#oh also this is Oak Branch.

[abyssaldyke]

Buddy if you told me Harvard University employs somebody full time with benefits to brush and blow dry and condition every single campus squirrel on a daily basis I would believe you these little motherfuckers are coiffed

[0ccuria]

Wanted to do Halsin as a young cub coming into his Druidry, with a familiar friend to wish him well. (not to worry, the face tat is just paint here)

also wrote a little blurb (791 words) to accompany it under the cut!

“Alright. You can do this – relentless studies do not fail me now.” A young Halsin told himself, alone within a small grotto. It was time for him to prove his knowledge to his elder peers. He had been preparing for months, nights after long nights of arduous studying of old tomes and hours long meditations. His hands buzzed with a cocktail of anxiety and excitement as he quietly rehearsed his teachings.

He pressed a loosely closed fist to his chest and bowed his head, “Oak Father, grant me courage to excel through the trials this Circle has bestowed upon me. I trust no other counsel but yours.”

A moment passed as he reflected on his prayer, but was soon interrupted by a magical disturbance in the air. A faint golden light flashed behind Halsin that grabbed his attention. Suddenly, an apparition of a young boy with a familiar pair of horns materialized before him.

“No other’s, hm?” It said, hands on its hips.

Halsin’s eyes widened at the sight, “...Thaniel?!” He shouted in shock.

His best and only friend to ever grace his company stood there in front of his very eyes. When was the last time he had been so lucky? The teachings and training of the Circle had regrettably pulled Halsin away from seeking out Thaniel’s connection for some time. Immediately, Halsin set his hands upon the boy’s shoulders, lightly gripping them.

“It’s really you! Why are you...” he shook his head, “I’m so sorry, I have neglected you for too long. I hope you can forgive me.” He pleaded.

“But, why?” Thaniel replied, perplexed. “Don’t apologize for following the path that nature has set before you.” An assuring smile stretched his cheeks.

Halsin bit his lower lip to quell his heart from welling up over the sudden mixture of emotions. He then nodded and retrieved his hands. “Yes, you’re right.” He sighed, “I only wish I could have you at my side, always. It has become rather lonely on walks without your little shadow trailing behind me.”

Thaniel skipped over to a moss covered slab and sat upon it, crossing his legs and holding onto his ankles. He swayed back and forth, unable to keep still. “As do I, but we all must fall into the whirlwind of change at some point in our lives, and like the branch of a tree, there will be many more paths that you will have to decide to take for yourself. Nature is not-”

“Stationary.” Finished Halsin.

The two smiled at each other before sharing a giggle, still able to finish each other’s sentences. The young Druid then joined Thaniel for a seat, leaning forward with his hands clasped between his knees. Thaniel then set his head against Halsin’s shoulder, which had certainly grew in size the last he had seen him.

“Don’t fret, Hal, I have been trailing behind – I always will be. Wherever there is a breeze in the air, you will be content to know that it’s me checking in on you.” The boy said. “I know you will become a great Druid – I could see no other better to protect nature. You got this.”

Halsin’s lip quivered, breaking loose to the tears that rolled down his cheeks. He sniffled and wiped his eyes as he let the wave pass through, “Heh. Oh, how I have missed your kind words, thank you, truly. I will take that to heart as long as I live.”

He wrapped his arm around the boy, pulling him into a tighter hug before releasing him. “...Will you sit with me for a moment longer before I have to go? I think there is still time.” He asked.

With a sudden puff of glittery mist that startled Halsin, Thaniel teleported to the other side of the grotto that lead outside and stood there with his arms crossed, “I have a better idea…” a smirk crossed his lips.

Halsin knew of what he spoke of; a game of chase they had always enjoyed. “Are you sure?” He daringly asked. “I’ve become quite fast these days!” He continued, accepting the challenge. He then got up into a half crouched stance, holding his hands out beside him to pull nature's blessing from the soil below to conjure himself into the wildshape of a wolf. Once on all fours, he vigorously shook as if he were wet in order to acclimate himself to the form. Thaniel stood ready to run, awaiting Halsin to come after him.

“Let me be the judge of that!” The boy shouted, tauntingly.

With an elated howl, Halsin charged towards Thaniel, who swiftly darted away as the unmistakable shrill of a child’s laughter and the clacking of claws on stone faded into the distance.

[queer-n-here]

Making Poe/Sigma ride a dildo PLS.

Also you're a great writer

Hey, thanks! Hope you like this one, too.

Also, I fucking love Sigma. I fucking love him. Him and Tanizaki are the two characters that I simp so hard for I would do anything to have them.

Contents: Making Sigma ride a dildo cuz you had a wet dream about it

Warnings: Smut, top male reader, masturbation, sex toys, nipple play.

It had been on your mind for a while now. More accurately, ever since you'd had that dream about Sigma riding a dildo like a bitch in heat, eyes glued to yours and hands bracing against the floor.

You wondered now, stepping into your shared room at the Sky Casino with a bag in your hand, if Sigma would agree to your little request.

You found him sitting at his desk the way you always did. Him, hunched over numerous sheets of paper spread out so he could see all of them at once. You walked over to him, wrapping an arm around Sigma's shoulder and placing a kiss on his temple.

He barely even looked up, murmuring a, "Welcome back," half-heartedly. You didn't mind, ruffling his hair gently and putting down the bag in your hands on the bedside table to go freshen up. When you emerged from the shower, hair dripping water onto the fabric of your T-shirt, neither Sigma nor the bag had moved. You plopped down on the bed, grabbing your phone to pass time.

"Say, baby," You said casually, and Sigma hummed to show that he was listening. "I went down today for an emergency supply run."

'Down' meant back to the surface of earth.

"Mm-hmm," Sigma's eyes were still glued to his paperwork. "See anything interesting?"

You couldn't help but smirk at his words. "Why, I did actually."

"Hmm," Was his only reply, attention stolen completely by his work.

You didn't mind; being in a relationship with someone with the personality of Sigma had that requirement of patience. His work could wrap him around him like deadly vines sometimes. Only when it started suffocating him could you step in, beating back its branches and freeing your boyfriend from them.

And Sigma himself had agreed to your suggestion that after 10 o'clock, he should forget work and just be your boyfriend. So you waited.

The very second the clock in your room struck ten, you threw your phone down and left the bed, going to stand over Sigma instead. You bent down, and picked Sigma up from his chair, making him yelp in surprise and latch onto your neck for balance.

"[Name], what-" He began, but you cut him off.

"It's ten," You jutted your head towards the clock.

Sigma glanced at it, sighed, and then wrapped his arms more firmly around your neck, his expression resigned. "Fine."

You grinned unapologetically, and carried him to the bed, setting him down on the soft mattress and laying down beside him on your side, an elbow propped up against the bed to support your head up with your hand.

"So," You said, looking down at Sigma with a mischievous combination of a smile and smirk plastered on your face. "Did you hear what I said earlier about going down for an emergency run?"

He racked his brains. "Oh, yeah, you said you saw something interesting. What was it?"

Your smile-smirk-combination turned into a full smirk, and you reached over to the bedside table to grab the bag you'd brought with you, depositing it on Sigma's chest carefully.

"Is it a present?" His face lit up, eyes shining as he scrambled to sit up to open the bag.

"Mn," You nodded, eyes glued to that expression of his. "Two, actually. One of them is for you, and the other one might be for me."

Sigma frowned. "But if you brought it for yourself then-"

"Just open it," You raised your head to kiss his lips gently. "Either way you're gonna use it."

He shrugged, "Okay," and reached into the bag. The first thing he pulled out was a small jewellery box made of oak wood, its surface shiny and well-polished. His face lit up again, throwing you an excited glance before opening it, making you smile at him fondly.

It was a silver bracelet, somehow sturdy and delicate at the same time, which was why it had reminded you of Sigma when you'd seen it in the glass case of a jewellery shop you'd been passing.

"It's beautiful," Sigma said, looking up at you with that ecstatic expression on his pretty face.

"You like it?" You asked, and he nodded earnestly. "That's good, then."

You sat up to place a soft kiss on his forehead, and he turned to hug you tightly.

"Thank you," He whispered against your chest as you stroked the back of his head. "I'll cherish it."

You smiled. It felt so good to be able to make him smile, it was surreal.

Sigma got up from the bed to carefully put the bracelet in a drawer, face all split from that wide smile on it. He returned for the second gift, the one you had deliberately placed lower in the bag so he would see it later.

Sitting down next to you again, he took up the bag and reached into it for a second time. When he pulled his hand out, sitting on his hand, all innocent looking and perfectly stationary, was a bright purple dildo.

His eyes widened, and a heavy blush rose up to his cheeks. He dropped it back into the bag, turning to you accusingly as his face burned with shame.

You met his gaze with a calm one of yours, smirking. "How d'you like it?"

Ten minutes later, you received the answer to your question.

You had somehow managed to convince a very flustered Sigma into cooperating with your plans. Now, he was on the floor next to you, hole tight and pathetic around the dildo that you'd stuck to the floor.

You sat close to him, letting him clutch your shirt in his hands as he huffed and panted, eyes wet and shoulders shaking.

"I think you're ready to move now, right, baby?" You asked, supporting most of his weight as he leaned against you.

Sigma nodded, and slowly began moving. He raised his hips till only the tip of the dildo was in him, before engulfing the entire thing again. His thighs shook, and moans spilled from his pretty mouth as he began riding it. You let him bury his head into your chest, knowing full well the shame that made him red now would be gone soon.

Sigma began gaining a rhythm slowly, his hips speeding up as your hand reached for your own waistband. Supporting him with one hand, you used the other to pull your cock free from its retraints. You began stroking just as Sigma's moans grew louder, each thrust of the dildo against his gummy walls making him more breathless than before.

"Look at me, baby," You said, hands fast on your cock.

He did, fingers of both his hands clenching you so tight you wondered if he'd be able to tear your skin through the shirt. His eyes were leaking tears down either side of his red face, and his sweat-soaked and messy hair was sticking to his forehead. His eyes were wide, pupils all blown out and blurred up. You leaned down and kissed him, swallowing each of his moans as he bounced on the dildo.

You continued jerking off to the sight of your boyfriend riding that dildo, knowing full well it could have been your cock if you'd asked for that instead.

"Move faster, baby," You told him, and with tears streaming down his face, he did as he was told.

As Sigma bounced wildly, your eyes glued themselves to the point where the dildo plunged in and out of his already swollen hole. He bit his lips, throwing his head back and letting you lower your head to bite at his pale flesh and kiss his nipples. His shame, as you had predicted, had already vaporized into thin air, and he made eye contact with you as he rode the dildo, mouth open and spilling lewd sounds. You licked and bit and kissed and teased to your heart's content as Sigma's body moved beneath your lips.

Soon, his moans turned into cries, and his movements grew sloppily and wilder, arms wrapping around your neck desperately and pulling you closer. Your hand sped up around your cock, knowing from his mannerisms that Sigma was close to his orgasm.

"Let's finish together, hmm?" You said, and Sigma nodded, leaning up to catch your lips in a kiss.

You reached over with your free hand to stroke his length, making him gasp and try to pull away, but you held on firm. You stroked both cocks in rhythm till he was crying, burying his face into your chest and just sobbing, his orgasm strong and unavoidable as it washed over him.

Ropes of cum shot out of your cock as Sigma collapsed onto you, breathless and tired. You reached forwards to pull him up and away from the dildo and onto you, wrapping both your arms around his shaking frame.

You let him calm down and come down from his high, stroking his back and pressing kisses into his temple. Soon, he pulled away to look at you, tears dried on his cheeks.

"Was that good?" He asked.

You nodded, smiling. "So good, baby. Now that you've had practice, d'you wanna try the real thing?"

Sigma's eyes widened, and he flushed impossibly darker.

[delicatebarness]

wildflower ridge ranch | prologue

Summary: Sneaking out to meet with JB, a ranch hand who works for your family, you share a quiet moment under the stars while keeping the relationship a secret from your father and brothers.

Warning: There isn't necessarily anything triggering, but just to give you a heads-up: Age Gap (18/21) | Power Dynamics

Word Count: 1174

Spotify Playlist | Support: Ko-FI

Series Masterlist | Next Chapter

A/N: I know I said I'd update Winter's Widow but I went for a creative thinking walk, and this is all I've been able to think about since. - Please feel free to leave feedback or let me know where and how you want the story to continue, this is just as much yours as mine. - B

Everything: @hallecarey1 | @pattiemac1 | @uhmellamoanna | @scraftsku35 | @ozwriterchick | @sapphirebarnes | @rach2602 | @thetorturedbuckydepartment | @lanabuckybarnes

The ranch had settled into the usual nighttime quiet, and the air was warm, still– one of those perfect summer nights. The barn doors had been closed, the horses tucked away, and the ranch hands had turned in for the night. Their snores probably fill the small, shared space. Yet, the bunkhouse lights flickered, indicating that not all were asleep.

You were also not ready to sleep. Sneaking out of the ‘Log Mansion’, you made your way down to an old oak tree just past the stables. A canopy of leaves rustled from the branches stretching high above in the soft breeze. It was a hidden corner of the ranch, your spot, where no one would come looking for you.

Well, except for him.

James ‘Bucky’ Barnes– commonly known as ‘JB’, your family’s best ranch hand and the man who somehow stole your heart. He was supposed to meet you here.

Working for your family, JB lived in the bunkhouse with the others, and he spent his days under the sun, toiling away as if he had everything to prove. He came from a few towns over, looking for work around six years ago, and he quickly became part of the ranch’s rhythm.

No one knew what you both made sure to keep a secret– that between his barn chores and the late-night campfires, you both found something else. Something more.

At the age of eighteen, you were still too young in your daddy’s eyes. And, JB, at twenty-one, was the last person he would approve of for you. He was just another ranch hand, hired to work the land for your daddy. And your brothers– Ari, Curtis, Cole, and Johnny would tear him apart if they ever were to find out.

Leaning against the tree, you gazed up at the stars and a nervous energy bubbled in your stomach. Every time you saw JB, it always felt like the first time again. You never knew if it was his quiet strength or the way his blue eyes saw right through you– but he was someone more than just the man who worked for your daddy.

You were pulled from your thoughts as the soft crunch of boots hit against the dirt. Turning just in time, you saw JB emerging from the shadows, the moonlight outlining his familiar silhouette. The old guitar that he kept stashed in the bunkhouse was being carried in one hand, and his smile was small, almost shy.

“Well, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes, darlin',” he said, coming to a stop in front of you, his frame towered over you. He leaned against the tree, never dropping your gaze.

Blushing, you looked down, kicking your boots in the dirt, trying to play it cool. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come.”

“Oh, darling, you should know by now,” he grinned, his touch was warm and tender as his hand gently cupped your cheek. “I’ll always come when you call.”

You both settled on the ground, his long legs stretching out as he rested the guitar against a thick thigh, plucking a few lazy chords. By now, you were content being near him, even when the air between you was thick with unspoken words and emotions.

There was a mischievous glint in his eyes when he glanced at you. “You wanna hear a song?”

Tucking your hair behind your ear, you nodded. “Yes please, James, but only if you want to.”

Sensing how flustered you were, the smirk on JB’s face deepened. “Oh, I wanna. I’ve got somethin’ I’ve been practicin’ for you.”

The melody was familiar and slow as he strummed a few chords, and it only took another moment for your heart to skip when you recognized the opening notes. It was one of the new songs you had been playing on repeat, one that made you want to slow dance under the stars. Your chest tightened with emotion as you listened to JB play it.

His voice was low and rough as he started singing, but it still had the teasing edge he always had. JB wasn’t just singing a song, he was singing it to you, every word meant to wrap around you and pull up closer.

You had to bite your lip to stop from smiling too wide, his voice sending a shiver down your spine as he began to come to the end of the song.

