#we got in so much good frolic time

[thelovelyruin]

𝖘𝖎𝖗𝖊𝖓.

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖘 : choso x fem reader

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖚𝖓 : you weren’t a car girl, but that changed when you met the driver.

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖔𝖓 : smut, porn with plot, vaginal sex, praise, teasing, fingering, edging?

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖙 : 3.2K

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗 : inspired by lyrics from siren by alicia drayton.

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖒𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖘 : hello lovelies, thank you so much for reading! one of my favorite songs; hope you enjoy it; if so, follow me for more. au revoir!

18+ MDNI ADULT CONTENT

Full moon sitting in the darkest night.

“So, sounds fun, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, sure.”

You kinda just agreed to whatever Mai said, busy doing your makeup and humming to the music playing from your speaker. But it wasn’t until a few hours later that you realized what you’d agreed to. You both were sitting outside now, waiting for Yuuji to pick you up, but he was ten minutes late. When he did pull up, he parked fast, seeing Mai’s already irritated expression. Hesitantly, he walked over to where you both stood. 

“Heyyyyy…”

Mai pushed past him, brushing off his attempt at a hug.

“Save it, bitch.”

Yuuji ran before her, opening the door, which she thanked him for in the form of a sneer. He looked at you next, hoping for a more positive reaction as he guided you to the backseat.

“Are you mad at me too?”

“If I were, it would be in good reason. You’re late.”

He closed the door behind you and scrambled to the driver’s seat, promptly turning on the car and attempting to show he was in a rush.

“Look, I’m sorry, I ended up-”

“Just drive, Yuuji!”

Mai wasn’t giving him a break; not like he deserved one. He huffed and put the car in drive, taking off. You guys were going to a car meet; Yuuji was excited to show off the car he’d just finished modding, a WRX or something like that. To be honest, you didn’t know too much about cars, except what Yuuji would tell you, but that would involve you paying attention. Nonetheless, you wanted to be a supportive friend, so here you were.

Feel a breeze, smoking trees, cloudy in the ride.

Yuuji pulled up to a lot full of cars, parking in an empty spot towards the middle of the row. You noticed some cars in an intersection next to the lot, driving in circles as people hung out the windows. You weren’t gonna lie; it looked a little fun, dangerous, but fun. Yuuji got out, opening each of your doors.

“So, I’ll probably stay here if anyone asks questions about my ride, but feel free to check things out!”

“You brought us here so we could frolic around? Yuuji, you’ve gotta be shittin’ me right now.”

“Now, don’t say it like that. It makes me sound like an asshole.”

The both of you looked at him with a deadpan expression, but then he gave those puppy dog eyes, causing Mai to rub down her face.

“Fine, but you owe us big time. Let’s go see what they're doing in the circle over there.”

With that, you and Mai walked off. Yuuji told you to stay safe, but Mai’s reply was a middle finger. The air was smoky and smelled like burnt rubber, but you guys still pushed through the crowd to see the action. Cars were drifting in a circle now, another car coming in the rotation, probably the most dangerous thing you’ve ever seen.

Two of the cars drifting had pulled off to the side, and from what you could tell, the drivers were arguing. A couple of guys tried to break it up, but one flipped the other guy off as they both hopped in the driver's seat.

Narrow roads, so many caution signs.

“Shit, they’re about to race!”

You hadn’t even heard Yuuji walk up behind you guys, Mai looking back at him with a smirk.

“So, why aren’t you with your “ride”? No takers?”

Yuuji huffed, making her laugh triumphantly. The circle began to shift, noticing a gap opening as the two cars revved, one all white and the other blue with a black stripe across the side. You found the white one more tasteful, pointing at it and looking back at Yuuji.

“Oh, that one? An Audi S5. Other one’s a Scat.”

You nodded like you knew what he meant and looked back as some shirtless guy got between the cars, throwing it down. Instantly, both cars take off, the white one gapping the blue one by a long shot.

“I don’t know why he even bothered. The launch on the S5 is insane.”

As the cars finished, people began cheering; even Mai was clapping and nodding. They drove back to the lot where the cars were lined up. The Scat driver handed the S5 driver a wad of cash, returned to his car, and drove off.

“Damn, sore loser. Anyway, I wanna meet the guy who drove the S5. Y’all sit tight, okay?”

Before Mai could even curse him out, Yuuji had run off. You two scoffed and sat on the hood of his car.

“So, you upgraded the intercooler? I did the same to mine, it’s a W-”

“Welcome back, fucker. You brought a friend?”

Yuuji had returned to the car with a guy, and damn he was hot. You were too busy staring at his abs pressed against that black tee he was wearing or the outline of something that surely wasn’t his wallet in his sweats to stop Mai from chewing Yuuji out.

“This is Choso; he’s driving the S5.”

Shotgun sippin’; rollin' with the tide.

Choso looked at you and licked his lips, sending something down to your-

“Nice to meet you, really nice to meet you.”

You were blushing like crazy. Was he flirting with you? You were too enthralled to notice Yuuji and Mai going back and forth in the background.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“So, you guys stayin' around for shots? I’d hate to see you go so early.”

Oh, he was definitely flirting with you.

“Depends. Want me to stay?

“If that’s fine with you, princess.”

“What we drinkin’?”

“Your choice.”

“Hm, whatever your drinkin’.”

He looked up and down at you, smirking a bit.

“I’ve got something in mind.”

“Is that so?”

“UM HELLO!”

You both turned to look at Mai, who had a surprised look on her face as Yuuji stood there in shock. Choso cleared his throat and gave an awkward smile to Mai.

“That is if you want to stay too, Mai.”

“Well, depends. What do you wanna drink, other than my best friend?”

You choked on your spit as your body jolted at Mai’s question. Yuuji began to laugh uncontrollably, walking up to Choso and slapping him on the back.

“Don’t worry, I got tequila in the trunk.”

“Oh shit, what kind?”

“Terramana, of course.”

“My man. I gotta bottle, too; I’ll go grab it.”

With that, Choso and Yuuji split. Mai gave you that look.

“Didn’t know you liked car guys.”

“I do now.”

You both laughed as she wrapped her arm around you, bringing you in for a hug. Shortly, Choso and Yuuji were back.

“Let’s get lit, fuckers.”

Want you to love me like you do that S5.

You knew Yuuji and Choso had at least three shots, but right now, they both were going on about the mods they did on their cars. You had found yourselves back in the circle of people drifting.

“Looks fun, huh?”

“Yeah, a fun death trap.”

“Nonsense, people do it all the time.”

Choso looked over at Yuuji, both of them with the expression that they were up to something.

Oh my, Ima give you the ride of your life.

You found yourself in Choso’s passenger seat, staring at Mai in Yuuji’s across the circle. You can’t believe you got dragged into this; what the fuck were you-

Choso’s hand found its way to your thigh, rubbing the skin there as he looked at you with a smirk.

“Nervous? Don’t worry, princess. I got you.”

It took everything in you not to jump on him then and there. Those pet names were dangerous; every time he called you princess, it sent signals down below, practically screaming at you to relieve it. You hadn’t even realized his hand had moved to the gear shift, veins in his hand flexing as he revved the engine. Then, you were taking off.

You swear you just died. The whole time, you could hear the rubber screeching smoke lifting off the tires as Choso and Yuuji spun against each other. Halfway through, you saw Mai climb through the window; you did the same, and man, was it fun. Both of them parked and spilled out of the car, laughing and giving each other a high five, panting with adrenaline. You walked over to Mai, who looked like she was 10 seconds away from barfing.

“You good, girl?”

“I think I might’ve pissed myself.”

The boys walked back over, calmed down as the high wore off. Choso wrapped his arm around your waist, and boy, was that physically effective. Yuuji patted Mai’s back, giving him an annoyed look as she sat up straight. He smiled at her with open eyes, signaling something to her. She caught on fast because then she said:

“Yuuji’s gonna drive me home; Choso lives on the same side of town as you, so he’ll be takin’ you home. That okay?”

Oh, they were on some shit. But obviously, the two of you were, too.

“Yeah, that’s fine with me. Choso?”

“Sounds good, princess.”

I swear, I would die for you.

You waved bye to Mai as Yuuji helped her into the car, giving you a wink as Yuuji drove off. Choso guided you back to his car, opening the passenger door. Once you got in, you had a good look around, too nervous to check things out the first time you got in it. Damn, this was nice. He had red leather seats and ambient red lighting around the car. Shit, how much did this car cost? Choso got in the car and put his foot down on the pedal, starting the car as he adjusted the air conditioning.

“You cold?”

“Just a little.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll warm you up.”

Oh, you were warm, alright. It’s like every word he spoke had a sexual undertone because here you were, getting wet over a question about the AC. He reached over and turned on the heated seat for you, smirking as he pressed the button. He placed his hand back on your thigh, rubbing back and forth; all you could focus on was how close he was to touching your pussy. He looked at you with half-lidded eyes, causing you to squirm your legs. It hadn’t gone unnoticed him smiling as he bit his lip.

“Ready?”

Ready for what? At that point, you gave up the idea of celibacy for the night, like you had any intentions to not fuck him in the first place. Now, you knew this wasn’t a good idea. The both of you were tipsy, and it was probably reckless to have him drive. But then again, he had just drifted the car thirty minutes ago, so he’d be fine, right?

“Yeah, let’s go.”

You know I'd risk my life for you.

We fit so perfectly, in need of your affection.

The ride back to your house was pretty fast, considering Choso ran every red light and was going 20 over the speed limit. You had half a mind to hold the handlebars on the car's roof, but you weren't doing anything with Choso's hand rubbing you through your shorts. Your body began to react to it, closing your legs a bit, but it was all in vain when he brought your thigh towards him, opening your legs wider. 

“Don’t go runnin’ from me, princess. Promise, I don’t bite. Unless you want me to.”

You held everything in, taking the depths of your resolve to stop you from shamelessly asking him to fuck you in the car. He was definitely holding it in, too, a tent peeking out of those gray sweats, and fuck, you could tell, he had a big-

“We’re here, sweetheart.”

You sigh in relief as you realize you were in your apartment’s parking lot. He came around to open your door, those hungry eyes gazing at you as you climbed out of the seat. As soon as you were out of the car, Choso had you pinned against it, claiming your mouth as his as he grabbed your waist. Those eyes might have been hungry, but his mouth was greedy. He had moved onto your neck, sucking the skin there. Fuck, you were still outside, and you were sure he’d fuck you right here if you let him. You grabbed his hand and dragged him behind you to your apartment.

“Let’s go.”

I think I want more.

You couldn’t open that damn door fast enough. As soon as you turned around to lock it, Choso was behind you, kissing your neck and grabbing your ass as he ground it against his painfully hard dick. He flipped you towards him, picking you up and throwing you over his shoulder.

“Which room?”

“Furthest back.”

Oh, yeah, I need more of your intensity.

