#patch of sky farm events

[ordering-milk-at-a-bar]

I would like to introduce the Chain to Stardew Valley- aannnddd Wild has run off with my switch.

You're going to have to create seperate save files/farms for each of them. Because we all know that eventually someone was going to accidentally "ruin" someone's farm by planting the wrong crop outside of its specific area.

I feel like Wild wouldn't be as interested in the farming part as he is interested in going into the mines. That's not to say that he dislikes farming, he just likes fighting in the mines more. He does like all the different food items you can cook. You can bet he's listening in on the TV to get new recipies.

Twilight falls in love at first sight with the game. You can bet he's making his farm just like Ordon, even names it after his home village. Grows only pupmkins. He once mentions that he's sad that there are no goats in the game, so maybe you mod the game that changes the sprites of the cows to look like the Ordonian goats. He cries. He also cannot choose between owning a cat or a dog to save his life. Spent like 40 minutes in the character creator debating his preferance.

Hyrule loves the little Junimos and makes it his mission to get everything they want. Perpetually broke. Kinda becomes a hermit, doesn't really talk to the people of Pelican Town, not because he doesn't like them, he just has other things to do at the moment. But when he actually socialises, he's doing all the little side quests, only after helping the Junimos. Much like Wild, Hyrule spends a lot of time in the mines.

Time has a cow farm and not much else. Maybe one little patch where he grows food for himself, but like 90% of his land is taken up by pastures for cows and horses. He doesn't need more and he doesn't really want more. Certified Jojamart hater.

Wind does not farm. Who needs those dumb yucky vegetables anyway? The fish from his farm are way better in both taste and quality. He picked the ocean farm for obvious reasons.

Legend is the biggest Jojamart hater, much bigger than Time. He somehow found out about Korbus all by himself and took him as his roommate. You didn't even know until you looked over his shoulder one day and saw the creature in his kitchen. His farm is a mess. You have no idea how he finds literally anything, it so cluttered. You've yelled at him to organise his stuff, but he keeps putting it off. The only pretty area is his apple orchard.

Warriors is bad at farming, to the point that he complains about it. Sides with Jojamart purely because it's convenient and saves him time. He spends his time doing every side quest for the townspeople. You just know he's loving the gossip. Takes part in every town festival/event.

Predictably enough, Four spends all of his time in the mines. His farm still looks like crap. Basically only goes there to sleep.

Sky is another social butterfly, but still better at farming than Wars. His farm is not what you'd call "efficiant," but it's cozy and nice to look at. Has every chicken. Everyone else avoids them, but he loves these tiny birds.

[aurorasgate]

Hi! I would like to request pumpkin + lifting you up with Sephiroth :)

sephiroth x reader

falling for you event (event requests closed)

thank you so much for requesting for my event! i hope you like it <3

living in midgar it was sometimes easy to forget the lushness of the world outside of it. the way dirt smells under the sun, the sound of dried leaves crunching underfoot, the freshness of the air in an almost chilling breeze that nips at the tip of your nose. and the colors; so vibrant and warm compared to the metal and mako city, especially in autumn when midgar begins to be painted in shades of gray and cold blues.

the seemingly endless world in front of you now however is full of oranges, yellows and greens. a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds. your beloved patiently waiting for you to take it all in when you thought he might be doing the same considering he had never been to a pumpkin patch before but sephiroths gaze is only on you.

and so easily does he steal your attention too. sephiroth looks especially heavenly here, you think as though you hadn’t thought that of him in any other place you’ve been together. though he’s wearing his normal dark colors, this long black coat has never seen battle and is made of wool rather than leather, the turtle neck underneath a soft gray and not soldier issued but fits him just as tightly, bringing out the broadness of his chest and his slim waist.

it’s been so long since you’ve been to a place like this and to have sephiroth here with you it feels like a dream, a far off memory swirling with the longing wishes of your heart. you can hardly remember when you told him about picking pumpkins for painting and carving when you were younger, before moving to midgar, and when he told you he’d be taking you out of the city today and to dress warm, you hadn’t expected him to bring you here.

you hadn’t even known this farm was here on the outskirts of kalm. it’s currently quiet, only a few other figures in the near distance browsing the other vegetables for sale or walking through the pumpkin patch behind the small stalls of other goods but based on the size of this place, it was well loved by many. 

wanting to take advantage of the small crowd, you wrap both of your arms around one of sephiroths and pull him through the arching entrance made of different kinds of pumpkins and squash. ignoring all of the eyes that follow you both, you lead him straight down the path to the pumpkin patch.

“now to pick the perfect two!” you smile up at him, holding onto his arm tighter as though he might lose you in the crowd of pumpkins, wondering if the pink on his cheeks is due to the cold or something else.

“lead the way,” sephiroth replies, a soft smile tugging at his lips, the mako in his eyes with a twinkle of mirth that makes your heart skip a beat. 

shortening his steps to match in time with yours, you make your way down the first row of wilted leaves and round pumpkins. he watches as you intently look over them, at first not finding any worthy enough to consider but when you finally do stop, letting go over him to inspect it further, he crosses his arms and asks, “what exactly makes a pumpkin good for carving?” 

“i guess it depends on what you want to carve into it,” you answer, moving onto another one a few steps away and picking it up. it’s taller than it is wide, the stem a little off center and heavy enough that after a moment you rest it on your middle so as to not drop it and with a nostalgic heart filled laugh, you continue. “when i was younger my grandma's rule was always ‘if you can carry it, you can take it home’ so that’s the first step.” not that it applies to a man who could lift anything here with little effort but the sentiment feels the same. you use your thigh to help you get a better hold on it to show to sephiroth and when you’re ready, you look back and up at him with a wide smile. “i think i like this one for you. what do you think?”

sleek silver strands frame his softened features as he bends down to inspect it as you had but really he only looks at it for a moment before his sparkling mako eyes are only on you. 

“looks perfect.” 

you both know he’s not talking about the pumpkin but before you can react, he’s suddenly so close you can smell the flora of his shampoo and the mint on his breath in your quick intake of air as your feet are swept from underneath you without warning. holding onto your pumpkin tightly, you yelp at the sudden movement and are easily, quickly, settled in sephiroths arms. left staring helplessly, lovingly, up at him with your cheeks burning and your heart beating fast but not at the loss of solid ground. 

you feel so delicate, so safe, in his hold and it’s as though you’re the only two in the entire universe as he looks down at you in his arms, pieces of his bangs falling from his shoulder and catching the light of the sun in an angelic glow that matches his transcendent slitted eyes and the silky timber of his voice that holds every bit of the smile adorning his perfect pink lips and the truth of his promise to always take you with him because wherever you are together is home.

main masterlist

[unhonest-iago]

Where Am I? Who Am I?

AO3 link - this was written for the hermitcraft guess the author 2024 event. do go check out the other authors as found in the AO3 collection.

Etho awoke a random summer's day to unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn't his usual base build. Instead, he found himself in a green bedspread with an accompanying nightstand stacked high with romance books. All the titles in Japanese. Startled, he decided to search around. See if he could find any more information as to where he had suddenly been transported to. Not knowing how he'd fallen asleep, was the moon still growing?

'Yikes,' Etho realized exactly where he was after recognizing the figure in the bathroom window. One less pixelated than it should be. His jacket no longer baring the Canadian flag emblem on the sleeve. Nor did his headband. A headband that was more of an eye patch if he was honest. Instead, it was a symbol that looked to be an abstract bird. A beak with a swirl branching off of it. Etho tried to recall everything he knew about the Naruto series. What arc even is this? Unfortunately he’d have to interact with the other characters to figure out.

Etho wasn’t the only one. Kakashi awoke to a pixelated wooden house. Did his vision get this bad overnight? Looking down, he was relieved to see his uniform still intact. But like Etho, he noted the difference in emblems. Lucky for him, Etho wasn’t involved in any big plans. Their personalities similar in that they were both aloof individuals. If only he had his books, Kakashi wistfully thought to himself.

The Hermits, one by one would eventually have the epiphany that something was off with their friend. ‘I asked him if he could fix the meal bone farm…it’s almost as if he short circuited,’ Iskall remarked to Grian. Telling him more about how “Etho” fell off their base, completely forgetting about the waterfall elevator. Going berserk with the belief that he only had one life.

'Have you noticed anything weird about Kakashi-Sensei?' Sakura reluctantly asked Naruto. 'Besides him not reading those boring novels? Not really.' Sakura on the other hand had noticed the change in “Kakashi's” demeanor. The man was more jovial, more talkative. Sakura decided that if a doppelganger had replaced their sensei, the best course of action would be to ask something that only their sensei would. But what? Oh, those pesky books. Kakashi would definitely know the plot lines backwards and forwards. Especially as it'd been one of his notable traits since they had first met. But Sakura didn't know anything about them. All the more reason to ask.

'Hey Sensei? What happened in the last volume of Make Out Tactics?' Naruto sputtered out in shock, 'but you weren't interested when I offered to explain last week! Ow! What was that for?' Sakura kicked his shin, trying to get him to shut up. Etho had zero clue. All he knew was that they were some erotica series and that he should act bashful. 'Uh, well, I don't think that's something I should be telling you, at your age,' Etho hoped his acting was up to par. Rather, it cemented what Sakura thought. If it had been their sensei, he wouldn't be able to form a coherent answer at all.

It's when the moon glows larger in the pixelated sky for the final time that the two are returned back to their respective places. Sakura is stuck as the only one aware. Later being gas lit by both Naruto and Kakashi who is actually Kakashi again. Simply told it was a figment of overactive chakras. Kakashi wants to leave it in the past and never mentions the horrors he had witnessed. Fighting against multiple creatures—mobs as the celestial body rose higher on the horizon. Iskall on the other hand confronts Etho which results in him divulging everything from the moment he woke up to the moment he returned. Glad to be back in his mountainous base.

[nonnieapple]

⛈ ☂️ Peach Pit, 1- A Hanging Branch In A Garden's Home☂️ ⛈

• (Akura-ou x g/n reader x Tomoe)  • r a t i n g: m a t u r e • 2 0 1 0 w o r d s  •  p o s t e d 24.12.2023    🌧  navigation 🍑 next chapter • s u m m a r y: you're a peaceful farmer in the mountains during the sengoku period. someone starts stealing your peaches, and the thief turns out to be a chaotic oni, and the events that ensue flip your life upside down. TW: St abbing described vaguely, de ath.

 

You tapped your foot so hard your floor creaked. You dearly wished it would break so you'd have something to do as you waited by the window like a lonesome dog. 

  The sun lowered gently over mountains cascading with vivid greenery, no houses in sight, only your farm, your plum trees, sakura trees among other plants, and your peach trees. They were in bloom and many delicate pink flowers had already turned into peaches. 

  You stared at the empty spots where the peaches would've been and at your empty basket. Some peaches remained on the tree, plump and fresh. 

  You frowned. You hummed deeply. You heard a crack. You leaned down to the floorboards which had finally burst. You laughed lowly. 

  As twilight colored the sky with deep purple streaks, you patched up the floor. Your legs and ass numbed as you sat there, scrunched up. You scrutinized the floor. God awful. It would have to do. 

  You rushed to the window. 

  The moon rose, switching shifts with the red sun. You inhaled the stuffy air of your house, incense, and wood. You lit a lamp with a shaky hand. As much as you didn't want to light it, you wanted to see.

  Your eyes felt dry, and you slumped near the window. Maybe just a nap... 

  There was a little flash of light, flickering over your eye. You groaned. 

  "Five more minutes, Mom..." You rasped. Your eyes snapped open. Idiot, you lived alone in the woods! 

  You squinted through the twilight light- lack thereof, truly. Was that a hallucination? That wouldn't have been out of the ordinary. You glazed your eyes over your house. The floorboards were still a mess. Ink and paper were on your table. A half-eaten piece of bread. All was in order. The bell over your door was silent as a  grave. 

  You fixed your kosode, right side wrapped over left as always, the silky fabric like white moonlight. You checked your hip for your dagger. It was firmly planted there. 

  You exited your house. 

  The bell rang, and your various charms against evil and spirits rattled, hanging from almost every crevice of the exterior of your house. You closed the door. 

  Many of the peaches were missing. 

  It was like a fucked up version of fishing but on land. And what you found, you weren't going to eat. But you might have had to kill it. 

  You breathed in fresh air. 

  You stopped breathing suddenly. Unbridled fear spread through you like blood through snow. You whipped around. 

  You couldn't hear a thing over your heartbeat and ringing in your ears. You reached for your dagger. Your eyes widened. Warm air emanated from your right. 

  You spun around, striking the person. 

  Person wasn't the right word. Neither was striking. Though he was. 

  Before you stood someone inhumanly beautiful. His mischievous eyes, seemingly lined by charcoal, his black lips stretching over shark teeth, long pointed ears, and ivory horns jutting out from his crimson hair betrayed his spirit nature in no time. 

  Your mouth was slightly agape. 

  His arm, clad in a coat of feathers and leather far too pristine, stopped your dagger inches away from his chest. He needed to put in little effort to stop you, no matter how much you pushed. 

  He wore a mesh shirt. You could've made a joke about how he was a fish due to the net, yet you were too preoccupied with his boots. The only thing that was stained on him, stained with something dark. 

  He had no weapons. How odd. 

  Your eyes shot to his hand. He had black claws sharper than his razor teeth. That explained things. 

  You met his eyes. You squinted through the shadows. No need, for his eyes shone like fire. 

  "Peach thief!" You spat, stepping back and aiming the dagger at where his heart could've been. 

  He laughed deeply, inclining his head towards you. Sanguine strands spilled over his shoulders. His earrings sparkled. 