“You like it?” he asked, though from the way his eyes glanced down to your lips, causing the smirk to reappear across his own, he already knew your answer.

Nodding, you met his gaze, now unable to hide your smile. “It was perfect, James.”

“Yeah? I thought you’d like that one,” he spoke, setting the guitar aside. His knee brushed against yours as he shifted closer. More serious now, his voice lowered as he added, “You know, darlin’, I didn’t just come out here to play you a song.”

Looking up at him, there was something in his at caused your heart to race, and your stomach to flip. “What else did you come for?”

There was a softness in his eyes, one that you had rarely seen before. He reached out, brushing that damned stray lock of hair behind your ear. “I’ve been waitin’ for the right moment, and I reckon,” he paused. “I reckon this is as good as it gets.”

Before you could ask what he meant, he leaned in. His plump lips brushed against yours softly, teasingly, and your heart fluttered in your chest, leaving you wanting more.

When he pulled back, his grin was still in place. “You okay, darlin’?” he asked, eyes locked on yours.

You nodded. “Y-yeah, I’m okay,” you replied, a little dazed and breathless.

“Good,” he murmured, brushing his thumb lightly against your cheek. “I’ve been dyin' to do that.”

He never gave you time to respond, pulling you in and placing another kiss against your lips. This time, he was a little firmer, deepening the kiss. It was everything to you, slow and sweet. Yet, there was a hint of heat and desperation. His hand moved to the back of your neck, holding you closer. Your heart continued to pound in your chest as you melted into him.

You were both gasping for air as you broke apart, and JB smiled down at you, tracing lazy circles over your skin.

“Guess that’ll be added to our collection of little secrets, huh?” he teased.

Nodding, you smiled and looked at him.

Your heart filled with the warmth of your first kiss as you sat under the stars, together, settling in a comfortable silence. This was a memory you would carry with you, forever, even if it had to remain a little secret.

---

Series Masterlist | Next Chapter

[tokkiwrites]

ㅡㅡㅡ in which you finally come home from college. it's been almost 4 years, and you're shocked to see how hot your dad's best friend has gotten ㅡ but he can say the same for you.

TW: dbf!joel miller (yeppeee), dom!joel, sub!reader, afab reader, age gap (reader is 23 n joel is in his mid 40s), rough sex, unprotected p in v (wrap that up yall), pet names (lots of em), no use of y/n (ik shocking), spit, choking, trying to have sex in secret (idk what you call that), oh yeah readers dads name is William but every1 calls him Will ok?? pls let me know if i missed anything!!!

You step off the bus, feeling a strange mix of nostalgia and anticipation as you gaze at the familiar sights of your small hometown. It's been four years since you last set foot in this place, and the memories flood back. You know you'll find your dad, Joel and Sarah waiting for you, but there's also that fluttering in your stomachㅡㅡ that secret crush on him that you've never quite been able to shake. As you walk down the street, you can't help but wonder how much things have changed.

Hopefully, not much.

As you approach your childhood home, you can't help but notice how the old oak tree in the front yard has grown taller, casting a welcoming shade on the well-worn swing that still hangs from its sturdy branches. Your heart flutters as you step onto the front porch, taking in the familiar scent of your dad's famous apple pie wafting through the screen door.

You open the door to find your dad, in the cozy kitchen, wearing his favorite flannel shirt as he carefully pulls a bubbling pie from the oven. His eyes light up when he sees you, and he rushes over to engulf you in a warm, tight hug. "You're finally home, sweetheart," he says, his voice filled with genuine joy.

Joel's daughter, Sarah, stands a few feet away, her eyes lighting up with a bright smile as she watches the reunion. "Welcome back!" she exclaims, stepping forward to give you a warm hug too.

And there he is, tall and way too massive. when did he get so big? ㅡㅡ you're not complaining, though. His hair has started to gray, and his beard is gruff... your eyes sparkle as you stare up at Joel, waiting for him to say something.

"welcome home, darlin'" he breaks the silence, your heart racing as Joel's deep, rich voice washes over you. he steps forward, embracing you warmly. his arms are strong, and you can't help but take a deep breath in as you inhale his musky scent that's almost intoxicating.

As he pulls back from the hug, you meet his warm, hazel eyes, the world almost stopping. You've always been drawn to him, all though you thought it was just a stupid kid crush but now, with the years of separation and growth behind you, that attraction only seemed to intensify as you get to look at him again.

you're brought out of your trance as your dad's voice echoes through the room "c'mon, kiddo. made your favorite: cinnamon apple pie!" You can't help but giggle as you see the sheer excitement in your dad.

"dad, you didn't need to."

"course i had to, you've been away for years, and i aint lettin you off that easy, girl."

You can't help but chuckle at your dad's enthusiasm, feeling a warm sense of belonging. "Well, in that case, I'm not going to argue with your logic," you reply with a playful wink. The scent of the freshly baked cinnamon apple pie fills the air, and it's a comforting reminder of the home you've missed so much during your time away.

"good thing you're home." Joel speaks up "now he can cook for you and not stuff me full of all his kitchen...experiments." his chuckle is low, making your heart thump. you nod, slicing up the pie and placing a piece each on four different plates, adorning every slice with some fresh cream.

"Oh, I think I've missed those kitchen experiments more than anything," you quip with a sly grin, sharing a secret look with your dad.

Sarah chimes in, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "We've been Will's taste testers for years, but now you're back to rescue us, right?"

You all sit around the kitchen table, enjoying the warm pie and the laughter that fills the room. It's moments like these that make you grateful for being back home, surrounded by the people you love, even if it does come with a side of unspoken desire for the one man who has always had a special place in your heart.

does that make it sound better than saying you want your dad's best friend to fuck you? maybe.

"god, can you believe it's been four years? feels like only yesterday i was givin' you piggyback rides." Joel smiles, eyes crinkled at the corners as he takes a sip of some bear. "hey, Sarah is still little, you can give her all the piggyback rides you wanna." you laugh.

"don't give him any ideas, girl." the teen furrows her brows as she takes a large bite from her pie. "actually, me 'n joel thought it would be a good idea if we had a movie night tomorrow, for old times sake. do you remember those? god, they were fun, huh?"

"dad! you're saying it as if I'm ancient... I ain't 40." Joel turns to you, raising his brows "careful, missy. don't discriminate against 40 year olds." your cheeks light up as your eyes meet his, unable to say anything. you just swallow what you've been chewing and nod away.

Joel's laughter fills the room, and he playfully nudges your shoulder. "Alright, enough teasin'. Let's focus on planning that movie night. Remember how we used to pick out our favorite films and stack up the snacks like a mountain?"

Sarah chimes in, excitement in her eyes. "Can we make cheesy popcorn with chocolate chips?" you scrunch up your nose,"gross, sarah! you still like those? thought it was just weird kid cravings, you know?"

"you didn't even try them, stop bein' a hater!" she groans, slumped in her seat. You chuckle at Sarah's determination. "Alright, alright, I'll give your cheesy popcorn with chocolate chips a shot. After all, it's all about making this movie night special."

Joel grins and pats your back. "That's the spirit, kiddo. We're up for some culinary adventures, ain't we?" your heart jumps, and you feel like a teenager againㅡㅡ god, some things never change.

As the night falls, Sarah heads to sleep in your room, and your dad leaves you and Joel to clean up what's left in the kitchen. It didn't take long, 10 minutes at most, so you decide to sit for a bit.

The living room is bathed in a gentle, dim glow from the soft, ambient lighting. You and Joel settle onto the couch, the familiar cushions cradling you both. As you chat and reminisce, the comfortable silence that has always defined your connection fills the room.

Joel reaches for the old photo album your dad always kept on the coffee table, and you watch as he flips through its pages. The photographs tell the story of both your family's journey together – from vacations at the beach to the holidays you celebrated. Memories cascade from each page, and Joel's gaze lingers on a particularly cherished photo.

He turns to you, a wistful smile on his face. "Remember this trip, that cabin by the lake? Sarah was so little then, and she caught her first fish. You were so little..."

"yeah, I remember..."

"you're all grown up now. I honestly thought you'd forget about your dad and I." Joel chuckles, wrapping his bicep around you, pulling you in closer. "Don't be ridiculous. never in a million years." you reply.

then there's silence. your gaze locks on his, and you can hear your heartbeat in your headㅡㅡ his eyes never leave yours. Joel's calloused palm reaches your face, tracing small circles onto your burning cheek.

"think your dad's gonna come out soon?" he asks, licking his bottom lip as he waits for your response. while he looks at you, words get stuck in your throat, and you can't get them outㅡㅡ so you just shake your head 'no'.

"thought you'd grow out of this shyness, darlin'. i guess it's that effect I've on ya, huh?" smirking, he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, causing you to shiver lightly.

Joel's presence, so close, and his touch have you captivated. The room feels charged with tangible tension. His teasing remark makes you smile, though you're still struggling to find words, the unspoken feelings hanging in the air.

"c'mon, sweetheart, answer me."

"j-joelㅡ" what does he want you to say? is he testing you? does he feel it, too? better yet, does he hear how fast your heart is beating whenever he leans closer to you.

"ya still hear the water runnin?" you nod. "good." he licks his lips before grabbing the back of your head, pulling you inches away from his lips. "can I?"

you muster the fastest 'yes', and when realization hits, your face grows red as an apple, causing joel to laugh. "eager girl." and with that, he leans in, placing his lips atop yours. the kiss is deep, a bit sloppy, but it feels like it's been heavy waiting to happen for so long. his beard scratches at your skin, drawing soft hums from you as it does so.

a few moments pass, and joel pulls away from the kiss, a string of saliva connecting your lips, one that he breaks when his rough thumb drags itself across your bottom lip. "pretty, pretty girl." you moan, you feel so pathetic. he's barely touched you, yet you feel the pool growing inside your panties by the second.

"p-please, joel.."

"please, what, darlin? gotta tell me exactly what ya want." he smiles, prepping soft pecks onto your face. "t-touch me..please." you gather the courage to speak up, watching his eyes grow darker as he hears your request.

"fuck, baby...what would your dad say if he heard you just then, huh?" chuckling low, his fingers tangle themselves in your hair, making you whimper. "don't c-care.."

"that so?" he tilts his head to the side, his thumb urging your mouth to open. "c'mon, girl, open." and you do as you're told, opening you mouth wide, tongue lolled out. he then gathers some spit in his mouth before letting the glistening droplet fall from his lips onto your tongue.

"swallow." he commands, and you obliged. "atta girl."

its so overwhelming, so dirty, and he didn't even do anything. at this moment, it feels as if only a slight nip at your skin could send you over the edge.

suddenly, you both hear steps upstairs, followed by a door closing. it's your dad. "you guys alright? think ive had too much to eatㅡ nothin' new there. imma head to bed, you guys cand manage yourselves, yeah?" and with that he closes the door to his room, leaving you and Joel staring at each other.

"tell me, you really wanna do this, darlin' ?"

"please, joel...need thisㅡㅡ need you."

Guilt clawed at your heart. Yet, you couldn't stop what you felt. it was wrong, but in this moment, it felt so right. "fuck, okay angel."

his large hands start to pull at your clothes, undressing you in an instant, leaving your naked body shivering. "i got you, babygirl." joel leans in, trailing soft kisses down the curve of your hip all the way to your mid thigh. your body jolts as you try to remain quiet.

"gonna let me ruin you, sweet girl?" and it feels like your heart could run a marathon. you nod away, eagerly. you feel so pathetic, all sprawled out naked under him, whilst he's still dressed. "words, baby."

"fuckㅡ please, joel, please..." you almost cry.

he laughs, fingers reaching your folds and swirling around them "fuck, darlin', you're so wet. all this for me, hm?" he teases "yes, f-for you...please."

"shh.." hushing you, he finally pushes inside one of his fingers, making you bite back a moan. you cover your mouth with your hands, a warm sensation flooding your bodyㅡ it feels like you could come just now.

"so tight, baby. can't wait to feel you 'round my cock." you choke back a pathetic whine. "you like it? like it when i fuck you with my fingers and talk to you like this?" you nod, pushing yourself further onto his digits. "filthy girl, s'it turn you on knowing your dad could walk in in us, huh? want him to see ya full of my cock? c'mon, answer, girl."

"yesㅡ shit, yes, please, joel, please..."

"s'okay, baby, don't worry. 'll fuck you so good you'll forget your own name. make you take this cock until you can't walk no more."

your vision was hazy from all the tears in your eyes, and your heart felt stuck in your throat. you watch the man discard himself of his clothesㅡㅡ holy. fucking. shit. all of your fantasies of Joel couldn't prepare you for what was going to happen. he stood there, tall, gruff as he stroked himself. his length was girthy, almost too thick, veiny, with a red, angry tip. he knew he was huge, that's what made it so exciting to him watching you gawk at his cock.

"c'mon, doll. it won't bite...open wide now. widee ㅡ there you go..." he preaises, sliding his length between your lips. it was hard to adjust, and honestly, your jaw was hurting from the first minutes you had him in your mouth. but the way his lips dripped with quiet moans, 'goodgirls' and 'thats rights', it made you push back the pain. it was bearableㅡ you just wanted to make him proud.

"jesus christ, girl, you look so pretty, mouth full of my cock." the man laughs, pushing his length further down your warm throat that was constricting as you gagged around him. "shitㅡ gonna make me come, sweet girl." hissing, he pulls out, leaving you gasping for air.

"joel, need you inside...please.."

"you're so gorgeous like this, baby. my gorgeous girl, begging for cock." he sighs, caressing you cheek before his hand slides down to wrap around your neck, squeezing it and making you light-headed. "gonna let me fuck you stupid, darlin'? c'mon, answer."

"y-yes, Joel, want you t'fuck me s-stupid, please..."

joel scoffs, placing a little kiss on your forehead. with his other hand, he grabs his shaft and drags the tip along your folds, collecting all the juices that dripped from you. "fuckin' soaked for me, baby."

"jus' for you.."

"i know, baby. i know.."

without stalling, he pushes in just the tip making you yelp as the sting spread through your pussy. you stare him deep in the eyes as he pushes in further, hushing you along the way. it was so bigㅡ too big. but you loved it, you loved that it was all you dreamed about and more.

"s' everything good, darlin'? want me to stop?"

"please don't...move, please, i need youㅡ please.."

"gonna give me a stroke if you keep on beggin' like that, baby..." with that, he pushes in all the way, ripping through you, his precum mixing with your juices that were flowing over his cock. he thrusts in you cunningly, gripping your hips tightly and licking long strips down your neck. all you could do is sit there and take it. take it and make him proud.

"so pretty, baby. so, so pretty and tight, shitㅡ " joel moans, indulging further into you. your hips crash with his, and you try your best to say quiet as you feel his cock hit so deep, you're sure it reached your stomach. the room spun with you, you could only mutter little 'joels' as he pounded into you.

after a few more pumps that familiar feeling was pooling at your core, causing you to tighten around Joel's length, which made him grunt and pull your hips flush to his "that's it, girl. come around my cock, let me feel ya."

you both sit there in silence for a bit before you finally decide to speak up. "movie night tomorrow will be...something."

you let go. bliss and pleasure take over you as your body contorts under joel, your walls fluttering around his shaft perfectly. it doesn't take him long reach his high, pumping a few more times into you before he take his cock out and paint your stomach with white, silky strands.

"now you're talkin' , darlin'? c'mon, let's get ya cleaned up and pray no one heard us."

⁽⁽ଘ( ˊᵕˋ )ଓ⁾⁾‎  토끼's NOTE : yall are eating good today. here with another fic this time our fave insane dilf JOEL !!! this has 2.78k words and probably lots of grammatical errors ITS NOT PROOFREAD OK?!?!?! hope you like it guys <3 tysm and ily!!!

