#I’M IN LOVE WITH A LONELY STAR INDEED

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

He who Dares: Marvel star Charlie Cox on moving to Dublin, gangland crime, and perfecting the accent

The Kin and Daredevil star has played alongside greats such as Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, but he says as an actor you never presume you’ve ‘arrived’

By Niamh Donnelly  March 24, 2023  (X) (X)

Charlie Cox is on the move. When I Zoom-call the British actor to talk about his role in the latest series of RTÉ drama Kin, he’s in the back of a car, phone camera swaying slightly from the movement of the vehicle. More precisely, he’s in New York being ferried to and from meetings for what he calls “this new show”.

Cryptic. Might he be referring to the much-anticipated Disney+ Marvel series Daredevil: Born Again in which he plays the title role? He might. “We start shooting next week.”

In the run-up, the 40-year-old has been doing “gym work, and stunt work, and accent work, and just brushing up on a lot of the stuff I would have done before,” he says. “It’s been a while since I’ve played the character in his own show, as it were.”

Indeed, Cox played Daredevil in a Netflix series of the same name from 2015 to 2018. But given the licensing saga that followed, he’d be forgiven for thinking he had long since hung up his superhero suit.

Briefly, a clash of contracts between streaming platforms Disney+ and Netflix left some characters caught in the crossfire. Netflix lost the rights to air anything Marvel-related, while Disney was pumping resources into new Marvel projects and pretending the Netflix version of that world and its characters didn’t exist. Daredevil was one such character. Fans were so miffed that their favourite blind New York lawyer turned vigilante crime-fighter was stuck in no man’s land, they launched a #SaveDaredevil campaign.

Whether for this or reasons pertaining to complex contracts and their expiry, Cox’s hero eventually became the first lead character to cross the threshold from Netflix to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He made a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home, guest starred in She-Hulk and is soon to be “born again” in his new show.

It must be an extraordinary feeling when people campaign to see you on screen. Did Cox’s world change when he became a Marvel star, and was exposed to its fandom?

“When you play a Marvel character, you do immediately become more recognisable, and the fan base is incredibly enthusiastic and passionate,” he says. “It’s great when the fans feel like what you’re doing is good and they appreciate the character that you’ve created, and the show is successful and well regarded. But equally if that wasn’t to be the case, I’m sure it feels pretty lonely.”

Cox hardly need worry about such things: YouTube is chock-full of glowing reaction videos to Daredevil’s appearance in Spider-Man and the buzz around his new show is strong. But even aside from his Marvel chops, Cox has an impressive CV. From his early appearance in the 2007 fantasy film Stardust to starring in two seasons of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and his leading part in the Netflix spy miniseries Treason, he’s amassed a stellar list of acting credits.

His role as Michael Kinsella in Kin might never have come about were it not for his wife, Samantha Thomas, and her role as executive vice president at Bron Studios which produced the drama along with RTÉ. When Thomas first got Peter McKenna’s script, she showed it to her husband.

“Initially, she just thought I should read it because she was interested to hear what my opinion would be,” he says. “And I read it and I immediately fell in love with it.”

Because a Covid lockdown had hit, the prospect of keeping their family together while the pair worked on the same project made perfect sense. Along with their son and daughter, they set up camp in Dublin.

“And it ended up being a really fantastic decision. We had such a great time. We’ve now spent two seasons in Dublin making the show. [During] the first one, we didn’t get to see much of the city because obviously everyone was in lockdown, and it was all just about working. But this past summer, I really got to experience Dublin in its full glory.”

This included partaking in what now seems a rite of passage for Hollywood stars who come to Dublin: jumping in the Irish Sea.

“I did it almost every day. I absolutely loved it. In fact, during the second season of the show, I actually chose living accommodation near Vico [Baths in Dalkey], so I could walk down every day. And for me, the colder the better. I couldn’t have been happier, waking up and getting in the sea before work.”

Whatever was in the water, it must have worked. The first season of Kin, which saw Cox’s character return from jail and attempt to get his daughter back while becoming embroiled in his family’s gangland feud, broke RTÉ drama streaming records with 2.1 million views.

Peter McKenna, Kin’s co-creator and showrunner has remarked that the cast is “probably the strongest thing about [it].” Cox’s co-stars include Clare Dunne (The Last Duel), Aiden Gillen (Game of Thrones, Love/Hate), Emmet J Scanlan (The Fall) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Commitments).

What drew him immediately to his role, he says, was the contrast between what we know of Michael and how we perceive him as we follow his story.

“When we meet Michael at the beginning of season one, he’s just coming out of prison. And I felt like it was pretty clear that the man we were meeting was very different from how the family members described or remembered him.

“As an acting exercise, I found that to be quite an interesting challenge: to play someone who has a reputation of being someone you absolutely do not want to cross. There’s a side to him that’s incredibly scary and violent and dangerous, but the man we’re meeting for various reasons is actually in a very vulnerable place and trying to hide that vulnerability from the world.”

Indeed, this sense of vulnerability or morality is something often Cox brings to his more cut-throat roles, be they an MI6 agent (Treason), an ex-IRA enforcer (Boardwalk Empire), a vigilante crime fighter (Daredevil), or a gangland criminal (Kin).

“I always try to approach any character as if it’s a clean slate. So I’m not knowingly trying to do things in a similar fashion. But I always think that there must be more to [people] than meets the eye. And so often when you’re playing, a ‘good guy’, I think it’s important to make sure that you focus on the qualities he has that aren’t maybe so righteous.

“Similarly, if you’re playing someone who’s got a pretty violent history, it’s also important to see the sides of them that an audience might identify with, where you could easily be friends with one of these guys and not know what they get up to in their business life.”

Cox wasn’t familiar with the Dublin gangland scene before Kin, but as research he listened to episodes of Eamon Dunphy’s podcast The Stand with journalist Nicola Tallant.

“I was kind of blown away,” he says. “What I was reading – what our show is loosely based on – is happening right now. It’s current. It’s not in the past. It’s a real thing. You know, that was a little disconcerting to me at first. I was like, wow, I can’t believe [it] . . . this is ballsy.”

Similarly, Cox didn’t have any particular connection with Dublin before signing up to Kin. All the more impressive, then, that he manages to produce a pitch-perfect accent. How did he master such a notoriously difficult task?

“I have an amazing accent coach – two really fantastic accent coaches, actually,” he says.

The first is Poll Moussoulides, a dialect expert who had worked on Normal People with Daisy Edgar-Jones. The second is Emmet Kirwan, the Irish actor.

“I got in touch with him – I’d seen one of his movies, and I felt like his accent was really good. So, I copied [it]. I had him record a lot of my lines.”

Along with Kirwan, the voice of ex-footballer Shane Supple provided inspiration for Cox.

“Poll found this interview with him, and there was a quality in his voice that I thought would be kind of right for Michael. I would listen to that and try and learn [it] by rote. And then once we started filming, I’d stay in the accent all day while I [was] at work.”

The on-screen Cox might make a convincing Dubliner, but the off-screen one hails from East Sussex. He is the son of Trisha and Andrew (a publisher) and the youngest of five, with one older brother and three much older half-siblings. Acting was something he always enjoyed as an extracurricular activity, but it wasn’t until the end of his schooling that he began to take it more seriously.

“I was doing lead parts in plays and enjoying it more and more. It was during the production of one of those plays when an audience member who worked at LAMDA [The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art] came up to me and suggested I might want to audition for drama school.”

Cox took this advice and tried out for some of Britain’s most prestigious acting courses. He ended up at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, but just a year into his studies was offered a role alongside Al Pacino in the 2004 film adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Because the school had a policy of not letting students take part in outside productions, he decided to leave and make a start on his career.

Cue a succession of screen and theatre roles alongside the likes of Claire Danes, Steve Buscemi, Michael Caine, Robert De Niro and many more. Were there moments along the way when he really felt he had made it as an actor?

“You know, it’s funny because in retrospect, there have been moments where it just feels like everything’s clicking and you’re getting a lot of the jobs you’re going for, and you’re working back-to-back. But in the moment that it’s happening, I have never really felt that way,” he says.

“On paper, you go on IMDB and you see [Stardust and Boardwalk Empire], and that looks like a really clear trajectory. But in reality, I shot Stardust in 2006. Boardwalk Empire was in 2011.”

He also points out that his Boardwalk Empire role got bigger as the series continued.

“When I got it, it was a small part. They only offered me three episodes. And if you think about it, I’d been the lead in Stardust which was a big Hollywood movie. And then in 2011, five years later, I’m taking a three-episode arc on a TV show because things had not escalated in the way that I’d hoped they would from being in a movie with Robert De Niro.”

Perhaps owing to this early wobble, or perhaps because of the insecure nature of acting as a career in general, Cox has always had the feeling of “staring down the barrel of looming unemployment – not knowing where the next pay cheque’s going to come from”.

“I have been very fortunate. The phone has always rung, and I’ve always gone back to work. But there have been, you know, long periods in between. I’ve never felt completely confident in the idea that the work will continue to present itself.”

Cox does however, say that he’s learnt a lot from the uncertainty of his career. “It’s a great discipline, because it really [teaches] you – and it took me quite a long time to learn this – [that] you have to really learn to love the job you’re doing in the moment that you’re doing it. And try not to project too far into the future about where you’re going to be this time six months, a year. Because you can ruin the experience of a really amazing job by worrying about what’s coming next.”

Being in the moment is also key to how Cox approaches acting. “A lot of it is instinct, and a lot of it should be instinct, but for your instinct to be well informed is a really good thing. My experience has taught me that you do as much homework as you possibly can, so that when you’re on set you don’t have to think about it. It’s a bit like sports: an athlete [or] a tennis player. You drill, and drill, and drill all your shots so that when you’re in the game, you don’t think about it, you just play them.”

On the topic of sports, Cox is a devoted Arsenal fan. Will his beloved team, now seated at the top of the Premier League table, pull off the win this season?

“I can’t answer that question. It’s too fraught with emotion for me at the moment. All I’ll say it’s a very exciting time, and I hope we can maintain the standard. I believe it’s possible. I’m starting to believe it’s possible.”

Besides, Cox’s busy life doesn’t allow a whole lot of time for fretting over league tables.

“I have a young family. So right now, whenever I’m not working, it’s spending time with my kids and my wife. That’s my priority. I’m really conscious that when I do work, I work really hard. And I love my work. I’m very grateful to have work. But when you are filming something it’s a huge commitment. So it’s really important to me that I don’t want to blink and my kids are going off to college . . . that’s my whole world. They’re my whole world right now.”

~*~

[matan4il]

Idk if you're watching Lone Star but I am LIVID and if you've seen it I'm sure you have very eloquent thoughts??

about the (SPOILER AHEAD)

Nazi bar thing with Owen

Hi lovely! How are you? I’m giving you BIG hugs and I hope you’re taking care of yourself, my darling! *cuddles*

So I tend to binge watch shows. I know, 911 OG is a glaring exception for me (in part so I can write weekly meta posts for everyone interested), but binge watching at the end of a season is what I’ve been doing with LS. For you, however, I went and watched 401.

Well. Yeah, I can’t say that I’m feeling too great about it. As you know, I was already critical of 911 LS’ Jewish representation with TK (and his mom, Gwyn). To me, doing a storyline like this is touching on REALLY sensitive matters, and before you can do that, you should “earn” some credit. Based on seasons 1 through 3, LS has not yet earned that “credit” by showing us it is fully committed to handling these issues with the required care and sensitivity.

On the other hand, I’m also not livid. So, let me try and share my thoughts, in the form of bullet-points to give each one its space, and I hope they can explain where I’m at right now when it comes to this storyline:

First off, it always troubles me when people refer to ‘Nazis’ past 1945. After that point, it is only correct to refer to ex-Nazis or to neo-Nazis. Let me try to explain why this distinction matters. The Nazis might have started as an extremist ideological fringe group, but they rose to be a political party with considerable influence in Germany (responsible for the murder of several individuals and the corruption of German justice even before they came into power). Once they became the ruling party, which then led Germany and used all its resources to launch a world war, occupying as well as collaborating with countless countries, that increased its strength tenfold. They had power the likes of which today’s neo-Nazis never had (and hopefully never will), and they used that power to commit an actual genocide against the Jewish people, as well as persecute and murder members of many other groups. We mustn’t dilute these heinous crimes by conflating the Nazis with today’s neo-Nazis, who are still just a pitiful extremist ideological fringe group (again, hopefully they’ll never rise to be more than that. That’s on us to prevent). And we must also not absolve the neo-Nazis of what it means, that they CHOOSE to follow the ideology which was responsible for those crimes against humanity. Today’s neo-Nazis can’t claim ignorance about the meaning of this ideology, not when its history is so well recorded. The fact that 911 LS is referring to these guys as ‘Nazis’ rather than ‘neo-Nazis’ is already a bit troubling to me.