Choso damn near threw you on the bed, taking his shirt off as fast as possible. You didn’t even get a chance to check out his abs; he was already on you, bringing your shirt up and sucking the skin on your chest as he pulled it over your head. You watched as he unbuckled your shorts, swiftly pulling them and your panties down. The only thing left was your bra, which was not of concern right now, considering he had pulled it down so your tits could spill out. He groaned as he brought his mouth down to your nipple, bringing his fingers up to pump in and out of your pussy. Now, he was usually a bit more gentle than this; take it real slow and careful. But you two had been edging each other all night, and he needed to taste you. Now.

Love when you speed; no need to speak. 

The first swipe of his tongue nearly had you crashing, having been teased for twenty minutes in the car. It wasn’t until he slipped his tongue in you that you had to pull your strength together to not cum so fast.

“Cum for me, princess. Stop holding back.”

God, his voice was too much. So much, you came on his face, just like he asked you to. He groaned as he slurped up your juices, face completely covered in your essence, but he honestly did not give a single fuck. He was a man in heaven. He grabbed both your thighs and pinned your body down, eating you out for a second round, craving how your body jerked when he made you cum. This time, you didn’t have the will to hold out. Still recovering from the first orgasm, the second wasn’t far behind. You groaned his name in defeat, knowing you were about to cum again.

“Choso…”

“Mhm, baby. Give it to me.”

In seconds, your body was moving out of your control again, gripping his hair and pinning his face to your pussy. As you came down, you ground your hips against his face, making him chuckle.

“Fuck, I need you, princess.”

I know you want more…

Choso couldn’t get his pants off fast enough. His dick was about to jump out his boxers; if he got any harder, it probably would’ve ripped through them. Positioning himself over top of you, he kissed you and brought his finger up to put your wetness on his shaft.

“Ready for me?”

You gave him a nod, gripping his shoulders as he slid inside you. Once he was all the way in, he brought his lips down to your neck, experimentally pulling his hips back and forth slowly, making sure you had adjusted to his size. Fortunately for him, teasing for hours and two orgasms later, you took him instantly. Damn, he was big. You moaned loudly at the feeling of him stretching you out, arching your back off the bed as he fucked you steadily. His face was inches away from yours, every couple of thrusts coming down to kiss you, throwing his head back to get his hair out of his face, damp with sweat from how good he was fucking you. And you were sure to let him know just how good he was giving it to you, moaning his name out like a damn siren, pulling him into your pussy as he picked up the pace.

…Ima give you more.

Fast, deep, slow, he didn’t care. He was gonna give it to you however you needed wanted it. He didn’t expect you to want to ride him, though, climbing over him and sinking down on his dick; boy wasn’t that a sight to see. He was losing his mind; you fucked him at a fast pace, tits jumping every time you brought your pussy back down to his hips. Fuck, you were perfect. You were doing magic on him, had to be; he swears he’s never had pussy this good. At this point, he needed to see you crumble again, so he took some initiative and grabbed your hips, fucking his dick into you rapidly.

“Choso, oh my god!”

“You like that princess?”

You were too fucked out to answer. Every thrust made you dizzy, putting your hands on his chest to steady yourself. Then there was that goddamn look on his face. His eyes were on you like a wild animal, groaning as you slid up and down his shaft. You wanted to see how much of a reaction you could get out of him, rolling your hips as his eyes rolled back. He was gonna cum soon, but he needed you to cum first.

Want you to love me like you do that S5, oh my.

He’s back on top, bringing your thighs up to his chest, getting as deep as possible. You were a blabbering mess at this point, and all he could do was smile as you tried to grab at the sheets, pussy about to give in at any second. With a quick dive, his lips came up to yours, his thumb reaching up to rub your clit. Every moan you gave went into his mouth, tongue exploring it as you came undone on his dick. And it felt fucking amazing. Your pussy clenched down on him, driving him crazy, your body squirming as you came hard from your third orgasm of the night.

Are you ready for the ride of your life?

He was done for. The feeling of your pussy tightening on him was too much, your moans of his name sounding like music to his ears. He didn’t even care anymore. Shamelessly, he moaned your name and whimpered into your neck as he came. God, it was like a fucking firecracker, his body feeling things it hadn't felt before. He had only fucked you this once, but fuck, he was addicted. He fell to your side, panting for a bit before getting up.

“Where’s your bathroom?”

I swear I would die for you.

He returned with a wet washcloth, cleaning the cum from your pussy and stomach, chuckling when you whimpered from the overstimulation of him cleaning around your clit. When he was done, he came and laid beside you, bringing you into his arms. You felt his head rest on yours, kissing your forehead lightly. Then, you realized that he would have to drive-

“Can I stay the night?”

“Hm, maybe. What do I get in return?”

“If you’re good, another round when we wake up.”

“I guess that’s better than you driving home drunk.”

“You mean “us.” I’m sleeping with you either way.”

You know I'd risk my life for you.

♱ the song used in this story is siren by alicia drayton.🖤 

(edit: i now know about cars😭)

♱ masterlist.

♱ all fics playlist.

𝖆𝖚 𝖗𝖊𝖛𝖔𝖎𝖗, 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖑𝖞𝖗𝖚𝖎𝖓.

[realcube]

NEED you to write more for kiyoomi i am BEGGING

SEA STONE ☽｡⋆

synopsis ☀ you're at the beach with sakusa and play a little prank on him!

tags/tws ☀ omi being sassy smh, mentions of drowning, sappyyyy, timeskip but sfw, maybe ooc idk & fluff

wc ☀ 1.4k

you ask sakusa to go to the beach with you and he agrees. it's that simple.

had atsumu or hinata witnessed that, they'd likely think you used some sort of black magic on him or a mind control spell. and in a way, you do have him in an — almost supernatural — trance. he's utterly bewitched by you.

so if going to beach is what it took to see even a glimpse of that pretty smile of yours, it was infinitely worth. although, as one may imagine, he's not a big fan of the beach. sand clinging to body, blistering heat beating down on him, limited space packed with sweaty bodies, amateaur volleyball; it's all just very unpleasant.

but he finds a way to deal with it. he rolls out his towel and umbrella, to protect him from the sun, and settles down with a good book. though he's only partially reading it, he's mostly watching you frolic through the water and mess around with the damp sand. you were so playful and fun, it enchanted him. occasionally you'd run back up to where he is to plant a kiss on his cheek or ask him to reapply sunscreen on your back, that was his favourite part.

you understood sakusa's adversity to the ocean — there's definitely some gross stuff in there — but you just loved swimming too much. gliding through the cool water, the seaweed tickling your skin and waves crashing gently against you. it's a once-in-a-year experience that you had to enjoy, but if sakusa didn't want to do it with you, that was alright, it was already sweet enough that he agreed to come with you. although he never outright said he didn't want to swim, you got that impression from the fact he was wearing an unbuttoned white shirt and matching trousers.

eventually, the sun began to cast an orange glow as it slowly set over the horizon, and many people had packed their things and left by now, so you figure it's about time you and sakusa do the same. as you're walking back towards him, you feel your ring slip off your finger a bit, but you promptly push it back on.

that is, until you have an idea.

a harmless prank, really. you take your ring off and slip it under the material of your top, then you rush over to sakusa with a frantic expression, to which he looks up with immediate concern.

" 'omi! i think i lost my ring in the ocean and i'm not sure what to do! i swear i had it on me when i came over here the las—"

sakusa hastily places his book down and stands up, resting a hand upon your wet shoulder and quickly interjecting, "don't worry, (y/n). we'll find it."

you nod while clutching your hand, your look downwards, which he assumes is out of shame but really you are trying to hide the evil smirk creeping onto your face.

"do you think it may be in the sand?" he asks, collecting the towel off of the ground to wrap up your poor, trembling figure.

you shake your head, "no, it probably slipped off while i was swimming."

sakusa sighs out of his nose. that is exactly what he didn't want to hear. "alright, honey." without another word, he relucantly starts making his way over to the shore, with you following suit.

just as he reaches it, he bites his lip, standing right before where the sea meets the sand, watching intently as the water spills forward against his toes. you stand behind him, snug in the towel, and prompt, "are we gonna look?"

he looks at you over his shoulder, with a dull glint in his eyes. the ocean is just so disgusting, filled with all sorts of creatures, and he loathed getting wet, it was such an annoyance. but seeing your sweet face, knowing your longing for something, what kind of husband would he be if he didn't at least try to help? he'd do anything to stop you from being sad. though he did momentarily consider perhaps just buying another ring.

without any further delay, sakusa puffed out his chest and rolled up his trousers to his knees and hesitantly stepped into the ocean, cringing at the feeling of sand between his toes. the contaminated water making contact with his pristine white trousers also killed him a little, but it's all worth it for you, to see that smile.

speaking off which, once he was knees-deep, he turned around to look and furrowed his brows when he noticed you hadn't entered yet, "(y/n). aren't you going to look with me?"

you shake your head, wearing a cheesy grin on your face that only confuses him more. "it's okay, kiyoomi. i was only kidding about my ring being lost. look, here it is." you pull it out from it's hiding place and slip it back onto your finger, "i just wanted to see if you would get into the water and help me look for it."

sakusa sighed, again. ususally something like this would piss him off, but you only amused him. "of course i would, (y/n). i'd do anything for you, i thought you knew that."

you blush a tad at your husband's kind words, then motion for him to come out of the water. "you're the best, omi. but you can get out of the water now."

he blinks, looking down at his feet sunk into the sand, "this isn't as bad as i thought. maybe next time we c—"

"no, seriously, omi, get out!—" you try to leap forward and grab his hand to pull him out but it's too late. the big wave you had seen rushing towards you came with such speed and ferocity that it knocked sakusa right off his feet, leading to him falling back into the water.

thankfully, you are able to grab his arm in time to help him upright again, so he isn't submerged for too long. and although some may say you just saved his life, he doesn't look awfully impressed with you after he gasps for air and wipes the salt water away from his eyes, with a single seaweed draped over his shoulder like a very ugly shawl.

fully soaked now, he grits, "let's just go."

rather unbothered by the tide, considering you were already wet from swimming, you nod sympathetically and lock arms with your boyfriend, guiding him back to your stuff while trying your best not to burst out laughing, "good idea."

he huffs and tosses a strand of dripping hair away from his face, "seems like i'm the only one who has those anymore."

"you've been spending too much time with atsumu. his attitude has really rubbed off on you." you titter, gathering all your stuff, "or maybe that wave knocked all the sense out of you."

"that might be true. the ocean does make people stupider, clearly." sakusa raises his eyebrows, watching you take all the stuff while stands with his arms crossed.

"oh wow, maybe i should've left you out there for longer. maybe instead of my ring, you could've found yourself some manners." you throw the blanket at him, since he isn't holding anything, which he catches frantically.

"you're ring wasn't even there to begin with." he turns around to look at the ocean, catch off-guard by how gorgeous it look in the sunset.

