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#there are also quite a few mutuals of mine who definitely could have explained this better but alas.
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TMA thoughts!
Been trying to find a post I can reblog to say I finished TMA, but I didn't just want to ramble in someone else's tags, so. I finished TMA! I enjoyed it! I think it's one that I'm going to appreciate more after sitting with it for a while, and probably some re-listening - there are definitely characters (and to some extent, plot lines) I sort of lost track of over the course of the show, and it came back to bite me when they all showed up in season 5.
Also ngl, even after 200 episodes there are some characters whose voices I really struggle to tell apart. Usually I could get it through context, and I did get better over time, but it probably caused me some lasting confusion from the earlier seasons. (Jon and Elias sounded nearly identical to me for most of the show, and Basira, Daisy, and Melanie had some weird overlap for me. So scenes where like Basira was being particularly aggressive she sometimes sounded like Daisy, or if Melanie was more subdued she sounded like Basira... stuff like that.)
Honestly one of the things I've been enjoying most is the Q&As and retrospectives and behind the scenes stuff - Alex and Jonny do a really good job of explaining the reasons they constructed the show the way that they did, they have great insights on horror as a genre, and I think they really nailed their relationship to fandom as creators. Obviously I wasn't around when the fandom was huge, but I really respect their stance of engaging, answering questions, etc. but keeping canon decisions away from fanon while recognizing that they don't have any control over where the fandom ultimately ends up with the text. Also I loooove hearing Alex and Elizabeth and the other editors talk about soundscaping and Foley - I took a few sound design classes in college and it's definitely a latent interest of mine.
But anyway! I don't want to seem down on the show, I really did enjoy it (I blew through five seasons in like 2 weeks lmao)! Some general thoughts:
I relate to Martin to a probably worrying degree, but. I simply Love Him. (Commencing blorbo in 3...2...)
Predictably, I loved everything Jon/Martin. Unrequited pining to mutual pining? Yearning while gay? Canon ace character? (Sort of) enemies to friends to lovers? Sign me the fuck up
I really really loved season 5 and the finale in particular! Tbf they are the freshest in my head at this point, but I thought it was all a really smart evolution of the show's format, and it was just deliciously tragic and angsty the whole way through without being too depressing.
All of the characters are interesting but I thought Melanie was a really fascinating kind of character - someone who is "good" and on the same side as the protagonists, with many of the same goals, but absolutely hates the main character and almost every decision he makes. It's rare to see that played seriously rather than comic relief, and I thought it added really interesting character aspects to both her and Jon as they constantly end up facing off against each other. (And tbf the more comic bits near the beginning of Melanie's arc were extremely funny as well.)
Maybe this is a silly thing to add after listening to 200 episodes of a horror podcast, but I enjoyed the horror aspects a lot! I've been slowly easing my way into horror as a genre for a long time (because I'm a big baby), and a podcast was a nice medium somewhere between horror books (which I broadly enjoy) and horror movies (which I'm very picky about). I think the framing of listening to the tapes helped keep a level of separation, so the more intense stuff wasn't quite as visceral, but there were still plenty of moments that gave me good chills and statements/images that stick in my mind.
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razorblade180 · 3 years
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Interdimensional Moms pt3
Part 2 right here! <-
Team RWBY continue their interesting chat about their respective worlds. After the emotional roller coaster that was Weiss’s, a bit of light hearted stories would be welcomed.
Yang:Okay, does anyone have some real feel good things to talk about for their world? Just run of the mill pleasant life?
Ruby:Guess I’m going last....
Yang:Oh no!
Weiss:We’ll circle back to you then. Blake, I guess you’re up.
Blake:Wouldn’t you want calmer stuff at the end?
Yang:Blake, I would very much like to go at least ten minutes without wanting to cry.
Blake:Hmmmm I can guarantee you like...six I think.
Yang:I’ll take it! Blake Belladonna, tell me about a world where you and Jaune Arc are happily married. How did such stars align?
Blake:You make it sound crazy?
Weiss:Blake, there’s list of people I could see you with. Now I’m not saying Jaune couldn’t be one of them, but he’d have to fight his way up that list.
Blake:You...that’s kinda fair. It’s a bit hard to explain really. It happened back at Beacon initially, or our bonding did. Some days his team was busy and I didn’t tag along for the crazy antics you three wanted to do all the time, so we occasionally bumped into each by circumstances. He’d go to the library for a book, I’d do training and he was there, or sometimes he’d knock on our door and not realize I was the only one around.
Weiss:Was he trying to sing to me?
Blake:That plan did show up at our a few times, yes. One of those times I asked him out of nowhere to sing the song anyways because I just had to know if it was any good. Hehe, it wasn’t sonically pleasing at times, but you could tell it was genuine. Eventually though...he just sort of gave up on you. It was actually a little sad to see, even you thought so. It was strange. Jaune was definitely stumbling through his flirting and it came off as childish, yet the day he gave up, it was easy to see his heart was breaking a bit. Like all his insecurities ate even the faux confidence away.
Yang:Ma’am, it has barely been three minutes and I’m getting sad about thinking of Jaune being sad.
Weiss:Yeah don’t tell me I broke his heart!
Blake:Whoops, sorry. It’s important though. Jaune kinda kept to himself a little more after that. He still chatted pretty regularly but it was easy to tell he dived more in studies as a way to keep his head clear, which lead to us being on a project together. I was the only person in our friend group that wouldn’t actively try to make him open up about how he feeling. At first I thought it was a bit rude when he told me that, but I didn’t room to talk when it comes to socializing.
Yang:One more time for the people in the back.
Ruby:I’m the back.
Blake:*smirks* I was very against socializing about my feelings at Beacon.
Ruby:Yeah you were.
Weiss:I couldn’t even ask if you slept well without a lukewarm answer sometimes.
Blake:I’m better now. That’s all that matters. Romance and feeling love is a personal thing and talking about it is uncomfortable. I think we both recognized that in each other during our project. Trouble is, there’s only so many conversation starters and small talk subjects. Talking only about the project was dry and eventually all the facts a person could say about themselves ran out. Favorite food, color, hobbies, etc. We eventually had to dig a little deeper into those topics. To our surprise, we actually more in common than we thought when it came to how we felt about certain pieces of literature and music.
Ruby:Awwww, bonding over smut.
Blake:*red* It wasn’t all adult literature! Some were poems and stuff. Even when the project ended, we began being less formal around each other and hanging out. We went to the bookstores we mentioned and he even got us tickets to bands I liked. It...it was nice. I never really got to have just a normal teenage experience before without it being political. He always felt bad about being average compared to everyone but average was so foreign to me that I welcomed it. I liked having a normal time out. It was a thing we all took for granted. Especially when Beacon fell.
Yang:Yeah, that probably put a real bind on your relationship.
Blake:Actually....we technically never officially started to date.
Ruby:What? You courted each other all of Beacon.
Weiss:Ruby, who the heck says courted? I’m a Schnee and even I have never used the word courted.
Ruby:Hush, I read a lot of bed time stories to a five year old.
Blake:We were a bit shaky on labels. Me for obvious reasons. As for Jaune, it’s really true about what they say about guys when they get heart broken.
Yang: “Never again.”
Blake:Hehehe, it’s funny to look back at it but he’ll tell you it’s a bit cringy. He was so on gaurd. I could tell all the time when he was mentally telling himself to not be excited whenever we hung out or I complimented him.
Ruby:Hey it takes guts to shift feelings to a teammate of your first crush. That could blow up in your face.
Blake:Yeah...about that. *looks at Yang* you...were another reason why nothing was official. You uhhh, we actually had some jumbled up emotions.
Weiss:*sarcastic gasp* You and Yang, liking each other? Who could’ve seen that coming?
Yang:Was it mutual or...
Blake:Very mutual. Also...intimate at times.
Yang:*red* Oh....yeah. Yeah that tracks.
Blake:That jumbled mess was only more confusing after you got hurt trying to rescue me from Adam. Meeting up with-
Ruby:Question, so was Sun just not on your radar?
Blake:Sun? We’re just friends. He’s cute and I’m glad he was there for me when I needed help but things between us were always pretty calm. I think he noticed how confused I was with other people in my life and chose to not add to it.
Ruby:Bless him. Please continue.
Blake:Learning about Salem and reconnecting with you all was a lot. I’d really been out of the loop and my Yang and I were on....shaky ground.
Yang:That’s what happens when you leave someone who’s been left their entire life.
Blake:Sigh...yeah. It was a trying time, but not with JNPR. It’s funny, Oscar and I also hit it off quite well from the jump. I think we were both glad to have each other learn on the craziness at once. Even with readjusting, Jaune and I fell back into a groove naturally. Instead of doing average things we day dreamed of the things we did. Once again we become this little slice of simple life in this crazy adventure. Still didn’t date.
Weiss:What is this, a slow burn!?
Yang:Weiss, you literally didn’t date your Jaune until Atlas.
Weiss:There’s a difference. I didn’t make any heart eyes at him until around Atlas. I say I may have been a little quick. These two were “courting” for over a year at this point.
Ruby:Stop making fun of me!
Blake:Well anyways, I wouldn’t say much was too eventful in terms of romance with world destroying things happening. Salem, she was way too much to deal with. Every move age did was calculated and unrelenting. Keeping our head above water wasn’t easy. In fact, it was boarder line impossible. Yang and I barely beat Adam after all.
Yang:How’d you two feel about that?
Blake:Relieved. Huge weight off my mind, and yet...a piece of me still wishes things never got so dire. At least now I know that in another world, things aren’t.
Ruby:Sounds like your world was put through their paces? You survived though.
Blake:Not conventionally. I gotta say, hearing the ages and how you beat Salem so far makes me feel more than a little embarrassed. To be frank, we didn’t have this grand battle that involved the entire world making a final stand. We had Atlas, and then we had Haven. With their might and a plan to gain more time, we managed to seal Salem in a vault.
Yang:*chokes on water* Y- cough what!?
Ruby:You put her in a vault!?
Weiss:Thah sounds harder than a last stand honestly.
Blake:No matter what way we looked at things, we just weren’t ready for her, so we locked her away until we were. Two years on constant defense from her followers and grimm until Ruby had trained enough to use her silver eyes and we were all strong enough.
Ruby:Two years!? How old was I then?
Blake:Twenty I believe.
Weiss:Hey, you beat mine by a year.
Yang:Not mine, I think we either tied or just narrowly beat yours by like a year. Honestly it hard to keep track of birthdays and stuff.
Ruby:Wow. No offense to myself, but that’s a little disappointing. I guess being the same person really doesn’t mean we were all at the same level.
Blake:Hey, my Ruby put everything she had into saving the world. There wasn’t a second she wasn’t trying her best to defend it!
Ruby:My point exactly. If that was her at her absolute best then by all accounts, she doesn’t hold a candle to me; at least back then anyways. But I have no reason to believe she would be at my level now.
Yang:Okay little miss prideful, care to tell us when you saved the-
Ruby:Seventeen.
The reaper took a long swig of coffee while the others processed that information. It took a her a couple of seconds to realize she may be acting just a tad bit arrogant.
Ruby:Uhh, sorry. I think I was tooting my own horn a bit there.
Weiss:Seventeen....why so soon?
Yang:Why? Don’t you mean how?
Blake:That’s....almost unbelievable.
Ruby:Really? I don’t think so. I’ll dive into it when it’s my turn but for now all I really gotta say is people needed help, and I was going to answer those cries. I bet your Ruby had a similar urgency in her, but for some reason or another just had different limitations. I got hurt a lot as a kid. Maybe an injury did more damage in one universe than another? Who can say?
Blake:I...wouldn’t know. Odd, I know if my Ruby heard this, then she’d probably be more than a little upset. Saving lives is still what she’s all about. I know when she put everything she had into fighting Salem when the day came. All that training paid off. Her skills were polished and her silver eyes eradicated the grimm essence in Salem.
Ruby:Wait, she’s not dead?
Blake:No. Salem roams Remnant with Oz keeping an eye on her until one day she can finally grasp the lesson the gods wanted her to have.
Yang:That uhhh sounds risky.
Weiss:Yet oddly okay?
Blake:Funny, my Weiss said that too. Those two get checked on in secret. Can’t be too careful. With Salem beaten though, Remnant entered a state of...let’s call it average chaos. All in all, it’s way more peaceful but you know, people will be people. Downside about a secret war is you don’t get the unity of the masses. Atlas and Haven working together was still a great step in the right direction though.
Yang:Woah, I’m a little jealous. My world felt like a race against the clock. The pressure either broke you or made you harder than diamond, with most people crushing under it.
Weiss:Yeah. The tension and meet of extremes I had on the frontlines was beyond imagination. The unity was great, but to feel it on the battlefield against the odds was feeling with way too much adrenaline and stress. Can’t say I enjoyed it. I simply lived through it.
Blake:Well it isn’t like I had a walk in the park. But I guess in comparison, my experience was a tad more mellow. Still, people were lost and hurt. Oscar isn’t himself anymore, don’t have Penny, former classmates and a few enemies turned allies fell in battle. Family.... it took a bunch to get the plan of containing, then it took a lot more to do it. In a way though, the two years of training is time I can’t regret. It tested bonds, strengthening and reestablishing others.
Ruby:I take it since love couldn’t bloom on the battlefield, it bloomed in the training yards?
Blake:*red* You can say that. That’s when Jaune and I got serious. *frowning* But.....
Yang:We fell apart?
Blake:Yeah. I didn’t learn my lesson well enough the first time about the potential problems of dating a partner. Only difference this time was I felt like I was the one being cruel. We had gotten into arguments and apologized more than once. Your fear of being left and my own insecurities just kept butting heads. I’d cry, you’d cry, our friends would be concerned. Then the day came where you put it all on the line. You confessed genuinely how much you loved me and how you felt a bit jealous when it came to Jaune. I had never seen you look so vulnerable; letting your gaurd completely down. And though a piece of me loved you and wanted you in my life for ever....this sense of genuine comfort Jaune gave was something I want-needed for so long. So I did the one thing I didn’t want to do. I broke your heart. I hurt you again.
Yang:Sigh....*leans back in chair* Okay, let’s see how well I know myself. My eyes went red automatically, followed by tears. I lashed out at you angrily out of pain and embarrassment until I was probably blue in the face. But to take make things worse, somebody probably overheard. No matter who it was, I yelled at them too for trying to calm me down and then I eventually run off leaving everyone unhappy. A good old meltdown. Sound about right?
Blake:To the letter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so distraught.
Yang:Of course not, I’ve never been in love before meeting you. I....did a similar thing with my Blake over the stupid Adam shit. *covers face* of all the things to be similar, it had to be my temper. Please tell me our team didn’t suffer too harshly?
Blake:The good thing about two years of training was it didn’t have to be together all the time. Team RWBY didn’t fall apart, but it didn’t feel comfortable either. Outside of missions, the four of us didn’t hang out as much. It was three at the most. Nobody pinned blame on me or Yang for it but it was obvious.
Ruby:I mean how can you blame someone for feeling sad or not in love with someone? Pointing fingers doesn’t do anything. However, I bet missions were rough.
Blake:Bumblebee was shelved. We did any other team up we could. When push came to shove, Yang and I did put feelings aside. Neither of us wanted our feelings to get anyone killed. That’s probably what kept us connected for awhile, especially with Salem. I don’t think we questioned each other when it came to watching one another’s back. Slowly, our relationship got a bit better. Until....we stopped speaking to each other altogether about a couple years later.
Yang:Wait, why!?
Blake:I got pregnant.
The three listeners’ faces scrunched up and they let in a sharp breath like they just got cut. No one had considered that bombshell.
Blake:Marriage was rough enough. Having Jaune’s kid and starting a family just...cut deep I guess. You didn’t make a scene or anything if that’s what you’re worried about. One day you told me “I just can’t do this” and exited my life. I wanted to keep you close to me, but you wanted to be closer. That was a thing I couldn’t do. Hehe, I can’t tell you how weird it is talking to you like this again.
Yang:So that’s it!? We just don’t see each other at all!?
Blake:Certain events and celebrations have us in the same room, but that’s all. Ruby is the only thing that regularly links us, but she’s busy living life too.
Ruby:Is it a good life?
Blake:The best. You’re the huntress you always wanted to be and a hero to many.
Ruby:*smiles* Really? That’s good. May she ride that high for as long as she can. Though I bet she wished she had a special someone to share that with.
Blake:Huh? Oh, you married Weiss.
Weiss:*red* What!?
Ruby:Aye, nice.
Weiss:Weren’t you upset about thinking of other people with Jaune besides you!?
Ruby:Yeah, but I won’t deny if I am going to be with someone that isn’t him, I’m very happy it’s the other special person in my life. I mean come on, the only reason we don’t get weird in your universe is because I married your brother and you already invited my sister.
Weiss:I mean...it’s mainly the brother portion. The second part...
Ruby:Weiss, that’s weird.
Yang:Eh...
Ruby:IT’S WEIRD! YOU CANNOT TELL ME OTHERWISE!
Yang:*sips coffee* Eh.
Blake:Anyways, Weiss, you’re running your company. The Schnee Dust Company was scrubbed top to bottom to remove as much corruption as possible. No department was overlooked. In times of money, there’s a notable decrease in how much the company used to make.
Weiss:Gee, I wonder if that’s because the other me is doing oh let me guess, paying all their workers and not cutting corners in safety?
Blake:The SDC people approval has gone up considerably, just so you know that too. Turns out people like it when the company they buy from have good morals.
Weiss:Am I happy though? I make time for my social life and hu- I mean wife?
Blake:Yea, you’re happy. In a way I think we’re all happy, but....
Yang:We’d be happier if we were all happy together? Yeah, that’s how it works. You’re only as happy as the most miserable person in a family or group; if you all care about each other that is. Ugh, I wanna punch the other me. I get how she feels but it’s fucking immature to just ignore years of teamwork and family. At the end of the day, team RWBY is a family! Can’t believe I’d runaway from it instead of figuring out...I don’t know! Something!
Blake:*small smile* Well if you feel that way then there’s no reason to believe she doesn’t. My Yang just struggles with it more I guess, but I hope she can come around one day. Not really for my sake, but for her own peace of mind. As well as Lucas’s.
Ruby:Lucas? Your son I take it?
Blake:Mmhmm. My strong and lazy young man. He got his father’s hair but my eyes and ears. I can’t think of a person who warms my heart quite like him. He acts uninterested in a lot of things, but his heart is so big.
Weiss:Ah, so he’s just you?
Blake:More or less hehe. Though I’d say I was passionate about things all my life. Lucas will sleep all day if he could and doesn’t like going out without a reason.
Weiss:Still sounds like you if I’m being honest. Teenager?
Blake:Seventeen, almost eighteen.
Yang:You said he’s need peace of mind too? I’m not...hostile towards him am I?
Blake:No, not by a long shot. On the occasions you two have meant, you were polite. It’s just he knows why you don’t visit or talk to me. That’s rough, knowing your parent’s closest friend stopped being apart of their life because you were born. I think sometimes he believes it’s actually his fault.
Yang:I really, really want to meet this other me and have a few words. She needs to know she isn’t trying hard enough. I’m proof.
Ruby:Yeah, but you’re only well off because the person that helped you get over Blake, was Jaune. Yeah she still can find love, but who that person will be would be uncharted territory for everyone.
Blake:Also I’m not entirely sure exactly if my Yang is even bi like you.
Yang:Sigh....
Weiss:Love.
Blake:Huh?
Weiss:As long as a person shows your Yang genuine love and a place in their heart where she’ll remain forever, Yang would fall for them. They just have to make it a point to make her feel like they’ll stay. Yangs are softies like that.
Yang:Wow, you an expert on me and all the versions of me now?
Weiss:No, you’re just a bleeding heart that’s super emotional. Let me guess, you fell for Jaune the moment you realized just how relaxed and vulnerable you could allow yourself to be around him.
Yang:*red*.......he holds me when I’m overwhelmed.
RWB:Awwww
Yang:Shut up! Blake, take the heat off me.
Blake:Not too much more. Lucas is a smart kid who generally stays out of trouble. Unfortunately, trouble finds him. Mainly because of his semblance.
Ruby:Don’t tell me...
Blake:No no, it’s not bad luck like your uncle, but Lucas can’t always control it so their similar in that regard. Premonitions, that’s his semblance.
Weiss:Like...the future? You child can see the future?!
Blake:Yeah. *sips drink* it’s terrible.
Ruby:What? That sounds so handy! Man, if I could someone fighting me before it happened, I’d be a monster on the battlefield.
Blake:Lucas isn’t a fighter. Well, he’s not aspiring to fight. He can fight, pretty dang well in fact.; but randomly seeing the future is not a gift. Imagine picking up a book and you suddenly know the ending, or watching a movie and you start seeing the middle of it right after you press play?
Yang:Ahhh, that’s why he’s lazy and unmotivated. His semblance is massive spoiler alert. Half the fun of new things is not knowing what will happen.
Ruby:Oof, you have a point. I’d be paranoid to no end.
Blake:To a point, he was. Ever since he was ten. Disasters happen at the drop of a hat. Lucas isn’t the kind of person to watch bad things unfold, so whenever it was possible or even if it was risky, he’d do whatever he could to prevent said disaster. But.....there’s only so much anyone person can do. There’s only so much information he sees. The constant strain and guilt that came from failing ate him up. The. There’s the incidents he’s seen that didn’t show him how it began or how it will end. *rubbing her hands* It’s bad...
Weiss:Hey, I...I’ve noticed your hands and frankly even your face are a bit....slim. Your skin isn’t as colorful as I’m used to either. Almost like it’s regaining color.
Blake:Hehehe.......I guess you were bound to notice of all people.
Weiss:Of course. I may not run a a company in my world but I keep tabs on my brother and have had my fair share of visits to a doctor. Why wouldn’t I notice.
Yang:So can we talk as if there are people who have no clue what’s going on?
Weiss:Blake has had one of two things happen to her. She’s either worked way too hard to the point she’s not taking care of her health, or she’s fallen very ill and her body is still recovering.
Blake:Yeah, it’s more of the second one, but probably because of the first one as well. Forwarding equality, I was overzealous with it. One day Lucas just started shaking and crying when he was twelve and I couldn’t understand why. Turns out he kept seeing me bedridden and unconscious without a reason. Day in and day out he simply cried and tried his best to get another premonition to learn more, but couldn’t. A week later I started feeling a little dizzy, and then blacked out after vomiting. At first I thought maybe I had the flu or something. Nope, a tumor.
Weiss:What?
Ruby:Blake!?
Yang:Oh shit, are you-
Blake:Perfectly fine! *smiles* I’m fine. Liver cancer, but it was caught early. No more tumor what so ever, but the meds and the entire process was really draining. Got sicker a couple of times. Not once did I feel like I was dying necessarily, more like...slipping? I felt myself getting drained. The whole time Lucas was so scared; blaming himself for not preventing this or knowing how to fix it. Though simply knowing he saw me like was a warning most people wish they got. I know I said seeing the future is terrible, but the scariest part through all of this was not knowing how it ended. Choosing medicine, doctors, surgery possibilities, it made me crack under pressure a little. I think he noticed that. I wasn’t sure if I picking an option that lead me dying or getting better. The stress alone may have killed me. Ever since then Lucas hasn’t been so outgoing.