Another thing is the humorous reveal. TBH, I’m not bothered by the fact that Owen rode with these guys for a week without realizing they’re neo-Nazis. It does ring true to the way such groups indoctrinate new members, which is indeed gradual. If anything, it’s the sudden and complete reveal that they’re neo-Nazis which rings false. They would not have sprung that out of nowhere on a potential new recruit. It’s done this way to bring humor into the situation, which is 911 LS’ way of telling stories, but this is just too serious of a matter, which means once again the credit to use humor here has to be earned IMO. First show us that you’re not taking this lightly, that you are integrating this storyline because you actually care about things like the current rise in antisemitism in the US, and only then do you get to inject humor into it. The fact that this was not a throwaway joke, the fact that they will develop it into a whole storyline where they might yet show us that they are taking this seriously, is the main reason why I’m not livid right now. But it doesn’t mean that this is okay, it just means that I’m reserving judgment until we get the whole storyline and have a better, fuller idea of how they’re treating it.

One of the reasons why I’m giving 911 LS credit that it might still do this storyline justice is because I know that Rob Lowe is married to a Jewish woman, and their kids are, in terms of ancestry, half-Jewish (and in terms of Halacha, the Jewish law, they’re Jewish. Period). One of those kids actually works (I’m assuming he’s on board for s4 as he was for seasons 1 - 3) as a scriptwriter for 911 LS. Even just based on Rob’s involvement as a producer for the show, and assuming he cares about this issue as a man who’s married to a Jewish woman and raising Jewish kids, I’m willing to assume the intention was good. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll do this subject justice, but I am willing to believe they brought it up because it is something that does bother them.

Speaking of doing this right, Owen is actually not a likely candidate for this neo-Nazi group. I’m not saying it’s impossible, there are always exceptions, but such groups usually prey on people who are young and disenfranchised, feeling cast out and unwanted by their own societies. Young people who are likely to be patriotic towards their country, but angry towards its chosen government, which they blame for their own failures. Owen is older, less likely to be easily malleable to their ideology, he’s successful in his profession, and while as a firefighter he can be assumed to be patriotic, they have no indication that he harbors any animosity towards the American government. If 911 LS was gonna tell this story, it has no way of really doing this one right, ‘coz none of the 126 members is a likely candidate for a neo-Nazi gang. Which makes sense, that’s the cast diversity they were proud of and even integrated into the actual plot in s1, right? I can only once again assume that they took on this storyline because it matters to them, and in spite of not having the right cast to tell the story as it usually unfolds. They can still “fix” that if in the following eps they’ll have someone (like maybe the FBI agent we saw) address the fact that Owen doesn’t fit the usual profile.

Which brings me back to what I said earlier, that to a great degree I feel like my final judgment of this storyline, whether it’ll make me just slightly uncomfortable or downright angry, is something I’ll only be able to properly address once I’ve seen the whole storyline play out.

I hope this helps? I’m here for you either way, you can always talk to me about whatever upsets you, regarding this storyline or anything else. Sending you so much love, hon! xoxox

(more of my posts about Jewish rep can be found here, and my other ask replies here. xoxox)

[honey-milk-depresso]

Wait for me (Diluc x Reader)

Hi!!! I hope you enjoy my little angst! Thank you so much for reading!

“Look!”

A young man with red hair turned around to face you, his cold, ruby eyes immediately softening at the sight of you.

“These are qingxin flowers are Liyue’s local specialties! They only grow in the highest stone peaks, and they’re simple yet beautiful flowers!”

You’re admiration for flowers has always seemed to be endearing for Diluc. He loves the way your eyes held a certain twinkle that shines brighter than the sunlight or the moon’s glowing. Stars had always been twinkling on lonely nights after work, watching and smiling as the young, seemingly cynical businessman smiled warmly as you observed and named the flowers.

He loved you.

He loved you oh so much.

For being someone who loved him for being who he is, 

and accepting him for who he is.

You didn’t care how wealthy he was.

You didn’t care for how famous he was.

You didn’t care for how powerful he was.

You didn’t care for how handsome he was.

Okay, maybe a little.

But you cared deeply about how he felt and you were patient with him, something that he didn’t think people would give him.

And he was very grateful for you ever coming into his life.

But, the past is the past.

=============================================================

“Diluc!”

You were a young entrepreneur who had a passion of spreading flowers to the world, to give happiness and love to everyone. Now, you were about to make your dream come true, by expanding your shop to Snezhnaya. You lookes so happy, he remembered.

“I’m finally going to have my shop beyond Mondstadt! Isn’t it exciting?”

He chuckled.

“Yes, dear. It is indeed.”

“I’m going to be gone for a few days to check out the store. But don’t worry, I’ll get you some souvenirs while I’m at it! And of course, send letters!”

You took your luggage bag, and walked up the plank, stopping midway at the entrance to give him a bright smile.

“Just wait for me!”

That was the last smile you would ever give him.

The last words you ever spoke to him.

The last sight of you he could ever see again.

Late at night, your ship had crashed and sunk deep into the sea, no body to be found.

Your dreams were crushed.

And he was crushed.

He lost his calm and collected persona

because he had lost you.

He demanded for answers, a search to find your ship.

But he knew deep down,

you could never be found again.

You were gone.

He was lost.

==========================================================

“Master Diluc-”

“I’m not in the mood.”

It had been days after your death, your funeral was carried out in the early afternoon under the bright sunlight,

it was warm and bright,

but no happiness could be found.

No warmth from the sun could amount to the warmth you gave him.

And now you were gone, he was thrown away into the cold.

Again.

Now, locked up in his office, drowning himself with mountains of paperwork to drown away his sadness,

like how the sea drowned you to your death. Away from him.

“This is the letter y/n wrote in the ship she was in before it... yeah,” Jean said.

You had wrote him a letter immediately?

“Her eagle sent it.”

Ah, yes. He gave you one. 

“Where is it..?”

“The eagle is in her room, and the letter... here,” she gave Diluc a white envelope with a slight creases on it.

Diluc ordered your room to be kept untouched. He never went in, though.

All he would be remembered is the warm gaze in your eyes when you looked at him, and the calm and relaxed face you held when you were reading on your armchair. All that would do would make him more depressed, but something in him could not bring himself to get rid of your room either. He felt as if your spirit would still wonder, wanting to read more books even after death.

“Thank you. You’re dismissed.”

And with that, Jean walked away.

He held his breath as he clutched onto the envelope ever so slightly.

He opened it.

Inside, was a white piece of folded paper with a dried qingxin flower.

He unfolded the paper.

“Diluc,

        I am quite scared yet excited for this ride to Snezhnaya. I have never went beyond the borders of Mondstadt, so I have no clue of the dangers and wonders the sea can bring. So far I came across glittering waters and the bright sunlight, so this must be a ride filled with good fortune!”

He snorted a bit, half filled with genuine cheerfulness as he felt as if you were right in front of him talking to him of how excited you were. Half was bitter, as he knew that ride was not a lucky one.

        “But, if anything were to happen, know that I would be safe in your heart. I know it’s too early to think about death...but, I can’t help but feel like time is short on this ride. I-”

He paused and slam a fist on his desk. Why would you curse yourself?! Do you know how desperate he wanted to believe he could wait for you to come back, throw his arms around you?

A tear drop trickled down his cheeks.

He read again,

“- I shouldn’t be worrying. But if anything happens to me, I want you to know Qing (the eagle) would be right there for you when this letter reaches you. I want you to be happy and be more open with your feelings to someone. Just an inch, no, a centimeter to someone...that would truly make me happy. I love you, don’t ever forget that, Diluc.”

Diluc couldn’t take it anymore. He broke down into a silent sob.

“ For now, wait for me! I can’t wait to tell you all about Snezhnaya!”

“I shall wait for you, to show me who I can turn to, my dear..” Diluc whispered as he clutched the letter close to his chest.

[mysticalspiders]

I’m not entirely sure if this was the intention with the song or not but I’m in love with thinking Lorelei by Styx from Laudna’s playlist is from Imogen’s perspective when they first met and decided to travel together!

Lorelei, let's live together Brighter than the stars, forever Oh baby, forever

And then the are these two lines:

Her eyes become a paradise, she softly speaks my name

The way Laudna looks at Imogen, the soft way Laudna says Imogen name ...

She brightens every lonely night, no one's quite the same

Laudna being there for Imogen with her nightmares, when she can’t sleep! Staying with her, holding her when everyone else is asleep, when everyone else is afraid. Providing companionship and support when no one else can! Brightening every lonely night indeed!

It’s such a perfect song for the two of them and I’m obsessed with it. 

[ran-orimoto]

Hello greetings! Thanks for follow me! May i ask why do you like junpei-nisan and ship him with izumi-ne? Sorry f9r my rude and bad english..

Hello! Don’t worry about your english because first of all it is not bad; second, I’m not english myself so, honestly, who cares🤫. What matters the most is to understand each other, right?

I’ve recently written a little post about why I love Junpei so much:

But I guess I could tell so much more about the reason why I love Junpei. That post isn’t exhaustive at all ahaha.

For example, I could tell you about how much I love his personality being so flawed and going through a development that does happen in the background, but it’s still so beautiful. From seeing him starting off as a selfish, rude kid wanting the world to rotate around him, to observing him finding his role in the group, taking step backwards because of their sake (very ehw, but I admit it was written well from his perspective, at least).

As far as concerns Junzumi, the reasons are so many even when it comes to them. I used to ship Takumi (Takuya x Izumi) in the past, but I had never watched Frontier tbh. When I started my watching, my immediate liking on Junpei soon laced itself with a growing interest in the pair. Going beyond the fact I have got a soft spot for pairings in which a boy is so devoted to his crush, loves her so endlessly and would do anything to make her happy, I could make a little list about the main points making me like Junzumi so much.

• The main reason why I love it is that they are both lonely kids and they get constantly paired up at the beginning of Frontier because of this characteristic of theirs. They just deal with it in different ways, indeed, opposite ways: Junpei searches for friends so desperately he even sells himself, becomes a people pleaser, exchanges friendship for material stuff; Izumi has got no friends because she doesn’t want them, she doesn’t want to be treated as a special kid, being put at the center of attention (whereas Junpei DOES want to be the star of situations XD). Both also cope with this situation of theirs in different ways, almost specular, with Junpei feeling a void inside himself but trying repressing it, lying to himself, and Izumi being perfectly aware of her condition but not wanting to go deeper and looking for its root. What really makes this point (and couple) so special to me is that in some profiles about Junpei it’s stated he felt drawn by Izumi at first sight because he could perceive she was as lonely as him.

And I…I am a lonely person too, I must admit. I’m an only child like them and somehow I do relate to their need to have someone around themselves.

• They are the most well-developed duo in the whole Frontier and have got ton of potential because of their personalities clashing, but always finding a way to get along. They are…The Mum and Dad of the group, this is a certainty, but they are also great partners when they collaborate. They started off with Izumi not standing him, Junpei not knowing how to even conversate with her in a normal way. Yet, they soon learn to appreciate each other, unconsciously learn they can grow up thanks to each other. Who’s the first (indeed, only) member of the group Izumi opens up to, has got the best heart-to-heart with? Junpei. Who is the one for whom Junpei goes beyond his limits, understanding how important for him is to protect those he cares for? Izumi. Let’s also add Junpei gets interested in italian thanks to her, but this is something I have to add because of my endless love for this aspect of Junpei’s.

• They can be both a platonic and romantic relationship and, in my personal opinion, in a couple it’s so important to balance the two sides.

• Their personalities help me come up with thousand of ideas for them and it does matter for a creative person like me, I assure you. Imagining them older and applying those explosive personalities of theirs in a boyfriend/girlfriend or ,even funnier, husband/wife context is just everything to me. Junpei is the loyal, extremely devoted, affectionate, sometimes also wise husband pleasing his wife in the most disparate ways he could. There’s nothing he cares more about than seeing her happy and making her believe she’s the most beautiful, -inside and outside-, woman on Earth. Izumi is the wife liking teasing her husband, being so strict at certain moments, taking the reins of any situation and holding the scepter of the household. Yet, at the same time, she’s the most lovely companion of life, making husband feel the most desiderable man on Earth.

AND FEEDING HIM WITH BEST FOOD.

