#i dont like how accurate it is

[isleepunderwater]

Allen Ginsberg - „America”, 1956

[zillychu]

everyone sh. shutd up im cooking smthn

[wltsquareih]

Reshirement au... save me... save me reshirement au

[fraternum-momentum]

based on @peachykindaok 's post that you can find here !

[heartorbit]

if we could stay connected, just like this

[starry-bi-sky]

don't you want to be a cult leader? - danyal al ghul au

this is mostly a joke post but i thought it was funny and had to share so--

his first mistake was, obviously, inheriting his father's inability to see an injustice and stand still. -- actually, danyal's first mistake was his lair being so big. a mountainous island with a large temple in the center resembling his old home in Nanda Parbat? With sprawling foliage and rivers and streams and waterfalls galore? What was he going to do with all that space? Let it go to waste? He had plants there! Native trees of the ghost zone growing from the soil! He couldn't let it all be left unchecked!

So naturally after helping a fellow teenage assassin ghost -- who he later learns is named Akihiko, -- from Walker of all people, he sent them over to hang low at his lair until it was safe enough for them to wander around the Zone. Walker couldn't get through Danyal's astrofield if his life depended on it, and trust him -- he's tried. Danny was clearing out debris from his stupid transport vans for weeks.

Honestly it wasn't so bad, he and Aki really quickly became fast friends and Danny loves having a sparring partner close to his level again -- he hasn't had this much fun fighting since he left the League. Aki was very dedicated and levelheaded, the both of them clicked really well because of it.

Nonono, the real trouble began after Danyal met some long-passed League members and allowed them to come join his island as well. Apparently they had made a few enemies of the zone, and maybe Danyal still felt some loyalty to the League. He couldn't just let them be left to rot. Their zealotry could be overlooked so long as they kept it contained and helped him take care of his island.

And it.. snowballs from there? He meets a teen squire aptly calling himself Ambroise -- whether that was his living name or not is yet to be seen -- who died during feudal france, who is just about as dramatic and passionate as every french stereotype makes them out to be. He calls Danyal "my moon and great muse" -- which is both flattering and little uncomfortable, but Danyal's grown up in the League as the Grandson of the Demon Head, he is used to mild worship. he passes it off as nothing more, nothing less. -- and while his energy is overwhelming on the worst of days, he helps Danny draw out of his shell more in ways that Sam and Tucker still struggle with.

Him and Aki butt heads a lot, but the two seem to hold the other in at least some positive regard, so Danny doesn't worry too much about them fighting while he's gone. It only becomes a mild issue when Aki also begins calling Danny "my moon". It's a little sweet, so Danyal brushes it off.

Then he takes in a troupe of ghosts some time after he defeats Pariah Dark and they begin calling him "great one" just as the yetis do in the far frozen. This is where he meets the twins -- a pair of sibling ghosts who call themselves Trixie and Missy (short for Trick and Mislead) -- who aren't quite as passionate as Ambroise but more energetic than Aki. Eventually they also start calling Danyal "my moon" and attach themselves to his hip, even within the living. They like to hide in his shadow and cause trouble for the rest of the students. He makes sure they don't hurt anyone.

He's pretty sure Aki is jealous, same with Ambroise, but he can't be too certain other than the fact that they become much more lingering (re: clingy) whenever he visits the island.. Something he's trying to do much more often these days due to the increasing amount of people living there now. Since when did he become so popular?

Then there's Pēnelópeia from the Greater Athens, who ran away from home and joined his Island after he ran into her while she was being chased by Skulker -- and he's pretty sure the reason was because of her chimeric appearance. Her strange eyes and mismatched wings and lion's tail and talons. She assimilates into his friend group very easily, she gets along well with Ambroise and Trixie and Danny usually finds the three of them climbing the trees to pluck the most fruit from the top. They can fly and he knows it, but they prefer to climb.

Then finally there's silent poet Akkara who comes from ancient mesopotamia, who gets along most with Aki -- which is no surprise there considering their similar personality dispositions. he watches Aki and Danyal fight each other and leaves comments on this or that that he notices. He writes Danyal poems on clay tablets and leaves them by his room.

They're one big mismatched group of outcasts, and Danny's got the other ghosts on his island to tend to, because they're living on his island and he wants to be hospitable even if he struggles with that. But he spends the most of his time with them.

Sam and Tucker are making fun of him. Tucker jokingly tells him 'careful Danny, at this rate you're gonna start a cult'. Danny really wishes he had taken that joke more seriously.

He just. keeps. collecting people. Wayward souls lost in the zone, looking for shelter or refuge from something or other -- whether that be another hostile ghost, or a past afterlife, or just a purpose. Danyal finds them, he takes them in, offers them a place on his island until they are ready to leave. Many seldom do. He's not complaining -- he has the space, and it feels like it's only ever growing.

His close friends, his "inner circle" as he's heard the others call them, keep insistently calling him "my moon". He starts calling them his stars, because then it only feels fair. They're his stars, this is his constellation. It becomes a thing; little star halos begin forming behind their heads, picking them out from the rest. He loves them so much, it's hard to place. Sam and Tucker are also his stars, but they reside in the living realm, they're his tie to Life. Meanwhile, his friends here know what it's like to be dead, and sometimes its nice to relate.

Those living on his island keep calling him "Great One" and he's beginning to notice zealotry in their care for his island. He really, deeply appreciates it. His close friends gain nicknames -- as his stars, it's only natural for him to pick them out from the cluster in the skies. Akihiko, his Sirius and bright star. Trix and Missy, Castor and Pollux, the twins and troublemakers. Ambroise, his zealous Antares and close friend. Penelopeia, chimeric and loyal Vega. And Akkara, his Arcturus and strength.

It's ridiculous how long it takes for him to notice; he is, of course, a deadly trained assassin. He is meant to be observant -- and normally he is! But somehow this becomes a blind spot. One that becomes too big to be dealt with by the time he realizes it.

He should've noticed when Aki, his Sirius, stood beside him one day while Danyal looked over his island and saw the sprawling spirits carrying on about their afterlife and bowing to him as they saw him, and said: "I looked down into the depths when I met you; I couldn't measure it." They aren't one for flowing prose, it took him so off guard he was silent for over a minute before he finally spoke.

Danyal should've recognized devotion for what it is, and yet he didn't. He should've recognized it when Antares began spouting praises about him, crowing about his radiance and resplendence to the heavens. He just brushed it off as Ambroise being Ambroise. He should've recognized it when Trix and Missy nearly broke Dash's leg after he knocked Danyal's books out of his hands, he excused it as them being protective. Of them coming from times where such violence may have been customary -- after all, that's what he used to be like. What he was still like, sometimes, when his emotions nearly got the better of him.

He should've noticed it when the people living on his island followed his word like gospel, looked at him like he hung the stars in the sky. When his friends gifted him a shawl with the moon phases delicately embroidered into it, with silver, shimmering thread and moving stars lovingly stitched into it. Their constellations seen clear as day in the dark fabric. When he found small shrines dedicated to him -- but they lacked any image of him beyond stones carved to look like moons, so he ignored it. When the religious imagery began popping up.

He really, really should've noticed it when a bunch of cultists accidentally summoned Antares, and Antares had turned to him when he arrived and called them heretics. But he was so centered on the fact that they had kidnapped one of his stars, that he hadn't paid much attention to what Ambroise had said.

Sages say that faith is blind, they should also say faith in you is even blinder.

It really only hits him one afternoon while he's sitting in Sam's room studying with Tucker, Missy and Trixie lounging at his feet, Aki sat on his right, Penelopeia braiding his hair, Ambroise draped against him, and Akkara lurking over him. Its one of the rare few times they're all in one room together.

It hits him like a bolt of lightning. He looks up from his textbook. "Oh Ancients," he says in no amounting shock. Everyone looks up to him.

"I've become my grandfather."

[turtletoria]

the krampus incident from the book of bill if it was out of character and stupid

[potatobugz]

objects loving objects baby!!!!

[sansculottides]

pisses me off to no end when people on reddit or whatever complain that the show wouldve been better off without the tuunbaq.....did we watch the same show? the tuunbaq is everything, it held everything together. the tuunbaq is the main transformative element of the terror. the tuunbaq elevates the text beyond mere historical fact and lets it say something about the expedition's broader context of imperialism. it hunted the british men who were trampling on its home as a mere stopover, a side casualty, to finding the northwest passage (for, you know, "trade with china" after britain beat china into submission after the imperialist opium war). silna couldnt complete a proper ritual with it because of the british men - just as british colonizers have historically intruded and disrupted the practice of indigenous culture. and in the end the tuunbaq dies, after all the injuries it's taken from the british over the course of 10 episodes and finally chokes to death on the worst of them. because there's no escaping the reality of colonial history, and there is especially no fantastical escape for the colonizer. there's no proper way for us to move forward otherwise.

good historical fiction doesnt have to limit itself to accuracy - it needs empathy to draw out meanings in history using literary craft. thats what the tuunbaq means to me.... if you wanted a straight depiction of historical record, just go watch a documentary.. TUUNBAQ DENIERS DNI

[2129888]

curly fool! its so hard to draw book characters exactly the way you see them in your head

[bobellafofella]

He said lamely, "She is very beautiful." "And she has the sense not to frighten you," Dach'osmin Ceredin said, and Maia took a step back, wanting to protest her deduction, but unable to deny its truth. "We should take lessons from her, we see."