[mingi-s-dimples]

weird request..? ( kinda ) it’s me lis😚 i love your work bia and i really REALLY want a demon hongjoong fic 🪦 maybe add some praising and choking kink as well…🤭🤭 i recently saw a picture of him that added to the “joong demon agenda” AND OH BOY 🫠🫠 love you 😚❤️

Crimson Nights - Hongjoong

REQUEST BY: @mingleshine (or how y'all might know her, my lovely Lis) she also made the banner 😋😋 had to use it for my love.

pairing: demon/incubus!hongjoong x fem!reader

rating: 18+

genre: romance, demon x human, love not necessarily filth (but a little bit cause I love writing filth hihi)

summary: the sillhouette you've always been dreaming and painting about finally finds it's way in your room, giving you what you've been longing for.

WC: 3.5k

warnings: demon au, incubus!hongjoong x human fem!reader, choking kink, neck marking, marking, a sprinkle of praise, pet names (sweetie, darling, princess), ramming (if this is even a warning), hard deep and needy longing love (joong appeared in reader's dreams for years), choking, huge dick!hongjoong, slight belly bulging (he was a big guy hihi), eyes glistering with lust and changing as soon as they're finished, sharp nails (said marking + hickeys), biting, a little bit of cnc maybe from his perspective reader was all down for it, possesiveness, claiming reader (you/re mine/I already claimed you), completely consesual, unprotected (WRAP UP IRL!), slapping/spanking, orgasms (both m&f), fluff (if you squint but I promise there is fluff cause wdym Hongjoong has waited years for reader to be ready to invite him in her world and how he talks to her at the end ansadka I'm blushing), probably forgot something !

Author's Note: I loved writing this one. The description in the beginning made me absolutely looooooooooooooooooove writing this fic, I've always loved to describe nice, vintage/retro like things/rooms. Tysm love for the request andddd can't wait for another one from you hihi <3 love you always, enjoy this one ^^ also I love when u call me bia it makes something in me go insane nshdajkndsma

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction & does not represent in any way the reality of the member.

The room was a sanctuary of warmth and color, tucked away in an old manor where the whispers of time lingered in the wooden beams. As you stepped inside, the scent of aged wood and crackling fire filled the air, mingling with the faint aroma of dried leaves that had drifted in through the slightly open window. The walls were adorned with paintings of every size, each one a vivid portrayal of autumn’s embrace. Rich hues of amber, gold, and crimson spilled from the canvases, capturing scenes of forests bathed in the gentle light of a setting sun, of fields where goldenrod swayed in the cool breeze, and of paths carpeted in a mosaic of fallen leaves.

The floor, covered in a thick, russet-hued rug, creaked softly underfoot, adding to the room’s rustic charm. A grand oak table sat in the center, its surface cluttered with brushes, palettes, and jars of paint that seemed to mirror the fiery shades of the season. On a nearby easel, a half-finished painting depicted a lone maple tree, its leaves a brilliant cascade of oranges and reds against the backdrop of a fading twilight sky.

Outside, the trees rustled softly in the wind, their branches bare save for a few stubborn leaves clinging to their last moments of life. The windowpanes rattled gently, as if echoing the sighs of the season, and through them, the distant cry of a flock of geese could be heard, their silhouettes barely visible against the dusky horizon. The room, bathed in the soft glow of a nearby lamp, seemed to pulse with the rhythm of autumn itself, a place where the beauty of the season was captured and eternalized within the frames on the walls.

You’ve been having some weird dreams lately. The dreams were always drenched in shadows, where reality blurred and the world seemed suspended between night and twilight. In them, you found yourself standing in a vast, moonlit field, where the air was thick with an unspoken tension. The only light came from a ghostly crescent moon, casting long, eerie shadows that danced across the landscape. It was in these shadows that you first saw him — a silhouette against the silver light, imposing, with a presence that sent a shiver down your spine and yet held your gaze captive.

He was not like any man you had ever seen. His form was humanoid but dark, almost as if he were carved from the very night itself. Yet, it was his eyes—those glowing embers hidden within the depths of shadow—that drew you in. They were the color of molten gold, burning with an intensity that made your heart race, eyes that seemed to see right through you, into the deepest corners of your soul.

Despite his demonic appearance, you felt an inexplicable pull toward him, a magnetic force that defied all logic. Each night, the dreams grew more vivid, more intense. You would find yourself standing just a breath away from him, feeling the heat of his presence and the chill of the night air against your skin. His gaze would meet yours, holding you in place, and in that moment, you felt a strange mix of fear and desire. It was as if his eyes were speaking to you, whispering promises of secrets untold, of passions that could only exist in the world of dreams.

Sometimes, you could hear his voice—a deep, resonant sound that echoed in the silence, filled with both menace and allure. He would reach out, his hand almost touching you, but the dream would always end before you had made contact, leaving you waking with a longing you couldn’t quite understand. The sensation of his gaze lingered among you, haunting your waking hours, making you yearn for the night when she would see him again.

In these dreams, you were not afraid. The darkness did not frighten you, nor did his otherworldly form. Instead, you felt drawn into the mystery, consumed by the curiosity of who he was and why you felt such a strong connection to him. Each night you slipped into the sheets, so willingly, eager to return to that shadowy place where the lines between fear and desire blurred, and where you felt more alive than you ever did in the daylight.

The air in the room was thick with anticipation, the kind that made every breath feel heavy. You stood in the center of the old, dimly lit room, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows that danced on the walls. The atmosphere was charged with an electric tension, a sensation you knew all too well from your dreams.

You had been here before—in those haunting visions that gripped you in the dead of night, where the lines between fear and desire blurred into something irresistible. But tonight was different. This time, you were awake. This time, it was real.

The temperature dropped suddenly, and a shiver ran down your spine. The shadows in the corners of the room seemed to coalesce, gathering into a single point of darkness that deepened until it was almost tangible. Your breath hitched as the air hummed with an otherworldly energy. The shadows twisted, taking form, and your heart pounded in your chest as you watched.

Slowly, he emerged from the darkness—a figure of impossible beauty and terrifying power. His skin was pale, almost luminescent against the darkness, and his eyes glowed with a deep, unnatural fire. They were the eyes that had haunted you in your sleep, eyes that saw through you, into you, but you yet had a desire to meet him. His presence filling the room, cloaked in darkness that seemed to cling to him like a living thing.

His lips curled into a knowing smile, one that sent a jolt of both fear and longing through you. It was the smile that had always made you feel like you were teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something thrilling. His voice, when he finally spoke, was a low, velvety rumble that seemed to reverberate through your very bones.

"So, we meet at last," he said, his tone laced with a dark amusement. "You've been dreaming of meeting me, haven't you?" 

You tried to speak, but the words caught in your throat. It was as if the reality of his presence had stolen your voice, leaving you with nothing but the rapid beating of your heart and the heat that flushed your skin.

He stepped closer, his movements fluid, almost serpentine. Every step he took seemed to pull you in, your body betraying you as it leaned towards him, yearning for the touch you knew would burn but also ignite something within you.

"You've been calling out to me, every night," he continued, his gaze never leaving yours. "And now, here I am." 

He was close enough now that you could feel the cold radiating from him, mingling with the warmth of your own body. The scent of him was intoxicating, a mix of something dark and forbidden, like smoke and spices you couldn't name. It made your head dizzy, your thoughts tangling with desire and dread.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against your cheek, and the contact sent a shockwave through you. His touch was cold, but it sparked something deep within, a fire that you had only ever felt in your dreams. It was a sensation that bordered on pain, but also pleasure—a perfect, terrifying balance.

"Why do you fear me?" he whispered, his breath ghosting over your skin. "I am what you desire most, am I not?"

You swallowed hard, finally finding your voice, though it was barely more than a whisper. "Who are you?"

His smile widened, a flash of sharp teeth that should have frightened you, but instead, it only made your heart race faster. "I am everything you've ever feared, everything you've ever wanted. I am the darkness in your soul, the fire in your blood. I am yours."

The words wrapped around you like a spell, binding you to him in a way that felt both inevitable and inescapable. You knew, deep down, that this was what you had been searching for, what your soul had been yearning for in those lonely, desperate moments between sleep and wakefulness.

“W-what’s your name?” you said, your head dizzy from what he made you feel deep inside you.

“I’m Hongjoong.. nice to meet you, princess.”

His hand slid from your cheek to the back of your neck, pulling you closer until there was nothing between you but a breath, a heartbeat. His eyes burned into yours, and you felt yourself falling into them, into him, as if you had always belonged there.

"You have nothing to fear," he murmured, his lips hovering over yours, close enough to feel their coolness. "We are one, you and I. And now, you will never be alone again."

As his lips finally met yours, the world around you seemed to fade, dissolving into darkness. All that remained was the heat of his kiss, the cold fire of his touch, and the knowledge that you had finally found what you had been seeking all along—him.

He stopped kissing you, a heady silence falling between, thick with the weight of what was about to happen. His hands, cold yet searing with an undeniable heat, trailed down your neck with a slow, deliberate touch, making you shiver. His eyes locked onto yours, burning with an intensity that made your knees weak. You could feel the pull, the magnetic force drawing you closer, deeper into him, and you knew there was no escape—only surrender.

With a fluid, almost predatory grace, he lowered you onto the bed. The mattress yielded under your weight, and the cool sheets sent a shiver through your body. He hovered over you, his presence overwhelming, his gaze never wavering from yours as he gently eased you down, guiding your back to the softness beneath. The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in a bubble of darkness and desire.

His lips found your throat, pressing soft, lingering kisses that ignited every nerve in your body. The sensation was intoxicating, a mixture of warmth and cold that made your skin tingle with anticipation. His kisses were like whispers against your flesh, trailing down to your collarbone, each touch a promise of more to come. His sharp teeth, grasping your skin, receiving some whines out of you. 

You gasped as his hands slid under the fabric of your shirt, his fingers cool against the heated skin of your waist. His touch was slow, sensual, exploring every inch of you as if committing your body to memory. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against your ear, sending another shiver down your spine.

“Do you feel that?” he whispered, his voice like velvet, dark and rich. “The way your body responds to mine? The way you tremble under my touch?”

His lips traced the curve of your shoulder, then continued their journey downward, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. His fingers followed, brushing against your sides, your hips, as he moved lower. He was taking his time, savoring every moment, every reaction you gave him.

When his lips reached the edge of your shirt, he paused, his gaze flicking up to meet yours. There was a question in his eyes, one that didn’t need to be spoken aloud, and your answer was in the way you arched your back, pressing your body into his touch, craving more. A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he pulled your shirt higher, exposing more of your skin to the cool air.

He kissed along your stomach, his lips lingering on every inch of bare flesh he uncovered, each kiss sending a jolt of pleasure through you. His hands were everywhere, caressing, teasing, and you couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped your lips as he continued his exploration. The sound seemed to please him, a dark glint of satisfaction in his eyes as he looked up at you from beneath his lashes.

His mouth moved lower, his kisses growing more insistent, more demanding, and you could feel the tension building within you, coiling tighter with each passing second. His touch was like a drug, addicting, overwhelming, and you were helpless to do anything but give in to the sensations he was pulling from you.

When he finally moved back up to capture your lips again, it was with a hunger that took your breath away. His kiss was deep, consuming, as if he was trying to devour every part of you, to claim you as his own. You could taste the darkness on his lips, the promise of something forbidden, something you had craved in your dreams but had never fully understood until now.

He pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against yours, his breath mingling with your own in the small space between you. “You are mine,” he whispered, the words more a declaration than a question. “Every part of you, every breath, every heartbeat. Mine.”

And as he kissed you again, slow and deep, you knew that he was right. There was no turning back, no escape. You were his, body and soul, and the thought of it sent a thrill through you that was equal parts fear and desire. As his hands continued their exploration, as his lips found every sensitive spot on your skin, you surrendered completely to the darkness, to him, knowing that you were lost and yet finally found.

Your hands found their way through his hair, rubbing the nape of his neck. He took that as a challenge and as one of his hands was travelling around your body, all touchy on your thighs and waist, the other one went for your neck, putting pressure, almost like choking you. It only made you yearn for more as you squirmed under him, his gaze never leaving your needy eyes.

“I can see it in your eyes, princess. How much you want me, how much you need me. Do you want me to let you give in or… will you let me make you mine?” he said as he pressed down on your neck, hovering his lips over your collarbones, leaving soft, sloppy kisses, waiting for your response. 

But as you didn’t say anything, only moving underneath him, in wish of some friction, he understood your movements and manhandled you on your back, pressing your face into the mattress. 

“See, darling? Your body language is everything to me. The way it speaks to me… in no way you’d be able to portray by words” he whispered, his eyes glistening with lust and desire, eating you as a whole. 

“Joong- i- “ you mumbled, trying to get ahold of yourself, his dick struggling inside the rough fabric of the leather jeans, creating a prominent tent. All of this mess caused by you and your little dreams formed a loop of stroking his cock for a few seconds before rubbing his thigh up and down, all through the tightening cloth. 

His calm, yet lustful, twisted expression gave you an understanding on how much he wanted you, how bad he craved putting you on all fours, head buried in the mattress, holding your hands and pounding into you like the demon he was. 

Trembling hands gripping the silk sheets, your bottom lip quivered involuntarily as breathless pants left your mouth, Hongjoong behind you, squeezing and occasionally slapping your ass. It was already red… at how much he fondled with it.

“So… should I.. finally claim you, princess?” he said as he turned you over to face him. He started undressing you, slowly but surely getting rid of everything. You were now laying bare in front of him, goosebumps visible on your entire body from the cold yet inviting touch he had.

He pulled you into him by your waist, making you gasp once you felt his hard erection press against your thigh. "Feel that, princess? Gonna fill you up nicely" he whispered, his breath stuttering against your face, like he was a feral animal wanting to destroy you. 

As he unbuckled his leather pants and got rid of them, unveiling his already dripping cock, you were left amazed by the size. You expected.. the size.. cause he was a demon, after all, but...

"Oh, fuck" you exhaled when he went between your thighs, his red angry tip pressing and slowly moving up and down on your folds.

"You good, darling? he grunted as he pushed himself inside you, no warning. You softly moaned at the sensation, but as you realised he put only his tip in, you braced yourself on the mattress and when he pushed himself just a little bit more, you whined and tears started forming at the corner of your eyes. As he wiped them soflty, he let you adjust to his size but you never quite completely did.

Pain and pleasure hovered over you, heavy mist in the air and breathing. He lifted you up, still bouncing slowly on his cock, holding you close to his chest. It was it you were making love to your demon.. this was exactly what was happening. Slow, lustful, desireful thrusts, moves and touches, soft kisses from your neck to your collarbones, sucking dark spots on your fair soft skin.

You suddenly moved and twitched as he bottomed down, to which he pushed you down even further, feeling how a small bulge was forming in your belly, almost visible.

"Princess, stop moving. I might actually hurt you if you move without warning" he said as he dug his sharp nails into the flesh of your waist, leaving soft bleeding marks on your skin. You whined at the pain but damn... it turned you on so bad, arousal dripping on his balls, from below you as you bounced on him more forcefully, not caring about the pain anymore, which had turned into utmost pleasure.

Hongjoong was all touchy with you, he was like this... maybe because he was longing you how much you were longing to meet him? All of these years you've seen him in your dreams... all of the paintings and stories you've made up of him, all because you wanted to meet the mysterious entity in your dream and... you were over the moon for him. How he fucked you so good, how he took you under his influence, his voice, his fangs, as he dug them suddenly in your neck, getting soft choked moans out of your rapidly rising chest.

Only sloppy sounds could be heard from between the two of you, soft and slow stuttering moves, arching your back with every thrust of his. It's true.. he was basically ramming into you, feeling like he could destroy your insides any moment. But at the same time.. there was some kind of slowness, caring to it, deeply pounding into you but making sure you slowly take every single inch of his length, while he gave you soft kisses. One of his hands found it's way to your breasts, playing with your nipple as he received a whine out of you. You were already close, your head getting dizzier, cloudy with the thought of the dirty things you've done with your... demon.