EHM, yes, moments in which you are flooded by emotions. Waves of emotions.

• They are Wind x Thunder, parts of tempests. Their elements also have got a special bond in one of the V-Pets.

• Their Digimon are both bugs in their adult forms and, Jesus Christ, consider me stupid, but I ship Fairymon and Blitzmon so hard too (especially after Blitzmon is revealed to be a simp for her in the 2019 drama).

These are some reasons. SOME, though, because there are ton of others. I…I would be banned from Tumblr because of the excessive length. Anyway! I hope I was clear and answered your question in the way you wanted. If you wanted to know something else about these topics or share your opinions, you’re welcome to do it💕 (just like you’re welcome in my blog from now on).

Thank you for the ask and have a good day🎶!

[fraiserabbit]

I CANNOT GET THESE TWO OUT OF MY HEAD GET THEM OUT MY BRAIN WANTS TO SHIP THEM SO BADLY HELP ME

“What’re you doing sitting here alone on Valentine’s Day?” Henry placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder as he sat down on the bench, looking up at the stars. “It’s so late.”

James rolled his eyes, smiling. “Hey, I’m not completely alone! I’ve got my thoughts as company.” He rubbed his temples, sighing. “And now I’ve got you here.”

“Whoa, what’s with the sighing? I’m fantastic company, aren’t I?” Henry playfully nudged James.

“Of course, of course!” James laughed, then fell silent. “I’ve just…not had the best luck with love.”

“Would you like to talk about it?” Henry asked, crossing his arms and legs and leaning back. He patiently waited for his friend’s response, studying his expressionless face.

James opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. “No, I don’t think so.” He also leaned back on the bench.

“That’s alright. I know how sensitive you get with some things.” Henry poked James in the arm to emphasise, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

“Hey! Too soon!” James grinned, swatting Henry’s hand away. The back and forth of light-hearted jabs at each other continued for a while until James stopped to ask Henry, “And you, long nose, how about your love life? How’s that been?”

“Ah, of course you’d ask.” Henry rested his hands behind his head, staring up at the night sky. “I’m not quite sure, honestly.”

“What d’you mean?” James scrunched up his face in confusion, squinting at the other man. “You’re tall, attractive, brilliant…why would you be lonely on Valentine’s?”

“I could ask the same for you. Minus the tall part, of course.” Henry snickered.

“Alright, wise guy, no need for that.” James muttered, crossing his arms.

Henry wrapped an arm around his friend’s shoulders, pulling him closer and dropping his voice to a whisper, as if they were being watched. “Let’s just imagine Person A and Person B, alright?”

“Alright…?” James was intrigued where this was going.

“Alright. Person A and B get along very well. Person B eventually, almost suddenly, develops feelings for Person A. But B thinks it will never work out, nor end well. So B promptly gives up those feelings. Or tries to, anyway.” Henry’s voice wavered. “And Person B has seen that Person A is obviously in love with someone else anyway. Even more reason to give Person A up.” He cleared his throat, letting go of James. The other man was bewildered, not knowing what to make of it.

Henry closed his eyes, deep in thought. Suddenly, he felt movement beside him. He opened his eyes to see James scooting closer and awkwardly twisting his body to hug Henry’s waist. It was a very strange position, indeed. Henry laughed, returning an awkward one-armed hug of his own around James’ smaller waist. “If it makes you feel any better, I think I know at least one other Person B.” James murmured.

“Aw, don’t look so glum, chum.” Henry patted James’ back.

“Did you learn that from Edward?” James raised his head, raising an eyebrow.

“Now why would you assume that?”

James reached a hand up to flick Henry’s nose. “Dickhead.”

Henry snorted, getting up to leave. “Well, I’ve done my job.” He smugly shrugged.

“And what was your job?” James asked, crossing his arms with a small smile.

“I made your Valentine’s Day just a little less lonely.”

[shannyh25]

THE next afternoon Anne, bending over her patchwork at the kitchen window, happened to glance out and beheld Diana down by the Dryad’s Bubble beckoning mysteriously. In a trice Anne was out of the house and flying down to the hollow, astonishment and hope struggling in her expressive eyes. But the hope faded when she saw Diana’s dejected countenance.

“Your mother hasn’t relented?” she gasped.

Diana shook her head mournfully.

“No; and oh, Anne, she says I’m never to play with you again. I’ve cried and cried and I told her it wasn’t your fault, but it wasn’t any use. I had ever such a time coaxing her to let me come down and say good-bye to you. She said I was only to stay ten minutes and she’s timing me by the clock.”

“Ten minutes isn’t very long to say an eternal farewell in,” said Anne tearfully. “Oh, Diana, will you promise faithfully never to forget me, the friend of your youth, no matter what dearer friends may caress thee?”

“Indeed I will,” sobbed Diana, “and I’ll never have another bosom friend—I don’t want to have. I couldn’t love anybody as I love you.”

“Oh, Diana,” cried Anne, clasping her hands, “do you LOVE me?”

“Why, of course I do. Didn’t you know that?”

“No.” Anne drew a long breath. “I thought you LIKED me of course but I never hoped you LOVED me. Why, Diana, I didn’t think anybody could love me. Nobody ever has loved me since I can remember. Oh, this is wonderful! It’s a ray of light which will forever shine on the darkness of a path severed from thee, Diana. Oh, just say it once again.”

“I love you devotedly, Anne,” said Diana stanchly, “and I always will, you may be sure of that.”

“And I will always love thee, Diana,” said Anne, solemnly extending her hand. “In the years to come thy memory will shine like a star over my lonely life, as that last story we read together says. Diana, wilt thou give me a lock of thy jet-black tresses in parting to treasure forevermore?”

“Have you got anything to cut it with?” queried Diana, wiping away the tears which Anne’s affecting accents had caused to flow afresh, and returning to practicalities.

“Yes. I’ve got my patchwork scissors in my apron pocket fortunately,” said Anne. She solemnly clipped one of Diana’s curls. “Fare thee well, my beloved friend. Henceforth we must be as strangers though living side by side. But my heart will ever be faithful to thee.”

Anne stood and watched Diana out of sight, mournfully waving her hand to the latter whenever she turned to look back. Then she returned to the house, not a little consoled for the time being by this romantic parting. Lucy Maud Montgomery quotes-Anne Of Green Gables.

Follow me for more inspiration! 💜💕

[maximumcheese]

Prerequisites for the Win (Amagi Rinne: Sub Story)

Season: Autumn

Time: After MDM

Location: ES

Rinne: Me~rumerumerumeru ♪

HiMERU: —While you are making strange animal noises, HiMERU would like to request that you stay away from him.

Rinne: Don’t be so boring. I’m just here to research what kind of souvenirs Merumeru can pick up for me, since you’re leaving tomorrow for that South Island and all. [1]

Well, I’m not really familiar with that island. What kind of classics do they got there?

HiMERU: HiMERU is not very well-informed on this subject, but he believes the common souvenir would be Chinsuko. [2]

In short, to continue to claim that it's research while assuming that HiMERU will buy you souvenirs is the equivalent to simply demanding them.

Rinne: You might call it begging, but I’ve been told it’s rather cute. Rinne-kun is looking forward to seeing Merumeru’s souvenirs. ☆

HiMERU: To say things like, “Don’t say it,” then “Say it,” surely you must be joking around today, Amagi.

I wish for us to cut to the chase. It can’t be the case that you came here to extort me for souvenirs, yes?

Rinne: You really saved me from havin’ to say any more, huh. Anyways, I’ve been lookin’ for you since I got no response from you guys, you know?

HiMERU: Response…?

Rinne: I sent three messages, you know? I didn’t get a single reply or reaction, so I got kinda lonely, yeah~?

Try checking out HoldHands. There, you’ll find a message of love, sent right from me, to you. ♪

HiMERU: —You are essentially telling me that there is no substance to the contents of the message. But, I suppose it cannot be helped.

“You guys free tonight?” “Merumeru’s goin’ to that Southern Island tomorrow, so let’s get together and grab some dinner, yeah” “Someone please respond”

There are indeed three messages. HiMERU has his notifications turned off, so it appears that he did not notice.

However, HiMERU is not the only one to not reply to you, Amagi. Oukawa and Shiina are also completely unresponsive.

Rinne: That’s the thing. Even if there was a reason for you guys to decide to turn off notifs, all three of you ghostin’ me at once’s a bit much, ya know?

You guys really broke my sensitive heart. I’m weepin’......

HiMERU: (Ignoring him) Considering that no one replied, and that you have come looking expressly for him means that surely HiMERU is not spared from attending this meeting.

Rinne: Of course. It’s a pep party for Merumeru ‘cause you got chosen by the company office for that solo gig and all. ♪

There’s nothin’ to talk about if we don’t have the leading star. 

HiMERU: Huh. No matter how hard you try, Amagi, you really like holding these kinds of dinner parties.

Even in the case where HiMERU was chosen to be a part of “Midnight Butlers”, you had quickly gathered all members of Crazy: B. 

At the time, I had simply thought it a whim, spurred on by a good gambling payout but…

Rinne: It ain’t a whim at all. When there’s something happy goin’ on, we celebrate it and we eat and drink to cheer ourselves up. It's simply a matter of course.

If you’ve got a reason to hold a pep party, Niki’d happily want to show off his talents, you know? And I’m sure you'd be happy to have a good meal every time, on top of it all.

Kohaku-chan, too, he likes the food that Niki whips up, or maybe he just likes his company, who knows. He eats a lot, too.

Merumeru, anyways, you're always at your seat before the meeting time, so even you're never late for when we meet up, huh?

HiMERU: —Late arrivals are against HiMERU's aesthetics.

Rinne: Don’t be such a dead fish. If we all get together like that, of course we can have a tasty meal, and it's all good, you know?

And best of all, up until now, I’ve never lost a gamble I’ve made right before a pep party, winning everything flawlessly! How could I not take advantage of this rule? ♪

HiMERU: …Gambling, was it?

Rinne: Oh. So if I’m gonna win today, I’m gonna need a pep party, got it? You understand?

HiMERU: I do not understand, however. While it appeared that we were just talking about Shiina’s excellent dinners, you were really just thinking about whether or not you would be able to line your pockets, Amagi?

Whether you take a loss, or earn a profit, HiMERU is truly not concerned.

Rinne: No, no. Doesn’t concern you? If I win, some of that profit could maybe go into the party, you know?

You could buy some luxury ingredients and let Niki cook however he wants, for example. You could even get some high-end sweets.

HiMERU: Well, it would be better to fill our stomachs than to line your pockets, I suppose.

To begin with, the idea of feeding HiMERU, who will start filming tomorrow, to his heart’s content the night before is simply ridiculous.

Rinne: Well, you'll have to make it up to me by using your energy for the photo shoot.

…Can't we just call it even?

HiMERU: —If you are wanting to peek into HiMERU’s state of affairs this late stage, next time, and thereon after, please think about that before you attempt to contact him.

Rinne: Oh? There’s a next time?

HiMERU: HiMERU will participate this time, but not without Oukawa and Shiina. Please make sure that both of them are present.

Rinne: OK ♪ So I’ll just send something like, “Merumeru’s confirmed to go so you two better say you’re coming, too.” and we’re good.

Hey, you should post something small like, “Yes, I consented.”

It’s kinda sad that it’s just been me postin’ anything this whole time, you know?

HiMERU: Hmm. It would be problematic if those two did not participate. To assure that they will not think your words are false, HiMERU will accompany you.

Rinne: You’re really bringin’ my self-confidence down, you know…?

Well, whatever. Now that the party’s gonna go smoothly, there’s only one thing left for me to do!

This good old Rinne-kun will have to win, and win, and win, until he’s able to prove his theory that he never loses before a pep party!

HiMERU: —Fufu. So if Amagi comes back after losing and losing, will the party be canceled?

Rinne: I'm not going to let that happen. I'll come back with warmer pockets than that South Island.

Maybe if it gets too warm, then it won’t be a  pep party for you, but perhaps a victory banquet for me ♪

Well, anyways, Let’s meet up at Cinnamon tonight! Wait at the edge of your seat for the outcome of this one Rinne-kun’s victory or defeat…☆

HiMERU: ……

Well, well. He said whatever he liked, then walked right off.

Once Amagi sends his confirmation, HiMERU was going to add, “The above-mentioned gathering will be a treat solely from the warmth and generosity of Amagi’s own pocket.”

This is a reference to the scout story Roaring Sea Marina

A kind of cookie from Okinawa, a southern island in Japan

[momiji-bookhouse]

Hi hi! I'd like a glaze lily with kazuha please :>

[Glaze Lily]: "Tell me, oh storyteller, of the tale of those ill-fated, star-crossed lovers.

