#I love how the ears that go with the antlers bounce when you move

[angrybatgaming]

So, thanks to @syares , I got to see what last year's Days of Feast stuff looks like through spells...

And I'm HYPED. Still waiting for the Withered Antlers, but these look SUPER NICE and I now kinda don't care if we don't get old Mischief stuff right away. I really love the hat, and I want the red scarf if Granny is offering it again this year!

Three not-so tiny reindeer. The cape I was wearing in this pic actually kinda works with the antlers and maybe the hat.

But this is probably going to be my Christmas Sky Kid outfit. Either the Journey cape or the red and white Christmas one. I'll have to wait to see what they bring back.

Who needs a shiny red nose when you've got pretty glowing antlers? :3

Featuring @syares and a Sky friend who doesn't have a Tumblr blog that I know of. (If they do, I'll edit a tag in later.)

[r0b0-writes]

Gift for @toastedjeans ! Cryptid AU Oneshot

AH- Thank you so, so much for allowing me to write this! I love the AU so much and really wanted to explore a bit. You're such an awesome and kind person, your reblogs, tags, comments, etc. are always appreciated. I always love seeing your comments and interactions on my stuff. It truly makes me feel like my stuff is actually good, ya know?

So, here you go, a thank you and gift for all you've done.

Title: Freight Night Lights Words: 2,214

Darkness was not uncommon to the wary three as they trudged along the outer streets of the city. Food was hardly scarce in the area they originally came from but urban crawl made it tempting to venture to new areas. The smells of new food and enticing lights were the biggest reasons. Neon seemed to paint the city; greens, purples, blues, reds, all were so mesmerizing.

Cakes especially had wanted to go and see up close how cars moved in their natural habitat. The skeletal remains from the junkyard were only so interesting after all. The insides made nice beds. But to see one move as colors bounced off the exterior was like watching a beautiful bird.

The sky began to paint a lovely shade of dark purples as the sun's rays began to dance over the distant sealine. It had been dark when they snuck into the outskirts and the rising sun threatened to make them vulnerable. With their bellies full and curiosity sated, it was time to head home and rest.

Sweet perched on Cakes shoulder, his head turned 180 degrees as a loud crash sounded behind them. Cakes turned quickly, it's tail hit trashcans, making an even louder ruckus.

With eyes made for the dark, the two quickly relaxed when they saw it was just their friend. Cap'n scrambled out of a trashcan, a plastic bag caught between his antlers. In a hurry, he fell to his back and frantically began trying to kick it off using his hind legs. He pushed himself back, hitting something behind him, only causing more noise as he jumped, tail fluffed to max volume, and hissed at the unknown object.

Sweet stared, unsurprised, but annoyed as it watched Cap'n continuously try to remove the bag. They leaned against Cakes' head and watched, wondering how long it would take for Cap'n to just use his arms. At least Cap'n had arms to use, Sweet only had wings and the talons on their feet.

Cakes clicked their tongue and Cap'n's ears stood alert, turning his head in its direction. Cakes hovered a hand over its head then gestured to Cap'n. The tinier terrestrial cryptid raised a hand, felt the bag, and sheepishly removed it.

Sweet rolled an eye and chirped accusingly, pointing a wing towards the inner city. Didn't Cap'n care about the Normals that would hear all that noise?

Cap'n rolled his eyes and mocked Sweet's mannerisms.

Sweet's tail feathers fluffed up in shock and annoyance. He bent his legs and jumped off of Cakes' shoulders, ready to give him a piece of their mind. But was stopped abruptly when Cakes grabbed him by the tail, stopping his flight. Sweet fell to the ground, instinctually cradling their tail. Sweet and Cap'n turned to face Cakes. It knew better than to pull on tails, that hurt!

Cakes placed a finger to its lips, keeping a semi-stern expression before turning back and setting up the fallen trashcans.

Cap'n faced Sweet and smirked, crossing his arms. As if to say 'yeah' in a mocking tone before dropping to all fours and joining Cakes' side. Sweet rolled their eye. What a moron. They expanded their wings and flapped up to the air, gliding back down to Cakes' shoulders.

The three were cautious as they stayed in the shadows as much as possible. Avoiding the eyes of early risers. Alleyways were their friend in this adventure back home. Cap'n stood up again, and peeked around a corner, his whiskers twitched. The cables leading up along a building looked appetizing. Another bite couldn't hurt-

A sharp tug pulled him from the street's light. Sweet stood above his body, a talon tight around the fur along his chest. If they hadn't just cost him a meal, he'd be blushing. Using his hind legs he kicked Sweet off and dusted his fur off. What was the big deal? It's not a problem to get some extra grub.

Sensing the tension, Cakes squatted down beside the two. It placed a hand on their shoulders, misdirecting their attention. The two seemed mildly apologetic for making the taller one worry. Cakes hummed and leaned its head forward, an invitation.

Let bygones be bygones?

The smaller ones looked at each and back and Cakes. It had closed its eyes but still had a gentle smile as it nudged the two. The pair stifled their laughter as Cakes continued to playfully nudge. He'd continue until they made up. Cap'n was the first to give in, unable to resist the opportunity to return the affection. Sweet joined in shortly. It didn't take much to get them all on the same page again.

Cakes wrapped his arms around the pair and squeezed them into a tight hug. Tonight had been fun, best to end it on a good note. After all, they were in this together! A trio!

The laughing died when Cap'n's ears twitched. He heard something approaching. He tugged on his friends to get their attention. Cakes immediately frowned and picked the two up. He scanned the area for a space to hide in. It could easily defeat whatever came their way, but they'd rather avoid a fight. Despite the confrontational sounds coming from Sweet, who seemed more than ready to fight.

Cakes scrambled between two trashcans, pulling more layers of fallen filth and debris to cover them. He wrapped his large tail around everyone, pressing them to his chest. The smaller he could make them, the better. Plus, in this position, he could easily shield the others if needed. He tried to steady the sound of his chest, if it were too loud it might attract attention. Two hands cupped its face, two heads leaned forward to meet it. The beating in its chest slowed.

"Man," came a loud groan, "you guys and your late-night snack runs are gonna be the death of me." "Is that supposed to be a bad thing, Susan?"

There was a pause then a loud smack.

"Say that again, birdbrain!" "Ah- ! Don't fight, guys!"

Noelle watched in anticipation as Susie held Berdly in a chokehold.

"Say 'uncle'!" "Uncle! Uncle!"

Susie released Berdly, "s'what I thought," her lips turned up in a proud sneer.

"Hey, Kris, why'd we stop?" Susie asked. "Is there a shortcut, perhaps?" A new voice spoke. "..." "Guess that's our answer, Ralsei. C'mon guys."

The crew of Kris, Susie, Ralsei, Berdly, and Noelle, made their way down the alley.

Cakes pulled the two closer, shutting its eyes to stop its glow from giving them away. It felt the other's anxiety in each breath that escaped their chests.

"Did you guys hear about the sighting?"

A collective groan sounded amongst the group.

"Not this again, Berdly," Susie's shoulders sagged. "I- I'd like to hear about it," Noelle chimed in.

Ralsei agreed, "I would like to hear as well." He placed a hand on Berdly's shoulder. "Just because they aren't real to us, doesn't mean they can't be real to you."

"They are real!" Berdly stomped his foot. "The news said so! There were sightings of a cryptid by the ocean not too long ago! And how do you explain all those missing cars, huh?"

"People steal junk from that scrapyard all the time," Susie explained. "I've done it before, took a busted street light, now my room's sick as hell."

"That's not the same and you know it," Berdly huffed. He recollected himself, "whatever, I wouldn't expect any of you to understand the intricacies of liminal creatures beyond what your fragile brains can handle."

Susie shrugged, "they aren't real, birdbrain. Get over it."

"They are too!" Berdly shrieked. "They are incredible beings that are incomprehensible and they aren't monsters or humans, they're something else entirely! Imagine being a combination of only the best parts of other beings! Imagine the possibilities for medicine, for science!"

"Plus, they look cool and scary," Noelle whispered. "Plus, they look cool and scary!" Berdly repeated.

"No one's actually seen a cryptid, dorks," Susie towered above the two. "Besides, there's always things much scarier than the paranormal," a low growl sounded in her throat.

"(Eep)!" Noelle blushed, clutching the ends of her skirt. "Y- You aren't s- so scary," Berdly puffed out his chest. Susie redirected her attention towards him, "oh, really?"

"Y- Yeah... !" His knees trembled.

Susie's laugh was a low rumble of thunder, "you think so, do you? I guess we'll just have to change that." Her eyes turned white as her mouth slowly opened, almost unhinged as if to take a bite.

Berdly shut his eyes, his body shaking.

Only to stop when Susie began bursting out with laughter. "Man! I got you two good! Kris, Ralsei, did you guys see me?"

"We saw, Susie," Ralsei sighed, disappointed. "This isn't how you make friends," he mumbled.

"Ah, we're already all besties, right, Noelle?" Susie threw an arm over Noelle's shoulder. "Y E P !" Noelle replied stiffly. Truthfully, Noelle would agree with anything Susie said. "Nothing to be scared of with me and Kris here, anyway. With my brawn and their... leadership(?) we can defeat anything!"

"What about me, Susie? What can I do?" Ralsei stepped forward sheepishly. "Oh, you're... morale boost! Yeah, you make sure we're all happy."

Ralsei beamed. "Oh, that won't be too hard. You guys make me so happy; your own happiness is contagious!"

The effect was immediate, the entire party felt their hearts swell. If this were a game, their HP would've MAXed.

The moment didn't last long, however. It was interrupted by a loud rattled banging which made everyone jump back as a trashbag fell from on top of two cans. After calming Berdly's high-pitched scream, the group stared. Should they inspect it? Trashbags don't just fall over for no reason, right?

Susie nudged Kris forward, "you go check it out." Kris turned, spreading their arms out with an incredulous look. "You're the leader! Go, uh, lead us." Berdly peeked out from behind Susie, "yeah, we believe in you, Kris!"

Kris rolled their eyes and sent the group an unpleasant gesture as they turned to walk toward the trashcans.

Their steps grew heavy, their SOUL began to pound, hands began to shake. They didn't pick up their feet anymore, instead opting to slide forward, keeping one foot further away for a quick dash. Just in case. They placed a hand on the trash, preparing to overturn the cans.

Cakes racked its head with what to do. It had to protect them- it had to make sure they were safe. He'd create a distraction and run, letting the other two escape. He wouldn't let them be caught. He'd attack the Normals if he had to. He'd do anything to protect Sweet and Cap'n. Their mouth opened, getting ready to sink their fangs into whatever uncovered their hiding space.

"Kris?" Noelle peeped, "what is-"

Kris fell back and began frantically kicking whatever had attacked them. The group behind them screamed in terror as Kris fought the creature, they got a good hold on it and threw it toward the group, scooting far away on the concrete ground. They tried to collect their breath.

Their friends screeched as the creature rattled on the ground and began-

"Hap- Happ- y Bir-rr-rrthd-day t- to y-yy- you"

Their screaming died down as the rattling creature came into the light.

It was a toy monkey with steel pans.

Kris began to laugh and point at their friends as realization hit the group all at once. Kris rolled on the ground, they were laughing so much they couldn't even stand. Each attempt only brought them back to the ground, clutching their chest.

"Kris!" Susie screeched, "I'm gonna pummel you!" She rolled up her sleeves as the others stared at the broken toy.

Ralsei picked it up, "that wasn't very nice, Kris." He placed a hand over his chest, "my chest is still beating a mile a minute." Noelle had turned to the nearby wall for support as she tried to calm her heart rate. Berdly was curled in a ball on the ground.

Even as Susie help Kris up by the collar of their shirt, they couldn't stop laughing. "You think scaring me was funny, nerd?" Susie shook them and they nodded, wiping tears from their eyes. "H U H ?!" Susie dropped them. "I was worried about you! I thought something had really-"

"Wait!" Berdly interrupted, suddenly more alive. "You were scared, weren't you, Susan?" Berdly wiggled his eyebrows. "I saw the way you were shaking, you thought it was going to be a cryptid, didn't you~ ?" He teased.

Susie looked over her shoulder, the whites of her eyes shining as her muscles tensed.

"O- Or you weren't scared at all, sorry. I must've been mistaken." Berdly stepped away, back to the safety beside Noelle.

Kris managed to collect their breath and held up their watch for everyone to see.

"Yeah, you're right," Susie helped them up. "It's late, let's get home before something else goes bump in the night." She punched their shoulder, earning a sly grin and another chuckle.

The footsteps echoed away.

Cakes let out a sigh of relief. If they could all manage to make it back to the junkyard without another run-in like that, maybe this outing would be worth all the stress.

[pixiegrl]

Jingle Bell Rock

Luke has the perfect idea for a Christmas gift for Ashton. 

This is part of the Lingerie 5sos verse. I've wanted to write this part for a while because I thought it would be cute if Luke proposed to Ashton and well. Here it finally is. A little Christmas treat. Thanks to @lifewasradical for letting me yell at her about this. Love you babe!

On ao3 at: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28330056

“Michael, I’ve had an idea,” Luke says into the phone when Michael picks up. He’s met with dead air, staticky on the other line. Luke pulls the phone back from his ear, checking to see if they’re still connected. 

“Michael, are you there? This is important.” 

“Sorry I just can’t believe you’ve had an idea,” Michael says, snickering on the other side while Luke pouts. 

“Oh fuck you Mikey, I have tons of ideas,” Luke says, pouting further as Michael’s laughter grows from a snicker to full blown cackling. 

“I know, I know. You’re just so fun to fuck with,” Michael says. His laughter dies down as he gets a hold of himself. Luke waits until Michael finally calms down, rolling his eyes. 

“Are you finished?” 

“Yeah, yeah. You said you had an idea?” 

“I’m going to get Ashton an engagement ring.” 

Michael pauses, “Luke, you know you’re engaged already right?” 

“I know, but after the whole foursome thing I want to show Ashton that I love him just as much as he loves me. That he’s the only one for me. So, I want to get him a ring of his own. And I need your help shopping.” 

“God that’s so...horribly sappy. You two are the most vanilla people I know.”

“Michael, will you help me or not?” 

“I’ll help. Give me like 30 minutes and I’ll come pick you up, okay?” Michael says. Luke hums out a confirmation and hangs up the phone.

Luke has a rare day alone, something that never happens. Ashton’s gone off shopping somewhere, leaving Luke alone for the day. Luke’s been thinking about doing this for awhile, getting a ring for Ashton. He’s looking online at a few things and decided that he doesn’t want to get Ashton a diamond ring. It seems too ordinary and plain for someone as amazing and wonderful as Ashton. Luke’s decided on a gemstone, he’s just not sure what stone. Luke’s hoping that seeing them in person will help him make a choice. 

It’s easy for Luke to get ready, already wearing his plaid pants and black crew neck shirt. He feels cozy in them, soft and warm. He feels less like Stage Luke and closer to the Luke he is at home, Ashton’s fiancé, happy and content. He grabs a pair of his black boots and his wallet, running his fingers through his curls in the hallway mirror before patting Petunia on her head. 

“Be good while I’m gone okay Tuney,” Luke coos at her, rubbing her ears and pressing a kiss to her head. He gets a lick on his cheek in return, laughing in delight at her. Luke’s phone buzzes, signalling to him that Michael’s outside. Luke grabs his keys from the key hooks at the front door, locking the door behind him. 

Michael’s idling in the driveway, flipping through his phone while All Time Low plays in the background. He glances up at Luke when he opens the passenger door, climbing in and slamming it behind him. 

“You’re dressed down today,” Michael comments, putting the car in reverse and backing out. 

“Just felt like wearing this today,” Luke says, shrugging. Michael hums in response, taking them out on the road and on their way to where they know the stores are 

“Do you actually know where we’re headed or are you hoping to drive around in circles looking for a jewelry store?” Michael asks after a few moments. Luke pulls his phone out of his pocket, clicking through his recent search history on Google Maps. 

“I know a place we can go. I’ve been looking at this for a few days.” 

“Oh shit, you’re serious about this,” Michael says, glancing at the Google Maps directions when Luke gives him his phone. 

“Yeah I’ve been thinking about it for a couple weeks. Ashton was really uncertain of our relationship after the foursome and we talked it out, but I’m worried he’s still unsure of us. I mean, we’re getting married, Michael. I don’t want Ashton to ever be unsure of us.” 

“I can’t believe he would be. You two have been gross and sappy and in love since practically the minute we met Ashton.” 

“He thinks he’s not enough. Or he thought he wasn’t enough? Either way, I want to show Ashton that he is and I love him in the same way that he loves me. So, a ring,” Luke says. 

“You actually thought about this.”

“I’m a good gift giver when it’s not for you,” Luke says, laughing when Michael pouts dramatically. It’s fun, driving in the car with Michael, swapping stories about Ashton and Calum, the Christmas gifts they’ve planned for each of their partners, trying to take festive photos for their families (Michael complaining about how hard it is to dress three dogs up for Christmas photos, Luke talking about how much Petunia enjoyed the reindeer antlers as a chew toy instead). Luke feels like as much as he gets to see Michael, he doesn’t really get to sit down and talk to Michael. Even if it’s just a car ride to go shopping, Luke enjoys spending time with Michael, even if it involves some light ribbing.

They pull into the parking lot of the jewelry store soon enough. Luke feels like he might throw up, bouncing his leg from how nervous he is, tapping his fingers on his thigh. Michael leans over, squeezing Luke’s hand.

“Deep breathes Luke. Ashton loves you, you already know that. Getting this ring is just simply another symbol in a long list of symbols of your love.”

“What if I pick the wrong ring?”

“I think that would be literally impossible, but even if you did, Ashton would love it anyway because it would be a gift from you. He would never hate anything that you could give him,” Michael says, smiling at Luke. Luke smiles back, edges of it tense, and squeezes Michael’s hand back, breathing in and out to try and ground himself. Michael’s right of course. No matter what Luke picks, he already knows Ashton loves him and that they’re forever. The ring isn’t as important as any of that.

“You ready?” Michael asks. Luke takes a breath, lets it out, and nods. They leave the car, Luke entering the store first. There’s a woman at the corner, who glances up when they walk in. 

“Welcome. What can I help you with today?” 

“I’m looking for a ring?” Luke says hesitantly, cringing at himself when he hears the words. Michael snorts behind him. The woman smiles gently, clearly taking pity on how awkward Luke must be.  

“Are you looking for a diamond or something else?” She asks. Luke cautiously approaches the corner. 

“Something else. Maybe something red,” Luke says. He’s thought about it, the red of a gemstone complimenting the red in Ashton’s moon tattoos, the heart on his wrist. 

The woman smiles, heading in the direction of where those rings must be. Luke follows after her, leaving Michael to poke around the earrings. 

She reaches into the display area, pulling out a bright red stone, set in a simple gold band. 

“It’s a ruby. Symbolizes love, passion, and energy. It’s perfect for what you’re looking for. This one is a size 9, but we can resize it if you need it,” She says, holding the ring out to Luke. He takes it gently, turning it over in his hands and smiling gently. It glitters in the light, bright and sparkly. Luke knows it’ll look good on Ashton, standing out against his skin. 

“That’s the perfect size. It’s perfect. I’ll take it,” Luke says, smiling. The woman smiles, telling Luke the price of it. It seems reasonable enough, Luke nodding when she asks if the price is acceptable. She takes the ring back from him, moving around behind the counter to place it in a box and ring him up. Luke knows he’s probably being a little hasty, picking a ring so quickly, but he knows it feels right. Something about the ring feels like it’s meant for Ashton. The woman smiles as she hands the bag to Luke.

“Good luck. I hope they enjoy it. Happy holidays,” She says, smiling. Luke gives her a soft smile back.

“Thank you. I hope so too. Happy holidays,” Luke says. Michael’s already at the door, holding it open for him as they leave and head back to the car.

“It looks nice Luke. I’m sure Ashton will like it.”

“You think so?”

“The color works well for him. He’ll love it and what it means,” Michael says, reassuringly. Luke smiles, opening the car door and settling into the passenger seat. 

“You know what else Ashton might like?” Michael says as he slides in, starting the engine.

“What?”

“You in some festive lingerie. Really adds to the whole ambience of the affair,” Michael says. Luke can tell he’s teasing, but it might not be such a bad idea. Might even be fun for Luke to do.

“Think so?”

“You’re not actually thinking about it, are you?”

“Why not? I’m sure Sierra and KayKay have something in stock that might be fun to wear. A little red and white number.”

“Are you gonna do a dance with it? Oh, wait! You could do the Mean Girls dance. Full Jingle Rock number. Ashton would really get a kick out of that,” Michael says, laughing as he drives them in the direction of the store. Luke blushes.

“I’m too clumsy for that.”

“You are not. It’s an easy enough dance just...stay out of the way of stereos so you don’t kick one in Ashton’s face,” Michael says. Luke rolls his eyes, but Michael has a point. It might be fun to put on a show. Luke knows Ashton likes him in lingerie, so why not incorporate it into their gift giving. 

Luke’s still trying to talk Michael into doing something similar for Calum when they enter the shop. The bell jingles over the door and Sierra and KayKay both look up from the counter, grinning widely when they see it’s Luke and Michael.

“Luke, sweetheart! What brings you in today?” Sierra calls, rounding the counter to pull Luke into a hug. She’s nice today, wearing a black bodysuit and black jeans. Kaykay is clearly checking out her ass, blushing when Michael elbows her, grinning.

“Looking for something seasonally appropriate to surprise Ashton with.”

“You know, like Mean Girls,” Michael says. Luke throws him a glare, but Sierra and KayKay are both nodding along. 

“You’re in luck! We have a whole section for festive looks. It’s more classy than what you’ll find online, but we do pride ourselves on being better,” Sierra says, taking Luke’s hand and tugging Luke in that direction. 

As expected, there’s a lot of reds with white trim, bows and ribbons over everything. There’s a handful of green pieces too, Michael drawn towards those to look through the pieces. Sierra holds one out to Luke, a simple bralette in red satin, white trim around the edges and a simple satin panty, little red skirt with matching trim on it. 

“If you’re going for the Regina George aesthetic, I think this is perfect. Simple and understated, but elegant. Would make your legs look great with a nice pair of stockings and a heel,” Sierra teases. Luke hums, taking the set in his hands and admiring it. 

“Your ass would look great in it,” Michael says, glancing over at Luke while he looks at his own green set. Luke hums, turning it over in his hands. It would look good on Luke and he has the perfect red heels for it.

“Wouldn’t look too trashy?”

“I don’t think you could ever be capable of looking trashy,” Sierra reassures him.

“What about the dance though?”

“Oh that’s easy,” KayKay pipes up, drawing all their attention to her.

“It is?”

“I memorized that dance in middle school cause I thought I was so cool. Just tell me when it’s good for you and I can show you both how to do it.”

“You sure?”

KayKay waves it away, “It’s certainly easy enough to learn.”

“You haven’t seen Luke and his coordination,” Michael snips. Luke rolls his eyes, flipping Michael off while bringing the pieces up to the counter.

“I have some coordination, Michael.”

“Are you sure? I’ve watched you trip over air before.”

“As opposed to you just falling off a stage.”

“How dare you mock my traumatic moment Luke. Worst friend ever,” Michael complains dramatically. Luke rolls his eyes.

“Yes, I’m the worst friend in the world Michael. As you like to tell me all the time.”

“Good, you need to know it,” Michael says. He’s grinning though, leaning over to press a kiss to Luke’s cheek.  Luke grins back, bumping shoulders with Michael. It’s fun, getting to spend the time with Michael, having someone who accepts him, rolls with all of the things that Luke asks.

Luke and Michael leave the shop with the promise to text KayKay when they’re free to set up a time to learn the dance. They leave the shop, making their way back to the car.

“I can’t believe you’re going to learn the Mean Girls dance for your Christmas gift to Ashton you’re literally insane,” Michael says, unlocking the car and getting in.

“I think you mean that we’re going to learn the dance together,” Luke says.

“If you make me break an ankle, I will sue you.”

“Scouts honor you won’t.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” Michael mumbles. Luke smiles. It’s going to be a perfect gift for Ashton, he just knows it.

***

Luke’s ready for Christmas. He’s been up since 7:00am, woken up by Ashton pressing kisses to his skin. Luke hates being up early, but he’ll willingly do it for Christmas and morning kisses with Ashton. Eventually, Ashton had left their bed for his morning run and to take Petunia out, while Luke had agreed to set up for gift exchange and coffee. Luke waits till Ashton’s out the front door before shimming out of his pajamas and grabbing the lingerie set from its hiding spot. He puts the bra on first, sliding on the panties. He pulls a pair of white thigh high stockings up his legs, adjusting them till they feel right and sit perfectly on his legs. He pulls his pajamas back on over the set, deciding that he’ll put the skirt and heels on right before he does the dance. 

Luke heads downstairs, leaving the skirt and heels in their downstairs bathroom, the one place he knows Ashton won’t go into before exchanging gifts. Ashton’s already left his half of the gifts downstairs, gift bags and wrapped boxes and a small basket filled with small wrapped gifts. Luke smiles, re-adjusting everything until there’s enough space for him to put out his gifts for Ashton. Luke’s gone for getting gifts that are more food based this year, cookbooks and boxes of tea and coffee, things that he knows mean the two of them can spend time together. Luke’s been basking in their quasi-break, getting to spend all of his time with Ashton. He wants to continue that, dedicated nights to quality time and the cookbooks had seemed like the perfect idea for it. Ashton’s always talking about exploring different foods and this has seemed like the perfect chance. He’d also bought a mini waffle maker that makes the waffles heart shaped because it was sappy and cute and he knows Ashton will laugh at it but use it every morning. He’d gotten Ashton some new shirts and ties, soft material and deep, rich colors, for when they tour again or go out for press. They’re perfect simple gifts that Luke’s happy about. He puts the ring box in his pocket once he’s set up all the other gifts and goes into the kitchen to make coffee.

Luke’s heating the water up, scooping out some of the Winter Blend ground coffee they have into their french press when Ashton comes back from his walk, Petunia panting at his heels. Luke turns around, bending down to coo at her as she takes a drink of water from her bowl.

“Aw, did Ashton make you run too much?” Luke asks her, giggling as she splashes water onto the floor trying to lap up as much water as she can.

“She could use it,” Ashton grumbles, coming into the kitchen. Luke leans over, waiting till Ashton’s close enough, pressing a kiss to his lips.