Ruby:....
Weiss:....
Yang....It was already said, but there was no way this wasn’t going to get sad was there?
Blake:Take it from me, there’s joy in pain. So many people came to visit me when I was recovering. Even Yang dropped by for a bit. After I got out, I don’t think Lucas ever hugged me so hard. Jaune tried to stay calm through the whole ordeal but it was rough for him too. He was all but spent emotionally when I came home.
Weiss:I’m surprised Lucas didn’t become an older brother.
Blake:The last thing a recovering patient needs is a pregnancy, but as far as missing me goes...
Ruby:You can stop right there with that tangent.
Yang:We’ll talk about that in private. I wouldn’t mind that story.
Blake:*playfully rolls eyes* These days I try not to over do things. I’ve only officially been deemed completely cured for about a year. I can feel that I’m still not entirely up to strength. It’s fine though. It gives me an excuse for Lucas to dote on me a little. He’s a mama’s boy at heart. My biggest worries these days is peeling him out of this shell his semblance had put him in. At the very least I want him to smile like he used to and find away to live in moment when possible. His entire life is ahead of him. Hopefully he doesn’t see all of it.
Ruby:I guess too much of anything really is bad. Knowledge included. I hope things work out.
Yang:Me too. A happy life is something you definitely earned.
Blake:Thanks. That seriously means a lot, which is why I made sure to not end this on a sour note.
The happy faunus pulled out her scroll to scroll through pictures and her friends eyes lit up. The first one was a beach photo. This Jaune was different from what they were used to. He let his hair grow a little bit longer and the back went down his neck, but it was definitely still him. This jaune was pretty toned and went for a lean look than bulky like Weiss’s, but a tad slimmer. On his shoulders was an adorable toddler with wide amber eyes and big blonde cat ears. Both men were enjoying the sunset on the waves.
The next photo was more recent with Blake right in the middle of hopping into Lucas’s arms. Weiss noticed the girl still had on the hospital bracelet. She must’ve just gotten cleared. Lucas had grown like a weed. He was now roughly Jaune’s height. His hair was messy and looked like Jaune’s in his younger years. Also like his father, Lucas was jacked! His sleeveless purple shirt should off his biceps as they wrapped around Blake’s torso for a hug. His baggy purple shorts had black and gold trim through the seams and the shorts stopped right below his knees; but showed of his well defined calves. A smile of pure joy and what could’ve been a few tears were visible as he looked lovingly at his mother. It warmed all of the ladies hearts. Still, the girls also could tell under his eyes were a little dark. Lucas must’ve been very tired.
The final picture had to be the most recent. It was Blake and Lucas sparring. Both looked at each other with excitement and ease as their wooden blades clashed. Their clothes mirrored one another by being black and white kimonos. They even wore the traditional shoes and everything.
Weiss:Yeah, that’s your kid.
Blake:Damn right. Unfortunately that makes him a little too stubborn. But I guess that’s okay. Without a doubt, someone’s gonna break through that shell of his.
Yang:Oh? It sounds like you already know who?
Blake:Well....I have a hunch.
xxxxx
RING! RING! RING! Lucas’s scroll chirped, in the middle of the night. The boy let out a long, agitated groan of sleepiness as he rolled over in bed; reaching for his scroll on the nightstand to answer.
Lucas:Hello?
???:Did you know you are mathematically more likely to choke on a hotdog than get attacked by a shark?
Lucas:....Serenity, who gave you my number?
Serenity:Your parents, and it’s Serendipity!
Lucas:Too many syllables. Also a bit ironic given who you are. With the way you act though, my name for you is better.
Serenity:Ooooo so we’re moving on to pet names? How forward of you.
Lucas:Five seconds before I hang up. Three...two-
Serenity:You’re late! You promised to guide me around the beach at twelve. That’s now.
Lucas:.....P.M. Twelve P.M. Serenity. Why in the world would I mean midnight!?
Serenity:It’s romantic and personal. Nobody else is around. I thought you were trying to use that Belladonna magic on me by acting all cool and aloof in the moonlight.
Lucas:.....
Lucas:Please delete my number.
Serenity:Not on your life, my whiskered bodyguard!
Lucas:Don’t have whiskers-
Serenity:If you don’t wanna move that butt of yours to hang out with a pretty girl in a floppy hat and sundress with a bikini underneath, that’s your loss. I’m still going for a dip.
Lucas:Do not go in the water when nobody is around.
Serenity:Pfft, I’m a strong swimmer.
Lucas:Sharks.
Serenity:It’s more dangerous to eat a hotdog.
Lucas:Sharks feed at night.
Serenity:Are you trying to tell me the statistics aren’t as reliable just because it’s nighttime.
Lucas:That’s exactly what I’m saying.
Serenity:Then you better move your butt just in case. Either you get a snack or the sharks do. Either way, I get attention.
Lucas:Difference is one wants to eat you.
Serenity:My goodness Lucas, oh brazen of you.
Lucas:......
Lucas:Tell the sharks I said hi.
Serenity:Okay! Byyyyyyeeeee! *hangs up*
Lucas:(She’ll be fine.)
..........
Lucas:*putting on shoes* This is bullshit. Who thinks midnight!? *walking down stairs* Can’t have a peaceful day or night....
Jaune:*watching tv* Hey Lucas, going some-
Lucas:I’m giving out your phone number to a homeless man the first chance I get! *walks out door*
Jaune:.....(Whatever gets you outside more.)
It took about fifteen minutes of aggressive walking for Lucas to wrap around to the back of his house towards their section of the beach. Where Serenity walked around humming and collecting seashells without a care in the world.
Lucas:The next shell you grab will have a crab in it.
Serenity:Huh? Oh hey you’re finally-ahhhh! Ow ow ow ow ow ow!
Lucas:Should’ve listened.
Serenity:Have a better warning!!!! It won’t let go!
Lucas:Pull it off.
Serenity:That’s hurt!!! Lucas, help!
Lucas:Fine, if you delete my number.
Serenity:*sniffling* Stop being mean!!! This really hurts, it’s breaking the skin. Isn’t a young and pretty girl’s tears payment enough!? I thought you were getting paid to-
Lucas:Oh my goodness! Okay, just shush. I’m too sleepy for this.
Serenity:You’re mean when you’re sleepy. At least your waking up voice sounds handsome though.
Lucas:Please....stop. Stop everything. *removing crab* Happy?
Serenity:No, you’re not happy. Also my finger is bleeding.
Lucas:Yep, looks like you can’t go swimming now for real.
Serenity:Eh, I lied anyways. I’m not getting in that water. There are sharks in that watery grave.
Lucas:So. Why. Did. You. Wake. Me. Up?
Serenity:....*red* I...don’t really, have friends here. Besides you. Umm *points to pail and shovels* sandcastles?
Lucas:*inhales*......I’ll get the water.
Serenity:*smiles* Yes! I’ll delete your number later.
Lucas:*red* You....can keep it of you really want.
Serenity:....Kek, okay Mr. Tsundere
Lucas:You can remove the next crab alone.
Serenity:Don’t joke like that! That was a joke, right?
Lucas:Welp that pail isn’t gonna fill itself. *leaves*
Serenity:What!? Lucas!!! You were joking right!? Right!? *looking around the sand* you’re a lousy bodyguard!
Lucas:Good, fire me.
Serenity:I...you....ugh!
Lucas:Cheer up, I’m happy now after all. *smiles*
Serenity:*pouting* This is why I’m a dog person.
190 notes · View notes
idy-ll-ique · 3 years
Text
Balisong.
Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x F!Reader
Genre: Fluff, Mutual Pining, Roommate AU
Requested: by @tom-hlover
Tom Hiddleston x (roommate) reader where reader is harboring a secret crush on Tom, but she thinks that Tom only sees her as a friend, she loves to sing when she's alone, and sends Tom letters through the mailbox making it seem from another place,but in reality the return address is from her friend's address whom is out of the country and lets reader use the address for now, as she is serving as the house's caretaker as well 😅😅 until Tom finds out and also turns out hears reader's singing? And I was thinking of the song "Bali Song" by Rivermaya for that one particularly 😅😅😊😊
Summary: Y/N, who is roommates with Tom Hiddleston (omg they were roommates) has a crush on him and instead of confessing her love like a normal person, she writes him love-letters using a fake identity and address. What happens when Tom finds out, though?
Warnings: None
Author's Note: Hey guys! Special shoutout to @tom-hlover for the prompt, finished writing it under an hour so you have to excuse me if it's crappy. Enjoy!
---
Y/N POV:
"Oh, look, another letter from the secret admirer. I wonder what she wrote this time."
I looked up from where I was tending to the houseplants and gave Tom a quick grin. "Endearing words, as always. She does like you a lot," I professed with a slight chuckle, giving him a small smile and looking away when I felt a blush creeping up on my cheeks.
Tom sat down on the couch and opened the letter. "Dear Tom…" I stopped listening after that, I knew the whole thing to heart anyway. Wondering how? Well, I was the one who wrote it, simple! Let me explain. I'm Y/N Y/L/N and the person I was speaking to? Tom Hiddleston, my roomie.
Yeah we lived together; we had been friends for a long time and I needed a place so Tom offered to keep me at his home until I found another home. Nearly 5 years had passed since that incident and now we sort of just lived together, fallen into a nice, daily routine. I also happened to have a huge, huge, huge crush on him. Knowing how many other people, much better than myself, adored him, I kept my feelings to myself.
Oh and by the way, I paid my share of the rent so don't come at me! "She's so sweet with these, I might just pay her a visit! What is the address?" I looked up, wide-eyed as Tom took the envelope in his hand. "Do you really need to?" I blurted out, turning red when he squinted his eyes at me. "Do you know this person?" he blinked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I don't," I muttered, "You know what? Fine, go meet this person. I just hope they're not, you know, a psychopath." Yes, I knew I was talking about myself but was I wrong, though? Instead of confessing my feelings like a normal person, I was sending letters to my crush like I lived in the Victorian Era, using my best friend's address while she was out living somewhere else.
"I'm sure she's not. Anyway, what are your plans for later?" He let out a yawn, slouching on the couch. "Nothing much, I finish some work and then bam, dinner time." Tom laughed. "I have an interview early tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep early tonight. What do you want for dinner?" I shrugged. "Anything's fine, thanks!" He ruffled my hair and got up, going to the kitchen.
Okay, I see a lot of you are staring in confusion, let me clear things up yet again. I liked Tom for nearly 3 years now, but had no idea how to proceed with my feelings. Did he even like me back? Would he even like me back? That's when my best friend gave me a brilliant idea.
She said she was moving elsewhere and that her previous house was going to be empty but she was still going to be the owner. "Hey, Y/N, maybe you can go live there if you want!" she suggested. And I told her, "Hm, I'll think about it." Ever since then, I was the caretaker of the house, visiting it once a week to see if everything was okay with it.
One day when I was there, looking out the balcony into the garden, I came across the said brilliant idea. Why don't I just send letters to Tom from this address confessing my love?! He didn't know about it, and I technically won't be telling him anything in person. A great way to get the feelings off my chest while not getting the feelings off my chest!
Ever since then, I had started writing letters to him, once a week. Most of them were small, one paragraph long, along the lines of "hey how are you I love you thanks" while in some, I included lovesick quotes from famous authors like William Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen or Anaïs Nin. Tom was a fanatic of classical literature, it only made sense.
With a sigh, I got up and went to my room, getting started with my work only to end up spending all my time on social media until Tom called me over for dinner.
---
Tom POV:
"Ah, yes, this is the address," I said to myself, stopping outside a beautiful estate surrounded by pretty gardens. I parked the car and stepped out, heading to the door. As I was about to knock, I noticed that the door was locked. "Huh?" I whispered, maybe she wasn't home at the time? "Excuse me, sir? I saw your car parked outside…" I turned to see an old man blinking at me.
"Where's the woman who lives here?" I asked him. "Woman? This house has been empty for years, son, the last woman that lived here moved to the colonies 3 years ago." My eyes widened. So all this time, I was getting letters from… a ghost? Or was someone using a false address?
"Are you sure no one comes by, or anything?"
"Well, a fair young lady does stop by every week. Her name is Y/N Y/L/N, very polite and kind, she's like a daughter to me. She looks after the house; she's looking to move in, I guess but I'm not sure. Nice meeting you, young man! If you do want to meet up with the pseudo-owner, Y/N, she will stop by next Sunday at 11 am."
"Oh, I wouldn't need to do that," I muttered, bade him farewell and got back into the car. Well well well, things just got… interesting. I smiled widely as I drove back home. I had no idea Y/N felt the same way! All this time, the one-sided pining was actually mutual pining… it all ends today. Now that I knew she liked me back and my love wasn't in vain, there was nothing that could stop me from confessing.
Upon reaching home, I quietly opened the door only to see that Y/N was in the kitchen, singing a song unknown to me as she cooked. Like a thief, I tiptoed in and quietly closed the door behind me. I walked up to the kitchen, stopping when I heard the lyrics.
To speak or not to, where to begin
A great dilemma I'm finding myself in
For all I know you only see me as a friend
I try to tell myself, "Wake up, fool
This fairytale has got to end"
I leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, finding it strange that she still hadn't taken notice of me. You only see me as a friend? Nonsense, I definitely liked her more than that. For some reason, the lyrics seemed familiar— Oh yes, the song Y/N apparently liked to sing all the time! What was the name, uh…
Never in my life have I been more sure
So come on up to me and close the door
Nobody's made me feel this way before
You're everything I wanted…
When she (amazingly) sang those lines, I decided to make my move. I walked forward and put my arms around her from behind, laughing when she screamed. "Tom! Oh my God, when did you come home?!" I spun her around, trapping her between the kitchen counter and myself. "A few minutes ago. You sing wonderfully, love," I smirked. She visibly gulped. "Uh, what are you—"
"Don't play dumb now. Aren't you the one who writes those letters? Don't lie to me." Her eyes went wide. "How did you find out? I'm sorry, I—" I cut off her trail of words by leaning down, capturing her lips with mine in a magical kiss. She, thankfully, didn't push away, instead wrapping her arms around me.
"I didn't think you'd like me back," she mumbled when we pulled away to breathe. "All that matters is that we're together now." She chuckled and snuggled into my arms. With a content sigh, I pulled her close, running my fingers through her hair as I held her close. "I love you," I said simply, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you too, think that's quite obvious."
We laughed. "How did you find out, though? What gave it away?" She got out of my arms and turned back to her cooking. I leaned against the counter next to her, crossing my arms. "I just visited the address on the letter. The door was locked, then I met an old man who said the person who lived there moved to the USA 3 years ago."
"My best friend, Y/F/N."
"He told me your name, saying how you went there every Sunday to look after the house. How come I didn't know?"
"Oh, Bertram. I always lied about going out on Sundays. I guess we sort of owe our relationship to Bert, don't we?"
I laughed and kissed her on the temple. "For sure, we do. What is that song you sing all the time, you were singing it just now?" She snorted and took out her phone, opening Spotify. She put on the song and turned to me, holding her hand out. "Balisong by Rivermaya. Care for a dance?"
"Don't mind if I do."
---
A/N: Oooh two fics in a row?? leave a like if you enjoyed lol thanks for reading!
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brockadoodles · 3 years
Text
The CN Tower and Chocolate Chip Pancakes - w. nylander
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AN: I swear before whipping this out I was complaining about no writing motivation and how I was going to finish my Christmas wips when this like came to me. So here’s a quick little story about one of our favorite blondies for @puckinghell​ and all of you. There is mention of losing a parent, which is something I closely relate to from losing one of mine recently, if that’s a trigger, I wouldn’t read this. It’s not an angst piece at all, I just think that warning is necessary. This also may or may not be self indulgent and based on an actual experience I had two years ago with a boy in NYC, but like, you didn’t hear that from me. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. 
Word Count: 3,337 
Warnings: Mentions of death of a parent 
Christmas was usually your favorite time of the year. You loved how the city lit up during December, the white lights twinkling from the streetlights and trees, the fresh snow that usually littered the city of Toronto, and the constant smell of gingerbread and spices whenever you entered a building were all things that brought you comfort. This year, however, was different. It was the first year without your mom, without a lot of the traditions that the two of you would do together as you grew up. 
You tried though. You went through all of the motions of the holiday. You decorated a tree, blue and silver just like she always loved. You went skating, an experience that was far less fun without your mom to laugh with you when you fell. You went to the Christmas Market, buying a new small knick-knack, like every other year you had done since you were five years old. All of it felt forced, but you were hopeful. You were hopeful that one last Christmas tradition would bring you the sense of comfort you had been searching for during the entire month of December. 
The fleeting feeling of comfort and your mom were how you found yourself spending nearly $60 to go up CN Tower on Christmas Eve. A tradition that was usually entirely reserved for tourists visiting the city, a romantic setting with the tower lit up for the holiday and the nighttime skyline view of the entire city providing a cinematic backdrop for people’s perfect holiday moments. You weren’t a tourist, you had grown up in Toronto for your entire life, but your mom had always believed in the idea that it wasn’t a bad thing to be a tourist in your own city, so every year on Christmas even she would bring you up here and the two of you would sit on the observation deck and make a Christmas wish. No matter how lost you felt, it was the one tradition that you didn’t think you could ever give up. 
You wandered around the observation deck, the dark beanie on your head keeping your ears warm and your hands were securely tucked in your wool coat pockets as you watched the various people scattered around. It was getting late, the families with children were long gone, probably at home tucked into their beds, and most people that were left were younger couples. You glanced to your right, spotting a boy on one knee holding a ring out for the girl standing in front of him with tears in her eyes. You watched them for a moment, finding yourself wrapped up slightly in how happy they both looked. It gave you an idea for your Christmas wish, and you found yourself smiling softly as you closed your eyes and wished. 
“I love you, mom, Merry Christmas.” You whispered as you opened your eyes, the feeling of comfort not quite sinking into your chest yet. As you walked the familiar route to the elevators, you decided that once last stop before heading home for pancakes certainly couldn’t hurt. 
You walked down the street with your eyes focussed on your phone as the snow was falling a bit harder than it had been previously. You were searching for anything that was open on Christmas Eve, your stomach growling a bit as you scanned through the search results. 
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Someone exclaimed, grabbing your arm slightly to prevent you from falling into their chest. You looked up, seeing a boy that must have been around your age looking down at you with a concerned look in his blue eyes. You must have ran into him, too focussed on your phone to watch where you were walking properly enough. You studied his face for a minute, wondering if you had somehow met him before from the feeling of familiarity you were getting in your stomach. 
“Do I know you?” You blurted out, adverting your eyes a bit when you realized how rude you must have sounded to this boy immediately after quite literally bumping into him. It didn’t seem to phase him though, and he just smiled. 
“I think so? I’m William. You know Steph right? Steph LaChance?” And that’s when it hit you, you did know this boy, well sort of. You had met him maybe once before, at a mutual friend’s birthday party at least two years ago. 
“Ah, I do remember you. Wow, you look different, I mean, good.” You stumbled out. It was true, he did look a lot different than he did when you met him. His hair was longer, his face a bit rounder, and a short beard that definitely wasn’t there before. You felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment a bit as he laughed softly at your statement.
“So do you. Hey, this may seem a bit forward but, are you busy right now?” He asked. Part of you wanted to tell him yes, that you were busy. That way you could just get on the train back to your apartment, curl up with a warm cup of tea and your slippers, and fall asleep to the snow falling outside of your winder. But the other part of you was dreading going home, the sinking feeling of your first Christmas without your mom settling into your stomach and making you not want to go home. Because if you went home to your empty apartment, you’d have to fully confront your reality. So instead, you nodded up at William, taking a chance on the stranger in front of you that wasn’t quite a stranger. 
“What did you have in mind?” You asked softly.
“Come on.” He smiled at you and held his hand out for you to take, your question going unanswered as you hesitantly wrapped your hand in his, letting him lead you in the opposite direction you had come from. 
The walk was short and quiet, and your stomach grumbled once more when you stopped in front of what appeared to be the destination he was leading you to. You glanced up at the neon pink sign, the diner clearly out of date and straight from the 1980’s. You smiled to yourself, appreciating that somehow this stranger that wasn’t quite a stranger had instinctively known exactly what you needed at the moment. 
“I hope you like pancakes,” He smiled as he opened the door for you, gesturing you ahead with his hand. The diner was relatively empty, just a few other patrons sitting in the various worn-out leather booths. There were decorations everywhere, garlands wrapped around the posts holding up the ceiling and a small Christmas tree lit up in the corner of the diner, multicolored lights strung throughout but no ornaments. 
You followed William to a booth in the corner and watched carefully as he smiled at the waitress, her saying hello to him by name. You wondered if this was a place he went to frequently enough to be on a first-name basis with the people that worked here, or if perhaps they were just Toronto Maple Leafs fans who happened to recognize him.
“I come here all the time, usually after bad games. I just really like the people here, and something about diner food is comforting after a loss.” He explained before you had the chance to ask. You nodded at him while you shrugged off your jacket and pulled off your beanie, fixing your hair slightly as William handed you a menu from the side of the table. You grabbed the menu and let your fingers brush lightly against his, causing you to pull your hand back quickly. 
“Why did you want to come here tonight?” You asked softly, hoping that your question wasn’t taken out of context or as too intrusive for him to answer. William didn’t seem phased by any of it, instead offering you what would have been the fourth or fifth reassuring smile so far that night, if you were keeping count. 
“Just didn’t want to be alone on Christmas Eve, I guess.” He admitted. You were almost taken aback by his honesty with you, finding yourself wondering if he had asked you the very same question that you asked him if you’d answer as bluntly as he did. You felt oddly settled with him though, there in that shitty diner looking at a worn-out menu that probably hadn’t been updated in fifteen years and you found yourself wanting to give him the same openness that he gave you. 
“Me neither, I guess.” You commented, holding back and giving him just enough that hopefully he understood that on some level you felt how he felt, even if you couldn’t entirely admit to him why. 
The two of you sat in comfortable silence for a few moments as you both scanned over the menu. The waitress came over, sliding two pale brown mugs filled with coffee in both of your directions and noting that she would be back in a minute to check if either of you wanted any food. You scanned over the pancakes and peeked over at William, his eyes also scanning the page with concentration and you found your mind wondering about him once more. You watched as he bit his lip softly and wondered if he was the type who liked pancakes with fruit on them, or chocolate, an inconsequential fact that most people wouldn’t be phased by but to you said everything you needed to know about a person. 
“You said you hoped I liked pancakes, right, William?” You asked, breaking the silence between you as you closed your menu in front of you. He looked over the menu in his own hands at you, raising an eyebrow quickly and smiling softly before looking back down at the pages. 
