#petting him on the nose and feeding him bugs out of my palm

[officialspec]

International Man Of Food

[corrodedcoughin]

little story about little Eddie and his 2 new friends | word count approx 2.5k | general audience rating | steve and eddie are kids and Wayne is a pushover

Wayne sometimes thinks it was a mistake, not taking in the boy. God no, he would never think of Eddie as anything other than an important and intrinsic part of his life, couldn't be without him, wouldn't want to be. 

No, what Wayne worries about is how his readiness to help Eddie feel loved might contribute to the boy's difficulty in making friends.

It was an innocent enough request, Eddie asked for a pet as all young children do. He was so small and so wide eyed, just a scrap of an 8 year old with more feelings than he knew what to do with. Wayne knew he'd never hold up against any request Eddie made but he liked to pretend to himself that he could. And while technically he never pandered to the boy, yes Eddie usually got what he wanted but in a way that suited their means. Or so Wayne tells himself. 

8 year old Eddie asked for a pet and a pet is what he got.

-

Eddie barrelled into the trailer door, backpack swinging off his arm and ready to be thrown into the corner. Planning to shoot off back out the door to do his usual; lift up rocks and inspect whatever bugs he could find, to grab sticks and imagine them as wizard staffs, to let his imagination finally run wild after hours of sitting still at a desk under too bright lights and too busy class rooms. In truth he wasn't really paying attention to the insides of the trailer, expecting it to be the same as always. It took a very pointed cough for Eddie to register that Wayne was unusually home from work, far earlier than normal, and a further loud clearing of the throat for Eddie to pay attention to what Wayne had placed on the kitchen table. 

Right in the middle of the table, sitting in a beam of sunlight, was a cage and in that cage was what would soon become, Eddie's very reason for being. He crept up close, almost as if scared that any sudden movements would prove the whole thing to be a cruel illusion. He was brought out of his reverie by a pink nose wiggling at the bars, whiskers attached and twitching as the rest of the rat appeared.

'is he-? is he for real?' Eddie said with a gasp, hands inching towards the door of the cage. 

Wayne had to suppress a laugh, trust this boy to be bowled over in wonder at a rat as if it were a puppy. He opened the contraption of the enclosure door and dipped his hand inside, allowing the rat to climb onto his palm. The guy from work assured him that this one was the most tame he had, inquisitive to a fault and oddly enough, desperate to be handled. Quite honestly, the perfect match for his well meaning but excitable nephew-near-enough-son. 

'Yeah, yeah kid it's for real. And he's a she.' Wayne lets the rat sniff at Eddie's hands, little pink hands finding a platform on Eddie's palms, clearly holding himself a still as possible but if Wayne knew this boy, and he did, he knows that Eddie is so close to vibrating out of his skin, that containing that much excitement must be killing him. 

'I don't care. Wayne, I don't! Can she sleep in my room? Does she know tricks? Can I teach her? What does she like? Can I take her to school? Please! Wayne!' He's started now, words pouring out of his mouth, tripping over himself to try and release every thought entering his brain at lightning speed.

'Woah, there' Wayne says pulling the rat up, cradling it in two hands, 'We got to be kind to her alright? She's only small. Doesn't know what loud noises are good and which are bad, okay?' He watches as Eddie nods vigorously, eyes never leaving the creature. 'Now you promised me you'd look after a pet so that's what's going to happen. She is your responsibility. That means cleaning, feeding and loving, got it?' Eddie nods again, tentatively reaching his hands up, the image of Oliver Twist springs to Wayne's mind. 

Wayne comes around the kitchen table, crouches down to Eddie on creaky knees and hands the rat over, filling Eddie's small hands with a heartbeat and fur. Eddie giggles, watching as the rat surveils the new patch of skin its found itself on. 

'Tickles, Wayne' and its said with such love and devotion Wayne almost feels his heart break 

'Yeah son. She does, doesn't she?' 

-

 Of course it takes less than a week and Eddie and Sam are inseparable. As soon as Eddie gets home he's itching for his furry friend, delighting in the way she scampers around the room, over his arms and anywhere she can get. No matter what though, she always comes back to him. She can be digging in to a particularly interesting crevice behind the couch but she'll always come running back when she hears Eddie make a noise.  

The thing is, Eddie is a pretty lonely kid. Not for lack of trying, don't get it wrong. Eddie tries to socialise he tries to talk to the other kids in his class, get them involved in his imaginary games and play pretend but being the new kid doesn't really do him any favours. Being the new kid that lives in the trailer park and a penchant for biting to show affection does him even less. 

To Eddie, its him and Sam against the world. He can come home and know that his best friend will listen to all his problems, will stay close and won't run away even when he's extra loud or being 'a lot' as his teacher like to tell him. He's so tired of being told to use his 'quiet hands', his 'inside voice' and every other subdued phrase they try to press on him. 

This particular day was a hard one, Sally Winters had said that Eddie was 'bad luck' and the word quickly spread around by recess. Eddie had thought he was making some progress with a couple of kids from the class, was thinking today might be the day that he finally got asked to play but that hope quickly got squashed. He had hopped up to the potential friends with a stick in his hand and a notion of being a pirate when they both looked at him like he was a monster, they couldn't get away fast enough. And Eddie couldn't find a place to hide quick enough before the fat and heavy tears fell from his eyes. 

It was a long day and home time was his only saving grace. 

Wayne knows somethings up, can tell in the way that Eddie isn't even really talking to Sam, hardly looking at the Tv despite the fact that Wayne very purposefully had put the cartoon Lord of the Rings movie on. The sure fire fall back he liked to keep in his back pocket. The trump card to get his kid happy. This time though? No luck. Looking at the kid makes a chasm open up in his gut, deep and full of overwhelming sadness that he just wants to stop, wants to find the solution to make this boy smile like the sun again. They don't talk much for the rest of the night but Wayne makes sure to stay close, stay awake in case he's needed. Eddie spends the time between dinner and bed sitting on the floor, side pressed up against Wayne's leg and playing fetch with bits of Wayne's whittling with Sam, not a word said. 

-

Eddie wakes up the next morning with a plan and a devil may care attitude. Oh so carefully he maintains his usual routine; says good morning to Sam, carts her around the trailer as he washes his face and wanders into the kitchen, placing her in her secondary cage so she can eat breakfast with Eddie and Wayne - Eddie was adamant that they couldn't have meals without her, 'she's part of the family!' and soft hearted fool Wayne Munson agreed and an additional cage was sourced. 

When breakfast is finished Eddie begins his usual rigmarole of dragging his feet to get out of his pjs and into his clothes, reluctant to grab his bag and go out the door. Same old protests as Wayne watches him walk out towards the school bus. 

What is a new addition to the routine though, is Sam Munson hiding up the sleeve of a school boy and about to go on a secret and very dangerous mission. A mission to survive the school day. 

Surprisingly, Eddie manages to keep Sam secret, keep her safe, the whole morning. He came prepared with snacks to make sure she was entertained and happy, he couldn't stand the thought of her being sad, her eyes get so big and her tail droops as well as her ears, it makes the whole of Eddie ache. But no, she's happy, or happy enough at least. 

So the morning goes without a hitch, Eddie making noises to cover up any squeaks and keeping a hand in his pocket to reassure Sam, stowed in the pocket of his hoodie. He knows he's seen as 'weird' so what's a few extra noises? They are let out for recess and Eddie breathes a sigh of relief, thinking this is his time to let Sam out, knowing she's desperate for some fresh air. Sure, she's peed in his hoodie pocket, but he can't really tell with it's dark colour and the layer of t-shirt between the wet material and his tummy. 

He runs off to his usual corner, stuck between a bush and a tree and gently tips Sam out of his pocket, she scampers around his feet and gratefully accepts a broken off bit of cracker between her hands.

'Thanks for coming with me Sam. Everyone is so mean, its so stupid. I don't care. You are a better friend than any of those losers' He crouches down, hoping to find a twig to play fetch with. A game that he delights in, is immeasurably proud of her for learning it so quickly. 'Gonna find you the best stick Sam. Promise. Best stick for the best friend' 

He continues muttering to himself and doesn't notice that he's getting progressively louder after finding a twig and beginning the game. Doesn't register that he's drawn unwanted attention with his happy shouts and encouragement until a body is crashing through the shrub he's hidden himself behind. 

Sam doesn't notice either until the unexpected form is right in front of her and she bolts, running as fast as her legs will carry her and Eddie is right behind her, muttering under his breath as he trips over his own feet in an attempt to catch her 'oh shit oh no oh no oh no' He's pushing himself as hard as he can but it doesn't count for much, he never was the fastest. He keeps trying though but then a faster body is accelrating past him, in a evident bee line for Sam. 

Without thinking, Eddie lets out a painful 'NO!' terrified of what might happen.

He knows people think rats are dirty, thinks they don't deserve love and don't deserve life. He doesn't want to imagine what this person's intent might be. Sam reaches a dead end up against the wall of the school and the body, the boy, stops infront of her. Scoops her up? Cradles her into his chest? Eddie...Eddie doesn't know what to think, he's prepared to fight this kid but then the boy is looking up at him with curious hazel eyes. Stroking Sam's head gently and with intent.

He holds Sam out, careful with his motions, trying to blow his brown floppy hair out of his face without disturbing the animal in his hands 'is she okay? is she yours? did I hurt her? she looks okay, is she?' Eddie gingerly steps forward and plucks Sam out of the boys hands, gives hera thorough inspection as the other boy continues 

'I didn't mean to scare her I swear! I didn't even know you had her! I won't tell, I swear I wont! You know...you shouldn't really have a rat in school. If I promise not to tell can I play with you? I'm Steve' 

Holding her close, Eddie squints at the boy, at Steve, and thinks. Thinks about how he looks nice, about how soft his hair looks and how he asked Eddie, Eddie!, to play, that he didn't give him a wide bearth and that he held Sam with such care. It isn't even a hard decision.

They spend the rest of recess together. Eddie shows Steve just how smart Sam. That she can play fetch, that she can run across one arm to the next, over your shoulders without losing balance. That she can twitch her whiskers and it seems like she's laughing at the joke Eddie tells her. That she laughs at the joke Steve tells her! Steve learns that she's named after somebody called Samwise and it doesn't matter that he's a boy because Sam is brave just like Samwise and smart and cares just as much. That Sam is Sam and Eddie is Frodo and together they can take on the world. 

Steve asks if he can have a name too and Eddie calls him Legolas, doesn't tell him why. Doesn't say that Steve reminds him of the pretty elves described in the books Wayne reads out loud to Eddie. It doesn't matter, not really. 

Recess ends and they shuffle back to the school doors, both of them lagging behind the others.

Eddie steels himself, knows he has to bring his misfortune up so that he can own in, so that his new friend doesn't find out from someone else. 'I'm bad luck you know. Sally...she said it. now everyone wont talk to me. I wont be mad if you don't either. I've got Sam. We'll be oaky! So you can just go, I don't care!' He knows he's getting wound up, he can't stop himself. He just wants the bandaid ripped off so he can start feeling sad quicker, get it over with sooner.

Before he can register is, Steve is wrapped around Eddie in a flash of a hug, careful to keep his tummy away from squashing Sam. 

'Not bad luck to me. See you tomorrow Frodo' Steve whispers next to Eddie's ear and shuffles through the school door. 

Eddie is in a daze of joy and happiness, thoughts rumbling through his head but none of them sticking as he journey back into his class room. Pure happiness radiating out of his body, he takes Sam out of his pocket and holds her up to his face 'Sam you made my bad luck go away!' kissing her on the forehead as he hears his teacher scream 

'EDWARD MUNSON IS THAT A RAT?!'

-

So Wayne thought the already unpopular kid having a rat would make things worse. Turns out, he was wrong. Very, very wrong. He might have to start pocket inspections before school though.

--------------------------------------

also on ao3 if that's the preferred reading format for you

[levmada]

First Times Anthology, Extra 4: Beast

work summary » Intimate, vulnerable, gentle. Concepts Levi is a stranger to, until you.

ch.summary: You want a pet. Levi tries to be supportive.

content/warnings: Levi deflecting trauma as usual, past injury, soft and fluffy

wc: .9k

a/n: DELETED SCENE TIME. its not necessary to understand the story, jus filling in the blanks of the canon plot with some fun :) i wrote this back when i read We Have to Do Something in one night and the end hit me like a train. we are at the cabin from the last ch

・work masterpost・

taglist: @peace-for-levi | @sckerman | @jayteacups | @levi-my-beloved | @alominum | @mwuah | @midtwenties-angst | @ackermandick | @halloweenmedic | @katty | @notgoodforlife | @chaotic-nick | @b-o-n-e-daddy | @levisbrat25 | @1-800-mocha | + link to sign up

“What if we got a pet?”

“No.”

“Then why’re you cleaning the doggy door?”

The cabin, for some reason or other, had a flap built into the front door that could be locked or unlocked with a red mechanism. It was locked now, as Levi was sitting criss-cross, dragging a handheld scrub brush in fierce up-and-down motions.

“I’m cleaning it because it’s filthy,” Levi replies, far-away and distracted. There’s streaks of midnight grease lining the door flap—seems to him it’s been there longer than the Walls.

Then he realizes what you’re insinuating, and meets your coy smile with quite the opposite. “You want a mangy beast prowling around the house, the one we’ll be living in one-fourth of the year.”

“Not a beast!” You toy with your fingers, a silly grin leaking into your smile, just imagining it. “And, the door’s already here; we have everything we need. I think it would be nice.”

Your logic is horrifically flawed. Whether this mystical, idea-borne pet would even stick around for the better part of the year while you and he are gone is unlikely, but there’s already a little door, already a feathery bed fit for a small dog, or a large cat. Like what the cabin is quickly becoming for you and Levi, a haven, it could be like that for the occasional stray, too.

The glitter in your eyes is too appealing. “I can fix the door,” he argues, toying with the thread-bound rag, “I’m good with my hands.”

“Oh, I know you are. Fingers too.”

His face scrunches under the kerchief tied neatly around his face. “Tch… That’s not what I meant... Whatever.”

Levi pointedly swivels away from you, entirely focused on the grease, which he scrubs with renewed vigor. Where his sleeves are neatly rolled up, muscles and veins flex beneath his skin—it’s possible he’ll accidentally take the door off its hinges if he keeps up.

As the words leave you, you pad over and crouch behind him, flopping on your bottom: “Sorry, honey. Didn’t mean to change the subject.”

But after this morning, you really did.

“If not, I don’t mind,” you go on quietly, the rattling door tapering off a little as your palm lands gently on his back. “Have you ever had a pet before?”

The acrid stench of the stuff he’s scrubbing stings Levi’s nose. He quits on the grease for a moment and gives it some actual thought.

Back then, Isabel liked bringing home all sorts of critters with big, round eyes and crusty fur. He’s told you all about it before. They never stayed long—partly because she would make friends with just about any animal, including moles or mice, and anyway, it was always another mouth to feed.

There was one time, maybe. The cloudy memory only comes to mind now that you ask, but there was a mongrel he used to feed, a puppy. He couldn’t pet it because its snowy fur was stained ash-grey with dirt, mud, and flea-shit, tangled to hell. Whenever he tried to comb it out with his fingers, he got bugs himself, and the owner of the place his mother worked, where he lived, raised hell.

He should’ve stopped then. Left the animal alone, and it would find its own way. No kid about the height of anyone else’s knees would understand that, though. Not when he knew what it was like to go hungry, frowning at the dramatic concave of the dog’s ribs, hearing it cry.

“—so I fed it, and naturally it started coming around a lot more.” Back to scrubbing. Your arms, snug around his waist, tether him from floating away too far into the past. “One day, I didn’t have food—or maybe it was old bread, and the dog didn’t like that.” He never even named it. “I prefer cats.”

Its teeth tore the hell out of his forearm. It was no longer an option, keeping it from Mom—he needed stitches. Nobody else would do it, no money for a doctor. As a necessity, she knew how to sew, but as kind and soothing as his mother’s words still sound, clouded by memory, every single thing about her shook, even the image in his own mind.

She tried her best, and she never raised her voice or gave him hell about it—only, it grew low and serious, the way only motherly voices can: “Never, ever scare me like that again, baby. I know the dog was hungry, but you need to eat. You’re gonna be okay. Everything’s gonna be fine—I know it is, okay?”

“O-Okay. Okay, okay. M’sorry. Sorry.” And even deluded by the pain, he still remembers every word. He didn’t know any better, and she hushed him.

“It’s okay, You’re going to grow up to be big and strong, okay, baby? Show me you understand.”

He shakes his head a little, takes his shivering hand away, and clenches it into a fist. His words trailed off moments ago, but the memory didn’t. “Never mind. If you’re gonna keep pestering me, then a cat.”

Left a strung wire by the quiet story, you take an even breath, and carefully kiss the back of his head, where the blanket of his undercut is all prickly.

“Maybe we can make better memories than the old ones,” you suggest, gently. “But honestly, I’m happy just to be here with you.”

Visibly, his shoulders relax, and you feel the tension leaving your own body when it leaves his. No matter how nice the idea of a furry pet sounds, you couldn’t bear it if he didn’t agree—it’s impossible to pretend to be normal.

“Thank you,” he murmured, watching you softly over his shoulder. You exchanged a short kiss.

| levi masterlist | main masterlist |

[ihatebnha]

*takes deep breath* So, hi there. I love your work so I have a request if you ever feel up to writing it. I want a very soft/loving/doting Bakugou Katsuki x fem!reader because well. I haven't had the best relationships and my last one took a lot out of me to say the least. Without getting into too much detail, I was neglected, pushed away, lied to, he would hold things over my head, etc... And basically Katsuki is my comfort character so in order to feel even slightly better about all that, I just want something the complete opposite of what I went through. A healthy, loving, comforting relationship with Katsuki. It can be sfw or nsfw, I don't have a preference. It can be a drabble, it can be done in bullet points, it can even be done as headcanons. I'm really not picky, whatever you prefer to do is fine. My main thing is just... Feeling cherished like I never got to in my last relationship. Thank you for your time and reading this long-ass ask. I hope this isn't overwhelming for you (I completely understand anxiety). If it's something you don't feel like you can do or just don't want to, feel free to ignore. Thanks xx

thank you for trusting me with this request... im so sorry u were put thru all that. hope i did you at least little bit of justice.

i decided to do a bunch little drabbles based on some headcanons. style is somewhat experimental. enjoy!

(warnings: food mentions + you are a wife)

-

Bakugo keeps a garden. Tends to it whenever he has time, and makes an effort not to ask you for help whenever it is that he doesn’t.

He grows everything, from tomatoes and peppers, to garlic and squash… a better question, in fact, might be: what doesn’t he grow? And rather, what is it that he cannot cook with the things that reach fruition?

Bakugo is the type of boyfriend to harvest his crops and make you taste them all. He comes in on his days off, first from the balcony (when you lived in an apartment), then from your yard (after you bought a house), with arms full of reds, greens and browns, yellow and purple… and makes you a snack plate full of things you it’s hard to resist.