“You’re all sweaty,” Luke says, wrinkling his nose.

“I did just go for a run. Not my fault you can’t wait for a kiss,” Ashton snorts, pressing another kiss to Luke’s lips, despite his half-hearted protests.

“Shower first, then presents,” Luke says, allowing himself to steal one more kiss from Ashton before pushing him in the direction of their bedroom. Ashton laughs, but goes willingly, leaving Luke to finish up with making their coffee. Luke carries it out to the living room, Petunia close at his heels, knowing that there’ll be treats for her under the tree too. Luke sets the mugs down, picking Petunia up and placing her on the couch next to him. He scratches behind her ears, scrolling through his phone and texting his family, wishing them a merry christmas and promising to call them after opening gifts. 

Ashton comes back down the stairs, humming quietly under his breath, smiling when he sees Luke. He takes a seat on the couch, curling up next to Luke and taking his coffee mug.

Ashton makes Luke open his things first, insisting that he wants to see what Luke thinks of them. Luke’s charmed by it, excited for the makeup and the earrings, the spa basket of things Ashton’s given him. He adores the little jewelry box, laughing when he realizes that it’s Petunia. Ashton’s bashful when he hands Luke the last two boxes, taking Luke’s breath away when he pulls the dress out of one, beautiful pink tulle, with little beaded pearls and flowers. It’s the lingerie set that gets Luke though, royal blue with the black lace. It’s not something Luke would pick for himself, prefers lighter colors, but it’s a beautiful set and he’s glad Ashton picked it out, can’t wait to try it on. Ashton’s thrilled about the cookbooks, laughing at the waffle maker and promising to try it this morning. He keeps leaning over between gifts, pressing kisses to Luke’s lips and thanking him over and over again, in between Luke’s giggles and smile.

Eventually they open everything, including the toys and dog treats for Petunia. Ashton stands, clearly ready to make food.

“I have one more surprise,” Luke says, blushing when Ashton looks down at him.

“Oh?”

“Yes, but you have to sit back down and close your eyes.”

“I do?”

“It’s a surprise,” Luke insists, setting his mug down on the table and getting up. Ashton rolls his eyes, but sits back down.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

“I love you very much. Now, close your eyes and wait for me,” Luke says. He waits till Ashton’s closed his eyes before leaving the room, heading to the bathroom and changing into the lingerie skirt and sliding his heels on. He takes the ring from his pants pocket, sliding it into his bra for lack of a better place to put it.

Luke takes a breath, leaving the bathroom and trying to be as quiet as possible, making sure his heels don’t click on the floor. He wants it to be a surprise for as long as possible. He finds Ashton still sitting on the couch, eyes closed, tapping his fingers against his thighs.

Luke strikes a pose and clears his throat, “You can open your eyes now.”

Ashton does, cracking up a smile and laughing brightly when he sees Luke. Luke blushes. 

“Very nice Luke,” Ashton says, once his laughter has died down, still smiling.

“Well, now you’re just saying that.”

“Am not. You look very lovely. Seasonal and all.”

“I learned a whole dance.”

“You did?”

“KayKay taught us the dance from Mean Girls.”

“Do I get to see it?”

“You can’t laugh,” Luke insists. Ashton crosses his heart.

“Promise I won’t,” Ashton says, giggling anyway. Luke rolls his eyes, grabbing his phone off the table to queue up the song.

The opening notes of Jingle Bell Rock play through the speakers on Luke’s phone. Luke starts to dance, trying to remember the steps KayKay taught him. He forgets the dance part way through, opting to just twirl at one point, knowing the spinning of the skirt will distract Ashton from his forgotten steps if Luke can draw attention to his ass and legs. It works, Ashton’s gaze fixed on Luke the whole time as he does his best to impersonate Regina George. Luke ends on a spin, angling himself in front of Ashton on the final note.

Luke lands in Ashton’s lap, knees bracketing Ashton’s hips. Ashton hums, hands on Luke’s hips, tilting his head back to request a kiss. Luke obliges, leaning down and pressing his lips to Ashton’s fingers tangled in his hair. 

“Best gift yet,” Ashton whispers onto Luke’s lips.

“I have one more for you.”

“Really?”

Luke nods, leaning down on his heels. He reaches into his bra, pulling the ring box out, opening it up. He glances up at Ashton, sees his wide-eyed expression of shock.

“Lu…”

“Ashton, I know you gave me my ring and I know you proposed to me all those months ago, but with everything that’s happened recently, I realized that I haven’t told you how I feel. I know you always say you know and that it’s oblivious, but you deserve to have me say it over and over again. I love you. It’s just part of who I am, all my love for you making me who I am. You’re passionate and strong and supportive. You’re my other half and sometimes it feels like you know me better than I know who I am. I wouldn’t be here today without you and your love and guidance and support. You deserve to have a symbol of my love, to have a constant reminder of how much I love you, how much you’re a part of who I am. I love you and I want to marry you. So, Ashton Irwin, will you marry me?” Luke asks. Ashton’s smiling, eyes wet with tears, as he takes Luke’s face in his hands and kisses him.

“Of course I’ll marry you, Luke Hemmings. But you already knew that,” Ashton says. Luke laughs, thinks he might be crying his own tears of joy, as he takes the ring out of the box and slides it onto Ashton’s finger.

“Oh, it’s a perfect fit,” Ashton says, holding his hand out to admire the ruby stone.

“It was meant to be,” Luke says, leaning back in to kiss Ashton. They kiss for a few more minutes, enjoying the warmth and love from each other.

“Best Christmas ever?” Luke asks.

“I got you in lingerie and an engagement. I’d say it’s the best Christmas ever,” Ashton says, grinning.

“I love you Ash,” Luke says, pressing one final kiss to Ashton’s neck.

“I love you Lu. Now let’s get up and make some waffles in the shape of our love and call our families,” Ashton says, kissing Luke’s cheek. Luke laughs, detangling himself from Ashton’s lap and standing up. Ashton follows suit, tugging Luke towards the kitchen for breakfast. Luke thinks Ashton is right. It’s the best Christmas Luke could have asked for.

[themidnightfarmer]

Wingman || Lydia & Jared

Timing: Before the poisoning.

Location: Faetal Attraction

Tagging: @inspirationdivine & @themidnightfarmer

Description: Lydia and Jared take a night on the town.

Triggers: Violence tw

 Lydia buzzed with excitement. If you looked closely, you could see the tiniest blur around her ears, where the glamour didn’t quite stretch to cover her jewellery. It didn’t matter, though, because in a minute she wouldn’t have to wear the glamour at all. When Jared had told her he’d never been to faetal attraction, Lydia had sworn to fix it at once, so here she was, waiting for him just outside the door. “Jared! It’s wonderful to see you again!” Especially when she wasn’t frightened for her life. 

Jared wasn’t quite sure what to expect. He’d heard about the place, but up until recently he’d had no fae friends to go with. Anytime he’d gotten close either he was with a human friend that had been given a serious stink eye by the person at the door taking admissions, or he’d started to feel that tingly feeling in his fingertips. A feeling that until now had been unknown to him. However, this time, as he’d approached Lydia the feeling was known. He was with fae. His smile reflected his own excitement. “Hey!” He greeted her exuberantly. “You too! This was a great idea!”

Lydia smirked, tilting her head. “I can’t believe you haven’t been here before. You’re in for such a treat. That finger tingling of yours is going to be intense tonight. There are a few non-fae in here, but it’s mostly people like us in there.” She offered her arm for him to take, before leading him into the bustling, warm club. Her chest rang at all the other fae, in a technicolour crowd of every type of appendage on view. Lydia dropped her glamour as soon as she’d paid for them both to enter. “Where do you want to sit?”

He’d been such a hermit for so long, unaware of all the joys of being a fae, that Jared was fully dazed as they entered. He stumbled over the lip in the doorway and his eyes couldn’t stop moving. Person to person. It was incredible. “Wow.” he said less than eloquently. Looking down at Lydia in awe he just blinked at her for a moment dumbfounded. She was still Lydia, but without her glamour she was a whole new image to take in. His mouth worked soundlessly before Jared finally caught up with himself. “Anywhere you’d like. At the bar?”

Lydia caught him as he stumbled, looking up at his with a concerned smile until he had righted himself again. Watching him was almost as intoxicating as watching the crowd. This was how she wished Regan was. Full of wonder and excitement, rather than fear and doubt. Lydia followed his gaze to a woman with fluffy moth wings, a man whose wispy dark skin gave way to glorious antlers, an individual with skin like glass, more than a couple folks with horns. All sorts. Without her own glamour, Lydia literally glowed, her brown and yellow beetle-like shells shifting as she walked, dark translucent wings poking out between them. Her ears stretched to the tops of her head and were adorned with dozens of sparkling gems. “Like what you see so far? Bar it is. What do you want to drink?”

Dropping his own glamour wasn’t even a thought to Jared, he simply had forgotten that it was an option in public. He was so unused to it, even in his own home he was rarely seen without it. Although that might have been just in the hopes that someone might come to visit at any time. Even with their arms linked, Jared lagged behind Lydia as she led the way through the crowds. Watching her wings shift in the light and noticing her hair tangle lightly over a gem in her ear. He could see why she could be called a muse. He beamed and pulled out a stool for her when they arrived at the bar. “Let me buy you a drink, yeah? What would you like to drink? Pick your poison.”

He looked around like a toddler at the lightshow, and Lydia couldn’t help but giggle at his wonder. Not to make fun of his perspective, but to delight in him as much as he delighted in the space. She waved Julie over, one of the few humans in the entire establishment, and one of the few Lydia ever voluntarily interacted with. “Oh, in which case, I’ll have a red wine. They do a lovely Sauvignon here,” Lydia said, smiling warmly at his offer. “You know that you don’t have to look human here, right? There are no wardens, no dangers here. Everyone here is community. Cousins, even.” 

“Make that two large glasses.” Jared ordered of Julie before taking the seat beside his company for the evening. A sheepish grin took over his face and he slowly let his human skin fade. Black veins appeared first, followed by slightly glowing purple eyes. And then the horns, all four of them sprouting at once. His skin settled to grey and he shivered slightly. “Feels really weird.” the nymph commented, wiggling his shoulders as the usual soft connection to his charges doubled in strength. He gave out a laugh and rocked on his chair in wonder. “I feel like I’m doing something bad.” he admits with the air of a child who wasn’t even sorry that all the cookies were gone.

Lydia had seen him without glamour before, but not nearly long enough to truly and fully appreciate it. He looked eerie and dramatic, and all the more beautiful for it. From the grey pallor of his skin, to the distracting amethyst in his eyes. Like this, he couldn’t be mistaken for something human, and it made Lydia completely breathless. Even without her glamour, if one squinted one might consider Lydia human looking, like you could say for Regan and Deirdre. People like Felix, Morelia and Jared were completely different. “That is a tragedy. You should feel comfortable in your natural skin. You look beautiful like this.” 

It was a rush. Jared could feel a lot more of his connection to his creatures, and it buzzed in him like an old radio springing to life. He ended up shrugging his shoulders once again, as if shrugging into a coat and not just his natural form, just to get used to it in less high stress situations than he was used to. “Is that how you feel? Comfortable? I mean in a …. Like a  uh-” he struggled for the words to express what he wanted to know for a moment before nodding. “Comfortable rather than like you’re high? Is it something you get used to? Is it just me that feels like i just took a belt that was too tight off after dinner?”

“Yes, I feel more comfortable like this that with a glamour. A glamour takes concentration,” Lydia replied as Julie returned with their glasses of red wine, setting them in front of her. “Put it on my tab,” she said, otherwise ignoring the very human bartender. “Wait, when you take off your glamour you feel high? What on earth are you talking about?” Lydia laughed, sipping at her wine. “Like the belt, yes, or taking off a bra, but nothing close to feeling high. How often do you take your glamour off, exactly?”

Jared would have made a noise of disagreement at the mention of a tab, as he’d wanted to buy Lydia a drink. But as it was, he was a little too distracted to do much else than try and keep his feet on the ground. “It feels like Cap has sneezed and zapped me by accident again.” He tried to describe, “But in a good way.” Jared shrugged and smiled lifting the glass of wine towards hers to clink their glasses together. “Not often.It can fall when I sleep sometimes, but mostly I can keep it on non stop for a few days.”

“Sorry, you’re going to need to explain that. Who is Cap? Why would him sneezing zap you?” Lydia smiled despite her confusion, because the young nymph was ever so charming, even in his strange ways. She clinked glasses with him, before her eyes widened even further. “You sleep with it. Why? Do you have a partner or friend that lives with you who doesn’t know?” 

“Oh, Cap, as in Capacitor. He’s a new addition to my kids. He’s a Raiju I bought from some weird guy online. He’s a sickly little thing I think he’s allergic to dust. But he zaps.” Jareds knees were bouncing and he was speaking animatedly. The effects of taking the cap off of his body had him practically fizzing. He took a long sip of the wine and then set the glass down. “I used to. Grew up in a family of human deniers. There was something on me until my eighth birthday that helped hide me I think. But it wore off I guess so I learned to glamour fast. Endless trips to the hospital about my skin and all that you know? Not anymore though, Guess habits die hard. The only people who stay the night both know. Just don’t want to spook them I guess as well.” He smiled widely at Lydia. “It’s not a big deal, I just didn’t realize it had been so long being normal.”

“Capacitor? That is darling,” Lydia smiled, and nodded as if she knew what a Raiju was. Apart from, of course, that it apparently zapped things. Which meant that it was likely another creature she likely wanted to avoid, no matter how sweetly Jared smiled around his wine glass. As he explained his childhood, Lydia’s smile fell slightly, dripping into something closer to sympathy.  “Right. Of course. I’m sorry.” All the same, he was grinning, bouncing and floating with his energy. Even if she flinched at him calling it normal. “This is you being normal. Look, there.” Lydia pointed behind him. “That Nix certainly looks interested in you from over here.”

“He’s a sweet little guy. I’m lucky he wanted to stay after I bought him.” Jared waved a hand as if dismissing her apology. “It was what it was. It was tough, but I’m happy with how it all turned out. Inherited a farm, and got to grow up in the weirdest town in the state.” The nymph looked over his shoulder recklessly, before whipping back around embarrassed when he heard Lydia's reasoning for having him look. His cheeks warmed to a slightly darker tone and he took another drink of his wine just for something to do with his hands. He laughed a little and figetted. “Right, I don’t even know all the rules anything like this involves. I assume there are fae dating rules and all sorts I have no idea about. I really do know almost nothing.”

“You bought him to free him, then?” Lydia asked curiously, looking him over anew.  “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re their nymph.” She nodded at his explanation, with a small smile, and opted not to comment on it again, because family could be complicated even for the best of reasons. There were members of her family Lydia didn’t talk about either. “What a beautiful farm it is too,” Lydia said instead. She grinned as he looked behind himself, his cheeks and ears flushing darker. All that nervous, skittish energy had to go somewhere, and Lydia chuckled as he drank frantically from his drink. “I think most rules don’t stretch much further than not having sex with humans, but not all fae here even agree with that.  Then some extend the rule to not having sex with other supernatural species. Dating really isn’t that complicated.” Lydia glanced back to the Nix with a small laugh. “She’s very determined to catch your gaze.”

“The advert made me feel like if he was truly what was advertised, then he couldn’t go to someone who would use him as described. He was so sickly when I got him, I was right about this one.” Jared confirmed. “They all need protecting, even if they don’t stay long.” He wasn’t a novice in dating, he’d had a few relationships, but he fell completely out of touch. It had admittedly been a few years since his last attempt, and adding fae rules into the mix made him even more nervous than he would have been normally. “No humans huh?” he echoed before adding “You sure it’s not you she’s interested in?” He asked, determined not to look around for fear of making a fool of himself. So instead, his fingers tapped on the bartop, and his knee continued to bounce with unspent energy. 

“That’s incredibly nobel of you. I know you’re their nymph, but it is still astonishing,” Lydia said, with real admiration glinting in her eyes. She swivelled her glass before finishing it off.  “Not all fae agree on that one either,” Lydia said airily, as if just recalling Beatrice’s existence didn’t make her stomach want to turn. As if she didn’t deliberately avoid thinking about Deirdre’s relationship prior to Morgan’s death. Lydia turned her attention back to the Nix with a much warmer smile. “Maybe she’s interested in the both of us, you don’t know.” Lydia chuckled warmly. “I’ll stop winding you up, shall I?” Lydia nudged him with her elbow. 

Jared was coming down off of the initial high of being free, and was settling into a warm appreciation for the feeling instead. “Cap is almost domesticated, they tried really hard with him. So while I would have liked him to be normal, it’s good he stayed. Not sure he’d have made it on his own. I just want what's best for them is all.” He shrugged but still bounced his knee and even brought his thumb up to bite at the nail on this thumb as she teased him. The nymph spared a sneaky quick glance back at the Nix before turning back and huffing a breath at Lydia when she nudged him. “It’s so easy it’s almost rude to wind me up like that.” he pouted at her. “Don’t take advantage of the blond.” he tutted, hiding his smile poorly.

Lydia’s lips twitched slightly. “That’s a shame. I don’t know much about the beasts and creatures that share our world, but the wild ones should always be wild. No matter how frightening they might be. I’m glad he has you.” Lydia laughed as he glanced back over at the nix, as if one last glance would answer his questions. “You’re right, I’m being ever so terrible to you.” Lydia winked, spinning her empty wine glass between her fingers. “You’ll have to forgive me.” She looked around at all these beautiful, familiar faces, and her heart rang loud and clearly. This was as much a home as any. “Do you have plans for the upcoming fairy ring season?”

“I’ll forgive you for now I suppose.” Jared said poking his tongue out at her childishly in response following this up with a laugh. His eyes flickered around the bar again when Lydias did the same. He still felt like he was doing something so dangerous and bad, and yet, everyone here was doing the exact same. It was so strange, but also too invigorating to want to leave. “Oh I usually just haul up on the farm for a while. Lock the gates and text my friends I’m going on migration. It’s usually better that way. I don’t do very well with it.” he laughs uncomfortably. “I’ve gotten carried away one too many times when I was young.”

Lydia laughed, pushing his shoulder as he stuck his tongue out at her. “I’m not convinced anyone does well with it. We all end up seeing far too much of each other, in every meaning of the phrase, humans and other species get annoyed, it’s a whole time.” A human had died the last time Lydia had been in a fairy circle, which didn’t altogether bother her, but she did want to spare her friends that did care such troubles. Fortunately, there were many, many activities one could get up to that didn’t involve murder or even torture. Some would almost certainly make Jared flush bright red.. “I don’t think getting carried away is to bad a thing, but I know not everyone agrees.”

He thought he’d picked up on what she was putting down and Jared blinked before his voice lowered into a whisper whilst leaning in. “So being naked is like a full thing is it? Like for real, the urge isn’t just like…. Me being a weirdo?” He’d met so few fae, that anything to do with the upcoming season he usually kept firmly to himself. Everything that came with it always seemed so odd, but he was slowly learning that this mindset was definitely more human, and he most certainly should abandon it. “I guess….never let myself enjoy it, or at least not for a good few years. How do you…?...but also keep it a secret?” He wanted to know everything. He had so much catching up to do. “You seem to do all this so gracefully, one day maybe I’ll be half as good at being ...normal?” He laughed noticing her glass empty and trying to catch the bartenders eye for another, smiling warmly when they filled Lydia's glass again.

“What, no! Everyone gets naked. It’s a whole thing. It’s very freeing, to be honest.  Everything about the fairy rings is freeing. No holding back, no compunctions, just joy and thrill,” Lydia giggled, a little too loud as she leant in to match his whispers. “Well, that part is tricky,” she agreed. “I know some people handle it better than others and feel they have more control. I usually limit my social media, and I don’t party with non-fae, which limits the exposure. I try not to be naked during the day, and keep things safe.” She rolled her eyes at his self deprecating nature. “You’ll learn, darling. You are still so young. You have centuries to learn. Mushroom season isn’t always for everyone, either.”

She described it so wonderfully. It sounded amazing to be free like that, to just throw away the shame that humans taught themselves and just be how you wanted to. In a smaller way that’s how Jared felt about being without his glamour in this bar. He’d been missing out by not knowing how to identify other fae, that was very clear to him now. “Gotta unlearn all the human things first, but I’m getting there,” He lifted his glass and tapped the wim with her now refilled one. “But hey, tell me your plans. You sound like you’ll have all sorts of great things going on. You have people to party with?” He sipped his wine and paused before asking more tentatively. “More friends with wings?” Was it rude to comment on another faes appearance? He had no idea, but her wings were definitely catching his eyes every time they shifted behind her. 

“You will get there,” Lydia agreed with an encouraging smile. He gave her hope for Regan too. She picked up her wine, swirling it as she thought about his answer. “The problem is the increased hunter presence in town. I tend to keep early august pretty easy. There aren’t as many rings around now anyway. If I happen to find myself in one, then that’s of course wonderful, but I don’t plan any until late august. From then? Normally, nonstop party until Halloween. Parties, with friends, with humans to prank, with the local leprechauns, whomever is available.” She smiled at him, wondering why he’d asked. “Not necessarily. Most of my friends here don’t have any, as it happens.”

Non stop partying sounded like a great time. Jared just knew he would never manage that, even if it wasn’t from the very start of the season.He loved his farm, but maintaining the place took a lot more than people realized. He’d be lucky to have even a few days free to parry without worry. “Wings are so pretty, but the idea is terrifying. Being able to wander away when you're high is already such a risk, but with wings you could just take off. And then flying itself seems so scary. Can you actually fly?” It seems the wine was loosening him up. He worried he’d overstepped again, but this time regretfully after he’d already said it.

“The idea of having wings is terrifying?” Lydia repeated, staring at him with wide eyes in confusion. “What? Jared, what?” She laughed, standing up. She looked around herself, making sure there was enough room behind her before she opened up the brown and yellow striped shells that stretched from her shoulder to the back of her knees. They raised up behind her until they were nearly shoulder heigh, where her wings rose up to her side. She was drawing more than a little attention and her wings began to trill and beat  as her feet lifted from the ground. She reached up to tap the ceiling, before coming back down. 

“No flying inside,” Julia said, and Lydia rolled her eyes and imitated her mockingly.

“My point is, I can’t fly any higher than I just did. I’m not going to buzz off into the night sky.”

“Yeah flying just seems wild.” Jared responded. He watched in awe as Lydia stretched out her wings and took to the air. She was up and down before he could even fully register what she was showing him. He nodded solemnly and then quickly his face took on a cheeky grin. "Oh so you can't fly far, you'd need strong wings like a Valravn to get anywhere in life huh? Pretty wings like yours can’t carry you far.” And while Lydia would see the teasing smile, it seems the tone was completely lost on a gancanagh trying to get another beer behind the nymphs back. Jared was woefully unprepared as he was grabbed and yanked off his barstool forcibly. 

“No, they can’t,” Lydia agreed, flicking them happily all the same. They were beautiful, and glowed with the same light that the rest of her did. They didn’t need to take her into the skies, just flutter her up into the branches of trees, and let her hover as she danced under the gaze of the mushrooms. Lydia didn’t notice the gancanagh either, not until it was much too late.

“You insulting her wings?” He asked gruffly. “You goddamn flatbacksh, no reshpect!”

“Sir, you’re drunk,” Lydia said, standing up in warning. 

“Better drunk than him,” The gancanagh said, aiming a swing for Jared’s head. 

His shirt was being held tight in the gancanaghs fist. Although he was taller than the other, Jared was completely lost with shock and had stumbled instead of finding his feet. This ended up putting the nymph at the mercy of the other fae. Jared raised his hands in panicked surrender but the other didn’t seem interested at all. His fist made contact and Jared could only tip his head back and take it in the jaw so that the drunk didn’t shatter his hand on the nymphs horns. Despite the threat, he didn’t want to cause lasting damage to someone standing up for Lydia. Jared wasn’t sure if he had been offensive or not. Addled by the punch and the drink, but perhaps he should have had better sense than to call himself stupid under his breath. 

“Stupid? I’ll show you stupid you bastard.” The gancanagh dumped the nymph onto the floor and set to work rearranging his no good disrespectful face. 

Jared brought his arms up finally to try and ward the other off. Stronger than him,but not by much he didn’t make very much headway.

Lydia jumped back with a yelp as the fight fell out. “Stop this!” She shouted, her voice jumping an octave and decibel. “Stop hitting him!” She winced, cringing away as Jared was punched in the jaw. Oh, lord, she hated violence. Fae were inevitably better than this, they had to be! They settled disputes with their tongues not their fists! “Stop this!” She yelped again, swatting the gancanagh’s dragonfly wings with her own firefly ones. It was enough to make him stop, if only because it was so rare for fae to ever touch each other’s wings as strangers, considered off limits and taboo. Especially for flatbacks, but wing-to-wing contact wasn’t quite as egregious. “Stop!” Lydia yelled again, grabbing the gancanagh’s arm and pulling him back with strength that didn’t seem like it ought to fit in her small frame. 

Jared was trying to do some damage limitation. As he was being punched he curled up, arms over his face to try and stop the other doing too much. But he couldn’t do anything until the gancanagh let up. As soon as Lydia had touched wings with the guy he froze to look over his shoulder at her. This was the chance Jared took to help Lydia push the guy off of him. Once free to struggle out from under the bulkier fae, Jared shoved him to the ground and found himself at Lydias side a lot more banged up than he’d expected to be on a chill night drinking with a new friend. And he felt enormously guilty about it. “I’m sorry.” He said to her instantly. He couldn’t believe he’d said something offensive enough to be punched. What sort of idiot fae was he? They’d gotten the attention of the whole bar at this point and Jared hunched over as the bouncer came to remove them all.

 “No more tonight. Go home.” The bouncer said, hauling the drunk gancanagh to his feet.

She wasn’t too shocked when Julia, snitching human, called the bouncer over, although Lydia did roll her eyes, extremely pointedly. As they walked back through the door, her glamour slipped back on like she might a coat. “Why? You didn’t offend me, my dear, I don’t even know what a veal-ravine is.” The gancanagh glowered at them, before stalking off. Lydia chuckled. “You know, I suspect that might just have been the start of the fairy ring season. What a ringing welcome to the incoming season. At least it can only go up from here.”  She winked at him, before looking him over. “Are you hurt?” She asked softly. 

