#i teared up when she held that windchime and smiled right before finally leaving that house

[hecatesbroom]

Blanche's grandma's place is the only place she felt consistently loved in... no I'm fine. I'm fine

[essays-for-breakfast]

Tales of the Past

Kiane Week Day Three: Innocence

Note: Since the identity of King’s and Diane’s child is still a mystery, I simply incorporated Ivy from my other story, Conquest of the Past, into this. You don’t have to read that one to understand this one shot. Please enjoy.

Doesn’t time fly?

One day the Holy War scourged the lands of Britannia, a threat to all life and all light, and the next King kissed Diane and sealed their unending bond through the marriage he had dreamed of for so long.

One day he held his newborn daughter in his arms, mesmerized by every breath she took, and the next she talked in full sentences and outran him in a race to the silver springs and back home.

Life hurried past so quickly, it never stopped for King to catch up, and before he knew, his daughter would grow up to go her own way. Even his increased life span as Fairy King didn’t allow for enough time to appreciate all these precious moments, to savor all the talks and all the embraces and all the kisses before time placed the veil of forgetfulness over them. But life always had a new gift in store to repay the bittersweet taste on King’s tongue when his mind drifted to the inevitable end. A simple walk, a simple conversation, a simple smile – he never needed more.

Few things these days filled King with the same warmth as when he watched his daughter play. Ivy hopped across the root-infested earth of the Fairy King’s Forest, in pursuit of a butterfly. Unlike her mother, she took a liking to bugs and critters of all kind, maybe more so than to the Fairies around her.

His thoughts circled around her in lazy turns, like ponderous bees in the summer heat, and so he nearly missed the low-hanging sycamore branch in Ivy’s path.

“Ivy, be careful or you will…” She craned her neck towards King but didn’t bother to slow her steps. Her temple crashed against the branch, and she went down. “… or you will bump your head!”

King pushed his wings to their limits and raced to where Ivy lay in the grass. But she sat herself back up before he reached her, and a sigh slipped his lips.

Ivy rubbed her head. “That branch wasn’t there last week. Do I have to die now?”

“Don’t say such silly things, you won’t die. Not on my watch.”

King flicked his fingers, and Chastifol manifested by his side, enwrapped by a golden aura. Another turn of his hand later, the Spirit Spear transformed into the translucent dome of its eight form. Ivy gaped and giggled as the pollen of the Sacred Tree healed her wound and replenished her energy. The cramp between King’s shoulders disappeared, and he allowed himself three additional breaths surrounded by the scent of flowers and the transient sound of windchimes. But, although he had plenty of magical energy to spare, the excessive use of Pollen Garden remained a lavish act.

“Everything alright now?” King asked as the gold-patterned walls disintegrated.

Ivy nodded. “It doesn’t hurt one bit! I thought I was done for.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promised you that, don’t you remember? But I’m afraid that the branch above us was there last week as well. You are growing too fast.”

“And soon I will be twice as tall as you! Do you think I will be as tall as mommy one day?”

“Maybe. But I hope you take your time with growing up. Just a little bit, for my sake.”

“I don’t like being so tall anyway. Every time Lance comes over to visit, I feel like he is getting smaller. Hitting his head with a ball becomes so much harder when the target’s so tiny.”

King opted for a serious expression, but the round violet eyes of his daughter melted any steel in his voice. “Ivy, you’re not supposed to hit him.”

“Why? He always gets back to his feet the next second. He’s a sore loser, it’s not my fault he can’t admit that I’m the better thrower.”

“I just don’t want you to do something you will regret later on. You are incredibly strong, and looking at your mother, I think you will become even stronger. But strength can be used for the wrong reasons. In a moment of carelessness, strength can become a weapon to hurt others, including people you care about. I fought your uncle once because I was blinded by loss and thoughts of betrayal. I wanted to hurt him. And I did. And he wasn’t the only one I hurt. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

Ivy crossed her arms. “But you’re not a fighter. I’ve never seen you so much as argue with someone. Not even with uncle Ban, even though he tells terrible jokes and talks too much when he is drinking that weird stuff in the glass bottles with the unseemly pictures.”

“You’d be surprised by how many battles your mother and I have fought. Come on. Let me show you something.”

Ivy straightened and climbed back to her feet – the last time King had offered her a hand, the attempt had ended in a dislocated shoulder on his part and a stream of sobs and apologies on Ivy’s part. After throwing the branch in her path a final death glare, Ivy caught up with King, and together they navigated the maze of tree trunks and broom bushes. The pathless forest allowed for uncounted places to hide and get lost beneath the dense canopy. But King knew every stone and every plant, could differentiate sections of the vast woodland by the sound of its leaves and the unique scents of morels or honey agarics. The energy of the forest was an ever-changing pattern that gave him a better understanding of where his wings carried him than any map. And so, he found the clearing overgrown with sweet woodruff in a matter of minutes.

Ivy pulled in a sharp breath. Amidst the greenery lay a war hammer of thirty feet length. The sun reflected from the bronze head. Despite a lack of recent polish, neither weather nor plant life had touched the Sacred Treasure; Gideon looked the same as on the day Diane had placed it here.

Ivy ran over and put her hands around the hilt. But she only managed to nudge the pommel from the ground. The head remained glued to its resting spot.

“What is this?” she asked and puffed when her next battle against Gideon’s weight proved fruitless. “It must weigh more than you and me combined!”

King smiled. “A lot more. This is your mother’s Sacred Treasure. She wielded it in the New Holy War.”

“No way. Mom fought in a war? And you were with her? Did you win?”

“Yes, we won. We won battles against knights and Demons, and even the foulest creature of all them all, the Demon King himself.”

Ivy abandoned her assault on Gideon long enough to gawk at King. “You mean you and mom were heroes? You took responsibility for all the many people out there and protected them?”

“Not us two alone, no. We had friends to rely on. Your uncle Ban, the Captain, and Gowther among many more. You remember them, don’t you? It’s important to have friends you can trust. So, next time you play catch with Lancelot, maybe try to be a little more careful. If you’re both nice to each other, your bond will eventually reward you, maybe in a way you never expected.”

“Yeah, sure, as long as he admits that I’m the better thrower. What else happened during the war? The people must admire you very much for saving them.”

