#he wouldn't notice it at first but when he saw the seasons change to winter he'd start to realize that camp's been over for months

[crystalkitty1220]

Might have to scrap a fic idea because I thought the panic that came with time moving too slowly or too quickly was a universal thing, but now I'm realizing I probably have chronophobia and the fic might not feel the same to other people. Don't want it to drag on or feel rushed if readers won't get the same kind of anxiety the character's getting.

[bigification]

Beach Bears

The cold water felt good on my feet as the waves washed in and out. The sun warmed my skin as I stood at the edge of the beach. It was finally summer, the season where the ladies pull out their bikinis and I get to show off all the hard work I put into my abs over the winter. I finally got to wear my new orange speedo, it was a little big but the drawstring made it so it wouldn't fall down. It still showed off my ass well so I didn't care. I tried to convince my friend Leo to get a speedo too but he was hesitant. Although he did get a short pair of swim shorts, so he'll still be able to show off for the ladies.

"C'mon Leo, let's go already!" I yelled, waiting for my friend to join me in the water.

"Ya ya I'm coming!" He yelled back as he ran towards me.

We both slowly walked into the water together, it was cold but refreshing. We stopped just as the water reached our upper thigh, working up the courage to go deeper. In the meantime, I looked around to see if we had any catches nearby.

"Bingo!" I said to Leo as I tapped his shoulder. "Right there. Red bikinis." I pointed at two ladies swimming nearby.

"Slow down man, they're like ten years older than us. No way they want us around." Leo hesitated.

"Dude, were like almost 20, were basically adults. Just follow my lead." I said as I dragged towards the two women.

"Hey ladies. Need company to keep you warm?" I said, trying to lower my voice to sound smooth.

The women looked at each other and giggled quietly. One of them slowly walked up to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Why don't you two go a little deeper. We're gonna get some sunscreen and we'll be right back." She said as she softly slid her hand down my arm. She then brushed her hand across my cheek and over my mouth. It left a sweet taste in my lips. I saw the other woman do the same to Leo as they started to swim back to the shore.

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" I said excitedly to Leo. He smiled back at me and we both went deeper to wait for the ladies to come back.

I laid on my back, floating on the surface of the water. My head was turning with all of the things I should say, or the things I should do when they come back. I didn't even notice myself mentally drifting away. It was getting harder to think, it was hard to tell how much time had passed. I felt comfortable as a warm sensation filled my body.

As I was floating, I turned my head to face Leo. It looked like he was mindlessly floating like I was, but something seemed off. His belly is sticking out a bit. At first it just looked like he took a big breath in, but then it never flattened back out to his normal abs. In fact it just kept growing. It swelled until it looked like he ate a basketball. I could even see fat love handles spilling over his waist, acting as floating devices for his growing body. I should have been terrified, or at least curious about what was happening but something about it felt normal.

I continued to watch Leo change, I felt mesmerized and paralyzed at the same time. His flat pecs grew into a pair of strong but soft pecs that complemented his gut. His once skinny and defined arms ballooned into strong biceps, and thick man hands. His legs and his ass plumped a lot too, making it look like his swim shorts were about to burst. Even his feet looked like they grew six sizes.

I started to feel butterflies in my stomach. Like the feeling I get when I look at a hot woman, but I couldn't take my eyes off Leo. Finally, I watched his lovely hair fall out, leaving a bald head behind. Then his clean shaven face quickly grew a thick and bushy beard that covered the double chin that had formed under his face. His features seemed to roughen up, giving him the appearance of a tough man in his late thirties.

As I stared at Leo, I noticed I was struggling to stay afloat. My body was sinking and my head was barely above water. I usually have no trouble floating, why is my body sinking like a rock all of a sudden. I go to stand up, and something doesn't feel right. I could even touch the bottom before, now the water only reaches my chest when I stand up straight. I looked down, feeling the scruff of my beard rub against my chest. Wait... I don't have a beard, why do I have a beard. When I looked down, I noticed my chest sticking out much further than it usually does. My pecs were thick and padded, and my stomach had a thick layer of muscle but it was hidden under a layer of fat. My arms were massive, It made me feel so strong. My biceps were so thick that I had to spread my arms so they don't rub against my sides. My hands had gotten so thick, I felt like I could grip a basketball with one hand.

I started to walk towards Leo, as my mind began to feel less foggy. My memories started to come back to me. I had to stop and undo the strap on my speedo, because it felt like it was squeezing me to death. I think I'll need a new one anyway, this one felt like it was crushing my dick with every step. It also shocked me how much I had to spread my legs while walking, leg day has been paying off with these thick thighs but man is it annoying sometimes.

"Wake up, babe." I said to Leo as I shook him. He snorted a bit before jumping awake. "You look so cute when you wake up." I said as I leaned in for a kiss. I loved the fuzzy feeling of his beard rubbing against my lips. He always asks me if I'm okay with him growing out his beard but I'm always adamant that I love it, I don't think I'll ever let him shave it off.

I saw his cheeks turn a bit red from the compliment. He was always so easily flattered.

"We should go back and put on some sunscreen before you burn your head again." I said as I dragged him back to the shore.

I grabbed his hand as we got to the shore, Leo always had trouble with his balance with the waves hitting his feet. His balance gets worse the bigger his belly gets, not that I mind his belly though. I've made sure to feed him well ever since we started dating. That metabolism of his will give out one day and it'll be easier for me to fatten him up.

As we got to the beach, I heard a couple of girls giggling nearby. "You guys are so cute together!" One of them yelled out. Leo blushed and looked away, and I just gave them a wink as we walked back to our beach towels.

[youunravelme]

okay but how does mat propose??? (like a pt. 2 follow up to the wedding cake fic)

omg omg omg a proposal request!! let it be known, i have never been engaged, BUT all my friends got engaged/married last year so i think i'm uniquely qualified (edit: this was started in 2023, you know, when this request was sent. once again, my b). (though this might just turn into my dream proposal bc i'm in love with him).

for those of you who wanna check the part 1 of the wedding cake fic, here it is!

another edit: i wrote this to distract myself from my absolute disdain at scott mayfield.

carry on.

his hands were sweating all day.

which was weird, considering it was february.

but it wasn't weird, given what he had planned. he didn't know if he wanted to scream or throw up. the idea of you becoming his wife surely made him giddy, but it was soured with the slight chance that you might say no. he was supposed to propose before the season started up again, but he was plagued with anxious thoughts.

it's not the right time.

i'm not ready yet.

or the worst one: i don't think i'm that serious about you.

which, in hindsight, wouldn't make sense considering you were already living together and have been for quite some time. you wore his jersey to games, you had conversations about starting a family, you texted his mom and sister more than he did. there was no reason for you to say no.

right?

right?

after he chickened out back in september, mat's new plan was to wait until the bye week to propose. he was going to take you on a vacation to conil de la frontera, spain. he had everything booked and ready.

but then he was drafted for the 2024 all star games.

he could see it in your eyes, you were ecstatic for him to be recognized, but when you took a week and a half off of work, you were planning on packing your bathing suit, not taking a short flight to toronto.

you bore the slight disappointment well, smiling and kissing him and hugging him tightly when he got the news. he beamed when he saw you post about it on your instagram.

he couldn't wait any longer to ask you. your reaction to a change in your vacation plans from something warm to canada in the winter solidified what he was anxious about for months.

you loved him, there as no doubt about it.

you were the most selfless human being he knew.

his teammates had been crucial in the planning process, well, at least their wives were. bo, marty, anders, brock, and clutterbuck had been chirping him since the start of the season when they noticed that your left hand was still devoid of a ring.

"what're you waiting for, barzy?" bo asked after a practice one day. "you found a good one, she'd probably wait forever for you, but why're you making her wait?"

mat shrugged at the time, too embarrassed to admit that despite being one of the best players in the league and having millions to his name, he was terrified that it still wouldn't be enough for you. not that you'd ever demanded more from him, you'd taken him as he was and cheered for him even when he was having the shittiest time of his life.

he could give you the moon and still wouldn't feel like it was enough.

so when mat finally told his teammates about his plan in toronto, they immediately communicated to the wives who were closest to you. sydney, grace, and holly took you out to get your nails done while marty, anders, bo, and mat started researching the most romantic places in toronto on anders' laptop just in case you spontaneously went through mat's search history.

the day was planned, the photographer and necessary tickets were booked, he'd propose at the evergreen brick works after texting auston matthews about cool places to visit while he was in town, (he had to clarify that he didn't care about cool bars, and was looking to bring you along).

you'd been talking nonstop on the plane ride to toronto that you didn't even notice mat was quietly stewing. everything had to be perfect.

it was the very least that you deserved.

the first day in toronto, both of you explored the city by going to coffee shops and restaurants recommended by players and their significant others. when you made it back to your hotel room, your feet were aching.

you fell face first into the bed, whining into the comforter. "my feet hurt," you groaned.

mat laughed from his position leaning against the wall. "i told you to wear better shoes," he said.

"i didn't anticipate you dragging me all over toronto today."

"well, that's what we'll be doing tomorrow too, so prepare yourself."

"mat," you whined, finally flipping over so he could see your pretty face again. you had a cute pout on your lips that he wanted to kiss away. "we're on vacation."

"and you've never been in this city before, you should get to see it." he walked over to where you were and grabbed your hands. "c'mon, let's go take a bath and then we can order room service and spend the rest of the night in bed."

you were quick to agree.

the following day was pretty mundane. but wednesday was the cause of mat's stress.

his phone lit up with texts from his teammates, his parents, liana, tito, and ethan, all wishing him a good luck. the two of you woke up early enough to go to a local cafe and grab breakfast before taking the bus to evergreen brick work.

"you okay?" you asked, placing your hand on his knee to keep it from bouncing anymore.

he thanked whatever possessed him to keep the ring box in his coat pocket on the side that wasn't pressed up against you.

"yeah," he smiled. "just ready to get there."

when the two of you hopped off the bus, you slid your hand into his almost immediately. out of habit, mat tucked you into his side, happy to just have you close. it was a little cold outside, but it was like he couldn't feel it because of your proximity.

"mat!" you tugged on his arm and pointed at one of the signs. "they have ice skating here!" you grinned widely up at him and he couldn't help but smile right back. "we should go!"

"we will," he said. "i wanna do this trail first."

you looked at him funny. "you wanna go on a walk?"

he shrugged, tearing his eyes away from you to focus on the signs in front of him. "auston suggested this place."

"you're asking for a lot of suggestions from auston. it's unlike you..."

"there's no need to be suspcious, babe. i know that you wanted to be in a tropical place for vacation, that was the plan and everything, but since we're here, thought we'd make the most of it."

you scrutinized his face for a moment longer before nodding and pulling yourself closer to him.

after you secured another hot coffee to combat the cold, mat started leading you on the trail. while you were ordering, he was coordinating with the photographer to make sure she was in position.

the trail itself wasn't that long, thankfully because mat couldn't get a word out and if it was any longer, he feared you would've caught on that he was incapable of speaking.

you were still talking about work drama when you got to the lookout point. your voice was taken away by the sight of toronto in the background.

you hadn't always been the most observant person ever, you didn't even know he liked you until he told you verbatim when he couldn't take it anymore.

"oh my god, mat," you gasped. you pointed at the skyline in front of you with the hand that wasn't holding your coffee. "look how pretty it is!"

he swallowed and knelt down on one knee while your back was turned. mat took the ring box out of his jacket pocket, doing his best not to drop it despite how much his hands were shaking.

"have you ever seen anything that--" you whipped back around to look for him. he watched as confusion filled your face when you didn't see him standing behind you, but kneeling in front of you.

"oh my god," you whispered, dropping your coffee on the ground so you could cover your mouth with both hands. "mat what--"

"i love you," he said. "i love the way you squeal at every cute baby that comes across your for you page or the way you cry at the drop of a hat. i love how you celebrate everyone around you. you are the brightest thing in my life and if i quit my job tomorrow, i know my life would still be fucking amazing because i'd have you.

"i know that my schedule is hectic, and you could probably find a man better than me, who was more consistent, who wasn't going to play games or have practices on your birthday, who could take you out of the country for a vacation to somewhere warm instead of dragging you with me to an all star game. but i promise you, i will do whatever it takes to give you the best life possible if you'd let me. i wanna grow old and crinkly with you, i want our kids to have the same last name as both of us. i want to be able to point you out in crowds and tell strangers that i somehow managed to convince you to marry me.

"i have never been more terrified in my life than i am right now," he admitted. "but i have never been more certain of anything i want more in my life than you. so will you have me? will you marry me?"

in the middle of his speech, mat didn't realize when he'd started crying, didn't even notice that you were all but sobbing. he just recognized the scent of your perfume when you lunged towards him and kissed him hard on the mouth, your tears mixing with his.

"yes," you mumbled into his mouth. "oh my god, yes."

mat let out a watery laugh and managed to slip the ring on your finger even though his hands were shaking. you pulled him up to stand and immediately wrapped your arms around his neck to pull him close.

you were sniffling as he pulled you in for another kiss.

"i love you,' he whispered against your lips.

"love you more," you smiled back.

[eunoiaastralwings]

First Snow

featuring bucky x reader

fandom mcu- tfatws era

warnings talk of his trauma, fluff

a/n reader you are my oc - deal with it ;) inpirsed from my oc's storyline and a series

Bucky saw as it started to snow in New York city for the first time in this year.

His expression immediately darkened. He remembered the cold of the ice – the white of the snow, the pain Hydra had caused.

He wasn’t too fond of snow after what happened to him in the snow, where it all began – where he was kidnapped and made into the Winter soldier.

No.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Snow was merely another season. He wouldn't let it hurt him anymore.

He looked around at the city, snowflakes falling gently to the ground. But there was no escaping it – snow meant winter. And with winter came the memory of cryo-freeze in Hydra.

Bucky’s fists clenched involuntarily. He had to get a grip – but all he could see was the white surroundings and the pain that came with them.

“Bucky! Bucky!”

Right then – you ran up to him – grinning as you quickly wrapped your arms around him, just as the first snowflakes fell around you.

Bucky’s eyes widened as he was suddenly embraced by you. He stiffened up at first – his instincts from being the Winter Soldier still strong.

But then relaxed once he recognized the familiar feeling of your arms around him – you were his light, the agent that was trusted and sent by Steve to look over and monitor his recovery in Wakanda – something tells Bucky, Steve knew you would fall in love with each other – and especially why he had asked you of all or anyone.

He hesitantly raised one arm and gently touched your hair – his metal hand trailing down your silky locks of wavy hair.

“Gotcha!”

You grin up at him.

Bucky then chuckled – still a bit surprised at your sudden appearance, but then again, he should have been you were always only within arm’s length always caring and loving him.

He gently wrapped his metal arm around you – holding you close and then again reaching with his flesh hand to gently stroking your hair.

“You really know how to make an entrance, Doll.”

He teased – his voice low and affectionate.

But you noticed, his blue eyes flickering slightly towards the falling snow, trying not to frown at it and focus on you.

You knew his fears with snow.

“You know. . . in there’s a myth in my culture – if you watch the first snow with someone, your love will be fulfilled. . .”

You smiled – explaining to him to ease his mind.

Bucky's gaze softened, a warm smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Is that right?”

He asked – a hint of playful disbelief in his tone.

He pulled you closer as the snow continued to fall – his hand gently stroking her cheek as he marvelled at you – still unable to believe someone like would choose someone traumatized and used like him.

“Well, then I’m glad I got to spend my first snowfall with you, Doll. But. . .our love is already pretty damn fulfilled, in my opinion.”

“I agree!” – You giggle.

“But it’s true – In Seoul, the communication network crashes when it’s the first snowfall of the season! It’s crazy! They’re all trying to set up dates with their crushes. Why? If they watch the first snow together their love becomes true!”

You smiled explaining to him.

The entire time – Bucky listened to your explanation with a soft small smile – completely captivated by your passion and enthusiasm.

He gently brushed your soft light bangs and leaned down to kiss your forehead.=

“Well, in that case. . .I’m grateful for this snowfall, for bringing us together. . .” – Bucky said softly – his blue eyes sparkling with affection.

“And not just because it made my very beautiful girlfriend come running out into the snow to surprise me. Though that was a nice added bonus.”

He adds – knowing you’d had come out knowing his fears with snow and you had officially changed his view of the snow into something else more beautiful with your words.

So you grin – having successfully distracted him from the trauma of the snow before nuzzling towards him.

“Me too. . .”

His heart swelling with contentment with your nuzzling.

“You know, Doll. . . I never thought I’d be the type to believe in superstitions.” – He said –  a hint of wry amusement in his tone.

“But if there’s even a chance that watching the first snow together can make our love even stronger, then I’ll take it.”

“Me too – always and forever.”

You promised.

*Bucky smiled down at Tara, gently tilting her chin up so that their eyes met.*

“Always and forever, my Darling doll. . .” – He whispered, his voice filled with love and adoration.

“You’ve given me everything I could ever want or need, and I promise to return that love with every ounce my heart.”

Bucky leaned down to kiss you deeply – pouring every bit of adoration and loyalty he felt towards you into the kiss.

“I love you. . .”

You figured against his lips.

“I love you more, doll . . .”

tagging: @batsyforyou </3

@winterarmyy - since you liked this idea of Bucky's trauma associated with snow :)

[skepsiss]

For Steddie prompts -- I'm always a fan of older Steve and Eddie, like them in the 90's and still pining type of nonsense

That or them as camp councilors, for Summertime for us Northern Hemispherers ♥️✨

Pining in the 90s.... hmmm, as in they're not together yet? I'm going to take this in a rather AU way, hope you like it! Ooops, it's almost 2,000 words.... but whatever. (Anyone can send me a prompt! Please do) --

Eddie hoisted his guitar up his shoulder, grunting as he picking up his duffle and staggered away from the bus. It was a mild summer day, and he was pleased he had gotten in early to camp, even if he missed getting the extra sleep.