Jared followed Lydias lead once again, his own glamour feeling a little bit like that feeling when a child was told playtime was over. It was back to feeling normal now that they were on the street. “I really thought I had considering…” His words trailed off as he watched the gancanagh walk away sheepishly. “First bird that popped into my head, skeletal raven, strong and amazing creatures. uh…. I didn’t really think it through.” Maybe describing the creature wasn’t the best way forward. Jared had to laugh when she spoke so positively about being thrown out of a bar. The nymph shook his head “Had a lot worse than a beat down, it’ll be okay.” Any discolouration was already covered by his glamour. Changing your skin so much tended to mean you covered an awful lot more than people thought. “Didn’t mean to get us kicked out, can I walk you home?” He offered her an arm. “In compensation.”

Lydia’s eyebrows vanished into her hairline at his explanation as to what, exactly, veal-ravines were. “As… fascinating as those sound, I think I’ll stick to my wings over anything skeletal.” She laughed softly, falling in step with him as she took his arm. Even in heels, her head barely reached his shoulder - they must have made quite the pair as they walked through the town. “Ah, c’est la vie. Company with you was all I was really looking for.” She said with a simple shrug. Faetal Attraction was the one losing out. “However, I must say, Mr. Nymph of Vicious Creatures, you really weren’t very vicious in there.”

“Oh yeah for sure, for sure.” Jared agreed on the spot. “Your wings are wonderful I was just trying to joke around...guess I’ll have to work on my humour too.” he chuckled accompanied by a shrug. Nothing he could do now, but try and remember wings were definitely a no go topic in public. The nymph makes a noise of disapproval and bumps his hip into her. “Hey now, just because my kids are vicious doesn’t mean I have to be. I’m soft so my kids can do the damage. Plus I thought I’d messed up, wouldn’t have been fair.” He pouted at her pitifully. A master of the puppy dog look as he’d been able to replicate the eyes of one of his bonedoggle pups when they were whining. “You absolutely overpowered the guy though, my hero.”

Lydia snickered as he hip bumped her. “You are a big softie. Not the only one in town, either.” He pouted at her, and Lydia resisted his puppy eyes for a whole second before giving him a light push. “That isn’t playing fair.” Lydia laughed as they reached the causeway, the sea still and soothing on either side of them. “Oh gosh. If he’d thrown a punch at me, I would have gone down like a stack of dominoes. We’re a strong species, but that doesn’t mean I know what to do with it, beyond lifting couches to clean under them.”

“Well being kind doesn’t cost a thing, so maybe I’m just trying to lead by example. See if it’ll rub off on the people who need to know that the most...like not letting that drunk guy shatter his hand on my horns. Boy would he have really not been happy with that.” Jared laughed and stumbled sideways slightly before pulling himself back in with their linked arms. “Ah but why be fair when you can win by being cute?” The thought of the other fae being punched didn’t sit well with Jared, she was so small, not defenseless, definitely not weak, but the ganacash had been rather huge in comparison. “You clean under couches?” He asked jokingly to brush past the image of her being knocked out in his mind. The breeze was pretty nice as they continued to walk. He was letting her lead the way considering he had no idea where she lived, but it seemed to be a really nice area.

“Being kind cost you a punch!” Lydia disagreed vehemently. “Although no, I suppose punching your horns would be rather… unpleasant. Then again, he oughtn’t have been aiming for your horns in the first place.” She rolled her eyes, although he was entirely correct - Jared was cute as hell, in both meanings of the word. “Well, I normally have a cleaner in twice a week to do it for me,” Lydia winked, leading them towards Harris island. “But yes, should the need arise. Are you saying you don’t?”

“Ahh what's a punch in a bar every now and then. Maybe the guy thought horns were sensitive or something. They’re absolutely not, but drunk brain can get to you if you’re not careful.” Jared reasoned for the guy who’d clocked him in the face. “Ohhh fancy, a cleaner. If I could afford one I don’t think they’d be too pleased with the state of the place, even after Nell and Blanche moved in and out again.” The nymph laughed. “I didn’t really think about lifting the couches, I just sort of...sweep around it? Probably harbouring some cute new kids under there soon. Dust bunnies are adorable.” He nudged her playfully. “You should let one move in.”

“Drunk brain is no excuse for such…. Abhorrent behaviour. Jared, you are far too kind to the man who punched you,” Lydia said, her affectionate smile softening the comment. She rolled her eyes, not about to be shamed for her well earned wealth - she’d worked hard for it! So had her humans. “That’s the great thing about cleaners. You pay them not to judge you.” At his suggestions, Lydia couldn’t help but pull a mildly disgusted face. “Jared, you could be the cutest person in the whole town, and you would still never be able to persuade me to let a dust bunny move in. Having a dog around is bad enough, in terms of the mess.” Lydia stopped in front of her mansion, modern and gleaming with its large windows on every floor. “Unfortunately, this is my stop, and I must bid you goodnight, my dear.”

The nymph waved her worries away. What was done was done, and truly Jared had no hard feelings for the ganacash. Maybe the guy was too quick to jump the gun, but clearly he had some bad experience with people talking about wings. The change on Lydias face however sent Jared into a whirlwind of laughter. “Woah really? Not even if I do the puppy dog eyes? Dust bunnies are adorable!” He was only teasing, even if everything he said he did consider true. But his outlook on creatures would never match up to other peoples. He’d come to accept that. Stopping at the door Jared looked up at the house and grinned. “Nice place. Goodnight Lydia. Thanks for taking me out, and not letting that guy bash me in.” Jared was a trail of light laughter as he walked back the way they’d come, waving at Lydia all the way until he was gone from her sight. 

[afternoonteawithme]

Hi @erenlevijeager! I’m your Secret Levi :) 

(read it on AO3) 

As Levi pushed his way through the throngs of people filling the street, all too busy gawking up at the tacky lights over their heads to pay attention to where they walked or what they did with the bulky shopping bags they all seemed to be carrying, he thought longingly of his quiet, warm living room, his comfortable couch, the new book he’d picked up that morning. He wondered, most definitely not for the first time that evening, what in hell he was doing here.

And then the crowd in front of him parted, and he saw his reason.

Eren Jeager had tumbled into Levi’s life a little more than a year ago, when he’d gotten a job at the café attached to the museum where Levi worked. Levi had taken one good, hard look, and then spent the next few months doing his best to pretend he hadn’t fallen instantly in lust.

It hadn’t worked. In fact, it had worked so badly that Eren had been living with him for almost three weeks now.

Levi’s organized, structured, predictable life had been shattered. He’d gone to more dinners, parties, spent more time out with friends over the last six months than he had in the whole decade before. Suddenly, he shared his bed, his shower, his kitchen cupboards, even his comfortable couch. Someone else’s clothes hung in his closet, sat in his dresser. Another man shaved into his bathroom sink in the mornings, and two toothbrushes sat in the little jar they’d picked out together. They’d even been talking about going to the shelter, picking up a dog.

Maybe two.

Somehow, somewhere along the way, Levi had fallen in love with the asshole, and nothing would ever be the same.      

Brown hair a little messy from the wind, eyes bright, glittering, and with a gigantic grin spread across his face, the love of Levi’s life laughed at him as he reached out to grab his hand. “There you are! Don’t get lost, we’ll never find each other again in this crowd.”

An elbow jabbed Levi in the back, knocking him forward a step. With a hiss, he leaned in towards Eren’s ear, almost shouting to be heard over the crowd, the traffic, and the obnoxiously cheerful music piped in over it all. “Why are we here, again?”

“Because it’s Christmas Eve, Levi.”

“I know it is. That’s why half the city is out here with us. But why are we here?”

Laughing, shaking his head, Eren kept pulling Levi through the throngs of people. “Because it’s the holidays, and we can’t just stay home and do nothing. Come on, let’s go look at the lights in the park.”

“I like staying home and doing nothing.” Levi thought longingly of the box of tea he’d bought that morning, sitting sealed and unused on his kitchen counter. He hunched his shoulders. “It’s too damn cold to be outside, anyway.”

“Bitch, bitch, bitch.” With another laugh, Eren tugged Levi out of the flow of people, pulling him into a little empty pocket at the side of the sidewalk. He slid his arms around Levi’s waist, made round and puffy by his thick coat. “Come on, this’ll be fun. Haven’t you ever gone to see the pretty lights for the holidays?”

Levi snorted, though, since it was cold, after all, he snuggled in a little closer, raising his own arms to slip his hands beneath Eren’s warm scarf and anchor them behind his neck. “Why would I?”

“Then what do you usually do on Christmas Eve?”

“I stay home, alone. Out of the cold and the insanity.”

“Well, this is our first Christmas together, so alone is out.” And then, for the first time since he’d dragged Levi out of their apartment earlier that evening, the bright happiness on Eren’s face faded. “Unless you really don’t want to?”

“No, I-”

“I mean, I know we haven’t really been living together for all that long. Maybe I’m being too pushy.” Eren bit his lip, his voice a little uncertain when he continued, “I thought we could make some new traditions, just the two of us. But maybe you’d rather do your own thing?”  

“I didn’t say that. I’m here, aren’t I?”

“You don’t hate it? You’ll try and have fun?” Eren’s eyes were anxious as they studied Levi’s expression.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let’s go look at the damn lights.”

The sad look on Eren’s face evaporated at light speed, replaced by such a wide, beaming smile that Levi felt suspicion bloom in his soul. He narrowed his eyes. “You were faking it?”

Eren blinked innocently. “Faking what?”

“You’re such a sneaky asshole.”

“Now why would you say something so hurtful.” Eren leaned down, bopped a kiss onto the tip of Levi’s nose. “Coming?”

“That won’t work forever, you know. One of these days you’ll try those puppy dog eyes on me and I’ll just laugh.”  

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Weaving his arm through Levi’s, Eren tugged him back into the flow of bodies moving along the pavement. “But if I did, I’d say that sounds like fun. I like it when I make you laugh.”

“Not this time, you won’t.”

“No?” Eren shot a mischievous grin down at Levi. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

It took them a few minutes to weave their way out from the crowd when they reached the park, but once they finally broke free, they found the park itself easier to move through than the sidewalk they’d left behind. There was a fair of some kind set up, and couples and small groups of people wandered between the booths that lined the paths and across the wide greens scattered with trees and strange wire frame creatures, all cheerfully lit with bright multi-colored lights.    

And over it all, that ubiquitous and tinny music continued to gleefully bounce through the air.

Levi smelled roasted nuts, apple cider, and hot chocolate. He wondered, just for a moment, if the cheap food stall hot chocolate might possibly taste as good as it smelled.  

“Oh, look!” Eren darted forward, dragging Levi with him towards one of the booths. He pushed through the thick press of bodies of other fairgoers browsing tables heaped high with glittery and sparkly decorations, heading straight for a well tossed over display of hats, headgear, elf ears, and Santa beards.

He grabbed one of the headbands and slipped it onto his head, before turning to smile angelically at Levi. “What do you think? Suits me, right?”  

A tinsel halo, held up by thin wire, hovered a few inches above Eren’s head. “They got any devil horns?”

Eren rolled his eyes, unoffended. “They wouldn’t, it’s all Christmas stuff. What about these?” He swapped the halo for a pair of felt reindeer antlers.

He looked so damned adorable, with his flushed cheeks and wind-tossed hair sticking out in all directions. Levi’s fingers itched to stroke it back, off his forehead, so he shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “They’re alright.”

Paying no attention, Eren picked up a fuzzy Santa hat, plopped it onto Levi’s head. He nodded firmly. “Now that works almost too well.”

It slid down over Levi’s eye, and he pushed it back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Hmm, well.” Eren tilted his head, even as he reached out to adjust the hat’s position, his fingertips cold as they brushed against Levi’s skin. “I can’t really explain. It somehow suits you, though I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I know how warm and gooey you really are under that suspicious glare you always watch me with.”

Offended, Levi jerked his head back. “I am not gooey.”

Eren’s eyes were laughing, but direct, when they met Levi’s. “I think you are, though. And I like the hat on you.” He stepped in a little closer, dropping his voice. “I think you look sexy in it.”

“How the hell is it sexy? It’s a Santa hat.”

“Yeah, but you’re wearing it.” Eren grinned at the look on Levi’s face. “Still, if you don’t like it-” He reached out to pull it off of Levi’s head.

Almost before Levi realized what he was doing, his hands slapped over the hat, holding it in place. “Leave it. It’s warm. Plus, if I’m Santa, and you’re one of my reindeer, doesn’t than mean you have to do what I tell you?”

Eren blinked, but the corners of his mouth were curved as he studied Levi. “And what are you planning on having me do?”  

They were already standing directly in front of each other, but Levi took another half step forward, until he could stand on tiptoe, brace his hand against Eren’s chest, and breathe into his ear. “You can start by giving Santa a good, hard ride, later tonight.”

He’d said it expecting Eren to laugh, or at least roll his eyes. Instead, when he stepped back and looked expectantly up at Eren, he found a very, very strange expression on his face.

When Eren spoke, his words were slow, careful, and his eyes were locked on the Santa hat Levi wore. “I’m not sure what’s worse, the picture you just put in my head, or the fact that I’m a little turned on right now.”

It took Levi a second. He jerked back a little, staring up at Eren with wide eyes. “Oh hell no. I didn’t paint that picture, you did that all by yourself.”

“You started it. I was just being a good little angel.”  

“Uh-huh. Pervert.” Levi yanked the Santa hat off, turning away to drop it back onto the display.

“Well, maybe, a little. You still started it.” And then Eren let out a yelp that made Levi jump, spin back around. He found Eren crouching down and rummaging through the pile of merchandise that had fallen onto the floor beneath the display. “No way! How’d this get here?” He snatched out his prize, a cheap plastic crown with the words ‘Birthday Boy’ printed across the front.

He stood back up, setting it carefully on Levi’s head, then pulled away to study it. “Perfect.”

Levi hunched his shoulders. “It’s not as warm as the Santa hat.”

A wicked grin spread over Eren’s face. “Yeah, but the birthday boy is a lot more likely to actually get laid.”

“Oh well then.” Startled, Levi laughed. “I’ll take this one then.”

Eren leaned back, smiling down at him with an odd look in his eye.

“What?”

“I told you, I just really love it when you laugh.”

Levi blinked, a little embarrassed. “That wasn’t the type of laugh I was threatening you with.”

“No, but I like them all. Happy Birthday, Levi.”

“It’s not my birthday yet.”

“I just wanted to be the first to say it. I’ll tell you again, in a few hours. In any case, I love you, Levi. Happy Birthday.”

Levi flushed, shifted, feeling both warmth and embarrassment filling his chest. “Yeah. I um, love you too.”

Eren’s lips curved. “Do you think, one day, you won’t be embarrassed when you tell me that?”

“Maybe. Don’t know.” Desperate to change the subject, Levi frantically looked around the booth. “Where the hell do we pay for these things, anyway?”

When they finally left the booth – proud owners of one plastic birthday crown and one pair of antlers – Eren slid his arm around Levi’s shoulders, and after a quick inner battle, Levi nestled in against his side.

As they moved on through the booths, along the brightly lit paths, he realized that at some point he’d stopped minding all the people around them, and when he glanced up at the lights sparkling over their heads, he found them remarkably pretty. Even the ever-present music, as tacky as it was, somehow didn’t seem to be all that annoying anymore.

Despite the bitter cold, he felt warm.  

And as he walked through the lights beside Eren, Levi decided that he liked this new tradition of theirs, after all.

[creampuffqueen]

