#i seek a place to ramble merely

[i-am-but-a-beta-fish]

something about the fact that so many players think (understandably) that ghost is the eponymous hollow knight until they're confronted directly with their existence. your protagonist is the knight—not the hollow knight, just the Knight. like the game is quietly saying, "this one isn't hollow." and then you get further, and you learn more, and by the time you've reached The Hollow knight, you've realized that oh, this one isn't either.

[evvlogetarian]

Grossly personal posting again sighs... but I can't believe tmrw/the 2nd will mark one year since my grandma died. I was feeling okay earlier when talking to my family about it, and her death does kind of come up a lot in therapy because my grief is so different from my family's.

Like...my grandma was the first house call/removal I ever did. I bathed her postmortem, I took out all her tubes and medical devices and stitched her up. I was the last person to even *see* her before she was cremated. I still wear the pendant/her tag from the crematory on my necklace everyday.

The first year is always difficult. There's still a lot of times I find myself wanting to tell her about school or work because she was interested in my career. There's days where I want nothing more than to hug her again and catch whiffs of her perfume. Maybe tomorrow will be harder than I thought?

[hxney-lemcn]

First Kiss — Housewardens x gn! reader

summary: your first kiss with your lover.

tw: none.

a/n: teehee. Its hard for me to pick what character I wanna daydream about. Also, can you tell who my fav is? *cough* Vil *cough*

wc: 2.1k (~250 each character)

Master List

Riddle Rosehearts

The warm sun gently warmed you both. A refreshing breeze softly caressed you, Riddle’s red hair swaying gently as he took a sip of his tea. You felt more than content as Riddle’s gray-blue eyes watched you intently as you rambled about whatever carried your fancy. It was a side of Riddle that few others saw, and you were grateful that he allowed you to, that he was willing to listen to whatever nonsense you spouted. The warmth in your heart burst as he nodded, giving his two cents about the book you spoke of. By the sevens did you want to just give him a little peck. You two were dating, so there was no harm in asking…right? Although the two of you had been dating for a bit, the question had caused him to fluster greatly. Cheeks a bright red, mouth gaping, chest heaving. You should’ve expected such a reaction, it took quite a bit for him to hold your hand without shutting down. To your surprise, he gave you his consent. Leaning over, you couldn’t help but find him absolutely adorable. Eyes closed expectantly, lips pursed, cheeks red. You closed the gap, leaving a chaste kiss against his lips before pulling away. When you pulled away he seemed to look both in awe and slight disappointment. 

“As my partner, you are allowed to show me your affection in such ways, I only ask you to keep it between us. Other’s do not need to witness such acts.”

Leona Kingscholar

You were bored. Your phone could no longer hold your attention and you just wanted to do something different. Too bad you had a whole ass lion using you as his personal body pillow. You stared at the familiar ceiling of his room, contemplating on a possible way to sneak out. You loved Leona, really, you did…but your limbs were sore and you felt antsy. So, what better than poking the bear, err…lion. You found yourself brushing his hair with your hands, scratching his scalp every so often. When that no longer kept you entertained, you lightly scratched at the base of his ears. His ear twitched, but you continued with your ministrations, a smirk pulling at your lips as a deep rumble was pulled out of him. You only paused when one of his eyes glared at you. When you mentioned you were merely bored and your legs felt like needles were constantly pricking them he only rolled his eyes. Quicker than you could comprehend, he pinned you down below him with a slight huff. His green eyes stared at you for a few moments, as if he was seeking permission, and when you didn’t push him away or fight him, he leaned down, connecting your lips in a harsh kiss. He didn’t stop until you were breathless, a smug smirk filling his features.

“Is this what you wanted, herbivore? If you want to ruin my sleep then you’ll have to compensate me.”

Azul Ashengrotto

You felt like you were going crazy. Azul would take you out on fancy dates, offering you discounts (is it really a discount if you were basically eating for free?) at the Mostro Lounge, and shower you in light forms of affection (kissing the back of your hand, guiding you with a hand on your back, gentlemanly shit), yet you haven’t kissed him? Preposterous! It was proving to be a difficult task, as even though you both had been dating for a while, Azul would shy away at any form of affection you showered him with. The good news was that he had become more receptive to it, the key was you both had to be completely alone and it could only be small gestures. A small squeeze of his hand, brushing back a stray hair, hell even giving him a compliment no longer caused him to run away. Sadly, you started to feel greedy, his pink lips always seemed to taunt you, an open invitation to lean over and place your own over his. But you didn’t want to overstep any boundaries, you understood how kissing could be a big deal. There was one night, the dim lights highlighting Azul’s beautiful face as he watched you expectantly. He had you taste a new dish that he wanted to add to his menu and it just so happened to be your favorite food. As thanks, you asked him to come closer, a mischievous glint in your eyes. He did so hesitatingly, and felt himself burn up when you placed a kiss on his cheek. Then he felt like he was going to pass out as you pouted stating that you ‘missed’. Against his better judgment, he gave into your pleading, enchanting eyes, leaning in closer as you silently asked for permission. When your lips met his, he thought he was ascending to heaven.

“A-ahem, I-I’m glad to see that the d-dish was to your l-liking. I-if there’s anything else I could provide, p-please do not be afraid to ask.”

Kalim Al-Asim

It's a wonder you two haven’t kissed yet. You felt so spoiled with how much care and affection Kalim showered you with. He never failed to warm you heart whether it be from his hugs, his solutions if anything ever concerned you, or even just his smile. He was a beaming ray of sunshine, and it kind of intimidated you. Contrary to popular belief, you felt shy under Kalim’s love. You weren’t sure if you’d ever get used to the way your heart skipped a beat as he kissed your cheek or refused to let you go. Oh and not to mention the spoiling. You knew you'd never stop the prince from lavishing you with golden jewelry and gems you didn’t even want to guess how much they were worth. Honestly, it wasn’t good for your poor heart…or consciousness. So when Kalim noticed your slightly downtrodden expression at the new ring he slipped on your finger he worried. Was it not to your liking? Was the color wrong? Don’t worry! He’ll find you ten more rings that you’ll love! …why did you look even more scared at that suggestion? You deserved all this and more! Poor Kalim, he doesn’t know a world without it being at his fingertips, he can’t understand your concern. Your heart hurt at his frown, his sad eyes reminded you of a poor puppy that was kicked. With a sigh you relented, it did compliment you nicely. And so, hoping to right the wrong of making Kalim feel sad, you leaned over and gently pecked his lips. It was like nothing had occurred at all as he stared with sparkles in his eyes.

“Could we do that again? How about another? Just one more, pleeeeease~ Haha! I’m sorry, I just love you so much!”

Vil Schoenheit

It wasn’t fair how pretty and charming your boyfriend was. You wouldn’t tell him this, but he could run you over and blame you for being in the way and you’d apologize. Yeah, you were a major simp, but you really tried to be normal about it. Honestly, you weren’t sure how you managed to bag him, something about how your stupidity was frustratingly charming…in which you showed him your B in potions but he simply rolled his eyes. Aparatenly that proved his point somehow. Anyways! It was one of those rare moments of peace, the two of you watching a movie that Vil had deemed a classic. As much as you tried to pay attention (you know how annoying it is when someone scrolls on their phone during a movie you love), you kept glancing at Vil to see his reactions. You weren’t being sneaky by any means, and he wasn’t sure if he should be happy you couldn’t take your eyes off of him or annoyed that you clearly missed the symbolism that was important to understanding the plot. Yet when you pointed out something even he missed…he was secretly proud. Perhaps you were a better multitasker than you seemed because he had watched that movie plenty of times and missed such a simple thing you pointed out on first view. His heart warmed as you pointed out more details that you liked, and others you didn’t completely understand, such a simple moment, yet one he would cherish. And now he was becoming the bad one, eyes straying to your lips while trying to listen to your rambling. He truly wanted your first kiss to be romantic, in a garden with fairy lights or over a fancy dinner, but perhaps this was just as, if not more so romantic. Gently lifting your head up, your words died on your tongue as Vil’s purple eyes stared at you so lovingly. As he inched his face closer to yours, he softly asked if he could kiss you, nearly sending your heart into cardiac arrest. As his soft lips met yours, you felt true bliss for the first time, and as he pulled away with a self assured smirk, cheeks a light pink, you questioned how you managed to achieve a dream like scenario. 

“It seems like you’re becoming a bad influence, dear. You want another? Perhaps I can oblige if you can actually focus on the next movie.” 

Idia Shroud

Where do I begin? You had been with Idia for nearly a year. You both were on the shy side, getting used to such intimate touches slowly. You can successfully say that you can now hug Idia without him freaking out. In fact, he seemed to seek out your affection, albeit in a backwards way. He’d act like he hated any form of affection and then proceed to stare daggers at you like he was trying to telepathically ask you to play with his hair. True cat behavior. You showed him the joy of affection and now you had to pay the crime (you did so happily). Idia was laying on your chest playing on his handheld console, you were mindlessly playing with his hair and your eyes kept drifting from your phone to your boyfriend. He was so pretty, you never understood how he thought otherwise. From his fiery blue hair, his yellow determined eyes, to his blue tinted lips. He may be a loser otaku, but that just happened to be your type. Your hand trailed from his bright hair to his pale face, gently caressing his cheeks. He looked over at you, his cheeks turning a light pink, no matter how much love you showered him with he would never get used to the way you made his heart want to rip itself out of his chest. And…oh sevens, were you staring at his lips? Just what was going on in that mind of yours? Did…did you just ask to kiss him?! Hair burning pink and hiding his face in your neck, he felt like his brain was melting. He’s dreamt of kissing you, how soft your lips may be, the flavor of your chapstick…but actually doing it?! Was your intimacy meter high enough? His charm stats are rock bottom, would he even kiss you right? Wait! H-he didn’t say no! Please kiss him… Oh, that’s a lot better than when he practiced kissing his body pillow. Great, you’ve got him hooked all over again.

“C-could we do that…again…I-I n-need to grind to get my charm s-stats up.”

Malleus Draconia

For Vil you were the simp, well now the turns have tabled. Malleus is straight up courting you, letting you progress the relationship as you’d like. You’re only comfortable with holding hands? That’s alright, he is more than happy to oblige your requests. You enjoy being hugged? Be prepared for dragon hugs, you can’t escape. He would never push you to do anything you weren’t comfortable with. Honestly, he was expecting your first kiss to be at the altar of your wedding…yeah he’s a bit of a traditionalist. So don’t expect him to make the first move, he’s content with any and all affection you're willing to give. And poor you, you constantly found yourself with cute aggression when you’re with your boyfriend. He was just so cute! You wanted to squish his cheeks and squeeze him as tightly as possible (he wouldn’t mind, it's not like you could hurt him). You found yourself once again with a wave of cute aggression as Malleus pouted at the phone he currently held. You were teaching him how to use it and it was a bit harder than you realized. I mean even your mom got the concepts quicker than him…but you suppose your mom wasn’t a century year old fae. The feeling became so strong you couldn’t stop yourself from smushing his cheeks, causing his bright green eyes to stare at you in surprise that quickly turned into fondness. Letting your instincts fully take over, you brought his face closer, pressing your lips together. You had tried to pull away, but Malleus followed you, taking over and kissing you possessively. He wasn’t letting you go anytime soon.

“I apologize, child of man. I can’t seem to hold myself back when it comes to you.”

[emmyrosee]

Cold breath puffs out past his lips as he picks up the pay phone, slips in a quarter and dials your familiar number. Atsumu rarely calls you on his cellphone anymore, out of fear one of the times he does, you’ll block him clean from your life.

The dial tone hums three times before you show mercy and pick up the phone, interrupting the deafening line. He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, smiling softly as your voice, unsuspecting and calm, eases over the line.

“Hello?”

“Hey, baby…”

You’re silent, the only thing giving you away is the way your breathing seems to rag out, rasping softly as it passes through your teeth, a hurt you seem to try to fight back.

“Atsumu?”

The way his throat catches at the sound of his name on your voice has him completely caught off guard; aside from the fact that he hasn’t heard it in months, let alone his actual name on your tongue, just to hear your voice again makes him choke up.

“Yeah. Yeah, hey, it’s me,” he rambles, leaning against the wall of the restaurant he’s calling you at. He closes his jacket tighter around his torso, wondering if it’s warmer in your neck of the woods.

The ones he abandoned you at.

You were familiar. He needed the sense of familiarity as he travels, using you as a means to stay grounded after he abandoned you so promptly. Even right now, this wasn’t meant to destroy you, tear down the walls you’d spent years trying to mend, it was to seek comfort in you- selfish? Perhaps. But he is selfish.

He wished he could be like his brother, content with staying in one place and taking in every day with ease. But Atsumu has never been like his brother, growing far too stir crazy at the mere idea his roots might be planted somewhere, keeping him there for eternity. He doesn’t like feeling trapped, he hates it, even if feeling trapped meant he could be his happiest.

What Atsumu didn’t expect though, was for his roots to be you, the one thing he can’t sever himself from. You’re his drug of choice, his intoxication he can’t get sober from, and fuck, how he craves you.

“I’m… I’m thinking of coming back home.”

“Why?”

The way you snap at him your quick, firm answer makes his skin crawl. He’d been hoping, like a selfish idiot, that you’d somehow be excited for his return, like you had been every time he’d come home: you’d run into his arms like a missing piece, trusting him to catch you as you fall against his chest, your nose would bury into the dip of his neck while he cradles you close, kissing wherever his lips could reach and just for a moment, you both could pretend that this was normal. You’d meant to do this. Be apart for so long it tears you both inside, only for your reunion to be filled with joy and happy tears.

That this was normal, per se.

He thunks his head against the wall, sending a sharp pain through his skull, but he pays it minimal mind as he tries to conjure an argument to not make you hate him more than you already do.

“I want to see you,” he finally confesses. “I… I don’t know when I’m coming home, but it’ll be soon, okay?” He asks. When you say nothing, he closes his eyes, “can I see you?”

“You’re all talk,” you snarl, but he hears the tears in your voice. “You’re not coming home to stay, you’re coming home to get a morsel of attention and praise, then leave me again. I know that.”

He screws his eyes shut as you so clearly, so hurt, list the events that repeat every time he comes home. He wants to blame his success, chasing a high he can’t seem to find anymore, but he can. It’s a high with you, a thrill he gets when he sees your eyes glimmer with excited tears, an unparalleled sense of peace when you’re in his arms, one no person, place, or thing has been able to come close to.

But you… you were different. He loves you.

And Atsumu Miya is a runner.

“You should just keep playing house with one of your little friends that you make on the road,” you laugh cruelly. “Since they’re able to keep you much, much happier than I’ve ever been able to, clearly.”

“Hey, you wanna play the bigger person here? I never do shit with anyone when I’m out on the road, I’m loyal to you, okay?”

“My. Hero,” you spit from your gritted teeth. “You want a medal for doing below the bare minimum? Leaving me for months on end and coming back when you see fit, only to tell me you ‘stay loyal?’ You’re not loyal. You’re a coward.”

His heart breaks.

Coward. That’s what he is. He’s a coward, running from a life of comfort and stability to chase a high that he can only get in his dreams, a high that does not exist.

The closest he has, is you. And you don’t want him anymore. Rightfully so, Atsumu will give you that. But the idea, the mere concept of you not wanting him anymore sends him into a panic.

No, he thinks to himself, you’re bluffing, you’re all talk too, and the second you see him, your reserve will crumble and your heart will soften and you’ll love him again. You’ll plead for him to stay, to be with you forever, because you can make this work together.

He hopes that this time, he’ll love you enough to stay, too. He doesn’t bet on it, and the idea stings his eyes with tears. He screws them shut in agony. His root will only be severed when you do it. He hopes you do it mercifully. He hopes you’ll do it this time he comes home, setting you both free from the dance you’ve entangled yourselves in.

“I… I know im all talk,” he chokes, leaning his forehead against the brick of the wall he’s talking against. “But I… I know that we’ll be together soon. I’ll come home, and we’ll work it out this time. I swear.”

He sinks his teeth into his lip to try and fight back the sob that wants to break through. You hang up the phone, leaving only the dial tone to ring in his ear.

He smiles despite the tears welling in his eyes.

“I can’t wait until then.”

-

@reverie-starlight heres that angst I was teasing… 😬

[rainybubbles]

What hug COD men would give you ?

Ghost, Price, Soap, Gaz, Keegan

(Sorry in advance for my mistakes, English is not my mother tongue. So sorry if it's badly written or if they're OOC.)

G H O S T : Comfort hug.

You always used to jokingly ask Simon, "Want a hug?" knowing how much he detested physical contact.

He'd always respond with a firm no.

It became your way of greeting this burly soldier, a ritual of sorts.

So why... why was he now whispering those words to you?

"Need a hug?" His voice was hoarse, raspy, bearing the marks of too many cigarettes and too much silence. Yet there was an unexpected warmth in it, a warmth that could thaw you.

"No." you said.

Cold and trembling, with lips turning blue and tears welling in your eyes, you were at your breaking point.

It started with a soldier's criticism, then your chief's belittling of your work, followed by a letter from your mom, a malfunctioning oven, and a stubborn onion. It all culminated in your retreat to the cold room, seeking solace, seeking release.

But the door was jammed, leaving you alone in your despair. What a pathetic demise for a cook. Yet Ghost, ever watchful, came to your rescue, finding you in your distress. And in that moment, he echoed your jest.

