#kye writes

[threecrowsinatrenchcoat]

Archduke of Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 34: Then, Remus

[AO3 Link]

When Remus opened his eyes again, it took him several long moments to understand that he was still in the hidden room in Verdant Keep. Namely, because it was crowded . The room was filled with soldiers and medics all talking over each other and rushing about. It wasn’t more than thirty people all told, but the room was not meant to hold quite so many people. 

The last thing he remembered was going down to Wrath’s claws. Now, he was laying in a medic cot with his damaged leather armor set off to the side. His bonded weapon had vanished when it left his grasp… but his left hand was still grasping something so tightly he could feel blood, warm and sticky against his palm. Slowly, he lifted his hand and willed his cramping fingers to uncurl. A few droplets of blood rolled down his arm from where the sharp edges of the ruby pendant had pierced his skin. 

The Amulet. 

[Continue on AO3] | [Read From Beginning]

[kyehwas]

Can you write some bf kyehoon kickflip headcannons please !! theres barley any on here and im obsessed with your kickfips x reader stuff 🥹

boyfriend kyehoon headcanons!

kyehoon is pretty introverted, but he can be super flirty when he needs to be!

type of guy to wear a tank top under his jacket just to see your reaction

honestly, kyehoon is more of an indoor date person than an outdoor date, he likes spending time at home with you

also definitely not a morning person! you can spend the night at his place but don't expect him to wake up first

you'll sit in bed with him for like 10 minutes, watching him sleep before his eyes fly open

also horror movie dates! he'd choose the most terrifying movie in hopes of getting you scared and in his arms

also car rides together!! kyehoon loves driving around with windows down, music blasting, and you in the car

such a good boyfriend, he'll tease you, but kyehoon really cares about you deep down!

[maverick-werewolf]

NEW Website Product - JOURNALS! And yes, WEREWOLF journals!

NEW PRODUCT! Journals for YOU to write in! And yes, at last, journals with a werewolf on them!

I have two pocket size (4.25″ x 6.875″) and two A5 size (5.83″ x 8.27″) journals available, with four different cover designs featuring art of Wulfgard characters, including werewolves!

Please note: As mentioned in the images, these are PRINT ON DEMAND products. They will take A FEW DAYS BEFORE SHIPMENT (even up to a week or so), due to production time! Please be patient after placing your order.

Sorry to throw the caps and bold at you, but it does take them a while to produce these; a few days or even as long as a week or more. But they're worth it, trust me! I got samples, of course, and they're great quality and very pretty.

But they do take a while to ship!

Also note that, unfortunately, international (non-US) shipping is still exorbitant in price, and that also applies to these products. I deeply wish there was something I could do about that, but unfortunately it's out of my hands.

I've always loved writing in little books like these, so it's a joy to have some with artwork of my own creations on them - as well as to create werewolf ones and offer them to others. I've always wanted werewolf journals my whole life, so here they are, finally!

I'll definitely be making use of the samples I ordered. Writing in nifty little journals like these is good for your mental health (not to mention your handwriting), you know.

FIND THE JOURNALS HERE! They're available only on my website!

[clownnotes-png]

Kinich paci edits cause I wanted to post something today

Pls ignore if these aren’t good im trying

[st4rb3rries]

STAN MARSH and KYLE BROFLOVSKI friendship hc's!! ☆⋆｡𖦹°‧★

pairings; stan and kyle x fem!reader (all aged up 18+)

summary; goofy friendship head cannons!!

warnings; cussing, underage drinking

a/n; my first time writing so lmk if theres any mistakes

YOUR FRIEND GROUP WITH THEM

you guys try to start a band. stan plays the electric guitar and you play the drums. but kyle.... oh sweet kyle. this orange head plays some type of classical instrument. my boy be playing the cello during a mcr (my chemical romance) song i swear😭😭.

stan: "dude c'mon this ain't the 1700's your piano doesn't belong here."

y/n: "yeah pack it up bethoven"

kyle: "DUDE IM SORWRY YK MY PARENTS MAQDE ME PLAY THIS GAY ASS INSTRUMENT!!!"

you and stan just giggle

there's always sleepovers at your house 24/7. your house is a safe spot for them. like y'all always snuggle and cuddle together in your bed. its so comfy too because you have so many plushies. you guys always watch movies and take naps after for sureee.<33

baking bro. kyle is the best baker out of y'all. one time stan and you tried to bake premade cookies. hell nah the fire department came. kyle was so mad that day becuase it was his oven and his parents were out of town... you and stan had to get summer jobs to pay off his oven. you guys still owe money whoops. you guys really hope kyle forgot about this accident. (he didn't.)

you guys go stargazing!! and it's the best thing to do too. kyle would bring his telescope and. you and stan would bring the snacks, flashlights, and blankets. one time you guys went and there was a mediator shower. all of you guys were in awe as you saw the mediators flash by. lowkey wanna of the best and rememberable moment you guys all have together.

YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH STAN

sometimes when stan is having a bad day with his parents he sneaks into your room and brings some beer to drink with you. kyle doesn't know you guys do this at all. but you guys drink A LOT whenever he comes over. it's literally a problem but #yolo😜. the conversations are worth it though. you guys talk about the meaning of life and. say some random ass shit. for example you both confessed that you had a crush on each other at some point in your guys life. nothing but laughter after that.

one time stan decided he wanted you to bleach his hair. he only wanted to dye it cause he didn't wanna look like his dad. he was having a mental breakdown about it. he never really shows this side to anyone but you, his bestie. he cries into your chest for a long time after venting. once he looks at your shirt (filled with snot and tears) he says "sorry" so much it's literally so cute. once you were done comforting him it was time to bleach his hair:D. (Y'ALL WERE STILL DRUNK) after bleaching his hair it looked good to y'all at that time... when he got sober he literally said, "y/n what the fuck happened to my hair." clearly you remembered what led to his bleached hair but he didn't. stan dyed it back to black himself ha.

he always plays his guitar to you. if he had a crush on you he'd definitely write a love song for you to listen to. definitely hasn't wrote one before. he play's all these catchy riffs for you and loves to see your face in awe. always tries to teach you to play but you get distracted cause he's so close to you😏. you listen to music with him 24/7 and share headphones!! radiohead, deftones, mcr, my bloody valentine are y'alls go to music artists. music is therapy for y'all.

THIRFTING!!! y'all go thrifting everyday bro i swear. he always finds the best stuff too. he finds all the embroidered jeans, vintage tees, and hella cool jewelry. LIKE HELLOO SHARING IS CARINGG!!! nah but you guys do be sharing clothes and accessories. since you guys have the same style. you guys also be pulling up to them yard sales. that's when your luck happens and. that's when stan gets jealous. you guys are depressed but well dressed.

YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH KYLE

you always play with his hair. since its so cute and fluffy. he often gets insecure cause of cartman. but it comforts him when you play and style his hair. when you style his hair i'm talking about pigtails, braids, space buns all that cute stuff. to go with that you add clips, headbands and bows. he looks goofy as hell but anything for his best friend. sometimes when he's so stressed he asks if he can come over to your house. you say yes ofc. he only comes just so he can get his hair played by you. once you guys start chatting away and his hair is getting played with he get's so relaxed. this is what heaven feels like to him!!

starbies and studying at the library. ok out of the 3 of y'all you and kyle are the smartest. when you go to the library you guys always go to your go to spot every time. if someone is setting there. kyle asks them to politely leave. if not his short temper comes out. once the person finally leaves you guys set up everything organized. you guys borrow fancy highlighters for notes and. big wordy text books to read to each other. you guys always go over the answers if you have tests at school. kyle usually is the first to one to passout. so you have to carry him out of the library sometimes. he looks so peaceful why would you wanna wake him up😭. stan secretly gets jealous that you guys study at the library without him. like come on guys he's smart too.

PLAYING DREIDEL WITH HIM!!! he adores when you play dreidel with him! you always loose though🙄. no one can out beat him. when he first asked you to play with him and. you asked him what it was. he was so excited to tell you. you fell asleep because he told you the whole ass history of the dreidel. like you just wanted to learn how to play😭. whenever it's getting close to hannukah you make dreidels out of clay for everyone. you decorate them and stuff. sheila is tearing up cause y'all so cute together making dreidel's. she defenitly takes a photo of you two. after you gave everyone their dreidel. the last person to receive one was cartman.... it didn't go so well.

since you guys are nerds. you guys definitely write emo poems and. it always be late at night too. this is when y'all become so sensitive and emotional. trauma, bullying, blood, sweat, and tears. go into these poems omfg. you guys also write books for ike!! he loves them!! especially the ones from you. you and kyle also write dumb ass books for each other too. they even have lil crayon drawings lmaoo. for example: kyle wrote on called, "jew on the boat". it was one page that said, "jew on the boat". with a silly drawing. HELPPP YOU GUYS LAUGHED AT THIS FOR HOURS AND. IT WASN'T EVEN THAT FUNNY.

[sinkingcircus-jpeg]

Regressor Dean Winchester

Dean tends to regress around 4-12, huge range but there is a reason!

On “good/regular” days he tends to like to drop down to 8-12 and just, get a childhood

But on bad days he is dropped fully down to 4-6 and just wants hugs and coloring time

He will only eat fruit slices when regressed, anything else is thoroughly rejected. Give him his appy slices or there will be harsh negotiations!!

Speaking of, boy does he love to strike deals! Baby boy is sitting there and arguing with Sam about why he SHOULD get an extra five minutes of coloring before bath time

He loves being held by Castiel, something about his presence is just so soothing to him. With cas he doesn’t have that itch in the back of his mind that makes him feel like he needs to protect

Kiddo Dean definitely plays a lot of pranks on Sam!! He does is when he’s big so of course it’s doubled when he’s a little kid

Sometimes he’s even able to get Cas to help him on them, (Castiel just wants to see the boy laugh and smile)

Sam always helps Dean brush his teeth when he’s younger, both of them know that Dean could do it himself but neither care

It’s a moment for them to just fully fall back into old patterns, but it’s reversed

On days where it’s a Bad Time and Dean is inconsolable he always runs to Sam, he knows that Sam will be there and will protect him so he runs to him, to home

Sam wraps him up in a blanket and holds on to him, propping him up on his knees so he falls further into his chest, feel his heart thudding rhythmically

Castiel helps by cutting fruit slices and putting juice in sippy cups, some days he’ll sit beside the two and run his fingers through Deans hair

Sam will hum the bits and pieces of “Hey Jude” that he knows and simply hope that somewhere Dean is comforted (he always is upon reaching his brothers arms)

[mysticstarlightduck]

Writing Share Tag!

I just started writing the first (out of three) main chapter of Kye Thalax's backstory and I am so sorry for my boi 😭. I don't wanna suffer alone writing these chapters - and they are important for his character arc as a grown-up later on - so I'm posting a snippet of his backstory Ch.1 for feedback and whatnot here!

BUT MAN I AM SAD. I cannot wait for Kye's Revenge Arc after writing these backstory chapters 🔥

(Also it is a pretty dark Backstory snippet so, TW for - Dark themes, Abuse/Domestic Abuse, and Lady Eldora being the shittiest mother and wife in the entire galaxy. Though I'm being honest that whole villain is TW in her own right.)

Kye peeked into the war room, standing on his tip-toes to peek behind the obsidian black stone doors, watching the conversation unfolding within with anxious, flitting eyes.

"You are seriously the most worthless man I have ever met," Came Eldora's voice, his Mother's voice, condescending and sharp like a razor, "I gave you one simple task at the gala last night. All you had to do, was look pretty and convince those stupid diplomats to bend the knee."

She chuckled, dark and bitter, and Kye hated how the sound made his Dad's shoulders curl in on themselves as the young man stood before her. After the short, pause, Eldora continues, rage visibly building up within her, as she tilts her head, "And somehow you manage to make a scene and embarrass me in front of all those people!"

She ends her sentence with a yell, shoving the young man with such force he is basically thrown across the room, toppling some chairs and a vase, before hitting the wall. There was a yelp of pain as he watched his Dad push himself off the wall with some difficulty, and, even though hidden by the doors, five-year-old Kye could see Damen's hands beginning to shake.

"I'm sorry Milady," His Dad's voice is flat and pained, and despite the fire in his eyes, he does not rise from the ground as he speaks, keeping his head bowed. "Y-You're right. I have failed you. I… I am sorry."

Kye felt his heart sink as if drawn to the furthest reaches of the planet's core. He willed his small, kid legs to move, but yet, he remained rooted in place, fear - or some sort of innate self-preservation wisdom - keeping him from trying to intervene.

Eldora growls, striding forward with thundering steps that send a shiver down Kye's spine until she's standing over Damen. "Y'know, one day that 'I'm sorry', isn't going to cut it." She grasps his chin, claws digging into his pearl-white skin, "You're lucky you are my consort and you need to look presentable. Though you'd better know how to act like it, or there'll be worse consequences. Understand?"

Kye saw as his father nodded fervently, the young man's bright blue eyes staring emptily at the warlord, fearful "Yes, Lady Eldora. Forgive me."

Tagging: @winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling @agirlandherquill, @anoelleart @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers @i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid, @finickyfelix

And I'm also gonna leave this an OPEN TAG!

Supernova Initiative Taglist (-/+): @ray-writes-n-shit, @sarandipitywrites, @lassiesandiego, @smol-feralgremlin, @kaylinalexanderbooks,

@diabolical-blue @oh-no-another-idea

@cauliflowermaterial, @clairelsonao3, @sleepy-night-child

@thepeculiarbird

@the-golden-comet, @urnumber1star, @ominous-feychild @anyablackwood, @amaiguri,

@lyutenw, @finickyfelix, @elshells, @thecomfywriter

Let me know if you'd like to be added!