Fanfic Advent Calendar- Day 4

Beware- I have not read Queen of Nothing! No spoilers please! Also, I have never written anything Jurdan ever, so like yesterday’s, you may want to take this one with a grain of salt, just in case is sucks. And on that positive note, enjoy!

~~~~

Sleigh Ride (Jurdan)

“Vivi! Jude! Look what I made at school!” Oak squeals as he leaps into Vivienne’s car. I’m in the passenger seat, fluffy blanket draped over my lap. It’s so cold in the human realm, colder than I ever remember Faerie being. 

Oak’s school lets out for winter break today, and Vivi has already promised him a milkshake on the way home. She spoils him, my sister does. I can’t fathom why he would want a milkshake when it’s near freezing outside. 

Vivi drives away, nodding to whatever Oak is chattering about, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the tune of whatever song is playing. I clench the blanket tighter in my hands.

It’s been months since I was banished from Faerie, and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of anyone since then. The only faeries I’ve seen have been my sister and brother. Not even Taryn has tried to contact me. 

We pull into the drive-thru of a fast food chain, and I shake my head when Vivi offers to buy me something. She shrugs and gets a second milkshake for herself.

The whole town is blanketed in snow and lights, houses covered from top to bottom in both. Oak talks and talks and talks, only taking a break to slurp his shake. He’s come out of his shell so much since coming to live with Vivi. Despite all my regrets and bad decisions, this has worked exactly as I intended.

We make it to the apartment, with the twinkling tree in the window. Oak swings between Vivi and I, milkshake abandoned in the car. With the glamour on his antlers and ears, he looks just like any other seven-year-old boy. 

Vivi turns on the TV for him and sways over to the kitchen, humming something under her breath. She turns on the music again, adding to the chaoticness of the place.

Every available surface is covered in decor, white and red and green exploding across the apartment. Garlands, tinsel, figurines, you name it. Oak and Vivi revel in it all, while all it does is make me want to close my eyes.

Months. Months, since I left. Taryn hasn’t looked for me. The Roach and The Bomb haven’t searched. And Cardan…

He hasn’t sent so much as a dandelion puff my way. 

I’m sure Vivi knows what’s wrong, but she hasn’t mentioned it. At least she isn’t treating me like I’m broken, a treatment I’ve become all too familiar with. 

Snow starts falling outside, and Oak begs to go and play in it. Vivi, in the kitchen fixing dinner, tells me to take him.

“And make sure he keeps his hat on!” She calls after us, bundled in our coats and scarves and gloves. Oak snickers and pulls his cap further down on his face.

My little brother sprints through the snow happily, pausing every now and then to stick his tongue out for snowflakes. The sky gets dark, and I manage to wrangle him back inside. 

“Did you two have fun?” Vivi is gentle with him, taking his hat off and pinching his rosy cheeks. Oak shucks off his clothes as he goes to the living room, until he’s only in his thermals. 

Vivi has started a fire, and we watch old Christmas movies that trigger my own memories of the human realm. We drink hot chocolate. A neighbor brings over a batch of cookies. 

I should be enjoying myself. I should be laughing with my siblings. I should be smiling. But all I am is going through the motions, the bare minimum, letting myself sink further and further in my own feelings. 

Some High Queen of Faerie. 

“We should go on a sleigh ride.” Oak declares. “And we should ride it through the streets all the way to the McDonalds with the cool play place.”

At that, even I laugh. Vivi grins, and I can practically see the gears turning in her head. She’s got an idea.

Sure enough, she stands up, still smiling mischievously. “Everyone get their coats on! I’m going to get us a sleigh!”

Oak and I gather our things, and I wonder how on earth Vivi will manage this. Oak is practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. 

When I step outside, I do have to give her credit. In the street is a sleigh, a perfect rendition of the one we just saw on TV. 

Oak scrambles inside it, smiling and cheering the whole time. Vivi ruffles his hair and helps me up.

There is a horse pulling the sleigh, and Oak reaches out to pet it. Vivi smirks to herself, and I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Our car and a slightly unlucky pidgeon.” She finally says, quiet so Oak can’t hear. I roll my eyes, and Vivi whistles to get the horse moving.

Down the streets we go, the giddy smile never leaving Oak’s face. Snow is falling around us, flurries swirling across the road and piling against the curb. 

If people see us, they don’t look surprised. Maybe Vivi is glamouring everyone. Maybe they are just used to horse drawn sleighs in the streets. Or maybe, they simply don’t care.

I find myself enjoying this. I haven’t enjoyed something in so long. Here, with my sister and my brother, I can forget, for just a moment. I can forget that Faerie even exists. 

But a moment later it all comes rushing back. Taryn. Madoc. Locke. And Cardan, Cardan, Cardan. I miss him.

We reach the McDonalds, and Vivi helps Oak down and inside. I stay, letting the snowflakes catch on all my clothes. 

This is magical, I think. I want to go home. 

Home is not here, even if I wanted it to be. It’s not a glamoured car and bird, it’s not sugary cereal and tinsel. Home is where I wake up to crow-black hair and a purr in my ear.

Cardan, Cardan, Cardan. I wish he was here. I wish I was there. I don’t know what I want besides him. My longing is deep, and sharp, and suddenly it feels like every passerby could be him in disguise. 

I see Oak waving in the window of the McDonalds playspace, and I give a half-hearted wave back. He grins, and then something catches his attention. He starts to wave again, and I turn to see what he’s up to.

My breath catches. I can’t breathe.

Cardan Cardan Cardan Cardan Cardan Cardan. 

He’s here. He’s standing right in front of me, silky locks tousled and crusted with snow. He’s smirking that stupid smirk, and I’m not sure if I want to slap or kiss it off.

I settle for kiss. I run towards him, nearly slipping on the ice. Strong arms pull me upright, and I’m staring into his green eyes like my life depends on it.

“You came.” I murmur, so softly I can hardly hear it myself. But Cardan nods regardless, and pulls me into his warmth.

I’m not sure when I start kissing him. I’m not sure I ever truly stopped. But his hands are on my back and mine in his hair, ruffling the snow from it. Cardan lifts me up, delicate fingers tickling under my ribs, but I don’t mind because he came.

He breaks away first, and I grin at finding him breathless, one word on his lips.

“Jude.”

“Cardan.”

“My lovely, sinful Jude. My High Queen of Elfhame.”

“My darling, spiteful Cardan. My royal husband.”

“Kiss me again, Jude.”

I am only too happy to oblige him.

[mycatshuman]

The Emo Who Stole Christmas

Chapter 4 : You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch or Virgil and Roman Are Done With the Who's and Decide to Get Back at Them.

Word Count: 3,477

Warnings: stealing of Christmas, may be some cursing, grown adult blaming a child for their problems, let me know if I missed any

Pairings: Pre-established Prinxiety and Logicality and Demus

Masterlist | Previous | Next | More Chapters

Again, a big thank you to @icequeenoriginal for being the co-creator. This was a mother-daughter effort and I love it.

❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄

Virgil stood staring down at the Whoville in the ice-cold snow. 

Yes, the Grinch knew that tomorrow all the Whos would wake bright and early and rush for their toys. 

"And then, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise, noise, noise!" Virgil exclaimed as he stomped around. "They'll bang on tong-tinglers. They'll blow their floo-flounders. They'll crash on Jang-jinglers and bounce on boing-bouncers!" He held his hands to his ears as if he could already hear the horrific noise. 

Then Whos young and old would sit down to feast. 

"And they'll ready and they'll feast. And they'll feast, feast, feast, feast!!" Virgil exclaimed as he stomped around. "They'll eat their Who pudding! And rare Who roast beast! And that's something I can not stand in the least." Virgil paused in his ranting. "Oh no!" He exclaimed horrified. "I'm speaking in rhyme!" He cried out. "Blast you Whos!" He exclaimed as he fell to his knees. 

The more the Grinch thought of what Christmas would bring…the more the Grinch thought...

"I must stop this whole thing!" Virgil exclaimed as he stood up and paced. "For year after year, I've put up with it now! I must stop this Christmas from coming! But how?" Virgil blinked. "I mean, in what way?" He let out an annoyed growl and turned to walk inside. He opened the door and was hit with a blast of cheery Christmas music. 

"Christmas is going to the dogs!" Virgil blinked as he watches Remy lazily bath himself to the music. Virgil opened his mouth only to close it again confused. He quickly jumped at the sound of his door opening and turned to find Roman dressed in sweats.

"Roman?" Virgil asked concerned. "How are you feeling?" Roman shuffled forward and fell forward into his lover's arms. Virgil's arms came up to wrap around the other and envelope him in a hug. 

"Virgil…I want to live with you. I don't want to be down there anymore. Not with the way they keep treating me, like some ornament meant to be stared at or ignored! Please! I don't care if someone finds out, I can't live there anymore!”

Virgil blinked rapidly. "Love," he started. "Are you 100% sure about this?" Roman nodded. Virgil sighed and ran his hands through the other soft curls. 

"Virgil?" Roman asked softly after a while. 

"Hmm?"

"I want to make them pay. I want them to understand. I don't-I want them to-" Roman groaned and hurried his face in Virgil's chest, ironically too emotionally exhausted to deal with his emotions.  Virgil frowned and snuggled the other closer trying to provide as much comfort as he could. Then, his mind began to whirl. 

Then the Grinch got an idea. An awful idea. The Grinch got a wonderful awful idea. 

Virgil pulled away from Roman and announced. ”I’m going to steal Christmas.” Roman blinked as Virgil smirked. "They want to hurt you so bad, they'll lose Christmas. And if they want a monster, then I'll show them a monster!" 

Roman hopped up, finally finding some energy. "Yes! I'll go make the costume. You work on the sleigh!" He turned to Remy only to stop. "And you just keep bathing yourself." Roman ran off and began working while Virgil started on the monstrous sleigh. 

”With this coat and this hat, he'll look just like Saint Nick!" Roman exclaimed. As they worked, Roman's voice sang a little song he had composed from all of the stupid rumors about the Grinch. "'You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch,'"  Virgil chuckled as he heard the other sing. "'You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus, You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch! You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel!" Roman walked over to Virgil with the hat and place it on his head as he sang and place a quick kiss to his cheeks before going back to work on the jacket. "'Just face the music, you're a monster, Mr. Grinch, yes, you are. Your heart's an empty hole. Your brain is full of spiders. You've got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch. I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.'" Virgil snorted as Roman danced around with the jacket before sitting on a table out of his way so he could work on the pants. "You know, if you ask the Who's Who of Whoville, No one's denyin”  Virgil spared a glance at Roman and smiled. Boy did he love him. 

"'You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch." Roman picked up the song again. "'You have termites in your smile. You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch. Given the choice between you, I'd take the seasick crocodile!" Virgil giggled as Roman tossed the pants over to the same table. He closed the front door behind him after having moved the sleigh outside and walked over to Roman. He wrapped him in a hug and kissed his temple. Roman hummed happily. Virgil hated to have to wipe the smile from his face. 

"Roman," Roman made a small noise of acknowledgment. "I'm going to need you to go home. Just for tonight."

Roman ripped himself away from Virgil. "What?! Why?!" 

"I can't have you helping me-" 

"No! You can't--no!" 

"Roman, please-"

"No! No! No!" 

"Roman, I can't have you getting in trouble. I want to make sure if you ever want to go back, you can! I can't bare to have you help and then regret it and then want to leave but you can't because you've been shunned. Please, Roman. This is all I ask. Just this one night. Please." 

Roman stared at Virgil for a while before reluctantly nodding. "Okay," he whispered. He wasn't happy about it, but he knew it would make Virgil feel better about everything. "Okay, just-" Roman moved forward and placed a hand on Virgil's cheek. "Be careful, okay?" Virgil nodded. "Thank you." Roman pushed up on his tiptoes and gave the other a light kiss. "I'll see you later." 

"See you later," Virgil promised

-----

Virgil sat with Remy watching Santa through a telescope. "He should be finishing up anytime now. Wanna talk about a recluse? He only comes out once a year but does he catch any hate for it? No! He probably lives up there just to avoid the taxes." Virgil ranted. He paused as he watched as Santa flew away in his sleigh. "Whoops. I forgot about the reindeer…" 

Did that stop the old Grinch? No, the Grinch simply said: 

"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead." Virgil turned around and faced Remy. "Remy!" Remy rolled his eyes and prepared himself to wear a headband with antlers. Virgil quickly found a reindeer headband and placed it on his cat's head before placing a red nose on his nose. "Okay, you're a reindeer and your motivation is that you're a deer with a red nose and nobody likes you. One day, you save Christmas-" Virgil paused. "Ignore that. We'll just improvise. You hate Christmas! You're gonna steal it! Saving Christmas was such a lousy ending. Okay and action!" 

Remy glared at Virgil before knocking the red nose off. Virgil blinked and then he gasped. "Brilliant! You regret your own nose because it represents the glitter of commercialism! Why didn't I think of that?" Then Virgil walked off and climbed into the sleigh along with Remy. 

Virgil flipped the switch and the sleigh came life, vibrating with power. "That feels good." Virgil turned to Remy "Here goes nothing," and he pressed the bottom to start actually start moving. The sleigh rose up in the air and Virgil grinned. "Wow! It actually works! Okay! Let's go! On, Crasher! On Thrasher! On, Vomit and Blitzkrieg!!!" Virgil screamed as the sleigh shot off and began spinning violently, turning over and over. "We're gonna die!" Virgil shrieked. "We're gonna die! I'm going to throw up! And then we're gonna die! Mommy, tell it to stop!!" He cried, eventually he was able to wrangle control of the sleigh and they flew smoothly through the sky. Virgil stayed frozen for a moment before allowing himself to slightly relax. He let out a sigh of relief. "Almost lost my cool there." 

All their windows were dark. Quiet snow filled the air. All the Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care when he came to the first little house on the square…

Virgil slowly brought down the sleigh on top of the roof of an overly decorated house. He noticed a traffic light among the variety of lights. "Weird." He turned back to Remy. "This will be our first stop."

The old Grinchy Claus hissed. And he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist. He'd slide down the chimney, a rather tight pinch, but if Santa could do it, so could the Grinch.

Virgil stood up and tied a rope around his waist. He stepped up onto the edge of the chimney and prepared to dive. "He's planning a double-twisted interrupted forward-flying 2-and-a-half with a combo tuck and like. A high degree of difficulty," Virgil muttered and jumped and dove headfirst down into the chimney. 

He got stuck only once, for a moment or two…

Virgil groaned quietly. "Stupid suit," muttered, referring to the furry suit of the Grinch. Something that helped him scare kids off and leave him alone now was slowing him down from his biggest scare of all. He huffed.

Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue. 

"A little more stealth, Thomas, please." 

Thomas lowered his voice. Where the little Who stockings all hung in a row. 

"These stockings," he grinned. "Are the first things to go." The Grinch opened a jar and turned it upside down, shaking out moths. "Alright, fellas, chow time." The moths quickly gobbled up the stockings. 

Then he slunk to the icebox. 

"Slunk?" 

He eyed the Whos' feast. He took the Who pudding. He took the roast beast. 

"Hike!" Virgil called out as he launched the roast beast through his legs like a football player. 

He cleaned out that icebox as quick as a flash. Why that Grinch, even took their last can of Who-hash. Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee. 

Virgil threw the bag up the chimney and spun around to face the tree. "And now," grinned the Grinch. "I'll stuff up the tree!" And the Grinch grabbed the tree and he started to shove, when he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove. 

Virgil turned to find Emile and grimaced. He felt really bad about this….

"Excuse me" Emile called softly. 

The Grinch had been caught by this tiny Who child, who'd got out of bed for a cup of cold water. 

"Mr. Santa, what are you doing with our tree?" 

But you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick, he thought up a lie, and he thought it up quick. 

"Why my sweet little tot!" Virgil exclaimed grandly. "There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. So, I'm taking it home to my workshop, sweet child. "I'll fix it up there, then I'll bring it back here."

Emile narrowed their eyes. "Santa, what's Christmas really about?" 

"Vengeance!" Virgil exclaimed before remembering he was supposed to be pretending he was the perfect Who Santa. "I mean...presents, I suppose." 

Emile frowned. "I was afraid of that." 

And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted their head and got them a drink, and he sent them to bed. 

Emile paused their journey up the stairs. "Santa?"

"What?" Virgil asked. 

"Don't forget the Grinch-" 

Virgil couldn't take it anymore and walk out from behind the tree. "I'm sorry." 

Emile blinked and furrowed their brows. "Why?" 

Virgil bit his lip. "To show you all what's more important ...and to get back at everyone for upsetting Roman." 

Emile nodded. "Okay. Well...good luck, Virgil." 

And when Emile Lou went up with their cup, the Grinch went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up. Virgil quickly shot the tree up the chimney and grabbed everything else before climbing back up the chimney. And the last thing he took was the log for their fire. On their walls, he left nothing but some hooks and some wire. And the one speck of food that he'd left in the house, was a crumb that was even too small for a mouse. Virgil reached down and picked the mouse up deciding to allow it to eat something so long as it wasn't in a Whos’ house. Then he slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasant, around each Who home and he took every present. 

Virgil took a saw and cut a circle above his head and the floor fell through along with the Christmas tree and its presents. He stepped up through the hole and smirked. "They're in sale. Everything must go." And he began to take it all. 

------

Virgil froze as he stepped into the bedroom of a magazine picture-perfect house. Oh. This was Roman's house. He glanced around at the decorations and found himself smiling fondly. He should have known. Everything just screamed Roman from the abundance of reds, whites, and golds. He carefully walked over to the bedside table and noticed the ring box the mayor had given Roman. He nearly growled as he went to take it before noticing something else. It was his gift. The one he had made for Roman all those years ago. Virgil's eyes watered and he forced himself to blink the tears away. He shook his head and quickly snatched the ring box off of the table. He went to move only to be stopped by a tan hand yanking him down and lips crashing into his. Virgil blinked in surprise before happily giving into Roman and allowing the other to wrap his arms around his neck. 

Roman pulled away after kissing Virgil senseless. "Virgil," he asked softly. "Please, let me help." Virgil bit his lip. "I suppose..." He started. "You can help...but...just promise that if we get caught, you say I forced you to do it, okay?" 

Roman's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait! No! I can't-" 

"Then I can't let you help." 

Roman blinked. "I-okay," he sighed in defeat. "I'll tell them you forced me." Virgil let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you." 

-----

Roman froze as he finally dragged the attention away from Virgil's hiding place. He hadn't realized the Whos would put out guards to guard the path leading to Mount Crumpit after everyone went to bed to protect from the Grinch. From Virgil. But Virgil ran out of fuel for his rocket sleigh and he had to drag it up the mountain himself. But they were losing moonlight, and the long way around wouldn't work. So Roman offered to try and distract them. But now, he was very nervous. The Who guards had rounded on him. Accusing him of being in league with the Grinch. Of course, he was, but Virgil had made him promise and he wasn't about to break his promise. 

"You really think I'm in league with the Grinch?" Roman asked the guards. 

They nodded. "Yeah, why else wouldn't you have immediately said yes to Mayor Anton's proposal?” 

Roman grimaced. He really hated the mayor. 

"If I really hated the Grinch, would I do this?" Then Roman started his song. "'You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel, You're as cuddly as a cactus, You're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch. You're a bad banana with a greasy black peel. Just face the music, you're a monster, Mr. Grinch, yes, you are. Your heart's an empty hole, Your brain is full of spiders, You've got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch. I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole. You know, if you ask the Who's Who of Whoville No one's denyin'. You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch. You have termites in your smile. You have all the tender sweetness Of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch. Given the choice between you, I'd take the seasick crocodile.'" 

As Roman sang, he watched Virgil carefully carry the sleigh behind the two guards and try to rush up the path until he wouldn't be noticed. 

"I suppose not," one of the guards said once Roman's song was done. Then they both turned back to face the mountain. 

Roman blinked. Surely it can't be that easy! But it seemed it was. So he turned and quickly found the nearest garbage chute and took a ride to the top of Mount Crumpit. Prepared to meet his love at the top. 

----

3,000 feet up, up the side of Mount Crumpit, he rode with his load to the tip top to dump it.

Virgil grunted as he set the sleigh down carefully in the snow and turned to face Roman who was standing before him. "We did it!" He exclaimed excitedly. Roman grinned, leaped into his arms and wrapped him in a tight hug. Virgil placed a kiss to Roman's lips before setting him back down on his own feet. Virgil turned to Remy. "That wasn't so bad, was it Remy?" 

Remy rolled his eyes as he remembered at least 30 different breakdowns Virgil had had along the way. 

Roman turned towards the horizon. "They'll be waking up now," he said. "I know just what they'll do. All of them down in Whoville will all cry!”

----

"What an embarrassment! I've been robbed!" The sheriff of Whoville exclaimed as she rushed out of her house to her car. She climbed in and turned the siren on blissfully unaware of the rope attached to her bumper. She quickly drove off. 

Mayor Anton awoke with a start and suddenly, his bed crashed through the big window in his room with him in it. As Whos came out of their homes they watched as the mayor slid past on his bed. As the sheriff made a turn around the Christmas tree in the middle of town, the Mayor's bed slid around and came to an abrupt stop.  

The sheriff stepped out of her car and stopped as she noticed the mayor. "Mayor May-Who?" 

The mayor quickly jumped out of bed and pulled on his robe that was luckily still attached to the bed. He looked around noticing the damage. He frowned. "I wonder who could have done this," he said as he noticed Emile and their family come into view. "I'll tell you one thing: Invite the Grinch destroy Christmas." He raised his hands and beat on his bed. "Invite the Grinch destroy Christmas!!" He paused to take a breath and Emile frowned. "But did anyone, anyone listen to me?" 

"I did!" The mayor's assistant piped in but the mayor ignored him. 

"No. You choose to listen to a little not-to-be-taken-seriously child. And they haven't even grown into their nose yet." Anton shook his head. "Emile, I hope you're very proud of what you have done." With that, the mayor turned around. 

Emile frowned and looked down as tears welled in their eyes. 

"If they aren't, then I am!” 

Mayor Anton turned around to see Patton, Emile's dad, and Logan, their father had stepped in front of them. "What?" He asked, not sure if he had heard correctly. 

"I said, if they aren't, then I am. I'm glad he took our presents."

Who's around all gasped as the Mayor gawked at them. "You're glad? He's glad!" The mayor shouted to the crowd. "You're glad that everything is gone.? You're glad the Grinch virtually wrecked…? No, no. Not wrecked, pulverized Christmas. Is that really what I'm hearing?" 

Patton sighed. "You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor. It's not about the gifts, or contests or the fancy lights." He turned and gestured to Emile who's face showed hopefulness. 

"That's what Emile has been trying to tell everybody. "

The mayor blinked. "What is wrong with you!?! This is a child!" 

Patton pulled Emile close against his side. "They're my child. They happen to by right by the way." Patton turned towards his family. "I don't need anything more for Christmas than what's right here, my family."

The Who's all erupted into cheers and began telling each other Merry Christmas. Emile smiled brightly. They finally understood. Logan grabbed a hold of Patton's robe. "Merry Christmas honey!" He yanked Patton into a kiss. Missy and Pranks covered their mouths like they were going to be sick as they moved away from their parents. 

"Give me a break!" The mayor cried out as he turned away. 

Meanwhile, Emile was looking up at Mount Crumpit before they moved to find a garbage chute. "No one should be alone on Christmas," they whispered as the hit the side and started their ride to the top of the mountain. 

❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄🎅🎄❄

Everything Taglist: @spxced-oxt @superwholocked-for-life @mirror2thespirit @aroundofapplesauce @lyditist @little-euro-girl @unicornofdarknessstuff @maryann-draws

The Emo Who Stole Christmas Taglist: @logical-princey @mostpeopleannoyne

May I suggest listening to this song as mom or you know @ icequeenoriginal showed it to me saying this is how extra Roman is singing the song and I quite agree.

[hungryflowers]

Let Me Fall In Love With You

RadioHusk Week Prompt Day 5: You’re Scaring Me

Chapter 5: Pains of Infatuation

Husk’s eyes snapped open, mouth opened to snort out a suffocating gasp while his limbs twitched. His eyes darted around the unfamiliar space, panic seeping into his blood as he tried his best to force his limbs to move. His legs felt like lead, arms were numb across his face. The only movements came from his heaving chest. Occasionally his ear would flick to an unidentified noise in the room. He felt alone. Shadows wriggled on the walls, dancing silently on the red, rustic wallpaper by a flame. A few flames at that. They could not have been lit for long. 

His muscles started to get feeling in them again, humming in discomfort. Husk’s head turned about, eyes going to the architecture of the room he was inhabiting. He looked off to the farthest wall housing a massive solid hickory red door. Indentations aligned, decorated the door frame in winding patterns. Then he glanced to the wall light fixtures; sconce like lighting fixtures housing electric light bulbs. Black and red wallpapers shimmered in the structure of the room. To the next wall, a sitting room. Two oddly looking chairs cradled close to the wide simple brown table. A large sized coffee table stayed in the middle of the room. 

Husk glanced down at where he was laying. He sat up slowly, allowing the fabrics to slide along his body. He felt like satin underneath his dingy fur, the deep red color blending with his wings. ‘This bed must be huge.’ Husk was sure that it was from how his feet didn’t come anywhere near the baseboard. He rolled onto his side, trying to get a better gauging of where he had ended up. He knew it was somebody’s house, but he was only with--

Husk sharply inhaled at the realization. Everything was coming back to him now. That piece of shit attacked him! He attacked him and must’ve brought him here! 

His claw went to his nape, expecting there to be pain there. His eyes widened when he felt no blood. Nothing was ripped or pulled. Nor was there a pool of blood underneath where he rested his head. He had been seen to and patched up... by the very demon who had attacked him, no doubt. So where was he? Where could that son of a bitch had gone? Before he could decide on wanting to know, Husk climbed off the bed to vacate as fast as possible. The second his foot hit the floor however, a chest rumbling growl sounded up from underneath the floorboards as shadowy forms scattered across the walls, some skittering close to the bed without touching it. 

He would have screamed in any other circumstances but, his fight or flight response switched to fight automatically at the unknown creatures. He hissed and snarled, hopping back on the bed, while his fur stood on end. His claws flew out to pummel at the figures, wings swatting uselessly at the forms as they surrounded him. All of them smiling, silent laughs, clicks and hissing. One shadow hovered a willow thin talon over Husk’s face before a static filled the air. 

The monsters fell back, some looking around for the surfacing sound, a few cowering back to whence they came, as well a select few that bowed in knowing submission. 

“Assez. Loin de vous tous.” Red aura emanated from the open door as the Radio Demon made his presence known to the shadow beasts in the bedroom. He clicked his mic stand twice, no more or less, as they fled into the crevasses of the room. Smile ever present, though he appeared to have dressed down in comparison to what he had on at Arch Duke’s; a simple black shirt that went up his neck was tucked into his pants with the showy red striped waistcoat. Long, sizable legs were covered by loose fitting trouser pants that were up to his waist. He appeared to be wearing his dress shoes still, the heels clacking nosily on the hardwood. 

His features looked far fonder in the gleaming, softened light of the soft bulbs. Features not tight, or slouchy but his posture looked perfect in its form. Shoulders fitted back, chest out, neck craned slightly upwards as a gloved hand went into his red and black locks. The young man had antlers. An arbitrary detail Husk did not see, nor ask Alastor about the moment they went out. And he wondered if those were ears atop his head as well, or were they oddly placed flyaway with his hairstyle. 

The man kept his sanguine colored, slanted eyes on Husk as he picked up his mic stand to go into the sitting room. His voice conveyed a jovial sound that Husk had heard while they were out at his Parlor. The same vacuum tubed sounding radio noises were still coming from him. 

“Rude lots I know. Always too overeager when company is at hand. Why, I remember back in the day when I hosted an outrageously popular garden party. Only so with the ghouls, but boy! Was that a doozy of a time?!” The young man laughed as he manifested an old radio. The very first one. That old ass antique that Husk’s great-great-grandfather gave up to him as a fun ‘fuck you’ gift. It looked janky but it worked well, filling the room with a swinging jazz number that got Alastor bobbing his head to it. 

“Do you like this kind of music, Husker?,” He got up from the sofa, making it over to him in a bouncing stride. He took the cat’s paw, feeling up the fur before pulling the poor old man along. Husk almost didn’t budge, stumbling over his feet as Alastor took him for a spin, “This! Oh, this was truly the music of its time!”

“The fuck’s your problem?! Get off me!” Husk snapped, taking back his paw. He glared at Alastor, who only laughed quizzically at him. 

“Is something the matter, Cher ami? Lemme make you more comfortable. As a sign of my goodwill towards you, dearest.” He was walking into the cat’s personal space, grin widening. 

Husk’s long, feathery eyebrow rose. He looked unsettled, and a bit too confused. 

“Goodwill? To me? Motherfucker, you attacked me! You bit and threw me to the fucking floor! Then-then you transformed in-in into some fucking beast! Any ‘goodwill’ you want to have towards me is over, ass clown! We’re finished!” He began to stomp off, wings flailing high in intense agitation. 

Alastor stayed still despite Husk’s rambling. He didn’t remember much before he brought Husker to his home. Though he looked in the mirror before he left Husk to rest, seeing the reddening slash marks on his cheek, where claws had bit into his face. They had long healed, not leaving a trace or record of the attack ever happening. Since he didn’t see or recall the physical marks, what Husk was going on about didn’t happen. It was a fatted fantasy in his thoughts. Another odd justification for Husk to not fall in love with him. He blinked suddenly as Husk began to walk away. An inaudible gasp puffed out as he teleported in front of the door, scaring Husk. 

“Finished? Whatever could you mean? Beloved, you’re hysterical. I would never hit you. Our relationship is so brand new! I would never jeopardize the fragile, special being we have now,” Alastor grabbed at Husk’s paw again, this time with the intent of not letting him slip away, “Why don’t you just sit and relax? Listen to the radio with me? Let’s watch a picture show together! Did you know they have them in color?” He was pulling Husk back into the bedroom to sit down. 

Husk struggled yet couldn’t pull away from the other demon. What the fuck was going on with him? He went on a full tangent about Husk not attacking him... and that was after the cat had slapped him. Did transforming into whatever thing that was wipe Alastor’s memory? He was sat down as Alastor kissed the male’s paw, his smile beginning to creep the older male out. 

“Now, stay where you are. I’m gonna make us a perfect meal!” He chuckled as he deposited Husker on the sofa. His eyes closed as he pressed his lips to the upper part of Husk’s paw, lips grazing the nails before pulling away, turning back to head out into the remainder of his home. 

‘Goddamn, this was weird. The poor cat looked over to the staticky TV in front of him. Could this night get weirder?

For over an hour, Husk just stared into the static. He didn’t move, nor dare himself to do so. He had been alone in this bedroom, still aware of the presence of eyes looming to him. He hardly spoke when Alastor tried to get his attention. His tail thrashed in discomfort, bones and muscles quivering with a palpable uncertainty. Nothing was making sense. Everything in his body yowled at him to get the fuck out as hastily as he could. But he sat there. Paralyzed with a fear he couldn’t justify. That he had no explanation for, or an understanding of. When he heard something, his ears darted right to it. Oval, crepuscular eyes looked off into what he imagined was darkness. But it moved. All of the shadows moved. Often times closer to him, on its own volition. 

“Alright beloved, I hope you’re hungry. It’s last minute and I had more than enough for the both of us to share!” He came in, setting down a steaming pot of something. It was really a something all right. The male cat’s demeanor changed as he took in the aroma of spices and herbs. He picked off the top without Alastor’s say-so; looking in greedy awe at the collection of seafood, meats and rice. All put together in a mouthwatering brick-colored broth. 

“This is my signature, dearest! My own take on my mother’s infamous Gumbo! And if you’re into that fancy, try some of her Jambalaya as well!” He laughed heartily as he whipped out another pot, peeling off the top to reveal another flavor Husk had never experienced before. 

“Fuck...there’s so much. Al, I can’t.” He sounded nervous as he looked at the assortment. 

“Now, these are just appetizers! Palate teasers if ya will. You’re gonna start doin’ flips over my  Shrimp Etouffee! Oh and my Crawfish Monica!,” He pulled out a couple more dishes, both looking as hefty as the first two. One dish overflowing shrimp and assorted meats and greens, while the other was smelling delectably of cajun seasonings, crawfish brimming out of the top of the dish with tang of sauce dripping off it, “And let’s not forget about a wonderful wine to wash it down!” Alastor brought a dark red out of thin air, smiling the whole while Husk looked up at him. 

The cat’s nerves began to settle; somehow some TV, food and booze didn’t seem so bad. He could shave off an hour or two. 

He finishes his plate with a burp and the last swig of his wine. Never in his life had he ever had a meal like that. Even in his after life it couldn’t possibly be this good. Alastor made it good. He made this food good as shit. He was ready to go to sleep now after that meal.

“Did you enjoy everything?” He refilled Husker’s wine glass once more before topping off his own. He eyed the liquid as the cat nodded. He looked quite comfortable after his third glass of wine. It made Alastor chuckle knowing he had made his significant comfortable in his presence. He manifested another bottle of the red wine since Husk was liking it so much. He’d keep it on standby in case the male wanted more.

“That... That was, hands down, the best meal I’ve ever had,” Husk hiccuped as he took another sip of his newly filled glass, “Ain’t nobody able to cook like you can.” The cat snorted drunkenly. He put the glass down as he stretched his wings and wound up limbs. 

“Haha! Such praise from my significant! I almost feel bashful!” Alastor laughed, his sound so honeyed and sugary. He didn’t even care as he placed both of his hands on Husk’s thighs, the gesture seeming sincere. He moved himself closer to the none too sober cat, close enough to smell the aged well wine on the other’s breath. There were too many elements that made this moment perfect; the well made food, the fine wine. To top it all, Alastor’s mate was endeared and made full by his home cooked meal. So many more things could have warmed his heart in this moment, but he didn’t think of those things... or anything else as his lips land on Husk’s. He keeps his red, saturated eyes open, waiting for the male cat’s reaction. 

He goes in with full tongue, a soft growl rumbling forward as he pushes Husk down. His hands go everywhere, lurk on some muscles, go to the cheeks of the cat and then to his ears. He finally relishes in the kiss as Husk leans into it, showing no reservations beyond it. His talon-like claws groom the back of Alastor’s hair as he pulls him in more, lips sucking the leftover wine off them. A moan escapes and it is the best sound to grace Alastor’s ears. He gets more and more hungry as he leaves the lips to nip and suck at the male’s cheeks and neck. His hands end up in Husker’s chest, feeling for the erratic beating of his heart. His other hand goes to Husk’s waist, pulling him in closer. When he feels the male wrap his legs around him, the deer demon’s mind swims, the tethers of sanity slipping as he submerges himself in Husk. 

A wandering hand daringly goes to the cat’s crotch; and then Husk awakens. 

Previously drunken lust simmers away as he becomes alert, even shocked. He begins to fight against the young man’s advances. He couldn’t talk, too drunk to convey to Alastor that he wanted to stop. His claws go to Alastor’s wrist to try and pull him away, but the only way Alastor saw it was the cat wanted more. His teeth went into Husk’s neck; gingerly sucking at the flesh and fur there. 

Wide, bleary eyes constricted at the tell-tale feeling of the teeth, and he snarled loudly, claws flying to the deer demon’s back to rake against the skin hard enough to puncture. 

Alastor laughed into the kisses until he felt razor pain in his upper shoulders and lower back. He pulled off as soon as he felt the trickles of blood down his back. He was about to ask what was wrong when Husk shot up and bit him in the side of his head. A loud, surprised, panicked yelp came from Alastor as he shook the old man off him, blood pooling from the new wounds. He feels over the two worse marks near his monocle, on the sides of his chin. Arousal escapes from his eyes, summoning a near feral look as he snarls back with his marred grin. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?! Alastor snaps, his softened tone breaking with static and loud whirring. He’s angry, even through the smile, Husk can tell he’s angry.

“I’m drunk as fuck! And so are you if you think this is gonna happen!,” The cat demon begins to puff up, feathers going ragged, claws extending, hackle raised. His tail doesn’t thrash this time, the appendage curled by his feet in an arch, “First you attack me, then forget about it and now you try and rape me! You’re sick as shit, Al. You need help!!” 

He never lets his guard down-for very good reason this time- as Alastor lunges for him, teeth on full display. He towers over the older male as he snaps his teeth at him, close enough to graze fur but not grab at anything. A rippling static pulses through the room as Alastor moves to attack again, missing again as Husk’s claws hit Alastor’s side. In spite of it all, Husk remains calm. The male jumps out of the way with enough time to recover his pacing. Teeth shine in candescent lighting as he pounces on Alastor, back claws ripping into his hips. A powerful slap of talons knocks Husk backwards, the force jarring the male for a moment. A moment too long as Alastor lands atop him, teeth bared, a blackened sludge dripping to the floor, eyes shone as radio dials. 

