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writingcold · 6 months

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Hello! Welcome to Chapter 6 of CD&FE.

Pairing: Jake X Female Reader

Summary: This is an AU that starts with the release of GVF’s first EP, Black Smoke Rising, and follows along life paths over the course of twenty plus years. So… It’s just messy. Fortunately, it’s also kind of a shorty as far as length goes.

Content warnings: Uncomfortable moments in adult relationships, but smut free.

Word Count: approx. 4.4K

I am so thankful for @edgingthedarkness and @takenbythemadness. But you all better know that by now, but I’ve said it with every damn posting how brilliant they are.

CD&FE, Part 6.1: Her POV

To say that I had gotten comfortable in my relationship with Frankie was an understatement. I felt like we were flourishing. I began to slowly migrate from my office into our home, working one and two days a week away from the office. No one died. No projects failed. Fancy that. I was able to distance myself and yet still get the job done. Life was good. I couldn’t lie about that.

I had gotten a call from my friend Maurice Flanders from Chicago who owned several galleries. I had been handling his accounts for years, but he reached out on this one in particular as it would be a rushed job. He had a show fall through, but found an up and coming artist that had agreed to a limited run on short notice. Of course, I’d never leave him in a bind and agreed to step in right away to handle the advertising for the event, and all of the main graphic needs for the opening night. I didn’t think of the person until well after I had hung up and a few days had gone by. The featured artist would be Clara. His Clara.

Echoes of times and interludes with Jake haunted me from time to time. Stray thoughts lingered longer than they should have. Bits and fragments of dreams would wash a tide across me when I felt weak. Always at my fringe, I could feel Jake’s presence. I could be dicing up vegetables for dinner, or have a song coming on across my feed, or hell, sitting and talking with friends, and all of the emotions of loss of him would come roaring back only to stop short and fizzle out. I supposed that was because it ended how it did. This lingering uncertainty of ‘maybe’. I felt like a corner of me longed for him still.

We were two weeks from the event when Maurice called me personally to check in and to invite me down - after all, it had been ages since we had been together in person. I knew there would be many current clients in attendance. It would be smart for me to be there. Frank was willing to take the weekend trip, so it was a go. Although, part of me was hesitant. Would Jake be there? How was I going to handle seeing him - in person after all this time?

We flew down a few days early to take in the museums and the jazz and blues scene of the city. Frank kept his distance when I needed to work, but he was more than happy to entertain himself. The opening was Saturday night and we were ready to go. It wasn’t like we had to be glamorous, but to say my man looked hot as sin would not be lying. He held me close as we approached the gallery. My stomach did a little flop as I realized that I was looking right at Clara when we walked in before the actual opening. Maurice was lovely, wrapping me up and welcoming us in.

I silently sloshed through emotions whilst keeping my professional appearance while weaving through the introduction to Clara. She gushed over our work - impressed that it was all completed on such a short timeline but so beautifully. She walked me and Frankie around showing us some of her more recent works. All of my internal organs were twisting with fury as I caught glimpses of love and Jake and their time together. I held tight to Frank’s hand, but all the while, my brain was conjuring venom towards the very unaware Clara.

My eyes were darting around when the doors officially opened. He was nowhere to be found. I picked out Jake’s parents right away. They were fawning over Clara, but their son was completely absent. I could see the glint of frustration in the woman’s eyes as they were talking. I dug myself deeper into the gallery. It wasn’t like any of that scene was my business.

I spent the better part of two hours connecting with clients and meeting potential new ones. Frank was my stalwart spirit, smiling and looking incredibly handsome. He seemed totally relaxed in his easy self that just seemed to draw people in instantly. Our last forty minutes was spent with Maurice in a cozy corner going over new contacts that he wanted to share for our valiant effort and success together.

As we started to say our goodbyes, I took note that Jake still was not in attendance. My heart squeezed a bit. I’m unsure if it was because he was not in attendance, or if there was a personal issue that was lingering behind the pretty woman’s smile. A small portrait towards the front caught my eyes and held it as we meandered towards the door. It was Jake, but his face was down, the brim of a hat covering most of his features. I felt removed. I had no right feeling this way, but my whole focus seemed to be parked on a man that I had not physically seen in six years. Six. And he still commanded my thoughts like we had just parted the day before.

The rest of summer rolled through quietly. Frank had been gone a few weeks due to conferences, to which I took advantage to catch up with friends. Patrick and Sidney took most of that time, but I so enjoyed our time together. In October, I found myself in Paris, accompanying Frank for one of his academic conferences. While he was buried in work, I was gracing the balcony of a beautiful little room, sipping coffee and soaking in the ancient city around me. Our evenings were our own. We walked everywhere until we couldn’t walk any more. We laughed over food and cried over art. I wanted more time. Always more time, but life was calling us back.

By December, I had somehow discovered that the bulk of my work week was spent in my pjs in my home office. And I didn’t feel bad about it. Christmas brought around news I didn’t expect.

“You’re procreating?” I asked, unable to hide the shrill note in my tone.

Patrick and Sid were sitting with huge smiles before me. “Aunt Y/n has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Pat said finally, letting me fully digest the moment.

It was unreal to think that my oldest friend was going to be a father. But they were happy. Beyond it, actually. The babies would arrive in the summer - fraternal twins no less. I was secretly planning on buying every obnoxiously loud, bright, annoying toy possible to fill their lives with such joy. Pat deserved a little more chaos in his life, right?

Spring arrived with a definite bang. We seemed to go from ice and wind and ten foot high drifts of snow to green overnight. I had come home from a client dinner party to find the apartment quiet. I went to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water, discovering that Frankie was out on the deck. The faint glow of a cigarette rested between his fingers, while a glass was nestled into the palm of his other hand. It was an odd sight. Frank didn’t smoke unless his mind was troubled.

I walked out onto the deck and wrapped my arms around his waist. He was quick to crush the smoke, but I had seen it was not just the one he had imbibed in. He had been outside for quite some time.

“How was your meeting?” he asked as he turned to welcome me proper.

“Good. I would say we landed another solid client.” I allowed myself to be wrapped up in his dense frame and scent. There was an air of removal that I did not understand. “Something must have happened, huh? Tough day?”

He hummed as he let me go. “Actually, something that I wasn’t expecting came up.”

I frowned when he paused. His whole aura seemed shifted. He was holding back. I frowned all the more as he lit another cigarette and leaned away from me. My gut blazed with a stab of anxiety. I was left wishing I would’ve poured something harder than the water.

“I’ve been invited to teach in Paris,” he said, his voice void of what made him sound like himself. It was weird.

I could see that he was happy about it, but he wasn’t allowing himself to be. I must’ve flashed an expression that he didn’t like. He turned away from me, with his face turned to the sky. “Are you not happy about this?”

“I am actually really fucking happy about it,” he muttered, his voice full of an edge.

“But-”

He let out a long stream of smoke after lighting up another cigarette. “I’ve been out here for hours trying to guess how you would answer my question if I asked you to come with me. However, I think I already have my answer.”

“That’s not fair,” I whispered.

“Would you go?”

It was like I was going a hundred miles an hour and someone just threw my ass into park without the benefit of hitting the breaks. My insides felt like they were liquefying as he seemed to fight himself from looking at me. I knew what he was asking. I had heard this question in a different, unspoken form before. And the answer was the same.

“Frank,” I hiccuped.

“It’s all right. I get it,” he said, voice hushed. “I need some time out here. Alone. Please.”

My jaw softened as I felt all those liquid guts swirl just under my skin. I felt like I was going to throw up as I pushed my way back into the apartment. My legs were declaring a mutiny as I tried to climb the stairs. I found myself melting onto the fourth step. I was in a ball while the man I had made a life with for the better part of six years was hurt outside.

I went to bed alone and I woke up alone. Frank was not in the apartment when I padded down the stairs. The knot that had strangled my innards the night before was limp from bleeding out. I was too tired to search for a note. I was sure eventually, we’d discuss the situation. I wanted to say I’d go with him. I wanted to say that I would be able to leave my work behind. But in truth - I just couldn’t.

I sat curled on the couch, waiting for him to come home. I saw a text from Pat, but I couldn’t find it in me to pay attention beyond who it was from. The parallel was not lost on me as I looked around my home - our home. It was true that I was slowly creating distance from my work, but by street blocks only. To completely leave it behind? Wasn’t that what he was silently asking of me?

It wasn’t until early evening that Frank returned. He looked hollow as he set his keys down on the table. I felt gutted as he sat down next to me. I threaded my fingers into his, but made no move closer to him. It was like a division was already between us. It hurt to breathe the same air, let alone be in the same space.

“I can’t say ‘no’ to this, Y/n,” he said quietly. “I refuse to be that guy to tell you to quit your job. I just don’t know where that leaves us.”

I tucked my chin to my chest. All the love, all the life was slipping away like a threadbare scarf. I hated this. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. And yet, I couldn’t force my mouth to wrap around the words that I needed to speak.

“Distance doesn’t work for me,” he whispered. “I’m a jealous man, if I was being honest.”

“And if I’m not ready-” My words dried up in my throat, crackling like brittle paper.

“I’m not ready, either,” he replied, tightening his hold on my hand. “Could you leave your company behind? Honest. As honest as you can be.”

No matter how much I wanted to say ‘yes, I can leave’, I just knew it was wrong. I looked at him as my eyes filled and spilled across my cheeks. I shook my head ‘no’ as my throat refused to function through the emotions.

“Didn’t think so,” he whispered.

I fell into him as I couldn’t hold back my tears. He made no move to hide his own. We mourned together. We found comfort in each other’s touch. It was like we knew it was the end.

CD&FE, part 6.2: Jake’s POV

“It’s been coming for a while, Jake,” Clara said, after I finally got her to sit down at the dining room table.

“Really? I thought everything was just fine,” I said, not trying to hide the bitterness from my tone.

She puffed out her cheeks with a hard breath. “Come on. Surely you don’t think everything has been all right?”

“Enlighten me.”

I was mad. I was mad more at myself. She did not seem to really want to answer. But that was Clara. I wanted to know. I wanted honesty. She wanted to hide from conflict. If she wanted out, I was not going to stop her, however I needed to know what the hell I did wrong.

“Chicago wasn’t my only show you missed,” she said quietly. She shook her head. “No. I shouldn’t say it that way. It was my choice to be on tour with you. I loved traveling with you.”

“But.”

She squirmed in her seat. I did not like making her feel uncomfortable, but I felt like I could at least understand. “I turned down two galleries this past year because they conflicted with the tour. I turned down working with others last year because they conflicted with the tour. When Chicago came around, and I saw it fit between shows, I thought maybe you would see my passion was as strong as yours. Perhaps it would be a way for you to see that I was as good-”

“Fuck,” I whispered against the anger that flooded my system. “You can’t put that on me. Just because you chose not to take an opportunity…?”

Clara slapped the table and jumped from her chair. I followed her as she fled to the bedroom. This was her pattern. Run. Run from any kind of conflict and let it fester until it was a hundred more times hurtful as it became a torrent flooding out of her.

“Talk to me! How can you think I felt your work was ‘not good’? I’m just as excited as you are that this is getting somewhere for you,” I said, fighting to keep my tone from hitting a harsh line.

“Really? Could’ve fooled me,” she grumbled, coming to a stop. “I have followed you around this planet with you for years, Jake. On tour, you take no notice of how I struggle to keep up. I need more time in these spaces. I need more time to create. But it’s like you have blinders on and it’s always only about the tour. Only about your work and never about anyone else.”

“It’s kind of what I do. My job. I can’t apologize for working to keep us to the level that we are. Many people depend on me, on us, to live on. It’s more than just about me. If I don’t do a good job, if we aren’t out there, families are affected.”

She rolled her eyes. “And you don’t really think about the effects on your own family.”

“We’re all working our asses off-”

“I wasn’t talking about your brothers, Jake! Me! Your family that you won’t marry?”

I stopped moving. Clara threw her hands up out of frustration and proceeded to stomp back into the bedroom. A tiny fraction of me did not want to pursue the argument. It whispered to let it go. Let her go.

“That can’t be it,” I found myself saying out loud. She scoffed as I walked into the bedroom after her.

“What - a commitment? I’m fucking human, Jake.”

I felt my brows pinch as I watched her wrestle her bags from the bed only to grab another empty suitcase and fling it open. “I-”

“I want it. I have wanted all of this. All of you. Don’t you see that?”

The corners of my mouth turned down. She was throwing her clothes into the case without consideration. It was then I realized that her ring was gone. That little whisper was rising in volume, but still not sharp enough for me to listen.

“What I see is someone who doesn’t trust me enough to let me go on tour without her,” I said, unable to really recognize the flatness of my own voice.

The laugh that slithered from her mouth made me cringe. “Trust? Fuck yeah, I don’t trust you. I see how others are out there. Leaving their wives at home so they can fuck anyone that comes across their plate! Fuck that.”

“That’s not me,” I whispered. “You’d know that if you gave me the chance.”

She started to say something but stopped. She dropped the clothes from her hands and took a step back. “Still doesn’t change the fact that you do not want to marry me.”

I nodded. She was right. I may have at one point thought that marriage in my profession was impossible, but that wasn’t totally it. I believed if I made a commitment, I didn’t need anyone else’s approval, a little paper, or any other archaic belief to say that I am with someone. That voice had gone from a whisper, to nearly a full voice, was now shouting at me.

“I’m sorry you thought you had to live around me,” I said, retreating back to the doorway. “That was never the case.”

“It was always the case, whether you realized it or not. I was given a schedule and felt like I had to live by it. I put myself in that schedule where I could.”

“That was your lack of faith in me, Clara. That’s not something I can fix.”

I walked away, allowing her to finish collecting her things. So much of this house was her. So much of the life within it was her. Was I sad about it? Yeah. It hurt like a fucking punch to my chest. But it was done.

I poured myself a whiskey and wandered out to the patio with my phone in hand. I called Josh, only to be sent to voicemail. Dick. I called Mom, but then forgot the folks were on a flight home. My brain was formulating plans. I listened to the rambling playing of the neighbor kids and the distant practice of someone on a piano. I must’ve been out there no more than an hour before I heard Clara behind me.

“I called an Uber. I’ll stay with my friends for a few weeks to figure this out.”

Her voice was void of warmth. There was nothing to figure out. It was just done.

“I leave on Monday,” I replied, looking up at her. “I’ll be gone for two weeks. If you want, you can clear out while I’m gone.”

“Wow,” she sighed. “I say done and you mean it. Kinda cold, Jake.”

I shook my head. “I cannot be with someone who has no faith in me, and cannot trust me. I will not be with someone who thinks so little of my commitment. You shouldn’t want to be with me if I make you live by my schedule. Or think that I am holding you from what you love. Those are some pretty big stopping points.”

She sighed. “I suppose you are right.”

