#lovely actually. it’s been so sunny today. life is good you know. it really is. the world the lovely world :)

[changingplumbob]

Some days Glenn would go to the magic realm. He hadn't been much when he was growing up and was always flummoxed by the doors. Doors that should lead nowhere actually moving you? Weird. He wasn't the only member of the coven to enjoy some time there though.

The main building had been magically fortified. It was one of the few places Jackson and Coleman could test the limits of their magic without risking detection or uncontrolled destruction. Sometimes Glenn would watch them practice. Jackson doing his best to set everything aflame while Coleman worked on starving each flame of oxygen, fascinating and usually got the attraction of other young spellcasters. Koko had an astronomy group she would meet with while Ophelia searched for valerian root for Glenn to grow.

Vendor: Hello, how may I help you today?

Glenn: Woah, I forgot they had ghosts here

Vendor: Not ghost sir. I am an astral projection

Glenn: A what now

Vendor: I'm not really here, just my spirit. Actual me is sleeping in my cottage right now

Glenn: In a cottage? That sounds like the life

Jackson: Stop holding up the line certified loser, some of us actually want to buy stuff

Glenn: I want to buy stuff

Jackson: Sure you do. Excuse me sir, do you have any bone wands in stock yet

Vendor: Not today. They are hard to make

Glenn: Jackson I thought you had a wand

Jackson: I do but I'm trying to collect some. They have different vibes, inspiring you know. Gets the creativity going

Glenn: I always forget you write poetry. How'd someone like you even get in to that

Jackson: Who's being rude now? Words are like flames to me, they just make sense. And I do have a talent for pushing buttons

Glenn: No kidding. So you're collecting? Plan on getting shoes like Carmine?

Jackson: Ruby slippers? Nah. There's only one pair of them in existence. And I'm plenty tall already, no heels required. You coming? Some of the others were talking about dueling. Coleman and I were going to take some wagers from the apprentices that don't know better

Glenn: I'll be along. I need to see what seeds they've got

Koko: Don't be trying to hit me with any water spouts

Marisol: And don't be trying to blind me with light

Koko: Deal. You ready?

Marisol: Ready

By the time Glenn got there they were near the end. Koko won which wasn't a large surprise, she was far more curious with her magic study and Marisol was still adjusting to the move. Jackson and Coleman collected their winnings from disappointed apprentices and the group headed home together.

Time passed and Glenn got better. He got to the point where Grayson wasn't the first thing he thought about in the mornings. He changed his lockscreen, and got back in to a routine. Some nights he would go over to Henri's or Miranda's and watch a film. Miranda had the best set up in her room, but Henri had the best snacks. The twins did tease him for his celebrity crush on Devin York but a man could dream.

Cooking comforted him, not as much as gardening but close. Glenn loved food and felt a freedom when playing chef. He slowly started to dream of what his future might look like, or who would be in it. It wouldn't be Grayson, but he thought about what he'd like in a partner. Someone to share life with, someone who wouldn't mind him cleaning dirt from under his nails every time he came back in the house. Someone who liked abs, and told him he looked nice.

Humans were nice but humans were... tricky. They didn't understand what the occults had been through. But maybe that could be good? Once he finished his breakfast he always took a tray up to his grandfather who liked to read in bed in the mornings, and got on to the rest of his routine.

Each day his affirmations became easier to say. With time he got back to believing he was a catch, he just had to find someone who was fishing... and didn't have anything against the colour green. He flowed through his exercise routine most mornings. Push ups and sit ups until he hurt, but a good hurt. Then if it was sunny he'd go for a run, if it was raining he stayed inside and did a dance workout.

Little did he know someone had no choice but to stay in the rain.

Reminder that Glenn and Silver are moving to my weekends rather than every second day, but they meet in the next part I promise!

Previous ... Next

[antsday]

in the palm of your hand

[i was re-reading @habken's incredible scammers to lovers au and wrote this short fic. I really love their work and couldn't help myself lmaoo. anyways i hope you all enjoy!!!]

-

“Hi! Can I help you with- oh,” says the angel from the IT department, spinny chair swiveling to a stop. “It’s you again.”

The first week Katsuki had come in, Deku had been relatively understanding and chipper- bright and sunny and shit. More personal than the strained smile and forced cheer that most customer service workers spoke with- of course I’ll fix your laptop, no problem, just leave it to me. 

Now, about three weeks later he looks at Katsuki like he’s just bitten into a lemon. As in, like Katsuki had come into the IT department, looked Deku in the eye, bit into a lemon, and then made a puckered up face and writhed in discomfort and then showed up with another lemon the next day, rinse and repeat for nearly a month. A complicated mix of intrigue and confusion and mild horror at this endless display of masochism.

Which is fair; there really is no other way to look at a top ten Pro Hero who repeatedly comes in to have his laptop fixed and won’t admit under penalty of death that it was because he clicked a pop-up in hopes of having a proper conversation with a dreamy IT guy. Not that Dreamy IT guy in question knows about all of that, but whatever. If Katsuki was in Deku’s position, he would also be worried about the fact that the safety and integrity of the public was left in the hands of guys who can’t stop getting scammed by obvious pop-up ads. 

“Your laptop’s broken again?” Deku says incredulously, as if reading Katsuki’s mind. His voice is really nice, even when he sounds confused as shit. Smooth and soft like- like a satin pillowcase. Or something. Whatever. It’s not like they pay him to be good with words. 

Then again, it’s not like they pay him to (unsuccessfully) flirt with the guy he’s normally supposed to see once a month max, but here he was. 

“Yeah,” says Katsuki, like he said two days ago, and then three days before that, and for the past month. It’s easier to say than I got a pop-up ad for a BL manga and I am ninety percent sure the twink on the cover was just a recolor of Sasuke Uchiha and I clicked it because I’m a fucking dumbass and I needed an excuse to keep coming in here and gazing into your dreamy-ass eyes. If you even care. 

He’s surprised Deku’s even asking. He’s been consistently coming in here for exactly the same reason: his laptop ‘mysteriously’ got a virus and now he needs it fixed. He’ll be back to pick it up soon, no, he’s not getting a new laptop, no, he’s not sure what happened, no, he’s not going to install some fancy-ass ad-blocker because he doesn’t want to (and it would get rid of his excuse), and Deku’s never asked this but yes, he would love to go get dinner sometime, he’s free today and tomorrow and the day after that and the rest of his life, forever, actually- 

“...Did you,” Deku begins, like he’s searching for the right words. “Uh. Do you have any idea what could have happened? Any idea at all?” 

I gazed into the dead-eyed stare of poorly-recolored Sasuke’s green eyes and thought of you because your eyes are also green, and less unnerving to look at, and the more I thought about that the more my mouse moved away from the ‘x’ button and the next thing I know, I have a virus and my desire to carnally hold your hand has overpowered any other logical thought. That’s what happened. 

“No,” Katsuki says belatedly. “Fuck. Look, can you fix it or not?” 

“Of course,” says Deku. He’s still got that little furrow in his brow. Katsuki wants to bite at it like taffy- which, is a weird fucking thing to think, scratch that- “Just- give it over, and I’ll be sure to have it ready for you in a little while.”

“Cool.” He holds out his laptop. It’s reminiscent of when he was four and showing off the cool rhinoceros beetle he caught to his mom. He’s internally beaming with pride at his success so far, and Deku’s got that same baffled, borderline horrified expression that his mom did. 

Although, that particular interaction ended with the thing flying out of his hands and into his mom’s cardigan and with him getting yelled at, so, maybe it’s not the ideal scenario to compare this to.

 But this encounter will end differently. He’s got a grip on the rhinoceros beetle, now. He just has to play his cards right. 

“So,” he says, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks so Deku won’t see how fucking sweaty they are. “You’ll have it ready by lunch tomorrow?” 

Deku takes the laptop and tilts his head. “Uh. Yeah, I will. In fact, I can get it to you earlier than that-”

“I’ll be busy for the rest of the day,” Katsuki lies. All his incident reports are done, and he’s got the night shift on patrol tomorrow. “You’re done by 2 tomorrow, right?”

“...Yes?”

“Great. Look, I have to stop at that fucking- crepe place, down the street, right,” he says, praying to every God there is that he looks cool and casual and not like a ‘Deranged Goblin Man’, as the Hero Times described him a few months ago. “So. When you get off work you should meet me there. At the crepe place. Tomorrow. At two pm.”

He doesn’t know what’s worse- the fact that he’s really doing this, being reduced to the same sort of emotional sap he would have made fun of only five years ago; or the fact that Present Mic’s lessons on subtlety and hidden meanings in text were actually good for something. 

Look at him, effortlessly weaving together words to create sentences with underlying motives. He’s like a modern-day Shakespeare. He’s golden. He’s killing it. Bakugou Katsuki, master of words. He’s on cloud-fucking-nine. He’s-

…aaaaand Deku isn’t responding. 

Deku blinks. He opens his mouth. Closes it. He sets the laptop down, staring up at Katsuki intently, and Katsuki starts to sweat. 

You are Bakugou Katsuki, he reminds himself. You might be down bad, but you’re not weak. It will not kill you if he rejects you. Well, it’ll kill you a little. But not that much. 

“At the crepe pla- to give you the laptop, right?” says Deku slowly. His face is turning bright red. Katsuki goes a little weak in the knees. 

“Sure, yeah,” Katsuki says half-heartedly. “Look, if you want, I could. I dunno. Fucking- buy you a crepe or something. As payment.” 

He’s so smooth. Eat your fucking heart out, Dunce Face. ‘Zero game’, his ass. 

“Sure,” Deku says, scratching the back of his neck, smile just a tad bit shy. His face is still mildly flushed. Katsuki swoons (and does his best to not let it show on his face). “I- uh. I’d like that. I guess.” 

“Cool,” says Katsuki. “Cool. Great. Okay, bye. Be there or else. Bye. See you.”

He turns on his heel and power walks out of the room, not once looking back, even when Pigtails nearly crashes into him or when Deku makes a noise suspiciously like he’s slamming his head against the desk. He walks out of the room, into the hallway, back to his own office.

The door slams shut behind him. He takes a deep breath. Squeezes his eyes shut. A breathlessly excited grin forces his way onto his face, and he pumps his fists, victorious. 

He's got a date.

part one/part two

[fanaticsnail]

Snail important question;

Of any line-up of characters of your choice-

Who do you think is attracted to competency,

Who is attracted to stupidity,

Who can go either way,

And who is attracted to both at the same time (imagine;

Reader: sorry I'm late I had to fight off two different ships

Them: is that how you got that bruise on your face?

Reader: oh... Actually, I wasn't looking and pulled a push door off its' hinges into my face

Them, kicking off their pants: god you're so fucking stupid, sit on my face

)

Also, I feel like there are different versions of competency and stupidity. Street smarts vs social obliviousness. Book smarts vs functionally illiterate. Strategic/battle smarts vs what-do-you-mean-flashing-the-enemy-isn't-a-valid-distraction?

(Zoro is completely math smart and dumb in every other way)

I could imagine Luffy would be attracted to hyper specific competency. If you're really into a specific thing and good at it and it's your dream he would absolutely love it even if it sounds like you're speaking gibberish to him. He wouldn't even think of it as weird - I mean, no more weird than any other dream he doesn't personally understand - he's certainly not the type to judge based on societal norms. You could talk his ear off about the reproductive habits of different animals and he wouldn't get why everyone else doesn't like to hear it when they're eating but hey more food for him.

Snail. Your asks always know how to get the better of me. Have a series of little drabbles, dear.

Competency, Stupidity, Duality

Masterlist here

Word Count: 410+, 510+, 580+

Synopsis: They can't help what attracted them to you. No matter what you did, they simply couldn't get enough of you. Their emotions finally catch up with them, and they confess their adoration for you.

Themes: variety x gn!reader, feelings, injury, mentions of battles, finally giving in, all different 'reader' inserts, confessions of love, kid x reader, zoro x reader, killer x reader, angst, fluff, sweetness.

Notes: I wasn't expecting to write this today, but I've been thinking about the big boys lately and I needed to give them some love. Something about trios lately.

Tag List: @sordidmusings @nerium-lil @feral-artistry @since-im-already-here @writingmysanity @indydonuts @gingernut1314 @i-am-vita @carrotsunshine @mfreedomstuff @daydreamer-in-training

Competency: Eustass Kid

When Eustass Kid noticed how quick and sharp you were to react in life or death circumstances, he was immediately smitten with you. Being a Straw-Hat, your ambitions and dreams were fostered by your playful captain as you sailed aboard the Thousand Sunny. Your ability to interact flawlessly by balancing the combined efforts of the three crews had him intrigued by your charisma. 

Fighting by your side was something he didn’t expect to affect him so much. The way you researched the strengths and weaknesses of all three crews sailing and fighting together was admirable. Asserting yourself by asking Law to push and pull you closer to the fight with the Ope-Ope no Mi ability, while fighting side-by-side with Massacre Soldier Killer in close quarters, had him left wordless.

After the battle finishes, he watched as you hastily aided your crew of their injuries while disregarding your own; putting others first while adding pressure to your hand-gash, hovering it over your head to slow the bleeding. He couldn’t get enough of you. 

He needed you to know how he felt about you, but being in the presence of Luffy and Law always seemed to bring out the more juvenile side of attitude. His simple attraction and infatuation with you had to be revealed to you in due time, but he couldn’t risk sounding like an idiot in front of you. He would have to simply wait until you were alone and unoccupied before he made his move to take care of you after taking care of others. 

Slowly approaching you as you sat down against the tangerine grove aboard the Thousand Sunny, his shadow shrouded your form and prompted you to gaze up into his scarred, sheepish face. Your smile caused his heart to beat harder and his head to swirl with a variety of "what-ifs". Gulping back his insecurities, he knelt down in front of you.

“Let me take care of that for you,” he offered with a soft smirk, “You’ve done so much for others, and I think your hand needs some seeing to.” 

“If you say so, Captain Kid,” you shrug, offering your injured hand delicately to him and listening to his every instruction as he treats you, “I wasn’t aware you had any medical training.” He straps your hand in a bandage, placing down the final ties before holding your injured hand in his.

“I don’t,” he shrugged with a smile atop his painted lips, “But I’ve lost an arm before, and I don’t want to see that happen to you.” 

“You’re-...” he stuttered over his words, gazing at your hand before softly drifting his tired eyes up, “...-You amaze me. Truly, amaze me.” You place your other hand on his, never once removing your eyes from his face as he offers you such kindness. 

“Thank you, sir,” you nod to him with a soft smile, “You amaze me, too.”

Stupidity: Roronoa Zoro

“Why would you do that?” Zoro roared at you, hovering his body over yours and caging your face-down body within a shield of his own. The gashes on your back were deep, your body weeping out the red essence and staining your clothes with it.

“C-Couldn’t risk yours,” you stuttered out with a soft smile, “H’was gonna g-get yours. Didn’t want you to wear the shame.” His eyes widened, filling with a steam of glossy tears that threatened to spill over the moment you stuttered out your confession. “That’s what you said, wasn’t it? Mark on the back is a swordsman’s greatest shame?” 

Drip. 

Drip.

Drip.

One after one, soft tears spilt down his cheeks and mixed with the fluids pooling at your back. He leaned down towards you, the heat of battle dying down with the swift, flaming kick of the blonde cook and giggling chuckles of your captain, Luffy. 

“You’re a fucking idiot,” he sniffed his sobs back as he leaned down to cage you, “Can’t you see? None of that fucking matters without you here.” He softly, tenderly moved you from your position on the floor to not disturb your wounds. He sat you up, cradling you against his broad chest and openly sobbed for you. 

“When you get better,” he growled into your shoulder, “I will repay you for this. I will pay my debt to you.” His sobs got more desperate, not halting in the slightest when Trafalgar D Water-Law approached the two of you in your embrace. 

“Let me get ‘em to the infirmary,” Law offered, gesturing for Bepo to ready the aid kit, “I’ll treat the wounds there-.” 

“-I won’t leave them,” Zoro barked over your shoulder, your soft smile tugging at your cheeks in your hazy daze. “Let me go with you, Traffy. I won’t say a damn word to distract you, on my honor.” Law nods, raising his hand and spreading his fingers and offers the two words to switch positions within the infirmary: “Room, Shambles.” 

As you drifted in and out of consciousness, you laughed each time Zoro chastised you for your stupidity. Echos of: “There were so many other things you could’ve done instead,” and “You stumbled into that blade like a moron and took that hit for me, idiot.” You giggled through the pain, barely feeling it as Law worked to stitch you together again. 

Upon regaining consciousness, you looked to your moss-haired crewmate and offered out your hand to his bicep. His head was bowed, arms crossed over his chest, and was assumed to be napping by your bedside. Feeling your touch, he was roused from his sleep and immediately leaned forward to bring his face beside yours. 

“You’re a fucking moron,” he huffed, smiling in a melancholy grin. You laughed at his insult, squeezing his muscle before retracting your hand. As you nearly drew it away to your side, he caught your hand and brought your palm up to his lips. 

“My fucking moron,” he confirmed, placing a soft kiss to your palm before using it to cup his face. “I love you.”

Duality: Massacre Soldier Killer

Staring up into your face while remaining silent, resting his masked face on the heel of his palm, he listened to your recount of a very specific childhood injury that left you with an interesting scar on your thigh. Killer’s eyes never left your face, his cheeks beginning to glow warm and vibrant beneath the shroud of his mask.

“So, let me get this straight,” Captain Eustass Kid held his hand in front of his face and gave it a gentle wave to halt your words, “That sick-looking scar wasn’t from any time you served with Luffy, but because you set off a fucking harpoon and speared yourself in the leg with it?” 

Killer felt himself swoon at the melody your laugh thrust into the atmosphere. He was ever thankful his blue and white mask disguised how much he was smiling beneath the shroud. 

“Yep,” you popped the ‘P’ afterwards, nodding in confirmation as you sat beside Usopp and drew your tankard up to your lips, “But I learnt from it, and it hasn’t happened since.” Killer sighed, his voice almost coming out in a soft moan to reveal his growing infatuation for you. Kid barked out a harsh gaggle of laughter, clapping you on the shoulder with his right hand and gestured for you to reveal it to them.

“Let me see it again, go on,” he chuckled, removing his hand and sitting back on his seat, “Use Killer’s thigh as a prop so we can see it properly. You don’t mind do you, big guy?” Killer absentmindedly and slowly shook his head, tapping his thigh twice with his hand for you to reveal your injury to the captain of the Victoria Punk, himself and your crewmate beside you. 

“Alright,” you shrugged, standing beside Usopp and Killer and gently placed your foot atop Killer’s thigh and began hiking up your shorts to your hip, “Feast your eyes, Captain.” Sure enough, an interesting looking scar was revealed on your inner thigh, clear as day and sure as the sea is salty. 

“Oh, fucking hells!” Kid gave you a hearty laugh, “You seeing this, big guy?” Kid turned his attention to his first mate, his smile only growing as he noticed the angle of Killer’s mask never left your face. Surprise was immediately thrust into Kid’s eyes, noticing the unwavering resolve in Killer’s posture. 

You turned your attention down to the silent and broody first-mate, your face puzzled and eyes searching his mask for any further thought or action. He slowly drew his hands up to clasp around your ankle and calf, holding it firmly as he leaned forward. 

“You’re perfect,” he offered in a breathy whisper, stroking your leg and gazing lovingly into your face, “Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise.” 

Your face flushed with a warmth at his words, eyes widening and looking down at his large hands as they held you so tenderly and delicately within his grasp. Smiling, you leaned forwards and placed your hand over his scarred left forearm with mischief in your eyes, asking him a simple question with a suggestive tone. 

“Like what you see then, big guy?” At your question, Usopp nearly choked on his drink. You had never been this bold before, and this came as a shock to your crew’s skilled sniper. He covered his choking with a soft cough, turning away with a downturned smile and stifling his growing laugh. 

“So much,” Killer confirmed, gently caressing your calf and looking up at you through half-hooded blonde lashes beneath his mask, “So, so much.”

[hiramaris]

Kiss it Off Me

CHAPTER 8

Chapter Summary:

Yeah, she might die a happy woman right here, but if Yoba were kind enough, she hoped she'd live long enough to see those smiles.

Pairings: Haley x Fem!farmer

Disclaimer:  I do not own Stardew Valley or any of the related characters. Stardew Valley is created by and owned by ConcernedApe. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Stardew Valley story belong to ConcernedApe.

Warning: none

Notes: I know, I know it's late again. I'm really sorry, my loves. It's just that life hasn't been giving me a break already. Hope you enjoy this one! I know I've been taking my sweet time to this fic at a very slow pace but I just really want to take my time to lay out our characters, especially my wife. I hope you weren't bothered with it but I promise you, all this waiting will be worth it ;)

Spring 8

It was a warm, sunny Tuesday afternoon. Being spring, the afternoon sun did nothing to burn her skin, and the post-winter air combined with the fresh spring breeze provided a wonderful cooling effect on her exposed skin that wasn't covered by her blue tank top.

It was really a great idea to wear her hair up today, allowing her to fully enjoy the refreshing air.

Although there wasn't anything particularly picturesque about hanging out at the playground, it offered Haley a rare moment of solitude away from the crowd.

In her high school days, she would have basked in the attention people gave her.