Eddie wasn't exactly 'a morning person,' but mornings came with their perks as Eddie took in the familiar sight of Camp Callingwood. He had never frequented the camp as a kid, but he had started as a seasonal camp counsellor in the late 80s as a last-ditch effort to not be homeless for the summer. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of his life because he had met some of the best people in the world. It was 'one of those perks' and Eddie couldn't help but look around to try and catch a glimpse of the guy he was looking for.

Like a sunbeam on a cloudy day, Eddie caught sight of Steve Harrington making his way down the dirt path toward the bus drop-off. He was talking to a younger woman who was also wearing the counsellor uniform, but Eddie didn't waste time waving Steve over. It took a beat, but Steve smiled wide when he saw Eddie.

"Hey!" Steve called over before saying something quickly to the young woman and then trotting up to Eddie. "Hey, man. I wasn't sure if you'd be coming around this summer."

"Wouldn't miss it," Eddie said cheerfully, letting Steve grab his duffle bag so they could start walking toward the cabins.

"No big break yet then, huh?" Steve asked, saying a few quick hellos to the other counsellors that had just been dropped off.

"You seen my name in the tabloids?" Eddie joked, only feeling a small pinch of embarrassment over Steve's comment. He hadn't made it big despite how much he talked up his music. He knew he was good, but there wasn't always an agent who could see that in the music biz. Still, he was nearly 26 now, and without a break soon, he feared he wouldn't make it at all.

"I guess not," Steve laughed, talking easily with Eddie along the quiet forest path. "Definitely would have taken notice to seeing you. You still selling songs?"

"Yeah, doing pretty good there," Eddie admitted, shyly glancing at Steve as he tried to gauge his attitude toward all of this.

Eddie was doing well in the 'selling songs' department; he could churn out hits for anyone, but it wasn't the music he wanted to play. It sucked that metal didn't seem to be in fashion right now, but no part of him wanted to change his whole personality to fit what was 'popular.'

"Wrote one for Whitney Houston recently," Eddie proclaimed, feeling a bit proud of that sell.

"No shit?" Steve asked, sounding surprised before he bumped his shoulder into Eddie's. "Good for you, man. Cool."

Eddie smiled stupidly, liking the roughness and how boyishly charming it was. When he had first gotten to Camp Callingwood all those years ago, Steve had already been a seasoned veteran at the game. From what Eddie knew, he ran the site year-round now, and maintained the grounds during the off-season too. Eddie was only a temp, but Steve seemed so pleased to see him every year. And every year… Eddie always tentatively sussed out whether or not Steve was still single.

"Any interesting changes?" Eddie asked, glancing at Steve from under his lashes, trying to keep things casual. "No… well, I got a dog," Steve smiled, opening the door to Eddie's cabin for him. "Pepper--she's great company during the winter. It can get pretty lonely up here by yourself."

"New dog, but no lady?" Eddie joked lightly, hoping the answer was no.

"No, no lady," Steve laughed, dropping Eddie's bag on the bunk bed. "They tend not to be great company in the winter when they have to rough it--in my experience."

Eddie laughed lightly, unable to hold back the little bloom of heat in his chest. Steve really was 'one of those perks' and Eddie could hardly wait for camping season to begin so he could sign up as a counsellor again. He liked the kids, and he had fun teaching everyone how to play the guitar, or hosting the 'in-door activities' for the kids that didn't quite fit in with the others, but the real reason he kept coming back was Steve. He wished it wasn't just a temporary thing, but he chickened out asking for more every year he was here.

"Don't get too comfortable," Steve offered, swaying and leaning on the pole of the bunk bed, looking casual as could be. "We've got a lot of kids these first few weeks so I might need to move you into the big house. You don't mind dogs, right?"

The big house was Steve's permanent residence, and it was a proper home rather than the bunk rooms the counsellors and kids usually slept in.

"No--yeah, dogs are fine," Eddie said quickly, "wouldn't mind meeting Pepper though--if you're not up to anything else right now?"

"Sure, I'll see if I can find her. She's probably running around somewhere. She's a bear dog, you know? Well, not for like attacking bears or whatever, but she does a good job of keeping them away," Steve explained, motioning for Eddie to follow him.

Eddie put his guitar down on the bed and followed Steve out, not sure if he knew what Steve meant by 'bear-dog.'

Almost as soon as they got outside Steve was yelling Pepper's name and whistling as he walked toward the mess hall.

"Did you get some new tattoos?" Steve asked as they continued to walk around the camp. Other counsellors were moving about and setting things up or settling into their cabins, the site a hive of activity.

"Yeah, one on my arm and one on my thigh," Eddie said, twisting to show off his new ink. That was another thing he liked about Steve: he didn't seem bothered at all that Eddie had tattoos, even though they were still considered quite scandalous to most employers.

"One more too on my chest, but I'll save that one for later," Eddie joked lightly, pleased to be asked about his ink.

"Later for sure," Steve retorted with a smile, and Eddie blinked at him as he tried to decipher what he meant by that. Later how?

Eddie didn't get the chance to dwell on that thought though as Steve hollered Pepper's name again and Eddie watched as a large white mass bounded toward them through the trees.

"There she is," Steve said pleasantly, crouching down to greet the dog.

Pepper was a Great Pyrenees and far too big for Steve to be crouching down for.

She bounded into him and turned happily, letting Steve rough her up with pets and scratches. He was cooing and making pleasant sounds of affection at her as she wagged her tall and rubbed her head under his chin.

"She's still a puppy, only a little over one year old," Steve explained as he stood back up and Pepper turned her attention to Eddie.

"She's big," Eddie said, a little surprised by the dog's size as she bumped into his hip, looking for attention. He gave her a few good scratches, unable to stop himself from smiling.

"She's friendly--might try and sleep with you," Steve joked lightly, motioning for Pepper to sit.

She obeyed quickly and Eddie grinned as he watched her pant happily, looking for more commands.

"So this is her first summer with the kids?" Eddie asked, crouching down like Steve had before and scratching and rubbing Pepper's neck.

"Yeah, well, in this amount. We get some winter scouts and groups like that, so she has been around kids and she's great with them, but she'll probably be excited to have so many people to spoil her."

Eddie laughed, charmed by how in love Steve was with his dog. If Steve was still single, and he was pouring all of his affection in to a dog… Eddie couldn't see why shooting his shot would hurt. He had backed off every year since he met Steve, but he was feeling determined to at least confirm that Steve wasn't interested in him. They were pals, and sometimes they wrote to one another during the year, but Eddie really wasn't sure how receptive Steve was to the whole… queer thing. He did know that they'd had queer kids at camp before, and Steve had always been gentle and accepting of them, so his attitude couldn't be all negative.

"Let's go grab your keys," Steve said suddenly, and Eddie stood up to follow him. "I'll just give you a master this year, easier that way. It opens all the bunk houses and the utility rooms--and the big house. Easier than trying to sort out all the rings."

Eddie nodded, feeling a small flush creep up his cheeks. It felt rather intimate to be given a key to Steve's house, even if it technically was part of camp property.

Steve handed him the kitschy keychain and Eddie quickly added it to his own keyring.

"Don't lose it," Steve said, sounding only moderately strict. "I only have three of those. You and me are the only ones that'll have them, I don't want to hand out the spare."

"Oh," Eddie frowned, glancing up at Steve. "Are you sure you want to give it to me?"

"Yeah, I trust you, man. Plus, I don't mind you letting yourself in whenever," Steve grinned, walking over to his desk and rooting around the papers there.

Eddie pinched his brow in with confusion, not sure how to react to that. What did he mean by 'letting yourself in whenever'? It sounded so off-handed, but Eddie had no clue if he was supposed to take that seriously or… flirtatiously.

Steve had always been friendly, but this felt like it went a bit beyond friendly.

Eddie swallowed lightly, mustering the courage to speak as Steve turned back around with a clipboard in his hand.

"I could move my stuff into your place now, if you want," Eddie asked, idly picking his nail polish. "Easier than having to do it later. Just… make it my spot for the summer."

It was Steve's turn to stare as they stood there quietly for a beat, before Steve seemed to shake himself from his astonishment.

"Yeah! For sure---that's cool, let's do that," Steve agreed quickly, smiling again but not making a move toward the door.

"You want to show me the room I'll be staying in?" Eddie asked, feeling his confidence grow a bit.

"Yes--yeah," Steve waffled, sounding pleased but a bit surprised for some reason. "Follow me."

Eddie chewed his lip lightly and looped his arms behind his back as he followed Steve out of the cabin. He wasn't certain, but Steve had seemed sort of… flustered by the prospect of them actually sharing a living space. The idea of that encouraged Eddie, and he grinned privately to himself as he thought about retiring for the evening with Steve in his little cabin in the woods. It felt… romantic and it really did set Eddie up to succeed.

Eddie was going to make this summer the summer he asked Steve on a date. He wasn't going to chicken out again.

[justapoet]

these roads are changing me (but they all lead back to you)

"Disneyland?" she asked, surprising her own self at the absolute disbelief in her voice. "Disneyland Paris," he emphasized. "With me. It's your princess day, my lady." Annabeth blinked. "Disneyland?" she asked, surprising her own self at the absolute disbelief in her voice. "Disneyland Paris," he emphasized. "With me. It's your princess day, my lady." Annabeth blinked. What a lovable, lovable human.

read it on Ao3

chapter 1: to those who ask

chapter 2: to whose who wait

chapter 3: to those who gaze

chapter 4: to those who left

chapter 5: to those who went so far away

chapter 6: to those who remain

chapter 7: to those who never saw me

chapter 8: to those who said they would stay

to those left behind

The first time Annabeth ran away from home, she was seven years old.

She didn't remember the reason as clearly as she remembered Helen's unkind words about something she did or didn't do — because she never knew what they were in her father's house — and she escaped the place by jumping through the window of the woman's office. The night was cold and less than welcoming to a child, especially one with so much fear on her face and tears in her eyes, but it wasn't worse than another dinner on a table they wouldn't set with a plate for her, with food she would have to cook for herself.

It was kinder when she met Luke, but even he advised her that living in the streets wouldn't be better than having a roof upon her head. Especially when winter was already ruthless, and the season had barely begun. Luke, Grover and Thalia took her to camp, where she spent the night and the following day, and only then they managed to convince her that the risks of being a missing person weren't worth the peace she had just found there, with them.

So, she went back anyway, and wished she hadn't when no one even noticed she had been gone.

The second time she ran away, it was because she had regretted leaving the camp instead of signing up to stay the whole year. She was nine, and she was absolutely sure that it would take her father at least a month and a half to realize she didn't come back home — but in her childish fantasy, and the wanting to just see if things would magically change, she went back to their house, and ran away back to camp within the first twenty-eight days.

Chiron wasn't one to bend the rules, but he did let her add her name to the year-rounders list, and asked her to not comment on anything. If she didn't mention it, the other campers wouldn't even question, and it would be better than explaining why she had come back or the reason why Chiron let her stay so easily.

The third time happened when she was thirteen, and she didn't think it would happen at all. But her father and stepmother had decided to make an impromptu trip to God-knows-where — she hoped it was the depths of hell — and forgot to remember that she was spending the day out with Grover and Percy. So, when she came back to an empty house, without a note and without a message and without anything at all, she already knew what had happened.

She was left behind, and it was the first time the sadness turned into full-blown anger.

She took everything she remembered ever bringing to the house, and took one of her father's suitcases to fit it all in, and then decided she would ask anyone to have her, at least for a while. She didn't want to bother anyone with having to house a pre-teenager, especially when she did have a perfectly good house to stay in regardless of its other inhabitants, but the hate she felt was something she needed to deal with away from Helen's crystal things and her father's old, historical stuff.

She found herself back on camp, and Chiron didn't ask, that time. Deep down, she knew he wondered why she still went back instead of staying there all year long, and she also knew that he only didn't make the offer out loud because he knew the answer. She wanted things to change, she wanted a chance for them to be better, and her logic didn't quite reach that part of her heart yet.

The last one, she was fourteen, and they were all in the most magical place on Earth, or so they sold it as. It had been a surprise when Helen and Frederick told her to pack her things and join them, but she understood that it had come from Matt and Bobby, who asked her, innocently, which car seat she wanted. Her father and step-mother seemed a bit taken aback, apparently remembering that there was someone else in the house, and Annabeth simply said she didn't mind which one she'd take.

She travelled by the window to the airport, and tried to sink to the seat whenever Helen stuttered before mentioning her name in the middle of the conversations. She was also by the window in the airplane, beside a stranger and her father on the aisle seat.

Annabeth didn't really care about princesses and princes and all, but there was something about being somewhere so colourful and with so much coming straight out of 2D movies that made her skin itch in excitement and her head run overdrive with the want to explore everything. She was young, after all, and there was still a world she didn’t know, and so much she could explore.

Her younger brothers were just as excited, and she tried not to think too hard about it when Helen and Frederick never questioned where they wanted to go, but made Annabeth wonder why she needed so desperately to meet Belle and her yellow dress. She tried not to think too hard about how they had their lunch at the Pirates of the Caribbean's themed restaurant when everyone knew she didn't like eating fish. She completely ignored how they didn't mind stopping when her feet started hurting and still it was fundamental they got to the line to meet Gaston before stopping.

She tried not to think too hard about how the boys got a dozen gifts and characters and action figures and she couldn't get the tiara that shone so pretty over the mannequin's head on the store Helen bought a necklace.

It's a useless thing to have, Annabeth, her stepmother had told her.

You should be smarter. Do you really want something that will be good for nothing, dear?, her father had questioned when she had asked him, instead.

They weren't looking when she wandered far in the airport, or when she started sprinting the hell away from where they were busy trying to fit everything in the cart. They didn't realize she wasn't there, and neither was her luggage, as a kind lady helped her put it all in the trunk of her taxi and she gave the only other address she knew by heart.

Sally Jackson took her in, and let her stay in the spare room for as long as she needed. The writer never asked questions, never raised an eyebrow, never raised her voice. She never made her feel any less than welcome, any less than wanted, any less than loved.

Annabeth only didn't come back to their house when they were both on camp, and her father didn't even bat an eye when she lied about staying at camp the whole year round.

When Percy asked if she wanted to start running with him when Annabeth was sixteen, just to kill time and do more than just lie around and freak out over school and families, she didn't even think twice before accepting.

Because it was something she was good at, apparently; running.

She ran.

She ran.

She runs.

✉

"To whom I left behind.

I'm still not sure what I should have said, or if I should say anything at all. I don't know if you'd be willing to listen, or even if you should. I'm not sure I can see you again without it being too awkward or forced. I think that's weird enough.

I still have your number, but I've deleted the whole conversation. There wasn't much. It pains me, still, that there wasn't much to say. There never was. Just my attempts to be good, to talk to you, to share a bit of who I became without your help. I don't know if you remember or care, but that's okay. Honestly, I thought it would hurt. Maybe it makes me insensitive to say that I didn't feel anything, because everyone says that deleting text conversations hurts. Maybe they're too sensitive.

I don't know why I still keep your number. I don't know if I expect anything to happen, because if sincerity is what I've been working on, I can't visualize a situation in which we'll speak again. Honestly, I wonder what it will be like if we bump into each other in the street eventually. Maybe I should stop thinking about it and change my route. Maybe I should keep walking. Maybe I should hide my face, just as I've been hiding my truths. It's more likely you wouldn't see me.

Maybe you took me the wrong way, but you understood when I explained my whys and wherefores. I know I said I hoped we'd meet again at some point when everything would be a little less suffocating, but I don't know if, now that I've learnt to breathe deeply, I can go back to that same glass dome that gave me a beautiful view, but took away a lot of my oxygen. I don't know if I can; I know I don't want to. I don't know about you.

Maybe I never did.

You have my gratitude, and I hope you know that. I still have you in memory boxes in my old room, and I want you to stay there. Because I've redesigned some things, messed up others and furnished new rooms — and I've slowly been emptying yours. You have my gratitude just as you had my most sincere love, my most honest friendship; and you had all my oxygen in yourself, and I just can't breathe for any other set of lungs.

And, yes. That may sound selfish, I know it may sound ungrateful; forgive me for that, at least this time. This time, which is the only time I won't be the one giving in. I don't know how to deal with things like this, the sincere ones — but I keep trying, and I'm getting better. Ed Sheeran once wrote "and after all I've done, I think I love you better now", and I'm happy to finally be able to sing that line truthfully: I love you better now, because I love you in the past.

And since we've always been about sincerity, maybe I understand now.

Being selfish with you was the most selfless decision I could have made.

Lately,

Minerva."

✉

When Percy took the blaring earphones off her ears, Annabeth could hear the chaos all around them.

It didn't take her nine seconds to understand where they were, for they had gotten to France a few days before and Percy had shoved her inside of a train from Lille that morning without saying a word and incapable of keeping his leg still as she observed the views and the skies from her seat across from him. He looked a lot like a child about to get their favorite toy for their birthday, and it was a look that she knew how to recognize.

On the way to their planned destination, Percy had told her to close her eyes as if she could guess the place for the roads they were taking and wasn't a tourist in a country she had never been to before. Still, she obeyed, and he put on large earphones over her ears — apparently, listening would be too much of a giveaway, but Percy seemed so sure about it that she didn't have the heart to argue.

Now, standing there, she knew exactly why the sound would have been a giveaway.

The sight before her eyes was nothing short of magical, as it was intended to be — a whimsical landscape of towering castles and colourful attractions, all set against a backdrop of lush greenery and vibrant flowers. Everywhere she looked, there were people bustling about, their faces alight with joy and wonder as they eagerly explored the fairy-tale town around them. Her eyes darted all over the place, trying to map everything she saw, and she tilted her head to the side.

Children darted past them, their eyes wide with excitement as they tugged at their parents' hands, eager to experience all the thrills and delights that awaited them, that the whole place promised. Groups of friends and families wandered the streets, their voices mingling with the cheerful cries of street performers and the whirring of carousel rides. Happy tunes played in the speakers around them, and there wasn't a single thing that seemed to be wrong in their surroundings.

