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italeteller · 8 months

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Ok, so you've told us what you think the best anime were last year. What are the anime you've been most disappointed by the last few years then, if you don't mind me asking?

Oooh a spicy ask, and a chance to complain about anime? Don't mind if I do!

This got long so I'm gonna put it under a readmore

First of all, gotta kill my darlings and go for Undead Unluck. Because like. The animation, the voice acting, the soundtrack, the sound effects, the little anime original things they add to filler some episodes, they're all amazing, and as someone who deeply loves the manga I am genuinely So Glad we've gotten an adaptation, even if it hasn't boosted the manga sales

But!

THAT. FUCKING. PACING! IS DRIVING ME NUTS!

WE HAVE COVERED 28 AND A HALF MANGA CHAPTERS IN 14 ANIME EPISODES! THAT'S 2 MANGA CHAPTERS PER EPISODE! THAT'S "ANIME'S CURRENTLY RELEASING AND WE NEED TO FILLER THIS BITCH UP TO BURST LEST WE CATCH UP" PACING, NOT "WE HAVE LITERALLY MORE THAN 150 CHAPTERS LEFT TO COVER" PACING!

THERE'S SO MANY FLASHBACKS! WHY'S THERE SO MANY FLASHBACKS!? SHIT'S WAY TOO SLOW, WHICH MEANS SEASON 1'S LIKELY GONNA END ON CHAPTER 53 WHICH MEANS CHAPTER 132 IS LIKELY NOT GONNA COME UNTIL SEASON 3 WHICH MEANS THE MOMENT WHERE UU GOES FROM GOOD TO TOP 3 CURRENTLY AIRING SHONEN IS LIKELY TWO WHOLE ASS SEASONS AWAY!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!

I have a theory about why they're doing the pacing so slow, but honestly at this point I wish the season had been 20 episodes like To Your Eternity instead of 24, because this pacing's unbearable

Anyways, enough complaining on a full stomach, time to shit on My Hero Academia. The manga's gone to shit, and the anime's following the story which means it's also gone to shit, but additionally the anime feels less quality than it used to be. While there are some impressive battle scenes and high-speed movement scenes every now and then, there's also some noticeable lower quality moments, characters speaking facing away from the camera so they don't have to animate their mouths, repetitive scenes with moving camerawork to disguise the lack of animation... maybe it's because BONES has been doing the mha movies at the same time as the series, but you compare stuff from seasons 2 and 3 with stuff from seasons 5 and 6 and it's a really bad difference. I used to be really hype about this series, and it breaks my heart to see how far it's fallen

Kimetsu no Yaiba's secret village arc was also pretty meh. It might be the only time the manga's better than the anime, which felt unnecessarily padded and killed a lot of the tension of the fight scenes

The second season of My Next Life as the Villainess was pretty mediocre, flanderizing characters and bouncing aimlessly around with the plot. Here's hoping the movie raises the quality back up

Beastars season 2 was. Not as good as season 1. I don't remember exactly what ticked me off, but I remember I didn't like how Haru got sidelines, and I found Legosi very annoying this time around

The second season of Reincarnated as a Slime was also pretty mediocre. The first half was full of filler which killed the pacing, and when the main character's village was raided and some important characters killed, he conveniently met an elven princess who knew the secret to unlock resurrection magic, which meant that from there on out there are no stakes. Honestly a shame, I loved the first season, tho I gotta admit it peaked at the Orc Disaster arc

Sakugan began with incredible promise and a super straightforward plot premise, and then meandered away on meaningless, boring sidequests from episode 3 onwards, wasting a perfectly good plot, setting and characters

A very similar thing happened with Giant Beasts of Ars, which looked like a great fantasy series and then just... did nothing with anything

And the same with Synduality: Noir, a really high value tie in anime to an upcoming game with a postapocalyptic setting and the most insufferably boring main duo I've ever seen in anime. I gave it like 8 episodes and it's like that shit was allergic to moving the plot or the characters forward. It dedicated a whole episode to the obligatory tsundere character working up the courage to confess, and then she didn't

Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko could've been great if it had been 24 episodes, instead of hypercondensing the whole ass series into 13. I had to stop watching because I was getting mad with all the stuff they were skipping

Cells at Work Black was a pretty good drama until literally the last moment where the main cells, whose host body has finally started improving his health, thus giving them a better work and life environment, are sucked into a blood transfussion and taken to a body that's in an even worse state. So like, fuck you and abandon all hopes of things getting better I guess

And speaking of saying "fuck you!" to your audience, we can't forget about Science Fell in Love, the romcom that decided to end it's season 2 with an attempted gang rape of one of the main girls, intercut with the main guy putting on a powerpoint presentation on why she didn't deserve it. I would like to know what the fuck the mangaka was thinking

And if we're speaking about disasters, we can't not talk about the absolute trash fire clusterfuck that was Wonder Egg Priority

WEP, for those who don't know, was a delightfully dark original series about four girls who lost someone to suicide, entering their dreams to fight monsters to save the souls of girls who killed themselves, with the promise that one day they'd find those they'd lost and bring them to life. Lots of action, lots of kickass animation, very interesting character drama and mystery both human and magical

In the last three episodes (this was a 13 episode series btw), the series added the concepts of the multiverse, multiversal travel, syntetic humans, none of which it could do justice. And then the final episode breaks off the main group. All their goals are revived, but they're girls from other universes which means they had no bonds with the main characters. One of the girls dissappears into another dimension, another gets traumatized and leaves, another is implied to be looking for excuses to kill herself, and the MC spirals into depression before ending the series with a hopeful scene of her going back into the dreamworld, which would never happen because the series ended there and then, and there were never any plans to continue. A dissappointment on all fronts the likes you had to see to believe

Another series that shat the bed during the last three episodes was Takt Op Destiny. It wasn't as dramatic because the series wasn't as good as WEP, but still. Absolute disaster of an ending

Annnnd yeah, I think that's it for the last five years. Sure have been a lot of disappointments huh

#Das Answer #anime

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the-firebird69 · 2 years

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It's all coming down and Tommy f is taking a beating and the lasers are almost all out on Earth and it's a huge number of items but it's reduced greatly and they went to the caverns and they grabbed a lot of weaponry and armament and in the caverns tons of spaceships. No spaceships are being fitted out to go in the attack and the laser sights in order to take them over that's also going to help. Gosh dang and Hera is happy, Cesar husband working quite a bit and it's successful and she's promising to make him apple crisp and other things and he says that's very nice. Gileen. She's grinning ear to ear cuz she's been keeping him fat kind of. And we have all sorts of things happening and you're still talking about giving people tons of sugar and stuff that's bad for you so our son is changing it up away from the sucralose which is not helping. Pretty soon the ships will be under siege the blockade we need it badly it is one of the major elements that's a problem but seriously folks

*10 major lasers are still with only minor damage on earth

*five small lasers are still with only minor damage on Earth

*seven of those lasers damaged are being repaired rapidly another force is coming in and they're going to try and take over shortly and that's the major lazers on Earth

*reports just in that the five remaining small lasers are under siege their defenses are down and they'll be disabled shortly they're not really disabling them on purpose but the stuff in there is explosive. And it's on there's a huge fight

*the 20 lasers in space are intact and they are not under siege but they are monitored by fleets that have enough firepower to decimate them and ultimately destroy them completely should they try and engage and they're 24/7 monitoring shortly Tommy f will engage The fleets Mac is counting on it and we're prepping for it and we are up there shortly and enforce this kind of crap is not going to carry on

*the clones are trying to jam stuff in the way of the flow of water out of Florida and they're out there with ships trying to set them down on the holes which would cause a big problem and they're big enough and heavy enough to they put things on board too that weigh a lot and we're going to take those things we need them huge ingots of steel anyway strongly encouraging you BG BGA even you Trump in light of the new story that people might sympathize with you a little that Trump is the devil that Daniel Webster AKA Tommy F grabbed and his wife from Massachusetts and stuffed into the pyramids thinking that they're just humans which they mostly are they're just mutated a little and have a weaker brain slightly mutated brain. And it's going on now that they're trying to stuff things in the way and they're going out there because they need the steel and so logical thing

How he says stuff is a heartache they say he's got a little dog it was next door responding to the parrot meandering into the ships just kind of pushing it with its nose cuz it doesn't know what's going on.

Good morning to say we have more to say and there's a lot of indiscretions here still occurring and we're sending out fine so mostly to the clones. And it is a war and it's on and huge forces are now being raised by Max because they can't change the course of the storm yet

And this big war going on in the west coast over the saucers and a couple of bases too I've been found of the clones they're trying to heat up the river all the way up to the upper Midwest and is a huge war that started there it's on too and all the holes and all the laser bases and even the military bases are being fought over by clones and everybody else huge orders are going out from DC and the White House tons of people are following it and they're organizing now and they have a war room and they finally got their stuff together. They realize it's global it's not just Florida and they're going after tons of ships and they're fighting huge huge piles of clones and yes Star wars will begin shortly

Thor Freya

I'm excited and happy but also a little bit nervous because he has no place to go if it floods he's going to sit there and water and I know he can't help it but if the power is on he could get electrocuted so I'm hoping that people will at least try and find him a place to stay if it starts flooding

Hera

We have a plan for that little girl and it's not that bad and we insist on he goes with it but he's trying to and he can't get to the place and punta Gorda and we do see that then he said tomorrow he can try and go to a shelter if he has to we do have that plan in place if it's still coming towards us

Mac

That's terrific at least you're springing for the big bucks but I mean it's at least a place to stay and I am thankful

Hera

I'm not trying to harm him and Tommy f is in the way every step of the way we have to use Force now here he's a horrible person and he's doing it to a lot more of the people than just him

Mac

We're getting our stuff together and it was horrible yesterday to me and nasty all night long he's a little f** and he won't stop doing the stupid crap outside my window of my house he won't leave I called Police pulling away comes back 5 minutes ago just like John rima Lord it is insane the guy is nuts

Daniel

So we see it's an addiction and we don't know what to do about it and we can't help but feed the fire right now and we're going to have to go after him we need a lot of help and we're calling for it and we're saying what we need we need tons of people down here now we're all going to be stuck in these houses in the lowlands in the this huge storms coming we feel ridiculous but we can't move

Billium

It's over shortly for you CAA and William your reign of terror over me is going to stop

Tommy f

What reign of terror you ass we're sitting here telling you what's wrong and you're making it worse and worse and worse on purpose so yell and sneer and say something stuff at you you loser

Bill will caa

I suppose you're right and I'm an evil person and mean it's for a purpose

Tommyf

Don't give a s*** about your purpose you've enlisted my Army to destroy you and we're enlisting everybody else to do it as well and we're formidable foe and you don't understand what's happening because of what you're doing here

Zues Hera

I'm not following something using big stuff and we don't know what it is and people think it's me because I had Jager that were huge and so I do thank you for that help

Tommy f

Now you're in trouble buddy you keep harping on it and talking about it so going after you try and find out where it is and what you got we did find huge Yeager again so we know what you're up to for the most part here in Florida in the cavern is where we need to be and we need people here now we need armies

Mac

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merakiui · 2 years

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oh golly i said i'd talk abt yan lilia a while back and i. did not deliver i am so sorry! i absolutely loved the witch!reader concept too; your brain is massive 😭💗 anyway here is what i think he'd kinda be like!

cw: kidnapping and babytrapping mentions

- initially he kinda ,, lurks. and waits. he honestly just wants to see how you interact with people and problems that get in your way bc he thinks that'd be interesting.

- but on the flip side, he's also a bit frivolous! he'll move things around so you "accidentally" bump into him throughout the day, and he can slowly get closer to you through this

- he's probably not very used to this kind of emotion, but he's probably at least slightly versed in matters of the heart by his age, so he's content to just wait a little and watch things fester and develop

- i can see him subtly pushing people away from you. if he really wants to make himself be seen as your savior, he'd probably start stringing rumors together about you until it becomes unbearable, and he becomes the person you most depend on.

- he's not super quick to kidnap, but it is an eventuality. he's aware of how time is different for fae and humans though, so it'll probably take him up till 6 months or so to gain your trust and let him take you to a spot he knows in the forest that he "thinks you'll like"

- i can also see him taking a bit of a different route for kidnapping too, via food and/or drinks. it's well known that you don't accept food/drinks from the fae, but you'd known lilia for a few months at this point, and he'd never do anything to harm you, right..?

- i don't think he'd ever lie to his darling tbh. even while being asked direct questions like "when will you let me go?" he'd just answer vaguely, things like "when you're ready to, of course!" while omitting that fact that he's convinced that you'll never be ready to leave. with questions like, "why won't you let me leave?" that don't require as much of a direct answer, he'll answer either like "you can leave whenever you want!" while not mentioning that the brambles outside his residence are so thick that it would be impossible for a grown human to get through without becoming severely injured, not to mention that beyond that the forests in his section of briar valley are so dense and dark that you couldn't find your way without a guide.

[with the whole fae thing,, can he even lie? he's good at avoiding topics and dancing around the point but i don't think he's ever outright lied in canon; even in jamil's r beans day vignette, he didn't technically lie about his cooking prowess]

- i don't see him getting particularly physical either; in one of the halloween cards, it was mentioned he was able to become incredibly frightening, so i think he'd probably use magic as an intimidation tactic if darling is getting a little too ,, feisty? for comfort, before turning to actual violence.

