#it was quite disconcerting . but i stay silly

[theotherrichardpapen]

[kagoutiss]

I kind of love how you have all these interesting hcs for Ganondorf like animals loving him, his weird dynamic with Sheik, the approval he seeks from his mothers etc. while at the same time being like “he’s a horrible gremlin and bloodthirsty and no one would want to stay near him”. I feel like it really captures how absurd and chaotic he is. Thank you for your service.

oh…im holding this ask very gently…..this means a lot to me because like!! yeah all these things are sort of true to me and i feel like he’s one of those characters where the more you dissect him, the more discordant things you find, and yet they all somehow intertwine in a way that makes him compelling and whole :-) retroactively putting a warning here that i ended up talking a lot and going pretty off-track but. like,,, one of the main roots of his absurdity to me is that he just has these fundamental problems with connecting with people (outside of clever manipulation, which he is good at), which are very effective at driving people away, even when he genuinely loves them, and i think he does this thing constantly where he wants people to despise him and he wants people to think the worst of him, because he is so much more comfortable with that than just? learning how to actually differentiate between love & hatred? and to not immediately feel threatened by gestures of love as some kind of deception, because he probably can’t quite make out the difference? despite having such a high level of emotional intelligence otherwise? and this primarily ties in with the idea that the biggest most terrifying enemy he has ever known in his entire life has been the neighboring kingdom, which professes to be the epitome of love & light & benevolence while at the same time committing the most egregious hateful bloody acts of cruelty in the darkest recesses of kakariko’s catacombs

and like. i think all of his formative experiences have still led to him being fully capable of things like feeling love, but also consequently not having the faintest idea of what the definition of that actually is, or how it works, or how to relate to someone you care about without just projecting all your own experiences onto them, or communicating your affection in ways other than just. being mean. and him purposely antagonizing people who do love him and are kind to him is a kneejerk reaction that he might not even realize is nonsensical, just a way of avoiding the most fundamentally disconcerting thing he knows, which is the ambiguity of something that claims to be kind or good. and so i think he‘d find a weird comfort in things that either don’t have that ambiguity, or subvert it entirely

like animals! who are far less capable of deception, or monsters, who like him, are deemed inherently evil. or spirits, who shouldn’t technically even be bound by the concepts of good & evil, even less applicable to wayward souls than to living beings. above all other humans though, he is definitely closest to his surrogate mothers, who supposedly are the true highest authorities of the gerudo tribe, and who treat him more like a deity than a son, and might moreso love the idea of what they want him to be, rather than the person he is. and he is in fact mortal, and a human being, and extremely flawed, and prone to recklessness under stress, and makes silly mistakes, and is emotionally unstable, with an attention span that doesn’t actually seem particularly well-suited to politics or government. and i accidentally wrote way too much in one sitting again, but.

but yeah, he’s like. my point is he is so full of things. he is completely absurd and chaotic and yet also i think there are recognizable patterns in what he does, if you think about him way too hard for way too long. he’s an infuriating swiss watch of a person that functions with seemingly inexplicable precision, but is made to say rude things to you instead of showing you the time, and yet you can’t really judge him too harshly after making the difficult effort of trying to understand him, because it becomes more & more evident that. that’s just. the way he is. that that’s the inevitable way that he came together, entirely due to circumstance. he’s a reflection of the completely nonsensical universe that he lives in, an antagonist since the day he was born, defined as such by the world’s Inherently Good Authorities, who are themselves objectively guilty of mass kidnapping, torture, murder, displacement and genocide, and yet are still, by the immutable definitions of these words as they’ve established them, Good. and i NEED to go to bed but yeah i love him for being a horrible insufferable bitch, actually, because it’s meaningful in and of itself, and i love him for not being normal, and having unmanageable fears of inadequacy, and mommy issues, and ADHD and autism, and for bullying teenagers, and being more fond of monsters & parasites than people, and literally using his emotions as a weapon, and referring to himself as king of every evil thing in existence, and almost never bothering to explain his actual motivations to people who he knows have already decided that he is the crux of all the world’s problems, because he’s fully internalized that trying to be understood by anyone at all is completely pointless. wife material

[merakime]

slides into ur inbox. im back with my catboy.

earl grey tea or chamomile tea w/ phantom purrhaps?

───── a / n: hey hey heeeey! this has been rotting in my inbox for a while, sorry for that vani :( but why not both? hehehe … these are such cute prompts for him :< i hope i did him justice!! unf i only found phantom in rewinding breeze and his IS so i hope this is ok

PHANTOM + chamomile & earl grey tea | tea prompts

✦ ───── chamomile tea: what is their sleep schedule like? does it change around their s/o?

difficult. extremely difficult. sleep is a luxury to him – result of a combination of his job, his feline nature and.. severe psychological damage. eventually his body reaches its limits and allows him to rest. there’ve been some betterments since you came around, though.

he would stay awake and watch over you while you slept. it’s.. a bit disconcerting. he’s extremely quiet, and that’s not the problem – but lucian stares. he stares at you when you sleep, and it’s adorable that he loves you so much that he’d stare at you all night – but sleeping becomes difficult when his gaze is so.. intense. ridiculously intense. and being awake all night doesn’t do him well either. so you eventually invite him to sleep with you, for your sake and his.. and he can’t say no. while his sleep is a bit more fruitful in your arms, he still wakes up in a cold sweat frequently, and doesn’t sleep well – so you’ll still have to deal with the stare (now even closer), but you can appreciate that he tries, no? 

(since lucian started sleeping in your place more often, you frequently get another visitor to accompany you in sleep. lucky you, the refined lady christine seems to have taken a liking to you! she likes to curl up between you, where it’s warm.)

✦ ───── earl grey tea; how did they court their s/o?

he’s struggling. he has been exposed to traditional ideas of love, relationships and marriage through theater pieces, and while he does wish to put a ring on you one day, as he’s come to love you dearly.. there’s a question bothering him: do you deserve it? not that he thinks of himself highly, no, he thinks of himself the opposite. do you deserve to be shackled in a promise of love to someone like him? a shadow, a phantom, a murderer?

nevertheless, in spite of his issues, his methods are somewhat kitschy, but endearing. he’s hesitating, but he truly wants you. it’s kind of a first in everything for him – soon you find that lucian is still quite shy. you may find bouquets of red roses at your doorstep, and you know it’s him, but he doesn’t show up for the remainder of the day. poems between the stacks of paper on your table, and a letter addressed to you in miss christine’s maw. he’s very much a gift-giver – as often he’s still afraid to touch you or speak to you, afraid to taint you by his sins. distant, but loving nonetheless.

───── final notes: oh he's a silly guy isn't he. i see the crimson troupe guys are very beloved here... also don't lynx eyes glow in the dark. wouldn't it be funny to wake up at night and just see two yellow dots staring straight at you.

[nonhumanhermitheadcanons]

Helloo there blog! I just recently checked out one of your fics about the mermits! It was interesting that I came up with a silly headcannon:

Every season of Hermitcraft, there’s always been this underwater place where mermaids exist. Every hermit is welcomed. It cost like a diamond to become a mermaid and experience being a mermaid! ( I remember it was in one of the fics)

I feel like at least all of the hermits experienced being a mermaid once!

I could probably go on and on about this lol

Helloo there anon! That's an interesting headcanon! The mermits have probably always had a place to go, and yeah, once they've revealed themselves to the other hermits we're sure the other hermits would be welcome!

For context, in this au the mermits are: Etho (who is the one that can cast a temporary mer spell on people), Grian, Hypno, Iskall, Impulse, Mumbo, Scar, Wels, and xB. We've done a few fics that include Etho turning other hermits into merpeople before; his spell lasts multiple days, during which the subject can't turn human again until the spell ends or either they or Etho die and respawn. Bdubs in H2DoubleO, Keralis in Sweetlips, Cub, Zedaph, and Xisuma in the main au fic, Deep Secrets, and Jevin in There Are Many Benefits to Being A Marine Humanoid. And may more Fishy adventures can be found in the full series.

See our list of hermits as Mers under the cut!

Bdubs would mostly visit a lot because Etho is there a lot - despite Etho always teasing him about his lovely pink mer tail. Bdubs insists that it's salmon-colored, to which Etho always points out that salmon aren't actually that color.

Beef wouldn't hesitate to get himself into the water, get a crash course on being a mer from his good friend Etho, and then insist that he taught him everything he knows :P

Cub would visit the mer palace frequently, too - he'd have fun as a mer. His tail is bright blue with highlights of white.

Doc's cybernetics may be waterproof, but that doesn't mean he necessarily likes to spend a lot of time in the water. It doesn't help that his merform is a bit unconventional. a ‘Leaf Sheep' sea slug to be exact.

False's tail one one of a sword fish, but she doesn't spend much time with the mers, she's busy being the queen of hearts and body parts. But once a Conduit was added, she's happy to pop by as a human.

Gem also doesn't really spend much time with the mers. She's visited once or twice; under Etho's spell her tail is very pretty and spotted, and her antlers turn into coral! But being stuck in the water for days with no legs is a little too disconcerting for her.

Jevin gets to be an octopus whenever he drops by! This is generally very conducive to him being a menace.

Joe is happy to stop by every now and again. Not to often but you know being a fish is quite conducive to building underwater. His tail is a pinstriped zebra fish.

Keralis has to stop by to see xB. All the time. His mer form is based on a very specific type of goldfish.

Pearl hit it off with a number of the mers when she was part of the Boatem crew, so she's happy to drop in whenever she needs a break. Maybe her mer form is based on a bogue - its scientific name is Boops boops :)

Ren very much prefers to keep his paws dry, but he's joined them a few times, as a dogfish shark of course

Tango doesn't like being a fish. He hasn't had a very good experience with it. Impulse and Zed did manage to peer pressure him into hanging out at the mer palace one time though. Never again, he tells them.

Cleo's mer form is a glass fish, meaning her spine is on full display within the tail. She's gone to the Mer hang out a few times but prefers to not get wet so she stays on land.

[grawlix-ness]

The Great Big Slingo HC Post

Dingo’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, true, but he is definitely the more emotionally aware of the duo. One might think there’s no thoughts behind those dopey half-lidded eyes so prone to staring off into space. Not quite. When it comes to more personal matters, he’s a good listener. Once in a blue moon he’ll even get Sleet to open up.

The hedgehog triplets are very much keen to Dingo’s crush on Sleet. To catch him off guard, they’ll sometimes slyly allude to it, much to a flustered Dingo’s chagrin. More incentive to permanently silence them, he figures.

Sleet's not super great at maintaining his hygiene. He'll polish and shine his armor until it glistens, but giving the set a deep clean is usually out of the picture--he's become so dependent on the power high it gives him that he rarely takes it off. The thick polluted air of Robotropolis doesn't do any favors for his mangy fur coat either. So if anyone's a flea paradise it's Sleet. He's only projecting when he calls Dingo that.

At this point in time, the relationship is one-sided. Dingo’s making ALL the moves. Sleet tries his damnest not to acknowledge Dingo’s goo-goo eyes and honey glow cheeks. He tries not to stare back, but he’s definitely gotten distracted by Dingo’s buxom chest. Kinda hard not to when your co-pilot’s almost always shirtless. Even harder not to notice when you’re pinned beneath said buxom chest——Dingo could make tripping over his own feet a professional sport.

You’d think the average joe would reconsider negotiating with Sleet. He has a sort of dastardly energy about him; he just screams bad news. And yet, he manages to reel in even the most disconcerting of clients. Sleet’s very good at feigning respect. I mean, how else would he be able to convince Robotnik to let his clutzy ass stay for so many episodes? After an especially big transformation, Dingo becomes so drowsy he can hardly stand. See, all that molecular stretching and rearranging can really take a lot out of someone. And if he’s not quick enough to change back from his embiggened state, he comes crashing down to the earth——anything or anyone nearby is liable to be crushed. Swatbots beware. When he wakes, he is insatiably hungry. Which is saying a lot because Dingo already packs food away like it’s nothing because of his bulking regime.

Dingo finds Sleet’s voice very soothing. Well, that is, when Sleet’s not yelling at him of course. It’s so soft and muted. He could listen to it all day. Sleet, egotist that he is, is more than happy to oblige.

Sleet is a skilled marksman and weapons master. He prefers distance, specializing in both handguns and long guns. He can still hold his own in close quarters using an array of fighting knives and some rudimentary martial arts. He’s also not half-bad when it comes to riding and caring for animal mounts, thanks to the teachings of the cowboy bounty hunter Fleabyte. The only UK Sonic reference you’ll probably get out of me lol, I haven’t read it. I just like cat boys

Dingo’s fighting knowledge is limited to the concept hitting, hitting hard, and hitting dirty. He has no formal training, relying on instinct and what he’s seen on television to best enemies. His moves are sloppy and unrefined. As a shapeshifter, he’s also granted a number of potential forms, can alter the size and shape of his limbs, and can essentially turn his body into silly putty. By all means, he could finish fights before they even start with this power, but Dingo prefers to milk his battles, he finds it most invigorating.

Dingo doesn’t understand mirrors. Sleet, self-infatuation extraordinaire, rather likes mirrors. Yyyeah. He hasn’t owned any since the incident.

Sleet was raised in the gutter. He knows a fair bit more than the average street urchin because his mom was upper class, that is, until she was slandered by her peers and booted from high society. However, currently his education has all but fallen through the cracks. He tries to avoid reading most of the time. Because what will Dingo think if he learns he’s not the uber-genius he makes himself out to be. And wait, why does he care what Dingo thinks? Sleet.exe has stopped working.

Sleet enjoys strategizing. He has free time stored away solely for scheming purposes. Dingo does not. He prefers punching. And biting. Sleet’s plans almost never go the way he intended because of Dingo’s haphazard, devil-may-care nature. They bicker quite a bit. How they’ve managed to get this far in the bounty hunting business is a mystery. That’s not to say Sleet would do better on his own, quite the opposite really. He has a penchant for monologues and theatrics. He can’t simply shoot the target, no, he has to lord over them and savor the moment. A fatal flaw. Dingo keeps him on his toes.

Dingo likes scrapbooking. He has more stationary and cute pens (he’s very heavy-handed, so all of them are in middling condition) than he knows what to do with. He keeps mementos of every successful hunt, little knicknacks and trinkets, maybe the occasional tooth from a beaten adversary.

When they manage to squeeze any free time out of their schedule, they enjoy hitting up arcades and stealing the prizes from kids. They also like to take potshots at the mutated wildlife on the outskirts of Robotropolis.

Sleet and Dingo are very competitive. Back in the good old days, before that rotten Robuttnik came into the picture, on particularly uneventful nights they played board games. They both cheated so they went around in circles for hours. Lots of yelling, finger pointing, and eventual falling into a heap on the floor because they stayed awake all night trying to psyche each other out.

Dingo has a twinge of separation anxiety. It’s not super debilitating, but he gets very restless if Sleet is away.

Dingo’s greatest fears: the dark, creepy crawlies like spiders and centipedes, and being alone. He wears these on his sleeve. Sleet, obviously, is afraid of being roboticized. The other deeper, more personal stuff is sealed away.

Dingo’s not the best at flirting. Sometimes his word choice is, well, let’s say unique. Lummox that he is, his compliments come off more like threats. Turns out Sleet does not in fact appreciate being called small, fragile and edible among other things. (Dingo has cute aggression.) It actually makes him quite unnerved. Who woulda thunk it?

Dingo’s molecules are highly malleable. He can transform into anything so long as he can imagine it, organic or inorganic, animal, mineral, and vegetable, the whole kit and kaboodle. Now, as a mutant of very little brain, Dingo’s imagination can be quite limited, and his concentration skills are lacking. He can only hold a shape if he remains focused. That’s where the transmogrifier comes in. Sleet first developed the remote as a kid not only to defend himself against the local rabble rousers, but to humiliate anyone who so much as looked at him funny. It wasn’t a complete success, only partially transforming targets.

Dingo can transform without the transmogrifier, but the transmogrifier offers boons he wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise. Such as the ability to change colors.

Sleet is toned, but not ripped. He’s most muscly in his arms, a happy accident from lifting heavy weapons. He has very prominent clavicles, and in certain positions his ribs peek through.

Dingo’s legs are substantially short. He still values leg day, however. His calves are chunky.

[thatnumbersix]

Nine lays on her bed with her arms stretched out and crossed behind her head. Her mp3 player lays on her chest, and some shitty rock music filters out from her earbuds. She stares up at the white popcorn ceiling.

