#he aint letting the food burn when hes put this much effort into it

[darthmalewife]

Cody can make all kinds of food. All you need to do is give that man a recipe, and he'll fucking nail it. And it makes Obi-Wan picky as fuck because he keeps going to restaurants and all he can think is "Cody would've made this better."

Not only does he enjoy Cody's cooking, but he also enjoys watching him in the kitchen with an apron on that flaunts his waist.

[albino-whumpee]

The pet´s party from Sann´s POV

So, I love writing from Sann´s point of view because it´s all so wildly different for him from Albus position. And thought “HEY, it would be cool to write The pet´s party, from Sann´s point of view!” and so, I did. Hope you like it!

Taglist: @castielamigos-whump-side-blog @giggly-evil-puppy @cowboysrappin @haro-whumps @burtlederp @neuro-whump @comfortforthepain @whumps-the-word @whole-and-apart-and-between @broken-horn @ashintheairlikesnow @starnight-whump @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @as-a-matter-of-whump  @grizzlie70  @twistedcaretaker @rosesareviolentlyread @whumpasaurus101

TW// dehumanization, slavery, noncon drug use, dub con, burning, torture, food mention, abuse, non con touching, conditioning, public humilliation, alcohol, Insulting language. Some N*SFW at some points.

Sann´s hair mussed up when the hood was taken off with a swift pull. Maybe a bit harsh as he stumbled on his feet as Robert sat him on the bed.

Sann noticed it was already night outside. He had stayed tied inside the closet for a whole day? No wonder his stomach was growling so loud. The thought of Robert giving him food and petting his hair passed through his head like an intoxicating placebo. Last time someone had fed him was the cook. He had made him eat off it with his hands in a corner like a feral animal.

“No touching my soup, understood?” The man snarled, tugging on the ring of his collar. Afraid eyes stared back at him. “I´m not gonna lose my job because I had to discipline a pampered pet again” he threw him to the floor with a scuff, Sann straightened up to energically nod and moved his lips to form grateful words as the man served him the scraps into a bowl.

When the man was gone, Sann passed his fingers over the burn mark on his wrist as he kept on eating. Back on December, he had turned the stove off when it was overflowing and the man thought he had caught him trying to steal food. Robert had only looked when he pressed his wrist against the hot metal of the pot. 

A pitiful sob escaped his lips as he took another bite. Remembering the cream Zarai rubbed on it when he stayed at her home back on Christmas. It had felt nice. As it had been each and every single one of the very few times his master dragged him to the woman´s house. 

Albus carefulness and cheerful attitude as he secretly tended to some of his injuries, made a smile appear on his bruised face.

He felt safe when he was with them.

At least with them he wasn´t thrown into closets for a full day for the simple crime of having the face he had.

For a moment the band playing outside distracted him from Robert´s tight grip on his wrists as he worked a rope between them. A little whine came out as he made the knot way too tight, but the man didn´t care. When Robert let go, Sann tried to rub his wrists a bit against his inner leg, to put his best face, but the man ignored him.

“Be patient my little whore. I got you a little present tonight” he said lifting his chin and brushing a thumb over his lips. Sann sneaked a quick peck on them before he threw him to a side. Sann´s reflexes were quick enough to avoid him falling off the bed.

Robert walked to the pot on the drawer right below Albus´s paint and took out a small bottle. His steps were heavy and his eyes bloodshot red. He was high. Sann held the urge to paddle back into a corner. If his master was usually aggressive, when he was high he was even worse.

Robert opened up the bottle and drank it after rubbing some into his lips. Then he walked to Sann and seized his hair, just to slam his lips together. Sann gave in to the kiss and pressed harder, a bit of his anxiety wearing off. However, Robert spit the liquid into his mouth and pulled away, shutting his mouth with his hand.

“Swallow” Sann´s eyes widened “Swallow” he repeated on a tone that promised nothing good if it wasn´t obeyed. Sann swallowed and gasped for air when the man let him go. Wiping off his lips with his shirt and then reaching to a glass of water. Drinking it whole to spit it out back on it.

After a few seconds the effect hit him. Hard. His head felt puffy and heavy. Making it fall to a side as he tried to balance himself. Failing miserably, he fell on the bed, his body growing hotter and hotter.

He didn´t even notice Robert had put the leash on him until he was forced up by it. A little groan came out and Robert tugged it harder. Lifting him up the bed and forcing him to stand when the collar bit on his skin.

“Now, you´ve been such a good boy. I´m gonna show you something good” he said swiping out his phone. It was some photos of a tied up albino. Maybe a box boy as well, as the positions were fairly similar to the ones romantics did. Sann looked closer. An albino… he was taken aaback when he recognized Albus. Guilty of the sudden peak on his pants, he looked up to his master´s grin “Quite erotic, aint it? You two have a lot in common! Both are whores on request” he laughed.

Sann shook his head. He remembered Albus telling him he was a platonic. He wouldn´t lie to him. Sann tried to remember more but his mind muddled. The maddening blaze under his shorts reminding him how urgently he needed to be taken care of. A moan escaped his lips when Robert passed his hand right over the sensitive spot. So deliciously cool his bound hands gripped on the man´s shirt.

“You want him don´t you?” The man whispered into his ear making Sann´s heart stop “You want him to touch you like this…” Sann pulled his head back in a breathy wheeze as his master pulled on his pierced nipples and rubbed his hand against the inner part of his thigh. Really close to where the fire was worse, teasing over the plastic covering the tip as his mind melted, getting high with how good it felt to be touched again “And hear him say…” Sann could swear he felt the warm hands of the albino over his skin instead of his master´s. The voice that whispered into his ear, the sweet and caring of the other boy “You´re mine”

Sann nodded unconsciously, mind filled with pleasure. Couldn´t say he hadn´t thought about it before. On Zarai´s house when they had laid on the garden and interwined hands. He remembered the albino leaning on to him. But he pulled away at the last second. He regretted now not pulling him closer, ask for permission to seal their lips together. The boy had kissed his hand, his cheek, carefully. He had been so shy and soft, it made him happy. Feverish with the drugs, he imagined the albino going further, grabbing his hair and…

The tug on his leash took him out of his fantasies.

“You want him so much, if he asked you to spread your legs, you would happily offer your holes without even thinking about what I would do to you, wouldn´t you, slut?” If Sann wasn´t so drugged, he would have understood why he shouldn´t have smiled. Mistaking the sweet tone of his master for praise. Not getting any clearer as he brushed a thumb over his cheek. Hazy eyes stared at him drunk in the affection “It´s alright. You two look so cute dancing in my hand. So dumbly oblivious...” Robert tucked some of Sann´s caramel hair behind his ear and pulled him closer, noses touching “Put your butt out for him and keep playing, yes? My sweet little slut…”

Sann blinked, trying to nod, not knowing he was being dragged out of the room by a servant. Noticing the crowd only when hands started raining down on him. He thought it was another one of those parties Jefferson and Robert held. But when he felt a sharp pull on his neck that brought him to his knees, and saw Albus in the distance calling for him, he discarded it.

“Albus!” his mind went, making him gather enough energy to lift himself up, but failing to stand.

He heard laughs, so loud it drilled on his ears. Everything was a blur of unbearable heat. If he wanted someone in specific to take him out of that burning inferno his body needed someone else to freeze, it was Albus.

He didn´t hear what Robert was saying, nor put the effort to understand him, but he felt such a relief when he put his hand out for him to lean on. Thanked him with a kiss on the wrist, before he was pulled up and shown around. Just to drop down again dry. The sudden change, made him dizzier.

“Don´t be shy, please” he told himself as he saw him walking on his direction. “Don´t hold back. I want you”

“Postition 28″ Robert´s voice echoed on his head. His body moved with the invisible strings he loved pulling whenever.

“See? I´ll be good. I´ll show you...”

Sann only lifted his head up when he felt another pull on his collar. His eyes fell on Albus. He didn´t look happy… Sann followed him with his eyes to where Robert was, watched him stand there for a second before his master ruffled his hair and then walked to him.

He shifted on his knees unable to hold his excitement, almost letting a moan out when the boy´s coat covered his back. With a sheepish smile on his lips, Albus cupped his face.

“Yes! Yes, yes, yes” he thought to himself as he kissed his hand and wrist. Wondering if that would please him. It didn´t seem to, as he backed away with a horrified face. Sann let him untie his wrists. Red marks telling how tight it was. He would show him he could do better then.