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison is one of my favorite books of all time, and within it, one of my favorite scenes is Maia and Csethiro's first real interaction at Nurevis' party! so i drew it. their slow romance is so delicious.

[aphel1on]

AURGH auwarghh the autistic parental trauma... the epi was wacky hijinks then dropped this on us out of nowhere... (sobs) laios... laiiiiooooos

[beastyeastfreak]

Ancients / GN! Shape shifting reader

Well yall wanted me to write for ancients too, so i figured why not return to my roots and rewrite the first post i did on this blog but for the ancients now that im writing for them!

Ill be prioritising beast asks though, sorry this is a beast fan account lolll

Cw and tags: collection of oneshits, takes place before beast yeast episodes, definitely not vague lots of defined reader lore for each oneshot, romantic, implied depression, reader has some connection to the beasts, angsty

Dark Cacao

⚔️ - Your appearances were few but each strike was enough to cause ripples across the kingdoms nearby. It wasn’t often you attacked. You weren’t exactly hostile, just a being that pillaged a town then moved onto the next, surprisingly no fatalities just survivors with injuries both mental and physical. Dark Cacao’s kingdom was not the first to meet you. You traveled all along the cold areas of crispia before trailing closer and closer.

⚔️ - Dark Cacao had heard incessant gossiping from the aristocrats. A horrendous creature, they said. One day they spoke of it being a bulky armored covered monster, the next a cookie who looked just a little off… Another would whisper that their cousin had faced it head on, it had no specific form but to scare them it had taken the form of a great dragon. His interest had peaked, and the sword at his side resonated with the same interest. If this shifter decided to show its face, he would handle it personally. He assigned more guards at the borders, tension grew. A town just shy of the kingdom had been torn up in the night, help arrived in the morning. No fatalities still.

⚔️ - Your arrival had fanfare, not loud but it was announced. The birds stopped chirping and the animals hid all day in burrows. Even some larger predators seem to shy from the open areas. The day dragged, everyone seemed on edge, everyone now assigned to civilisation of any kind, the being only attacked small towns so as threat loomed he ensured citizens would be protected.

⚔️ - Dusk settled on pristine snow, he began to patrol the castle walls. Below, against the snow he saw a lone cake hound, he watched quietly as it innocently trotted up to the wall of the citadel, looked around and suddenly turned into a robed cookie. Ah, it intended on stealing from him, and here he was preparing all the weaker points. He did not move, he stood still, then when you climbed to the top he grabbed you by the arm. Standing without a word while you began to claw, and change, and scratch, regardless he held on staring coldly. Eventually you loosen up, his grip does not waver. You’re no dragon, you actually seem quite frail for a cookie. “You would have been wise to steer away from this kingdom,” his brows knit. “Fine! I’ll go, put me down.” You hiss and kick at his chest, its like kicking a brick wall. “No, you must answer for what you’ve done,” he says and places you down so you can walk but still holding your arm. “What?! Seriously! I didn’t do anything!” You yell out as he drags you into the fortress.

⚔️ - You’re placed in a cell impossible to escape from no matter how small or large you make yourself, apparently its mercy by their standards. You gain the affection of whoever’s bringing you food in the beginning. If fact new guards have to constantly be appointed because of how you continue to win their hearts over. Finally, he decides to just bring you your food every day, and unfortunately he falls victim to it too. The first instance of resolution slowly cracking was pity, you scarfed down food like you hadn’t been fed in years. He occasionally spotted you looking longingly out a window or the sound of your form shifting.

⚔️ - He cracked, one day he delivered food and asked, “why did you harm those beneath you?” He says, you’re throwing a ball up at the ceiling and back down again, except the ball also seemed apart of your body. “We all gotta eat, not that it really matters i guess since we’re all going to die anyway,” you respond nonchalantly. “So you’d hurt the innocent to feed yourself?” He said incredulously. “I didn’t hurt anyone, just stole… and broke some stuff,” you say. He stares for a moment then leaves.

⚔️ - He comes back the next day and opens the door, “you will join my kingdom, i will keep you fed and you will listen to me.” He says, ecstatically you agree.

⚔️ - The next few months were hard work, you had to regain the trust of cookies you once saw as stepping stones. Many of those who you now had to stand beside at meetings you would have had to scare off. Your talents were indispensable, a jack of all trades one could say.

⚔️ - Once you were fed, out of a crummy cell and out and about you were flourishing. Obviously Dark Cacao kept a close eye on you for his own interest, to train you, and course you not getting away. That allowed you to become close with him, there were many times you found yourself in his cloak, or sleeping on his shoulder in the form of a small animal. Though in many cookies eyes you were an outcast, when you two were by yourself you were close. He had never been this close with anyone, you had little chance to be.

⚔️ - As you adjusted to the snow, dapples of white or a snowy coat would become frequent on your body. At first thats where he thought it’s end, just a new shade of camouflage. Then the closer you two seemed to get and the longer you stayed, he noticed occasionally within the black were small sharp diamond shaped specs. Any time he’d run his hand over your bare back as you slept or hold your cheek before a kiss, those specks seemed to temporarily grow in size. He finds it amusing, he wishes he had something he could keep on himself that reminded him of you.

⚔️ - He found himself more and more fond of you by the day. He was a mighty king, unmoving in the face of danger. He showed nothing, just stalwart silence. Yet you didn’t do that, you proudly displayed colors. You were always changing, even in deep sleep where your best dreams were black and purple. There was always a new pattern, a little change but even then, some part of him remained there. You were one of his subjects now, he’d protect you as such.

Golden Cheese

☀️ - The golden city was a perfect, pristine paradise she had carefully planned and constructed for her citizens and only her citizens. So it irked her to no and that pesky bugs would dare try inflitrate and harm what was hers! Of course her assistants would always do an impeccable job in maintaining the city, keeping everything in order and above all prevent it from happening again. Yet one day, something unfamiliar wormed its way into the city.

☀️ - Mozzarella cookie had spotted a rather hefty glitch one day, quite large for a beetle but took care of it regardless. Well, the very next day another bug popped up in the same place, the ritual would be repeated again, and again and again until Golden Cheese herself took notice. “It’s almost like the same entity is trying to break in under different forms.. i haven’t seen anything like this.” Mozzarella cookie would say. Insulted was the first emotion, some one was desperately clawing their way in to harm her subjects?! Her treasure?! But then it became sharp fear, a pit in her stomach. Someone was getting in. She of course did not let this fear show, she told Mozzarella cookie to let this entity in and track them down so she could have a word with them.

☀️ - Things are quiet for a while, no bugs, no issues, no mention of some terrible cookie rampaging about. The relative silence only makes her more anxious. At some point she does find you though, although not realizing its you. She visits her room filled with treasure, coins stacked to the roof, golden chalices filled with never ending ambrosia and shiny rare trinkets litter the shelves. Her treasure, just the mere sight of it, calms her down. She gazes upon art while idly swirling a shiny cup. Somewhere down another room she hears movement. With haste she walks over, “is someone there? This room is off limits,” she called out and heard scrambling. She opens the door to find…

A cat?

☀️ - She watches as this feline jumps onto a pile of gold and tries to escape out a window with a scroll in its mouth. She quickly flies over and grabs it, “what a greedy little creature you are! Stealing from my treasures are you?” She pulls the scroll from the cat’s mouth, it was a map of the old kingdom. She had it in a tightly closed box on the wall, how this cat managed to pull it out was beyond her. It began to try and pull away, swatting and hissing. She just laughed, finding it cute. “I think i will keep you, very few have the ability to trespass into my abode.” She says, your disappointment is plentiful.

☀️ - You tried to escape the first night she captured you, but that very night Smoked Cheese caught you and placed an irremovable collar that would track your position on you. You were stuck, beginning to wish you had chosen a different kingdom to hide in. As for how you’re treated? In the beginning it was degrading, stupid outfits, horrible name ideas, being petted. Then it began to work a little, you hinted at whatever your name actually was and she took it, she began to give you more regal attire and you got your own servant strangely. You felt, weirdly enough, worshipped which even being given a place to stay was more than you usually had. She seemed like she needed a companion especially after all she went through, it made it harder to leave.

