#it's a sweet lineup nonetheless ! i hope you enjoy it too :)

[cryptixotic]

Here’s to one more year ! ✨ And many more years of drawing bizarre people and creatures, i hope :-)

[joocomics]

DINNAAAAA OMG…. this lineup… i cannot wait 😭 i personally will be eagerly awaiting junhan corruption kink cuz 😩 boy who seems sweet and shy but has a dark side save me… save me sweet shy boy with a dark side…

AHH THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 🫶🏼 omg i didn’t specify in the schedule who’s sub/dom (i was wondering if it would be better if i did, but at the same time i wanted to leave it a surprise?) but yeah the corruption kink prompt is with junhan receiving 👀 i hope you enjoy it nonetheless! if not, there will be a shy boy with a dark side in the second half of the event! it’s one of my favorites too 🙂‍↕️

shameless plug… in case you haven’t read my fic remember your first part 1 and part 2 you may enjoy it since junhan has a dark kinky side there!

thank you for the support 🩷

[yeonws]

hello everyone~ and thank you all for the welcomes so far! pls forgive me as i will slowly be making my way through them jjefjlcij as for now, please allow me to welcome my first muse cha yeonsu who is the main dancer, rapper, vocalist [ P2 ] of yuseong ent’s boy group phoenix! i promise i tried to keep things sort so i do apologize things got a little longer but nonetheless, i hope that you guys enjoy reading about him! also it is my first time in an idol rp so i helplessly do not have any plots,, as i get settled i will try and figure something out otherwise if you have ideas or propositions please feel free to message me!

BACKGROUND

tldr [tw: familial death]

cha yeonsu, stage name: yeon

born in seoul, sk on march 1, 1997

main dancer, rapper and vocalist of phoenix

trained appox 6 years

family: father, mother, older brother [ 2 years - deceased ], younger brother [ 10 years ]

grew up super close with his older brother who was literally the perfect son, brother, friend, anything you name it. everyone loved him including yeonsu

his older brother helped him cultivate his interest and passion in music and dance

at 14, his brother is struck by a car in a traffic accident and passes away in emergency before his family makes it to the hospital to see him

his parents basically go downhill from there and kind of neglect yeonsu out of being buried in their own grief and trying to raise his younger brother. their expectations are that yeonsu is doing well in school and doing everything he’s supposed to be doing

but in reality, yeonsu is having just as hard of a time and turns to dance and music to cope. instead of going to extra school session after regular school, he spends his time at dance studios until he joins a group that regularly busks in hongdae

at 16, during a busking session is where he gets scouted by his first company - stonex corporation. after 2 years of training, they tell him he’s going to be apart of their upcoming boy group hex. however, the debut keeps getting pushed back through an entire year until all the members have left and it’s only yeonsu left. the company tells him they’re not planning to debut a soloist and with the remaining trainees still being too inexperienced or young, yeonsu also takes his leave from the company.

he’s quickly picked up by his second company - future media - that tell him they’ve had an eye on him and want him in their next boy group. yeonsu doesn’t anticipate that he has to train again for another 2 years before the company has finally put the entire group together and the lineup is complete for the boy group, V.I.M., with yeonsu as their center and main rapper. however, right after the final member signs his contract, the ceo suddenly disappears with all of the company’s money.

the truth comes out that the ceo had begun scamming new trainees since over a year ago, taking their money. everything that had gone into creating V.I.M. had simply been used as ruse to continue drawing in trainees until the ceo accumulated enough money to run off.

yeonsu continues trying and auditions for more companies afterwards because at this point, music is all he knows and what’s been there for him since the passing of his older brother.

he’s quick to sign again with yuseong entertainment before he debuts a year later as phoenix’s main dancer, rapper and vocalist.

due to his experiences, yeonsu was very skeptical about phoenix’s debut being successful and continued to carry the insecurity that they would suddenly flop or be canceled through the years. that influences the relationships he’s built with his members and the reason for any times he’s slightly cold or struggles to show his appreciation but he truly does love his group and members.

PERSONALITY

he kind of has a cold exterior because he usually has a stoic expression but he’s pretty sweet and unexpectedly funny ( as in a bit clueless and his reactions gets people going ). in reality, he just doesn’t know how to react and smile much on camera unless if he’s performing

crazy stage presence that he sometimes doesn’t know how to turn off after a good performance so he comes off intimidating a lot of times backstage while transitioning from performance mode to relax mode

he’s not the type to show lots of aegyo or affection, not because he doesn’t like it but because he just doesn’t really know how to express those emotions lol he tries his best tho

despite his reserved aura, he’s definitely the type to walk up and strike a random conversation and go about it as if you know each other because he’s found that people always reply and are more willing to interact

FUN FACTS

he absolutely loves watermelon but hates anything artificially flavored as watermelon. it’s the real deal or not lol

he’s currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree and has been doing most classes online

his younger brother is a huge fan of phoenix so yeonsu has made it a priority to always gift him their albums signed by all the members with personalized messages

he doesn’t go to the gym a lot but he does enjoy swimming during his free time which accounts for all the tone up he got through the years aside from dance

gets crazy competitive at arcades or any attractions that include physical activity

really wants to guest star on running man

is considering his hand at acting because a fan once told him he ‘looks like a main character’

uses a lot of things in unconventional ways or ways they’re not meant to be used (ie. the handle of a screwdriver as a hammer,

has a habit of resting his eyes when he’s bored or has nothing to do.

influenced his other habit of being able to fall asleep anywhere. literally anywhere. members also will talk to him thinking he’s awake until they realize he’s not leading to a lot of funny incidents.

[drabbles-mc]

Protective Detail (3/?)

Nestor Oceteva x Reader

Warnings: language, falling more in love with Nestor than we already were originally (if that’s even possible)

Word Count: 2.7k

A/N: I’m a sucker for characters building relationships. Humans slowly getting to know each other and get more comfortable with each other??? Friendships and feelings developing?? Sign me the fuck up lmao. As always, hope y’all enjoy xoxo

Chapter Index

Protective Detail Taglist: @masterlistforimagines​ @sillygoose6969​ @mydaiilyescape​ @lovebennycolon​ @the-radical-venus​ @gemini0410​ @garbinge​ (If you want to be tagged in this fic or any of my other writing let me know!)

A few days into the new arrangement, you and Nestor had started figuring out a little bit of a routine. There were a lot of quiet moments between the two of you—you realized that he wasn’t much of a talker and you were still trying to figure out how to get him to say more than two sentences at a time about anything. It was like your new mission.

He was adamant about doing dishes. He couldn’t stand letting them sit in the sink overnight, so they were always clean first thing in the morning when you came out into the kitchen. He’d shake his head at you before you could even try to tell him that it wasn’t necessary. You wanted to be motivated enough to clean them before you went to bed, but by the time the end of the day rolled around all you wanted to do was crawl under the covers and pass out, so that was usually what you ended up doing.

“I’ll do dishes but I draw the line at combining our laundry,” he said as he carried his small hamper of dirty clothes to the basement where the washer and dryer were.

You laughed, calling after him, “Oh darn. How am I supposed to snoop through your stuff, then?” you felt your phone vibrating in your pocket and you took it out to see who was calling, smiling to yourself when you saw your father’s contact photo on your phone screen, “You’re calling early.”

“You’re awake early,” you could hear the smile in his voice, “Was just calling to check in and see how things are going.”

“I haven’t succeeded in driving him away yet, unfortunately.”

Nestor’s voice came from downstairs, “I can hear you!”

“Good!” you called back with a laugh before returning your attention to your phone call.

Your father sighed, “So things are going well, I see.”

“It’s really not bad at all, Papi. Nestor is alright. It’s just weird living with someone that you don’t know,” you paced the floor of your kitchen, “You know how long he’s gonna have to stay with me?”

“Until I feel that things have been properly handled.”

“You sure Miguel doesn’t need him back?”

“Even if he did, he would never ask me,” you knew your father well enough to know that there was a light smugness to his voice as he said that, “But you’ve been alright? You’re safe?”

“Yes, I’m safe,” you heard Nestor’s footsteps coming back up the stairs and you turned to face him, a childish smirk on your face, “Nestor is doing a fabulous job protecting me.” You chuckled as he pressed his lips into a thin line and made his way to the guest room without a word.

Your father laughed, knowing that you were giving your protective detail a run for his money, “Don’t be too hard on him, mija.”

You laughed, “No promises. I’ll talk to you soon, okay? Love you.”

“Love you too,” he let out a soft chuckle before hanging up the call.

Morning faded into the afternoon and you hadn’t seen Nestor since he disappeared after he brought laundry downstairs. Some moments you wondered if your father’s concern about him being annoyed enough to quit were valid, but you also figured that Nestor was too proud and stubborn to bail. You walked down the hall and knocked on the open door to what you now considered his room. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, tying his shoes. You smiled slightly as he looked over at you, eyebrows raised.

“You almost ready to go?” you asked, “Ready for another very boring night sitting at the bar watching me like a creep?”

He stood up and walked over to you, and for a moment you were reminded of the size difference between the two of you. he glanced down at you, making you feel very small as your face instantly got hot, “Ready to watch me watch you? Like an even bigger creep?” You chuckled, mostly to try and relieve the tension that was bubbling up inside your body. He brushed past you and went to grab his keys, “My turn to drive.”

You followed his path and opened your mouth to argue, but you knew it was useless. With a sigh you grabbed your purse and followed him out the door to his SUV. He’d driven you a couple places in it, and you had to admit it had way more room than your car when it came to grocery shopping. You still weren’t ready to accept it as your main mode of transportation, though. You could’ve had your own nice car, and your father would’ve preferred it, but you didn’t like feeling so obvious. And, in the case of Nestor’s car, you hated feeling like you were constantly fighting to not touch anything in his pristine vehicle.

“You really don’t need to stay for my whole shift, Nestor,” you said as the two of you walked in the front door, “I’m sure there are more important things you could spend a couple hours doing and then just come pick me up afterwards.”