Bakugo wouldn’t say it, he’s much too reserved to admit to anything of the like… but he keeps the yard for you.

More than anything, he wants a happy wife in a big house with a pretty garden, always full of food he helped to grow and cook… and he’ll be damned if anything stop him, be it your ugly neighbors complaining about him yelling at squirrels, or the way you sometimes fuss about him bringing bugs into the house or getting dirt onyour clothes…

He makes it happen.

-

Bakugo has a love-hate relationship with your pets; refusing to admit he rather likes the way your dog always seem to choose him for walks and your cats stretch out beside him whenever he gets from home from being a hero and finds he really just need a nap.

You catch him often; always looking down the long row of treats at the store… and you never say anything when you come home with more than you went out for, new treats and bell-tipped toys taking up much of the space in one of your shopping bags.

You also notice how he spends an extra long time grooming your pets, too… large and rough palms smoothing over the bellies of your animals, picking lint from their fur and rubbing wax off their ears… and you know it’s just as soothing for him as it is for them, especially when he notices you looking, gets grumpy and says “it’s nothing,” but doesn’t proceed to stop.

Maybe it’s just because he likes animals, and maybe it’s because he likes you… but if you want fish, Bakugo will get you fish. A hamster and bunny, too… you ask and he will. Take you to the pet store far out in the country and hold your hand as you pick whichever and however many you want.

Sure, he might call the little hedgehogs and geckos ugly, wrinkle his nose at the smell of feed and raw hide… but he still chooses one for himself too, and helps you keep up with the tanks when you finally bring them home.

-

Bakugo always lets you pick the movie.

It’s something kind of weird about him, something you have yet to address… but it’s the truth, with him always throwing the remote at you after dinner, or grunting when you try to ask him what’s on that seems good.

It’s not that he doesn’t expect a little kindness from you on nights when there are things he wants to see… but for the most part, Bakugo is content letting you dictate what the both of you watch, refusing to complain about anything even when you can tell he thinks a story is stupid or would rather fall asleep.

He just… wants to you to be happy. He wants to give you whatever he can, from protection and safety to comfort and choice… and seeing the way you smile when you’re allowed to pick the movie, show, radio station brings him joy (in the form of a tight chest and the urge to hold you) beyond comprehension.

-

Bakugo is the last person on earth to take care of himself in ways beyond stitches and ice baths. But Bakugo takes care of you.

He knows, in that seemingly-genius way of his (despite never having touched a pumice stone once in his life), what self care is… as well as believes in the idea that it is something you constantly deserve.

He is always sitting you down when he thinks you’ve been on your feet too long, offering you a massage that begins in the form of spread thighs and the hair brushed delicately off the back of your neck. He is painting your toenails after rubbing his fingers into your face mask, and snapping at you to sit back down when you just barely move…

-

Sometimes at night, Bakugo will talk to you.

Whisper sweet nothings into your hair when he knows you aren't listening, and tell you his secrets when you are.

It's hard for him to communicate. Words often sting his tongue and get caught in his throat. But when he wakes up from nightmares and finds himself in your arms and face in your hair, suddenly they come easy.

He'll ask, even if you do not answer... is he doing a good job? Do you feel safe with him? Insecurity doesn't plague him as often anymore, but he still has to wonder if he's anything like the people before.

He'd rather die than ever hurt you.

-

Bakugo knows he is… rather foul. Understands that he is not the easiest to be with...

But in the same ways he can destroy buildings with his hands and rain justice upon criminals with simply his voice… Bakugo finds pride in being good to his wife. To you.

He is a hero, after all… and to him, there is nothing more heroic than being yours.

[you-did-well-moon]

Werewolf!Yunho meeting his mate

Type: Werewolf au, angst, fluff

Pairing: Werewolf!Yunho x HumanFemale!reader

Word count:  2,994

A/n: I know this took a long time, trust me, it felt like a long time for me too. With how I view Yunho, I expected this to be happier than it is. I was having a hard time while writing this, and it reflected on the story. Anyways please enjoy and stay safe!

TW: toxic relationship, financial struggle, deadlines, stressed reader, emotional and verbal pain, toxic masculinity, if I missed anything please tell me.

You sat at the foot of your bed, still not made, staring at the mirror resting against your dull colored wall with lifeless blank eyes. Your posture slouched as you finished tying the laces of your running shoes huffing and letting your arms flop to the ground. Looking at the mirror, you tried smiling, but it was meak and disappeared as soon as it appeared. 

You hadn’t smiled a real smile in so long, you forgot what it felt like. To smile. To be happy. The forgotten emotion was one you took for granted when it was easy to to bask in the warmth of it. Now it's just cold. Cold and empty. 

You looked away from the mirror with a tight feeling coiling in the base of your chest not being able to bear looking at the stranger staring back at you any longer. Your gaze fell to the laptop, abandoned, due to frustration on your desk in the forgotten corner of the room. The thought of unfinished drafts and incomplete sentences shook violently in your mind. Disappointment in yourself pooling in your gut remembering your editor’s words. 

“If you can’t give us at least a first draft by the end of the month, we’ll have to unfortunately let you and your novel go.”

How pathetic was it that you couldn’t even come up with a simple sentence. A description, dialogue, a metaphor. Nothing. Anytime you sat yourself in front of the desk, your mind went blank. The cursor blinking at the top of the page mocked you with the possibility of millions of words. Not one ever made its way onto the page.  

The end of the month was in two weeks. 

You felt tears of hopelessness stinging the corner of your eyes, and you abruptly stood up grabbing your wireless earbuds, phone, and bag. Making your way into the kitchen you grabbed the water in the fridge and placed it inside your back, nothing but a numb feeling alienating you from reality and its broken expectations. You heard the front door of your little apartment open and slam close shaking the thin walls of the building. 

Your heart lurched as you winced immediately feeling like you were walking on eggshells. You were usually quick enough to leave before he got home from work, but you had been a tad bit late this one time. You gripped the strap of your bag tightly hoping for it to ground you through whatever vile words came from the one person you should have been able to trust with your ugliest feelings. 

Trying to walk past your boyfriend, eyes trained on the chipped wood of the front door did no good when he kissed his teeth and huffed as soon as he caught sight of you.

“You’re never home when I get home from work, and the one time you are here, you run away not even saying hi to me? Not even a “hey honey how was work today” or maybe a “hi love what would you like for dinner?” and never a “you’ve worked hard would you like a massage?” It's the same shit every day. You treat me like nothing when I'm the reason you even have a roof over your head woman.”

You kept your mouth the whole time he rambled on trying to ignore the clear stench of beer being able to reach you even with all the distance separating you, and the feeling of disgust mixed with desperation pooling at the bottom of your gut at yourself for not speaking up for yourself. Opening your mouth instead of letting your voice be taken from you. A long time ago, you would always say you would rather die than be without your voice. In a sense, you had died a long time ago. 

Around three months after you had started dating. That had been two years ago. 

Your English degree really did you no good. Not having enough time to be an intern in college really screwed you over when no job would take a bright eyed girl with the same passion in her heart for writing as a Karen’s passion for business that wasn’t hers, but with no experience. Even if the apartment was under your name, you’d probably be kicked out in weeks time.

You hated all of it. Everything that made up both the small and big parts of your life, you hated it. You hated his greasy hair and beady eyes, the nasty rough stubble covering the lower part of his face as a result of his laziness. You hated the hesitation in leaving him because of the fear of the stack of bills piling up next to the fridge. You hated the editors who couldn’t find it in some part of their greedy selves to extend your deadline. You hated the empty drafts sitting in your laptop collecting what could only be dead dreams and despair. You hated the cold emptiness that was always present in the confines of your chest. 

You recoiled at the way he said “woman” the same way someone would talk about a bug. Small and insignificant. Patronizing and confident in the worst way. You set your mouth in a tight line not even being able to look at him. Shifting your feet, you crossed your arms and looked up to the sky as if calling out to some unknown being to get you out of this pathetic corner you were trapped in. You cursed under your breath looking at the dying flowers on the coffee table with distaste as they wilted towards you mocking you. 

“What was that?” His voice got rougher with the menacing edge of fanned masculinity and control. Something that could put you in a dangerous place in a very fast amount of time. You looked at him with dull eyes poking your cheek with your tongue as a cold feeling settled in your gut. 

Your hands fell limply to your side and you chuckled humorlessly. 

“Fuck you”.

Those two words were enough to set him off as you slowly blinked and looked at the ground feeling your heart falter when he abruptly got up. You tried to stand your ground, but the surge of confidence was quickly withering away with fear taking its place. 

Ethan was bigger than you. Even if he wasn’t that much taller than you, there was a noticeable difference in his frame and yours. Weirdly enough, you didn’t regret your curse at him. The words still burned brilliantly on the tip of your tongue. 

It was bittersweet of course. His nose flared, and his eyes bulged as he took large strides over to you knocking the coffee table over on his path to you.

“What did you say to me you-” his words were said through gritted teeth, brash and loud in the silent apartment.

 Maybe he was bigger and stronger than you, but you were faster.

You inhaled sharply reacting fast as your hand reached behind you, turning the knob and slipping around it slamming the door close. Your bag bumped against your back while you bolted to the door with the word “stairs” painted in big bold letters across it. You were already at the door when you heard your apartment door open and Ethan angrily called your name. Threatening to break your laptop if you didn’t go back right this instant. 

You couldn’t help but snicker at the weak attempt. It’s not like there were much but empty pages anyways. 

A heavy feeling soon settled on your chest as you went down the stairs. Your apartment was on the 4th floor, and the stairs weren’t the most taken care of, but it’s not like you had much of a choice anyways. It seemed these days you were always wanting to run away from something. 

Your heart felt a little lighter when the warm rays of sun met your skin and the fresh air outside flooded your senses. Your walk to the park went as usual. Cars racing to get where they needed to, people chattered about everything and nothing, and your thoughts wandered to a world far away from this one. 

A world that wasn’t as dark as this one. At the same time your mind became your executioner, it became your safe place. The sick contrast making a nasty feeling flood your chest.

You arrived at the park with a small smile. The normalcy of the day bringing a little comfort to your still racing heart. Kids ran around, laughter ringing in the air around them as their parents watched on benches gossiping among themselves. People raced fast either by foot, bicycle, or skateboard, a visible sheen on their necks. You looked for the kind old man who always looked after your bag while you ran. 

He owned a music store a few blocks away, and he always sat on the bench closest to the pond with his cute corgi and habitually feeding the ducks peas and lettuce leaves when finished  with a certain chapter of his book. You walked up to him with a small smile as he looked up and took the sight of you in with fatherly worry.  

“You look a little pale kid, everything alright?” 

You did your best to liven up and gave your best customer service smile which the older man immediately saw through.

“Of course Mr.Jung. Why wouldn’t it be? I’m just a little tired from the editors. They’re on my back more than usual”, you laughed nervously as he hummed in understanding.

“I hope that boy of yours isn’t giving you any problems. Hey kid, have you ever heard of the term “break up?” he looked so serious you had to compose your shocked face. 

You waved your hands rapidly “I promise Mr.Jung everything is fine there is...I...oh my” you took a shaky breath as he simply shrugged his shoulders and pet his smaller companion who was having a very serious stare down with a duck. 

You wiped your sweaty palms on your yoga pants while you looked around at the tacky named paths trying to decide which one to run today. 

“The Pupper Runner path looks particularly nice today,” he suggested. You looked at the path pursing your lips in thought. The path wasn’t one you ran frequently. Since it was one of the wider and flatter paths, there were more people such as families or people walking their dogs. You also didn’t like having run-ins with the cyclists who were grouchier around this time of day for some odd reason.

After contemplating it, you shrugged and decided why not. Getting run over by a ticking time bomb on wheels wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen today. With a small smile sent in Mr.Jungs way, you checked your shoe laces before starting out with a light jog making your way down the specific path.

There was nothing really different about today’s run than others. Just having to dodge the wheel demons and kids happily running ahead of their worried mothers. You were grateful for the distraction. It kept you from straying too far into your head. It was just you running. Running like you always did these days, your shoes slapping on the concrete path and Got7 blaring in your ears. 

The heat of the sun shone on your skin, but oddly you still felt cold. It was always cold these days. A light breeze fresh to your burning skin as desperate eyes caught yours, and you were once again bought out of your stupor. 

A small boy was kneeled down fingers clutching his untied shoelaces not far from his dad who was trying to calm a crying baby. You didn’t really have a strong adoration for kids, but his panicked pinched face compelled you to come to a slow stop in front of him. Your chest heaved as you bent down to his level sitting on your heels and wrapped your arms around your legs.

“Hey bud, you need some help there?”

The kid made a distraught sound as he nodded his face shaking his hair out of his eyes. He looked dumb founded as he stared at his shoe laces in search of answers they would never give.

“Mama said to make a bunny, but this looks more like my aunt Carol’s dog” he sadly told you.

You snorted reaching out gently to tie his laces with a double knot.

With a grin you looked up at him ruffling his hair and giving him a thumbs up which he happily returned with a toothy smile.

“It’s alright kid, you’ll eventually get it. Just keep trying yeah? Don’t settle or you might catch yourself tripping next time you go on a walk. You’ll get hurt. Wouldn’t want that would we”, you said, lips still stretched kindly upwards, but something in your words struck stingingly deep in your chest. 

As the kid nodded happily with a carefree laugh you were about to get up when you heard the air being split and a strained voice yelling “watch out!!”. 

You looked up, panicked, only to see a frisbee racing right in your direction with alarming speed. With the goal of protecting the small child, you quickly turned your body. Your shoes making a rough sound against the concrete as a startled light cry left the younger boy’s mouth.

With your hands ready, you easily caught the frisbee gasping at the shock of the situation. You quickly shook it off as you gripped the frisbee turning back to the child who profusely thanked you, his small hands shaking as they clutched onto the hem of your shirt. 

You simply smiled reassuringly tapping his shoe and ushering him back to his father who has begun to successfully calm the fussing baby down. 

With shaking knees you tried to get up only to wince and slightly waver at the sharp sting that hit your ankle area. You clenched your jaw feeling more than annoyed at the current situation in hand. 

You stood up grumbling under your breath as a tall figure jogged over to you. While he made his way toward you, your narrowed eyes met his wide, apologetic ones. 

You felt the world shift around you as a calming warmth shot through your body melding with the confusion and panic pooling in your gut, and his eyes widened impossibly as he stumbled managing to stabilize himself right in time in front of you. His figure standing just inches away from you as his hands trembled, and his lips slightly parted.

You got a slight whiff of cologne and mint, but more than anything, the weird feeling in your gut was making a way for the dreadful panic clouding around your heart. 

You felt warm. 

After feelings of feeling nothing but the hollow cold licking at your veins, there was a nice warmth settling in your chest. 

You were scared of it. 

With a heavy chest you slightly inched back left somewhat immobile due to the aching pain in your ankle. “What the hell?”, you immediately set off on questioning him leading him to shake his head frantically at you. 

“I’m so sorry, i really am.” He put his hand on his chest as if trying to prove his sincerity to you, but you breathlessly took a step back stunned by the intense feelings taking over your heart and mind. 

You tried shaking it off, but the warmth lingered. 

You weren’t sure you wanted it to go away. 

“There’s kids here”, you were so distracted by all the emotions circling your mind you couldn’t possibly put any effort into arguing with the young man. His lips parted to make way for his lips as he nodded his head in understanding. “I know, I'll be more careful next time. I promise.”

Somehow, you knew he was being truthful. You went to say something, possibly something dangerous, but you shook your head and waved your hand. 

You tried taking a step but lightly hissed at the sharp pain that shot from your ankle up your leg. The man instantly dove forward steadying you with a heavy hand between your shoulder blades, and the other hovering in worry near your collarbone. 

With wide eyes you looked at him as he realized his un-asked for touch and immediately went to back away. 

He couldn’t.  

Your hand was clutching the cloth of his shirt near his shoulder blades. Hands slowly uncurling, you smiled awkwardly, but he kept his hand where it was. At his touch, the warmth licking the insides of your body became all the more distracting. 

“Um, I don’t think you can go all the way back home like this”, he cleared his throat looking at you shily under his bangs. Flustered, you smiled at the ground before looking back up and timidly asking “I can't. Mind helping me out?”.

At your question he let out a beaming grin nodding eagerly. He went to stand in front of you, and he crouched down looking at you over his shoulder with soft brown eyes. You did a small jump, and were caught by his hands slightly gripping under your thighs. 

He gave a low chuckle that somehow was felt from where your chest was pressed up against his shoulder blades. “So...what’s your name?”. You let a light giggle escape, “Y/n, yours?”. You saw his jaw move with the syllables of your name whispering it to himself. 

“Yunho”, you smiled also sounding out the name on your own mouth. You gave a shuddering exhale, and you laid your head on his shoulder letting yourself really rest for what seemed like the first time in forever. 

That night you walked right past Ethan who was quick to begin yelling at you, and you tucked yourself under the safety of your blankets feeling the warmth still encasing your heart, so comforting and alive.  

[pantoneyoongi]

01. pop rocks

title ; tell me what you’re waiting for || 01. pop rocks cast ; baekhyun x you, lu han / chanyeol / junmyeon, minor appearances amber / krystal description ; baekhyun is a flirt and you don’t mind playing his games, but sometimes - just sometimes - you have to remind yourself that you’re not playing to win. word count ; 3.6k

tags ; best friends to lovers, college!au, baekhyun has a shocking amount of time for a collegiate athlete, baekhyun is both intentionally and unintentionally the worst flirt on the planet but mostly bc i don’t know how to flirt and therefore don’t know how to write somebody who’s flirty, an unnecessary amount of pet names, excessive pining, mostly fluff

❝ got me feeling like, ❞ pop rocks, strawberry, bubble gum

all i want is you, my love

masterlist | part two | part three 

“Hey cutie. You look familiar, have I seen you somewhere before?” 

You look up lazily, Baekhyun grinning down at you as he slides into the seat across from you. He rests his cheek against the palm of his hand, propping his elbow against the table as he stares at you. 

“Yeah, in your dreams,” you tease back, and Baekhyun’s grin widens. He adjusts to peer over at your notebook, the pages littered so densely in notes, even the margins are filled in. 

“You know, I could just buy you another notebook,” he remarks, scrunching his nose. You chuckle, pushing two fingers against his forehead so he backs out of your space. 

“Maybe I just like writing in the margins.” 

“Then you can write in my margins anytime, baby.” 

You roll your eyes, but you’re smiling nonetheless. “Is that really what works on girls these days?” 

Baekhyun shrugs. “Anything works when you’ve got this face.” He smiles prettily, and you snort, shoving his shoulder a little, earning a laugh. 

He tucks his lower lip under his teeth, and you remind yourself that it’s a habit he’s had since he was young. It’s aged well with him, no longer just a cute child’s habit but one that now works wonders on any girl within viewing distance. Surprisingly, it’s one of few habits that Baekhyun doesn’t actively use to his advantage. 