“I believe they did. Some still do. But I never fought to gain their favor. If anything, I felt a little uncomfortable with all the parties they threw to honor the Seven Deadly Sins. There was a lot of gratefulness, some of these people gained a freedom they never knew before the war. And without the war on the horizon, the Seven Deadly Sins might have never been assembled, and Diane and I might have never reunited. Most likely she would have found someone else, maybe not the Captain, but someone who would have been willing and eager to give her the love she deserves. It’s easy to say that all fighting is bad, and I will be the first to admit that the Holy War claimed far more victims because we as a group of knights did not always stand united. But at the same time, I’m glad I can’t turn back the clock. Because otherwise, we wouldn’t have had you.”

King stroked Ivy’s soft, reddish-brown locks. She leaned into the touch, even went so far as to wrap her arms around him.

No, King would never want to turn back time and risk the life he had now, the happy ending he and Diane had fought for. But if the Sacred Tree or another god had offered him the chance to stop the clocks and hold onto today forevermore, he might have accepted.

One day, before he knew it, Ivy would be grown up, and the sweet innocence of her childhood would run through his fingers no matter how desperately he begged the flow to stop. Another war might plague the lands. Another tyrant might escape the ashes, another creature sent from Purgatory or a realm beyond the world he knew. Ivy might have to take up arms to protect what she loved, just like her parents before her.

King listened to the soft breaths of his daughter and blinked away the veil of tears. “Try not to grow up too fast. Will you do that for me?”

“Okay, dad. But I will first have to ask mom if she agrees.”

A chuckle rocked King’s torso, and the grey clouds of the future backed away to gift him with another day in the sun. “Please do that. I wouldn’t want to enrage her with another one of my selfish ideas. She could drop a mountain on top of me. And I’m afraid she doesn’t need Gideon for that. How about we go back to her right away? I miss her, don’t you?”

“Very. I wanna ask her more about the war. I bet she was a super-amazing fighter if she could lift this hammer. And while we go back, I could catch another butterfly as a gift for her!”

King made a face and produced a series of undefinable sounds. “Maybe… we could look for – er – something else to surprise her with? Flowers for example. Everyone likes flowers.”

“But they’re so boring to catch! They can’t even run away!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll try to come up with something on the way home. How about some wild berries?”

“That’s not very creative. And once mom has eaten them, she’ll have nothing left to remember the gift.”

“A mushroom that looks like a face maybe?”

“How boring!”

Side by side and engrossed in a discussion loud enough to scare away swarms of song birds, father and daughter walked back home, to Diane. By the end of their journey, they had found not a single idea they could agree upon. Diane nevertheless embraced both of them with a smile and a remark of how heavy Ivy was getting.

And as she gave King a casual kiss, he stopped the clocks and held onto this moment forevermore.

[byeleriscanon]

Lucky (Reddie fluffy fic)

Thanks so much to @lukemybieber for the prompt/idea! I’m certain there’s been plenty of variations of reddie coming out but here is my take. It’s a little long (and rubbish but oh well) but I hope you all enjoy this! I made Richie the hesitant ones because I always see Eddie as the hesitant one in coming out fics so I decided to mix it up This fits in with my other reddie fics: Now and Forever (here) and Kisses At Sunset (here) which could be read chronologically I suppose but can also stand alone. I hope you like it!

Summary: Richie and Eddie have been dating for about a month, and they finally tell their friends.

Richie Tozier really didn’t think he could be more lucky.

Sure, Henry Bowers had broken his glasses again last week, and his parents were still drunks who didn’t realise his existence, and yeah most of his classmates found him insufferably annoying, but none of that mattered; he had the Losers. More importantly, he had Eddie Kaspbrak. Beautiful, smart Eddie Kaspbrak. As he thought of his boyfriend, Richie’s gaze was drawn from the biology textbook he was reading on top of Eddie’s bed and pulled eagerly towards Eddie, as if he were a magnet and Richie was a fleck of iron. He sat a few feet away at the desk beside his bed, scrawling arcane looking mathematical symbols onto a piece of paper.

All thoughts of his biology homework flew from his mind like leaves caught in a rogue wind as he gazed lovingly towards his boyfriend. Everything about him was simply perfect. The way his brown hair rested in a messy combover, his round, innocent features, the spattering of freckles that decorated his cheeks, the way his brow furrowed in concentration as he considered the math that occupied him. Yes, he was perfect. There really was no other way to describe him.

“How am I supposed to focus on my homework if you keep staring at me like that, Richie?” Eddie feigned annoyance without looking up from his work, but the smile that spread across his face betrayed him.

“Well how am I supposed to focus when you’re sitting there being all cute?” Richie retorted. “I didn’t realise I wasn’t allowed to look at my boyfriend” My boyfriend. Richie’s stomach fluttered, and a warm tingling seemed to flash across his body as the words left his lips. It had been just over a month since they started dating, but Richie still couldn’t believe he got to call Eddie his boyfriend.

Eddie melted as those words escaped Richie’s mouth and fluttered over to him. Giggling, he closed his book and moved from his pristine desk and over to his bed where Richie sat, his long legs folded beneath him and a biology book in his lap. He took his place beside Richie, and pressed his lips to Richie’s allowing his taste to dance and spark tantalizingly across his lips.

“Woah there Eds, if your mom catches us she’ll be jealous,” Richie joked when their lips separated.

“Richie, that’s so gross, way to ruin the moment,” Eddie made a noise of disgust.

“So sorry your highness,” Richie responded, his voice reshaping into an awful imitation of a British accent.

“That was the worst accent I’ve ever heard,” Eddie teased. “But I could get used to being called your highness,” Eddie’s laughter was sweet and soft, like windchimes in the autumn air, and Richie smiled as the melody reached his ears. He wasted no time leaning forward and connecting with Eddie’s lips, taking in the slightly saccharine taste of his chapstick, and allowing his tongue to graze teasingly over Eddie. Eddie leaned further into him as he did and placed his hand on Richie’s cheek. Richie felt as if electricity was arcing between them wherever they made contact. He didn’t want to pull away. Not now, not ever. He was meant to be with this boy he could feel it.

Eddie finally pulled away, and Richie noted a more serious look flash across his face as their eyes met.

“Richie…I think we should tell the others,” he said delicately, as if he was dancing around shattered glass. “You know, about us.” He looked worriedly into his boyfriend’s eyes, searching for a reaction.

“I don’t know they might get pretty jealous,” Richie chuckled, and to anyone else they might have believed he was joking. But Eddie knew his boyfriend better than anyone else, and he saw differently. As he spoke, something flashed through his eyes. It looked like, fear? Eddie let out a breath and reached down and grabbed Richie’s hand.