Back then, being in the spotlight was exhilarating. However, after her peak during college, she found that she didn't like it as much. For one, popularity didn't help her grades, and secondly, being an 'It' girl didn't matter anymore—not when everyone was scrambling to pass their exams.

But now, here in Pelican Town, being popular just meant being in the center of gossip. The less attention she got, the better.

She preferred these quiet moments, where she could be herself without the prying eyes and whispers. The playground, with its empty swings and silent slides, provided the perfect escape from the pressures of scrutinizing gaze from townspeople who were no better than her either.

"Uh, Haley?"

Haley froze at the sound of a familiar voice, the smell of flowers and dirt filling her nostrils. She turned slowly, her heart skipping a beat.

"Oh..." she said, startled. "Hi, there..."

She wasn't expecting to see you so soon after that whole ordeal (Chapter 3, Spring 7). She might have invited you for breakfast out of goodwill and to make up for her rude behavior, but she kind of half-expected you to chicken out and possibly (hopefully) have the presence of mind to avoid her or something because, for the love of Yoba, your presence is becoming too much for her.

You’re like a pebble suddenly thrown into a pond, causing ripples in what was once stagnant. Haley couldn't quite figure out why you had such an effect on her.

You were speaking, talking about what seemed to be a hair tie but Haley's mind was buzzing elsewhere to actually understand you.

Her eyes briefly scanned you. You wore your typical green overalls, and even with a bit of dirt and grass clinging to your clothes, you still managed to look pretty good. The earthy tones seemed to suit you, giving you a rugged, outdoorsy vibe that was oddly attractive.

Surprisingly, your scent wasn't as pungent as Haley expected it to be. In fact, there was a hint of something pleasant mixed in with the earthy aroma, perhaps a subtle whiff of fresh hay or a trace of wildflowers. She couldn't really tell.

Her attention drifted almost inadvertently to your mouth. Slightly chapped, but full pink lips. Wait, what?

Eyes widening by a slight fraction, she immediately darted her eyes elsewhere, making her spot a hair tie and a handful of daffodils in your hand.

Then her eyes spotted Demetrius walking from where you both stood. Haley's mind quickly realized that you were planning to give her another gift this week, and while there's nothing wrong with daffodils (she likes them), you only give them to her when no one is around.

But now, in the presence of Demetrius, who will probably tell Robin, who will likely tell all her Yoga club members, who will surely tell the whole town that you have given her flowers!

While it shouldn't be a big deal, she has lived in this valley long enough that the rumor mill tends to exaggerate things. And Haley doesn't want to get caught in the middle of this.

As you continued speaking, she made a split-second decision to interject, surprising even herself.

"Uhm, how do I say this..." she began, her voice wavering slightly. "I appreciate your gifts and such. But please don't get the wrong ideas. It's not like a little flower will make us besties or anything, you know."

Her pretty mouth is probably the foulest thing ever created, but she couldn't really stop herself from saying the awful things in this world even if her life depended on it. It was as if her mouth had a mind of its own, blurting out things she'd later regret.

Fortunately, you didn't appear offended; rather, you seemed both confused and amused by Haley's abrupt interruption.

"Uhm, I was just asking if this is your hair tie," you said as you handed her the item.

"Oh!" Haley's voice held a note of embarrassment as she accepted the tie from your outstretched hand, her cheeks likely flushed with a deep shade of pink. "I didn't even notice it was missing..."

Your lips quirked up slightly at the sight of her flustered state. "You were saying..?"

Haley was certain you were teasing her, and she would have half a mind to wipe the adorable smirk off your face if she weren't so embarrassed herself.

"Sorry for jumping to conclusions. I was just..." She fidgeted uncomfortably, unable to find the right words. "Well, nevermind."

"Hey, you weren't even wrong. These are actually for you." You presented her with the daffodils before Haley could respond. "And I'm not expecting you to be friends with me just because I give you flowers, you know?"

"Then what else were you expecting?" That question should have sounded so harsh if Haley weren't so busy burying her nose in them to hide her flustered expression.

"Ever heard of giving a pretty flower to a pretty lady?"

She could have sworn she heard Demetrius snort back a laugh.

Haley couldn't help but sigh, but a smirk tugged at her lips at your poor attempt at charming her.

Rumors be damned. These flowers smelled good.

****

Summer 12

"Yoba..." she muttered under her breath, huffing as she finally managed to lift all her shopping bags off the bus. The driver, thankfully, was patient enough to wait as she struggled with her haul.

Some guy had even offered to help her, but Haley shot him a look that could kill, silently telling him to respectfully fuck off. She might have accepted his help if he hadn't been staring at her tits throughout the whole ride and being generally a creep altogether.

There was no way she was letting that perv touch any of her stuff.

The only problem now is how in Yoba's name she's going to lift all these shopping bags back to her house.

"Now there's the pretty face I hadn't seen all day."

Haley immediately perked up at the sound of your voice, her breath hitching as she caught sight of you approaching her.

Your hair was in a loose bun today, with stray strands framing your face in that imperfectly perfect way, it looked so endearing.

The late afternoon sun cast a warm, golden glow, creating an ethereal aura around you as you stepped closer. The sunlight highlighted the gentle slope of your button nose and the soft curve of your lips, naturally tinted with a delicate shade of pink. Your tan skin seemed to radiate warmth, making Haley momentarily forget to breathe.

The sight of you, dressed in a sleek black leather jacket over a fitted white shirt, paired with jeans that hugged your figure just right, only intensified the fluttering in Haley's stomach.

Despite her best efforts to hide it, a flush spread across her cheeks as she took in your appearance.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, attempting to sound casual but failing miserably. The nervousness in her voice was unmistakable.

"Oh, I was about to take a ride to Calico," you replied with a casual shrug, causing Haley's eyes to wander toward the sword strapped behind your broad shoulders. "I've heard there's a cavern there worth exploring."

"To mine?" She couldn't help but make a face. "At this hour?"

You barked out a laugh, the sound hearty and genuine. "Don't worry," you said, a reassuring glint in your eyes. "I'm just going to check the area. My weapons aren't strong enough to take on the monsters in there yet."

"Or better yet, stick to the usual farming and foraging, which is much safer," she suggested, trying to mask her concern with a light tone.

"I don't think so, Hay." You reached out and pinched her nose playfully, earning a mock scowl from her. "Anyway, you need help with the bags?"

She crossed her arms, her stubbornness making its appearance once again. "I think I can handle them myself. Give me some credit."

"Nope." With a chuckle, you swooped in to grab all the shopping bags from the ground, ignoring Haley's protest. "You've been wearing those heels the whole day. They must have been killing your feet right now."

That made Haley pause, her defiance wavering. "B-but—"

"I know you're capable of handling them yourself," you continued, adjusting the bags with ease. "But letting your arms rest for a couple of minutes wouldn't hurt, right?"

Haley sighed, her resolve softening. "At least give me the other bags," she insisted, her cheeks growing warmer by the second.

She wasn't at all foreign to your chivalrous tendencies, but she's still not used to the feeling. She also knew you weren't struggling, she just couldn't shake the guilt of letting you shoulder all the bags after doing such heavy chores on the farm.

But you were stubborn as a mule. When Haley attempted to take some of the bags from you, you shook your head with a playful grin, transferring all the bags to one hand and extending your free hand toward her. "Tell you what, I'll carry the bags, and you can just walk beside me. Deal?"

"B-but I thought you were going to Calico?"

"That could wait," you answered simply, hand still extended, waiting expectantly.

Reluctantly, Haley took your hand, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. "Fine," she muttered, her cheeks flushing as she glanced away. "But only because my feet are killing me."

You gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "That's the spirit!." You beamed at her, oblivious to Haley's heart pounding hard against her chest. "Let's get you home."

Haley usually kept her cool around you, but feeling your calloused palm against her soft hand stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within her.

She'd be a liar if she denied that there are certain nights that she wonders what it would feel like for your hand to intertwine with hers, and it felt like nothing compared to actually feeling it for the first time.

Despite the roughness of your palm and fingertips, it only added to the warmth she was feeling. They were also a bit bigger compared to Haley's, making your hands almost fully encapsulate her whole hand, almost protectively.

She thought she'd dislike the feeling. Strangely, though, it only made her feel secure. They were the hands of a hard worker, after all.

As you walked through town together, she could see the prying eyes of Jodi and Caroline. She sensed their whispers, undoubtedly exchanging her name and yours.

Surprisingly, this time, Haley didn't seem to mind.

Being called 'yours', even in hushed whispers and rumors, didn't seem so bad now.

****

Summer 13

Dear Miss Carter,

Thank you for expressing interest in our modeling opportunity. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we have decided to pursue a different direction for the campaign. While we appreciate your enthusiasm, we believe this decision aligns best with our project goals. We hope to collaborate on future endeavors.

Best regards,

Victoria Bloom

Stardew Valley Gazette

Haley couldn't bring herself to read the letter in its entirety. A single glance was enough to confirm her fears—it was a flat-out rejection.

The sting of disappointment was immediate, sharp, and disheartening.

Her hopes had been high this time, not just because she thought she was beautiful enough, but because she believed in her own talent and passion. She loved photography, had an eye for detail, and knew what made a model truly shine in a photograph.

This was one step closer to her dream—her chance to prove she was more than just a pretty face, designer clothes, and expensive make-up.

This is where she truly shines. Or at least that's what she thought.

But maybe she had become too complacent, thinking her appearance alone would open doors for her.

Seeing the words "We regret to inform you..." felt like a punch to the gut. Doubt began to creep in, whispering that perhaps she wasn't as good as she thought. Maybe the others were right after all.

Staring at her reflection in the mirror felt like salt being rubbed into her wounds. This face, this body... they were all she had. And even those seemed to have failed her.

How on earth was she going to break this news to you? You had been the first to support her when she shared her desire to apply for the position. You believed in her, encouraged her, and told her she had what it took. The thought of seeing the disappointment in your eyes was almost unbearable.

Haley was used to feeling disappointed in herself. She had faced setbacks before, but this felt different. This felt like a failure that might change how you saw her, and that was a bitter pill she wasn't ready to swallow yet.

The fear of letting you down, of not living up to the potential you saw in her, weighed heavily on her heart.

She sniffled, regretting how eagerly she had opened the letter. Now she had to face Alex and celebrate his birthday, looking like she had been crying for hours. Her mascara was smudged, leaving dark streaks down her cheeks, and her eyes were puffy and red from crying.

While she may have to put on her mask, pretend everything's okay, she knew that you and Alex could easily see through her facade no matter how hard she tried to put on a brave face.

It will still ruin the spirit of the party.

Maybe she should consider not going.

But Alex would be upset with her.

Or, either that, he'll physically drag her to the party himself.

Both scenarios felt like disasters.

She let out a harsh breath. Attending was the only option.

She began to retouch her makeup, particularly the parts that had smudged because of her tears, but it was a difficult task with the tears continuously pouring down her cheeks. Her hands trembled as she tried to fix the damage but she didn't dare stop.

She had to look perfect.

Fake it until you make it.

Come on...

A sob couldn't help but escape from her lips.

Fuck.

"Haley." A pair of warm, rough hands take hold of her own, stopping her from smudging her makeup even further. "Haley, come on. Stop."

"Huh..?" Her voice hitched as she saw you tower over her. Her big, baby-blue eyes, filled with unshed tears, met yours.

Oh, no....

You can't see her like this.

"What's wrong?" you began to question, keeping a firm grip on her hands but not too tight to hurt her.

Haley only shook her head. You can't see me like this.

As you lifted her chin up to face you, forcing Haley to meet your gaze, her eyes still glistening with tears, you noticed a makeup wipe lying nearby. With a quick yet gentle movement, you reached behind her back and snatched it up.

"I'd rather fight a whole swarm of skeletons than see you like this," you murmured as you gingerly wiped mascara stains from her cheeks with such gentleness, leaving nothing but her smooth, rosy skin. "What's wrong, Haley? Tell me, please."

She should just push you away. Tell you to leave her alone.

But she couldn't. Not when you're looking at her like that.

Like she's worth of so much more.

And just like that, Haley's resolve crumbled. She had been trying so hard to keep it together, to be strong, but your kindness broke through her defenses. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she tried to find the words.

"I... I got rejected," she finally managed to say, her voice shaking. "I really thought I'd get that job. Finally prove I'm more than just a dumb blonde from Pelican Town. But now... I feel like such a failure."

"You know that's not true."

"I keep trying my best, Y/n..." Her lips quivered and you were quick to caress her cheeks. "But it feels like I'm getting nowhere."

You squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Haley, you're not a failure. You put yourself out there and took a risk. That's something to be proud of."

"But what if I'm just not good enough?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What if I'll never be good enough?"

"Hey, hey... none of that. You are more than good enough," you assured her, gently cupping her cheeks before pressing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "One rejection doesn't define you or your worth. And it certainly doesn't change how I see you."

Haley sniffled again, trying to believe your words. "You're not bullshitting me, are you? Because I'm not in the mood to bake for you right now, you know?"

"I would never." You chuckled, your laughter infectious as Haley joined in. "Plus, it's their loss, you know? Only idiots would turn down a spectacular photographer AND model."

"Now I know you're definitely just kissing my ass," Haley snorted, lightly tapping your shoulder. As if to further tease her, your eyes playfully drifted downward, making it Haley's turn to cup your cheeks, unable to stop herself from giggling. "Eyes up here, miss."

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about," you retorted with a playful smirk, your eyes meeting hers with a twinkle of mischief.

Haley's laughter subsided, replaced by a soft, appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Y/n..." Her eyes are now sparkling with adoration instead of tears. The hands cupping your cheeks slid around your neck, drawing you closer. "You always know what to say to make me feel better."

Closeness that was once awkward and forced...

What was once a heart pounding like a drum in her chest, fast and hot in an uneven rhythm...

Is now a heart steadily beating.

This closeness is calm and silent.

And if she were to die today in this spot with your arms around her, then Haley would die a happy woman.

"Keeping you happy is a responsibility I'd happily taken upon myself," you said softly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead once again, and Haley couldn't help but close her eyes this time, unable to suppress her own smile. "Now, let's fix your makeup," you added with a small smile, reaching for the makeup wipe again. "And then we'll go to Alex's party together. We'll get through this, one step at a time."

Haley nodded, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. Yeah, she might die a happy woman right here, but if Yoba were kind enough, she hoped she'd live long enough to see those smiles.

****

Summer 17

Click. Click.

Haley sighed as she looked through her camera's viewfinder.

"Just how many variations of the same shot can I take?" she muttered, exhaling another sigh.

After her sudden show of vulnerability to you, Haley suddenly got this urge to take pictures once again. While she may have failed to get that position as a model, that doesn't mean she failed as a photographer.

But looking at the flat, uninspired pictures she'd been taking for almost an hour now, she was starting to think otherwise.

The view here was spectacular, sure, but she’d been photographing this same spot by the lake for years now.

She needed something new. Something more alive.

Haley lowered her camera and gazed around, searching for a fresh perspective. The sun was up and about, casting a golden glow on the water and surrounding trees. It was beautiful–majestic even, if she could dare to say, but still... it wasn't enough.

It felt soulless. Bland.

Chop. Chop.

"That again." Haley couldn't help but glare in the direction of the sound, as if her annoyance alone could make it stop.

The incessant noise of wood chopping from the distance was not helping her at all. Whoever was chopping away had been at it for hours already and didn't give the impression of stopping anytime soon.

She tried to refocus, raising her camera again, but her concentration which was already nonexistent to begin with, was now a mere dust taken away by the summer breeze. The rhythmic, relentless chopping seemed to seep into her mind, making it impossible to find the spark she was looking for.

As if this person knew which buttons to push, the sound of a tree crashing to the ground echoed through the air, making a fully formed nerve start to throb on her forehead.

Whoever that idiot was, they were really going to get a piece of her mind. There was a whole damn forest just south of here, so why did they have to do it here?

Yoba forbid if it was Clint. He was really going to get an earful.

Frustrated, she decided to investigate.

Maybe a change of scenery—or at least figuring out what was going on—would help. Haley packed up her camera and headed toward the source of the noise.

As Haley got closer, she stopped when you suddenly emerged from behind a mahogany tree, an axe in hand.

You leaned down to grab a bottle of water beside your rucksack resting against the tree. Haley only realized she was staring when even the droplet of water that missed your mouth began to cascade across your neck down to your already wet tank top, leaving little to no imagination.

Yoba, when did it get so hot?

Probably unable to not notice such a pretty being such as herself on your peripheral, you turned your head to her with that familiar shit-eating grin she had grown to like so much as you closed the cap of your bottle.

"Hey there, pretty lady!" you greeted, slamming your axe on the stump behind you as you walked closer. "I didn't know you were here."

"Hey, yourself," she greeted with a small smile, her initial irritation suddenly evaporated into thin air. "I'm trying to get back on foot with photography and I was kind of distracted with the chopping noise, is all."

"Oh!" You scratched your nape sheepishly. Haley couldn't help but notice the way the sunlight caught the sweat on your skin, the muscles in your arms flexing with each movement. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to distract you."

Oh, you are distracting her alright, but probably for the wrong reasons.

"I just needed some woods so Robin could make some renovations on the cabin. Didn’t think anyone would be around," you went on, seemingly unaware of the effect you had on her. "If you'd like, I can hang with you for a bit. See your progress with your camera."

"Sure," Haley replied distractedly. "Wait, what?"

Before she knew it, you were peering over her shoulder, waiting expectantly for her to show the pictures she just took. The scent of sweat, wood, and flowers filled her nostrils, and Haley couldn't help but feel lightheaded. In a good way, she supposed.

Still, it was too much all at once.

Overwhelmed by the closeness that had been familiar over the months you had spent here, Haley instinctively backed away from you.

"Sorry," you chuckled, rubbing the back of your neck. "I forgot I smell."

"No!" she almost shrieked, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "It's not that. I just…" she sighed deeply. "I got nothing to show you. All my shots are flat. Almost the same variations of the same scene. I can't put these in my portfolio, Y/n."

You plopped down on the grass, leaning back on your arms as you looked up at her with brilliant eyes. "That can't be true. You love taking pictures of this place."

"I know..." She let out another sigh, gingerly sitting on the grass in front of you. "I used to love this, capturing the beauty in everything. But now, it's like I'm stuck in a loop. There's got to be more to photography than just this."

"I think..." you trailed off, rummaging through your bag and producing a piece of white cloth. You brushed off the grass beside you, clearing away dried leaves and small pebbles before laying the cloth down. "Come sit here first, Haley." You patted the spot next to you.

Haley nodded dumbly, surprised and touched by your thoughtfulness. Did you really made sure she wouldn't sit directly on the grass because you knew how much she disliked getting dirty?

"I was saying," you continued, brushing off a stray piece of dry grass from Haley's skirt before helping her get comfortable beside you, "I think you need to find some new motives to spark your excitement again."

Haley settled next to you, feeling a bit more at ease. "New subjects, huh? Like what?"

You smiled, your eyes twinkling with ideas. "Anything that catches your eye. Maybe try photographing people, events, or even little details you might have overlooked before. Sometimes, a change in perspective is all it takes."

Haley considered your words. "You might be onto something there. I mean, I've been so focused on the same old scenes that I haven't really thought about branching out. It's just..." She looked down at the camera on her lap. "It's hard to break out of my comfort zone, you know? Old habits die hard, I guess."

"How about you take a photo of me chopping woods?" you suggested with a smirk as you helped her up.

"Be my model, you say?" Haley replied, a mischievous glint lighting up her eyes. "That's not a bad idea. You'd actually make a pretty good model if I say so myself."

That wiped the smile right out of your face.

"I was just kidding!"

"Nope." She grinned, even exaggerating the 'p' sound to further tease you. "Get your axe and get to chopping already, miss."

"But I'm as stiff as a board to be your model!" you whined but were already on your way to retrieve your axe.

"Just pretend I'm not here. Be candid."

"It's kind of difficult to ignore your camera's lens," you muttered, gripping the axe.

"Y/n," she called from behind her camera, adjusting the settings to capture the perfect shot. "Remember that photo I gave you last month?"

"Yeah..?"

"It was a good photo, you know?"

"Really?"

"You didn't need to pose at all to look good. Just be yourself." Haley briefly looked up from her camera, meeting your eyes with a soft smile before going back behind her lens. "I like you a lot better that way, anyway."

****

Later that night, she found herself inside her freshly made dark room. Designing this room had been challenging, but nothing was more challenging than sifting through hundreds, maybe thousands, of clothes in her walk-in closet that is now turned into the dark room, and finding some clothes she'd be willing to donate next spring for charity.

She truly loves her clothes and finds them as her way of expressing herself but hoarding them at this rate is alarming. So what better way to make good use of space than for her passion?

Though not completely satisfied with her setup, Haley knew this would have to do for now. Once the rest of the equipment she needed arrived, she'd definitely want you to see her darkroom one day.

With everything developed, she began to scan each photo with keen eyes, ready to pick out the ones that would go into her portfolio. But as she went through them, she realized that had been a mistake.

Her shots were... Impeccable. No surprise there.

And you were surprisingly a good model. Too good, actually.

She stopped on a particular photo, eyes raking towards your exposed stomach when you were about to slam your axe towards a log, arm flexing as you did. You have this fierce expression that's making Haley feel a lot of things one would deem explicit.