He settles in comfortably across the table from you, scrolling aimlessly through his phone while you work. You let your eyes wander over his features for just a second - to take in the curve of his jawline, his high cheekbones, the way he presses a finger to his lips as he swipes up on his phone using his other hand. 

He’d grown comfortably past all of his awkward phases into someone unbearably handsome, and you know you aren’t the only one who knows it. 

After all, Baekhyun is known best for being able to get a girl into his bed every weekend (and sometimes throughout the week, too, if he can spare the time between baseball practice and bugging the shit out of you) - he’s a player through and through, leaving behind strings of one night stands and, every so often, broken hearts. He generally tries to avoid the latter - “it’s just sex,” - but it’s hard for the weaker-hearted not to get attached to the way Baekhyun’s eyes seem to focus only on them. 

When he reaches for the soda he’d brought with him, his eyes flicker up to meet yours, and you don’t look away fast enough - he clicks his phone off instantly as an insufferable smirk spreads across his face. “Enjoying the view, sweetheart?” 

“I would if there was one,” you shoot back, but he’s chuckling lowly, and you curse yourself for feeding his ego. 

“You can stare,” he says. “I don’t mind. I like looking at you too.” 

You’re adamantly refusing to look at him now but you know he’s tilting his head and doing that thing that he always does, where his eyes center in on you, full of warmth and teasing and something a little less than innocent. 

“Shut up,” you mutter, and he laughs, reaching over to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear. You should shove his hand away, but his touch leaves tingles behind, and he taps a finger against your chin playfully. 

“Cute,” he murmurs, and then all of his warmth is gone, Baekhyun leaning back in his chair with his eyes back on his phone again, soda straw tucked between his teeth, the moment dissipating in an instant. 

Baekhyun is a flirt and you don’t mind playing his games, but sometimes - just sometimes - you have to remind yourself that you’re not playing to win. 

.

.

.

As you refocus your attention to your notes, you don’t notice when Baekhyun slowly raises his eyes from his phone to look at you again. He wasn’t lying - he does like looking at you, loves sweeping his eyes over your entirety, from the way your hair falls over your shoulder to the way your eyebrows furrow when you concentrate. He’s addicted to the way your fingers slide absently against your pencil, to the skin you show from your sleeveless shirt. He knows it’s dangerous - to look at you the way he looks at other girls, but just as Baekhyun had grown through his awkward phases, he’s convinced you simply never had one. 

He doesn’t know where all of this began. He can’t recall when he transitioned from childish teasing into full-blown flirting, never mind the fact that on most occasions, you have no trouble meeting him line for line. But he loves pushing you as far as you’ll let him - just to watch that pretty shade of pink color your cheeks when he gets too close. 

It’s indulgent, he thinks, to flirt so shamelessly with someone who knows him so well. But you blend together with him so seamlessly - you’ve never had any trouble matching his pace, be it his playful moods or his more serious ones. Everything is far more entertaining when you’re the one by his side. 

Baekhyun fiddles with the straw of his drink, giving himself a few more seconds to linger on your lips, your fingers, the way your eyelashes touch your cheek - then he reels himself back in. 

“Hey,” he throws a crumpled wrapper at you. “Help me with the chem homework next week.” 

You arch an eyebrow at him. “No chemistry one-liners? Are you already failing?” 

Baekhyun shrugs, eyes twinkling playfully. “I already know we have chemistry, darling. Besides,” he leans in, a smile playing on his lips. “Maybe I’m just asking so I can get you alone in my room.” 

You’ve spent plenty of hours alone with him in his room, but you play along anyway, propping your chin against your hand. “Oh? Byun Baekhyun wants to be all alone with me?” 

“Yeah, maybe if I play my cards right, you’ll let me do a little hands-on research.” 

He’s sure you’ve never taken him seriously when he’s like this. It comes with years of being his friend, of knowing him through his awkward pre-teens and all the high school trials it took for him to get smooth enough to quite literally charm the pants off any girl. 

You chuckle. “I see why you’re failing,” you quip, eyes twinkling. “You never learn your lesson. If I haven’t let you study hands-on after this many years, I don’t think you should be getting your hopes up anytime soon, Byun. Besides,” your eyes spark with a mischievous light. “I’m sure you’ll need some time to recover after the weekend.” 

Baekhyun doesn’t miss the innuendo. He pouts like he’s been deeply wounded, and you laugh loudly. The sound reverberates deep inside his chest, and when he looks at you, he ignores the feeling that curls around his heart. 

.

.

.

“Come to the party with me this Friday.” 

Every so often, Baekhyun will invite you out on his weekly escapades. Almost without fail, Baekhyun attends parties every day of the weekend, a new girl falling into his bed with him each time. 

You aren’t the type. You don’t particularly like one night stands, don’t care much for the sweaty grinding of bodies in a house that typically seems like a health hazard. You don’t even like alcohol altogether that much, either. 

“Do I have to?”

Baekhyun laughs. The two of you are headed towards his on-campus apartment, Baekhyun’s arm sliding over your shoulder. You’re so used to it that it barely registers - it no longer sets off the sparks it used to, no longer gives you a flush of pink across your cheeks that Baekhyun used to tease you about. After this many years of being his friend, you forget that you should be pushing his hand off your shoulder, especially when his fingertips dance across the bare skin of your upper arm, hand sliding lower and lower until it comes to a rest around your waist, pulling you in close to his side. 

“Careful,” your lips quirk upwards on one side when you look up at him. “People might get the wrong idea about us.” 

Baekhyun’s thumb hooks into the loops of your jeans, and he gives a playful tug. “Maybe this is exactly the idea I want people to have in their heads.” He leans in close, eyes concentrated so intently on you that for a minute, you forget that this is Baekhyun, that he flirts like it’s second nature. “Maybe this is exactly what I like.” 

His voice has dropped one octave deeper, and you pretend not to notice the way his eyes dip down to your lips when your tongue swipes across them briefly. You force yourself to look away - he’s just good at this, he doesn’t actually want you - and you hum, tilting your head nonchalantly. 

“Too bad,” you slip out of his arms before he can even blink. “You’re not my type.” 

Baekhyun clutches his heart like he’s been shot, and you laugh. The world shifts back into balance. He always does this - this back and forth, between Byun Baekhyun the flirt and Byun Baekhyun the dork, the boy you grew up with. You don’t know why it’s getting harder these days to draw the line, that even just a second longer of his warmth wrapped around you might’ve made you forget that Byun Baekhyun doesn’t want you like that, and never has.

You hope that you won’t turn out to be one of those weaker-hearted girls that Baekhyun passes on by, but when Baekhyun flashes a smile at you, the kind he reserves just for you, you think it might already be too late. 

.

.

.

Friday night’s party, as expected, is awful.

Baekhyun spots you hiding in a corner, holding a red Solo cup for appearance’s sake. He watches as your eyes scan the crowd, and when they find him, he gives a cheesy wink. You roll your eyes back at him and he navigates his way through the crowd. He gives one particular girl a sugary sweet smile when she brushes a hand over his shoulder, murmuring a coy, “Hey, Baekhyun,” into his ear when he lays his hands on her waist to gently shift her to the side. 

She smiles like she knows he’s coming back for her, then turns, disappearing back into the crowd. He lets his eyes linger a little longer than absolutely necessary as she slips through the crowd, before he turns back to find whatever corner you’ve shoved yourself into. 

“He-llo,” he sing-songs when he reaches you. 

You tilt your cup in the direction of the girl he’d left behind. “You’re not going home with her?” 

“Oh I am,” he grins. “Just checking in on you first.” 

You let out a huff of laughter, and he leans his arm against the wall to face you. It starts as just a usual part of his usual game, purposely dragging his gaze from your eyes down to your legs, but halfway down and he forgets that he’s just messing around. He swallows hard, and thank god you don’t notice, as he tries to make his body cooperate with his brain, eyes lingering on the expanse of your neck. 

He tries to chalk it up to the alcohol humming through his system currently. Dimly, he’s aware that you’re telling him about bumping into Junmyeon earlier, but all he can think about is how he doesn’t really want to go home with some other girl, he wants to go home with you, and the thoughts start cluttering his mind before he can stop them - the horribly pleasing idea of putting his hands on places friends don’t belong in. Worse, he wonders what you’d look like the morning after, messy hair and sleepy eyes and - 

He’s not at all prepared to follow through with that particular line of thought, and his heart stutters in a sort of panic he hasn’t felt since he was fifteen and asking a girl out for the first time. 

“Junmyeon looked really nice today,” you muse, and that forces him back into the present. 

“What?” 

The music is loud enough that you assume he can’t hear you, and he exhales quietly in relief as you repeat yourself a little louder. “Well, he is handsome,” you comment absently after, and Baekhyun doesn’t understand why he suddenly feels like the world is closing in on him. 

“Are you trying to sleep with my team captain?” It’s supposed to be joking, but there’s a slight edge to his voice, and you know him too well not to hear it. You tilt your head questioningly when you look up at him, and he quickly grins back at you. “I can help you. Junmyeon hyung could stand to get laid.” 

You give him a mildly exasperated look, but there’s no bite to it. The same girl from earlier brushes past his shoulder, making him glance up, and you know that’s his cue to fall into bed with tonight’s one-night-stand. You gesture for him to go. “I’m going home.” 

“You need a ride?” 

The words stumble out too fast. You look at him a little oddly, a ghost of a smile on your lips. “Don’t you have someone waiting for you?” 

For the first time in forever, Baekhyun feels like he’s fumbling with his words. “Just wanna make sure you get home safe,” he shrugs, and you pat him on the shoulder, slipping past him. 

“Have fun, Baek,” you dismiss him, and he doesn’t understand himself when he watches you weave through the mass of bodies, leaving him behind. 

.

.

.

Monday comes with you knocking at Baekhyun’s apartment door. It’s entirely unsurprising when a girl opens it, thankfully clothed and actually on her way out. You count yourself lucky - every so often, you enter the boys’ apartment and Baekhyun’s door is still closed. One time you’d made the mistake of trying to open it, only to find out a few short seconds later that you’d interrupted something, a girl huffing irritably while Baekhyun cheerfully escorted her out. 

“Sorry,” you’d apologized, embarrassed, when the girl had gone, but Baekhyun had only shrugged. 

“No worries,” he’d said, a gleam in his eyes and a telling smirk on his face. “She got plenty rounds of me last night, anyway.” 

He’d laughed loud enough to wake up Chanyeol when your face flared a bright shade of red, and from then on, you learned to wait for Baekhyun to open his door instead. 

You enter his apartment to find Junmyeon dead asleep at the kitchen counter, head slumped against his forearms. You peer down at him. Judging from the number of books stacked on the table and Junmyeon’s open laptop and the headphones falling off his ears, he’d fallen asleep studying. Junmyeon has the unfortunate luck of living in the bedroom next to Baekhyun’s (he’d lost a game of rock, paper, scissors against Chanyeol and Lu Han), and campus apartments aren’t exactly built with anything close to soundproof walls. 

“Hey,” you round the counter to come beside Junmyeon, gently poking his arm. “Junmyeon, wake up. Don’t sleep here.” 

He makes a cute noise in the back of his throat, burying himself further into his arms. You can’t help but smile, and gently shake his arm again. “Junmyeon,” you lean in closer. “Hey, wake up.” 

Junmyeon opens his eyes blearily, blinking slowly as his brain catches up with what he’s seeing. “Oh, hi,” he mumbles. Baekhyun’s door opens, making both of you look up to see him shuffling out sleepily, bed head and all. 

Baekhyun eyes the two of you, noting how closely you’re standing next to Junmyeon. You don’t notice, but his eyes flick down to the hand you still have on Junmyeon’s arm, and he squints a little as you straighten up, your hand moving to the back of Junmyeon’s chair. “Morning, Baekhyun.” 

He scratches at the back of his head and gives you a cute smile, tilting his head. “Hey there, beautiful.” 

You turn back to Junmyeon, trying not to look too fond of the way his hair sticks up a little from being slept on in an odd position. “Did you wanna go back to bed?” 

“Of course he wants to go back to bed,” Baekhyun says cheerfully. You’re not entirely sure when Baekhyun had crossed the length of the room, but he sidles between you and Junmeyon. He removes Junmyeon’s headphones and then heaves his team captain up out of his chair, Junmyeon making incoherent protesting noises as Baekhyun encouragingly guides him back into his room. “Shh, shh, it’s okay hyung. I know we were loud yesterday. Nighty-night!” 

Baekhyun closes the door in Junmyeon’s very confused face, then spins to beam at you. You quirk an eyebrow, deciding against teasing him about his offer on Friday about helping you hook up with Junmyeon. 

“Your hair’s a mess,” you inform him instead. He shrugs, scratching an ear. 

“Got a little wild last night,” he says, and wastes no time tugging you close to him. “Wanna take me for a ride too?” 

You snort and push him off you. “In your dreams, casanova.” 

“Always,” Baekhyun affirms cheekily, but returns his hands to himself, a happy, mildly sleepy smile on his face. His hair is sticking up in all sorts of directions, and out of habit, you reach up to comb it down. 

His hand comes to gently wrap around your wrist, and it’s then that you realize how close you’re standing to him. He looks at you with half-lidded eyes and one corner of his lips tilts upwards, teasingly. “But it seems like you’re the one who can’t keep your hands off me. Is it my sexy morning voice?” 

You pull your wrist out of his grasp, hiding the quick beating of your heart behind an amused scoff, turning and walking away just to escape the warmth emanating off him. “You’d be a lot sexier without all that morning breath, you know.” 

Baekhyun makes a noise between a yelp and a laugh as he runs off to brush his teeth, and you hate that you can’t help but stare after him affectionately, heart thrumming in your chest. 

.

.

.

Baekhyun doesn’t want to admit it, but he’d grabbed your wrist only because you were getting too close for comfort, and his heart has been doing weird things around you lately. 

His eyes flicker to where you’re currently situated comfortably in his bed, a spread of textbooks and papers and notebooks thrown across his sheets. While Baekhyun had gotten cleaned up, you’d wandered into his room and changed into his clothes to get comfortable. His heart is doing flips in his chest for no apparent reason at all, and it starts running in double time when you tuck your bottom lip under your upper one, eyebrows furrowing as you concentrate. 

God, it’d be easier if what he wanted was to shove all those papers and notes and books to the floor and throw your clothes off with them. But that’s not it. What he wants is to crawl into bed with you and curl into your warmth and feel your hands in his hair again, running through it soothingly. 

“Baek,” you scold. “You idiot, you multiplied by the wrong number. How do you read your own handwriting?” 

You had been reviewing his stoichiometry problem, and you hold up his paper for him to see, pointing out where he’d accidentally multiplied by two instead of three. But Baekhyun isn’t really paying attention, his mind running a dozen different scenarios in parallel (shockingly, only two of which are inappropriate), seeing you in his bed. It makes him feel dizzy. It’s not even like this is the first time you’ve sat in his bed, or been alone with him in his room. So he doesn’t know why this is throwing him for a loop in the first place - 

You wave the paper in his face, tickling his nose. “Earth to Baekhyun,” you call, and he scrunches his nose, shaking his head a little to get away. A grin spreads across your face and when he sneezes, your grin turns into giggles and Baekhyun’s heart stutters. 

Again. His heart is doing this thing again, beating wildly in his chest, over - what? His best friend laughing? 

Oh. 

It’s the worst realization. 

He knows this feeling. He knows this feeling and it makes him freeze, because he can’t - he shouldn’t - 

He goes on autopilot. His mind and body separate, and he’s not entirely sure what’s coming out of his mouth anymore but it’s making you laugh and he’s memorizing (re-memorizing, for the millionth time), the way your eyes crinkle in the corners, and all the affection in your expression when you look at him. 

His mind is racing. He hadn’t meant for this to happen - not again, but his heart is doing jumping jacks in his chest and that’s just not something it normally does - he’d convinced himself for years that it just wasn’t in his nature. In fact, he’d made it an absolute point to make sure it stopped doing this around you - it’s not like he was thirteen anymore. 

But all the feelings he’d shoved down at thirteen are running at top speed to catch up to him now, it seems. His heart is tripping and fumbling and he feels like a teenager. He has the way you smile ingrained in his memory, and when your hand comes to swipe at his shoulder playfully, he knows it’s all over. 

Byun Baekhyun would give up the world if it meant you smiled at him like that forever. 

[authortango]

“Write a story about friends who wind up on a misadventure.”

Summary: Two boys find a dragon in some woods.

Genre: Fantasy, Modern Fantasy, Humor, Children’s Fantasy

Word Count: 1,333 words

“Do all dragons breathe fire?”

“Not all of them, I don’t think.”

“What about this one?”

“How am I supposed to know dummy? We just found it!”

The sleeping little dragon peeked an amber eye at the two squabbling boys perched above its nest. The scales glinted a prism of colors in the late afternoon sun, bathing the trees around in little rainbows.

One of the boys stood up with his hands on his hips, looking at the dragon decisively.

“Well, I think it’s been abandoned. And we need to take care of it now. Michael, give me your jacket.”

“Why my jacket? Yours is just as good!”

“Because Michael, you’ll have to keep the dragon at your house. Your mum will never know it’s there if you keep it in the old barn! Also, my mum will kill me if I bring another pet home.” Michael stuck his lower lip out, pretending to be put out. Secretly though, he was excited at the thought of keeping the dragon in that mangy old barn of his. The other boy, Rudy, sighed in exasperation at the charade.

“I’ll even bring some meat to help feed him so you don’t have to or whatever.”

“Deal.” Michael grinned, and the two boys crouched down together again to peer at the dragon.

It lay in a deep nest of pine needles, the ground the boys stood on dipping low into a bowl like formation. It was starting to get dark, and a troubling thought crossed both their minds.

“Suppose that it’s not abandoned.” Michael suggested slowly, prodding some leaves with his foot, sending them tumbling down into the basin. Rudy exhaled sharply, blowing his fringe out of his eyes. He was thinking the same thing, but didn’t want to admit it. After a moment to think, he finally said,

“It can’t hurt to at least hold it. And then if there’s no sign of the mum, we’ll take it with us. We can’t leave it out for other animals to get, it looks pretty defenseless.” 

With that, both boys tumbled and skidded into the basin. The dragon quit pretending to sleep and hopped up, it’s tail wagging like a dog’s as it made happy noises at them. The boys were cautious at first, and threw sticks, which the dragon happily puffed fire at the objects, confirming the boys’ earlier question. Seeing as it didn’t aim any fire at them, and in fact desperately leaned up against the boys’ legs for pets, they rubbed its scales with firm palms and found the iridescent white scales to be smoother than a snake. They were soon playing tug of war with Michael’s jacket, and wrestling each other like one may do with a new puppy. 

It became colder as the last rosy fingers of the sun reached towards the woods where the boys played, and there was still no sign of the caretakers of the little dragon. Panting from their fun, the boys became serious once again as they considered what to do with the dragon.