"Need a hug?" he repeated.

You nodded. He knelt beside you, gathering you in his arms, offering not just his warmth but also solace. Your arms instinctively wrapped around him.

"I'm sorry," you whispered.

"It's okay."

"The lock, it—"

"For everything."

"Do I look that awful?"

"Yeah."

"You're supposed to say no."

"Not a liar, darling."

"Not a hugger either, but here you are."

"You're the exception, I suppose."

You were.

What you initially thought were mere circumstances now seemed to hold a deeper truth.

And the next day, when you initiated your ritual greeting with "Need a hug?" Simon's response of "maybe" signaled a shift in your dynamic.

________________________________

SOAP : "I'm home in your arms" hug.

He always gives hugs.

Soap is a very physical person; you knew that even though you were just a friend of a friend. You never dared to speak to him much, too shy. He seemed like a sun.

At gatherings, you were always quiet, so you weren’t sure if he remembered your name.

But he always had his eyes on you, always had his hug for you, and when nobody listened to your ramblings, he was there asking you to continue.

It was a silly crush; his hugs were something you secretly enjoyed. A thing, a treat for your heart, even though you knew it wouldn’t be more.

So when you opened your door, expecting it to be the delivery man from something you ordered online or maybe some important packages to sign, but…

You got bumped into.

You fell with the strength of the stranger’s hug until you recognized the mohawk.

“John?”

“Sorry, I got carried away,” he said, helping you up.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m the one who needed a place. Mancy asked you, right?”

You remembered.

Mancy had asked if her friend could stay at your place for one week.

You didn’t know it would be John.

“Oh, yeah.”

“You don’t seem happy.”

“Well, if you hug me so hard I’ll fall every day, then no.”

He chuckled.

“It’s because I’ve missed you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, after three months without your pretty smile, a man goes insane.”

“My dad lives just fine without it.”

“True, but he’s a moron. I’m not. Now give me a hug.”

“Okay.”

And you did.

Gently, you noticed his hands around your waist, the way he slowly soothed his breath.

You didn’t know, but the only thought Johnny had in mind was, “I’m home.”

____________________________

GAZ : "I'm sorry" hug

The TV droned on in the background, but your gaze couldn't focus on it. Your stomach was tied in knots, and you felt utterly lost. 

The argument had been trivial, blown out of proportion by fatigue and frustration. You and Kyle were both drained, and the clash of tempers only fueled the misunderstanding, escalating it into a full-blown confrontation.

Now, you found yourself at a loss for what to do next. Kyle had stormed off for a walk, his usual retreat during tough times. But this time, his absence felt like an eternity.

You knew you could reach out, ask him where he was, beg him to come back. Yet, your stubborn pride held you back.

Was it pride or fear? Fear that he wouldn't return?

The nagging voice in your head echoed the doubts others had planted—that you weren't good enough for him, not pretty enough, not kind enough. You felt inadequate, unworthy of his love.

Your eyes stung with unshed tears, your nose tingling with the threat of more to come. It felt absurd to be sitting here, watching a documentary while your relationship teetered on the brink of collapse.

Your eyes stung with unshed tears as you sat there, watching a documentary you couldn't even comprehend. 

When the door finally creaked open, your heart leaped into your throat, memories of past confrontations resurfacing. But the footsteps that followed were hesitant, tentative.

Turning slowly, you found Kyle standing there, mirroring your own disheveled state. Puffy eyes and tear-streaked cheeks spoke volumes of his own internal struggle.

Standing up, you met his gaze, unsure of what to say or do.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible amidst the silence that enveloped you both.

"Me too," you replied, your own voice catching in your throat. "It was foolish of me to let my anger get the better of me."

"I agree," he murmured, stepping closer. "We need to find a better way to communicate, darling."

"Yeah, and maybe get some sleep," you added, a faint smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

"Definitely," he whispered, extending his hand towards you.

You took it, feeling the warmth of his touch, and allowed him to pull you into an embrace. In that moment, words became superfluous as you both sought solace in each other's arms, tears mingling and laughter bubbling forth.

"I feel ridiculous," you admitted, your voice muffled against his chest.

"Me too," he confessed, his grip tightening around you. "But being with you makes everything better."

"Agreed," you murmured, snuggling closer.

"What if..." he began, his voice trailing off.

"What if what?" you prompted, lifting your head to meet his gaze.

"What if we can't sleep because of the neighbors?" he suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Yeah, what about them?" you replied, confused.

"Let's move out," he proposed, his eyes earnest.

"Kyle, we live in separate apartments," you reminded him, a hint of skepticism creeping into your tone.

"Then let's get a house," he persisted, his gaze unwavering. "A place where it's just you and me, lost in the forest. Our sanctuary."

"You're just saying that," you countered, though a flicker of hope ignited within you.

"I mean it," he insisted, his voice tinged with sincerity. "I want a life with you, everything included. The silly arguments, the morning wake-ups, all of it. I don't want to wait to see you, but I also don't want you living on base. A house... it's us, it's safety, it's peace, it's..."

"Commitment," you finished for him, the weight of his words settling in your heart.

"Yeah, that too," he admitted, a shy smile gracing his lips.

"Okay," you whispered, a surge of emotion welling up inside you.

"Really?" he asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Yeah," you confirmed, squeezing his hand.

He enveloped you in a tighter embrace, and in that moment, you knew that perhaps this sorry hug was the beginning of something beautiful.

________________________________

PRICE : last hug

You felt his embrace, and a smile graced your lips.

“I never pegged you as a hugger, Captain,” you remarked.

“Don’t talk, soldier,” he replied, his voice firm yet gentle.

Nevertheless, you found comfort in his arms, basking in the warmth they provided. Your consciousness nudged you to close your eyes and surrender to the moment.

“Cap, can I rest?” you inquired softly.

“Not yet,” he responded tersely.

“But why? Even ghosts nap during brief,” you persisted.

“Don’t make me spell it out,” he said, his voice trembling, tears glistening in his eyes. 

Confusion laced your whisper, “Why are you crying, Cap?”

As you attempted to step back, you felt something damp on his hands. Bringin your own hand up, you saw it- red, your blood.

Blood.

Your blood.

It wasn’t a mere cut; it was a hemorrhage.

“Why…” you began, your voice trailing off.

“Don’t give up,” he interjected, his tone weighted with understanding.

He knew. You knew.

You wouldn’t last, and the medics wouldn’t arrive in time.

“Cap, could you...hold me tighter?” you pleaded, your voice barely a whisper.

“Soldier,” he acknowledged.

“Just one last embrace, please,” you implored, a desperate longing for affection evident in your words.

Yearning for one final moment of love.

He acquiesced.

You buried your nose in his aftershave, despite the mingling scent of tobacco. Your arms savored the feel of his gear, your cheek nuzzling against his neck, the roughness of his beard against your skin.

Despite the warmth he provided, a chill crept over you. Your lips grew heavy, your eyelids too burdened to stay open.

“I'm glad it was you, Cap. Your hugs are the best,” you murmured, a serene smile gracing your lips.

With your blood staining his gear and your body cradled in his arms, he granted you your last hug, whispering your name softly.

____________

KEEGAN : "you're alive" hug

His breath came in quick, shallow gasps, his ears filled with screams. His eyes focused on Ghost’s voice, and then he saw you, lying on the ground.

What were you doing on the battlefield? You were a civilian. He sprinted towards you, but your body remained still. He reached out for your hands, but they slipped from his grasp.

Nightmare.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room. His back was drenched in sweat, his mind replaying the image of you lifeless. He couldn’t move.

Reaching for his phone, he knew he wouldn’t believe you were alive until he saw it with his own eyes. He made his way to your shared flat, knocking on your door.

As you slowly opened your bedroom door, relief washed over him. "Keegan, what the hell—" He cut you off with a tight embrace, his hands on your neck feeling the rhythm of your heartbeat. "You're alive."

"Yeah, obviously. You saw me just two hours ago, we're roommates, Keegan."

"You're alive," he repeated, his voice trembling with emotion.

Seeing his state, you melted into the hug. "You need to sleep."

"I can't."

"In my bed, you can check if I'm alive like this, okay?"

"I don't want to—"

"Keegan."

"Okay."

Slowly, he settled into your bed, your warmth comforting him. You worked on your laptop, but he didn't mind. His arms wrapped around your body, he could feel the steady beat of your heart. He knew it was his favorite sound because it meant you were alive.

"Sleep well, Keegan."

"Thanks."

And that night, he didn’t have any more nightmares, wrapped in your embrace.

If you want more : my masterlist

[patheticallyinfatuatedwithu]

hello:) could i request a oneshot of new jeans' reaction to danielle being even more smiley and just so in love with her s/o? like disgustingly so

cuz i can just imagine danielle being the type of person who just wont shut up about the person they love😭

have a great day!!

take her away, marsh danielle

hanni groans in discomfort and annoyance, seeking her given break and slumping further into her beanbag as danielle's daily rambling about you continue to grow larger and longer, maturing disgustingly sweet with each and every word. "god i just love her so much and-"

"enough, please! i can't take it anymore! my single ears can't take this much torture! i know you love her so, so much but please, tone it down a little."

danielle only smiles at the older girl in response, far too enthused with the topic of her girlfriend. "i don't think i can even if i wanted to! she's just so, so, pretty. she's perfect! she's an angel sent from heaven just for me-"

a loud shriek threatened to escape hanni, the amount of sweetness danielle exuded was too much for her to handle at once, a choked groan leaving her lips the exact same moment haerin steps outside her room.

the cat-eyed girl stands awkwardly a few feet away from them, eyes flitting across hanni and danielle, an eyebrow raising at the scene. minji joins the three, but merely walks past haerin to fetch water.

hanni's eyes widen at the sight of haerin and minji, a wide smile beginning to tug at her lips. "oh my god-" she runs up to haerin and grabs her wrists, looking at her with wide, horrified eyes. "haerin, please, please, please take dani away. i beg of you."

the latter's eyes squint at the older idol, lost. "why?"

hanni turns her head around to glance at danielle — who sat quitely on the couch with a large smile comically, before looking back at haerin. "she's done nothing but yap about y/n for the past 40 minutes."

minji watched in amusement, sipping her water as she leaned the kitchen counter. "amateur. i had to sit through 2 hours of y/n's babbling nonsense about danielle when we went shopping because dani sent her a photo in her hoodie."

hanni's eyebrows twitch in annoyance, leering at the girl. "that's not-"

the dorm room opens and danielle's head snapped to the doorway the moment her girlfriend's grumbled response to hyein's dumb question registered in her head, jumping off the couch and practically throwing herself at her lover.

you stumble back a few steps, wrapping and arm around danielle's waist to keep her grounded and stable, dropping the shopping bags on the ground with a soft thud. hyein sighs.

"i missed you." danielle mumbled against the crook of your neck, head burrowed deep as her hands stroke through your hair.

"angel, i was only gone for almost an hour." you chuckle, pressing a kiss to danielle's head, unable to reach her face due to the hug.

"an hour's too long." you start to walk towards the living room, abandoning your shopping bags and sitting down on the couch, the fellow idol straddling you and refusing to let go.

you noticed that the other members retreated back into their rooms to give the two of you privacy (they just didn't want to witness your lovey dovey session), and you couldn't help your smile to grow wider.

"wait-" you reach down your pocket, struggling to fish the small box outlined by your pants. danielle gets the memo and moves to your right side, plopping on the couch and you sigh in appreciation.

you finally manage to take the small box out, and danielle notices that it's a jewellery box. her eyes shined.

"what is it?" she questioned, receiving her answer by you placing the box gently on her palm.

"open it."

"oh my god." she lit up like a thousand suns upon laying eyes on the golden ring, running her fingertips against the sun embedded on the middle. she takes notice of the second empty slot beside where her ring lay, and she looks up at you.

you smile, understanding what she meant. you lifted your right hand and showed her your crescent moon ring on your pinky, the diamonds in your ring twinkling as if winking at her, without a doubt fitting the ring you got for her.

"you got us matching rings... y/n you didn't have to.." she whispers, and she looks so small and fragile at the moment. you nod, watching as she takes the ring off the slot and place it on her pinky.

"of course i did. you've talked about wanting matching rings now that we have matching necklaces. fits us just right, don't you think? the moon cannot live without the sun just as i cannot live without you." you whisper, caressing her cheek.

"you're cringe." she mumbles, internally screaming at your words and breaking at the seams.

"you love it."

danielle's cheeks burn a deep shade of read as her heart thumps hard against her ribcage, the overwhelming hug of your love for her is enough to make her explode. "you're the best. i love you so much."

you smile at her, pecking her cheek as you hold her hand, thumb brushing against her knuckles. "only the best for you, my love."

in hyein's shared room with you, she peeks her head out the door joined with haerin as they snap photos, giggling as they send them to hanni.

a loud muffled groan from hanni and minji's room makes hyein and haerin's giggling grow tenfold, shrieking the moment the door opens and hanni is dashing to enter the room. "let me in you little rats!"

broken records hi this is long overdue omg but happy new year to everyone😭 my ass cldnt pick between 2nd or 3rd pov😭😭

[spacexseven]

no but why is everyone so MEAN to the rat like I know he deserves it but you know maybe be a little nice??

Also imagine if god darling completely ignores him but then starts being all friendly to nikolai and sigma?

cw: yandere character, jealousy

nikolai easily catches onto your plans, especially when it concerns messing with fyodor.

he's thrilled at the realization that you were doing this on purpose, knowing the reason fyodor was looking so distressed lately was because you were refusing to entertain him even for a moment. though you never asked him to help you make him angrier, nikolai would never miss an opportunity to make the unmovable fyodor dostoevsky tremble in anger or burn with jealousy.

the best part of his plan, as he pitched it to you, was that none of this was anything new. you've always liked nikolai for his unabashed honesty, and for how unafraid he was of you. it was nice to be treated as something real, human, even. which was why you've always entertained his silly tricks and gestures, even if it meant he was splayed out on your lap and rambling about something you couldn't care all that much about. he's ready to play it up even more; if only to get on fyodor's nerves.

but it hadn't occurred to fyodor that you'd treat anyone else any more warmer than you treated him.

a strange mix of frustration, shock and a tinge of envy is all you can make out when he comes in as usual only to find nikolai wandering around your room, eagerly telling you all about his plans, and you're actually responding with "yes, nikolai," and "that sounds fun," and "i'd love to see that sometime."

here you were, having a conversation with the clown when you only ever looked at him like one would view a bug. and when he walked into the room, you didn't even spare him a glance, opting to politely clap when nikolai brings out more books from his coat.

sigma, too, had earned your favor.

it wasn't on purpose, at least not at first. sigma is hard to dislike, and harder to ignore. not when he's obviously seeking you out for help. he relies on you more than you think he should, and develops a strange attachment to you. this, too, fyodor notices. and he also notices your lack of a reaction to the fact.

the man who was merely another pawn in his plan had found himself a place by your side. a place where he could talk to you casually and you'd respond, often with some form of advice. you didn't ignore him, didn't glare when he lingered for a moment longer than he should, didn't scowl at him for talking to you or looking at you. it was everything fyodor yearned to have with you, even if he forced himself to be satisfied with the meager offerings he had now

it was quite clear that you were playing favourites.

fyodor is above whining or crying, but he wasn't just going to accept the situation. for one, he sends nikolai away and keeps sigma busy with the casino. and then, he considers changing his approach. was it his plans you disliked? but when nikolai told you all about his homicidal plans, you nodded along, never once complaining. then, was it him you disliked? he thinks back to your initial meeting—you had seemed a lot calmer, then. a lot more receptive to his ideas. you were curious about him, at least, weren't you? so was it the way he treated you that you disliked? the huge distance and enormous respect, the impossible expectations he had of you. or maybe, you just didn't want to play god in his plans. except...he couldn't have that. not when everything he was doing was for you, your lost glory, your forgotten name.

if you knew that he'd do anything to earn back your favor, then, would you finally spare him some time?

[krysmcscience]

Oh, hey, remember these cute lil kiddos who totally aren't evil or anything?

Yeah, they're in color now. And still very much actually evil.

pay no mind to the lazy background behind the orphans

Some more headcanon rambles under the cut:

Prior deets are here.

I've thought a little bit more about each Bishop's backstory kinda? But not too much - mostly just deciding how they met, and having fun assigning deaths to their families to allow for a continued cycle of abuse (in a sense). Each of the Bishops' families died in a way that relates to their eventual domains as gods, enabling them to lash out at others with the very things that left them as orphans. Because I'm nice to characters like that. And by nice I mean horrible. :D

Shamura:

Shamura's parents were already part of a cult, and had learned too much about a group of enemy heretics they'd been spying on, and thus their rather large family was slaughtered alongside the rest of the family's cult in the midst of the ongoing war. Shamura had been away to run an errand before the attack, and thus was unable to do anything about it (in parallel to how they did very little to protect their siblings from both Narinder and the Lamb). They were very close to their family, and the loss drove them to start finding new family in the form of other orphans they came across. It wasn't just the four who became their adopted siblings, but the others either did not survive, or simply couldn't keep up with Shamura's ambitions - to end the gods whose followers took up arms and cut down everyone Shamura knew.