“What have I done wrong, beloved? Just tell me,” The voice is disembodied, sounding nearly nonexistent while Alastor’s mouth looked to be stapled shut, “What can I do to make this better? How can I be better for you?!” The last word sounded like a hiss. 

Husk’s ears pinned completely, body trying its damndest to move, but locked up in a frozen stupor. “Alastor--” He tried.

“NO! I have done all of this for you! And yet you still don’t love me! What must I do to make you fall in love with me?!” Claws began to extend as they shred the wooden floor. Alastor leans too close to Husk, steam coming from in between his clasped teeth. 

“You don’t even know what love is! You’re not comprehending that all that you’ve been doing is hurting what would have made this a good relationship. I can’t love anyone like that, or even you like this! Alastor, you’re scaring me.” Husk confessed, eyes wide but steely and determined. He was scared of the radio demon for sure, but he wasn’t about to piss himself, or beg the bastard. 

The dials tuned out, deep red pupils reappearing as the form seemed to be pushed back. Said eyes did not reflect normalcy however. The seemed distant, cold feeling. He pulled himself up on his knees, one of his hands going to the undamaged part of his face. He scrubbed at his hair before getting off Husk fully.

“I scare you...”, The radio tone warbled as he turned his back to Husk, “I’m not surprised that I do. I scare everyone. I’ve always known that I do.” His last sentence had no radio filter to it, and for the first time Husk had heard the radio demon’s true voice. The room devolves into silence after that. The male cat is able to roll around on his knees as he looks at the others back. A brick wall is fortified between the two beings, the metaphoric building too strong to break by one’s will alone. 

Husk saunters away on four feet, not trusting himself to stand just yet. His ear flicks to Alastor as he turns to him.

“Where are you going?” He asks, trying too hard to salvage whatever this had become. His ears go up, listening to the loud, long sigh coming from Husk. The male cat doesn’t turn to him, doesn’t even flinch his tail at him.

“I...don’t know. I just can’t be here.” The older man sounded tired. Could have looked tired. And for all that has happened, was tired. His head was kept pointed at the door of the bedroom as he walked. He half expected Alastor to stop him, to beg for forgiveness for his transgressions. Just maybe he could see what good there could be in him. He’d be getting his hopes up if he thought that. Husk didn’t see the glowing look in Alastor’s eyes fade as the deer demon got to his feet. He knew that he didn’t move from his place, even as he clipped off a sigh of his own. Nor did he see the way his head tilted to look down at the ground in a show of defeat. He saw nothing of Alastor because he didn’t want to see him. Not this way. 

He bounded off, steps barely making a sound as he sprinted out of the house. He’d find his way out eventually, his wings catching the odd chill in the air as he took to the deep red sky. 

A/N: A little late, but I think I did very good on this one! Enjoy!

[stcky-rogers]

just friends | ten

summary: bucky barnes, now a successful record executive, confessed his unrequited feelings for his best friend. ten years later, he returns home for the holidays when his plans to go to paris fall through. stuck in brooklyn with his crazy family and an egotistical pop star, bucky tries to get himself out of the friendzone. movie au, just friends

pairings: bucky barnes x reader

warnings: language, bucky & nat ruin christmas, fluff, little violence, mentions of death, and very little angst. 

nine

when you returned home, you didn’t fall asleep until four in the morning. your mind was racing with what bruce had told you and your mistletoe kiss with bucky. you were at a crossroads, you couldn’t explain, but you felt something for bucky that went a little beyond friendship. because friends don’t kiss like that, in fact, friends don’t kiss at all. then there was thor, he was handsome and sweet, but you saw him as nothing more than a friend, like you had years ago. bruce, on the other hand, was someone you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with. but, he left and it left you broken hearted for months, but you eventually got through it. the words he spoke to you last night caught you by surprise and you were supposed to give him your answer tonight. 

it was like a punch in the gut when you whispered his name, “bruce.” he smiled softly and looked down at his feet. “i see i’ve interrupted something,” he said, looking between you and bucky. you slowly pulled away from the man in front of you, your face flushing red as you pulled your coat closer to your body. bucky gave a slight frown, “doll, are you ready to go?” he asked, shifting his gaze from the man in front of him down to you. 

smiling, you turned to face, bucky. “not quite yet. do you mind if i speak to bruce for a minute?” bucky gave you a forced smile, “no, not at all. i’ll be in the car waiting.” he said, placing a lingering kiss on your cheek. you watched bucky’s large frame as he retreated to the car parked a few feet away from where you were standing. you expected bucky to enter the car, instead he waited outside the car, leaning against the hood. 

you turned to face bruce and he was already grinning at you, “it’s been,” he trailed off as he looked over your features. “a year, it’s been a year.” you mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind your ears. he nodded, “yeah, it has.” 

you rolled your eyes, you were never someone to beat around the bush. you were the type of person who wanted to get straight to the point. “why are you back, bruce?” you asked. “are you with him?” he asked, nodding over to bucky who was smiling at the kids who passed by him. a small smile appeared on your face as you watched one of the kids wrap their arms around his legs. “no, i’m not. why are you here, bruce?” you asked once again. he cleared his throat, “i came back for you,” you nearly choked on your saliva, “i’m sorry, did you say you came back for me?” bruce nodded and your frown deepened, “why?” 

“because, i-i love you and it was stupid of me to leave you. not a day has gone by where i haven’t thought about you.” you chuckled, “you’re kidding, right?” bruce’s cheeks flushed red, either from the cold or from anger, you couldn’t tell. “why do you always do this? you undermine me and make some sort of joke out of everything.” you clench your jaw, hands balling up into fists at your side, “this is why i don’t take you serious,” you spun on your heel and stalked towards bucky and the car. 

“goodbye, bruce,” you called over your shoulder. 

bucky’s smile dropped when he saw the irritated look on your face. “doll, are you okay?” you shook your head as he reached to open the door to the car. you thanked him and climbed inside, he shut the door behind you and walked around the car to climb in. 

the drive back to your place was silent. bucky had tried to make conversation, but it just didn’t work. you were too pissed. bruce had no right to drop in unannounced, he had no right to tell you he loved you, and he had no right to be upset with you. he was the one who left you after you told him how you felt. 

when bucky pulled into your driveway, he cut off the engine and turned to face you. “do you want to talk about it?” bucky could see the tension in your shoulders as you shook your head stiffly. a yawn passed through your lips and bucky smiled, “let’s get you inside.” he said. bucky opened your door and walked you to your door. bucky wrapped you in a tight, secure hug, his head burrowed in the crook of your neck. his warm breath and cold lips fanning over your skin. 

bucky pulled away from you, a grin on his lips, “i’ll see you tomorrow, doll.” he kissed the top of your head before stepping away and walking back to the car. you unlocked the door and quickly stepped inside to get away from the cold air surrounding you. you pulled off your outerwear and raced up the stairs to your bedroom with your phone in hand.

your phone chimed in your hand and you looked down to see his name across the screen. 

bruce: i’m sorry about earlier, but what i said is true, i do want to be with you and i admit that it was extremely wrong of me to do what i did. 

you were going to respond when you saw the three bubbles pop up on your screen again. 

bruce: if you still feel something for me that means there’s still a chance for us. i would like to have your answer before i leave tonight. 

you stared at the screen, mouth agape as you read the text over and over and over again, you locked your phone and placed it on your bedside table. you changed out of your clothes into something more comfortable, you slide in between the sheets and stared at the ceiling until you finally fell asleep hours later. 

when you finally woke the next morning, it was a little after ten. you rubbed the sleep from your eyes and stayed in bed for a little. shortly after, your door had been pushed open and a tiny figure was climbing on your bed. with a shout of your name, morgan exclaimed, cheerfully, “come on, get up, it’s christmas!” you chuckled softly, pushing yourself into a sitting position, back resting against the headboard. you swooped morgan into your arms and began tickling her, her giggles filled the air. 

you stopped and smiled down at her, “merry christmas, morgoona.” you said, brushing her dark locks out of her face. her smile made yours grow wider, “merry christmas, now, come on.” she grumbled, small hands wrapping around yours and struggling to pull you from the bed. 

you followed your sister downstairs to see the stark family sitting in front of the fireplace, mugs in hand, and christmas attire in full affect. taking a seat next to peter, your dad placed a pair of antlers on your head. you thanked him and kissed his cheek. 

tony began passing out the presents and everyone began tearing open their gifts. 

tony just about cried when he received the personalized cuff links with your family portrait on them from you and the matching tie peter gave him. you helped morgan pick out a mug that said ‘world’s greatest genius’ and filled it with his favorite candies. 

morgan received loads of new toys and an electric car. 

peter was practically bouncing off of the walls when you, tony, and pepper had given him his gifts. you bought him the new video games he was always talking about, you swear he said something about the graphics of the game at least ten times a day. pepper had gotten him a new laptop, the kid was as clumsy as a puppy learning to walk. he had somehow broken his last one. tony had given peter a new vr set that he had upgraded.

you had gifted pepper with a new charm bracelet, something about the five of you dangling from the chain around her wrist, tony and morgan gifted her with a trip to bora bora, and peter had given her a pair of earrings. 

you received a victrola retro record player from peter. your last record player had broken during your move to brooklyn. “i saw your records grandpa howard had given you were collecting dust. so, i thought why not put them to use.” you smiled softly and hugged peter until he squirmed in your hold. you were gifted with a personalized nameplate from pepper. “it’s only right you get one of those since you’re a few months away from becoming a teacher.” you thanked her and hugged her before your father cleared his throat. 

he handed you a box and nervously sat back, chewing on his lip. you opened the box to see a packet of papers. frowning, you looked up at your dad. “what’s this?” he rolled his eyes, “does this generation no longer believe in reading anything,” you mocked him and he started explaining himself. “this is the deed to the house, here in brooklyn. it’s yours, all you have to do is sign those papers.” 

you choked on your saliva and coughed, “what?” tony nodded, “the house is yours, kiddo. it was your mother’s and she left it to you, she insisted that i wait until the time was right. what better time than now?” you looked down at the papers in your hands, “dad, i-” you managed before he cut you off, “you’re about to be a teacher and soon you’ll be starting your own family. there’s also a letter in there from your mother, whenever you’re ready to read it.” 

you didn’t remember much about your mother, she had passed away when you were only five. she had been in a terrible car accident on her way home from work one evening. tony and many others would tell you that you looked a lot like her. as a single father, tony struggled to run a company after the death of his wife and raising his daughter. tony thought he would never get his life under control until he met pepper. when pepper came into your lives, she was just his assistant, but she went above and beyond to help the two of you in any way she could. she was there for everything. every dance recital, every gala, school event, business meeting, late nights at the office, pepper was even there when tony had decided to adopt a little boy, peter. eventually, she became the wife of tony stark and the mother of his three children and the five of you couldn’t be any happier.

your eyes welled up with tears as you stared back at your father, an encouraging and proud grin sporting his lips. “thank you,” you said, sliding off the couch and into your father’s arms. you felt the rumble of his chest as he chuckled, pulling you tighter into his arms. he pressed a soft kiss to your head and gently let you go. 

“i’m so proud of the three of you,” tony looked at each of his children, a wide smile on his face and tears shining brightly in his eyes. quickly blinking away the tears, he stood and clasped his hands together. “alright, let’s get this place cleaned up and get dinner started. guests will be arriving shortly.” you shook your head and smiled nonetheless. 

after what felt like hours, the house was cleaned and dinner had been started. you all had gone back to your bedrooms and bathrooms to shower and get ready for the annual stark christmas party. you were in your bedroom, sitting in front of your vanity slipping on your earrings and humming along to the music when the first few guests arrived. you usually waited in your bedroom until steve and peggy arrived with the kids. moving away from the vanity, you swept up the papers and shuffled through them until you saw the letter your dad had mentioned earlier that morning. you sat down on your bed and opened up the letter. a picture fell into your lap. it was one you hadn’t seen before. you flipped the picture over and read the back of it. 

the stark family’s first christmas.

you immediately recognized your dad, his dark eyes vivid with happiness, his arms wrapped around the woman in the photo, the woman did in fact look like you. in her lap sat a chunky baby girl, a bow adorning the top of her head, smiling at the camera. you smiled softly at the photo in your hands and placed it to the side as you began reading the letter. 

to my sweet little girl, 

if you’re reading this letter it means that i’m no longer with you and it’s time to hand over what is rightfully yours. during our first week of marriage, your father and i purchased the house in brooklyn, i remember seeing it and telling your father, “that’s it, that’s the house.” 

at first he hated it! but, as time went by he grew to love it as much as i did. this house has so much potential and it’s the one i want to watch you grow up in, to take your first steps in, to say your first words in, to spend your first christmas in. 

i picked this house for you, my sweet girl. i hope you love it as much as we do. i can’t wait to meet you and watch you grow into the beautiful young lady i know you will be. 

with all my love, mom. 

as you finished reading the letter there was a light knock on your bedroom door. you looked up to see bucky pushing open the door, his smile falling when he saw the tears spilling down your cheeks. “doll, what’s wrong?” he asked. you shook your head and wiped at your eyes before smiling. “i was just reading this letter, it’s from my mom.” you said, softly. bucky knew talking about your mother was a touchy subject. he sat next to you on the bed, thigh brushing yours. 

“what’s it say?” he asked, gently rubbing your back. you handed him the letter, watching as he eyes shifted back and forth as he read the short, neatly written letter. you also slipped the picture into his hands and his eyes widened, “she was beautiful,” you nodded. “and you were a chunky baby!” bucky exclaimed and you groaned. 

“but, you’re still adorable as ever,” he said, a small smile gracing his lips. you were about to speak when morgan barged into the room, her eyes shifting from you to bucky as she rocked back and forth on her heels. “dad, said to come save you,” you rolled your eyes, but smiled before standing and lifting her into your arms. 

“consider me saved,” you stuck your tongue out at bucky before racing down the stairs. morgan giggled as she watched bucky run after you. you saw steve standing by the appetizers and hid behind his large frame. “hide us,” steve shook his head and did his best to hide two giggling sisters. bucky spotted you behind, “hey, pal. mind if i slide behind you for a second?” steve stepped out of the way and you pouted, “traitor.” you said, lightly pushing his shoulder. you placed morgan on the floor and watched as she ran off to play with stella and stefan. 

peggy walked over to join the three of you when morgan took the kids off of her hands. “merry christmas, guys!” she smiled, pulling you all in for a group hug. you chuckled, “so, what’s new?” steve asked, wrapping an arm around peggy’s waist. 

you grinned proudly, “you’re looking at a new homeowner!” peggy squealed, attracted some attention your way. “i haven’t signed anything, yet, but i’m definitely going to.” bucky smiled down at your excitement. you always made him lose focus on everything around him, but you. 

“where is the house we’ll be having all of our future parties?” steve asked. “you’re standing in it, pal.” bucky answered for you. 

as the day went on and more people continued to show up, you grew exhausted. you smiled and greeted as many of your guests as you could. thor had even shown up, bearing gifts. he brought three bottles of his father’s new distillery, it was supposed to be very strong, but smooth, nonetheless. 

dinner had been served and now you were all sitting in front of the fireplace with the remaining guests, listening to thor strum away at the guitar. from the corner of your eye, you could see bucky sitting on the stairs fiddling with his fingers, lost in his own world. 

when thor finished the beautiful melody, your dad had asked, more like demanded, everyone put on their gear and head outside for caroling. you headed upstairs to your bedroom,giving bucky a pat on the shoulder as you passed by him. steve and peggy approached bucky on the stairs as soon as you were out of their line of vision. 

“dude, what the hell are you doing?” steve hissed and bucky shook his head. “i’m getting creamed by odinson, for fuck’s sake. you saw him with that guitar, it’s like the guy has an extra set of fingers.” peggy rolled her eyes, “stop feeling sorry for yourself, you are james buchanan barnes. you’re a hot shot record producer! you date models and artists for goodness sake! you’ve got this, barnes.” steve nodded at his wife’s pep talk, “it’s only odinson.” 

“odinson?” bucky repeated. the two men repeated the name several times before bucky finally stood up. “that’s it, pal! get off your ass and go tell that girl how you feel.” steve cheered him on. 

you placed a blanket over their bodies, grabbed your coat and gloves, and raced back down the stairs. you entered the living room and saw bucky standing with steve, peggy, thor, and another figure. 

you approached your group of friends, “what are we waiting for? it’s time to-” you stopped talking when your eyes landed on his he smiled shyly, “hey,” you cleared your throat before giving him a smile wave. “hi, bruce.” you managed, wrapping your hand around peggy’s, who grabbed steve’s hand, who, then, grabbed bucky’s, and led her outside. 

thor and bruce followed the rest of you outside of the house. you stood with your group of friends singing along to the first of the four christmas songs your family sang every year. it hadn’t always been this way. the stark family didn’t start hosting christmas dinner until you were about eight. it was your dad’s way of keeping the house full, so the two of you weren’t lonely, as he put it. 

you’re in the middle of the second song when you hear a voice call out bucky’s name. you all turned to the source, only to see mrs. barnes’ car speeding towards your home. the car ran through the picket fence, destroying the fence and the multiple snowmen you and family spent hours making. 

people began moving out of the way as the car skidded to a halt in the front yard, just barely missing the inflatable snowman. pietro rushed out of the car and slid into his brother’s grasp, “i tried to stop her, didn’t work out that well. um, you’re screwed.” pietro managed as he looked over his shoulder and saw an angry natasha approaching. pietro hid behind his brother’s solid frame as the redhead began screaming. 

“you son of a bitch!” bucky gave a nervous laugh, throwing his hands in the air. “natasha! you’re here, shit.” he mumbled. “there you are! you’re the slut he’s been screwing behind my back!” she shouted as she pointed in your direction. ms. henderson, pointed to herself, “me?” she asked, clearly confused. 

“not you, old lady.” natasha rolled her eyes as she pointed directly at you. “you!” you scoffed, “who are you?” natasha stepped closer, “i’m natasha, bitch!” she shoved you, causing you to stumble. you shoved her back, she swung her fist, but you managed to move out of the way in time for bucky to wrap her up and carry her about a foot away. 

she shoved bucky off of her, “i’m gonna make you pay for this! i’m gonna get you fired, i hope you enjoy unemployment, dick.” she sneered before punching bucky in the throat. bucky choked, his hands coming up to clutch his throat as natasha stormed off, climbed back inside the car, and drove off. a string of lights were stuck to the rear bumper of the car as it sped off down the street. the lights whipping through the air and causing all of the directions to fall from the roof of the house and catch on fire. 

bucky gave a soft chuckle, “merry christmas.”

eleven

taglist:

@starkxpotts / @captain-avengerss / @metermarker / @propertyofpoeandbucky/ @inlovewith3 / @thisismyfriend-tree / @amor67figment-love / @sourieeseb / @xi-i-i-whatsyouremergency / @renalilo/ @skin-like / @comicaluke / @breezy1415 /

[atethewriting]

Peppermint - Chenle

Dear Diary,

4 days after the devastation, I think it’s time to move into the town that’s in the middle of the woods. I am hungry and cold, and something is watching me. And the smell of rotting flesh is starting to get to me. But, I’m scared. What if I starve before I get there? What if they don’t let me in? What if I can’t find somewhere to live? I should pack my things soon and get going. I’ll write later.

-Chenle

【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】

Chenle walked over the bridge and over a patch of loose dirt with a small potato sack filled with his items, slung over his shoulder. White and red peppermint antlers stuck out of his head, along with a set of red-spotted, white deer ears. His snow-white hair making him look like the definition of winter. Which wasn’t entirely wrong, he loved the cold season. He used to live in the deepest part of the woods with his family. That is, before his family was slaughtered. For 4 days he lived surrounded by the rotting bodies, but let’s not get too into detail. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he reached the tall stone wall that surrounded the kingdom. About a mile East was a gate, so he made his way over there, knocking politely. He was greeted by a boy with dark brown hair, dark clothing, and a gloomy aura. Chenle smiled cheerfully.

“Hi! My parents are dead and I came here for shelter!” He said. It was a bit straightforward but it got the point across.

“Welcome to the fucking club...” The boy replied, letting the cheerful one in.

“What do you mean?” Chenle tilted his head curiously.

“4 days ago, half of the population here was slaughtered. How did you not hear about it?” He snapped back, making the deer boy jump.

“I-I’m sorry...I lived really far away...I’m sorry...”

The taller of the two leaned in and sniffed Chenle, growling softly and backing away.

“Just as I suspected. You’re from the deep woods. Never met someone so cheerful from there.”

“What does that have to do with anything? I’m Chenle! Nice to meet you!!”

“Have you watched your parents die while you could do nothing?”

“Yep!”

“What about witnessing over 50 dead bodies scattered around the ground in the matter of seconds?”

“Does 50 squirrels count?”

“No. Have you heard the screams of children as they try running away, only for them to be silenced with a sword to the head?”

“Well, you’re awfully negative!”

The boy was greeted by a harsh slap on the face for saying that, making him yelp out in pain. He sniffled, looking down at the ground.

“The last time we let someone back in from the deep woods it turned out to be a serial killer! What makes you think that we should trust you?”

“Oh, are you talking about Kun?! I know him! Can you bring me to him!!? Please!!”

The other growled in response, pointing to Kun, who was sitting on a bench in the town square, reading a book. Chenle thanked him and skipped off, spooking the Death Fairy from behind.

“Hi Kun!!!!!” He yelled, Kun turning around at that.

“Hey. Need something?”

“My parents died 4 days ago and I’m hungry!”

“How can you say that so cheerfully,” He laughed, “But okay. I’ll buy you some food or whatever...”

“Yay thank you!!”

“Just let me finish this chapter, though. I’m almost done.”

“Okay!” Chenle skipped off once more, going over to a Witch with a wooden left arm. She was sitting against a tree, reading as well. “Hi Go Won!”

“Oh, hello...what are you doing in town?” The Witch pondered, closing her book and standing up.

“My parents are dead!”

“Well that sucks, I’m sorry. When did that happen? Recently?”

“4 days ago!”

“Odd coincidence..that’s when I lost my arm.”

“In the big devastation thingy??? A very gloomy boy told me about it!!!” He bounced, spinning in a circle.

“Yes, correct. How are you always so cheerful?”

“I don’t know! Just am!”

Kun came up behind him and placed a hand on Chenle’s shoulder, making him flinch.

“I’m done, dumby.” Kun laughed softly.

“Okay!”

【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】

Chenle stared at all of the food in front of him, his mouth watering. Of course, being a deer, he couldn’t handle meat of any kind. But, all of the options in front of him looked like heaven. Kun sat across from him in the pink-fabriced booth, laughing. The Death Fairy gave Chenle the go signal, and he immediately dug into the grilled Proves, a type of vegetable that tasted a lot like buttered popcorn. It was a golden-brown color, char around the onion-like rings. It was a type of root, grown only in the Eastern Woods.

“Yummy!” He said as he finished that meal, moving onto the next. Deer ate a lot, especially when hungry.

“So, what really brought you here?”

Chenle stopped for a moment, his mouth full.

“...the smell of rotting bodies became boring-“

“And I smell lies from that. What’s the real truth.”

“That was the truth, though.”

“I think there’s more to it, right?”

“Something was watching me,” Swallowing the food he had in his mouth, Chenle smiled.

“And you’re just okay with that?”

“As long as it wasn’t hurting me, yeah!”

“You’re so dumb sometimes, I swear..” The Fairy groaned, pinching his temples together.

“I am not! I am way smart!” Chenle protested.

“Who do you think was watching you?”

“I don’t know!! Some woman!”

“What did she look like?”

“She had green eyes! And black hair! She had a blue necklace on!” The boy visualized.

“Hm...Finish eating. We’ll take this problem to King Jungwoo..” Kun went into deep thinking, muting everything around him.

‘It could be a forest spirit...’ He thought.

Next thing they knew, Chenle was done and they were halfway towards the King’s castle. As they got closer, blue jewels started to float in the air, and pink stars followed them.

When they got into the main hall, Jungwoo was waiting expectantly. His pink jeweled crown atop his head, and a calm smile plastered onto his face. They approached the throne he was sitting on, bowing politely.

“We have something to report-“

“I know.” He simply replied, shocking them both. “And I have the answer, too. The Maiden Messanger. Daughter of the Maiden Dust, and a close cousin to Mother Death. She reports odd cases, and yours is quite spectacular.”

“But I’m not hiding anything? Why is mine spectacular?!” Chenle smiled, spinning in a happy circle.

“Because you have nothing to hide, Chenle. Mother Life tends to hide secrets, and so do her children. But you don’t hide any, and we’re trying to figure that out.”

“Woahhhh!!! I feel like I’m in a mystery novel!! I’ll be Sherlock!” He straightened his posture, pretending a smoking pipe was in his hand. “My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know!”

“How the hell do you know who Sherlock Holmes is?” Kun asked, bewildered.

“I read it in a book I found!!”

“Ah.”

Jungwoo laughed, amused. Johnny held in his laugh, remaining as serious as possible.

Kun, however, was unamused. Who was The Maiden Dust? And who was Maiden Messanger? The King was definitely hiding something.

“Your majesty. I have a question.”

“Yes yes of course! Go ahead!” The King replied, calming down.

“You show no specific traits any of the mothers. In fact, you show a variety of traits from all of them. So, answer me this — Are you a child of all? Or, perhaps, are you a child of none? You’re also fairly knowledgeable, a trait in which is only heavily seen in Death’s and Time’s. Yet, you’re also publicly emotional and carefree, a trait only seen in Nature’s and Life’s. So, what exactly are you.”

The King froze, his skin going pale as he started to sweat. As he choked back a cry, Kun grinned.

“So? What’s your answer?”

“I-um...”

“Come on~ spit it out.”

“Johnny...Get them away.”

A blast of air was shot their way, sending them flying out of the castle. Chenle landed in a soft patch of grass right outside the door while Kun tumbled down the steep hill and back into town. Both were left stunned and confused.

Chenle ran down the hill, skipping and singing. He acted as if nothing was happening. Kun growled, thoughts bouncing around his mind like the screen he saw once in the woods. DVD Video, it said, and it’s changed colors every time it hit a corner. He stood up, angered.

“Chenle.” The Fairy exclaimed, catching the younger’s attention.

“Yessss?~”

“Don’t you think...it was a bit weird, how he avoided the question like that?”

“I mean, yeah. I thought it was kind of strange, if I’m being honest...”

“What do you think he’s hiding?”

“Whatever he is, I don’t think he’s one of us. If he was a child of MomMom’s then he wouldn’t react like that.”

“I was thinking that, too. I’ll ask Go Won later, right now we need to get you a place to settle in.”

“Okay!”

【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】【＊】

Kun reached the end of the long row of houses, looking at a house that was painted with flowers. He quietly knocked, Chenle standing right behind him.

He knocked again, someone finally answering the door. An older woman with purple hair, her skin worn and green. She wore a puffy white dress and a soft smile. Kun’s ‘Mother’. The woman took a quick glance at her son, not recognizing him at first. He smiled, making her flinch and start to cry because she knew that smile. It was her son’s smile. The same son that had left over 15 years ago to pursue whatever crimes came to his mind. The same son that abandoned her. She shakily reached her hands out to cup his cheeks, and he started to tear up as well. Kun brought his old woman into a hug, leaning on her shoulder and sobbing.

“Mama...Mama I’m so sorry...”

“It’s okay, my dear. I forgive you. I know you didn’t mean it.”

“Well this is awfully emotional!” Chenle put his hands on his hips, completely ruining the mood. Kun’s Mother laughed, wiping her tears away.

“You’re right, it is. This isn’t how we should celebrate! Doyoung!!” She called, going into the house and bringing her other son outside, who pointed at Kun and tilted his head. They had both grown lots since they last saw each other, after all. Doyoung looked more like a prince now, his hair styled back and his face more well-built.

“Kun?” He spoke, just as confused as Kun was.

“Doyoung?” The other spoke back.

“Chenle!” Chenle yelled, excited as always.

“Mama!” The mother spoke, just as excited as Chenle.

Chenle and Mama proceeded to do a little dance, confusing the hell out of Doyoung and Kun.

“I-“ Doyoung spoke.

“It’s a Life thing...” Kun responded.

“Come in for tea, my dear. It’ll be fun.” She said while dancing.

“Okay miss!” He responded, also dancing.

They both went inside for tea.

Doyoung looked back at Kun, sighing.

“You look like such a thug, god. I’m taking you shopping later.”

“And you look like a rich boy who goes to a special private school so you have no say in my clothes.”

“Good point. Also you need a haircut.”

“I know.”

“Still afraid of birds?”

“Yeah kinda”

“You never change, let’s go in.” He patted Kun’s shoulder, going inside the small house, Kun following shortly after.

Chenle and Mama were seated at a wooden table, talking (quite loudly) while having a cup of tea. The youngest noticed something in the corner of his eye, but kept quiet about it. Mama noticed something, too. But, she mentioned it before anything bad happened.

“Something’s looking at you, Chenle. Stay there.” She calmly placed her teacup down and got up, heading over to a window that faced the table. She opened it and climbed out, going into the forest beyond and spooking a woman with black hair and green eyes, who was hiding behind a tree. Mama smiled, holding her hand out to help the girl up. She was around 15, it seemed.

“It’s okay, girl. No need to be scared. But why were you watching that boy?”

“M-m-m-mama instruc-instructed me t-to...” She stuttered, pushing her long hair behind her ear. Her eyes were droopy, nose small, lips full, and ears pointy. Her pitch black dress matched her hair, and the bright blue pendant she wore seemed to glow.

“What’s your name, dear?”

“M-m-m-Messanger....M-Maiden M-mess-Messanger...” The Maiden’s eyes filled with ink black tears, falling down her silver skin. Mama wiped them away, making Messanger flinch.

“What a beautiful name. You can call me Mama, or Mamama, or Mamamama. Whatever you like!”

“O-O-Okay...”

“Would you like to come in for some tea?”

“Y-yes please...” She choked out, knowing that she’ll probably get in trouble for it.

“Alright~”

【㊄】【㊄】【㊄】【㊄】【㊄】【㊄】

Messanger sat across from Chenle, shaking like a lost dog. Every time she tried to speak nothing would come out. Chenle accepted this by doing most of the talking, which comforted her in a way. The Maiden stared down at the tea she had been given, looking at her reflection. Her mother would definitely scold her for this, and she was scared of what she would do. The girl was whispering small calming spells under her breath, but none seemed to work.

“What are you saying?” Chenle smiled, excited.

“N-n-n-nothing...” Messanger replied, her voice like soft rain.

“I saw your lips moving?”

“I-it’s none o-o-of your b-business, boy!”

“Well, sorry...” He sighed, finishing his cup of tea.

Kun walked over and glared at the small girl.

“Answer me this, girl. Who is King Jungwoo to you?”

She flinched, shaking her head and starting to tear up.

“I-I’m sorry...p-please d-d-d-dont hurt me...” Messanger hid her head, bracing for impact.

“I’m not going to hurt you, just answer the question.”

“H-he’s my brother!”

[jungshookz]

For the Christmas drabbles! Can you do a Drabble with demon yoongi and yn now that we know Yoongi’s feeling on Christmas. With Yoongi being an absolute grinch because it’s CHRISTmas? Alll I want for christmassssss~~~~ is that Drabble! Thank you!!!

🎄 pairing: min yoongi x reader

🎄 genre: demon!yoongi, angel!jimin, yoongi isn’t the biggest fan of christmas, yoongi is very vERy jealous of jimin, this gets a little spicy so nsFW, fluff of course

🎄 wordcount: 4.1k oof

🎄 notes: this was supposed to be a drabble but obviously i got carried away!! also a lot of u fell in love with angel!jimin (same) so he’s bACK!! 

(gif isn’t mine!)

(((and the read more function iS there but most of the time it doesn’t work on mobile :// i am sorry don’t attack me by sending passive-aggressive anon messages)))

yoongi’s always been a bit of a pessimist

it’s not his fault though!!!!!

he’s a demon

naturally he shines a more negative light on pretty much anything

and sometimes he doesn’t realise it but he takes it a little bit too far when he’s joking around and poking fun at your ‘dumb human traditions’

it’s just that he’s never really celebrated christmas before so he doesn’t take it as seriously as you do!!

“look at this poor, mangled tree. you should’ve left it in the forest where it belongs.” yoongi shakes his head as you hand him another bauble to put up

you suppress a sigh and roll your eyes as you bend down to pick up an ornament for yourself

it’s almost christmas which is your favourite time of the year!!!!

being surrounded by loved ones while enjoying sugar cookies and hot chocolate and opening up gifts is just!! it’s so wonderful and you take christmas very veRy seriously

and this is yoongi’s first christmas so you decided you wanted to make it extra special so you decided to put up the tree today even though you were going to save it for next week

also you’re a little tired from lectures today and your bones ache but sTILL you were like NopE today is the day that the christmas decorations are going to go up and it’s going to be great

you always have a lotta fun putting up christmas decorations

usually kook is here to help but you decided that this was just going to be a special you and yoongi thing this year

plus you’ll see him at your annual christmas party anyway so

anyways

it’s a little difficult to have fun when you have a literal demon next to you yapping your ear off talking about how stupid these decorations are and how dumb christmas is and ‘why would i want to spend my own hard-earned money on other people??’

you’ve been doing fine for the past two hours

tuning yoongi’s nonstop complaining out as you wrapped some sparkly tinsel around the stair railings

bit down on your tongue to keep yourself from yelling at yoongi as you shoved the pre-made sugar cookies into the oven

you even ignored his comments about your ‘childish’ reindeer antler headband and your ‘flashy’ snowflake earrings

but uh

now you’re 500% irritated and you don’t want to hear another complaint come out of yoongi’s mouth otherwise you’re literally going to explode out of anger

“i would rather go back to hell than put up another ornament.” yoongi mutters and looks at the candy cane ornament in his hand

that’s it

“you know what yoongi, if you don’t wanna do this, i’m not going to force you to, okay?” you snap and snatch the ornament away from yoongi and he’s like damn okay fine

he furrows his brows and watches as you aggressively hang the ornament up

“i was just kidd-“

“you’re always just kidding!!!”

oof

someone’s grouchy

yoongi doesn’t say anything (which is a smart move) but he bends down to grab a bauble from the box of christmas tree decorations

he jumps when you kick the box out of the way gently

“why don’t you go and check on the cookies or something?” you give him a pointed look before letting out a huff

yoongi purses his lips before raising his hands in defence

he turns to look at you over his shoulder as he steps over the boxes and heads to the kitchen

you’re not paying attention to him at all

now that yoongi has a moment of silence to think

..,,okay

he can admit that maybe he’s been a bit of a scrooge the entire day and you’ve done nothing but try to make christmas as fun as possible

and it’s not fair for him to bag on these christmas traditions just because he doesn’t typically celebrate christmas down in hell

but like jesus christ is his enemy after all

big yikes energy

he feels the guilt eating at him as he watches the cookies bake in the oven

okay okay okay

what can he do to cheer you up

finish decorating the rest of the house??

no he can’t do that because you’ve pretty much decorated the entire house alone while he stood there and complained

make more cookies???

no he can’t because those cookies are pre-made and you only bought one box of them

what use is an incubus when it comes to christmas

christmas sex by the fireplace??

no he can’t because it’s noT EVEN CHRISTMAS YET and you’ve taught him that also sex doesn’t solve everything (unfortunately)

yoongi freezes when he hears something

something that makes his heart drop to his stomach

a bead of sweat roll down the side of his forehead

okay he’s being a little dramatic but-

his eyes flicker up when he hears a twinkly little laugh

oh god

he knows that laugh

yoongi buRSts out of the kitchen and nearly trips over his feet

oh for fuCK’s SAKE

“yoongi! there you are! i was wondering why the usual stench of sulphur wasn’t present in the room.” jimin grins and giggles when you whack his arm playfully “kidding!”

“what are you doing here?” yoongi huffs and crosses his arms

he bites down on the inside of his cheek when jimin bends down and plucks a bauble out of the box of decorations

you didn’t kick the box away like you did with him

“i finished my duties early so i figured i’d stop by!” jimin hums and looks at the fully decorated tree

the two of you take a step back to look at the tree

“something’s missing…” jimin furrows his brows and strokes his chin

“yoongi broke like three baubles so the bald spots are kind of unavoidable” you shrug and turn to glare and yoongi and he’s like wha- i didN’T KNOW THEY Were so deLICATE

“oh! i know!” jimin gasps and snaps his fingers and you watch in amazement as he starts levitating off the ground until he’s at the top of the tree

jimin rubs his fingers together and you squeal in excitement when a mixture of silver and white glitter starts sprinkling down from his fingers onto the tree

“oh jimin that’s perfect!!!!! i love that!!!” you gasp and jimin nods excitedly as he continues dusting the tree and adding the final touches

yoongi scoffs and rolls his eyes

what a show off  

yoongi could totally do that too

he looks down at his hands

yoongi rubs his fingers together and winces when smokey ashes start sprinkling down from his fingers

whoops

not quite the same

“anyways - what was i talking about?” jimin lands on the ground and dusts off his hands

yoongi gives him an unimpressed look and crosses his arm again before tapping his foot on the ground impatiently

“you were in the middle of telling us why you’re here in the first place”