Event Prompt List

Event Masterlist

pairing: Kaedehara Kazuha x gn!reader

genre: angst, Deity!AU

Come round, dear children. Gather by the fire on this chilly night, and let me tell you the story of how the Spirit of Autumn die each year, so that Winter can grace the land with their frosty embrace.

“Awww, but I like autumn.”

Many do, my child. It is said that the Spirit of Autumn is a gentle soul, so tender that he would ease you into the transitioning weather. Letting you cling on to the remainders of a summer bathed in sunlight before having a cool breeze brush your face.

It is his words and poems draped with flowers that cause the leaves to blush and rustle merrily, making them fall to the ground in embarrassment. It is his silvery voice that can coax the sun to cast the world in a lovelier, softer light, devoid of the harsh starkness of the previous season.

But he is also a playful person. Nipping at the noses of unsuspecting passersby with sudden bursts of a chilly gale, messing up their kempt hair. Winking as he stirs up the wind to fling a mouthful of fallen leaves into the playing children’s faces, too absorbed in kicking up the pile of leaves to even care.

“That was him?”

Indeed. But more importantly than that, he is also a messenger of what is to come. His arrival signals for people to begin gathering warm clothes and firewood, and for the farmers and workers to prepare for the upcoming months.

Furthermore, the Spirit himself knows better than anyone the meaning of his existence. He is aware of the death that awaits him at the end of his period.

“But why does he have to die?”

Because, young one, in order for the seasons to change accordingly, seasonal spirits cannot coexist at the same time. They must all go through the cycle of becoming dormant and waking up. But because Autumn is the transitioning period between the season of flourishing life and the season of death, he must die in order for Winter to truly come.

“But that’s not fair!”

Ah, but Autumn does not fear his death. As a matter of fact, he welcomes it, for reasons more than simply because he respects the natural order. Let me tell you a little secret, children. The Spirit of Autumn is in fact in love with the Spirit of Winter.

“What??!!”

Yes, yes. Throughout their immortal lifetimes, he has fallen in love with every aspect of their nature. From the wondrous sight of the first snowfall, to the delicate snowflakes that melt under a single touch, to even the harsh winter storms that blanket everything with pure, white snow that seems to reset the world in order to prepare for rebirth.

Even though they were regarded by many as the season of death, and even hated for bringing the cold and the winter blues and making the world seem so much darker and gloomier, he sees their gentle side. The side that loves with a heart too big and powerful. The side that is so lonely that he would turn the world upside-down just to hold them and say that it’s okay.

So, he does not fear his death. Instead, he relishes in seeing the encroaching frosty breezes as the days passed. He looks forward to their arrival, for it is the only time in the year he gets to see them.

The day finally comes, and the Spirit lets the icy wind wrap around him and pull him into its embrace. Around him, the leaves have all fallen and shriveled up, the sun humming a low tune as the wispy figure of Winter appears before him – frigid and unforgiving and oh so beautiful. 

He smiles even as he feels himself getting weaker. He looks at them with such ardor as they touch his cheek hesitantly, regrettably, affectionately. Leans into their touch even as he feels his life force being sapped out of him. As Autumn’s form becomes more and more translucent whereas Winter becomes stronger, he wipes away the crystalline tears flowing down their cold cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” They say.

“Don’t be, my dear.” He replies, his words so faint they may as well have been a figment of the imagination. “I get to see you, and that’s all that matters.”

He takes them into what remains of his figure, kissing them with the last of his strength, breathing the last warmth of a season past into them.

Then, he fades away. Just as the last red leaf lose its color.

Winter stands there, tears still falling, droplets that will turn into the first snowfall of the season. The wind hears their pain and sings a song of mourning and grief. For the Spirit of Winter do so adoringly love the Spirit of Autumn.

It is said that blizzards and snowstorms are borne of their sadness as they carry the weight of their lover’s death on their hands, never truly able to see or hold or love him as they wish except for in that one, brief moment.

For as time continues to flow and the seasons continue to change, they can never be together.

So, dear children. The next time you go out to play in the snow, be sure to wave to the Spirit if you can. They are lonely, and always welcome a friendly face. You may not be able to see them, but they see everything. Who knows? Perhaps the next morning you will even be able to see a souvenir they left behind on your windowpanes.

[oldpotatoe]

this is an apology post, and also a snippet post.

apology post, because this chapter is, uh, taking me a lot longer than I thought it would? there’s a lot of moving parts to it, which I want to perfect before I let ch21 loose into the world, so there’s that :// 

but since it was Eid a few days ago (Eid Mubarak to anyone celebrating!) I thought I’d be nice and post a little taster for what’s to come :))

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Contemplating life in absolute silence has never been one of Sokka’s strong suits, but he thinks he’s doing a good job of it. Well, as good a job anyone can do when perched on the floe edge, back splayed against the icy ground and feet skimming the top of the water.

Either way, the stars sure are taking their sweet time in revealing all of life’s mysteries to him; they wink merrily against the purple-black backdrop of the night sky, like they know something he doesn’t. 

He’s been finding himself coming to this particular area more and more often over the last few nights, Zuko’s robe tucked into his pocket, his feet tracking their way across the tundra until he’s standing at the edge, toes inching over the line that separates solid ice and dark, still ocean water. There he stands, and there he sits, and there he thinks of all that swirls in his brain, as muddy as the water is clear.

As usual, he tries to separate the strands of facts and nebulous spool of emotions from one another, trying to make sense of things in a way that makes, well, sense.

Fact #1: He’s Sokka, strapping meat and sarcasm twenty-something who’s apparently a Big Deal in two major nations.

Nebulous spool of emotions #1: He’s Sokka. Too big for his shadow, too small for his grief, and lonely in the skin that houses him.

Fact #2: He’s apparently married? Engaged? Betrothed, at least, to one previously-surly fire bender who is also a Big Deal in the nation that said fire bender runs. Wow, wooer of royalty indeed.

Nebulous spool of emotions #2: He’d only just gotten used to being haunted by moonlight. Where is he supposed to turn, when the sun’s golden rays now mock him too?

Fact #3: He’s the victim of an alleged assassination attempt, the result of which is the current lack of about, oh, half a decade’s worth of memories.

Nebulous spool of emotions #3: Sometimes it’s like he’s forgotten how to breathe, too.

Fact #4: He’s back in his homeland for some much-needed rest and recouperation, surrounded by his loved ones. Water Tribe for life, babey!

Nebulous spool of emotions #4: If only he could count the nights he’s lain in the furs of his family’s hut, the crackle of his hearth drowned out by the hollowness that rings ever-present in his chest, and yearned for home.

Fact #5: He can’t sleep.

Nebulous spool of emotions #5: He can’t fucking sleep.

Sokka sighs, feet swinging as he beats out a tempo with the back of his heels against the ice, absently picking at the fraying threads of the robe.

Maybe what pulls him to the water’s edge, night after night, is the longing that calls on him to swim back to where he left his heart— in the embrace of warm arms and gentle floral scents, ocean-salted wind whipping at his cheeks and stealing away the words he wishes he’d had the courage to say: 

I know. I’m sorry. I love you. Let me fix this.

Ask me to stay.

But Zuko didn’t, and Sokka hadn’t. 

And now he comes here night after night, eyes burning with tiredness and regret as he looks at the robe, and thinks of all that he is, and all that he has, and all that he’s lost.

And like every night, when Agni peeks over the horizon and bids Yue good morrow, Sokka drags himself upright and trudges back to his hut, as unfulfilled as always.

[chocolatebassrecipe]

TV Guide dan vol.41: Wataru Hyuga x Junya Komatsu interview

Rough translation. I didn’t reread anything and I am no expert so any mistakes are mine. This one is super cute so I’d love to share.

=================================

Q: First of all, please introduce the roles the two of you are playing in “Revice”.

Hyuga: The character I play, Igarashi Daiji, is calm, but just and passionate. He is a very straightforward boy who seems to have been born to protect others. The devil ‘Kagerou’ that lives in Daiji's body is a character that I consciously try to play in a way that makes him look like the opposite of Daiji. He's just a bad guy!

Junya: Indeed, Kagerou is the sum of all the bad parts of the human mind. If I were to describe the Hiromi I've been playing in one word....

Hyuga: The life-sized Junya Komatsu!

Junya: Really!? But after you said that, it's hard for me to say the charm of Hiromi…

Hyuga: Haha! Sorry, Sorry(laughs)

Junya: (laughs). Hiromi is sincere and serious, and I think the word "hot-blooded" fits him well. He is a man of hard work who aspired to help the weak and became a hero because no hero appeared before him, who was bullied as a child.

Q: In episode 21, there was a shocking turn of events when Hiromi fell off a cliff.

Hyuga: When I read the script for episode 21, I was really sad thinking, “Jun-san’s going to finish shooting here…” but it was a good scene and I wanted to give a good performance to send him off.

Junya: Me too. Actually, on the last day of shooting, Hyuga wrote me a letter!

Hyuga: Ah… (Covers his bright red face with his hands).

Junya: Moreover, Daiji, Kagerou, and Hyuga each wrote a letter to me! And the words are so warm. I was happy that he expressed his feelings of “loneliness” in different expressions and handwriting for each character. I really thought Wataru Hyuga must have a great love for his co-stars and staff, as well as for his fans.

Hyuga: It was because I was frustrated that I wouldn't be able to see him anymore at the shooting, and I didn't want my impression to just be “a junior who’s always fooling around”. So I thought I'd write a letter to show him that I'm a good guy...

Junya: Tsundere as ever(laughs)! You were really lonely, weren't you~?

Hyuga: I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget us (laughs)!

Junya: Haha. Don’t worry, Hyuga’s feelings are properly conveyed.

Hyuga: What’s it all about~?

Junya: After all, I felt the love during the recording of episode 21. I was the only one who had other work to do, so I recorded separately. When I finished recording and was about to leave, Imocchan(Ayaka Imoto), who plays Sakura, and Hayata (Seki), who plays Olteca, came in and said, "Good work, Jun-san!”! Hyuga was at the front of the group. I was so happy that I almost cried.

Q: As actors in “Revice”, Komatsu-san is the senior, and Hyuga-san is the junior. If you were to give each other a catchphrase, "○○ senpai, ○○ kouhai," what would it be?

Hyuga: Jun-san is a "senior with a big back”. When he was wearing the FENIX commander outfit in "Revice", I noticed that he had broad shoulders.

Junya: Eh, what do you mean(laughs)!?

Hyuga: Joking aside(laughs). Jun-san is the kind of person that everyone wants to follow. You don't just say things, you show them with your actions. Besides, seeing Jun-san's ability to switch between on and off makes me feel relaxed.

Junya: I see. Hyuga is…

Hyuga: Please!

Junya: I think he’s “a national junior’(laughs). He feels more like a younger brother than a junior. Something like, everyone's junior and younger brother.

Hyuga: Ahaha!

Junya: In every situation, he gives off the feeling of a younger brother. That's why everyone loves and forgives him for anything. I think that is one of Hyuga’s charms. I also really like that about Hyuga.

Hyuga: (holds his head in embarrassment) T..Thank you..

Q: The theme of this shooting was "senior and junior’s sharehouse". What would life be like if you lived together?

Hyuga: The layout is a one-bedroom apartment, and Jun-san sleeps in the living room.

Junya: Why!(laughs) Let's make it two bedrooms.

Hyuga: Because it’s expensive in Tokyo.

Junya: This is just a what if (laughs)

Hyuga: Is that so? I really gave it a thought (laughs).

Junya: As for the housework... I'm not sure we can share it well. Hyuga’s probably gonna say "Jun-san, you do everything! I'm going to play the game for you”

Hyuga: You know me(laughs). But I like shopping, so I'll do it. You take care of the rest!

Junya: (laughs) You're not interested in cooking at all?

Hyuga: I love cooking, but I'm not very good at washing dishes…

Junya: Then leave it to me.

Hyuga: OK! Also, I'll run the washing machine, so you hang the laundry.

Junya: I don't like to hang laundry either... How about folding clothes?

Hyuga: I’m not good at it~

Junya: I’ll do it. What else are you good at?

Hyuga: I like to clean! So cleaning, shopping, and running the washing machine are my duties.

Junya: I guess we can live with that..somehow? (laughs)

Q: This issue goes on sale on Valentine's Day. Since White Day is coming up soon, what’s your ideal date plan?