"and neither were your manners!" you retort, glancing at him to see his reaction, only to find him staring off into the distance. you follow his gaze and gasp slightly at the ethereal sight.

it's sobering, watching the golden sun lower over the ocean, casting a hue pink and orange over the sparkling water. the perfect end to the perfect day. it made you wonder if you'd ever see something so beautiful ever again, though that's not a thought you shared with sakusa, as he knew he'd wake up next to you tomorrow.

he gulped and turned to you, and you beamed at him, instantly leaping into his arms. he stumbled a little but quickly found his balance and held you against him, close.

"thank you for coming with me today, 'omi. i had so much fun."

he smiled against your damp hair, and kisses your jaw, "you don't need to thank me. going anywhere with you is always my pleasure." his hands run down your arm until they find yours, and they graze the back of your fingers, brushing over your glittering ring, "because you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

[murdockcastleslut]

hello love, i hope you’re doing well! i was wondering if you could do the ‘zipping or buttoning their jacket for them’ prompt but with john shelby pls ? thank you 💗

hi thank you so much baby! i am doing well. i hope you enjoy this! | request info here

it was an early morning when tommy had called john and told him that he needed him. you mentally cursed your brother-in-law just wanting one day in with your husband but alas today was not that day.

you got up from your bed and threw your robe on went took him a small breakfast before he headed out and the children awoke from their slumber.

your husband came down in a navy blue suit that matched his eyes perfectly. you smile at him before turning back to the eggs you were making.

he goes behind you and wraps one arm around your waist and kisses your cheek.

"smells good angel." he mummers against your cheek.

"thanks baby, there coffee over there if you want." you lean your head against his.

"thank you, love." john gives your ass a cheeky squeeze before pouring himself of coffee and sitting in the table watching you and your backside as you cook breakfast.

a few minutes you are done and plate it up for you and your husband. the two of you enjoy the nice meal before it was time to meet his brother. john stood up brushing the crumbs of his toast of his pants. you take a step closer once her is done and button up both his vest and jacket for him.

"mmm thank you my love, ye didn't need to." he smiles at you.

"i know, i wanted to." you smile back at him.

he pulls you by your waist and lays a kiss on your lips before pulling away.

"i love you darling, i'll hopefully be done by one. Then we can take the kids out to the woods and frolic as you say."

"sounds perfect john. i love you."

[bunny-behind-a-keyboard]

ways to feel animalistic/in touch with your kintype ✨feral edition✨

i see a lot of posts in the therian community like "canine activities" or "how to feel in touch with your kin" but it's all targeted towards domesticated critters, or things that are private / non-offensive to the public. whilst there's nothing wrong with that and they're useful, it leaves part of the community behind; the FERAL KINS. we're not domesticated- we're rabid creatures who belong in the dirt and DAMN IT are we gonna get in it no matter what Deborah the Neighbor has to say about it!!!!

is all of this good, healthy, or acceptable to do in public? no! but none of its illegal (probably), and you only live once am i right. also this list is non-harmful to the environments that you exist in :)

onto the list!

🐇-eat some wild plants! i'd recommended having a general knowledge of your local ecology so you don't et somethin poisonous, but there's nothin like going outside and just deciding to graze on the grass, or sample some leaves.

🐇-dig a hole! if you're an animal who create underground dens or digs, gettin the dirt is always fun! doing this at the beach will net you less stares, but the park is admittedly more fun. i'd recommended gloves and/or gardening claws to make it easier and safer (especially if you live somewhere with dangerous underground fellas)

->off of this, rolling/playing in the dirt/on the ground is super fun too! if you wear out some clothes that are old its easier too. i personally prefer to wear shorts & T-shirts so that my arms + legs are actually exposed to the ground. more fun to roll that way!!

🐇-chase some wildlife! if your out digging or running around, your pretty much bound to come across some lizards, small animals, or birds; if your a predator don't be afraid to chase em around! and if you catch them, good on you! probably free them, though- whilst in our hearts we belong to the ecosystem we don't in our current bodies and as such shouldn't disrupt it by harming animals ourselves. (but feel free to think that you are on the hunt! i sure do lol)

🐇-define your territory! if you frequent a park/forest/area where you do your therian/otherkin activities, mark it as yours! you could follow the ways of your kintype (though public urination is illegal) or try a more human way such as tying pieces of (preferably biodegradable) ribbon around tree branches, digging holes at each corner of your territory, or simply patrolling around. if you're like me and are completely shameless, you can also survey your territory from your favorite spot and scowl at people who d a r e enter your land (usually they don't notice me , or at least pretend they don't lol).

-> i find this helps a lot, because now i have a space that when i go to it, it immediately makes me shift because this is my territory, with my den that i dug out, that i protect with my life!! my stuff bark bark!!!

->i also find that acting like your kintype within your territory is really good but that kinda goes without saying haha. but for example if your a bunny dig yourself a burrow to spend most of your time in, or if your a cheetah climb a tree and survey from up above!

🐇-go for a frolic! it's honestly a great way to get exercise in, just go to your territory (or any park/area that's like your environment) and run, jump and move at your own pleasure! enjoy being free, untamed, wild and spirited like the freaky little critter you are!!! mimicking the movements of your kintype is also fun to do when you frolic :) i usually frolic , climb up something, survey my surroundings and sniff around, then climb down & repeat (mimicking cheetahs & bunnies)

🐇-play in the water if you have some nearby! many parks have small lakes or rivers running through them, and whilst you cant get into them , there's nothing stopping you watching the fish go by, sticking your hand in, prodding things in the water with a stick, or chasing the ducks! there's something that feels very animalistic to me about appreciation water idk!

that's all i got for today but let me know if you critters enjoy this and i'll add some more!! i'm also thinking of doing a water & sky version of this since most of these things are really only for terrestrial critters.

also hey if you are looking for activities for your specific kintype, don't be afraid to send me an ask! i'd be more than happy to help brainstorm some good activities for you :]

[monster-match-if]

Oh hey, I have two new questions!

First one is a more general one: you said MC would be able to be turned into a vampire or werewolf. But do other supernatural species have the ability to "turn" humans? Vampires and werewolves turning humans are a fiction staple, but other species are a rarer thing which is a shame, so I'm wondering about this setting.

Second one is more cibled: about Sei's romance again. Since we still have to couple up with other contestants, will MC be able to tell their "in-game partner" that they are not interested in them because they are attracted by the host? At least do so in secret since it's better to hide that from the public (well, at the very least at the start). Cause you know, I imgine if MC gets along with their "partner" even if they realize they are not actually interested romantically in them, they may want to come clean about that to avoid hurting them or giving them false hopes.

Hey^^ These are some really good questions! 1. I thought about this, but I'm not 100% on it. Besides the vampire and the werewolf, I have the cecaelia marked as being able to grant MC gills for a time, but I was picturing it as something that needs to be constantly renewed. Now, personally, I'd love to be a tentacled monster under the sea 🤣 but would I be bending the rules a bit too much if all monsters in game had this option?🤔The kitsune could also work as a type of were-fox. Another option I was considering was giving MC magic of their own and making them be able to simulate some of the traits as in turn the lower body into a snake, octopus, elongate the ears like an elf and gain agility to frolic in the woods :)) But it would work like a potion with a time limit. I'll think about this a bit more, but that's what I had in mind so far. The only one I don't want MC to be able to turn into are the elves, just because there's an added little angst factor with their lifespan and Eli would be shortening their live considerably by choosing and mating with MC (lord of the rings style, just fading away after partner's death) 2. The public will 100% not know the entire time - at most, there might be a tweet about how MC and RO look like good friends. But telling the RO MC is coupled with will be possible. I am not 100% sure if there'll be consequences though.😅 The way I have it planned for now is the MC will always win the show, just because I think it would be disappointing to the readers not to. But I was considering some options for MC and their partner to come in second... A scorned RO trying and failing to pretend they're in a happy relationship with MC while MC is in love with the Host... would be a very good option 😂 But I'm thinking of doing this only if MC also got close to the contestant RO, had fluffy moments, kissed and then in the final week sprung it on them that they'll be going home with the naga 😂 Not 100% on this either though, as it would be 10 times easier to just always have MC win and then split it from there what they do with the money and who they leave the show with.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

Nov 2022 Wk 3

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Between Us (Sun iQIYI) 2 of 12 - an even better kiss this ep and some background on how both of them are broken and need each other, this is popcorn worthy melodrama, keep it up. WATCH ALONG HERE.

Big Dragon (Sat Gaga) 7 of 8 - musical montage boyfriends date for most of this ep. I’m not mad about it. Like a 50 min OnlyOneOf MV. Poor P9! I think I finally realized why I like this couple so much, they remind me (when they are at their best) a little bit of We Best Love. Oh do we have a Kdrama separation coming in the final ep? Please no. 

Ai Long Nhai (Mon iQIYI) 8 of 10 - Nhai’s dad is pretty awesome, and I don’t mind that we had all this time with him and Ai chatting. Tiny concert full of crumbs, but blessed no actual singing! And the nothing continues to happen, and it continues to be shirtless. So I’m happy.

Ghost Host, Ghost House (Weds YouTube) 7 of 8 - Even in a ghost story, if it’s Thailand we’ve got to go to the beach and frolic. Use of I/you pronouns is super interesting and cute. I think what I like the most about these two is that they are so easily and casually boyfriends.

Remember Me (Sun Gaga) 6 of 12 - LeoFiat are still the only thread that interests me, coincidentally they’re getting all the old school tropes too. Bus trip, earbud sharing, shoulder sleeping and everything.

I Will Knock You (Fri Gaga) 1 of 12 - This definitely has all the markers of a bully romance, not my personal favorite. SOTUS not withstanding. This can go into BohnDuen territory a bit too much for me. So far I don’t dislike this show, but I don’t like it either and it’s definitely one of those I wish I had the 10 second fast forward button on.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

My Tooth Your Love (Taiwan Fri Viki) 7 of 12 - Enter the faen fatal and anxiety baby is jelly - doesn't look as good on him as it does on our dentist. But HOW does he still not realize how hard he is being flirted with? I take that back, this isn’t flirting, this is courting. Like ritual old-fashioned gentlemanly marriage-in-mind how many crowns do you want in exchange level courting. I can’t believe it’s gonna be over month before this show finishes. I’m tense now. 

Eternal Yesterday AKA Eien no Kino (Japan Thurs Gaga) 5 of 8 - This thing that Japan keeps doing with gay teachers killing themselves is not exciting to me. I really love how Michan is like “look after your own damn boyfriend and stop dragging mine onto ledges”... stupid teacher drama. But oh my goodness is this show achingly sad. This prevailing wistfulness between our leads about the future that they know they will never get to have. The way Michan is constantly listening and feeling for his Koichi’s heartbeat for a reassurance that is never going to come. The way he is reconciling himself with his own loneliness and returning to that solitary state, because he will never find a soulmate like Koichi again. It’s an aching extended wistful dry-eyed kind of yearning and pain. The counteraction to how good Japan is a thirst. This show is going to break my heart. In fact, it already has. 