"Disneyland?" she asked, surprising her own self at the absolute disbelief in her voice. The smile on her face was something she couldn't quite avoid, and she turned to face him with wide eyes. Percy was smiling, and seemed quite unsure — he knew why she lived with them for a while, and he was waiting to see the full reaction she would have once she absorbed the world around them.

"Disneyland Paris," he emphasized. "With me. The same magical kingdom, but another, and with, if you allow me, mademoiselle — your prince," he bowed with a flourish, and Annabeth didn't know what to say. Her stomach seemed to mirror Percy's movements inside her body, and her breath caught in her throat. "It's your princess day, my lady. I am but your wallet, this day. A rich company that will bend to your will and graces," he said, the pageantry making it all the funnier.

Annabeth blinked. It took her a minute to come to terms and understand everything he'd just dropped on her, and everything the colours and sounds around them said.

"It's your father's money," she said, a bit desperate about the offer. A good offer, indeed, but an insane one anyway. "Won't he think bad of it?" Annabeth wondered, her brows furrowing with worry. That was the very last thing she needed, to have Percy's dad thinking lowly of her.

And, sure; they had been using his money in about ten countries. But a whole day spending it on overpriced Disney things at Disney Paris might perhaps just be the thing that makes him regret his choices and take back the otherworldly offer to live another life while they were away from theirs.

Percy smiled, a bit crazy. Mischievous, at least.

"Not only he knows, but he also suggested it as soon as we got to Paris," Percy explained, laughing. "The perks of a rich man's credit card in one's power, you see. And the perks of him being as widely insane about those he loves, just like his son," and Annabeth did try not to think much of that sentence.

Instead, she chose for the classic ironic comment.

"Oh, well. The apple never falls far from the tree, does it?" she rolled her eyes, laughing lightly as she tried to disguise the absolute whirlwind of feelings happening inside her chest.

"I'm sure Isaac Newton is the one to answer such a question, my lady," Percy joked, winking quickly and so ridiculously that Annabeth couldn't keep her laughter in. What a pathetic joke. What a lovely, lovely man in front of her.

What a lovable, lovable human.

"You're ridiculous," she said back, despite her laughter. Percy's eyes lit up as if her reaction was what he'd planned to get the whole time.

"You love me," he said, and Annabeth wondered if he ever asked himself just how right, and to what extent, he was correct. "Shall we, Your Highness, explore this magic kingdom before our eyes?"

He offered his hand again.

There wasn't a single reality in which she wouldn't take it.

"We shall, my good lord," she bowed her head, and Percy laughed. He laced her arm in his, and couldn't keep the serious façade for longer than two minutes into their walk — he then turned into the lovely, almost childish person she loved to witness, and thanked God she had the honor and chance to know. He pointed everywhere, and laughed alone, and told her the most random stories he could remember about himself, his mother, Estelle or his cousins.

Annabeth didn't think that what made her feel most like a princess in her life was to walk around in the heat, sweating, and with more trinkets in paper bags and inside her backpack and an absolutely manic grin on her face. Her feet were already hurting, and she would often take Percy by the hand to the nearest store so she could stand with her back to the air-conditioning, but Annabeth couldn't care less about capitalistic strategies and marketing plans as her heart felt so, so lightweight in her chest.

They didn't have a plan, as they had decided, from the moment they stepped out of the Jackson-Blofis' apartment, that they would go wherever their minds and Mr. Stormer's very exclusive, very unlimited card could take them. She'd felt bad in the beginning, not wanting to give Percy's father the wrong impression about who she was, but, right then, she'd grown very terribly accustomed to letting Percy buy her anything he thought she might've liked the tiniest bit.

They were in Disneyland — Paris, Percy made sure to highlight —, and she would do herself a favor and allow the very mature adult her very restrained child had grown into to feel (and act, of course) like the prettiest, the dreamiest, the very richest of princesses.

Which, compared to Percy, was a tough thing to do.

His restless behaviour seemed to tenfold as they walked down the streets and followed the screams and laughter to random attractions. With a — very expensive — VIP card of some sort, they never spent a long time waiting in lines, and never stopped searching for the wildest rides they could ever manage to find. For someone so terrified of planes, Percy was the one to convince Annabeth to the most ridiculously tall attractions.

And after screaming their lungs out and losing their breaths on every rollercoaster they could find, the both of them had found it in them that there wasn't a single problem in also enjoying the kids' attractions that could also fit adults. The spinning cups, the very not scary house of horrors that made them jump regardless, the long lines to meet the characters and take pictures with them.

She was sure her cheeks would hurt for days after her muscles worked the extra hours. And she was more than sure that she couldn’t care less.

And, then, when they gave into the power of having his father's credit card in hand, they decided to stroll along the main street, filled with stores and laughter and very pretty, very magical showcases and shopfronts. Everything was extremely glittery and very worked in the 'magical' and 'utopic' aspect of things, and she couldn't like any more than she already did. It felt like walking inside the movies she watched repeatedly as a child, always trying to draw the characters and imagine how the castles and houses would be in real life.

Some of those drafts were hanging on the walls of her office, the lines sure and the dimensions erratic, but something she was proud of drawing when she didn’t even know how to spell “architect” correctly.

And, then, as she was saying something about the historical and mythological atrocity that Hercules was — focus on the entertainment, Annabeth! The romance! — her eyes wandered to a store that made her words die halfway through her lips.

She stopped walking, and Percy faltered a step when he noticed, their arms still intertwined.

read the rest on Ao3

[xxswagcorexx]

Hey do you maybe have any lifesteal fic recs? There’s not a lot of rec lists in this fandom and I’m not sure where to start!

okay so um. i am perhaps the Worst person to go to when it comes to this stuff because. You See,

if you want a more. comprehensible list, my two swagdoons fic recommendations is probably the best place to start (1, 2). i am also going to shout out the nevada series and no bills in the mail since i've seen a few people talk about them on tumblr and i love both of them!

but i have gone through my bookmarks and have complied some fics! all of these fics are complete :)

Sweet Berry Pie by beaningeneraldenial

Clown is a busy assassin with too much experience on him to not attract a lot of potential clients and employers. One contract has him going away on the week of his and Branzy's 2nd anniversary, which Branzy doesn't appreciate much. He knows, however, how to make their anniversary celebration good! He makes a pie… he only adds a bit of gunpowder in it. or: Clown should've left a post-it note on the fridge saying "Do NOT touch, Branzy!" before he left for the week. He regrets it only a little.

Repent, Harlequin by trafficpose

The problem with knowing Clown: suddenly, chaos was an option.

Tunnel Vision by jukeboxtea

Mid is far from a quiet person. But when she’s in battle, she’s deadly silent. (or, a short character study on Midmysticx.)

Wire snare by dogdomesticated

Getting a read on intent. What will kill you first: the toxin or the detonation? A short abstract exploration of Rekrap's character and themes in Lifesteal season 3.

Rollercoaster by Thrills (IWantToRemainASecret)

Branzy compares Clownpierce to a rollercoaster and other shenanigans.

i wouldn't blame you if you turned around by Anonymous

sometimes things don't go the way you want them to. it's a story clown has heard time and time again.

What do you see when you look at the stars? by lovecore_jpg

“..What do you see?” “..What?” Planet paused, a little confused by the question. “Like– when you look out at the stars. What do you.. see? ..Besides stars?” ---------------------- Planet likes to stargaze when everyone else is asleep. This time, somebody joins him.

Olethros by arospecitzsubz (Octaveice)

"Theoretically, the ruin goes before the grace. He'd named his sword for a reason."

Brown Eyes by PacificSeaOtter

Nobody knows what color Clownpierce's eyes are- not until Vitalasy, Subz, and Rek start a bet trying to figure it out. Thus ensues the saga of failed, but hilarious attempts to get Clown's mask off.

and I swear I could slit my throat with your dull knife by Scared_Rodent

Like a frozen lake, Branzy noticed how Ashswag's expressions hardly changed, how nothing he saw surprised him at all. Branzy remembered falling in love, remembering dates by the beach with nothing but his smile. On the deadliest server in the world, Branzy remembered him.

winter in prague; 1618 by whichlights

winter in prague; 1618. tensions are high after the defenestration of multiple catholic officials, and a war will break out not quite two years later. in this time of tensions, a vampire by the name of clownpierce is injured. his friend is there to care for him, at least.

drinks in new york; 1926 by whichlights

drinks in new york; 1926. prohibition has swept across the country, but that doesn't mean the party stops. world class performers, drinks, and more- all at greenwich village, a historical hub of gay activity. clown and redd have holed up in a townhouse in the village, and have been having a wonderful time in new york.

games to play on work break by Felix_J

"A boring place is what it is. Hell." Jaron says, and it might sound a little bitter. Ash gives him a blurry look. "No, why do you look at me like that." They've stopped asking questions, (Jaron knows asking questions is not a good thing, and generally, he doesn't care). "You think, that was such a hot resort, and Satan is the greatest of 'em, you're curious, right."

A man, a squid and a clown walk into an elevator… by Thrills (IWantToRemainASecret)

Branzy is crushing hard on the dutch man he and Chief share their elevator rides with, and he seeks to learn Dutch in order to form a connection with him. Too bad he can speak English. Too bad Chief isn't going to stop Branzy.

Now as the curtains rise up by softnoblade

Maybe next it’ll snow. Maybe the remains of this server will be preserved, frozen under layers and layers of snow and ice. Perhaps, decades from now, some unlucky archaeologist will stumble across the remains of this server, and simultaneously uncover both the preserved remains of war and the immortal beings that had slaughtered them.

def function (singularity): by Anonymous/np13

it's always why did you mess with your player data and you're missing half your data structures and never ‘how was playing with your data. messing with code looked fun was it fun’ (it is, right up until it's not.)

sunsets on powerlines by w_nter

It starts with a broken lightbulb in his hands, or maybe in a forest, or maybe in a cabin tucked deep in the woods. (or: a purpleduo + the darkest minds au)

bona fortuna by sinoptics

The god of chance enjoys a visit to the human realm.

throw a punch by vanivanilla

there’s not much to do in prison, or: planet and jaron have a brief conversation as they reset their hunger

In Moments Alone (In His Office, With Pillows And Tissues) by Clownsplin

Although his outward appearances suggest otherwise, Clownpierce's moments alone are filled with stiff joints, aching muscles, and tear-stained cheeks. He gets small moments throughout the day when his pain lessens, even if by an infinitely small amount.

atlantis by Anonymous

Planet is stuck in a space between life and death, waiting. (A million miles away, Jaron is in the same position. A couple of feet away, Bacon had tried to run. Turns out there's not a lot to do when you can't respawn without being immediately killed)

farewell to the port by Anonymous

The day Branzy becomes a pirate he wakes up on a small island somewhere in the Caribbean, drunk out of his mind and distinctly lacking shoes.  He thinks, somewhat despairingly, that he really should not be gambling again anytime soon.  or, The Golden Age of Piracy, and the situations and decisions that drive people to become outlaws.

lose the battles by Felix_J

"you lost." it states. unless there are any more tricks up planet's sleeve, which there shouldn't be. but planet... is a strange one. "thanks." they say, and that's right, that is a full blown smile. krow still can't figure out exactly how planet's expression works, but this piece shines out, same as his eyes shine. "thank you." planet repeats, like they're not sure krow heard, or do know it can't exactly believe its ears.

Phantom in Your Foyer by arospecitzsubz (Octaveice)

Half the damn crowd had been cheering.

Kiss me in the corridor, but quick to tell me goodbye (You say that you're no good for me) by Mx_Artemis

Ash is no stranger to evil, nor is he a stranger to ClownPierce. Honestly, is it such a crime that he wants to catch up with him?

The immortal and his assassin by Thrills (IWantToRemainASecret)

He opened the door without any theatrics, no slow creak open or dramatic swing wide, he simply opened it like he was an old friend visiting a familiar face. And- Hold up, that is a familiar face. The soon-to-be-dead man was sitting on the edge of his bed, eyes shut as he slowly sipped at his cup of tea. He opened his eyes lazily, half-lidded gaze settling on Clown’s face in a way that made him feel as if he had been drenched in freezing cold water. Because he had killed his man before.

no hard feelings by sinoptics

“Hey, Redd,” Clown starts as he reaches Redd, voice ever so slightly out of breath, and then he pauses awkwardly. “So.” “So?” Redd repeats, confused as to where this is going to go. “Our arrangement is off. From now on.” Clown states. What the fuck.

or; the fic in which Clownpierce fumbles not one but two bad bitches

anything you say can and will be held against you by Felix_J

It's funny to see how Red tries to process the little things and guess if they belong to Ash, or Ash's persona that doesn't differ from him as much as he thinks, or maybe much more so, or just things Ash makes up. Ash likes to add a lot to the last pile. Poke around, like a little challenge, reminder he's not all that easy. Currently, with the fucking fish. roses and smoke week, day 6: aquarium | fantasy

For that star trapped in your chest by dogdomesticated

Thunderclouds. Stuck waiting around for Vitalasy to show up, Subz goes down a line of thinking he's been avoiding, and by then it's too late. Something about trust, something about defining what you can't see. Light, and where to find it.

The Boy and The Forest by BearAndHoney

As the tale goes there is a boy who wants to be king adn loved. And as the tale goes there is a forest full of mysteries that one else has been brave enough to explore.

the fox's young master by Felix_J

He finds a fox in the forest, dark fur-broken leg, and it reminds him, as it always does. He takes it home to fix it up, and it doesn't matter if it's just a mindless creature, if. To pass its time, he tells it a story. roses and smoke week, day 3: myths | gods

foreguess by Felix_J

I'd never go on dates just like that, after being married so long, you know that, Ash? Red'd move his head on the seat, and he wouldn't be able to see his eyes through the sunglasses. What's even the point of that kinda date? He would continue, not really ask, because of course he has to poke and argue, it always goes in a loop. Even though he knows, and he agrees with Ash. Thanks, Red, Ash'd answer and break it, because there'd be something in his stomach that's so soft, there is. roses and smoke week, day 2: swap | horror

predictable shows by Felix_J

"I'm rewatching the footage for the auditions, yeah." Red nods, slack. He considers picking the remote from his hands to push unpause, but doesn't think Ash won't find it a serious offence and make it end up on the floor in a corner at all. or, "one of them is lying" boosfer + swagdoons swap. roses and smoke week, day 2: swap | horror

The Mourner by Anonymous

The mourner stands in the open, partially hidden in the smoke. Holding out a bouquet of roses as they wait for their loved on to return.

Case #091413 - Always Bet On Red by orphan_account

Case #091413 Statement of… Branzy? No last name given apparently, about a relationship of unclear nature with someone only known as “Clown”. Dated September 13th 2014, recorded by Zachery Prince at the Institute Cordum.

little comforts by sinoptics

He turns to Vitalasy then, who’s tending a pot on the stove. “Hey, uh,” He starts, and Vitalasy makes a hum of acknowledgement. “Zam could probably use some affection.”

Mutual Hell by Kappuccinokat

Mapicc exhaled, frustrated, and stood up, walking over to the empty window. Zam tried not to relax too much. “I’m assuming this is hell, then.” He drummed his fingers on the window sill. “That’s what I gathered, yeah.” — Or; Zam had lost it all, and now as he awaits his fate in hell, a familiar face threatens to break his resolve.

Homemade Headache Cures by ros_is_writing

“Vitalasy,” Subz announced. “I can’t fucking see, and it fucking hurts.” He emphasized his point by knocking his head against Vitalasy’s shoulder, the metal of his armor hurt slightly. Vitalasy made another sympathetic noise in the back of his throat and bumped his chin to Subz’s head. Normally their head bumps were comforting to Subz, but now they just made his head hurt worse. Damn these fucking glasses.

Siren's Song by KingdomKey

The Phantoms are a renowned pirate crew who sail the seven seas. Their ship comes across a rocky island, and as they carefully traverse it, they come upon a strange creature. It certainly isn't friendly.

sweet dreams i'll always share with you by Anonymous/cutthesky

Red can transform into a plush version of himself (a big Minidoons). Shenanigans ensue one day as Ash and Red wait to fall asleep.

Cut it Out by Anonymous

He always had Ro and his knife, didn't he?

Lifesteal > Eastside > Create a Posting by bloodynocturne (avoxutopia)

Craigslist has always been an odd place, a collection of people in the same place; selling, buying, searching, looking to give or take something. And sometimes, there's small connections. People searching for each other in a circle, narrowly missing one another every time.

Southbound by ros_is_writing

“We could always use the above ground station,” Planet said in the same tone of voice that they used before. Nonchalant, bored even. Like they hadn’t just suggested an actual crime. “No.” Bacon said immediately. “That’s illegal.” “What’s illegal?” Jaron asked.

Poopies' Fun Day in the Hypixel Pit by rainy_writez

With the end of Lifesteal season 4, Poopies the endermite (who is still here somehow because it defies the mere concept of law) has become restless. So Spoke takes it to the Hypixel Pit for a fun day of incomprehensible violence. Surprisingly, Poopies ends up leaving with a new friend… or maybe more?

losing by B0LTZ

take a breath, spit out the blood in your mouth, and get back up on your feet. you still got a couple of motherfuckers to prove wrong

see with your two eyes by Felix_J

He's not a god, because the flag Red sails under doesn't believe in gods. And then he's wrong. In the reasoning, not the other thing.

carry me to tomorrow by Anonymous

Ash chooses to trust himself to the unwavering night.

mixed media: flesh, electricity, bone by Anonymous

“Do you think we’re friends in other universes too?”

