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natasha-in-space · 1 year

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Engagement rings headcanons

Was scrolling through the engagement rings with my friendo the other day, and they dared me to choose individual rings for everyone in mm, so here's the result of that silly dare. I know we technically already know about this from the 'mysterious confesson' merch we got, but this was still a very fun exercise to do. These are just my headcanons, and were made solely for fun, don't take my thoughts on this too seriously! :D

Yoosung

Would go with something classy and romantic, probably a bit of vintage, too. He wants your engagement ring to reflect his love for you, which may lead him to become antsy and indecisive when picking one. He doesn't want it to be too expensive, or too cheap. It has to be just right. Poor guy even sketches out a clumsy 'prototype' he shows to the employees, as it's hard to relay his vision across with just words. In the end, he ends up either getting either a classic diamond ring with an infinity band (he thinks it's sweet to include a small detail of your appreciation to each other lasting forever, however cheesy that may sound) or something a bit more vintage and intricate in style. I don't think he would have any preferences concerning the color of metal, so he might go with a mix of white and yellow metal.

Zen

Would definitely go over the top - the man's a true romantic, you can't tell me he hasn't dreamed of his wedding at least a couple of times! He appreciates everything you've done for him, and he wants this ring to show it. He wants this ring to be everything you've ever dreamed of and so much more. Might struggle with high expectations he sets up for himself, which results in him just stressing himself out instead of enjoying the process like he's supposed to. You might have to have a talk with him about that. As for the ring itself, I think he'll go with something pink and soft in color! There's just something that's is so sweet and light whenever he looks at rose gold engagement rings, it makes him instantly think about you. That's when he knows it's the one. After all, pink is the color of romance!

Jaehee

Would get something custom-made, but still pretty traditional. She wants something that would catch your attention, but won't be an inconvenience to wear. She wouldn't stress out too much, and you two would probably agree on a design together, instead of her surprising you with something. You are her partner, and she wants your rings to reflect that. A delicate and easy design is her go-to. But, if you want something eye-catching, that's okay too, as long as it's not a bother to wear. I think she would go with platinum options when it comes to color. It's simple but very pretty to look at. Kind of like you :) She would also like to add custom engravings to your rings. Something to look at and smile as she twirls the ring around her finger. Either a cheesy coordinated phrase (probably out of your favorite musical that you two always quote to each other), or a date of your cafe's opening, as it's the start of her new life that she has managed to achieve thanks to your support.

Jumin

Would get something fancy, but not over the top. He desires fir your ring to not be too simple, as you are worth more than that. Still, he focuses more on the spiritual meaning of the ring rather than its cost. Money's not an issue to him either way, and he knows that you don't care about how expensive this ring will be. Regardless, he wants only the best for you, as you rightfully deserve. Jumin would go for traditional classic designs, as he finds them the most flattering to look at. Might also like boho-styled engagement rings. When it comes to the process of picking one, he won't overthink it too much. He wants the ring to be perfect, no doubt, but he's pretty cool-headed with his search. Might ask Elizabeth to pick out the best design if he's conflicted. With her intricate collection of collars, he knows she has a good sense of elegance. Would probably go for yellow gold variety when it comes to color, as it's the most classy one in his eyes.

Saeyoung

Would go with something simplistic but unique. I am like 70% sure he would create your engagement rings and wedding bands by hand. It just sounds like something Saeyoung would do. Poor guy would probably be the most stressed of all the others. He wants it to be perfect so badly, but he's also indecisive as hell. See, he's mostly non-traditional when it comes to his tastes, but he also really likes the classic styles of rings, not to mention that the idea of a classic traditional wedding makes him feel all emotional on the inside. This issue would probably persist throughout your entire wedding planning, and not just the creation of your engagement rings: he just can't decide which side to take for the life of him. In the end, he'll probably find the middle ground thanks to your help and encouragement. He's gonna let out the biggest sigh of relief once those rings are finally done. And probably cry right after, as he has never thought he would hold anything as precious as an engagement ring meant for his soulmate in his own hands. Would go with white gold for color.

Jihyun

Would go for something custom-made and simple, but still a bit unique in its presentation. I don't think he has much preference when it comes to style, so he's fine with anything you pick. He doesn't want it to be too ostentatious or expensive, however. He strikes me as someone who prefers more modest designs, even if he'd like to sprinkle some custom design choices. It'll depend on your relationship with him, and what makes it unique for you. He wants your rings to reflect that, more than anything else. He wouldn't be anxious while working on the design itself, occasionally asking for your input, as he wants these rings to be the representation of your shared love, not just his own. He might go a bit overboard and come up with a borderline silly-looking design initially, so it'd be best for you to keep him from getting too creative. Can't fault the man for getting carried away. He would probably go for yellow metal, as it reminds him of the sun.

GE Saeran

Would go for something simple, romantic, and vintage-styled. Saeran doesn't know much about the intricacies that go into picking out an engagement ring, so I can imagine he'd get pretty overwhelmed the first time he tries to research the topic on his own. You'll probably end up picking it out together, patiently discussing important details between yourselves. He knows he doesn't want it to be too fancy or eye-catching, and he knows he wants the ring to remind him of your smile whenever he looks at it. His criteria is pretty easy but sweet nonetheless. It's less about the details and more about his inner feelings. He would probably go for a floral-themed ring if he comes across one that catches his eye, but it's not definitive. He would also go for a colored gemstone, mostly because he likes it better that way. He loves the color pink, as it reminds him of the feeling your gentle love, so he will have a preference for rose gold rings, not doubt.

SE Saeran

Would go for something both unique but elegant. Now, Saeran is definitely not picky when it comes to engagement rings. He kind of feels out of his depth here. Still, it is very important to ask for his input and offer for him to pick out some options he likes, even just on a whim. You two will take your time during this process, as there is no need to rush, and he will get overwhelmed from time to time. It's best to take it one small step at a time, not rushing into anything too quickly. He needs to be reminded that he has nothing to worry about, as all that truly matters is your bond with one another. Saeyoung will probably be the one to make your engagement rings for you, as well as your wedding bands. Partially to not stress Saeran too much with all the shopping, as jewelry stores tend to be too bright for the eyes. It'll be a pretty unique and somewhat edgy design but with a touch of soft colors in the mix. Kind of like him.

Rika

Is the type to go over the top but, in reality, she would like something classic and simple. When she's in a good place both physically and mentally, she's very doting, and she's also a hopeless romantic. I'd say she's almost on par with Zen when it comes to her romantic fantasies, which is why she loves his musicals as much as she does. It can be a good thing, but it also makes her prone to perfectionism. She will pick out a very fancy ring that she thinks is good enough for someone as wonderful as you, but... she feels dissatisfied with the result, and that makes her anxious. Rika is a people pleaser, so she tends to make choices with someone else in mind, rather than trusting her own heart. You guys will have to talk about it. It's hard to understand what you like when you've lived your whole life masking as someone you're not. In the end, I think she would go for something simple and elegant, probably also combine the colors she associates with your love. Keep her in check, though, as we all know Rika's design skills are out of this world.

Vanderwood

Weirdly enough? Despite their seemingly simplistic nature, I think they would go for something very unique and even a little odd-looking. Vanderwood is a pretty laid-back person, but all these casual vibes go out the window once it comes down to design. They are very picky with anything that they own in their closet, and engagement rings are on another level completely. They wear leopard print for a reason! I think they would end up getting something custom-made, as it's the easiest way not to stress out over the perfect design. They are not so much nervous as they are choosy. Still, they do have a major soft spot for you, so it's up to you to stir them in the right direction. They would like you to be very involved in the process of deciding on a perfect engagement ring. The end result will still be weird, though. But, the amount of weirdness will depend solely on you. Whether to embrace the weirdness, or to add just a touch of it - it is your choice to make.

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springdandelixn · 2 years

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Safety Measures

Summary: The security system you had installed in your apartment was done to keep your stalker away. Little did you know, he's already made his way in.

Warnings: dark themes ahead, deception, stalking, allusions to noncon, creepy vibes, nothing too worrying really but do tell me if I missed something.

Characters: Dark!Stalker!Vision x F!Reader

W/C: 1.2K +

A/N: Written for @boxofbonesfic Friday the 13th Challenge. Shoutout to @darkficsyouneveraskedfor for she initially thought of this plot and shared it with me during one of my Vision highs haha

Side Note: Victor Shade is Vision's human name.

As always, your feedback is highly appreciated and reblogs would be amazing. And of course, I hope you guys enjoy! 💙

“I think we are all set,” Mr. Shade says as he climbs down from his step ladder, tucking the screwdriver in his back pocket. “The cameras have a view of your kitchen and living room as well as your front door and the balcony.” He adds the information and you stare up at him, his words giving you a sense of relief and security.

“I cannot thank you enough, Mr. Shade.”

“Please, call me Vision.” He says with a light chuckle, storing his things back in the large toolbox. “If you don’t mind me asking, it’s for our survey, but why are you having a security system installed?”

His question makes you swallow thickly as the memories from the past months come to light. How innocent everything all started; random gifts left at your doorstep and soon after, at your workplace. Then the text messages started coming in, how this mysterious person would know where you were and what you were doing at the exact moment.

Then the gifts began to become suggestive; different sets of lingerie, that to your surprise, fit you to a tee, with pairs of heels to match the outfit. But the most shocking one of all was a sex toy, wrapped in the most intricate and pristine packaging you’ve ever seen.

Until we meet, pretend it’s me.

The note that came with it said and you immediately called up Sabrina and her boyfriend to pick you up from the apartment, fear encasing you that the stranger would show up any moment. You even changed your number the day after, hoping that it would deter, what you think is your stalker, to a degree and stop altogether.

But it didn’t.

“Miss?” You snap out of your thoughts when you hear Vision call your attention, your hands fidgeting as you think of how to respond.

“There were reports of break-ins around the neighborhood a couple of days ago and I just want to have that extra security to feel safe.” It’s not the truth but not all of it is a lie.

He hums at your explanation, a look of thought painting on his face and you visibly flinch when he snaps the toolbox close.

“I see. Well, I do assure you that our system is top of the line and no one will ever come in and out of your home undetected.” The smile he gives you is a comforting one and you can’t help but feel thankful for his assistance.

He gives you a final rundown of everything he’s installed, showing you each corner where a camera can be found. You nod in understanding as he explains to you how to use the control panel and you make a mental note of all the important details he shares.

“I guess that is everything.” He says with finality as he walks towards the front door. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“Uhh—what about the payment?” You ask.

“I wouldn’t worry about that right now.” He states as he slips on his shoes. “We give our customers a one-month free trial for our services. And if everything is to your liking after the month, you can just give our customer service a call and they can finalize the transaction.”

“Oh, thank you so much. Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Nothing more for now.” His blue eyes shine against the afternoon light when he looks down at you. His blond hair falling over his eyes, and his brown, checkered shirt slightly rumpled from working all morning in your home. “But if anything happens, don’t hesitate to reach out.” He fishes out a card from his back pocket and hands it to you, seeing his name printed on the sheet. “That’s my personal line and you can call anytime.” You nod once more at his words and slightly tense when he rests his hand on your upper arm and gives it a light squeeze. “You stay safe now, miss.” He greets before turning to leave.

“I don’t understand. You said this was top-of-the-line technology.” You can’t help the irritation from slipping as you watch him tinker with the control panel in your bedroom.

“It is.” He simply answers but the lack of concern and conviction in his voice only makes you more anxious.

You want to believe that Vision didn’t install junky tech, you checked the website of their company and all the reviews have been nothing but great. Yet here you are, shaking in fear as your mind flits back to the moment you woke up; seeing a bouquet of yellow lilies laying beside you on your bed and the card with such an ominous note attached to it.

I’ll see you later.

You start to pace in your room as the sense of unease courses through your veins. You can’t stop thinking that something isn’t right, that you’ve made some grave mistake yet you cannot tell what, and the constant tapping of Vision on the pad of the console only adds to the tension that’s slowly enveloping you.

Then the clicking stops and you look up to see Vision staring inside your ensuite. You go to stand near him and follow his line of sight, seeing that he’s staring at the bin underneath your sink where the yellow petals poke out from within.

“You threw them.”

“What?” You look up at him curiously, your eyes suddenly growing wide when he turns to face you, his sapphires growing dark.

“I said, you threw them. The flowers.” He says in a calm voice, his head tilting to the side as his brows knit, confusion painting over his face. “Did you not like them, darling? Lilies are your favorite, right? The yellow ones to be exact. Or did I get them wrong?”

A deep chill creeps up your spine as his words slowly sink into your bones. How would he come to know of such a personal fact? You’ve only ever met him once, today being the second time. You barely even talked when he installed the security system yet he speaks as if he knows you on such an intimate level.

Unless—no.

It can’t be.

He can’t be.

You slowly back away as your blood is filled with fear, your body shivering when he takes a step in your direction.

“Did you get rid of the rest of my gifts as well?” His voice is steady and calm yet there’s a strength to it, making the tension in the room thicken further. “Were they not to your liking, darling?”

“I–it’s—” You try to speak but the words die in your mouth as fear completely takes over you.

“What’s wrong, darling?” He gives you a soft smile. “It’s just me.”

It’s as if your feet start to grow a mind of their own and you sprint towards your bedroom door. But a beeping sound echoes through the walls and your door suddenly shuts close, an audible click coming after, and tears immediately spring from your eyes as you grab the knob and try yanking it open.

“It’s no use, darling.” His voice is so close and you turn to face him, gasping when he plants a hand on the side of your head, standing only inches away from you. “There’s no escape.”

“Please—who are you?!” You cry. “Let me go! Please!”

“I can’t let you do that.” There’s amusement in his voice and he smirks as he moves to wrap his fingers around your throat, your hands grabbing his wrist as you try to pull away from his grasp. “I can’t let you leave.” He gives the sides of your neck a light squeeze, choking as you feel his fingers dig into your skin. “You can never leave me.”

#vision #vision mcu #vision x reader #dark vision #dark!vision #dark fic #victor shade #friday the 13th challenge #writing challenge #vision au #mcu au #coconut bun stories #safety measures

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geonppangi · 1 year

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zb1’s skincare routines

shanbin and zhang hao

THE husbands!!

i feel like they would have both had pretty intricate skincare routines and then exchanged stuff until at some point they just straight up share the same products

they definitely do the basics, cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and sunscreen

we know that shanbin also has those vitamins that he takes so i also see him taking collagen and vitamin c supplements

also some extras like retinol, serums, essence, oil cleansers, aha, bha, the list goes on

i think individually they know a lot about skincare and have perfected their routines and together they are just unstoppable

also feel like they use sulwhasoo or beauty of joseon

my guess would be

oil cleanser

water based cleanser

chemical exfoliator (occasionally!)

toner

essence

serums (at night!)

sheet mask (at night!)

eye cream

moisturizer

sunscreen (in the morning!)

and supplements

seok matthew

i actually have no idea with him

he definitely doesn’t seem as invested as haobin

his older sister gives me major skincare vibes though (she’s so cool can she adopt me i’m canadian too)

i think he mostly just picks stuff up from her

i can see him getting a lot of the stuff that trends on tiktok

like the snail mucin essence and sunscreen sticks

i feel like his skincare would be pretty light and gentle

an overall solid routine but he probably doesn’t know the details

my guess would be

makeup remover/micellular water

water based cleanser

pimple patch

toner

essence

moisturizer

sunscreen stick

ricky

ofc mr young and rich, tall and handsome probably has his own dermatologist who does weekly checkups and treatments

probably has custom made skincare if he even needs it at this point

can he pls share of that with the other boys because some of them really need it…(we’ll get to them later)

my guess would be

$$$$$$

gunwook

oh boy

this is when things start going downhill

honestly i think he has a very basic but clean routine

probably doesn’t bother with any treatments or serums

i don’t see him doing anything that wouldn’t be daily so probably no exfoliating for him either

i feel like he would stick to one brand too just to make things simpler

i’m thinking round lab

he’s probably done some research and it’s a very popular brand in korea

i can see him doing sheet masks too but more in a dog union sleepover animal face mask kind of way

pls why am i lowkey roasting him (T ^ T) in the 0% chance he reads this i’m sorry gunwook ily but you just don’t have that vibe pls tell me if i’m wrong though

my guess would be

foam cleanser (idk why gunwook feels very foam coded to me)

pimple patch

toner

moisturizer

sunscreen

taerae

they don’t call him fashion taeraerist for nothing

i don’t think his skincare routine would be any better tbh

like i simply cannot imagine anything except for hand soap or the all-in-one soap and both options scare me

i feel like as a trainee and then an idol his routine has got to be better though

i hope he got forced to use actual products

probably ended up with drugstore stuff (T ^ T)

so um my optimistic? guess is

cleanser

toner (maybe)

moisturizer

sunscreen (maybe)

gyuvin

same situation as taerae and gunwook but worse somehow

once again!!!!! i’m getting soap vibes from him

boy probably didn’t bring any skincare because we saw what his suitcase looked like

i’m not convinced he even uses skincare at this point (if that is the case i’m so jealous because how do i make my skin look like his)

either that or it’s super chaotic like the most illogical combination you’ve ever seen like only exfoliator and night cream

seems like the type to use skincare when there’s a problem if he even notices that there is a problem

alternatively there is this olay retinol spf moisturizer (my head hurts trying to think of the logistics of this) that i can see him using as his one and only skincare product

jiwoong

finally breaking the curse

jiwoong gives me major vegan good for the environment vibes

i mean he doesn’t even eat snacks so

i feel like he’d like the dr. ceuracle vegan kombucha stuff

also because he 100% drinks kombucha you can’t change my mind

i think his skincare routine is simple but well thought out! like haobin, he’s tried a lot of stuff out and has narrowed it down to the essentials

also probably uses de-aging stuff so he can be an immortal vampire

i can see him using those led face masks once in a while too

it probably freaked the other boys out so much the first time they saw it LMAO

he probably also has the most lifestyle habits to help his skin

like changing his pillowcases frequently, using conditioner that won’t cause acne, staying hydrated, avoiding oily food, etc

he legit is what i aspire to be if i had the same willpower that he does

my guess would be

micellular water

gel cleanser (idk he feels gel coded to me)

toner

essence

serum sheet mask

eye cream

moisturizer

slugging (at night)

sunscreen

yujin

our wildcard yujin!!

i literally have no idea i’m so sorry

i feel like he would pick up skincare either from his mom or maybe one of the stylists from yuehua or boys planet?

would probably just take recommendations from people around him

i’m feeling innisfree for him? might be because he sort of reminds me of wonyoung and ofc who can forget the iconic plump, glowing, hydration boost

my guess would be

water based cleanser

toner

essence

moisturizer

sunscreen

if you’ve made it this far, tysm for reading my random rambling! this is based off of no information except what i know about korean skincare and also what i thought the boys would be like based on their personalities. i couldn’t find bare faced photos for everybody or info on their actual routines but i’d love to find out! so if you know anything about that pls lmk!!

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yostresswritinggirl · 4 years

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Tales of The Ghost Writer

“You met Xingqiu at Wanwen Bookhouse when delivering a batch of your newly-published book. But as a ghost writer, no one knew it was you that authored such books. Safe to say it was cute watching the noble bookworm fanboy about you in front of you.”

Pairings -> Xingqiu x Author!Reader

Word Count -> 3518

Theme -> Long Fic, Fluff

Series -> #Bonafide specials (100 followers event)

Warnings -> Xingqiu's name might be mispelled at times, also he rambles a lot

Entry Log # 645:

I’ve once again delivered the new batch of books to Wanwen Bookhouse today at 4PM, 30 new books in collection to be sold. That would add up to a total of 420 published books for Legend of the Lone Sword. Despite its old circulation, collectors and avid bookworms still seek out the volumes. In a spur of the moment thought, the 4th volume was finally rereleased for more readers to get a chance to read them. While on my rounds, I’ve met a particularly peculiar fan.

“4th volume?” You nod as you set down the stack of books on the counter where Jifang stood behind with a welcoming smile. “Thank you, everyone has been asking about it for a while now. I don’t understand how people keep missing out on the last volume like so.” There was an exchange of giggles between you continued your idle chatter, busying yourself with recounting the stack to make sure the order placed was exact. Yep, 30.

You picked one up from the top pile as Jifang enters the bookhouse to gather the payment. It wasn't that much of a feat to carry a pile of 30 books when it's only this thick, you thought as you opened the book in the middle and... buried your nose in it, literally. Archons, the scent of freshly printed books had always been such a stress reliever of a kind. The imprints were still fresh as you run your thumb over the pristine white page of page 75, the gravings of the letter bumping it in such an intricate and endearing manner. You suppose it should be prime time you get a copy of your own-

"Ah, the glorious scent fresh books offer are quite irresistible to everyone," your head whipped to the side in a hurry at the embarrassing display. Yet your new company only offered a light-hearted laugh, floaty and flowing swiftly past his lips. You find it enjoyable to listen to. "Fret not, I don't judge such honest guilty pleasure."

His smile was soft and respectful as you return it, watching his hand (wrists largely ruffled) pick up the next book on the pile, his interest shining the more he recognizes the the piece of literature. Such expensive clothing and poise, you thought as you continued to inspect. "I knew Wanwen had a schedule of new releases today, but I was not informed it would be the 4th volume of the Legend of the Lone Sword!"

"A fan?" You mused as you placed back the copy you took, leaning against the counter as you watched him quickly scan the lines of the book. He was intensely staring at every word with such a calculating gaze, that sometimes break when he reads how the character would sometimes reach an impasse, or when a new discovery reaches its peak. His ardent gaze was enough of an answer. When he took a break from reading to pass you his attention, you hadn't realize how red your cheeks had been out of embarrassment. "I've always wanted to get my hands on my own copy of the 4th, yet everytime all bookhouses in Liyue keep running out of stock. Is delivery normally this scarce?" He'd gestured at the not so looming pile.