- he is a guilt tripper though, probably to the point of saying things like "if i hadn't saved you from your previous life, you wouldn't be as safe/comfortable/loved/etc as you are now" [bonus points if he gets to use multiple of those words and really slam the point in]. he'd probably find some way to emotionally babytrap darling via malleus and silver as well, with things like "well, they're already attached to you, it would wreck them if you left now..."

- he cares a lot about darling though, even if they push him away he'll still adore them and try to be kind (not kind enough to let them go tho). he dotes and will take care of you to the best of his ability

- basically, his style is a meandering process that leaves you a bit confused and thinking two things simultaneously: "how did i not see the red flags before?", and "is this really all that bad..?"

i dearly hope this is coherent! i'm on a massive amount of cold medicine rn and somehow that unlocked my writers block. i absolutely adore how you write yan lilia [and all yans in general!!]

Aaaa omg this is all so perfect!!! Lilia is definitely the type who seems tame or 'normal' compared to other twst yans, but the reality is that he can be very suffocating and overbearing when he wants to. You'll think that he isn't so bad and that this situation is manageable because he showers you with affection and (inedible) cooking and he likes to indulge in your hobbies and he'll play games with you, but you're still technically a captive. Even if it feels more like you've joined his family, you're still stuck with him.

Lilia probably introduces you to Silver, Sebek, and Malleus right away because he wants you to form bonds with the three of them. That makes it all the more easier to guilt you into staying. If you tried to leave him, they would be devastated. They consider you a friend and even family now, so you obviously have to stay to keep them happy, right?

While he wouldn't lie, he's vague about certain things and slips through loopholes with responses that still count as the truth. It can be frustrating because there really isn't an actual time to "whenever you're ready to leave," but he says it with such bright sincerity that you struggle to broach the topic again after that. He really does care for you, though, and he's given you so much affection and stability. Surely you wouldn't throw all of his precious gifts away just for a life of solitude. That simply won't do.

#twisted chit chat #yandere twst #yandere lilia vanrouge #h2o2-and-baking-soda #i read your tags on the reblog of the dream post and imagined lilia and malleus leaving through the window scott pilgrim style lol #it seems like the twst characters follow everyone into their dreams :D #also thank you for blessing me with lilia thoughts!!!!#it was very good and coherent #but i hope that the cold medicine will help whatever is ailing you D: get well soon!!

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darlingbudsofrae · 3 years

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Hugs & Foxes

(because i’m a sucker for hugs and obsessed with the foxes)

#1. DAN

Dan gives the most bone-crushing hugs in the entire team. It’s almost scary considering she usually do side-hugs

Like, how more bone-crushing could it be if it was a full-on hug?

On other occasions, she gives patting hugs. That usually cheers or motivates the foxes up, or gets them back in their game.

She usually gives them after games, regardless of results.

#2. KEVIN

This boy does not know how to hug.

Like, he’s an exy star raised in the nest, okay? They don’t exactly teach hugs (not that hugs are teachable anyway).

He gives London bridge hugs.

They’re more awkward and loose.

Awkward in a way that both him and the huggee (is that a real thing or am I just making it up?) are both uncomfortable.

But he does it anyway when he wants to encourage his family.

Even if it leads to a bit of awkwardness, at least they can laugh it out.

#3. ANDREW

Andrew does not hug.

The rest of the foxes don’t hug him and he never hugs anyone. It is an unspoken agreement. (Dan usually just nods at him during pre and after games)

Whether the foxes saw Andrew give one to Neil after a long day at a far corner no one would be looking at after practice when they were all meandering about, they do not comment.

Neil vouches to the girls that it beats Matt’s hugs.

#4. MATT

Matt obviously gives the best hugs. Without a doubt.

Bear hugs

He’s like also the best hugger in the entire team- like, he knows just how tight or loose the hug should be. The huggee never feels uncomfortable with his hugs.

Also, the huggee always feel happy after his hugs. They’re that good.

Matt is the best hugger. Enough said.

#5. AARON

For someone so detached, Aaron surprisingly hugs like he has everything to lose.

His hugs are tight, tight, tight and they tend to feel long although they’re surprisingly short.

His hugs are usually sloppy

I meant sloppy hugs (yes, that’s a thing) not that they are sloppy (are they tho? I don’t know, how does it feel to be hugged by Aaron Minyard anyway??)

I want to be hugged by Aaron Minyard

Scratch that, I want to be hugged by all the foxes. And then I’ll hug them back because they deserve all the hugs in the world.

His hugs feel like as if it’s the last time he’ll ever see the huggee.

#6. SETH

He dead, son

LOL just kidding

I mean he is dead, but I think Seth would totally be into those classic side-bro hugs.

Short and snappy, just enough to not make him uncomfortable.

#7. ALLISON

Definitely gives tight-friend hugs.

Y’know- the traditional two-armed hugs where both people’s chests are touching.

They’re just a tad 10% tighter than Aaron’s.

Whoever fox she gives a hug to will always mostly 90% of the time feel awkward and a sense of fulfilment at the same time.

Because it’s Allison Reynolds- she’s just all that.

#8. NICKY

Nicky clearly loves hugs.

Like, he is so ready to hug the shit out of someone because he’s so deprived from physical affection way back and it’s his own sad way of coping with ✨things✨

His love language is physical touch, okayyy

But he loves hugs- he loves giving totally filial and platonic ones.

Because of Andrew, he always asks the huggee first if they would like a hug. Surprisingly, most of the answers he gets are yes.

And so he hugs real good.

He usually does heart-to-heart hugs, and he always hugs long.

He hugs like that of a loving and supportive father (if any of the foxes ever know what it feels like, really).

#9. RENEE

Surprisingly, Renee is not a hugger.

Like, she hugs alright but she doesn’t offer it on a silver platter like Nicky or Matt.

She’s usually into talking about feelings more, or baking goods for someone who feels bad.

Whenever she feels like it though, she often gives a quick buddy hug (a combination of a quick hug and buddy hug) and it would instantly make the huggee feel better.

One time, Allison was having a bad day and she was surprised to receive a hug from behind. Renee never said anything but she didn’t mind the bad day so much after (or even considered it a bad day).

#10. NEIL

Oh gods, where do I even start with this boy?

Like Kevin, Neil doesn’t know how to hug. But unlike him, he surprisingly gives good hugs.

Even if he rarely gives one.

There’s a higher chance of him giving one when he’s drunk

But he also hugs whenever he feels like it

The foxes (with the exception of Aaron, maybe, who knows) all love it

Like they’re always so excited for Neil’s hugs

They just love Neil Josten that much

Like who gave the right for that boy to be freaking adorable?

And why would anyone hurt this boy?

Anyway, everyone usually feels happy after Neil’s hugs.

Because Neil doesn’t really hug, so him hugging means a lot, y’know?

Also, I like to believe that Neil is the only one of the foxes who got to hug everyone in the team (yes, including Aaron)

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softyoongiionly · 4 years

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BlackHeart Bakery

Who says Halloween can’t be romantic?

Pairing: Emo! Jungkook x Reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Genre: fluff

A/N: HI OMG IM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE. I love you, I hope you like it. I’m sorry it isn’t longer but, I still can’t wait for you to read it.

-you never imagined that the quirky lil bakery down the street from your university would change your life

-But it did

-“Omg shut up, you’re so dumb.”

-“Rawr xD”

-“Did you just say rawr xD out loud??? That totally defeats the purpose of its existence...”

-“Don’t cite the deep magic to me witch, I was there when it was written.”

-“And now you’re quoting the chronicles of narnia- alright just go back to sleep you big dummy...”

-“Mmm but you married a big dummy so what does that say about you”

-“Jungkook don't spoil it oh my god!”

-“Like they don’t know what’s coming already- spoiler alert losers! I get the girl.”

-“I hate you...”

-“Mm yeah- I love it when you talk dirty to me baby. The last time you said that- we ended up fuc-“

-“Ok! That’s enough! Our story begins...”

-Jungkook’s bakery was quite famous around your city

-If people didn’t come for the gaudy Halloween decorations

-They came for the music

-Exclusively pop punk, if you’re wondering

-It was like 2009 everyday

-Which was comforting, considering the world has gotten a little

-Tricky

-Since then

-But anyways

-If they didn’t come for the music or the decorations

-They came for the AMAZING espresso

-And the spooky themed treats

-But if you’re being honest

-You think the main thing that keeps them coming back

-Is Jungkook

-If his sweeping black hair didn’t get you

-Or the adorable cheeky twinkle in his eyes

-It was the tattoos and the piercings

-He looked like he walked right off of a black veil brides music video set

-He was hot

-This was obvious

-But he didn’t seem to think so

-You had come to the conclusion that he was oblivious

-he shoved his feet into his big black doc martens every morning

-Slipped on his beaded bracelets and studded chokers

-Pulled his fall out boy t-shirt over his

-Massive

-Tattooed

-Biceps

-And just thought hm

-I’m pretty average I guess (lol)

-That’s a direct quote from him btw

-Men truly are hopeless

-Jungkook opened the bakery two years ago

-He had mentioned to you that he had saved up money from his 3 part time jobs to put a down payment on the building

-Which was wedged between a sex shop

-And a thrift store

-And honestly his bakery

-Blackheart Bakery, if you’re being specific

-Fits right in

-Jungkook refuses to hire new staff

-“They won’t do it right.” He whined to you one day

-“One time I tried to hire this guy and he put the sugared googly eyes on the cookie skeletons ALL WRONG”

-“How do you put googly eyes on wrong?” You had giggled

-“you just do- i- See? This is exactly why I can’t hire anyone...”

-You had started chewing on the end of your pencil in the midst of your laughter

-It was an unconscious habit

-And it makes Jungkook shift uncomfortably, his hands moving off of the top of your table

-“Don’t do that...” he had muttered, smirking to himself as he walked back behind the counter

-he did that a lot

-He’d mutter something

-Mildly flirtatious under his breath and then

-Just walk away

-It was quite confusing

-But honestly you had a feeling he was just a filrty person

-You certainly weren’t the only girl he smirked at

-Not that you pay attention

-Ok

-Maybe you do

-Kinda

-Pay attention

-but it’s not your fault!!!!

-You just

-Can’t help but feel a little jealous

-You kiiiiiinda have a little thing for him

-Ok

-Maybe it’s a big thing

-Maybe it’s a massive

-Gigantic

-Towering

-Crush

-But look at him!!!

-You simply couldn’t be blamed

-It was his fault

-Yep

-That’s what you’re going with

-It was Jungkook

-And his tight t shirts

-His ripped jeans

-His dangly earrings

-His tattoos

-His big

-Stupid boots

-Ugh ok

-Focus

-You have work to do

-The whole reason you began coming to Jungkook's cafe was so you -could find a consistent place to study for your exams

-You were in school to become a teacher :)

-And teachers have to study very very hard

-Educating the youth is no easy feat

-Jungkook had asked what you were studying during the first week you arrived at his spooky house of baked goods

-“Oh I’m an education major”

-“Ahh so you’re getting an education about...education.” He concludes

-“I love it.”

-“So meta.”

-“Are they educating you on the disparities between impoverished children and wealthier children?”

-His wide eyes were brimming with genuine curiosity

-You kind of got a kick out of how candid he was about such heavy conversation topics

-“Not as much as they should be but, I’m actually writing a paper on a similar topic right now...”

-This caused a brilliant grin to come over his face

-It was almost blinding really

-And it made your heartbeat all wonky

-“Of course you are. You look smart like that...”

-He had backed away from your table then, seemingly satisfied

-Had you passed the vibe check?

-“I’ll leave you to your paper.” He nodded to your laptop but as he walked away, he pivoted back towards you on and the heel of his combat boot, “welcome to Blackheart Bakery by the way, let me know if I can get you anything.”

-Another brilliant smile is sent your way

-“Thank you.” You had smiled back, sending a tiny wave his way

-Which in turn, made HIS heartbeat all wonky

-You’re cute

-Like really cute

-And despite how often it may seem like his eyes are elsewhere

-They are ALWAYS on you

-Every chance he gets he is glancing your way

-Smirking to himself at how endearing you are

-Brow furrowed

-Lips pouted in concentration

-Completely oblivious to his gaze

-He has to remind himself to look away

-He doesn’t want to be a creep

-“Creepy men deserved to get kicked in the teeth...”

-He’s said this to you before when another patron had made you uncomfortable

-Jungkook kicked him out immediately

-“If you don’t leave, I’ll have no choice but to kick you in the teeth. One, because I can’t compromise my personal philosophy and two because you’re making my favorite customer uncomfortable.”

-Oh look there goes your heartbeat again

-WONKY

-The guy leaves in an angry rush, flipping Jungkook off in the process

-Saying something about leaving a bad Yelp review

-He doesn’t care tho

-He definitely doesn’t want to be a creep

-You’re just so

-Pretty

-Ugh

-He rolls his eyes at himself behind the espresso bar

-The latte in front of him neglected

-In need of a bit of foam

-“Focus Jeon, she’s just a chick...”

No wait

-“She’s just a woman. A woman who I respect, like I respect all women...”

-He’s been watching a lot of feminist theory on YouTube

-He likes staying educated

-And also fuck the patriarchy

-The man waiting for his drink has arched a brow at this point, wondering if his barista has lost his mind

-“Uhhh medium...” he checks the cup for his awful hand writing, “ghostly toasted marshmallow latte!”