“he already told us it’s because he finished his duties early so he figured he’d stop by - if you were even listening.” you raise a brow and yoongi resists the urge to roll his eyes

he plops down on the couch and winces when the box of decorations fall off the couch from the bounce

he picks it up quickly

luckily it was just full of tinsel

“and it looks like i stopped by at just the right time because-“ jimin pauses and sticks his finger in the air

yoongi’s like wtf r u doing u loser

and suddenly the timer from the oven goes off “-the cookies are ready!”

“ooh, let me go get those!” you grin “you’re gonna loVe them jimin they’re all shaped like angels” you clap your hands together before scurrying off to the kitchen

“oh, yoongi. yoongi yoongi yoongi.” jimin sighs and shakes his head mockingly once you disappear into the kitchen

yoongi glares up at jimin “what.”

“you messed up big time, didn’t you?”

“i did no such thing”

“then why is y/n so mad at you?”

“she’s not mad at me and it’s none of your business”

“is it because you were being your usual grouchy self?” jimin tilts his head and yoongi’s like u already knOW it’s because i was being my usual grouchy self u dick

“you might be wondering why i came when i did” jimin starts cleaning up loose glitter and tinsel on the floor

“you already said it’s because you finished your-“

“one of my most important duties is making sure y/n is happy, you know.” jimin stands up quickly and holds up a finger

and yoongi’s like ? no it’s not

“…what do u mean”

“oh, haven’t you heard? i’m her guardian angel now. no longer just an angel - i’ve been promoted to guardian angel and they assigned me to y/n which means you’ll be seeing me around a lot more often. did she not tell you?”

yoongi can feel himself growing red from anger

“now now - no need to start a fire” jimin pats the top of yoongi’s head because it’s literally starting to sizzle and smoke up “so i’m going to need you to stay out of the way for a couple of hours so that i can improve y/n’s mood. i’ve already increased it significantly but i’d like for it to be at 100% before i leave.”

“are you implying that i don’t make her happy?” yoongi stands up and towers over jimin and jimin purses his lips before shrugging  

“i mean i’m not not implying that.”

that’s it

yoongi’s going to RIP jimin’s wings right off his back

“jiminie!!!!! i brought a cookie for you they’rE so good” you pop out of the kitchen before yoongi can luRch forward and strangle jiminiE

“they smell very good!”

you break off a piece of the cookie and hold it up to feed jimin and he takes it happily

yoongi automatically assumes that the other half is for him and he opens his mouth expectantly

you raise a brow at him before popping the other half into your own mouth

you chew

you swallow

and yoongi’s still standing there with an open mouth

“you can help yourself to a cookie. now - where were we?” you turn and wander back to jimin and jimin gives yoongi a knowing smirk

yoongi clenches his fist before letting out a huff and crossing his arms

“oh! the star! how could i forget about the most important part of the tree??” you take the glimmering gold star out of the box and hold it up “jimin, do you wanna put it up?”

wait but u said that yOONgi could put it up

this is supposed to be his thing!!

in fact this whole decorating thing was supposed to be your guys’ thing!!!!!!!!!

like yA he was being a dick but u made a promise and u can’t break ur promise like thIS

“wait but-“ yoongi pauses when you and jimin turn to look at him

he clears his throat

“i, uh, i thought you said that i could put up the star?” he scratches the back of his neck and avoids your gaze

“yeah. and?” you blink at yoongi and put a hand on your hip

yeah and

that’s your response

the two of you are having this silent veRy very intense stare down and jimin’s like [sweat] because you’re obviously not scared of yoongi even though you’re well aware of his capabilities as a literal demon

“fine. let jimin put your stupid star up.” yoongi snarls and you see his eyes flicker to black before he disappears into a cloud of smoke

if you let jimin put the damn star up you might as well start DAtinG Him tOO

he’s already your stupid guardian angel so taking it to a romantic level wouldn’t be out of the ordinary!! much more normal than a human willingly being in a romantic relationship with an incubus

frick

he hAtes this

he’s always been a little insecure about himself being a demon and all

and when jimin comes around with all his perfectness and his twinkles and glitter and warmth it makes yoongi feel like shit even tho it’s not jimin’s fault like yeah he’s an angel he’s supposed to be a figure of perfection

and now you and jimin are decorating the tree together which was supposed to be your guys’ thing but apparently not anymore!!!!!!

yoongi wants to live in purgatory for the rest of his life

you jump in surprise when yoongi disappears so suddenly

oh

he hasn’t done that in a while

he only goes into purgatory when something’s really really bugging him

okay

maybe u took it a little too far

u were a little rough on him

but to be fair hE started it- okAy but you should’ve taken the high road even tho u were frustrated you’re well aware that yoongi’s personality is just naturally like that and he’s been trained to think of jesus christ as his enemy so u can see why he keeps poking fun at all the traditions

you let out a sigh and toss the star onto the couch before turning to look at jimin who’s currently twirling a sprig of mistletoe between his fingers

hm

“yoongi?” you poke your head into the bedroom

you’ve checked everywhere else in the house but yoongi’s nowhere to be found

you thought that maybe he was just chilling in a room somewhere but obviously not

jimin left a while ago but u sent him off with some cookies and a kiss on the cheek (which probably wasn’t the best thing to do lol)

he told u about the whole guardian angel thing a while ago and yEs of course you were ecstatic about it but then u could see why yoongi would be upset about you not talking to him about that

you shut the bedroom door behind you

“look, i don’t know if you’re listening to me right now or not - i sure hope you are otherwise i look like an idiot talking to myself. i’m sorry, alright? i shouldn’t have broken my promise and i know i was being a little too petty, i admit it. can you come back now? i miss u” you murmur that last part and scratch the back of your neck when you’re met with silence

how come you didn’t tell me about jimin becoming your guardian angel?

you jump when you hear yoongi’s voice

ugh

he’s still in purgatory

“if you come back i’ll tell you”

no

you roll your eyes

don’t roll your eyes at me

“i didn’t tell you because i didn’t think it’d be a big deal. so what if jimin’s my guardian angel?? who cares??” you sigh exasperatedly “i don’t think i even need a guardian angel because i already have yoU but it’s always good to have extra protection. don’t you want me to be safe?”

i’m perfectly capable of keeping you safe

“i know you are, yoongs. but you know what the difference is?”

he has wings and i don’t? he’s an angel and i’m not? everyone celebrates him but everyone fears me??-

“i like jimin but i love you”

you’re met with nothing but silence and understandably you start getting a little nervous

you’re about to say something along the lines of ‘i meaN when i say love i mean like i really reALLy like u’ but all of a sudden yoongi poofs up and appears sitting on the edge of the bed

he clears his throat and avoids your gaze but you can see that his cheeks are a little flushed

yoongi??? blushing???????? the world must be ENDING

“ʸᵒᵘ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ᵐᵉˀ” he squeaks out and you can’t fight the FAT grin on your face

AW

HE’S,,, HE’S BEING SHY

“of course i love u” you rock back and forth on your heels and offer him a cute smile and his heart exploDes “don’t you love me?”

yoongi coughs into his fist and his eyes flicker toward the door

he physically cannot look you in the eye other wise he’s going to melt into a puddle of goop

“ᵒᶠ ᶜᵒᵘʳˢᵉ ᶦ ˡᵒᵛᵉ ᵘ ᵗᵒᵒ”

he coughs again and finally looks up at you

“of course i love you too.”

“so,, am i forgiven?” you purse your lips and take a little step closer to him

yoongi gives you an unimpressed look “did you just tell me you loved me so that it’d be easier for me to forgive you?”

“i’m realising that’s how it seems buT i have a peace offering for you too” you reach into your back pocket and pull out the sprig of mistletoe that jimin was playing with earlier

you hold it above your head and smile and yoongi expectantly and he’s like ?

“.,.,,is that a weed”

“it’s mistletoe! i’m holding it over my head so u have to kiss me and thaT’s the rule.”

ah

another silly christmas tradition

yoongi scoffs and leans back against his palms

you pout and look up at the mistletoe you’re holding above your head “you can’t not kiss me. that’s not how mistletoe works”

yoongi let out a sigh before shaking his head and gesturing for you to come closer

the holiday season is about forgiveness after all

“c’mere, you dummy” yoongi murmurs and you immediately swoops down to plant your lips against his

“see, i can get into the christmas spirit” yoongi purrs and pulls you down so that you’re straddling him

you giggle and give him another kiss

“do you, um, do you forgive me too?” yoongi asks sheepishly and reaches up to scratch the back of his neck

“mm, i dunno…” you tease “you were being a real dick today” you sigh “and you were being super immature around jimin-“

“sTop talking about jimin” yoongi whines and grabs your hips before pushing you down on the bed

you giggle as your head flops against the mattress

“just tell me u foRgive meEe” yoongi hovers over you and rubs his nose against yours

he already knows you’ve forgiven him but he needs to hear it otherwise he’ll feel bad

u know how earlier yoongi said that you taught him sex doesn’t solve everything

he’s about to prove that that is nOt entirely true

“forgive me now?” yoongi sighs against your neck and rolls his hips against yours

haH

you’re not thAt weak you’re not giving in that easily

“nope” you tsk and let out a bored sigh

you feel yoongi’s hand slither down and whOops your jeans have just been undone

“forgive me… now?” yoongi’s hand slides into your panties and he smirks against your neck because it definitely feELs like you’ve forgiven him

o h

maybe you’re a lot weaker than u originally thought

you feel a thrill down your spine when yoongi eases a finger into you without warning

“n-no..” you gasp and arch your back against the mattress and yoongi’s other hand comes up and he intertwines his fingers with yours

he presses a kiss behind your jaw and hums as you rock your hips into his hand

you whine when another finger slips into you alongside the other very easily

“you take my fingers so well, baby” yoongi praises and your hips twitch up from the bed

yoongi pulls away from you and leans back on his heels but he keeps his eyes glued on you

you look like you just stepped out of his wildest wet dream

your lips are slick and swollen from his kisses and you’ve got small blooms of blues and purples on your neck and your chest

your chest is rising up and down rapidly and soft whimpers and moans tumble from your lips as your fingers dig into the plush pillow behind you

fuck

he wants nothing more than to push into you and fuck you like there’s no tomorrow but he’ll start off with making you cum with his fingers before he gets to that

yoongi tilts his head and watches your eyelashes flutter when his thumb starts rubbing quick circles over your clit

“jimin could never make you feel this good, could he?”

oh god

you can barely breathe because your head is spinning with pleasure

“answer me, baby” yoongi grunts when your walls clench tighter around his fingers

he leans back down and starts pressing warm kisses to the spot under your ear

“no, n-no, he could never make me feel as good as you do” you manage to get out and yoongi smirks against your skin before he starts to double his efforts and concentration on that spot

“and you forgive me now?” his thumb starts rubbing quickEr circles over your clit and he pushes your hips down when they buck up

“yes, yesyesyEs i forgive y-you-!”

“mm, good girl” yoongi tuts and slams his fingers in before curling them upwards and oH fuCk you’re gonna cum like really reaLLY sOOn-

a sharp cry leaves your throat when the tension finally snaps and you cum a loT harder than ever before

you’re pretty sure your soul leaves your body for like a split second

yoongi hisses because your walls tighten significantly around his fingers and he takes his bottom lip in between his teeth as he fucks you through your orgasm

your thighs are trembling and your body is twitching slightly and you know what yoongi could stop there and let you relax for a bit but

he is a devil of a boy

which is how he ends up making you have anoTher orgasm right after this first one

except this time he makes you cum with his mouth because he wanted to spice it up a little

“you did so good for me, baby” yoongi wiggles you into a pair of clean panties before leaning down and pressing a kiss against your mouth and flopping down next to you

“i hate you” you pant softly and yoongi grins and turns to look at you and your flushed cheeks

“that’s not what u said when my face was buried in between your legs”

yoongi now knows what his favourite christmas tradition is

it starts with a mistle and ends with a toe

MISTLeTOE

HE LOVES MISTLETOE

now thAT’s the good kush

hold up a tiny little weed above someone’s head and the person has to kiss you??? genius

but uh

you have to admit

yoongi’s having a little too much fun with mistletoe

but you can’t get mad at him because he’s finally interested in a christmas tradition

you’ve been giving him kisses all day which is not what you’re complaining about because you loVe kissing your boyfriend

but like

u have so much to do to prepare for christmas and yoongi is being very distracting

at one point you ended up making out on the couch for like ten minutes and when you were like ok i have to go buy more baubles for the tree yoongi whIPPed the mistletoe out from his back pocket and held it over you and was like!!! u have to kiss me!!! u said those were the rules!!!

“oh y/n~” yoongi sing-songs and you let out a sigh as you pull the cookies out of the oven

“yes, yoongi?” you set the cookies down before turning to face him and peeling the oven mitts off

“come n give me another kiss” yoongi wiggles his brows as he holds the mistletoe above his crotch

…classic

🎄the twelve drabbles of christmas! 🎄

❄️do you have a special christmas request? ❄️

[sidneycrosbyisawitch]

what a bright time, it’s the right time.

a (sorta belated) christmas present for lina @betheproof. 

the sun has barely risen, gentle and pale through the bedroom windows, when tyler murmurs a grinning “good morning” into jamie’s jaw.

it takes jamie a moment to swim awake through layers of warm blankets and new light and tyler leaning over him.  

“you awake?” jamie mumbles, reflexively pressing a sleep clumsy kiss onto tyler’s cheekbone, lips brushing over the tickle of his beard. “riley awake?”

“yeah, we’re up,” tyler leans back, and even through his grogginess, jamie’s smile is immediate and uncontrollable. he pulls himself up on his elbow from beneath the covers.

riley’s mop of dark curls is accented with a tiny red bow and her onesie is covered in red and white reindeer print. tyler wiggles her gently, big hands spanning her ribs where she’s sitting between his crossed legs, and she giggles little chirps of happiness. he ducks down to her ear.

“say ‘merry christmas, daddy. time to wake up,’” tyler prompts, dimple deep and voice soft.

riley valiantly burbles in response, smacking her knees excitedly, and she even manages a few ‘duh, duh’ sounds, so she’s getting there.

“oh, is it christmas already?” jamie asks, pinching riley’s little toes between his fingers. “should we go see what santa brought for you?” he grins at tyler. “she looks amazing. did you take some pictures?”

“did i take some pictures,” tyler scoffs. “we’ve been up since 5:30, of course i took some pictures. and now that you’re up, we can take some more.”

tyler’s been on baby time for the past year, maybe because he’s naturally more of a morning person, but jamie’s positive that even if tyler wasn’t he’d still be up at dawn every morning as the first face riley sees when she blinks awake.

“that sounds good.” jamie smacks a kiss to riley’s nose -- and, god, it already looks so much like tyler’s -- as he sits up before heaving her into the air with a groan.

“i hope santa knows how big you got overnight or none of your presents will fit,” he tells her. she giggles in delight midair, little round face with tyler’s nose and hazel eyes lit up in a joyful half-toothed grin.

the telltale clack of of nails on the hallway floor announces the dogs’ arrival before they nose the bedroom door open. gerry’s first on the bed, as always, wriggling with happiness as the mattress bounces with the addition of his weight. his bandana has candy canes printed all over it. marshall and cash wait, tails wagging, beside the bed with santa and gingerbread men bandanas. the bandanas are actually pretty reserved by tyler’s standards.

“guess the boys are ready, too,” tyler says, scratching gerry’s neck. the rounds of his cheekbones are bright with a huge smile as gerry nuzzles him.

there are very few times that jamie’s seen tyler happier. when they had riley. when they made the playoffs. when jamie moved in, maybe, knowing that this house was intended to be tyler’s forever home in dallas. and right now, cross legged on their duvet on riley’s first christmas morning, wearing a rudolph t-shirt with christmas lights in his antlers spelling out “get lit.” jamie is so fucking in love with him.

jamie tucks riley into his side one-armed and uses the other to pull tyler close, hand cupped around the back of his neck. tyler catches his hands on jamie’s knees.

“merry christmas.” jamie kisses him, light and lingering. “i love you.”

tyler kisses back, and jamie savors the sugary sweetness in his mouth. sunlight falls in cool bright streaks as it rises above the eastern windows; the dogs are huffing and woofing, riley is babbling in jamie’s ear, but, for a moment, everything narrows down to the feeling of tyler’s curls under his hand and the give of his mouth. you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, jamie thinks.

it’s cash who starts barking.

tyler pulls back with a laugh. “i hear you. we’ll get moving.”

riley reaches for him as he takes her back. jamie knows riley loves him, obviously, but there’s really no question as to who’s her favorite. nothing really compares to seeing tyler with their baby in his arms, anyways.

“c’mon, baby girl. c’mon, boys. christmas is waiting downstairs, and daddy hasn’t had breakfast yet.”

tyler slaps jamie’s knee before folding himself out of bed, gerry tumbling down after him. she’ll be a year old on valentine’s day, and maybe they’ll have to stop calling her their baby then, but jamie doubts either of them will be capable of that.

jamie pulls on the christmas pajama pants tyler set out for him, but forgoes a shirt in the 70 degree texas winter. maybe when riley’s older she can get a taste of a canadian christmas with snow and ice, but she was born in texas. dallas, and its sunny christmases, is their home.

tyler bounces riley on his hip as he starts down the stairs, the lights wrapped around the bannister twinkling and the dogs at his heels in a pack. the sound of their paws on the hardwood drum along to tyler’s off-key rendition of frosty the snowman that never fails to make riley laugh.

the kitchen smells of sugar and vanilla and coffee. tyler’s pretty much mastered jackie’s cinnamon roll recipe, and jamie inhales two while standing at the counter before they settle under the towering tree and the small mountain range of presents beneath it. the dogs find their favorite places on the couches as soon as tyler breaks the special bones out of their monogrammed stockings.

tyler takes a considering look at the haul of gifts as riley sticks a small present in her mouth. he scrunches up his nose. “did we go overboard?”

jamie shakes his head. “it’s her first christmas, tyler. santa’s allowed to go overboard.”

and it makes you happy. and she deserves it.

tyler grins and kisses the top of riley’s head. “let dada show you how to open a present, riley girl,” he coos, then looks to jamie. “santa might go overboard next year, too.”

the whole house is covered in glittering lights and garland and bells. jamie has probably never seen a christmas tree as tall as theirs, and tyler’s had a blast decorating ever since american thanksgiving. christmas music floats through the living room from the tv speakers in the background.

jamie knows how lucky he is, most of the time, but in that moment, it hits hard. this is his family, and his home, and they’re beautiful. tyler and riley look at him, their perfect noses scrunched up as they rip the wrapping paper. jamie can’t believe he gets to have all of this.

santa can go overboard every damn year.

and by next christmas, hopefully, jamie will ask the question and tyler will say yes.

now though, jamie grabs riley’s little foot, leans into the kiss tyler drops on his bare shoulder, and helps them unwrap one of the many gifts from her nana.

“love you,” tyler murmurs against his skin, eyes fond. messy long waves fall over his forehead, even as jamie brushes them back.

riley shrieks as she finally pulls the big red bow free of the paper. it’s an enormous version of the one in her hair, and it goes straight into her mouth.

“oh crap, rescue that,” jamie says in laughing surprise. “you should wear it in pictures so you’ll match.”

tyler’s indignant look is adorable, but he rescues it from riley’s slobbery fist. “you can wear it for pictures.”

they both wear it for a few, and jamie makes the one with matching tyler and riley his lockscreen. they each have another cinnamon roll because everyone knows christmas doesn’t count, and after they do all the facetime sessions with the grandparents, riley crashes for her morning nap, bow crooked in her curls.

sleep when the baby sleeps are the words of a genius, and tyler crashes almost as hard while they’re watching the grinch, tucked up against jamie’s chest on the couch.

as his chest rises and falls, jamie thinks thank you. thank you for coming into my life. thank you for riley. thank you loving me. thank you for letting me love you.

it’s a pretty fucking awesome baby’s first christmas.

[meshugana1]

"On Halloween night a where it's full of scares and fright, one soul wanders to find some 'treats' of his in the form of women he likes to bone. But as this holiday has taught us that girls can carry a lot of tricks especially one group which which usually are ideal for sorting out these kinds of pricks." To clarify, all the girls turn one man into an anthro Black cat with 6-breasts,green eyes,a slutty witch costume but just hat, toe/heel showing witch stockings and jack-o-lantern bell collar.

   William zipped his pants up and left the young princess to tidy herself up in the bushes. How he loved Halloween. Even the stuck up girls put out. Must be the full moon or that escapist feeling in the air this time of year. It was the perfect time for a guy like him. He didn’t even have to put much effort into his costume. Just a white t-shirt, a pack of cheap cigarettes rolled in the sleeve, his hair slicked back with pomade, and jeans with a pair of cheap boots. It was the total Brando package, and he didn’t even have to spend thirty bucks. It already paid for itself, that was the third bimbo so far that wrapped her lips around his seven inches and the sun hadn’t even set yet.

   As he rounded the corner, he already spotted his next conquest. The first thing he saw was tits, huge juicy ones. They were attached to a pretty face too, beautiful tan skin, really sexy eyes, and hair like a wildflower. Her costume didn’t hurt her figure either. Pink, nearly transparent silk, covered her fabulous tits and even her goofy airy silk pants couldn’t hide an ass that went on for days. God love the genie look. William sauntered over with his usual confidence, the bulge in his jeans was obvious and warned of exactly what he wanted. “Sup pretty lady? You seem like you need some company, my night is free if you like what you see,” William said. The woman looked William up and down. ‘What was it about this night that made it so easy?’ She thought. This would be the forty-third boy she came across trying to take advantage of her, it was too easy really.   “Well thank you, young Master, I am but a humble genie, and I would love to repay you. So, your wish is my command Master,” She said. She held her hands in front of her chest and popped her hips slowly to a rhythm William could not hear.   “Well then, I think first I’ll wish for you to give me a little pussy, then—”   “WISH GRANTED!” She said snapping her fingers. There was a flash and a surging of smoke from her feet. William coughed and waved the air clear, and spotted the crazy girl’s ass bouncing away.   “All you had to do was so no, crazy bitch,” William said. He did what he usually did when he was rebuffed, he reached he’d down to readjust his semi-turgid best friend. He patted his left leg, where it usually rested but felt only thigh. He checked the other but found nothing still. He gulped, jamming his hand into his jeans. He felt skin, on a night like tonight he would always forgo underwear, it just got in the way. But as he rubbed his crotch, he didn’t feel his shaft, nor his balls, nor his head. He just felt a little…tingly? He didn’t give up searching, but then, on a downstroke, his index finger slipped inside him. His knees shook, his finger was wet, and when his nail grazed a sensitive little bud of nerves, the mystery was solved. “MY COCK TURNED INTO A CUNT?!”

   William ran hard, pants dangling by an ankle and dripping pussy exposed to the nippy air. He gave no thought to his direction, his eyes stared ahead blankly. He rounded the corner and struck something soft, then two bodies crashed into the ground. His bare ass rubbed into the ground and the long grass tickled his pussy.   “What the hell dude? *Pbbbrrrbbtt* Watch where you’re going!” The woman said. William looked at the victim of his panicked dash. The first thing he saw was an enormous round belly attached to an incredibly sexy woman. Her breasts were glorious and her ass was the stuff of legends, if she could lay off the burritos, she would’ve been another fine woman he would love to let suck him off if his circumstances were different.   “Uh, sorry,” William said. He tried to raise himself off the ground, but the shock from his sudden transformation was setting in and they remained rooted to the earth.   “Oh! I’m so sorry, *fffwwweeeeeenn* I guess ‘dude’ is a bit offensive huh? My bad, *Splorttt*” she said. Why would she say that? He thought. Then he remembered his state of dress, and what he was unintentionally exposing to her.   “Wait, NO! I’m not trans, I was cursed or something, I don’t normally look like this I swear!”   “Cursed? *Brrrrrrrbbbb* Really? *Flablatch* No way! I can totally help! I’m Stacey and I’m a witch in training,*fffffffffffffffffffffffffffp*” she said. Fifteen minutes ago he would’ve thought she was some crazy pregnant chick, but now the scales had fallen from his eyes and he would grasp at any straw.   “Really!? Oh please help me, I’ll do anything!”   “No problem. *Rrrrrppppppttttt* I understand what you’re going through too, just brace yourself. *Ppppppppppppttttrrrr* I probably can’t fix all off this but I think I can put one thing back to normal at least,” Stacey said. William was a smidge confused. There was only one thing wrong with him so how could she miss? Stacey began speaking, and letting out a long, high pitched fart, in a language William had no hope of knowing. Her rate of strange words increased along with her gas. Then she just stopped, and William felt a twinge in his chest. He pulled up his shirt and saw his nipples had become puffy and erect, and his pecs started to look a little fatty. He then felt a tremendous sense of vertigo and the ground rapidly approached him. Then his chest trembled and surged forth with such force that it knocked him off balance. He had fleshy bags attached to his chest topped with large, puffy nipples. He couldn’t say the word, he wouldn’t say the word.   “Well, *Blort* that’s all I can really do without making it worse. You got a doozy of a spell on you. *Sprrrutut* I hope that get’s you back to normal a bit, bye! *Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr*” Stacey said. She turned and waddled away, the sounds of gas still echoing into the night.

   William shambled against a fence. Twice, how could the same thing happen to a guy twice in less than an hour? It was like being struck by magical lightning, then getting hit by a magical meteor. He felt his…chest, dangle and bob with every step. He knew this fence, it was some recluse middle-aged ladies. He used to be tall enough to peer clear over the top, now thanks to that gassy bitch he was a foot too short. William didn’t even have the will to put his pants back on. What was the point? All people would see of his living nightmare was a costume of a gender-bent freak. He continued on his hopeless march when he rubbed himself against a soft pair of tits coming around the corner.   “WHAT?! How dare you touch me so casually!” William heard, he didn’t care. What else could happen to him. Going to jail would be an improvement at this rate. “Are you ignoring me you little bastard? You think you can fondle a goddess and get away with it? I know your type little man. You think you’re just a real tomcat, don’t you? I can tell you’ve already been given a few lessons, but they clearly aren’t enough for someone like you,” The woman said.   “What? Oh god no, no! Please don’t, it was an accident! Leave me alone!” William said. He didn’t wait for an answer and turned to run. His shorter legs pumped as hard as they could but nothing was moving around him. The woman held her hand out, suspending him in the air.   “You want to be a little Tomcat? Fine! One little change though, I’d hate to erase your progress!” She said. William flailed in the air. Three times, three fucking times! His clothing dissolved into nothingness, exposing his new breasts and pristine pussy completely. His short body began to contract even further, reducing him to just barely above four and a half feet. What remained of his masculine form began to melt away. His arms became supple and graceful, so did his legs. His waist contorted into a tiny shape, his legs became slender at the calf but tremendously thick in the thigh. His ass tingled, then it felt like it was falling out, becoming a tight, round fanny. All his muscles faded away, his facial features softened, going from the hard face of a rugged man to a supermodels visage. No trace of him was left. Then it got worse.

   The hairs on his arms having nearly gone were returning with force. Same with his legs. Before this evening, he was gifted with very light flaxen hair. But his hair growing in now was black as black. It was probably the same on his head, he could feel it coming down his neck and slipping past his shoulders. It was getting thicker and thicker, soon it coated his arms and legs so entirely that he could see no skin beneath any of it. His new fur shined glossy. There was a pinch atop his head as pointed ears, much better suited for his new shape. Another pinch came above his engorged bottom as his spine lengthened nearly four feet. Unceremoniously he dropped toward the ground. He twisted and distorted his body on the way down without effort. His arms and legs hit the earth first, catching him.    “There, now you look the part, Pussy. Maybe you’ll think better of trying to cop a feel on a goddess with your filthy paws,” she said. She turned aggressively on her heel, then left down the sidewalk leaving William to lick his magical wounds.

   He sat there a while, squatting, feeling his tail flick back and forth. “FUCK! FUCKFUCKFUCK! Why?! Why me?! I didn’t do anything and now the universe has fucked me FOUR FUCKING TIMES! Now I’m a big tatted cat bitch?! Of fucking course! Why not? Who cares?! Is that all you got? Can’t get any worse so bring it the fuck on! What’s next? Antlers? A cock on my forehead? How about a whole buncha titties? Could always use more of those right?!”   “Well, now that you mention it that doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” came a small voice behind him. Every hair on Williams body stood on end. Every muscle tensed and he shot into the air nearly fifteen feet, landing in the recluses yard. The hair all over his body stood on end and his arms and legs remained stiff and outstretched.   ���Holy Titania, sorry didn’t mean to scare you kitty,” the voice came again. William turned and saw something he both feared and begrudgingly expected. It was a tiny blonde woman, no more than six inches tall, floating there in a green dress. “Let me guess, you’re gonna change me too? Fucking great, FUCKING GREAT! Well, get on with it you little freak. Do your fucking worst!” William said.   “Hey! Don’t you yell at me you little bitch! I know you’re having a rough night, fella, and maybe if you were nicer, I would’ve helped you out. But now? Well, you reap what you sow!” She said. Yellow light shot from her hands and struck William below his breasts. He felt a cramp, followed by three others. Then his shoulders slumped as four new pairs of breasts, each one equal to his first set, weighted him down so much he was forced nearly to all fours. “There, enjoy what being an asshole gets you,” the fairy said. With that, she turned and left in a blinding display of speed.

   William plopped down on his round bottom and grabbed one of his middle tits. They felt so heavy. His chest began to heave, then the tops of his original pair of jugs began to moisten with his tears. It was so unfair. All he wanted to do was get his dick a little bit wet, that’s all. What was so wrong with that? Now he was a freak, a six titted cat freak. What was he going to do? Where could he go? His family wouldn’t recognize him now, none of his friends would care beyond wanting to fuck him. He was screwed. Stuck crying in the cold and the grass. “Perfect!” He decried.   “I’ll say,” a sultry voice said behind him. He wasn’t surprised this time. His new ears picked up the creaking of the porch ages ago. The woman was simply stunning, beautiful olive skin, a voluptuous figure and a sexy as hell witches costume. “You look like you’ve had a rough night,” she said.   “Oh yeah, sniff, how can you tell?” William said.   “Well, the tits give it away. Come on up here, no need for tears.”   “Like hell there isn’t,” William said as he sulked up the steps of her porch, “Look at me! I’m practically a monster.”   “Hardly, I’ve seen monsters before and you are quite far from that. I’d even say you look pretty cute.”   “Oh what, are you a witch too or something?”   “Yeah, isn’t the costume obvious?” She said with a smile.   “Oh.”   “Don’t worry little kitten; I’m not going to hurt you.”   “Might as well, everyone else with magical powers is.”   “Actually, I was going to ask if you might want a job.”   “A job?”   “Yup, interested?”   “What kind of job could I do like this?”   “Well, most witches have familiars, but I’ve never really gotten around to it. I’m not exactly proactive, but when such an opportunity lands in ones lap it is unwise not to take advantage.”   “What does a familiar do? I don’t have to do anything crazy or satanic do I?”   “Satanic, really? I just run a little store of oddities and antiques. I guess you’d run the counter sometimes, organize, anything else I need, maybe test out new magical items I acquire, that sort of thing. And of course, you’d be living here with me. What do you think?”   “You’d want a giant titted cat monster running the store while you’re at lunch?”   “I have a myriad of items at my shop kitty; they’re almost all of a magical nature. There are more than a few that would change the way you look to something a bit more socially acceptable. So, what do you think?” William didn’t need much time to think.   “What choice do I have?” William extended his hand to her, “I’m William.”   “Pleasure to meet you, I am Saveta, but you’ll call me Mistress when it’s just us from now on,” Saveta said as she clasped his outstretched hand. William felt a surge coming from her hand that left him weak in the knees.   “I don’t know about that Mistress, sounds a little too kinky. Wait what? I just called you Mistress instead of Mistress. Oh crap, is this magic again?”   “Yeah, sorry. It’s best you don’t think too hard about it until you’re used to it. But here, a little welcome home present,” Saveta said. She lifted her hands and seemed to produce a choker from nowhere. It looked expensive. It was jack-o-lantern shaped, of course. Saveta placed it around Williams’ neck, it fit perfectly. The moment she clasp was locked it disappeared, and William was bathed in a blue-hued light. A witch’s hat, nearly identical to his new Mistress’s appeared on his head. It even had holes specially placed for his ears.   “A hat?” William said.   “The bell has a pretty nice feature too,” Saveta said. She curled her finger and flicked the bell, sending the ring into Williams’ ears, then she did it again. The bell began to glow, then Williams world seemed to collapse in on itself. Where he was once sitting, he now was suspended in mid-air. As he fell to the chair, he contorted, catching himself on the seat cushion. He felt claws, whiskers, and warmth from the fur now covering his entire form. “Mrrow?”   “Useful right? Just for when company is over. And two more hits to change back,” she said striking the bell twice. William popped back into his human-ish form.   “That feels so weird!”   “You’ll get used to it; you can do it yourself too you know, should the need arise. Now come along inside, I’d like to take those tits for a test ride before anymore trick or treaters arrive,” Saveta said delivering a swift and sharp smack to Williams’ bottom, that answering more questions about what she meant than anything else.

The End. Hope Y’all like it!

[unicornsandphoenix]

Beat that, Cinderella

Another drarry Cinderella story based off of this post! This time with a modern twist to it!

Written once more (this time actually fitting the prompt) for the absolutely stunningly incredible @drarrymylove (I hope you enjoy!) and once again I would like to send my love to my AMAZING beta, @staganddragon

Read on Ao3 here

Draco stared at the small but bright spirit bobbing in front of him. He opened his mouth, promptly closed it, and squinted.

“So you’re…”

“A fairy godmother. Yes.”

“And you…”

The fairy, Jeni, Draco remembered, rolled her eyes. “Make the wishes of truly innocent repenters come true.”

“And I am one of these?” He said narrowing his eyes.

“Yes.”

“And because of that you want to send me to the annual Ministry Ball? Because that is my wish. To go to a ball. Tonight. Filled with people who hate me.” Before Jeni could cut in, he added, “An ex-Death Eater. In a room full of Aurors.”

Jeni crossed her little arms in a huff, her curls bouncing against her shoulders.  “Draco. Darling. We have been over this. This is literally the third time we have had this conversation over again. Can you just roll with it? Please. Just give it tonight. Until 12 o'clock.” She reminded Draco ever so slightly of Pansy. Well. A lot, really. Had they met? This would not work out in her favor, Draco decided.

“Right,” Draco snorted. “And then what, at 12 I just leave? The fancy disguise you give me eviscerates? Someone pledges their undying love for me?” Draco chuckle stopped short when he had a brief image of Potter flash through his head. He scowled. And then glared for good measure. Stupid tosser would probably just ignore him as he had been doing ever since a few weeks before Draco quit Auror training last Monday. They must have moved him up to special classes, as Draco never saw him around the ministry, and Potter had certainly not made an effort to reach out to him. Not that he should have, a cheery voice reminded him. Several conversations and flirtatious smiles doesn’t actually mean anything. Draco shook himself out of his stupor.

“Actually…” Jeni started, wincing, and Draco leveled her with a flat look. “Well. We’ll apparate you out of there. No matter what is happening. Just as the clock strikes midnight. We’ve had some… issues in the past. Mice and pumpkins, you understand.”

“Great,” Draco mumbled crossing his arms. “Even fairy godmothers aren’t perfect.” Jeni tisked at him. “How did you even get in here?” Darco wondered. “The manor is guarded against magical creatures now.” Draco paled as he sat down on his bed heavily, remembering the last magical creature that had come to his house. “Are the charms failing? What if-”

Jeni landed on his shoulder and started to pet his hair. “No, Sweetie. I’m sorry I scared you. Godmothers aren’t like ordinary magical creatures. Our magic doesn’t register the same.” Draco took a breath and shook the dark thoughts from his head.

Draco chanced a glace out to his desk. Atop sat a horrifically boring book his mother had been pleading with him to read. He took a slow turn of the room, begging for something to stick out to him, but if he was being honest with himself, he supposed he had nothing better to do. Not that his time wasn’t important. And he had plenty of people to talk to of course. It was just that. Well. His parents were in Paris, and who knows where Blaise and Pansy had fucked off to. Draco had his money on Spain for Blaise and Italy for Pansy. Plus maybe this way he could find a way to talk to Potter again, without him ignoring Draco. It was a masked ball afterall. He pursed his lips, a wrinkle forming between his eyes. Ugh. Potter would probably dress up as a lion, that gryffindor. With his stupid hair and his stupid smile and his stupid penchant for talking to all the hot quidditch stars while he was in the middle of training  and right in front of him- He cleared his throat. “You aren’t going to leave until I agree, are you?” He said, defeated.

Jeni snorted softly on his shoulder and tugged on his hair. “Now you’re getting it. Let’s get you ready!”

Draco’s eyes widened. “What, now? The ball is four hours away! It’s still light outside, for Merlin's sake!” Draco said, flinging his arm to gesture at the window, upending the small fairy forcing her to flutter away.

“You may be right, but this is a long process!” Jeni was insistent, flying up in front of his face and backing him into an armchair. “Plus,” she added, snapping her fingers in a manner that would have made any rich pureblood impressed. A piece of rolled parchment appeared and conveniently floated over to Draco. “You have liability waivers to sign.” The moment Draco took the parchment, it unrolled and spilled across the floor.

“Salazar’s balls!” Draco moaned, already feeling sorry for himself. He grumpily added on, “This better be worth it.” Jeni just smiled and conjured a quill.

