#not my fault your dog was found wandering loose

[beansnpeets]

Dude picked up his dog this morning. He was visibly pissed at me lmao

[angelfoxx]

I just know Keegan looks so god damn hot in his casual clothing, going to bed in loose grey boxers and an old band shirt that rides up his stomach when he lies down, AND GOOD GOD his happy traillll😫I feel like he’s one of those guys with really bushy happy trails, doesn’t even know how sexy you find it. He’s lying in bed, one of his big arms around your shoulders while reading an old book. Raises an eyebrow when your hand starts wandering up his thigh, fingertips dipping under the waistband of his boxers..

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ❝ NEED SOMETHING? ❞

…in which keegan entertains your perversions.

FEATURING: keegan p russ.

WARNINGS: keegan being a sexy motherfucker. also me giving him a tatted sleeve because it’s sexy and who the hell is gonna tell me no. also me drooling over his happy trail bc HAPPY TRAILS HAPPY TRAILS LOOOOOOOORD

NOTE/S: oh my god

It’s not your fault, really. Feeling like this. It’s not your fault.

It’s his.

He’s not ignoring you. His arm, slung up on your shoulders, is just a heavy, toned reminder that he’s with you. His attention is just elsewhere.

You aren’t totally sure what book he’s reading. Probably something of Stephen King’s. Last week, it had been Christine. The week prior, It. You hadn’t bothered checking; if it was a low-stress week, he’d tell you all about it once he finished it, true book-critic style. In any case, he’s got the thing casually in his lap, spread open by a splayed hand. He’s got a simple silver band on his middle finger, gnarled and twisted like barbed wire — every now and then, he taps it, just an occasional beat of sound as if to remind you that he’s right there.

You’re ogling his hand, now. He doesn’t seem to notice.

Your eyes travel upward. He’s got a pretty sleeve of black-and-white tattoos; churning ocean waves, storm-battered whitecaps, tossing ships. He’d explained it the first time you’d seen it; something about how he found peace in the chaos of an ocean storm. Just standing in a place where there was no resistance that he could give. Surrendering to the fury of nature. Something like that. It’s…um, attractive. Yeah. You swallow and resist the sudden urge to squeeze your legs together.

The top of that sleeve — thick, billowing clouds — vanishes under the edge of his tee. Charcoal-gray, emblazoned with the title of an old rock band that you’d never really heard of prior to meeting him. He’s still wearing his dog-tag, hanging on a silver chain around his neck and rising on his chest every time he breathes.

Christ, you should stop staring.

His shirt’s ridden up on his stomach, and god, you really shouldn’t look because then you won’t be able to look away. But you do look, because what are you if not a swooning idiot for the sniper sitting beside you?

Every time he breathes, his stomach sinks in and you can see the outline of his abs. God. Fucking Christ. You can see the outline of his abs but not really the middle, because along the middle he’s proudly sporting a long line of short black curls.

You’re basically salivating.

He’s just got some loose gray boxers on, sitting dangerously low on his hips. He’s left the v-line of his hips exposed; your senses are on high alert, eyes catching on every little mole spotting his waist, every little white scar, the edge of the paw-print tattoos he has just below his stomach (it’s where Riley’s front feet go when the dog stands up on his hind legs, tail wagging and tongue lolling), and it’s such a cute little tattoo but your thoughts are anything but and—

“Don’t forget to blink.”

You flinch like you’ve been shot. Your mind goes blank, and your gaze shoots upward.

Tiny smirk caught in the corner of his mouth, Keegan looks down at you with lidded, quietly humored eyes. They seem brilliantly blue, moreso than usual — though maybe that’s just the lighting in here. His hair’s a mess; short and still damp from his earlier shower, undercut scrubbing against your arm as he turns his head, just a little, one eyebrow raised. There’s a little scar through his left one; the hair splits unevenly there. You’ve told him several times that you find it sexy.

He agrees.

“What?” Your mouth feels like it’s filled with a fat wad of cotton. You feel like your thoughts are visible in your eyes.

“Don’t play stupid.” His response is honey-smooth. “I’m not dumb.”

“I didn’t say y…you were.” You swallow. “I’m just sitting here.”

“Mm.” Keegan narrows his eyes. “Mhm.”

And then he goes back to that book.

It’s kind of ridiculous, how hard you stare at his hand holding that book open. It’s almost pathetic, actually. You’re sure he’d say the same if he knew exactly what thoughts were running through your head right now. Pinkie finger on one page, index on the other, middle and ring both resting so lightly along the inseam of the spine.

Christ.

Trying to shake yourself out of your own head, you turn yourself inwards. Keegan needs no words; his arm tightens around you, hand sliding down to your hip and tugging it over so that you’re fully facing his side, head resting against his chest and body slung down along his leg. It’s comfortable like this; it goes without saying that he’s built like a motherfucker and so his pec is a comfortable resting-place for your head. He’s warm, too, deliciously so; his body heat seeps up through his tee, prickling against your skin. He’s comfy, so comfy; on other nights, you’d fallen asleep like this, cuddled up to his side with one of his arms wrapped around you. Those nights were sweet; when time started to slow and all of your senses started to bleed together, you always heard him call your name, so quiet you wouldn’t catch it if you were awake. When you didn’t answer, he’d laugh — and then you’d hear the rustle of sheets as he stooped over and pressed a little kiss to the top of your head.

You weren’t totally sure if he knew that you knew he did that.

Tonight, though, you can’t do that. You can’t fathom it, because your hand is just itching to move. It’s just casually resting against his thigh — god, his fucking thighs, hard and thick and oh, you have to stop ogling him. You have to stop thinking about how that muscle feels, flexing so slightly under your hand as it moves up.

Moves up?

Oh.

Oops.

Keegan doesn’t say anything when your hand cups the warm spot between his legs. He lets out a short breath — it almost sounds like a laugh. There’s a curve taking shape on his lips, and his eyes glint with humor as he shifts, purposefully pushing his pelvis so slightly up into your palm.

The weight of his dick pushes between your fingers and your legs instinctively snap together. Above you, Keegan’s breath cracks into a nearly-silent laugh.

He’s onto you.

You bite your lip, risking a glance up at him as you do. He isn’t looking at you; he’s still reading, hawkish blue eyes scanning from left to right, over and over again. The hand on your hip lightly squeezes a handful of your thigh.

His hips roll so slightly up again. He’s daring you to continue.

Cocky sonofabitch. You swallow as you move your hand up, up, over the slight angular swell of his abdomen and up past the elastic of his boxers. For a moment, you rake your fingers up his abs and you shudder in response to the way his stomach flexes and his breathing oh-so-slightly breaks.

No words. Just the sound of him turning the page.

Bitch. You bite your tongue as you shift your head around. You can hear his heart thumping beneath your ear, and — god fucking dammit — it’s not beating quicker at all. It’s like you can’t disturb him. Get under his skin like he gets under yours.

You pick at the elastic of his waistband. On one hand? You’re rubbing your legs together, biting your tongue, and there’s a million and one dirty images in your head. You can practically hear Keegan’s growl in your ear: too needy to sit still, princess?

But on the other hand, he’s being mean. He’s ignoring you and all of your signs. And you kind of want to just roll over and go to sleep and maybe, just maybe, he’d been hoping for you to go further.

But you won’t. So he’ll get frustrated, and then it’ll be him slowly reaching his hand under the elastic of your waistband, fingers curving over the shape of your body and feeling for wet warmth. He’ll breathe in your ear with that stupid rasp of his and he’ll ask, voice raw, if you were really planning on hanging me out to dry like that? and you’ll say maybe I was.

Or he’ll get frustrated, but he’ll reach into his own pants. He’ll leave you alone, but you’ll wake up to the quiet sound of his muted groans and his hand stroking back and forth under the thin material of his boxers and then maybe he’ll do that thing where he tips his head back, swallows, and his eyes flutter shut and he cursed, quiet and hoarse.

Or maybe—

“Cold feet?” There he is again, short phrases and little questions. He’s not looking at you; he’s looking at his book, tilting his head as he turns the page. He raises an eyebrow to you, tongue clasped between his teeth.

“What?”

No response this time. Keegan’s eyes shift over to you; he cocks his head in your direction, and under that messy black mop of hair and those thick black lashes that you’ve always been envious of, Keegan silently asks if you’re really going to play this fucking dumb.

You’ve arrived at a stalemate. You don’t move. He doesn’t speak. You two just stare at each other, blinking back-and-forth like a tennis volley until Keegan finally sighs and looks away. His eyes return to the book.

You’re about to snap, ready to rip the godforsaken thing out of his lap, when the hand on your hip shifts. His arm lifts off of your back; it pulls around your shoulders instead, crushing you into his armpit.

His fingers clasp around your wrist, and you catch the undeniable edge of a smirk on his face before he takes your hand and pulls it into his pants.

get fucking cliffhanger’d bitches

[sightburdened]

Lithe fingers dance across the ivories, getting a taste for them - acquainting himself. The slightest amount of pressure tells Lestat he has made the right choice in a new piano for his home. A bittersweet smile passes over his face and memories come as painfully into the present as a blow to the head. That Christmas before their Mardi Gras feast. He had believed... Lestat clears his throat and puts his hands in his lap, turning somewhat shyly, shoulders down, towards Will. "Just give me five minutes of your time?" He's been working on this composition for a few days, while his beloved has been gone.

Once you understand that your presence is merely tolerated for the sake of social decorum, there is a freedom to be found in apathy, in letting one's eyes lose focus, in thinking about what he wanted to do with his weekend, in the shape of his pillow in his bed that he missed. The chores he wanted to do for his dogs, the fishing lures he wanted to make, that book he'd been wanting to read. Maybe, he'd write another paper, or maybe, he'd just fall into gentle self-inclusion, thinking only of his own wants and needs. It was certainly, easier.

Until, -- neighbor, person, partner, special someone -- the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt entered his life. Lestat looks at him as if he's the rising moon after waiting for the sunset during that interminable period of time between sleeping and waking. Lestat looks at him as if he has become his favorite volume of text in a library that he had forgotten about and grew immediately enchanted with. Lestat de Lioncourt looks at him as if he were the first green sprig on a land, parched by volcanic ash; he looks at him as if somehow, he'd helped him hope again.

Down goes his messenger bag, his papers, his duffel bag, his head thudding dully with a headache that two prescription ibuprofen hadn't cured yet, all of which he forsakes for the way Lestat looks at him, as if he was eager to show him something important, a hound dog awaiting their master.

Lestat de Lioncourt is no dog -- he was entirely himself. It was he who was the dog, desperate to be in his good graces, bloodhound sniffing for the last traces of a ham-bone. He should be so lucky that someone like Lestat even looked at him, much less, looked at him this way.

He walks over to Lestat, his stomach coiling with nerves that he both feels from the vampire and himself -- why would he be nervous, what reason would Lestat have to be nervous around him? -- which leads him to taking a seat on the piano bench, removing his glasses from his eyes, placing them in his jacket pocket.

"You can have all of my time." His tongue is loose around Lestat, he always had a way of saying the correct thing but in the wrong phrasing, he was always so blunt to a fault no matter who it was. "You deserve more than five minutes -- I...that was," and he gestures to his messenger bag, his duffel bag full of his clothes, "exhausting. Irritating. Horrific." Elaborate crime scenes, he didn't want to look, but he knew if he did, then someone would be helped. That's what it came down to: using this perception, this "gift" of profiling for something other than himself.

"I'd love to know what you made. I could use a little beauty," he says, his eyes lifting from the diametric of keys to Lestat's face. "Are you...okay? Somehow, I can't believe I can make you shy." Oh, he revealed what he saw -- it's too late to retract his statement. "Sometimes, I feel like a mutt who wandered by the finely catered blue-blooded pedigree that is you." It comes out in a rush, now it's his turn to turn away.

"You look at me as if you've never seen that painting Van Gogh did -- Starry Night. You look at me as if you've never eaten a pomegranate before and it became your favorite fruit. I don't know what I did to...inspire that, in you."

He brings his right hand to his own chest, he's having a hard time catching his breath. The piano bench is sturdy against his legs, he feels as if he wasn't sitting down, he'd fall to the floor.

"I wish you could've come with me on the trip. There's a lot you would've liked," the forest, separate from the trees, "but there's a lot you would've found unpleasant. But, it would've been easier -- bearable, with you."

His eyes look to the piano keys -- he knows how to play Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star -- but, nothing more. "Will you play for me?"

@deathcreate

[theyreonlynoodlesmike]

It’s Just a Movie: Part 12 (Poly!Lost Boys x Fem!Reader)

 <- Previous Chapter  Next Chapter ->

Warnings: cursing

Word Count: 1961

It was truly the last thing that you had expected. While Paul and Marko flirted with you often, Dwayne had barely given you a compliment since your first night. It wasn’t that he ignored you, you just thought that he was neutral towards you. He was quiet and kept mostly to himself, though you had seen him come out of his shell a few times when you were at the cave. But a kiss?

Your hands threaded into his hair as he pressed his lips to yours. It was soft at first, as if he was waiting for you to push him away. When you didn’t, he scooted closer and tilted his head. He molded his lips over yours, guiding your lips and taking a gentle lead. You melted at the soft slide of his against yours, and you hadn’t even realized he was guiding your mouth open until you felt the experimental flick of his tongue against yours. You couldn’t help the small sound that escaped your mouth, and the smile against your lips was unmistakable. He did it again, holding your face in his hands as he pushed the kiss slowly further. One of his hands left your face, instead moving to your knee. Time seemed to melt away, and the only thing you could hear was your heartbeat hammering away in your ears. 

It seemed the same for Dwayne, as neither of you paid attention to the oncoming footsteps until the sheet to your room was being ripped to the side. The kiss had been slow and soft, but the ending was abrupt in comparison. Not only did his lips leave yours, but he was quick to snatch away his hand as the two of your heads snapped to the sound of, 

“Is everything- OH-” And you saw that the two blondes had draped themselves in the doorway, replacing where the sheet had been. Marko was quick to laugh, the snicker loud as he reacted to the unexpected find. Paul stared for a moment, having been the one who spoke and stopped himself. It seemed, as his mouth hung loosely open, that he was speechless from the sight. He blinked and shook his head, finally saying, “Dwayne, you dick. You dog- You-” But the shorter of the two blondes was yanking him out of the room, a wide smile still plastered on his face as he shouted, 

“Go back to what you were doing! Pretend we were never here.” He said, as Paul protested next to him. But, just as quickly as they’d come, the blondes left. The two of you could hear Pauls protesting and Markos laughter fade down the hall, and you assumed Dwayne could hear it for far longer than you could. When you looked over at him, he looked just as embarrassed as you were. He ran a hand through his hair, looking away as he mumbled something under his breath. You tried to calm your flushed cheeks, and your even quicker heart. The embarrassment almost overshadowed your excitement from the previous action, and you busied yourself by clearing your throat and becoming suddenly very interested in your nails. You tried to think of something to say, but the only thing your brain could come up with was a lame, 

“Well, that was interesting.” And you cringed just from the absolute awkwardness from the sentence. But, the brunette besides you let out a small laugh. You looked over at him, and seeing the smile on his face made your heart melt. It lit up his face, chasing away any traces of anything that could make him intimidating. 

“Interesting?” He echoed, as if he’d never heard that one before. But, before you could defend your choice of words, he was swooping back in and placing a sweet, and shorter, kiss on your lips. When he pulled away, whatever argument you had quickly died in your throat. Instead, your cheeks flushed and you gave him a small push when he began to chuckle at, what you assumed, was the look on your face. Before he could tease you, you pulled him back in and found that, surprisingly, you seemed to have a similar effect on him.

Dwayne and you were stuck like glue after his confession, trading kisses that got sleepier and sleepier as the sun approached. Dwayne didn’t leave until you could hardly keep your eyes open, and, while you considered asking him to stay, he opted to head back towards his room with the boys. The next night, he was the first to check on you in your room, and you were asking him to take you to the boardwalk before the others were even ready. He accepted, as he seemed to want to get some alone time with you, and you later found out why. 

You and Dwayne had gone to a few stores, similar to how you had every night since you’d landed in their world. Like always, Dwayne was subtle. He continued to offer you gifts, but you couldn’t help but smile every time he did now that you knew what they meant. You mirrored his actions, offering him some gifts of your own. You offered him a bracelet, one that you made sure to buy instead of steal, and a cassette. He was quick to accept them, and even quicker to hide the smile that they made cross his face. You liked to think he’d be blushing as you tied the bracelet to his wrist, though the cassette was simply pocketed. As you wandered through the shops, you found that any touches he gave you seemed to linger. Finally, as he steered you towards the steps to the beach, you reached out and took his hand. His larger one wrapped tightly around yours, and it seemed the two of you were going to end your sudden date on the beach until you heard a yell of both of your names. You turned, and Dwayne sighed as you watched Paul jog to catch up with the pair of you. He seemed to have wanted to ignore the blonde and head towards the beach anyways, and Paul landed a punch on his arm once he was within reach.

“Asshole, I know you heard me. Hey, sugar.” He said, nodding towards you and giving you a smile. When he turned back towards the brunette, Paul said, “You can’t just hog the babe. Plus, I called dibs and-”

“Wait, what?” You interrupted. After spending a few weeks with the boys, you found that their system of keeping the peace outside of David’s direct commands was an ongoing calling of dibs. It solved issues of all kinds, and this was the first you had heard of it being ignored. Paul enthusiastically said, seemingly not connecting who your annoyance was directed at.

“Yeah! I was supposed to take you on a date tonight, until this asshole-” He said, putting extra emphasis on the word. “Decided to wake up before all of us and steal you. Not cool, by the way.” He added, and Dwayne rolled his eyes. You heard him mutter,

“It’s not my fault it takes you an hour to do your hair.” He said, and Paul was ready to fire back before Dwayne continued. “Plus, I didn’t think y/n would appreciate getting called dibs on. Or having to wait for you to get ready.” Dwayne said, and you almost had to hand it to him. It was a pretty good comeback, even if you knew he was just trying to worm himself out of this one. Paul seemed to realize he was trying to do the same, and pointed at him as he said, 

“Hey! Well, whatever, man. It’s my turn with the babe. David said-” And this made you pause. You gave the blonde a look, quickly interrupting his rant with, 

“David said? Oh, what? He controls who I go on dates with now too?” You snapped, and you watched the blonde quickly cringe and try to rephrase his words. He put his hands up, his attention now completely turned to you as he said, 

“No, I- Just since- To avoid any fights, David said that we should take turns-” But he stopped himself. From the look on your face, he seemed to realize that he was only digging himself into a hole every time he mentioned the bleached blondes name. Neither of you had said anything about the night before, let alone apologized to each other. And, while you hadn’t been upset at him the night before, you were now. Especially if he was deciding that his control stemmed over you. First, when you were leaving and now who you were allowed to go on dates with? The first issue you could understand. His own length of life was involved. But the second? You had no idea what made him think he had any say in that. He seemed to totally have an issue with power, and you were starting to become more and more pissed at the bleach haired tyrant. Finally, the blonde sighed and said, “You’re not gonna come on that date with me, are you?” And, while you didn’t want to punish Paul for your anger towards David, you still said, 

“Yeah, not a chance. Tell David that he doesn’t get to say shit about who I go on dates with.” You said, and you grabbed Dwayne’s hand, pulling the boy towards the steps. "Or anything I do, for that matter." You were too heated and annoyed to notice the smug smile he was sending Paul, or the bird that Paul responded with. When the two of you found a spot on the beach, and Dwayne finished building you a bonfire, the two of you sat in the sand. It didn’t take long for him to make a move. He started by brushing your hair away from your face, and then cupping your cheek. Before he could even lean in, you were bridging the gap. It was different from your previous kisses. They had been slow and sleepy, with Dwayne taking the lead. You couldn’t help but blame the change on your current mood. While you tried not to let that interaction ruin your mood, you couldn’t help but let your anger bleed into it. Your anger led the kiss, and even led you into the boys lap. Dwayne followed along, his thumbs brushing your cheeks and trying to make your annoyance melt away. When it wouldn’t, he broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against yours with a sigh. You held one of the hands on your face, and he quietly asked,

“Are you okay?” As he leaned away to get a good look at you. All it had taken was a single prod, and you let your frustration fall from your lips.

“It’s just- Paul didn’t even ask me out! Or make a move! And take turns? What the hell does that mean? He just assumed that because David said so that I would accept. It’s- It’s bullshit.” You said, and you tried not to think about how you sounded just a little like Marko. After a moment, Dwayne said, 

“I think he thought he was making it pretty obvious. I mean-” He gave you a suggestive nod, letting it fill up the gap. You sighed. You supposed he did, but he’d never made an actual move. You had thought that he was just like that. You sighed again, before moving to rest your forehead on the boys shoulder. He let you, and reached around to rub your side. After a quiet moment, you finally mumbled into his shoulder, 

“What, next you’re gonna tell me that Marko and David like me.” Your voice was laced with sarcasm, but Dwayne said a soft, 

“Well…”

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

HASO, “Ash.”

A couple people were showing some interest in other Alien characters aboard the ship, and I thought I would give you all some insight into that. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you all have a great day. 

“You have ruined this family.”

“What have you done!” 

“The war is the only thing left for you now, so make yourself useful and die.”

-

Etium slowly lifted his head from the computer where he sat staring blankly at the accounting spreadsheet on the screen. Beside him, the other two Tesraki’s chairs were empty. He sighed, and slowly turned back to the accounting. They had likely finished their half of the books hours ago, leaving him to sit in the darkness alone with his own strange thoughts. His four fingered hands clicked at the keys of the human made keyboard,

He was good at typing, pretty fast for someone who was missing two requisite fingers, but he was nothing in comparison to the others.

He was nothing in comparison to most Tesraki.

Etium was slow when it came to doing the books, repeatedly checking every line and ever string of numbers for any possible mistake that could have been made. The process took him hours longer than it should have, but finally he stood, pushing back his chair and hopping down to the floor. The human ship whirred softly in the distance. It was a comforting sound, but he had always found some measure of comfort in humanity.