You nod in response with a forgoing giggle. "Publishing could be running into some... shortness of funds?" Subtle, yet he hums in disappointment at the thought. His little pout, adorable, as he buries his face in the book again. I would gladly fund such glorious writing, you thought you heard past the leather back before the ornate doors past the counter finally opened again.

"Ah sorry it took so long, I couldn't find the exact pouch for the- hey! You again, you've read and been scolded dozens of times already," the woman angrily gestures to the notice board by the table, "Pay first, read later!"

You snorted, thankfully masked by the sudden cry of the caught culprit as he was smacked (hopefully gently) on the head by the owner, forcing him to put back the book to the pile. "Hnghh, but Lady Jifang! You didn't scold her, she was indulging herself with the book just the same," you breathed a fake gasp of astounded betrayal, before you three had laughed in chorus.

The oldest of your trio scoffed in amusement as she placed the bag of Mora unto your waiting hand. "What, her? Why would I scold her, she probably knows every word like the back of her ha-" her rambling was then cut off by a loud smack on her bottom, a book expertly finding its way back to your hand with a perfectly cut smile. Her yelp was not unnoticed by the male as he laughs at the display.

"Let him be, he's really been patiently waiting for the release!" Jifang scoffs at the word patiently as you came to the defense of blunette. You were never really aware of the norm in Wanwen, as you usually come by at a time where you would have been alone. This was a first.

"Quite so! Just the start of the volume had me hooked, setting for the peak of the story climax! The synopsis itself already hinted of another inclusion of a new element into the story I had not expected from this style of a book, surely such a writer would not tread such parallel territory without being an expert teller-" Jifang watched in amusement as her gaze lands on you at the start of the bookworm's rambling, watching the redness touch the tip of your ear with an abashed smile shyly gracing your lips. Behind it she can see the mirth and amusement, something she outwardly shows with her own expression.

"Wow," was the Liyuean woman's only response once the speaker has finished his lengthy speech. His dorkiness stands with pride at his examination.

You cleared your throat before you could mutter your initial words, finally realizing the time. "That was... quite marvelous of an analysis. A-Anywaysss, thank you for your partnership, I hope the books are all sold by tomorrow!"

And with that you swiftly made your exit, wanting to find a place to scream the embarrassment out. Or maybe squeal, just to be subtle.

Entry Log # 15:

As a distant relative to the Guhua clan, the (L/N) clan was not exactly known to be tied closely to the prestigious clan known for their expert martial. However, despite the impure connection, they carry with them still the honor of learning the arts to a meticulous detail.

Your family was one of the living practitioners of the Guhua Arts, twice removed, yet your spotlight was not that obvious as the name would carry. Your father wish to carry a new kind of prestige without relying on the powerful namesake and he had been adamant since birth to grind every teaching and form of the art into his immediate family.

"Misogyny nor feminism will not save you from battle, only your own strength." Something along those lines, was what he said.

Your eldest brother was his main point of reference when scolding you on not taking your lessons properly. A slacker he is, now he lacks not only a means of security but also financial stability, that's what you end up to if you don't treasure the arts of our family. You have no idea how martial arts brings you monetary security, but you can't really state to your own father that his logic was a bit skewed.

Daily during morning and the first touch of evening, you had resigned yourself into training under your father's supervision. As the eldest daughter of the house, you carry with you still a responsibility to be strong. No fraility was accepted, and your mother always argues about your father's ever so masculine lifestyle being imposed on you, a lady that should be taught other customs for means of living.

Yet after every session, at the end of the day under the caress of the lamp by your study table, your hands move with precision and calmness he would have scoffed at in the dojo. The beauty of words and their power to create new worlds effortlessly had drawn you in too easily, ever since you were young you had a knack for the books your mother reads to herself or to you.

Entry Log # 651:

The next time you'd met the Wanwen Bookworm (nickname you gave) was a rare moment when he'd finally looked at you more than the book in his hand. It seemed your little interaction from the bookhouse was attention-grabbing enough to make him seek out your person with a bunch of questions and wonder.

You gulped, patting down your blue skirt before accompanying him. The way he rambles was too dangerous, it was drawing something within you to also do the same, and you feared you may let out something you shouldn't. But a fellow 'reader' is good company, and with the little interactions you had with the same age group with the same interest makes this moment something you can't pass.

"Carrier to the Yae Publishing House?" You nodded calculatedly, after confirming you've said just the right information. "Quite intriguing, especially with such young age to be working in line with the greatest press house in Teyvat." Ohhh, he's surely smart despite the first impression of goofiness.

You giggled as politely as you can remember you should upon the scarce teachings of your mother. "I've always liked literature so I couldn't uhm let the opportunity pass, even if it's insignificant like that." Good, good, piling up the lies. You're grateful you haven't made some contract of friendship and happen upon the wrath of your nation's God. Or Qixing.

"Surely, you must have been in the presence of some of the wordsmiths during your rendezvous! So tell me," there was a dangerous glint in his eyes and you knew exactly what he's gonna ask, "Have you met the legendary Bob Ong?"

Oh goodness, you felt him caress and pat your back as you tried your best to breathe after the sudden choking on nothing, he was so spot on that you were horrified even if you had an inkling of what he was gonna inquire. "I uhm I don't really know what I'm allowed to say." In the inside you were goddamn screaming.

"You don't have to tell me anything about him, really! It's his mystery that makes his character just the most intriguing." You gulped down hard, this time without choking out of nothing. "I don't really know much about who he is since he's, you know, unknown? No clues whatsoever, he could be anywhere right now, maybe you've talked to him already or no. Yeah?"

He held a convincing hum before taking in the cryptic answer, content, for now you assume. "Not many avid readers of the book can place a name to the unnamed author, but how blind they were to see the cryptic signature at the back of the cover. Truly a wonderous act." Xingqiu, you finally learned his name, had took you out to lunch for the trouble and enjoyment. It wasn't really necessary, but you figured it was probably to keep you with him longer to converse about the books more.

A lot of his... analysis actually coincide with the messages that you lodged between the lines. He understands your way of narration more than you do at times, and you were left wondering just how much he had read of the fourth volume despite only having it for a few days then. When evening once again struck, you had bid each other farewell in the promise of another time to hang.

"It's a literature of love and freedom- disguised as a martial arts novel." Was his parting analysis, and you were left to wonder, was that really what you had projected into your works?

Entry Log # 32:

In your young and hopeful mind, you'd sent your first ever manuscript to Yae Publishing House. It wasn't your first work but it was the one you worked hard on the most, with weeks of furbishing and reworks. Your mother, although not directly informed of your whole plan, had provided you with great feedback and generous suggestions. And soon you created the first manuscript of 'String of Pearls'.

With a generous note and what you hoped is enough mora to at least publish a book, your package was sent to Inazuma.

You waited for days, of which turned to weeks, and then to months. You thought by the end of it all, you had been swindled but as young as you still hoped for the best of its outcome.

And then one day, as you were sweeping the outside of your gates in preparation for your father's return from some business in the harbor, a lone man of Inazuman style found its way to your humble abode. He calls himself Mr. Nine, and in his arms cradled two similar looking books, with a familiar envelope.

That was when you had been given the opportunity to write for the greatest Publishing House under the guise of a pseudonym. The great Nine was astounded by your ripeness paired with your prowess in writing. You hid behind Bob Ong, a protection from being belittled as a young child and a woman, to prevent being traced by your father if ever.

Yet you remained as subtle still. Even if your name was not written on the covers themselves, within your heart you were still the writers of those books. You've placed anagrams and mysterious puzzles revealing your name but it was part of the intrigue of the story that they had not thought much about it.

One day, you lost your book when you had gone out to eat. It was the second copy, as you carried the first one in your room, yet it still held a special place in your heart.

Xingqiu was a master novelist too, as you'd expect from someone so enthusiastic on the art of literature too. You'd long since become friends and found out soon enough his true identity. The heir to the Feiyun Commerce Guild, master practitioner of the Guhua Clan Arts, soon to be novelist. He was in every aspect the better half between you two.

One day in his daily reading breaks where he would happen upon you, he had found his eyes wafting over your notebook that you always carry. It was designed to look like a hard bound book specially tailored to your tastes, but it was nothing but mere keepers of your notes and musings.

Your newest page had in it a brand new draft for a brand new story you wanted to flesh out before the success of Legend of the Lone Sword diminishes. Mr. Nine still praised you for the success of your first major publishing and had assured you that there's no need to immediately compensate with another work so early, but your mind was already so eager to work. Your friend had never seen you so- flamed and passionate as the paper caves to the intense pressure your pencil places on it.

So he leans on your shoulder slightly (glad you were still distracted) as he quietly reads the words that articulates on the paper. The more Xingqiu reads, the more he craves, just the same vigor he felt everytime he had read his favorite works when each chapter invigorates him to continue to the end.

"Such a great outline," the blunette breathes out as he leans his cheek at the crown of your head. You let out a cute squeak when you'd finally come to, and turned your head to face him- "I didn't know you were into romance, my liege. Tell me, just where do you get such inspirations?" Your nose softly collided against the smoothness of his cheek, your lips ghosting over the line that is his jaw.

You scrambled backwards to direction opposite of his, yet with his body weight leaning on you, his center of balance quickly shifted on your weight like a net being pulled against the sides of a boat. You both toppled over.

"My, my, I didn't expect such abrupt resistance from you," Xingqiu's arms caged you as it holds him up against the grassland on either side of you. There was a certain mischievous glint in the ocean that is his eyes, which only meant one thing. "No need to be shy," you closed your eyes shut as his face leans in closer to yours, fanning over the frame of your face as he lets out a warm yet teasing exhale, "I'm sure we've gone past our personal bubbles in this relationship." You felt his chest against yours and braced for the inevitable-

as he finally licked your nose(?).

What.

"X-XINGQIUUUUU!" And then a cry of pain after a particularly harmful blow.

Entry Log # 659:

Xingqiu had always been a man of great words despite his chicken scratch of a penmanship. Vivid tales of his manuscript that I'm sure the Publishing House would take great value for, his years of memorizing numerous works in his arsenal. He told me that if I were to one day publish the manuscript, he wants to get the first copy and the first to get it signed. However Xingqiu has one glaring weakness when it comes to the art of words. When I asked him what would be a good title for the manuscript I made, he simply said, "Tales of the Writer!" And he sent a goofy smile. I thought he was joking, and I asked again, this time of what his work would be named. He replied:

"Why, Legend of Sword, of course!" He really sucks at titles.

Entry Log # 660:

Upon returning home with my new work ready to be shipped off for mass publishing, I've finally confronted my father. I had with me the final volume of my first work and offered it to him as first a gift of reconciliation, and my father took it with a mirthful glint in his eyes. He said he has been looking for the last volume of the series he'd been wanting to complete. I... I didn't know father was a fan.

The climax of my entire double-life ended so peacefully and tragically meh. I was expecting a martial arts fight of honor that will go down in history, but instead I ended up signing my own book as my father gushed about how nicely I illustrated the martial arts teaching we had during our sessions. I did not sleep well that night.

October 9th was a day celebrated by others more than the young master Xingqiu. The pavilion was mixed in with people from different walks of life and of faces he doesn't necessarily recognize. He lingers by the open window that shows the grandeur balcony, beckoning him outside. Today was a scheduled new release for Wanwen Bookhouse, and he had heard several chatters from the citizens that a new series would be published hailing from Yae Publishing House once again.

And the virtuoso of literature cannot attend such important matter himself because of his own birthday. How irking, you weren't even there to help appease his grumbling, you should have been here by now upon his invitation.

Suddenly the master of invitations bellowed out a familiar name, as his job to announce the entrance of the invited guests to the banquet. When he looks up, you were already walking down the grand staircase in your creme and blue Hanfu garb, accompanied by a tall man of a different wear—

"(Y/N), M-Mr. Nine-!" He bowed politely to the man as you curtsied at his presence. You looked absolutely dashing yet the man towered your form easily. "It's my honor to finally meet you, sire."

"Happy birthday, Xingqiu, I've heard many great things about you," the blunette opened his hands to receive the book gifted by the man. It had a familiar cover and title to it, Legend of Sword, "Great things, in fact, that there would too be great things to discuss later on." The Inazuman graced him a smile and he almost teared up at the implications, if not for when the author suddenly nudged you forward from your demure state.

Tales of the Ghost Writer

"X-Xingqiu, happy birthday! This is uhm, I've always wanted to- I wanted to give you this myself, I know you'd miss the first batch of releases," an unfamiliar book sits on his palm now. A plume and sword adorning its cover but no title, he shifts his hand to open it to the first page, "You said you wanted its first copy be signed, and I thought it appropriate to be given now at such a special occasion."

There in fresh print and ink he'd finally been revealed the mysteries he had long been searching for.

Against the translucent paper it was written and signed,

Tales of The Ghost Writer

Bob Ong, (Y/N)

@creation-magician @your-local-venti-simp @boxofteenageideas @indigodreamtime47

#genshin impact #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact xingqiu #xingqui x reader #xingqiu x reader #Bonafide specials #exile.flower #accidentally posted again but okay #female reader

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opalesense · 4 years

Text

the last appointment

zhongli & gn!reader

3.4k words • ~25 min. read

summary: as a studious and credible fortune teller in liyue, you discover something about your last client of the week that completely derails your outlook on life.

warnings: liyue arc spoilers, little bit of existential dread, slight mention of family member’s death

notes: might make more parts to this idk? just kinda wanted to dip my toes into genshin writing for the first time!!

LIFE IN LIYUE HARBOUR seemed to be repetitive and mundane. For the past few years, you would wake up, open your fortune telling shop, analyze the futures of your clients using your geomancy, possibly take a stroll around Liyue when you needed to run errands, and then call it a day. You performed the same routine constantly, sometimes travelling beyond the harbor to collect crystals and magical supplies for your shop, but rarely did anything truly change in your routine. If something was off in the slightest, it was never too exciting to note.

As anyone would have suspected, you were tired of your state of limbo in life. Other vision holders seemed to be going on adventures, travelling with companions and exploring the vast mountains and valleys of Teyvat. Other vision holders seemed to be fighting against evil, helping citizens, and saving the world from imminent dangers. You could even recall a recent event where the Qixing had evacuated the harbor to defeat a terrifying sea monster. The Jade Chamber had been sacrificed for the safety of the people of Liyue, and yet here you were, playing with a bunch of rocks for a living. Despite being able to grasp the glowing Geo vision that held your coat together, you could not grasp why you felt doomed to tend to this shop for the rest of your days.

You didn’t know where or how to “start” your life. The small, inherited establishment from your late aunt was located in the small alley of Chihu Rock, practically out of sight from most of the foot traffic in the harbor. Not many people came to visit, though your name was still decently known. In fact, most of your appointments were simply previous clients from your aunt, regulars that relied on her readings for years and believed you were the next best thing after she passed. Especially considering you were the first vision holder in your family, it made your credibility even stronger.

You still remember how you got your vision. The morning after your aunt had passed, the elemental gift somehow made its way into your hand as if the timing was meant to be perfect. You didn’t celebrate such a special and momentous occasion with pride or joy. Your face stiff with tears, you instead reflected on why you received your vision at that moment in the first place. With the shop doors closed upstairs, you gripped your vision and did what you felt needed to be done. With your family’s legacy and tradition on the line, adventuring like other vision wielders was not a priority at the time.

But after years alone of research, a social life consisting only of interacting with customers, and a constant state of grieving the experiences you could’ve had in your youth, you were now in your late twenties and closing the shop for the day. Your last appointment was either extremely late or not showing up at all and you were tired of working today, just like every other day. Regret gripped you tightly as you wondered how you managed to get yourself in such a boring, slow burning loop.

That is until the shop door opened, eliciting a gasp from you at the sudden noise, shattering the previous thought. You accidentally dropped the basket of cor lapis you were refilling and immediately knelt down to pick up the precious pieces that thankfully hadn’t cracked on the way down.

“Hello, [Y/N],” the tall figure practically glided through the doorway, “My deepest apologies for being late.”

He closed the door behind him, “...and for startling you, it seems.”

You sighed, checking for any scratches on the gems and sighed again with relief based on the good results. You grinned to hide the fact you had just been in deep thought. “It’s quite alright, Mr. Zhongli. It’s kind of you to stop by at the very least, even if you’re late.”

Mr. Zhongli was one of your aunt’s longtime clients. Since you were a child, your aunt had always described Mr. Zhongli as a complex yet thoughtful man that had always shown kindness to your family for many years. When Mr. Zhongli learned of your aunt’s death and began to receive readings from you instead, you quickly realized what your aunt meant by calling him complex. Mr. Zhongli was truly a tough nut to crack in every single reading, his sessions taking longer than most other cases. That is why Mr. Zhongli would always offer to take the last spot of the day at the end of every week as to not trouble any of your other clients.

As you took a few of the best cor lapis from the basket, you could see Mr. Zhongli’s acts of kindness and thoughtfulness unfold in front of you. He seemed to carry what was now clearly a gift basket at closer inspection.

“This gift is for you,” Mr. Zhongli took a few steps forward to set the basket on a countertop. “I brought you your favorites. Slow cooked bamboo shoot soup, qingxin, glaze lilies, and all the crystals I could find… needless to say, let this be a token of my appreciation for your patience and hard work from our last few sessions. I know I am not the easiest to read, but you truly have a talent.”

You were speechless at the gesture as your eyes sunk into the intricate detail of the handwoven basket and decorated items inside. No one had ever done something so kind for you in so long. It was astonishing enough that he remembered your favorite soup that you mentioned only once a few months ago, let alone your favorite flowers and crystals as well. “Thank you so much, Mr. Zhongli! I’m at a loss for words – this is so thoughtful of you!”

“I even brought you that Rex Incognito series you had mentioned, although, I am not sure why you would need to read the series when I am fully capable of educating you on the history of Rex Lapis myself,” he flaunted, taking his seat on the cushioned chair in front of the reading table.

“Now, Mr. Zhongli...” you picked out some prithiva topaz from another basket, following the usual protocol you had with such a personalized, frequent client like him. The required materials for his readings were imprinted into your memory like carvings in stone. “You know I don’t want to burden you with my curiosity. And with such an intriguing topic like Rex Lapis... once I start asking questions I’m afraid I will not stop.”

“I have all the time in the world,” he got comfortable in his seat as you sat yourself across from him, “I truly think it would benefit you to discuss the history of Rex Lapis with a learned scholar such as myself. We can even have some tea as we discuss.”

You chuckled at his eagerness. He seemed more forward than usual. “You are too kind, Mr. Zhongli. Perhaps I’ll take that offer someday, but at least let me put those books to good use first. Maybe I won’t need to bombard you with questions if I’m already well briefed on the subject.”

He sighed happily. “You make a good point. And you will enjoy them, I’m sure.”

You settled into your seat as you arranged the crystals between the two of you. “The usual for tonight?”

“Yes, please.”

Your hands meticulously placed the last crystal in its spot on the surface. You closed your eyes and hovered your hands above the rocks, clearing your mind to make way for the usual reading: a reflection on the past, any significant events of the present to focus on, and some insight into the future. You held this hand gesture for awhile, letting the energy from the rocks lift into the air and envelop your gloved palms. When you felt there was enough energy to work with, you opened your eyes to reveal the manifestation of his thoughts in front of you, able to take its physical form using the powers from your glowing vision.

No one had ever taught your this skill, not even your aunt. If you had to bloat your own ego, one could say you invented this Geo fortune telling process yourself. The process indeed came to you naturally, a true display of pure talent.

You slowly lifted your hands to allow the visual manifestation to settle on the table among the gems so Mr. Zhongli could watch his reading unfold in front of him as well.

“Let us analyze the past first,” he spoke, already knowing the routine without you needing to ask him where to start. You slowly waved your hands as if you were digging a hole in sand on a beach, the manifestation displaying ambiguous patterns that wouldn’t make sense to any commoner’s eyes but could be interpreted easily by yours.

Two pairs of focused eyes fixated on the picture as you spoke your mind out loud. “You have recently given up something extremely important to you, it seems. I see you handing over something… small, physically, yet unbelievably significant and personal. I can’t tell what it is exactly, only that it glows like the sun with its energy. But you have handed this important object over to a very... evil... figure?” you cocked your eyebrow, confused. “You seem to be brooding over the fact that its aura is dark with malicious intentions.” You hesitated, “Well, that can’t be right, can it?”

He sighed. “Unfortunately, that is indeed what happened recently. But it had to be done.”

“Didn’t we talk about a similar situation in a previous reading? If I remember correctly, I thought I had advised you to not give up whatever that object was.”

“I am aware of the consequences that will follow. Especially with your future guidance, I’m sure the events following this one questionable decision will unfold in a better way soon enough.”

“I will always be here to help you, Mr. Zhongli. But please be careful in the future with these decisions. The importance of this object seems to be off the charts.”

He nodded. “It is as you say. Please, have faith in me now. I cannot change what happened in the past, after all.”

You hovered over this image of the sacrifice. You couldn’t make out what this object was, no matter how close you tried to inspect it. It had the likings of a chess piece, but surely this wasn’t simply a chess piece, was it?

“Let us move on, if that is alright with you,” his low voice cut the silence.

You wiped the image from your mind and waved your hands again, as if you were slowly putting the sand back into the hole you dug before. If the last image wasn’t enough bad news, this new one that formed was even more painful to witness.

“You have been grieving your losses very recently,” you said gently. “Your mind is currently weighed down by your past. I see you looking out at the sea in deep thought. There are flashes of…”

You stopped as you inspected the graphic images that suddenly appeared beyond your hands. You gasped at the terrifying horrors.

“What is it?” the low voice tried to search for understanding of what you were seeing. Even though the image was clearly laid out in front of him, it was still too ambiguous to tell when he lacked your years of experience.

“There are flashes of war,” your breath stifled as you watched his thoughts splayed out in images of lifeless bodies and destruction. “Very graphic details of war and death. Mr. Zhongli, I believe this image of suffering has been weighing over your mind like an anchor in the sea.”