I heard her leave, but did not watch. I reached for my phone and began an attempt to text my twin, but he was strangely radio silent. I realized in the silence, that I had not gone to actually see Clara’s showing postings. For that I was a real prick. I opened up the socials and got to her professional page. She looked happy in the first picture - she stood in the middle of the small gallery with her works all around her. I scrolled through the pictures slowly, taking in each shot of the paintings I knew well. Each one seemed to look different under the lighting, but they were all here.

I stormed through the first dozen or so before I stopped. At the edge of the frame was a familiar face. Y/n was standing with a small group, all wrapped up in her professional armor and disarming smile. I frowned for a moment. I started scrolling down and looking at the actual description and noticed a small ‘thank you’ note that included the owner of the gallery, the management team and… oh hell. Y/n had personally taken care of all the advertising and graphics within the gallery. I went back to the picture and stared. It was like all the hurt, all the guilt was paused.

I wondered if she knew who Clara was. I wondered if she was aware of our connection. Surely she had seen my post about Clara. Oh… fuck. Did Clara know? Surely not. A knot of anxiety twisted through my chest forcing me to stand up and fly into the house, phone clutched tightly in my palm. I was spooked. I was realizing that the last day was beginning to filter through. The final moments especially - I hadn’t even said goodbye. Who does that?

I decided to give her the space she asked for, going out on the next stretch before reaching back out to her. When I returned home, it was an empty house. She had taken all of her things, her artwork, the pieces that she had wanted to be in our shared space. I texted her that I was back, knowing that the last part was to get the keys. I made a nice dinner of all her favorites, along with her choice of wine. I had flowers delivered that reminded me of our time in Rome a few years back. It wasn’t meant to be romantic, but I’m sure that was what it looked like when I finished getting everything ready.

She smiled when I invited her inside. Her eyes latched onto the table and started to shake her head with excuses to leave.

“Just come and talk with me.”

I took her purse and set it to the side as she reluctantly walked past me. “Jake, I’m not sure if this is a good idea.”

“Just talk,” I promised, waving her towards the table.

I poured a glass of wine while she sat down. I took a drink of my beer before pulling serving dishes out of the warming oven. I plated up and joined her.

“I know I’m springing this on you, but,” I started, setting down her food before her, “I just thought it would make this a little easier.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “It looks delicious.”

We picked at our food, and it was silent. It was not what I was hoping for in the slightest, but it was a start.

“Have you been staying with Grace and Tucker?” I asked, hoping to break the ice.

“I haven’t left Nashville, if that’s what you’re searching for, Jake,” she answered.

I ate the hard tone and tried to let it go. Sitting back in my chair, I wiped the corners of my mouth. “I’m not looking for a fight, Clara.”

“Then what is all of this? A grand send off?”

I rolled my eyes. “If that’s what you want to call it, fine. I just want to part as friends. We were such good friends towards each other - why leave it with all that hurt out there?”

“Pretty one sided friends, if you ask me.”

My eyes rolled closed. I sucked in a long, slow breath. “I saw the pictures from Chicago - on your socials. Mom shared a few more as well. No matter how you think of me, I am proud of you. It was wrong of me to miss it.”

She set her glass down and finally made eye contact. “Why didn’t you want to be there?”

“Who said I didn’t want to be there? I made every attempt to get there. I won’t be an ass and blame the weather, but… I really am sorry I missed it,” I replied honestly. “You know how I am when we’re out there. If I don’t focus on what I’m supposed to be doing-”

“You were supposed to buy that ticket and be with me.”

I frowned. “And I am upset with myself over it, Clara.”

“Sure you are.”

“Of course I am. It was my mistake, but it showed us that you are to move in this other direction,” I said, tapping my fingers on the table softly. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to follow me, Clara. It was never my intent to keep you from your art.”

She flashed a sad little smile. “I didn’t mean to make it sound like I didn’t trust you. I was scared. I saw what happens out there. It’s not pretty.”

“It’s very easy to get caught up,” I admitted, keeping my voice level. “It hurt that you wouldn’t allow me to try, at least. At least prove that I could be faithful to us. There are more on the road that can be faithful than not.”

She nodded. “I’m not sorry for our time together, Jake.”

“Neither am I,” I whispered as she touched my hand.

Closure. It was not stomping away in anger. It was not lighting my days on fire just to show her what kind of man I could be. It was quiet and reverent of our time together. I hugged her goodbye and it felt good to watch her walk away knowing that she was going to be just fine without me. What more, I knew I was going to be just fine without her.

So, I’m unsure if I want to break our final part, part 7, into the three postings, with a fourth posting for the epilogue, or to post 7.1 with 7.2, and have 7.3 with the epilogue. 🤔 I’m leaning towards having two more posts after today’s, instead of four.

I’ve had quite a few new people join the taglist. However, if you are one of those who do not participate and post, it’s hard to tag you. I’m sorry. I’ve tried, but tagging in posts is shoddy as it is, so if you are not getting the notification that I’ve posted, but you’re on the taglist? It’s just the world that our tumblr is. I’m trying though - I’m trying to get these tags to work! Promise

I do have a tag list here, or you can just let me know in a reply to add you.

@lvnterninthenight @doodle417 @luverleaver @jakesgrapejuice @fictional-duchess @milkgemini @positivegvfthings @songbirds-sweet @gretavanbitches @gardensgatedaisy @babyhoneygvfarchive @myownparadise96 @josh-iamyour-mama @starcatcherc @loveisonaroll @jakesstarlight @reesetrippingthelight @builtby-gvf @ignite-my-fire @wetkleenex-gvf @gold-mines-melting @starsasone @mysticalstarcatcher @montenegroisr @takenbythemadness @way-to-go-lad @cal-a-bungaa @thewritingbeforesunrise @leftjudgeempathsuitcase @brokenbells11 @imborrowedshesblue @vanfleeter

#jake gvf #jake kiszka #greta van fleet #gvf #cd&fe #greta van fleet fan fiction #gvf fanfiction #jake kiszka smut #jake kiszka fan fiction #greta van fleet fanfic #greta van fleet AU #jake kiszka AU

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personnage-neutre · 1 year

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In 2015, an international group of doctors catalogued Tintin's recorded health problems (from Soviets through Picaros) in a more thorough and less tongue-in-cheek study than Cyr et al. (2004) and published it under the title "Tintin’s travel traumas: Health issues affecting the intrepid globetrotter."

I cite from the abstract:

"We found 236 events leading to 244 HIs, 13 kidnappings, six hospitalisations and two surgical procedures. There was a median of eight HIs/adventure (range 1-30/adventure). The mean number of HIs per adventure was much greater before 1945 than subsequently (14.9 v 6.1; p 0.002), which was also true of the number of kidnappings (11 v 2; p 0.001). Of the 244 HIs, there were 191 cases of trauma (78.3%) and 53 non-traumatic problems (21.7%). The most common form of trauma was concussion (62%), whereas the most common forms of non-traumatic problems were sleep problems (15.1%), depression/anxiety (13%), and gas or chloroform poisoning (13%). Overall, we found 46 losses of consciousness (LoC), including 29 traumatic and 17 non-traumatic LoCs. Of the 236 events, there were 69 (29%) perpetrated by others against Tintin (including 55 homicide attempts), and 167 (71%) events that were not (including 69 events related to Tintin's actions)."

And as for head injuries: "Overall there were 118 cases of concussion (112 concussion alone, and six associated with polytrauma) accounting for 48.4% of all HI." Concussion grade was determined according to "an “Hergé” grading system" based on "clinically evident post-traumatic signs (symbols surrounding Tintin‟s head after trauma): stars (grade I), whirls or candles (grade II), and LoCs (grades III and IV according to duration)."

The tables showing the detailed results are reproduced below.

Eric Caumes, Loïc Epelboin, France Leturcq, Phyllis Kozarsky, Peter Clarke. Tintin’s travel traumas: Health issues affecting the intrepid globetrotter. La Presse Médicale, 2015, 44 (6, Part 1), pp.e203-e210. 10.1016/j.lpm.2015.01.006. hal-01153737

All emphasis mine.

#tintin

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something-tofightfor · 2 years

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Competing For Christmas 6.2: Let It Snow (The Scavenger Hunt)

Pairing: Modern Din Djarin x Female Reader

Word Count: 11,897

Rating: M. Language, mentions of the feelings associated with anxiety / a mild panic attack

Summary: The last event of the competition is the scavenger hunt - and it’s the culmination of everything ... including the way your feelings have been building over the previous weeks.

Can you hold it together long enough to complete the challenge?

** See the Masterlist page for the scavenger hunt lists! **

Author’s notes:

This is a monster chapter - but I had to get it to the point I did.

Sorry, but I’m not sorry. I promise you’ll understand everything soon.

Questions, concerns, comments? My inbox is open!

*Mando’a translations at the end!

To get alerted when I post new chapters/stories, follow @somethingtofightfor-shares and turn on post notifications - you can also ask to be added to my tag list (link in bio or at the top of my taglist reblog)

Masterlist / Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5.1 / Part 5.2 / Din’s POV Interlude / Part 6.1

You were ready and waiting twenty minutes before Din was set to arrive the following morning, all of your stuff prepped and by the front door, and the box with his and Grogu’s gifts in the kitchen.

You’d charged a few extra power bricks the previous night since you’d be on the go and using your phones for most of the day, and they - along with a spare pair of gloves, a bag of snacks and a soft-sided cooler full of bottled water and a small assortment of caffeinated drinks were sitting on the hallway table.

It was probably overkill, sure, but you wanted to be positive that you and Din would be prepared no matter what the day brought… and the fewer times you needed to stop for things like food and drinks - and to use the bathroom - the better. Even if we don’t win, I still want to be competitive.

You were nervous to see Din that morning, and you didn’t know exactly why, but thought that your reaction the previous night was one of the main causes, though you didn’t know what had caused the shift.

The tears had flowed from your eyes for almost a full thirty minutes the night before - longer than you’d cried over your breakup, you’d admitted to yourself with some surprise. And when you’d finally stopped them, forcing yourself to pull it together so that you could get ready for bed, you were exhausted, your body depleted of what little energy you’d had to begin with.

Telling your friends the truth of the situation with Din - at least as it pertained to how you were approaching things - had solidified it as reality for you, and you couldn’t deny what you felt any longer.

You had him for a short time and a short time only, and even though the two of you were giving yourselves permission to see what happened in that time, both of you knew that it couldn’t last - meaning that it couldn’t really go anywhere. But I meant it when I said I’d rather have this time with him than no time. Because it’s… he’s worth it.

And it was easy to say that while you laid in bed, knowing that you’d see him the following morning - and five days a week at work for the next few months. But you didn’t know how easy it would remain the closer you got to his departure. Because if your feelings for him had grown so much in such a short time, additional months with him would lead to a more devastating loss the moment you felt his absence.

But we don’t need to worry about that now. All we need to worry about is… You eyed the clock, sighing. “The scavenger hunt.”

Heading to the bathroom to brush your teeth, you gave yourself a onceover in the mirror, trying to settle your nerves.

They had nothing to do with the competition itself, and more to do with the fact that you’d get to spend all day with Din. And most of the night, too. It was hours of time with the man to look forward to, but even though you were excited, you were also anxious.

It was more time than you’d ever spent together consecutively while awake, and despite the fact that you knew you worked well together, part of you wondered if, by the end of the day, you’d be tired of each other. Or if one of us will say or do something we regret. It was always a possibility, and as you spit the toothpaste into the sink, you couldn’t stop your frown from forming. “Don’t fuck this up.”

A knock at the door pulled you away from the mirror and down the stairs, and when you’d flung the door open to reveal Din standing on your porch, cheeks rosy with the early morning cold - every single one of your worries disappeared. The sight of his smile was enough to calm you, the lift of one brow soothing your anxiety in an instant. “G’morning.” He nodded, lips twitching. “You ready to play this game?”

“I am.” Stepping to the side, you gestured with one hand. “Come in, Din. I just need to get my boots on. I -”

“You’ve got something on your face.” He reached for you, one thumb dragging slowly over the corner of your mouth while his knuckles rested beneath your chin. Oh, I … “Toothpaste?” He smiled, the dimple in his cheek deepening. “I got it for you, don’t worry.”

“Thank you.” Closing your eyes briefly at the jolt his touch sent through you, you laughed. “You knocked before I could finish, and …” He tilted your chin up and you stared at him, the man’s eyes wide. “Hey, Din.”

“Hey.” He closed the distance between the two of you and before you knew what was happening, his mouth met yours, his kiss just as minty as the one you gave in return. Hands moving to his hips, the two of you stood in your entryway for long moments, lips connected - and then he broke away, still smiling. “Figured since I haven’t gotten to do that since Monday, and I can’t do it while we’re out today…”

“You don’t need to explain.” You wet your lips - the action meant to give you a second to think as much as it was to give you another opportunity to taste him, and then continued. “Hell of a thing to happen so early, though. I’m not used to this.” His laugh filled the hallway, the man’s arms going around you and pulling you against his chest.

“I’m not either.” He held you for a few seconds and then dropped his arms, sighing. “And even though I wouldn’t mind staying here and doing it again, we need to get going if we’re going to get to the community center on time.”

He was right and you knew it, so you stepped back, agreeing. “Alright. Are we taking my car or yours? I know the shortcuts to get to different places, and -”

“I can drive. You’ll just have to give me directions.” He tapped on his pocket. “Plus we’ve got our phones.” We do. “Your coffee’s in the car, by the way. I didn’t forget.”

“I didn’t think you did.” Sitting on the floor to pull your boots on and lace them, you looked up at where he stood, leaning against your entryway wall. “Thank you.” He nodded once, eyes on you, the man waiting to see what else you had to say. “There’s… there’s a box on my kitchen table. It’s for you. If you want to carry it out and put it in the truck, you can. Don’t open it yet, but that way I won’t forget to give it to you later.”

You caught the look of surprise in his eyes, the man’s lips parting. “What? For me? What did -”

“A Christmas present, Din. It’s nothing big, but I thought …” Pushing to your feet, you shrugged. “I wanted to get you and Grogu something so that you’d remember your first Christmas here.” He didn’t speak, the man’s focus entirely on you, and for long moments, you thought you’d overstepped. But when he sighed, closing his eyes and relaxing his shoulders, you realized that he just didn’t know how to react - and that the admission had surprised him.

“I didn’t get you anything. I’m sorry, I -”

“You don’t have to.” Reaching for the coat that hung on the hook behind him, you pulled it on. “That’s not what Christmas is about. Getting to watch you open yours is enough of a present for me.”

“We’ll see about that.” He settled one hand on his hip, head tilted to the side. “Still a couple days til Christmas.” Yeah, but the one thing I want from you is something we agreed can’t happen.

Din passed you and walked into your kitchen as you gathered up the things on the side table, and a few minutes later, the two of you were settled into the cab of his truck, the heater blowing gently to warm it.

—

The community center was busy - though not as busy as it had been the day of the cookie competition. All eight teams were present and checked in by 10:40, the sound of everyone’s conversations loud in the enclosed space.