Throughout their journeys, they intensely studied the ways of war, weaponry, and spellcasting, particularly curses; because, after all, gods could hardly be killed with mere mortal weapons. They also researched a great deal into the gods' crowns, as well as certain immortal entities who weren't quite gods, as the three birds seemed strangely neutral, and amenable to helping anyone who crossed their paths, all without asking for anything in return. Shamura's studies and research grew much easier once they met Kallamar, due to the circumstances of his upbringing.

Kallamar:

Kallamar's well-off but isolated family was wiped out by disease, spread intentionally by those who wanted to quickly wipe out proclaimed heretics, and Kallamar himself nearly died from the sickness, as well. He was found by Shamura, who had only been intending to rob the manor he lived in, but offered to nurse him back to health if he would grant them use of the place as a base of operations. He agreed, so Shamura did as they offered, with some assistance from their entourage, which by that time already included Heket.

Once Kallamar was on the mend, he was informed of precisely who was responsible for the obliteration of his family. He chose to join Shamura's group in seeking vengeance, and began to learn how to utilize various weapons from them. Due to his cowardly tendencies, though, on his own time, he focused more on subtler methods that he could use up until being backed into a corner - poisons, mainly, before expanding to contagions created from a mix of curses and natural elements. Kallamar's manor remained a base of operations for the siblings up until the beginnings of the Old Faith were established, and their respective temples constructed.

Heket:

Heket was an only child, and her parents both starved to death; they were farmers whose livestock died out across several consecutive crop failures. Those failures were made worse by intentional sabotage from several feuding cults situated nearby, as none of them wanted to risk letting their enemies barter for critical food supplies. Heket managed to survive by consuming her own parents' bodies, as well as those of dead cultists she came across while trying to go on living as close to normally as she could, though when it was realized that she was alone, her home was invaded while she was out looking for more food. Furious at the audacity, she torched the place with the interlopers still inside, and set out in search of a new home - and more food, which she was not picky about.

She would steal anything she could to eat from campsites and cult grounds, and for good measure, she would set anything she couldn't carry with her ablaze before moving on - equal parts distraction and a means to starve out potential enemies. She crossed paths with Shamura by chance - alone - and attempted to rob them of their food. They were more clever than she expected, though, and by now already used to desperately hungry orphans trying to nick a meal. To her surprise, Shamura invited her to eat with their small group, and between the food and the talk of bringing down the many warring cults one by own, Heket decided to continue traveling with Shamura - whether they wanted her to or not. Fortunately, they did, as she was already quickly learning the tricks to thievery, and had a knack for utilizing explosives. (I will die on this hill. She blew me up so many times, Kallamar had nothing on her.)

Leshy:

Leshy's nomadic family was killed in a freak accident - a lightning strike right in the middle of a random ambush by traveling cultists. Being little more than a toddler, Leshy initially survived by burrowing out of sight, and then by disarming the attackers with how deceptively cute he looked. On a whim, one of the cultists decided to try to indoctrinate him, and he was carried along with the group until nightfall - after which, in a fit of pure unhinged toddler fury, he wrecked their campsite AND their faces before fleeing underground. He survived just short of feral for a while, catching his food (animals and people) in the pit traps he'd learned to make from his family. After that, he wound up wandering close enough to Kallamar's manor to spot a group of kids heading inside, and decided to be the little menace he is.

He started off digging traps around the manor - and definitely ate at least one of the orphan kids - before graduating to breaking and entering. He nicked food, toys, and/or weapons each time, mostly just for the fun of it, before Shamura eventually managed to catch Leshy in a trap he couldn't burrow or bite his way out of (and his cute puppy eyes were not going to work on them anymore - not after the first two dozen times). Kallamar attempted to make Leshy fix all that he'd broken in the manor, as well as return everything he'd stolen, with very minimal success. Heket wound up being the one to bring Leshy more or less to heel, mostly by feeding him and showing off all the cool ways she could blow things up, which he found entertaining enough to become slightly more bearable around other people. For a long time, however, having him around was more or less like living with a half-feral and all-manic hyperactive animal without any concept of or care for social niceties. Kallamar did not appreciate all the property damage, but conceded to Shamura's certainty that Leshy's...unique skillset would be useful going forward. (Naturally, they were not wrong.)

Narinder:

In keeping with parallels - more than one this time, even - Narinder attacked and killed his own family. Eventually, at least, and as retribution, because his parents saw him as the runt of the litter, too needy and not worth the effort it would take to keep him alive. He was not merely abandoned, but sold off for a pittance to cultists, who wanted to sacrifice him to the then-god of death. Being as small as he was at the time, however, he was able to squeeze out of his shackles and wriggle from his chains on the way to the cult's ritual grounds, sneaking away while his captors were distracted. He did not go far, however - he was too furious with them for that. He trailed after them, instead, waiting until nightfall, and strangled the leader in their sleep with the very chains they'd put on him, before cutting the throats of the rest of the sleeping cultists. He then attempted to track down his traitorous family by following scent trails, but was soon thwarted by a downpour. Still, he vowed to find them one day, and sacrifice them the same way he would have been had he not escaped.

The deets for his meeting his siblings are in the prior post, so that really just leaves his family's deaths. After Shamura began their rise to power, their growing influence - along with help from the other siblings - made it easy for Narinder to discover where his parents and littermates had taken refuge. With his own influence in Shamura's budding cult, he faced no issues with ordering his "family" to be brought to him for sacrifice, though he did briefly fly off the handle and cut down his father for being the one to suggest selling the runt. Speaking of which - Narinder was quite delighted to let his so-called family see how much bigger he was than all of them by that point. He was equally delighted to behead every last family member himself, and to desecrate their remains by putting various pieces of them on display around the cult grounds. I'd say his adoptive siblings were disturbed by this, but. Obviously, every last one is fucked up enough to where we all know they weren't. <:]

At some point I'll share the toxic obsessive Narilamb AU that draws from this backstory, lmao, but for now I need to sleep. X_X;

[silverschaos]

bite my tongue / tate langdon.

Pairing: Tate Langdon x Reader Description: You turn into a flirt and Tate apparently has an issue with that. Warnings: mentions of murder (more specifically tate wanting to murder someone 💀), mentions of death. Word Count: 1290 A/N: listen ive never wrote tate before and i wasn't gonna but im in my ahs rewatch era and... this happened. i also ramble a lot. sry. apparently i need a backstory for everything and dont know how to end things 😩

The thing was you'd been stuck in this house for years. Years upon years and you were starting to get bored. So bored that you'd decided to seek out some 'fun' as you called it. Did that fun consist of trying to find someone in the house that you could spend some time with? It sure did but what else was there to do? You couldn't leave, you couldn't go out and live the normal life that'd you'd planned before you'd met your untimely demise so the house and its inhabitants were all you had to occupy your time with. It wasn't like you were seeking to sleep with anyone. Just a little flirt here and there but it was enough to make your best friend - Tate Langdon - furious.

This wasn't you. You didn't do things like this. That was why Tate liked you. You were everything he wasn't. You were good, you were kind, you liked to see the best in people. As long as he'd known you, he'd never seen you this way.

Tate was at his wits end when he saw you flirting with his mom's old boyfriend. What was his name again? Travis. That was it. Tate had never been a fan. Not that he cared who his mother dated. He didn't in the slightest but he cared about who you were messing around with. It seemed like you'd taken a shine to Travis. The mere thought of that stirred up the rage swirling within him. Was there a way to kill someone that was already dead?

"Why do you care who she spends her time with anyway?" Hayden asked him one day when he stood watching you laughing at something Travis said.

"Because she's my best friend."

"Best friend? Okay, sure."

Tate rounded on Hayden, an accusatory brow raised. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," Hayden laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

Weeks passed and it was getting harder and harder for Tate to not say anything. It was driving him crazy. Well crazier than he already was. His jaw clenched as he watched you flirty place your hand on Travis' chest. That rage flared within him again -- imagining a thousand different ways he'd kill Travis if he was actually still alive.

Meanwhile, you were oblivious to Tate's inner turmoil. Travis was fun, he made you laugh and maybe, besides Tate, he was the only decent looking one in the house. Minus Ben but he was about thirty years older than you and the thought alone made you want to barf. That was a no-go. And, Tate, well, he was your best friend. He had been before you died and he was still now when you were both stuck in this purgatory hell of a house. Maybe once or twice you'd thought about what it'd be like to kiss him but that was it. Definitely not daily. Definitely not something you'd had dreams about. Nope.

Out of the corner of your eye, you caught Tate watching you talk to Travis. He leaned against the doorframe of the spare bedroom adorned in one of his infamous striped sweaters, his hair a mess of blonde curls. The look on his face was anything but friendly, though. It was a look you'd recognise anywhere. A look that would make a lot of people quiver in their boots but not you.

Tate had been your first friend in high school when you'd first started there. Technically, he didn't really have a say in it. For some reason the school had thought it was a good idea for him to be the one to show you around thinking it would be nice for him to talk to other students since he was often a recluse. At first, he didn't utter a word to you as he walked you around the school then he started opening up a little bit more. Soon, you found yourself seeking out his company, spending time together outside of school. He confided his secrets in you and vice versa. So, when you had the accident on his front lawn and he found you, that had been the start of his spiral. Losing his best friend like that - along with everything else he'd gone through - had been the tip of the iceberg.

He had his demons, you had yours but still even now he was the one person you knew would always be by your side. He was a terrible person - there was no doubt about that but there was also a side to him that only you knew and that was the side you hopelessly clung onto. It was why you'd defend him whenever anyone in the house started to say anything against him. The rational side of you knew they had every right to call him the names they did but your heart wouldn't have it.

Another glance in Tate's direction and you saw that he'd disappeared. Saying your goodbye to Travis, you headed out into the hallway. "Tate?"

It took a millimetre of a second before he came out of the next room, arms folded over his chest looking at you. "What?"

"Okay, wow, did someone piss in your cereal?"

"Ha ha, hilarious," he rolled his eyes at you.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?" Your eyes narrowed, folding your own arms across your chest.

Flabbergasted, Tate shook his head in disbelief that you were even asking such a question. "I can't keep biting my tongue anymore. I have to say something."

"About?"

"You! And how you're acting! Seriously, do you think I haven't noticed you throwing yourself over Travis especially? Are you just trying to make me mad? This isn't you! You don't do this. You're... you're the good one. You're the one that makes good decisions." Tate ran a hand over his face, his eyes almost pleading as he looked at you.

"Why is it any of your business who I flirt with anyway? Maybe this is me now. Maybe being stuck in this place for the rest of eternity changed me. Maybe I'm just like everyone else here." You shot back at him. Hopefully the faux confidence in your voice threw him off the fact that your dead heart was beating hard against your chest.

"Because I love you! I love you and you don't even look at me!"

That threw you off centre. Literally. You almost fell backwards, having to place a hand on the wall beside you to right yourself. All the air was knocked out of you. Surely he hadn't really just said that.

"I know you better than anyone here," Tate continued, taking a step forward. A cautious one. "You're not like anyone here. You never will be. I won't let you be. You are the only thing I care about in this forsaken place and I won't let this house ruin you like it did me. So, stop. Please, stop. I can't stand by and watch you throw yourself at everyone else when I've been right here the whole time."

Tears brimmed in your eyes when you noticed his eyes were watering, too. Tate had always been a sensitive boy. Constance always said it and you always witnessed it first hand. Seeing him cry always broke you. Taking a step forward, you place a hand gently on his cheek, wiping his eyes with the pad of your thumb.

"Okay," you said, softly. "I'll stop. For you. I'm sorry. I-I didn't know."

"S'fine."

"No, it's not. And, for the record, I think I love you, too."

And, there it was, that infamous Tate Langdon smile that you would never, ever tire of seeing. Eternity wouldn't be so bad if you saw that everyday.

[hearts4hughes]

bonfire confessions | jack hughes

lake house summers au

a/n: I tried writing more descriptively, so please lmk your opinions on this. this is the first writing for my new au, 'lake house summers'. hope you enjoy!!!

tags: @sweetestdesire @hughesluv @huggybearhughesy @michaelrikas @spideyy

as the crackling flames danced and leaped, casting a warm, golden glow on the surrounding darkness, you found yourself nestled comfortably beside your best friend, jack, by the mesmerizing bonfire. the tantalizing scent of burning wood filled the air, intermingling with the faint hints of pine and earth, creating an intoxicating aroma that enveloped both of you.

the comforting crackling and gentle rustling of leaves intertwined with the occasional whispers shared between you, creating a symphony of its own. time seemed to lose its meaning as you basked in the company of each other's presence, your bodies drawing closer, seeking comfort and connection in the soft, flickering light.

although you only arrived at the lake house last week, everything felt different. from jack’s lingering gaze on you, to the passion and love held in his voice, everything felt foreign.

you had always loved jack more than best friends should. every moment spent together became a tapestry of emotions, woven with threads of laughter, support, and an unspoken connection that surpassed mere friendship. however, it was only this summer that you felt the same love radiating off of him. as the days went on, the tension grew thicker and slowly started to suffocate the both of you. conversations between you both carried hidden meanings, disguised beneath layers of playful banter and casual laughter. you danced around the subject of your true feelings, your words laced with double entendres that only you could decipher. if you both wanted each other so badly, why couldn’t you just admit it? fear of rejection and the possibility of losing what you both held dear held you back.

in the quiet moments, as you sat snuggled together next to the warmth of the fire, the air shimmered with unspoken confessions. you turned your head to catch a glimpse of his face when your eyes met his. you exchanged knowing smiles, lips still sealed, yet to explore the uncharted territory of falling in love.

“jack,” you called to him. your voice held uncertainty and anxiety. he hummed a yes in response, looking down to you and giving you his undivided attention. “there’s something i need to tell you.”

curiosity sparkles in his eyes as you speak. still, he stayed silent, not wanting to interrupt your thoughts. your eyes quickly turned away from his and onto the ground. they stayed glued there as if you were forbidden to look away.

“we’ve been friends since i can remember. together, we’ve shared every memorable moment, every secret, and every accomplishment.” you nervously rambled. jack’s silence was the que to continue on, “what i'm trying to say is that over the years, my love for you had grown deeper than just friendship.”

he tensed behind you. he was in shock; however, not in a bad way. he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. his mouth ran dry. along with his breath, words were stuck at the back of his throat.

your gaze moved from the ground over to jack, observing his sudden tension. every single emotion raced through your body, causing a rollercoaster of both serotonin and sadness. “i’m sorry, i didn’t mean to put you on the spot. i totally get it if you don’t feel the same. this was so stupid of me to do,” you swallowed harshly, an attempt to stop the tears from brimming in your eyes.

“shit, no that’s not what i- fuck.” he stumbled on his words, unsure of how to respond and comfort you. he removed his hand from its resting place around your waist, to cover the embarrassment on his face. jack wanted to blame the fire for the sudden flush on his cheeks, but he could only blame his love for you. “y/n, i love you. i have for the longest time but i was too scared to admit it because i didn’t want to destroy our relationship.”

a wave of relief washed over you.

instead of responding with words, your lips crashed against his. softly, tentatively, your mouths came together, brushing against each other in a tender exploration. the touch was delicate, like the fluttering of a butterfly's wings, yet carried a weight of emotions that had long been suppressed. the world around you faded into a blur as the intensity of the moment consumed your senses.

time seemed to stand still as the kiss deepened, a gentle exploration evolving into a hunger that defied words. your bodies leaned into each other, seeking affirmation in this newfound intimacy.

and as you parted, breathless, your eyes met once more, reflecting a mix of wonder, excitement, and a newfound understanding. with a shared smile, you both acknowledged what had happened.

jack was the first to speak up, breaking the silence, “would you be my girlfriend?” he had never asked someone that before. it was always the other way around. additionally, he had never been with someone he truly loved and cared for.

“i thought you’d never ask,” you beamed with pride and excitement.

In that moment, a new chapter began, filled with uncertainty but also the potential for something beautiful. together, you ventured on a journey, ready to explore the depths of your connection and discover where your hearts would lead you.

[i-am-but-a-beta-fish]

fucking love the pale king. he sucks so bad. it's like if the protagonist of a greek tragedy was a bug

[gomzdrawfr]

[oc rambles - call of the ring au]

Thoughts are all over the place but this idea sprung to me from the concept in Tolkien lore where elf are immortals, but can die from several aspects (oh yeah angst ahead but with a sweet ending I promise)

One is violent physical harm, the other is grief, and the third one (which is not technically death) is fading where their body becomes less connected to the world

[I have done zero research and the following are made up other than the canon lotr lore + not proof read grammar and english are terrible + I am live writing this]

But you know how Gandalf died in lotr?? Im thinking about that and how Raven felt it

— her body shook uncontrollably as she staggers and falls to the floor, it was as if the very axis of her balance were off and her world was spinning, heavy and tight was her chest—

“Mithrandir”, she whispered out harshly, clutching her chest, it twisted and turned, a sickening feeling bubbling up from within— it claws against her rib cage, like a beast wallowing in pain and sorrow, escaping her lips as she lets out a shriek, tears streaming down her skin

“No, it can’t…i-it cannot be—he promised!“

Something something Raven gets hits with such immense grief and mourn for Price, and slowly starting fading

[making this up once again]

Raven who spent her days and night in her chambers, stood as still as a statue under the moonlight, closing her eyes as she wondered to the stars above

Those who dwindles and seek solace in a far away place often leave pieces of their souls there

Lingers in the night sky, around stars and clouds, doesn’t want to go back— to the empty room, to face the silence, the heartbreak

The fair elf lost its once witty remarks, moving along the scrolls and the great halls with no aim, fair skin as white and bright as the snow darkened to a pale, dull complexion

“Loss is so loud,” she weeps quietly, holding a shiny jewel in her palm, “I had so much I’ve yet to tell you” the Froststar glimmer between her fingers, yet it only seemed to mock her misery “should’ve given it to you, maybe it would’ve helped, but you’re ever the stubborn wizard…” The pendant shines brighter, damp and slippery, “now I tell my secrets to the stars, in hopes it may reach you”

((Froststar is just Evenstar but in ref to her name, Eira which meant snow))

Just as the days only grew impeccably longer, something changed for once. It’s the ache again, around her chest, but it wasn’t suffocating, nor was it crushing—

It’s faint, like a flutter of a moth

She gasped out, holding the pendant tightly, “Price”

Stumbles out her bed, rushed straight to Lady Laswell (Elrond), begged and asked about anything and everything, and got a confirmation that the Grey Wizard, might have returned after all

((Rejoice! She’s not going to insane after all!!!))