He jumped on him, arms falling over his shoulders as he pressed their lips together. Using the technique from the facility that would assure his master´s pleasure, but Albus threw him off him and covered his mouth with his hand, flushed red.

“He didn´t like it?” he thought, letting out a sad whine.

When he cupped his face again, he was thinking on how to please him. Something that would make him happy… 

“Look at me. C´mon Sann, look at me” 

He obeyed and look into his eyes.  Sann was desperately trying to think of something that kept the cool hands on his skin, trying to hold back the tears prickling behind his eyes  “You´re drugged. This is not what you want to do. Not like this”  

Sann didn´t understand his words. He tapped on his thigh, going up slowly. But he only gripped his wrist tight.

“No, Sann” he said pulling his hand down.

He was running out of ideas, and the blaze was coming back. So he leaned on him. Aiming for the mouth, slowly building his way to it. The boy´s smell was so sweet as well. But that only made Albus whip his head to a side. 

Feeling the fire of frustration and anxiety taking over, he grabbed his chin and made him look at him.

He didn´t want it, he needed it. For the first time since he was his Master´s pet, he wanted to kiss the man in front of him. Didn´t he want that too?

They locked eyes and Sann froze. He didn´t know he could make that face. He looked…hurt. 

”Come back, Sann. Please”  He said, trying to hold back tears as hard as he could, his voice breaking slightly in chocked sobs. Leaning on to Sann´s hand while covering it with his own. The cool sensation of a tear dripping into it clearing his mind from the fire “Please, stop…” he heard him say.

It felt like a slap back to reality. 

What was he doing? 

He was trying to make him happy the only way he knew… but that was only making him cry. Albus had always been so kind to him and how was he paying him back? He let him put down his hand, shoving down the uncomfortable feeling of the heat. 

He took a moment to remember, but he pulled his hand up and signed.

“Sorry” he signed sloppily. Albus seemed to cheer up and extend his arms. Inviting him to his chest. He was relieved he hadn´t fucked up enough for him to reject his apology and as the albino wrapped him on his arms, his whole body cooled off. The sensation only became stronger as Albus passed a hand through his hair.

He heard voices, but he was too focused on the sensations to care. Albus suddenly pulled him closer and it felt so good, he purred out of instinct. After a moment, he felt his chest heaving. Struggling to keep a sob down. He pulled his eyes up to see Albus crying. He didn´t know what or why that happened, but he hugged him tighter. Hoping it was comforting like how his hugs were.

It was a blur how he had gotten inside a car, but it was ok. The sky was painted pretty colors and Albus was next to him. The blaze was tolerable now. He felt safe.

He had learnt at the facility Masters were safe, but Albus wasn´t even a master and he was safe. Zarai wasn´t like the other friends of his Master he had to please with his body or with his screaming either.

The handlers were wrong.

He was only safe whenever Master wasn´t around.

Sann felt Albus drop his head on his. He held his hand and squeezed it, putting a smile on his face as they drove to the highway. Away from Robert.

As he caught sight of the last of stars before dawn, he wished, he prayed, he didn´t have to go back to that house.

[armysantiny]

NCT Dream: Their s/o is passionate about working out

Pairing: ot7 x gender neutral reader // NCT (Dream)

Genre: fluff, humour, headcanon

Includes: going to the gym, teasing, watching a drama, workout schedules, bribing with coffee, exhaustion, 

Word count: 1.59k

Warning: I swear like, once or twice lol, Chenle’s one talks about dieting for a moment

Rating: PG

Networks: @kwritersworld, @kdiarynet, @kpopscape, @ultkpopnetwork, @kpopcontentcreatorsclub, @k-dinernet, @lovesick-net, @whipped-kpop-creators, @kafenetwork, @ficscafe, @dreamwritersnet, @neoswitchnet, @nct-writers

Tagging: @teeztheflag, @the-rooftop-fight, @cherry-hyejin || Taglist Form

An: I had fun writing this lol. I would pay good money to watch this happen irl- members under the cut! Oh yeah - @alicanta77​ more Jeno!

마크 (Mark)

Something about Mark tells me that he’d be kinda chill about it? You know?

As long as you’re enjoying it, he’s happy

And you’re getting healthier for yourself, so nice!

Flirty (or attempts at flirting lol) comments whenever you come out of the shower

And then you suggest going to the gym together

Not that he doesn’t want to

But he’s seen your workout routine

Safe to say this boy is intimidated

“Wait, wait, wait - go with you?”

Mark doesn’t mind working out

In fact, it’s quite relaxing

But he knows you’re very strict with your sets

He will be sore in the morning if he tried to keep up with you

Tries to bribe you with coffee-

Doesn’t work and you (lightly) drag his arse to the gym

Safe to say he is tired when you two get back

You get out of the shower and you can see this guy knocked the fuck out on the sofa

Let the teasing begin~

Poking at his chest and giggling when he pulls you into his chest

“Markie~ you’re not tired already, are you?”

Doesn’t reply, but sleepily smiles and ruffles your hair

Soft :(

런쥔 (Renjun)

Oh God, this is going to be fun

Renjun doesn’t really go to the gym unless he has to, or really wants to

So he doesn’t mind that you enjoy going to the gym

Bettering yourself, good for you, you know?

But dear God when you mention that you want him to join you

Yeah...good luck with that one

Will come up with every excuse under the sun

This mf really tries pulling the ‘I’m a foreigner, I don’t know Korean that well’ card on you

Like he doesn’t know how to speak Korean- (probably better than you too lol smh)

You kinda just deadpan him and he drags himself to get ready

Whining! Every! Single! Second

From start to finish I swear, Renjun complains constantly omg

When you two get home, the sigh of relief he lets out is loud

“Come on Junnie~ it wasn’t that bad!”

“Babe, I am going to die - how will you make this up to me?”

You come out of the shower after he’s already done and find him pretending to be asleep

“Well, if you’re asleep, I guess I’ll watch the new episode on my own”

Gets up immediately

No way you’re watching it without him

“Oh? I thought you were dying? Looks like you’re fine now~” 

Rolls his eyes but he’s smiling

Hugs you and you two catch up on your drama

Cute :(

제노 (Jeno

Considering Jeno seems like the kinda guy to really enjoy working out, I think he’d really like that about you

Like, you’re his gym partner and his romantic partner, what’s there not to love?

That’s probably how you two met each other-

Loves comparing your workout schedules

This time though, Nono wanted to give your workout routine a go

“Are you sure baby?”

Not that you didn’t think he could do it, you just didn’t want him to be too sore to practice the next day

But he’s stubborn lol, and you just oblige

It’s honestly so cute

You’re not even halfway done and he’s already starting to have second thoughts

Thing is, you made it seem easier than it actually was 

Obviously you’re feeling a burn from working out, but Jeno is struggling

Takes multiple breaks before you’ve had your first break

You get home and Jeno is already feeling the effects

Laughs when you tease him about it

“How...how do you make it look so easy?”

“Practice~”

Denies that he’ll be sore in the morning and you just shake your head

You wake up in the morning and dear God he can’t move

“Don’t say it...”

“Say what? That I told you so? Okay, I won’t~”

동혁 (Donghyuck)

Oh Imma enjoy this one

As much as Hyuck loves that you enjoy working to better yourself

Do not get that man anywhere within 10ft of a gym

Literally only goes to work out when he has a schedule

Otherwise, you’ll never see him suggest going

So to who or whatever possessed him to jokingly suggest that he should join you in the gym

This guy has some choice words - possibly some swearing involved, who knows?

His dramatic ass will literally put on some over-the-top denial when he sees the smile on your face

Hyuck knows that smile

“Come on hyuck, it won’t be that bad!”

“Oh but it will. Y/n, do you want to kill your boyfriend?”

“Oh stop whining you~, you only have to do it just this once~”

You have to bribe him with his favourite food before he even considers going

And even then, it takes him forever to get ready and go

You’re already on your way and he still tries to weasel his way out of it

Because holy shit your workout is intense

Is dying 

Remember when fullsun here had to carry Jeno and he screamed because Jeno was taking the piss out of him?