The closer you got to the start of the hunt, the more jittery you became, and even Din’s presence beside you wasn’t enough to calm you a second time.

Earlier, it had been Din that was making you anxious, but that wasn’t the case anymore - it was the looming scavenger hunt and the unknown that would make up the following five hours that had your stomach in knots.

“You know, if you don’t breathe, I’m going to have to do this whole thing on my own.” Din reached over, squeezing your bicep with one hand. “You haven’t been like this for any of the other events, and you said this one’s your favorite, so -”

“It is my favorite.” You nodded. “And I don’t know why I’m so anxious today, I just …” It wasn’t the whole truth, and at that realization, you had to laugh. There’s a lot of that going on lately with me. “I’ll be alright Din. I just don’t like waiting.”

You didn’t have long to wait. The woman from the trivia competition - Tina - took the stage, microphone in hand a few minutes later. The room immediately went quiet, everyone sitting up straight and paying attention. “Good morning, Mistletoe! It’s hard to believe that we’re already on the last event of the year.”

There was some good natured clapping and cheering, and even you cracked a smile, turning your head to look at Din. Before she spoke again, you realized that there were two other people making their way around the room, paper bags in their hands. “What’s…”

“They came a little late this year, and we’re sorry about that, but better late than never, right?” A bag was placed on your table, and before you could reach for it, Din had it in his hands, the man’s eyes focused on the contents. “Your team shirts, which you don’t have to wear, are in there.” He pulled one of them out as she spoke, holding it up.

It was similar to the shirts from previous years - yours dark red with white lettering, a decal that featured a picture of Santa and the words “Mistletoe 2022 Christmas Competition” on the front, and your team name across the center of the back. But what was different was that your last names were present on the upper back and across the shoulders, similar to a sports jersey. Din’s eyes lit up at the sight of it, the man immediately unzipping his jacket and removing it so that he could pull the shirt on over the one he already wore. “Looks good on you, Din.”

“Thanks. Put yours on.” You couldn’t deny him - and didn’t want to, and moments later you were wearing your shirt, too - the absurdity of the Prince of Mandalore wearing a $12 novelty t-shirt not lost on you. “Look at us. We match.” Rolling your eyes at him, you returned your attention to Tina, the woman’s smile large.

“Alright. Back to it so we can get you out there and started.” She cleared her throat. “Before we begin, a reminder of the current team rankings. Danny Quiz-ito and Winter Winner have zero points. Holi-daze and Team Caffeine are tied with 15. Threepeat has 20, Nut Crackers have 25 and are in third place.” She paused, looking around the room. “In second place is Smarty Pints with 45 points, right on the heels of Clan Mudhorn, who have 50.” It was a narrow lead, but it was still a lead, and when you met Din’s eyes, the easygoing look was gone, replaced with a focused one that you hadn’t ever seen before. But I like it. A lot.

Tina nodded again. “The hunt today includes six clues that lead to six specific places in and around Mistletoe, along with an add-on list of 20 holiday themed items that can be documented for bonus points.” She held off for a few seconds, waiting for the noise to die down. “In the bags that the shirts were in you’ll find a digital camera with a fully charged battery and empty memory card. This is what you’ll use to turn in proof of the locations you visit and the items that you find. You can’t just take a picture of the location that the clue points to, you have to actually interact with these places and the activities that they’re known for, or what it says in the clue. If anything happens to the cameras or the batteries throughout the day, there’s a phone number listed on the back of your clue sheets to call. We have replacements and can meet you to deliver them.”

“They think of everything.” Din leaned in, eyes wide. “Individual cameras?”

“They don’t want people cheating.” You whispered back, focused on the man’s face. “Gives everyone an equal playing field.”

“The clue sheets are in the envelopes that are also inside the bag. Your lists are randomized to ensure that every team isn’t in the same place at the same time, but everyone’s final clue is the drop off location for the cameras.” Tina paused again, taking a breath. “The clues are worth fifteen points each, but the bonus items have varied point values, as always.” The woman looked at the clock on the wall. “You have five minutes until the beginning of the scavenger hunt. Use them wisely.”

Din scooted his chair toward you, tilting his head down. “Do we have any strategy?” He said your name. “Or are we just -”

“We made that list. Who knows if anything we came up with will be on it. I say we focus on trying to get as many of the bonus stuff checked off as possible. They’ll be easier because most of them are just … common, decorative things.” He nodded, dark eyes locked with yours. “We’ll know really fast if this is going to be easy.”

“We will.” He wet his lips, the furrow in his brow deepening. “And no matter what, we’re gonna get to spend all day together, so -” Sucking in a breath at his words, you wanted to reply but Tina spoke again, calling attention to the front of the room.

“Alright teams. Go ahead and open your envelopes.” Din pulled it out and moved to hand it to you, but you shook your head, telling him no. “As soon as you’ve looked over the materials inside, you’re free to start. Remember, going to the place that the clue describes isn’t enough - you need to show proof each location is the right place, and that both members of your team are present. Have fun.”

There was a quick round of applause, but it was cut off by the sound of paper ripping, the conversations around you growing louder by the second. Din used one finger to tear open your envelope and pulled out the sheets of paper inside, his eyes focused on the top one. “Ok, so our first clue…” He took a breath and then lowered his voice, reading. “For a turn you’ll have to wait, but there’s no guarantee your movement’s straight. It may be hard to keep your balance, but for many it’s a worthy challenge.”

“Balance?” You frowned. “Wait your turn…” You closed your eyes, thinking. “Din, I don’t…” Taking a deep breath, you tried to steady your thoughts. It’s got to be something winter related. Balance. Waiting your turn. A challenge. There were numerous things that it could have been but you were drawing a blank. “Let’s go outside, Din. We can get into the car and figure it out there.”

You weren’t the first people to get up, but you and Din were the most composed, pulling your coats back on and gathering your things before you made your way for the door. He rested his hand on your back briefly, but by the time you were outside he’d removed it, the two of you heading across the parking lot in silence. “Do you … is there anywhere to ski around here?” Din unlocked his doors and you both climbed in, the man putting the key into the ignition. “You have to wait to go up the hills and then down, and … you don’t always ski in a straight line.”

“That’s brilliant, Din.” Turning your head to look at him, you let your jaw drop. “I thought maybe ice skating, but you don’t have to wait to do that, so…” Buckling your seatbelt, you leaned back. “Go ahead and make a right out of the parking lot, and stay on that road until you get to the highway.”

—

Twenty minutes later, you and Din were parked near the entrance of the Mistletoe Ski Chalet, getting ready to head for the main doors.

On the drive over, you’d gone over the list of bonus items, trying to decide which of them you’d seek out. Some of them you’d be able to knock off just because it was Christmastime in Mistletoe - others, you knew that you’d have to actively spend some time looking for if you had any hope of finding them.

“So do we just take a picture of the lodge? Or -”

“No, there’s going to be a sign somewhere. That’s what she was talking about showing that the place is the right one.” You both got out of the car and crossed the parking lot, heading straight for the front desk. There weren’t many other cars in the lot - just a few sedans and an SUV or two, and the lobby was mostly empty, which was a good thing. “I’m going to ask, because we can’t go out back without lift tickets, but they shouldn’t make us buy them just for a photo op.”

It only took a few seconds of conversation with the girl behind the desk before she led you and Din through the lodge and past another employee, out onto the back patio. “You’ll have to go down onto the snow, but there’s a sign that you can take a picture with.” She grinned. “We’re supposed to stop people unless they ask to come out here, so thank you for being polite.”

She left you a few moments later, you and Din making your way across the freshly groomed snow toward the clocktower at he bottom of the hill. “It’s not a mountain, but it looks like it’d be good for some long, easy runs.” He nodded. “I didn’t even know this was out here.”

“Not a lot of people do if they aren’t from here.” You saw the sign the closer you got, the laminated sheet stuck to the side of the tower and bearing the clue in its entirety. “But this is the right place, so good thinking.”

You snapped a picture of him first - the man standing with his hands on his hips and his head turned to the side, the slope visible behind him on one side and the tower present on the other. “Alright, lemme take one of you now.” He reached for the camera, his fingers making contact with yours. “Smile.” You did, climbing onto the stone bench below the tower and holding your hand up to highlight the sign, wrinkling your nose as you grinned. “Oh, wait!” He reached over, grabbing a spare set of poles and handing them to you. “She said we had to interact, so…”

You took them from him and raised both into the air, still grinning, and when Din took the picture, it only took you seconds to hop down, moving to stand next to him. “Alright, so that’s one down. What’s next?” He tucked the camera away and reached into his pocket for the clue list, handing it to you. You wasted no time in peeling the tape away from the second clue, eyes moving over the page. “Getting caught in a snowstorm without a shovel usually ends in a great deal of trouble. But even if you didn’t think ahead, you can find an extra one in this storage shed.”

“There are tons of storage sheds in Mistletoe. How are we -”

“There’s a community garden.” Your smile widened. “The shed there is so well stocked because people always take stuff there and leave it.” You reached for him, taking his hand and squeezing. “That’s where the next clue is.”

As you got back into his car a few minutes later, you realized that the bulk of your time was going to be spent driving between locations - and that you’d need to start finding the extra items whenever and wherever you could. When you told him as much, Din nodded, eyes on the road. “We’ll start as soon as we park at the garden.”

And you did - the two of you quickly making your way to the shed and finding the clue sheet, the pictures of the two of you there ones with both of you shoveling snow off of the path - Din tossing his over his shoulder with his eyes crinkling at the corners as he laughed.

On the way back to the truck, you managed to find three of the items on the list - a light up toy soldier yard decoration that Din stood next to, a Nativity scene that you crept across the snowy grass to crouch beside, pointing at the empty manger with one gloved hand, and a wire reindeer, Din using one of his long arms to take a selfie of the two of you on either side of it.

As you crossed off the items from the list while Din let the car idle, you eyed another car in the lot, frowning. “I think that car was at the ski resort, too.” He hummed and you used your chin to indicate which one you were talking about. “The SUV?” He squinted at it, but didn’t say anything right away.

“Well they said they had people with extra batteries, right? Maybe they have someone following each team, just in case.” You couldn’t remember that ever being the case before, and you were shocked that Din didn’t seem too worried, especially after the pictures from the week prior. “You don’t have to worry about being seen with me. Like I said, we’re partners. We aren’t doing anything …”

“I’m just trying to be respectful.” You wrinkled your nose. “I don’t want the Mand’alor to be pissed at me for putting his successor into a compromising position.”

“A compromising position would be me leaning over and kissing you right now in broad daylight.” Your head whipped to the side, eyes going wide. “Which is something I really want to do.”

“Oh, I, if…” You couldn’t deny that you wanted him to - the kiss in your hallway that morning had been too brief for your liking. “But I don’t want you to break your rules, Din. I… anyone could see. If another team pulls up, they …”

“They’ll be focused on the clues.” He mumbled the words, reaching over with one hand as he leaned in. “Just let me kiss you, alright?” You certainly weren’t going to tell him no, and so only moments later, the two of you were connected, his lips parted so that the tip of his tongue could poke out between them, yours also parted to receive it. He deepened it without delay, the man’s hand rising to cradle the back of your head as his tongue slipped into your mouth.

You didn’t know how much time had passed before Din backed away, drawing in a deep breath, but you wouldn’t have cared if it had been an hour. The taste of him on your tongue and the feel of his soft hair beneath your fingertips was worth more than any number of points you could have collected in the same amount of time. But we need to get going. We need to keep… “Din…” It came out low, the sound of your voice almost hoarse. “I remember a couple weeks ago you wouldn’t kiss me in this truck, and now …”

“Now I know what I was missing.” He pressed his lips to yours again, taking a deep breath before he let go and straightened up. “Go ahead and read the third clue.” Peeling that tape back too, you knew the answer before you’d even finished

“Sky above and ground below, it’s a popular place for families to go. Eyes open, there’s much to see - make sure you don’t leave without the perfect tree!” Biting your lip, you nodded. “It’s the tree farm. Not the lot, where we went, but the farm that they get the trees from. There’s a ton of stuff for kids and families to do on the property, so a lot of people go there instead of the lot. They make a whole day of it.”

“Do you think there’s anything else there we can take pictures of?” He pulled his hat off, running his fingers through his hair. “The lights, maybe? Or the wreath?”

“Probably.” You leaned back, typing in the name of the farm into your GPS and hitting “go”. “This one’s about 20 minutes away, Din. We’ve got some time, so maybe we’ll see some of the things on the list on our way.”

—

You watched out the window as he drove, keeping an eye out for the extra stuff, but there was no point in stopping - everything was right up by people’s houses, or in the middle of fields with nowhere to park. This might be harder than I thought.

And though you’d figured the tree farm would have been empty on December 23, you were wrong - you and Din only finding a parking space almost all the way at the end of the lot, the man carefully weaving around families to pull the truck between the lines. “Well this is shitty.” He groaned as you watched people walk by, some of them lugging trees and others carrying garlands and other decorations. “At least I see wreaths, so…”

“Yeah.” You swallowed the remaining coffee in your cup. “Want to brave it, Din?” It took him a few seconds but he finally agreed, and a minute later the two of you had joined the throngs of people heading for the main barn. That time, though, Din actually took and held your hand, his fingers laced with yours to keep you close. You squeezed it back before turning your head to look at him, unsure of what to say. “We can skip this one if you want to, Din. It’s only fifteen points. We -”

“No, we’re here.” Pulling you closer, he shook his head. “It’s got to be something with the trees, right? So we don’t need to look around the barn, just go -”

“Yes we do, because there’s decorations in the barn.” Murmuring, you pointed with your free hand. “A sleigh. And there’s wreaths, and…” He steered you off in that direction and within ten minutes, you’d managed to take pictures with four other items. You sitting in a sleigh and pretending to steer it and Din’s face in the center of a massive wreath, his nose scrunched up and lip curled into a silly expression that you knew was only partially for show were the first two.

An employee took a photo of the two of you holding up stockings, and you managed to take one of both of you in a mirror, a wall of ornaments spread out behind you to round out the set.

With every picture you took, you were more and more upset that you wouldn’t get to keep them - especially the one of him and the wreath and both of you and the reindeer, because they were good pictures. Well they’ll be on the site, probably. At least some of them… so I’ll get to see them.

Knowing that helped, but it still wasn’t enough.

Din stayed quiet as you headed out the back doors and toward the trees, the man never letting go of your hand even as people milled around you. “There’s too many damn people here.” He leaned in, speaking quietly into your ear. “If we don’t find this thing in five minutes, I think we should -”

“Yeah. We’ll go.” You shivered, pressing yourself as close to Din as you could get. “Now I know not to come here on the 23rd, this is ridiculous.” He hummed in agreement, and when you finally stepped back outside, you sucked in a deep breath, closing your eyes.

You didn’t mind crowds - usually - but combined with the anxiety you felt about the event itself and completing it and the emotions that had been building over the previous weeks because of what was happening between you and Din, the experience was overwhelming. I need to get out of here. I need to -

“Hey.” He said your name, paused and then said it again, the man stepping backwards and pulling you with him. “Look at me.”