His hands all over your back, leaving scratches and his lips leaving spots on your skin. This is how fucked up you were.. but you were close to finishing, and as he rammed into you a couple of more times and felt how your core bursted, you creamed on his cock, leaving out moans and cries of arousal, tears falling down your cheeks. He fucked you through your orgasm, overstimulating you. He later came inside your aching and throbbing pussy, slowing down his thrusts and then finally comming to a stop.

"Such a good girl you are... such a good girl for me. Is that right?" he whispered.

Both of your fluids were dripping down your legs and on his thighs as he let you fall slowly on the ruined bed sheets. He could feel... even smell how your blood boiled for him, how aroused you were.

"Everything good, darling?" he said as he wiped down your tears, rubbing your trembling thighs slowly. "Mhm? Are you feeling okay?"

"Uh, yes, Joong. It was incredible... " you said and he gave you a kiss on your forehead.

"You know.. y/n. I've been longing for this moment... for years. Ever since I first appeared in your dreams... but I had to wait until you finally wanted it to happen. Now I'm here, sweetie. I'm here.. I'll stay here forever. You're mine and I'm yours.. remember?" his eyes changed colours, from a deep red that appeared when he pushed you on the bed... to a soft hazel-like colour.

"You can't escape my grip anyways. I already claimed you before inviting me in your life..." he said and hugged you thightly.

"Hongjoong... I've always wanted to meet you.. the mysterious entity haunting, appearing in my dreams. I was so eager to meet that sillhouette... you won't ever understand." you said and gave in, curling up into a ball in his grip.

"Don't worry.. I'm here and I won't ever leave, as I said" he reassured you, stroking your hair slowly and biting your neck again, marking his terittory once again for the night.

[jjoongstar]

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4

pairing: king!hongjoong x concubine!reader (royalty au)

wc: 1.6k

genre: pure fluffs☁️

a/n: hope you guys will like this one too. sorry if there's any errors in here. feedbacks are very much appreciated <3

the door slides open revealing a gorgeous classy woman with royal garments.

"oh, i see you're busy with your little slut," she stated while walking towards the desk. even her walk is far more elegant than yours, you thought to yourself. sitting on the King's lap, you wrap your arms around his neck, softly whining for protection.

"I've told you not to call her that, apologies to her this instance," the king said firmly to the woman, placing his hand behind your back bringing you closer to him.

"apologise? why should i, she is a slut, isn't she?" said the woman, crossing her arms over her chest and with a pissed face.

hearing those words always hurts you and you cling on to hongjoong's neck tighter. he strokes the back of your head trying to comfort you before he speaks up to the other woman.

"you cannot speak such vulgar words, mind your manners, my queen. don't cross the line."

the woman, the queen of the country, the official legally wedded wife of the man in your arms. she scoffs and left the room in nothing but anger in her footsteps.

"it was you who crossed the line first." she mumbles under her breathe.

an oak tree, grown big and majestic on top a hill in the palace grounds, its long branches and numerous leaves provided a lovely shade underneath. you laid yourself there on your stomach, having your arms used as a pillow, making yourself comfortable and shuts your eyes close. embracing the soft winds blowing and making your dress flutters slightly. the smell of nature brings your mind at peace. without noticing, you fell asleep. this place has always been you comfort spot. for when days the sky is is on your side.

you jolted awake when you felt something, more like someone's hand, touching your shoulder. your eyes widen at the person in sight.

"your majesty," smiling lovingly at hongjoong, who took his place by sitting beside you.

"I'm sorry i startled you, my dear," he spoke barely a whisper. taking your head and places you comfortably on his lap. caressing the top of your head, lulling you back for you to continue your nap.

"you looked like a forest fairy from a far," he added smiling to himself like a fool. he noticed your figure napping innocently when he went on a stroll around the palace. that's when he decided to approach you. a wide smile and soft giggles was all you could respond to him till your drowsiness took over. and the man never stopped caressing you with love.

at the bridge of the small stream, located a couple feet away from the hill, the queen stares at the couple, eyes full of envy, heart filled with hatred.

"your majesty," upon noticing the queen's fist clenching hard onto her dress, the head maid that was also her escort, interrupted her, suggesting for them to continue their stroll.

evening strolls has always been your regime with the king. walking behind him as your smaller legs can't keep up to his long beautiful ones. though no conversations was going on, but his presence in sight is more than enough for you.

walking towards one of the empty pavilion, he took off his shoes and sat in the middle crossed legs.

"my dearest, sit with me," he calls out to you.

you excitedly joined him and sat on his lap abruptly surprising the man.

"thought i said with me, not on me." his teasing made you realized your mistake and flustered in embarrassment.

you apologise and tried getting up but he quickly wrap his arms around your middle pulling you back onto him.

"i don't mind having you like this either, it feels much better to have you closer to me." he whispers to your ear.

feeling his breath at your ear tickles you making you let out a giggle. hongjoong loves hearing those sounds from you. he moves his head making its way your neck and you felt his soft lips roaming around your neck. it was soft and ticklish. he kisses you more and more making you laugh out loud. enjoying these little things that he does, makes you love him even more.

he brought you back into his office as he remembered some documents he had to go through and you made yourself comfortable at the divan he had custom made for you. frame made from mahogany, carved with detailed floral motifs. its upholstery is covered in sumptuous fabric in a rich emerald green. matched with a cushion used with the same fabric, decorated with gold tassels on each end and is filled with pure duck feathers. you fell asleep instantly after shutting down your eyes.

you're so deep into your sleep, your twist and turns involuntary made your dress slipped over past your legs showing off your bare plush thighs. hongjoong looks over at you from his desk and a small smile carved on his face. he then stood up and came over towards you with gentle footsteps a blanket in hand.

Seonghwa, his royal advisor also most trusted friend, walks into his office immediately after knocking, not waiting any of the king's response. hongjoong panicked and quickly covered your whole body from head to toe with the white blanket.

"your majesty, about the.....OH MY GOD! WHO'S DEAD BODY IS THAT?!!" seonghwa stumbled a few steps back. covering his mouth in shock and the other hand pointing out at you.

hongjoong shushes him, and lifts off the blanket over your head, revealing your face to the other man, and also letting you breathe while you sleep. even in such loud environment, you were still dead in your slumber and didn't even move an inch.

the king and his royal advisor held their little discussion in the same room as you are right now. the king suggested so as he didn't want to leave you alone. thought you might be scared waking up without him in sight.

"my love, go to the kitchen and there will be a maid and she will give you a little basket. take it and meet me at the front gate." you happily obliged to the king's order that he whispered in your ear before giving your back a little pat, letting you go your way.

there were no guards or escorts following you two. it felt a bit weird being just the two of you outside of the palace as this was the first time. you heard soft whispers from the people you stumbled upon, though they bowed and respected the king, to you, they were not. feeling the heavy judging gaze from others made you feel a little overwhelmed and you held the basket tightly in your grasp and followed closely behind the king.

hongjoong looking back over his shoulder, he noticed your little steps. he slowed down his stride, letting you catch up to him and have you walk beside him at a same pace.

the path became smaller slowly and you started to doubt where this is going. worry filled your thoughts as you look around. nothing but trees and not a single person in sight other than you two. hongjoong glance over you and smiled to himself.

"such a cutie." he mumbles quietly to himself.

your eyes widen in awe and you gasp loudly, almost dropping the basket in your hand as you digest in the scenery in front of you.

"its my little secret spot. do you like it?" the man beside spoke first and he took the basket from you. letting you observe the surrounding more.

"A WHOLE MEADOW FULL OF SUNFLOWERS?! do i like it? I'M IN LOVE WITH IT!!"

"more than you love me?" hongjoong raised an eyebrow at you, eyes looking straight into your teary ones.

"maybe." a simple reply from you. you avert your eyes away from him and smiled cheekily.

hongjoong gives you a little gentle push by your lower back, telling you to go around and do whatever you want. and so you did. skipping around from rows to rows of the flowers. they stood tall and beautiful. petals in bright yellow.

you went back to hongjoong after he spread out a soft blue square mat and some snacks on a serving platter. he welcomed you with open arms and you sat in between his legs.

the gentle breeze flowing, the chirping of birds, the sun shining with some clouds dimming the shine a little bit. you lean back making your back pressed against hongjoong's chest. feeling his beating heartbeat for you. resting you head at his shoulder, he rests his arms around you and it felt so comfortable like he was made to fit you perfectly.

"i love you, my king." you mutter at him. eyes still adoring the breathtaking scenery.

"y/n, in moments like these. i am not the king, and you are not the royal concubine. you are my lover, the one who lingers around in my heart." you felt blush creeping up onto your face and you bit your lip, getting shy over your lover's words.

you pushed him away and walks away from him. seeing him getting up you ran away from him toward the golden flowers.

for when you thought you lost him as he was no where in sight, sturdy arms grabs your waist from behind making you squeal.

you turn around facing him and wrap your arms by his neck and pulls him close to you. he replied your affection by cradling you really tight, and due to his tall height he easily lifts you off your feet. being so close to each other, you can felt every part of him, his warmth, his scent, and you savour every second of it.

kisses and giggles filled the evening air. the hundreds sunflowers, the birds soaring in the sky, the chipmunks on tree branches, and every single leaf on those trees became a witness of the undying love towards each other.

divider

taglist: @seonghw4ffles @hwasong @julianatadesmaiada24 @engentiny @cloudy-lilly

[starks-hero]

Oh, Little Horned One of the Old Oak Tree

Pairing: Steven Grant x Reader

Summary: Becoming the avatar of an ancient Celtic god came with some unforeseen side affects; side affects which you are yet to tell Steven about.

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: language, slight body horror if you squint, Steven is a ridiculously supportive boyfriend in the face of fuckery and we love him for it

a/n: giving the reader a supportive god/avatar relationship because it's what they deserve

It's not that you hadn't tried to clean the blood, you'd done your best. But it stained the tips of your fingers and left the porcelain tiles of the bathroom a dark red.

You weren't entirely sure where it had all come from, but the damp, matted hair surrounding where the antlers had sprouted from your head served as a good indicator.

It shouldn't be happening, not yet. You had at least another fortnight till the next eclipse, (if your notes were anything to go by.) But you knew the moment your muscles began to ache and your bones began to creak that it was indeed happening, and it wasn't going to stop regardless of how upset it made you.

You'd tried to call Jake. Then Marc. But you didn't want to risk Steven answering the phone.

The bathroom was the closest refuge you could find and as it would seem it was far from the most ideal of places. You'd torn down the shower curtain in your haste to hide and all but shattered the delicate tiles beneath your feet.

The mirror had also fallen victim to your havoc, an almost artistically applaudable webbed crack spreading out from the centre of the glass where your elbow had made contact. A handful of rouge shards littered the floor and made quick work of slicing open your palm.

You glared at the offending piece of glass before picking it out of your hand and throwing it across the room with enough force that it was embedded in the opposite wall like a well-aimed dart.

You could still make out your reflection through the broken glass pane. Antlers sprouting from the crown of your head, winding off in all different directions. There was a pale glow to your eyes and ruins and ancient symbols wrapped around your arms and the expanse of your chest. And if your abundance of new features hadn't already qualified you for your own Magic: The Gathering card, you'd also doubled in height.

This would be a fucking delight to explain.

You took a moment to thank the gods for Stevens's late shift at the museum before steadying yourself with a deep breath.

You'd felt every bit of it; the stretching, twisting and growing of entirely new bones. And if the persistent pain in your chest and spine was anything to go by you figured it was far from over.

You could hear the deep, resonant voice of your deity, distant and far off, like rushing water over rock. His words were gruff and shaped by his accent as he apologized profusely; and as ego-boosting as it was having an eldritch being admit defeat and practically beg for your forgiveness, you found yourself in too much pain to truly enjoy the moment.

“Cernunnos,” you cursed the god's name.

Your legs were still crammed uncomfortably against your chest and the bathroom door whilst your antlers continued to do a glorious job of scrapping the paint job off the ceiling.

Another wave of pain hit, burning through your veins and seizing hold of your lungs. You coughed and spluttered, each attempt at a breath snagging in your throat like leaves catching on dead branches. The horrid sensation of shifting bones hit your chest and you doubled over with a hiss.

“Please make it stop.”

“I'm sorry, fia beag,” (little deer) the god said, his reflection appearing in the mirror shards. His antlers filled out the frame, putting your own to shame and his eyes, (despite, like the rest of his body, being those of a stag, which as far as species go aren't the most emotionally expressive–) were almost apologetic. “I've tried my best, I asked Manannan to reverse the tides to change the lunar phase and buy us time but it's too late.”

It was heartwarming really; how Cernnunos cared so much, enough to ask a fellow god to inconvenience the entire ocean all in the name of saving your love life. You were glad to have him, even if he was the reason you were going through pain worse than fucking childbirth.

“I'm sorry.” The god's ears flattened against his head and you wondered if you'd said the last part aloud.

“What's the point of all this again?” You'd shifted before but it was never irregular and never this bad.

“A thousand years ago my worshipers adored when my avatar arrived at Imbolc in this form!” Cernnunos sounded excited.

“So it was to show off?”

“To make the people feel seen and protected,” he countered.

“And it's something I have to go through because–?”

The god was quiet for a moment. “Old habits die hard?”

Cernnunos had off-handedly mentioned (downright bragged) about the pact he'd made with the moon sometime before the construction of Newgrange. That his avatar would be gifted with a godly form the night of each lunar eclipse. You weren't well versed in ancient deals between eldritch beings but apparently, it's not the kind of agreement you can back out of a millennia down the line.

And apparently, another moon-related god had initiated an eclipse two weeks ahead of schedule. (your money was on Khonshu over Artemis.)

“It will be alright, little one,” Cernnunos promised. It was soothing having him near, but he tended to have that effect. With him, you were like a fawn, comforted by the knowledge that it was protected by its elder. “Besides, it's not as though this night could get much worse for us.”

Almost comedically, the struggle of key in lock sounded and then the front door opened.

You and the god stared at each other, quite literally, like deers in headlights.

“Love? I'm home–”

Steven's voice sent your flight, fight, freeze response to full throttle and you beckoned for Cernnunos to leave as quietly and frantically as you could. The god seemed reluctant, but another chorus of a British accent from the other side of the door and he relented.

The glass rippled like water on a lake and then he was gone.

You could hear Steven moving around the flat, carrying out his usual routine of removing his name tag, unbuttoning his over shirt and tossing his bag on the couch.

You held your breath when the floorboards of the bedroom creaked and silently prayed he'd just call it a night in favour of finding you hiding in the bathroom looking like something straight from Pans Labyrinth. When he called out for you again you sent your head back against the wall with enough force to crack the tiles.

“Love, you alright?” There was three gentle raps on the door. “Darling?”

“I'm fine,” the words were unsteady. And had your voice gotten deeper?

There was a beat of silence outside the door then, “You don't sound fine.”

“I'm just not feeling great,” you managed. Just go, Steven. Please just go.

“Oh, darling, are you sick? Here let me–” The terrifying sight of the door handle turning caused your heart to almost hammer out of your chest. You rushed to press your foot against it and watched in horror as the timber split right down the middle. The door was barely clinging to the hinges.

You could hear Steven's shock on the other side of the door, a string of curses followed suit. “Y/N–”

“Just leave it, Steven!” you bit out. You hadn't meant for the words to sound so animalistic, so angry. But the only thing currently preventing your life from crumbling was a splintering door and your refusal to move your foot. You were allowed to be rash, you thought.

“Alright, you're scaring me now–”

The universe really wasn't letting up with its ironies today.

The wooden door panels creaked and splintered as Steven tried to open it from the outside. You kept your foot firmly pressed to the middle, but as the hinges began to groan you felt the sturdiness give way. It felt like you had your foot against a wet piece of tissue paper; you were going to tear right through it.