  "I didn't know a human lived here," He said, more so to himself. He leaned forward, chest pressed against the tip of the dagger. As a bead of blood fell, he smiled, staring at you. 

  "You must be some crazy hermit to live in the forest," His voice was smooth and sweet. 

    You frowned. 

    "Get off my property." You blinked at him. 

  The corners of his lips dipped. 

  "And never take my peaches again." You twisted the knife. It seemed to annoy him rather than hurt him. If he was so unbothered by pain, he must've been some sort of special yokai. As much as one part of you was curious, the other wanted to sleep... without a red-headed peach-snatcher in your yard. 

  "I can take whatever I want." He practically skewered himself on the knife as his face neared yours. 

  "Then take this-" 

  You thrust the dagger into his chest, twisting, and pulling it out. He stared at his chest in bewilderment. You watched as his skin healed over in seconds. Your arm trembled with fear. 

  He pulled at his mesh shirt. 

  "Human! You ruined my favorite shirt!" He barked. 

  You pointed to the trees with the bloody dagger. You now noticed the messy claw marks on the bark.

  "Oni, you ravaged my trees!" You barked back. 

  "Oni?! I'm the great Akura-ou!" He gloated, placing a hand on his chest. 

  It was now almost fully dark, and the scene must've been ridiculous. 

  "I could burn your farm to the ground, and you with it," He remarked flippantly. You hummed, gesturing to the area. 

  "And yet you didn't. All talk and no action. How pitiful." You sighed, getting bored. You'd heard that name once, didn't you? Hell knows, there were more yokai out there than stars in the sky. 

  "You're pitiful! In fact-" 

  You squealed as you were lifted, dropping your dagger as Akura-ou held you under your arms, holding you like a child. Your face burned as his nails dug into your sides. You gripped his forearms. 

  "Put me down!" You yelled, squirming. 

  "No! You're coming with me, crazy human," He snarled, tucking you under his arm. He picked up a peach and bit into it. You groaned, hanging your head. 

  "Put me down, you're hurting my ribs," You complained through grit teeth. 

  "Don't care." He bit into the peach. 

  "I'll bite you if you don't!"

  He chortled and you felt his voice resonate through you. 

  "Good luck chewing through the leather." 

  You chomped to no avail. You didn't give up, pushing into his ribs and thrashing around. He released an agitated "UGH" and hauled you up in front of him using one arm, positioned under your backside. Your heart fluttered. You looked down at him. He bit into the last piece of the peach, with the peach pit.

  "Break a tooth," You whispered with half-lidded eyes. 

  He crushed the peach pit and swallowed it. You stared at him, pulling his horn, at which he stuck out his tongue. 

  ...

  Truly, a monster. 

  Fog enclosed you. You shut your eyes. 

  When you opened them once more, you were met with a different world, a world that you guessed was... the other side. Your heart hastened, your limbs cold from shock as you looked around. 

  The air didn't move, there was no wind, no smells. The air was as dry as could be, and it stung your nose and eyes.

  "Scared?" He whispered into your ear. You shuddered. 

  "You wish." You whispered, pulling away. He dropped you harshly. You gasped as you barely caught yourself before you were about to eat shit. 

  Akura ou walked away with his long legs, forgetting about you. You ran after him. 

  "Thief! Why'd you bring me here?!" 

  He grabbed your wrist, pulling you along. His nails dug into your wrist like thorns, hand suspiciously soft. Around you scattered ugly spirits of every shape and size, one-eyed, gaunt, faces like abhorrent driftwood. 

  None looked at you, none dared, the few unable to control themself glaring only at your rude companion. 

  He stopped at a shabby stall with a yokai behind it. Akura ou leaned on the counter, the other yokai cowering.

  "Give me all you've got, or you're dead." He smiled, eyes dark and posture slack, grip on your wrist unwavering. You looked from him to the seller to the red and black sky. You had nowhere to run. The guy was your only definite way out. 

  You hoped the lamp you lit in your house wouldn't burn it down. That would be much dumber than a fabulous chicken burning it down after you insulted his peach-stealing practices. 

  The yokai stayed silent. Akura ou swiped his claws, and you heard a thump. 

  Your heart sunk. 

  Though he seemed happy. He pulled you away to an alleyway and ended up near a town square with a tower. 

  "See that?" He pointed to it, leaning down to you. He made a sweeping motion, and a whirlwind passed through the buildings, the tower collapsing. You stood motionless. 

  "Wasn't that fun!" He laughed, hugging your shoulders. You grumbled. 

  "I've seen better." You turned to him with a sharp look. He glared at you owlishly. 

  "Suit yourself, but I'm not bored yet." He huffed. 

  After much walking, and your eyelids getting heavier and heavier, you were stopped by a group of demons. They looked brutish, stained with blood, and armed. You scoffed. 

  "Master Akura ou! It's so great to see you here," Stammered a small, furry yokai with boar teeth. 

  The critters kept praising him, and no matter how many times he told them to shut up or move, they wouldn't budge. 

  He grasped the head of one with his hand, crushing his head with ease. His boots were splattered with dark blobs.

  Akura turned his head to you. 

  "I could've done that any time, human. How's that for action?" He whispered, smiling. 

  The creatures ran. Your eyes could barely focus on his stupidly pretty and horrific face, that too-wide smile and unsettling eyes. 

  You threw roasted soybeans at Akura's face. He hissed, recoiling. 

  "Have your damned peaches, just get me out of this hellhole!" You yelled. 

  "Where'd you get that?!" He clutched his face, eyebrow twitching. You pulled a small sachet from your kosode. He knocked it to the ground and you couldn't be bothered to do a thing. 

  He grabbed you roughly, leaving deep marks on your hip, distracting you from the pain in your legs. 

  Everything was shrouded in fog, and when it cleared up, you were back to your farm. You would've collapsed if not for Akura's death grip on you. He gave you an unnecessary squeeze and held you for a tad too long before letting go. You caught your breath, leaning on your knees. 

  "Take as many peaches as you like. But be careful." You stood up with a crack, steeling your nerves and attempting to spot your dagger. It was too dark to see. At least your house wasn't on fire, eh?

  He crossed his arms. 

  "Why?" 

  "Because if you destroy the trees, there won't be any more peaches." 

  He tilted his head. You practically saw the thoughts play out in his head as he pondered. 

  "I don't promise a thing." He shrugged, disappearing. 

  You stood there like a fool, with holes in your clothes and glassy eyes. 

  You gave up on the dagger, shuffling to your house. The lamp was off, the floorboards were messed up. You released a dramatic sigh, standing in front of a window as you took off your clothes, changing into something else and cleaning the scrapes on your hip. 

  You lied down in your bed with an uneasy feeling. 

  You wouldn't let Akura ou take your peaches. Why would an oni need peaches? Why were you asking after what you'd just seen in the past hour? Why were you gripping the sheets? You closed your eyes. 

  Tap tap. 

  A flash of light and a pair of eyes. 

  You shot up in panic. The window was empty, as well as your room. You panted, lying back down. 

[caelwynn]

Caelwynn's Mod List for Stardew 1.6.9+ - Aesthetics

Last Updated: April 17, 2025

A Cleaner Sewer — revamps the decor of the sewer and Krobus's spouse room.

Aimon's Fancy Farmhouse — a fancier farmhouse map. I've only played with the starter house thus far.

Aimon's Fancy Shed — a fancier shed.

Altar of Yoba Replacement — replaces the gold altar to Yoba inside of Pierre's with a nature-inspired altar.

Alternative Textures — allows you to easily add in retextures for various furniture/objects.

Central Station Recolor — A recolor compatibility patch that supports Earthy Interiors, Vibrant Pastoral Redrawn, and Starblue Valley.

Crab Monster Recolors — has several options to recolor rock/lava crabs so that they're easier to spot.

DaisyNiko's Earthy Interface — a warm, earth-toned palette for the user interface.

DaisyNiko's Earthy Interiors — same as above except for interiors.

Daisyniko's Earthy Maps - All in One — A Earthy Recolor for SVE Maps, Meadowlands Farm, Immersive Farm 2 Remastered, Grandpa's Farm, Frontier Farm, Joja Emporium, Crimson Badlands, Grampleton Suburbs, Highlands, Fablereef, Ridgeside Village, East Scarp, Visit Mount Vapius, Passerby Cemetery, Aspen, Ginger Island, DownTown Zuzu and Worldmap Everywhere.

DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolour — same as above except for the whole map.

Diverse Stardew Valley — allows you to introduce a multitude of diversity into the vanilla NPCs with regards to ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and disabilities. I adore this mod, and use a different set of combos on each save, as many NPCs have multiple options.

DSV Flower Queen's Crown - Always Raining in the Valley — allows Sterling, Mia, and Henry to have a chance at winning the Flower Crown.

DSV Flower Queen's Crown - Ridgeside Village — gives RSV NPVs the chance to win the Flower Crown.

Dynamic Reflections — allows the sky to be reflected in the water. A huge resource hog if you're on a low-end computer, but I played with it anyways because SO PRETTY.

Elle's Cuter Barn Animals — retextures the barn animals to, indeed, make them cuter.

Elle's Cuter Cats — adds 155 different breeds/skins to pick from for your feline companion.

Elle's Cuter Coop Animals — yep, makes your coop animals cuter too.

Elle's Cuter Dogs — adds 340+ breeds of dogs to pick from.

Elle's Seasonal Buildings — changes the look of farm buildings. It has multiple looks to choose from that slot in nicely/cleanly with various overhauls such as Starblue Valley or DaisyNiko's Earthy Recolour.

Elle's Town Buildings — redoes the buildings around the valley to match one of four different palettes: vanilla, earthy, Starblue, and wittily.

Elle's Cuter Trinkets — adds 54 options for fairy companions, 13 options for frogs, and 25 options for parrots

Farmhouse Fixes — adds a bunch of fixes useful with custom farmhouse maps.

Gwen's Paths — retextures/recolors craftable paths and flooring.

Jen's Cozy Cellar — gives the cellar a little basement den in addition to space for casks.

Lnh's First FarmHouse — Sizable new house first and second upgrades, plus a starter kitchen you can toggle off if you so desire.

Lovely Kitchen — retextures/recolors the kitchen you purchase.

Lumisteria Beam Mod — adds several options for the beams and kitchens, log panels, and pillars.

Lumisteria Furniture — A conversion of several of Lumisteria's furniture mods, including : beech set, spring set, flower set, and flower pride banner set.

No More Pile of Bug Meat — changes Willy's special order event so that the bait is all in a container instead of an eldritch mass on the beach.

Random Lost Library Book Covers — changes the lost library books to one of 20 different sizes and colors.

Seasonal Outfits for Ridgeside — adds seasonal outfits for Ridgeside characters.

Seasonal Outfits for SVE Vanilla Style — adds seasonal outfits for SVE characters.

SH's Wild Animals — adds in a ton of additional critters that run around the map. Again, may make your game stutter/slow.

Simple Foilage - Unofficial Update for 1.6 — retexture for trees.

They Deserve It Too - Portraits for Vendors — adds portraits to every single vendor in Stardew Valley who hasn't already gotten one.

Vanilla Tweaks Aquarium Edition — retextures fishes, beach forage, tackles and baits, trash, and treasure sprites with an updated yet vanilla feel.

Vanilla Tweaks Interface Edition — updates the GUI and skill tabs to reflect the same feel as the other Vanilla Tweaks.

Vanilla Tweaks Warrior Edition — retextures elixirs and medicine, monster loot, rings, shoes, tools and weapon sprites in the same style as other Vanilla Tweaks.

Vanilla Tweaks Caves Edition — rextures artifacts, minerals, gems, geodes, mining nodes, rocks and resource sprites in the same style as other Vanilla Tweaks.

Vanilla Tweaks Producer Edition — rextures Artisan Goods, Pierre's Store products and food sprites in the same style as other Vanilla Tweaks.

Vanilla Tweaks Farming Edition — rextures Crops, Crop Stages, Forage, Seeds, Saplings and Fertilizer sprites in the same style as other Vanilla Tweaks.

Visible Fish — makes fish visible in different bodies of water. Also another potential resource hog.

Zilch's Envelopes for Mailbox Menu — adds custom envelopes for Mailbox Menu mod.

The Masterpost for all of the mods is located here.

[wax-the-sky]

sky cotl rant! (part one?)

I hate event tickets! I hate the event ticket light even more. it takes the same amount of logins to get those 40-60 tickets, the same amount of effort as a ts capes do.

I have an idea. Make the items, on the year of their introduction, at least half the usual price. If a ts cape costs you 75 (85 with nodes) candles, make it 37c per cape or pants, 20c per masks and hair, 15c or less for accessories and shoes and such. This makes it more affordable during a 10 or so days long event.

Next. Remove the spell nodes from the spirit trees. Or lower their price to 1c.

I like the new quests, but one seasonal candle is low for the extended amount of time needed for their completion.

"But veterans have nothing to spend their candles on, if you make things cheaper." No. They stopped playing, because collecting cosmetics is the only thing that one can do in this game. If you can't play piano, there is nothing to do in this game. If you have friends in this game, you've probably already shared your Discord or Tumblr or other social media or messaging app. There is no reason to use Sky as a chat app.

They want us to spend more time in game. Then why remove the afk grinding? Afk or not should not make a difference.

(Yeah. I'm so exhausted. Will I quit? No. Their tactics are unfortunately working on me. I want the pants from the next season. I will definitely play less. I just bought Portal2 and can't wait to finally play it myself. I remember the story, but I don't remember every chamber solution by memory. That's what makes it worth playing. Not to mention the community made content and co-op mode. That is a game worth it's price, and I got it on a massive discount.)