You did, opening your eyes and chewing on the inside of your lip. “Din, I -”

“Do you need to go? Do we need to leave?” There was no accusation or judgment in his tone, and you knew that he was genuinely concerned. “You look like you’re about to lose it, Wero.” That made you smile, and with a slight shake of your head you pulled your hand free and then removed your gloves, sticking them into your pocket.

“I’ll be alright once we leave here.” You looked around, scanning the crowd. “I’m just … There’s a lot going on, Din.” Again, it wasn’t the whole truth, but if the look on his face was any indication, he understood that you meant more than the competition and busy tree lot. “There’s a shed that’s about twenty feet into the trees where they keep the supplies, and I bet the clue’s there.”

He said nothing as he followed you through the crowd and across the snow, the already fallen flakes crunching beneath your boots. And you knew you were right when you saw another team heading back in your direction, the camera held in one man’s hand and the other staring down at the sheet of paper she held.

Din nudged you and you gave him a genuine smile, the two of you hurrying down the aisle - and just as you expected, there was a large sign hung on the back side of the shed, trees leaning on either side of it. “We can ask someone to take the picture for us, and then we can get the hell out of here.” Din turned his head, searching for an employee. “I’ll go and -”

“No, Din.” You shook your head again, pointing. “Just stand next to the sign and I’ll take it for us. It - “

“Need a picture?” A woman’s voice came from behind you, and when you turned you were met with three smiling faces, one of them belonging to one of your coworkers. “If you give me the camera, I’ll take it for you.” After a quick glance at Din, you pulled the camera from your coat pocket and handed it to her, letting out a long breath as you pressed your back to the building. “I’ll take two, that way even if one isn’t great, you’ve got one to turn in.”

“Thank you.” Din moved to stand next to you, one arm around your shoulders - the other reaching for one of the trees and pulling it closer. You didn’t even think about it - leaning into his side and taking a second deep breath, lungs filling with the scent of pine and the crisp afternoon air.

And when the woman’s countdown started, both of her kids standing next to her and cheering, you laughed out loud, closing your eyes briefly before you looked up at Din, the smile still on your face. Three down. He looked at you, too, his smile easy, and even though it was brief, the man winking before he faced forward again, it helped. Like it always does.

“There you go.” She lowered the camera and Din released the tree, both of you stepping forward at the same time. “Let me know if they -”

“I’m sure they’re fine. Thank you again.” He took the device, not even bothering to check the picture before he pocketed it. “See you at work next week?” She agreed, and before you could thank her, too, the three of them were heading down the path and deeper into the trees. “Alright, lets get the fuck out of here and back to my truck.”

He pulled you through the bustling crowd, hurrying across the snowy surface of the parking lot, and when you were finally shut away from the rest of the people present, you let out another long sigh that turned into a groan, burying your face in your hands. “That was bad, Din. I don’t…” His hand landed on your back, the man rubbing slow circles against it though your jacket. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what -”

“It’s fine. We got what we needed. We got a bunch of extras, too. We’re good. We’re halfway done, and it’s not even 1:30 yet. Plenty of time left.” He spoke quietly, leaning over. “We can take a couple minutes. Just sit here.” He paused, his hand still on your back. “Or if you want to tell me what’s really going on, you can do that, too.”

You didn’t want to - but you felt like you owed it to him to be honest, especially with what he’d told you about himself. “I feel like everything’s catching up to me at once.” Sitting straight up, you turned your head to look at him. “The holiday, the competition, whatever this is between us… it’s all just… hitting hard, and I didn’t expect it to.”

He stayed quiet, staring at you, and just before you opened your mouth to speak again, Din beat you to it, his hand rising from where it rested to grip the back of your neck, the warmth of his thumb as it arced over your skin just as comforting as the pressure of his other fingers. “I didn’t want that to happen. I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.” He was unsure of what to say - you could see it on his face and hear it in his faltering voice, the man’s brows pulled together in concern. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No.” Swallowing, you looked down. “No, I’m going to have to figure this one out on my own. Enjoy it while it lasts, and … and try to prepare myself for -”

“You know that when I go back to Mandalore, it doesn’t mean I’m gone, right?” He swiped at his face with his left hand. “Things will change and I won’t be in Mistletoe anymore, but -”

“Din, there’s a difference between a long distance relationship and having to try and schedule visits across continents between royal events and engagements.” You took a breath, eyeing the windshield. “I think my problem is that because we’re spending so much time together now, I’m … I’m letting myself imagine that it could stay like this, even though I know it can’t. And that’s a me problem, because you’re not doing anything to make me think that, it’s just …”

“I think about that too.” He laughed, lowering his head and tightening his grip on your neck before he released it. “Think about how easy it is with you. Think about how much fun we’ve had. I think about … how if I was staying here, it would be so easy to make this more, and how much I’d like that. How much Grogu would like that. And it just … It isn’t fair, but you’re not … you’re not alone in feeling that way or thinking about the things we said we wouldn’t.”

“Great.” Speaking softly, you reached up to pinch the bridge of your nose. “And that’s not sarcasm, Din. I’m … it’s good to know that I’m not the only one going against everything we decided.” It was somewhat of a relief. You felt marginally better to know that despite clearly laying out the rules for moving forward and understanding exactly what to expect from Din’s final few months in Mistletoe, Din was just as conflicted about it - and the way he felt - as you were. “I’ll be fine, Din. Like I said, it’s just everything happening all at once, and a month ago, you and I weren’t even friends, and …”

“I get it.” He squeezed the steering wheel with both hands, the leather creaking under the grip of his fingers. “If you need anything, I’m… I don’t know what I can do, but I’m here.” Telling him you appreciated it, you closed your eyes and steeled yourself. Get over it. Get it together and finish this competition. You can be sad later.

“I’m going to read the fourth clue, alright?” He started the truck while you peeled the tape back, eyes fixed on the words on the page. “There’s more to it than meets the eye, and plenty of things for you to buy. This isn’t a place just for a snack, if you’re here, you can also bring something back.”

“A store?” He was facing forward, lower lip pushed out into a pout. “A restaurant? Is there a place that’s both?” There are lots of places that it could be, but… You scanned the page again, teeth biting down against your lower lip.

“The ‘more to it than meets the eye’ part is the real clue.” You tapped your fingers against the paper. “It’s got to be a place that looks like something else, but…” Closing your eyes, you ran through a list of businesses in your mind - and then, only a few seconds later, got it. “The bookstore. There’s a cafe inside of it, which is the snack part. You can buy books and games, but you can also trade them in, which could be the bringing back part.” Yeah, this is it. This is … “That’s got to be it, Din.”

“Where’s the bookstore?” Turning his head toward you, he waited. “I know about the library, but -”

“It looks like a bank.” You grinned, leaning forward to type the address into the GPS on his phone, which was in the dash mount again. “It used to be a bank, and when it became the bookstore, they never remodeled the front.”

Din was already driving, and when you settled back into your seat, eyes on the road, you let your mind wander.

Telling him what was bothering you had felt good - better than you’d expected it to. His admission that he felt the same was a welcome one, even though it didn’t exactly make you happy that both of you were much more uncertain about the situation than you’d thought you’d be. We should stop this. We should stop this before it gets worse. “Are you hungry? If there’s food here, we can grab something to eat before we go to the next clue.”

“Maybe. They make really good sandwiches in the cafe, but it usually takes a little while. And we don’t really have the time to -”

“It won’t be busy.” He glanced over, lips twitching into a smirk. “Everyone’s at the tree farm.” That made you laugh again, the sound continuing as Din reached over with one hand to take yours and squeeze, his fingers falling into place between yours even though he never looked away from the road. “I’m serious, though, we should eat something.”

“Yeah, I’m kind of hungry. I brought some snacks, maybe I’ll -” You pulled your hand free, reaching down between your feet for the cooler. “Do you want anything? I have some string cheese and a couple of those adult Lunchables. I can open something for you.”

“String cheese.” He wrinkled his nose. “Grogu loves those. I don’t usually get to eat them without him begging.” You snorted at that and reached for one, peeling the wrapper back and then holding it out for him. “Thanks.” He took it from you and then bit down, the man only glancing over when he’d stopped at a red light. “What’s with that look?”

“You’re a monster.” Curling your lip in mock disgust, you gaped at him. “Biting into it? Who does that?”

“I’m not going to peel it while I’m driving. This is about convenience and safety.”

“Next thing you’ll tell me is that you just bite into a Kit-Kat instead of breaking it apart, or eat burritos from the center out, or -”

“No way. Maker, that would be weird.” He pulled into the parking lot, finally turning his head toward you when he was stopped. “The string cheese is only because I was in the car. You’ll see next time.” He pulled the keys, gesturing to the building. “At least this one we won’t have to look too hard for the clue.”

He was right - you found it less than a minute after you entered the building, both of you beelining it straight for the cafe portion of the building and taking your pictures - books and coffee mugs in hand - before you headed back for the main doors. “Wait a minute.” You stopped him as soon as you reached his truck. “Din, we’ve had presents in the truck this whole time.”

He caught on immediately, unlocking the doors and reaching for the box before he pulled it open, lifting Grogu’s wrapped basket and holding it with two hands. “Take the picture!” He grinned over the top of the basket, the man holding it tightly. “Ok, your turn.”

When you traded the camera for the basket, you gave him a large smile, the cellophane crinkling beneath your fingers. “That’s got to be half of them, right?” Tucking the basket back into the box next to his stocking, you climbed in and onto the seat next to him, crossing it off of the list before you spoke.

“That’s eight out of 20. We need to find more. I think we should have at least 6 more just to be safe.” Din reached over, taking the sheet from you. “I don’t know where we’ll see a sled, or find a train, but -”

“Well I think we’ll find a sled pretty easily.” He nodded, shaking the paper gently. “The next clue. “Grab the rope and hold on tight - building speed’s a true delight. Make sure to cover your ears and head when you’re flying down this hill on an old fashioned sled.” That seems too easy.”

“There are three sledding hills around Mistletoe, so we need to figure out which one is the right one.” It was the first truly difficult clue of the day, and you didn’t know which one to recommend. “Building speed…it has to be one of the larger ones, and the cover your head… hmm.”

“Wear a hat? Earmuffs? What does that one mean?”

“The middle sized hill has places for people to stand and throw snowballs…” You trailed off, head cocking to the side. “Maybe that’s what they mean? Cover your ears and head so that you don’t get hit?”

“That’s good enough for me.” He scratched the side of his head. “Tell me how to get there?”

“It’s at that park by your house, actually. There’s a trail through the woods from the main parking lot, or you can go up Aspen and park up there. So if you wanted to stop and let Grogu out on the way, we can. We pass your -”

“Can I bring him to the last couple clues? If this is five, that means the final one is going to drop everything off, so the only thing between that would be finding the extra stuff.”

“Yes.” Your face lit up - you knew it did. “Yeah, I think it would be fun to have him here. He’d probably love to see everyone sledding.” Din put the car into drive and headed for his house, navigating smoothly through the streets until he pulled into his driveway. “Can I come in and use your bathroom?”

“Of course.” He got out of the truck and then grabbed the box from the back seat. “Take my keys.” He popped a hip and you glanced down, seeing the fob sticking out of his jacket pocket before you reached for it. “We can open them tonight after the carnival.”

It only took you a few minutes to do what you needed to in the house - Din dropping the box of gifts off on the table and slipping Grogu’s harness and leash on while you were in the bathroom. But before the two of you walked out the front door, he stopped you, fingers circling your wrist. “Yeah?”

“I meant what I said. You’re not the only one that isn’t doing what we talked about.” He looked down and then back up, understanding in his eyes. “I’ve never … this was not the plan.” It made you laugh, and before you could stop yourself you stepped closer, tilting your head so that you could press a kiss to his stubbled cheek. Grogu’s leash and tags rattled as Din wrapped one arm around you followed by the other, releasing your wrist and pulling you as close as he could.

Being in his arms was nice, and even though you knew you couldn’t linger, you did, giving yourself a few extra seconds before you leaned back, a smile tugging at your lips. “As much as I’d like to stay here with you, we’ve got a scavenger hunt to win.”

“We do.” He grinned, nodding. “Let’s go sledding.”

—

You found the sign at the sledding hill quickly - the three of you making your way down the path and to the open area, roughly twenty people including kids making use of the small slope. “But it’s at the top.” He frowned, pointing. “How are we -”

“I think they want us to go down the hill, Din.” Chewing on your lip, you sighed. “We’ll have to take turns holding Grogu, but …” We need a sled. “It’ll cross off two things at once.”

“It will.” He looked down, eyeing Grogu - who was sitting and watching the hill, ears perked up in alert. “But I don’t think we need to take turns. Grogu can ride down with us.” What? “There’s a sled at the top of the hill, and it’s leaning up against the sign.” He pointed with his free hand. “It’s big enough for both of us.” He pulled on Grogu’s leash. “Come on, the sooner we get done, the sooner we can start looking for the things on the list.”

You were wary - the two of you and a dog on the sled would be a tight fit, but you trusted him to know what Grogu would and wouldn’t do. So you made your way up the hill, watching as a few of the kids did pelt the others with snowballs on their trip down the sloped surface, thinking back to being a kid and doing the same for hours on snowy days. “Have you ever been sledding before, Din?”

“No.” He sighed as the three of you reached the sign - and the waiting sled, which was clearly new though it looked like the older ones did. “I have been skiing before, though. But sledding … Mandalore is very flat, so we wouldn’t go far if we tried.”

“Well then I’m glad I get to be around for your first experience.” You took a deep breath, turning to face him. “I have an idea.” He tilted his head, staring at you and waiting, Grogu mirroring the pose. “The cameras take video. We’ll take a picture of us and the sled, but while we go down the hill? I can record a video of it. And that way … they’ll see that we did participate.”

“Yes.” His smile widened. “I like that.” Good, because that’s the only option. “Let’s go.” He urged you to the edge of the hill, dragging the sled on the ground behind him with one hand, Grogu’s leash in the other, and when he found a spot he liked, the man stopped. “Go ahead and get in.” He gestured to the sled. “Get comfortable.”

Easing down and into a sitting position, you moved to scoot back, but Din stopped you. “Din?”

“You’re in front. My legs are longer.” Staring up at him, you parted your lips in surprise. “What?”

“I just thought you’d want to hold onto him.” Grogu stepped forward, paws skipping over the snow and his tongue hanging out. “In case anything -”

“You won’t let anything happen to him.” Din winked. “I trust you.” Before you could reply, Din pointed with one hand. “O’r, Grogu. Sheber.” The dog hopped over the edge of the sled and plopped down in front of you, his nails clicking on the wooden surface. “Give me that camera.” You complied without question, Din taking it - and handing over the leash in the same movement. “Look at me.”