She’s been thinking about Mark. It’s not something she’s thought about for a while. Not really. And she doesn’t expect him to suddenly come back just because she remembered him—no, she doesn’t miss him anymore. Thinking about him doesn’t rip open a hole in her chest, clean through the skin, threatening to dissolve her skeleton and make her fold in on herself, losing her coherence like water filtering into a drain until it gurgled and burbled and nothing was left. Now it’s just something to take mild notice of. Mark? Oh, Mark, she imagines saying to someone coolly. Yeah, I haven’t talked to him in a while. No, he’s gone.

Well, gone is a strong word. He’s not gone. He still lives in Mandela—granted, it was a ways away; but at least he was, last time she checked. He wasn’t gone. He’d just… been a victim of an unfortunate circumstance, of which he came out not remembering her. And scared of her…and some other things had happened that she couldn’t quite recall.

What did he look like again? Nine pictures his short brown hair; not black like her father’s, or blonde like Adam’s—brown like hers, tangled, a little silvery if the light shone on it right. She imagines his wings—big, cumbersome things, that he never managed to bump into a doorframe or catch on any loose objects, surprisingly. They were disconcerting, but in an elegant sort of way that she couldn’t explain; she tries to remember the way the feathers whispered when they rustled, but it’s drowned out by the flat voice of the singer trilling into her ear, and the thought of the album cover blots out the image of Mark she’s conjured up. She pulls out her earbuds.

His face… He doesn’t have a face. Nine almost snorts to herself, before remembering that in fact he does now, one with haunted eyes. That wasn’t her Mark, though. Her Mark didn’t have a face. He was much more approachable without the eyes.

Nine’s dark blue sweatshirt feels itchy and tight. Mark’s hoodie was dirty, but loose and cozy, likely broken-in from wearing it for too long. She ditches the shirt, pursing her lips—as if she had any—when it catches on the claws on her neck. She traces a finger around the base where keratin connects to skin.

She stretches her legs and arms outwards from her body, and her bones and joints crackle. She flexes her popping claws and holds herself there, long enough it starts to sting a little and she shivers from the tension, before she relaxes, muscles unclenching, skin going slack, eyes rolling back in her head. Her Mark, she had said? That was a little silly. The Mark she had known didn’t have a face.

But he has a face now, a frightened one, and hands that stay connected to his wrists, and no large, ruffled wings. And she has a family, who eats pasta with her, and gives her trinkets, and obnoxiously sings along to music with her. And he’s got a new family now, with a brother he still knows, that he could listen to music with and bring chocolates and tea to! She lets what restrains her insides loosen, and she sinks deep into the bed and closes her eyes, and she doesn’t really miss Mark that much at all.

[halogalopaghost]

Killer

Read on AO3

"Four!" Raph yelled victoriously.

On the other side of the rooftop, Leo punched out a foot ninja and spared a moment to roll his eyes.

“Stay sharp!” He tried to say it as a warning rather than bark it as an order, but he could never quite manage it amidst a sea of enemy ninja. And even though he knew they could take care of themselves, those what-ifs in the back of his mind never quieted. Sensei said it was the mark of a strong leader. Raph said it was ‘fucking obnoxious’.

“HA! Seven!” Mikey screamed.

Leo and Don met gazes over the heads of a few ninja and neither of them could resist the smirk. Mike’s happiness has always been infectious that way.

Before making their attack, Mikey had looked sideways at Raph, grinned wickedly, and said “Bet I can one-hit KO more foots than you.”

Donnie opened his mouth to correct the grammar, paused, and snapped it shut just as quickly. He was…technically not wrong.

Raphael took the bait instantly—with an equally disconcerting grin. “You’re on, shell-for brains.”

Leo would usually be the last person in the world to encourage his brothers’ silly competitions, but for once, this one was working in their favor. Where their schemes usually erred toward dangerous and qualified firmly for irritating, this one had his brothers constantly shouting out their totals. This didn't just keep Leo assured that they were safe, but also that they were paying attention. He loved all of his brothers, would kill or die for any of them equally, but good grief were those two hard to keep on-task sometimes.

Out of nowhere, Mikey vaulted over Leo’s head. One nunchuck struck out with careful precision, whacking the foot ninja that Leo had under control, thanks. The ninja folded like a lawn chair, and Mikey stuck the landing.

“That doesn't count!” Raph, panting heavily, skidded to a stop beside his brothers. “Leo tenderized that one!”

Mikey put his hands on his hips, ‘chucks dangling loose. “Yeah, but I only hit him once.” A self satisfied grin followed.

Raph growled—not the real, threatening growl, the one he reserved just for Mikey. “I'll hit’cha once, come here!”

Leo stopped him short with a hand on his chest. “Boys, please—”

“Boys?!” They protested as one. 

Leo sighed and let his head hang for a moment. He spun around and kicked a ninja square in the chest. He landed in a ventilation fan six yards away. 

Mikey whooped. “One for Leo!”

Some turtles' brothers. 

“I see you're all having—” Donnie grunted as he used the end of his staff to pick up a ninja, briefly bearing his full weight on that one point as he tossed the poor guy somewhere behind him. “ —fun over there, but could I get some help !”

“I got it!” Mikey shouted, literally jumping to his brother’s aid.

Leo did a survey of the rooftop. Some ninja made a hasty retreat while others stopped to peel comrades off the concrete. He scanned the skyline for anyone else waiting for them to drop their guard. Satisfied, he sheathed his katana and kicked back against the half wall around the edge of the roof to enjoy the show.

The three of them worked together like a well-oiled machine. Donnie wielded his bō like a baseball bat and lined up ninja for his brothers, clearly taking advantage of their wager. While it was a little disturbing that they laughed all the while, he was glad to see them working as a team and enjoying themselves.

His peaceful moment came to an abrupt end when Mikey screamed. Now, Mikey was prone to screaming but this one was different. It was bone-chilling.

Leo was at Mikey’s side before he even knew he was moving, grabbing the edge of Mikey’s shell and holding on tightly. Donnie and Raph ended the fight quickly; no more playing around.

He wasn't hurt. Thank shell he wasn't hurt. But he had a foot ninja cradled in his lap while he frantically searched for a pulse.

“Donnie—Donnie I can't—” Mikey’s words caught on a ragged breath as the aforementioned brother sank to his knees on the ninja’s other side.

Leo glanced over his shoulder to complete his headcount. Raphael stood a few feet away, gripping his sai too tight. 

Donnie gently tugged the hood off the ninja's face, leaving only his eyes and top of his head covered, then bent over him to listen for breathing while simultaneously checking for a pulse. At the sight of the blood leaking from the ninja’s ears, Mikey audibly whimpered and tightened his grip on the man.

He was young. He was really, really young.

Donnie lifted the mask a bit more, pulling it up to briefly expose his eyes and forehead. When they all got a look at what was underneath, he quickly replaced it. His expression turned grim. With remorse in his eyes, he looked up and shook his head.

In a breath, Mikey collapsed in on himself. He bowed his head all the way to his knees, still gripping the dead ninja. In that position he trembled and struggled to draw breath, but he didn't cry.

Leo and Don pressed in on either side of him, squishing the babiest of their brothers into a tight embrace.

“They left him,” Raph muttered. “They…they just left him.”

Leo silently signaled for Raph to keep watch; they were sitting ducks out in the open like this.

After a long silence, Michelangelo let out a low, keening cry that rattled Leo’s chest. His heart dropped to his tailbone.

“What did I do to him?” Without raising his head, he reached out toward Donnie. “What did I do ?”

Donnie took his brother's hand and petted it soothingly. “You…his frontal bone is…broken. I think bone fragments pierced his brain.”

Fuck. His baby brother just shattered a person's skull.

Leo moved his hand from Mikey’s shell to his shoulder. He was covered in cold sweat and shaking like a leaf. He made eye contact with Donnie and mouthed, ‘ Shock? ”. He nodded.

Raphael grew antsy behind them, pacing back and forth. His heavy tread spoke to his silent anger.

Leo leaned down near Mikey’s face and kept his tone gentle and even. “Mikey, buddy, we gotta go now. They’ll be coming back.” They’ll come back, and you're in no shape to fight .

He doubled down on his grip, rocking back and forth. “No! I didn't—I didn't mean to Leo— I'm sorry, I’m sorry—” The tears finally broke out. Shuddering, gut-wrenching sobs that made Leo want to curl up beside him and cry, too.

“I know Mikey,” he murmured. “Raph, can you—?”

Raphael put his arms around Mike slowly, easing him up off the ground while Donnie facilitated the moving of the body. Leo just stood there, useless in the face of of Mikey’s anguish.

Halfway to standing, Mike suddenly locked his knees and whirled around. He sobbed, gagged a few times, and finally threw up. He went limp against Raph then, continuing to cry so hard that it choked him.

“Mikey, Mikey, you hafta take a breath. I can't understand ya, bro.”

He took a shaky breath and turned to Leo this time when he said, “We can't leave him.”

“They usually come back for their own when we leave,” Donnie said, putting his hand on his brother’s shell.

He stayed quiet for a long moment, sniffling and catching his breath. “What do they do with them?”

The question struck Leo like a knife. If it were any other local, family-run mafia or even a gang like the purple dragons, he’d say they go to next of kin. But Shredder didn't play by their rule book, the one with an honor code and respect for the dead. He wouldn't be surprised to learn that they just incinerated the bodies, uniform and all.

This ninja—this boy —was someone’s son. Did his parents know what he was up to? Would they ever know what became of him, that he died with honor? An image flashed before him of Master Splinter, aging and heartbroken and crying like Mikey in that very moment. The knife twisted in his chest.

Without another word, Leonardo knelt and lifted the fallen ninja. He wouldn't ask it of any of his brothers, so it fell to him. 

“Raph, can you carry Mikey? We need to get out of here. Don, you bring up the rear and make sure we aren't followed. But don't stray too far.” Couldn't be too careful.

The two of them shook off the open shock and shifted into ninja mode. Raphael scooped Mikey up so gently, holding his head to his warm chest like he was just a turtle tot. Mikey, with his distant stare, didn't complain.

Don looked unsettled about the whole thing, but fell in step behind Raph as Leo took the lead. He felt like Mikey and Raph were too exposed back there, now more than ever he wanted eyes on them, but he wanted to be in the front if they ran into trouble. He could drop his passenger a lot faster than Raph.

Donnie signaled with a low whistle that the way was clear before Leo gently, awkwardly laid the foot on the pavements then slid the cover off their go-to sewer entrance.

“You okay bro?” Raph. Still uncharacteristically soft.

Mikey mumbled something noncommittal. Still, when Leo turned, he found him on his own two feet. 

He intentionally placed himself between Mikey and the dead body. “You go on first.”

He took a step toward the manhole, hesitated, and veered toward Leo.

Leo braced to grab Mike in the split second he had to think about it, sure he was going toward the foot again. All he managed to do was bring their plastrons together with a dull clack as Mikey wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could. His fingers just barely touched each other around Leo’s shell.

“Sorry bro,” he mumbled.

Once his brain caught up with the situation, Leo hugged him back just as tight. He could feel Donnie’s gaze from the fire escape above, still keeping watch, and from the corner of his eye he could tell Raph was damn near about to cry.

Feet hit the ground behind him, and Donnie joined in the hug. “It’s okay,” he murmured.

Raph got his arms around as much of his brothers as he could. “Yeah, ya ain't got nothing to be sorry for.”

Leo rested his cheek on Mikey’s head as all four of them pretended not to cry.

Sometimes he forgot how young they were.

There was a lot of debate over what to do with the body. Once Mikey had gone silently to his room, Donnie made them graphically aware of how quickly decomposition set in, especially in a humid and bacteria-ridden environment like theirs. They didn't have any way to keep it cold or preserve it, so they had to figure out something fast. Even as they spoke about it, the body lay across one of Don’s cleared work tables with a thin sheet over it.

Leo had to admit to Master Splinter that he didn't think through it before he brought the body along. The part that went unspoken was that Donatello and Raph himself would have done it too—anything to soothe Mikey in that moment. Raph was only surprised that Leo beat them to it.

Sensei wasn't angry, which didn't surprise them. He only ever got angry when the Shredder was somehow involved. But he was worried sick that they’d been followed or tracked somehow, so after the initial ruckus died down, he had Leo and Raph patrol the surrounding tunnels while Donnie searched the body for any tracking device.

For once, Leo didn't have anything to say to him as they walked the tunnels. He kept his eyes mostly on the grimy ground below them, though the hand around his katana kept clenching and relaxing. Something about holding those swords comforted him more than Raph would ever understand.

"He's gonna be okay, y'know."

Leo looked over at him as if he'd forgotten he was there. "Yeah. I know."

They walked a few paces.

"Yeah, you sound real sure."

"I didn't know he hadn't—that he hadn't killed anyone yet. I mean, that's a shell of a bandaid to rip off."

"Yeah, you're tellin' me."

Leo began actually watching where they were going, but his hands kept flexing and twitching. Raph recognized that; he wanted to hit something.

"Are you gonna be okay?"

He smiled humorlessly. "I'm fine, Raph." A pause. "The first time I killed someone, I was alone."

"What? When?" Raph demanded. It came out more aggressive than concerned.

"When we got split up, after Shredder nearly creamed our shells. A foot ninja spotted me, and I panicked. I didn't know where you guys were, and I knew I couldn't face Shredder alone..."

"So you killed him," he finished quietly.

Leo nodded. "I slashed his throat before he had a chance to yell."

"Geez, Leo, I had no idea."

He shrugged, like it was no big deal, but Raph could hear the strain in his voice as he spoke. That was still a raw wound.

Well, as long as they were trading touchy-feely stuff. "I...I feel bad. I shoulda known somethin' would happen taking that bet. You can only deal so many head wounds before one of em kills somebody."

"It's my responsibility to manage our behavior when we're topside. If I had seen a problem with it, I'd have stopped you."

"Hm. Guess the only real issue here is that none of us is psychic, huh?"

"Yeah, you really need to get on that Raph. Don't you know you're supposed to be the team mystic?" Leo bumped his shoulder into Raph's.

He let out a loud laugh. "That's rich! Comin' from Mr. Mystic himself, hah!"

When they were finally satisfied that they were safe, they cleaned and put away their weapons side by side, then Raph hit the showers to get rid of the sewer stink. He hurried so that Leo could do the same, but mostly because he was itching to check on Mikey.

He stopped by Master Splinter’s room before heading upstairs. He and Don were inside, sharing a pot of tea and a heavy silence.

“Mikey?”

“Still in his room,” Don replied. “He was sleeping last time I checked in.”

Raph nodded. With a brief bow to Master Splinter, he headed up to the second floor, straight to Mikey’s room.

He didn't knock before entering, just made sure to do it a little noisier than necessary. Mikey’s salvaged Silver Sentry lamp provided just enough light to see the lump of blankets up on the platform bed. He listened carefully for Mikey’s breathing for a moment, then pushed the door closed behind him. As if on cue, the blanket lump started trembling, and he could hear Mikey’s ragged breathing. 

“Still here, knucklehead,” he said softly. There was no venom to it, he just couldn’t talk to Mikey anymore without calling him names. It felt wrong.

Mikey flipped over in bed and peeked just the top of his head out of the blankets. His eyes were bloodshot.

“Scoot over, I'm comin’ up.”

Mikey shuffled up to the wall until his shell touched it. Still, he and Raph only barely fit side-by-side.

Raphael folded his hands across his chest and stared at the posters on the ceiling. He hadn't thought about what he would say, just that he didn't want his bro to be alone. After a moment, Mikey shifted closer to rest his cheek against Raph’s shoulder. With a perfectly practiced air of carelessness, Raph put his cheek against the top of his head.

Not long ago, they’d shared beds like this every night. They didn't have their own rooms in the old lair, there simply weren't rooms to be had. As kids, the four of them slept in a nest of blankets and salvaged pillows or couch cushions. When they outgrew that, it was a queen sized mattress. And when they outgrew that , it became two queen-sizes, pressed beside each other in a corner. Being cold-blooded, they usually ended up more or less in a big warm puddle by morning, all leeching body heat off each other.

The privacy of having his own room was nice, but if there was a gun to his head, Raph would have to admit that he missed the closeness.

“You okay?”

Mike shrugged.

The silence lapsed over them again.

“That the first time you killed one?” Oh. Shell. He had not meant to say that.

To his credit, Mikey just nodded.

“Y’know…Sensei’s always sayin’ how it’s easy to kill a guy, ‘n way harder to just hurt ‘em.”

“I know I messed up,” he said thickly.

“That's not—ugh.” Raph grumbled to himself. Why was he so bad at this? “I just mean…we all know ya didn't mean it, Mikey. None of us are masters yet, no matter how bad Leo wants to be. It happens.”