“Richie, why don’t you want to tell them? You said no last time I mentioned it but you won’t tell me why,” Eddie’s worry crept into his voice, and it was not lost on Richie, who all but flinched at the sound. Doubts began to dance around Eddie’s mind, and he could feel his anxiety rise in his chest. “Are you, are you ashamed to be dating me?” Eddie’s voice quivered as he spoke. Rationally, he knew differently. But why else would Richie be so opposed to telling the Losers? His mind continued to race and he could feel himself growing more anxious by the second.

“What? Eds, no! I love you! I just –” Richie’s voice caught in his throat, and his heart pounded in his chest as he considered his next words. “I’m scared, Eddie. I’m scared.” His words were thick, and as he said them he slouched, a look of defeat etching its way across his face.

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked. He’d never seen his boyfriend this way before. “Scared of what?”

“What if they don’t approve? What if they don’t like that we’re dating? My whole life my parents haven’t cared about me, nobody at school cares about me. But that’s okay because I’ve always had you guys. Especially you,” Richie smiled despite himself. “And I know it’s stupid, but I don’t want to lose them. I don’t want them to hate us.” Richie tried to keep from crying, but a tear managed to escape his eyes and roll down his cheek, leaving behind it a watery trail on his face. Eddie’s spirits nearly shattered, and he could feel a lump in his throat. He hated seeing his boy this way.

“It’s not stupid,” he said softly. “But I promise Richie, they’re not going to hate you. Or us. They love us. You’re not losing them, and you’re not losing me. Not now, not ever. I’ll be right beside you, the whole time.” Eddie gave Richie’s hand a squeeze and used his other hand to lift Richie’s gaze. He did his best to summon a reassuring smile, and Richie felt his fears quickly melting as his eyes met his boyfriend’s.

“Okay. Lets do it tomorrow. We’ll take them to the Barrens and we’ll tell them,” Richie returned Eddie’s squeeze. “But I can’t promise that they won’t be jealous that you got to snag someone with such good looks.” He grinned stupidly and Eddie playfully nudged him, laughing again.

…

Richie and Eddie found an excuse to go to the Barrens the next day, and called the rest of the Losers, telling them all to meet them. Both boys had spent the entire day full of nervous butterflies. They spent the entire day at the Barrens, even though they had told the others to meet them that afternoon. Richie tried to bring a picnic but he was so nervous that he had forgot all of the supplies aside from the blanket at home. The sun had begun to sink low into late afternoon, casting everything with a warm glow, before the rest of the Losers began showing up. Bev was the first to show up, smiling and waving enthusiastically at the two boys as she waded through the golden grass, the sun warming her face and fiery hair. Next came Bill and Stan, who must have been hanging out together, because they showed up together. Mike came next, dirt from his farm caking his worn jeans. Ben was the last to show up, huffing and talking about how he had lost track of time at the library.

The motley group spent a couple minutes talking and joking before Richie and Eddie decided it was time to get it over with. Richie cleared his throat and Eddie moved to stand beside him.

“H-hey everyone, so uh, I just, uh, well I –” Richie began, fumbling and tripping over his words like he was blindfolded and trying to make his way through an obstacle course.

“Jesus Richie take a breath, will you? I thought you were supposed to be good at talking!” Bev laughed

“Yuh-yeah Rich, you’re s-starting to sound l-l-like me,” Bill joined in.

“Sorry, I really just don’t know how to say this,” Richie continued. Eddie grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, and looked reassuringly at him.

“What Richie’s trying to say is –” Eddie started, before Richie finally found his words

“ThatEddieandIaredatingandwehavebeenforaboutamonth!” Richie’s words tumbled and crashed out of his mouth as if someone had just removed a dam that had been holding back a river for hundreds of years. Eddie looked out at his friends, each one of them looking stunned, as if they had just been smacked.

“Yeah, that,” Eddie sighed and giggled despite himself. “We’ve been dating for a month, and I know that we should have told you but we were just getting used to everything, and I really hope that you guys can accept that I’m gay and that he’s bi and we’re dating…” There were a few seconds of silence in which Eddie and Richie held on to each other’s hands like they might get ripped away, hearts pounding in their ears, before Stan finally broke the silence.

“Well its about time. Looks like I win, Marsh,” Stan said almost matter-of-factly.

“Stan!” Beverly laughed despite herself. “Guys, of course we accept it. To be honest Stan and I kind of knew something was up between you two,” She smiled stepped forward and wrapped the both of them in the warmest hug she could. Richie and Eddie both let out impossibly long breaths, and Richie felt like ten thousand pounds of pressure had just been let off his chest.

“Good f-for you guys!” Bill said as he joined the hug. Ben came up and hugged the two boys from behind.

“Aww that’s so sweet you guys,” he said as he joined. Mike wormed his way to Richie and just laughed as he hugged his friends. Stan joined in last and chuckled as he wrapped his arms around the jumble of bodies

“I just want everyone to know I called it,” he joked. The group stayed in the embrace before they let the two boys go, who grinned stupidly, hands still intertwined.

“We love you guys, and that won’t ever change,” Beverly said. The group nodded, their affirmations forming a chorus to which Richie’s heart swelled, and a warmth spread across his entire body. Eddie grinned, and the group laughed as he wiped away a tear.

The Losers stayed at the barrens the rest of the afternoon, joking and talking. Richie stayed beside his boyfriend the whole time, never letting go of his hand. His boyfriend. He smiled and looked down at Eddie, the way the sunlight glinted off his brown hair, the way his joy danced in his large, brown eyes. Eddie returned the smile, and then laughed as Stan and Beverly informed the group of their bet to see when Eddie and Richie would come clean about their relationship.

“I want to hear all about it!” Ben said. “How did you tell each other! What was your first date?”

“You sure you want all of it? It gets a little –” Richie began before a chorus of six “beep beeps” sent him and everyone else into a fit of laughter.

Richie looked at each and every one of his closest friends as they laughed. Here they all were. They loved him, and he loved them. His parents didn’t care about him but that didn’t matter. Because his friends did. His boyfriend did. And that’s all he needed. Their laughter formed the symphony that the joy within him swelled and danced to. He could feel their love, as warm and sure as the late afternoon sun that bathed them all. He felt Eddie’s hand in his, and he knew the truth:

Richie Tozier really couldn’t be more lucky.

[strawberrymarshmallowstories]

From the World Above

Title: From the World Above

Pairing: Hoseok/OC

Word Count: a tad bit over 2K

Rating: SFW guys, it’s all safe!

