#They’re just wandering in their house trying to find where this rabbit could have possibly gotten

[incorrect-fnaf-quotes]

I have no idea if I’ll write it, but I started thinking of Springtrap x reader plots, and then I started talking to @ravenmccookies about like... the main idea that I have.

So, imagine: Y/N is one of those people who likes to restore old things. They never worked at the attraction, and never actually knew about it, either—but they heard about something burning down.

While out walking, they end up discovering Springtrap, and they’re like: “Oh, a cool robot bunny. I’ll take it back with me and fix it up. Should be fun.” And they drag him back home.

And they basically start streaming on what they plan on doing—and when they go to the room that they were sure they left the rabbit in... he’s just gone.

Y/N manages to find him, but in a panic, ends up hitting Springtrap with a bat that they happened to have brought with them.

And that’s just how the two actually meet. I have a ton of other ideas involving this potential thing—including ideas for how it could actually end. Something angsty, I’m thinking.

But anyway: shenanigans occur.

[lemonjoonah]

The Garden Thief (M)

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader Word Count: 9.3K Genre: Hybrid AU, romance/drama/comedy, enemies to lovers Warnings: Unprotected sex, oral sex (fem. rec.), they get down and dirty outside but no one else is there to see them, cum play? (just a little), there’s also a bit of mud (sorry, but also not sorry, they’re outside what do you want from me?!?!), referenced hybrid neglect and oppression (hybrids are wrongfully deemed as pets by law and the majority of society).  

Summary: Your beloved vegetable patch has once again been victimized by a hungry thief in the night. The prime suspect? Jeon Jungkook, your neighbour's rabbit hybrid. But when you finally confront him, he pleads innocent, and proposes a plan to clear his name.

A/N: I wrote this fic’s premise and opening scene for the ‘A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Game’ that I played oh so long ago and now I’ve finally finished the tale!

...

“Oh for fuck’s sake, not again!” You swear upon seeing the leafy green remains of several carrots lying in your garden, inches from where they used to be buried. This maddening mystery of the vanishing vegetables has been playing out all summer. You’ve set out deterrents for every possible garden pest, rolling out chicken wire and spraying natural remedies to repel anything from bugs to small rodents. Yet you still wake to find that your garden has been robbed in the night. The only possible suspect you haven’t been able to protect against resides just next door, in fact—

You squint up at the boarded fence, spotting a pair of long dark ears peeking out over the posts. “Jungkook, is that you?”

The ears immediately disappear, ducking down behind the barrier. The sound of his hurried footsteps trailing away are followed only by the slamming of a door.

You rush into and through your own house carrying the wilted carrot greens. Exiting out the front, and over to the house next to yours, where you repeatedly press the bell.

The entry whips open on the fourth ring to reveal Jungkook. His face is flushed, beads of sweat racing down his brow, and a shirt that one would normally use to cover their chest, is instead thrown over his shoulder. “Something wrong neighbour?” He asks with a carrot stick in hand. Bringing it to his mouth, he taunts you with a bite and crooked grin.

“Is-is your caretaker home?” You stutter trying your best to swallow your nerves. Concentrating hard on his face, you plead with your eyes not to wander down. That’s exactly what he wants, a reason to put you off your mission, to make you so flustered that you have to walk away. He’s always trying to use his allure against you, and you hate how often he succeeds doing just that...  

“No, he’s at work.”

“When will he be back?”

“Not sure, maybe a week, or two? He’s on a business trip.”

Your gaze falters in it’s determination for a brief second as a drop of sweat descends from his neck to his chest. Holding your breath you watch it’s path, tracing the valleys between his muscles. When Jungkook finally wipes it away your brain catches up and scolds you for your weakness. “And he left you here, alone?”  You ask, while trying to recollect your dignity, reminding yourself of how much grief he has put you through.

“Of course.” Jungkook’s smile grows. “I’m not just some common pet. I know how to behave myself.”

The statement makes your brow twitch, enraging you enough to overcome his tactics. “I know you haven’t been here long, but you should know, people typically don’t like it when someone steals from their yard.” You lecture him, waving the carrot tops in front of his face. “So stop treating my garden like your own personal snack bar!”

“Now why would I take from you? I have plenty of food here, even got another delivery this morning.”  The hybrid kicks at a box next him filled with a vibrant collection of fresh produce and grains.

“I don’t know why. I just know it was you.”

“Prove it.” He prods, while taking the last bite of the vegetable from his hand.

The loud crunching gnaws on your composure, stripping you of any patience you may have had for the hybrid. “This all started when you moved in, and I’ve ruled everything else out!” You shout, but as good as it might feel to finally vent your anger, you feel as though you’re somehow playing into his hand.

“That doesn’t seem like very good evidence. It’s circumstantial at best. If you want to find out who the real culprit is you should have a stake out.”

“A stake out?”

“Yeah, you know, watch over the garden for the night, catch the criminal in the act. I could even help if you’d like.”

You scoff at the ridiculous notion. “You really think I should invite you over to guard my crops?”

“I do, so I’ll come over tonight? Say around seven?” You open your mouth to object, but the rabbit hybrid jumps from one statement to the next casually inviting himself into your own home. “Perfect. See you then.”

“I didn’t-no wait, that was sar-” The door closes between you before you can finish. Leaving you baffled and alone on the doorstep. You ready to knock but stop just before your knuckles hit the wood. Trying again right now is a lost cause, it’ll just play into his game. So why waste your breath when you know it’ll just end the same way? Tonight then, as he suggested, that’s when you’ll be ready to hit him with some hard evidence that he won’t be able to refute.

Admitting defeat for now, you retreat back to your garden to pick the surviving vegetables and contemplate the encounter. You wish your could have just spoken to Jungkook’s caretaker—fuck what was his name again? You’ve only seen the man a couple times since they took the house, but at least he doesn't give you a nervous knot in your stomach, or leave you confused and speechless like his hybrid does.

It’s been three months since they moved in. You were excited at first, to have new neighbours in your almost vacant cul-de-sac. Buyers don’t seem to be interested in the old houses with large lots in your area. Too much work to maintain, and not enough good job prospects to go around. So when you saw the sold sign go up you were beyond thrilled. Greeting the new residents with a fruit basket and a smile.

The rabbit hybrid you now know as Jungkook appeared rather shy at first, you did your best to welcome him. Always greeting him when he was outside, trying to engage him in small chat, but the first time you caught him during his workout everything changed. Until that point you had not considered him as anything but a prospective friend. You were stunned to see him in such a confident state, throwing around his weights like they were nothing. In that moment, with you too nervous to admit that you found him attractive, you became the anxious and blubbering fool in his presence, and he, unfortunately, took note. The once quiet and cute rabbit, became a flirtatious and bratty bunny.

And since then, whenever you would work in your garden he’d be on the other side of the fence grunting and panting. Staying close to the gap in the divider, a missing panel you had yet to replace. On days like today you would often look up from your radishes and accidentally lock eyes with the hybrid, drenched in sweat and showing off his skills.

Out of respect and self preservation you tried your best to not to pay attention, to keep your nose buried in your garden, but as the weeks went by the vegetables under your care started to disappear. The ample crops you tended to in the evening, lessened by morning, with only the refuse remaining to indicate it’s former presence. You didn’t want to point fingers immediately, but today was the final straw, and tonight no matter how hard he tries to distract you, you will find him guilty.

After harvesting the choice crops for the day and watering the rest. You dust yourself off, settling inside and in front of your computer; opening the visitors page for your place of work, the city's greenhouse conservatory. To help promote the centre in the community the staff all take turns writing articles revolving around their own projects or home gardens, and you’re up next in the rotation. You stare at the blank document for several minutes trying your best to concentrate on the task, but you are unable to think of anything other than the mischievous hybrid next door.

Embracing the topic of your aggravation, you start the post off with a title sure to catch the eye of any reader, ‘Garden Thieves.’

‘We’ve all been there, finding a tomato just about to reach its peak ripeness. We give it another day to grow into perfection, only to find it missing later on. In your absence something else has taken it into its own clutches. I myself have been dealing with a vegetable thief for several weeks, so if you are struggling like I am, here are a few things that might help. ’

You proceed to outline several garden pests uploading photos of their damage, along with quick remedies to deter their presence. Netting to block the sparrows, raised beds and fences to keep out most rodents or mammals, and a caffeine solution to stave off slugs.

‘I hope this may help you all in your efforts to keep your plants safe, but I must add a disclaimer. Unfortunately nothing here is completely foolproof. Even if you do follow all of these steps you still might lose some of your crops to a crafty critter. But I wish you the best of luck on all of your backyard battles. I myself plan to face off with my own long-eared menace tonight.’

You finish your post with a smile. Sending it off to your coworker Namjoon to get his approval before you make it public.

He calls a few minutes later, his laughter carrying through the speaker. “That was easily the best article you’ve written all year. You should definitely post it.”

“Thanks.” You chuckle, hitting the submit button. At the very least feeling a bit relieved to have one less task weighing on your mind. “I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. I take it you’re still having trouble with that hybrid neighbour of yours?”

“Yeah,” you groan. You’ve complained to Namjoon about the issue several times in the past month. It must have been all too easy for him to read between the lines and see what set you off to create this specific entry.  “But he refuses to admit it was him. It’s like he’s trying to make me question my skills as a gardener and I hate it! I went over to talk to his caretaker but he’s away on business for a couple weeks.”

“He left him alone for that long? What about food?”

“He’s been getting deliveries. By the looks of it, he has a healthier diet than I do.”

Namjoon pauses on the line giving you only a simple, “Huh...” in a long break.

“What?”

“Well it’s just-” A loud buzzing sound erupts through the phone line cutting off his answer. A noise you know to indicate someone is at the back door. “That’s weird. I didn’t think we were supposed to get anything delivered today. No one else is here.... did you have anything scheduled to come in?”

“No.” You double check the calendar sitting on your desk. “I shouldn’t have anything until next Monday.”  

Namjoon puts you on hold while he checks on the reason for the interruption, returning only a minute later. “It’s a delivery all right, but are you sure these aren’t yours? I’m seeing a lot of tropical species on the invoice. Combretum rotundifolium, Heliconia angusta, Myrciaria dubia-”

You mouth a swear as Namjoon carries on with his list. It’s obvious they are indeed the specimens of your expected batch. You're in the process of redesigning one of the tropical habitats. The lead director was adamant that the conservatory host a butterfly exhibition in the next coming year, and in order to support the grandiose endeavour you are required to introduce a vast amount of new flowering species over the next few months. “How many in total?”

“About two dozen. Looking pretty rough from the journey too.”

You’re not surprised by their current state. This summer is already one of the hottest and driest on record, and all the stock you had received this season was excessively wilted and near death because of it. “Do we have any holding houses with humidifiers available?”

“Not at the moment,” There’s a clatter in the background as Namjoon sorts through what must be the slack of clipboards. “But I’ve got the inspection chart here and your last delivery did just finish it’s quarantine. No signs of pests or illness, so they’re clear to plant. That should free up some space for you.”

“That’ll have to do. Thanks for checking.” Standing up from your desk with a sorrowful sigh. You mourn the loss or your afternoon off as you start to dress for a day of hard labour. Throwing on your work-issued overalls over your t-shirt and shorts. Unfortunately you can’t just leave the new stock to sit out under the beating sun. With little humidity outside and no protection they’ll be burnt to a crisp if you delay too long. But the worst part is that your planting staff isn’t scheduled until later in the week, and that volume of work will put you well into the middle of the night before you complete it. “I’ll be in soon to deal with it.”

“That’s a lot of planting to do on your own. I can help if you-”

“I can’t take you away from your trees, isn’t there a bonsai exhibition next week you have to prepare them for?” He’s been agonizing over this showcase for so long you couldn’t possibly inconvenience him now with your own troubles. “It’s fine, really. I’ll call to see if anyone else is willing to come in today.” You hang up letting Namjoon return to his tasks, and work your way down the contacts for the gardening staff as you prepare yourself to leave. Though as expected, all of those who answer have prior commitments and won’t be able to assist.

Grabbing your badge and plans for the updates to the garden you slip back out into the noon-day sun, so strong it’s turned your car into an oven on wheels. You’re just about to pull it into reverse when you spot the blinds shift in your neighbour’s window. Prompting you to recall the plans he had made for tonight.

With all the work you have, it’s doubtful you’ll be back home for seven. You return to Jungkook’s door to give him the news. He has it open before you can even knock, his usual smirk crawling across his face as he greets you.  

“About tonight... something has come up at work and I really don’t know how late I’ll be.”

His ears perk up. “You’re going into the conservatory?”

“Yeah,” you respond, somewhat shocked that he remembered where you work. It’s been a couple months since you mentioned it while introducing yourself to him and his caretaker. “An order came in earlier than expected. I’ll likely be planting all day and night.”

“I can help,” he offers, already stepping out to join you, and locking the door behind him.

“You want to help?”

“Of course, isn’t that the neighbourly thing to do?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t want it or expect it from someone who terrorizes my own garden.”

“Allegedly,” Jungkook corrects. “And wouldn’t you rather have me with you, under your supervision, than here, all alone with only a measly fence between me and your impressive bell pepper harvest?”

“Stay away from my peppers!” You scold, pointing your finger at him. “Even if I wanted to take you, what about your caretaker? Don’t you need his permission to leave and work?”

“He’s never paid attention to my whereabouts before, and it’s not work if you don’t pay me. I’ll just be a volunteer. You have people volunteer all the time right?”

“Yes but-”  

“I’ll be on my best behaviour.”

“Alright, fine.” You finally agree though with a heavy dose of reluctance. Namjoon often brings his own hybrid in so it shouldn’t be a problem. “But if I see you nibble on even a single leaf, you’re coming straight back here.”

“Deal.” He rushes past you straight to your passenger seat and buckles himself in. Practically bouncing with excitement beside you as you pull out and head towards the conservatory.

The minutes pass and you try your best to focus on the road but you’ve never been so close to Jungkook in such a small space. And with his built frame taking up most of the car, he’s hard for you to ignore. His ears folded against the roof and his shoulders so wide they brush repeatedly against yours.

“Ever been to the conservatory before?” You ask, trying to divert your mind from the battle which builds inside you. A wavering war between frustration and attraction, with the former trying it’s best to pin down the latter, a move which only arouses the latter more...

“No, I’ve wanted to go ever since you mentioned it but my caretaker hasn’t had the time.”

“Oh.” A sense of pity joins the ranks of your emotions, nudging at you as you pull into the lot. “Sorry, I didn’t-”

“Why are you sorry?” Jungkook asks in a low whisper, snapping back to his flirtatious behaviours. His mouth turns up at the corner as he leans into you, so close that his drooping ears graze the top of your head.  “Would you have taken me earlier if I had mentioned it?”

“N-no,” you choke out. Placing your hand on his solid chest, you push him back and away. As tempting as his advance might be to accept, you know his forwardness to be nothing more than an act to make a fool of you. Why else would he try to both seduce you, and steal from right under your nose?  “You’re only here today because I am in desperate need of help, and I can’t trust you to be alone.”

...

You lead him through the unoccupied greenhouses. The conservation is closed to the public today (as it is every Monday and Tuesday); which usually allows for some time off, but at least now it’ll give you a chance to work unimpeded by visitors. Your own curated section is located in the most humid of all the houses, set in such a way to mimic the tropical environment you are attempting to represent.

The first stop is the holding house where the carts of new stock wait just outside.  Grabbing an empty trolly you enter and start to load up those that are ready to plant. Jungkook following your actions does the same, easily lifting the heavy planters that you yourself struggle with. “Thanks,” you whisper as he relieves you of a particularly burdensome tree. To which he smiles in return.

After making the switch, by placing the recent delivery in the house for it’s quarantine, you lead him to the supply closet. Where you collect a couple shovels, trowels, and two pairs of gloves. As you continue to scan for anything else you might require, Jungkook pops in behind looking at the shelves with a sense of curiosity. He reaches up and over you to a spray bottle labeled ‘slug repellent.’

“We won’t need that, it’s for the outdoor gardens,” You explain. “It’s just a mixture of ca-”

“Caffeine and water?”

You snap your gaze to him. “How do you know that?”

He bites his lip as a snicker starts to escape. “Just a bit of morning reading. I found an interesting article with that particular tidbit. One which also happened to reference the exploits of a long-eared menace.”

“Y-you read the conservatory blog? You read my post? No one reads that, there can’t have been more than ten views!”

“Which is such a shame.” He goads you. “I’ve found your work to be both informative and comical. You really have me rooting for you in your quest to catch your thief.”

You groan in utter fury. “Why must you be so-so-”

“Handsome? Funny? Caring?”

“Antagonizing!”

“Because you seem to take more notice when I am.” Jungkook answers, with a turn of his heel, his tail poking out from under his shirt as he starts to walk away with the cart. “And I like seeing that perplexed look of yours. Your nose is cute when you scrunch it up like that.”

You remain in the shed, your traitorous heart beating erratically over the fact that he called a part of you cute. While your more sensible side grabs your nose and smooths out the wrinkles he referenced.

“Should we get to work?” He calls out after you. “The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go home and expose that bandit of yours.”

You roll your eyes and follow him out, before taking the lead to your tropical glasshouse. The air sticks to your skin the moment you enter. Jungkook lets out a long exhale behind you tugging on the collar of his shirt. “Is it always like this in here?”

“It’s a bit warmer today, but not by much. Are you already regretting your decision to help?” You tease him.

“Nope,” he answers, slinging a shovel over his shoulder. “Show me where to dig, and I’ll get to it.”

Pulling out your plans for the new exhibit arrangement, you select a couple species placing them on the empty plots of garden as directed, careful to allow for future growth. Jungkook follows behind digging out their new homes faster than at least three of your staff members combined.

You stare at him for a second, unable to believe the pace at which he’s going. “Something wrong?” He asks, pausing to lock eyes with you.

“No, I just didn’t think you’d be so quick at digging.”

“I’m part rabbit, what did you expect?” Jungkook boasts with a chuckle and a raised brow. “I share their strengths. Especially when it comes to burrowing and fu-”      

His words are cut short when a fresh breeze from the outside washes over the both of you, a  sure sign that someone must have entered the greenhouse. Your neighbour goes rigid, his nose lifts into the air and his ears fall back flat against his head. “Jungkook what’s-” Leaping up he closes the gap and grabs you. Tucking you into him with his chin resting on your head, where a  warm and earthy scent envelopes you.  His breaths are quick and deep, causing his chest to rapidly rise and fall against your back.

Namjoon’s voice calls out to you. “... are you in here?”

“Over here!” You yell out in reply, before turning back to the hybrid who still has you locked in his clutches. “What the hell Jungkook? Let me go! Now’s not the time for your games.” Sure it might feel nice to be wrapped in his arms, to get lost amidst his aroma. At any other time you might even consider taking a moment before chastising his boldness. But here? Now? And with Namjoon coming to greet you? No, this is too much.

You try to push him away like you have before, but this time it’s as if he’s set in stone, and not registering you at all. He focuses only on the direction your coworker's voice hailed from. “That scent, he smells like-”

“There you are.” Namjoon interrupts stepping around a flowering bush and into view, looking surprised by your guest. “Oh, hello there.”

The point of Jungkook's chin rubs against your head as he grips you even tighter. Embarrassed and confused by the hybrids embrace. “Jungkook, this is Namjoon.” You introduce your coworker while delivering an elbow to Jungkook’s gut. He finally snaps out of his trace and lets you go though he continues to hover behind. “He works with the bonsai of the conservatory.”

“You must be the neighbour I’ve heard so much about, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Namjoon extends his hand to the hybrid, but Jungkook ignores the gesture, choosing to glare instead, with his nostrils flared and his ears pinned back.

“Jungkook?” You whisper trying to chase him from his mood.

Namjoon gives him a nervous smile. “You probably smell my hybrid, on me don’t you?”

“A hybrid?” Jungkook confirms, his eyes narrowed at Namjoon.

“Yeah, sorry, I didn’t intend to scare you. I’m sure the scent of a predator, especially a tiger, is a bit of a shock. He’s harmless, I promise.”

“Is Taehyung here?” You ask, hoping to see his affectionate part-feline companion.  

“Nah, he’s with a friend today. I needed to get some work done and he’d be more of a distraction than a help... but it would seem that didn’t stop him from scenting my shirt before I left.” Namjoon explains, and then turns to your neighbour again. “Jungkook would you mind if I borrow her for a second? I need help with one of my tropical species.”

Jungkook gives a solemn nod. For the first time since you’ve known him, he looks frightened, and somewhat hesitant to release you over to your coworker.

Worried by his current disposition, you reassure him with a squeeze on his arm. “Just keep digging where I’ve placed those pots and I’ll be right back.”

Namjoon leads you into the adjacent greenhouse where you can continue to keep watch of Jungkook through the pains of glass. But the instant the doors close between you, Namjoon starts bombarding you with questions. “Why didn’t you tell me? How long has it been going on? ”

You take a step back having been caught off guard. “Tell you what?”

“About you and Jungkook! Is the feuding neighbours just a cover story?” Namjoon’s eyes are wide and hopeful as he carries on, not letting you fit a single word in. “Don’t worry, I won’t inform anyone you're together. I know it’s not easy having a human-hybrid relationship out in the open. But I think you should be careful about going out into public because he’s far too obvious about it.”

“We’re not- we’re not a couple. Why would you think such a thing?”

“Because the way held you, he looked like he was marking you with his own scent. That’s what rabbits do isn’t it? They rub their chins on what they want to claim as their own.”

“They do what?” You ask, stunned by the possibility, before the realism settles back in. It must just be Jungkook’s idea of a joke. “No, that’s not what he’s doing, our connection is nothing remotely like that. Don’t get me wrong he’s very attractive, and he knows it.” You mutter the last part under your breath. “But-”

“But you really are having trouble with him. It's not a cover?”

“You think I would keep something like that from you?” Namjoon over the years has come to be your closest confidant. A good friend and coworker, you would never dream of hiding something like that from him.

“I suppose not.”

“Is that why you brought me back here, to question my relationship status?”

“Not entirely.” Namjoon shakes his head with a small dimpled smile and changes the subject. “I do actually want to get your help with one of my new acquisitions.” He points out an unusual tree on his work bench, much too big for the pot it’s currently situated in. It’s extensive roots spill out over the top and threaten to swallow the pot whole. “A Ficus microcarpa, far from the most sought after species when it comes to reputable bonsai, but I couldn’t pass this one up. It has such good character.”

“What made it grow in such a way?” You examine the plant and it’s container with care, prying between the roots and taking note of cracks starting to form in the terracotta.

“The last owner neglected it for far too long. It sat hidden in the back of a commercial greenhouse, still under the watering and fertilizing system, but since it was confined to such a small space it tried to root it’s way out. If I were to guess, it probably hasn’t seen a new pot for at least five years.”

“It’s a miracle it survived.” You nod impressed by the tree’s determination. “What’s your plan for it?”

“Give it what it wants, let it leach out. I doubt I would be able to pry it out entirely without causing significant damage to the roots that are gripping the sides, so instead I want to put another bellow to catch it and give it the fresh soil and room it needs.” Namjoon lays the tree and pot down on the table, and asks you to hold and support the trunk, while he taps and pokes at the bottom of the vessel with a metal trowel.  Enlarging the cracks, but not breaking the pot fully. It’s a tedious process. The small chunks of clay are removed piece by piece, giving him access to see and free some of the tightly bound roots inside.

While your coworker continues his task, your eyes are free to wonder. You check on Jungkook through the glass, as he kneels in front of the garden bed digging even faster than before.

Namjoon appears to notice your distracted state. “How's he doing?”

“Fine I guess.” You whisper. “He’s acting stranger than usual today though. He stole from my garden again. Invited himself over to my house, then here, and you saw what he did back there.”

“Huh...” Namjoon mutters, trailing off the same way he did on the phone.

“What is this ‘huh’ you keep giving me? You know I don’t like games Namjoon. If you have something you want to say, say it.”

“It’s about what you said earlier, how his caretaker leaves for extended periods of time. Usually if an animal is alone for too long they look for ways to stimulate themselves and resort to their natural instincts, scavenging and such. But he’s a hybrid and therefore part human, so if you were isolated and restricted to your house what would you do?”

“Probably look for the closest person I could find. So he’s acting out in my garden and teasing me, because he’s lonely?”

“I think so.” Namjoon responds as he extracts another root, freeing it from its confines.

“But why?” You ask, worried for the answer to come. “Why wouldn’t he just say something?”

“There could be a number of reasons. He might not understand what he’s doing on a conscious level, or he might be afraid to show any sign of weakness to you or anyone else. Jungkook is part prey animal, and humans are all too often predators.”

“If that’s the case...” You curse yourself for not realizing it sooner. The fury you held for him slowly fades away as you replay every encounter in your mind. He was literally jumping at the chance to spend time with you, to help you with your work, and you were to blind to see it. Your anger over your missing vegetables is so trivial in comparison to what he must have been going through. The loneliness he must have felt, and the inability to admit it, you can’t imagine how he suffered through it alone. “What can I do to help him? I have no legal claim to him Namjoon. What can I do within such limitations?”

He looks down at his work in progress. “The way I see it  you and he, like this small tree, have three options. You could maintain the status quo, leave him be, but how long will he be able to survive like he is? Creeping over the edge but grasping on to nothingness?”

You shake your head vehemently rejecting the idea while Namjoon continues.

“You could report his caretaker for neglect, breaking the container entirely, but that too could be very damaging to him, tearing him away entirely could put him in a state of shock, and in a home that is no better for him, while the legal battle is decided. Or...” Namjoon grabs another container, slightly wider than the one in which the plant is seated. Filling it with substrate he takes the tree clinging to it’s partial pot and places it on top. Pressing the newly freed roots down into the soil.

“You could support him, give him a better home just outside of his own where he can be himself and access what he needs. I personally think it’s your safest option for now.” Namjoon leads over inspecting the bonsai and lowers his voice to an almost inaudible whisper. “Until the day, when it is possible to fully cast the pot aside.”

You nod, though now left to grapple with what you could possibly have to offer the hybrid.  “I’m not sure I would be the best person to care for him.”

“I think Jungkook would disagree. He was already trying to scent you. That to me, implies his desire for something more in the realm of an intimate relationship.” You choke on your breath as Namjoon comes to an additional conclusion. Upon seeing your distress he makes a suggestion. “Of course you could keep it strictly to friendship between the two of you and I’m sure that will improve his situation, but his other needs will need to be met for him to feel completely at home...”

“His other needs? You think he wants to be with me? Intimately?! No! Surely he would have acted differently if that was his intent! He’s done nothing but tease me when he catches me even remotely looking in his direction.”

“So you have been looking at him!” Namjoon taunts you with a massive grin. Apologizing a second later when you proceed to glare at him. “But to answer your question, no, not necessarily. You have to remember most of society deems him a lesser being. He could be feeling a lot of guilt and pressure not to engage with you in that way. Though he might not outright say it, I bet his instincts will continue to shine through. I’ll even prove it to you.” Namjoon takes off a glove and rubs your head. “I bet this rabbit of yours will take less than a minute before he tries to replace the smell of my hand with his own again... trust me.”

You shake your head in disbelief. “I should probably get back to him.” You are just about to step away when your thoughts return to the long neglected plant. “Where do you plan to house that when you’re finished? Ficuses naturally belong in a more tropical location don’t they?”

“They do, especially if I want to give it a better chance. It’s going to need a place far more humid than this space.”

“Was this all your calculated way of guilting me to store it in my greenhouse too?”

“The thought might have crossed my mind.” Namjoon gives you a sly grin.  “But my logic is still sound in regards to Jungkook. He needs someone, he needs a better home... and it would seem he’s chosen you.”

...

You wander back to your greenhouse, still full of doubt. Finding Jungkook to have finished most of the required digging.

“Sorry for leaving you.”

“You-you okay?” He asks, upon seeing the dazed look on your face and then scowling in the direction that Namjoon led you.

“Fine, he just needed help with one of his plants. Sorry about earlier, I didn’t think you’d be affected by the scent of his hybrid, Taehyung is rather sweet though, you’d like him.”

“You trust him then?” Jungkook grumbles as he pierces his shovel into the ground. “You trust Namjoon and his hybrid?”

“Of course, why shouldn’t I?”

“Because it wasn’t just a tiger that I smelled. He’s been around a lot of hybrids. Every scent on him told me to run, all of them put there by dangerous predators.”

“Oh,” you shoot back in surprise. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Taehyung is rather popular, he has a lot of friends and Namjoon often caters them at his place. You don’t need to worry, you're safe here.”

“It’s not myself I’m worried about.”

Jungkook inches closer as you crouch to place the plants in the holes he dug. His nose twitches as he takes a deep breath, his eyes watching while you bury the root ball in the warm soil, firmly securing the trunk of the young tree.

While you are leaning down, Jungkook reaches across to the other side of you. Grabbing the trowel to your right despite the fact that the same tool can be found on his left. The bottom of his chin grazes the top of your head and lingers for a spell. Your heart stops in that moment while questioning his motives. Though Namjoon said he’d do just this, you still can’t be entirely sure that it proves him correct; Jungkook might just not have seen the other option available to him, and he’s never bothered about invading your space. This could be nothing, though there’s a small growing part of you that wants it more and more to be something.

“He’s a good guy,” you promise, returning to the conversation so as to not dwell on his actions. “He even suggested that I should bring you along more often, if you’re interested in spending some of your days here.”

“He did?”