“I killed him. Why are you so chill about that?”

“‘Cause you didn't do it to hurt him, you did it to protect Donnie . Think of it this way: nobody’s forcin’ these goons to do Shredder’s dirty work. They can walk away whenever they wanna, but they’re choosing to fight us. They gotta deal with the consequences, even if we didn't mean ‘em.”

Mikey thought on that for a long while. Raph was starting to think he’d nodded off when he spoke up again. “When did you…y’know?”

He hadn't had to answer that question yet. If he was being honest with himself, he’d probably killed a handful of people already. Maybe more than that. Sometimes he just got so angry , and taking it out on dirtbags doing wrong was always better than taking it out on his family. He justified it by saying they were no-good thugs, people who weren't contributing anything useful to society, but he knew too much to really buy into that shit. He grew up on Splinter’s spiritualism and mindfulness, he meditated, he was pretty sure he and his brothers had a supernatural ability to predict the others’ thoughts and needs during battle—he knew all life has value. But he still buried it under self-righteousness and didn't let it keep him up at night.

“Garbage Man,” he finally answered. “Some guy had a gun on Leo’s shell. I buried a sai in his heart down to the hilt. Couldn't eat for a couple days after that.”

Mikey squirmed a little. Raph didn't blame him.

“You’re the only one who hadn't yet.”

“Is Sensei mad?”

“You kiddin’? He's worried outta his mind. He probably knows just how bad it feels.”

“Is…is Leo mad?”

Raph softened. “No, Mikey, he ain't mad. He’s proud of ya.”

He snorted doubtfully. “I had a nuclear meltdown, bro.”

“Yeah. But you care . When me ‘n Leo killed the first time, we fuckin’ walked away, shit happens. But you stopped. Mikey you tried to save the guy for Pete's sake, we’re all proud of ya. You’re makin’ us look bad.”

He laughed. It was a little one, nothing like his usual boisterous laugh, but it was a start.

“And hey, I'm sorry. Shouldn't have taken that bet. No more bettin’ on hurting people, okay?”

“I can live with that.” He let out a long sigh and snuggled closer to Raph. His breathing had leveled out, and his heartbeat against Raph’s elbow was noticeably lower too. “Will you stay here?”

Raph pulled his arm away from his side and tucked his bicep under Mikey’s head, making himself into a pillow/teddy bear combination. “Sure thing bro.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled. In minutes, he was asleep.

The next morning, an interesting story hit the news. The body of a young man in black, dead for at least twelve hours, was found on the back door of an unnamed NYPD precinct with no identification on him. There was a note pinned to his shirt that said only ‘ it was an accident ’. He was identified shortly after a description began to circulate, and buried by his parents and sister shortly thereafter.

No killer was ever found.

[pb-dot]

Film Friday: Friday 13th Part VI: Jason Lives

Listen, this is silly. I know it's silly and I'm doing it anyway. Since this is a Friday 13th during the spookiest of months, and I happen to have a favorite Friday 13th movie, I feel I have to tell you about it. Part 6 is not good per se, I usually stress when recommending this one, but it is fun, and it's fun in a way I think is rather unique for the genre. So, without further ado, let's get our Chi-Chi-Chi Ah-Ah-Ah on.

The movie picks up some years after somewhat troubling Survivor Tween Tommy Jarvis ended Jason Voorhees' killing spree with quick thinking, some improvised stagecraft, and a disconcerting level of violence. There's also some interstitial messy business with a copycat killer in Tommy's teens, but the franchise would rather we don't dwell on that, so let us move quickly onward.

Tommy fears that the notoriously resilient murderer and dogged abstinence advocate won't stay dead for long and seeks out Jason's grave to make sure. Long story short, Jason's body gets struck by lightning. In the tradition of Hammer Horror, this reanimates the murder machine, and we're off to the races.

There is more plot as Tommy strives to convince the local constabulary that there is indeed an inhumanly strong super-zombie out there murdering folks, but that's not really what the movie is about. No, this is very much Jason's story as he stabs, slashes, slams, vehicular manslaughters, and bludgeons his way through the newly rechristened Forest Green.

The kills and ludicrous slasher action are in focus, and there is a decidedly slapsticky tone to the violence. What's interesting about part 6, though, is how it seems to do a better job than objectively sillier slashers, primarily my old frenemy Freddy Krueger. Part of it, I believe, is delivery. Jason put plainly, doesn't look like he's telling a joke. This stone-faced approach makes the grotesque little gags that he comes up with or otherwise commits all the funnier for it.

I'm also fond of how this movie commits to its own interpretation of Jason. Turning Jason into an improbably resilient gentleman out on a murder spree into this undead juggernaut was a clever move to keep the movies coming, as well as really turning up the violence our non-Jason protagonists get to heap on the world's most sincerely dedicated Momma's Boy.

In fact, I would go as far as to say I like the ending to Part VI, in part because the finale has a very franchise-friendly sense of stakes. Our hero Tommy could conceivably get the better of Jason and thus complete a happy ending of sorts, but there's no need to get defensive about what sort of plot BS will justify Jason being back to the slashing in the next one because he's an unkillable murder machine at this point, and getting back to slashing is kind of the only thing he does.

In closing, I like Friday 13th Part VI: Jason Lives because it's a silly thrill ride of blood and gore with a kind heart pulsating somewhere deep beneath all the viscera. There is self-awareness in the movie but of the kind that allows them to play with and change genre conventions, which is a vastly superior sense of self-awareness to the smug navel-gazing that's come to be the approach du jour. It should also be mentioned that the movie has some vintage 80's Alice Cooper on the soundtrack, which is also quite the experience. Shared below in case you have forgotten or never had the pleasure of experiencing Cooper's kinky horror rock oeuvre.

[neitherlightnordark]

Now, you have an extraordinary amount of time and the entire void at your disposal, and yet your ability to come up with an idea you actually like has been rendered null. Nothing. Rararrgh.

You are floating through the void with a notebook and a red pencil with an anatomically accurate human brain eraser on one end (you love that red pencil! It has chew marks all over it. Asriel would be so mad).

And you are squinting down at the first page of your notebook, which has holes stabbed, into it and scribble marks over scribble marks, and a huge word written and bolded in its center: FREEDOM.

The concept of freedom is so nebulous, so complex, so personal to you- how can you possibly boil down all your spiraling ideas about it into one narrative thread, one interpretation, when EVERYTHING is good and NOTHING is good? Everything you're writing down is TRASH. And it could be so. much. better.

Your name is Chara (just Chara), and you are nine years old and a Narrator and a newly official scientist who could do so much better with your ideas than you are now.

However! However, instead of screaming (which is against the rules, you remember from a distant timeline- and then you ball that memory up and throw it into the trash), you shut the notebook and float through the hypothetical to where he probably is.

He's behind a door, as usual.

"Greetings, Doctor," you say, opening it without knocking.

"HELLO, MY CHILD," the Doctor says, without turning around.

It looks like he's in Snowdin this time, in a clump of pines under the shade of a great cliff. There is a cottage nearby with an unlit lamp in its window.

"What is this place?" you ask him, closing the door behind you.

"ANOTHER HOME," he says.

You stand next to him and watch snow fall through both of you, making little piles inside your feet. It isn't cold at all. You don't know if Gaster has feet.

"Do you have feet?" you ask him.

"I HAVE, IN FACT, EXACTLY. ONE. FOOT."

"Like a snail," you say.

"THAT S RIGHT. JUST LIKE A SNAIL." Gaster's lower body ripples, as though to prove his point. Or maybe that's one way he shows emotion. In this case, what emotion would it be? Amusement? Excitement, at being able to show off a curiousity of his new body? Is it still new to him, as new as a place outside time and space would let something be? How long has it taken, to get used to a melting body?

(For you, it didn't take long at all. But maybe for dragon skeletons, or whatever he was before, it's different.)

"WHY WERE YOU LOOKING FOR ME, CHARA?" he asks, as a chilly gust picks up and begins tossing fallen snowflakes about.

"Your assignment." You draw out your notebook like a weapon. "I am... struggling with bringing it to perfection."

"IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE PERFECT. ALL THAT IS NEEDED. IS FOR YOU TO EXPRESS HOW YOU FEEL."

"Then I am having trouble expressing how I feel!" Your face twists. "I'm- I'm sorry."

"YOU SHOULD NOT. APOLOGIZE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT YOUR FAULT." A hand emerges from the Doctor's form. "WILL YOU SHOW ME WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED?"

Your face flushes with warmth as you hand your notebook over to Gaster. He opens it to the first page and, presumably, begins scanning it (you can't really tell, since he doesn't have eyelights, or eyes).

"VERY INTERESTING," he says.

"The problem isn't my ability to come up with ideas," you add quickly, face reddening further around your blister scars. "I simply haven't come up with one I find worthwhile. And knowing we have all the time needed, conventionally speaking, doesn't mean that everyone won't grow impatient. They deserve-" You begin gesturing frantically. "They deserve something worthwhile! Something that has something for everyone! And, and-"

"DO TRY TO CALM YOURSELF," Gaster suggests, flipping the first page over to find that the second page is blank.

"Oh. Right." You lift your hands up and push down on an imaginary object, letting out your breath. "I'm... calm. Yes. My apologies, sir."

"YOU ARE FINE." Gaster hands the notebook back to you, although his hand stays close. "YOUR BELIEFS ABOUT OUR. EXPECTATIONS. ARE NOT UNFOUNDED. AND FOR THAT, I APOLOGIZE."

He folds his hand over one of yours- his very large, and yours suddenly very tiny. "THIS SHOULD NOT BE STRESSFUL FOR YOU. WE DO THIS. FOR YOU AS WELL. YOU MUST REALIZE THIS."

You look down at his hand, frowning.

Gaster hesitates, and starts to pull away- only to stick to your hand. "OH."

He attempts to push himself off with another hand, and then another, until there are several large hands floating about. "OH, GOODNESS ME. OH MY."

You hesitate, trying very hard not to smile- you must admit this is very silly, no matter how many times he does it.

"JUST A MOMENT. THIS IS QUITE. IMPROPER." Gaster's eyelights flicker on in his empty eye sockets. "OH DEAR. CHARA. HELP ME."

You finally crack a bright smile, drawing your dagger. "Alright, alright, I will."

After a while of concentrating on cutting Gaster loose (is it weird to say that slicing off a friend's goop is almost exactly like pruning vines?), you finally say, "...can you help me? I don't think... I don't think I can figure this one out myself."

"OF COURSE," Gaster says as you slice the last tendril off with a schlorp. "TEAMWORK. MAKES. THE DREAM WORK."

You stare at him for a moment, and then burst into full-on cackling, falling to the snowy ground.

"WHAT."

"Did- did you get that from-" You wheeze. "I-"

Gaster looks disconcerted. "I CAME UP WITH IT MYSELF."

This does not help you stop laughing in the slightest.

-

"SO," Gaster says, as the two of you drift through the void, with you tapping your pencil against your notebook. "WHAT COMES TO MIND. WHEN YOU THINK OF THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM?"

"A..." You pause, curling into yourself. "A... human child." You glance at him. "Don't laugh."

"NO, NO. OF COURSE NOT." Gaster gestures. "WRITE IT DOWN."

"A... a human child with all the power they could ever hope for," you add after a moment, scribbling a child with hidden, shaded eyes into your book. "But... the best characters are ones with contradictions, aren't they? So... what if this power... doesn't give them freedom at all? What if it imprisons them- takes their agency away?"

"YES, YES," says Gaster, smiling. "KEEP GOING."

The two of you keep writing and thinking into the night.

[fallout-drabbles-n-stuff]

Fluff?🤔 How would romanced male companions react to feeling Sole’s pregnant belly kick for the first time?

Yesssss

(Like I usually do with the longer drabble-ish things, I'll do a couple of them that I have the most inspiration for and ya'll can request individuals if you so please! I'm more than likely going to add gage and Hancock later when I can think of more ways to introduce this without it being regurgitated.)

Danse:

It had almost became a little game your unborn child liked to play. Danse was certainly not a fan. See, every time your babe would kick- it would either be when Danse wasn't in the room and preoccupied or, and this is truly funny, you'd call Danse over and the child would completely stop- leaving their usually stoic father grinning like an idiot with his hand against your stomach, waiting for almost minutes to feel them...just to be let down yet again.

Poor danse even began to accept he might not ever get to feel the baby kick, which was of course completely unacceptable. As such, you stayed with Danse in the garage the majority of the day- purposefully playing Diamond City Radio a little louder than what was necessary. It would probably sound strange to tell, but certain songs seem to make your baby more active.

Thankfully, Danse was privy to your plan and was careful not to mess with anything that would potentially require careful precision and all of his attention.

Sure enough, "Anything Goes" began to play- and as if on cue- your child gave a rather expected kick.

"Danse.." You carefully spoke, fearing that your baby would somehow hear their father's name being called and stop moving once again.

The ex-Paladin's amber eyes grew saucer sized as he padded his way towards you- hand already outstretched and waiting for your guidance. With an almost silly sense of victory, you took his hand and pressed it right to the area the baby was kicking.

Finally- after so many failures- Danse felt his baby kick. The sensation alone almost immediately sent tears to his eyes, threatening to spill while giving his eyes a glassy look.

"This was worth the wait.." He managed to say, a content sigh leaving him right after he spoke.

Macready:

It was at night, right after you tucked Duncan and Shaun in. Mac was reading them a story or.. more or less improvising one while you got ready to settle in for the night.

Perhaps a couple minutes into you tucking yourself in, Mac finally came in with a tired- yet happy look on his face.

"Things really just can't get any better, huh?" He spoke, taking your thoughts and making them a reality as you eyed him up until he finally rolled into bed.

"My thoughts exactly, Mac." You replied, quick to curl up at his side the second the opportunity was presented.

The peacefulness provided was truly sweet. No rambunctious little boys yelling at each other, no raiders threatening to shoot up the place...no nausea..just you and the person you loved the very most in all the wide wasteland. That much was something you considered yourself quite lucky to have...however before you could let the sweet temptation of sleep sweep over you-

"Was that-" Mac interjected, having fortunately had his hand placed right on your stomach to feel-

"Oh holy crap, the baby!" Mac all but squealed, completely ruining the comfortable position you were in as he positioned himself to better feel.

"Jeez Mac.." You laughed, watching his pretty baby blue eyes widen with a crooked little grin.

Maxson:

"Arthur...Arthur come see, quick!"

Had you not been in the..*ahem*..state that you are currently in, such an interruption would've been met with his icy blue eyes peering over his shoulder and a simple "hmmm", the man silently hoping whatever needed his attention wouldn't require it for long so he could finish his work for the night.

Nevertheless, thanks to your current state, the usually composed Elder Maxson all but fell out his chair in his haste to be at your side. Pregnancy, as one might've guessed, was a horrifyingly wonderful anomaly for Arthur. He was so very excited, yet he was equally worried for obvious reasons- not to mention the looming fear of being such a young father and the inadequacy he already felt.

The blue eyes man stumbled to your side, just nearly missing the post of the bed of which you sat. "Is something wrong?!" He asked with a rather humorous shakiness to his voice. He couldn't help it- the hand on your stomach, cradling that precious swell, only filled him with fear...so much so that he couldn't look past it and see the happy smile on your face.

Before your love could give himself a heart attack, you simply laughed and took his hand, pressing it to your lower stomach. This only brought about a very confused, almost disturbed look from him- that is until he finally felt it.

As though feeling their father's presence, the unborn babe once again kicked- immediately changing Arthur's expression from one of deep disconcert to one of shock.

"I-is, is that them?" He asked in a small voice, his expression softening by the second and a slight gentleness seeming to glisten in his eyes. "What do you think?" Was your teasing reply, your hand slowly withdrawing from his.

Instead of thinking of some long, beautifully orchestrated line to express his awe- Arthur just kind of stared. However he soon descended, finally sitting on his knees in front of you and between your legs- patiently waiting for the next kick.

"Hey baby.."

And just like that, Arthur gave one of the most remarkable smiles you've ever seen. Not only because of the rarity, but because of the genuine love behind it.