He paused to process your comparison. “That is... a very good way to put it.”

“Though, I believe that despite the sorrow that emanates in this image, you are in a state of relief and tranquility. It seems you are grieving, but you are simultaneously at peace,” you hesitated again, “Yet I wonder what these graphic images of war are meant to represent. Surely we are not in an actual war, are we? Perhaps you are at war with your past, wanting to move on but haunted by your memories?”

Mr. Zhongli unfortunately knew the images you were seeing were, in fact, real events he had experienced in his life time and the truth was that lately he had been reminiscing on these events. Mortal life is kind to humans for them to be blissfully unaware and carefree of these harsh realities, he internally commented.

He still put your analysis into thought, though.

“I am haunted, indeed. I have been attempting to come to terms with my troubled past, just as you advised me only a few weeks ago. I have tried to follow your guidance, and although they resurface what I have been trying to repress, I believe I am coming to peace with what happened.”

You grinned. “That is very good to hear, Mr. Zhongli. I believe you are currently making good progress when it comes to moving on. Just remember that it is okay to remember your sorrow. Let your emotions pass through you instead of repressing them or rushing to move on. It is okay to take your time and let the thoughts bubble inside of you for awhile.”

He closed his eyes as you continued, letting your advice seep in. You continued. “Imagine the stillness of the sea. Many creatures and lost remnants take their place in the depths of the waters, but on the surface we see constantly moving yet serene waves wash over what is hidden below. Your memories are there to stay, Mr. Zhongli. But your present self, the surface of the water, can peacefully coexist with whatever is hiding deep within. Let these thoughts weigh you down momentarily, but rest assured, you will find balance and acceptance in due time.”

His eyes fluttered open as he reflected over your words. You always seemed to know what to say. “Your words have truly resonated with me, [Y/N]. And you are absolutely correct. I have been fighting these memories to avoid the pain, but it had not dawned on me that sorrow is... what I am meant to feel, not push away. I suppose your advice has put my mind at a bit more ease, and I suppose I am focusing too much on when I will be able to move on rather than allowing my thoughts to coexist for a moment.”

“Now you’re getting it,” you grinned with the relief that washed over his face.

“Shall we move on?” he offered.

You got to work on the last segment of the reading. If manifesting the other images didn’t take long enough, reading one’s future always took the longest. Interpreting an event that hasn’t happened yet always made you a bit nervous with your words. You never wanted to let a client down with an inaccurate reading.

On the contrary, this reading, despite taking quite awhile to appear on the surface on the table, was very clear.

“That is undoubtedly an image of me,” your eyes glazed over the facial features of the person in the manifestation. “I apologize for the delay, Mr. Zhongli, I must have accidentally let my thoughts seep into yours–“

“Do not fret, I believe this is accurate,” he interrupted. “Keep going.”

Your perplexed expression remained as you continued the reading. “I am admittedly stumped. There is nothing left in this image. I suppose it is simply me standing in what looks like some ruins. I am holding a staff, or some kind of long object.” You paused to think out loud. “Why am I in your reading? What could this possibly mean?”

Mr. Zhongli chuckled as you thought out loud. “Perhaps this is a good time to tell you why you are in my thoughts.”

“I’d love to hear it, I have never appeared in someone’s reading in my last decade and a half of experience. This is quite unique.”

He folded his hands in his lap, “For some reason, I have had this strange vision of training you. I’m not sure why, since you don’t seem like the fighting type, but there is some voice inside me that is telling me you are destined for something great and i need to take some part in it. What do you think, now that you see this vision as well?”

Your eyebrows rose in shock. “Training me? I guess this does relate to something I have been pondering as of late. I do not want to lay out my troubles on you though, my job is to interpret your life, not mine.”

“Our lives have clearly intertwined in this vision,” he insisted, “Please do not hold back for my sake. I have the time.”

You thought for a moment. How could you form the words without seeming too selfish? How could you maintain professionalism by talking about your personal problems?

“I am not the fighting type, Mr. Zhongli. Though, lately I have been quite depressed about the fact that I am not doing as much with my vision as other vision holders are. My life is uninteresting. The truth is that I am a simple fortune teller that plays with rocks. I hope you can understand why I am failing to interpret this reading,” you apologized. “It’s because this doesn’t seem characteristic of me at all. And with all due respect, after giving you readings for years, I would have never guessed you were versed in combat to train me!”

He chuckled. “I respectfully disagree. To tell you the truth, your talents surpass the abilities of many other vision holders. Not everyone can read thoughts or tell the future. Now that I mention it, I know of one talented astrologist in Mondstadt, but think about that. You are one in hundreds of thousands in Teyvat,” he reassured. “You did not receive your vision for no reason and I truly believe you are destined for something big. I regret not being able to realize this before.”

“How are you so sure of this? I would love to believe you, but I’m afraid I am not destined for much, really. Again, I am simply a fortune teller. What could I possibly do for Liyue other than read some rocks?”

He sighed and connected his palms with yours, interrupting the reading and wiping the manifestation off the table. The hovering crystals dropped onto the surface, making you gasp at the sudden sound.

“I am not who you think I am,” his amber eyes finally met yours for the first time this evening, which sent a chill down your spine. “Promise me you will not fret, for what I am about to show you may shock you.”

“What do you mean? What are you doing, Mr. Zhongli?” you slightly panicked as he firmly grasped your hands.

Suddenly, the room was engulfed in golden light that emitted from the seat across from you. Scattered, distorted images of a mystical dragon, a devastating war, and seven seats in Celestia flashed across your eyes as you stared at the beams of light. Death seemed to swallow you, but not take you. The baskets of crystals around the room shook with the surge of energy. The world seemed to destroy itself then remake itself over and over again within fleeting moments. These thousands of years of memories made your body tremble. It all happened within fleeting moments, and after a few seconds of your senses being overwhelmed, you finally pulled yourself together and connected the dots.

His expanded knowledge of Liyue’s history. The sudden gift of your vision immediately after your aunt passed. Grieving his losses and having flooded thoughts of war and death. Offering combat training. Remembering your favorites the same way he would remember Liyue’s customs and traditions. His glowing amber eyes alone.

Mr. Zhongli was the God of Contracts and overseer of Liyue. Rex Lapis, a being that lived for millennia, sat in the seat across from you. He had been posing as a mere mortal for years, taking readings as if he were any normal customer. The realization shook you to your core as you sat there bewildered, grateful, and horrified at the same time.

He let go of your hands after seeing that the information successfully processed in your mind. He saw something in you that was yet to be awakened, where the sky was the limit under your own expectations. This daydream of his was no simple vision – it was a calling. Internally, whether you agreed to it or not, he vowed that he would not leave your life until your true destiny was fulfilled.

He would see this vow fulfilled by offering you a contract that would change the course of your life forever.

#zhongli #zhongli x reader #genshin impact #rex lapis #mine #boom #genshin impact x reader

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meekmedea · 3 years

Note

Could we please have more Grant/Medea pregnancy/life with children?

Here you go! They aren't solely Grant and Medea scenes, but with some of their family too

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Announcement

“We’re having a child.”

“Okay, I was joking then, but if you’re serious about it, I’ll kidnap a child for you,” asks Grant, not looking up from his laptop. “I'll do it if you want.”

Medea stayed silent, wondering how oblivious her other half could be at times. It’d hit him eventually. But she wanted to see how long it would take.

One.

Two.

Thre–

“Wait–” Grant’s head snapped up to look at her. And she could see the surprise. He almost stumbles as he makes his way to her. “Are you–” His eyes are full of hope.

She nodded.

~~~~~

Telling the Family The Family Finds Out

Medea is nearing the end of her first trimester when she finds out that she’s having twins. From Grant’s reaction, you’d think that he was the one carrying the child. He almost passes out from the shock before turning into his ‘dad’ mode as she affectionately dubs it.

Still, it’s early. They had discussed it amongst themselves before agreeing to give it another week to tell their family.

Unfortunately, that never comes to fruition. Because three days later, their doorstep is flooded with presents of well-wishes.

If she were a regular civilian, she’d be terrified at their promptness.

But she isn’t. Instead, she’s almost exasperated at how nothing can get past them.

Her godfather sends her a gift basket stuffed to the brim with chocolates and various snacks safe for pregnant women. Medea also finds herself with a subscription, allowing her to pick whatever snacks she’d like from the company once she runs out.

A pair of daggers, intricately carved, is sent in from the League. Very gender neutral gifts she supposed. They were lovely, but not a gift that either child would be receiving till much older.

Tim and his team send a whole box of superhero themed onesies, ones that match their team with the addition of Green Lantern.

Medea raised an eyebrow at the presents. “Wow…”

“You don’t have to thank us, I know.” Tim grinned. “Really hard to find all of them, but we were lucky to find a place that did custom orders, so the designs are accurate down to the last detail.”

“How generous.”

His smile widened.

Rose sends his gift the dirtiest look imaginable when she sees it.

Please. It was like her siblings were making everything a challenge or something.

From Rose, she also gets a collection of onesies. These ones were designed in the way that all the Wilsons had taken before. Deathstroke, Ravager, Jericho and Atlas. Including Medea’s stint as Asteria.

Mother sends an entire box of bird’s nests and a congratulatory card.

Adeline is practically a blessing. Because she’s probably the only one to get Grant to take a step back from being too overprotective. While Grant means well, Medea is not a glass sculpture.

With being relegated to take things down a notch, Grant found himself spending a lot more time with his father. At first, Slade was a common sight at their place then they started hanging out at his safe houses instead because it was a surprise.

A rocking chair is the first thing that appears in the room they cleared out for the children. Then two cribs. All handmade.

Then came the second part. They persuade her to not go home for a few days. Five days later, they allow her to return.

To her surprise, the room set aside for the children has been completely transformed. Everything has been set up, ready for use. From the furniture, the lights, everything. The wall covered with a beautifully painted mural courtesy of Joey, and just wow...

It's like they made their dream come to life.

Wow.

~~~~~~

Uncle Hal Tries His Best

(alternatively: Mother knows best)

Medea always thought that her overprotective parents were manageable, but it turns out she was wrong. She’s walking with Hal at night when someone tries to rob them on their way to a restaurant.

Before either could react, a well-placed nerve strike has the man toppling to the ground unconscious.

She gaped at the figure that the hand was connected to. Mother?

Hal stares in shock. He glanced at Medea as if silently asking if they were seeing the same person standing there.

“You should be more careful in your condition, daughter,” says Shiva, before disappearing back into the shadows.

Hal whistled. “Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“I feel really inadequate now.”

“It’s okay, Uncle Hal. Mom has that effect on everyone.”

“You tried,” he says, patting her hand. “But it’s alright. I’ve accepted it. Tell you what, I’ll promise to fend the next attacker off for you.”

“I rather we didn’t get attacked.”

“Fair.”

#post love me as i am or not at all life?#Grant Wilson/Medea Sun-Wilson #female jason todd #grant wilson #jason todd #medea sun #love me as i am or not at all au

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feferipeixes · 3 years

Text

Child I Will Hurt You

One of the weirdest things to Alcor about being a father was how automatically Toby trusted him.

Which really freaked him out because he didn’t feel he should be trusted to raise a child. After all, he was practically still a child himself.

(See the most updated version on AO3!)

===

The thing that scared Alcor the most about raising Toby was how fully the boy trusted him.

He’d experienced and marveled at that kind of trust before. When Mabel found him after that fateful day in 2012 and threw herself at him, sobbing with relief that he wasn’t gone after all, he felt it. When Stan took him and Mabel into his home a few years later, patted him on the back and said “It’s no problem, kid”, he felt it. When he warned Mabel that he shouldn’t be trusted with the triplets’ true names and Mabel shouted him right out of his self-flagellation, he felt it.

The first day he brought Toby home after finding him alone and shivering on the street, he felt something very different.

Panic.

Panic over who the child in front of him truly was underneath that thin layer of flesh. Panic over what would happen if he didn’t stop whatever Bill was planning. Panic as he remembered Weirdmageddon over and over again in complete, horrific detail.

“Listen kid,” he said, floating a few feet off the ground so he could better tower over the child, “no funny business, okay? You hear me in there, Bill?”

Toby only cocked his head, scraggly and unwashed golden locks tumbling away from his face to reveal his scarred eye. He still wore the half-scared half-curious look he’d had when he’d first caught the demon’s attention, but there was something else bubbling up. Something that tasted suspiciously like trust.

It really freaked Alcor out because he didn’t feel he should be trusted to raise a child. Trust was something you gave to adults who knew what they were doing, after all, and he was practically still a child himself.

Alcor grimaced, and lowered onto his knees so he could look the boy directly in the eyes. “I mean it. I’m watching you. I’ll know if anything bad happens.”

To his surprise, Toby smiled at that. “You can make the bad things stop?”

“Yes,” Alcor replied, his voice cracking like it hadn’t in centuries because he was already messing this up, he was sure of it. “N-no getting into trouble. Not on my watch.”

The boy’s face lit up, trust shining brilliant from both eyes, and before Alcor could tell what was happening, Toby had reached up and hugged him around the neck.

And the demon remembered

Bill’s little pipe cleaner hands iron-clad around his neck,

Squeezing the life out of him,

Blue fire rushing all over his body,

Over and into his soul,

Screaming until there was no more breath left in him,

And the little boy’s smile radiated such trust and hope that Alcor was left completely speechless.

“Thank you,” Toby squeaked, and Alcor felt it.

---

“Oh stars, I can’t do this, I can’t do this!” Alcor was in his human disguise, head in hands, elbows resting on the counter, rambling like the world was ending. “I’m way in over my head. Raising a child? Me? I mean I looked after Mabel’s triplets but this is so different…”

“...Sir?” The cashier’s hand hovered over Alcor’s head, unsure whether it was appropriate or comforting to actually pat him. “Are you alright?”

“No!” he fumed, lashing out and knocking over some of his groceries. “I have a six year old at home and he trusts me to look after him and keep him safe! How could this possibly have happened?”

“Uh…” The cashier peered behind the man to the customers in line, most of whom looked some degree of disgruntled or confused. She gave them a little wave to indicate that they should probably move to a different register, and then turned back to the man who appeared to be hyperventilating now. “Do you have a partner? Anyone who’s helping you?”

“Of course not, I’m alone, I’ve got no friends,” he moaned. “There’s no one who I trust enough to foist Toby off to. The poor boy has such bad karma -- he needs me to protect him from that or he’ll get eaten alive!”

“Well… it sounds like you’ve got the right instincts at least. You want to keep him safe.”

“That’s just it! I don’t!” Alcor picked his head up and the cashier saw streaks of a strange yellow liquid running down his face. “Everything I’m doing for him is just stuff I picked up from watching my sister raise her kids! I don’t have any kind of adulting instincts -- none at all! I transcended when I was fucking twelve and that’s where I’ll be stuck until the end of time. I’m just a pointless child! I’ve got too much power and no actual ability to help anyone!”

The cashier sighed and -- after the man nodded to say it was alright -- put her hand on his shoulder. “Listen, man, all of that stuff sounds normal.” (Except for the parts that made no sense to her at all but she opted to ignore them.) “No one knows how to raise a kid, and no one ever feels like they’ve grown up. You learn it as you go. Trust me, my kids ran me ragged and I had no idea what I was doing. But they turned out alright. So will yours.”

Alcor’s voice began to wobble, and he pressed gloved hands to his temples. “But he won’t! I’m developmentally frozen. I’m not capable of learning anything! Seriously, what kind of adult buys this much candy?”

She glanced at his cart, which indeed was half filled with Giddy Cowboys and Sneakers bars. “That is a lot,” she admitted. “I would not advise giving your kid that much candy.”

“What? No.” Alcor stopped sniffling and pulled a face like he’d just smelled poo. “That’s for me. I’m buying all these vegetables and milk and chicken for Toby. He’s a growing kid, he needs to eat healthy, get all those food groups in, you know. I’m not stupid. But I am childish for liking candy so much that I’d eat this much of it in a week! I mean, seriously! Oh stars, I’m hopeless!”

The cashier lifted an eyebrow and removed her hand. “You eat all of this… in a week?”

“I know, I know, I’m ridiculous!”

“That’s not what I meant,” the cashier cut in, before he could start gibbering again. “I’m just worried about your teeth. Your… teeth…” She trailed off as the man suddenly yawned, exposing two rows of jagged knives that could sink into her flesh in an instant. “Your, um, your- your-”

Alcor pulled a mirror out of seemingly nowhere and started picking at his teeth. “What, do I have something in them?”

The cashier’s eyes widened even more as the man’s gloves came off. “My… what pointy claws you have…”

“Thank- wait.” Alcor froze, one long blackened nail still pressed into his gum. “Wait a minute. Pointy. Sharp. Cutting and slicing and ripping open oh stars!”

“Um- um- um-” the cashier tried to say, but with every word she felt like she was shrinking until she’d be swallowed up by her clothes. “Slicing?”

Alcor shook his head furiously, and this time his fist was positively trembling when it came down onto the counter. “I haven’t child proofed the knife drawer in the kitchen!”

He flipped his hat off of his head and pulled out a wad of cash, which he then thrust into the cashier’s hands just as her lights went out. Before anyone else could react, he vanished into thin air, taking his groceries and the shopping cart with him.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before,” Alcor grumbled as he zeroed in on the offending drawer. He pulled it open and there they were -- obscene, dangerous implements that he was a wicked and cruel caretaker to have potentially exposed his child to. He couldn’t stop imagining what might’ve happened if Toby had tried to pull open the drawer and it had fallen on him -- couldn’t stop thinking about his little boy sticking his adorable hand in and receiving cuts and lacerations and awful, awful sobbing filling the house…

With a snap, child locks were in place. Alcor tested them out by trying to pull the drawer open -- and it took a few tries before even he was able to. Sighing with relief, he leaned against the counter and slid down to the floor. His feet bumped up against the shopping cart sitting in the middle of the kitchen, overflowing with Reece’s Mugs and Chortle Taffy and Quasarbursts.

He couldn’t do this. He was too irresponsible.

Alcor dug a hand into the cart and pulled out a candy bar. He sank his teeth into it, enjoyed the rush of sweetness that was almost as good as flesh and bone. Slowly he began to unclench his muscles -- even though his form was imaginary, the cramps shooting throughout his body still hurt. He slid down the counter a little further, almost letting his head touch the floor -- and then he noticed it.

The stairs.

Bolting upright, Alcor let the candy bar fall from his hand. The stairs. How hadn’t he thought about that before? What if Toby fell down and tumbled into the banister and lost his other eye? What if what if what if?

Not a minute later, the demon was wrestling with child safety gates, somehow struggling even with all of his considerable power just to get them to attach to the wall. At one point he tipped his jaw back and used his tongue to line the edges with spit, which then solidified like glue. The stairs had to be safe. He couldn’t risk Toby getting hurt.

And with that thought came even more thoughts that sent Alcor racing through the house. What if Toby slipped in the bathtub? What if Toby climbed on top of the fridge and couldn’t get down? What if Bill slammed his arm in a drawer again and again and again and again until it was full of forks and then he poured soda into his eyes and laughed like a maniac while Dipper drowned in the vast emptiness of the Mindscape???

Alcor stiffened. He set down the intricate contraption he’d been building to keep Toby safe from wild animals in the backyard. And he looked into the mirror.

What was he doing?

This was Bill’s soul he was fretting over. It was always him, on the inside, and he’d known it from the very first day he’d seen the boy. He knew what was lurking beneath the surface, what kind of monster slept in that innocent form waiting until one day he could reach out and traumatize his father once more. Reach out and steal his beating heart, and laugh, and live, and die, and laugh, and live, and die, in a way he’d never be able to again.

A chill passed through Alcor’s body. Something had to be wrong with him, because he knew what Toby was and he’d spent the entire week worrying about the boy. Why did he care so much?

Quietly, he crept down the hall, and peered into the bedroom on the right. There he was -- the beast himself -- sleeping soundly in a bed decorated with race cars and rocket ships. A few more steps, and Alcor could see how small he looked, how even in his sleep he seemed so broken. And the demonic instincts that had rushed through Alcor since the day he’d gone up in flames were quelled, because every fiber of his being told him he needed to protect this child.

He rested a hand on the boy’s forehead, and watched him dream about running around in a field of grass, playing catch with his new father.

---

Thus started a new routine. A demon, trying day-to-day to take care of a small child. Playing grown up even though he felt so utterly unprepared for what he was doing. But Alcor’s life didn’t stop when he became a parent.

Neither did any of his other regular obligations.

“Oh, you’re asking for it now!” Alcor roared, jumping to his feet. “I’m gonna run you through with my sword! Die die die die!”

The dungeon master -- Damien -- peered over his half-rimmed glasses at the demon and smirked. “Not gonna work, I’m afraid. The slime beast’s armor is too thick to be pierced by a sword such as your own.”

Alcor gaped with disbelief. “Whaaat? I call foul play! You let Anushka do it!”

“Anushka’s sword has a fire enchantment on it. Slime armor is weak to heat.”

“Also, I said die five times,” Anushka added with a shit-eating grin on her face, jabbing Alcor in the side with her elbow. “Die die die die die!”

Alcor snorted and dropped back into his chair. “Well, you got me there.” He looked at the other players, disappointment rolling over into amusement. “Can I change my move or am I locked in?”

Damien shrugged. “Go for it. I don’t think you’ll be able to beat it this turn though, and you’ve only got one hit point remaining.”

Nat leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Yo, I’ve got an idea. You should defend this turn and try to survive the slime’s attack, and then on my turn I can fire enchant your sword.”

“Huh. Maybe…” He patted his head to get the spittle out of his ear, and surveyed the map of the dungeon they were in. Then he sat bolt upright in his seat, a large exclamation mark appearing over his head. “Damien. How many sword actions do I get this turn?”