(hello) my old heart by Anonymous

What he doesn’t ask is why Ash chooses, over and over, to step through that door, through Lifesteal and Earthbound and the wastelands of an apocalypse. The void knows how many other worlds they’ve followed each other through without a second thought.

fun activities to do with the person you're stuck under house arrest with by oneirogen

Open heart surgery doesn’t even rank up high in the number of weird shit he’s done on this server. Maybe approaching the top tens, if he's being generous.

smile for the camera (repeat and do it over) by gin (tabanthas)

You’re an ally and an enigma at the best of times. At the worst, you are a challenge. You are never, never a friend. OR: rek and his trust issues &lt;3

divine intervention by Anonymous

"If we went through this all again," he says, and it sounds so far away. "Would we still find each other?" (Less than a metre away, Jaron stares at the sky. To his side, Bacon looks at the rubble by their feet. Even when you know it's coming, the end still feels like a loss you can't prepare for)

a parting of clouds by genesis_frog

What do you say, after all of that? Subz and Zam's first conversation after the sign room.

there will be darkness again by genesis_frog

Zam has been in the Eclipse Federation nearly a month now. Subz is getting more and more obvious by the day. Vitalasy steps in.

let me hold it lightly by genesis_frog

It’s a quiet life, outside the world border, but it’s one Zam and Subz have made for themselves.

to the previous respondee: by orioncataclysmic

IMAGE: more bolded comic sans. This time, it’s held up by washi tape, patterned with dicks. It reads: i like war and death and asthma attacks and if you don’t you’re a bitch and your moms a hoe OR: a battle of wits, told through an apartment corkboard, messages between Zam and Mapicc, and glimpses into Mapicc and Bacon's lives

Steam Heart by enderpearlnecklace

After sneaking onto an airship full of pirates, Branzy tries to find a way to escape.

Dear Diary: Today, I killed someone by Fey_wilde

Squiddo prides herself on her excellent memory. It’s one of her only positive attributes, one she can count on in nearly every situation. In just a blink of the eye, she can recall a story, an adventure. Every single bit of data crams itself into her head, sorting into neat piles, ones she can sift through with speed and efficiency. Mobs, history, abandoned places, extinct worlds, glitches, she knows them all. Her memory never fails. Yet, no matter how hard she tries, no matter how many hours she spends lying awake, unseeing eyes staring at the ceiling of her makeshift base, she just can’t remember why. Why did I join Lifesteal?

New Years Eve by Nox_aMillion

Going to the roof was a tradition the two of them had for New Years because apparently they liked extreme parkour off a roof while fireworks actively went off. Or the privacy was nice. Something like that.

Halloween Night by Nox_aMillion

Honestly they had done everything else there was to do on Halloween at this point. They were even dressed in repeat costumes, Red as a demon and Ash as a vampire. (Yes they could be more creative but any costume was a costume.) The two had been coming back from a fear farm when Red mentioned that there was a party at this house tonight. It was nearly two in the morning by the time they got here but the party was still going strong. Parties in houses like this didn’t end until the police got there.

[dreamypqulson]

— horror movie scares

summary: halloween comes with some spooks and scares when sister jude allows a horror movie. your secret girlfriend is terrified, but it's okay as long as you're there.

pairing: lana winters x reader

a/n: this is shit and short and i have writers block but i needed to post

word count: 1000

Thunder roared in the distance, the thick metal walls muffling it. It sounded nearly like the feeling of fear as a child. Like a monster in the closet. You wouldn't be surprised. No, not here. It wouldn't be the first human creepy crawler you've come across.

Sister Jude gathered each and every patient out to the common room. You slipped past the group of the ones who were in fact insane and nudged Lana in the side.

"Hey," the brunette said, furrowing her brows and pouting with rosy lips after she got startled by your sudden presence. "You know, you could've just said hi Lana!"

"Where's the fun in that? It's halloween, Lana, come on, you don't like a little spook?" It was your first halloween celebrating with Lana. You met her in the asylum, both being locked in for the same 'illness.' After that, things developed between you two.

"I've been spooked enough by being in here. I can't look at halloween the same anymore." You both took a seat, further from the front so Sister Jude would be less likely to catch on to the conversation.

"I'm sorry Lana," you slipped your hand atop of hers on her lap, squeezing it. "But we can make halloween special, together."

The brunette woman softly smiled at you. When she heard Jude's speech begin, she ripped her hand away and turned to face the front. She always seemed more afraid to get caught than you did. You didn't blame her.

The movie began to roll and the lights in the room dimmed. A shiver coursed through your bones. You couldn't remember the last time you actually felt warmth. They never provided the correct clothing for the change of seasons. Especially for the women who had to wear dresses and night gowns.

You felt Lana's gentle hand creep onto your thigh. Rubbing in some circulation to warm you up. You felt the urge to rest your head against her shoulder as your tired eyes grew heavy. The horror and gore on the screen didn't faze you too much. You've seen so much in your own life to be afraid of it.

Apparently it was different for Lana. It started with heavy and uneven breaths. And then you could feel her body temperature heat up beside you. The hand on your thigh got sweaty and she soon pulled it away. And when another murder occurred on the screen and a man with a nasty mask was shown, she completely lost it and ran towards the door.

Your concerned eyes followed her movements, but nobody else seemed to notice. You supposed that she asked the guard to use the restroom, because he simply blew her off and let her through the doors.

You were afraid of Lana being all alone in this condition. Especially in an unsafe environment. Any little thing, as simple as a shadow or a roar of thunder could trigger her further, and she would have nobody to help her out of it.

You excused yourself with the same excuse as Lana. The hallways were dark, empty. Completely terrifying. You wondered how Lana walked around here alone in the state she's in. But then you remember how brave that woman is.

"Lana," you whispered, voice horse and echoed down the hall. You followed sniffles and uneven breathing towards one of the empty cells. "Lana," you called again, and that's when you saw her curled up in the dark corner.

"Lana, sweetheart." You walked towards her and kneeled down. You were unsure if she knew of your presence. If she was too far deep into her own head and trauma. Her face was buried in her knees, and her arms protectively wrapped around her trembling body.

"Honey. It's me. It's y/n. Can I touch you?" She gave you a simple nod of confirmation and so you gently tugged her onto your lap. You were the only person her brain would allow. However, she wasn’t that far gone if she was letting you touch her. “Breathe for me. In and out."

You pushed away brown strands of hair that stuck to her wet face. Her breathing didn't seem to ease, and at this rate, you were worried. There wasn't a doctor that could help. It was just you.

You hooked a finger under her chin and tilted her head towards you. Red, puffy eyes sleepily gazed into yours. She wasn't just tired because it was a late hour. She was exhausted of fighting.

"Let's breathe together. Nice and slow, ready?" She nodded once more, and you tapped your thumb four times against her cheek while you both breathed in. Another four to hold. And you both let it out for eight taps. It wasn't the first time you've practiced this with her.

Two more rounds were needed for Lana to feel somewhat relaxed again. She rested her head against your chest and her entire body slightly tensed at the sudden roar of thunder. If you could fight mother nature, you would.

"I w-want to be normal," Lana silently cried into your soft skin. Warm tears dripped onto your clothes but it didn't bother you a single bit. "I don't want to always feel like t-this."

"You are normal, Lana," your hands brushed through her knotted hair, rubbing into her scalp to ease her. "It's everyone else that's abnormal, my love. Everyone that made you feel like this."

“I can't get scared at every single noise or scary face. I can't live like that. It's so terrifying when it happens." She began fidgeting with the hem of your nightgown, twisting the fabric between her fingers to distract herself from the problem.

"I know. I know. And I wish I could just fix everything but- but I can’t. I’ll always be right here for you though. Every time you feel this way, I’ll make it better, okay?”

Lana looked up at you again, sniffled and said, “You do fix things. I don’t know if I could’ve still went on if I didn’t have you with me. I- I couldn’t ever do this alone.”

You leaned down and brushed your nose against hers, pecking her lips with a kiss. “You won’t ever have to do this alone. I always be wherever you are.”

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[eldoria-radio]

Chapter 4

Oh dear… you're still asleep, hm? Well, it's time to continue our story, my dear. Do you think you can listen? I wouldn't want you to miss out on anything. Try to pay attention, please?

Winter gave way to spring, and the village began to thaw. The snow melted into rivers that cut through the fields, and the air was filled with the scent of fresh blossoms and damp earth. Yet, despite the season’s promise of renewal, the warmth did little to lift the growing shadows around Aspen and Misha.

Aspen noticed first the subtle changes in themselves, a slow dimming of the light they once carried so easily. Their once unyielding enthusiasm for adventure and discovery felt muted, like colors washed out by the rain. It was as though the heaviness in the household had seeped into their very being, dulling the magic that had been their constant companion.

Misha, too, seemed altered, his vibrant spirit now burdened by secrets he didn’t share. He spent more time away from the house, slipping off into the village alone, returning with a faraway look in his eyes. Aspen saw the bruises on his arms, small and dark, and though Misha dismissed them as accidents, they spoke volumes of a story he wasn’t telling.

Despite this, Misha still tried to shield Aspen from the worst of their home life. When voices were raised in the next room, he would distract Aspen with games or stories, his voice steady even as his eyes betrayed his weariness. Aspen longed to help, to be a source of comfort for Misha, but they couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness that had settled in their heart.

One afternoon, Aspen followed Misha as he slipped out of the house. They trailed him at a distance, careful to remain unseen, until he reached the edge of the village. There, Misha joined a group of older kids, their laughter and rough play a sharp contrast to the gentle spirit Aspen knew. Aspen watched from the cover of the trees, feeling a strange mix of worry and curiosity.

The group accepted Misha, but Aspen could sense a tension in his interactions, as if he were both drawn to and repelled by their presence. They watched as the group jostled and teased, sometimes too harshly, and Misha forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Aspen returned home before Misha, their mind churning with questions. That evening, as they sat together under the stars, Aspen wanted to ask Misha about the group, about the changes in him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, they took his hand, offering silent solidarity.

In those quiet moments, Aspen felt a spark of their former self flicker inside. They realized that despite the heaviness that surrounded them, they couldn’t let the darkness extinguish their light. If not for themselves, then for Misha, who needed that wonder and hope now more than ever.

Aspen resolved to hold onto the magic that remained, to be a source of strength for Misha as he had been for them. They didn’t know how to lift the burdens that weighed them down, but they could be there, unwavering in their support and friendship.

As the days passed, Misha continued to slip away to meet the group. Aspen didn’t follow him again, respecting his need for space but remaining close, ready to offer a listening ear or a comforting presence whenever he returned.

The household remained tense, the atmosphere like a storm perpetually on the verge of breaking. Aspen noticed Misha’s parents’ voices rising more frequently, their words sharp and cutting. The bruises on Misha’s arms multiplied, and his laughter became rarer, like a precious resource slowly running out.

Yet, in the small moments they shared, Aspen and Misha clung to each other, their bond a lifeline in the turbulent sea of their existence. Aspen knew the challenges they faced were great, but they believed in the resilience of their friendship, the promise of better days, and that the wonder would surpass any challenge they'd face. It had to...

[lillianawayne99]

Fireborn Chapter Five

Pairing: Jon Snow & Oberyn Martell X OC

Genre: NSFW AU

Word Count: 4.7k

Warnings: smut, violence, fluff, blood, mixes the books and show, spoilers for seasons 6-8, outdoor sex, threeway, fingering, oral (f receiving), creampie

Synopsis: Valaena Fireborn of House Targaryen has reached Westeros after spending her life in exile. While learning about her homeland and preparing for the war ahead, she meets two men who would change her life forever and learns of a threat to all humanity.

Previous Chapter // Fireborn // Masterlist

“When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before.”

I was insufferably cold wandering through the castle in search of the elusive King of the North. I needed to talk to him about my conversation with Sansa, but couldn’t find him. He had watched me sparring in the courtyard two days in a row, but when I wanted to speak with him he was nowhere to be found.

I passed through the Great Hall first in my search as I meandered out of the buildings and into the cold I couldn’t escape. Kovarro and Tormund were sparring again. They had gotten quite close in the short amount of time we’d been in the North. He was wary of coming to Westeros, I was glad he made a friend and had someone here to talk to apart from me.

When I glanced upwards, my gaze travelling across the ramparts, I noticed Jon Snow watching the men sparring in the courtyard. His piercing brown eyes met mine and a hint of a smile graced his lips for a brief moment. I tore my gaze from his and forced my feet to approach the stairs leading up to the ramparts where Jon was standing.

It wasn’t long before my feet started climbing the stairs on their own accord. It felt as if there was an invisible, intangible tether pulling me towards the battle hardened King. There was something between us, some connection I couldn’t explain. I could only hope he felt it too.

“My Lady.” The sound of Jon’s deep voice pulled me from my thoughts as I stopped in front of him.

“Your Grace. I have something I’d like to ask you.” I could tell by the way he looked at me it didn’t go unnoticed I’d left his cloak in my room. He hid his disappointment with a curt nod telling me to continue. “When you gave me your cloak, did it mean something?”

“I gave you my cloak to ward off the cold.” He needed to learn to hide his emotions better. I could tell he wasn’t lying, but the look in his eyes meant he was hiding something.

“But?” His answer would determine if I would continue wearing his cloak or buy one of my own. I supposed if I did get my own, I would have the Martell crest embossed in it. I would prefer one with the Targaryen crest, but I couldn’t announce my true identity to Westeros yet.

“Wearing another person’s cloak ...” He cut himself off before continuing.

Sansa’s reaction earlier and Jon’s reluctance to give me the information I wanted confirmed my suspicion that wearing someone’s cloak meant you were courting. It may not have been Jon’s intention when he wrapped his cloak around my shoulders yesterday, but it didn’t change what people thought when they saw me wearing it. Seven hells, his own sister saw me wearing it. I was certain she thought there was something going on between us. Did she suspect I’m trying to manipulate him into joining my war against Cersei and wed me? I wouldn’t blame her if she did.

“Take it back.” I didn’t want people to look at me and think it’s more than a cloak, but I was scared that telling him would change whatever it is between us.

“I can manage without it, you’ll freeze.” Jon closed the distance between us and placed a hand on my cheek. “It will get colder, winter is here.”

“I can get my own. Take it back.” I wouldn't wear his cloak if everyone will think we are courting, would I?

Did I want people to think he's my intended? He's the King of the North, marrying him would secure a permanent alliance with the largest kingdom in Westeros. I always knew I would need to marry for political gain, I wouldn’t fight an arranged marriage. Especially one with Jon Snow, but would he want to marry me? He wrapped his cloak around me knowing what it meant, would it be unreasonable to assume he wanted to court me and become King of the Seven Kingdoms?

“Where is it?” He sounded frustrated. Was he insisting I wear his cloak because he knew what people thought when they saw me wear it?

“My room. I didn’t want to dirty it when sparring.”

“Hold on to it for now, you might change your mind.” With those parting words, Jon dropped his hand from where he was holding it to my cheek and walked off the ramparts.

I watched him walk through the courtyard, observing the men sparring, then enter a part of the castle he didn’t show me. I suspected the Stark crypt was there and resisted the urge to find out. If I was right, I wasn’t welcome there and I didn’t want to push my luck just to sate my curiosity. My family was buried under the Sept of Baelor where anyone could visit them, but the Stark crypt was private. I didn’t want to infringe on that.

“You want him, and he wants you.” Kovarro’s voice came from behind me. I didn’t turn to face him. I had too much on my mind and truth be told I wanted to be alone with my thoughts. “It’s obvious in the way you look at each other. Do you want to make him jealous?”

“Why would I want to make him jealous? I don’t have time for this right now, Kovarro.” That wasn’t necessarily true, I simply didn’t want to talk to anyone at the moment.

“What were you planning on doing, Khaleesi? Hide in your room and think?” Seven hells he knew me too well for my own good.

“It doesn’t matter, zhey qoy qoyi.” I continued watching the men and women in the castle. Tormund was speaking with another wildling and glancing up at me every few seconds. He seemed concerned, most likely because of the stone cold look on my face.

“Khaleesi, I know what you plan to do. Do you want a husband you will hate all your life, or one that can make you happy?” That made me turn to face Kovarro in anger.

“I was happy with Drogo, do you remember how that turned out?” After losing my husband and child in one night, I had given up on love. Daario made me happy for a time, but I didn’t love him. Not like I loved Drogo and Rhaego. I doubted I’d ever love someone like that again.

“Jon Snow isn’t Khal Drogo.” Kovarro paused for a moment while he considered his next words. “Although, when you’re not watching, he looks at you like Drogo did in the beginning.”

“Kovarro.” I narrowed my eyes at him, warning not to continue.

“He watches you in wonder and awe. Don’t you want a husband that would do anything for you, like Khal Drogo?” Kovarro smirked down at me, like he believed he was helping me by attempting to convince me to marry Jon. Rather, he had pushed me too far. I grabbed his tunic and forced him to lean backwards over the waist high rafters, staring down at him with vehemence.

“I will never try to replace Drogo. I got my vengeance, but I can never see my family again. The only thing I have left of them is my memories and Haggo’s bells in my hair.” I roughly shoved him into the rafters, ensuring the wood dug into his back, before letting him go and stepping away from him.

“I miss them too, Khaleesi.” Kovarro raised his hand to touch me, but I swatted it away.

“I lost my husband and my son. When you know what that feels like, you can lecture me on my love life.” I glowered at him one last time and made my way to the stables.

I passed by Jon before I reached the stairs. He appeared to be lost in his thoughts so I didn’t stop to talk to him. Even if he asked to talk with me, I would have brushed him off. Right now, I needed to think and fight off the urge to cry or kill someone. I had been too focused on the conversation with Kovarro to notice Jon returning to the ramparts. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had been standing close enough to hear everything.

I hadn’t cried in years and wasn’t about to start now. I could spar with Tormund, but I might get carried away and kill him by accident. Thus, I would go for a ride. My midnight would be fine if I didn’t go for a ride today, but she was a Dothraki mare. She was used to being ridden every day from sun up to sun down and she had been trapped in a barn or the belly of a ship for longer than two years now. Her stamina couldn’t be the same as it used to be, but I was sure she missed the exercise.

