#my backpack is decked with keychains to make up for it

[aocello]

suddenly i get back pain when i sneeze whaaat

[mrsshabana]

𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐆𝐲𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐨 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

꒦꒷‧₊ Content Gyutaro x female!reader, fluff, school au ꒦꒷‧₊ Note 1k words. Got this idea from this amazing art piece I reblogged earlier today ♡

You don't belong here. Girls like you would never be caught dead in detention. With your cute pleated skirt, pastel colored cardigan, and animal plush keychains that hang from your backpack.

Now a guy like him, this is where he finds himself most afternoons. At this point Gyutaro is in detention more often than he's in class. Probably the most intimidating guy in school. If his towering height and sour attitude aren't enough to deter you, then his attire will do the trick. Always decked out in heavy punk fashion. He wears combat boots, ripped jeans, leather jackets, spiked bracelets, and not to mention copious amounts of piercings.

It's almost comical seeing the contrast as you sit next to him in detention.

The sweet scent wafting from you immediately hits his nostrils. Cupcakes...? he thinks to himself.

With a sigh Gyutaro leans back in his seat, crossing his arms and stretching out his long legs. He looks at you from the corner of his eye, watching curiously as you fold your arms and lay your head down.

He looks around the room, noticing the teacher sitting at a desk in the front of the classroom. This teacher always supervises the students in detention, and without fail, he falls asleep after ten minutes or so. Gyutaro can never seem to remember the teacher's name. He only remembers him because of the giant lump he has on his forehead.

Once the teacher falls asleep, Gyutaro reaches over to his backpack and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and a half-broken pencil.

"Pst," you hear a raspy voice whisper as someone nudges your arm. You slowly open your eyes to see a large hand with black painted nails holding a small piece of paper.

"Hm...?" you hum as you take the note.

The tall boy dressed in black who sits beside you quirks a pierced brow, waiting for you to open it.

Unfolding the small piece of paper you see something scrawled in messy handwriting, "What u do 2 get stuck in here?"

A small smile tugs at the corner of your lips, detention suddenly got a bit more exciting.

You pull out a Hello Kitty mechanical pencil and write, "I refused to change my skirt."

Somewhat ashamed, you hand the note back over to the boy. He quickly opens it and frowns upon reading the sentence inside. Unashamed, he immediately looks down at your skirt.

"Looks fine 2 me," he writes back.

"They said it was too short and a distraction," you blush as you admit this to him. It took a lot of courage for you to wear this skirt. Expressing yourself through your clothes has always been something you were afraid to do, always worried that people may judge you or give you disgusted looks. And when you finally got the courage to wear something you actually liked, you get shamed for it.

He scoffs and scribbles back, "They tripping. Its not 2 short. Its cute. Wear whtvr the fuck u want."

"Thanks. I think I will :3" his comment gives you some of that confidence back. He's right, you shouldn't feel ashamed about what you choose to wear and how you choose to express yourself. Besides, look at him. His outfit is probably breaking a few rules and he doesn't seem to care at all.

"Its badass u stood up for yourself cupcake."

You smile when you receive the note and read the nickname he gave you, "Cupcake?"

"Yeah. U smell like em." He scribbles a drawing of a cupcake below his sentence.

"Thanks!" you draw a little cat eating the cupcake.

In return, Gyutaro draws a spikey collar around the cat's neck and gives it a little mohawk. Seeing the cute drawing you can't help but giggle.

You briefly make eye contact, and Gyutaro has a shy smile on his face.

"Wanna get outta here?" he leans over and whispers to you, "Old man's asleep, he won't notice."

Looking over at the teacher you see him slumped over the desk, a dribble of drool dripping down his lip.

"Won't we get in trouble?" you whisper, worried about getting in even more trouble.

"Who cares, you're a bad kid now." With a smirk, Gyutaro quietly slings his backpack over his shoulder and stands to leave. When he sees you hesitate to follow him, he takes your backpack and walks out the door.

"Hey!" You whisper, internally panicking as you watch him casually leave the room with your belongings. You have no choice but to follow him now.

Even though your inner voice is telling you not to, you slip out of your seat and tip-toe toward the door. Outside you see Gyutaro leaning against the wall with your backpack in hand.

"I can't believe you did that!" you pout with a flustered face as you snatch your backpack from him.

He chuckles, "Tsk I did you a favor. Besides, it feels good right?"

"What?"

"To break the rules," he smirks, looking down at you.

You blush and look away, trying to hide your flustered expression, "kinda..."

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he begins to walk down the hall knowing that you'll follow him without asking. And of course, you do just that.

"So, you got a name or you just want me to keep callin' you cupcake? I'm gonna keep sayin' it either way though," he chuckles.

"My name is Y/N... but I don't mind if you call me cupcake I guess," you mumble that last part under your breath, "What's your name by the way?"

"Gyutaro," he says. The piercings under his lip contort as he smiles.

"Well," you look up at him, "I hope we get detention together again someday."

"Oh we will, cuz I'm gonna teach you to rebel just like me!"

[cheelduh]

How to get your crush to walk you to the nurse’s office (Highschool AU)

This is part 3, but it can be read alone!

Pairing: Childe x fem!reader

Warnings: Swearing, Mentions of a monster schlong, and unedited.

Parts: 1 2

Synopsis: Childe offers Lisa a shady deal to yet again sit next to you. However, all his efforts are in vain after he makes a complete fool out of himself by tripping over literally nothing because of a stupid cold. Maybe getting a cold isn’t so bad if he gets to be escorted to the nurse’s office by none other than yourself.

Note: Pure unedited crack luvs. Can’t wait for Childe rerun tmr I hope I get the ginger and the emo nun! 🥲💖

The eyes on you are suffocating, to say the least, enough for you to consider peeling a layer of your own skin off just to breathe. Every now and then, you get a teasing glance from a classmate, and you're sure you'll be an entire puddle of guts on your desk before home room even gets a chance to begin.

There's no doubt it's Signora that spread the news of your date yesterday as a means to some sick revenge. Knowing this was going to happen, you packed some salt in your backpack to cancel out all her evil. Now all you need is a chance to knuckle ball it in her face.

Fingers crossed, you pray to the archons that Childe didn't slip anything about your...brick slip yesterday. It's a good thing you weren't in a school uniform yesterday because that would've been the end of your high school life right there.

Thinking back to it, you collapse into your open hands. How could you have beaten a bunch up losers up...risking your flawless reputation for a sadistic ginger with an affinity for chaos? And worst of all, why did you care about them shit talking him in the first place?

"You okay dear? Something you want to tell me?" Lisa feigns concern, already knowing why.

With a sigh, you blink an eye open through the gap in your fingers. "Doing just fine."

"Oh it couldn't have been that bad." Her eyes shine in mischief. "I bet Childe was a real gentleman."

"He sure was." Kaeya pipes up from the back, leaning in to show you the image on his phone. It's a picture Childe took of you absolutely oblitering an ice cream cone.

You groan and slump deeper into your chair from embarrassment as Kaeya and Lisa engage in chatter, mostly revolving around your date.

Ignoring them completely, you start to ponder about Childe. Where is he? You were sure he'd be here bright and early to reminisce on your eventful date yesterday, which mostly consisted of a competition of who could win the most stall games at a local festival.

Maybe he'd even tease you about the Monoceros Caeli keychain attached to your phone. The very one he'd won for you, and the reason that started the competition in the first place.

Your cheeks warm when you fidget with said keychain, and you can't tell if the fast pace of your heart is because you're nervous to see him or because of the biology quiz you have second period.

So wrapped up in all these foreign emotions, you fail to notice the shadow that looms over you, a glittery finger guard tapping at your desk.

The student council President, Ningguang, plops down a stack of budget files on your desk during homeroom. She's gives you a light smile, and you know what's coming when you meet her alluring gaze.

"Be a dear Y/N," Ningguang smiles, tight lipped, all pretty with her hair pinned back to crown her face. "Even with all hands on deck, i'm afraid the student council's efforts will not come to ripeness concerning all of this paperwork."

This isn't the first time you've done her a favour by becoming the president's personal accountant, and it definitely isn't going to be the last.

Ningguang is powerful, with wit like no other, and you want to be able to call in a chit when the time comes.

"Of course," You reply with a smile that rivals her own. "I'll have them done by the end of the day."

"Excellent. I knew I could count on you, Y/N." She departs elegantly, probably opting to sit next to Beidou and bicker.

You're halfway on the third sheet for total income, a minute before class starts, when you're interrupted. Childe stumbles through the door quite noisily, a shitstain of a grin plastered on his face that is directed at you.

You sigh and shake your head as he approaches you. Thankfully the seat next to you is occupied by—

Shit! Where's Lisa?

Across the classroom, Lisa gives you a thumbs up with a bar of vending machine chocolate in her hand. You should've known she'd betray you yet again.

Childe slides in smoothly after bumping fists with Kaeya, and he falls short of containing his giddy nature.

"Hi Y/N." There's something weird about him today, because you're sure you haven't seen his cheeks so flushed ever. His eyes land on your phone, which is splayed on the desk, and the keychain widens his grin.

You snatch your phone and hide it in the middles of your thighs, but the damage is already done. The urge to shrink against the wall has never been as strong as it is in this moment.

"Hi." It's a miracle you haven't combusted on the spot. Is it usually this awkward? Everything went so fine yesterday, so why can't you ease into it today?

He takes that as a go ahead and instantly reaches for your hand on the table, but you retract at the speed of light.

"Don't even think about it." You're ready to connect the tip of your trainers to his bleached asshole, nose crinkled at his behaviour.

Kaeya whistles lowly, leaning forward for the HD show that is your life.

Childe's smile is sheepish as he's scratching the back of his head. "So we're not on that stage yet huh? I seriously thought you had a change of heart after you beat up those high schoolers for m—"

You muffle his statement with a hand on his mouth, and send a pointed glare to Kaeya. "You didn't hear shit."

The Captain of the skating team nods innocently, and salutes. "Yes boss."

Returning your gaze to Childe, who looks like he's having the time of his life with your small hand on his mouth, you narrow your eyes. "Stop trying to spread rumours."

He can only hum in reply, but you feel a weird pressure on your palm and—

The smug asshole kisses your palm.

You pull back your hand and wipe at your pants, full of disbelief. "Did you just??? Did you just? Kiss my hand???" Mouth twisted, you have no idea what to think.

Childe's throws his head back, and his laugh rings in your ears. You hate yourself for wavering slightly at the sound before smacking his arm. His laughs turn into coughs, probably because he may have swallowed his saliva down the wrong pipe. Charming.

Where the fuck is Zhongli? It's already been five minutes too long into homeroom.

Rolling your eyes, you opt to continue and scribble down budget numbers and add sums up or whatever you were doing earlier after Childe pipes down, choosing to admire you quietly by leaning his weight on one arm. It's enough to make you squirm, face flushed.

"Can you not?" Clicking your tongue in disapproval, you don't look up as you speak.

"If you give me a kiss, then maybe." Childe's cheeky, ridiculously so, and he points a finger at his cheek.

"I don't negotiate with terrorists." You deadpan, fingers itching to choke something or rather...someone.

Childe pouts, and then his eyes close for a second, almost as if he's exhausted when he gives you a sort of smile. With how he's leaning in so close, you can easily spot the swelling in his eyes and the paleness of his face.

For the first time today, there's no bite in your tone when you ask with a slightly raised brow. "Are you okay Childe?"

"Yeah!" He's quick to answer ecstatically, snapping out of his tired haze by straightening himself up. "Better more than ever now that I've seen you, girlie."

You blush madly, the compliment enough for you to drop your pen on the ground. It rolls over beyond your reach.

"I'll get that." Childe jumps out of his chair and you're unable to stop him as he goes to go fetch your pen like the chivalrous idiot he is. There's a slight pause in his movement, his body taking longer to process the messages his brain is sending.

He recovers from the muddle in his cognition by shaking his head, and casually goes to pick up the pen, then ends the move by falling over backwards in unconsciousness.