Back to Sky. The in app purchase cosmetics. Yeah, I know that they are optional. You don't have to buy them. Still, a pair of virtual shoes shouldn't cost more than real shoes. I could afford two pairs of shoes, if I search well. Even with the price inflation. They can keep the season pass in the game. Just make the pass vs non-pass item distribution bit more fair. And maybe cheaper pass?

Seasons. I know that the items in the season are cheaper than ts. Getting the candles for it takes longer. It's nullified (to me). You will tell me, "You don't have to get everything," and I will answer, "The item that I like is locked behind a paywall." To make the season pass worth it's price, you are, once again, forced to farm seasonal candles every day. I don't have problems with season ultimates, or time limited availability in general. I like having a rare trophy, which I got by being in the right place at the right time. Something which not everyone can get, given enough time. (Not in my Sims4 game tho. That one is supposed to be a single player sandbox. Damn you EA. Even if they patch it in the game later, why do the battle pass thing at all?)

I can't remember more stuff right now. Not mentioning bugs, those shouldn't be present there. And Sky should add something which will make it more into a proper video game. Social hangouts are dead. Kids who used to play them grew up, (or moved to WebFishing).

[neriyon]

I am torn between asking Top 5 Songs and Top 5 Memories so can i ask both?

If it’s not too much? :3c

(If it’s too much I’ll pick one!)

Both is good! We'll start with songs in no particular order:

Equlibrium (Sophia's theme) One of my first favorites! I used to listen to it so much I still remember most of the lyrics by heart haha.

A Long Fall (Twinning theme) I mean, who doesn't love the party dungeon song?

Unbreakable (Fractal Continuum theme) and by extension, Order yet undeciphered (Azys Lla theme). I'm cheating and putting these out together since Unbreakable has Order yet undeciphered's leitmotif in it.

Neath Dark Waters (Amaurot overworld theme) I'm weak for that leitmotif and this one is my favorite one of the different versions.

Last one uhhhhhhh Close in the Distance. Very closely tied with Flow Together, but this was the song I liked so much that I speedran Ultima Thule fates in like two days so I could have the song playing in our house.

Then, top 5 memories. Hmm, this'll require some thinking because my memory is swiss cheese and things just fall out of there if I rattle my head around too much.

First one that comes to mind is our first run of Gubal. Our group (whm, drg and dnc) rolls in with sprouts on and all of us in cutscene. When we got out of cutscene it turned out that the tank was also finnish and declared that she "must protecc" us after asking if we were all first timers. She proceeded to be one of the best tanks I've had a plesure to heal, gave us helpful tips about mechanics and /doted all of us before leaving.

This is gonna sound a little funny but Moonfire Faire. We started playing during the 2019 one, and while we never made it to the event itself (too low level, rip), the memory of seeing the fireworks on Gridania (both on sky and a group of peeps spamming the items next to conjurer's guild haha) while doing our very first quests left a very deep mark on me. I still get really nostalgic every time the fireworks come back~

Figuring out how to do Omega unsynced with only 3 people (so we can farm by ourselves). Mostly blind, we only looked at guides after hitting mechanics we could not figure out. Up until like the last runs we kept forgetting the Omega F knockback (too focused on random chatter), or the exploding debuffs. The 10+ runs we had to do to figure out timing for tank invulns when M & F start dashing around. One of us leveling tank just for that fight (and turns out they like tanking now lol), one having to finish leveling pld bc gnb shooting themselves did not go too well when you have to have hp for the tankbusters after the invuln ends.

Endwalker boss fate farming. Sitting there for hours, getting progressively more tired and unhinged with couple hundred other people as we were so sure that yeah next hour Chi or Daivadipa would spawn. Surely next hour. It's already been 8h over the spawn timer cooldown it MUST spawn soon... right? Right??

Baby's first on launch alliance raid, Puppet's Bunker! I was so nervous haha, first time patch day alliance raid on healer? Scawwyyy. We died soooooo much lol but it was such a blast. People figuring out you could shoot eachother with the lasers, the constant "ohhhhh so that's what that does" in chat, the collective "what the fuck yoko taro?" during second phase of last boss. Now my absolute favorite content in this game is doing alliance raids right after patch so all 24 of us can be equally confused about stuff and just chill dead on the ground together.

[eliaswoodt]

HALLOW’S EVE TOONS

Halloween Event Floor: Hallow’s Eve Farm. A pumpkin patch indoor farm meant to teach kids about pumpkins, pumpkin carving, and the history of Halloween.

Jinx the Witch

Blurb: “Quite the trickster, this toon loves a good prank! With a spell, a hex, and even a jinx, she’ll have you fooled so bad you won’t know left from right and believe the sky is green and that Jinx is totally a figment of your imagination.”

When buying from Dandy: “Oh… great, Jinx. They aren’t annoying at all”

Jinx Eve is a… vaguely three-eyed cat-shaped shadow hidden underneath a large witch’s hat. Only her mouth is visible. They were created for a Halloween special, in which the main gang deal with the trickster toon in a haunted house, being strung along by Jinx, at the end getting caught like a villain in Scooby Doo

2 hearts, 5 stealth, 2 skill check, 4 movement speed, stamina 3, 2 extraction

Active ability: Transportation

This toon can teleport to any twisted on the floor and upon doing so, gives the twisted slowness 3 for 5-2 seconds alongside stunning them for 2 seconds cooldown of 50

Passive ability: Jinxed

Whenever there are the same twisted as there is toon, the “jinxed” toon will gain an extra heart

Twisted Jinx: “After becoming what this main hated most Twisted Jinx roams the halls, corridors, and rooms of the Gardenview facility echoing cries in other mains’s voices. Don’t let this twisted fool you, she isn’t who she says she is”

Slow, 7 second attention span, medium line of sight

Trinket: Magic Wand

This item gives you the ability to chose whichever twisted version of your teammates of your choosing to have a 5% more likely chance to appear per floor, only works once and can only be used inside the elevator

Skins:

Normal Jinx

Vintage Jinx (after mastery)

Not a Phase (emo witch)

Country Pumpkin (Penny outfit)

The Immortal (Pierre outfit) (Jinx: “I bet I’d be a better vampire than you” Pierre: “Pfft, yeah sure, whatever. I’d love to see that”)

Werecat (wears a “team Werewolf” tshirt)

Fortune Teller (Crawford outfit)

Green Thumb (Dandy Outfit) (when buying from Dandy: “…”)

Crawford the Crow

Blurb: “Crawford can often be found giving sage and ominous advice to weary travelers, or sitting high above keeping an eye on things, but don’t let this attitude fool you! Crawford cares deeply about his friends, and has a weakness for shiny things”

When buying from Dandy: “Crawford is… well he’s certainly something… too nosey for most”

Crawford was created on the same episode as Jinx, but was more meant as a background, total oneoff character. However, Crawford was well liked and intrigued the audience, so Gardenview brought him back for every Halloween Special, typically playing the foreshadow-er for what the episode will entail.

3 hearts, 1 stealth, 2 skill check, 5 movement speed, 4 stamina, 3 extraction

Active ability: Flock of a Feather

This ability allows you to jump and hover in the air at ceiling level for 10 seconds, cooldown of 45, during which you can’t be seen by other twisteds and are slowed down to 2 stars

Twisted Crawford:

“Uh oh! This crow has been consumed by ichor, dazed and confused Crawford now patrols the sky, only taking short breaks before going back on his hunt of toons to snatch up from the ground and drop onto other twisteds”

Fast, 4 second attention span, short line of sight

Trinket: All Seeing Eye (it’s a ring with an eye on it)

This trinket allows you to know which twisteds will appear in each round right before the door opens.

Skins:

Vintage Crawford

Snow White (all/mostly white, blueish-reddish eyes)

Even Shinier (full glam outfit)

Grim Taleteller (grim reaper)

Parrot

Penny the Pumpkin

Blurb: “Penny is a shy but charming little toon! She adores nature, but especially has an affinity with pumpkins. Though a sweetheart, she does often get mixed up with Jinx’s pranks due to how gullible she is”

When buying her from Dandy: “Oh Penny! Make sure she stays out of trouble, she just loves helping others”

Penny appeared in the second Halloween Special, serving as Jinx’s unknowing sidekick and designed to be around Toodles age.

3 hearts, 2 stealth, 5 skill check, 2 movement speed, 4 stamina, 2 extraction

Has a natural light around her (like Brightney and Rudie). Her light is orange normally.

Passive ability: Nightlight

In blackouts, she has a 30% boost in extraction speed

Twisted Penny:

“A twisted with a wilting heart, Twisted Penny is shy to the extreme; exclusive to the Hallow’s Eve Farm, she hides herself amongst the pumpkins that litter said room and you better not get near her, or she’ll lash out at you and go running off to another hiding spot”

Fast, 1 second attention span, short line of sight

Trinket: Blankie

This trinket ups your stealth by 25% but lowers your light radius by 30% during blackouts

Skins:

Normal Penny

Vintage Penny (after mastery)

Ghastly Sheet (a sheet thrown over her with eye holes. White light)

Creamy Latte (pumpkin spice latte theme. Pale orange light)

Wicked Witch (witch outfit, green light)

Let’s Go Gambling! (Toodles outfit. White light)

The Monster (Frankenstein’s Monster. Blue light)

Wrapped Up (Mummy. Yellow light)

Pierre the Vampire

Blurb: “Pierre, a very grumpy no nonsense fruit bat who simply just wants to be left alone and not partake in Gardenview shenanigans. Alas, Jinx and the other toons won’t allow that”

When buying from Dandy: “Oh him. Yeah are you sure? He’s not much of a, well, team player…”

3 hearts, 4 stealth, 3 skill check, 4 movement speed, 2 stamina, 2 extraction

Pierre only ever appeared in one episode, and it was the last Halloween Special to ever air. He was created to rival and oppose Jinx, being the “villain” of that episode unlike Jinx who up to this point had always played the antagonist—albeit, playful antag role.

Active ability: Thief of the Night

This toon can steal hearts from other players, cooldown of 100 seconds

Twisted Pierre:

“Twisted Pierre is quite the solitary one, sleeping up in the corner of any given room, when you see him don’t go into that room as with his sonic hearing the moment you step in he’ll drop from the roof and chase you”

Average speed, 4 second attention span, the room he’s in line of sight

Trinket: Bat’s Wing

This trinket allows you to steal from any of the slots of the toon you want to steal from once per round, doesn’t work on toons with nothing in their inventory, if you choose the wrong slot that still counts as a use of your trinket

Skins:

Normal Pierre

Vintage Pierre (after mastery)

The Killer (slasher themed, no blood/pink blood)

Twilight (wears a “team vampire” tshirt)

Dr. Vamp (white doctor coat, red nurse scrubs)

Wizard (P: “Wizards are better.” J: “… uh huh.”)

Coffin Ready (pajamas)

Bleh Bleh (Dracula)

[propertyaclmarts]

Escape the City's Clutches: A Guide to South Delhi's Serene Farmhouses

Delhi, a vibrant metropolis pulsating with life, can occasionally overwhelm even the most ardent urbanite. When concrete jungles morph into claustrophobic labyrinths, the soul yearns for a breath of fresh air, a respite from the incessant honking and neon glare. Thankfully, South Delhi offers a solution nestled amidst lush greenery and tranquil charm – farmhouses.

But where to begin your escape? Worry not, weary traveler, for this guide will navigate you through four distinct havens: South Delhi, Vasant Kunj, Western Greens, and DLF Farms. Each boasts unique character, catering to diverse desires. So, buckle up and let's embark on a virtual tour of South Delhi's idyllic farmhouses!

South Delhi: Rustic Rejuvenation:

Imagine waking up to the chirping of birds, mist-laden fields stretching before you, and the earthy scent of tilled soil filling your lungs. This is the essence of South Delhi farmhouses, where simplicity reigns supreme. Mud-brick cottages with thatched roofs blend seamlessly with the landscape. Organic farms and vegetable patches thrive, promising farm-to-table delights. If you seek solace in nature's embrace, South Delhi farmhouses offer a tranquil escape, perfect for yoga retreats, family gatherings, or simply reconnecting with your inner self.

Vasant Kunj: Luxury Awaits:

Ditch the rustic simplicity for opulence at Vasant Kunj farmhouses. Imagine sprawling mansions reminiscent of Italian villas, manicured lawns dotted with palm trees, and glistening swimming pools beckoning under the sun. Here, luxury redefines itself amidst nature's bounty. Plush interiors rival five-star hotels, state-of-the-art entertainment systems cater to every whim, and private chefs whip up gourmet feasts. Vasant Kunj farmhouses are ideal for extravagant weddings, corporate events, or lavish weekend getaways with friends and family.

Western Greens: Modern Sanctuary:

For those seeking a blend of nature's bounty and modern aesthetics, Western Greens Farms hold the key. Sleek, contemporary structures emerge from amidst verdant landscapes, their glass facades mirroring the azure sky. Infinity pools merge seamlessly with the horizon, and landscaped gardens whisper secrets of Zen in the rustling leaves. Western Greens farmhouses offer cutting-edge amenities like spas, gyms, and home theaters, all enveloped in the serenity of nature. This is the perfect haven for the wellness enthusiast, the tech-savvy entrepreneur, or anyone seeking a stylish escape from the ordinary.

DLF Farms: Plotting Your Dream Escape:

Not everyone seeks a built-in escape. For those with a vision and a thirst for creation, DLF Farms offer farm plots – blank canvases waiting to be painted with your dream retreat. Imagine designing your own sanctuary, from choosing the architectural style to planting your favorite fruit trees. Build a rustic cottage, a modern marvel, or anything in between. DLF Farms offer the freedom to craft your own haven, perfect for nature lovers, architects, or anyone seeking a project with a soul.

