point out that I couldn't have you."

YN looked at their stacked hands in agony. She removes her touch from Dahyun, only to pul out something in her pocket.

The small special box she's been hiding since she entered the restaurant.

Spreading her hands, she placed the box on the palm of Dahyun. "What's this?"

"Open it."

She did, revealing two shining necklaces with a design of two sparkling stars, earning a gasp from Dahyun.

"Today was supposed to be our date. A surprise one... including that." YN said as they both admired the glittering jewelry. "Consider it as my promise gift."

Dahyun looked at YN.

"At first, I want these to give it to you as it holds our promise that we will never separate no matter what happens. But here you are, claiming that it wasn't dictated in our story for us to have a happy ending, telling me that your fate is pulling you miles apart and out of reach from me."

YN spilled the necklace in her hands and took one of the necklaces and wore it around her neck. She looked at the pendant and picked it up.

Dahyun was awestruck at how perfect it looked on you.

"So, what if... we'll just rewrite the stars among us? Now, as long as I am wearing this while I have you in my heart, no one can stop from deciding that you're my destiny, Dahyun... and we are meant to find each other again."

YN removed the other necklace in the box before stuffing it back into her pocket, she wore it around Dahyun's neck; a smile plastered in her lips at how it fits exceptionally well on her.

"Wear it always for me, please." YN sent her last wish to Dahyun.

They kissed, lips brushing and tongues danced in rhythm to how they savored the pleasure.

After they kissed, Dahyun leaned her forehead to YN's, both were breathing heavily at the intensity of their exchange of intimacy.

Dahyun gulped her courage to say this, she swayed some hair behind YN's ear and stared intently on her captivating features one last time before they part ways.

"It just feels too impossible, YN. How can we say what we'll get to be if everything that surrounds us keeps us apart?"

YN lowered her head and cried harder at Dahyun's touch than earlier. "Don't you see that we're hopeless after all? As long as my hands are tied, we're bound to break and won't last longer like we want."

"I love you too, YN... but I would be very happy for you to try again with somebody out there who deserves you much as I do."

In an accurate timing to their mood, the clouds that were forming darkly above the skies finally dragged heavy rainfall to the entire area of Cheongsan.

YN was left there on her spot, standing alone in the middle of the rain as she had to watch the disappearing sight of Dahyun from the distance walking away from her.

Before they wouldn't be seeing one another for how long it would take them to reconcile and assumingly start all over again, YN took the opportunity to shout at the departing Dahyun about something.

"DAHYUN! Say whatever you want for me to move on, but I won't give up on us. I'll prove it to you someday! When I come back and we meet again, we will change the world to be ours!"

Dahyun who was about to remove the necklace wrapped around her neck, heard that loud, determined statement by YN. Thankfully, the ears falling down in her eyes were being washed away from being showered in rain; the impressed smile that formed weren't going to be ruined nonetheless.

6 YEARS LATER

Recently graduated with her degree and closing her college life to enter a new chapter in her life, Dahyun was offered to become a new professor in Science, Technology and Society subject by the head administrator; which she gratefully accepted, fulfilling her dreams of becoming a mentor and instructor to the future generation of students.

One of her classes scheduled for today in the morning was cancelled due to the unexpected news she received from the household that her father was sent to the hospital once again, complaining about the stomachache he's been enduring for weeks.

Fortunately, the higher campus facilitators allowed Dahyun to be excused to visit and guide her father, who is now confined in their neighborhood's nearest hospital.

It lasted for 3 days, her father was still getting treatments and operations to aid his illness, which was revealed to be a slightly worsened ulcer based on the check-up.

The nurses were informing them about the total amount of money they had to sped for the recovery of her father,  despite their average wealth status, Dahyun and mother couldn't avoid but to be shocked still at how expensive the costs were.

One day, Dahyun was about to pay the bills when the nurse told her something that is mind boggling.

"Maam, you're already paid."

"Wait, what?"

The nurse on the desk flipped her monitor to let Dahyun witness the evidence.

"But how did that happen? I-I didn't even came here few days ago?"

"Uhm, maam actually... there's someone who came here and told that the money should go to your record."

Dahyun scratched her nape and stroked the side of her hair. "There's somebody w-who paid all the e-expenses?"

"Yes, maam."

"Can I get whoever that person's name is?"

"I'm sorry, but that one requested for me not to reveal the identity." The nurse pouted and shook her head.

"A-alright. It's fine. Thank you for that."