Yeah - he does that

This mf really tries asking you to carry him when you get home

You do it anyway-

When you carry him bridal-style, he wraps his arms around your neck and ‘swoons’

“My knight in shining armour~”

Cue rolling your eyes at him, but smiling because you love this man too much to be annoyed

Gosh he’s a brat child sometimes but you love him

재민 (Jaemin)

Heyy, 1/2 of my Dream biases, let’s go!

We’ve all seen Jaemin reveal his abs right?

This man is fit-

So obviously, he does work out a fair bit

If not with you, then definitely with Nono

But let’s be real-

Jaemin is literally the least competitive person ever - if not just for NCT

Cannot and will not compete for anything even if his life depended on it

So when you ask him if he wants to join you on a workout session while you’re about to sleep and he agrees-

You’re surprised

Then again, he’s just so tired (poor bby) that he’s barely registering what you’re saying

Until you remind him the following day

Sighs as he drinks his first of many coffees he’ll have

He wants to try and weasel out of it

But you’re giving him puppy eyes and oh gosh you’re adorable oh noo

He can’t say no :(

When ou two start, oh good lord his respect for your dedication increases tenfold

You do this five times a week?

His body hurts in ways he didn’t know he could hurt

Hits you with his ‘sexy~’ when you get out of the shower

Pretends to take pictures of you

“There we go! My star model show me those angles!”

Laughing fits

Even if you’re both sore (Jaemin more so), y’all are so cute

Gimme this please

천러 (Chenle)

Okay Daegal’s dad you’re up next!

I feel like Chenle really encourages you to keep up with your workout schedule

Probably helps with the dietary requirements that come along with it

Supportive boyfriend over here

We live to see it

Enough getting sidetracked, let’s continue

You’d be sitting together for breakfast and its workout day

This man’s curiosity gets the better of him and he asks if he could join you

He’s always been interested in exactly what exercises you do to stay is such great shape

When you go into detail, Lele kinda sits there wide-eyed for a moment

Granted, he works out too to stay healthy but damn your workout is intense

No wonder your body is as muscular/toned as it is

Be he would be lying to himself and you if he said that it didn’t intimidate him

You could probably throw him with little effort-

When you two do get to the gym, oh dear God is Chenle already exhausted

How do you manage to keep up with it?

Scratch that - exhausted doesn’t even begin to describe how he feels

You get home and Chenle is just...dead

Takes a shower and refuses to move once he gets in bed

Prepare to drag his ass out of bed the next day - he aint going anywhere

지성 (Jisung)

This is going to be interesting! Also 2nd Dream bias!

Of course, since Jisung hasn’t revealed his abs, we don’t know exactly how defined he is

But I think it’s safe to assume that Jisung is pretty well built

And he finds it really cool that you’re so dedicated you are to your workout routine

But dear God this kid doesn’t want to work out if he can help it

As much as he loves you, he would be a dirty liar if he said that you don’t intimidate him from time to time

You could probably bench press Jisung without thinking about it

Okay - I’m exaggerating, but you get the point

Kinda like Hyuck, whatever possessed this kid to ask you if he could join you must of had it in for him that day

You smirk, he realises what he just said and starts backing up

“Wait, wait, wait - let’s talk about this!”

“Uh uh, you suggested it JiJi. Come on, it won’t be that bad”

He kinda just goes -_-

Not bad? Not bad for you, you mean-

Does anything - and I mean literally anything - to get out of it

When you aren’t buying it, he deflates  and joins you

Is going through it by the time the two of you are halfway

Send help lol

You get home and he’s like “Yeah - never doing that again.”

Help this child lol

[liamakorn]

Spoopy Love

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader (Ghost-Hunter AU) 

Warnings: None. It’s a fluff fest y’all. Seriously, hand me Peter Parker, and watch my heart explode. 

Words: 5,092

A/N: GUYS!!! I had so much fun writing this, you have no idea. Somehow, it turned into a Buzzfeed Unsolved AU, and I aint even mad lol. This is for the August AU Writing Challenge by @after-avenging-hours . Hope y’all enjoy it as much as I did, our smol awkward boy deserves all the love! 

I tried to keep it as short as I could, lol, but uh....I think I failed. Sorry XP 

------

“I am so not going in there.”

A small whine that sounded vaguely like your name left his lips, brunette curls shifting in the small autumn breeze.

“Oh, c’mon, where’s your sense of adventure?”

Glancing at Peter, you must’ve made a face, because now he was chuckling, bumping your shoulder lightly with his own. A small, handheld camera hung by a cord on his wrist, swaying to and fro with every movement.

You focused your gaze on the house in front of you, trying to muster up some enthusiasm. It was cold, the sun was setting, and you really didn’t want to be here. How you’d managed to let him drag you on this “adventure”, you’ll never know. Oh, wait, that’s right, he’d flashed those puppy dog eyes and you’d just melted.

However, this was a little beyond your comfort zone. The house was huge, three stories in all. But what it had in grandeur was ruined by the state of the building itself; exposed wood paneling, the rotted porch with hardly a pillar left, shutters barely clinging to their windows. God, you could smell the mold from here. You noticed a few rats dart beneath the cracked walls and nearly fainted.

After another nudge, Peter finally grabbed your attention, pouting at your expression.

“Oh c’mooon! We’re about to catch the only known footage of Eliza Cartwright’s ghost! Aren’t you at least a little excited?”

Allowing yourself one last sigh, you managed a nervous smile, readjusting the heavy bag slung across your shoulder.

“This is a health and safety hazard.”

Somehow, you put one foot in front of the other, forcing your steps closer to the hell hole you were about to spend the majority of your night in. After a few seconds, you noticed Peter wasn’t following, glancing back with an eyebrow raised.

“Well, c’mon, Dimples. This ghost aint gonna catch itself!”

The crooked grin you received was worth every discomfort this house could throw at you.

It’s not like you didn’t want to believe in ghosts. You would’ve loved to have had the same enthusiasm for the supernatural that seemed to flow through Peter every time someone uttered the word “haunted”. It just seemed like there was always a more logical explanation, an answer that made more sense than the supposed “paranormal activity”. Banging in the walls? Faulty pipes. Scratching noises and flickering lights? Mice. Doors closing by themselves? Wind.

Yet, somehow, you ended up a moderator on Peter Parker’s ghost hunting blog, staring up at a dusty old house, on a Saturday. Life sure did have a sense of humor.

Stepping through the creaky front door, you were met with a wall of what could only be described as old people smell, kicked up to eleven. You couldn’t help but cough, taking stock of your surroundings. Dust hung in the air, catching the last few beams of sunlight creeping through the slats of decaying boards, which were haphazardly secured to the windows with rusty nails. The walls were nothing special, decades old paint flaking from the plaster, faded and worn from years of neglect.

The furniture was coated with a thick layer of dust and dirt, making it nearly impossible to discern what color each item had originally been. The cushions seemed to be missing; you counted that as a blessing. Who knows what would’ve been living in there.

A sudden achoo! startled you from your thoughts, shattering the silence of the otherwise abandoned house. Spinning on your heel, you just caught Peter’s wince, the brunette lifting the camera as you pressed your hand to your chest.

“Give me frickin heart attack, why don't’cha?”

His smirk was almost shy as he apologized, chuckling when you lightheartedly shoved his shoulder. You plopped your bag onto the couch, a cloud of dust kicking back into your face. You dug around for your own camera, hiding your face from view and trying to calm your blush. Jesus, how had he wormed his way under your skin so easily? You’d only known each other for a few months, having become fast friends after you’d transferred to his high school at the very end of the year. It was an odd experience, walking into this new school the first day and having Peter and Ned bombard you with greetings.

One minute you were the weirdo loner girl who couldn’t keep up with the new curriculum because she’d moved in fricken June, and the next, you had two amazing friends who actually wanted to hang out with you. Hell, it was that first day of school where Peter had nervously approached you and asked if you wanted to come with him to check out this stupid house in the first place. 

You’d been inclined to say no, but after looking at his expression...you just couldn’t. He’d sounded almost scared, like you would make fun of him or something. Well, needless to say, you’d caved, and here you were, the day before Halloween, hunting a ghost. And, despite your best efforts, enjoying yourself.

Heaving out a sigh, steeling yourself, you turned to face Peter, unable to keep the smile from your face at his fascinated gaze raking the dilapidated living room.

“You ready, Parker?”