Beyond the Escape: Responsible Retreats:

Remember, these havens are not merely playgrounds for luxury. They exist within fragile ecosystems. Choosing eco-friendly farmhouses that practice sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and responsible waste management is crucial. Let your escape be a celebration of nature, not its exploitation.

For more information about farm house in south delhi, farm house in vasant kunj, farm house in western greens, farm house plot in dlf, ready to move farm house in ansal, resale farm house in ansal, please visit the – Property Hub Acl Marts.

Reference taken from here.

Location:-

Name: Property Hub ACL Marts

Address: Rajendra Complex, F44/9, Kishangarh Village, Teacher Colony, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, Delhi 110070

Mobile No: +91 78388 86103

Website: https://property.aclmarts.com/

[bouncehousedemons]

Until Morning

This was created for the winter solstice event hosted by @vikingsevents for the prompt sauna.

1.5k one shot (whoopsie) below the cut. Smut. 18+. Pairing: Ubbe x Casja (OFC). Part of my Salt of the Earth and Sea series. Can be read as a standalone though.

“We are lost!” Casja declares as her and Ubbe walk through the forest.

Ubbe ignores her, his mouth set into a tight line as he continues to walk. He suspects she may be right, but isn’t prepared to admit that aloud. At least not yet anyway.

They had left their son, Ragnar, in the care of his dutiful uncle Hvitserk earlier that day, and had gone off in search of a sizeable patch of land Ubbe had claimed to have seen a few days prior. Ubbe thought that it would be suitable for farming and he wished to move their settlement further inland, to prevent attacks from the ever increasing number of explorers that were arriving by sea to the coastline. He had wanted Casja to see it, to have her approval before any decisions were made.

However, despite setting off hours ago, they had found nothing, despite Ubbe’s best efforts to retrace his steps from his initial discovery.

The sky was turning a deep orange, with vibrant hues of lilac and the air grew chilly. It would soon be dark.

“Ubbe, that is the third time we have passed that tree!” Casja complains.

“It is a forest. There are many trees.” He says simply, keeping his eyes ahead and continuing to walk.

“That tree stands in front of a cave, there are not many of those in a forest.” Casja stops walking and folds her arms over her chest. “I am not walking any further. It will be dark soon and it isn’t safe.”

Ubbe is nothing if not a rational man. He knows that Casja is right. He stops, turning to look at her. Her sea green eyes are ablaze with defiance, visible even in the rapidly darkening light of dusk. He realises he has made a grievous error in judgement, but he is a brave enough man to weather her scorn.

“We will take shelter in the cave.” He juts his chin in its direction. “We’ll return home in the morning.”

Casja scoffs, tossing her long copper curls over her shoulder and storming towards the cave. She is angry with Ubbe for getting them lost, but mostly angry with herself. She should not have put blind faith in him. She should have pointed it out hours ago when she’d begun to suspect they may have taken a wrong turn.

Ubbe watches Casja walk away with mild amusement. She is ever his hot headed temptress of the sea and he finds enjoyment in her fiery nature. Even when he shouldn’t. He takes long strides to catch her up as she reaches the mouth of the cave.

Casja comes to a stop once she’s satisfied she is far enough inside to be properly sheltered. She looks around the cave, wrinkling her nose in disgust. It is dark, it smells dank and it seems to emanate a coldness that causes her to shiver.

Ubbe watches Casja carefully. Her discomfort is evident. He is far from pleased with their predicament, but decides to take the lead in making the best of a bad situation. He removes the fur from his shoulders and lays it on the ground.

“There. Now we have something to sleep on.” His eyes hold a mischievous glint as he stares at Casja expectantly.

She sucks her teeth, fighting the natural urge to smile that Ubbe evokes in her.

“Lucky us!” She huffs sarcastically as she lays down on the makeshift bed. The ground still feels hard and lumpy beneath her and she grumbles as she attempts to get comfortable. She is thankful at least that she is shielded from the cold of the stone floor.

Ubbe lays down next to her, feeling rather put out when Casja snubs his efforts to be close to her by turning her back on him.

He sighs. “Being angry with me will not keep you warm tonight.”

“You getting us lost will not keep me warm either!” She bites back.

“Stubborn thing she is” Ubbe thinks to himself as he stares at the outline of her back in the darkness.

He wants to point out that it still not fully dark outside, that it is hours until they would usually fall asleep. But Ubbe knows better than to push her on the subject. He resigns himself to dealing with Casja’s temper in the morning and rolls onto his back, his hands clasped over his chest as he stares up into the gloomy light of the cave.

As he lays there lamenting the rumble of hunger in his stomach and the thought of the ache he will feel in his back tomorrow from having slept on the uncomfortable ground, Ubbe feels a gust of warm air against his skin. He ignores it until another much hotter blast sweeps across his face.

“Do you feel that?” He asks Casja, as he begins to stand up.

“Yes, I think it’s coming from further inside.” She says, her tone laced with curiosity.

Ubbe picks up his fur once they are both back on their feet. A silent agreement is struck between them to move further into the cave to see where the heat is coming from.

The rockface seems to narrow as they walk, the air becoming stiflingly hot. They continue their exploration until the passageway opens out again to a cavern. They see a hot spring centered in the large expanse of the earth. The highest point of the cave has eroded away, giving a full view of the sky above for the steam to escape into.

The open air setting gives them the last of the dying light to see by. The setting sun bathes everything in a deep orange glow.

Casja gasps happily, immediately beginning to undress. She can feel that the chill of the air has settled into her bones and is keen to warm herself in the warmth of the water. Ubbe eyes her appreciatively as she disrobes. Bearing his child has made her fuller at the waist and hips. She is softer than when they first met and he craves her all the more for it.

Casja feels the intensity of Ubbe’s gaze upon her and turns to him with narrowed eyes. “What are you staring at?”

Ubbe offers a small shrug. “Can a man not appreciate his wife?”

“I am not your wife.” She says curtly, before stepping into the hot spring.

It is clear that she is still angry with Ubbe. But she is right, she is not his wife. Ubbe supposes he should do something about that, she is the mother of his child after all and they have been a part of each other’s lives for years.

Casja sighs happily as she sinks into the warmth of the water, feeling her skin tingle as the hotness nibbles away at the chill of her flesh. She twists her long fiery mane of hair up and knots it to stop it from getting wet.

As Ubbe begins to undress, Casja finds her eyes drawn to him. As much as she is determined to hold onto her anger and ignore him, the magnetic pull he has on her is irresistible.

Ubbe appears to notice her eyes upon him and a smug smile tugs at his lips. He slows down his movements, taking his time to peel off each layer and draw out her anticipation.

Casja rolls her eyes but does not look away. She bites her lip as the line of runes that start from Ubbe’s hair line and trail down the length of his body are revealed to her.

Ubbe climbs into the water with Casja. An appreciative rumble vibrates through his chest as the warmth envelopes his body.

He pulls her to him. She is stiff in his arms, unyielding. He sighs.

“You cannot stay angry with me forever.”

Casja fixes him with a petulant stare, but says nothing. She is fighting hard to keep her resolve, but Ubbe’s will is too strong for hers. He is rapidly wearing her down.

Her eyes soften as Ubbe pulls her onto his lap, so she sits astride him.

“Let me make it up to you.” He says, smiling more with his eyes than his mouth.

The last of Casja’s resolves finally crumbles. She can never resist that look. She pulls Ubbe’s face to hers and kisses him hungrily.

Ubbe grips her wrist as she makes to grab between his legs.

Casja gives him a questioning look, but gasps as she feels his fingers swipe through her folds and begin to prod at her entrance.

“We have many hours until morning.” Ubbe reminds her, “First you will have these.” He punctuates his statement with a curl of his digits against her. “Then we’ll see if that sour attitude of yours has sweetened enough for you to be deserving of my cock.”

[nasa]

Stars, Sea, and Smoke from the ISS: Tournament Earth 2021

We started Tournament Earth with 32 photos taken by astronauts from the Interantional Space Station and now we are down to 8. All of the #1 seeds are gone. Two #8 seeds are dominating their groups. Who will win? Let's take a closer look at the competitors still in the game. Then remember to vote for your favorites. The champion will be announced on April 13, 2021.

Stars in Motion vs. Cleveland Volcano

This matchup pits smoke against stars, but both have interesting stories.

The International Space Station (ISS) is constantly in motion. For astronaut photographers on board, that motion has consequences. For one, it makes it challenging to take photos. The same motion makes it possible to shoot spectacular photos like the one above. The image is compiled from a series of photographs taken by astronaut Don Pettit while he was onboard the ISS in April 2012. This composite was made from more than 72 individual long-exposure photographs taken over several minutes as the ISS traveled over the Caribbean Sea, across South America, and over the South Atlantic Ocean.

Astronaut Jeff Williams was the first to witness activity at the Cleveland Volcano on May 3, 2006. The Cleveland Volcano is one of the most active in the Aleutian Islands, which extend west-southwest from the Alaska mainland. It is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of hardened lava, compacted volcanic ash, and volcanic rocks. The event proved to be short-lived; two hours later, the plume had completely detached from the volcano. The ash cloud height could have been as high as 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) above sea level.

Stargazing from the ISS vs. Cruising Past the Aurora Borealis

This is the most stellar matchup of the tournament, literally. Two beloved star pictures face off in what will be one of the most difficult choices of the tournament.

An astronaut took this broad, short-lens photograph of Earth’s night lights while looking out over the remote reaches of the central equatorial Pacific Ocean. The ISS was passing over the island nation of Kiribati at the time, about 2600 kilometers (1,600 miles) south of Hawaii. Scientists identified the pattern of stars in the photo as our Milky Way galaxy (looking toward its center). The dark patches are dense dust clouds in an inner spiral arm of our galaxy; such clouds can block our view of stars toward the center. The curvature of the Earth crosses the center of the image and is illuminated by a variety of airglow layers in orange, green, and red.

Commonly known as the northern lights, these colorful ribbons of light appear to dance in the sky over the planet’s high latitudes, attracting sky chasers and photographers. Astronaut Randy “Komrade” Bresnik shot this photograph on September 15, 2017, as the space station passed over Ontario, Canada. Curtains of green—the most familiar color of auroras—dominate the light show, with hints of purple and red.

Rolling Through the Appalachians vs. Castellanus Cloud Tower

The Susquehanna River cuts through the folds of the Valley-and-Ridge province of the Appalachian Mountains in this photograph taken from the International Space Station by astronaut Christina Koch. The Valley-and-Ridge province is a section of the larger Appalachian Mountain Belt between the Appalachian Plateau and the Blue Ridge physiographic provinces. The northeast-southwest trending ridges are composed of Early Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The valleys between them were made of softer rocks (limestone and shales) that were more susceptible to erosion; they are now occupied by farms.

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of a massive vertical cloud formation—known to meteorologists as cumulus castellanus—above Andros Island. The cloud name castellanus comes from the similarity to the crenellated towers or turrets of medieval castles. These clouds develop due to strong vertical air movement typically associated with thunderstorms.

Lake Van, Turkey vs. Typhoon Maysak from the Space Station

While orbiting on the International Space Station, astronaut Kate Rubins shot this photograph of part of Lake Van in Turkey, the largest soda or alkaline lake on Earth. Generally, soda lakes are distinguished by high concentrations of carbonate species. Lake Van is an endorheic lake—it has no outlet, so its water disappears by evaporation—with a pH of 10 and high salinity levels.

This photograph of super typhoon Maysak was taken by European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti as the International Space Station passed near the storm on March 31, 2015. The category 4 typhoon was headed for a possible landfall in the Philippines by the end of the week. It was unusual for the western Pacific to see such a strong storm so early in the year.

See all of the images and vote HERE. Follow @NASAEarth on social media for updates.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

[hobbit-the-starfleet-padawan]

Dincember 2022 - Day 3 Gloves

I was perusing my favourite Mandalorian blogs when I came upon this event (I've already missed a couple of days D:) so... here's an entry for day 3 :3 let's see if I can keep it up!

prompt list

CW: y/n is used, I usually don't do this so it might come off slightly awkward? I hope not. y/n is gender neutral. Din x Reader. I also haven't written anything for Din in ages so pardon if something feels a little off!

The Mandalorian had fallen from the sky. Literally. A mission had gone wrong, and he had crash-landed near your remote little farm. As you had patched him, the little green fellow watching intensely, almost protectively, the Mandalorian had awoken with a gasp, grasped your wrist to stop you from touching him – and then loosened his grip when he came to his senses.

You had not taken his helmet off. You were just patching him up the best you could through his armour.

“Relax…” You had whispered at him with a smile that showed no indication the Mandalorian’s grip had been harsh just seconds ago – dangerous even. “You’re hurt. Let me help you.”

It had been like a fever dream. Someone so beautiful looking down at him, helping him… Each time he awoke from dreamless darkness, you were there. If you weren’t checking up on him, then you were sitting by the warm fire with Grogu.

The kid had taken a liking to you.

The Mandalorian quickly did too.

The more he healed despite the lack of Banta spray you owned, the more he moved. Eventually, he joined you and Grogu by the fire too. Eventually, he even started helping out around the house to show his gratitude – to repay his debt.

It was a nice occurrence during the harsh winter months… which then turned even harsher which made sure that the Mandalorian went nowhere. You had little technical knowledge, and the ship had remained some distance away, crash-landed and still in the same derelict state it had been all those weeks ago when the Mandalorian had appeared.

Din couldn’t go out there in that awful, cold weather. He especially couldn’t go trapsing through a tall layer of snow with his bad leg and still bruised ribs.

So, he stayed. Not that he complained, nor did you.

He had, however, complained for the first time when the snow got too heavy for the roof of the kitchen. It bent, creaked and started leaking water when the hot air of inside started melting the snow slowly falling through the cracks.