She felt her cheeks heat up as she continued to stare at the image, tracing the lines of your muscles with her eyes.

If she were to touch them, would they be hard against her fingertips or smooth and inviting? She was pretty sure that if you pinned her against the wall, she wouldn't budge. Not because she couldn't get past your solid chest, but because she'd probably melt right then and there, too overwhelmed to move.

Realizing she's thirsting over your photo, Haley gently slapped herself out of her trance. She tried to focus on the technical aspects of the photo, but it was no use. The picture was stunning and well—hot, and it's not just because of her photography skills. You were the reason it stood out so much. The way the light caught the sweat on your skin, the determination in your eyes—it all combined to create a powerful image.

She sighed, placing the photo in the "keep" pile. If she was this smitten over a couple of photos, there was no way she was submitting all of them. She liked to think these were for her eyes only, especially if that sultry, almost enticing gaze you were giving in front of the lens was anything to go by.

****

Summer 23

"Okay, Haley you got this. It's just water," she mentally cheered herself. "Every pretty girl must know how to swim on the beach."

It was probably just her screwed reasoning, but it definitely wasn’t because she saw you the other day swimming with Leah like some Olympic swimmer or something.

She's also gonna ignore the part that she avoids swimming on the beach because of some incident involving being taken away by the tide, water choking her lungs and her almost dying.

It wasn’t like that experience had put her off swimming entirely. She still loved the beach. The sun, the sand, the perfect tan it gave her—what's not to love?

But now, standing at the edge of the water, her toes curling into the wet sand, Haley felt the familiar knot of anxiety in her stomach. She took a deep breath, glancing over at the waves lapping gently at the shore.

"Just focus on the sun and the sea breeze," she told herself. "You can do this."

Anyway. It's not so bad if she confronted this... err—setback of her, right?

"Fancy seeing you here, Haley."

Haley whirled around from almost touching the water with her foot. Do you have some superpower in showing up whenever she felt the need to be vulnerable?

It wasn't that she didn't appreciate your presence, but she specifically woke up at the crack of dawn to practice her swimming skills because she knew you'd probably be busy tending to your farm, and most of the folks would still be snoring in their beds.

Well, aside from Elliot of course—knowing him, he was probably up already writing books and wouldn't leave his cabin anytime soon.

"Hi!" she finally greeted after what felt like an eternity of looking at your face. "I didn't expect to see anyone here so early."

"Really? I thought you know me well enough to know that I'm already up by 6 AM." You chuckled, running a hand through your hair. "And since when do you wake up so early? What happened to your beauty sleep?"

"Shut up. I'm just..." she rolled her eyes, stalling. She's not keen to tell you just yet what she's up to. Especially for a ridiculous reason. "I just felt like coming here for some fresh air."

Haley looked so proud of the reason she had come up with but it seemed you weren't buying her excuse.

"You look like you're going for a swim," you observed. Haley could have sworn she saw you checking her out, but it was gone as soon as she blinked. "You look good in blue."

Caught off guard by the compliment, Haley felt her cheeks warm up. "Oh, um, thanks," she mumbled, trying to play it cool.

Ever perceptive, you must have noticed she looked a little off.

You tilted your head, a hint of concern in your eyes. "Everything alright? You seem a bit caught off guard."

She sighed, glancing down at the sand. "Well, I guess I am."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Haley hesitated, weighing her words. "I could, but aren't you going somewhere?"

"I was planning to fish for some crimson fish," you explained, rubbing the back of your neck. "But now that I think about it, I remembered Willy saying there's a specific time for catching it. So, I have time right now."

Haley gave you a hard look. She knew you long enough to know you were bullshitting her. The tips of your ears turning red was a telltale sign she noticed whenever you lied. Which wasn't often, because you couldn't lie convincingly even if your life depended on it.

"Are you sure?" she asked, eyebrow raised. "It sounded important."

"Don't worry about it," you insisted, trying to sound casual.

You lent out a hand and Haley took it without hesitation. For some reason, clasping her hands against yours seemed a normal occurrence now that it seemed weird not to do it.

"Come on, let's sit by the shore. I heard the sunrise during summer looks great."

"Alright." Haley gave a small smile, appreciating the effort you were making to put her at ease. "Let's go."

The two of you walked towards the water's edge, the cool sand squishing beneath your feet. The horizon was starting to glow with the first hints of dawn, painting the sky in shades of pink and orange.

Sitting down, you both stared out at the calming waves. Haley took a deep breath, feeling a little more grounded by the familiar presence next to her.

"So, what's really going on?" you asked, your voice raspy but gentle. It was so soft that if it weren't quiet around them, she wouldn't have heard it. It was as if you were afraid to break the tranquil moment.

It was quiet for a moment. But the silence wasn't uncomfortable or forced by any means. It was calm and warm—feelings you seem to radiate whenever you were around.

After a few moments of finding a comfortable position to sit, Haley's head found its way to rest on your shoulder, and as if on instinct, your hand settled on the small of her back, pulling her closer.

"You know, I was thinking about getting out of my comfort zone," Haley began, staring at the waves.

"What do you mean?" you asked, turning to look at her, your cheek pressing gently against her hair.

"Okay, fine. I'll admit it." She took a deep breath. "I'm scared of swimming in the ocean. Silly, right?"

"I don't think it's silly," you declared, and Haley couldn't help but believe you.

"I read online about confronting your fears and thought I'd give it a shot. But..." She sighed, looking down at her hands. "I couldn't bring myself to do it."

You gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Fears are real. It doesn't matter how it may seem to anyone. The fact you're even trying to face them is a big step already."

"Thanks, Y/n... I just couldn't help but feel like I'm letting myself down, you know?"

"You're not letting yourself down," you reassured her, your voice gentle but firm. "We all have things that scare us, and it's okay to take your time. The important part is that you're here, trying to overcome it. That's something to be proud of."

"Thanks, Y/n," she murmured, her fingers gently squeezing your arm. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"Anytime," you responded with a chaste kiss against her hair and Haley could feel herself melt on the spot if she could. "Maybe it's about finding the right way to face your fear. How about we do it together?"

"You'd do that?" she leaned back from you with surprise in her eyes.

"Of course. I'd also feel a lot better if you had someone looking out for you."

"Alright... I'll give it another shot. Just... just promise me you'll be there with me?"

"I promise."

****

As you both waded into the water, Haley took a deep breath, focusing on the feel of the cool water against her skin and the soothing rhythm of the waves. She glanced at you, and the sight of your reassuring smile gave her the courage to take another step forward.

"Okay..." she breathed. "I'm in the water."

It felt different from her usual pool experience, with the sand underfoot instead of solid ground, but she was cautious not to let her foot stomp on any sea urchin.

"You're doing good, Haley," you encouraged from behind.

"This... definitely feels different," she admitted, noticing the vastness of the ocean around her.

"But the water feels nice, right?"

She nodded, still unsure what to feel. While the fear of being taken by the tide lingers in the back of her mind, the thought you're just behind her makes her feel safe, even just for a little bit.

Feeling a little brave, she wadded a bit further until the water rose up to her chest. She can feel that familiar pressure in her lungs, and she can feel herself panicking a little, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Is everything alright?" your voice cut through the sound of the waves.

"Could you maybe..." her voice cracked a bit and she couldn't dare herself to turn around and face you, afraid the wave would swallow her whole if she even dared to move. "Can you come a bit closer to me, Y/n? I'm still a bit scared..."

"Come here..." It wasn't long before she felt your familiar arms enveloping her, offering a sense of security she desperately needed. "I got you, see?"

"Thanks…" she murmured, a shiver coursing through her body despite the warmth of your embrace.

"One step at a time."

"One step at a time," she echoed your words, trying to muster some courage. "It's not that bad, right? I mean it's just water."

"Uhuh," you nodded, your breath warm against her ear. "Plus keeping yourself calm is one of the important aspects of swimming. And you know, being aware of the tides so you know when it's okay to take a swim."

"Okay... I'll keep note of that."

****

"Can you believe I modeled in swimsuits once?" Haley suddenly said after allowing herself to be familiar with the water. "This feels a lot different from a photo shoot."

"Even if you don't tell me, I'd assume you had been in one before," you mused as you tucked a stray blonde hair away from her face. "You're more than brave enough than you let on. Doing a photoshoot needs a lot of bravery, too, and— well, confidence. Give yourself some credit."

"You know what? In some ways I did face scarier things, I guess," she admitted with a chuckle. "Like wearing heels on a rocky path for a shoot."

"Hmm, just think about those whenever you feel like you can't do it."

Haley couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at you, her lips curling up in amusement. "You're making it sound like modeling is a big thing and you facing dozens of monsters in a cave like a walk in the park."

"Well, I'd rather take on hundreds of slimes than be a model," you grumbled, a playful scowl on your face. "I'd look silly."

"That's ridiculous, you'd be a great model."

"You're just kissing my ass." With a mischievous grin, you splashed some water on her face, making Haley gasp at your audacity.

"I would never!" she protested, laughing as she wiped the water from her cheeks before retaliating with a splash of her own, catching you off guard.

Oh, it's on.

****

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A/n: this chapter is more like a filler—a glimpse of how Haley and the farmer got closer. I stumbled upon a mod that adds additional heart events for Haley, and I decided to include it. I'm focusing more on exploring Haley's arc, which is why I'm drawing out this fanfic so much. Forgive me; I just couldn't jump ahead to the kissing and whatnot, even though I'm dying to write that scene already.

This is actually a two-part chapter because I think the mod adds about ten heart events, and I had to cut it short since I think this chapter is already lengthy. I also need a couple of hours to rest my eyes. Forgive me for any grammatical errors; I continued writing this after my exams, so my head is a bit foggy at the moment. Love y'all and thank you for your patience.

taglist:

@joordynn

@taliiiaasteria

@iluvwomen01

[bluejeanstrash]

why don’t we kiss since we’re bored? 

for this request. thank you again, anon 🫶

tags: just some good old-fashion slice of life fluff | w/c: 940

‘uhm, do you want to bake something?’ seungcheol suggests, reading off a list on his phone.

‘not really’ you mumble, eyes shut. baking required effort, dishes, and cleaning at minimum; absolutely no way you both would follow through. ‘plus, do you even have anything we can bake with?’

he shakes his head no which you can’t really see, but the sound of him locking his screen tells you everything you need to know. 

‘let’s give up’ you sigh, pulling at the loose threads of the fluffy carpet you both are laying on. 

‘mmm. let’s’ he agrees, grabbing your busy hand and bringing your interlocked fingers to rest on his stomach.           

right now you were supposed to be sitting pretty in a gorgeous private garden (that had an insane waitlist but thankfully having a celebrity boyfriend had a few perks), pouring bubbly into a tall glass while your boyfriend took “candid” pictures of you, and you of him. it was a picnic date that had been in the works for weeks.

and up until the morning the weather looked promising—sunny with a slight chill as was forecasted. but then came the unannounced downpour, dampening the weather first and the mood shortly after. 

normally rainy days in were always welcome, but this date was something you both were really looking forward to since you didn’t really get to do “public dates”. well, not today either. 

still, you did try salvaging the day by suggesting ideas (do you want to watch a movie? why don’t we play something? let’s do a puzzle?) while simultaneously shooting each down. 

now, defeated, you lay next to each other, the sound of the rain constant like the rise and fall of seungcheol’s tummy. it’s quiet for a few minutes but when he takes in a sudden inhale of air, you can tell he’s about to speak.

‘why don’t we…kiss since we’re bored?’ a question so unexpected, it elicits an unattractive snort out of you.

‘what?’ you open your eyes, turning your face to him. 

he explains how it’s a thing, a slang they used to use back in the day.

‘wooow, you’re looking at me straight in the eyes and lying these days, huh? i see how it is’

‘i swear! it’s an actual thing!’

‘okay then’ you turn your body to face him, easily convinced ‘let’s kiss since we’re bored’

he breaks into a dimpled smile, doing the same. he places one firm hand on your waist pulling you closer to a kissable distance.

‘hi’ from him soft and fond.

‘HI-IIII’ from you loud and playful, making him chuckle.

he brings a hand up to your face, gently brushing your hair back while his soft gaze admires you and all your little (im)perfections ‘why are you so pretty? huh?’ he questions, a finger tapping your nose. 

‘why are you?’ and with that your lips meet, soft and sweet, both of you sinking into a space of familiarity. outside, as the rain hits the ground heavier your kisses deepen. 

soft hums are replaced by needier breaths as you make out, taking his lower lip in between your teeth to bite teasingly as his grip tightens around your waist. you’re both completely into it when a loud crack of thunder interrupts, causing you to flinch, accidentally biting his lower lip at little too hard.

‘fuck!’ he curses, wincing at the shooting pain. 

‘fuck, i’m so sorry! are you okay?’ you grab his face, trying to see if that drew blood.

‘i’m fine, i’m fine. are you okay?’

‘i’m fine. i’m so sorry. the thunder, it- it scared me’

‘i know baby, i know, it’s okay’ he reassures, gently rubbing your back, like he did when you were anxious. 

‘does it hurt?’ you fuss, stroking your thumb along his bottom lip knowing he’d love it. and god, he does. seungcheol is a sucker for these moments—a little sniffle, a non-existent cut, and barely-there bruise—he wants all of it to be a big deal.

‘yes’ he pouts. it really didn’t, there was an initial sting but now he just wants to drag this out.

‘i’m so sorry, baby’ you say, pressing a sweet apology to where it “hurts”, and another for good measure.

‘okay, so kissing is out’ you cross another off the list. 

‘no, wait, why?!’ you remind him he was just saying how his lip hurts to which he replies ‘but it feels better when you kiss it’ 

you roll your eyes, not able to stop the smile that spreads across your face.

‘i like kissing you’ a sudden confession.

‘i like kissing you too’ you reply as your lips meet again. you kiss as his hands move from your face to find your hand, interlacing fingers; yours move to caress his hair; his find their way back to your waist; then your legs drape over each other, both of you a tangle of limbs. somewhere amidst the many kisses and warm touches, he grabs a throw, placing it over you both, wrapping you in a bubble of comfort. there’s a serene grey hue that fills the room as the overcast skies clear and disappear. 

‘promise me one thing?’ he suddenly pulls away, feeling compelled to complete this thought.

‘mhmn?’

‘promise me you’ll kiss me for the rest our lives?’ he asks, saying incredibly romantic things without so much of a warning. you feel this sudden warmth fill you, all the way down to your toes. 

‘i promise’ you vow, the warm fuzzy feeling now in seungcheol’s chest as you lean back in to seal it with a kiss.

[harryyskiwii]

Summary: Harry gets overwhelmed by fans in Amsterdam and seeks comfort in you.

Pairing: Boyfriend Harry x reader

Word count: 1,403

A/N: This is my first one shot I’ve written so please let me know what you think!

Strolling through the streets of sunny Amsterdam together on a rare day off together, the heat of the June Summer beamed on your face as you and Harry walked through the beautiful city. You had never been to the Netherlands but you instantly fell in love with it; The Sundrenched canals, the plant-filled greenhouses and creative cafés had you in awe of the city.

As much as Harry loved interacting with the fans, hearing their stories of how his music helped him, some days the constant photographs, the being stopped in the street every 5 minutes and the requests from fans were a lot for him. Sure he was more than grateful for the life the fans had given him, but sometimes all he wanted to do was go on a walk for 30 minutes.

You knew something was bothering Harry. He had been fidgeting with his rings in the local coffee shop you were in and now as you were exploring through the streets, his strides were picking up pace with each step he took.

In the short 20 minutes you had been out for, Harry had been stopped on countless occasions from fans asking for photos. Usually he would say yes, but today he just wasn’t quite feeling up to it.

Hearing a voice as you walked past a row of boutiques, you turned your head to where it was coming from “Hi Harry, do you wanna take a picture?”

“Sorry?” Harry said, not catching what the person had said as he stopped to talk to them.

“Can we take a picture please?”

“Do you mind if we don’t actually?” “No, not at all. Nice meeting you Harry”

You smiled gently to the girl who seemed happy enough to even have talked to him but you could tell Harry was getting increasingly agitated. He was pleasant as always to every fan he came into contact with, but it was obvious this was weighing him down.

You squeezed his hand to let him know it was okay as you continued to walk down the street.

You must have only taken a dozen steps when you and Harry were stopped again by 2 girls.

“I wouldn’t go that way, it’s really busy” one said.

“Oh, this way?” He checked with the girls, who nodded in agreement.

“Yeah it’s really busy”

He about turned to avoid the situation, deeply appreciating the heads-up.

“Oh okay thank you”

“Have a good show Harry” one said.

“Thank you”

“You okay?” You asked quietly as you walked back in the direction you had just come. “Yeah, I think we should head back now”

“Yeah? Okay let’s go” you said, understanding Harry’s anxiousness right away.

“We can go down to the spa when we’re back if you like?” You suggested to him.

He lightly smiled at the thought “yeah sure”

You had only been walking for a few minutes when up in the distance, you saw what you thought were lines of people, creating almost like a small pathway to walk through.

“Harry!” you heard someone shout in the distance. As you looked back, the person started to run towards in your direction.

Panic spread on Harry’s face as he quickly tried to figure something out “Go round the other way, I’ll meet you at the hotel” He said quickly, as he started to run away from you.

“What?” You said, confused as to what was going on.

“Trust me, just go round the other way, it’s safer” Harry said and with that, he took off and began to run towards the crowd of people.

You thought now an odd time for a run, he was wearing his vans, the most unpractical shoe for running, but as he approached the people you knew exactly why he was running. Running away.

The girl who had shouted was now running past you, and towards Harry.

Your heart sank as you watched him run through the line of people, not stopping to converse with anyone. It was doubtful the girl would catch up with Harry but it was still scary to watch.

You turned and headed back towards the hotel and phoned Jeff immediately.

He thankfully picked up within a couple of rings. “Hey y/n”

“Jeff can you make sure security are at the hotel for when Harry comes back? He’s not far away, he’s being chased by someone he’s had to run he should only be a few minutes away”

“What? Where are you? What’s happened?” Jeff said, concern growing in his voice.

“It’s just really busy with fans, Harry’s fine, I think, but I don’t want the fans follow him back to the hotel”

“Let me get security now, are you okay though?”

“Yeah I’m fine, I’m walking the opposite way, I won’t be long”

“Okay, see you when you get back” Jeff said and hung up the phone.

Although it was only a 10 minute walk, a 5 minute run in Harry’s case, you texted him to see if he was okay.

“Smart move. Even smarter to not ask me to run with you. You okay?” You texted and sent it to him.

2 minutes later, he replied “Would of had to have called you an ambulance if you ran any longer than 30 seconds you lazy sod”

The sarcasm in his text was an indication he was alright, if he could make jokes out of you being so unfit, he was fine.

“Shut up. I called Jeff to make sure security are there for you. I won’t be long”

Once you arrived at the hotel, you were greeted by one of Harry’s security guards. You made your way up to your hotel room to find Harry, Jeff, Tommy and his head of security discussing recent events.

“I wanna be able to go out a walk myself without having you there, no offence Andy” you heard Harry say to his head of security.

He looked up when he saw you coming into the room.

“Y/n you’re back, you okay?”

“Yeah I’m fine, are you?” You asked Harry.

“We’re just saying about how it might be wise to think of having security with H at all times, just while the tour is ongoing” Tommy said and you hesitantly nodded.

Harry clearly thought otherwise by his lack of response.

“I get you want to go out and be normal, I do but when you’re having to literally run away, it gets serious” Jeff said and Harry sighed.

“I gotta look out for you mate, imagine anything happened to you, or to Y/n while you’re out, you’d never forgive yourself. What do you say about having it just for touring? For this leg anyway?” Jeff suggested.

Harry took a sip of water and let out a deep breath. “Okay, but just while we’re touring and then it stops” Harry said and Jeff nodded.

“Text me when you want to go out and I’ll come for you” Andy said and Harry nodded.

“Thanks guys” said Harry and the team got up to leave. He gave each of them a hug and you thanked Jeff for his help as you saw them out of the hotel room.

“It isn’t fair” Harry said with a crack in his voice, falling on the bed.

You turned round and you saw Harry almost reduced to tears “I shouldn’t have to run away and leave you by yourself”

“Harry, I’m fine” you reassured him. You were now lying down and cuddling with him on the king size bed.

He put his arm around you to spoon you “it’s not fine, you didn’t ask for this. To be chased by fans”

“No, but I chose you. I knew what I was letting myself in for. You made that very clear, and I wouldn’t change it for the world, you know why? Because you’re my runner, you’re my track star” you mocked his earlier running episode in his vans and he let out a giant, genuine laugh, the type of laugh that you couldn’t help but giggle at.

You turned round to face him “as long as you’re okay, I’m okay. If that means dates with big burly men watching us, then so be it” you said to make him laugh.

He smiled, this time looking far more comfortable than he did 20 minutes again. “I love you” he said, pulling you in for a kiss.

“I love you too”

[onlinesuzie]

♡ book exchange with hamzah ♡

words: 1.5k

genre: fluff

summary: You accidentally leave a book with your address inside at a neighborhood book exchange. Hamzah finds it, and loves the story, and decides to return it.

notes: definitely definitely going to be a part 2 or even a part 3. i have more fics coming just been busy <33

☆

You’d always loved the small, quaint book exchange box nestled at the corner of your street. It was a simple wooden structure, painted a cheerful shade of blue, with a glass door that allowed passersby to peek at the stories inside. The idea was straightforward: leave a book, take a book, and in doing so, share stories with your neighbors in an anonymous, yet oddly intimate, way.