With one more shove from Steven's side, you were forced to surrender.

The door swung open with truly theatrical measure and Steven stumbled in behind it. Instinctually, you pushed yourself against the back wall, forgetting your new height and putting your head through the ceiling as you did.

Chaos is too kind of a word for what followed.

The sound that left Steven fell somewhere between a startled shout and a scream of genuine terror. You reached out and Steven fired back, his feet tying themselves in knots and sending him to the floor.

You struggled to pull your head out of the crater you'd left in the roof. A fine layer of debris and dust covered you and somewhat important-looking wires were strung across your antlers like poorly hung Christmas lights.

Almost on cue, the bathroom light flickered twice and came away from the ceiling, ending up in several pieces on the floor.

The dark apparently did nothing in making you look less menacing as Steven continued to voice his fears. And loudly at that. He hadn't moved, still frozen to the spot just outside the door.

“Steven, please–” you crawled forward at a snail's pace, each movement purposely slow.

He watched you with frantic eyes, his heart hammering like a rabbit against his chest. You'd never seen him so scared.

As he clambered to his feet, you dared to inch closer, but it was the opinion of the shattered tiles beneath your feet that you weren't moving nearly fast enough. You slipped on the porcelain shards and were all but thrown in Steven's direction.

Your rack broke your fall by all but embedding the tips of each spike in the wall surrounding the door frame. You'd put your head through so much wood and plaster in the past few minutes you were beginning to sympathize with mounted deer heads.

Steven was staring now, expression boarding on mild fear and absolute confusion. Then, his eyes flicked to the broken mirror behind you, and then his reflection in the window to his right.

Marc and Jake had taken their sweet time.

Steven looked between you, the mirror and the window and then back at you. Then it visibly clicked.

“Oh, oh my gods, Y/N you, you're-” he swallowed. “-what's happening?”

“It's my time of the month.” The joke went down like a led balloon. Steven swayed on his feet.

“Steven, are you alright?”

“Yeah, sort of. No, not really.”

You craned your neck as far as your current predicament would allow for. “Are you going to pass out?”

“Maybe.”

“Okay,” you said the word beneath your breath. He hadn't run which, all things considered, meant this was going fairly well. Even from the awkward angle you were stuck in you could feel his eyes on you, shifting from one monstrous feature to the next, lingering on the markings and the fucking antlers and the–

“Love, you have blood– you're bleeding.” And just like that, a flip switched in Steven's mind at the sight of you wounded. This man was a true enigma and a wonderful one at that. “Here–”

He approached and then almost immediately hesitated, bouncing back on his heel the moment you shifted.

You weren't exactly a threatening sight, shoulders wedged in the door frame, covered in dust and splintered wood and head practically pinned to the wall. You looked like a drunk stag that had lost a fight to a tree.

Steven shook himself and stepped close enough that your laboured breaths ruffled his curls. He was doing an admirable job of hiding the fact that he was shaking.

“Alright, bloody hell um–” He regarded the situation and then nodded. “I'll push, you pull.”

Steven braced his hands against your shoulders and you grabbed hold of the door frame. It's not that you needed the extra help; out of all the things you'd conquered whilst serving as an avatar freeing yourself from a plaster wall ranked fairly low on that list.

But Steven was touching you in this form, his palms pressed to your broadened shoulders and you weren't about to jinx it.

The wall cracked and fissured as you freed yourself, several deep punctures left where your antlers had been. You twisted and manoeuvred your way out of the bathroom until you could straighten up to your full height.

Thank god Steven lived on the top floor. Higher ceilings.

“Okay, woah–” Steven took several steps back as you stood. You towered over him, antlers bleeding into darkened shadows against the ceiling. Okay, now 'intimidating' might be a more fitting word.

You lowered yourself to your knees in an attempt to seem less frightening. Now that you were eye to eye, Steven could see the worry in your expression as you regarded him softly.

“It's alright. I'm adjusting,” he said, voice still trembling. “Just need a quick adjustment period...”

You gave him time and let him lead.

And that's how you ended up in the kitchen, legs crossed as you sat on the floor whilst Steven sat on the counter in front of you. He held a wet flannel in his hand, droplets of water creeping down his arm.

A dry cloth sat folded on the counter beside him, as well as a box of plasters with 'good job!' written across each one.

It was as if his rationality was being overridden by his need to care for you as well as his overall steveness.

Steven dabbed the crown of your head gently, his hands shaking as he did. There was still a dull ache where the antlers had sprouted. Steven rung out the flannel over the sink and the sight of the blood running through his fingers and over his knuckles made you feel ill. His hands were always so soft, they weren't meant to be stained with blood.

You blinked as a small trail of blood seeped from your head and trailed down between your brows. Steven diligently stopped the flow with the cloth and cleaned you up. Your nose twitched at the dampness of the cloth and Steven smiled.

The first smile you'd seen all night.

His actions slowed, hand stilling as he watched you. Beneath the pale glow of your eyes there was something so familiar. He smiled again.

“Hiya love,” the words were so soft they made you feel warm.

“Hi.”

You raised your arms, the markings and symbols on your skin catching in the dim light. Your hands circled Steven's wrists gently. He pulled back and for a terrifying moment you thought he'd gone completely; deciding that he'd had enough, that you were too much like this and he was drawing the boundary line here.

Instead, he dropped the blood-stained flannel in the sink basin and held his hand back against yours, palms pressed together. It was an adorable comparison. The tips of his fingers barely brushed the top of your palm, in fact, you were certain you could close your hand over the entirety of his own. There was a moment shared in comfortable silence then Steven asked, “Y/N, what is going on?”

The question was gentle and filled with wonder. There was still a trace of a smile on his lips. It made you feel like you could finally tell him.

“Avatar stuff. I suppose my god is a little more... flamboyant than yours.”

Steven laughed and the sound comes as a relief. “Khonshu didn't want to give me the time of day, let alone a– a bloody godly alter ego.”

A beat of silence.

“Did it hurt?”

It was heartwarming that that was his next question.

“A little,” you answered somewhat honestly. “But I'm alright now.”

He finished cleaning you up in a peaceful silence. He took the time to wash the blood from your hair as best he could and plaster your injured hand, (for the emotional boost more than anything.) It took several plasters to cover the expanse of the wound, each overlapping so the supportive catchphrase now read 'good good job good.'

He sat in front of you now, having spent the last few minutes tracing the spirals and patterns on your arm. His earlier fear had completely given way to wonder; it wasn't easy to forget that the man was a mythology nerd through and through.

A boyish laugh crept past his lips. “I wonder how Marc and Jake will react.” He looked up at you to gouge a reaction and his smile fell slightly. “Oh.”

“Steven–” you scratched the back of your neck. This was going to be a bitch to explain. “-Jake only knows because... well–” you made a vague motion with your hands that the four of you had come to recognize meant 'Jake.'

Steven nodded in understanding.

“And Marc just sort of found out by accident.”

Steven nodded again and you could visibly see the process going on behind his eyes.

“And um– why didn't any of you tell me?” His voice adopted a higher pitch at the end of the question, likely in an attempt to take the edge off.

You took a sudden interest in the floorboards. “I didn't want to– you know.”

It was quiet for a moment. Then Steven gasped.

“Oh, oh love, you didn't think... you didn't think I'd be scared did you?”

A quick exhale of amusement from you. “You seemed fairly scared.”

“I- well yeah, yeah.” He conceded. “But not of you. Never of you.” His hands found yours again, the staggering difference in size almost humorous. “I just wish you could have felt like you could have told me, that's all.”

A warmth settled in the centre of your chest and you felt the corner of your eyes dampen. Any attempt of yours to not cry was immediately foiled as he inched closer and put his arms around your neck. His knees buckled against your crossed legs and he sank against your chest.

“For what it's worth,” you smiled against the crown of his head. “I think your reaction probably ranks highest out of the three.”

“Yeah?” He asked lightly. His curls tickled the end of your nose.

“Yeah. Jake used some pretty colourful language, most of it was in Spanish. And Marc pulled a gun on me–”

“He pulled a gun on you–?!” With the exclamation, Steven shot back to look at you.

“Like I said, you take first place.”

“Well, the bar wasn't set awfully bloody high was it?” He glared at his reflection in the kettle and you smirked, closing your arms around him and caging him to your chest. There was something so soothing, so primally comforting about being able to hold him, hold all of him, like this.

You nuzzled against his chocolate curls and to anyone on the outside looking in the action would have looked downright primal. Animalistic. But it couldn't have felt more intimate.

“I could get used to this, I think.” Steven's words were barely above a breath. “You're just a big teddy bear, really. More of you to love.”

His hands slowly and deliberately retraced your shoulder, then your neck, down the expanse of your chest... “What do the patterns mean?”

“Some of the symbols stand for attributes or characteristics; strength, courage, loyalty,” you regarded your arm, from your bicep down to your wrist. “Some of them are his symbols, some he added when I agreed to be his avatar and others, I've never really taken the time to find out–”

Steven hummed, not in a dismissive sense, rather in a way that showed he'd listened to each word like the gospel.

“I've got a book on ruins and ancient symbols, only bought the thing for the hieroglyphics really but maybe we could have a look? Do some homework?” A playful nudge accompanied the last question and you caved. As if you stood much of a chance to begin with.

That's how you ended up laying on the bed, (well, mostly on the bed. Your back was against the headboard and your legs still hung over the edge. Steven straddled your middle, an open book and notepad to his right, a highlighter between his teeth and a marker in his hand. His glasses sat on the bridge of his nose and his brows furrowed as he traced his thumb over a symbol just beneath your collarbone.

You shivered despite yourself.

He'd mapped everything out, using the marker to gently draw on your skin, making connections and jotting down notes. It was like watching a scholar at work and you were honoured to be his study.

“Sorry about the bathroom,” you said rather out of the blue.

Steven glanced up at you, rebellious curls falling against his brow. His confusion melted into gentle amusement. “Don't worry about it, love. Needed redoing anyways, I reckon.”

Then, as if it were the most mundane thing in the world, he went back to his translations.

In a form that most could only phantom in the darkest corners of their imagination and with a god willing to bend the seas and skies at your will, Steven Grant somehow remained among both the most curious and most cherished things you had.

Key ➳

Cernnunos - Celtic god of wild things, fertility and animals

Manannan - (Manannan Mac Lir) Celtic god of the sea

Imbolc - the Celtic festival that marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It celebrates the return of life and light as it is the time when the ewes come into milk, when the first flowers appear and when the day noticeably lengthens.

Newgrange - famous 5,200 year old passage tomb in Co Meath, Ireland

‘fia beag’ - gaeilge for ‘little deer’

thank you for reading!

tag list: @bakerstreethound @yoditopascal @moonlighy @linkpk88 @spideysimpossiblegirl @noahspector @malaanii @ineedmorejakelockley @drmeowingfangirl @loonymagizoologist @othersideoftheparadise @doozywoozy @mywellspringoflife

[megpricephotography]

Tree appreciation post! This big old English Oak is my favourite local tree... I genuinely worry about it when we have bad storms & am so relieved to find it still standing afterwards. It's likely 800 yrs old or so, & has grown up on the side of an ancient track/footpath. When Flynn & I pass it by, I often look up & wonder how many other people - & their dogs - have stopped under this oak tree's branches, over the centuries? What were their lives like - & did they ever also contemplate who might pass this same tree in the distant future? Anyway, yes, I love old trees generally & this one in particular!

Bonus photo from Feb 2020, of Barney & Flynn sitting inside its hollowed out trunk:

Oh, also - anyone else got a favourite local tree? If so, please do share a pic... & why you like said tree!

[nettleclanstale]

Moon 94.5

Moon 94.5- Gathering

Spiderstar swished his tail along the wood of the High Oak, watching intently as Birchstar, along with a sizable amount of OakClan cats, made their way into the Gathering Space. The crunching of snow beneath the cats' paws was one of the only sounds heard as they took their seats in the darkened hollow, Birchstar hopping onto the low branch the others sat upon with a sheepish look on his face.

"It's about time you all got here!" Spiderstar joked, smiling. 

"We got lost," The young tom explained, giving his chest fur a few licks of embarrassment. Leaning forward slightly to look just beyond Spiderstar, Birchstar's eyes narrowed. "Sappatch? What are you doing up here? Where's Brokenstar?"

"He's expecting. He's not doing well, and he didn't want to come." Sappatch, QuailClan's medicine cat, meowed in reply. The white tom turned his head towards Birchstar's voice, and Spiderstar felt himself shift back slightly. Although Sappatch couldn't see him, he still didn't wish to feel his gaze.

"And what about Cleardawn?" Birchstar questioned, tilting his head slightly.

"Mangled tail."

"Oh."

"Anyway!" Spiderstar cut the two off, chuckling nervously. "I believe it's time to begin. Would either of you like to begin?" 

Silence. A gentle yet cold breeze blew through the air, making Spiderstar and a few other cats shiver. 

"Very well," The brown tabby meowed, letting out a heavy exhale before speaking again. "NettleClan has had...Rough times lately. We're still recovering from the flood that took away so many of our clanmates. While prey has been easier to find, we're still working on rebuilding our camp."

For a moment, Spiderstar paused, taking a moment to look at the gathered cats. Beneath him, an OakClan apprentice looked visibly distraught by the mention of the flood. After a few seconds passed, he continued to speak. "Additionally, we've lost a couple of clanmates this moon. Our beloved Sandystream, along with her son Willowkit, passed away from kitting complications and passed on to StarClan. We will miss them dearly, and we hope they're able to find easy hunting and rest in peace."

Cats lowered their heads, ears flattened as they silently paid tribute to the fallen cats. Sappatch let out a soft hum, shaking his head.

"It's always sad when cats pass on from these things, especially when it takes the lives of kits as well." He murmured. "QuailClan offers condolences."

"And so does OakClan." Birchstar stated, nervously shifting his paws.

Spiderstar nodded. "I thank you both," He meowed. "Now...As for some good news. Our lovely apprentice, Hoppaw, has earned her warrior name. I ask that we give our congratulations to Hopstreak!"

"Hopstreak! Hopstreak! Hopstreak!" Cats chanted, while the golden and brown tortoiseshell puffed out her chest, an expression of pride on her face. 

"One final thing." Spiderstar's whiskers twitched. "Despite the loss of Willowkit I am happy to announce that his littermate, his sister Baykit, is thriving and doing just fine. I am also happy to announce that Crowheart is our deputy."

Murmurs of relief spread through the crowd, smiles forming on the faces of the cats. Spiderstar dipped his head.

"That is all." He said, casting glances at both Sappatch and Birchstar. "Go on."

Birchstar cast his gaze to the ground, wrapping his tail around his paws. Sappatch stepped forward, his blind yellow gaze fixed on the crowd.

"I suppose I'll go next. I can tell we're all getting cold and I don't want our whiskers and tails falling off on the way back home!" He joked, earning chuckles and amused purrs from the clan members below.

"Anyway...Other than Cleardawn's mangled tail, our clan is thriving!" Sappatch purred, beaming. "Our beloved leader Brokenstar is expecting his first litter with his mate Auburnstripe. We're hoping that the pregnancy goes smoothly."

Spiderstar watched as Sappatch paused, watching the way his ears perked. Despite not being a leader, the tom's handsome, authoritative demeanor made all cats fall silent and Spiderstar's own pelt flush with warmth, only for a moment before he shook it away with a shiver. 

After clearing his throat, Sappatch continued. "We have a few ceremonies to celebrate as well! Thymepetal has happily retired to the elder's den, and Saplingthicket has settled into her duties as our third full-time mediator."

"THREE mediators!?" A voice from the crowd exclaimed. Spiderstar wanted to melt into the ground when he realized it was one of his own warriors. 