Etium had been hit the hardest by the huminization phenomenon. It didn’t surprise him all that much. He had fought side by side with humans since the Drev war, and the changes in him had taken a long time to develop. They ran deep now through his body as sure as his blood. WIth skills honed in human war, and being one of few survivors, he was quick to react to sounds, followed movement more easily, and could read body language better than almost any other alien he knew.

Dr Krill wasn’t even as good as he considered himself.

That’s what war did to a person.

He reached up to his torn ear and shivered at the smell of smoke that seemed to waft up from his fur. He could never get the smell of ash out of his head no matter how hard he tried.

Etium knew there was something wrong with him, but he kept that to himself. The others tended to avoid him, and that was alright. He was friends with the Finnari, and while they were a bit sensitive, he supposed that was ok. He didn’t need anyone asking questions about what he was doing and why he was there.

He ducked through one of the maintenance corridors, and into the hallway behind the rec room.

He could hear humans and Drev talking and laughing on the other side, but when he passed through the next door, he found the hall opened into a large-ish storage room that was lined in boxes and crates. Inside was what remained of the Omen crew. Tesraki, Finnari, Celzex and Yeb. They had a little place here for those aliens who found it difficult to constantly interact with humans.

Yeb was a bit of a special case as she seemed to hop between both without much trouble. She lounged on one of the crates, her tail swishing back and forth against the box below her, bright green fur along her back, waving slightly in the air currents.

Etium leaned against the wall making no noise, and interacting with no one.

He wouldn’t have minded hanging out with humans, and drev, but….. Every time he did he just couldn’t shake the smell of smoke.

Why was he here?

Because he had seen a human boldly risk his life for two wounded alien soldiers.

Etium remembered the red sky above and the ash covered ground beneath. He remembered the wounded Rundi soldier at his side as the creature stalked towards them from the darkness. He remembered the flash of blue, and then an animal howl as the human came charging from nowhere.

When he closed his eyes, he could still hear the blood curdling scream of pain the human had given off as his limbs were ripped from his body.

He shook himself trying to shake the smoke away.

“Clan is more important than anything else.”

Etium lifted his head, arms still crossed over his chest.

“Then mean nothing.” Yeb was saying, “My parents abandoned me in an ice cave when I was just a cub.”

“Not our fault your species is defective.” Lord Avex was saying.

The burg lifted his hands in an attempt to keep the piece, technicolor wings flickering behind him, “Not now, all of you we must remember that as different species we all have different beliefs and needs. He pressed his hands together. The Burg do find clan very important, but it was for our survival for the longest time. There are plenty of other species that don’t need such things, like the Vrul or the Gibb for example, who are solitary creatures.”

The group of three finnari huddled close together and nodded.

They wouldn’t be likely to argue, they hated conflict and tried to keep the peace as much as it was possible.

He glanced over to the side surprised to find Waffles, the dog, lying with her head on her paws, around her neck, the snake creature Jeffery hung like a boa scarf.

He supposed she had any right to be here like the rest of them, she wasn’t human and neither was the snake. Though neither of them were classified as sentient and didn’t have the intelligence to speak. Waffles licked at her paws and Jeffery lifted his head turning to look at the speakers as if he was listening intently.

“This is not about biology, this is about the facts. There is strength in numbers, and numbers can win out over force anyday. Humans are the best example of this and you all know it. They managed to survive on a death world by making packs.”

Lord Avex did have a point, but lord Avex was also known for being an egotistical asshole.

That was sort of the defining feature of Celzex.

The furry little creatures were very proud, and very loyal, so they were both a blessing and an absolute pain to have on your side.

Most of the time they just liked causing problems for the sake of causing problems.

“There is nothing wrong with a solitary existence. My species has been living as single occupants inside a distanced society for a very long time.”

Lord Avex snorted, “Might I also point out that you society is a fascist Authoritarian dictatorship recovering from a pandemic crisis and refuses to join the GA to control their own citizens?”

The hair on the back of her body stood up, “Oh like your planet is any better. Roving warring clans who eat their own children.”

“Please, Peace.” THe burg was saying.

“You have no place in this. The burg have lived under a corrupted monarchy for ages.”

Etium sighed and closed his eyes.

Apparently, he had sighed much louder than he intended, and when he opened his eyes the entire room was looking at him,

“You got something to say.” Avex growled, “Anything to offer from a corporate capitalist hellscape.”

Etium pushed himself off from the wall, “No, I have nothing to say.”

Avex bristled, and when he did he got even fluffier, “I don’t think we are done here. I want to hear what you have to say.”

Etium sighed, knowing that he wasn’t going to get out of this one, “I think that all of our societies suck, they just all do it equally.”

The room bristled, but he kept going. He had stuck his foot in it and now he was going to have to deal. He looked at yeb and Avex, “Both of you are true about the other, same with the burg sorry to say.” He nodded over at the winged creature, “But think about it, all of us suck in some way or another,. My species destroyed our own natural habitats in the name of progress, He looked at the Finnari, No cohesive leadership, and a societal wide inability to make decisions. The Vrul live under a corrupted communist system and the Rundi are all politicians, so guess where that leads us. The Drev are a fractured group of clans bent on killing each other for no other reason than the fact that it is honorable. And don’t even get me started on humans, they are the worst of us all, since they can do everything we can and more.”

He sort of expected the uproar that followed, but kept his head low to avoid having to deal with it. He brushed a hand through his fur, attempting, mostly to brush the ash from it, and despite being able to feel it with his fingertips, he saw none break loose.

The room grew louder and louder until a sharp bark broke the silence.

The room went very quiet very suddenly.

He turned to see waffles had risen up into a sitting position, her hackles raised.

She growled low in her throat , and the entire room calmed down very quickly after that, Jeffery opened his mouth and turned his head like a periscope around the room.

Waffles slid back onto the floor and rested her chin on her paws ears sticking straight up as she sighed.

The room was only slowly able to return to its former discussion, though everyone remained mostly quiet.

Etium slumped back against the wall. He could see the other Tesraki across the room staring at him. He tried to ignore them for the most part, he didn’t really fit in with them to any sort of degree. He didn’t blame them.

He wasn’t particularly good with finances.

He didn’t have to be though, most humans were pretty poort at it too, so any ability whatsoever was considered good. That was another reason why he was here. If he was slow and ok at handling money, then he was going to be fine. If he tried to work anywhere else as a Tesraki….

He'd be fired

Or disowned…

Etium quietly slipped from the room, out and down the hallway. He knew where he was going, and followed his own memory down through the hallways until he came to a door. He knocked once.

“Come in.”

The door slid open and he stepped into a room lit by soft yellow light. Dr Adric was sitting at his desk, skin glowing a pale yellow in the dim lighting. He looked up, and when he smiled his teeth flashed white.

“Etium, it is good to see you. I didn’t expect you till our session tomorrow.”

Etium wandered into the room glancing down at the diagrams on the wall, and the large books on the shelves beside the desk. “Do you want me to leave.”

“No, of course not, take a seat.”

He did and stared up at the ceiling with a sigh.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Etium was quiet for a while, but finally opened his mouth to speak, “I can still smell the ash sometimes, Feel it in my fur when I go to bed. It…. doesn't really bother me most of the time, and I know it’s not real, but it certainly feels that way.”

Dr Adtric leaned on his desk and nodded, “Did you know somatic hallucinations are extremely common In Tesraki.”

He rubbed his fur, “Really?”

“Yes, at least one in twenty report small things. Feelings of items brushing over their fur even when nothing is there. If it starts to bother you, come to me and we will look into helping it. Otherwise just remember the exercises I taught you.”

He shifted in his seat and absently looked at the wall, “So if Somatic hallucinations are common in Tesraki….. Than what about everyone else?”

Dr Adric smiled at him. His expression, both charming and calming at the same time. He had an eir about him that just seemed to make things slow down and relax. It was a nice feeling to have.

“Well both Vrul and Gibb are prone to psychosis with obsessive and grandiosity characteristics. Most Vrul I know could be classified as having some sort of anxiety. Rundi are commonly seen with OCD. Celzex presents with characteristics of Antisocial personality disorder.  Finnari can commonly be seen with dependent personality disorders. Both the Drevb and the Starborn, have a high rate of narcissism. In the case of the starborn, they have a 100% rate at this time…. Though to be fair we only have one starborn”

Etium couldn’t help but smile just a little. “Humans have all of those things I guess, since you have a name for all of them.”

“Yes. Though, I would say that I work most closely with Post Traumatic Stress.”

“Like what I have?”

“Similarly yes, though yours presents differently.”

“That’s what the Admiral’s dog is for? He said she was a PTSD dog.”

“That would be correct.”

Etium leaned back in his seat and stared out the window behind Adric. The man said he presented with listlessness, difficulty concentrating, and emotional detachment. He didn’t have flashbacks or stress associated, which is why he couldn't be entirely diagnosed, bu7t the two of them were pretty sure whatever he had was similar. They had thought about depression on one or two occasions, but he didn’t have trouble getting out of bed, or doing things that he enjoyed. He just got listless and distracted a lot.

Adric thought it might be an entirely different issue from what humans could get, but as of yet, there wasn’t enough research to determine that. They were working on it in their own right now, and he had been feeling a little more present, but he still wasn’t really there yet.

He hoped that soon he would be out of the rut he was stuck in.,

“Have you managed to tell the Admiral, like we had been talking about.”

Etium picked at the fur on his arm, “He seems…. Too busy to talk to me and I…. well I don’t know what it would accomplish.”

“I think it would be good for you to talk to someone who experienced the war.”

Etium sighed, “I didn’t really do much in the war. I sat there and just… was scared. The humans did everything.”

“I think you might find there are humans that feel the same way you do. I encourage you to talk to him. Knowing the man myself, I have no doubt that he will be accepting  of your story.” He held up his hands, “I don’t want to push you, but I do encourage you to let him know.”

I think it would be good for both of you

[demonictales]

I have a oneshot idea with Run yu. How about: when Run yu was a child, he met this demon child, reader (maybe a dog or wolf demon) who is a wild child and a prankster, and they became good friends for a while, until the empress took him away from his home. When Run yu grew up, he meets reader again who is a demon lord/lady now. Reader is a charmer and like to cause trouble to the empress. Reader is a troublemaker but always been honest to Run yu even in his hardest time.

that’s such a cute idea, i love it! here we go. let me know if you liked it. 

TW: DROWNING

As a kid, you had it pretty easy. You were an illegitimate child of the demon king and could do whatever you wanted. So naturally you'd steal out of the demon realm and sneak around the heavenly realm and often could be found around Dongtin lake. You'd snuck around it it ever so often, not in your human form but in your small little wolf form. Where most would expect a black wolf with dark eyes, your fur was the brightes white someone had ever seen, it could rival the snow, your eyes were a dark purple, matching your little horns. A monster some would say, but your attitude would come of as adorable next to mischievious.

You met Runyu for the first time when you fell into the lake, of course you were running to fast chasing a stupid bird as you realized you landed in the lake barely able to keep your head over the surface when you felt someone pushing you up. That someone must've heard your desperate yelps. Admittingly, you were a terrible swimmer. Only then when you had ground underneath your feet and looked back into the water you spotted a face and turned back into your human form. A small grin spread on your face as you waved to the boy underneath the surface.

Your father only knew you for causing trouble whereever you went and today was no different, just had just shown someone your true form. The little wolf demon that you were turned into the bastard princess/prince of the demon realm right in front of someone from the heavenly realm. Of course whereever you followed, trouble was near.

The second time you met him, you were in your human form, black robes with white and pruple ornaments were drabbed over your tiny figure, looking much more presentable than last time. You sat on the shore and threw some stones into the lake, hoping that the boy you saw would show up again. After all, you still owed him a thank you for day that he had saved you from drowning. As a wolf it was in your nature to support people who had done something good for you, even now in your younger years. It was the loyalty of a wolf that made you friends in the end. Quickly, your thoughts ended when you saw a movement in the water and became curious. It was him. The little fish that had saved you, but he didn't seem happy.

"Please don't throw stones into the lake. You could hurt someone." His voice was calm but soft as he spoke, but you just stared at him. " I'm sorry. " You admitted a bit meekly, you never apologize, at least only when you were forced to. " But actually it's not my fault. You didn't tell me your name last time. How else was I supposed to find you. ----- " The said apology was still worth nothing. " I am Y/N. I'm from the demon realm. " Before he could ask, you already gave him the answer. " Do you want to play with me? --- "

That day was the day you both became friends for eternity so it seeemed. Nearly everyday for the next 200 years you would sneak into the heavenly real to meet Runyu. You'd play hide and seek around the lake, you taught him how to play fetch and how you could jump as high as you wanted without much effort and he eventually taught you how to swim. Even though you had 200 years together, one day when you came to the heavenly realm, you noticed something was off. There was a strange woman at the lake talking to your friend as you did hide behind some shilf bushes and she took Runyu with her. The next few days you always patiently waited for Runyu to appear but he never did, so you eventually went your own way as a lone wolf again, roaming the heavenly realm quietly and without a friend by your side.

Another 5000 years should have passed for you to meet Runyu again. This time you had to snuck into the heavenly realm again for spying purposes, forced by King Gucheng to do so. He saw no big purpose for you so in case something would be off, you could lose your head. He wouldn't mind. You on the other hand enjoyed drama, chaos and mischief. Not that you enjoyed the bad side of it. You'd never get blood on your hands, but the demon realm knew of your bravery and slight concerning love for daredevil actions, so of course you offered and they'd send you willingly. Of course it couldn't go unnoticed that someone had snuck into the heavenly realm on the empress birthday.

Of course you glamoured yourself, a small broquet doing the trick. Your hair long and openly falling over your back in a black waterfall, your attire s colors were swapped, the fabric purple with black and white ornaments as you seated yourself with the lower class deitys, spotting a very familiar face in the crowd. It was Yanyou.

You had met him several years ago after you roamed the mortal realm. Both of you enjoyed the same things and became friends, you were surprised to see him here and luckily he had not noticed you yet. However, you noticed another glamour spell in the room, right next to him. It wasn't particularly strong but not easy to decipher as well. Natrually you saw a chance for mischief, causing distraction could buy you some time and less eyes on you. Only when everything went quiet your eyes darted to the entrance where the Heavenly Emperor and the Heavenly Empress entered, your purple colored eyes landed on someone beside the emperor. He looked oddly familiar but you could not place a name to his face. He walked so lightly and gracefully as no one you had ever seen before. Quietly from your seat you watched him curiously.

The feast went on smoothly, yet you got bored quite easily as you finally decided to let action break loose. You let a small mouse ran loose and enjoyed the chaos that emerged from your spot, a mischievous smile hard to suppress. The scene unfolded itself, the person who had a galmour spell over her was indeed a young woman of the flower realm. Impressive you thought, but the fact that the empress seemed bothered and angry after hearing these things was enough for you to move on, sneaking out of the banquet walking quietly around the palace and ending up in the night immortals wing.

Runyu had left the banquet after Jinmi was exposed and quietly took care of whatever happened, he ordered Yanyou to take her out of heavenly real and back to the flower real for now. As he had excused himself, he wandered off to where he was needed, to let the night fall in on his way, however, he was delayed as she saw you sneaking around his quarters.

" How may I help you? --- " The night immortal spoke up as he eyes you, his voice smooth and calming, no sense of threat detected. You spun arround, caught in the act of breaking in as a smirk formed on your lips. " I believe I got lost wandering around. --- " You lied, simple as that. Runyu chuckled, knowing you did so but seemingly you did not care. It reminded him of a childhood friend of his.

Not quite sure what it was, you decided to reveal yourself. What could possibly go wrong. If anything, you were fast and could flee within the blink of an eye. Revealing yourself by letting your glamour vanish, your robes were back to their usual black color, decorated with white and purple ornaments, a black iron pin with purple stones keeping your hair up. Your identity now revealed to him, the ever so known smirk never leaving your face.

It dawned on him as to who you where and yet there you stood, still not recognizing him. You had quite matured over the years and grown quite well, yet your character seemed to be still the same. Runyu enjoyed the fact you hadn't changed much. "Y/N -- How long has it been? --- " The night immortal asked you, clearly remembering the childhood friend who was always by his side.

Puzzled as you seemed, you were confused that he knew your name. " Do we know each other? " You spoke frankly, wondering why he asked you of your well being when you were caught red handed in the act of breaking into this royals chamber. He chuckled stepping closer to you as he bowed. " I believe we had spent many years together at the Dongting lake before I was brought to the heavenly palace."

It took you a moment to pin one and one together but eventually your features gave you away, eyes big as you did not dare believe it. "Runyu..?!" It came more out as a question, but the more you thought about it, the more you looked at him, it was him. He was your childhood best friend. A very honest smile formed on your features. He returned the soft smile, nodding. " I can't believe it. Out of every place I snuck in I met you at the heavenly palace.. ----- It has been so long. " The words left your mouth, remembering the days you spent alone without him by your side.

"I have waited for you so many days at the lake for you to come back, but you never came. ----- I was so lonely. " Even though you were grown up, you were still whining, pulling on his sleeve. " You could have at least tell me good bye. It was the empress that took you away from me, wasn't she. " You huffed angrily as you crossed your arms. " She deserved that chaos at her banquett today. That's for taking my only great companion away from me leaving me to wander alone all these years. " Oh, how great it was to be with your friend again. " So it was you that stirred up the chaos at the hall earlier today. " Runyu concluded, not really surprised at your words, even now.

Taking a few steps back you grinned, scratching the back of your neck. " Maybe..---- "

"But I had my reasons. " You continued. " Did I get you in trouble though? If you did, I'm willing to take the punishment. After all I'm your loyal everlasting friend. " Words that you once told him when you were a child, that you'd be friends forever and that your loyalty would never go away until the day you died and you did it today as well, a grown up woman who would now occasionally meet up with him at the dongting lake, the flower real or easily would snuck into heavenly real again at night to meet him.

Finally you had your friend back and would no longer have to wander the world alone.

[straymackerel]

Hello! Can I request #12 from the event prompt with Akutagawa? Congrats btw! 😊

akutagawa + zhaghzhagh || ژاقژاق (persian, n.) the uncontrollable chattering of teeth, due to rage or cold. 

➽─{yayayay more akutagawa! i had an ✨awakening✨ after my last event ask for him teehee}─❥

Upon your assignment to the guerilla attack force, your friends in the Port Mafia gave you their solemn condolences. “Good luck,” they told you, smiles dropping as they heard the news. Their voices danced the line between nervous and sympathetic, too afraid to fully commit to either. Neither cautionary tales nor measures of advice were offered up; each and every one of you were already familiar with many a horror story of Akutagawa’s brutality. And for a mere rookie to join the fray? People ranked as low as yourselves had much to fear about the upper echelons. Your very promotion itself was counterintuitive, alarm-raising.

Naturally, your friends were quick to write you─the only one of the group who dared to rise the ranks─off and out of mind. Rumor has it they placed bets the same day you were put under the direct command of Akutagawa Ryunosuke. Rumor has it they were betting on how long you’d stay alive.

You were skeptical, as anyone who aspired to climb that high should be. You dismissed your colleagues’ concerns with a wave of a hand and a shake of the head, certain your fate was not a gruesome nor sealed one. More harrowing than the rumors of the Silent Rabid Dog were those concerning the very apex of the Mafia, the ringleader himself; surely, a man as merciless as Mori Ogai would never let such fabled recklessness run a command unit. 

You were half right... and half wrong.

Akutagawa really was a loose cannon, as you soon found out. Though his fervent goal was to advance the Mafia, he often acted of his own accord, taking drastic measures to achieve his ends. His actions were fueled by both anger and irrational jealousy to boot, a most precarious combination in practice. You often felt as if you walked a tightrope around him, as if one wrong move might send you plummeting to the ground head first. 

Akutagawa's homicidal tendencies were apparent as ever as he loomed over the lifeless corpse of a double agent one frosty morning. On the very outskirts of Yokohama, you stood in silence as he kicked the motionless figure, pushing it over with his foot. A frozen face of horror came to face the sky, vacant eyes staring into the gray bleakness of winter. Akutagawa’s disappointment was nearly tangible as the both of you confirmed what you hoped was not the case: this person is not our main target.

Shivering, you turned away from the body as it leaked the crimson essence of life, tainting the brilliant blanket of snow that dusted the ground. The crystals of ice bloomed a deadly hue at your feet, shades of red sweeping the floor. Akutagawa scoffed when his communicator went off, adjusting his cravat as the operator asked for a report.

“The target is heading north. The sole accomplice we stopped has nothing of value on them,” he replied, tone cold and detached. But you knew better than most that the look on his face was one of barely contained rage; you could feel his eyes boring holes into you, even with your back turned to him. 

“Yes. No. I see,” he continued. Shifting under your thin jacket, you braced yourself for nearly certain chastisement. You tuned out the conversation, unable to keep listening. Your stance only wavered in its chill-induced tremble.

This job was supposed to be a short one, hence the appointment of only two Mafia members; you planned to be in and out instead of wandering the cold for hours. The enemy turned the tables on you, leading both you and Akutagawa on a wild goose chase, one you were unable to keep up with. You most definitely slowed down your commander like a dead weight chained to his legs, and you were undoubtedly certain he despised you for it. You knotted your fingers, tips icy cold and red. Worse than punishing you immediately, he seethed in undirected annoyance.

“Tch, they put us on standby,” Akutagawa said, shoving the communications device into his pocket. “After all the trouble we went through today.” You stiffened at the prospect of the two of you alone and without witness; if he really wanted to, he could have laid you to waste right then and there. Against your better judgment, not a single word of apology slipped through your lips. The stillness was deafening. It absolutely irked him.

“Hey, did you even hear me?” he asked incredulously, the crunching of snow behind you growing closer and closer. You flinched when he placed a heavy hand on your shoulder, whipping you around. “What’s the matter with you?”