He shook his head, opening the door for you, “Can’t do it.”

It was a busier shift—Saturday’s always were. You almost felt bad for Nestor, but at least there were enough people to keep him occupied and have him feeling like he was actually serving a purpose by being there with you. He never said anything, but you knew that things had been so quiet lately and it was probably a big change of pace from whatever he was usually doing for the Galindos. Any time you tried to ask or allude to it, though, he went silent.

You finally had a moment to pause and catch your breath for a second when you saw Nestor waving you over. You leaned over the bar so he wouldn’t have to shout whatever it was that he had to say to you, sporting your best Customer Service Smile so the people around you wouldn’t get clued in on anything.

“Guy over in that booth has been eyeing you for the last fifteen minutes.”

You were about to tell him that there were always creeps leering at you while you were working, but when you saw who he was talking about, your facial expression dropped. You saw Nestor’s whole body tense up and he went to stand, but you put your hands over his to stop him. He turned to you, clearly confused and on-edge.

“He’s not a problem. Just a shitty ex-boyfriend. He’s annoying, but not a security concern. You can sit, it’s fine,” you nodded to him to reassure him before plastering a smile back on your face and getting back to your other patrons.

Nestor didn’t like the fact that the man kept staring at you. And despite the fact that you had explicitly told him that he wasn’t an issue, there was still a very strong urge to get up and physically throw him out of the building. For the sake of your job, though, Nestor kept himself seated, keeping an eye on everyone else while paying special attention to the man in the booth.

You don’t know how you missed him coming in, but you almost wished that Nestor hadn’t said anything. Now you couldn’t help but to feel him staring at you and it was a difficult feeling to ignore. It would have been a total abuse of power to ask Nestor to go over and get in his face, and you knew it, but the option was still tempting nonetheless. You were glad that he was at least keeping to himself.

That luck ran out too, though. You were looking across the expanse of the bar to see if anyone needed anything, and sure enough he was standing at the far end, a smug grin on his face because he knew that you were going to have to come over and talk to him. Jade saw the look on your face and was about to intervene but you politely waved her off, knowing that it wasn’t her drama to deal with.

“What can I get you, Marco?” your voice wasn’t nasty, but it wasn’t laden with the typical sweetness you used on other customers.

“Whatever’s good on tap tonight, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that,” you didn’t look at him as you grabbed a glass and picked a beer out of the tap lineup.

“That your new boyfriend?” he nodded towards Nestor as you handed him the glass.

“And if he is?” this conversation wasn’t going in a good direction, but you were trapped in it regardless.

“I was just wondering, because he’s spent an awful lot of the evening staring at you.”

“Could say the same about you,” you scoffed.

You went to walk away when he reached over the bar and grabbed your arm. His grip wasn’t tight, and you knew that the intention wasn’t to hurt you, just to get your attention, but you still had the overwhelming urge to bust his nose. You ripped your arm from his grip, taking a deep breath as you suppressed the desire to cause a scene.

You almost had no say in the matter, though, as Nestor materialized, placing his hands down hard on Marco’s shoulders, “Everything alright over here?”

Your eyes grew wide, not sure at all how this was going to play out. You could see the fear on Marco’s face, but you also knew that he was too proud and too stupid to back down from a fight, even if it was one he would definitely lose. He shrugged in an attempt to get Nestor’s hands off of his shoulders, “We’re fine.”

Nestor’s eyes zeroed in on you, practically begging you to give him the okay to do some damage, “All good, Y/N?”

Before you could answer, Marco spoke up again, “I said we’re fine.”

“I wasn’t fucking asking you,” Nestor’s voice was low but you could tell by the grimace on Marco’s face that he was definitely digging his fingers into his shoulders.

You nodded, “We’re good.”

Nestor released his grip and you could see Marco’s entire body relax. His gaze lingered on you for a moment and you nodded again to let him know that you could handle it. He didn’t say anything else as he made his way back down to where he had originally been sitting at the bar. His eyes never left the two of you though—you could feel his stare even though your back was to him.

“I figured you would’ve gone for a more warm and fuzzy type,” he tried to play it confidently but you could tell that he was shaken up.

You scoffed, “I’d leave while you still can. He decides to come back over again I won’t tell him to let you go.”

The color drained from Marco’s face, but he just couldn’t make himself smart enough to walk away, “Didn’t think you liked pushy guys.”

You braced your hands on your side of the bar and leaned forward slightly, “I don’t like guys who are pushy with me. Now, get the fuck out before you see how pushy he can really be.”

The second threat was enough to get through. He dropped money on the surface of the bar and left, leaving a full glass of beer behind. You chuckled to yourself as you brought the glass down and set it in front of Nestor. The two of you locked eyes for a moment but didn’t say anything about what had happened as you went about the rest of your evening.

You were cleaning up after your shift, once again it was just you, Jade, and Nestor. You and Jade were going back and forth about some of the ridiculous things that you had heard that night as you wiped down counters and tabletops. Nestor scrolled on his phone, a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth as he listened to the two of you.

When there was a lull in the conversation, he looked up and at you, “So, who was your friend that was here tonight?”

“Ah, he got to meet Marco,” Jade chuckled, shaking her head knowingly.

“Marco?” he raised his eyebrows.

You huffed, rolling your eyes, “Yea, Marco. With a capital M for mierda,” you let out a humorless laugh, “We dated a couple years back.”

“Still not over you?”

Jade interjected before you could, “Can you blame him?”

You smiled and shook your head, “I haven’t heard from him in a while. He pops up every now and then to see if he still has a shot. He never does. I turn him down, send him away, and the cycle repeats itself.”

“Too bad you didn’t have a Nestor sooner,” Jade was stacking glasses with a smug grin on her face, “Could’ve gotten rid of him a long time ago.”

“Nestor is not a bouncer for ex-boyfriends,” you laughed.

She laughed and shrugged, “It is a bonus though.”

You shook your head as the two of you finished up closing down the bar. While it was hectic sometimes when it was only the two of you, those were some of your favorite nights. You’d come to think of Jade more as an aunt or a second mother rather than your boss, and you liked the time you got to spend with her.

After getting home and letting Nestor check the house, the two of you took turns showering off the day. You were trying to figure out if Nestor just had multiple of the same sets of sweatpants and lounge shirts, or if he just washed the same set over and over again. You grabbed a fresh pint of ice cream out of the freezer and grabbed one for him too without bothering to ask, knowing that if you gave him the option he would always say no.

You set his down on the coffee table in front of him before taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch from him, giving him a little space. He looked back and forth between you and the ice cream with a slightly confused expression.

“A thank you for scaring off Marco,” you said with a smile as you scooped out a spoonful of your own.

“It’s my job.”

You raised an eyebrow, “That is not in your job description. He is not a threat to my father’s way of life, or mine for that matter. Now just eat the damn ice cream before I add doesn’t eat dessert to my Nestor Notes.”

He let himself smile as he picked up the pint of ice cream, “Thank you,” he took a spoonful, “And for future reference, my favorite flavor is mint chip.”

Your eyes grew wide,  mostly because he actually offered up a piece of personal information, but also at the fact that that was his favorite flavor, “Really? I don’t think I’ve ever met someone with that as their favorite.”

“Now you have,” he nodded before reaching for the controller to turn the TV on.

You chuckled to yourself as you settled back against the couch, pulling your legs up underneath you. You looked over at Nestor, who was slightly hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees. He had the controller in one hand, scrolling through shows, and his ice cream in the other. For a man who didn’t like music while he was driving in the car, he certainly did seem to see eye-to-eye with you when it came to always having the television on in the house for a light layer of background noise. Most of the time neither of you were paying super close attention to what was on, but it was just nice to break up the silence. In that moment, though, both of you felt extremely present.

“I’m one hundred percent eating this whole thing tonight,” you laughed, “It’s counting as dinner and dessert.”

He chuckled, “Sounds good.”

“We can go grocery shopping tomorrow and get real food,” you smiled as you kept your eyes glued to the container in your hands, “I’ll make sure to get you some mint chip.”

He nodded, smiling despite the fact that he wasn’t looking over at you, “I’d appreciate that.”

[thevindicativevordan]

Action Comics 1000?

Not the legendary creative lineup you'd hope for from such an issue, but a solid enough group that gave us a very enjoyable anthology.

Sucks that many of the all-time best creators to handle Superman didn't participate for one reason or another: Morrison, Waid, Maggin, Ross, Moore (that was never going to happen I know), Millar, Busiek, Yang, etc. Ones who did were still solid but omitting many definitive Superman creators undeniably left a hole in the lineup. I enjoyed it more than Detective #1000 or Marvel #1000 nonetheless, and the creators who were involved definitely tried to live up to the historical weight.

Jurgens From The City That Has Everything - Probably his best modern Superman story other than Lois & Clark. A major milestone issue like this requires a story that is an ode to how awesome Superman is, and Jurgens delivers that. Love the little wink and nod to how Superman is the first superhero and the inspiration/source for all the rest at the end. This is a much better finale for Jurgens Action Rebirth run than the one shot he wrote and ends his run on a high note after the weak Zod arc.

Tomasi & Gleason Never-Ending Battle - Gorgeous one page splashes drawing across Superman's history as a character from Gleason, sweet and sincere if rambling narration from Tomasi on what Superman means. Issue 45 is the better overall ending to their Superman run, but this is a nice little coda alongside the Dinosaur Island one shot that captures the wholesome vibe of their run which won affection from many.

Wolfman & Swan An Enemy Within - Wolfman does his best with what he's got, trying to cobble together a story about Superman's love for ordinary humans, but there just isn't enough leftover art to make this work. Swan deserved to be included so I appreciate the gesture nonetheless.

Levitz & Adams The Game - "Or would you prefer Monopoly?" is one of my favorite examples of Superman's deadpan humor. Otherwise it was a great short story of Superman and Lex attempting to outmaneuver each other. Supes is trying to reach the human being underneath Lex's pompous exterior by offering to play a game of chess, but for Lex it's just another chance at killing "the alien". Loved that this was a story that reminded everyone how smart Superman is and how he can "preptime" too. Adams best Superman work remains the batshit insanity of The Coming of the Supermen, but we get to have him homage himself via Superman breaking kryptonite chains which is great.