☀️ - You knew you couldn’t stay though, you were a whole cookie hiding as a cat, you couldn’t abuse her trust like this (besides her assistants were becoming suspicious). So you plotted your escape, after a month of lounging around in luxury, cared for by Golden Cheese, you snuck out in your actual form. You assumed that in a different form, the tracking wouldn’t work. You were wrong. You got about 20 feet within the glitch you escaped from before you were caught and dragged back to golden cheese.

☀️ - At first, it seemed as though she would be angry, but she wasn’t. Standing tall like a judge with the face of someone who found this all amusing if anything. Through conversation she understood your motives and why you decided to leave despite the fact you could have just lied and stayed a cat the rest of your life. To your surprise, she offers to let you stay. You accept obviously, you didn’t want to go back to a place of battle and hardship.

☀️ - She stays close to you even after you aren’t a cat anymore. She does find interest in your ability to become other animals and even more mythical beings. She seems to slowly get closer to you again over time, still lavishing you in gifts, still talking about her day to you, making sure you’re well fed. She still refers to you as ‘pet’ or ‘treasure’ as a nickname, but she still sees you as a cookie of course. Once you begin to return the affection it only multiplies, she practically pulls you into her lap sometimes without much of a warning. She’ll string a necklace of pure gold around your neck and tell you its yours without asking if you wanted it. She feeds every greedy desire of yours.

☀️ - Eventually you start to realize how in place you were here, as in you were changing to mold against her. Any markings on your face slowly began to shimmer before completely changing to accentuate whatever she gave you. The animals you changed into were more often naturally occurring in the area. Whenever she was close to you, you seemed to naturally glow. She notices this, makes sure you’re constantly near her. Kissing along your neck watching pulses of color matching hers appear. Where once you were rough and unpolished she had undone that and revealed new colors you thought incapable.

Hollyberry

🍻 - Your skills as a shape shifting warrior were well known during the Dark Flour War resonated loudly among your kingdom. You defended the Hollyberry kingdom with such intensity and ferocity, even the ancients took notice of it, more specifically your queen Hollyberry. As battles raged with no clear end, when you had everyone’s back she was there to provide her shield and her encouragement.

🍻 - Everything was looking up for you, at least you thought it was. After the Dark Flour war she left the kingdom, she left you. You were given your titles worthy of your fighting, but Hollyberry was not there. In her absence, her son Royalberry had taken over who often invited you to the palace. You shared war stories at a dinner table, you uplifted as many cookies as you could. All the while searching for any sign of Hollyberry returning, and every search you came back with less hope. All the things you wanted to say to her, all the cups you could have shared before she left…

🍻 - You would always be there to protect anyone and everyone, even if Hollyberry was missing. The feeling of constant impending attack always loomed over you. On lonely nights you wonder if thats why she left, among other reasons. To try and fight this constant dread and fear, you shift less, take on less responsibilities in defense, you lose passion and color. Slowly, you faded into just another cookie, your transformation only quickened when the dragon came. Invasive was the beast, it made its home sipping juice and eating jelly’s and all were powerless to stop it, including you. It felt hopeless, you couldn’t even return the looks at you when they stared at you for help.

🍻 - Pitaya Dragon knew of your battle prowess, but when you hid away it only angered them. They became rowdy and impatient for someone to fight, some questioned why you weren’t fighting back. Finally the dam broke and you weren’t sure why. What sounded like buildings falling echoed through the entire palace, followed by roars and people running. What seemed like a great day had turned into a disaster in minutes.

🍻 - You stood in the crowd of nobles running away, your eyes catch onto a tall figure standing still. That pink hair, those eyes.. could it be? She sees you and walks over, “Y/N! i barely recognized you! Come on, let’s give this dragon a piece of our mind!” She says patting your back and beginning to walk ahead with great confidence. She hadn’t changed, you walked behind her. You exclaimed, “i can’t!” She stopped and turned to you, “come on! You have me, we can take them on!” You stared up at her, scared of what she’d think. “I cant shape shift anymore,” you blurted.

🍻 - “Im sure you can!” She says but you cannot respond before her hands come to your shoulders. “I know you can, if you can’t for the sake of fighting this dragon, then do it for me! I need your help, will you fight beside me one more time, friend?” She speaks, and a fire that had long been extinguished arose in your heart. What were you saying, of course you could fight with her, you were a shape shifting, Hollyberrian, enemy wiping machine! Valiantly, you both ran into battle, and for the first time in many years you changed, you fought and you won.

🍻 - It seemed like once all the damage was repaired, the first thing she did was drag you to the juice cellar and down a barrel or two with you. You both recalled your tales and got close as you did all those years ago. A couple good sparring matches got you back in fighting order, and it made you realize how good it felt to move around in a different body! She seems to encourage your shifting, when it starts to get monotonous she’ll pat your back and tell you “you tapping out already?” She understands breaks though, and she helps you readjust to the way things used to be.

🍻 - Unsaid feelings seem to come out quicker when they’ve been hidden away for so long, thankfully (to no ones surprise) it’s reciprocated. You’re spending practically every day with her to make up for lost time. She holds you so close you swear you hear your dough cracking, her gaze always lingers on you like its the last time she’ll get the chance. She relishes each form, relating it to past forms you’ve taken mostly. You’ve both grown, gain scars, you compare them often.

🍻 - Theres never a dull moment, always a promise of excitement with her. Even at night within sleep it’s a battlefield of blanket hogging and kicking, or attempting to smother the other in their sleep. She ensures you that come what may, whatever beasts she faces and battles you fight she’ll always make sure you’re behind her shield when you need it or in her arms when you’re in too deep.

Pure Vanilla

🍦 - The mysterious and frankly horribly uncharted woods around the floating vanilla kingdom was festered with dangerous creatures. Cookies were a great target, monsters loved to sink their teeth into crunchy dough, which meant as king (and a healer) he needed to limit who ventures into rough lands and their exact travels. Of course, where there was danger there was reward, and someone had found something particularly significant. One of the explorers had came up to him and handed him a scroll, holding it up to his staffs eye to read it. It was a map to a seemingly mythical structure holding scrolls of knowledge dating back to long ago, guarded by a massive shape shifting being.

🍦 - At first, Pure Vanilla shut it down, war was on the horizon and the kingdom needed to prepare. Though, for a few nights as he drifted to sleep he was kept awake by the fact he would never know what was in there. If it was real then someone else could find it, someone like Dark Enchantress cookie. Finally he caved, he assembled a team and someone to watch the kingdom in his absence. They set out in the morning, after a day of walking they arrived at an overgrown stone gate, the letters worn off. Within the walls was a once beautiful garden, many places to read and write. The building was still intact, teeming with ancient magic.

🍦 - He began to walk the path to the entrance ahead of the others, a statue stood of a cookie but it was so overgrown he could only see the worn down base. He took a step forward and the statue began to crack and move and soon the vines fell of revealing a great monster wound in sharp vines. “Begone, travelers, I will not repeat myself,” It bellowed shaking the earth. As it moved, it roared and began to swipe and attack. With each new form it took on came an unexpected challenge. The team began to fight back, but Pure Vanilla noticed something. The way it moved, although frightening and certainly dangerous it’s stance felt uncomfortable. It took on another shape, he began to realize the thorny vines it wrapped itself in were digging into it, and no matter what size they changed to it was the same.

🍦 - The only reason that would be is unkept magic, this being was left behind by its creator but the magic binding it to its duty had to be maintained like the garden. The being was in pain, and there was no defeating it at this rate, he commanded his team to stop. The soldiers stepped back, the guardian did too, assuming they were leaving. Pure Vanilla came forward with all the respect he could give for this ancient being. “If you do not want us inside, we will go, but please allow me to help you.” He says and the monstrous form they were taking becomes small, they were now a cookie still wound in thorns. “I do not need help,” you say. “Leave.”

🍦 - “Your fighting begs to differ, tell me, does defending a building full of paper merit suffering for a thousand more years?” Pure Vanilla steps forward again, still calm. “I have defended this place for many years, when my master returns he will fix this.” You respond. “Do you know when that is?” He asks, your silence is loud. You speak again, “the vines were once.. not thorn ridden, but what was once a proud colorful display of loyalty is now my chains.” You explain, he nods. “If this place is so special, i can help you keep it safe, but these vines will grow, and soon you will be unable to defend your home.” He steps forward again but you do not react so he continues. “Even if if means you are not bound to this building, please, let me remove your chains.”