Summary: 

From great many eons ago, where blue skies showed gods calamity,

Until when the timewheel dashed through wars and catastrophes,

We are still here and so lurk they,

Among us, spreading their poison.

  BTS Oneshot Collection: Gods & Goddesses AU

 *** 

You pulled your hair up into a ponytail, tilting your head just enough for the light to hit all the right places.

Utter perfection. As fit for a goddess.

To be honest, not all gods resided secluded in their kingdoms. Some chose to travel the worlds. They took years, some decades, but most returned to their homelands. 

Only a rare soul strayed, hooked on the offerings of this world.

Unlike these gods, you’d spent your childhood on the physical Earth. A gift on its own - away from a tainted unforgiving realm where gods played petty games, weaving plans stretched over decades, with stakes greater than life and death.

And you’d never change a thing. Even with the rocky path behind you, even more for a child with no parents to show the way. You’d gone through your own share of battles that left you a whimpering mess, the raw growing power only muffled by acres of forest green.

You’d think yourself as special for surviving, but there were more like you. Exiles. Refugees.

You'd never seen them, but their ghostly brush always sent shivers down your spine.

A non-verbal agreement. To stay away and no harm would be done.

The living of the woods walked with you as you followed the trail up the hill, welcomed by whispers and soft flickers of light. You hummed a tune that came as second nature, that sparked joy in the living under your feet and above your head.

You'd been too young when Gaia had taken you in, only a babe whose basic elements had yet to stabilise. Your bare survival had been a game of roulette. A ticking bomb of the sorts without a countdown.

But although an unknown threat, Gaia had shown mercy. She’d taken you in when your own kind had tried to hurt you.

No, not hurt. They'd been set out to kill.

So when you glimpsed the hair of slow burning fire, lazing on a huge flat rock that was yours, you snapped. That rock had become your favourite lounging spot, surrounded by rocky climbs and steep hills no human ever explored.

And like you, it had seen hundreds of years of change. 

You suppressed your anger, for your wind whispered of an otherworldly touch. But you could tell, by the halo gifted by the Sun. Energy of fire and earth.

But indeed, his energy.. 

A hint of something, a hint of ...

No! 

But your will held no strength. The damp pitch black dungeons, heavy breaths in a place with no other beating heart, hot tears down your cheeks that dried before they hit the ground.

Whoever he was, he carried the blood of the old gods.

Of the same gods who’d given birth to you. Of the same gods who’d tried to kill you, playing with life and death. From the same world you had escaped, barely alive and barely breathing.

Notes slipped from his lips with careless ease - as light as windchimes, but full of whispers of dark midsummer nights. Beauty you would’ve perhaps appreciated in different circumstances.

Had he not reminded you of your past.

And so even the trees carried the warning with each sway of their branches, to stay away as the wind lifted its head. To take on a physical blockage in its invisible form. And only then, once wind rose - an escort for a message and warning in one - his gaze snapped to yours.

'Who are you?' You called out. With the words an echo through the woods, each tree gathered their branches, knowing that you would hunt before becoming the prey.

Never again.

He stood, his manners unrushed. Every line of his face as if carved from marble, his fiery hair and glowing complexion an exotic mix. Immortals often lacked warmth, only cool hues adding to their image of longevity.

No, but there’s something else.

He almost could’ve pulled off being a human, albeit earthly charms were not enough to describe him. Instead he’d passed through the line of humane beauty, wandered off the trails to the land of outcasts with a rebellious glint in his eyes.

He was a beautiful man who took orders from no one.

'Nice place you have here,' he said with an appreciative nod and jumped off from the rock. 'And my apologies, of course a spot of this beauty would be taken.' 

You should’ve let him go then. But you couldn't, not with blood pumping through your veins, the barely scabbed over scars pulsing deep under your skin. Demanding justice for doings no one remembered.

The breeze grazed your cheek before lashing out in a circle. With a smirk you crossed your arms, forcing the bounds to draw to close.

'What do you want from here?' You demanded and pulled at the invisible ropes. His hands went to his chest once he realised he couldn’t take another breath. All while the wind picked up its speed, not wanting to lose its chance. 

The sky roared, loud and clear as it echoed through the opening.

Not today. You snapped at Gaia. Not when revenge was so close. Not when it tasted sugar-sweet on your tongue.

'So you're not a complete weakling,' you hissed at the first sign of his power. An invisible wall, a strong one.

'Boy, who are you?' You demanded, enforcing your own barriers. A layer upon another, the weaving quick and strong. A skill you had perfected through sheer need to stay alive.

'A boy, is that what I seem?' He finally said, his voice a low sharp-edged sword. He’d dropped the casual demeanour, replaced by confidence and a hint of eerie otherness.

He pushed against your barriers, his energy testing yours with a sharp tug. Then another, stronger, until its mere pressure pushed you back a step. ‘Haven’t been one for a long time.’

And the quick weaving paid off, for it blocked his firebolt that sizzled out against your barriers.

A test. And a show. A balance of great control and massive strength. With clear outlines, each flame a form of mastery, it required huge amounts of energy to burn. Many had no chance of mastering it, and not because of talent or hard work, but because they could never channel enough energy to try.

But he did, and he used it carelessly for a stupid show.

He was no boy or a man as that would mean he was human. Not even a mere god. He was something other. Something more.

An Ancient.

Your breath hitched, fists clenching. You had to get out.

A diversion? You could stir Gaia’s balance, get the wind to hold him at bay until--

'Now now, ladies and gentlemen.' A voice cut into your thoughts. A familiar tall frame stepped out from the shade, with icy ethereal beauty you knew well. ‘Two is not enough for a party, but three is a--.’

'Who is he Tae?' You cut him off with a gust of wind that got him coughing, a slap enough to soothe the irk under your skin.

‘What does your hunch say?’ A displeased reply. But his relaxed form eased the tension.

'That he smells like a human dog.' You scoffed, propping yourself up on your rock to cross a leg over another. Coincidences didn’t exist. Gods loved their games too much - and you had enough of being anyone’s puppet.

'Then the human dogs smell better than I presumed.' The red-head noted and held out his hand. ‘My name’s Jung Hoseok, a pleasure to meet you.'

You only granted the silent request as per old etiquette. He wouldn’t attack, not yet.

Because he needed something from you.

'As pleasantries are over, what do you want?' You asked when he released your hand, tingling in the aftermath of his power. Nothing could silence the power surging through his veins.

'He wanted to see the human world, it's been a while,' Taehyung replied with a tight smile. 'And I had some errands to run.'