Junya: I like to drive, so I would like to go see the Christmas lights with my lover in the passenger seat. We can listen to Christmas songs and watch the scenery of children walking around with presents. That alone makes me feel happy.

Hyuga: That’s nice! I’d like to be alone with the one I love, so I prefer to stay at home. But still, I want to go out for Christmas and other special occasions. Drive to the beach or mountains a little far away, and spend some time relaxing. Well, I'm only 17, and I don't have a car license yet. But I'm free to talk about my ideals!

Q: By the way, what’s your type?

Junya: Well, I’d love someone who is charming to everyone. So….(holds out his hand toward Hyuga) I like you! Please go out with me!

Hyuga: (Slaps Komatsu's hand lightly)

Junya: Oh no, I've been rejected~!

Hyuga: But, I also like someone who has a big back and can take the lead, so I like you! (holds out his hand to Komatsu)

Junya: (Holds his hand tightly with both hands)

Junya & Hyuga: Hahaha!

Hyuga: Is it true that you like someone who’s charming?

Junya: Yeah. I think it’s wonderful when they don’t change their attitude depending on who they’re with and can be cheerful with everyone.

Hyuga: What should I do? I was gonna say “I like someone who looks good in glasses”, but Jun-san was serious…

Junya: Ahaha, isn’t it interesting to view things differently?

Hyuga: All right then! I also like someone with beautiful handwriting! I believe such people have beautiful minds. Even if it's messy, I’d be impressed when I can tell that it was written with care.

Junya: Certainly, I could tell from the letters I received from Hyuga.

Hyuga: By the way, the letter from Daiji was written very neatly, while the one from Kagerou was very messy.

Junya: And the one from Hyuga was beautifully written.

Hyuga: Hmmm, I wrote that letter in a hurry, so it must have been messy.

Junya: Don't say that! I was really impressed…

Hyuga: No, no! I had so many things I wanted to write that I thought, "If I don't write soon, I'll forget!” so I hurriedly wrote it down.

Junya: I see. Good to know then♪

[archived-kin]

caught in a twin courtship

note from kin: i’m going to be honest i only really wrote this because the title is fun to say, so it isn’t as cohesive as i normally would have wanted to make it

(this is an au where the twins aren’t separated by the unknown god! instead, just their world-hopping powers were stolen, and that’s why they’re journeying to find said god - to get their powers back so that they can go home. i’ve also excluded paimon since i kind of forgot about her while writing this haha)

(this doesn’t follow canon at all since reader and the twins just kind of start wandering about after the dvalin incident rather than heading straight for liyue oops)

fandom: genshin impact

character(s): gn!reader, lumine, aether, diluc, venti, jean

pairing(s): aether/reader/lumine

warning(s): i don’t think so??

genre: fluff with a little bit sprinkling of angst

you first meet the twins in the aftermath of the stormterror battle. it isn’t a glamorous introduction by any means - it’s pretty unflattering, actually - but it definitely makes a powerful first impression.

the group - aether, lumine, venti, diluc, and jean - are on their way back to mondstadt city, making small talk here and there, but mostly just walking in silence.

then they hear a yell in the distance.

jean and lumine both drop into a battle stances, venti leaps to hide behind aether with a very unmanly squeak of fear… but diluc, who arguably should have been the most alerted by this occurrence, just gives a resigned sigh and pauses.

a split second later, a figure comes speeding up to the group. you barrel up to diluc and immediately punch him square in the stomach, yelling “why didn’t you tell me you were going after stormterror?!”

aether and venti both give matching gasps of horror at the blatant disrespect, but diluc only shakes his head and catches your fist as it goes for another blow, this one aimed at his chest, and chastises, “calm down, i left a note.”

“i left a note,” you mimic, an absolutely awful impression that has you sounding more like a mosquito than the darknight hero, “fat lot of use that is when you aren’t even telling me where you’re going!”

diluc evades another jab at his arm and firmly sets his hands on both your shoulders, effectively anchoring you to the ground. you contemplate swinging your feet at his knees and knocking him over, or maybe shocking him with your electro vision, but ultimately decide that you might as well try to preserve what little dignity you have left in front of those three people you’ve never met before

so you stop with a defeated sigh and turn to face said three people to introduce yourself

it turns out that you’re diluc’s cousin and he’s been having to baby-sit you for the last few years after your own parents left on a ‘business trip’ to snezhnaya that they’re still not back from

you’re pretty sure they’re dead, killed by the fatui, and you say as much during your introduction without even the slightest sign of distress, which is a little unsettling

lumine’s first thought is that you’re quite the interesting character, what with the casual way you treat diluc, and how you don’t seem to question whatever situation lead you to meet in the first place

aether’s first thought is holy shit, they’re cute

one twin greets you in return with a lot more enthusiasm than the other, and venti the bard wastes no time in asking whether you have access to good master diluc’s wine storage

(you’d be shocked by the audacity if you weren’t just as bad as him when it came to shamelessness)

strangely enough, the fact that aether likes you so much actually makes lumine more wary of you than she was initially

aether trusts too easily, and from experience, that usually leads to disaster - and your flippancy regarding your parents’ apparent probable deaths rather inclines her to think that you might be a very dangerous person indeed

the three of you don’t see each other for a couple of days after that - you and diluc leave for dawn winery together, while the twins depart with venti to wrap their whole situation up, and jean returns to her duties in mondstadt city

all this time, apparently unbeknownst to even himself, aether keeps finding ways to bring you up in the middle of conversation

you’d only spoken to him for a few minutes and somehow that as enough to get him absolutely fascinated

lumine would be lying if she said she wasn’t still curious about you as well, but it gets annoying after aether somehow manages to mention how ‘mysterious’ your black cloak is in the middle of a conversation about why mitachurls are able to randomly set their axes on fire

luckily for these two, they happen to run into you the very next day!

you’re in the middle of taking out a ruin guard stomping around the thousand winds temple -  a ruin guard that the twins had been meaning to take down themselves, which is why they’re here in the first place

at first they move to help you, only to stop short and watch in awe as you plunge down at the ruin guard from atop one of the enormous pillars, your polearm held steady in your grasp as your entire body seems to spark and glow with a deep purple electro energy

the sharp blade of your polearm goes clean through the top of the ruin guard’s head and shatters its core, and it sinks to the ground with a massive thud that echoes around the temple ruins, massive wooden limbs twitching and jerking as the last of your vision’s energy disperses from it

aether and lumine are basically star-struck

from there you spot them and call them over for a conversation, show them how to take apart a ruin guard’s circuits to get at the good parts, and somehow end up agreeing to journey with them across teyvat in their search for an unknown god who stole their abilities to hop from world to world as well as their apparent true power that allows them to wield all seven elements at once

the details are a little lost on you, but what you’re hearing is that you get to go on a cool adventure with a cool gal and a cool lad, so you’re pretty much all for it

diluc isn’t too happy about you up and leaving without so much as two week’s notice (partially because he has literally no friends apart from you and he’d get lonely without his little cousin bothering him all the time) but you simply tell him to deal with it and go anyway

(you do give him a big hug and promise to visit, you’re not heartless)

from then on you, aether and lumine become a dynamic trio like no other

it’s actually pretty damn spooky how well the three of you end of working together

aether and lumine had long since formed a style of fighting that meant they made up for each other’s weak spots and could attack in perfect sync, but then you come along and somehow manage to make their already pretty flawless formation even better

is it witchcraft? they honestly don’t know

considering you fit so well into their battle strategies, it follows that you’d also slot perfectly into their every day life

lumine is cautious at first, wondering if your presence would disrupt her and her brother’s long since pre-established routines, but you fit in so naturally that it’s as if you were there all long

maybe it it’s this that makes both twins slowly start falling for you - the comfort of being beside you and the familiarity that you bring are things that they struggled to find, being trapped in a world far from their own with no way to get out, and they unknowingly latch onto you like drowning men clutching lifebuoys

aether is the most obvious about his feelings - he starts waking up earlier just because he knows you do, sitting beside you as you stoke a campfire and keep watch for any approaching monsters, making quiet conversation as lumine continues sleeping. he tells you stories about his adventures in other worlds, including an encounter with a rather bigoted individual who is the reason that he keeps his hair so long while lumine’s has been cut short

he even starts taking his hair out of its braid before he goes to sleep so that he can ask you to braid it for him when he wakes up

lumine is a lot more subtle

she finds excuses to stand closer to you when, deliberately brushing her fingers against yours when handing you something. she listens far more attentively to you when you speak than anyone else, and she smiles far more in your presence, hanging onto your every word and gazing at you so intensely that it’s almost unsettling

of course, the twins notice each other’s feelings pretty easily

at first neither acknowledges it - it’d be far too messy for both to accept that they’d both fallen in love with the same person, let alone actually admit this to each other

but it gets to the point where it just isn’t ignorable anymore, and finally the twins decide to talk

it’s about as civil and sensible as they could hope for with the subject at hand, and they eventually decide to talk to you about it

and so, we come to an ultimatum. what will your choice be?

if you reject both, it’ll be hard to continue adventuring with twins who can’t look in your direction. neither resent you, of course, but the atmosphere has become so stifling that they can’t even make eye contact

it’s as if an enormous gap has opened up between the three of you. the twins are avoiding each other as well, unsure of how to handle the fact that they’re both in love with the same person and have now both been rejected by that same person. if anything, they should be becoming closer out of solidarity, but it seems that they can’t stand to be in each other’s presence as much as they can’t stand to be in yours.

the three of you still work together as seamlessly in battle as you did before, but once the final monster has been cut down and your weapons are sheathed, that connection seems to disappear again.

it’s aether who finally breaks the stalemate. he starts trying to start conversations as the three of you sit awkwardly apart from each other around a fire, and while the first few attempts end in stony silence and an awkward cough on his part, eventually you begin replying with some semblance of the humour you used to

from there things only improve - the three of you come to a silent mutual agreement to leave this behind you, and soon you’re all laughing and joking as you used to

lumine and aether both know that they cannot force you to love either of them, and they respect your choice. if anything, they’re the ones in the wrong for springing something like this on you so suddenly, and they start to feel a little guilty that they were essentially pressuring you into making a choice that you were never obligated to make

so they return to treating you as a dear friend, just as before. things are different now, of course, but they can only be grateful that you continue to travel with them and stay by their side; this situation doesn’t make them love you any less, even if you don’t love them in the same way.

if you choose lumine, aether will be understanding. the twins have been each other’s only support for longer than they can remember, and as the older brother, he’s well used to giving things up for his sister.

he’ll still be friendly and amicable, but he won’t seek you out as much as he did before. he starts braiding his hair by himself again, and stays in bed as late as he can every morning so that he doesn’t have to be face to face with you. just because he’s accepted this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt.

sometimes, when the sky grows dark and you and lumine have long since fallen asleep beside each other, he wonders to himself - why is it that he has to give everything to his sister? he’s given away so much, so why couldn’t the universe let him have this one thing?

but he knows, deep down, that this is nothing to do with the universe - you simply fell in love with someone that wasn’t him, his sister at that, and he’s struggling to come to terms with it.

he wants to hate you, hate lumine, hate the relationship that the two of you have formed, but he just can’t. he loves the both of you in different ways that are just as important as each other, and he can’t stand to lose either of you. he’d rather throw himself off of starsnatch cliff.

so he’ll smile and bear it, even if it’s a battle to keep himself from breaking down every time he sees the two of you lace your hands together, off in your own little word, so near and yet so far from him.

if you choose aether, lumine will become cold. at first, that is. she’s never been as empathetic as her brother, always holding grudges and developing dislike much more easily. it had taken a lot for her to open up to you in the first place, and now that you’ve rejected her, it’s going to take a while for her to return to the same camaderie with you that she had before.

lumine does not begrudge aether for being the one you chose. if anything, she’s glad - aether is always putting her first and himself second, and she’s happy that he has someone like you, who lights his eyes up in a way that she’s never seen before.

but our hearts often betray our mind, after all, and lumine can’t help but scowl and turn away every time she sees her brother wrap his arms around your waist or press a kiss to your cheek. despite her best efforts, all she can think is why? why did you have to choose him?

she can’t bring herself to hate you, though. as much as it feels like her heart is threatening to split down the middle when she sees you smile and is reminded of something that she cannot have, there is an equal joy in the fact that her brother can be with the person that he loves so dearly. if anything, the two of you deserve to be happy together.

lumine would never do anything that could take that away, and so she forces herself to accept it. it takes several days of tentative conversation and barely held back tears, but eventually the two of you seem to return to the way you were before - all friendly jabs and light-hearted banter and little jokes exchanged over crossed blades.