-“Thanks.” The guy mutters, throwing a judging look Jungkook's way

-He gives him a lazy salute as the guy struts away with a briefcase in tow

-“Thaaanks.” Jungkook mocks him, his face scrunching up in annoyance

-Stupid man

-With his stupid briefcase

-As Jungkook is pulling out a batch of cream cheese frosting stuffed pumpkin muffins

-Or as Jungkook calls them

-PUNK-in Muffins

-Movement at the counter catches his eye

-is that

-”oh shit...” He grunts, hastily wiping his hands on his apron and rushing over to the counter

-normally he would meander

-stroll

-or even slump to greet any new guests at this hour

-and by this hour

-he means 45 minutes before closing

-Jungkook’s bakery is open til midnight on weeknights

-9pm on Sundays

-and 3am on Saturdays (for the culture of course, gotta keep it spooky)

-tonight happens to be a Friday night and the person awaiting his assistance is

-you

-”You’re still here?” He gawks, the black polish on his nails glimmering as he punches in a few keys on the register

-You offer him a tired and slightly amused smile, “No. Y/N died around 4:30, you’re speaking to her ghost. Please leave your message after the tone.”

-Jungkook cracks a smile, his palms resting on flat on the counter, “Do ghosts check their voicemails?”

-“Oh of course not but, I will be checking yours because you have access to caffeine.”

-Jungkook laughs

-no...he giggles

-and it’s fucking cute

-but you digress

-“I feel like I should cut you off...this is your 4th latte; I’m pretty sure you’re 80% caffeine at this point...”

-“Noooo, don’t do that.” You whine slumping against the counter, “I just need to finish this one page...”

-He quirks a brow as he scribbles something on your cup, unimpressed with your statement, “You said that three hours ago. I’ll make you another one but I’m not putting an extra shot in.”

-Your face turns up in protest but he click his tongue against his teeth , shaking a manicured finger at you

-“Ah ah- nope. I don’t want to hear it. You either take that or I’m making you a hot chocolate and shutting the buildings power off.”

-With a dramatic sigh, you concede

-“Ugh fine. Here-” You go to hand him your debit card but he shakes his head

-“Put that away.”

-You want to protest but given the fact that he’s made the rules thus far during this interaction, you doubt you’d be able to stop him.

-A smile appears on your face then, appreciative of his generosity

-“Thank you.”

-He merely grins, waving you off before rolling up the sleeves of his black Blink 182 shirt

-as soon as his tattoos are out

-all the moisture leaves your mouth

-you try your hardest not to stare at him

-expertly, he eases the espresso shots into the milk, tongue poking between his lips in concentration

-and you

-being sleep-deprived

-and a little loopy

-decide to

-flirt????????

-if you could even call it that

-which you could but you shouldn’t

-“For the record, when I finally dig my way out of this of mountain of death I’m stuck in, I will definitely take you up on that hot chocolate...”

-Jungkook’s brow quirks at the tone of your voice, his hands suddenly itching with nerves

-was that

-was that flirty?

-should he flirt back?

-“My hot chocolate is legendary. You won’t be disappointed.” His lips display a small grin as he places the lid atop your finished latte, “Also mountain of death is a great name and I WILL be stealing it.”

-You giggle

-again

-“and I WILL be suing you for copyright.”

-He laughs now, wiping up the bit of milk he spilled

-the sinewy muscles in his forearm tensing and untensing

“Good luck getting me to show up to court.”

-and that’s kinda how it was between you and Jungkook

-for like six months

-it was a little bit flirty but never anything to push either over you over the edge.

-and speaking of being on edge

-recently, you had gone from vacationing in your timeshare on the edge

-to signing a 35 year mortgage contract

-4 bedrooms

-2.5 bathrooms

-of pure

-unrelenting

-stress

-you could feel it in the middle of your back

-shoving itself up between your shoulder blades

-your body seemed to ache with it

-the worst part being

-it was Halloween

-You should be out with your friends, having fun

-wearing itchy costumes and drinking sugary drinks

-but instead, your headed towards the bakery to work

-Jungkook was behind the counter, smiling happily at a family dressed like the cast of scooby doo

-from what you could see he was wearing a skeleton onesie

-his jet black hair tousled perfectly above his head

-he looked adorable

-(and hot)

-He notices you instantly, his face turning up in surprise

-you offer up a small wave and head over to your table

-you know he’s going to say something about you being there but

-you don’t really have much of a choice

-this work has to be done

-it takes him a second to spot you but when he does

-he seems to perk up

-his smile brightening as he looks back towards his customer

-as you’re setting everything up, you feel a presence (not the spooky kind) at the end of your table

-it’s Jungkook and he has your regular order in one hand, along with something wrapped in skeleton-patterned parchment paper

-“I know, I know.” You acknowledge before he’s even able to chide you for being here

-He smirks “What are you doing studying on the holiest day of the year??”

-You giggle

-“The holiest day of the year huh?”

-“Of course. Halloween is the one night a year that the homies can dress like total -sluts and no one can say anything about it.”

-This makes you giggle again

-“And you went with slutty skeleton huh? I love it- it’s like as naked as you can possibly get.”

-He chuckles, gesturing to his costume

-His floppy black hair getting in his face

-“Damn right baby.”

-The way he grins tells you the pet name is a joke

-But the deepening of his voice gets to you anyway

-“Thank you for this. I promise I’ll get out of your hair early tonight.”

-“The only thing I’m worried about getting out of my hair is this white spray paint. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”

-He’s put a streak of white spray paint in his raven locks

-Why? You’re not certain

-Does it look good on him, like everything else does?

-Absolutely

-Its been a few hours since your night of studying began

-Jungkook’s dropped off two free lattes since you’ve arrived

-As well as a slice of his ‘I write cinnamon not tragedies’ bread

-Which was equally hilarious and delicious

-You caught him glancing over at your table a few times but you didn’t think anything of it

-He’s probably just checking to make sure that no one needs your table

-His bakery is packed most nights but Halloween is a special night at Blackheart Bakery

-He has a trick or treat counter set up with free (homemade) candy

-A photo op complete with a fake haunted house backdrop

-A Halloween playlist

-And a bunch of discounts on his signature lattes and food

-you watch him amongst the chaos

-He is completely unfazed

-He seems elated at the amount of customers he has

-he grins and laughs at something a man dressed like Thor says at his counter

-he seems entirely in his element

-you realize that the denial tactics you’ve been trying out haven’t been working

-because this floppy haired, tattooed, slutty skeleton/baker kind of has a hold on your heart

-you’ve been friends for a long time now

-he always makes sure you’re taken care of

-he always asks if you’re ok

-he always gives you this little grin

-it feels like a secret sometimes

-but maybe it’s been his way of letting you know where he stands

-he’s been bringing you lattes and pastries for months now

-he never charges you full-price

-he always reminds you not to work too hard

-he

-fuck

-he likes you doesn’t he?

-you look back over at the counter to see him bending over and handing a skeleton cookie to a little girl dressed like Captain Marvel

-he laughs at something she says

-his eyes focused entirely on her and whatever she seems to be proclaiming to him

-your heart goes wonky again

-alright

-enough is enough

-you’re doing this

-Jungkook’s done so much of the work thus far

-it’s time for you to seal the deal

-and if he rejects you, well…

-you can just crawl into a hole and never come out again

-easy peasy

-You can feel his eyes on you as you get up to take your place in line

-luckily there isn’t anyone else behind you

-rejection with an audience would certainly be worse

-Jungkook has his witty comment ready for you as you approach the register

-“I know for a fact you haven’t finished your third latte and I’m not making you another one until-“

-“I’m not here for another latte.” You laugh, trying to ignore the thrashing of your heartbeat

-“No? Well, are you finally going to try my Welcome to the Blackened Chicken Parade Burger then? I’ve been asking you for like three weeks…”

-god he’s fucking cute

-“I’m here to ask you out.”

-Jungkook swears he feels his heart stop

-“You’re here to…”

-He repeats the first part of your response as his he didn’t hear you

-his black fingernails anxiously tapping against the countertop

-“I’m here to ask you out- on a date.”

-Jungkooks face seems to go through various stages of confusion before a shy smirk presents itself on his pretty mouth

-“Me? You’re asking me-“ He places a hand on his chest, “-out on a date?”

-“Yes!” You laugh, slapping the counter a bit too hard, your nerves getting the best of you, “Are you down?”

-He shakes his head but his answer contradicts his movements

-“So down, beyond down. There is no one on Earth who is more DOWN than I am. Yes. My answer is yes. 50000% yes.”

-you can’t help the smile on your lips

-“great. So are you free next Friday then?”

-He grins with his teeth this time, nodding emphatically

-“Consider the shop closed.”

-and so it was

-you returned to your table moments later

-feeling on top of the world

-you did it

-you asked Jungkook out

-and he said yes

-and now you

-NOW YOU HAVE A DATE WITH JUNGKOOK

-LOOK AT YOU GO

-TAKING CHARGE

-you try your best to engage with your studies but with Jungkook on your mind

-its really hard

-roughly two hours later, things at the bakery have finally started to slow down

-“Hey uh- Y/N?”

-Jungkook's voice that pulls you out of your studying trance

-he’s standing at the entrance of his back room, waving you over with his hand

-and who are you to deny him?

-you make your way over there, annoyed at the instant increase in your heartrate

-he stands awkwardly to the side and gestures to the boxes on the metal rack

-“I just remembered that I’ve never given you a tour of the place. I give all my regulars a tour of the stockroom and my office and uh-”

-he cuts himself off and clumsily cups your cheek

-he pulls you into a kiss

-a really good kiss

-his lips are so warm

-he smells like cinnamon

-you could literally die happy

-The ridiculous nature of his first attempt to kiss you, makes you giggle into his mouth

-you feel him smile, his hands smushing your cheeks together as he pulls away

-“Ok I lied. There is no tour. I’ve just been watching you focus on your computer for the last two hours and you’re just really fucking cute and-”

-this time, it’s you who cuts him off

-“You better give me an actual tour next time. How else am I going to steal your secret recipes?”

-he scoffs in mock offense

-“Ah ha! So that’s the only reason you asked me out huh? Should I be calling you Plankton instead of Y/N? Ew no wait- that would make me Mr. Krabs and he’s a dirty capitalist...”

-You laugh, “Oooh good point. Guess you’ll just have to be Karen, my computer wife.”

-This makes him laugh now and the sound warms your soul

-“I could live with that- I like your last name better anyways.”

-with another kiss, your adventure with the emo baker of your dreams begins

-It may have been Halloween but it sure felt like Christmas to you

389 notes · View notes

dorksndisasters · 3 years

Text

Session 15

[[<PREV]] | [[NEXT>]]

I totally didn’t spend yesterday sleeping on the couch instead of doing literally anything else what don’t be ridiculous

Definitely forgot to queue this up the day before tho my bad.

Marask rejoins the group! They find Ophibwynn’s mother and manage not to completely alienate her!

And then they proceeded to be utter rats because of one piece of randomly generated world building

I love them, really.

Nakai doesn’t get the group lost, he insists, but they certainly walk a meandering route to the gates of Behrtio and arrive there the evening of the day after they escaped the boblins.

“Hey! Hey, hold up!” Marask yells from behind them.

“Did we... did we intentionally leave him behind?” Skadi asks.

Ophibwynn shrugs. “We don’t always walk the same path.”

They turn to see Marask bearing down on them across the isthmus on the back of a wyrm that splashes ungainly through the surf.

“It’s been four days, what the fuck,” Nakai breathes.

“This is Barry,” Marask says, hauling the wyrm to a skidding halt before the group. “He’s my new friend.”

“How? You didn’t manage to befriend the other wyrms!”

“So you remember that whistle?” Marask leans over the wyrm’s head, unconcerned about the slick nature of its skin. “Turns out it helps me make friends.”

“... huh.”

Behrtio’s gates are open, and there doesn’t seem to be any kind of militia or guard standing over them, so the group enter.

“So what happened to you?” Marask asks.

“Oh, you know. Fought a lich, totally fixed up Rtaahar, fought some orcs.”

“Joined a cult.”

“You joined a cult?”

“We didn’t know it was a cult.”

“Or that we were joining it.”

Skadi looks around, frowning slightly at the grand but blocky clay buildings that make up a lot of the architecture around them. The slim, flowing lines of elven architecture are few and far between, and seem far older, for all that they have the signs of being kept up on them. “What happened here?”

“Oh, this is Unicorn’s Ward, it’s the orc half of the city,” Ophibwynn says. “Well, half-orcs, anyway.

“Unicorn - are there unicorns in this world?” Marask asks, still from atop the wyrm, which is incredibly docile and muted as it walks down the street behind the group.

Skadi shakes her head. “No, it’s a name the humans brought with them. Why would they keep it?”

Ophibwynn shrugs. “It just stuck, I guess.”

“So where does your mother live?”

Ophibwynn grimaces. “I need a drink first.”

She leads them to a pub called The Empty Cup along the main road.

“Stay here, Barry,” Marask says, as he slides down from the wyrm’s back.

The wyrm stops still where it is, partially blocking the road.

The Empty Cup is lively enough, the patrons mostly half-orc in nature, but Ophibwynn ignores the looks she and the party get and shoulders her way through to a free table.