You blinked in disbelief. ‘It's been a while? So you brought him to me?’ 

‘It’s fine Kim.' Hoseok replied instead and the two shared a quick glance.

'Suit yourself,’ Taehyung finally said and turned to you, almost apologetic. ‘He's here on your father’s behalf'. 

Red flashed before your eyes as the world flipped out of focus.

‘You bastards,’ you hissed. Decades had passed, but still you awoke in the middle of the night with clothes stuck to your skin. Chest heaving, panting as if no breath was quite enough. On that fateful night, these monsters had become a part of you.

Your only solace had been your mother’s embrace. She said she would protect you. That you were safe.

Lies. 

The wind rose again, circling around the opening with a deafening whistle. It had found its opening, now sharper, stronger, now seeking for a taste of blood. Waiting for your command.

Or waiting for you to give in.

Your mother’s cries still rang in your ears as you’d sobbed into her chest. And your father--

Someone needed to pay. Even if at the cost of your own immortal life.

Your wind rose from the ground up, the circles wider and stronger, bending trees to its will. And you closed your eyes, letting go and succumbing to the power, listening to the sounds of your only protector. Hearing how loose branches and leaves flew with the wind, betraying its moves.

But you knew better, it was mocking with its invisible strength, wanting to give them a taste before a strike.

A loud crack of thunder interrupted your focus. A bright flash of light. Wind subsided.

Wait-- You opened your eyes.

But they were gone.

 ***

 You ran. Towards the darkness that passed as a thick fog over the clearing. Lurking, whispering of committed sins and sins to be committed. Slithering across the land towards its chosen prey. Hungry, so hungry..

With the starless sky seeped with a sickening reddish tinge, there was no doubt of it. Something was wrong, very wrong. You could almost feel it - the pain, the confusion, the desperation as people fought for their lives.

And fresh blood.

As you approached the village, dark creatures danced above it, between the sky and the earth. Bigger with each step closer, swallowing any light from the stars above, lifting the darkness to unseen heights. With each move otherworldly sharp and out of place, these ugly beasts must’ve crawled out from hell to feast in the night.

With a snap of your fingers you pulled out air from their space, but they only roared louder than a hundred storms. Quickly honing the wind to a sharp blade, you flung it at the closest creature. But blades sharp enough to slice through mountains couldn’t cut through unphysical matter.

Smoke, right. Damn it.

The creature exhaled towards the village, a puff of fiery smoke hitting an old wooden house before you. The dark flames engulfed it within seconds, before turning red and violent and became seen to a human eye.

You willed your wind to restrict their freedom while you still had the element of surprise, backing them into an invisible cage. They roared again deep and loud, earth rumbling beneath your feet. But this time out of frustration, of anger.

But just as you closed the circle, one of the invisible bounds snapped. You tried to contain it, but the monster was faster. Out of its bounds, its big black pits of eyes landed on you. And then it disappeared as a puff of black smoke headed towards you.

Your eyes widened. It was going to hit the village. 

No one would survive. 

And you could do nothing, a goddess without any battle knowledge. You didn’t even have enough time to pull up enough wind to block it.

But a spark of blue flashed before the smoke touched the earth, the blast high enough to reach the sky. And the creatures fell as black blobs of goo, with a sickening quelch as each hit the ground.

Close to blinded and nailed to the spot, you saw him. A man standing in the hue of burning houses, with orbs gleaming brighter than the flames. 

He looked furious, enraged, as he took care of a beast that had somehow survived. Ruthless in his actions, only a sharp swipe of his hand. Without hesitation, as if he’d done this many times before. 

Your eyes widened. Out of all the people why--

A heart-wrenching cry cut through the air. A child flashed before your eyes, a baby. Lost. Alone. Afraid. 

You'd seen her before. You had blessed her according to old customs, although you rarely took part in traditions. Because blessing a child formed a bond for protection, meaning you would look after the soul. Only few humankind tribes still knew of this art.

But the blessing had been bestowed as you owed a family your life. And this child crying for help was the grandchild of the couple that had saved you when you’d first arrived on Earth. Before Gaia found you.

It had been a thank-you blessing stated for 7 generations, each moving under your protection.

‘Go!’ You heard Hoseok shout. ‘I’ll take care of it!’

You zoned in on the vision, scanning the ruins. Big rocks rather than wood. A corner filled with equipment and hay.

There! You ran down the narrow pathways that hadn't collapsed yet, to where a woman laid on hay, barely breathing, her face in stern lines with will to live. For her child in her arms, whose cries were louder than the flames and cracking wood.

Another human you had failed to protect.

You bit your tongue. You needed to cut off the air to stop the fire getting to them. But with the flames too close to the people, the lack of oxygen would kill many more.

From desperation you did the only thing you knew. You called forth the rain with a plea to Gaia, a downpour of the maddest types that soaked you to the bone. It wouldn’t help against dark flames, but it would buy time with flames that could be distinguished. And with hair stuck to your face and the drops heavy against every inch of your body, you kneeled before them.

With a whisper of an old chant you placed a hand on the mother’s forehead and threw up a barrier around the three of you. Just for the little one. So he could live a life you never had.

And you let your energy flow.

You heard muted cracks through the barrier, but soon lost track of time. You didn’t see the flames die, didn’t know when the heat stopped pinching at your back. And not because of you, but because of Hoseok who was fire himself, whose energy still vibrated in the still-warm ashes. 

He’d fought for you when he hadn’t needed to.

And when he finished, he stood behind you. Waiting. Keeping watch.

Observing you while Gaia cried from the loss.

***

[salty-dracon]

SECRET Agents- Promise Me

Ten years after Angel’s death, Brid is presented with an incredible opportunity. All of her friends and family know about it- even one not-so-distant father... 

Brid smiled weakly. “And she said... she’s not going unless she can bring someone along who deserved the opportunity just as much as she did.” Brid carefully held out an open letter stamped with a green wax seal. “And that someone... was me.”

Brid’s friends stared in shock at the letter. 

“It’s been hectic, I’ll admit. Um, Lumi didn’t receive conformation until the last minute, so, if everything goes well... this will be my last week living in Rubicon City.“

“So soon?“ Kat asked. 

“Yeah.“ Brid nodded. “But it’ll be great. I’m going to go live with Lumi in Delavie. We’ll have an apartment and everything, and we’ll eventually be working with the Council of Science to help create new sustainable energy resources. It’s a... dream come true.“

The others were silent. 