You did, turning your head again and looking up, one arm wrapped around Grogu’s body, the dog whining quietly as he, too, tilted his head up - almost like he was posing. The camera flashed, Din lowering it with a smile on his face. But instead of climbing in behind you, he reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, holding it up. “What are you -”

“Want this one for me.” He raised a brow. “Grogu’s fist time in a sled?” Your smile widened as another laugh tumbled out of your mouth, and you knew without a doubt that Din had captured the moment - the man nodding once at his phone’s screen before he tucked it away and lowered himself into the sled behind you. You felt it as he scooted closer, his legs caging you in, one arm reaching around your body to take the end of Grogu’s leash again, winding it around his hand and wrist. “Here.” He held the camera out with the other one, waiting until you took it to continue. “Make sure it’s on video, and then I’ll give us a push.”

You did as he asked, and when you’d turned the camera back to point at you, tilting it down to capture Grogu and then righting it so that you and Din were - hopefully - in the frame, you nodded. “Alright, Din.”

You started moving soon after, Din using his free hand to push you forward until the nose of the sled tilted over the top of the hill and then down, the man wrapping that arm around the other side of your body and pressing his palm against your stomach.

You leaned back as you began the journey toward the bottom, the air cold against your skin as you picked up speed, Grogu’s excited yips loud in your ears. You tried to pay attention as you slid down the hill, but all you could focus on was the way Din held you against his body, the man’s chest broad and solid behind you, his touch firm as he kept you close, the man’s hand - fingers curled around Grogu’s leash - resting against your opposite thigh. This could be any winter day. This feels like … like another date.

And despite the fact that you knew it could only hurt when it ended, you didn’t try to force yourself to stop thinking that way, your lips parting in a quiet gasp when your sled hit a small bump and picked up even more speed. Din swore from behind you, and the hand not holding the camera tightened against Grogu’s body, your gloved fingers slipping beneath the front of the harness to secure him.

When you landed at the bottom of the hill, the shift in weight caused you to tip over, Din not letting go as you tumbled into the snow, both of you laughing as your legs tangled together. “That was fun. I want to do that again.” He mumbled the words from behind you as you struggled to sit up, pressing the button on the camera to stop the recording. “And I think Grogu liked it too.”

You wouldn’t argue that - the dog was rolling around in the powdery snow at the base of the hill, his legs up in the air as Din let the leash go slack. “He did.” Pushing up and into a sitting position, you looked down at where the man was still laying on the snow, his legs atop the back of the sled, the top half of his body against the ground. “If we don’t get up, we’re going to get run over.” Wrinkling your nose, you straightened further. “These kids are ruthless, Din.”

He laughed but nodded as you disentangled yourselves, Din waiting until you were both standing to hand you the leash again. “Hold onto him while I go and put this sled back. It’s only fair.” He didn’t give you a chance to argue, and even though you did as he asked - holding tight to the loop of rope, you kept an eye on the man, watching as he made his way back up the hill, sled in tow.

“Your dad’s having a lot of fun today, Grogu.” The dog was still nosing at the snow though he’d stopped rolling, keeping his snout buried in the powder, paws flat against the ground. “And so am I.”

It was the truth - despite the sadness and uncertainty, it was one of the best days you’d had with anyone in a long time, and you were sad that it was coming to an end. We still have tonight, though. While you waited, you turned the camera back on and opened the video, unable to conceal a smile at he sight of your faces on the screen, all of you mostly visible, though your body obscured a lot of Din’s - and you were only able to see Grogu from the shoulders up.

The video was somewhat shaky, but it was clear that you were sledding, and your smile grew at the sight of Din’s radiant one, the man’s cheeks full and the deep lines at the corners of his eyes evidence that he was truly enjoying himself. “You’re smiling.” He came back, interrupting you a minute later. “Why?”

“It’s a good video.” He leaned over your shoulder to watch, one hand settled against your lower back. “Look how happy you are.”

“Look at Grogu.” At the sound of his name, the dog’s ears perked up, both of you looking down. “We’ll have to come sledding again, pal.” When you turned the camera off and slipped it into your pocket, you turned to face Din, the man glancing down at his watch. “It’s almost 3. We should -”

“Yeah.” The moment broken, you gestured toward the trail. “We should go back to the car and see what the last clue is.” He let you keep Grogu’s leash as you walked, the two of you close as you headed toward the truck. “We can figure out our game plan before we leave the parking lot. Six more might be pushing it, though.”

“We’ll see.” He unlocked the doors, opening one and letting Grogu hop in before he shut it. “I’m not worried.” You could tell he really wasn’t, the man’s expression serious as he stared at you. “We’ll have all six clue locations, at least 9 extra finds, and a five point lead.” Din paused, wetting his lips. “Look, we’ve worked together really well, and if we couldn’t find all of the extra stuff, I bet no one else could, either.”

It helped - though you weren’t 100% convinced - and so you nodded, getting into the truck and reaching for the lists. “Ok, so the last actual clue… “Music and lights and Christmas magic in the air, end your day in the town square. Prove to us that you found the clues - and drop them off where you pay your dues.”

“That’s easy enough. Just go to where the tree is, right? And there will be somewhere to drop -”

“Yes and no.” You folded the paper in half, turning your head to look at him. “It will be in the square, but not by the tree. Pay your dues is the real clue here, and I’m thinking it’s going to be the tax office, which would make sense because it means people can wait inside for the teams to come through.”

“I can see why this is your favorite event.” Din started the truck, lifting and then letting his shoulders drop. “You’re good at figuring these clues out.”

“That’s what happens when you’ve lived in the same town your entire life.” Resting one elbow on the inside of the door, you looked down at the list of extra items, eyes scanning the page. “You know all of the ins and outs, and can figure out what people are talking about when they talk in code.”

“Do you want to travel?” He pulled out and onto the road, both hands on the wheel. “Where would you like to go?”

“Everywhere.” You sighed, one fingertip on the sheet of paper. “I’d just need the time off and the money to do it. I wouldn’t mind going alone, but that just means it would cost me more for hotels and all that, so planning is … it’d take some time.” The man was silent when you finished, staring straight ahead. “You’ll get to travel a lot once you’re Mand’alor, right?”

“Yes. A lot around the country, and then even more around the area to meet with other nobility.” He sighed. “And even though I won’t have to worry about any of the planning, and I won’t be alone… I understand where you’re coming from. Being with a team is different than going on a vacation.” It is. “I planned this whole thing living here by myself, though.”

“Did you?” You were keeping an eye out for the bonus items - paying attention to what he was saying but not looking at Din. “How’d you choose this place?”

“I saw pictures of it. And I wanted to go somewhere small and out of the way, It looked … right.” He didn’t elaborate - but you had to agree. Did it feel right when you got here, Din? “It was a good choice. It’s been quiet here, and I… enjoyed the time I spent in Mistletoe.” Good. You were both quiet then, the conversation at a natural stopping point - until Din lifted a hand, extending one finger. “Snowmen. Those are on the list, right?”

“They are.” Closing your eyes, you tilted your head back and then let out a sigh. “Pull over, Din.”

—

Just under 45 minutes later, you were parked at the town square, the two of you poring over the list. You’d managed to cross off six additional items after the snowman, leaving you with only three to go - and less than fifteen minutes to turn your proof of completion in. “We don’t have time to look for any of these, so … seventeen is going to have to be enough.”

“Yeah.” You’d parked as close as you could to the entrance of the tax office, wanting to give yourself no chance of missing the cutoff. “So you can stay outside with Grogu while I go inside, if you want. I just need to drop the camera and sheet off, and then we’re done until tonight.” You took a breath. “We did our best, right?”

“We did.” He reached over, squeezing your knee. “Partner.”

With a laugh, you unbuckled your seatbelt and then got out, glancing over at the people that were working to finish setting up the square for that night’s events and carrying the camera and both lists with you. You didn’t look back before stepping through the doors and into the lobby - but you stopped in your tracks when you saw what was just inside. “Shit.”

There was the sheet with the final clue propped up on an easel next to the decorated tree in the lobby, but right next to it was a seventh and final clue. Shit, how is this going to work? You rubbed at your forehead and then looked down, frowning at what you held in your hands. “Where’s your partner?”

A young woman was sitting behind the counter, her chin propped up on one hand. “He’s… outside. We stopped and got his dog for the last few clues, and …” And we weren’t just going to walk in here with a dog. “So I said I’d turn everything in.” She tilted her head, waiting. “Any way I can just -”

“Nope.” She popped the ‘p’, shaking her head as she sat all the way up. “Both partners have to be in the proximity of the clue for it to count.” Figures.

“Then I guess I’ll just turn these in.” You winced at the thought of missing out on fifteen guaranteed points - and the fifteen points for the 6th clue, especially when you knew that the other teams would all be able to complete the task. But you weren’t going to suggest Din leave Grogu in the car in the cold, even for a few minutes. And he wouldn’t… he wouldn’t let a picture get taken of this anyway. “Do I need to sign something? I -”

“There’s no one else in here.” She gestured with one hand, blinking slowly. “And there’s no rule about dogs not being allowed in the lobby…” She raised an eyebrow. “You have a few minutes left.”

In a split second, you made your decision, turning and hurrying toward the doors, camera still in hand. Din’s head shot up when you stepped outside, a look of confusion on his face, but you were already speaking by the time he saw you. “There’s a final clue inside. Fifteen more guaranteed points, but we both have to go in. I was ready to just skip it, because I wasn’t going to ask you to put Grogu into the car, but the girl inside said -”

“What’s the clue?” He moved toward you, Grogu’s leash held tight in his hands. “Why is it -”

“Come on. You can see for yourself and then decide if you want to do the picture.” Your heart beating rapidly, you gestured for him to follow you. “She said that since no one else is in there, we can take him in.”

He followed you wordlessly, and you felt your heartbeat quicken, though you were comforted by the fact that you’d told him he could make the decision. “Well shit.” He stopped just behind you, the man groaning. “I should have known.”

“I can take the picture for you, but it has to be of you.” The girl stepped through the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. “I have very specific instructions, and there are cameras in the lobby, so…”

“Yeah. I figured.” Din sighed, glancing down at Grogu and then at you. “I can’t…”

“I know.” You reached out, laying a hand on his arm. “It’s fine, Din.” Giving yourself a few seconds to think, you eyed the sign - the clue taunting you in big, bold lettering. “If it’s victory you’re seeking, don’t miss out on this: get a bonus for sharing a Christmas kiss.” You shook your head, opening your mouth to tell the girl you’d just turn the other items in when she spoke again, crouching down next to Grogu and cautiously holding a hand out.

“You’re so damn cute, little guy, I could spent hours kissing that nose of yours.” Wait a minute. Your attention snapped back to Din, and you saw the recognition in his eyes immediately, his brows shooting up.

“We’re gonna need you to take that picture after all.” She looked up, still smiling. “You can pet him all you want after, but…”

The girl rose to a standing position and then reached out, taking the camera from your hand as Din bent down, scooping the dog up and cradling him against his chest. “This counts, right? It just says a kiss, not that we have to kiss, right?”

“I… technically, yeah. It’s a kiss under mistletoe, so…” She was grinning as the two of you moved into place under the hanging plant - one clue visible on each side of his body, Din shifting Grogu so that he was between you. He wasn’t struggling in the man’s arms - something you were shocked to see, and when Din spoke to him in a quiet voice, telling the dog to cuyir su, you wondered what it meant. “Ok, I’ll count down from five…”

She started her countdown and you turned, reaching out to put your hand on Din’s arm for balance as you rose onto your toes, aiming your lips at the side of Grogu’s face. Din shifted on his other side, and you hoped that the picture was as perfect as you assumed it would be - the dog sandwiched between your bodies as Din’s strong arms held him aloft.

You wished that you were kissing Din - but Grogu was a worthy substitute, and you couldn’t stop yourself from pressing another kiss to his fur even as the girl told you she got it. “Grogu, dinuir kaysh a mureyca.” The dog yipped happily and turned his head, his warm tongue making contact with your cheek as he licked at your face, finally wiggling around in Din’s arms as he man stepped back, laughing.

You laughed, too, as he set him down on the ground - tail wagging furiously, and let yourself watch him for a few seconds before turning back to the girl. “Thanks for that.” She waved her hands and went back behind the counter, sliding into the chair and reaching for both sheets of paper, turning the camera on and scrolling back to the beginning of your photo album.

“So we’re going over this together. I can see that you have turned in images that correspond with the clues and locations - and with the bonus items.” She paused, marking the back of your clue sheet with her pen. “You made it to all of the clue locations?”

“Yeah. All of them, and then we got 17 of the bonus items.” You cleared your throat. “And then the mistletoe.” She marked that on the sheet too - and then initialed it, looking back up at you. “Are we the last ones to turn our stuff in?”

“No, there are a few teams that haven’t gotten here yet. They -” She looked past you at the sound of the door opening, her lips curving up into a smile. “One of them just walked in.” Perfect timing. “Guess I’ll have to pet the little guy later, hmm?” You chuckled and nodded, the girl pointing at a place on the paper for you to initial. “Go ahead and have your partner come over and sign this too, and then you’re good to go. The results will be announced tonight at the festival.”

Thanking her, you spun away from the desk and walked back to Din, reaching for the leash as you traded places. We’re done. We finished. Grinning as you walked out of the office - and past the team that was waiting, you and Din stepped back onto the sidewalk and then stopped halfway to the truck, turning to face each other.

“We did it.” His smile was wide, the man raising a hand to swipe it through his hair. “That was a lot of fun.” It was. “How do you think we did?”

“The best we could.” You shrugged, watching as another team pulled up, the two of them running down the sidewalk and past you. “I’m glad we got here when we did, though. We would have been waiting in line to turn everything in.”

“Me too.�� He shuffled forward, narrowing his eyes and giving you a tiny frown. “What are we going to do for the next three hours?”

“We?” Raising a brow, you cocked your head to one side. “Thought you’d want to spend a couple hours by yourself after the scene I made today at the tree farm, and -”

“No way.” He reached out, head shaking back and forth. “You didn’t make a scene. It was … too busy. I’m glad we didn’t have Grogu there.” He paused, his frown softening. “He wouldn’t have liked it much.”

“That makes two of us.” You were relieved at the way he was reacting, and even though you knew that you didn’t need to, you opened your mouth to apologize to the man again. “I’m sorry about earlier, Din. I didn’t mean to overreact in the car, but like I said, everything’s … it’s just coming up at once, and I let it get to me.”

“I’m going to have to deal with things like that all the time once I take the throne.” He sighed. “People crowding me, getting close. I’ll have to make public appearances, and …” And that’s not you at all. “And I’m not looking forward to it.”

The more you learned about Din’s life and his upcoming responsibilities, the more you understood just how indebted to Boba Fett he was - and how much your friend respected the other man’s wishes. He didn’t seem to want any of the things that came along with becoming Mand’alor, but the man’s desire to do what was right and what was expected of him came first.

“You’ll have people around you to help, Din.” Swallowing, you reached forward, holding Grogu’s leash out to give yourself a reason to extend your hand. “They’ll ease you into it and be there when you need them, like you were for me today.”