Damien rolled a die. “Two.”

“Yessss. Okay. First, I lunge at the slime again! But with the blunt end of my sword so it gets knocked back.”

Damien rolled another die. “Yep. That works. Are you gonna use your free movement to approach it again?”

Alcor shook his head. “Nope. I’m gonna throw my sword -”

“Your sword doesn’t have enough piercing damage to make a difference from that distance, I’m afraid.”

The room’s dim lighting glinted off of razor sharp teeth. “- at the cable holding up the chandelier.”

Anushka and Nat dropped their pencils, and looked straight up, momentarily forgetting that they were not actually in the dungeon they were traversing. “You what?”

Damien rolled a die again, and sucked in a sharp breath. “Alright. The chandelier falls onto the slime beast before it can react. It quickly catches on fire, leaving it too weak to attack. Congrats!”

Beaming, Alcor scribbled some numbers on his character sheet. “Heck yeah. No slime beast is strong enough to get one past the Dreambender.”

“You’re so creative, Al,” Nat said. “Seriously, wow. I never would’ve thought of that.”

He wove off the compliment. “Naw, I’m just basically a large child. Being silly and immature is what they’re good at.”

Looking up over his dungeon master partition, Damien furrowed his brow. “Why do you say you’re immature -”

There was a ringing in Alcor’s head -- a tug on a bond -- and he held up his hand. “Wait, hold that thought. Speaking of children, my kid’s calling me. I’m gonna have to leave early this week.” He stood up, and did a dramatic bow. “I’ll see ya all next week! Don’t lose my summoning circle!”

Toby -- lying flat on the floor of the Mystery Shack -- perked up at the sight of his adoptive father walking through the door. Tyrone looked about as human as they come -- a man in his mid-thirties with soft brown eyes, no wings, and feet that always touched the ground. He opened his arms and Toby came running to hug him.

Right away there was that trust again, that total trust that Alcor still couldn’t believe he deserved. How could someone like him -- someone who’d just spent two hours playing a tabletop role playing game and laughing about memes -- be trusted to take care of a child?

Gingerly, he took Toby into his arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “How are you doing?”

“I’m boooooooored!” Toby whined. “Can we play a game? I wanna play pretend!”

Chuckling, Alcor put Toby down and then sat beside him on the floor. “Sure thing, kid. You know, I’m pretty good at playing games like that. I was playing one with my friends earlier today.”

Toby’s jaw dropped. “Whoaaaaa! You have friends?”

A vein bulged in Alcor’s forehead. “Of course I- never mind. What’s the game, kid? What are we pretending?”

Toby jumped up and started pacing in a circle. “I wanna make up a story! It’s gonna be great! I’ll be the hero and you’ll be the bad guy -- an evil king who wants to kill all of the good people in the land! Is… is that okay?”

There was a mirror mounted on the wall behind where Toby had been sitting. Without the boy in his way, Alcor found his gaze fixed on it. He could see Toby gesturing as he walked and he could see the nostalgic decorations hanging on the wall of the Shack. But there was no Tyrone to speak of.

It took a moment for him to realize that Toby was talking to him. “What? Oh yeah. Of course, kid. I’ll be the bad guy.” He took a deep breath, discarding the voice in his head that furiously objected to him being the villain to Bill’s hero. “What’s my motivation?”

Toby cocked his head. “Moti- what?”

“What’s my backstory? Why am I evil?”

The boy continued to stare at him with a blank look on his face. “You’re evil cause you’re the bad guy and bad guys are evil!”

“That’s kinda boring- never mind.” Alcor grimaced and looked back at the mirror. “So you’re the hero, eh? How are you going to defeat me? What’s the hero good at?”

“Everything!!!!” Toby squealed, and his reflection grabbed onto something invisible. “The hero is the good guy so I should always win and I’ll have all of the magic and the biggest swords ever!”

Alcor shifted so that Toby was hanging onto his shoulders rather than around his middle. “Everything? But if the hero always wins, what’s the point?”

“The good guy always has to win!” the boy chirped, squeezing tight around Alcor’s neck. “Always!”

Oh my stars this is so boring, Alcor thought. How fricking uninventive is Bill’s soul? Children are supposed to be good at being silly and creative. I guess all Bill’s soul can think about is being powerful again.

A figure stepped into the room on the other side of the mirror. It was short -- looked to be about 12 years old -- and had clawed hands, bat wings sprouting from its hips, and a fancy suit that looked out of place for someone so young. Alcor’s jaw dropped as he watched the figure pick up Toby’s reflection, pat him on the back, and then stare directly out of the mirror at the demon.

“This is a game for children,” the figure said in a low growl.

“What?” Alcor yelped.

Toby giggled at the interruption. “I said that all the evil people should die because they’re mean! No one should ever do a bad thing!“

“This is what children are like. They see in black-and-white because they know nothing about how the world works.” Cold, black eyes bored into Alcor’s skull. “Have you forgotten what that’s like?”

“B-but I’m silly,” Alcor stammered, sweat starting to drip down his face. “I’m irresponsible. I love playing games and coming up with interesting stories. Those are childish things for someone as old as me to be doing.”

“Dad?” Toby asked. “What are you saying? I can’t hear you.”

The figure sneered, baring two sets of sharp teeth uncomfortably close to Toby’s head. “Whoever told you that must’ve really hated the idea of growing up.” Toby stirred, and it spent a moment cradling him so he’d calm down. Then those eyes -- now bright and full of gold -- flicked back at the demon. “Who said it? Was it you?”

Alcor gasped and fell over. Toby shrieked as he suddenly found himself tumbling to the ground, and the sound broke Alcor right out of his trance. Quick as a whistle, he pirouetted and caught the boy in his arms, pulling him close to his chest in a tight hug.

“Oh no, oh Toby, are you alright?” he fretted. “Did you get hurt?”

“I’m okay!” Toby squeaked, his face pressed against Alcor’s collarbone. Alcor loosened up on his hug, and took in Toby’s smile. “That was fun! You always catch me! That’s how I know you’re really a good guy.”

“I’m a good guy?” Alcor gulped, and glanced back at the mirror. This time he saw himself, in his present human disguise, holding Toby close, and looking so, so utterly responsible. It freaked him out.

“...Dad?” Toby asked, brow crumpled. “Daaaaad what are you thinking?”

“I think…” Alcor sighed, and gave his son a little kiss on the forehead. “I think it’s time you got some friends your own age.”

---

From that day on, things were a little different.

Alcor bought a house in the physical plane, because a memory of a shack in the Mindscape was no place to raise a child.

“Dad?”

He doctored forms and documents so it not only looked like a certain Tyrone Pines actually existed, but also that he and his adopted son Tobias Pines were legal residents of a sleepy town in the middle of Washington. This let Toby attend school with kids his own age.

“What is it, Toby?”

He went to the library on the weekly to check out parenting books, having long exhausted the meager supply of advice his omniscience had to offer -- as it turned out, parenting was very much a learn-as-you-go experience with few absolute truths to guide you.

“What’s a demon?”

Alcor froze, his hand halfway in the process of turning a page in his book. He started to turn his head around to look at the boy, and remembered just in time to turn his body around with it.

“Where did you hear that?” Alcor asked carefully.

Toby kept his head down, opting to study his father’s shoes instead of his face. “I, um...”

There it was again, that emotion bubbling up inside of Alcor, that instinctual distrust he couldn’t help but feel for the soul who had once taken everything from him. It was all he could do not to jump up and yell “Aha! Caught you red-handed, Bill! I knew you were in there all along!”

He got out of his chair and knelt in front of the child, using a finger to gently raise the boy’s head so they could see eye-to-eye. “You can tell me,” he said softly. “It’s okay.”

Alcor saw Toby reach into that pure, automatic trust he had for the monster who was raising him. The boy gulped, and squared his shoulders.

“Um... Devon’s dad said it to Devon.”

Alcor blinked. “Is that so? Devon, the kid in your class who asked you to play baseball with him?”

Toby nodded. “H-he was asking me again, and I know you said I wasn’t allowed to, but he started showing me anyway. He got his bat and swinged it and it looked really cool. Then his dad yelled at him and said ‘Devon, you little demon, cut that out right now!’“

Alcor could only stare, mouth agape, in response. Toby started to tremble as he continued speaking. “Then Devon’s dad took the baseball bat and Devon got really sad and I didn’t know what it means but it looked bad and I don’t want to be a little demon and I’m really really sorry I said I wanted to play baseball I don’t want to be a demon I don’t I don’t -”

He cut off with a squeak as his father took him into his arms and hugged him tight.

Alcor was a being with access to more power and magic than almost anything else in the universe. He could level mountains, he could turn cities inside out, he could institute universal basic income on the moon with a snap of his fingers.

But when he held Toby in his arms, when he saw the awestruck look on the boy’s face when he played the violin for him, when he listened to Toby babble excitedly about whatever he’d learned in school that day, Alcor felt powerful.

All of his magic crumbled beneath the obscene power granted to him by way of this child’s trust in him. He had the power to protect this child, to support and encourage him to grow up to be the best person he could be. He could also betray Toby’s trust so, so easily.

He could punish his son for no reason if he needed an emotional pick-me-up. He could disregard the boy’s concerns and laugh in his face. He could even raise his voice just a little too much, caught in a moment of frustration, and leave Toby wincing in distress -- an ephemeral moment in Alcor’s life but an upsetting and formative moment in Toby’s which could forever mar their relationship.

That would be childish. That would be immature of him.

Alcor had killed reams of cultists, had bestowed disturbing curses on people who’d only sort of deserved it, had terraformed the western coast of the United States in a fit of rage. He’d done a lot of horrible things with his magic, but.

This power, this power he had to shape Toby’s life.

This power horrified him.

“You’re not a demon,” Alcor said, (and it felt so unfair to be saying that to him of all people -- so cruel and dirty that he wanted to scream until his hair fell out. But he didn’t.)

“Don’t cry,” (even though no one had held him when he cried that day in 2012, because he’d simply slipped through their fingers, and he wanted to repay that favor. But he didn’t.)

“Daddy’s here,” he whispered, before kissing Toby’s tears away. “You’re not in trouble.”

The words came so naturally, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. As if he had the experience to understand what was upsetting his son, and the power to make it better. As if he had the maturity to push past his own conflicted feelings, because he was an adult, and this was a little child.

He set Toby down, and kneeled to meet his eyes. In that moment, he felt tall. Sort of grown up.

Toby sniffled. “You’d never yell at me? Even if I do something wrong?”

Alcor thought once again back to the day he’d seen Bill Cipher on the side of the road. Thought about the furious, vengeful part of him that enjoyed the boy’s suffering because that’s what he deserved. Remarked on how the universe had served him up his greatest enemy in the most vulnerable form possible, giving him the opportunity to take Toby’s trust and do unspeakable things to him.

“Sure thing, kiddo,” he said, ruffling the boy’s hair. “I promise.”

Remembered how he’d instead chosen love.

---

It was a dark and stormy night that found Alcor wandering the streets of a mostly-abandoned city.

He’d been summoned -- it always started with a summons -- and he’d been angry. It didn’t even matter what had made him angry, because there were so many things these days that people absolutely would not stop doing no matter how much he screamed and threatened and threw flaming balls of plasma into their twisted places of worship. They never learned. And neither did he.

Alcor couldn’t stand how many people had to die because of him. How many people were killed in his name. How many lives he’d taken with his own hands because he couldn’t seem to stop, like an immature brat who throws tantrums when things don’t go his way. He wondered if he could ever change, or if he was just stuck this way.

It was deep in these thoughts that the demon heard a little noise. A squeak, barely audible over the rain. He dismissed it at first, because his grand thoughts were more important than the world around him, and right after a bad summons was the perfect time for self-hatred. It felt good -- it was one of the only things that still did. He considered burning the entire city to the ground. Maybe that’d feel even better.

Something told him that it wouldn’t.

He heard the squeak again, his eyes darting over to a heap of trash bags between two buildings, and that’s when he saw him. A little boy with golden hair, no older than six. He was dressed in rags. He looked like he hadn’t seen a scrap of food in days. The left side of his face had been eaten away by flame, leaving it patchy and discolored.

Alcor had seen right through Bill’s disguise, of course. There wasn’t a meatsuit pitiable enough to blot out the sins his soul had committed. Perhaps that was why he had been abandoned on the side of the street to begin with -- karma was finally catching up with him. Alcor wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t. Something strange was going on inside of him. Some sort of instinct buried within him -- not one tipped with blood and claws, but one that creaked and groaned under centuries of exertion.

It was this feeling that prompted him to gather up the child in his arms. He felt how fast the boy’s heart was beating; saw in his past how much he’d been hurt without an adult to protect him. He knew that feeling well.

“It’s okay,” he murmured as Toby began to fuss. “Things will be better now. I’ll protect you. I might only be a child myself, but I promise I’ll protect you.”

One year later, one year of introspection, growth, and unbroken promises later, he had to admit he’d been wrong.

(AO3 link)

#gravity falls #transcendence au #dipper pines #alcor the dreambender #toby pines #tobias pines #fic #my stuff

47 notes · View notes

infjsnightmare · 3 years

Text

Wedding Aesthetics: Chuuya

A/N: Finally got around to writing another one of these! Chuuya's wedding is going to pull out all the stops! This man is going to make sure his S/O and himself feel like goddamn celebrities on their wedding day. Chuuya is picking red and gold for his wedding colors. Red is a color of passion and love and wine. Gold is opulence and luxury, and he is going to make sure his S/O feels like a million bucks every single day. He would go with traditional wedding vows, but his eyes would be basically piercing into his S/O's soul as he said them, a passionate fire in them that is hard to miss. His S/O would probably burn themselves trying to match his desire.

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If his S/O is fem: Chuuya is trying to show off his S/O on their wedding day. He wants everyone to know how sexy they are and that they are HIS. He would want a fem S/O in something sexy, form fitting and it is probably ridiculously expensive. She would be stunning and he wants her to feel absolutely confident in herself. Since he wants it form fitting, it would either be a fit and flare or mermaid style dress. Gold or pearl beaded details mixed with lace draw all the eyes to her. Chuuya is a passionate man and I think he would absolutely love a plunging neckline on his S/O, but he is also a jealous man and his S/O probably kept that detail of the dress a secret until the big day. His face is scarlet and matches his hair when he first sees her at the alter.

If his S/O is masc: Chuuya would like his S/O in gold and white so that he, himself, can wear red. His S/O tux will be well-tailored to their body with gold accents for them to look like the pair they are. Again, he wants sexy, confident and luxurious. Visually he likes small details added to the tux so his eyes can explore around his husband's body; gold buttons, intricate cufflinks, pocket detailing. He knows how attractive his husband is and so will everyone else.

Chuuya's Clothes: We all know Chuuya has style and his wedding day is no exception. He'll have his hat off for the ceremony, but it is coming right back for the reception. Chuuya will be in red. It's a color he knows he looks good in and that will play up his cerulean eyes. He'll want something tapered and fitted, which helps him look taller. He'd go with a deep maroon or burgundy shade of red, so that he doesn't stand out too much, but he wants to be as equally impressive as his S/O. He would make sure certain details are gold to match his S/O, like his tie, buttons and lapel chain. He also went to get mani-pedi with his S/O the day before the wedding and got both of their hair professionally done for the occasion. They will look like the power couple that they are.

Bouquet/Boutonniere: Chuuya is going for passion, romance, and red. What would be better than roses for that? I also think roses are something that Chuuya would have been giving his S/O for a long time, so it would also be a staple to their relationship. He and his S/O might have even saved some of the dried roses from throughout their relationship and used them as the flower petals for the walkway. He wants his S/O's bouquet to have a tone of volume and he loves the dramatic effect a cascading bouquet gives. The boutonnieres would have matching gold accents in keeping with their theme and if his S/O is masc, they would have more roses on their boutonniere than on Chuuya's.

The Rings: If anyone can pick out a red and gold ring that still looks stylish, it's Chuuya. He picked out an expensive ring that compliments his style as well as his S/O. He likes the designs that loop around each other. It reminds him of how he and his S/O hold each other when their at their worst and even after his hot temper gets the better of him, they always find their way back to each other. He is grateful for how his S/O makes him feel like he belongs.

The Venue: Chuuya wants his S/O to have an amazing view on their wedding. He would love to have something overlooking the see, making them feel like they are on top of the world. I also think he would like the big windows and the idea that onlookers could marvel at his S/O but they're separated so they couldn't come and interrupt their day. It's doubtful that any onlooker would ever try though, since the mafia will be there, especially with Mori himself in attendance. Everyone who is supposed to be there, will be well-protected. I think Chuuya would like a high-end venue, but he would definitely read all the reviews beforehand to make sure that everything would be as he expected. Honestly, only the best for his S/O.

The Decorations: Dramatic and Romantic. That's the vibe Chuuya wants for his wedding day. Rose petals will be scattered all over. There WILL be red wine fountains and dark chocolate fountains at the reception. And not just any red wine fountain. He is having it custom made to be similar to the free wine fountain in Italy. He wants the guests to have the most memorable experience. No other wedding will compare to his S/O wedding. I think he would like dim lighting but with lots of candlelight at each table, illuminating his S/O face in a warm golden glow.

The Wedding Cake: What Chuuya lacks in height he makes up for in cake. He will get an extremely tall cake with a lot of layers. He can't have the other decorations overshadowing it, so it will be placed in a central area where everyone can see him and his S/O during the cake cutting. He will go with whatever flavor is his S/O's favorite since he cares more about them having the time of their life than about his own tastes. He will make sure that the cake is cleanly decorated and not too gaudy. Again, he wants roses to be everywhere possible, so they will show up on the cake too.

After the Wedding: Chuuya is riding off with his S/O the back of his motorcycle to grab their bags and head to the airport. Tachihara wanted to attach wine bottles to the back of Chuuya's bike, but was stopped by Kouyou, who instead tied beautiful gold and red ribbons along the handles and a few other places. Chuuya didn't tell his S/O where they would be headed, opting to keep it a surprise, but they are headed to the French Riviera to have a week full of romance and each other. Chuuya also brought along their handheld games for the days when his S/O felt like staying in and just playing against him.

#chuuya wedding headcanons #chuuya bsd #wedding headcanons #aesthetic

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rubix-writings · 3 years

Text

Punisher Pt. 10

Tenth part of Punisher. We’re halfway people. This is a Chicago PD/Fire imagine with an original character. I don’t own any of the plot points or characters from the show. Also, it doesn’t follow any particular season or sequence in the shows.

Series Summary: Josephine (Jo) never expected to find support and pure love when she left Los Angeles. She ran away to Chicago and was content with living an insignificant, hidden life. But everything changes when she walks into Molly’s to get a job.

Josephine (OC) x Jay Halstead

The italicized lines are internal thoughts of the character.

Warnings: mentions of alcohol, teeth rotting fluff

I followed Voight’s advice to the letter, changed up my routines every day and had Hermann adjust my schedule at Molly’s. I wasn’t making the money on tips I used to with my closing shifts, but it’s necessary. I knew I made the right decision going to Voight as soon as I saw Jay. He knocked on my door the next night with a home cooked meal, he sat with me for a few hours giving me updates on all the things I missed. He came over every day after until I felt “well” enough to go back to work. It’s funny to think you can miss a place, but when I arrived back at Molly’s I was met with a warm welcome by everyone, instantly filling a longing I didn’t know was there.

“Hey Jo, can you sign for the kegs out front? Make sure they know where to go,” Stella asks before disappearing into the back. I make my way out the front entrance of the bar and sign for the kegs of beer. The two large men start wheeling the beer to the back entrance, I pray that they move quicker. The wind is making goosebumps rise on my exposed skin, making me seriously regret not bringing a coat. My leg shakes as the men are wheeling back the last of the order.

“Jo?” I turn and see Jay walking up.

“Hi,” I can’t contain my smile.

“What’re you doing out here, it’s freezing,” Jay takes off his coat and wraps it around my body. The warmth is immediate and the woodsy smell of his cologne dances across my nostrils.

“You’re gonna get cold,” I try to protest, but Jay stops me from taking the jacket off and continues to rub my arms.

“I wasn’t the one that was just sick for two weeks.” Oh right.

“Excuse me, can I get one more signature?” One of the workers asks. I grab the clipboard and sign my name, allowing them to leave to their next delivery.

“I never got to thank you for bringing me dinner,” I say when I turn to face Jay.

“You don’t need to, I think eating my cooking was hard enough,” he jokes.

“It was good!”

“Oh yeah? You really liked that rice?” I laugh.

“Yeah how does someone mess up rice?”

“I don’t know!” I hug Jay, resting my head on his firm chest. His head rests on top of mine. I close my eyes and focus on his heartbeat. I slowly pull away and look up to Jay. His large hands move to rest on either side of my face, he strokes my cheekbones with his thumbs. Jay moves down towards my face slowly fluttering his eyes closed, I gradually met him halfway, closing my eyes at the last second. His lips firmly press into mine before our lips start to move more frantically. I grip his shirt desperately trying to extinguish any space between us. Jay’s soft lips are a sharp contrast to the stubble on his cheeks. I feel like my lungs are going to explode from lack of oxygen, but I lean in as soon as Jay pulls away, not wanting this moment to end just yet. We both reluctantly pull away, Jay rests his forehead on mine. I slowly release Jay’s shirt from my grasp, trying to control my breathing.

“I should get back inside,” as much as I want to stay in Jay’s arms, I know Stella would come looking sooner rather than later and for right now I want to keep this between Jay and me.

“Yeah Will should be here any minute,” Jay pulls away a little more, looking in the eyes. His piercing blue eyes could melt anyone’s heart. I slip out of Jay’s jacket and hand it back to him before taking a few steps towards the entrance.

“I’m closing tonight,” I blurt out. “Any chance you’ll lend a hand?” A bright smile spreads across Jay’s face.