“You can call me Willy if you want, and yeah. I like most kinds, but if you try to tell me fruit on pancakes is better than chocolate, I might have to leave.” He teased as he closed his menu, now looking fully at you with a smirk on his face. For a moment you went wide-eyed, wondering if he somehow crept into your mind and heard exactly what you were thinking. You recovered quickly though, and folded your hands quickly on the table, sending your own smirk back to him. 
“I’m not going to argue with that, it’s obviously the correct answer.” Willy didn’t say anything, instead, he nodded at you before taking a sip of the diner coffee, seemingly not phased by its lack of strength or flavor. You grabbed your own mug and the two of you settled into a much more relaxed conversation as you waited for the waitress to come back. Nearly two hours of conversation passing through you without either of you realizing just how personal you were being with each other. 
“Usually this place is faster than this, I’m sorry.” The boy in front of you commented, his head tilting toward the large analog clock on the wall that had shown it was nearing midnight, nearing Christmas. You weren’t worried though, glancing around the small diner as the snow fell harshly outside. You smiled softly at William, 
“We haven’t even ordered yet, and I’ve got nothing but time tonight.” Willy just smiled back at you, nodding a bit and catching the eye of the waitress. 
“Sorry guys, been a long day. What can I get you?” She smiled apologetically. You nodded at Willy to go first. 
“No problem, Grace.” He started, referring to the older woman by her first name. He glanced at you quickly, taking a leap of his own as he spoke,
“Can we just grab two orders of chocolate chip pancakes and more coffee?” he asked. 
“Confident, what if I wanted strawberry?” You teased, raising an eyebrow quickly. Willy laughed, a genuine laugh that somehow hit you in your chest as comfort settled into your system, a soft smile lingering on your lips as he started leaning into his hand that was resting on the table. He looked at you at that moment like you were more than just a stranger who wasn’t really a stranger to him, and you would be lying to yourself if you tried to ignore the butterflies that it was giving you. Willy felt familiar in an unfamiliar yet exciting way. It didn’t feel like you had only met him once, instead, it felt like you had known him in passing forever, your comfort level and trust quickly rising in him in just a few short hours of really knowing him. 
“No chance, you said I was right about chocolate, and I pay attention.” He threw back at you. 
“Okay, tell me the real reason you’re alone on Christmas Eve.” Willy pressed as he set his fork down, scooting the nearly empty plate away from his body and toward the center of the table. It was nearly 2 am at this point, and you weren’t sure if it was the few hours you had spent with him giving or the tiredness weighing you down that gave you the false sense of closeness with him, but you found yourself giving in anyway, wanting to tell him everything about yourself in hopes that he would for some reason be taking notes to remember you by. 
“It’s my first Christmas without my mom, she uhm, passed away earlier this year and I spent the whole day doing things by myself that we used to do together. So, when you asked if I was busy, I said no, because going somewhere with you felt better than going home to my empty apartment and my thoughts.” It felt good to get it out and Willy’s reaction confirmed what you had already assumed about him, that he wouldn’t judge you for not wanting to spend Christmas Eve alone. After all, before you ran into him, he was set on being alone. 
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He frowned. You just shrugged, you were used to the apologies, no one really knew what it was like when a parent passed away unless they had dealt with it themselves. The apology was an expression of sympathy, and you didn’t mind it coming from Willy. 
“What about you? Have a sad story to tell me?” You inquired. Willy sighed and for a moment you wondered if you had pushed too hard if you had overstepped some boundary that he had put up between you that you missed. But the sigh came with a nod as he continued, opening his mouth to speak quietly as you looked at him with eyes that you hoped indicated your willingness to take in whatever he had to say without any judgment. 
“I guess I’ve just been having a rough year, I’m not sure how closely you follow hockey, but, a lot of people are doubting if I belong here. I guess with not being able to go home and see my family, it was getting to me. Didn’t even really have any plans until you ran into me and I just felt comfortable asking you to do something.” His voice wavered as he spoke and his eyes dodged your own a few times as he went through what you could only gather were insecurities he didn’t like to talk about. You reached out and put your hand on his wrist, running your thumb slowly across his skin and smiling softly at him. 
“You belong here, Willy. I’m not sure how much that means coming from a stranger, but you belong here.” He lit up at your words, turning his hand to grab yours. Your heart pounded in your chest as he laced your fingers together and gave your hand a soft squeeze before letting go, a silent thank you that didn’t need words. You knew what he was trying to say, you didn’t need him to verbally thank you for it. 
The two of you started putting your coats back on, the night coming to a close that you weren’t sure you were ready for. You hadn’t expected to have a good Christmas, and while it certainly couldn’t compare to the ones of your past, as you sat in that diner with Willy for hours you felt like you were soaking in the comfort you had spent the entire month trying to find. Each time he laughed at something you said you melted further into the old booth. 
Willy set some cash on the table, ignoring your protests as he paid for the meal, and grabbed your hand, once again lacing your fingers together as he tugged you out of the restaurant, this time not letting go once you stepped outside. 
“I’ll drive you home, I’m just parked a bit far. Is that okay?” He asked. You smiled and nodded in response, too focussed on the warmth of the feeling of his hand in yours and how it sent waves of feeling straight to your heart and butterflies to your stomach. 
The two of you walked in silence for about a block, his hand never wavering from yours until you were standing at a crosswalk. He stopped and looked around a bit. You were near the Christmas market, some of the lights were still on despite how late it was. The decorations were visible from where you were standing on the street, and the only light was coming from the reflection of the twinkling lights reflecting off of the snow. He turned to face you, squeezing your hand gently as he stumbled through his next few words,
“I know this is so abrupt and we just sort of met, and maybe it’s the over romanization of Christmas getting to my head but I really want to kiss you right now.” 
You looked up at him, his eyes were warm and the snow was settling into the hair sticking from his beanie. It might have been exactly what he said, the romanization of meeting someone outside of a shitty diner on Christmas Eve and somehow spending the whole night with them sharing things that you hadn’t even entirely shared with your closest friends. 
The more you thought about it the more you felt like it was a bad Christmas movie. But bad Christmas movies always ended in a kiss, and you weren’t about to stop the tradition now. So you grabbed him by the collar of his stupidly overpriced pea coat and crashed your lips to his before you could stop yourself. Willy settled into the kiss quickly, wrapping his hand around your waist and tugging your body into his chest. When you pulled apart, the puffs of cloudy air from your breath filled the space around you, and he smiled at you like you were the best thing he could have hoped for this Christmas, a feeling that was unspoken yet mutual. 
You buried your face into his chest, stomach in knots as you overthought exactly what had just happened and what it all meant. Willy took his hand and tilted your chin up so that your eyes were looking at his, smiling at you before leaning in to kiss you again, his lips brushing yours softly. 
“You never told me what you wished for.” He commented when you pulled apart. 
“You somehow gave it to me, Willy.” You smiled and kissed him again, tangling your hand with his once again. You didn’t need to elaborate, because Willy understood what you meant. He had given you comfort, a feeling of not being alone on the one holiday where no one should have to be alone. He didn’t know what the future held, or what this would mean to you by the time the enchantment of the holidays wore off, but he knew that right now you were what he wanted, and he could only hope that you felt the same as you kissed him for the third time that night in the snow.  
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thefanficmonster · 3 years
Text
Somebody To Remember
Andrew (The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope) x Reader (Female)
Warnings: Swearing (maybe), slight Spoilers
Genre: Fluff
Summary: Y/N wakes up in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar people and with a big chunk of memories missing. She’s told she, along with her professor and classmates, was in a bus crash while passing through the town of Little Hope. From that point onward she is trying her best to contribute into the group’s efforts of finding a way out of that place and also piecing together the shards of her broken recollection.
Requested by Dot Anon! Hi there! Sorry for the long wait, but it’s finally here and I hope it makes it worth it! I love writing for Little Hope and I’m very grateful you gave me an opportunity to write for Andrew with your request! Hope you enjoy the read, looking forward to hearing more requests from you! Love, Vy ❤
My eyelids lift just barely before an intense pain takes over my entire skull. Instead of battling through it, I just shut my eyes again. I feel like my head is swimming as though I’ve been spinning in circles for the past five minutes. Speaking of the last five minutes, I don’t remember them. Actually, I can’t recall anything from...I can’t even recall how long it’s been from what I last remember. I hear voices but they aren’t clear - almost like I’m at the bottom of a lake and they are calling out to me from the shore. I make another attempt at opening my eyes, succeeding this time, despite the intense pain.
“Hey, there you are.“ Unlike the rest, this voice sounds to be closer which makes it a lot clearer and easier to understand. “Stay with me now, Y/N.“
I blink a couple times, struggling to get my eyes in focus. When I finally manage, I am met with a pair of greenish blue eyes looking back at me. 
“Hi? Um, where am I?“ I utter hesitantly, letting my gaze wander all over the picture in front of me. I see a boy who appears to be in his late teens, maybe early twenties, I can’t tell. Behind him I see a shorthaired girl and an older man talking. I tap my fingers on the surface I’m sitting on - it’s no doubt gravel. And wait, did he refer to me as Y/N? “Am I Y/N?“ As I speak, I feel a sharp sting on my cheek. I lift my hand to touch the spot where the unpleasant sensation is coming from just to pull my fingers away with a wince, seeing them covered in blood. A pit of fear and panic forms in my stomach. “What happened? Why am I bleeding?“
His eyes widen. He looks border-line horrified as he backs away from me, never taking his eyes off me, though. “Professor, can you come here for a sec?” He says, his hand waving over the older man.
He walks over and crouches next to the boy. “What’s wrong? How are you feeling, Y/N?” He’s looking at me when he asks the question, so I can only assume I really am Y/N.
“She can’t remember anything.“ The boy says, his voice shaky due to what seems like panic, “What do we do?“
I switch my focus between the two, the panic growing stronger within me as well. The professor contemplates his next move carefully before calling out to the girl who is trying to catch a signal with her phone in the air. “Hey Taylor, give me your phone. I need a light.”
“Coming!“ The girl power walks to us, a smile spreading on her face when our eyes meet, “Oh thank God you’re awake, Y/N! I was terrified!“
I brave through the pain so I can return her smile, “Yeah, I’m happy to be awake too. Would be happier if I could recall anything though.”
Her expression morphs into the same one the boy had when I insinuated that I don’t remember anything. Putting her initial shock aside, she hands the professor her phone. He holds it above my face so the screen could illuminate any injuries I might have. Or the injuries I definitely have cause this headache is most certainly not the result of dehydration or lack of sleep.
“I can see some blood beyond your hairline and a cut on your temple, but that’s it. You are probably concussed. Don’t freak out, though, if you can still make sense you’ll be alright.“ He assures me. “I’m John, by the way, your professor. This is Andrew.“ he points to the boy. “I’m your professor, these two, and the other two we don’t really know the whereabouts of are your classmates. This was supposed to be our field trip for a project, but we got in a crash. That’s how you got those cuts and bruises. But, again, don’t worry we will be just fine. Your memories will come back sooner or later.“
Taylor chuckles, “I wouldn’t worry too much. She’s still got her sarcasm.”
“You bet I do.“ I choose to lift the heaviness of the situation, remove the worries from the group. I feel like I owe it to them for not remembering who they are while they obviously care about me. “Now help me up, I don’t plan on sitting here any longer. It’s quite uncomfortable.“
The professor and Andrew lifted me off the ground by my arms, steadying me on my feet. Concussed or not, I have to be prepared for a night of wandering around in a dark and foggy ghost-town. I can’t be a weakling and depend on my team the whole time.
                                                                *  *  *
My head hurts even more now, I didn’t know that was even possible. Whatever expectations I had for this night, they got thrown out the window the second Andrew and Angela were dragged five centuries back in time. Oh yeah, I also met the two other classmates John mentioned - Angela, who’s a very...interesting woman. She is a little high-maintenance and a little stuck up, but nothin I can’t tolerate. Unlike Taylor who I’m afraid will kill the woman just by glaring; and Daniel who is the complete opposite. He’s kind and sweet and really in love with Taylor. They are very cute together. Despite Angela’s attitude it’s clear that she deeply cares about John. I can tell the feeling’s mutual.
But demons and witches aside, my memory that’s slowly repairing is what’s bothering me most. The fragments that are coming back to me are so disconnected from each other and so far apart, it’s almost like I’m just making them all up to fill in the blanks. I’ve gathered most memories for Taylor, who I think is my best friend and some of Daniel, who is also a good friend of mine. Hell, I can even recall a bickering session I’ve had with Angela and I faintly remember arguing with John about a grade. But nothing of Andrew. Not a single memory involving him. I even pulled Taylor aside to ask her if Andrew and I were even friends before this. Her answer only made me feel worse, though. She seemed rather upset when I told her I can’t remember anything regarding him. She said she was surprised. When I asked her why she gave me a vague response that she assumed I’d remember him most. 
Well thanks a lot, Taylor. 
I’ve only started exhausting my brain even more now that her words are stuck in my mind.
‘That’s surprising. One would think you’d remember him first.‘
We’re currently taking a break to catch our breath. The past few hours are just a jumble of running away from these terrifying creatures and being pulled back in time. I can’t piece the logic of anything that has happened and it’s bothering me, probably more than it should.
“Hey, you ok? You’ve been cracking and biting your knuckles for a while now.“ Andrew’s voice shakes me out of my trance. He puts a comforting hand on my shoulder, sitting down next to me.
That’s another thing that has been bugging me - his touch. It’s so damn familiar and so natural! I can’t explain it, but every time he touches me, it just feels like his hand belongs there. It sounds ridiculous, I’m aware, but it’s true. I feel so horrible that I can’t remember anything about him - the fact that he has been my biggest support and comfort this whole time isn’t making me feel any better either. He hasn’t left my side for even as much as a second.
“Yeah, just frustrated. And I’d be lying if I said I’m not scared right now.“ I decide to rant and just get everything off my mind, I feel like he’ll understand. “I can’t piece anything together. Not from what’s happening to us and most certainly not from my past. So many large chunks are missing and it’s driving me mad.“ I cover my face with my hands, “I wish I could understand at least 10% of this insanity. That would be enough to give me peace.”
I can no longer feel him touching my shoulder. Instead, his hands take gentle hold of my wrists, pulling them away from my face. Holding both my hands with one of his, he uses the other to lift my chin so our eyes meet. “It’s OK, Y/N. I know how hard this is for you. I understand this is taking an even bigger toll on you than it is on us. Just know that you can trust us. I mean, it’s not like we know any more than you do, but if anything attacks you, we’ll make sure you make it out alive.” He swipes his thumb over my cheekbone. “I would go through a beheading for you, believe it or not.”
I can’t help but laugh, “I believe you, Andrew. Thank you. Just know that it goes both ways.” I squeeze his hand.
I do believe him. I believe all of them. I have faith in this team and I trust it with my life. I trust Andrew with every fiber of my being.
                                                             *  *  *
It’s over. I can hardly believe it. I can’t believe it.
“We can leave it’s over! Oh my God, it’s over!“ Taylor excitedly engulfs me in a tight hug. Tears are streaming down her face. Tears of relief and joy.
I return the hug with the same amount of strength and tenderness, “I can’t believe it’s over. Oh my God.”
“It is. It really is.“ she whispers to me reassuringly before pulling away and giving me one final encouraging nod.
We are finally free to leave that ruin of a house and this town in its entirety. We can now leave it all behind. We can go home.
I watch as Daniel wraps his arm around Taylor’s shoulders pulling her closer to his side. I see the encouraging smiles of pure happiness that John and Angela exchange. I feel all the positivity radiating off of them.
A gentle warm hand takes hold of my frozen and bruised one. I tilt my head to see Andrew falling in step with me. The warm smile on his face confirms what Taylor told me - the nightmare is indeed over. With the horrors left far behind us and 80% of my memory having returned, I feel reborn.
“Feels amazing, doesn’t it?“ He asks, his grip on my hand is tender but firm - he’s afraid of accidentally letting me slip from his grip, but also afraid of causing me pain by touching the many cuts that litter my skin.
“Words can’t describe it.“ I say with a content sigh, instinctively intertwining our fingers together.
And that puts together the remaining 20% that are missing. That special and intimate contact makes something in my brain click.
I stop dead in my tracks, causing Andrew to stop with me. He raises a confused eyebrow at me. “What’s wrong?”
A laugh escapes my lips, a huge grin plastering itself on my face. “You’re my boyfriend.” 
His eyes go even wider than when I told him I didn’t remember anything. This time it’s due to a different emotion. 
He stutters, “You remember?”
I nod eagerly, “We’ve been dating for seven months now. Daniel introduced us. Taylor kept teasing us saying we should date. We went on our first date more as a joke for the amusement of two of them and then....”
He cuts me off by hugging me twice as tightly as Taylor did. He has put every last bit of his energy into this hug and I’m returning it with every last bit of mine.
“Welcome back completely, Y/N.“ He says, pulling away while still keeping his arms wrapped around me. 
“Glad to be back finally.“ I can’t wipe the dopey grin off my face, not that I’m even trying to at this point.
With zero regards for our audience of four, Andrew presses his lips to mine, marking my return to our reality with a love-filled kiss.
@sparrow-gg  @artlovingbre  @chairtiger
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frostsinth · 3 years
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A Line in the Sand - Pt. 3
Intro - Part 1|2 - MasterList - Art - Art
Ok, so this is kind of a conclusion chapter, but I left it open ended in case I want to revisit these two later. However, for now I have no plan to continue writing them. Perhaps some quick one-shots in the future, of various little snipits in their life. I just wanted to feel like this was more closed so I can continue with some other projects.
This is of course for the always lovely and patient @ivymemnoch​ of her Monster Match character Devaraj the reptilian monster (I prefer Nessiim, since I couldn’t decide between lizardman and dragonborn and he’s somewhere between the two). I hope everyone enjoys this soft fluffy fluff.
Like what you see? Check out my MasterList above for more babbles and stories. Please consider BuyMeACoffee while you are there. I’m open for art commissions, so please DM me if you are interested, but no writing commissions right now. As always, drop me an Ask if you have any thoughts or questions, I love to hear from everyone!
How had I gotten myself into this exactly? I wondered to myself for the hundredth time as I dropped like a sack of flour to the stone ground. Narrowly avoiding the projectiles of rocks lobbed at me from the other side of the deep cave. They clattered loudly when they landed, snapping and cracking in a way that almost distracted me from the cave’s resident. Almost.
It, or rather, ‘he’ as Deveraj insisted, did not seem in any way to be a mere spirit. Not how I would have pictured one. If I had to think of a word to describe it, I would have said… ‘tree’. But it needed more words than the one. Big tree. MOVING tree. A tree with branches that bent and wriggled and swayed like vines. Also, ‘wet tree’ would have been accurate, for while the texture of the creature was distinctly bark-like, it slithered and slapped about as it moved. Dripping what I hoped was water and sloshing about as it did. It had no head to speak of, or at least, no face. There was definitely a top to its weird mass of vines and branches that spun out from an almost humanoid torso. But I saw no eyes, no mouth.
Devaraj tucked and rolled neatly, coming to my side. A grin I took as wry was twisting his long mouth, and I would have scowled had I not currently been so preoccupied. Before the Nessiim could say anything though, we both had to dodge to opposite sides as a slapping limb cracked on the floor between us.
I noticed, as the spirit’s attention turned on me, that it seemed to keep its numerous branches and vines in limb-like shape. Two thick long columns where one might expect legs. Two long, extending protrusions where one would expect arms. Occasionally, the branches and vines diverged, but they always twisted back into the shape once more. This became more obvious as the creature advanced on me. Reaching out with snapping, rolling boughs.
I squealed, but couldn’t dodge quickly enough this time. And its arm-like appendages slowly started to wrap around me. They were wet. And I decided based upon the gooey quality it was probably not water as I had initially hoped. I also came to the realization that I had been wrong before; it did have a mouth. Which revealed itself to me as the spirit slowly dropped open its gaping maw, stepping in slowly as it entwined its branches around me. Flashing sharp white fangs amid a cavernous darkness. My heart ricocheted around my chest and throat in a rising panic to escape my breast.
“Yes! Excellent! Keep him there!” Devaraj exclaimed excitedly. “He seems to like you!”
I wriggled, sweat breaking across my brow as I struggled to keep the creature from wrapping its arms any further around me. “The feeling is not mutual!”
“It’s alright, Sera!” He called. “He is just frightened! I can feel it!”
The reptilian man stealthed closer, his booted feet moving with surprising quiet across the stone cave. And despite the panic threatening to choke me… I realized the spirit’s movements had slowed to an almost standstill. Its branches still slowly weaved around me, smearing me with thick slimy goo as they did. But it advanced forward carefully now. It still had no eyes to speak of, but that gaping maw seemed to be panting as it approached. A bit of drool dripped in a long strand from the corner of it, and I winced and grimaced as it leaned in closer.
I turned my head to the side as the spirit brought its ‘face’ to mine, and I could feel its hot, wet breath against my jaw. I don’t like this. I thought to myself, my heartbeat so fast it was just a thrum beneath my skin. I don’t like this, I don’t like this, I don’t like this.
Devaraj’s deep voice reached me suddenly, murmuring in a strange, hissing tongue that seemed to form in his chest and move through his body without ever passing through his lips. The spirit appeared to pause at the sound of his voice, and I saw it start to turn back to look at him over his shoulder from the corner of my eye. Though I decided the word “look” was in liberal use now, as it still had no eyes to speak of. Still, it continued to curl tighter and tighter around me. Enveloping me in its slimy limbs, rubbing the rough bark against my skin. I was too busy struggling against its strong grip to shake in fear, but I could taste it plainly on my tongue.
As my employer stepped closer, I saw him lift up one palm, then gently place it on the creature’s shoulder. Those startling yellow eyes of his closed, and a soft hum seemed to fill the air. Curling tendrils stopped, and the spirit paused. Its head tilting to the side. As if it were hearing something I could not.
“There you are.” Came Devaraj’s thick voice. And at it, the spirit seemed to relax.
The tight branches wound about me suddenly came loose, and I dropped heavily back to the floor. I gave a soft gasp of pain as my bottom hit the stone, but was distracted by the soft glow now emanating from the chest of the spirit before me. Its limbs shrunk and twisted, its outline changed. My eyes went wide as a face began to form around the toothy mouth, which was shrinking itself. Into soft lips, and a delicate shape. The remaining branches tightened together, smoothing into one, and away purled the bark-like texture, leaving behind skin. Glowing blue-white skin, but definitely skin. And a distinctly human form.
He looked like he was formed of light. His eyes blinked (he had eyes now!), and he glanced over at Devaraj. I could still see his irises through his lids when he closed them. His whole body was mostly see through, but still had the distinctness of solidity. It was confusing, but also… strangely beautiful.
The spirit opened his mouth, and a soft breathy sound escaped it. It made a shiver slip down my spine and goosebumps run across my skin. I couldn’t hear words in the voice. But I saw his lips move in a poor imitation, as if he was forming something in his mouth.
Devaraj nodded. “Yes, friend. You are in the craigs beyond the town.” He replied, answering some question I had not heard. The spirit turned to face him more. “Do you remember how you got here?”