Johns, Donner, & Copiel The Car - Wow this was utterly unlike what I or anyone else would have expected from Johns and Donner. A sequel to the Action Comics #1 story that manages to do a "Superman encourages a former criminal to reform" story with the Golden Age incarnation, who preferred cracking heads over exchanging words, and it still feels in-character? Superman here keeps that simplistic outlook on life he did in his early publication history, but Johns & Donner managed to merge that with the modern incarnation's belief in everyone's inner goodness believably. If Johns were to ever return to the character I'd rather read a story from him continuing the adventures of this Superman over the mainline guy. Shame this is likely going to be the only Copiel Superman story we will ever get because he's just as good a fit for Supes as he is for Thor.

Snyder & Albuquerque The Fifth Season - I choose to view this as set in the Birthrightverse, a sad story about the broken friendship between Lex and Clark. Both of them were so desperate to find an answer to the why of their lives when they were young, yet their similarities weren't enough to overcome their differences. Even then there's a smidge of hope in this story too, that Lex is still good enough, or maybe just human enough, to put revenge aside and take a moment to reflect makes Superman want to believe that maybe they can be friends again one day.

King & Mann Of Tomorrow - Oh my God King needs to do another longform Superman project, even just a 12 issue maxi since he loves that format immensely. He's just name-dropping concepts here that are begging to be fleshed out into proper stories: The Black Hole Wars, the Eternity Formula, Lois apparently alive four billion years in the future and running the Universal Info Network. Give me those stories King! Of all the stories in this issue, this is the one that is the best at conveying the sheer grandeur and spectacle of Superman's existence. Crushing dirt into diamonds, crafting the diamond into a little statue, fully powered despite the sun becoming a red giant like Krypton's star to signify how much he has changed, and casually talking about pushing the entire Earth far enough away to escape the Sun's expansion. But even accounting for all that Superman continues to be Clark Kent, stumbling over his words when he gushes over his wife and son, or wants to express how much he loves and misses his Pa and Ma. King nails the spectrum of relatable human and awe-inspiring superhero that the character encompasses. For 1000 issues and 80 years Superman has entertained us and he may damn well entertain us for another 1000 issues and 80 years more if he keeps getting stories like this.

Simonson & Ordway Five Minutes - Solid story about the way Clark's secret and superhero identities overlap in function with great art. Simonson remains an underrated Superman creator, and honestly you could maybe say the same for Ordway. Those two know how to walk the line between grounded and fantastical.

Dini & Garcia-Lopez Actionland - Was this a homage to the Superman theme park that never happened? Garcia-Lopez on art was a welcome sight - his art looked even better here than usual somehow thanks to the inks and colors - and Dini turned in a decent story about the way one of Superman's longest standing Rogues views their relationship. Dini had already explored something similar with Mxy in a backup story during Superman Reborn and I rate that story higher however.

Meltzer & Cassaday Faster Than A Speeding Bullet - Last line between Superman and Lila will be a turn off for some, but it's still overall a good story that pulls off a "Superman is inspired by normal people" in a genuine way and letting Superman look cool with a speed feat to boot. Superman has limits but he's not alone in his fight, and ordinary people can step up to contribute in ways he needs them to at times. Cassaday's art is a great fit for such a "mundane" story too.

Bendis & Lee The Truth - Ahhh this really was the perfect prologue to Bendis' time on the Superbooks. Great characterization for Clark, good art, funny integration of regular citizens reacting to the insanity of Metropolis life, and including the oft-neglected Superfamily with Kara participating in the fight. Superman stopping himself in mid-air from crashing through a store signaled that Bendis had put thought into ways to demonstrate Superman's control over his powers, and he would continue to do so over the course of his run. Then you get Rogal looking like a Doomsday knockoff and spouting cliches we've seen a million times. All the good and all the bad of Bendis in one short story, nice work for a man known for his decompression.

A better showing than I would have hoped for from DC for a massive Superman event like this. You get a couple all-time stories, and those that aren't vary from ok to good. Many times I've let myself been hyped up for a big Superman event only to be let down, but thankfully Action Comics #1000 was not one of those times.

[saffron-nova21]

Ice Cream Dates Pt. 2

Remember Me Masterlist

< Previous Chapter • Next Chapter >

Warnings: Mentions of fighting with family members, mentions of feeling inferior to your brother, mentions of favoritism,

"Rintarō, if you don't give me back my ice cream, we're going to have issues." You narrow your eyes at him, crossing your arms over your chest.

It was far too cold for you both to be out, in reality. You both should be inside, in one of your beds, surrounded by warm covers and pillows. Though, you couldn't resist the calling of your sweet tooth and Suna couldn't resist the smile you flashes him when you wanted to convince him to do something. So here you both were, shaking like leaves every time a slight breeze swept over the both of you, at two in the morning.

And there your boyfriend gives you that stupid, stupid lopsided grin of his and you can only imagine what he has planned. "Oh yeah? What kind of issues?"

Letting a deep sigh escape your lungs, you find yourself smiling, despite your feigned annoyance in your boyfriend. It was so far to keep a smile from your lips when gave you that grin of his. "Shut up, you're such an idiot."

"An idiot that your dumbass fell in love with," poking your cheek with the ice cream-filled spoon, he smears the frozen dessert across your cheek, eliciting a gasp from you.

You bring your hands up to grasp the napkins that you'd shoved in Rintarō's sweater pockets, quickly wiping it off of your cheek, all while the male in question snickers at you.

"You're such an asshole, Rin," you flip him off whilst taking your ice cream back, sticking your tongue out at him as you take a bite of the dessert, enjoying the moment. That was until Rintarō decided he wanted you in his arms, reaching for you and easily pulling you into his grasp.

With your back pressed against his chest, you're enveloped in not only his arms but also the natural warmth of his body. His lips brush your ear, warm breath trailing down your spine and making you shiver. "Like I said, an asshole you're in love with," his teeth nip at your ear, causing you to shiver, once again.

"Shove it." You manage to shove him off, a playful smile flitting across your lips... Well, the smile stays, until your phone begins to ring, your happy expression quickly falling. You didn't have to look at your phone to know who was calling.

Seeing the shift in your demeanor, Rintarō sighs, "You two are fighting again?"

With a scoff, you glance at your boyfriend, "Don't tell me that you're going to take his side in this." When met with silence, you continue, pushing your boyfriend away from you and taking a step back so you can look at him, "Look, I'm not in the mood for a lecture from you too, Rintarō. Every damn time anything happens between me and my family, everyone is involved. Aran, the twins, Hitoshi... Everyone acts like it's their business, and to pile on more, everyone acts like it's my fault, every time.

"I know I'm not perfect, okay? I know I don't even have a definite position on the team, because yeah, I can play almost all of them, but I'm not exceptional at any particular one. I know no one is going to choose me over anyone else on the team. I know that no one is going to choose me, out of a lineup of good-looking people. I know that. But don't tell me that now, after I finally think someone did choose me, over my brother, you're going to change your mind."

Maybe you sounded dramatic, though to be fair... It was how you felt in the situation. Everyone always chose Shinsuke over you. In every team, when you both were growing up. Your grandmother always chose his side, in arguments. Even the team you were on now, with some of the people you trusted most, you still felt like you were in Shinsuke's shadow. And you hated the feeling.

Because maybe you weren't the most talented at volleyball. But you were a damn good and hard-working player.

Maybe you weren't the most attractive person in the world. But you knew damn well that you were, indeed, attractive, nonetheless.

You were just as good as Shinsuke and you deserved to be treated that way. You'd thought Rintarō, if all people, would see that.

After a moment, Rintarō raises his eyebrows, "Are you done?" He asks, "Or do you need to get the rest out, as well?"

Letting out a quiet breath, you size him up, before shaking your head, "I'm done."

"Good." Rintarō, once again, pulls you into his arms and puts his chin on your head. "Because you know I'm always on your side... Do you want to talk about it, or go back to my place?"

"I just don't want to go home."

Nodding, he moves away from you, wrapping his arm around you. "I'll text him to let him know that you're safe and you're with me, so you don't have to. But we're going to talk about this in the morning."

Rolling your eyes, you nod, "My prince charming. Of course." You plant a kiss on his cheek, leaning your head against his shoulder. "You'll really always be on my side?"

"Of course," though his face didn't change much, his eyes flickered to yours, the same warm, found look that he always held when he was around you, shining in them. "And I'll say it as many times as you need, you know. I don't think of you as my Captain's sister. I think of you as my lover and as an individual. I'm not comparing you to anyone, but even if I did, you would be second to no one."

He wasn't always good with words, but sometimes, he knew just what to say to warm your heart, to remind you why he was your boyfriend in the first place.

And thanks to him, eventually, your phone stopped ringing and you were able to fall asleep, knowing that you weren't the only one who knew your importance.

Kita was always your parents' favorite, as well. He was the quiet, easy baby, and you... Wanted to be just as loved as he was, but nothing you did was ever enough for them. And even living with your grandmother now, you struggle to be 'good enough'

Of course, you know your own worth. You are a wonderful person who deserves to know how amazing you are, whether or not other people can see it.

Suna knows you struggle to be 'good enough' in other people, though he makes sure you know that you never have to do anything more than be yourself for him to love you.

Sigh... Let's hope this posts... And let's also hope it's good. It's not my best work, but I promise that the story will get better from here. Anyways, I hope you're all having a wonderful day and staying safe.