They order drinks, and aren’t sitting there long before a young half-orc brings them over. He stares at Ophibwynn but doesn’t say anything as he sets the drinks down and backs away.

“So why don’t you want to go home?” Skadi asks.

“I just...” Ophi wrinkles her nose. “She doesn’t like Gordon.”

“You don’t want to hurt your rabbit’s feelings?” Alaric raises an eyebrow.

“It’s just – it's been a long time, alright?” Ophibwynn shrugs and takes a drink.

The young half-orc comes back across, holding a massively faded and ragged piece of paper. “Um – excuse me, but – is this you?” He holds it out to Ophibwynn.

She glances at it, stiffens, and then looks away. “No.” She pulls the fur collar of her armour up as if to hide her face.

“But-”

“You’re mistaken. Do I look that old?”

He squints at the poster, which is hard to read for the stains. “I... guess. It says a half-elf, though,” he mumbles.

“Go on, scat.” Ophibwynn gestures him away.

Marask has the decency to wait until the half-orc is out of earshot before he leans across the table. “Is that a wanted poster? What did you do?”

Ophibwynn sighs, exasperated, and gets up. “Come on. Let’s just – get this over with.” She orders them shots at the bar, downs hers as quickly as it’s placed in her hand, and then leaves the pub.

The others follow after her, hurrying to keep up.

She leads them across the river that splits the city in two, and into an area that is much more uniform about its building. They all share the same flowing woodworked architecture, tall and elegant and reminiscent of a forest.

As they cross the river, Ophibwynn stops and turns about, flinging her hand out to stop the person following her. “What are you doing?” she all but snarls at the half-orc boy, who is walking along after them.

He stumbles back, clutching that ragged poster to his chest. “I’m sorry! Only – only this says you were kidnapped, see, and there’s a reward for rescuing you!” He holds it out.

“Uh, obviously we’re returning her,” Marask says, from on top of the wyrm. “Don’t try to muscle in on our reward, now.”

“Let me see that.” Ophibwynn takes the poster and scans it. She sighs. “Ok. Sorry, kid, but... I don’t need you to return me.”

“Al-alright.” He nods. “Ok.” He turns and runs back to the pub.

“So... can we take the reward?” Marask asks.

Ophibwynn shrugs. “I guess. Might as well get something from her.”

The city across the bridge might as well be a different place entirely; the buildings are wood, and some of them appear to still be growing, with leaves patterning about windows and along the lintels above the doors. They’re bigger, older, and on some streets it’s more as if they walk through a forest than through a city by the sea.

Ophibwynn leads them on to where the houses seem more permanent and older and larger.

“Ophi,” Marask says, looking up at the buildings from the top of his wyrm. “Is your mum a bougie fuck?”

Ophibwynn shrugs. “I mean… when you’re an elf it’s all old money, right?” She pauses before a house that’s set back behind a lawn and hedges.

She sighs and steps forward, and knocks on the door almost as softly as she can.

“You may need to knock more strongly than that,” Marask says. “Me ‘n’ Barry can knock for you.”

“No! No, it’s-” Ophibwynn shakes her head and knocks more firmly before taking a step back.

The door swings open after a moment and an older elf steps out. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, I… I’m here to see the main resident of this house,” Ophibwynn says, frowning when she doesn’t recognise him. “Micardia Hunzruae.”

“We found her daughter!” Marask calls, leaning over the wyrm’s head. “We’re here for the reward.”

The elf purses his lips and looks over the group as if sizing them up. “Very well. I will inform the mistress.” He closes the door behind him.

As he turns away, Nakai yawns and starts to clean between his teeth with one of his claws.

Ophibwynn turns back to the group as they wait, and pulls her pack from her back to make sure that Gordon is hidden inside it.

When the door opens again, a different elf steps out. She doesn’t seem as old; her hair, cut just above her shoulders, is brown and lightly waved, tucked about her pointed ears. She wears a pink shawl about her shoulders and a bow at her neck, and the resemblance between her and Ophibwynn is unmistakeable.

She stares at Ophibwynn almost like she doesn’t recognise her, and then like she doesn’t believe who she’s seeing. “… Ophi?”

Ophibwynn shifts where she stands and says nothing.

Alaric clears his throat and steps forward, bowing. “Lady Micardia. We noble yet humble adventurers have returned your daughter to you. We have braved forests and wyrms and many dangerous perils to bring her back to you, and humbly request your reward.”

Micardia takes a further moment to compose herself, and looks over the group. “I...” a small wrinkle of distaste flashes across her features. “I had thought you dead. I had stopped looking.”

“Well, I’m not,” Ophibwynn replies, not quite a mutter.

Micardia nods. “Well, you’d - you’d best all come in.” She steps back, holding the door open. “I don’t think your... wyrm will fit inside,” she says to Marask.

“Alright,” he says, with a dramatic sigh. “Oi, Barry! Stay here.” He slides down from its back. “Be nice.”

Alaric waits for Ophibwynn to lead the way in, but she still lingers on the street, so he takes the lead.

Nakai follows after him, ducking to get through a door that hadn’t been made with Lizardfolk in mind.

Ophibwynn pulls away from her mother as she walks past. “The sitting room is still where it was, right?”

Micardia nods again, pulling her hand back to her chest. “There are refreshments on their way.”

Nakai has already made himself at home, lounging across a whole couch. Alaric is standing by the fireplace, not quite at attention.

“Just... take a seat,” Ophibwynn says, sounding tired.

As Skadi enters, Aurora pads over to sit by Ophibwynn, leaning on her legs.

“What happened to you?” Micardia asks.

“Well-” Ophibwynn hesitates.

“She nearly was dead,” said Alaric. “Until we found her and rescued her.”

Micardia blinks, looks startled.

“Yeah.” Ophibwynn nods. “Yeah, I was rescued by – by these guys.”

“From the Boblins,” Skadi explains.

Ophibwynn nods again. “Yeah, they – they were trying to change my name,” she says. “To Ophiboblin.”

In the corner by the window, Marask muffles his laughter.

“I am so very glad that you rescued my daughter,” Micardia says.

“Yeah, so can we get the money please?” Marask asks, having managed to restrain his laughter.

Through the window behind him, Barry can be seen chewing on the sculpted bushes that lined the street.

“I would like the shinies,” he continues.

Alaric shoots him a sharp glare and makes a cutting motion with his hand.

Marask starts to wander the room, examining everything with even the hint of a glimmer of metal about it, holding them up to see how the sunlight plays off the shiny surfaces.

“I... thought she was dead,” Micardia says. “I stopped offering that reward – oh, many years ago. I had given up hope.”

“But why are the posters still in circulation?” Skadi asks, frowning. “Surely, then, you’d have had them all taken down.”

Micardia frowns. “I cannot answer for what certain... establishments do with everything that they are given.”

Marask, who has by now sidled quite close to Micardia in his search for shinies, leans over her shoulder and whispers, “I smell shite,” in an almost singsong tone right in her ear.

Micardia shudders and steps away from him.

Skadi narrows her gaze and turns to Nakai, who’s closest to her, and murmurs, “Is it not a bit... weird? She’s not exactly jumping for joy that her daughter’s back.”

Nakai shrugs.

Marask grins and leans on the couch beside the two of them. “Like I said,” he replies, not really bothering to lower his voice. “I smell shite.”

Skadi turns to Micardia and repeats her question.

“I... I am,” Micardia replies, still with that strange sort of aloofness in her voice. “It’s just... after so long, you know, I had given up hope. I almost didn’t believe it possible.” She runs her hands up her arms. “And your story is so – so strange. Ophiboblin? I don’t know what to make of it.”

“The boblin cult is real,” Nakai says, pain in his voice.

Marask lets out a small chuckle, and almost looks longingly at the idea of the cult.

“It happened,” Ophibwynn cuts across them both, a little stiffly. “And I’d rather not reflect on my bad time, if that’s alright with you.”

“Oh, of – of course.” Micardia dips her head. “I am sorry.” She hesitates. “You - you are all welcome to stay, of course. We have enough rooms.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Ophibwynn replies. “But I need you to know that I’m not staying. I just wanted to let you know that I was alive. I might come back occasionally, but I’m an adventurer now, with these guys.” She gestures to the group. “They’re my pals.”

Skadi shifts like she wants to interrupt, but doesn’t.

“So quickly?”

“Yeah, they told me about their adventures, and now I want to see the world.” Ophibwynn begins to sound a little defensive, and her hand tightens on the strap of her bag. “I want to do stuff, because I’ve been stuck in the same place for... three hundred years.” She flicks the fingers on her free hand, tallying up the decades since she was last at home.

Micardia stares at Ophibwynn, then glances about the group. “Alright,” she says eventually. “I understand. The rooms – you are still welcome to stay for as long as you are in town. Or you may find an inn.”

Ophibwynn glances at her companions. “We’ll stay here.”

Skadi nods. They have yet more business with Micardia, but it can wait for now.

“I can show everyone where to sleep,” Ophibwynn says, and gets to her feet. Despite her mother seeming to have agreed with her, she doesn’t seem to want to stay in the same room as her for very long.

“Can-”

“No, your wyrm cannot come inside the house,” Micardia says, cutting Marask off. “I do not even have stables for it. Perhaps it is best that it return to the wilds.”

“No, I’m sure he’ll be fine in the street. Or in the garden,” Marask says, cheerfully, and follows Ophibwynn from the room.

“Thank you,” Alaric says, bowing to Micardia, “For your hospitality.”

Mollified by that, she doesn’t bother arguing further with Marask.

Ophibwynn leads them upstairs and finds her room exactly as she left it, right down to Gordon’s old hutch under the window.

“It looks like a shrine,” Skadi says. “Creepy.”

“I - suppose it is,” Ophibwynn replies, who had been thinking more along the lines of isn’t it cute to see everything I left behind.

“Is that – how old is Gordon?” Skadi asks.

“He’s my familiar.”

“Magic is weird,” Nakai says.

Ophibwynn busies herself setting up Gordon’s hutch again.

“And where do we go?”

“Oh, the other rooms-” Ophibwynn gets back to her feet. “Just along this corridor. There are many bedrooms. After my dad – it was only me and my mum.”

The group disperses, each finding a room.

Skadi hovers in Ophibwynn’s doorway. “I don’t trust her,” she says. “She said she was moving on.”

“Sometimes-” Ophibwynn hesitates. “She’s trying. I think.”

Skadi hums. “Alright.” She pulls Ophibwynn’s door shut behind her.

Ophibwynn kneels in the bedroom of her childhood and watches Gordon settle back into his old home. “Maybe things can be different now?”

Alaric sleeps tense, sword near at hand; he hasn’t slept in any house for the longest time, and he doesn’t want to get used to it yet, to not hear all the noises it makes, because any one of them could be an intruder.

Nakai had taken one look at the bed the night before – elegant, to be sure, but made for an elf’s height – and slept on the floor for fear of breaking it.

Ophi wakes and checks her room to see if anyone has been in, and clears Gordon back into her bag, making it look as though he had never been there.

Marask has left his room by the window, shifting forms to coast about to where the wyrm sleeps in the garden. As it wakes, he blows the whistle once more, bespelling it back to his command.

Skadi wakes and is confused by the four walls about her; she recognises them as elf-made, and takes a long time to remember that she is back in Behrtio. Aurora shoves her head in under Skadi’s hand and whines, and Skadi strokes her absentmindedly before she gets to her feet.

They meet in the corridor and Ophibwynn leads them down to the dining hall, where Micardia already sits. The table groans under the display of food, and the party’s eyes grow wide at the extravagance of it all.

When Micardia does nothing more than greet them politely, Ophibwynn breathes a small sigh of relief and sits down near the other end of the table.

Alaric nods to Micardia and sits down, filling a plate and starting to eat.

“I have decided to give you the reward,” Micardia announces. “Since you have brought her back to me. I should not have given up hope.” She waves for one of her servants, who hands out a bag of coins to each of the party but Ophibwynn.

“Thank you,” Alaric says. “That is most kind.”

Marask plops himself down and opens the bag, spilling coins across the table in front of him.”

“How are you today, mother?”

“Quite well, thank you.” Micardia smiles. “I still can’t quite believe that you’re back.”

“Well, it’s not forever,” Ophibwynn says, and Micardia’s smile falters, ever so slightly.

“We were actually looking for your help,” Alaric says, before the two of them can go any further down that route.

“Oh?”

“We aren’t just here for Ophibwynn’s sake,” Skadi says. “Although obviously, that’s a bonus.” She slips Aurora some bacon, snatching it from the plate before Nakai takes the whole platter for himself.

Between them, Nakai and Marask are doing a decent job of clearing the whole table.

“So what do you need my help with?” Micardia asks.

Skadi glances at Ophibwynn, who imperceptibly shakes her head.

“Information,” Nakai grunts out, around a mouthful of food.

Ophibwynn sighs, when no one elaborates. “These guys were telling me that, before they came to find me, they had a run in with some people that know Ilromi Hunzruae. Your... sister?”

Micardia almost freezes. She sets her cup down very carefully as they all watch, and only when it’s settled on its saucer, does she speak. “I haven’t heard her name in a long time.”

“We were looking for her,” Skadi explains. “And when we found Ophi-”

"We took her to Malpha, first,” Marask interrupts. “Because she was dazed and unconscious, and we thought they’d be able to help best. And then we ran into that group looking for Ilromi, and Ophi here started to remember things-”

“Where did you hear her name?”