A slow head cock, a quizzical look pinching his brows. Again, that soft, breathy sound. It was almost like a whisper, breathed in and out through the lungs, but with no definition or shape to it. Nothing I could distinguish anyways. My employer did not seem to have the same issue.
“Ah, yes, I see. But she is not here.” The Nessiim gestured to me, and I stiffened as the spirit’s eyes turned back to me. “This is Sera, not your wife. Do you see her clearly now?”
I met those strange, glowing eyes nervously. Trying not to visibly shake where I still sat on the floor. Then suddenly, I felt a dull ache in my chest. A longing, a sadness. I was taken aback by it, and as I looked at the spirit, I could almost see those emotions blinking across his face.
“I’m sorry.” I told him, the words coming to my lips as instinctively as the air came to my lungs. 
Again the spirit seemed to tilt his head from side to side, and that whispering breathing speech came out after a long pause. His hand came up, and I stiffened as those glowing fingers wisped across the edge of my jaw. Tracing its shape down to my chin.
Devaraj chuckled, and I nervously glanced over the spirit’s shoulder at him. “He says you are very kind, Sera, and almost as beautiful as his wife.” The reptilian man explained, a mischievous glint in his sharp yellow eyes. “He is glad you came to help him.”
I blinked stupidly, then looked back at the spirit. He stared at me quietly for another long moment, and I felt a few beads of nervous sweat prick the back of my neck. Finally, he straightened, and spoke again. Devaraj did not answer at first, nodding along with what I imagined might be taken for a thoughtful expression on his face. At the end of his strange, whispering words, the glowing shape turned back to my employer, who bowed to him slightly.
“It would be my honor, good sir.” He assured him. “Consider it done.”
Relief flooded through me, rising from someplace deep in my heart. But I could not quite place where it had come from. Only I knew it was not mine, despite its strange familiarity. I watched as the spirit considered me one last time, then took a step back, fading into a soft, wispy twist of blue smoke. And then, just like that... he was gone.
“Come.” Devaraj intoned, turning towards the back of the cave we had entered not one hour before. I spent a few more moments blinking at the spot where the spirit had just been, not fully hearing him until he called my name from the far wall.
“W-what are you doing?” I asked, scrambling numbly to my feet and darting over. Glancing about anxiously as I shlucked the last of the goo from my arms in case the strange phenomenon I had just experienced would have a repeat performance at any moment. I decided it was probably be best to be near the larger man if that was a possibility.
He kneeled down, sweeping his hand delicately over a pile of what appeared to be rubble to me. “Fulfilling his final wish.” He replied, and his long, claw tipped finger hooked around his prize.
As he lifted the glittering necklace from amid the stones, his elongated mouth curled up. Twisting into that strange smile. Once a frightening smile, but now I couldn’t help but feel a mirror of it curl upon my own lips as his intense eyes met mine.
“What is it?” I breathed, a little surprised to be nearly as excited as he was. 
My heart thudded a few of its previously missed beats out of rhythm as Devaraj stood and the movement brought him precariously close to me. I swallowed hard to find the shape of my tongue in my mouth again as I had to drop my head back to look up at him. His scaly lips peeled back lightly to reveal his sharp white teeth, and his eyes seemed to sparkle with delight at my question. I didn’t even notice his big hand come around and clap lightly onto my shoulder.
“This, Sera, is the necklace of his wife.” He slowly brought it down, and nodded encouragingly as my hands hesitated to reach for it. “He asked that we return it to their shared grave. It seems some errant fools disturbed their final resting place, and he was wont to unrest until it was returned.”
I delicately cupped the ancient looking pendant in my hands, tracing one thumb over it. It felt warm, as though it had only just previously been removed from its seat at someone’s collarbone for my inspection. As my thumb traced the gem, a corresponding warmth pulsed in my chest, and I felt my smile soften.
“They must have been very fond of it.” I exclaimed softly, entranced by the way the dim light of the shallow cave caught the metal.
A rumbling sound came from my companion’s chest, agreeable and soothing. “I would agree. Such sentiment carries long after death. But come,” He squeezed my shoulder lightly, “Let us return it, so that they may once more be at peace.”
“Why was he all the way out here with it?” I asked, following behind him obediently with barely a side glance as we exited the cave. It felt different as we left. Less hostile and menacing. Now it was just… hollow. Lifeless stone, silent amid the small patch of trees.
“It seems the theft left him so enraged, he had quite forgotten his original purpose for rising.” Devaraj mused, lifting a low branch to allow me to pass with more ease. “He followed the would-be thief here, then was tethered to the place. Unable to travel far from it once the robber abandoned his prize and fled for his life. Unfortunately, this is a common story.”
I kept both hands clasped around the necklace, holding it close to my heart. It made me feel better, for some reason, and I didn’t bother to question it. “But how do we make sure no one tries to take it again?”
The corners of his lips twitched, and I saw his thin pupils flick to me out the corners of his eyes. “... Would you endeavor to take it, Sera?” He returned. “I am certain it must be quite valuable.”
I didn’t hesitate, shaking my head quickly. “N-no… Not this…” I paused, my step faltering, and slowly brought the pendant away from my heart to peer down at it. “It… it is too special…”
“I thought as much.” He sounded pleased, and my head jerked as I looked up at him in surprise. He bared his teeth at me, and his long tongue flicked out. “You have a particularly powerful dushrasha, Sera. I noticed the moment I met you.” I opened my mouth to respond, but he had already turned and was making his way between the trees to the open plains beyond once more. “As to your question, I shall make sure it is properly interred and warded against such things for the future. That should ensure the husband and his wife might rest in eternal peace together.”
“W-wait!” I stammered, clutching the necklace to my chest once more and sprinting after him. “What did you mean? What you said before, about my… um…”
“Your dushrasha.” He offered, but didn’t slow his long stride. Now that we had left the small copse of trees behind, I was finding it difficult to keep up with him on the beveled plain. “It is as I said, Sera.”
“You said… but…” I darted around to stand in front of him, blocking his path. “Wait!”
Devaraj stopped, the ridges of his brow raising slightly. I saw his tongue skitter out once more, and he tilted his great horned head to the side. “What troubles you, Sera?”
“You said you noticed the moment you met me.” I craned my neck back again to look up at him. “What do you mean? What did you notice?”
“It is as I said,” He sounded slightly puzzled, “Your dushrasha is particularly powerful. Especially for a human. I have not seen one its like since I first came to your lands.”
“... You can see it?”
He hummed softly at this, nodding slightly as if the reasoning behind my words was suddenly clear to him. “Yes, in a sense. I am a master prizrasha, after all.”
I waited, but when there seemed to be no further explanation forthcoming, I sighed heavily. I spared a glance about, hesitating, then looked down at the pendant still tightly clasped in my palms. It didn’t matter. I told myself. I was planning on leaving soon anyways. I didn’t need him to explain anything, I didn’t need to know... I should just be happy to be safe again. It seemed the longer I stayed with this strange man the more hazardous my life became… still, my chest burned with questions.
“... You are unsatisfied with this answer?” Devaraj suggested.
Again, I hesitated, then managed to find a bit of courage to look up at him. “I just.. I don’t understand…”
He nodded. “That is not a crime, Sera. You can not be expected to know everything there is to know.” He cocked his head to the opposite side. “Would you like to understand?”
I swallowed nervously again, shifting from foot to foot. “... I-if you think I can.”
The reptilian man scoffed, and his fat tail twitched. “Of course! I am happy to explain.” I jumped slightly as his big hand scooped into the crook of my elbow. “Come, Nur is not far from here. I can tell you more on the way.”
“I-I don’t mean to be a bother-”
“I can sense dushrasha,” He continued, interrupting me as if he hadn’t heard me speak at all, his hand still gently tucked into the bend of my arm, “In the way you might see light sparkling out of falling water, or in the mists.” He gave me a soft tug, prompting me to pick up my pace to match his stride, which he thoughtfully shortened to accommodate me. “Most I cannot ‘see’, so to speak, without some effort on my part. A… what is this word… meditation, perhaps, or a spell. Though these are still not the right words.” His tail twitched, brushing against the long grass with a soft rustling as we passed. “But yours… I can see it… no, I do not like this word either…” He fell silent, his long tongue flicking out as he debated it for a moment. “I can feel it.” Fierce eyes fixed on me, peering down over his scaled cheeks. “It is warm. I like how it feels.”
My pace slowed as I processed this, and again, he slowed to match. I hadn’t even noticed he had left his hand cupped around my arm. He turned me slowly to face him as I chewed it over, my thumbs absentmindedly running over the pendant clasped between them.
“... Does it mean something?” I asked, surprised with my own timid voice. “To… have a… um…”
His long tongue snaked out again, and his scaled brows raised as his lips pursed out slightly. Thoughtful, I decided, cataloging the shape his foreign features took in application of this. Every moment that passed, I realized I was finding him easier and easier to read. I shifted from foot to foot nervously.
“For the Nessiim, it is a blessing.” He began, seeming to pick his words as he went. “For us, warmth is… is everything. And so a warm dushrasha… Well, it is very near divine.”
“Divine?” I echoed, a little flabbergasted, already shaking my head. “I-I’m certainly not-”
“I know this is not your belief, Sera.” he told me, and I felt his hand slowly slide down my arm. Gently pulling one of my hands free from the pendant to cup in his. “But I would still like to keep you with me… If you would be willing.” He ran his clawed thumb out, pushing my fingers apart gently to run its pad over my palm.
I felt a hot flush rise to my face, and my breath stuttered in my throat. “O-oh, I-I mean…” My thoughts raced about a mile a minute, and I couldn’t quite seem to keep my heart in my chest where it belonged. I slowly pulled my hand out of his, and started to back away. “I don’t… I don’t know if…”
“Apologies, Sera,” He interjected quickly as I struggled to speak, “I am certain that came off as far too forward. I did not mean it to sound quite so… ah, what is word…” His big horned head cocked to the side. “I mean to say only that I enjoy your company. Your warmth.” Sharp teeth flashed out, and his elongated mouth curled up. Yellow eyes glinting. Comforting. Reassuring. I documented it, blinking at him slowly. “I would like to continue our relationship. And explore it further.”
“E-explore?” I mumbled, taking another step back. My heart skipping.
He nodded. “Yes! You are an excellent assistant!” His forked tongue appeared ever so briefly before disappearing back between his lips. The thoughtful look returned. “I am not sure if a human can become a prizrasha, but I would be willing to teach you, if you would like.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Oh.”
His gaze flicked over me. “You are surprised?”
I swallowed hard. “I-I thought you… umm…” I flushed an even deeper shade of red. “N-no, nevermind.” I suddenly remembered the pendant in my hand, and looked down at it. Thinking and chewing over everything he had just told me. “... You want me to be your apprentice?”
“Is this the word?” Devaraj replied, his voice curious. “Apprentice? I like it. It has a pleasant hiss at the end. Assistant has one at the beginning, but it is less satisfying. I cannot linger on it.” He nodded again. “You have a natural talent, I think, Sera. You might enjoy this work.”
I glanced over his shoulder at the craigs where we had encountered the spirit. “I don’t know…”
I jumped as the large lizard man closed the space between us with a single stride, and boldly took up my free hand again. I had to crane my neck back to look up at him, and his tongue flicked at the tip of my nose as I did.
“It is up to you, Sera, of course. I sense you are… restless with me still.” He ran his thumb over my knuckles, his chin angled down slightly. “Perhaps you wish to leave.”
I choked on my next breath. Had I really been so obvious? Or was that talent of being a prizrasha? A stab of guilt hit me solidly, and I thought to pull my hand out of his again. His fingers tightened around it as it twitched in his grasp. Gentle, cool to the touch, but firm. As if to tell me that it didn’t matter; he didn’t mind. It didn’t hurt him to know I had such plans. I felt my heart skip erratically at his touch, yet I didn’t fight his grip further. I was surprised to find myself… strangely comforted by it.
“I’m… I just…”
“I like you, Sera.” He told me as I dropped off again. “I like your wit, and your warmth. I like your curiosity, and your good heart. Much as you try to hide it.” I glanced up at him, and he curled his lips upward more softly. Fondness, I decided. A warmth of its own… I cataloged that expression in a special place beside my throbbing heart. “If you want to leave, I understand, and I won’t stop you… But I would like very much if you would stay with me.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” I half whispered, distracted by the way the fading sunlight glinted in his eyes.
He cocked his head back to the side. “Do I need to?” I twitched as his tongue flicked the tip of my nose again. “I don’t need to know your history to like who you are. I am certain you would share it with me in time, or that you do not wish me to know. Either way, it does not matter to me.”
“You don’t even know my name!” I argued.
His smile returned. “You are Sera. You have the warmth of the sun in your dushrasha.” One brow raised slightly. “... That’s what ‘Sera’ means, you know.” He nodded, and I decided this expression of his was smug. “It means ‘fiery one’, and we use it in greeting to the sun.”
I stared at him, slack jawed. “... You named me after the sun?”
His expression changed again, softer around the edges. I could see the subtle movements of the muscles beneath his scales. “... Yes. It seemed most fitting… and… I would court you better, if I knew how.”
I jerked as if he had slapped me. “C-court me??”
Another nod, but shallow. Timid. He was avoiding my eyes now. “Yes, Sera. I find you… fascinating. I like to be near you. I like the smell of you. But I do not know how humans approach this matter.” He shifted in place, still looking off to the side. “And I thought perhaps you would not find appeal in a Nessiim like me…”
I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of that, bewildered and shocked. Did the man not know how handsome he was?? I stopped short as his eyes jumped to me, and felt my face flush hot as the realization hit me as well. Those fierce eyes shifted to the side again, and he seemed to curl back from me. He began to pull his hand away, and I felt my fingers suddenly tighten around his. Devaraj paused, looking at me with his scaly brows raised and his eyes wide.
“I-I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh… I was just surprised.” I told him quickly. “I was… um… I didn’t think you meant to… ah…”
“I did not, at first.” He assured me softly, and I noticed him take a tiny step closer to me. A bit of his confidence restored as my fingers remained around his. “But… I have been thinking about it since we first met yesterday. It seems like masiimir, no? That of all the doors you could have opened, it was mine you walked through.”
“Masiimir?” I echoed, still flushed and my tongue feeling far too large for my mouth.
He shifted his jaw, obviously trying to find the proper translation and working his tongue around his mouth while he did. “Masiimir… ah, as if planned, yes? As if some higher being or power or such thing made it so we should meet. As if it was already written for history to remember that way.”
I shifted, glancing down at our hands. “Fate.” I told him softly.
His strong fingers squeezed mine gently. “I am a stranger to these lands. Yet in you I feel a piece of my home.” I peeked up at him through my lashes, and noticed him curl his thick neck down, his muzzle coming closer to my temple. “You were looking for a place to hide… and I offer you a place to belong.” He gave a deep, hissing sigh. “Perhaps I look into this too much, but… It is custom for Nessiim to begin courtship when they meet a potential partner. We are not ones for wasting energy on uncertainties.”
I hesitated again, looking back down at my hand which looked so tiny in his. I thought back over the last two days, and felt my heart flip a few times in my chest. I tried to press back the overwhelming thoughts and emotions that assaulted me. Tried to pull some sort of cohesiveness from their midst. It all seemed to crash into me at that moment. Everything that had happened. The strange draw I felt, the reluctance to leave.
“... Would you be alright with this, Sera?” He asked me quietly, and I realized we had been standing in silence for more than a few moments. “May I court you? It will likely be a fair bit experimental at first. I am uncertain how human courtship differs from Nessiim, but I am eager to explore it.” He cleared his throat, glancing off to the side. “But I will only pursue this if you are… erm… interested, I believe is the correct word.”
I swallowed, my head beginning to throb. “Oh… well…” I closed my hand tighter around the pendant still clutched in my other palm. Then glanced at our clasped hands again. I couldn’t hear anything beyond the thrum of my own heart, and I struggled to keep myself from quivering. “I… well…” My cheeks were so red, I was surprised they didn’t catch fire. I glanced at him out the corner of my eye again, and saw him watching me carefully with those intense eyes of his. I cleared my own throat. “I would… I-I would be interested...” I stammered out finally. “In you… ah, in you courting me, I mean.”
I jumped slightly as his nose nudged against my cheek gently, and I felt his tongue flick out to skip against my jaw. He dropped my hand, and skimmed his fingertips along my wrist and up to my arm.
“... For my people, it would be customary next to ask you to sun bathe with me.” He told me. “That we might share our warmth, and learn more about each other’s bodies.”
I nearly squeaked, but looked up at him. “Ah… W-would that require clothes?” 
He chuckled, a deep and rolling sound. “Humans are more reserved with their skins, yes? If it makes you more comfortable, it is the company kept that is important.” When I didn’t pull away from his touch, he snaked his hand around my waist, stepping closer so I had to crane my head back to look up at him. “But I would be pleased to once again share warmth with you, Sera.” He nudged me with his nose again, and I turned slightly to look at him out the corner of my eye. His fierce yellow eyes looked somehow soft in the afternoon sunlight. “Nessiim bond through touch... How do humans bond with their partners?”
I felt my pulse throb beneath my cheeks, and laughed nervously. “W-well… we uh… spend time together… we talk…” He nodded along with my words, and goosebumps raced across my skin as his tongue flicked against my collarbone again. “... We kiss…”
“Kiss?” He echoed, and my ears burned. “What does it mean? I like this word, the sound is most pleasant on my tongue.”
I shifted the pendant in my grip, looking down at it as I became flustered. “Oh… I-it’s… it’s hard to describe…” I peeked at him again, and felt my lips tingle as I did. A powerful urge came over me, and I swallowed hard. “Maybe… I should show you?”
He nodded eagerly. “I would like to see.”
I hesitated, feeling my heart thrum in my chest, beating recklessly against my ribs. I swallowed again, slowly slipping my hand from his. Again, I paused, belying a breath that skipped from my throat with a wispy quality, then gently rested my palm against his broad cheek. Then I debated how best to go about it, as his mouth protruded a fair bit from his face, and I realized it might not work the same. Could he even feel my skin against his scales? He did have lips, of course, but were they as… dexterous as mine? I gently used my hand on his cheek to tilt him into position, hesitating again. He watched me quietly, curiously. Finally, I leaned forward, and pressed my lips against the cool scales at the point of his snout.
Beneath my kiss, I felt the scales move, felt his mouth part slightly. I drew back after half a moment, flushing dark and uncertain. But suddenly, his arm hooked the rest of the way around my waist, and he tugged me closer to his body. Tucking me into the curve of his chest and craning his thick neck to nudge me gently with his nose.
“... I like this thing.” He purred, and I shivered to feel it move beneath my palm and through his chest pressed against me. “This… ‘Kiss’...” He nuzzled against me again. “... Is there a daily limit on ‘kiss’? Or can we do it more? I would like to try.” His long tongue flicked out, brushing across my lips.
I laughed shyly, tilting my head down to hide the bright scarlet color filling my cheeks. “No, there’s not a limit-”
“Good.” He interrupted, and I snuck a glance back up at him, my hand at his jaw coming down to rest against the broad scales on his chest. Devaraj’s mouth split, revealing his sharp teeth. “We must return the pendant first… but then I would like to explore your ‘kiss’ more, if you are willing.” His tongue came out again, skimming over my lips once more. I shivered with excitement at the touch. “And perhaps then I can show you what Nessiim do with their mouths...”
To be continued?