“I can do that,” I match Jay’s smile, and then quickly make my way back into Molly’s. I pick up a few empties on my way to the bar.

“Everything go okay?” Stella asks while popping the caps off two beers.

“Yeah, easy,” I say, avoiding eye contact. Luckily, Stella’s too busy to catch my blushing cheeks.

I busy myself by filling a couple of orders and opening new tabs. Jay and Will enter the bar, most of the Intelligence Unit is at the bar and they grab seats on the stools next to them.

“Hi Jojo,” Will snickers.

“Hi Willy Billy,” Will’s smile falls and he looks at Jay. “Yeah two can play that game.”

“How could you? Your own brother?” Will gasps. Jay shrugs and smiles at me. I grab the brothers some beers and slide them across the bartop. I didn’t notice Will analyzing Jay and me, all I could think about is the kiss we shared outside. It was needy and passionate, all the pent up tensions finally released.

“You two kissed!” Will announces. Jay and I snap out of it because of Will’s outburst.

“What?” Jay asks.

“You two finally kissed, or was it something more?” Will looks deep into his brother’s eyes. I look around the bar and see everyone staring, my heartbeat fills my ears, almost giving me a headache.

“Will,” Jay warns.

“You’re giving me nothing,” Will turns his attention to me, his gaze is probing. “It was just a kiss, but…. But you want it to be more.”

“Will,” Jay warns again, everyone else on the other hand finds this exchange incredibly hilarious.

“Alright, who owes who?” Will asks. Both Jay’s and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. I watch stunned as people start exchanging cash, they mumble as they try to figure out who gets the payout.

“Did you know about this?” I ask Jay.

“No,” he runs his hand over his face, already exhausted by the night.

“This is insane,” I whisper. Stella walks up to the group and realizes what’s going on.

“Oh thank you! What’s my share?” She turns to Kevin and he puts some bills in her hand.

“You too?”

“Yeah, and I think this shows how good of a friend I am because I was right.”

“I quit.”

“Haha yeah good luck with that,” Stella chuckles before heading into the office.

Finally the last of the customers exit Molly’s leaving Jay and I in the bar. It was a night full of teasing and betrayal, the more of our friends that showed up at the bar the more the bet was brought up. Even Matt was in on it, he was mad we couldn’t wait another week otherwise he would’ve had the pot to himself.

Jay is putting empty chairs on top of the tables as I finish wiping down the bar top. I move to start cleaning the booths against the wall. When I stand back up, Jay’s behind me rubbing my shoulders.

“Are you feeling okay?” I lean back into his warmth.

“Yeah, I feel really good,” I look back up at him.

“I’m sorry about Will,” I laugh.

“That was unexpected for sure, but in the end it made telling everyone easier,” I try to lighten the situation so Jay doesn’t punch out his brother the next time he sees him.

“Still, it wasn’t his to tell,” he kisses my temple before grabbing the rag and cleaning the next booth. I follow him and grab the rag out of his hand to make him look at me.

“I can think of a few ways that you can make it up to me,” I flirt. Jay grabs my waist and pulls me in between him and the table.

“Yeah, I’m happy to oblige,” he leans down and kisses my lips. This time it’s slow and gentle. “Are you free Friday night?”

“I am, what do you have in mind?” I rest my hands on his chest.

“I’m going to take you out, make it a proper first date,” my hands move to rest on his biceps.

“First?”

“Yeah.”

“Some would say we’ve already had a first date.”

“When?”

“When you came over to my place.”

“What, no, that wasn’t a date,” he says trying to think through the nights.

“Well there was food, and just the two of us talking,” I try to reason. “Well actually we’ve been on multiple dates already.”

“No, it’s not a date unless I ask you, therefore those were not dates,” I smile. A glimmer of light catches my eye near Jay’s neck. A gold chain peaks out from his neckline. I slowly pull the chain out and run my thumb over the medallion. The details are so intricate, the name Saint Christopher is engraved into the metal. “It’s the saint of protection.”

“It’s incredible.”

“My mom gave it to me before I left for the war, she wore it everyday before that,” I tuck the necklace back into his shirt.

“That’s a beautiful memory.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s ok to miss her,” he nods.

“I know,” he replies sweetly. “C’mon let’s get moving,” he pulls me away from the table and smacks my butt.

“How sinful!” I joke.

“I’ll show you sinful,” he says and begins to chase me around the empty bar. He finally grabs my waist, pulling me back to him. Jay kisses my face relentlessly causing me to scream out in laughter.

Taglist: @whit85-blog @bestillmystuckyheart @nocturnalherb16 @5sos-imagine @miranda0102 @thexplosivegirl @annalism

#jay halstead #jay halstead imagine #jay halstead x reader #jay halstead x oc #Chicago Fire #Chicago PD #chicago one #chicago fire imagine #chicago pd imagine #punisher

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spicyteez · 5 years

Text

Deal

Smut

Gang Boss (+ Sugar daddy) San x Fem Reader

Word Count: 6.1k

Warnings: There’s a lot. Idk, Sir kink, dirty talk, sensory deprivation, oral (m & f receiving), clit slapping, spanking, choking, multiple positions, dom! san (not too wild though), cum eating. I hope I didn’t miss anything

A/N: Hello lovelies! This is my first smut and I hope it isn’t trash. I’ve been quite sick recently so this might not be good at all, but I hope you like it nonetheless :) I tried to proofread it, but I am sorry for any mistakes.

Forty thousand dollars. That's how much debt your father left behind. By your calculations it would take years, maybe even decades to pay it back with your meager salary. Sure, owning your own bakery had always been a dream of yours, but business had been slowing down considerably. Letting out a sigh, you pushed the papers aside and moved to help a customer who had just entered.

“How may I help you? You put on a happy face despite hoping the man would leave quickly

“Miss y/n?” His deep voice echoed throughout the empty shop. You had to be honest, the man intimidated you a bit. Clad completely in black and quite tall, his penetrating gaze gave you an unsettling feeling.

“This is her.” You tried your best to keep your voice from shaking.

“There is someone who’d like to talk to you concerning your father’s debt.” The smile fell from your face and you frowned slightly.

“Who?”

“Come with me.” Shakily, you took off your apron and instructed your employees to close up for the day.

You followed the man out the door and towards a black car parked across from your store. This was crazy. Should you even trust this man? He could be leading you off to murder you for all you knew. Opening the door for you, the man allowed you to slide in before closing the door and moving to the driver’s seat.

“Don’t worry.” His eyes found yours in the rear view mirror. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Nodding your head in response, you tore your eyes away from his and looked out the window. It did you no good, however, as you realized that the windows were blacked out. You sat in the car for twenty minutes, wondering where the man could possibly be taking you. The car came to a stop and you took in your surroundings. An empty parking lot sat before you with crumbling and abandoned buildings littering the outskirts. He had taken you to the edge of town. Nothing resided here except for criminals and… gangs. Your door opened and you jumped in surprise. Looking up at the man, you swallowed the lump in your throat.

“Come on,” His demanded gruffly. Quickly, you scrambled from the car and stood before him on shaky legs. “Follow me.” He lead you across the parking lot and down an old cement staircase towards a group of high rise buildings. Struggling to keep up with his long strides, you hopped over the shattered remnants of a revolving glass door. After maneuvering your way across the ground floor, you made your way up a rickety staircase guarded by two men. They gave the man a nod and he began his climb up the staircase. When you reached the top, you couldn’t help but gasp. While the rest of the building was in shambles, the second floor was in pristine condition. Intricate gold wallpaper adorned the walls and a grand chandelier hung from the ceiling. Rich mahogany lined the room and ran towards a door on the opposite end of the hall.

The man gestured for you to keep up as he made his way towards the door. Knocking on the frame, he stood back when someone cracked it open. He leaned forward and whispered something you couldn’t catch. The door swung open and you were lead into a grand room filled with immeasurable luxuries. You stared in awe at the grandeur of the room, almost missing how the man had knocked on another door directly to your left. He spoke to someone inside the room, gesturing to where you were standing.

“Good work, Mingi. Send her in.”

The man, Mingi, stood aside so you could enter the room. Your palms began to sweat and you wondered what exactly you were in for. Stepping into the room, you saw the man Mingi had just spoken to. He sat at a desk and seemed to be studying a piece of paper. A stripe of silver ran through his slicked back ebony hair, attracting your gaze. His aura was strong, something you couldn’t ignore. Undoubtedly, he was powerful. When he looked up you froze, trapped under the weight of his gaze. His eyes left yours to scan your body, stopping when he met your eyes once again. A slight smirk played across his lips and he leaned back in his seat.

“Y/n, I presume?”

You nodded slowly, “Yes.”

“Choi San,” He greeted you. “I heard you’re in a bit of a bind.” He tilted his head to the side and continued to look at you with his deep gaze.

“That would be correct.”

“You’ve come to the right place, Miss y/n. I can help you.”

“How so?” He certainly looked powerful and wealthy, but what was the catch?

“I knew your father.”

How could he? You started at him in shock. There was no way your father would associate with someone like this.

“I assure you I’m telling the truth.” Standing from his desk, he slowly paced the room. “My father thought of him as a great friend, although he often disapproved of his spending habits.” He cocked his eyebrow at you.

You tried to wrap your mind around it all. Maybe it was possible, your father had been a bit of a wildcard, hanging around strange places and spending exorbitant amounts of money.

“Now I’m prepared to offer you a deal. Your father was a kind man and I'd hate to see his family suffer because of his actions. I’ll grant you the money and in return you grant me favors.”

Clearing your throat, you found your voice. “What type of… favors?”

He looked up at you. “Sex.” Smirking at your sudden intake of breath, he continued. “We meet once a week and I pay you after each time. In five months, your debt will be paid and our deal will end.”

“So-so you want to be my sugar daddy?” This whole thing was a little ridiculous.

He chuckled. “Essentially, yes. I’ll give you a week to get me an answer.”

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Should you do this?

Sure, you had contemplated finding a sugar daddy a few times, but a gang boss? Should you really fuck a man who had so much power?

Checking the mail again, you weren’t surprised to find another notice from the bank. You had done all you could, but you were hundreds short of the payment due in less than a week. If you couldn’t come up with the money, you’d lose everything you had, including the bakery you’d worked so hard to start. Thinking the deal over for days, you had run through all the pros and cons several times. Maybe taking his deal was the only option.

Steeling your nerves, you made a decision. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. You reached for the paper with the number Mingi had given you. Typing in the number, you pressed talk and held your breath.

The line picked up and you felt your heart race. “Have you decided to accept?” A man’s voice spoke on the other end of the line.

“Yes.” You spoke as confidently as you could.

“Mr. Choi will send for you right away.”

You stepped into his office once again less than an hour later. San sat at the desk as usual, wearing his same black attire.

Without looking up, he spoke. “I hear you decided to take me up on my offer.”

“Yep.” Rocking on your heels, you looked around the office. “They said you had a contract for me to sign.”

“Have a seat.” Looking at you for the first time since you arrived, he gestured to a chair in front of him and set a piece of paper before it.

Sinking into the plush fabric of the chair, you took the chance to observe him up close. He was attractive. Really attractive. You noticed details you weren't able to catch upon your first meeting, such as his fine jewelry and a line of freckles trailing down his neck. If anything, his presence was even more intimidating the closer you got to him.

You took a moment to read over the paper, searching for anything unreasonable. Everything he had said was there, a five month agreement with the right amount stated. However, one line in particular caught you off guard. “Mr. Choi has the right to dictate the events of every meeting?” You looked at him for clarity.

“It means that I’m in charge, sweetheart.” The same smirk graced his lips.

“Really?” Folding your arms, you leaned back a little.

“There will be a safe word in place of course, but I call the shots.”

The idea sent a tingle down your spine. It had been a while since you had submitted to someone. Nodding your head, you thought it over for a moment. Hopefully this wouldn’t end badly. “Where do I sign?”

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Three days later was your first meeting. You anxiously adjusted your outfit as you waited for Mingi to come pick you up. It was only eight o'clock and you wondered just how long you'd be out. Your mind started racing, thinking about what he wanted to do to you. The thought of him touching you shouldn't have affected you as much as it did.

The doorbell rang and you jumped. Opening the door, you gave Mingi a nod. "Let's go."

Mingi noticed you fidgeting in your seat awkwardly as he drove you to your destination. "Are you nervous?"

You stopped moving and looked up at him in the mirror. "No. Okay, maybe."

"Just a warning, he likes it kinda...Rough." he trailed off at the end and a faint blush covered his cheeks, almost matching the color of his fiery hair. The sight made you laugh a little and calmed your nerves a bit.

"I actually think he's excited."

"Oh?"

The thought of him being excited for your meetings had your insides heating up and sent an ache through your core. What girl doesn't dream of being fucked by a powerful and mysterious man?

A few more minutes passed until Mingi led you into the building once again. This time however, instead of leading you to San's office, he took you further into the building until you stood before a set of french doors.

"This is the master's suite. Knock when you're ready." You gave him a nod and he walked away quickly.

Squaring your shoulders and taking a deep breath, you decided you were as ready as you would ever be and you knocked on the door.

“Come in.” His voice, although muffled by the doors, sent shivers down your spine. Slowly, you pushed open one of the doors.

Just as you had expected, the grandeur of the room was overwhelming. Everything from the massive bed with beautiful sheets and freshly fluffed pillows to the ornate chandelier hanging above the bed left you in awe.

“Like what you see?” San walked into the room carrying a bottle of wine. Contrasting the harsher clothing you had seen him wearing during previous visits, he wore only a simple t-shirt and a pair of sweats, both of which were still his classic black. He looked relaxed and at ease, the only thing indicating otherwise was the bulge in his pants. You felt a little overdressed in the tight dress you had picked out, but from the way he was eyeing you, it might have been a good decision.

“It’s beautiful.” You crane your head to take in the room once again.

He chuckled faintly and the sound was like music to your ears. “Come here.” It took you a second to process his request, still looking around the room, and he called out again in a sterner tone. “Here.” Rushing to stand by him, you moved quickly as to not make him unhappy. “Sit down.” You complied and sat on the bed, looking up into his intense gaze. “There will be a few rules I expect you to follow each time you come over, understand?” He cocked his eyebrow at you and waited for you to nod. “You will address me as 'sir' at all times. If you fail to refer to me as so, you will be punished.” Looking at you again, he waited for your confirmation. When you gave him a simple nod again, he shook his head. “Use your words.”

Gulping, you forced your tongue to move. “Yes S-sir.”

His signature smirk was back. “Good girl.”

Your breath hitched and you felt your core grow wet at the pet name. “Second rule.You come up with the safe word every night. You will tell me at the beginning of each of our sessions. If you ever feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to use the word and I’ll stop.”

“Yes Sir.”

“And finally. No staying over. Mingi or another driver will take you home every night.”

You agreed to his final rule and steadied yourself for what was to come.

“Alright. Let’s begin.”

He instructed you strip for him and lay on the bed as he walked to an adjacent room and searched around for a bit. Quickly, he returned with a box that he set down on the edge of the bed. As he took a second to scan your body, you noticed the way he bit his lip as he took in your bare form. “I’ll take things a little slow tonight, it wouldn’t be fair for me to jump right into it, would it?”

“No, sir.” He nodded in approval at your response.

You tried not to squirm under his scrutiny as he opened the box and pulled out three silk ties. So this is what he’s into. Placing the ties on the bed, he set the box on the floor and pulled his shirt over his head. Trying not to stare at the muscles in his back and chest, you scanned his lean body and had to admit that he was really well built. As he turned to face you again, you watched his movements as he approached you. “Can I touch you?” His eyes were softer when he looked at you, as if he was assuring you that you were in safe hands.

“Please sir.” It may have sounded a little desperate, but you were aching to be touched. Watching the way his arms flexed as he moved around the room and the way he carried himself had you clenching around air. You needed him in you.

Running his fingers up your calf, he relished in the way you squirmed beneath his hands. Admittedly, this had been a fantasy of his since the day you walked into his office, the need to have you under his fingertips and to do with you as he pleased grew stronger each time he thought of you. “What’s the safe word?”

You looked around the room and blurted out the first word that came to your mind. “V-velvet.”

“Velvet.” He purred. “Perfect.”

Fingers reaching your knees, he spread your legs apart and gazed at your exposed core. You noticed the shift in his eyes, the already dark irises swimming with something heady and lust filled. Taking a single finger, he slid it up your slit, collecting your wetness. “You’re so wet for me. I didn't even need to touch you.” A mewl escaped your throat before you could stop it, and you fought the blush staining your cheeks.

His eyes snapped to yours and your breath hitched. “Do that again.” This time he used brought two fingers to your soaked entrance, swirling over your sensitive clit before sliding inside you. You choked out a loud whimper and gasped as he began to curl his fingers upward. In no time, he hit a spot within you that had you seeing stars. He was eliciting long, drawn out moans from you as he continued and began to circle your clit with his thumb. Shaking and moaning, you bucked your hips up to meet his fingers. “That’s it. Get off on my fingers baby.” His words kindled a fire in your stomach and you quickly approached your high. “Cum for me. Cum on my fingers.” The words sent you over the edge and you threw your head back in a silent scream. He helped you to ride out your high, his fingers continuing to pump into you. Soon the pleasure turned unbearable and the sensation too uncomfortable. Your whines of pleasure turned to whines of overstimulation as he continued to push you past your limits. When the pain began to sink back into pleasure and as you felt another orgasm bubbling up, he pulled his fingers out and left you empty. You almost whined in frustration, missing the presence of his fingers immediately.

Wiping your release on his sweatpants, he walked around to where he had laid the silk ties. Picking up one, he walked to the top of the bed and took your wrist into his hand. Tying the silk securely, he attached one end to the bedframe and the other to your wrist. Once he had tested to make sure the bond was strong, he moved to the other side of the bed and did the same to your other wrist. Walking to the middle of the room, he dropped his sweatpants and boxers, freeing his hardened length. He was bigger than you had figured after agreeing to the arrangement, and the memory of fantasizing about his dick brought redness to your cheeks.

Running his hand from base to head, you gasped as he began to pump himself in his hand. Looking up at you with that same deep gaze, he made eye contact with you and you almost had to look away. Letting go of his cock, he moved towards you once more. Taking your chin in his hand, he kissed you harshly, letting his tongue invade your mouth and biting down hard on your lip as he pulled away. Struggling to catch your breath, you watched as he took the last silk strand and ordered you to lift your head. Tying the fabric behind your head, he was careful not to catch any of your hair in the knott. With your field of vision completely obstructed, you felt your senses launch into overdrive. You sensed him moving near you and you wanted nothing more than for him to reach out and touch you. Moments later, you felt the weight of his body settle on either side of yours on the bed. Without warning he rammed his cock into your abused slit and your body convulsed wildly at the sudden intrusion. You moaned wantonly, paying no heed to whoever could be listening. The way he hit so deep and filled you so good was the only thought on your mind as he thrusted into you over and over again.

You weren’t going to last long, and he knew it too. Leaning down to tickle your ear with his lips, he encouraged you along. Every nerve ending was on fire, his scent along with the brush of his hair on your skin driving you mad. Deep and sultry in your ear, the slight hitch in his voice was the only indicator of the pleasure he was experiencing. “I know you’re close baby. Let go.” His words had the same affect on you and you fell over the edge again, clenching around his cock and moaning wildly. A groan escaped San’s lips and you decided it was perhaps the prettiest sound you had ever heard.

As you came down from your high, you expected him to pull out and give you a moment to breathe. It would seem you were wrong from the way he continued to thrust into you, even faster if that was somehow possible. The feeling of overstimulation filled your senses again, heightened this time. You groaned at the sensation, needing him to stop, needing him to pull out.

Breathing heavily, you pleaded with him to stop. “Sir.. please. Please stop. I-I can’t.”

“You can take more, can’t you baby? Take everything I give you.” He growled into your neck, his fingers coming to rub at your sensitive bundle of nerves. Crying out, you felt the pain ease into pleasure and the knot snap as a solid thrust hit your sweet spot. You clenched around him again wildly, this time throwing him over the edge as well. Hot ropes of cum painted your walls as he bit into your shoulder. Whining at the pain, you clenched around him again, milking his cock and riding him through his orgasm.

When you both came down from your highs, panting heavily, he pulled out and the cold air hitting your pussy made you whimper. You felt sticky and gross and wanted someone to hold you as you came down from your post orgasm bliss. San gently untied your wrists, smoothing over where the silk had made indentations as you pulled against your bonds. He finished by slipping the makeshift blindfold from your eyes and the sight you were met with was not disappointing to say the least. His hair stuck to his forehead, damp from sweat and his chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath. You wished you could stay there and watch him forever.

“You did well. Get cleaned up, Mingi will be ready to go in five minutes. You’ll have the money within the hour.”

He walked away from you, tossing you a towel and leaving you feeling empty.

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The next day you could hardly walk, a reminder of the good fucking you had recieved the night before. As you tried to sleep, you couldn't stop thinking about how it felt to be touched and the way his voice sounded. You'd be lying if you said you weren't looking forward to your next session.

As you limped into work that morning, you waved hello to your favorite employee, Jongho. He took in the poorly concealed bite mark on your shoulder and the way you waddled in and he began to smirk. "What's gotten into you? Or should I say who?"

“Jongho. Don’t,” You warned him. He laughed at your response, enjoying his ability to joke with you.

“Was he good though?” He asked you, an edge of seriousness creeping into his question.

Letting out a sigh, you answered honestly. “Was it good? It was heavenly.”

His face fell a little as you answered. You had always suspected he was harboring a little crush on you and you felt a little bad for talking about another guy.

Regaining his composure, he grinned mischievously. “Heavenly. Wow. Must’ve been really good.”

The next week you tried to play down your excitement when Mingi came to pick you up. Although he could tell there was something up.

“Damn. The dick is really that good?”

“Shut up.” You rolled your eyes at him, finding Mingi to be funnier each time you met him.