[wrenhyperfixates]

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Pairing: Loki x reader Summary: It’s the Christmas season and Loki still has much to learn. Thankfully, he has his favorite little mortal to teach him all about it. Warnings: just straight fluff A/N: Alright, it’s December, and you know what that means: time for Christmas fics! Hope you enjoy my first installment for the holiday season. Happy reading folks :)

Tag List: @lucywrites02 @frostedgiant​​ @lunarmoon8​ @twhiddlestonsstuff​ @lokistan​ @thelokiimaginechroniclesficrecs​

Disclaimer: Gif not mine

It was bizarre, thought Loki, how seemingly overnight the world was lit up with red and green everything. Lights, wreaths, trees, inflatable decorations; you name it, and Loki could spot it from any corner in NYC. Everyone he passed seemed to be filled with joy, ready to start singing at any second. It was disconcerting, to say the least. Normally, people would give him the side-eye, but lately they passed by with a quick nod or wave. Loki doubted it had little to do with him and much more to do with the Christmas spirit floating in the air.

Ah, Christmas. He knew a decent amount about it, but had never paid too much mind to it. After all, it wasn’t like he ever really planned on living on Midgard. It was just the way things worked out. Now he wished he’d taken a bit more of an interest, for this fat, bearded, old man in a red suit made very little sense to him. And yet, he was everywhere this time of year. Though he could have asked any one of the Avengers about it, he refused to risk being teased. It should be easy enough to learn about if he truly desired to.

Loki marveled at the world in a sort of confused awe as he walked back to the Tower. This time of the year on Midgard, while so disagreeable to many, was perfectly fine with him. The bitter cold of the city at wintertime barely even felt like a summer breeze to him. One of the perks of being a perpetually cold frost giant, he supposed, was that you didn’t notice the freezing temperatures. As for those who did, well, he didn’t get why those silly little mortals didn’t just go somewhere warmer. You’d explained to him, once, that not everyone could afford to just pack up and move as they could on Asgard. A terrible shame, he thought, and he wished that he could do something to help, not that he would ever admit it. Feeling particularly generous, he dropped a one hundred-dollar bill in one of those collection bins that always popped up this time of year. It was guarded by yet another one of those strange, bearded men ringing a bell.

Hugging his so dark-green-it-was-almost-black peacoat to him, he rounded the final corner to get back home. Much like his gloves, it was more for style than anything else. Besides, no need to draw more attention to himself by dressing too lightly in the winter weather. Taking one last glance at the world around him, Loki pushed through the doors of the Avengers Tower.

“What in the Nine?” he sputtered as he was hit with a mouthful of glitter.

“Sorry, Mr. Loki,” Peter apologized. “We’re just decorating for Christmas.”

“By throwing glitter around?”

“Yeah. Why not? It’s Christmas, everything is glittery,” he said with a shrug.

“That, I can tell you,” Loki replied, patting Peter’s shoulder as he passed, “is absolutely true.”

All his other teammates seemed to be as excited about decorating as Peter was, though no one else was just haphazardly throwing that infernal sparkly dust. No, they were all using their special talents to hang garlands up from high balconies and banisters. Large ornaments and snowflakes were hanging from the ceiling. Every floor that Loki walked to was filled with merriment and yet more Christmas adornments. How they were put up so fast, the trickster god had no idea.

The common room was, much to his surprise, the least decorated place in the Tower so far. The team must have been saving this room for last, perhaps to do all together. Loki would have been upset that he wasn’t invited, but he was sure it was mentioned in one of those email blasts he always ignored. Now that he thought of it, he did remember seeing it in something that he skimmed. Regardless, this was a nice break from the hubbub in the rest of his home at the moment. In this room, there was only a tree put up and his angel working on prepping it. You.

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” you sang to the music you had blasting through the room, unaware of Loki’s presence. “Everywhere you go.”

He watched in wonder as you twirled about the floor, taking out ornaments and other assorted trimmings for the tree. You grabbed a silver and gold garland and began the tedious process of wrapping it around the artificial branches, still belting your heart out. Though Loki was unfamiliar with the words, he caught on to the tune and began humming along, startling you ever so slightly. He walked up to you and grabbed your hand, joining in your spinning and dancing. Prancing around the room with you, Loki was filled with unbridled joy, and he thought he might be beginning to understand the reason for all the joy the season brings.

As you sang the final notes, you and the God of Mischief collapsed onto the couch amidst the boxes of Christmas knick-knacks, laughing your heads off. When you tried to get up, Loki pulled you back down to him, starting another fit of giggles.

“And how is my little mortal today?” he asked, playfully ticking you a little.

“I’d be a lot better if you let me finish decorating,” you teased, poking his chest.

He sighed and relinquished you back to your duties, watching you walk back toward the tree. If only he had the courage to tell you how he feels, rather than just admiring you from afar. You were best friends, sure, but he longed for more. Much more.

“Loki,” you called in a sing-song voice, batting your eyes. “Can you help me, please?”

“Of course, little one.”

He helped you string the garland the rest of the way around the tree, using his magic to get even the highest boughs. You squealed in delight as you admired your work so far, throwing your arms around Loki to thank him for his help.

Soon, the rest of the team joined you and began to hang the ornaments. No one particularly cared about where they were put, just that everyone was having fun. Loki tried to stay on the outskirts of the activity, but everyone kept pulling him back in. It made him happier than he cared to admit that they all concerned themselves with him participating. That they wanted him to participate.

“What do you think, Mr. Loki? Here?” Peter questioned as he held up an ornament in a prospective spot. “Or here?”

“The first spot, I suppose.”

“No,” Thor chimed in, making Peter worried he was going to start one of their infamous sibling battles. “The second spot, for certain.”

“I guess. I still do not understand most of this ‘Christmas’ stuff, to be quite honest.”

“Well, why did you not say so, brother?”

“Yeah, we can teach you all about it,” you added, showing up beside them. Then you snapped your fingers, getting an idea. “The tree lighting is tonight! At Rockefeller Center. We should go to that!”

“That’s a perfect idea,” Peter agreed. “So it’s set then. A crash course, then a field trip to see the tree lighting!”

Loki smiled at his friends as they bustled around him, planning the rest of the day. He couldn’t wait for later, and it made the rest of the time spent decorating even more enjoyable. Between the constant singing and cracking of jokes, there was not a dull moment to be found. While it would have usually drained Loki, he felt as lively as ever. Maybe there truly was something special about the season, after all.

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

Hours later, Loki stood with his teammates as incognito as possible in Rockefeller Center. It had been agreed that they just wanted to be normal people for one, not celebrities. To keep your group warm, Loki had cast a heating enchantment that they were all more than grateful for as they waited for the tree to light. In the last minutes before it was set to shine through the night, you summarized your lessons on the holiday.

“So,” you began, “I guess it’s basically a time for love, showing others how much they mean to you. And sure, there’s all the commercial stuff about candy canes and elves and trees and Santa Claus, which is nice and all, but that’s not the real meaning. It’s about being with those you care about and spreading goodwill to all.”

Loki thought back to all the times he’d needed a little charity or a helping hand, or really just to be shown he was loved. There were certainly a plethora of scenarios to pick from in his life. A whole season to spread cheer and show everyone things are not as hopeless as they seem sounded like a splendid idea indeed.

“I quite like the sound of that,” he said with a smile. As you looked back at him, an equally warm glow adorning your features, Loki realized there was one person he loved more than anyone else. With a sudden burst of confidence, he went to tell you exactly how he felt. “I must say this now, I-”

He was cut off as the crowd began the countdown. You gave him an apologetic smile as the both of you joined in. Upon reaching the last number, the tree lit up, filling Loki with a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest. That was only accentuated when you grabbed his hand, bursting with excitement and awe. Once the cheering went down, and your group began to depart, you remembered Loki had been about to say something to you.

“What was it that you wanted to tell me before?” you asked. “Before the countdown.”

“Oh,” he said, clearing his throat. He’d already lost his nerve. “It was nothing urgent. I hardly even remember now. Another time, perhaps.”

“Well, that’s ok,” you replied, though you sounded a little disappointed. “Whenever you remember is fine.”

Back at the Tower, everyone said goodnight and parted ways to go to bed, exhausted from the busy day. In the hall between your rooms, you and Loki stopped to say goodnight one final time. You paused mid-sentence, spying something green hanging from the ceiling above you. Loki followed your gaze upward and immediately went a shade of red that put Rudolph’s nose to shame. Even before all your lessons from the day, he knew mistletoe when he saw it. And, of course, the tradition that went with it.

He heard snickering from around the corner and spotted Peter and Thor waiting for one of you to make your move. Undoubtedly, they'd fabricated the situation to try to get you together faster than you were going by yourselves. To be fair, at said pace, you’d never be together.

“Just kiss already!” Thor shouted before ducking away to give you some privacy.

“Pardon my brother,” Loki said self-consciously. “If you do not wish to, there is no law saying-”

He was cut off for the second time that night. This time, however, it was by something much more pleasurable. You had stood up on your tip toes and placed a kiss to his cheek, too sheepish to do much else.

“Night, Loki,” you said to the still stunned god. “Talk tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow indeed, my little mortal,” he said, pulling you in for another kiss, this time on the lips.

Oh yes, it was decided. This season was magical.

[xjoonchildx]

airplane, pt. 2 | jjk x reader chapter five: home

pairing: jungkook/reader

word count: 2.9K rating: 18+

genre: smut | silly smut | nonsensical smut

warnings:  criminal!jungkook, koreanamerican!jungkook, reality has left the chat, plausibility has left the chat

A/N: i've never had so much anxiety posting an update. next time i decide to fly by the seat of my pants and turn a one-shot into a full chaptered fic, just punch me in the face, okay?

all kidding aside, standard smut warnings apply to this chapter and i really hope you guys like it.

xoxo

Chapter 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06

artwork by the shmexy @ppersonna​ who’s smut is even better than her art

*****************************

“You broke into my house.”

It takes you a solid minute to find the breath to power that shaky sentence.

Your legs are already like noodles from your run and at this point they are threatening to come right out from underneath you. You reach a hand out to the wall to stop yourself from hitting the deck.

Jungkook stands slowly from where he’s seated on the couch, a careful smile on his lips.  

“You gonna call the cops?”

You stare at him.

Jungkook is in the country.  In Los Angeles. In your living room .  

He’s wearing a leather jacket over a t-shirt and jeans and his hair is cut short again.  He is alive and in one piece and looks somehow even more handsome than he did the last time you saw him.  How does he do that?

You’re so distracted by Jungkook -- in your fucking house -- that you miss the look of concern that comes over him the longer you stand there without saying something.  It’s like your brain is hung up -- glitching -- trying to process the scene in front of you.

“You okay?”

“You broke into my house ,” you say again, as though that should answer his question.

“That is a matter of semantics,” Jungkook argues.  “I would say that I let myself in because I knew you wouldn’t want me just standing around outside. Aren’t you the one always telling me to keep a low profile?”

A disbelieving laugh bubbles up your chest.

His sarcasm is comforting, even right now, when your heart is still racing and you can’t seem to stop sweating and you’ve just realized that you’re pretty fucking pissed that he dropped off the radar and didn’t contact you for weeks.  

“So we should probably talk, huh?”

“You think?”

Now it’s his turn to laugh. He sinks back down onto the couch and gestures for you to join him. 

You don’t.

“How the hell did you get here?” you demand.

“Same way I got out, pretty much,” he shrugs.  “Mexico. Hitched a ride to San Diego and Yoongi was able to pick me up there. Good thing I’m not from Iowa or some shit, huh?”

He aims a hopeful smile at you like he’s searching for a way to connect but you don’t return it.

A flash of disappointment crosses his face.

“Yeah,” you say quietly. “Good thing.”

You look down to his lap.  His hands haven’t stopped moving, fingers winding together and unwinding over and over.  He’s nervous.  

Well, good.

“I’m gonna turn myself in tomorrow,” he says after a long moment.

He knocks the wind out of you with that.

“Holy shit,” you breathe.

“Yeah.  Turns out, I’m being represented by some incredibly-connected, high-dollar attorney.”  He looks up and fixes you with those dark, hypnotic eyes. “Any idea where I could have gotten one of those?”

Seokjin, you fucking angel.

“Maybe,” you murmur.  “What did he say?”

“Well, he told me to get my happy ass back to the States.  Said the Marshals would appreciate me walking in on my own as opposed to having to drag me back.  Said I’m going to have to eat some crow if I expect them to listen to anything I have to say.”

He rubs a hand across the back of his neck, against the grain of the now short hairs at his nape.

“Told me to get a haircut, too.”

That makes you smile.  Jin is nothing if not thorough.

“So what does -- “ you clear your throat, “ -- your attorney say about what happens after that?”

“No way to know for sure,” Jungkook admits.  “They could lock me up and throw away the key or they could decide on something else.  Kind of a roll of the dice at this point.”

Your chest squeezes at the thought of Jungkook walking into that Federal Building and leaving in a transport van.  You shut your eyes like that will somehow stop the mental image.

“And you’re turning yourself in anyway.”

He fidgets with his ear like an anxious kid.  

“Yeah.”

“Alright,” you say on a shaky exhale.  “Okay. Wow.”

A tense silence falls between you.

“I need you to talk to me,” Jungkook says after a moment. “I need to know where your head is at right now.”

Do you know how hard I went to bat for you? you want to scream, which is unfair, really.  He’s never asked you for your help. Everything you’ve done, you’ve done on your own. But now he’s here and in front of you and you are practically buzzing with the urge to vent your frustration at him.

“Why didn’t I hear from you?”  

You hope like hell you’re the only one who can hear the thread of insecurity in your voice.  “You had the burner number and I just -- never heard from you again. And now you’re in my house.”

“I know,” he admits.  His fingers keep lacing together, unlacing. “I know it’s really fucked up to just ambush you like this. It’s just that shit got really hairy for me in Nicaragua. These guys stole my phone.”

“But you managed to call Yoongi,” you snap.

“Well yeah,” he fires back. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.  I’ve had his number for years. I got in touch with him as soon as I could get my hands on a new burner.”

You tell yourself to relax.

You tell yourself that it’s a totally plausible explanation and put a hand to your forehead as though you expect to be able to feel your temperature coming down.  As though you’ll be able to feel the anger draining out of you until all that’s left is the relief that he’s here, that he’s okay.

You take a deep breath, release the tension that’s had you wound so tight.

“I left the bureau.”

Jungkook’s eyes widen.

“Holy shit,” he breathes, “Did they -- Did I -- “

“Don’t give yourself too much credit,”  you cut in, rolling your eyes. “It wasn’t really about you.  Not all of it, anyway.”

He opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better of it. There is a melancholy in his eyes that unnerves you.

You’ve seen him cocky and arrogant and unrepentant and flirtatious. But this — this hat-in-hand version of him, devoid of his trademark bravado is so disconcerting.  

He looks away from you, back down to his hands.  You wrap your arms around yourself and take a moment to just look at him, to appreciate his striking face.  You think back to the first time you saw that face, how dumbfounded you’d been by his physical appearance.

Then he opened his mouth and your fate was sealed.

One way or another this debacle ends in just a few short hours.

The rational part of you craves a conclusion to this insanity, an end to the near-constant anxiety you’ve felt for months now.  But there’s the other part of you that worries this will end with Jungkook behind bars for the rest of his life. You don’t know if you’re ready to accept that just yet.

“Can you um --“ Jungkook wets his lips, “-- can you come sit with me?”

“Yeah,” you agree quietly.  

You cross the room and slide next to him on the couch.  

He reaches for your hands, but does not meet your eyes.  His fingers stroke over your wrists and not for the first time you wonder how he manages to make the most simple touches feel so good.

“You asked me one time,” he starts quietly, “about why I quit school. And I -- “

“Don’t -- ” you interrupt, “-- you don’t owe me an explanation.”

He shakes his head.

“Uh yeah,” he chuckles cynically.  “Yeah, I do. I owe you pretty much any explanation you want at this point.”

You look down at where your hands are joined, down to where Jungkook is rubbing the calloused pad of one thumb against your palm.

“My mom got sick.  And it didn’t feel right to stay in school when I could be working and helping to bring in some money.”

You remember the dig you made at him -- the way his face had shuttered -- and you feel an acute pang of guilt.

“I’m so s --”

“No, listen to me please,” he says adamantly.  “She’s doing a lot better now and I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. But I need you to know that for every good thing I’ve ever done, I have done something equally as fucked up. And I just want -- “

He exhales heavily, scrubs one hand along his jaw.

“ -- I just want you to know that this shit with the money and the running is just some of me. I’ve done some really stupid shit but that’s not all I am.”  He leans closer to you, pins you with that bottomless gaze.  “I need you to understand that. Am I making any sense?”

You swear you can feel your heart squeeze in response.

“Yeah, you are,” you say softly.  He reaches one hand out to cup your cheek.

“So can I kiss you now or are you still mad at me?”