~~~~

Draco pulled nervously at his stiff collar outside the ballroom doors. He was nervous. Jeni had poked and prodded him nonstop for what felt like ages, the four hours flying by and an extra half hour used just for glamours, which Draco had insisted upon as to not be recognized. Jeni had rolled her eyes again, smacked him on the head, and then begrudgingly cast some hair coloring charms and the slightest glamour to his face. It was good enough, Draco supposed. No one was going to expect him to come to the ball anyways, and without his hair Draco thought he looked unrecognizable. But he had to give her props. He looked good. His hair was now rich colors of auburn, that brought out some color in his cheeks. His face looked good, not as good as his normal face, but still, Draco supposed, good. And the clothes.

Oh Merlin, Draco hoped somewhere in that contract (which was all hippogriff’s shit from what draco could tell- “contractee will not light the fairy on fire”, “contractee will not perform the macarena while drunk and naked on a balcony”, “contractee will not publicly declare their love for any orange muggle politician”, “contractee will not buy a plane ticket for a midnight flight and then jump out of the plane with no safety gear a minute until midnight”- I mean really, Draco thought, has anyone actually done any of this? Did they have no self respect?) it stated that he would get to keep these clothes. They were absolutely magnificent. Stiff and white on the top, they flowed out to the floor in silvery terraces. The collar was high, and yet dipped in in the front to show off Draco’s chest bones and a hint of his chest itself. Silver detailing, with hints of Draco’s favorite shade of green, crossed the expanse of the fabric, small dragons Draco had been pleased to take note of moved constantly to form ever changing and ever beautiful patterns. It was form fitting, and yet, not constricting. The best feature, Draco thought, was that it made his ass look like two plump apples, ripe for eating. The entire ensemble was finished off with a mask of a dragon that seemed to be made of pure silver with brilliant green emeralds embedded into it. It was entirely fitting of a Malfoy, and Draco was in love.

Suddenly, the doors in front of him opened, and a laughing couple fell out, almost on top of him. He sidestepped them with a sneer and made his way into the ballroom.

Lights were strung up from wall to wall, covering the ceilings. A live band played on the stage to the back of the room, and all around Draco could see people talking with on another. Smiles on their faces. No one stared at him when he walked through. Well, apart from a few glanceovers and appreciative  winks. Draco smirked back at them, but he was saving his wink for someone else.

“Hullo,” a rich voice said from behind him. Draco turned, and almost kept turning right around. The face might have been glamoured, Draco thought, but he would recognize that unruly mop of hair anywhere. If not for that, the eyes would have been a dead give away. Even the absence of the scar could not take away Potter’s earnest and casually commanding presence.

Potter was dressed to the nines, and Draco had to give him props. Or at least props to Granger. There was no chance Potter could have dressed himself for this occasion. He was not a lion, but instead a stag. The outfit looked to be a version of muggle clothing, a sharp black suit, though there was moving golden details on the collar and wrists that glinted everytime the light hit them. His glamoured face was hidden behind a black and gold mask, sleek and elegant, antlers coming out from either side in a majestic sweep. His hair, Draco supposed he could do nothing about, though it did look softer, smoother. Draco could see himself running his fingers through it, gripping on to it, tugging...  Draco was staring.

“Hullo,” he replied. Draco didn’t like the smirk that appeared on Potter’s face. What was he thinking?

Potter held out his hand, and Draco, trying not to see the moment as momentous as it felt, grasped it, but Potter didn’t let him go. “I’m Roonil, but you can just call me Roo. What’s your name?” Potter asked, his eyes never leaving Draco for a second. Draco’s eyes narrowed. What kind of name was Potter playing at?

“Drac- Drake. My name is Drake,” Draco was struggling. He had wanted to confront Potter, but why was his heart beating so damn loud? Also, something was suspicious in the way he was acting.

“Thats funny,” Potter said his eyes sparkling in amusement it sounds a lot like Dr-”

“Do you want to dance?” Draco blurted, afraid at what was about to come out of Potter’s mouth next.

Potter smiled, a real smile where the corners of his eyes grew wrinkles, and tugged on Draco’s hand, leading him onto the dance floor. How long had his hand been clutching Harry’s? Had Harry noticed how strange he was acting?

Harry yanked him towards himself and settled one hand on his back, pulling him in close. Merlin, since when had Draco started to call him Harry in his head? And why was he so out of breath?

Potter lowered his lips to Draco’s ear. “Full disclosure,” he whispered, making Draco shiver involuntarily. “I don’t actually know how to dance.”