The exhaustion finally catching up on her as she falls into a deep slumber that night, and she doesn’t thread through the night clouds in search for stars no…

He came to her, and suddenly, she was reminded of the words from Laswell

“We do not know if he truly is back…he may return a different being, thread carefully, Raven”

Froze on the dark chasm of her dream, she stayed rooted at where she stood, and she sees it

He does look different— white, his robes and staff are white, his beard is white (and oddly rather soft looking)

Has he ascended? Or is this merely a figment of what her exhausted bird brain has conjured up as a cruel joke? He looks the same actually beside the whole white look— what’s with the get up? Isn’t Saruman the White Wizard? Wait— did he took his place—

“Eirwen”

That pulls her out of her mind, and she released a breath she didn’t know she was holding, and trembled slightly

“Mǐrathra…”

She whispers back, tearing up immediately, watching as the familiar figure strides forward, those blue eyes who she has longed to see— yet felt so different—

“Gwael nǐn…you’ve gotten thinner…”

She sniffles, sobbing a bit

“Y-you’re not real”

“But I am, I’ve come to see you…”

“Y-you— I felt it—“

“Yes…yes I was”

Price reaches forward, brushing his knuckles on her cheeks, it felt ghostly, like a wind, but it always felt warm

He was always warm

“Im sorry, meleth nǐn, you’ve suffered a lot from me…”

“N-no…i-it’s fine— I…are you back…i-is your—“ she gestured his white robes and all “what…?” Myriad of questions, yet words failed her

Price laughs quietly, gruff yet fondly, staring at her with those crinkles around the corner of his eyes

“You need not think about those…” leans forward and presses his ghostly palm over her chest, and for a moment she felt it, the warmth seeping into her cold, frail body

“I will see you soon, so please…” his palm wafts through her chest, as if he was reaching out for her and held it dearly

“Keep that heart beating for me”

—she wakes up with her face wet once more, but not with an empty, void in her chest, as her heart beats once more

((Eirwen is her Sindarin name, literally it means white snow, Mǐrathra meant jewel, theres no direct translation for Price so this will do))

((Gwaleth nǐn: my bird, meleth nǐn: my love))

Anyhoo that’s basically the gist of it HDJFJSHS sorry if its messy as hell and the format’s weird, but yeah Raven nearly dying and fading from grief but Price returns and yippiieeee

[cursedcola]

I loved the ask about them watching you sleep with a plushie! Could you do the same with Azul, Vil and Jamil, please?

A/N: At last, it is time to wrap up this series. Many months later after I completely forgot about it lol (but who says there is a time limit on progress? Not me). I hope you both like this conclusion!

Azul and Trey can be found in pt. 2. Everyone else is below the cut!

Links: pt.1 ; pt. 2

Jamil Viper

A heart

There’s nothing like a morning run to boost morale!

Or in Jamil’s case, his sanity. The time he spends at clubs and doing athletics has become his outlet over the years. A place to vent his frustrations without having to do so verbally. If he doesn’t get these moments then he would have snapped long ago

It’s also important to keep your mind and body healthy. The last thing he needs is Kalim outdoing him while he wasn’t holding back - that would be humiliating

Which is why he is mildly sympathetic when you ask him to let you join in occasionally. A basketball match here, a jog there, a hike once in a while, maybe some footwork practice for dancing at future events. You merely want some fun outside of your usual chaotic life that has zero chance of getting you expelled. He gets it.

Please stop rambling in his ear. He isn’t going to say no but you’re stressing him out

If it was anyone else he would have instantly declined. For you? He agrees, but for more selfish reasons than your health

He just wants to see your ‘friends’ suffer with their precious prefect taken away. If you’re with Jamil then he demands your full focus. If this was a game, no side characters are allowed in his love events

He doesn’t wan’t to share teehee and it is absolutely gratifying to watch your little first year possey deflate in rejection. All because you’ve set aside time for him and no one else

It gets better. He gets your attention and free entertainment. Anyone else messing up a two-step move on the sixth time would annoy Jamil to no end. You can keep it up though. He gets to show off and watch your cute expressions of defeat after each mishap

Which eventually leads to him smirking with his arms crossed in pride once you succeed. You’re utterly exhausted but having fun - it’s endearing. Not that he’d tell you though haha

Those moments were definitely pique. At least he thought as such

Now Jamil is reconsidering. After one exceedingly long late-night jog, he questions if he’s possibly been pushing you too far. You were late to breakfast and obviously sleep deprived. You weren’t responsive enough to stop Kalim from tackling you to the floor, with your apologies afterwards being slurred

A quiet guilt gnaws at him until lunch, and Jamil decides to seek you out

You don’t show up to lunch, and half-way in he grumbles under his breath to check your previous classroom

Guilt fades to a warm fondness when he finds you asleep at your desk. Two blazers hang off your shoulders and he reflects on an iconic heartslabyul duo missing their coats in the dining hall

He scoffs, peeling them off of you and tossing them on a nearby desk. Underneath it all, you clutch a hideous red heart plush as a makeshift pillow

He has no clue where it came from. Sam surely did not sell something so cringeworthy. Or was it a present? Maybe. It has a small face etched in that sends shivers down his spine. It stares into his soul, mocking him, and he’s tempted to toss it in the discarded coat pile as well

Jamil resists the temptation, and instead shrugs off his own jacket to lay over your shoulders. Then he shuts off the lights and heads back to lunch, daydreaming of the fit your ‘friends’ will throw when they see their coats tossed aside

“The classroom is for learning, not for sleeping…Ugh. I guess there is no helping it. I’ll be back for this later,”

Eventually they will know their place. If the jacket isn’t enough, he’ll have to replace that heart somehow. Maybe with a scorpion. Yes. A scorpion.

Vil Schoenheit

I don’t even know anymore

Vil is not afraid of anyone. Not the thugs lingering outside his modeling shoots, or the woman screaming at the barista in front of him at his favorite café. He will talk them down to be smeared shit underneath his shoe in no time

He has a way with words. An infuriatingly charismatic way that is melded together with an insane level of stubbornness to get his way

No one can deny him. No soul has ever tried, until you.

And no, we are not discussing his overblot or the way you have influenced him.

No. We are discussing you and that thing that follows you everywhere.

Not Grimm, though the resemblance uncanny in Vil’s opinion

Vil’s winning streak was destroyed by that monstrosity of a stuffed demon that you insist on holding every night. With its matted fur, glazed over stare, and tail that clings to its body by a thread. He has tried to weezle it away from your clutches on multiple occasions. Offering you much cuter alternatives and even going so far as asking Rook to try and “put it out of it’s misery”

Yet you persist

He still remembers when you first met that thing. Little did he know his worst nightmare would come to be that day.

After much insistence, Vil convinced you to join him for a date. He was willing to take you anywhere. Be it a fancy resteraunt or to a private cinema - name it and it would be done

……

And of all the things. You chose some desolate no-name buffet. The food wasn’t even appetizing! If you wanted burnt fried chicken and soggy potatoes then Vil knows of much more…ugh, sanitary…places

He toughed it out for your sake, filling up on safe choices like salad and fruit as you ate your fill. It wasn’t so bad. He was able to ignore the fighting family of 5 sitting behind you both if it meant you could have a pleasant conversation over a meal. So long as no one recognized him. That would be awful.

He remembers how your eyes trailed to the claw machine game that was shoved in a far corner. You obviously wanted to play, and after the twelfth time he couldn’t ignore it anymore.

Being the gentleman he is, Vil offered to win you something - instantly regretting it upon realizing that he would have to touch the aged machine. A thin layer of dust sat on the joystick and -

And you really wanted the stuffed jellyfish inside. So he sucked it up and grit his teeth, pulling a glove worth more than the machine itself out of his pocket and praying it would protect him

A few tries and he is struggling.

Vil did not expect to touch one of these ever in his life! Why. Whywhywhy of all the things you could want from him did it have to be one of the few he never gave a single thought?

He wouldn’t accept defeat. It got to the point where he needed to win more for himself than for you - and after many tries, he did. Just not the jellyfish

No. He won the most ugly thing that could possibly exist, and you loved it. The moment it hit the drop box he was panicking because the claw grabbed it on accident. He was humiliated from spending well over an hour on the machine only to get you something so hideous…and you loved it.

You named it

Frab. Backwards for barf, since it makes Vil want to vomit.

Long after your date, he was still crushed. Still reliving the horrors of the day and trying to salvage it with a night of films and skin care. Then in the morning he could find another plush to give you. He will make one if he has to!

Yet you chose to sleep with that thing. Holding it close to your chest, it’s beady eyes boring holes in the back of his head as Vil tries to shirk away from it’s gaze. He could not even admire you! Not without it reminding him of his failures. Why did he pay both time and money for a stuffed cockblock

The morning is no different. You bring it to breakfast and he has to live in shame as you flaunt it to his dorm-mates

The rest is history. Attempt after attempt, day after day, night after night - you would not let it go.

“Dearest, I beg of you, please get rid of that disaster! It haunts me! I cannot stand it!” He breaks one night, relenting to his many passive losses and resorting to begging.

You smile, lifting the doll and patting it’s head, “but frab is cute! And you won him for me. Yeah he’s a bit rough around the edges but you worked hard for him. I love him like I love you…”

Oh you are rotten. Vil also plays dirty and was ready to pull the whole “if you love me then you will dispose of frab”…but you beat him too it

Vil sighs, upset with how he has influenced you and your charisma. Reluctantly he reaches out and gives Frab a pat on the head…it’s a start.

Jack Howl

Cactus plush

Jack is not the most adept when it comes to romance. You (unfortunately) got a front row seat to his short comings back when a ghostbride decided to host a wedding on campus

He still has not emotionally recovered from that disaster

Even so, he wouldn't go so far to say that he is hopeless...right? He managed to sort his own feelings out, and if his observation skills are right then he is confident that you feel the same

....if not, what he is about to do is going to embarrass him much more than failing to woo over a ghost

Your anniversary was coming up. NO! Not that kind (pfft he wishes), but your anniversary for coming to twisted wonderland. Summer breaks is nearing it's end, and soon he'll be back on campus as a sophomore.

Jack hasn't seen you since the end of freshman year. Sure, there have been calls and a bit too many texts on his end - but it's different from being in person.

and if he hasn't visited...Jack bets that no one else has either. Which means that you've been alone on campus for weeks by yourself

That doesn't sit well with him. At all. Yet he couldn't bring himself to invite you to his home without feeling bashful

His siblings noticed that he would sometimes lose focus while playing sports or when they were together - which is not like Jack at all. When he is with anyone, they will have his attention.

They crack his shell, and pity their brother. So they suggest that he make a grander effort to spend time with you this year beyond helping out with whatever mess you're dragged in

Hence, your anniversary. Sure, it was his and everyone else's too as returning students

but you're special

Who knows if you'll be coming back next year, y'know? He just wants you to know that you're appreciated and that he appreciates you being here

He picks out a plush after realizing that he doesn't know much about your likes despite being friends. He needs to fix that.

So he picks one that he thinks would suit you. A little cactus with a smile...cute. Small and inviting, kind of how you appear to him

He blushes at the thought and quickly pays for it. Then he wraps it with some candies from his hometown and a blanket for your dorm.

When Jack steps through the portal to NRC with his bags in tow, he's shocked to see you there. You're caught up in a conversation with Ace and Deuce, but you turn towards his way the second he catches sight of you. Like you had a sixth sense

His chest tightens when you're quick to pause your conversation and run up to him. He expects you to stop but you continue onward, and he drops his bags to catch you in a hug

"WOAH!"

"Jack! I've missed you so much! How was your break?" you break the hug in a swift movement, not giving him a chance to process it or respond. All he sees is your happy eyes looking up at him, and he short circuits

"I- uh...uh....uhm... it was good,"

"Just good?"

"Yeah,"

'Yeah? They hug you and all you can say is 'yeah'?' he thinks, and is quick to shove the wrapped present in your hands

The way you beam at the gift - he won't forget it. Not in the next decade. Neither the way you hug the plush or pop one of the candies into your mouth with a satisfied hum...or how your eyes glaze over as you thank him

"I'm happy to be here, but knowing you're happy too makes it even better. Let's have a great year, Jack"

His job is done, and he bids you farewell before his heart explodes

He greets his other first year friends as well and decides to ignore the 'where's my present??' jokes from the more 'fun-loving' members *cough*Ace*cough*Grimm*cough*Ruggie

Later that night as Jack is settling in, he gets a message on his phone.

Ace Trappola: You can thank me later. *IMG attatched*

Jack huffs, and debates on clicking the image link all together.

Deuce Spade: Open Ace's image. It's not a prank. You're welcome.

Alright. He gives up-

It's you, asleep on the floor of what looks like Ace and Deuce's shared dorm. Wrapped up in the blanket he gave you and holding tightly onto the stuffed cactus. There are drawings on your face and they're likely curtesy of your bunk-mates for the night. You must be in a deep sleep

Jack smiles at the picture, and has an internal debate on if it's considered an invasion of your privacy to be seeing this

Jack Howl: They are going to kill you tomorrow

Ace Trappola: Not if they kill you first

Jack Howl: I will show them these texts

Deuce Spade: Don't! Please!

Ace Trappola: Suuuuure, and then they'll know you have that picture ;)

Jack Howl: .....

Deuce Spade: Jack?

Ace Trappola: Dude? You good?

Jack Howl: ...I am not protecting you from their wrath. Goodnight.

Ace Trappola: DUDE! AFTER ALL WE JUST DID FOR YOU?!

Deuce Spade: TRAITOR!

Ace Trappola: ANSWER US!

Jack silences his phone, choosing not to save the picture out of respect. Not that he'll forget it...but at least this way only two people will have hellfire rained down on them in the morning.

Leona Kingscholar (Y'all are established partners in this one)

Killer duckie

It happened during TW's annual spring Spelldrive competition.

Compared to back when you both first met, this tournament is less large scale. There are no reporters and it’s more for the students than the publicity. Every spring one of the well known colleges of Twisted Wonderland would host a gathering for the members of clubs and sport teams to compete in friendly competition. Social networking, y’know? This year had RSA as host.

Leona never had much interest in it before. If there was nothing to win then why waste his time? To talk with a bunch of nobodies? He’ll pass, thanks. Last year he opted out before being asked. He planned to do the same this time around…until Malleus entered the picture.

NRC has a large Spelldrive following, especially with all the new freshmen. Which is why only the ‘best’ players would be sent to represent the school this year. There still is no prize - but Leona refuses to stay behind if Malleus goes. Not on his pride.

And not with you going alone. Grimm threw a tantrum about how RSA should be “honored” with his presence and athletic talents. Eventually he won a spot as the team’s “stand in” in case someone got injured, and as his other half you would be going

Now that’s two strikes. He doesn’t trust those RSA brats at all, and Leona will be damned if you spend three nights clinging to the Fairy King while he’s not there. Headmaster Crowley knew this would be the outcome and purposefully backed Leona into a corner (why else would they even humor Grimm competing in an official competition?)

Fast forward and Leona begrudgingly goes. The moment you stepped through the portal his tail instinctively snagged around your wrist. Not even five minutes on campus and he’s already ready to go home. It stinks of high egos here and who knows what annoyances could happen. At least you can’t get lost this way

RSA students watched from the sidelines as everyone came through the portal, and there were teachers directing students to their room and board

Prof. Vargas handed you a room key, and Leona blanched when he heard that you both will be sharing a room. He does not share….okay, whatever. Fine. He doesn’t trust anyone else to room with you anyways.

Aka. Malleus conveniently appeared to say that he had spare room, and Leona was not accepting that. He just pulled you along by the wrist and grabbed your luggage with a grumble

Spelldrive wouldn't be played on the first night. It was reserved for eating, socializing, and networking between all schools in TW. Leona wanted no part of it, and planned to go to sleep the moment you got in your room.

Once again, you push his patience. Ruggie can bring dinner so just stay put where he can keep you out of trouble, just this once.

You don't, and he almost turns his back on the closing door - until he caught ear of some RSA students inviting you to dinner

.....