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romanceboys · 4 years
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(interview) vogue korea april issue 2020 - perfect taemin
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1. superm was another chance for taemin’s ever-evolving performance to be showcased. i thought a lot about how to create synergy with these exceptional performers. to put it simply, i wanted us to come off as energetic. but these days i’ve had a change of heart. our identity is definitely important. rather than just working hard, for superm to show off their colours well we need to show our personalities; we should be seen as one team. to be able to formulate a solid and clear colour is our homework. that’s why it’s regrettable. we couldn’t come up with a novel choreography to carry our new identity. we tried a lot in the practice room. superm seems to have found its musical identity but hasn’t gotten a hold of its performance character yet. the stages are too vague. 2. now that you are finally promoting with your best friend kai in one group, you two must’ve shared your concerns. since this friend is someone who has a lot of passion and ambition, he talks about various things. for instance, this style is pretty good, this choreography is quite trendy. thanks to him i’ve learned a lot. he is also very knowledgeable about the latest ‘hottest’ genres. we talk about these things often and even watch videos together. kai gives off ‘popular’ vibes. compared to him, my interests are quite unusual. nowadays kai is interested in music while i am into science. 3. is it science fiction? these days we’ve been watching videos on the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics together. 4. what aspect of it interested you? originally i was very curious, after seeing a recommended video on youtube i learned about quantum mechanics for the first time. i couldn’t understand the explanation, even those who were explaining it said it was a difficult concept. that was very fascinating to me. kind of like magic.  5. are you reading books on the subject too? the subjects of the books i read are different (laughs). there’s a book that was published long ago called ‘regarding the pain of others.’ it is a pessimistic book that gathers contradictory opinions of people for instance ‘people find joy in the pain of others, it is instinctual.’ as a celebrity, there are times when you are criticized but there are also times when you receive comfort from people. rather than blaming others, while reading this book, i began to think ‘people are like that, at most i shouldn’t behave like them.’ my interests are all over the place. 6. what makes you and kai click? we converse well. our opinions almost never clash and we respect each other. moreover, we fully understand our own roles in superm. 7. what position do you hold in superm? since i can’t ask if it’s the main dancer. in pictures and interviews, i’m the center. baekhyun hyung is the leader (laughs). 8. when the conversation wasn’t flowing well during the talkshow interview, i saw you neatly concluding it.  that does happen. nct and wayv are still in the learning phase. that’s why i first listen to all of their thoughts during interviews then flesh it out with details later. 9. compared to when you set out abroad as shinee then promoting overseas as superm now, the status of k-pop has changed. looking at how superm was able to start off with an arena tour in the us and europe made me feel that k-pop is a ‘hot’ topic. in the past, we’d use venues of this scale for smtown concerts. even if you promote mainly in asia, seeing the audience section will make you realise the perception of k-pop has changed. 10. though k-pop’s scope has expanded and diversified, its definition has become simple. what are your concerns? my first concern is language. after i was able to communicate via language during my japanese activities, there were so many advantages. though each country overseas has its own language, i felt that i needed to learn english first. there are many international fans who want to experience the chemistry between our members, they’d feel much closer to us if we communicated using (a common) language. k-pop isn’t one dimensional. it’s not only about the music, there is music video, style, etc. included. people would make dance covers in the past, now they even emulate the styling. all of this is korean pop culture. 11. superm were on the ellen degeneres show and jimmy kimmel live. before we went on the ellen show we really rehearsed the interview a lot. america’s atmosphere is different so you receive questions that are never asked in korea. they don’t disclose the questions in advance either. we were also worried because the emcee could ad-lib. we came up with the most probable questions and practiced, we also received lessons from american comedians. compared to that, we went on jimmy kimmel live without any prep. 12. what went according to plan and what didn’t? the questions were not as intense as expected, ellen was well aware about k-pop culture so it went smoothly. 13. is there a dance genre you’re into these days? contemporary, lyrical hiphop, in the future as superm i think i’ll be able to show more, not the kind of dancing that you do after learning a given choreography but the kind that is full of emotions. it’s about giving meaning to your gestures. it isn’t out yet but my concert vcr features lyrical hiphop. in it i think i’m dancing alone with a giant full moon as my backdrop but get confused when there are two of us, either it’s another person or a shadow. a choreographer with a body type similar to mine had to dress in all black to come across as my shadow. i wore an oriental outfit with smokey makeup. 14. how do you usually come up with your ideas? i get inspired by the choreographers and creative directors. i imagine it as we converse then the idea develops. 15. was there a time you were inspired by fashion? of course. art begins with the five senses. what you see with your eyes, the things you can feel, clothes, food, perfume, music that you listen to are all sources of inspiration. i create private accounts to follow fashion brands. 16. having debuted at the age of 16, you are still young but your work experience has been long. i was in certain situations because of this. it doesn’t happen as often now but even in my early 20s, i completely belonged to the senior category at broadcasting stations. they are my juniors but many of them are also hyungs, i’m their senior but i’m also the youngest. now there are even staff members who are younger than me. they’re too formal with me (laughs). 17. are there juniors that ask you for advice or help? the superm members! especially ten, he is very curious. when we come out of a company meeting, he’ll get surprised and say “wow, hyung everything you said was right.” i even hear things like ‘veteran’ and ‘seer.’ apparently my predictions come true. but i try not to advise them as much. taking the initiative to say something feels overwhelming. 18. born in 1993 between millennials and gen z, do you share any characteristics with those in your age bracket? we’ve picked out a few of their traits. the first one is ‘they don’t eat fast food.’ me too! i took care of my health well ever since i started out with shinee. i was brainwashed from home to avoid foods that harmed the body. not even ramyeon, snacks were also banned. and just like that in my 20s i started carrying out the regime on my own. it’s become a habit to look after my health ever since i moved out. i always eat things that are good for my body, if the hyungs are taking vitamins, i’d ask for one too. 19. i suddenly recall a variety show where you were the only one who skipped the sauce and ate the meat on its own! one should not eat irritable foods. my mother’s words. 20. how about ‘they watch videos on youtube rather than tv. even the ads don’t particularly bother them.’ that’s right. i watch youtube more often than tv, while watching the ads i'd even marvel at their production quality. i’ve signed up for the premium package now so i don’t see the ads anymore. 21. ‘marrying or wanting to buy their own house.’ i currently live alone and i have no interest in decking out my house. at first, i didn’t think like that but a month later my interest dissipated. i’m lazy. it’s not like my house is for others to see, i’m fine with the incomplete feeling for now. 22. and finally ‘they avoid investing in financial companies.’ i don’t do that. my parents manage that, if there’s a good tip i’ll just let them know.  23. hiphop musicians tend to express their success through music. as an idol musician how have you been using the wealth you accumulated all these years? i invest in food instead of saving up (laughs). honestly, i don’t spend much. i don’t have anything i want. though i do spend on others a lot. 24. what kind of household did you grow up in? what gifts did you inherit from your family as a musician? i inherited my body type. all of my cousins have model-like physiques, they’re taller and slimmer than me. my mother sings well. my father plays instruments as a hobby. oh, and my paternal aunt used to be a ballerina. so perhaps i inherited such genes? 25. you’ve been doing the same thing for more than 10 years. what is the purpose behind creating music and showcasing it? in the past, i would think i should do well, i need to be number one, these days i’ve become ambitious for other aspects. i take pride in the fact that my work supplies others with positive energy. i feel a sense of accomplishment when fans like my music, i want to make them as happy as i am. everyone’s profession is different but i hope this synergy gained from mutual dependence leaves a good impression. 26. are you still composing songs? i used to but now i only participate in lyric writing. it differs with each song, at times the lyrics are emotional or talk about abstract love. it seems like my next solo album will include a song i wrote the lyrics to. sometimes songs composed by overseas composers might prove too difficult for the general public to understand. so i participate a lot in the arrangement or mixing phase. i point out the parts that should be added to the composition and those that are unneeded. teacher lee soo man does give advice but it often feels like i do the producing of my own solo album. 27. taemin’s originality is the clearest when he promotes as a solo artist. which song has best represented your identity? i worked hard on all of them but there was a turning point. at first there was ‘danger’ then ‘press your number’ was a conceptual performance, the transition to ‘move’ turned out well. i wanted to break out from the typical choreography routine and create my own identity, the resulting performances were ‘move’ and ‘want.’ my next solo album is again different. i’ve been making a lot of changes these days. 28. you seem to have high standards when it comes to composing music. was there ever an occasion where you absolutely refused to compromise and gave others a hard time? everyone is used to it (laughs). it’s something i learned from the head manager hyung who’s been with me since debut. the belief that ‘there is nothing that can’t be done. there is no such thing as impossible.’ another team manager hyung would tell me ‘you remind me of our head’ (laughs). honestly, the staff around me work beyond their given roles and with affection. normally work timings are from 9 to 7, they stay back till 10-11 pm for me. they don’t hold it against me, and when things do well, they too feel a sense of fulfillment together with me. 29. the new unreleased song must be quite different from the original then.  there are already 12 versions of the song. when i thought we were somewhat done, we recently started arranging it again (laughs). 30. you hold your body to specific standards for the best performance outcome. i don’t ‘bulk up.’ previously, i used to work out when i ate a lot but my body would feel weighed down, it wasn’t what i wanted. if i gain a lot of muscles or become thick, it hampers my dancing form. that’s why i don’t put on weight. i train my stamina and strength and avoid bulking up my shoulders and arms. 31. by the way, do you do neck exercises as well? i was touched looking at your long neck in the vogue photoshoot. i had been noticing this too, now i know the reason! i think it’s because i dance. a lot of resistance goes into the neck when you dance. our head is the heaviest and it’s the neck that supports it. it goes away when i rest for a few days. we’re shooting amidst the superm tour maybe that’s why it looks thicker now.  32. an editor who has been watching you closely for a long time said that you’ve become extroverted. could it be that experience and relationships have made you comfortable and secure? i’ve lowered my guard. i couldn’t reveal my current self to others before. as a child i used to be so introverted that i’d hide behind my mother when strangers would get into the elevator. i changed with time.  33. is your ever-present smile a product of your personality or just business decorum? i’m always smiling. i even laugh at things other people don’t find funny (laughs). 34. shinee members are currently serving in the army. when they’re on break what kind of advice or nagging do they subject you to? i wish they would do that. we have a group chat on kakaotalk and i always revive it by asking “what’s up” “happy new year.” but as soon as the conversation picks up they only talk about the army. when i inform them about an issue at the company they say “really?” then it’s military talk again. when i feel left out and tell them to stop, they reply with “you’ll understand when you get here.” 35. in your career as a musician, when do you feel the best? when it’s time to reveal all that i’ve been preparing for so long! it feels different from finishing it. the first stage after debuting, shinee’s first concert, performing at tokyo dome, receiving the award... these are the moments that come to mind. 36. watching taemin grow for the past decade has been a huge source of strength. what are your dreams now? there are many. first of all, once shinee comes back again, i want the entire group to give off a feeling of revival. usually after getting discharged, it’s hard to keep up with the next generation, i want to avoid that. i’ve imagined it all when the shinee members return. second, i want to perform a lot on various stages as a solo artist. superm topped the billboard 200 album chart, it’d be nice to enter the top 10 on the hot 100 digital chart as well.  37. you are really talented at setting goals. i’ve gotten greedier. it’s just not for myself but i want to do it for the fans and members, even the staff. they become my driving force. i really am lucky. everybody works hard but i even get the recognition for it. come to think of it, i was given many opportunities and i worked hard to make the most of them, i’m really happy my efforts paid off in the end. i’m surrounded by good people. shinee, superm, many people fill in the gaps for me that i can’t solve on my own. 38. superm’s concert title is ‘we are the future.’ when you hear the word ‘future’ what are you reminded of? first, it’s h.o.t. (laughs). future-oriented things come to mind like artificial intelligence, drones, 3d hologram concerts. then again, in the future, though people might be able to watch concerts through holograms, i think humans will not give up on the tasks they themselves can do. my work will still be the same in the future. 39. the reason you don’t write anything on instagram. i don’t have anything to say yet (laughs). i don’t know if i should make my instagram cool or approachable. when fretting between writing a caption or using an emoticon, i just end up leaving it blank. actually i signed up after my manager hyung suggested that instagram would be good. so i’ve made one but i still don’t know what to upload. i get teased by the people around me for putting up selfies. i even took lots of pictures especially for instagram but... 40. did you not post the pictures? the point of instagram is real-time communication. is that so! i didn’t know (laughs).
translated by romanceboys — take out with full credit (source)
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cowboyshit · 3 years
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Only for the Holidays
Ship: Adam “Hangman” Page and Ivy (OFC) Summary: Adam and Ivy cross paths at a mutual friend’s holiday party and hit it off, both admitting they’ve grown tired of constantly being asked about having a partner at the various holiday events they have to attend. They come to an agreement to pretend to date for the holidays to get their friends and family off their backs, but neither of them admit that they’ve had an attraction to each other from the beginning. Will these feelings come to a head? Or will the pair be able to stick to their original plan and only get through the holidays together? Rating: general/fluff the whole way through Length: 2,221 words part ONE of THREE
author’s note: this is my first entry for the @12daysofchristmas​ challenge hosted by viv! this fic is split into three parts, the other parts will be posted on other days during the challenge!
The warmth of the crackling, orange-red fire soaked beneath her bundled layers of clothes and heated the bare skin of her cheeks. She held her hands out to it and felt it soak into her palms and fingers until it was almost uncomfortable, pulling them back to rub them together. Her eyes darted over the tops of the flames, where little red sparks flew off into the night sky, distinguished quickly in the cold. All around the bonfire there were groups of friends gathered, drinking and laughing, their conversations rising and falling in volume.
“Hey Ivy, what are you doing by yourself over here?” Her friend, Mia, was frowning as she walked up next to her and held out a mug she’d brought over of something that was lightly steaming.
“I was just warming myself up by the fire,” Ivy said, feeling the heat of the liquid in the ceramic mug before she wrapped her fingers around it’s handle. “What’s this?”
“Homemade cider! Spiked with a bit of honey whiskey, of course.” Mia winked and then nodded toward the house quite a distance off where soft, yellow lights poured out of the windows. “There’s more in the house when you need a refill. Roger has been working on it all day and he’s very proud.” She rolled her eyes, but playfully, clearly amused by her husband’s party-host excitement.
Roger and Mia hosted a winter bonfire for all their friends when the temperature dropped enough to comfortably host. There was always good food, good drinks, good company, and…
“Stop standing by yourself! Roger invited a lot of his friends through work,” Mia leaned in, lifting her dark brows, “Cute, single friends.”
There it was. Every single year Mia tried to use it as an opportunity to hook Ivy up, too.
“That’s nice, Mia, but I’m not interested. Remember?”
“Yes, yes, you’ve had a string of bad dates the past two years that’ve dramatically turned you away from love forever.” This time when Mia rolled her eyes it seemed far more pointed.
“That’s not the only reason,” Ivy felt herself getting defensive, but carried on, “I also need to focus on my career, and I do just fine on my own. Honestly, Mia, I get it. You and Roger are great together and I see how happy he makes you and you make him, but I promise you my life isn’t lacking anything because I don’t have anyone.”
Mia frowned and shook her head. “Alright, alright, that’s a fair point. Still…” she raised her brows and seemed to fight a smile, “There’s some really cute single guys here. I’m not saying you need to fall in love and get married or anything... But what’s wrong with a little bit of companionship?” She winked, just as Roger beckoned her from the house. “I better go see what he needs. Mingle! I mean it! This is a party!”
Ivy laughed, promising to find someone to talk to as Mia walked off. Alone again, she glanced over the different sized gatherings of people to figure out where she could seamlessly slide into a conversation. There were a few familiar faces and enough for her to find somewhere to go or someone to talk to. But it was the man she’d never seen, standing off by himself much like she’d been, with the colorful pearl snap tucked into a tight pair of Wranglers, a decent-sized buckle catching the reflection of the flames of the bonfire, and blond hair loose in fluffy curls around his face that caught her attention. 
Okay, so there were definitely some cute guys here.
***
“Did you choose to outcast yourself, or were you just enjoying the fire and I’m being a presumptuous jerk by assuming you’re all alone?”
Adam looked over at the woman who’d walked up to him just then and gave a half-grin. “Ah- you caught me, but don’t tell anyone. I don’t really know many people here, just Roger.” He pointed the tip of his beer bottle toward the house where he’d last seen his friend. “I was trying to figure out how to get naturally into a conversation with these strangers or wait until Roger came back out here to tag around with him.” 
“Your secret’s safe with me. I’ll tell anyone who asks that you were enjoying the bonfire and minding your own business and not at all an outcast.”
“That’s very kind of you,” he said with a chuckle. She was cute, and witty. Adam prided himself on being fairly charming in most conversations, and always quick with something to make people laugh. But this girl was tripping him up, he felt like he was a step too slow with her and he wasn’t sure what he was more of: excited or nervous?
“How do you know Roger?” She asked.
“I used one of his horses for work.”
“Oh! You work in the film industry?”
“Kind of,” he gave a small grin and shrugged. “I’m on t.v.” It still felt weird to say it, even a year later.
“Let me guess,” she said, narrowing her eyes in thought as she tilted her head and looked up at him. He couldn’t help but notice the way the orange-glow of the nearby fire looked pretty in her eyes. “You’re definitely one of the stars of whatever show it is.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Just a hunch.” When she smiled, there seemed a bit of extra brightness in her eyes. A little bit of mischief. She lifted her cup to her lips to take a drink of whatever she had in her hands, and Adam found himself momentarily distracted by the shape of her lips.
“Well, I guess you’re sort of right.” Though he certainly felt a pang of nervousness at referring to himself as a star. “I am on there pretty frequently.”
“I knew it!” She grinned. “What’s it about?”
The hand not holding his beer reached to rub at the back of his neck as he grinned. “I’m a professional wrestler?”
“No way!” She seemed delighted.
“Yeah,” he said, putting his hand back to comfortably rest his thumb on his belt.
“Wait… Why on earth did you need a horse as a wrestler?”
It was Adam’s turn to laugh. “I have this whole cowboy persona, so we just thought it would be cool for me to ride a horse.”
“Ahhh, I guess that explains the wranglers and the pearl snap,” she gestured at his front.
“Well, hey now, just because I have a cowboy persona for wrestling doesn’t mean I’m not a cowboy myself.”
“Are you?”
“Kind of?”
They looked at one another and she grinned.
“I grew up on a tobacco farm, we had cattle, horses. The whole thing.”
“So you’re a cowboy who wrestles.”
“Yep,” he said, and was happy to see another smile on her face. “And you?” He had fallen comfortably into their conversation, and hadn’t even noticed Roger was already back around the bonfire, mingling with the other attendants. Adam was too distracted by her.
“I am not a cowboy who wrestles,” she pointed out playfully, and at the roll of his eyes, laughed. “What I do is not nearly that exciting. I’m an editor at a publishing firm.”
“Hey, that’s pretty cool!” He encouraged.
“Not as cool as being a professional wrestling cowboy on T.V.”
“Okay, maybe you got me on that one. My job is pretty cool.” He lifted the beer to his lips to take another swig. “But you get to read stories like they’re plain river rocks and polish them up so they look as pretty as a gemstone, and I know that’s no easy job to do. We do a lot of that where I work. Kind of. We come up with our stories and everyone kind of helps refine them to make them something great by the end of it. I could only imagine what it must be like to read other people’s work and have the talent to go in and make it great.”
“Thank you…” her voice trailed off as she looked at him almost curiously, and Adam worried he’d said something wrong. His brows dipped in together as he watched her. “Sorry,” she said when she noticed him frowning, “it’s just that no one has ever really cared that much about what I do. Or at least, not really understood it. They normally go with a traditional nod of their head and a polite compliment before they change the subject.”
“Well, maybe you haven’t been telling the right people.”
“Maybe,” she said, her smile growing. “Honestly, this whole conversation is refreshing. I’m used to dodging people not caring about my job and jumping right into asking me about my relationships. It’s like everyone assumes my life isn’t complete without a partner in it. Every single conversation always leads back to that.”
Adam laughed and nodded in agreement. “Oh, I know. Almost all of my friends are happily settled down, and they all like to worry about me, so every time there’s some big event where everyone’s got their partner and I’m standing off with my beer they start to bug me about not finding a girl yet.” He shook his head and took another swallow of beer, then realized it was the last drink in the bottle. He licked the remnants off his lips and sighed. “Don’t even get me started on my mama.”
“Don’t get me started on mine!” She retorted. “Come on, let’s get you a refill.” They fell easily in step together, and as they left the warmth of the big, crackling bonfire he found himself moving a little bit closer to her in step, as if to block away some of the chill on the path to the house. There was an ice chest filled with beer back at the bonfire, but Adam didn’t want to question her as she led him away from it.
“My mom has been pressuring me about settling down and having kids for years now,” she continued as they walked up the back porch steps and into the cozy (and quiet) house. “Sometimes I wonder if she even knows what I do for work, because it sure doesn’t seem like she cares.” She stopped in front of a large crock pot with its light on to signal it was keeping whatever was inside warm.
“You know what really sucks?” She asked as she gave him a look, to which Adam widened his eyes a little and shook his head. She was ramped up on a rant, and he was happy to stand aside and let her work through those frustrations.
As she took the ladle and poured rich, amber liquid into a new cup and then added more to hers to refill what she’d drank, she sighed. “I’m possibly up for a promotion soon. A big one. I want to tell everyone, but I already know the next words that are going to follow are going to be about if I’m dating.”
“Congratulations,” he offered a little gently, and found he didn’t like the way dejection looked across her face. “They really wouldn’t care about you getting promoted?”
“I mean, they’d congratulate me and say it’s nice and they’re proud, but I already know unless I have someone, they’re still going to see me as…” she frowned as she tilted a bottle of honey whiskey to spike the drink, “Incomplete.” The golden liquid splashed inside before she set the bottle down and then handed him the cup. “Enough of my woe-is-me stupidity. Here, no more beer tonight. You’re at a bonafide bonfire, and that means you’re going to get really into the traditions and drink some homemade, spiked apple cider.”
“Yes ma’am.” He grinned as she pressed the warm cup into his palm, but he was thinking. As she turned to walk around him, intending to head back out the door with her cup in hand, he spoke up.
“Hey, wait a second.”
She looked back at him and he wondered why his heart was suddenly beating so fast.
“I know this is cliché and a little dumb, but I don’t like people poking into my personal business, even my friends, and I don’t like those looks they give me when they’ve got their arms wrapped around their loved ones and I’m alone. If you had someone, it’d stop all those questions about your relationship, right? What if we just pretended to date? Just to get through all these holiday parties.”
“This sounds like a set-up to one of those cheesy, Hallmark Christmas movies.”
“I promise not to fall in love with you if you promise not to fall in love with me.” He teased, and was happily rewarded with her smiling. To hide how much he liked seeing it, Adam lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip of the drink she’d made him. It tasted just like winter traditions, warm apples, cinnamon, and a sweet hint and burn of honey whiskey.
“Oh, what the hell,” she shrugged after seeming to contemplate it for a moment, “If it means I have one Christmas season where everyone isn’t up my ass about finding someone, I’m in.”
“Alright,” he grinned and held out his hand. “Shake on it?”
She slipped her hand into his, and he tried not to pay any mind to how much he liked feeling the contact. He told himself he had no ulterior motives and that this was simply to get everyone off his back, and everyone off of hers. Plus, she was nice and easy to talk to, he wouldn’t mind having her company at the holiday party.
“I promise not to fall in love with you while we fake date through the holidays to get all of our loving but annoying friends and family off our back.” She declared, and they shook on it as he chuckled, then raised his cup.
“Cheers, I’ll drink to that.” 
Adam and Ivy will return on December 19th - Holiday Party!
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sunsetinmyvein · 3 years
Text
You Pick a Fight - P2
Eyyyyy it’s prompt time. I have since forgotten what prompt’s @imagine-that-100​ gave me from the prompt list for this part two, but hopefully you enjoy it anyway. :P
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And I was right, because it wasn’t over. The pool incident was just the start of much more bickering and fighting over nothing that was set to come during the months between Matty and I. We hadn’t known each other all that well prior to that day, but it definitely set the bar for future interactions. Being argumentative and stubborn was just a habit neither of us could break, much to all of our mutual friend’s annoyance. It might’ve been on the verge of immature, since we were both pushing thirty, but neither of us cared. And we never really meant it. Grudges about stolen floaties were not held for long. It was a rare occasion that we genuinely made up and said sorry, but typically by the end of the day we had either forgotten about it or played some prank on the other to feel avenged about our wrong doing. Over the course of many months of arguing and pranking, Matty and I inevitably became closer. Realistically, Matty was probably one of my best friends by this point in my life. We saw each other at least a couple of times a week for various reasons and I enjoyed his company (mostly). But that wasn’t going to stop me from trying to constantly one-up him and make sure I destroy him any time he challenges me to anything. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right? You gotta know your opponent’s weaknesses to best exploit them.
 However, tonight was our regularly scheduled movie night. So, more than likely no arguing would be occurring tonight. The movie had already been picked by democratic vote by the group, which meant there would be no debates about that. Everyone was bringing their own snacks, nothing to fight over. And we rotated who hosted, so no arguments there either. This week it was Matty’s turn. Last week when it had been at my flat, we had picked a comedy movie to watch and ended up receiving a noise complaint from my neighbour about us being “too rambunctious”. I was hoping that we wouldn’t have the same issue to deal with this week given Matty’s much thicker walls. I was cutting up a tray of brownies that I was graciously bringing to share - one of which may or may not have been spiked with cayenne pepper just to spite Matty for last week when he mixed my bag of skittles with m+m’s - while I replayed the events of last week. The details of the movie were actually a bit of a blur, because after the few drinks that I had downed after a rough day at work, I recalled falling asleep. When I woke up, I found myself snoring on Matty’s shoulder. God, that was utterly embarrassing. Other than my snoring, to wake up cosying up to Matty? I’d rather be caught dead. But I must have been too distracted by these memories, because as I was cutting, I slipped and managed to slice open my thumb with my new knife.
  I felt the cut the instant it happened, bracing myself for what I might see before I looked down. Sure as shit, all I saw was a lot of red. The first thought to run through my head was that my brownie plan was ruined. I couldn’t serve brownies that had been doused in blood. The second was that I absolutely needed to seal this wound as soon as possible. I raced to the bathroom, grabbing a roll of gauze and wrapping it around my thumb as tightly as I could. Do I call an ambulance? No, this wasn’t an ambulance sort of emergency. Emergency, though. I should go to the emergency room. Now. But I had to let the guys know I wasn’t coming. I could see the gauze starting to turn red as I searched my phone for Matty’s contact. Fuck, I felt so bad for bailing on this movie night given it was our regular thing, but this was really not good. Really, really not good. The phone rang twice before he picked up.