"Childe!" You lunge for him, managing to catch him a second prior to his ass hitting the floor with the help of Kaeya, who somehow looks like he's expected this outcome from the very start.

The entire classroom clamps up and turns to look for the root of all the commotion.

"Don't just sit there and watch!" You hiss angrily, waving them off. "Someone get Zhongli!"

Aether doesn't need to be told twice as Venti and him race down the hall together. Venti probably just to use this opportunity of sudden chaos to skip homeroom.

"Looks like a fever." The Captain accesses the situation as a small crowd forms around you two. "There's no way he didn't feel it in the morning."

"The absolute idiot." You groan at his words. "Of course he'd try to have a pissing match with a cold."

"I'm still here you know." Childe slurs, leaning into you for warmth, chest rising and falling softly. "Just a...a little sleepy. Am I dreaming angel?"

You roll your eyes, but don't make any moves to lean away from his touch. "Anyone got a water bottle?" Curling your hands around his shoulder, you shift your gaze towards the crowd.

Somebody passes you an emerald green water bottle with dandelion charms that clink against the hard plastic handle from a nearby desk. It screams stupid, but you don't have time to judge the owner.

Opening it up hastily, you're about to let Childe take a sip until it's snatched away from you at the speed of light.

"Hey what gives!" You call out to Kaeya, who inspects the bottle closely with his one eye. He then nods in affirmation as if his suspicions are confirmed.

"I wouldn't recommend it." Is all he says when he motions for you to take a whiff, which you do so reluctantly, eyes closed.

The scent hits you all it once. It's watered down vodka, except without the watering down. Tears form from the intensity.

"The goddamn bard." You choke out, and it earns you a drained chuckle from the ginger that has his head situated on your forearm.

He has half the mind to nuzzle in further, but the position is convenient enough for you to crush his skull if you wish to do so. So he refrains, albeit reluctantly.

Zhongli manages to make it in less than two minutes, sipping on a cup of steaming tea as he breaks apart the crowd to crouch down. "Is everything alright? I came as soon as I could after I made this tea. I assumed it was just another prank."

Everyone in the room shakes their head incredulously.

"Unfortunately it isn't a prank. Childe fainted briefly." You tell him politely despite the urgency, since you're whipped for all your teachers.

"I didn't faint!" Childe groans, exasperated. "Got a little dizzy s'all."

"Yeah," Kaeya cuts in to summarize the situation. "I'll be happy to take him to the nurses office with Y/N—"

Zhongli clears his throat. "You won't be going anywhere Mr.Alberich. I'm sure you have five overdue assignments in my class. Y/N here can walk him just fine." He then attempts to wink at Childe secretly like the wingman he is, but everyone in the classroom and their grandma notices.

The facepalm you do is not enough to render you brain dead.

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you sigh for the nth time today, and it's only eight thirty in the morning. "No worries, Lisa can help—"

"Sorry cutie. I'm manifesting for the biology quiz." Lisa deflects, lighting three candles on her desk unceremoniously with her eyes closed.

You don't understand why no one has confiscated her box of matches yet. This entire school is a law suit waiting to happen.

You succumb to the team effort everyone is trying so hard to display. "I guess I can go." The hall pass is already written, signed, and neatly folded into the chest pocket of your uniform. "How did you even..."

You don't even get a chance to finish before both you and Childe are whisked away to the outside of the classroom, the door shutting behind you with a slam. Your ears perk up at the sound of a lock clicking in place.

"Looks like you're stuck with me." The smug bastard still has the audacity to beam even when he's pale in the face. "Might have to hold my arm. If I fall and crack my skull—that wouldn't look too good on your record." He makes grabby hands, like a toddler.

The smile you give is unnerving, and with the speed of a snail, you manage to loop in your arm with Childe's. "Another word and let's move on to how your hospital record is going to have more than just a cracked skull."

"If you'd nurse me back to health, it'll all be worth it." The quip he sends without a beat lacks its usual goof, but it does manage to get some sort of reaction out of you.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with."

—

Childe's busy thumbing at his phone while you pace at the foot of the bed, arms crossed with a frown etched on your features. You hope you don't look too worried, don't want to give him the wrong idea.

"Can we just get this over with?" He wails uncharacteristically from his spot on the white sheeted bed after ruling out everything he wanted to do on his phone. His hair is tousled more than usual, as a by-product of his constant restlessness.

"Shut up." You answer monotonously, arms crossed as you lean against the wall. "Let her finish her tiktok."

Barbara—the daughter of the school nurse, has her phone on the window, lip syncing and dancing to some music on beat as she films a tiktok with the utmost of important.

It's concerning that her father isn't here to tend to your needs, but apparently he's in the middle of a meeting with principle Varka. Said meeting had been going on for the past few months, but this school is devoid of logic anyways so nobody really questions anything.

"I'm literally dying here."

"Archons you're such a baby," Shaking your head, you approach his bed with a newfound annoyance. "Barbara has to create a tiktok at least once every twenty four hours or her fan club goes feral and..."

"Tries to jump off the roof as the ultimate sacrifice to her majesty." Childe sighs, and for the first time you sense his irritation. "Got it."

Just in time, Barbara finishes her cute little dance and comes over to where Childe is laying.

Childe doesn't miss the way your scowl has dissipated, and you give Barbara your undivided attention, hearts in your eyes from all the adoration. He has half the mind to call you out on it, no doubt a little jealous over how the young highschool idol can get you to show more emotion than him.

"I'm so sorry! I started those tiktoks out of mild interest but now I have an obligation to my fans." The younger apologizes profusely, getting to work almost immediately.

"No worries." Childe starts, staying still as the blonde examines him. "I'm sure it's nothing too serious. Y/N here is being dramatic, she probably just wants to spend some alone time with me."

You inhale sharply, turn to Barbara, and ask. "If I jumped out of the window right now from this floor, would it be a quick and easy death?"

The younger girl's eyes widen, and Childe stifles his snort.

"Kidding." You raise your hands up to cease her worries, and then motion towards him. "Common cold?"

"Yes," Barbara moves on and writes down something on a slip. "We'll just keep him here until his parents can pick him up."

"My parents can't pick me up." He asserts in a casual tone. "Don't call them."

"We still have to call them. If they don't come, you're to stay in this bed all day." She hands you the note, which is a viable excuse for all the classes he'll miss today. "Give this to his homeroom teacher. You'd also better get to class, your hall pass is about to expire."

"Hold up." You remark, barely paying attention to the note that you've shoved down your pocket. "I'm not leaving him here alone." There's no room for argument, your decision is firmly stated.

Childe hypes you up in his weakened state, disoriented. "You tell em girlie."

"He won't be alone." Barbara flashes you a reassuring smile. "I'll be monitoring him until his parents get here."

"No, no, you don't understand." You argue, inquiring all the doubts you have. "He's gonna try to pull some shit and I'll have to be here to stop him."

"Ease up babe." Childe tries to calm you down, despite the giddiness in his chest at the realization that you want to take care of him.

His subconscious begs him to let you stay, to let himself be doted and cared for the way he's always wanted you to, but he knows he can't let you skip class. Not when you've worked so hard and come so far. "I'll be okay for a few. You can go back to class and then visit me during break."

You bite your lips, head jumbled with all the different possibilities of how shit can hit the fan. "I can't! What if Signora shows up? She'll poison you in this weakened state to get back at me for trying to exorcise her." The hesitation in your features gives away everything.

Childe's eye twitches at the thought of Signora out of all people getting the best out of him, and also the absolute audacity you have to be calling him weak. Clearly all his efforts towards the little shows of dominance (e.g. Shoving Pallad against a locker, spraying a hefty amount of cologne on, being an asshole in general, etc.) have not bore fruit.

"You tried to exorcise her?" Barbara gasps, momentarily reminding the two of you that she's still present.

"Her evil has no bounds." Your expression is hard to read, dead serious. "I do not regret my attempt at cancelling Satan's hell spawn."

Childe himself has been cancelled hundreds of times over the span of highschool because of all his problematic traits (e.g calling Venti a twink) and it is not a pleasant experience.

Though it does give him a sense of comfort, knowing that arrogant bitch Signora is finally getting what's coming to her, even if she is one of his friends.

Serves her right for trying to Pavlov her stupid Chihuahua into biting the closest human being just by the snap of her manicured finger. As if it's persistent yapping and tendency to run in front of cars isn't enough torture to deal with on a daily basis.

Childe's yanked out of his thoughts rather forcefully at the sound of the door opening abruptly, the handle crashing into the wall, shocking Barbara's attempts to reassure you.

He knows who it is because of his top tier gaydar, dreading what's to come.

Scaramouche is a morose son of a bitch with a mean streak that hasn't been broken since he was an itty bitty shit in the fourth grade.

"I can't believe you let yourself get sick!" The navy haired boy exclaims in disbelief, doubling over with tears, clapping his hands to add on some extra effects. "Natural selection finally decided to stop pussy footing around your primate-looking ass."

You press your lips together. "Isn't he supposed to be your best friend?"

Scaramouche sputters violently, using the wall as leverage to hold himself up. "You told her I'm your best friend? Oh fuck. Oh this is good. What else did you tell her huh? That you have a monster cock?"

"First of all, you make me reconsider my opinion on the death penalty, dickhead."

Barbara is mortified. Childe continues on anyways.

"—and I do have a monster cock. But why are you so interested in my monster cock huh?"

Scaramouche scrunches his face up in disgust, amusement nothing but a distant memory. "You don't have a monster cock you plebe."

Childe has an awfully scandalized expression on his face, but smoothly enough it transitions into an unsettling grin that you're all too familiar with. "You didn't deny not being interested in my monster cock though."

It's your turn to be mortified, shaking your head at the banter that goes on back and forth.

"How did you even know he was in here? We aren't even in the same class."

Scaramouche raises a brow as if you're some sort of toddler that's babbling out a mixture of Cheerios and spit, maybe a few digested strawberries here and there. He waves his phone in front of you, "posted it on his story."

"What the—give me that!" You snatch his phone right up, staring at the screen in bewilderment.

There's a video of you doing trick shots with your tech deck on the ledge of a nearby window with a pressed expression while waiting for Barbara to finish up, captioned with: "In the nurses office rn pray for me 🙏, there's this cute girl in front of me should I ask her out?"

You check the poll and ninety five percent say yes. Scaramouche voted no. You have mixed feelings.

Shaking your head, you give Childe, who's unable to sit still, a look of pure exasperation.

Scaramouche claws his phone back from you rather harshly, the bells on his hat jingling, making it hard for you to take him seriously when he sneers your way.

"You should be thankful you're the lover of my comrade." He shivers slightly at the word comrade. "or I would have obliterated you on the spot for that little stunt."

Childe doesn't even pretend to look fazed at the older's threat when he says  "as if I'd allow a kumquat headass like you to touch my girl."

You and Barbara hastily jump in to stop the bloodbath that is seconds from happening. "No!"

Luckily, no limbs are teared apart.

[streetlight11]

Stay With Me

Summary: She suffered from a trauma after she witnessed the death of her parents at a young age. Luckily, she had a best friend who was there for her ever since that tragic incident. Both of them had feelings for each other deep down but never told anyone. One unfortunate night, when a fresh accident happened right in front of their eyes, her trauma came seeping back in but he was there to comfort her. She could never imagine her life without him.

Theme: College au, childhood friends to lovers

Warning: mentions of accidents, blood, death

Genre: Fluff, sad 

WC: 2.6k

Pairing: Ji Changmin x Reader

a/n: just a heads up, the words in italics are flashbacks :)

~12 years ago~

“Mom, dad! Please wake up! Please!” Y/N said, crawling towards her parents who were sprawled on the road with bloody cuts and scabs everywhere on their body.

A bystander called the ambulance while some of them helped carry her parents off to the sidewalk. Not long after, the ambulance came but they didn’t manage to rescue her dad in time. He passed away from the hard impact. Her mom managed to be transferred into the vehicle.

But she didn’t make it halfway through.

She was left all alone as the paramedics comforted her, telling her to breathe. She was only 11. Hence, the reason why she was traumatized by that incident.