“I think we should take it. It’s going to be dark soon, and what if the parents left it here, or something else? It’s too venerable.”

“Vulnerable.” Rudy corrected without hesitation. He was a grade above Michael, and felt a sort of pride when he knew what Michael didn’t.

“Right, that. Well anyway, I think it should come with us.” Rudy nodded his head in agreement, and, having been holding Michael’s jacket for the last tug of war game, scooped up the dragon in it and slung it over his shoulder. 

When they reached the edge of the basin, Rudy put the dragon down for a minute to help hoist Michael up. After much grunting and bickering, Michael reached the top of the basin and pulled himself over the side of it. Then, he reached down, and Rudy offered up the dragon. Once the dragon was on the ground next to Michael, Michael turned to it and said in as firm a tone as he could muster,

“Stay.” The dragon, having nothing better to do and enjoying the antics of his two new creatures, sat with its front paws crossed in front of it, its tail contentedly sweeping back and forth through the underbrush as it watched Michael struggle to pull Rudy up. Finally, the boys tumbled over each other, and after taking a moment to catch their breaths, scooped back up the dragon and started to walk again. 

“It’s gonna be so cool to take care of a dragon!” Michael cheered, jumping as he walked to catch low hanging branches with his hand. Rudy, who was holding the dragon like a large dog, just gave a grunt of affirmation. The dragon was definitely heavier than he had thought it would be. Michael chatted happily on, and as the evening bugs came out the dragon began to squirm in Rudy’s arms, pushing against his chest and reaching out to try and catch them in his mouth. Starting to become frustrated, Rudy placed the dragon on the ground and said firmly, 

“Are you going to walk with us if I set you down?” The small dragon gave out a yip, which Rudy took to mean yes. He released the dragon, and after unraveling the jacket from it, handed the jacket back to Michael. They continued to walk along, talking and occasionally laughing at the way the dragon hunted the bugs around the forest floor.

Finally the boys made it to Michael’s backyard, where they led the dragon into the barn. It didn’t take much convincing to get the dragon in there, as it soon discovered the miracle of rats, and began chasing them around the barn. Satisfied, both boys pushed the barn doors closed, and grinned at each other.

“He needs a name.” Rudy said. 

“Right right, absolutely.” Michael agreed, looking around him for inspiration. After a moment of thought, each boy said out loud,

“James.”

“Nicholas.” 

“That’s a rubbish name.” Rudy said, scrunching his nose up with distaste.

“So is James!” Michael shouted, crossing his arms.

“At least James sounds old-time-y! Like one of England’s old kings or whatever.” They paused for a moment more, until finally Michael said,

“What about Bronwyn?” Rudy thought about it a minute. It wasn’t bad. It sounded even older and cooler than James. Not that he would admit it to Michael fully.

“Alright. I like it. Bronwyn it is.” Rudy said. Michael beamed triumphantly, and Rudy socked his shoulder.

“Alright, see you tomorrow.” he said. Michael punched him back trying to get him with more force.

“See you tomorrow mangy grub.” He laughed. Rudy laughed back with an incredulous look on his face, shoving his hands in his back pockets and turning to walk home.

***

Michael awoke suddenly late in the night to hear the sound of crashing outside his window. With a strike of panic, he remembered Bronwyn the dragon was left in the barn. Was he trying to get out? Was he lonely? What if something was trying to get in?

Michael ripped open his blinds to see a large white dragon, shrieking and tearing at the barn, completely demolishing it. Presently, the little dragon poked its head out of the rubble, crying happily at the sight of its mother. Michael, dumbstruck, watched open-mouthed as the baby dragon retrieved a rat before clumsily flying to its mother. The mother used a claw to help the dragonling onto her back. Before turning to fly off into the night, the mother turned and looked pointedly at Michael, who could have sworn she was smiling, but in that scolding mother way. 

After both dragons flew away clear into the night, Michael raced out of his room and down the stairs. Breathlessly, he grabbed the phone and immediately dialed Rudy’s number. Once a groggy Rudy picked up, Michael whispered loudly into the phone.

“Rudy! You’ll never believe it! Bronwyn’s mother came to pick him up, and she destroyed the barn!”

[chilling-seavey]

Daniel surprising his girls with reindeers ~T

Friday, December 10, 2027

Daniel’s father instincts went off the moment he picked up his girls from school, Penelope climbing into the backseat in tears with Clementine following right after. He glanced over his shoulder to her as she buckled herself into her car seat through her sniffles and sobs.

“Hey, bug, what’s wrong?” Daniel asked softly, reaching back to brush the tears from her cheek.

“Christmas is ruined!” Penelope cried.

“Why ruined? What happened?” Daniel unbuckled his seatbelt so he could turn a bit more in his seat to face her.

“How does Santa get to everyone’s houses?” Penelope asked softly, her voice wavering.

“In his sleigh. You know that.”

“He can’t when reindeer aren’t real!” Penelope sobbed.

“What? Who said that?” Daniel frowned.

“A kid in my class!” Penelope wailed, a fresh wave of tears flowing down her cheeks. “He said they don’t exist!”

Daniel thought for a moment, watching his middle daughter nearly drowning herself in her tears and his eldest sitting quietly beside her, staring at her hands in her lap. He sighed, looking between the two of them.

“They don’t exist, do they, Daddy?” Clementine mumbled sadly.

“They most certainly do.” Daniel answered.

“But I’ve never seen one!” Penelope argued loudly, shaking her head as if to prove her point until her messy brown hair fell over her tear-filled eyes.

“Do you want to see one?” Daniel asked.

The girls only blinked at him.

“Yeah. We’re gonna go see some reindeer.” Daniel said, as if confirming with himself as he turned around and buckled his seatbelt again. “We’re going to get Mommy and Lucy from home and we’re going to go see some reindeer.”

Penelope sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her coat and looked out the car window as they started for home, snow falling gently from the grey sky. It wasn’t far to home and Daniel parked out front of the apartment building and called Florence to get her to head down to meet them and moments later, they were all set to head to wherever their destination was. The mood in the car was melancholy as Penelope and Clementine were still sad and disbelieving – almost sure that Christmas was ruined – but Daniel wasn’t ready for his daughters to lose their belief of Christmas magic before even hitting ten years old.

Lucy was unphased at three-and-a-half, yelling for Daniel to turn on the music from the middle seat in the back, kicking her legs against the front seats until Florence had to tell her to sit still. Daniel turned on the Christmas station and turned up the volume to try and liven the spirts of the girls in the back – well, other than Lucy who was gladly screaming along to the lyrics the best she could – as he drove towards their destination.

About an hour drive later, they were far out of the city and near rural farmland that was coated in crisp snow and Daniel pulled into a long driveway trimmed in Christmas lights and framed in tall trees and he parked with the few other cars that were there. Florence and Daniel stepped out of the car, sharing excited smiles together before getting their girls out. Penelope sniffled as she stepped out onto the snow and reached for Daniel’s hand with her smaller gloved one.

“Where are we?” Clementine asked quietly, taking Florence’s other hand that wasn’t claimed by the youngest.

“We’re going to visit some real reindeer.” Daniel said as he locked the car and led his family towards the barn.

The property was used as a reindeer farm in the winter where you could go visit and feed the animals and the people who owned it made it all magical for the kids who came too. The barn was trimmed in Christmas lights and was packed with a few people and shy Penelope shuffled closer to Daniel as they walked inside. They found a spot right by the small fence that housed a couple reindeer, each with a red Christmas ribbon around their necks.

Penelope’s eyes went wide and she took a step closer to the fence to get a better look. Daniel petted her hair back from her tear streaked face and brushed it down her back to tame her natural waves, smiling at her shocked expression. Clementine joined her sister at the fence and stepped up on the bottom pole to see over the top and Penelope copied her carefully.

“Horsey!” Lucy shrieked excitedly from Florence’s arms, pointing to the animals.

“They’re reindeer, Lucy Lu.” Florence chuckled, pressing a kiss to her pink cheek.

“Daddy.” Penelope glanced up at Daniel and he leaned forward against the fence so he was bent closer to her height. “Are these Santa’s reindeer?”

“They sure are.” One of the workers answered for him as she walked over to join them, decked out in her festive farm clothes and topped with a red Santa hat. “Santa let us borrow them for a few days so you could come see them!”

Penelope gasped, her face breaking into a grin and she looked back up at Daniel before turning back to the animals.

“Do you want to feed them?” the worker asked the girls.

“Yes, please!” Clementine nodded, jumping off the fence to hold out her hands and the lady passed her a bit of reindeer food from her pocket and then gave a bit to Penelope and Lucy too.

“They’re really friendly but you have to be gentle.” The lady instructed as she called over one of the reindeer. “Hold your hand out like this and he’ll munch it right out of your hand!”

Clementine eagerly joined her with her arm through the fence, watching with an excited grin as the reindeer sure enough licked up the food from her palm. Daniel crouched down beside Penelope and held her hand out with his as she shyly hesitated but once the food was softly eaten up, she was asking for more to do it again.

Penelope’s mood was much improved by the time they finished at the farm, saying goodbye to each reindeer and giving the one they fed a gentle pet on the head. Each girl even got a candy cane as a parting gift and Penelope sucked on hers happily as they headed back to the car, hand still tucked in Daniel’s.

“Daddy.” Penelope looked up at him through her candy cane.

“Yes, Penny?”

“Can I please have a reindeer for Christmas?”

“Where would we keep it?” Daniel chuckled.

“In my room.” Penelope answered, scuffing her boots through the snow of the parking lot.

“I think we should leave the reindeer for Santa, don’t you?” Daniel said.

“Maybe.” Penelope mumbled.

“Do you believe in reindeer now?” Daniel asked as he opened the car door for her and helped her climb in.

“Yeah! I can’t wait to go back to school and tell everyone!” Penelope smiled.

“Tell everyone that you met Santa’s very own reindeer. How cool is that?” Daniel added, leaning over her to buckle her up and then help Florence get Lucy settled in the middle seat.

“So cool.” Penelope said.

He pulled back out of the car and leaned down beside her, “Would I ever lie to you?”

Penelope shook her head, hiding her shy smile behind her candy cane.

“Exactly. Trust me next time. I know what I’m talking about.” Daniel winked at her and pressed a kiss to her cheek before closing the car door behind him.

With all the girls buckled in, Daniel and Florence got back in the front and Daniel started the car and the music.

“I want everyone singing until we lose our voices!” he instructed loudly, turning the volume up loud before starting back for the main road towards home.

[enchanted-prose]

The Unconventional Princess

anons in my ask box im so sorry and I will get your ficlets out soon! this is for my darling @ascendant-queen, because I know how much she loves Fink

Word count: 1,400 

Characters: Fink, Fink’s rat, Snips, Buttons, and Grip (All original characters)

Notes: 1414, Fink is about 9 in this ficlet, a wee babey. Unedited! Also we were cheated because Fink deserved to take his sweet rat with him, and I was watching Ratatouille so its only fair that I write a rat fic. Don’t think about how difficult it would’ve been for Fink to give up the rat, and you’ll be fine.

Enjoy!

Fink was never the strongest, nor the biggest.

But he was small, and he was quick. 

He couldn’t remember the name he’d been born with; couldn’t remember the names of his parents. His name changed multiple times from Gabshite, to Bug, to Dung Beetle, and finally to Fink because he’d struggled with pronouncing his ‘th’ sounds while saying the word ‘think’.

“Come on Fink,” yowled one of the older boys. His current name was Grip. “There’s things to be doing.”

If dodging blows wasn’t something Fink was used to, he would’ve had a sharp kick to his ribs. Rib kicks were the worst.

They usually resulted in broken ribs.

Broken ribs meant a slow, painful death. 

“Things like what?” Fink rubbed his eyes, there weren’t any messages to deliver this early. Or at least he hoped there weren’t.

Grip shrugged. “Dunno, Snips and Buttons have been catching frogs ‘n other things. I think we’re gonna roast ‘em an’ eat ‘em.”

“We’re gonna eat Snips and Buttons? Eat a person? There’s no way I’m doing that, not even-”

“Shut up, gabshite, I’m talking about the frogs.”

“Oh.”

Dichell was a nice enough city. It was far enough from the ocean to keep big fish out of the sewers, but close enough to Isel to get a wide variety of rich folk. They clung to their purses and forgot to seal up their pockets. Fink could get his hands on a few coins easily enough.

Despite begging him to slow down, Grip dragged Fink by the wrist through alley after alley, eventually they merged into Dichell’s main road. 

“Where are we going?” Fink asked.

No answer.

“Grip! Where are we going?”

“The Farmer’s Wench!” Grip called back. “I don’t know where to find the frogs, but I know where to find rats! Snips and Buttons will meet us there!”

“I thought Snips and Buttons were hunting frogs!”

“They are!”

Flaws riddled Grip’s statements, but Fink knew better than to point those out to him. The last time Fink had informed Grip that he wasn’t talking right, he earned a fist to the face. 

Luckily the tooth that Fink lost was one of his baby teeth, and a new one was beginning to grow. He had no intention of losing one of his permanent teeth over a dispute about talking.

Although losing a tooth by fighting a dragon in order to save a beautiful princess was easily the best way to go.

All Fink had to do was find a dragon. And a princess.

Just as Grip promised, Snips and Buttons were waiting in the alley by the Farmer’s Wench. Buttons, being the largest out of them all, held a large sack on his back. He was furiously beckining Fink and Grip over.

“We cornered a rat, but it’s hiding between a crate and the wall,” Buttons said. 

“Why can’t Snips get it?” Grip asked as he led Fink into the alley.

“We’re both too big, Gabshite.”

“You kiss your mother with that mouth?”

“No, but I kiss yours.”

Fink frowned, “None of us have mothers. Oh! That’s an idea, we could all find a mother, get her to take us in, feed us-”

“Mothers don’t want boys like us, pigbrain!” Snips cackled.He jabbed his finger at the crate. “You’re gonna catch that rat for us, we need dinner.”

“But what if it bites me?”

“Better it bites you than me, Buttons, or Grip.”

“That’s not-”

“Fair?” The three boys supplied.

There was no sympathy in their eyes.

Something rustled.

The rat was making for an escape. 

“Get the rat!” Screamed Buttons, hurling himself at the animal. 

Buttons missed the rat by a foot, and careened into the wall. Fink flinched at  the sight of Buttons’s bloody head. Wounds like that only ever meant trouble. 

The rat dashed between Grip’s legs, dashed side to side, and scuttled right into Snips’s open hands.

Fink didn’t like the odd tug-tugging in his heart. It wasn’t right, the way Snips was laughing as he squeezed the rat until it squeaked.

He knew what it felt like to be squeezed until you were sure your bones were going to break.

It was too difficult to watch. Fink pressed his fists into his eyes, and looked at the Farmer’s Wench’s old sign. Looked at the toothless old man begging for a coin or two in the street. Looked at his shoes.

Anywhere but at the squealing rat. 

Too many times he’d been told he was too small. Boys like him couldn’t be knights, they’d be blown away by the flap of dragon wings before they could do any princess rescuing. 

Was it too early to fill those shoes? Too early to answer that chivalrous call in the only way he could?

“Ah, dinner is-” Snips said, but his sentence was never finished.

Gathering all of his strength, Fink punched Snips in the nose as hard as he could, and caught the fat rat as Snips tumbled down. The rat’s heart was beating faster than a humming bird’s wings. . . And Grip’s fist was coming at him equally fast.

Cradling the rat to his chest with one hand, Fink dashed down the busy street. He couldn’t let go. Couldn’t let go of the rat. Horses thundered past, drivers yelled at him to get out of the way.

By the Devils! What could he do with a rat!?

Go, Fink! Go!

His size brought him an advantage. Fink vanished into a side alley just as Snips, Buttons, and Grip thundered down the street. Rat in hand, Fink slumped against the alley’s brick wall. 

Fink didn’t know kind words, not the kind that young mothers used on their newborn babies. 

But he was willing to think of kind things to say. “You’re a skinny, little thing, aren’t you? Ah, silly me, rats can’t talk. I’m sorry, I’m kind of used to speaking to trees and other silly things. I get lonely, do you get lonely? Do rats have feelings?”

The rat gave a pitiful squeak.

“Oh, Devils! I’m holding you too tight, I’m so sorry. Here, ah, I’ll set you down. I can barely find food for me, let alone another mouth. Besides, pets are useless. I can’t train you to-,” Fink set the rat on the ground, “-do anything that’ll-, hey! What are you doing?”

The rat only sat back on its haunches, and sniffed at Fink’s trouser leg. 

“Shoo! Didn’t you hear what I said?”

Still, she sniffed his trousers. 

Fink stood up, “You’ve gotten me into trouble with my friends, I’ll have to go apologize. I wanted to be a knight, and you were my unconventional princess. But you’re not a real princess, and I’m not a real knight, so I have to leave you now. It’s nothing personal, everyone gets left behind in one way or another. Happened to me, but I turned out alright! Sure, I go a little hungry, but I haven’t kilt anyone yet. Goodbye, lady princess.”

He brushed his palms over his shirt, unsure of why his eyes were smarting. It was miserable, acknowledging that no matter how hard he wished, he’d been abandoned. There was no mystery mother and father coming for him.

There was nothing more to him than his ability to sneak into tiny places. 

A flash of grey darted around his feet as he shuffled forward.

It seemed the rat wasn’t inclined to being left behind.

“Oh! You’re right, it’s rude of me to do that,” Fink said, freezing in his steps to avoid stepping on the rat. “I didn’t ask your name, but rats can’t talk, so I’ll give you a name.”

The rat squeaked a little louder as Fink picked her up with both hands, and looked her over. 

Names weren't something Fink really knew. The boys he ran with were all named after objects or things they did well. 

Thinking, thinking. He’d run so many letters to so many people. There had to be- wait!

“I’ll call you Ninette,” Fink declared. He set the rat, newly christened Ninette, on his shoulder. “I ran a letter for a Ninette once, she was marrying a man she didn’t love and wanted to run away with somebody else. I don’t know what happened to her and if she got away. You can carry her name, though. Ninette was nice to me, and you’ll be nice to me too, little Ninette.”

He wouldn’t be alone.

Not while he had Ninette resting on his shoulder.

[cherryeol04]

The Firsts

Summary: No one ever told him that living was going to be so difficult. That there would emotions get couldn’t label and distinguish. He’s just a young boy trying to navigate through life and its unexpected ups and downs.

Genre: Humor, Fluff, smut(?)

Pairings: Oc x Felix, Oc x Changbin, Changbin x Oc x Felix

Warnings: poly relationship, angst in some part, excessive fighting about the MCU.

Parts: Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Part 13 / Part 14 / Part 15 / Part 16/ Part 17

A/N: This story has a theme of Firsts. First love, first kiss and many other firsts. Each part can be read on their own and are meant to stand as oneshots. It’s basically a collection of oneshots (little snapshots into my Oc’s life. 😁)

“The fact you took them back.” Minho grumbled as he sat across from Aiden, eyeing the other who was trying his hardest to hide himself behind Seungmin. “We spent three hours listening to you cry! Do you know how much that hurt hyung, Aiden? I care about you and I don’t want you to be hurt again. I can’t bear to see you go through that again.” He scolded and Aiden whined. 