Of course, it was Hickory. The brown and white she-cat's tail twitched as multiple cats turned their heads to glare at her.

"What!? What kinds of problems is QuailClan having for them to need THREE mediators??" She huffed, stomping a front paw. 

"That's enough, Hickory." Spiderstar said, teeth gritted and fur bristled. His body burned with embarrassment. 

Hickory fell silent, and Sappatch rolled his eyes before continuing.

"Thank you for your imput, NettleClan cat. I don't know what I would do without your words." He grumbled. "Anyway. We also have three new warriors. Fernspeck, Turtlehoney, and Bushclover."

The cats began to chant for the newly named cats, and Spiderstar suppressed a chuckle as one of the younger cats, a brown and white tom, nervously averted his gaze. 

"Anyway. With great news comes great loss as well. Most of you know of our former deputy, Vinetuft." Sappatch sighed, lowering his head as his ears pinned against his head. "I regret to inform you all that Vinetuft has passed on after a horrible case of greencough took his life. We mourn him, and can only hope that he crossed over to StarClan's hunting grounds easily."

Shocked gasps, followed by saddened murmuring swept across the cats. Sappatch remained quiet for a moment, listening, before lifting his tail to demand attention. Once it was silent again, he dipped his head and turned to join the other medicine cats at the bottom of the High Oak. 

"That is all. Now Birchstar will speak, and after a moment to speak with your friends, we will conclude this gathering." He said, before jumping down to the base of the tree and taking a seat beside Shimmerflare, OakClan's medicine cat. Spiderstar noticed that the gray tom looked more frail than usual, age starting to catch up with him.

An awkward, tense silence filled the air as Birchstar stood there, as if not entirely sure what he was supposed to say despite all these moons of attending Gatherings. Somewhere in the crowd, someone sneezed, and a couple of cats said "bless you" before going silent again.

"Um...Hi." The golden-brown tom finally meowed. "Okay, let's see...So far, OakClan is thriving. We have a new warrior! Lightwhistle has earned his warrior name! We also have a few new apprentices. Boragepaw, Valleypaw, Marshpaw, and Bristlepaw are warrior apprentices, while Marigoldpaw decided that he would like to be a medicine cat!"

Spiderstar's gaze swept over the hollow as cats began to cheer. His eyes finally settled on Sunsong, who he noticed had visibly tensed when the name Valleypaw was mentioned. 

Fox-dung, He thought to himself, curling his tail around his paws and sitting up straighter. I had hoped that bringing her to the gathering would make her feel a little better...

"Anyway, not much else has happened. I guess that's it-"

"Wait." 

A white she-cat with a dark ginger tail stalked to the front of the crowd. Judging by her stocky body, she was a QuailClan cat. She glared up at Birchstar, her silver eyes narrowed.

Another QuailClan cat, this one a white she-cat with light brown patches, groaned. "Oh, Auburnstripe, don't start-"

"No. No, Heronheart, I have to 'start'." Auburnstripe growled, her expression challenging as she turned her attention back to Birchstar. "Birchstar, with all the respect you deserve, I caught one of your apprentices hunting on our territory. Do you realize it's the middle of Leaf-bare!? Prey is scarce and you're so lucky we didn't kill your mouse-brained apprentice for trespassing."

Birchstar stuttered in reply, while Spiderstar stepped forward in his defense. "Auburnstripe, it's bad enough that you were disrespectful enough to speak out of turn, but please have some respect when speaking to a clan leader."

"What did you expect?" Morningsong strode forward, raising his tail and smirking at Auburnstripe. "It's QuailClan. They're just as disrespectful and awful as ever!"

A loud growl came from Auburnstripe as she unsheathed her claws and lunged herself at Morningsong. The light brown tabby tom, still very young, was too slow to react. Exclamations and wails came from every clan member as Auburnstripe bit down hard on Morningsong's throat, a horrid crunch heard as his eyes glazed over. Somewhere in the crowd, Spiderstar would hear Badgerfall wail in despair as her son slumped onto the ground, still. Blood pooled from the bite wound in his throat. 

Heronheart shot forward, pushing Auburnstripe out of the way and holding her clanmate down as the medicine cats rushed forward to tend to Morningsong. Auburnstripe's white fur now had crimson running down her muzzle and chest, her eyes filled with pure fury and satisfaction as she stared down at Morningsong. 

"This gathering is OVER." Shimmerflare yowled, turning his head to Bitter and Twigsplash. "He's still breathing- Hurry up and take him back to camp!"

As cats began to retreat as fast as they could, Spiderstar watched as Minnowleap approached Sappatch with a hiss. 

"Don't think what your warrior did will be forgiven!!" The young tom exclaimed, lashing his tail. "You're lucky we haven't called for war because of that!"

Sappatch lashed his tail, and Spiderstar's heart sank as what he said next made all of The Gathering go silent, cats freezing in their tracks.

"Very well," Sappatch hissed, his voice horrifyingly calm as he spoke. "When we get back, I'll let Brokenstar know that we have officially declared war on NettleClan. This gathering is now officially dismissed."

End.

QuailClan and NettleClan are now at war.

[wataksampingan]

Very long Chapter 96 feelings/thoughts below cut coz I saved my hard-earned Naver cookies for this and I'm going to react while it's fresh dammit.

Spoilers in every possible way, as always.

Oh my God its their first official date and of course it doesn't go Theo's way at all coz he's fighting a lost cause against an author with a sense of humour I share. Thank God his people love him

Nearly 100 chapters later and only now do we start steering towards Therdeo "My angel" Lapileon from the prologue (which I still find it difficult to fathom; the road is long and arduous from Therdeo 'Face as Red as My Eyes' Lapileon we see right now)

I have yet to translate the dialogue properly, but that last panel of him honestly unnerves me (and judging from Google Translated comments in Korean, I'm not the only one.) I'm not really one for the kind of ML who is madly obsessive over their love interest to extremely difficult extents coz I'm too old and cynical to see this as a good thing in a relationship, fictional or otherwise (This is purely a personal preference; no judgement if that's your jam and jelly)

But the thing is that it makes sense. Of course Theo would get dangerous over the first woman he's fallen in love with. Of course he'd do anything to keep her now that, yknow, she's actually made her feelings known. After 90+ chapters of angsting, literally watching her die a few times in front of him, holding such huge feelings of guilt for what his blood has done to her, quietly despairing over keeping anyone close to him coz he's a Lapileon and they succumb so often to death -- this overwhelming fear of losing her is understandable. The idea of her leaving now must be intolerable, like "not after every damn thing I've been through. Everything we have been through. Over my cold dead body".

...I've had the thought quite a few times that seungu succeeded in convincing me that Theo is scary, and this chapter - while also very sweet - is really laying that fact out again in no uncertain terms: Therdeo Lapileon really shouldn't be messed with.

The thing is, meta-wise, there is no end to cold, stern dukes of the frozen North with fearsome reputations, black/dark hair and red/dark eyes - it's one of the most longstanding fantasy romance tropes in manhwa after all. Throw a stone and you'll hit a milord with a chest so wide you can fit a full dresser sideways between his shoulders and a face so stony Medusa is taking notes. And of course, his grace is going to have the reputation of Ultimate Warrior and Sovereign of His Land, Tamer of the Terrain, Reviver of the Barren Soil Now Made Fertile under His Leadership, because only such a powerful man with a heart of ice and terror would have the wherewithal to bend the unyielding north to his will. He isn't emperor/king simply because of circumstances (TM), character and/or choice.

To name just a few: Prince (...kinda? Sorta? Its a long story) Killian from Like Wind on a Dry Branch, Hades from I Married the Main Lead's Dad, Riftan from Under the Oak Tree, Kandel from I Thought My Time Was Up, Milian from Karina's Last Days; heck, even the other Killian from Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story is about to inherit a territory that isn't so great but which he will no doubt develop into a thriving land coz he's Capable that way. If you remove the hair and eye colour conditions, there are even more examples. 99% of them are said to strike fear into the hearts of men just by being mentioned in a room.

...ngl, putting my gigantic bias aside, Theo truly is among my top three scariest ML. Not even Killian (Rieta's) gives me pause the way Theo does, and I have immense respect and admiration for the way Like Wind on A Dry Branch is told (and translated). I know Killian is a powerful man; I feel Theo is threatening. (Brief aside here to acknowledge that Killian has game for days, while Theo is....... look, he's trying.)

Take this opinion with many grains of salt, but few MLs that I've seen so far (and admittedly my repertoire is probably very limited compared to others) has come close to the time Theo plain snapped during Celphi's bullying arc, and when he nearly decapitated a wholeass princess in front of the entire court because she killed his wife (again. And yes, justifiable but still, in front of the EMPEROR HIMSELF.)

Also, the man looked like THIS when the servant who poisoned her begged him to "go back to the princess":

I say this with all love: Theo is not a balanced individual.

We already know this is a world where medieval torture is par for the course, but so far it's been reserved for Gen, who tortured and experimented on a child, and this dude who's been an accessory to Dodolea's crimes since the beginning. Theo does not give a single fuck about trivial things like consequences when it comes to Celphi and Perry's wellbeing. The world will burn if it must, just so he can find out who hurt them.

I said before that Saoirse is a true Lapileon, and Theo was the softest hearted of the siblings. I still maintain it's true, but with the addendum that Theo isn't far off in ruthlessness. You just need to make the mistake of hurting his wife or his son.

Granted, the obsession is only a problem if he restricts Perry just because she's "His". And she's proven a few times that she will Do Shit She Wants regardless of the Lapileons, Princess Dodolea or even herself (god, the way she second guessed herself so hard, only to bust back into the room with those shackles and physically FIGHT MIA OFF in ch 92 - Phineas owes her impulsiveness his life literally). I don't think the story can logically progress that way unless Perry has some sort of personality transplant. And I trust seungu too much for that. The fear is in more what he'll do behind her back (please don't Theo, we've been through this, you know what happened the last time you did things without telling her first - and even if other things went well (like suppressing ugly false stories in publications) that doesn't guarantee you're doing the right thing by not keeping her informed, you walnut.

...yes I know she also has the same bad habit of Not Telling You Her Business but she's LEARNING. I think.)

...also, tbf, Theo doesn't need his obsession to make him a danger to his own love life. Romance or not, he's still Socially Awkward and Fucked Up so lord only knows how many awkward mistakes he's going to make trying to actively court his wife 🥲

Then again, it's not like she's any better considering her last serious relationship was so awful, she literally died and went back in time. I'm not surprised, and in fact quite glad, it took her this long to admit to her finer feelings. However, now this is slightly uncharted territory, and this woman bottles up her feelings and lies to herself just about as much as Theo does. (Why are you so bothered Mia spent so much time around him? Why are you so upset that you can't do more to help him? Why are you so worried whenever he's seemingly avoiding you? Why do you look away each time he gives you puppy dog eyes, Pereshati? HMMM? WHY INDEED)

And now they have to return to the capital with all these revelations, and be within reach of the imperial family again and I AM AFRAID FOR THEM, PRECIOUS, I TRULY AM.

On a completely different tangent: I am truly not a fan of the novel ending where Theo ends up being crowned emperor. So if this manhwa ends with the coronation of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Therdeo Lapileon and Her Imperial Majesty Empress Pereshati Jahardt, I will be heartbroken. Like, I would have the same reaction to it the way Game of Thrones fans reacted to Season 8. That's how bad I would take it. I hope to all things good seungu deviates from there as well. It feels like the romance is following the novel just a smidge more - a soupçon if you will - in this season, so I'm a little trepidatious about what other aspects might follow. I remain a big fan of how different the manhwa direction is, so... GO SEUNGU!! FOLLOW YOUR STAR!!

P/S: my train of thought while reading ch 90:

Seungu is just bringing all of Phineas' personal trauma in full technicolor when he flashes back to his younger self witnessing his parents fight while his older brother sustains a severe eye injury, oh my god. This poor boy - no wonder he wanted to run so badly.

Oh god, Gloria having to try and save her children from this insane man.

Okay, so this cements that it was Theo's grandfather who was tyrannical as fuck and abused everyone including his youngest grandson? not Theo's father who also looks like he was just Trying His Best? But Gen's dialogue mentions "abeoji" (father)? Did Phineas' older brother neglect his kids or grow up into another abuser??? oh GOD THIS FAMILY

PPS: I cannot WAIT to see how the English translators handle that panel in ch95 when he finally finds enough braincells to return her embrace (that's not just any hug, cmon - that's a full on, no holds barred, literary Embrace)

I'm fairly sure she said "It's/I'm cold", but I also got overexcited because I thought she said "I like you" (???) It's easy to overlap/overhear either phrase as each other coz they sound fairly similar if you say it quickly (same energy like saying "suki" in Japanese but you need context to know if they mean they like a person or something else entirely).

Either way, it was definitely NOT "saranghae", which let's face it, IS FAR TOO DEEP for where they are right now. These two doofuses have only just begun to find out what their feelings mean, tho Theo may be too quick a study , eomma help.

PPPS: Ep 87 comes out in English tomorrow morning (for us in GMT+8 anyway) AND I WILL HAVE WORDS ABOUT THAT CONVERSATION, VJFHDJSKSKSL I CANNOT WAIT

PPPPS: it just occurred to me that all the examples I mentioned about the other comparable dukes of the North have more or less Definitively gotten together with their love interests, emotionally and/or physically. I mean if someone came up with a gantt chart/comparative timeline/line graph of when each duke finally kissed/tumbled into bed with their love interests to prove me wrong/right, that'd be fantastic but anyway

Theo has only just hugged her in ch 95.

They have shared a bed for over 90 chapters and it is ONLY JUST NOW that there is prolonged bodily contact apart from holding (often gloved) hands.

...I keep saying this because it's true: I love this slow burn so much.

[cherrygummycandy]

Family Outings (and all the victims that come with them).

A Goldilocks and the Three Bears crime family x reader

(An: First time writing in a while, feels pretty good to be writing again. Not sure what direction I'll push this is, probably some slight romance with Goldi or Baby Bear. Also, above is some cute theatre promotional material of the family movie night! Enjoy!)

🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻

"Eye of newt, tongue of, of... ugh!" You slam the small vial of repitilian eyeballs down on the oak table, leaning back as you place your hand on your forehead, trying to calm yourself down. hurrying over to the bookshelf, you toss hurriedly search, haphazardly tossing book after book behind you in search of the one you needed. A leather-bound journal, with gold fittings lays against a dusty candle-holder. The label reads 'Hellica Mellica; Ancestra Magica'. Grabbing it quickly, you return to your workspace, and plop down. Flipping to the chapter on transmogrification, you read quickly, attempting to remember what ingredient is missing from your brew.

"Tongue of Goldfish, of course!" You exclaim.

🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿

"Move it, you mug!" A blonde haired girl yells, pushing a small bear forward. "I'm tryin' alright? This scents hard to track, n' you don't even know who were supposed ta' be tracking!" The small bear snaps back, the odd necklace around his neck rattling as he whips around to face his sister. Two larger bears trail behind, chuckling at the scene before them. "I know who were supposed to be tracking, Baby. Just not any specifics..." Goldie says, raising her walking stick up above her and smacking it against a tree branch, knocking down a shiny red apple. It lands in her palm, and she bites into it with a grin. "Oh, can you get me one, Goldie?" The bear with a fancy hat asks from behind. "Sure thing, mum." Thwack! A second apple falls.

"Remind me dear, what exactly is your brotha' sniffing out?" The largest of the three bears asks. "Spellbook, Papa. Centuries old one, at that. Guess it belonged to some big witch back in the day." Goldie says. "A-a witch? You mean like the one that put them' kids in that oven?" Baby bear squeaks, before getting prodded forward by Goldie's staff. "Please, Hansel and Gretel killed that witch, didn't ya read the story?" She sighs "Besides, that witch is long dead. We, dear brother, are tracking the scent of her house." Baby tilts his head in confusion. "Wait, how am I tracking a house?" He asks. Goldie shrugs. "I guess she set some sort of enchantment on it, attracts little animals, so she can put em' in her brews." She raises her hands up, hands mimicking claws, an evil grin on her face. Baby shivers, and turns back to facing the path ahead. "Goldie, luv, stop scaring ya' brotha." Papa bear scolds, ruffling her messy curls with a paw. A claw snags, pulling a lock and making her squeak. "Papa!" "Sorry!"

🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿

Eyes narrowed in concentration, you focus on the task at hand. You attempt to steady your hands as you slowly ladle your transmogrification potion into a small vial. After a few moments of slow pouring, the vile is filled. "Yes!". Popping a cork into the top of the vial. "And not a drop spilled." You cheer, giving yourself a small little thumbs up in a nearby mirror. You set down the potion-filled glass, and move to dispose of the unusable leftovers at the bottom of your small, hand-held cauldron. You carry it outside of your cottage, sloshing the disposable material over your herb garden. The herbal paste and eyeballs should make a good fertilizer. Dunking your cauldron in the well, you scrub gently. As you remove the cauldron from the well, you look down at your reflection. You contemplate your image for a moment. You frown. It's you, but don't feel quite like yourself.

For years, you trained, studied, and dedicated your life to the teachings of your mentor, the all powerful witch who lived in the cottage before you. Admittedly, when a small orphan stumbled upon your cottage, she was tempted to eat you. However, she decided you'd be more useful alive, than in her stomach. She wasn't warm, or kind. You cringe, remembering the daily beratings shouted at you from throughout the cottage, as you scrubbed, swept, and polished every part of the estate. Once, you had even tried to copy one of her potions, and she never let you live down the disaster that followed.

"You useless little witch! Ruining my cottage, touching my cauldron!" She had screamed. "You want to explore magic so bad, fine! Be my guest!" From that point on, she not only increased your chores, but had made you help her fulfill her orders. It started small, but occasionally, when she felt cruel, she had made you attempt harder, more dangerous things. These always went horribly wrong, and you found your self-confidence diminishing, day by day. Now that she's gone, you still do the occasional spell, enough to sell and get by, alongside baked goods. Still, you haven't even attempted the hard stuff again. Looking down at your reflection in this well, you see that same child. 'Maybe I am just a useless little witch...' You chuckle sadly. You turn to head back inside, only to be met with the end of a wooden staff pointed mere centimeters from your face. You gasp, but the girl at the other end moves it closer, silently threatening you to remain quiet.

🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿

"Ello' there." A blonde girl stands at the other end of the staff, a smirk on her face. "You live ere'?" She asks, gesturing with her free hand to the cottage behind you.. "Y-yes..." you nod. "Ya' don't look like a witch." A voice comes from behind her. You attempt to peer behind her, leaning to the side a little. You hold in a gasp when you see three large bears looming behind. "I'm not a witch, not really." Goldie looks behind you at the cottage. "Then why do ya' live in a witches cottage?" She asks. "And she's holdin' a cauldron!' The smallest bear adds. "My mentor used to live here, I just sorta... stayed here when she died." You admit. "Oh, the poor dear..." The medium sized bear coos. You're a bit taken aback at this behavior, but smile nervously at the mother bear. "Ugh, not now, Mama!" Goldie waves her free arm, as if scolding the bear. "You got any weapons on ya'?" You shake your head. "Alright then, non-witch. Why not show us into your lovely home, you don't wanna be a rude host, do you?" She roughly grabs your arm, practically dragging you into your own home. Once inside, the smallest bear begins to sniff around, as if hunting for something.

"Um, what's he doing?" You ask, watching as your home is searched by the small bear. Goldie looks over, groaning and rolling her eyes. "Baby, ya' dolt! Stop it, we'll just get em' to tell us where it is. Ya don't need to turn the place over." She turns back to you. "Are you familiar with a book, called-" She pulls a piece of paper from her pocket, glancing over it quickly, before saying "called 'Hellica Mellica: Ancestra Magica'?". You bite your lip, unsure about telling this fierce girl the location of your book. The only real success you've had with magic has come from this book's information, and frankly, you feel like your mentor would curse you from beyond the grave if you just let her beloved book go.

"Uh, sorry, no." You lie, eyes darting to the side. The girl looks unconvinced, and suddenly grabs you by the collar of your frock. "I know you've got it, now, I'm gonna ask ya' a little differently. "Where. Is. The. Book?" She mutters. "Over there, o-on the table." She drops you to the ground, and quickly moves over to the table. She grins as she grabs the spellbook, holding it up. She moves to open it, but finds the cover won't budge. "Wha- what's wrong with it?" She exclaims, beginning to shake the book. "What's wrong then?" The largest bear asks. "It won't open. It's jammed or something." She throws the book on the ground. "Give it ere' lemme take a crack at opening it." The largest bear begins to try and rip the book open. You watch, eyes wide in confusion. The book has never refused to open before, not even when you didn't know anything about magic. You slowly shuffle over, and sit nervously down on the nearby armchair. While you watch the bear and girl struggle, the medium bear approaches you. "You ave' a lovely little home, dear." the bear says. "O-oh, thank you." You respond. After a moment's silence, you turn back to look at her.

"Um, can I ask who you all are? The bear nods. "Oh, sorry for not introducin' ourselves. I'm Mama bear, that's Papa bear," She points a claw at the big bear. "That's Baby bear," She points to the little bear, who is currently raiding your kitchen cabinets, making you frown. "and that's my Goldie." Mama bear puts a paw over her chest, smiling as she stares at the blonde girl, who is now so angry she is chewing on the leather cover of the book, hands scratching and clawing at the binding. You look between her and the bears. In her fit of rage, she makes eye contact with you. "You! You've used this book before, open it up." She chucks the book at your head, before Mama grabs it just before it makes contact. You nod thankfully, and open the book. The family crowds around, peering at the first few pages of information. Just as Goldie moves to snatch it, the book snaps shut again. "What! Ugh, you've done something to it, haven't you!" She screeches. "She prolly' put some kinda spell on it! Using children's blood or something." Baby sneers. "I didn't, my mentor must have done something to it, this has never happened!" Goldie pauses. "Never?" She asks. You nod. "Well, seeing as you're the only one who can open it, I guess you'll be coming with us." She stands and motionsfor you to follow, before stopping and looking back over her shoulder.

"Then everything should be just right."

🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿🐻🌿

[starskq]

SEVEN MINUTES / H.J

Pairing ◊ college student!reader x college student!Jinsik (ft. Sumin and Hyunwoo)

Genre ◊ fluff, slightly suggesting

Warnings ◊ making out, hair pulling, neck kisses

Word count ◊ 3k

Summary ◊ Your friend Hyunwoo invited you to a party, and you never expected to found yourself in a closet with your crush.

It was a warm Friday afternoon on the sprawling campus of Haneul University. You were sitting under the old oak tree, your usual spot between classes, flipping through your psychology textbook but barely absorbing any information. Your mind wandered, as it often did, to Jinsik. You had admired him from afar since their first year. He was not just handsome but also effortlessly charming, known for his goofy sense of humor and being one of the most intelligent guys on campus. You had exchanged words a few times, as you had some friends in common, but you always felt your shyness hold you back from engaging him further.

Just then, Hyunwoo plopped down beside you, his backpack thudding to the ground. Hyunwoo was one of your closest friends and, coincidentally, Jinsik’s best friend. 

"Hey, y/n, what’s up?" Hyunwoo said, releasing a big sigh when he touched the grass. 

You closed your book, a small smile creeping onto your face. "Just trying to study, but it's not going well."

"Well, then, it’s perfect timing! There's a party at Sumin’s place tonight. You should come."

You hesitated, pouting your lips slightly. You weren't much of a party person, preferring quieter settings where you could blend into the background. "I don't know, Woo. I have a lot of work to do, and parties aren’t my thing."

He raised an eyebrow, leaning back on his hands, signing innocence as he looked up at the tree’s branches. "Jinsik's going to be there."

Your heart skipped a beat at the mention of Jinsik’s name. You quickly composed yourself, rolling your eyes. "Oh, come on. Just because he’s gonna be there doesn’t mean I have to go. I don’t care,’’ you scoffed, trying to sound convincing.

He smirked, not buying it for a second. "Sure, sure. I believe you," he said sarcastically. "But really, it’ll be fun. And who knows, maybe you’ll get to talk to him more. Plus, you owe me for covering for you in cogn last week."

You sighed, knowing he wouldn’t let it go. "Fine, I’ll go. But only for a little while, and only because you’re so persistent."

Hyunwoo grinned triumphantly. "Awesome! I'll pick you up at eight."

As evening fell, you found yourself in front of the mirror, second-guessing your outfit for the fifth time. You settled on a casual yet flattering ensemble—a pair of high-waisted jeans and a cute crop top. With a final deep breath, you grabbed your phone and headed out to meet Hyunwoo.

As you and Hyunwoo stepped into Sumin’s apartment, you were immediately greeted by a burst of loud music and a drunk college student. The place was alive with laughter, music, and the hum of conversations. The living room was packed, with people mingling around the snack table while others danced.

Hyunwoo led you through the crowd, pausing occasionally to exchange greetings with familiar faces. You soon found Sumin, another close friend of yours, who was chatting animatedly with a group near the kitchen.

"Y/n, Hyunwoo!" Sumin called out, waving you over. "Glad you guys could make it!’’

You smiled, feeling a bit more at ease with Sumin's welcoming presence. You did not know that many people, so it was nice to see a familiar face. "Hey, Sumin. You good?’’ 

Sumin grinned. "Pretty good! Come on, let's get you guys some drinks.’’

As you moved towards the makeshift bar area, Hyunwoo whispered in your ear, "Remember, just relax and have fun. You look great, by the way.’’

You gave him a grateful smile, taking a cup from Sumin. You honestly had no idea what was inside, but oh well. The three of you chatted and laughed, reminiscing about your last study session and the latest gossip.

Just then, Jinsik appeared, his usual aura of confidence and charm making its way through the crowd. He spotted you and Hyunwoo, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Hey, look who it is!" Jinsik called out, striding over to you. "Y/n, you made it! I'm so happy you're here.’’

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you managed a shy smile. "Hi, Jinsik. Yeah, Hyunwoo dragged me here.’’

Jinsik's eyes sparkled with genuine delight. "You look amazing tonight," he said, his tone sincere but hinting at his trademark playfulness. "I was hoping you'd come.’’

Your heart fluttered at his words, but you tried to play it cool. "Thanks. It's nice to see you too. It’s been a while.’’

As the night progressed, you found yourself standing on the balcony with Jinsik, the cool night air a welcome relief from the warmth inside. You really were not a party person, but you had to admit that Jinsik made it pretty fun. Hyunwoo was probably somewhere with some girl by now, and you did not mind spending the rest of your night talking with Jinsik like you had been doing for the past hour or so. 

Jinsik let out a big sigh as he leaned against the railing and looked out at the view, enjoying the wind hitting his face lightly. ‘’Sometimes these parties get a bit overwhelming.’’ 

You nodded, your nerves finally settling as you stood beside him. ‘’Yeah, it’s a bit more peaceful out here. Plus, it’s nice to just talk.’’ 

He turned to you, a playful grin on his face. ‘’I agree. You’re pretty fun to talk to.’’ 

You chuckled a bit, smirking. ‘’Why? You doubted it?’’

He shook his head lightly, ‘’No,’’ he chuckled a bit. ‘’But it’s nice.’’ 

You felt your cheek heating up a bit. You never really had a one-on-one conversation with him, and you had to admit, he was hilarious and charming. And he was so handsome up close. It should be a crime. The worst part was he seemed utterly oblivious of how handsome he was. 

You continued talking, sharing stories, and laughing easily. The conversation flowed naturally, and you felt a growing connection with him. The more you talked with him, the more your crush intensified. His goofy charm and genuine interest in your life and opinions made you feel so special, and you wondered if he was that way with everyone. 

Just as you were laughing about one of his ridiculous high school stories, Sumin appeared at the balcony door, his signature smile on his face. ‘’Hey, you two. We’re about to start a game of truth or dare in the bedroom. You in ?’’

Jinsik turned to look at you, raising an eyebrow. ‘’We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.’’ 

You hesitated for a moment, but his playful look and Sumin’s pleading eyes convinced you. ‘’I don’t mind. Let’s go.’’ 

You followed Sumin to the bedroom, which you assumed was his because of the way everything was well organized and clean. You saw a group, in which you recognized Hyunwoo and a girl from your chemistry class, Jiwon, who seemed particularly close to your friend. You smirked. It was so obvious how she was crushing on Hyunwoo anyway. 

You quickly found a spot and settled in. Hyunwoo, who seemed to be the unofficial game master, clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone. Let’s get this game started. Y/n, truth or dare?’’

You glanced around the circle, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "Um, truth.’’

Hyunwoo grinned, rubbing his hands together. "Alright. What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you in school?’’

You laughed, covering your face with your hands. ‘’Oh, my god. Okay, let's see. In high school, I once tripped on stage during a school play. I was supposed to make this grand entrance, but I ended up face-planting in front of the entire school.’’

Everyone burst into laughter, and Jinsik gave you a sympathetic look. "Ouch, that sounds rough.’’

You nodded, still giggling. ‘’Well, it makes a great story now.’’

The game continued, each turn revealing more secrets and laughter. As everyone around you laughed, you finally let loose completely, your initial shyness melting away. 

"Alright, Jinsik," Sumin said, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Truth or dare?"

Jinsik, emboldened by the night's events, chose dare without hesitation. "Dare."

Sumin's grin widened. "I dare you to spend seven minutes in heaven in the closet with y/n."

The room burst into whistles and shouts of encouragement. You felt your heart pound in your chest, a mix of excitement and nerves washing over you. Jinsik looked at you, his expression serious for a moment before breaking into a reassuring smile. ‘’We don’t have to if you don’t want to.’’ 

‘’It’s fine, a dare’s a dare.’’ You said, getting up, and you both made your way to the closet, the cheers of your friends ringing in your ears. 

You stepped into Summit’s closet, which was surpassingly spacious for a closet but definitely not for fitting two people inside. You were a bit cramped. The door closed behind you, plunging you both into darkness. 

‘'Well, this is cozy,’’ Jinsik said, his voice warm with laughter.

You laughed, feeling some of your nerves dissipate. "Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be ending my night in a closet."

Jinsik chuckled. "There’s a first time for everything."

You stood in the dark; the only sounds were the muffled laughter and conversation from the party outside.  The doors were thick enough to practically cancel all noise from outside. The tension between you was palpable, but Jinsik's humor kept things light.

"So, any fun closet stories?" Jinsik asked, leaning slightly closer.

You laughed softly. "Not really. This is definitely the most exciting one."

Jinsik pretended to look shocked. "No way! This is a first for me, too. Guess we’re both making memories tonight."

You talked and joked, the initial awkwardness fading as you relaxed into each other’s presence. At one point, Jinsik shifted his weight and lost his balance, stumbling slightly. He caught himself by placing his hands on either side of your face, on the wall just behind you, your faces now mere inches apart.

"Oops," he said softly, his voice barely a whisper.

Your breath hitched as you looked up at him, your closeness making you acutely aware of every detail—the way his eyes searched yours, the warmth of his breath, the tension that crackled between you.

"Y/n," Jinsik murmured, his voice husky, "can I kiss you?"

You felt your heart leap in your chest, your lips parting as you whispered, "God, yes, please."

He closed the distance between you, his lips meeting yours in a soft kiss at first. The moment your lips met, it was as if the world outside ceased to exist. His lips were warm and firm, moving against yours with a tenderness that weakened your knees. You responded eagerly, your hands moving up to his shoulders, gripping slightly at his shirt. 