I rode her hard two days in a row, but she enjoyed it and had gotten rest. She was antsy when we left White Harbor and wanted to keep going when we reached Winterfell yesterday. I owed it to her to ride her as often as I could.

The only job I had right now was to learn about Westerosi customs and form an alliance with the noble houses. Jon was too busy for me to follow him around like a lost puppy and I didn’t want to talk to anyone right now, so I would spend my free time on my midnight’s back. Hopefully, the ride would calm me down and help manage the pain and anger Kovarro resurfaced.

I took my time putting her tack on. I had considered getting a Westerosi saddle and bridle, but the tack Drogo had given me held too many memories I couldn’t part with. The patterned blanket that covered the saddle, the leather straps securing it, and the dark leather of the bridle that almost blended in with my midnight’s coat had become a sense of comfort when the loss of my family became overwhelming. For three years I relied on my tack and my horse when riding with my khalasar, husband, and son. I couldn’t abandon the memories tied to them.

When I started leading my midnight out of her stall, I noticed Kovarro and Tormund saddling their horses. I wouldn’t mind Tormund joining me, but I was still angry with Kovarro. He had meddled in my life and said the wrong things. I knew he was right, but that didn’t change how I felt.

“What are you two doing?” I stopped in the middle of the stable.

“Coming with you. I can’t protect you if you leave the castle on your own.” Kovarro finished readying his stallion and led him into the hall beside me.

“Tormund can protect me. I’m angry with you.” I continued my way out of the stable and pulled myself up into the saddle as soon as I was outside.

My smart, beautiful midnight immediately knew what was happening and started moving toward the castle gates the moment I was seated. I adjusted my feet in the stirrups into a more comfortable and secure position while she took us out of Winterfell. Gently squeezing my legs around her, she sped up and let me guide her to the Wolfswood.

Tormund and Kovarro fell in beside me while I circled the castle. The Kingsroad was on the east side of Winterfell and the Wolfswood on the south and west. I wanted to tell Kovarro to go back, but I knew he wouldn’t listen so I let him ride with me. At the very least, we could ride in silence. Although, I doubted Tormund would be able to go five minutes without talking.

“Who pissed in your pie, little shadowcat?” Speak of the devil.

“Kovarro. He can’t seem to keep his mouth shut.” I nudged my midnight’s sides with the heels of my boots, urging her into a gallop and leaving the men behind me.

The silence was short-lived. When I reached the forest, my midnight was forced to slow back to a walk so she didn’t trip on the underbrush or a stray branch. It wasn’t long before the men caught up with me, and Tormund’s chatter started up again.

“What did he say?” Tormund raised a very suggestive brow while gazing over at me, and yet he sounded genuinely concerned.

“That was a private conversation.” Why couldn’t people understand it’s rude and insensitive to stick their noses in others' business?

“Khaleesi, I’m trying to look out for you.” Kovarro did regret upsetting me, but I doubted he regretted trying to have me court Jon.

“I know, but you pissed me off.” He crossed the line when he mentioned Drogo. If he hadn’t brought up the deaths that affected me the most, I would have listened to him.

“Why does he call you Khaleesi?” Tormund, surprisingly, pronounced the title correctly though he noticeably put a lot of effort into it.

“That is also private.” I was an unsealed scroll to certain people, but my past was currently off limits to Tormund.

“I think she needs a good fucking, don’t you?” Tormund addressed Kovarro then turned his attention back to me. “How long has it been since you had a man, little shadowcat?”

“Not as long as you, I imagine.” I didn’t know why the words slipped out, maybe Tormund’s incessant taunting was rubbing off on me.

For the first time in several moons, if not years, Kovarro started laughing. Not a chuckle of amusement, a true laugh that most likely shook his horse. He was surely laughing because he knew Daario visited my chambers not long before I left for Westeros. It had been little over a moon since I ‘had a man’ as Tormund so kindly put it, and Kovarro knew.

Hearing Kovarro’s laughter for the first time in many moons lightened my mood and caused me to involuntarily forgive him. He may have spoken out of turn, but he was trying to help and didn’t know the death of my husband and son was still a sore subject. Besides, gods be good, he was right. I did want a marriage as similar to what I had with Drogo as possible. I didn’t want a husband I despised, and Kovarro seemed confident Jon could make me happy.

Daario didn’t have my heart though I thought he did, but I was able to trust him and come to him with anything. For a time, he masked the pain of losing Drogo. I wanted that again. I knew I would never find someone I loved and trusted as deeply as I did Drogo, but I wanted to find the person who could be close to what I had with my husband. Closer than Daario. Someone I actually loved.

Despite the short amount of time since I last shared a bed with someone, women had needs too and it seemed Tormund was offering. Would it be wise to accept it? It had been five years since I didn’t share my bed with someone and I had been sharing it with a man for most of that time. I missed it. I missed having someone else in my bed. I missed waking up next to someone. Most of all, I missed having a lover. I missed having someone I trusted, someone I shared myself with, body and soul.

“Khaleesi, want a distraction?” There was an implication in Kovarro’s voice, but I couldn’t believe it was coming from him.

“What?” I tugged on my midnight’s reins and sat back in the saddle until she stopped and the men also halted their horses.

“We are deep in the forest, no one would know.” He was certainly talking about what I thought.

“Seven hells.” I glanced between the two men, gauging their intentions.

Tormund still had his brow raised, like he was anticipating my agreement to be intimate with him. Kovarro was as stern as ever, but there was a lightness in his eyes. I trusted Kovarro with my life and Tormund seemed genuine in his interest for me, but did I want them sexually? I’d known Kovarro for years and I met Tormund only yesterday.

I’ve only had sex with four people - Drogo, Daario, and my handmaidens. Did I trust these two men to share something so intimate with them? I trusted Kovarro enough, but what about Tormund? I didn’t think he would hurt me, but would sleeping with him lead him to think there was anything more between us than sex and the trust that comes with it? I supposed there’s only one way to know.

“What will it be, little shadowcat?” Tormund had pulled his horse closer to mine and I'd been too lost in thought to notice until he said something.

“We need to find a cave or a clearing, I’m not lying down here.” I wanted them and I was done fighting it. If I was being honest with myself, I needed the temporary distraction. From Drogo or Jon, only the gods knew.

We wandered through the Wolfswood for a few minutes before the trees opened. Despite bringing it up, Kovarro continuously glanced over at me in surprise. I think he didn't expect me to accept the offer and was waiting for me to change my mind. Tormund however seemed to be ardently anticipating what was awaiting us. Perhaps Kovarro didn’t expect me to forgive him so easily, but I knew he was only looking out for me and didn’t deserve my rage.

Fortunately, the small clearing we happened upon was exactly what I'd been hoping to find. The trees around it were dense apart from where we came in which would provide us some protection if a hunting or riding party came by. The ground was covered in grass and ivy, providing some cushion, and the tree cover was dense enough the snow hadn’t reached the ground nor fell down into the area.

A cave would have provided more protection and warmth, but the area we found was better than what I was expecting. I was anticipating a larger swath of snow covered ground that was surrounded by sparse trees. I would have been much more anxious of being seen and unable to take our time due to the cold and snow wetting our clothes.

I dismounted where the trees opened and tied my midnight to an older sapling with the reins. The men dismounted and tied their horses to the other trees as well. We must have had the same idea, let the horses graze where there was an opening so they could provide cover for us where the trees didn’t.

After securing my mare, I walked into the clearing. When I was preparing to turn around and face my companions, Kovarro reached around me and started to unclasp my dress. He helped slide the material off my shoulders and gently tossed it onto the ground beside us once I pulled my arms out of the sleeves. His fingers traced down my bare spine to my petticoat, gently pushing it off of my hips and laying it on top of my dress when I stepped out of it.

I looked up from where I had stepped out of my skirt to find Tormund removing the tunic under his furs and laying it down on the grass on top of his trousers. His chest had a light spattering of hair that continued down past his navel. He was lean and muscular from a life of fighting and had an impressive member that rivaled my previous lovers.

Tormund turned to look at me, his gaze filling with concern and lust when he saw my naked form and nipples taut from the cold. Rather than beckoning me forward, he quickly closed the small gap between us and wrapped his arms around me. The feel of his bare skin on mine filled me with need while his body heat fought off the chill in the air. I reached up and gently grasped his arms, feeling the hard lines of the muscles hiding under his skin.

One of his hands rested on the small of my back, holding me to him, while the other snaked down to firmly grip my rear. He used the lower hand to pull me tighter into him, effectively pressing his member into my stomach. A small gasp escaped me when Kovarro pressed his body into my back and traced invisible lines down my arms.

I may as well have been trapped between them, but I was grateful for them protecting me from the cold. Kovarro slid a hand from my arm to my stomach, continuing down between myself and Tormund until he reached my mound. His fingers deftly massaged the small bundle of nerves between my thighs that only Irri had touched before. This was not the Dothraki way, but I wasn’t complaining.

Tormund moved his hand on my back to cup my mound just under Kovarro’s. My eyes fluttered closed when he slipped a finger inside me, exhaling a low groan into my ear. I let go of Tormund’s left arm and reached behind me to grasp the back of Kovarro’s neck. If I wasn’t secure between the two of them, my knees surely would have buckled while they worked in tandem to bring me to climax.

Kovarro bent down slightly to grip my leg behind the knee and lifted it into the air, allowing them more room to work. Tormund slid another finger inside me and curled his fingers to press them into another place only myself and my handmaidens had touched. Until today, I had thought only women knew how to properly please us.

Tormund began pumping his fingers, both men gradually building speed in their movements. My grip on Tormund’s arm and Kovarro’s neck tightened as the pleasure their fingers incited grew. It wasn’t long before it reached its peak. My lips parted in a silent scream as I climaxed. Tormund groaned lowly into my ear as I clenched around his fingers, but neither of them stopped until my body had calmed down.

Kovarro carefully set my leg back down as he and Tormund removed their fingers from between my legs. I wobbled slightly on my feet and steadied myself by holding on to the two men. A small gasp of surprise escaped me when Tormund grabbed my thighs and picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his midsection and arms around his neck while he moved us.

He slowly sat down then laid back on his furs, careful not to jostle me. With his hands on my rear, he pulled me towards him so I was sitting on his face. Kovarro placed a hand on my back and gently pushed me down until I was kneeling on the ground with my legs beside Tormund’s head and my arms under my chest.

Kovarro knelt behind me with his legs in between mine and Tormund. He lined himself up at my entrance as Tormund softly bit the small bundle of nerves between my legs. The sharp pain mixed with pleasure from the bite. It was a strange sensation I had never felt before but wanted more of.

Kovarro held my hips as he pushed his member inside me. Tormund moved his hands from my rear to grasp the back of my thighs. The combination of the familiar stretch of having a man inside me and the feel of Tormund’s mouth on me was indescribable. Kovarro quickly sped his thrusts while Tormund began sucking and licking my nub. I rocked my hips into Tormund’s mouth as he bit me again, causing both men to tighten their grips on me and attempt to hold my body in place.

Tormund was focusing on pleasing me while Kovarro was equally focused on the both of us. Kovarro had me in the traditional Dothraki position, but he wasn’t solely focused on his own pleasure. He was treating me with the reverence and respect that came with my status as his superior. It was a welcome change from men who took their own pleasure and expected me to climax as well.

I gripped the grass under me and arched my back, allowing Kovarro to deepen his strokes and pressing my mound into Tormund’s mouth. The adjusted position urged the men. Kovarro somehow knew what I wanted and thrusted into me harder than before. It wasn’t long before I cried out as another wave of pleasure washed over me while I reached my second climax, and Kovarro finished with me.

We stayed in place for a few moments while we caught our breath. Once Kovarro moved from his position behind me, Tormund rolled us over and slid up my body with one swift movement. He used his knees between my thighs to push my legs apart until they were spread how he wanted. I wrapped one leg over his waist and let my foot rest on his rear while the other laid bent beside him.

Tormund slowly drove his length into me while holding himself up with his forearms on the ground beside my head. His thrusts were leisurely yet focused until he found the angle that pulled a quiet gasp from between my lips. He moved one arm to grab the leg I was resting on his back and carefully pulled it up until my knee was on his shoulder and my foot on his back.

With my leg secure, he put his arm back down and moved a stray lock of hair out of my face. His fingers caressed my skin as he tucked the hair behind my ear and gently grasped the back of my neck. When he started slowly thrusting again, I realized that having my leg up allowed him to reach deeper within me.

I grabbed his shoulder and ran my fingers through his hair as I gripped the back of his neck with my other hand. This must have encouraged him because his thrusts picked up speed and strength as he leaned down and tenderly pressed his lips to mine. I froze in shock for an instant before kissing him back.

His thrusts had strength behind them, but Tormund was careful not to hurt me. The gentleness and purpose with how he kissed and touched me was unfamiliar coming from a man, but I enjoyed it. He held my face to his with the hand behind my neck, our lips moving together while skillfully moved in and out of me.

This time, my climax didn’t build until it reached its breaking point. Rather, it crept up on me and rocked through me before I realized I was nearing it. Tormund moved to remove his member before finishing inside me, but I locked my free leg around his waist and held him to me. I couldn’t have more children, so the pleasure we would receive from the act didn’t have any repercussions.

After Tormund and I reached our peak, we held each other for a moment until our heart rates calmed down. He helped me up and brushed the dirt, grass, and leaves from my skin before we dressed. Kovarro gently pulled bits of grass from my hair while I dressed. He had already put his clothes back on and was keeping watch while I was with Tormund.

The mood as we rode back to the castle was much lighter and carefree compared to when we left. Tormund made jokes and asked me about myself and my life during the entire ride. I deflected most of his questions or provided vague answers, but I liked that he was genuinely curious about me. Kovarro would occasionally make lighthearted comments about my marriage prospects or bad history with men, which would cause Tormund to wiggle his eyebrows at me as if he was offering himself.

When we entered the castle and directed our horses to the stables, I noticed Jon walking along the ramparts with his sister. His attention was clearly divided as his gaze was on my riding party. The snow had stopped while we were gone, allowing me a clear view of the tension in his dark eyes. I wondered what happened to make him so agitated.

Next Chapter

Reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated!

© LillianaWayne - all rights reserved. Do not copy, modify, repost, or share on other platforms without my express, written permission.

[melody-ofstars]

Hi, Tessa! Could you please write a Yuno (Black Clover) x reader fluffy drabble? Settles before the acceptance exam and the reader is also from Hage. I was thinking of the day being pretty chilly and the reader liking to go read under a tree near the church. Yuno likes the reader and brings her a blanket so she wouldn't be cold. Then she shares her food with him and they watch the sunset together. Love your works! Take your time with this if you choose to make it. <3

Fandom:- Black Clover

Pairing:- Yuno x reader

Genre:- Fluff

Scenario:- A cold day in winter <3

A/n:- YESSSSS I will!!! This is going to be amazing, especially since I love Yuno so damn much... He is amazing and I will do anything for him. Thank you for this request, I loved writing it!! Also, I have slightly changed a few details if that's okay??

I kinda got carried away while writing it which made it a little all over the place... But I still like it so I am not changing it

First Snow

Winter, a season that you loved with all your heart. There was something different about spending time inside your house surrounded by the people you love, doing the things you love and enjoying a cup of tea... All the while, admiring the view outside where everything appeared to be clearer even in the midst of fog.

The colors were brighter and vivid, the green of the trees amplified while the gentle and steady breeze cooled the town down.

Amongst the cool breeze and vivid colors, you sat under a tree, immersed in your reading so much so that you did not feel cold even with the lack of proper attire. Yes, you had worn a sweater but with the chill in the atmosphere at least another two were required to stay warm.

A dark red scarf was wrapped around your neck, providing some heat to you. Your nose was red and cheeks flushed with the obvious cold.

It was your habit, a routine of sorts, where you always went to the tree beside the church to have a good reading of the book you currently had and even the chilly winter couldn't change that.

You flipped the page, excited to see what happens next when you felt a soft weight on you along with a sudden warmth. You looked up and saw a familiar ravenette standing next to you, a neutral expression on his face.

"You were shivering." He said simply,

You then looked at the weight and realized that it was a blanket, along with the sudden awareness of the cold around you.

You smiled up at him, grateful by the gesture. You wondered how lost in the book you were that you did not even notice the temprature decreasing swiftly or hear him coming towards you.

"Thank you." You said, wrapping the blanket tighter around yourself, he started walking away but you quickly stopped him, a slight blush appearing on your face.

"Join me?" You asked, looking at him with a smile. It was a good thing that due to the cold, your cheeks were already flushed that he did not notice you blushing.

He looked at you for a second as if contemplating on what to do, before sitting down beside you and against the tree.

You grinned and wrapped one of the ends of the blanket around him, securing it in a way that no air would get in. Enjoying the warmth, you began reading the book again.

"What are you reading?" You hear him ask softly, not wanting to interrupt you but unable to help himself. At that, you smiled brightly, it was your favorite book after all. You didn't mind telling him a few details about it.

"Oh, it's about the first Magic Emperor!" You said excitedly, he could see that you liked this book and was relieved that you did not send him away for interrupting you.

"The Magic Emperor?" He asked, interested to hear more because after all if he had to rival Asta, he would have to give it his all.

"Yes! It's about the time he defeated that giant demon."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and the best part is that it happened in Hage itself and from here you get an amazing view of the skull." You explained to him, looking over to the giant skull with horns. It always thrilled you that you lived in the town where the Wizard King had defeated the demon, a historic site.

As you continued, he couldn't help but admire the way your eyes lit up and the beautiful smile you had on your face while telling him various details of the story.

He had always liked you and always looked forward to seeing you at the tree, reading one of your books with intense focus that you didn't care about what was happening around you.

You were so immersed in your story that you didn't see that Yuno's eyes had drifted closed, your eyes widened with embarassmemt as you thought that you bored him with your story. You shouldn't have talked about it in the first place, he was probably only being nice...