In no time you were on San’s bed, naked with him between your legs. His tongue worked at your slit, alternating between quick sucks to your clit and long licks probing at your entrance. Your fingers moved to his hair without thinking and you tugged at the dark strands. Immediately you knew you had done something wrong. Halting his actions completely, he looked up at you with stern eyes. “What did I say, baby?”

“No-no touching tonight.” Swallowing thickly, you watch him tilt his head to the side.

“Have you forgotten how to address me? Say it again.” You swallowed again, trying to form the words. He grew impatient, landing a light slap to your clit. You mewled at the stimulation, fingers digging into the sheets. “I’m sorry Sir. It won’t happen again, Sir.”

“It better not.” Diving back in, he continued with vigor, bringing you to the first of many orgasms that night.

Time passed quickly, falling into a routine of work along with the added nights of pleasure. Your bakery picked up a little and profits were slowly getting better.

If things were picking up at work, that was an understatement for how your nights with San went. You began to truly understand what Mingi meant when he said that San liked it “rough.” He was definitely into a lot of stuff, trying out a new kink almost every time you came over. From one extreme to the next, he loved pushing you to your limits. One night he would have you shaking from overstimulation, wracking your body with orgasm after orgasm. The next week he would have you begging for him to let you cum, taking you to the edge and pulling away for hours. Out of all the positions you’ve tried you had to admit classic missionary was your favorite. Feeling his body rest on yours as he pounded you into the mattress, looking into his dark eyes as he fucked you into oblivion, it felt so good. Sometimes he’d let you touch him and would allow you to wrap your arms around his solid shoulders or play with his hair. All of this was nothing you could admit to him of course, this was strictly a business arrangement.

One night, halfway into the third month of your meetings, you arrived at his place at the scheduled time. Mingi had warned you that San wasn’t in a very good mood, something about how a rival gang leader had really pissed him off. You were waiting patiently in his room when he slammed the door open, causing you to jump. Throwing off his shirt, he sat down against the headboard and beckoned you to him. “Safeword?” He asked. Clearly he was beyond frustrated, his jaw was clenched and his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

“Um.. Treasure.” You sat on the edge of the bed, ready for his command.

“Treasure. Sure.” He nodded his head. “You have two minutes to make me cum.” Looking you dead in the eyes, his tone left no room for argument.

The longer you had been with him, the more outspoken you had become, oftentimes loving the punishment. You decided to mess with him a bit. “How am I supposed to do that, Sir?” You gave him an incredulous look.

Scoffing, he shook his head and looked at you with fiery eyes. “I don’t know. Suck me off, use your pretty little hands. I’m sure you can come up with something in that head of yours.” His tone hit a little harder than he had probably intended it to but you shook it off, he was just stressed.

“Okay Sir.”

You decided to go slowly, just to spite him. Using your hands to stroke his length until he was hard. Continuing to stroke him, you licked from the base to his tip, swirling your tongue around his head. Taking him into your mouth, you began to suck lightly, giving him just enough pressure to drive him mad. His eyes remained trained on the clock above the bed, watching the seconds tick down and becoming increasingly frustrated. When he tried to push your head onto his length and make you deep throat him you denied his wishes, instead continuing to suck his tip lightly. After a second attempt to push you onto his length was blocked, he growled and flipped you over, forcing you onto all fours with your ass in the air. Without warning he slammed into you, slapping your ass and kneading your cheeks. He grunted into your ear, whispering words of anger. “You brat. Maybe this will teach you to behave. Bad girls don’t get rewards.” His hand wrapped around your throat, pressing down to constrict your air flow.

As he continued to slam into you, you felt a painful burn begin to take over. You weren’t wet enough to take him yet and you couldn’t possibly continue like this. It felt as if you were being ripped in half, the pain becoming too much to bear. As good as you could with his hand pushing down on your throat, you choked out your safeword. “T-trea- treasure.” He stilled immediately, pulling out and helping you to turn onto your back. You choked and brought your fingers to your neck, feeling hot tears run down your face.

“I’m so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I shouldn’t have taken out my anger on you. I’m sorry.” He looked beyond concerned, scared that he would do such a thing to you. Leaning forward, he wiped your tears away, and almost pulled you into his arms until he thought better of it.

“San.” you gasped out, calling him by his real name for the first time. “You didn’t mean to. I’m okay.”

“I shouldn’t have...“ He whispered, still staring at you wide-eyed.

“Can I… can I stay?” You asked him, wanting to stay, hoping he would hold you after what had just happened.

The question brought him back into reality and he shook his head. “No. Take as long as you need and I’ll have Mingi get ready to take you home.”

He left you, walking out the door and leaving you naked on his bed. Tears fell from your eyes, your body shaking from sobs. You knew you weren’t supposed to fall for him, but here you were. Nothing could take away the pain of being rejected, the pain of being seen as just another meeting to be checked off his list. You had hoped that maybe he was beginning to feel the same way. But of course not, life hardly ever seemed to go in your favor.

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Your next few meetings were awkward to say the least. He was more cautious with you, always making sure he wasn’t being too rough with you. He still put his all into the sex, getting himself off but making sure you still felt just as good. You wanted to admit your feelings to him but you were too scared of the inevitable rejection. He was a gang leader for fucks sake and you were the owner of a dinky little bakery. He was definitely out of your league and the power he held intimidated you to say the least.

The last week of the agreement came and you were told to come a little later than usual. After getting a ride from Mingi, you tentatively knocked on San’s door. Tonight was quite possibly the last night you would ever see him and preparing yourself for that reality was hard.

“Come in.” You heard his familiar voice through the door.

Pushing the door open softly, you saw him sitting on the bed. He looked tired and worn down with several bruises all over his body. Your heart panged at the sight. “Come here.” Motioning for you to come over, he sat up straighter against the headboard, grunting in pain. Crawling across the bed, you sat in front of him and played with the hem of your shirt. “What happened to you sir?” Looking at him with concern in your eyes, you heard him chuckle lowly.

“Just a fight. Nothing to worry about baby girl.” Reaching forward, he took your hand and gently pulled you towards him, forcing you to straddle him.

“We don’t have to do anything tonight if you don’t want to Sir.” Although you were looking forward to the sex, making sure he was comfortable was a bigger priority.

“It’s okay baby. I want to.” Running his fingers up your arms, he spoke quietly, a stark contrast to his usually authoritative tone. “I want you to ride me.”

Lifting his hips, he struggled to push his pants down his hips. “Let me help you, sir.” You helped him slide off his pants and boxers and quickly removed your clothes as well. Pulling off his shirt, you allowed your fingers to faintly trace the rises and dips of his muscles, stopping yourself so he wouldn’t reprimand you. Beginning to grind on him, you whimpered when he let out a long groan. When you told him were wet enough, he motioned for you to lift your hips and slide onto his length. You positioned yourself and slowly sunk down around him, crying out as his teeth sunk into your shoulder to muffle his moans like usual. Once you felt your body adjust, you began to move at the usual pace San set, feeling your legs tiring quickly.

“Wait,” He motioned for you to slow down, his hands halting your hips. “Slowly. I want to feel you.” He held your hips tight and guided you to slowly rock on him. You could feel every ridge of his cock as he slid out slightly and pushed back in. This felt different. He had never wanted to take it slow before and you couldn’t help but wonder why tonight was different. Instead of fucking, this felt a lot more like making love and your heart swelled at the thought.

As you continued to rock your hips, you felt him hit particularly deep and you both moaned in ecstasy. Throwing his head back, he choked out a breath. “Fuck- I love you.”

Halting your movements, you looked him deep in the eyes. “Really?”

“I do. So much.” Wrapping his arms around your body, he pulled your chest to his. His lips met yours in a passionate kiss, tenderly nipping at your lips. Pulling back, he pushed a strand of hair behind your ear, taking in how beautiful you looked like this. His eyes were gentle and loving. “I should have told you sooner. I was too big of a fucking idiot to see how much you meant to me.”

Bucking his hips into yours again, his tip grazed a spot that had you gasping for breath. “Oh Sir.” Threading your fingers in his hair, you ran your hands through his dark locks like you’ve always loved to do. “I love you too.”

Continuing to buck his hips upwards, he helped guide your hips to better grind on his dick. His lips moved to your neck, pressing sweet kisses from your collarbones to your jaw. Wrapping his fingers around your breast, he gently tugged on your nipple, sucking in a breath when you whined.

“I love the sounds you make.” His voice was ragged and labored, you could tell he was close. “Shit- your voice is like music to my ears. Say my name baby. Not ‘Sir.’ My real name baby.”

“S-san.” You whimpered out, drunk on the way he whispered to you.

“Fuck.”

Bracing yourself on his chest, you moved your hips a little faster, feeling the familiar pressure building in your stomach.“No one else can take my cock like you do. No one else tastes as good as you do.” Moving your hips erratically, you moaned when he pressed his fingers to your clit, slowly rubbing circles into the nub. “Cum for me baby. Let me feel you cum on my cock.” With one last stroke of your hips and circle of his fingers, you felt yourself fall apart the same time he released his load deep within you. “I love you, I love you, I love-” He moaned out and you whimpered at his words, cutting him off by connecting your lips with his. You rode out your orgasms, stopping when the sensation became too much. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he looked at you with eyes full of adoration. “Please stay.”

All you ever wanted was to stay the night, for him to hold you and give you a sense of protection. “Of course, baby.” You smile down at him gently, whimpering when he lifted you off of his length.

Feeling your combined releases trickle down your legs, you watched as he ran his finger along your slit, moaning as he collected some of the weness. Bringing his finger to his mouth, he sucked it clean and hummed. “So sweet.” Cupping his face in your hands, you leaned forward to press a slow kiss to his lips, tasting yourself on his tongue and feeling his hands rest at your waist as he kissed you back. Allowing him to pull you down to the mattress with him, you broke away from his lips and helped him cover your bodies with the fine sheets. Tucking your head into his neck, he let you run your fingers through his hair, shutting his eyes at the comforting feeling. “Good night San.” You whispered, hearing him hum in response as he pulled you closer to him. Settling into his embrace, you felt him press one last kiss to your neck before you fell into a deep sleep.

#im just gonna post this and go hide #i want people to read this but at the same time im scared of people reading it kajdlkfj #ateez smut #san smut #my fic #ateez imagine #san imagine #ateez fan fiction

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sukifans · 4 years

Text

PET • RI • CHOR

[n] a pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather

ZUKO X OC SERIES

SUMMARY: a captured waterbender and the fire prince may sound like an unlikely pair, but kena never much cared about others’ expectations and zuko, well… he was just along for the ride

⏎ MASTERLIST // PART II « PART III » PT IV

Zuko was starting to enjoy his life in Ba Sing Se a lot more now that Kena was a part of it. She liked to visit him during his shifts to sit and do her coursework. Even though they didn’t get to talk much while they were both busy, he liked just knowing she was nearby. She radiated a calming energy from her table in the corner that seemed to make difficult customers and broken teacups a thousand times more bearable. In slower moments he found himself studying her — how her brow furrowed in concentration, the way she chewed her bottom lip, when she tapped her pen against the table as she read, and (his favorite) the small smile that her lips quirked into whenever she looked up and caught him staring at her. Uncle teased him mercilessly and almost always wore a knowing smirk, but it was okay because it made Kena laugh. Hearing her laugh after all these years was his favorite sound in the world and he tried to hear it as often as he could.

Kena liked to coax him out of the apartment when he wasn’t working. She claimed he still looked a little worse for wear after his travels and sulking inside certainly wouldn’t help with that. He complied easily, of course — she didn’t know it, but he thought he’d do pretty much anything for her. He was firmly wrapped around her little finger and, honestly, he didn’t mind all that much. That particular day they were both free and she had decided to take him up to the Middle Ring to visit one of the nicer parks. They sat in a large open field, leaning against a tree trunk in the shade of the foliage and relaying their stories from the years apart. She was trying to teach him how to weave a flower crown like she’d learned from a group of singing nomads but he was pretty miserable at it.

“Don’t laugh at me,” he muttered when he caught her grinning at his lopsided attempt that looked nothing like a crown, even by the loosest definition.

“You’re tying them together wrong. Look-“ she said. She leaned over and slowly showed him the proper knot. His brow furrowed as he watched her nimble fingers wrap and pull at the stems, resulting in a perfect two-piece chain amongst his many attempts.

“I don’t think this is salvageable, Kena.” He looked irritated, dropping it in his lap. She picked it up and pulled it over her head, setting it on her shoulders.

“Maybe not as a crown, but it makes a very lovely necklace, I think.” He smiled at her.

“That’s not saying much. You could make a rice sack look good.”

“Oh, uh... thanks, Zuko,” she responded, taken off guard by the compliment. She looked down at her hands as her cheeks warmed. They sat quietly for a bit, enjoying the gentle breeze on the warm day. She was surprised when Zuko shifted to lay down and set his head on her lap. When he noticed her wide eyes, he sat up again.

“Sorry, was that okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, it just... surprised me, is all. Lay back down.” She put her hand on his shoulder and guided him back down. Grinning, she set the intricate crown of white and yellow flowers she’d made on top of his face. He squinted up at her. “A crown fit for a prince,” she declared. He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t think this is how crowns are meant to be worn,” he said.

“Forgive me, my liege.” She bowed her head dramatically. “Us common folk know not of such things.” She laughed when he groaned and closed his eyes, moving the flowers to sit on his chest instead. He sighed contentedly when she started playing with his hair, twisting the short strands between her fingers. Cautiously and delicately as one would handle a butterfly’s wing, she ghosted her fingertips over his scar, sending a not-unpleasant shiver down his spine. He cracked one eye open to be met with her questioning gaze.

“My father,” he said in response to her unasked question. He closed his eye again as she frowned and moved her hand back to his hair. “Uncle let me sit in on a war meeting and I spoke out of turn. I questioned one of the generals’ tactics and got challenged to an Agni Kai for my disrespect. I thought I’d be fighting the general, but since I had spoken out in the Fire Lord’s war room, it was my father. I refused to fight and begged for his mercy. He... did not forgive so easily, and- ow, Kena.” Zuko opened his eyes fully when she tugged too hard at his hair.

“Sorry,” she mumbled, dropping her hands. “I just- hmph.” She clenched her fists and sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. “I’m fine. Keep going. How did you end up in Ba Sing Se?”

“Well, I was banished after the Agni Kai. Uncle came with me — thank Agni, I think I would’ve been dead ages ago if he hadn’t — and we’ve been... traveling for the last three years. I think Uncle got sick of being on the move all the time, so now we’re here, I guess.” He carefully avoided mentioning his hunt for the Avatar. He didn’t want Kena to know that side of him because it might push her away. He desperately wanted to be the person she thought he was and he was terrified of losing her again. She was the best thing to happen to him in a very long time. Kena could sense wasn’t telling her something, but she knew better than to push him. He’d obviously been through a lot, and she wanted to be a positive force in his life. Positive forces don’t pry. He would tell her when he was ready.

“What about your mother?” She felt him tense up and she slowly began carding her fingers through his hair again, weaving small individual flowers into the inky black.

“What about her?”

“Did she try to stop the Agni Kai?”

He squeezed his eyes shut again and sighed heavily. “She left when I was eleven. I haven’t seen her in years. I don’t know why, or what happened, or even if she’s still alive, but I know she’s gone because of him.”

“And Azula?” She frowned at his scoff. “I know you two never got along, but she’s still your sister.”

“She only got worse as we got older. She was practically jumping for joy when I was banished because she could be Father’s little pet in peace without her failure of a brother around.” His voice was filled with bitterness as he spoke about his sister, mouth twisted into a deep frown.

“You’re not a failure,” Kena said gently.

“Only you and Uncle seem to think so.”

“Well, that’s because we’re smart. I’m quite proud of you, actually.”

He looked at her suspiciously. “For what?”

“For not going back. It’s very brave of you. You grew up sheltered in the palace and then were thrust out into the world with nothing after losing everything you knew. It’s admirable, how you kept going.”

Zuko felt his stomach churn uneasily. She was too confident in him, too ready to believe that he was as good and strong as he pretended to be. He felt sick lying to her but he knew he would feel much worse if she left.

When he was silent, she continued. “It’s difficult to go through all that and still make an effort to be kind.”

“I don’t think that’s how many people would describe me.”

“You’re a bit grumpy and gloomy, sure,” she laughed at his offended look, “but I think you’re very sweet.”

He ignored the warmth flooding his face. “It’s easy to be nice to a person like you.”

She smiled. “Kindness, compassion, empathy — they are all choices you have to make. If they were easy, the world wouldn’t be in a century-long war.”

“I’ve done a lot of bad things in the past.”

“We all have. We are products of our circumstances. Your whole life you’ve suffered and yet you’re still a good person.”

“I don’t think I’m a good person.”

“Well, I do. Good people make bad choices, too. Being good doesn’t mean being perfect.”

He avoided her eyes, focusing on ripping up the blades of grass. “You sound like Uncle.”

“Like I said, we’re smart.” She used the pad of her finger to smooth the lines between his brow, rubbing away his anxious look. They were silent again for a few minutes while he mulled over her words. She could tell he was deep in thought, so she just continued her ministrations on his hair while she waited for him to speak again.

When he did, his voice was soft. “My father used to say that Azula was born lucky, and I was lucky to be born.”

“What an idiotic thing to say,” she said simply. His eyes snapped up to her. He’d forgotten just how blunt she could be.

“Excuse me?”

“I think you’re luckier being you than her.”

“She’s a prodigy. She’s always been his favorite.”

“Yes, and where has that gotten her? Azula is still a child and yet she’s been driven to the brink of insanity trying to be good enough for your father but she never will be.”

“She was loved.”

“She was used. You were loved, Zuko. What about Iroh? Your mother? Me?” When he didn’t answer, she shook her head. “What your father gives her, that’s not love. You have both suffered at his hands, but you have people who love you. Azula doesn’t have love, she has fear. I feel bad for her. I hope one day she finds peace within herself. I hope she learns to love and be loved.” She propped her elbows on her knees and held her head in her hands, leaning over his face as her hair fell around them and shielded them from the rest of the world.

“You loved me?” he asked quietly, staring up into her eyes in amazement. Her heart broke a little at the shock in his expression.

“Of course I did. I’ve always loved you.”

His pulse raced at her words and he leaned up on his elbows to get closer, examining her face for signs of deception. All he saw was the gentle smile that graced her pretty mouth, the raised white scar stark against her brown skin, her soft grey eyes that beckoned him in. He could stare at her until he went crosseyed, memorizing every detail. She’d been cute when they were kids, sure, but now... he thought she might be the most breathtaking person he’d ever seen. His gaze flicked down to her lips and he thought about kissing her.

Before he could move she was shifting to stand, grabbing his hands and pulling him up to his feet as well. She propped the crown she’d made him onto the tangled nest of black hair and tiny wildflowers on top of his head before dragging him out of the shade and into the bright afternoon sun. She sighed happily before flopping down in the grass again to lay on her back, stretching languidly like a cat in the warm rays.

“Come on, fire boy; you need some sun. You still look sickly.” She patted the ground next to her and bent her other arm behind her head.

“That’s just my skin... water girl,” he muttered, rolling his eyes as he laid anyways when Kena laughed at his weak retort. She slid her hand over his and laced their fingers together. His palm radiated warmth into hers. She smiled and closed her eyes, tilting her head into the sunshine. His eyes devoured her, admiring the way the light bounced off her high cheekbones and silhouetted the slope of her nose and the gentle curve of her lips. She felt his stare and opened one eye.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

Like you love me, she wanted to say. “Like a weirdo,” she joked instead, poking her tongue out at him playfully. His huff of annoyance was betrayed by the small smile he couldn’t fully hide. They laid there for a while, just staring at each other and basking in the other’s presence with their hands still clasped between them. She scanned his face unabashedly. Anger still bubbled in her core when she saw his scar, only to be assuaged by the way his honey-colored eyes seemed to glitter and glow in the sun. There were no words in any language sufficient to describe how they felt being together again, but they didn’t need words. All that mattered was that it was the best and most content either of them had felt in years. Her heart felt remarkably full when he kept her hand squeezed tightly in his as they made their way back to the Lower Ring in the orange glow of the setting sun.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the news,” he said suddenly, stopping in his tracks. She looked back at him with raised eyebrows, signaling him to continue. “Some men came by the tea house yesterday afternoon and offered Uncle the chance to start his own shop in the Upper Ring.”

She frowned. “What’s the catch?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “but they offered him total creative control and a new apartment for us. He agreed.”

“Oh,” she said hollowly, “that’s nice.” She dropped his hand and turned to keep walking, looking troubled. Surprised at her reaction, Zuko jogged to fall back in step next to her. He hadn’t meant to upset her.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy to hear that. It’s just like we used to talk about as kids, remember?” She sighed.

“I am happy. It’s just... I won’t be able to see you in the Upper Ring.”

“What? Why not?”

“People down here need a passport and approval to get up there. I don’t have either.”

“Oh,” he echoed her from earlier.

“Yeah.” They stopped outside her apartment and Kena avoided meeting his eyes. “But I am happy for you and Iroh. You both deserve better than this.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want it unless you’re with me. I can’t lose you now. Not again.”

She ignored the way her pulse jumped. “I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will, but I won’t. I- I need you, Kena,” he admitted, voice soft. “Finding you here is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Zuko...”

“Come with us,” he said suddenly, standing in front of the entrance to her building and taking both her hands in his. She sent him a sad sort of smile.

“I can’t just up and leave, even though I want to stay with you.”

“Why?”

“What about Fera? She’s been with me since my mom died. I go to school, I have friends, a job... I’ve been here for years. I had to make a life for myself.” She felt bad when the excitement fell from his face, but she couldn’t just give up the little illusion of normalcy and stability she’d built here in the Lower Ring. It was what she’d craved after a life as a political prisoner and on the run with her mother, on her own, or with Fera.