  “Hey-”
“Look, I need to go to emergency.” I interrupted in a garbled rush.
“What?” He shouted down the line.
“I need to go to hospital, so I’m not gonna make it tonight.” I explained, slightly slower.
“What did you do?” He asked in an incredulous tone.
“I sliced my thumb open cutting brownies.” I just heard him laughing. “It’s not funny, Matty. I need stitches.” I frowned as I started to grab my essentials. What if they wanted to keep me in overnight? Oh my god, I was absolutely not prepared for something like this. I should have a go bag. Is that a thing normal people did? Have a go bag in case they accidentally injure themselves? Maybe smart people did.
“Do you need me to drive you?” He offered as I was contemplating what exactly I would put in a go bag.
“What? Uh, no. I’m okay. I think.” I rattled off.
“I’ll meet you there.” I heard him say. He what? Why would he want to come to the hospital?
“Wait. No, you don’t-” But he’d already hung up.
  Before I left the house, I slapped another few layers of bandage over the gauze on my thumb to try and put some pressure on this cut that was apparently bleeding like a tap by the rate it was turning things red. Driving to the hospital with a thumb as fat as mine was with all the bandages wrapped around it was not easy to say the least, but I managed to get there in one piece. Once I had gotten there, paid for my parking, and then managed to check myself into the ER, I was able to take a seat and decompress slightly. But, the peace and quiet didn’t last long, because not even five minutes after I sat down a familiar face entered through the sliding glass doors.
“Good job.” Matty said as he approached, with a slow clap for emphasis.
“Don’t patronise me.” I scoffed.
“Show me.” He said as he took a seat in the uncomfortable plastic chair next to my own.
“It’s okay-”
“Just show me what you did.” He dismissed.
“I mean, I can’t really take this stuff off-” I gestured to my half blood-soaked bandages, “-or it’ll bleed worse.”
He let out a low whistle as he raked a hand through his curls. “Bloody hell.” He muttered under his breath, before glancing up at me. “Pardon the pun.” He added with a smirk.
“Shut up. It’s really not as bad as it looks.” I lied. I was trying to play it down, to pretend like I hadn’t briefly seen how deep that knife went, but I knew that this was definitely very vital that I see a doctor very fucking soon.
He met my gaze, clearly seeing the stress I was trying to hide. “You’re not very convincing.” He chuckled.
  Despite my protests about him wanting to wait with me, Matty continued to ramble on about what he had done earlier in the day while we sat in the crowded waiting room. He also told me not to worry about cancelling on the movie night, and thanked me for trying to make brownies. If only he had known what his brownie was going to taste like. But at least he was distracting me from the weird sensation in my thumb. After about half an hour, I was called through to be seen by the nurse - which realistically just meant that I sat and waited in another room for a further ten minutes until I was finally seen by someone. When she walked in, she introduced herself and asked for a run down of the situation as she started gathering some supplies. After I had explained what I had done, she started moving towards my giant wad of bloody fabric.
“I’m gonna look away.” I warned the nurse, she just nodded in response. I felt her unravelling the bandages on my thumb, trying really hard to busy myself by studying the vision tester chart on the wall. She let out a quiet hum as she analysed the situation.
“All right. I am going to put some glue on this now to hold it, but we are going to need to anaesthetise you to properly sort this out. Is that okay?” She asked in a calm tone. They were going to knock me out? It was bad enough to need to be knocked out for?? Holy shit.
“Um, yep.” I nodded. “I suppose it’ll have to be.” I added with a nervous laugh. “When will that be?”
“As soon as they can get you in. Likely in the next few hours.” She answered.
  When I came back out of the nurse’s station, I sat back down and told Matty what they had said.
“They need to sedate you?” He asked in shock.
“I’ve apparently done quite a number on myself.” I could feel the stress building up as the realisation set in. Oh my god. I had cut off my thumb. I had cut off my thumb and now they needed to reattach it. Holy fuck. Holy fuck.
“Hey, calm down.” He reassured, placing his hand on my shoulder. “It’ll be all right.”
“But what if it’s too late? What if I cut too far? What if-”
Thankfully, Matty interrupted my downward spiral of anxiety. “They would’ve told you if that were the case. They’re going to operate, so it must be fine.” He moved to take my good hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing mind as I nodded in agreement. At least one of us was the voice of reason right now. “When are you going in?” He questioned, seeming genuinely sympathetic.
“They said as soon as possible. I just have to wait here until a theatre frees up.” I replied. He just nodded thoughtfully. “You should go back to the movie night.” I said, eventually feeling guilty that he’d already been sat waiting here for an hour.
“No.” He shook his head as he rifled through his pocket. “You want some gum?” He asked, holding a packet out in my direction.
I looked down at them apprehensively. “They’re not some ridiculous flavour, are they?”
He laughed loudly. “No, I threw the wasabi ones out.”
  It was another hour before I was finally called through to get ready for theatre. Now I was genuinely feeling pretty awful that Matty had been here this whole time. We had well and truly pushed past dinner time, he’d missed the movie, our friends were all sat at his place without him. He can’t have been having a good time stuck here with me.
“Okay, I gotta go in.” I said as I stood up.
“I’ll be here when you wake up.” He smiled up at me from his seat.
“Just go home, I’ll be fine.” I said as I gestured to the door.
“No.” He grinned.
“Go.”
“No.” His dark brown eyes bore into mine, clearly challenging me to push him further on the subject.
“I hate you, so much.” I grumbled as I heard the nurse call my name again.
“I love you, too.” He said, blowing a kiss for emphasis as I walked off.
  The doctors all reassured me that the operation was going to be quick and easy. Knock me out, stitch me up, wake me up fifteen minutes later. Easy peasy. I had never had any issues with operations, being knocked out was easy. It was the stuff you had to be awake for that was hard. True to their word, when I saw the clock when I started coming to, it had been no more than half an hour than when I last checked the time. But my god I felt groggy. My brain felt like it had been replaced with a bunch of cotton balls and my eyelids might as well have been made of lead. I glanced down at my thumb, seeing a much smaller pile of bandages on there, that were now thankfully not soaked in blood. That was nice. I then caught sight of the man sat next to my bed.
“Hey, you’re up.” Matty said quietly as he stepped over. As soon as he leaned over the bed frame, the fluorescent lights above him just illuminated his dark, curly hair. Holy shit. It looked borderline angelic. “How’re you feeling?”
“Your hair…” I mumbled as I reached out my good hand to touch it.
He seemed surprised by my actions at first, before letting my run a hand through it. “What about it?” He asked with a quiet laugh.
“It’s really soft.” I answered, genuinely quite surprised by how nice it felt. “Has it always been that soft?” I felt like I had been missing out. I could’ve been touching this hair for nearly a year now and instead I had been swapping his shampoo for ranch dressing and perfume.
  Matty seemed keen to indulge my anaesthesia haze, letting me bother him with all of my weird questions about his hair. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad guy. I did a lot of mean shit to him and here he was, sat with me in emergency all evening instead of hanging out with his friends. After the pranks I’d pulled, I likely didn’t deserve a friend like him. But he’d pulled them on me too. We were a pretty good pair, I suppose. And I had no idea if it was this lighting or what, but dare I say, Matty was looking pretty attractive today. Had I really just been so focused on butting heads with him that I never noticed these things before?
“Are you sure you really look this good? I feel like I must still be dreaming.” I said, pretending to shield my eyes.
He frowned, before the realisation dawned on him and his eyebrows shot up in surprise, “Are you flirting with me?”
“Maybe.” I shrugged.
“Don’t use cheesy pickup lines on me.” He chuckled.
“How else am I meant to pick you up?” I scoffed as I rolled my eyes.
“Are you trying to?” He asked as a smile slowly made its way onto his face.
“Maaaaybe.” I said in an attempt to be non-committal, but then my curiosity got the better of me. “Is it working?”
“I’m gonna remind you of this when you’re properly out of the anaesthetic.” He just looked amused. Not the reaction I had hoped for. But I was too tired to keep trying to come up with clever lines.
“Okay.” I muttered, nodding softly. “Gon’ sleep now, though.” I added.
“Rest up.” He agreed. “You’re gonna need all the energy you can get to deal with me giving you shit for this tomorrow.”  
Part one
Part three
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blushingbaka · 3 years
Text
love like summer rain;
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✰ part six ✰ read part five here ✰ masterlist ✰
|| summary - bokuto was never your first pick as a co-counselor, but eight weeks is plenty of time to change your mind
pairing: bokuto x fem!reader genre: fluffy camp counselor au, slow burn, mutual pining length: 3.1k
✰ a/n: w o w... okay i had this part planned out, but it ended up being longer than i expected !! it’s definitely the longest in the series, but the next one is pretty short. i’m super excited to see your reactions though, so pls indulge me lolol, as always, i hope you enjoy it <3
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⋆week six⋆
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Something about camping outside always brought you a sense of ease. As you listened to the quiet crackling of the campfire, the chorus of chirping insects, and the jovial laughter of the campers you couldn’t help but smile. Letting the campers experience sleeping under the stars was always your favorite part of camp, even if a select few were reluctant to sleep outdoors. But those campers along with the ones who had complained about the task of gathering firewood were all smiles now, huddled around the fire, roasting marshmallows.
“Hands off the chocolate, Bokuto!” you looked just in time to see Yukie swatting at Bokuto’s hand. Her reaction was too slow, however, and he popped the piece of chocolate in his mouth with a smug grin. “Those are for the s’mores!” she reprimanded him, slapping him on the shoulder, and you couldn’t help but laugh. Tonight your smiles seemed to come easier, and you felt less tense surrounded by the comforting hum of nature.
When Bokuto joined the campers around the fire, you saw Yukie steal a piece of chocolate for herself out of the corner of your eye. “I thought those were for the s’mores” you parroted her words, nudging her side with your elbow playfully.
“Eh, we have plenty anyway. I just like giving Bo a hard time” she admitted, the left corner of her mouth quirking up slyly. “Besides it’s not like we can roast a marshmallow for ourselves right now” she pouted, obviously still discontent with the fact you two were manning the s’mores station. You shifted your focus back to the campers and found yourself easily entertained. A portion of the campers was intently focused on Akaashi as he gave them instructions on how to achieve a perfect, golden marshmallow; however, there were also the campers who followed Bokuto’s impatient approach, allowing their marshmallow to catch on fire, before squealing excitedly as they blew it out.
The campers were all too quick to bring you their marshmallows that you soon found yourself busy with helping them make their s’mores. You became distracted by Yukie bantering with a camper who wanted extra chocolate, so it shocked you to suddenly hear Bokuto yelling your name. You whipped your head in his direction concerned with his urgent tone, and you saw him walking hastily through the small crowd of campers.
“Make way! We have a marshmallow barely holding on!” He exclaimed loudly, and you finally saw that his eyes are focused on a marshmallow close to falling off the stick he was holding. “I need a graham cracker stat!” He yelled to you, causing you to scramble to grab one. You met him on the other side of the table, and you could see the marshmallow slipping further, but you reached it just in time, pressing the graham cracker to its bottom.
“See I told you we would save it” Bokuto turned excitedly to the camper you hadn’t even realized was trailing him. After making her s'more, she thanked Bokuto again, the stars still in her eyes.
“Aren’t you quite the hero” you poked his ribcage teasingly, your smile becoming even wider. He mirrored your grin, but suddenly he became nervous, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his neck.
“I’d bring you a marshmallow since you’re stuck making s’mores, but I burn all mine” there’s a slight pout to his lips that your eyes seem drawn to. “Maybe I can talk Akaashi into roasting you one” he searched your face, waiting for your response, and you have to purse your lips to stop yourself from laughing at how adorable he is.
“Actually, I prefer the taste of burnt marshmallows” you whispered as if you’re telling him some grand secret, relishing in the gleam that entered his amber eyes.
“Say no more!” He exclaimed, slightly puffing out his chest. “I’ll roast you the darkest marshmallow you’ve ever had!” You want to tell him there is a limit to how charred a marshmallow should be, but all you can do is chuckle as he gives you a little salute, heading back to the campfire. As you continued prepping s’mores you couldn’t help but sneak glances of Bokuto by the fire. He was speaking excitedly to Akaashi, who looked very concerned as he placed the burnt marshmallow into the flames again. You had to muffle your laughter when he pulled it back out of the fire, eyes narrowed, as he scrutinized its surface. You’re worried he might stick it back into the fire, but thankfully he heads your way, a pleased smile on your face.
You will admit, you don’t think you’ve ever seen a marshmallow so burnt before, barely being able to find any white on its surface. Your eyes darted to Bokuto, who was watching you expectantly. You started by picking off the burnt exterior, plopping it swiftly into your mouth. A satisfied hum fell from your mouth as you enjoyed the charred sweet taste. You could feel a bit of stickiness on your lips, so you darted your tongue out to capture it, your face suddenly flooding with heat when you realized Bokuto’s eyes were tracking your movements.
“Thank you” you spluttered out, quickly taking the rest of the marshmallow. You mumbled something about getting back to work, and when he left your side, you breathed deeply trying both to steady your heartbeat and to ignore Yukie’s suggestive stare.
Eventually, you ran out of graham crackers, and since you had to set aside chocolate for chocolate chip pancakes in the morning, you told the kids they could only roast what’s left of the marshmallows. You happily take a couple of marshmallows for yourself and a stick, finding yourself an open spot on one of the logs placed close to the campfire. At some point Akaashi had pulled out his guitar, exciting the campers who had excitedly yelled out what songs they wanted him to play. You gently swayed your shoulders to the familiar tune, eyes focused on the dancing flames surrounding your marshmallow. You felt someone plop down beside you, and no surprise, you turned your face to meet the sight of Bokuto.
“This is nice” he sighed beside you, eyes trailing the smoke as it furled and vanished into the velvet sky littered with pinpoints of light.
“It is” you mumbled transfixed by the golden light flickering over his features, the flames of the fire also reflected in his amber irises. The sight was so captivating you forgot about your marshmallow until the camper to your left told you it was falling. You cursed under your breath, taking it out of the fire and bringing it closer to your lips, managing to blow out the small flame and keep it steady.
“Y/N” Bokuto whispered, causing you to bring your attention back to him. When your eyes met his, he had his mouth wide open, and you bit your lip fighting a grin.
“You want my marshmallow” you exclaimed in mock offense, holding your hand to your chest. "My perfectly burnt marshmallow"
“It’s only fair. I gave you mine” he said insistently, knocking your knees together purposefully. Come to think of it, you had only actually seen him eat one s’more, and you wondered if that’s all he had.
“Fine” you huffed, holding out the stick to him, but instead of using his hands, he moved his head forward, attempting to grab it directly with his teeth. “Seriously” you chuckled, your first instinct being to move it further away.
“Hold it still” he whined grabbing your hand that was holding the stick. Your eyes zeroed in on your hands, his touch somehow being hotter than the heat radiating off the fire. You felt your pulse quicken, and you wondered when little things like this would stop driving you insane.
“Easy lovebirds. There are kids around” your body went taut like a wire, hearing the familiar taunting voice of your childhood best friend. You whipped around, looking up to see Kuroo’s prominent smirk. It felt like you were caught in a scandalous moment, so you quickly stood up, stepping over the log.
“Kuroo, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?” You were eager to change the subject, but you knew there had to be some reason why he left his group. Just like yours, they were camping out tonight, but they were at some site further up the mountain.
“Ah, nothing to worry about. I just was hoping you had some spare batteries. We’re going to play flashlight tag, but some of the campers’ flashlights are dead” he sighed dramatically like the ordeal was very inconvenient for him.
“Yeah, I know I have some in my backpack,” you told him already walking towards your bag.
“Oh! Can we play flashlight tag?” You heard Bokuto ask excitedly from behind you. You hadn’t even realized he got up to follow you.
“No that’s really just for the older kids. People can get hurt pretty easily.” You explained, crouching down to rummage through your bag. “By the way, do you need any extra medical supplies?” You questioned, looking up at Kuroo. Now that you were further away from the fire it was harder to see, but the soft reaching light of its flames illuminated his face enough for you to make out his expressions.
“I think we’re good. I can just come back down if we’re running low for some reason. I know you like seeing my face anyways.” he added, but you swore his eyes were trained on Bokuto as he spoke. Deciding it was just a trick of the light, you just rolled your eyes at his weak attempt at teasing.
“Here, this should be plenty” you handed him the small plastic bag of batteries, after you had taken out some for your site. Your hands instinctively went to rub your upper arms, the faint breeze giving you chills now that you didn’t have the comforting heat of the fire.
“Are you cold?” Kuroo immediately picked up on your actions. “It’s supposed to get kind of chilly tonight so I hope you brought a sweatshirt.” You did have a sweatshirt, but unfortunately, you had already given it to a camper that had forgotten theirs. There was always extra blankets in your supplies, however, so it wasn’t something you were worried about.
“I’ll be fine” you sighed. His words isolated would seem caring, but there was a teasing lilt to his voice that you knew meant he had some other ulterior motive to his words.
“Well if you do get cold and can’t sleep, my sleeping bag is big enough for the both of us” he gave you a sly wink, and this time you were almost certain his eyes darted to Bokuto.
“Just get back to your campers. You wonder why I call you annoying” you grabbed his shoulders, gently coaxing him to turn around and start walking.
“I’m just being considerate” he chuckled deeply, but he kept on walking. You shook your head in mild exasperation, heading back to the campfire. You turned seeing Bokuto hadn’t moved, his eyes glancing between you and Kuroo.
“Coming Bokuto?” You questioned, and he shook his head as if your words brought him out of a trance. He gave you a small nod, smiling softly, but it didn’t quite seem to reach his eyes.
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Just as you expected, it was a couple of hours into the early morning before you got the campers settled in their sleeping bags. It was difficult for you to sleep, however, the spare blanket not being quite enough to keep you warm and your mind being increasingly aware of your dwindling time at camp. This was probably the last year you’d be able to spend your summer being a counselor, so you clung onto moments like tonight desperately trying to engrain the view of the vast night sky into your memories.
With the fire being put out a couple of hours ago, only the chorus of insects remained, but if you focused hard enough you could hear the distant sound of a stream. Giving up on sleeping, you grabbed your flashlight, deciding to take a small walk to clear your head. You wrapped the blanket over your shoulders, taking advantage of the little warmth it gave you. It wasn’t long until you came across the creek, a clearing allowing the moon’s light to glitter across it’s surface. You found a place on the bank to settle down, admiring the steady stream of water, and pulled your knees to your chest.
“Y/N!” You jumped, hearing Bokuto whisper yell your name, and you turned to see him slowly approaching you. The tension left your body as quickly as it came and you offered him a small smile as he sat beside you.
“You don’t have to whisper you know” you informed him, a smirk tugging at your lips.
“I don’t know. I feel like I might disturb all this peacefulness” he gestured broadly to the space around you, still keeping his voice at a hushed whisper. You chuckled, slightly adjusting yourself so your body was facing his.
“Were you looking for me?” You asked curiously, recalling the hints of worry in his features when you first saw him.
“Hmm not exactly” he mumbled, looking down at a stone he was turning in his hand. “I had gotten up to pee, and just as I was walking back onto the campsite I saw you walking into the opposite part of the woods.”
“And you followed me?” You rose one eyebrow in question. With the moonlight reflecting off his face, you could see a faint shade of pink dusting his cheeks.
“Well actually…” he chewed his bottom lip, reluctant to finish his sentence.
“Tell me” you urged him, laughing softly, tapping his leg gently with your foot.
“I might have been worried that you got cold and that you were going to take Kuroo up on his offer” he spit out the words so fast you almost didn’t register what he said. You stared at him, your mouth gaped open in shock. You didn’t know what notion was more ridiculous. The notion that Kuroo’s offer was genuine or the notion that you’d actually accept it. Your silence must have added to Bokuto’s embarrassment because he turned slightly away from you pouting.
“Even if I was as cold as ice, I wouldn’t get in a sleeping bag with Kuroo” you laughed breathily, managing to find your voice. This piqued Bokuto’s interest, and his golden eyes quickly glanced back to yours. “There is no sharing a sleeping space with that man” you continued huffily. “That hairstyle is not one of a peaceful sleeper, y’ know?”
Your gentle jabs at Kuroo seemed to lighten Bokuto’s mood, but he still seemed bothered by something. “Y/N, will you be honest with me about something?” He was looking into your eyes so deeply, you couldn’t do anything but nod, holding your breath as you waited for his question.
“Do you have feelings for Kuroo?” His expression looked so vulnerable that you decided to shake your head profusely instead of laughing in his face, which would be your typical reply to that question.
“We’ve always just been friends, and that’s how we want it” you couldn’t believe you were having this conversation with him. Was he really that oblivious to your feelings? You thought it was painfully obvious how flustered you got from even the smallest hints of his affection.
“That’s good” Bokuto nodded, but it seemed like he was talking more to himself. “Oh! You can have this if you’re still cold. I don’t need it.” You glanced at the sweatshirt he was holding out for you, noticing its presence for the first time. Your stomach flipped seeing it was the same sweatshirt he gave you last week, which you had begrudgingly washed and given back to him. You wondered if he could sense how ectastic you really were as you slipped the material over your form. When your head reappeared, you could see that Bokuto was smiling fondly at you.
“Here we should at least share this blanket” you felt a sudden rush of bravery as you scooted closer to him draping the blanket over both your shoulders.
“We’re not heading back?” He asked although you were glad to not hear any disappointment in his tone.
“Not yet. I just want to stay here a little longer.” Your body was brimming with so many emotions, but it felt like voicing them now would disturb the peacefulness Bokuto mentioned earlier. So like many times prior, you bottled them inside, choosing instead to focus on Bokuto’s presence. “Will you stay with me please?” You softly requested.
“Of course” he stammered, but when you let your head fall onto his shoulder you could tell his body was tense. You let your knee playfully knock against his, hoping it’d coax him into relaxing. It was effective because he heaved out a sigh, his shoulder relaxing under your cheek, and his head dropped to rest softly on yours. You two fell into a comfortable silence, and now more than ever you wished you could freeze this moment, refusing to let it fade away; however, now the steady stream of water seemed to mock you, reminding you that life would carry on and the seasons would change. Who would you be to Bokuto when autumn came? It was almost as if he could read your mind.
“Hey Y/N” he softly prodded. You hummed in response. “Promise me that when this summer is over, we’ll still hang out like this, okay?” You weren’t sure what ‘this’ really meant, but his words still caused butterflies to erupt in your stomach and your lips curved up in a familiar smile.
“Sure. I’d like that.”