"Did the story end? It did not feel like it." He said, pulling you out of your thoughts.

His eyes fluttered open, a beautiful golden that you get lost into everytime and right now, that golden was glimmering.

"I- I thought you weren't interested anymore..." You said sheepishly, looking away as the longer you looked in his eyes the more flustered you got.

"No, I was just listening to your voice." He said and once again a silence settled down and the realisation dawned upon you.

You both blushed profusely and looked away, trying to calm yourselves down. Your heart was thundering while his felt like it would explode. He had not meant to say it out loud but strangely did not regret it, especially after he noticed you blush.

You looked over at the skull, it looked wonderful. The sun had started to set and the sky was colored with different hues of pink and orange. You slowly felt a finger near your hand, looking down to find Yuno's hand resting close to yours, invitingly.

You smiled slightly and shifted your hand too, resting it on his warm one as a small shiver went through you.

Looking up, you saw an even beautiful view, Yuno with a smile etched on his face while his eyes reflected the various tints of the sky and at that moment all your shyness evaporated as you leaned over and pressed a kiss onto his lips.

His hand immediately came up and cupped one of your cheeks while his other hand intertwined with yours. You felt excited, your mind focusing on nothing except him, making you feel happy and content. You felt safe, a warmth spreading all over you as you kissed, a stark contrast to your surroundings. You melted into that kiss as it felt like a new beginning, a new possibility of endless things.

You pulled away, breathing hard. Your lips still buzzing from the contact as you took in what had just happened, trying to calm your heart.

You slowly opened your eyes and saw him looking at you gently, his golden gaze soft as it met yours.

You both did not speak anything afterward, only enjoying each other's presence with hands still held together. You did not move and neither did he, even when the first snow of the season had started to drift down lazily because for you it wasn't just that, it was also a new chapter in your life, a chapter that had just started, a chapter that you were now looking forward to.

Taglist: @hanjistitanwhore @little-kity

[astro-rain]

delicate; b.barnes

chapter eight - “hovel, sweet hovel”

delicate masterlist

word count: 2k

synopsis: bucky and y/n arrive the shelter and take a look at what it has to offer.

pairings: bucky barnes x fem!reader

[A/N]: what would you like to see happen next? let me know! (p.s. this is what i pictured the shelter/hovel to look like)

"I think this is it," Bucky said, looking forward at the structure in front of them.

"That's the 'shelter?'" Y/N huffed, hopelessly annoyed.

They had been walking and jogging on and off for forty-five minutes straight. Her feet killed.

"We're... gonna die."

"We are not gonna die, Y/N."

"Look at it! That is a hovel!"

"Well, inside's better than outside," Bucky retorted. "At least no one will see us if we're in there. It looks abandoned, they'll assume it actually is.”

She sighed and followed behind Bucky into the shelter. It was a one story stone structure that looked so old and weathered. It... looked like a shed. An old ass stone shed. She briefly wondered if Wakanda had a storm season because she was almost certain this thing wouldn't withstand it.

The door let out an anticipated squeak, and she was just as disappointed to see the inside as she was the outside. Bucky put the bags down and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah... this... isn't great..."

It was just as small as it seemed. And empty. Mostly. There were a few withered shelves with dusty pots and bowls, and an even more withered attempt at a table. There was what looked like a furnace in one corner with old, rotted wood in it. The wooden floor creaked under their steps.

The whole place felt like a ghost: desolate, ancient, and lonely. Except for one peculiar thing...

"Bucky?" she beckoned.

"Hm?"

(Y/N) hadn't noticed it when she first entered, but in the middle of the table sat a small, shiny, black panther figurine. It posed on all fours, looking ferociously up at her. It looked so out of place in contrast of the eternal layer of dust on everything else.

"What is this?" she asked reaching for the one thing that didn't match.

When her hand wrapped around it, energy surged into her skin. It felt almost... alive.

"(Y/N) what-" Bucky was cut off by a sound that startled them both.

In the corner across from the furnace, a section of the floor starting moving. Wood on wood on stone was not a good sound. Nonetheless, in mere seconds, there was an opening, and if (Y/N) leaned forward, she could see stairs!

Both of them remained still, feet planted on the creaky floor. They immediately looked at each other.

"What did you do?"

"I'm... not sure. I think I opened it."

(Y/N) smirked.

"What?" Bucky asked, confusion clearly evident in his tone.

"I should've known," (Y/N) shook her head. "Shuri wouldn't have led us here unless there was something more."

She held the panther figurine as she walked towards the opening.

"Wait," he grabbed her arm. "We don't know that Shuri knew that was here. What if it's a trap?"

"A trap from who? I don't think anyone knows we're here except Shuri."

"I don't know. J-Just let me go first."

"Alright. After you, oh wise one," she acquiesced, voice sarcastic but endearing all the same.

Bucky tried to suppress a chuckle. "Smartass. You're the wise one."

She tried to go down the stairs, letting him go first, but apparently that wasn't enough.

"Wait, just let me go look around and I'll holler when it's all good."

"Holler? Who says holler?"

"Me. Wait here."

"Fine," she made a show of pointedly plopping down on the top step, still and waiting as he requested.

It only took about ten seconds.

"Woah..." his voice came from far away.

"What is it?!" (Y/N) leaned forward.

"You were right! Come down, you gotta see this!"

She wasted no time... and standing beside Bucky, her jaw dropped.

"Holy..."

Beneath the ground was a significantly larger, way more modernized, and highly advanced survival shelter. All equipped with smaller versions of a table, chairs, and cabinets, along with a compact freezer and miniature stove, a chest, a closet, and two sets of bunk beds. Everything was clean and looked in optimal condition. There was even a rug.

"Shuri definitely didn’t leave you with nothing," Bucky commented, still taking it all in.

"-us with nothing," she corrected, retreating back up to the shed to get the bags.

-

Later in the day, (Y/N) got a handle on the panther key and how to use it to open and close the entryway to the bunker. Once she figured it out, she kept it closed, ensuring their concealment and maximizing their safety.

Bucky had found his way into the closet, listing off the contents to (Y/N) who sat on the floor, back up against one of the bunk bed legs. She was exhausted. Her body had been assaulted by adrenaline and strenuous mortal-danger-physical-activity. Bucky seemed to be fine, though. Curse that super soldier serum. His energy was always so high.

"...oh, and here's the bedding stuff. I don't know what this is, though."

(Y/N) lethargically leaned her head over to get a good view of the closet.

She chuckled. "That's a space heater...Oh! And next to it - that's a portable AC. Makes sense. I doubt they could get electric or plumbing out here."

And her head rolled back to center, eyes closing, body exhausted.

Bucky seemed to notice. "Hey, if you're tired, I can make the beds...or at least yours if you wanna sleep now."

(Y/N) stretched her legs straight out in front of her. "No, that's okay."

She wasn't about to force her one armed friend to make a bed for her. That's just rude. Especially after he carried those bags. She felt bad; she wished she had done more.

"Nah, I don't mind. It's not like I got anything else to do," he insisted, bringing the bedding over.

(Y/N) stood, body internally complaining in aching protest. She didn't really have the energy to expertly persuade him.

"Buck, it's fine." Her voice was faint.

He didn't even stop to hesitate, seemingly determined on the task. She thought it better to just give up and let him do his thing since he was so set on it. However, the sheet was fitted and there were pillow cases, not really one-arm friendly assets. He was struggling... very clearly. (Y/N) felt even worse.

He started moving quicker, frustration jerking his arm in quick, irritated bursts as he was trying to get the sheet to stay. There was still no success.

She stepped forward gently. "Bucky..."

"Damn it!" he hissed, slamming his hand on the bed frame before forcefully standing up. His hand went to his forehead, rubbing his eyes in disappointment.

(Y/N) was a statue. She had never seen him mad before; she had no idea what to do. Don't get her wrong, she wasn't scared, she just wasn't sure what to say.

"Can't fuckin' do anything," he muttered under his breath.

She finally moved forward. "Hey, forget the bedding, it doesn't matter-"

"Yes it does," he turned. "We're hiding from a collapsed regime and I can't even make a damn bed. Plus you've done so much for me, I just wanted to help with something. I just wanted to be able to do something."

Oh. Suddenly, his anger was gone. It was replaced with a miserable helplessness. It made her chest tight; she needed to fix this.

"Buck, you don't owe me anything. I'm here because I wanted to help, not because I was expecting anything in return. And I don't know what you've been paying attention to, but I watched you carry the majority of those - heavy - bags the entire way here while simultaneously figuring out the way to the shelter while my brain was momentarily smooth. You were the voice of reason in that chaos we just escaped from, and it's a damn good thing you were so calm because I don't know if I could have handled the panic of the both of us."

"You could've," he murmured. "And I wasn't calm, I'm just used to this. I was trained for situations like this."

No, she wasn't going to lose to deflection.

"Regardless, you were a huge help. Seriously."

He still didn't look convinced.

"In fact, I feel more safe here with you than I would with Shuri and the Queen. You're like a super soldier body guard."

A look washed over his face that (Y/N) couldn't quite place. He looked at her quizzically, like he was trying to figure something out.

"You... feel safer with me?"

"That's what I said, yes."

"You're not like... worried about..."

"The Winter Soldier? No."

He sighed. "How can you be so sure? You have no idea if or when I might... you know."

"We are literally the only people here, and I don't plan on saying the trigger words. So unless you plan on saying them, I don't really think we have anything to worry about. And, even if you did 'you know,' you could definitely get away with it and no one would find the body."

He turned bright red. "What?!"

"I'm kidding! Sorry. But Bucky, you've been doing so well with me and Shuri, and honestly the Hydra programming might not even be there anymore."

"But we don't know for sure!"

"Bucky..." she pleaded, turning her head slightly as to say what is this about?

"I can't trust my own mind," he sighed looking at the floor. "I just don't wanna do anything bad. It's just - weird that you don't seem to be worried at all."

"Why is that?"

"Everyone sees me as a monster."

The room was dead silent. He wasn't looking at her, but if (Y/N) looked at him any harder, she was sure she'd burn a hole through his head. How could anyone see this man as a monster? Logically, she understood what other people saw. But personally, she couldn’t find it in her to perceive him like that. It just didn’t work. All she could find was gentleness, compassion, and sincerity.

"I can't see you as something you're not," she said, whisper soft. "I don't care if you hands are 'scarred from murder' or however you said it a few sessions ago. I trust them entirely."

He finally looked up at her, his face filled with something she couldn't quite place. It looked a bit like disbelief and then it changed into relief and then something else entirely. A slow smile crept up on his lips.

"...hand."

"What?"

"My hand. Singular. Not hands."

A deep, deep smile - to match the one on Bucky - grew on her face just before the pair started cracking up ridiculously. Perhaps this was an odd way of releasing the tension, fear, frustration, and exhaustion of the day. Nevertheless, laughter was cathartic. It was so cathartic that eventually (Y/N) could hardly catch her breath and Bucky's stomach hurt. This went on for several minutes.

In time, they both calmed down. She didn't remember when exactly it happened, but they were both sitting on the floor now. They sat in between the two bunk beds, facing one another, each back leaning against a respective bedpost.

The atmosphere was different now, but not in a bad way. It felt like 2 a.m. at a sleepover, when the conversations get drowsily deep, with slow voices and honest confessions. It was heavy eyelids and low inhibitions.

A fresh wave of exhaustion washed over her. She let her head fall slack against the bedpost, resting.

"Bucky, what were sleepovers like in the forties?" she asked softly, eyes closing ever so delicately. 

"Well," he started, getting into a story of his past with Steve and the couch cushions.

And that's how she fell asleep. Sitting on the floor, leaning against a bunk bed, and listening to his voice fade out into the background of her consciousness.

If only she knew how she would wake up: laying comfortably on one of the beds, with one blanket on top of her and another below her because he couldn't get the sheet to cooperate. With the pillowcase carefully draped atop the pillow instead of enveloping it because that's what one hand would allow. With the bed next to her being slept in with no blanket because he used his as the replacement for the sheet he couldn’t get to cooperate.

[mortedeveles]

Chapped Kisses: Seasonal Love

SUMMARY: You’ve been pining after your best friend, Tamaki Amajiki, for years. But as the good, loyal friend you are, you’ve kept your distance and kept your relationship with him purely platonic. But a day of ice skating can change many things, including your relationship with your best friend.

PAIRING: Tamaki Amajiki x gn!reader.

THEMES: pining, fluff, humor. [ONE-SHOT]

TW: mentions of mental health issues and light cursing. 

Copyright © 2020 by Veles.

A/N: This writing piece is part of the writing event Seasonal Love! Please check out the other works HERE!

if you love tamaki amajiki, consider checking out my new series A Letter To My Love!  

the words in bold (that aren’t at the beginning of a sentence) are the word prompts i was given to create this piece! slippery, sniffle, freeze. 

as always, please leave a like, reblog, comment and/or follow if you enjoyed! the feedback and support is GREATLY appreciated <33 

Tamaki Amajiki reminded you of winter. 

On the surface, many mistook his social anxiety as a cold, harsh, and distant attitude. Others weren't very fond of him- but you didn't fit in either category.

You were a lover of winter.

Winter may be a cold and lifeless season, but has its own type of beauty. The pure white snow that graces your grass and the roof of your house always makes you smile. Watching the snow fall upon your shoulders makes you smile and the howling wind lulls you to sleep.

Despite his internal demons and insecurities, Tamaki overcame all the obstacles that stood in his way. As his childhood friend- along with Mirio, you watched Tamaki grow from a fragile and small snowflake, into a beautiful and powerful blizzard. He was beautiful, fragile at times; but resilient and determined.

And in between years of being his friend, you grew fond of his antics- whenever he got excited about something, his voice would grow louder and his posture less guarded and sometimes, he'd even wave his arms or hands. Or when he tried out something new with his quirk, you were the first one to know and he would do a demonstration for you. You'd invite Mirio over and the three of you would play around and test Tamaki's quirk. There were so many reasons you adored him, so many that you didn’t have enough hands to write them down.

Despite the love and affection you had for your best friend, you knew that being his partner wouldn't be possible. He had problems with himself and it wouldn't be fair to put another weight on his shoulders. With that mentality in mind, you never attempted to approach him romantically and instead, stayed at his side like a loyal friend.

Both of you were stubborn and oblivious to each other's feelings- and it wasn't until the day that you learned how to skate on ice that your relationship with Tamaki changed. 

                           ───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

''I-I don't know, Tamaki,'' you stammered. Your legs trembled like a baby animal walking for the first time, gripping the short dividers in a death grip.

''Come o-on,'' Tamaki slid away and skated in a circle. His movements were firm and fluid, and you watched in awe. How could he move with such ease? 

He looked like he was in his element, his shoulders were relaxed and you had rarely seen him express so much body language. The icy cold environment was his comfort zone.

''You'll enjoy it, I, I promise.'' he offered you a small smile and outstretched a trembling hand. 

''But this feels awful! I-I don't know how to ice skate, and,'' unconsciously, you removed a hand and began to wave it dramatically. 

''And, and- ack!'' you yelped as you were tugged forward, nearly topping on top of the blue-haired boy.

''Tamaki!'' you refused to look down at the ice and stared at Tamaki. You gripped his shoulders in a tight grip, refusing to release him. ''Oh god,'' you felt your legs tremble violently and move in opposite directions.

Tamaki's hands clutched you by your upper back and for a moment, you felt light-headed. 

''Calm down,'' Tamaki spoke in a low voice. ''You can do this. You-you, um,'' he averted his gaze, but you noticed how the tip of his ears reddened. 

''You can hold my hand if you want.''

You froze. Tamaki slowly raised his gaze to you. The tip of the nose was a bright red, he was cold to the touch and you could even see puffs of cold air when he spoke. When Amajiki noticed you had stiffened and remained silent- he imagined the worst. His eyes widened and he slightly backed away. 

''O-or not, if you don't want to, it's-its fine-,'' He began stammering, his face reddening even more, but you quickly interrupted him.

''No!'' you nearly squeaked. Tamaki furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

''Uhm,'' you cleared your throat. Shaking your head, you offered him a wide smile. ''I'd love to.''

Tamaki perked up. His eyebrows shot up to his forehead and his eyes widened. ''O-oh.'' was all he said and dropped one of his hands to the side, unsure of how to continue. 

Tentatively, you slipped your fingers inside his palm. His fingers were cold to the touch. Once your hands were intertwined, you let out a heavy sigh of relief. 

You were too nervous to meet Tamaki's gaze and despite the cold air that bit at your nose, lips, and hands- your cheeks heated up. Was he as flustered and embarrassed you?

The two of you stood in awkward silence- well, you tried to balance yourself so you wouldn't fall like an idiot, until you felt a soft squeeze on your hand.

It was light and had you been distracted, you probably wouldn't have noticed but at the moment all you could focus on was the boy standing next to you.

Smiling, you met Tamaki's gaze. He was smiling as well, though you could tell that he was making a great effort, he wasn't very fond and comfortable with physical contact.

But he was trying his best, for you.

Your knees felt wobbly at the thought and your entire face felt like it was on fire- but you were quickly interrupted by Tamaki's soft voice.

''We should get moving now. Come on, what you need to do is slightly bend your knees, don't crouch, but bend them.''

Slowly, you did as you were told and when you felt yourself regain balance, you grinned. 

''G-good, that's good,'' Tamaki nodded in approval. ''Do you, um, do you still want to hold my hand?'' His face was far redder once he was done talking. 

You nodded vigorously- maybe a little bit too excited, you thought with a wince- but agreed nevertheless. 

''If you don't mind, I do.''

Tamaki was about to reply, when Mirio's loud and cheerful voice interrupted your moment and reminded you that you weren't alone with him.

''Tamaki! Y/N! What's taking the two of you so long? Come on, it's much nicer on this side!''