General Taglist:

@kookie-doughs @halesandy @ermahgerd-larry-and-ziam @its-the-aerieljeane @onlyonew @kac-chowsballs @saltylettuce @thathoneybee3 @daninaninani @akkeyomi @vintagexparker @fucktheworlddude

Remember Me Taglist:

@javj @ash-levi @babyshoyo @hiraeth-z @random-fandom-girl-24 @kodzuklutz @tsukkiswifeey @thollandx @pandauniverse @starylust @calumsfringe

[sonicgetsrawed]

Hold Me Today, You Might Not Have Me Tomorrow

Second prompt for varigo week!!!!! I had fun with this one!!!! Enjoy!!! @alistairwrites

Tensions had been high since, well, since Hugo joined the team. It’s not that he was a terrible person, Varian refused to give anyone that title outright. But he couldn’t help be a little weary of him. And now that Nuru has joined them as well, tensions seemed to be even higher. Everyone, save for Yong, was constantly at each other’s throats, something was bound to break soon, he just desperately hoped it wouldn’t be their group. They just needed something to break the ice and pave that magical road to friendship. Varian wrinkled his nose in disgust at that thought, maybe Rapunzel’s attitude had rubbed off on him more than he thought. Regardless, he didn’t want to be part of a team that could get nothing done due to constant fighting. So when the town they were heading through was holding a festival of sorts Varian convinced the rest of the group to stay for the night. It would be a nice break, which would hopefully get them on civil terms.

Varian smiled widely as he took in the banners and streamers that filled the cobblestone street. The flowers hanging from every windowsill, their petals lining the floor, it almost reminded him of the festivals back in Corona, except he couldn’t understand a damn word anyone said. One of the locals had informed them that they were in the midst of celebrating a festival of love, all kinds of love being welcomed, familial, platonic, and romantic. It kind of reminded Varian of the day of hearts. The only downside was that they would be hard pressed to find someone they could understand. As part of their celebrations the locals spoke in the language of their ancestors, a language long lost to anyone outside the village, even Hugo, their seasoned traveler, could hardly make out more than a few words. Unfortunately most refused to break this tradition for fear of bad luck throughout the year, but there were an odd few that didn’t seem to mind one way or another. He supposed it didn’t matter, they were still able to partake in the festivities, scarfing down sweets, dancing in the streets, and playing a few games. Until finally the night was winding down. Candles and lanterns were lit, delicately placed along the pathway, people starting to line up by them. It looked like one final dance was about to take place, and despite his aching feet Varian was determined to partake.

He jumped to his feet, offering his hand to Hugo, who despite their best efforts refused to do any of the previous activities. “Dance with me?” He asked, Hugo raising his split eyebrow at the invitation, his arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

“No.” Hugo responded, staying firmly in his seat on the small rock wall they had found.

“Come on! You haven’t done anything all day, is one dance going to kill you? It’ll be fun~” Varian teased, trying to keep any of his irritation from seeping into his voice.

Hugo gave a light shrug of his shoulders, rolling his eyes with the motion. “I suppose-“

“Great!” Varian pulled him to his feet, before he could change his mind, quickly finding a place in the lineup of people. Varian flashed him a smile and moved into the same position as the people on his side of the street, Hugo thankfully doing the same, his hand joined in Varian’s and the other resting on his hip. The music started shortly after, the dance fairly simple, the group moving in a steady circle as they moved down the street. Varian offered a wave to Nuru and Yong as they passed them. They finally made it to the end of the square where a string of flowers was wrapped around them before being allowed to continue. Varian’s face flushed slightly at the closer proximity the flowers had caused, but it disappeared when he saw that Hugo actually seemed to be enjoying himself, adding an extra step or two to their movements every so often.

“What’s the matter, Goggles? I thought you said this’ll be fun.” Hugo teased, leaning down to whisper in Varian’s ear. Varian’s face turned redder if that was even possible, the closeness of their bodies doing him no favors. He hadn’t even realized they stopped moving, somehow lost in Hugo’s green eyes. He’d known from day one that Hugo was attractive, he’d just never let the fact bother him before, but now like this, he was terribly aware of the fact. His heart started to pound in his chest, no matter how he willed it to stop, no matter how he convinced himself it was just from the dance, because there was no way in hell he had a crush on Hugo.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost missed the announcers words, actually he missed most of them, but it didn’t make a difference he couldn’t understand them anyways. Hugo on the other hand turned white as a sheet, his grip on Varian’s hand tightening painfully so.

“What? What did he say?” Varian asked, a small bit of panic rising in his chest as the pairs, couples, around them began to kiss. Deep down he knew what this was, he just hoped he was wrong and whatever Hugo heard was right. Hell, he’d take a fucking blood sacrifice over marriage at this point.

“He- he said we're married. This was a fucking wedding.” Hugo hissed, his stunned silence quickly turning to anger.

Varian pushed away from Hugo, the flower chain breaking apart as he did so. The streamers and rice falling from above hindering his vision, the firecrackers unusually loud in his ears. There was no way this was happening, he had not just fucking married Hugo. “Oh fuck no.”

He felt like he was going to be sick. The world was spinning, the noise too loud, the clapping, the cheering, it was all so overwhelming. Varian flinched as a hand reached for him, landing harshly on his ass. He yelped as he was roughly pulled to his feet.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?! Get up.” Hugo hissed, keeping a firm grip on Varian’s arm as he dragged him away from the crowd. His mind was still a fucking mess, but Varian pushed any panic away so he could properly deal with the situation. If they just went back and talked to someone surely they could get this all sorted out. Varian pulled back, ripping his arm out of Hugo’s grip.

“Wait, shouldn’t we-“

“You-“ Hugo turned sharply, his finger jabbing Varian’s chest. Varian glared up at him, sure Hugo had the right to be upset, but he didn’t have to be so damn aggressive. “-don’t get to make anymore decisions today.”

“That’s hardly fair. I don’t think-“

“Obviously.” Hugo sneered, turning on his heel and storming in the direction they had come from. Varian rolled his eyes, but followed Hugo nonetheless. There was no point in arguing, he had technically gotten them into this. It wasn’t his fault he was just trying to have some fun, get the group on more amicable terms. That had backfired drastically.

“Maybe if you were nicer I wouldn’t have had to force you to have fun with us.” Varian murmured, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Look, I get Corona is all about sunshine and rainbows, but I’m not here to be your friend. This-” Hugo gestured between the two of them. “-is strictly business, nothing more. Except now we’re fucking married because you couldn’t mind your own fucking business.”

Varian opened his mouth to argue, wanting to insist that it was his business because if none of them got along they’d never be able to complete the trials. They needed to at least learn to work together. He never got the chance to say it, a streamer popping off by his ear.

“Congratulations you two! I had no idea you were so close!” Nuru laughed, her tone far too sweet to be genuine.

“Fuck off.” Hugo hissed, swatting at the stray bits of paper that had landed on his head.

“It’s not that big of a deal. We just need to find someone to reverse it.” Varian said, shooting Nuru a glare. He was trying so hard to keep a level head about all of this, but it was hard with Nuru and Hugo at each other’s throats.

“Not a big deal? You were the one having a panic attack in the middle of the square.” Hugo huffed.

“Well I would too if I found out I had just married you.” Nuru shot back.

“WIll you guys please stop arguing for two seconds so we can figure this out?!” Varian shouted above them, running a frustrated hand down his face, briefly debating if all of this was worth it. It was a hell of a lot of stress for a few answers he might not even get. Sure he wanted to know more about his mom, but there had to be less stressful ways to go about it. He just wasn’t sure how much more of this in fighting he could take. He could feel his resolve starting to break, he didn’t want to give up but this was almost too much. If either replied Varian didn’t hear them, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

“Maybe we can ask him.” Yong said, tugging Varian’s shirt and pointing to a man walking by, a man Varian recognized as the announcer from the wedding. Varian pushed away his negative thoughts as best he could, he could deal with them later, getting this fixed would have to come first.

“Good idea.” Varian said, not bothering to interrupt Hugo and Nuru’s screaming match before taking Yong with him to talk to the announcer. “Excuse me!”

The man turned, smiling widely as words Varian didn’t understand fell past his lips. Varian rubbed his arm sheepishly. Right, he forgot that they were only speaking in their native tongue today. He hoped Hugo knew enough to understand. “Uh, sorry. Just- one second.”

Yong seemed to be two steps ahead, already making his way back to them with Hugo in tow, Nuru taking up the rear looking more irritated than when he’d left them. Great, just fucking great, another problem to add to his list of things to solve. Hugo at least had the decency to put on a fake smile as he talked to the man, the tips of Hugo’s ears turning red as he tried his best to speak to the man. It would almost be cute if Hugo wasn’t so fucking annoying all the time. Varian brought his thumb to his mouth, biting at his fingernail as he waited with baited breath for Hugo to tell them what he discovered.

“What did he say?” Varian asked the second Hugo rejoined the group.

“He can take us to the Capital to get this all sorted out.” Hugo said, his eyes briefly darting to Nuru and Yong.

“But~” Varian said, twirling his hands for Hugo to continue.

“It’s going to be a bit of a journey, so it’s probably best these two get settled into the inn.” Hugo explained, his tone odd to Varian, it held none of its usual bossiness, just very flat and almost hollow like he was trying very hard to hide something.

“I’m okay with that.” Nuru said, looking relieved to not have to go on another journey.

“Yes please! My feet are aching.” Yong said, rocking back on his feet as if to prove the point.

“Okay. Yeah, I suppose that’s fine.” Varian said, giving a small nod and a wave as Nuru and Yong headed towards the inn. He jogged slightly to catch up with Hugo. “So, how far is the Capital?”

Varian blinked in confusion as Hugo opened a nearby door, the announcer heading inside as Hugo held it open for Varian gesturing for him to follow. “Right here.”

“Wait- what? But- I- you said- Hugo what’s going on?” Varian stuttered, hesitating at the entrance to the building. They were in a much better place than when Hugo had first joined the group, but he definitely wouldn’t call them friends. And he definitely wouldn’t put it past Hugo to try and take the totems again.