You’re tempted to tease him but he looks so unsure of himself in this moment that you resist.  You look down at yourself, remember you are still in sweaty running gear and cringe imagining what you must look like at this moment.

“I’m gross,” you protest in a whisper.

He leans closer, mouth hovering just over yours.

“Ask me if I care.”

******************************

Jungkook at least has the decency to let you shower before taking to you bed.

But just barely.

The second you are clean and dry he’s on you, mouth and hands everywhere at once.  Your skin -- already warm from the hot water -- heats even more under his touch.

He’s different tonight you think, as you lie back on your bed and his lips work up the column of your throat.  There’s a determination to the way he’s holding you, an urgency to the way he’s pressing his body against yours.  

You stroke your hands down his back, feel the answering ripple of muscle underneath your fingertips.  His body is leaner than it was in Puerto Rico and the realization sparks a sad throb in your chest.  

Nicaragua must have been a lot tougher than he’s letting on.

But then his lips skate across your collarbone and you force yourself to push the thought from your mind. Whatever happened to him there is over.  He’s here and he’s okay and he is literally on top of you and that’s the only thing you want to think about right now.

“I missed you,” he whispers and a shudder runs up your spine in response.  

You rake your nails against his nape, fingers teasing his freshly cut hairline and he makes a satisfied groan against your mouth, pressing his hips firmly into yours.

It’s impossible at this point to ignore the nudge of his hard cock against your stomach.  You snake a hand between your bodies to wrap warm fingers around his pulsing length and he pulls back to suck in a pained breath.

“Jungkook, I -- “ you start to speak, but an uncomfortable tickle in the back of your throat stops you.  He opens his eyes to look down at you.

“You okay?”

Hell no, you’re not okay.  

It feels like if you open your mouth to answer him, you’ll cry and you are not a crier and he’s looking at you expectantly, waiting for you to say something -- anything.

“Yeah, I just…um,” you stumble over your words and it takes a moment for that uncomfortable feeling to subside long enough for you to speak. You have to wait until your voice comes out even and controlled before you can finish.

“I missed you, too,” you say, finally.

His lips curve into a small smile.  

“I know you did.”

He drops his mouth down to pull at one soft nipple with his lips and teeth.  You sigh, arching into his touch.

The soft exhalation seems to set Jungkook off, makes the steady grind of his hips pick up in speed.  He tongues at your nipples until they are aching and hard then slips a finger into your channel to test your wetness.

He brings his mouth close to your ear, breath warm against the shell.

“I can feel just how much you missed me,” he teases in a low voice.

Arrogant bastard.  He’s right, though.  

You huff a laugh as his fingers work in and out of you slowly, drawing out your wetness. He covers your mouth with his as his thumb rubs slow circles against your clit and you moan into his kiss.

“Fuck me,” you say quietly and you feel the tremors that run down his back at your words.  “Please,” you beg, “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

Jungkook kisses you again -- long and hard -- before pulling away to grab a condom from his jeans.  

You take the moment to appreciate how handsome he is, chest covered in a sheen of sweat, lean body tense with the need for release.  You watch the corded bands of his arms move as he crawls back onto the bed, sheathed and ready. He leans his weight on his forearms and the muscles in his shoulders become even more prominent as he lines his body up with yours.

You lift your head to suck at the hollow of his neck just as you feel the blunt tip of his cock nudge your entrance.  

“Do it, Jungkook,” you moan, rolling your hips against him. “ Now.”

He groans as he obliges you, pushing slowly inside and you brace your hands around the tight muscles of his arms until you can feel him anchored deep.  

“Fuck,” he whispers. “Every time it’s like I forget how good you feel.”

Strange how you were just thinking the same thing -- thinking about how no one else has ever pulled these responses out of you.  It’s like your body knows this man -- like it knew him way before your brain ever did.

He rocks into you slowly, deeply, pelvis flush with yours each time he strokes to the hilt.  His pace is languorous and it makes your entire body feel heavy with pleasure. You wrap your legs around him tight, willing him deeper even though you know that’s not possible.

The painfully unhurried rhythm is so, so good , but it’s not enough.  

Not when you can feel the threat of your release building between your legs and you need more to get you there.  You angle your hips up, trying to capture more of the friction.

Jungkook takes the hint, moving one hand to cup your ass. He pulls you into each snap of his hips, forces you to take every inch on every thrust.

“Come for me,” he pants. “I can’t hold out much longer.”

You can only whine your response, too fucked out at this point to form sentences.  It takes just a few more deep, desperate thrusts to make you start to unravel. Jungkook lets go the instant he feels you start to quiver around him and he doesn’t back off, lacing his fingers into yours and pinning you down into the mattress with the full force of his body.

Once the loud moaning and desperate movements slow to a stop, he drops his forehead down on yours.

The two of you breathe each other’s air for a while until your chests stop heaving and your hearts stop pounding.

***********************

“When does this all go down?” you whisper, cheek pressed to Jungkook’s chest.  

You’ve spent the last five minutes enjoying a warm, comfortable silence.

But that hasn’t stopped your mind from wandering back into worry.

Jungkook presses the length of your body into his side with one firm hand. You feel him tense when you ask the question.

“10 AM.”

“10 AM,” you echo numbly.  

“Yeah,” he whispers, stroking lazy patterns with his fingers down your back.  

“So,” he clears his throat. “Are you...ready to talk about what’s going on here?”

You’re glad that from this angle he can’t see your reaction, can’t see the flush that spreads over your face.

“No,” you mumble childishly.

“You’re such a brat,” he teases, dropping a kiss on your hair. “So fine. I’ll do the talking then.  I met someone.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. She’s got her head on straight, and…” he trails off for a moment.  “...she’s got me thinking about how I can get my head on straight, too.”

You smile into his skin.

“What’s she like?”

“Well, she’s a lot of different things at once. Kinda feisty, super smart, very cool,” he murmurs.  “Unemployed, but hey — no one’s perfect.”

Your shoulders shake with laughter.

“Is she hot?”

“Nah,” he teases, and he jumps when you pinch his stomach.  “Way better than hot. She’s beautiful. And she’s into me.  Really, really into me.”

Your cheeks heat but you keep the tone light.

“How do you know she’s not just using you for sex?”

“Well in the beginning she was,” he chuckles. “But then she showed up for me in a big way. A really big way. So even though it’s really hard for her to come out and say how much she likes me, I already know. She’s already shown me.”

That uncomfortable itch in your throat returns when he says that. It’s so weird to be understood so thoroughly by someone you barely know.

“She sounds pretty amazing,” you say after the sensation subsides long enough for you to speak.

“Yeah, she is,” he whispers. “So I’m gonna go to this meeting tomorrow morning and try to fix the mess I’ve made. Cause maybe now I have a reason to stop being such a reckless asshole.”

You screw your eyes shut and will the unexpected tears that spring to your eyes not to fall.

“10 AM, right?”

He drops another kiss into your hair and pulls your body in closer.

“Yeah. 10 AM.”

**********************

[the-moon-prince]

The Last Of us~Kurapika x Reader ~Chapter III

 AN: Hi my lovely fellows!

I finished the third chapter! Made with love and care for your enjoyment. I know this one is shorter, and I'm sorry. But I trust you will like it despite that detail! I made it extra fluffy, after the angst of the anterior, we all deserve a sweet.

I wish you a pleasant read, and I hope you’ll enjoy the new chapter of my story.  (Chapter I) (Chapter II) (Chapter IV coming soon!)

Paring: Kurapika Kurta x GN! Reader

Word count: 2 111

TW: None!^

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

It was clear something changed in Kurapika after that night. It didn't go unnoticed by Melody. She noticed in the rhythm of Kurapika's heart that the man's grief was lighter. Not to mention discreet short glances the young man sometimes gave (Y/n) when they were in the same room or how he tended to stay closer to them. Kurapika's heart longed in the days when (Y/n) was not at the Nostrade mansion. 

And for Kurapika? He was neither oblivious of that change. He taught about how (Y/n) would serve him tea or coffee each time they did for themselves. He noticed the characteristic small manias no one else appeared to remark about (Y/n); like the silly way they stood with their hands in front of their chest when nervous, they touched their hair when they were concentrating on their work. Or even their nervousness around crowds. Despite the warmth that thoughts about (Y/n) gave him, they also filled him with doubts and fear. That person saw a side of him that very few had seen. On one hand, it made him feel less lonely, and he shared the burden of his soul with someone who, seemingly, comprehended him. On the other, it was his ugliest side. Don't get me wrong, at no point did he believe his cause was erroneous. It was the fear of lowering his defenses further, which had allowed him to survive so far, to at the end losing someone dear again.

There laid the dilemma. 

~

On Saturday evening, as was customary (Y/n) went to "keep her company"-as Neon referred to her therapy. Neon, her bodyguards, and (Y/n) were in the girl's room; while she just played with her stuffed animals. Neon being herself, talked a lot about her pastimes and trifles. And then it happened. The trigger pulled. "You know, (Y/n) you're dumb sometimes." Neon said directly in the face of the mentioned. Kurapika did not appreciate the insult to his "darling"- Being his boss he couldn't face Neon directly nor punch her, although the desire was not lacking. In the end, Kurapika ended up saying, with a slightly irritated tone, sincerely "Neon, it's time for the pause, we'll all go take a breath" Without Neon giving any value to the subject, she permitted everyone to go. (Y/n) sticking to their routine, headed to the employee kitchen to prepare coffee, and began to boil water. Kurapika also followed, aspiring somehow to comfort them-only something lost in how- stated "That was rude. Are you upset?"

(Y/n) turned to see him, inclined their head, smiled, and denied "No at all! She's right. When I was a child, someone throws a rock at my head, and I ended up like this." - responded teasing, possibly to relieve Kurapika's worries- "Plus, it's not her fault... I mean... she said it, but she's entirely unaware of the impact of her actions on others... Not because she's mean, I'm not trying to be impolite."- they added, gaining a disconcerted look from Kurapika.-"Neon has a dissociative disorder. She has lived in her distorted bubble all her life. Consequently, she disconnected from the consequences that her actions may have!"- (Y/ n) explained excitedly to Kurapika. Their enthusiasm, more than their tone of voice, was also reflected in small movements that (Y / n) made with its hands. Inadvertently, Kurapika smiled, considering their enthusiasm adorable. To finally recognize how charming (Y/n) was to him. 

~

Kurapika was sure he wanted to decide the whole condition with (Y / n), but he was still confused about what to do. He inferred that the wisest choice was to request advice. Next, he led towards the only other person he recognized as his friend in that place. Melody knew that Kurapika was young and inexperienced after all.

"I'm unsure about what to do, Melody. They've greatly helped me with something crucial to me, and I'm appreciative. (Y/n) is charming to me. They're so patient, thoughtful, and kind. I enjoy their company.

But what if it's not worth the trouble? It's illogical; we have known each other for roughly three months. They might not accept it or disappear. I can't permit myself to get disturbed." -Kurapika voiced all the insecurities he had. After a moment of meditation, Melody replied.

"I believe you like them. (Y/n) appears to make you happy, that's true. When they helped you, did they judge you, did they left?"-Melody tried to make Kurapika question his insecurities.

"Not at all; they were pretty reliable."-Kurapika answered, staring away. Melody gave him a sweet smile and continued-"If they proved themselves trustworthy, they merit a chance. I think you deserve to allow yourself a chance. I believe it will do good for you."

"Thank you, Melody." And he returned a sincere smile.

Likewise, Kurapika decided to take his chance. 

~

Already 7:30 pm and the workers of the Nostrade house were leaving. (Y/n) was preparing their bag when they felt a slight touch on the shoulder. Kurapika quickly took a step backward when (Y/n) instinctively shrunk in surprise at his touch. They promptly looked at Kurapika, who cleared his throat before speaking. "(Y/n) do you care to stay a little longer. I require to tell you something."

The mentioned one gave their sign smile as they hummed and nodded-"Sure!"

"Accompany me to the kitchen please, it will be quieter." request (Y/n) fulfilled. Already in the empty room, Kurapika took a deep breath. So many details made him nervous at the minute. He doubted himself. He had no idea how to approach sentimental topics.

(Y/n) 's gaze was on him, but without meeting his eyes. Which caused him to not decipher what they were thinking. He had no idea if they would reciprocate, get angry, or react. If there was something that intrigued and delighted Kurapika, was (Y/n)'s way of being. For him, it was mysterious and transparent at the same time. Genuine but selective in what they showed. And he wanted to ascertain more.

"(Y/n), since our time together has been relatively short, this may seem illogical to you. However, for me, it has been remarkably important and enjoyable. So I reasoned: I like you." 

(Y/n) still without seeing him in the eyes and without changing their smile, blinked a pair of times and sang, tilting their head "Thank you! I like you too; you're quite nice as well!"- Maybe they were a bit foolish after all...

"No, no! It's not that... I mean... I also do like you. I alluded to like you romantically." the young man amed to the person in front of him. Whose eyes widened making and making an O with its mouth. And while a flush creeped their cheeks , also rectified. "I do... too... like you romantically."-(Y/n) proceeded to put a hand on their forehead, the face visibly darker and embarrassed, to tremble-"I... That is much more logical... I am very sorry...I'm truly ashamed. I'm not good at those subjects!"

As (Y/n) felt bad, Kurapika also felt bad. He raised his hands, shaking them and little in denial "It's alright, it's alright. Worry not!" It was an embarrassing disaster. But they were a disaster together.

After some shame whines, (Y/n) sigh and continued "In this case, please allow me to invite you to morning tea tomorrow. It's the last I can do. I beg you." In an attempt to not make things more awkward, Kurapika quickly but joyfully added -"It would be splendid!"- to obtain a -"Marvelous!"- from his newly obtained sweetheart. They both went home ashamed. If something is clear, it is that neither of them stopped thinking about that event throughout the night. Also that the more they reflected on it, the more fortunate they felt.

~

The date was settled! The sole issue was that, due to the embarrassment, they both forgot to arrange an hour. And they both felt ridiculous. 

Kurapika wondered what time would be proper to present, to ultimately arrive at 9:30 a.m. While (Y/n) was waiting for him since 8:30, worried they were going to be late. Since (Y/n) always wore some kind of embroidered floral ornament, Kurapika assumed they liked flowers. And showed up with a bouquet, plus it was the first time (Y/n) saw him with his traditional Kurta clothing.

"Good morning (Y/n). I bring you these, I hope they'll be of your taste." Kurapika greeted, handling the flowers. The (h/c) gladly accepted them as they made a sign to come in.

"Greeting Kurapika! They're splendid. Please come in and get comfortable." they told. Kurapika sat on the couch, and (Y/n) arrived with two cups, a teapot, and a kettle. "Do you prefer tea or coffee?" 

"Tea, please." followed by the answer, (Y/n) poured tea into the cups and sat next to Kurapika. As if it were a silent understanding, neither mentioned anything regarding the incident on the schedule.

"I like your clothes. They are gorgeous!"- a little remark that touched the boy, who muttered a gentle -"thank you." Kurapika reflected a lot about his choice to confess, but he never repented it. The warmth he felt in that moment was pure for him. 

(Y/n) raised his hands to their chest and, fidgeting with their fingers, modestly asked -"I apologize if my inquiring is stupid, but... are we lovers?"- They had their gaze concentrated in their hands. The first thing that people usually think of when meeting (Y/n) is that they were a serious, refined, and intelligent character. This was partially true, but it had a somewhat childish side, more intimate, and it was what Kurapika was witnessing at the time.

"Naturally," he answered.

"I'm sorry if I don't fulfill your expectation for me. You are the initial lover I have. In fact, also my first friend." Despite being a relatively sad statement, (Y/n) had their grin stamped on their inclined face. That smile. That it always seemed the same regardless of the emotion her voice conveyed, with certain narrow exceptions. Kurapika felt the obligation to if they were blue, comfort (Y/n). Just like they had done. 

"I discerned that you invariably smile, and the smile is identical. Can I request an explanation?" He asked, knowing what his goal was. His partner was a bit uncomfortable with the question and shrugging their shoulders uttered.

 "It's quite complex to elucidate... I have some challenges expressing emotions to others. Not because they are not explicit to me.  Just my facial expressions don't mirror my sentiments.

Regularly, in addition to smiling, I can take a serious aspect. It does not cause me much trouble, since people consider me as someone friendly- not that I am not. Though may cause others to judge me uncanny. I'm sorry if it's the case." 

"Do not apologize. It doesn't appear eerie to me." Kurapika assured with a sweet smile. (Y/n) looked him in the eye again, showing their happiness in their distinctive way.