Dahyun returned to her father's room in utter confusion. "Mom." She called her mother who is busy peeling off some fruits.

"Did you pay our hospital bills?"

"No? Why would I even instruct you to give the money to the-"

"Is it just you couldn't remember?" Dahyun lifted her one brow up.

"I swear, Dahyun. I didn't do it. What's with you ask that anyway?"

"Sorry, it's just... some nobody paid the bills for us."

"WHAT?" Dahyun's mother dropped the knif to the table and stood upright in astonishment. "That's a whole lot of money. Who would ever do that?!

"It looks like whoever did that must be so rich and kind." Dahyun muttered, looking at her mother and her resting father on the bed curiously as she roamed around the room wondering who could be responsible for this.

She literally wants to meet that person and show her huge appreciation and gratitude.

A week has passed, and her father is now regaining his energy after such a successful surgery to heal his damaged organ. The nurse was strolling Mr. Kim in a wheelchair outside of the hospital as they headed onto the car parked alongside the rest that belonged to the other visitors.

"We should go home now so you can take as much rest as you want, Dad." Dahyun said before hugging her father from behind, bending her body to reach the upper half of his body.

Unbeknownst to the relieved and happy family, someone is focused on watching them entertainingly from inside the hospital; not too far on the doors, just beside the reception area.

She was observing them well until it was interrupted by a personal manager calling her name for attention. She turned around, and the two conversed shortly.

"It was nice meeting you again, Dr. LN. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to gain inspiration from how you conduct a presentation to the webinar. I'm still blown away with how you presented all the datas smoothly and precisely. It really looks like you are having a fun stay here."

"Thanks, Dr. Lee. It was a pleasure meeting you too. I am indeed enjoying my stay here knowing I could save and take care of many lives of patients as much as I can. And I don't mind, honestly. It would be a great honor actually."

The two professionals in the same field bowed with respect to each other before Dr. Lee and his assistant left.

As she was about to return her attention to where she's watching, her eyes widened, as if breaking a fourth wall had just occurred and shocked her plainly.

Dahyun was looking directly at her also as she froze in her spot.

She had been finally caught, so might as well surrender then.

The newly licensed psychiatrist Dr. YN LN walked out of the hospital, slowly narrowing her gap with Dahyun until they were inches apart.

The shot of their side profile staring at each other with a visible longing and delight in their faces.

YN smiled at Dahyun. "I told you, we'll meet each other again. There you are, you found me too."

"Y-YN..."

"Yeah. Long time no see, Dahyun."

Dahyun was flabbergasted as she traced the appearance of YN. She almost feels like she never recognize or met this person standing in front of her. "O-oh my god... y-you're here."

She noticed the garment coating around YN's body. "W-wait, you're a doctor?"

"Psychiatrist, to be exact... and I'm not actually based in this hospital. I'm on Busan, but some of us were gathered to be switched places for evaluation. Some of us might be transferred here officially if the results were impressive." YN clarified. "And oh, that reminded me... did you like my help?"

Dahyun remained silent for a while before her face expanded and her eyebrows floated when she understood what YN is referring to.

"T-that's you?!"

YN nodded. "Expensive, I know. But if you have a successful job that pays a damn high salary, it's no biggie."

"What about you? How did you go through all these years?"

"I'm became a professor in our alma mater."

YN hummed and nodded. "Oh wow. Great for you."

"Yeah."

The two grinned before Dahyun couldn't take it anymore, she enveloped YN into a tight embrace.

"I missed you so much, Dahyun."

"Me too. I admit I wasn't used not seeing you around in year not until you showed up today."

"I said that I'll come back for you, right?" YN stroked her hair from behind.

"And you did... I knew that you would be."

They separated from the hug. YN detected something that sent an immediate adrenaline rush of joy through her soul. "You kept it."

Dahyun held the golden star necklace laid in her chest. "I knew you would come back, so I waited for you. I heard what you shouted to me 6 years ago. Everyday I never went to search for anybody to love aside from you, because I still have you inside my heart just like you are."

YN's tears fell, as did Dahyun at how touched they were by their reunion. Everything is meant to happen, and their fate would always lead them back together how many turns and spins they took in this world.

Some people crossed paths to fall in love with each other, but not all of them were meant to last; yet YN and Dahyun are exempted for that matter. For them, it was all nothing but a full circle for their own story, which they've created altogether.

The door of the car opened, Mrs. Kim exits and interrupted the moment between her daughter and the person she used to hate and dislike for the sake of Dahyun.