🍦 - Unable to say no, you nod and offer your arms to him. With his own magic, he runs his hands over them and they slowly unravel as light passes within. For a moment you’re completely glowing, and then you are free. Weight has been lifted off your shoulders though it does not appear like that on the outside. While Pure Vanilla tends to the deep cuts in your flesh and tells you about the Vanilla kingdom and who he was, the others scout inside. When they return they speak, “the scrolls are.. all blank.” Then what have you been defending?! You desperately explain this place used to be lively with scholars and even after your master stopped coming here this place was full of cookies. Pure Vanilla investigates and tells you that they were replaced a long time ago, you were defending blank scrolls and dilapidated walls. Without purpose and little dignity, you decide to part with the building and try life in the Vanilla kingdom.

🍦 - Most would call the expedition a failure, but Pure Vanilla saw it as an astounding success. While they gained no knowledge or material they saved you from much more unnecessary pain and toiling. You didn’t know how cookies worked to be frank, any time you tried to talk to someone you came off odd. You had made a habit of clinging to Pure Vanilla, he taught you the new languages and etiquettes, all the new kingdoms that arose. It was almost embarrassing that a mighty guardian was hiding behind such a gentle cookie.

🍦 - Your fondness for nature connects you two, throughout your years waiting, nature was your friend. You watched the world around you become infested and weeded but in a way you couldn’t help but admire. He often allows you to accompany him while gardening which is where most of your bonding happens. It takes a while for you to choose a form that matches this new modern style, he’s extremely patient with each change. He has nothing but love and admiration for you, you wanted to change and he wanted you to be comfortable.

🍦 - At some point close friendship delves into something romantic. Kneeling in dirt surrounded by flowers during sunset, you cant tell if he was noticing the changes you made to yourself or the way you were looking at him. His free hand off his staff comes to your arm like he wanted you to be closer while he told you how amazing you were. His words cloud your mind, you’re lost in the features of his face slowly approaching. Soon, you’re kissing tenderly, trying to hold onto this form and keep it from spontaneously changing from the emotions. When he leans away he thinks it’s cute, your entire body now mismatched except your face.

White Lily

🪻 - It was a particularly calm day out, birds were singing their unique songs and flowers blooming out and about. White Lily would have to depart today though, she needed to go to beast yeast to find answers on why cookies were made and there she would find it. She had let her friends know, it was hard to leave but she knew it was the right choice. Her thirst to know and enlighten had been discouraged by her teachers and friends. She did not leave without a gift, with a gentle tap of her staff the ground around her began to glow and become full of lilies winding around trees and sprouting deep within the woods. They curled around her feet like a goodbye hug. She broke free and began to walk, slowly the field of flowers became more scarce.

🪻 - It had not been more than a few minutes when she heard movement within the trees along the path. She turned her head to see another cookie on a parallel path who quickly noticed her. She expected them to wave or something but to her surprise they suddenly turned into a bird and flew over to her, flying over her head. “Well hi there! Are you the one who made that big pretty field back there?”

🪻 - She smiles and nods, they drop back down now a cookie again. “Why’d you do it? I mean.. no one anyone randomly creates a bunch of flowers,” they say walking backwards to face her. “It’s a goodbye gift for my friends, i have to leave for beast yeast and i wanted to give something to be remembered by.” She says quietly, the other cookie seems to perk up. “Im from beast yeast! Im heading there right now, what are the odds!” They exclaim and she seems more interested now. “Really?” She says and you nod quickly. “This is actually the third time ive tried to go back, i.. keep getting lost before i even get to the border,” you admit slightly embarrassed. She laughs softly, “it seems you should probably stay with me.” She suggests and you quickly replied “it seems you’re right, My name is (Y/N) cookie by the way,” you say now walking beside her. “White Lily cookie,” she returns the introduction.

🪻 - The trek to beast yeast would take a month on foot, thankfully you both had each other’s company. She talked about her friends and their kingdoms, her burning desire to know why cookies were made and asked a lot of questions about beast yeast. You answered those queries and talked about yourself. That or sharing tales beside a campfire of strange tales of powerful cookies gone bad and a kingdom of silver and faeries. You turned into various exotic animals from around the world or kept watch while she rested. It seemed when you spend every day and night with someone you get close quickly.

🪻 - One cold night she sits beside a fire unable to sleep when she hears odd snoring coming from your tent. Hesitantly, and with a little inner fighting, she peers in to see a fluffy cream lynx lying inside and nearly jumps out of her dough at the sight. You, in the form of a cold weather creature to stay warm jumps awake thinking there was danger. You halfhazardly turn back to a cookie to reassure her you were just cold. Then the thought occurs, was she cold too? She says she hasn’t been able to sleep and has been staying by the fire, you offer to let her sleep in your tent. She agrees, needing the rest. For the rest of the trip, even though it got warmer she spent every night in your embrace.

🪻 - Then you cross the border into beast yeast, it becomes harder to protect eachother. In a moment of peace one day, she says that they should head towards the faerie kingdom. You seem like you dislike the idea but go anyway. It takes a few days to find the kingdom. When she finally comes to the entrance, suddenly you’re gone. It doesn’t matter though, the faeries needed her help so she’d have to find you later. When she sealed up the tree and was celebrated by the Faeries, she began to try and find you. Elder Faerie, confused why she wasn’t at the feast in her honor, approaches her. She explains who you are and their journey. Elder faerie recognizes you and explains your story to her. Long ago, you were once a faerie, a beast of silence, once of solidarity, saw you and despised how you were constantly surrounded by friends and helping your people without reward. So the beast approached you alone, offered to take you in, you declined with disgust. The beast, angered by the response, placed a curse on you. Never would you rejoin your kingdom and never would you be in your body again. Forever, a silent outcast.

🪻 - When he is done, he says you will likely be found somewhere close outside of the kingdom. If she cannot find you, he’ll send scouts. She leaves immediately, its hard to find a shape shifter but she knows she’ll find you. She spends all afternoon but soon she spots you beside a still pond. She says nothing, sits down and holds your hand. You tell her, “you have celebrations in your name, you should go to them. You wont find any enlightenment with me, only loneliness.” You seemed to know that he told her. She doesn’t go though, “maybe theres a way to reverse this,” she tells you. “It’s too powerful, no cookie can fix this,” you sigh. “Maybe.. a witch?” She responds with a small smile, you look at her like she was insane.

🪻 - “I am going to the witches.. and i want you to come with me. There i will find answers and maybe you will become un-cursed.” She says hopefully, a little surprised you aren’t sure what to say. Moonlight shining down on the both of you by a mirror like pond, it all felt perfect. “What if they can’t reverse this?..” you say trying to pull away but she keeps you there. “Then we can be alone together, no matter what happens there i’ll stay with you,” she smiles quietly, pink tinting her cheeks. It feels impossible to say no, so you don’t. You smile back and speak “ok, i’ll go with you.” You clasp a hand over hers. You weren’t sure when you got so close but it’s awfully convenient. Your intentions are pretty clear, hers are too. Both of you now flustered, nervous and unsure what to do, you stare at each other before she leans in and kisses you. Even after it ended you were fairly certain your heart didn’t stop pounding all night long.

[kyurochurro]

❄️ monkees on ice!

[kerizaret]

hello and welcome back to WHAT THE FUCK IS THE TENMA HOUSEHOLD i will be your shitty guide

[baisemains]

Elements of Desire

Chapter 10: In the Air

single mom!sevika x fem!reader

word count: 8k

contains: fluff, angst, slight mentions of past trauma, descriptions of an anxiety attack, hurt/comfort, mentions of medication

description: competition weekend has finally arrived, but the first day is already riddled with a series of uneasy experiences and unwelcome surprises.

ao3 link | spotify playlist

previous | next // sevika masterlist

Two months have flown by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, it's the morning you're set to leave for the competition site. You woke up feeling well rested for once, but the nervous excitement that's been building up the last several weeks suddenly hit you like a ton of bricks. Your stomach is now churning with anticipation, butterflies and anxiety warring in the pit of your gut. Shaking your head, you remind yourself that Powder and you have done everything you can to prepare, and she’s going to do the best job she can. Thinking of the girl also brings thoughts of her mom and how the other woman is feeling.

Sevika never took you up on your offer to help her pay for the hotel and plane tickets because, unbeknownst to you, she borrowed the money from Vander instead. She'd never been one to easily accept assistance, even if it was from someone that she trusted. Her prideful tendencies have worked against her in the past, her stubbornness often leading to more headaches than it was worth. She felt that same stubborn pride in this situation, not wanting you to give her what she felt was a handout, even if she was going to pay it back. Vander didn't question it when she approached him about the situation, knowing that if Sevika was asking for help, she really needed it.