"You are a kind person, thank you." following their remark, the room fell into a comfortable silence. Kurapika and (Y/n) were two shy souls enjoying each other's company. Although everything happening was alien to both of them, they appreciated it.

They needed a little kindness and company, which they seemed to have finally gotten.

Who could have guessed? Neon did something helpful for once!

[sirfrogsworth]

Toilet Talk feat. The HandyFrog

In other news, I changed my toilet seat. 

My previous seat kept wiggling left and right. Like... a lot. This was very disconcerting when I had to take a sleepy, middle-of-the-night trip to the little frog’s room and forgot that it wiggles. I don’t know about you, but having a bull riding sensation is not what I want when I am half awake and trying to drop some kids off at the pool. 

After disassembly, I finally figured out why it wiggled. There was this weird gel-like plug that went into the attachment holes. It forced the bolts to stay centered and kept them from moving around. One of those gel plug thingies was missing. No idea where it went. So the bolt would just move freely and give me seasickness during my... me time. 

The broken seat was actually harder to remove than the new one was to put on. The previous WiggleButt 3000 was overcomplicated and poorly designed. I made sure to buy a new one that had simple installation. And I found one that specifically advertised NO WIGGLING. The new attachment method was incredibly simple and quite clever. And their marketing doesn’t seem to be misleading as I don’t see any way it could potentially shift like the old one. After some twisting of the ol’ Philips head my throne repair mission was accomplished. 

Even though it was stupid simple to install I am still going to add this to my handyman credentials. 

HandyFrog +5. 

Since my dad got sick, I’ve been fixing quite a few things around here in the last year or so. I changed out two faucet handles (+20), I unclogged a shower drain and two sinks (+15), and I engineered and installed a custom rotating television mount for my parents’ TV (+40). 

My biggest feat of handyprowess was repairing my dishwasher. The latch on the soap dispenser broke so I had to place the soap pod thingie on the top rack and just hope soap got on everything. It seemed to get things clean, but it left soap residue on all of my dishes and that was getting annoying. So after some detective work tracking down model numbers and part numbers and finding what I needed at a reasonable price, I ordered the parts and watched some repair videos. 

It took a week or so to build up the courage to replace the dispenser myself. I got a quote from a repair dude and he wanted like $200. I could almost buy half of a new dishwasher for that. I don’t know if they sell half-dishwashers, but that would look silly and I wasn’t going to have any silly business in my kitchen.

So it was up to me. 

Unfortunately, due to the design of the dishwasher, this operation required dismantling the entire door. What I didn’t know was the dishwasher in the repair video was a slightly different model than I had. My dishwasher had a digital display and other electronics inside the door. So when I tried to remove the front panel of the door and set it aside like he did in the video, I discovered it was permanently attached to some wires. So I had to balance the door on some pillows and lean it against a trash can I weighed down. (I’m quite the problem solver.) And I had to work inside the small space between that precariously balanced front panel and the interior of the door. That was a fun difficulty multiplier I wasn’t expecting.  

Then I discovered that one of the two wired connections for the old soap dispenser was hopelessly fused in place. The first one just unplugged with no issue. But the other one was super stuck. Not to get too technical, but it was this white plastic doohickey piece that two wires terminated into and it wouldn’t budge even when pulling on it with pliers. The guy in the video just yanked them out with his fingers like it was nothing. He did not prepare me for this eventuality! 

However, the ends of the wires had these metal circle thingies crimped on and they inserted into the white plastic doohickey. I could just pull out the metal circle thingies. EASY! 

But the metal circle thingies were also stuck. UGH! 

Then I figured out I could uncrimp the bare wires from the metal circle thingies... and this was the breakthrough epiphany I needed to prevent a full on panic attack. I could just leave the old white doohickey AND the old circle thingies attached! I then inserted just the bare wires from the new dispenser and crimped them in place with a needle nose pliers. Brilliant, right?! I was like a goddamn electrician with this problem-solving.

If you couldn’t visualize any of that just know it was a whole thing and very stressful and somehow I had barrrrely enough knowledge to create a workaround and hook everything up properly. I ended up with a spare white doohickey and metal circle thingie, but if you don’t have spare parts at the end you are one of those pesky direction followers and no one likes people who follow directions. 

I will say by this point I may have cried twice, cursed various gods, and kept screaming in my head, “THIS DIDN’T HAPPEN TO THE REPAIR DUDE IN THE VIDEO!” But, as problems kept popping up, I used my resourcefulness and weighted trash cans to find a solution. As one does.

One embarrassing thing I forgot to do... turn off the breaker. 

Despite working with wires and connections and different electronic components, none of that caused an issue. But when I was just finishing up and trying to maneuver the front panel back onto the door, I grabbed a very unassuming, very safe looking part at the top... and shocked the hell out of my hand. 

I made a mental note... “Don’t touch that.” 

But the panel was being very stubborn and I was balancing it on my foot and trying to angle it back into the slots and I almost dropped it and to catch it I instinctively grasped that same damn spot. Electric shock number 2. 

DON’T. TOUCH. THAT.

I still didn’t think to turn off the breaker at this point--even with my hand tingling. I think I had tunnel vision and could only see the repair finish line approaching and was just desperate to get the thing done and I was unable to think about something silly like personal safety. 

Finally, the door cooperated and it all slotted into place and just as the two sections were joining together that same friggin spot brushed against my arm. Electric shock the third. 

HEY, ME! WOULD YOU STOP TOUCHING THAT?

I screwed it all back together, ran a test load to make sure I didn’t ruin my dishwasher...  and it worked perfectly. Clean sparkly dishes with no more residue!

The pride I felt in completing that insane repair far outweighed my still tingling hand. 

HandyFrog +100.

Heart Lifespan -10. 

I’m essentially a contractor at this point. 

[writemywaytoyourheart]

Onsra- Chapter 36: With You...

banner created by: @envity ♥️

pairing: vampire!jungkook x female reader (also vamp!tae x ga-in oc & vamp!jimin x yuri oc)

genre: E2L, romance, drama, horror, angst

warnings for this chapter: fluff but also some sad shiz. sad koo and y/n, and some language

word count: 6k

Onsra: ML, Previous

I want to thank you all for being so patient, I'm sorry it's so late. I hope the fluff makes up for it :')

____________________________________

You are the sunlight, risen again in my life.

The second coming of my childhood dreams.

I don’t know what these feelings are.

Whether this too is in a dream.

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Your eyebrows scrunch together, the soft melodic voice that was in your dreams quietly slipping away as you try to grasp it with the last bits of unconsciousness in your mind. When you let out a tired little sigh of disappointment, a tiny chuckle sounds right next to you.

Your eyes open slowly, the heavy feeling that they’re being weighed down by bricks making you groan before rubbing them. When they finally open all the way, you’re met with Jungkook’s pale face, looking down at you sweetly. 

His big crimson eyes watch you carefully, and you’re reminded of how truly innocent they look when he’s happy; despite the disconcerting color that would make any normal person draw back in fear. As you stare into them, you feel like you can almost see a flicker of life, and you imagine what they must have looked like before he was bitten.

You’d bet they used to hold all the stars in the sky.

Jungkook reaches out a finger and brushes a sweaty strand of your hair from your forehead as he whispers, “Hi, little flower.”

“Hi.” You blink a few times, a crooked smile forming on your face at the sight you get first thing in the morning.

“How did I end up here?” You ask tiredly, rubbing your eyes again and stifling a yawn. You look around your room with curious eyes. Jungkook smiles, his fingers still dancing across your cheeks as he gets all your hair out of your face.

“You fell asleep in the backyard last night and I brought you up here.” He says, watching you with so much interest that it makes you fidget awkwardly. You’ve never seen someone stare at you with so much awe and love, especially first thing in the morning when you must look half dead.

“T-thank you.”

“Am I making you nervous again? Sorry.” Jungkook breathes out, embarrassed as he moves back a little so you can sit up.

You shake your head, trying hard to swallow. “No, it’s okay. I’m just awkward.” You laugh nervously and Jungkook’s eyes squint in fondness.

“Are you hungry? Everyone already ate breakfast.” At Jungkook’s words, you frown unconsciously, disappointment seeping into your mind at having missed another family mealtime. Jungkook takes your hand quickly when he sees that you’re upset, “I’m sorry. Seokjin hyung and I thought you needed the rest since you were sleeping in, even after the food was done.”

You swallow your disappointment and shake your head, forcing a small smile onto your face. “I needed the extra sleep, I guess.” Jungkook nods and smiles, still gently holding onto your hand, making your heart skip a beat.

“I’ll get you something to eat, you just stay here and rest, alright?” Jungkook stands up before kissing the back of your hand and setting it down, “I have a lot of things planned for us to do before-“

He cuts himself off and you frown at that, “Before what?” You ask curiously. Jungkook just shakes his head. “Nothing, I just meant since you’re feeling better, I have some things planned…that’s all.”

“O-oh, alright.” You give him a bright smile, which he returns before scurrying out of the room, then you hear his footsteps bounding down the stairs, his voice echoing in the old house as he searches for his eldest brother.

“Cute.” You mumble, your cheeks tinted pink while the feeling of his kiss on your hand lingers.

Not five minutes later, Jungkook is coming back in, a tray in his hands as he kicks the door shut behind him with his foot, carefully bringing the tray full of food over to you.

“Oh, Kook. You didn’t have to do this.” Your cheeks start to flame again as he chuckles, sitting next to you and putting the tray on your lap. “Hyung helped me. Eat up y/n, you need your strength.”

You thank him before digging into the food, not wasting a second in case he decides to try and feed it to you himself if you don’t hurry up.

When you’ve finished breakfast and gotten dressed, you make your way downstairs to find Honey in the living room with Hoseok and Yoongi. The little girl is sitting on Hobi’s lap on the couch while Yoongi is on a chair in front of them, a children’s book on his knee as he reads the story, holding the book for Honey to be able to see the pictures. Your heart melts at the sight of them, Yoongi trying his best to do different voices- much to Honey’s delight- and Hobi smiling brightly while he carefully brushes the small girl’s wisps of golden hair.

Honey’s eyes drift over to you and she squeals happily, sliding off Hobi’s lap and running to you. “Flower! Flower!” Her tiny voice shouts happily, despite not quite being able to pronounce the word correctly, her ‘r’s sounding like ‘w’s. She had overheard Jungkook call you that at some point and ever since, that has been her nickname for you.

“Honey, hi!” You scoop her up in your arms, not noticing Jungkook coming out from the kitchen after hearing your voice. He smiles softly at the sight of you cuddling with the tiny girl, something aching in his stomach, which he immediately tries to push away. He blinks rapidly, shaking his head to clear it before walking over to the two of you.

“Koo.” Honey whispers, looking at him over your shoulder, her bright blue eyes shining. Jungkook smiles sweetly at her and waves, “Hi, little one.” He says to her as you turn to see him.

“Oh, hi Kook! Sorry I took so long getting ready.”

Jungkook looks at your messily brushed hair and oversized black t-shirt, that no matter how much you try to wash and iron, refuses to get unwrinkled. His eyes trail down to your ripped blue jeans and dirty sneakers.

He feels his tummy tickle, wanting to just cover you in bubble wrap and keep you safe forever. Jungkook clears his throat and shakes his head, “You didn’t take long at all. Are you up for some fun today?”

“Fun, fun, fun!” Honey squeals, wriggling out of your arms and wrapping her arms around Jungkook’s leg, holding on for dear life. Jungkook looks down at her in surprise and you see his lips twitching up into a smile.

He crouches down as she finally lets go of him, so now he’s eye level with her. “You’re having fun with Hobi and Yoongles, aren’t you, Honey?”

“Yah! I told you to stop calling me that you little shit- I mean brat, she’s going to pick it up!” You hear Yoongi shout from the living room, causing a burst of giggles from all of you at the older boy trying his best to control his habit of cussing. The smallest one picks things up quite easily as you all learned yesterday when she shouted an expletive at the dinner table, causing Jin to scold everyone for their terrible mouths while trying his best not to laugh.  

Honey nods vigorously, then she shocks Jungkook further by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. “Good boy, Koo.” She whispers before her little cheeks turn pink and she runs back to hide in Hoseok’s lap.

You laugh at the pure astonishment on the vampire’s face at the affection from the tiny human. “Aww, I think someone has a crush on you, Koo.” You tease as he laughs and gets to his feet, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

“Shuddup.”

Jungkook grabs your hand, intertwining your fingers with his before leading you to the front door. “Let’s just go.” He mumbles in embarrassment. You’re positive that his face would be a bright pink right now if he was a human, the thought making you giggle.

“So, what are we doing today?” You ask as Jungkook leads you through the forest. He just turns and smiles at you but doesn’t say a word. You roll your eyes playfully at his ability to keep a secret when he wants to.

When the two of you arrive in the cave where you first found Koko, you smile happily. “Oh! We haven’t been here for a long time.” You drag your fingers along the cold walls that are slightly damp. Jungkook walks over to a bag in the corner of the dark cave, he pulls out a flashlight and turns it on.

Then he points to a dry spot on the floor, “Sit.” He says simply, then he smiles when you oblige his request. Jungkook moves to sit next to you, his knee brushing yours and making goosebumps break out on your arms. You fight the urge to slink away from him, fearing that he can tell your heartbeat has sped up considerably.

But Jungkook doesn’t make any indications that he knows you’re trying not to combust, so you take a few breaths to calm down. You watch as Jungkook turns the flashlight to face one of the cave walls and props it against some rocks so that the beam will stay fixed on the empty wall of the cave.

“What is this about?” You giggle and he looks at you, his eyes shining with excitement. Then he puts his hands in front of the flashlight, projecting a giant shadow of his hands on the wall as he makes them look like a little dog, opening and closing its mouth.

Delighted giggles spill from your lips as Jungkook announces triumphantly, “A shadow show! See?? I remembered today when I used to do this as a kid all the time with my mother.” The look on Jungkook’s face as he watches his hand shadows on the wall is exactly how you feel.

Bittersweet.

You smile sadly and pat him on the head, “You’re adorable, Jeon Jungkook. And you know exactly how to make my day.” Then you put your hands in the beam, making a little bunny to hop over to Jungkook’s dog. You two keep playing around with the flashlight and shadows for longer than you thought you would, making up silly stories and laughing your heads off. You’re not sure how much time has passed when Jungkook announces that it’s time to go.

“I have more planned for today.” He states matter-of-factly, making you laugh again.

When you look back at him, your laugh cuts short seeing the way he’s watching you. “What is it?” You ask nervously, afraid something is on your face.

Jungkook gives you a half smile as he scoots closer, leaning in slowly. Your heart pounds heavily in your chest as he gets closer. No matter how many times he’s kissed you, it always feels like the first time, and the butterflies in your tummy always freak out on you.

“I know you won’t believe me.” He whispers so quietly you barely hear him, the only reason you do is because he’s only a few centimeters from your face. “But you’re beautiful when you laugh, it just makes me so happy to see you happy.”

And for the first time in forever, you don’t feel the need to argue with him.

Jungkook smiles at your silence and leans in, pressing his lips to yours gently.

The flashlight beam still shines against the cave wall, projecting the shadows, taking a fleeting picture of the exact moment that you realized, maybe you aren’t so unlovable after all.

~                 ~                 ~

“Ok, read.”

You laugh at Jungkook, who’s settled himself comfortably on the soft grass with his head in your lap as you lean against the willow tree in the clearing.

“I’m serious, y/n! I’ve been waiting for so long, read to me.” The pout evident in his voice makes you bite your lips to keep from smiling. “Ok, you little baby.”

Jungkook sighs in satisfaction and snuggles his head more in your lap, one of his hands reaching up to play with the hem of your shirt as you open your copy of Beauty and The Beast and start to read.

As you read, you run your fingers through Jungkook’s thick locks, massaging his head and making him sigh in content. Jungkook doesn’t think he’s ever been this happy, sitting here with the most important person to him as she reads to him and plays with his hair gently.

This is what heaven is like, he’s sure of it.

When your voice starts to crack a little as you’ve been reading for so long, Jungkook reaches up and takes the book out of your hands gently, smiling at your sleepy expression. “I don’t think I’ve ever talked that long in my entire life.” You mumble tiredly, making his smile widen even more.

“Lie down, y/n.” He whispers, then he helps you to scoot away from the tree enough to lay on the grass as you close your eyes. Jungkook lies next to you, putting one of his arms under your head as a pillow for you and another wrapping around your waist. He pulls you closer and snuggles his face into your neck.

“Kookie.”

“Mm?”

“I’m scared.”

He lifts his head to see that you’re still keeping your eyes closed, “What are you scared of, love?” He asks, concerned.