An excited grin stretched his features, brown eyes sparkling in the dim beam of your flashlight. His enthusiasm was contagious, and you soon found yourself just as impatient to explore as he was. Attaching a go-pro to the side your head, you noticed Peter staring at you with an expression you couldn’t read. He quickly averted his gaze, clearing his throat and fiddling with the camera. You could’ve sworn you saw pink dusting his cheeks.

As happy as seeing Peter this excited made you, that was quickly dwindled by the borderline dangerous nature of your surroundings. Everything was either rusty, dusty, moldy, or all of the above. You noted the exposed wood of the walls, some of the panels rotted away completely, other rooms visible in some places. Meanwhile, your companion continued to monologue, recounting on camera the details of a grisly death.

“The first spirit we’ll be covering is Christopher Requaitt. He came from the incredibly small town of Seboeis, Maine, and had a relatively poor upbringing. And yet, somehow, he managed to graduate at the top of his class, earning him a job in the household of one James Cartwright. It was rumored that he had been working off a debt to Cartwright, and that, after it was paid, he was hired full time due to his incredible culinary ability. However, these claims were never officially documented.”

You hardly realized you’d stopped scanning your surroundings, completely enraptured by the way Peter’s lips moved as he recounted the tale. Even as you started fiddling with various settings and EMF machines, you kept an ear on him, glancing up every once in awhile, enthralled by the story he was telling. Although you were a skeptic, it was hard not to be interested in the lives of people before you, hearing their history sending a shiver down your spine.

Peter continued, the confident edge to his voice catching you by surprise.

“One night, Cartwright’s wife, Cheryl, became incredibly sick. It would soon be known that she was pregnant with her first, and only, child; but, at the time, she claimed to have food poisoning, contracted from undercooked chicken. Due to Requaitt’s incredible reputation and skill, many have speculated that the accusation was meant to get Christopher fired. She had made her distaste for the cook obvious, never missing a chance to denounce him to her friends and acquaintances.

It is widely believed, by both residents and historians, that James and Christopher had been in the midst of an affair, an incredibly taboo subject at the time. Cheryl, either jealous or afraid for their reputation, might have wanted to take drastic action to halt their activities. Although he was saddened by it, Cartwright had no choice but to fire the cook. Finding himself wracked with woebegone, Chris-”

A snort escaped your lips, earning a playfully annoyed look from Peter. You coughed, trying to disguise your giggles behind your hand. He raised an eyebrow, directing the camera at you, catching your amused expression.

“Something wrong, munchkin?”

You chuckled again, shaking your head.

“Nope, nothing, I’m good. Please, continue.”

Rolling his eyes, he readjusted the camera, a soft smile on his face.  

“Anyway. Finding himself wracked in woebegone-”

He stared directly at you as he emphasized the word, setting off a new round of giggles, prompting a wider grin to stretch his lips.

“-Christopher found he couldn’t live with James’ decision, stuffing his face in the deep frying, killing himself and burning his face off before they could make him leave.”

“Christ, Parker!”

He halted, furrowing his brows in bemused confusion. You tried for an aggravated expression, only just managing a mildly miffed look before a smile broke out.

“Could you be a bit more blunt?”

He chuckled, pink dusting his cheeks even as he shrugged.

“What? That’s what happened, what d’you want me to say?”

You released a huff of air.

“I dunno, Pete, just...you can’t speak ill of the dead, man, that’s like, rule number one in the ghosty handbook.”

Peter’s eyebrows shot up, an amused smirk on his lips.

“Oh, there’s a handbook now? Miss (Y/N) ‘I’m sure it was just the wind’ (L/N)?”

A flurry of giggles interrupted your sentence, covering your mouth to try and contain them. “I’m just saying, have a little respect, Parker!”

A victorious grin stretched his features, your heart skipping a beat when he let out the cutest laugh you’d ever heard.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Should I mention the fact that the only way they could identify him was by his clothing, because his features had melted together-”

You faked a disgusted face, covering your ears. His snickering sent a warm feeling dancing in your chest, the smile on your face lingering even as your chuckles died. You admired him for a moment, the crinkles in the corner of his eyes, dimples fully on display with his wide grin. Even in the dim beam of your flashlight, shadows dancing across his features; god, he was breathtaking.

After a few seconds, Peter cleared his throat, a touch of shyness flashing across his face.

“You, uh, you alright there, munchkin?”

Snapping out of your daze, you nodded, fiddling with the EMF meter at your belt.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s move on. You mentioned a little girl?”

That familiar sparkle returned to his eye, gripping your wrist suddenly and practically dragging you up the creaking staircase. You fought a laugh, heart pounding at his touch, no matter how minor. You really needed to get a grip on your crush.

You ended up in yet another dusty room, covered wall to wall in what was once a pale pink, but had faded to grey over time. The same confident tone as before overtook his voice, face stone serious as he began his spiel about the area’s most popular spirit.

“Here we are in the bedroom of James Cartwright’s six-year-old daughter, Eliza. She was born barely a year after the death of Christopher Requaitt, leading the residents of the town to question Requaitt’s death. Though nothing came of it legally, gossip and rumors of the supposed affair between Cartwright and Requaitt resulted in Cheryl’s eventual suicide, leaving James with Eliza when she was only four. Tragedy would strike again two years later, when Valerie Peridot would witness one of the many supernatural occurrences in the home. Only, unlike the others, this one was fatal.

“Peridot was the most recent in a long line of women James Cartwright dated after his wife’s death. She had only been dating him for three months before moving in, treating Eliza like her own daughter. But, as she entered the little girl’s room, she was startled to find the large window open, the child standing on the balcony railing and speaking to someone Valerie was unable to see. She seemed upset, screaming at the unseen figure to go away. When Valerie opened her mouth to scold her, Eliza jolted, as if she was pushed, flying from the third-floor balcony to the asphalt below”

Your eyebrows shot up, catching Peter’s attention for a brief second. The crooked half smile he sent your way was enough to catch your breath, hoping to any god out there that he didn’t notice.

“After Eliza’s death, Peridot was obviously suspected, her story of an unseen man shoving the girl out a window seeming preposterous. However, diary entries were found of Eliza’s, mentioning an imaginary friend named “Krissy". Law enforcement thought nothing of it, but spectral enthusiasts disagreed. It was speculated that perhaps “Krissy" was actually the ghost of Christopher Requaitt, enacting his revenge of what was the product of his demise. Eliza mentioned Krissy’s distaste for her family, specifically her mother. Even after her death, the spirit had apparently denounced Cheryl to the young girl, trying to convince her to “remind her father of his sins”. While these claims are somewhat far fetched, is it impossible to believe that Requaitt, heartbroken and betrayed by his lover, would seek retribution in the way of Eliza’s death?”

Peter glanced at you again, tilting his head slightly in question.

“Are you cold?”

You furrowed your brows, confused for a moment. You hadn’t even noticed your own arms encircling your torso, goosebumps rising on your bare arms, too engrossed in his story. Shrugging, you tried rubbing your palms together, the temporary warmth doing nothing to soothe the chill.

“I’m fine. Just a bit chilly is all, let’s keep moving.”

After a few seconds, he nodded, but not before shrugging off his jacket and draping it over your shoulders.

“We’ll only be a few more minutes. Just wanna use the spirit box and then we can head out.”

He lead the way towards a narrow hallway, just missing your intense blush. You tailed him, whining slightly.

“Can we not? I fucking hate that thing.”

He snickered, glancing back at you briefly; your heart fluttered at his bashful smile, slipping your arms into the sleeves of his coat. The fabric completely obscured your hands, filling you with a warmth that rivaled the pink on your cheeks.

Leading into the maid’s quarters was a rundown hallway, barely any plaster left on the walls. This area of the house seemed...moister than the rest, a distant leak echoing around the space. It sent shivers down your spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

“Well....this is ominous.”

Peter laughed, pointing the camera at you once again.

“You scared, Munchkin?”

You lightheartedly shoved him, shaking your head. It was getting increasingly difficult to be annoyed when he flashed those stupid dimples. Peter began setting up the camera against a far wall, pulling out a small black gadget, explaining the mechanism simultaneously.

“So for those of you not familiar, what we’re about to use is called a Spirit Box. It uses radio frequency sweeps to generate white noise, which theories suggest give some entities the energy they need to be heard. When this occurs you will sometimes hear voices or sounds coming through the static in an attempt to communicate. It basically scans radio stations super fast to give the ghost a chance to roast us.”