[garadinervi]

OM Entering. And Once Enterd: The Barton Workshop Plays Philip Corner, (Vinyl/LP), KYE 39, Kye, 2016 [midcenturyclassical. Art: © Philip Corner]

Krijn van Arnhem: bassoon, contrabassoon Nina Hitz: cello John Anderson: clarinet, bass clarinet Rozemarie Heggen: contrabass Jos Zwaanenburg: flute Tobias Liebezeit: percussion Dante Oei: piano James Fulkerson: trombone Manuel Visser: viola Boris M Visser, Marieke Keser: violin

Artwork, Design: Philip Corner

[anodyne-sunflower]

I love the dynamic I've made between my recent male character (half elf oathbreaker) and Astarion so, I'm writing their story for myself ha. Just a little piece I'm working on, will post to Ao3 when done, hopefully.

He had a plan. A nice, simple plan.

And his plans usually tend to go his way. There's no fuss, no kinks in the threads of it...Astarion is just that well-versed in following through with them. Of course, it helps when your life depends on executing them with perfection, but then...what's his excuse for them falling apart now?

"Ow!" Astarion flinches back from a slight knock to his forehead, rubbing the area even though it really didn't hurt him all that much, given how gentle the flick actually was.

"Pay attention."

"You little--"

"Well, wouldn't need to resort to violent measures if you actually paid attention to me."

Astarion wants to say he always pays attention to him, that's the damned problem. Instead, he opts for a scowl, rolling his eyes at his current lover, because involving the theatrics was more fun (and safe) than being vulnerable.

Or admitting the truth. Which he has unfortunately come to accept--only to himself, of course. He wasn't that smitten...yet.

"I am paying attention."

"Then repeat what I just said."

"I--," a sigh, long and very drawn out because he was caught deep inside his thoughts just seconds ago. No one can blame him, he was dealing with a very life-altering fact at the moment. One that involved a very tall man, with cute half-point ears and all the build of a leaned, muscled human. Astarion kind of hates the man's parents for making him. What in the nine hells were they thinking creating such a divine mix of traits? Now he remembers using such a line on him months ago, when all were fast asleep in their camp and Astarion was craving his touch more than he cared to admit.

It's as if the gods made you just to ruin me.

It was a silly little game then, where words were just that--words, and any form of pleasure he took from him was strictly for transactional purposes. At least, to his knowledge and even that turned out to be quite the lie towards himself.

"Ow--gods dammit! Stop that." Astarion pouts now, though he hopes it still holds a menacing sneer to it. Judging by the snort of amusement thrown his way, however, he fears not.

"You're doing it again."

"Ugh, gods below--what?" It comes out frustrated, desperate even, because he's too busy musing over a man who is too pretty to pay attention to. That kind of beauty only begs for daydreaming, not reality. He'd apologize for such a vain display of thought but...well, look at him. Anyone would, and have much to his chagrin, stop for a moment to let their imagination run wild.

"That thing where you get this far off look and then proceed to ignore me." It isn't spiteful, more playful and half-amused. Of course, the idiot doesn't take offense to being ignored. He's too damn nice, too easy-going, too...annoyingly perfect. "Astarion, I swear to all the gods--"

Astarion sees it before he gets the chance to flick his forehead again, dodging at the last second and returning the favor twice over with a soft nip to his jawline. Sometimes he's quite content with the little bit of speed and reflex his unfortunate gift has given him.

"Little shit." Kye rubs the area, the site reddening from the trauma but nowhere near deep enough to draw blood. Astarion would never do so when squabbling, it'd be a waste.

[threecrowsinatrenchcoat]

Chapter 33: Now, Remus

[AO3 Link]

Remus woke in an unfamiliar bed. He was warm and comfortable, and well-rested in a way he only ever was after a night in an inn. He and Janus rarely had the cash to spare for one of the nice inns, but when they could, they did. Janus always spend a good hour setting up protections on the room before they slept, and mornings were usually a hurried affair of putting on their disguises and leaving before the other inn patrons had begun gathering in the meal hall for breakfast. 

This morning was different. For one, Janus wasn’t even in the room. It took Remus’ drowsy brain a few minutes to remember that Janus was in the room across from his. It took his brain another few minutes to remember Logan Centauri was in the room next to his.

[continue on AO3] | [read from the beginning]

[bunnyscar]

Dangerous

tw: blood

“Sam, Kye, I have a favor to ask,” Lily said one day after theater practice. They had been cleaning up the stage, putting away their props and storing them behind the stage, when she had approached the two boys.

“Would you be willing to walk home with me? I know our houses aren’t necessarily in the same direction, but…I don’t want to be out alone on the streets.”

Sam and Kye glanced at each other. “Of course. Did something happen?” Sam asked.

“Yes... I was attacked by one of those rogue vampires.”

“Attacked?” both boys exclaimed. Marissa, who was carrying a box of props off the stage, heard their outburst and hurried over. Lily explained to the three what had happened and how two boys by the names of Jeff and Alan had helped her.

“They said I should walk home with someone, even if it’s light out.”

“That’s true, there’s all kinds of criminals in this city, not just vampires,” Marissa said solemnly.

“Are you sure you won’t mind a vampire coming with you?” Kye asked slowly.

“Of course not! You’re not at all like that vampire that attacked me. I would feel so much safer with you around, Kye,” Lily said gratefully. Kye blinked in surprise, but nodded.

“I’m glad there was someone to help you,” Sam commented in relief.

“Me too. They go to a different school than ours, but they live near me. I got Jeff’s phone number, just in case another emergency comes up. They seemed really nice, even though one of them did have quite a fierce expression. He was...kinda strong, but gentle too.” Her cheeks grew slightly pink, which mystified Sam, but she said hastily, “Anyway, we need to finish cleaning up the stage!”

When they had finished up their cleaning and said goodbye to the others, Sam and Kye took Lily home, then finally headed towards their own house. “Let’s take the bus today,” Sam suggested. Their apartment was only be a couple stops away, but it was getting dark and their mother would be home soon. It couldn’t hurt to take public transportation. Kye nodded at Sam’s suggestion, and they turned from Lily’s street onto a busier road.

“Walking with Lily was nice, don’t you think?” Sam commented as they walked.

“Uh-huh,” Kye grunted in agreement. Though Kye didn’t show an outward display of happiness, Sam could see the contentedness in his eyes and the relaxed way he was walking, a stark contrast to the way he had been utterly wretched and guilt-wracked a few weeks ago. Sam smiled. Only because their friends had welcomed him back could Kye have recovered from his guilt and shame so quickly. Their kindness and Kye’s peace filled Sam with more joy than he could stand.