“You’re right,” he finally said. “I’m sorry, that was selfish. I understand.” She stepped forwards and hugged him, burying her face into his neck and soaking in his warmth like she’d done in the sun earlier. Though he’d tensed at first, he slowly wrapped his arms around her in return and held her tight. He’d buried his craving for friendly, loving touch after his mother left and now that she was here again and offering it so freely, so genuinely, he felt the walls he’d built around himself crumbling. It scared — no, it terrified him to sense himself becoming more vulnerable again (something that had for so long felt all too much like weakness). If he had to be weak for someone, though, he was glad it was for Kena. She was one of only two people in his life who had never hurt him or lied to him or left him (she didn’t leave him, he’d rationalized long ago; she’d been taken away).

“You can still come see me down here,” she mumbled into his skin. “People of the Upper Ring can travel as they please.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll come see you every day, even if it’s just for a little while.”

“Zuko, you don’t have to-“

“I know, but I want to. I don’t want to go another day without seeing you ever again.”

“So dramatic.” She rolled her eyes as she pulled back but beyond her teasing tone he could sense her gratitude.

“I’ve been told,” he chuckled.

“I’ll miss seeing you at Pao’s, though. You always looked so cute in your apron.”

His face went crimson. “I am not cute,” he muttered as she giggled.

“Are you hungry? You can come up for dinner, if you’d like.”

“I promised Uncle I’d help him make roast duck tonight to celebrate the new shop. Thanks, though. Another night,” he said as he stepped back from her. She smiled.

“Sure. I’ll see you tomorrow, then. I want to come by in the morning to see you and Iroh off before you move up the social ladder.”

He nodded in agreement and started to leave, but not before she grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him close again to kiss his cheek. She giggled when he flushed again, just as red as the day he gave her that fire lily. He opened his mouth, then closed it again, then mumbled something about seeing her tomorrow and hurried away as she laughed. She loved how easy it still was to get him flustered.

A sense of guilt gnawed away at his stomach as he walked back to his apartment. He felt bad about lying to her again, but he couldn’t exactly mention his plan to steal the sky bison as a means to capture the Avatar without admitting what he’d done over the last few years. He felt so conflicted as the two sides of him tore further apart — the side that wanted to be who Kena and Iroh thought him to be, and the side that still wanted to prove everyone wrong by bringing the Avatar back to the Fire Nation. Maybe he could make Kena understand; maybe she’d even go back with him. If he fulfilled his destiny, surely his father would let her stay.

When Kena made her way up to Zuko and Iroh’s apartment early the next morning, she found it already deserted. She frowned as she left, wandering into the street outside. Had she missed them already? Did they leave the night before for some reason? She couldn’t imagine why Zuko would lie to her about something so silly. All she wanted was to say goodbye, whether or not they were actually moving to the Upper Ring.

She walked to Pao’s and asked if he had seen them. At the mention of “Mushi,” the man went into a long-winded spiel about loyalty and betrayal that left her regretting her decision to ask. As politely as she could manage, she excused herself and left the premises. She desperately wished she could talk openly to someone about everything going on. At this point, she’d made up so many fake identities and backstories that it was sometimes hard to keep straight what was real and what was false, and who could know what about her various personas. At one point she’d considered writing it all down somewhere but that would be difficult to explain should anyone stumble across it. Only Fera knew what was happening, and even she was still in the dark about some things. Feeling a familiar sting of loneliness, Kena resigned herself to returning home to wait for Fera to get back from work so she could vent for a while.

Iroh sat by Zuko’s side for the entirety of the day, unable to sleep despite being awake through the night at Lake Logai. He watched his nephew twitch and sweat in his feverish dream state, pressing cloths soaked in cool water to his forehead through the hours. He could hardly even enjoy his tea as he waited for the prince to awaken. Every time his breathing changed, the older man would sit up at attention, watching with baited breath. It now neared sunset, and Zuko had still not opened his eyes.

Watching the sky change color through the window, he thought about rumors he had heard amongst the peoples of the Lower Ring about a benign spirit that visited at night. If one left a white candle burning in the window with a strip of blue cloth hung nearby, she was said to appear and heal the sick and injured. The people called her Tui’s Daughter. The stories reminded him vaguely of the legend of the Painted Lady from the Fire Nation. As he lit the candle, he hoped she would happen through the Upper Ring this night. Perhaps a visit from a spirit is exactly what the prince needed to help along his inner turmoil.

No matter what she did, Kena seemed entirely unable to fall asleep. She tossed and turned in her cot for what seemed like hours to no avail. Something still felt wrong about Zuko’s sudden disappearance, even after talking with Fera about how flaky and dishonest men could be. It was like an itch in the back of her skull that she couldn’t scratch and it her made her antsy and restless. She sighed in resolution and abandoned her attempts at sleep to dress in the bright moonlight pouring in through the window. She had to know he was alright, even if that meant he’d abandoned her.

As she came to the wall that closed off the Upper Ring, she kept to the shadows. The area was crawling with guards and surely Dai Li agents to keep the elite of Ba Sing Se secure and comfortable. She’d snuck into the Upper Ring only once before, and it was the closest she’d ever been to getting caught. She hoped the blind spot that opened during the shift rotation hadn’t been remedied yet, otherwise she’d have to take more drastic measures. Patiently, she waited for the opening.

The spirits must’ve been on her side that night because she was able to slip through into the Upper Ring with relative ease. That, or the Dai Li were occupied elsewhere. Whatever it was she was happy for it because now she was running through the pristine empty streets, searching for some sort of indication of where Zuko and Iroh may be. She didn’t know exactly what it was she was looking for, but her gut told her she’d know when she found it.

A flicker in her peripheral caught her eye and she whipped her head around. A few buildings away, a white candle burned in a window on one of the upper floors. She had to admit she was curious; The people of the Upper Ring rarely called on Tui’s Daughter because they could afford the best doctors Ba Sing Se had to offer. The spirit tended to stay in the poorer areas, especially in the refugee ghettos, because they needed her the most. Despite her desperation to find her friend, she moved towards the apartment with the candle.

Iroh immediately tensed when he heard a creak from the stairs leading up to their apartment. He hoped it was the spirit, but was ready to defend himself if need be. He hid himself from sight when the knob rattled and the front door slowly cracked open. Relief flooded his body when he saw the intruder donned a long, flowing white dress and a black smiling koi mask exactly as the rumors had described.

“Thank you for coming,” Iroh said as he emerged from his hiding spot. “My nephew is very ill, but I’m afraid it is not a natural sickness.”

The spirit had jumped into a defensive position when he spoke. Now that they stood facing each other in full view, she lowered her hands. As he looked on, the realization dawned that this was no spirit at all.

“Iroh?” the woman whispered and the old man hummed thoughtfully.

“I’ll admit I was doubtful about the rumors, but I can say I never expected you to be Tui’s Daughter.” Iroh moved closer and bowed his head in greeting. She ripped her mask off to reveal her face and Iroh smiled when he recognized her. “Hello, Kena.”

A/N: was originally going to end this at crossroads but this is long enough and also seems like a good stopping point for now. thank you all for the lovely response to the last part, yall made my heart uwu and i hope you liked this one just as much!

TAGS: @beifongsss @the-lva-way @lammello @llorom6nnic @idkdude776 @aangsupremacy @royahllty @mamooska8 @bucky-blogs @youneedmemanidonotneedyou @eridanuswave @rosetheshapeshifter @fantasticchaoticwho @bwndito @dancerslovelife @justab-eautifulmess @whalerus

#petrichor #mine #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla fic #atla fanfic #zuko #prince zuko #zuko x oc #prince zuko x oc #atla zuko #zuko fanfic #avatar fic #zuko fic #zuko x reader #prince zuko x reader #the last airbender

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plush-anon · 3 years

Note

You worked at joanns? 😍 dream job

In all fairness, a large part (and I do mean a LARGE part) of why I enjoyed working at Joanns were the managers.

The store manager was a guy named Richard, one of maybe two or three men who worked there total, and this man was practically a saint as far as retail goes.

This was a man who would, with no hesitation, get on the floor to help customers, or hop on the registers to check customers' purchases out, or pop on to the cutting counter to cut fabric. He remembered the names of regulars, would chat and smile while getting shit done, and was the type of guy to speak slowly and softly when we had shitstains explode at us measly peons for not giving them the full cost of an item back in a return (ex $200) when they used a coupon to purchase an item to begin with and only paid a portion of the cost (ex. $150). No joke, this actually happened to me on Black Friday with a man who stood at about 6 foot with a crewcut and a snarl (the military Karen, if you would)

Richard, of course, stood at about 6 foot 5 inches, and reminded me of a ginger grizzly bear in some ways. Very few customers continued to be assholes when they asked to speak to the manager and Richard came over, smiling wide. He encouraged us to chat with the customers while we worked the cutting counter - it was a good way to learn about what they were making, encouraged general conversation and lent itself to a better environment for everyone, worker and customer alike, so we weren't just awkwardly standing in silence the whole time.

The assistant store manager (aka his second in command - we had two other assistant managers, but she wielded more power than both of them) was Farrah, and she was basically Cool Wine Aunt, but with weed. She was open about smoking it (but not in a pressure-the-underlings kind of way, but more of a 'yeah, it calms me down' kind of way) but never on the clock, and was just really chill in general. She was also a 'jump on the registers' type of manager, and on occasion would take the closing staff out to get a drink from the texmex place next to us in the shopping center, and cover one for each of us - particularly during the Holiday Clusterfuck of October, November, and December (their Frozen Kahlua Mudlslide was my alcoholic drink of choice - they also had these spicy chicken strips that were amazing with it, but I digress).

Both of them were amazing people who would support and back us up without hesitation (if they weren't dealing with corporate or stock trucks coming in), and both routinely worked 15 to 20 hours UNPAID overtime during the Holiday Clusterfuck so that we the underlings could get more hours without Corporate jumping up our ass about going over budget.

They were also refreshingly upfront in our monthly meetings about profits and meeting them, as well as why company policy was the way it was, and how to work within the boundaries so we got more hours. One of my favorite moments was when they said the fabric sales essentially covered their own cost (production and delivery); the rest of the cheap crap in the store was what covered our paycheck and electricity, so hawk it as much as you can if you want extra in the bank (paraphrasing here, but that's not that far off what they actually said tbh).

With some Karen-y exceptions, the customers were honestly pretty chill. There were two women from a nearby church who bought well over 200 yards of cut fleece to make no-sew fleece blankets for children and the poor in December (it took forever to do, but they were so cheerful about it and told some funny anecdotes in between, kept the counter clear as soon as they were cut, etc. Took them three carts to haul everything to the register XD).

There was the slew of quilters making everything from baby blankets to anniversary gifts to quilts for their grandkids attending the local university that they could wear to football games in the colder weather, while still showing team pride. They always bought quarters and eighths and the end of the bolt for half price, digging thru our remnants bin for something they might have missed they could get for half price. They always talked about what they were working on, and spoke in great detail on their kids or cousins or niblings or grandkids. I saw so many pictures on phones, in wallets, and they loved them to absolute pieces.

There were cosplayers making their first costume to comicon, halloween goers trying their hand at making their own outfits, and a few furries making custom suits for order or just updating their own personal outfit. There were the usual school and church Christmas plays that needed costumes, and folks making custom table runners and place settings for family holiday meals.

One notable young man bought out 30+ yards of our 65" inch wide bolt felt for JEWELRY projects he was making as a part of his business and as a part of his art program (you can major in art with a concentration in jewelry making, and he was using it for that). He didn't leave a card, but the pictures he showed us were STUNNING.

We had a few elderly mothers come in with their daughters, to pick out fabrics so they could make their own wedding dresses, or quinceanera outfits, or veils; they showed us the patterns they had, or the pictures they were basing the designs off of, and all of them were STUNNING. (One came back in with the finished dress in the bag, this intricately beaded poofy dress that had to have taken days, hot pink and shiny).

We had local restaurant owners pop in for re-upholstery projects and curtains and vinyl; same with teachers and deck dads and furniture restoration workers that would gush about the design, what they had planned. Some would bicker with their spouses on the pattern, but it felt good-natured on the whole.

We had some elderly men come in to peer over our sewing machines - "How much it run for? My wife's birthday is coming up and her old machine's about done, and I want to surprise her. She had a Singer, but she hates the electronic screens on some of these newer ones, they hurt her eyes." - and moms coming in to sew some custom bed sheets for their kids - "My son really likes the new My Little Pony show, but he's a little shy about it. Do you think the blue's okay? Only he like yellow more, but they don't have any back there and he doesn't MIND blue really but - Actually scratch that, how wide is the fabric? My pattern says it needs to be at LEAST 22 inches wide, does it say on the box?" - and people coming up with some WILD craft ideas that were always a delight to hear them gush about - "So this MAY seem crazy, but I can turn these plastic pumpkin trick-or-treat pails into SNOWMEN heads with felt like this. We fill them with treats for the kids since we don't have a fireplace and they like it fine, but someone said I should sell these on Etsy and people really like them! But I've run out of pumpkins, and you have NO idea how happy I am that you guys still have some left."

The group we had to work with was also pretty crafty; a few were chronic call-outs, some a bit lazy, some perpetually done-with-this-nonsense, but we were mostly on the same page on shift, and all of us were crafty as heck. The employee discount was a blessing AND a curse, lemme tell you.

Stock was the best part, for me. Hours before the store opened at 9 AM, we would rip open the boxes and stuff everything onto the shelves, organizing anything the closing shift missed the night before along the way, updating new stickers or shuffling pegs over for new product arrangement, etc. We could listen to music or podcasts as we worked, and I ended up impressing some of them bc of how fast I tore through everything some mornings (the music definitely helped out there).

I was actually about to be promoted to assistant manager after 6 months, but then I got my job with the university, and they had federal health benefits AND dental, so... yeah, no contest there. Richard actually laughed when I told him I'd been hired at the university and was giving my two week notice, since it meant he didn't have to do the slew of paperwork that accompanied new assistant manager hires. He congratulated me on the job, especially the health benefits - he said that was a perk worth leaving any job here for. I nearly cried with relief that he wasn't mad.

He and Farrah chipped in and got me a small music box that plays Man of La Mancha's Dream the Impossible Dream on my last day. It still sits on my desk at work.

It was honestly my favorite retail job out of the bunch I've suffered through. Surprising at first, since I initially received a rejection email bare HOURS after my interview with Farrah, but about a month later (as I trawled endlessly through interview after interview, desperate for anything those first few months ), I got a call back from them asking if I was still interested (which I was, bc hey a job!). They remembered me specifically bc I had missed my bus to the interview, called ahead to let them know I would be late, then walked the whole way there in the rain to get there. (It was only about a mile and a half away, so not a terrible journey, but flooding is an issue in our flat-ass city; I looked like a drenched afghan hound holding a useless umbrella, so enjoy that imagery).

They were particularly impressed by the calling-ahead part.

Unfortunately, both of them ended up moving on to different paths over the year after I left - apparently they had been friends with benefits (? I say hesitantly, since I ran into one of my coworkers at an art show later on and she spilled the beans there - she was a bit flighty in nature though, and got caught up in gossip a LOT, so who knows. Lovely brocade custom projects though), and his ex girlfriend had called corporate on them and got both fired.

I think Farrah came back some time later, but the damage was done after that - the new manager came in and operated SOLELY to corporate policy. A LOT went to pieces in terms of store cleanliness, order, and general camaraderie after that - the new fabric counter folks look and sound dead inside, and barely interact with customers (not even a 'whatcha making' in passing, which is kind of sad - the stories I got helped to pass the time, and kept me from using up all of my Set Conversation Phrases for customers that actually WOULD leave us standing in silence). Corporate also stopped some of the smaller store policies that made our job easier and gave the customers a little something extra (the 'end-of-the-bolt' discount - if, after the customer orders say, 2 yards of fabric on the bolt, and there's say, a half yard "remnant" left on the bolt, we can sell them the remnant for half-price. A LOT of quilters LOVED this, and we did too, since it saved us from filling out the remnant tag and printing a sticker later on).

Just goes to show how important good management is in a business; especially when it can kick a store previously part of the top 50 stores in the NATION (while being a medium store at that - smaller place, NOT Hobby Lobby size like the Large stores) to something much less pleasant. I could be rose-goggling the situation thought - retail is still retail, no matter how nice some aspects are - but it still sticks with me as to how good he experience was even taking into account that it WAS minimum wage retail.

Food for thought, lads, food for thought.

#plush gets personal #joanns #joann fabrics #employment #retail hell #or well #not so much hell for this one #retail... purgatory? yeah that'll work

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umbry-fic · 3 years

Text

To Wish Upon a Lantern

Summary: In the midst of their journey, Lloyd and Colette visit a new town and decide to participate in their lantern festival.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel, Original Character Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving Rating: G Word Count: 3266 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 22/06/2021

Notes: Fluff fic with a little bit of angst! Written for @frayed-symphony's birthday!

~~~

“Look at these, Lloyd! They’re so pretty!” Colette exclaimed next to Lloyd. She was pointing out the tiny charms on display in the pop-up cart in the middle of the bustling marketplace. “I wonder what they are,” Colette mused.

“They kinda look like a chef’s hat to me,” Lloyd replied, leaning down to get a closer look at the charms. “You know, the one Professor Raine wore sometimes when trying to cook, just without the folded ridges? It’s even pure white in colour.”

The design resembled a cuboid with an open bottom from which a tassel protruded out, the individual strands all ramrod straight without a kink or tangle in sight. The top of the cuboid transitioned seamlessly into a pyramid-like shape, the same string that made up the tassel extending upwards out of the top of the pyramid, tied into a complicated system of knots. Trying to follow the string down its path made Lloyd’s head hurt. At the end of it all, the string formed a loop, perfect for hanging the charm up on furniture. Threaded on the string above and below the “chef’s hat” were two gems, sunlight reflecting off their polished surfaces and making them sparkle.

“I see what you’re saying.” Colette picked up one of the charms by the loop of string, pursing her lips as her fingers rubbed at the knot. It was a rather satisfying feeling. “But I don’t think a chef’s hat would be important enough to a town for it to be everywhere.”

“True.”

By everywhere, Colette truly meant everywhere. Lloyd had seen multiple variants of this charm at other stalls, some with different colours, some with and without the gems on the strings, some with even more complicated knot designs, some with words printed on the side, some without strings altogether and instead using clasps and hooks, perhaps to better attach the charm to clothing and bags. But it wasn’t just products in the marketplace. He’d seen it in murals painted on the walls of this town, and even walked past some children making a larger version.

“The details are incredible…” Lloyd muttered, feeling the material of the charm. It looked to be folded out of paper at first sight, but the texture wasn’t remotely like it. He wanted to ask the stall owner how he’d folded something so intricate and yet so small.

"Ah, young man, looking to buy one of the lantern charms?"

Speak of the devil! Lloyd nearly jumped out of his skin, gaze snapping up to find that the jovial, bearded stall owner was now right in front of him. The last Lloyd saw of him, he’d been engaged in a fervent discussion with another patron, and that had been just moments ago. How had such a large figure manoeuvred in front of him without any noise at all?!

“No, no! Just window shopping at the moment!” Lloyd quickly clarified, acutely aware of how light the sack of Gald in his pocket was.

“Lanterns? These are lanterns?” Colette interjected, head cocked and hands clasped before her chest. “I’ve never seen lanterns like these before…” When she heard the word “lantern”, she thought of fragile glass and cold metal grips, a flame burning with the faint whiff of kerosene, chasing away the foreboding darkness of winding caverns.

“Ah, I thought you might not be locals. I’ve never seen you around before.”

“Yeah, we’re just passing through. Never been to this town in Sylvarant before, so we thought why not?” Lloyd replied.

“It’s always nice to see travellers now that the Desians are gone,” the shopkeeper said with a hearty chuckle, his smile hidden by bushy black bristles. “To answer your question, young lady, these are indeed lanterns. It has been this town’s proud tradition to make these lanterns and hold an annual festival involving them, where we send them to the Goddess above. Though we’ve only been able to do so again with the Chosen's success. We’re actually holding our second one tonight!”

“A festival?” Colette squealed, clapping her hands together. If she weren’t in the middle of town and surrounded by dozens of other people who could clearly see her, Lloyd thought to himself with a smile, she certainly would have started jumping up and down on the balls of her feet like an excited child.

For that was precisely who she was allowed to be, now that she no longer had to labour under the title of Chosen. The child that had been buried for so long in favour of performing her duty could now come to the forefront. She could show her excitement over experiencing all the strange and delightful customs of each town they came across, whether it be Sylvaranti or Tethe'allan. And it was always so endearing to witness, the clear delight on her face, and it gave Lloyd even more motivation to continue this journey across the reunited world. Both to collect the Exspheres, and to let Colette experience everything this beautiful world had to offer, now that it was no longer denied from her.

“Yes. Everyone is encouraged to participate! All you need to do is purchase one of the lanterns, light it up, and release it into the sky! You can even write custom messages on the sides. Most people choose to write wishes, such that the Goddess can grant them.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Colette’s eyes were shining just as brightly as the gems on the cart. Lloyd was sure that she had built a vivid picture of the festival in her mind, what with her bright imagination honed from years of daydreaming as she sat within the cold walls of the Church of Martel, wanting desperately to escape but only able to do so in her head.

A festival sounded like a wonderful experience to him as well. All festivals were, events that exuded a magical aura as all types of people, strangers, friends, lovers and family alike, came together in one place just to celebrate and have a fun time. He hadn’t gotten to participate in that many, but he’d love to go to more.

"Lloyd, do you want to go?" Colette asked, nudging him in the side.

That was all it took for Lloyd's smile to slip into a small frown. Colette's terrible habit was rearing its ugly head again.

It had taken him a while to pick up on it, to learn to parse through what was innate to Colette’s personality and what was Chosen behaviour. But once he did, it was rather hard to ignore. The accursed mention of “Lloyd, do you want to…” had started to grate on his nerves - she’d done it with regards to the summer festival at Mizuho, and the newly revamped Altamiran theme park, and likely a thousand other times throughout all the years he’d known her that he hadn’t noticed. Asking was all fine and dandy, but only if she expressed her own desires first.

She always did this. Disguised her desires in the form of questions posed to others, too afraid to just do things for herself. She still thought she needed justification to let loose and just enjoy herself, despite her own happiness being justification enough.

Time to flip her question on its head.

"Do you want to go? To release a lantern?" he countered, eyes narrowing as he held her in a stare.

"Uh - uh, I -" Colette stuttered, fumbling at the unexpected turn of conversation, unable to look away from those intense russet eyes. "Well, we're low on Gald! And you did say you wanted to make it back to Iselia by next week, so if we stay a night -"

"That's not what I asked," he interrupted, taking hold of her hand. He didn't like being this forceful with her, but it was required. She needed to learn to ask for herself, and giving excuses was not the way. "I asked if you wanted to."

There was silence as Colette bowed her head, her hair hiding her face. It was but moments later that she raised it again, uncertainty painted across her face. "I… Would like to go... With you… And release a lantern together," she whispered haltingly, like it hurt to get the words out, shy blue eyes meeting his again. For her, it likely did, battling against her instinct to swallow the words down and the fear that there would be retribution, whether from invisible priests or the world at large.

There would be no retribution, not if he had anything to say about it. He squeezed her hand, giving her an affirming nod.

That's it. I’m so proud of you.

A small smile graced her face.

"Then it's settled!" Lloyd declared with gusto, turning back to the stall owner, who’d been watching the whole exchange in silence. “Uh, except the cost. How much is it?” He expected he’d have to haggle; they really didn’t have much Gald left. But no matter how, by hook or by crook, he would make this happen.

The stall owner burst into roaring laughter, slamming a hand on the cart. “For you two, free of charge!”

“What, really?” Lloyd blurted out, hardly able to believe his ears. Surely this was a deal that was too good to be true?

“Yes, really! Take it as payment for putting such a large smile on my face. Go down to the fields at sundown. I’ll meet the two of you there with a lantern. In return, spread the news of our festival to your friends! And if you choose to return next year, you can pay the full price.”

“Thank you so much, mister!” Colette said. “We’ll be sure to tell all our friends! I’m sure they’ll love the idea so much that they’ll all turn up next year!”

“Ha! I like the sound of that!”

Confirming the details of the meetup, Lloyd thanked the stall owner profusely before walking away hand-in-hand with Colette.

“He was very nice,” Colette muttered.

“That he was. So we shouldn’t waste the opportunity.”

Colette mumbled her agreement, that small smile still on her face, soothing Lloyd’s worry that he might have pushed her too far.

There was still the issue of lunch, though. His stomach was growling, and Colette must have been hungry from all the walking they’d done in the morning. But this time, he’d cut her some slack. He couldn’t expect change to occur immediately - it would take time, possibly years.

“Want to go get lunch at that place we saw down the road that sells dumplings? We’ve never tried it before, and Sheena said it was good.”

Receiving Colette’s enthusiastic agreement, (and spotting the relieved slump of her shoulders,) they set off, their fingers tightly locked together. And after lunch, there would be enough time to explore this town to the fullest.