It was a bright Wednesday morning, she had just finished getting ready to leave her apartment to head to campus. She wore a simple white shirt tucked into her high waist plaid skirt with a pair of Nike sneakers. She made it to campus with her backpack hanging off one side of her shoulder while she carried a few books in her hand to avoid putting heavy weight in her backpack.

She was just making her way down the hall, her Bluetooth earplugs were in her ears. She was listening to her music when somebody tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see a guy from her Psychology class. If she remembered correctly, his name was Jisung.

“Hey, I think you dropped this.” He said, handing her the keychain from her bag.

She took the charm from him not forgetting to thank him before flashing him a smile. Jisung did the same. Taking slow steps backwards until she finally turned back around to continue walking. He rushed back to his friends, only for them to nudge his side teasingly.

“Dude! She smiled at you! That’s a good start.” Hyunjin said.

“Yeah, try talking to her next time. She’ll definitely talk to you more.” Minho said, making Jisung stare at her descending back.

“Maybe I will…” Jisung thought to himself and soon went off to class.

A few hours later, Y/N was just leaving school when a familiar jock from the soccer team stops dead in her tracks, making her halt in her tracks.

“Hey, I have free tickets to see the new movie this weekend. Wanna go together?” Juyeon asked.

“I already made plans. Sorry.” She rejected him nicely before proceeding to walk around him to leave. She was just making her way to her car when someone blocked her door by holding it down. She looked up, ready to curse whoever it was but her words got stuck when she met the eyes of her best friend.

“I was this close to cursing your ass, Changmin.” Y/N said scrunching her nose. She made a pinching gesture with her fingers to show him she was running out of patience. 

Changmin laughed when he leaned against her driver seat door, only to look down at her with a wide smile. “Are you free this weekend?” He asked.

“Mm, probably.”

“But you just told Juyeon you had plans.” Changmin began to smirk.

“You know I give white lies to those guys who try to take me on dates.”

“But you don’t turn me down when I ask you out?”

“That’s because you’re my best friend.”

“Ouch, am I being friend zoned already?” Changmin faked a sad frown.

“Wha- What are you talking about? Of course not.”

“Ugh! Y/N…”

“Changmin…” His frown was soon turned into a bright smile, leaning forward to playfully boop her nose with his own. She couldn’t help but giggle when he did that.

“Should we go out this weekend?” He asked.

“Where to?”

“We can check out that new haunted house for this year’s Halloween.”

“You just want to see me suffer don’t you?”

“Maybe just a little.”

“You ass.” Changmin giggled before pushing himself off her car, only for her to slap his torso playfully.

“I’ll text you once I’m home. Be careful.” She said while Changmin began to walk towards his sports bike across the parking lot. While all of this was happening, someone witnessed this from one of the bikes parked in the lot.

It was Jisung.

That weekend, Changmin came over to her apartment to fetch her but he was an hour early. Hence, the reason why he was now just casually sitting in her bed while he picked out her outfit. After what felt like forever, he finally chose for her a simple denim skinny ripped jeans, a black sleeveless fitting top and a khaki green bomber jacket.

As for the shoes, she chose to wear a simple pair of converse high tops. Changmin was just sitting in her living room while she got dressed, only for him to receive a call from Juyeon, who happened to also be his friend.

“Hey Min! Wanna hang out today?”

“Sorry Ju, I have plans today.”

“Aww man. Who are you meeting?”

Changmin was so close to saying her name when he stopped himself abruptly. “Uhh, s-someone…”

“Ooh! Are you going on a date?”

“H-Huh? No, absolutely not. She’s just a friend.”

“Don’t take too long brother, or else someone might just steal her away.” Juyeon said. Changmin could literally hear his friend smile on the other line. Just then, Changmin heard her bedroom door unlock so he quickly said goodbye to his friend.

“Alright man, I gotta go. Bye.”

“Bye bro, good luck.” Juyeon teased before proceeding to hang up, making Changmin shake his head slightly. 

The both of them soon left only for them to take Changmin’s bike instead of her car since it’s slightly easier to find a parking spot later. They went to get a light dinner first before heading to the theme park that was decked out with scary decorations and they even had new haunted houses for this year’s Halloween season.

The two of them were just walking around with the crowd. People were diligently running away from killer clowns and also scary looking masked actors.

She flinched quite a few times as she often grabbed his arm for comfort.

Just when she was talking to Changmin, a killer clown came charging right at her. She flinched, immediately grabbing Changmin’s shirt to bury herself in his chest. He couldn’t help but laugh, wrapping his arms around her body while the clown tried to scare her by putting the chainsaw right beside her ear.

Changmin could feel his heart race in his chest as she rested her arms firmly on his torso.

“Is he gone?” She whispered, terrifyingly.

“Yeah.”

Y/N carefully opened one eye, peaking past her shoulder, only to come face to face with the scary clown, making her let out a soft squeak. She pushed the clown away by his shoulders.

“Leave me alone!” She whined while Changmin was still hugging her. The clown laughed menacingly at her. Starting up his chainsaw again, making her flinch.

“Ugh! You little-” She almost cursed out of annoyance but the clown ran away to scare other people.

“I think you scared him more than he scared you.” Changmin teased while laughing at her.

“Oh shut up.” 

She said with a sad pout on her face in which he couldn’t help but feel his heart flutter. They were now entering a queue to go to one of the new haunted houses when a familiar voice called out her name from behind her. She turned around, only to see Jisung with his friends, approaching the queue they were in. 

She soon found herself smiling and waving at him who mimicked her expression the minute he came to a stop behind her in line.

“Is this your first house?” Jisung asked, shaking her head saying it was already her forth. Just then, Jisung’s eyes travelled towards Changmin who was standing beside her. Who then turned to see who Y/N was talking to. Changmin gave him a soft smile, making Jisung return the gesture.

“Ahh, I’m sorry to disrupt anything. I’ll leave you with your boyfriend.” Jisung said only to awkwardly smile at her, about to turn back around. That’s when Changmin spoke up to clear things up.

“Uhh, it’s fine, she’s-” But she seemed to cut him off.

“It’s okay, my boyfriend’s fine with it.”

With that, Changmin froze as Jisung’s eyes kept going back and forth between Y/N and Changmin. Y/N continued talking to Jisung but she sneakily played with Changmin’s fingers, making his heart race in his chest.

At this point, Jisung wasn’t jealous, nor was he upset that he didn’t get a chance to bring her out on a date because he feels that she is much better off with Changmin. After they were finished with that house, they gathered at the exit, only for Y/N to smile at Jisung and his friends.

“That was scary, I almost slapped someone in there.” Hyunjin confessed, making them all laugh.

“I wouldn’t wanna be that someone.” Jisung said.

Y/N laughed, turning to Jisung and rested her hand on his arm for a few seconds while she spoke.

“Alright, I’ll leave you guys to enjoy the rest of the night. See you in school.” She said, making the guys bid their goodbyes and soon walked the other way. After they left, she knew exactly what Changmin was gonna talk about so she quickly changed the topic by pointing to a snack cart and dragged Changmin to it.

They spent the next few hours with her screaming and whining while he laughs at her for being scared every time.

It was getting late and she was already tired so he decided to send her home. On their way back, they were at a cross junction when he removed his hands from the handlebar only to lean back into a sitting posture. They were both quiet as she rested her hands on his back, carefully sliding them around his waist.

Changmin found himself smiling at nobody. He glanced over his shoulder a little to look at her through his full face helmet. However, that cute moment was soon interrupted when a loud tyre screeching sound was heard from the other side of the junction.

Both of them whipped their head over to the left, that’s when they saw a lorry crashing into a car that soon overturned from the impact.

She gasped when she saw the driver of the car weakly crawled out of the overturned vehicle, his head and hands were bleeding. The lights turned green but Changmin quickly swerved towards the right to stop by the side to get down and help.

A few other passer-by's stopped their vehicles only for them to rush over to the scene.

The lorry driver got off, he even tried to run away drunkenly but some bystanders managed to chase him down. Changmin gently led the car driver to the side while a lady called the ambulance.

Just then, the man pointed shakily to the car as he said.

“M-My… My w-wife… P-Ple-Please h-help he-her.”

With that, Y/N and two more bystanders rushed to the car and they saw the woman hanging upside down from her seat. Her seatbelt was still intact but her head was bleeding. Red crimson blood dripping down her arms and head.

This alone made Y/N’s breath start to get choppy. She made slow steps backwards. Changmin turned around just in time to see her collapse to the ground in a state of shock, sitting there motionless. He rushed to her, cupping her face worriedly.

“Y/N? Y/N, are you okay?” Changmin asked but he knew her mind wasn’t there currently.

With that being said, Changmin carefully lifted her up to bring her towards the sidewalk. He sat beside her with one arm around her waist while the other gently caressing her head comfortingly.

After the ambulance came, Y/N was still shaking in his arms when they watched the paramedics bring both the victims into the vehicle.

Changmin turned to Y/N and softly whispered.

“Are you okay? Let’s get you home. Come on.” He said gently to her. She stood up but her knees were weak from the trauma.

Changmin sends her home safely and he even offered to accompany her for a while before heading home. However, instead of her wanting to shower straight away, she pulled him down on the couch as they sat there side by side quietly for a bit.

“It triggered your past didn’t it?” He asked cautiously, making her nod.

Changmin sighed because he already knew what it was. With that being said, he pulled her into a hug with her willingly accepting it without a single doubt. She buried her face into his neck as he gently caressed her back soothingly.

The room fell silent and all they could hear was their calm breathing. Just then, Changmin pulled away slightly, only to press a firm kiss against her temple. Her heart stopped beating for a millisecond, feeling her whole body freeze. Changmin smiled softly while he drew lazy patterns into her back, that’s when she spoke up.

“Can you stay with me? Please? I’m scared… I already lost the people I love so much. I don’t want to lose anyone else. Especially you.” She whispered softly against his shoulder. He heard every single word clearly.

With that being said, he carefully pulled her away from him. He stared into her glossy eyes that were filled with tears, threatening to roll down her cheeks. He gently cups her face as he wipes her fallen tears with his thumbs. Changmin couldn’t bear to see her heartbroken, it pained him to see her like this. So the only way to make her happy again is to fulfil her wishes, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do.

“I’ll stay with you. I promise I’ll never leave you.” He said, reassuring her as he stared deep into her eyes.

She could almost feel her heart escaping her chest as she gently held onto his wrists. Changmin smiles at her softly, wiping her tears with his sweater sleeves. She leans into his hand and he couldn’t help but smile at her.

Just then, he felt like it was something he needed to do. He wanted to seal his promise. With that being said, Changmin leaned in, only to kiss her on the lips softly. Her heart stops beating momentarily as she felt like she was on cloud9.

Her anxiety and trauma from the accident earlier was already gone. Instead, it got replaced by adrenaline and love. She slides her hands up his chest, running her fingers through his hair. Changmin smiled against her lips only to deepen the kiss further. Changmin tugged on her waist, pulling her onto his lap.

She cups his neck while his hands are resting on her thighs making her shy. She pulled away, only for her to say softly.

“The actual reason why I always turn those guys down is because I was hoping you’d ask me out on a proper date. But I guess we could call today our first date.” She said, making him chuckle as he licked her bottom lip and kissed her but soon pulled away.

“No it doesn’t. Let’s go on a real date. I’ll properly ask you out this time.” Changmin confessed, making her giggle. He captured her in a kiss, making her melt against his touch.

Changmin spent the night with her. He showered her with so much love, filling in the amount that she has been missing out all throughout her childhood. 

She couldn’t ask for a much better friend and partner. She woke up the next morning to him playing with her hair in bed as she was snuggled against his warm, cosy chest. He gave her good morning kisses and did that for the rest of the day, making her laugh. She definitely wouldn’t want to lose anybody else that’s in her life. Especially not Changmin.

[mycroftinthemindpalace]

♥️♥️ MARLOS + “You can’t make up for it by giving me a tic-tac.”