You nod.  A small white lie, but not entirely incorrect, and if it gets him to accept Namjoon easier you’ll all be better for it. “I wouldn’t expect you to work, but you're more than welcome to just hang around. The staff here could always use some company and I’m sure it would beat staying at home alone all day.”

“I would like that. I would like that a lot, but would you want me to keep you company too?”

“If that’s what you want to do.”

“No, I need to know if that’s what you want.” He looks over to you pinning you down in his line of sight.  

“I suppose I would....” You answer and turn your head, unable to bear the nerves that his gaze brings. The both of you fall quiet. Knowing what you know now, being free of your anger for him leaves you vulnerable, open to his persuasion, and now you are no longer certain of how to act. So you start to rely on what has made him comfortable in the past, and interject with a new condition to bring an end to the awkward silence. “As long as you treat this garden better than mine back home.”

Jungkook lets out a long laugh. “I have nothing but the highest respect for your garden.”

...

When planting is finished your clothes are entirely saturated in sweat and your muscles aching from use. It’s hard to believe how much you’ve both done in such a short amount of time. While carting up the supplies, Jungkook’s eyes catch on something behind you. You look around spotting the newly potted bonsai on a back table. Namjoon must have dropped it off while you both were busy.

Looking at it now you can’t help but notice how even the shape of its leaves remind you of the hybrid’s ears, long, pointed, and reaching up to the sky. You consider your friend's words one more time and while Jungkook leans over to inspect the tree. Reaching out to his back, your hand shakes with hesitation before setting down on a spot just below his shoulder. He softens under your touch, a low hum leaving his lips. His attention turns from the plant to you. With your hand still in place, your arm is now wrapped around him, leaving only an inch between the two of you. You stand there fixed and unmoving, but content in the knowledge, that you seem to have left him speechless this time. His eyes darting away from yours, to your lips, your neck, and finally the hand you place upon his chest.  

Only to have the moment broken when you can hear and feel the rumble from his stomach. His nervous laugh follows as he reaches up to scratch behind his ear.

“Hungry?”

He nods in response, his eyes wide as he remains unusually silent.

“Come on, I’ll buy you dinner.” You offer as you turn him around to head to the car.

...

You both settle on a take out spot, and return home to wash up and eat.

After finishing your meal and tearing off your overalls, you both settle down on the hammock in your yard. With Jungkook’s legs long enough to touch the ground, he slowly rocks the seat back and forth.  He’s been near silent since that close moment together. He’s never had a problem with banter and flirtation, but now you’ve come to notice that any attention which can’t be passed off as a joke causes him to flounder.

Laying back in the hammock, both full and content, your eyes threaten to close after the long day as Jungkook continues to sit beside you. The sound of crickets lulling you to sleep. “Keep an eye out for that thief of mine will you?” You may not like games but if it makes him comfortable, and keeps him talking, you’ll continue to play this ruse with him.

“You trust me to keep watch without your supervision?”

“Are you suggesting I shouldn’t?”

“No, it’s just a lot more credit than you usually give me.”

“I think you’ve earned it.” You whisper as you finally drift off.

It feels like only a few minutes of rest before the sun sets and the air turns cool. Jungkook’s chin comes to rest on the top of your head like it did back in the greenhouse. He shifts his weight, burrowing his arms around and behind to cover you as he takes deep breaths. You lean into him seeking the warmth of his chest. No longer restricted by your childish anger to enjoy his company is a welcome relief, you only wish you could relinquish him of any of his own troubles and doubts.  And then, you feel it, a drop of cold rain hitting your neck. The hammock moves again as he adjusts, the back of his fingers running across the damp spot. Another finds your cheek and he wipes that away too, your skin shivering in response.

But when a speck lands your mouth he stops. You wait, a second, then two. Your anticipation grows with face heating up and your chest tightening as you continue to crave his touch. You want him to wipe it away, to touch you, to act on whatever desires he might be keeping. You part your lips with the desperate hope that he will take the hint. Rejoicing when the warm pad of his thumb spreads the drop across the delicate skin.

He comes down on to you, his mouth catching any and all remains of the droplet as he encases your lips. Jungkook places a hand on your neck while the other grabs the ropes of the hammock, his legs straddle your hips. The scattered rain turns to a downpour as he remains fixed to your mouth, even his form isn’t enough to shield you from the current washing down from the sky.

As your hands reach up to his own damp and curling locks entwining your fingers in the strands he moans and nips. But as quickly as it started, so too does it end. When Jungkook snaps up as though jolted from a dream. His ears point back as an apology flows from him. “I-I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Jungkook,” you call out to him but he ignores you as he tries to detangle himself. When one foot hits the ground. You grab his waist and try again. “Jungkook, you don’t have to be sorry.” But instead of stopping he merely pulls you off and along with him, sending you both to the muddy ground, but this time with you on top of him.

“Are you okay?” He asks the loud pouring of the rain forcing him to raise the volume of his voice.

You chuckle at his concern considering he’s the one flat on his back. “I think I should be asking you that question instead.” You pause as he mirrors your grin. “Why did you stop? Did I do something wrong?”

“No.” He looks up at you, his brow furrowing. “You did nothing wrong. It was me. I was the one acting on my instincts. I shouldn’t have done that when I know how much you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you...” You explain, trying your best not to be drowned out by the water cascading down. “The things you did might have annoyed me, but I get it now. I’m just sorry it took me so long to notice.”

“Notice what?”

“How fucked up your situation is. For not realizing how alone you must have been. How caged you must have felt. I’ve been so focused on my own little world that I didn’t realize what was happening or why you were acting the way you were. I like you, a lot, but I was too wrapped up in my frustration to say how I felt...”

“It’s not your fault.”

You shake your head. “I am not innocent in this. I should have been paying more attention.”

“Then pay attention to me now.” He begs with his round eyes shining up at you.  

“But in what way? As a neighbour, as a friend, or maybe something more?" Your voice cracks in desperation, trying to find his needs while also hoping they are the same as yours. “Is that why you were always teasing me the way you did? You wanted something more?”

“You really want to know?” Jungkook’s tone is low as it grips on to his every word. “I did it because it was the only thing that could distract me from my incessant need for you. Seeing your reactions and having your attention kept me in check. I’m very different from you and I’m aware it could cause a problem. I wasn’t sure if you could ever fully want me because of that.” He reaches to rub around the base of his ears. “But every day that I looked over I wanted to hold you, to claim you, to take you right here on this very spot. So often I dreamed of jumping the fence and coming for you instead of...”

You smile down at him, noting his near admission. “Instead of?”

“Instead of watching from a distance.” He smirks, catching and narrowly fixing his statement. Pleading guilty only to his longing for you.

“Then do it.” You demand of him.

He groans from his position beneath you. “Don’t tease me like that.”

“I’m not. You weren’t the only one peeking through the fence Jungkook.” Reaching up to your collar you tug off your shirt. He follows your lead with his own to reveal his sculpted chest he’s taunted you with so many times. “I don’t care if we’re different from each other. I don’t care if it causes a problem.” You shift back on his body traveling from your seat near his stomach down to his hips, his clothed dick firm and pressing against you. A moan escapes his lips, confirming that you’ve made your point. “There’s no one else nearby, so if you want me so much that you’re willing to fuck me out here, in the rain and mud-”  

His hands come to grip your waist, and in one swift motion, he lifts you off, maneuvering out from underneath, to fall into place behind you. From there he pushes you down to your hands and knees, his body bent over yours. “You have no idea how much I want to.” He whispers with a kiss to your bare shoulder damp from the rain that continues to pour.

He takes off your bra before his face moves down your back, nose trailing against your skin and pausing at your shorts. Unfastening the button he pulls them down, freeing you of your underwear too before they are both cast aside. “I want to smell you, and taste you.” Jungkook takes in a deep breath, wrapping an arm around your legs, and barring your thighs. He buries his face between your legs, his tongue reaching out to deliver a long lick to your folds pausing after every lap.

Your palms dig into the ground, the cool mud coming to the surface to meet them. You buck against his tongue but the forearm holding you remains firm, sending your squirming downward to bury your elbows in the soggy grass too.

Jungkook chuckles as you inadvertently give him a better angle. From behind you can hear the zipper of his own shorts. Rubbing the head of his cock against your damp folds, he covers it with the slick of your slit, and with a long groan he eases it inside. He’s slow at first, letting you savor the girth and warmth of him. So you start to edge back and forward on his cock. Taking the time to enjoy every inch, along with the sounds that leave him. But when he returns to take control, the first thrust is so powerful, his thighs hit your ass with a loud clap, and every jolt of his hips after, drives you further down each time.

A stuttering groan escapes him as he fills you. Thinking he’s finished you lean forwards and until his cock pulls out, but in response he grabs your waist. Turning you over, back to the ground on top of the discarded clothes and facing him.

He lowers himself pressing his chest against yours. His fingers reach to grab your chin and take a kiss. His cock, despite having come only moments before, is hard once more and poised to enter once again.

“How are you-” You manage to squeeze a few words in the gaps between his kisses as he draws breath. “Ready for more-” Another pass of his tongue. “Already?”

“You have my hybrid traits to thank for that.” He moves to nibble on the side of your throat. “I have more to give you, if you want it.”

You nod unable to emit any noise other than a gasp as his mouth finds a sensitive spot on your neck. His dick forges in again, your slick and his cum dripping out of you as he fills you with himself instead.

You’ve avoided touching him with your own hands as they are patched with mud, but as his thrusts grow more powerful than even before, you’re forced to grab on his arms and chest. Leaving behind streaks of dirt which display the path of your grip. Jungkook doesn’t seem to mind though, in fact looks rather encouraged by your touch, and the marks you leave him.

“What a dirty woman you are, and getting me all messy too.” He scoffs while admiring your handiwork. “Can I return the favour?”

“Help me come first and you can do whatever the fuck you want.” You gasp on the brink of your climax.  

His ears perk up and a grin streaks across his face. “Close are you?” He grabs your calf and wraps your leg around his back, the other follows suit and his hand comes to rest on your lower back pushing you up and into him effectively grinding your mount against him.

You gasp and flinch with the sudden pressure, but he holds you firm as your back arches to meet him.

His hips beat on at a rapid pace, a small whimper escapes him as you reach the peak, tipping you over the edge. The chilling rain can in no way can douse the searing heat that spreads through you. You're still gasping when his jaw clamps down hard, his teeth poised upon your skin. The first pulse of his cock comes inside, but on the second he pulls out to splatter your chest and stomach with the rest. His hand comes to clutch his shaft, spilling more out and on to you with each stroke.

After every remaining drop has been cast on you he smiles, dragging his fingers across the rain drenched mess of mud and cum on your skin. “Never thought I’d ever see you so thoroughly soiled.”

You giggle at his remarks through your deep breaths. “And now that you do, what do you think?”

“I think it suits you, the dirt, the rain, and me...” He lowers himself down onto you, with his head now resting upon your shoulder. “It’s too bad though. Now I just want more, but we’re both far too filthy to carry on like this.”  

You turn to whisper at the base of his ear. “Who says we can’t continue in the shower...”

...

You wake early the next morning with the sun spilling into the room, lighting up your bed, and the hybrid sleeping next to you. His ears and nose twitching as he continues to rest. Slipping out from the covers, and into a set of clean gardening clothes, you exit the room with as little sound as possible.

On the tile floor of your hall, muddy footprints trail from your backdoor to your bathroom.  A smile pulls at your lips as you recall the events which brought them there. Jungkook had been so excited to keep going he picked you up and rushed you inside.

The feeling from the warm water and hands in contrast to the cool rain was enough to bring back the waves of pleasure. He was so thorough in washing you down, you might have to ask him to join you for another this morning and repay the favour.  

Outside in the garden you find all your harvest from the day before present and untouched. You’re pleased by this new development, but it’s not the fact that your crops are intact which makes you happy, it’s the comfort in knowing that Jungkook didn’t feel the need to take them.

A few minutes later the hybrid in question comes up behind you wrapping his arms around your waist pulling with him a blanket he took from the bed to cover the both of you. “Morning.” He mumbles, as his nose finds the crook of your neck where he exhales with a deep and relaxed sigh.

“Morning.” You respond, enjoying the tickle of his breath before you turn around to better see him. “It seems the thief didn’t strike last night. ”

“I guess they found a new garden to plunder and devour?” Jungkook suggests, giving you a sly grin, before he opens his mouth again. It’s easy to see that he’s getting ready to confess, his face shifts to a stern expression as he looks down at the ground, the guilt weighing heavily upon his brow. Placing your index to his lips you stop him. No longer needing to hear those words of admission, you offer a new proposal instead.

“Maybe, but that was just one night. The thief might still come back. So if it’s alright with you I would like you to stay here. Until we can be sure they won’t return.”

Jungkook lets out a satisfied chuckle, pushing aside your finger and pulling you tighter into his warm embrace. “You’re right, I suppose it would be safer if I stayed.” His lips plant a kiss on the top of your head where he then rests his chin. “A temptation as enticing as this, shouldn’t be left alone and unattended.”

...

[mysticalmusicwhispers]

glimpses into a calmer universe

a gift for @luyous, because you once made some posts asking for indchu fics, and I started writing indchuran for the hell of it, but never finished until now. I think this could fit in the indchuran: bros for life AU but only after they get together, since there’s less pining than usual. Anyways, this is very overdue, but I hope you enjoy!

A little bit of domestic fluff. 3 glimpses into the indchuran universe through three different perspectives. Iran/Persia is Roshan, and they’re genderfluid.

Also on AO3!

———

The smell of food is wafting upstairs from the kitchen. It tempts Aditya sorely, and he tries to resist—he has a rather crushing workload to get through today—but five minutes later his feet are padding softly on the first floor landing, the tiles cool under his bare soles. He stops in the doorway, idly tracing the spots of afternoon sunshine dancing on the walls, and watches the figures of his two loves, side by side in the kitchen. Yao is standing in front of the stove, spatula in hand, and Roshan is at his side in front of the sink, busy washing something Aditya cannot see. They are talking quietly above the sizzle of the wok and the sound of water gushing out of the faucet, a perfect picture of domesticity, all easy smiles, gentle touches, quiet jokes and careless laughter. An intimate synchronization of movement, like their hearts are beating in time. It strikes Aditya that his heart suddenly feels like it is overflowing, and he supposes he’s done enough watching from afar—for today, at least. 

Yao hears him coming first, and turns around as he enters the kitchen, but doesn’t say anything, just acknowledges him with a smile and a softening of the eyes, and begins to heap the stir-fried ants-on-a-branch—the vegetarian variation, with diced shiitake mushrooms instead of minced meat—onto a plate. When Roshan sees him, Aditya is treated to a warm smile and a kiss on the cheek that smells like roses before they turn back to washing the spinach, cilantro, and parsley—Aditya thinks they’re for the reshteh that recently appeared in the kitchen cupboard—in the sink. 

He offers to help with the washing, or the onions (even though they make him cry, which always makes Roshan and Yao laugh), but Roshan pushes him lightly out of the kitchen and Yao makes sure he doesn’t go back in. So Aditya is forced to sit at their small dining table, debating whether to finish his work or enjoy the afternoon sunshine streaming in from the glass back door. The work, he decides, isn’t worth it, and instead he goes back to watching Roshan and Yao work. He refuses to think he is admiring them. 

Nevertheless, it isn’t long before he’s too caught up in staring that he doesn’t notice Yao nudging Roshan and whispering “Aditya’s pining again”. But when Roshan catches him staring, they just smile cheekily, wink, and blow him a theatrical kiss that still makes Aditya’s throat catch and his heart stutter, even after a year of dating them. When they turn back to chopping herbs, the sunlight catches on their hair, coating it gold. Aditya is reminded of Roshan’s name, and Yao’s—and their meanings: light, shining. 

He does not think himself sentimental, but sometimes—many times—he wonders if they were fated to be. And he supposes it is not too cliche to admit to himself, privately, that his partners are the lights of his life.

———

Yao pauses at the entrance of the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, still wondering whether it was wise to bring Aditya and Roshan along, and whether they will drag him to every place that sells anything vaguely shiny before leaving. But just as he thinks this, he makes the mistake—and it is definitely a mistake—of turning, and catches Aditya grinning at him, flashing an easygoing smile—a smile he’d do anything to keep, and he relents. But his regrets, or doubts, or whatever the vaguely self-preserving feeling in his chest is, must have shown on a slight frown or in an imperceptible sigh, because Roshan kisses his cheek and says,

“Come on Yao, we’ll handle ourselves. We won’t get distracted and we’ll be back at home in no time, exactly as you planned.” They wink at Aditya, which is never a good sign, but it’s still enough to wheedle him into agreeing, however fondly exasperated he is, and however certain he is that they will waste half the day away, as usual. He sighs again—the old man sigh, according to Roshan—but grumbles a “fine, but you need to pay me back in white rabbit”, and watches them veer off towards the artisan stalls, holding hands. Aditya’s hair glints brightly in the sun, and Roshan’s is dyed a rich, dark brown. Like two suns, hand in hand; one bright, the other warm.

Someone bumps into him, and Yao shakes himself out of his reverie. The grocery list is a mile long, and he doesn’t need to waste more time than is absolutely necessary, after all.

But finding all the things he needs to buy takes more time than he likes, and the walk to the Chinatown butcher’s to see whether they have halal live chicken— they don’t—takes even longer, so that it is almost noon (two whole hours, which he realizes with a pang) when he wanders back to the Ferry Building to find Aditya and Roshan in a small jewelry shop, excitedly inspecting a stand of earrings. He watches them for a second through the windows as Aditya holds a pair of dangling yellow lotus blossoms up to his ears and Roshan looks on admiringly. Yao is pretty sure he too is admiring Aditya—he looks truly beautiful, with the earrings and a modest smile and a bright twinkle in his polished obsidian eyes—but some part of him pulls him back into real time and reminds him that although it is a Saturday, he has no time to waste (stupid law firm), and he regretfully walks into the store to retrieve his partners. He thinks—no, he knows—it will be half an hour before he can pull them away from the (admittedly alluring) jewelry displays, but he supposes Aditya’s cheek kiss and Roshan’s cheerful gratitude will be worth it. Anyways, he can always bullshit case briefings and squeeze out extra time somewhere. He’d rather not rush this moment.

———

When Roshan finally trudges home after getting the week’s groceries, neither Yao nor Aditya are there to hold the door open for them, and there is no response when they call out an “I’m back” from the kitchen. They know Yao and Aditya are in the house—Yao’s Hello Kitty slippers are missing from the shoemat—so the only possibility is that they are ignoring Roshan. Sad. They sigh—rather theatrically—but heave everything into the refrigerator without calling a second time, and hope this will be a fair trade for them failing to find white rabbit in Chinatown for the third time in a row. 

Yao and Aditya, they find, are in the living room couch, engaged in another petty struggle over the remote. The newest Game of Thrones episode is playing on the TV Yao shipped from China, and Aditya is furiously muttering about “what a trashy white-produced rapefest show it is” and trying to swipe at the remote Yao grips with white-knuckled hands. Yao, for his part, has not retaliated much at all, besides scooting over to the other side of the couch and obstinately holding onto the precious remote. Roshan looks on for a time, amused, and watches Tywin Lannister’s face loom nastily over them all, until Aditya turns around and catches sight of them in the doorway. 

“Roshan, help me! You can’t possibly agree with Yao’s taste, can you?” Aditya looks thoroughly exasperated, and Roshan almost can’t believe how much his voice begs them to take a side. 

“No thanks. Aditya, you’ll have to fight the good fight by yourself; I’ll be in the kitchen making dinner.” They smirk, and decide that the way Aditya swells up with absolute fury is definitely worth whatever payback is coming. And as they walk back to the kitchen to start washing vegetables for dinner, there is a brief moment of silence as the TV switches off before everything descends into chaos. Yao's yelling now, and, by the sound of it, has started a pillow fight that Aditya joins in with enthusiasm. Roshan glances back, just in time to watch Yao whack Aditya with a flower patterned pillow and scream, 

"LET ME LOOK AT TYWIN LANNISTER AGAIN, ADITYA!" 

They are idiots, Roshan thinks with a smile, but they are their idiots.

———

Feedback is welcome and appreciated! thank you for reading :)

Notes

In the second scene, I just chose a notable farmer’s market in San Francisco at random hhhhh (apologies for any inaccuracies if anyone from CA is reading lol) the Ferry Building Farmers Market is pretty close to Chinatown, and although idk where they live in San Fran, Yao’s gotta get his white rabbit from somewhere right (the live chicken would be for chicken soup, but not the American kind)

Last scene inspired/taken from this ask! thank you bones, this was the fic I was talking about lol

the title was made up on the spot but I was thinking along the lines of “well this is a universe where the three of them are less of a group of bastards and also don’t have to contend as much with complex relations and just be lovers together”

In the first scene, there are two dishes I was referencing:

Ants-on-a-branch: 蚂蚁上树, whose proper name is ants climbing a tree, but I tweaked the translation a little. It’s a Sichuan dish that usually consists of vermicelli noodles cooked with minced meat (pork I believe) and a bunch of green onions and chopped peppers for spice (my parents also add stuff like wood ear, a fungus, and carrots and don’t add pepper but idk how “authentic” that is because we ain’t from Sichuan lol). For a lot of Chinese dishes you can usually substitute meat with shiitake mushrooms to make it vegetarian/vegan.

I tried to imply that the dish Roshan was planning to make is ash reshteh, a Persian dish of thick noodle soup with various herbs, onions, and peas. Kashk or yogurt whey is also a component of the soup and gives it its signature rich sour flavor. Because reshteh noodles are believed to bring good luck, ash reshteh is typically served around the Persian New Year, Nowruz, and at important events, but it can be theoretically be eaten at any time.

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision

POPSUGAR: WandaVision has finally arrived, and it’s chock-full of hidden goodies for Marvel fans to devour! While the series is built upon a mystery that we’ll be spending a reported nine episodes trying to figure out, the smallest details in each episode provide clues on where the show is heading. From supermarket banners to foreboding commercials, viewers have an abundance of references and callbacks to classic comic lore and pivotal MCU moments. Are they setting the stage for a big reveal at the end, or are they just fun details included for fans to enjoy? While we try to figure it all out, scroll through to see what we’ve gathered! And check back every week for an episode-by-episode breakdown as WandaVision progresses.

WandaVision Episode 7 Easter Eggs

The episode opens the morning after Wanda has expanded the border of the Hex, finding the Avenger hiding from the world under her comforter. The comforter in question has a hexagon pattern, which is both a nod to the overall theme of the show as well as a metaphor for how Wanda is literally hiding away under a hex.

Billy and Tommy run into the room to reveal that their video game console has been messing up. Everything in the house is glitching, trying to transform back to earlier versions of themselves.

Billy also tells his mother that his head hurts and things are “noisy.” Since the twin inherited his mother’s ability to read minds, it seems he’s able to hear the thoughts of everyone in the bubble (and near it on the outside, since he was able to hear his father when he was dying). It’s a sign that Billy’s powers are growing, which means we could see the little boy reach his Wiccan potential before the end of the season.

Wanda wanders into the kitchen as the news drones on in the background. The news station is called W.N.D.A. or Wanda. The newscaster makes pointed comments, noting that there’s “not a thing weighing heavily on your conscience,” and that they “hope your little ghosts arrived home safe last night. It’s always such a treat to see those creepy kiddos out and about once a year.” The comments refer to Wanda’s building guilt at her actions in the previous episode and the rare appearance of children during the Halloween episode.

As Wanda makes her breakfast of “Sugar Snaps,” a nod to the big Snap of the universe, her milk carton reverts from its modern design to the old school glass bottle and back. The carton has a missing person’s ad on the back with a picture of a little boy on the back. This could be a reference to the oft-mentioned absence of children of Westview, and what could have happened to them.

Wanda and the twins “break the fourth wall” frequently to talk to the camera in the same vein as Modern Family.

This week’s theme song sounds similar to The Office’s, which also usings talking head segments like Modern Family. The opening credits are similar to the show Happy Endings and allude to the show’s focus on Wanda, even attributing the creation of WandaVision to her with the title image. Vision is notably completely absent from the opening credits, but there’s a clue that someone else is watching in a message that reads, “I know what u are doing Wanda.”

Agnes stops by to take the boys off of Wanda’s hands, which the exhausted mother is exceedingly grateful for. The twins are visibly uncomfortable with the idea, with Tommy asking Wanda if they have to and Billy telling his mother that someone has to stay to take care of her. It seems like they can sense that something is off with their “kindly” neighbor.

Wanda sends them off with Agnes, but once they’re gone, her magic goes incredibly haywire. All the furniture begins glitching again, with the stork from the painting in episode three making a reappearance. “I don’t understand what’s happening,” Wanda laments during a talking head segment. “Why it’s all falling apart and why I can’t fix it.” The off-screen interviewer responds, “Do you think maybe it’s what you deserve?” which visibly unnerves Wanda, who notes that they aren’t supposed to speak. It’s another sign that Wanda does not have as much control as she’s been led to believe.

Cue the sixth commercial, and it’s even more pointed than any of the others have been. It’s an ad for the antidepressant Nexus, for “when the world doesn’t revolve around you. Or does it?” The drug allows people to anchor themselves to the reality of their choice with side effects that include “feeling your feelings, confronting your truth, seizing your destiny, and possibly more depression.” Whew, the pointed commentary is even making me sweat. Nexus is a nod to two things: Wanda’s crippling inability to deal with the trauma she’s been through and her depression that’s pushed her into the creation of Westview, and two Marvel comics concepts. The first is the Nexus of All Realities is a kind of gateway point between dimensions from which all universes in the multiverse can be accessed. (Remember, Wanda’s next reported appearance is in Multiverse of Madness.) The second concept is the existence of Nexus beings, people who have powers that can alter reality, probability, and the Universal Time Stream. Guess which two Westview residents are considered Nexus beings? That’s right, Wanda and Vision! The commercial can either be just a cheeky nod to the couple’s seemingly infinite power or an allusion to the bigger picture that WandaVision is leading to.

While Darcy and Vision are attempting to make their way to the house, the doctor gives the synthezoid a brief rundown of his origin story, explaining how he died twice in an attempt to save the world. Vision points out that it seems like someone is trying to keep him from getting home, which spurs him to fly off, leaving Darcy behind in the blocked truck.

Billy and Tommy are watching Yo Gabba Gabba in Agnes’s lowkey creepy home. (It tickles me that Yo Gabba Gabba is more canon in the MCU than the X-Men or Fantastic Four right now.) While Billy pets Agnes’s bunny Señor Scratchy, he notes that he likes being around the older woman because he’s unable to hear any of her thoughts. “You’re quiet inside,” he says, an allusion to the idea that Agnes can hide her thoughts from him because she has magic.

Back outside the Hex, after the super-rover isn’t able to penetrate the field, Monica decides to run through it again. As she struggles through the barrier and we watch her, a montage of dialogue from Captain Marvel plays. The voices of Maria, Nick Fury, and Carol play over Monica getting through, and as Captain Marvel says “when they were handing out little kids, your mom got the toughest one,” Monica she pushes through to the other side. She lands in the stereotypical three-point-stance of all Marvel heroes, and her eyes glow, showing that she can see energy. We just witnessed the rise of Photon, folks! (Or Spectrum or Pulsar.)

Monica confronts Wanda in her home, and as their fight spills onto the lawn, the residents of Westview watch from their own homes. The delivery man is wearing a “Presto Delivery” uniform, a reference to the magic words said by magicians before they pull a magic trick.

In the first blatant show of Agnes’s ulterior motives, the older woman stops the fight when she realizes Monica is getting through to Wanda and pulls the young mother into her home. But when Wanda gets there, she notices the green bug and rabbit in the living room and the lack of her sons’ presence. When she asks Agnes where the boys are, she’s told to head to the basement, where the big showdown occurs. The scene hints at the eventual disappearance of Billy and Tommy.

Wanda notices a book on an altar, which could be the Darkhold, also known as The Book of Sins, The Shiatra Book Of The Damned. Originally a collection of papers known as the Chthon Scrolls, the book contains all the spells and ideas of the evil Elder God known as Chthon. The book is a conduit for Chthon’s power and can open a doorway from Earth to Chthon’s dimension. If that book is in Agnes’s basement, it stands to logic that she may be working with the evil god. The Darkhold emits an orange glow, which is a distinctly different color than the purple of Agatha’s magic.

Speaking of magic, Agnes finally reveals herself as the witch we’ve known her to be. Although the show tells us that “it’s been Agatha all along,” it still doesn’t ring completely true. There’s definitely more at work than just Agatha’s magic.

In the mid-credits sequence, Monica is caught snooping in Agnes’s backyard by Pietro. Her eyes seem to glow purple, the same color that signals Agatha’s magic. Does this mean she’s now under the witch’s spell?

  WandaVision Episode 6 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for episode six seem to be a tribute to Malcolm in the Middle, which ran for seven seasons between 2000 and 2006.

The entire Wanda and Vision family wear their comic book character costumes for Halloween.

There’s another reference to Thanos’s snap as Director Tyler Hayward talks about dealing with the repercussions of all the people “who left.”

The terrifying Yo-Magic commercial seems to foreshadow Vision’s future. Even though Wanda was seemingly able to bring Vision back to life, it looks like he won’t stay alive for long as it’s implied that he can’t exist outside of the Hex later in the episode.