Choco Milk Shake (Korea Strongberry Tues YT) 5-6 of 10 - It’s Strongberry so the blind date is with the boy. Yay! No bones about it (no boning either but hey-ho). Really this is a show about connection and loneliness, it’s kind of gut wrenching for something so silly. I got to say it, because no one else will, but how is uncle’s business staying in business? I’ve never seen a single customer.

Kabe Koji (Japan Mon Viki) 7 of 10 - The date was RIDICULOUS - couple’s keychains and everything. Gah. These two are too much. And then the classic penultimate ep of doom.

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

War of Y (Thai Gaga) 20 eps - it’s just all too much for me.

My Roommate (Thai YT) 32 eps of 2 minutes each + terrible production values? - I’m not bothering.

Fahlanruk (Thai Sun GaGa) 12 eps - I cut my losses at ep 5. DNF

To Sir With Love AKA Khun Chai 16 eps - could be sad v worried

2 Moons 3 (Thai Mon ??) 10 eps - Possibly a future binge watch. Rumor is it’s banal.

SELF (Thai Thurs YT) - DNF

Love Bill  (Vietnam Sat YT) - Bah Vinh is back but I’m too distracted. Also there’s a lot of fund raising and stuff going on. I’ll wait and binge.

In Case You Missed It

I did a post on all of Strongberry’s offerings. 

Restart After Coming Back Home (formerly Restart After Come Back Home) is now available on Gaga! Go and watch it, it’s wonderful. Now they just have to get Seven Days and my life will be complete and my subscription love for them eternal. 

OnlyOneOf is really doing a BL. 

I did my GMMTV 2023 predictions. 

TutorYim (Cutie Pie crumbs) have been cast as the new leads in Middle Love (formerly Jimmy Tommy). 

I think this is a really good choice, actually. 

GAP the series (Sat YT) 1 of 12 has started, office set GL. WATCH IT! GL and this studio needs our support! (Also, the stairs are back!)

Coming to Viki: Love in the Air, ITSAY & IPYTM, Remember Me, and 2 new KBLs: The New Employee & Happy Ending Romance. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Starting this week:

Nov 24: Happy Ending Romance (Korea Thurs Gaga) 8 - stars Karam (The Boss), Ha Jong Woo, and Leo (VIXX). Formerly Happy Ending Outside the Fence - thank fuck they changed the damn title.  

Nov 26: 609 Bedtime Story (Thai Sat WeTV) 11 - another OhmFluke vehicle that’s rumored to be a good story. A one night stand leads to a series of mysterious premonitions and a possible parallel universe.

Nov 2022 still to come?

Nov ??: My School President (?? GMMTV YT) tester trailer here - it’s Love Sick + Korea & Japan's influence.

This week’s earworm: Hello Hello FT Island, doing the blog post about Kdrama actors who’d never do BL made me think about Lee Hong Ki, which made me go back to their back catalogue. I forgot how fucking killer they are. 

(last week)

[respectthepetty]

Since I decided the best way to make it through Our Skyy 2 with minimal damage is to drink my way through it, welcome to the third round of

CockTails in the Skyy!

This week's drink is Jack Nasty to honor one of the iconic lines from Brokeback Mountain since the boys were serving us cinematic odes in the trailer:

Jack Daniel's Honey Whiskey for the pair's sweet yet intense dynamic

unfiltered apple cider for the A+ prefect jerk, Akk

lemon juice for the wrench in the system and Sour Patch kid, Ayan

honey and cinnamon on the rim for Kan and Thua

This drink is mostly whiskey because I know there is singing in BOTH episodes. I love spoilers, so I already know the BBM scenes are a dream, but it's too late to turn back now! I've committed to this drink (whiskey) and this journey!

Bottoms up!

I don’t remember anything that is happening. THEY WE'RE EXPELLED FOR A SEMESTER?! (and still graduated on time . . . I smell a coverup!)

We got shots of the eclipse during the show, and now we'll get plenty of scenes with the sun because they are living in the light!

If only this could've been how Brokeback really went.

The way First, I mean Akk, just looked . . . ahhhhh

How long have they been there that there are multiple days of chores? I like camping but three days max!

A voice-over to make me feel worse that Aye is going to ignore Akk. cool cool cool

I don’t understand this space vs. place conversation, so the whiskey is working.

Aye throwing out a full moon and a holiday instead of Akk's birthday hurts me. As a Leo, this behavior is unacceptable.

Akk constantly saying "Aye" instead of Ayan, when we worked HARD for that during the series is feeding my soul.

Product placement! So glad we got someone to pay for our fanfiction this time around.

I do not like to frolic. I do not like to witness others frolicking. Too much energy when we should be laying down.

What is this conversation about the motorbike about?

Oh! It’s about vers.

Thua's filtering Kan's bad personality? If we had to make a comparison of who is feistier, it'd be Thua! Wat is putting the blame on the wrong kid. Thua would be the bad influence!

Who’s Mork?! Now is not the time for MORE characters.

PAWIN!

As a college professor, this Wat x Sani agenda is a HARD NO! No further comments. No additional notes. Just no. NO!

I should've done a shot instead each time a film scene pops up. I'd be four deep right now and a lot less sober.

MORK IS KENJI! Twice in one week, sir! First in Step by Step and now this! Give my man the love plot I was robbed of in 609 Bedtime Story!

Good friends for helping Wat who was the BEST BOY during the show always helping them. Also, AJ looks like he could cry on command, so I need this to be utilized more.

I can't invest in this fight when they are wearing shades of each other's color. The love is there. It's written all over them.

Kan threatening Aye about touching Thua because he still isn't over the car moment. Stay petty, babes!

Aye could hear the phone over this loud ass water?!

More product placement! We got McDonald's money, y'all!

Oh, shit! It's the guitar! MUTE

Kan being the lovey dovey type feels so good because he was so afraid to touch Thua before and was very aggressive. Now, it's all soft touches with Thua. Love that for them both.

Call me Sebastian because I'm not even hearing this fight since all I want Aye to do is "sha-la-la-la-la-la KISS THE BOY"

Another Jack Nasty for episode 2! I need to STFU this round, but I'll blame my many thoughts on the whiskey.

"As a friend." AS A FRIEND?! See, Akk stays asking for it. These two like pushing each other's buttons.

I am Namo. Inviting myself places. Watching my friend's deal with relationship bs. Smiling when they get caught sneaking around.

Wat making them hug is the friend version of making siblings put on the same shirt.

Stupid Dream Productions <- That's quality

Popsicles. Bike rides. Color exchanges. A bridge! Stupid Dream Productions made this possible.

Kan and Thua sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. (I see that neck grab, sir)

Thua is SERVING in this outfit! With the smiley face and dice necklace too. No wonder why Kan is so protective. Thua's got looks while Kan gives hardware hubby vibes. I love it!

Akk and Aye wearing white is a callback to the OST, no?

I will never be over the fact that all of these boys bullied Nan, Nong, and Nian, and every time "the bad stuff" from the past is mentioned, I get in my feels.

Oh, no! This short film is taking me back! Deep in my feels with that burning dummy.

Golf! Hey, homie!

"they secretly transferred me money in the end." Why did this not land for me? I should be happy his family is supporting him, but . . . *gonna moonwalk away from this*

This guy talking to Wat is the assistant director of The Eclipse, Pro Siwasit, but Wat said Nut. I feel confident even in my whiskey haze.

I am Namo. Putting my foot in my mouth when my friends are in distress. So glad he is less sus this time around.

SINGING!!!!! NO!!!! Why is this necessary?! Sweet baby Jesus with the historical accurate skin tone. I CANNOT!

I can't even enjoy what I like to call the sign-of-the-cross kiss because I'm still upset about the singing.

Another cake for the collection. Missed opportunity for a moon and sun themed cake, but at least there are stars and red, blue, and yellow candles.

Dacryphilia - getting pleasure or aroused by others' troubles or tears -> Aye, we need to discuss this kink.

Akk: I love hugging you; Aye: I love pissing you off.

A shower scene! Drying each other's hair! Saying they love each other!!!!

Only Friends when?

I'm somehow parched after that final scene even though I drank the entire time, so it's time for the rating. I won't deduct points for Akk and Aye's clear relationship dynamic (and kink), but I will deduct half a point for singing and a full point for that teacher/student plot this show is still pushing. Actually, that gets a point and A HALF deduction!

8/10 CockTails for making me, a person who believes in pushing boundaries, realize I have clear boundaries that cannot be crossed.

I didn't love Vice Versa, but I am ecstatic to see its installment next week. It's giving me Baby Shark. It's giving me colors. It's giving me Sea's side profile. It's giving me the possibility that Tess had a kid!

Daddy Sharks, doo-doo, doo-doo. Daddy Sharks, doo-doo, doo-doo

[jmagnabo92]

GGSB Fest 2024 - Remembrance of Things Past

@goodgodfathersiriusblack

Prompt - Tattoos

When Sirius returns from the veil it's to a happier Harry and some lovely tattoos.

AO3

***

After the war, Harry spent a lot of time talking to Dean about his art and possibly creating magical tattoos.  He wanted to get tattoos of his father’s and godfather’s forms on his body and a doe as remembrance of the three of them – his mother, father, and godfather.  But he didn’t just want a normal muggle tattoo, he wanted a tattoo that could move the way Dean’s art did across the various banners he had made for Harry throughout their Hogwarts years.

It had taken ages, but his Padfoot, Prongs, and Doe (she didn’t exactly have a name) now adorn his hips and frolic and run together across his body.  He loves seeing them in the mirror, remembrance of things past, their loss, but their love, too.

Dean loves them, too.  Proud of his abilities, but just as happy for his boyfriends’ happiness with the end product.  Which is why he’s smiling at Harry through the mirror, his arms slung around his waist, when the lynx appeared in the middle of their room.

Harry, sorry to bother you, but I thought you’d like to know that Sirius has returned from the veil – he’s at St. Mungo's but he seems in perfect health.

Harry doesn’t even have to turn to Dean to know that he would be completely understanding of changing their plan for the day to go to St. Mungo’s.  

He just grins, kisses Harry’s cheek and says, “Time to meet the parents.”

Harry laughs, but he’s right, and they’re on their way in moments.

***

Sirius is still a little dazed from falling back out of the veil.  He didn’t exactly know how he ended up here – the land of the living – again, but he’d been greeted by Unspeakables, Kingsley (who is somehow the Minister – that should be good news) and then healers at St. Mungo’s.  

Yet, not his godson.

No one had mentioned anything about Harry and his mind was beginning to worry.  Where was he?  Had something terrible happened?

He still didn’t even know how long it’d been since he died.  No one would tell him anything, just continued poking and prodding him like there wasn’t anything better to do with their time.

“I don’t care!  He’s my godfather, I’m his next of kin, you can suck it!” a familiar voice outside yells.  He’d know that voice even if the words hadn’t given a way who it was Harry.