Leona allows you to drag him around campus for the remainder of the day. Not a second goes by that he does not complain, be it about the décor or the noise of the students. He only shuts up when you threaten to send him back to the room alone. Barely anyone approached you both during the RSA campus tour due to the aura of aggravation radiating off of him

Needless to say that he is relieved when the night comes. He collapses onto the bed and buries himself in the pillows

"You didn't have to follow me around all day, y'know. This is your own doing," - you say in a teasing tone, grabbing your night clothes to change in the bathroom

He emits a warning growl and peers an eye out from his pillow, "keep talking. As if I haven't done enough for you today," he says, and as the seconds tick by he finds it hard to stay awake

He blinks, and suddenly the room is dark. There is no light coming from the bathroom and instead moonlight shines in from the curtains. A blanket he did not have on him prior pools at his waist when Leona sits up to look around.

He must have fallen asleep

The sound of even breaths catches his attention, in addition to an extra weight tugging on his arm

To his side, you lay underneath the covers. Peacefully dreaming with one arm wrapped around his and the other curled around a stuffed duck

Huh. Prey cuddling with prey. Funny.

Is that a knife? His eyebrows draw together and he pokes the plush. It looks back at him as if to say "wish you were me, don't ya," and yes. Yes, Leona is getting jealous of a goddamn stuffed toy.

He runs a hand through his hair with a tired sigh and releases some of his braids from their confinement. Then he sits up against the bed's headboard, and frees his arm from your grasp.

You squirm in your sleep as if to protest, and he settles for letting you hug his waist instead. The sun begins to rise through the curtains, and Leona begins to dread yet another day of being forced to socialize

His hands rub soothing circles on your back, and he's hoping to keep you asleep at least through breakfast. Maybe the day won't be so bad if this is what awaits him at night...

Heck...he might come again next year. Only if you do as well, of course.

Ace Trappola

classic teddie

Relationships? Ace? Pah. Never again

One time was bad enough. Why would he willingly toss himself into another? It would take a mind-blowing event to make Ace even tinker with the idea of willingly giving up his time for something like that

All he needs are his friends. His mates. His chums. His brochachos. His amigos. His...ugh. Point made. He likes things as they are.

Don't tell anyone, but he does have favorites among his friends

There is Deuce, who sometimes get on Ace's nerves but always has hic back

And Sebeck, who is by far the most fun to mess with. He's the biggest sucker for pranks and Ace can get away with absolutely no effort in tricking him

He has definetly pulled the 'what's updog?' joke on Sebeck and succeded...many times. It never gets old.

Then he has his dorm mates...Riddle is a pain in the ass but is the reason Ace hasn't failed a test. So there's that...

Ace also has you. An unfortunate package deal with an ankle biter who demands tuna every five seconds, but you're not so bad.

Gullible enough to be pranked, serious enough to bail him out of trouble, reliable enough to rely on, and cool enough to match his vibe. Yeah. You are definetly up there in his top three homies

Homie...friend...brochacho...so what is this feeling in his chest?

When you both walked into class that morning there was a stuffed teddy bear sitting on your desk alongside a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates. You gasped in a mix of surprise and delight at the sight; yet, Ace felt something churn in his stomach. A feeling familiar...jealousy? No way

There was a small note attached to the bear reading 'From your secret admirer,' that earned a laugh from you both. Yours was lighthearted, almost whimsical. Ace's? Strained. Awkward. Annoyed.

Luckily you interpreted this as him being upset that only you received candy, and so you offered Ace a piece. He accepted it yet couldn't bring himself to eat

For the duration of lecture he remained distracted, eyeing the piece of candy that was sitting on the corner of his desk. He was not catching feelings. This would pass. It had to.

It, in fact, did not.

You had promised to join Ace in his room to play video games together that night, yet you never showed. He waited until the clock struck curfew and yet you did not send a single text or call

Ace, being the hothead he is, assumed that you went off to find this 'secret admirer,' and stormed out of his dorm despite the late hour. If you were going to stand him up for some rando, then you could at least let him know!

He shows up at your dorm and bangs on the door. Moments pass yet no one answers...so he sneaks in through the window. He knows they don't have latches.

He's mentioned it to you time and time again, yet you never fixed them. Welp. Time to learn the hard way sweetie

He gets in through the kitchen easily, and notices flickering light coming from the living room. So...not only do you ditch him but you also ignore his knocking? He is f u m i n g

"Oi! You have sooooooo much explaining to do-ah"

There you lie, clocked out in a deep sleep on the couch and surrounded by textbooks. You must have fallen asleep while studying...

Ace clamps a hand over his mouth, and the lights shut off completely. From the corner of his eye he sees a flash of white disappear through one of the walls. Those trickster ghosts you live with must have messed with the lights to lure him

He'll deal with them later. For now, he is focused on the innocent teddie bear sitting comfortably in your clutches and the half-eaten box of candy on the table

The feeling from before returns. Nauseating jealousy that makes him want to take the stuffed toy and chuck it in the nearest pond

Ace can't do that though. You'll be so angry with him....crap, he sighs and moves to sit next to you on the couch

Ace narrows his eyes and scrunches his nose before flicking the bear on it's head. It's ruining your beauty.

....

.......

"Ah, fuck it"

Maybe there is room in his life for both friends and...something else.

but before anything, that bear needs to go.

[1-800-cr33py]

prey

just imagine HABIT/Evan showing you what he is and you don’t take it how he expects &lt;/3

CONTENT INCLUDES: Depictions of an unhealthy environment/relationship (please seek help if you re experiencing anything of this nature), stalking, gaslighting.

preface/author’s note: if you feel you are in any danger in any manner within any form of relationship, please seek out help. As an author, I merely want to achieve a realistic perspective and aftermath of a traumatic situation. But as a survivor of a situation similar to this, I ask that this work to not be consumed by anyone that is not in the right headspace. Please focus on yourself if you find yourself in an unstable or rocky mental space. You are loved.

His eyes weren’t the same anymore. You think that’s what hurt the most right now.

Evan, or whatever fucking thing that was waltzing around as what you thought was your boyfriend, stared down at you, his once warm eyes now cold, sharp. The eyes you once found yourself melting into every night now held some kind of sadist gleam behind them as your trembling hand rose to cover your now agape mouth. You wanted to speak, to acknowledge the gruesome scene before you, the gore he’d been so proud of, rambling on and on about how you’d live like him soon, just accept it. Evan, what you didn’t want to believe was Evan was crazed, practically foaming at the mouth as he rushed around the table, grabbing at your shoulders with a laugh; a frightening cackle was more like it. Despite your shocked state, you flinched away from your former lover’s touch, scared that if your skin made contact he’d..it would infect you as well. Swallowing the acid like spit, you finally brought your eyes to meet Evan’s.

That wasn’t him, that wasn’t the dog like man you’d fallen for all those years ago.

The thing that was before you was a sadistic creature. A parasite using your partner as its host.

Evan; It, cast an almost confused look your way, nearing closer as an airy laugh crept out of his throat, caked in gore among other things. In his eyes, you could see yourself, reduced to a trembling mess against the counter.

‘ Oh Plum, you’re shaking like a leaf! What’s wrong Sweetness? Scared? Oh I can smell it on you, you’ve never been so pretty-‘ It cackled, sick and loud. It was the kind of laugh that made your hair stand on end. A painful chill as you held eye contact with the ever so cheerful creature a mere inches from you face. You were to shaken, to lost within the greedy depths of shock and anguish that you didn’t feel the bruising grip crawling up your arms.

Looking back now, they felt like throned vines, leaving pricked marks upon your supple skin. Blood and bruises now marring your arms, arms that weren’t used to the harsh touches; touches he’d promise to not lay upon you.

But despite everything you’d grown used to, the Evan you’d grown used to, the fact finally settled within your pit.

Evan, your doglike lover, the one who made you breakfast after having slept over, or the same lover that traced shapes on your back as the thunder rumbled outside. That Evan was gone. The creature before may have had his features, his voice, but it wouldn’t be him again. It couldn’t fake his warmth, his happiness, his love. It could only use Evan’s body as a host, like a painful, blistering parasite that plagued everyone and everything around him, around It.

It’s cackling ceased as It’s grip tightened, leaving green bruises below his fingertips. Despite his shorter stature, It made quick work of making you feel small; It’s gaze intense and ablaze with something you couldn’t quite place, it wasn’t anger, it wasn’t quite disappointment. It mumbled something, jerking you towards It, mumbling something in your hair as you trembled.

“ Sweet baby, shhh. “ It cooed, slowly rocking you both back and forth. “ I know you want to run, he did too. Don’t, I’d hate to have to lock you away from everyone, Plum. ‘ he cackled lowly, taking his bloodstained fingers to tilt your head up, leaving a bloodied mark in its wake. “ You’d hate that to right, Rabbit? ‘ It purred, placing his forehead against your’s. It inhaled, to you, it seemed like he was trying to ground himself with your scent.

His hand roughly grabbed at your jaw, shaking it, almost in a disagreeing manner. Your eyes burned with angry tears, angry at yourself that you couldn’t change anything about your situation, you couldn’t change the thing before you. One could guess your anger was evident, because his grip on your jaw became painful, unbearably so.

“ You’re not going anywhere. You’re not leaving me until I get bored of you. “ It growled, and you shuddered a nod.

Now you knew what that was behind his eyes.

It was a bestial, inhuman emotion. One your mortal mind could not begin to comprehend, much less put into words.

{a/n, this is simply a writing practice, this is not proofread nor beta-read. Speaking of which I’m finally getting around to a taglist ^^ and I’ve finally made an art blog which I will talk about at a later date)

[idesofrevolution]

The Architect

It was supposed to be my magnum opus. Ravenswood- my last creation and my forever home. For years I had suffered and degraded myself in firms filled with peons who wouldn't know architectural integrity if it hit them on the nose, and when I finally finished that last project, it took all of fifteen minutes for me to type up my resignation and slap it on the boss' desk. I'd gotten the severance I'd worked nearly 31 years for, and had built up the name Drake Astramore to a prominent name in the business. Finally, I was free. Free to create unrestricted by the trivial boundaries set by those beneath me.

Work was slow in the beginning, my modern designs never seemed to convey the right mood or tone which I was seeking. Completely dejected, I resorted to corresponding with a peer of my own caliber who specialized in Eastlake-Tradition Victorian revival: James Lafreniere. The man was perhaps in his late 80's, far past his prime, but I did value his insight purely to help spur some sort of creative spark. He insisted on a large, rambling estate on a large plot just outside the city. He envisioned towers, stained glass, mahogany... some vacuous opulence that did not speak to my taste whatsoever. I was unconvinced, I saw Victorian architecture as tasteless fluff and ornamentation. Though, as old Mr. Lafreniere pushed, I suppose I did cave in quite a bit. His design was based on some sort of "sacred geometry" he'd studied while in Haiti some time ago. The man was a dog with a bone, frantically trying to persuade me into confirming his "spiritualist" idea for the house. The more he pressed, the less I firmly stood my ground. After all, I was happy with the layout he'd drafted and with my final additions and perfections to his concept, I was satisfied.

Thus, on that foggy winters day, a mere week or two since old Lafreniere was dead and buried, the house was nearing completion after nearly 13 months. I was coming in to do a final inspection, specifically confirming the four crystal chandeliers that were to be placed in the ballroom. Reynolds, the contractor I had hired, went radio silent two days prior, and I was eager to give him a modicum of advice on professionalism. As I pulled up to the antique wrought iron gates, I was perturbed to see them still chained tightly with a large padlock. I had no key, and had no response from Reynolds. Just as I prepared to go to the local hardware store to purchase a pair of bolt cutters, I saw a bulldozer slowly meandering up the gravel driveway through the dense fog. Perhaps Reynolds hadn't abandoned me as I'd thought. Exiting the car, I stood behind the iron gates as the machine came to a halt just on the other side. The door opened and instead of the middle aged potbelly which I had hired, a young man with a peculiar look in his eye exited the vehicle and sat on the steps of the machine.

"Who are you?" The young man glibly chided from his perch.

"What the hell do you mean who am I? I am the owner of this property. Who are you?" He sat idly staring me up and down, some flippant smirk forming slowly on his face. He hopped down, his massive rubber boots landing in a puddle, splashing muddy water up and down his clothes.

"Mr. Astramore, I was wondering if I'd ever get to meet you in person." He sauntered over to the gates, unlocking the heavy padlock as the gates creaked open on their own. I hadn't recalled requesting hydraulic automation on the main gate, but I assumed incorrectly that it was part of the system I'd purchased. "The name is Jimmy. Reynolds proved to be... unreliable on the job. So the company sent me as a replacement. I'm surprised you hadn't heard."

"I most certainly have not heard. I should like to have known about staffing changes. He has completely ignored me for days now." The man looked down, chuckling under his breath.

"Yeah. The guy just up and left one day. Never called the company or anything. Just poof. Vanished." Contractors. The bane of every architect. Unreliable thieves, the lot of them. This young man certainly mimicked that aura of untrustworthiness, but as the job was nearly complete, I preferred at the time to simply allow him to finish. "The house is ready for you, sir. Take this, please let me know if you need anything from me, I'll be finishing the landscaping for the raingardens today." He pulled off a two-way radio from his belt, handing it to me. I could smell the putrid scent of hard labor wafting from him as I snatched the muddy radio from his sweaty hands.

"That will be fine, James." I huffed as I got back into my car, beginning the two minute trek up the driveway toward the house. As I passed him, I could see the filthy worker smile at me. There was something off about his presence, though at the time I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Again, I believe it was his eyes. So familiar, as if I'd known them myself for a time. As I left him behind in the dust of the gravel, I promised myself I would launch a complaint against these unprofessional ruffians the moment I could.

After weaving past the carefully planned and restored bayous, the white tower proudly peeked from above the tree canopy. The woodlands cleared and before me stood the massive edifice that was Ravenswood. It was primed white, awaiting the final paint job in dark greens and black which I had demanded. Yet another setback I was not looking forward to enduring. The elaborate trim graced the balconies and verandas which were perfectly calculated to receive the ideal amount of sun and shade during the hot Louisiana summers. Each glazed window was placed to maximize natural light in the house's otherwise dark confines. Perhaps Lafreniere was right- this was my masterpiece.

I put the car in park, and exited the vehicle. I stood and marveled at the house. On paper, it was grand and idyllic. In person, however, it took on a very different aura. Dark clouds and fog seemed to hang around the house, giving it a distinct sense of foreboding which I had not intended. Knowing funds were scarce as is, it was too late to change anything. This was to be my forever home, shortcomings and perfections alike. Pressing against the front doors, I entered the main hall, then aglow from the stained glass window and edison-bulb-illuminated chandelier. Lafreniere assured me that the house would be sufficiently lit, and that no dark corners would find their way into it's winding halls. I was disappointed beyond words to see that it was not the case.

The house seemed to breathe with a cold draft that whipped around the walls, just strong enough to notice, but not enough to disturb. While it was certainly built to my specifications, Ravenswood took on an identity of it's own before my eyes as it stood before me. Grumbling under my breath, I began my inspection.

Room by room, I went about with my clipboard and checklist. Bronze lightplates, check. Mahogany waiscotting, check. Brass and crystal chandeliers, check. From the library to the conservatory, the drawing room to the gallery; each room was just as I designed it, yet it seemed inundated with some indescribable weight which I had anticipated from the beginning. My modern, airy, open concept home which I had originally envisioned slowly simmered into flames before my own eyes. It was magnificent, yes. The house dripped character and ethereal essence from every nook and cranny. But was it an Astramore home? Certainly not.

Looking back, I should have left. I should have tossed the clipboard onto the dark herringbone parquet floors and stomped back to my car- back to the safety and comfort of my car. I should have driven away like a bat out of hell from this place and never returned. Yet, in my arrogance, I believed I could salvage it somehow. Thus, it was in that moment, as I was checking the finials on the grand staircase that I heard it. Groaning. Ever so quiet, yet echoing throughout the cavernous halls. I looked above me, my eyes tracking the noise further and further up the staircase onto the third floor. I assumed that it was emanating from the observatory in the main tower, though how I could have possibly known that I still do not know. I ascended the steps, slowly at first, toward the sound. Every creaking floorboard perturbed me, a new construction shouldn't behave as if it had stood for over a hundred years. This growing rage at the destruction of my vision translated directly into a quickening pace. My body seemingly did the work for me as I climbed faster, eventually skipping steps on my way to the high observatory.

Blinded by anger, I could not see the various shapes and figures which I had blown past on the landings, the dark shadows waiting in the corners and cornices. Every ounce of my being was focused entirely on releasing this pent up aggression, built within myself over decades, on whatever pathetic creature dared to whine within my walls. Arriving on the final landing, I burst through the door with the last of my strength.

The shutters in the observatory were drawn and shut, the unfinished plaster and floorboards were illuminated only by the dull light from the stairwell behind me. There, in the center of the room and crouched like a devious little gremlin was some degenerate young man. Tattoos sprawled across his lean body, and his greasy mop of hair obscured his line of sight. The man shielded his face from the gleaming light, as if burned by it's glow. His pants and shoes were weathered and well worn; scuffed, torn, and stained from what I can only assume was some ill-begotten lifestyle of antisocial youths.

"Get out!" I shouted at the boy, as he cowered on the sawdust-laden floor. His hand slowly retracted from his face, revealing what he was trying to conceal. Upon his inked face were two fully black eyes, which seemed to suck the remnants of light straight out of the room. They were empty, cold, and devious. This thing was not of this world, it was not of God, it was not of nature. I stood there, frozen in place as he stood up, easily a height of over 6 feet tall. My hairs stood on end, as he smiled down at me. I turned to run, but as I did, I was confronted by the grinning visage of Jimmy.