“For all this bullshit you keep spewing about trust you're not very trusting are you?” Hugo said, one hand resting on his hip, an eyebrow raised, daring Varian to challenge him. Varian pursed his lips, biting down on his tongue to prevent himself from saying something he’d regret. He held his head high as he brushed past Hugo, pulling his bag tighter around himself. The room was small, too intimate for Varian’s liking, candles lining the walls, a desk on the far side with a pen and paper, a certificate if he had to guess.

“What do we have to do? Just sign the paper?” Varian asked, walking further into the room as Hugo shut the door, all light except from the candles.

“Uh, yes.” Hugo answered, moving into the room so he was standing next to Varian. Their shoulders brushed together, Varian feeling the tips of his ears heat up. What the fuck was wrong with him? He took a small step away, Hugo raising an eyebrow at the action but he didn’t comment.

“So-“

“We need to kiss.” Hugo said, cutting Varian off, looking ahead instead of at the dark haired boy.

“I’m sorry?!” Varian said, this time taking a large step away from Hugo, his bag hitting the wall, the candles wobbling dangerously. There was no way in hell he was ever going to kiss Hugo. “But why a kiss? Isn’t the paper enough?”

“Look, Goggles, I don’t want to kiss you either.” Varian crossed his arms over his chest, fixing Hugo with a glare, pretending those words didn’t sting a little bit. “But this is how they do things here. Today was a celebration of love. It needs to be undone with love, at least according to him. Unless you want to stay married.”

“No I really don’t.” Varian said.

“Good.”

“Good.” Varian repeated, sticking his tongue out at Hugo when he rolled his eyes.

“Great. So we just sign the paper, he says a few words, kiss, and we’re done, like this never even happened.” Hugo explained, moving to stand in front of the desk, and quickly signing the paper. Varian followed suit, scribbling his name on the parchment as the man said a few words, none of which he understood. And then Hugo turned to face him, Varian’s stomach turning because he knew what was coming next. “I know this is probably your first kiss, so if it sucks I’ll try not to hold it against you.”

“It is n-“ Hugo captured Varian’s lips, cutting off his reply, Varian’s hands instinctively wrapping around Hugo’s neck like they’d done this a hundred times before, Hugo’s hands settling on Varian’s hips as their lips moved against each other. It was oddly pleasant, and for a second Varian lost himself in the kiss, his eyes slipping closed as the kiss deepened. Hugo seemed to lose himself in it too, pulling Varian closer to him, their bodies flush against each other. It almost felt right. And the longer it went the more Varian found himself not wanting it to end, but eventually he needed to breathe. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Hugo’s, lost in the afterglow of it, his blue eyes clashing with green.

Hugo smiled softly, bringing his hand up to cup Varian’s face. “Not bad, Goggles.”

Varian leaned into the touch, a small smile on his lips as well. It was such a soft and intimate moment, one he never thought he’d be having with Hugo of all people, but here they were, not arguing, not fighting, just the two of them and- the man cleared his throat, waving the certificate through the air. Reality crashed down around Varian. His face flushed red as he remembered the situation that had led them to this moment, as he remembered this was fucking Hugo of all people. Varian pushed away from Hugo, grabbing the certificate and heading out the door before Hugo could say anything. His stomach doing flips, his heart skipping a beat as he thought about the kiss, about how he missed the feeling of Hugo’s body against his, about how unbelievably perfect it had been.

He ignored Nuru and Yong’s questioning glances as he grabbed a key from them and stormed into his room without so much as a word, without so much as a glance, slamming the door shut and sinking to the floor. Holy fuck. What was going on with him today? It was just the emotional stress of it all, that’s all it was. He definitely did not have a crush on Hugo, he didn’t. He held the certificate close to his chest, the proof that this was all just a misunderstanding, that nothing would come of this, that tomorrow when he woke up things would go right back to normal. It was over now, everything was fine, everything would be fine, and he would not fall for Hugo.

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

In hindsight he should’ve probably told the group that he knew exactly what the townspeople were saying, his father was originally from here, but per the usual whenever he tried to speak he was pushed to the side, so Yong let them struggle through their day. It was kind of funny too, to watch Hugo stumble through a conversation, to watch Varian try to order food, to watch Nuru try to make a purchase. It was probably just a little cruel but no one got hurt so it was fine and they all had fun in the end. Until the “wedding”. He knew the ins and outs of the festival and he knew without a doubt that the dance that Hugo and Varian had participated in was not a wedding, it was simply a proclamation of love, although the words were similar enough that he could see how Hugo had mixed them up. As long as they didn’t go to the courthouse there was nothing to worry about.

And of course they went to the courthouse. He knew he really, really, should’ve spoken up then, but he was too far into this and he didn’t want to get in trouble, especially when everyone had been so on edge recently, so he stayed quiet. He spent the whole time hoping that Hugo knew enough to realize that what they were walking into was the actual wedding, but he didn’t.

He really was going to say something when Varian and Hugo came back, but Varian had gone straight to his room and so had Hugo. It left him tossing and turning all night, spending half the night contemplating on if he should get up and tell one of them. He didn’t. He couldn’t. They’d be so angry with him. They might send him home. So he kept his secret, he kept his mouth shut, and when morning came things were better, Varian looked relieved, Hugo was back to his annoying self, and even Nuru seemed to be in a better mood. It was great to be a functioning team again, so that night when they set up camp, Yong slipped the certificate out of Varian’s bag and burned it in the fire when no one was looking. He smiled at a job well done. Things were back to normal now, no one had to know that Varian and Hugo were married, it wouldn’t be a problem unless they wanted to get married in that town, which he was sure they wouldn’t, and within the next week Yong too had forgotten all about it. Until four years later when Varian and Hugo showed up on his doorstep announcing their engagement and he knew it was time to fess up.

“What do you mean we’re already married?”

Yong laughed at the couple in front of him, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “That- that’s a funny story actually.”

[tsubaki3192]

Christmas Gifts

[Ikevamp Leonardo x MC/Bee]

@3amheartache, Merry Belated Christmas, and I hope you've had a very Happy New Year! (Psst! I'm your secret santa!)

Notes: Ikevamp Holiday Exchange participation! Also, I did get a little confused with the name thing so please let me know if that was what you wanted!

Tags: @3amheartache @ikevamp-holiday-exchange @tsuki-no-usagiii @unstoppablelinda

-------------

You… Weren’t even sure just how it happened.

One morning, nearly two weeks before the date of Christ’s birth (a fact everyone seemed to forget, though apparently not you, even when considering the fact you weren’t Christian-), you had stepped out of your room in search for the perfect Christmas gifts for everyone when your foot, landed upon a letter at the mansion’s doorway.

Addressed to you, of course.

To be fair, you had near-missed the snow-damp envelope, given the fact it was bleached white and partially hidden under the still-falling ice. But you had caught sight of it nonetheless and brought it back inside with you, leaving it to dry by floor of the fireplace.

And yet when you returned from your daily duties later that evening, another gift had been placed delicately on the now-watermarked surface.

To my beloved, the tag read, followed by your name.

And if anything, you had to smile. It was sweet of him to give you little gifts, though you knew exactly who it was that had left it. Leonardo had always been rather thoughtful of you- But this was something new. Two long years of your relationship had brought you here. Two long years of his sweetness and love.

And that was just the beginning.

Your fingertips held the delicately crafted rose, admiring it’s beauty. You twirled it, watching for all the perfect imperfections that made it unique: Little dents here, missable scratches there…. It was handmade, to say the very least. And yet the thin, crimson-metallic sheets wounded and welded together made for the most everlasting flower while it sat on a more solid stem, golden in colour, with green leaves twisted in between.

And it was just something you utterly adored, especially when you considered the fact that you hadn’t seen him for the last few days.

(Truth to be told, you missed him dearly though you would never give him the liberty of knowing, for he would merely endlessly tease you.)

Even then, a smile had graced your features following that, skipping to your room to read the letter in peace.

---------------------------------------

The following week and a half ended almost similarly, and yet you still had not seen your boyfriend. Not once in the 240 hours of 10 days, the 14,400 minutes nor the 864,000 seconds, but hey, who’s counting?

And to add to that, it almost seemed like the entire mansion was in on a secret you weren’t aware of. Their excuses seemed to be stumbled, hurried, as they avoided you at all costs. Well… Except maybe Vincent, Napoleon and Theo (just slightly) and it was a given that Sebastian and Comte would continue to converse with you freely. It wasn’t as if you could avoid them, after all.

And yet-

It was Christmas Eve. The night you would usually spend with your family. And just as you had promised him, this year you had decided to stay behind. To say you were disappointed was simply not enough. Leonardo had promised you time together and you just simply hadn’t received that.

And yet here he was, leaving various gifts around the mansion where he knew you would find.

Your eyes shifted from the window to the lineup of items on your table, each item landing upon the calendar date beneath the glass and sighed with a mixture of contentment and concern.

Just where was he, and what was he up to? You knew you would never find him if you searched. He was far too good at hiding himself from you, though he could find you in a matter of seconds.

But as you rose from the outstretched couch beside the windowsill, a sharp knock came from your door.

------------------------

“Cara mia…”

It was words of endearment that had you leaping from your seat, and your exclamation of “Leonardo!” didn’t hide your partial surprise. How could you, when your eyes shone bright with tears; when your hand flew to your lips in utter surprise? And he just chuckled, the sound sending rather wonderous shivers down your spine.

“You’re always so easy to read….”

Nevertheless, he whisked you into his arms with ease as you finally found your voice to yelp. But he only gazed down at you longingly, before pressing his lips against your forehead.

“Come now,” he started as he pulled away, “we’re going out. But first, I have a few gifts for you.”

“Huh…?”, you uttered, confused. More gifts…?

And gifts they were indeed. A stunning scarlett dress to match your heavy midnight boots. Your hands quietly slipped the silk-like fabric against your torso, shivering at the sensation of the cooling fabric. A small hum of anticipation left your lips as you applied rouge to your lips and jewellery to your ears and neck.

(They were both gifts from him. Never would he allow another man to gift you with such beautiful objects.)