“I know it’s just -“

“What bullshit did they feed you?” Minho asked. 

“It wasn’t bullshit.” Aiden whispered.

“Hyung.” Hyunjin spoke up, staring at Minho. “I know I came in after all this happened, but scolding him isn’t going to help the situation. I’m sure he has his reasons for accepting their apology and proposal. We should be supportive.” 

“I agree with Jinnie.” Seungmin nodded. “Besides, I saw them trying to make things better. Aiden just was too into his feels to notice. Whatever happened happened. It happened the way it did and now they’re trying to fix it. If it means less strain in the group, who are we to stop it?”

“But what if something happens again?” Minho protested, dropping his sandwich back on his plate and reached out, taking Aiden’s hand gently. “You know I’m not really mad or anything. I just worry about you. I was there from the start of your relationship with Felix until now. I just want -“

“And I appreciate you, hyung.” Aiden interrupted with a smile. “I really do. And I know you’re just looking out for me but I have to try this. I still love him. Both of them and if I don’t I’ll just be miserable for the rest of my life - always wondering about ‘what if’.” He said and pouted. “And if I’m wrong, then I’m wrong and I get hurt. But I’ll have learned then, and work to keep myself protected and try harder to find someone who will love me for all I am.”

“Aiden, stop trying to be such an adult. I miss the hyperactive brat you really are.” He chuckled softly. Smiling, Aiden shook hid head.

“Silly. I’ll be back to my normal self soon. I just wanted to tell you guys what happened before you like accidentally discover it. I think it was the better decision.”

“It was. Thank you for being honest with us.” Hyunjin smiled at him. “And I hope you three are happy for a while, okay?”

“Thanks. That means so much to me.”

“Alright, enough with the sappiness though. I would like to eat my lunch and not puke.” Seungmin teased, pulling laughs from the others as they went back to eating. 

———

“And I told Mr. Jung that there is just no way I can compose four songs last minute like this!” Chan grumbled as he stared at his computer. “I mean I could do one or two by Friday, but I can’t do four.”

“I told you he was crazy, why didn’t you listen to me?” Woojin asked as he eyed the younger male with a smirk. 

“Listen mom -“

“Damn, if this is what university life is like, I don’t want to graduate.” Jisung pouted from his spot on the floor, back pressed against the couch. His history textbook laying open in his lap. “High school is supposed to be easy too!”

“Ah, I miss the good old days.” Woojin mused with a soft sigh. 

“It was literally last year.” Minho scoffed with a laugh. “Stop trying to age yourself.”

“Back in my day I had to walk down the halls with all my books in my hands. None of this new-fangled technology of lockers like you youngins have.” Chan spoke, voiced pitched in his playful teasing. 

“Grandpa!” Felix cheered and laughed harder when Chan smacked his fellow Aussie in the chest with a pillow. 

“Siri, how do you time travel?” Changbin asked as he held up his phone, the others laughing along with him. 

“I need new friends.” Chan groaned and rubbed his nose with the palm of his hand. 

“Sorry hyung, already tried that and they’re still here.” Aiden teased as he looked up from his notebook. “But you wouldn’t have us any other way.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.” Chan grunted and sighed. “But no seriously, how the hell am I suppose to make 4 songs?” He asked. 

“I can help if you want.” Changbin offered. 

“Oh me too!” Jisung jumped in. “Just got a really high score in production class. I’m like a genius. I got you hyung.”

“Genius? In who’s world?” Seungmin asked, brow raised. 

“In my world, duh.”

“I beg to differ.” Seungmin scoffed. 

“Only if you call me daddy.” Jisung smirked and Aiden choked on his water, coughing harshly as he smacked his chest quickly. 

“Ji! You can’t be saying that stuff around the virgin!” Minho poked at Aiden. “His poor heart can’t take your sinful tongue.” There was a beat of silence before Minho continued. “But I can.” He smirked. 

“Jesus!” Aiden hissed as he coughed again. “Can we not have this sexual talk in my Christian server? Thank you!” He pouted. 

“You would think, a man with two boyfriends wouldn’t still be a virgin.” Woojin mused. 

“Back in my days, whores just ran about flashing every Tom, Dick, and Harry they saw.” Chan joked. 

“Sometimes it was a Harry dick.” Woojin added and laughed as Aiden smacked his head on the table.

“I need new friends!” Aiden whined loudly. 

“Sucks to be you kid.” Chan smirked and shook his head. “Now, about my song production.”

———

Aiden whined as he laid back in the bed, staring up at the off white ceiling of Felix’s bedroom. The room silent, save for his soft breathing and he allowed himself to fall into the thoughts that were running over a million miles a minute. It was only a single thought, one comment that had been said that was really bugging him. 

“You would think, a man with two boyfriend wouldn’t still be a virgin.”

Was it bad he was still a virgin? Was Felix still one? Changbin even? He was pretty sure that Minho had been with Seungmin at one point and now was probably chasing Jisung’s tail. Said friend most likely wasn’t a virgin from all the tales he had told Aiden about the women he had dated back at his old school in Malaysia. 

He couldn’t be too sure about Chan or Woojin. A part of him was thinking that they were dating based on their behavior, but a part of him wasn’t entirely sure they were both gay or simply had interest in guys. And Hyunjin was a mystery to him. The little twink acted both experienced and shy and he couldn’t even decipher what was an act and what wasn’t. 

It worried Aiden. He could very possibly be the only virgin in his friend group and it seemed wrong. It’s not like he needed to have sex in order for his friends to accept him, they already did - at least he thought. It was just something about the way they teased him and Aiden wasn’t stupid. He knew they meant no harm by their words, it was all in good jest. But it was still an insecurity he had. 

Being inexperienced. And now it seemed that maybe he was the only inexperienced person in the group and it worried him. His mind drifted off to thoughts of Felix and Changbin, and what would happen when it came to that time for them to be intimate. How would he able to handle it? He could barely reciprocate the moves Changbin had used on him a while ago, he certainly wouldn’t be able to survive now that there were two of them. And what if he sucked? 

What if he couldn’t figure out how to touch Felix the right way? Or make Changbin moan? What if he couldn’t get either of them off and they were left hard and wanting - disappointed in his lack of ability?

He sighed and lifted his phone up, finger pressing and holding down the lock button until the screen flashed. “Siri, where is the nearest cliff I can yeet off of?”

“Okay, here is what I found.”

Aiden’s nose scrunched up as he read the results for the nearest Cliff’s Restaurant that he could eat off of. 

“Good job, Siri. I knew I could count on you.” He sighed. 

“Oh god, Binnie it’s worse than we thought, he’s started talking to himself.” Aiden lifted his head and watched as Felix and Changbin walked into the room, arms filled with snacks and drinks for their movie marathon. 

“I knew we shouldn’t have left him alone.” Changbin tasked. 

“I should have offered him my pet rock. He’s a great listener.”

Changbin paused and stared at Felix with concern. “Right.” He said slowly and gave a nod. “Okay so I’m dating two psychopaths.”

“Hey!”

“Hey!”

“Oh, that’s creepy. They’re even in sync. Minho warned me about you crazy people.”

“Oh my god, shut up!” Aiden tossed a pillow at him, laughing as it struck Changbin in the face. “Asshole, you know you love us.”

“I never said I didn’t.” Changbin countered as he kicked the pillow back towards the bed and walked over, setting the various cans and bottles of drinks on the nightstand. Sitting up in the bed, Aiden crossed his legs as he leaned over and looked at each label. 

“Alright, we got drinks. We got snacks. I got Black Panther queued in the DVD player, are we ready for a bomb ass movie night?” Felix asked. 

“You’re way too excited for this." Changbin laughed as he took a seat next to Aiden on the bed. 

“Black Panther is my favorite MCU movie, don’t hate.” Felix pouted as he grabbed the remote and jumped onto the bed, getting the DVD screen up on his tv.

“No hate.” Changbin hummed and smirked. “Isn’t there a legend about having sex after watching Black Panther?” He asked.

Aiden could feel his pulse start pounding as he stared at Changbin. There he was being so cheeky, trying to look innocent but his smirk was anything but. “I do not recall any legend. I believe that once we watch Black Panther then we can have cuddle sessions anywhere we want. A better achievement to unlock.” He said quickly. 

Felix laughed at that and shook his head. “We can stop with this whole ‘watching marvel movies leads to something’ joke. Really, at this point, we shouldn’t base our relationship off of watching the MCU.”

“Oh lord, Felix is going to be profound again. Something about moving at our pace and being intimate when we’re ready. And blah blah blah.” Changbin rambled on and Felix pouted. “On the nose right?”

“I hate when you do that.” Felix whined and sighed before looking to Aiden. “But he’s right. Relax babe, we won’t do anything you’re not ready for.”

“W-What?! Why do you think it’s me?” He squealed our indignantly. They both gave him a pointed look and he flushed, looking away quickly. 

“Because you’re the shy one.” Changbin cooed and reached out, pinching Aiden’s cheek gently. “I remember when you got so pouty when you couldn’t even touch my dick, and then you made such a mess.”

“Stop!” Aiden whined and pushed his hand away, smacking Changbin’s arm lightly. “That was so long ago.”

“It was. Wouldn’t mind doing it again honestly.” 

“I wouldn’t mind watching either.” Felix grinned. 

Aiden honestly wasn't sure what to say or do in that moment. Being reminded of the time he jerked off with Changbin had brought back a lot of memories and feelings that he really hadn't allowed himself to feel in a while. He could still see Changbin's face, clear as day when the other told him to cum - that thought alone sending a shiver down his spine. Did he want to do stuff with them? Of course he did. And really he was the only one holding himself back from enjoying the company of his two boyfriends - from experiencing whatever pleasure the two could bring him. He needed to get over himself, and just let loose. But it was hard, so very hard. Especially when is insecurity of being inexperienced was one of the reasons he thought Felix had cheated on him and was going to break up with him. He had been wrong, but that didn't ease any of his feelings. It only seemed to intensify them. 

Aiden hadn't notice Changbin moving until he felt the broad, strong chest pressing against his back. Muscular arms wrapped around his waist, and had Changbin's arms always been that bulky and sexy? Since when had his best friend started working out? Last he remembered, he could barely get Changbin out of his bed to walk down the stairs to get food on some days. When did he find the energy to actually go to a gym and work out? "You know we won't force you, right?" Changbin's voice was soft, words so gentle as his lips grazed Aiden's ear and embarrassingly he whimpered. "It doesn't matter if we have sex now, next week or three years from now." he continued, fingers gently rubbing against the flat plane of his abdomen soothingly. It didn't actually help in any way to relax him and Aiden found himself even tenser than he had been just being lost in his own head. "It's not important. What is important is that you feel comfortable with us - with doing simple things." he said as he rested his chin on Aiden's shoulder gently. 

"I know." A whisper, barely audible and Aiden hated himself for sounding so timid at the moment. "I just don't want to disappoint you."

"How can you disappoint us?" Felix asked, brow raised. "Where in your mind did you come up with such a ridiculous thought?" 

"It's not ridiculous!" Aiden argued and pouted. "You both are so experienced and I'm not. Hell, I avoided kissing you for like a whole week and half because I was scared I would suck at it!" he confessed, cheeks heating up at the memories of his flailing about Changbin's home and crying to Minho and Seungmin because he just couldn't get up the courage to kiss Felix and was too afraid that if he let his guard down and Felix kissed him, the other would leave him. 

"Who says we're experienced?" Felix asked with a snort. "Really Aiden? Is that what you've been thinking this whole time?" he asked.

"Well, yeah." Aiden whispered, eyes lowering as he stared at his lap, focusing on picking at the skin of his thumb, rather than the intense burn of his boyfriend's eyes on him. "Aren't you?"

Changbin laughed at that and Aiden knew he didn't mean to be hurtful in his laughter, but it did still hurt because he was laughing at him. At his apparently stupid thought process - not that he didn't agree, it was pretty stupid when he said his thoughts out loud. "No!" he spoke through his chuckles. Aiden could feel the rumble of Changbin's deep laughter through his chest, shaking Aiden to his core and for a moment he simply got lost in the feeling and the closeness. But when Changbin started talking again, he was pulled from his thoughts and forced himself to focus on the words being spoken. "I've kissed someone before, yeah. But I'm not experienced in anything. I jack off a lot, so does that give me experience in hand jobs?" he asked 

"Well, I mean... maybe?" Aiden asked curiously.

"Then that means you're experienced too." Changbin pointed out. "But I haven't done anything else, with anyone, including Felix." Changbin lifted his gaze from Aiden to look at the blonde male sitting in front of them. Felix nodded his head, a soft sigh leaving his lips

"I haven't done anything either." Felix confessed. "You were my first kiss Aiden." Aiden felt his eyes widen impossibly large at the admission. He honestly hadn't thought he was Felix's first kiss. The other seemed to experienced in what they were doing - how their lips moved and the right amount of pressure to put to keep a kiss soft or maybe to make it a little more heated.

"But I thought-"

"That's the thing, baby. You thought, you never asked." Changbin cut him off, lips pressing lightly to Aiden's cheek. "You sit there and worry about being inexperienced, thinking the rest of us have so much experience that there is no way we could possibly want you, but we're just as inexperienced as you are." he told him. "And that's okay because like Felix said before, it's okay to be inexperienced. It's what life is about, going through the unknown and learning...together."  Aiden could feel himself pouting, brows drawn together as he did his best to will the tears from welling up in his eyes. He remembered Felix saying that on the night of the confession in the Ferris Wheel. He just never thought they meant it, or what it actually meant for them.

But now it was different. He was being told he wasn't alone in being inexperienced. The people he thought who were experienced, weren't and for some reason, that made everything seem okay. Because he wasn't going to be embarrassing himself or being compared to a past relationship. Everything was fresh and new for them. 

And maybe that's all Aiden had needed to know from the very start.

"I want to." he whispered, lifting his gaze to meet Felix's eyes and then turned his head to stare at Changbin.

"Want to what?" Felix asked gently. 

"Have sex. I want to, I'm just scared." He felt Changbin's arms tighten around him, pulling him back closer as he nuzzled his neck gently. 

"It's okay. We can do it when you're ready, baby. There's nothing to be scared about okay?"  Aiden nodded his head slowly, letting out a soft exhale as he relaxed fully against Changbin. Lifting his arms, he held them out towards Felix, smiling as the Australian crawled into his lap and laid against him, cuddling into his chest. Aiden wrapped his arms around Felix and sighed contently, eyes closing as he enjoyed the warmth the closeness brought to him. Aiden watched as Felix grabbed the remote for his DVD player once more and started the movie, the three of them falling into a comfortable silence as they were sucked into wonders of Black Panther. The worries and fears that had plagued Aiden's mind for almost year were finally eased, assured that his two boyfriends would take their time with him and not rush him and he was sure they would make their first time together - whenever that may be - memorable. And for that, he was so thankful to have them in his life.

[knight-of-heart-and-art]

anonymously submitted palefic

It’s lucky you’re in the above sea-level area of your hive when the doorbell rings, because your moirail is already soaked, and you think being any wetter might put her over the edge. You stand back to let her in, and close the door behind her as she drips onto your carpet.

It’s not raining out.

She looks like she’s going to cry, or punch something, so, without a word, you lead her to your bathroom. You hand her a towel out of a cabinet while she takes off her shirt, and she promptly wraps it around her shoulders. She won’t meet your eyes.

“Kitten?”

Nothing. You sigh and put your hands on her shoulders.

“Kitten, I need you to tell me what happened so I can-“

“Some fucking clown pushed me in a fucking fountain and tried to get me to fucking drown myself and I couldn’t get out until he got bored and left me alone and he took my headband and people saw and I hate him IhatehimIhatehim-“

You croon deep in your chest and pull her close. She shakes against you. “I didn’t even do anything, and he just- he just-“

“I know,” you murmur. Your chest squeezes in sympathy. You both know that’s a lie. You’ll never be disrespected like that, but you hate that she will. You hate that you still can’t protect her from this. You’ll track that fucker down later once she’s calmed down, give him hell to pay. “What do you need?”

“Fucking- to cull that sonyofabitch, put claws in his throat, see who’s a fucking-

“Kitten.” You pull away and tip her face towards yours. That’s not it. “I know what you want, and there’s a time and place for that, butI need to know what I can do now.”

She’s quiet. You wait.

“…make me feel like I’m something.”

Tell me I’m important. Tell me I don’t deserve this. Make me feel good. Let me feel good. Let me just feel you.

You kiss her temple, and your heart breaks, just a little. She’s your everything. You don’t know if she’ll ever see that. “Of course.”

~|~

Less than five minutes later, you’ve got her stretched out on your pile of pillows and blankets in a thin sleep shirt and a pair of athletic shorts. The pile smells like both catnip and seawater- it’s not a bad combination, just a strange one. It makes you both settle, though, and you see her eyes already closing as she rests.

You kiss her eyelids the rest of the way closed, as gently as you possibly can. “Tell me if you need me to stop, okay?”

She nods, squeezes her eyes shut, and you want to cry. She shouldn’t ever be this frightened, you shouldn’t have let her-

You’re not here for yourself. Not like that, anyway.

You stroke long, needle-thin claws over her belly, brushing against her grubscars and down over the sides of her waist to the stretch marks on her hips. She turns her head away from you as you do, eyes flicking open guiltily, and you gently move her back to look at you.

She doesn’t say anything, just chews anxiously at the inside of her mouth as you move down, skimming your claws over the outsides of her thighs and repeating the whole thing over again.

She’s breathing hard, like she’s scared, so you gently, gently reach down and kiss her stomach.

It takes you a moment to realize she’s crying.

You curl around her and hold her until the tears taper off, rubbing her back and quietly shushing her. “Nyawaa, are you sure you don’t want to t-“

“Yes.” The vehemence in her voice surprises her, you think, because she curls into you tighter. “I don’t want to think about it, I just- I just want to not be scared, I want to not h-hurt- I want him to g-go away-“

You kiss the space under her eye, start kissing away the tears, and it’s like a dam breaks. She mewls and pulls you closer, her claws digging into your back as you slowly kiss a line down her nose, catching each of her lips separately with your own. Her chest still heaves, the tears not quite spent, but she’s being so brave for you, you know she is-

You make a quiet clicking noise at the edge of your throat, and she shudders. You pull back the second she does. You didn’t mean to- it’s a highblood noise that means anger, that means, hide, that means pray, but it’s not her you’re angry at. Not her. Never her.

After a moment, she takes one of your hands and puts it at the hollow of her throat. You can feel her pulse, quick, quick, the flutter-beat of a bug in a jar. She locks eyes with you and tips her head back, giving you better access to her neck as her eyes close.