Your chuckle is quickly cut off by a wince, plugging your ears to drown out the loud shrill given off by the hell box. After a few seconds of garbled syllables and static, you managed to catch what could’ve been either “starry" or “sorry". You decided on the latter.

“Sorry? For what?”

Peter shrugged.

“Maybe it’s sorry about the house?”

You snorted, trying to contain your giggles.

“Man, it should be sorry, this is a fuckin’ mess.”

Peter had the gall to look offended.

“Hey! Be respectful.”

That set off another fit of giggles, followed by a sarcastic tone,

“Oh, now you care about respect? Besides, what’s a pissy ghost gonna do?”

A sudden smirk found its way onto your lips.

“Ooh, maybe it’ll follow you hooome-”

He shoved you lightly, laughing nervously.

“Shut up! That’s not funny!”

You just giggled, vaguely paying attention to the spirit box. You could’ve sworn you heard something akin to, ‘I don’t want to go’, but you couldn’t be too sure.

After another few seconds of unintelligible nonsense, Peter sighed, switching the device off. Trying to hide his disappointed expression, he fixed the camera on his face, a small smile adorning his features. You began to pack up your equipment while he vlogged his outro.

“Alas, dear viewers, it seems that, while paranormal activity does reside in these walls, we weren’t able to catch much of anything tonight. Until next time, where we take a road trip to the Lizzie Borden Murder Hou-”

All of a sudden, a loud bang! followed by several shuffling sounds echoed from somewhere above you, startling the both of you nearly to death. Peter practically dropped the camera, eyes wide in what could’ve either been excitement or fear. Probably a little bit of both.

“What was that?!”

Your first instinct was that someone else had the same idea as you. Or a homeless man was squatting there. Or a wolf was hungry and craved the flesh from your bones. While some more far-fetched than others, none of those options seemed incredibly appealing.

You tugged Peter’s arm, trying to nudge him towards the exit.

“C’mon, Pete, let’s get outta here-"

Just as you said that, the shuffling got louder, swooping past your face and right past a terrified Peter. As the bird settled on an ancient chair, the two of you stayed silent for what felt like ages. Until the dam cracked, and the giggles you were trying to keep back came spilling out from your lips. When the terror had finally subsided, Peter chuckled a bit too, clutching his heart and leaning against the wall.

The giggles didn’t stop. Forgetting yourself, you’d stopped checking your surroundings, completely focused on Peter for most of the night. So, it’d be just your luck that you’d step right onto a spot of water damaged flooring behind you.

Good news? You’d found the source of that dripping noise. Bad news? Your foot went straight through it, sending you crashing down, banging your head on the wooden paneling. You might’ve heard Peter yell out, but your brain was swimming too much to notice, a ringing settling in your ears. You blinked rapidly, trying to clear your foggy senses, only to notice the intense pain shooting up your leg. It was like somebody had taken your ankle and bashed it against a rock a few times. You were almost sure it was broken. You just hoped to god you weren't cut anywhere. The last thing you needed right now was tetanus.

After a few seconds of confused blinking, the rapidly spinning room finally came to a halt; coherent enough to notice your surroundings, Peter came into view, a worried look etched into his expression. His eyes were almost teary as he fussed over you.

Grabbing his hand, you tried your best at smiling, only managing a grimace as your head throbbed. His eyes snapped to yours, squeezing your hand a little too tightly, his free hand checking your head as lightly as he could. When it grazed over the welt right at the top of your forehead, you winced, relieved when he pulled his hand back to cradle your cheek instead.

“Okay, okay okay okay, you’re okay. Can you hear me, sweetheart?”

Blinking a few more times for good measure, you nodded, soothing some of the panic in his eyes. Slowly, as gently as he possibly could, Peter supported your upper back and waist, lifting you to a sitting position, jostling your leg as little as possible. Even then, you let out a slight whimper. The nausea hit you all at once, forcing you to grip Peter’s arm until the room stopped spinning. Although you could barely pay attention to anything but your swimming senses, Peter continued to mumble out loud; whether it was to calm himself or you was unclear.

“God, (Y/N), I’m so sorry, I was stupid to make you come with me, I should’ve just taken you to get some damned coffee like a normal person, now you’re hurt and it’s my fault, Jesus I’m sorry, I’m so sorry-”

“Peter.”

He stopped altogether, eyes wide and terrified. Giving him another, more convincing smile, you sniffled, wiping your face on the sleeve of his jacket that you were still wearing. Taking stock of your leg, you couldn’t see or feel many splinters or cuts, which was a plus. However, your ankle didn’t seem to be faring as well, the throbbing having only worsened as the minutes rolled by. Getting it out of the rotted floor was definitely a priority.

“Alright...okay, Peter. We need to get my leg out, yeah? I’m gonna need your help.”

Peter nodded, visibly swallowing, clenching your hand to the point where it almost hurt. He reached down, careful not to impale himself on the cracked wood, and began to clear as much of the debris as he could. Although the thought of shifting your leg was nauseating, you tried to help as much as you could, knocking splinters away so there was a clear passage you could slip your foot through. 

Taking a deep breath, you squeezed Peter’s arm, cautiously lifting your foot out of the floor. Even that minor jostling sent stabs of pain up your leg, an unintentional cry escaping your lips. Peter tried his best to make the endeavor as painless as possible, supporting your leg and back, moving anything that could bump into the injury. You saw his pained expression at your cry, brows furrowed in worry.

Eventually, you managed to free your ankle, a sigh of relief escaping your chest. You hadn't even noticed you were holding your breath. Once able to shift without feeling like you were going to die, you released Peter’s arm, wincing at the red marks you’d left. He barely seemed to notice, cradling your ankle to assess the damage.

Despite the awful situation, you couldn’t help but notice how beautiful he was. Cheeks flushed, jaw flexing every few seconds, a nervous tick you’d noticed over the past few months. His eyes were trained on you the whole time, a softness to his gaze that sent your heart racing a mile a minute.

Hesitantly, you reached up, tracing his cheekbone with your fingertips. His eyes snapped to yours, the blush you earned filling you with satisfaction. You had no idea where this sudden confidence came from, and you were sure it wouldn’t last. Still, you couldn’t help but make the most of it.

Your voice was barely audible when you whispered,

“You’re so pretty…”

If you thought he’d been red before. Oh boy. Now he was like a tomato, a shy smile stretching his lips before he could stop it. Catching your gaze briefly, Peter chuckled, continuing his examination of your ankle.

“You probably have a concussion. We should get you out of here.”

Giggling, you couldn’t help the fond look you gave him, a dopey grin on your face.

“You’re taking me out? Like, on a date?”

He grinned fully, 50 shades of pink, standing to help you up.

“Alright, you definitely have a concussion. C’mon, let’s go.”

Gripping his hands, you allowed Peter to lift you to your feet, shocked by his strength. Careful not to lean on your bad leg, you hardly noticed when you began to fall, the room suddenly spinning. Peter caught you by the waist, keeping his hold on you until you could focus on anything but keeping your balance. 

The both of you were barely an inch apart, your head the perfect height to lay against his chest. Which is exactly what you did, sighing as your senses began to return to normal. You could just about hear his heartbeat, thumping rapidly against his sternum.

God, you must’ve had a concussion. Or some sort of permanent brain damage. There’s no way you’d be acting like this in your right mind. Peter didn’t seem to mind, though, leaning his chin gently against your hair. It was so calming, you almost forgot about your ankle entirely, letting it droop to the floor absentmindedly.

Immediately on contact, you yelped, clutching Peter’s shirt in a vice grip. He sighed, keeping his arm circled around your waist to support you, becoming your crutch and letting you lean practically all of your weight onto him. Still, he didn’t complain, giving you a reassuring smile.

“Alright, Munchkin, let’s get outta here.”

When you showed up to his apartment, banged up from your adventures, May practically forced you into a cab, taking you to the nearest hospital to be checked up on. You didn’t end up having a concussion, thankfully, just some minor bruises and a sprained ankle, as well as a tetanus shot for good measure. You did, however, get what felt like an eternity of a scolding from Peter’s aunt. Which, to be fair, was incredibly valid. What had possessed the two of you to go to an abandoned ass house, on the night before Halloween, by yourselves, was completely beyond you.