But Leonardo was waiting for you outside, and your chest hummed in anticipation for the evening together. It wasn’t often that he took you out for dates- and when he did, both you and he became sidetracked by the hundreds of admirers your boyfriend held in the palm of his hand.

(It wasn’t as if you didn’t have any admirers either- It remained strange to know that you were the one he chose; the only one he could truly love. And stares of envy and awe would always follow your linked hands.)

The dress’ hem shimmied around your ankles as you twirled in front of the mirror in delight. It really did fit you well. Almost too well, you could say. But there was no time to waste: The night was young and you simply couldn’t wait to begin your date, crossing your fingers with the hope of no interruptions.

-------------

“This place….”

Leonardo had blindfolded you the second you had arrived in the mansion’s foyer, before lifting you into his arms with ease. Naturally, you had yelped in surprise as he hooked his arms beneath your knees and your back, only to relax into his embrace only seconds later. To match your yelp, he released a chuckle if his own, to which you only snuggled closer at the sensation of his vibrating chest.

And he had brought you, by carriage, to a rather stunning restaurant frequented often by counts and high-ranking families in the society. And it just so happened to be one of the few higher-class restaurants you enjoyed.

“Leo, what’s the occasion?”

You had questioned him upon entering the grand doors, but he had given you nothing more than a charming grin as you were permitted through to his table. The host had given you the same (yet somehow different) charming smile at the sight of your extravagant dress. And if anything, you only smile back politely as Leonardo’s possessive grip on your waist tightened and his smile thinned.

“Your table, Monsieur Leonardo.”

Strangely, Leonardo had pulled your chair out for you- something he had never done before. And when you, again, questioned him for his actions, he gave you another loving smile that sent you speechless.

--------------

Leonardo had been silent throughout the entire dinner as he watched you eat, chuckling every so often as he reached over the table to wipe whatever neglected sauce remained on the corner of your lips. And now-

He clasped his hand over your own and brought you to the restaurant’s extravagant garden. Crimson roses lined the paths, overshadowing the neatly trimmed grass and sculptures scattered throughout. And yet from the way his eyes remained on the path before you, he had a very specific destination in mind.

Before long, you arrived at the centre of the garden. A white pagoda sat at the centre, connecting the numerous pathways to it’s centre. But what, perhaps, had caught your attention most was the painting, veiled by a thin section of cloth, standing at the centre of the partially enclosed room. And as you admired the scenery ahead of you, you failed to notice Leonardo’s hand leave yours and fumble through his pockets.

“Bee…”

At the sound of his voice and your name, you turned, to search for him, only to find him on a single knee, a small, also crimson, box in his outstretched hand. Your eyes widened, as the events of the night suddenly pieced itself together.

His silence. His actions. His gifts. His disappearance.

“Everytime I close my eyes, all I can see is you. Everyday, all day, all I think about is you, Cara. Your smile, your voice plagues my mind, tesoro, and I find myself unable to focus on anything that’s not you. These few weeks have been hell…I’m not sure how I’ve managed without you all these years, stellina.”

He paused, and watched your eyes glimmer with hope and fill with tears. And with his empty hand, he reached out to your cheeks to wipe your tears.

“I suppose what I’m trying to say, cara, is ‘Can I be yours, as you will be mine?’ Will you let this soul care for your own? Will you allow this soul make you smile-”

You didn’t even allow him to finish his statement, as his fingers flicked at the contraption that opened the box. Nestled in between the pieces of foam was an intricately designed, silver ring- no doubt of his own creation. Diamonds, large and small, glittered brightly from their positions beneath the moonlight.

Your arms flew around his neck, whispering through silent tears, “Yes!”

Smiling gently at you, he slipped the ring to your finger and brought your hand to his lips.

“Grazie, Cara mia.”

(And you could just hear the relief in his voice as he held you close to him.)

--------------

Leonardo would later reveal the painting to you, the intricate brush strokes depicting yourself and he in that same garden he had proposed to you in.

That same painting now hangs in the centre of your shared room, bringing a small smile to your lips from the memory.

[ladymelissaduthe]

challenge 5 (part 1)

aka maybe the night (jackson #5: the sound check)

Jackson sings this song in the fic,,, PLEASE LISTEN TO IT YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT NADKJNDK: https://open.spotify.com/track/1yDiru08Q6omDOGkZMPnei?si=SR_Ce75XTqqO7Po7nu0_Vw

a/n: Not actually Challenge 5, but it’s the day of the ball so YEET for all intents and purposes it’ll be titled as part of challenge 5 anyway. There are going to be 3 fics cause it’s easier to digest AND BOY DO I LOVE THE ENDING OF THIS. Laidease and gents, this girl is confused. Take a shot every time Missy simps over Jackson. @jackson-graham thank you so much Bri for the gift that is both Jackson Graham and Jordan Fisher. I recommend that you listen to Maybe the Night by Ben and Ben because.... this is a song fic. AHAHHJKSDNKJDNK I PROMISE YOU’LL LIKE THE SONG. IT’S ONE OF MY WEDDING SONGS AHAHAHAHJKWNK aight bye, this is just an appetizer before the ball NJKNKKD Gdoc linked in the title as usual (2509 words)

My eyes go back and forth between the two dresses hanging in my closet.

I love my maids, I really do—but gosh darn it, did they have to be so darn talented that I couldn’t even pick a dress for the ball tonight?

Green. The color of fresh grass. Flowers and Ribbons hanging around. Long flowy sleeves. A work of art, something straight out of a fairytale.

Or…

Blue. Almost Lilac. Off the shoulder. Beaded. Short Sleeves. A true ball gown, fit for a princess.

I narrowed my choices to two very different gowns for the event—yet I couldn’t pick which one I was going to wear. Don’t even get me started with the hair and make up needed for each dress. I sigh looking over to the clock.

5 o’clock.

One of my maids, Kylar, stands by my vanity, setting things up as she patiently waits for me to make a decision, swatching shades of eyeshadow on the back of her hand. Skylar and Campbell were off getting more things for tonight too. It takes a village to get a girl ready.

I needed to take a walk. Dress picking could wait another hour, I suppose.

Maybe I can sneak a peek of the Great Hall while it’s being set up. Hmmm… not a Bad idea.

--------------

Grammy did tell me that I should sneak a peek of the way the place was decorated, I tell myself as I slip through a door that leads into the Great Hall.

By tomorrow, people were going to start using pictures of this event for whatever party, wedding, or debut they had in mind.

Iridescent, was the theme of the ball.

I’m not disappointed, not one bit—my eyes first drawn to the crystals that hung from the ceiling. The daylight seeped into the room just right that little rainbows were already shining around the room. I wondered how they were going to look like in the night. There were fabrics being draped by the sides of the room, more silvery in color at first glance.

I try to stay at the sides of the room as staff were setting up the rest of the room and tables. 

A bunch of what I assumed to be musicians were chatting and setting up by the stage with people in full black attire were taping down wires. Must be the soundcheck. 

Musicians and bands needed to practice a little earlier than the event itself to make sure everything was working right.

Is it weird that I missed this? The little chaos hours before every event. The sound of tables and chairs being set accompanied by the rustling of people mobilizing other decorations. All that was missing for me was my clipboard and it could have felt like home.

I tilt my head up in awe of how everything looked already. Whoever was the events planner for this deserved a raise. I hear a quick strum from a guitar playing from the speakers.

Oh wow, even their sound system here was great, but my eyes stay looking up as I try to take each of the little detail of the Great Hall. I wonder if I could ask the planner for their supplier, maybe even get the card of their tech provider because—

“Check, one two.”

Something inside of me jumps. That voice was familiar. 

My eyes look directly for the source. 

The stage.

Jackson. It was Jackson standing onstage, a guitar strapped over his shoulder.

Suddenly the room was filled with music. Initially, the music too loud before whoever probably was on the sound board started to adjust things.

The band behind was playing a sort of folk-pop tune and Jackson was leading them as he sang.

He was singing.

I want to lay down by the fire with you Where souls are glowing, ever warmer too Your love surrounds me like a lullaby Singing softly, you are mine oh mine

His voice was smooth and steady, the kind of voice that gave you goosebumps when you heard it. 

What a surprise! That was my friend singing, and I find myself smiling as I take a couple of steps towards the stage.

Moon has never glowed this color Hearts have never been this close I've never been more certain I will love you 'til we're old

Being a little closer to the stage, I realize he’s wearing something different than I usually see him in. 

A navy button down with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark pants. Handsome as ever, maybe a little more with the singing and the guitar. 

I could listen to him singing like this every day.

Stop it. I try to push that thought away, that sounds weird. Still, I can’t keep my eyes off of him, watching as he reaches the chorus of the song.

Maybe the night holds a little hope for us dear.

This was a very sweet song he was singing. The kind you’d hear at a wedding reception. He smiles and closes his eyes occasionally as he sings through the chorus.

Maybe we might want to settle down, just be near. Stay together here.

A part of me hopes that he looks out so I can wave and let him know that I’m here. 

Let him know that I was here cheering him on, but he doesn’t, instead seemingly more focused on performing. Silly me, that sounds too sappy. 

I look around for half a second wondering if other people were catching what I was hearing, some stopping to listen. 

Glad to see people enjoying this too. 

My attention goes back to the stage, seeing Jackson glance down on his guitar, smiling as he does.

Jackson had a very special smile, the kind that reminded me of the Sun. Not because of how bright it is, but because of how it made me feel warm, like how it felt stepping into a patch of sunlight.

We follow the pull of fate, into this moment.

As he sings, I realize that I’ve never seen him this happy. I suppose he really just loved to play music. 

With a voice like his, I wouldn’t blame him. He sounded flawless as the song swell and dipped with another round or two of the chorus of maybe the night holds a little hope for us dear. 

It was very catchy, actually—I expect myself to have it stuck in my head later. I’d have to find it on Dotify too if it wasn’t an original song by him. 

The song soon ends with a nice little strumming pattern that Jackson does that prolongs the last note from his guitar, and I wonder if he’s done this before. He laughs a bit before he steps back to talk with the other instrumentalists.