"Going somewhere, Astramore?" His eyes were black as night, just like the creature behind me. I couldn't speak, any word I tried to mutter was caught in my throat and merely exited as gasping utterances. Two icy cold hands slowly wrapped around my gut. I could only let out a whimper as I was sharply pulled back into the room as Jimmy leaned against the doorframe, his arms and ankles crossed comfortably as if nothing was out of place.

Tossed down onto the ground, my extremities pulled in every which direction as if bound by invisible leather straps. My clothes were ripped from my body, leaving me vulnerable and cold in the nude. The thing circled me like a predator observing it's prey. I thrashed against my constraints, spitting insults and threats with the last of my energy. I should have realized the intent of their misdeeds then and there. Blinded yet again, and for the last time by my own rage, I could not see... they were exhausting me. My strength depleted, my nerves shot, I was a mere shell of myself. This was their moment.

The thing stood above me, straddling my bony torso, as he slowly lowered himself atop me. With his cold fingers, nails black and skin dirty, he gripped the bottom of my chin, prying my mouth open. With a momentum far beyond the order of nature, his hand plowed directly into my open maw. It seemed to contract in on itself, as if he were not solid, but rather in a plasmic state of matter. As it squirmed deeper into my throat, the second hand fed itself into the orifice with ease. It felt as if I were drowning, yet could still breathe. It flowed like slime inside of me, pooling into my expanding stomach. I could hear myself gurgling and choking on him as his head squeezed into my mouth, the miasmic odor of unwashed manscent wafting from his acrid form. He slithered his entire form within me, my gut protruding more and more with his writhing shape beneath my stretching skin. As his lower half finally slid past my tongue, I could feel the rough texture of his denim pants scratch against my esophagus, I could taste the sweaty leather of his musky battered sneakers brush on my tongue until the last of the rubber sole slipped into my mouth; disappearing into my body.

Within me, I could feel him breathing. Expanding and contracting from beneath my skin. I could just barely cock my head down enough to see my grotesquely inflated midsection wriggling and pulsating. There was no pain, only tightness and fullness inside. From the doorway, Jimmy had lowered his coveralls down to his boots, pulled his rancid jockstrap to his knees, and was pleasuring himself with manic fervor. Whatever was happening to me was nothing short of pornography for him, he savored every moment with bated breath. Though I had no time to dwell on such displays of vulgarity and immorality. As quickly as the thing had entered me, it began to spread.

I cocked my head toward my arm, as I watched the protruding outline of the thing's hand slowly snake towards my own from under my skin. I could see it's added mass inflate my musculature as it slid effortlessly past my elbow and up my forearm. It's fingers pushed into mine like a hollow latex glove. His stature considerably larger than mine, I could see my entire arm stretch outward, and his own muscles falling into place within mine. In just a few seconds, my arm had grown, large biceps and colorful tattoos seeping up through my dermis until it was unrecognizable. I observed it in horror as I felt my second arm endure the same process, though my gaze was thoroughly cemented at the strong, youthful, virile arm which once was mine.

My legs soon followed suit, my thighs ballooning outward with firm slabs of muscle as the outline of the thing's massive feet barreled down toward my own. Hairs sprung up like weeds across my inflating calves and quadriceps, until I could feel the slimy pressure of his foot sliding into mine. My body again stretched to accommodate his frame, feeling the soles of my massive sweating feet slide across the hardwood floor until it was finally fully in place. My toes wriggled against my will. A stirring in my groin, and my worn hands pawing at my privates signaled his insertion there as well. Every slick sweaty pump of my member seemed to thrust his into mine further and further. It was quickly engorged, thick and dripping with pre as my balls swelled with his thick, unholy seed. The foreskin tightened around my tip, slick and dripping, and there was then only one part of me left that was untouched.

I could feel him pressing up my throat. It's head firmly making it's way up my esophagus, his face protruding from beneath my sweating skin. There was no fight left in me, all I could do was close my eyes and pray that oblivion was not as empty as I had assumed. With the very last of my strength giving way, there was no resistance as it's head shot up into my skull. Everything went dark almost immediately, there was no light, and an atonal ringing in my ears distorted the squelching and cracking noises I could faintly hear as it adjusted my face atop his. Feeling his plasmic form beneath mine, integrating itself into every possible crevice, nook, and space; it was maddening. I felt myself begin to drift away... disconnected from my corporeal tether. The last thing I could see before I finally wasted away into the unknown was my blurred reflection in the mirror, a face no longer my own, merely a shadow of who I once was. I bitterly accepted this fate. I let him have that sweaty, smelly, vulgar body... it was all his. The lights went out, and all was silent.

----

New Orleans Tribune, December 20th, 2022:

Local Architect Declared Dead After Week Long Search Efforts

Recent attempts to locate Drake Astramore (69) of Thibodaux have been called off by New Orleans authorities after a week of searching through the architect's sprawling estate. Neighbors to the gated complex reported faint screams coming from within the mansion, even from a 1/4 mile away, which led investigators to deliver a search warrant to the residence.

Upon arrival, authorities were met with the groundskeeper of the premises, James Lafreniere (25), who explained Astramore had disappeared during a routine inspection of the mansion, which was at the time nearing completion:

"He was only in there for a few hours. I wish I knew what could have happened to the guy. But I am so glad that his son has decided to take up the torch on the house. It wasn't all for nothing, then."

While Astramore had no family to speak of, the few who knew him personally described him as "difficult" and "degrading," often going to far lengths to place himself above others. In fact, a number of former coworkers at architecture firm Guillory, Darensbourg, & Combs alluded to mysterious dealings with an unidentified elderly man during the design phase of his home, described as having a "dark energy" about him. While there is no evidence to support foul play at this time, investigators have not ruled out furthering their analysis into these claims.

As for Ravenswood Estate, it has now fallen into the hands of the missing architect's son, Drake Astramore II (27). A self-proclaimed "spiritualist," the young man plans to give tours of the sprawling mansion dedicated to the mysterious and unusual process of design of Ravenswood. Joining with his partner in business and in life, James Lafreniere, the duo intend on opening a bed and breakfast type model for the horror inclined.

"I didn't know my pop all that much, he never really acknowledged me or anything. But I'm happy to show the world what he created. This place is special, it was designed to be special. There's an magnetism here that gathers together the essences of many, many of the dearly departed. If you don't believe me, come take a look. I'm happy to show you around. I guarantee you'll leave a completely changed person."

[fuwapower-prettycure]

Fuwa Power☆Pretty Cure! Episode 2

A Sparkling Song! Cure Shine's Stellar Debut!

In a cozy corner of Mahou Monogatari, Mochizuki Maika chattered endlessly, asking question after question without pausing, much to Nighty’s dismay. Twyla sat in Maika’s lap and watched as Ms. Yumeno approached with a well-loved serving tray in her hands.

Ms. Yumeno set the treat-filled tray down on a nearby table and took a seat across from Maika. She enjoyed indulging the girl’s curiosity. Not only that, but watching Nighty’s continuous failed attempts to interrupt her was wonderful entertainment.

Yumeno carefully listened to each question posed, making a mental note to write them down so as not to interrupt her friend’s train of thought. When her young charge stopped to catch a breath, the imminent explanation—and a desperate nudge from her feathered friend—led Yumeno to break Maika’s chattering streak.

She sighed. “Maika, dear. There is much to discuss. You know of our homeland, yes?”

That ceased her companion’s excited rambles. The girl shook her head. “I know the Sweet Dream Kingdom’s name. That’s it though.” She began fiddling with her hands, a stark contrast to her wild energy mere moments earlier. “The only time you guys mentioned her was when Nighty said she had fallen. Does that mean…?” Green eyes grew wide with realization, anticipating the answer she wished wouldn’t come.

The blue owl perched beside Yumeno nodded silently. In Maika’s lap, Twyla slumped heavily, seeking wordless comfort in the warmth of her friend’s sweater.

Ms. Yumeno spoke, “Queen Chiharu was the ruler of Sweet Dream Kingdom, a land where we are able to see and control Yumeki; Magic that is produced by resting one’s self.” She explained, “Chiharu was a benevolent woman. She began her journey as my own pupil. “ As the memory of her late protégé surfaced, she clutched her skirt in one hand and stroked Nighty’s soft feathers with the other. Nighty took over and leaned into her touch.

“A short while ago, our Queen fell ill. She was knocked down so suddenly, it almost seemed unnatural. With Our Lady so sick, Nocturna’s rebellion known as Dream Eaters were given the perfect opportunity to pounce. They attacked the palace, and Queen Chiharu fought until she no longer could; Determined to protect her people.

“I was there for the last exchange between her and Nocturna, too weak to move. As Her Majesty was struck down for the final time, she used her remaining power to place a curse on Nocturna. A spell of eternal insomnia, which took away her ability to produce Yumeki.”

Shaking out his feathers, he finished his tale, “But Nocturna won’t give up. Even though she can no longer sleep and generate her own magic, she is bent on remaining powerful. That’s why she’s here. Stealing the Yumeki of others is just the beginning. If she finds Queen Chiharu’s Dreaming Candle—her magical staff—there’s no telling what she’ll be able to do.” Nighty finished, his tiny and tense figure being pet gently by his old friend. Maika cut in, eager to get the answer of her most pressing question. “That Dreaming Candle, where is it? If Nocuturna is sending people to Fuwayama then it has to be here.” She suddenly made to get up. Twyla squeaked in surprise when lifted from her friend’s lap so abruptly. “That means she could find it any minute! Why are we just sitting around?”

A calloused hand raised to calm her. Yumeno spoke, “I know Nocturna. She is not foolish. Sending her magic-wielding army to a small Japanese city with no clue of the staffs whereabouts would never work.”

Nighty spoke once more as Maika sat herself down. “Just before she was defeated, the Queen tried to send the Dreaming Candle here; Straight to Eiko. Nocturna did her best to stop her, but only succeeded at breaking the staff into pieces. The separate parts of it still got to Fuwayama, thankfully.” He sighed with a slight smile, “Where? We don’t know. The silver lining, though, is neither does Nocturna.”

With their dilemma properly explained, Twyla jumped at her chance to pitch in. She leapt back into Maika’s lap and tapped a tiny, soft hoof to her sweater. “That means you and the other Pretty Cure need to find all the pieces before she can~twi! Together, we’ll fix the Dreaming Candle and stop her for sure.”

Maika gasped, feeling an anticipatory grin spread across her face. In the whirlwind of revelations she had thrown herself into, she almost forgot about the most important part of her mahou shojo story; Her team!

Determination flooded her heart. This mission seemed dangerous, yes, but what good story lacks high stakes? As Cure Reverie and her powerful team of Pretty Cure, Maika would defeat this great evil, no doubt! She gave an empowered nod, eyes shining with anticipation.

“What are we waiting for, then? Let’s find my team!”

~☆~

~☆~

“Hmm… I wonder if I get a weapon?”

Three days after her life-changing encounter with the Sweet Dream Kingdom escapees, Maika sat at a desk in her half-occupied dorm room. She sighed and looked out of one of her two windows. The first few days of classes had been mostly uneventful, aside from the familiar realization that her academic ability is nothing compared to her classmates. She crossed her arms and fell victim to her wandering thoughts.

It was still quite hard to believe that she was a magical warrior now. Though her favorite manga protagonists had proven that a clumsy girl doesn’t make a clumsy fighter, Maika highly doubted any of those titular characters required being physically restrained by a (surprisingly strong) old woman to keep from spilling their fantastical secret.

“I can’t believe they didn’t let me tell the Fuwayama Feature! A news station like that would eat this up. It’s only natural that I’d be over the moon about getting magical powers.” She whined to herself, head lolling to the side and eyes locking onto the single Cure Clock placed before her on the desk.

“Besides, if my three other Cures saw the news, they’d come running to us! Problem solved,” a playful smile graced her features, “and the sooner we find them, the sooner I can be friends with them!” The whimsical image of her future, color-coded teammates clouded Maika’s mind with no resistance.

A sudden, powerful knock at the door sounded, shocking Maika out of her thoughts—and chair—with a soft thunk on the carpeted flooring. The doorknob turned, letting in the hallway’s fluorescent light.

Through the threshold, a bright figure appeared. Maika, blinded by their radiance, was wholly unprepared for the shining star that came to greet her.

“Hello yellow! Your new best friend, Hirano Kirari, is here!” The mesmerizing girl stood tall as she scoured the room for her assigned roommate. It took her no time to notice the starstruck redhead splayed out on the floor. She leapt forward and reached out a flawlessly manicured hand.

In a flash, the poor girl was yanked up. “Mochizuki Maika, yes? It’s so nice to meet you! The school uniform looks so adorable on you! I love how the room looks! I hope we have class together! This is all so super shining!” Kirari’s words came out at a lightning-fast pace, her ecstatic aura almost visible with how strongly it emanated.

One could easily be put off by such a high-energy introduction; Such spirit is hard to come across on a Wednesday afternoon. Maika, however, once recovered from the initial shock of her roommate’s debut, responded with equal enthusiasm. After all, the Kirari standing before her was a once in a lifetime encounter. “You’re Kira-Kirari! My roommate is a pop star?” She gaped.

“The one and only, darling!”

With that response, the girls—both bursting with happiness—grabbed each other’s hands. Excited giggles filled the room, reaching through the opened door to alert neighboring dorms.

~☆~

“Mai-Mai! It’s time to get up!”

A groan came from under the covers of the right-most bed. Without leaving her warm cocoon, Maika’s hand blindly reached for her bedside table and retrieved her glasses. She sat up, slipping them on and scratching her horribly tangled hair. A low whine left her throat. “Kirarinnn… how are you already dressed? It’s only 8. I wanna sleep!” She slurred.

Kirari, ready to go and humming a song, chuckled at her friend’s sleepy complaints. “Mai-Mai, it’s 8:20. We start class in ten minutes.”

Suddenly, Maika shot up, glasses slipping down her nose. “WHAT? WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?” She cried, leaping into action and speeding through her morning routine.

“You looked so cute all cuddled up! I didn’t want to interrupt.” Blue eyes followed the blur of red around the room. “And if we’re late, I’ll tell the teacher that you were just showing me around,” she comforted. “I’ve got your bag. Are you ready?” Kirari handed her roommate her school bag as Maika, no longer looking like a disaster, walked up to her.

With a nod from the shorter girl, both set off to classroom 1-A. As they walked through the main first-year building, all students roaming the hallway went quiet. The only audible words were no louder than a whisper, everyone present astonished by the new student walking among them.

Maika, despite knowing her peers paid her no attention, began sweating bullets. All eyes turned to the pair of girls. She took a deep breath, wondering how Kirari could ever deal with such an overwhelming amount of focus on her. She nudged her roommate’s arm, opening her mouth to ask, “Kira—”

Before she could utter another sound, the crowd pounced.

“Kira-Kirari, is that you?”

“You never announced that you’d be coming here!”

“What class are you in? I need to tell my sister. She’ll be so jealous!”

Dozens of students swarmed Kirari, who tensed but handled the situation with immense grace. She reached for Maika’s hand, hoping to drag them both away, but was surprised to discover that Maika had disappeared!

Of course, she hadn't really. But with the mob’s sudden movement and the rapid rise in volume, Maika was pushed back and out of Kirari’s way. She fell into a wall, narrowly avoiding a straight hit to her nose. In a hurry, she made to run back to her friend’s side without realizing how dizzy she became. After managing only two very uncoordinated steps, she stumbled into a pair of arms.

“Are you alright, Mochizuki-San?” The kind voice of an upperclassman asked.

Maika’s green eyes shot up, meeting the pair belonging to her savior. A bright blush exploded across her cheeks in surprise. She so desperately wished to step back and prevent further embarrassing herself but found that she couldn’t bring her legs to move. With an unusually squeaky voice, she greeted, “Takahashi-Senpai!”

The upperclassman, Takahashi Airi, sighed fondly and helped Maika regain her balance. “Be careful, Mochizuki-San. It looks like Kira-Kirari already has quite the fan club trailing after her.”

“How could she not,” a bright voice chirped! A girl around Maika’s age stepped away from the crowd, her fluffy blond curls bouncing with her every excited step. “Kira-Kirari is amazing! I’ve been to every one of her shows this year! She’s performed at, like, every venue in Fuwayama.” Brown eyes seemed to sparkle as they settled on Maika and Airi.

Now fully reoriented, the redhead spoke. “You’re so lucky, Nao-San! I’ve never been to one of her shows. Maybe I can ask if I can come with her to the next one. I’d be a bad roommate if I didn’t support her, right?” Maika’s face scrunched up slightly in thought, unaware of the sudden shock on Nao and Airi’s faces

Nao jumped forward; Just enough to tiptoe on the edge of Maika’s personal bubble. “You’re her roommate?” She squealed. When she got an energetic nod in response, Nao immediately released her barrage of questions. Only a few were able to make it out, though, as a soft hand came down on her shoulder with a surprisingly stern grip.

“Hidaka-San. You can ask questions later. Right now, we should get to class.” Airi’s sweet voice instructed. She gently pulled Nao away from Maika and looked down the hallway, making a pleased sound. “Thank goodness, the mob is gone. Now we won't have to fight our way to homeroom.”