“You gonna wreck me or what?” She asks after a moment. “My pets could do a better job than this, Rie-Rie, c’mon-“

You move a sharpened claw against the bottom of her chin, down the arch of her throat, and she goes silent. You draw lines across her clavicle, down her shoulders to circle her palms with the softest, most dangerous touch you can produce. A soft, catching purr kicks up in her chest.

There you are.

~|~

As the night sinks into day, Nyawaa’s noises of assent grow quieter and quieter until all you hear of her is the barest whimper when you touch something good. Her waning energy is spent all on keeping her awake- even with your attention, her body still recognizes that if she sleeps, if she sinks into the sugar-pale space between dreams and waking, where the mind wanders and dissipates and sets, she’ll be vulnerable.

Her conscious mind trusts you, but her subconscious is just too far ingrained with the grim lessons of your home planet

It’s a good thing that her subconscious doesn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.

You pull back for a moment, and when she registers that you’ve stopped touching her, she whines pitifully, her hands clawing at the fabric. You shush her quietly, stroking down between her eyes until she settles. “Kitten.”

Her eyes open slowly, slightly, and oh, she’s so beautiful like this. She can barely focus on you through the haze you’ve put her in, but she does her best to look. You gently move up to her horn, and a shudder runs down her spine as you stroke it. “Do you want me to put you under?”

She sighs without speaking, her eyes drifting shut, but you dig your claws in for a moment. You need real, spoken consent for this. She’s not always okay with it. “Kitten.”

She blinks a few times before opening her mouth to speak. It just stays open, lips parted slightly as the rushing hormones sweep through her thoughts, erasing the words off her tongue. “Mm-hm…” she finally hums. “Wan… that.”

You stroke up her horns again, and her eyes sink back shut with a quiet moan. You kiss her forehead before she’s even stopped making the noise. You love hearing those sounds from her. Sweet girl. Best moirail. Best.

You drag your claws down her cheekbones, brush back her hair, smooth and tease and wander every inch of her skin until her hands go limp in yours. You’d be surprise if she still remembered her name, and good lord, that thought does things to you. Fuck. You’ll figure that out when she wakes up, though, and for now, you just have to give her that final push-

You cup the back of her neck, your claws pressing into her skin, and she makes a small, beautiful noise, the last of her thoughts trying desperately to stay alive in the melted area of her body she used to know as a brain.

They fail, of course, and she goes still, her mouth still slightly parted. You pet her hair for a moment before pulling out your phone and opening a mirthful church’s social feed to find the fucker who did this to her.

She makes a quiet noise, and you press your lips to her forehead and smile fondly.

She’s going to drool all over the pile.

[01010010-posts]

— love is a program bug in my heart.

“wonder, tender, i’m singing forever you are so beloved that i can’t leave you alone i don’t care about the sadness and i am singing forever and ever” a pair of arms sneak around your hips, hands gently placed on your stomach enclosing themselves, protecting and holding you sweetly, chest weighing a little on your back, lips slightly brushing on your neck, caressing the skin, whispering soft hums onto your collarbone “sing with the one i can’t leave alone” wet tiny kisses interrupting his part of the song, slowly fading away as he ascends his path to your chin, your earlobe, your cheek “you learnt the lyrics?” a half laugh, concentrating on the sizzling pan, your fingers wrapped up in uncountable star-themed colourful band-aids “mh-mh” he nods, rubbing his nose against your temple, closing the already small distance between your bodies, pressing himself more and more, as to feel every inch of your figure “it’s coming along nicely, you know” the scent of roasted potatoes, rosemary and salt filling the modest kitchen together with the light of the tangerine lamp above both of your heads “is it?” finally opening his eyes again after a brief moment of complete calm and bliss, another kiss over your carotid, as to cheer you on, as to keep him properly love-feed “absolutely” you assure, determination in a steady gaze, you’re not going to burn them, not happening “i was thinking....” he starts, tone low, feeling a smile unconsciously forming on his mouth “about the first time we met” you giggle, it’s a story he adores reminiscing, especially when the evening is quiet like this; few silent cars with their tires on the asphalt as the background of the long gone setting sun, not night yet not day either “now you’re just teasing me”   soaking the torrid brown hued cosy apartment are: fuzzy warm notes spilling out of the stereo he switched on with the help of his LED, all because he wouldn’t – for anything in the world – leave your side “i’m not.” an indirect clinginess in his voice, a microscopic pout at the edge of your shoulder “you were so lovely, even if you worried me” you shake your head a bit, doing a ‘tch’ sound with the click of the tongue on your palate, too busy stirring with a wooden spoon, wondering how the skinned yellow bell peppers are cooking in their own juices “that’s not exactly what you meant when you began shouting, in the middle of the road, what a dumb human i was” a shy groan, hiding his embarrassment on your clavicle “a car almost hit you” a muttered sigh and the tickle of his perfect eyelashes “not my fault you were handsome — and still are” you snort, levelling your palms to pet his puffed hair, immediately he leans and melts into the touch “one would normally be cautious before rushing through the crosswalk” he breaks the contact, smirking and making you turn towards him, his sturdy frame squashed onto you “telling the most attractive android in detroit, you, by the way, how super cute he was couldn’t wait” in your new position your nails are free to caringly scrape circles on his nape “you could have gotten hurt– also, you may stop being a flatterer, we’re engaged” you snicker, the ring he gifted you clearly visible near your knuckle, gosh, sometimes you have trouble believing it “did i forget to inform you? i only love your pretty face” is it possible for someone like him to fancy someone like you? he looks upwards in some sort of fake exasperation “how fortunate of me, then, that my beauty will never fade” you chuckle, continuing to play this game of yours “what about me? will you leave me when i’ll get wrinkly and grey?” “no.” a sour grimace “my affection is not solely based on your aspect; i cherish your mind, your personality, your quirky habits, i cherish your whole person” an endearing passionate kiss, your jaw kindly tilted, then a murmur “besides, morons don’t get old” he mercilessly sneers, mocking you “oh, come on!” you erupt in a surprised expression, beating your fists on his torso with the hint of a joke “if that’s the case i’ll go feeding my cats, at least they appreciate me” escaping his grasp you disdainfully seek refuge in the living room “cats – ?” astonished, he should be accustomed to your weird antics at this point “darling, we don’t have cats!” he yells, sharply awake from his dream “virtual ones! on my phone!” is your squall of response he breathes easier, tenderly beaming at your existence a “fuck–” slips out and he finds himself with the smell of incinerated dinner on the stovetop.

[a-butterfly-on-his-tummy]

Day Four: You Know Dasher and Dancer.....

“Ooh Ooh.” Two-year-old Grace is pressed up against the glass as she watches the gorilla on the other side chomping away on a nice green leaf.

“See the gorilla Gracie bug?” Harry squats down next to his daughter, talking to her about the animal she is seeing. “What do monkey’s say?”

“Ooh Ooh.” She grunts again making her noise for a monkey.

“That’s right. Ooh ooh ahh ahh.” You say to Grace, itching your armpit like a monkey would do, making Harry giggle in the process.

Grace motions for Harry to pick her up by lifting her arms up towards him. Harry picks up his little girl with ease as they walk out of the Gorilla Kingdom towards the area that has been magically transformed into a grotto for Father Christmas as his reindeer.

You and Harry love taking Grace to the ZSL London Zoo. Watching Grace interact with the different animals always makes your heart smile. Every December the zoo puts on an event where people can come and see Father Christmas and his reindeer. The area is packed with pine trees, each decorated with lights and ornaments, making you feel as if you are in the North Pole.

Grace kicks her feet against Harry, wiggling to get out of his grasp so she can see the herd of reindeer that is ahead of her. Harry sets her down on the ground, holding her hand so she doesn’t get too far ahead of her parents.

“Wha’ do yeh see Bug? Is that a reindeer?” Harry walks with Grace up to the herd. A few employees dressed as elves hand you a bag of feed.

“Look Grace! Look what mummy has!” You open the bag of feed. Reaching, in you pull a small handful of food out, putting it on your palm. Moving your hand towards the reindeer. The majestic animal bends his head, opens his mouth, and breathes his warm air on your hand as he eats his snack.

Grace’s eyes are big; she pulls back towards her dad, using Harry like he is security guard. Protecting her from the big animal she has never seen before, Harry crouches down with Grace in between his legs, moving her a little bit closer.

“May I have some feed please?” Harry asks you, moving his hand towards you, palm up.

“Watch Grace. Daddy’s gonna feed the reindeer. They won’t hurt you! I promise.” You say to Gracie. Pouring some of the feed into Harry’s hand, he moves it towards a different reindeer than you had previously fed. The reindeer smells Harry’s hand before taking a big lick with his slobbery tongue.

“Ah yuck!” Harry has a disgusted look on his face as he wipes the slobber on his black skinny jeans.

Grace holds her hand out to her mum. “Me!” She says, asking for some of the food. You take a small pinch of food, filling up her palm. Harry guides her tiny hand towards the magical creature.

“Go slow. Let him smell yeh, get to know yeh!” Harry instructs. The reindeer sniffs her hand, causing Grace to jump at the feeling of his warm breath against her cold hand. Harry guides her closer again. The reindeer picks up the feed from her hand with his tongue causing Grace to erupt into a fit of giggles.

“A’in!” She says, running in place with excitement. She pushes her hand towards you again, wiggling her red and green painted fingernails, unable to control her energy.  The reindeer licks the food off her hand once more causing her to giggle.

Harry helps Grace take her hand along the reindeer’s face, petting up and down.

“Soft, soft!” Grace says as she moves her hand down the nose of the animal.

You take out your phone, snapping a picture of your husband and daughter sharing a special moment. You squat down and pet the reindeer with your favorite people.

Grace’s attention span is spent, so you and Harry decide it’s time for Grace to meet Father Christmas. Harry holds Grace’s right hand, and you hold her left as you walk towards the Grotto.

“One. Two. Three.” Harry says as you work together to swing Grace through the air. Her giggles make your heart soar.

“A’in!!” She says through her giggles.

“One. Two. Three.” You and Harry say together, swinging her high as she giggles some more.

Standing in the queue, you pick Grace up in your arms.

“Daddy!” Grace moves her arms and body towards Harry, who takes her from you, kissing her neck multiple times. “No daddy!” She says pushing his mouth away because the kisses tickle her neck.

“Grace, look! Father Christmas!” You point towards a man sitting in a big chair. He is wearing a red and white suit, black boots, and has a beard as white as snow.

“Ho Ho Ho!” Grace says, holding her tummy just like Harry taught her.

“Yes! Ho Ho Ho!” Harry says in a deep voice, bouncing Grace up and down.

The queue moves and your family is next to meet Father Christmas.

“She is adorable!” The elf standing at the end of the queue says to Harry.

“Thank you!” Harry says with a smile.

“You’re welcome! Go ahead, Father Christmas is ready to meet you!!” Her voice is full of holiday cheer as she holds out her arm to point the way to the jolly old man.

Harry puts Grace on the ground. To your surprise she isn’t afraid at all. She runs over to the man dressed in red and gives his leg a giant squeeze.

“Ho Ho Ho! Hello little one!” Father Christmas says to Grace, his voice rings deeply throughout the room. “Would you like to come sit on my lap?”

“Hi!” Grace untangles her arms from his leg, waving at Father Christmas with a smile. He puts his arms out and Grace climbs right in. “Mumma, Ho Ho Ho!” She holds her stomach once again just like her father taught her. This causes Father Christmas to laugh.

“What is your name?” He asks Grace.

“Grace!” Harry chimes in.

“Grace? Have you been a good girl this year?” Father Christmas questions.

“Daddy! Ho Ho Ho!” Grace giggles, still in shock she is seeing Father Christmas in the flesh.

“She is a very good girl!” You tell him.

“Gracie bug! Smile for daddy!” Harry has his phone out, ready to snap a picture of his beautiful girl on Santa’s lap. “Say Ho Ho Ho!” Harry thinks he is being clever, letting a small smirk peek out.

“Ho ho ho!” Father Christmas bellows, causing Grace to let out the biggest smile. Harry takes the picture, tilting his phone to see if you approve.

“Grace, I have a gift for you!” Father Christmas reaches into his bag to hand her a small wrapped box as an early Christmas present! “Happy Christmas!” Grace takes the box from his gloved hand.

“Tank you!” She hops down from his lap, running into her father’s arms. “Bye Ho Ho Ho!” She waves back to Father Christmas.

“Happy Christmas!” Harry say as they exit the Grotto to enjoy the rest of the afternoon exploring the zoo and being together as a family!

A/N: Thank you to the wonderful @whoopsharrystyles for all she does! She seriously is the best beta/first reader I could ever ask for! I love you Dawn! Please check out The Adventures of Harry and Grace Masterlist and Wattpad page. Thank you for reading, liking, reblogging and recommending. Your words make me smile! Please send feedback! I love it. Happy Holidays!!!

[builder051]

Omg congratulations! I love your writing so much and it's so lovely to read your sickfics (we always need more, in my opinion). Can you do #55 with Steve, either 'verse? I just want some worried Bucky looking after his poor sick Steve. Thank you so much!!!

Here we go with some good ol’ sick Steve and caretaker Bucky. Powers/No powers. I think this is one of the most popular sicknarios I’ve worked with, so I really hope I did it justice here.And I was browsing LL Bean for fleece-lined hoodies while I was working on this, so that particular article of clothing became infused into the storyline.

Also, Powers/no powers is a single ‘verse. It’s my best attempt at ambiguity. ___It’s o’dark thirty when Steve wakes, freezing and sweaty and confused. The headache he’d gone to bed with is magnified about 800 times over, and gravity plays heavily over his body when he sits up. Thankfully Bucky’s still sleeping, peacefully for once, and Steve does his best not to jostle the mattress as he puts his feet on the floor and slips into the bathroom. He doesn’t turn on the light, but Steve can see his pallid and slightly glistening complexion reflected in the mirror over the sink. He turns on the faucet and scoops up a palmful of icy water, splashing it on his face. He’s shivering when he straightens up. It’s been a long time since Steve’s felt this awful. Years. Decades, maybe. It’s hard to remember so far back. The little bugs he’s picked up and dealt with over the past few winters made him sniffle for a day. Maybe pop some Nyquil if a cough kept him up. But this, the fever, the chills, the paralyzing headache and inability to stand completely upright…it’s making him feel childish in addition to ill.Steve paws through the medicine cabinet for ibuprofen. He swallows a handful, and they irritate his raw throat on the way down. Then he feels around in the dark closet for something cozy to put on. His thin and slightly damp t-shirt isn’t doing it for him at the moment. His shaky fingers find the hood of a fleece-lined sweatshirt, and Steve snatches it up. The left sleeve is rolled up to the shoulder, proving that Bucky wore it last, but it doesn’t matter. Steve shakes it back into shape and yanks it on. The sheets are frigid when Steve slides back between them. He presses as much as he can against Bucky without blasting him with the refrigeration Steve’s sure is leaching from his pores. His exposed neck and ear are so cold that he flips the sweatshirt’s hood and yanks it as tightly as he can around his face.It’s a challenge to get back to sleep. Steve feels like he needs to shift his position every minute or two because his low back aches, and each time he does, he’s afraid the vibrations from his movements will feed through the mattress and disturb Bucky. The worry comes up empty, though, and Steve’s the only one that has a restless night.The alarm clock begins blaring at 6:30 on the dot, and Steve’s tremendously foggy as he floats back toward consciousness. Bucky reaches to the bedside table to silence the device, then he rolls the opposite way to investigate what Steve’s wearing.“You’re especially snuggly,” Bucky comments, sleep still heavy in his voice.“’S cold,” Steve says, coming to the foregone and disappointing conclusion that he’s still feeling shitty despite getting a bit of sleep. His nose is clogged and leaking, leaving cold snot trails halfway down to his upper lip.“Huh?” Bucky blinks. Then he seemingly puts two and two together, slipping his hand between the fleece hood and Steve’s cheek. “You’re burning.”Steve pulls a disappointed face, a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s still in a state of disbelief that this is happening. But he’s in such a haze of fever and pain that it hardly matters.“Stevie,” Bucky says, petting down Steve’s arm. “It’ll be ok. I still remember how to take care of you, you know.”“I’ll be alright on my own,” Steve croaks, clearing his throat of an intrusive glob of mucous. “Go to work. I’m probably just gonna sleep…”“I don’t think you can hear how bad you sound,” Bucky insists. “If I leave you home alone, you’re gonna drown in your own snot or something. I get sick time too.”“Yeah, for when you’re sick,” Steve replies.“You think I don’t remember all those days you took off when I…really needed you?” Bucky brings up the days when he’d first returned, an ill and skittish creature Steve’d had to nurture back into humanity. “Or, just last time I had a bad night? This isn’t negotiable.”“Didn’t know you were the boss…” Steve says. He tries to laugh, but ends up coughing in a wet, rattling manner.“See? You’re already drowning,” Bucky points out. He presses his palm to Steve’s clammy forehead. “Let me take your temp.”“Don’t need to,” Steve rasps. “Already know I…have a fever.” Why does it feel like such a crime to admit?“Gotta know what we’re dealing with, though.” Bucky shuffles into the ensuite and piles supplies on the counter. He emerges with the old-fashioned glass thermometer, water, and ibuprofen. “Here, open up,” he commands, poking at Steve’s lip with the glass rod. It’s all Steve can do not to gag when the thing pushes between his lips. He’d been so preoccupied with his feverish body aches that the pounding of his head and uneasiness of his stomach hadn’t registered. But now, they’re melding together into empty nausea. Steve takes a steadying breath, and Bucky chastises him for letting air corrupt the thermometer’s reading.“Sorry,” he says when Bucky removes the thing from his mouth. “I…feel kind of sick.”“You are sick,” Bucky replies, looking down at the numbers. “That’s…not what I meant.” Steve presses his cold hand to his forehead to mitigate the increasing queasiness.“Ok. You’re at 104,” Bucky reports. “You know I run hot, though,” Steve tries to explain. “99, 99.5 is normal.”“But you still only have 2 degrees to go before you fry your brain. So let’s work on getting this down a little, huh?” Bucky hands him the bottle of ibuprofen, which he’ll have to open himself since Bucky’s still stymied by safety caps.“I already took some,” Steve remembers.“When? How much?”“I don’t know. A bunch?”“How long ago was that?” Bucky demands.“I don’t know, Buck. It was dark.”“You took a bunch of ibuprofen and you still have a fever of 104?”“It could’ve worn off by now…” Steve whispers. The world’s suddenly gone from having an arctic chill to an equatorial blaze, and fresh sweat breaks out across his brow and under his arms. His head throbs, and his stomach pulls up into his chest. “Hey, Buck, I…I feel kind of…” Steve pauses to swallow thick, bitter spit. The hinges of his jaw feel loose and prickly.“Ok, hold on, one second.” Bucky launces off the bed and bolts into the bathroom to retrieve the trash bin. Steve’s barely holding it together when Bucky returns, shoving the white plastic receptacle into his lap. The gag feels hard enough to bring up his entire digestive tract, but only bile and spit and snot drip on top of the blanket of used Kleenex and toilet paper rolls. The bed dips as Bucky clambers up beside Steve again. The motion makes Steve increasingly seasick, but the arm around his shoulders is comforting. He retches a couple more times, then chokes on a string of mucous that seems to stretch all the way from the depths of his gorge to the bottom of the trash can. Bucky slaps him on the back as Steve hacks, agitating his increasingly sore throat.Steve’s dizzy when he emerges, glassy-eyed and white-faced. “Sorry,” he breathes, unable to muster a tone louder than a whisper. “Don’t apologize for it,” Bucky says, tentatively placing the trash can on the floor. “It’s ok if this knocks you down a little bit.”Steve wants to disagree, but he doesn’t have enough breath to say anything but. “Hm.”“Do you think you can stomach some water?” Bucky asks.Steve shrugs. “Maybe wait a while?” That sounds better, so Steve nods. He’s freezing again, goosebumps popping up on his arms despite the sweatshirt he’s still wearing.“Anything you need in the meantime?” Bucky asks.“I’m just…so cold,” Steve murmurs, gathering the bedclothes around his waist.“’Cause you’re burning up,” Bucky tells him. “If I throw any more blankets on you, you’ll combust.”“Sorry.”“Hey, don’t apologize,” Bucky says, concern working over his face as he takes in Steve’s chattering teeth. He maneuvers under the covers himself and opens his arm. “Just…come here.”