“Okay but this is serious, so we have to seal it with a pinky promise” he demanded resolutely, slightly pulling away from you. He already had his pinky outstretched, and you bit your lip shyly linking yours with his. He had a surprisingly firm grip, and he lightly swayed your hands back and forth, letting the moment linger. You bravely looked up to his face, being met with the guileless boyish grin and twinkling eyes that made affection swirl wildly inside you. Unlike earlier tonight, he was now bathed in the silver light of the moon, rather than the golden light of the fire, but he still looked ethereal. At that moment you knew you wanted more than anything to stay by his side and see how he looked within each season. You wanted to feel summer rain all year long.
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✰ continue reading… part seven ✰
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bayern-moni · 3 years
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On the scale of 0-10, how much do you want to kick Madara's ass, Mito?
Mito: It goes between 7/10 in normal circumstances to 1000/10 when he purposely behaves like a scassapalle ( = pain in the ass but not quite that exactly).
Sometimes, I do want to kick his ass because it seems to be the only thing able to stop him from being too unnecessarily contrarious just for the sake of it, in a self-(and others)destructive way. Because, sometimes, Madara isn't able to see his own bullshit if nobody points it out to him, but unfortunately the only way Madara'd let himself listen to others' reason is if that person is able to beat it into him.
So be it, I'm fine with it and he is too. We made this deal and that's the start of our friendship, did you know?
So, I don't really want to kick Madara's ass per se, most of the time, even though he IS aggravating more often than what it's healthy. And grumpy, and rude, jumpy, spiteful, unforgiving, paranoid old-born man. Although his discretion, sarcastic spite and no-bullshit attitude can even be useful and entertaining when directed to the right people (and when you know how to channel him into them to prevent him from spiraling into even more twisted dramatics than those you're trying to run from). The point I'm trying to make is: you learn to handle a fight-or-fight, cornered and blunt cat and you'll know how to deal with Madara. So, I managed to reach a mutually respectful relationship with him, in spite of everything, because when he's not being ... well, himself, he's a very intelligent man and I enjoy our conversations. Although I really did want to kick his ass when I had no choice but to seal the Kyuubi into myself to help Hashirama in the Valley of the End. Because, only because HE thought that bringing a fucking Bijou at the edge of the village in order to fight Hashirama was a good idea, it does not mean that it is one. It wasn't. Not in the least, it was unnecessary and dramatic, even by his standards. I made peace with the fact I'm the first jinchuriki in Konoha early, so it's less of a big deal than it could have been, but still.
Paradoxically, I have to admit that the moments when I find him most annoying are those when he isn't even there. I'm talking about my own husband's apparent obsession with him and the (too many, if you ask me) times he just can't seem to be able to shut up about him. He told me the river story so many times I'm sure I could recite it in my sleep. I'm starting to feel like I'll be better off asking for a divorce and leave Hashirama to him out of spite. I'm sure my sanity would thank me if I did, but unfortunately I love Hashirama very much so I won't. Madara'd send him back to me within a day when the urge to strangle him for his overbearing attitude becomes too much, anyway, so it wouldn't even be a problem. In fact complaining about Hashirama's obnoxious antics with Madara is always funny, when I hear of people thinking that Hashi is a cause of contention/dislike between us I think it's just plain stupid, it's not like that at all. I know that Hashirama loves me, like he loves his brother, even Madara in a sense as well as the village.
But sometimes I feel as if all the years he spent associating his idea of peace with the alliance with the Uchiha, consequently his unwavering conviction that the only way he could achieve both was to necessarily bind Madara, the Uchiha clanhead, back to their old bond whatever it took (because it wasn't broken it was still there no matter what anyone thought it still was a gift from the divine) made him come to unconsciously link in his mind the very village's hopes of stability with Madara's own very ill-balanced stability and good will towards it.
In Hashirama's world, if Madara is pacified and he doesn't disrupt the village's armony for any reason, then the village will be fine, but the opposite is also true. Village is peace, peace is the dream, the village is the(ir?) dream (transitive property is the key here), but there's a sour, dissonant note: that's a very dangerous, unstable line of thinking, for all of us, himself and Madara included.
Because, differently from what Hashirama thinks, in Madara's vision, himself and that dream no longer coincide since when their bond was severed and it awakened his Sharingan at the river as a consequence. Their very definitions of that dream differed at the root. The mechanism stopped working, the gears need to be rearranged, not to be seen as the same as before, in order to keep working together. He's not the same as when they were little anymore and it isn't even only about Izuna's death but Madara himself. In fact it started before that, Izuna's death is one of the aggravating factors, not the trigger. Hashirama deep down knows it but he vehemently insists on ignoring it with all his might and that's what is deepening the fracture between them.
Hashirama refuses to see Madara for what he is but he wants to see only the kid he met at the river, because that kid is the one who gave Hashirama the confidence that his dream was possible. He still, genuinely, stubbornly believes that that kid still exists somewhere, because he must exist, because if Madara still believes in their village and keeps on giving him that confidence (that is, if Madara still behaves with Hashirama like that kid would, even while slowly breaking beyond repair on the inside), then eventually all will be fine and everything will adjust itself given enough time and hope. But when he doesn't, Hashirama becomes nearly paranoid and desperately tries whatever he can think of in the hope of tying Madara to their dream of the village again, this time possibly forever and indefinitely: calling him his brother (as if for Madara their real brothers weren't the only real bond while theirs is a breaking thread next to a fine but now forever severed cloth); nudging him to see Konoha villagers as they were his new family now that he lost his own (well knowing what kind of visceral bond that'd be if it were completed given that Madara is involved); giving him hope that he could be Hokage, a hope Hashirama didn't know it'd be crushed and burned to the roots by such a public humiliation. The worst part is that Hashirama doesn't even seem to be aware of half of these psychological issues of his. However, that's the person Hashirama sees, not the real Madara, never his adult, despairing, fierce-but-borderline-suicidal version. And Madara knows it, he resents it and will keep to silently poison himself with that knowledge in total, stubborn solitude until it will inevitably make him rot to the bone and erase the rest of the world with him. All of this while seeing all the underlying not-yet-born-but-still-there faults in the village's very system and Hashirama's rule! But, instead of just saying it so we can try to limit the damage, he just keeps them for himself as the indisputable proof of how the whole system is doomed to failure. To be honest, I do know why he doesn't talk, though, and that's because nobody'd listen to what is only considered an unstable, belligerent madman's apocalyptic words, no matter how prophetic they'll reveal themselves to be in the years. These are still other big reasons why I want to kick his ass, though, and I suspect that he knows. Count another reason, then.
They are just... Ahrg. Just talk, guys, like the mature people you ARE supposed to be but will never be. You understand that I'm in the middle of that, don't you? It gives me a massive headache on a good day and lately more often than not they make it a shitty day. I'm tired of constantly having to listen to Hashirama complaining about Madara this, Madara that, just because they're not sincere enough to just TALK and settle their differences within the limits of what it's actually possible, and because they don't talk about it (and when they do it seems like they are threading through two or three different discourses at the same time that nothing have to do with the problem at hand) they will never understand each other like they clearly need to and then we have to solve all the problems their bullshit leaves behind.
I'm not saying that they could resolve those problems by just talking, because they are too big for only the two of them and they often involve how something like world peace should be achieved. So, you understand why they'll never see eye to eye on that. But talking could be a start.
Mine feels like a full-time, underpaid and overly frustrating, babysitting job. Sometimes, I just want to kick both of their asses for being purposely (Madara) and unconsciously (Hashirama) difficult.
Sorry for my ramblings, but as a woman, a kunoichi and a wife I needed to vent a bit and too few people ask for my opinion nowadays, our self-appointed author first and foremost.
P. S.: I do want to kick his ass when he steals my hairpins out of spite after I have beaten him and Tobirama at shogi. 8/10, then.
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For @dinainwater
It definitely got out of hand in the end 🤣 Rambling has always been a problem for me and rarely I manage to actually restrain myself, but I promise eventual next answers won't be this long. So, I hope it hasn't bored you (?) 😅. But I felt like Mito needed to make her opinion matter, so it was worth!
(If the reasoning explained above seemed twisted and unnecessarily difficult, it's because those two have a deeply unhealthy relationship)
However, thank you for your ask like always and I hope you enjoyed it 😁 whatever other question is always welcomed, don't worry 😊
*
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theda-rison · 3 years
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Thursday Night Link Roundup - October 29th Halloween Edition!
I was about to start this and then realized: Halloween is Saturday! 
And when I say “realized,” I mean “remember, forgot, and then remembered again.” 
So instead of making a list of things I’ve watched this week, here’s a list of Halloween or Halloween adjacent things :)
So this is one of my favorite Philosophy Tube videos: Witchcraft, Gender, & Marxism. I love the costumes, the atmosphere, and the crackling fire, and the “if you take this line of thought too far you can end up in a bad place” jokes in the form of random conservative types calling him. I love his facial expressions then like, “That way is the primrose path of dalliance... also, griftery.”
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It made me buy one of the books he mentioned to learn more, and of course I had to go look up a bunch of papers to read them, lol. I’m sure my professors thought I was bloating my papers with Too Many Citations, but I’m really just a fan of researching.
I found this by watching a video about Peter Kropotkin’s book Mutual Aid (which I think I’ve posted before).
[EDIT: I took the section about “witches and beer” out because I found out later that it was wrong. The Halloween TNLR from 2021 has a video explaining the actual history of the witch hat.]
It’s sort of wild just how much of capitalism had to be violently forced on people, to the point of - after realizing that beer making could be profitable - priests making sermons about how women shouldn’t be in commerce. It’s just fucking wild. Like: when your economic philosophy is so far removed from what makes people happy and what lets them enjoy life that you need to use your religion to brainwash them into thinking otherwise? Wild.
I still haven’t watched the second season of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I’m not even sure how, like, it’s there, I can watch it, I think I’ve just been way too busy. Which I know is probably partly an excuse, but when you have no time, you really want to expend what you do have on stuff that needs to get done, you know?
Anyway, I do have time to watch Nightmare Masterclass’ Sabrina and the Economics of Necromancy… because it’s not an entire season of a show, lol.
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I had not really put together the “liberal progressives” vs “regressive conservatives” aspect of the show together. Like, I probably got some of it (it’s been a while since I watched the first season and I have no memory, I don’t remember), but I don’t think I had put it together in so many words as NM.
I need to watch it again. I miss my girl Prudence.
Aspirations.
We all have them. 
Here’s mine:
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Though I will admit, I love the campy nature of the 60s show way more than the 90s movies. I love the 60s brand of vaudevillian weirdness that just doesn’t find them weird, and I find the 90s versions maybe a smidge too malicious. Though, I will walk into anyone’s house and question their choice of pastels - or, lately, grey - grey is not a color, it is a shade. Even the original Addams set was awash in hues:
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Now you might be thinking, “Isn’t it just colored that way because each of those colors reads as a different grey in black and white TV?” And you wouldn’t be wrong, that’s definitely a reason. Or you might think, “What? That’s garish!” And - if you were one of those people who’s currently remodeling their kitchen/living room/bathroom, in shades of grey I would tell you that, while your logic is sound to you, it is not correct. Also, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in a Victorian Era home (I grew up in one and I’ve been on tours of quite a few in addition to Victorian Home magazines being the only magazines my mother subscribed to), that decor isn’t garish by any means. It’s actually quite normal; I’ve been in houses that looked like that. The Victorians were wild about color.
Also, I just adore John Astin as Gomez. What a Mensch. I need to find the Halloween Anniversary TV movie. I used to watch it constantly as a kid.
Anyway, for the last of the videos that will embed, here’s some idiots:
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They’re so dumb and also drunk. Watching it made me feel like I’m drunk, and also, a little spooked because I’m sitting here drinking a matcha latte as I type this.
On crashing weddings: 
“We can find one.” 
“That would be a little hard.”
“Now, currently, in this climate: yes.”
“Also you’re ten thousand feet tall.”
[Wheeze] “I’m not ten thousand feet.”
“They won’t be like, ‘Look at those two guys mingling in the crowd,’ they’ll be like ‘Hey, who’s that fucking squatch.”
“We’ll just find a-- a tall wedding.” [Wheeze] “Then they’ll be like, ‘Who is that little boy over there?’ 
“We just can’t win!”
“We can’t win!”
I love that they roast each other, lol.
Songs of the Week:
Spooky Scary Skeletons (Remix) (Extended Mix) (Spooktober Theme Song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mrGdGMNsv0
That’s it. That’s the post.
LACUNA COIL - Swamped
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOuxOUYycoU
What does this song have to do with Halloween? You can hear it in a certain vampire-related RPG. Hello to my Malkavian brothers and sisters.
Night On Bald Mountain - Fantasia (1941)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLCuL-K39eQ
Mussorgsky had absolutely no right going this hard… but it’s a good thing he did. I sort of love Russian composers because they’re big believers in just… whatever this large, bombastic style is called. “It’s less ‘oui oui,’ and more ‘dasvidaniya.’”
I also was in love with the way the ghosts floated out of their graves as a kid, they’re so wispy and like smoke and didn’t look like animations, but magic to a five year old in the 90s. But the things flying at the viewer in the last third used to scare the hell out of me.
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[The first thing you notice about the letter immediately, is that it’s stained with some kind of orange liquid. The ink is smudged, but thankfully, it’s still readable]
To Yuvon,
The fact that you have accommodations for reading and gaming when you don’t have anything for food is so funny to me. The god is just like ‘I’ll give this woman endless books and arcade games, but I can’t be bothered to feed her so I’ll just make her full forever!’ It’s giving me new-born AI vibes. [There’s a crude picture of a stereotypical robot, square head, antenna, etc. with it’s head slightly tilted, almost as if confused]
It’s kind of like, the dimension/possible super-natural entity is trying to satiate your needs in the most efficient way possible. They won’t have to waste food on you if your never hungry or thirsty, and they’ll never have to waste medical supplies if they make you more durable. The only living accommodations problem they solved normally is entertainment, and I guess the only reason why they did that is because they can’t just, pump serotonin into your brain. That’s just my own theory though.
If, theoretically, a person/super-natural was keeping you here for some kind of purpose, then we’d have to assume that there is something to gain by specifically making you send letters to other alternate versions of you. I can’t think of what that could possibly be, but it’d, have to do with Duskwood, wouldn’t it? That’s literally the only thing connecting you and me.
Bruh, what if the, actual Man Without A Face is behind this, wouldn’t that be wild???
I digress, you do have your phone right? If so, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to talk with not just Jake, but the Duskwood Squad(tm), too, not about your situation (obviously, but maybe, only do that if you see no alternatives). Just so that we can confirm that everything is normal back on Earth. Also to confirm, do you have signal? Can you use a navigation system on your phone? Etc.
Imagine if J our mutual hacker friend finds out about this, mine seems chill enough, but yours sounds like he would flip his shit if someone even looked at you bad.
-Rainer
PS. I’m so sorry about the orange juice stain, I was about to send this off when my cat knocked the glass over. I hope ya don’t mind.
Rainer,
Yeah, now that you say it, it really is sort of hilarious XD
There's definitely a thought. "Efficiency" would be a good motivation for why those rooms look like that. If that's the case though, I'm a little worried about the size of the library and the game room. There's... quite a few books and games.
There's a couple possible reasons I can see that I'm here. One: something was bored and thought it'd have some fun by shoving me in here. Two: whatever this thing is REALLY wants the case solved, to the point that it kidnapped me here and gave me the chance to connect to other people in the same situation. Three: there's some personal motivation, most likely related to me specifically and not you. Four: this is some sort of weird eldritch social experiment. Five: Duskwood is a WAY weirder place than even we knew so far.
You know, weirdly, the theory that the MWAF is behind this holds a tiny bit of water if it's the original MWAF from the legend and not the imitator. I didn't think about that before. But that would mean the MWAF would have a lot more power than I'm necessarily comfortable with an avenging figure having, especially one that targets innocents too...
As for my phone: There's only a couple features that really seem to work. The clock is just gone, there's no date and no time, just nothing. There's no internet whatsoever, and when I tried to call emergency services when I first ended up here I couldn't get through. I struck up a small chat with Cleo, earlier, so texting them does work, but not really anyone else. I just tried the navigation system; it basically is just telling me that there's no connection.
Most features of my phone, on further experimentation, seem to work, so long as they don't connect to the world outside of the Duskwood case, and don't have anything to do with hell-in-woods-land. The charge on my phone doesn’t seem to be going down, either. I texted everyone for a general check in just now. Let's see what they say.
It's... been a couple days by now, right? I can't really tell in this place. Anyhow, Jessy and Thomas are still staying together in the same place. Everyone is still alarmed and concerned about them to some extent. The letter from Madruga hasn't returned yet.
It's not just me who thinks this is all way too static, right? Like, time's running, and they're all going about their days, but nothing's HAPPENING. No progress, no setbacks, no more information, no more questions, no processing of or fading of or change in emotions, nothing.
Agh, I don't know anything anymore.
Anyhow. About our mutual hacker friend: yes and no? He definitely worries about me a lot, especially when things were happening like my phone getting hacked and whatever. But more than that, I feel like he's someone who doesn't feel secure unless he's got some measure of control over his surroundings. Everything's been spiralling out of their predictable patterns and everything's changing, and this is one more serious change to add to the pile. One he can't do anything about, to boot.
That makes me sort of torn for a lot of reasons. I sort of feel like a hypocrite for being upset about him keeping things like that he'd called the victim from me when I'm keeping my LITERAL KIDNAPPING a secret from him. On the other hand, if I ever tell him, he'll be more upset proportional to how much time I take to tell him. On the other other hand, going by how I think he feels about me, this whole situation seems like something that'd be in his nightmares.
Okay. Depressing. Time to switch subjects.
Pff— gotta love pets, amirite? I remember once my dog literally ate my homework. That was interesting to explain to my teachers XD
All my best to your cat,
—Y
Wait. Why are there local multiplayer games in the game room?
Uh. Well. That's. Interesting. What the fuck.
With that in mind, signing off now.
—Yuvon
(When you’re done reading, the letters tuck themselves into the paper clip with the others.)
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renaxwrites · 4 years
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Eleven
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.08 - No Control
synopsis: the number Eleven had always appeared in milestones of your life. it was a constant, and you didn’t know why. but you would soon find out when you study abroad in japan and meet Him.
pairing: tsukishima x fem!reader
warnings: none!
masterlist: here :)
a/n: it’s been a quick minute! also I’m not entirely sure how taxis and such work in Japan, so for the sake of the story, we’re using uber! no smelly taxis for you ma’am >:) also I picked bops I felt fit with the groups lol don’t fight me on the vibes I got :) also here’s a TikTok that inspired the Suga scene: <3 !
previous || next
I can’t contain this anymore. I’m all yours, I’ve got no control.
“Are you sure this looks okay? I feel a little more breeze than usual...”
“Y/n, it’s fine! You look stunning. And if you don’t believe me, ask Mizuki. MIZUKI-SAN!! We need some confirmation over here!!” Suga bellowed.
You, Suga, and Mizuki were all centered in the main room. Even Akiteru was home for the night. Tonight was the volleyball “get-together” downtown, with not only Karasuno, but with other schools as well.
Everyone was expected to dress a little nicer, since it was a night out in the town. Tsukki and Yamaguchi has already left, getting ready within 10 minutes. He walked out the door as soon as he heard, “I’ll be ready in 2 hours...minimum” come out of your mouth. And you’re glad he did. For now.
Your fashion choice was mutually decided that past weekend between Suga and Yachi, who were both in on your “karaoke confession” plan. Their dress choice for you made you feel like a dream. You had eyebrows fleekd, the lashes on, the eyeliner pointed, the heels strapped, the whole she-bang! However, you were worried about actually going out in it. Right now it looks good in your room, but how does it look outside of it?
“Y/n dear, you look ever-so lovely. And might I say, I’m sure it’ll turn the head of even a more emotionally unaware, six foot tall, blonde player,” Mizuki truthfully reassures.
Wait. WHAT?
Your reaction was like an open book, causing the room to chuckle.
“Yes, y/n, as emotionally constipated as my brother is, it’s a little obvious there’s a little chemistry between you two. And itd be ludicrous if he didn’t see you in that dress like we do. If he doesn’t, I’ll teach him a lesson myself,” Akiteru punches his empty hand.
“Well...if you say so...”
“But before you go, let me take a picture! You all look adorable!” Mizuki exclaimed.
A few minutes of photo-snapping later, you were off! Since the event was farther, the two of you shared an uber for convenience. You were already struggling with breaking in your new heels, there was no way you were going to make it! Thank goodness for Suga’s common sense.
  ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Soon, you arrived in front a low-lighted club, with neon lights accenting it’s features. The only detail setting apart from a real club was that it was being rented out to you, majority minors, so no alcohol would be seen in any of your hands. Not all of you were minors, but none of you were at the country’s drinking age yet.
The bass from the music amplified the atmosphere, which suddenly closed in on you, making you nervous. Suga noticed right away, and was quick to put a rub your shoulder and let you know “everything is fine, don’t worry.”
He leads you to where the main mingling was happening. Immediately, you see players who you recognized, but don’t quite know. You stride up to a group seated on a leather couch, seating Daichi, Hinata, and Yamaguchi. Beside them were a bed-headed individual, a pudding-haired boy talking only to Shoyo, an owl-looking dude, and a very dashing raven-haired boy. Oh, and Tsukishima. Can’t forget him.
“Oy! You guys made it!” Daichi announced. “Now everyone is here! Before we start, let me introduce these guys. This here is Kuroo and Kenma, captain and setter for Nekoma. Bokuto, and Akaashi, captain and setter for Fukurodani.”
Formalities were exchanged, but Tsukishima hasn’t uttered a word yet. He was too occupied with how Suga’s hand was on your back when you first walked in. Why’d you come with him? And that one second of silence before Daichi’s greeting. Within that split moment, he noticed all 8 of the boys on the couch had drank in your appearance. Including himself. How could he help it, when you looked as angelic as the way you did?
Only Kuroo was cheeky enough to comment on it. “Daichi, you never told me you had such cute managers! Hope you don’t mind me transferring to Karasuno,” he said with a wink sent your way.
“Keep flirting like a creep and I’ll sit you on the bench for the whole season if you do transfer,” Daichi half-jokingly replied. Kuroo only cackled in response.
“But you do look very pretty, y/n-san. I almost didn’t recognize you for a second! Very pretty!” Hinata innocently piped up. If Tsukishima was ever thankful for Hinata, it was now, as his comment made you blush.
“Let’s get this started! Captains, up to the front please!” Daichi announced, leading the captains present to the front of the room.
You and Suga replace the spot where Daichi and Bokuto were. It was then that Tsukishima decided to acknowledge your presence. With a shoulder tap.
“So. It took you two hours to pull something together like that? Looks like it only took 20 minutes to me,” was the first thing that he said.
You turn to look at him. Raising a brow, you ask, “Tsukishima. On average it takes me 12 minutes to get ready for school. And on the few months we’ve known each other, have you seen me with makeup on? Or in heels? Didn’t think so sir. So sue me if I want to slap some eyeliner on.”