One sunny afternoon, you decided to contribute a book that had been sitting on your shelf for a while. It was a well-loved history book, one that had you telling family and friends random facts that had intrigued you. As you slipped it into the box, you couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness at parting with it. There were memories attached to that book, revelations embedded in its pages, but you hoped someone else would find as much interest in it as you had.

What you didn’t realize was that inside the book, tucked between the pages, was a small note you’d written ages ago: ‘Please return to [Your Name].’ It had your address on it—a note meant for a friend who had borrowed the book back in April. You’d completely forgotten about it.

Later that day, Hamzah happened to walk by the book exchange. He was on a bit of a personal mission lately—trying to read more, to step away from the his online life of screens and immerse himself in the kind of stories that didn’t come with thumbnails and clickbait titles. The little book exchange caught his eye, and he found himself slowing down with curiosity.

He opened the box, scanning the titles until one in particular caught his attention. It was your book. The cover was worn, the pages slightly yellowed, but there was a certain charm to it that intrigued him. Without hesitating, he took it with him, eager to dive into something different, something that you could learn from.

Over the next few days, Hamzah found himself completely engrossed in the book. It was exactly what he needed—its knowledge resonated with him in ways he hadn’t expected, offering comfort for his spiralling mind. It was as if the book had been waiting for him, like it was meant to find its way into his hands.

But near the end, just as he was about to finish the final chapter, he discovered the note. ‘Please return to [Your Name]’—along with an address.

He stared at it for a moment, surprised. At first, he wasn’t sure what to do. It felt strange to have this piece of information, like he’d inadvertently stumbled upon something personal. Should he return the book? Or would that be crossing a line? Maybe the note was an accident, and you hadn’t meant for anyone to see it.

Conflicted, he decided to talk about it on his podcast.

“Hey guys, welcome back to the podcast. Wait, actually I’ve got a bit of a weird story for you today,” Hamzah began, leaning back in his chair, the mic positioned just right to catch every nuance of his voice. “Basically, I’ve been trying to read more lately and like, I found this little book box thing in my neighborhood like you know the exchange ones, and I picked up this really cool book. It was like so good like there was so many questions that like I didn’t even have, man like it was good good.”

He paused, gathering his thoughts. “Anyway, so I’m reading this book, really getting into it, and near the end, I find a note tucked inside, and it has someone’s name and address on it. Like, ‘please return to [Your Name].’”

Hamzah laughed, the sound with an edge of uncertainty. “I’ve been sitting here wondering what to do. I mean, part of me thinks I should just take the book back, put it in the box, and forget about it. But the other part of me is like, should I return it? What if this person’s a total freak? Or what if they’re actually cool and I’m missing out on meeting someone who is actually like quite interesting. But then again, maybe it’s just better to let it be.”

He sighed, as if weighing the options in his head. “I don’t know, man. It’s such a random situation. But the book was really good, and I kind of want to thank whoever left it there. It’s like they put something out into the world, and it ended up being exactly what I needed at that moment. But yeah, let me know what you guys think. Should I just drop it? Or should I go knock on their door? Because honestly, I’m kind of leaning towards the like second option, even though it could be super awkward.”

After recording the episode, Hamzah mulled over the decision for a few days. He kept thinking about the book, the connection he felt to it, and, by extension, to you—the person who had unknowingly shared it with him. The more he thought about it, the more he felt compelled to reach out. Not just to return the book, but to express his gratitude and maybe even make a new friend.

Finally, one evening, he decided to go for it. He found himself standing outside your door, book in hand, and his own to share in the other, nerves jangling as he tried to convince himself that this wasn’t a terrible idea. After a deep breath, he swapped the books to under his arm and knocked.

When you opened the door, you were met with the sight of a young man standing there with a book in his hand. You blinked in confusion, wondering why a guy your age would be at your doorstep, especially one who looked a bit nervous and, oddly enough, familiar.

“Hi,” Hamzah began, offering a hesitant smile. As he looked at you, his words caught in his throat for a moment. He hadn’t expected you to be young—or so beautiful. The way you looked at him, with curiosity and a hint of confusion, made him feel a little more self-conscious, but he pushed through. “I, uh, hope this isn’t too strange, but I picked up this book from the exchange box down the street, and I found a note inside with your address. I don’t mean to be creepy or anything, but I just really liked the book, and I wanted to thank you.”

You stared at him for a moment, processing his words, before glancing down at the book in his hand. Recognition flashed across your face as you realized what had happened. “Oh! The note... I totally forgot that was in there,” you said, a small, relieved laugh escaping your lips. “I’m glad you liked the book. It’s one of my favorites.”

Hamzah felt a wave of relief wash over him, your friendly response easing his earlier nerves. “Yeah, it really hit home for me,” he admitted. “I’ve been trying to read more, and this one just... it was exactly what I needed. I guess I also wanted to meet more people in the neighborhood, and this seemed like a good excuse.”

You nodded, still slightly surprised by the whole situation. As much as you would’ve loved to invite him in, you were just about to head out. “I’m actually on my way out right now, but I’d love to talk more sometime,” you said, reaching into your bag and pulling out your phone. “Here, let me give you my number.”

Hamzah’s eyes lit up as he handed you his phone. “That sounds great,” he replied, trying to hide his excitement. You quickly typed in your number, handing the phone back to him with a smile.

"Actually," he added, handing over his own book to you, "I thought I should bring a book to exchange too. This one's a favorite of mine."

You took the book from him, your fingers brushing slightly against his as you did. The cover looked interesting, and you couldn't help but smile at the gesture. "Thanks. I'll definitely check it out, and keep the book if you want, I’m glad it’s made you happy" you said, slipping the book into your bag alongside your phone.

“Feel free to text me, and maybe we can meet up some time,” you offered, still a bit surprised at how quickly things had unfolded.

“Definitely,” Hamzah agreed, his smile widening as he glanced at the contact you’d saved. “I’m really glad I knocked.”

“So am I,” you said, stepping out and locking the door behind you. “I’ll see you soon?”

“Yeah, for sure,” he nodded, still holding the book as he watched you walk away.

As you headed down the street, you couldn’t help but be confused at how insane the whole situation was. And as Hamzah walked back home, your book now tucked under his arm, he couldn’t stop smiling—excited for a message to come through when you were free.

[gah-who-are-you]

-Comfort me Kento- (Nanami Kento x Fem!Reader)

Nanami Kento X Fem!Reader (Reader hasn't been feeling up to energy lately. Any burden they hold resting upon their shoulders and weighing them down. Finding themselves tired to the point that they don't bother to move from their bed. Instead rotting in their bed for a few days. Until your boyfriend, Nanami, notices your absence and decides to come check up on you, which leads to him helping you clean your room and shower. Slightly suggestive I guess???? (Nanami is helping you take a bath.) It's really just comforting the reader. [Reader is also a jujutsu sorcerer that works alongside Nanami at times]

---Start!!!------------------------------------------------------------------- You lay there, covered in layer upon layers of blankets. The only movement seen is the rise and fall of your chest, your shallow breathing being the only sound heard along the walls. The curtain drapes covering the windows, not allowing the light to enter your room. Not that it was sunny outside either way. It was winter, the snowflakes falling gently, the snow now having piled up on your lawn. Yet you didn't move from where your laid on the bed. You had the same clothes on now for two days. You see it's not like you're usually like this. You're a person who works hard. You usually go on to finish any work for you job on time. Take care of yourself right, feeding yourself, and doing the essentials for yourself. Yet you couldn't right now. It's not like you didn't want to. Actually... Yeah maybe you didn't want to. But! it's not because you're unhygienic or anything. It's hard to explain honestly, you just didn't find the energy in you. You were spent from everything. The work, the pressure, your family, your life. Everything. So there you laid in your bed. Wrapped with multiple layers of blankets, your arms hugging a pillow, and your whole body resting right in the middle of your bed. You didn't think of anything, you were just there. You didn't bother thinking of your boyfriend Nanami!

Throughout the days you were in your bed you received constant messages from Nanami which consisted of:

Nanami: Good Morning Dear, I didn't see you today at work. Are you taking a break? If you need anything just message me or call me. I love you.

You: I'm alright.

With each message you received a little of hope yet along with it some guilt. A small tired smile forming on your face. But as soon as you would turn off your phone screen your reflection was shown. Eyebags present. Your hair in disarray. Your face somehow sagging. The next morning persisted of the same type of message, Nanami asking you if you're alright and if you need anything. You would reply with dry simple texts. It's all you could muster. Knowing that those texts wouldn't be enough to sugar coat the burdens, the issues, all the mess ups, all the hate that's starting to build up within you. Not a hate towards anyone. No, instead it's a hate towards you. A hate towards the reflection you see on your phone screen. A hate that throughout this you somehow easily gained some weight, that through this you left your body unkept. You would lay there staring at the screen, your eyes hurting and your head throbbing in pain. You couldn't handle the screen of the device, the light boring into your eyes through the darkness of your room. So instead your turned your phone off. Rested it next to you and laid there. Not wanting to see your reflection. You would sooner of later start drowning yourself in your problems again and again. A never ending cycle. Different scenes of where you failed where you've done mistakes along the way. All of it building up to you. The different burdens you carry. Burning into you, marking your conscious. Your eyes had grown tired, your eye lids heavy. Despite having gained so much sleep you found yourself even more tired. Unable to stand, unable to move, even forgetting how to breathe at times. Yet everything was interrupted, your self wallowing, your thoughts that were killing you by the second-

Knock! Knock!

You opened your eyes, and looked towards the door slowly confused. I didn't order anything. You muttered to yourself. You didn't want to get up. Didn't want to see who was behind the door. So you slowly laid back down and ignored the sound. Maybe it was those pesky people that would try to make you buy their "amazing" products. But instead your heard a familiar voice, a soothing one. "Love? Are you there?" A muffled voice asked. It took you some time to process before you slowly got up. Your eyes widening at the sound of the person who had been messaging you non-stop. The realization hitting you like a truck. The person who had been checking up on you. Nanami.

You hesitantly got up, wrapped yourself up in your blankets. You looked upon your clothes. Your pajama pants and a baggy short sleeved shirt on. The same clothes you had been wearing for two days straight. You probably smelled bad. Your hair was a mess. You sighed and felt like crying that moment. You didn't want him to see you like this. He wasn't used to this part of you. The part where you found yourself unable to move and unable to stop putting yourself down.

You speed walked to your closet and pulled out a fresh clean blanket, covering yourself up with it, smothering your hair under the blanket. You hastily walked to the front door and opened it slightly. There before you stood Nanami. His shirt smooth, clean, and perfect. His hair combed back perfectly. You could only stare at him as he turned to you and offered your a worried look. But you didn't pay attention to that. You were mesmerized by him. Everything about him was neat. Unlike you. You thought to yourself. Which only caused you to slink into your blanket more. "Can I come in love?" Nanami asked you gently. After all this time-which may have only been two days- that you spent in your room, you found yourself caught off guard by his softness, his carefulness with you. You only nodded your head and opened the door hesitantly allowing him to enter your house. It was a mess to say the least. Your bags were all piled up in one corner, meanwhile your hats and sweaters where thrown around the living room.

To say the least, before you had your time of rotting in bed your emotions had spiked. Your anger that you had piled up in your life had gotten the best of you. Which ended up in you trashing your house. Your screams echoing around the walls as your threw your clothes against the wall. Threw your couch pillows and had dropped a vase on the ground, which you hastily cleaned up. Yet everything else was where you had last left it in your moment where you broke. Nanami looked around the room, noticing how everything was a mess, how it looked like your house was destroyed.

Nanami could only gaze at everything, piecing together everything. The way you looked, the way everything was a mess, and how you didn't greet him how you usually would. A smile would grace your features. You would hug him and smother his face with kisses. You'd talk, you'd shine, but now to him, everything was the opposite. You didn't beam at him this time you saw him. You instead hid yourself, you didn't talk, you just stared at him. Nanami reached out to you gently and put his hand under your chin, tilting your head gently to have you face him. You looked at him hesitantly, your face flushing red in embarrassment. A million thoughts passed through you in that moment. Is he disappointed? Is he going to turn and leave me? What if he just decides I'm not good enough for him? Is he going to look at me with disgust? A face you'd never seen before but you can only imagine.

And that's how it should be. A face you should only imagine. Nanami would even argue it's a face that he would never show you, a face that should never cross your mind in the first place because instead of that Nanami looks at you with worry. Taking in your vulnerable state. Seeing the way your face changed. Seeing how you slumped. Nanami couldn't stand seeing you like this. Worry showcasing through his eyes. Not disgust, not disappointment. Yet something else was there. Gratitude. He was grateful you let him see you like this sooner rather than later. You could have shut the door in front of his face. Yet you let him in. Even if you hesitated. Nanami spoke softly to you as he asked, "Have you not been taking care of yourself?" He looked at you and gently slid the blanket off of you. He saw your hair a mess. The way your face sagged. You could only look at him, your face reddening in embarrassment but at the same time the tiredness making your less responsive. Yet you nodded your head gently in response. "I haven't been able to bring myself to do anything." Was all you could muster up to say. Nanami nodded his head and kissed your forehead gently. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." You say softly, ashamed that you would even need to say that in the first place.

Nanami looked at you and sighed. He reached over to you and picked you up bridal style. Earning a gasp from you. "Well then let me help you wash off." He said softly. You soon find yourself in your bathroom. Nanami then set you down on the small chair in front of your bathroom mirror. You stood there next to him as he removed the blanket from your figure. "If you don't want me here I'll respect that dear. Yet, I'd like to help you if you're okay with that." He said to you gently as he reached for the brush and brushed your hair patiently, making sure to undo any knots. Making sure it didn't hurt too much he pulled gently. You couldn't explain how you were feeling right now. This man is really winning you over, huh? You thought to yourself as you gazed upon his reflection from the mirror, his hands gently moving the brush through your hair. You love this man. My god do you love him. You thought to yourself. His gaze lifted and he noticed your gaze on him. He smiled at you through the reflection, a warm smile, a endearing smile, a smile that had you weak at your heart.

Soon enough your hair was brushed out neatly and Nanami motioned to your clothes, asking for permission to undress you. You nodded your head. Nanami helped you undress slowly, a small kiss pressed to your shoulder as he took off your shirt. A small kiss on your knee as he removed your sweatpants. He knew you were tired, he knew you needed to relax so he turned the bath water on, putting it at a nice warm temperature. Soon your garments were decorating the bathroom floor. You stood there embarrassed of the way you looked, you noticed you somehow gained some weight. Nanami was kneeling near the tub, checking the temperature and he looked towards you, he held your hand gently and helped you inside the tub. You laid down, and noticed how Nanami had rolled up the sleeves of his clean smooth button up shirt. "You don't have to help me Nanami, I can do it myself." You said hastily not wanting to bother him more than he probably has been. But Nanami shook his head and tilted your face to face him. He smiled softly at you, but a hint of worry flashes through them. "Let me help you please, I want to." He said softly and caressed your cheek gently. "Alright." You said softly, barely audible.

He reached over and grabbed the soap gently applying it to your hair and washing it. His hands moving against your head gently. His finger nails grazing your scalp. You couldn't help but hum in satisfaction. The tense feeling that had been resting on your shoulders leaving you. Nanami then rinsed your hair and grabbed conditioner (or the different hair products you use) and apply them to your hair. He reached over for the the body wash and a soft bath sponge, running it over your body, cleaning you gently. "Are you willing to tell me what happened?" He asked you gently, breaking the silence. If he had asked you before you probably would have tensed up and said no. Yet the way he's taking care of you. The way he's touching you so gently and soothing you. And then you turned your head to him. His eyes were looking gently at you. He had a small relaxed smile. His shirt slightly wet from the water and soap. Soap suds covering his hands and arm. Your heart could only swell, swell with so much love for this man. You sighed softly in relief. Relief that you had someone so loving by your side. You agreed and let out all your pent up stress.

You rant, rant about every single issue, even the smallest. Everything that's been weighing you down. Nanami listened, listened to you full on. He didn't interrupt you. He didn't say anything, he didn't judge. He knew he wasn't really one to suggest something. After all he has his own issues. Some may even relate to yours. So he offers you his attention and his full self. When you finished he had rinsed you of all the suds, leaving you clean. Nanami's voice then broke the silence " You know I won't tell you to do anything specifically. I won't pressure you to tell me your issues." He said gently as he moved to massage your shoulders.

You then thought for a bit confused of what he was talking about, then it clicked. The way you didn't bother texting him back fully, didn't bother explaining your situation to him. Didn't bother to search for his help. His gentle voice then breaks you out of your thoughts. "Yet I want to pressure you. It seems selfish but I want you to tell me everything. Whenever something like this happens. When you feel like everything is falling on top of you. Because if I'm not here to take care of you, to listen to you, to hold you when you're most vulnerable. I don't know what I should be doing instead." He said to you, his eyes showed no lies and his voice was only speaking the truth. His hands gently holding the sides of your head as he pressed his forehead against your damp forehead. He then leaned in, his soft lips meeting yours. he held you carefully. As if you were the most precious thing on earth, no, in this entire universe.

You couldn't hold back anymore. tears spilled from your eyes, sobs escaped your lips, and you reached to hold onto his shirt with your wet hands. Nanami only leaned in. His shirt getting damp due to making contact with you but nonetheless he didn't care. He wanted to hold you, wanted to cherish you, wanted to make you feel seen. Once your cries died down and you eased down he pulled away slowly and gave a soft kiss to your forehead. "Stay here for a bit dear." He said softly against your forehead and parted from your grasp. You sat there in the tub for a bit. A small tint of red on your cheeks. You were grateful, so very grateful for having him. Thank you. You muttered softly to yourself. Although he wasn't there to hear you said it again. Thank you Nanami. You uttered softly and touched your lips with your fingers.

Minutes passed by and Nanami walked back in, his hair in a bit of a disarray. You raised a brow at the scene. "Sorry for taking so long." he said quickly and walked over to you. "What were you doing Kento?" You asked, confused on why he took so long. "Just arranged a few things." he said with a hum and grabbed a towel, helping you dry off as he picked you up from the tub. He carried you out of the bathroom and sat you down on your bedroom bed. He quickly wrapped you up with the towel, considering how cold it is outside, having just taken a bath doesn't help prevent a cold. "What do you want me to get you?" he asks as he walks towards your drawers and wardrobe. "Oh I have my sleep wear in the drawer and panties are also there." You said and avert your gaze. Nanami chuckled lightly at your response and pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants and a white shirt as well as your panties. You raised a brow, not noticing your bra. You were about to tell Nanami when he said , "I heard from a ad that they can be tedious and at times hurt to wear. Since we're going to be inside here just the two of us I thought it'd be good for you." he said and averted his gaze, slightly embarrassed. You could only smile at him. How can he be so shy when talking about these things when he was just touching my body earlier? You thought to yourself.

You take the clothes from his hand and start to dress yourself. Nanami then takes the towel and helps you dry your hair, he then picks up the brush from your nightstand and brushes out your hair. "Smells nice." He says with a soft hum. "Thanks to you Kento." You say quietly. Nanami smiles at your response and wraps his arms around your neck, pulling your body back to him. The back of your head rests against his damp shirt. He kissed the top of your head gently. "I changed your bedsheets dear, and the blankets. So go lay down. I'll clean up the rest." You look at him surprised. "So that's what you were doing." You say and smile up at him gently, you were about to protest saying that you should clean up and not him. But you remembered what he had said before and gave in. " Thank you." You murmur and kiss his arms that are wrapped around you neck. "Anytime." he says softly and kisses your cheek gently. "You should change your shirt Kento, you could catch a cold." You say and loosen his arms around you, you turn to face him. "Let me get you a shirt, if I can find one." You say and rummage through your closet not really finding anything for his bulky built. Nanami approaches you from behind and hugs you tightly. "How about, we sleep together after I clean up, we can warm one another up?" he ask as his fingers come to play with your hair strands, twirling them gently.

You nod your head. "I'll be waiting for you." You say and walk over to the bed, getting under the covers. You wait there, sitting on the bed looking at your room at how organized it looks now thanks to him. A small smile gracing your features. You waited patiently for Nanami and luckily didn't wait long. After all you knew Nanami worked efficiently and fast. So it wasn't long until he finally walked over to you. He took off his damp buttoned up shirt, placing it on a chair for it to dry. You looked up and smiled at the sight of Nanami. You then moved over and pulled the covers, making space for Nanami. Nanami climbed in, laying down next to you. He scooped you in his arms and pressed his face to the back of your neck. His arms wrapped around you gently as he held you carefully. "Thank you for letting me help you." Nanami murmured against your neck. You smiled at what he said. A flush covering you face and neck. Nanami feeling the warmth rise, he smiled fondly at you and then closed his eyes. "Thank you Nanami, sleep well." You mutter softly. Your eyes closed as well, sleep soon overtaking both of you. The warmth of your bodies combining, The blankets protecting you two, holding you together as one.