[mirajens]

Lauren

rating: t characters: jellal, seigrain, mystogan, anna, acnologia, erza genre: family, humor accompaniment to Seigrain in Lutalica

“Lauren is not a thing, mom, she’s an alligator snapping turtle and she has feelings.”

“Hey, Jellal.”

Jellal turned his head from the selection of pastries in the refrigerator and came face to face with two boys who looked just like him, sounded just like him. Everything was odd, or maybe just because they looked alike, from the devious smiles on Mystogan and Seigrain’s lips, the excited gleam in their eyes, the manic energy eking from their flesh. Jellal’s face took on a cautious, almost scared look. His brothers liked to drag him into the trouble they find; Mystogan unconsciously and Seigrain aggressively consciously.

“What? You’re not gonna make me eat all the Gummyvits again, are you?” Jellal asked. He remembered how mad mom had been, and didn’t want a repeat.

Seigrain rolled his eyes. “No. And shut up, you didn’t even get to eat five because you were too slow!”

Mystogan shook his head. “We have something to show you but you can’t tell mom.”

“Why not?”

“No, you have to promise first or we won’t show you and it’s awesome.” Seigrain insisted.

“Okay, fine. What is it?”

Mystogan lead the way up to the third floor bathroom the three of them shared. Seigrain entered first, his grin wide and scary. He stood by the bath tub and gestured grandly. Jellal was almost afraid to look. It might be a dead body like in that gore flick they watched in secret.

He was right to be afraid. Jellal didn’t know what he was looking at. The water in their tub was murky and it held an ugly creature that looked like Freddy Kreuger. Jellal shivered. Mystogan came to stand beside him and smiled upon the thing.

“What is that?” Jellal asked.

“This is Lauren.” Seigrain replied. No one offered any more information, as if that was sufficient enough. Jellal looked to Mystogan questioningly.

“Lauren is an alligator snapping turtle. I found her in the back yard near the tomatoes.”

“Alligator?” Jellal squeaked. It kind of looked like an alligator, just in the sense that it looked mean. It didn’t look like a turtle at all.

“Mmhmm. So be careful with your fingers. Lauren bites. She bit me here so I learned my lesson.” Seigrain said, brandishing his bandaged palm.

Jellal gasped. “Evil!”

“Nuh-uh!” Seigrain scowled. “Lauren is not bad, that’s just the way she was made. Animal In-sinks.”

“Instincts.” Mystogan corrected.

“Right.” Seigrain nodded. “Lauren didn’t mean to hurt me. She loves me. She doesn’t know any better and we have to love her for who she is.”

Easily convinced, Jellal nodded, mirroring his brother. He was always quick to placate. “I get it. I’m sorry, Lauren.” Jellal crouched beside the bathtub and watched Lauren swim and felt himself get enamored faster than a crash. “What do we feed her?”

“I read that we can feed her worms and bugs when she’s still this small. But she has to keep a balanced diet so I’ll have to procure more sustenance for her.” Mystogan pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Same as the other two boys, his eyes followed Lauren swim across the bathtub as if they were hypnotized by a pendant. “Lauren is probably about seven years old, judging from her size. I’ll have to measure her more accurately and read up on it some more.”

“When do you think her birthday is?” Jellal asked.

Mystogan shrugged. “We should just make it today. Lauren deserves a birthday.”

Seigrain’s mouth fell into an awed o and his eyes shone. “Happy birthday, Lauren.”

“I’ll get her a cake!!!” Jellal shrieked as he ran downstairs, back to the refrigerator.

In the end, Jellal chose a large square of chocolate chunk brownie and Seigrain found an old birthday candle in his cabinets. They watched Mystogan demonstrate the proper way to handle Lauren as he took her out of the bathtub and set her on the floor in front of the birthday brownie. Seated around their beloved with their legs in pretzels, they sang Lauren a hushed birthday song, lest mom hear and get too curious.

.

.

.

The peace did not last long in the Fernandes home. It only took Anna 4 days after Lauren’s birthday celebration to find the boys’ dirty (really dirty) little secret and call her husband in hysterics.

“There is a- a thing in the boys’ bathtub!” Anna cried into the phone.

“Lauren is not a thing, mom, she’s an alligator snapping turtle and she has feelings.” Seigrain said with his arms crossed, having missed the memo that when mom was upset, the children hung their heads and did not talk back. All the fight died in him when Anna aimed a sharp look at him.

“An alligator snapping turtle, apparently.” Anna corrected. She could hear Acnologia sigh over the line. “Are those legal here?”

“Call pest control, amor. I’ll be home in an hour and then I’ll deal with the boys.”

Anna hung up, then turned to her sons. “Dad says get rid of it. I’ll be calling animal control.”

On cue, the boys unleashed their meltdowns. Anna heard a lot of shrill NO or PLEASE and sobbing that she could tell was fake. Three pairs of arms grabbed at her, one encircled around her waist, one around her ribs from behind, one around her legs. A contingency attack of cute against the parents, tried and tested for the best results.

“PUH-LEASE, MOM,” cried Jellal on the fakest sniveling ever recorded in the history of snivels. “WE’LL TAKE CARE OF LAUREN.”

“Ohana means family!” Mystogan said, his thin arms doing a good job constricting around her ribs. “Nani didn’t take Stitch away even though Stitch was worse than Lauren.”

“Mom, PLEASE DON’T LET THE ANIMAL GUYS KILL LAUREN.”

Jellal’s head snapped back from where it was burrowed into her belly. “YOU’RE GONNA LET THEM KILL LAUREN, MOM?”

For nine year old boys, their shrieking was still considerably high pitched. Anna sighed when their panic rose, and wondered why her children were so dramatic. Acnologia said it was because they were half Latin.

“No one’s killing Lauren!” she said in an exasperated tone. “But we can’t keep her, boys. This can’t be legal. You can’t keep animals in bath tubs.” Another thought occurred to her. “Where have you been showering?” The boys’ bathroom didn’t have a shower separated from the tub and all the other bathrooms in the house were unlocked just for guests.

“Seigrain still has dry shampoo left from summer camp, and we asked Jamima for baby wipes.” Mystogan gestured to the can of powdered shampoo and large pack aloe vera wipes on their counter.

Anna felt herself die a little inside. “So you’ve been housing a snapping turtle and not showering?”

Jellal knew his mother’s angry tone when he heard it, and he almost wept for real for it. “We’re sorry, mommy! It’s not Lauren’s fault! She’s not bad, she was just made that way! She’s a good girl!”

“The best girl.” Seigrain said. “We’re sorry, mom. Mystogan has been reading up on houses for Lauren so we can shower again.”

“It’s called an outdoor habitat.” He uncoiled his limbs around his mother and stepped back. “We can save our lunch money and make it ourselves. I’m talking to someone on this forums and he’s telling me how I can make an adequate pond habitat with just a kiddie pool or a large basin.”

“We’ll be responsible!” Jellal translated.

Anna would not be swayed. “We can’t keep Lauren. She’s dangerous. I’ll wait for your father to get home so he can call animal control. No more playing with Lauren, especially touching her. If someone loses a finger, you’re all grounded.”

She wriggled out of their constraints and told them to drain the tub before she left.

.

.

.

Acnologia found them just before dinner time. The bath tub was clean and Lauren was in the sink. Seigrain and Jellal flanked Mystogan as he fed Lauren worms they’d dug up from the compost. Acnologia’s heart jumped when he heard the snap of its beak and prayed fervently that all of his sons’ fingers were still intact or else all his hard work on his wife would be out the window.

“Is this Lauren?” Acnologia asked when he finally stood near enough to watch the feeding process. His pulse raced yet again when Lauren’s head moved slow in the way predators did, just before clamping down on the stick of zucchini Mystogan offered.

“We’re trying to spend all the time we have left with her.” Jellal told him. “Before you take her away and we live a life of loneliness.”

Acnologia barely resisted rolling his eyes. He placed a hand on the crown of Jellal’s head. “Ay, hijo, you are too young to be talking so morose.”

“Jellal isn’t talking morse, dad, you need a walkie talkie to do that.” Seigrain said.

Mystogan scoffed. “Morose means sad, Seig.”

“Smarty-pants.”

“How do you know Lauren is a girl?” Acnologia interrupted before the back and forth could escalate.

“What do turtle dongs look like?”

“Jellal, don’t say dong.”

“Sorry, dad, I meant penis.”

“I checked the underside of her shell. You can tell the difference by the shape of it.” Mystogan explained. He reached for another wiggling worm and dangled it in front of Lauren. Acnologia tried not to grimace.

“We’re you boys honest with your mother when you said you would be responsible?”

Seigrain, always quick to see the hard resolve of his parents crack, turned to face his father so fast he felt dizzy. “We can keep Lauren?”

Acnologia held a hand up. “We can talk over dinner about the extent your duties to Lauren. She will be your pet, not your mother’s, not the maids’, not anyone else’s. Pets are not something you acquire when you’re bored and cast away when you decide is it too much responsibility for you to handle.”

Mystogan gasped. “We would never cast Lauren away! We love her!”

Acnologia managed to keep his groan internal. “I want you to commit to taking care of Lauren. We will help you, but only when we see you taking initiative. When you stop being responsible, we will cease to help you and you’re on your own. The animal police will come for you, you know?”

Seigrain puffed out his cheeks. “Why’re you only looking at me, dad!”

Acnologia blinked. “No, I wasn’t. I was talking to all of you.”

Jellal cut in, “WE GET TO KEEP LAUREN!” His brothers’ excited yelling rebounded in the tiled room. Then, three small bodies were jumping and running around before Jellal put the tub’s drain plug back and opened the tap and Mystogan grabbed the sides of Lauren’s shell and lifted her Lion King style.

Acnologia hoped he wouldn’t regret it, but he was pretty sure he would someday. Maybe when he was in the ER with at least one child for a snapping turtle bite.

He told the boys to calm down and come to dinner, but he was ignored. Bemused, he left to join Anna downstairs, thinking that his sons were way too young to be ignoring their father in favor of a girl.

.

.

.

Bliss persisted even a couple of years after Lauren’s acceptance into the Fernandes household. The habitat the boys made for her was not too shabby even though they did take a lot of the plants and rocks from the front lawn’s landscaping and dug a shallow pit for the thick basin right in the middle of the back yard. Anna helped them make an animal proof fence from chicken wire and wood and Acnologia bought them minnows to keep in an aquarium to feed her.

Anna disliked Lauren. It brought her just a bit of shame to admit it because her sons clearly loved the ugly creature, but there was just something menacing about Lauren’s face. She could tell Lauren knew she didn’t like her, too. Lauren wore a smug look on her beak when the boys flocked around her and ignored Anna.

One night, when the boys were asleep, Anna padded down to the kitchen for the moist chocolate cake she’d been saving since lunch. All three kids and her husband at some point have asked her for it but she’d been firm that it was hers and that her wrath would be uncontested if she found even a bite out of it. The cake was reserved for her downtime when everyone was in bed and she could look at her empty house and imagine that aliens had taken her family and she could eat in peace, preferably with three glasses of wine.

Anna selected Chianti from the wine fridge and made her way to the cake. Movement by the corner of the island counter made her stop in her tracks and a scream bubble up at her throat. Lauren stood just by the doors of the refrigerator, her mouth open wide to show a fleshy mouth ready for devouring whatever appendages it would get to bite off Anna.

They stood there in a bad imitation of a Mexican Standoff, Anna radiating disdain and fear while Lauren basked in her smugness like the evil demon that she was.

“Hey mom, did you seeꟷ There you are, Lauren.” Mystogan came into the kitchen and picked Lauren up by the shell. Lauren closed her beak and retracted her extended neck in a less threatening demeanor. “Sorry, we were watching Harry Potter in the library and I must’ve fallen asleep. I’m gonna put her out now, but you should be careful in the night, mom. You might step on Lauren or something. Good night!”

Anna couldn’t quite reply as she watched her eldest go out through the back door and sweet talk his pet as he set her down in the turtle pen. She wondered if it was too dramatic to say that Lauren was tearing her family apart.

.

.

.

The time came for Lauren to be liberated when the boys were fourteen and Lauren had clearly outgrown her tight habitat. Anna was adamant that they could do no expansions in the back yard and Acnologia agreed.

“We can donate her to the butterfly farm but that’s 20 minutes from here. Or we can set her free by the creek. At least she will be nearby.” Were the options given to the boys who were devastated. Lauren walked by Mystogan’s legs.

“I’m sorry, boys, but we can’t keep her and stunt her growth. It would be cruel.” Acnologia said. “When you care for someone, you have to do what’s best for them, even if it’s not what you want.”

Mystogan blinked burning eyes. “You’re right, dad.” He turned to his brothers. “The creek? At least we’ll be able to see her from time to time.”

So they released her to the creek. None of the three identical pairs of eyes were dry as they watched Lauren make the slow trek into the rocks, then settle into soft mud. Soon, the sun went down and they could see her no more. Seigrain sniffled one last time and clapped a hand on each brother’s back. “It’s for the best.”

Jellal asked, “Do you think we’ll see her again?”

“Hopefully. But if not, we can be secure in the knowledge that Lauren is in a safe place nearby.”

They went back to the main house, not excited for the prospect of cleaning up Lauren’s old home and face old memories.

.

.

Seigrain stewed over his dinner as he watched Jellal lean close to Erza and whisper something that made her laugh. He’s had such a bad day with his car breaking down and having to walk back home and then getting a ride back to the car to tow it to the garage. He didn’t need to see this.

He was just about to snap the classic “get a room,” when the back door burst open and Mystogan came in, panting, glasses askew, color high on his cheeks.

“Come outside. Lauren’s back.”

“Back?” Jellal echoed?

“Who is Lauren?” Erza asked, but no one answered; Seigrain and Jellal bolted for the back entrance.

She got up and followed them outside and found three heads of blue hunched over a mound of… something. Erza approached and tried to figure out what she was looking at.

“Uh…” Was all she could say.

“Holy fuck,” Seigrain whispered in awe, his voice watery.. Was he crying? Erza squinted to check.

“Oh my God, Lauren.” Jellal said in an equally choked voice. “How have you been, sweet girl? How long has it been?”

“It’s been almost two years.” Mystogan, too, sounded touched. It was probably the first time Erza has heard him speak with feeling. “Look how big you are.” He tried to lift her by the shell and grunted. “Heavy, too. Pretty girl. Look at you.”

Erza felt it was time to speak. “What is Lauren?” A mistake, probably. She looked like a turtle but… wrong.

“Lauren is the best girl ever. She was our pet but we had to set her free because she was getting big.” Love shone in Jellal’s eyes and Erza could say she’s never been the recipient of such a look.

“She’s Jellal’s first love.” Seigrain teased with a grin.

“All of ours, probably.” Mystogan said with his own smile.

“Lauren is an alligator snapping turtle.”  Jellal finally said.

“Oh, okay. I’ve never seen one before. Does she have a different diet than a normal snapping turtle?” As in, was Lauren a carnivore?

Erza was ignored. The boys had their phones out, taking all kinds of commemorative proof of Lauren, who was clearly satisfied with all the affection. At some point, Mystogan made another run inside the house and came back out with some vegetables and a long metal kebab. He put a bunch of grapes on one end and waited. The boys cheered when she snapped her beak shut and crushed the grapes.

Jellal stood up. “I’ll go find some lizards inside.”

“Wh- Lizards?” Erza squawked, still ignored as Jellal was already sprinting halfway to the house.

“It’s okay to feel the way you feel, Erza.” Seigrain said, finally putting his phone back in his pocket after sending his parents a picture of the prodigal pet and slung an arm around Erza. “It’s normal that you’ll feel inferior to the first love. If I were you, I’d preserve my dignity and break up with Jellal first before he can.”

“You’re nuts, Seigrain.” Erza huffed, shaking his hand off her shoulder.

“Nuts, sure. I can classify as ‘rebound’, too, if you like. It’s okay to find comfort in someone else in trying times like this.”

“Hilarious.” Jellal said, finally back with a can. Erza hoped there wasn’t actually a lizard in there. “You classify as ‘barking up the wrong tree’, too. I couldn’t find a lizard but I took dad’s worms.” The superworms Acnologia kept for his prized arowana.

“That’s fine. I can buy some fish tomorrow before school.” Mystogan said.

Lauren was gone come morning, but no one was too sad with the promise of another opportunity. If Lauren came home once, she’d do it again.

Lauren visited every few months, more commonly during the rainy season, much to the ecstasy of her fans. They kept earthworms nearby, just in case.

.

.

.

“Mom, over here!” Seigrain called from the creek on the edge of their property near the crops Anna kept. “I’ve been here forever. Can you take a picture of me and Lauren?”

Seigrain jutted his chin towards his phone on the rocky ground, his hands full holding both ends of Lauren’s shell.

“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” Anna asked as she picked up the phone and took a picture, close enough that she was distracted from her son’s beautiful smile by Lauren’s beastly face.

“Girls like it. And when they see me holding Lauren, too, it looks super badass.” Seigrain answered. “Lauren gets me a lot of numbers. She’s a great wingwoman. Totally ride of die.”

Anna didn’t even pretend to understand what the modern slang meant. “Good for you. Put your shirt back on and help me with the vegetables. Lauren and I are too old to be impressed by shirtless men.”

He set Lauren down near the shallow water but not before dropping a kiss on her shell.

“Gross, Seigrain. Don’t do that.” Anna groaned.

“Lauren is always impressed by me, mom.” Seigrain watched her waddle into the muddy water before turning to his mother.