“In the Scriptorium in Malpha.”

“I never knew her,” Ophi said. “You never said you had a sister.”

“No,” Micardia says. “She... she left us behind.”

“To go where?”

Micardia frowns and tilts her head away, closing her eyes. “She... she fell in with that Broken Worlds group. They lured her in with honeyed words, and we never heard from her after that. Our parents moved back to Poisoned Tears, and I... I stayed here.”

“So you don’t know where she went?” Ophibwynn asks.

“No.” Micardia frowns.

“Do you... have anything of hers? I can – we can find a sorceror to track her down via that, maybe.”

“Our parents took almost everything with them when they left.” Micardia shakes her head, frowning.

Marask frowns, tracing his fingers across the table. “Do you have a world map?” He stands, walking away.

“Why?” Ophibwynn asks.

“I think I know where she is.” And he explains his reasoning as Alaric unrolls a map and Nakai clears off the table (notably shoving the majority of the food into his bag or his mouth), and then points to the tower. “Here.” It’s the Tower of Broken Worlds. “Remember, we got... someone to search from Malpha, but we couldn’t get more precise than a tower north of Malpha. And if you say she fell in with that Broken Worlds lot or whatever, this is the only tower that fits.”

“Oh. Yeah, ok.”

“Otherwise there’s the sanctuary of broken worlds up here,” Nakai says, his mouth full. “And Poisoned Tears over here. Right the other side of the world.” He points with a claw.

“So back towards Malpha.” Ophibwynn looks up. “Is there anything we should know about her?”

Micardia tilts her head. “You’re really going to look for her?”

“Well, I’ve never met her, and this lot are looking for her, so maybe – maybe I can help.” Ophibwynn shrugs. “And I’d like to meet my aunt.” She says this last almost defiantly.

“I don’t think I knew her all that well,” Micardia says. “I never thought she’d run off to become a sorceress.”

Ophibwynn shifts on her seat and takes a drink.

“Is there a secret family code word that we can shout at her, to show that Ophibwynn’s really related to her? Like if we yell ‘Fat Asses’ at her she’ll know it for a family phrase?”

Micardia stares at him, aghast. “... No.”

“So she’s a sorceror?” Ophibwynn prompts.

“... Yes.”

Marask yawns and shifts forms, to full crow and back in the blink of an eye, then glances at Micardia to make sure she saw.

She stiffens up and sighs.

"So I think I’ll show them about town,” Ophibwynn says brightly, a little forcefully.

Nakai looks up from the tea cup in his claws. It’s tiny there, doll sized.

“If that’s alright?” She chivvies the others towards the door without waiting for an answer. “Alright, see you later, bye!”

When they’re out on the street and the door is shut behind them, Ophibwynn sighs in relief, sagging against the wall.

“So... what are you showing us?” Nakai asks.

“I’m curious to see how the town has changed since my day,” Skadi says.

Before Ophibwynn can reply, an elf in uniform trots up and hesitates on the step. “Good morning. I’m looking for a... Ophibwynn Hunzruae? And Marask Kells?”

“That’s us.” Marask jumps across to join him. “What’ve you got for us?”

“This arrived this morning, from Malpha.”

Marask takes it and opens it, and squints at the contents.

Ophibwynn walks across to join him. “It’s from Aewyth?”

“Yeah - oh!” Marask laughs. “The tapestry! It must have been delivered.”

They skim read the letter together.

“Can we send back a reply that just says ‘you’re welcome’?” Marask asks.

“Yes. Oh! I can write it in Elvish.” Ophibwynn grins, giggling. She takes quill and paper from her bag and writes a note as small as she can.

“That’s wordy,” Marask says, peering over her shoulder.

“Yes, but it does just say you’re welcome,” she replies. She signs it and hands it back to the elf. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” He takes it, mildly bemused, and trots off.

They watch him go, very pleased with themselves.

“So.” Alaric clears his throat. “What is there to see around here?”

“Oh! Right.” Ophibwynn claps her hands. “Well - Skadi, what do you remember?”

“Let’s find a quest!” Marask announce. “So we can be heroes.”

“Maybe there’ll be a noticeboard in the square,” Alaric says. “That’s how it is in some places.”

Ophibwynn starts to walk, and the others follow. Marask changes to his crow form and perches up on his wyrm’s head as it lumbers after the party.

“Has anyone managed to enter the Bone Tower?” Skadi asks. “It’s been a-”

“I’m sorry, the what tower?” Marask interrupts, shifting back to human form.

“It was down by the harbour,” Skadi says.

“I don’t think so,” Ophibwynn says. “Unless they’ve managed since I left.”

Marask is lying on the wyrm’s back roaring with laughter. “Is there anything good in the Bone Zone?”

Nakai lets out a peal of laughter at that, and even Alaric cracks a grin.

“Nobody knows,” Skadi says.

“Oh, let’s go to the Bone Zone. Let’s see what’s in it!” Marask is grinning wildly.

“Sure,” Alaric says.

Marask laughs all the way to the square that holds the Bone Tower, occasionally just muttering ‘Bone Zone’ to himself.

The square is deserted, and an uneasy chill permeates every corner. Despite the sun above, it is cold and off-putting here.

The tower itself is tall and crooked, and seems to be made from the skeletons of long dead beasts. There does not seem to be an entrance, for behind the bones is a smooth white wall that joins perfectly with the ground at their feet.

“It’s... a lot smaller than I was expecting,” says Alaric, fighting not to smile.

His comment sends Marask off in peals of laughter again, and he almost rolls from the wyrm’s back to the ground.

“Does this not feel familiar?” Nakai asks. “The cold.”

“Oh, the – the lich?” Ophibwynn clicks her fingers as she reaches. “From Rtaahar!”

“Fantastic,” Alaric groans.

“I’m going to look for an entrance!” Marask announces, and takes off in a flurry of wings.

He circles the tower, all the way to the top, and finds a skylight at the very tip that seems large enough to let them all through.

When he returns to the ground and explains this to them, Ophibwynn takes a step back and shades her eyes, looking up. “How are we going to get up there? I’m not climbing it.”

“Barry could,” Marask says, patting the wyrm. “We could grab onto him and he can carry us up.”

“Or I can try a portal.” Ophibwynn splays her hands and focuses.

“Yeah, portal us up to the top of the Bone Zone,” Marask whispers.

Ophibwynn drops her hands and laughs. “Ok, ok – no. I can’t.”

“Oh, does this normally not happen to you?” Marask grins.

Ophibwynn snorts.

“Hop aboard Barry!” Marask pats the wyrm. “Come on.”

“Maybe in a couple of groups.”

So Marask instructs the wyrm to take Alaric and Nakai up first and then comes back for Skadi and Aurora and Ophibwynn, flying beside it all the time. By the time that Skadi and Ophibwynn are on the top, Alaric and Nakai have got the skylight open and are spooling a rope down to the floor below.

One by one, the group slide down into the Bone Tower.

#dnd #campaign #FATE CORE RPG #fate roleplay #fate rpg #homebrew

2 notes · View notes

yonymii · 4 years

Text

secret garden

a/n: shoutout to my chamaedorea plant, Debrah 🤩 (also @gigis-galaxy for telling me to write for mattsun) his characterisation is wierd but whatever,, this took wayy too long to write sjkdjkdjks i think i change tenses at the end?? I liked it tho so i kept it

Wordcount: 4.4k

pairing: matsukawa issei x gn!reader

Warnings: cursing

Matsukawa didn’t notice you the first time he saw you. Of course, he’d seen you sat leaning against the wall scribbling notes onto your hand, but he hadn’t really noticed you, not enough to be able to describe your appearance. Like every other year, he’d just sat near his friends and started talking, completely missing your voice reverberating off of the plain white classroom walls, your laugh never reaching his ears. Your friends were always sat in front of you, blocking you from his field of vision, so it was no surprise when you two had been partnered up for a history project he’d had to ask who on earth y/n l/n was.

You hadn’t noticed him either, though. Matsukawa was one of those kids who joked around in class, throwing paper balls at their friends and drawing bad pictures of the teacher on scrap pieces of paper but was too discreet to ever get caught. You’d heard his voice but never bothered to turn around and learn whose it was, never scanned the classroom to take in and memorise the faces of your classmates. In your opinion, they were irrelevant unless you needed them for something.

Unfortunately, you needed Mattsun for this grade.

You waited for him to approach you, not moving from your seat, occasionally glancing over to see whether he was coming to sit beside you (on the table your friend had begrudgingly moved from). After what felt like hours, there was shuffling in that spot and you heard the chair legs scrape across the wood flooring, then a figure slump into the plastic seat. He looked over to you but you were already sending texts to your friends on the other side of the classroom, trying not to laugh so you wouldn’t be caught by the teacher. He thought you were quite attractive; not like Oikawa, though. Like you were unaware of your appearance, as if you didn’t spend too much time staring in the mirror worrying about how you look to others.

It was silly, really. That he was thinking so deeply into it when all you two had to do was study together and then produce a poster on World War One. It wasn’t difficult, except everytime you started speaking he felt obliged to look over at your face, your expressions. Mattsun desperately needed to focus, and you weren’t helping.

“Are you free to work on this over the weekend or do you want me to finish it?” he heard you ask as he was packing his bag on the Friday before your project was due. You two had mainly worked on it during his free lunches, seeing as all your clubs were on afterschool and not at lunch break. He turned to see you stood at the doorway of your empty classroom, tapping the end of your foot on the floorboards. He nodded, zipping up his backpack and meandering over to where you stood. “Yeah, you have my number, right? Text me your address and i’ll come over at twelve tomorrow,” he started walking off but looked over his shoulder at you, “If it’s okay with you, that is?”

You just agreed politely, joining your friends on the field at the back of campus. You could hear them talking, but you weren’t listening. You had your phone out but it was hidden under your blazer in case any teachers walked past and saw you; as you sent your address to Mattsun you couldn’t help but worry about the state of your room.

Not that it was messy. In fact, it was abnormally clean for a teenager. It was just… full. You had no idea how to tell your partner that you had no desks to work on because they were all occupied by your various houseplants your grandmother gave you? You sure as hell weren’t moving them just so that he could work.

Your room was a long rectangle, your bed positioned carefully so it fitted perfectly into the thin space by the window (which was occupied by a long pot of forget-me-nots), and you had two desks; one that was for plants all along and the other was now home to plants but was previously used for studying. You did most of your work sat in bed with a tray for stability nowadays.

“Hey y/n! The bell’s gone, we’ll see you Monday, m’kay?” your friend said as they tapped your shoulder and headed off. You just nodded, tucking your device into the inside pocket of your blazer and packing up your things ready for your next english class.

There were crescent moons of dirt underneath your fingernails and when you put the trowel down to sit back and bathe underneath the late afternoon sun you felt a presence behind you, their shadow above yours.

"Y/n?"

You pulled one of your airpods out, turning to gaze up at them. They were stood directly in the way of the sun, the skin on their arms illuminated with gold. You hummed in response, shifting onto your backside and exposing your mud and grass-stained knees. They chuckled and bent down to meet you; you shielded your eyes from the brightness of the sky.

"You're partnered with Mattsun for the history project, right?" Iwaizumi asked, his head tilting to the side. You nodded, fingertips digging into the soil beside you. There were a few younger students kneeling to weed the flowerbeds and vegetable patches beside yours, but they were silent. Iwaizumi lowered his voice, noticing the alck of noise in the area. There were crickets chirping quietly and the heat seared your skin. You wiped your forehead with the back of your wrist.

"Yeah, why?" your cousin smiled, standing back up as he noticed your eagerness to get back to work.

"He's skipping practice some lunches and won't tell anyone what he's doing. It's driving Shittykawa mad." you laughed at the nickname but still smacked his leg. "Don't call your best friend names, Hajime! And yeah. It'll be done by the weekend so don't worry, m'kay?"

The brunette nodded, turning away from you and starting to leave, waving lazily at you while still turned. You shouted goodbye as he walked off, spinning round to face the bed of flowers and positioning yourself onto your knees comfortably.

Your doorbell was broken when Matsukawa tried ringing it. He marveled at the vast number of window boxes filled with vibrant flowers (which he couldn't name), knocking three times on the wooden door. It was mid afternoon, the sun was hidden behind a few clouds and when you opened the door and invited him inside there were no lights on, only open curtains and white walls and carpets to brighten the rooms.

"Where are we going?" he asked when you led him to the back door and opened it, ushering him outside. It was a large green lawn, surrounded by tall bushes and beds of flowers. There was a small allotment behind a wooden fence and grey brick wall and he saw a tall wooden structure supporting a plethora of different vegetables, along with all different shades of sweet pea blossoms. In short, your garden was something out of a children's story book.

By the time the pair of you were sat on the blanket underneath an old looking tree, the sun had come out and was lighting the area. There was a stack of textbooks by the roots and you handed him a few which he opened to the bookmarked pages. Mattsun had been the one to keep hold of your poster so he set it down on a tray in the centre of the blanket, along with his stationary.

"What do you want to focus on for the last segment?" you broke the silence with a question which he was quick to respond to.

"Uhm, the causes? Of the war?" you nodded in agreement and opened a textbook. Mattsun cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Whose garden is this? I mean, uhh, who like, takes care of it?"

You had to hold back a laugh at his nervous tone, suppressing your grin when you explained that it was, in fact, your garden, and you lived mostly alone.