but lumine knows that your friendship can never be quite the same as it was before. she’ll forever be holding you at arm’s length, terrified to let you get too close lest you see how much your presence affects her. she can’t let you know how much she loves you because she will never be the one who links hands with you as you walk down a long, winding path, or the one who holds you close under a darkening sky filled with stars - because that person is aether, and she would sooner die before she takes her brother’s happiness away.

if you refuse to choose, the twins will be at a loss at what to do. they hadn’t considered this scenario - that you had somehow come to love both of them.

the confusion becomes joy soon enough, though. they realise what this means - they both love you, and you love both of them! isn’t this perfect?

neither are particularly thrilled at the concept of ‘sharing’ you with the other, so to speak, but in the end they both equally want each other to be happy as they want you to be, so the logical conclusion is that they both become your partners.

they’re not too sure how this should work, nor what sort of label to put on it, but they come to you tentatively with the idea anyway

to their joyous surprise, you agree!

and from then marks the point of no return…

aether is definitely the clingier of the two. once he realises that he’s allowed to show affection and be close to you for no particular reason, he won’t stop - it’s as if he absolutely has to be holding your hand or be standing or sitting  as close to you as physically possible. he’s always buying you souvenirs at every place you stop by, scaling trees to pick apples for you when you mention a craving for fruit, presenting you little treasures that he’s found with all the pride of a golden retriever.

lumine is a more subdued kind of partner, preferring to demonstrate her feelings with little things like making your favourite food for dinner or bringing you sprigs of flowers that she’s secretly been collecting in order to present you with them. of course, that doesn’t mean she isn’t physically affectionate at all - she presses perhaps even closer to you than aether when you sleep beside her, and somehow her hand finds yours at every opportunity she has.

the twins clash every now and then, as siblings often do, except that you’re usually caught in the middle. their arguments are little more than playful squabbles, though - things like play-fighting over who gets to hug you first after a well-fought battle, or who gets to hold your hand on the way to the next village (you have to step in and remind them that you do, in fact, have two hands)

in conclusion: why choose one when you can have both and prevent the unchosen from having endless amounts of angst?

[vvienne]

XICHENG FIC RECS

hold my hands by Snooze (Chiruka)

Transplanting a core into a new person isn’t without repercussions. One year after the events at Guanyin Temple, Jiang Cheng found himself once again faced with the possibility of losing everything he had. Reconciling with his brother, learning to let Jin Ling go, and dealing with his blooming emotions toward the First Jade of Gusu — will Jiang Cheng accomplish what he wants before time runs out?

it all passes someday by screamlet

A week before the anniversary of Wei Wuxian’s death, there was a commotion outside Lan Wangji’s house.

*

Jiang Cheng and Lan Wangji over the years.

The Unlikely Expression of Love by manamune

When everything has settled, when everyone else has moved on with their lives and their friends, Jiang Cheng has a realization which shouldn’t actually be a surprise:

He’s lonely.

Indigo, lavender, and violet (I don't wanna be red) by ohwhatevrewhatevr

It, in the pale colors of the late morning, is the closest to perfect Jiang Cheng will ever reach. He strokes Lan XiChen's hair and presses a light kiss to where his ribbon and hair meet. The sky is a pale blue, and the pastels of flowers and clouds are spread out through the window, a brilliant world waiting for them, them in the gentian house, safe from stronger breezes - there is the clutter of birds fluttering and chirping outside. It is a warm, perfect, spring morning.

Jiang Cheng and Lan XiChen have been together for an year. In which, no one ever really gets over things, Jiang Cheng has the misfortune of interacting with his brother, the juniors help out with the proposal, and there's a marriage.

Altitude by starknjarvis 

When Jin Ling lures Jiang Cheng to the Cloud Recesses under false pretenses, he finds himself out of place among this new family Wei Wuxian has formed.

Lan Xichen, at least, seems pleased to have his company.

Perhaps there is still a chance for Jiang Cheng to make amends and move forward.

[Modao Zushi Online] GLITCH REPORT: My Brother Got Chased Down And %$@*$&@ By Gusu Dungeon Boss??? by oh_fudgecakes

Modao Zushi Online is a virtual reality MMORPG. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian are top ranking players in its new server, currently tied with their arch-nemesis from their previous server, Wen Chao. In an attempt to defeat him, they take on the Gusu Dungeon Boss, Zewu-jun, to win the reward of a legendary weapon. Ever the cheat, Wei Wuxian tries to take advantage of a glitch to defeat the seemingly undefeatable boss. It backfires. Jiang Cheng gets fucked by a boss monster.

He can't get enough.

Meanwhile, Lan Xichen, the unwitting staff member in charge of controlling Zewu-jun, absolutely did not sign up to be pulled into a secret virtual reality fling with a player. Mod Ji, who has to deal with Wei Wuxian's incessant glitch reporting of his brother's sex life, is long-suffering.

Mulberry by xxdz

Jiang Cheng grits his teeth and pushes harder. He feels like torn silk, the embroidery needle sinking in again and again and again; patiently, desperately, endlessly trying to make something beautiful out of something broken.

Jiang Cheng builds his sect, learns embroidery, and raises his nephew.

we can raise a little family by lanyon

“Well, brother,” says Wei Wuxian, leaning against the outside of Jiang Cheng’s chambers. “I had heard that you and Xichen went on a night hunt and came back with a baby, which is not the order I’d choose to do things in…”

In which Jiang Cheng and Lan Xichen acquire a baby of unknown origin, and are the very last to know what it means.

Beyond the Impossible by Silverine

Summoned by Lan Qiren, Jiang Wanyin goes to the Cloud Recesses to drop his nephew Jin Ling, expecting to discuss relevant matters with his old master. Instead, he's asked to take with him no other than Sect Leader Lan himself, all the way back to Lotus Pier. If the reason why he accepted such an outrageous task is indeed a mystery, he's about to be surprised by how this entire trip, their encounters, and his warm company, suddenly feel fated.

Incrementally by xxdz

Jiang Cheng is trapped in a day on repeat where he begins by waking in Zewu Jun’s bed at dawn and ends by dying painfully at dusk.

It’s getting very irritating, and he has the sneaking suspicion that his chances to solve his own murder are rapidly running out. Soon, his death will be much more permanent.

All in all, worst birthday ever.

Audience of One by WinterDreams

“Then let an established star go first,” Lan Xichen interrupts again before Lan Wangji can give a stubborn reply. Both men twist toward Lan Xichen, and he smiles at Wei Wuxian’s tilted head. “If I publicly date a man for awhile first, your engagement shouldn’t receive as much backlash.”

Or, that AU where everyone is famous in some way or another, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji have been dating in private for years, and Lan Xichen and Jiang Cheng pretend to date publicly for their brothers' sake.

A Bit of Ruthlessness by jirluvien

When Jiang Cheng hears that Lan Xichen went into seclusion following Jin Guangyao’s death, it’s almost as if he can see the grabby hands of a restless ghost, reaching out for something to keep him company. For something warm and living and devastated. And as history has proved time and time again, the Lans are perfect victims when it comes to giving in to ghosts.Yeah, no. Not on Jiang Cheng’s fucking watch.A story about grief, determination, unexpected friendships, abandoned watchtowers, and letters. So many letters.

All Tied Up In You by Clearpearls

Yet again, the night had come to this:

Jiang Cheng on the floor, kneeling, Zidian wrapped around his wrists.

Alone.

Thank You, and I'm Sorry by Hamliet

Jin GuangYao might be dead, but his story is not. Taking advantage of the chaos he instigated, someone makes an attempt on the life of the young new leader of the Jin Sect. When Jiang Cheng takes Jin Ling to the Cloud Recesses to have him study while he attempts to work with Wei WuXian and his husband Lan WangJi to eliminate the threat, he encounters a mourning Lan XiChen, lovestruck teenagers, and a persistent corpse--and both pairs of brothers find themselves struggling to move on.

saturn's rings (don't be a heartbreaker) by iskendaris

Set after the seige of burial mounds, Yunmeng rebuilds as they hold the first Discussion Conference at Lotus Pier. Sometimes the night is a gift, a refuge for loneliness. "So stern, Sect Leader Jiang," Lan Xichen murmured, "So glacial... What will it take to melt that icy exterior? What can I say?"

"Nothing. There's nothing you can say or offer."

reciprocity by jukeboxhound

There’s a pause before Lan Xichen says, in a tone that’s a little more neutral, “I would like to paint on you.”

“…What?”

“Of course, if you say ‘yes’ but then change your mind at any point, for any reason, you need only say so and I will stop immediately,” he adds.

Well, silver lining: Jiang Cheng is feeling much more awake than he was a moment ago.

Talent Hunt Crew Finds Angry Guy Shouting On College Campus, Recruits Him For Vocal Projection Abilities by oh_fudgecakes

Jiang Cheng, resident Angry Guy and heir to a conglomerate empire, has never been the apple of his father’s eye. Quashed under the shadow of his brilliant brother, the music prodigy Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng sees his chance to turn things around when he is recruited by the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt. One problem: he can’t sing to save his goddamn life.

As he struggles to develop his nascent singing abilities, Jiang Cheng finds himself sucked into the whirlwind drama of reality TV, helped along by his adoring siblings, his irritable vocal coach Wen Qing, and strangely enough, the unfairly attractive host of the All-Stars Lan Talent Hunt, Lan Xichen. Somewhere in the glare of the stage lights and an unexpected first love, Jiang Cheng stumbles upon the thing he was searching for all along: the courage to dream — and to attempt the impossible.

Marginal Costs by ohwhatevrewhatevr

“You think you know what you want, Er-Ge,” A-Yao says. “But you should consider what you’re willing to give first,” he says wryly, taking Lan XiChen’s chess piece with slim, skilled fingers.

Lan XiChen looks up at A-Yao’s concentrated expression and the hint of contentment on his face that he is special enough to be allowed to see.

“It’s not just one decision, but the lead up to many more. One decision decides what else you’re going to have to pay, and each time you have to ask yourself, ignoring the sunk costs, if this time it’s worth it as well.”

When his sworn brother looks up at him with those clear, amber eyes, waiting, Lan XiChen feels the pull and gives in: he asks.

“Are you happy being in love?”

(First half is two sad sworn brothers talking, internally mourning how unfortunate their other sworn brother’s death was :/ and second half is when a mopey boy in blue meets an angsty boy in purple whilst chasing a demonic cultivator, and a lil bit of sexy dual cultivation happens.)

Somewhat Tender by theherocomplex

There is no defense against kindness; it has always undone him.

I didn't expect you to be lonely (too) by bettydice (BettyKnight)

Jiang Cheng's life is a mess, he's a mess, and he doesn't miss his brother at all. So when his sister gifts him ten sessions with a massage therapist, who turns out to be someone he was crushing on for a hot minute as a teenager and is still as hot as ever... yeah, that might as well happen. It won't have to mean anything.

This feels intimate to Jiang Cheng in a way that's probably very inappropriate and maybe even pathetic. Nobody touches him like this, right where he’s hurt the most. There's no one who handles him so gently, so carefully.

It's the gentleness that's his undoing, he thinks. He would be able to deal better with it if it was painful.

Life for Rent by yodasyoyo

“Yeah well. You’re not taking me seriously. This guy is my soulmate!”

“Soulmate.” Jiang Cheng rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

“Just because you don’t believe in them—”

“I believe in them!” Jiang Cheng says. “I’ve never denied they exist.”

“Just last week you said that it was an evolutionary quirk that had been used by greetings card companies, movie makers, and corporations to exploit lonely and vulnerable people.”

“And I stand by it! That doesn’t mean that soulmates aren’t real. Just incredibly unlikely and probably pointless.

-

Or:

Xicheng vs Soulmates. Fight!

Halfway Around the World by theherocomplex

Normally, Jiang Cheng would be seething, jaw clenched tight, if someone sounded like that while they were talking, but — Lan Xichen has the trick of always making you feel like you're in on the joke, whatever the joke is. That you're laughing together.

Whelmed by yodasyoyo

For months now Jiang Cheng’s been idly fantasizing about how it would be if something were to come between Wei Ying and Lan Zhan. Mostly those daydreams have been simple enough — they break up (probably because Lan Zhan is boring or Wei Ying is annoying), Wei Ying is sad for a couple of days (Jiang Cheng’s willing to allow some space for feelings, he isn't a total monster), but then Wei Ying realizes he’s better off, he gets over it, and Jiang Cheng gets his brother back.

Unfortunately the fantasy version of events has only proven partially true, so far. They've broken up. Wei Ying has been sad.