Mirio waved frantically from the other side of the ice ring and you couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

Squeezing Tamaki's hand for support, you pressed your hand on your cheek and shouted.

''We'll be right there!'' your voice was far more ragged and throaty than you'd like. ''Just give us a second!"

You heard Nejire giggle faintly. She was watching the two of you in amusement and shot you a knowing look, which you replied with a playful glare. 

''Are you ready?'' Tamaki asked. You swallowed nervously and nodded.

''Let's get this over with.'' 

Slowly, the two of you began to skate towards your friends- Tamaki instructing you or advising you how to move every now and then.

''God, this ground is so slippery...'' you mumbled, shaking your head in disapproval. ''I fell like in any moment I'm going to fall on my ass.''

Tamaki laughed softly. You smiled when you heard his laugh and squeezed his hand. 

''This is ice, Y/N,'' his smile was the brightest so far. ''It's bound to be slippery.''

You grumbled in disapproval and rambled about the 'damn ice' and 'stupid skate shoes'. Tamaki chuckled. On an occasion or two, you nearly fell and he had to grip you by your elbows for support. The chattering of other children and parents echoed in the room. 

Once you arrived at the other side of the ice ring- Nejire and Mirio skated towards you and grinned.

''Finally!'' Mirio grinned. ''I thought we would have to wait another hour for your arrival.''

You rolled your eyes but smiled. ''Well, we're here now, aren't we? Nearly died a couple of times, but we're here.''

Nejire snorted. You felt Tamaki's cold hand wrapped around yours and how the girl's gaze drifted towards it before quickly looking up.

''I did see you slip, but there's nothing to worry about! After all, you have your hero Tamaki to protect you. Right, Tama?'' she cooed with a mischievous glint in her wide eyes.  

Tamaki stammered next to you and you forced down a gasp. 

''Ne-Nejire!'' you scolded her, though you could feel your voice quiver with embarrassment. 

Mirio raised an eyebrow at this but said nothing. Instead, he skated away and grinned. ''Come on guys! Are we going to stand all day in this cold ring or actually have some fun?''

You groaned dramatically. ''Miriooo! I just got here and escaped death a few times and you want me to do...'' you waved your hands in circles. ''That?''

Mirio laughed. He spun in a circle and grinned smugly. ''Yes, Y/N.''

You sniffled. Nejire giggled and skated past the two of you and you noticed how Tamaki had gone silent. When you turned around to face him, he was already looking at you. His eyes slightly widened but Tamaki remained silent.

''Do you think you can help me?'' you lowered your gaze to the ice, brushing your thumb across his knuckles.

''Of co-course. C'mon, follow my lead,'' his voice sounded squeakier but you decided not to question him.

                                                      ─── 

Though it took you some time to get the hang of it- you were eventually skating along with your friends, racing in silly games with Nejire. Tamaki had drifted towards Mirio and you saw that they would briefly talk about something and whenever you would look towards your crush he would smile shyly. You'd return his smile.

''The two of you seemed real close today, Y/N,'' Nejire stood next to you, grinning like a madman.

Flustered, you averted your gaze and bit the inside of your cheek.

''I don't know what you're talking about.''

Nejire giggled. ''You know exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, I think I should go ahead and tell Tamaki since it seems that neither of you will ever confess.'' And with that, Nejire sped off.

''W-wait!'' you skated after Nejire, but your skating skills were far more amateur.

You felt your heart crawl up your throat as you raced towards Nejire, who was quickly approaching the boys. 

''Nejire!" you nearly growled. ''Don't you dare!''

She giggled and winked at you in response.

You were out of breath and your legs felt like jello when you finally reached your friends. Nejire was already talking to Tamaki, who was staring at her with furrowed eyebrows. ''No!'' you exclaimed. Tamaki's gaze snapped towards you and before you could react, Nejire had giggled and moved out of the way.

You were unbalanced and out of control- Tamaki didn't have time to react and before you could blink, you toppled on Tamaki.

''Ah!''

His hands lingered on your waist, your legs between his. The two of you were breathing heavily and you could faintly smell takoyaki. Tamaki's eyes were blown open, jaw slack. He was frozen on the ground. Your hands were pressed on the cold ground, feeling your heart race; ready to leap out of your ribcage.

Swallowing nervously, you smiled at Tamaki. His hands tightened around your waist.

''H-hi,'' you said nervously.

Nejire and Mirio laughed behind you and murmured. But you paid them no mind- being so close to your crush felt as if you were alone with Tamaki- just you and him.

You could sense everything; his cold hands weighing down on your waist, his long legs spread apart and his warm breath fanning your face.  After awkwardly staring into Tamaki's deep blue eyes, you were ready to get up and pretend that this never happened, but his grip tightened on your waist.

You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. Gently, you pressed a hand on his shoulder.

''Tama, we have to-,'' you were sharply interrupted by him.

''I like you!'' he blurted out.

You would've staggered backward from the shock if his hands weren't holding you down. Jaw slack, you watched as your best friend's face bloomed red and you felt your own face heat up with warmth.

Tamaki licked his lips and squeezed your waist gently.

''I li-like you, Y/N, and I have for a long time. You're my best friend, the most beautiful person I've ever met and I love you,'' his mouth clamped shut at the last words as if they had escaped without his permission. His eyes widened and they watched you expectantly.

With a relieved laugh, you smiled. One of Tamaki's hands slackened and you slipped your hand inside his.

''I like you too, Tamaki.''

You lowered your head, leaning your forehead against his. 

''Oh,'' he murmured, his eyes trailing over your face. ''That's go-good.''

You smiled. His eyes lowered to your lips and he licked his own. 

''Ca-can I kiss you?''

Instead of replying, you cupped his head and leaned towards him.

His lips were chapped and cold against your own, but kissing your best friend was bliss; the moment your lips touched, warmth traveled down your threat and bloomed in your heart. You were quickly out of breath, and so was Tamaki. The two of you pulled away and breathed heavily, staring at each other in silence

''Woo!"' you heard Mirio shout behind you. ''Finally, I've been waiting centuries for this!'' 

Nejire let out a shriek of happiness. You laughed softly and Tamaki joined you.

''Come on, we should get up.'' Tamaki nodded in response. You slowly rose and once you balanced yourself, helped Tamaki hoist himself up.

The two of you approached Mirio and Nejire, who engulfed the two of you in a bear hug. You laughed against Mirio's chest and glanced at Tamaki. He smiled back. 

Moments like these, hugging your friends and kissing your best friend on the same day, were moments that you would never forget. They would spread warmth in your heart for as long as you lived. 

[acciocriativity]

Yule Ball|| Harry Potter

Pairing: Fred Weasley x Reader // Harry Potter x Reader

Summary: It's been a year since you had a huge crush on Fred Weasley, but you never had the courage to confess it to the redhead. What will change when the Winter Ball takes place at Hogwarts? 

Word Count: 3.2k 

 The fifth year of Hogwarts couldn't be more confusing and crazy, the students from Beauxbatons and the Durmstrang students had just settled in the Great Hall, when the principal made the announcement that it was going to be the joy / despair of all the girls. That's right, with no middle ground. 

- Along with the Triwizard Tournament, the Yule Ball will also take place, just as it is in tradition - he said calmly as always, with a smile on his face. 

 Professor McGonagall explained the details but my mind was already far away, obviously my case is one of despair, not for lack of confidence but for opportunities. There was only one boy I would like to invite, but how would I do that if not more than one word we have already exchanged? I would not like to go with a stranger, a friend at the very least. 

I was already 5 years old at Hogwarts, why haven't I done anything yet? This is easy, two very simple reasons. We are from different houses, as a Ravenclaw I don't have many Gryffindor friends, unfortunately. It is very comfortable to form a social circle restricted to the home itself and I was a shy child, can anyone judge me ??  

I clearly remember the day I saw him the first time, it was the same day that I got my first Gryffindor friend. 

 I was hurrying up the stairs to the first floor, where the library is. It wouldn't be a surprise to anyone, but this time it was more urgent, it was two weeks before the 4th grade exam season and I didn't feel ready for the Arithmancy exam. 

I had barely stepped into the hall when I heard two excited voices talking, I didn't have to look more than once to find out who they were. The Weasley twins had quickly formed their own fame at Hogwarts, the only ones who didn't like them were the targets of their pranks, I still haven't had that bad luck, and probably their Slytherin opponents. 

It was the first time that I had a chance to see them without a circle of people around wanting to buy their limited products or their own friends around, and I didn't imagine what that little moment would do to me.

Although they were identical, one in particular had caught my attention. I didn't know what his name was and I didn't even have time to ask, as they walked to another corridor, opposite where I was. 

It was his warm smile and bright eyes, that enchanted me at that moment and even though neither was for me, I couldn't forget it and I tried. 

Later that day, I was trying to find a specific Arithmancy book when I noticed Angelina, a gryffindor and a year older than me. Difficult not to recognize since she is also popular, being on the Quidditch team but we never really spoke to each other, until that moment. 

- Are you in 5th year ?? I never saw you in any of the classes - I remember her saying looking at my hand, in which I was carrying an advanced potions book.

- Oh no, I like to advance some subjects when I finish studying - I replied calmly with a small smile as I took my book, right next to her head. 

- So are you good at potions? - she asked looking at me and I just nodded before she continued - and could you help me? It's a little difficult to pay attention to the class, when Fred and Jorge are there - she finished with a giggle, as if remembering something. 

From then on, we met at the library when they had no training and during those two weeks we got close enough, but not to the point of mixing our social circles and going out together. 

 I turned to face Angelina, even though she was away she met my gaze and smiled, she knew I felt something for Fred Weasley but I never said how deep those feelings were or she would have managed to help me a long time ago. 

I noticed that she made one of the signs that we invented to communicate when we were far from each other, that one meant that we were going to talk later in my dorm and I just nodded before I started eating. Too bad I didn't notice the attention of a certain redhead, because of my silent conversation with the girl.

 In the months that followed, because Harry's name came out in the Goblet of Fire and the first task was around, the atmosphere became extremely tense within the school and the animosity with the ball cooled. People commented on all sorts of nonsense and I did what I could when something like that happened in my presence, because it bothered me a lot. The whole school was against Harry, basically and I had made it clear that it was ridiculous, even though I didn't know the boy well. 

Because of that, I ended up getting away from some friends who disagreed with me and thought that Potter wanted to get attention again, but the good part is that I ended up spending a lot more time with Angelina in the Gryffindor Common Room, she always told me the password although the Fat Woman didn't like it that much. 

Today is Saturday and one of those days, I left my dormitory early because I had nothing to study and walked unhurriedly through the almost empty corridors. It seems like a rule, teenagers don't leave bed before 9 am. I saw the girl alone in the middle of the Gryffindor table so I walked right over there, sitting next to her. 

- Good morning Angie - I greeted with an excited smile while taking a look at the already full of food table  

- You dreamed of the 10 N.O.M.S. today, didn’t you? - she smiled at me before completing - or was it with a certain someone? 

I felt my face heat up as she laughed at me, the mornings when we are in a good mood usually start with these morning teasing and then we move on to the same topic…

- When are you going to invite Fred to the Ball? You know that when it comes to perceiving feelings, he is slow - she insisted just like every day that I should do something.

- He must have been invited already, It’s almost a month away- I gave her my most common answer, there are some days that I say I would invite him, but that never happened. 

- He is still available but at some point he will be not! Do you really want to see him dancing with another girl? - She looked at me defiantly even knowing the answer.

- If I promise that this time I will ask him to come with me, will you let me eat in peace ?? - I asked, holding her gaze and received a satisfied smile in return. 

 Sometimes I didn't even understand the reason for all this nonsense, at times I just wanted to be able to confess my feelings and if I was rejected, I would just move on. But then I got close to him and couldn't, at least that way I had hope. The gryffindor in me will have the courage today, thanks to Angelina and my stupid promise. 

Gradually the students arrived and among them were our friends. Alicia Spinnet, Dino Thomas, Olivio Wood and Lino Jordan. Soon the trio, Harry, Hermione and Ron came down and then Fred and Jorge with the usual good humor. 

- Good morning girls - they both winked at us at the same time with a smile from someone who’s up to no good.

- Good morning - we answered together but with different reactions, Alícia simply ignored it, I controlled myself not to blush and Angelina just smiled more.

 Fred sat two chairs to the left in front of me and Jorge beside him, there was no way I could talk to him during breakfast and I thanked him for it, but I regretted it soon after.  

- And haven't you became a man yet to ask someone to the Ball, Ron ?? - I heard Fred's super discreet voice, interrupting my conversation with Lino.

 Obviously everyone there turned to pay attention, the teasing between them was always fun, especially in the morning. 

- You didn’t ask anyone too, where's YOUR courage Fred? What are you afraid of ?? - I never had seen Ronald Weasley with such a satisfied smile on his face or an expression so outraged on the elder. 

- I'll show you the courage, look and learn Ronald - he had made a point of getting up and I held my breath when I saw him looking in my direction, it couldn't be ...

- Hey Johnson, do you want to go to the Yule Ball with me? - He asked without realizing my expectations and a piece of my heart breaking after that. 

 She replied an yes after looking at me quickly, I didn't mind her accepting it. They are friends and I already knew that she wanted to go with Jorge, the reason why she had not accepted any invitation until now. I had already thought about what it would be like if this situation happened, in my head it was much worse. 

The next few days followed with little change about Fred, at all times if I could avoid him, I would. Not out of anger or anything, I wanted to take my focus off him. I had declined 2 invitations because I hadn't imagined myself with another guy, and that was going to end. 

Alicia and I had just returned from London, we went to look at some new dress options, as many girls would go to the witch shops nearby. We barely stepped into the Great Hall when Hermione walked out furious and a little upset, she didn't even greet us as she always did.

- What did you do to make her so upset ?? - I asked facing Harry and then Ron, before sitting down next to Harry.

- I just said that she could come with one of us to the Ball - explained the redhead while devouring the food on his plate.

- Now? It’s a month away, I would have been angry too - they both looked at me without understanding and I had to take a deep breath - you don't understand anything about girls, do you?

- She felt like the last option, nobody would like to feel that way, obviously, you should have invited her long before - Ali replied without patience, while the realization seemed to hit their faces. 

 Ron seemed to reflect for 3 seconds before eating again as if nothing had happened, so there were only the three of us left to talk.  

- And your partner Harry? Mcgonagall is going to freak out if you have to open the Ball alone - I commented while getting me some soup. 

- I haven't found the right girl yet ... - he replied a little uncomfortable and looked to the side as if he had remembered something. 

- Not wanting to intrude, but already intruding, you two could go together. Just as friends - she completed as soon as she saw the boy look at us petrified but relaxed shortly thereafter.

- No problem for me, I was thinking about not going, but at least it could be fun - I spoke with a small smile and he nodded. 

 For the rest of the month, I ended up getting closer to him and consequently to the most unbearable couple that ever existed. I love Hermione and Ron, but how can two people be so stubborn? I don't know, it's a mystery but at the same time, it was good entertainment and I managed to disconnect from my feelings for Fred. 

It was getting close to the time to start the Ball and I had barely stopped to think that I would be forced to deal with Angelina and Fred dancing together, even though I had never been jealous of the two before, the scene didn't seem pleasant. 

I took one last look in the mirror analysing my dress, a long red velvet dress with sleeves and a slit up to my thigh that defined my body in the right measure. I was feeling incredibly beautiful the way I was and nothing could ruin my good mood, not even my unrequited crush. 

I agreed to meet my friends near the stairs and there they were, Hermione in a pink pretty dress talking to Vítor Krum further away, Ron was about to explode at any moment and Harry, as usual, seemed to be trying to find an excuse to get out of there and I preferred to help with that. . 

- Hi boys - I said quietly standing on the first step of the stairs and as they had their backs to me, they jumped and I couldn't help laughing.

- You can't come like this and scare others, I almost had a fit… - the redhead put his hand on his heart dramatically, it seems that the hatred has vanished too.

- Everyone will go down the stairs, you should be gossiping in a more discreet place. It's about Hermione again, right? - I asked shamelessly without caring about the complaints about my comment. 

- And why would I waste my time talking about a traitor? - his face went from white to red in a few seconds, it seems that the anger had returned.

- I only know one thing, we can't be late, right Harry ?? In fact, I need to talk to you quickly - I didn't even let him agree and I pulled his arm and walked to a spot nearby without anyone

- Did something happen? - he said while adjusting his glasses and I just denied it with a smile, making him even more confused. 

- I just wanted to give you a break from Hurricane Ronald Weasley but if you want to go back there, I don't mind - I said looking behind his shoulder and there it was, a clear image of the redhead fighting with an innocent student.

- In fact, a few minutes without having to listen to his rudeness is great, not that he's a bad friend, but sometimes it's a little ... too much - he replied with a small smile of thanks.  

 We talked for a few more minutes before Mcgonagall officially announced the start of the party, where we would have to dance first. We had rehearsed a few times, so we weren't ashamed, although I wanted to laugh at the memories that came to mind and I could see the same in Harry's eyes. 

After that moment, the other champions also danced with their partners and then the party really started. I preferred to avoid dancing more than necessary, because that would be shameful but it doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. 

I was sitting at a table with Harry and Ron because apparently his partner was not very happy, but I decided not to go into that. Until I see Angie approach and place her hand on my bare shoulder.

- Can we talk for a moment?? - She said and by her expression, it seemed to be important. 

 I nodded and as the two continued talking to each other, I preferred not to interrupt and just went with the older girl to a corner with fewer people. 

- Did something happen? - I asked calmly and noticed that she looked towards the direction where Fred and Jorge were with another girl.

- Yes, I already knew it would be a complete mess, since you wanted to come with one person and I with another, but I think you can fix it in time - she said looking back at me.

- I don't know Angie, just with a Time-Turner and a little bit of luck, then I would be able to ask him to come with me. 

- It was wrong but I just overheard him saying something to Jorge, he said he wanted to invite you. I was noticing for a while, I was pretty sure he liked you and I just had the proof - she said with a small smile and then immediately took my hand and continued - I don't want to see you two suffering.