It was bad, really.

But you knew what to do. This wasn’t your first winter.

“It won’t take long.”

“It’s freezing out there,” the Mandalorian complained, voice masked by his helmet. His secret identity had not been a hinderance in your developing relationship, which had skipped the friendship state and turned straight into the awkward but endearing ‘I am 99% sure I am in love with you but I am too shy to admit it’ stage.

“It won’t take long,” you repeated with a smile. You put on your thickest coat, boots, hat and scarf. Winter lasted a long time on this planet, hence why the farming was done inside in the adjacent cave connected to the house, not outside. Food was not the issue. The water leaking into the kitchen was.

“We can fix it from inside.”

You eyed him with a confused look. “I can handle this.”

It was unlike the Mandalorian to be this outspoken… actually, it was unlike him to say more than two sentences in a row at all. All you did was smile when he remained silent, defeated. You went to put a reassuring hand on his arm, aware he didn’t like being in control of his own safety, and aware that he, the gentleman, wanted to do the heavy lifting.

But he couldn’t. And he needed to accept that.

Grogu cooed from the side. You imagined he had voiced his agreement with you, and went to make a joke about that – when the kitchen’s ceiling gave off a loud roar in offense at being forgotten.

Hurrying toward the door, you realised you had little time to get the snow off and fix this mess before it all came caving in – but the Mandalorian stopped you before you reached the doorknob.

“Here.” He took off his gloves, showing the first bit of skin you had seen since his arrival there.

Truly, patching him up had been awful. You wondered what a mess you had made being so blind as to work through his armour.

He handed the gloves to you.

At your confusion, he said: “It’s cold.”

That was when you realised you hadn’t put on any gloves, and forgotten where they were at all, really… So you also couldn’t deny his sweet gesture, despite your shyness and geedy butterflies in stomach made you feel.

“Okay…” you only said, forgetting your manners. But it was alright, because the blush you presented to him was enough of a reward.

He also proceeded not to hand the gloves after all, but instead gently grasp your wrists once more and guide your fingers into the fabric. They were slightly too big, but that was alright…

Because you had felt the feeling of his fingers touch your bare skin, and now felt the warm embrace of his body heat around your hands.

You hurried outside, but couldn’t help but wonder whether the snow would melt away just by the sheer warmth this man put into your heart…

[tsugua-rebmetpes]

101 Cute dates & bucket list

Little fire pit on the beach (middle of the night, private)

Toasting marshmallows & making cute smores

Observing the night sky through a telescope together / watch the stars on a clear sky in the middle of no where

A midnight dip in water (lake, ocean, etc. As long as it's safe)

Skinny dip under a full moon & to kiss passionately on a platform on the lake

To go on a small camping trip just the two of us

To visit the candy shop and pick each other's candy bags for only us to share them between us anyway

Getting crepes with you and eating them side by side

Taking you lingerie shopping so you can see the outfit as I buy it and the level of excite I know you have knowing you'll get to tear it off later

Sharing a bath with you (where we both fit comfortably or just tucked in a little where we can laugh about it)

Baking cookies so we can have them with our coffee in the morning

Taking you to a coffee roaster hut so you can experience amazing coffee

Going to a little tea house & plantation so we can support local business and enjoy the joys of freshly brewed tea

Picking what the other person must eat off the menu at a new venue / a place we've never been to before

Throwing a dart on a map and going to where ever it lands for a small holiday / trip (could be a city map, regional, state, national or global)

Decorating and making a floating lantern to release into the night sky (a la tangle)

Icing biscuits to look like things we like (e.g. ourselves, frogs or whatever your heart desires)

Smooshing whipped cream onto your nose and kissing/licking it off ♡

Making something together in a pottery class for ourselves n one another

Volunteering at a farm to help around (muster, harvest, etc.)

Go fruit picking together recreationally

Go to as many different distilleries and breweries as we can

Try to make bread together

Have our own Minecraft world together

Complete stardew valley & cattails ♡

Take a cooking/pastry lesson

Take Polaroid photos of our time together (on a trip or small adventure)

Go for a little hike together

Go swim in a little unknown ish water hole and push boundaries of comfort

Go to a cinema late at night (last screening of the evening, maybe wear matching pajamas) and buy popcorn / sneak snacks in. Cuddle in the cinema and watch a cute film together (be one of the only people in the cinema)

Have s/o read my favourite book to me aloud before bed time

Make jam & preserve food items & dry ingredients to make tea, etc.

Make chocolates for you (home made)

Grow my own flowers for us to admire

Start a small veggie patch & harvest our own produce to have a "self sufficient" dinner night

Volunteer at an animal shelter

Go to a farmer's market together / local fruit market and buy ingredients we will make into a meal together that evening

Become animal foster parents & successfully get our lil foster a fur-ever home

Do a hot food challenge or some sort of food challenge together

Go to a day spa for a "couple's retreat"

Make your favourite food (lasagne) on your birthday 🥰 / a random day

Steal a shopping trolly and race around an abandon area of the car park thinking we are in go karts & take photos

Dress up as the cool ghosts in the "blanket ghost" trend and take cute photos in odd locations

Explore an abandoned building together and theorize about the past / research about it

Have a little picnic in a field / park

Take a dance lesson together (ballroom) and be clumsily cute on trying something "new"

Sleep next to you & wake up beside you 🥺

Make your lunch for work & wake up early to make an awesome meal!

Make a random meal really late in the evening spontaneously to satisfy a craving

Have a new years kiss

Look at Christmas lights on houses together

Watch all the Harry Potter movies one after another together

Finish a series that either person is interested more initially in but both like towards the end

Do a cute skincare date! (Face masks)

Go to a food festival and try as much food as we can, get creative - pick the other's meals out to switch it up a little

Go paint balling together and try it out (even if I may not be as good as you. :< I'll try!!)

Try laser tag if paint ball doesn't go so well, feel free to invite friends to both events for more fun :) or go karting (something I've never done before)

Go horse riding together sometime

Cook with a campfire / burring our food in the ground for it to cook (Like damper)

Volunteer to plant trees

Become regulars at a small bar

Play pool/billards together

Check out a timezone arcade and play as much as we can :3 see how many prizes we can win and be merry

Have a board game night (catan, uno, monopoly, dnd etc.) Together with friends or strangers

Visit movie world (theme park) and dress up a little! / usj / Disneyland

Play pinball and we swap between balls to see how far we can go together!!!

Have a little date with the power off (candles, moon lit dinner, board games and no electronics! Be cute and creative)

Donate blood, with moral support or together :3

Go foraging for edible fruits, vegetables, etc. And make a meal out of it :3 research and have fun

Make a little stone tower together and take a photo of the creation (balancing stones)

Plant sunflowers and look after them for a whole season ♡ alternatively pick said flowers when ripe and give them as a gift to love ones

Do a Lego / puzzle set together ♡♡

Capture a little froggy and set him free (clean him up and take him to somewhere safe)

Watch horror films or movies we haven't seen before even if it's silly (.e.g the room )

Visit an aquarium and stare at the little jellies in the jelly room

Go to see a musical, play or ballet together 🥰

Dress up and go on a spontaneous date around town, over dressed for the occasion but having fun

Sunset and nibbles planned date 🥺

Go on a theme crawl, e.g. coffee, tea, wine, pub, cocktail, ramen, etc.

rent bikes to travel around on whilst doing a theme crawl

Dinner theatre or dinner murder mystery event together! Something a little less tame and wacky but still just as fun (something I've never done before)

escape room (challenge ourselves to do it within the time set!)

Ice skate together, trip & fall and catch one another on the ice being cute (maybe rent the kiddy pusher to help you out and be dorks)

Mosh and go to A small band performing concert together / go to A concert for an artist one or both like

Hot air balloon ride ^-^ (waking up early and having our own "Up" moment)

Ride in a helicopter one day to see the world like the birds that fly in the sky

Buy a plant or two at a nursery and take them home to look after

Go roller skating, reliving our teenage years with a limited budget, eat old skool candy and slushies.

Surprise birthday party

Outdoor cinema, watch a film on a projector and have fun on some outdoor cushions

Have a little boho tent and lunch date set up as a surprise

Dance under the moonlight and shining stars together just swaying and holding one another

Overnight at a bed & breakfast together, sleep in and enjoy breakfast in bed whilst away from phones

Have a little bonfire moment at home, write down your deepest desire, secrets, fears and burn them

Take a personality test together just to see the results

Read books in a little book cafe & drink our favourite drinks whilst snuggled up in a book nook

Do a little tarot reading & see a psychic or medium

Raise a pet together

Buy some helium balloons & change our voices whilst doing something (e.g. a speak type board game)

Wake up with you kissing me / wake you up with kisses

Plan a vacation together

[mikrowrites]

cottages of constellations

c!wilbur x f!reader

warnings: angst, fluffy flashbacks, arson, character death

summary: there’s a place only known by two people, full of sweet memories and domesticity. but the world isn’t sweet anymore, and sometimes violence is the only universal language. rather, Sophie visits the cottage she and Wilbur shared before the war, and is met by an unlikely guest.

might make a part two w doomsday and revivebur, we shall see...

Y/n sighed, sitting upon her horse as the wind blew across the grassy field. Smoke still rose behind her from fires still not put out long after the destruction, the girl shaking her head to try and absolve the memory from her head.

She gripped the reins, goading the horse to move, Y/n riding across the field. She knew where she needed to go, she knew the coordinates by heart.

No one else knew about the cottage, just two people, and one of them... well, he’s dead. There’s no sugar coating that. It resided far from the server, a little place just for the two of them.

After a few hours, with the sun rising behind, Y/n rode into the woods. She kept going forwards until she reached the river, stopping the horse. She looked forwards, pursing her lips.

The cottage.

“This is the perfect place!”

Wilbur jumped off his horse, pointing to the small clearing along the river.

“You think so?” Y/n asked, walking up beside him to stare at the landscape.

“Of course.” He emphasized. “But of course perfect is wherever you are.”

Y/n scoffed. “Jesus, that was cheesy.”

Wilbur laughed, running down the landscape towards the small clearing. He turned back, smiling.

“Hey, are you coming?”

Y/n tied her horse to a lead, patting it in thanks before moving forwards, approaching the cottage.

It looked frozen in time, from when Y/n had left it to help fight for L’manburg. The flowers still looked kept, the farm out back unharvested. She smiled as she approached the cottage, taking in the blooming flowers.

“It’s a surprise, so no looking.”

“Okay, okay!” Y/n allowed Wilbur to lead her over outside the cottage.

Wilbur stopped. “Okay, you can look.”

Y/n opened her eyes, walking over to peer at several brightly colored flowers planted around the cottage’s exterior. The hues painted the landscape, causing her jaw to drop at the beauty.

“Do you like it?” Wilbur nervously asked, Y/n whipping her head around to cast him a bright smile.

“I love it, Wilbur.”

Y/n pushed the oak door open, the hinges creaking. She let out a few coughs as dust invaded her senses, stepping into the cottage. the lanterns were flickered out, pots of plants and flowers left withered and dead.

She walked past a set of bookshelves, running her fingers across the spines of the books.

Wilbur and Y/n sat together, books in each of their hands as they read and relish each other’s company. A kettle of water was being heated in the kitchen, the sun filtering through the windows.

Y/n flipped a page, not noticing as Wilbur’s eyes lifted from the pages to her face, studying every bit of her. A soft smile crossed his face as he studied her soft green eyes, the bridge of her nose, her eyebrows that were furrowed in concentration.

Suddenly her eyes flicked up, Wilbur’s face going red. “What are you looking at?”

“Nothing! Nothing, no, not at all, no, uh—“Wilbur smiled sheepishly. “You’re... you’re just so ethereal right now.”

It was Y/n’s turn to blush as she tried to hide her cheeks behind the book, the boy laughing.

Y/n grasped a rung of the ladder in her hand, sighing for a moment before pulling herself up. Each step up the ladder her heart quickened, her lips trembled.

She climbed into the loft area, her breath catching in her throat.

The bed was still perfectly made from the day she left it. The sunset reflected perfectly into the room from the large glass window, casting the room into a beautiful orange hue. Y/n turned and saw the chest in the corner, the sight bringing her to her knees.

The letters.

“I’ll write you so many letters, Y/n/n!” Wilbur insisted, grasping her hands. “Every day! Until you can join me, we can send those letters.”

Y/n nodded eagerly. “I’ll miss you, Wil.”

The boy pulled her into an embrace, the girl burying her face in his shirt. He smiled, tracing circles into her back comfortingly. “A letter a day for you, until we see each other again.”

And a letter a day she received.

The letters came daily, some recalling the events of the day, some poems, some love letters. Y/n read each letter enthusiastically, hearing of Wilbur’s adventures and the people he encountered. The nation he was creating, L’manburg.

Then, after receiving a letter detailing the start of the war for L’manburg, Y/n packed her bag, took her horse, and left for the server. She fought alongside Wilbur and the others, resisting for independence.

Y/n’s hands trembled as she sifted through and read each letter, the open pieces of parchment cast about the floor in front of her. Her heart ached as she read the words of a man whom she had lost so long ago, so long before his death. The Wilbur that had wrote Y/n songs and poems declaring his love and admiration had died in that war, leaving a man she could hardly recognize.

The orange glow of the sun was fading from the room, darkening the inside of the cottage. Y/n felt tears gather in her eyes as she finished reading the last letter, two teardrops pattering on the wood floor. The letter fluttered from her hand onto the ground with the rest, the girl wiping the tears from her cheeks.

She stood, looking out the window and noting how night was fast approaching. Y/n frowned, reaching into her pocket to produce a box of matches, walking over the the bedside lantern to light it. She struck the match, the flame igniting, lighting the lantern.