Prompt from @hersilentlanguage - thank you! I put in a short reference to “She Painted Fire Across the Sky” towards the end. :) 

It began innocently enough. Carlos came racing into the room looking for...something (in the end, neither could remember what rudimentary item he’d needed in the first place.) They’d checked all the usual places – backpacks, desk drawers, Jay’s pockets – then they moved onto Tier 2 of possible locations – underneath mattresses, stashed inside shoes – and as they’d both begun thinking that it may be time to consider searching the Tier 3 locations (neither had given voice to this thought, Tier 3 was Serious Business), Mal’s eyes caught on something.

Something purple.

Something that had led a multiple day, all-hands-on-deck, Tier 3 search with no results.

Something that was not Carlos’s.

“Carlos.” The boy’s head popped up from underneath the sink, colliding with a pipe on its way. He rubbed it gingerly, his eyes wide with cautious hope that Mal had found the...whatever it was they’d been searching for.

The look he received surprised him, and sent him scrambling what little distance he could away from Mal. Mal was seated on her knees in the middle of his and Jay’s dorm room, which had been all but destroyed in their search. Chaos reigned in every direction around her, though Mal herself had created a buffer zone, about two feet around her in every direction, that was completely clutter-free. Beside her was Carlos’s box of scraps ‘n’ things. (It’s proper title, written in Evie’s perfect handwriting along its outside.) An unusual sight in and of itself, as all but Carlos were expressly forbidden to touch the box, lest they dig too deep and impale themselves on a random shard of metal. Had Carlos seen her remove the box from beneath his bed, he would have insisted he be the one to search it, even though he was confident that whatever they’d been looking for was not in there.

Carlos wished that had been what happened, because then Mal wouldn’t be glaring at him from the center of the room, the tips of her pointy ears turning red as a dark flush spread across her cheeks. Maybe she had impaled herself. If that were the case, Carlos wasn’t to blame. She knew not to touch his box.

Carlos’s stomach clenched as Mal, moving painfully slow, lifted her hand to reveal a familiar purple pen, a dragon keychain twisting on its cap, dangling between her fingers.  

For a moment, Carlos did not realized the very real danger he was in. “Why were you looking through my stuff?” He asked.

“Why did you have my purple pen?”

That...was a good question. Carlos remembered the day the pen vanished – they all remembered the day the pen vanished. Mal, who did not believe in luck, had had a History of Heroes test that day, and she could not take it without her pen. Not because she was superstitious, she insisted. She was a creature of habit. “Since when?” Jay had snickered, until Mal’s glare shut him up. She just wanted her pen, because it was hers, and she liked it, okay? And, Hades, stop grinning, it’s not funny, just start looking!

So they’d looked. After an two hours and one missed breakfast, they’d found Evie’s golden sewing needle, Jay’s biology homework, and Dude’s red collar, but not a purple pen. Realizing that Mal was now in danger of missing the test entirely, Evie suggested that maybe she’d misplaced it, she could borrow one of their pens, and she should probably get going. Mal insisted that she had not misplaced it, someone had taken it without her permission, but she took one of Carlos’s boring black pens and left in a huff. When she got her test back, with C+ written on it, she told them it was definitely because she didn’t have her purple pen but not because she was superstitious or anything, geez, guys.  

So they’d looked a second time. Carlos found a new pack of tic-tacs, Evie found a fashion magazine, and even Mal found a few missing sketches, but they were signed with purple ink and just seemed to be taunting her, so she threw them out and left. (Evie picked them out of the trash and carefully smoothed them, then hid them on her side of the closet to return at a later date.)

The third search was the longest and most invasive, and very nearly broke them all. It was two days before Mal’s next test, and she needed her purple pen this time, you guys. They all agreed to get a good night’s sleep and come in refreshed, with positive attitudes and sharp eyes, the next morning. And they did, but their positive attitudes could only last so long in the face of such adversity.

The pen was nowhere, and they had searched everywhere. The girls’ room, the boys’ room, the hallway; they’d barricaded and scoured the cafeteria. They did not check the library, as they all knew it wouldn’t be there, but, otherwise, no stone of the campus ground was left unturned.

But, apparently, one box had been.

“You said,” Mal started, her voice dangerously low. “You swore that there was no chance it was in your box. I wanted to check, Evie wanted to check, but you said you’d never touched this pen and it couldn’t possibly be here.” She shook the box with her free hand, the one not holding the damning evidence up high.

“I...I...” Carlos wracked his brain, trying to figure out how in the world the pen could have....

Oh no.

“I didn’t,” he said. He gulped, then raised a shaky finger towards the bed. “But he did.”

Mal’s eyes widened. “The dog? You’re gonna blame the dog?”

Carlos nodded. “Dude did it.” He stood up on shaky feet, his hands held out in front of him in a gesture of peace. He pried the pen from Mal’s hand, then placed it on the ground in front of Dude. Then he stepped aside so Mal could witness the crime scene reenactment.

Dude blinked up at them sleepily and yawned. Mal raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, but Carlos waited. Then, slowly, Dude poked at the pen, stood, stretched, and picked it up in his mouth. He trotted obliviously past Mal, deposited the pen in the box, then retreated back to his place under the bed to sleep once more.

“Ta-da,” Carlos said, throwing in a jazz hand for good measure.

“What...did I just witness?” Mal asked.

“I trained Dude to help me clean,” Carlos explained sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “He knows when the box is out, to pick things up and put them away.”

“Things?”

“Yeah... scraps ‘n’ things.”

Mal jumped to her feet, waving the pen at Carlos. “This is not a scrap! This is not a thing!”

“I know, but I didn’t do it!”

“But you wouldn’t let me check the box! You said it couldn’t be in there!”

“I didn’t put it there!”

“But if you’d let me check the box-“

“I didn’t want you to hurt yourself!” He yelled. “It’s got...pointy things in it. And metal. And... other stuff. I don’t really know what’s in there, actually.”

“Obviously.”

Carlos stared at the pen, refusing to meet her eyes. Without looking up, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a nearly-empty container of red tic-tacs. He upended it and shook until one fell out, which he promptly held out for Mal. “Sorry,” he said.  

“You can’t make up for it by giving me a tic-tac,” Mal snapped, her eyes flashing. (Though she took the tic-tac.)

Silence echoed between them. Then, slowly, Carlos extended an arm. Mal frowned, her arms crossed stubbornly in front of her chest. Carlos shook his arm, his eyes averted. Mal rolled hers, then held out her hand beneath his. He shook the container above her palm until another tic-tac rolled out.  

“Two tic-tacs doesn’t make it better, Carlos.” Then, “Everyone knows the proper apology for training your dog to steal your friend’s pen and then refusing to let said friend check your box of weird shit is three tic-tacs.”

The third tic-tac was in her hand almost before she finished speaking. She grinned, then popped them in her mouth. “You’re lucky they’re cinnamon. If they’d been peppermint, I’d have to refuse your apology.”

“Peppermint tic-tacs are gross.”

“Yep.” She swallowed the mints, then breathed in his face. “Smell good?”

He wrinkled his nose. “No.” He leaned down and picked up the scraps ‘n’ things box. “So what is the proper apology for insisting that you didn’t misplace your pen and accusing everyone of stealing it?”

Mal froze. “What?”

Carlos popped the last remaining tic-tac in his mouth, then bank-shot the empty container into the trash. “Yeah, you swore that you didn’t lose it, and said one of us borrowed it and lost it, but you left it on my floor where Dude found it. So what’s the proper way to apologize for that?”

“By not stuffing your ass in a fridge?”

“...Yep, that sounds right.”

[daringyounggrayson]

the times they are a-changin’

Written for @trichoglossus, merry Christmas Kes!!

Okay, so let me just set the scene: this fic takes place during the first Christmas after Jason died, Tim is training to be Robin but not living with Bruce, and Wally’s in college. I think that��s it? So yeah, enjoy the fic!

(AO3)

“You should’ve called,” Wally says (again). “You could’ve spent Christmas with me; my family would’ve loved to see you.”

“I didn’t want to take over your Christmas,” Dick says (again). “And it was fine. I caught up on sleep, ate some Chinese, and watched an animal doc. I had a great Christmas. Really.” Well, maybe not great. There was plenty of moping and self-pity and wondering how his life had gone to shit sprinkled between those other activities.

Today was better.

“You still shouldn’t have had to spend Christmas alone just because Bruce decided to be an ass.” Dick laughs. “He is! But he still could’ve made an effort. I mean, who can’t put off fighting with their kid for one day?”

Dick sighs, sobering. “It’s a little more complicated than that.” Fights with Bruce always were. Dick says stupid shit and takes things too far, and Bruce. Bruce is an ass. But he’s also grieving, and Dick should’ve known better than to bring up Jason.

“I think my point stands,” Wally scoffs. He’s always been the first to defend Dick, even when he doesn’t deserve it. “Besides, did I mention that it was Christmas?”

“You did. Several times. But to be fair, Bruce has never really been that into Christmas,” Dick points out. And not that Dick is obsessed with the holiday or anything, but there are parts he likes. Used to like. God, how things have changed. “It wouldn’t be shocking if he forgot why I went over there in the first place.” Lies.

“Whatever. I’m heading over in a bit and we can have Christmas 2, so prepare yourself to get festive.”

“Okay.” Dick looks around his apartment. It’s a mess and there aren’t any decorations up. Not that Wally will mind, Wally’s very good at not minding things like that. Still, he should turn on the lights or open the blinds at least. Wally always gets this sad, concerned look on his face when he realizes Dick has just been shuffling around in the dark. “Love you.”

“Love you, too, babe.” And Wally hangs up.

Dick puts his phone back in his pocket and opens the blinds in the living room. He looks around and gathers up the dirty dishes from the past few days and dumps them in the sink, then he collects the empty takeout containers from yesterday and throws them out. He also grabs the throw blanket off of the floor and drapes it over the back of the couch. Finally, Dick goes to the hall closet and pulls out two boxes: one a standard, pre-wrapped box with a bow on top and the other a small, thin box that he wrapped himself. He pockets the smaller box and places the larger one on the newly-cleared coffee table.

Festive—check.

A knock on the door tells him Wally’s here and he feels a smile tug at his lips.

Dick unlocks the door and pulls it open. Wally’s standing there with a box of his own, a paper bag, and a backpack slung loosely over one shoulder.

“Merry Christmas,” Wally greets, kissing Dick for good measure.

When their lips part, Dick gestures for Wally to step inside and offers his own, “Merry Christmas.”

Wally takes off his outerwear and then sets his gift on the table next to Dick’s. He holds up the bag for Dick to see. “Aunt Iris sent me home with a ton of leftovers, so we have a bit of a feast.”

Dick grins. “Awesome.”

“You got your oven fixed, right?” Wally asks, already heading toward the kitchen.

“Uh-huh. A few weeks ago. You can now turn it on without setting off the fire alarm,” Dick says proudly. “But we can just microwave it; it’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, you poor confused child,” Wally sighs. “Leftovers get the deluxe treatment on Christmas 2.” Then Wally mutters in mock disbelief, “Microwave, honestly.”

Dick holds back a laugh. “Sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking.”

“Clearly.”

The two of them work together to figure out how long everything will need to be reheated and plan it so that everything finishes at the same time. Dick’s apartment doesn’t have a dining room, let alone a table to go in one, so they set up their dinner on the kitchen counter, eating it next to each other on stools. It’s delicious, and Wally made a good call by turning down Dick’s microwave suggestion. Still, it reminds Dick of what he missed out on yesterday.

(But it’s not the food really, it’s the family that he would’ve eaten it with.)

With Wally there, they manage to eat all of the leftovers. Wally puts on some Christmas music while they load the dishwasher and clean the pots and pans that aren’t dishwasher safe. It’s funny—little moments like this, but not romantic outings or anniversaries, always make Dick think about how nice it will be to settle down with Wally in a few years. Dick has found plenty of unpleasantries in the adult world, but that is one aspect that he’s still looking forward to.  

“What are you planning on doing for New Year’s?” Wally asks, drying off the last pan. “You know, with recent events and all.”