Now weeks have passed, though — and Wei Ying is still sad, every. Single. Day.

It’s like Jiang Cheng's stuck in a looping GIF, and it’s driving him insane.

Or:

Jiang Cheng plots, Lan Huan pines, and, unfortunately for Lan Qiren, Wangxian are inevitable.

[oumaheroes]

Stargazing

Word Count: 2030

Characters: England, France- FrUK

---

‘If you could go back to any era, which would you choose?’ There is a stone in-between France’s shoulder blades, something that finally tips the scales from being comfortable into not, so France rolls onto his side, cradling his head in his hand.

From his spot in the grass next to him, England turns his head lazily, the movement long and slow. His eyes are the last to move, fixed on the stars, and they find France’s with a sharp flick, ‘What?’

‘Are you too drunk to listen?’ France lifts a heavy arm and reaches across the small distance between them to brush some errant hair away from England’s forehead and lets it stay there, tangled in his roots. France himself is wine soft and slow, warm in his stomach and chest from both the day and the drink which settles within him.

England huffs, ‘More like drunk enough that I can stop pretending you’re worth listening to.’

France hums indulgently, far too jovial at the moment to search for any unintended offense, ‘oh, the lies you tell yourself. They do amuse me.’

England frowns, head still facing France and cheek pillowed in the grass.  Wine is not enough to soften him entirely, it seems, ‘that is rich, coming from you.’

France brings his hand down from England’s hair to lay it across his mouth, ‘I’m not starting anything with you this evening, I’m too full.’

England opens his mouth and, very gently, bites the meat of the pad of France’s hand. Just to show that he could and to be difficult, showing that he won’t go down without a fight. France’s small input in the ridiculous battle is to leave it there, refusing to give in. Eventually, England lets go and moves his head away, although not before pressing his teeth down just that bit harder. France reclaims his hand and allows him escape without protest.

‘What drivel did you ask me?’ England looks back up at the sky again, high and cloudless above them.

‘If you could be in any era again, any that we have lived through,’ France repeats, ‘which would you pick to go back to?’ He has caught England in a good mood, one where he has allowed himself to be seen, for a time, without anything sharp covering him. Drink has made him pliant and loose tongued and France, in a similar mood, is keen to make the most of it.

England rolls his head slightly back, considering the question, ‘How long do I get in the era?’

‘No, don’t do that, don’t make it technical. It’s not a difficult question.’

‘It most certainly is, running water always influences things,’ England’s mouth twists in a wry hint of a smile, ‘and it’s one thing to pop back to the Tudor times for one of the court parties and quite another to have to spend more than a week there. I do not lament the loss of hose and codpiece.’

‘I do, they made my legs look fabulous.’

England snorted and rolled his eyes, ‘Why am I not surprised.’

‘You’re avoiding the question,’ France twists away from him briefly to feel for the wine bottle they’d been drinking from. It had rolled away slightly, the slight incline of France’s garden causing it to move easily as they shuffled about and he takes a long swing of it before laying it between them, neck resting on England’s stomach. He’s past beyond the point of using glasses now.

‘I’m not avoiding the question, I was trying to-‘

‘No stop, you’re ruining it; I’ll go first,’ after brushing the grass underneath to clear it of stones, France returns to lying on his back, arms behind his head, and ignores England’s tut of annoyance, ‘I think I’d actually want to go back to the days under Rome, just for a visit.’

England sits up on his elbows and takes a sip from the bottle himself, ‘I hadn’t expected that of you.’

‘No?’

‘God no. I would have thought you’d want to go back to one of your King Luis. You know, peak opulence, decadence- all that faff. You still love the fancy balls and the clothes, and the needless tat that came with it,’ England takes another sip of wine and runs his tongue over his teeth, ‘the dances and the jewels, the silly little court rules of behaviour. The gossip.’

France chuckles, ‘you were so funny every time you were dragged along- so out of place! You couldn’t go more than an hour before letting your true colours slip free.’ England was never truly refined for very long, especially when it came to the Versailles’ court standards.

‘Anyone with a lick of sense was immediately out of place,’ England quips drily and lays down again, placing the cork back in the wine as he goes.

It sounds nearly empty- shame. It was a nice year and the last of the bottles that they’d brought out to the garden. Dinner had been a late, informal affair in France’s kitchen- homemade bread and creamy, locally made cheese with chicken. Simple and filling, comfort food for the both of them. The summer heat made them both unwilling for anything too excessive and the entire day had been spent doing lots of nothing much at all; England lounging about in shorts that France refrained from teasing him about lest he stop wearing them.

‘Yes well,’ France lifts his head and clumsily bats him in the stomach with the top of his hand, ‘despite that indeed being extremely enjoyable, I do mean it. My choice of era, I mean.’

England makes a soft noise that gently demands elaboration, a low rumble in the back of his throat but France needs no prompting. He presses a knuckle into the softness of England’s stomach and feels him breathe in deep and slow.

‘I’d love to have nothing to be responsible for again. Everything was done for me, as a colony- the way my cities were built, the improvements made to my industries, the negotiations for trade and commerce, everything. I’d like to revisit being a child, in the closest sense of childhood our kind has,’ France pauses, mulling that over, ‘Imagine that again, being small but without fear of being so. No politics, no money driven economy, no push for growth. We have spent so much of our lives racing to get somewhere, striving to be more that I can hardly remember what it was like to be nothing more than an idea, existing just to speak for the lives that called themselves mine.’

France turns and catches England watching him, eyes searching and heavy, ‘Does that make sense?’ he asks him.

‘No,’ England’s answer is immediate, ‘no, and yes. The desire to be I understand, but I detested that age.’

France smiles at him, understanding masked by the dark. England does not, and never did, like being anything other than in perfect control of himself. Relinquishing that to someone else, even for his own benefit, has never been anything more than a horror.

‘Well,’ France says, ‘that is my choice. I liked being looked after and I have so much to do nowadays that it would be nice to have nothing to do once again. Nothing more than wander about my fields and see my people, or visit a northern barbarian across the sea.’

‘Don’t talk about Scotland that way, you’ll hurt his feelings.’

France laughs and reaches down to find England’s hand, open palmed and curled fingers by his side. He intertwines his own with it and brings them upwards, watching as together they cut across to block the light from his house and silhouette into a tangle of them both.

‘So,’ he says, running a thumb across the skin of England’s knuckle, ‘what era would you choose?’

England sighs, a light thing but France can hear a yearning there, ‘Any of the years I was at sea. The 1500’s when I was first starting out and even up to the 1700’s when things became more regimented- any of them. To be able to just get in a boat and go, no one knowing when I would come back or even where I was going.’

France shudders, the idea of being out in ocean that deep and so alone chilling him. For creatures that revive after death, who can wake again and again and again as long as there is a body to return to, the ocean is a lonely, painful place to die. To sink lifeless into murky depths, only to reawaken there in the dark press of salty sea; most nations avoided it as much as they could, wishing to avoid the long, drawn out death choked by waves and forgotten on the seafloor.

England never had such a healthy fear of the oceans. He went out into thunderous storms and monstrous waves as if enchanted, unable to resist the pull of something untamed. England sailed off as soon as he was able, going out for further and longer than anyone else dared and losing himself in the harsh life of the brine. He was a different creature far out at sea, something so strangely alive and perfectly at home for a man made from the soul of the mountains and land.

‘You always were a strange one for the macabre,’ France drops their hands back down and finds England once more looking at the sky, the reflection of stars glinting in his eyes.

‘The seas never change,’ his voice is quiet and distant, ‘some things do change, of course- the boats we sail on, how we do so. Things shift on the sea, the lands we travel to and from are washed away and changed with time but the sea itself is always the same. I appreciate it for that, it is predictably unpredictable. Constantly refusing the press of mankind by being the one thing we can never truly understand, for all of mankind’s new fancy gadgets.’

England gives a sudden, dry laugh, ‘I used to navigate the world by constellations, now I have to travel just to find some stars. To the highest peaks I have, or deep in my countryside to avoid as much light pollution as I can. But out at sea they are as they have always been, the same things I have watched and tracked for thousands of years. That is when I can just be as I have always been.’

The sky hangs overhead, speckled and bright and now, France notices, startlingly empty, ‘I often forget that they’re there,’ France speaks to the sky, ‘Funny, isn’t it? How something so fundamental can disappear and mankind not even notice. How odd to forget that stars are there, then to not notice they’re gone.’

‘We are cursed or blessed to remember what’s past,’ England offers, ‘which one depends on who we remember for.’

They lay in silence for a moment. France feels the collected years sit with him openly, laying on his chest and heart like tiny weights. The ground pushes against his back, firm and unmoving, and he breathes in deeply, smelling the heat of the summer in the air. He is here. He is now. He is. Still, after all this time. He watches.

To exist is to change, to live is to evolve and move with the flow of time, but France understands the want for something constant in the flood, something that stays recognisable and the same throughout the years. The older he gets, the more he yearns for it keenly.

‘You’ve gone and made things serious,’ he lifts himself back up on an elbow, England looking at him without moving his head, ‘just like you to take a light conversation and ruin it.’

England raises an eyebrow, “Oh the lies you tell yourself; they do amuse me.”

His French is accented with a Norman dialect, a gentle dig and refusal to fully let France have what he wants and France laughs at it, at this one unchanging constant he is stuck with. He leans down to kiss him, hair curling into England’s face and hiding what remains of the night sky.

----

AN: Every time I try writing one of these small drabbles, I start out with a particular idea and tone in mind but gosh darn it they never go where I intend for them to.

Today we have ended up with this, two old men talking themselves in circles in the summer grass.

[byorder-fanfic]

How They Look After You When it Gets Bad: Bonnie

Preference Masterlist

Requested by anonymous

Word count: 1727

Warnings: Reader going through a hard time, suggestive comments, swearing, Bonnie gets hurt (emotionally), not favourable descriptions of Small Heath (apologies to any Brummie readers- it’s for the plot)

Author's Note: Hi! I’ve had some trouble with the Ada and Finn preferences so I’m mixing up the order a bit. Those who’ve requested, your fics will be out soon! If there’s any other characters you want me to write for, feel free to make any more requests. Hope you enjoy and I’m wishing you all my best

(Gif by @sophieshelby) 

The Golds were travellers. It's what you loved the most about their life, the life that you jumped into in the greatest leap of faith that came with loving Bonnie. Now, whilst watching him ditch button-ups in favour of short vests, giving you full view of his lean arms attacking bags and people with so much strength was fun, it was the wind in your hair as you sat behind him on his horse, arms wrapped around his middle, it was huddling up in your shared bed in the caravan and arguing as to whether or not you could fit another ugly knitted blanket on top of the rest of them, and the maps you kept in a drawer that was slowly becoming more crosses than roads with all the places you've visited- it was that which made you love this life all the more. Plus, living with you Bonnie and his family (who had welcomed you with open arms the second Bonnie introduced you) created a second home, a home that lived on wheels and trotted down dirt paths. You knew that Bonnie getting his boxing licence would make the travelling come to a halt, and Small Heath would have to be home for as long as there was a job to be done and a reward to be reaped. And you were okay with that. You really were. Maybe there were a few tears as you hugged Esmerelda, Naomie and especially little Floss (she was desperate to see Bonnie go head to head with the Peaky Blinders!) goodbye as they continued travelling, you knew Bonnie felt the absence of his sisters more than you would. So, you made sure he never felt lonely, and the bed never felt empty; well, it wasn't as if it was a particularly difficult task to keep him company.

Small Heath was not a particularly enthralling place. Although you were on friendly terms with the Shelbys and their clan (and that was no exaggeration, they multiplied like rabbits!) and, after many, many threats from both the elder and younger Gold, none of the younger Peakys were planning on making a move on you, it was the place itself that seemed to bore you. All those things that you'd learned to love from your life on the road- the fresh air, the constant movement, the friendly welcomes when you saw another caravan cross your path, and the freshly caught food cooked over an open fire- there was none of that here. The sky was full of fumes that burnt more than the dark char of over-exposed meat, there was no patches of grass or flowers and everything was so fucking grey. Grey streets, grey sky, and a very grey mood for you. Sometimes, when Bonnie and Aberama were busy with the Peaky business that they left you out of, you'd just go over to the Cut and sit by the water to get even the slightest feeling of being back amongst the rivers and streams where you and Bonnie would set a number of ugly knitted blankets down and spend the night besides. You always thought the sound of water, and the view of the stars was the best way to fall asleep. Bonnie said the best way was next to you. You loved him, you truly did, but things were getting hard. Bonnie was always so busy now, between boxing and whatever the hell Tommy bloody Shelby had him apart of. Wrapped up next to him under all the blankets was the most time you spent with him, and he was usually so spent from work that he was snoring after seconds of laying his head on the pillow. All you could do was hope he didn't wake as you breathed softly next to him, trying to ward off sleep as much as you can just to see him as much as you can. By the time the sun rose, he was already up and at it. In stinking Small Heath.