 I barely knew what to say so I preferred to demonstrate it in the best way I could, that is, with a hug even though it wasn't much of a hug most of the time. 

 

- Thank you for telling me but I think I'll be forced to steal your date now - I replied with a small smile and stepped back from her. 

- Someday I'll forgive you for that, but this conversation is for later - she winked at me and walked away to the other side of the party. 

 I took a deep breath and as soon as I looked back in the direction where the twins were talking, I realized that there was no one there anymore and I couldn't help being disappointed. 

- Looking for me, love?? - a voice well known to me spoke at a minimum distance from my back and I immediately turned around.

- Actually, yes, but you came here, so it must be important - I replied with a smile without being affected by his proximity, since it was not uncommon for him to try to frustrate me with this type of provocation.

- Since when is something I have to say unimportant ?? - he spoke in an indignant voice but his smile denounced him - let's go for a walk, what do you think? It’s too full here - he said and then held my hand, how could I refuse such a request? 

 I just nodded and then we left the Hall, walked, still holding hands, to the garden. I am sure that did not fail to pass through the attentive eyes of my friends, but it was not the time to think about that. 

- I know we've only really known each other this year - he started talking and then stopped walking - but I really started to like you a lot - his voice were softer and even a little uncertain. 

- Of course, we all became fast friends - I replied with a satisfied smile, maybe it was mean but I was loving this moment and I didn't want it to end so quickly.

 He looked away and took a deep breath before looking back into my eyes with a lighter expression.

- You're having fun, aren't you? It's pretty funny, isn't it? - He asked and I could see his eyes shine, the kind of glow that appears when he has just made a prank. 

- Yes I am. How could I not be when I left Fred Flirt Weasley frustrated? - I replied holding the desire to laugh, for the situation and the new nickname I invented. 

- I had a much more fun idea, love, you'll like it - he said confidently.

 Before I could ask what it was, one of his hands found my face and the other on my waist, pulling me closer. A second later we were giving our first kiss, the first of many to come.

Harry Potter Masterlist

[shra-vasti]

Second life

Pairing : Lee Seokmin x reader

Type : Soulmate au, reincarnation au, idol au.

Genre : angst, fluff

Warning : mention of death in previous life.

Word count : 2-3k approx

Soulmate au type : In which when you make eye contact with your soulmate, the world stops and you get to witness the most memorable event of their previous life.

A sigh left your mouth forming a patternless cloud, wearily telling you the arrival of the season of chirstmas. Your gaze was on the streetlights that shined oh so brightly and the ground covered with thin layer of snow. You could see people walking to their respective destinations as they piled themselves with additive layers of clothings. They seemed to enjoy themselves unlike you.

You, who was sitting on your bumped out window seat with your favourite novel in your one hand, the other holding a warm cup of coffee which is already half empty and a soft blanket splayed on your legs although the heater is on. The winter's chillness still somehow ran through your body, you always failed to cope up with winter dispite it being your favorite season. But here you were in your maternal grandmom's house in Korea feeling loneliest you have ever felt.

Winter was your favorite season mainly because of chirstmas and the joyous atmosphere the occasion created. You loved chirstmas, you always look forward to it because you get to roam around the world during this time. Every year you celebrate Christmas in some new country, it started with your parents taking you to vacations for the grand holiday and ended up with you still carrying on the tradition of celebrating Christmas every year in a new country, a tradition long forgotten by your parents because of their work.

This time it was different, although you never celebrated your Christmas in Korea you came here this time mainly because your parents wanted you to spend some time with your grandparents and also to distract you from your thoughts for a while. Thoughts of never being able to find your soulmate. It haunted you because you didn't have any soulmark on your body, neither you had counter nor any sign of their name or you stopped aging. It pained you, watching your friends getting their soulmate mark and some of them already finding them.

You envied them, they had something which you failed to have. Your eye color didn't change and your vision was still the same and the thoughts of not having a soulmate and living your life alone made your heart ache. It wasn't that you hated the idea of being alone but just like others you wanted to feel loved by your significant other. But you didn't have a soulmark and it terrified you.

As time passed the thoughts made you more sad and the fact that majority of your friends were now with their soulmate enjoying their first chirstmas or second one together made you feel vulnerable. This was the first time you weren't smiling or feeling the hype of chirstmas you always felt. Your sadness didn't get unnoticed by your parents who were also soulmates, they understand where you were coming from so they insisted you to spend your chirstmas with your grandparents instead.

You sighed to yourself deciding it was the best if you have a walk outside in the street to keep your mind from wondering. You changed up you clothes into some more warm clothing and head down to inform your grandma that you'll head out for a while. As soon as your feet landed outside the door the chillness of the surrounding, although mild, hit your face making you put your hand in your coat pocket and ultimately taunting you to go back inside the comfort of your room.

Your feet started moving, the destination still unknown but it wasn't like you were supposed to be anywhere right now. Your head was down, cheeks red and hair moving in the most imperfect way forcing your hand to come out of your coat pocket and tuck them behind.

Your steps started slowing down and you look up taking in your surrounding. There were many open shops, selling all of the things required to make your chirstmas merry. So many children with their parents enthusiastically shopping for the holiday, there were food stalls making your stomach grumble but that wasn't the thing to be concerned about at the moment considering you have never being to this place.

You took in your surroundings and turn your head in different direction to see if you remember at least one way out and anxiety started creeping inside you when you realize you were lost.

Panicking you threw your gaze across the street to find at least a bus station only for you to stop when your eyes locked with a stranger who wore a mask which was lowered till his chin, hands cladded in his jeans and a jacket as his honey eyes stared back at you. You felt as if your heart would burst and before you could do anything your vision blurred and everything stopped.

▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️

"Yah Dokyeom where are you taking me?" you heard a voice followed by a loud giggle, you positioned yourself in such a way that you could at least get a glimpse of the owner of the voices.

Your vision steadied and confusion crept inside you when you realized you weren't in the place you were a few minutes ago. You look around to see you have been to some sort of lounge? You quickly hide yourself behind the decorative bush when you heard some noises coming in your direction.

"Just a little bit more." the guy whom you assume was Dokyeom replied.

You squit your eyes to have a better look as he opened the blind fold to the person in front of him. Your eyes widened as you looked at the person accompanying Dokyeom, who looked exactly like you.

You got to have a better look at Dokyeom to realize that he was the same guy with whom you have locked eyes before getting transferred to this place and then it clicked you. You have heard about the stories about meeting your soulmate and being able to experience an event of their previous life. Maybe that guy across the street was your soulmate and here you were witnessing one of the most memorable event of his life.

That wasn't much of a shock to you but the fact that you were also soulmates in your past life made your heart warm and full of love. You shook your head as you tried to think about this soulmate bond more, are you invisible in front of them or they were able to see you were some question dancing across you mind.

A sudden blasting of Balloon scared you and you lost your balance making a loud noise panicking you look towards your past self and dokyeom to see if they noticed but they didn't confirming that they can't see you.

A smile plastered across your face as you made your way towards them to witness the event closely.

"Happy 5 year anniversary." Dokyeom said as he tucked your past self's hair behind the ear and kissed the forehead.

"Happy 5 hear anniversary to you too but you didn't have to do something so extravagant." you found yourself saying as you hugged him tightly.

He shook his head at that taking your hand and leading you towards the dinner table to cut the cake.

You felt yourself smiling as you witnessed everything. The way both of you looked at each other full of love, the way you both shared you smiles whenever you made an eye contact made you realize that you weren't meant to be lonely, that you have been blessed with this amazing person even in your past life and you bet he was as sweet as he was before in his current life too.

The celebration was over, but Dokyeom looked a bit too nervous as you saw him get on one knee when you were not looking towards him and you heard yourself gasped as you finally noticed him. A big smile mixed with nervousness and eyes filled with adoration on his face as he pulled a velvet box out asking if you would like to have a forever with him. You could feel your eyes tear as he put the ring on your left finger, you witnessed everything and you were more than overwhelmed that you were present in his past life's most memorable event.

You shook your head for spacing out like that and made a run towards where you and him were heading. You didn't know when the event will head so that you would be back in your present timezone so you decided to follow them till to are transferred back in your present.

You sat at the back of car witnessing your past self flirting and chatting happily. The car stopped at the green signal and you fiddled with your hands thinking as to why you were still in this time zone. Were you stuck?

A loud screaming could be heard followed by a loud crashing sound making the car flip for a couple of time before finally coming into a halt.

"Babe?" you checked yourself to see you were alright and weren't hurt but when you looked towards Dokyeom and yourself you were sure your past self has stopped breathing.

"Yah wake up, babe?" there was so much blood on your face and on his hands as he tried to slap your face lightly a few time but when you didn't he broke down. You felt your heart break and you look towards his vulnerable state. You guys were engaged before you died.

After a couple of minutes the cries completely stopped, you made your way outside of the car and opened the car door of the driver's side shaking Dokyeom as much as you could but he wasn't alive you conclude, even if he was he wouldn't have been able to hear you anyway.

You got up as sirens started blasting and ran away from the car only for it to blast and create a giant explosion and your vision blurred once again.

▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️▫️

You gasped because of the suddenness of everything and you fell on your knees trying to make your breathing normal. A pair of shoes stopped right in front of you as you look up.

"You alright?" he asked asked as he kneeled in front of you taking your face in both of his hands and scanning your face in concern.

"Dokyeom?" you whispered to which he chuckled shaking his head.

"Dokyeom it is, but I would prefer if you call me Seokmin that's my real name." he said as he raise his eyebrows silently asking you for your name. You told him your name after that clutching on his jacket tightly as if he was going to disappear.

"Did you see the same glimpse as I did of....of us dying?" you questioned with him nodding his head vigorously at that. You chuckled at his antics and hugged him tightly.

He returned the hug with as much passion voluntarily hiding his face inside the mask once he realized he was on the street full of people. You threw a confused gaze at him for wearing his mask as he pulled you up and lead you towards a more scheduled area where there were less people.

"You see I'm a member of Seventeen, a kpop boy group and people here might recognize me therefore I put on my mask." he explained.

"It's okay. Might as well get into some new music from now on." you laughed as he hugged you again, inhaling your scent.

"You know I was so scared that I didn't have any soulmate casue majority of my members had some or the other soulmark except for me and I was terrified thinking I would never meet you." he confessed.

"I used to cry myself to sleep thinking the same but not now. Now I know that you are here, you were always here and I'm so glad to have met you once again in this life." you sighed.

You met him and suddenly you knew which was the best chirstmas of your life. You were glad that your parents sent you here, you were glad you decided to take a walk, you were glad you were lost. This is how destiny works. It works magic you thought smiling to yourself.

"It's getting late I should head home now, my grandparents must be worrying." you told him pouting.

"I'll drop you home." he said as he intertwined your hands with his. You nodded at him as you told him your address and started walking with him.

You were glad that you had him. He was yours and he was perfect. Whatever insecurities you had completely vanished as you walked with him. It was fate that brought you two together and you were thankful for that.

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"Even if a second life that’s different from now comes to me, the one thing I can say is that I’m going to be by your side. On a sudden day when I’m left alone I’ll take my steps towards you again."

[bluerosewritings]

Gamer Hugs | Idia x Reader

How Ignihyde had managed to have so many students who were good with technology and machinery yet were all seemingly incapable of creating some decent A/C, you'd never known. Shrugging off your school blazer and unbuttoning the first few buttons on your shirt seemed to do nothing. You were pulled out of your lament at the sound of an enraged yell. Idia had already entered rage gamer mode, unfortunately. Souls of Dark must really be living up to its 'hardest game ever' reputation.

Laying out on the dorm head's bed, you mostly tuned out Idia's rants on the absurd difficulty level of the first boss. Idia had invited you over to his room to test out games with him again - since the newest one was a solo game, the two of you decided to alternate every half an hour or so. You'd mainly spent up your first lot of time designing the avatar. You pursed your lips in regret, doubting you'd get the controller any time soon, if at all for the rest of the night.

That was only the first half of the downfall of Idia's gamer rage (the upside being the amusement of watching your usually awkward friend turning into someone who could rival an Overblotted person in anger). The second half was how his flame hair would unfortunately quickly shift from a calm blue to an enraged red the angrier he got, heating up the room the two of you were in. You hadn't minded during the autumn/winter season - if anything, you egged him on for more warmth - but now it was rolling into summer. Add that to the already ridiculous heat of Ignihyde and the lack of windows the dorm room had to open and you were in one of the most painful situations of your life.

It wasn't like you could just ask Idia to chill either. Last time he'd gotten annoyed over a game - weirdly enough being over Cooking Papa - and you'd told him to calm down, he'd given you a minute long high-speed lecture about how he couldn't do that because of this [beep] of a [beep] cooking instructor that couldn't [beep] even [beep] do his [beep] of a job right, like a [beeeeeep]. You'd had to concede defeat to make him stop - and if that was his reaction from Cooking Papa, how bad would it be from Souls of Dark?

At least when he was his awkward self Idia would somewhat listen (even if he usually misinterpreted what you said). Not that there was any way to make him switch back...

...or was there?

It was a bit of a gamble, but hey, you'd try anything at this point. Swinging your legs round, you looked at Idia's hair. Weirdly enough, even when it was slowly heating up like right now, it never seemed to be able to actually burn anything (learnt from a somewhat traumatic experience that Idia still gives you apology candy over). Still, you didn't want to take any chances.

"Idia?" You called.

The dorm head whipped round, eyes glowing in annoyance. "What- EH!?"

The squeal of surprise that came from the dorm head was, you thought happily, entirely your fault. Once he was facing you, you'd pushed yourself off of the bed and wrapped both your arms around his neck, your sleeves now rolled up so it was skin touching skin. Your knees were either side of Idia's, looking somewhat like you were straddling him.

"(y-(y-(y-(y-(y-(y/n)!?" Idia stuttered, somehow both frozen and shaking in surprise. "W-W-What are y-y-y-you...!?"

"Have you calmed down now?" You asked, keeping your chin on his shoulder to hide your growing smirk.

"C-Calmed down...?"

"Last time you went rage gamer mode, you chewed my ear off when I tried to calm you down." You told him. "I figured this would be more effective."

"O-Oh..." Idia's shocked expression turned into a sad one. "Of course... not like you'd want to hug me normally..."

Your smile instantly turned into a frown. You pulled your head back to look at him properly. Well, as properly as you could - the second the two of you made eye contact, he looked away in either shame or embarrassment. You moved you head again, straining your neck so you were at least somewhat looking him in the eye. He closed his eyes instead.

"Why wouldn't I want to hug you?" You asked him.

"Eh?" Idia finally looked you in the eye out of surprise. "Well, because no one really does... except from Ortho, but..."

"I wouldn't mind hugging you, Idia. I don't - I wouldn't be hugging you right now if I didn't want to."

"But you were just doing it to get my attention... it's fine, you don't have to spare my feelings... 2D hugs are all I need, after all..."

Guessing that words wouldn't convince him, you took your arms away from around Idia's neck. Idia breathed a momentary sigh of relief - momentary being the keyword, as his heart rate immediately began spiking again once you started unzipping his jacket.

Red spread across the pale boy’s face, reaching all the way up to his ears. "Wait, wait, wait! (y/n), this is too fast! Please, if you continue, my heart might...!"

Idia desperately tried to figure out a way convince you not to do what he was expecting. Apologise for raging? That was what got you angry in the first place, right? But then what if they were angry because Idia had sounded rude about the hug? He'd appreciated it! Really! Hugging someone 3D instead of clicking the option to hug his favourite character in an otome game or even hugging his body pillows had somehow felt amazing for a change! He'd even say he loved it! But, if (y/n) moved things on this fast, his heart might - no, it would definitely explode! So...!

"Idia?"

Idia didn't even notice you'd moved closer to him. Looking down, he saw you looking up innocently at him, sitting on his lap inside of his jacket and laying your head against his chest.

"I was gonna take your jacket off, but your arms were too stiff to take the sleeves off." You said, poking the top of his arm.

"O-Oh..." So you weren't going to do what he thought... wait, why was he disappointed!?

"You're really comfy, by the way," you continued, "What's your shirt made of?"

"Uh, I don't know..."

Then again, taking another glance down at you... this situation was kinda similar to one from an otome game, wasn't it? Where the love interest would accidentally trip into the MC's chest and stay there for a time longer than what normies usually would, or the love interest would snuggle into the MC for a hug for one of the standout cheesy moments accompanied with a CG... the more Idia thought about, the more his disappointment evaporated. Now the idea was in his head, though, he really wanted to hug you back...

"Oh, you dropped this." Your words snapped him out of his second trance.

You handed him his controller, then turned your attention towards the modified screen he'd built for his gaming sessions. Idia took the controller with a mumbled thank you. He turned his attention to the screen too, then blinked and looked down at you.

"Um... (y/n)...?"

"Oh, sorry, am I blocking your vision?" You shuffled down in his lap, resting the top of your head just below Idia's chin.

"Er, no, that's not what I... a-aren't you going to move?"

You shook your head, hair tickling Idia’s neck. "Nope."

"N-Nope!?"

You looked up at him with determination in your eyes. "You said I wouldn't want to hug you, so the rest of the time we're hanging out together, I'm gonna hug you. Okay?"

"O-Okay... wait, no, that's-!"

"C'mon," you pouted, "I promise not to backseat game too much!"

You let out a little laugh. Though Idia’s cheeks had somewhat cooled down, the happy noise escaping your lips was enough to dust them pink again. Well, it wasn't like he got to experience such otome-like scenarios frequently... letting just one scenario play out wasn't going to hurt him, was it?

"Fine..." Idia mumbled.

You let out a hum of approval and made yourself comfortable as Idia reloaded the checkpoint.

...

"YOU MOTHER-"

"Idia, you're going to give me heatstroke."

"S-Sorry...!"