Hands clenched, you withered under Akutagawa’s gaze, squeezing your eyes shut. You may have even prayed for an instant death. Your teeth chattered, clattering against themselves with each gust of wind that flew into you, quaking under pressure and frigidity. Even without your sight you felt the formless shroud of Rashomon surround you, poised to slice through your arms and legs. Its menacing presence grazed your sides as if eager to take a bite.

“I can’t have you blanking out on me first thing in the morning,” he said, voice ragged and husky. “Seriously, what’s your deal?” You felt the monster he called an overcoat rest atop of you, no longer scraping the surface. Only after a beat and a half did you dare to open your eyes a crack, curious of the way in which you might lose your life. When your eyes fluttered open, you went into shock.

Rashomon had itself wrapped around you, tightening around your torso as it was fashioned into the vague suggestion of another coat. You tried to blink it off, wondering if it was just your imagination. But the fabric laid against you like a blanket, and it was softer than you’d ever imagined the beast-like ability. You blinked at Akutagawa’s question, unsure of exactly how to answer.

“I–didn’t I mess everything up?” Your superior sighed at your response, easing back. Swaddling you in warmth, Rashomon finally settled in place on your shaking form.

“You really weren’t paying attention, were you?” he asked, frown deepening. You nodded slowly, tugging at the black fabric. “Jeez, what a piece of work,” he said. “Listen closely this time, okay? The guys over at headquarters ordered us to follow a group of decoys. Our real target was going the opposite way the entire time,” he explained, pausing to suppress a cough. “We were duped. And so was HQ.” The words took a moment to process in your mind. When they did, you nearly keeled over.

“Oh, thank god,” you breathed, having held your breath for much too long. You sighed your relief, your three words holding still in the air. Slackening, your body almost collapsed from how tensely you held yourself.

“Well, don’t sound so relieved about it,” he said, breaking the quietude. “Might I remind you of your performance today?” You clung to Rashomon even tighter, shame returning to mind. Having chosen the wrong time to celebrate, you knocked your feet together, straightening your posture once more.

“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” The two of you listened to the birds awaken from their slumber, chirping away as they celebrated the highly anticipated sunrise. As Akutagawa’s ability returned to you every last bit of heat that you lost, you thought to add one more thing. 

“Thank you, sir.”

“Our enemies were well prepared this time,” Akutagawa said, pretending not to hear the last part you threw in. “The information we were fed led to severe understaffing, so even if our fugitive was among that group, nothing that happened was your fault alone.” Akutagawa turned to you, nodding his approval. “But if I see you running out of breath like that again─”

You nodded fervently, embarrassed. For a moment you felt Rashomon flicker, as if it was uncomfortable with being used in this way. Its startle even came close to tickling you. Akutagawa bristled at this realization, restraining himself from returning Rashomon to its proper place. You thought you heard his voice waver as he said:

“Also, do me a favor and wear more next time.”

[teenwolffanclub-me]

Season 1, Episode 1: Wolf Moon (Part One)

Hey there beautiful reader! If you’re new here, this is a series I’m writing where each chapter is an episode from the first season of Teen Wolf. If you’ve been here before, hey! I missed you! Previous and future chapters are linked at the end of each part if you want to catch up.

Pairing: Stiles x Psychic! Reader (eventually)

Notes: Welcome to Episode One! Buckle in, this series really takes on a mind of it’s own...

I enjoy writing it so I hope you have just as much fun reading it! Let me know what you think! I love hearing from you lovely people. 

I rested my head against the cool glass to my right and let out a tired sigh. We’d been in the car for what felt like days. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to get comfortable against the door. It was a couple hours past sunset by the time the first sign of our new home came into view. It was made of wood and looked no less than a hundred years old. Four words were sprawled across it in big, white letters.

                     WELCOME TO BEACON HILLS

As soon as we passed it, moms fingers tightened against the steering wheel.

“Hey, no more incidents, okay honey? This town is our last option.”

I closed my eyes tightly and tried to ignore her condescending tone. I was well aware of my mistakes and the fact that this was our fourth move in the last year. I knew it was my fault. I didn’t need her to remind me.

The rest of the drive was silent. It wasn’t exactly tense, but it wasn’t pleasant either. This unspoken rift had formed between us not long ago, and it grew with each of my slip ups. With every new move. She was trying her best, that much was obvious, but there are only so many new places to go. I guess that’s why she said this is our last chance.

My last chance.

It was nearly midnight now, and I was no closer to sleep than I had been when I plopped myself down onto my new bed. Mom bought everything and had it delivered before we got here, like she always does. It was kind of our routine at this point.

Just then, I heard screaming from outside my bedroom window. It was like two people were taking turns scaring each other. One yelled out, then the other, until they eventually fell into silence. I sat up in bed and wandered over to my window. I peered toward my neighbors house, where the noise had come from, and saw two boys out on the porch.

One had a baseball bat that he was waving around animatedly, while the other was somehow hanging upside down from the roof. I opened my window as quietly as I could and let my elbows rest on the edge. A shiver ran down the back of my neck as the chilly night air brushed against it. I stuck my head outside to listen in on their conversation.

“Look, I know it’s late, but you gotta hear this.” The upside boy said excitedly. “I saw my dad leave twenty minutes ago. Dispatch called, they’re bringing in every officer from the Beacon department and even state police.”

The other boy lowered his bat. “For what?”

Despite being outside in the middle of the night, the two weren’t talking quietly. I could hear everything they were saying clearly as their voices echoed my way.

“Two joggers found a body in the woods.” Upside down boy gracefully fell into the bushes below.

My breath caught and my stomach tightened uncomfortably at his words. A body was found nearby? I thought Beacon Hills was a secluded, safe town. 

“A dead body?” As my eyes adjusted to the dark, I noticed that one of the boys had slightly shaggy hair and was wearing a red zip-up hoodie. He leaned over the wooden railing to look at his friend.

Upside down boy popped back up and slammed his hands on the railing. “No, a body of water. Yes, dumbass! A dead body.”

I couldn’t help but snicker at that. The guy was funny, although this didn’t seem like a joking matter. 

“You mean like...a murder?”

Upside down boy, who for some reason was wearing way too many layers to count, swung himself over the porch railing. Seriously, he had on a t-shirt, a flannel, and a thick jacket. It wasn’t that cold. “No one knows yet. Just that it was a girl, probably in her twenties.”

“Hold on. If they found a body, then what are they looking for?” They were facing each other now, the bat forgotten on the floor.

“That’s the best part! They only found half!” My brows pinched at the guy’s excitement. Why would either of them care about a dead body? Especially if it were as gruesome as that? 

I stepped back into my room and shut the window tightly, my stomach churning. I chewed on my bottom lip anxiously. That was weird. They were weird, and I wanted no part of it. I padded back toward my bed and crawled under the covers. I sighed as warmth enveloped me and tried to forget everything I’d overheard. I needed to get some sleep. The first day of school was tomorrow and I had to make a good first impression. It was only my first night in this town. I couldn’t be tangled up in anything weird.

I couldn’t make the same mistakes already.

                                                     ————————

I woke with a harsh gasp, my throat constricting in pain. I blinked rapidly, trying to force my eyes to adjust to the darkness around me. My palms were damp, and the tips of my fingers numb, as I pushed myself up into a sitting position. I stilled at the squishy feeling under my ass and brought my hand up toward my eyes slowly.

My breath caught again at the sight of dirt on my skin. My head whipped both left and right as I realized I was outside. Not only was I outside, but I was nowhere near my house. I was in the middle of a forest.

“No, no, no...” I muttered, staggering to my feet.

This cannot be happening again. Not already. I haven’t even been here for one freaking night. My teeth started chattering as the freezing air brushed against my bare skin. I was only wearing a pair of leggings and a short sleeved shirt. It was enough to keep me warm inside my bed, but not here. 

I took a few steps forward, but stopped as the sound of crunching earth echoed my way. Lights flashed, and a dog barked aggressively. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden noise and moved to hide behind a tree. I peered around and saw one of the boys from before—the one with buzzed hair and too many layers—fall to the ground with a shriek. His friend ran off somewhere to hide.

“Hang on! Hang on!” An angry voice shouted. “This little delinquent belongs to me.” 

A man who I quickly registered, due to his uniform, as the Sheriff stepped between the boy and a still barking dog. The few officers around him backed off at the wave of his hand. He turned on a flashlight and shined it in the boys face, who bounced back to his feet and wiped his hands on his loose-fitting jeans.

“Hey dad, how ya doin?”

So the Sheriff is his dad. Makes sense given the two boys earlier conversation. Maybe that will prevent all of us from getting into serious trouble if we’re caught. I chewed on my bottom lip nervously. How the hell would I explain why I was here?

“Oh hi, I’m the new girl by the way, and I just sleep-walked myself deep into this unfamiliar forest. No big deal though. It’s not like this has happened before.”

Yeah. I don’t think so.

“So...you, uh, listening to all of my phone calls?”

“No! Well, not the boring ones.”

“Where’s your usual partner in crime?”

“Who, Scott?” The boy tried to catch his breath while he thought of a believable lie. “Scott’s at home. Said he wanted to get a good nights sleep for the first day back at school tomorrow. It’s just me. In the woods. Alone.”

Not bad, actually. Except for that last part. I got the sense that he talked a lot when nervous, but figured he had more than enough practice lying to his father.

“Scott, you out there?” The Sheriff’s voice echoed through the dense trees. He moved his flashlight in my direction and I quickly pressed my back against the other side of the scratchy bark. I winced as it bit into my skin through my thin shirt. “Scott!”

My heart was threatening to burst out of my chest, it was beating so hard. I sealed my eyes shut as a moment of quiet passed.

“Well, young man, I’m going to walk you back to your car, and we’re going to have a discussion about something called invasion of privacy...”

Their voices slowly faded away. I stood painfully still for several seconds afterward to make sure they were gone. Just as I was about to move, I heard a twig snap to my left. My gaze fell on the other boy—Scott, apparently—who’s back was to me. He took off running before I could even fully register that he was there.

I blinked once, twice, three times. My body sagged against the tree in exhaustion. Whatever I had just witnessed was not good and I needed to get home before mom noticed I was gone. Or now, preferably. I groaned in pain as my head suddenly began to throb harshly.

“No, no. Not right now...”

My knees hit the wet ground and I clamped both hands over my temples. Images flashed behind my eyes as I squeezed them shut tightly. 

Scott running, glowing red eyes, a guttural scream of agony.

I let my eyes pop open with a gasp. Before I knew what was happening, I was sprinting in the direction he’d gone. I could hardly control my body as it took me to where my vision was about to happen. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Scott rolling down a hill. I grimaced as his body practically bounced with each hit to the ground and ran to the top so I could see better.

Once he stopped moving, I took a step to check on him, but stopped almost instantly. A pair of glowing red eyes illuminated in the depths of the forest, just a few feet away. My jaw went slack in shock and fear. Whatever the hell it was, it wasn’t good. It was almost like the air had shifted into something darker with its presence. I watched in stunned horror as a huge black mass ran by Scott. It was only visible long enough for me to see the thing dig it’s teeth into his side. He screamed in pain, just like I’d heard before, and I covered my ears.

It was all too real.

The monster ran off and Scott looked around, startled. He groaned and clutched his side tightly as he slowly managed to get to his feet. A moment later, he was gone. I wasted no time in following him, hoping he’d lead me to the edge of the forest. I stayed far back, not wanting him to know I was there. 

Within minutes I was standing in the middle of an empty road, Scott nowhere to be found. I was surprised I hadn’t gone into cardiac arrest already with how fast my heart was racing. I was exhausted and on edge after what I’d just seen. Whatever it was. 

I ran a shaky hand through my hair and started what I knew would be a long journey home. 

Episode 1, Part Two

[lovebishoplosamiguelgalindos]

How The Hell Do I Get Over You?

Ezekiel “ EZ “ Reyes and Luciana an original character. 18+ heartbreak, drama eventual reconcilation, pregnancy scare unburied feelings .

It had been a while since you had been in this area of Santo Padre. But here you were outside the scrap yard gate. You knew you could open it and go inside of you felt like it but yet something stopped you from making the move. Then you inhaled and thought oh why the hell not. You had as much right as anyone to walk into the club. You parked your car and then got out of it to push the gate open. There was a fresh coat of paint on the outside of the house. It looked fresher and clean. Your boots clicked as you walked up the steps slowly. So this was it.

You pushed the door open slowly and heard the familiar sounds of the guys talking and popping open beers and whatever . One slow inhale and then you approached the table where some of them were sitting.

Then conversation stopped as various eyes looked at yours .

After a moment the sound of wood scraping wood could be heard as one chair was pushed back from the table.

“ Oh fuck no.” He said as he stood up slowly .

“ You look good.” Those were the only words you said .

“ Well sweetheart I’d say the same if it didn’t hurt like shit to see you standing there in front of me .”

“ That’s fair can we talk ?”

“ Thought that was what the hell we were doing .”

“ Well then the boys will all know that I left because I thought I was pregnant . It turned out to be a false alarm and I was too scared to tell you because you were just patching into the club and I knew that would be occupying all of your energy and time.”

“ So it was better for me to just come home to the trailer and find no trace of you . Took me two months to get out of the tequila hole. Not sure my liver has forgiven me for that yet.”

“ I’m sorry Ezekiel, for everything. I guess I had to know if you would hate me when we saw each other again.”

“ All right knuckleheads let’s clear out and let these two talk or yell or throw things for a while .” Bishop said . He had liked you during the time you had been with EZ and treated you kind of like a daughter . He just nodded at you as the guys all went outside . Angel just gave you an eyeroll and then followed the rest of them outside . You knew you would have to make up with him as well if there was a renewal of your relationship with EZ . Angel may have had his faults but he was protective of his brother above all else, so hurt one of them and you hurt both together.

EZ sighed and walked over and locked the screen door to enter the clubhouse after a few minutes.

“ So you thought you were pregnant ? Guess it isn’t meant for me to have any kids.” He played with the label on an unopened bottle of beer that had been left behind by one of the guys.

Oh fuck you remembered . What Emily Galindo had done to him . But then she was Emily Thomas back then. And you had just kicked him right in the face with it.

Then you heard something hit the wall with a thunk.

EZ had kicked one of the barstools across the room and it hit the wall making a ding in the plaster.

“ I don’t know Luciana . I need a minute with all of this, where are you staying?”

“ On the casino property . I got a job as a dealer there , after I spent sometime in Vegas I got pretty good in the high limit area.”

“ I know where the staff quarters are.”

“ Good.”

“ Can you give me some space to think ?”

“ Sure I don’t expect you to deal with me being back in town in five minutes.”

She gave him her number and he gave her his.

“ Now go ahead and call the boys back in , talk to Angel.” Her hand touched his face gently. “ I like you unshaven EZ, it’s sexy.”

In spite of himself he smiled. “ Thank you.”

Then they walked over to the door and opened it and she went outside with a nod and wave to the guys and then got into her car.

“ I need to go and get some air and think.” EZ said to Bishop.

“ Go do what you need to do. Angel go with him .”

Angel nodded and the two brothers went outside to their bikes.

“ I’ll be okay Angel.”

“ I know you will Ezekiel but for now let’s go and ride. I know the place you like to think at and there is good pizza nearby too.”

EZ laughed a little. “ Always thinking with your stomach.”

Angel rolled his eyes . “ I love you too.”

After a while the Reyes brothers stopped at the hill overlooking Santo Padre. The only thing out here besides where Galindo lived were a few restaurants and a little bodega store thing. EZ pulled off his helmet and exhaled.

“ Fuck.” He said softly.

Angel looked at his brother and was quiet .

“ Why in the hell did she come back now, I was doing okay. Not over it but at least it didn’t hurt as much . I thought my shit about her was beginning to be behind me .”

He got off of his bike and found some loose rocks on the ground and started to just throw them at whatever. Then he heard a little whining sound and stopped.

A young looking Pitbull mix came out from behind some brush and seemed afraid and hungry looking.

“ Come here pup.” EZ’s voice softened.

The dog walked over to him with her head down.

“ It’s okay girl you’re safe.” He knelt down and picked the chocolate brown colored dog up and she timidly licked his chin.

Angel laughed. “ Look you’re getting kissed .”

“ She’s a little Gitana ( gypsy)

The dog barked with a happy sound.

“ I think she likes her name, but now we need to get her some stuff like food and a bed.”

Angel said “ Should be somewhere to do that.”

The dog nuzzled herself into EZ’s kutte and didn’t move.

“ I think Gypsy is your girl little brother.”

A few hours later at EZ’s trailer: EZ got Gyosy settled in and comfortable after some puppy food and put a soft blanket in her crate with some toys for her. Then he went to get a shower and yawned a little. Some day it had been. He knew he wasn’t ready to fall asleep yet so he sprawled out on his bed after a shower with some sweatpants on and thought about a beer to unwind. Instead he found something on Netflix and started to watch it on his laptop.

Then he heard a knock on the trailer door and Gypsy let out a soft low bark. He got up and wondered who it was.

Then he opened the door.

“ Hey Pres.”

“ Just wanted to see if you were doing okay kid.”

Gypsy wandered over to the side of her crate and sniffed his hand.

Bishops face softened. “ Didn’t know you had a pup.”

“ I found her today on the hill above town with Angel, she’s been through some shit and I couldn’t leave her there. I’m calling her Gypsy.”

“ Nice I think she’ll be good for you and for the boys. Tranq might want to take her home though.”

“ Now that’s funny.” EZ laughed a little.

“ Just be warned , he’s going to spoil her .”

“ Good to know.”

“ Anyway you’ve had a hell of a day so I’ll let you relax. If you need any time let me know.”

“ Thanks, right now I need to be busy . Keeps me out of my head.”

“ Offer is open if you change your mind.” Then Bishop walked out of the trailer.

Gyosy settled and her eyes closed while EZ headed off to try and get some sleep himself . He crawled under the blanket on his bed and drifted off not too long after he shut down Netflix and his laptop.

[cottage-babe]

Burning Scars part V

Previous | Chapter 5 | Next

Masterlist

I really be having the weirdest atla prompts in my head, like i have a spirit world one that i keep thinking abt but i feel like i wont be able to squish it into one post. who knows, maybe ill make a 10,000 word one shot :)

Also, abt that last question I asked abt how you see her wolf... I lied, it’s gonna be important in the NEXT chapter; I never realize how much I write for each event.  

Summary: Y/n, a werewolf from a hidden village, comes across Zuko and Iroh after being exiled. How has fate intertwined the wolf into the avatar’s destiny?

*****This chapter takes place on Season 2 Episode 11*****

___

It had taken a whole day and some more to reach the dry, barren desert that Mushi had wanted to go to. 

Damn, it’s Iroh now, not Mushi. 

Calling the pair by different names took Y/n a little time to get used to. Sometimes she was left stuttering as her mind switched between names, but she knew that she would get used to it soon. 

Zuko had gone back to his old self; he didn’t talk as much and hardly answered anything she asked him. It seemed as if his talkative side just completely retracted back into him as soon as they set out of their previous campsite. 

Y/n had kind of expected the teenage boy to be nicer to her after she shared all of her secrets, but she supposed that that was asking for too much. Him allowing her to tag along was enough to show his welcome. 

Iroh, on the other hand, spoke to her a lot more. He would ask her questions about her traditions and culture, but whenever they became too personal, he would reassure her that he didn’t need to know it. It made her relaxed to know that she wasn’t obligated to share everything, only the bits that she was comfortable with. 

She wanted to ask them many questions as well, but the timing didn’t seem right. Also, she wasn’t sure how sensitive the information was. Why was a Prince out here instead of a castle or something?

They had traveled for the entire day before making camp for the night. The trees around them grew scarce as the area flowed from sandy-dirt to a completely soft and loose desert. 

The next morning, they packed up all of their things once again and set out towards the small town that Iroh called “The Misty Palms Oasis.” The boys had put on hats to block the sunlight, but unfortunately for her, Y/n didn’t have that luxury. While the heat bore down onto her, she leaned her head on Zuko’s back as she complained about the sun. She was definitely grateful that they were heading somewhere with Misty in the name, it sounded so refreshing. 

Finally, after what felt like a year, the three of them made it to the Oasis and, let her just say, it was extremely disappointing. The only thing that seemed the slightest bit refreshing was the melted block of ice that dripped away in the center of the Oasis. A dog lapped at the cold water that was produced from it. 

Spirits, I wish that were me. 

The trio tied their Ostrich-Horses to a stable and followed the Uncle to an old building. All the while, Zuko was complaining quietly about how all of this was a waste of time. 

“There can’t be anyone that can actually help us, Uncle.” Zuko whispered. “Not anymore.”

“Quiet, Nephew. You’d be surprised on how much an old friend will be willing to help you.”

The girl only tuned in slightly to their conversation, as she still felt like she was going to melt straight into the ground. Soon, however, she felt tingles go up her spine; someone was watching them. Y/n looked around, but no one met her eyes.

They’re probably just staring at my scars, I should’ve covered them up when I had the chance.

Throughout the day’s travels, her mind barely wandered to the bite on her thigh. She didn’t feel the need to hide it from her new travel buddies, but she didn’t even think about how it would look to the people who had never seen her. Maybe when they finished meeting Iroh’s friend, she could ask Zuko for some new wraps. 

They walked into the pueblo and past the wooden door; Zuko holding it open for Y/n to pass through. Iroh walked up to a counter with a man behind it to order something while the two teens found a table to sit at. They waited for the old man to return and sat in silence, all while Zuko glared at each individual person in the tavern. 

“Are you okay, Zuko?” Y/n asked while she tilted her head to meet his eyes.

His gaze jumped to her as a light red formed on his cheeks. It must’ve been the first time she’d used his real name. 

“Yeah,” the boy spoke, “I just don’t like it here.”

Just then, Iroh returned with cups and a teapot. He filled each with the flavored drink before settling on the seat beside Y/n. Zuko looked at his uncle from his seat across the table with his nostrils flared. 