“Mr. Potter!” a woman’s voice scolds, but Kingsley is throwing open the door and Harry rushes inside with a tall, dark-skinned boy that Sirius vaguely recognizes but can’t name.

He focuses in on Harry instead.  Slightly older with his hair as wild as ever, and his green eyes betraying how much doubt he had that it was really Sirius – here, in the flesh.

“Harry,” Sirius says, softly and next thing he knows Harry’s launched himself into Sirius’ arms. 

“Sirius!  You’re back, you’re really back.”

“I am – not really sure what happened, but I’m back.”

“I don’t care how it happened.  I’m just so happy to see you,” Harry says, finally leaning back.  “When can I take you home?”

“Oh, erm,” Sirius looks at one of the healers.  “No one’s told me anything.”

He’s slightly surprised that Harry wants to take him home, but he’s grateful, honestly.  All he ever wanted was to be there for godson and grown or not, he would still want that.  

The healer nearest him says, “It seems to be perfectly healthy for a man who was dead an hour ago.”

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Sirius jokes.  

“So, I can take him home, then?” Harry questions.  There’s a bit of a command in his voice, but he does add a slight question at the end. 

“Yes, I believe you can.”

“Good.”

The healers leave at Harry turns to Kingsley.  “I know you said you did, but –”

“He’s a free man.  We got him pardoned just like I promised,” Kingsley states.  “We’ll have another article in the paper so in case anyone forgot, but… he’s a free man.”  He smiles at Sirius.  “You deserve it, and I’m sorry it took you dying to do it.”

“As long as I’m not a fugitive, I’m good,” Sirius says, grinning.  “Freedom never tasted so sweet.”

“Good, then I will leave you to get reacquainted,” Kingsley states.  “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Always, thanks, Kings,” Harry states with a smile.  

“Good.”

Kingsley leaves and it’s them and the other man that Sirius still hasn’t gotten a name for.  

Harry gives him a shy smile.  “I know it’s a lot, but er, it’s been five years and a lot has happened.”  He reaches over and the man laces his fingers with Harry’s.  “I’d like you to meet my boyfriend... Dean Thomas.”

Sirius’ face splits into a smile.  “How lovely to meet you, Dean.”  He shakes his hand.  “I have a feeling I’ve seen you before…”

“I’m in Harry’s year in school.  You probably saw a few times when you’ve watched over him,” Dean states.  “We were Gryffindors together.”

Sirius grins.  “Ah, you were the artist, right?  The one that always drew those amazing banners.”

Dean nods.  “Er, yeah – I am even a tattoo artist, now.”

“Really?  Interesting,” Sirius responds.  “What else have you … both been up to?”

Harry grins, “It’s been a few years, we don’t we, er, go home and get you settled first.”

“Sounds brilliant.”

***

It took some time before Sirius settled into his new room at Harry’s cottage – he’s grateful it’s not Grimmauld Place.  He’s working to turn it into a schoolhouse for Muggleborns too young to attend Hogwarts.  It was an effort to combat the idea that Muggleborns are behind and don’t know anything about their world until they’re eleven.  

Harry had the idea after some conversations with Dean and Hermione during their seventh re-do year.  He had realized that he wasn’t the only one that was behind and entering a world with very little knowledge.  

He figured that it would also give Muggleborns a safe space to learn and not worry about being labeled a freak (like he was) because of uncontrollable magical outbursts.  Right now, it’s still a work-in-progress, but they’re hoping to start teaching in the fall.  

Sirius couldn’t be prouder of him, and he can see Harry glowing underneath his praise.  

Once he was settled, Harry asks, “Do you want to go for a swim before dinner?  Get out in the sunshine?”

“Sounds brilliant.”

He transfigures his trousers into swim trunks and follows Harry out to the pool, which is as large as the Prefect’s bath at Hogwarts.  He smiles as he does a cannonball – splashing Harry, who quickly takes off his shirt and joins him.  

They get into a playful splash fight until Harry calls for mercy.  

They calm down to low chuckles and smiles, Sirius says, “It’s good to see you so happy.”

“It’s been a good couple of years,” Harry states.  “When I was fifteen going on sixteen, there wasn’t a lot that made me happy.  But now, I’m twenty going on twenty-one.  I’ve been working on doing something I love, something good for the world, for other kids that were like me.”  He smiles over at Dean, lounging on a chair.  “I’ve got a good home with my delightful boyfriend and now, my godfather back.  It’s… easy to be happy these days.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” Sirius says.  “All I ever wanted was for you to be safe, loved and happy.” 

Harry grins at him as he pulls himself out to sit on the edge of the pool.  “I am, Sirius.”

“That’s good…” he trails off and notices something running across his skin.  “What’s that?”

Harry glances down, and laughs.  “Oh, erm, as you are aware – Dean is a talented artist, tattoo artist.  After the war, I wanted to honor the three of you, so… I have a tattoo Padfoot that plays with a tattoo Prongs and a doe that is meant to be mum.”

Sirius reaches out to touch the tattoo Padfoot that had turned to him with a head tilt.  Prongs canters back beside him, and the Doe joins them.  

They’re perfect.  The three of them, together, as Harry’s parents.  Protecting him, loving him.  

“You can sort of pet him if you want,” Harry offers.  “If you touch his fur, it feels like you’re actually petting Padfoot.”

Sirius does touch Padfoot on the head and it does feel that way.  “That’s amazing.”

Harry smiles, bashfully.  “It was – it took a lot of research, but Dean and I managed to figure it out, and well, I got to keep you with me.”

Sirius smiles.  “I’m guessing all that working together, got you two together?”

“It’s not as if Harry’s hard to fancy,” Dean says, winking.  “Any time spent with him while researching and trying different things was totally worth it – even if we didn’t get together until the end.”

Harry rolls his eyes.  “He says I was oblivious to his flirting…”

“You were!” Dean insists.  “I practically painted I sign on my forehead that said, ‘kiss me you fool’ and you still didn’t get it.”

Sirius laughs.  “Sounds familiar.”

“Oh?” Harry questions.  “Dad, I presume?”

“Oh, no, I was talking about me.”  Sirius clears his throat.  “I, er, I was stuck in the house and didn’t have many options, and certainly didn’t think anyone would actually want me.  Until there was a tongue down my throat.”

Harry laughs.  “Wow.  Who was it, Remus?”

“Remus?  Merlin, no.  It was actually Kingsley,” Sirius admits.  “The man, apparently, didn’t care that he was … dating … the fugitive he was after.”

The look on Dean’s face causes Harry and Sirius to burst out laughing.  

“Oh, that is too great,” Harry states, once he stops laughing.  “You know, he’s still single.”

Sirius laughs, “I’ve only been back for about six hours, let’s hold off on marrying me off.  I want to spend some time with you first.”

Harry grins.  “I like the sound of that, but maybe someday.”

“Yeah, someday.”

[unscrupulousartist]

hellerby fic, part 10/10

19 December 1929

Sprawled across two booths in the Lackadaisy Cafe, the senior staff loosely gathered for a breakfast meeting. Furthest from the door, Mordecai had a table to himself to accommodate the piles of paperwork and books he was referencing. As such, Mitzi half kneeled in the other booth with Viktor and Ivy, both to be able to lean over the divide to bother him and also so she had a clear view of the doors. Outside, the streets were white with snow. The people of St Louis were bundled in colourful scarves and bulky jackets, and fewer cars were out and about. 

“Where is he?” Mitzi grumbled.

“Who?” Ivy asked, voice muffled with food.

Shuddering, Mordecai hunched over his ledger and started a second count of the day’s proposed expenses.

“Zib!” Mitzi answered. “He knows we don’t have a whole lotta time!”

“Perhaps you should get him a watch?” Mordecai pitched in without turning. “Though I doubt it would help. Why are we hiring jugglers?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mitzi reached to smack his shoulder lightly. “You’re goin’ home at noon.”

“Yes, so you’ve said.”

“A nice, relaxing, stress free weekend for you while the rest of us frolic and play.”

“Sounds delightful,” he made a tally in the margin. “And suspicious.”

“Don’t worry so much,” Mitzi ruffled his hair, then straightened as the bell over the door dinged. “There you are!”

Zib’s voice carried across the cafe: “Here I am. Be grateful I’m even awake.”

“And with company,” there was a note of mischief in Mitzi’s voice.

Explained by Wick’s response: “Hullo.”

“Great,” Viktor grumbled. “Who do I owe money?”

“Money?” Wick questioned.

“No one, yet,” Zib answered. “Don’t worry about it, Wick. Ivy, budge over—”

There was some shuffling as three people squeezed together onto a two person bench, all of which Mitzi seemed to have no patience for. She turned to sit properly beside Viktor, leaving Mordecai as an eavesdropper. “Did you get it?” she asked.

“Who do you think I am?” said Zib. There was a fwump as something hit the other table. “Cost an arm and a leg, but I got it.”

Mordecai rolled his eyes and asked: “Is that why—?”

“Shush,” Mitzi shot back at him, then returned to the conversation. “And the recipe?”

“All sorted; I just need an hour in the kitchen before the festivities start.”

Wick cleared his throat. “Is this about the kissing booth..?”

The whole table laughed.

“No, no, Wick, that’s separate,” Mitzi purred. “But we’re still payin’ off Mozzie’s new piano, and there’s always something or another to fix.”

“I definitely have another kissing campaign in me,” Zib added. “You done with the paper?”

“Yea,” said Viktor. 

“So…” Wick started. “The mushrooms were for—?”

“Shhh,” Mitzi, Ivy, and Zib all chorused.

“Nothing to worry about,” Mitzi continued.

“Suspicious,” Mordecai repeated.

The bell rang again. “Goooood morning!” An exuberant Rocky sang; Mordecai slumped lower in his booth, out of sight. “Horatio! Good sir! Are there pancakes?”

“Come here, Rocky,” Mitzi called. Someone scrambled to remove something from the other table. “Horatio knows your order.”

“Of course, Ms M—”

“We weren’t expectin’ you this early.”

“Is it early?”

“Oi, Rocky—” Zib waved something in the air. “—says here your boy was found in the Missouri.”

“Freckle?” Rocky questioned. He came close to stand at the edge of the other table. “What was he doing there?”

Quietly groaning, Mordecai reached for his tea to sit and stare at; but he could still see Rocky in his peripheral.

“No,” Zib laughed. “Not him.”

“Freckle’s my boy, Rocky,” said Ivy. “But I forgive you.”

“Ha, of course,” Rocky’s arms flailed high as he rubbed his neck.

Zib’s voice lowered to near a whisper, and Mordecai’s ears twitched to hear him. “The one you kept awkwardly flirting with.” There was a beat of silence as Rocky inhaled, and Mordecai felt something twist in his gut. Zib continued: “Says right here—” there was the smack of flesh on paper; Mordecai pulled his tea close to sip. “—cops finally identified the body they found back in October—”

“Oh good,” Rocky interrupted, sighing. “You had me going there, but I saw Ol’ Serious Face yesterday.”