When you hear the knock on your front door, you rush to open it before your roommates can, wanting to avoid their teasing this early in the morning. Sevika stands on the other side, dressed casually with her hands in the pockets of her worn blue jeans. You can see that her hair is still damp from her shower and she looks as gorgeous as ever, tired eyes brightening the moment she catches sight of you. As she takes you in, her eyes rake over your form, gaze traveling south to the bag by your feet before it drags back up to your face accompanied by a shy smile.

"Morning."

Returning her grin tenfold, you close the distance and wrap your arms around her waist in a tight embrace, letting her warmth seep into your bones. You hear a content hum above you before strong limbs wrap around your neck, eventually pulling away and leaving you to stare into expressive grey eyes. Sevika's hands slide to the sides of your neck, her thumbs rubbing gentle circles under your jaw in an affectionate manner.

“Sorry we’re a little late, I was…having a hard time saying bye to Isha before we left.”

Your eyes take in the way the other woman’s hold a sad appearance to them, rubbing her back gently as she explains.

“I’ve never spent more than a night apart from her, and that’s only when the girls sleep over Vander and Silco’s across town. I almost brought her to drop us off, but I don’t know if I would’ve been able to leave if I did.”

“That makes sense,” you whisper, seeing how affected Sevika is by having to leave her youngest behind. You already knew how amazing of a mom she was, but the more she drops her guard around you, the more you can feel yourself falling for her.

“Anyways,” the older woman clears her throat, slightly embarrassed at how vulnerable she just was, "You all set to go?"

Nodding once, you grab your carry-on and backpack and drag them over the threshold, turning back to lock the front door before following Sevika to the truck parked along the curb.

“Powder would’ve come down to grab you too, but she knocked out as soon as we left the house.”

A slight pout settles on your lips when you think about how exhausted the girl must be. Once you're close enough to see the shape sitting in the driver's seat, the passenger window rolls down to reveal none other than Vander. He quickly looks you both up and down before giving you a subtle wink.

"Well, don't you two look cozy this morning."

Warmth begins to spread onto your cheeks as you gear up a reply, ignoring the knowing glance he sends your way.

"Good to see you again, Vander. Sorry I've been too busy for poker night, I've really missed making easy money."

The man guffaws before hopping out and rounding the truck to help you with your luggage, hoisting it up and gently placing it in the bed.

"When you all get back from your trip, we're going to have to find a night for a rematch. Silco hasn't let me live it down since."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you let him know just how annoying that was."

Sevika's tone is dry and she rolls her eyes when he shoots her a cheeky grin, and you can see the subtle banter for what it is; a sign of familiarity and affection. She opens the back door for you to slide into, feeling the tingles spread up her arm when you gently brush her hand over hers.

The other woman snickers to herself as she climbs up into her seat, listening to the two of you continue to go back and forth with a slight shake of her head. She can't keep the warm smile off of her face though, the sight of your friendly relationship with one of her oldest buddies making her heart do back flips. Sevika cracks a window as you all begin your journey to the airport, spring leading towards summer and bathing the car with a comfortable breeze.

An hour later, the group of you arrive, Vander pulling into the drop off lane and causing Powder to finally wake up.

Rubbing her eyes, she mumbles, “Where are we?”

"Airport, sleepyhead."

Vander glances back at the teenager in the back seat, amused as she slowly shakes off the grogginess and focuses on her surroundings, confusion still clouding her expression as she processes where they are.

"Why are we..."

Powder's question dies on her lips as she finally turns around and sees you, the events of the morning suddenly clicking in her sleep-addled mind. Her drowsy expression is quickly replaced by excitement as her head perks up, wrapping you in a tight hug and squealing into your ear.

Sevika's lips twitch into a half smirk and she shakes her head, amused by her daughter's enthusiasm. "Easy, Powder. No need to bust any eardrums."

Powder's grip on you tightens briefly before she reluctantly peels herself off, sitting back in her seat. "Oops, sorry."

"It's alright, kiddo. I'm happy someone's excited about getting on a plane." Sevika reaches over and tousles her hair affectionately, earning a huff and a whine as the girl tries to fix her locks into an acceptable manner. Hopping down from the front seat, Sevika opens the back door to let you and Powder out while Vander begins grabbing the luggage from the back.

It doesn't take long for the group of you to make it inside, and the sound of hundreds of conversations fills the air, the noise of people chatting mixing with the overhead announcements. Powder’s eyes are wide as she takes in the busy environment, her neck craning in all directions as she tries to observe everything all at once. Sevika places a steadying hand on her back in an attempt to keep her from wandering off.

"Well, I should leave you all here, don't want to get a ticket for leaving the truck by itself," Vander announces.

"Probably a good idea."

Sevika nods her head in agreement, amused by Powder's awed expression as she looks around.

"We'll text you when we land. Thank you again for the ride."

Sevika gives Vander a firm hug, the both of them separating after a moment to mirror a rigid nod of their heads before stepping back. Powder throws her arms around the man next, telling him she'll send every update about the competition she can. When they pull apart, Vander pulls you into an unexpected embrace, slightly lifting you off of the ground, causing you to let out a surprised squeak. You hear Sevika call out "Vander, be careful!" behind you before he gently places you back on the ground, laughing at your reaction.

"What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes."

Winking in a playful manner, he claps a hand on your shoulder before looking at Sevika. A silent conversation transpires between them as each of them assess the other's expression. Whatever is communicated must leave them satisfied, because after a split second, he pats her on the arm and sends her a small smile. "Keep an eye out for trouble, yeah?"

Sevika's lips quirk up into a smirk, a familiar look crossing her face. "I always do. You watch yourself."

Vander huffs a laugh at the sight of it, giving her a lazy salute before turning away to head back towards his truck with one last wave. Sevika stares after him until he reaches the door before spinning around to you and Powder, her smile softening.

"Let's do this, then."

The three of you make your way to the security line, breezing through as you all brought carry-ons to make the process easier. Once on the other side, you quickly find your gate and settle into the first empty seats you find. Powder plops onto one of the waiting chairs, letting out a sigh of relief as she pops in her earbuds and pulls her phone out to start playing a game. You take your seat next to her, and Sevika takes the space to your right, her leg pressed against yours as you all get comfortable.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Sevika questions, loud enough for only you to hear.

Looking up after taking your phone out to look at the time, you shake your head. "No, not yet. I didn't want to get up any earlier than I had to."

Sevika hums sympathetically and reaches into her bag, pulling out a package of small muffins. "Well, you should probably eat something then. I don't want to deal with you fainting halfway there."

You can't help but let out a snort at the comment, even more amused by the fact that she's already so aware of your habits. "You're one to talk, you act like you run on coffee and pure adrenaline half the time."

"Touché."

She smirks and bumps her shoulder into yours in retaliation as you open up the muffin. A comfortable silence sets over the group as everyone gets lost into their own thoughts; the only noise coming from the occasional announcement and Powder sighing. You're snapped out of your daze when Sevika shifts next to you, her shoulder and leg pressing more firmly against your own. You look over at her curiously, only to see a slightly nervous expression adorning her features as she eyes Powder. The younger girl is oblivious to the looks, still intently focused on her game, and it piques your curiosity even more when Sevika leans closer.

"Hey, um, have you," the other woman takes a deep breath before continuing, making you a bit nervous, "ever been on a plane before?"

Your eyebrows raise as you process her words, taken aback by the random question. "Yeah, a few times." Your mind swirls with curiosity, wondering what the woman is leading up to. "Have you?"

"Never." She responds simply, fidgeting with something in her pocket. Your intrigue heightens as she looks away, now nervous and on edge. You watch the way her eyes flick back to Powder, the teenager completely oblivious to the conversation taking place right next to her as she continues to focus on her phone. She looks like she wants to say something else but is hesitating.

"Neither of us have, and I know Powder is excited about it, but to be honest, just the thought terrifies me. I keep thinking about the fact that we could just fall out of the sky."

Suddenly, understanding clicks in your mind and you can't help but reach out and touch the hand in her lap, the action causing Sevika to finally look you in the face. You give her palm a reassuring squeeze, trying to convey an air of comfort. "The chances of that happening are so incredibly rare, we're going to be okay."

The older woman tries nodding her head but the bouncing of her leg gives her away. "I know, I just–", she clears her throat in an attempt to stabilize her voice, "If something happened to me, the girls, they– they shouldn't have to go through that again."

The sight of her so vulnerable and uncertain causes your heart to clench, a flood of protectiveness washing over you. You scoot closer and gently tug on one of her wrists until your hands intertwine. "Hey," you start softly, waiting for her to look at you before continuing, "nothing is going to happen to you. Or Powder. We're going to get there just fine, I promise."