You found it hard to be upset though, laying on Peter’s bed, watching him set up a pillow and blanket on his floor. It was far too late to go home, so you’d convinced May to let you stay for the night. You sighed again, pouting at Peter.

“You really don’t have to sleep on the floor, Dimples. It’s your bed, I can take the couc-"

He paused his activities, a tired smile on his face.

“Are you kidding? You think my injured friend is gonna sleep on the couch? We found that thing on the curb, you’d end up with god knows what.”  

He wandered over, fussing for the millionth time with your pillows and blankets, making sure you were comfortable. You rolled your eyes, groaning.

“You’re acting like I’m on my deathbed. A little fall isn’t gonna kill me, Pete.”

He just chuckled, and, after a few seconds hesitation, brushed some of your hair behind your ear.

“I know, I know. Just...let me take care of you, ‘kay?”

A heavy blush settled on your cheeks, rendered speechless by his sudden shift in demeanor. Wordlessly, you nodded, biting your lip to keep the smile off your face. His eyes caught the movement, focusing on your mouth for a few seconds before falling to his hands. Slowly, almost cautiously, he sat at the edge of the mattress, brows furrowing. As if he was thinking about what to say next.

“Listen…(Y/N)... I wanted to tell you something. And I’m not...well, I’m not exactly sure how to say it, but I feel like this is a good time, because realistically, I know you’ll be fine, but if you’d really gotten hurt in there, I don’t know what I would’ve done, I just-"

He cut himself off, keeping his gaze locked firmly in his lap. Finally, he seemed to focus, taking a deep breath before continuing.

“I asked you to come with me on my stupid ghost hunting trip because, well, you’re just-”

Another deep breath.

“You’re kinda, sorta, basically always on my mind. And I wanted to hang out- well not ‘hang out’ but, I wanted to, y’know, ask you out, but I couldn’t find the words, and now you’re hurt and I-"

He kept rambling, but you barely heard it, too focused in on his confession to notice anything else.

Peter likes you.

Jesus, everything made so much sense now! How shy he was, how timid he’d been asking you to go with him. He wasn’t just asking to hang out. He was asking you on a date. Butterflies filled your stomach, a warm feeling settling in your chest. You couldn’t keep the grin from your lips if you tried. Peter likes you. Peter likes you.

Noticing your expression, he finally stopped ranting, an almost terrified look in his eyes. Clearing your throat slightly, you averted your gaze, mumbling softly.

“I, uh, I like you too Peter.”

His expression was almost comical. Eyes wide, mouth slightly ajar.

“W-what?”

You giggled, an affectionate grin on your face.

“I said, I like you too, you doofus.”

He visibly relaxed, features softening into a sweet smile.

“Oh.”

You both sat there, the silence of his bedroom settling over you like a blanket. You must’ve looked like idiots, sitting amongst his Star Wars sheets with lovestruck expressions, glancing at each other from the corner of your eyes. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat, blush never fading.

“So, um...do you, I mean, there’s a movie next week, would you maybe, uh, I dunno, um-"

“I’d love to, Peter.”

His smile widened even more, brown eyes sparkling as he nodded.

“Okay. Okay, good. So, uh...we should probably get some sleep.”

Peter moved to stand up, but stopped himself. After a few seconds of hesitation, he leaned over, gently pressing his lips to your bruised forehead. As he pulled away, you gripped his wrist, eyes fluttering shut to savour the moment. You were here. This was real. You felt his light breaths across your face, nose practically brushing yours. A breathy giggle escaped your lips, opening your eyes to see Peter already staring at you. You could see every small detail in gaze, golden flakes scattered in their chocolate depths. You kept your voice hushed, scared to shatter the moment between the two of you.

“Can you lay by me? Just until I fall asleep?”

His smile could rival the sun in its brilliance. A thrill went through you as he nuzzled his nose against yours.

“Alright.”

Careful not to touch your ankle, Peter climbed beneath the covers, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. Your head rested against his chest, steady heartbeat a little too quick to be casual. You smirked.

“You nervous, Parker?”

He chuckled, squeezing you in a hug.

“Shut up, Munchkin.”

God, you didn’t think you’d ever stop smiling. Closing your eyes, you breathed out a sigh of content. A year ago today, you never would’ve imagined you’d be here. A new school, ghost hunting blog, and sprained ankle later, and here you were, cuddling with the guy of your dreams.

Things were finally looking up.

Tagging: @captain-ariel-barnes @papi-chulo-bucky @after-avenging-hours @occasionalfics @aliciawentzshadows @writing-parker 

Sorry if you didn’t wanna be tagged in this, lol, I just tagged anyone who I thought might like Peter fluff XP 

[annnoel]

It has been a month since Green had casted the spell, though I'd rather call it a curse. It was meant to bring his plush doll to life, but it went wrong and it made him severely sick. He's been super shaky with a horrible fever, and he can't keep down any food or water given to him. I've tried everything to make him better, even bringing in a professional healer, but he said there wasn't much he could do to help, since the spell had taken part of his soul. He said the best I could do is wait, and do what I had been doing before. His condition hasn't gotten better, if anything it has gotten worse. He can hardly sleep because he's got body pains all over, he's had barely anything to eat or drink, and his body temperature is so hot that my hand feels like its burning when I touch him. I'm starting to fear the worse. I don't know how much more I can help him, and I don't know if he'll be able to endure any more of this... *~* During a particularly stressful day trying to help Green, I had ended up falling asleep at the foot of his bed due to the amount of work I had done. I was keeping near him because I wanted to be there if anything more happened, to see if he needed anything or if I needed to clean something up. Green eventually woke me up, but it wasn't from him calling for me. He had gotten out of bed and started trying to wake me up by shaking my shoulder. I tiredly opened my eyes, and I could see Green standing next to me. "...Oh, Green? Did you need something?" I asked, not fully realizing the situation in my sleep deprived state. It took me a couple of seconds, but after processing my thoughts a bit I realized what was going on. "GREEN! What are you doing out of bed?! Y-you shouldn't be walking around, you'll make your condition worse!" I quietly yelled out in shock, concerned for Greens health. "I-it's alright Valentine, I'm actually feeling a lot better." He said to me reassuringly. It felt as if a wave of relief had gone over me, I almost couldn't believe it. "You are?" I asked in utter disbelied. "Y-yea! I still feel kinda tired, but I don't feel sick or hurt anymore!" He said in a happy tone. I couldn't help but start crying because of how relieved I was. My efforts to help him weren't in vein, he had actually gotten better! He had noticed I started crying and looked at me rather concerned. "What's the matter, Valentine? Are you sad?" He asked me worryingly. "N-no, Green, I'm happy," I told him as I pulled him in for a hug, "I'm so, so happy you're alright. You have no idea how relieving it is to see that you're okay, to see that you're no longer in pain or suffering." I told him, hugging him tighter. Green seemed confused at first, but he wound up reciprocated the hug. "Thank you for helping me, Valentine." He told me warmly as he burrowed his face into my shoulder. "Of course, Green. I couldn't just let you suffer." I replied to him. I started to think back on what happened, and I couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened. "Green," I said, bringing him out of the hug, "I am so, so sorry about what happened. If it wasn't for me suggesting the spell, none of this would've happened." I told him solemnly. "It's alright, I agreed to do the spell, so it wasn't all your fault." Green told me reassuringly. "I know, but still you're just a kid, I should've-" "Valentine!" Green yelled, interrupting me, "Just because I'm a kid, doesn't mean I can't do that kind of stuff! The spell worked, didn't it? So that means I was strong enough to do it!" He said passionately. His eyes lit up with a bright blue glow, as if a fire had lit up inside of him. Even after all that time being sick, he was still so passionate about magic and wanting to do it. His dedication impressed me to say the least. "I admire your dedication, but that spell still hurt you because you weren't fully trained or prepared to do it," I told him concerningly. If we were to ever do a spell like that again, it'd have to be when you've had more training, understand?" I told him, hoping that he'd understand and not be too upset. His head and arms dipped down, and he let out a deep heavy sigh. "Alright, I understand." He said in a defeated tone. I felt bad for having to restrict him like that, but I didn't want to risk having something like that happen again. I decided to try and lighten up the mood a bit by changing the subject. "You know Green, Twinch is still out there. Maybe you can focus on trying to find him to help you keep you mind off it? Who knows, maybe by the time you find him you'll be able to do more advanced spells." I told him enthusiastically. His head perked up and his eyes widened. He seemed to have totally forgotten about Twinch, but grew excited at the thought of finding him. "You're right! I should focus on trying to find him!" He said as he jumped up on his feet, seemingly forgetting he was even tired. "I gotta find a spell to try and track him down!" He said as he ran to my spellbooks. He got down several books from the bookshelf and put them into piles next to him, opening and reading a book from one of the piles in front of him. His enthusiasm was contageous, and I couldn't help but be excited with him. At the same time I felt like he should be taking a break to try and rest some more, but knowing him I wouldn't be able to stop his reading even if I tried. Besides, its not like he's using up much of his energy reading. --------- First part here: https://annnoel.tumblr.com/post/175937731772/green-a-young-buzz-who-was-only-8-years-old-was Hmm not sure how I feel about the shading in this picture. I know it isn't the focus, but still i cant help but feel that its a bit jarring. Doesnt help that valentines head is pretty small compared to greens :/ STILL TESTING THAT TWO POINTS OF SHADING MAN Anyways, ONTO THE STORY SECTION. As mentioned before, during this whole ordeal Valentine was SUPER STRESSED, and Green had been her focus ever since his conditioned started to get worse, even skipping her work and studies to help him out. After this she kept a very close eye on what sort of spells Green was allowed to do, since she didn't want anything like that happening again (even though Green would probably endure that pain all over again if it meant doing more spells like that (but boi valentine aint letting him get her all stressed out like that again)) luckily for Green tho, he was able to progress pretty quickly in his studies (but thats mainly because he was SO DEDICATED to trying to do more advanced spells.) Though he'd still get pretty weak from doing more advanced stuff, it wasn't nearly to the level like with what happened to his spell with twinch. SPEAKING OF WHICH I had actually written something up for him involving his first interaction with twinch, though i never made a proper picture for it rip. I might get to uploading it sometime when I can.