“No one here is going to help us, these people just look like filthy wanderers.” 

Y/n choked on her tea while Iroh’s smile stayed on his face. 

“Well, so do we,” the uncle responded. 

Did Zuko think of me that way?

Hearing that Zuko was a prince gave many explanations to why he acted the way he did in times like these. She decided that it wasn’t entirely his fault; it was the way he had grown up. The only thing that the girl could wish for is for something to humble him down... just a notch. 

Iroh hummed as he looked directly behind Zuko. 

“Ahhh, this is interesting,” the old man pointed to a table far in the back, “I think I found our friend.”

“Did you bring us here to gamble on Pai Sho?” The boy said with annoyance laced through his voice as he turned around slightly.

Y/n gasped in her seat. “A game? Can I play?”

Iroh laughed in response to both teens and rose from his chair, “Maybe next time, Y/n.”

The two boys followed him to a table with a short, slim man sitting closest to the wall. He had a bald head and a mustache whisking around his mouth like a dragon. Y/n could see how Iroh was friends with him; he had the same wise look that the Uncle carried with him no matter the situation. She almost envied the amount of knowledge the two looked like they treasured. 

The werewolf looked down at the table to see an almost checkered pattern splayed out on the round edges. Every point and line met up directly in the middle. The board was beautiful. Iroh walked up to the table and stood in front of the chair opposite of the man. 

“May I have this game?” He asked.

The bald man stuck out one arm and gestured at the board. “The guest has the first move.”

Iroh sat in the wooden chair and fumbled around with the tokens on his right. Zuko moved the side of the table silently and pulled Y/n to stand next to him. She wanted to look at him questioningly, but her eyes remained on the game before them as Iroh picked out his first piece and placed it in the center. 

“I see you favor the white lotus gambit,” the friend stated. “Not many still cling to the ancient ways.”

The man held out both his hands with the palms facing upward. His head bowed as Iroh mimicked the gesture. 

“Those who do can always find a friend.” 

They maintained eye contact before the bald man spoke one final time.

“Then let us play.” 

The two old men took turns placing the tiles around the board for a long time. Despite watching them play the game, Y/n still didn’t understand the rules. 

“Zuko... how do you win?” She ripped her eyes away from the memorizing pattern that the men had fallen into. The girl noticed that Zuko’s hand was still wrapped around her arm from when he had pulled her before. 

The teen looked at the girl and blinked a couple times, seemingly dazed from the game as well. He gently removed his grip on her bicep. 

“I don’t really know,” he began. “Uncle always invited me to play, but I never wanted to.”

Their focus returned to the game as they heard the clicking of tokens stop. On the board, a beautiful picture was created; the outline of a flower. 

Maybe you have to make a picture to finish? That’s a silly game...

“Welcome, brother,” the old friend spoke. “The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets.”

There was a slight pause as Zuko looked between the two players. “What are you old gasbags talking about?” 

Y/n’s eyes widened in surprise of his words. She quickly stuck out an elbow and jabbed him in the stomach; the boy groaning out in pain with an arm clutching his gut. This boy definitely needed to be humbled. 

“I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game,” Iroh smiled. 

Suddenly, yelling could be heard over the chatter of the tavern. Y/n looked over and noticed that two tall men were arguing. After their brief conversation, the men strode over to their gaming table. One was old and stoic; he walked with a cane, but something about his composure told the wolf that he didn’t really need it. The other man had long, dark hair and a strong build. He had his fists clenched and a snarl etched onto his lips as he glared at Y/n, Zuko, and Iroh. 

“It’s over!” The long-haired one yelled. “You three fugitives are coming with me!”

Hold on, three?!

Before the wolf could even think another thought, the old ‘friend’ of Iroh jumped in front of the hunters and pointed at them threateningly.

“I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!”

Zuko quickly returned his hand to Y/n’s arm and pulled her behind him, blocking the girl from the bounty hunter’s view. The girl probably would see this as sweet later on, but right now, she wanted to be ready to wolf out and Zuko’s protectiveness was stopping her. The boy looked over at his uncle in a panic.

“I thought you said he would help!” Zuko glared.

Iroh placed a hand on both teens shoulder to calm and reassure them. “He is. Just watch.”

How could this help the trio right now? If any of the men took even a step toward them, Y/n was ready to protect them by any means necessary. Of course, the thought of needing to keep her wolf concealed crossed her mind, but this was an emergency, right? Maybe her subconscious could excuse her this one time.

Then, the friend turned toward the two bounty hunters and held his head high. 

“You think you’re going to capture them and collect all that gold?” He exclaimed loudly. 

The intensity of his voice drew the attention of almost everyone in the bar. Men began to rise from their seat and pulling out swords, knives, almost anything that could be used as a weapon. There were about twenty or more men and they all whispered the same phrase: “Gold?”

The two hunters that approached the trio originally grinned and stepped forward, not aware of the crowd that was escalating quickly. Before they could get any closer however, two random men jumped between them, ready to attack. The long-haired man quickly took care of them, but soon even more men charged at him from every direction. 

Y/n almost wanted to stay and watch the tavern fight, but Zuko pulled at her arm to tug her toward the exit. They were following Iroh and his friend closely, but suddenly the girl heaved herself out of the boy’s grip. Y/n quickly grabbed a random bottle off a table and chucked it toward a fugitive that was about to join the big fight. The bottle smashed against the back of his head and the poor man dropped to the ground, completely knocked out. The girl grinned and turned back to Zuko.

The teen was so shocked at her actions that he was frozen in his place. Iroh had already escaped the tavern, most likely assuming that the children were following him. Y/n grabbed Zuko’s wrist, just as he had done before, and dragged him out of building. 

“C’mon Zuko, we gotta go!” She said while running in a full sprint. 

The boy shook himself out of his head and sped up to reach her speed. 

“You are so weird, Y/n.” 

The smile on her face spread to Zuko’s and he couldn’t stop looking at her. Fortunately for him, Y/n was too busy looking for the uncle to notice his stare. 

She noticed that the sun was gone already; the night sky darkening all of the Oasis with nothing but the moon to shine its dim light. Soon though, she spotted the familiar figure of Iroh standing beside a far building, looking for the kids. They ran up to him and his friend.

“Sorry, we got caught up with something,” Y/n explained as her and Zuko caught their breaths.

“Yes, I can see that.” The Uncle smiled and raised his eyebrows toward something between the two teens.

They both followed his gaze until it landed on their connected hand and wrist. Y/n quickly let go of the boy’s arm before hugging herself tightly. A light blush dusted both of their cheeks and they hoped that the other couldn’t see it in the darkness. 

“What’s happening now?” Zuko asked to get past the cloud of tension. 

“We’re going to follow Fung and see if he can do more to help us.”

The bald man from the Pai Sho table came out from behind Iroh and led the way through the small sand town. Zuko almost protested, but the looks from Y/n and his uncle made him shut his mouth begrudgingly. They weaved through the shadows of the buildings and hid from the eyes of random travelers. It was very exciting for Y/n; she would’ve taken the lead if she knew exactly where they were headed. They were doing what she always had done in her pack; hiding in darkness of the earth waiting to strike. Well, not that last part, but the rest of it was enough for her to wish she was in her wolf skin. 

Soon enough, they ended their journey at the edge of town. When they entered the building, the aroma of fresh plants filled Y/n’s nostrils and she was greeted with the sight of potted greenery lining the walls and tables. It was a nice change of scenery compared to the dry sand that had filled her vision for the last day. 

Fung, as Iroh had called him before, shut the door behind the trio before turning to look at them. 

“It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets.” The man spoke with a slight bow. 

He continued down the hall of plants to a door on the opposite side of the room. They all, of course, followed. 

Zuko, being the boy that he is, crossed his arms with annoyance. “Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is someone in this club going to offer some real help‌?”

At this point, there was nothing Y/n could do to stop the stupidity that spewed from the boy’s mouth. Instead, she placed her palm on her forehead and waited for the two adult men to talk. 

“You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts,” Iroh said with a sigh. “The girl, on the other hand, might become a very promising member in the future.”

The uncle winked at Y/n before turning his attention to the door they stood in front of. She tried not to think of his comment too much, but it still reeled in her mind. The future? Does he really want her to stay with them for that long?

Fung knocked on the door twice and a little slot near the top opened. A man’s eyes peeked through.

“Who knocks at the guarded gate?” The man behind the door asked. 

Iroh took a step toward the voice. “One who has eaten the fruit and tasted it’s mysteries.”

Iroh smiles as the door opens to let him and the Pai Sho man through. Zuko and Y/n attempt to follow the two men in, but the door is slammed in their faces before their feet could even be near the doorway. The teen beside Y/n pouts excessively before the little slot opens once again; his Uncle’s eyes replacing the ones that were there previously. 

“I'm afraid it's members only. Wait out here.” Iroh explained as he shut the small window with a snap.

Y/n could feel the annoyance radiating off her travel buddy as he stomped over to a table near the doorway and crossed his arms; the pout still ever so present on his mouth. 

The girl went to stand next to him and waited silently for him to say something. When nothing was heard, she sighed and took a seat, patting the empty space next to her. Reluctantly, the boy followed her lead.

“This is so stupid!” Zuko exclaimed, saying the exact thing that Y/n expected him to say. “We should be allowed inside; it can’t possibly be that private or even helpful! It’s a waste of time coming here.”

Y/n just nodded her head along to his words, not wanting to fuel his fire. She figured that he would be angry if they stayed on the topic, so she tried to change it. The girl looked at the scars on her thigh and traced the bumps. 

“Do you have extra bandages? I feel like people are constantly staring at my bite,” She said.

Zuko looked at her slow moving fingers before nodding his head.

“We left everything with the ostrich-horses, but I think I might be carrying the wraps.” He reached into his pocket and rustled around a bit before pulling out the white cloth. “I forgot to put it away after that night before the Rough Rhinos.”

Zuko held out his hand toward her leg as an offer to wrap it for her. She gently moved herself until she was closer to the boy; her leg touching his knee so he could easily reach her. 

As he began to wrap her thigh, the girl continued the conversation. “Those huge animals... Rough Rhinos, you called them? Are they from that place you talked about before? A... Fire Place?”

The corner of Zuko’s mouth twitch. “The Fire Nation.” He corrected. “And yeah, they are. We brought them here on the ships since they were so easy to ride.”

That’s why I hadn’t seen them before!

“Did they not teach you about the four nations?” Zuko asked before she could say something again.

“No. They didn’t.” Y/n shook her head.

“Well, the whole world is split up into four nations; fire, water, earth, and air. They represent each element and in each one, there’s a certain amount of people who can bend it; sorta like how my uncle and I can bend fire. There’s supposed to be a balance, though, so not everyone can do it,” He stated with a shrug. “Well, that’s what my uncle says, at least.” 

This was a lot to take in. There was so much that her pack never talked about, never once mentioned, and here was Zuko, explaining it so nonchalantly. Of course she knew that the humans lived differently than the werewolves, but this drastically? So much so that they can control the elements?

“Wait, so if everyone is part of a nation, does that mean I am too? Do you think I can bend?” The girl asked. She hoped that he would say yes; the thought of being able to control water or shoot fire out of her hands like Zuko excited her.

Unfortunately, the teen paused to look at her sheepishly. “I honestly don’t think you can. I think you show signs of it as a kid, but you can always ask Uncle. I’d probably guess that you were part of the Earth Kingdom, considering where we first met.”

Y/n pouted slightly; what did she expect? It probably does’t apply to animals like her. But still, the title of the Earth Kingdom raised her spirits slightly. Maybe she could find a place in the world outside of her pack.

“Do you mind if I ask you something personal?” She asked.

Zuko, after returning to the wraps, froze in his seated position. He looked so worried; she almost wanted to take back her question all together. There was no way that he’d let her budge into his personal life.

Surprisingly, though, the boy slowly nodded his head.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Y/n paused to put her question together. She didn’t want to be too harsh, but if she was too nice then he might avoid it completely. She had to word this perfectly. 

“So before, you mentioned that you were a Prince from the Fire Nation.” She began, “But if you’re royalty, then why are you out here?”

Silence.

The girl assumed that she had stepped way to far and truly believed it; who was she to question him about his past? After he had taken her in so generously?

“Here, I’m finished.”

Zuko tucked in the final strap of her bandage and let go of her leg. She moved it away from his knee, but didn’t scoot away. She was about to apologize, but he spoke up once more. 

“I was banished, just like you were.” The hands were clenched into tight fists and he looked down into his lap. “The scar on my eye... my dad gave it to me because I disrespected him by speaking out of line. And he gave me a task to do that would let me go back, but I’m not sure if I can do it... I don’t think I’m strong enough.”

Y/n was trying to meet the boy’s eyes, but he wouldn’t look at her. It wasn’t until she saw a single drop of water drip down to his lap that she reached out to pull his face in her direction. 

The face she saw was not the same hardheaded boy she had been traveling with for the last couple of days. This one was soft and vulnerable; just a teenage boy who has dealt with too much too early in his life. The whites of his eyes were red, but the other amber shade still peeked out of the light color. How had she never noticed how pretty his eyes were?

“I don’t think you’re weak, Zuko.” She stated firmly. “You’re one of the strongest people that I know; and there were some fantastic warriors in my pack. I know that we barely know each other, but from what I’ve seen, there’s not much you can’t do. If you really want to go back, then I know you can do whatever your dad wanted you to.” 

Y/n really hoped that she was telling him the right thing. If she had been given the opportunity that he was given, she would’ve tried her hardest to complete the task. Her pack was her home and she missed her family; even the ones that betrayed her. She wasn’t given the chance to talk to them before they kicked her out and she knew that she never would be able to again. Perhaps all she sought was closure, but this world that she was forced to explore was terrifying. She could only assume that Zuko felt the same. 

The girl hadn’t realized it, but the entire time the two teens were staring at each other directly in the eyes while silence enveloped them. Her hand still cupped the boy’s cheek and he had yet to shy away from her.

Were we always sitting this close?

She could feel Zuko lean closer to her; just the slightest movement, but it felt like he had come so much closer. Y/n’s mind was racing. Should I lean t-

The moment was ruined as the door they were sitting near creaked open. The teens jumped apart, the girl’s hand dropping down to her lap and blush blazing on both their cheeks. She almost wanted to scoot away from Zuko, but decided that it would give him the wrong impression.

What, are you saying that you want to kiss him now?

She wasn’t entirely sure of what she felt yet. Y/n hadn’t really thought about him in this way before, so it was kind of alarming for her. With one glance to the boy next to her, it seemed like he was in the same predicament as her. 

She looked up at the door that broke their “moment” and saw a youngish man closing it gently. He had come from inside the room that Iroh entered before, so Y/n assumed that he was part of the Club. The man completely ignored the two and their tension and left the flower shop quickly. Maybe he hadn’t seen what was happening?

For the rest of the night, the two had sat in silence as they sat in the most awkward bubble. Zuko had muttered a thanks for her honest words of comfort from before and turned away, claiming that he was tried and needed to sleep. She knew that he was lying, as he constantly twisted to find a comfortable position before forcing his eyes closed while facing forward. Y/n stayed up for a couple more hours, thinking about the days events and waiting for Iroh to return to them. 

The wait, however, consumed her too as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep with her chin resting on her chest.

___

Yeeshhhh... also im sleepy, so i didn’t reread it :( sorry

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Masterlist

Taglist: @bucky-blogs @hopefuloperaangelnerd @simplyfandomish @oddlypointlessescapes @lozzybowe @woohoney @whalerus @cece-lives-here (bolded couldn’t be tagged!!!)

[xantchaslegacy]

Even the Swine

The dragon reminded Domri of the boar-god.

It was a stupid comparison, obviously. They looked nothing like each other, and Domri knew for a fact that Ilharg was somewhere else in the city, finally let loose to smash the Azorius and the Orzhov and all the bastards who spat on him and his.

But the power the dragon had about him. The same power Domri had felt the night Ilharg entered his dreams, speaking a language Domri didn’t know, but that he understood perfectly. The language that made sense of slaughter. The language that let Domri bring all the lost beasts of Ravnica to his side and finally set the Gruul clans on the right path.

Power. The other guilds wielded false power gained through lies and tricks. The pathetic guildless had no power, and would never amount to anything. Even among the Gruul, there was too much fear to wield power. Only power could smash this rotten place. Only real power.

So why not follow real power?

Domri splashed through a puddle that was probably more blood than water. At his back the most loyal of the clans stomped along with him. A small group, but some of the best and strongest of the Gruul. Strong enough to see that Domri would lead them to a better life.

Even so, many of them couldn’t keep their eyes off the fools running around them, fleeing from the eternals instead of joining them. Idiots who couldn’t see that the blue men were here to remove the boot of guild oppression.

“We should help ‘em,” Revka grunted at Domri’s side. The big-shouldered berserker was looking toward the storefronts, at a bunch of eternals trying to get at a clutch of guildless workers. Two Golgari trolls and a spike-clad bloodwitch were fending them off with improvised weapons.

“Why?” Domri turned away. “They want to protect the weak, then they can die with the weak.”

“They’re fellow chaos-guilders,” Revka said. Domri could hear the frown on her face.

“Eh. Let the Raze take ‘em. We’ve got bigger rats to fry.”

“Should we bash them?” Another companion, a big-bellied ogre called Chokki, pointed a thumb over his shoulder. A bunch of gateless folk were huddled in a half-collapsed archway off the square, trying not to catch the attention of the metal skeletons that were wandering every inch of the district.

“If we’re not gonna help them, that is.”

Domri scowled. They shouldn’t even have been there, weak things. Idiots who licked the boots of merchants and the guilds of order, no doubt. They should have joined the clans when they had the chance. They should have joined the power that would have helped them.

He sneered. “Leave ‘em. This is happening for their good too. Either they’ll get to live in the dragon’s new world or they’ll die, either way it’s better than living in this stinking city as it is.”

“New world.” Thom, a long-legged viashino, looked around the street. Fires reflected in his wide eyes. “What kinda world do you suppose he wants?”

Domri scratched his chin. “It’ll be a world for the powerful. The right kind of powerful, this time.”

“Sure, Dom.” Chokki frowned at the eternals, still grappling with the Golgari. “Are we the right kind of powerful?” That got the others muttering. A few even stopped, and it looked like they might be itching to help with the fight.

On the wrong side.

Domri stomped. “That’s the world of laws back there. Laws that protect the weak and spit on us. It’s got nothing to offer any of you.” He thrust his axe toward the plaza. “That’s where the new power is. That’s what the Gruul have got to adopt to survive.”

The others exchanged looks. Most shrugged and followed Domri, but a few cowards slunk off to help fight the eternals.

Domri spat after them, and stomped away. Too frightened to follow power to freedom? Fine. He knew there were weaklings like that in the clans. He’d lived with them all his life.

Old Borborygmos had seemed powerful, once. He was big. Strong. But he lacked the power of will. The power to use power to do what had to be done in the world.

He’d seemed powerful when Domri first challenged him. When the fire of the Raze-boar filled Domri’s heart and the wild beasts of Ravnica had flocked to him, throwing the suppressed rage of every member of the clans at the cyclops’ dragging feet. Borborygmos had knocked aside the first few easily. Easily enough that Domri had felt the old fear of his own smallness again. Easily enough that Domri had almost begun to doubt.

But then the first boar had made it past Borborygmos’ axe and struck his heel. Then the great coward had stumbled, and all the clans saw it. They saw him fall to one knee, then to another, and numbers overcame him. Tusks tore new scars into his legs. Heavy bodies rammed him. He beat at them still, killing a few, but unable to overcome the mighty rhythm of the wild. He’d dragged himself away like a dog, and even the swine had jeered his weakness.

...

The sky was clear by the time they reached the plaza, though the streets were anything but. Ravnicans, Eternals, and people in strange clothes who could only have been other planeswalkers were fighting, running, hiding. Some of Domri’s boars had found their way to the plaza, and charged through the screaming crowds, bowling aside outsiders and city natives in their rage. There were enough idiots fighting the eternals to keep them busy, but still the odd skeleton had made a run at Domri’s group, and gotten carved up for their trouble.

They were almost dangerous, as distracted as Domri and his companions were by the titans that loomed over the Plaza.

Every child knew that there had been ten stone titans long ago, that those pompous Boros had called on when they wanted to stamp down on anyone who dared want to be free. These new creatures might have been them, if they hadn’t looked so much like the eternals. If they didn’t also stomp wojeks and ledevs alongside the guildless beneath their metal-sandaled feet.

“Do you feel that?” Domri whispered. “The power of gods. They feel the same as Ilharg.”

The others looked at him like he was out of his head. The words did sound wild, it was true. But he felt in them the same raw power as he felt in the Raze-boar. The same power to topple the world.

The power the dragon radiated by the ton.

“Dragon!” He shouted, channeling the violence of the wilds into his voice. “I’m Domri Rade! Champion and leader of the Gruul clans!” He waved at his companions. “We’re here to help you bring this place to the ground!”

The dragon didn’t even flinch. He was looking somewhere else in the chaos of the plaza.

Chokki coughed. “I don’t think he hears ya, Dom’”

Domri swore. “Yeah, I can see that!” He looked around the plaza. The Dragon’s new gods were killing people by the handful. The eternals were killing people by the handful. If the dragon couldn’t hear him, then he’d show his allegiance by example. “Krokt, just start killing the strange-looking ones. It’s their own damn fault for coming here anyways.”

The others hesitated. Domri snarled and charged a tall human with red face paint who hovered off the ground like a ghost. Another planeswalker, sure, but he defied the dragon-

Domri swung his axe. The strange man folded around it and lay still on the ground.

-and the dragon was the only power now.

Something collided with his axe on the back-swing. An older guildless man. He fell to the ground, at the feet of other ragged-clothed guildless. Family? Friends?