Y/n went to shake out the match before freezing, her eyes fixed upon the yellow light of the small flickering flame.

The fire crackled softly as melodic guitar chords filled the night with sweet music. The river rushed by near them, as well as the sounds of the rustling leaves in the wind, creating an orchestra of soothing sounds.

Y/n smiled, closing her eyes and resting her head against Wilbur’s shoulder as he strummed the guitar. They sat on a blanket in front of the fire, one of Wilbur’s coats draped over the girl’s shoulders.

Peace. Both felt total and complete peace.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” Y/n mused, staring up at the stars.

“Maybe, someday, we will. We’ll just lay and chart constellations.” Wilbur responded confidently.

Y/n smiled, closing her eyes and letting the sounds of Wilbur’s guitar and the campfire lull her to sleep.

“I’d like that.”

The lit match felt heavy between Y/n’s fingers, the girl sitting amongst the countless letters once more. Night had fallen, the stars dotting the sky. Y/n stared out at the stars, catching sight of constellations and clouds and the moon.

She reached for a letter, parting her lips.

“You lied to me.”

Y/n stood once more and let the letter meet the match, the paper going up in flames. She dropped it, the flaming parchment falling to the floor and igniting the rest of the precious letters that could have redeemed Wilbur.

She stepped back, watching as flames set to the wood of the room, the bed, the carpet. The girl spared the room one last look before climbing down the ladder, throwing the match onto the bookshelf, and walking out of the cottage. Y/n walked backwards, watching as surely the cottage was caught in a fury of flames.

Y/n finally let herself breathe, exhaling deeply as if a weight had lifted off her chest. She watched her old home burn, finally feeling a sense of finality.

“You sure did a number on that house.”

Her eyes widened, spinning and quickly unsheathing her sword and raising it to the person behind her’s neck. Y/n’s eyes hardened, glaring at the unwanted visitor.

“What the fuck are you doing here.” She spat.

She could almost see Dream’s smile from under his mask. “Wilbur sure did love his secrets. Was will to impart a few to me in exchange for some TNT. I figured you might be here.”

Y/n furrowed her eyebrows. “He... he told you about the cottage?”

“Y/n... he told me everything.” Dream responded. She slowly lowered her sword, stepping away from Dream. “I understand everything now. Your blind devotion to him, the loyalty. The server that drove him to betray that trust.”

“You did.” Y/n insisted. “You drove him to his death. You caused all of this.”

“Wilbur made his own decisions.” Dream shrugged. “And as I can see now, so can you.”

Y/n turned to look back at the fire. “So, you’re here to kill me then, yeah?”

“No, I’m not.” Dream quickly replied, Y/n looking back at him. “I’m here to make you an offer.”

“An offer? What the hell does that mean?” She scoffed.

Dream approached her. “They’re rebuilding L’Manburg as we speak. They never learn, they never understand. They call Wilbur insane, yet maybe he was the most sane of us all. He saw and understood the truth, and that scared them. So here’s what I offer you, Y/n. Help me take them down. I’ll pay you a good price.”

“What could you pay me that’s worth my time?” Y/n raised her eyebrows, crossing her arms.

Dream reached into his pocket, throwing a few netherite ingots and several diamonds onto the grass in front of her. Y/n’s eyes widened slightly, looking up at him. “There’s so much more where this came from. And better yet,” Dream tilted his head slightly as he held a bundle of fabric to her, the brown shades and patches so very familiar; Wilbur’s coat. “you can finish what Wilbur started.”

Y/n stared wordlessly at the piece of clothing held out in front of her, before closing her eyes.

“Wil?” Y/n wandered over to where Wilbur sat in the darkness of Pogtopia, the girl kneeling down next to him.

“Hey, Y/n/n.” He smiled tightly, sitting forwards. “What’s up?”

The girl smiled sadly. “I don’t know. I just... everything’s all wrong. I don’t know how to fix it.”

The man pondered her words, considering how the events of the next few days would play out. The heartache and betrayal.

It was no secret Wilbur and Y/n had been drifting apart. The lingering trauma of her torturous life in Manburg and the loss of her first two canon lives, him grieving the loss of his country. They were both hanging on by a thread, and comfort was hard to be sought between the two of them.

Wilbur knew he would die soon. He knew that the end of his story was approaching, but maybe, he could have one more sweet memory with the girl he had fallen helplessly in love with.

“Let’s go look at the stars.”

Y/n perked up, her featured contorted in surprise. “What?”

“Like we used to, by the river. Let’s go stargazing.” Wilbur stood, holding out his hand to help her up. The girl took it, the boy pulling her up to standing and intertwining his fingers in hers, pulling her through the ravine.

They trudged up the stone stairs and through the hidden doorway, out into the open air. Wilbur led Y/n into a clearing, where he shrugged off his jacket, laying it on the ground. He beckoned her over, the two laying on top of the fabric and staring up.

The sky was exceptionally clear that night, the stars glittering beautifully against a dark sky. Wilbur turned to watch Y/n stare up at the stars, noting her lips twitch softly as she began to list constellations under her breath. He took her hand once more, looking up at the stars.

That was the last moment they shared together before he died.

Y/n opened her eyes, looking up at Dream, who held out a hand to shake. She sheathed her sword, nodding slightly before taking the jacket and reaching her hand out, clasping his palm in a firm shake.

The man chuckled from behind his mask, stepping backwards. “You’ll be hearing from me. Goodbye, Y/n.” With that he left, the girl left standing alone on the riverbank. She stood still for a beat before bending down, moving the items to her inventory, shrugging on the trench coat, and turning back to the cottage.

It was nearly burnt to the ground at this rate, the flowers outside catching. Y/n swore for a moment she could see a glimpse of a tall boy in a yellow sweater in the flames, but brushed it off. She made the trek over to her horse, climbing onto the saddle.

She cast one more look at the remains of the cottage before cracking the reins, riding away.

It was time to finish what Wilbur had started.

a/n: i wrote this before the philza lore where wilbur fabricated history in the letters, so just assume that wilbur was truthful in these letters and y/n arrived directly before the duel and the betrayal.

[mengyan]

now i see in technicolour

OR, we always talk about julia’s favourite colour being red, but what about carmen’s favourite colour?

-

“Well,” Carmen laughs, a bit surprised from the question. “Apart from red, you mean?”

“Yeah,” you reply, curious. “Do you not have another?”

Carmen looks deep in thought, genuinely pondering it, then—

“It’s definitely not green, I can tell you that,” she snorts. You give her a pointed look, and she waves a hand dismissively, as if to say fine, I'll stop messing around.

Carmen takes a deep breath and straightens, and you watch as her eyes begin to shine.

“I suppose it depends,” she begins, starting to pace around the rooftop she dropped you both on. “I could give you a different answer every day, but ultimately…”

“I do love red. But not in the way you think, not just because it’s in my clothes and the coat and hat I wear every day. I like the softer shades, too, faded out so they’re almost pink but not quite, flushing the tips of ears or painting rosy cheeks. I like it in dark crimson, the near-black tone glimmering in the shape of a carved ruby, set on the center of a golden band. I like it in sunsets, blood-orange and melting into the moon, or tinting the skies on train rides to India.”

“Orange isn’t half-bad either,” she continues. “You can find it in the tangy-citrus sweetness dripping from the edges of a sinking misshapen pie, or when you’re riding on the back of a wagon to pick pumpkins from farm patches in the fall. It’s the colour of leaf piles that we build for Scarlett to jump into, and it’s the colour that blurs past my vision when she throws them at us in some made-up game. Our home glows orange in the winter, warm from the fireplace, and the flickering light is the most mesmerizing thing you’ve ever seen.”

“Yellow’s next in the rainbow, and while it isn’t my favourite, I still love it for its simplicity. It’s bright sunshine on summer days, melting the ice cubes in our freshly made lemonade. It’s the colour of royal crowns we prevent from being stolen, the light streaming through bell tower windows, or the colour of happy-faced emojis blowing virtual kisses when one of us has to arrive somewhere late. It’s in the corner of crayon drawings of family, depicting the sun and its rays, and they’re stuck with pride onto our kitchen fridge.”

“I already said I don’t like green,” Carmen says next, and you nod in understanding. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t respect it. It’s the colour of the dirt-grass stains on Scarlett's overalls when she has a field day at the playground- I told Jules we should’ve gotten black ones to hide them,” she chuckles.

“It’s the viridescent glow of Christmas lights purchased from Party City, strung around the tree at night, in a never-ending pattern of the shades of a traffic light. We all know that green also signals the meaning of “go”, and every time I see it on the street, I know I’m one block closer to home.”

Carmen pauses, and then she somehow gets brighter, her eyes crinkling at the corners in happiness as she introduces the next colour.

“Oh, we’re on blue,” she breathes, stopping her pacing and placing a hand on her heart. After a second or two, her right hand moves down to brush over her left hand, where a sapphire-embedded band of silver sits on her ring finger.

“Blue is... everything. It’s... God, I can’t even- blue is like magic, you know? It’s in the sky where we point out funny clouds or constellations from. It’s in gas-fueled fire on the stove where dinner is about to get spectacularly burned- by me, of course, Jules could never. Even Scarlett cooks better than me,” Carmen says fondly.

“It’s in plastic butterfly hairclips and off-key renditions of Cookie Monster sing-a-longs on YouTube that Scarlett is scarily obsessed with. It’s in the deep navy of suit jackets and thin-rimmed glasses, or when the light of a streetlamp hits a specific angle and it tinges the edges of short-trimmed hair.”

Carmen starts to rattle off more things one by one, all the while never losing the beam of her smile. “You can see cobalt in the ripped denim of cuffed jeans, cyan in the ridiculously tacky stuffed bloblike animal that Scarlett insists on calling her best friend, or cerulean in the salty sea of beaches when we go on vacation. Baby blue is in the hand-knit mittens we put on Scarlett when it snows, or there’s the smidge of Aegean lining the thread on the inside of her hat.”

“You’re making it sound like blue is your favourite colour by knowing all those shades,” you cut in, your tone teasing. Carmen just shrugs coyly as she answers.

“Maybe it is,” she says. “But like I said, they all are. I'd talk about black, grey, white- and all the shades of colours in between- if I could, but we’d be here for quite a while. Plus, I still have one more to go.”

“Right,” you hum. “Purple. Or indigo and violet, if you’re fancy.”

“Exactly. Have you ever been to Milan?” Carmen asks suddenly, but she doesn’t give you the time to respond, barreling onward. “Well, I attended a fashion week event there once for a caper, and that was the second time I saw Jules. The spotlights made the entire room bask in a haze of dreamy violet, which was the perfect vibe for a fashion showing, in my opinion. Anyway, I dragged her up on stage with me by the hand to help me with the caper, and she’d gone along with it, no questions asked. Then I put her in charge of things, and she’d gotten the gowns to safety with Zack and Ivy while I took care of the mind-controlled models.”

You raise an eyebrow. “You put her in charge of things during your second meeting?”

Carmen doesn’t even hesitate. “I always knew I could trust her.”

A beat of comfortable silence settles, before a phone that isn’t yours pings with a notification. Carmen clears her throat and looks at you, an apologetic expression on her face.

“Sorry, I have a date with my wife to catch,” she grins, firing off a text message back that no doubt consists of the virtual kisses she mentioned earlier. She turns to leave and throws a wink over her shoulder, getting ready to activate her glider. 

“I hope I answered your question properly!” she shouts. “I trust you’ll find your own way home?”

You most definitely will end up getting lost, considering this is a rooftop in the middle of nowhere, but you don’t say that, content to just let Carmen go and see her wife and kid. “I have it handled.”

And so, with a smile and two finger salute, you watch the Crimson Ghost disappear into the night, leaving you with a rainbow kaleidoscope of answers and a full heart.

[beautifulletdownfics]

Terrible to Meet You - A Harry Styles One Shot - Act 4, And love blooms in hearts not fields

++

Harry wants to get out of the house. Alex wants to get home.

Alex meets Harry at at crossroads. Harry meets Alex on a one way street.

A coffee shop OU fic feat. lattes, lamingtons & that Great Unfathomable Feeling.

++

Story Page Here Terrible to Meet You Playlists My Masterlist Here

++

7 Minutes 'It doesn't seem like long, but my whole world has changed'

Harry's insides were shaking.

He could feel it vibrating up and down his spine, circling his ribcage and then settling uncomfortably at the back of his throat. The nerves and anxiety sped around his body the closer to the Heathrow they got.

Tears threatened to pierce his eyes each time he looked over at Alex beside him. She was staring out the window saying silent goodbyes to London as they drove. 

Harry really didn't understand how this moment came so quickly. He knew that Alex's feelings were as mixed as his. Harry wanted her to go home, she'd been trying all year. Heartsick and homesick, she'd pushed through living on the other side of the world to her family as the world suffered through something horrifying.

After getting the email, her last week in London was bittersweet. It was spent packing up her room and saying goodbyes for the second, third times. Harry helped her organise herself, and then put himself in isolation with Alex for her final 48 hours. She needed to present a negative COVID test to Australian officials before she could fly. Getting tested and locking themselves away together for two days was a special kind of magic, really. They didn't have to share each other.

After Harry, Alex was saddest to say goodbye to The Daily Dose. 

She was going to miss Paul. Despite his eccentricities, he somehow managed to always keep the tone light and playful with her, and generally, the days passed quickly. Alex left Sydney for London after a gruelling university course left her feeling unmoored and unsure of herself, her time working for Paul had been an enormous time of discovery and healing for her. 

He'd been a source of comfort and support for her, especially in the last year, and he was the shoulder she'd cried on far too often. Alex loved making coffee despite how most people saw the job. There was a satisfaction in the process, even in the daily grind—the cleaning, the busyness, the dead patches—and Alex liked leaving the cafe in the afternoon with the smell of coffee seeping out of her but a clean shop locked up ready for the next day. 