Sputtering, Mordecai spewed his mouthful of tea across his tableful of paperwork. He continued into a coughing fit as Rocky tensed and twisted to look at him.

“Oh my gosh,” Ivy squeaked. “Rocky!”

“Oh—uh—hey, Mordecai,” Rocky managed a laugh. “Didn’t see you there.”

Staring up at him, Mordecai froze. He could feel his face flushing hot, and his ears angled low and away. But he managed to pick out the details of Rocky’s outfit; a dark gray overcoat obscuring the blue of his usual suit and a hideously yellow scarf, half unwound from his neck. His clothes slowly dripped, a scattering of snowflakes disappearing in the cafe’s warmth. His pupils were narrow, his smile panicked, and he brought his hands up in front of him to pull awkwardly on his sleeves.

“Jeez, Rocky, you can’t just say that stuff!” Zib said loudly. It drew the violinist’s attention, briefly. Just long enough for Mordecai to start gathering his work things into messy piles; he sorted by wet and dry.

“Can’t he?” asked Wick.

“Not about Mordecai,” Zib added. “Not unless you have some sort of death wish. It was a joke, right?”

“Uhhhhh—” Rocky frowned.

“You gotta work on your delivery.”

“Mordecai?” Mitzi knelt again, leaning over the booth to look at him. 

“I’ll start that evening off now,” Mordecai rushed. “Should I take these upstairs or—?”

“I’ll get them, sugar.”

“Perfect,” he shifted along the bench, trying not to look at Rocky. “Don’t burn anything down.”

Flinching, Rocky managed a chuckle as Mordecai stood.

Wick asked: “Aren’t you staying for the party?”

“Definitely not,” Mordecai hissed. Standing, he could see the entire second table; they all stared, wide eyed, at him and Rocky. "I was promised ignorance and relaxation. Not jugglers and—"

"It was good to see you, Sugar!" Mitzi shouted, too loud. It drew the attention of several other morning visitors. "And don't you dare take any work home with you! I wanna hear about a boring weekend, full of plants and crosswords."

“So long as I don’t have to hear about tonight’s—”

“Shhh!” Ivy and Mitzi said again.

Shaking his head, Mordecai slipped on his overcoat and reached for his hat and scarf. 

Rocky startled into motion, stepping towards him again. “You’re leaving?”

Tense, Mordecai bit his tongue and glared as he looped his scarf around his neck. He turned toward the door.

Rocky motioned as if to block his path, but Viktor reached out and snatched his arm.

“Take the hint, kid,” Zib interpreted. The musician draped across a confused Wick to point at Rocky. “We’re all lucky he hasn’t gone feral again. Remember what happened to Sully?"

"No?" Rocky frowned at the table.

Mordecai used the moment to slip away.

"Miriam?" Zib tried again. "Chance?"

"I don't think Rocky was around yet," Ivy mused.

"Ah—wait!" Escaping from Viktor's hold—he contoured out of his overcoat, leaving the article in Viktor's hand—Rocky stumbled after Mordecai. "I got you something."

Slowing at the doorway, Mordecai was very aware of the room full of potential witnesses. Behind the counter, Horatio stood with a tray piled high with pancakes, and every third table sat one or two people. Still, his traitorous body paused to stare at Rocky, mortified, and he noticed a familiar pair of black cufflinks at the violinist’s wrists. He didn't speak.

"For the candle Holiday?" Rocky explained. He bit his lip.

Back at the booth, Mitzi spoke up: "You mean Chanukah, sweetie?"

"Yes!" Rocky shot her a brief but dazzling smile. Mordecai managed to shift an inch closer to the door before Rocky looked at him again. "It's in the garage? I could go get it right now." And he took a single step backwards, raising his brows at Mordecai.

“Oh, Rocky—” Ivy sighed. “Chanukah isn’t really a gift giving holiday?”

“It isn’t?” Rocky turned again toward the booth, face contorting into a puzzle. 

It gave Mordecai the final opening he needed to flee the cafe. As the door shut behind him, he heard Mitzi add: “and it’s next week, sweetie.”

An overcast sky accompanied Mordecai as he stormed home, carefully picking his way over compounded snow and slushy ice as he darted between people and cars. But the short walk wasn’t long enough to calm his swirling thoughts, and he continued past his building and down the block. 

“These are nice shoes,” Rocky remarked. Leaning closer, he disappeared out of sight beneath the table.

But Mordecai felt fingers on his feet a moment later. “Stop that—” he pulled his legs up out of reach. Squirming in his seat, he rearranged himself to put the violinist back in his sights. “How much longer are you going to sit down there?”

Half propped against the table leg, Rocky shrugged. “Use me but as your spaniel—” he hiccoughed, blinking, and continued. “—spurn me, strike me, neglect me—oh, hm, purrhaps that’s too romantic a prompt.” He pursed his lips and frowned at the underside of the table. “Someone wrote something under here.”

“Not falling for it,” Mordecai rolled his eyes. Looking across the room, he saw Mitzi and Viktor still watching them—Zib had wandered back to the stage. “Congratulations, Mr Rickaby, you’ve successfully drunken yourself under the table.”

“Not yet successfully,” Rocky countered. Then he listed onto his side, rolling. “But I can feel the first thralls of elixir, so it isn’t so bad.”

Eventually, Mordecai returned home.

Shucking his wet outer garments to dry in the bathroom, he methodically checked his plants. Most of them were dull as they overwintered, but they were still green and healthy. It was a five minute distraction he drug a whole hour out of. 

Frazzled, he made tea and a sandwich for a late lunch, which he took in the living room. Bundling up beneath a thin blanket, he curled in the chaise and stared out the window for the exact amount of time it took to steel himself to pick up Shakespeare. He leafed through the pages—now completely graffitied with notes and questions—until he found the sonnets, and read until his eyes felt heavy and his mind could drift.

It was full dark when the phone rang. Unused to the reasonable mode of communication, Mordecai chased the sound through the remnants of a dream, flailing away from a despondent violin player on a burning stage. 

Sitting up fully, ears perked and eyes wide, his consciousness clued in to what was happening just in time for the ringing to stop. He sighed, slumped, and straightened his glasses.

The phone rang again. Standing, he crossed the small apartment in a few long strides and picked up the device. “What is it?”

“Mordecai!” Ivy shouted, too loud. Then she giggled and shushed someone.

Mordecai looked for his nearest clock. “Ivy?”

“Yes!”

“It’s four in the morning.”

“Is it? It is! Can you come get me?”

He rubbed his brow. “Isn’t Viktor there?”

“His knee hurts.”

Mordecai groaned.

Ivy continued: “Because you shot it.”

“I know,” he hissed. “I was there.”

“Right,” Ivy giggled. “It’s late and I want to go home but everyone is too drunk to drive. Come get me.”

He knocked his head against the wall. “Sleep upstairs, Mitzi won’t mind.”

“Mordecai!” her voice dipped, crackling low over the line. “I’m bringing Freckle with me, I can’t take Freckle upstairs!”

“This seems like a phenomenal lack of planning on your part.”

“Mordecaaaii…”

“I’m not even working tonight.”

“Pleeeeease—”

“Why isn’t McMurray taking you home?”

“I tooold you, everyone is tooooo drunk. Just come get us!”

Waffling a moment longer, his other hand clenched into a fist. “Fine. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” And he hung up.

Not too bothered about being witnessed during the drunken hour, and still mostly dressed from falling asleep, Mordecai made short work of getting ready to leave. He took the stairs for haste, and nodded at the doorman on his way out. The weather, while mild, still held a midnight chill. The sidewalks had glazed over, and troughs had frozen in the streets. Very few people were out and about, and even fewer cars. So it was somewhat of a spectacle to see the dim glow of light coming from the Lackadaisy Cafe, and a small gathering of people outside the doors.

And, as he drew closer, Mordecai saw two unexpected individuals.

“Dere he is!” Serafine noticed him first, and nudged her brother.

“Peekon!” Nico cheered, but stayed in place leaning against the glass beside Viktor, who nodded a greeting. Mitzi, Zib, and Wick closed off the smoker’s circle, each of them bundled against the cold.

“What are you doing here?” Mordecai’s eyes narrowed.

Serafine grinned and shrugged. “Your musician invited us a while back.”

“Dou, he said you’d be here,” Nico added. He tapped the ash off his cigarette.

“Kid’s ballsy,” Zib sighed. Shaking his head, he leaned into Wick’s side. “I swear, he’s got nine fucking lives.”

“None of you could take Ivy home?” Mordecai glared at the group.

“We’re waitin’ for a taxi,” said Mitzi. “We offered to take her, but she doesn’t wanna hang out with the adults.”

“She’s twenty.”

“You try tellin’ her that, sweetheart. Lemme know how it goes.”

Mordecai shook his head.

“We could take her?” Nico offered.

Viktor and Mordecai spoke together: “No.”

“I’m hurt,” Nico pouted, first at Mordecai and then at Viktor. “T’ought we were gettin’ along.”

“Nothing personal,” Viktor over-enunciated in an uncharacteristic voice. Then Nico and Serafine started to laugh. 

“I feel like I missed something,” Mordecai remarked wryly. He peered in through the glass, where a dozen strangers were having coffee pick-me-ups before heading home. Horatio was again behind the counter, this time bustling back and forth between percolators.  “But I don’t want to know. Where’s Ivy?”

“Garage,” said Viktor. He rubbed at his knee.

“Be sure to knock,” Mitzi added.

Zib snickered into Wick’s side.

“Noted,” Mordecai drawled. 

Instead of risking going through the building, he continued on around the block. Bright headlights turned the corner as he darted into an alleyway, and he supposed Mitzi and the rest would be gone soon.

Someone had shoveled the drive, all the way back to the discrete garage, but Mordecai paid the snowdrifts very little attention as he spied the open door. There was no one outside, but he could almost discern the intimate whisperings of a couple. Before he stepped inside, he announced himself: “I’m here.”

There was a scrambling, and he entered to see Freckle awkwardly side stepping away from Ivy, who sat on the hood of their dodgy vehicle. “Mordecai!” Ivy hopped down, swaying. “It took you long enough.”

“Mhm,” he propped his hands on his hips and gave her a practiced look, flat. “This feels unnecessary.”

Freckle cleared his throat and straightened to a stand; but his voice slurred around his words. “Faank you, Missir Heller.”

“Come ooooon,” Ivy urged. She stumbled to Freckle, pushing him at the back seat; but she climbed up front to sit next to Mordecai.

“Did you not have a plan?” Mordecai asked as he came around the vehicle. He pulled open the door. “What were you going to do if I didn’t pick up?”

“Slept here and hate you about it,” Ivy answered simply.

In the backseat someone—not Freckle—groaned. Mordecai tensed as Rocky’s voice floated up from the floor. “Issit t’morrow yet?”