[foreveratlas]

The Late Birthday

This post is a present for someone important to me. Though it is a little late, it’s a lot more effort than my usual Poem a Year tradition. Plus, it helped me unlock some of my writers block. Enjoy!

Loren

I had looked up at the analog clock posted over the door of the break room. It read 10:43pm. I was absolutely exhausted, which was only amplified by the reminders nagging me in the back of my head in regards to Elena’s birthday. I was panic-stressing, pacing the room around the four round tables; and despite her anxiety, and yet, still due for another hour of work. Due to recent shrink going on in the department, I was being forced to stay late.

This was creating within me, a sense of worry. Of course, I had wished Elena a Happy Birthday, promised to try to be home soon, but when the announcement was sprung earlier that day that everyone with any form of authority in the store would be staying over, all I could do was text Elena and groan loudly in the women’s restroom.  

I needed to make time move faster, and I needed to get home so I could prep everything. In the breakroom fridge sat a cheesecake, made fresh that day by the bakery; the best cherries that were available; and a package of precooked barbecue brisket (easily heated to temp in the microwave). But I was going to miss the entire day at this rate! I wasn’t going to be able to celebrate with my problematic favorite person until the next day, and I didn’t even know if our schedules aligned.  

I sighed loudly as my pacing continued.

A cough returned my aspiration. “Yeah, it’s horse shit they make us do this.” Mike, the manager of Produce and Snacks wiped his chin on a handkerchief. “It’s not like it’s gunna accomplish piss-all.” He was an amusing character with a big brushy mustache, and the gaunt composure of a cattle driver,  but he seemed wholesome. He never seemed to have a problem with myself or with Elena when she was still with the store.  

“Do they do this often? They claimed they found a lot of shrink in my department but--”  

“Horse shit,” he sneered again. “You just made it to supervisor, but what it is they just want the labor of the salary people to go over the shit because they don’t wanna pay the hourly kids.”  

Loren scoffed. “Wouldn’t it just be easier to have us direct them to do that during their normal shifts on top of their regular duties?”

“One would think, but this aint Rocket Science Academy. Smarter minds have come here to die.” I shuddered at the idea and looked away to see the clock switch to 10:50. As good a time as any to clock back in and get back out there.  

On the floor, the time was even more excruciatingly slow. I took every second I could spare to check my phone’s digital clock. And as the seconds ticked by, I began to wonder if I would even be able to beat the traffic and get home in time. This new stress was confounded even as my department’s manager came up and said, “We may need you to stay till one.”

“One?” I half screamed and cried at the same time, causing several other employees around them to stop their tasks and stare. “I was told eleven, and then 11:30. Why One now?”

“Corporate wants us to stay for an all nighter.”  

“Then I expect my compensation to be reflective of these hours. I may be salary but you are clearly overworking me.”

My boss quickly moved to shush me, waving his hands in the air, “You can’t say that!”

“Why not? I’m just stating a fact.”

“Because it could lead to a write up.” I gave my boss a face that made it very apparent that the prospect was very much not what I wanted. And partially, I didn’t believe him. I rarely believed any of the jargon that the company had the audacity to put out there. It was pretty obvious when we are treated with dignity and when something seems fishy. He recanted, “I don’t want you to get written up over something stupid. You know you can take the accrued additional time off on another day.”  

I made an emotional display and pouted vividly as he spoke and finally said, “But it’s my girlfriend’s birthday.” I did my best to show what should have been puppy dog eyes. But to honestly, in hindsight, I don’t know how to use my charms to seduce men.

Luckily, my boss sighed and said, “I’ll see what I can do. But for now, no promises. And if I tag you out, you are gone. No dawdling. No sticking around. You go.”

“I gotta get my stuff though,” I interjected.

“Then get it and go!”

I kept working as we had agreed and kept looking to my boss for some form of relief. And slowly 11:30 came. And went. And then 11:35. 11:40. 11:45. And finally at 11:49. My boss passed as I was in the process of counting belts (in obvious lackluster) and whispered, “Run now, Vale, you won’t get a second chance.”

I thrust my clipboard into my boss’s hands and sprinted past him, going full speed of almost thirteen miles an hour. I ran hard, letting my Sketcher-Relaxation loafers get torn up from the exertion. After rounding the first set of shelving that made up the aisle for the electronics, adjacent to my own department, I turned sharp left, sprinting as hard as I could. The breakroom doors were within my sight, just beyond the medicine and optometry departments. I turned at the pharmacy aisle one more time and went in a direct line to the door, hurdling over a cart filled with Tylenol products.  

I rammed my shoulder into the door, rushed into the breakroom and moved to the refrigerator that housed the food I had purchased earlier that day. I grabbed the bag and the cheesecake and turned on my heel, just as the District Manager stepped out of the restroom on the opposite wall. That’s when I froze, suddenly well aware that no one was suppose to be leaving earlier than one.

“Excuse me,” he said pointedly, his tone very firm. The district manager walked across the breakroom, smiled beneath his thick red beard and said, “Mm, is it someone’s birthday today?” He looked down to see the custom cheesecake in the white box.  

I nodded, “My girlfriend’s,” I offered almost shyly.

His eyes seemed to light up at that. “My husband loves cheesecake,” he announced, matter-of-factly. “Well, go, go celebrate. Don’t know why they’re making you all do this shit just because I’m here this week.”

“Wait, are you saying we don’t have to do this busy work?”

He shook his head. “It’s just burning hours, really. Corporate tells them not to do this but Stacy always demands this kind of thing when myself, the regional manager, or the V-P is in town.”

“That seems so superfluous.”

“Good word choice. Tell me more good words next time you’re on the clock,” He looked down to see my name, “Low-Ren. Oops, sorry, Loren.” He ushered me out the door at that, but it was too late. That exchange had brought the clock from 11:50 to 11:55. There was no way I could make it home in time. But, dammit I was going to die trying.  

Elena

When Loren woke up that morning and wished Me a happy birthday, I was confused for a moment, but pleasantly surprised. Truthfully, I hadn’t celebrated my birthday in years, probably not since before my mother left when I was still a teen. Because of such traumatic events that occurred after, I simply chose to avoid the very prospect of my birthday. I did my best to do anything other than celebrate, often avoiding the triggers as my therapist would say. But that didn’t always work, unfortunately. But at least I had Loren this year to help make the event a little more bright.