Airi gave both underclassmen a gentle pat on the head. “Have a good day, Hidaka-San, Mochizuki-San. I hope to see you two around,” she said, before making her way to her own homeroom.

A pouty Nao followed suit, leaving Maika to stand alone in the hallway that, only moments before, was filled with the ecstatic cheering of her classmates. She wiggled her fingers and took a breath—preparing for the inevitable chaos that came with her famous roommate’s first day of class—and set off.

~☆~

Over the excited chattering of Class 1-A, Fuwayama Prep’s newest student wrote her name with showy letters and took a bow. “Hello to all my shining stars! Hirano Kirari, pleased to meet you.”

The only thing stopping Maika and her classmates from erupting into ecstatic applause was the strong look of warning from their teacher, Miyano-Sensei. She turned to Kirari, her glare replaced by a polite smile. “We’re so glad you’re here, Hirano-San. Please take a seat. Your desk is right beside Mochizuki’s.”

Kirari nodded, giving a sharp salute before making her way to sit at the desk right of her spectacled friend’s. She leaned over and gave Maika a cheeky thumbs up. “I can’t wait to start the day. Please, take care of me, Mai-Mai!” She whispered. The redhead nodded and returned the gesture of encouragement.

It was an hour into class when Maika realized that Kirari, in fact, did not need someone to ‘take care of her.’ In a short time, she had already proven herself as an outspoken, intelligent, all-around star student.

Classmates would swarm Kirari’s desk the second a period ended. Though she’d already made it clear that she wouldn’t be giving autographs or anything of the like, Class 1-A was still ravenous for any interaction they could get with the local celebrity.

By lunchtime, Maika had lost track of her roommate. She walked through the school’s courtyard with her lunch in hand. “And here I was hoping I’d have a permanent lunch buddy,” she sighed. She stopped at a tree residing in the far end of the courtyard. Just as Maika was about to sit down, though, she heard the tree… humming?

“Mai-Mai! Fancy seeing you here.”

Maika looked up and screeched, almost dropping her food. Up in the tree’s branches was none other than Kirari!

“Ki-Kirarin?!” The shocked girl stuttered out. What on earth had possessed her friend to eat lunch among the leaves?

Kirari chuckled. “The one and only! Are you surprised? Turns out I’m good at singing AND climbing trees.” She explained. “And, honestly? I really didn’t want to eat lunch surrounded by our entire grade. I love all my fans, but I came here to make friends, not have daily meet-n-greets.”

“Wow! That crowd didn’t just happen this morning, then? I don’t know how you do it,” Maika said staring upward.

Kirari’s eyes lit up in relief and happiness. She shifted downwards, reaching her hand out to Maika. “Would you like to join me up here? The breeze feels wonderful.”

A green-eyed gaze met bright turquoise, and Maika responded, “I’ve actually never climbed a tree before. I won’t break my back if I fall, right?” She lifted her left hand.

Her caution was met with a playful laugh. “Mai-Mai, this tree is tiny compared to the ones I grew up around. You’ll be fine, I won’t let you fall. So don’t worry.”

Maika gripped the offered hand tightly and let out a small yelp as she was half-led, half-pulled up into the branches. She settled across from Kirari; Eternally grateful that her boxed lunch was still intact. As she adjusted herself to find a secure way to sit, she noticed Kirari’s right uniform sleeve had been pulled up when lifting her. On the usually covered wrist was a well-worn and colorful bracelet of plastic stars.

“That’s such a cute bracelet, Kirarin! Where’d you get it? It looks old” Maika asked, only realizing a moment later that her last comment might have been a little rude. She slapped a hand over her mouth and bowed the best she could while sat on her branch. “Sorry! Sorry! I didn’t mean that in a bad way!” She stuttered to try and explain herself, but stopped when Kirari burst into a fit of genuine, joyous laughter.

The laughing girl steadied herself on her branch as not to fall and wiped away a tear. “Don’t be silly! You’re right about it being old. I got this bracelet when I was 5. It’s super special to me, so I almost never take it off.” She lifted her wrist and held it at eye level. “I call it my lucky star. I’ve never preformed without it.”

Fully invested, Maika leaned forward slightly. She tossed away any thoughts of finishing lunch and inquired further. “Did your parents give it to you?”

Kirari shook her head and began fiddling with the colorful plastic. “No, I got it at a hospital.”

A curious tilt of Maika’s head urged Kirari to continue as she pleased. “Were you sick a lot as a kid?”

With a fond smile, Kirari responded, “I wasn’t, but my little brother Akio was. My parents said he had very bad asthma. We lived far from the city so he could breathe easier, but we still had lots of fun together.

“My mom had a conference in Tokyo when I was 5, and we made a family trip out of it. But before we went back home, Akio had a really bad asthma attack. We got to the hospital a little too late. That night, I remember waiting for Mom and Dad so we could leave, when Akio’s nurse came out and sat next to me…”

~☆~

“Are you Akio’s big sister, Kirari?”

Five-year-old Kirari sat on a bench, cuddled into her large yellow sweater dress. She looked at the source of the voice, seeing a young nurse seated beside her. The little girl sniffled and nodded.

The brunette nurse gave a sad smile and pat the child on the head affectionately. “Your Mom said she’s very proud of you for being so brave, today. And Your father was just telling me about how wonderful of a big sister you are. He said you’ve always been Akio’s hero.”

Kirari sniffled and shook her head, small fluffy ponytail frantically swishing with it. “Nu-uh! I can’t be his hero anymore if he can’t see me. I couldn’t save him, and that’s what heroes are supposed to do.” She wiped at her cheeks, chasing away her remaining tears.

“Being a hero isn’t just about saving people. Did Akio only like you because of that?” The Nurse’s point was met with a reluctant shake of Kirari’s head. She reached into her pocket. “Y’know, I helped take care of your brother whenever he stayed here. He loved to talk about you and how lovely your singing is.” The nurse gently took the child’s wrist, still damp from tears, and placed a colorful bracelet made of plastic stars on it.

“What’s this?” Kirari asked, looking at the stars in wonder.

The nurse gave the little girl another fond pat on the head. “Akio won that prize the last time he stayed here. He said he was going to give it to big sister, but forgot to bring it back.” She rubbed her misty eyes. “I held onto it for him. He isn’t here to give it to you now, but would you still like it?”

Kirari stared at the plastic accessory with sparkles in her eyes. “I love it,” she whispered, “Big sister loves it, Akio!”

“Kirari-Chan, it’s time to go home.” An exhausted looking man opened the door residing next to the bench. He saw his daughter cradling something around her wrist and leaned down. “Are you ready, sweetie?”

The child nodded.

Akio’s nurse stood and gave Mr. Hirano a polite bow. “I apologize for leaving the room. I thought little Kirari could use some company while mom and dad were busy. My sincerest condolences.”

Mr. Hirano, though tired, smiled at her. “Thank you, Nurse Masako. We really appreciate it. Right, Kirari-Chan?”

His daughter hopped off the bench. “En. Thank you, Miss Masako.”

The father picked Kirari up and kissed her forehead. Mrs. Hirano came out to join them. Both parents' eyes were red from crying, but regardless, they bowed and wished Masako a nice night.

However, before she could be carried out, Kirari wiggled free from her dad’s arms. She landed lightly and started running back to Nurse Masako. Nobody spoke as Kirari tackled her with a tight hug. “Akio says thank you, too,” she whispered.

Masako returned the embrace with tears in her eyes.

~☆~

Kirari finished recounting her story and gave her bracelet another fond look. Her concentration was broken by a loud, ugly sob from Maika.

Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, fogging up her glasses. “I-I’m so sor-sorryyyy! I did-n’t kn-know it was like th-hatt!” The noise that followed could only be described as, ‘every sound in the alphabet smashed together’ as she sobbed, unaware of the scene she was making.

A hand wiped away her latest stream of tears. Maika sniffled and locked eyes with Kirari through her clouded glasses.

“Awe, Mai-Mai, don’t cry! You didn’t know. And besides, I love telling people about Akio. He was my first fan, and look at me now.” Kirari sounded strangely cheerful as she watched Maika’s crying subside (not without wiping away a tear of her own).

Before she could speak again, the idol was tackled into a hug. “You’re amazing, Kirarin,” the teary-eyed redhead cried, “I’m going to make Akio proud! I’m going to cheer his big sister on, louder than anyone else! You’re going to be super shining!” Maika’s words filled with determination and vigor as she threw Kira-Kirari’s signature phrase back at her.

Kirari’s eyes lit up. “Does that mean you’ll be at my concert this weekend?” She asked, though the answer was quite obvious.

Suddenly, Maika lost her little balance, pulling both girls off the branches and down the short distance to the ground, hitting the soft grass just as the bell rung. Lunchtime was over. “Kirarin, you liar! You said you wouldn’t let me fall!” ~☆~

That Saturday, at the Fuwayama Amphitheater and surrounding park space, people from all over the city gathered for a night full of music and fun. Some families laid out blankets and watched as their children played under the evening sun; Other attendees browsed the charming selection of pop-up stores; A few simply sat and admired the sky’s ombre of color.

Maika and Kirari arrived a few hours beforehand, making sure the small dressing tent was set up for the idol’s performance. Alongside Kirari’s manager and childhood babysitter, Fujiwara Kaede, they prepared everything in record time. However, to her dismay, Maika found herself shooed away so Kirari could practice. She found herself wondering the lively event ground when a familiar voice called out to her.

“Ah! Maika-Chan, I thought I’d see you here.” Ms. Yumeno waved from behind her pastel booth counter. She motioned for the girl to come closer, paying no mind to the shaking ‘plush’ owl sitting at the head of the table.

Following her friend’s call, Maika excitedly jogged over to see the display for Mahou Monogatori. The modest stall was decorated with folded stars and colorful crayon drawings scattered across it’s paper table cover. Many wares were on display, a majority of which Maika added to her mental wishlist of MahouMo products.

Twyla sat in Yumeno’s lap, snuggled up against her pink sweater, unaffected by the static she created when nuzzling her wool into the soft material. Nighty, on the other hand, was vibrating with anticipation to speak with his new pupil.

“Ms. Maika!” He discreetly whispered, careful not to move his beak too much. Maika smiled, amused, and picked him up.

Yumeno laughed at her old friend’s antics and shook her head. “He’s been asking all week for you. I swear, if you don’t find another Pretty Cure soon, he might blow the top hat off his little head.”

“I’ll lose much more than my hat if we cannot locate another Precure soon,” Nighty spoke through his clenched beak. Oh, how Maika loathed what she had to confirm. She would have thought a cute little fairy like him would be full of sunshine and happiness; Rather than that however, Nighty was full of anxiety and overbearing.

Maika looked at Twyla, still curled up against Yumeno’s pink sweater. Her pint-sized backpack had been removed and set down by Nighty. “The Cure Clocks are still in there, right?”

“They better.” Nighty whispered under his breath. A loud laugh erupted from Yumeno, who received a sharp, yet ineffective glare from her friend.

In a desperate bid to avoid being yelled at by the tiny, adorable creature, Maika set Nighty down. She made a show of looking down at her Cure Clock, now worn as a decorative watch. “Oh, wow! Look at the time. Kira-Kirari is going onstage soon! I have to go make sure she’s ready. What kind of friend would I be if I were to just… abandon her?” While giving her (admittedly, embellished) speech, she slowly backed away. Yumeno and Twyla gave her a wave goodbye, while Nighty puffed his feather in irritation.

Though she did overstate the importance of her finding Kirari, it truly was almost time for her performance. Kaede was sure to let Maika into her client’s tent by now.

Maika’s thought was proven right when she ducked under the entrance to her friend’s dressing area. Kaede was holding a clipboard and frantically mumbling what Maika assumed to be the paper’s contents to herself. She paid the girl no mind as she bounded over to Kirari, sitting down next to her in front of a small portable vanity.

“Mai-Mai! You’re going to watch from backstage, right? Kaede got an extra pass for you.” Kirari was practically bursting with excitement as she handed her roommate a backstage pass attached to a lanyard. Maika put the pass on—only struggling to pull it over one of her buns this time—and fiddled with the plastic holding the card.

It was only after she put on the lanyard did she notice the bright costume Kirari wore. The milky pink of her dress was complemented wonderfully by a number of decorative stars on her belt, choker, and overskirt. The strong yellow accents added around the ensemble fit her perfectly, as did the miniature top hat pinned in her hair. Tying the whole piece together was Kirari’s beloved bracelet; Her ‘Lucky Star.’

Kirari’s sparkle was always present; During class, at nighttime, even when up in a tree! This, however, was different. It was as if the glimmering dress had taken her usual spark and turned it into a bright, shimmering shine.

“Kirarin, you look—” Maika was cut off by the source of her amazement.

“Super Shining? There’s a reason it’s my catchphrase.”

Maika’s affirmative response was instantaneous. She was completely in awe of her friend, only able to be shaken from her starstruck daze by a firm hand landing on her shoulder. The young idol smiled up at the woman standing behind Maika, excitement practically radiating off of her. “Kaede! Is it time?”

She received a nod in confirmation. “Yep. You better get out there, Kira-Kirarin. Can’t keep the crowd waiting, can you?”

“No way! Come on, Mai-Mai.” Kirari leapt out of her seat, unaware of the small string protruding from her sequined skirt that almost caught on her bracelet. She took her roommate’s hand and pulled her up. “Are you ready to be dazzled?”

Maika met her friend’s excitement with no resistance, meeting her halfway with an ecstatic skip in her step.

“Come on, Kira-Kirari! Show me what you’ve got!”

~☆~

A show put on by Kira-Kirari was like no other. Despite it only being her standing on Fuwayama’s favorite stage, the energy couldn’t have been more lively.

“And surely someday! As a promise to our selves, Let's go and aim for that Original Star!”

The final notes of Kirari’s penultimate song rang out, and the audience couldn’t help but cheer for more of their favorite local star. Said idol gave her crowd a wave up high before rushing offstage in order to get one last costume change in.

Maika, who had been tasked by Kaede to be the ‘laundry basket’—or, the poor soul tasked with catching each part of Kirari’s frantically shed costume—awaited her friend’s arrival in the wings. She held out both hands with an almost militaristic stillness.

When Kirari finally made it to her small changing corner, Kaede immediately took charge, unzipping Kirari’s costume to reveal a modest changing dress underneath it. They worked together with impressive precision as Maika stood to the side, unmoving aside from the occasional stumble to catch an accessory flung a little too far off.

“I can’t wait for the finale! The crowd is going to be so surprised when they got a completely new song for the encore.” Maika whispered excitedly. She jerkily moved from side to side in order to catch every piece of costuming thrown her way.

While tying a ribbon in the front of her final ensemble while the back was zipped up, the idol gave her friend a confident smile. “I won’t let you down, Mai-Mai! This song is about you, after all.”

A soft bell rung backstage, signaling that it was time for Kirari to go. She was given one last look over by Kaede before sending a peace sign her helpers’ way. The crowd-goers’ cheers of “Encore,” and “One more song!” were answered as the opening notes for a brand-new song started up.

Everyone was ready for Kira-Kirari’s grand closing. The cheers only grew louder as she went to take a microphone in hand.

SNAP. Suddenly, time froze for Kirari as she felt something on her right wrist catch and break. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed star-shaped charms flying across the floor.

Maika watched in horror as the beloved ‘Lucky Star’ bracelet broke into pieces when caught on a rogue strong of costume fabric.

The music for ‘Kirameku Moment’ continued on despite the prolonged silence from its singer. Kirari stood stagnant onstage; Maika could see her trembling in shock.

“Oh no!” Kaede’s eyes widened as she realized the gravity of that small mistake. She raced off somewhere, presumably to find a way to stop the backing track. The crowd’s cheers died down and were slowly replaced by whispers of confusion.

Kirari stood still, staring at her now bare wrist. That bracelet had been with her through everything. Lucky Star couldn’t have broken so easily, right? How else would it have gotten her where she is today? She needed her star, her guiding light. What was she supposed to do without it; Without Akio?

“A new feeling was born when I first met you, Hit me with such force, I can’t stop smiling…”

From the wings, a shaky voice sang words meant for the idol. It was unsure, and slightly flat, but managed to shake the idol from her stupor. With a whisper barely audible to even herself, Kirari named the one that slowly walked towards her.

“Mai-Mai?”

The music picked up, and with it so did Maika’s nervous steps. She jogged to her friend’s side and took her right hand.

“Hey everyone! Kira-Kirari needs your help!” The redhead shouted into the microphone a little too loud. Her green eyes searched the crowd for a familiar face to hopefully calm her nerves. Thankfully, only a few rows away from the stage, Yumeno stood with Twyla in her arms and Nighty perched on her shoulder. All three noticed Maika’s begging gaze, and gave bright encouraging smiles in response.

“Our favorite idol is a little scared right now. She really wants to sing for you, but even idols freeze up, y’know? So what do you say? How about we give our shining star the encouragement she deserves!” Maika continued, her voice growing a little more confident with each word. Slowly, cries of support started to rise in volume. Children clapped and parents cheered. One voice, though, was heard above all the rest.

“Keep on shining, Kira-Kirari! Keep on shining!” A brunette woman standing near Yumeno cupped her hands and yelled into them.

Turquoise eyes sparkled with tears as they locked with the eyes of their loudest supporter. “Nurse Masako?”