“I’ve never been so happy, and I don’t want it to end.” Your sleepy voice is laced with tears and it makes his throat close.

“It won’t, I promise.”

“How can you be so sure?” Your eyes are open now, one little tear slipping down your cheek before Jungkook wipes it away.

“Please, don’t cry.” He breathes out, desperate to make you happy. “I know that no matter what happens, I’ll always love you, that can never change.” Jungkook’s hair is draping over his face as he leans over you, his eyes scanning your features.

“Why do you love me?”

Jungkook knew this was coming, so he takes a deep breath to keep himself from crying. “I love you because you have a beautiful heart, but you’re far from perfect. That makes me love you even more, because you’re just you, and I love that. You never hurt me, even when I was so cruel to you, you always found it in your heart to be kind to me.”

You sniffle as he continues, “I love your eyes, and your nose and your mouth.” Jungkook lightly kisses each and every part of your face as he names everything on you. “I love your hands, and fingers. I love how silly you are, and I love how unpredictably predictable you are.” You laugh at that, “That doesn’t make sense, Kook.”

“It does when we’re talking about you.” He smirks before going on, “I love your laugh.” He tickles you a little, making you giggle, then he kisses your lips, “That’s the one, alright. And I love your dirty hair.” He plants one last kiss on your hair, making you laugh harder. “You’re gross, Kook.” You look away from his piercing gaze.

“You see the good in people, y/n. Sometimes when they don’t even deserve it. And I love you for that.” Jungkook lays his head on your chest, placing his ear over your heart as he listens intently to the rhythm it makes.

It only takes a few minutes for the sounds of a heartbeat and steady breathing to lull the two of you to sleep, the warm air enveloping you both as you lay in the shade of the willow tree, lying safely in each other’s arms.

~                 ~                    ~

“No, no. You’re doing good, try again.”

You smirk at the sight you’re met with when you walk into the kitchen to see if Seokjin needs any help with dinner.

It turns out he has plenty of help already.

Sooyoung is muttering to herself as she awkwardly maneuvers the knife she’s holding, trying her best to cut an onion the way Seokjin showed her earlier. She sighs and sets it down, her tiny hands looking even smaller next to the big knife.

You’re about to walk in to help her when Jin moves next to her again, neither of them seeing you in the doorway. You watch with a smile small as he takes the knife, “Aren’t you a nursing student?” He asks.

“Yes?” Sooyoung’s quiet voice responds, and she pulls at the sleeves of her long shirt over and over anxiously. Jin takes her hand, his own looking massive next to hers, and places the knife in it again, then he moves behind her and holds the onion with one hand over hers, and the knife, one hand over hers once again.

You start backing into the hallway, not wanting to interrupt them, then you hear Jin speak gently.

“Since when do nursing students, of all people, give up? Try again now, come on. I’ll help you.”

You’re biting your lip so hard so as not to giggle as you turn to run the other direction, when you run into a hard chest. A tiny squeal escapes your mouth and you look up to see Jungkook smiling down at you.

“What are-“

You clap a hand over his mouth and push him into the downstairs bathroom. Locking the door and breathing deeply, you turn to tell Jungkook why you were sneaking around when you see him smirking at you.

“W-why are you looking at me like that?” You look away from his gaze, not being able to keep it for very long.

“I never took you for this kind of girl, y/n. If my hyungs found us in here, we’d be in big trouble.” Jungkook muses tauntingly.

“You little-“ You seethe, your cheeks burning as you try to find the words you need. “Shut up, you pervert!” You hiss, making Jungkook chuckle. “I’m not the one that gagged you and dragged you into the bathroom, now am I?” He asks innocently.  

You blink, “W-well no…b-but I have a good reason!”

“And that is?” One of his eyebrows quirks up and he crosses his arms in front of his chest. You have to peel your eyes away from the veins on his forearms that are extremely visible when he crosses his arms like that…

No.

No, not now!

“Well, I think Seokjin likes Sooyoung.” You blurt out, instantly feeling bad for possibly outing one of their secrets. Jungkook’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline and his mouth drops open in surprise.

“What??”

“SHhhhuddup!! Stupid!” You smack your hand over his lips again and he breathes a chuckle, then he reaches up and moves your hand off his mouth.

“Don’t be mean, y/n. I’m not stupid.” He pouts, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

“Well, I’d hate to see what you’d do if you were then, if this is you being smart. Don’t you know how to be sneaky? Unless you want the whole house to know we’re in here then be quiet!” You whisper sharply as you look at the door anxiously, not wanting anyone to barge in and get a completely and utterly and totally wrong idea about this situation.

“Ok, ok. I’m sorry. Now, tell me what you saw.” Jungkook’s eyes are practically shining with excitement to hear the details and you soften instantly.

“Ok, so. I went in there and Seokjin was being really cute and sweet with Sooyoung and-…what’s the matter?” you look at Jungkook in confusion, not understanding why he suddenly looks upset as he pulls away from you.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” You’re scared that the dark cloud in his mind might have come back, but then Jungkook scoffs in annoyance. “You called hyung sweet and cute…” He looks away and you laugh in disbelief.

“Seriously? You’re jealous of Jinnie when I’m literally telling you about how cute I think him and Sooyoung are together? That doesn’t even make sense, Kookie!” You start to laugh harder and he glares at you.

“It isn’t funny. What if I was the one that saw it and I was telling you that I thought Sooyoung was so sweet and cute and whatever. How would you feel?” He snaps back and you feel your blood heat up at the thought of it, then you snap out of it.

“Ok, I’m sorry. I get why that would upset you, I won’t do it again.” You smile at him, but he still glares at you. “And stop calling him Jinnie!” He huffs, leaving you shocked at his behavior.

You frown and cross your arms, moving to the door to lean against it as you pout. “You don’t have to be so controlling, Jungkook. Geez, you just ruined the whole mood.” Jungkook softens and walks over to you, putting his hands on either side of your face as he leans in to kiss your nose. “You’re right, that wasn’t very thoughtful of me. You can call everyone whatever you want, baby. I’m sorry.”

You try to bite back your smile but break when Jungkook keeps pecking your nose, “Ok, ok. I’m not mad. And if I had known it bothered you, I wouldn’t have done it. I just don’t like it when you tell me what to do like that, it makes me feel like you’re controlling me, and that doesn’t feel very good.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make it sound like I was controlling you. I just got overwhelmed and I said what I wanted without thinking.” Jungkook frowns guiltily.

“Hey, I forgive you. Do you forgive me for being inconsiderate about my wording?” You ask him gently, not wanting the mood to be sour anymore. He nods and you smile brightly, which makes him smile again.

“Ok, now tell me what you saw them do-”

Knock, knock.

You and Jungkook jump away from the door when someone knocks on it harshly, then a voice comes from the other side, “Jungkook, I need to use the restroom. Are you done yet?  You’ve been in there forever.”

Yoongi.

Jungkook looks at you with wide eyes, neither of you know what to do in this situation. Then Jungkook clears his throat, “Uh, yeah. G-gimme a sec, please.”

A loud sigh comes through the door and you try to stifle a nervous laugh.

“Fuck.” Jungkook breathes out, running his hand through his hair. “It’s not funny, y/n! You want to know who’s going to get skinned alive if they find us locked in the bathroom together? Well, spoiler alert, it isn’t going to be fucking you.”

You bite your lips, his words only making you want to laugh harder.

He points an accusing finger at you, “This is your fault, you remember that.”

Then Jungkook pushes you behind the door and cracks it open, smiling nervously at his older brother. “H-hyung, sorry.”

Yoongi rolls his eyes, “Ok, it’s fine. Just let me in now, please?” He looks at the young vampire expectantly. Jungkook clears his throat, “Uh, yeah, ok. Oh! Hobi hyung is calling you.”

“Hoseok knows I was going to the bathroom.”

“Did I say Hoseok hyung? I meant Joon hyung.”

“Get out of my way you little shit, what are you hiding?” Yoongi pushes past Jungkook and opens the door, making you shuffle back until your back hits the wall. Then Yoongi looks behind the door and scowls when he sees you standing there.

“Hyung! Why’d you do that?” Jungkook seethes, but Yoongi just shakes his head and smiles. “Get out of here, you idiots. I know you weren’t doing anything, what do you think I’m stupid? Kook is too nervous to even look at you for more than a few moments, I doubt he’d try anything scandalous.”

“Hyung!”

“I have to use the restroom! Get out before I tell Seokjin you’re getting frisky in here!” Yoongi scolds you two, pushing you both out after sending you a quick wink. Jungkook is sputtering in humiliation at his hyung’s usage of words while you try to stop laughing at his expression.

“H-he’s an idiot, y/n. Don’t listen to anything he ever says.”

“Alright.” You try your best to stay calm and not burst into another round of giggles. Jungkook just shakes his head in annoyance and stomps towards the living room.

~                       ~                        ~

“Oh shit, Jin hyung is whipped.”

Jungkook giggles when you shove his arm, trying to hold in your own laughter. He looks back at the eldest who is kindly and calmly talking Sooyoung through the making of dinner.

“Seriously though, he is totally falling for her.” Jungkook whispers.

Both of your heads are peeking around the corner of the kitchen, watching the pair cook dinner. You have a moment of wondering if maybe this is a bit creepy, then you shake your head and decide that it isn’t.

Look, it’s cute ok?

You can’t help but watch them and root for Jin. He deserves to be happy, he’s always putting others first before himself, never taking much time to take care of his own needs and wants. Sooyoung coming and befriending Jin couldn’t make you any happier. He’s finally got someone to hang out with all the time, and it brings a sense of relief to you knowing he isn’t lonely when you can’t be there to hang out with him.

“You better be nice, Kook. Don’t tease him and make things harder for him, ok?” You turn and glare at Jungkook, who looks at you, offended. “I wouldn’t dare.” He scoffs and your glare gets harder.

“I’ll deal with you myself if I find out you’ve done anything to make him uncomfortable, you understand?” Jungkook laughs internally at the stern look on your face as he nods. He finds it amusing that even when you’re really nothing compared to him with strength, you can still make him do whatever you say.

You’ve got him wrapped around your little finger, and he loves it.

~                             ~                                ~

After dinner that night, you offer to do the dishes, to which Jungkook automatically volunteers to help you with.

You’re scrubbing a plate and rinsing it as Jungkook twirls the dish towel in the air, busying himself while you clean the dish for him to eventually dry.

“I feel bad that you always help with the dishes, Kookie. You don’t use them, so it isn’t fair.” You frown and hand him the now clean plate. Jungkook takes it and smirks, “Do you want to give me a kiss to make up for it?” He asks playfully, making you roll your eyes.

“Goodness, you’re incorrigible.” You mutter before dipping your hands back into the soapy water to find more dishes. Jungkook just laughs and puts the plate away, then turns back to watch you wash.

“Kook, you’re giving me heart eyes again.” You say simply, handing him a cup and diving back in the sink for more. He giggles, “And? Something wrong with that?”

You shake your head, “Not at all, but when you’re looking at me like that as I’m elbow deep in dishwater it’s kind of a strange combo.” You laugh to yourself as his smile brightens.

“You know it takes a certain kind of girl to look as beautiful as you do while cleaning dirty dishes, I’ll give that to you.”

“And I’ll take it.” You say with a smile, handing him the last of the silverware to dry and put away. “Do I really not get a kiss though?” Jungkook pouts and you shake your head in amusement, “Ok, a quick one. Close your eyes.”

Jungkook obeys instantly, squeezing his eyes shut and puckering his lips.

When the cold and wet feeling of dishwater touches his lips, he flinches back, spluttering and coughing. “Agh! You did not just put dishwater on my mouth you little brat.” Jungkook wipes his lips aggressively as you laugh. Then, he scoops up a handful of bubbles from the soapy water and plops it right on your head.

“Hey!’ You scream and grab more bubbles of your own to attack him with. You two end up squealing and running around the kitchen, covering the whole place with bubbles until Jin finds you making a mess and scolds the two of you for being foolish.

But you can tell he doesn’t mind when he sends you a quick wink before grabbing a handful of bubbles and practically slapping Jungkook in the face with them.

“Yah! Why me??”

~                             ~                                ~

The house creaks quietly as you make your way to your bedroom door, pausing to look back at the girls sleeping in the bed and on the floor.

All of them are sleeping soundly, so you smile and turn the knob, slipping out quickly and closing the door silently.

You knock softly on Jungkook’s bedroom door, waiting to hear his response. You frown when he doesn’t answer right away like he usually does. Instead, a long silence drags out, making your stomach turn.

“Kookie?” You whisper softly, trying not to wake the whole house.

When your call goes unanswered, you crack open the door slowly and look in the room. Moonlight shines through the blinds and cascades across the floorboards. By the tiny amount of light, you can already see that Jungkook isn’t in his bed. The covers are all messed up, but he’s nowhere to be seen.

Sighing and closing the door again, you turn to go down the hallway and towards the stairs. The stairs groan when you descend them, and you cringe at the sound. When you make it to the bottom you flinch when you hear a small sound coming from the living room.

This time you know exactly what it is, so you don’t hesitate as you hurry into the living room to see Jungkook sitting on the couch with his face in his hands. A pained sigh leaves your lips at the sight of how broken he looks, suffering alone.  

He looks up and you see the tear streaks down his cheeks, his deep red eyes reflecting pain and regret. “Jungkook-" You breathe out before he cuts you off. “Y/n, I don’t want this. Y/n, I want to be a human again. I don’t want to die a monster.”

“Jungkook, you won’t die, and you’re not a monster.” Your heart clenches.

Jungkook doesn’t seem to hear you as another choked sob leaves his throat.

“I’m sorry I found you…I’m sorry I brought you back…I’m sorry that I fell in love with you.” You walk over to him, gently taking his slumped shoulders in your hands and making him look up at you.

“Don’t say that Jungkook. I’m grateful I met you. I’m glad you love me.” His eyes shine with a fresh wave of tears and he pulls you into his lap. “Don’t ever apologize for loving me, Kookie. Because loving you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I know now. You’re the one thing I never knew I needed.”

Jungkook bites his bottom lip, his eyes shining with unfallen tears as he takes a shaky breath. “Why aren’t you sleeping, love?” He wipes his eyes and clears his throat, tightening his grip on your waist and pulling you closer on his lap.

You stroke his hair gently while he tucks his head into the crook of your neck. “I couldn’t sleep.” You murmur softly, closing your eyes and laying your head on his as you whisper, “I just missed you.” Jungkook sniffles at your words and you feel his hand searching for yours, giving it a tight squeeze when he finds it.

“There’s something bothering you.” You say as you lift your head, watching him left his slowly, meeting your eyes. He looks away and you take his chin, pulling him back to look at you.

“It’s me, Kookie. You know you can tell me anything. Besides, I’ll just find out anyway and then it’ll be worse if I don’t hear it from you.” Jungkook sighs at that and pulls you to lay down on the couch.

“I’m just trying my best not to give up.” Jungkook whispers brokenly, his eyes closed as he lies next to you. You feel your heart stop in your chest at that.

“I hate everything that I am.” Jungkook continues, his voice low and full of emotion. “But when I’m with you, I feel human again.”

Without opening his eyes, Jungkook reaches a hand out to caress your cheek with his fingers, his other arm still wrapped around you. You shiver slightly at the cold touch of his skin. “Your skin is so warm.” He chuckles quietly. You smile sadly and take his hand in yours as he keeps talking, “What I wouldn’t do to be a human again, just so I can feel everything like you do. I want to feel, y/n. I want to be a human again.”

“I know, Kook.”

“I feel like there’s always a thin curtain separating us, and it kills me. I just want to feel my heart pounding for you like I know yours does.”

When you open your eyes to look at him, you see his crimson orbs gazing out the living room window, his eyes have a faraway look to them as he lets himself say what’s been on his mind.

“That’s one thing that I know I always took for granted.”

“What?” You ask after he doesn’t speak for another minute. Jungkook blinks slowly, “We know that when we die, everything stops. When there’s no pulse, we’re gone, done. So, I took my heartbeat for granted, I never thought I would lose it until the day I die. It’s something so simple, but I miss it so much.”

You blink back burning tears and take a deep breath, then you take his hand, “Close your eyes, Kookie.” He looks at you curiously before closing them like you requested.

You gently put his hand over your heart, letting him feel the steady and strong beating, watching as his lips curve into a small smile. He sighs happily and pulls you closer to him to the point where there isn’t any space between you at all anymore.