His hands slid from your face to your waist, pulling you closer until there was no space left between you. The kiss deepened, becoming more urgent, more intense. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, seeking permission, which you granted without hesitation. Your tongues meet, the kiss growing more passionate. 

Your fingers tangled in his hair. You could feel the rapid beat of his heart against your chest, matching your own frantic pulse. The kiss turned messy, your mouths moving against each other with fervor. His taste was intoxicating, and you could feel the alcohol on his tongue. 

His hands roamed your back, exploring the curves and lines of your body through your clothes. One hand moved to the small of your back, pressing you even closer against him, while the other slid up to tangle in your hair, gently tugging to tilt your head and deepen the kiss further. You felt a rush of heat as his fingers threaded through your hair, a soft moan escaping your lips.

The air around you seemed to grow hotter, thicker, as your kiss turned more fervent. You could feel your own desire mirrored in Jinsik’s touch, in the way his hands gripped you as if he couldn’t get enough. Your own hands moved restlessly over his shoulders, down his back, feeling the play of muscles under his shirt.

Your breaths came in ragged gasps between kisses, each one more intense than the last. The taste, the feel, the very essence of Jinsik consumed you, leaving you dizzy and breathless. His mouth left your only to trail hot kisses along your jawline, down your neck, each touch setting your skin on fire.

His lips met yours again, more insistent, more demanding. The kiss tuned feverish; your movement desperate as you were trapped between his warm body and the wall behind you. 

Just as the heat between you reached a fever pitch, the sound of Sumin’s voice cut through the haze. "Thirty seconds left!" he called, his tone teasing but insistent.

Jinsik pulled back slightly, his breathing heavy, his forehead resting against yours. You were both panting, your faces flushed, eyes locked in a gaze that spoke volumes. His fingers traced the line of your jaw, his touch still electric.

"Guess our time’s almost up," he said, his voice a mix of regret and lingering desire.

‘’Unfortunately,’’ you said, still breathless. 

You quickly smoothed the fabric of your clothes, trying to look as put together as possible. You saw Jinsik straightening his shirt. You stepped into the closet when Sumin opened the door, and you were met with a chorus of cheers and playful comments. But in that moment, all you could think about was the taste of his lips, and how much you wanted to taste him again. 

The party wound down as the night slipped into the early hours of the morning. You and Jinsik had returned to the group, but there was a new, unspoken connection between you. Each glance you shared was charged with the memory of you intense kiss, and you were finding it difficult to focus on anything else. 

Eventually, the gathering began to disperse, and you found yourself standing with Hyunwoo and Sumin near the door, preparing to leave. Jinsik had been chatting with some friends across the room, but his eyes kept drifting back to you. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and made his way over.

“Hey, y/n,” Jinsik said, his voice slightly more hesitant than usual. “Can we talk for a second?”

You looked up, surprised but intrigued. “Sure,” you said, giving Hyunwoo and Sumin a brief smile before following Jinsik to a quieter corner of the room.

Once you were alone, Jinsik ran a hand through his hair, which he did only when he was nervous. “So, tonight was… unexpected,” he began, trying to find the right words. “I mean, it was amazing, but we definitely skipped a few steps by, you know, making out in the closet.”

You laughed softly, nodding. “Yeah, it was a bit out of order, wasn’t it?”

Jinsik’s eyes met yours, and he smiled, his nerves evident. “I’m really glad it happened, though. But I was thinking… I’d like to do this right. Properly.”

Your heart fluttered, anticipation building. “What do you mean?”

Jinsik took another deep breath, his confidence returning as he looked at you with genuine warmth. “I want to take you out, y/n. On a real date. Dinner, maybe a movie. Whatever you’d like. I just… I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better. Properly.”

You felt a rush of warmth at his words. The thought of a date with Jinsik outside the chaotic atmosphere of a party was more appealing than you could express. “That’d be really nice, actually” you said softly, a smile spreading across your face.

Jinsik’s relief was palpable, and he laughed, a sound of pure joy. “Great! To be honest, I was really nervous to ask you.”

You raised an eyebrow, teasingly. “You? Nervous?”

Jinsik chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, believe it or not, you make me a bit nervous. In a good way, though. Tonight just gave me the push I needed to finally do something. I’ve always thought you were beautiful. I just… didn’t know how to approach you. Tonight was a bit of a crash course, but I’m glad it happened.”

You felt a warmth spread through you at his words, and your eyes widened. “Wow. And here I thought you didn’t notice me.”

Jinsik’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “How could I not? You’re kind of hard to miss, in the best way.”

You stood there, a comfortable silence settling between you. The party around you continued to wind down, but in that moment, it was just the two of you.

“So, how about tomorrow night?” Jinsik asked, his tone hopeful. “Are you free?”

You nodded, you smile widening. “I am. Tomorrow night sounds perfect.”

“Great. I’ll text you the details.”

As you walked back to join Hyunwoo and Sumin, who had been watching you with barely concealed curiosity, you felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. The kiss had been incredible, but this—this was the start of something real, something promising.

Hyunwoo grinned as you approached. “So, what’s the verdict?”

Jinsik laughed, looking at you with a smile. “We’ve got a date.”

Sumin clapped his hands together, a wide smile on his face. “About time!”

you laughed, feeling lighter than you had in a long time. The night had been unexpected and intense, but it had led to this—a chance to explore something real with Jinsik. As you all left the party and headed home, you couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning of something great.

[ach-sss-no]

this is one of my favorite gollum moments and unlike the waterfall scene it's short and i can talk about it now before my work email starts functioning again (also, i might forget about it later)

it's such a small thing

small but full of mischief

so this is right after they left faramir's camp; Gollum is really antsy and insisting on moving as quickly as possible.

Gollum often paused, sniffing the air, and then he would mutter to himself and urge them to greater speed.

(All the quotes are from The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, Chapter 7, Journey to the Cross-roads)

He's saying that they've taken a detour and need to catch up. It's not clear to me why he needs to go so fast and whether it's 'we will be kiled by orcs' or 'there is about to be war everywhere' or 'I need to dump you guys off at my spider gf's cave as quickly as possible because I want to get back to being evil' but it doesn't really matter why, the point is that he's wanting to go as fast as possible and the hobbits have agreed to let him set the route and the pace.

But frodo and sam get tired because they've been walking a whole lot, and insist on resting:

'What shall we do? ' he said. 'We have walked long and far. Shall we look for some place in the woods behind where we can lie hidden? ' 'No good hiding in the dark,' said Gollum. 'It's in day that hobbits must hide now, yes in day.' `Oh come! ' said Sam. 'We must rest for a bit, even if we get up again in the middle of the night. There'll still be hours of dark then time enough for you to take us a long march, if you know the way.'

FYI: there have been moments all along where gollum goes 'yes we're all tired nice hobbits' and then jets ahead at 'almost a trot' and expects them to follow

Gollum reluctantly agrees to rest but makes them walk farther first:

Gollum reluctantly agreed to this, and he turned back towards the trees, working eastward for a while along the straggling edges of the wood.

Gollum fights them on where to sleep:

He would not rest on the ground so near the evil road, and after some debate they all climbed up into the crotch of a large holm-oak, whose thick branches springing together from the trunk made a good hiding-place and a fairly comfortable refuge.

Gollum goes to sleep. The hobbits don't.

Frodo and Sam drank a little water and ate some bread and dried fruit, but Gollum at once curled up and went to sleep. The hobbits did not shut their eyes.

Gollum wakes up in an unnecessarily eerie manner

It must have been a little after midnight when Gollum woke up: suddenly they were aware of his pale eyes unlidded gleaming at them. He listened and sniffed, which seemed, as they had noticed before, his usual method of discovering the time of night.

Gollum is fully awake and alert and perky. sméagol had nice nap and beautiful sleep!! and wants to start running full tilt towards mordor immediately

'Are we rested? Have we had beautiful sleep?' he said. 'Let's go!'

Sam and Frodo were the ones who wanted to stop and rest and they didn't get any sleep at all

'We aren't, and we haven't,' growled Sam. 'But we'll go if we must.' Gollum dropped at once from the branches of the tree on to all fours, and the hobbits followed more slowly. [LOTS of scrambling through rough terrain later]

At last Gollum turned to the hobbits. 'Day soon,' he said. 'Hobbits must hurry. Not safe to stay in the open in these places. Make haste! ' He quickened his pace, and they followed him wearily.

in conclusion:

Gollum is the most obnoxious person alive.

Imagine you are traveling with this jerk and you want a nap and he refuses and you have to argue him into it. Then he is picky about the spot you sleep in. then you have to watch him sleep while you have insomnia and then he wakes up and asks you if you had beautiful sleep (he may actually be talking to himself when he says that though, which is worse)

That's not even his fault. It's not Gollum's fault that he has the ability to turn his consciousness off immediately when it's sleepytime (he's done it before and apparently that's just how he functions). he was told to take a nap. he took a nap. He's not trying to antagonize anyone. he's just like that! edit: Oh oh and he has no idea they didn't sleep because he was asleep and has no idea what they were or were not doing while he was asleep

It's not even his fault that he walks fast! Gollum is driving himself at exactly the same pace as the hobbits, and is not asking them to do anything he's not doing and I don't think it's even unfair! Maybe some of this is easier for him than for them but also Gollum has this horrible warped twisted body and has to move on all fours so it can't be that easy! He's not even rude about it and he's supplying reasons (it's not safe to linger in the area. and I'm sure it isn't)! He's just so!!!! annoying! That's why it's so funny, nothing about this interaction is evil or malicious and he is just NATURALLY LIKE THAT. There is no good outcome from interacting with gollum.

How much do you think sam wants to punt him into the sun every time he says 'make haste' (he says it a lot). Mr. Frodo is tired >:(

TL;DR another circle of gollum hell: He's sometimes at his most antagonizing when he's not doing anything wrong and doesn't seem to have any desire to cause problems he's just

he's so awful

I'm not sure he even knows this is annoying

[onlyseokmins]

loser neighbor!chan that wolf-whistles at you every time you visit back home.

somehow the timing is always right despite the weird rivalry/dislike his parents have with yours. the feeling is mutual between children, who even as they've grown up, still don't get along.

that's what you lead them to believe, nobody except you and chan knowing who each other's first kiss was. and boy, does he hold that over your head.

you'd think after fifteen years, that memory would've left his singular brain cell rattling in his head by now but no - he's constantly puckering his lips when you turn to flip him off when you hear the telltale, sleazy whistle.

of course, common sensibly - you could ignore him. sometimes you don't even turn around when you give him the middle finger.

but one day, when you pull up to your parents' house accompanied by a young man and don't even give the time of day to the house next door, you learn your lesson.

when he spies you taking out the garbage, chan is quick to grab your hand and pull you behind the large tree between the properties. it holds your childhood treehouse that you used to play in together, the same tree that hid your first kiss.

and now it hides you down on your knees, sucking chan's big fat cock greedily like the freezer pops you used to share back in the day. the grand oak also hides chan's shaking frame and the beads of sweat that line his forehead as he watches and drools over you batting wet eyelashes up at him while choking on his cock.

even the leaves and branches are kind of enough to rustle in the wind, just barely hiding the nasty gags you're making and chan's strained whines. you hope they also hide the mix of praises and mockery that falls from his lips when he holds down your head and cums down your throat, whispering how he'll always be your first (and hoping to be your last).

little did he know that "young man" you were with earlier was your cousin who you picked up from his college campus on your way home. but you don't think you'll tell chan just quite yet, the jealous and possessive glint in his eyes causing your panties to dampen.

"i'm the first one that kissed those pretty lips of yours and look at them now, stretched around my dick and swallowing my cum. mine. what would you say if your parents saw you like this? oh yeah, you can't talk - can you? they'll just have to see what a slut you are for the neighbors' loser son they can't stand."

[reptisoil]

"Im stuck.." || Chris Kratt x GN! Reader ||

Summary: When Y/n finds themself in a sticky situation, Chris seems to be the only person they can think of to call for help.

Warnings:

Notes: This is my first time writing for Wild Kratts so... Yea, sorry if Chris is too OOC. I think this is also the longest fic I have up at the moment..? Word count is 875 exactly, nice. Anyways, enjoy~

Y/n, the usually more introverted person on the Tortuga, finally decided to get out and go on a mission with the Kratt Bros. It was simple, just find a squirrel to observe its daily activities and see what they do when nobody is around. But, since they weren't used to this stuff (being out in nature with the brothers), they got distracted and decided to climb a tree to look for a squirrel.

Not a bad idea at face value so they went for it. They climbed a big oak tree with a small hole, perfect for a squirrel to exist in! They went branch by branch, small handhold by small handhold, anything to get to that hole they thought would have a squirrel.

Sitting on top of a nearby branch, they watched the hole for a good half an hour at minimum. They stood as still as possible, waiting for a squirrel to appear. After another half an hour with nothing, they realize a squirrel probably wasn't going to show up so they decided to get down.

Looking down to map out a path between everything the tree had to offer, they realized they couldn't find one that would work. Their first thought was to wing it and just go but then they remembered all the times Martin did that and it didn't work out in his favor - ever. They couldn't think of what to do besides call for help but they could only think of one person, Chris, who was currently busy with his brother on the squirrel thing. This mission really made Y/n dislike squirrels...

After a minute of not thinking of anyone else who could possibly help them, they sighed, "Welp, sorry Chris but Im stuck so.." and rang him on their creature-pod. He picked it up almost immediately.

"Hey! Where'd you get off to? You saw something then disappeared! Got m- us worried!" As Chris spoke, Y/n saw behind him, he was back at the Tortuga so they assumed the squirrel mission was a success.

"Oh, um, I am stuck... In a tree." They nod a tiny bit after their sentence. Chris looked at them with concern and slight shock. "How did you get stuck in a tree, Y/n?"

"Well, I saw this oak tree had a hole in it that looked good for squirrels so I climbed it, not really paying attention to where I was putting my hands and stuff. Im up the tree and can't find a path down..." They explained, now having started hugging the tree while on the call still. Koki spoke in the background, "I've got their coordinates, sent them to your creature-pod, Chris!"

"Okay, thanks Koki!" He turned back to his creature pod, "I'll be right there, Y/n, don't worry, and don't move!" The call ended before Chris could hear their remark, "Wouldn't if I could."

After a few minutes, Chris comes into Y/n's vision. He looked around for a while before they yelled out to him to get his attention. He looked up at them, shock filled his face, "How in the world did you get up there?!"

"I thought a squirrel would be in here!" They let go of the branch they were hugging with one of their hands to wave it around while talking to make a point. After they stopped talking and started to slip, they embraced the branch even harder than before. Chris sighed and quickly climbed to meet them near the hole in the tree, remembering his path so he could guide Y/n down after calming them down.

"Look, I just climbed up, it's not that hard to go back down the same way! Just follow me, and I'll show you! And I promise to catch you if you fall." He gave a reassuring smile and waited for them to sit up on the branch rather than laying on it whilst hugging it. He slowly made his way down the tree and they started after he reached the bottom, following every single thing he told them and trying to remember where he put his foot or hand and when.

Even with being this careful, Y/n managed to slip about three-quarters of the way down. Chris lunged forward to catch them, just like he promised. They smiled at him in a silent thanks for catching them but after he set them down they mumbled a verbal thanks. "What was that?"

"I said, thanks for coming all the way out here just to rescue me from that tree and catching me.. Thanks." A small amount of color dusted their cheeks as they made eye contact with him. He was smirking. He did hear them the first time. Upon realizing this, they lightly punched his arm and he chuckled. "Let's get back to the Tortuga, yea?"

As the two made their way to the flying Wild Kratts HQ, a comfortable silence filled the air. Just before entering, Y/n gave Chris a kiss on the cheek and then walked in as if nothing ever happened. Chris stood there blinking for a solid minute, Martin had to come out and drag him inside but not before he mumbled something. "Im never washing this cheek again..."