He just nodded, avoiding any eye contact.

"It was my grandmother's but i look after it now." Mattsun nodded again, ruling a line along the bottom of your poster to mark off the last section. "It's really nice," he said, looking up at you. You slipped your shoes off, tucking your feet under your legs and meeting his eyes.

"You must enjoy it."

A smile adorned your lips and you hummed in agreement, outlining the title of your poster (causes of World War One) and explaining your hobby to your partner. Honestly, you knew he probably didn't care, but he would listen, even if it wasn't particularly interesting to him.

"When i was younger i lived with my grandparents and sometimes my dad. He's away on business most of the time though. My grandmother used to bring me out and tell me about all of the plants, and after a while let me grow a few myself. When she passed i took over the garden," you giggled as soom is the sun appeared from behind the clouds and lit up your face, " It looks the same as it always did though. I haven't changed it much."

Although you'd assumed Matsukawa wasn't listening, he hadn't transferred any of your notes onto the large sheet of paper. He was laying on his back staring up at the sky through the leaves of the large oak tree and there were little dots of sunlight decorating his skin and hair. His eyelashes were fluttering against his cheeks; he was stunning in a way you'd never noticed before. You probably wouldn't have been able to see him this way if you'd have only been with him at school, volleyball practice or at games. It was different, but not in a bad way. You didn't know Matsukawa Issei, but you wanted to.

Clearing your throat to gain his attention (which you had anyway), and looked over at him once again, only to see his eyes on you, cheeks flushed a little as he gazed at your face under the shade of the tree. "We should really get this done, Matsukawa. It's been an hour and a half already."

He agreed, sitting up and resting his soft cheek on the palm of his hand, picking up a pen and copying out your notes in neat while you cut out pictures to accompany the writing.

Three sharp knocks at your front door woke you up from the light nap you’d been taking on the sofa laying next to your dad who’d come home for the weekend. You watched sleepily as he stood up to answer whoever it was, expecting a delivery or the friendly postman who was also your neighbor.

It was Matsukawa.

“Y/n!- Oh, uhm, hello, sir.” he said, looking down at his shoes and fiddling with his fingers. After the project you’d turned in the pair of you had become good friends and you now often sat with the volleyball team at lunches, visiting them after school during practice and going to watch practice matches. You’d done this every once in a while because of Iwaizumi but it had become significantly more frequent over the last few months.

“Why do you need y/n?” your dad asked Issei, crossing his arms protectively and leaning all his weight onto one leg. The boy who’d come over to see you just smiled up at him as you peeked out from behind the doorway and waved, pushing your dad to the side gently to allow him over the threshold and towards the door leading to your garden.

“He’s a friend, dad. I told you why i got all that food ready this morning, right?” The sun was setting on the horizon as you took Mattsun’s bag and ran up the stairs to your room, putting it by your desk and running back down to meet your friend on the lawn.

He sat on the tyre swing that hung on the oak tree, his legs threaded through the hole as he swung gently in the evening breeze. “You didn’t tell him i was coming over?” Mattzun said, resting his chin on the rubber.

“I did! I just didn’t give him any specifics is all.” You collapsed onto the blanket that was spread out over the green blades, your head on a large grey pillow. There was a basket by your feet full of cakes and drinks, and you had a speaker resting in the hollow of the tree trunk. The stars were starting to appear in the sky and the moon was hanging low in the orange glow near the rooftops, their silhouette bold against the slowly darkening backdrop. It was beautiful, and with the silence between you two you didn’t notice Mattsun crawling towards you to lay down on your stomach, a can of cola held loosely between both of his hands. He tapped his short nails against it as he looked up at the sky, his delicately carved face illuminated in the fiery sunset.

"You ok, Mattsun? You're being quiet, it's scaring me," you said, looking down at him as he breathed gently, chest rising and falling slowly as his lungs filled with air. You felt him nod against your stomach, hair sticking slightly to the fabric of your shirt. When he sat up to look at you, it was sticking out in weird directions; he looked like someone from a movie who'd been electrocuted. A giggle escaped your lips and he brushed a hand over the back of his locks, smoothing it down effectively.

He hummed when you pressed one fingertip to the tip of his nose and then the screen of your phone to play some music. Your dad shut off the upstairs and downstairs lights so now it was almost completely dark; the light of the full moon kissed Mattsun’s cheeks and made him glow, your heart stuttered and your breathing becoming laboured and heavy. The boy was laying down on his back on your blanket, chewing a biscuit and sitting up slightly to swallow it before laying down again. The stars blinked at your through the green leaves of the tree, and you leaned forwards to grab your cup that was filled with tea; the warmth radiating from it met your skin and sent a shiver all the way down your spine. You could hear your breathing fall into synchronization with his, your mind clearing and the only thing present in your thoughts was the boy laying beside you.

“Y/n, you never sit with us anymore. Just this lunch?” you shook your head at your friend (who you had indeed ditched for the Seijoh volleyball club a number of months ago), sighing loudly so that she heard you.

“Seriously, i don’t want to sit with you today, okay?” she just stared at you, face not showing any emotion, “I’ll sit with you guys when i feel like it. That isn’t right now.” and you ignored her pleads as you walked to the stairs where Makki was standing, one foot against the wall and his hands shoved into the pockets of his blazer. His bag was leaning against the surface and one of his shoes was sticking out of the side because the bag as too full. When he saw you he picked it up, slinging it over his shoulder and not speaking, just wandering lazily up the staircase and towards the rooftop where you assumed the rest of the third-year volleyball players would be.

The door was open; there were voices coming through the opening and you heard Mattsun’s laugh, your ears singling out the sound and blocking away everything else.

Your bag dropped to the ground next to Iwaizumi, sitting on the concrete and letting the wind brush across the bare skin of your arms, blazer discarded on your chair a few minutes away in your classroom. It was a nice day; the sun was overhead, your friend group situated in the shadow of the building. The sky was blue and there were fluffy white clouds floating past, but you payed no attention to them, instead choosing to listen to the conversation the third-years were currently having.

“So you’re skipping detention and sitting with us? For what?” Oikawa said, gazing at Mattsun lazily, the sun almost in his eyes but not quite. He shuffled to the left a bit so he could sit completely in the shade. “Won’t you just get afterschool tomorrow, Mattsun?”

The boy nodded, fluffy hair bouncing atop his head. His lips were set in a straight line and he opened his mouth to speak, bored expression sticking to his features almost comically, as if he were a doll that only had one emotion. You knew his face never reflected his feelings though.

“Yeah,” he gave no further explanation, just ripped a bit of bread from his lunch and pushed it past his lips into his mouth, chewing slowly and looking over to you. You smiled gently, taking a sip of the chocolate milk you’d picked up from the vending machine that morning but hadn’t had a chance to drink. “Why are you staring at me?” was what you decided to say to Issei after a few minutes, your eyes still locked with his. The corners of his mouth twitched up into a smirk and you sighed, cheeks puffing out.

“You’re so irritating sometimes, Mattsun. I swear Hajime’s the only responsible one here,” you looked over to your cousin, nudging his knee with yours and adding with a coy smile, “And me, of course.”

The brunette shook his head but didn’t bother to speak. “Y/n, you bring plants to school everyday.” Makki deadpanned, nodding his head towards your schoolbag. . You instinctively pulled it closer by one of the straps, crossing your legs so it was in between your thighs. “Not today, Makki. I didn’t bring anything but my work and lunch.”

Oikawa laughed, seemingly flying over to you and snatching up your bag. When he set it down there was a quiet clink, indicating there was, in fact, something inside. “Y/n seriously, you act as if they’re animals. Just leave them on your windowsill or something.” Makki stated as the captain unzipped your bag. You looked down in defeat when he pulled out a small terracotta plantpot with a tiny succulent in the middle. A burro’s tail, Mattsun thought. He recalled you showing him one when he was at yours after practice once.

The group snickered at the plant and you snatched it away, patting the soil to see if it was in need of water and pulling out your waterbottle to give it a bit. It clinked again when you set it down and Mattsun pulled your face up by the chin to see your expression just as you were about to give the plant a drink. You were pouting, he saw, and your eyebrows furrowed when he laughed at you, his lips curved into a beautiful smile as his voice escaped them.

That’s when you realised just how close his face was to yours. The volleyball team had gone quiet and were all watching you two but you didn’t think Issei had heard you, his forefinger hooked under your chin while his thumb brushed over the top. There was a lot more heat in your cheeks than before, you noticed and you’d dropped your bottle, spilling it over the pale concrete and staining it the colour of slate. Your ears picked up a snort from one of the boys and you tried to wiggle away from Mattsun’s grasp, shaking your head but he gripped your cheeks, squeezing them gently. “Stay there.” he ordered, voice low so the other’s probably couldn’t hear.

Issei leaned in closer, but to your surprise, his lips moved past your face and stopped at your ear, a snicker escaping. “You’re a dumbass, y/n.” was all he said but it surprised you and you yelped from the volume, your head banging against the wall. Your vision clouded and went dark, and when you woke up and raised your hand to the back of your head there was warm liquid over it. You didn’t know if it was blood or the water you’d spilt earlier, but when you saw all four of the third years crouched over you, you assumed it was blood. Iwaizumi pulled you up by your back and leant you against the wall, tapping your nose like he used to when you were kids.

“Mattsun, you fucking idiot! Shit like that can kill people!” you heard Makki’s voice and then saw Issei’s face above yours, worry filling his eyes. “Fuck, y/n, i didn’t mean to do that, i was trying to joke around,” he whispered, hand on your cheek. Oikawa pulled you up and wrapped your arm around his shoulder, his own slung across your back in case you were dizzy. He turned his head to face his teammates, “I’m taking them to the nurse’s office. Go to class without me,” the brunette informed them and when you stepped through the threshold of the office and collapsed onto the bed, Oikawa setting your bag down on the chair (along with your plant) the bell had rung and you saw the others pass by the office, glancing at you, Haijime waving as he passed.

You didn’t see Mattsun.

It wasn’t until the next weekend you saw Issei again. You were sat on the swing under the shade of the oak tree, swaying gently to the beat of some soft piano music after watering the dying rose bush when your dad called you out of the garden.

It took a few moments for you to recognise the boy sat on your sofa. Mattsun was holding a yellow plantpot in his hands delicately, tapping it with the edge of his too-long fingernails. He didn’t look at you when you sat down beside him but his cheeks puffed out and he set the pot down on your coffee table, your dad watching quietly from the kitchen with a cup of tea cradled in his hands.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m sorry.” was the only thing your friend said, after a long but comfortable silence. You nodded, hand on his thigh, “I know. I’m not mad though! Are you free now? We could go sit in the garden if you wanted to,” your voice grew quiet when the brunette looked up at you. He nodded, hair bouncing as he stood up and reached out a hand to help you up. You laced your fingers with his, smiling gratefully as he led you outside. You heard the kettle boiling and mugs clinking as your dad made two drinks for the pair of you.

It was still warm in your garden when you finished your picnic. The sun had started setting and the horizon was growing amber, the silhouettes of birds on telephone lines. The skin on your arms was golden from the light and Mattsun was laying next to you, his eyes closed so that his long eyelashes fluttered gently against his cheeks, long shadows extending across his skin.

Your fingers were tangled in his hair and you didn’t want to move them in case he woke up. Really, you had nothing to worry about. Issei wasn’t asleep, but you didn’t need to know that. The breeze fanned over your bare legs and the hairs stood on end. Maybe it was getting a little cold.

Issei opened his eyes when you shifted to move one of your blankets across your legs. He sat up and pulled it over his, shuffling closer to you. His lips were curved up into a delicate arc, tinted red from biting them constantly. His cheeks were flushed pink and his eyes were gazing over at your figure lazily, hooded and tired. You reached over to your bottle, opening it with a fizz. A little of the drink got onto your nose and Mattsun patted it away with the corner of his sleeve, his smile dropped and biting his lip in concentration.

“Mattsun?” he hummed, placing his hand over yours as you fiddled with the leaves of a hydrangea bush. “You look like you want to say something. What’s up?” your voice was very quiet, but he heard it just fine. The boy shook his head, curls ruffling against your shoulder.

“It’s nothing.”

You furrowed your brows but didn’t push any further, knowing that he’d deny it and eventually just leave if you kept asking. The hand that was resting on top of yours moved to your calf that was slung languidly across his thighs, his thumb rubbing circles into your warm skin. It was quiet, without any bird chirping in the background. You heard a car go past your garden; then silence.

His eyes shone when he looked over at you, and you didn’t know if it was the light from the house or if he was really just that beautiful, but it took the air out of your lungs all the same. The usual lazy smile danced on his lips and he pulled your head down and pressed the smile to your cheek, the feeling of his lips on your skin leaving a burning sensation; it felt good. The heat rose onto your face and it felt as if your whole body was on fire, all the way from the tips of your fingers to the top of your nose.

He was already looking away, though.

For Mattsun, this was enough; he didn’t know why his heart was pouding so hard it felt like his ribcage was going to crack open or why his eyes were trying to look anywhere but at you. And as much as he was scared, he liked it this way. If not telling you what he thought was happening to him meant that you could stay with him like this, he’d do it. He’d do anything.

The only thing stopping him was the feeling of your hand on his cheek and something heavy crawling into his lap; not until your lips met did he notice it was you who was so close to him. He saw the moon out of the corner of his eye, and the stars around it but nothing at that moment shone as brightly as you did. It was almost blinding, you were almost blinding.