.

.

“Are we going far, daddy?” Sofia asked. Her hand was in Seigrain’s as he led her to the creek marking the end of his parents’ land.

“No, we’re close. It’s gonna be worth it, I promise.”

During lunch, the gardener told Seigrain that he spotted a familiar visitor by the vegetable garden. Seigrain had asked Sofia if she wanted to meet an old friend of his and the little girl agreed. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he imagined how she would react to Lauren.

He could hear her before he saw her. The crunch of leaves by the tomatoes was reminiscent of her shell dragging over the surface. Seigrain saw her spiny back and nudged Sofia, directing her attention towards the turtle.

“Don’t come too close because she bites sometimes, okay?” Seigrain cleared his throat for show. “May I introduce Lauren?”

Sofia’s jaw dropped. “Hello, Lauren.” She couched low to be eye level. “She’s so big, daddy. The biggest turtle I’ve ever seen!”

“Did you know Lauren was my best friend? She was your uncles’ best friend, too.”

Sofia beamed. “Can I have a snappy turtle, too, daddy?”

Seigrain wilted. “Ah, not like Lauren, baby. Why don’t you just come over and visit her?” He couldn’t imagine keeping a snapping turtle in his two thousand dollar tub in his modern apartment.

Thankfully, Sofia nodded, smitten just as quickly as Seigrain had been back then.

note: @erzadragonborn and I talked about how the triplets keep a lot of weird/ugly pets and give them the most vanilla human names. Lauren was my favorite among them because my sister had a snapping turtle named Ne-yo that we released into the creek by our farm and he visits us once every few months and then goes back to the creek.

[mariestherapeutics]

Title: Discovery Characters: Yixing/Shifter!Reader Genre: Shifter!AU, Romance, Fluff, Slice-of-Life Word Count: 4,000 A/N: Ah, a final part, because I hate leaving things unfinished. This is continuing directly from the last chapter. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last time...

After a moment, you give in (again) and find yourself jumping onto the bed. He smiles softly, starting to get up to dress himself, but you climb onto his lap and hold him down. "Wha--" He blinks at you in confusion, but you pretend not to notice. If he was really that insistent on being nearly naked because it made him feel better, then you weren't going to stop him. You were, after all, leeching off of him in every way. It was the least you could do as his "pet".

Realizing you were giving him permission to sleep how he was, he suddenly wraps you in his arms and hums contentedly, catching you off guard. "Thank you, Baobei, you're so sweet." He laughs, and you fight your way out of his hold in embarrassment. He releases you, but stays close as he lays on his side, beckoning you to come back. You watch him for a moment, looking for some sign of mischief. "Come," He says gently, and you pad over to him helplessly.

Curling up at his side, you make sure to face the other direction so you're not completely panicky at his proximity. You do your best to fall asleep fast, and listening to his soft breathing, feeling his warmth, smelling his scent... it all makes you slip away faster than a snap.

Yixing wakes up, later than normal, but only briefly. He was having a bad dream and his body pulled him out of it before it got worse. He was only half awake, his brain still sleeping but his body not. He felt awfully hot, but not uncomfortably so. Someone's back was pressed against his chest, the both of them bare and their scents mingling. Yixing knows it's a girl, his nose is in her hair, his arm laying limply across her waist, their feet tangling.

Yixing was sure he still dreaming, because who would be in his bed with him? "..._____?" He murmurs in confusion, trying to identify who it was. You're the only person he went to bed with, he can remember that much, but then who..?

"Yixing.." He wants to know, to find out who, but he's just so sleepy, he's already slipping back into his dreams. He's so far away now that he can't reach out when the warmth leaves him, pulling away and leaving him with a deep emptiness.

That. Was. Too. Close.

Not only did you somehow shift back during the night, but Yixing might have figured you out. You slipped out of bed as quickly and carefully as possible, going to the kitchen to check the time. It was nearly noon, and neither of had woken up yet? He must have canceled work today without telling you, or maybe he canceled after you went to bed. In that case, it makes sense that you shifted back. You ran out of time, but now you needed to revert.

Doing so, you go back to your dog form and run around the house a little bit so stretch, then go back into the bedroom and jump onto the bed. Yixing doesn't stir, instead remaining asleep, and you lay on your paws to watch him. He was awfully beautiful, sleeping peacefully and soundly. His features were so relaxed, and if you weren't afraid of your own emotions, you would have woken him up. He did sleep in this late, after all, maybe work has exhausted him more than either of you realized.

Deciding to leave him be, you get off the bed and head for the backyard, managing to slide open the glass door and run around for a bit. His yard was relatively large and well kept, fenced off so no critters or intruders could make their way in, and certainly so no dog could make their way out, either. It made you feel secure, yet lonely. Secure because you knew that nothing in the forest behind this home would bother you, yet alone because you couldn't go anywhere but stay in the premises.

It was weird how the longer you spent time with Yixing, the more alone you felt. You've never had this problem your entire life, knowing that only you could look after yourself and no one knew what was best for you except for you. You knew the leecher's life was what you wanted; the easy way out. You're willing to selfishly live off of someone else's money and time in order to live in comfort. You were prepared to be alone.

Yet, now...

Shlunk.

You turn around and see that Yixing had closed the glass door, and was now squatting with an amused grin. You ran up to him and put your paws on the glass, asking to come back in, but he starts laughing. He opens it slightly, then shuts it again before you can put your leg in. Realizing he was playing with you, you huff in annoyance and wonder why you ever felt like you liked him.

"Aigoo~, come back!" He chuckles, finding himself too funny for the situation. He comes out the door barefoot, stepping into the grass and following you despite being only in briefs. He must have done this before in order to be so comfortable, or maybe he just never cared in the first place. "Please?? I called off work today so we could play together." He says, and you look at him in horror.

He's planning to be with you all day?

"Let's go back in, it's sort of cold out, don't you think?" He shivers, walking back in on his own but leaving the door open this time. You close it behind you with a struggle, but when you're done he congratulates you. "Mama and Baba did say you were trained." He muses, sitting on his butt by the door. "Maybe you were a blind person's dog." He wonders, petting your head in thought. You let him, telling yourself you had to get used to this treatment eventually. You couldn't just ignore him anymore, not with your growing feelings, and besides that... you sort of enjoyed it.

"Oh, I know!" He gasps, holding up his free hand's finger. You stare at it in confusion since he pauses. "You're a spy dog!" He claps his hands together and laughs when you shake your head in bemusement. Could he come up with any more stupid ideas? "No?" He questions, putting his chin in his palm to think some more. "What did that guy call it?" He purses his lip in thought, and you think he looks cute like that. You begin to put your nose on his knee, pushing it so he'd get up for breakfast, when he says, "Ah, a shape shifter."

You look up at him and bark in denial, before just walking into the kitchen yourself. He follows, a half laugh escaping him. "Not that either? Good, because if you were, I'd be mad." You pretend that doesn't bug you as much as it does, but can't really hide it from yourself when he continues. "I'd be mad because it meant you were lying to me this whole time and I never knew." Guilt washes over you, but you put your paw in your food bowl so he'd hurry up and change the subject.

He stays quiet for a bit, grabbing the bag and pouring some in for you, but when you start eating, he keeps going. "I mean, just think of it from my point of view. I welcome you into my home thinking I've maded my friend for life, I feed you, take care of you, make sure you're not alone too much... if you were a shapeshifter, then it would be pretty selfish of you to live off of my kindness." You already know all these things. He doesn't need to rub it in your face.

"And if you were a shape shifter, then that means I told all my feelings and insecurities to someone I don't even know. Do you know how upset I'd be for being deceived?" You eat your food, telling yourself you'll tune him out if he tried to make a bigger point of this, but he says no more and just watches you, sitting on the floor beside the fridge. "Or maybe you're just a dog, and I'm embarrassing myself right now." He says.

The whole day, Yixing follows you around, sometimes interacting with you a nd sometimes not. He spends a good amount of that time just observing you, and halfway through he told you it was because he was checking to see if you had any human qualities. You begin to think that maybe he's going crazy. Maybe he's always been crazy; he's been talking to you like a person this whole time, after all. In that case, should you care what he thinks?

"Yah, if I told you to go right, would you go left?" He asks, and you don't know what to do, so you stay where you are. "Go left." He points, and you obey. "Now go right." He points the other way, so you listen. After a moment, he points to the left again, but says, "Go right." Confused as to what he was trying to do, you go to the right, and you see him start to frown. Didn't you listen to him? "Stay here, _____." He sighs, going to grab his phone from the living room.

When he comes back, he sits against the wall and waves for you to join him. He was acting more odd than normal today, and you gradually make your way over before he turns his screen to you. "Do you see this?" He asks you, pointing to the article. "I've been doing research." He explains, scrolling up a bit. "They said to test if your dog was smart or not, tell it to go in the opposite direction you're pointing." You read the rest on your own. If the dog listens to your demand and not your gesture, then it was intelligent. "That's what you did." He says, but that's all.

The rest of the night you wonder when you'll be able to slip away from him to shift, anytime to shift. You just needed a few seconds away, but he was always on your tail (pun intended). He kept bringing up things he knows nothing about! "You know, as a kid I read a lot of shape shifter books." He tells you one hour while you're literally running into every room trying to lose him. "In it, they either had a time limit or would only shift during the full moon." He goes on, seeming uninterested in your rush. "But since we've have plenty nights with no full moon and many nights where I'm gone or asleep, maybe the time limit is more your thing." He chides.

Was he onto you? Why was he so insistent today? You mean, in hindsight, there were times when he would just look at you do things, but you just figured it was because he finally had nothing to say. Yes, those times did increase over the month you lived with him, but there's no way he could have... no way.

Finally, you run into the bathroom, but he follows you in. You try to go around him, thinking you've finally got the upper hand, but he blocks you, sitting in the doorway and trapping you in here. "You know, yesterday when I came home early..." He starts, and you're forced to sit down still so you didn't appear even more suspicious. "I came home because I got in a fight with my friends." He admits, and you can't keep up with this man's constant change of pace. He talks about one thing and then another, just like that. "That was the real reason I called off work today. I'm sorry I lied to you." He says quietly, not quite looking at you anymore.

He's silent for a little, and you sense the change in atmosphere. Worriedly, you pad closer and rub his cheek with yours, making him look up at you. "Today was our bonding day," He smiles slightly, petting your neck and back affectionately. "I had fun, except for when you ignored me." He chuckles when you run your nose along his face again in apology. You were too trusting of him, you let yourself believe he had nothing to hide, nothing to worry about if he didn't already tell you. Of course he still had secrets. Even you had things you would never say out loud.

"It was dumb, honestly. Baekhyun had tried setting me up with another girl, but I wasn't interested and he got upset." He tells you, staring into your eyes sadly. "Everyone is so worried I'll die alone and lonely, but they don't understand. I'm happy the way I am." He tells you, using both hands to grab your face. He ruffles your fur a bit before saying, "How could I possibly be alone when I have you?"

In that moment, you feel your heart cave in. Earlier, you were so set on taking advantage of him for the rest of your life. How could you do that now? After he says something like this? It's official now, whether or not you wanted to or not, you had to leave. You couldn't stay here if he continued to say things like that, he'd push you over the edge. He already had your heart and mind, he couldn't have your life.

You tell yourself this, but you can't do it. You're stuck.

"_____..." Yixing breathes out, and you nuzzle your nose in his neck, putting your hands up on his shoulders. His hands move to rest on your back, his palms flat and his fingers splayed. "_-_____," How could you leave him all alone, when you're the only one he has to spend his time with? How could you leave him, when you felt the same way? You exhale shakily, your emotions getting the better of you, and you ball your fingers in his shirt.

Your fingers.

"_____, uh.. that is your, um, name, right?" You pull back in surprise, eyes wet from crying a little but now you're heart is pounding too fast.

"I-I can explain." You stammer, shaking your head, but he cuts you off.

"_____." He says, and you shut your mouth, meeting his focused gaze. Your fingers release his shirt but you stay close to him, thinking he had something to say. Then, he turns his face away and squeezes his eyes shut, his face turning red. "Y-You're naked, _____."

Fuck.

Mortified beyond help, you make embarrassed noises as you scramble around for something to cover yourself with. Luckily you were in the bathroom and you grab three towels and throw them on yourself. After you settle, you glance at him to see he's still got his eyes closed, his lips pressed tight. "Yi-Yixing." You stutter, and he opens his eyes finally, but doesn't look at you still. He looks out of breath, now that you're looking at him. His face is red and his eyes are shaky.

He says nothing and does nothing, so you secure the towels and stand up to go. "Ah, wait--" He grabs your wrist, stopping you. You look down at him, still feeling mortified and on the verge of tears. He's figured you out, and in the worst way. There's no way he'd keep you here as a pet and there's no way you could stay as one anyway. "Wait." He says again, swallowing thickly. "I already knew." He finally says.

"You.. knew?" You repeat, shaking your head in disbelief. "But I never.."

"Yeah, I thought someone was breaking into my house while I was gone everyday." He confesses. "But come on, you think I'm dumb? It's not hard after a month of noticing things are missing." You guess you hadn't thought of that. When you were with other families, there were always other people around to blame for mishappens. You had gotten too used to shifting the blame that it slipped your mind.

"B-But, I was careful." You say. "I-I never took too much. It shouldn't have been noticeable."

"It wasn't, not at first." He swallows again, glancing between your eyes before letting go of your wrist and looking at his lap. "Please sit down and listen to me." He asks of you, and you know it's not a demand. You know he could never demand you, now that he's certain you're a human. You, reluctantly, do, taking your spot back in front of him, but with distance this time. "I didn't notice things were being used at first." He continues, motioning to his shower. "Like my shampoo, or my food, etcetera." He explains. "But... I noticed those things after I found your hair in my drain."

"I was cleaning the shower when I noticed hair. It was too long to be mine, so I had no idea where it came from. Coincidentally, when I went to take one myself, I was going through my clothes and found a pair that was folded differently than how I do it." He says, and you can see how he pieced it all together after this. There was no need for further explanation, he got you. "And then, I started doing tests around you. Not really obvious ones, but tests nonetheless."

"For example..?" You hear yourself saying emptily. There was really no point in dragging this out, but you wanted to anyway. You knew that in a little bit, you were either going to get kicked out or given to the police. You may as well get as much of Yixing as you can before he throws you away.

"When I only wore briefs yesterday," He says, finally looking at you to gouge your reaction. "I read online that if I did that around an unneutered dog then they'd go crazy."

"I did go crazy." You tell him.

"Not how they described." He replies.

Realizing you admit that, you angrily tear apart your soul in your head. Why are you so dumb? Now he'll think you're a leech and a pervert. "Anyway, that got me thinking... if you really were a shape shifter, what was I doing to you?" He says. "I was treating you like an animal, like you were dumber and less than me. That would be so humiliating if it were me." He says, unexpectedly passionately. "I couldn't do that to someone."

"All these things are weird, yes, but how did you know for sure?" You ask him, curious for his answer. He starts blushing again, but keeps your gaze.

"Well, I wasn't." He says shyly, rubbing his hair. "I thought that maybe I was just going crazy."

"I thought you were, too." You admit, and he chuckles. It catches you off guard.

"Makes sense. No normal person would think their dog were a human."

"Well, most dogs aren't really humans, either." You find yourself defending him. Your attempt does not go unnoticed, because Yixing's still smiling at you. It has your heart making rounds around your ribs, like an acrobat.

"Oh," He blurts, holding up his hand. "I also had a dream you were a human."

"A dream?" You repeat incredulously.

"Yeah, after that I thought, there must be a chance of it then." He laughs.

"What a dumb reason." You laugh back, then, when he has nothing else to say, you ask, "What was it?"

"H-Huh? The dream?" He stutters, and you nod. "Well... get this, I don't really remember it too well. I had it last night, which is why I was so relentless with you today." He gives you an apologetic smile, his dimple apparent with it. "I didn't get to see you, all I remember is... we were sleeping." He says.

"We were sleeping?" I ask, confused. "So you had a dream you were sleeping with someone. Why did you think it was me?" You ask, since that could have no correlation at all.

"I mean, I just knew it was you. You know when you get those feelings that have to be true? And they are?" He insists to prove his point. "And, when I said your name.. you said mine back. It had to be you, no one else would do." The way he words things is so misleading, you think. Why does he have to make it sound like you're special?

"You dummy..." You say, hanging your head in embarrassment. "That wasn't a dream. That happened this morning." You tell him.

"I-It wasn't?" Yixing finds himself being the one who's more mortified. He was touching you then, rather intimately. His face was in your hair, and he thought it smelled nice. You were so close to him, practically fully against him. Had there not been a blanket between you, you may have even felt his morning--

"No, I had ran out of time and shifted then, too." You mutter, tracing the tile with your finger. Yixing watches you in silence, not sure what to say. Does he confess how he feeling? Keep it to himself? Instead, he does neither.

"W-Well then, what do you remember?" He says unsteadily, obviously shaken up by the information. You blush, too, not sure where he was getting at.

"I only remember as much as you, then I left because I needed to shift back." You huff, growing upset with your growing embarrassment. "Then you found me in the yard and wouldn't leave the me hell alone so I couldn't stay a dog." You tell him, and he bites his lip guiltily.

"I had honestly given up on the idea of you being human by dinner time, though." He confesses, and you gape at him. "You hadn't changed all day, so I thought I really was insane. So I started rambling about my feelings and then.. well, now you're human." He says.

Yixing just had to be this irresistible, didn't? "Well, I'll be gone in a minute, too." You say, standing up again and he copies you. "I can't stay here if you know of me, I'll find another home to live in for now." You say emotionless, shrugging. When you start walking past him again, he blocks the doorway with his arm.

"Hold on," He says hurriedly, eyes wide. "Why do you have to leave?"

"Um, because I'm half dog?" You say, as if that were a good reason to Yixing. He didn't care about that. He didn't think of it like that at all. From what it sounds like, you shifted into a dog. A dog didn't shift into you. You were a human who could transform into an animal, not the other way around. How does that make you any less human than him?

"I don't care." He hears himself saying. "Don't leave, please." When you don't listen and push his arm out of the way, he grabs you and pulls you against his chest, hugging you from behind. "Please! Didn't I tell you that you're the only one I have?" You don't fight him this time, standing silently in his arms, and Yixing thinks you're still not convinced. "_____, I've never been so happy in my life. I thought I was good before, but having you here when I'm home makes everything so much better."

"Yixing.." You cry, hands falling over his own. "Don't you see I've been using you? What makes you think I could stay? That I have the right to?" You ask of him.

"Don't you care about me, too?" He whispers in your ear.

His hands grip you tighter, and your entire back is covered by Yixing's chest. You feel him breathe with you, his body caging you in but it felt like the best cage, one that set you free yet kept you in at the same time. "Isn't that why you hugged me earlier? Because you cared about me?" He asks.

And, after a second's pause, you whisper, "Yes."

(The End... I think.)