Though, a thought imbedded into my brain. Why should we be the only people celebrating? I smiled at the thought of hosting a small gathering and moved to look for my phone in the sheets of our bed. When I finally did discover it in its resting place between mattress and wall, I was dismayed to learn that I had no messages or greetings or social media posts wishing me a happy birthday. I frowned at the thought that everyone didn’t know, but I went ahead and decided to text Alison.  

Loren is throwing a birthday patty for me, she texted. Shit, Party*

A party you say? Alison replied. Happy Birthday! I didn’t even know it was today! A party sounds like fun.  

Did you forget lol? I don’t think it was going to be anythimg major. Dammit, anything*. I continued, But I wanted to invite as many people as possible to enjoy it with sus. Ughhh, us*.

Let me see what I can do to help, Allision responded. I’ll even let Gregor know. You just focus on making the place pretty.  

I wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be an insult or a reminder that we lived in clutterfuck. A royal clutterfuck. I sighed at the thought, but she was right, the apartment was more than a stye and needed its fair share of TLC before it could be decent enough to host guests. So, I got up, got dressed, kissed Loren on the cheek as she passed in the hall between the bedroom and bathroom, and proceeded to do my morning routines.  

Long after Loren had left for work, I sat in our living room looking about the carnage of the living situation. When I had lived alone, this was hardly messy. Now take out containers and magazines were strewn about. Dishes were piled in the sink in the kitchen, and mail was accumulating on various surfaces. Coats, shirts, and pants found homes on the back of chairs; three bags of garbage had been left to sit by the door but never taken out; and I was all but positive that the air filter for the AC unit was caked to the point of no return.  

How did the apartment manage to get in such a state? I wondered as I took stock of everything that had gone wrong in our cohabitation. For the first time ever, I truly wasn’t even sure if we owned a vacuum between the both of us. Was there even a mop or a swiffer? How about a duster?  

“Start with what you can do, don’t worry about the other stuff until you get to them,” I said aloud and moved to the kitchen. Grabbing a trashbag, I set about the house, picking up various articles of trash and cleaning each room of their rubbish in a quick and painless manner. The trashbag was large, able to accommodate months of accumulation, and was even able to fit the garbage from their bathroom and bedroom. I set the bag outside, came back in and continued my home improvement journey.

Next on the list was dishes, which not only had a thin film of dust, but emitted a very cautionary smell. Thank the dear Lord we had a dishwasher! And with some sanitary gloves from our stash of fun stuff, I managed to rinse and load the dishes into the washer quickly enough. The apartment maintenance went by pretty quickly thankfully. Since I got on the right meds months prior, everything seemed like this was living life with Cheat Codes. Even when some emotional lows slipped through the cracks, I was luckily able to bounce back pretty quickly now.  

I had just replaced the air filter when there was a knock at the door. Before I could even get to it, Alison burst inside, hugging me tightly, “Oh, I thought you might need my help so I came over right after work, but it looks like you pretty much got a handle on it!”

I smiled sheepishly, “Yeah I didn’t know how bad it actually was. Sorry you had been subjugated to that in the past.” I looked off to the side sheepishly but either Alison intentionally didn’t notice or she did her best change the mood.  

“Oh no worries, now let’s talk party!” She ran back outside and returned shortly with several bags with the dollar store logo on them. Streamers, balloons, noise makers, and more filled them to the brim. We set to work blowing the balloons with the hand pump she brought and then I took the step ladder from the hall closet and began stapling the streamers around the apartment. Before long, the apartment looked like a birthday party dream for a teen. I wasn’t sure if the irony pleased me or made me question our motive. But Alison certainly was happy with the result. She was still pumping air into balloons when the first knock came.

Gregor and his roommates, Talia and Vox were the first people to show up. I greeted Talia and Gregor with tight hugs and then waved to Vox who wasn’t comfortable with physical touch in contrast to their roommates.

“Happy Birthday!” Gregor offered. “I had no idea!”

“I had totally forgotten myself,” I laughed.  

“Well with the whirlwind romance between you and Loren, I imagine forgetting your birthday is not the worst thing,” Talia noted.

Vox sipped their glass of water they took from the kitchen, “Where is Loren?”

“At work. To be honest, she remembered. It was so sweet of her. I bet she planned to do something small, so I wanted to do something big. We can do something between the two of us later when everyone leaves.”

Alison chortled and elbowed me playfully, “Ehh, ehh, something between the two of you, huh? Going to have a little bit of fun, eh? Going to wait till you’re alone, huh? Wink, wink; nudge, nudge; say no more!”

Vox spit their drink.  

Guests began to arrive steadily, and by the end of that first hour there must have been thirty people who knew Loren and myself piled into our home, chatting vibrantly, drinking from the cases of beer they brought. At one point Alison had Gregor and Vox bring out the cake they had been hiding in the back Gregor’s car around 10pm, and the entire party stopped and sang.  

But by that point I was miserable.

I had received the text from Loren earlier explaining that work was making her stay over. I knew it was bullshit from when I worked there. They made us do it all the time when the district manager or the regional manager were in town. It was just busy work designed to make us feel like we were grunts and show to corporate that we had the hardest working people in the district. Really, it was all for show. But knowing that fact didn’t stop me from being absolutely beside myself with depression as it slipped through the cracks of my medicine induced armor.  

“You ok?” Alison said as she handed me a piece of cake.  

I sighed. Somewhere, someone turned off the music and in that moment I realized that the chatter and the jubilance came to a gentle quiet and people began to ask if I was ok. “You know,” I finally offered, “The majority of you knew me as a complete monster but now? Now you all are here, with me, celebrating today. I shouldn’t be sad, but I am.”

Talia sang, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to,” and there was a light chuckle. I explained that Elena had to work and there was a quiet acknowledgement.  

“This has to do with Loren not being here because of work, right?” Alison asked. I nodded.

Then Vox spoke up, “Hey uhm, I know we’ve only been friends on social media for so long but, I think it’s important to tell you that though it’s late, you still will be able to celebrate with her.”  

I looked up, “Well yeah, but I just wish she could be here right now. I don’t think she will make it home in time for the actual date.”

Vox smiled, “Well, that’s not quite what I mean but, here take a look at this. . .”

Loren

I stepped through the door of our apartment at 12:15 am, holding the cheesecake in one hand, and the bag of groceries in the other. Elena sat on the couch alone and I realized there were party streamers and balloons all over the apartment, and the trash we had managed to collect on various surfaces was all gone.  

“Baby I am so sorry,” I cried as I sat the stuff down on the coffee table in front of her.

“Hun, it’s ok it’s not that big of a deal,” Elena responded, more comforting me than anything else.  

“Work was a nightmare, it was all a racket.”

“I could have told you that.”

“Why didn’t you warn me about these fake audits they do to try to impress corporate.”

“I honestly totally forgot about it. But they don’t usually spring it on you unless the big-wig is there already.”

“He was, but that’s besides the point.” I sat down next to her and opened the cheesecake container. Elena smiled widely.

“My favorite,” she cooed as she reached toward it.  

“Let me get some forks, hun--” a knock at the door.  

“It’s literally after midnight, who could that be?” Elena asked with a smile. Instead of going to the kitchen I went to the door, which was then nearly kicked open by Alison, and in came behind her was Gregor, his roommates, and about 30 other people, filling out our apartment to the brim.  

I started laughing, “What is all this?”

Elena stood up and scooped a tiny bit of cheesecake with her forefinger, she moved carefully around the guests and wiped the cream-cheese on my nose. “Guess what babe, you didn’t miss it.”  

“Happy Birthday, Elena!” Everyone said almost simultaneously, and then with Gregor’s boisterous voice, were led into song. “Happy birthday to you--”

I stood there dumbfounded until Elena said, “Babe, you weren’t late. You were a day early!,” She laughed as the song continued.  

“Well then,” I responded. “Happy birthday, dear Elena. Happy birthday to you,” I sang with the close of the song, ending my vocal talents by kissing my girlfriend on the lips. She smiled into my mouth and returned the kiss, wrapping her arms tight around me, The cream cheese smudged between our faces, and around us people cheered and the sounds of a party ensued. But in that moment, I was lost in the focus of Elena’s lips and the surrealness of where I was in that moment, celebrating the birthday of my favorite person.

Though, this may be super late, happy birthday to my best friend; my favorite person.