Mattsun had never been very good with his words but he didn’t need them with you. You thought the look in his eyes when you both pulled away was enough to explain what he was thinking.

uhhh @reiningsun 👉👈 mayhaps?? KJBDKW im so embarrassed

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misterbitches · 3 years

Text

even tho i cannot make up many complaints bc my life is just too sad rn if ep 12 is 28m~ and there's only 1 season there is literally no amount of anything that can be done in 28m that will make it all make sense and not be rushed. now that doesn't mean i won't enjoy it i guess but it does mean i think it's ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE unless these ppl have skills out the fuckin wazoo to utilize every damn second of those allotted times to crank out a satisfactory and decent ending. i'll eat my own hat if that is possible though i dont think it is. and since........i'm sure it isn't i think making ep 12 only 30m would be a BIG MISTAKE lol U N L E S S it indicates a s2. in which case a wait would also really suck but.

this show isn't an anomaly tho and i guess like the limited time is disappointing and that's what makes people think it more pressing maybe? also i realized most people came in on the tail end but i've been watching since the beginning so there werent many ppl to talk with about the show making it a lot easier to have expectations inside urself lol

i've been thinking "wow am i super easygoing rn" which is a big fat no; i'm scared, depressed, terrified etc but the show has been consistently.....itself? decent but not mindblowing? tranquil? nice music? slow? meandering? fun? i can't even muster up anything cos i'll probs take what we are given. in terms of shows this is far from the most egregious or even script wise and technical wise most sad and apthetic thing. it's just good enough meaning it could be way better in many ways but where it's at now is far far far from bad or the worst i've seen and it steps up to a plate when it needs to and then goes back down to just enough again as it waits to hit another narrative milestone. i don't think the goals were close enough and the production seems slow in getting there just like the original story too....idk what im sayng lmao anyway i'm not gonna try and anticipate anything but the limited time of the last ep (if it's there) is uhhhh0gdiojpokapl

#be loved in house

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torterragarden · 4 years

Text

OKAY so I finished A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes last night and I have some thoughts - some good, some bad, a lot of why - and I’m gonna put as many of them as I can gather in one post. Obvious spoiler warning

All right so let’s get one thing out of the way. I know what a lot of people were apprehensive about this book being about a young President Snow. I wasn’t. I always knew going into this book that no matter what Coriolanus Snow was like as an eighteen year old, there was no fucking way you were going to make me like him hhhgfkshj I mean how could I, when I’m thinking about Snow from the original trilogy the entire time? But that also wasn’t a deterrent for me, because while I don’t like him as a person for obvious reason, I don’t dislike him as a character. I thought he was a good villain in the original trilogy, he was effectively creepy and threatening. Even if I don’t exactly like Snow, I don’t think he’s uninteresting, so I was okay with reading a book about him. I do love a good villain origin story anyway

The draw of this book wasn’t really Snow’s backstory, tho. I mean, the draw was that it was a THG prequel, and I love THG, but aside from that what interested me was the idea of seeing the earlier days of post-war Panem. I remember when I was hyperfixated on THG, one thing that I was curious about was what the first years of the Hunger Games were like. Kind of a weird thing to be interested in I guess, but I wondered what they were like before the Capitol’s technology had developed as much as it had by the 74th Games. I wondered what kind of clumsy mishaps had happened in the first few years, while they were still figuring out how they would work. I wondered how both the districts and the Capitol would have felt about them with the war still so fresh in their minds. Welp. Got my answers I guess

I did find this insight into the war and the Games interesting, if not really needed. What I found really fascinating was how different these Games were from the 74th, and both are equally horrifying. Part of what made the 74th Games so disturbing, aside from the obvious, was what a spectacle the whole thing was. The tributes being dressed in pretty costumes and paraded around the city, the betting and sponsorships, the interviews where tributes need to be charming, all this pomp and celebration for an event where children are forced to fight to the death. And yet the 10th Games and the ones before it were no spectacle at all, really. It’s all so uncerimonious, the kids are thrown into an old amphitheater with weapons and that’s that, hardly anyone even watches, it’s just a thing that happens and most people tune it out but in the end 23 kids are still dead. The ceremony and celebration of later Games is disgusting, but the cavalier and cold handling of the early Games is cruel and disturbing in a different way

Suzanne Collins is not a subtle author. This hasn’t changed

The Capitol kids are spoiled and entitled and lacking in compassion but they’ve also lived through a war and are still dealing with that and that is kind of cool to see. Some of them are very vindictive toward the districts, seeing the Games as a deserving punishment for what they went through because of the rebels, others have just enough empathy and awareness to think “hey, these Games are pretty messed up”, but not enough empathy and awareness to like, want them to stop really. The Capitol experimenting with their own children being mentors is an interesting concept, and I liked that some of the Capitol kids got genuinely attached to their tributes, not just to fuel their own ambitions but as people. Most notable in Lysistrata and... Snow, but we’ll get to that

By the 74th Games everything is so dressed up in spectacle that the average Capitol citizen doesn’t even seem completely aware these are real kids that are dying. They’re basically toys to them. The 10th Games are far from reaching that point, and the average Capitol citizen sees them as distasteful and unpleasant, but a necessary evil. I enjoyed seeing the seeds planted for what the Games would eventually become

Sejanus! Easily my favorite character in this book, which is not saying much because no one in this book is nearly as interesting as the characters from THG. But! I do like Sejanus. A kid from the districts moving to the Capitol, forced to be part of the Games as a mentor while his sympathies still lie very much with the districts and the rebels, (sort of) befriending Snow, it makes for a good character. By the halfway point in the book, earlier than that even if we’re being honest, I was really just reading because I cared about Sejanus

Lysistrata is cool too. I like her.

Clemensia seemed like she was gonna get a cool subplot of sorts and then it was just kind of dropped?

I really don’t care about Snow in this book. There’s no real reason to care about anything that happens to him. He’s not even fun to hate or anything, he’s self-serving and entitled but it’s not in a way that inspires particular loathing. He’s just utterly unengaging. Of all the bad things I can say about Snow, I shouldn’t be able to say he’s boring

Lucy Gray. I wanted to like her. I guess I did, but her only purpose is as Snow’s love interest and I was so not on board with that. I don’t particularly want to read about Snow being in love in the first place, but I definitely don’t want to read about him being in love with a girl from the districts. A girl that he’s mentoring in the Games. A girl that he is using for his own ends, whatever feelings he develops for her later. It’s completely unbelievable that these two would fall for each other. I have no idea why they’re together! No idea why they care for each other! It’s forced and awkward and just plain not written well! I remember in the early days of the fandom, people sometimes said that Peeta’s love for Katniss felt poorly developed too, because what reason did he have to love her aside from her singing voice? But I don’t know, Peeta’s characterization shows him as very idealistic and romantic at heart, so it didn’t seem unfitting that he would be a bit... dramatic about his feelings for Katniss at first, and as we saw their relationship develop over the series it felt more natural. Snow is not Peeta. Snow is calculating and ambitious and unconcerned with people around him and does not seem like someone who would fall head over heels for a girl like Lucy Gray in a matter of days. And on Lucy Gray’s side, what does she like about Snow? He gives her food, he helps her through the Games, he’s handsome, but shouldn’t she be distrustful of anyone from the Capitol? Again, I’m not buying that she would believe his helping her would be for anyone’s benefit but his own. The power imbalance combined with just how unbelievable the whole thing is made the romance incredibly unpleasant to read

The only time I felt interested in the two at all was the last 20 pages. That was a genuinely exciting scene, their own private Hunger Games as Snow calls it. But the impact was lessened by the fact that I never bought into their relationship in the first place, and I think that was the point? Maybe? Snow definitely gets over his infatuation for her fast so I guess it was, but it just... none of it was developed or paced well so the whole thing feels jarring and weird

Why did it take until the last 20 pages of the book for me to understand the Point of it? The biggest issue with this book is how boring it is. It’s 500 pages long and it could have been a lot shorter, it’s meandering and slow and there’s no sense of plot or urgency, no sense of emotion. The whole time reading I kept thinking “what is the point?” and then I got to the end and I realized, okay, the point is that Snow values power and success more than he values goodness and love. So? I knew that, and if you’re going to make the point something I already knew you could at least try to make it interesting. Getting through this was a chore most of the time

I don’t feel like Snow needed a love interest in this book. I think this entire book could have worked fine without a romance between him and Lucy Gray. He already has more than enough motivation to want her to win, and his relationship with her isn’t the (relatively) interesting or impactful part of this book. His relationship with Sejanus is. Which is not to say I think they should have been together lol, imagine making President Snow gay, yikes. But like, Sejanus serves as his foil throughout the whole book, the few scenes that do stand out are mostly between the two of them, their relationship is developed in a far more believable way than the romance with Lucy Gray is. Sejanus could have been the one who made Coriolanus realize “fuck trying to be good and fuck the districts, power and success is all I care about”, and that would have been fine! At least Sejanus and Coriolanus are vaguely compelling together!

There are a lot of references to THG in this, of course, and a lot of them felt very... why. Not necessarily bad I guess just. Why? Did we need an origin for the hanging tree song? Did we need Lucy Gray to also sing Rue’s lullaby? Did we need to make such a point of Coriolanus hating mockingjays, did we need to be reminded that katniss plants are a thing? It all comes off as a bit... desperate, I guess? Because there’s really no point to all of these references except to remind us of the far superior original trilogy. And I guess they don’t need to have a point, but shouldn’t they? These are such obvious references, shouldn’t they do something? And if the point was to give Snow more connections to Katniss, then why do that? We already know why Katniss was a threat to him, it didn’t need to be made more personal than that. It doesn’t even matter! None of it matters!

I’m not leaving this book with a better understanding of Snow. This book didn’t even tell me anything interesting about his rise to power. It was just a lot of nothing

I don’t hate this book, and I’ve read a lot worse than it. But the feeling it leaves me with is “what’s the point”. What was the point in reading this? Even the few bits that I did like ultimately feel like. I didn’t really need this, and it wasn’t worth pushing through 500 pages of this. I like Sejanus and Lysistrata and maybe a few other characters, but they don’t leave an impression the way the characters in the original trilogy did. I’ll forget them pretty fast. I’ll forget this entire book pretty fast, and the only plus side is that it at least wasn’t bad enough to actively ruin THG for me. The original trilogy is still one of my all-time favorites and I can easily forget this book is part of the same universe

I can easily forget this book, and that’s a damning criticism for a book I had such high hopes for

#sage speaks #a ballad of songbirds and snakes #spoilers

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ahtohallan-calling · 5 years

Text

chapter 5 of don’t read the last page is here!

[kristanna / m / multichap / modern au with actress!anna and vetstudent!kristoff]

He’d put the phone down on the counter while he made breakfast, but now that his hands were free again he still didn’t pick it up; after their initial awkward phone call, they’d started FaceTiming instead, and as much as he loved seeing her face, he was really glad she couldn’t see his right now.

“And I was soo confused, so I started telling her, like, ‘Seriously, Honey, he’s got this amazing blond hair that you just like, want to touch all the time and these big brown eyes and little freckles and plus I’m pretty sure he’s kind of ripped and I—‘ Kristoff, I heard the microwave go off already. Are you hiding from me?”

“No,” he muttered, his face turning even redder.

chapter 5

day 1

Sven was just stumbling into the kitchen when Kristoff came in. He frowned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“You look really happy for someone who just dropped off their girlfriend at the airport for a six-week trip,” he said, pouring a glass of chocolate milk.

“Not my girlfriend.”

“Not the important part of that sentence.”

Kristoff snagged the bottle and poured himself a cup. “This is mine, by the way, so you owe me.”

“Fine, I’ll buy toilet paper l-- no, I know you, Bjorgman, you’re trying to distract me.”

Sven narrowed his eyes further, fixing Kristoff with a hard stare. He tried to look as innocent as possible as he went to rummage through the fridge, but then he remembered the way Anna had clung to him, the feel of her little hands in his hair, the press of her lips against--

“Oh my god! You kissed her!”

Kristoff stood, not bothering to hide his smile anymore. “Well, technically, she kissed me.”

“I fucking called it, man, I knew you wouldn’t be able to hold off that much longer.”

“We really did try.”

“You didn’t even make it a week, my guy,” Sven said amiably, meandering into the living room. “You tried harder at Mario Kart the other night. Which, by the way, I know you lost on purpose so Anna could win.”

Kristoff considered arguing, but then his phone lit up with a text from Anna, so instead he grinned and walked away to the sound of Sven sighing dramatically. “I heard that buzz! I know it’s her! Jesus, I’d say get a room, but--”

Kristoff didn’t hear the rest as he shut his bedroom door.

kris!! theres wifi i can text you

Im in first class look

That’s crazy

They gave you champagne this early in the morning?

supposed to be for mimosas

but it’s like 5 o clock somewhere

specifically romania so

That jet lag is going to be rough.

How long is your flight?

10 hrs to london then 3 to bucharest💀

but i think my seat turns into a bed so ill try to sleep

theres sooooo many movies tho!

omg theyre bringing more snacks….i feel like a movie star already

You kind of are.

havent made the movie yet!!

oh the director is here he wants to talk ttyl

---

day 4

For some reason, her hands were shaking as they hovered over the green button. “Just do it, Anna,” she muttered to herself. “It’s just Kristoff. He told you to call.”