Dick shrugs, taking the pan and putting it back in the cabinet. “I’ll probably still go to the New Year’s party Bruce got roped into hosting. Bruce should be cooled down by then, and if not, he’s in public so he has to pretend to be for appearances. Plus, Babs and Tim will be there, so I won’t be completely alone even if Bruce does decide to avoid me all night. Why?”

“I was just going to say that I talked to Aunt Iris and she said that she’s more than happy to have you over. M’gann is also doing her New Year’s thing with the Team,” Wally reminds him. “Basically, if you decide not to go to Gotham, you have other options. I get sad thinking about you sitting here, all by yourself with the lights off. Especially on a holiday.”

Damn it. “It’s okay, really. And I’m not going to be alone, but thank your aunt for the invitation. Maybe next year.”

“Sure,” Wally says, smiling softly.

“You could still come to the Wayne party for a little bit. It starts at eight.”

“Will I have to rent a tux?” Wally asks.

“Uh-huh, but I can pay for it.”

“I’ll still have to wear it, though.”

“That is usually how it works, yeah.” Dick lets his fingers twirl around Wally’s hair for a second. “I’ll be there. And so will trays and trays of finger foods.”

Wally grabs Dick’s waist and pulls him close. “I do love fancy finger food.”

Dick closes the gap with a quick kiss. “No pressure, just think about it. I’m thinking of spending a few days there if Alfred isn’t too mad at me for ditching Christmas.”

“That’ll be good for you.”

Dick lays his head on Wally’s shoulder. “Yeah?”

Wally nods. “When you and Bruce aren’t at each other’s throats, you always seem lighter after a visit. And you’re always lighter after you talk with Alfred.”

Wally clearly has not been around to see Dick after Alfred’s just reprimanded him, but Dick gets his point anyway.

“Just don’t let this fight between you and Bruce fester. It’s not good for either of you,” Wally tells him.

Dick sighs and pulls away. Wally doesn’t even know what the fight was about; Dick hasn’t shared any of the details and he’s not going to. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

“And I’m not asking you to.” Wally places his hands on Dick’s shoulders and looks at him seriously. “I’m just saying—and look, I’m not defending him at all, you know that—you’ve both had a hard year. You two understand each other in a way no one else can, and I think you need each other to get through this. There’s no reason to make it harder on yourself.”

Wally doesn’t say you’ve been known to do stupid stuff after fights, he doesn’t say I don’t want you to get hurt doing something stupid, he doesn’t say I know you’ve been depressed and I don’t want to lose you.

Dick nods. “You’re right. We’ll work things out.” Wally has always been good at making convincing speeches.

Wally smiles at him.

“So. Any family drama you wanna share?”

“Time for presents?”

oOo

“I have another one for you,” Dick tells Wally. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small wrapped box, handing it to Wally.

Wally takes it and tears the paper off. Lifting the lid, he finds one small, metallic object: a key. He picks it up with a smile on his face and turns to Dick.

“I know most people in our business don’t exactly need keys, but—” Dick shrugs.

Wally cups Dick’s face and kisses him. “I love it. It’s very sweet.”

Dick continues, clarifying, “I’m not asking you to move in—I know we’ve talked about it before, and when we’re both ready to be long-term housemates, we’ll pick a place together. Think of this as a kind of stepping stone.”

A stepping stone because as much as Dick wants to live with Wally at some point, he doesn’t think he’s quite ready for that—neither of them are, honestly. But a first step? Wally leaving a toothbrush and some clothes here? He can do that, is thrilled to do that if Wally is willing.

“It’s a great idea,” Wally says, and there’s this sweet emotion behind it that Dick can’t get enough of. “One second.” He stands up and zips to the front door, returning with his keys. Dick watches as Wally works the new key onto the keychain. “How does it look?”

Right. “Definitely one of my top five keychains.”

“Shut up.” But Wally’s smile doesn’t drop and his eyes are still sparkling. He puts the keys away and then he’s back, glued to Dick’s side. Just as he should be.

“So. What else do you do on Christmas 2?”

“Hmm . . . we could watch Home Alone while I beat your ass at Parcheesi?”

And doesn’t that make Dick feel nostalgic? For much of their youth, they spent winter break together, sledding and, of course, watching movies while playing the various board games stashed around the manor. God, how things have changed. But not all for the worse, Dick is starting to realize.

“I’d love to make you eat those words, but I don’t think I have any board games, actually. I have a deck of cards somewhere though. We could play Rummy?” Dick suggests instead.

“You’re on.”

They put the movie on and start out sitting across from each other, Dick’s feet quickly finding their way into Wally’s lap. An hour in, though, round two of Rummy is forgotten on the coffee table and the movie plays to sleeping viewers. Dick and Wally have wormed their way next to each on the couch, Dick’s throw pulled over the two of them. Dick hasn’t felt this peaceful in a long time. This right.

Yes, good changes indeed.

[pastelgrungewrecker]

Diecut Crooked

Hold your deck to your chest Faceless, nobody is your friend Make it, take it, they won't share

She was lanky and lean, the shirts never fit, the jeans fell short, the fads that promised her a welcoming from her peers let her down so often it became a pattern more predictable that multiplication tables.

Her hair was bright and wild, her freckles dark and dusted over her liberally, her eyes piercing and hawklike all once.

They called her Anchor Baby.

Dom saw her cry, once. All wild howls and dewdrop tears as her hair fell loose around her like a dying halo of fire and stuck to cheeks and lips and caught in her eyelashes. He comforted her the best he could- In his clothes that fit and his hair that sat just right. With his letterjacket and his backpack decorated in friendship keychains.

It helped, but it also didn’t.

Forge watched her rage once; watched her slam her foot against a soccerball and half deflate it as she sent it barrelling into the face of the goalie mocking her too-long legs and her razorblade elbows; An awkward gosling, a featherless pheonix rolling free of ash and eggshells.

It helped.... But it also didn’t.

As she grew, she swallowed down the fire she wanted to breath; she choked down barbed wire and noxious fumes and glared holes in the backs of heads and told the twins “Never trust a soul, never make anyone your everything- cause when they’re gone you’ll be NOTHING, nothing and NO ONE.”

They held her vitriol in their hands like baptismal water, and wondered if the poison that surely leaked from her eyes in place of tears was supposed to feel like seawater and thunderstorm breezes.

And she was called Anchor Baby; she was called A Ruse and she was accused of Guilt By Association when it was Drift’s arm she clung to as they walked through a crowd.

His eyes were always softly oblivious- years of learning to ignore the glares and sneers aimed at him translating to never seeing them aimed at the children he wanted nothing more than to do right by.

And she grew; lankier and more awkward in her angles. She cried in silence as her ankles always showed and hugged her knees in fitting rooms as shirts sagged on her wiry body.

She cut her hair, she didn’t cut her hair- it never made a difference.

Anchor Baby.

Ruse.

Entrapment.

Moneygrab.

“I don’t understand when she stopped talking to us.”, sighed Ratchet over a cup of coffee as Mimi cleared the table, “She was always such a little firestarter and then... suddenly.”

“It wasn’t sudden, but continue.”, said Mimi flatly.

Ratchet looked at her in surprise, Drift glanced up from his phone in curiousity.

“You did what Papaceptor did.”, said Mimosa simply, “You had a child with Drift and forgot that came with terms and conditions.”

“Mimosa!”, snapped Drift, “Don’t be rude.”

“Don’t be fucking stupid then, maybe?”, she answered back, her voice equally brisk and rough, “She’s TOLD you both what’s gone on, but between Ratchet’s assumption of Youth And All It’s Troubles and your Align Your Chakra CRAP you both just forgot that she’s a KID with a dad who kinda made some bad choices!”

“So has WHIRL.”

“WHIRL DIDN’T ANNIHILATE MY CLASSMATES’S PARENTS, DRIFT.”

Her voice rang hard in the kitchen, Perceptor dropping the plate he was cleaning and Brainstorm jumping nearly a foot from the floor as Mimi gave a glare she inherited more than developed.

“Drift, everyone in this room knows that you left all that behind but you have GOT to realize that Dani is going to school with the kids of the ones who remember a VERY DIFFERENT YOU.”

“And WHAT makes you think you can pin all this on me-”, snarled Deadlock’s old drawl.

“CAUSE I FUCKIN’ LIVED IT TOO, OLD MAN, TRY ME!”

Drift jerked back as Mimi answered him in a road salt clone of his hilltop gravel voice. Her teeth bared in a sneer, showing the slight peak of the canine and the narrowing of her eyes showing the tiny traits she had gleaned from him without him even being there.

“Mimosa. Cooldown. Now.”, said Whirl flatly from the doorway as he frowned with arms crossed over his chest.

She glanced to him, swallowing what, no doubt, was a challenge.

“Mimi, don’t make me walk you out.”

She set down the dishes in her hands a little harder than necessary before stalking out of the dining room. He watched her pass by, and sighed heavily.

“Drift, man, I love you; I love you as much as I love the rest of the sitcom we call a family but you REALLY need to have some self awareness- And I’m not talking about some spooky crystal shit, okay?”

Drift huffed.

“If we’re being honest, considering how often you practice that mindfulness shit you’re a pretty clueless motherfucker. And I get it! It’s easier to ignore all the shit that people throw at us!”, said Whirl, hands up in a placating gesture, “But you got KIDS now; and people are in equal amounts fucking cowards and also really goddamn scared of you.”

Drift looked away.

“But your kids? Aren’t scary, not yet.”

Drift looked back sharply, seeing the brief flicker of sadness in Whirl’s expression.

“Don’t you remember the hell we went through, enrolling Quickdraw in first grade? How they tried to put him in Isolated Study because they worried he’d be a problem case? Just because I was his DAD?”

Ratchet winced, and Drift gnawed his own thumbnail.

“And don’t even get me started on the shit Mimi got served as a young’n. And she didn’t have a whole family, just us dumbasses calling ourselves SpecOps.”

Whirl walked closer, reaching out and putting a hand on Drift’s shoulder.

“You’re a good man, a’right? But the world don’t know that yet. Maybe they’ll never believe it, who knows. But right now, you gotta consider the fact that people might be taking it out on DANI. And that maybe, just maybe, ignoring the shit people sling at you? Is doing more harm than good.”

Ratchet fideted with his mug, “I... I figured it was. Just kids being kids, teasing on the playground...”

“That’s how it starts.”, sighed Drift, getting up from his seat and feeling Whirl’s hand fall away, “But remember- Playground bullies grow into jackass adults if left unchecked. And then they multiply.”

He rubbed his face, “Being a parent is HARD. And the world doesn’t make it any EASIER.”

Whirl snorted, “Tell me about it- I have ANOTHER meeting with the Principal to explain that no, it’s still discrimination to tell my kid that they aren’t allowed to be unchaperoned on the way to the bathroom.”

“Primus, you’re kidding.”

“Nope, they straight up tried to tell me that Quickdraw was a risk because of his height and ‘parentage’.”, said Whirl flatly, “You’d think by now they’d realize if anyone’s gonna beat the shit out of someone, it’s Chrona.”

Drift couldn’t help the weak chuckle, before he stretched his back out, “...I’ll talk to Mimi later- I think that’s one of those issues that’s gonna take a helluva time to work out. But... I think Dani needs an ear that’ll really listen this time.”

The young girl in question was curled on her bed, door shut and lights off as she stared at nothing. She felt her tears roll down her face but pressed her lips tightly together- a thin line dotted in the signs of teeth worrying the once smooth skin.

A knock.

“Dani. It’s Poppa- I’m comin’ in, okay?”

Silence.

“... I know you’re cryin’.”, he whispered, his voice relaxing into his old drawl, “An’ I’m sorry you thought this was the only way to go.”

She closed her eyes as he entered her room, and closed the door behind him.

The bed shifted as he sat down.

“It’s never gonna stop, kiddo.”, he said gently, “I wish I could sit her and tell you it would, but it most likely won’t.”

“Poppa, do you know what an Anchor Baby is?”, she asked thickly.

“Yeah-... Aw, kiddo...”