There was only one person who had not accepted Kye’s vampirism: Morris. Though Sarah had tried multiple times to invite Morris to go on a picnic with Sam and Kye and their friends, he had declined every single time. His angry response to her was that he was not about to be friends with a monster. To him, all vampires were monsters, whether or not he had seen them act like one.

It made Sam angry to think about how blind and mean Morris was being to vampires like Kye, who were just trying to live ordinary lives. Perhaps it was just as well that Morris had avoided them at school. Sam wasn’t sure if he would be able to keep his anger in check if they did meet.

Engrossed in his thoughts, Sam did not notice the person walking towards them until Kye abruptly stopped and said hoarsely, “M-Morris.” Sam looked up in surprise to see Morris standing in front of him on the sidewalk. Next to him was a man who looked like an adult version of Morris and a beautiful lady who was hanging onto the man’s arm.

“Sam and Kye,” Morris muttered. He glared daggers at Kye, though he didn’t say anything to the vampire.

Anger twinged in Sam’s chest at the hate dripping from Morris’ voice, and he wanted to yell at the boy that Kye was not a monster. But he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Kye was hunching his shoulders, staring miserably at the ground, and it would only make things worse if Sam lost his temper.

“How are you,” Sam said carefully, trying to keep his voice level. Morris scowled and looked like he was going to say something spiteful, but the man who had been walking next to him suddenly stepped up and held out a hand.

“Are these friends of yours, Morris?” the man said cheerfully, giving Sam and Kye a warm smile.

“We’re just classmates,” Morris said sullenly.

“My name is Sam, and this is Kye. And you are?"

“I’m Ben, Morris’ brother. Oh, and this is Lacey, my fiance,” the man said, giving the woman beside him a loving glance. The lady smiled sweetly at the two boys and laid a hand on Ben’s shoulder. She wore an expensive looking dress, though the purple scarf wrapped tightly around her neck looked rather tacky, and she had on an excessive amount of mascara. Perfume wafted off her as if she had doused herself in it, making Sam almost gag with its floral scent. Kye stiffened at the sight of her.

“So nice to meet you two. Oh, Morris, why don’t we invite your two friends to dinner? It wouldn’t be any trouble at all,” she gushed.

Morris gave the two boys another glare, but Sam spoke before he could, “Kye and I need to hurry home, our mom is expecting us. Nice to meet you though.” Grabbing Kye’s arm, he hurried away.

Once they had turned the corner onto another street, Sam let out a sigh of relief. “Well that was awkward. Ben and his fiancé seem rather nice, but I was afraid Morris was going to make a scene.”

Kye scowled. “That lady...she’s a vampire.”

Sam started. “A vampire? How do you know?”

“Vampires can sense each other’s presence. And even if she acted nice, I got a bad feeling from her. Something was off….”

Well, Sam had to agree, she did seem a bit strange. He was about to ask what Kye meant, when Kye suddenly stiffened, then turned and ran back the way they had come.

“Kye!” Sam yelled, chasing after him. Quickly, he pulled out his phone and began dialing the emergency ministry button. Kye had not chased any criminals for several weeks, not since the car accident, and dread filled Sam as he remembered it. But when he followed Kye into an alley, he realized this was not an ordinary crime.

At the end of the alley lay a body, stiff and awkward. Bending over it was a lady, wearing a tacky purple scarf, and she had her mouth on the body’s neck. Sam felt a cold hand of horror grip his body. She was Ben’s fiance. And she was drinking Ben’s blood.

“B-Ben,” a shaky voice brought Sam out of his stupor. Morris sat to one side, his horrified gaze fixated on his brother. Kye stood next to him, fists clenched and a snarl on his face.

The lady vampire looked up and grinned at the three boys. Her eyes glittered like red stones, blood staining her teeth and trickling down her chin. Her flowery perfume mixed with the stench of the blood and almost made Sam throw up.

“Oh, you two again? Well, why don’t you join my meal? You’d make a tasty addition,” she said, turning her hungry gaze to Sam. Before he could react, she lunged at him, claw-like fingers stretched out to grab his face. Sam stood frozen. I’m going to die, he thought.

An inhuman roar rent the night air and the lady crashed into a wall as Kye ran into her. He slammed fist after fist into her chest, tearing, scratching, screaming. She screamed as well, struggling in vain to get away.

For a moment, Sam could only watch in a daze as the vampire’s blood splattered the walls and the ground. Then suddenly, he shouted, “Kye! That’s enough!”

Kye halted, breathing heavily, eyes glowing with rage at the now whimpering vampire beneath him. Sam could barely stand to look at her, she had been so torn up by Kye’s claws.

“Kye,” he said, reaching out for his brother, but Kye turned to him swiftly, hand upraised as if to strike. When he saw Sam’s surprised look, however, he froze. The rage in his eyes slowly turned into horror, and as swiftly as the lady vampire had rushed at Sam, Kye leapt away, clambering up the side of a building and out of sight.

“Kye! Wait!” Sam cried. Desperately, he looked about for a way to get up the wall, but there were no footholds for a regular human like him. He turned to the alley exit. He needed to find Kye, to stop him, to calm him before he harmed himself or—Sam halted as vampire ministry agents started to arrive.

A lady wearing a tight black suit hurried over to him. “What happened?” she asked, concern on her face.

Sam took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. It would do no good if he himself was riled up. As quickly as he could, he explained the situation and how Kye had run off. The lady nodded, then turned to a colleague. “Fred, I’m going to help this boy find his vampire. You can handle things here?”

Fred nodded. “Right-o, Sherise!” he said with a salute.

Sherise wrapped her arms around Sam’s chest. “If you’re afraid of heights, close your eyes,” she said, and out of her back rose large, bat-like wings. With a rush of wind, she flew upwards, high into the sky above the buildings. Sam gazed in dizzying awe at the city below him, sparkling with lights that shone from apartment buildings and from streetlamps. Cars whizzed along the streets, looking like fireflies. The buildings and streets seemed to go on forever. How was he going to find Kye in all this?

As if knowing what he was thinking, Sherise said, “Don’t worry. A vampire and their caretaker share a special bond. If one is hurting or in distress, the other will know; you should be able to sense Kye that way.”

Sam closed his eyes and took another deep breath. There was something, almost a small tug on his consciousness, pointing to his left.

“That way!” he said, pointing towards a dark alley in another part of the city. Sherise told him to hold on, then swooped towards the alley, landing softly on her feet and setting Sam down gently.

Though it was hard to see in the alley, Sam could make out a crouched figure, shaking with sobs. “Kye!” he cried and ran towards him.

Kye looked up in surprise, then scrabbled away from Sam. “S-stay away! I-I’m a monster,” he sobbed.

“No, you’re not,” Sam said and drew him into a strong hug. “It’s okay. You were angry, you were trying to protect me. You’re not a monster, Kye, it’s okay.” Kye sobbed and clung to Sam. Sherise gently touched Sam’s shoulder.