Thanks to the time difference and long flights, it had taken most of two days to even get here, and on her first full day in Romania she’d been so overwhelmed with the film set and meeting her co-star Adam and talking to the directors and producers and costumers and cameramen that she’d completely crashed the moment she’d gotten back to her hotel room. She’d woken up in the middle of the night and sent Kristoff a quick text apologizing for not calling; he’d responded almost immediately, reassuring her that it was fine and to just call him the next day. At a reasonable hour, he’d made sure to add, not at 2 A.M. Go back to sleep.

She had, and then she’d nearly missed her alarm and hadn’t had time to call him in the morning, and then she’d been filming her first scene and been so overwhelmed by all of that that now it was nearly six o’clock, and it was the first time she’d gotten to look at her phone all day.

He’d texted her once at around 9 A.M. her time. Good luck today! You’ll kill it. Her heart had done a funny little flip at the message, simple as it was; every time she thought of Kristoff, it didn’t feel quite real, like it was just a daydream she would wake up from, but here it was, concrete proof that even literally halfway around the world-- more than halfway, actually-- he was still thinking of her, still caring about her.

The remembrance of that was what finally gave her the courage to hit call. She felt too nervous to FaceTime him, especially considering she was already in sweatpants and halfway through eating a bowl of pasta on her bed. He picked up on the third ring, sounding breathless for some reason.

“Hey! Anna! How are you?”

“I’m, um, I’m good! How are you? You sound kind of...out of breath?”

“Oh, yeah, you caught me at the gym, so I--”

“Oh! I’m so sorry, let me hang up and--”

“No, don’t! I’m almost done, just--”

There was a quick beep in the background, and a whirring noise she hadn’t noticed until now stopped. “Okay, sorry, we’re good.”

She couldn’t help but imagine what he looked like right now, with his hair hanging in his eyes and sweat dripping down his very well-muscled--

“Anna? You there?”

He’d just asked her something, but she’d been too busy daydreaming to catch it. Maybe it really was for the best she hadn’t gone for FaceTime; she probably would have been struck speechless at the sight of him. “Sorry, I was just-- sorry. Um. What did you say?”

He laughed softly. “I asked how your first day of filming went.”

“Oh! It was good, really good, actually. We filmed that scene I auditioned with, actually. They changed the bit about the cowboy boots.”

“Thank god. I don’t know anything about movies, but I know that was awful.”

“Oh, yeah, Adam-- that’s who’s playing Jesse-- he said they’d have to double his paycheck if they wanted him to say shit like that, and then we kind of improv-ed something else and it went really well.”

“That’s awesome!”

Anna felt herself blushing, just barely, at the sound of the genuine pride in his voice. “It was, um, it was nothing, really.”

“So how’s all of it going? Are the...um...honestly, I don’t know who all is involved in making movies. But are the other people nice?”

“Yeah! I really like the girl who does my hair and makeup, her name’s Honey. Isn’t that cute?”

Kristoff laughed; she could hear him starting the car in the background. Anna bit her lip. “Oh-- did you get to shower?”

“I will at home, don’t worry. Anyway--”

“You need to focus on driving? Yeah, I totally get it, seriously. Bye!”

She hit the red button and quickly dropped her phone. Her heart had been pounding the whole time; god, she was really out of practice with this whole thing. Embarrassment swept over her, and she buried her face in her knees; how the hell was this going to work when she was too self-conscious to talk to him for more than five minutes? God, she’d be lucky if he ever bothered to call her again after this.

To her surprise, the phone buzzed only a moment later. She debated picking it up for a long moment, then decided to go ahead and rip the bandaid off and snatched it up.

Just FYI, I was feeling really nervous, too. Want me to call you back after I get home and shower?

For some reason, tears started to fill her eyes as she typed a response.

yes please :)

She showered, too, taking her time as she let the hot water work its magic on the tension in her shoulders, drawing in slow, deep breaths to steady herself. It wasn’t that every guy she’d ever dated had been bad, per se, just that it had been quite a long time since she’d been with someone who made her feel this nervous and excited and terrified and joyful all at once-- actually, now that she thought about it, she didn’t know if she’d ever liked someone else this much right off the bat. Since coming to L.A. almost two years ago, she’d had a string of bad luck with men, and it was strange readjusting to the notion that one would want to talk to her as much as she wanted to talk to him, that he actually wanted to hear about her day, that he saw right through all her embarrassing little defense mechanisms and somehow knew just what to say to make her feel better. Of course they knew each other, but this was something different, something more, as if she didn’t even have to say something for him to understand.

Her phone buzzed again ten minutes after she got out of the shower; with a smile, she picked it up.

“Hey, Kris.”

“Hey, Anna.”

“Ready to try again?”

“With you? Always.”

---

day 9

“So I was telling her, like, ‘I wish I had a recent picture of him to show you because he’s like, super super hot.’ And she kind of made this face and was like ‘that won’t make a difference.’”

“No,” he muttered, his face turning even redder.

Anna giggled. “Then show me your face.”

He did so reluctantly; to his surprise, she didn’t laugh. “Kris, you know you are, like, super handsome, right? Seriously.”

“I’m, um, I’m just gonna—“

“I mean it. Like I get why you’re feeling shy about it and stuff but just know that, okay?”

He only nodded, feeling a little better, although his face was still heated. Anna, knowing when to leave well enough alone, smiled at him and continued her story. “Anyway, I told her all that and she just started laughing, and finally when I was done she was like ‘Anna, I’m gay’. And so then I showed her a picture of my sister, and I’m just saying, when we’re back in LA, we’re definitely doing a double date.”

—-

day 15

She didn’t know why she felt so nervous about telling him about it. She’d already texted him that morning telling him what scenes they were filming, and it wasn’t like it had meant anything; it was just part of the movie, and Adam was married anyway— but then again, it wasn’t that part that had really been bothering her. She still wasn’t sure until she was explaining it all to Kristoff, forcing herself to maintain eye contact as she held up her phone inside the blanket nest she’d constructed on her bed.

“And like, he and I are good friends now, so that at least made it easier. And we were all in character and stuff, so, you know, it felt right, and then they started the fake snow going and we just did it, you know?”

“Uh-huh,” Kristoff said, his voice neutral.

“That like— this doesn’t bother you, right?” she asked quickly. “Because seriously, it didn’t mean—“

“Anna, I know. This is literally your job, I’m not jealous or anything. But please tell me if I ever make you feel like I’m mad or something, because I’m seriously not.”

She let out the breath she’d been holding. “I— I know. I just...wanted to make sure. Because it still, like...still felt weird to me, you know? And I can’t figure out why.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Have you done this before? Like, stage kissing and stuff?”

“Oh, yeah, lots of times. But this time felt kind of different. I just don’t know why.”

He considered it for a moment, looking so thoughtful she couldn’t help but smile, feeling a little flutter in her chest at the thought that he really and truly cared about helping her figure this out. “Enough about me, though, tell me about that crazy to-go order you texted me about. Did you end up getting to see the person who’d ordered it?”

They talked for so long Anna lost track of time, until she yawned so widely Kristoff stopped talking mid-sentence.

“Anna, what time is it there?”

“Um...close to eleven?”

“What time did you get up this morning?”

“...four.”

He laughed softly. “Get some sleep. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow morning, okay?”

She wanted to argue, but honestly she’d been fighting to keep her eyes open for the last half hour. “Night, Kris.”

“Night, Anna. Sweet dreams.”

He said that every night, but the way he’d smiled tonight— she was thinking about it until long after she’d hung up her phone and closed her eyes. Then, suddenly, she sat upright and snatched it up again, typing furiously.

figured it out...before, there’s never been someone i ACTUALLY wanted to kiss instead

I wish it had been me, too.

—

day 21

hey kris!!! sorry i know it’s the middle of the night there so i hope this doesn’t wake you up but i set an alarm on my phone for the exact time and as of like 10 seconds ago we’re halfway there!!!!!!! 😊😊😊

To her surprise, a response came just a few minutes later.

:) Knew we could do this.

—

day 23

“I got my class schedule today.”

“Yeah? Show me!”

He held it up awkwardly to the camera, and she squinted at it. “Oh, wow, that’s a lot of blocks. Are you still going to work at Starbucks?”

“Yeah, I’ve been there the whole time I’ve been in school. Just work less hours on weekdays, usually pick up some early morning weekend shifts.”

“Oh, that sucks.”

He shrugged. “It works out. I, uh, I’ve got some scholarships that cover most of my tuition, so then it’s, y’know. Rent money and stuff.”

Anna frowned, feeling suddenly acutely aware of how much money she was making for a lot less work. “Will you have, like...any free time?”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” he said quickly, suddenly sounding nervous. “I promise I’ll still have time to hang out with you and stuff, just--”

“No, no that’s like-- shit, that’s not what I meant, Kris, I mean I kind of did but like-- I’m not trying to like, pressure you or--”

“No, I get it, I--”

“No, I mean like school is way important and you like--”

“Seriously, when I say we can--”

Anna took a deep breath. “Okay. You talk first.”

“I, um. I don’t want you to think, like, I won’t make time for you or something, though. Um-- that was all.”

She smiled, wishing she could be there in person; it was so much easier to reassure him when she could just squeeze his hand. “Seriously, that’s not what I meant. I was just worried about you, ‘cause that’s, like, a lot of stress. So if there’s anything I can do to like, help or whatever, just...just let me know. Like...with anything.”

“Seriously, I think it’ll help a ton to just have a pretty girl keeping me company while I study.”

She felt her cheeks turn pink. “What if I end up wanting to distract you?”

Now she wasn’t the only one blushing.

---

day 30

“Miss you.”

“Miss you, too.”

Tonight, there wasn’t really anything else to say.

—-

day 34

He’d stopped leaving his phone on silent overnight; it was silly, really, but he always had a tiny fear that maybe something would happen over in Romania while he was asleep, and maybe Anna would need to reach him, and there probably wouldn’t be anything he could actually do...but still.

Despite that, though, it still took a lot to wake him, so when his phone went off one night close to three in the morning, he nearly missed the call. “Hello?” he mumbled sleepily, putting it to his ear.

He heard a familiar little giggle. “It’s FaceTime, Kris. I’m sorry to wake you up, I just-- I really wanted you to see this.”

“Oh-- hang on.” He fumbled for his glasses on the nightstand, sliding them on and blinking blearily at the screen. “Um...where are you? I just see, like...the ceiling?”

“Oh-- that’s cause I gave my phone to Honey, just a second, and she’ll show you.”

The phone was lifted up suddenly by a pretty woman with bronze skin and dark hair thrown up into a bun. “Nice to meet you, Anna’s boyfriend.”

He wondered if she could see him blush even in the dark room. “Nice to meet you, too.”

“Okay, okay, I’m ready!” he heard Anna chirp from somewhere. “Turn the camera!”

Honey did with a laugh, and Kristoff sat upright, his eyes wide. Anna was in a deep blue ballgown that fit perfectly to her torso before flaring out into a long, shimmery skirt. Her hair was down, set in curls that shone especially bright against the dark color of the gown, and she was smiling so brightly he thought his heart was going to burst.

“You look beautiful, baby,” he said, half-convinced he was still dreaming.

She was quiet for a moment, and then he realized she was blushing bright red. He heard Honey giggle, and then the phone was being handed back over to Anna. “You’ve never called me that before.”

“What, beautiful? I definitely--”

“No, I--” Her blush deepened. “Kris, are you wearing a shirt?”

He glanced down. “Oh-- uh, no, I’m not. Sorry, I didn’t think you’d be able to see without the lights--”

A mischievous glint was twinkling in her eye. “Trust me, Bjorgman, there’s nothing to apologize for.”

Now he was blushing, too. “Um-- so you’ve got to be filming something special today, right?”

“Yeah, the big ballroom scene. I just...I really love this dress, and the way Honey did my hair and stuff, and I, um...I wanted you to see.”

He smiled softly. “I’m glad. You really do look so, so beautiful.”

She opened her mouth to say something else, but then he heard Honey call, “Hey, Anna, say bye to the boyfriend, they want you on set in five.”

Anna turned back to the camera, looking suddenly nervous. “Kris, are you my boyfriend?”

“Do you want me to be?”

“Yeah.”

He grinned, no longer sleepy. “Okay.”

Anna laughed. “Okay?”

“Hey, it’s still the middle of the night, and I’m still kind of speechless after seeing you in that dress. Cut me some slack.”

“Go back to bed. Sorry I woke you up.”

He yawned. “I’m not.”

---

day 40

“Look! All packed!” She grinned, turning her phone quickly around the room to show off her only slightly overstuffed suitcases. “And ready to come home!”

“Do you think you’ll miss it?”

“No, I mean...it’s beautiful and all here, but it’s still not home.”

Kristoff grinned at that. “You still want me to pick you up from the airport?”

“Um, is that even a question?”

He laughed. “Just making sure! I mean, six weeks is a long time, don’t know if you got tired of me.”

“Kristoff, the second I get back to LA, I’m like, jumping on you again and kissing the fuck out of you.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “And then?”

She could tease him, too. “And then you’d better hurry the hell up and take me back to your apartment so I can show you how much I missed you.”

“....Jesus Christ. Why does waiting two more days suddenly feel so much longer than the other forty?”

#3k words this time #yay yay yay #drtlp #my fics

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