Earlier I wasn’t sure if it was the drumbeat I could hear in my ears or my heartbeat, but with the song over I didn’t realize my heart was beating so fast. I still feel myself smiling nonetheless as I immediately start clapping from my part of the room.

I probably looked silly being the only one clapping, but that performance was definitely worthy of it.

I feel a little bubble in my chest that makes me cup my hands and yell, “Encore!”

That catches Jackson’s attention, looking away from the other instrumentalist as he looks over to me and from here- even I could catch his surprise and the flickering smile on his face before he puts his guitar on the stand and hops off the stage, headed to my direction.

I immediately smile as I move halfway, still clapping excitedly.

“I thought you’d be in full ball preparation right now.” he says.

“You underestimate my ability to change into full Princess-mode, Mister Graham.” I laugh lightly. I’d be preparing right now if I could figure which dress to wear. That’s  a problem for future Missy.

I make a gesture to him, wanting to direct the conversation back to what I just witnessed. I could still hear my heartbeat in my ears.

“You sound great! I mean, you all sound great! But you,” I pause, trying to find the right words, “you sound amazing.”

“Thank you, that’s… thanks.” He chuckles softly. “A sound check for this evening.”

“I didn’t know you were performing tonight.” I comment, but still very surprised about this fact. “Do you always perform during big palace events?”

“I—well, I haven’t in a couple of years.” He says before pausing very briefly, before his face lights up again.

I almost impulsively ask him why, but he clears his throat and I decide not to.

“Though I kind of wish you’d heard me for the first time later tonight.”

I can’t even imagine how good he was gonna perform tonight. He was a natural. Imagine him playing in front of a crowd of finely dressed people, him looking handsome in a suit.

“I’m glad that you’ve decided to play this time around. If that’s how you sound during a sound check, I can’t wait to hear you play later. You’ll be playing more songs, right?”

I ask that because a tiny part of me would want to hear him sing a little more than one song.

Jackson shakes his head. “Just the one. They have quite the lineup this evening.”

He sticks a hand in his pocket and gestures with his free hand to the stage where the instruments are set up, my eyes following.

“Even Wylan is playing something.” He says, and I’m surprised again. Is everyone here a secret musician? “You’ll have a wonderful evening.”

Hearing that makes me smile, the way he’s looking at me warmly makes me smile a tiny bit wider.

“A night full of festivities, great music,” I eye him at that part, “and dancing? Oh it’s so nice to finally attend a big party that I don’t have to plan.” I giggle.

He laughs a bit, “I have no doubt your events are just as great as this one will be.”

I hum, he’s not wrong.

“The only difference being that this one has a bigger budget.” I chuckle at that thought, most likely sure that the royal family was sparing no expense for tonight’s event. It was independence day after all. The ball was going to be full of important guests—and if it was anything close to the debutante balls I’ve planned before it was gonna be full of merrymaking, drinks, and dancing.

Dancing. I suddenly feel myself quiet down. I should ask him for a dance. Not very Belt Belle of me to ask first though. Grammy would chastise me for doing this.

Um… sorry Grammy.

“Say... would you save me a dance later, after you perform your set?” I try to sound friendly, like a friend just asking a friend for a dance. Not in the romantic sense of course. But slow dancing with Jackson doesn’t sound bad either.

Maybe if I’m lucky they wouldn’t play a slow song and I could maybe just do Renegade or some other Toktik dance. But yes, a dance with Jackson sounded nice.

Jackson seems to swallow, “Really?”

“Of course!” I nod, “That is if you like dancing… of course…” I wince, my choice of words sounding way too weird with that repetition. I normally don’t do that.

“No, I do. I’ll even save you two dances.” A pleased smile appears on his face, and I catch the smidge of surprise underneath it. Why does he seem so surprised that I’m asking this?

The thought of two dances sounds lovely. I grin and raise my hand to stick my pinky finger up in the air.

“Two dances, that’s a promise, Mister Jackson Graham.” I meet his eyes, actually feeling more excited for the ball more than ever.

“Dances with the loveliest lady in the room, I’m sure.”

With the loveliest lady in the room…

“Ah—” My brows raise as I let out a sound I didn’t even plan on making.

Was he being serious? My face starts to feel warm, well not just my face anymore—my whole body felt warm.

My eyes go to my pinky finger. Should I still hold it up right now? Did he just call me pretty? Why did he just say that. Oh my gosh, Melissa. Oh my gosh, Jackson.

I don’t know what my face looks like right now, but it’s enough to make Jackson chuckle a little nervously.

“Yes, um... there’ll be plenty of chances. I’ll come find you then.” He says before I watch him reach up to loop is pinky finger with mine, squeezing just a bit.

I find myself nodding, trying to reel myself back and bring my good sense back to me. I curl my lips in and try to control my expression as our hands go down.

“I’ll make sure that it would be hard for you to miss me.” I pause. It still felt warm around here. I could hear my heartbeat again. Guess this was my cue to go.

I tilt my head to one of the doors, “I should be getting ready then.”

I just needed a little air.

Maybe they just haven’t turned the air conditioning here yet. Yes, that must be why. We love an eco-conscious palace that saves energy that way.

“Good luck. Not that you need it.” He smiles softly.

Maybe the drummer was actually just practicing somewhere at the back. We love musicians who practice a lot. That must be what I’m hearing right now.

I try to laugh at that remark, shaking my head. “See you later, Jackson.”

I turn on my heel and start walking towards the door. I should be getting ready, yes. If I could only decide which dress to choose.

An idea pops into my head, and call out Jackson’s name, not completely turning to his direction.

“Jackson! Green or blue?!”

If I couldn’t decide what to wear, might as well let fate choose. Or well, Jackson in my case. This was just like tossing a coin to figure this out. Completely harmless.

He says, “Blue.”

I tilt my head at his answer. It’s set then.

Blue, almost lilac, it is.

I lift a shoulder up before turning to Jackson and give him a final wave in his direction, smiling in his direction. “Thank you!”

“You’re very welcome, Missy.” I hear him say and I wait until I’m out of the Great Hall before I let out a breath and place a hand over my chest.

The Great Hall’s air conditioning was on.

The drummer was taking a break, no one was onstage.

Still, I felt light— more excited actually.

Maybe I was just too excited for tonight, seeing the Great Hall decorated must have just made me more excited than I was before.  

That’s what I tell myself as I start walking back to my room. That’s what I’d like to believe.

As I walk back, I can’t help but sing to myself.

Maybe the night holds a little hope for us, dear.

Jackson’s song was indeed stuck in my head, and maybe not just his song. 

[themelbournetone]

The Melbourne Tone @ Beyond The Valley [Festival Review]

“...showering the 20,000 strong crowd with confetti and filling the already high energy night with dance, 2020 was off to an explosive start.”

Review and photos by Ryley Clarke

The end of the 2019, not only closes out an amazing decade of Australian music, but it marks a return for one of Victoria’s most cherished festivals, Beyond the Valley, making its sixth consecutive year. Presenting another eccentric and diversified lineup, there was something for everyone, composed of sweet and juicy electronic acts, managing to also squeeze in some major headliners, presenting another truly year of great live-music for festival fans and punters alike.

Beyond the Valley kicked off its first three days with a lingering heatwave, but it didn’t stop punters from enjoying the final days of 2019. Everywhere I went, people were out in the cool shade, dancing in the sun and making the most of the opportunities, as they could.

Day One on the main stage, kicked off with Owl Eyes, Confidence Man and Meg Mac, all bringing their very best to the crowd, kicking off what felt like a never-ending groove-party. Despite the heat, Confidence Man flaunted their charismatic dance moves, idiosyncratic outfits, opening their set with their latest single ‘Does It Make You Feel Good?’ which had everyone in awe of their confidence and ability to always put on a mind-blowing performance, full of exhilarating spirit.

Meg Mac continued the hype, after ending a massive year following the release of a new album Hope. Although her set was much more subtle, it was the kind of music people needed to hear in order to relax and enjoy the first day of the festival, without going too crazy.

Methyl Ethel and Skepta closed out the first night of the main stage, which felt like an odd choice at first, but was nonetheless an engaging way of ending day one. Methyl Ethel outperformed and shined brilliantly in what was an amazingly confident and warm-loving performance from Jake Webb. It was simply a wonderful set, feeling very poetic and comfortable. Winding up day one at the main stage was none-other than British rapper Skepta, returning to Beyond the Valley for his second time. Skepta, was quick to get the crowd moving and hyped as he magically narrated through his set, with an indescribable enthusiasm. Skepta closed his set, with the crowd-hit ‘Shutdown’, which instantly got everyone on each other’s shoulders.

Lastlings, Matt Corby, Mallrat, and Cub Sport continued the spirited vibe throughout day three. The third day of Beyond the Valley faced tougher weather conditions, but the cool change came through earlier than expected. Matt Corby, performing for his second time at Beyond the Valley, charmed his way through a very rhythmical and homely set, gathering a big audience from the dance tent, with many rushing over to be serenaded. Beginning his performance beautifully and quite softly, Corby played a unique set, full of his trademark multifarious sound. His performance felt perfectly timed and satisfying, especially as the cool change began to sweep out the lingering heat. Mallrat and Cub Sport performed their very best, playing old and new hits, but as the clock reached closer to midnight, excitement around the festival brewed eagerly for Tyler, The Creator.

Tyler lifted everyone’s spirits and performed what was by far the best live set of the entire festival. Opening his set in-character, as Igor, Tyler stood still, not moving an inch, and stared into the sea of his audience, all to ‘Igor’s Theme’, the opening track of his new album, IGOR. The crowd turned wild, hungry in desperation, wanting Tyler to move or do something. Then, out of nowhere, he began to run up and down the stage in his charismatic Igor dance style, grooving, with hands flying everywhere, getting the crowd excited to see what will happen next. Performing most of IGOR, Tyler channelled his inner Igor, dancing around stage as the character and performing his hits, including ‘Earthquake’, ‘New Magic Wand’, and ‘Running out of Time’. What was one of the most anticipated performances of the whole festival quickly finished and left everyone with full hearts.