“Um... “

“Your last week?“ Allie asked. “But... you’re turning twenty-six next month, I was- Can’t you stay any longer?“

“Lumi got me in on a favor, so I really don’t want to mess things up by canceling plans.“

“So... “ Val’s voice was low and quiet. “this really is your last week here.“

Brid nodded. 

Jake smiled painfully. Any other time, he would have said something like “Look on the bright side!” or “Let’s make it the best week of your life!”. But he was silent. 

“I need a minute to process this, I’m sorry.“ Allie stood up and walked to the kitchen. 

“... I might need help packing later. I think I’ve got it all on lockdown, though. Mom and Dad’ve been helpful. Sort of. They seemed really happy to see me take this on. But I’m still a bit worried.“

“You’re going to create a city.“ Kat placed a hand on Brid’s shoulder. “How could I not be happy for you? This is the most amazing opportunity you’ve ever been given.“

“It’s not like we’re sad you’re leaving. I mean, we are.“ Val sighed. “Look, we’re happy, but... I don’t know. It’s like we’ll be missing something. And... I know it was a long time ago, but it’ll feel just like that. Just a little bit.“

“I understand.“

“That’s probably what Allie’s thinking.“ Jake motioned to Allie, who was pacing in the kitchen. “She doesn’t want to lose you all over again. You weren’t there when it happened. She had a mental breakdown for an entire week. I mean, think about how put-together Allie is. She lost her mind.“

“But it’s not like I’ll be gone forever, right? I’ll still visit.“

“I guess that’s a comfort. That we’ll know where you are and if you’re okay.” Val sighed again. “But Jesus, one week’s notice? God damn it, and we were thinking of going to Salty Shore too!”

Val’s complaints were interrupted by the sound of Allie’s footsteps. She walked back over to the group and sighed. 

“Brid?“ Allie asked, in a voice as quiet as a mouse.

“Yes?“ Brid asked.

“This won’t be goodbye forever, right?“

“No, of course not.“ 

“... Please... “ Allie knelt down and hugged Brid, tears streaming from her eyes. “Please... please... promise me this isn’t goodbye forever.“

“It won’t be-“

“You don’t understand!“ Allie squeezed her tighter and tighter, choking out words. “I was so goddamn scared when you suddenly disappeared, with that stupid feather by your bed- that that son of a bitch had taken you away from me, and that we would never find you, and that you were being tortured and maimed and... Brid, I had no idea what kind of pain you were in back home, I’m so sorry... I know I’m to blame for it.“

“No-“

“Brid, please, promise me this isn’t the last time we’ll see each other! Promise me that you’ll hug me, and we’ll talk, and we’ll catch up just like old times! Please... “

Brid looked Allie in the eyes and nodded. “I promise.”

Allie smiled with relief. 

-----

(The day of Brid’s departure)

Lumi loaded a brown suitcase into the truck. A crowd of people had gathered, all friends and family of the two. 

“I had no idea so many people were here for us,“ Brid muttered. 

“Of course they are.“ Lumi smiled at the crowd. “This world is a whole lot smaller than you think.“ She embraced her brother, who was now about her height, just as strong as he was back in high school. 

“I’ll be home soon, Sam.“ Lumi shed a tear. 

“Are you crying?“ Sam asked, teasingly. 

“No.“ Lumi wiped the tear away. “It’s just... liquid joy.“

Brid reluctantly allowed her parents to hug her. When they finally let go, Allie, Jake, Val, and Kat ran to her and wrapped her in a tight group hug. Behind them, Lumi closed the door of the van. 

“Hey, let us know how things are,“ Jake said. 

“Send us lots of updates!“ Val urged. 

“Please, talk to us when you’re free,“ Kat said. 

“Visit home sometime, okay?“ Allie asked. “It just won’t be the same without you, Brid.“ 

She pointed to the crowd that had gathered. It had grown steadily as the two of them finished packing. It was mostly people about her age, but there were some older. Brid even thought she recognized a familiar freckled woman in the back. “Look at this crowd, Brid. You’ve touched all of their hearts, in some way or another.“ Allie smiled. “You’ve made all of us so proud.“

All of a sudden, Brid began to cry. A stream of tears dripped out of her eyes. She tried not to sob, but her words were still interrupted with hiccups. “I’m... I’ll miss everyone.”

Some of the other people tried to rush forward, but the freckled woman stopped them. She leaned down next to Brid and wiped her tears away. 

“Miss T... “ Brid whispered. 

“You’ve done us proud, darling. Go and claim your future.“

Brid smiled and nodded. 

With cheers of “goodbye” and “see you soon”, Brid and Lumi climbed into the truck. As it started up, the crowd cheered and waved after them. 

Once they had started on the highway, Lumi turned to Brid. 

“So, that place we’re headed... Westham?“

“Yeah.“

“...Who exactly are we meeting?“

“Another old friend. Someone I used to know.“

“Do I know this friend?“

“No.“

-----

The house was large and old. Little windchimes hung from the porch and sounded in the breeze. A pair of rocking chairs sat in the porch. One of them was draped with a blanket. Windows were lit up with yellow light. Around the house, swaths of grass waved in the wind. 

The beautiful scene contrasted heavily with the five-foot-tall chain-link fence in front of it. 

Brid held out an ID card. The guard glanced at it.

“Bridget Shao. So you’re the one he was talking about.“

“Yes, I am.“

“He’s certainly reminded us that you’re coming.“ He carefully opened the gate. Brid stepped inside the gate as it closed behind her. She carefully walked up the cobblestone path to the house, shaking nervously in her boots. 

Lumi was okay, she thought. She was in a hotel room for the night. Brid said she might not join her- she had to visit someone who had been a part of her journey. 

She walked up the porch, taking note of the furnishings. The rocking chair with the blanket had been well-used. There were little indents in the wood where it had rocked. The other chair had not been used at all. Bird-themed decorations hung from the windows. 

She knocked on the door and took in a breath. 

The door opened. 

The man that greeted her was pale, with brown hair the color of dead leaves. He was a few inches taller than her, and gazed down at her figure with baby blue eyes. Although he was only wearing a T-shirt and jeans, Brid recognized his stance. 