She closed her eyes again and bit her lip. His face fell, he watched as she turned her face into her pillow and forced her narrow chest to not jerk from the sobs he could tell were building up.

“Babymine, don’t swallow it all down now.”, he said gently, carefully coaxing her to sit up, to move closer, to curl against him like when she was young and scared and he thought that telling her to turn the other cheek would keep her safe.

His hand moved over her hair, stroking it out of her face where it fell in waves.

“You aren’t an anchor baby, you’re none of that.”, he whispered into red locks like phoenix feathers, “No, no- you’re my little spitfire is what you are. And somehow you got Ratch thinkin’ you’re a Disney princess. Wish I could get him thinkin’ I was, maybe he’d stop bein’ a grouchy old fart.”

A sticky giggle.

“But no, no you aren’t some... plot. You’re my little firecracker, my alleykitten, the Oliver to my Company.”

She buried her face against Drift, feeling her eyes well up again as he pulled her into his lap after adjusting to sit crosslegged on her bed. His arms wrapped around her and held her tight as tight could be and he rocked her like when she was so very tiny; so very new.

She broke.

It was not angry tears, bitter and burning as they hissed down her cheeks.

It was not grieving tears, begging for answers no one willingly gave.

It was not tears made of loathing, of the self or otherwise.

He shooshed her softly, kissing the top of her head and bundling her in his embrace while her lanky gosling body twitched and jumped and jolted with every hiccuped sob unstuck from between her bony ribs.

“I wish I could tell you it’s like the movies, babymine, but it ain’t.”, he continued, “All I can tell you is it gets a little easier, it gets a little brighter, once you realize that no matter whatcha do- someone’s gonna hate you for it. No matter whatcha say, someone’s gonna pile my old sins on your back an’ I’m so so sorry.”

He kissed the top of her head again as she buried her face under his chin and bawled her sorrows out against his old scars- as pearls rolled down her cheeks and fell in diamond shards onto her clothes that didn’t quite fit and never really did.

“No matter what you do, no matter who you pretend to be- they’re gonna see what they wanna see. The only people that matter are the ones that see what you’re willing to give.”

He leaned back, just enough to look at her tear smeared face and wiped away the dewdrops on her freckled cheeks with a thumb, “You ain’t gotta be loved by the world to be beloved. Just the parts that matter t’you.”

She nodded, and buried her face against his chest and hiccuped softly, curling up like a baby bird finally back in the nest.

Mimosa fought back her smile, sitting outside the closed door with an ear against it a moment longer before silently getting to her feet and heading back to the dining room.

“Papaceptor, I’m gonna need to borrow the car this weekend. I think Dani’s gonna need new clothes.”

“I would hope so; she’s got such long legs, her jeans turn into highwaters in a week at best.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna be a problem soon.”

In Dani’s room, her eyes drifted in the haziness between awake and asleep as her ear pressed against Drift’s chest, listening to the voice of nightmares past weave dreams of softer futures to the tune of a one-time warrior’s heartbeat.

The spark that had been guttering under the loaded words of the ones standing on the outside flickered and flared, beginning to alight new and brighter than before.

[strange-principles]

The Time I’ll Never Forget

For the record, I have absolutely no idea how to post here, how this app works. I’m just here to like things, but I typed up a little short story with Harley Keener based on a small head canon that I have with him.

That head canon being that a few years after Tony’s encounter with Harley, he sends him a really expensive watch that comes with a note that says, ‘this is what an adult watch looks like kid’. So yeah- excuse my absolute no knowledge on how to use this app, and enjoy the story I guess???

———

It had been many years since his experience with Tony Stark. The older man had quite the influence on Harley’s life, and even though he hadn’t seen Tony since then, he never forgot that night and the following few days. Never forgot, or would ever forget all the things that he had come home from school to witness in his garage. Things that he couldn’t ever imagine being in his possession in his entire life.

Tony Stark made an impact, and he pursued to be like Tony. A mechanic. Build things that would better help the world, and each day, each week, month and year, he got better. Using the tools and inspiration that Tony had him all those years ago. The garage had turned into his workshop, only himself being allowed in there to preserve the things that were being made at the time, alongside preserving the things that were gifted to him.

Harley was around 16 at the time, high school being more of a nightmare than elementary and middle school combined. Which was saying something. Middle school had been horrible, but his hate for the place had remained mostly internal. Bullying was still a problem, but at this point, Harley likes to think he had a lot more bite than bark. He no longer took the teasing and threats lightly. Threaten him, he’ll threaten you right back but worse.

And it usually worked. Especially since he carried around things that could scare people off. His favorite had been a rubber band gun that he had put together with school supplies. Anyone could make one yes, but what made his different, was that he made it highly, efficient. Rubber band guns hurt, but this would do more than a quick sting and a bruise. That would just be intensified. He never had to fire it, but no one wanted to tempt fates to make him do so.

Cause if there was one thing someone must know from Harley Keener, is that if he says he will do something, you better believe he will. Firing that handmade rubber band weapon, wasn’t something out of his league.

The sun had been particularly hot on a partial summer afternoon. School had let out, and now it was time for the walk home. Harley had his bag slung on his back, only one strap being placed on his shoulder. He was decked out in a plaid short sleeved button up shirt, dawning a red color theme. This was paired with a pair of shorts alongside his favorite pair of sneakers. His blonde hair had been left unchecked for the entire day, leaving it more of a mess than normal, rustling in the warm wind that was being carried through the sunny day. He didn’t have enough care in the world to care about that though. If he looked clean one day, then that’s what he did. If the next he looked like he rolled out of bed and that was it, then that was it.

The street Harley was walking on was mainly empty, only a few people passed by him on the sidewalk, occasionally a car passing by on the street as well. He had his hands in the pockets of his shorts, kicking along a rock that had been laying on the pavement of the sidewalk a while back. This was what kept him entertained as he walked home, not having friends or any close acquaintances to share the burden of walking home with. He also chose not to ride the bus, after elementary and about a year of a junior high on a bus, he decided upon him to never get on one of those things again.

Which kept him from joining any sports teams at the school. Not that he was particularly interested in participating in anything that the school put together. Especially with the people on his grade being the people he’d seek vengeance on for the rest of his life. He didn’t enjoy the kids his age in his small town in Tennessee. If some accident fame around and took care of them, that’d be a day for celebration on his part.

The sun was beating down on his neck quite fiercely by the time he turned into his yard, doing one final hard kick on the rock he dragged along with him, watching it fly down the sidewalk and eventually bounce and roll into the street. A small smile and huff came across his face at that. Just a small amount of amusement for his afternoon after a long, and hot day of sitting in classrooms.

Harley didn’t bother crossing the path to go inside the house, knowing that no one was home at the minute. His mother was out who knows where for the afternoon like always, and his sister still had a decent 40 minutes or so of school left before she came home. That left him alone for almost an hour.

The blonde made a beeline towards the entrance to the garage, removing his hands from his pockets so he could swing his backpack around and fish out his key to the garage door in the smallest pocket. It took a little while to fishing around before his hand clasped around the small key from where it later connected to his keychain. Upon pulling it out, he wasted no time in sticking the key in the lock and unlocking the door.

The heavy door of the garage creaked a little as it was swung open, Harley stepping inside and dropping his back into the floor with a thud, pocketing his keys before trailing over his main desk and sliding into his chair. The chair was equipped with wheels on the legs, so upon sitting down, he slid back a little, going further down the long workbench. His eyes were drawn to the care Parked in the garage when he did. It was an old busted up one, a ‘gift’ left behind by his father all those years ago. At least that’s how he classified it as.

Or just a waste of space. Either one worked.

the broken car with fading colors had been something he wanted to work on for a while now. It was just a matter of getting the things together to fix it. Harley had no doubts that he could fix it, he just didn’t have the money yet to buy the parts needed to fix it. Out of curiosity one boring evening, Harley had looked over the car, checked under the hood and under the car. He knew what it needed, a handy list had been hanging up on his Cork board for a while now.

Harley frowned lightly at the car, leaning his head back over the back of the chair, looking over the car with an ounce of distaste in his eyes. It was only then did he notice a box on the other side of the room. It appeared new, unlike the used boxes he had around full of extra or unneeded parts from things he had worked on over the years.

Immediate curiosity struck his veins as he sat up fully slowly, eyes never once leaving the box as he did. A thought on what it could be crossed his mind as he stood up, moving around the car to the other side of the garage, stopping at the small tabletop the box laid upon. It was taped shut, no note, nothing proving to be a hint as to what it was.

The young mechanic picked up the box, moving it around before shaking it lightly to see if he could figure it out that way. He came up empty handed. The fairly small box only provided him with a light thunking from the inside which sounded like a another, but slightly heavier box than the cardboard one that held it. With curiosity still on his tongue, Harley set the box down and looked around for his pocket knife. It took a minute or two before he was able to find it amidst a pile of other things within a drawer connected to his workbench.

taking out the small blade most suitable for the task at hand, Harley returned to the box, slicing open the tape so he could bring the flaps of the box apart. His suspicions had been right about one thing, it had been another box on the inside. A small, black one with a company name on top. Reaching into the box he picked up the smaller black one, holding that in one hand and looking it over before finally pulling open the black box.

A white piece of paper was why he first saw, covering the item underneath. The paper had words, ones that he read over immediately upon seeing it.

’This is what an adult watch looks like kid. -The Mechanic’

Harley, blank faced stared at the note for a while, reading over those words over again in his head multiple times before he finally gained the courage to brush aside the note, uncovering underneath, a shiny, silver and gold colored watch. And it was by far, the most expensive watch he had ever seen compared to the ones people wore in the town.

He couldn’t help but allow a bright, overwhelmed smile to cross his face.

[avlerie]

Hey guys! So I opened up a Ko-fi ^^ 

If you’d like to support me, it would be greatly appreciated -- but I love you guys either way <3

Also!! @alifeasvivid wrote up the cutest quick fic based off of my illustration here and they gave me permission to post them together! Thank you again, Sonder, I love it and all the support you offer me -- you’re simply amazing

Twenty-two year old Alfred F. Jones is definitely the most popular guy at the office where he works. He does I.T., social media, and design work for a growing literary magazine, which is mostly published online. They do, however, put out an issue in print once a year and Alfred does the typesetting and most of the artwork for that as well.

It had started out as just a freelance job he'd picked up on Fiver. The editor-in-chief and co-founder of the magazine, twenty-six year old Arthur Kirkland, had requested Alfred's help. Apparently, Arthur's founding partner had skipped out on him and had taken all of the technological know-how between the two of them with her right as the magazine was about to launch. Alfred had done as much as he could with Arthur's budget... and then quite a bit more at no charge because he felt sorry for Arthur and the situation his partner had left him with.

At least, that's what he told Arthur.

But the truth is that Alfred had become very smitten with Arthur almost instantly after meeting him. They had met at a cafe once and Arthur had been frazzled, but determined. He had been direct about asking for Alfred's help, but gracious in receiving it. He was adorable and cranky and witty and sarcastic and smart and ridiculously hot in a way of which he is still clearly unaware.

So now Alfred has a full-time job, which he supposes is good. Arthur can't really provide benefits yet and freelancing usually provided more income, but Alfred is so in love with Arthur at this point that it hardly matters. In fact, Alfred is Arthur's only full-time employee. The rest of the editing staff are all part-time or freelance. The best thing about that is there are always a couple days a week where Alfred is alone in the office with Arthur, but when any of the others are there, Alfred is definitely the most popular guy in the office.

The reason for Alfred's popularity is simple. He has everyone's schedules memorized and he knows all of their Starbucks orders by heart--including Arthur's. Especially Arthur's. He only has everyone else's memorized because of Arthur. The problem is that if he only brings Arthur his tea every morning, everyone will think he’s a kiss-up, or worse, it could entirely give away the fact that he is head over heels for Arthur.

Not that it isn't totally obvious already.

Today is the day that everyone is in the office. It's the day before a publication, so the entire team is all hands on deck. This means that Alfred comes in a little bit later than normal, his left arm precariously balancing two drink carriers, his backpack slung over his right shoulder while his right hand holds yet another drink carrier. His car keys are caught between his teeth by the plastic Tardis keychain.