He gave you a sad smile, his eyes focused on your face. “It’s good to have someone.” Din took the leash from you but Grogu didn’t move, the dog sitting on the ground beside your feet and looking up at Din, ears cocked back. “Do you want to come over to my place until we have to come back? It’s only a couple hours, but we can grab dinner on the way back. I have to feed Grogu, but that way you can give him the present that you bought him before we leave.”

“Yeah.” You bit your lip, nodding. “Yeah, that… I’d like to see that.” Looking down at the dog, you let yourself get distracted for a few seconds, only raising your gaze when you heard Din suck in a breath, and saw his fingers flexing around the loop of rope he held. “Din? What -

When you looked up, he was looking past you, his mouth hanging open. What’s going on? The man blinked, his shoulders going rigid, and when he finally spoke, you whipped your head around at the sound of his voice, searching for the subject of his focus. “Fennec? What are you doing here?”

—

o’r: in

sheber: sit

cuyir su: be still

dinuir kaysh a mureyca: give her a kiss

---

Tag list reblog coming soon!

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korstudying · 1 year

Text

Day 28 || Full study plan

Practice makes perfect 🇰🇷✨

안녕하세요! 🌟 Are you ready for another week of practicing what you've learned? 📚 Here's a list of examples to practice this week's grammar points with:

1. 기로 하다 - To Make a Decision to [Do Something]

1.1. I've decided to change jobs. 1.2. She's made up her mind to study abroad. 1.3. We're at a crossroads and have decided to move. 1.4. He's resolved to start exercising regularly. 1.5. They're making a decision to learn a new language.

2. 으려던 참이다 - To Have Been About to [Do Something]

2.1. I was about to leave when you called. 2.2. She was about to tell me the news. 2.3. We were about to go out, but it started raining. 2.4. He was about to finish the project before the power went out. 2.5. They were about to start cooking when the ingredients ran out.

3. ㄴ/는다고 하다 - To Say [Someone] Said [Something]

3.1. She said he's coming to the party. 3.2. They said the movie is really good. 3.3. He said he'll be late due to traffic. 3.4. I heard she said the restaurant has amazing food. 3.5. We were told they said the concert is sold out.

4. ㄹ/을 것 같다 - To Seem Like [Something] Will Happen

4.1. It seems like it will rain later. 4.2. He seems like he'll pass the exam. 4.3. It looks like they'll arrive on time. 4.4. She seems like she'll win the competition. 4.5. It appears that the event will be successful.

5. 것 같으면서 - While Feeling Like [Something]

5.1. While feeling like I should rest, I went for a walk. 5.2. While feeling like I'm not ready, I took the challenge. 5.3. While feeling like it's a risk, I invested in the project. 5.4. While feeling like I lack experience, I accepted the offer. 5.5. While feeling like I'm not skilled enough, I accepted the task.

6. (으)니까 - Because/So [Reason], [Result]

6.1. Because it's raining, I'll stay home. 6.2. I'm tired, so I'll go to bed early. 6.3. Because I have an appointment, I can't join you. 6.4. Because I'm busy, I won't be able to help. 6.5. I'll wear a coat because it's cold outside.

Let's infuse these captivating expressions into our conversations and elevate our Korean learning! ✨ If you have questions or crave more examples, feel free to reach out. Happy learning and exploring 🌈📖💬

#Learn #Learning #Language Learning #langblr #vocabulary #studyblr #vocab #koreanblr #studying #study #words #language #korean #StudyWithMe #SWM #30 day challenge

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raven-at-the-writing-desk · 2 years

Note

hello ms raven!!,sorry if this ask is strange but I thought id ask it anyways but do you know of any post,or source of the twst boys heights in feet??,my brain gets confused trying to do the calculations and sometimes the converters arent all that helpful 😭

***IMPORTANT NOTES/DISCLAIMERS:***

This data only includes the characters listed in the official height chart poster that comes in the back of the TWST Magical Archives art book (see image).

Neige and some others aren’t included in this since the Magical Archives came out before episode 5 and some event stories did.

I believe the heights are inclusive of additional features (beastmen ears, Malleus’s horns, hats). The heights listed for characters with additional features may not be their “true” heights.

Idia slouches, but it seems that his height (not slouching) is accurate at 183 cm.

From shortest to tallest:

Grim — 70 cm or 2 ft, 2 in

Cheka — 103 cm or 3 ft, 4.6 in

Ortho — 148 cm or 4 ft, 10.3 in

Epel — 156 cm or 5 ft, 1.4 in

Lilia — 158 cm or 5 ft, 2.2 in

Riddle — 160 cm or 5 ft, 3 in

Kalim — 168 cm or 5 ft, 6.1 in

Ruggie — 171 cm or 5 ft, 7.3 in

Ace — 172 cm or 5 ft, 7.7 in

Deuce — 173 cm or 5 ft, 8.1 in

Vargas — 174 cm or 5 ft, 8.5 in

Jamil— 175 cm or 5 ft, 8.9 in

Cater, Azul, and Silver — 176 cm or 5 ft, 9.3 in

Rook — 177 cm or 5 ft, 9.7 in

Trein, Rollo, and Chenya — 178 cm or 5 ft, 10.1 in

Trey, Sam, Fellow — 181 cm or 5 ft, 11.3 in

Vil, Idia, and Crewel— 183 cm or 6 ft

Leona and Crowley— 185 cm or 6 ft, 0.8 in

Sebek — 188 cm or 6 ft, 2 in

Jade — 190 cm or 6 ft, 2.8 in

Floyd — 191 cm or 6 ft, 3.2 in

Jack — 192 cm or 6 ft, 3.6 in

Malleus — 202 cm or 6 ft, 7.5 in

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gunbun · 1 year

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ship lepus: fanfiction master post

Wherein I write about the blorbae.

I’m very awful and terrible at keeping these sorts of things up to date but BY GOD I’m going to try! Note: I don’t write stories in chronological order. Sorry. You can find all the fics right here if you just want to dive right in, but herein I attempt to organize them: Please take note of the tags when you click every link, my doods. Longer Stories, Usually The Porn With Some Non-Horny Literary Merit: Lepus Trilogy - a slightly alternate sequence of events after the Innocence fight in Shadowbringers, this is the ultimate catalyst for the ship. There’s lots of sex and mental rumination in here. When The Dust Settles - Patch 5.5/5.55 goes down right before Endwalker and Tiona and Urianger work through some things. Sex, mental rumination, marriage, and Estinien. Legitimate Sagacity - Post-Endwalker, but before 6.1. Tiona’s journey to becoming an Archon. Ever seen Real Genius? This is a kind of fandom fusion. There’s no full-on sex in this one, for a change. Smaller Serieses/Vignette Collections: About A Dog - did you know Tiona and Urianger have a dog? They have a dog. His name is Deke. He’s the goodest boy. Heritage Moments - these are basically vignettes that I wanted to share that don’t really fit anywhere else. Typically ship-centric. The Porn That I Can’t Even Pretend Has Some Non-Horny Literary Merit: Synastry - The One Where Urianger Gets Pegged Blue-Footed - The One With Boobies In Some Cases, Rabbits Make Excellent Starlight Presents - Happy Starlight, Let’s Have Sex.

#ship: lepus #my writing #fanfiction master post #oc: tiona eryut #wol x urianger

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icestarphoenix · 2 years

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'Florida''s Games

'Florida' has theoretically existed for centuries, and during that length of time comes the terrifying notion that he can get bored. Here are some of the games and activities he concocted to entertain himself.

Dropped off wanderers into Run For Your Life! and made bets to see how long they last.

Even if the victim makes it all the way to the end, ‘Florida’ will teleport them out right before they reach the door to make sure that they’ll always be able to play again.

As ‘Florida’ is an entity and not human, he bypasses the one instance per wanderer rule and can watch with some friends.

He has played this game with Greg too. He made it about two kilometers before ‘Florida’ had to bail him out. The “state” seemed to be pretty disappointed.

Teleported hostile entities in front of people to watch them fight to the death. ‘Florida’ sometimes lets them go if it’s the human that wins.

He doesn’t always make the matchup fair, especially for the human. He might teleport someone so that one of their limbs is clipped into a wall or the floor to give them a challenge.

‘Florida’ might also forgo including entities entirely and have wanderers pitted against each other instead.

Pushed people into the range of Entity 104 and watched what happened.

‘Florida’ does this often with other entities or hazardous areas too. You better pray a person with a bucket hat isn’t nearby when exploring a dangerous place, as you might just become his next toy to throw at a wall.

Frequently crashes Partygoer events in Level Fun. He’s pretty infamous among the Partygoers for this, so they stay away from him and try to keep themselves in his good graces.

Has thrown quite a few things into the Void for fun. Almond Water, furniture, entities, wanderers, food, ‘Florida’ chucks them all into the Void to see if anything fun happens.

He has tried to keep Hounds as pets. A past “staff member” did meet their end when ‘Florida’ held the leash just a little too loose. He’s also tried to “raise” a Hound from its youth by taking a poor wanderer and creating one himself.

Level 6.1 has the effect of pacifying him and preventing him from committing more violent acts, but that doesn’t stop ‘Florida’ from going around and causing chaos.

He’ll band together with child Facelings and run around to pull pranks and steal from human wanderers.

‘Florida’ and ‘Louisiana’ may go on binges and compete to see who can consume more food. ‘Loui’ always wins these contests, but the losers are always the overworked staff trying to keep up with the two of them.

NOTE: Food from Level 6.1 does not contribute to a Personification’s body mass. They can’t exploit the system and eat endless food for infinite mass to use.

#welcome to the table #welcome to the statehouse #ben brainard #wttt #wttsh #backrooms!au #tw death mention

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caelwynn · 5 months

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Callie finally caught the Mariner! Upon tracking him down, my her reaction was something like this:

On the one hand, it only took 16 days in-game to go from realizing Callie sat at 8-hearts with Sterling to purchasing the mermaid pendant. On the other other hand, it took 16 days in-game to purchase the mermaid pendant.

*grumbles* Stupid RNGesus not giving me a rainy day.

I hate the fact I missed my self-imposed deadline of his birthday. Well, I mean...

...technically I could have chosen to get married on Sterling's birthday, but that's a bit gauche, don't you think? Since it was happening later anyways, I instead opted to shoot for Summer 17, because I knew I'd remember the date.

Outright giddy to finally get ahold of the damned thing, Callie hurried back to the farm via the Cindersap Forest. And what did she stumble upon?

To be honest, my only regret was that not enough time had passed from Sterling's 6.1 heart event to trigger his 6.2 and 8-heart scenes just yet (they happened the next day). Because having that play out the evening before Callie bought the pendant and found Shane... *chef's kiss*

What? Give me that lovely, bitter angst to complement all of the sweet fluff.

All my 1.6 playthrough posts can be found here. If you're curious about Callie's 1.5 relationships with Sterling and Shane, look here for an ongoing series about her first year.

#stardew valley #sdv #stardew 1.6 #modded stardew valley #stardew valley screenshots #stardew sterling #sterling cooper #stardew shane #sdv shane #east scarp #always raining in the valley

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actualbird · 1 year

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Hello, i can’t stop thinking about all the dangling plot and character threads left by chapter 9, it’s taking up so much brain space man. Reading your thoughts about it has been really fun though so thanks for that!

I personally believe the main story timeline includes all the card stories available at launch (everything pre-qixi) as well as the first two personal story chapters of each guy.

But speaking of separate timelines (the way i see it), i really wonder what chapter 9 would look like in the world where lukerosa are dating. Because the main story cases would probably still occur in the other timelines and the NXX team would still go investigate them.

Like luke would probably be less aggressive and secretive and desperate and sad throughout… But also if the Oedipus here is the same Oedipus from luke’s personal story, then he’s either been caught, or they know his identity (daniel song, i think it was?) and have evidence against him. I feel like SO MUCH would be different.

Also, this verges on headcanon territory, but I like to imagine that in worlds where rosa started openly dating one of them from the 1st anniv, the boys get along slightly better because they’re no longer aggressively competing for her attention. A year should be enough time to move on (i have no idea tbh) but they’d still have a soft spot for her, something like that. So there’s that possibility to consider.

(Please hoyo… let them be friends… let them care for each other and actually like spending time together… i beg. The current relationships are complex and fascinating but I like it so much better when the love interests get along…)

Anyway, thanks for reading through this super long ask, i hope you have a wonderful day!

// spoilers for tot main story 9

hi anon!! hehe im glad my main story 9 ramblings have been enjoyable to read! im tryna calm down on them a bit because i realized i rambled a LOT AJHFSVASOFAL but in my defense….there was just SO much to chew on

as much as i didnt wanna think about timelines since it gives me a headache, i eventually did HAHA and i agree with you!! the first available card stories are also super aligned in to the beginning of main story (ex. in SR Timely Rescue, mc does not yet know that luke is an NSB agent, meaning that SR Timely Rescue must have happened before main story 5)

like in my brain, the now General Timeline Of Things That Possibly Happened In The Main Story Universe Are, In Order:

Main Story 1

Any and all of luke’s cards available at launch

Main Story 2

Any and all of vyn’s cards available at launch

Main Story 3

Any and all of artem’s cards available at launch

Main Story 4

Any and all of marius’ cards available at launch

Possibly all of the boys’ personal story sweet chapters 1-2

Main Story 5.1, 5.2, 5.3

ARTEM’S XMAS PARTYLAND CARD FOR SOME REASON??? (it was vaguely referenced in 6.2 and this never stops haunting me logistically)

Main Story 6.1, 6.2

Main Story 7

Main Story 8

Main Story 9

like, this timeline is the general thing my brain has accepted since it means that at least mc has Gotten To Know the boys more (and all the launch cards go after each boys' respective First main story focus episode because she'd need to be re-introduced/introduced to them first....though after main story 2, the boys' respective launch cards can get more shuffled. since in main story 2 she meets Both vyn and marius, and artem's can also be shuffled around since shes known him for a while already anyway) BUT has not yet started the deeper chain of events that trigger the boys’ respective character arcs (and also their romantic routes). but again this is….very general. very wibbly wobbly timey wimey. after making that chronological list i tried thinking about the event stories and then my brain just exploded so i’ll stop here HAHAKJFSKDJF

the AU of a chapter 9 after luke’s gone through both emotional development and also being less of a sad sack of shit thanks to mc is VERY INTERESTING TO ME. i agree on the pragmatism that the Oedipus investigation would be affected, theyd have people they can already question and leads that they could check through again. and on the emotional side……he’d be less aggressive deffo, but i still think he’d be quite upset and affected by everything. the big thing that interests me with chapter 9 and luke’s character is how his worsening illness changed his behavior so much. he’ll be doing Better having mc as his support and also having learned more honesty and vulnerability, but his progressing illness would still deffo have him on edge because currently....his illness has progressed and worsened Only in main story 9, nowhere else. his personal story sweet chapters dont mention it, his post-anniv cards dont mention it except for in SSR Dream of Benji but we're not shown any symptoms at all, much less new ones.