Before you can ask her what she meant by 'again', your group is called to begin boarding and Sevika pops up from her seat, nervously at attention. She grabs her bags and taps Powder on the shoulder, gesturing her head towards the ticket counter to start moving.

You make your way forward as the line in front of you moves slowly, stealing furtive glances at Sevika every so often. There's a stiffness to her shoulders that betrays her calm facade, and you can see her hands clenching and unclenching as she walks. Powder, for the most part, remains oblivious to her mother's uneasiness, her attention completely absorbed by the planes on the tarmac and blissfully ignoring the world around her.

After what feels like forever, you reach the front of the line and the person checking tickets scans all three with no issue, sending you down the tunnel towards the plane. Sevika's doing a good job of concealing her anxiety, but because you know what to look for, you keep an eye on her the entire walk down.

You can see the tension in her steps, her shoulders still held taut, and her grip on the handle of her carry on tight. Her gaze darts about, observing the people around her with hyper focus, and it's starting to set you on edge. You want to reach out to her again, try to ease some of the tension, but the bustle of the crowd makes you hesitant to attract any further attention.

Powder, on the other hand, is still completely unaware, eyes wide with excitement as she takes in the whole environment. She looks like an over excited puppy, her head moving back and forth so fast you think you get whiplash just by watching her. You can at least take comfort in the fact that she doesn't seem to be picking up on the anxiousness radiating off of her mother.

When you finally board the plane, you're all seated together as Sevika paid to have the spots next to you, fearing this exact scenario would happen. Powder takes the window seat, wanting to see everything she can, which leaves you sandwiched between her and Sevika next to the aisle. The older woman drops her backpack under the chair and puts her carry-on in the overhead compartment before grabbing yours and Powder's and sliding them next to hers.

Rolling her shoulders, she settles into her seat and tries to get comfortable. You watch as her jaw tenses and her leg starts bouncing again, eyes darting out all around the plane as if watching for threats. Once everyone is boarded, the captain begins speaking overhead, going through the safety protocols and what to do in the event of an emergency. This only causes Sevika's anxiety to spike, leaning her head back against the seat and taking deep breaths as she closes her eyes.

She's doing an almost convincing job pretending she's fine, but you can see through it, her leg bouncing even faster now and her fingers tapping out a rapid rhythm in her lap. You can see a muscle in her jaw clenching and unclenching, trying to will herself to remain steady and collected. You wish you could do something, anything to help her, but until the plane takes off, your options are limited.

As the plane jolts into motion and begins rumbling, you slide your hand into hers and whisper for her to squeeze as much as she needs. She startles slightly at the contact but responds immediately, lacing your fingers together with hers tightly. Her grip is almost bruising but you don't pull away, trying to show that you're not going to let go. As the plane moves down the tarmac to take off, she takes a shuddering breath, the anxiety in her spiking immensely.

Leaning in close so only she can hear, you begin to whisper words of encouragement in hopes it will help. "Hey, focus on the sound of my voice, okay? Everything is going to be okay, I'm right here with you, I'll be here the whole time."

Her breathing gradually slows, eyes still screwed shut as she tries to concentrate on your words. Her hand is still clamped around yours like a vice, your fingers beginning to tingle from the lack of circulation.

"Keep talking, please."

You nod even though she can't see you and keep whispering reassurances, continuing to rub soothing circles into her hand. "You're okay, you're gonna get through this. We're all gonna be fine, I swear, nothing is going to happen to us. Just keep taking some deep breaths, okay? I'll even do it with you. Ready?"

You place your free hand on her forearm gently in hopes of grounding her to you.

"Inhale, one, two, three," you hold your breath as Sevika does what you tell her, "Exhale, one, two, three." Repeating the process as the plane pulls up and climbs higher and higher into the sky, Sevika's grip doesn't waver but you see the crease between her brows lessen bit by bit.

When the aircraft reaches a safe height, the pilot announces to the plane that passengers may begin to roam around the cabin, to which Sevika immediately unbuckles herself and quickly stands up.

"Be right back."

You nod, watching as she disappears into the small bathroom a few rows behind you and hoping you were able to help her even a little bit. In her absence, Powder turns to look at you, a curious yet concerned expression on her face.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, I think she just needed to use the bathroom, she should be back soon."

Powder accepts your explanation with a small smile, plugging her earbuds back in and taking photos out of the window.

After a few minutes, you realize Sevika still hasn't returned, so you turn around to look down the aisle and see if you can catch a glimpse of her. There's no sign of the woman, and with a slight sense of unease, you make a split second decision, gently touching Powder on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm gonna go check on your mom, okay? You stay here and I'll be right back."

After the girl gives you a quick thumbs up before going back to her phone, you get up from your seat and make your way to the bathroom, gently knocking on the door and softly calling, "Sevika? It's me, can I come in?"

After a beat of silence, you hear her voice respond, sounding much weaker than usual, and then a click of the lock.

"Yeah."

When you push the door open and walk inside, you find her with her back to you. She's bracing against the sink with her head hanging low, hair hiding her face from view and shoulders tensed.

Being careful to approach the subject, you close the door behind you and make sure not to touch her before you ask, "How are you feeling?"

A wry laugh escapes her lips, and you wince at the sound.

"Tired, honestly. Freaked out. But mostly embarrassed."

You shake your head, stepping closer and standing directly next to her, not saying anything and just letting her speak.

"I know it's ridiculous. I just didn’t expect it to be so…intense."

Sevika finally turns to face you, leaning back against the sink, and you're suddenly struck by how tired and worn down she looks.

That finally gets you to speak up.

"Hey, it's not ridiculous. I'm not going to pry, but this seemed like something else, not a regular fear of flying. Are you going to be okay the rest of the flight? I might have some Benadryl you can take to sleep through it."

Sevika shakes her head, not wanting to cause you any more trouble. "No, no, that's– you've done enough, thank you. I..." She trails off before locking eyes with you, her glossy ones staring into your concerned ones. "Can you just…hold me? For a bit?"

Your expression softens at the request, the desire to help the woman outweighing any other thought in your mind. "Yeah, of course."

Slowly reaching out and wrapping your arms around her neck, you pull her tightly against your chest and rest your chin atop her head, feeling the subtle tremors shaking her body.

"I'm here, I've got you."

Her arms wrap around your midsection, hands bunching the fabric of your shirt as she takes deep breaths, inhaling your scent and letting it soothe her nerves.

A few minutes later, Sevika leans back and looks up at you with an expression like you hung the moon in the sky. You reach out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear affectionately, the tender moment causing your heart to skip a beat when she leans her head into the touch.

"Feeling better?"

She gives you a small smile before nodding, the grip on your shirt slackening as she straightens up. "Yeah. I think so."

"Good."

You barely take half a step back before she's pulling you back to her for what you assume is another hug, before feeling a pair of unbelievably soft lips cover your own. Your eyes flutter shut at the sensation, breathing into the minimal space between you as your mouths slide together in a gentle dance.

The kiss is chaste and sweet, lasting for only a few seconds before breaking apart, a small gasp falling from both of your lips as you look at one another. Sevika's arms remain around your waist, not willing to let go just yet, and her eyes search your face almost reverently, like you're the only thing anchoring her to Earth.

"Thank you. For everything, I...don't think I could've gotten through this without you, honestly."

You pull her closer with a soft smile, gently rubbing your nose against hers.

"I'd do it again if I had to." There's no hesitation in your voice, and you mean every word. "Now, c'mon, Powder's gonna start to worry if we're gone any longer."

Sevika rolls her eyes with a hint of fondness, giving your waist a squeeze before finally relinquishing her grip.

"She’s probably too into her game to realize how long it’s been."

"Yeah, you're right."

You move back and make sure you look presentable before unlocking the door and leading the way back into the aisle. Sevika falls in line beside you, and even if her steps are still a bit unsteady, she looks infinitely better than her state just minutes before.

When you reach your seats, you notice that Powder never even looked up from her phone and you can't help but shake your head fondly and suppress a small laugh. Sevika catches your gaze and quirks an eyebrow, looking almost like her old self as she murmurs, "See? Told you she wouldn't notice."

As the two of you settle in, Sevika silently slips her hand into yours before leaning her head back against the seat and letting her eyes droop shut, exhaustion finally getting the best of her. Not wanting to do anything that could possibly disturb her, you settle into your seat and watch as her breathing eventually evens out, the lines of tension on her face finally smoothing out as she relaxes in her sleep. You gently brush her knuckles with your thumb as the faint sound of the engines continues and the aircraft rumbles on, time slipping by and bringing you ever closer to your destination.