“My heartbeat belongs to you too, Koo. You’ll always be a human at heart, no matter what you look like on the outside or what any voice inside tells you. The most beautiful part of humanity is when a human is broken and doesn’t give up. Humans were never meant to be perfect. We’re made to be broken and rebuilt again and again.” Your words reach into the deep crevices of his mind that have been untouched for as long as he can remember. He lets out a shaky breath as you continue, “I love all of you, Kookie. And I’ll always be here, I promise.”

Jungkook lets himself melt into the couch, focusing all his attention on the beating of your heart through his palm while your words gently flow through his aching mind. He imagines that his heart beats at the same pace, joining in time with yours. Jungkook eventually falls asleep, for the first time in a long time, his mind is clear as he lets himself relax into a deep slumber.

Dreams of beating hearts and warm caresses fill your heads as you sleep away all the fears that will eventually come crawling back into the depths of your minds.

But for now, an escape is all you can ask for.

The next morning, Namjoon is the first awake, and the first to jump back in surprise when he finds the two bodies tangled together on the couch, puffy eyes and messy hair a more human and beautiful picture than he ever thought he’d see in this household.

He smiles and quietly grabs his book from the shelf, glancing back once before moving himself out of the room, ready to explain why no one can go in the living room for now.

Because even if it’s just for one more hour, he wants to let you two dream.

____________________________________

a/n: im weak for soft vamp kook :')) tysm for being so nice ;-;

taglist: @jjungkook99 @ditttiii @fekitza @rubinora @xxxanimangxxx @jkhey97 @your-best-behaviour @adelina1299 @lettersforjoon @karissassirak @krystle1990 @elliegrace1999tvd @hopeworld-baseline @nikikookie @howbizarre @squidyelmosquidbutt @jeonjungkookismyfuture

[mnxxlove]

POURED DAISIES #1 #2

Pairing: Harry Styles

Prompts:

11; multi chapter

16; just fluff

20; soulmates as friends or lovers

AU; picnic date

AU; rainy day

Word Count: 3327

Summary: It’s late September, Y/n and Harry have decided to make a picnic, in one of their favourite locations. He has been away for almost six months, having also on count that he has been really busy working in his new album. Reader supposes that they were going to do such as the other times, having a snack, listening to some music singing with his guitar, and even if it sounded unbelievably corny, taking pictures of themselves there. But he had in mind prepared something more exciting.

warnings: a lot of fluffiness, a bit of angst but it’s a little I promise.

author’s note: I wanted to make this short story because I’ve been trying to search for anything alike, but sadly, as far as I know, there weren’t any fanfiction or imagines. But no worries, I made one myself. For the moment, it only will have two chapters. If you want me to tag u, please tell me 🌼

•From me; to all of you. 🥰

gif not mine

It was Friday in the afternoon, he was driving on it’s way to her house, and as much as Harry desired that day to be as sunny as possible, it was actually very much cloudy. But still, that wasn’t enough of an excuse for them to cancel their most wanted date. They have been apart for almost six months. And although they used to call each other every few days, they still had to work, which was always a big issue that kept them separated for a long period of time… But luckily, he has already finished the album which he had taken some time in. And knowing that he was going to be back in town, they decided to make plans, but somehow what, at the end he couldn’t make it. She was a bit disappointed, but not angry as he expected her to be. And even when she made clear, the fact that it was fine, he knew it wasn’t. And that she was just trying to be kind with him, something that he really appreciated, although he just right deep down, just knew it wasn’t right...

His thumbs played cheerfully on the black leather wheel, while he enjoyed the instrumental of one of his favourite songs. Harry was feeling calmed, but at the same time, he could swear that if happiness was his superpower, he would be already touching the grey clouds of the sky. There was a sweet grin, curving his thin lips most of the time, but he couldn’t help but giggle, once so often to himself. He was feeling like a complete teenager, and it has been so long, ever since the last time, he has ever felt that way. Part of him wanted to scream of excitement, but the other part just wanted to run and hide under his bed, just when he used to do when he was younger. But he knew, he needed to do it. They made plans two weeks ago, but he got distracted with his family, and knowing he wouldn’t be able to make it, he warned her five hours before the hour they chose, to meet each other at the cafeteria. He felt bad for it, but he wanted to spend the rest of the day with his family, most specifically his sister, which was going to go on vacation for a few days. When he cancelled their plans for that day, Harry thought about giving her an excuse, but at the end, he just apologised. But he was going to compensate her today. He just asked her if it was possible for her to be out for the rest of the day and to dress comfy. Y/n had no idea where he was going to take her to, and she hated surprises so badly, and he knew it, which it was even funnier for him to do so.

Her neighbourhood wasn’t far away from his childhood house, but he still insisted on picking her up. Even if they were only ten minutes away, he always used to take the long way to her house, and even though he always did it, she still made it after him. Y/n always being the one finding him parked outside her house. But this time was different. He didn’t take the long road, he went for the shortest one instead. However, even if he was already picturing himself waiting for her outside the car.

The moment his car passed by, he saw her sitting on the porch waiting for him. Her hair was longer, and as she had told him a few months ago, she had lost a little weight, because of the stress that she needed to deal with, these past few months. A lot of stuff happened, he left and she stayed, but their lives kept going and the world kept rotating. Meaning, that it has been longer than he ever expected. Harry didn’t even think about it, and he parked the car. Making her to immediately raise her chin. Clumsily, he got out of his car and once he got out, he closed it behind him, Harry walked rapidly towards her, and so did she, almost tripping on the way. Laughing, they embraced each other.

“Oh my god! You look lovely, Harry.” She mumbled, her voice being way more higher-pitched than normal.

Harry was having his back a bit bend, because of their noticeable, different height difference. Arms kept her close to his chest, his chin was rested on her left shoulder, whereas Y/n kept herself closer to him, her short arms passed by his back, the sleeves of her oversized cardigan hiding her wrists. She was having her head rested on his chest, and meanwhile she was having her eyes closed and a big grin marked on her face, he was having his eyes closed while he just couldn’t help but to feel himself fade away with the sweet smell of her perfume.

“I missed you like crazy.” Harry whispered, while caressing her back with one of his hands.

Just after that, they didn’t say anything else. And it was at that precise moment, that they then, began to feel alright again. Not just the feeling of home came back just to him, but for her again. And even if she wouldn’t ever admit it out loud, she needed him more than ever. There wasn’t anyone that could be compared, and if that was possible they weren’t interested in finding it. Both feeling flustered, just decided to break the long embrace, they formed a few minutes ago.

On one hand, he was grinning, a big smile from ear to ear. His green eyes shining, bright as crystal, letting her know that he was moved by the situation. And on the other hand, she just looked at him in the same way, but the only difference was that she was hiding her big smile behind her hands, that were pressed together and just placed on her mouth shyly. Harry let out a chuckle which Y/n shared too. Bowing his head a bit, he just took a step towards her, to then, holding both her hands. It felt unbelievably good being together again, and they just looked at each other happily. Harry stretched their arms, and he saw her up and down and he just smiled, heart eyes staring directly to her.

“I was tired of looking at pictures. It’s just not the same...” He affirmed softly, which just made her to bow her head to a side, shocking her head.

They couldn’t picture each other as a third person would, but if they could, they would definitely melt.

They looked like children in love, and they had no idea.

“Where are you taking me?” She giggled, walking straight to the co-pilot seat that was on the right side of the car. Harry didn’t give her an answer. He just limited himself to hum while rolling his eyes instead.

Y/n not getting anything back, she turned around on her feet, now staring at him in the eyes, her head being now raised. Before saying anything, he stared at her, his eyes narrowed.

“I can’t tell.” He gasped and she nodded, letting out a sigh.

“Hey, it is alright. You’ll love it!” His voice softened this time. Y/n knew, that he was aware that she hated surprises. But he did it only because he knew she’d love it… And that is mostly the only excuse he always had in mind, to make her a surprise.

“Trust me, love.” He added, now helping her with the door. Y/n gazed at him, eyes now narrowed.

She was feeling quite too intrigued but still, she had no idea where they were going or even, what they were going to do… Once, Y/n was in, she turned her head, and she saw on the backseats his guitar, with a green notebook and a purple pen. She wondered if there’s a chance that he has been writing or composing lately. But knowing it was private, she preferred to not ask. When he opened the door, she just pretended to put on her seatbelt, to then, staring up at him.

The ride didn’t feel long, or at least, thirty minutes beside him felt like that. The car was silent, the only thing that it could be heard was the music sounding, leaving it as a good background music.

It was delicate and it felt slowed down... Being with him felt peaceful, loving and exciting such as it always felt like it. If it weren’t because they have made memories not including each other, it would feel like they have never gotten separated. Harry loved it. Being with her again felt fresh and homelike, but even if it felt heart-whelming, it also was heartbreaking, just thinking that he would be gone again in a few months. Which by just having that kind of thought running around his mind, made his mood to change drastically. He wasn’t smiling anymore, and he was now looking straight at the highway and it’s traffic signs. His jaw was tightened and a frown was formed within seconds.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice disconcerted him, making him turn his head, to gaze at her for a split of a second.

“It’s just… Everytime I come back, it makes it harder for me to go.” He let out a deep sigh.

She wasn’t expecting that answer, which at first left her speechless, but she then just placed her cold hand on his, which was placed on the gear lever. Y/n understood how difficult it could be for him. He was alone most of the time, and the only close persons he really had after his family was her. And sadly, they were always far away from him, which always broke him.

“One day, you’ll have to go and never come back in a longer period than just six months…” She added, thinking it would be good. But she was wrong.

“Are you trying to make me sadder?” He cut her ironically, having both his eyebrows raised in expectation.

“Of course not, you silly... I’m just saying that sooner or later, you’ll find the way to get away with this.” Y/n continued, but he just scoffed mentally.

“I’ll never find a way to get away with this. This my home, and it’ll always be my home. The people I love the most are here. And I’ll never forget it.” Harry affirmed, her hand slightly gripping his own.

“...I missed you too.” She suddenly said, copying the same four words he had told her, when his arms were embracing her tightly. Harry just opened his hand, his fingers stretching before her hand, so she could intertwine her fingers with his own.

Before they would notice, they were already approaching the old field, they were used to go often, when they were way much younger. At some point they just decided to stop going. Which they didn’t even know when that happened... The last time they went there was a day before he left London, and it’s been six months. They expected it to look the same, mostly her, but it looked differently... It wasn’t freshed cut as always. And it seemed that it had bloomed flower, after all.

“This cannot be real. You really got us back here?” She told, eyes staring straight at her window.

Harry hearing how happy she turned, it made him happy too. But, somehow, that mix of nostalgia couldn’t fade away...

Just when he parked the car, both got out of the vehicle. And they helped each other place everything up. Just when everything was placed, they sat down on the big white cloth.

“I wanted it to be sunny, but the Sun just decided to not cooperate today.” He scoffed, to then take the basket that was just at the edge from where they were sitting.

“I like it cloudy.” Y/n smiled, not taking her eyes off the field. Feeling herself free, she closed her eyes and calmed, she breathed in deeply, to then letting out all the air. The dampness in the air mixed with the smell of flowers and glass made her smile. And Harry noticed, not helping it but grinning, too then looking down. He opened a few crystal Tupperwares, and he left them there, the tape just being left on. There were seasonal fruits, such as blueberries, the seeds of the pomegranate and white grapes which were their favourite. They were also sandwiches and cookies which he dedicated to prepare just for themselves. And knowing how much she loved the cake he always prepares, he brought some just for her.

“Oh, I love you, I freaking love you.” She repeated after taking a bite of the cake. Harry just let out a guffaw once she told that.

“I know you’d like it.” He laughed.

“I meant you, but ok.” Y/n joked, blinking in surprise.

Still eating, she saw how he grabbed his Polaroid camera, and before he would take the picture she just tried to pose, her eyes were wide opened, both her hands holding the little piece of cake with frosting on it.

It was a surprise picture, and even if she wouldn’t like it, she knew it would be a memory and she really didn’t care if she looked bad or anything, because they were the only ones who had those pictures.

“Does it look good?” Y/n joked, leaving the rest of the cake inside the Tupperware, to then, cleaning her hands with a paper tissue that was inside the basket.

“Adorable.” He affirmed, and she just shocked her head.

The minutes passed and within the sky turned way more darker, letting them believe that it was possibly that it was going to rain. But they just didn’t care.

“I thought about it... I brought a parasol, don’t worry.” He added, rapidly standing up from the cloth, to then getting closer to the car. Y/n turned her head around, to look at him. Without thinking if he would require any help, she just stood up.

Luckily they put it on, and sat just when it felt like it was about to rain. And that’s when he then decided it was going to be an excellent moment to take his guitar, at first he started to improvise, but he then decided to take it seriously. She was laying down, on the white cotton fabric cloth, using both her forearms as a pillow. His voice sounded deep but soothing at the same time. And it was relaxing to hear him sing with the rain in the background. He had his eyes closed most of the time, or at least they were until she took the camera to then take a picture of him. When the flash sounded he opened his eyes abruptly, to then getting flustered, her cheeks flushed.

“Just stop your crying, It'll be alright.. They told me that the end is near. We gotta get away from here. Remember, everything will be alright. We can meet again somewhere. Somewhere far away from here... We never learn, we've been here before. Why are we always stuck and running from.. The bullets, the bullets…?” He sang, his voice mixing with the raindrops collapsing to the waterproof parasol.

It was heavenly peaceful, and she couldn’t stop staring at him.

“...Wanna join me?” He continued playing, and she just nodded, but just after Harry gave her the signal to sing the chorus, the cold wind brushed the field. The smell of lavender embraced them, and not expecting it, luckily they were lucky enough to behold the most wonderful thing, such as how millions of daisies were plucked, and just flew towards them, leaving them having the white cloth covered with daisies and a few lavenders. They looked amazed, it was the very first time in their entire lives that they’ve ever seen that happen in real life. And even if they got a bit wet because of the wind mixed with rain, they loved it still.

Harry stopped playing his guitar, just at the exact moment the flowers started to fly. It was one of those special moments, which anyone would like to take a picture of, to remember it. But they just stared at it hopeful, trying to keep that feeling of freedom and live. Keeping his breath, he left his instrument aside, to then look at her. She just stared at her, eyes wide opened.

She looked beautiful, her hair wasn’t disheveled as she expected it to be. It was more likely brushed, and left falling behind her back. But what she wasn’t able to see was that there were petals and a few flowers lying on a few strands of her hair.

“Do not dare to move.” He demanded which made her stay firm but scared at the same time.

“Do I have a bug on my hair?” Y/n low voice stuttered.

Harry just took the camera and took a pic of her.

“Two bugs?...-Three??” She continued, still being scared. Y/n tried to touch her hair with her fingertips, but was too unsure to touch it. Harry then held both her hands and made her approach. Y/n just took a few steps with both her knees and she then sat in front of him.

“Take it off, please.” She sighed, closing her eyes tightly. Which he just found completely adorable.

Delicately, he collected the petals and the few flowers that were still in her hair, and he left them on one of the palm of his hands.

“Look.” Harry added, showing her his hand. But she didn’t look at it.

“Are you crazy? I’m not going to look!” She overreacted, which made him smirk.

“Ok… Then, smell it.” He affirmed, making her frown ironically. Sighing, she just bowed her head and not after swallowing hard, she then moved her head towards him, her chin being now raised. Harry just held one little daisy and he took it carefully near her nose.

Shyly, Y/n smelled the flower and just let out a chuckle.

“It’s a freaking flower!” Y/n laughed, opening her eyes.

She felt embarrassed but she just decided to laugh while lowering her head.

“You had this all over your hair.” Harry smiled, looking down at the flower. He rounded it on his fingers, making the white petals dance, repeatedly in circles.

Without thinking about it, she just stood up on her knees to then embrace him. Harry didn’t expected her to do that, and even if for first seconds he could be able to hold her, he just let himself fall backwards, having her held tight to him. They spend more than five minutes just laughing to themselves, and they then just stay in that same composure for a long period of time.

Both his arms were placed around her back, and once in a while he would caress her back trying to comfort her. Meanwhile, on the other hand, she was resting her head and chest on him.

“Do you wanna stay the night at my place?” He whispered and she just raised her head now finding him looking down, so he could see her. Y/n just nodded her head slightly. They kept eye contact for a split of a second, to then hide her face in his brown jumper. Feeling a bit awkward, she tried to move but Harry didn’t let her.

“I don’t wanna leave. Not just now.” He sighed, his chest lowered after her.

“Just one more minute…” Harry added lowly, while looking straight up to the clouds, who were still looking dark-grey and dense. Y/n didn’t hesitate, in fact she liked to be with him like that. And she didn’t want the seconds and minutes to pass. But it always did.