You cross your arms and turn the other way. In doing so, your dress hiked up your thighs, leaving your legs a little more exposed. The sight causes Tsukishima to blush and distract himself with something else.
“Alright everyone, thank you for joining us tonight! Before we get started, we want to wish all the teams a ‘good luck’ in advance!” Daichi goes on to explain the theme for the night: TikTok. Some people were confused, but most, including yourself, were super hyped for the theme.
The teams drew numbers, picking the order. First was Nekoma, Fukurodani next, followed by Karasuno.
The Nekoma third years started it off strong, dancing and singing shamelessly to Savage from the TikTok challenge. The nerves you were nursing began to dissipate as you watch how much fun the boys were having trying to ‘throw it back’. You were still holding your stomach by the time Kuroo came back to his seat, trying to comfort the aches you had from laughing so hard.
“Enjoy the show, princess?” The captain teased as he tried to keep his own laughter at bay.
You wipe a tear, not wanting to ruin your makeup. “My gosh, who knew the players of Nekoma could thow a volleyball and throw it back? Immaculate performance, a definite ten out of ten from me.”
“There’s more where that came from, if you want. I’m excited to see your attempt, though,” he countered with a wink.
Before you could retaliate, Bokuto thunderously intervened. “Hey! If you thought that was good, just wait for mine. I’ve been told I have more...what was it Akaashi?....No, one those girls said that one time....OH! I’ve got wayyy more ‘cake’ than that bed-head rooster does!” He triumphantly crossed his arms.
“Shut up owl-face! Y/N can be the judge, winner gets bragging rights.” “You’re on flat-ass!”
Nekoma had since finished their turn (in which Kenma conveniently showed up from hiding), giving Bokuto the opportunity to sprint up the karaoke stage. He had a plan set into motion. With a mini emo-episode and several attempts of bribing, the ace-captain was followed by his reluctant teammates.
They all gathered in some formation, leaving you curious. You and your seat mates ponder as to what song they would choose to try and top Nekoma’s third years.
You hear a familiar “Hold on...” burst from the speakers, and you immediately gasp aloud. Those sitting around turn to you. However, Bokuto’s next line in the mic instantly stole the attention of the whole room.
“Did you hear what the fuck I SAID??? SHAKE!! SOME ASSS!!!”
Everyone bursts in hysterics as Bokuto started enthusiastically started twerking to the beat, his teammates following his lead, much to their dismay. However, what finally killed you was when Akaashi stood silently as he began to toss one-dollar bills in his captain’s direction.
Suga handed you some tissues for you to prevent your tears from staining your makeup. Bokuto took his boastful stride back to the couch, taking his seat.
“So? Better than flat-ass over here? Guess volleyball isn’t the only thing I’m better at, Kuroo.”
The two captains await your answer, to which you silently pull out a few dollar bills.
“Kuroo, I do believe you gave your best shake, but Bokuto is the taker. Please sir, take this token and buy yourself a drink, as the winner with the best cake,” you bow your head, trying to stifle your laughter.
Bokuto finalizes your decision with a boastful “Hey Hey Heyyy!”, and goes to buy the group some water with your generous donation.
“Alright, so who from Karasuno wants to go first?” Ah, the question you secretly dreaded.
Suga gives you a look. You return a look to him, silently praying that you don’t want to go first. But Suga being Suga volunteered you both, hastily dragging you along. As the two of you ready yourselves on the mics, a conversation sparked up back where you once sat.
“Thanks for the water, Bokuto-san, I have a feeling I’m going to need it in a minute,” the Nekoma captain stated in a nonchalant tone.
“Huh? Why?” Everyone else inquires, suddenly curious. He simply leans back. Arms behind his head, eyes on you. “She’s kinda cute, dont’cha think?”
Tsukishima follows his gaze, then proceeds to glare back at his friend. Kuroo notices, then feigns innocence. “What? She’s pretty, can’t blame a guy for noticing...why? You have your eye on her too or something, Tsukishima-kun?”
The blonde then breaks his stare, scowling. “Or something.”
The expression Tsukki wore when watching you told Kuroo otherwise.
Back onstage, you silently pray that Suga’s mystery song choice was a decent one. You trusted the man, but then again, some choices of his were questionable.
“Okay y/n, you ready? And don’t say no because we’re doing it no matter what you say!” he flashes you a blinding smile. You just nod in response and try not to sweat.
The song begin, and everyone instantly is hit with the familiar sound. You turn to Suga and lightly slap his arm playfully. “You really picked this one? I haven’t heard this in so long!” To which he responds, “Can’t blame me!” You couldn’t come up with a response before he began to sing his heart out, releasing all he needed to say within the words of the song.
“Can’t count the years on one hand that we’ve been together...I need the other one to hold you, make you feel, make you feel better...”
The sound was sucked out of the room, with Suga being the only one to fulfill it. You were so mesmerized by his voice you found yourself swaying to the music, your body having a mind of its own.
“I should be over all the butterflies, but I’m into you, I’m into you. And baby even on our worst nights, I’m into you...”
Before your part arose, he picks up your hand and spins you around in time with the melody. This was enough to bring you to your senses. Suga gives your fingers a squeeze as you began your part.
“Recount the night that I first met your mother, and on the drive back to my house I told you that, told you that I loved ya...”
The way the stage lights presented you had your friends captivated. There was something different about you as you sang your lullaby. The movement of your hips was captivating to a certain boy you once linked pinkies with. The reflection of your dress in tune with your movements left him breathless. Tsukishima swore thw way you looked into his eyes while mustering out “I’m still into you...” was for him. Even if it was a figment of his imagination, he was fine with just pretending for a mere moment.
You attack Suga with a hug after finishing Paramore’s famous song, flustered at the amount of applause you both faced. hand-in-hand, the two of you retreated back to your rightful seat, and were once again bombarded with praise.
“Y/N!! SUGA-SAN!! That was amazing!!” “The way you two harmonized...immaculate” “I didn’t know you were so good!”
“Thanks, it wasn’t much,” you play with your hair, still slightly embarrassed. You looked up into a pair of golden eyes, waiting for the only opinion you cared about tonight.
Tsukishima returns your stare, quickly glances at your clasped hands with Suga, then reverts his gaze just as quickly. “Well you didn’t mess up so...good job.”
You roll your eyes so hard you felt the tips of your false lashes touch your brows. “Thanks, Tsukishima.” You’re go of Suga’s hand and plop down to to your seat with a huff.
“Y/n-chan, don’t worry about him. Pretty sure that’s his way of saying he loved your voice. I know I did,” Kuroo reassures, patting on your head.
You failed to notice the way Tsukki’s cheeks tinted with pink as he threw a hard glare at his friend. What you did see was Suga headed outside with none other than Daichi. Alone.
You send him a tex expecting details later, not expecting him to reply anytime soon.
You’re thrown out of your curious train of thought when Nishinoya and Tanaka began to rave to “Hot wings” from the Rio movie. The underrated bop served them well, as everyone migrated to the dance floor to rejoice to their song of choice.
Silently bobbing in your seat, you’re granted an offer. “Want to join me?” The hand outstretched belonging to Kuroo, of course.
With consent, he pulls you up and starts guiding you to the middle, a hand on your back.
You look back sweetly at Tsukishima. “You coming?”
In the .5 seconds of coming up with a response, the blonde rapidly weighed out his decisions. Ultimately, he shook his head, keeping on the same deadpan expression as before.
It was obvious you tried not to look deflated as you plater a smile on your face. “Okay then! I’ll be over here!”
He watched you walk away. He watched you dance as if it was your last night on earth. He watched the way your dress hugged your figure, magnifying your endless dips and curves of your body as you moved to the atmosphere. He watched the way you glowed under the endless rainbow of stage lights, bestowing you with an alluring aura.
The way he watched you so intently sent his thoughts spiraling. He found his brain in a dilemma with his heart, which was thumping wildly in his chest.
Tsukishima decided it was best to escape his own confrontation. He exchanged some words with Yamaguchi, then strides out the door.
Not before he took a last look at you.
Practically drenched in a layer of sweat, you lug yourself off to the side and catch a breath. “I’m going to go get some water!” You shout to your friend in order to be heard over the music.
You check the time on your phone, then look to the couch you once sat on.
It was Eleven’o clock. And Tsukishima was gone.
Powerless, and I don’t care it’s obvious. I just can’t get enough of you.
Tag list: @jiminslonglostjams @fantasymirror @shewastheriot @lukes-princess @iamthepenguinwhosearseisonfire @its-bnha-babe @desi-studys @shootooooo @noya-senpai-imagines @animefan7420 @anpancari @tsukkx @cadabby @thoebe-fly @it-was-just-a-ship @imconfusedanditsok @alexa360b34st @delicious-peaches-blog @shinguchi @creammy0 @fandoms-on-main @smellybananaz @keikink @tsukiak4ri @skyguy-peach @chicalmeida @obsessedwhxre @anhphunnnn @200th-piece-of-glass @sana-li
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tomsrebeleyebrow · 4 years
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can i request based on nothing by bruno major? thank you!
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requests are now closed
“Nothing” -  tom holland x fem!reader
Summary: Finally a day off. And that simply means doing nothing all day long, but enjoy each other company when no one is around. Based on the song ‘Nothing’ by Bruno Major.
Warnings: nothing but tooth rooting fluff
Word Count: 4324
A/N: I started my blog with based on song’s writings so I’m really glad to get back to it with your cute request, sweetheart! Hope you will enjoy it 😘✨🎼
masterlist
Tom’s POV
I waited so long for that day to come. Almost for five entire months now, if not more but I don’t clearly remember. But today, finally, that day has come.
Going back home to my girlfriend.
When I passed the entrance door, leaving my backpack and other luggages on the floor right there, I just had the time to hear barks and footsteps running in my direction before (Y/N) jumped on me, almost making us fall and that brought us in a fit of giggles. Tessa was also right behind, happily barking to see me finally back home. And it was like all the fatigue I accumulated during the filming left my body as soon as I saw (Y/N)’s beautiful face. Pure relief.
Home. Sweet home.
Knowing perfectly I was still under the jet lag’s effect even if it was currently morning here, the next few days off were already planned in my head. And it started right now. (Y/N) knowing me by heart, she literally thrown me into the shower as she precisely told me to “relax and enjoy the warm water while I’m preparing some stuff”. Not like I was going to complain about it.
Feeling now refresh and having put on a pair of grey sweatpants and a white shirt, I joined (Y/N) in the living room. And I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw.
“Ta-da!” she happily cheered in her pajamas, her arms in the air.
Track suits and red wineMovies for two
Pillows and blankets set on the couch, different bowls of sweets with a bottle of red wine and two glasses on the coffee table, Netflix on the TV screen ready to go. And this gorgeous woman I was proud to call my girlfriend in the middle of this - not forgetting Tessa who was already asleep in her basket next to the couch.
“You’re perfect, you know that babe?” I sighed, happy.
We’ll take off our phonesAnd we’ll turn off our shoes
Days off like this were the best, and she knew I loved them. It was the best way for me to regain some energy and just by doing totally nothing. Just the two of us. Sometimes, the movie was just playing in the background because I had so much to tell her, and she was also greedy to know everything that happened.
We’ll play NintendoThough I always lose‘Cause you’ll watch the TVWhile I’m watching you
When it was her turn to speak, moving her hands around as she explains whatever Tessa did one day, I couldn’t help but stare at her. I missed her so much - her bright eyes, her smile, her cheerful voice, her plump lips. Her.
She was my little spark of joy.
Even when she was being a little brat. But I mean, I was the same when it was about playing video games but boy am I a competitive freak. And a bad loser too.
There’s not many peopleI’d honestly sayI don’t mind losing to
But seeing (Y/N) ecstatic from winning against me, nearly falling from the couch while doing her “winner dance”, I could loose any game to see her like this.
But there’s nothingLike doing nothingWith you
And evening arrived quite quickly and soon it was eleven. Still cuddling on the couch, wrapped in warm blankets, my favourite place was definitely right here with (Y/N) in my arms.
Dumb conversationsWe lose track of timeHave I told you latelyI’m grateful you’re mine
The wine and sweets long gone to be replaced with some takeouts. Some corny movie now on the screen - (Y/N) chose that one maybe on the effect of the wine, who knows.
We’ll watch The NotebookFor the seventeenth timeI’ll say, it’s stupidThen you’ll catch me crying
But still. I’d never be somewhere else than here, at home, with the one I love the most. Whatever we do or not. But doing nothing is the best.
At some point, I heard a little snore and when my eyes caught her face, (Y/N) would be almost drooling on my shoulder, completely gone in her world of dreams. And I could just chuckle at the sight.
We’re not making outOn a boat in the rainOr in a house I’ve painted blue
“Thinking I was the one who was tired…”
But what can I say? Nothing. Because I felt content and relaxed.
And after waiting for the movie was over - and a few light kisses left on her face -, I turned the TV off and took her bridal style to go to our share bedroom. The mess and leftovers can wait until tomorrow.
Deposing her under the covers, I followed straight after and brought her body against mine. The silence but our breath. Peaceful and pleased. That was what I loved to do with (Y/N). Nothing.
But there’s nothingLike doing nothingWith you
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catsafarithewriter · 4 years
Text
Day 6: Midnight Snack
A/N: This was inspired by a conversation with @wolfiethewriter about potentially how much Baron really knew about human habits, and how easily he’d be to fool. (Also late again... but 
x
The first impression most folk had upon meeting Baron was usually cat.
The second impression, after realising this tiny, well-dressed feline was capable of speech and wielded his words with significant eloquence was normally gentlemen.
Most people didn’t progress past this point, which worked well in Baron’s favour because the third impression commonly veered off into chaos territory.
Haru was on her ninth impression.
This stage consisted of speed running past past words such as infallible, charming, and emotionally constipated, and boomeranging back into the early stages in a messy amalgamation of chaotic gentleman cat Creation.
The overall outcome was the realisation that while Baron was indeed a gentleman and an immortal Creation, he was also substantially under-experienced when it came to the human experience, and also was not immune to laser pointers. 
And while the latter was a tendency that Haru would occasionally indulge for her own amusement (so far the list of banned Bureau items involved not only laser pointers, but also wind-up mice, chalk, and suspiciously-empty boxes), Muta was far more drawn to the former trait.
As such, sometimes there were weird moments in the Bureau.
(Not weird as in abnormal - in a Bureau dedicated to dealing with magic, the supernatural was practically natural - but just gently odd.)
For instance, being woken at 11:45pm by a soft tapping at the door.
Haru rolled over and surveyed the room that was definitely not her room for several long, belaboured moments, before groggily recalling the events of the day before.
Right.
The case.
The nightmare case.
The case involving personified nightmares and physical dreams and had been the reason she had slept in the spare bedroom the Sanctuary had spontaneously produced for her use.
That case.
She stared up at the speckled ceiling and tried to align her unexpected sleepover with the knocking at her door.
It wasn’t the frenzied oh-dear-god-the-monsters-have-found-us hammering, nor the apologetic excuse-me-but-you-left-the-dishes-in-the-sink rapping, but it was unfailingly polite. It was, in nature, the same tone that flight hostesses give when they wake you up for your paid airborne meal at 5am.
She almost would have preferred monsters.
She rolled out of the bed, grabbing the dressing gown that the Sanctuary had thoughtfully provided, and lumbered to the door.
“Wassup?”
Baron, infuriatingly bright-eyed at ridiculous hours of the night and apparently confused as to why Haru didn’t share that trait, offered what was probably a winning smile at any other time of day. “Miss Haru, food is ready.”
Haru blinked.
Then she blinked again for good measure.
When it became quite apparent that she wasn’t dreaming and Baron was indeed there and informing her about food, she mustered up all the eloquence she could manage in her sleep-addled brain, and said, “What?”
The winning smile only slightly faltered. “Muta warned me that after the chaos of the previous case, you may not feel up to macks, but he’s previously made it quite clear how important of a meal it is for mortals, so it’ll do you good to eat.”
Haru squinted through the haze of midnightitis and decided these kinds of hijinks were the reason she didn’t sleep over at the Bureau. Her mind eventually settled on the words that she had understood, even if the direction of the whole sentence had escaped her. “You’re asking...” she fumbled, “for me to come with you at...” she checked, “11:53pm, for food?”
“That seems to be the gist of it, yes.”
She stared at him, swaying slightly in the doorway. ”Sure. Why not?” She yawned and pulled the dressing gown tighter. “Lead the way, mah... messtro... maestro.”
The first signs of reconsideration flittered across Baron’s face. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“I’m awake now. Kinda too late for second guessing.” She tucked her arm into his, partly for the intimacy, but mostly because she didn’t trust herself to find her own way to the kitchen. 
A few more of her mental facilities had come back online by the time they reached the main heart of the Sanctuary, enough for Haru to fully appreciate the extensive spread of food laid out before her. 
“Wow, this is... this is a lot,” Haru stammered. Geez, I’d forgotten how the Bureau never does anything by halves. “I mean, a cold meat spread and everything? Grilled cheese? Sticky rice? Why...? How...?” 
“We thought you might need a proper macks after the day you’ve had.”
“...What?”
“Well, during the nightmare case, you barely had a chance to rest, let alone eat--”
“No, no, I got that. Well,” Haru amended, “I see your logic. Macks?” She wondered whether the Sanctuary translation magic was having another off day. “Is that... Is that a Creation thing?” Except Creations didn’t need to eat, so that didn’t really make any sense... 
“Oh, maybe I’m not saying it right,” Baron hemmed. “Macks: the last meal of the day, originating from the tradition of eating the leftover food before the new day. A portmanteau of ‘midnight’ and ‘snacks’.” He looked at her expectantly as if that explained everything. 
If anything, Haru was left even more flummoxed. The way he spoke was that of a dictionary definition, but it was no word she had ever heard. Maybe the Sanctuary really had tapped out for the night. “Okay, but I’ve never heard of...”
Across the room, Muta suddenly furiously gestured for her to derail that sentence. 
Oh. 
Well. Now it all made sense. 
“...never heard of grilled cheese for macks,” Haru weakly finished. “Excuse me, I always take a turn around the garden before macks; Muta, please join me.” And without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Muta’s arm and hauled him out into the Sanctuary courtyard. 
She waited until the door had swung solidly behind her before starting what was looking to be a very enlightening conversation. 
“Muta,” she said, her arm tightly curled around his arm despite her deceptively light tone, “is it my sleep-deprived brain talking, or have you managed to con Baron and Toto into believing that midnight snacks are a legit meal?”
“Yeah, in hindsight this kinda got out of paw.”
“Kinda?”
“Look, Baron caught me snacking one night, so I lied and made up macks to get him off my back--”
“And he believed you?”
“Keep it down, Chicky; do ya want them to hear? And... eh, at first I think he just let it go. But then he started putting away the leftover food to remove temptation, so I showed him it was a real word.”
“It’s not a real word.”
Muta smirked. “It is if you edit Baron’s dictionary.”
“How...?”
“You’d be amazed what yer can do with a printer, glue, and far too much time.”
“You don’t have a printer,” Haru pointed out. 
“The library does.”
Haru digested this as they circled the far end of the courtyard. “Muta, have you been sneaking into the library at night?”
“Maybe?”
“Oh my god, you’re why everyone thinks it’s haunted.” 
“It is.”
Haru’s mouth clattered shut for several seconds. “Oh no, I did not need to know that.”
“Yer stuff a load of dead trees into one building, yer bound to get spirits following after, like bogeymen and ghouls--” 
“Stop talking. Just... stop.”
Aware that they were returning back in the direction of the Bureau, and that too many circuits would rouse suspicion in their companions, Haru attempted to wrangle the conversation back on to relevant territory.
“You know he’s going to figure it out eventually.”   
“Yeah, but it doesn’t have to be today, does it, Chicky? I’ve got a good thing going here.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” She made a show of tilting her head in the impression of deep thought. “I don’t know how I feel about being an accessory to your lies.”
“How about one secret for another, then?” Muta offered. “I won't tell him your secret if you don’t tell him mine.”
“You don’t know any of my secrets.”  
“I know you’re the one who ate the last of his birthday cake.”
Haru froze. “You have no proof.”
“I found the crumbs on your scarf.” 
“Okay, but it was really good sponge cake and I was hungry and suffering from cramps!”
“So we’ve got a deal?”
Haru narrowed her eyes. “Is this what it feels like to be blackmailed?”
“This ain’t blackmail, this is mutually beneficial shutting-up.” 
“You’re skating on thin ice, buddy.” 
“Just play along for this one night and I promise Baron’ll never know it was you who stole the cake.”
“Only the last slice,” Haru muttered, but she steered them both back into the Bureau, where ‘macks’ was still spread across the table. She had to admit, it did look delicious, and her stomach gave an agreeing rumble. “Well, I feel better for that midnight constitution,” she said jollily, grabbing a seat and pulling herself in. “Don’t you, Muta?”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“Mmmm, smacks, my favourite meal of the night.” 
Baron gave her a strange look, and Haru wondered if she was laying the enthusiasm on a bit thick. Then, “You mean macks, don’t you?”
“...Yes?”
Another searching look. She could see the gears whirring through his mind as he put two and two together and realised he had been duped. Then he pointedly retrieved his dictionary and flipped it open to what Haru presumed was the ‘M’ section. 
“Mackem... mackerel... mackintosh... macks...” His finger caught something on the page, and Haru saw the edge of paper curl, dried glue giving up its secrets as he peeled the addition away. “And look, here’s ‘mackle,’ mysteriously hidden beneath the definition for ‘macks’. How peculiar.” He looked up. “Don’t you think, Muta?” 
“I... Uh... Haru ate the last of your birthday cake!”
“MUTA!” Haru gasped. “You said you wouldn’t tell!”
“Hey, Chicky, my secret’s out, so so’s yours.”
“You...” Haru felt herself redden and she threw a hand in his direction. “Muta was the one who broke the teapot!”
“She forgot to water your plants last summer and replaced all of them so you wouldn't notice!”
“He brought home the cursed chopping board that nearly ate the Bureau!”
“She’s the one who hid the laser pointer!”
“He got himself employed by a Cat Kingdom smuggling ring!”
“Yeah, well, she...” Muta floundered. “She’s in love with you!”
“WE’RE ALREADY DATING!” Haru roared back.
There was a long, long pause. 
“Wait,” Toto interrupted, who had been happily watching the proceedings until then. “What? Since when?” 
“Uh...” 
“You’ve been dating in secret and didn’t tell us?”
Haru glanced to Baron. “Um, a little help here?”
“A moment, please.” Baron was flicking through the dictionary, apparently entirely oblivious to the turn the conversation had taken. He frowned. “I suppose you’re going to tell me that second breakfast isn’t a thing either?”
“Not unless you’re a hobbit,” Haru replied. She glanced to Muta with a ‘exactly how far did you take this?’ look before returning her attention to Baron. “Um, just how many meals of the day do you think there are?”
“Is the number in the double digits?”
“...No.”
Baron’s face took on a funny sort of expression, his whiskers twitching and his nose wrinkling. “MUTA!”  
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