“It’s been too long, my love.“ The man broke out into a smile and embraced Brid. “How have you been doing?“

“Fine... Fine, Mr. Perch... “

“Please, call me Father. Come in, have a seat! How long has it been? Ten years or so, right? My lord, you’ve grown so tall! Let me get you something to eat! Do you still like seared salmon?“ 

“Yes, Father-“

“Come on, sit down. Please tell me everything.“ As Brid sat on the couch, he brought her a plate with a cut of salmon. “How has my favorite little angel been?“

“Good.“

“Please tell me more than that. How was the rest of high school? I heard you graduated as a salutatorian. My smart little angel!“

“Mm-hmm.“

“Are you staying on your medication?“

“Yes, I have... “

“Do you feel better?“

“Much better.“

“I am so happy.” He kissed her forehead. “I am so happy I got to see my baby turn into a beautiful young woman. You’ve made me so proud.“ He hugged her, tucking her head under his chin. Black wings folded around her body, embracing her just as tightly. 

“Was it painful?“ Brid asked. She held his hand, examining his veins. “Being brought back to life, I mean?“

“There’s a final moment of acceptance of death, right before you die. You allow death to take you, rather than fight it. From there, the struggle to true living again is tough. Of course, Vince took all the notes he could.“ He sighed. “And then once he was done with me, he told me to live out here. I was planning on killing myself, but then he told me you were alive.“

“He wanted your wings, didn’t he?“

“He didn’t get much.“ The man smiled. “I keep looking at you, and wondering if this is how a father feels when his daughter’s achieved her dream. Just... unimaginable joy.“ He stroked her hair. “You’ve always been my angel, but seeing you fly free will always make me smile.“

[tellytantra]