"M-mom." Dahyun nervously said as she stepped back, her hand tightening around YN's as both felt fear at the sight of the person who highly objected to their relationship.

Mrs. Kim just ignored her daughter and stepped closer. The pair is now facing her, as she observes them carefully, squinting her eyes.

"You know...

... how dumb of me not to realize early that you two do look really great together."

YN and Dahyun was shocked at Mrs. Kim's comment.

The mother reached for YN's tender and stable hands, she looked at the woman she owned a lot of forgiveness for the harsh treatment she has done.

"So it's you who paid all of our my husband's hospital bills." Mrs. Kim said to YN. She was actually listening to the two's entire conversation earlier through the slightly lowered window.

"Y-yes, maam." YN shyly said.

"I would like to say that I truly appreciate your generous help, YN. Despite we didn't even asked for it, you did it... but, why?"

YN glanced at Mrs. Kim's confused look. "After what my husband and I had done for you, why did you still helped us?"

"I don't know." YN shook her head and shrugged. "One thing's for certain, I don't want Dahyun to get hurt by seeing her father suffering."

Mrs. Kim understood, confirming that this woman indeed cares a lot for her daughter, and she couldn't be happier more than that. "I'm sorry for everything we've said to you, YN. We exhibited homophobic views to both of you and Dahyun. My husband and I belittled you, despised you, discriminated you for not being straight as we thought we believed that it was better, but no. Instead, we became ignorant, biased and careless of how our words would affect your wellbeing as a part of the gay community."

YN couldn't contain the overflowing happiness inside of her as she cried while Mrs. Kim tries to comfort her by massaging her trembling hands. "M-Mrs... Kim..."

It was simply surreal of her to witness her lover's parents finally acknowledging and held accountable of their mistake. They had a moment of vulnerability, realizing that love should never be restricted from societal norms.

"We should've been more informative, understanding and educated about it. We chose to judge you just because of your sexuality. We realized that are committing more sinful deeds and it's a shame to our part. We're so sorry, YN. I don't beg for your forgiveness, but I hope you can tell that we are very sincere of saying this to you that we've been too occupied, blinded and misled with our religious beliefs and views, and we would really glad for you to give us a chance to change."

Mrs. Kim was about to kneel on the floor when YN forcefully pulled her back up. "N-no, no Mrs. Kim you don't need to do that!"

"I forgive you and Mr. Kim. That's enough for me to be contented and satisfied that you and him knows where you went wrong, and I hope this would be the start of us to set aside that in peace and let me-"

"Y-yes. We'll forget about that. From now on, you're now part of our family... and we want to invite you for us to get to know you more for our daughter here."

Mrs. Kim and YN hugged for the first time, making the doctor emotional. Dahyun was in awe. She was so surprised at this improved, positive and supportive her mother has turned to be as what she always wanted for a long time.

"Are you s-serious, mom?!"

Mrs. Kim nodded. "I give you two my blessings for your relationship. My dad would agree as well too, right hon?"

She gestured a thumbs up to her husband who is inside the car, sitting in the passengers seat watching them in the window with a proud smile. The latter gave his wife a thumbs up in return.

All three of them laughed. Silence ensued as they sink in everything that just happened.

"Well what are you two waiting for? Go ahead and do whatever you want, we'll wait inside the car Dahyun-nie." Mrs. Kim chuckled.

"Oh y-yes, mom!"

Before her mother was about to open the door, Dahyun hurriedly hugged her mother. "Thank you so much, mom."

"You're welcome, my sweet Dubu. I'm sorry for the torment we've caused you both."

Dahyun nodded and pecked her mother's cheek. "Like YN said, I forgive you and dad too. It's never too late to change, and I'm happy that you two quit on being disrespectful and offensive to one's sexuality."

Mrs. Kim smiled and rode the car. "Say goodbye to YN, I know she has to return back to her shift."

Dahyun closed the door and walked back on YN who is standing confidently. "Now the world is in favor of us now, Dahyun. I told you I would never give up on us and  when I come back, I would make it all possible.

"And I knew you could it do it all along, babe." Dahyun smirked and pinched YN's tip of the nose.

"I love you, Dahyun. I won't let anything that will make me lose you this time."

"I love you too, YN."

After the exchange of wholehearted words, Dahyun and YN embraced their unconditional, romantic relationship full of triumph, pride and equality with another kiss as it adds to the wonderful things they possess in the new chapter of their love story together where they overcome the barriers and bridge their gap to be in each other's arms again.