Minutes begin to pass, and you can't help but start feeling sleepy yourself. The stress of the day begins to catch up to you and the steady movement of the plane combined with the warm, comfortable feeling of Sevika's hand in yours makes it almost impossible to keep your eyes open. Before you can stop yourself, you find your head tipping to the side and resting on the other woman's shoulder, her warmth against your face and the rhythmic rise and fall of her breaths lulling you into the most peaceful rest you've had in ages.

A while later, you slowly begin to stir, shifting against the seat and subconsciously clinging to the fingers still in your grasp. Your eyes flutter open, bleary with sleep, and it takes you a few seconds to realize that your head is still on Sevika's shoulder, the two of you still holding hands. When the captain begins telling the plane that you'll all be at your destination soon, you perk up and start stretching before sitting back against your headrest.

The familiar rumble of engines almost lulls you back into a nap, but you feel the shoulder under your head move and look up to find Sevika watching you with a small smirk.

"You're actually pretty cute when you sleep, you know that?"

Heat immediately rushes to your face, and you pull yourself upright with a huff, trying to save some of your pride.

"And how long were you watching me, creep?"

She lets out a soft, short laugh, her eyes glimmering with slight mischief. "Not long, I promise."

You eye her skeptically and she relents after a few beats, holding her hands up innocently. "Maybe a few minutes."

A minute shake of your head and a quiet hmph is the only response you give Sevika, opting instead to check your phone and see if you have any service yet.

She doesn't say anything else, leaning back in her seat, silently amused by your reaction as a small smile graces her features. You can feel her gaze occasionally flick over to you, but every time you look at her with a quirked brow, Sevika quickly averts her eyes.

Your phone suddenly makes a familiar sound when it finally connects, and you see several notifications pop up on your screen. Seeing emails from the organization about check in, you begin to go through them, ignoring everything else until you feel the plane begin to descend and Sevika's hand shoots out to engulf yours.

Looking up at her, she's giving you a small smile, a silent plea for reassurance, and you immediately give her your full attention, covering her hand with your second one, rubbing over her knuckles with a soothing touch. She does much better during the landing, only squeezing your hand painfully once when the plane bounces as the wheels touch down.

Once you all pull up to the gate, she sighs deeply, finally accepting that the most anxiety inducing part of this journey is over. You turn to your side to gently wake Powder up, laughing to yourself that the girl has managed to fall asleep during her first plane ride ever. Once she jolts awake, you tell her to relax and inform her of the process of de-boarding, knowing it'll be a bit before you're allowed to stand up and grab your luggage.

Your turn arrives a few minutes later, Sevika shooting up and grabbing all three carry-ons from overhead and passing them to you. She quickly leads the three of you off of the plane, telling the flight crew thank you as she practically sprints down the tunnel to the main waiting area. You all step in the direction of the escalator and make your way towards the pick up area of the airport, Powder skipping next to you as she chatters away excitedly about the experience. Sevika lags behind a bit, but you can see the way her shoulders slowly relax once she's on solid, unmoving ground again.

Looking out for the shuttle the competition has allotted for participants, it doesn't take long to spot the vehicle amidst the taxis and regular cars, the sign on the outside displaying the event name clearly enough to see. You all approach and get settled in, Powder immediately taking a seat by the window, her enthusiasm contagious as she presses her face to the glass. Sevika sits down next to her, giving you another smile, this one brighter than the others since she now feels much more comfortable than earlier.

A couple more families board in the next few minutes, Powder eyeing the children warily before you introduce yourself and your group, not wanting there to be any awkward tension during the drive. On the journey there, conversation flows a bit more easily, Sevika joining occasionally, not wanting to seem standoffish to the other parents.

Once you reach your destination, everyone exits the vehicle in awe, the sheer size of the hotel capturing everyone's attention. Leading the other woman and teenager to the lobby, you begin to check in first, Sevika getting waved over to another employee. After you're both given your room numbers and keys, you all walk over to the elevator and enter the metal box, excitement beginning to brew in your stomachs.

"What room are you guys in?" You question, peeping over Sevika's shoulder at the fancy card sleeve in her hand.

"303?"

"Oh, I'm in 305! Just down the hall, what a coincidence."

"Seems like we got lucky."

You grin at the woman and turn to Powder, who's currently bouncing on her toes at the thought of finally getting to see the inside of the their room.

"You ready to see your digs for the weekend?"

Powder nods and practically bounces in place, her energy reaching a whole new level. You giggle at the teenager, her energy is so infectious that it momentarily distracts you from your nerves. The elevator finally dings on the third floor and you step out, following the signs on the wall until eventually reaching the section of your rooms. Sevika gets her own key out and unlocks her door, pushing it open to reveal an elegant looking room, complete with a large queen bed, a desk in the corner, a small kitchen, and a gorgeous bathroom.

The woman is slack-jawed as she takes in her new surroundings, suddenly glad she decided to book this hotel instead of one of the further, cheaper ones. Powder immediately takes off towards the bed, jumping up to land on the soft sheets before Sevika catches her mid air and sets her back down on the floor.

"Plane clothes, Pow, ugh. Shower first, then you can lay on it."

The girl giggles before nodding at her mom.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that."

She takes her carry on to the corner of the room before laying it down and popping it open, grabbing her toiletries and a change of clothes and heading to the bathroom. Once the door is locked and you hear the water turn on, Sevika turns to you and begins slowly making her way over, grabbing your hand with both of hers and lazily playing with it.

You lean against the wall and watch her with a curious smile, the sight of her being so relaxed putting you at ease. She looks into your eyes with that same fond look from the plane, leaning in until her body pins you to the wall gently.

"I have a question," she says softly, placing a hand on your hip.

Your heart skips slightly at the contact and you arch a brow, giving her your full attention. "Shoot."

She pauses, looking you over again as if to make sure it's okay to say what comes next. You hold her gaze, silently reassuring her.

"I know we're here for the competition, but..." Sevika continues, her thumb now rubbing over the fabric of your shirt. "You're gonna have some free time, right?"

Cocking your head slightly, your eyes rake over Sevika’s face before you respond. "Free time how? Like, to spend with you?"

"Yeah," she breathes, her hand on your hip tightening just a bit as she presses just a few millimeters closer. "I know you're going to be busy most of the time but..." She trails off, the nerves she felt earlier returning as she struggles to find her words.

"I don't know, it was just something on my mind," she shrugs, searching your eyes for even an ounce of rejection.

You have to suppress the urge to squeal, the vulnerable look in her eye pulling at your heart strings. "Yeah, I can definitely carve out some space in my schedule for you."

The tension drains from Sevika’s body almost instantly, something that seems to be a constant pattern between the two of you. She lets out a small huff of a laugh and rolls her eyes, trying to cover up the amount of relief she's feeling.

"You don't have to sound so excited." There's a teasing grin on her face, letting you know she's kidding.

You laugh in return and now roll your eyes, pretending to be affronted.

"You're right, how silly of me," you say, the sarcasm oozing from your voice, "Who wouldn't want to spend all their free time with the biggest grump in the world?"

She lets out a gasp, mock-affronted. "Hey, I am not grumpy!" The other woman’s hand shoots out to pinch your side in retaliation.

You laugh at the action, smacking her hand away playfully.

"You so are, always so broody," you tease, lightly pinching her bicep in return.

"I'm not broody," she retorts, "I'm just...introspective." You snort and squint your eyes, the sound causing her to huff and reach out to pinch you again. Quickly evading the attack, you catch her hand and pin it against her side to keep from any more surprise assaults. This puts her in close proximity again, and you can see the way her gaze locks onto your mouth for a fraction of a second before her eyes snap back up to yours.

There's a beat of silence, the two of you standing close enough to feel each other's breath. Sevika opens her mouth like she's getting ready to say something, but before she gets the chance, the sound of the shower turning off reaches your ears and Sevika takes a half step back, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Guess Powder's done."

You pull back your own hand reluctantly, missing the feeling of her skin immediately. "Yeah, guess so," you say, trying to sound casual and hoping your voice doesn't give away how affected you are.

Standing up straight, you pull your phone out to check the time, seeing that there's a couple of hours before the first event. "The welcome banquet starts at five, so I should head to my room and unpack first."

The disappointment is obvious on her face, even if only for a moment, but she tries to cover it up by putting on a nonchalant expression and nodding.

"Yeah, right," she pauses, almost as if she was about to say something else, but just takes a deep breath instead. "I guess...I'll see you at dinner, then," she says, giving you a half smile.

You match her expression before hesitating a moment, opting to go with your first instinct and lean in for a quick kiss. Her mouth immediately relaxes beneath yours and she leans forward into it, wanting the contact as much as you do. When you finally pull back, her eyes are shut and it takes a few seconds before she opens them slowly, breathing slightly more labored than usual. Her lips form a small grin and she nudges her nose against yours briefly, making contact one last time before fully pulling away.