Everyone smiles and thanks Alfred as he passes out the drinks, knowing which ones belong to whom without even having names on them at this point. He nods, smiles back, and lets them work. His part won't begin until theirs is done.

He sets Kiku's green tea Frappuccino on the corner of his desk, grinning even though Kiku barely glances up at him.

"Thank you," he says sincerely and Alfred almost walks away, but Kiku continues, "It is nice of you that all of us benefit from your desire to do something... attentive for Mr. Arthur," he remarks placidly without glancing up from his laptop screen.

Alfred's smile falters slightly, "Uh... what?"

Kiku smiles without moving a single muscle. "Forgive me, Mr. Alfred, I have much work still to do and it seems you have one more cup to distribute."

Alfred looks down at the grande hot tea in his hand, splashed with just the right amount of milk and topped with just a dash of cinnamon. "Oh, right. Okay." He tosses the now-empty drink carriers in the trash and walks over to Arthur's desk. "Hey," he tries to say mildly as he holds out Arthur's tea.

"Oh Alfred, thank you," Arthur takes the tea from him and takes a substantial sip from it. "You're a lifesaver." He then looks around at the rest of his staff, drinks perched on the corners of their desks or being downed quickly as they work. "You do this too much, you know. You can't possibly afford it based on the salary I pay you."

Alfred grins lopsidedly, "Nah, it's okay. Usually it’s just yours and mine anyway.”

Arthur sets the tea down and leans forward, scanning Alfred intently. "Well, I... I would like to pay you back." His cheeks turn pink and his eyes flit away briefly.

"It's really no problem. I still do a little freelancing on the side, so it's fine."

Arthur huffs in that cute way he sometimes does when he's flustered and it always makes Alfred feel a little giddy and dumbstruck. "Even so, I... I think that I should... that you and I should go..." he chews on his lip for a moment. "I would like to take you out for coffee some time. My treat."

"You want to buy me coffee?"

Arthur crosses his arms and looks away. He takes a deep breath and stares Alfred down, pinker than ever. "I want to take you out for coffee and somehow convince you to go on several more dates with me and then by some miracle become your boyfriend and then one day defy all the odds in the Universe by marrying you," he says on one jumbled exhale. "But... coffee will suffice for now."

[pauonabudget-blog]

Siquijor 2019

Tada!!! After 7 (??) years, I am back doing my first love - blogging. So for my first entry (again), I wanna share with you my solo travel adventure to Isla de Fuego aka Siquijor Island. It’s my 2nd solo travel for this year (6th overall) and I must say it is one of my favorites! (PS all photos are mine unless stated otherwise hehe). Btw I went to Siquijor June 16-18, 2019. All currencies stated are in Philippine Pesos

HOW DID I GET THERE?

Since I am always on the look out for piso fares, I got my roundtrip tickets Manila-Dumaguete-Manila for roughly 1,600.00 during Cebu Pacific’s snap sale (99.00 base fare). Not bad.

From Dumaguete airport, there are tricycles/habal habals (single motorcycles) that can take you to Dumaguete Port. If you don’t have that much of luggage with you (or if you are still not so sure on your haggling skills), it’s best that you find your preferred mode of transportation OUTSIDE of the airport since the drivers on the airport  tend to overcharge. 

Okay so once you have hailed a driver, tell him to drop you off at the ticketing counter of your preferred ferry going to Siquijor, So in my case, I told the habal to drop me off at Oceanjet ticketing office. Ticketing office is walking distance from the port entrance. To be on the safe side also, you can purchase your return trip ticket as well to avoid hassle on the day you’re going back to mainland Dumaguete.

<Schedule and ticket price of June 2019>

Oceanjet from Dumaguete port to Siquijor port is roughly 50 mins to 1 hour. Just a reminder: Dumaguete port is really wavy. I don’t get dizzy easily but man Dumaguete port tested me lol. Before stepping inside the port, you need to pay P13.00 (I forgot what is it for lol but there is a window beside the port entrance). The port itself is clean and spacious by the way and there are kiosks there for those who’ll go hungry while waiting for the scheduled boat trips.

Once you arrive at Siquijor Port, there are tricycles/habal habals waiting outside the port. Up to you what you’ll take. Being a solo traveller and having just one backpack, I contracted a habal to take me to my accommodation and tour the whole island. Kuya Elbert (my habal driver/ tour guide. VERY NICE) and I have agreed for P800.00 for a whole island tour plus him bringing me to my accommodation and to the port. I also paid for his lunches and snacks. Kuya Elbert  +639068382558

<Arrival at Siquijor Port (the water is so clear that I wanted to jump right in)>

<Outside of Siquijor Port>

WHERE DID I STAY?

I stayed at JJ’s Backpackers Village (As recommended by the British solo traveller I met on Siargao). They have bunk beds there for 400/night. One dorm room contains 6 beds (2 single beds and 2 double deck beds) and a bathroom (decent, clean, well maintained, working flush lol). The hostel also has its own in-house restaurant and bar so there’s no need to worry of going hungry lol. But the real selling point of JJ’s Backpackers is the killer beach front since it is along Solangon Beach. It’s very chill and relaxing that I can just lay in the hammock all day and do nothing kind of vibe. 

<Beach front of JJ’s Backpackers>

<Do not disturb mood>

<Dorm room 400/night> PS bring your own padlocks for the lockers.

You may contact them at +639989704452 or go to their Facebook page

WHERE DID I GO?

Siquijor Island is so small that you can tour it in less than a day. There are even some travellers that do daytour and then goes back to Dumaguete. Here are the highlights of my habal tour:

1. SALAGDOONG BEACH

This is where the famous cliffdiving site in Siquijor is located. For those who want that jolt of adrenaline rush on the body, this is your place to go. I chickened out the last minute because the jump site is so high and scary hahaha so I opted to stay on the shore and swim. There is an entrance fee going here (I think 30 pesos but correct me if I am wrong).

2. PALITON BEACH

The beach where you can find the instagram worthy palm tree shots. When I was here, I can’t believe how chill and peaceful it is here. There are also locals who is standing by the famous palm tree that is ready to assist you on your creative instagram photo (just don’t forget to give them a tip - I gave P50.00). My favorite beach of all beaches!! Free entrance!!

3. CAMBUGAHAY FALLS

I fell in love with Cambugahay falls. The water is unbelievably blue like it will take your breath away. So for this destination, Kuya Elbert stayed on the motorcycle parking as there was a designated tour guide going down the falls (it has different levels btw). We went there as early as 7:00AM (normally there is an entrance fee but when we got there, the collector was still not on his post so that means it is FREE again lol). So yeah trying going there early plus also to avoid large crowds as it gets pretty crowded around 9:00 am onwards. So after frolicking in the blue waters and braving the tarzan swing, time to go up again. I gave my guide P100.00 plus I paid the motor parking P10.00

4. CENTURY OLD BALETE TREE AND FISH SPA

I did not try the fish spa since I am a ticklish person but the fishes were big so no thanks lol. The tree looks enchanting tho but I like the one in Baler. There is also a souvenir shop beside it. You can buy shirts, ref magnets, voodoo doll keychains and the infamous love potion in a bottle. 

5. HAPITANAN CAFE AND RESTAURANT

I didn’t do the famous broomstick photo because I was not in the mood lol. But I did chill for a little bit on their backyard.

WHERE TO EAT

So for 3 days, this is how I survived lol

DAY 1

Breakfast - Cinnabon sticks and coffee from the airport (<300.00)

Lunch - 2 pcs chicken with rice and bottled water bought from one of the Dumaguete Port kiosk (P80.00)

Dinner - A hearty plate of gnocchi from Dolce Amore. This is the first time I tasted Gnocchi and it was da bomb!!! (plus their homemade chocolate cake and homemade coconut gelato - shared by us 3 roommates). My plate of gnocchi was P180.00 but it was so worth it! The desserts cost were split between us 3. (Spent around 285.00 for my meal)

<Me with my roommates Elo (Brazil - jumper) and Maria (Spain - red top)>

DAY 2

Breakfast - Leftover cinnabon sticks (I still have 4 sticks left lol) plus coconut juice (40.00 for the coconut juice of Kuya Elbert and I)

Lunch - Kuya Elbert and I ate at an eatery at downtown. Hearty lunch for 2 is at P200.00

2 cans of beer - P120.00

Dinner - Beef burger with homemade patties at JJ’s (P180.00)

DAY 3 (I took the first trip of Oceanjet back to Dumaguete 6:00 AM since I have a 10:15am flight back to Manila)

Breakfast - Sansrival Bistro Dumaguete  (continental Filipino Breakfast) - (P220.00) *walking distance from Dumaguete port*

Lunch - Since our flight was delayed for 2.5 hours, we had free lunch from Jollibee (FREE)

TAKE NOTE

1. Bring sunblock and cap

2. INSECT REPELLENT IS A MUST. Mosquitoes there are annoying as f*ck. Off lotion will not be enough

3. Always make sure to have your phones and powerbanks fully charged since there are schedules of power interruption on the island.

4. Be friendly to the locals and also to your fellow travellers.

5. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR RUBBISH ALONG THE BEACH. Throw them properly.

To end my post, I won’t be able to give exact amount but I can give you my DIY itinerary. I think 5,000.00 will be enough for 3 days as long as you have prepared your expenses. Let me know if you have questions.

Siquijor became one of my favorite destinations. Mark my words: I will be back!

[mariannamadeitup]

If You Think of it as Only a Sound, You Will Miss it Altogether

Riga. 6am. Stillness. I never carried a backpack for too long, as it was merely a piece of luggage that would be dropped off as soon as the heels met the new surface- yet, a backpacker, I was. A novel place; an unknown backdrop. I didn’t speak the language but I knew where I wanted to go, so it was no obstacle. My destination was “anywhere”, in the center, at the core of it. I got on a bus- the type where the payment method needed some level of researching, as cash or coins were no longer accepted in some transactions. I found a machine and printed a ticket, and was able to communicate using features that later would become hidden behind a veil that I may have been wearing all along. I had only known one other person who had been there before, and she had told me it was a beautiful destination, worth seeing; as though I was a stranger to unsightly places. 

I thanked the driver with a nod and wondered how I would make the most out of the few hours I had left to spend on exploring, before I needed to make my way back to the starting point. 

I loved airports. I loved them even during that unexpected air strike that had me standing in line for eight hours straight, where leaving my spot would double my time in a cue. I loved them even at 2am, where there was a handful of passengers and maintenance crew on the floor, and half a day to the next flight. I loved them especially when they allowed me to come in and out during layovers, as though I had planned a trip to the place(s) they were housed specifically. I am not much of a fan of cheese, but I have seen McDonald’s burgers carrying the local variety of them, blanketing burgers with local preferences. I loved how I still couldn’t taste sugar in my coffee as much as the artificial product, no matter where I found myself. I loved the memories that would sometimes call me right back sooner or later.

I chose a destination that made some sense and hopped off the single decker. It was quiet- still a little dark- and cold. As the wind hit my face, it seemed more forgiving when it was coming from a front of water, a place where I could feast some of my first looks. The water was green and dark, encircled by a fence. I looked out at the small boats, moored along a tree-lined border, bobbling on the waves. The timeless charm could not escape the sense of solitude as all I could see was a couple of passerbys on adjacent streets, walking in their own directions- I wondered if they too were wanderers, but I doubted it. 

Moving along an even surface brought me closer to an awakening outdoor market, with a few vendors unpacking the prized possessions they hoped to trade for some dosh that would pay some of the bills. Vegetables, plants, bronze sculptures and traditional nested dolls started to emerge on flat table surfaces, hand picked and placed strategically on the tip of my observation deck. I was going to look for some keychains, souvenirs- one for me also, which I would inevitably lose in time. I wondered what magnets, keychains, and mugs meant to receivers who did not collect these things, as this would count more on the thought. I should have bought a snow-globe...I like those a lot more now.