Both girls standing on stage stared in disbelief at Masako, who never relented in her cheers. With a sudden renewal of her vigor, Kirari jumped forward with Maika’s hand still in hers. The crowd burst into cries of happiness when a melodic voice burst into song once more.

“The future is never set in stone, who knows what this day will bring? All through my mind, a nerve current! But when the stars aligned, KIRA-ME-KU moment!”

Maika stood next to her, their hands still intertwined. She continued the song as well, even if she could barely be heard over the star of the show.

No jealously was felt, though. She realized then, that quietly singing by her friend’s side brought her a happiness she hadn’t known before. It was a rush of pride. Despite simply being a supporting player in this one moment she felt triumphant all the same.

The final song came to an end. Kirari breathed loudly, heavily as a result of her exhilarating performance. Both girls stared out at the lively crowd with bright smiles. “Thank you! Thank you, everyone! You all, you light up my world!” Kirari cried into her microphone. Directly after thanking her fans, she shot her arm up with Maika’s in tow and lowered them both in a deep bow.

Not a minute after she left the stage, the young singer took off to find a certain someone.

It’s her. It’s really her. Those two thoughts were all that raced through Kirari’s head as she ran with all her dwindling energy towards the woman she never thought she’d see again. Nurse Masako was there. She saw Kirari mess up; She saw Maika step in; She saw little Akio’s hero, who rose to the challenge.

“N-Nurse Masako!”

The brunette woman in question looked at Kirari, her expression emanating surprise or even, disbelief. The look on her face melted away not a moment later, her anxiety now replaced with overwhelming pride. “You were super shining up there, dear. Akio must be proud,” She said with a gentle smile.

Kirari leapt into waiting arms, unexpected tears of joy threatening to spill from the miraculous surprise.

From her spot beside the amphitheater’s stage, Maika watched the reunion in awe. “That’s amazing,” She mumbled. Beside her, Ms. Yumeno—with Twyla and Nighty in tow, both riding in her shoulder bag—chuckled.

She lightly pat Twyla’s fuzzy wool in an attempt to lure the lamb to sleep. “It’s no surprise that woman is such a fan. Who can resist the magic of Kira-Kirari?”

~☆~

From her perch atop a nearby building, Ran-Ran let out a laugh.

“That Kira Kid wasn’t half bad. It looks like that brat Encoru has some real competition.” Her ruby red eyes followed the idol’s frantic path. “Hm? Why’s she in such a hurry? The girl’s got to be tired—”

“Nurse Masako!”

A wicked smile spread across Ran-Ran’s face at the joyous shout. Her job had just been made a lot easier. With her sharp teeth bared, she tapped the star in the center of her bodice’s ribbon. “Sorry to steal your spotlight, Little Miss Idol. It seems the show is far from over.”

With her finger pointed and target clear, the purple-haired girl shot the star straight at Nurse Masako.

“Bullseye.”

~☆~

Ms. Yumeno slipped the top over the last container and let out a satisfied huff. In front of her, Maika fought for her life against a folding table.

“JUST. GO. DOWN.” She commanded through gritted teeth.

The old woman couldn’t help but laugh, eyeing the paper taped under the table that read, ‘INSTRUCTIONS FOR TAKEDOWN.’ Her young friend’s antics would never not be amusing. A shushing noise came from Yumeno’s foldable chair. “Ms. Maika, quiet! Please~hoo!” a blue-feathered wing motioned downward, catching the attention of his allies.

Nighty, as quietly as possible, pulled a small blanket over the sleeping Twyla. Though he was physically smaller than the childish lamb, his eyes when looking at her were sincere, protective.

“Aww! Who knew Nighty could be such a sweet guardian. I thought you only wanted to find more Precure,” Maika commented. She and Yumeno shared a mischievous look and made their way over to the pair of fairies.

Nighty could already feel the embarrassed blush creeping up his puffed cheeks. He huffed, looking anywhere but the approaching pair. “Of course I care for Twyla~hoo! She’s like a daughter to m—AUGH!”

The little owl’s declaration was cut off by none other than the subject of his words. Twyla’s head shot up without warning, knocking her caretaker over without realizing.

“Mai-Mai,” she cried, “where’s your sparkle friend?”

“My sparkle friend?”

“Sparkle Friend! I think she’s the one~twi! Papa, she was in my dream, and the Cure Clocks. Where are the…”

Maika’s eyes widened as she pieced Twyla’s frantic words together. Her realization came just in time. When the ground started to shake and horrified screams erupted throughout the park, it became clear that now more than ever the Pretty Cure were needed.

The redhead reached into her pocket, pulling out her pink PreCharm. She gave her surroundings a quick once over, and locked eyes with Yumeno once she deemed it empty of others.

The PreCharm snapped into place at the center of Maika’s watch and began to glow. “Pretty Cure! Dreamy Switch On!”

~☆~

Cure Reverie dashed towards the looming monster as fast as possible, weaving her way through groups of frightened festival-goers. There, standing over the outdoor theater was an Osoroshii and it’s commander.

Ran-Ran leaned over the top of the creature’s nurse-esque hat with a cocky smile on her face. She could easily pick out the blur of pink frantically running towards her creation, even if it was surrounded by a sea of panicking civilians. Just above her rested Nurse Masako trapped in a floating glass case.

A small but mighty voice reached Ran-Ran’s winged ears. “Nurse Masako! Checker Lady, What did you do to her?”

Offended, the ‘Checker Lady’ bared her pointed teeth and yelled back, “None of your business, Kira Kid! Call me Checker Lady again, and you’ll be joining her!”

From below, Kirari glared at the lavender-haired villain. How dare she victimize Kirari’s hero right in front of her! Without responding to Ran-Ran’s retort she stepped forward and kicked the tall monster’s leg with all of her might.

The Osoroshii was barely effected, but Ran-Ran’s pettiness would never let a kid get the last laugh. She slapped her creature’s forehead and gave a sharp command. “Crush that twerp! She’s getting on my nerves!”

“OSOROSHII!” The monster roared in response and lifted the leg Kirari had just kicked at. Its human target stepped back and took off to escape, but the creature’s reach was farther than she could realistically run. The menacing shadow grew closer and closer.

“No, no, no, no, I’m not going out like this!” Kirari cried. She couldn’t sprint fast enough, she was just about to give up hope. But then—

She was suddenly scooped into slim, strong arms. In the blink of an eye she had been safely whisked away and taken out of the monster’s field.

“KIRARIN! What were you doing? That thing is the size of a building!” A pink-clad girl yelled in the idol’s face. She was panting, arms shaking slightly. Her blonde hair was frazzled, but her green eyes held solid determination.

Kirari recognized those eyes, the nickname. Somehow, her savior was her roommate? “MAI-MAI?” She cried in response. Cure Reverie yelped and jumped back. There was no way! Nobody ever recognized the magical girl in her favorite manga!

Before her roommate could question her more, Reverie turned around and jumped away, racing back to the fight at hand. “STAY THERE, AND DON’T SAY ANYTHING!” She yelled as a goodbye, her face flushed in embarrassment.

~☆~

Cure Reverie jumped out of her hiding place and went straight for the Osoroshii standing in the field. She was overwhelmed beyond belief. The crowd of screaming people, the pushing and shoving from those trying to escape, the excessive noise and stimulation was making it difficult for the teen to focus on her intimidating task.

Nevertheless, with shaky hands and twitchy toes she attacked Ran-Ran and her partner. Reverie’s heeled boots dug into the monster’s belly and kicked it back, knocking its master away and into the air. She clumsily flipped away.

“Ran-Ran! Stop this now, please!” She desperately yelled, tirelessly blocking and throwing punches at the Osoroshii.

From her place in the air Ran-Ran scoffed. “As if, brat! My queen needs magic, and this place is a Yumeki jackpot!” Her monster swung its large fist at the exhausted girl, catching her off guard and slamming her into the ground.

“MAI-MAI!” A familiar voice cried out. Kirari screamed for her friend whose impact had made a dent near the ground she hid.

Cure Reverie moved, but rather than pushing herself up, she raised shaking hands up to cover her ears.

Kirari looked at her friend in horror, unsure of what to do. She whispered to herself, trying to take in the state of both her roommate and her childhood hero.

“Sparkle Friend! We need you~twi.” Squeaky cries came from a trio approaching Kirari. She snapped her head to the source, barely being able to take in the talking lamb and owl before a small charm hit her chest. Looking up, the idol recognized Maika’s beloved Ms. Yumeno as well as…two sentient plushies?

Somehow, she thought, not the weirdest thing I’ve seen today.

“Kirari-San! I know this is quite bizarre, but please; Ms. Mochizuki needs help!” The elder woman placed a light blue analog clock in Kirari’s hands to match the yellow charm.

“You have the power to save her—to save them!” The owl accompanying Yumeno cried.

Kirari gave an enthusiastic nod, her mind was made up. She ran towards Reverie, who was still struggling to stand. “Don’t worry, Mai-Mai!” She cheered, catching both Ran-Ran and the osoroshii’s attention. The red-eyed commander looked at the idol in horror.

With her hands raised, and a powerful sparkle in her eyes she locked the charm and clock together.

“I will never leave you in the dark! Pretty Cure! Dreamy Switch On!”

~☆~

A melodic ring sounded as sparkles exploded from the clock, covering Kirari in a yellow glow. Her performance attire was replaced with a romper-like garment of silk fluorescent fabric. The world had become nothing more than an endless colorful space with stars decorating every corner.

The source of magic attached itself to the center of her chest. A layered, off shoulder collar with sleeves burst out from under it and suddenly, the romper has molded into a bright yellow costume. Around her waist, a bow made of cloud-like fabric held together by a large decorative star. She reached up, allowing a pair of bright yellow gloves to adorn both hands. What looked to be a miniscule comet flew around Kirari’s neck; exploding into sparkles as an orange ribbon tied itself together under a decorative star.

A star large enough to carry the girl shot by. Kirari effortlessly hopped on, her hair growing longer and more vibrant as she surfed through the sky. Two large, puffy pigtails were brought together by bands of multicolored beads. She plucked a sparkle from the sky, tossing it up and snapping in time with the sparkle’s transformation into a bright yellow top hat. The girl reached for the hat and brought it down to rest on her head.

With her head tilted to the sky, Kirari prepared to jump off her surfing star just as a bright energy encircled her legs. The magic solidified as a pair of sneaker-like shoes under long, fluffy leg warmers. She leapt off the star with no hesitation and gracefully made her way down a spiral of light that seemed to follow her every move.

The light cut out, leaving only the night sky visible. That is, until the star of the show touched down on a platform and reignited the sparkling stars. With a tip of her top hat, she took command of the stage.

“Full of light and endless energy!” Newly transformed and ready to go, she knew the spotlight couldn’t get enough of her. She reached outwards with one hand, grabbing the rim of her hat with the other and stuck a pose.

“Up and at it, Cure Shine!”

~☆~

In place of the sparkling idol Kira-Kirari, Cure Shine stood in all of her yellow glory. The evening gloom was no more. Instead, the sky’s ombre radiated warmth and excitement.

Cure Reverie stared up at her companion in awe. How could she have missed it? Kirari, or rather, Cure Shine, was prime teammate material!

“Ugh, Seriously? Another one ALREADY?” Ran-Ran cursed under her breath. The Osoroshii stood in wait for its master's command, but instead of a command it received a smack on it’s head. “What are you waiting for, you big lug? Just get rid of them. NOW,” the girl in purple growled.

The monster immediately leapt forward, looking to land another punch on the Precure. It roared at the girls—both of which were vulnerable as Shine helped Reverie reorient herself. But just as the fist was about to connect, the evening sun’s light hit the reflective surface of Nurse Masako’s prison.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cure Shine noticed the glare. It took only a moment for her to pivot and catch the beast before it could get her.

BOOM!

Dust clouded in the air from the impact. A breeze flew by, blowing the dust away to reveal a yellow gloved hand connecting with a monstrous fist. Shine laughed at the absurdity of her newfound strength.

“Now this—is super shining!” She cheered and pushed forward with all her might, knocking Ran-Ran away from her creation and sending the Osoroshii flying backwards. It recovered quickly and went to attack the girls again. Cure Reverie, shaken but standing nonetheless put a hand on Shine’s shoulder.

The girls made eye contact, and nodded. Then they were off jumping in separate directions. Cure Shine towards a tall and sturdy tree; Reverie setting off to catch the monster from behind.

“They make quite a team. Don’t they?” Yumeno asked Nighty from their place behind the stage. She lightly poked Twyla on the nose. “You really know how to pick them, darling.”

With its targets out of sight, the monster grew agitated. “OSOROSHII!” It raged, smashing its fists into the ground and shaking the earth where Yumeno and the fairies stood.

Cure Reverie stumbled, catching herself with her gloved hands and wincing at the scratches left behind from impact. She glanced at the tree Shine had landed on. A yellow gleam from between the leaves confirmed that her partner was ready.

“HERE!” The blonde cried as she sprinted towards the Osoroshii’s back. Lightning quick hits came at her from the beast, forcing her to maneuver between the large fists while sustaining momentum. All the strain was worth it when she leapt into a sliding kick and knocked her opponent’s feet out from under itself. She skidded to a stop facing the beast’s front. Rustling could be heard from the tall tree.

In a split second, Cure Shine was up in the air, aiming to hit the Osoroshii right at the center of it’s laid flat form. She brought both hands down, cheering in excitement as she smashed into her target, eliciting a monstrous cry from it. The powerful strikes didn’t cease. Shine dug a deep kick into the beast’s head and hands before flipping her way back onto the grass. Cure Reverie pointed to the Cure Clock resting at the center of Shine’s chest. She gave her friend a big thumbs up, signaling it was go time.

Yellow gloves went to turn the wing-shaped hands of the Clock in a full rotation, then tapped the PreCharm in the middle of it.

Shine clapped her hands twice, summoning a bright spotlight pointing directly at the fallen Osoroshii. “Pretty Cure!” She jumped up high, a trail of glitter following behind her.

A bright ball of glowing energy came into view; The source of the spotlight. The yellow-clad hero pulled her hand back, clenching it into a fist. “Shine,” she shot her hand forward, punching the orb with all her might, “Supernova!” Suddenly, the light burst into a blinding beam and struck the monster, dead center. A ‘BANG’ sounded, and the Osoroshii was engulfed in a yellow radiance.

The monster’s red light slowly disappeared, as if it were an eye closing. “Good Night!” It said groggily before it vanished in a flash.

Ran-Ran staggered to her feet, recovered for only a moment before the intense flash of Shine Supernova forced her to step back and shield her eyes.

“AUGH!” She cried out in surprise. When the light faded, she was met with not only the defeat of her monster, but the glass casket holding her captive breaking and the woman inside falling into the newest Pretty Cure’s arms.

The lavender-haired girl stomped her foot in anger. “NO! NO,” She yelled, knocking herself on the head lightly. “Encoru is never going to let me live this down,” she lamented through clenched teeth. Not wanting to watch the happy reunion in defeat, Ran-Ran disappeared.

“Nurse Masako!” Kirari cried in relief, quickly de-transforming to greet the Nurse as she woke up.

Thick lashes fluttered open, brown eyes focused on the girl staring back at them in worry. Masako smiled.

“You’ve come a long way, Kirari-Chan. Akio would be so proud.” She whispered, tenderly touching the idol’s cheek before losing consciousness once again.

~☆~

Back at Mahou Monogatari, Ms. Yumeno went about setting up a sleeping area for the girls, as it was far too late for them to walk back to their dorm. It was well past dark once the ambulance holding Nurse Masako and her family went off to the hospital.

“I can’t believe you called her ‘Sparkle Friend, Twyla!” Maika groaned at the fluffy lamb cuddled up in Kirari’s arms. “She has a name!”

‘Sparkle Friend’ chuckled at her friend’s embarrassment. She pat Twyla on the head, humming, “I don’t mind, Mai-Mai. Nicknames are fun. Plus, I could never get mad at this cute little angel!” Her hands scratched at pink wool, lulling the lamb into a sleepy daze.

“Don’t fret, Mochizuki. After all, it was Twyla who identified ‘Sparkle Friend’ as the next cure. Without that, who knows what would’ve happened?” Nighty spoke from his perch on a nearby bookshelf. “All that matters is the fact that we’ve gained a new precure,” He turned to Kirari and bowed in all his feathered glory.

“Welcome to the team, Kirari-San.”

Kirari smiled brightly and lightly bowed in return. “Who knew I’d start the school year like this?” She giggled. “‘Legendary Warrior’ is going to look great on my resume. Talk about a triple threat.” The girl joked, her friend laughing along at the faux arrogance.

Ms. Yumeno made her way over to the quartet. “I’ve got your futons ready, girls. Make sure to get some rest, you deserve it.” The roommates nodded and followed the kind old woman, snickering and whispering to each other.

“What are you two going on about?” Yumeno teased, amused.

“Oh, it’s nothing Ms. Yumeno,” Maika stated.

Kirari smiled cheekily, stopping and striking a dramatic pose. “Oh, but it isn’t, nothing, dear Mai-Mai!” She declared. “From this day forward, I, Hirano Kirari, deem you all official members of the Kira-Kirari Idol Posse!” The girl smiled, shining so brightly not even the full moon could rival her. “Everything really—Today has been…

“Totally super shining!”