"Get out of here before you get me in trouble."

Biting your tongue at her remark, you shake your head with a quick laugh and slip out from under her, grabbing your carry-on and heading to the door.

"I'll come get you two a little bit early so we can all walk down together, okay?"

Sevika gives a small nod in affirmation, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, sounds like a plan." She looks like she's itching to pull you back into her space, but manages to refrain herself, shoving her hands into her pockets to keep from doing so.

You linger for a few more moments, savoring the sight of the other woman before reluctantly tearing your eyes away and exiting the room. She watches you the whole time, shutting the door once you fully exit into the hallway. You walk the rest of the way to your own room in a daze, a little thrill of anticipation going up your spine at the thought of the night to come.

After a shower of your own, you unpack a bit and set aside your outfit for the evening. The dress code for dinner was cocktail attire, and though you didn't own anything exactly fitting for that, you managed to scrounge together something acceptable from your closet. Doing one last check in the full length mirror by the door, you deem the look worthy and head out into the hallway.

Making your way to Sevika's room, you lift your hand to the wooden door and give it a few raps. It swings open a few moments later to reveal the other woman, her gaze sweeping over you and eyes noticeably widening. Her hair is freshly combed and she's changed into a white dress shirt tucked into slim fitting navy slacks, the first two buttons of her top undone to show off the supple skin of her neck and collarbones.

"Hey." she says, her eyes still trailing over your figure, "You look...really good."

You can't help the warmth that immediately rises to your cheeks at the compliment, her gaze causing a bit of heat to begin blooming in your stomach.

"Thanks," you manage to reply, your eyes roaming over her form as well, the tight shirt clinging to her figure and showing off her physique perfectly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Get a room already!" a voice suddenly yells from the back of the room.

Peering past Sevika, you see Powder sitting on the bed laughing to herself while looking at her phone. Before Sevika manages to scold her, she flips the device around and you can faintly make out a tuft of red hair on the screen. "Vi says hi, by the way."

You can't hold back a laugh at that, amused by Powder's antics. "Hi Vi," you reply back with a grin.

Sevika just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at her middle child. "Don't make me take your phone."

That quiets Powder right away, telling Vi they've got to leave and that she'll call her later. Locking the phone and putting it in her purse, she hops off the bed and makes her way over to the pair of you. Sevika looks over at her daughter as she approaches, giving her an amused look.

"Ready to go?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Powder nods, slinging her small bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?"

Grabbing her matching navy suit jacket from beside her and slipping it on, Sevika steps out of the way for Powder to walk through, shooting you a small wink when the girl isn’t looking.

Once in the hallway, she falls in step beside you, shoulders squared and looking every bit as confident as you've ever seen her. Knowing how important it is to make a good impression on the committee members, and even the other parents, she's determined to put her best self forward. Entering the elevator to head to the lobby, all you can think about is how lucky you are to know such an amazing woman.

As the seconds tick by, there's just the faintest hint of nerves in the other woman's stance, fingers lightly drumming against her thigh. You discreetly brush your pinkie against hers, hoping the small gesture will give her some reassurance, and you softly bite your bottom lip when she intertwines it with her own.

Soon after, the elevator dings, signaling you've reached the lobby. You step out and head towards the banquet hall, hearing the soft sounds of conversation and the clink of glasses coming from the large room. There are quite a few people from other districts already gathering, all dressed appropriately and beginning to mingle. Sevika's stride slows slightly as she takes in the scene, her eyes sweeping over the room in a way that can only be interpreted as calculating.

There are easily a hundred people already in the room, undoubtedly not everyone who will be attending. When you see the way the other woman is observing the crowd, you lean in to tell her and Powder, "Let's go find our table, yeah?"

Quickly checking the email on your phone, you see the number you've been assigned and head in that direction. Coming upon the right one, you begin to set your things down, looking around the room for the rest of your party. Finding who you're looking for a few seconds later, a bright smile blooms on your face as you walk towards the approaching trio.

"You guys made it!"

Ekko matches your grin before engulfing you in a bone crushing hug. After the boy releases you, you greet his parents with less intense embraces as he notices that Powder and Sevika are also standing there.

"Um, hi Powder."

The two teenagers stare at each other before deciding to share a brief hug, awkwardly shuffling on their feet before Sevika reaches a hand out in Ekko's direction.

"It's good to finally meet you, Ekko. I’m Sevika, Powder’s mom."

He takes the woman's hand in a firm grip, giving it a sturdy shake.

"Likewise ma'am," he says with a confident smile, releasing her hand before standing up straight.

Powder's entire demeanor is a stark comparison to Ekko's, her entire body language shy and reserved. Ekko seems to pick up on this right away, his own smile turning into a kind, almost protective one.

His parents come over a moment later and introduce themselves to Sevika and Powder, chatting about how amazing it is that each of their children made it this far. All of you converse amongst each other for a few moments, the parents expressing their excitement and pride. Soon enough, the sound of a microphone being adjusted breaks up the conversation, catching everyone's attention as you all turn to look towards the front of the hall.

"Good evening everyone, I hope you've all had a pleasant journey to be with us here tonight. I am the president of the fair's board..."

The man continues to speak about how excited all of the committee members are to witness the presentations this weekend, setting an animated atmosphere amongst the room. When he concludes his speech a few minutes later, he welcomes everyone to take their seats as dinner will be served shortly.

The room is quickly filled with the scraping and scuffing of chairs against tile as everyone finds their assigned places, the buzz of excitement for the food palpable. You all sit down and begin waiting patiently, your stomach beginning to grumble slightly at the thought of eating. The sound doesn't escape Sevika's ear, and you see her lip quirk upward in a subtle smirk out of the corner of your eye.

The six of you continue to talk across the table as servers begin bringing plates out, being served a short while later. Dinner is delicious, and Sevika and Ekko's parents get along quite well, much to your relief. Glancing to the side, you see Powder and Ekko engrossed in a private conversation, animated facial expressions and boisterous laughter spilling over to the adults' discussions. You realize that this is what it’s all about; no matter the results of this weekend, these are the memories that the kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Once the meal has concluded, the reception begins, the music turning to something a bit more upbeat but still family friendly. After a short while, Ekko stands up and looks toward Powder, an almost goofy grin on his face.

"Wanna dance?" He asks, and after only brief hesitation, Powder nods lightly and stands, flashing a small look to her mom.

Sevika gives an encouraging nod, and just like that, the two teenagers are off towards the small dance floor. The adults watch them go before returning to their conversations, though you notice the woman’s gaze following them closely. Lightly nudging Sevika's hand with yours under the table, you wait until she makes eye contact with you before speaking.

"She's okay. I promise."

She maintains your gaze for a moment before nodding, letting out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding and forcing the worry from her gaze.

"I know, I know," she mutters, reaching up to rub some of the tension out of her neck. "Realistically, I know she's fine. But the mom part of my brain just won't shut up about it."

At that, you can't help but smile softly and reach over to give her a gentle squeeze on the knee.

"That's completely understandable. Looks like she's having fun though."

Sevika looks back towards where the teenagers are and sees her daughter laughing as Ekko spins her around, the two of them clearly enjoying themselves. It makes the tension in her shoulders loosen even more and she lets out another deep sigh, the tiniest smile pulling at her lips.

"Yeah, she is."

About a half hour later, the event comes to an end, and the president from earlier grabs the mic once again.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight. We are wishing all of our participants the best of luck this weekend, and we look forward to seeing what you have to show us. For the students, we are going to have a more official 'prom' style dance for two hours in the next room if you'd like to move there, with your parent's permission of course."

As the teenagers make their way back to your table, the adults all stand up and begin grabbing their things before Ekko and Powder ask to go to that party. You see a bit of wariness flash across Sevika's face as she looks down at her daughter, clearly conflicted. After pausing for a moment, a tight smile appears and she sighs.

"Alright, you can go. Just be safe, okay? No wandering off by yourself, stick together."

Right when you look at Powder to give her a thumbs up, a figure behind her captures your attention.

"Genevieve?"

The girl in mention freezes and slowly turns around, jaw dropped and wide eyed. The beginning of tears begin to well in your eyes, the little girl you once knew now standing before you, a young woman.

"What are you doing here, how–"

Your heart begins to hammer in your chest as the initial shock wears off and you realize what this means. If she's here, then...

"Well, well, well. What's that old saying? 'Speak of the devil and she shall appear?'"

Focusing your eyes to the side, you finally see the person you've been dreading running into for years, the reason you moved away to start a new life, the cause of your miscommunication with Sevika.

A wicked smile stretched across her lips, the woman takes a step forward as you take one back, willing yourself to wake up from whatever horrible nightmare this is.

Gert.

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