I do not recall the names or deeper characteristics of anyone I encountered on that day, but the takeaway was oddly hospitable. I unwrapped that newfound nervousness pretty quickly once the streets livened up a bit, and I felt less alone, on my own. Historical sights and steeples captured the interest of my lens, and a full memory card brought the burden of having to decide which images to delete. Would I get rid of the pictures that were most vivid and could stay imprinted longer in my recollections, or delete those which caught the more commonplace, and expected? I looked for a place to get a new card while I contemplated. I like photographs probably more than many of the things that entice me the least. I remembered I hid a spare one in the case of my glasses and looked no further, this time.

There was much to be regarded during this well-designed journey; the gardens, the monuments, the overheard conversations that I discounted. I didn’t call anyone, didn’t reach out, didn’t think much about that real-life I would soon get back to, other than counting how many items I would need to buy in bulk to give away. I am a giver in some ways, so I ask for very little, but still get surprised repeatedly. 

Matryoshka dolls creeped me out a little as a child, but here they seemed inviting. Something about the unveiling of smaller and smaller replicas seems too true to the peeling away of the outer layers of experience; the smallest parts are the ones that are hardest to break open. 

The hourglass would have met its pointing tip by the decision point to head back to my other destination- the original one; the real one. I looked in my purse to make sure I still had my passport and paper ticket(s) for the next kick with little legroom. 

Going through the typical motions brought me back to my window seat, by the wing- never purposefully selected, but always secretly favored. Sometimes I wonder how I usually end up there- the place I hope to get assigned to but never ask for. As the nose reigned upwards for the takeoff portion, I could see the whole city I was leaving behind in a glance, through a murky window. My electronics were off but I still held onto that image, which was quickly swallowed by the clouds.

[aurorabeatriz]

adBEAnture: Balinsasayao Twin Lake Nature Park

adBEAnture: Balinsasayao Twin Lake Nature Park

This is my first Negros Oriental adventure and so far my most memorable because I was able to travel with many people. With a limited set of hours to enjoy Negros Oriental, our first stop is the Balinsasayao Twin Lake Nature Park. The nature park’s main attractions are Lake Balinsasayo, Lake Danao and Lake Kabalin-an.

How to get there?

We had a field trip in San Carlos and we decided to visit Negros Oriental with an itinerary I readied for my friends. From San Carlos City (two hours away from Bacolod via van), ride a bus aircon for a relaxing trip) bound for Dumaguete City. The travel will take you four hours and thirty minutes depending on the traffic and bus stops. Or you can ride from Bacolod south terminal via Mabinay which will take you six minutes for travel time.

Where we stayed?

For a group of seven pax, we booked in Sola Guesthouse and Restaurant Grill for two nights at Booking.com. They also have rooms good for one, two and four pax and the rate is backpacker friendly. Our accommodation is worth P2100 for a night with three twin sharing bed and additional bed for an extra pax. The place is clean, quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of Dumaguete City proper but is located among chains of restaurants in the street. There is a small swimming pool and a restaurant on the other side. They claim to have the best crispy pata in the city.

How to get to Balinsasayao Twin Lake?

The first place in our itinerary to visit was the Balinsasayao Twin Lake Natural Park in Sibulan, Negros Orriental. We woke up at 5AM to accommodate other places compressed in our schedule for a day. By six in the morning, we rode a tricycle going to Sibulan Terminal for a habal habal ride. Then from Sibulan we took an hour travel going to Balinsasayao Twin Lake. 

The view while on the road is such a postcard perfect. We paid P800.00 each for more than a half day trip for the motorcycle. We arrived by 7am but the gate is closed so we trekked going to the registration area and waited for the staff to arrive. While waiting, we spent some time taking pictures near a small lake which is not part of the twin lakes. The road is concrete and will lead the tourists directly to the twin lake. There’s a registration fee for tourists.

What to do?

Enjoy the habal-habal ride

The ride took us almost an hour. Since we travelled too early, we can’t stop feeling giddy of our experience that even while our motorcycles overtaking each other, we have the courage to take photos and release our smiles despite the cold temperature as we embark to experience the lush forest life of the nature park and the picturesque mountains and hills.

Ponder at Lake Kabalin-an

Before heading to the Twin Lake, tourists stop for registration area located near Lake Kabalin-an. Looking at the lake will definitely make you stop and enjoy the charm of greenery untouched surrounding. You can sit at the cottages while pondering about the beauty of God’s creation. The reflection of the mountains and the trees surrounding the lake in the water seem so vibrant. The place looks quiet and magical, perfect for a peaceful retreat.

Trek going to the twin lake

The lakes are nestled in the lush mountains of Sibulan and in order to get us to the destination, we have to trek for 900 meters going up since the motorcycle are still on standby at the gate. The trek is just easy with few steep because of the concrete road. We passed by the giant ferns, abaca and tall trees that I cannot identify that definitely add to the tropical rainforest vibe of the nature park. There are sellers of souvenirs at the entrance to the lake where we bought our keychains and necklaces with the name of twin lakes engraved.

Enjoy the viewing deck and the restaurant

Before we walked down some ten meters to Balinsasayao, we had our morning coffee and also ordered for our breakfast. The specialty of the restaurant is the fern salad and fern chicken tinola. 

We also ordered food for our habal-habal drivers for being so patient and helpful in leading and introducing to us the scenic attraction. The restaurant has a viewing deck where the big lake is visible. It is a perfect spot for picture taking and viewing.

Relax and rejuvenate at Lake Balinsasayao

As the friendly staff of the nature park cook our breakfast, we decided to walk down the steep path leading to Lake Balinsasayao. The way is still so beautiful because of the towering trees and bush that shade and cool the place. There, tourists can enjoy the picturesque view of the big lake. Tourists can go fishing and boating. 

The clear water reflects the vibrant life of the mountain that surrounds it. The refreshing cool breeze will definitely make the visitors enjoy the peaceful and beautiful place. The view is in its natural state with a touch of additional facilities like the cottages and a mini wharf for those who want to go boating to the smaller lake.

###

[fluffycabbages]

Chapter 19 : Woke Up

Story is available on Wattpad, Solved

I immediately let her go and spun her around, making sure she wasn’t injured. However, I found a few cuts at her hand and asked her, “How did you get these?”

“Well, I had to make sure you can run out in time right?” she answered and it hit me that she probably held the blade with so much force that it cut her.

I was tearing and got a police to bring the first aid kit. My hands were trembling as I rinsed the cuts on her fingers with water and wrapped them with some gauze because I know she needs to get a tetanus shot.

Ethan was having a conversation with a few of the police from the bomb squad. When he was done and walked to Isabella and me, I was still checking Isabella. As I confirmed that was the only injury she had, I felt darkness engulfing me and heard Ethan shouting my name. I tried to open my eyes but I couldn’t, I only felt tired.

When I opened my eyes again and I swear this time it wasn’t the anaesthetic, I saw Ethan sitting on a chair. And I was on a bed? Inside a room with white walls. Weird, I thought to myself. It really resembles a hospital ward.

Maybe Ethan realised there was a pair of eyes staring at him, he looked away from his laptop and saw I was awake. He pressed the bell near the bed I was lying on.

Ah. I am really in a hospital ward and I was confused. I only remember I fainted.

Ethan asked me, “How do you feel?”

“Weird.” I answered and he raised an eyebrow, obviously not the answer he was expecting.

I looked at Ethan straight in the eye, “I swear, I really feel weird, groggy kind of weird. Like I just came out of a washing machine.”

“You actually slept for a whole day.” Ethan told me.

I was shocked, jaw dropped, “Wait what? What day is today?”

“It’s Tuesday already.”

I gawped was puzzled. How did I manage to sleep through the day?

Ethan probably saw the confusion from my face and decided to explain to me, “You were mentally exhausted from Isabella’s accident plus the anxiety and nervous you have been experiencing for the two days, your nervous system overreacted and you fainted.”

“So, am I okay now?”

“Yes.”

“Great. When are we heading back to college?”

“This Saturday.”

“Huh?” I looked at him confused and asked, “Why not today or tomorrow? Don’t we have class?”

“You know Sophia, sometimes I wonder how did you survive till this day and age.”

“What do you mean?” I raised my voice at him.

“It’s our study break this week.”

“Oh my god! You can’t be serious!”

“I am.”

“Then what are you waiting for? We’re going back!”

“You don’t want to explore this island?”

“We can do it during the break after finals.”

“Are you sure?” Ethan asked me with a serious face.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“Luckily. Cause I was joking just now.”

“What!”

“I said I was joking, we’re going back tomorrow.” Ethan answered me and I punched him at his chest.

I thought it would at least hurt him but my knuckles hurt instead, really shouldn’t have done that.

“I’ll get the doctor. Stay still and don’t wander around.” Ethan told me before leaving the ward.

When he returned, a guy in a white coat followed him and checked me. He wrote some things on a paper and told me, “You are okay and can leave already.”

We stood at the entrance of the hospital, waiting for the cab Ethan had booked. It was then I realised, where is Isabella? What happened? Where is everyone?

I asked Ethan, “So, what happened? Where is Bella and everyone else?”

“I’ll explain the whole story to you later when we reach the chalet. Isabella is fine she only had those cuts from the blade and returned to college with the rest.”

We’ve reached Ethan’s room at the chalet and I sat on his bed. He handed me a glass of warm water and sat on a chair opposite me.

“The one behind the whole thing is Miss Jenna.” He said and paused.

My eyes bulged, “What? Are you kidding me?”

“No. For real, not pranking you.”

“Why?’

“I do not know the actual reason as to why she sent me the challenge letter. She only said she wanted to challenge me. Anyway she was arrested already.”

“Have you found out how did she cause the accident?”

“Kind of. She said she did not have any target and was going to hold any student hostage but it was a coincidence for Isabella to stand at the spot she had planned.”

“Okay but how did she do it?”

She gave Isabella a jab because Isabella was very near the edge of the upper deck. When Isabella lost conscious, she fell to the lower deck not into the sea.”

“The thing that fell into the sea was the weight that we found out?”

“Yes. Then she smuggled Isabella into the store room in the cruise ship.”

“The one we’ve been to? But we did not find her there.”

“Remember the large wooden box?”

“Yeah.” I answered him.

“She was in there.”

I looked at Ethan puzzled and he continued, “There is a mirror inside the box that is why we thought the box is empty.”

“But how did you find out.”

“I saw the reflection of my hand when I opened the box.”

Oh I was mad at Ethan, how could he. “And you did not bother to tell me about it?”

“I wanted to find out who was the culprit. If I told you then we will be able to save Isabella without finding out who was the one behind all of it and perhaps there will more cases when we get back.”

Okay, his excuse was reasonable, I’ve decided to forgive him but I was still mad. Bella is my best friend!

“How did you know Miss Jenna is culprit?”

“Of course it was because of you. I saw the neon nail polish you pressed onto my palm and the exit of the ballroom. When you were gone, I was searching for you and almost went mad then I saw Miss Jenna at the ballroom with the same colour of nail polish on her arm and some faint scratches. I assumed you did it.”

“Why welcome mister.” I grinned.

Ethan got up from his seat and told me, “Come on, we’re going out.”

“To where?”

“The Natural Science Museum.”

“Really?” I squealed.

“Yes so go get yourself ready.”

The museum was huge and it was fun. Exploring spaces have always been one of my favourite things to do. We took tons of pictures and learnt a lot from what we did not learn back in high school. There was even this section of the museum where we can make our own glass keychains.

I’ve made a cute panda keychain while Ethan made a kitten keychain. Although I would not want to admit it but Ethan’s keychain was far cuter than mine and his glass was made perfectly.

By time we returned to the chalet it was around 5p.m., I placed my backpack at the room I was staying at Ethan’s room and told him, “I’m heading to the beach.”

I thought Ethan would prefer taking a rest instead of playing at the beach but I was wrong, “Wait, I’m coming along.”

Link to chapter at Blogger : 

https://detectivecrimestories.blogspot.com/2020/03/chapter-19-woke-up.html

Link to Blogger : 

detectivecrimestories.blogspot.com