Blink and you’ll miss the fun Disney movie Easter egg on Westview’s movie theater. The sign outside the theater shows a double feature of The Incredibles and The Parent Trap. Connecting right to Wanda’s family, The Incredibles is about a family of superheroes, while The Parent Trap is about a pair of long-lost twins reuniting.

Wanda’s changing accent has been brought up countless times by fans, and in episode six, Pietro makes a slight reference to it when Wanda asks, “What happened to your accent?” to which he quips, “What happened to yours?”

There is another reference that Agnes is actually Agatha Harkness as she is spotted wearing a witch costume on Halloween.

It appears that Vision has no memories pre-Westview, as a conscious Agnes tells him he’s one of the Avengers, and he has no clue what she’s talking about.

The episode further hints at Monica’s powers as Darcy confirms that the Hex rewrote her cells on a molecular level.

A few interactions between Pietro and Wanda have fans wondering if he might actually be Mephisto in disguise. Not only is he fully aware about Wanda creating Westview, but he makes several references to the devil and hell throughout the episode.

  WandaVision Episode 5 Easter Eggs

Wanda and Vision’s brand new house, suitable for a family of four, is reminiscent of homes in ’80s sitcoms such as Full House and Growing Pains.

When Agnes comes in to offer her babysitting help, she refers to herself as “Auntie Agnes,” which is eerily close to her comic counterpart’s nickname, Auntie Agatha.

An uncomfortable break in conversation leads Agnes to ask Wanda if she wants her to “take it from the top.” Though Wanda appears confused for a moment, she readily smoothes the conversation and carries on. Vision is visibly perturbed, though Wanda attempts to redirect his attention. It seems like the facade is fading all around.

To the surprise of their parents, Tommy and Billy age up five years while the two argue over Agnes’s break in character.

This episode’s opening sequence shows Wanda and Vision growing up, which we know didn’t happen in real life for the synthezoid. The theme song sounds very similar to those from Family Ties and Growing Pains, and consists of lyrics noting that “we’re just making it up as we go along.” Sounds pretty close to how things are going with Wanda and Vision!

When Wanda’s scans come back, they’re inconclusive and show up blank. Considering Monica gains her powers due to bombardment by extradimensional energies in the comics, it’s entirely possible that the blast from Wanda back in episode three, coupled with passing through the forcefield around Westview twice, have given her those abilities. We could be seeing the rise of Photon!

While Jimmy Woo is explaining Wanda’s backstory to the agents of S.W.O.R.D., Director Hayward asks if she’s ever used a “funny nickname” like the other Avengers. She hasn’t, in fact, she’s never been referred to as Scarlet Witch in the MCU ever. Since her powers are different from her comic book counterpart, there’s never been a reason for anyone to call her a witch.

That never-before-seen post credits scene from Infinity War has officially made its debut. Director Hayward reveals footage of Wanda entering S.W.O.R.D. headquarters to steal Vision’s disassembled body. The video harks back to a moment in the comics where Vision was kidnapped and taken apart — but still very much alive. Much like that Vision, the one in Westview has his memory wiped and doesn’t remember anything before he woke up in his new world. So, the question is whether Vision is actually alive or not. Wanda’s hallucination from episode four might suggest he’s a walking corpse, but there’s more to the story.

Jimmy mentions that Wanda’s stealing of Vision’s body violates the Sokovia Accords, which haven’t been mentioned since Captain America: Civil War. Unfunnily enough, the Accords were a direct response to the mission gone wrong in Lagos where Wanda lost control of her powers and caused the death of many civilians.

Darcy mentions that Vision is playing “Father Knows Best in Surburbia,” referencing the ’50s sitcom.

Tommy and Billy find a dog that, with the help of Auntie Agnes, they name Sparky. The Vision family has a dog with that exact name in the King and Walta comics, but he’s green. Sadly, he meets a similar fate as his live-action counterpart.

Wanda blatantly uses her powers in front of Agnes, who has seemingly handled the magic around her with ease. It’s almost as if she’s used to magic.

Darcy calls the Westview anomaly the “hex” because of its hexagonal shape. Although the magic has been taken out of the phrase, Wanda’s powers are known as hexes in the comics.

Jimmy, Monica, and Darcy try to understand how Wanda can revive Vision and control the Hex, which takes much more power than she’s ever displayed before. Monica notes that Wanda has always been powerful, being the only Avenger who was close to taking down Thanos singlehandedly, which Jimmy interjects to note that Captain Marvel could as well. Both are empowered by Infinity Stones, with Carol’s Kree biology giving her a power boost.

When Jimmy brings up Captain Marvel, Monica is visibly uncomfortable and changes the subject back to Wanda. What happened there?

Vision’s office mates learn about the sweet glory that is dial-up internet! But when he and Norm open their first bit of electronic mail, it’s a transmission picked up from S.W.O.R.D. talking about the Maximoff anomaly.

Vision breaks through Norm’s conditioning, revealing that he’s under the control of a woman (alluding to it being Wanda). He directly references his family, a conversation that Jimmy mentioned in his notes in the last episode.

The twins have aged themselves up to 10 by this point and are seemingly completely aware that Wanda has control over certain aspects of life, like time. They point out that it was Saturday when they woke up, but Wanda says it’s now Monday. She apparently changed the day to send Vision to work. Is their awareness because they also have magic or because she doesn’t control them?

Monica sends an ’80s drone into Westview after working out that Wanda’s Hex is rewriting reality to suit each era occurring in the bubble, and the drone would need no era-appropriate change. Though she attempts to speak with Wanda through the drone, Director Hayward commands agents to fire a missile at Wanda instead — directly ignoring that Monica said she doesn’t see Wanda as a danger. The action results in Wanda leaving the Hex and confronting the S.W.O.R.D. agents outside. She’s wearing the suit we last saw her wearing in Infinity War and Endgame and has her accent back, although it’s much thicker than it’s been since Ultron.

Episode five’s commercial is more pointed than any of them have been. Lagos brand paper towels directly reference the city in which Wanda accidentally killed several people in Civil War by blowing up a building. Thus, the Sokovia Accords were born.

While Wanda and the twins are searching for a missing Sparky — with no one calling out the fact that Wanda disappeared for some time — the mailman tells the boys that their mom “won’t let him get far.” It seems almost like a dig at how no one can leave Westview, like the doctor mentioned during episode three.

When Agnes reveals that Sparky died after eating too many azalea bush leaves, the boys ask their mother to reverse his death. Agnes seems particularly surprised by the idea of Wanda having that ability despite having seen other displays of her power and watching the twins age up rapidly twice. Wanda tells the twins that they can’t reverse death as there are still rules to things, which almost seems hypocritical considering her circumstances. Is she trying to say that she hasn’t revived Vision? Or is she simply trying to keep her boys from expecting too much from her?

Later that night, Vision reveals that he unearthed Norm’s repressed memories and demands to know what’s going on. He tells Wanda that she can’t control him, which she cooly responds asking him, “Can’t I?” Although the credits start rolling, their argument continues as Vision unleashes his frustration with not knowing his past and his confusion over their circumstances. Wanda tells him that she doesn’t control everything, saying, “I don’t even know how all of this started.” Vision believes it began subconsciously, but chastises Wanda for letting it get that far. Wanda reiterates that she isn’t controlling everything, which gives weight to the theory that there’s someone else behind the scenes. But who could it be if Wanda isn’t the “she” that Norm was referring to?

Mid-argument, the Vision family doorbell rings, which Wanda states she didn’t do. I’m inclined to believe her because when she opens the door, she is genuinely shocked speechless. At the door is her “brother” Pietro, now sporting the face of Evan Peters. Darcy asks the question we were all thinking as the episode closes, “She recast Pietro!?”

  WandaVision Episode 4 Easter Eggs

This episode opens with the heartbreaking reveal that Monica Rambeau was one of the people lost to the Snapture from Infinity War. She returns from Endgame’s Reverse-Snap in a hospital where she had been awaiting news after her mother Maria’s surgery.

As Monica is waking up, we hear familiar voices echoing in her head. It’s Captain Marvel calling her by her childhood nickname, Lieutenant Trouble.

As Monica weaves through the chaos of people reappearing in the hospital post-Reverse-Snap, she finally locates someone who recognizes her. Although Maria survived the surgery five years ago, she died from cancer three years ago in real time, having not been blipped with her daughter.

We finally have some information on S.W.O.R.D.! The acronym stands for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division, rather than the meaning in Marvel comics, which is Sentient World. It sounds a little more ominous, right?

Maria’s badass legacy continues well past her friendship with Captain Marvel; according to S.WO.R.D.’s acting director, Tyler Hayward, Maria helped build the agency during its inception. She was the acting director until her death.

Tim gives Monica a mission to help out the FBI in the town of WestView, NJ, where something super freaky is going on with a missing person’s case. This confirms that WestView is, indeed, a very real place.

Welcome back, Jimmy Woo! Monica’s FBI contact is none other than Scott Lang’s parole officer and semifriend, Agent Jimmy Woo.

Jimmy reveals that a person in witness protection has somehow dropped off the map in a town that no longer seems to exist where no one recalls anyone who lived there. In an attempt to figure out what’s going on, Monica sends in a S.W.O.R.D. drone that vanishes inside the forcefield. It’s revealed to have transformed into the retro-style helicopter that Wanda picks up in episode two! We can only assume that since it’s an item from the outside world, it gained color when it entered Wanda’s reality to show that it doesn’t belong.

Darcy Lewis is back! Now a doctor in astrophysics, Darcy is called to help figure out what’s gone wrong with WestView. She’s the one who figured out a signal for the broadcast and is the owner of the hand we saw watching Wanda and Vision in episode one.

The mysterious beekeeper from episode two is revealed to be S.W.O.R.D.’s Agent Franklin, who journeyed through Westview’s sewers to investigate. His hazmat suit became a beekeeper’s uniform, and the cable around his waist becomes a jump rope as he travels through the tunnels.

Darcy explains that the sitcom that’s become Wanda and Vision’s life is literally being broadcast through the signals that S.W.O.R.D.’s viewing, with an audience and everything. There’s no explanation for how this is happening, but Darcy and company watched those first three episodes just like we did, credits and all.

Darcy also points out that Vision is supposed to be dead-dead, which leaves his presence in WestView still unexplained.

While Darcy and Jimmy can identity a majority of the neighbors we’ve met in WestView to their real-life counterparts, Dottie and Agnes are the only ones who are missing real information.

It’s revealed that Agent Woo was the voice behind the radio disruption, just as we suspected! But while we can see Wanda and Dottie’s reaction to the call, Darcy’s broadcast didn’t show the same thing. She explains that someone is “censoring” the visuals they’re receiving, which means someone knows they’re watching.

Back in the sitcom WestView, we see that Monica’s slip-up resulted in Wanda blasting her through the house and the energy field. It’s the first time we physically see Wanda using her powers again, so she still has them. But the lapse in her facade has consequences — when Vision returns from his talk with Agnes and Herb outside, Wanda hallucinates him as she last saw him in Infinity War, a corpse with his head crushed in.

It’s important to note that Vision seems to become more aware of the strangeness of their world with each episode. It makes sense because no matter how human he may seem, he’s still a synthezoid who has always been able to see beyond the superficial. It harks back to his “birth” in Age of Ultron. He’s omnipotent and always learning.

When Monica lands back in the real world, all she says is, “It’s all Wanda.” That seemingly serves as an answer to what’s going on in WestView, but it’s not a whole answer. Wanda seems just as confused and unaware as everyone else, but she is willing to stay in her “perfect” world. The question is, who put Wanda in the position to have her perfect world?

  WandaVision Episode 3 Easter Eggs

Much like the comics, Wanda magically becomes pregnant! But this time around, things are progressing much more quickly, and her doctor isn’t Dr. Strange.

The first of the episode’s weird glitches happens with Wanda and Vision’s neighbor Herb, who is attempting to saw through the brick fence separating the two houses instead of trimming his hedges. When Vision points out that his aim has gone a bit askew, Herb’s detached reaction is a bit creepy. He thanks Vision but keeps sawing through the wall! And unlike the previous weird behavior, there’s nothing that triggers the moment, especially not from Vision or Wanda.

Wanda and Vision contemplate what to name their baby boy, with Vision suggesting Billy and Wanda throwing out Tommy. (The argument becomes moot when they have twins!) These are the names of the pair’s sons in the comic, who later become members of the Young Avengers. In the show, Wanda chooses her name because it’s “all-American,” which is also a fair indicator of why her perfect reality is framed around sitcoms. Vision cites William Shakespeare as his inspiration and uses a quote from As You Like It that seems pretty on the nose. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players” seems like a pointed reference to the fact that WandaVision is, in fact, all a show.

Wanda decorates the nursery using Simser brand paint, which is most likely a nod to Jeremy Simser, a storyboard artist for Marvel Studios and WandaVision.

The second glitch appears when Wanda says the residents of WestView always seem “on the verge of discovering our secret.” Vision has a moment of sobering clarity where he notes that something is wrong in WestView, citing the incidents with Mr. and Mrs. Hart and their neighbor Herb. A second after his says this, reality glitches and the scene starts over with Vision seemingly worry-free. The last time this happened with the beekeeper, it was clear Wanda was the culprit in turning back time, but in this case, she doesn’t seem to do anything to force the change. This suggests someone else is pulling the strings.

Wanda mentions that their child could be human or “synthezoid,” a term that originates in the comics. Although fans like to joke that Vision is an android, he’s technically a synthetic human. He’s not made of metal or machinery — in the comics, his body is composed of the bioengineering tech of Dr. Helen Cho, while in the MCU, he’s made of organic tissue mixed with vibranium and “powered” by the Mind Stone.

Vision jokes that Billy will be just like his mom, which is funny because, in the comics, Billy has magical abilities similar to Wanda’s powers. Tommy ends up having superspeed abilities like his uncle, Pietro.

It’s time for the third commercial! Much like the previous episode’s watch promotion, this break references Hydra — though a tad more directly. It’s all about Hydra Soak, and the message is decidedly more pointed than we’ve had before. “Escape to a world all your own, where your problems float away,” the announcer says. “When you want to get away, but you don’t want to go anywhere: Hydra Soak.” Marvel: Agents of Shield fans will recall that Hydra Soak HAS been mentioned on the show. During the series’s Framework arc, Phil Coulson claims that Hydra is brainwashing people using soap, so he makes his own. Is the commercial another sign that Hydra is behind the mystery of WestView? Is it a warning that no one in the town will be able to get away? And what’s that about finding the goddess within?

The actors in this ad are the same ones as the previous ones, Victoria Blade and Ithamar Enriquez. Their recurring presence might mean they have some significance in Wanda’s life. Maybe they’re her parents?

In what feels like an ominous follow-up to the Hydra Soak commercial, the doctor reveals that he and his wife won’t be taking their trip away after all. “Small towns, you know, so hard to escape,” he mutters, pointedly. I think we’re starting to get the hint, folks! Wanda mentions she is a twin and that her brother was named Pietro. It’s been a hot minute since anyone has talked about MCU’s Quicksilver — he made his debut back in Age of Ultron, the same film in which he was shot and killed.

When Geraldine lets it slip that she knows about Pietro’s death at the hands of Ultron, Wanda interrogates her and discovers her necklace bears a familiar symbol — it’s that damn S.W.O.R.D. logo, and Wanda is apparently not a fan.

In another sign that something is UP, Agnes and Herb seem to warn Vision about Geraldine. They note that she’s “brand new” to town with no family and start to say that “she came here because we’re all —” before they’re cut off. It’s worth noting that the two figures that may be MCU versions of formidable Marvel characters are the ones who seem to understand that strange things are going on in WestView. If Agnes and Herb are the MCU’s Agatha Harkness and High Evolutionary, they would definitely be the ones in the know. But why would they try to warn Vision about Geraldine if WestView is a trap?

Agnes is wearing her infamous brooch as a necklace that could be referencing an MCU supervillain mentioned before. The necklace has three figures close together, with the center figure holding what looks like a giant scythe. Is it another clue that the Grim Reaper is on his way?

Wanda literally throws Geraldine out of town — though she tells Vision that she had to run home — and Geraldine passes through what seems like a magical forcefield. While fans have been assuming WestView is a fake town, this shows us that physically, it’s a very real place. But it’s currently bubbled off with a barrier that Wanda can apparently allow people in and out of. And the song that plays as Geraldine finds herself outside the barrier? “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees. It seems pretty appropriate for a situation that feels like a surreal dream.

When Geraldine lands on the outskirts of real WestView, she’s instantly swarmed by cars and agents all bearing the S.W.O.R.D. logo. Since we know Teyonah Parris is playing the adult Monica Rambeau, it’s safe to assume Geraldine was an alias she used to go undercover in WestView. Combined with the mystery agent watching the show within the show from episode one, we can conclude that Wanda and Vision are being closely observed by S.W.O.R.D. for some reason. But they clearly aren’t the ones in control, since Monica is so easily forced out. What will they do next?

While the opening credits of this episode are a reference to The Brady Bunch, it’s the end credits that give us another clue about the big bad coming our way. Just like the previous episodes, Wanda and Vision are framed in a hexagon as the end credits roll. The symbol is so important because it’s the preferred shape of the creators at Advanced Idea Mechanics, or AIM, who are last seen in Iron Man 3. Remember the beekeeper suits that resemble AIM agents’ clothing? It seems like the evil organization might be making a comeback.

  WandaVision Episode 2 Easter Eggs

The opening credits for this episode aren’t just an adorable homage to Bewitched but a whole bevy of Marvel Easter eggs! The illustration of the moon happens to be surrounded by six stars, and we can’t help but be reminded of the Infinity Gauntlet.

When Vision phases through the floor, there’s a dark shape that looks exactly like the helmet worn by Marvel supervillain Grim Reaper hidden in the space. In the comics, he’s the brother of Wonder Man, whose brainwaves were used in Vision’s creation.

When Wanda goes to the supermarket in the opening, three references hang above the aisle! Bova Milk refers to Bova, the humanoid cow who raised Wanda and Pietro on Mount Wundagore. Auntie A’s kitty litter is a witchy reference to Auntie Agatha or Agatha Harkness, whom we’ve discussed before, and her cat-like familiar named Ebony. And Wonder Mints is most definitely a cheeky reference to Wonder Man, aka Simon Williams, the superhero who Vision’s brainwaves are based on in the comics!

When animated Wanda and Vision settle on their couch, the small figure on their side table is a statue of the Whizzer. Featured in 1982’s Vision and the Scarlet Witch, the Whizzer thought he was Wanda’s father but later discovers he was wrong. Whizzer and his wife were offered the chance to adopt Wanda and Pietro when they were kids on the mythical Mount Wundagore, but they declined.

When Wanda hears a crash outside the house, she heads out to the front, where she finds a colorful toy helicopter in an otherwise black-and-white world. Not only does the red-and-yellow helicopter have the number 57 stamped on it, but it also bears the S.W.O.R.D symbol! The number is likely in reference to Vision’s first appearance in Avengers #57, while the symbol hints to the presence of S.W.O.R.D outside Wanda’s perfect world.

The creepy, cult-like refrain spoken by the fundraiser organizers of it all being “for the children” seems to be a reference to Wanda’s involvement in the comic event The Children’s Crusade. The story follows her son, Billy, who’s trying to gain control over his reality-warping abilities by looking for a missing Wanda.

Well, here’s another blast from the angsty past! The Strücker timepiece is a very obvious callback to Hydra and Baron von Strücker. The watch bears the unmistakable octopus skull symbol of Hydra, and Strücker is the Hydra leader who recruited Pietro and Wanda for the experimentation that gave them powers. He was later killed by Ultron in his prison cell. Does anyone else hear that ticking noise? Remember good ol’ Herb? In the comics, a character named Herbert is also the High Evolutionary who runs Mount Wundagore, the very same safe haven where Bova delivered the Maximoff twins. Time will tell if the super-scientist is the same character, but it can’t be a coincidence.

Wanda and Vision’s magic show has two gems that we’ve noticed! First thing, the literal Mind Stone happens to be the design on the doors of the Cabinet of Mystery that plays a huge part in their act. Second, Wanda and Vision use the names Illusion and Glamour for their actor, which are also the names of the magicians that Vision goes to see in an issue of The Vision and the Scarlet Witch.

Though we all enjoy a good jam, The Beach Boys’ “Help Me, Rhonda” gets interrupted by someone asking, “Who’s doing this to you, Wanda?” And doesn’t that voice sound an awful lot like Randall Park’s Jimmy Woo?

While it may seem weird that Wanda shows her pregnancy in an instant, it’s in line with what goes on in the comics. Wanda uses magic to help her have children, which checks out since her husband is a synthezoid.

Oooh, that mysterious beekeeper! Not only does their presence lead to the reveal that Wanda has some control over the reality they’re in, but it also sets off some alarm bells. Even though the beekeeper’s suit bears the S.W.O.R.D logo on the back, the costume is reminiscent of the yellow costumes worn by A.I.M., a military science organization founded by Baron von Strücker. Could this be a sign that Wanda is being watched by more than one organization? And is this a hint that Hydra is back!? (Obviously, it is.)

  WandaVision Episode 1 Easter Eggs

When Wanda accidentally smashes a plate into Vision’s head, he jokes about his wife and her “flying saucers,” and she comments back about his “indestructible head.” Considering that Vision died after having the Mind Stone ripped from his head, it’s a dark joke to kick off the series.

Vision’s work tie has a visual reference to his comic-book alter ego! In Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta’s Vision, whenever the character dresses as a human, he wears a tie clip that emulates the diamond pattern on his chest.

Vision’s boss, Mr. Hart, is likely named after comic creator Steve Englehart, who created 1985’s The Vision and the Scarlet Witch with Richard Howell, a miniseries that heavily influenced WandaVision. It’s been heavily implied that Kathryn Hahn’s Agnes is the MCU’s Agatha Harkness, a witch who helped train Wanda’s magic back in the ’70s and ’80s.

When Wanda magically saves dinner, the bottle of wine she pours from is Maison du Mépris, which translates to house of contempt or scorn. As fans have pointed out since the trailer drop, this seems like a reference to the House of M comics storyline in which Wanda bends reality into a new world ruled by her family.

The Stark commercial break refers to two things: Avengers icon Tony Stark and his part in Wanda’s dark past. As Wanda and her twin brother, Pietro, explain in Avengers: Age of Ultron, their parents were killed by an explosive Stark Industries device, leaving the twins trapped under rubble. The Maximoffs were trapped by a Stark Industries shell for two days, expecting it to detonate before they get rescued. Even though Wanda eventually fights beside Tony in the future, there’s still some trauma from that experience and her brother’s death. If it weren’t for the Starks, Wanda could have been a completely different person.

The episode closes with a mysterious observer watching the “show” and taking notes on a pad with the logo of S.W.O.R.D. on the cover. For those who don’t know, S.W.O.R.D stands for Sentient World Observation and Response Department and is a subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D. It’s a counterterrorism and intelligence agency that deals with extraterrestrial threats to world security. Expect to see them around more.

  Press: A Thorough Breakdown of All the Marvel Easter Eggs on WandaVision was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[hermitcraftheadcanons]

Zombie Apocalypse AU Masterpost

"There are a few groups that aren't aware of each other's existence. (Architechs, NHO, Convex, ect.) The NHO are made up of all men from millitaries across the globe. Cleo isn't a zombie either, she is a zombie whisperer. She can communicate slightly with zombies and they aren't usually negotiable."

(Paraphrased,) from @creator0fchaos' Zombie Apocalypse AU entry for The Follower Input AU.

Headcanons to start us off:

-Convex were two men from a small buisness. Jellie is also around but she's injured and is mostly carried around by Scar.

-Etho got bit pretty early on and everyone in the NHO knows they're gonna have to do something about it but they're putting it off. Etho seems fine.

-Bdubs is slowly going completely feral. (Possible reference to season 5's jungle feral?) DocM joked he had rabies and the two got into a fight.

-Iskall lost his eye after Mumbo accidentally slashed him with a knife while trying to protect Grian from a hoarde. Iskall ended up getting lumped in with the Architech group because Mumbo feels super guilty about it.

-Xisuma and Keralis came into contact with the NHO for a bit. Keralis and Bdubs nearly became friends but Beef and Doc scared em away. Angst.

-The zombies fear False.

-XB originally planned to just stay in his house and not go out. He was prepared, okay? He had tinned food to last him at least a decade, zombie proof armour and god knows what else supplies. His friend, Hypnotizd, is fleeing to there because he knows XB knows what he's doing.

-Wels wears armour because it's the best he had. Same with Biffa and Xisuma. In this AU, they probably wouldn't be wearing armour if not given the circumstances.

-Jevin has turned this into a game to kill as many zombies as possible.

-Impulse, Tango and Zedaph are all just having a good time trying to survive in the woods. Their main goal is to open a tin of beans Zed has but they don't have a tin opener.

-Rendog found a tin of dog food while scavenging. He was hungry and ate it. He now has an addiction to tinned dog food.

-Wels wears medieval armour in the zombie au because at one point he was trapped in a museum by a horde and like, the armour was technically there. On display. No one was using it.

-Etho wears the mask as kind of a mental reminder not to bite his friends.

-Joe and Stress are hanging with Cleo and even if the small group isn’t the best equipped or prepared, they have thrived thanks to Cleo’s ability to whisper to zombies. It might not stop the zombies but it buys the group time to escape.

–Zombie!Etho is hiding the fact that he’s turning, if not already turned into a zombie, from the rest of the NHO because he loves being with his friends. The problem is that it’s getting harder every day to control himself and he’s constantly fighting between telling the rest of them about it, and having them put him out of his misery to keep them safe, or just keep hiding it, afraid that one day it’ll be too late he won’t be able to control himself and bite them all.

-Someone gets like a really bad case of the flu, this is problem because usually survivors have to stay in the move consistently to survive and that’s hard when someone is really sick, it also bad because all pharmacies have been raided and there’s no medicine.

-Grian originally came from Sam and Taurtis's group but due to Sam's insanity, Grian pulls away and went surviving on his own. That when Mumbo came to photo and knowing that he won't survive the zombie wasteland alone, Grian took it as his task to convince Mumbo make a partnership with him.

-Joe was playing D&D when the outbreak started, and Cleo was in his group. They treat it as a game sometimes, though they toned it down a bit when Stress joined because she was still grieving Iskall. Stress makes them stay around where she lost Iskall, but Joe and Cleo don't mind because she has a base set up there.

-For no fault of his own, the nHo crumbles while doc is in control. They had been losing members for a while but when beef, Bdubs, etho, and doc part ways it’s the draw the broke the camels back, so doc is the only one left of the nho, the rest of them, having either left or died. Doc blames himself for everything going so wrong.

-For the zombie AU because nobody's representing my boy X: Xisuma is known as a master at evading the zombies (he can fight them well if needed but he is best at avoiding incidents altogether). He claims to wear the mask for practical reasons, but what the others don't know is that it hides how terrified he is. He hides his fear because he doesn't want people to lose confidence in him, but getting turned and losing control of his mind is his worst nightmare.

-TFC’s gone for a bunker theme for s6+s7, so maybe, he finds a nHo member, and just drags them down into his bunker, probably chewing them out for walking around alone?

-For the zombie au is ethos mask like a medical one, or was he in a kakashi cosplay for some reason and kept it because all the pockets were practical and then started wearing the mask because he got infected.

-After Stress and Iskall reunite, Joe and Cleo join the Architechs. False joins them after seeing Cleo whisper to the zombies and realizing that the group severely lacks fighters. I need the hermits to (at least mostly) get together!

-TFC is obviously a disaster prepper who has a fully furnished bunker that can house a lot of people. He has been broadcasting this to other survivors using a radio. Unfortunately, he lives in the middle of nowhere and it is a trek to get there, but the Vault (as he calls it) is self-sustaining. (I know this is obvious, but nobody has done anything with TFC yet, and that's a shame)

-Even though he’s scared about not being alert enough to protect his team, Xisuma hides his sickness, which is easy with the helmet, because he’s the leader and he can’t be weak. Due to the pain of the flu and the heat of fever staying trapped inside his helmeted eventually falls to his knees and breaks down.

-Mumbo is wearing a suit because he was on his way to a job interview when the outbreak started, he just never bothered to change clothes.

-Etho used to love making up little tunes, and that hasn't changed since he was bitten. Nevertheless, the others in his group haven't heard him make music since. He blames a lack of instruments because of being on the run from zombies. The morning after he left, though, they find an old recorder where his sleeping bag was, and once they hit play they're greeted with songs in a familiar style, backed by improvised instruments.

Even without saying anything they *know* what had happened, and the recorder is taken along on their journey to a safe haven. Sometimes, when the feeling of missing their friend gets too much, they put on the music in the evening and just allow themselves to cry.

-Well, i was thinking maybe stress was a loner, but like, not completely alone, she was with someone else, probably Cleo or Iskall, but they got bit, she felt too bad to kill them so she wanders around with a zombie friend on a madeup leash, sorry if it sounds sad but i like angst and it seemed like a good headcanon -🐿️

-TFC is the one to get to Beef and break down the wall he had built up after a while of wandering alone after breaking off from the nHo. He finds Beef fighting a group of zombies and after observing how violently Beef was hacking down the zombies, TFC did not see a hardened fighter, but a broken man and went to talk with him.

-Alternate timeline idea when grian was still traveling with Sam and tortoise. Sam end up doing something that results in grian and tortoise getting bitten, because of that Sam leaves them. Now grian is not a normal zombie he doesn’t crave human flesh but rabbit flesh because he’s so hell-bent on getting revenge for what Sam did to him and tortoise, tortoise ends up tagging along. Cleo ends up finding them and discover their not normal zombies and inviting them to stay with her group.