Domri didn’t have a lot of time to consider the group before they all pressed toward him, as if they didn’t care how dangerous he was. A line of eternals followed right behind them, weapons drawn. Behind Domri it was the same. His clan-mates pressed together, suddenly surrounded by a wall of blue and shiny bronze.

“P-please!” The guildless man scrambled up, clutching at Domri. “You have to protect us. You have to get us out of here.”

“Get off!” Domri shoved the man away, and he stumbled at the feet of the eternals. Two of his fellow guildless rushed after him, grabbing at his cloak to pull him away from the eternals. They got him halfway to his feet before eternal blades stuck them in a dozen places. The last one, a boy a little younger than Domri, tried to flee on his hands and knees, but a blue foot stomped down on his back, cracking his spine.

“Shoulda stayed in your home,” Domri muttered at the corpses. His heart was hammering. The other’s boy’s limp hand was inches from Domri’s own foot. “Shoulda just stood aside and let us bring the old ways back.”

Rade. I see you had brains enough to challenge Borborygmos at the right time.

The voice of power boomed like a battle-cry in Domri’s skull. The magical fires around the dragon’s feet flared up. Domri’s heart rose up. He’d been right. Power was on the side of nature. On the side of the Gruul.

I hope you’re grateful. I lost my best contact in the Simic procuring a contagion to make the cyclops weak enough to best without him realizing.

Domri blinked. Simic? What did they have to do with anything?

What brings you here? What can you offer me, little walker?

“I-I’ve brought you the clans!” Domri thumped his chest. “We’re all ready. Ready to tear down the stones and make Ravnica a paradise for the strong.”

The laugh that filled Domri’s head was unexpected. Unexpected and chilling.

An amusing fantasy, but I have all the dumb muscle I need. Your spark is worth much more to me now than you are.

A spear plunged through Chokki’s chest. The tips poked out of his back like tiny golden zits popping with blood. The ogre fell to his knees, grabbing uselessly at the wound.

Actually, I suppose it always was.

Domri barely had the time to get his weapon up to block a gob of acid-magic flung at his face. Revka’s scream cut short as an eternal’s tail ripped a hole in her throat. Thom managed to block a sword-strike, only to have the wind and the life bashed out of him by another eternal’s savage headbutt.

Two eternals came at Domri from the left and the right. One he smashed through with his axe. The other actually threw down its sword and reached out for him with its bare hands. It was almost fast enough to grab him, except that Chokki’s body came down on it, smashing it to the stone.

Domri swung his axe again in a wide arc, smashing apart two eternals whose weapons were still in his friends. He realized he was shouting. With a jolt and a bit of shame, he realized there were tears in his eyes.

“Bloody shits! We were here to help!” He scooped up a chunk of rubble and hurled it at another eternal. The bull-thing caught the stone in the head and stumbled a step, which was all Domri needed to get his axe up in the air and crack the thing’s chest apart. “We just meant to-”

He paused. The other eternals had stepped back. A single skeleton, all in fancy garb, was walking at him, holding a staff of gold out in front of them.

Domri spread his arms. “L-look. I’m strong enough, right? I’m strong enough to fight.” He backed away a step, nearly tripping over Chokki’s arm. “I’m not like them. I can-”

The skeleton lashed out with its staff, knocking Domri’s axe out of his hands. Domri looked dumbfounded at where the weapon had fallen. A second later cold metal fingers clamped down on his jaw and jerked his face back around to face the skeleton.

Domri cried in surprise. A quick but pathetic sound that he was, for the briefest second, glad his comrades weren’t alive to hear.

“Let me go, you-”

The hands were cold

The hands were cold, and the cold seeped into Domri’s throat. His chest. His stomach.

“S-stop!” He grabbed the eternal’s arm to yank it off. These things were flimsy, right? He’d watched Revka rip half a dozen limbs out today, and he beat her at arm-wrestling all the time.

The cold flooded his fingers. His palms. His arms. They went numb.

Domri tried to shout. Someone would hear. Someone had to hear and come help him. The eternal squeezed, and only a gasp came out.

Walk. He had to planeswalk away. He could escape, and find more of his friends.

Domri’s knees gave out. He dipped down an inch, but the eternal held him upright.

He could fix this. He could make this right. Hadn’t he done right?

Pain was building in Domri’s chest. A crushing pain. A boot pressing the breath out of his lungs and into the eternal. His body sagged further, and his head lolled to the side. He saw the street. Bodies. His clan and the ones in tattered cloaks and hoods. Boars rooted around the corpses, snuffling and chewing.

Domri reached out to the rubble. To the dirt. The mana wouldn’t come to him. He tried to think of Ilharg, but in his mind the boar-god twisted into a shadow with horns and wings who just laughed.

Then the dragon was gone, and his head was full of light. Light that sang and hushed and went dark, dark, darker, darker, darker and quiet.

It was alright. It was alright. Just another burying, wasn’t it? Just another trial He would be fine. He would see the jungle again. He would see what he could turn Ravnica into. A good place. A green place. He just had to

    “Even the Swine” is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan  Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the  materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the  Coast LLC.

[timeforelfnonsense]

The Lusty Eladrin Maid

Rating: E (no smut yet but there will be in the update) || Ao3 ||  Sunshine & Starlight: My on going bg3 series || Author's tucked away at the end

It was a simple enough task to find Dafni in the little forest glade. He’d followed the trail of flowers left behind by her bare feet in the grass. The iridescent fabric of her skirt fluttered around her thighs as she twirled. Her nimble fingertips plucked berries, as red and ripe as her parted lips. She filled the woven basket hanging from the crook of her bent arm, singing softly to herself. A few rosy ringlets peak out of the front of her kerchief, framing her bespeckled cheeks. A smile tugged at Astarion’s lips, she looked like a storybook character come to life right off the page.

Silently, he crept further into the meadow watching her sway to her slivery, birdsong melody. Closer and closer until Dafni unknowingly spun herself into his embrace. Astarion pulled her into his chest, a baby pink flush spreading across the bridge of her freckled nose. Dafni glanced up at him, doe-eyed through her long, fluttering lashes. Daffodil cups unfurled themselves throughout the sea of curls flowing from her lacy kerchief. Their vibrant colors painting a sunset of yellow, cream, and peachy-pink in her tresses.

“It seems I’ve caught myself a faerie! ” Astarion murmured against her ear, toying with a stray tendril, twisting the curl around his index finger.

Dafni let out a chime of silver laughter before responding in an airy voice, “And what do you mean to do with me, good sir?”

“I mean to take you into my arms.” He said with a low chuckle, turning her so her chest was pressed to his own, “To kiss you and hold you.” He tilted her face upwards, finding her berry-stained lips with his own. Pulling away for a single torturous moment, he spoke once more, “I mean to make you mine.” 

He could taste the sweet tang of raspberry juice and honey on her tongue as he coaxed her deeper into the kiss. A contented sigh slipped from Dafni’s lungs. She nestled herself closer to his body, her full breasts pressed against his chest. He brought a hand to the base of her skull, gently cradling her head in his palm. He felt her lips curl into a smile under his kiss. 

He’d found himself rather enchanted by this little game of flirtatious make-believe. He’d perused the dog eared pages of her books out of equal parts boredom and curiosity. She’d only had the single faded pink leather volume in her bag when she’d been snatched, but over a few days, she’d been able to track down a trove of smutty literature. Through his investigation of the many, many volumes of romance and debauchery, Astarion had gathered some insight into the romantic workings of her mind. 

She dreamt of being swept off her feet. She wanted illicit midnight rendezvous. She longed for stolen kisses and tender words whispered between waltzes. To sneak away from a ballroom to some hidden alcove. He could picture it perfectly, her frilly skirts thrown over her back. His hand climbing its way up her stocking clad caves as she was bent over the nearest piece of furniture and tupped to oblivion.

What was the harm in indulging her whimsy for a little while? It would be easy enough to play the dashing rapscallion to her wayward debutante. 

 “I’ll happily surrender myself to you if you promise to kiss me like that again,” She said, her chest rising and falling with short breaths. A lopsided, sunny smile flashing across her mouth.

Dafni stood on her tiptoes as she threw her arms around his neck, drawing his lips to her own again and again and once more for good measure. Her hand cupped his face, her thumb stroking softly against the sharp line of his cheek. 

A shiver ran through her as he dragged the tips of his middle and index fingers down the sensitive flesh of her inner arm. His touch wandered along her bicep, carefully tracing the delicate outline of the hardy muscle beneath the trimmings of girlish fat. His hand wrapped around the outside of her arm next, giving her a gentle squeeze before continuing his exportation of the shaking limb. His thumb glided along the line of her vena amoris, strumming a soundless melody that reverberated against the walls of her heart. 

He followed the vein to the pulse point hammering at her wrist. Her breath caught in her throat as the warmth of his kiss slipped away. Dafni made a sour expression of protest but Astarion paid her no mind. Gingerly, he brought her wrist to his lips. A feather-light peck tickled her skin before he clasped her dainty hand in his own. The corners of his lips quirked up in a spellbinding grin. His head tilted ever so slightly to the side sending a singular ivory ringlet loose from that splendid head of hair. His left hand came to rest just above the small of her back. She leaned forward in a fruitless attempt to restore the kiss, but she was only able to catch the very corner of his roguish mouth.

“What happened to holding, and kissing and making me yours?” Dafni inquired in a playful mockery of his cadence.

“I am still holding you,” He reminded the hand on her back, pushing her closer for emphasis, “and I did kiss you. As for making you mine...All in good time, dear.” He purred, lips brushing the long line of her ear, “Tell me, sweet girl, do you know how to dance?”

“I- Yes, I know how to dance...”

“I thought so,” Astarion nodded thoughtfully. The hand on her back traveled up to the base of her shoulder blade. He gently nudged her arm upwards until to rest atop his. “ A pretty creature like you must be the star of all sorts of quaint fetes. I want to be certain that at the next little soirée you attend, you’ll spend the evening scanning the crowd for my face. And every time some brave young lord or lady plucks up the courage to ask for a dance, those perfect lips will turn ever so slightly upwards as you decline. Because every time you hear a waltz all you’ll be able to think of is the man in the glen and the passionate, consummate sex you had with him.” 

Dafni’s heart threatened to burst. There she was, Dafni Ríwen, Thesmia’s sheltered, unexceptional daughter of controversial paternity. The girl who sat on the sideline of every formal gathering she’d ever attended with an empty dance card and a sullen pout, seen as an unquestionable first water by the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on! She felt her footing wobble but Astarion’s confidence held her steady and sure. She knew it was only a bit of fun but she’d spent decades dreaming of finding herself in a situation very much like this one and by the hells she was going to enjoy it! 

Astarion was clearly versed in the art of ballroom seduction. He led her through the waltz as sure-footed as anything. Though there was no music, his rhythm never faulted. Moreover, he held her much closer than was proper. His hand had fallen to the curve of her waist rather than her shoulder. Her body felt as if it had been set alight at each point of contact. 

If they were truly in a ballroom some overzealous chaperone would have certainly made a fuss. While the fey were certainly creatures of revelry and carnal pleasure, they held a certain fondness for priority and decorum that seemed to outsiders rather contradictory. But, to the people of Faerie, it all made perfect sense. A chaperone scolds a young couple for improperly and perhaps the attention would incite a reaction from a rival suitor leading to a dispute of honor. Perhaps they proved the final push for a public delectation of love. Or, at the very least, the blushing lovers might seek out some secret place to continue their dalliance now colored with the excitement of rebellion.

The wicked curve of his smile and her previous encounter with him in these very woods, lead Dafni to believe that Astarion was exactly the sort of libertine who was all too thrilled to be given an excuse to sneak off for a bit of secret bedsport. A yearning sigh fell from her chest as she pictured herself laid for him in one of the Summer Queen’s manicured hedge mazes. She bit back a lewd noise as she pictured some hapless party goer stumbling across them still in the throes of amorous relations. 

All in good time, She repeated to herself as she picked her thighs together.

___

When I make a new OC, I always include a tiny piece of myself, a hobby, skill, or habit. It's always something small but acts as the proverbial  "baby's first laugh"  à la the fairies of Neverland for characters.  I don't usually share what that spark is, but rather keep them as little in-jokes for myself and those closest to me. As a little peek behind the curtain, I will share that Dafni inherited my love of romance novels. I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone who follows my tumblr I am a lover of smutty, historical, and fantasy literature. This fic is my love letter to Tessa Dare, Lisa Kleypas, and all of the other women whose stories provide me with a much-needed escape during an awful year as well as inspiring me to write once more. Part two coming soon! (Also yes, the vena amoris is an old wives tale BUT it's very romantic, and who's to say elves don't have the fictitious heart vein?)

[madbucker]

Silhouettes | Daryl Dixon.

Eventual Daryl Dixon x female reader.

IV.

Season 1.

MASTERLIST.

Loosely based on the song We Will Become Silhouettes by The Postal Service.

Summary: Y/N follows Rick to Atlanta. They find a group willing to help them.

Warnings: language, gore stuff (twd style), mentions of death, mentions of domestic abuse. Will add more warnings depending on the chapter’s content. Let me know if you think it needs some other warning!

Word count: 3.6k.

Author’s note: First things first, I’m not a native English speaker, so bear with me! You can send me a message or an ask pointing out some mistakes so I can edit the post. Also, it will help me learn the language, so don’t hesitate! Had this in my drafts for a few days. I hope you like it! ♥

Gif’s not mine.

“Morgan…” You couldn’t find the right words to express how grateful you were. You looked at Morgan and Duane with conflict showing in your eyes: you were happy and hopeful that you were going to find your sister in Atlanta, but you couldn’t ignore the anguish, the heartbreak of leaving them. Every second counted, and waiting a few more days could lower your chances of finding her alive, but those two had saved your life. What if leaving them lowered their chances of making it to safety? Even if you weren’t suited for survival, having someone else around could make a difference.

“Go, this is your chance. We’ll meet again, soon.” Morgan took over as if he knew how much you were feeling at the moment, embracing you not only with his arms but with his words.

Yeah, we’ll meet again, you thought. Your mind softened for a couple of seconds when you felt another set of arms hugging you tight from your side. You had only known them for a couple of weeks, but that was a lot when the world was the way it was. Weeks felt like a lifetime for you, and so it did for the men that had taken you in.

Men, because Duane was far from being a boy. It was sad, he deserved to live the rest of his childhood like you did, or like his father did. He had to, forcefully, become brave, strong, and even cold sometimes.

“We’ll meet again in Atlanta, or somewhere else, I don’t know, but we will.” You said as they let go of you. All you could do after that was forcing yourself to smile reassuringly.

“Now go and help Rick find his family too.”

“You can't leave me here... Not like this. You can't, man. It's not human. Come on, don't do this!”

Merle’s voice was faint as you ran down the stairs with everyone else. Their names were blurry in your head, the adrenaline making you forget about everything but the fact that your life was hanging by a thread.

But Merle, oh, you would never forget his name.

He was the type of person you were afraid to run into, back when you were alone. You were glad Rick was there to put him in his place, even though that hadn’t shut him up. 

Finding other survivors had its downside, you guessed, but not all of it was bad.

They told you that they had a camp, that they had people. The blonde woman’s younger sister was one of them, and they said they had children, too. Maybe it was too good to be true, but since Atlanta was overrun by walkers, then that was the best you had.

Walkers, that’s what they’d named them: because that’s all they did, they were the empty carcasses of what used to be a beautifully complex human being. They just walked, and bit, and killed.

You feared your sister was one of those, roaming around the city. That thought hadn’t left your mind since you first realized how bad things had gotten there. What if she had gone to Atlanta, seeking shelter, but found her death instead? You knew you had to get out of the situation you were in before you made any decisions. The camp didn’t seem like a bad idea, you could stay there temporarily and visit the city a few more times until you found her. Maybe even bring back supplies to thank everyone for letting you stay. That was if you made it, survival was still something new, something you had to train for.

Safety in numbers felt like your best shot. 

You didn’t pay much attention to your surroundings until you got inside the loading dock, your eyes were fixed in what was in front of you. A walker could’ve gotten you from your sides and you wouldn’t have noticed until it was too late. You were lucky enough to get to safety.

So was T-Dog, who at last second caught up with you, right before you heard Rick banging on the door.

You sat next to the two women, hugging yourself with your trembling arms. You were agitated and couldn’t catch enough air to say what you knew everyone else wanted to say.

“Hey, T-Dog,” you moaned once you could stabilize your breath, “where’s Merle?” you almost barked the asshole’s name. He looked down to his knees.

“I dropped the damn key,” he growled, angry and ashamed.

“Well, shit.” You whispered, making sure nobody heard. Merle had it coming, that was clear, but T-Dog didn’t have to carry with the guilt of leaving a man to die just because he happened to be… the way he was.

“Best not to dwell on it. Merle got left behind. Nobody's gonna be sad he didn't come back... except, maybe, Daryl.” One of the men commented. You lifted your head and locked your eyes with his, your heart starting to beat faster once again. If for some reason Merle had someone who cared for him, then they had to love him. That was a difficult man, the one you had met back there… It must've taken a huge amount of patience and devotion to want him around for more than a few hours.

If he actually had someone who cared for him, you were completely fucked.

“Daryl?” you hesitated to ask, not sure if you wanted to hear the answer.

“His brother.”

The scenario was so beautiful it was truly unbelievable. You were stepping out of the dock when Rick’s drowned cry caught your attention. Looking forward, you saw a kid running to hug him, followed by a woman. You quickly figured out Rick had found his family, making your heart flutter. In the shithole you were in, you figured those things were a sight to be seen, something that didn’t happen every day, so you let yourself enjoy the view.

You knew Rick’s son was young, even younger than Duane, but seeing him there made you realize how fragile he was.

Innocent, scared, too little to live through those times. And for a second, you forgot that a few hours before you thought you had no purpose left. Not finding your sister, seeing how one of the biggest cities in the country had fallen… you had started to think that there was no use in trying so hard to survive when you had nobody left.

But there he was, Carl, and there were more kids in the camp. Maybe you could do more than just survive. Trying to help them live their lives with as little worry and concern as possible was better than giving up.

“Why on earth did you leave the apartment?!” A loud, high pitched scream echoed through the camp, and it didn’t take long for you to spot her, running to you.

Her. Mayra. Your sister.

When her body slammed into yours, you fell backward as you hugged her tight, trying not to let her go, as if she could slip away from your arms at any moment. You stayed on the ground trying to take in every detail you could. Her shaky breath, the way her hair felt on your skin, how her fingers were uncomfortably pressed between the ground and your shoulder blades. Her small cries as she tried to find the exact words to say.

“I was looking for you!”, at that point, you were sobbing, not even thinking about the people whose eyes wandered from Rick to you two.

“And I was about to go back home looking for you!” She cried, steadying her breath before standing back up. You followed her actions, your sight never leaving hers.

You weren’t sure how long it had been since it all started. Weeks, for sure. Months, too, although sometimes it felt like decades.

Suddenly, her eyes widened and she scanned her surroundings, fear creeping in her. She put both of her hands on your shoulders and lightly shook her head, still searching for something, you couldn’t guess what.

“Did he die?” She questioned firmly. You didn’t answer, had someone else gone to Atlanta that hadn’t made it? Someone who died before you found the group? She couldn’t be talking about… 

The entire world fell on top of you. You had just discovered your sister was alive and had also just found out you left someone she cared about behind. “Did Merle fucking die?!”

The fire warmed your legs and the frog legs tasted so, so good. You hadn’t eaten anything freshly cooked in such a long time, it felt unreal. You were focused on your food and on Rick’s story, it was the first time you heard him talk in-depth about what had happened. He seemed happy, and the bags under his eyes were more subtle. His entire demeanor had changed.

“They found me…” your sister’s voice interrupted your trail of thoughts. You had a conversation pending; one that the both of you decided to ignore so you could enjoy the feeling of being back together, “... the Dixons, I mean. Merle didn’t want me around, Daryl didn’t either, but he was too kind to let it show. Thank God we found the group, like, a couple of days after I joined them.” Her eyes were lost in the flames as she spoke. She knew it hadn’t been your fault, there was no way you would leave him on purpose. “But I was about to die, Y/N. I felt the walker’s teeth on my skin, it tore the fabric on my shoulder. I just accepted it, didn’t fight back, didn’t try to escape.” She looked at you, and you realized that nothing meant shit anymore… life at that moment was constantly being on the verge of dying and knowing that the people you loved could die at any moment, too. Nothing could ever go back to what it used to be. “And, then, a freaking arrow went through the walker’s head. Clean, just like that, and it fell on top of me. I had never seen death in first person, you know. I had lost my friends after a dozen of those creeps came out of nowhere, but I didn’t see them die, I just heard the screams.”

She was your little sister, you hated to hear her that way, so hopeless and surrendering to death. 

“You’re safe now, these people know how to fight-” you stared, but she stopped you before you could finish.

“I know. But one of the men who saved my ass isn’t safe. Yes, he’s not the kindest, nicest, or most selfless man, but I owe him.” You knew that feeling too well. You owed Morgan and Duane, you owed Rick, and Glenn, and so many people. None of them had behaved the way Merle did, but not only Mayra owed him, you did too.

Nodding, you sighed and looked at her in the eyes, reassuring her you would do something to get him back, anything you could.

“Hey, Ed, you want to rethink that log?” Shane’s loud demand made you jump slightly. Your sister nudged you on your side with her elbow and signaled you to look at Ed. She had been suspicious about him and you both had talked about it a few hours back

“It’s cold, man.”

“Then join us or put it out, we don’t want to be seen…” you spoke, managing to sound as nice as you could. You didn’t want to start anything, but you knew how dangerous it could get. You had to avoid loud sounds and bright lights. But Ed, as expected, ignored you.

“Yeah, the cold doesn’t change the rules, does it? Keep our fires low, just embers so we can't be seen from a distance, right?” Shane continued.

“I said it's cold. You should mind your own business for once.” Ed’s answer has was harsh, you could tell he would be hard to deal with, but not everything could be perfect in such a numerous and diverse group. Everyone had different stories to tell, some of them were more tragic than others.