Adi was sitting on his bed silently. It had been less than two days amidst which he had to say  goodbye to his mother twice!!! He felt sad and lonely. But more than that, he felt angry. Angry at  everyone and everything that had surrounded him. Pari as usual was making plans on how to reunite  their parents but for the first time he felt disinterested. Did it really matter? Piya was very clear when  she said she had her reasons and didn’t stop for them also. Then what result would Pari’s stupid  plans bring? He walked out of their room and knocked at Ansh’s door. “May I come in papa?” “Yes beta! Since when  do you need permission?” Ansh smiled at him but it didn’t melt Adi’s heart even a little bit. “Can you  answer a question?” “Sure! What is it?” “You have always told me that mumma had left us. But today  she said you had thrown her out when she came to you. Is it true?” Ansh was stunned. After everything  that had happened earlier that day, he was praying that his seven years old wouldn’t question him  because he had no proper answer to that. “You haven’t answered my question papa. Did you throw  mumma out or not?” “Yes! But there was a reason for that.I can explain.” “I don’t want to hear that; not  anymore.” Adi turned around and left Ansh’s room. Ansh felt helpless; he was having a hard time to  come to terms with the revelations himself. It was no wonder that Adi was behaving so coldly with  him. Adi returned to his room and Pari came out running, “Where were you? Stop behaving like a LJ and  wasting time. We need to make some plan to bring mumma and .....” “Just shut up Pari!!! Do whatever  you want to do but leave me alone!!!” Adi shouted so loudly that Ansh could hear it from his room. He  rushed to their room and found Adi was fuming and Pari was visibly upset. “What’s the matter with  you Adi? Does anyone behave like this with his little sister?” “Stop advising me papa and spare some  advice for your darling daughter also.” “Adi!!! Mind your language!” Ansh lost his cool. Vedashree was  passing by. Upon hearing their loud voices, she came to the room and took Adi with her. “What’s the matter beta? You never behave rudely with anyone. Then what happened today? Why are  you misbehaving with your papa and Pari?” Adi didn’t replay and kept quiet. Vedashree heaved a sigh.  As much as she wanted to overlook Ansh’s faults, she knew his one wrong decision had destroyed his  entire family. Piya moved on and had Pari but it was Adi who had suffered the most – grew up  without a mother and had a lifeless father who hadn’t been himself. But it was enough!!! For once  she needed to prioritize Adi over everyone else, no matter the consequences. She asked the driver to  take out their car and took Adi with her. Adi didn’t notice where they were going until the car stopped in front of Nishant’s building and he got  surprised. “Why have we come here dadi?” “You need to talk to your mumma.” “But I don’t want to.”  Adi protested and looked away to hide his tears. “I am not asking for your permission Adi. I am telling  you what you need to do.” She got down from the car and signaled Adi to get down. Piya heard the doorbell and went to open the door. She was surprised seeing Adi with Vesadhree.  “Piya! I know we have had our differences and we’ll need much time to resolve all the issues. But your  son needs you.” Before Piya could open her mouth, Vedashree left the place immediately leaving Adi  with her. Piya looked at Adi. The dried up tears on his cheeks were visible. It broke her heart to watch  her son in that condition. She held his hand and bought him to her room. Adi was blankly staring at the walls. On one corner, there was a big photo frame containing Piya and  Pari's photograph but there was no picture of him! He felt abandoned all over again. Piya sat beside  him and gently stroked his back. There was a windchime on her balcony that rang suddenly and for a  second Adi’s face lit up. Piya looked away to wipe off her tears and then started talking. “You have  always loved that sound, even before you were born.” Adi looked at her with confusion. “Whenever I  used to ring a bell in the temple, I could hear your laughter and during the most difficult phase of my  life, you were the only one who was there with me. In a way, it was our little world.” Piya smiled a little  recalling when she was pregnant with Adi. “When you were a kid, we used to play all day and you were  really naughty!” Piya was about to say something else when Adi stopped her midway, “Why did you  leave me then? Didn’t you care about me?” Piya felt exhausted. Deep down, she was prepared for that  question but it would have been much easier if Adi hadn’t been so little. How could she explain her  agony to him? She didn’t want to tarnish Ansh’s image in front of Adi. Neither did she want to give  him any false hope.She just cursed herself that she made her son go through the same pain she had  endured during her childhood – feeling abandoned by her parents at a small age. “I didn’t leave you Adi! I just wanted to protect you from myself.” “Why? What happened to you?” “Just  like today we had a fight with Bhasmika, when you were little, a horrible battle took place. We defeated  the Kalishaktis but I lost my mother in that battle.” “Nani died in that battle!!!” Adi was shocked. “Yes!”  Piya looked away to control herself. “It was a devastating war and your papa and I decided that we  would sacrifice our powers so that we could keep you away from all these and give you a normal  childhood.” Piya paused for a second. “But for some reason, there were some residual powers left in  me and I had endangered your life. So I felt it would be better if I had left you with your papa until I got  better.” “Then why didn’t you come back?” “I wanted to but .....” Piya stopped midway because she  didn’t know how to tell Adi about what had happened between her and Ansh. “Pari was born and you  got busy with her.” Piya was shocked listening to Adi’s words. “You had a new baby with powers and  decided you didn’t want me anymore.” “How could you even think that Adi?” Piya’s voice chocked. “I  told what I had seen in cartoon. The Ugly Duckling – one duck was different and even his family didn’t  want him. I suppose Pari was better than me; she had powers. So you just left me alone with papa.”  “That’s not true!!!” Piya broke down completely and hugged him tightly. “Then why didn’t you come back for me?” Adi finally let his guard down and started confessing what  was bothering him. “When I told you that Monster Auntie had kidnapped Pari, you barged into our  house. For Pari, you fought with papa as well. But when everything got over, you just left the place! You  recognized me in that temple that day, didn’t you? That’s why you were approaching towards me in  the camp. But why did you stop? Even if papa had forbidden you, why couldn’t you argue with him for  me like you did for Pari?” Adi continued sobbing. “You promised me in that broken car that you would  never leave me again. But you left me anyway. Papa just chose not to talk about you. He didn’t answer  any of my question and moved all of your pictures from our house. He kept telling me that you had left  us and now you are saying that you wanted to come back but couldn’t!!! Whom should I believe then,  tell me!!!” After that sentence, what could Piya say to Adi? She just continued comforting her little boy  and gave him some time. After a while, when she felt Adi had calmed down a bit, she started talking, “I wish you were a bit  more matured so that I could explain my reasons to you. But I can try. I know you are feeling angry and  betrayed that your father and I had never given any explanation to you. But I had my reasons.” Piya  paused for a moment. “When my powers went out of control, I expected your papa would support me.  But he didn’t. Like today you are feeling that everything you have known all along has been a lie; that  moment I felt the same. Because I love your papa way too much.” Adi quickly looked at Piya and that's  when she realized what she had just said. “I loved your papa too much and he gave me everything I  could have asked for – love, family, you! Which is why I felt even if the entire world had abandoned me,  your papa would have always been there for me. But he didn’t. When my powers got out of control and  I almost hurt you, for a moment I felt he was right in his stand; that I should stay away from you so  that you remain safe. But after Pari had been born, all I could think about was his changed behavior  and feared that he would never accept Pari. We had already been separated. Besides, no matter how  angry I was with everyone, I knew that you would be well taken care of. And I didn’t want you to witness  our ugly fight. I thought, slowly you would forget me and that would be best for you." Piya tried hard to maintain her composure and continued, "I got separated from my patents when I  was very young. Your nani and nanu papa had a fight and maa walked out of the house holding my  hand. I was hoping for a miracle that may be, baba would stop us; may be everything would get sorted  out. But it didn't. And then maa got kidnapped one day. Before leaving me, she said she would come  back for me and I kept waiting. But she never came back." Piya broke down completely. "She might  have died in the Pralay-Yudh but I had lost her way before that. We reunited but Mohana killed her. My  aunt had resurrected her later but then she died in the war while fighting for the good side. Every time I  had lost her, she took a part of my soul with her." Adi felt devastated seeing Piya's condition. He  wanted to hold her hand or say something to soothe her but didn't understand what words should  he choose. "It's ironic that I have felt abandoned for most of my life but at the end of the day, I left you alone. At  least I had some hope that one day, my mother would come back for me but I didn't give you any such  assurance because...." "Because?" " Because if I took one step towards you, then I held myself back  thinking about your papa and and the pain he had caused me. And it wasn't just about the   misunderstanding or his lack of trust in me; by the time Pari was born, you grew up a little and you  would have definitely understood that something was wrong. All I could think about was how I was  ripped apart from my mother over and over again and how it created a void in my heart. I wasn't sure  how Ansh would react to everything. I didn't want you to know about me or get attached and then face  the same heartache as me. I felt you would be better off without me. But I was wrong.” Piya tried to control herself but failed miserably. The pain she had been carrying for so long had  finally surfaced and found their way through her tears. "To be completely honest, I think more than  you, I was trying to protect myself. When I left your papa's house, you tried to stop me in your own  innocent way and nothing could ever come closer to the pain that I had felt when l left you. But  the thought that I might have to go through that pain over and over again was even more frightening.  Losing maa repeatedly left me devastated. But if I had to do the same with you, that would have ended  me. I tried to mask my fear saying I was doing it for you. But deep down, I always knew that more than  you, I was trying to protect myself. A mother's fear of losing her child won over her love; love -  that should have urged me to fight for you." Piya tried to wipe off her tears. “As parents we are supposed to take the right decision for our kids. But  parents are human too Adi. Sometimes, even we can commit mistake and it’s my biggest regret in life  that I had left you behind.” She tried to control her tears. “There hasn’t been a single moment when I  haven’t remembered you. There has never been any comparison between you and Pari because I love  you both, equally. It’s just that she was with me and I could shower my love on her. But when it came  down to you, all I could do was pray to Devi Maa that somehow you would receive that love from your  papa or someone else in the family.” Piya cupped Adi’s face and wiped off his tears. “I don’t blame you for not trusting me. You have every  right to stay mad at me because I have failed you. It doesn’t matter what my situation or intention was.  I left you alone and as you have pointed out, I have repeated it again. But there’s one thing I need you  to know.” “What’s that?” “I love you Adi! It wasn’t your fault that I had abandoned you. It was my own  weakness. You are the greatest gift of my life and I would be damned if I didn’t take enough measures  to let you know that. We have missed so much Adi. But if you give me another chance, I’ll try my best to  make it up to you. Will you give me another chance?” “What about papa or Pari?” “It doesn’t matter Adi.  Your papa and my relation has nothing to do with it. You are my son, my truest love and no one or  nothing can change that. I know you are confused about whom to believe and I give you full liberty to  choose for yourself. But the only thing that matters to me is that you realize my love for you isn’t a lie.  Even if you stop acknowledging me as your mother, you’ll always be my son and I’ll always love you.”  Piya kissed Adi on his forehead and was about to leave when Adi stopped her by holding her hand  and hugged her tightly. He could say nothing but his tears said it all for him. He was happy. Because  no matter how messed up the situation was, he got back his mother and had this assurance that she  didn’t abandon him purposefully. Piya on the other hand, felt content. Nothing mattered to her  anymore. She finally got back her Adi and the guilt that had been eating her alive all these years  subsided. This was a new beginning for them. A chance to right her wrong, a chance to try and start  over from scratch, a chance to their new beginning.  Nushy1995

http://jodifiction.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-chance-at-new-beginning-nazar-os-pia.html