-For the zombie apocalypse AU, RE: Cleo and Joe's DND game - imagine them going into a fight and just screaming "ROLL INITIATIVE!"

-Ok but imagine if like that one anon said, grian was already a zombie but like, one that only wants animals. I imagine they could probably get him to behave normally and imagine the mumbo turning angst but grian is already a zombie and just helps him not loose himself.

-For the Zombie Au, instead of killing Mumbo before he turns, the group locks him in a room and leave him there in hopes that they can bring him back once theres a cure. Whether or not, Mumbo wants to be saved is up to you. If Cleo's still in the group then you could have her "talk" to Zombie Mumbo for bonus angst.

-After finding out that Etho's still out there, Beef becomes more determined than ever to help find a cure. In the bunker he often ends up buzzing around Scar and Cub, desperate for something to do to help. It can get a bit awkward but they understand he's just desperate to see his friend again and are usually able to provide small tasks to help him keep his mind busy (with something other than worrying for Etho) while they continue working toward a cure.

(All those above in red are from our community's lovely Anons!)

-Vintagebeef was the first to notice something was off about Etho. He asked Etho about it but Etho assured him he was fine. Beef asked, 'what if you spread it to the other people in group?' Etho claimed that 'if it was contagious without physical contact, everyone would have caught it by now.'

-Speaking of Vintage Beef, he feels the most lonely and hopeless out of all the NHO members. Etho is probably gonna die from being a zombie soon. Bdubs and Doc are always at each other's throats and Beef fears one of them may accidentally kill the other. He's terrified that he may be the only one left.

-Hypnotizd is the most likely to be bit next. Dude’s running to XB’s house basically defenseless until he gets there, we have no clue how far he has to travel.

(-@tomcatacaphe.)

-You could very easily bring s5 nho angst into this au... Etho leaves to protect his friends from himself, Beef leaves because he can't bare to see his friends fight so much, Bdubs and Doc get in a fight and Bdubs storms off, and Doc is left to try and lead the nho by himself (since you said it's a kind of paramilitary thing here). Ouch.

-Knowing Mumbo's love for bunkers and the dragon bro bunker from s6, the architechs have probably settled somewhere underground to have a somewhat normal life. And, given the combined tech prowess of Iskall and Mumbo, they could easily rig up defence systems to help.

-in regards to that ask about X getting ill, maybe that's where Keralis joins him! He's totally the type to stay with you when sick! :D

-Continuing from that anon, if I may. So far we have Griam, Mumbo, Iskall, Stress, Joe, Cleo, and False all living together... The chaos xD ! You could even bring in hermit challenges as smth they make to, y'know, lighten the mood :D

(-@rebloging-extravaganza.)

-OOF I never thought about Taurtis wandering alone but that's sad. Iskall was also originally with Stress. They are wandering together until a snow storm separates them. Iskall finds Mumbo and Grian and then Mumbo thought he was a zombie cause this man just came out of nowhere. Grian and Mumbo took him in. When Iskall came back to the place where him and Stress gets separated, they saw each other again. What's the first thing he did? He hugged the hell outta her.

-Stress was tired cause the next thing she knew after the storm is that she’s alone. So, she thought for the worst, she thought Iskall was dead. She made a small shelter in the place, tamed a lot of dogs and even made a gravestone for Iskall.

When Stress saw him, her first thought was to get the weapon from the sheath and attack but Iskall started talking. The next thing she knew was she is crying and hugging him tight. 

(-@penumbra-rui.)

-After Beef leaves the nHo, he becomes quite a loner. He gets a nickname from other groups even though they don’t know who he is: the Butcher. He gets the name because when groups are being seized down by dozens of zombies, Beef comes in and kills the zombies - every single one - with only his token bloodied apron left behind, waving on a stick. He has hundreds of those aprons and is never seen killing the zombies by the besieged groups.

-When Impulse runs away, he runs into BDubs while in a run down brick building with part of it having been blown up in what looks like a plane bomb. The building seems to have been a local demolition business known simply as ‘Boomers.’

-Before the apocalypse began, Scar was an upper level agent of the FBI tasked with protecting top level cancer researchers across the United States. One of those top cancer researchers was patient 0 and was the original discoverer of the zombie infection (patient 0 was not a Hermit). However, Scar believes it’s his fault for not having intervened when he could have. It’s now his mission to find a way to fix it. He comes across business mogul Cub, who may have the funds to help.

-https://hermitcraftheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/618407386827423744/hypno-has-been-living-with-xb-for-the-last-two XB and Hypno meet: A post too long to copy paste here.

(-@creator0fchaos.)

-After Tango explodes the beans Impulse claims he’s leaving. Z and T think he just kidding but when they wake up the next morning Inpulse is gone. Now Zed and Tango are on a mission to find impulse while also terrified that he’s been bit.

-Continuation of the impulse leaves thing, tango and Zed find and save him just in time. They all reunite and are happy. The problem is that Zed was bit in the process, for now he’s binding it, because tango and impulse were so happy to be reunited and zed didn’t want to ruin it.

-Zed never ends up telling his friends that he was bit, the figure out themselves a few days after it happens. At first they’re mad that zed hid it from them, telling him how he could have turned and hurt them. But a minute late they break down in tears realizing what the bit means for them all. They will discuss what to do in the morning but for now they will grieve.

-Even more of the zit story: In the morning they decide to keep zed around until he really starts turning, they will then kill him so he’s not a zombie, zed protests this wanting them to kill him now, fearing for the other’s safety, but he’s actually really happy to have a bit longer with his friends. Impulse feels guilty because this never would have happened if he hadn’t left, tango also feels guilty because if he never exploded the beans, then impulse wouldn’t have left and zed would be fine.

(-@lookitsspacekween.)

-Xisuma is known as a master at evading the zombies (he can fight them well if needed but he is best at avoiding incidents altogether). He claims to wear the mask for practical reasons, but what the others don't know is that it hides how terrified he is. He hides his fear because he doesn't want people to lose confidence in him, but getting turned and losing control of his mind is his worst nightmare.

-Xisuma could be that person who gets the flu from an earlier submission! It would really scare him because of not being as alert or functional to avoid the zombies. I feel like he doesn't have a set group of people he stays with, so someone would probably find him holed up somewhere with a bad fever and decide to stay with him.

-If Mumbo ever gets bitten his zombie form is his cursed skin from after he sold his bits, it NEEDS to be lol.

-I came here to post immune!Rendog only to find that someone already did! Anyway, Ren is immune, which is good because the man gets bitten A LOT (the diggity dawg is not the best fighter). I feel like he gets lost and comes across the NHO base, and Doc won't let him in at first because he's covered in bites. He probably puts him in a containment cell out of typical Doc paranoia but eventually figures it out.

-Doc tried his hardest to be distant with Ren (because he thought he was going to turn/die soon and didn't want to get attached) but Ren just asks questions and talks 24/7 until Doc gives in and talks to him out of loneliness. Doc probably keeps him in containment for a really long time, first for fear of him turning and then because he's afraid Ren will leave (like everyone else left him.)

-Ren is very calm and cheery through the whole containment thing because he FULLY believes this is all a dream. Like, okay, this German robot man says I'm going to die in a week? Cool! Have to remember to write this one down when I wake up. Doc cannot convince him otherwise and it frustrates him to no end (when he does realize it's real though he's going to have a full breakdown.)

-Mumbo focuses in way too hard when he's working and blocks out everything else. If he gets bitten it will be because he was too absorbed in a redstone project and forgot to check his surroundings.

-When Mumbo gets bitten, Grian makes it his duty to comfort him and keep him calm until the end. Iskall, however, is overcome by guilt. He had been out for supplies when it happened; usually it was his job to watch Mumbo's back while he worked, alternating between fighting zombies and giving jokingly snarky commentary on Mumbo's redstone. He definitely blames himself and won't let the others out of his sight afterward.

-A break from angst! Zombie whisperer!Cleo's talents work by communicating with the infection in the zombies' bodies. Immune!Rendog has the infection, it just doesn't affect him in a dangerous way. Therefore, Cleo is now a Ren whisperer. Hilarity ensues.

-Once Xisuma starts feeling a bit better, he organizes his group to dig underground tunnels for people to travel with less chance of zombie attack (construction Keralis is a big help!) The leadership comes naturally to him, and the hard work is a good way of building up his strength again. Working late into the night on the tunnels is also the perfect excuse not to sleep....

-(post-cure). It takes several weeks, but Doc finally manages to find Etho. When he receives the cure his first words are "Thank you" and "I'm so sorry" (like a true Canadian). While his mind is returned to him, some parts of his body are too decayed to be salvaged, but that's no obstacle for Doc. He builds custom cybernetics and eagerly welcomes his old friend back to the land of the living.

(-@shadeswiftdraws.)

-Mumbo, being really good with redstone, obviously has anti-zombie weapons he made himself. One day he goes out scavenging to find Grian fighting zombies armed with only a large hunting knife, a sledgehammer (probably from whatever build he was working on at the time of the outbreak), and his tiny gremlin speed and agility. (-@my-cat-is-a-bastard.)

-One of the Hermits (up to you which one) is somehow immune to the zombie virus. The catch: they don't know until they get bit. Them and the rest of their group is scared and prepares to kill them when the transformation is complete, but it never happens. The scientist of their group does a couple of tests and discovers their immunity!

-I was thinking about it for a bit, and I doesn’t seem like there’s been much done with Ren... (besides eating dog food lol)

-Happy ending time 'cause I can't stand seeing them all turn! Once Doc realizes Ren is immune, they venture out trying to find another group to create a cure. After gathering some/most of the other Hermits, they come across Scar, and they work on and create a cure/vaccine. The rest of the Hermits take it, and maybe they're even able to cure Etho and the other zombified Hermits! (Sorry if this is too cheesy/happy; I just want everything to be okay, y'know?)

-All everyone speaks of are the physical changes, but one must set the record straight: No matter how horrifying the outward changes are, the mental and emotional ones are far worse. Your friend’s behavior will take a turn for the worse. They’ll become more aggressive, more impulsive, less cautious. They’ll start fights for a laugh, they’ll yell and thrash and scream at the mildest inconvenience, their mind will devolve and fade away. By the time you must say your goodbyes, they will no longer be the friend you knew. They will be childish, angry, insane, and horrible in every way. Even if they fight the illness and outer changes, their behavior will still be impacted and subject to change.

Be wary of this if you choose to let your friend live, and prepare not only your body, but your mind, for the worst.

-Patient Zero could be GenerikB.

(-@12u3ie.)

-I feel like team ZIT keeps putting off taking care of Impulse. Like Etho, Impulse just keeps fighting the changes. They all expect him to wither away, fall down and die one day, isn't that how it always goes?, but that's not how the infection works. They don't get sicker and weaker, in fact most of the people who die from one bite actually die from gangrene and/or septic shock. (Human mouths are GROSS.) But our boys don't know this. They've taken good care of his bite, even if it felt pointless at first, and avoided infection, and as a result he's physically completely healed now. So they end up never NEEDING to kill Impulse, but at what cost? He's constantly anxious about losing control. He can barely even sleep, what if it makes him sleepwalk and he bites his friends then? Tango and Zedaph see him changing still. They see his skin getting pale and dull, his eyes growing hollow, even see he's losing a lot of weight, but they put it up to his sleeplessness, to how they have to remind him, almost force him to eat real food. What sort of life does Impulse really have now? Is it really better to just end it? (What if he and Etho meet?)

Sorry, I've just seen the way this subversion of the Zombie Bite = Zombie Dead trope is going with Etho, and I HAD to get bitten!Impulse in on it as well. Now I can't stop thinking about exactly how this virus works, so I'm gonna hit post before I get WAY too into it and make a text wall.

-https://hermitcraftheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/618456845293633536/the-first-thing-you-notice-is-the-bite-it-stings How the virus works. (Tw gore, worms.)

(-@basaltdragon.)

-Bdubs definitely slept through the beginning of the apocalypse and had no idea what was going on for a while. He just kept doing his normal thing until someone told him what was happening. (-@miss-oleum.)

-I saw a post that mentioned Taurtis in the zombie apocalypse au, so I think this idea would be cool? I think from context clues Etho and Beef are kinda traveling together, but what if they run into Pause! Pause is super stoked to finally be around people in this mess (Team Canada, no less!!) but the dread kicks in when he notices the look in Etho's eyes, and how much paler he is than usual. Maybe he even notices the signs before Beef (who prolly def. noticed but is in severe denial about it). (-@853dragons.)

-https://hermitcraftheadcanons.tumblr.com/post/618477192694939648/you-know-what-im-just-going-to-add-my-2-cents-on

-To the surprise (and delight) of everyone in the Bunker, Beef is a deasent Redstoner. He's still a bit rusty at it tho. But he Knows how to work around those dust if he put his mind it. And after the... Insident with Mumbo, they need all the help they can get with the Redstone. And the first time he fix a redstone contraption on his own he said to his spectators (any Hermit of your choice), "What? You thought I was all Beef but no Brains?"

(-@tearosepedall.)

And now, Writing!

-It's the hunger that's the worst. Gnawing and ever-present, no matter what he eats, he can't escape the emptiness that's settled into his stomach. Etho stares dully down at the can someone - probably Beef - had pushed into his hands, before spearing a handful of syrupy fruit and swallowing it. It does little to satiate the hunger crawling through his every being. And why would it? It's not fruit he's hungry for anymore. (Anon.)

-Fear curls around him like an unwanted friend, a fiend of mist and smoke that blankets his nerves and quickens his heart. He stares dully at the scene before him, at the massacre his group had just barely avoided, as an awful storm of what-ifs swirl through his mind. His hands shake. "X?" Someone asks, "Are you okay?" Xisuma sucks in a deep breath, curls his hands into fists, and turns towards Keralis. "I'm fine," he lies. (Anon.)

-"Hello there. If you are listening to this, we are gone and long forgotten. This base of ours is yours to use now. I'm sure there'll still be some supplies and cans of food left-" "Not if I eat them first!" "Gr- Grian! I'm recording!" "I know that, you spoon." Grian took a few steps forward and stuck his face up to the camera lens. "Hi there!" "Grian! This is serious work." "C'mon, we're always serious! What's wrong with a little bit of fun during the zombie apocalypse?" (12u3ie.)

-(Biffa's POV) I met Xisuma a couple weeks ago. He saved my life, and I joined his crew. We're good friends now, and I hope he trusts me. It just seems like there's something off about him, but not in a zombie way. The way he hesitates before saying he's fine, how his eyes widen for just a moment before battle... the way he mumbles in his sleep about an evil counterpart... (12u3ie.)

-Hands corral him, pushing him forward. Mumbo twists and writhes, trying to escape from the iron grip pulling him forward. Where his tongue still capable of forming complex sounds, he would be protesting vehemently. Nowadays, words are harder to come by, too clunky and heavy for his tongue to try. As it is, he can barely even manage the word no. 'I don't want this!' He screams, but only Cleo spares him a glance. Her eyes shine, wet with tears and pity that turns his stomach.

"We'll find a cure," Someone else promises. From a haze of shattered memories, a face forms. It takes another moment for him to remember a name. Grian. His voice is flat, toneless, but edged with iron and a promise. With one final pull, he's dragged into the windowless room, lined with lockers and benches. Mumbo's breath rattles heavily in his chest, as the iron door swings shut behind him. "I'm so sorry." Whispers seep through the thin walls. "I can't believe he bit Ren." (Anon.)

More to be added!

[kurowrites]

Snow - Chapter 15

Entire fic. AO3. 

---

Wei Ying is still basically sitting in Lan Zhan’s lap, and his temple is stuck against Lan Zhan’s cheek as Wei Ying dials Jiang Cheng’s number. It’s not the gentlest way of easing Jiang Cheng into this, but Wei Ying has found out a long time ago that gentle easing tends to backfire dramatically where Jiang Cheng is concerned. So, he shamelessly snuggles into Lan Zhan’s side and holds the phone so that both of them are visible in the video.

“What the fuck are you doing?” is the first thing out of Jiang Cheng’s mouth once he finally answers the call.

“Hello, dearest brother,” Wei Ying sings. “I love you too, and it’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Who is this?” Jiang Cheng asks, eyeing Lan Zhan suspiciously through the video feed. He clearly has no interest in pleasantries and idle chat.

“That, my dear brother,” Wei Ying announces with a wry smile, “is my boyfriend, Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan, this is my very unrefined and rude brother, Jiang Cheng. Jiang Cheng, I’m going to move in with Lan Zhan, so I have to give you my new address. Can you also inform your parents?”

“Excuse me??” Jiang Cheng barks through the phone. “How can you be moving in with someone I’ve never heard about? I won’t allow it!”

“Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng,” Wei Ying sighs. “You forget we’re all adults now. I can do whatever I want, and I’ve decided to move in with Lan Zhan. If you’re a good boy, I’ll invite you and you can come see our rabbits. But you can’t shout, they’re delicate.”

“I CAN SHOUT AS MUCH AS I WANT TO, WHAT THE HELL,” Jiang Cheng shouts into his mobile phone. “Why the fuck do you suddenly have a boyfriend? And since when do you like men? He didn’t do something bad to you, did he?”

“Tss, now that’s kind of rude, Jiang Cheng,” Wei Ying teases, a little amused that his brother is reacting exactly the way he imagined him to react. “And it’s not men I like. It’s Lan Zhan that I like. Let me tell you, if you saw him in the flesh, you would know why–”

“NO!!!” Jiang Cheng shouts. Then he takes a deep breath and pinches his nose. “Why are you always like this? I haven’t heart from you for like two weeks, and the next thing I know, you’re moving in with a man you picked up… who knows where?”

Well, that isn’t an entirely inaccurate assessment of the situation. And technically, Wei Ying picked him up at a bus station, which is not the ideal place for a budding romance. Or rather, Lan Zhan picked him up at a bus station. But he thinks it might be better if that little tidbit remains a secret between him and Lan Zhan alone.

“Jiang Cheng, I always knew you worried!” Wei Ying singsongs obnoxiously. “Ah, my heart is full of love and care.”

Jiang Cheng glares at him through the camera.

“But A-Cheng, Xiao Cheng, didi,” Wei Ying sighs. “There’s no need to worry. I’ve known Lan Zhan for a long time. Longer than you, actually. And if it wasn’t for him, I would never have been found by Father. You see, you should thank him that you got to have such an excellent adoptive brother.”

Jiang Cheng snorts dismissively.

“Excellent? You’ve been a pain in my ass since the day we’ve met. He should’ve kept you when he had the chance, my life would be much easier, then.”

“I will.”

Jiang Cheng does a double take at Lan Zhan, and even Wei Ying has to look up at Lan Zhan, a little confused.

“Lan Zhan?”

“I will keep him. If you cannot be grateful for your brother, I will take care of Wei Ying from now on.”

The ‘because you apparently can’t’ is not spoken, but still heavily implied.

Jiang Cheng sputters with inexpressible rage for a moment, so Wei Ying quickly steps in before the entire situation actually comes to blows.

“Stop,” he chides. “Both of you. Lan Zhan, Jiang Cheng is stupid and grouchy, but he’s still a good brother. Jiang Cheng, Lan Zhan takes good care of me. He’s the best boyfriend I could wish for. You can come here and see for yourself, but nothing you say can change my mind.”

Jiang Cheng glares again, this time at Wei Ying. Eventually, he asks, “Does Yanli know?”

“Yes, and she has given me her blessing.”

Jiang Cheng huffs. “We’ll see about that. Try to hold back on any other stupid ideas for a while, you hear me?”

And with that, Jiang Cheng hangs the phone up. Wei Ying breathes a deep sigh.

Lan Zhan pulls him closer, hugging him tight and burying his nose in Wei Ying’s hair.

“Oh man,” Wei Ying eventually sighs. “I shouldn’t have spoiled Jiang Cheng so much when he was small. I used to tell him that we’ll always be together, and now that I’m working here and not in Yunmeng, he’s constantly grouchy.”

“I will not give you back,” Lan Zhan says petulantly, and it makes Wei Ying smile. It’s always a really good feeling when Lan Zhan makes it clear that he has no plans of letting Wei Ying go again. There is still a part of Wei Ying’s brain that hasn’t learned to trust this new reality yet, that still expects to be shown the door at any time. But Lan Zhan never gives him an opportunity to doubt.

“I’m not leaving,” he assures Lan Zhan, and it makes him nervous and giddy at the same time.

Indeed, he’s not leaving. He’s going to stay here, in this house, with Lan Zhan, from now on. He can have as much of Lan Zhan as he wants, from now on.

Wow, he thinks to himself. Wow. How did I get to be so lucky? I’m going to be living with Lan Zhan! And we have bunnies!

He remains in Lan Zhan’s arms a little longer, basking in the feeling of being right there, with Lan Zhan at his side. But then, he keeps thinking about their new bunnies, and with new vigour, he wriggles out of Lan Zhan’s hold.

“Come on, Lan Zhan,” he says, holding out his hand to help Lan Zhan up. “We should go look after the bunnies. I’m sure they must be getting hungry by now. They’re probably waiting for their dinner.”

Lan Zhan takes his hand and doesn’t let go until they have arrived at the rabbit pen.

---

They eat dinner together with Lan Huan, and afterwards, they sit in Lan Zhan’s room and discuss which things they will have to pick up from Wei Ying’s apartment, what can be sold and given away because it won’t be needed anymore, and all the other practical aspects of moving. Wei Ying is happy to leave most of it to Lan Zhan’s proficiency, if he’s honest. It’s not like he particularly cares about a lot of the stuff that he has. He needs his books and research materials, but a lot of that is at university, anyway. Some of his favourite things have already ended up here, anyway. And Wei Ying will happily part with his old furniture. It was cheap, anyway, and Lan Zhan’s bed is much more comfortable than his.

“And if there’s something I need,” he concludes, grinning at Lan Zhan from where he’s lounging on the bed in his now customary red robe, “I have a rich husband to buy it for me.”

There is a slight twitch in Lan Zhan’s movements that tells him what Wei Ying has started to suspect this afternoon: Lan Zhan has a weakness for a certain word. And We Ying will make use of that as often as he possibly can.

“I’m very disappointed, though,” he sighs dramatically and lifts one of his legs, so his robe slips open. “My husband has finally achieved his goal and has me exactly where he wants me to be, ready for him, and instead of giving me his manhood, he wants to talk about practical things.”

He can see that Lan Zhan’s ears are turning red, and smirks, self-satisfied.

“Well,” he sighs. “A man can always–”

He doesn’t get any further, because Lan Zhan stands at the edge of the bed the next moment, looking down at Wei Ying.

Wei Ying smirks and spreads his legs a little, so that the robe slips open a little more and reveals that he’s not wearing anything underneath.

“We’ve hardly seen each other all week,” he pouts. “I’ve been lonely.”

Instead of the expected reaction, however, Lan Zhan simply continues staring down at Wei Ying in silence.

“Lan Zhan,” Wei Ying whines. “I’ve been such a good boy. Haven’t I been a good boy all week?”

He lets one hand wander down his body, down to his abdomen and further in between his legs.

“I want you here,” he begs. He rubs a little at his opening, experimentally, and the thought of Lan Zhan fucking into him makes him shiver with excitement. “I want Lan Zhan to take me.”

He rubs himself again, and then lets one of his fingers slip into his entrance. He moans at the sensation, and he moans at the promise of sex. They’ve had sex on this bed before, that’s nothing new, but the thought that it really will be their bed from now on, one that they will share as partners, has him incredibly excited. He wants to be fucked into this bed by Lan Zhan, and make it theirs once and for all.

Finally, finally, Lan Zhan moves. He reaches out and takes Wei Ying’s hand, carefully extracting the finger Wei Ying slipped into himself.

“You’ve prepared yourself,” Lan Zhan observes quietly.

“Yes,” Wei Ying whines. “So Lan Zhan can fuck me good and hard. I’m all ready for you, please, Lan Zhan.”

Almost leisurely, Lan Zhan bends down and undoes the knot holding together Wei Ying’s robe. Lifting him up a little, he strips him out of it. Then he takes a soft tie, and fixes Wei Ying’s hands to the headboard, making sure that Wei Ying is comfortable. Only then, he strips off his own robe, revealing his beautiful and decidedly erotic body, and climbs onto the bed, leaning over Wei Ying.

Wei Ying is already hard and leaking just by being stripped and tied up by Lan Zhan, and the fire of desire burns hotly in his abdomen. There’s an ache there that wants to be filled. He wants Lan Zhan in him as soon as possible. They belong together now. He’s allowed to want things. He’s allowed to want Lan Zhan.

“Lan Zhan,” he groans, spreading his legs as much as he can. “Look at how wet and open I am for you. Take me, please.”

Lan Zhan gives Wei Ying a soothing kiss, and then sets out to explore his body from his fingertips downwards, making Wei Ying shiver and moan when Lan Zhan touches and explores all the sensitive spots that he can find on Wei Ying’s body, from the hollow of his shoulder to the inside of his thigh. After what seems to have been an eternity, Lan Zhan finally reaches the spot where Wei Ying wants to have him.

“Hmm,” Lan Zhan murmurs. “Wei Ying has indeed been a good boy. He deserves a reward.”

And then, just when Wei Ying thinks he’s getting fucked, Lan Zhan opens his mouth and licks at the droplets that are leaking from Wei Ying’s penis. Wei Ying gasps at the unexpected sensation, and he has to keep himself from screaming the next moment, when Lan Zhan slips a finger into his entrance and unerringly dives in to find the spot that makes him see stars.

“Lan… Zhan,” he manages brokenly as Lan Zhan starts suckling on his erect penis in earnest, and slips a second finger inside him. “If you do that, I’m going to come very, very quickly.”

Lan Zhan does something very clever with his tongue and his finger, and Wei Ying can only shake and writhe in desperate arousal.

“Lan Zhan,” he moans again. “I want yours, put it in, put it in.”

But Lan Zhan has no mercy. He keeps moving his fingers and his mouth mercilessly, finding just the places that drive Wei Ying wild. He can do nothing but lie there and take it as the tension in his body rises and rises, a desperate frenzy building in his body, a desire to beg Lan Zhan for more and beg him for mercy at the same time.

Lan Zhan’s fingers find that spot inside him again and again, the place that feels so good that his body jerks uncontrollably with every movement. It’s not enough, and yet, combined with Lan Zhan’s mouth on his dick, it’s too much – a sudden wave of electrifying pleasure and pain crashes over him, and he comes with a noise that sounds thoroughly inhuman.

He lies there for a moment, unaware of anything but the sensations that have him shaking and keening as Lan Zhan overstimulates every single sense of his body. He thinks he might be dying until Lan Zhan finally has mercy on him, and lets him go.

Wei Ying can only moan brokenly as Lan Zhan’s fingers slip out of him, leaving him a jittery, flushed mess. He somehow manages to beg Lan Zhan for a kiss. A kiss that Lan Zhan only gives him after he’s wiped his mouth.

(He’s so goddamn considerate for a man that loves to absolutely wreck Wei Ying until he can’t stand.)

Lan Zhan then releases the ties on Wei Ying’s wrists and gathers him in his arms, and they lie there for a while, basking in the silence.

“You’re still hard,” Wei Ying mumbles after a while. “We should fuck.”

“Patience,” Lan Zhan replies, kissing Wei Ying’s temple. “We will.”

“Good,” Wei Ying says, and closes his eyes to doze a little. He’s not really asleep, just enjoying Lan Zhan’s gentle hands on his still-sensitive body and trying to recover a little bit of energy. He’s not sure he can actually come again tonight, but he still wants Lan Zhan inside him.

It takes him a little while to recover, but after he’s finally stopped feeling all tingly and weird, he wriggles out of Lan Zhan’s hold and flips Lan Zhan on his back, straddling him. Lan Zhan looks beautiful from this vantage point, and there’s something very exciting about having a man like that between his thighs. There are things he wants to do to that man.

“Mmmh,” he hums. “Maybe I should try fucking you sometime.”

Not tonight, though.

He doesn’t wait for an answer from Lan Zhan, and instead raises his hips and moves back, steading himself so he slip Lan Zhan inside him. Lan Zhan’s hands rise and wrap rightly around Wei Ying’s waist to keep him steady, and then, with a moan, Wei Ying sinks on Lan Zhan’s dick. He wriggles a little to get used to the sensation, but yeah. That’s it. He still feels a little tingly inside, but he loves the feeling of having Lan Zhan inside him. Right now, Lan Zhan belongs only to him.

With the support of Lan Zhan’s steady grip, he starts moving, trying out what feels best. From time to time, Lan Zhan’s fingers twitch and tighten, and sometimes he releases a hard breath. So Wei Ying makes a game of it, experimenting with the pace and angle that he sets, and testing which movements make Lan Zhan jerk and pump up into him.

For once, it’s not him that’s most desperate to come, and the moan Lan Zhan lets out when he tightens around his dick is delicious. He keeps working Lan Zhan up, enjoying the look of desire on Lan Zhan’s face, and tries to tease more and more expressions out of him.

“Do you like it?” he asks as he sinks down on Lan Zhan’s dick again. “Being inside me? Knowing that your dick is in here right now?”

He taps his lower abdomen mischievously. Lan Zhan doesn’t reply, but his eyes blaze with desire.

“Do you like it?” Wei Ying asks again, grinning. “Filling me with your cum?”