Shane got up and walked steadfastly towards Ed and his family’s fire, “Hey, Ed... Are you sure you want to have this conversation, man?”

“Go on. Pull the damn thing out. Go on!” Ed bossed and his wife pulled the log out of the fire almost immediately, not questioning his husband’s command. It was sad and frustrating, but knowing that stepping in could cause the wife and the little girl to get hurt forced you to stay in your place. Shane seemed to be handling the situation. He was like some sort of leader in the camp, and he had been around those people for so much longer than you, he knew what to do. At least that’s what you told yourself in an attempt to find comfort.

You saw how Shane spoke to Ed’s wife and their daughter, but you couldn’t hear what he said as the group had started a conversation to fill in the silence.

“Have you given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind.” The man -whose name you learned was Dale- questioned, deciding to talk about the elephant in the room. 

“I'll tell him. I dropped the key. It's on me.” T-Dog’s shameful tone showed up once again.

“I cuffed him. That makes it mine.” Rick followed. It couldn’t turn into a competition of who was brave enough, who was the most selfless, or who was willing to sacrifice themselves.

“We were all there, it’s not a competition, any of us could’ve done something-” You intervened, hoping you could bring into the conversation the fact that you were planning on going back, but Glenn interrupted you:

“I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy.” You hated it, but if Daryl was as bigoted as his brother, then Glenn was right.

“I did what I did. Hell if I'm gonna hide from him.” T-Dog stated, completely convinced of facing the consequences.

“And we keep on making a competition out of this. We all should be there and say whatever we have to say.” You said in a determined tone. You were all responsible, one way or another.

“Look, Y/N… maybe I can tell him?” Mayra whispered as the rest kept on debating who should speak up.

“I don’t know how it could help…” You said back. Yes, Mayra knew him better than you, but she hadn’t been involved, she didn’t have to.

She opened her mouth to protest, but T-Dog’s words captured your interest instantly:

“My point... Dixon's alive and he's still up there, handcuffed on that roof. That's on us.”

When the fire was out and everyone got into their tents, including your sister, you still sat on the same log as before. The scenario felt strange, almost unknown to you: outside at night, under the cloudy night sky, and still not unsafe. It had been so long since you felt immortal and undefeatable, just like any other girl your age felt... like nothing could happen to you, not ever. You missed it. But beautiful as that night was, the imminent danger thickened the air.

You felt your eyes growing heavier each second. You were ready to go to sleep, so you got up and started to walk to the tent you and Mayra would share, but the sight of someone on the roof of Dale’s RV made you stop on your tracks.

Shane was keeping watch, and you wondered if he did it each night, or how had they arranged the shifts. He looked tired and the look on his face was anything but friendly.

“Hey, want to switch?” You asked approaching the stairs and climbing up, not waiting for an answer. Once you got off the stairs, your eyes wandered through the trees and landed up in the sky. If he kept watch every night, then you knew why. The view wasn’t mesmerizing, you had seen more beautiful countless times before, but the air up there was lighter, and the breeze, soothing. 

“Sorry ‘bout Ed today.” Shane ignored your question. You sat down next to the chair he was sitting in.

“Don’t be, he’ll pay for what he’s doing to his family someday. Soon, I hope.” You looked up and realized his eyes were lost somewhere in the horizon. He looked tired, and if you read more into it: defeated. “Go to sleep, I’ll stay. I want to.”

It came as a surprise to you: that was all he needed to hear. He didn’t protest, he got up, handed you the shotgun and left. You didn’t know if he would be able to get some sleep, at least he could try to.

But what you did know was that you weren’t suddenly concerned about the sleeping schedule of a man you had just met. You were desperately in need of being alone. Being around so many people was something you had only dreamt about, at least for the last weeks, and although you felt the luckiest you had ever felt, the safety you had found allowed you to put your feet back on the ground.

Everything had happened so fast. You almost died, and more than once. You met people, they saved you, you left one of them to die, you found out Mayra was alive and safe, Rick’s family was with her… and you still had to figure out how to break the news to Merle’s brother. 

You were going back to the city, too, as if everything that had happened wasn’t enough. You’d do it for your sister, and for the men who saved her, as questionable as they were.

And suddenly, it clicked.

The bag. The guns.

You had to remind Rick. It could save the group from an attack from walkers, or from other people. That way you knew somebody else would go back with you and you would actually have a shot of coming back alive, even if they despised Merle.

“Merle! Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel! Let's stew 'em up.”

You had just finished hanging some of your clothes to dry when an unbothered and loud voice caught everyone’s attention. From their wide eyes, you could tell who had just gotten back. Merle’s brother, Daryl, sounded, moved, and acted just like him. It wasn’t just the accent, but his words, how his presence made everyone uncomfortable… you could tell they were expecting him to snap as soon as he found out. Behind him, Shane and Rick looked and nodded to each other. You approached them, determined to be a part of it even if hell broke loose.

“Your brother was a danger to us all, so I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal. He's still there.” Rick got to the point with no rambling.

“We locked the door, he’s safe from walkers.” You dared to look at him in the eyes, but regretting it as soon as he opened his mouth.

“Hold on. Let me process this. You're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof and you left him there?!”

“Yeah.” Rick stepped in front of you, and without skipping a beat, Daryl attacked Rick, who shoved him off. 

You took a few steps back and spotted your sister, who was just getting out of the RV. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open as soon as she realized what was happening: Daryl, Shane, T-Dog and Rick were yelling at each other. She stood in her place, everyone in the camp knew well not to intervene. Shane had Daryl on a chokehold as Rick explained to him that he wanted to have a calm discussion, which seemed to force Daryl to give in. Shane let go of him.

“What I did was not on a whim. Your brother does not work and play well with others.” Rick kept going. At that point, you guessed nothing could actually calm Dixon, he was still breathing heavily.

“It's not Rick's fault. I had the key. I dropped it.” T-Dog cut in.

“You couldn't pick it up?” Daryl snarled.

“Well, I dropped it in a drain.”

“If it's supposed to make me feel better, it don't.” 

“Hey, I told you, the door’s chained with a padlock. There’s no way walkers could get to him.” You repeated, trying your best to be concise and get to the point: Merle was still out there. 

“And who the fuck are you?” Daryl took a few steps forward and stared at you in the eyes. You weren’t scared, but it did take you by surprise. You stumbled back and raised your hands, putting them in between you.

“She’s my sister, Daryl!” Mayra’s shaky voice made him turn around. You couldn’t see his face, but hers was filled with heartbreak. She felt she had failed him, as if she had broken an unspoken promise. Daryl faced you again.

“Funny, huh? How I saved your sister but you left my brother to rot.” He growled. His voice low and irritated.

Your eyes jumped from Mayra to him. You straightened your body and took a deep breath. He was right. You felt miserable, and you couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Mayra, you knew you would have to do something as soon as she told you her story.

“I know, that’s why I’m going back there. With or without you.”

[songofsoma]

In Perpetuum et Unum Diem

fandom: the wayhaven chronicles pairing: ava du mortain x cecilia beck rating: mature word count: 4,631 

part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4

read it on ao3

It seemed like her eyes had just closed as sleep overcame her when a servant came bustling into the room.

The noise of the intrusion jolted Cecilia awake, sitting up quickly, as she clutched furs to her body, covering the bareness of her breasts. Ava was still stretched out over the mattress, seemingly unaffected as she watched them both through a frame of thick, blonde lashes.

The servant’s lips parted as if she was going to say something, but the words died in her throat the moment her gaze settled on how the noblewoman was exposed from the waist up. Her attention flitted between the two ladies in bed, a look of horror beginning to seep into her features.

Furrowing her brows, Cecilia yanked the blankets to cover up Ava, the idea of the servant’s ogling of her lover made a fire blaze within her belly.

“Well,” Ava began with a grumble. Irritation finally leaking into every word. “You have woken us both, quite unjustly may I add. What do you want?” The tips of her fingers found the warmth of Cecilia’s lower back. She had to bite back a shiver at the coolness of Ava’s touch.

“M-my apologies, m’lady.” The woman curtsied hurriedly, clearly wanting to escape the current situation. “Lady Nestoria has requested Lady Cecilia’s presence in her parlor.”

Cecilia’s eyes widened as she looked over at Ava. The message seemed to have dragged her from the haze of sleepiness she had previously been prisoner to.

“Tell my mother that we will join her soon,” she said after a moment.

The servant didn’t seem satisfied as she shifted her weight. “Actually, my Lady, she specifically asked for Lady Cecilia’s presence alone.”

A bitter chill infiltrated the air surrounding Ava and the hand that had been caressing her back stiffened. Cecilia swore ice would begin to harden her lashes if she allowed this to continue for much longer.

Squashing down her nerves, Cecilia put on the politest smile she could muster. “Of course. Please tell her how delighted I am for the invitation and that I shall not keep her waiting long.”

The woman curtsied once more, giving the two one last wary glance before scurrying out of the room.

With a heavy sigh, Cecilia dropped the furs back into her lap. The sun peeking through the window began to warm a patch of skin on her shoulder.

“I shall go with you.” It sounded as if Ava’s decision was set in stone.

She shook her head. “No, you will not.”

There was no need to look at her face to know the deep scowl that would have settled on her lips at the disagreement.

“I am not going to throw you to the dogs, Cecilia.” The heavy wood of the bed creaked under Ava’s shifting weight as she sat up.

Cecilia managed a small smile, turning to meet her gaze. “My love, you are not  throwing me to the dogs . There is no need for such dramatics when I am simply sitting down with your mother.”

“You do not understand. She is difficult—”

She raised a hand to silence her. “All noblewomen are. I fear it comes with the title.” Cecilia stretched, noticing with a grin the way her body ached from the night prior. “Besides, I am more than qualified to deal with people like your mother. Some may say it is a gift.” She leaned in closer to Ava, letting her charm settle into every fiber of the woman.

Raising a blonde brow accusingly, she snapped, “A fantastic talent that includes running away?”

Cecilia yanked away from her as if she had been burned. Her whole demeanor changed in an instant and regret flew onto Ava’s face.

“Cecilia, I did not mean—” she reached out to pull the girl back, but Cecilia had already turned away from her, determined to hide how much her words pierced her.

She never had a thick skin when it came to personal jabs. Her mother always blamed it on her tender heart whilst proclaiming that it was going to be her undoing. As much as she tried, she struggled to hide the way she felt about anything really. No matter how hard her tutors tried, they could never seem to beat that flaw out of her.

Her tongue was too honest.  A smack to the back of the head.

Her eyes revealed too much.  A stinging whack from a switch on her palms.

Her face crumpled into one of hurt after a few sharp words.  A hearty pinch on her arm that left a bruise.

So instead, she tried to mask it until she was alone.

Though, she was weak as she bit her lip to hide its trembling.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her back facing Ava, her vision swimming as she stared at the stone making up the wall. “Is it so cowardly to fear death?” She finally asked in a harsh whisper. “For I could not stand before Death and look him in the eye. I should not fear to meet my maker.” Her head hung lowly in defeat, tears running down her cheeks graciously.

Strong hands held her waist as Cecilia was pulled back against Ava’s chest. “You are not a coward, mea vita. I spoke without thinking, I beg you to forgive my carelessness. I do not think you are cowardly, in fact, you are the opposite in every way.”

“I trip over my own heart because I feel too much.” Cecilia rose, shrugging off her touch. “At least that is what my mother would tell me when she was feeling particularly nice.” An unusual bitterness colored the words.

Ava remained silent and she could feel where her eyes were burning a hole in her back.

She took the quiet moment to collect herself, squaring her shoulders, and straightening her spine as she took a deep, shaky breath. “I will meet with Lady Nestoria by myself, end of discussion.” Cecilia wrapped a dressing robe around herself to combat the chill of the air.

“I understand.”

Cecilia quickly glanced over her shoulder at a mournful looking Ava before turning her attention back to selecting a dress. The family had been kind enough to have a few dresses made for her, ones that fit her better than that of those meant for adolescents.

She selected a green one, whose rich velvet reminded her of the color of her lover’s eyes. Even if she was cross with her at that moment, she couldn’t resist the garment that had quickly become her favorite.

She dressed quickly, her hands clumsily doing the ties to make herself presentable.

“I should be going now.” Cecilia’s fingers were busy weaving the length of her dark hair into a loose braid. “I will see you at dinner.”

Ava only nodded, her gaze hardening as Cecilia left her alone in the room.

***

Sitting amongst the riches of the lady of the house’s parlor made her feel like one of the statuettes on display. Only there to be viewed, critiqued, judged. At least, that’s how it felt under the silver gaze of Lady Nestoria du Mortain.

Her features were sharp and pointed, much like Ava’s.

A strong nose and jaw. Grey eyes that seemed to blend in with the whites of her eyes as when a ray of rogue sunlight hit them exactly right. And straight, blonde hair pulled back into a polished updo that must’ve taken her servants all morning, weaving the honeyed braids to allow the crimson headdress to sit securely on the back of her head.

If Cecilia hadn’t known better, she would have gambled on this woman before her being royalty—a queen or its likeness.

“Lady Cecilia,” Nestoria had greeted her coolly upon her entry, “I appreciate you joining me, dear.”

The accent that left her lips was jarring at first listen. It was French. Extremely so, unlike the thickness of the English ones spoken by herself and Ava.

She had squared her shoulders and presented a dazzling smile.

Her mother would’ve been proud. Especially if she could have known fear’s frigid fingers wrapping around her throat as she was met by such eloquence.

“I assure you, my Lady, the pleasure is mine to behold.” Cecilia dropped into a polite curtsy, not failing to notice the pleased look in Nestoria’s eyes.

She rose before taking a seat on the bench she was directed to, hands folding in her lap. “My deepest apologies if I have kept you waiting. I am afraid I had gone down an incorrect corridor and found myself lost. I can only imagine how pitiful of a sight it must have been.” She shook her head, slightly embarrassed at the sudden divulge of information.

“Oh, my dear, there are some days where I still feel like I am wandering around in circles and I have lived here for what feels like an eternity now.”

They shared a light laugh at that. Some tension in Cecilia’s shoulders began to ease, though her nails still dug into the flesh of her palms, leaving indentations of crescent moons behind.

“I am truly mournful however,” Lady Nestoria began once more, her gaze appearing to soften, “that I have not been able to sit down with you individually at an earlier occurrence. I do hope you forgive me for my inhospitality.”

Cecilia’s eyes widened. “My Lady, I am simply thankful for you and my Lord allowing me to stay in your home. I would have felt blessed if you offered me a stable with the horses.”

She seemed to bristle at the very idea. “Heavens! You are far too pretty to be kept in the stables with those beasts! Which is why I do not know why you favor the company of my eldest daughter so often.”

Ah, there was the reason for this meeting.

“My Lady, I happen to revel in the company of your daughter. Ser Ava—”

“She is a  Lady, not a Ser. And I shall expect you to address her as such!”

The sudden fire in her tone made Cecilia begin to curl in on herself to escape the blazing heat of her building fury.

“Of course.” Cecilia’s eyes dropped, not wanting to hold her gaze. “I beg for your forgiveness and assure you that it will not happen again.”

Lady Nestoria took a deep breath, eyes closing as she regained her composure. “Forgive me, Ava’s title is quite a sensitive subject, but it is no fault of yours. It is my brute of a child who is to blame,” she said with a huff.

Cecilia’s stomach churned and she managed a weak nod.

“She is quite fond of you, is she not?” A pale brow arched. She couldn’t figure out if it was a genuine question or if it was meant to be accusatory.

When there was no immediate reply, Nestoria continued. “My youngest, Mazelina, talks nonstop about wanting to steal you away from her sister. That child’s curiosity will get her into trouble one day,” she hummed, thinking aloud.

“I am afraid I have not had the pleasure of meeting your entire family, my Lady. It is—” her unfinished sentence hung on the tip of her tongue, unsure if she should continue. An expectant look from the lady sitting across from her was prompting her to continue. “Truthfully, it is strange. I mean no offense. My father was insistent we all gather for supper. Although my family was much smaller which made it easier, I suppose.”

“My dear girl, you never did say which house you belong to,” she observed.

Cecilia shifted uncomfortably. “House Beck, ma’am.”

Silver eyes narrowed. “I cannot say I have heard the name.”

Relief washed over her as she realized the news of a runaway daughter was not enough for the higher-ranking houses to gossip about.

“It is a minor family. I would have been surprised if you had.” That sweet tone and a polite smile lit up her demeanor once more.

Nestoria gave a long sigh, leaning back against her seat. “How I wish my daughter was more like you, an image of a youthful and well-mannered Lady. I fear there is no hope for Ava, for He seemed to have given me a son instead.” She shook her head, looking mournful. “Perhaps, my other daughters could look to you as a model of what they should strive to become.”

Cecilia was growing uncomfortable with the way the conversation was headed. But there was no room to interject for Nestoria continued.

“Perhaps,” she said slowly, eyes sparkling with an idea. “I shall have you marry one of my sons. Then you shall be my daughter in name! Oh, what a glorious thought that is.” A hint of wistfulness lingered around her.

A streak of chills ran up Cecilia’s spine at the mention of marriage. She stilled herself from physically revolting at the comment.

Miraculously, her voice didn’t shake as she spoke. “With all due respect, my Lady. I do not think that would be wise.”

“Oh?”

“I do not wish to be ensnared in a loveless marriage. I have witnessed the consequences too many times. And I refuse to be used as a ploy for politics.” The words came out harsher than she had intended.

Nestoria seemed rocked by the boldness arming each syllable.

“Every beauty has its imperfection. And yours, Lady Cecilia, is your heart and naivety.” Their eyes never wandered from each other, no matter how intense it grew. Cecilia would not squirm under the challenge.

“You are mistaken, my Lady.” Cecilia’s lip curled venomously as she stood. “My heart is my greatest strength. It is what has kept me going for this long because, my Lady, I bow to no one but my own will.”

Her eyes practically bulged from her head.

“Now, if you will excuse me, I do not want to keep Ser Ava waiting.”

Cecilia gave an exaggerated curtsy before spinning on her heel, a small smirk tainted her lips as the doors slammed behind her.

***

By the time she had found her knight, Cecilia swore the stone beneath her feet was warped from the way she paced. The metal of her boots was scraping across the ground, but she paid little mind to it. Ava’s attention was concentrated elsewhere which meant she hadn’t heard Cecilia’s approach.

The words from this morning appeared in the forefront of her mind. Cecilia hesitated, hovering in the archway.

Sensing eyes on her, Ava’s head whipped towards her.

“Cecilia,” she breathed, the muscles in her neck tensing.

Cecilia raised a brow questioningly. Her feet refused to carry her forward and her lips were defiant as no words poured from them.

“I was…” Ava trailed off, her gaze falling to her hands. Following, she saw the bouquet in the suffocating grasp of the knight’s iron gauntlet. A drawn-out sigh filled the space between them, squeezing her eyes shut. “I am sorry, Cecilia. I did not mean what I said earlier. It was inappropriate whether I believed it or not, and I should have offered you a source of comfort instead of worsening the problem.”

Cecilia’s lips parted as the woman slowly approached her.

She still could not look her in the eye. “It has been on my mind this morning. I did not know how to make it up to you, for words alone are not enough to mend the hurt in your eyes, so I figured I would start by gathering things you enjoy.” Ava pursed her lips, nervously holding out a small bouquet of flowers.

“Oh, Ava,” she murmured, taking them from her gently. A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth as she admired the reds, pinks, and whites contrasted against the vibrant green of their stems and leaves. “It is beautiful.”

Ava's hand reached out, brushing over her cheek. The metal of her gloves was cool against the heat blossoming in her cheeks. “I am incredibly sorry for the way I acted. I will do better by you.”

Leaning into the touch, she tore her gaze away from the flowers to meet the sight of her emerald oasis peering down hopefully at her. “I know, my darling.”

Ava pressed a tender kiss to her forehead and Cecilia’s eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment as they basked in the quietness of the garden’s entryway.

“I was hoping I could steal you away to go riding today.” Ava murmured, thumb caressing her face. “I am feeling quite selfish and want you for myself before another one of my lovely family members can take you away.”

An image of Nestoria du Mortain’s angered glare echoed in her brain. The last thing she wanted to do was have to face another one of her kin.

“I would like that, yes.”

With a gentle smile, Cecilia was offered an iron-clad arm, to which she immediately accepted. She nestled further into Ava’s side, trying to decide whether or not she was frustrated with the suit of armor or more enamored with how she looked in it.

“One horse or two?” Cecilia teased.

Ava almost looked offended at the question, making Cecilia giggle.

The stables were located on the far end of the gardens. Tucked just out of sight behind the walls of shrubbery and foliage so one could gaze out of the window and not have to experience the so-called blemish representing work of common folk.

The dirt floors, damp from the previous night’s rain, muddied her slippers and discarded straw stuck to her feet–but she did not mind. It was the fact that she was here with Ava and the lingering fact that they would be uninterrupted within the cover of the forests.

“Ser Knight, my Lady,” one of the stable hands greeted them casually. They tended to frequent the stables to steal some time to themselves.

Ava nodded in a reply and Cecilia smiled warmly. “Good morning, Manning,” she said sweetly.

His cheeks flushed a rosy pink beneath the smudges of dust.

Ava squeezed her arm tighter and Cecilia suppressed an amused eye roll at the unnecessary envy. It was no use either to tease her about it later on since she would simply wave it off and blame it on the protectiveness of her nature.

“Mister Manning,” she said tightly, removing the bouquet from Cecilia’s gasp to hold them out. “Will you make sure these are sent to my chambers unharmed?”

"Philomena–”

Her nostrils flared as she began to become frustrated. Now Cecilia did roll her eyes at her attitude.

“Son, I assure you I can prepare my own horse. I am not a prissy noblewoman like those other women you attend to,” she snapped.