[mermaidgirl30]

✨Enchant Me Chapter 2: The First Date✨

Series Masterlist

A/N: I love writing this series so much and can’t get over how cute these two are 🥹 I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this one and hope you enjoy!!

Chapter Summary: You and Joel go on your first date 💜

Pairing: Joel x witchy fem! reader

Word Count: 9k

Rating: Explicit (18+ ONLY)

Chapter Tags: Mutual pining, flirting, first date, Joel buys reader a flower, Joel visits reader’s tea shop, star gazing, first kiss, falling in love, so much fluff, chapter is in both Joel and reader’s POV

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

Joel can’t seem to keep his mind focused the next day at work. He only thinks of you, your hypnotizing eyes, your beautiful smile, your sweet, delicate soul. It’s all he sees, all he hears as your infectious laugh floats dreamily through his mind. It’s you. You, you, you.

He needs to see you again, needs to hear your melodic voice as you talk endlessly about your love of roses and teas. He can’t stop smiling, can’t stay still as he paces back and forth restlessly inside his wooden shop. Tommy doesn’t take long to catch on as he knows something’s up.

“Joel, you alright there? You’ve been pacing back and forth this entire mornin’. And your face, are you actually smilin’?” he laughs as he leans up against the register and slicks his long, greasy styled hair back.

“Everything’s good, Tommy. Just peachy,” Joel calls from across the store as he comes up to the worn register, meddling mindlessly with a stack of colorful pens in a glass cup that sits next to the computer screen.

“It’s her, ain’t it?” he smirks.

“Who?” Joel asks like he has no earthly idea what Tommy is rambling about, but he sure as hell knows who he’s talking about. He’s talking about his enchantress.

“You know damn well who I’m talkin’ ‘bout, Miller,” he smirks with a raised eyebrow as he points his index finger at Joel. A sure sign that he caught him in a lie. “The girl you delivered that table to. I told ya, didn’t I? She’s a beauty that one.”

Joel runs a hand through his unruly curls and stares at the linoleum floor, eyes slowly reaching up to meet Tommy’s view. He sighs, knowing lying won’t do him any good. “Yeah, it’s her. She really is somethin’ unique. She’s gorgeous,” Joel gushes as a small smile curls against the edges of his lips, his cheeks turning slightly red as he imagines your soft smile, your gentle touch, your eccentric beauty, your everything.

“Oh, man. You’ve got it bad, brother. Look at you blushin’ and smilin’ just thinkin’ ‘bout her,” he teases as he hits Joel playfully in the arm. “You gonna see her again?” he asks with his eyebrows knitting together, eyes hounding Joel for more information.

Joel doesn’t even take a second to contemplate his answer, he just lays it out flat. “Yes.” There’s no question about it. “You know she has a tea shop just a few minutes up the street?”

“No, I didn’t. That seems to suit her perfectly though. You should stop by at lunch today. Go see her,” he encourages Joel.

Joel contemplates his options carefully. Would you want to see him? Is it too soon? No, definitely not too soon. He paces back and forth for a minute, flexing his fingers together as nerves pull in his stomach. When he stops at the counter again, he makes a decision.

“You know what, Tommy? I think I will,” he decides.

Tommy comes around the register and gives Joel a strong pat on the back. “Proud of you, brother. Go get her,” he smirks.

Right as the clock hits noon, Joel practically runs out the door as he unlocks his truck and starts the engine up. The truck roars to life as he drives it carefully out of the empty parking lot and into the busy streets of Austin.

The day is sunny and warm, the wind barely blowing as its howls echo through the dry air. He stops at a red light and taps his fingers against the leather steering wheel, eager to get to the tea shop, to you.

In just a few short minutes, he’s pulling up to the parking lot of his destination. The place he’ll find you, his enchantress.

As he gets out of the truck and closes the door, he takes in the dainty sign that reads Starlight’s Corner. The sign is a light shade of purple, a little crescent moon in the corner of the S as it sits neatly above the storefront.

When he walks in, chimes carry softly through the lit up store as he passes through. A golden moon star crystal suncatcher hangs right next to the glass door, carrying sparkling beams of light that make little shadows appear against the cream colored walls.

“Be right out!” you call from the back of the store as you hear the wispy wind chimes call your name. “Just finishing up this batch of tea. I’ll be right with you!”

Just the sound of your voice makes his skin crawl with goosebumps. He loves the sound of it, a sweet heavenly sound he could listen to all day long. It’s so very dreamy, misty.

He walks around the quaint little store, taking in the whimsical surroundings that fill your space. Tall white shelves line each corner as decorative tea cups and kettles sit displayed in neat rows. Pictures of green forests, colorful butterflies, and different phases of moons paint the walls in a sea of vibrant colors. Bags of all kinds of herbal teas sit out amongst the front of the butcher block counter.

Joel traces his fingers over a row of books that are all about the history of tea and then his eyes slide along the back counter where different containers of brewed tea sit out for customers to buy. The air smells like home baked goods and cinnamon as a plate of sugar cookies and blueberry scones sit wafting inside a closed up container by the register.

He takes another walk around the little shop and smiles to himself as he trails his finger along a dark display case of sparkling crystals that seem to glisten in his eyes. The vibrant orchid flowers spilling over the edges as he remembers you telling him about these kinds of flowers yesterday. He shakes his head, chuckling quietly at how much you probably love this little shop. This place is so unique, special. It’s so very… you.

“Hi, there. What can I…” your voice trails off as soon as you see him. Joel.

Joel turns around and faces you, his breath catching as soon as he sees your face. Today you’re in a light pink sundress, the skirt just barely grazing the bottom of your creamy thighs. The strapless v-shape of the dress dipping as it hugs your soft curves perfectly. Your hair is down today, silky locks ending in soft curls as they kiss your shoulders.

Your lips are berry stained red, glittery eyeshadow raining down as the glitter seems to bring out the vibrant colors of your eyes even more. And then that soft smile pulls at your lips when you realize it’s him. He thinks he’s about to fall to his knees, thinks you’re absolutely stunning, a vision only the gods should be worthy of.

Joel thinks you’re the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. The prettiest enchantress he’s ever laid eyes on. Enchant me. The words echo through his head on repeat like a broken record. He would be so lucky if you were his. So very lucky. He just had to have you.

Please, be mine. Be mine.

“Oh, Joel,” you say with a lilt to your soft tone. “Hi.” You give him a dreamy smile and bat your long eyelashes at him. It nearly takes him out.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he drawls out, a sideways smile appearing lazily over his mouth. You can’t seem to take your eyes off him.

“Didn’t expect to see you here. What are you doing here?” you ask as you stand behind the counter smiling up at him.

He clears his throat and rolls the sleeves of his green button-up flannel up, walking over toward you as he places his hands on the edge of the counter. “Thought I’d drop by on my lunch break to see your shop. I was cravin’ some of that delicious sweet tea you made yesterday, was hopin’ you’d have some brewed up when I got here,” he smiles, making tingles run clear down your spine.

“Oh, you liked my tea so much you just had to stop by today?” you flirt, your eyes beaming into his as he stands right across the counter from you, so close but not close enough.

“That’s right, darlin’. Couldn’t stay away from that pretty face of yours,” he blushes as he runs a hand straight through his curls, feeling the back of his neck burn with heat.

He never flirted like this before with anyone. Not until he met you.

“Oh,” you giggle, feeling your cheeks turn pink. “What’s your favorite kind of tea? I have plenty of flavors,” you say as you move your arm to the back counter and trail your fingers over each container. “I have anything from chai tea to green tea to black tea to sweet tea and so much more.”

Joel watches you move along the back counter as your dress swishes around you fluidly. He thinks you look like you belong in a painting, a masterpiece at best with the way your hair falls over your shoulders and your sun kissed skin from the garden seems to glow in the haze of the store lights.

“I usually just get sweet tea, but I’d take anything, darlin’. Give me whatever you think I’d like best,” he says easily.

You purse your lips and let your eyes fall over his tanned arms and soft brown eyes, his thick fingers sprawled over the edge of the counter as you have to fight yourself to not reach your hand out to his. You quickly assess him, taking your best guess.

“Hmmm,” you hum. “Do you like peach flavored drinks?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Perfect. I think you’ll like this one then,” you answer as you grab a compostable cup and fill it with your specially made herbal peach tea that you put a little extra love and care into making today. You turn and hand Joel the cup as his fingers graze along yours, making your fingertips tingle with fiery sensations.

You watch him tilt his head back as his curls fall into a tousled heap. You watch the orange liquid slowly disappear as he gulps it down, leaving half the cup empty. He wipes his mouth clean and sighs as he looks back up at you, his caramel eyes beaming into yours. “Sweetheart, I don’t know how you do it, but your tea is the best thing I’ve ever tasted. You’ve got a gift.”

You bat your eyelashes at him and shake your head nonchalantly. “You’re too kind, Joel. Here, let me pour you some more.” You grab his cup and fill it back to the rim, carefully handing it over to him as he takes it with a thank you leaving his mouth.

“Here,” he says as he digs in his wallet and takes out a five dollar bill, placing his closed fist on the counter as he tries to give you money.

“Oh, no, Joel. You don’t owe me anything,” you say as you try to wave him off.

“Gotta pay for it, darlin’. Here, take it,” he insists as he pushes his hand further over the smooth wooden counter.

“No, really. Joel, don’t. I don’t want your money,” you say, refusing the green bill as you place your hand gently over his, pushing it back toward him.

He feels your smooth hand slide over his as your soft skin mixes into the roughness of his. He swears his heart skips a beat as you hold your hand over his. He’s unwilling to move, unwilling to do anything except stare into your breathtaking eyes.

“You sure, sweetheart?” he asks with knit eyebrows as he leans into your gentle touch.

“Positive. Consider it my special discount,” you wink playfully. “You can come get tea whenever you like, Joel. I don’t want your money though.”

“No? What do you want then?” he asks as he leans against the counter, your hand still clasped over his tightly as you lean closer to him.

“Just your company is enough for me,” you say quietly.

You feel the room suddenly go still as you’re so very close to him now. So close that just an inch more and you’d be grazing your lips against his. You can almost taste his flavor, peach tea collecting on his lips as you see the sheen liquid cover his bottom lip. He looks so inviting, so very tempting. And you’d really like for him to break the distance and kiss you now.

Kiss me. Please, kiss me.

Suddenly the moment is broken as you hear the door chime loudly as a customer walks in. You pull your hand away from Joel’s and watch him take a few steps back, fingers dragging through his salt and pepper scruff as he takes a breath and moves out of the way of the front of the counter.

“Hi, welcome in,” you smile, feeling your cheeks burn red from the interrupted moment between you and Joel. You wish it wouldn’t have been interrupted. Would he have kissed you? It seemed like he kind of wanted to.

You look up and see who it is, noticing one of your favorite customers as he walks in with a button-up yellow Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts. “Oh, Tony! Nice to see you,” you shout as he comes over to give you a quick hug hello.

“There’s my favorite tea maker! Mary said to tell you hello. She’s out sick today with a bad cold, so I thought I’d grab her some of her favorite tea,” he announces as he pushes the wide rimmed gold glasses up to his nose, his grey hair fluffing up from the wind.

“Oh no, poor thing. Tell her I’m thinking of her. Here, take a scone for her. I know she loves them.”

Joel watches the interactions between the older man and you, observing the way you carefully package up a blueberry scone and get a gallon of green tea prepared. He trails his hand along one of the glass displays with intricate tea sets inside and watches the way you smile carefree as you cash the man out and talk fondly of your garden.

“You will have to drop by sometime to help Mary with her sunflowers. The poor things dried up immediately last spring when she planted them. I know she’d love your company,” Tony says as he takes the white sack of scones and grips the gallon of green tea in his other hand steadily.

“I’d love to! Anytime she wants me to come help her in the garden, just give me a call. I’d be more than happy to help. They probably just needed a little more shade and water. A little love goes a long way,” you smile.

Joel stares at you, watching the way your infectious smile seems to light up the room as you talk of sunflowers and gardening. He thinks you’re so soft, so gentle the way you care for others. And you’re so sweet. Sweeter than the peach tea Joel just drank down. The tea that you gave him.

Soft. That’s exactly what you are, and Joel can’t help but to fall harder for you in that moment. His little enchantress. You enchanted him.

When the customer walks out the door and the wind chimes stop singing, Joel moves back up to the counter and places his cup full of peach tea down on the smooth surface. He pushes a curl out of his face and starts the conversation up again.

“Thanks for the tea again, sweetheart. You didn’t have to give it to me for free,” he chuckles as he embeds his fingers into the edge of the wood.

“Joel,” you give him a knowing look, “you heard me. Please, just take the tea,” you laugh, crossing your arms over your smooth dress as you smile over at the man with pretty brown eyes.

“Fine. But I owe you,” he states adamantly as a brow lifts in place.

“What do you possibly owe me?” you laugh, letting it echo across the doorway.

“A date.”

Your lips fall open as you suck in a breath. A date. He wants to take you on a date.

“A date?” you ask nervously, hands now fidgeting with your crystal necklace as you try to not bite your lip as nerves flood your insides.

“A date,” he nods, confirming the words. “What about tonight? You doin’ anything tonight?” he asks as his big chocolate eyes look at you with hope pulling in those lavish eyes.

“I was just planning on making some spaghetti tonight, but I’d love it if you came for dinner? Will you come for dinner?” you ask with hope running through your veins.

Please, come for dinner. Let me show you my world.

“Darlin’, I’d love nothing more,” Joel smiles, brown eyes clashing into yours. You’d never been so excited to cook dinner for someone. “But I’m not lettin’ you cook alone. I’m helpin’. Just tell me what to bring and I’ll bring it.”

“How about you bring some French bread? That’ll do. I have all the other ingredients I need at the house,” you say with your fingers knotting into the skirt of your dress.

He’s coming for dinner.

“Alright, French bread it is,” he nods. “How’s 6:30pm sound to you?”

“Perfect,” you beam.

“Perfect,” Joel echoes back.

Joel looks at the time on his black military watch and huffs out a breath. “Well, I gotta get back to work. Got a customer coming in a few minutes to pick somethin’ up,” he sighs as he picks up his cup of peach tea and taps his fingers against the counter. “Thank you for the tea, sweetheart. Nothin’ tastes as sweet as your tea,” he says sweetly as his eyes flick down to yours.

“You’re welcome, Joel. I’ll be sure to make you some more,” you smile.

His eyes trail over your soft hands then back into your glowing eyes, eyes he wants to wade in forever. He gives you one more smile then starts to head for the glass door, eyes roaming over the room until he gets to the doorway and looks back your way.

“See you tonight, little enchantress.” He winks your way and then disappears out the door, dragging your heartstrings along with him as he leaves your heart beating wildly for him.

You lean against the counter and rest your chin in the palm of your hand, sighing as you watch Joel pull out into the busy street and disappearing down the road. You can’t wait to see him tonight.

You’re having a date with Joel Miller. This was the most exciting day of your life.

You open the purple shutters and crack the windows, letting the burning sage flood out into the crisp evening air as you light lavender candles in the space of the dim lit living room. Soft music plays through the air as the smell of blueberry muffins cooking in the oven waft through the lit up kitchen. As you pass Oliver in the long hallway, you bend down and scratch behind his orange ears before you pad off to your bedroom.

The scent of vanilla lingers through the room as the blown out candles still drift softly through the air. You turn the overhead light on and stand in front of your mirror, smoothing out your pink sundress and slipping the bristles of the sparkly pink brush through your soft locks of hair.

You touch up your makeup and paint some glossy red lip gloss over your lips, puckering them together before taking one last look at yourself. You straighten the crystal amethyst necklace on your neck and spritz a dash of lavender perfume on before you spin in a circle and decide you’re ready. Joel will be here any minute.

You turn off the lights and leave the room as the timer on the oven goes off, signaling the muffins are finished baking. You shove some scarlet oven mitts on and take the muffins out, setting them on top of the stove to let them cool off. They’re fresh, fluffy, and smell delicious. You just hope Joel would love them. Maybe he’d want to take some home with him.

Just as you start to boil some water and set the various ingredients out for the spaghetti, you hear the rumble of his truck and see his bright headlights shine through the window. He’s here. You see the truck lights go off and hear the squeak of his leather boots against the front porch, and then he’s knocking on your front door.

Your heart starts beating incredibly fast as you pad over to the door and open it quickly, almost letting out a gasp at how good he looks. His tousled curls are slicked back with gel holding them in place, his flannel forgotten as he wears a denim button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone, exposing his large neck as tanned skin peeks through. Dark washed jeans cling to his strong legs, and you can’t help but stare at what he holds in his hand. A single red rose.

He brought you a rose.

“Hey there, sweetheart. Don’t you look pretty,” he gushes as he holds out the blood red rose for you, his smile lingering on his handsome face as his deep brown eyes stare back at you endearingly. You reach your hand out and take it, letting your fingers brush over his as a chill runs through your insides.

“You got me a rose?” you ask quietly, completely melting at the fact that he even thought to get you one.

“I did. I saw it in the store when I was picking up some French bread, and it just got me thinkin’ of you.” He blushes shyly and brushes past your shoulder while you close the door behind him, watching him set the bread down on the little oak table in the corner.

It got me thinkin’ of you. Joel’s so charming, so sweet.

“Thank you. That was really sweet,” you smile dizzily as you inhale the sweet scent and set it down on your glass coffee table.

“It was nothin’. Consider it a small token of my appreciation for the tea today,” he replies, eyes finding yours as he walks into the kitchen. “Blueberry muffins? Now how did you know those were my favorite, darlin’?” he grins as his eyes roam over the fresh muffins and then back up to you.

“I was hoping you’d like them. Go on and try one. I just took them out of the oven a few minutes ago,” you say as you walk to the edge of the counter, your hands sliding over the smooth surface as you watch him pick one up and take a bite.

You watch him swallow the first bite and it’s like his eyes light up as they go wide, turning slowly toward you as he parts his plush lips. “These are the best muffins I’ve ever tasted! Holy shit. What all did you put in these?” he asks as he takes another large bite until it’s completely gone.

“Oh, you know. Just my love and care,” you giggle as you let the flirtation flit through the air.

He just shakes his head as you hear him chuckle, the sound reverberating through your soul. “Well, sweetheart, they’re incredible.”

“I’d make you some anytime you wanted,” you say quickly without even thinking. He just smiles and nods, the edge of his lips curling up to expose a dreamy smile.

He’s so handsome.

“Might take you up on that,” he laughs.

“So, dinner?” you ask as you wind around to the stove and start to pour the noodles into the boiling water. “If you want to open the can of marinara sauce for me, I’d really appreciate it. Need a big, strong man to twist the lid off for me,” you flirt, giggling to yourself as you internally kick your feet in the air.

“That so, darlin’?” he laughs as he grabs the can and twists the lid off with almost no effort. It’s too easy for him.

You shake your head and smile to yourself. “Made it look too easy.”

“Nah. Was a piece of cake,” he shrugs. “Maybe you just need a man around here more often. You know, to help ya out if you need help fixin’ something or something breaks or just need a pair of hands to help you in the garden.”

“Oh, really? Think I know anyone that would want to do that?” you ask, smiling as you finish mixing the noodles in, letting them simmer over the boiling water.

“I don’t know, darlin’. Might just ask whoever you gave that purple rose to,” he smirks.

He’s flirting and he’s funny and he’s so charming. You like him so much already.

“Maybe I will,” you say shyly back, the smile staying on your face as you spend the next half hour preparing dinner with Joel.

The two of you pass each other by, sliding against the back of the counter as your hands gently brush one another’s, your hip bumping up against his as small apologies and infectious smiles fill the little kitchen space. His eyes never quite leave your face as he chops some tomatoes, his sappy brown eyes flicking up to yours every few seconds. And you can’t stop laughing, can’t stop smiling as he tells you silly little jokes and sends sweet compliments your way.

You think you like this. Having someone to cook with, to laugh with, to have fun with. You’ve barely scratched the surface with Joel, and it’s like it’s as clear as day. You two would be the perfect match. He compliments you so very well, and you’ve already decided you wouldn’t mind if he’d just come back again and again and again.

When dinner is finally served, Joel sits next to you at the wooden oak table and brushes his knee against yours as you take a bite of the marinated spaghetti. It’s delicious, the spice really bringing out the rich flavors of all the ingredients. You see Joel take his first bite, watching him closely as his eyes get wider the second he lets the noodles slide down his throat. You let out a giggle as your knee lightly knocks against his.

“Sweetheart, I’ve gotta say everything you touch is magic. Your tea, your muffins, your spaghetti. Everything,” he drawls proudly as he takes a sip of the hibiscus tea you made just for him.

“You helped me cook dinner,” you reply with one eyebrow arched up as you spin your fork around the thin noodles.

“Yeah, but still. Your creations in the kitchen are to die for,” he smiles as he takes another big bite. The red sauce spills down his chin and without thinking you reach your thumb out and wipe it off, placing your finger in your mouth as you lick it clean. He puts his fork down and just looks at you, eyes fixed intently on your lips as you feel warmth flood your cheeks.

“Sorry,” you inadvertently apologize, pushing your hand under the table as you latch on to the hem of your dress. Why did you do that?

“S’alright. Nothin’ to apologize for, sweetheart.”

There’s a heaviness in the air. Something like thick tension and slight fog that wraps around your head. He scoots his leg over and it gently brushes over yours as you feel tingles slide along your entire leg, feeling your nerves fire off as you quickly break the tension.