“We’d better get you two home,” she said.

Previous || Next

[tough-girl9]

The Atoms of Us (An Infinity Particle Fanfic)

Summary: Three days after the showdown with Dr. Lin, Clem and Kye are figuring out what the future holds for both of them. Whatever it holds, they'll be facing it together.

Rating: K

Also posted on AO3 and FFN

Author's Note: I just read The Infinity Particle about a week ago and fell in love. I was heartbroken that there was no fanfiction for this beautiful book, so I knew I had to rectify it by writing my own. I hope this is the first of many to follow by others who discover Wendy Xu's lovely story.

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"Hey girl, later." Nadiya turned and waved on her way out the door, Cheshire clutched in her arms. The robot cat scowled and shoved a final piece of cardboard packaging into his mouth as the door shut.

Clementine did one last sweep of the shop, straightening tools, neatly stacking silicate discs, and putting away jars of nanomachine paint in the overnight cabinet. When she finished, the workshop was still cluttered, but there was something comforting about it all the same. Everything to help each robot who came here become whole and return to their human companion healthy again. Clem did one last check then swiped her wristband to clock out. Grabbing her satchel, she took off down University Street towards home, SENA riding on her shoulder as usual.

They caught the cable car heading upwards towards the residence sector. Clem leaned against the window, looking out at the reddish-brown rooftops as the car carried them upwards through Tithonium. Distractedly, she reached into her pocket then adjusted her satchel. A few seconds later she ran her fingers through her messy strawberry red hair and adjusted her satchel again.

"Nervous?" SENA chirped in her sweet little voice.

Clem immediately dropped her hands. "No," she said a little too quickly.

SENA fluttered down to land in Clem's lap. She folded her stubby arms. "You never fidget like that unless you're nervous."

Clem sighed as she caught herself trying to adjust her satchel yet again. "OK, yeah. I'm nervous. A little bit."

SENA blinked. "Why?"

Clem rubbed a hand through her hair, tangling it even further. "I dunno."

"Kye's been living with us for the past three days," SENA pointed out. "You exist around him just fine at our apartment. Why would it be any different to exist around him in a different location?

Robot logic. Impossible to argue with. Clem shook her head. "I dunno, it's just different. You wouldn't understand."

SENA fluttered her brown- and white-spotted wings. "It's not my fault you didn't program it into me then."

Clem booped her little build on the nose. "I don't remember programming that sort of sass into you either."

SENA sniffed. "I've had no problem picking that up from you, Nadiya, and Mykael on my own, thank you. Robots learn, remember?"

How could she forget? Robots had been her life since she was little. But even that couldn't have prepared her for all the events that had unfolded in the last week and a half since she'd arrived on Mars. Distracted, she went back to staring out the window. But now, instead of rooftops, she saw dark, soulful eyes gazing tenderly back at her…

"Clem? Clem!" SENA fluttered her wings in Clem's face. "It's our stop."

"Right!" Clem grabbed her satchel and stepped out onto the station platform, then jogged up the flights of stairs leading to her apartment.

Kye was in the kitchenette, trimming dead fronds off one of his beloved plants when Clem and SENA opened the door. As they entered, he lowered his sheers, a little smile brightening his face. He met Clem's eyes and she blushed. "Hey," he said gently.

"Hey," she responded. She gestured awkwardly upwards. "Um, just let me get changed and I'll be ready."

She darted up the stairs to her bedroom loft, where she tossed aside her dusty and oil-stained trousers and changed into a billowy pair of pants and a loose, comfy shirt. She hurriedly ran a comb through her hair, trying to tame the wild tangles, then took a deep breath, facing the wall. Slowly she turned and descended the stairs.

Kye was kneeling in front of their table, a Welcome to Tithonium pamphlet and map laid out in front of him. He was wearing an ankle-length, soft blue robe tied at his waist with his brown jacket over the top and his long hair pulled back in its usual ponytail. Clem plopped onto her cushion across from him. "Made a decision yet?"

Kye frowned thoughtfully. "There are more choices than I realized. Do you have a suggestion?"

Clem scooted the map over to her side. "Let's see. Nadiya mentioned that Masala Corner is really good. Hmm, Valles Café, that's down by the University, right? Oo, Mars Casa. Ever had Mexican before, Kye? …Kye?"

The android seemed to shrink in upon himself, his smile faltering, his shoulders dropping. Even his beautiful hair seemed to wilt. "Maybe…maybe not that one," he said quietly, and Clem would have almost sworn he sounded apologetic.

He looked up to find Clem looking at him with concern. He smiled a little, his dark eyes soft. "I'm okay," he answered her silent question. "It's just…" He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Mother took me there, years ago. I hadn't been activated very long. She ordered a plate of arroz rojo, and I was so fascinated that I asked if I could order something too." He glanced away, down at the table. "She scolded me – yelled at me really – told me I was selfish to make other people work to fix food and clean up after me for something that I couldn't even enjoy." He shrugged, a sad, defeated gesture. "I never asked Mother for food again after that."

Clem reached across the table and gently laid her hand on the back of his. The round sensor panels on the back of his knuckles were smooth and slightly cooler than his skin. "You're not selfish," she said with conviction. "You're allowed to want things, just like any human."

He looked up at her, soft gratitude and fondness on his face. "You make it easier for me to remember that, Clem."

She blushed and glanced down, letting her hair fall in her face to hide the glow of her cheeks. "Just being a decent person isn't something to be proud of."

He turned his hand over, so he could twine his fingers with hers. "No, but I'm still grateful all the same." He reached up and ran the fingers of his free hand through her curls, smiling affectionately. "You know what I want right now?"

Clem flushed deeper, enjoying the feel of his delicate fingertips brushing her cheek. "What?"

He grinned. "For us to have an amazing first date!"

She giggled. "That sounds like an amazing thing to want."

He squeezed her hand. "Then let's both stop overthinking it and choose the first place that sounds nice."

They returned their attention to the map and almost immediately Clem pointed excitedly. "There! Don't you think that would be perfect?"

Kye looked at where she was pointing. "Arbor Bistro," he read.

"It's right by the park. I bet it's got a lovely view of the walkway." Clem paused. "Unless you have any negative experiences with it…"

Kye grasped her hand again, this time more firmly. "No. No, it sounds perfect."

Clem tried not to grin like an idiot and wasn't entirely successful. So this was it! Her first date with Kye. And Kye's first real meal after finally being able to smell and taste!

They headed to the door. "SENA?" Clem called out. "You coming?"

The little moth robot fluttered down to hover between the two of them. "I'm going to have a night in. I think this outing needs to be just you and Kye."

Clem felt a moment of something almost like panic. SENA was always with her. The thought of not having those comforting little feet clinging to her shoulder or the brush of velvety wings against the back of her neck made her feel uncomfortably vulnerable.