Draco covered a snort with a faux huff of disappointment as his confidence rose back up. “Well, then. In that case, I suppose I will just have to lead you,” and he swirled a laughing Harry away.

~~~

Hours later had Draco panting for breaths as Harry lowered his head to Draco’s shoulder.

“I cannot believe you said that to them!” He cried laughing.

“I did! I was fed up! Why should I have had to obliviate the poor man if I could just convince him about the aliens!” Harry said, leaning back from Draco and gesturing wildly before, sinking down into the bench they were sitting on outside the ballroom.

“But Harry,” Draco said, clutching his stomach in laughter. “This poor man quit his job to hunt spaceships!”

Draco was so caught up in his joy, he failed to notice Harry had stopped laughing, and had started staring at him quite curiously.

“You said my name,” Harry stated, perhaps with a hint of wryness. “You know who I am.”

“I, uh, you-” Draco had nothing. Dammit. And the night was going so well! He had had Harry in his clutches- To do what with him, Draco? He thought suddenly. To laugh with him? To get him to smile at you like he has been doing? Is this not what you wanted all along? And now you have him. He doesn’t hate you for what you did. He doesn’t even know who you are. You are free. “Yes,” Draco sighed and pulled back a little. “I do know who you are.” Harry frowned slightly in consideration. “A massive prat! Who would have thought that the poster boy for the Ministry Auror Program commits crimes and convinces Muggles of nonsense in his spare time!”

Harry chuckled, seemingly relieved. “Didn’t you hear? I quit about a month ago-”

“You QUIT?” Draco interrupted. His mind was racing. Maybe Harry hadn’t meant to ignore him, maybe it was all a misun-

“Why, Drake, you seemed scandalized!” Draco quickly collected his thoughts and shoved them away for another time.

“No,” he sniffed. “Not at all. You merely caught me off guard.”

Harry smirked. “I’m sure. Anyways, Drac- Drake. I- Well. I wanted to know if maybe you would like to get dinner with me sometime this week?” Harry looked up at him through his lashes. “It’s been a while since I had this much fun with anyone.”

Draco’s heart thumped. Salazar, this is it! He thought. “I would love that, Harry, I really would. But I’m afraid that I have two conditions that must be seen to first.”

Harry was beaming at him. Well, really he was rolling his eyes, but the smile was important, Draco was sure. “Let’s see what I can do,” Harry said.

Draco nodded, scooting closer on the bench, reaching across Harry to cage him in, and leaning in close. “Well first,” He said, breathing softly and closing the distance inch by inch to Harry’s mouth with his. “I need to check the merchandise, of course.” He was so close, he could see the freckles in Harry’s green eyes. They rather matched his outfit, Draco thought distractedly, watching Harry taking his own eyes with what seemed to be wonder.

“But only of course,” Harry whispered inching impossibly closer and bringing his arms up to hold Draco close to him. They closed their eyes as noses nudged noses.

“Harry,” Draco whimpered. He felt a pulling sensation in his gut and then he was flying.

Harry’s lips touched his and- wait. Were lips supposed to feel this rough? Was Harry squeaking? Surely Draco wasn’t that bad of a kisser. His eyes flew open and he spit out hair. “What the fuck!” He cried out, turning wildly around his bedroom. A wet ball of light flew in front of him, crossing her arms.

“I won’t expect an apology from you-” Draco started to reply, but held his tongue in shock when the fairy turned away from him and just held up a hand. “I don’t want to hear it.” Jeni shivered and quickly muttered a quick charm to dry and clean her hair, which returned to the bouncing curls. She looked down to examine her nails. “I hope you had a good time-”

“Would have been more fun if I hadn’t been pulled away,” Draco muttered darkly. But the fairy godmother just continued to speak as if he wasn’t even there, flexing her fingers out in front of her.

“And I hope that you don’t mind that we need to take away your clothes-” Draco let out a squawk as his clothes disappeared, replaced by a bathrobe (which, Draco would have liked to point out, was entirely too short, only barely covering what it needed to). “And please be aware that the glamour will stay in place until you decide to end it manually with a wand.” A loud bang made Draco jump, but the fairy only looked up from her nails. “Oh! I bet that’s him!”

“Who’s-” Draco started, but the fairy just popped out of existence. This was just going too fast for Draco. He heard muffled yelling from the front of the manor, where the door was creaking under the ferocious pounding. An impressive feat, as the door was larger than twice Hagrid’s height. “Alright! I’m coming!” He called out running down the hallway frazzled, confused, and still dazed after his almost kiss with Harry. “Merlin, will you stop!” He said, unlocking and throwing open the door. “Harry!” He said, shocked. Harry’s glamour was gone and he was holding his mask tightly in his fist, his hair looking as if he had run his fingers through it more than usual. How it could have gotten so messy in the span of only a few minutes, Draco could not say. He supposed Harry couldn’t say either. “What are you- how did you-” Harry knocked past him into the hallway before he rounded on him, but not without first glancing down at Draco’s bathrobe, or more specifically, his long, lean legs. It took a few seconds before Harry shook his head.

“What the fuck, Malfoy! You don’t just apparate away in the middle of-”

“I was forcefully apparated away, actually,” Draco interjected.

Harry just continued. “Were you just toying with me? What this all a large joke-”

Draco started. “Fuck no, Potter! I was literally dragged away- against my will- at midnight- wait hold on. Did you just say my name? Do you know who I am?”

Harry snorted, and moved down the hall, peaking into archways and doorways until he found one with sofas. He twitched his wand in the direction of the fireplace, which instantaneously lit up with a roaring fire. In turn, Draco, who had frantically moved to follow him after pushing the front door shut, felt his other wand twitch in response to the display of powerful wordless magic. At least the bathrobe was roomy.

“Well?” Draco demanded, crossing his arms and tapping his foot at Harry, who had sprawled on one end of the sofas in a huff. Harry scoffed.

“Really, Draco,” Harry said with a snort. Draco’s breath caught at the use of his name. But then he supposed, coming to the Manner had been a pretty sure give away. “Did you think you could get away with just casting a half-arsed glamour on your face and changing your hair color? Did you think I wouldn’t recognize that haughty sneer of yours or the way you held yourself? You even recognized me through my glamour!”

“Well,” Draco sniffed, sitting carefully on the edge of the sofa. “Your glamour was crap.” He shifted, hunching in on himself.  Softly, he continued. “And I was going to tell you. That was going to be part of the second condition. That we would accept the other without the glamours, or no deal.”

Harry chuckled fondly, but exasperatedly. “I’m still mad at you, you know,” he said with a small smile. Draco frowned, shifting a little closer and angling his body towards Harry’s. “Why did you leave?” Harry’s eyes found his, and Draco could see how vulnerable he was in this moment. “Jesus, Draco, I was really worried there for a minute,” Harry said, hands coming up hesitantly to hold Draco’s face, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs. Draco breathed in. Draco breathed out. And then told him the whole story from the very beginning, which seemed to have started days ago and not just earlier that day.

“What,” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. “And it just so happened to strike midnight what was supposed to be the best kiss I’ve had in awhile-”

He froze, and Draco grew a smirk. “Oh, well then, in that case, Potter, I suppose I will have to make it up to you. Draco moved forward only to stop with a whine as Harry held up a hand to stop him. “What now?” He said against Harry’s fingers.

“If this is going to happen, I want it to be as Harry and Draco, with no glamours in the way. You have conditions to be met.” Draco’s breath caught, and his heart melted. “How else will I know you haven’t grown a mustache or gone hideous?” Draco scowled and Harry preformed another wordless spell to remove first the glamours on his hair, and then the one on his face, before he casually dropped his wand into the sofa to be able to continue to hold Draco’s face. Harry seemed enthralled. Draco was not amused.

“Shut it, Potter,” he said, even as he ran his hands through Harry’s soft hair.

“Harry,” Harry replied grinning, returning the motion in kind.

Draco smiled. “Harry. Shut it, Harry.” And finally, their lips touched.

Jeni watched them move into each other from her place on the windowsill, tickled with happiness. As apprehensive as she had been for combining the two assignments, both feeling guilty and both deserving forgiveness, she could not have asked for a better turnout. “Beat that, Cinderella,” she said, and promptly popped away.

[royal-babey]

Lily

I wrote angst and it hurts like hell and oh god I cried whilst writing it.

Featuring my OC’s Nico and Dima Mahariel, and their father Revas Mahariel.

TW’s for blood, death, slavery, and just a shitton of angst.

-

In the forests of Antiva, walked three Dalish Elves.

Keeper of Clan Mahariel, Revas Mahariel, accompanied his young twin sons into the wild woodlands to show them the foundations of survival. This was something the family did often, at least twice a week if possible, and it was valuable time together for them. Revas’s Keeper duties often kept him busy, and sometimes unable to spend time with his sons at all.

He had a son walking on either side of him, both clutching his significantly larger hands tightly. Dmitri Mahariel chatted away happily to his Father, rambling on about anything that caught his interest or something exciting that had happened to him earlier that week. His younger brother, Nikolai Mahariel, was quite happy to walk in silence, allowing his brother to do the talking for the both of them.

Revas couldn’t be happier. Of course if his ex-wife could be here, that would make things even better. Revas regularly mourned the fact that the twins would not grow up without a motherly influence in their lives, but they seemed to be doing just fine.

‘’-and then and then!!! Nini made a scary face and said ‘You pee the bed Daerian.’ Daerian went running crying back to his Mamae and I got my stick sword back!!!’’

Revas was snapped out of his thoughts as Dima’s excitable voice raised in pitch as he told his Father his story, and there was a very indignant ‘Dima!’ from Nico as Revas let out a chuckle in amusement. He then looked down to his left to see a very sheepish Nico kicking a small rock across the grassy forest floor.

‘’Is that true, da’fen?’’

Nico just shrugged as a response, then muttered ‘’He was being mean…’’

Revas couldn’t argue with that.

Every now and then, the elder Elf would stop beside a bush, either with oddly coloured berries or flowers, and attempt to tell the twins the properties of them. It was important they knew these things in case of emergencies. They were useful after all.

The twins genuinely did try their best to pay attention, but it was a struggle. And by the time they were an hour and a bit into their fathers lessons, they had all but given up on trying to listen.

Revas could see this, and figured he should give the twins something to enjoy instead. He sat them down on the abnormally gigantic roots of an ancient oak tree, that spiralled and gnarled in on itself both above and below the ground, and shielded them from the hot sun with its tall branches and large leaves. After he had gotten their attention, he held up a clenched fist, and smiled.

‘’Watch this, boys.’’

The boys watched in wonder as their Father’s fist glowed green, and gasped quietly when he opened it to reveal two stark white flowers where there had been nothing before. The twins recognised them to be lilies, and Dima bounced on the spot excitedly where as Nico was still staring, though he did have a small smile on his lips.

Revas reached forward, braiding the lilies into the boys long black hair one by one. They reached up to gently feel them at the same time, before lunging forward to hug their Father.

‘’That was so cool, Baban!!!’’

‘’Thank you, Baban…’’

Revas just grinned and hugged his boys back, laughing quietly to himself at their reactions. He loved making them smile.

And with a lily, he hoped to pass on their mother’s love. For that was her name, after all…

They were a happy family despite everything. A close knit and loving family.

Though like Revas had described to the twins once before, when a beloved Clan Halla passed away, the Creators often liked to pick the most beautiful things from this earth that they belovedly created.

Revas could not help the twitching of his pointed ears as he picked up on an abnormal sound coming from the east. They were outside of Clan hunting territory, so no one should be here…

That’s when he heard it. The sound of men laughing uproariously. They were no voices the Keeper recognised, and he froze to the spot, arms tensing around his children.

Humans. Human hunters had come to these woods.

Revas knew how much danger they were in instantly, and leapt to his feet. He easily picked up the twins, one in each arm, and took off running deeper into the forest. He knew these woods well, expertly avoiding upturned routes or particularly sharp rocks, taking almost completely hidden turns, getting past the more dangerous wildlife without getting so much as a second glance.

Nico and Dima were terrified, but knew to be quiet when their Father seemed to sense danger. They had not heard the humans, therefore having no idea what was wrong.

The Shemlen had heard Revas taking off though, footfalls much too heavy in his panic to get his children to safety to attempt stealth. They assumed he was a deer, having been spooked by their loudness. Revas could hear the beating of the horses hooves getting closer, and realised even if he were to make it back to the Clan in time, he would surely doom them.

So he did the only thing he could think of.

Sliding to a stop in front of a particularly large bush, he kneeled down, and placed his children behind it. He signaled for them to be quiet, and they agreed without question, nodding their heads to show they understood.

Revas knew that what he was about to do...May not turn out how he hoped.

So he hugged them both tightly, and whilst pulling away, slipped his necklace off over his head. It was made of shedded Halla antler, with intricate Elven symbols and words carved into it. He handed it to Dima, his lips trembling despite his trying to keep everything under control. He gripped Dima’s shoulders tightly, tight enough to make him wince involuntarily, and spoke in a panicked but hushed tone to his son, who had, as well as his brother, barely seen their tenth summer.

‘’I need you to promise me, Dima...Promise that no matter what, you will protect your brother. You will protect the clan. You will grow strong, and always protect those you love. Do you understand? Be strong.’’

Dima didn’t hesitate in answering, whispering a very determined ‘’Of course I promise Baban.’’ But also; ‘’What’s wrong though? You’re coming back, right?’’

Revas let out a shuddered breath, and gave his sons the best smile he could muster.

‘’Ar lath ma, ma len. I love you both so much...Be strong.’’

Before they could even question, Revas was taking off running into the clearing not far from them. Where the twins could see what was going on...Revas forced himself to stand his ground despite his fear as the humans approached, pulling his staff from his back and gripping it tightly as they pulled their horses to a stop and dismounted.

One human, with pale skin and a bald head, paired with a horribly patchy beard, was the first to approach Revas. Behind him were two more humans, dressed head to toe in armour. Revas couldn’t see their faces, though he could feel their stares.

He forced himself to greet the men in perfect trade with a smile, as wary as it may look, and a short bow.

‘’Greetings, outsiders.’’

He didn’t even get a greeting back, instead, the man in front of him just snarled, looking him up and down.

‘’Lookie here, boys. A knife ear, right here. Looks like we may not need to look for their damned camp so hard after all.’’

Revas tensed, knowing instantly who these men must be. Slavers, probably for the black market in the main city of Antiva. He reached back with his free hand to scratch nervously at his ear lobe, needing something to do as he answer, even if he wasn’t exactly asked a question.

‘’I-I beg your pardon? You can’t-’’

Revas was cut off by a sharp sword pointing directly at his neck, causing him to go stock still, too afraid to even breathe.

The man growled, pressing the blade against Revas’s neck. Enough to draw blood, for the moment, and make the Elf hiss slightly in pain.

‘’Shut your mouth, knife ear. Now listen closely. We know it isn’t just you here. We saw a stuffed toy on the ground. And you were quite happy to run just a moment ago...Who are you protecting? Your knife eared kid? Kids? Oh, the Crows would pay a pretty sum for some young Elves to train up.’’

Revas felt sick to his stomach. He wasn’t about to negotiate with some slavers, just so they could go hunt some other people.

So that left him one choice.

Carefully, he took a step back, and twirled his staff in hand.

‘’I’m not telling you anything, Shemlen!’’

He inhaled, ready to shout a spell, one powerful enough to knock them down and give him

time to run with the boys-

When instead it turned into a breathless gasp of pain, and he looked down to see a sword running right through his gut.

From behind the bush, there was a whimper, the leaves rustling as Nico attempts to get up to run to his Father. He’s stopped by Dima however, who yanks him down by the back of his shirt, and straddles him to keep him from trying again. Nico tries to yell for Revas, but Dima covers his younger brothers mouth and despite the tears forming in his own eyes as Nico writhes and struggles, whispers harshly for him to quit it.

Nico doesn’t see what Dima sees. Doesn’t see as the men kick Revas down onto his back. Doesn’t witness them sneering and taunting Revas as he bleeds out, amethyst eyes formerly shining with life beginning to go dull as he stares up at the sky. His lips barely moving as he words a silent prayer to Falon’din to guide his soul to the Beyond, the Creator who’s Vallaslin he has proudly worn since seventeen years of age.

He doesn’t see as Revas’s throat is slit easily by a spear tossed to the man who had also stabbed him, then thrust through the Keepers exposed chest.

Eventually, the humans get sick of mutilating the now dead Elf’s form. The murderer declaring Revas must have left the twins at the great oak tree and had instead tried to lure them away and distract them.

They mount their horses, and ride off. As soon as their horses beating hooves can no longer be heard, Dima and Nico get up, running over to their father’s unmoving form. He couldn’t be dead. Surely he was just badly injured, would still be breathing.

But there’s blood. Too much blood for any mortal man to surely survive. His dark skin is now an ashen colour, and his eyes are glazed over and lifeless. His expression is slack, and his chest…

It certainly isn’t moving.

Dima stands staring, completely frozen. He can’t tear his eyes off of their Fathers, their Babans, corpse. Nico however, collapses to his knees.

And he screams. A scream so heart wrenching it scares off any animals in the immediate vicinity. A scream filled with such unimaginable grief and fear and anger that it doesn’t sound human at all.

Dima can only drop down beside him, tears rolling silently down his cheeks as he reaches for Revas’s hand. Earlier it was warm, warm as Dima clung to it, warm as he pulled his Father behind him and swung and laughed and...Warm as Dima thought about how much he trusted that warmth to always be there...But now it was cold, and Dima could feel the remnants of Revas’s body heat slowly fading away.

‘’Papa…’’

He could barely mutter it. Beside him, Nico had begun to sob, clothing beginning to turn red with their Father’s blood soaking into it. He rested his head on Revas’s chest, hair mostly obscuring his face from his elder twins view.

And from his hair fell the lily Revas had left in it just twenty minutes ago. It landed in the puddle of blood just beside Revas’s body, and Dima could have sworn he heard his Father whispering the word- No. The name, Lily, in the small breeze that blew past them all.

Dima could only pull Nico to him, trying to find some comfort in his brothers still warm body despite the chilling aura that had settled in the area.

They only had each other now, meaning Dima was determined more than ever before now to keep his promise to their Father.

He would protect Nico with his life.

[ginnyweatherby]

Ev’rybody Wants to be a Cat

Does anyone still read Beauty and the Beast fic?  Yes?  No?  Maybe?

Well, for anyone who does, because I know I sure miss it, here’s a short story about Gaston adopting a kitten, as requested by @gingersnap0369

Sorry it took so long to get this out, but I hope you like it!  I can never seem to get enough of my faves with kittens.

He'd often been told thinking was a dangerous pastime, but this was a good idea for once.

Ever since his young bachelor days, Gaston had fantasized about having a sizable family.  The picturesque vision of coming home to a loving wife, a gaggle of children, and a dog or two to top it off.  He couldn't shake the smile that came to his face any time he imagined playing catch with a half dozen little boys that looked so much like him.

Despite all his attempts and efforts, the years passed faster than he thought they would, and now Gaston was a hair over thirty, and still lived alone.  It was fine at first, but he was beginning to feel trapped - not so unlike the luckless foxes he liked to hunt.  He felt like he was running out of time.

As much as he loved them, he never assumed Lefou would be the one to have two young kids underfoot while he was still single and childless.  When Charlotte would hug him hello or Barney would show off a craft he made in preschool, Gaston often wondered if he would ever have that with children of his own.

But he wasn't discouraged.  Gaston was a stubborn man, and he knew he would find someone to settle down with soon.

Still.

The house was lonely.

Which was how he found himself at Villeneuve Animal Shelter, his heart set on finding a new furry companion.  If Gaston wanted to start on that perfect family, a dog seemed like a good place to begin.

He wandered through the different rooms, in awe of all the pets there were to choose from.  He knew he wanted a larger dog, one that would make a good guard dog, but was still friendly enough to play fetch with.

He met rottweilers and shepherds and pitbulls of all colors, allowing each of the animals sniff or lick his hands, but none of them seemed to mesh.  They were all fine dogs, and he was sure they would make fine pets, but he didn't feel… it.  That feeling in the pit of his stomach that something clicked.  That he'd met the pet for him.

Until he saw it.

A flash of orange that zoomed by so fast Gaston wasn't sure what he'd seen.

“What was that?”  He asked the woman who had been guiding him around, introducing him to the different dogs - all of which had dissolved into a frenzy of competitive barking.

Before he got an answer, another volunteer came scurrying into the room, quick on the tail of whatever orange blur had entered.  From behind a cabinet, she pulled out something - or someone, rather - tiny and ginger.

A kitten.

“This little one has been trying to escape for days,”  The woman said, as she flattened the fur on the kitten's head.  “Whoever brings him home is in for quite the workout.”

Gaston crossed the room in his long, demanding strides, and stuck his hands out.  “Could I?”

The woman looked confused as a man such as Gaston, surrounded by a dozen barking dogs, took the tiny kitten into his large hands.

The kitten let out a soft mew, and nipped at Gaston's fingers, before nuzzling his pink nose into the palm of his hand.

He was soft.  He was warm.

And Gaston was his.

“Welcome home,”  Gaston announced, as he opened the pet carrier (intended for an animal much larger than the one inside) and allowed the kitten to poke his nose out.

“Go on, then,”  Gaston knelt on the floor, as the kitten crawled out of the cage, taking in his new surroundings.

“There we are,”  He approved, as his new friend explored the room and began to sniff around.

Gaston watched as the kitten jumped up onto the sofa.  “You'll be needing a name, I suppose.”

The kitten seemed to take a liking to the pillow thrown on the side of the couch.  A birthday gift from Lefou, with an impressive embroidered buck sewn into it.  The kitten curled against the deer and closed his tiny eyes.

Gaston scratched the kitten’s head, as a purring sound filled the room.

“Antlers it is.”

Antlers proved to be an interesting addition to Gaston's home.  He was a fearless cat, jumping onto any surface or counter-top he could reach, meowing louder than Gaston thought possible from someone so small.  He crawled under the furniture (coming out with assorted dust bunnies on his head), and even followed Gaston into the bathroom.  The cat seemed to like his new home.

Gaston almost didn't want to go to bed, he was having so much fun playing with his new little friend.  He let Antlers chase a laser pointer around the room until sleep called him, and reluctantly decided to turn in for the night.

He walked into his bedroom, offering Antlers the enormous bed he’d purchased for the dog he was supposed to come home with, and watched as the kitten crawled in, looking so very small against the cushion.  Antlers curled into a little ball and Gaston took that as his cue to climb into his own bed.

Quiet as it still may have been, suddenly his room didn't feel so lonely.

Gaston woke up to something warm and furry resting in the crook of his neck.

He coughed and spat the hair out of his mouth, before his mind registered what was happening.

Doggie-bed apparently forgotten, Antlers seemed to take a liking to Gaston's, and he almost didn't have the heart to wake the kitten sleeping so innocently against his face - even if it did make him want to sneeze.

Antlers began to knead his shirt with his paws, and Gaston felt a smile creep onto his face.  He'd known this cat less than twenty four hours, and he already loved him so much.  Maybe this was what being a father felt like!  Deciding he couldn't bear to wake him, Gaston began to drift back to sleep…

A frantic knock on the front door startled him awake.  Antlers’ head perked up, his ears twitching in every direction as he sought out the source of the noise.

Gaston sighed and pulled himself from the bed, Antlers close on his heels as he threw on a proper pair of pajama bottoms, and went to investigate.

He swung the door open to reveal a little girl, no more than ten with a wild array of dark hair and freckles, one of his favorite smiles on her face.

“Hey, Buddy!”  Gaston greeted, as Charlotte threw her arms around his middle.  “What are you doing here so early?”

“Papa said you got a cat,”  Charlotte said brightly, as Lefou made his appearance close behind, four-year-old Barney’s hand clasped in his own.  “I like cats!”

“Do you?”  Gaston scratched his unshaven chin.  “But I thought your mother raised you to be a dog person.”

“I like dogs too,”  Charlotte assured as he let them into the house.  “But where's the cat?!”

The young girl was so excited, bouncing on her toes as she spoke.  She was so much like her father, always talking a mile a minute, constantly radiating a restless energy.

“Well, speak of the devil,”  Gaston said, as Antlers poked his nose into the room.  “Here’s the little guy now.”

Charlotte fell to her knees, sticking her hand out for Antlers to approach on his own time.  Growing up with so many pets and a veterinarian for a stepfather appeared to teach her how to treat animals properly.

Antlers wasn't afraid.  He licked Charlotte's hand and leaped into her lap.  She giggled as the kitten began to play, nipping gently and purring.

“Can I play?”  The younger, more tentative of the Lefou siblings asked.

Gaston grabbed Barney's hand and led him to where Charlotte was sitting.  He gently took Antlers into his hands and allowed the boy to pet him.

“He's super soft,”  Barney said, approvingly, and before long he had joined his sister waving a feather in front of the cat, their laughter ricocheting off the walls as Antlers chased it.

“Looks like you may be getting a cat soon,”  Gaston said, nudging Lefou’s shoulder as they watched.

“There's no need,”  Lefou said, smiling as Antlers tackled Charlotte’s hand, eliciting a squeal from the girl.  “Not when Uncle Gaston has one, anyway.”

Just as quickly as they had before, the years continued to pass.  Gaston watched as his rambunctious little kitten grew into a rambunctious, strong cat.  Antlers was a animal after his own heart, made of pure muscle and endurance.  Even as he aged, he still jumped onto high surfaces and meowed at decimals even the neighbors could hear.  He demanded attention when he wanted it, and was something of a star on Gaston's social media accounts.

About three years had gone by since he and Antlers chose each other, and Gaston still melted a little when he curled up on his lap, purring happily.

Gaston’s life had taken on some significant changes in those few years.  Lefou was married now, and Stanley had taken permanent residence in their lives.  Gaston himself tied the knot not so long ago, moving to a new neighborhood to celebrate.

Maybe this was the true picturesque life he'd always dreamed about.  It didn't have to include a houseful of children, or dogs at his feet.  Maybe he could be content to have just his lovely wife and his favorite feline.

Gaston watched as Antlers climbed off of his lap, and settled into his wife's.  Antlers tolerated her normally, but made it no secret that Gaston was his favorite person, so this struck him as unusual.

Antlers sniffed her belly, rubbing his head against it, before laying down to sleep, nestled comfortably in her lap.

The newlyweds shared a look, small smiles creeping onto their faces.

Then again…

Maybe his original idea wasn't so far off, after all.