“Right…” you trail off, eyes going back to the plate of spaghetti. Just before you twirl more noodles on your fork, Joel reaches out and drags a thick finger over your shiny crystal hanging from your neck, making you gasp at the contact.

“S’pretty. What kind of crystal is it?” he asks curiously as his thumb drags along the smooth edges of the crystal.

“It’s amethyst. One of my favorite kinds of crystals,” you fawn as your eyes stare into those deep pits of honey warmth. Swooning as his fingers continue to graze the necklace. His eyes flick up to yours as a smile tugs up the corners of his mouth.

“I guess I should’ve known by now. It’s purple and it makes those pretty eyes of yours glow even brighter, little enchantress,” he calls out, making your insides coat with warmth.

Little enchantress.

He’s so dreamy.

“Oh, thank you,” you quietly respond as you feel your cheeks redden from his lingering eyes. “You always have a way with words, don’t you?”

“It doesn’t take much, sweetheart. You’re just very… beautiful is all,” he smiles.

Beautiful? Oh. Oh my.

“Beautiful…” you repeat back, lost in a daze as his words repeat over and over in your brain in a never ending cycle.

“That’s right. Beautiful.”

There’s that tension again. The one that makes your head swim and your heart race a million miles per hour. And there’s those eyes again. Those deep brown eyes that seem to stare straight into your longing soul. His foot curls under yours, the side of his thigh pressing heavily against yours. A simple affection that makes your heart spiral out of control.

For a second you think he might lean in, but then he clears his throat and sits up straighter as he notices Oliver tip-toeing under the table as his little feet pad against the dark wood.

“Hi, Oliver,” you say with a greeting as you reach down to rub his furry head. Joel just watches you, a smile tugging at his mouth as his eyes wander back down to Oliver. “You gonna go say hi to Joel?” you ask as he steps over to Joel and rubs up against the edge of his ankle, purring his hello as he heads into the kitchen.

“He definitely likes you,” you nod as you find Joel chuckling to himself.

“Yeah, you think so?”

“I know so,” you confirm.

Another deep chuckle rumbles out of his chest as he shakes his head in disbelief. “Sarah would never believe this.”

The gears in your head start to grind, bringing questions up that you don’t know the answers to. “Sarah? Who’s Sarah?” you ask cautiously as you tap the fork lightly against the glass plate.

“Oh,” he says with a nervous expression as he slides a hand through his slicked back curls. “She’s uh… well, she’s my daughter,” he says quietly as he looks up through the fringe of his dark eyelashes.

Daughter? He has a daughter?

“I didn’t know you had a daughter,” you say sweetly, lips curling into a smile as it seems to relax his stance. “How old is she?”

“She just turned twenty this year. She’s a sophomore in college now. My little girl is growing up,” he says as he bites his lower lip, probably trying not to get too emotional as he thinks about it. He must be such a good father. That smile. That majestic, radiant smile. He must love her so much. He is a good father.

“Do you have a picture of her?” you ask, trying to dig inside his chest and find out every single thing about him.

“Oh, yeah. Got one on my phone, just a second,” he says as he digs in his pocket and pulls out his phone. He scrolls through his camera roll and stops on one picture as he holds the phone out to you. “That’s me and her last summer at the lake. She’s almost as tall as me,” he laughs casually.

You look at the picture and take in the surroundings. Clear blue water, bright skies, and kayaks. Joel stands in a light blue t-shirt and black swim trunks, and his daughter stands next to him. Tall, thin, long curly hair that passes down to her shoulders. They look so happy in the picture. He must love her a lot.

“She’s really pretty,” you smile.

“Yeah, she is,” he beams, his crooked smile pushing a dimple into view as you nearly swoon at the sight.

He’s so handsome.

Thoughts of her mother come into focus. A mother. Was Joel married before? Was she still in the picture? Was he still seeing her? You push down the negative thoughts and press on. “And the mother? Is there… is there anyone in the picture?” you ask cautiously, stepping over lily pads in a crocodile infested swamp.

He huffs out a sigh and shakes his head. “No. She uhh… she left a couple days after Sarah was born. Said she never wanted to be a mother, didn’t want the responsibility of her. So she left her with me. Haven’t seen her since.”

She left? How could anyone want to leave Joel? He’s so good, so perfect. You couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to leave him.

He chokes back a muted response, and you see just the slightest hint of a wet tear swimming in his eye. You didn't want to upset him, you never want to upset him.

You slide your hand on top of his and curl your fingers around him. “I’m so sorry, Joel. That must’ve been so awful. I can’t… I can’t even imagine anyone wanting to leave you or her. I’m so, so sorry,” you apologize through thick words, knitting your brows together as a look of concern washes over your face.

He leans forward, placing his other hand on top of yours as he squeezes gently. “No, don’t apologize, darlin’. S’not your fault she left. It was probably for the best. Me and Sarah got along just fine without her. So don’t worry. I’m alright,” he responds as he slowly gulps a lump down in his throat. He might say he’s okay, but you can see just a tad of sadness behind those honey eyes. And you want to take that away, make the pain go away forever.

“I just hate hearing that. How could she hurt you like that? I couldn’t… I wouldn’t ever do that to you.” You freeze, realizing just what you said as fear strikes your insides. You said too much. You said too much.

As if he sees the fear inside your eyes, he squeezes the top of your hand as a gentle smile spreads wide over his beautiful face. “No, I don’t imagine you would, sweetheart.”

You blush at that, and he continues on. “But enough about that. What about you?” he asks curiously, eyebrows raising as he waits for an answer.

“What about me?”

“How can a gorgeous girl like you not be taken by someone already?” he asks, patiently waiting as his fingertips brush lightly over yours.

Gorgeous. There’s that word again.

“Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve dated, really. Guys aren’t… well, guys these days aren’t very nice. My last ex told me I was ridiculous for collecting crystals and spending my days in the garden. Kinda hurt my feelings,” you say quietly as you purse your lips and knit your eyebrows together, trying not to get too in your head over the whole ordeal.

“Ridiculous, huh? That boy was a fool,” Joel spits as anger flashes like fire through his eyes. “Any boy who broke your heart had no idea what a sweet, beautiful girl you are. Frankly, they’re fuckin’ blind. I mean look at you. You’re the most stunning girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. Your gardening and collections make you unique. And you are, you’re so unique. You shine so bright like a diamond in the rough, little enchantress,” he purrs, his honey eyes melting into yours as you nearly sink to the floor in a wet, muddled puddle.

Unique, diamond in the rough, stunning, beautiful.

Soft. He’s so soft.

You’re speechless, mouth hanging open as your eyes water over. He’s so good, so very gentle and sweet. And if you hadn’t fallen for him before, you sure as hell have now. Soft. Joel is so… soft.

“I… uh… thank you, Joel,” you whisper out, nearly tumbling over your own words as you try to get a hold of yourself.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

He holds your gaze and slowly squeezes your hand again as his knee knocks gently against yours. You look over at the clock and see that it’s nearly 9:00pm. About the time when all the fireflies are out dancing in the flower fields. You get the perfect idea then as you straighten up in your chair.

“Do you want to go see the stars?” you ask excitedly, eyes getting big at the thought of Joel stargazing with you.

“See the stars?” he asks with an intrigued expression over his warm face.

“Yeah, in the backyard. They’re so pretty out here, and tonight there’s barely any clouds so you can probably see the Big Dipper,” you smile.

Please, say yes. Take my hand and watch the stars with me.

“Yeah, I like stars,” he confirms with a nod. “Gonna teach me a thing or two about the constellations?” he asks eagerly as a warm smile slips beautifully over his handsome face.

“What do you think?” you smirk, eyes full of wonder as he takes you in.

He chuckles, pulling back his chair as he stands and holds his hand out to you. “Well, c’mon then, enchantress. Show me your world,” he smiles.

Show me your world. He wants to see your world. He wants to know you. The real you.

You smile and grab a large blue blanket as you let him lead you out the back door, your hand in his as he holds it tight. It feels good, feels warm, feels so right in yours. And you know then that this is more than a date. He’s someone you want to keep seeing again and again and again. And you hope he stays, you hope he wants to stay for you.

Please, stay.

You walk ahead of him and keep your hand curled around his, leading him down the cobblestone path as you make your way under the wooden garden arbor. The green vines catch your shoulder as you walk past, and the red rose bushes blow gently through the night breeze.

LED lights glow along the winding path as fairy lights glow in the near distance, their lights bursting through tall flower beds and scented rose lilies. Tree frogs sing their night song as crickets chirp back and forth through the green grass, their voices echoing in the distance as you continue walking through your dreamy garden.

You feel Joel’s eyes roam around your colorful garden, wildflowers sprawled every which way as shades of blue, pink, purple, red, and every other color meets your gaze. A look of surprise and maybe even wonder flit past his eyes, his mouth opening as he takes in the glowing fairy lights and the flickering fireflies that dance all through the painted flower beds.

“Wow, this is really somethin’. Looks like I stepped into a fairytale,” he laughs as his brown eyes land on you. “You did all this?”

“Mhm,” you nod as you stand still and look around the lit up garden, your hand falling from his as you trail your index finger over a soft white tulip in the ground. “It’s my own little sanctuary.”

“Must’ve taken you a long time, I’m guessin’,” he answers as he drags a hand through his wind blown curls, looking so ridiculously good as his eyes train on you.

“Yeah, but it was worth it. I still have a lot I want to do. Like I still need to find a bench that I can place right over there.” You point to the middle of the garden, right in front of tall vines of grapes and berries as a bundle of sunflowers sit behind that.

Joel flicks his eyes to where you point and then back to you. “Oh? You been lookin’ for one?” he asks curiously as he crosses his arms and takes one step forward, his leather boots crunching in the lush green grass as he takes another. One step closer to you.

“For quite some time,” you sigh.

“Anywhere particular you’ve been lookin’?” he asks with one eyebrow cocking up, taking one step closer to you as he crunches against the soft ground.

“I’ve looked everywhere it seems. I’ve been to every hardware store around town, looked at endless websites until I scrolled through every page I could. Just nothing has stood out to me. Guess I just haven’t found what I want yet,” you say quietly, another huff leaving your chest as you stare at the vacant spot where you envision the perfect wooden bench.

Joel stands there looking where you are and then back at you, feet shifting their weight against the ground as he gulps before asking. “What do ya want?” he asks softly, eyes trailing over to you as you slowly turn and grin up to him.

“I don’t know. I guess I envision maybe a teak garden bench where the sides are open. Maybe flowers somewhere on the bench. Something more personalized than anything else I’ve seen. I just want it more… me. You know?” you say dreamily as you daydream about the perfect garden bench.

Joel looks at you carefully, eyeing you closely as you gaze around the lit up garden. His lips twitch, but no words come out of his mouth. He’s thinking hard about something, gears grinding in his head of things you can’t quite discern. But he looks like he wants to say something, maybe even do something.

Something swirls in his eyes as his eyebrows thread together and his fingers flex against his palm, concentration seeping through his broad shoulders. He wants to tell you something, but he just grits his teeth and shakes his head. Whatever he wanted to say was gone now.

“Well, enough about that. Come on, the best viewing spot is over here.” You hug the blanket closer to your chest as you lead him to an open field with wildflowers spread in a big circles around you, encumbering you with floral scents that you can almost taste flying through the thick air. You lay the blanket out carefully and sit down, patting the spot next to you as Joel quickly joins you on the blanket, his body just a few inches from yours.

Joel looks up as the stars shine bright in every direction, encasing the dark sky in trickles of light. “Wow. You definitely don’t see stars like this in the middle of the city,” he says with awe as he leans further back against his hands, his button-up pulling at his bulging biceps.

“Yeah. That’s why I love it out here so much. You can see the stars every single night, and it’s just absolutely lovely.”

You lay back against the soft blanket, your head resting on the ground as you sigh and take in the sparkling stars in the sky. They seem to shine extra bright tonight, like diamonds in the sky. And maybe it’s because Joel’s here, like the stars know it’s an extra special night. Your first date, the best night you’ve had in a long time.

“Hey, isn’t that the Big Dipper?” he asks as he points high in the sky, finding the biggest and brightest star in the night sky. And he’s right. It is the Big Dipper.

“You’re right, that’s it,” you beam with excitement. “You know about stars?” you ask as he looks down at you while he leans against his elbows.

“Just a little. Not anything like you though. You’re probably an expert in that too, aren’t ya?” he asks with an amused look on his face.

You shrug, giving him a shy smile as you dig your fingers into the blanket. “I mean, I do know a lot. I have a couple of books on stars,” you blush nervously, not wanting him to know just how much you have studied the stars in your spare time.

“Don’t be coy, sweetheart. You don’t have to hide from me. Go on now, tell me how much you know,” he coaxes as his eyes meet yours, all warm and welcoming as he smirks down at you playfully. You can’t help but giggle as he tries to ease it out of you. And that’s it, you can’t hold back from him.

“Okay then, you’re right. I do know a lot about stars. In fact, I have a few books on my shelf in my room. Might even have a telescope somewhere in my closet,” you stammer out, cheeks flushed as he stares at you silently, eyes gazing into yours.

“‘Course ya do, darlin’. Such a smart girl,” he purrs out, making you blush even more at his kind compliment.

Your eyes wander back to the sky as you search for the constellations. It doesn’t take you very long to spot one instantly as your voice grows louder than before. “Hey, look! Up there. Do you see those four stars connecting together, kind of in a slant?” you ask as you point to the sky.

Joel looks up, but doesn’t see where you point. “Where at, darlin’? Can’t quite see it.”

“If you come down here maybe you’d see it,” you laugh, your voice carrying through the wind as a lone firefly lights up over the corner of the blanket.

“Maybe you’re right,” he murmurs. He lays back against the the blanket as his shoulder brushes yours, chills running down your spine as you can smell his woodsy scent swirling all around you. It’s almost too much. He smells so good, and you wish you could bottle it up and release it all through your cozy room. Have his scent draped across your pillow so you could breathe him in every night.

“Now, show me where you were pointing again.”

You point back to the constellation as his eyes follow your finger, closely monitoring the sky as he squints just a bit and finally sees what you’re seeing. “Oh, I think I see it now.”

“That’s Aries. The ram. There’s a whole story on how Aries got its name, but I won’t bore you on that subject,” you reply, eyes floating through the stars as you try to find another one.

“You couldn’t bore me, sweetheart. You can talk about it as much as you want, doesn’t bother me. Like hearin’ you talk about things you love,” he responds with a lilt to his voice. Soft, quiet, assertive as he drops his head to the side and flicks his eyes over to you. You look over at him and smile back, eyes quickly scanning back over the sky.

“If you say so,” you giggle. You point back up to the sky and start talking about the stars, pointing out Ursa Minor as you tell him the it’s named Little Bear, going more in depth about the history as your eyes grow wide with excitement when you spot another bright star in the sky. Going on and on about the stars in the big night sky, pouring your heart out as Joel carefully listens to you.

Joel turns his head to the side, eyes trailing over your face as a smile slowly spreads across his lips. He’s captivated, fully immersed in every word you say. His eyes flick over your features, long hair spread across the blanket as your eyes seem to glow as you look up at the stars. He sees the glitter around your eyes sparkle, sees the shine of your lip gloss glistening in the moonlight.

He can’t hear the wind, can’t hear his own breathing. All he hears is your soft voice blowing through the wind, getting warped inside his mind as it sounds like a dreamy tune. Words as delicate as a lullaby as it slowly sends him in a romantic trance. All he sees is you, all he can think about is you as his mind says your name over and over and over again. He sees your beauty, your passion, your entire heart. He sees you, just you. And he knows he’s fallen. He’s fallen hard, fast. Maybe too fast, but he doesn’t care. He knows what he wants right then and that’s you. It’s you.

He drops his hand from his chest and it lands against the soft blanket, the back of his hand lingering against yours as he glides it back and forth, brushing ever so softly against your delicate skin. Your breathing speeds up, your throat catching on a sigh as he slowly digs up enough courage to slide his hand into yours, softly entwining his fingers with yours as you feel your heart start to gallop like wild horses running freely through a wide open field.

His hand in yours feels like it’s exactly where it belongs as he brushes his calloused thumb across the back of your hand, time freezing as you feel his eyes staring softly at you. “You know what you remind me of?” he asks as his thumb continues its journey over your skin, your fingers curling around his affectionately.

“What?” you whisper, eyes searching as his shoulder brushes up against you once more and his brown irises fade into yours.

“A binary star.”

You gasp. A binary star. Oh. That’s romantic.

“A binary star?”

“Mhm. Two stars that revolve around each other. Both bound together. Unable to part from the other. Rare. Special…” he purrs as he scoots closer to you, leaning closer, closer, closer until his forehead is grazing yours, brown eyes blazing into yours as his mahogany scent seems to drown you, bathe you in pure bliss as all the stars seem to fade around him. It’s just him now, only him.

“Yeah? You really mean that?” you breathe out, your chest suffocating on nerves and anticipation as he leans in closer, a tousled curl falling against your forehead.

“I mean it, darlin’. You’re a beautiful binary star. My binary star,” he smiles, breath blowing against yours as you see nothing but him. Joel, Joel, Joel.

He called you his beautiful binary star. His.

“Oh,” you quietly elate, gaze falling into his as he comes closer, closer, closer. His hand grazes your jawline, slowly sliding his calloused fingers against delicate skin. And your skin burns for him, igniting the flames as you dance in them, burn in them.

His forehead meets yours, lips brushing up against you as you feel him, smell him, breathe his air. All dizzy with mahogany and pine scents, his brown eyes locking with yours. And you swear you see entire galaxies in his eyes, Heart Nebula etched in his irises, and you see your reflection as clear as day in them. You see yourself embedded in the heart shapes. Brown, warm, calling you to him like you belong right there in his eyes.

His eyes trail down to your glossy lips, lingering there just a second as he dips lower, lower, lower until he’s hovering right there, right where you feel him the most. His eyes linger back to your eyes as you see just how beautiful he shines against the night sky. He’s the only galaxy you see now. Everything else slipping slowly away as his breath consumes you.

And then he smiles. Warm, soft, so ridiculously tender. His calloused fingers cupping your chin as he slowly sinks down. Slowly, so subtly.

“My little enchantress,” he whispers, and then he closes the distance as his lips sink down on yours.

His lips are so soft. Velvet clad lips that seem to melt against yours. The entire world goes silent as the wind seems to halt and the hum of the crickets go mute. It’s just you and Joel caught in this dreamlike, whimsical moment. It’s just you and him, all wrapped up in each other as you slot your lips and allow him access to you. He slips his tongue in slowly, delicately as he traces it over yours. Two souls dancing together as you get lost in his honeydew taste, in his warm embrace as he grazes his thumb against your cheek gently.

Gentle. He’s so very gentle with you, so careful as he continues to trace his lips over yours. You taste him, drink him down, pour yourself out to him so he’ll take all that you have to give him. You're his now as much as he is yours. And it’s in that moment that you realize this is what you’ve been waiting for your entire life. It was Joel.

You get lost in the kiss as the sparkling lights surround you, lighting up the nighttime as you stay just like that for what seems like an eternity. You don’t know how long you’ve been connected, don’t know how long his lips have lingered on yours, don’t know how long his calloused fingers stayed trailing along your jawline. But when you finally do disconnect from each others lips, he hugs your body into his chest and holds you close. Your arm reaches across his body, and you grab a hold of his button-up shirt as the soft material slips between your fingers. His hand slowly travels up, up, up until he’s covering your hand with his as he threads his fingers through yours, lacing them together like that’s exactly where they belong.

You breathe deep, inhaling his woodsy scent as you look to the stars. They seem to shine brighter now, a clear message that this is where you need to be. That Joel was a star sent from the sky just for you. Your own binary star.

“Your binary star, huh?” you ask again, wanting to hear the words come out of his mouth again and again and again.

“My binary star,” he smiles.

You seem to float away, joining the stars as you stay entangled with him on the soft blanket. Unwilling to move, unwilling to leave this perfect night. It was beautiful, it was all beautiful. And you just couldn’t stop thinking of the words that left his mouth.

My binary star.

Tags: @5oh5 @vividispunk @vvitchesh3x @strawberri-blonde @thischarmingmandalorian @r3dheadedwitch @laurrrra @nandan11 @anoverwhelmingdin @forgetmenotsexy @vie-is-punk @msjarvis @reddedmiller @vee-bees-blog @lorilane33 @mountainsandmayhem @keylimebeag @littlevenicebitch69 @lotusbxtch @thethirstwivesclub @joelmillersblog @tuquoquebrute @princesatracionera @princessanglophile @amyispxnk @jasminedragoon @akah565 @casa-boiardi @prettytulips @ezrasbirdie-main @orcasoul @vivian-pascal @dugiioh @pedrostories @cherrybombsxxx @ka-x-in

[guessimwritingficsagain]

I didn't know what I wanted (until I wanted you)

Summary : You save Joel Miller's life on patrol. He owes you and you really wanna suck his dick. And maybe at some point you both fall in love. Joel Miller/Reader.

Warnings : Mature content, MDNI, pining, references to anal.

Tags : Just ask.

———

It was a beautiful, sunny day, when you made the decision. You didn’t know why that was what got your attention- but the sun was shining, no clouds in the sky, and you could feel a slight breeze on your skin. 