That makes Lan Zhan finally snap. The hands on Wei Ying’s waist tighten painfully, and the next thing he knows, Lan Zhan is flipping them around, flinging Wei Ying onto the mattress so hard that he bounces a little.

Wei Ying laughs as Lan Zhan reaches for him again and draws him closer. He excitedly spreads his legs to let Lan Zhan slip into him again.

For once, Lan Zhan is discomposed. He fucks Wei Ying into the mattress with the desperation of a drowning man, seeking his own pleasure with single-minded determination.

With fascination, Wei Ying watches as an intense furrow develops between Lan Zhan’s brows. He grabs for him, holds him closer, lets Lan Zhan push him down with all the strength that he has. Lan Zhan jerks and pumps into him once, twice, three times, and then, he moans and releases his seed into Wei Ying before he finally stills.

Wei Ying feels victorious. It was all him. The person who make Lan Zhan lose control like that was all him.

He loves Lan Zhan so much.

They stay like that for a moment, intertwined tightly, Wei Ying’s legs wrapped around Lan Zhan’s hips and Lan Zhan grasping for Wei Ying, trying to keep him in his arms as tightly as he can. Wei Ying gives him tiny, soft kisses as Lan Zhan comes down from his high, and when he feels wicked (which is often) Wei Ying teases him with gentle, tickling fingers that make him shiver.

“Such a good man,” Wei Ying whispers into Lan Zhan’s ear. “Giving me all I want.”

Lan Zhan opens his eyes and searches for Wei Ying.

“Mine,” he says once their gazes have locked.

“Yes, Lan Zhan, oh husband mine,” Wei Ying assures him with a smile and a kiss. “I’m all yours.”

Then he grins mischievously.

“Now, about that part of me fucking you…”

[fanfictionaries]

If I Didn’t Know Any Better - Cutthroat Challenge

Thank you again @sherrybaby14 for this lovely challenge! Very inspiring and gave me an opportunity to write a little Steve fluff! 

Prompt: Valentine’s dinner with Steve 

Sabotage One: Steve has to have a room filled with children’s toys. 

Sabotage Two: Can’t use the words yes/no/maybe or any synonym! 

Pairing: Steve Rogers x you / Steve Rogers x y/n

Summary: Who could have known that the only thing you needed to finally tell Steve how you feel would be a bottle of red wine and a room full of children’s toys? 

Warnings: Fluff, fluff, and MORE fluff! It’s my birthday, so I’m feeling fluffy. 

Words: 2k 

*** 

“I can’t believe I’ve never been to your place before Steve!” you gasped at the glory of the expansive apartment. Nestled in, on a quiet street in Brooklyn, the antique building was almost dream-like with its ivy-covered façade and large oak trees outside. The exposed brick walls and original hardwood floors paired well with the plush rugs and brown leather couch sat in the living room. Everything was clean lines, utilitarian, but with just the right amount of sentimentality to make it warm. Homey. The kitchen, with its ample-sized marble island lay open, giving it a small modern feel for such an otherwise outdated space. In a way, the apartment was the perfect reflection of Steve. Wonderful smells wafted from the oven and stovetop, leading you further in and past the tall super soldier holding the door open for you.

“Please, (Y/N), come on in,” laughed Steve, closing the door and following you towards the kitchen.

“Where is everyone? I thought for sure I was going to be the last one here,” you admitted sheepishly as you set down your bags and began to unpack the copious bottles of wine. You attempted to suppress a smile as you remembered the aghast expression on the checkers face when you’d placed ten bottles of red blend down on the conveyer belt.

“They didn’t tell you?” Steve questioned, picking up one of the bottles and examining the label.

“Tell me what?” you asked beginning to open cabinets, your heels clicking across the floor as you made yourself right at home, “Aha! There they are!” Stretching, you attempted to reach the wine glasses sitting dusty and unused at the top of the shelf.

“They’re not coming,” Steve reached above you, easily grabbing two. Swinging around in surprise, you were met with an expansive chest in your line of sight. Hello. You shook the strange and sudden thoughts forming around Steve’s chest from your head and wiped your hands on the skirt of your dress before reaching up and grabbing the glasses from his hands.

“What?! Why?” Placing the glasses on the countertop, you used a dish towel to wipe them free of dust before irritatedly opening one of the bottles.  

“Well, Nat finally managed to talk Bruce into doing something with her, and Sam and Bucky both managed to find dates at the last minute,” Steve watched as you tipped the bottle, filling your glass almost all the way to the top. You pouted at the absence of your friends before taking a large gulp of the red.

“Traitors,” you grumbled, taking another sip and leaning against the island.

“Hey,” said Steve, moving to your side and taking your chin between his thumb and forefinger. You obliged as he tilted your head up to look at him. The moment your eyes met his, you couldn’t help but marvel in just how blue they were. Like the ocean, you had always thought. Peaceful and calming. Stop that. You did not come over to Steve’s place for a friendly dinner just to gawk over him. You were like a little sister to him. He didn’t see you that way! It was wrong to pine after him like a love-sick puppy dog every other day of the year. It was especially wrong to do it on Valentine’s day. Of course, the presence of Nat, Sam, and Bucky were supposed to make the whole ordeal easier. That had been the plan at least.

“We can still have a good time tonight. Just you and me. Besides, more lasagna for the both of us,” Steve continued, breaking you out of your wandering thoughts.

“And more wine too. Think we can finish all ten bottles?” you smirked, earning you a raised eyebrow.

“I think that however I respond to that question, you’re still going to try,” jabbed Steve, dodging your hand as your reached out to slap him playfully for his smart aleck response, “Hey, pour me a glass too while I pull the lasagna out of the oven.”

“Done already?” you asked excitedly, reaching over the island for the second glass and filling it almost all the way to the top.

Steve responded by presenting a large casserole dish like the holy grail, wafting the scent of marinara and cheese in your direction.

“You’re a god!” you moaned, following the cheesy, meaty dish as he took it away from you and set it on the stove next to what appeared to be some kind of dessert. You gasped, “Is that—”

“Chocolate pudding?” Steve finished for you, sending a mischievous smile your way.

“Careful there, Captain, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to get into my panties tonight,” you teased, the words leaving your mouth before you could think twice about them. Great job. Obviously, the best way to not let the man know you were practically in love with him was to flirt shamelessly. You quickly busied yourself by taking a large sip from your glass, hoping to gloss over the comment.

Thankfully, Steve merely laughed, “Get yourself a plate and dish up while it’s still hot (Y/N),” he made his way around you, placing a large hand on the expanse of your lower back. The simple contact should have meant nothing. The two of your sparred and grappled all the time in training, but there was something so intimate about the situation. You and a man you were desperately in love with that would never notice you, having dinner on Valentine’s night. Just the two of you. Breathing deeply, you told yourself to get over it. You were friends and that was good enough. You could do this. You could get through tonight.

The torture didn’t stop there, however. It was as if Steve was purposefully feeding into all of your deepest romantic fantasies. It started with the lasagna. Your favorite dish. Then the chocolate pudding. Your favorite dessert. He even indulged in drinking the wine you brought, knowing you didn’t like to drink alone. The music he’d chosen to play, your favorite, and when he’d brought out the playing cards, you thought you might drown in bliss. You played rummy, a game you’d confessed forever ago was your favorite as your grandfather had taught you how to play.

That is how you found yourself, a few hours later, seated on the floor in Steve’s living room. A small fire crackled and roared from the fireplace as the two of you sipped wine and indulged on the overtly rich chocolate pudding. Your heels had long been forgotten and Steve had graciously provided you a blanket to cover your bare legs. The playing cards laid strewn across the coffee table behind you as the two of you stared into the flames. It was romantic. So romantic. The wine had made your limbs and brain mushy and slowly you were falling into a false sense of reality. Was Steve really trying to get into your panties? Why else would tonight be so perfect and well catered to you?

“So,” you spoke, breaking the comfortable silence, “I understand why I’m here. But, why are you here Steve?”

“Because I live here?”

You rolled your eyes, “You know what I mean. You could have anyone Steve! You’re Captain Freaking America! Why spend your Valentine’s day night with me?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

You snorted in response, taking another sip of wine. It was official, you were just drunk enough to begin losing your filter.

“Just answer the question Mister America.”

“It’s Captain, thank you,” said Steve haughtily causing the two of you to laugh, “Fine. I guess…I guess I’m here because I’m in love with someone and I’ve been too chicken to tell them.”

What? The confession floored you. Great. This was great. You tried to hold it together and not think about just how stupid you were. A stupid girl silly enough to fawn over a guy and believe that he could actually like her! The dinner, the dessert, the music, the cards. It all had to be pity. Pity that you couldn’t find someone to spend Valentine’s day with. Steve was alone by choice tonight. You on the other hand…

“Um, would you excuse me?” voice and legs shaky as you stood up, “Bathroom?”

“Oh, um down the hall, second door on the right,” said Steve, sounding…disappointed? You didn’t allow yourself to focus on it, needing to extricate yourself from the room as quickly as possible before you broke down in tears. Heading hastily down the hall, you opened the second door to find not a bathroom to cry in, but…a whole room of children’s toys?

“What the hell?” you voiced aloud, unable to stop yourself. Bikes, doll houses, puzzles, board games, cars, barbies, nerf guns. Everything. Every toy a kid could possibly have! Why did a grown man have a room full of children’s toys? Did he have a kid you didn’t know about? Was he some kind of collector? Was it…a sex thing? Your inebriated brain was leading you down all kinds of crazy rabbit holes, when a voice behind you sent you soaring into the air.

“I said second door on the right.”

You gasped, swinging around to find Steve leaning against the door, large arms crossed in front of him, “Geeze Steve! You scared me! What the hell are you doing with all these toys?”

“It’s uh…it’s kind of a long story,” Steve scratched the back of his head sheepishly, “I was talking to my neighbor down the hall the other day about her kids birthday that’s coming up soon and she admitted that money was tight this year and it was going to be hard affording presents this close to Christmas. Well, I thought I’d help out a little. As you can see, I went a little overboard…are you crying?”

You sniffed, wiping at the tears that had rolled down your cheeks, “God! Could you be any more perfect?! I’m so stupid! There you are, incredibly attractive, nice, caring, and so selfless and I’m just…me! I can’t believe that I thought for even a second that you could possibly feel the way I feel about you. But of course, you’re in love with somebody else and she is so lucky! You have to tell her Steve because she’d be a fool not to feel the same way. And I—”

“Hey, hey, calm down,” Steve approached you, placing his hand on your shoulders, “Deep breaths.” You breathed with him, feeling yourself calming under his care.

“Did you mean it? You have feelings for me?”

Your face heated in embarrassment. You couldn’t believe you just confessed your love to him, crying in a room full of children’s toys. Bringing your hands up to cover your face, you groaned into your palms wishing you were anywhere but there.

“I have feelings for you too (Y/N).”

“What?” you looked up, pulling your face from your hands in surprise.

“Full confession, I asked everyone else not to come tonight,” Steve admitted shyly, “I was hoping that if I could impress you enough tonight, you’d consider being my girl. That is, if I got up the courage to tell you how I feel.”

“So, the girl you’re in love with…”

“Is you, (Y/N),” said Steve reaching a hand up to cup your face softly, “I’m crazy about you (Y/N). You’re all I think about. You make me happy and I think that I could make you happy too. If you’ll have me.”

You laughed, lightly, your head swimming with euphoric confusion. If you’d have him? What a ridiculous question. You answered by lifting onto your toes and wrapping your arms around his neck before bringing your lips to his. The kiss was warm and sweet. He tasted of red wine and chocolate pudding and everything you could have dreamed of. His arms wrapped around you, pulling you tight to his body, every muscle hard and molding perfectly to you. You pulled away, leaning back to see the lust in his eyes.

“Careful there, Captain, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to get into my panties tonight.”

Everything Marvel Taglist: 

@caffiend-queen

@hidden-behind-the-fourth-wall

[cat-vase]

Chupacabra!Tim AU

The chupacabra is a cryptid first spotted in Puerto Rico, but nowadays has also been spotted along the Mexico-United States border, in Latin America, and in the southern United States. However, it has been spotted as far north as Maine (near Canada), and in countries such as Russia, India, and The Philippines. Chupacabra means "goat sucker" in Spanish, and it is said to suck/drain the blood out of farm animals with two or three small, circular puncture wounds in the neck/chest of the animal.

There are two versions of the chupacabra:

1- A reptilian/alien-like creature. It is bipedal (walks on 2 legs and has hands), and has leathery green scales all over its body, along with spines/quills sticking out of its back. It stands similar to a kangaroo, and some people say it hops just like a kangaroo does too. It has red eyes, and is sometimes depicted with wings. It is said to stand at about 3 or 4 feet tall.

2- This is the one I like and will be using! It is a more dog-like creature, and reported to look like a Peruvian Hairless Dog, a Xoloitzcuintle (Xolo Dog), or a fox/dog/wolf with Mange. It is hairless, very thin (bones are easily visible) despite having thick skin, and has an especially pronounced spine (usually having spines/quills like the reptilian version). It has very deep set eyes, is usually brown in color (to blend in with the environment), and has a mouth full of extremely large fangs along with sharp claws on its paws.

Some people portray it more similar to a goat (it's usual choice of prey) — it is still very large and quadrupedal (walks on 4 legs), but with horns and other features more similar to a goat.

Some people also depict this dog version, like the last, with wings and other features more similar to a bat, but not reptilian.

Others have the it be smaller — the size of a large cat or a smaller dog. It is similar to a Sphynx cat in appearance, but serves the same purpose all as the other versions of the chupacabra (draining blood from animals to feed).

It can also be more insect-like in appearance — having longer legs and a more rounded body, possible extra limbs (more slender and pointed than a dog's limbs), and has a long proboscis where its mouth should be in order to drain blood out of its prey. Large eyes and antennae are also common with this kind of chupacabra.

The dog, despite being quadrupedal, is able to stand on its back haunches and appear bigger than it actually is, and to reach higher places.

Now, onto the actual Marble Hornets part! (Under the cut because it’s long!)

Tim is the chupacabra. It has the same base personality as Tim Wright (avoidant, yet compassionate once someone gets close), but it's the cryptid. It can shapeshift between the different dog versions of the chupacabra people believe in. For example, Brian says he expected the monster to be bigger and have fur. Tim's body involuntarily shapeshifts to match Brian's belief, but as it hasn't spent time with people before this, it can control its shapeshifting properties fairly well due to experimentation on its own. Though, sometimes things do go wrong. 

Since Tim Wright doesn't exist as a person in this universe, Alex is the one to bring The Operator to the group (after all, it was around him when he was a kid). Alex is the one taking the medication in this universe, and Alex still thinks killing everybody is the solution to defeating The Operator. Brian is still in the woods — Alex still dragged him out to the abandoned hospital (no personal associations, Alex just thought it was a creepy and far away enough location for no one to know what happened to Brian) and practically fed him to The Operator, and so Brian has a personal vendetta against Alex. While Brian doesn't really know what the solution is, it's not killing everybody, and Brian wants to make that loud and clear (if Jay and Alex can read code, that is).

Jay is still involved like usual, but because Brian and Alex are at each other's throats (and Brian is also stealing Alex’s medication on the regular), Jay isn’t a big concern right now. Brian is purposefully making totheark videos to mislead Jay and make sure he stays off of whatever trail Alex is trying to get Jay to follow. Jay is trying to find Jessica anyways, so thankfully, hopefully, Jay won't get hurt anytime soon.

The chupacabra is known to wander in the south. Hot, usually in the desert but not always, and so it stumbles into Alabama and, coincidentally, Rosswood. It has no goal other than to feed and keep moving, keep out of the way of people (they're the ones farming and making it easy to hunt, there’s no need to hurt them unless something goes awry, and even then, the chupacabra usually chooses to run).

Until it finds Brian. Rosswood is a large area, a large wooded area, coincidence after coincidence, but Brian is trying to make sense of the place, so of course he'd explore far enough away from his cabin to find the fucking chupacabra. It runs, at first, as it always does (the man has a gun, it knows those can hurt, of course it runs), but they keep meeting. Brian always stays silent, observing, watching. Trying to figure out what the creature wants from him, if anything at all.

One day, one fateful day, the creature finally is brave enough to step toward the man. Brian steps toward it as well, and as it bows its head, Brian touches it. Gentle, not even a pet, but the creature makes a noise. Not a growl, yet not a purr either. Brian jumps back, as anyone would, but the creature nudges forward again.

The creature leaves at dawn, but Brian talks to the creature whenever it comes around — it's all he has, he doesn't want to put Jay or Jessica into danger by directly talking to them. So he talks to it, gives it a name (the first one that comes to mind is Timothy), and one day even leads it to his cabin. Brian shows Tim his camera, not even knowing if it understands English but wanting to try, just in case. He doesn't let Tim follow him whenever he goes out into town or when he follows Alex, but Tim seems to come around to the cabin every couple of days no matter what. 

Later on, Brian is shot. Not fatally, but it hurts, and there's a lot of blood. Tim doesn't show up then, despite being in the woods, where it has chosen to roam for now. So Brian lies there, on the forest floor, hidden from Alex but not having enough energy to get back to his cabin. The next morning, the wound seems to have at least stopped bleeding and has started to scab over, and Tim appears. It carries Brian on its back, back to the cabin, and lies Brian down as gentle as it can. Brian starts talking to Tim again, as he does, and he asks why it helped him, not expecting a response — the most he’s ever gotten is ears moving, a head tilt, deep growling, or tail wagging as it moves around. 

However, Tim nudges the spot next to Brian's wound, and then scampers over to a dead rabbit in the corner of the cabin, telltale puncture wounds in its neck.

Tim doesn't want to hurt Brian on accident (even if it doesn't go for humans, it might out of instinct), so it stayed away because it could smell the blood, and could smell that it was Brian nearby. Tim stays with Brian as he heals, and they're a strange pair of friends, but Brian's befriended a monster and he's ok with it. They’re both ok with it.

Until Brian dies. Alex and Brian fight again, and it's more rough than ever before. Brian gets shot again, but it's fatal this time. He's shot in the head, and left in the forest to die.

Tim, of course, finds him, and whines and howls over something its never felt before. It doesn’t even try to feed, too distraught to try and do that to a human that helped it. It takes the box — the box, it knows, takes the things in real life and puts them into the box, and you can look at them forever unless you press a special button on the box to make them go away. It takes the box in its mouth, and stalks towards Alex. Brian, before, had explained where he was going, just to talk. Tim has spent a lot of time on farms, so it knows some of the words humans use, and Brian had taught it even more, so it knows where Brian went to find Alex. 

Before trying to lure Alex out of his house, it paws at the box until the special red light turns on. Tim stalks towards the doors and windows, breaking them until Alex, with his gun, the gun, runs outside. 

Tim mauls him. Tim had never mauled anything before — only pulling apart animals for Brian to eat after it itself had fed. After all, all it needed was the blood, and if Brian didn’t need it, it knew the other animals would use the flesh. But not this time. Alex didn't deserve that, he only deserved destruction. 

Alex was the most gratifying feed of its life.

But due to feeding on Alex, Tim is now being stalked by The Operator, as Alex was infected with The Operator sickness. Tim doesn't mind. In fact, The Operator keeps it closer to Jay and Jessica, who are still trying to find each other. Jay knows Alex is dead (the mauling was on the news), but not Brian, and he’s trying to figure out why the codes stopped and what actually happened to Alex (there’s no way it was a wolf, there was no blood in Alex’s body, just on the ground). 

Tim tries to protect Jay, and Jessica is currently stranded in Rosswood right now with her phone only letting her do certain things, so while Tim roams the woods it tries its best to attack anything that might hurt Jessica.

[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #471

Top Ten Settings for a Stardew Valley Spin-Off

Have you played Stardew Valley? It’s great. It’s this sort of farming sim-cum-RPG where you move into a dilapidated old farm and have to turn it around, selling lots of produce and turning a tidy profit. But as well as tilling soil and milking goats, you also have to mosey on down to the local village, befriend the curious townsfolk, repair the battered old community centre, and eventually settle down and get married. And on top of all that, there’s a really weird Lynchian mystery, with monsters in the mines and wizards and witches and a war between dwarves and some kind of race of shadow-people. It’s bonkers and it’s delightful and it’s incredibly, incredibly dense. It’s like a cross between a casual mobile game and six seasons of a prestige fantasy drama.

However good the game is – and it is very good – I never really got too into it. Possibly because in its structure I see too much of the “just one more turn” ethos of Civilization (time passes in days and you can only save when you go to bed, but every morning new stuff has happened or new crops have grown, so you always want to get up and see); as I’m already in the grips of a crippling addiction to the world’s greatest strategy game, injecting more of the same into my veins is a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, my wife got addicted instead, and since the recent console update, we’ve been able to play together in co-op.

So anyway, the long and the short of it is I’ve been playing it pretty much every night.

Whilst I’ve been playing, I’ve been thinking of ways the game could be expanded. Not necessarily improved, but just sort of… spun off, in wild and exciting new directions. A different flavour of Stardew. New settings, new options, new challenges. Do you remember “total conversions”? When teams of modders or developers would essentially build an entirely new game out of an old game? Happened a lot with the Quake and Half-Life engines back in the day; I think it might even be how Gearbox got started, if I remember rightly. Anyway, how’s about a Stardew Valley total conversion? Something along these lines. It’d be good fun at any rate! So let’s play Stardew Valley…

…on Tatooine: you play a moisture farmer with a small place just outside of a bigger town – maybe someplace a bit smaller and friendlier than the likes of Mos Eisley and Mos Espa. You have to install moisture vaporators, buy droids to maintain them, trade with passing Jawas, and fend off Sandpeople attacks (unless you can learn their language and befriend them, Mando-style). Romance townsfolk! Save up enough for a new speeder! Take your T-15 down Beggar’s Canyon to bullseye womp rats! But seriously, the idea of farming in an entirely inhospitable location, and farming in a way that’s not done at all on Earth (except maybe you can also breed whichever animals make the blue milk), is really interesting.

…in the Wild West: you get to be an old-timey rancher out in the West. Are you growing corn? Are you raising cattle? Build yourself a cozy farmhouse. Get one of those windmills going. Basically, you’re creating the Kent Farm in Smallville. Perhaps this could go a bit more serious and look at the relationship between the settlers, townsfolk, and the indigenous people; maybe you could try to get everyone to get along? Or just make it stereotypical and wildly offensive. Godless meets Little House on the Prairie.

…in the Vampire Apocalypse: basically Stardew Valley by way of I Am Legend. There’s no romance here, you’re the only human. During the day you farm, you gather, you build; at night you hunker down as wave after wave of vampires attack. But just like in the book, there’s a deeper, creepier, much sadder mystery to unfold. I mean, this is probably the best possible adaptation you could make of I Am Legend, especially as presenting in a top-down pixel art style would rob it of any sensationalism.

…with Pokémon: you’re always shoving Pokémon in creepy breeding centres in the games, right? Well what if this was basically a Pokémon farm. You have to build specific enclosures for the different Pokémon, make sure they’re well treated, and also grow sufficient crops and foods to keep them happy. Your ultimate aim is to sell the Pokémon themselves (or their produce, I guess) but you can also sell what you grow. And, of course, you can wander into whichever little village in Kanto or Galar or wherever it is we set the game, and have your usual mild RPG entanglements and romantic sub-plots. Meanwhile Team Rocket are trying to mess up your lovely farm. The dastards!

…at the North Pole: kinda similar to the Tatooine farm, this has you managing a remote outpost in the freezing wilderness. Barely anything can grow outside so you have to construct and maintain habitats to farm indoors, and rear animals, etc. You can trade (or romance!) local indigenous people, befriend penguins, and ride polar bears, which I assume is a totally realistic thing to do. On top of all this there could be other research projects to complete and the opportunity to expand the station itself. If you explore far enough, you find a crashed UFO buried in the ice, but whatever you do, don’t let it anywhere near your dog…

…in Yorkshire: basically not much different to Stardew as it exists now, but it’s set in the UK. I think very specifically a small North Yorkshire village. Think of the comedy accents and regional humour! This is the sort of thing Team 17 could have made a lot of headway with in the nineties. You’d be growing and harvesting typical British crops, dealing with eccentric British townsfolk, encountering Sunday bikers and car boot sales and dancing round the May Pole… the more I think about it, the more it should basically be a Wicker Man game, to be honest.

…in Bedrock: farming great big huge caveman crops! Building big rickety stone houses! Driving cars with your feet! And – of course – rearing dinosaurs. Dinosaurs! Think about it: everything would have to be bigger and chunkier and funnier. Maybe you could invent fire or the wheel, or something. Who owns the rights to Chuck Rock? Because if the Flintstone people aren’t on board, this could be a great way to bring back a classic gaming icon.

…during the War: sorta similar to the Yorkshire Farm game above, but specifically set during WWII. I guess this is a more serious sort of game, but the added complications of rationing and a reduced workforce (I think maybe you’d have to hire land girls or something?), making produce for the army and stuff, would add a lot to the gameplay. Perhaps there could be bombing raids, blackouts, and maybe even enemy spies to deal with. All this combined with older technology could be interesting.

…on Cybertron: a totally different way of farming. Imagine: you’re in charge of an energon farm on one of Cybertron’s moons. You have to harvest energon from the ground and then convert it; there could be different energon ores and different ways of converting them. You could also drill for nucleon or something, or rear turbo-rabbits, sharkticons, and scraplets (but don’t let them get loose!). Meanwhile the war is brewing down on the planet below, and eventually you have to decide if you can remain neutral, or if you have to pick a side.

…in the Shire: on the one hand, it’s a fairly straightforward pastoral game, similar to Stardew as it exists now; plant seeds, grow crops, rear animals, do up your farmhouse. But your farm is in the Shire, you’re a hobbit, and everyone else is a hobbit. Grow pipeweed and learn to blow smoke rings! Expand your hobbit hole by digging further into the hill! Go into the Green Dragon and romance the barmaid! You can go adventuring, befriending wizards like Gandalf or Radagast, making friends with dwarves and maybe even meeting elves and men… but if you do, your hobbit neighbours might think a lot less of you. Man, now I really want this game! It sounds fantastic!

So there we are. Ten possible Stardew spin-offs. This started as a fun exercise and ended with me inventing a game that I want more than any other game that exists. This is crazy. Someone make me my gentle hobbit social RPG… please?!

[woolspun]

         kiss drabble meme idk // not accepting // music inspo.

@yamausa​ said: (▰˘◡˘▰)

     kith but fantasy au.

     they’d been beaten down some earlier during a scuffle with a bunch of brigands, said robbers likely being ex ( or even current ) members of the local baron’s forces. the uniforms they donned were recognizable by the house emblem, though the clothing was... dirty. ruined, really. pockmarked just as badly as the outermost edges of etsu’s wings.      the most humiliating part of it was that the dragon hadn’t even NOTICED them at first, though looking back, there’d been proof everywhere. remnants of houses and huts alike, burned till only the skeletons of the structures remained. the stench of death, though faded, clung to the air-- and with it, the choking smell of charred flesh.      given that the dragon is a NATURAL fire-breather, she’s well aware of the damage that can be done with the element... but so many have decided to use it for EVIL. against the innocent. against people just trying to live their lives.       as the sun overhead made its descent, the party’s cries to land grew louder and louder, the indignant squawking of a particular member causing a thundering rumble to roll through her body, scaled skin shuddering in response as the warning sounded. harpies. so ANNOYING. and so DEMANDING, too.       she chooses a clearing within the woods to land within, limbs hitting the ground with a hefty-sounding thump, talons digging into the mixture of leaf litter, twigs and various plant life. a deep inhale of the air confirms that nothing is skulking about, though the scent of magic hangs within the air. it’s stale, so perhaps a nomadic grove of druids ? this sort of place looked like an area they’d want to travel through, perhaps using their abilities to try and heal the damaged land ? likely just a comforting thought. but also etsu KNOWS that she’s on high alert from the surprise attack earlier.      ❝ here. i do believe that this area will be the safest. any survivors from that group we ran into earlier, they shouldn’t be able to find us here. i think we killed their only mage, meaning no surprise attacks again. ❞      as always, the others accept and set about making themselves comfortable. etsu gathers sticks and clears a spot, a singular exhale within her mortal form being all that it needs for a fire to jump to life.       the others make themselves useful by gathering food or scavenging, if possible.       might as well do the same. her sensitive nose could probably find something useful.      a nasty cut to her cheek has already began sealing itself up, a thin line of scarlet being the only hint that something had happened. had etsu been slashed at in her true form, the blade likely wouldn’t even of gotten through her scales. pathetic.       her feelings had distracted her.      eyes like citrine stones were honed in on snow-colored hair, the strands long and straight, if not a little windswept at the front from the day-long flight to get to this part of the land. the over-sized lizard had been so caught up in admiring the one who practically WORSHIPED the ground she walked on, when really it should’ve been the other way around.      etsu can feel it. the power that emanates from rumi’s form at all times of both the day and the night. it’s not NORMAL. no regular mortal gave off such a strong sensation, even a powerful mage couldn’t hold a flame to the barbarian queen. there was no doubt about it that rumi was something else, something... both mortal yet NOT. careful monitoring of the harpy ( hawks, his name was hawks ) confirms her thoughts on the matter, the bird man’s own behavior unique when around the woman. not in a ‘ oh, you’re beautiful and i want to kiss you ‘ sort of way, but more ‘ something isn’t right about you ‘ manner.       metallic greaves clack against boots of the same make, the former-knight’s armor clattering here and there as she navigates through the thicket. it almost feels like home, though should she turn and glance behind her there’d be stone walls to greet her. etsu can’t help the weary exhale, but as the dragon inhales once again...      wildflowers. close. several, if not hundreds.      pupils dilate to allow as much light in as possible, splashes of color speckled betwixt the trees that lie just up ahead. would it perhaps be too cliché to snag a bunch and... deliver them to rumi ? the woman in question wasn’t a princess to be wooed, no, no. she was a queen. but then again, the last king that etsu had served, he’d send servants out ( she’d sometimes have to accompany them, for protection purposes ) to gather flowers to be made into arrangements for his wife.      maybe this... this would work.      or so etsu hopes as she meanders back into the makeshift camp that the others made. she gets a few eyebrows raised in her direction, but the cursed knight merely lifts her head and resumes her determined march to where rumi had wandered off to.       it’s no surprise she’d settled at a nearby stream, tending to her weapons and washing the dried blood from her armor the best that she could. the rabbit woman’s ears twitched as etsu got closer, but the barbarian was familiar enough with the sound of her footsteps that she didn’t bother turning around.       even as etsu settles herself down beside the queen, she stays focused on her task.      ❝ i uh. i brought these.      for..... you. ❞      a bundle of flora is offered out, the colors varying and clashing, but still managing to look... aesthetically pleasing.       ❝ i thought that maybe they’d uh, they’d cheer you up ! you know, w-with everything we’ve been through these past few weeks. and i know that hawks has been getting on your nerves too — mmph ?! ❞      lips. they’re — they’re pushed against etsu’s own, easily melding together for a few seconds until the warmth is gone. the woman beside her is grinning from ear to ear, eyes crinkled shut in that way that etsu had gotten so fond of.      ❝ did... did it work ? ah, haha, uhm.      my lady, i...  ❞      there’s a murmur of ‘ quit talking ‘ before the barbarian’s kissing her once again, though this time the duo’s lips don’t part save for the occasional breath of air. 