“Yes, Rocky,” said Freckle. He reached down to pat his cousin's head. 

“Oh, good… ma’by thin’s’ll be differen’ now…”

Frowning, Mordecai peaked over the seat. Sprawled out on the car floor, Rocky drooled into the upholstery. Slumping behind the wheel, Mordecai turned to hiss at Ivy: “What’s he doing here?”

Ivy rolled her eyes. “Well, usually Rocky drives us home, but, uh—Zib made something?” She scratched her head. “It was sorta like Rocky’s tea? But mush—much stronger.”

“He doesn’ ushully get like this,” Freckle added, then hiccoughed. There was a pause before he continued. “He’s got a tall—a taller—a tall-shurance?”

“Ignore him,” said Ivy. “He can barely tell his reds from his greens right now. Le’sss gooooo.”

Reluctantly, Mordecai started the car. He took care of the garage door himself, opening it, driving through, closing it again, and then they bumped down the little alley and out to the street. A couple more people were leaving the Lackadaisy, but the senior staff—plus guests—were all gone. And then they crawled, extra slow, through the streets of St Louis.

Ivy took up the cause of conversation. “You missed out on a fun party,” she sighed, drifting across the seat.  “There was a bit of a theme? The twelve days of Christmas. You know it?”

“Yes,” Mordecai growled. “It’s the worst carole.”

“It’s not that bad, you sourpuss. But ins’ead of the regular days of Christmas, Mitzi mixed it up. You know?”

“The juggler?” Mordecai guessed.

“Jugglers,” Ivy corrected. “Ten clowns-a-juggling, nine swingers swinging, eight—” and she rattled off a whole stream of nonsense as Mordecai tried his hardest not to bend the steering wheel beneath the force of his grip. In the backseat, Freckle occasionally nodded or added a comment, but Rocky was quiet. Oblivious, Mordecai hoped. He still found himself straining to hear any noise the musician might make. 

When they finally pulled in front of the midtown apartment Ivy kept, paid for by her inflated paycheque, the girl was still waxing about the three Dutch dancers that had taken up a whole segment of the evening. 

"We're here," Mordecai noted.

"Oh—" Ivy squinted out the window, then perked. "We are! Freckle, come on—"

Opening the back door, Freckle stumbled and tripped onto the ground. "Ow."

Ivy giggled, and carefully disembarked the front seat. "Thank you, Mordecai! Have a good—"

"Wait—" Mordecai leaned to catch her door, forcing it open so he could address her. "What about Rickaby?"

Taking on an air of innocence, she blinked at him. "What about Rickaby?"

He grit his teeth and waved toward the back seat. Ivy raised her brows and tilted her head. Mordecai narrowed his eyes and flattened his ears.

“Roooocky,” Freckle sing songed himself upright, and leaned into the car. 

Ivy giggled as Rocky snuffled to semi-consciousness. “Whaaaaaa’—”

“Haaaaappy biiiiirthday,” Freckle pushed on the frame of the car, rocking it.

Rocky snickered quietly.

And Mordecai froze, frowning.

Ivy cleared her throat. “You can just take the car back—Rocky will be fine.”

“Goodnight—” Freckle continued. “Sleep tight—”

“No bed buuuuuugs—” Rocky whined.

Mordecai’s ears twitched. “He’s not staying with you?”

“Nope,” the word popped from Ivy’s mouth, then she leaned forward to whisper. “Mitzi doesn’ know—he sleeps in the garage. Shhh…”

“He sleeps here?” Mordecai’s claws dug into the seat. “In the car?”

The backdoor shut, and Freckle stumbled around the vehicle.

“Shh,” Ivy reiterated. Then she leaned into the car to kiss Mordecai’s cheek. “Thanks again. Goodnight, Rocky!”

“Night, Mssssss Pep…”

Smiling, Ivy retreated, slamming the door. Meeting Freckle on the sidewalk, the two walked towards the building. Creeping across the bench seat, Mordecai watched until they greeted the overnight doorman and disappeared inside. Then, sighing, he slowly moved to peer again over the back of the seat.

At some point, Rocky had rearranged himself onto his back. His knees were bent, one foot resting against the back door and one arm sprawled beneath the seat. The thin blanket, wrapped around his waist, had tangled and lowered, showing the wrinkles forming in Rocky’s shirt and vest. His jacket was missing.

Mordecai shivered. “What am I going to do with you?”

Inhaling, Rocky’s eyes snapped open. They were a luminous blue in the darkness, his pupils rapidly growing and shrinking as he tried to focus. 

Mordecai held his breath.

Then Rocky relaxed, eyelids drifting partway closed. “‘Mmmmm I dreaming?”

Biting his lip, Mordecai looked around the car pointlessly. “Yes,” he decided.

“Tha’ makes sense,” Rocky sighed and closed his eyes.

Another moment, and Mordecai tapped his claws against the upholstery. “Get up here.”

“Hmm?”

“Up front.” Half crawling, Mordecai reached behind the seat. He caught hold of the blanket first, and tugged.

The motion caused Rocky to roll. “Whaaaaa—” he fell into snickers as he wedged under the backseat. Shifting, he scrunched his face up at Mordecai. “Why?”

“The symmetry,” said Mordecai. “Obviously.”

“Symmetry?” Rocky puzzled. But he climbed up, tipping over into the front cushions. 

Sliding back into place, Mordecai threw the blanket overtop of Rocky again. Clearing his throat, he restarted the car. “Well?”

“Well what, silly duck?” Rocky laughed as he fought his way out of the blanket. He managed to nearly kick Mordecai’s head as he awkwardly rolled around the seat, falling off the front. Snickering, he smiled up at Mordecai. 

“What should I do with you?” Mordecai asked.

Perking, Rocky struggled back into the seat. “Take me home?”

“I would,” Mordecai drawled. But his carefully measured tone did nothing for the goosebumps rising beneath his fur. He stepped on the gas. “But, apparently, your home is the garage.”

“Well…” still half on the floor, Rocky swayed close. “You could take me to your home…”

Shivering, Mordecai drove.

It wasn’t long before Rocky yawned, eyes drooping. He nodded several times, seeming to catch himself, before finally falling against Mordecai’s thigh. “This’s nice,” he mumbled, eyes closed. 

“Is it?” Mordecai replied softly. Overhead the clouds cleared, letting a handful of stars sparkle through the light pollution. The moon was out, gibbous and waning. “We’re just driving.”

“Is nice,” Rocky repeated. “I’s like our first drive.”

“Is it?” Mordecai repeated, panicking.

“Yes—no—” Rocky sighed, and turned to rub his face against Mordecai’s leg. “I couldn’t’ve dreamed that drive, I’m too dull.”

“You?” Mordecai scoffed. And, inexplicably, he relaxed under the pretenses. “Dull?”

“Dim-witted,” Rocky nodded, continuing. “Dotty, daft, dopy, dumb, brain-dead—”

“Sit up,” Mordecai interrupted. 

“What?”

“Sit up,” he said. “You’re throwing off the symmetry.”

“Nooooo—” Rocky whined. Pawing, he pulled one of Mordecai’s hands from the steering wheel and held it against his head. “It’s my dream.”

While the drive was relatively easy—nearing five in the morning, the day was too cold and quiet for the general public—Mordecai left his hand where it was. He traced along the nearly-even pattern of Rocky’s fur, listening to him purr and ramble. “Through the forest have I gone, but Athenian found I none—” Rocky spoke Puck’s part as he nosed into Mordecai’s palm. “—on whose eyes I might approve, this flower’s force in stirring love. Night and silence; who is here? Weeds of Athens he doth wear—”

They’d both shifted, laid out facing each other on the roof of the car. Rocky still performed, “Now, until the break of day—” But his voice softened, eyes hooded as he studied Mordecai’s reactions. And Mordecai, transfixed, watched the words as they formed on Rocky’s lips. At some point, his hands lifted to grasp at the front of Rocky’s vest, claws catching in the fabric. Their ankles were intertwined and their tails brushed together. Rocky continued: “—through this house each fairy stray. To the best bride-bed will we—”

Mordecai interrupted: “I think I want to kiss you.”

When they came close, Mordecai idled the car in front of the Lackadaisy. Still lying on the bench—though now he faced the seat more than Mordecai—Rocky continued reciting every line, regardless of character, straight into the third act. He didn’t seem to notice the pause in the journey, nor when Mordecai made up his mind and continued driving home.

Parking in the alley behind his building, he tried corralling Rocky out of the car. But the violinist frowned for a long moment before sitting himself up. “I have presents for you,” he announced; then he climbed again over the seat, falling into the back.

“I don’t need presents,” Mordecai sighed. Stepping out, he moved to open the back door.

Squirming, Rocky searched for something under the seat. Two somethings, which he produced with a flourish and a smile. “Ta da!”

Hesitating, Mordecai observed both objects. One was lumpy and wrapped in newspaper. The other was a cactus, decorated with googly eyes and planted in a familiar old shoe. “Well, I think this is already mine,” he remarked and tapped on the shoe’s toe, then leaned to inspect the unhappy plant. Its needles were shedding and its soil was dry, but it still seemed alive. “And you’ve killed the cactus.”

“Have I?” Rocky frowned and pulled the plant closer to look at.

Mordecai took the other present and tucked it under his arm. “Inside first,” he instructed. “Can you walk?”

“Pssh,” Rocky rolled his eyes, but moved to crawl awkwardly out on all fours.

“Stop, stop—”

“What?”

Mordecai sighed, tilting his head. “Your feet should be underneath you.”

“I’s fiiine,” he insisted. But he still teetered out the door, performing a miraculous shoulder roll to flatten himself on the icy pavement; somehow, the cactus remained intact. Rocky blinked, then grinned up at Mordecai. “See?”

“I see that your feet still aren’t under you.”

“The little details don’t matter.”

“You’re inebriated.”

“Am I?” Rocky’s puzzled. “There was, purrrrrrrhaps, more inbide—imblide—impride—” Scowling, Rocky stuck his tongue out. “Words.”

“Come on,” Mordecai shook his head. 

Somehow, he convinced Rocky to teeter on two feet. The trek inside was practice in balance and patience, and Mordecai tried to feel indifferent about the polite non-attention of the doorman and the lift operator. Rocky leaned next to the door while Mordecai fished for his key, and then they were inside.

“This is an awfully long dream, isn’t it?” Rocky remarked as he waited for Mordecai to shed his outer layers.

“I suppose typical dreams are short,” Mordecai agreed. A tinge of guilt crept into the corners of his mind, dark and sour. He tried to shake it off. “You should change into something dry.”

“Present first,” Rocky reminded. His tail twitched, and he watched Mordecai eagerly.

Mordecai frowned, but picked at the newspaper packaging as he wandered across the little apartment. “Isn’t it your birthday? Why get me a present?”

“I’ve never been good at birthdays,” Rocky shrugged, following with cactus-and-shoe in hand. "And I missed yours."