...man it's kinda sad to think about now honestly because right now, ch9!luke is the one who goes through the more intense version of the nightmare hes always been afraid of. and yet, hes also the only one without the support system and life outlook to help keep him afloat.....

//LOUD SOBBING

aNYHOO, i love ur hc on the boys having a Romantic Feels Armistice. frankly the timeframe of “moving on” varies a LOT, but all the boys care about mc deeply. itd hurt, yeah, but seeing her happy is most important ;w;

which is to say, I WILL NEVER STOP BELIEVING IN NXX INVESTIGATION TEAM DEEP FRIENDSHIP!!!!! NEVER!!!! //HOLDS ONTO THE TEAM GENTLY, PROTECTIVELY!!!! ;^;

#tot spoilers #the event stories are tough cuz...a bUNCH of them also reference the overarching nxx case!!! like SOTT and BTR!!! but wHEN? CAN THEY HAPPEN #and the Actual In-Game passage of time is weird too cuz my god remember how main story 7 happens just HOURS after 6.2??#...i need to stop thinking about this or im gonna pop a blood vessel jkvKJVSJFS #asks #anon

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daebakinc · 2 years

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Pretty Woman Pt. 6

Pretty Woman AU

Pairing: Kihyun x Reader

Word Count: 6.1 K

Synopsis: Rich business man, Kihyun Yoo finds himself lost driving in Los Angeles. Stopping for directions he meets you, a prostitute on Hollywood Boulevard. What starts as a one night stand soon becomes a weeklong proposition, as Kihyun needs arm candy for his visit in the city of angels.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

~Admin V

When you woke the next day, it was late afternoon. Kihyun had already left for work. You allowed yourself to just lay in bed, dozing off and on. Finally getting up, you saw a large white box sitting on the dining table. Lifting the lid of the box, there was a note inside.

Please have this on by 5:00. You don’t need to come down to the lobby. I will come to you. See you then. ~K

The note was cute. You wondered if he was coming to you to make up for last night. Setting the note aside, you lifted the tissue paper which revealed a white, silvery gown. You couldn’t help the gasp the came from you. It was truly a stunning dress. When you lifted it out and held it against yourself, goosebumps went up your arm. Wearing it, there was no doubt you’d feel like royalty.

What even could be happening tonight that you needed such a gown. Part of you was scared that K.Will would be there. You weren’t sure you could handle seeing him again after he made it clear he wanted to use you for your services. However, Kihyun was a smart man. He wouldn’t put you in another situation like that. Not after last night.

After a quick meal, you cleaned yourself up. With the gown being white, you decided on doing your eyes in a silvery smoky-eye and lips a light, rosy-pink. You pinned your hair up to look sophisticated. Elegant was the word Kihyun used before.

Once the gown was on, seeing yourself in the mirror made your breath catch. You’d moved up from princess to queen. There wasn’t any jewelry you’d gotten to match the dress. Instead, you gathered long white evening gloves and silver-glittered pumps.

Five o’clock had finally rolled around. You were smoothing out the dress when Kihyun walked in. His breath was also taken upon seeing your appearance. However, he’d also caught you by surprise. He wasn’t wearing his usual three-piece suit. He was in a tuxedo. It wasn’t a traditional black, but black with purple swirled design. The shirt underneath was silky and black. His bowtie was the same shade of purple in the rest of his attire.

“Wow,” you breathed.

“Ditto,” he smiled back at you. He was carrying a square box. It looked like it was to hold a necklace.

“Are we going to a charity event?” Perhaps he was going to donate it.

Looking at the box then to you, he smiled wider. “No, this is for you.”

Your mouth dropped.

He quickly raised his hand up. “Don’t get too excited. It’s a loan. But I thought you might want to wear it tonight.” Walking closer to you, he opened the box. Inside was a large necklace covered in rubies as well as matching earrings.

Your hand reached up to touch the necklace, but Kihyun quickly closed the box on it. You squeaked in surprise, which caused him to laugh, then for you to laugh as well.

He offered to put it on for you. You stood in front of a mirror as he did so you could look at it. It felt heavy.

“How much would you say this is worth?”

He made a thoughtful humming sound. “About a quarter of a million.”

You choked on the air. “A quarter of a million dollars? And the jewelers just loaned it to you?”

“I’m a very good customer.”

Reaching up to touch the necklace, you couldn’t believe you were wearing something so expensive. Once the earrings were in, you were ready. “So where are we going?” Looping your arm in his, you both walked out to wait for the elevator.

“It’s a surprise.”

His answer caused butterflies to move in your stomach.

The elevator doors opened and Hyungwon beamed when he took in the sight of you.

Kihyun audibly cleared his throat to get Hyungwon’s attention. The taller man blushed. “Going down?” he asked.

Both of you stepped in the elevator. “Yes, to the lobby,” Kihyun confirmed.

You couldn’t help but feel nervous and excited as the elevator went down. “You really won’t tell me where we’re going?”

He chuckled. “You’ll see when we get there.”

You squeezed your arm around his tighter because of the anticipation.

Once in the lobby, everyone you passed seemed to inhale when they saw you. Smiles just like Hyungwon’s appeared on the staffs’ faces. It made you feel self-conscious. You reached to the rubies on your neck to make sure they were still there.

Changkyun was in the middle of talking to a clerk, but when he saw you, he did a double take. He smiled and nodded in your direction.

“When you’re not fidgeting, you’re very pretty.” Kihyun leaned in as you walked. “And tall.” The last remark was said with a bit of attitude.

It made you laugh. The pair of heels you were wearing made you slightly taller than Kihyun, and though you looked amazing, it clearly irked him.

The limo stopped in front of a small airplane. A red carpet was on the ground when you opened the door, leading to the plane.

The nervous feeling was back. “I’ve never been on a plane before.”

Kihyun looked at you, surprised. “Really?”

“Never,”

“How did you get to California?”

“Bus.”

He pulled on your arm so your focus was on him and not the plane. “We’re just going to San Fransisco. It will be less than an hour.”

“Okay,” you nodded.

Kihyun was back in his protective mode. He stepped up the steps to the plane first. When you were on, he ushered you in front of him and suggested for you to sit at the window. Since you’d never been on a plane before, you could experience the sights of being in one. He sat across from you and watched you.

When the plane was high in the air above the clouds, the sun was starting to set. You’d never seen something so breathtaking. The clouds all had an orangey-bluish hue.

The sky was still a tiny bit light when the plane landed. Another limo was waiting. It was finally dark out when you arrived at the venue.

People walking into or standing around the building were dressed as fancy as you and Kihyun, or wearing costumes you’d never seen before.

“Hanbok,” he saw you looking at the people in costume. “It’s Korea’s traditional clothing. We’re at a concert for traditional Korean music and dance.”

“Really?” You weren’t sure of what else to say. Kihyun was sharing his culture with you. He wanted you to see something special and important to him.

Ushers led you both to the balcony on the second floor, where Kihyun had a box with seats just for the two of you. The show wasn’t yet starting, so you looked over to him.

“I thought you took over music companies with modern music.”

“I do.”

“So why are we seeing traditional music?”

His smile was slight, but it was genuine. “Korea might be popular today because of Kpop, but this is Korean heritage. Where it all started. Everything the world loves about Kpop started from here.”

You could only stare at him in response. The lights dimmed signaling the show was about to start.

The stage curtain opened and revealed musicians in hanbok sitting in a half circle around the stage holding their instruments. You’d never seen a musician who wasn’t a hippie sitting cross-legged to play. When the music started it took you by surprise. You’d also never heard instruments that sounded like that before. The trumpet sounding one was especially odd to you. Despite the strange sounds, the music itself seemed relatively simple.

Male dances came onto the stage. They were wearing hats with giant pompoms in different colors, or hats that were wide brimmed with a long spinning streamers or plumes on the top. Some of them held drums while others had tambourines. The men started walking in a circle while playing the drums. Those wearing hats with the streamer moved their heads in sync to make the long ribbons dance in unison design.

Their circle started becoming more complex as they danced around and the drumming becoming more rhythmic. The dancers with plumes moved to the center, making the plumes spin and they danced facing each other. The dancers with streamers skipped and spun widely. Those with pompoms continues banging their drums.

As the dance was ending, those playing drums moved inward forming a tight circle, while those with tambourines and streamers formed a wide circle and leapt, kicking both legs in the air while spinning, like some kind of martial art trick.

The audience began clapping so you did the same. The male dancers left the stage and female dancers entered. The music for their dance had more focus on the strange trumpet.

Each dancer was dressed identically in a white and pink hanbok dress. They each held two pink feathery fans. When they first started dancing, it was if the fans were all connected and looked like a snake. Then they broke off in three groups. As each group continued to make designs with their fans, a new dancer in slightly different colors walked out. Her solo dance was unique from the groups’ but still worked together.

The groups made their fans look connected again and their designs looked like spinning flowers. The soloist spun quickly with her fans in the air, making her dress poof out. Then they disbanded the groups, forming a single line on the stage, the soloist joining. They opened and closed their fans, moving into different formations. The opening and closing created its own special dance movement.

They made an inner circle of dancers as well as an outer circle. The two groups moved in opposite directions, making their fans connect and move in unison. It looked like a giant dancing rose.

The dancers broke apart and followed the movements of the soloist. The effect was like a ripple, the soloist moving first, then each dancer doing the same movement, one after the other. The performance ended with them connecting the fans and once again moving like a snake. They stood in a perfect line and moved the fans like a wave. It was incredible to see how quickly they could do it. They broke apart, opening and closing their fans, and once they were in place, one fan was behind them, the other in front and they bowed.

You looked over to Kihyun and could see the pride swelling in his gaze. As the concert continued, you couldn’t help but feel envious. He was so proud of his culture, and it was very cool to see it through the music and dance. The United States as a whole didn’t share a heritage like this. You’d never know the feeling Kihyun had. However, you decided to feel proud with him. Even though they were in the states, they were still able to keep their culture and be themselves. That took courage which was something you deeply admired.

When the concert ended, both of you stood up and clapped. The theater then quickly began to empty. You grabbed his arm and he escorted you from the box. While walking towards the exit, many people came up and greeted Kihyun. Some spoke Korean while some in English. He was a celebrity wherever he went it seemed. However, these people at least seemed more interested in Kihyun as a person than those who were at the yacht party.

By the time you’d gotten back to the airplane, you were feeling sleepy. Kihyun sat next to you on the plane this time, so you rested your head against his shoulder. He reached for your fingers and played with them in his hand. You’d passed out and woke with a start when the plane landed. He chuckled beside you, but stroked your arm, letting you know you were safe.

In the limo ride to the hotel, your stomach growled loudly, putting both you and Kihyun in a fit of giggles. You hadn’t eaten since before 5, and it was sure to be past midnight.

“We’ll get some room service.” He lifted his phone and called the hotel, ordering appetizer samplers so you could have a variety. It would be ready by the time you got in.

The hotel lobby was quiet when you got in. Hyungwon was still running the elevator. He smiled politely at both of you.

You leaned heavily against Kihyun, still groggy. “Thank you for taking me out tonight. I had a really good time.”

Not looking at him, but feeling his stare, you knew Kihyun was giving a small smile. “You’re welcome.”

You could also see Hyungwon smiling in the reflection of the golden doors.

Finally on your floor, a cart was waiting in front of your door. Kihyun handed you the keycard to open the door while he pushed in the cart inside.

When he’d ordered sampler appetizers, your mind went to restaurants like TGI Friday’s and Applebee’s. You’d forgotten you were staying in the penthouse in the Baverse. The trays of food on the cart had different kinds of breads and crackers, tons of dips and caviars, sliced veggies, cheeses, and meats.

Too hungry to change, you both stayed in your formal attires as you placed cheese on crackers and spread dips onto the bread. You were happy to actually see Kihyun eat. Together, the two of you did a pretty good job of clearing the trays.

As you were both full, you slouched lazily in the chairs, enjoying each other’s company.

“What did you think of the concert?”

Grinning thinking back on it, you replied, “It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah?”

You nodded. “Did you ever play instruments like that or dance?”

He “hmm”ed in his chair for a moment. “I think when I was very young, like maybe three or four, I did the pungmul dance.”

He lost you. “The what?”

“Ah, the dancers who played the drums and did kicks.”

Excited, you sat up in your chair. “Did you get to wear a hat with the tassely thingy?”

He smiled wide. “Did I wear the what?”

“The tassely thingy!” You mimicked the dancers’ head movements while making your arm helicopter on the top of your head to act as the streamer.

Kihyun started laughing. “That’s not what it’s called.”

“Who cares what it’s called! Did you wear one?”

He went back to “hmm”ing, then let out a low chuckle. “I honestly don’t remember.”

Booing at him made him laugh harder.

“How about you? Did you ever dance or play an instrument as a child?”

Your smile fell and you shook your head. “It was always too expensive so I wasn’t able to. I was always so jealous of my friends. They were ballerinas, and they got to wear these pretty purple sparkly outfits with long tutus. I always wanted a tutu.

“I just learned dancing from watching movies and TV shows.” You picked at a piece of cheese.

His smile fell a little, too. He looked down at his watch. “As much as I’m enjoying our conversation, I wanted to get an early start tomorrow and it’s getting late.”

That made you pout. “What if you don’t go to work tomorrow?”

Caught in surprise, he quirked an eyebrow. “Me not go to work?”

You nodded.

The small smile was back, and you could see the cogs turning as he thought it over. “Well, it is my company.”

Your smile was back and he smiled with you.

The next morning as you were waking, your stretched hand hit something warm and solid. Opening your eyes, you saw Kihyun looking at you. “You’re still here!”

“You asked me not to go to work.”

“Well, yeah. But you’re normally out of bed by now, dressed, eating breakfast.”

He gave you a sweet smile. “Because I normally have to go to work.”

Pleased he was still in bed, and actually in bed with you, you snuggled up to him, resting your face on his chest. He froze beneath you for a moment, not expecting the contact, then relaxed. His fingers combed through your hair. “What do you want to do today? More shopping?”

“Nooooo!” You never wanted to shop again ever in your life, even if staff sucked up to you.

Laughing for a long time to that, Kihyun’s chest vibrated under you.

You looked up at him. “Have you gotten to see any of the city? Not just for business meetings and parties, but actually toured around?”

He shook his head.

“Then why don’t we just walk around, view what Los Angeles has to offer. And then if we see something, that’s what we’ll do.”

“Alright.”

You wanted to lay with him longer, but he seemed ready to get up. Slowly, you let go of him so you could both get ready.

Since he hadn’t seen you in it yet, you decided on wearing the purple dress you wore home from Façade. You’d expected Kihyun to wear another three-piece suit, since it seemed all he had to wear, but to your surprise, he was wearing a button-up with a sweater vest over it and shorts. Shorts! Stifling a laugh, you weren’t sure if the city was ready to see such pale legs.