[bidaryl]

that time i was like hey au where daryl gets sent back to the start of the apocalypse hehe but then i was like fuck! what IF!!!! and got emo thinking about it realistically and started writing it :(

He wakes up when it’s just him and Merle on the road.

He went to bed the night before, so incredibly fucking tired. After everything that had gone down those past few months - Beta being alive; the trek back to Alexandria; answering people’s questions about the future; fuckin’ Negan; Lydia not trusting nobody, including him; whatever shit Carol was going through - he was fucking wiped. Asskicker had managed to convince him to take her outside the walls, asked him to teach her how to hunt, how to track. They’d spent hours out there after first light, him showing her some of the basic stuff; how to tell apart different tracks, how to set quick effective traps, other small things. She told him ‘bout Michonne leaving. Daryl had a few thoughts about that, but Jude already looked like she was one bad feeling away from crying, so he shifted focus and changed the subject. She’d picked up tracking quickly, almost quicker than Beth had. Had turned to him at one point of the day after they’d stopped to have lunch, begging to stay outside for a few more hours. Wanting to practice more. He wasn’t exactly a seasoned pro at saying no to her, he had a bad habit of giving in quickly to most of the kids he knew, but the Whisperer’s group was still at large - Beta and his followers were still out there - and after a few promises and compromises, he’d convinced her to come back inside the gates. Told her he’d let her take the lead the next time they came out, warning her it couldn’t be the next day, reasoning he had things he had to do back home, but promised her they could come back out soon. After they’d walked back inside the walls, he made a small appearance at dinner, checked in with the people on guard duty, then headed to the Grimes’ house. Fell onto his bed without even taking his shoes off and crashed. Next thing he knew, he was waking up to a rough kick to the legs and Merle’s cheery voice.

“Wasting daylight, Darleena, c’mon, chop chop, let’s go!” - he claps his hands - “time to wake the fuck up.” Merle adds another kick for good measure before walking off. Daryl pushes up onto his elbows, looking around and trying to get a grasp of where they are and what time it is, before giving up almost immediately when his brain catches up and realises if Merle’s here, he’s dreaming. Or hallucinating. Either way, this ain’t real. He sits up slowly before thinking - fuck it. Might as well see his brother while he’s around. He makes a move and gets up, grabs his jacket from where it was being used as a makeshift pillow, and heads outside. The area looks vaguely familiar but also like every wood Merle and him have ever camped in, so he continues walking over to where Merle’s standing before sitting down and grabbing the spoon and can his brother left out for him.

“No biters so far, but we should keep movin’, get ahead of the ones travellin’ out from the city,” Merle starts, nods his head to his pile stuff that’s already packed up, and stands, stomping out the small fire he had going. “This spot’s gonna be overrun before we can blink. We gotta move out.” Merle wanders off beyond the tree line, muttering something about taking a piss, yelling a “Hurry up and pack your shit!” over his shoulder before disappearing. Daryl nods to himself, quickly shovels what’s left of the can in his mouth and scans the area to figure out what stuff there’s still left to pack. Thinks to himself that it’s a stupid ass dream he’s having, Merle bossin’ him around and making him clean up. Makes him feel like he’s 4 years old again, doin’ Merle’s chores for him.

By the time Merle walks back over, Daryl’s got the tent and sleeping bag all folded up and put together, his bow leaning against the his bike, bag packed and ready to go.

“We good?” Merle asked, grabbing his own collection of things and walking over, standing next to his own ride.

Daryl does one last sweep before nodding and asks which way they’re going as he mounts his bike.

Merle gives him a look, “The fuck you mean, ‘Which way we goin’?’ done told ya, we been over this five times already.” He shakes his head before climbing his bike, starts the engine and rides out. Daryl shrugs and follows. Dream Merle’s as temperamental as real life Merle. Daryl can roll with that.

They ride for the rest of the day, taking mainly back roads and hidden trails they only know about cause they grew up round these parts, avoiding highways as much as possible, still only making it barely 2 hours from where they first started that morning. Daryl follows while Merle leads, stopping twice to try find some gas. He spends the first hour or so feeling guilty, feeling like actual fucking shit, watching Merle zip around abandoned cars, using signals to direct him, wondering how Merle got so faded in his memory. Turns out theres nothing like having the ghost of his dead brother right in front of him to make him realise how many small details Daryl’s forgot about him, how much his memory’s erased him over time. 

He spends the rest of the day taking everything in, getting familiar again. Merle’s about as loud and annoying and chatty and demanding as Daryl remembers. Still a pain in the ass, but Daryl forgot about the way Merle told his stories; not just with words, but with his hands, his face. Forgot about how it was Merle who taught him how to ride. How no matter how good Daryl gets on his bike, how many little tricks he learns, how many rides he fixes; he’s always just gonna be second best to Merle. For a second, he wonders why he’s dreaming about this specific part of his life, but figures this isn’t exactly the first time he’s dreamt of Merle, and it’s probably not gonna be the last. Takes a moment to consider whether or not there’s a reason to be dreaming this vividly - a head injuries or an attack. Think’s to himself - maybe he’s dead and his afterlife is just him and Merle, riding around together on their bikes. Rolls his shoulders and jerks his head, tells himself he’s not fucking dead.

Merle’s up ahead, ranting about some shit Daryl wasn’t there for and hollering at his own punchline. Daryl kinda wants to tell him to shut the fuck up but can’t bring himself to say it. He hasn’t heard Merle’s voice outside of his dreams and hallucinations for almost 9 years. It always shakes him up, how much he misses him. Decides if this is a dream, he ain’t about to complain. 

He keeps riding.

He’s on first watch that night when they settle into a spot, Merle asleep in his tent after having a beer and a smoke. Daryl keeps scanning the treeline and surrounding woods, more out of muscle memory than protection, too distracted thinking about the day he’s just had. Merle’s here, alive and well, being one of the most warm and comforting illusions Daryl’s had in years. He can’t remember the last time he didn’t feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, the last time he didn’t have blood covering his hands. Feel’s like a prick for being so dramatic; it’s not like he’s Maggie, Michonne, or hell - the King. Never had to bare those responsibilities the way they’ve had do. He rubs the back of his neck with his hand as he sits, shifts his focus to something else. Tries to think about what he’s gonna say to Lydia tomorrow. He knows Negans talk with her ended with them both in tears, her storming out; know’s she doesn’t trust any of them anymore. Gives up and sighs when he realises he’s got no choice but to accept that he’s got no fucking idea how to reason with a teenager, how to word things so she can understand, especially with her well earned trust issues and abandonment complex.

Him and Merle switch out a few hours later, Merle on watch and Daryl sleeping. Daryl gives Merle a clap on the back as they pass each other, know’s when he wakes up tomorrow it’s just gonna be him in the Grimes’ basement. He has a brief second where he thinks about saying fuck it and giving Merle a hug, but decides against it. Not like they were ever the touchy feely type to begin with.

When he wakes up the next morning, it’s bright as fuck. There’s birds chirping, there’s whistling, some clinking of a fork hitting metal. Merle’s voice carrying. Daryl pats himself down, takes in how he’s in the same clothes he went to sleep in, the same tent, and quickly gathers his bow and his knife and rushes outside the tent.

“The hell?” Merle yells, doing a double take as Daryl stands there, crossbow up and aimed. “The hell’s got your panties in a twist? Jesus, fuck. You dreamin’ about the chupacabra again? Bigfoot? Good Lord.” He bends down and starts rummaging around his bag, “Here, calm the fuck down, eat this,” holding out a bar and passing it over, muttering under his breath “jump out of the tent, gun’s blazing, fuck me, give me a damn near heart attack.”

Daryl slowly lowers his bow and stands there for a few seconds before stepping forward slowly and grabbing the snack, staring at Merle the whole time. He takes a bite or two then throws it back before tightening his grip on his weapon, bending down to grab a bottle for some water then heads for the trees without a word. Merle calls out to him, telling him to catch some rabbit instead of squirrel this time. Daryl doesn’t acknowledge him.

He’s still there when Daryl gets back.

Daryl decides he’s fucking done with this dream. Doesn’t get why his subconscious couldn’t give him a greatest hits reel. Like, yeah, let him remember his time with his brother, but maybe also let him relive some of the early days on the farm or some of the early days in Alexandria. Remember the run that he, Jesus, Tara, and Aaron went on that one time. Maybe remember the first time Judith attempted to say his name. The day he and Dog found each other. Maybe even let him relive some days before the fucking world ended. 

It takes less than a minute for the guilt to set in, instantly feeling like a prick. Merle died for him and for his family, and he’s fucking missed his brother. So what if Dream Merle never stops complaining? He fucking wishes life would go back to being this simple, when these were his biggest problems. Wishes Merle could’ve made it this far. Could’ve seen what was to come, what they could’ve built.

When he wakes up the next morning, Merle’s still there. Still chatty, still loud, still wanting food they don’t have. Still got 20 different opinions about things that don’t even matter anymore.

4th morning in and he wakes up to Merle having a smoke and thinks maybe, possibly, something’s going on. Maybe it’s more than just a dream. Feels like he should try and figure his shit out. Weighs the options of it being just a really elaborate dream, or a massive mind fuck hallucination. His mind provides the term ‘time travel’ but Daryl’s not gonna fucking acknowledge that. Wonders if he got a head injury without realising and he’s in a coma. Maybe this is what Rick felt like back when he woke up at the start of all this. He quirks a lip up at the irony.

The 5th day in is when he knows something is definitely fucking going on.

The 5th day is when they run into the Atlanta group. He spots Shane and T-Dog first, then Glenn and Lori. Daryl steps back, tries to think if he’s ever dreamt about Lori or about Shane, while Merle steps forward and does all the talking again. It’s an exact replica of the last time this happened. They all come to the same uneasy agreement to let the brothers stay, Glenn swaying the result in their favour again. Daryl feels sick. Glenn’s talking, saying how it’ll be good to have people that know how to hunt, who know what’s safe to eat from the woods, how useful it’ll be to have more muscle. Daryl feels like he can’t fucking breath. He wants to run up to him, wants to fucking hug him, wants to throw up right there, on the spot. Instead he just stands there, takes in Glenn’s face and the lack of blood or brain matter, the way he looks and sounds so young, and tries to swallow the lump in his throat and breath. Merle starts moving forward and Daryl follows on auto pilot. 

They make their way slowly onto the camp, the rest of the group looking as standoffish about the Dixon brothers staying as they did the first time. Daryl lets Merle deal with their shit, grabs his bow and heads out into the woods straight away. He hears Andrea scoff behind him.

Out in the woods, he tells himself he’s gonna take a moment to properly think shit through now, for real this time. Try and figure about what’s happening to him. Ain’t no way this is all just a fucking dream. Sure as shit ain’t no coma, either. Shit’s too fucking real. It’s been 10 years since the world went up in shit and he’s had enough knocks to the head to know his memories of the start are gonna be a little hazy. He tries to pinpoint certain moments but it’s rough, tries to remember the specifics of how things originally went down but knows that while he’s observant, always has been, he was still on the outskirts of the group. Wern’t ever really let in on all the details before their time at the farm and he never really put that much effort into learning earlier. He didn’t bother nobody and nobody bothered him. 

The start was so fucking simple.

He guesses he remembers the general gist of some things. He can remembers standing back and letting Merle run the show. Doesn't remember Carol ever holding herself like that. Remembers the way Lori looked at him; like he was no better than the geeks, like it was him who her family was threatened by. Doesn't remember Sophia or Carl ever being that small. Remembers how Shane tried to be the leader, loud and tough. Wants to grab a knife and end Shane now, thinking about the story he spun of what happened to Otis. The night Glenn and him found Randall in the woods, neck broken, two sets of foot prints. He remembers Rick, and how he made being a leader look natural, almost effortless, how people just instinctively knew to trust him, to believe in him. How he had the entire group listening to him within a day of setting foot into camp. 

The sound of trees rustling brings him back to the present and he snaps into action. Out in the woods ain’t no place to let down your guard, no matter how safe you think you are. He lets himself get pulled back into the task at hand, spotting something moving out of the corner of his eye and shakes himself off, catching everyone some dinner. Specifically aims to get Carls and Glenns favourites even though he knows their tastebuds don’t really adjust to road life until the farm falls. 

It’s not enough, but it’s a start.

Glenn thanks him for dinner that night. Lori makes Carl say thanks, too. Sophia and Amy do it without any prompting. Daryl suddenly can’t stomach this, can’t sit here with his family and look at them, knowing whats to come. He excuses himself and goes to sleep wishing with everything in him that he could wake the fuck up now.

Lays there and chews at his thumbnail, thinks he doesn’t know how much longer he can talk to his ghosts.

Later that night in his tent, while Dale and Andrea keep watch and everyone sleeps, he reaches the conclusion that no matter what option he chooses, they’re all fucking crazy. 

He’s not ready to deal with everything if it’s a permanent thing. Not ready for any of this to be real, to spend the next 8 years meeting everyone that’s ever mattered to him again. To look at them and remember how they died. Thinks he also isn’t ready to accept this could just be a dream, that he could wake up any minute now in a world without Glenn, without Carl, no Sophia. Most of his family fading back into his memories and dreams.  

So he ignores the voice in his head and decides he’s gonna let it go, falls back into the safety of letting himself believe it’s a dream. Convinces himself he doesn’t wanna make waves if he’s just injured and unconscious and this is his minds way of trying to let himself heal. Even goes as far as to let himself feel pissed off about his minds idea of taking a peaceful trip down memory lane is by taking him to the beginning of the end, when the world went to shit. 

If he’s being real with himself though, he has to admit that maybe those first few months of the apocalypse weren’t all that bad for him. It was just him and Merle and the bikes and his crossbow. No money problems, no close calls with the law, no more upperclass or businessmen around to look down on him for being redneck trailer trash. 

He’s always felt more at home in the woods than any four walls and roof, knows how to navigate the stars, has been living off the land since before he could write. He was thriving when all this began. Wern’t close enough to anyone outside of Merle, never had anyone to worry about, anyone to lose.

The world turned upside down and he came out on top.

Merle brings up the plan to rob the camp a few nights later. They’re on watch together, Daryl having rigged up the perimeter with some string and cans; so they’re kinda just standing around, staring into the night. He talks under his breath with Daryl just in earshot, saying how they need to figure out the best things to take, then haul ass when they do. Whispers that they’re just gonna take the most useful stuff, how it’s not like these city slickers are gonna make it much further anyway. How they’re doing them a favour. Daryl thinks about Glenn in Alexandria, everything that went down with Nicholas and Noah. Throws his mind back to the prison, when he carried Carol out of the tombs after she survived for days on her own, after everyone had considered her dead. Takes a steadying breath and walks away, throwing a ‘whatever.’ over his shoulder.

They’ve been at the camp for just under two weeks when Merle goes to leave with Glenn and the others for the city. That’s when he starts to open himself up to the time travel option.

Everything up until this stage has been more or less calm. He gets up, he hunts, he takes watch, he sleeps. Rinse and repeat. Nothing strenuous, nothing life changing, just a peaceful two weeks of hanging out with his brother and his family.

He’d been rationalising everything to himself, telling himself that if he’s going through trauma and his mind’s officially breaking after 10 years of tragedies and losses, then this is okay. He’s happy to hang out here, back when things were simple and easy. He’s happy to see Carl and Sophia get homeschooled and run around and be kids. Happy to see Carl and Lori back together. More than happy to see Glenn float around camp and get into everything, learn about cars, hang out with the kids, plan trips to the city. Pretty fucking content to sit back and watch Carol and Sophia walk around together.

But then Merle mentions the city run, and Shane and Lori are having secret meetings outside camp together, and Ed’s going stir crazy, ranting about being stuck in the woods for weeks on end with no rescue mission in sight. Dales on top of the RV everyday, setting his watch, being on guard. And it’s too familiar. It’s fucking suffocating. It’s exactly how it went down the first time. Before he realises it, he’s volunteering himself to go on the run instead.

Merle laughs.

Glenn looks between the two brothers, trying to figure out the best approach. Daryl’s better in the woods, not that Merle’s bad, but Daryl’s got more patience than Merle could dream. He always comes back with more food than the older brother, will spend all day out there to make sure everyone at camp gets a full ration, even takes the time to help dress and skin the animals, showing the girls how to do it properly. Merle’s not as particular, more than happy to stroll back into camp with half the amount and ready to dump it and let the ladies do the work.

“You’re needed here, it’s fine. Merle can come with us.” Glenn reasons, “We’re only gonna be gone a few hours, in and out, no problem. We can handle Merle.”

“Yeah, that ain’t happenin’,” Daryl heads to his tent, grabs his crossbow and his backpack, double checks he has his knives, and heads out towards the truck.

Merle stops laughing the second he sees Daryls face and sees the serious look in his eyes, like Daryl thinks he’s already won the argument.

“Now, now, little brother, what on earth do you want with Atlanta?” he puts a hand on Daryl’s shoulder, holding him in place, “You stay here, keep these people feed, and Ol’ Merle will head into the city, keep these city slickers in line. We’re all good here.”

Merle makes a move to head to the truck, nodding at Glenn that things are settled, before Daryl speaks up again.

“You’re staying here, man. Glenn says the city’s overrun. If he’s gonna take a group for the first time, they need’a be quiet and quick. That ain’t you.” Daryl holds Merles eyes for a moment before moving past him, looking to Glenn and raising his eyebrows. “We good to go?”

Glenn glances between the brothers one last time before nodding at Daryl. “Yeah. We’re good. We gotta go now though, if we wanna be back before dark.”

Daryl nods and looks at Merle one last time before making a move to go stand near the back of the truck, waiting for T-Dog while everyone slowly resumes what they were doing. Merle stays standing in the same spot, looking on in part disbelief and part pissed off. Daryl looks on from the corner of his eye, watching as Merle stalks off to his tent before stomping back out and heading for the trees. The camp seems to let out a sigh of relief in his absence and Daryl feels guilty to leave them with him, especially considering his mood, but then remembers how Merle never returned from this trip the first time. 

He tells himself that this is the right move, that Merle can make it this time, he can grow to care for the group the same way Daryl did the first time ‘round. Merle can be a fucking asshole at the best of times, but he knows how to care when you give him a reason. If you’re unlucky enough to have him as an enemy, you better run; but if you’re one of the lucky ones that he considers kin, he’ll have your back for life.

[missbellaswan]

Twice Bitten Half Turned - Chapter 3

Full Fic on AO3

When I woke up, Edward was gone. I found a note on my desk in his delicate cursive. I’ve gone to help Carlisle with the research, see you soon. I love you.

I didn’t mind that he was gone, I knew that he and Carlisle were doing their best to help me, but now I was unsure of what I was going to do with myself for the day. I didn’t want to get in their way or be a distraction, and I definitely didn’t want to sit around and listen to them talk about all their theories for what could possibly be happening to me.

Charlie had already left for work by the time I made my way downstairs for breakfast. I made myself a cup of tea and pushed my cereal around in the bowl until it was soggy. I got ready slowly, opting to wear a long sleeve shirt, even though judging by the sun streaming through my window it was going to be warm again today. I sighed as I eyed my small, and now almost entirely obsolete, wardrobe I had brought from Arizona.

Since it was summer and there was no school for me to distract myself with, I ran out of things to do sooner than I had hoped. I didn’t want to stay home and mope all day, so I grabbed my keys and started the truck before deciding where I was going.

Once I was on the road, I found myself heading out of town. I didn’t really want to wander around in the gloomy woods by myself today, so I turned off the main highway and headed toward the coast. A few miles later I hit the reservation and headed towards the Black’s house.

I wasn’t sure how welcome I would be there. Jacob and I hadn’t spoken much since his dad forced him to crash my prom. I wasn’t upset because I knew Billy was just trying to protect me. And I knew Jacob didn’t mean any harm, but my association with the vampires made our friendship a lot more complicated that I had anticipated. And now things were only going to become even more complicated than before.

I pulled up the dirt lane that lead to their small red house. I saw Jacob on the porch before I had even parked the truck. The engine of the truck must have given me away as soon as I hit the reservation.

“Bella!” Jake called as he jogged up the driveway to meet me.

“Hey Jake.” I said as I climbed out.

“What brings you to the res?”

Oh, nothing. I’m just avoiding the fact that I’m turning into some weird half vampire hybrid. “Just wanted to see you. Thought maybe we could do something now that I’m out of the boot.” I lifted my foot up to show off my newly freed lower leg. I wobbled a little as I tried to balance on one leg.

Jake laughed and tried to grab my arm to steady me. I pulled away instinctively, trying to keep my newly vampire-like appendage away from anyone it might hurt, but the movement caused me to tip backwards. I landed firmly on my ass and Jake busted up laughing again as he leaned down and pulled me back to my feet. I dusted myself off and frowned at him.

“Oh yeah, back at the top of your game I see.” He joked.

“You know it,” I said. I felt dumb for recoiling from him, but he didn’t seem to notice. Or didn’t seem to mind. He led me over to the garage around the other side of the house.

“Did you have something in mind for today?” Jake asked.

“Well what were you going to do before I crashed in on your plans?” I asked. I hadn’t spent any time here since I was a kid, so I really had no idea what I was doing here.

“I’ve been spending most of my time this summer putting the finishing touches on the Rabbit, but I know you’re not big on cars, so we could do something else,” he said, “we could go to the beach—”

“No.” I interrupted. I didn’t want any more contact with the sun than necessary. “Don’t change your plans for me. Let’s get this car finished.” He pushed the doors of the garage open and led me inside. I picked up a wrench and started waving around, threatening to start fiddling with things.

“Okay, but only if you put down the tools until you know how to use them.” He laughed and held his hand out for the wrench. I handed it over and found myself smiling wildly. His laugh seemed to have that affect on me.

“I don’t know anything about cars.” I admitted as I sat down on one of the rickety stools in the shop. Jake was already grabbing the tools he needed and heading over to open the hood of the car.

“That’s okay, I know lots.” He winked at me and bent over the engine. We sat in comfortable silence for a few while, and I found myself more relaxed than I had felt since the revelation in the meadow yesterday. I felt human here. I sat and listened to Jake hum to himself and bang around under the car for a while.

“Bella?” Jake called.

“Yeah?” I wandered over and found a seat next to where his feet were sticking out from underneath the car.

“Can I ask you something?” He slid out from under the car and looked up at me with big brown eyes.

“Yeah, sure.” I wasn’t sure where this was going, but I had no reason to suspect Jake was going to start asking questions I couldn’t answer.

“What happened in Phoenix?”

“Oh.”

“It’s just that I’ve only really heard from what Charlie told Billy, and while they can gossip with the best of them, they’re not the most reliable of sources.”

“There’s just not much to tell.” I said. Jake seemed to sense that he should drop it, and I knew he would it I asked, but I found myself wanting to tell this very human lie. “I fell out a window. You know how clumsy I can be.”

“Yeah, I know that, but why did you go?” Jake paused. “Don’t you like it here?”

I wasn’t prepared for that question. “No, I do. I was just missing my mom, and the sun,” I winced, “and I think I just went a little crazy. But I do like it here.” I assured him.

“Good, I like that you’re here,” he said shyly.

“Thanks.”

He went back to inspecting the car. He seemed happy enough with that response, and I was glad that that was all he was looking for.

“I have all the parts I need now. I got the master cylinder, thanks to you, so I just have to put it all together and I should be able to get this thing driving again.”

“That’s awesome, Jake.” I said. I had gone back to sitting and he was about to roll himself back under the car, but he stopped and looked up at me.

“Thanks, again, by the way.” He said. “For letting me crash your prom. My dad means well, he just takes all those stories really seriously. About the Cullens and all that.”

“I know, it’s okay. He’s just trying to look out for me.” I said. I tried to sound casual so I wouldn’t give away how my new skin was crawling as we discussed Billy and his hatred of the Cullen’s particular brand of supernatural, which I may or may not be a part of now.

“Yeah.” Jake seemed to sense I was done talking about that too and slid back under the car.

He tinkered around for the rest of the morning. Occasionally he would ask me to hand him a tool or hold something while he worked on it. I spent most of the time sitting on a stool by the car fumbling through different static filled stations on an old radio I found on the work bench. Every once and a while I would get the signal of a song that Jake knew and he would make me turn it up loud so he could sing along.

The sun was high in the sky when Jake appeared from beneath the car and wiped his hands off on an old rag.

“I need to get some food, do you want to come inside and have lunch?” He asked.

“I think I should probably head back home actually,” I said. As much as I was enjoying my new safe haven away from vampire drama, I had a feeling eating lunch with Billy wouldn’t be the relaxing escape I was looking for. And I couldn’t avoid my new condition forever, as much as I wanted to.

The decision to return to reality and head home reminded me of my promise to Carlisle I had made the day before to meet with him today.

“Shit,” I said under my breath as we headed back towards my car.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just remembered I was supposed to do something today.”

“Well I guess you really better get home then.”

“Yeah, I should,” I said, “thanks for hanging with me today.”

“You’re welcome here anytime Bella, so you should come back soon. Or when this is done, I can come to you.”

“Yeah, definitely. I want to see this thing run.” He opened my truck door for me and gave me one last bright smile. I hopped in my truck and waved as I pulled back down the drive.

He waved back and then I saw Billy appear in the doorway and call him inside. I waved at Billy, but he just turned and went back inside.

I drove a few miles over the speed limit on the way back. I decided to head straight to the Cullen’s house. I felt guilty for forgetting about my meeting with Carlisle that I agreed to yesterday, but I found myself enjoying the humanness of my forgetful brain. I hummed a song that Jacob had got stuck in my head and squinted down the dim highway trying to find the turn off to the Cullen’s drive.

Once I found the turn, the drive was easy. The dirt road was always damp enough that it stayed smoothly packed down, and with the partial reprieve from the rain that the summer granted us, it wasn’t muddy and my truck had no trouble.

Edward was standing on the porch when I pulled up to the house. Just like Jacob, he could hear me coming from miles away.  He opened the door of my truck and pulled me into his arms once I had parked and turned off the rumbling engine.

“Where have you been?” Edward asked as he pressed a kiss into my hair.

“I went to the reservation to see Jacob.” I said, looking up at him. His eyes were darkening slightly and he seemed tired, if that was a thing that a vampire could be.

“Oh, I went by the house and you weren’t there. I was worried.” He said.

“I just needed a break from everything.” He took my still human hand and led me inside. I looked around, but if anyone else was home they were giving us the appearance of privacy.

“I understand, but I wish you would have told me where you were going.” Edward said. I wanted to be annoyed by his demands, but with everything that had happened since yesterday I understood the anxiety he must be feeling.

“I’m sorry, but I needed some space to process all this.” I held my hands up, indicating to both my own arm and the vampiric nature of our surroundings. He just smiled and nodded.

“Did it help?” He asked. I could tell he was still bothered by my disappearance, but I appreciated that he was listening to me.

“Yeah, it did. Did you and Carlisle find anything that might help?” I asked.

“We’re not entirely sure yet. Carlisle is in his study waiting for us, why don’t we go discuss this with him.” He said.

We walked up the stairs hand in hand and made our way to the doorway of Carlisle’s study just like we had yesterday.

“Hello, Isabella.” Carlisle greeted me.

“Hi, I hope you weren’t expecting me earlier, I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” I sat down in one of the high backed chairs and Edward stood beside me with a hand on my shoulder.

“No, of course not,” Carlisle said, “I lose track of time quite often myself.”

“Have you and Edward learned anything about my… condition?” I asked.