She was going to miss that. But at the same time, Alex felt ready to go on and do more with her time now. The university degree hanging in her parent's study didn't feel like a straight-jacket anymore, and she was looking forward to finding work in her field. 

 London had been home for four years, though. She had many great memories here, not the least of which it was the city she flew the coup and found herself in. And the magic she thought was lost seemed to have redeemed itself in the final months of her being there.

She found herself, and then, she'd found Harry.

&&&

Saying goodbye to Harry was the hardest thing Alex had ever done. 

They'd both cried the night before, but when it was time to part at the airport Harry was steadfast in his encouragement of her leaving. (Despite himself) He'd never once said he (seriously) didn't want her to leave, or that she shouldn't. He'd never implied it would spell doom for their relationship. Harry was 100% sure that Alex going back home to Australia was just the next line in their story, and certainly not the last one. 

"You get home safely, okay?" Harry told her sternly, holding her face between his hands at the drop-off line. Both their masks were down around their chins, and Harry hated the tears he couldn't stop Alex from shedding, "This is a good thing, Al, you need to be home right now."

"I know," she nodded bravely, frowning as her chin wobbled, "But I don't want to leave—

"Shh, no," Harry shook his head and leaned closer, "You're not leaving me, you're going home.”

"When am I going to see you again though," she cried out, finally giving in to the (slightly) hysterical emotions that were bubbling just below the surface. 

Harry's heart rattled watching the wave of doubt hit her. He pressed his lips into her hairline and held her for another long moment.

"You'll see me in Dubai on your stopover," he'd said, rocking her against his chest, his words hurried against the material of her shirt, “You'll land, use the bathrooms, and then FaceTime me. That's when you'll see me next. And then, you'll see me when you get to Sydney and call me again. Okay?

"Okay," Alex parroted quietly.

"Okay … You really have to go now," Harry looked behind her to where the doors to the terminal were.

She nodded and reached up onto her tippy toes, letting Harry press his warm lips against hers once last time. Alex squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold in tears but also the feel of him. His smell, where his body began and ended, how it measured up next to hers. 

Their hearts reached out, trying to feel the other pressing through their chests from the other side. You're mine, you're mine, they said to each other.

"I love you," Harry told her, not for the first time.

Seeing the red wetness around Harry's eyes, Alex threaded her hands through his hair, "I love you, too."

He pressed a quick kiss to her lips again, "Go."

Harry's belief that they were going to be okay was unwavering. 

If 2020 taught him anything, the whole world could change in a matter of weeks, so why not the entire outlook of his life as well? Why couldn't his meeting Alex change the course of both their lives moving forward? Something about meeting her felt like a one-time event, like something worth risking everything for. And he would, Harry told her numerous times that last week.

And as she walked away from him and into Heathrow, and Alex believed him.

&&&

Alex cried as her flight landed at Sydney International Airport. 

She'd watched the harbour out her window as the plane circled the city, that perfect Sydney turquoise blue gleaming back up at her and it made her chest ache with relief. 

Home.

Sydney airport was a stark change from the Heathrow she left behind. Their flight was met by police, abundance and army officers. It wasn't frightening though, Alex found herself swallowing back tears this time because she was so soothed by the fact she was back in Australia. Everyone was friendly and helpful, getting the flight of returning citizens through the airport and onto buses to the quarantine hotels. Alex's drove straight into the city centre and as soon as they started going by familiar places and landmarks she wasn't the only one teary in their seat. 

"Well, here it is," Alex said to the phone screen not long after, tilting it around to show off the hotel room around her, "Home for the next fourteen days."

"Snazzy," Harry whistled as she pulled back the sheer curtains to reveal a staggering blue sky and then bright green treetops. He was sitting at his kitchen table with a cup of tea and a drizzly London morning just beginning, "And a view! Is that a balcony? Or a window?"

"A balcony but it's locked. I did get to smell the salty, beautiful harbour in the two-second walk from the bus into the hotel though." Alex settled on the bed in the middle of the room, the bedding crisp and clean underneath her, "I am literally inside this room for two weeks. No outside time. But I can see people outside walking around and having picnics in Hyde Park without masks on, so it'll be worth it."

"That seems unreal."

"It's like another world here," Alex agreed, yawning and finally feeling her body start to relax. "Anyway, how was your day yesterday? Wait, no, today?"

Harry laughed, "You've lost two days, I think. But it was good. I went and saw Paul, we had a cry together."

"Don't," she warned him, feeling the combination of over-tiredness and emotion simmering in her throat, "I've just travelled thirty-six hours, and I fucking miss you already, I'm not beyond completely losing it right now."

He smiled gently, "Have a shower and get into bed. I'm so glad you're there. Does it feel good to be home?"

"So good," Alex admitted, almost feeling like it was a dirty thing to be admitting to Harry, "Jess is going to come and wave at me from the park tomorrow with Noah. My mum's already sent a bunch of food to my room."

"You're exactly where you need to be," Harry told her. 

Alex couldn't hold back her tears any longer, the guilt she felt—the pain of leaving Harry—wasn't any match to finally being where she'd wanted to be all year, "Yeah, I am."

&&&

Figure 8 'Lovers hold on to everything'

Four days into her quarantine, Alex started training herself to do headstands.

"It's harder than it looks! But I'm getting there now," She laughed, propping her phone up against the leg of the bed and crawling to the wall opposite. She was now on Day 11, and Harry had been getting an update daily.

"Please don't injure yourself," Harry moaned, getting a great view of her bum as she crouched down facing the wall and then rose up, kicking her legs up with her palms flat on the floor.

"See?" The blood all rushed to her head, and Alex's hair fell down over her face at the same time her t-shirt moved, revelling her belly and bra to Harry. 

"Much better than yesterday," he told her, "Maybe tomorrow we could lose the bra?"

Alex laughed, her arms shaking as she came crashing to the ground. She was still working on the landing. 

Just as she was about to reply, she heard a knock on the door, "Oh!" 

"Dinner?" Harry guessed, watching her leap to her feet and disappear from view. A moment later, her legs walked across the screen, and Harry rolled over in bed to try to rid his phone screen of the glare coming from his windows open to the new London morning. "Oi!"

"Calm your farm," Alex tutted, retrieving her phone and grinning at Harry, "You'll never guess what I've got today."

"Hmm," Harry hummed in mock thought, "Let me guess, chicken and rice. A cookie and a ridiculous allotment of fruit?"

"Two bananas, an apple and four apricots."

"S'practically a fruit basket!"

"Tomorrow I get a glass of wine," Alex was already chewing, "Friday night drinks!"

"Friday date night?" Harry suggested, his fingers twitching with the want to be feeling her body between his sheets again, "You're fun when you're a little tipsy."

"Excuse me, I'm always fun!"

Harry laughed, "I can't believe you're so upbeat still. I'd been expecting a dip at some point. I would think a lot of people don't do so well in isolation for two weeks."

"I've got Australian daytime TV and a boyfriend who sends fun gifts,” she eyed the collection of books and puzzles Harry had organised, “I am looking forward to Sunday though."

Harry couldn't imagine how much Alex was looking forward to getting to see her family and friends when her time in quarantine ended, "Did you get tested today?"

"Yes," Alex screwed up her face, the memory of the swab up her nose still fresh, "Fucking hurt."

"Last one," he encouraged. "What's the first thing you're going to do with your brother when he picks you up?"

She halted before putting the next mouthful of warm, lacklustre dinner in her mouth, "It's supposed to be sunny and warm on Sunday, but I don't get released until the evening. So I think we'll just go to mum and dads for tea. Jess and Matt are going to be there."

"A large gathering in the home!" Harry looked scandalised, but he was smiling. 

"I know, it's all very 2019," Alex joked. 

Harry let out a long sigh from his chest, "I'm so happy you're there, but I miss you."

"You too," she said quietly.

"Hey," Harry called out, not having meant to dampen the mood, "Three sleeps until you get to meet Noah."

The mention of her nephew made Alex smile, "I'm gonna squeeze him so hard."

"Will you FaceTime me there?"

"O'course," her mouth was full, but she nodded emphatically. "My mum asked if we were going to have live music at all family events now."

Harry's laugh exploded out of him, he liked Alex's family very much already, "Happy to oblige."

"Because of you she's also back on Nathan about giving up the trombone in Year 8." Alex told him, "He was previously the musical hope for the family, but he stopped when the girl he liked at fourteen said she would only date a rugby player … Consequently, that girl is also responsible for how Nathan broke his nose."

Harry could sympathise with Alex's older brother, "We do crazy things for love."

&&&

"Could you say that again?"

"Were you not listening?"

"No I was, I just like hearing it in your accent."

"Harry," Alex complained, "I'm already shit at this."

"You're not!" He insisted, trying desperately to keep the grin at bay. 

Alex frowned at him and pulled the hotel duvet up to her chin, crossing her legs and slipping her free arm across her chest. Harry's heart was racing, hearing her talk about how his words were making her feel was incredible. Almost as good as physically having her. Almost.

"Al," Harry stilled at the defeated look on her face. His smile disappeared, "Sorry, I wasn't teasing."

"I'm no good a phone sex, it feels weird."

"I know it does at first," he tentatively reassured her, hoping not to draw attention to the fact that over the years Harry had become sort of good at phone sex. By virtue of necessity, such was his regular travel schedule. "I promise it can be great, and we can only get better at it. You're not no good. On the contrary, I'm enjoying myself very much."

She was finding it difficult. And even more so, trying to learn Harry and what he liked—how his body responded—without actually having his body physically there felt impossible. Phone sex was awkward and difficult, and Alex was more self-conscious then she'd ever been, trying to navigate intimacy with Harry through a phone screen. There was a divide there. He was right though, the undercurrent to what he said was that they'd have to get better, there was no other choice. It was all they had.

"Show me what you were doing," Harry beckoned gently, sensing Alex relaxing back into the moment. "And just imagine I'm there, don't apologise for angles or lighting. I don't care."

It was her last day in the hotel, and Alex had woken up with an ache between her thighs. Harry Facetimed her the instant he got the photo of her lying in the sheets, her torso exposed and wishing for his touch. He'd been sitting at home on his Saturday night, watching the first five minutes of half a dozen things on Netflix yet not finding his mind was able to focus on any. 

Alex he could focus on though. 

Her five seconds of bravery felt far away now, but Alex slowly pushed down the bedding again, "I was thinking about you going down on me."

Harry smiled, "Go on."

&&&

Nineteen 'I felt you in my life before I ever thought to'

Three months passed. 

The dreaded milestone ticked over which meant Harry and Alex had been separated the same amount of time they'd spent together in London.

It hadn't ever felt like this for Harry before.

He'd never known what this kind of missing someone was. Previously, he'd missed people, but not with a yearning or a longing that made his chest ache. Not with the kind of force that had him lying in bed at night unable to switch off the channel tuned to Alex.

What time was it in Sydney? Had he already sent her that link? Did she say she was spending the day with her dad? What could he say to get her back in that bikini from the day before? 

Missing Alex felt like having an itch inside his mind he couldn't scratch.

But in a sense, how much he wanted to be with her only made his consequent decisions easier. 

"You're hopeless!" His manager laughed him from LA, the whole team on the weekly check-in Zoom call. Generally there wasn't a lot to report between them, projects were on hold or cancelled. Harry had decided not to go back to the States to work on a few smaller things—a fashion shoot, a TV guest appearance and a small role in a film—giving his legal team some work in getting him out of contracts, but that was mostly sorted now. 

If he was going anywhere, it sure as hell wasn't across the Atlantic. 

"Not hopeless," Harry replied diplomatically, "It's something else … But it's not hopeless. It almost feels like having the answer and being the little kid jumping up and down on the spot, dying for the teacher to hurry up and ask the question."

A series of blank looks came back at him. Harry sighed. He'd never been bad at explaining his personal life before. It was always so rational, the relationships made sense or happened in a usual way. He just couldn’t shake the notion that all along, people had been right. 

When you know you know. 

He'd found Alex. 

That was as simple as it was to him. But it didn't settle everyone else the way it settled Harry. 

Alex. 

Did the name not tick a checkbox in their heads too? 

"So, you're going to Australia?"

"I just want to know what it could look like," Harry amended the assumption, but yes, he was going to end up wherever Alex did, and if that was Australia then that was that. 

"Who's in Australia?" 

The question wasn't to Harry, it wasn't about who he was going to Australia for., they all knew who Alex was. The question was about the industry—about Harry's career. It was who was in Australia for him to work with? Frankly, he didn’t see why the same people he worked with now couldn’t also be the people he continued working with either remotely, or with short trips abroad when travel allowed. 

"Obviously, it's not like everything can be done there," Harry offered diplomatically, "But at least for the foreseeable future, with the world how it is … Music as the primary focus, I want to write the next album there. Spend some time seeing the country too, I've always wanted to."

He got a collection of nods, and a few spoken agreements, assurances that it could work.

"This isn't a temporary thing," he said of Alex, looking at the faces who helped him run his life, "We're going to be navigating this for the rest of my career. So everyone's going to need to add Sydney time to their Clock app."

&&&

When he met Alex, Harry knew. 

When he landed in Sydney, Harry knew again. 

It was the right choice, it was the right place for him to be. All he wanted was to be moving in her direction; in the same direction as her. 

It was warm despite the late hour, the air was fragrant with it, in stark contrast to the London he left behind. 

He tried to think back to the last time he’d been in Australia, to what it felt like back then. 