He looked himself over, confusion clear on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” you bit your lip to stop laughing.

“Is there something wrong with my outfit?”

“Of course not, grandpa.”

His mouth dropped in disbelief. “This is Tommy Hilfiger!”

“Mmm hmm,” even with your mouth closed, you weren’t doing a great job to hide your laughter.

A wild look was in his eyes and he suddenly tackled you to the bed. “I could punish you for that comment.”

You smiled up at him. “Please do. I’d probably like it.”

He looked playful and a little frustrated. “You probably would.” Lightly slapping the side of your ass, he got off you. “I’ll deal with you later.”

The streets were surprisingly busy despite the fact that it was a Wednesday. Kihyun took your hand in his so you wouldn’t lose each other. You were on a street filled with restaurants. Turning a corner, there was a chalkboard sign in front of an open door. There was a small display window revealing piles upon piles of books.

Spinning to face him, you asked excitedly, “Can we?”

“Sure,” he nodded.

Inside was a treasure trove of books stacked high all around. They were clearly used books, and they didn’t seem to be in any kind of order.

“I didn’t think you’d be interested in books.” Kihyun scanned a stack behind you.

“Streetwalkers can’t read?”

“I didn’t say that. After hearing about how you ended up here, I assumed you never finished school and books, being part of that, wouldn’t attract you.”

Turning on your heel, you looked at him. “Does Korea have the Scholastic Book Fair?”

Giving a puzzled look he shook his head.

“Here in the states, elementary schools have this fair in the school lobby where they set up books and stationary stuffs to buy. I was one of the kids who never had money to buy a book, but always looked at the books. They were always shiny and beautiful, and even if you couldn’t buy, you could still look at them.

“One time on my birthday, my grandfather took me to a book store and told me I could pick out any book I wanted. I chose a picture book with manatees. When we got home, we sat on the front porch and he read it to me.

“Though my current profession doesn’t grant oodles of time for reading books, I still like them.”

It wasn’t the normal power in his gaze as he stared at you. Something else you couldn’t quite name. “Then find one, any one you want, and we’ll read it.”

Beaming, you turned your attention from him back to the books. The spines were wrinkled from their previous owners. There didn’t seem to be a certain rhyme or rhythm to how they were stacked.

Kihyun also looked along the books, picking one and paging through it before putting it back.

There was a store cat laying on a knocked over stack. You bent down to pet it when a book lying next to it caught your attention. Patting the cat, you then lifted the book. You recognized the title. Looking on the back cover for info, you were sure you’d read this story before and loved it, but couldn’t remember how it went.

Kihyun saw the cat next to you, and walked over to also pet it.

“I found the book I want.” You held it up proudly for Kihyun to see.

Giving the cat one last scratch he stood up and looked at it.

“This one. You’re sure?”

When you nodded, he smiled. He took it to the cashier. He held the book as you continued strolling outside. Soon, you found yourselves at a park. There were a few groups of couples scattered about. A vendor was renting blankets and umbrellas.

“Do you have cash?”

His incredulous look was back. “Are you seriously asking if I have cash?”

“Okay, so why don’t you get the blanket,” you pointed towards a tree casting a lot of shade, “we can cop-a squat under the tree. There’s a snap-dog vendor over there, so I can get us drinks and dogs.”

“Cop-a-what?”

You smiled at him. “Squat. It means sitting.”

He nodded. “What is a snap-dog?”

“You’ll find out.”

Giving you one more hard stare, he finally handed you money to get things. You got two hotdogs and two pink lemonades. Kihyun had the blanket set up on the ground under the tree with the book laying on the corner. He was standing next to the tree on his cell phone, clearly talking business.

Once the drinks and food were set down, you pushed on Kihyun’s shoulder until he sat on the blanket. Since he was distracted by the call, you were able to remove his socks and shoes without any protest. When you were finished and wanted it to be back to his day off, you grabbed the phone from him and hung up.

“I was in the middle of a call. I was mid-sentence.”

“And now you’re not.” You raised your eyebrows at him.

He furrowed his brows at you, but didn’t argue. Then he looked down at his feet. “What happened to my shoes?”

“See what happens when you’re too busy with work. I could’ve taken your wallet and made off with the hotdog vendor and you’d be none-the-wiser.”

He gave you a dry, humorless stare. He maintained said stare as you handed him the drink. His focus was then on the lemonade. “It’s pink.”

“It’s good.”

He sipped, then nodded in agreement. When you handed him the hotdog, he looked puzzled. “This looks like an American hotdog.”

“Yeah, ‘cause it is.”

“You called it a snap-dog.”

“Mmm hmm.” You sipped your lemonade. “Scared?”

He huffed at you and eyed the hotdog once more. Finally he bit into it, the casing making the “snap” sound as his teeth broke it. He had his moment of understanding, then continued munching happily.

When you both finished eating, the two of you settled in against the tree. You snuggled into Kihyun’s side, and he started reading from the book.

Your fingers played with the hem of his sweater vest as you listened to his voice. There was such a nice cadence to it. His lisp was adorable, seemingly more noticeable as he read.

He’d gotten a few chapters in when a frisbee landed next to your blanket. The person who threw it asked if y’all could throw it back. Kihyun just stared at it, so you sat up and flung it in their direction.

“What was the toy?”

“A frisbee . . . they don’t have those in South Korea?”

“Seoul’s a bit tight to have anything like that.”

Sitting up more excited, you grinned at him. “Wanna play?”

His eyes widened a bit in surprise. You didn’t give him the chance to answer and walked over to the couple playing frisbee, asking if you could join their game.

Kihyun still looked nervous as he stood up and smoothed out his clothes. You ran back over to him. “They said we could play.”

The worried look on his face made you laugh. Your fingers reached for his chin so he’d look at you. “They won’t be mean.”

That caused him to give a little glare, but playful smile as he pushed your shoulder.

The other couple tossed the frisbee in your direction and you caught it. Showing Kihyun how to hold it, you jerked your hand a few times. “It’s all in the wrist.” Letting go, the frisbee went soaring the perfect distance towards the others. Kihyun nodded, he seemed ready to try when it was your turn again.

He jumped to catch the frisbee this time as the others threw it. When it was in his hands, he asked you if he was holding it right. You confirmed, so he tried throwing it. It flew straight up in the air and came back down. His cheeks turned pink, which caused you to chuckle. Kihyun blushing had to be the cutest thing you’d ever seen.

Going behind him, you reached for his hand, showing him how to throw it. Together, you did a practice throw. It didn’t go far, but Kihyun got the idea. He jogged to get it and ran back. He tried again on his own. The frisbee flew perfectly into the other group. You cheered for him, and he yelled out in happiness as well.

His smile was so big and genuine, which made you smile more.

You played frisbee for about half an hour. This round as it came towards you, both you and Kihyun tried to catch it. You jumped into each other, both trying to grab it. Falling to the ground, you crawled to the frisbee, screaming in success when you had it. Kihyun tackled you and tried to take it from you.

“No, I have it!”

“For now.” He lifted your wrists above your head, the frisbee still in your hand.

“Hey, that’s not fair!”

His proud smirk was back. He looked into your eyes, and you into his. The smile was gone from his face. He looked into your eyes deeply, then moved in closer, making your lips part in anticipation.

The other couple yelled over to you to throw the frisbee back. Both of you blushed and got up. Kihyun took the frisbee from you and tossed it to the others. He thanked them for letting you play, and told them you were finished.

You agreed, you weren’t in the mood to play anymore. Your heartbeat sped thinking about what almost happened. Kihyun almost kissed you, and you almost let it happen. You never let it happen. You didn’t kiss Tricks. It was the number one rule.

He started to fold up the blanket, so you gathered all the food trash and stuffed the book in your bag. Once everything was cleaned up and Kihyun was back in shoes, the two of you started walking again, though you kept a bit of distance, still wary about what almost happened.

The two of you heard music ahead. As a fountain came into view, you saw a musician standing by it, singing and playing guitar. Once you were close enough, Kihyun stopped in front of them and listened. You watched him as he bobbed his head to the music. When the song ended, he grabbed his wallet and left a large bill in the artist’s guitar case. The musician saw it and looked stunned. Kihyun then requested a song, to which the guitarist nodded with extra enthusiasm and began strumming.

“Dance with me?” Kihyun offered his hand.

Smiling, you accepted. He still showed his skills like he had on the yacht, but it was different this time. You hadn’t noticed it then, but dancing with him now, it was clear on the yacht he was showing off to the onlookers. He wanted to impress them. But now, he was more relaxed, wasn’t trying to be perfect. His focus wasn’t concerned with who might be watching, but on you. He sincerely just wanted to dance with you.

After reading, frisbee, and dancing, you were feeling hungry again. You insisted on taking Kihyun to your favorite pizza place.

“Trust me! It’s Italian owned. The best pizza you will ever have.”

He looked a little wary. “I’ve never had pizza outside of Korea.”

You looked to him, shocked. “Really?”

“You’ve seen the restaurants I go to and company I keep. Pizza is never really on the menu.” He looked at the list of toppings. “Why don’t you order what kind we get.”

Nodding, you ordered sausage and pepperoni. You found a small booth by the window to sit in.

“Today was a lot of fun. I really like spending time with you.” You hoped the dim lighting would hide your blush.

“Yes,” Kihyun agreed. “I can’t remember the last time I was barefoot outside.”

That made you grin.

Your pizza was brought to the table. Kihyun’s eyes widened. “Why is it so big?”

“Is it not this big in Korea?”

He shook his head and looked at the pizza. “I thought you ordered sausage and pepperoni.”

Looking over the pizza, you didn’t see the problem. “I did.”

He pointed at the sausage. “This is bulgogi.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“It’s a kind of Korean beef.”

“It’s sausage. Pretty sure it’s pork.”

He gave it one more curious inspection then nodded. You waited for him to take the first bite. His eyes closed as he chewed.

“Good?”

Nodding, he groaned happily.

Grinning wider, you took a bite of your own slice.

You’d gotten full, but Kihyun was still chowing down slices. It made you content to see him appreciate food.

“American sausage is awesome. Sausage in Korea is nothing like this. There’s no comparison.”

You chuckled. “Technically I think it’s Italian sausage.”

He waved his hand, not caring. When he was finally full, he looked to you watching him. “I’m scared to ask what you’re thinking.”

“Why scared?”

“Last time I asked, you said you were thinking of me and were quite blunt with your answer.”

“You have to pay extra if you want me to lie.”

He laughed hard at that. “Do I want to know what you’re thinking?”

“It’s still about you.”

“Oh boy,” he was still chuckling.

“I’ll give you the blunt first. You’re company, Starship, it’s so cold. So heartless.”

His expression changed, not expecting you to say that.

“When we were at that business dinner and the yacht party, you were the robot. Doing and saying what made you look like the big, powerful CEO. But last night at the concert, today seeing you watch the musician, that’s you. Really you.

“It’s so clear you love music. Care about it deeply. I could understand how you got into the business you’re currently doing, but I don’t think it’s who you are now, or what you want to be doing.”

He sat back in his chair, considering what you said to him.

“I’ve heard you play, heard you sing. Yeah, it was only once, but I know you’re good. You have skill. If it’s what you love, why don’t you try to pursue it again?”

He looked a bit surprised in what you were saying, then slowly shook his head. “I told you about how solo acts work in Korea.”

You interrupted him. “But we’re not in Korea. We’re in U.S.A. Honey Bear Records is in U.S.A. Hell, you have enough money. You could probably pay off their debt and ask them to sign you as an artist. They’d be so grateful to you, they probably would.”

Kihyun sat quietly for a moment, then turned his gaze hard on you. “And what of you. I can’t imagine you want to be doing this for the rest of your life. What’s your plan after prostitution?”

He had you there. You never really thought ahead to the future, just making it to your next rent payment and meal.

“I’ve seen you with cars and you’re a lot more knowledgeable than I am. Maybe you could be a mechanic.”

Laughing, you shook your head. “A lady mechanic. I’m sure you and every other guy would love that.”

He smiled. “Admittedly you seem to know much more about my interests than I of yours.”

“Part of the job,” you reminded him.

He “ah”ed in understanding and nodded.

“Well, I never finished school, like you said. So, I guess my first step would be to do that. Or at least get my GED.”

“That does sound like a good start.”

The two of you sat in comfortable silence for a bit.

Kihyun was the first to speak up. “You don’t need to have a dream, you know. Society dictates that we need to be great, need to be leaders at the top, but it’s not true. You’re allowed to just live and celebrate life. I’ve seen you this week, and you brighten every room you’re in.”

“It’s easy to live and celebrate when you have money,”

He gave a small, sad smile.

Deciding you were ready to go back to the hotel, you snagged a cab for the both of you. Hugging Kihyun’s arm, you rested your head against him on the way back.

Back in the hotel room, Kihyun looked at you. “Do you want to sleep with me tonight?”

He didn’t mean sleep, he meant sex. “Sure. Let me freshen up a bit.”

Kihyun nodded and began removing his clothes. You grabbed at a negligee you’d gotten at Façade that he hadn’t seen yet, then closed yourself in the bathroom.

Butterflies fluttered in your stomach. Imagery of what almost happened while playing frisbee flashed in your mind. Kihyun almost kissed you earlier, and you almost let it happen. And now, preparing to have sex with him, it wasn’t like before. You didn’t want to sleep with him like it was your job, or because you were being paid to do it. You actually wanted to be with him. Have sex with him because he was Kihyun. It wouldn’t be that he was a Trick, but because somehow in the last few days you’d grown feelings for him.

It was a little bit exciting and also scary. You felt dumb feeling like this. Tomorrow all of this would be over. He’d pay you, and you’d most likely never see him again. But that also made you feel like you wanted to fully embrace your last night with him. Feel and experience him as yourself, not a sex robot.

Your hands were actually shaking you were so nervous, taking down your wall for him like this. When you were all cleaned up and dressed for him, you took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door.

Kihyun was laying on the bed with his eyes closed.

“Kihyun?”

He didn’t answer, so you walked over to him. He was passed out.

You sighed and gave a wry chuckle. Of course. The man who said he was bad at sleeping fell asleep waiting for you.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, you ran your fingers through his hair. He didn’t even stir.

Gazing at his sleeping face, you couldn’t help but admire his beauty. You loved the shape of his eyes and how they were a shade darker in the corners. He had the cutest and most kissable nose. His cheek bones and jawline alone made your breath catch. Then your eyes focused on his lips. Gods did he have plump, soft looking lips.

Pictures of what it might be like to kiss him started racing in your mind. You’d guess his kissing style was strong, firm like him. But maybe he’d be delicate about it too, kissing back like you were the most precious thing to him. Knowing he liked being in charge, he would part his lips first, running his tongue over your bottom lip. His breath would be hot. Maybe he tasted spicy like cinnamon. His tongue would feel silky against yours. Your hands would grab at his hair.

Before you realized what you were doing, your lips actually pressed against Kihyun’s.

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