Cecilia furrowed her brows. She couldn’t dress a horse. When she had rode back home, a sympathetic servant had saddled Lady for her.

Ava met her gaze. “I do not mean you, of course,” she followed up quickly in a panic.

“Mhm.”

The knight growled, turning her attention back to the boy. “Just do as I ask.”

“Yes, ser,” he mumbled and clumsily ran towards the house. A few petals fell to the ground as he went.

Cecilia pulled herself from Ava’s hold to allow her to handle her steed. “You need to work on your manners,” she teased.

The joke either passed right over her head or she was trying to give it right back to her. “Careful, love, or else you may begin to sound like my mother.”

She sighed, turning to admire one of the other horses poking her head out of the stall.

Her nose was soft against her fingertips. Hot breath fanned over her skin as the mare huffed appreciative at the affection. Sable colored fur was broken up by patches of white across her back and forehead.

“A beautiful animal,” she cooed.

The horse whinnied as if agreeing with her.

“Her name is Daphne.”

She turned to look at Ava quizzically.

A short chuckled ensued. “My brother, Oudin, named her after the Greek myth.”

“Oh,” she said shortly, looking back at the mare. “Well, that is a morbid tale.”

“I agree.” Heavy hands held her waist from behind, pressing Cecilia’s back into her gaudy breastplate. “I do not understand men who favor feminine tragedy.” The words lingered in the air as they both stared at Daphne for another few seconds.

Philomena snorted from behind them, growing impatient as he stomped at the ground.

“How incredibly dramatic,” Ava grumbled, stepping away from her lover to finish saddling the horse.

“I suppose he truly does suit you then.” She smirked as she reached out to pet the black stallion. It was a truth and the silence of his owner proved it.

“Do you need assistance, my lady?” Ava changed the subject away from herself as quickly as she could manage.

Cecilia smiled, allowing Ava to hoist her up onto Philomena’s back. Once she was settled, Ava swung up behind her.

Taking advantage of the closeness in proximity and the way they were sitting, Cecilia nestled into Ava’s arms as they reached around her to take hold of the reins.

“Ready?” Ava asked in a murmur, leaning forward to press a kiss to the back of her head.

“Always.”

The afternoon sun warmed the bits of skin exposed from the neckline of her dress. The days were growing warmer as the summer months grew close. It was a time Cecilia always looked forward to.

The sweet air of the forest was filled with the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds, accompanied by Cecilia’s soft chatter as she swayed with Philomena’s movements.

Ava listened diligently, wrapped up in every word that fell from the Lady’s lips.

They had spent many afternoons like this, hiding amongst the cover of the woods, Cecilia talking about nothing and everything at the same time. There was a certain spot they travelled to on outings such as this one. A break in the trees just up the path, foliage crowning the banks of a small tarn.

When they arrived, Ava broke away to make sure the stallion was settled, allowing Cecilia a few solitary moments to get away with any sort of mischief she could get into. Usually, this included kicking off her slippers to begin wading into the shallow waters, her feet sinking into the muddy sediment.

Ava clucked her tongue from behind her. “You are going to soil the bottom of your dress, my lady.” Cecilia turned her head to give her a sly smile. “Then I will have to listen to you complain the rest of the way home.”

She rolled her eyes at this, carefully beginning the trek back to solid land and falling into the open arms of her knight.

Hand-in-hand, they began to stroll around the edge of the water, only stopping when Cecilia bent down to pluck a wildflower to tuck it into the folds of her lover’s braid.

“Why did my mother ask to see you today?” Ava finally asked, her face revealing that the subject had been on her mind for quite some time.

She frowned a bit, plucking at the stem of a sweet violet. “For a simple chat.”

The blonde couldn’t contain her hearty scoff. “My mother does not  chat  as you say.”

“Perhaps she just wanted to get to know the stranger wandering the corridors of her home,” she deflected, tossing aside the tattered flower.

“Lady du Mortain only takes interest in things that she can use to her advantage, little bird. Surely, you are not too naïve to see this fact?” The metal tips of her glove brushed a stray hair from Cecilia’s cheek.

Cecilia looked away from her. No answer followed as she replayed the meeting in her mind. Of course, she knew this. Lady Nestoria had made her intentions clear towards the end of their conversation.

“What is it?” Ava pressed, uncomfortable at the silence.

“Forgive my boldness, but you and your mother do not get along, do you?”

Ava chuckled, casting her gaze over the water. “I cannot imagine what gave you that impression. We both are filled with such warmth when the topic comes up.”

When Cecilia did not speak, she continued.

“I am the eldest of seven children. A daughter being their first-born was not ideal for my parents as you can imagine. For we women are weak in both mind and body. At least, that is how the world views us. Take care to notice that I am the antonym of a proper lady, little bird.” Pride swelled her tone as she spoke. Cecilia swore she even flexed absent-mindedly, although it was hard to tell with the bulkiness of her armor. “My parents struggled to have children for many years after my birth, so my father began to raise me as if I were his son. The moment I could take steps on my own, he had a sword in my hand. He taught me everything I know and shaped me to be the warrior I am today. Consequently, this caused a strain with my mother who wanted nothing more than for me to learn how to be prim and proper for a future husband.

“When they had the twins, my brother Oudin and sister Grecia, Mother tried to force me to begin my teachings of how to be a proper lady. Even at the age of five, I would have nothing of it. I favored being out with Papa’s men to watch them train. There was nothing I wanted more than to be a knight, it was what my father had instilled in me, after all.

“I grew older and my parents had more children. Thomas, Dain, Iseult, and finally Mazelina. My mother finally had more daughters to dote on and it seemed like she was going to leave me be. Until the prospect of marriage arose. The moment she brought up the offer of a marriage of some elderly lord from God knows where, I fled to Papa and begged until he swore my future would lead to a path of knighthood. I squired later than most children, but I had been molded by the best.” Green eyes were glazed over as Ava’s mind was in a different place, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She looked so happy at the memories surfacing that it made Cecilia’s heart clench. “I will forever be grateful for my father’s mercy. Otherwise, I would be married off to a lord and a mother by now.” The thought seemed to make her ill.

Cecilia slipped her hands into Ava’s, tugging her towards her. “I am eternally indebted to your father as well, my dear knight.”

She bent down, pressing their foreheads together, the tips of their noses brushing. “Even in another life, I would find my way to you.” Ava murmured, moving to grasp her hips, fingers knotting in the fabric.

“Promise me,” she breathed against her lips. “Swear you will always find your way back to me.”

“I swear on my honor, I would fight through the depths of Hell to reach you, little bird. My place is by your side for my life is entirely yours.”

The way Ava believed every word she uttered made Cecilia’s knees weak.

She closed the gap between them, claiming the kiss that had been hanging before her. Cecilia kissed her with such ferocity, she was sure Ava was going to steal every last breath in her lungs. But if she wished, she could steal it all.

Ava could have every last bit of her if she so chose.

Cecilia was hers.

Her heart.

Her body.

Her soul.

It was all hers.

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game - CH81

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

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Chapter 81: Castle Cry (VIII)

{cw: discussion of miscarriage}

"Bong-bong-bong-"

When the distant bell came, fear flooded Qi Leren like the tide, and he had already returned to the inner world before he was able to tell his two partners.

It was three o'clock in the morning.

Dr. Lu's flashlight was still on, and Qi Leren looked at the piano that now lacked the dog collar and his flashlight.

Qi Leren took a deep breath, hesitated whether to tell Dr. Lu about it, and finally decided to say it. That way, Dr. Lu and Nan Lu would also be wary of any future bizarre actions in the outer world: "I saw my flashlight on the piano just now. I remember that when I fell into the studio on the first floor from here, the flashlight was on, but just now I suddenly noticed that the flashlight had been turned off."

"What? Huh? You’re lying!" Dr. Lu even used three interjections. "Are you sure? Did it run out of power?"

"I'm pretty sure. I couldn't move after falling into the studio, and I had to lie on my back and look above me. At that time, the hound looked down at me at the mouth of the hole, and my flashlight lit it up. And before I came here, the flashlight was fully charged, it’s impossible for it to have lost power so soon," Qi Leren said with absolute certainty.

"But dogs don't turn off flashlights," Nan Lu murmured.

"Dogs don't, but 'people' do," Qi Leren said.

Nan Lu's eyes were sharp: "You mean Xiao Hong and that bitch have been here?"

"..." Qi Leren was silent for a few seconds. "This is a possibility, but they didn't have to turn off the flashlight. This useful thing would more likely have been taken away directly."

His voice sank in the bright moonlight of the world. In the brand-new piano room, all three people didn't speak again. The shock brought by the phantom just now was erased by the fear close at hand. The same kind of imagination lingered in their minds, and the figure created by their fear entered the piano room from the dark corridor, silently turning off the flashlight that had illuminated the darkness…

"No matter what it is, we can at least be sure that it is an intelligent creature. It knows what it is, how to turn it off, and maybe it hates light..." Qi Leren whispered.

"Intelligent creatures... that's troublesome. We broke into its territory. Maybe now even it’s watching us think about how to catch it," Dr. Lu said with horror.

Nan Lu shuddered: "Stop it!"

"No matter, first find out where the switch is." Dr. Lu took a photo on the wall at the door with a flashlight, and soon found the switch. The chandelier in the piano room lit up, and the light returned immediately. Both Nanlu and Qi Leren were relieved.

"This world is quite kind," Dr. Lu commended.

Nan Lu said coldly: "Have you forgotten Miao Bo who died unsatisfied?"

Although this world seemed calm and peaceful, there were hidden dangers everywhere, and the slightest carelessness could end in violent death.

"Let's go, let's go to Nina first and then come back to search the room. I have a lot of things to ask her. I hope we won't meet the walking armor this time." Qi Leren said. This time, he wasn’t too afraid. The S/L skill’s one hour cooling time had passed. If he met danger again, it wouldn’t be a big deal. He just didn’t know how to explain this to Nan Lu. He didn't know how an NPC would react to their special features…

The three people walked to the first floor, with bright lights along the way, but in the bright lights, the surroundings were so quiet that people couldn't help observing everything around them, but they were afraid of finding any ominous omen amidst the ordinary. This contradictory psychology made everyone nervous.

"You wait for me here, I’ll go and have a look first." Reaching the first floor corridor entrance, Qi Leren said this to the two people, and then walked into the corridor.

The lights were on, illuminating the sculptures and paintings on both sides of the corridor. The potted plants seem to have been carefully taken care of, green and verdant. At the end of the corridor was a semi-open room similar to the piano room on the second floor. Miao Bo's body was still lying on the ground, but the armor they suspected of the crime had disappeared.

Qi Leren found the switch on the wall and turned on the light in this room. The door of the hidden small room was damaged after being hit by the armor, but it seemed to be closed. He didn't know if Nina was still there. He stepped forward to the door and whispered, "Nina, are you there?"

There was a soft reply from the door: "I am... Has it left?"

"It’s already gone. I have a few things to ask you. Can I come in? " Qi Leren said.

"No! Don't come in! Don't open the door! If it comes back... I... I’m very scared." Nina's voice suddenly raised in pitch, and there was a broken sound in her rapid voice.

"But the door’s lock should be broken," Qi Leren looked at the loose lock and said. Although this door could also be locked from the inside, the lock was broken when the armor tried to break the door, but the lock outside seemed to lock the door from the outside.

"No, no! Don't open the door! Please, please! If the door is open, it will come in!" Nina's anxious voice faintly devolved into tears, and she seemed to be terrified.

"...OK, wait, I'll call some friends." Qi Leren compromised and called Dr. Lu and Nan Lu later. 

Once again setting foot in this room, Nan Lu still didn't dare to look at Miao Bo's body, and her dead companion was lying here, which inevitably reminded her of her own safety. She resisted fear, stood far away from the body, and silently urged Qi Leren to hurry up with her eyes.

"There are a few things I have to ask you: Let's start with the mistress, was she pregnant? Where are the children?" Qi Leren asked straight away.

Behind the door, Nina was silent for a moment and seemed unwilling to talk about it. She asked, "Why do you ask this?"

"Because it’s very important, please tell us," Qi Leren said forcefully.

"Well… The Missus was pregnant, but unfortunately she had a miscarriage. After that, her spirit was very bad. Probably from that time on, she gradually showed genetic madness... In order to avoid stimulating her, the Master ordered us not to talk about it, but the Missus's illness was getting worse and worse. Sometimes she felt that her child was still alive. She made dolls and clothes for him (her), but when she was awake, she put these things away again. She is... very pained." Nina's voice was filled with a kind of humble pity and unspeakable fear.

This really makes sense, Qi Leren thought.

"Hey, how did she miscarry? Spontaneous miscarriage? Accidental abortion?" Dr. Lu also stood by the door and asked.

"...She fell down the stairs and then had a miscarriage," Nina said.

At this moment, Nan Lu joined in. She asked sharply, "Did she fall down by herself? Or did someone push her down? She miscarried, killed, and set the fire, is it just because she was crazy?"

Dr. Lu and Qi Leren looked at Nan Lu. He wondered if the lady's experience reminded her of herself, making her very excited and even a little radical. Qi Leren vaguely felt that Nan Lu should also be a part of the plot, but until she did something harmful to them, he was still willing to help her... This luck-based thinking was dangerous, and he and Dr. Lu knew it tacitly, but they did it anyway.

Behind the door, Nina was somewhat surprised and said, "If it wasn't for her madness, how could she do such a thing? She used to be a very gentle and quiet person! Even if she is crazy, she is... It’s not her fault!"

Nan Lu reluctantly bit her lip and didn't speak again.

"I have another question. As you said before, the lady's illness was getting worse and worse, and she was locked up. So where was she locked up?" Qi Leren asked.

"...The basement. She was locked in the basement," Nina replied.

Nan Lu said incredulously, "You locked her in the basement?! My God... How could you do this? She’s already in pain. "

Nina mumbled something a few times and whispered weakly, "It's what the Master wanted. Missus’s madness was getting more and more serious and needed isolation, so..."

Dr. Lu snorted gently, with a little doubt, but did not speak.

"Where can I go to open the basement? Do I need a key?" Qi Leren asked again.

"The basement is in the kitchen at the end of the corridor on the other side of the hall. There is a secret compartment on the ground in the corner. When you open it, you will see a lock. The key is in the Master’s study. I think... Maybe the Missus has become a resentful spirit, still wandering in the basement... Please let her rest in peace. May God bless her not to suffer in the world. May she rest in the arms of the Lord and let me rest in peace… Let us rest in peace."

The task was clear here. As long as you got the key to the basement and entered the basement to destroy the dead crazy lady, this task could be finished. This should be the simplest way to clear the requirements.

But..... There were still many things in his mind about this task, such as the sacrifice to the Devil.

Did he want to ask? If he asked, would it be self-defeating, triggering the hidden plot to raise the difficulty?

"That’s the objective? Go find the basement key? " Dr. Lu pulled Qi Leren's arm and asked.

"About the sacrifice..." Qi Leren talked with Dr. Lu in a low voice.

Dr. Lu stared at him: "Do you want to die?"

"Just a little curious," Qi Leren argued.

"Young man, your mind is very dangerous," Dr. Lu said earnestly. "It's safer to know less. If you ask why, you're going to die. Walk away and find the key."

Qi Leren, who was dragged by Dr. Lu, didn't struggle again. He left the room according to his meaning. Before he left, he cast a glance back. The hidden door was closed, and everything seemed normal.

-----

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[prettywordsyouleft]

How To Love

Summary: Brian hoped taking you out on a date would help you both connect more like most couples did. Except, with him being a ghost, going on a date proves to be harder than either of you anticipated.

Pairing: Brian Kang x reader (ft. Day6)

World: Spiritual Connection (masterlist HERE)

Genre: ghost au / angst-fluff / valentines au

Warnings: none

A/N: Happy Valentines to everyone who celebrates it! As promised at Christmas, we are returning to our beloved manor house to see how the ghosts are doing. I did want to write about them all but it appears Brian was a little needy this time around so he got a story all to himself! I hope you enjoy it.

For those new to this world, this story’s context won’t make any sense without reading the previous stories before this. They are linked in the masterlist shared above.

Word count: 6292

Placing down the book he had just completed, Brian let out his umpteenth sigh for the day. It wasn’t the book’s fault. He had read this story many times over his years of existence and usually it held his attention well.

Tonight, however, Brian was too distracted to let the words fully infiltrate his mind, his thoughts wandering towards the dilemma he was faced with.

Things at the seaside manor had been going well. In fact, business hadn’t been better. Although it hadn’t been long since Christmas break, as soon as the doors reopened, guests would come and go every week in larger volumes than before. And whilst Brian was thrilled that your bed and breakfast venture had really taken off, it had some disadvantages.

Since you were spending your Saturday evening entertaining your guests whilst he was stuck in the study alone.

Glancing down at the love story he had been attempting to read, Brian lifted his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. For someone who didn’t feel the same as he had when he was alive, he could still sense the weariness within his soul. He was tired of all of the distinctions between you and him, and reading about a love that held different worries than he had couldn’t ease his mind or heart.

Brian craved something more tangible to his existence. Since his death, over a century had passed by. And during that time, he hadn’t really questioned a lot about anything. Sure, he had his profound moments, inspired to write his feelings down in poetry. But that was it. He had accepted his time and place in this realm. Yet, just because he was dead, didn’t mean his emotions had died off.

Had that happened, he wouldn’t have fallen in love with you.

And it was due to the intensity of such emotions that everything felt insufferable right now.

“Here you are!” a voice called and it perked him instantly, despite it being more masculine than your tone. Turning to look in Dowoon’s direction, Brian gave his friend a curious look. “I should have known to find you inside of a book!”

“What’s up?”

“Sungjin and I are going to go walk Custard down the beach. You keen?”

Smiling lightly, Brian thought how peaceful that would be. Custard was Dowoon’s pride and joy, a dog you had got for his friend for Christmas. Brian was certain Dowoon loved his canine friend more than anyone else in this house. Custard was all too eager to spend every moment – awake or asleep – with Dowoon too.

Now I’m jealous of a dog, Brian lamented, shaking his head softly. Whilst the thought of stretching his legs and attempting to take in the salty air of the sea did sound enticing, he could already see who he wanted to do that with.

And it wasn’t Dowoon, Custard or Sungjin, sadly.

“Maybe another time.”

“Alright, suit yourself! Ah, if you get peckish, Sarah has made her infamous brownie for the house guests and served up the edges on a plate in the kitchen.”

Brian chuckled. “Peckish? Us dead folk don’t need to eat.”

“Doesn’t mean it isn’t a nice concept now and then,” the tall man suggested with a shrug, giving Brian a final look before departing the room.

He contemplated the idea. Brian’s thoughts shifted back to the first time he shared a drink with you when you moved into the manor house as an adult. No longer were you simply the child who grew up in this house each summer when visiting Pearl, your grandmother. You had arrived and stirred a lot more than the dust and bric-a-brac left behind with her passing. Brian found himself smiling at the many times after you had both shared a meal together.

Maybe, Dowoon was right.

Pushing back his chair, Brian made his way out of the study and down to the kitchen, stopping in the threshold when he overheard the conversation between the occupants of the room.

“Shh! What if someone hears you talking? It will look like you’re talking to yourself!”

“Wonpil, don’t be so silly! Everyone’s being entertained in the main living room right now. We’re completely alone down here.”

“You make it sound as if you like that idea,” his friend mentioned and Brian cleared his throat noisily, his bitterness overshadowing any guilt he felt at breaking up the couple’s alone time. Wonpil, clutching his heart, heaved a little with his fright. “You could have given us fair warning!”

“Why? Your heart won’t jump out of your chest with a little scare,” Brian remarked, reaching for a piece of brownie on the table. He held it up and smiled. “I was told to come for this.”

“Yes, but Sarah’s heart could and as much as that could simplify things, I’d much rather she live out a full life until she joins us in the afterlife.”

The only living human in the room swatted a bashful hand out at Wonpil. “Stop it!”

“I won’t! You are special to me how you are!”

And that signalled Brian’s departure from the kitchen, unsure if the brooding overwhelming him stemmed from the fact that he couldn’t really taste the chocolatey goodness of the treat within his hand that he nibbled on, or because he had to agree with Wonpil to some extent.

If you weren’t just like Sarah, someone who possessed a beating heart, that would simplify things. You would be on a level playing field. Brian knew nothing was ever truly equal in relationships – dead or alive. Still, it would mean you wouldn’t be doing everything so separately. He couldn’t help you run the guest house. He wasn’t able to assist you with your guests like Sarah could. Of course, he did his fair share around the manor where he could, and you were always grateful for that. But it didn’t change the fact that if he walked into the living room right now, only you would see him. Further, you couldn’t interact with him other than in subtle ways that wouldn’t bring attention to the living.

Sensing movement by the front door that he had mindlessly wandered towards, he gave a small smile to Jae who was slipping into his jacket.

“Oh bro! Had enough of the books?”

Shrugging loosely, Brian rocked back on his heels. “What are you up to? Do you want-”

Jae tipped his head to the side as he brushed down the collar to his jacket and then grinned. “Me? It’s date night.”

“A-Again?” Brian breathed incredulously and his friend nodded.

“You know how it is. Married life is all about making sure you keep things fresh and healthy. Date night is a part of that.”

Swallowing down a bitter curse that he, in fact, did not know how any of it was, Brian smiled again, albeit more strained this time. “Where are you going?”

“Downtown theatre.”

“Aren't they only showing Little Women right now? You saw that last week.”

“Gotta keep the Mrs happy, Brian,” Jae announced and then smiled as his Mrs, also known as Becky, came into view.

Her ruby lips twisted up with disdain. “I heard you.”

“I know you did and that was why I kept my talk decent,” Jae quipped, leading his wife out the front door of the manor house with a hasty farewell wave to Brian as he left him behind.

Brian sighed heavily once the pair had gone. Even if they bickered more often than not, he was jealous of them. At least, they prioritised having a date night.