“Not as much as I had hoped. We have been unable to find any reliable accounts of anyone else attempted what Edward tried to do in Phoenix. Rosalie and Emmett are leaving in a few days to spend the year travelling, and I have asked them to reach out to a few of my old friends. I hope that they will be able to provide some insight. For now, would you allow me to run a few tests of my own to see if we can determine the extent of the spread?” Carlisle stood up from behind his desk and indicated that he wanted me to join him by the exam table.

“What kinds of tests?” I stood up and walked over to the table, Edward followed closely behind me.

“Just some basic diagnostics to determine to what extent your biology remains human, and what has been altered.” He started turning on machines and laying out instruments on the table beside me. “Nothing too invasive, I assure you.”

“We just want to try to understand this,” Edward said. He helped Carlisle finish setting up and then sat next to me on the table.

I nodded and sat still as Carlisle began his exam. He mostly just examined my arm. He took my temperature in various places, checked my reflexes, my heart rate, blood pressure, he ran as many tests as he could think of all while making idle small talk with Edward and I. When he had done as much as he could, he looked up at Edward and Edward nodded in return.

“Bella, would you be okay with giving a blood sample?” Edward asked. Carlisle had clearly run it by him first, silently, and he had agreed to ask me.

“Sure.” I said. I held out my arm again and Carlisle prepped the needle. When he was ready he inserted the needle into my arm near the crook of my elbow. My skin seemed to resist the needle at first, but it gave way and Carlisle was able to draw a few vials.

“Your skin is clearly still vulnerable, though not as fragile as most human skin.” Carlisle said. “Most of the differences I have recorded would not be noticeable if one were not looking for them with a trained eye, but I must admit there are several definitive differences.

“Such as?” I asked. Edward already knew everything that Carlisle knew, but I was still out of the loop.

“The pale translucent appearance and your reaction to sunlight are the most noticeable, but the temperature of your arm seems to be dropping slightly and your reflexes and strength in the arm have been slightly improved by the venom. I wouldn’t be surprised if you started seeing these differences continue to spread. I do not, however, think the venom is strong enough to fully stop your heart and complete the transition.”

“What do we do?” I asked. No one had been able to give me much of a straight answer to this question so far.

“We keep an eye on the progress and try to find out anything else we can. My examination leads me to believe that you are not in any danger and unless this transition becomes painful, I am of the opinion that the best solution is to let this take its course and deal with the outcome as best we can.”

“Thank you, Carlisle.” I said. It may not be the answer I wanted, but Carlisle seemed confident in his assessment and I trusted him enough that the feeling that I might just die at any moment eased.

“Of course, Bella.” Carlisle said. “You are our family now, and we will do whatever is necessary to protect you.” He cleaned up the exam table and put away all his instruments. Edward helped me down from the table and held me tight to his side.

“Let’s go to my room.” Edward whispered in my ear. I knew Carlisle could hear him, but he pretended not to notice and continued to go about his tidying. I nodded and let him lead me out of the study and down the hall to his room. I felt the tears welling up in my eyes before we made it all the way down the hall.

...

tag list: @jasondeanstwin @wishing-on-angels @yeetbean @loveofmonstersandroses @ripleythedemonfcker @big-idiot-wolf-boys @edwards-sideburns @madame-forget-me-not

please let me know if you would like to be added to the tag list so you don’t miss updates!! 

i’m also considering uploading this to ao3, so if y’all would prefer that format lmk and i can start also posting this over there

[crystalninjaphoenix]

There’s a Cat Now

A Switch AU Story

Welp idk how this happened but it did and it’s cute so here we are. A short drabble about Marvin, JJ, and a cat.

“I don’ recognize t’is part of town,” Marvin muttered, staring out the car window at the streets whizzing by. Not too intently though, he still wasn’t used to how fast cars went now. “Are you goin’ t’finally tell me what we’re doin’ here?”

“Hang on a moment, we’re almost there, just let me park.” JJ carefully maneuvered the small car into an empty space, turning it off with a twist of the keys. “Alright, here we are!”

Marvin looked out the front window at the store they’d parked in front of, reading the name emblazoned on the sign. He squinted. “Is...is t’is a pet store?”

“Surprise!” JJ smiled, accompanied by a joyful fluttering of fingers. “I wanted to get you a pet!”

Marvin blinked. “Why?”

JJ’s smile faltered a bit before he recovered his cheer. “Well, I thought it would help you adjust to this new...environment. And also...” His joyful expression fell once more, becoming serious. “I sometimes worry about you being home all by yourself. It might get lonely, you know, and I can’t keep asking the others to stop by even though they keep saying they’d be happy to.”

“Oh, so you’re saying t’at I can’ be alright wit’out you?” Marvin chuckled as JJ suddenly started stammering excuses. “It’s alright, I know what y’mean. Are you sure about t’is? Pets can be difficult to take care of. I’m okay wit’out one.”

“Well, yes, but also...small animals are cute.”

Another chuckle. “Alright. I s’pose I can’ change your mind once you’ve got it made up. Lead the way.”

JJ paused. “I’d hoped you be a bit more enthusiastic, to be honest.” Marvin didn’t answer, just shrugged. JJ exhaled a puff of air, then continued. “Well, we can’t do anything just sitting in the car. Come on.” He opened the door and stepped out, and Marvin soon followed.

The inside of the pet store was about what you’d expect, a main reception desk and walls covered in cute posters about the adoption process and how to take care of your animals. A few workers wearing blue shirts and nametags were milling about. One immediately walked up to JJ and Marvin. “Hi, can I help you?” she asked.

JJ looked over at Marvin, who gave an indifferent shrug. “Well, we’d like to adopt today,” JJ explained.

“Oh that’s wonderful! Do you know what type of animal you’re looking for? We have dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, snakes, hamsters and gerbils—”

“Cat,” Marvin jumped in before she could list every possible pet that existed. Yeah, cats could take care of themselves. He didn’t have to devote himself to that.

“I’m a cat person, myself,” the worker—her nametag read Kendra—said with a laugh. “If you would follow me through this door I can show you our cat kennels.

Marvin was expecting walls lined with cat carriers, and there were a few side rooms of that. But Kendra instead led them down a hall to a large room with wide windows that was entirely taken up by cat condos and trees, multilayered carpeted platforms with scratching poles and little houses to hide in. There were even a few mounted on walls. Around the perimeter of the rooms were benches for visitors and baskets of cat toys. Naturally, there were cats everywhere, of all shapes and sizes. Brown, white, black, tabby, calico, short-hair, long-hair, and every -hair in between. There were already some people inside interacting with them; what looked like a mom and two kids and an elderly couple.

“This is our playpen. Not all our cats are out right now, but this is a good place to get to know them,” Kendra explained. “If you don’t find one who appeals to you, I can take you into their actual kennels. We also have a selection of toys, beds, and other entertainment items, if you want to check those out.”

“Well,” JJ started, “we might not—”

“Jems, you can go look at those,” Marvin interrupted. “I’m goin’ t’stay in here for a while and see what happens.”

JJ gave him a look, but then said, “Okay, if you insist. Come get us if you need anything. Miss, if you can show me where that is...”

JJ left the room with Kendra, and Marvin immediately walked over and sat on a bench in a corner, near one of the cat trees. He watched the others in the room play with the cats, petting them and picking them up and dangling cat toys in front of their faces. That all seemed well and good, he supposed. But he didn’t really feel any urge to join in himself. So he just watched.

There was a slight movement in the corner of his eyes. He glanced over at the cat tree nearby. There was a pair of green eyes hidden inside the shadows of one of those little house-structures that sat on the tree. They were looking at him. Marvin stared at the eyes for a while more, then looked away, turning back to the room at large. He watched the pair of children entertain a black kitten with a laser pointer for a while. Weren’t they supposed to be bad luck? A cat like that would need a home, maybe if he had to get one he could pick that one up. But didn’t kittens require special care?

There was another movement. Marvin looked back over to the cat tree to see one had climbed out and hopped to the ground. It was mostly shades of brown and tan, with some darker brown stripes. Its muzzle and chest were white. Marvin presumed that its belly and paws were white as well, but given how it was sitting in that “loaf” position, and how its fur was extremely long and poofy, Marvin couldn’t exactly see its paws. Overall, it looked a bit like a burnt marshmallow. A marshmallow that was staring directly at Marvin.

Marvin, in turn, blinked at it. “What is it?” Obviously, the cat did not answer, and after it didn’t move for a while Marvin turned away again. But only a minute later, there was a warm, soft ball pressing next to his leg. He startled, and looked down to see the cat was now a ball of fluff sitting next to him on the bench. He raised an eyebrow. “What? D’you want attention? I can’ really tell, I don’ speak cat body language. I have trouble enough with the human kind.”

The cat kept staring at him with its big green eyes. After a moment, he gently set his hand on the cat’s back. When there was no reaction, he slowly began petting the length of it. The cat squinted its eyes, and after a while, started purring. “You wanted t’at? Well, I don’ mind. You’re very soft, a lot of fluff. Pleasant to touch. And you’re a han’some cat as well.” After a while of petting, Marvin stalled. He hesitated, then started petting the cat’s head.

With a stall in the purring, the cat opened its mouth wide and yawned. Then it shook itself, causing Marvin to sharply withdraw his hand, and climbed to its feet, stretching. Marvin thought it would leave next, but instead it padded even closer and clambered onto his lap, standing there. “Oh!” Marvin gasped, surprised. “Y’could warn a man first.”

The cat kept eye contact, sitting on his lap. And now that it was out of the “loaf” position, Marvin noticed something. He was right about the belly and paws being white, but also...while its left front leg was as expected, its right front leg ended in a stump. Marvin blinked. “Oh, I see. Y’have trouble in t’at area, then? Well, you’re not alone in the world, Mr. cat.” He reached out and scratched the cat below its ears. It squinted its eyes, then it stood up again, walked closer, and vaulted onto its two hind legs, placing its front paw on Marvin’s chest. “Hey! T’is is a nice jacket, don’ get your fur all over it,” Marvin chuckled, maintaining the ear-scratching.

Another slow blink from the cat. This time, followed by a soft sound, a small “mrrp.”

“Oh my goodness,” Marvin whispered, eyes wide. “T’at was the best sound.” His chest was suddenly light and bouncy inside. “Okay, you’re comin’ wit’ me.” He scooped up the cat, which didn’t wiggle at all as he carried it across the room, out the door of the playpen and into the hallway. From there, it was luckily only a short wandering before he found an open archway that led to a room full of various pet products, and as he walked inside he caught sight of JJ and the worker from before, Kendra. She was holding what a leash and talking to him. “—once they’re harness-trained you can take them outside for walks, like you can with dogs. But of course, training takes—” The worker glanced over as Marvin walked inside the room. Her eyes widened. “Sir, you can’t take the cats out of their kennel area!”

“Why not?” Marvin asked. “T’is one is doin’ fine.”

JJ looked over, and the moment he saw the bundle of fluff in Marvin’s arm his face lit up. “Did you find one you like, Marvin?”

“Well, I’d say t’is pretty kitty found me, act’ally.” Marvin bounced the cat a bit. “Walked up to me.”

JJ gasped, covering his open mouth with a hand. “That’s adorable,” he whispered.

Kendra seemed to have recovered from the shock of seeing a cat in an area it wasn’t supposed to be. “That’s Trio,” she said with a smile. “He’s a rescue. Got hit by a car, unfortunately, and a stranger brought him here. He’s a five-years-old Siberian, and he’s a pretty quiet cat. Liable to snuggle with you while you’re sitting, or even sleeping in bed. He’ll go after laser pointers and other toys, but not as enthusiastically as other cats.”

“T’at sounds wonderful,” Marvin said, distracted by the fact that the cat was now pressing his face into Marvin’s neck. “Trio’s an odd name, why is it?”

“Well, because of the...ah...you know...his, ah...situation...” Kendra seemed reluctant to continue, especially when Marvin’s head shot back toward her with a hard stare.

“I understan’ t’at people often name cats after t’eir features,” he said slowly. “But you didn’ see any problem with t’at particular name?” You know, like the only thing unique about this cat was his legs. Like that was the only thing about him that mattered.

“I didn’t name him,” Kendra hurried to say. “And it’s only temporary, if you adopt him, you can change it.”

JJ looked at Marvin, clearly trying to keep a calm expression. “Do you want to? Adopt him, I mean?”

Marvin looked down at the cat’s tiny face. “Y...yes,” he said, his voice a bit softer than normal. He looked back up at JJ’s excited face and frowned. “You knew this would happen, didn’ you?”

“That you’d get emotionally attached to one and love them? Well, I hoped it,” JJ said, a big grin on his face. “I know you were reluctant, but you’re reluctant about a lot of things, Marvin. A cat’ll be good for you.”

“Yes, yes, alright,” Marvin rolled his eyes. “Let’s finish t’is process so we can take him home already.”

About a half hour later, Marvin and JJ were back in the car. There was now a cat bed, a scratching post, and other cat materials in the back seat. Marvin, in the passenger seat, had a cat carrier on his lap with a burnt marshmallow-colored ball of fluff inside. The ball of fluff had a new green collar with a silver label, and was meowing intently at Marvin. “It’s only for a little while,” Marvin responded. “I t’ink we live close by. T’ough don’ ask me how we get home, I don’ know.” More meowing. “Calm down, Mister, it’ll be fine. I can give you a new toy to distract you, if ye want.”

“Did you just call the cat ‘Mister’?” JJ asked, amused, as he started the car.

“Yes, his name is Mr. Fluffington, and he deserves your respect,” Marvin said without even looking up.

“I see. Well, tell Fluffington it’s nice to meet him.”

“Mr. Fluffington, who do you t’ink you are?”

JJ laughed. “Yes, alright then, Mr. Fluff.”

Marvin looked back down at the newly christened Mr. Fluffington. “Jems says it’s nice to meet you. Ye’ll be seein’ a lot of him.” Fluffington meowed. Marvin grinned. “He likes you.”

“I’m glad. And I’m glad you like him too.”

“I wasn’ expectin’ it, if I’ll be honest.” Marvin unzipped the lid of the carrier just enough to reach inside. “But...I t’ink I’ll be happy to have him around.”

Mr. Fluffington nuzzled Marvin’s hand and he laughed. JJ smiled as he watched. He knew this would be a good idea. These two seemed like they would get along perfectly.

[kriscme]

One Life To Live

Hi Readers, here’s the latest chapter.  As usual, thanks to Ronja for allowing me to write fanfic of her Hunger Games fanfic “The Chance You Didn’t Take” which you can read on FanFiction and AO3.  Chapter 25 Soon after we arrive, I set to work sweeping the floor clear of dust with the twig broom my father made for me.  Then I take a few logs from the woodpile in the corner and transfer them to the fireplace for use later on.   That done, cooking and eating utensils are placed by the hearth.  Sleeping mats are unrolled, sleeping bags are shaken out and then arranged on top.   It’s like playing house again.  Just as I did when my father brought me here as a child.   I survey my work, satisfied that I’ve made our accommodation as comfortable as I can make it.  I’ve put about three feet between the sleeping mats.  Not so close as to be an invitation, but not so far apart that it looks like I’m keeping him at a distance either.  Because I’m not yet sure how I should proceed. This is all so new to me, and I’m hopelessly out of my depth.  Gale, Peeta even, belong to my teenage years and kissing was as far as it went.  An adult relationship comes with a different set of expectations.  I have to be careful that I don’t start something that could quickly escalate into something I’m not ready for.   But something has started already, a little voice reminds me.  It started when you returned his kisses.   I put my hand to my lips at the memory.  Yes, I returned them.  And with such enthusiasm that it took Marcus by surprise.  But he recovered quickly, and matched passion with passion.  We stumbled over to the couch, displacing a furious Buttercup as we collapsed onto it, barely breaking the kiss.  I welcomed his hand on my breast, and the hand on my behind pulling me against his hardness.  Even the hand between my legs, stroking through the thick fabric of my khaki trousers.   But when he whispered “bedroom” in my ear, I froze.  I was like Haymitch, jolted to rude consciousness by a jug of cold water poured over my head. Shocked, disorientated, confused. What was I doing?  I’m in love with Peeta.  I muttered something about moving too fast and Marcus accepted it, perhaps putting it down to District conservativeness when it comes to sex.   He’s been very solicitous of me these past few days but there’s been no more kisses.  It’s like he’s giving me my space.  The only thing is that I’m not sure I want it.

Since I see no clear solution to the problem, I push it aside for the time being and set to my next task which is to cast out fishing lines to catch my dinner.  Marcus has brought cans of beans and dehydrated meals you add water to.  While I don’t dislike beans, they’re no substitute for freshly caught fish. I brought along my bow but it’s for protection from predators and it won’t be used to bring down waterfowl on this trip. Marcus hasn’t said anything about my hunting, but I suspect anyone who is both conservationist and a vegetarian probably wouldn’t approve.  When the woods are turned into national park, there will be restrictions on hunting. Maybe even a ban.  I have mixed feelings.  I never hunted for sport, only for food.  But it was a hard-earned skill, and one I’ve been very proud of. I can see why it has to be done. I’d much rather a forest teaming with life than a free-for-all for trigger-happy hunters to practice their target shooting. But it will be a sad day, none-the-less.   And that’s another thing that won’t stay the same.  

But what is still the same, for now anyway, are the lake and the concrete house.   To my relief, they were exactly as I left them. Neither showed any sign of recent human activity.  But it’s only a matter of time before others discover it too.  At little more than a half day walk from the meadow, it’s a wonder it hasn’t happened already.   Once the lines are out, there’s nothing to do but wait.  I flop down onto a grassy spot near the bank to enjoy the sunshine and the scenery.   It’s a lovely day.  The sun is warm, but not hot.  The breeze is gentle and just cool enough to be refreshing.  Nature is bountiful here.  Ducks and geese float serenely on the lake.  Birds chatter in the trees.  Frogs croak and the scent of pine fills the air.  In the distance, I see Marcus exploring the area, making notes and taking measurements.  Perhaps he’s planning a viewing platform or something. He said he wants to keep the lake as untouched as possible.  No hunting or fishing huts like they had in the past.   My mind wanders to other times spent here.   With my father, who taught me how to swim in this very lake, and where to dig for katniss roots.   With Gale when I tried to persuade him to escape with me into the woods.  He told me he loved me that day.  But I couldn’t say it back and it changed things between us, far more than the kiss ever did.  At least I could pretend the kiss never happened, since Gale said nothing about it when we next met.  But once a friend has declared love, and it’s not returned, the friendship is over. Maybe not straight away, but its demise is inevitable.  There’s no going back. Peeta would have thought of this. Especially since he’s to be married soon.  Too awkward and painful for all concerned.  Better to put it out of its misery than have it die a lingering death. I haven’t seen him since that strange conversation on my porch when he told me he’d see me around.  The next morning, when I left for work, I didn’t wait for him but marched briskly towards the town.  But I couldn’t help looking back every few minutes, hoping that I had somehow misinterpreted his meaning, and he was behind me trying to catch me up.  He wasn’t.   And then I think of my very last visit to the lake almost a year ago.  It was a stifling hot day.  I had ventured outside with the intention of checking on Haymitch but instead caught Peeta as he was about to go into town.  He was to meet Lace at the swimming pool where they were having swimming lessons together. He asked me along, but the prospect of spending an afternoon in their company as some kind of hanger-on was the last thing I wanted. Suddenly at a loss, I abandoned my earlier plan to visit Haymitch and headed for the woods. All I could think about was Peeta and how suited Lace was for him, and how I wasn’t.  My self-esteem was at its lowest ebb.  I couldn’t think of one admirable quality I possessed.  I couldn’t imagine why anyone would love me.

Instinct more than anything must have propelled my feet towards the lake.  Maybe because this place reminds me of my father and a time when I felt loved.  I ended up staying overnight, unwilling to face the long walk back in the heat.  There was a Victor’s dinner that night but it didn’t occur to me that I’d be missed.   But I was.  They phoned me several times until Haymitch was dispatched to my house to look for me.  I met Peeta the next day as he was headed into town.  He said he had been worried about me, that anything could have happened.  He did look as if hadn’t slept, so maybe he had worried, but he didn’t try to find me.  I didn’t ask why at the time. It didn’t even occur to me.  I was too resentful at the presumption that I couldn’t look after myself.  But still, I could have been stranded in the woods with a broken leg for all he knew.  And here he was, on his way to see Lace. I followed him into town, as he asked.  He had something to tell me that apparently couldn’t wait.   I wasn’t to come over at night anymore to sleep in his guestroom because it made him a bad boyfriend.  I recall he had a visitor that night, probably Lace.  I guess that’s why it was so urgent.  Can’t have the ex-fiance turning up in the middle of the night when the new girlfriend is staying over.   Looking back, that’s when I should have seen the signs and ended it.  None of this insistence that he get his memories back.  All it led to was a year of futility and frustration.  I should have known that my Peeta was dead when his first instinct was to protect Lace rather than me.   I can’t be mad at him.  This is what the hijacking was meant to achieve.  That it didn’t succeed in its full objective to make him completely hate me, is of little comfort.  It took what I cherished most and killed it.  The steadfast devotion was gone.  So too was the undying love.   Perhaps, since he couldn’t love me the way he used to, I should be thankful that Peeta put a stop to the guestroom sleep-overs.   At least it gave me the impetus to make a stand, and get off my backside and do something with my life.  I have friends and a job I love now.   And there’s a man who seems to like me a lot. He’s over by the concrete house right now, getting a campfire started.  He’s not my boyfriend, but would he be, if I opened that door? All I know is that it’s far too soon for me to love anyone.  Anyway, there can’t be much future in it.  He won’t be staying in 12 for ever and I can’t go anywhere.   When I check the fishing lines, I find one has caught a nice trout.  It’s not very big, but plenty enough for one person.  I remove the hook from its mouth and take a folding knife from my pocket to clean and scale it.  Then I walk over to where Marcus is.  He’s got the fire burning nicely and is in the process of emptying a can of beans into a saucepan.   “I’ve got my dinner,” I announce brightly, holding my fish aloft. He glances my way just long enough to take in the fish before he turns his attention back to the beans.  He says nothing. “What?” I exclaim.  His back is turned to me, but I see disapproval in every line. “Nothing,” he says, barely deigning to look at me.  “But I don’t see why you had to kill another living creature when we have plenty of food.   Which, by the way, is undersized. It should have been thrown back.” I stand there gaping at him, completely taken aback.  I’m not used to receiving criticism from Marcus and it takes a few seconds to find my voice.

“It is not undersized.  Well, maybe a little, but not by much.  I don’t get this.  You know I hunt.  Why shouldn’t I eat fish if that’s what I want.  Not everyone wants to eat rabbit food all the time.  Like you.”   “Rabbits don’t eat beans,” he says.  He calmly places the saucepan of beans on the metal grate before standing and turning his attention to me.  “I just don’t see the need to eat meat, that’s all, when we can live very well on a vegetarian diet. “You eat milk and eggs,” I say accusingly. “They come from animals.” “Yes, but we don’t kill the animal to get them. When this place becomes a national park, they’ll be no fishing.  But it’s done now, so you might as well eat it.  It will have lost its life for nothing if you don’t.” I’m so annoyed, I want to take my fish and slap him across the face with it.  It’s almost as if my very reason for existence has been challenged.  My hunting skills are what kept me alive in the Games.  Hunting is what kept myself and my family fed.  He’s never had to worry about where his next meal comes from.  It must be so nice to have choices. “I don’t see that I’ve done anything wrong. Big fish eat little fish.  Big animals eat smaller animals. It’s how nature works.  So get over it.” I look around for something to put my fish in but I don’t see a frying pan.   But then I remember I put some cooking things by the hearth in the concrete house. That suits me just fine.  I could use some distance from Marcus right now. Besides I don’t want to use his fire.  I want my own.  I wouldn’t want to contaminate his by using it to cook meat.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll roast a duck.  That’ll show him. The trouble is that it’s hard to start a fire with just logs.  You need some kind of kindling, and there’s nothing in the house that will do.  I did too good a job sweeping it clean of leaves and other debris.   “Katniss”, I hear him call out.   “What are you doing?”

“I’m cooking my fish like you said I should.” Footsteps approach and I know by the shadow that falls across the room that he’s standing at the entrance.   “Look, this is ridiculous.  Come and cook the fish out here.  I’ve finished heating the beans.  The fire’s all yours. I’m sorry if it came across as judgmental. It’s just something I feel strongly about but I don’t expect you to feel the same.  You should enjoy your fish.”   Somewhat mollified, I rise from my crouched position by the hearth to follow him outside.  But then he ruins it.   “And, anyway, there shouldn’t be two fires when one will suffice.”   “You shouldn’t have made a new fire in the first place,” I return hotly. “Doesn’t it say somewhere in your camping books that you should always use an existing site rather than make a new one? And I’d already stacked it with wood.” “I didn’t want to smoke out . . . Katniss, just get out here before I come in and carry you out.  You’re being childish.”   “I’m being childish?” I screech indignantly.   He’s blocking my way, but I go to push past him.  “What about – “

My words are suddenly cut off by his lips on mine.  One arm encircles my body to pin my arms to my sides while the other cradles the back of my head.   I struggle briefly but it’s a token attempt and he knows it. The kiss goes on for a long time.  “Go cook your fish,” he whispers against my lips.   And then he pushes me gently outside. My fish is delicious.  I stuff the inside with wild herbs and pan fry it gently so that the skin crisps but doesn’t burn.  It would go well with roasted katniss roots and I decide to search for some tomorrow.  Marcus shouldn’t have a problem with katniss roots since they are plants.  That is, unless plants are protected in a national park too.  Perhaps I shouldn’t risk it.  But then I think of the kiss, so maybe I will.  My appetite has been whetted for something else besides food.

I wonder if I’m a bad person for having lustful thoughts about Marcus.  Only days before I was having them about Peeta. I would have given anything to have him sweep me into his arms, tell me that it was really me he had loved me all along and that Lace was a terrible mistake he’ll regret for the rest of his life, and then make passionate love to me.  And to be honest, I still would.  But that’s impossible and there’s no sense in thinking like that anymore. I’m twenty years old, a virgin, and the most I’ve ever done is kissing, and there’s been very little of that in recent years.  It dawns on me that I’m starved for physical affection.  And not just affection either.  I want sex.  Hot, unbridled, to-hell-with-the consequences sex.  Like the sex Celia had in that silly show “One Life to Live.”  Not the sandwich thing though.  Oh, who am I kidding, I almost feel reckless enough to try that too. I’ve nothing to lose.  Certainly not Peeta.  And I know Marcus wants it, only he’s too much of a gentleman to push me any further than where I put a halt to it the other night. I’m the one who’s going to have to make a move, then.   Only I don’t have the first clue how to go about it. While Marcus is occupied cleaning cooking utensils, I sneak inside the concrete house and push the sleeping mats together. I hope he gets the hint.  I hold my hand to my mouth to check my breath. I should brush my teeth.  The rest of me could do with freshening up too.  I take from my pack a toiletry bag and a large wash cloth that doubles as a towel and pad out to the lake.  Marcus has disappeared somewhere, maybe to find a tree a suitable distance away.  He doesn’t like to pee too close to a water source.   Dusk has fallen, but there’s still enough light to make out my surroundings.  I set my things by the lake’s edge and remove my shoes and socks.   I dip a toe in to test the water.  It’s freezing.  A sponge bath then.  I brush my teeth and then remove my shirt to wash under my arms.  But it’s hopelessly inadequate.   I want to be clean all over. Hurriedly, I take off all my clothes, grab the bar of soap (eco-friendly, of course), and wade out far enough until the water is past my thighs.   It’s the fastest bath I’ve ever had.  Soap, rinse, get out.  It’s not the cold so much that makes me rush, it’s the thought of Marcus coming across me naked.  Which is really stupid, because I hope we both are by night’s end.  But since there’s still no sight of him, I relax a little and take my time toweling myself dry.  I forgot to bring something to change into and since I don’t want to put my dirty clothes back on, I bundle everything together and dash towards the house. I’ll put something on when I get inside. “Enjoy your dip?” asks Marcus.   The logs in the fireplace have been lit and the small room flickers with light.   He raises his eyebrows as he takes in my appearance.  I’ve stopped dead at the entrance, clutching my bundle of boots, clothing and toiletry bag close to my body.  I raise it higher to cover my breasts and then hastily lower it again when I realise I’ve exposed my crotch.  What a disaster! “It was cold,” I stammer out.   “Come by the fire and warm up then.”  

He moves aside to make room for me.  It does look inviting.  He and the fire both, actually.  I hesitate as to what I should do about my unclothed state.  There’s nowhere to hide in this small, single-roomed house: no shadowy corner, no curtain or door.  And it’s not like I can move without flashing my backside too.  I hesitate for a few seconds, undecided, but then somewhat incongruously, a naked Johanna in an elevator comes to mind. What would Johanna do?   She’d likely go stand naked by the fire as if it’s the most ordinary thing in the world.   I recall that Marcus paid her no mind when she stripped in front of him.  Female nakedness apparently doesn’t faze him.  It’s no big deal then.  He’s already seen everything anyway.  And I do want to have sex with him.   What message does it send if I can’t wait to cover up?  So I decide to do something completely not myself.  I drop my things in a corner and go to stand beside him in front of the fire.  If it’s possible to blush all over, then I accomplish it.   To ease the tension, I blurt out the first thing I think of.   “I thought you said a fire in here would smoke us out.”   That’s great, Katniss.  Start an argument, why don’t you?   You want to seduce him, not fight with him. “I was wrong,” he says mildly.  “You know this place far better than I do.  I should have taken my cue from you.” “Yes, you should.  I mean should’ve.  About the fire . . . and other things.”  My eyes go to the sleeping mats, as close together as you can get them.  Suddenly I have the jitters.  It’s part excitement, part panic.  What if he doesn’t want to have sex with me after all?  I’m going to feel like the biggest fool.   “I won’t make that mistake again.”  He lays a hand against my back and trails it slowly downwards until it comes to rest on my hip.  “Your skin feels hot.  You shouldn’t stand so close.” I let out a nervous giggle.  “I’m the girl on fire, remember?  I love some heat.”  Shit, I can’t believe I said that.  It was so bad.   “Where else you do like to feel hot?”   The hand on my hip moves upwards, skimming my waist, and then over my ribs to cup my breast and lightly stroke the nipple.  “Here?”