SENA must have sensed Clem's discomfort, which wasn't surprising since that was part of her core programming. She landed on Clem's hand. "I'll be here when you get back. And I think you'll still have a perfectly good robot to keep an eye on you."

She made a tiny face. "Plus I won't have to look away every time you and Kye make kissy faces at each other."

Kye gently put an arm around her shoulders. "She's right, Clem. You're not alone anymore. Neither of us are."

Clem put her arm around Kye's waist and leaned into him a little. "I know." She smiled at SENA. "Looks like the apartment's yours for the evening."

SENA made a little humming sound. "Enjoy your evening out together."

Clem and Kye headed out onto the narrow street between the rows of apartments. Clem's building was about halfway up the canyon wall, affording a lovely view of Tithonium spread out beneath them. Above them, the biodome glowed a faint blue, contrasting against the dusty red all around them.

They linked hands as they made their way to the cable car and descended. As usual, Kye got some curious looks from the other passengers in the car, and one woman holding a cute rabbit-like bot in her arms asked Clem if he was her build. Clem just shook her head. "No, he belongs to himself," she answered firmly. Kye wasn't looking at her, but she saw the corner of his lips twitch upward anyway.

The rest of the trip to Arbor Bistro was uneventful, at least in conventional terms, but inside Clem was just about bursting with excitement. The whirlwind of events over the last several weeks had been adrenaline-inducing, but it had also left her with the distinct disappointment of just how little time she'd been able to spend simply getting to know Kye, without the pressure of solving the mystery of his glitch in the forefront of both their minds. Now, with his glitch fixed and his living situation vastly improved, Clem was beyond eager to get to know the cute, sweet android for whom she'd fallen so hard.

As it turned out, Clem couldn't have imagined a better location than Arbor Bistro for their first date. The moment both of them walked in, Kye made a soft sound and Clem looked up at him to find him gazing about in gentle awe.

The walls were painted with large murals of Earth's forests: tall trees with glimpses of mountains beyond and woodland animals peering at them from under the tree shade. Several live potted plants that Clem was sure Kye would know all the names of were placed tastefully around the cozy restaurant. Windows lined one side of the room, affording a beautiful view out into Valles Park, and soft piano music played in the background. The atmosphere was peaceful and welcoming.

Clem and Kye seated themselves at a booth by a window where they could look out at the street and the tree-lined park walkway. An interactive hologram menu in the middle of the table glowed red as they sat down. They swiped through the menu, chatting occasionally about the options, then Clem tapped the order button when they were both ready.

A robot waiter rolled up to their table to take their orders. She was humanoid, though not like Kye of course, with a large round head, a flat panel face with large digital eyes, and wheels instead of feet. "Hello, my name is Veronica," she said in a tinny voice. "What would you like to order today?" she addressed Clem.

"I'll take the soup salad sandwich combo, Veronica," Clem replied. "I'll try the broccoli cheese soup, the house salad, and the swiss roast beef panini. And just water to drink, thank you."

"Very good." Veronica's digital eyes blinked in and out several times as she downloaded the order file. "That will be ready for you in a few minutes."

"Excuse me." Kye sounded nervous. "I'd like to get something too."

If Veronica was surprised (if surprise was even part of her programming), she didn't show it. She pivoted to face him. "Yes, sir, what would you like?"

Her nonjudgmental response seemed to embolden Kye. He sat up a little straighter. "Um, I'll take the combo too. Tomato soup, house salad, and grilled cheese sandwich, please. And I'll try a lemonade."

Veronica rolled off with their orders, leaving Clem and Kye alone at their table again. For some reason, all Clem's bursting energy had transformed back into nerves again. They met each other's eyes and quickly looked away, Clem staring down at the table and Kye scratching the back of his neck shyly.

"So…how was your day at the shop?" Kye finally asked.

Clem fiddled with a napkin. "Nothing out of the ordinary. Quite a few pick-ups and there was one sweet little bird robot with a broken voice simulator. We had to replace the simulator unit, but once we brought her back online she was singing just like new." She didn't mention the little girl who had brought her in, crying that her companion was "hurt" and who had insisted on staying during the entire replacement procedure. They technically had a drop-off only policy, but Nadiya had taken one look at Clem's face and had gently scooped the bird out of the crying girl's hands, reassuring her that they'd have her friend fixed in no time. Once, not long ago, Clem had dreamed of going into artificial intelligence studies to be like Dr. Lin: a pioneer and cutting-edge scientist. But now, more so than ever, Clem was realizing that it was moments like these that made her career matter. Not the grand moments, but the little ones that made all the difference to the right person.

She looked up to find Kye watching her with compassion in his deep, dark eyes, as if he had guessed some of what she was thinking. At the very least, she suspected that his empathetic programming allowed him to perceive her mood. "How about you?" she asked. "How did your visit with Dr. Han go?"

Kye's expression turned pensive. "She ran a comprehensive diagnostic of all my systems. She seemed pleased with the results."

"Were you pleased with the results?"

Kye's smile was melancholy. "I'm grateful to no longer be glitching and to have my systems functioning perfectly again. But there was no longer any trace of whatever part of my code showed itself to me as the child. The child who was a part of me ever since my first codes were written. In a way, I feel even lonelier now."

"Did you have Dr. Han look at your encryptions?" Clem asked. Kye nodded. "Yes. It's extensive, but Dr. Han believes with enough time that she can bypass the encryptions and allow me to interface with my fellow AI."

"Is that what you want?"

Kye gently stroked his fingertips back and forth over the smooth table surface. "I'm not sure. I've been alone for so long that I'm confused about what my life should look like now. But I think I'd like to have the option."

He continued to stare downward. The faint lines of circuitry just underneath the skin of his cheeks glowed with blue lights racing back and forth, the way they always did when he was processing or experiencing a particularly strong emotion.

Clem reached across the table and laid her fingertips next to his. "Are you doing okay?"

He was silent for a moment. "I miss her. A lot. I guess that's pretty weird, huh?"

In Clem's mind, she saw herself sitting in the seat for her interplanetary flight, her ticket to Mars clutched tight in white-knuckled fingers, her face turned to the window as tears streamed silently down her cheeks. She hooked her fingers around Kye's. "No, it's not weird," she said softly. "I get it."

Kye looked up at her, his eyes locking to hers, and his beautiful face was softer than anything else she could imagine at the moment. His eyes were as dark and deep as outer space.

At that moment, Veronica wheeled over with their food, and Kye's attention turned down to the plate and bowl in front of him. His eyes went wide and he took in a deep breath. "Clem!" he exclaimed. "It smells…so nice!"

"As nice as my hair?" Clem teased.

Kye however seemed to consider her question. "There's a qualitative difference between the two so I don't know if I can properly compare them. The smell of your freshly washed hair is…light, but there is a deepness to this smell." He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't have the vocabulary yet to describe it."

"Well if you think it smells nice, just wait until you taste it," Clem said.