~~~

Colette stood back on the grassy hill, watching the stall owner (whose name she still hadn’t learned), kneeling on the ground and carefully lighting a match. Lloyd stood slightly closer, observing with a keen eye. He was most likely trying to figure out the craftsmanship of the lantern; he’d been obsessed since he’d first seen the charms. She was more interested in the knot, and would likely be spending an afternoon at Dirk’s playing with string trying to recreate it. She didn’t think that would end very well, and a lot of untangling from Dirk and Lloyd’s end would be required, but it would be fun!

Standing too close to the stall owner ran the risk of her accidentally starting a fire, and that would have horrific consequences on plains of short grass such as these, so she was going to keep a safe distance.

As agreed, she and Lloyd had met up with the stall owner at the rolling hills behind the town, though not before exploring every nook and cranny of the town, with its curving arches and winding, narrow streets, watching the children play games with toys she had never seen before and having the honour of joining in. The stall owner had been in the process of unfolding a compact square of an unknown material, unveiling a lantern that was half her height and fitting it with something that resembled a lamp without the glass covering. (How did that fit into a small square?) After which, he’d lent them brushes whose tips were drenched in dark red ink, asking them to write whatever they wanted on the side of the lantern.

Enraptured with the idea of granting wishes, she had written the first thing that had come to mind before she lost her courage to do so. Lloyd had smiled after seeing her wish, choosing not to write another and only adding his name under hers, causing her to giggle as she tried her best not to trip and dot him in ink.

The sun had still been peeking over the hill when they’d arrived here, but in the time it had taken to finish their preparations, it had sunk out of sight, leaving behind only a harsh pink that was quickly being chased away by sparkling stars.

“It’s done!” the stall owner called out, standing up while keeping a secure grip on the side of the lantern. The fire was contained inside the lantern, causing the sides to be lit up in gentle orange light and the tiny words to stick out in harsh red. She’d noticed that quite a lot of things in this town were red. Maybe it was an auspicious colour to them?

Colette ran over to join Lloyd, accepting the lantern from the stall owner so that she was holding one side and Lloyd was holding the other, standing across from her. She could feel the heat of the flame licking at her fingers, chasing away the chill of the night. The lantern was fighting to escape her hold, the surge of hot air doing its absolute best to propel it towards the heavens, where it belonged.

“You can let go at any time,” the stall owner clarified. “Once that’s done, you can sit here and watch your lantern for as long as you want! I’ll be joining my family and giving you two some alone time now.”

“Thank you, mister!” Colette called out after the diminishing silhouette of the stall owner, until he disappeared amongst the throng of others. It seemed like the entire town and then some had turned up for the festival, populating the plains with head upon head. Somehow, upon this one hill, they were the only two present, free to soak in each other’s company.

“On the count of 3?” Lloyd offered, drawing her attention back to him. The flickering flame of the lantern cast him in the same orange light, the tips of his hair catching most of it and rendering the strands an even lighter brown, the features of his face soft while his lower half was covered in twisting shadow. A truly magical sight.

“Okay.”

“1…”

“2…” she joined in.

“3!” they cheered together, throwing the lantern into the sky and angling their heads up to watch.

The lantern rose fast into the sky, wobbling a little in its journey but remaining steadfast. The weather was good today, with no hint of a raincloud and only a gentle breeze that would pose no problems. Theirs was one of the first lanterns, joining the dozen that had already made their way into the clear sky to play by the moon, darkness having fully fallen.

Feeling a tug on her sleeve, she found that Lloyd had settled himself on the grass and was gesturing for her to join him. She did just that, the two of them sitting in silence side-by-side for a few minutes as more and more people released their lanterns.

"Sorry if I was too hard on you in the morning," Lloyd whispered, finally breaking the silence as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"No, it was necessary," she replied, taking his hand and squeezing. "You were just trying to help me. Besides, you've more than made up for it today. And I know I need to start thinking about myself more. It's just… Hard.”

It was difficult, to push past the echoes of the priests in her mind, telling her that as Chosen she had to conduct herself with the utmost grace and not indulge in cravings. That accepting gifts from others were already pushing the line, not to mention asking for things. It wasn’t proper.

“I'm -"

"Stop right there," Lloyd interjected, pressing a finger against her lips, a slightly exasperated smile on his face. “No apologising for what isn’t your fault, remember?”

“Ah, right! I’m - Okay, I’m just going to stop talking,” Colette muttered with flushed cheeks, clapping her hand over her mouth as she let her head fall onto his shoulder. She’d gotten better, but whenever she fell back into one habit, she tended to fall into all of them at once.

At least she could stop herself now. And she wanted to shed those behaviours, not only for herself, but to stop seeing the sad frown on Lloyd’s face. He continued to blame himself for not catching on sooner, for unknowingly encouraging those habits, when it wasn’t his fault.

Lloyd chuckled, leaning his head on hers. “It’s alright. I know it’s not going to be easy, but all you need to do is take baby steps. And I’ll be here to help you.”

“I know you will.”

“Let’s just enjoy the view now, shall we?”

“Mm.”

Above them, there were a thousand pinpricks of light as the lanterns rose into the sky. So many and so dense that they seemed to outnumber the stars themselves, though she knew that was impossible. Or perhaps the lanterns were golden stars, each holding a precious wish that its owner hoped could come true with all their heart, prayed would reach the Goddess. It almost reminded her of gazing up at the grand chandelier adorned with candles that hung in the sanctum of the Church, but instead of a sight that filled her heart with melancholy, the sight before her now was a breathtaking and uplifting one, even if she knew there was no Goddess in the sky.

For surely, if this many people came together with a common dedication, a miracle could still occur to grant these wondrous wishes.

She could barely see their lantern now - it was both lost among the crowd and too high up, the words she’d written on it too far away to make out. But they were still held in her heart.

I wish that I can continue exploring this incredible world together with you.

Mayhap it was a selfish wish. It would have been more appropriate for the Chosen to wish for the good of the world. But she wasn’t the Chosen anymore. Besides, she was sure other people had made such a wish. And… If the wishes contained within all these lanterns were to come true, would the world not be a better, happier place? Would there not be a brighter tomorrow awaiting all of them?

“I’d like to come back next year,” she said, trying her best to push out the desires in her heart, to stop battling against guilt that she knew she should not need to feel. “Maybe with all of our friends?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

Maybe my wish will be different next year.

She snuggled closer into Lloyd’s warmth, enjoying the feel of his arms around her, both a comforting blanket and an impregnable shield.

I don’t think it will.

#fanfiction #tales of symphonia #colloyd #colette brunel #lloyd irving #one shot

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kirishwima · 4 years

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Don’t worry about us, please try not to stress out. I am only sending in this request merely due to it not leaving me alone. RFA+V, Unknown (cannot remember how to spell his name) reactions to MC in their wedding dress, what type of wedding will they have? Please do not mind and please study wisely.

ahh this is a cute and light-hearted idea :’) You speak of a wedding dress but refer to MC as they/them, so I’ll be writing for them as non-binary!

I’ll also add photos of what I think their wedding dress/suit would be bc....I have to, and because I have a whole pinterest board of wedding dresses saved from last summer when I was helping my sister plan her wedding orz :’)

YOOSUNG:

* When speaking of weddings, Yoosung’s always imagined the beautiful classics; standing at the altar, seeing the love of his life walk down the aisle dressed in the most gorgeous gown, his smile broadening at the sight of them.

* He himself wore a humble black suit, but with a baby blue bow-tie; reminiscing of his own innocence.

* He absoloutely had Zen help him pick out his suit; they took Seven along too but he kept insisting Yoosung should just wear a onesie instead lmao

* He did discuss with MC what they’d like to wear; when they said they wanted to wear a dress, he immediatly thought of classic puffy white dresses with lace and toule.

* Seeing MC walk towards him though, he couldn’t help how his jaw hung open, how his eyes widened. “Lucky you”, he heard Seven whisper, standing besides him as his best man.

* MC was like a princess, and he, their soon-to be prince. He took their hand as they reached the altar, kissing their knuckles with a wide smile. He’d ditched his glasses for the wedding, finally able to see better with the help of surgery, and he blessed each of his doctors for being able to witness the sight that was MC.

*Overall he’s just a tearful happy nugget, and 10/10 will choke with tears whilst saying his vows

ZEN:

* Despite what you may be thinking, he actually doesn’t dream of big fancy weddings and expensive venues. His ideal wedding would be something simple; a gathering of friends and loved ones, perhaps even by the beach, being able to stand besides the one he loves comfortably and proudly.

* He’s glad that he and MC are on the same page about that; even if he’s a celebrity, his humble approach to life never changed, and he wants their wedding to reflect that. So a wedding by the beach it is!

* It’s Zen we’re talking about, so even a potato sack would look flattering on him, so his choice of suits is endless. He’s classy but doesn’t like the plain old black suit, so instead he goes for something more summery, given their venue.

* I can really imagine him in a linen suit, ditching the tie for a more laid-back look, his hair tied into an intricate braid, even wearing one or two little white flowers at its end.

* He’d be just as awe-struck with how MC looks no matter what they’d wear, suit or dress, casual or formal. He’ll love them just as much if he sees them every morning in their pyjamas and bed hair, or in a gown and heels.

* Simple and elegant, and nicer than the summer breeze blowing through Zen’s hair, he had to bite his lip, blinking back tears threatening to fall at the thought he’s about to spend the rest of his life with his beloved. (Also he has to fight the Beast until later tonight and hoo boy is that a hassle or WHAT)

* All in all-he’s one happy hecking groom, and he can’t wait to tear that dress off of them the moment they’re in their private quarters lol

JAEHEE:

* Honestly...she didn’t see the point of holding a wedding at first. Did she fantasize about it as a little girl? Sure, she did. But as she got older and the thought of dating and family got further and further away from her, that childhood dream was put aside, stored in the repressed part of her brain.

* It’d been MC who proposed, and MC who began the planning for the wedding-they didn’t want Jaehee to feel burdened with organizing, but the more Jaehee worked to plan their wedding, the more she fell in love with the idea of this special day just for the two of them, and the more she fell in love with MC, seeing their hard work and adoration towards her.

* They didn’t want to have an all-out wedding like many couples do; just them, their families and the RFA, a little get together to celebrate a milestep of their life together.

* They had arrived at the dillema of; will we both wear suits? Dresses? Should one of us wear a suit and the other a dress? In the ned MC suggested they each decide on a look without telling the other, so it’ll be just as much of a surprise for each of them to see the other on their wedding day!

* Jaehee is a practical woman, yes, but we know that she’s not the strict short-haired lady she was whilst working with Jumin-she allows herself to explore femiminity more and more in her route, and I feel that’d be evident in her choice of a wedding gown-simple, yet elegant and chic.

* With her hair in a gorgeous loose bun, flowers adorning her head, her ring-finger soon to be decorated with a delicate ring she and MC chose together-she almost can’t believe the person looking back at her in the mirror is herself.

* Less so can she believe that the person she’s about to marry is soon walking towards her, a smile on their face as if they’re the lucky one to be marrying Jaehee when Jaehee stares wide-eyed at the beautiful person she’s eagerly waiting to spend the rest of her life with;

* Of course they’d choose a dress with pockets, she thinks with a roll of her eyes, if only to tease Jaehee about her own lack of pockets later on.

* They both can’t help but stare at each other as they meet at the altar, wide eyed with incredulous smiles. The preacher even has to cough politely to get their attention back to well, their wedding lmao

* It’s everything Jaehee could’ve wanted and then some.

JUMIN:

* Yeah yeah, it’s Jumin Han, the handsome man in a suit, and yeah he’s gonna have an all-out wedding alright-but only if that’s what MC wants.

* He honestly...doesn’t care what the ceremony will be like, who will be there or what they’ll say. He only cares about seeing MC’s ring finger adorned with a rind that has his surname engraved in it, a mark on them that says MC’s his, his and no one elses.

* Even if he wears suits on the daily, his wedding is no exception; he’ll wear a suit tialored to perfection, classic black and sleek, matching his raven-dark hair, slicked back for the occasion-he’d go to the ceremony in his pyjamas if he had to, so long as he’s able to call MC his spouse once the day’s over.

* He had given MC the absoloute liberty of choosing what to wear, with the only condition being they have the best tailors across the world work on their outfit, wanting it to be as unique and wonderful as MC themself.

* It was jarring at first, to have 5 or 6 professionals tug and probe at MC whilst working on their measurements and meeting up to discuss their style, but they figure that’s just how life with Jumin as their husband will be-extreme, sometimes awkward, but full of love and care; they could see it in his smile when they came home from their fitting, tired but happy as they snuggled up in his arms, him stroking their hair until they fell asleep.

* It’s hard to find a dress picture that I feel captures what MC’s dress would be, but I think the closest to it would be something like this;

* “The most befitting dress for royal beauty such as yours”, Jumin whispers to MC’s ear as they approach him at the altar, his smile small and private, for MC’s eyes only.

* Yet as he leans down to kiss them, completely ignoring the preacher waiting to start the ceremony, he whispers on their lips ‘I love you’, and MC knows from the bottom of their soul, that no matter what they wore, how they looked, Jumin would love them just as much. And they’re forevel grateful for that.

* p.s: Elizabeth the 3d is ABSOLOUTELY going to be the ring bearer, and she’ll have her own little dress appropriate for the occasion, fight me on this.

SEVEN/LUCIEL/SAEYOUNG:

* Y’all....tease him about the ‘let’s get married at the space station’ bit all you want, but this boy DREAMS of a wedding, a family and happy life for so long, you can never convince me he doesn’t go all out for his wedding.

* A beautiful, flower-covered venue? Check. Tailored, custom-made suit? Check. Planning everything to the most minute detail? YES. He’ll run himself dry working on creating the perfect wedding, it’ll take some convincing from MC to tone it down lmao.

* He’ll still insist on inviting absurd guests just like he did with the RFA parties, but in all honesty, he just wants MC besides him, Saeran and Yoosung next to him as hie best men (yes he can have both of them shush), the rest of the RFA there to congratulate him and MC on their special day; the people he loves, to celebrate the day of uniting with his one true love, that’s all Saeyoung wants.

* To be able to say ‘I love you MC’, and to have MC tell him ‘I love you, Saeyoung’-to formally and completely leave the life of 707 behind, to have his brother hug him, congratulate him on his wedding-this is all more than enough to make Saeyoung cry happy tears, pushing his palms on his eyes as he laughs and cries at the same time, letting MC hug him to help him calm down.

* While he does dream of a classic classy wedding, he loves the colour red a little too much, so he’d try and sneak it in there, be it in a vest or bow tie lol (he’d absoloutely wear a bow tie instead of a tie, and he’d be allowed one (1) doctor who joke for the duration of the ceremony lmao)

* ((also....not relevant to the wedding itself, but his marriage proposal would absoloutely be at a planetarium, js))

* As for MC...they’d spent nights on the couch together, eating chips and wondering what they’d each wear on the day of their wedding. They ended up taking Jaehee and some more of their friends with them when looking for a dress, as much as Saeyoung pouted and asked to tag along.

* It was worth it to keep him in the dark though; his big wide eyes as MC walked towards him, how he had to bite his lip to stop giggling like a fool, he was jumping up and down at the altar, giggling behind his hands as he mumbled ‘oh my god oh my god oh my god allah and buddha!’.

* “Holy shit” he whispered to himself, earning a stern gaze from the preacher, his brother groaning in the background. MC took it as a compliment though, smiling up at him as they stood across him.

* This boy....will cry real ugly snort filled tears at his wedding vows, I guarantee it.

V/JIHYUN:

* BOHO WEDDING BOHO WEDDING BOHO WEDDING

* Like hello??? Have you seen this hippie-ass man at the end of his route?? He’ll be so happy with a marriage ceremony in the forest, in a little church that looks almost abandoned in its little spot at the edge of the woods, in a little city no one knew before V brought it up.

* He’d love to help decorate and renovate the church for their wedding, using funds taken from a painting collection he did featuring the very forest the church sits besides.

* (I can also totally picture their wedding taking place in a botanical garden/greenhouse, if you’d rather skip the church option! Just surrounded by plants and nature :D)

* Even if it’s not a boho wedding though-just being able to spend the rest of his life besides MC, the person that truly taught him what love is, that’s all handsome mint boy needs.

* Honestly...he’s extra enough to be the kind of guy that ditches the shirt, so I can imagine him wearing something like the following, but in a darker colour;

* As for MC....yeah I’m gonna add my personal favorite here bc bOHO WEDDING DRESSES ARE GORGEOUS AND MC WOULD LOOK LIKE A FAE APPEARING THROUGH THE WOODS AND JIHYUN WOULD ABSOLOUTELY GASP AT THE SIGHT OF THEM, WIPING AWAY A STRAY TEAR AS HE KISSES THEIR FOREHEAD WHEN THEY REACH HIM AT THE ALTAR, SAYING A QUIET ‘THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU’ ONLY MC CAN HEAR.

((something with a little simpler bust, but the puffy sleeves,,,flowy dress,,,the line cut that’s honestly so charming on any figure,,,fight me this is the cutest kind of dress))

UNKNOWN/SAERAN:

* He’d really want a small, closed wedding just for him, MC, and the RFA sure, why not (he’s kidding, he’s grown really fond of them all but he refuses to openly admit it)

* If MC suggests they hold their ceremony at a greenhouse he’ll be over the moon; he’ll personally visit the greenhouse and make sure all the flowers are in tip top condition for their wedding.

* For his own suit, he’d like to keep things simple, maybe even ditching the whole suit and tie thing;

* I really imagine him with a suit similar to this, but ditching the vest , with flowers pinned to his blazer that he looks fondly at, knowing MC will be holding a bouquet just like these, ones he himself picked out with all his love and care, removing each thorn to make sure nothing can harm their hands as they hold the bouquet.

* As MC walks towards him through the greenhouse his breath shudders, any words he may have had dying in his throat; MC looks ethereally beautiful and he’s out of words as they come to stand in front of him, his lips trembling.

* Is this person really his? The one he’ll be able to hold, to love for as long as he lives? He shakingly takes MC’s hand in his, giving them a tight squeeze as he smiles.

* “In sickness and in health” he whispers, smiles as MC says it back.

* In sickness and in health.

-Send me mystic messenger headcanons for character reactions-

#this honestly took way more time than it'd take to make a usual headcanon post #bc i took so much time looking for photos orz #still this was cute and easy to write given my circumstances #hope ya like it!#asks #mystic messenger #mysme #mystic messenger headcanons #mysme headcanons #mystic messenger prompts #mysme prompts #yoosung kim #hyun ryu #jumin han #jaehee kang #saeyoung choi #luciel choi #jihyun kim #Anonymous

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