You didn't want to resent him for bringing you here. You wanted to be proud of him when he boasted about getting his boxing license. You wanted to be happy for him when he came back, completely sloshed, after a night out at the Garrison with the Peaky boys he'd gotten close to, and he smelt like bloody whiskey and cigarettes when he cuddled up to you, drunkenly nuzzling his nose into your neck. You hated whiskey and cigarettes. Well, at least you think you did. You hated everything right now. You had tried to distract yourself from this frustration that was slowly building up in you, especially after you 'accidentally' broke one of the cups Naomie had made. You would pay for that when you saw her again. You had gotten Charlie Strong and Curly's permission to help with the horses in the stables. Eventually, though, you just felt sorry for the poor buggers: trapped in a scrap yard in a place full of people and so little greenery. Of course, you refused to admit you were projecting your own feelings on them. After feeling lonely for too long, you decided to make friends with the Shelbys. The Peaky boys that Bonnie had become fast friends with were nice enough, and Bonnie was happy for the excuse to see you more. As for the Shelbys, you had to be honest, they were a bit bloody scary. Esmerelda had made sure you were prepared for them, and you kept a whittling knife on your person every time you left the isolating sanctuary of the caravan, so you knew full well you could keep yourself safe amongst the blood and gore of the gangsters.

Eventually though these feelings caught up with you. You didn't even bother leaving the caravan today, knowing the streets were only going to further sour your mood and, even the bright presence of Bonnie's sleepy, half-awake smile, couldn't stop your erratic scrubbing of the plates. Ever since the Naoime's-broken-pottery-you were-sure-to-pay-for incident, you had only been entrusted with the metal pots and pans that weren't so easy to shatter. Still, you managed to scrub the metal dish in such a way to rouse the weary boxer. He had the day off, as Arthur had told you the night before when you sat in the Garrison, and the rest of the boys gave such a cheer their whiskey splattered on your dress. Bonnie had blushed, but you could see the hints of mischief in his smirk. And, with Aberama taking last night and today back in Small Heath, there was no misunderstanding Bonnie's intentions. You heard his stumbling foot steps as you moved further out of the open caravan door, focusing far too much on the washcloth and the practically sparkling pot that you still scrubbed.

"Hey, dove," he said in  sing-song tone that usually made your heart melt. Now it made your blood boil.

"Mornin' Bon," you replied back, far too snappy for his soft voice. 

He was startled. You didn't have to see his face to know he had flinched, feeling the sudden twinge of pain in the air like a broken string.

"Are you alright?" He asked, kindly, reaching down to rest his hand over yours. Instantly, you dropped the pan and cloth on the floor, hearing it crash against the soft grass.

"Well, you'd know if you'd have been there!" Along with your swift movement to stand up, the fierceness in your voice made Bonnie back away into the caravan. He saw the frustration clear in your face, and his shoulders hung in shame. He knew he'd been busy- too busy- and it must've hurt you.

"I'm so sorry, dove, I swear I'm trying to do this for us." 

"For you! And all I fucking do is stay in this fucking city!"

"It's not for long- then we can have that life we planned, with the boxing licence and our own caravan and-"

"And I don't wanna be here!"

You screamed it so loud that you were sure the birds in the trees surrounding you had flapped away from your voice like a shot had been fired from one of the Golds' many, many guns. And Bonnie seemed like he wanted to flee too, face so smushed up and hurt.

"I hate this place! It's dirty and cold and it smells like fucking shit!" 

Bonnie felt his whole body crumble at the tightness in your face, the look of pure anger making your fists squeeze in so tight he knew your nails would be digging in. He was the boxer and it was of his opinion that you should never have to raise a fist like this. You must hate him. You must do, and he was feeling his broad shoulders dip at the wildness that flickered in your eyes.

"I don't want to be here!" It was the crack in your voice that revealed yourself. A crack that mended Bonnie's wounded expression into that of concern. You didn't hate him. You didn't. You probably didn't even mind stinking old Small Heath. 

"Then how about we get outta here?" He suggested, giving you that lopsided grin that always made you childishly giddy. Even now, with frustration embedding your palms, you felt a kinder warmth flood to your cheeks. With more confidence, he moved towards you, cupping your cheek as you felt yourself just drop a little without the weight of frustration on your shoulders.

"Please," you muttered, leaning forward to rest your forehead against yours. "I want fresh air and empty fields and a blanket next to a stream."

"Just you and me lying down and looking at the stars?"

"That's all, Bon."

"Then you'll get it. Let's get changed, pack some food and we can get on a horse and just keep on riding, ey?" You chuckled a little at his romantic proposition, burying yourself closing into his grasp. "And get out of smelly old Small Heath that's been keeping me away from my dove."

"You're gonna have a lot of time to make up for." A little bit of frustration still hung in your mind, but the sweet look of adoration on your Bonnie's face was enough to soothe it into a cheeky remark.

"Indeed I do," he whispered into your neck. His expression got sadder again. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

[crispycrimebrulee]

HI! Can i request chrollo with prompt 12? Thanksssss <3

Prompt #12: "I Miss You" "Don't Lie, I Know She's With You." [Angst!] [TW: Cheating] [Also Available on AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/31658609 ]

Absence Makes The Heart Grow...Fickle.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Indeed, a statement that every relationship comes to meet, a milestone, a test of faith across miles of land and oceans, for if your love can withstand distance, surely it can withstand time, turmoil, and anything else.

And yet…

You find yourself, staring out of a raindrop riddled window, the soft hush of rainfall on adding fuel to your thoughts, watching your worries become realities as a pattern emerged from his constant actions…

Or lack thereof.

Could you blame him, though? Chrollo Lucilfer, feared among thieves and civilians alike, ruthlessness without bounds when he’s set on getting what he wants, going to any distance, metaphorical or physical to obtain what he wants most. You couldn’t really fault him for his distance; his distance in miles, being thousands of miles away gallivanting with his spiders on yet another quest, continuously building his legacy. You couldn’t blame him for his emotional distance either. He was an intense man to reach, to truly reach and understand and get close to. It would take ages of hard work and commitment to get him to share even a fraction of a clue of his own troubles to you. Not to mention, he always had something on his mind, a new quest, a new artifact, a new theory from his books, a new gang to silence, debts to collect...oh was he a busy man. You couldn’t blame him for being so far away, so distant…

And yet…

In the past he’d always made time for you, always called and made sure you were safe and taken care of while he was away. You’d been his top priority, his ultimate treasure, all quests and roads lead back to you at the end of a day or the end of a month, it was always your heart he returned home to and you welcomed him time and time again, how could you not? Everything about him was captivating, you’d be a fool to not let him in and have all that you are, albeit slowly and carefully, weary of what he was capable of.

Not weary enough, it seems.

You’d let him in, opened your doors to him and allowed him to gaze at what you thought was everything he wanted. Sure, it was everything he wanted, more than that by far. But as thieves go, they take without bounds and leave the door ajar, only a little so that they may slip in and steal whatever is left whenever they please, and you can do nothing to stop them seeing as only a fool lets a thief in their home.

He’d taken valuables beyond obtainable prices.

Love, time, faith, gentle smiles and gentler words, secrets of hopes and dreams and fears, all of it. He’d taken all of it without remorse on the basis of ‘your love could never be replaced’ promising he would only and always come back to you…

And.

Yet.

You already knew his heart and his eyes had wandered, from missed calls to missed dates to missed events to ‘forgetting to tell you he’d returned home’, to hearing whispers from shop owners mentioning they’d seen him with Her, his hand resting on the slope of Her hip, his eyes resting on Her hands as She held gifts from places he’d been, places he knows you could only dream of visiting, gifts that were seldom for you. He’d already tested the waters with another, already given in to a special kind of temptation, a one sided selfish temptation. What had you meant to him? Were you only someone to play with, something to fill a gap in his desires, desire for a sense of stability? Had he only spent years with you to play house with a docile routine only to put you on the shelf when the gap had closed, a new one opening where you did not fit? Were you another object he had to have, something to join a collection of used dolls, a worn out plaything, a gemstone now frosted and without luster, something to be given away with lesser value?

Of course, you little fool. What else would he want with you?

Only souls with stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts think ruthlessness with no bounds have bounds in regards to another, and that they’ll be the special one, the one that gets spared and cherished. Do thieves cherish? Do thieves find things special beyond monetary value? What monetary value did you hold?

Not enough, not enough, not enough.

You could only think about what She’d done to coax him away, or what She hadn’t done at all. You thought about it as you would walk to the store, the park, the bank, and glimpses of Her would cross your eyes clear as day, the scent of Her perfume, the clatter of Her bracelets, the sound of Her shoes on the pavement going to wherever Chrollo was, wherever he wasn’t with you, the place he said he would always return to. And at first, it was merely suspicion, something you talked yourself out of on nights where he was home but away from you, nights where he failed to call, night where you’d caught glimpses of them out late at night as though you wouldn’t notice.

Ruthlessness without bounds.

Suspicion only lead to confirmation by others and by your own eyes, accidentally of course, when he would come home and find Her earrings in his pocket, love letters in his jacket no longer addressed to you, Her perfume lingering on his shirt and pressed to his skin, catching the notes of sandalwood and citrus as he dared to sleep beside you on nights he could not sleep beside Her.

You could blame him.

And you did.

Your caring, your desperation and sorrow and attempts to reach out to him while he was wrapped up in satin sheets with Her only added fuel to his ill willed fire. You simply stepped back, two can play at that game.

You stopped wearing the foreign gifts, stopped reading the dull love letters, stopped sending calls and messages to someone who clearly did not care to receive them or not. To lose power, leverage, the damage it does to know what the ruthlessness of an old lover can do.

Being so easily let go, like the treasures he sells, was too much for him it seemed.

So much so, that your phone rang, his name lighting up the screen. You looked at it, letting the ringing pass through you as you considered if you should leave him wondering and falling apart.

Wondering too long, the call fell, the abrupt end to the rings bringing you out of your thoughts as you went back to watching the rain fall.

No more than 5 minutes, it seemed, before the phone rang again, Chrollo seemingly desperate to reach you now, more so than he ever had.

Once, twice, three times your phone rang before you picked it up slowly, a somber hello drawn out from you.

“Y/N… I haven’t heard you in some time-”

“I know.” you cut him off, your voice soft but stern and unamused.

He was silent for a moment, the sound of rain on both ends prodding at your thoughts again.

“You’ve been well, I hope? I’ve sent some things over to you from my recent trip.”

“Mmm… I never got them.” you lied, of course, knowing the small packages remind untouched, sitting outside on your balcony getting soaked by the rain.

“I’m sure I sent them, y/n, a few things I know you’d enjoy.” he hummed as he seemed to be lacing his words with sweetness, too much for his own sake, really.

“I’ll look out for them.”

Although you knew you wouldn’t.

He sighed, a rare sign from him, the sound of him sitting down from wherever he is, making the audio crackle.

“I’ve been gone a while, y/n.”

“I know. I know more than anyone.”

“I haven’t called as much as you’d like me to, it’s my fault my love.”

“It is your fault, Chrollo.”

Silence.

“Y/n…”

“Chrollo.”

“I miss you.”

You tilted your head to the side, watching the raindrops race down the window as Chrollo lied his finest lie.

“Don’t lie, I know She’s with you.”

Although you couldn’t see him, you could sense the shift in the atmosphere, was the shift from losing his chance to reconcile? Losing his chance to explain? Or from being caught like a rat in a cage of his own making?

“Y/n there's-”

“Tell me, Chrollo...do you miss me when you run your fingers through Her hair?”

“...”

“Or when you kiss Her hand and walk Her home?”

Deathly silence from someone so brazen...

“Do you miss me when your lips brush against Her skin, do you think of me then?”

You didn’t give him a chance to answer as you ended the call, knowing the damage on both ends had been done. You wouldn’t answer his calls, late or early, for the next few days as you planned to find a new place to stay, somewhere he wouldn’t find for a little while. His gifts provided ample financial help when traded in pawn shops, allowing you to gather yourself quickly and vanish in the same fashion that he did.

Your doors were closed, now, less of a fool for a thief with no bounds.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but it leaves the rest of you lonely.