“Yeah,” I say weakly.  

Desire puddles between my legs and I forget about being nervous.  I just want him to keep doing what he’s doing.  

He turns me towards him and both arms go around me.  He dips his head to trail open kisses along the side of my neck.  “Here?”  

“Mm.” I clutch at his back to help me stay upright.  My legs seem to have trouble supporting me.  

“And here?”  He takes each nipple in his mouth by turn, nibbling gently.  And then he kisses me, slowly and sensuously like we all the time in the world.

“Bedroom,” I whisper into his ear.  But before we take the half-dozen steps to our sleeping mats, there’s something I have to tell him.  

“I haven’t done this before,” I confess.  I don’t want him to think I do this kind of thing every day.

“I know.”

“How?”  I pull back, prepared to be affronted.  Was my seduction technique so bad?  As far as he knows, Peeta and I had been lovers.  We were going to have a baby!

He stops my mouth with another kiss.  “I just do.”

[etherealwaifgoddess]

A Twenty-First Century Halloween

Main Characters: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Bucky learns what Halloween is all about in the twenty-first century. Steve & Bucky have very different ideas on what festive Halloween treats are. And Steve thinks he has a perfect costume but learns he didn’t think it all the way through. 

Warnings/ Content: Light swearing but mostly just our sweet Brooklyn boys being complete and utter dorks. 

Word Count: 2773

Author’s Note: As I was daydreaming of Halloween this morning (it’s my favorite day of the year), it dawned on me that back in the 20′s and 30′s they didn’t have trick or treating like we do now. It wasn’t a thing until the 50′s at which point Steve was in the ice and Bucky was in and out of Cryo. This lead me down a rabbit hole of thinking about what Bucky would think of a modern Halloween and blindly ignoring MCU cannon while I writing this fic. I hope you all enjoy this little bit of fluff in honor of the upcoming holiday. 

XOXO - Ash

A Twenty-First Century Halloween

“But why?” Bucky asks a third time, still confused.

Steve groans, scrubbing a hand over his face in exasperation. “Because it makes people happy, Buck. Look, you don’t have to participate. I know crowds can be a little hard on you. You can just hang out upstairs until I’m done.” 

Bucky thinks hard for a few beats, considering his options. Trick or treating wasn’t a thing when they were growing up. There were parades and parties, sometimes kids would get apples or small things from their neighbors, but it was never kids dressed up in elaborate costumes getting mass quantities of candy from every available house. 

It’s the costume that really seals the deal. Bucky considers if he dresses up as someone else he’s less likely to scare anyone, and it would be nice to get smiles from people for a change instead of the concerned, or blatantly afraid, looks he’s been getting since he arrived. He thinks he could even find one that disguises his metal arm, even further hiding his identity. “Okay, I’m in.” he tells Steve who had gone back to reading his newspaper. Steve looks up with his warm, proud smile and Bucky ducks his head, nodding once. It’s hard to accept that level of emotion from anyone, let alone his best friend, but he tries to at least acknowledge it. It doesn’t help that Steve has been giving him that look for everything lately; from when he remembered the neighbor lady’s name from their tennatment back in 1934, to when he decided he liked pizza with pepperoni on it the best. 

Steve was serious when he told Bucky that Halloween was one of his favorite days. It’s not even two hours later that Steve is handing Bucky the Starkpad for him to look up costume ideas. “We only have a week, Buck. You need to order something soon so it gets here in time.” he tells him with a hopeful expression. Bucky knows Steve isn’t trying to be pushy, he’s just genuinely excited to share the holiday with him. It takes some time and a lot of Pinterest searches but he finally decides on Buck Rogers. He loved the comics back in the day and it’s a pretty simple outfit. He doesn’t expect anyone will recognize it but that doesn’t matter to him, he mainly just wants to look like someone who isn’t the winter soldier for a day. The irony of the name makes him secretly pleased as well and he can’t wait to see Steve’s reaction. 

Bucky finds a costume on Etsy with ease and though the price gives him a momentary heart attack, he reminds himself that money isn’t an issue anymore. He checks his email confirmation and lets Steve know his costume will arrive two days before Halloween. This seems to appease him, though he looks disappointed when Bucky won’t tell him what costumed he picked. Steve already had his costume picked out and it is set to arrive over the weekend. He’s going as Paul Bunyan and will be all kitted out with flannel and an axe. Bucky thinks it’s just another excuse to not shave the beard he’d grown but has to admit the costume is a good fit for Steve. 

Bucky can’t put his boots on fast enough when Steve tells him they are going shopping for Halloween candy. He has an incomparable sweet tooth and has been dreaming of endless bags of sugary goodness for Halloween with no judgement from Steve - eat your vegetables - Rogers. Bucky is sorely disappointed by Steve’s interpretation of Halloween candy when they get to Whole Foods. 

“This isn’t the point of the holiday!” Bucky whines as Steve loads yet another flat of mini water bottles to their cart. 

“You…. you didn’t even know what the holiday was about until three days ago!” Steve sputters back in protest. 

“But now I do, and water bottles and gluten free pretzels are NOT it.” Bucky points at the cart like it’s a rabid animal and Steve just rolls his eyes.

“Kids get thirsty and so do the parents, so yes, water bottles are needed. The gluten free pretzels are for the kids with allergies because they should be included too. I even got the pumpkin shaped ones so they’re festive! And I have the fruit leathers so they get something sweet too. I just want to give the kids something good instead of the crap they can get everywhere else. Besides, we can afford to give out better things; so we should.” 

“But you said we would get Halloween candy.” Bucky is unabashedly pouting, it doesn’t matter he is a grown man in the middle of Whole Foods; he wants brightly wrapped, sugar laden, twenty first century Halloween candy, damnit. 

Steve pinches the bridge of nose, clearly exasperated. “I said we’d get Halloween treats, Buck. I never promised you candy. Now, do you need anything while we’re here? They might have that cheese you liked a few weeks ago back in stock.” 

Bucky sighs heavily, “Yes, of course I want the cheese. Let’s go to look.” his voice is heavy with defeat which Steve pointedly ignores. But he should have known Bucky doesn’t give up that easily.

They are barely out of the Whole Foods parking lot when Bucky holds up his phone to show Steve a shopping list, “Damn. I forgot to get more hand soap.”

“Just use the bottle from the guest bathroom. We can pick some up next time we’re out.” Steve tells him as he navigates their way onto the main highway. 

Bucky shakes his head, “No, because then we’ll forget and then what happens when we have guests? There’s a Target on our way back, stop there and I can get the good kind we both like.” 

Steve wants to protest, he really does. But then Bucky plays the only card he has left. “Please? I’m having a really good brain-day and I want to stop while I know I’ll be okay.” he looks so earnest and pleading that even Captain America doesn’t stand a chance against him.

“Okay, we’ll stop. I’m glad you’re doing good today. I’m proud of you, pal.” 

Bucky grins and tries not bounce in his seat in anticipation. He knows full well what he is doing and it has been far too long since he’s gotten one over on Steve. The car is barely in park when Bucky is jumping out of his seat. “It’s okay, I’ll be quick. Don’t worry about me.” He calls over his shoulder as he bolts.

Steve makes a small huff of agreement but Bucky is already off. As he sits waiting in the car he realizes Bucky had been a little too excited at the prospect of buying hand soap. It’s rare for him to venture into a store solo, too. Steve is trying to figure out what he is missing when a mother strolls past with a small cart filled with candy and three smiling kids in tow. It clicks into place;  Bucky doesn’t want soap, he wants candy. 

The Halloween shop is in the very back corner of the store, far from the soap aisle and not somewhere Bucky could easily wander into by mistake. But that’s where Steve finds him. The former deadly assassin is hastily scooping value sized bags of candy into a shopping cart, his eyes lit up with excitement. 

“I didn’t know they made Twix scented soap.” Steve deadpans. 

Bucky drops a bag and lets out a very small squeak in surprise. “Uh…” he stammers, desperately thinking of an excuse, “It’s new?” 

Steve laughs, loud and deep. He can’t be mad at Bucky for this. It’s his first Halloween in modern times and he should be enjoying it. Steve’s therapist had talked to him at length about letting Bucky decide who he is now and not imposing his own ideas on him. This, Steve supposes, is one of those times. 

Steve crosses the aisle and takes a bag of mixed lollipops out of the cart, placing it back on the shelf in its designated spot. Bucky watches, frozen in place, as Steve picks up a bag of Reese’s pumpkins and drops them in the cart instead. “Jeez, Buck, at least get the good stuff.” he says giving Bucky the same shitty little grin that hasn’t changed since 1925.

It’s Bucky’s turn to laugh and he pulls Steve in for a long hug as he calms. Together they finished raiding the Halloween candy, getting Bucky everything he could possibly want to try. They even remember to stop by the soap aisle on the way to the registers, Bucky insisting they really do need soap. 

In the three days leading up to Halloween Bucky spends an inordinate amount of time sampling the wide array of candy from Target. Steve isn’t sure which stresses him out more, the sheer quantity of sugar and processed junk Bucky is inhaling, or the never ending trail of tiny candy wrappers he finds all over the house. He takes both in stride, letting Bucky get this candy exploration out of his system. It’s only a few days of the year and Bucky does seem to be in better spirits with something to celebrate on the horizon. He even goes to the local farmers market to pick up pumpkins for them to carve (a complete disaster) and handmade crafts to decorate the house (actually pretty cute). 

The day of Halloween, Steve has everything lined up in their foyer and ready to hand out well before dinner. It’s tradition for him to get everything ready mid afternoon so he isn’t rushing through dinner and trying to hand out candy at the same time. Bucky is amused by the seriousness in which Steve takes his preparation but helps out as much as Steve lets him. Satisfied everything is in place, Steve places an order for Tex-Mex delivery and heads upstairs to get changed into his costume. Bucky doesn’t need much prep time but follows in Steve’s footsteps, figuring he might as well do the same.

The all white costume is a little uncomfortable but it will only be on for a few hours and Bucky figures it could be worse. He straps the multi-colored band around his bicep and attaches the faux futuristic weapons to his silver belt. The overall effect is pretty spot on, though Bucky muses if he still had his pre-war hairstyle it would be even better. He doesn’t let it bother him too much as he pulls his shoulder length hair back into a low bun. He’s become too attached to his longer hair to ever get it cut short again. It had grown out a little while he was living in Romania, and he found he enjoyed caring for it as well as the gentle weight of it laying on his shoulders. It serves as another reminder that he is a person now, no longer just a weapon. 

Bucky stops a few steps shy of the bottom of the stairs when he catches sight of Steve standing in their living room in his costume. He’s wearing a red and black flannel shirt with a pair of blue jeans and tan work boots. It’s perfect, even down to the prop axe he’s holding loosely at his side. There’s a nagging feeling in Bucky’s mind though and he thinks he’s missing something. He’s almost got it when Steve calls out and distracts him from his thoughts.

“Look at you, Buck!” Steve exclaims as he joins him in the living room, “Didn’t want to change your name even for a night, huh?” 

“Yeah, I couldn’t resist.” Bucky says with a laugh.

“You look great. You sure you’re ready for this, though?”

“Yes ma. It’s just a bunch of kids, I’m gonna be fine, promise.” 

Steve claps a large hand on Bucky’s shoulder. He looks like he wants to say more but is interrupted by a pinging sound from his phone, announcing the arrival of their dinner delivery.

The first set of trick or treaters arrive just as the sun is starting to set and Steve is absolutely gushing at the two little girls in bumblebee costumes. They can’t be more than a year and a half, and they both wobble on their little legs while Steve places treats in their plastic pumpkins. Bucky smiles and greets the parents while Steve fawns over the kids, handing them each a water bottle and offering them granola bars from the adult snack bowl. They fall into an easy pattern after a few rounds of families come through; Steve being completely over the top to the kids about their costumes (“You’re the scariest Zombie ever!” and also, “Are you a princess in real life?”), and Bucky making small talk with the parents. It isn’t until two women crack up at the sight of Steve that Bucky finally realizes what he was missing earlier. Steve’s costume might have intended to be Paul Bunyan but there was another famous woodsman he failed to consider when putting his costume together.

“Ohmygawd you’re the Brawny Man!” the one woman shrieks in between giggles. 

Bucky wants to facepalm, of course that’s where he’s seen the flannel/jeans/boots combo before! It’s on the wrapper of the paper towel rolls that he walks past almost daily in their pantry. Bucky snorts before he can help himself but he stifles his laughter the best he can and leans away from Steve when he fails. 

Steve blushes as brightly as only a pale skinned Irishman can and plasters on his formal Captain America smile. “Paul Bunyan, actually, but thanks.” he tells the women. 

Both women apologize profusely through more giggles and Bucky finally gets himself under wraps by the time they leave. Steve shoots him a glare, still blushing fiercely, and Bucky just shrugs innocently at his best friend. 

The tips of Steve’s ears are still tinged crimson when the next person giggles over his “Brawny Man” costume. Bucky fails even more at stifling his laughter and covers it, although transparently, with a coughing fit. 

Steve might be a hundred years old but he is sulking like he did when he was a teenager after a dozen people mis-guess his costume. Bucky tries to rally Steve’s spirits but only gets a long suffering eye roll in response. 

The trick or treaters steadily flow through until a little after nine and then things trickled down to a full stop by nine thirty. They are almost out of snacks and water bottles so it’s good timing that it stopped when it did. Steve turns off their porch light and locks the door behind him before leaning against it, yawning deeply. 

“You okay there, Brawny Man?” Bucky teases as he grabs two water bottles from the bucket. 

Steve catches the water bottle Bucky tosses to him and groans at the joke, “Not you too.”

“You have to admit, it does kind of look like him.”

“I will do no such thing. But at least people had heard of Paul Bunyan.”

“Hey, one person recognized my costume. That was better than I expected.”

“She was ninety three years old. Your costume is only relevant to the aged. Mine is still a beloved children’s story.”

“Or a useful household cleaning item.”

Steve huffs and throws his bottle at Bucky’s head but Bucky snatches it mid-air and sticks his tongue out at Steve defiantly. “Next year I’m gonna dress up as robot, I think. It might be fun to make the rest of me match the arm instead of trying to make it blend in. I saw a robot makeup tutorial on Pinterest and I think I could pull it off. What do you think?”

Steve smiles, shaking his head. “You really enjoyed this, huh?”

“Hell yes, I did. We did a good thing tonight for the neighborhood kids. And it was a lot of fun too.”

“Yeah, we did. I’m glad you enjoyed this as much as I do.” 

“And next year we’re gonna hand out some real candy too.”

“Buck, no.”

“Buck, yes.” Bucky grins broadly and Steve can’t help but laugh at his antics. 

“We’ll talk about it in exactly 358 days.” He assures him.

Bucky points a finger at Steve, “I’m holding you to that, Rogers.”

The pair finish cleaning up the buckets of leftover treats in the foyer, and Bucky even talks Steve into a single Reese’s pumpkin while they watch “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. It was a perfect first Halloween for Bucky and he already can’t wait for next October. 

[midnight-watch-committee]

Story 2: a cabin and a camera

Vallen Residence, 9:30 pm, June 23rd, 2018.

I pin the polaroid of the Earth eater up on the board and quickly scribble in the date the picture was taken. My mind is racing even more, my whole life these things existed and no one wanted me to know! That's like not knowing moles exist! I stare at the colorful book, the worn “The Children’s Survival Guide” label taunting me. I sigh and grab my camera. “Why am I here? This isn’t my job! Hell, I don’t think it’s anyone’s job!”  I scream, annoyed with the shit I've been through that put the cast on my arm I am now wearing. I slammed the door to the attic, grabbing an entire pack of ores and heading to my room to eat away my emotions before going to bed.

Vallen Residence, 9:12 am, June 24th, 2018.

I ran around frantically like anyone else who overslept would’ve, quickly throwing a t-shirt from some old 80’s band that smelled like weed and was definitely my mom’s on and leaving on the same battered leggings from the day before on, hoping no one would notice. I quickly grab my hand bag and throw my shoes in there, telling myself to just put them on later. Suddenly, I realize I left my phone in that cursed room, I shudder at the thought of going back up there but knew I must. I slowly opened the door, unsure why I was so filled with dread but moving slowly because whatever was scaring me was probably worth noting. I creeped up the attic and saw my phone lying in the book, to which I don’t recall placing there, I quickly reach to pull it out and it felt like something was pulling back. I sighed and opened the book, wondering if this was my life now. The page talked about something called Cursed Oaks, a tree that’s made from magic used for a variety of things, not always the same as its none cursed sibling. Anything from building a house to committing some dark ritual to making a weapon, if you could name it, Cursed Oak could do it. It’s the tree of the future, if the future was trying to kill you! Anyone who comes into contact with it starts to turn into it themselves. It’s been around since magic was first discovered but it was most recently made right here in Big Horn a few days ago. I read over that last line maybe 20 times. “Ok, you sick bastard” I said, looking at the wannabe children’s book, “What am I supposed to do?” and suddenly this sentient book seemed a lot less sentient in all it’s quiet. “Fine, want to at least give me a place to look?” As if responding to me, it throws itself down in front of me and I finally notice the obvious, the rather childish drawing on the right page being a dark log cabin with a small map in front of it. I snap a picture of it with my phone and zoom in on it, screenshotting it and sending it to Mickey and Beth, asking if either of them knew this town well enough to actually find that from my house, getting a yes from the jock and hoping in the Uber, hoping they fear a bad tip more than a speeding fine.

Big Horn high school, 10:37 pm.

I entered the high school only to find that instead of the few stragglers and couple delinquents out in the courtyard, the police were there interrogating a student. I got as close as I could undetected toeavesdrop in on them, hearing them say “giant creature” and instantly knew what they were talking about…the earth eater. Why were they asking around about that? I know someone must’ve called it in but…wouldn’t they check the scene first? I whipped out my camera and snapped a picture, the cop hearing it and turning around quickly. “HEY!” The officer shouted, I sprinted off, the cop pursuing. I turned a corner but he was still there, I snagged the picture from the camera and stuffed it in my purse, I bound another corner and quickly dipped into the janitor’s closet, hearing the cop run past and slowly creaked the door open before making a break for class.

Big Horn high school, 2:07 pm.

I saw Mickey, Beth, and Mickey’s cheer piece standing together talking, which prompted me to run over. “Hey!” I said, leaning on Beth just a little. “Hey there, I got you something!” She said, reaching into her satchel and pulling out a pan pride pin. “I noticed last time I was over you never had anything like this so I got you one” she said coming kind of close to my face and fidgeted with it, pinning it to my shirt and backing away slowly. She cracked me a beaming smile and looked me up and down, saying “perfect” in her soft voice she uses when trying to calm a person down. It was calming, I’ll give her that. I smiled back and suddenly remembered why I was there, my smile fading. “Hey, the cops were here earlier...” I said, unsure how aware the rest of the group was but judging from the look on everyone's face, they already knew. “You were late again, weren't you, speedy?” Mickey joked, to which I nodded. “There was a whole thing in the auditorium about it, they’re trying to keep things quiet.” he continued. “About the earth eater? Why would they do that?” I asked, still confused but it was obvious I wasn’t going to get an answer because no one else seemed to know. Would we ever? “It isn’t right that they can just do that! And for what, keeping people from worrying about the very real threats?” I said, the passionate journalist in me going ballistic. “We NEED to tell people! Us! Because no one else will!” I reached into my bag and pulled out the book, its bright yellow sky, childishly drawn sun, and squiggles meant to look like a river obviously losing them. I didn’t care and flipped to the earth eater page. “Look! Whatever the answer to getting rid of these things is, this book is gonna lead us to it!” They looked and sure enough, they were intrigued. Questions filled the air, spewing from them like a broken sink spewed water. “What’s this book? Where did you find it? What’s with Sheridan?” After that I kinda just stopped paying attention, waiting for their questions to subside. I flipped to the page about Cursed Oaks, “When I checked it today, it was open to this page...I think it wants us to go here.” I said pointing to the map. Quiet from the crowd. “I know you” Mickey chimed in “if we don’t come with you, you’ll just go alone, and after everything that’s happened, I don’t think we can afford that...so count me in.” He said that last part with a sigh, obviously not wanting to but knowing he had to. “Me too” said the cheerleader, “I’ve seen your stuff, it’s not that bad, plus what could go wrong?” Beth looked at me, then at everyone else, then back at me. She seemed to be in some internal war and I didn’t know which side was winning. She gently rested her hand on my shoulder and whispered “Promise me you’ll stay safe?” a strong sense of concern in her eyes. I nodded, “Ok, I’m in!” she said, and we all got in Micky’s truck, off to see what was happening with these weird ass trees.

The Van Ekern residence, 2:23 pm.

We pulled up to a cabin that sat just on the other side of town. Mara, the cheerleader, mumbled “do it for the extra credit, do it for the extra credit” to herself a couple times, which was understandable as the cabin was fucking horrifying. It’s old and dark appearance definitely didn’t help calm any of us down, the blood spattered outside and dark axe sitting in the stump of what looked like our tree told us that we were too late to stop whatever was being from being made. I snapped a picture and threw it into my hand bag’s dedicated picture holding pocket ™. As I did the tree stump...shrank a little bit, not much but still, it was noticeable. “I think we’re too late.” said Beth, I sighed and grabbed a book of matches from my pocket “Whatever they made, we’ll burn” I said, hopping out of the truck bed, Beth hopping out just after and taking charge. She gestured for all of us over to the side of the rustic cabin, pointing to some writing on the wall which read “This land is cursed” and I snapped another photo, the house creaking as I did, Mickey tried the door with Mara close behind, while me and Beth kept searching the outside. We didn’t find much, some old cans, some stumps, and a few dead animals in trees. Some of the animals were big enough to note: Eagles, horses, large dogs that must’ve wandered onto the property, those we snapped pics of, the rest: rabbits, squirrels, and smaller animals that were easy hunting game and probably belonged up there anyway, we left undisturbed, wanting to leave as small of a paper trail to this place as possible. “Less is more” as Mr. Hadison would’ve said.  We heard Mickey and Mara shuffling around, probably trying to find another entrance to the cabin. We tagged up with them, eventually deciding to just let mickey break the door. As we went back to the front, we saw the door creak open on its own and us, not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth, snuck our way inside. “Ok guys, remember this is still B n E.” I whispered “Keep the noise down. Mara, if you want to head back, now’s the time.” She whispered back “Why would I wanna miss this?” I nodded and handed everyone their B n E walkie talkies ™. A quick test to make sure they all worked, including the emergency one we gave to Mara. I made a note to grab a real one for her once all of this was over and moved into the living room, snapping pictures of a hollowed-out log. It seems like whoever did it was...crying or on drugs or something as their movements seemed to have been done with very little vision. I took a picture of the log and threw it outside, making that our “burn later” pile, figuring we’d need to destroy a lot more. Beth slapped a pair of latex gloves on and grabbed what seemed like a wooden puppet made out of Cursed Oak wood. I snapped another picture and we threw it out, another for the pile. We walked around more, finding your sterotypical cabin stuff, more wooden puppets, and a bloody knife. We found a basement door, which seemed to have taken damage from over the years, my best guess was some lazy apocalypse fanatic made it and the house was just built around it. What was mostly off about it was that it was a lighter shade than everything else around us, I snapped a quick pic and radio’d Mickey to come over and break it, which he did with minimal complaining for once. The door broke down with ease and we all hopped in, Beth first, followed by me, then Mara, then Mickey. The basement seemed like a well-equipped apocalypse bunker, all the necessary supplies to live there for ten years easily. I snapped photos of anything I could, the food, the piss puddles on the floor, the tree roots breaking in. When I saw those, I paused for a moment. Whatever this was, it wasn’t a bunker. This thing wasn’t designed to keep something out, it was way too easy to get in. Once we couldn’t find the entrance anymore, we knew the truth, this was made to keep something in... we just walked into the lion’s den. I could see a sense of dread being passed from person to person like a virus, and suddenly that dread infected me. We had no clue what we were doing, where we were, what else was here. Suddenly we heard a groaning that made Mara jump, and I'd be lying if it didn’t scare us too. I went for the iron door that kept whatever was groaning from us, only for Beth to grab my hand. “Juni, we have no clue what’s back there! It could be anything!” Mickey started, obviously as afraid as I was. “I know whatever it is needs our help!” I yelled back at him, getting frustrated when the door was locked. I looked around for the keys, finding them under a can of tomato soup, and slid them into the door’s lock to unlock it. It took a couple tries as the lock seemed rusted, but eventually it opened. I threw the door open and rushed in, at this point more curious than expecting to save someone. Lying there against the wall was a man, his clothes bloodied from god knows what, and chained to the wall for god knows why. He had a mask on, made from wood like the puppets were made from, eight chains in total, two on each of his arms and legs. Whoever did this REALLY didn’t want to lose him. I snuck in a photo of him before I unlocked the chains with the key, noticing how much easier it was. His eyes opened quickly as I unlocked the last chain of eight. He started laughing a cold, other worldly laugh, and not a good world by that means. I backed up slowly, fear overpowering me. I darted out, the rest of the group giving me an odd look as I did. I slammed the door shut, not wanting to see that...BEAST anymore. I noticed that his laugh got blood on my cast, not like I cared, I reached for the keys but it was too late, it flung the door open, growling. “RUN!” Mickey, also known as captain obvious, shouted, not needing to repeat himself. We all broke off in separate directions, but it seemed like this lunatic only wanted me, or maybe he just couldn’t see anyone else. Either way, he was on my ass and I was not having any of it! I kept running, trying to find an exit. Turn left-no right-no left- this way and that, you’d think I was a rat in a maze, not a reporter in the field. “THERE IT IS!” I screamed to... I guess myself. Almost, Almost! Just before I could get to the ladder back up, Mr. Mask cut in, blocking the only way out. He slowly moved in closer and in a last-ditch effort I lifted up my camera and snapped a pic of him. Right as I hit the button, he slammed down on the ground. Mickey came up, saw him on the ground and checked for a pulse. “He’s...dead.” He said, solemnly like the guy didn’t just try to kill us-well, me. We sighed a sigh of relief and informed the others over the radio that the coast was clear and after a while they made their way back to the exit. We made our way up, congrats being shared between us all on how oddly well we handled a dude chasing us. As we crawled out like survivors after the end of the world, the door slammed shut on us, the walls started pouring blood, and “This land is cursed!” started being chanted, no screamed, from... somewhere. It was loud, like it was being chanted from inside our heads. “This land is cursed! This land is cursed!” I racked my brain for an idea, anything that could possibly save us from whatever may happen. Suddenly, Beth reached into my pocket and grabbed the book of matches, striking one and chucking it into the other room. Suddenly the door flied open, the voice now screeching at us. It was even more ear piercing but that didn’t stop any of us from running out. Beth struck another match and set the pile of cursed items ablaze, hopping in the truck. Mickey gunned it, the adrenaline still in us going crazy bonkers. Mara kissed his cheek, probably more out of excitement than actual passion but who am I to judge? Me and Beth shared a gaze and laughed, that shit was wild. Suddenly, the house...rose. Grew tentacles and rose up. It hissed at us and gave chase, still burning. It swung a tentacle at the car, almost taking my head off and making me drop my camera into the bed of the truck. I grabbed it and out of instinct, took a picture. The house collapsed as I did, the fire descending being nothing less than aesthetic as all hell. It kicked up dust as it landed, leaving me in shock. “Is... your camera glowing?” Beth asked, surprised. I checked and sure enough “the Midnight Watch Committee” was there, around the entire outside of the camera in glowing letters. “I think so, I don’t know why but I think so.” I said, the fear still catching me. “Hey,” she said, stroking some of her lose hair back in its place, annoyed “can I just stay with you for the rest of the day? I’m not sure I’ll feel safe after...all that.” I nodded, feeling my face getting redder and redder each second until we got to my place.

The Vallen residence, 11:48 pm, June 24th, 2018

I took all the pictures out of my bag and set another pin board up, adding a thing of tape to the top and writing “Cursed Oak” to the top of it with an exhausted sigh. The door creaked open and Beth came in, watching me pin the pictures up, followed by a written account of the events. “What happened with getting the word out?” she cracked. “Yeah, if only it was that easy, I’d need a publisher to get this story out or some news company to be generous enough to let us piggy back on them.” I said, annoyed at how little she’s learned in class which doesn’t surprise me because she originally joined for the extra credit too. She started to fall in love with the danger of it all. She whipped out her phone and started to make a call when I realized about halfway through her conversation that her uncle worked for some news station and might have had enough swing to get it on the air. This is it; this is how we tell everyone. Whatever came, rain or shine, we’re together, we’re the midnight watch committee. Whoever that is anyways, it’s us now.