Getting the crowd ready for the final night of 2019, Big Words and Lion Babe each brought their signature vibes to wash away everyone’s hangovers. Hobo Johnson brought his amazingly-gifted poetic rap skills to the stage, which had everyone singing, smiling and laughing, in what was undoubtedly the funniest set of day.

What was looking to be the most comic set, soon turned into one of the most anticipated performances of Beyond the Valley 2019. The Veronicas took the stage, returning to Melbourne after an amazing run of shows with Good Things Festival earlier in December, performing for only half an hour. There set felt too short, but managed to pack in all the fan favourites, ‘Untouched’, ‘4ever’, and ‘Everything I’m Not’. The twins instantly had everyone crowd-surfing and dancing their way closer to 2020.

Following The Veronicas, 16BL kicked off the electronic finish to the year, exciting the festivals electronic/dance enthusiast crowd. Following 16BL’s vibrant set, Australian DJ Hayden James electrified the crowd with his perfectly composed and dynamic performance, packed with special guests. The hype of the crowd grew uncontrollable, with just over an hour left of 2019, the final act of the year was preparing to play their countdown set.

Follow the release of their third album, it was only fitting for Sydney electronic trio Rüfüs Du Sol to return to Beyond The Valley, taking the coveted decade crossing slot. Rüfüs played an amazing set, creating the perfect blend of brand new songs and earlier tracks, which formed them into the powerhouse act they are today. The trio brought in the new decade with immaculate timing, ending 2019 on the most explosive part of their number one hit, ‘Underwater’, showering the 20,000 strong crowd with confetti, filling the already high energy night with dance, plenty of hugs and many kisses. 2020 was off to an explosive start.

Dom Dolla and Denis Sulta marked the end of the festival’s sixth installation, leaving plenty of punters smiling and energetic for the new year. Despite the heat and the fierce weather conditions, Beyond the Valley ended the year with an engaging all-rounder off a lineup, and brought in 2020 with nothing but best vibes.

See our full gallery of photos here.

[maddieson-san]

Kougakag.

I need y’all to ignore me. This is making me want to write, so we’re all gonna roll with it right? Aha... ahaha.

WHAT IS THIS. ITS A SNIPPET from another story from my long long list of I WISH I WAS WRITING THIS kouga/kagome.

So.

Yes.

Let’s ignore it.

Long frosted shiny crystals covered tree branches, weighing them down, while snow shimmered down from the dark blue, starry sky. Laughters filled the air as the sounds of skates digging into the ice echoed through the quiet vicinity. A rainbow of colors swirled together while children and adults covered in puffy coats and colorful scarfs spun around and twirled in amusement, filling everyone’s ears with the joyful sound of laughter. It was the perfect winter scene, never to be ruined, and nothing infuriated her more.

Kagome was sitting on a creaking, long, cold wooden bench, her hands tucked near her body in a foolish attempt to conserve some warmth.  There was probably nothing she despised more than winter. Her body simply could not tolerate the slightest drop of degree. Even now, though her fingers were comfortably hidden in light blue mittens, they were threatening to turn blue from the freezing weather. Also, it hard to ignore the constant sniffles she had to go through simply to prevent her nose from dripping like a broken faucet. As a matter of fact, the only enjoyable activity during the winter time was to remain wrapped in a blanket in front of a warm fire.

Since she despised the cold so much, there could only be one question: what in the world was she doing at an outside rink in the middle of nowhere?

To put it simply, she was dragged and forced while her kicks and screams were ignored.

Miroku and Sango loved ice-skating, probably because they were so good at it unlike her who was not gifted with balance and grace. Work forced her away from her friends which was how they managed to guilt her into coming to this awful place. She did try to tell them there was no way in hell she was going to skate but… they would not hear it. After thirty minutes of them begging, they finally gave up and now she was sitting alone on a bench. At least they were having fun.

Even if the nightmare did not end at the ice rink. No, the nightmare would last a whole weekend; a weekend with friends in a rented cottage.

Selfish bastards.

There she was, sitting by herself, watching as plenty of couples, including her friends, had smiles on their faces. They all happily enjoyed the glacial breeze as though it was not rattling through their bones, threatening to crush them to death.

Kagome rubbed together her mittens covered hands and tried to bring herself some warmth as the powerful effect of the cold could be felt throughout her body. A chill went down her spine and her annoyance grew to another level which she expressed with a growl. It was during that moment of desperation that something on the ground caught her attention and brought hope and heat into her heart. An empty, nearly crushed, hot chocolate cup. It could be ignored, but her freezing body just could not bring itself to do that. Suddenly an idea and craving formed in her icy, numbed out mind.

Hot Chocolate.

Her eyes gazed the horizon until they landed on the answer to her problems; a cute, little coffee shop. Without another thought, she rose to her feet and dashed for it. Instead of regular walking, and in an attempt to warm herself, she hopped all the way there and ignored the strange glances people threw her way. Not that she really mind or cared since she had done much worse than that in the past.

The counter came in view and a vibe of excitement filled her as she approached; there was no annoying lineup. She grabbed the edge of the honey, wooden counter and jumped from one leg to the other, her black boots kicking the snow, while she thought her options through. She was never that great at making decisions. Then again, what sane person could expect her to make a choice when they were so many options?

"Good Evening Miss, What can I do for you?" asked a brown haired young man who, according to his name tag, was called Hojo.

Kagome glued her pink lips together and pondered the issue carefully. She could not possibly only get a normal hot chocolate - at least not anymore. It was all that darn advertising; right now there were too many pictures of rainbows and colors surrounding her and it was influencing her choice… not that it was hard to influence her in the first place. It took her a few seconds, but she eventually made up her mind and settled on something. Oh wait, no not that. Okay, now her mind was made up... although cherry sounded like a very good idea… No, no she should really stick to cacao and nothing else. She did not want to be up all night from a sugar rush.

"I'll have a large hot chocolate, with an extra of whipped cream, some sprinkles and chocolate chips, all on top of it," she finally answered while slightly licking her lips.

She offered the poor boy her best smile, but he remained surprised by her choice. Nonetheless, he nodded before beginning her order.

A few seconds later, Hojo put her sweet treat in front of her before tossing a kind smile her way. "It will be 538 yen."

She nodded and then reached out in the pocket of her black coat only to find out that her wallet was… not in there. Then she remembered and it was as if her whole world came crashing down around her. Like a distracted idiot she left her purse inside Sango's car, thinking that she would not need it. She felt like smacking herself on the forehead. How could she be this stupid? Immediately, her face turned three different shades of red and she lowered her head.

Well, this was awkward. What was she supposed to do now? Run away with the delicious treat or calmly describe the situation and walk away without her precious hot chocolate?

"Well, I- hm, I seemed to hmm –" she stuttered not knowing how to explain. Oh yes, this was going fucking humiliating. Idiot, idiot, idiot.

Before she could form a decent explanation, an arm appeared beside her and handed a 1, 000 yen bill to the boy. Kagome's blue eyes widened slightly before she tilted her head to the side to catch a glimpse of her apparent prince in shining armor.

"This should cover it," the man said, avoiding her face while she stared intensively at him.

He was tall, nearly three heads taller than her - not that she was much a reference with her short size. He had beautiful long, brown hair, which looked silky has it shun lighter through the soft moonlight. It was pulled into a high ponytail, swiping across his left shoulder. While she inspected every inch of him, his two piercing blue eyes were focused on Hojo as he slowly took the money from him. He had a strong built, a square jaw and a strong scent of shaving cream surrounded him. Not that she was creepily smelling him but he was the only scent she could make out through her frozen sense of smell.

He watched her from the corner of his eyes, a tiny ghost of a smirk on his face, amusement shaking through his body. The girl's pink lips were slightly parted as she breathed heavily perhaps because of the cold and her blue eyes were locked on his person with an intense fascination. He let his eyes swipe her from up to down, an eyebrow arched. Her current attire was interesting to say the least; she looked like someone who was preparing for a blizzard or even a foreigner not used to winter but certainly not like someone who was ice skating. All he knew was that she looked in desperate need of that hot chocolate - if the sugary treat could even qualify as such.

Once he received his change back, he turned his head in her direction and waited to see if she would speak, or if she was simply an ice statue. It took Kagome a few seconds to realize that his piercing eyes were on her but when she did she blushed. Playing with the rim of her cup, she chastised herself and she offered him a smile. She was not a child.

"Thank you," she finally managed to say. "You didn't have to." At first, his blue eyes had mesmerized her, but now that she could get a better look at his face she noticed the small wrinkles pooling at the corner of his eyes. He was older than her.

“I’m always here to help a damsel in distress,” was his response before he winked. His glance lingered on her for a beat and then, he began to walk away.

Kagome blinked, completely abashed; did he walk away from her? What the heck. Clearly he was free to do as he wished and perhaps he only paid for her hot chocolate out of pity, but Kagome could not bring her body to listen to her. She was not the kind to receive a favor and not return it. Her mother had raised her better than that. And on top of that, he winked at her. Who winked at people and walked away? And what did that wink even mean? Was it like a gentleman’s way of saying good day? Or? No. Kagome decided she had to repay him for his gesture and began to walk after him.

Gosh, she did not even know his name.

"Wait," she called out since she had no better option.

He did indeed stop in his tracks, but he did not turn around. She cringed a bit, since she could imagine how annoyed he might be that a crazy hot chocolate girl was chasing after him. She ignored the blush that warmed up her cheeks and she kept walking in his direction until she caught up to him. Slightly breathless, and carefully holding her cup as to not spill it, she frowned at him. She had to be a little intimidating if she did not want him to walk away from her again.

"You can't leave," she stated as though it was a fact of the universe.

He arched an eyebrow. "And why is that?" he inquired slightly amused.

She lifted her cup. "You bought me hot chocolate."

And now she made even less sense.