Had he ever gone out on a date with you? Sure, he spent most of his time in your company. You would wake up together, run errands in town or the closest city, sometimes walking along the beach like the others were right now. On the odd occasion, if you didn’t pass out early from exhaustion from running the bed and breakfast, you would curl up in his arms and catch up or read books together. Eventually though, you would fall asleep and a new day would arrive just like that.

Time never had much value to him until he started being with you. It felt like there was never enough of it, moments stolen in between house chores and setting up for new arrivals.

The longer he went through the catalogue of his moments with you in his mind, he realised he had never gone out of his way to call anything a date. Glancing at the large event board by the coat closet, he moved closer to inspect the decorated part of the calendar, indicating that Valentine’s Day was just around the corner. Smiling, he finished his piece of brownie with more enthusiasm before clapping his hands together.

He knew what he had to do.

You smiled brightly when you felt arms slip around your waist from behind you, instinctively leaning back and allowing Brian to step in closer. You nuzzled into him briefly. “Well hello, handsome.”

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” You gestured to the various hues of pink and red that you were using to decorate the living room. “It’s the month of love.”

“The month of love?” he echoed, chuckling softly. “I thought Valentine’s was only a day in February. One in which, I’m certain I heard you proclaim was not your cup of tea.”

Turning around in his arms, Brian grinned at your expression. You scrunched your nose up further. “If I’m honest, it is really cliché. I mean, you should show your partner that you love them every day, right?”

He didn’t answer, simply staring back at you and hoping that you could feel what he did deep down. Brian never questioned your love for him. He just wished you realised how you prioritised him in your schedule.

And how little lately.

“However, from a business standpoint, Valentine’s is the perfect time to whisk your loved one off somewhere to have a little rendezvous. We’re completely booked out for the entire week that Valentine’s falls on.”

Brian’s mood dampened. “Really? You didn’t plan to have even one day off?”

“Now why would I do that?” you questioned, moving away from him to return to your decorations.

“Because you did during Christmas.”

You laughed and shot him a look. “There’s a huge difference between both events. Besides, we had a Christmas wedding to plan for.”

“Would it take another wedding for you to take time off again?” he wondered with a heavy breath and you stopped hanging the balloons, turning back to him.

“Are you okay?”

“I was hoping we could have some time together that week. A whole day, actually.”

You cocked your head to the side, intrigued. “Why?”

“Do you know we’ve never gone on an actual date, Y/N?”

“We haven’t?” Brian shook his head and you fell silent.

“Becky and Jae go on one almost every week.”

“That’s because they can.”

“Why can’t we?” he asked, a little hurt by your response. You could tell and swallowed slowly. “Because I’m not alive?”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” you mumbled, guilt washing over you. “Not at all. Hey! We do things together all the time! We just went to the city together last week.”

“To pick up plant boxes for the vegetable patch.”

“It was fun though. And it was just you and me.”

Brian sighed. “I meant, intentional time together. I want to do things with you like a proper couple does.”

“Can we do that?” you breathed and immediately shook your hands to dismiss your doubt. “Of course we can. We will!”

“You’ll give me one day of your time?”

“How about the day before Valentine’s?” you offered and Brian began to smile. You, however, looked stressed. “I’ll just ask Sarah to step up a bit whilst we’re gone. We will have the best date ever!”

He should have known with your hesitance that this date of yours would be a disaster.

Still, when you met him out in the foyer by the front door, Brian felt hopeful. You had put in some effort to how you looked; wearing one of the dresses he knew you had dug out of your grandmother’s wardrobe. It looked perfect on you and with a hooked arm extended out to you, Brian allowed you to curl a hand around it before leading the way out to the car.

For the trip to the city, you were both excited. Conversation flowed freely as did a lot of singing. He could see how affected you were after he sang along to a Michael Buble song on the radio, the hand he had held the whole trip growing a little clammy. It satisfied Brian to know he had charms about him still.

But it all turned pear-shaped when you pulled up at the restaurant you had made a reservation at. The maître d looked at you and then frowned. “Is your lunch partner running late?”

“What? No,” you answered, smiling at Brian and then swallowing down your easy reaction. Brian stiffened at your side. “Oh. Yes, they are.”

“I’m afraid right now we’re really busy and so we’ll have to seat you up at the bar. We’ll be able to find you a table when you’re ready.”

“Can’t I just be seated at a table for two regardless?”

He shook his head at your request. “Sorry, it’s our restaurant’s rules.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Brian breathed into your ear but you shook your head subtlety.

“I’ll just go somewhere else,” you announced, turning on your heel and hurrying back out to the car.

Brian stared at you when he was seated next to you again. Your cheeks were red and he could tell it wasn’t only with annoyance. He caressed your face softly. “I didn’t think that would be a rule in a restaurant.”

“It’s fine. We’ll still eat together, Brian. Who needs to go to a restaurant like that? Even though I look like this, I can eat anywhere!”

You both ended up in the food court, your determination now tapered out as you sat across from him staring down at your sushi. The noise within the eatery was louder than the ambience at your first stop and Brian pushed down his disappointment.

This wasn’t where he wanted to take you out to eat today.

“It’s fine,” you mentioned again when you caught his gaze, smiling for his benefit. “I love sushi.”

“I know you do.”

“What’s next on the list after eating?” you asked and Brian reached out for your hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“I thought we could go to the museum together.”

You brightened. “I haven’t been in years.”

“It’ll be fun. You love old things,” he commented and you slyly grinned at him whilst nodding.

“You know, I really do.”

With your lunch eaten, you got back in the car to head to the museum together. A renewed energy stepped between you both as you began to look around, Brian swinging your hand in his gently as you walked around.

“Oh look!” you exclaimed, dragging him over to the Victorian section. You lit up as you inspected a selection of men’s outfits. Looking at Brian and then back at the mannequins, you giggled. “Are any of these looks for you?”

“I wouldn’t be caught dead in number three,” he breathed and you giggled. Looking towards the casual outfit on the end, Brian pointed. “That was more like me.”

“Oh, now that is very you!” you exclaimed, looking at his modern outfit and then back at what was once the type of clothes he wore. “Maybe you should try them on again?”

“I’d rather stay like this,” he announced quickly, pulling you away from the display.

For the following hour, it felt as close as it could to a date for Brian. Of course, there were a couple of instances where other viewers would step too close to him and he’d have to sidestep away quickly to avoid being walked through. Still, he was having a lot of fun and he could tell you were as well.

Yet, Brian had become aware of a small group that had been following you both around the museum, and more so of their stares in your direction.

“Who is she talking to?”

“She’s weird, don’t look at her.”

Brian attempted to ignore the jeers from them for some time before he let out a sigh, stepping in front of you with a weak smile. You placed a hand on his torso affectionately. “Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Pull out your phone.”

“It’s already in my hand,” you pointed out, now confused. “I’ve been taking photos!”

“I mean, pull it up to your ear. Do you have your earbuds? Maybe put one in.”

You slowly looked around yourself, realising what he was referring to. Brian closed his eyes to maintain his emotions, hating that you were now aware of the people whispering and looking. He wondered if it would have been better to leave you oblivious to it all.

Forcibly smiling, you pulled out your earbuds and angled your phone towards yourself so it looked like you were on a call. And from that moment out, the trip to the museum became subdued.

“Let’s forgo the gift shop and head back to the car, hm?” he offered when you had made your way back around to the exit, your head lowered in defeat. Brian rubbed your arms softly. “We can go and-”

“I want to find something to remember this outing by,” you mumbled, stepping away from him and going into the gift store. It took a few minutes for your head to lift back up to a level you could maintain without feeling uncomfortable. He could see in your eyes that you were trying to salvage the trip here. Stepping over to your side, he pointed at an arrangement of keyrings with the museum’s logo on it.

“What about one of those?”

You shook your head. “Anyone could have one of them. I want something more us.”

It was a slow process of finding something that you liked. A couple of times you got excited over an item and turned to show him it, only to stop mid-way and cast your gaze around the tiny shop to see if anyone was watching.

It was a keyring and magnet that you eventually settled on, your mood had fallen to a level that he felt he couldn’t retrieve it from. Still, Brian attempted to. “Do you want to go shopping? I’m sure we could cheer up looking at stores together.”

“I do need to get a couple of things from the mall,” you agreed quietly, driving the car to the closest one. With yourself fully armed this time from the start, you relaxed into your experience at the mall. You had done this many times together and perhaps that was why you seemed to grow your confidence again.

“Oh, let’s look in here!” you exclaimed, walking hastily towards a jewellery store. As you browsed, Brian lingered at your side, trying not to take much notice of the items. He didn’t know how to act within such a place. Of course, he wanted to take a deeper look at everything they had in stock. Although he might be a little outdated, even back in his times, he knew the importance of a fine gemstone on a necklace or ring. It made him uncomfortable because he wanted nothing more than to find something for you.

“Anything caught your eye?” you murmured when you looked back at him and Brian shrugged. Smiling, you grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the display boxes. Everything was so sparkly; it took him several blinks to actually focus on anything. You squeezed his hand before letting go, wandering around the store whilst he remained where you placed him.

Brian’s eyes were stuck on a delicate pendant. It held a blue stone within its centre, the metal surrounding it linked in a unique way to hold it together. He decided it reminded him of his love for you.

Brian didn’t even realise he was crying until he felt his cheeks were wet. You approached him calmly, peering at what caught his eye. “It’s gorgeous.”

“It is.”

“Blue topaz is your birthstone too, did you know that?”

He hadn’t but there was no way he could reply, overwhelmed by the pure need for the necklace. His eyes travelled to the price tag and sighed.

A ghost couldn’t exactly purchase anything.

“Excuse me,” you called out and Brian turned to stare at you, somewhat disconnected in the moment. He didn’t hear the rest of your sentence, but when the necklace was taken from the display and you stepped away from his side, he knew what you had done. Walking out of the store, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair, collecting himself when you bounced up to his side and waggled the gift bag. “Here you go! Ah, I’ll carry for you until we’re back at the car!”

“Why did you do that?”

You beamed at him. “Because I could see what it meant to you.”

“I wanted to get it for you,” he explained and your smile evaporated. “I can’t even get you a god damn gift!”

“Brian,” you started but he shook his head, storming away from you and going back out to the car. He laughed bitterly when he was able to slip inside without you unlocking it. Because he wasn’t bound to the same world as you were. Although he could touch you and all the things that your realm held, he wouldn’t ever truly exist in it.

This date had been the worst idea he could ever have. It highlighted all his fears. Inside the manor house, you never seemed unattainable, apart from your endless working hours. But stepping out of the house he had stayed close to for the last century and trying to do something that normal people did had been foolish. Jae and Becky were an anomaly. Brian had learned today that dating was only for people who both either had hearts that moved or had turned to dust years ago.

Brian was in the study again, this time no book was held within his grip. Instead, you had left him with the small gift bag and headed into your bedroom, locking the door behind you, your tears muffled as he had listened on until he couldn’t take it any longer.

Looking down at the velvet case on the table, Brian snapped the lid open and stared at the necklace you had bought in his stead. He closed the lid with a sigh, only to open it again, repeating his actions even though they were taking quite a toll on his energy levels. He hadn’t expected going out on a date with you to be so exhausting.

No wonder Jae always crashed the day after his outings with Becky.

The door to the study opened and closed, though Brian had no interest in tearing his gaze away from the jewellery box before him. He blinked when a hand picked it up and a low whistle left the man before him. Sungjin then chuckled. “Wow, this is real nice.”

Brian gave no response, though his fingers reached out to touch the velvet once it was back on the table.

“Did you steal it?”

“That would take a lot of energy though perhaps I would feel more at ease had I.”

Sungjin chuckled softly. “No, it wouldn’t make you feel any better. And Y/N would have felt bad too. It’s best to do things in their realm the legal way.”

“Did … did you steal something?” Brian asked, glancing up and seeing the answer in Sungjin’s face. He gaped at his friend. “What was it?”

“A brooch,” he admitted, toying with the stack of books on the edge of the desk.

Brian sucked in a dramatic breath when he realised it was the one Pearl had worn all the time. “That brooch? I thought Pearl bought it!”

“My pride was knocked around from that ordeal. It sucks having to step back when it comes to dating though, huh?”

Brian nodded glumly. “I wanted to drive the car.”

“And hold open the doors?” Sungjin offered in which his friend agreed to with another nod.

“I wanted to make Y/N feel special and enjoy herself. Instead, all we did was constantly remind one another of our differences.”

“The only true difference you both have are that you were born over a century and a half ago and Y/N is from this time we’re existing in now. Your morals will be outdated in her world.”

“Hardly, there’s more and you know it.”

Sungjin shrugged, though his gaze was less nonchalant. “There’s only more if you allow them to be there. Why focus on the unimportant stuff?”

“Sungjin, the fact that I’m dead and Y/N’s not is kind of important.”

“Is it? I wasted far too many years of Pearl’s life thinking just like that, you know. To her, all she cared about was her feelings for me and mine of hers. All couples have to learn to compromise and accept how the other is. You’ve been doing that all along. Before this desire of yours to be more than you are, you were working well together, Brian.”

“Were we? I felt like I never did anything with her,” Brian lamented and his friend moved around the desk to pat him on the shoulder.

“So tell Y/N that, not me. You didn’t need to go all out on some fancy date to let her know what’s really been bothering you.”

“Is this how Y/N feels after talking with you?” he breathed as he got to his feet and Sungjin grinned.

“Hey, I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing. It took me a damn long time to get here though. I don’t want to see either of you spend decades stuck in the wrong situation like I did with Pearl.”

“I wouldn’t let even a year pass by being away from Y/N,” Brian replied and Sungjin clapped him on the back.

“See, you’re already ahead of me. Now, how about you go let her know how you’ve been feeling!”

You were already asleep when Brian quietly entered your bedroom, slipping into the bed tentatively. When he had been alive, he had dated briefly and so the only arguments he had experienced were with those of his friends and family. Now in his afterlife, you had been his first true love. He didn’t know what was practical to do within the delicate situation afterwards, no matter how many relationships he had studied within novels over the decades. He laid still beside you, chewing on his lip until your body shifted closer, your arm soon flung over him. Brian reached for your hand gently, drawing it up to his chest and placing it there instead.

He knew when the morning arrived that he would tell you everything. Until then, he would enjoy the proximity you sought after as you dreamed, your body now pressed into him at multiple spots.

Despite his lack of actual sleep, Brian felt well-rested when you finally opened your eyes. And he smiled when you didn’t move away from him when you realised how curled up you were next to him.

“Morning.”

“Hi,” you breathed, swallowing visibly. “Brian, I’m sorry-”

“Can I go first?” he interrupted, smiling at you more warmly. He reached out to brush some of your hair away from your face. “I’ve been waiting all night long to tell you how I feel and I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

“Did you not sleep?” He shook his head softly and you gasped. “Brian! You should have woken me up so you could get some sleep after talking!”

“I don’t need to sleep every night, remember?”

“Still,” you mumbled, pouting for effect.

“Can I tell you my thoughts?” he asked and you nodded softly, your gaze not leaving his. Brian smiled, reminding himself to actually start talking instead of admiring the way you respected that he needed to talk. He felt foolish for a fleeting moment.

He knew he could have told you all this before and you would have listened at any stage.

“I took you out on that date yesterday because I had convinced myself that was what was missing from us. I saw everyone around us doing their own thing with those that matter the most to them and believed that to do that with you too, I needed to step up, to do more couple focused events.”

“I did enjoy the concept of going out with you, Brian.”

“I know,” he told you, reaching out to cup your cheek in his hand, his thumb gently running along your skin. “And in the future, I hope we can do other things together out of the house. But the real reason for my attempt is that I stopped valuing my place here with you,”

You frowned. “What do you mean? You are everything to me!”

“So is your business,” he pointed out, sighing when your brows knitted together. “I started to feel it was easier to focus on the living as opposed to me because their needs are more visible here.”

Touching his neck with your hand, you smiled. “You’re visible to me too. But I do understand, I think. Things have been really busy when people started asking for longer stays and I went from working a certain amount of days to seven days a week.”

“Are you tired?”

You nodded. “I thought I had to prove more of myself with running the bed and breakfast. I got greedy from my success. Even when I was tired, I was consumed with doing better.”

“I wish I could help you with it and that we could run this together. But my place here doesn’t stand out as much as yours.”

“Really? You’re my favourite to talk about around the fireplace. A lot of people leave here charmed by this mysterious man they have seen the portrait of in the hallway. Don’t tell the others but you’re a crowd favourite. Must be these handsome looks of yours.”

Brian smirked. “I think it’s all down to how much you talk me up.”

“You know, it’s not the same, but I hope you know you’re welcome in the room during the times when I’m entertaining. You’ve shared your stories with me in the past and I relay them. But you could be there to help me with them. And in return, I’ll try to find balance with how much I let this place overrun me. As much as I love sharing my joy for the manor, all the people who live here are the true reason this house is magical to me. You are my longest friend, Brian. Before all this-”

You gestured between you both with a proud smile before continuing. “-you and the others were my five childhood friends who I felt safe around. I still feel safe here and I don’t believe I’m missing out on anything just because I can’t go eat in a fancy restaurant with you. I’d much rather cook together here.”

“Do you know I adore how honest you are?” he wondered, moving to rest his forehead on yours. “Here I was withholding my feelings because I worried we weren’t real enough.”

“Oh, we’re real, Brian. I realised yesterday on the trip home that I was more embarrassed with myself than I was with our unique relationship. I don’t need approval from anyone but myself to love you.”

“If you could choose to wait for a lifetime where we’re alive together or keep what we have now, even with its differences, would you still choose now?”

You nodded immediately and his heart soared. “Of course. Besides, you promised along with Jae, Dowoon, Wonpil and Sungjin that you’d stay with me here until I’m joining you all over in the afterlife. This is just the entrée to our love together.”

“Are you hungry? You keep talking about food,” he asked with a chuckle and you giggled, nodding.

“I want to go make pancakes.”

“Why pancakes?”

“Well, it’s a special day for a lot of our guests but more so for us.”

“It is?”

You nodded. “Don’t you remember one year where I stayed here as a kid because my parents had to go on a business trip and my grandmother was unwell so you five all stood over the stovetop attempting to make a batch of pancakes for me to eat?”

“You remember that? God, I have all the time in the world to replay my existence and yet you recall that far more easily than I would. Was that Valentines Day?”

You nodded, pulling away from him and padding across your room to a familiar book on your shelf, slipping something out of it. Coming back over to the bed, you crawled to his side and handed over the card. Brian chuckled as he opened it. “You still have this?”

“You were my first Valentine.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in today?”

“I believe love should be shown every day, I’ve admitted that. But I do believe in this day. Not for the reason a lot of others do, just for the fact that it makes me think of you all.”

Brian leaned in to kiss you before brushing your hair away from your face. “You were my first Valentine too.”

“I doubt it. I bet you had ladies lining up for your hand. Look at you! So charming that even the mistresses of the house you served no doubt harboured feelings for you!”

“Are you jealous if they did?” he wondered, following you as you got up from the bed and headed out into the hallway, taking the path to the kitchen. Since it was early, none of the guests were out of their rooms yet.

You shot Brian a look. “Why be jealous when I have you now!”

“Who’s jealous?” Jae enquired when you both arrived in the kitchen, Brian surprised by the full turn out. Aside from Sarah who hadn’t stayed at the manor last night, the full-time residents were all seated at the table in the room.

“I am!” Sungjin proclaimed, pointing to everyone in the room. “Pearl can’t come to visit any time soon like she did over Christmas. Look at all these couples around me.”

Wonpil shook his head. “My love isn’t here yet.”

“Love? So it’s to that point already?” Becky breathed in amazement, clasping her friend’s hand in hers. And then she turned to you. “Y/N, is there a reason you wanted us all here today?”

“It’s pancake day,” you announced and went to retrieve two boxes of premixed pancake mix from the cupboard.

Dowoon grinned and stopped rubbing his dog’s tummy. “You really trust us to make these?”

“I think we’ll be tempting fate again,” Jae agreed, shuddering as Becky stared at her husband in confusion. Jae sighed heavily. “We were in charge of feeding Y/N one year when Pearl was unwell. It took us forty minutes to serve up the world’s worst breakfast.”

“It was my favourite breakfast,” you corrected, handing a box to Sungjin and Wonpil each. “And it’s Valentines. Can’t we all have some time together before I go make my guests feel the magic in the air or whatever it is?”

It was chaotic, to say the least. Still, after all the years that had passed, none of them had mastered the art of cooking in your realm. It wasn’t as if they truly needed to, given spirits didn’t need food to sustain themselves like you did. But thankfully this time, Becky was here and she managed to deter Jae from putting too much batter onto the pan at a time.

Watching everyone with a smile on his face, Brian quietly left the room to retrieve the necklace from the study, taking it out of the velvet box and marvelling at it as he carried it back to the kitchen. It would take him some time to fully accept his pride would be knocked about in this relationship. He decided he would attempt to make you things in the future when wanting to give you a proper gift. Still, he knew that this came from him despite how it fell into his hands.

And when Brian saw you again, he didn’t hesitate to sling it around your neck, doing up the clasp to the chain. You turned and slipped your arms around his waist. “I love you, Brian.”

“I love you too.”

“Hey, Valentine’s is for us all right?” Dowoon exclaimed and clapped his hands together. “I love you all! But I love Custard justttt a bit more.”

“Just a bit? I’m offended.”

“Jae, do you love me more than everyone here or not?” Becky offered with a smile and he chuckled.

“No, I love everyone more than you.”

“Hey!”

And just like that, the room filled with laughter and exclamations, much like it always did when you all were together.

And as Brian held your hand within his, he realised that he liked Valentine’s a whole lot more than he ever had. It wasn’t about being the perfect date. Or having the best relationship either. Even though he had new ideas and couldn’t wait to spend more alone time with you.

But for now, he was surrounded by everyone he adored. And if Valentine’s was the day of love, then he knew he would be full from this year’s one.

_________________

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