Kye lifted his sandwich carefully. Cheese oozed liberally out onto his fingers as he took a delicate bite. A moment later, his eyes went wide and the blue circuitry raced across his cheeks. He chewed slowly then swallowed. "It's delicious!" he exclaimed in delight.

"Try dipping it in your soup." Clem demonstrated with her own sandwich.

Kye mimicked her, dipping the corner of his sandwich into his bowl and bringing it back up dripping red. He took a bite out of it and closed his eyes. For a moment, the only sound that came from him was a low hum, more mechanical than human, but Clem hoped it had the same meaning as such a sound would have from an organic being.

The android's eyes snapped back open and a beaming smile cut across his face. "It's fantastic." He shook his head in wonderment. "It's amazing how the flavoring of the soup, instead of masking the taste of the sandwich, instead enhances it. I've wished for years that I could taste and never thought I would. It's so much better than I ever thought it would be."

For the next several minutes, they both dug into their food heartily.

Kye sampled his salad and his blue processing lights flashed back on. He frowned in concentration, then used his fork to sort through the salad until he found a green chunk of cucumber. Gingerly, he popped it in his mouth and made a face. "I don't think I like that one," he said. He sampled another. "Yeah, I don't care for that," he confirmed. He fished around with his fork and took another bite of salad. "I love the tomatoes though. They're sweeter than I always imagined they'd be." He brightened. "Do you think I'd be able to grow my own tomatoes at your apartment?"

"I think the front window gets enough sunlight that you'd be able to get them to grow," Clem said. "And it's your apartment too now. As long as you choose to stay."

Kye looked slightly abashed. "I'm not used to anything being mine. Even the plants were all gifts from Mother."

Clem watched Kye with gentle concern. The few times that he'd mentioned Dr. Lin in the past three days had seemed difficult for him and to weigh heavily on his heart. Clem could guess a little of what he was feeling. Dr. Lin had been Kye's life up until now: his creator, his caretaker, his teacher. Clem could only imagine how jarring it must have been for Kye to be faced with the naked truth that his mother would rather see him obliterated than living as an individual. Clem's stomach knotted up as she remembered just how close Kye had come to having his existence wiped completely away.

A small tear slid down his cheek and plopped onto the front of his jacket, so quickly that if Clem hadn't been watching she would have missed it. She wondered if she should mention that she'd heard him last night: soft sobs drifting up from down below when she'd woken briefly in the middle of the night. It broke her heart to know he was hurting.

She bumped her foot up against his under the table and he looked up at her. Their eyes met and a silent understanding passed between them that no words would have been able to elucidate. A quiet companionship hung in the air between them.

Clem decided to lighten the mood after a minute. She tore a chunk off her panini. "Here, Kye, want to try mine?"

Kye took it from her fingers and popped it in his mouth. "Hmm, good, but I still think mine is better." He tore a chunk off his grilled cheese and leaned across the table to pop it into her mouth.

"Now try my soup!" Clem giggled around the grilled cheese.

Kye was giggling too as he fed her a spoonful of his tomato soup.

"And I'll take all your cucumbers in exchange for my tomatoes," Clem bargained.

They exchanged vegetables. The mood between them had brightened as the nerves and awkwardness dissolved into the giddy playfulness of young love. They laughed as Kye bit into an extra-large tomato, squirting himself in the face with juice, and Clem leaned all the way across the table to wipe a spot off his cheek with her napkin. She watched as he finished off his salad, his excitement wonderfully childlike. Being around him woke something playful and curious in her that she hadn't felt in a long, long time, like a childhood glimpsed in a far off dream.

Before long, nothing was left of their meal except soup stains around the rim of their bowls and bread crumbs on their plates. Across the street, the park was now covered in shadows and the lamps lining the walkway were coming on. Everything was cast in the reddish glow of a Mars evening. Clem grabbed his hand. "Want to go for a walk?"

Valles Park was mostly deserted as they strolled down the walkway. The biodome regulated the temperature, keeping it warm enough for the humans of Tithonium to live comfortably, but there was still a noticeable drop as the sun disappeared beyond the craggy red rim of Valles Marinaris's towering walls. Clem shivered slightly, and Kye glanced down at her. Without a word, he slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled at him and he smiled gently back.

At the center of the park, there was a gigantic circular mosaic of the solar system, ringed with benches and trees. The artificial wind blew gently through the treetops, causing them to rustle softly in the dark. Kye and Clem sat down together.

Clem gave Kye a shy sideways glance then scooted over a little closer to him until her hip bumped against his. She felt him look down at her as she laid her head on his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her shoulders, holding her closer to himself, then he leaned over a little to kiss the top of her head. His long hair brushed softly against her cheek.

"Clem?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you came to Mars."

She snuggled closer to him. "So am I."

"Was it scary? Leaving everything you'd ever known behind."

Clem considered his question briefly. "Yeah, it was really scary. It felt like diving into a big black hole, and I had no idea where I'd land. I mean, I'd already been offered the job at the repair shop, but other than that, I had no idea what was going to happen. It was like being surrounded by emptiness, like everything was falling away and I had no idea how it would be filled."

She felt Kye nod. "Yeah, emptiness." He sighed. "At least you don't have programming telling you how you should be living your life. If I'm not doing what I was literally created to do, what do I do?"

"You write your own code," Clem answered. "And I can help if you like."

Kye nuzzled her hair with his nose. "I think I'd like that very much. I'm so glad you're here while I'm going through all of this. I don't know if I ever would have left her, if it hadn't been for you."

Clem suddenly felt a fierce protectiveness towards him, the way she had when Dr. Lin had threatened to destroy him. "Well, if this is the only good thing that ever happens from me coming to Mars, then I consider that worth it all."

Kye cupped her cheek. Clem closed her eyes as his lips gently locked with hers, His kiss was as soft as his dark eyes, and Clem sank happily into it. She reached up and twined her fingers into his flowing hair and leaned into his chest, returning his kiss with a full heart.

When their lips parted, they remained deeply twined in one another's arms. "Have you ever been in love before, Kye?" Clem asked.

"No," he answered softly. "Before you, I wasn't even sure if I'd been programmed with the ability to fall in love." He laughed. "And now I'm going on dates. With my girlfriend."

It was the first time he'd called her that. Clem's cheeks and chest glowed with warmth.

"I'm glad that of all the futures that could have happened and all the places in the universe that I could have ended up, that I ended up here with you, Kye."

He squeezed her tightly. His arms were comforting and strong around her. "And I'm glad that of all the people that could have chosen to come to Mars and get a job at the University City Robotics Repair, that it was you, Clementine Chang."

As Kye cuddled her and nuzzled her cheek, Clem found herself looking over his shoulder into the night sky. Beyond the faint glimmer of the biodome, she could see the countless stars stretching out into the infinite universe.

There's no place in the whole universe I'd rather be than right here in your arms. Every atom of me is glad to be here figuring out the future with you. Together.