That was a lie. 

You knew why the weather got your attention. 

Everything would have gotten your attention, today, because Joel Miller owed you and you were about to collect and that put you on edge, skin sensitive, fingers drumming nervously on your thigh. 

Because the whole thing was about to go very right, or very wrong.

———

It had been a nasty affair, the two of you surrounded by four clickers. Killing the first two had been no problem but the third had been a bit of a beast, with you trying not to get overwhelmed by fear. When you finally got it, you found Joel struggling with the fourth one. 

Its teeth really too close to Joel’s neck. 

You put a knife in its throat before it could sink its teeth in Joel. 

That’s when he grunted :

I owe you for that one. 

When Jackson came into view, he insisted :

‘Seriously, you need anything, you come to me. ’s the least I can do after you savin’ my skin out there.’

When your shower started leaking you asked for his help, and, as an afterthought, a joke really, you said to him : 

‘Thanks, guess your debt is paid.’

Joel grunted, shook his head. Apparently a leaking shower was no match for saving someone from a clicker and he took his debt very seriously. 

And you’d watched him, you’d watched the muscles on his back moving as he easily fixed your shower, entranced by how skilled he was. Confident. Fingers thick and strong around the tools, clearly knowing what he was doing. 

It gave you an idea, all that. 

An idea that could very wrong. Or right.

———

Joel opened the door with a surprised grunt - his favorite way of communication, grunting.

‘Want somethin’ to drink ?’ He asked, already on his way to the kitchen.

‘Actually, I’ve come to collect.’

‘Collect ?’

‘Your debt.’

He froze, shoulders tense, body ready to snap and after a second, turned around :

‘What do y’need, did someone hurt you ? Tell me and I’ll-‘

‘I want to suck your cock.’ You interrupted. 

Plain and simple. Easy. Wrong, also, that was not exactly what you wanted. But Joel was watching you, his face blank, so you added :

‘Actually, no, that’s not quite right. I want you to fuck my mouth. If you’re interested.’

You shrugged, then, as if you were not casually propositioning your favorite patrol partner. You watched him swallow, switch on his feet, his gaze purposely away from you. And just as you thought you were about to get a very awkward but polite dismissal you heard 

‘You want me to fuck your mouth ?’

You shrugged, said yes. 

A beat of silence, then

‘How is that me payin’ my debt to ya, darlin’ ?’

‘Because I really want to.’ You answered. ’’Cause it’ll make me happy.’ 

Joel moved, then. Went to sit on the couch. 

‘Lock the door, will y’a ?’

You did and turned around to see him legs spread, a space between them just for you. 

‘You wanna be dressed for this or you wanna take your clothes off ?’ He asked, head slightly tilted to the side, eyes assessing you like he hadn’t really seen you before. 

Your answer was a breathy

‘However you like it.’

He hummed, looked at you a bit more, and then 

‘Off. Take them off, darlin’’.

Your undressing was not for show- a quick, desperate thing, that was stopped by Joel as you were about to remove your underwear :

‘You’re wet ?’ He asked. 

You nodded. 

He hummed again. 

‘Keep ‘em on, the panties.’ 

You sank down on your knees and reached for his belt buckle, freed his cock and took a second, there, to assess his size and wet your mouth, collecting saliva to make sure to make it good for him, both hands on his thighs. 

‘If you want me to fuck that mouth of yours, Darlin’, you’re gonna put your hands behind your back and open that sweet little mouth and take it.’

You nodded, did exactly as asked and felt his hand on the back of your head, pushing you forward. You opened up, ready for it, when the pressure stopped and you heard

‘Is this really gonna make you happy ?’ 

You looked up to see his eyes looking far away, intent at not looking at you. 

‘Joel’ you muttered, ‘you are going to shove that dick down my throat and I will come, trust me. I really really want that.’ 

So he did. He pushed, and you welcomed the big, fat heat of him into your mouth. One of your hands instantly went to your cunt, inside your underwear, and you shoved two fingers inside yourself as he lead your head into a rhythm that had you gagging a bit. You let yourself feel the weight of his cock, let yourself get lost in the back and forth his hand was forcing his hand to do until he ripped his cock from you and asked :

‘You touchin’ yourself ? You really doin’ that ?’

Your answer was a whiny please Joel and he shoved his dick back into your mouth, bringing your head down as he thrusted his hips up. You came without warning, rubbing yourself to the frantic rhythm of Joel slamming his cock in and out, your orgasm sneaking up on you when Joel babbled 

God, I’m gonna come. I’m gonna- You need to get off, I’m gonna-

And came into your mouth, salty, sweaty, sticky, and you swallowed it all, and kept his dick into your mouth for a beat, you breathing heavily through your noise while he matched your pace, mouth open, head laid back on the couch. 

When you let his cock out of your mouth he asked :

‘You came, right ? ‘Cause if you didn’t we gotta make it right.’

You considered lying, because the idea of whatever he was thinking felt good, but you shook your head, instead, and got up on shaky legs. He hooked a finger in your underwear to keep you in place. Tugged slightly. 

‘Give them to me. Your panties.’ 

You laughed at that, thankful for the absence of awkwardness, and took your underwear off as you answered :

‘You’re a dirty old man.’

He laughed :

‘Baby, you’re the one who saved my life and asked me to fuck your throat as a favor. I’d say you’re the dirty one.’ 

Stark naked in front of him, you took a second to look at him, still dressed, cock out, as he took a second to look at you. You climbed on the couch, then, knees on each side of his frame, caught his jaw, and slowly kissed him before saying thank you. 

You dressed and left. 

———

Patrol with Joel was always quiet, and today was no exception, until 

‘You suck a lot of dicks in Jackson ?’ 

It was said in a very matter-of-fact kind of way, no judgement at all. Curiosity, really. He was watching right ahead, unbothered, as your horses rode along each other. 

‘Nah’, you answered truthfully. ‘You’re the first one.’

He hummed. A beat, then 

‘Wanna do it some more ?’

‘Suck your dick ?’ You asked, genuine (and you wouldn’t admit it but the idea of doing anything with Joel Miller got your really fucking wet so you would say yes to anything but he didn’t need to know that). 

‘Everythin’’, He answered, simply, like he didn’t make your insides burn. ‘I have a feelin’. I have a feelin’ you like being told what to do, right ?’ 

And fuck, fuck, you were- he was right but you were there on patrol riding a horse and he made you wet just saying that.

You nodded and he went on, never really looking at you, jut scanning his surroundings :

‘Listen, I might not be the best option for you. I’m not the best option for anyone. But you wanna someone who has demands, and I have a bunch. We do this ? You take what I give when I give it and however I give it, alright ?’ 

Jesus fucking Christ. 

You nodded again. 

‘Words.’ He demanded, sternly.

‘Yeah, okay.’ You muttered. 

He assessed you for a moment, wistful. 

‘You wet, right now ? Did I make you wet ?’

‘Yeah, you did.’

‘Show me.’

Your brain stopped, at that. Show him ? Joel was just looking at you, patient. After a beat, you fumbled with your belt and dipped two fingers into your wet cunt. When you took your hand out of your pants he grabbed your wrist, inspected the fingers, and demanded :

‘Clean them up.’

And maybe your brain had been rewired because without question you brought your fingers to your mouth and sucked on them. The second they left your mouth a hand grabbed your wrist and put your fingers in his mouth. When he let you go, he asked : 

‘You touch yourself a lot ?’

Startled, you answered a shy yes. 

‘How ?’ He pressed. 

‘I- I like to have- I like to have a toy ? There’s no battery but I like the feeling, and so- well I have the toy inside and I touch myself.’

‘What do you touch ?’

Here he was, Joel Miller, asking you how you got off, looking around, on patrol, like he was talking about the weather.

‘My- my clit. I touch it.’

‘With the toy inside.’

‘Yes- yes, with the toy inside.’

Joel hummed, pondered, and announced 

‘When we go home, you’re gonna go to yours, get undressed. I want you on your bed. No toy this time. I’ll put my fingers in you, to help. But you’re gonna show me how you like it. You gonna touch yourself for me and show me.’

———

You’re surprisingly at ease when Joel showed up. You were as he’d asked, naked, on the bed- trembling with anticipation. The look on his face when he walked through the door-

‘Oh, baby. Wanna touch yourself ?’ He cooed. 

Except you didn’t want to. You wanted his cock. You wanted him and you said so. 

‘No, baby’ he shook his head, stern, ‘I told you, I’m gonna take care o’ you but it’s how I want it, when I want it.’

‘Besides’, he added, sliding in between your open legs, ‘how can I treat you right if I don’t know exactly how you like it ?’

He took your hand, then, and put it between your legs.

‘Touch yourself like you’re alone.’ He demanded. ‘Promise I’ll help but I need you to show me.’ He cooed, a cheek resting on your thigh. 

So you did what he’d asked, you started touching yourself and you were so, so far gone that-

A hand grabbed your wrist.

‘You’re not very gentle with that pussy of yours’, Joel tutted. 

‘You wanted to see how I liked it’, you managed to gasp. 

‘Change of plan, then’ He answered, face serious, taking away your hand. The two fingers he put inside you made you almost cry. 

‘You gonna get your hand back here and you’re gonna go slow.  Slow, you understand ? And while you do that you gonna tell me what you like, starting’ with the fact that you like to do what you’re told. Understood ?’

You nodded, and there was a thought, somewhere, not even a warning but a fact : that man has made me dumb. Could do whatever.

Could do whatever but you trusted him.

Slowly, you circled your clit, and, voice shaking, started :

‘I like to do what I’m told.’

Joel nodded, eyes on your pussy.

‘What else, baby ?’

‘I like- I- spanking ?’

‘Sounded like a question, baby.’

You shook your head, your fingers stopping for a second on your clit.

‘No, I like it, I just don’t know what you like so it’s just- it’s weird you know.’

You shrugged, an awkward thing considering you had a hand between your legs and Joel had two fingers in your pussy. He shook his head, though :

‘Not weird. Wanna know what I like ? Wanna please me ?’ 

You nodded, eagerly, until a harsh slap on your hip made you jump. 

‘Not a very good listener, are you ? I told you : you’re gonna take how I want it and when I want it, and I wanna know exactly what you like. Because that’s what I like. So let’s start again, baby, from the beginning. What do you like ?’

‘I- I like- I like to be told what to to’, you answered, your hand back between your legs. ‘I like to be spanked. Could you please-‘

God, how could you be cock-dumb without a cock ?

You took a breath and added, your voice breathy :

‘Could you spit on me, please ?’

‘Spit where ?’ Joel seemed really unbothered by all this, and it was unfair.

‘My pussy- please, spit on it.’

‘What, you think you’re not wet enough ?’

‘No- no, but I want it.’

Joel took your wrist again, and asked :

‘So, that’s a thing you like ?’

You tried to shake yourself out of his grip while you mumbled :

‘Yes, yes I like it.’

As he din’t let go you admitted :

‘I like it. I like you spitting on me.’

And he spit. Your fingers worked you clit again and somehow from then on it was like something so tremendous was building inside of your that you had no control over yourself-

‘Anal, I like it- I mean anal play.’

‘You don’t want my cock inside, then.’ He answered, his face still between your thighs. And you shook your head, because the truth was that Joel Miller could put his cock wherever he wanted- he’d have no complaints from you.

When you came, you came hard.

———

When it happens, you don’t see it coming. 

It’s a quiet affair, Joel and you. You think- you assume- he doesn’t want to talk about it. Doesn’t want people to know. You think he’s fucking other people, and maybe you should too. Maybe you should get it out of your system, this whole stupid ‘I’m in love with Joel Miller’ thing. 

You’re at the Bison when it happens. Tommy, Maria, Ellie and Joel are having dinner at a table and you’re- well, you’re on your own, so you go straight to the bar, sit there and order a drink. And then a man, called James or Jim, you’re not sure you know, starts talking to you. 

He’s nice.

Too nice. 

Probably missionary-only.

You talk for a few minutes but when he takes a step closer to you, that’s when it happens.

A hand wraps itself on your hip, and slowly moves to grasp your ass. You don’t recoil because you recognize it- the warmth of it and the sheer size of it. A kiss is pressed to your temple as Joel says :

‘Hey Baby, we’re waiting for you.’

Jim-or-James immediately leaves and you’re left with Joel, whispering against your temple :

‘What the fuck was that ?’

You want to answer

What the fuck are we ? 

But he continues :

‘Wanna make me jealous, baby ? Staying out there at the bar, talking with men who have no business talkin’ to you instead of joining us ?’

You shrug 

‘Didn’t know that I was welcome.’ You offer.

There’s a beat, there- more than a beat, actually. Joel looks at you in a way- well, you don’t understand it. Shakes his head. 

Stares again.

Reaches out. 

Mumbles 

‘I’m a fuckin’ idiot.’

Grabs your hand and make you sit down with his family, arm around your shoulder the whole meal, thumb tracing mindless patterns on your shoulder. When Ellie is distracted by a friend, and Tommy and Maria are gone to get a refill, he whispers into your neck :

‘I should spank you ‘till your ass is red but you’d enjoy it. Should take your ass but you’d enjoy it too. I think I shouldn’t touch you, give you a lesson or somethin’’.

You’re wet. You’re wet and you want him and you know enough about him to know what makes him tick- hell, you know what he looks like in the morning, eyes heavy with sleep, hand absent-mindedly scratching his stomach, so soft it makes you want to cry.

So you’re searching for a comeback, something sharp and smart, when his nose nuzzles your ear and he whispers

‘I love you.’

And really all you want to do is bury yourself in him, never let him go, but that’s not possible. You also want to climb him like a tree and kiss him forever but that’s not appropriate. So you settle with 

‘I love you too.’

And then, because you think you deserve it and it makes you happy :

‘I want you to fuck my mouth.’ 

———

Taglist

@pedritobalmando @amidjarin @ajeff855 @justpedropascal @sara-alonso @sarahjkl82-blog @amidjarin @sara-alonso@justpedropasc@mrsbentallmadge @farfromjustordinary @hnt-escape @kirsteng42

[klaprisun]

One Sunny Day

(Stardew Valley)(Haley x Female Farmer)

Chapter 15

All my crops have been planted for the summer season and have even grown a little now since it has been about a couple days. It’s a full farm this season since Haley had picked out wayyyy too many seeds, but I don’t mind though. That just means I will make a great profit from my crops. Makes planting them all worth it in the end, especially this little project I am working on in my field. It required me to reserve a small area off to the side for it, but it will be amazing.

Today I have to pop by Marnie’s farm to grab a few supplies. I plan on getting some farm animals but I want to be prepared before I get them.

I walk down the path south of the farm and turn the corner that leads to the door of Marnie’s house. But instead of going in, my gaze is drawn to the cow pasture out front. I see a familiar blondie hanging out with the cows at the fence.

“What’s a prissy girl doing out this way?” I call over as I start approaching her.

“Who are you calling prissy?” she laughs as she jokingly flicks her hair over her shoulder.

“Are we making some new friends?” I start patting the curious cows who are lined up along the fence of their enclosure. They are very interested in what we are doing.

“Well, the lighting is just so nice right now I just had to come out and take some nature shots,” she tells me. I hadn’t even noticed the camera she had in her hand until now. “I’ve been trying to connect with the outdoors a little more.”

“You want to connect with the outdoors more?” I ask her quizzingly. This is very unlike Haley and it is starting to concern me.

“I wanna know what it’s like being a farmer. It’s a way of life I’ve never really thought about…”

“Who are you and what have you done with Haley!” I grab her by the shoulders and give her a little shake. She starts laughing at me and my concern for her change of attitude.

“Yeah well it wasn’t until now that I started thinking about it.” Haley starts blushing and gently twisting side to side. She turns her focus off of me and back to the cows. “Hehe, these cows are so cute.”

She reaches out to pet a cow on the head but recoils her hand before she could pet one. She then seems to have a light bulb moment and turns to me. “I have an idea!”

She runs a couple feet in front of the cow pasture and sets up her camera on a tripod she brought with her.

“Let’s take some pictures with the cows! You can show me how to approach them since I am a little unsure…” She makes a little disappointed face but it quickly disappears as she turns the camera timer on for the picture.

“Let me give you a boost over the fence. I’m sure Marnie won’t mind if we actually jump in with the cows,” I say. Haley comes over and steps on the hand I put out for her. She braces herself by holding onto my shoulder and she takes a big step over the fence. With no problem, I easily boost myself over to join her.

“Hopefully that timer is set for a long time. I don’t know if you want to keep jumping over that fence again and again to keep setting it,” I say.

“We’ll be fine. It takes several pictures over and over until I push stop,” she nonchalantly waves her hand at me.

The cows are now swarming us since we are in their pen. They are loving this attention we have brought and all want a turn to hangout with us. I showed Haley where to pet them that they’d like it, and even gave her some hay to hand feed them. She was not fond of the slobber.

“I am going to get on now!” She excitedly hops onto the cow, straddling it’s back.

“Haley I don’t think that’s a good id-” I tried to reach out to her to help her get off the cow, but the cow had other plans. The cow began to take off running.

“HELP!” she screeched as she reached out for my hand. My hand was too far to reach as the cow had spirited away pretty fast. Unfortunately, Haley couldn’t hold on for much longer and managed to slip off the back of the cow. She had fallen right into a pile of mud.

I threw my hands up onto my head in distress, frozen in shock. I finally snap myself out of it and rush over to check on her. Dropping to my knees in the mud pile, I put my hand on her back and put my head near hers to see if she is even breathing.

“Haley?” I whisper. I start to hear muffled chuckles coming from her. Her body jitters with each laugh.

“I’m alright, Danny. That was so silly of me.”

“Damn right it was silly of you. I don’t know why you thought you could ride a cow! I didn’t tell you you could do that,” I scolded her playfully. I wrap my arm under her stomach and lift her to a sitting position. The way I sat her up allowed her to be between my legs that I have now stretched out in front of me. When she notices the position we are in, her face turns red. My arm was still around her stomach, which caused her to be resting up against me since I was holding so tight.

Haley turns in my grasp to face me. She adjusts herself so she is sitting on her knees with her hands resting on her legs holding her up. I let go of her and put both hands behind my back and lean on them.

“I’m sorry I didn’t stick to what you were telling me. I like to do my own thing most of the time and I got carried away,” she rolled her eyes as she spoke, but it wasn’t in a sassy or sarcastic way.

“Let’s stick to what Danny says from now on,” I reply back. Noticing we haven’t left the mud, put some of the mud on my finger and swipe it onto Haley’s cheek.

“Oh my Yoba!” she gasps and puts her hand to where I put the mud. I let out a laugh but she shuts me up real quick because she takes both her mud covered hands and gently smacks them onto my cheeks.

We go back and forth attacking each other with the mud until we are both covered in it, laughing uncontrollably.

“What are you guys doing?” a little voice chimes out. Haley and I quickly stand up and awkwardly look to see who it was that caught us. It was little Jas.

“We were taking a few pictures with the cows... We were just leaving now,” We both responded to the curious girl.

Jas just shrugs and carries on into the house. She must’ve just been getting back from a day with Penny.

“On that note, I should get home and shower.” She holds a chunk of her hair up to show me the clumps of mud tangled in it.

“That looks like it’ll be a bitch to get out… you need any help?” I give her a little wink and wag my eyebrows at her.

“Oh you,” she nudges my shoulder with her hand, “just give me a boost out of here.”

I give her a step up once again, and then hop over myself. She runs over to her camera and fidgets around with it.

“Wow, there are so many pictures for me to go through. It is going to take forever!” she sighs.

“I’m sure there are a ton of good shots though. There will also definitely be some funny ones like when you were suddenly signed up for a rodeo.”

She holds up her camera at me. I give her a small smile, and then I hear the shutter go off. She lowers the camera and looks at the picture she just took.

“My favorite one of them all i’d say,” Haley mumbles. That has me blushing now.

“But you haven't even looked through the rest?” I mumble back.

“I don’t have to. I already know this is my favorite.”

I inch forward and get closer to her to look at the picture. It really was a nice picture of me. I think it may even be the best one of me I have ever seen. That picture really captures how much I have changed in my time in Pelican Town. With my hair cut short, my shoulders looking broader, the gruffness of my appearance from working outdoors so often, I hardly recognize myself.

When I looked up at Haley from looking at the picture, she was only looking at me and not at the picture.

“Do I have something on my face?” I joke.

“Besides the mud all over, no. Am I not allowed to just look at you?” she retorts with a smirk.

“Fine I GUESS you can,” I shoot back sarcastically.

“I should get going now… I’ve got a lot of pictures to look through. Thank you for this amazing day. I’ll see you soon!” and before I could respond, she prances off, leaving me in the wake of her beauty. I could only stand there in awe as she disappeared around the corner.

[vaspider]

Hello friends!

Mila had her most recent vet appointment this past week, which was just bloodwork, and I have incredible news:

Her bloodwork right now looks like the bloodwork of a completely healthy dog. Not only are there not presently any "free-floating cancer cells" in her blood, as there was before her first vet appointment, but her CBC (Complete Blood Count) looks like that of a healthy dog.

For now, anyway. We know it's temporary, but she looks really, really good right now.

Her left eye, which was sunken in because she had a lymph node pressing on the nerve, looks almost entirely normal. We can't actually feel the lymph nodes in her neck at all. She's started dancing for her dinner again.