If only he’d know then …

Harry opted not to apply for any special considerations or circumstances. He didn't want anything to jeopardise him being able to enter what was likely the world's most difficult country to get into now—especially seeing as Harry wasn't a resident, much less a citizen. Harry didn't want to hit the news. And despite evidence of people he knew in the industry being able to dictate where they quarantined on arrival, Harry requested nothing. He just wanted to fly in, go to whatever hotel they told him to, do his two weeks quarantine and then be with her. 

"Have you landed?" Alex's voice was urgent and tinged with excitement. 

Harry laughed, "Yes, how do you think I'm calling."

She squeaked, "You're here!"

"I'm here," he smiled under his mask, following the flow of fellow travellers walking through the empty airport, "Who ever heard of an International Airport having a curfew though? The pilot made the joke that if we were projected to land even a minute after 11pm, he'd have to turn around and go back to London. Which was like, a joke, but also not funny?"

Alex chortled, "You'll have to get used to the sense of humour here."

"Hang on," Harry saw a checkpoint of sorts ahead of him, "I have to go. I'll call you back."

"Call me from the hotel," she said, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

&&&

"Go to the window."

“Hi. What?" Harry could barely move his head off the pillow as his eyes struggled to open.

"Go to your window," Alex repeated, "Were you asleep?"

He sat up, heart thrumming quickly at the possibility of what he was going to see. A second before his mind had only barely been able to scramble together the cognitive function to swipe to answer the call. 

When he got to the window, Harry pulled back the curtains—he'd ended up at the same hotel Alex had been in too—his room looked out over Sydney's Hyde Park, the fountain and cathedral framing his window. Although his top floor room with a (locked) balcony was a little bigger than hers had been he still felt as if he was living in their FaceTime calls. He was sure he'd become more acquainted with the trees and greenery out his window as the days passed. 

"What am I looking for?" He asked, but Harry knew.

"I'm down here, can you see me? Blue jeans shorts … Yellow top? I've got a sign!"

Harry's eyes scanned the footpath opposite the hotel, there was a main road between him and the park. He'd been in the room less than 12 hours though, so he wasn't familiar with the foot traffic. 

"I can't… Wait, I see you," his mouth opened in a huge smile, "Hi!"

Harry waved and pressed his hand to the window as his heart waved down at Alex's. He felt like his insides were being swapped around inside him as he took his first look at her in the flesh in nearly thirteen weeks. She had sunglasses sitting up on top of her head and a The New Yorker tote bag over her shoulder. He bit his lip at all the exposed skin he was looking at, feeling it a cruel injustice in the fact he would be touching his girlfriend for a fortnight.

Alex was squinting up at the hotel, one hand to her forehead, blocking the sun while the other held her phone to her ear, "How high up at you?"

"Next to the yellow and red flag," he said, looking for a distinguishing feature. He'd fallen asleep to the sound of the rope flapping against the building.

Alex's voice took a teasing tone, "Oh, who's that sexy man with his shirt off in the hotel window?" 

"I can't read your sign."

"I only had a Biro," she lamented, shoving the makeshift sign under her arm, "It just says Hi."

"Hi," Harry leant his forehead into the window, "You look beautiful."

"So do you."

"You going to stand out there for the next two weeks?"

"Would you like me to?"

"Yes, please."

Harry watched her take a step back and lean against the wall to the park behind her, "I'd better get comfy then."

&&&

There was a couple in the room next door to Harry.

"I'm telling you, it's relentless," he implored Alex with his eyes, pausing for a second to listen to the sound of their bed hitting the wall, "They're at it constantly."

"Embrace it, some people are into that," Alex giggled from her parent's kitchen. She was making dinner for the whole family, with her AirPods in and Harry chatting to her as she chopped vegetables. "Let it get you in the mood, Harry. Is that voyeurism, or exhibitionism? I can never—"

"—Okay," He rolled his eyes, "Thank you, Comedian."

"You're just jealous you're not getting any."

"I really am," Harry said seriously, "If I have to wait, so should they."

Alex's laugh filled his ears, "It's alright, less than a week to go now."

"I cannot wait to be holding you," he said, longing in his voice. 

Harry had mixed feelings leaving London. He didn't know when he'd be back, but at the very least he was going to miss his first Christmas with his family. With England in lockdown, it was unlikely that even if he had stayed, he would be able to spend it with them anyway, but Harry would miss them. He already missed them. 

It wasn't like he missed Alex, though. And in all the conversations he'd had with his mum, or his sister, or anyone else, they'd all told him to go for her. They saw it in his eyes and heard it in his voice when he spoke about her. Or maybe their hearts knew as well, as though Harry meeting Alex had been locked away in them all and now the light to that room was switched on. 

So there he was, in Australia. To be with his love.

&&&

Ten Days 'Time has changed nothing at all, you're still the only one that feels like home'

Harry asked the nurse who took his last COVID swab to help him.

He hadn't requested anything up until that point, but he knew, even behind her protective gear, she was a friendly face. And he also knew that there were rumblings online that he was in Sydney. (All those spare and jet lag hours, he'd tried to stay off the internet, he really had) 

The good news was it was just rumblings, because why on earth would Harry Styles be in Sydney.

All it would take was one photo to confirm it though, which in a sense, was fine, he didn't care.

But Harry didn't want that photo to be of any of his first moments back with Alex.

Let someone snap a picture in a couple of weeks, on a random beach or coming out of a cafe somewhere. Just not his first day. Not when he hadn't seen her since the beginning of September almost three months ago.

He asked if the nurse could help him arrange Alex for access to the hotel car park because the discharge information pack he'd received directed him to organise pick up on the street. 

The next two days went slowly, those final 48 hours, waiting for a negative result and trying like anything to bat away fears that it wouldn't be the same. That somehow Harry and Alex would've lost the something that lit the spark in London. 

He hated that feeling—the doubt—and when he confessed it to his sister, she batted it away as nerves. She said life was always full of uncertainty and risks, the idea was to choose the ones you thought were worth taking. 

&&&

Alex stared at her legs as she sat, waiting for Harry in her dad's car.

It hadn't taken long to get the colour back to them, although mostly she was fixated on how she should have dressed a little nicer for the first time seeing Harry in months. She didn't even have proper shoes on, just the thongs that she'd kicked off the night before after coming back from the park with the dogs. 

Harry hadn't seen this side of her. This casual, probably more Australian sounding Alex. The one with bare feet and sunglasses holding her hair back. He'd met her family over video calls, but what would Harry think when he was in a room full of them? They were loud and could have distasteful senses of humour. There were family jokes that Alex had never thought twice about before but now worried Harry wouldn't appreciate. 

She'd slipped back into the comforting hum of life in Sydney so easily. Her friends, her family, her city. When she left Sydney hadn't felt like home, but as soon as she stepped back into it something in Alex let out a sigh of return. It was strange, leaving London just at the end of the summer months and falling straight into the beginning of a new summer here. 

In front of her, Alex sensed movement. The door she'd been instructed to park in front of opened, and a very tall man in an army uniform stepped into the underground car park, propping open the door with his foot. He pointed to Alex in the front seat and said something to Harry, who was the next person to appear, followed by a nurse in full PPE.

Alex felt an explosion in her chest, an electric shock or a bolt of lightning. Two hearts jumping up and down in excitement. 

She cracked the car door open and heard Harry thanking the two people escorting him, his hands moved as though they were itching to add a handshake to the gesture.

As soon as Alex was in his eyesight though Harry didn't think about anyone else. 

She emerged and hovered by the front of the car, waiting for Harry to approach her, as if unsure what she was allowed to do. The sight of her in an oversized hoodie and small athletic shorts warmed him instantly. She looked perfect, with a tan that evaded her in London and a brightness behind her eyes Harry was addicted to already. He liked the thought that he was an errand, that picking up her boyfriend was on a list of things for her to do that day. The word 'normal' flashed in Harry's mind, and any worry he'd had about her or him or them together being different from how he remembered it disappeared.

"Hi," he smiled wide as he tugged down the mask covering his face and stepped right into her personal space, his bag and suitcase abandoned behind him. 

Speechless, Alex breathed Harry in deeply through tears as she was tightly wrapped up in his arms. She couldn't bring any words to the surface, and so they just stood in silence, holding each other. 

After a moment Harry turned his face into her neck and pressed a slow, warm kiss below her ear, "Hello, hello, hello," he said between kisses. 

It only made Alex's crying increase, and she squeezed him tighter while leveraging herself higher up his body, not yet willing or able to step away. 

"Alex," Harry said her name gently, "Let me see you, please."

She leant back but covered her cheeks with her sleeves, peering over at Harry through blurry eyes, "Wait a sec."

He smiled and pulled her hands away by her wrists, "Give me a kiss."

&&&

"You're such a tourist," Alex laughed as she drove, watching Harry lean forward in the passenger seat and try to take a photo through the windscreen of the Sydney Harbour Bridge above them. 

"You know bridges are my passion," he said dryly. 

She smiled as he sat back and slipped his hand back into hers. 

"I quite like you driving," Harry said, eyeing her in the drivers' seat, "Look at you knowing your way around."

Alex grinned under her sunglasses, "We're in my city now, baby."

&&&

Harry's mouth hovered hotly over the skin below Alex's breasts. 

"Harry," she ran her fingers through his hair, hating the anticipation. 

His lips upturned at the impatience behind her saying his name. He pressed a kiss to the skin there, then another half an inch further down her tummy, "M'not in a hurry."

"I am," Alex urged.

"Oh?" Harry stopped and looked up at her, his elbows on either side of her hips as he held himself over her, "You are?"

"Yes."

"Going somewhere after this?"

She whined, whined, "No, Harry."

Alex hadn't taken him home to her family. Not yet. 

She drove an hour out of the city to a beach suburb with what Alex had deemed the nicest Airbnb. It was private, and without Sydney's usual cohort of international tourists, the area was deserted except for locals. They could hear the ocean from the bedroom and see if from the kitchen. She'd booked them two nights; two nights to reconnect and just live in the presence of each other without her family stepping in and inevitably stealing Harry's heart.

(Except, of course, it was Alex's heart who has his, all this time)

"Look at you, fuck," Harry said, tilting back up to take her lips in his, pressing his torso, his thighs, his stomach, his hardened crotch into her. "Fucking gorgeous."

"We can do slow later," she all but begged, her fingers digging into his exposed back, "Please. Just … Just please, Harry."

Alex felt his hand brush over her thigh, deliciously trailing over the sensitive skin just below her hip bone and down between them. His eyes dipped down between them only briefly before Alex was feeling the tip of him pressing into her exactly where she needed it. 

"Yes," her body relaxed into the feeling, remembering the London nights, the mornings and that first time in his living room. 

"Alex," Harry said her name like he could hardly believe it, and at the same time as wanting to savour the moment he was thinking of their first, hurried time as well. His hips snapped forward, remembering that time the rush came from wanting to taste, to experience something new and to have Alex's body for his own the first time. 

The urgency behind Harry's movements this time were for want of something had and sorely missed, something already claimed but given up for a time.

Alex's head was stretched back onto the pillow underneath him while she felt her body shift and squeeze around him. She wrapped her arms around his chest to feel him closer, wanting to hold onto him as he pumped in and out, sighing against her neck, trying to regulate himself.

"God, Al."

"Harry."

&&&

Four nights later, tucked into the spare room at her parent's house, Harry rolled over and took her hand. 

"I think we should get a place here."

"A what?"

"A flat, a house, we should rent something in Sydney." 

"Sydney?" Alex's tone elevated, almost touching the spinning ceiling fan above them.

"Yes, Sydney," Harry repeated, "You mentioned a job you liked the look of a few weeks ago, did you apply for it? "

"But what about London? That's where you live, God, what about your work, Harry."

"I want to be here, I'm not in any hurry to go back to what normal was. Normal didn't have you," Harry said, throwing out the script he'd built in his head the last month. His heart was doing the talking, extempore, "I've watched you this week, Alex, it's like you're a whole different person here. You're so happy and settled and joyful, which, by the way, I already thought you were but here … Do you really want to go again? Could you leave your family again?"

Alex felt her chest going into overdrive like everything was whirring around too quickly. She felt had to be honest, though, despite the way it made the fear climb further up her throat, "No. I don't want to leave."

Harry brought her knuckles up to kiss, "I don't want you to leave, either. So, what if we stayed? For as long as it's where you need to be?"

"But your family—

"—Doing this means one of us is always going to be away from someone," Harry told her, "I can handle missing my family, Al, I can't handle missing you. You're it."

"It just seems like too much to ask you to do, Harry."

"You're not asking," he insisted. "I can figure out how to work from here. London was my home base, I spent a lot of the year away anyway. And it's not that much further to LA for stuff, I … I'm saying I can make it work here, Alex. I want to make it work with you."

Alex's heart did a cartwheel, "You want to stay in Sydney?"

Harry's somersaulted, "I want to stay with you, yes."

The End.  &&&

+++

Thanks for reading, everyone! x Kate

Tag list: @afterhoursharry​ @beautifuleclipses​ @bumbershots​ @coffee-doodle-doo​ @decadentdonkeyflowerzonk​ @elemayox​ @ficsthatmakemeswoon @finelinesupremacy @greatestview​ @hatnightin2008 @ifiwereaboy2323 @ihearthemcallingforyou​ @just-damn-bored​ @kakaym​ @kara-246​ @lifeandsomethingelse​ @luminescencefics​ @micurq27​ @miorni​ @monpetitchouchou16​ @morethanamelodyy​ @piawhat @rubytersteege @staceystoleyourheart​ @stepping-into-the-light​ @steppingonoranges​ @stylesfics-xx​ @stylishmuser​ @toalltheboyswhowastedmytime​ @tpwkhoney​ @ursamajor603​ @veryplatoniccircunstances @wanderlustiing​​ @whatevarandomlygoes

+++