[maverick-werewolf]

Reminder: if you like fantasy, definitely check out my books. Wulfgard: Knightfall is my current magnum opus, and Wulfgard: The Demon's Fang is a standalone novella that leads you into it. Plus, the ebook of Fang is free! I have several other books, too.

Wulfgard: The Demon's Fang on Amazon (find it at many other online retailers, too, and your country's Amazon as well!)

Wulfgard: Knightfall on Amazon (find it at many other online retailers, too, and your country's Amazon as well!)

[clownnotes-png]

Hi hi! I really like your writing! I was wondering if I could request regressor Aether with caregivers Diluc and Kaeya? Maybe something hurt/comfort if you are up to writing angst :3

I LOGE ANGST !!! Also this is like 970 words omg </3

The sun was too bright. Clothes too itchy. It was loud. Loud, itchy, bright - Aether was so tired of it all. The sun beating down on him, the hilichurls chanting and screaming, the grass itching against his back. Aether was so tired of the wilderness. Everything screamed at him to go back and find find his papa or dada; the world was too harsh for a baby who simply wanted to be loved.

Albeit his yearns (and small tears) Aether didn't turn back to head for his carers - no he couldn't. He had to keep moving and find his sister. It didn't matter if Aether's legs felt like jelly has he stepped back on to Liyue Harbor from Inazuma; nothing mattered until he found his sister.

Paimon steadied Aether as he stumbled on the dock, body adjusting to the steady world (and a world twice his size, he feels so smallsmallsmall). "Hey traveler! I think maybe we should take some downtime" Paimon's voice trailed off towards the end.

"No Pai'on can't, we gots to go Su'eru" Aether sniffled and shouldered off Paimons hold. Everything around him was rapidly growing, his head was fuzzing at the seams, and Paimon was being too caring.

Streets in Liyue were loud, they were loud and crowded and tootootootoo much. It was suffocating, Aether needed out. He needed out, he needed papa and dada Diluc and Kaeya.

"Hey goldie!" Hands lifted Aether up under his armpits, pulling him away from the crowd, the noise, the suffocating feeling. "It seems like I came at the right time, huh?" Kaeya stood in front of Aether, smiling up at the boy he held.

Carefully Kaeya shifted Aether onto his hip, moving them out of the crowd. "Hey Paimon, what are you guys doing here in Liyue?" As Aether lifted his head up to respond Kaeya quickly ruffled his hair while moving the boys head to his shoulder.

Paimon floated up to match Kaeya's height and grinned, "We just got back from Inazuma! The traveler had to fight the Raiden Shogun and we helped her and the Kamisato clan and so many others!" As Paimon went into stories of their time in Inazuma, Kaeya worked on settling her and Aether onto his horse, deciding that the boy would probably prefer the comfort of Mondstadt.

Kaeya's horse slowed to a stop in front of Dawn Winery, turning itself slightly so Kaeya could easily get Aether off its back. "There we go bud," Kaeya lifted Aether up and back on to his hip so he could easily hitch his horse up to a post, "are you excited to see papa sunflower?"

At the mention of Diluc Aether excitedly nodded and tapped Kaeya's chest with his palm, "Papa! Hurry, hurry!!" A grin had graced the boys face as he spoke, already looking up at the porch steps. Flowers that the boy had planted by the stairs the last time he was here (the last time he regressed..) were already blooming. Had it been that long?

The porch stairs creaked as Kaeya stepped up them, walking slowly so Aether could look at the flowers and pillars (why did baby Aether always love the pillars). As the two approached the door Aether excitedly leaned over - almost toppling - to knock on the door. "Woah there sunflower! Lets not fall out of dada's hold, kay?"

Aether looked up at Kaeya, big puppy eyes staring at him as if he was going to cry. "Sorryyy, was e'cited to see papa!" Aether's voice rose a little at the end of his apology covering the soft squeak of the front door opening.

"Oh my, my pumpkin has come to visit!" Diluc watched as Aether excited leaned over and reached out to him. A grin blessing his face, he hadn't seen his papa and dada in so long! It felt like eons since they were able to see each other - partially due to Paimon and Aether being locked away in Inazuma and partially due to Aether shoving his regression away.

Now that the blond was wrapped in his papa's arms he could not remember why he ever shoved the fuzzy feeling away. Deep within his subconscious though Aether knew there was a reason, of course he did. Every day he had to remind himself of it so he would keep up the act; he had to keep shoving it away (for the betterment of those around him).

Diluc squeezed Aether's cheeks, dragging the boy out of his own head. "Hey pumpkin, do you want juice or milk?" The question was spoken softly, almost as if Diluc was afraid of breaking the kid with his voice. Each option was resembled with different colored cards in Diluc's hands, an option for if he was nonverbal at the moment (he was, Aether always loved how his carers knew him so well).

Juice was soon brought to Aether and Kaeya dropped down next to boy, "Now what are we playing bud! We have stuffies and we have blocks?" A bag of blocks sat in front of Aether along with a small collection of the stuffed animals that he kept in Dawn Winery's spare room.

Quickly Aether grabbed a stuffed animal and forced their paws into his hands so he could make the animal pick up and stack blocks. "Ooo Mr. Hops is building!" Diluc leaned over the couch and smiled, "what is being built?" Aether looked up and grinned before putting a finger in front of his lips and mouthing 'secret' at both boys.

With that, the three spent the rest of the day running around and playing. Aether 'forcing' (it was simple puppy eyes, the brothers Cannot resist them) Diluc to give him a piggyback ride, and Kaeya helping him hide grapes they snuck from the vines. <3

[24svnn]

I've got like 50+ plots listed with complete names and I wrote likeee zero 🫶 I want to write so badly but my brain just ain't braining (⁠ ⁠･ั⁠﹏⁠･ั⁠)

[mysticstarlightduck]

Heads Up Seven Up

Thanks for the tag @the-golden-comet!!! I'll go with a snippet I wrote for one of the future chapters of Supernova Initiative that I've been working on!

・・・

Artemis stammers, trudging up to the other quickly and stopping right in front of the other, arms crossed, “I know you heard what I said, you dipshit.” He said, glaring venomously at the other, who simply stood there, a placid, mock-innocent smile on his lips as if he had no idea what the other was talking about, but Artemis knew he did, he knew him. He took a deep breath, “I’m gonna ask again, and you’re going to answer, or I’m gonna throw you right into that hail storm - can you just use your damn wrist computer to map out a path?”

He punctuated each of those words, being as painfully clear as he could get. For a moment, Kye said nothing in response, just smiled, standing there - and at that precise moment of silence, Artemis wanted nothing more than to deck him. Thankfully, for Kye’s sake, the other decided to speak. 

“Maybe I can…” His voice was cheeky, with a pseudo-sweetness to it that told Artemis that Kye was simply toying with him. The alien tilted his head to the side like a stray cat,  “If you ask nicely.”

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