We've had to institute First Dinner and Second Dinner, and she also has breakfast AND lunch right now, because she's just hungry ALL THE TIME. This is a factor of the steroids, of course, but we indulge her because she needs to put some weight back on, and she's doing just that -- in the past two weeks, she's put on a pound and a half, which pushes her back above 60 lbs. Luckily, she's been able to go back to her regular food rather than the extremely expensive soft food, but she also gets fresh veggies, the occasional half of a dried fig (which she loves because they are so chewy and sweet, but which she can't have very much of because they are so very sugary), and ham, because it's the cheapest lunch meat and our dog doesn't have to keep kosher -- she just has to eat more protein and get more pounds back on. HaShem wants me to take care of my dog. :P

Her fur is shiny again, we can barely feel her ribs when petting her -- like, we can feel her ribs in a normal, 'there are bones under there somewhere' fashion, not in a 'oh no, she's lost so much weight' way. She's been play-bowing at Cap again, and seeking out me, and Cat, and Evie for love, and not just Emet.

We know this is just temporary. We know we'll be lucky to still have her around come 2024. But for right now, we can enjoy the beautiful fall weather with a happy girl who was very content to sit out on the porch last night, watching the neighborhood with Emet and me while I pitted plums to make more jam from the wild abundance of our neighbor's plum tree.

We have enough on hand right now for one more treatment, which will happen October 3rd, and final expenses. (I keep making sure we have enough to cover her final expenses so that she doesn't have to suffer because we can't afford to make her suffering stop.) I'll shake the virtual can again when we need it -- right now I just want you to see what your help has given us.

Today it's 72 degrees and sunny, and Mila has spent most of her day snoozing on Emet's lap in the basement.

What more can you ask of life than that?

We would not have had this day without you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[camp-counselor-life]

Camp-counselor-life's guide to

Meeting your neighbors

So we've all see the posts that are like, you don't even know your neighbors, how are you going to defeat capitalism/fascism/all the other isms. But how do you meet the neighbors? Here is my method for meeting some* of your neighbors in a (semi) natural way.

Phase 1: Walks. Go for walks around your neighborhood on a regular basis (weekly or more). Doesn't have to be long walks, you can put in your earbuds, but like, generally look friendly. Note: this step is easier if you are walking with a friendly dog. Or are of the dominant ethnicity in your neighborhood.

Phase 2: Smile and wave. Continue going on walks, but smile and wave to people who are also walking or who are out in their yards. This can be combined with phase 1 if you're ready for it. Also, wait to move on until you get a positive response out of phases 1 & 2. Because if people aren't smiling back, they aren't ready to say hello.

Phase 3: Say hello. Now that you have smiled at people several times, say hello too. It's ok to work your way up to this, because it can be really scary at first. But that's all you have to do, smile and say hello, then keep walking.

Phase 4: Incidental conversation. Say, "hey, how's it going," compliment their flowers, say it's a beautiful/sunny/warm day today, or ask them their dog's name. Keep it light and fun, no more than 2 minutes at a time (even 30 seconds is fine), unless they keep talking. Don't overdo it at this step. If you are an awkward human like I am, keep it as short as possible without cutting the conversation off. Something like: "Hey, how are you [neighbor]?" "Good, you?" "Good, have a great day!" or "What lovely weather we're having!" "Yes, it's nice out today." "Yeah, have a great day!" Are totally great phase 4 conversations. The key is not to overthink it. Pretend you are a midwest small town lady who wants to meet everyone in a new town.

Phase 5: Meet the neighbors. This is the phase that you actually introduce yourself to your neighbors. Next time you see someone you have talked to about incidental things a few times, you can introduce yourself. Start with an incidentally conversation (flowers are looking great today, I love how sunny it's been lately), then say, I just wanted to officially introduce myself, my name is X. Most people who have engaged you in incidental conversations are willing to introduce themselves back, but don't read too much into it if they don't. Scariest step honestly.

Phase 6: Keep it going. You do NOT have to do more than smile at people every time you see them to keep a neighborly relationship going. A wave, a nice to see you, a smile, all are totally fine on a regular basis. But if you haven't talked to them in a while, it's time to do an incidental conversation OR ask them about some local happening.

Bonus ways to meet neighbors:

Attend community councils (volunteer-led meetings on local happenings)

Join a Facebook group (drawbacks to this one tho)

Join your HOA board or attend meetings regularly (if you are a home owner)

Join other neighborhood groups

Join community boards or support committees at your local elementary school (this may be dicey if you don't look like you vibe with kiddos)

Sign up for a class at a community center or library. Or through your school district's continuing ed department, if they have one.

*realistically, you will not meet 100% or even 50% of your neighbors.

One thing I will say is that you gotta be willing to commit to this if you want to maintain it. It is really hard to bounce back if you brush someone off more than once or twice. So, only move on to the next phase when you're ready for it. You don't have to rush the process.

Some people are also naturally more outgoing or friendly (and vice versa). Don't take it personally (this is suuuuuper hard for me). If someone doesn't respond to "hello," don't force conversation. Just smile at them as you see them and continue onwards.

I will also add this disclaimer: this might not work in all regions or neighborhoods, especially in those with a lot of untrustworthy behavior, or neighborhoods where absolutely nobody chills outside. It's also dependent on going for a walk being safe and accessible for you (which obviously it is not for everyone), whatever the reason. For additional ideas that are not walking-based, check out the above.

[queerweewoo]

SATURDAY SHNIPPET

posting apropos of nowt bc i've worked on this today and am a bit in love with it (cross your fingers for me the feeling lasts!). it's from my buddie accidental sexting wip partly inspired by the absolute masterpiece that is @wildehacked's I Love You But I Need Another Year. it's eddie pov with manchurian catholic undertones and i'm just under 5k and ed's hasn't even got a hand on his dick yet lmao. large font is the boys texts (buck's have Buck: as a precursor). buck's dating tommy 👀 as this is during the nun!marisol/pent-up eddie thing.

!! mature !!

.

Badly need to switch my brain off, you know? Just don't really know how to do that right now. 

Which is—a bit of a lie. Eddie's learned plenty of relaxation techniques over the years. He knows several breathing exercises and an array of calming mindful practices he could employ. It's just that Eddie's sort of become low key invested in whatever Buck's version of Eddie relaxing might be. Which is probably just because Buck knows him so well, and will be at least able to continue distracting Eddie till Eddie gets tired enough to drop off, right?

He really could do with loosening up first, though. 

Buck: OK. so you gotta think about like. something you don't usually think about…… 🧠❓🤔 

Fuck knows why but the Buck&Tommy porn reel is at once scrolling Eddie's brain again, his dick twitching a little in interest against his thigh—and Jesucristo, Eddie has to concentrate really fucking hard now to get his messed-up head somewhere very much other than his best friend's sex life. 

What is wrong with him?

Sure, Buck and Tommy fucking is definitely something Eddie doesn't usually think about, but shit.

He has to shake his head to dislodge the image of Tommy's hulking silhouette bracing Buck and he's really, truly hoping that his manchurian Catholicism hasn't been harbouring some sort of weird latent homophobia all this time. 

He just—really does not want to be thinking of Kinard while feeling this horny. Buck's image, however, is so familiar to Eddie, seared into the lining of his grey matter, that he's not really sure there is anything he can do about getting rid of it, not unless he wants to run the risk of the stuff he's so desperately trying not to think about sneaking it's way to the forefront of his mind once more. 

Buck: got something in mind? 

Um. 

Buck: picture it now

Buck: and i don't mean like the weekly grocery list or whatever btw

Buck: something sexy 

There's a record scratch in Eddie's brain. 

Hang. The Fuck. On.

Is Buck really doing what Eddie thinks he's doing? And is Eddie—is Eddie really contemplating just… Going along with it? 

Eddie's thumbs are moving across his phone screen of their own accord.

He can't let himself think sexy thoughts. All he can think of is Buck. But Buck did say something different?

Eddie types.

Yeah.

Fuck. 

Buck: alright. okay. take a deep breath. in fact take a few

Buck: and picture…… whatever it is. then start tracing your fingertips over your belly in small circles. start around your belly button. then make them bigger. big, sweeping circles

Buck: but slowly

Buck: and softly 

What in the name of Eddie's sanity is actually happening right now? And why is Eddie's body just—doing exactly what Buck is telling it, without Eddie giving it permission? 

Eddie's fingers are rough against the soft skin of his abdomen, the tips catching a little in the hairs just below his belly button. 

Like a bur on a sunny afternoon. 

He's thinking of Buck. Nothing sleazy, of course. Just Buck in his turnouts. Buck wearing that really nice burnt orange sweater Maddie and Chim got him last Christmas. Buck in a tank and shorts at the station gym. Just—Buck. 

And this, and touching his body the way Buck is telling him to, it all feels... It feels good, actually. Really fucking good. 

Buck: still with me eds? 

Eddie has to type the message out with his left hand, the right one busy drawing strange patterns over his own skin.

Ueah. Feels nice. 

¿Qué carajo?!

Buck: now do the same but up and down your thighs

Eddie does, and—oh, damn, it's—he really likes that. Thinks about Buck's hands doing the same over Buck's thighs. Wonders if Buck is doing it himself. Then he tries to worry about him thinking about that, but can't because Buck is texting him again.

Buck: and keep taking lots of big, deep breaths

Eddie breathes, big and deep, on Buck's instruction, and finds himself sighing quietly when he exhales. His fingers roam across his right thigh, then up the left, then up and over his belly, and back again. 

His phone buzzes against his chest. 

Buck: good? 

Eddie's picturing Buck holding his phone propped up on his own chest, other hand stroking his belly, just like Eddie.

Jeah. good

Buck: now touch your chest

Eddie keeps breathing, slowly, thoroughly, his hand doing exactly what Buck tells it. Then his fingertips skim over his right nipple and fuck, fuck he really likes that, so he finds the left one and does the same. Then he kind of rolls it between his forefinger and thumb pad before absently pinching at it—which rips this strange, strangled sort of sound out of him from somewhere deep in his chest, part gasp, part grunt, and his already fairly plump dick now springs up to full attention, bouncing slightly beneath Eddie's makeshift bedsheet blanket fort.

Buck: you still with me? 

Here. With yio

Eddie really, really wants to touch his dick—only Buck hasn't said that he can. 

Oh fuck, oh fuck, what the fuck.

.

play or nay, tags are under the cut! let me know in the notes if you'd like tagging if/when i finish this!

@inell @rosieposiepuddingnpie @sortasirius @angela-feelstoomuch @woodchoc-magnum @kitteneddiediaz @watchyourbuck @treasurehuntbuck @daffi-990 @eddiegettingshot @mazzystar24 @colonoscopys @shitouttabuck @lamardeuse @exhuastedpigeon @lamardeuse @veronae-buddie @wildehacked

[keii-starz]

answer any or all I wanna know more about you 👁️👁️

Do you have freckles? 

 Do you drink tea or coffee? How do you take it? 

What was the last song you listened to? 

Do you sleep on your back, stomach or side? 

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? 

Do you prefer drawing or writing? 

What’s your ideal number of blankets to sleep with? 

What’s your favorite band/artist? 

When is your birthday? 

How tall are you? 

What color are your eyes? 

Who are five (or more) people you want to hug right now? 

Fears? 

What’s your favorite color? 

What’s your favorite season? 

Want any tattoos? What of? 

Want any piercings? Where? 

Who is the last person you texted? 

Do you have a best friend? How long have you been friends? 

What/who do you miss? 

How was your day today? 

How much sleep did you get last night? 

Do you believe in aliens? 

When was the last time you cried? Why? 

What’s your favorite decade? 

What are some seemingly childish things you like? 

What’s your favorite book? Or just one you’ve read a few times? 

How are you, really? 

Does it take you a long time to make decisions? 

What are you looking forward to in the near future? 

What are you looking forward to in the distant future? 

If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go? 

Do you sleep with your door open or closed? 

What’s your favorite flower? 

Do you currently have a squish? 

Do you like your middle name? 

Do you prefer dogs or cats? 

Do you have any phobias? 

Do you stay up late?

Do you like the beach? Do you prefer it sunny or cloudy? 

What’s your favorite cartoon? 

Tag 5 of your favorite blogs

Do you have siblings? How many? 

Who was the last person you said “I love you” to? 

Is there anyone you would die for? 

What do you need when you’re sad? 

Have you memorized your phone number? 

Who’s someone you can trust with your life? 

What does your last text say? 

Wild Card. Any question, ask away. 

1. I wish (no) 😔

2. I drink both!!! but I don't drink coffee that often, and when I do, it's only if it has milk and sugar in it! when I drink tea, I usually drink milk tea, or I add milk to my matcha tea, but sometimes I just drink regular tea!

3. DAYDREAM by HIGHLIGHT!!!

4. I sleep on my back, but I actually prefer sleeping on my side!! I just dont sleep on my side most of the time because I sleep with headphones on, and its kinda uncomfortable sleeping on my side with headphones on

5. yes!! my little teddy bear that I got from my bestie!!! I named him lucy

6. hmm I love both a lot, but I'd say drawing!

7. ummm it doesn't really matter for me but I'll say teo because of my blanket I've had since childhood (its too small to cover me now so ofc I have to use another blanket)

8. hmm for band, it'd be LUCY!!! (K-band) I think the violin in their music makes their songs sound even nicer! but my fav part is obv sangyeop's soft voice :3

but for artists in general...hmm there's quite a few, so I'll name them by language! 1. CRAVITY (korean boy group), ZICO (korean soloist, k-hiphop), COLDE (korean soloist, k-r&b), 2. yoh kamiyama (japanese), TUYU (japanese band), 3. jeremy zucker, suggi (english)

9. february 11!

14. sage green!!

15. autumn! not too cold or hot, and not as much bugs!

19. I do! we've been friends since 4th grade!

21. it was great!!! I had so much fun and got to eat a lot of good food!!

24. sometime last week, I think tuesday..I think it had smth to do with my insecurities or like. how I keep getting the feeling I'm not wanted

28. my mental and physical states both suck a ton, but since I've returned home for spring break, im trying to convince myself to not worry about anything and just think of this as a lil vacation just until this is over

31. im definitely looking forward to moving out of my mom's house or just not staying with my family in general...I want to get an apartment where I feel relaxed at when I turn into an adult

32. if I could go anywhere right now...I would probably go to my aunt's house in florida..tbh, I wouldn't say her cooking's (sorry auntie 😔) the best, but I'd probably feel way...calmer? there and less likely to cry so often

34. my favorite flower is the star of bethlehem!!! it's really really pretty!!! im pretty sure it's a poisonous flower tho lol

39. all the time 😊

42. I prefer cloudy days! sunny days are nice, but I don't like getting the sun in my eyes very much, plus the sky is prettier with clouds :3

44. 5 of my fav blogs: @azulashengrottospiano @dove-da-birb @twistwonderlanddevotee @alexisomnias @l7k-a

45. I have 2 siblings! an older brother and younger sister, who is the youngest, but if I didn't tell u this and you met us both irl, you'd probably think shes the older one based on height and personality lol

47. I would die for any of my friends in a heartbeat

48. music!!! I CANNOT go without my music I tell u!!!

49. nope!!! you see, my phone doesn't tell me my phone number, so I always have to ask other people what it is 😐 (my other phone did tho)

50. uhhh hmmm this one is really hard bcuz I don't think I know anyone irl who I can trust with my life but probably...no one..?

[the-banana-0verlord]

Answer some or all I wanna know more about you 👁️👁️

Do you have freckles? 

 Do you drink tea or coffee? How do you take it? 

What was the last song you listened to? 

Do you sleep on your back, stomach or side? 

Do you sleep with a stuffed animal? 

Do you prefer drawing or writing? 

What’s your ideal number of blankets to sleep with? 

What’s your favorite band/artist? 

When is your birthday? 

How tall are you? 

What color are your eyes? 

Who are five (or more) people you want to hug right now? 

Fears? 

What’s your favorite color? 

What’s your favorite season? 

Want any tattoos? What of? 

Want any piercings? Where? 

Who is the last person you texted? 

Do you have a best friend? How long have you been friends? 

What/who do you miss? 

How was your day today? 

How much sleep did you get last night? 

Do you believe in aliens? 

When was the last time you cried? Why? 

What’s your favorite decade? 

What are some seemingly childish things you like? 

What’s your favorite book? Or just one you’ve read a few times? 

How are you, really? 

Does it take you a long time to make decisions? 

What are you looking forward to in the near future? 

What are you looking forward to in the distant future? 

If you could go anywhere right now, where would you go? 

Do you sleep with your door open or closed? 

What’s your favorite flower? 

Do you currently have a squish? 

Do you like your middle name? 

Do you prefer dogs or cats? 

Do you have any phobias? 

Do you stay up late?

Do you like the beach? Do you prefer it sunny or cloudy? 

What’s your favorite cartoon? 

Tag 5 of your favorite blogs

Do you have siblings? How many? 

Who was the last person you said “I love you” to? 

Is there anyone you would die for? 

What do you need when you’re sad? 

Have you memorized your phone number? 

Who’s someone you can trust with your life? 

What does your last text say? 

Wild Card. Any question, ask away. 

Alright, ill try lmao

1.no, i dont have freckles!

2. I WISHED i found Coffee and tea good because its so aesthetic but it tastes bad imo

3. I checked my spotify and its girls just wanna have fun by cyndi lauper so i suppose its that

4.i move a lot but i usually end up on my side.

5. I move too much to sleep with a lot of them because they always end up on the floor. Although i do sleep with my malleus plushie.

6. Thats a hard one, because i do both. Though i think of writing as my primary hobby/eventual job, i definitely have more fun drawing(until art Block comes knocking that is)

7.depends on the thickness. Right now i have three eith two being thin and one being medium, but i could sleep with one really thick one.

8. Mitski!!! I love her so much. Otherwise I like mother mother and marina

9.the third of november!

10. 154 cm or 5 feet. No that is not short

11. Blue-grey-kaki. I like to think of them as blue.

12. All my mutuals, all my irls, my mom, my dad, and my little sister

13. Abandonnent, failure, the future in general.

14. Yellow and light blue!

15.fall! Its so pretty

16. Im not sure yet but i can maybe have someday a small tattoo. Im not a fan of qhoel body tattoos for myself.

17. Well my ears a pierced but im not gonna get more.

18. My two irls! Talking about not getting neuvillette in gneshin ;-;(and murder)

19. I dont have a best friend per se, although i do have a closest friend. Weve been friends for at least three years(already? Damn)

20. Honestly i miss my first mutual on here. I hope they come back soon ;-;

21. It just started but its been pretty good up til now!

22. About 9-10 hours?

23. I mean, there is bound to be other forms of life in space, just thousands of lightyears away.

24. Monday cause my friend said she didnt think we were friends.

25. Id say 1890 to 1900? Though the living conditions were meh i like the aesthetic

26. Generally being silly ig? I suppose i act childihs as a comic relief.

27. Currently my favorite book(s) is the Truly Devious series by Maureen Johnson! It's been clawing it's way into my brain.

28. I'm actually doing quite fine. I'm a bit stressed since i'm going to boston soon but i can push out the bad thoughts!

29. I usually procrastinate decisions as far as possible. If it's a small one maybe like 2 minutes but if it's bigger ones it'll take longer(with the answer being no a lot)

30. Something i'm dreading but also am excited for is summer! Bye school but hello summer job ;-;

31. My irls and i(can i really call them irls? i met only two of them irl and once or twice. anyways-) are planning a roadtrip after we're all 18(aka in a bit more than 4 years)!

32. Either my friend's (irls+ moots) houses or in paris. I've always wanted to see paris.

33.open, my cats need to be free to walk in and out!

34. sunflowers and roses(i have a list on the meaning of each rose color) daisies are also cute.

35. i...guess? i own a banana shaped stress ball(that is very dirty i dont use it much) but idk if it counts as a squish.

36. yes, almost more than my first name. although my first and second name are kinda in the same name. it's like first name-second name.

37.cats!!! I have two(named chicken nugget and nebraska)(my family also owns dogs but oh well)

38. I'm a bit scared of heights but i wouldn't say i have a phobia

39. i usually go to sleep at 10:30 pm on weekdays, and 11:00-11:00 on weekends(when i don't have to wake up early due to sunday class)

40.Although i haven't been to a real beach a lot, i like it! And i always prefer sunny days so sun it is(to experience sunset on a beach... must be the dream)

41. I'd say the owl house! It's so colorful with two of my main kins.

42. @xen-blank @thehollowwriter @quartztwst @boopshoops @saionjeans (so sorry for the tag non-moots! Also i would've included all my moots but it said five ;-;)

43. Yes, i have five siblings! One oldest sister, two older brother, a little brother and the baby of the family, my little sister. i have middle child syndrome.

44. Either my mom or my little sister. I hug and say i love you to them very often. Or i said it to malleus last. One of them.

45. Tbh i have no idea in which circomstances i would die for something. maybe if i could trade my life with someone's close to me. or for peace on earth idk.

46. a big ol hug from my malleus plushie. it's a real emotional support.

47. no i have not. or maybe i did. i will probably forget it soon.

48. my two parents absolutely.

49."I wish to expérience it someday" (speaking of old lady gossip)

50. can i send you the same questions? :3