“Hm—” he ripped away the paper and sighed. It was a scuffed menorah, second hand. But… "I don't light candles for Chanukah."

"Oh." Ears lowering, Rocky frowned. "Then, what do you do?"

"Usually? Call my mother." Mordecai threw the candle holder onto the chaise and moved to take the cactus from Rocky’s hold; their fingers overlapped. “This one seems more like you.”

A snort drew from Rocky. Instead of yielding the plant, he moved as if Mordecai were pulling him along, too. “I’ve had it for years. I thought, well—” he let go to gesture at some of the many potted flora dotting the apartment, and Mordecai wrestled the shoe from his hold. “—if anyone could keep it alive, you could.”

“It’ll need new soil,” Mordecai noted. Walking into the bedroom, he moved to the little table by the window. Rocky followed him. “Dry clothes are in the closet. You can borrow something from the dresser, and put your things in the laundry for tomorrow.”

Rocky’s fingers rasped together. “Tomorrow?”

Mordecai tensed. Setting the cactus down next to a flowerbox of ferns, he kept his fingers busy by unbuttoning his cuffs. “Only if you’d like.”

There was a moment of silence, then Rocky stumbled to Mordecai’s little closet. It took a few minutes, but they both dressed down from their day, slipping into clean sleep things. Neither of them looked directly at the other, both awkwardly lost in thoughts and memories, until the floor was littered with clothes and their bedtime preparations were complete. Then Rocky waited, tail twitching, until Mordecai could again meet his eye. Reaching, he took Mordecai by the wrist and pulled him toward the bed.

Even inebriated—especially inebriated—Rocky was a force of chaos. The bedding seemed to rearrange around him as he maneuvered Mordecai into a little spoon. Nested, Mordecai arched back into Rocky’s torso. He tensed as Rocky licked a line up his neck, but slowly relaxed to the gentle pull of teeth across fur. The ministrations went no further.

Eventually, Rocky fell asleep with his face pressed against Mordecai’s scruff. 

The hitman was less fortunate. The afternoon’s early sleep, combined with the usual hours of his profession and a dash of nerves, kept his heart beating and mind racing. He tried everything from solving complex algebraic problems to mapping out the most efficient route around the great lakes and couldn’t settle his thoughts. It was worse when Rocky pulled close, an arm snaking around Mordecai’s waist. Then worse again when Rocky shifted to nose at the back of Mordecai’s ear.

And worser still when the first hints of morning finally invaded the room. A glow out the window suggested daylight, and the start of traffic sounds drifted up from the street. All at once, Rocky inhaled, sat up, and scrambled away. Mordecai curled a little tighter around his knees and feigned sleep.

Falling out of bed, Rocky made muted noises as he searched around the room. Mordecai heard him pick up his clothes and tip toe away. 

Consumed, Mordecai buried under his pillows and bit his cheeks. Minutes passed. The pain grounded his thoughts, and he tried listing all the reasons he was being stupid. It had been a mistake. A long, drawn out farce fuelled by alcohol and other intoxicants that, yes, perhaps both of them played into on occasion but neither of them had business pursuing. Outside of a penchant for the philosophical—and a precocity of word that often sent others racing for the exit—they had little in common. The idea of them together was a joke to their friends, an inconceivable notion that went unnoticed and unthought of; and even if it had, it would only be as betting fodder. He didn't even like to be touched—usually. And there was blood in Mordecai’s ledger, too much for any person to deserve—

“Shit shit shit!” Rocky’s voice chorused from the other room.

Sitting up, Mordecai smelled smoke. The blankets tangled around his ankles and he tripped from the bed. Half the bedding shed with him as he scrambled from the bedroom, only to pause in the doorway to watch as Rocky dropped a flaming pan into the little kitchen sink. The musician turned on the water, dousing the flames with a hiss.

“Not ideal,” Rocky cursed.

Mordecai took notice of the state of his kitchenette. Flour was spread across his small countertop, where a bowl of something sat balancing a whisk. His fridge was open, the contents disheveled as if they had been riffled through. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Startled, Rocky twisted to blink at him. Still undressed, his eyes were manically wide and ringed with exhausted circles. “Uhhhh—” the water was still running; he scratched at his disheveled neck. “—making pancakes?”

Habitually, Mordecai’s eyes narrowed and his shoulders hunched. “That’s cast iron. You can’t leave it in the sink.”

“Sorry—” Rocky darted to turn off the water. “It sort of caught on fire—”

“And—” continuing, Mordecai cast a quick look around the rest of the room. Seeing a pile of material on his coffee table, he pointed at it. “—I told you to put those clothes in the laundry.”

Biting his lips together, Rocky leaned against the little sink and raised his brows. He considered Mordecai. “So… it wasn’t a dream?”

Hand dropping to his side, Mordecai frowned. “... no.”

“I mean, the part where you seemed to reciprocate,” Rocky added. “You know I like you.”

“Yes.”

“And you—”

“Rocky,” Mordecai interrupted. “Please, get out of my kitchen before my cast iron rusts, or you manage to blow up the stove.”

Rocky’s nose scrunched as he grinned. “So bossy.”

“That’s not new,” he replied. Then, hesitant, he walked closer. “I thought you’d left.”

Rocky shrugged. “Technically, you weren’t wrong.”

“You know what I mean,” Mordecai intoned. “I would’ve left.”

Cautiously, Rocky reached out to hold Mordecai by the waist. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No.”

“Good.”

Slotting together, Mordecai nestled against Rocky’s neck. “I’m not good at this.”

Rocky snorted. “Neither am I.” He pet a line down Mordecai’s spine. “But… I think I’d like to kiss you. If that’s okay.”

Shuddering, Mordecai pulled back just enough to peer into Rocky’s eyes. “I don’t usually like kissing.”

“Oh.”

“But yes,” Mordecai added. “It’s okay.”

Tentative, Rocky pressed his lips to Mordecai's cheek. He started butterfly soft, leaving a trail of affection across Mordecai’s eyelids and up to his temple. "I don't understand kissing—" Rocky admitted in a whisper.

Mordecai snorted.

"I should say, didn't understand," Rocky corrected. He rubbed his face against Mordecai’s, knocking his glasses askew.

"What's not to understand?" Mordecai asked, aiming for condescending even as his heart beat with sincerity.

Rocky shrugged and tugged him closer. Boxed in against the sink, his hands pushed under Mordecai’s shirt to scratch claws down his back. "Usually people would act nice to get kisses, then hurt me and leave."

He couldn't help purring, even as another twinge of guilt had Mordecai leaning back against Rocky’s hold. Cadling Rocky’s neck, Mordecai pet the old bite wound. "That's what I did."

"You didn't act nice," Rocky snickered, nosing close. "You didn't pull your punches, or go along with things you didn't care about, or pretend."

"I pretended you were still dreaming just to get you up here."

"To kiss me?" Rocky raised a brow at him

Mordecai rolled his eyes.

"That's what I thought," Rocky hummed. "I like kissing you; I didn't realize it was fun for everyone."

"Who were you kissing before, that it wasn't fun?" Mordecai's eyes narrowed. "There's reasons we throw people into the river, Rickaby, and—"

"Hush—" Rocky licked Mordecai’s nose. "Who cares about them? You're fun to kiss—but only when you want to. No need to be a Miriam—or Arty—or Chance—or—"

Mordecai kissed him, licking into his mouth until they were both left panting. He scratched down Rocky's chest, enjoying the soft hiss that angled the musician's jaw wider and sighing as Rocky’s claws combed through his fur. Something reminiscent of flickering warmth and summer nights coloured in the corners of his consciousness, and he leaned closer, closer, closer until he felt Rocky’s spine arching backwards over the sink. Then, nipping at Rocky’s bottom lip, he pulled away. "You aren't like anyone else," he said. "You're very…"

A smile split across Rocky’s face. "Oh?"

"Tolerable," he settled on. “Now—get out of my kitchen, and I’ll see if I can salvage pancakes.”

Snickering, Rocky kissed Mordecai’s cheek before ducking away. He winked. “Yessir, Mr Heller, sir.”

As Mordecai scrubbed and reseasoned the cast iron, Rocky regathered his clothes to dump somewhere in the bedroom—presumably in the laundry basket, but Mordecai couldn’t be sure. He returned to the livingroom as Mordecai was inspecting the lumpy pancake mix, and curled up on the chaise with a well-read copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare.

When Mordecai served a tray of pancakes with jam—he made a mental note to consider adding syrup to his shopping list—Rocky tucked his feet under his knees and used his finger as a bookmark. “You’ve worked your way through the whole volume,” he noted with a smile.

“You do quote the bard a lot, Roark,” Mordecai replied.

Rocky’s nose scrunched. “Only Aunt Nina calls me Roark.”

“You’ll have to add me to that list,” said Mordecai. And when Rocky blanched, he conceded. “At least some of the time.”

Rolling his eyes, Rocky held up the book. “Do you have a favourite play?”

“I may have formed a preference along the way,” Mordecai sidled onto the chaise next to him. “But I’m afraid it isn’t the frivolous one you like so much.”

“You think Macbeth is frivolous?”

Mordecai narrowed his eyes at Rocky. “Your favourite play is Midsummer’s Night.”

Settling to sit closer to Mordecai, Rocky reached to fill a plate. Undeterred by the lack of syrup, he spread an inch of jam between two pancakes. "Yes, Midsummer is a little frivolous; but why did you think I would prefer Midsummer?"

"You quote it constantly."

"Ah—" Pausing to think, Rocky nodded. "—I suppose I do."

"You convinced the band to do the third act."

"A thematic choice, for Mayday."

"Why quote it if it isn't your favourite?"

Rocky shrugged and pulled the plate into his lap. “It’s a famous tale of lovers, drugged by faeries and left to frolic overweekend in the woods.” Picking up his jam-pancake-sandwhich, he shoved the whole thing in his mouth. “Id feld ap—”

“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Mordecai admonished. “Or I’m changing my mind about everything.”

Cheeks puffing as Rocky strained his lips together, he raised his brows at Mordecai. Frowning back, Mordecai’s ear twitched; so Rocky tapped a sticky finger against the volume of Shakespeare as he chewed.

Sighing, Mordecai glanced out the window in pretense of annoyance. Really it was an attempt to stop his face from heating in embarrassment. Outside, the occasional snowflake drifted by. From memory, he recited: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

The rest of the morning passed both slowly and too quick. Food was finished and set aside, but instead of leaving the two cats reclined together. Mordecai dozed on Rocky’s chest; Rocky peered over Mordecai’s shoulder to keep reading; and both of them occasionally purred or whispered to the other. Everything was on track to becoming the most relaxed day off in Mordecai’s recent memory.

And then the window slid open.

“Mordecai!” Ivy’s voice yelled. Both him and Rocky flinched. “What did you—! Oh.”

Looking up, Mordecai and Rocky saw Ivy and Freckle perched on the living room windowsill. The four cats looked at each other for a long moment; then, Ivy continued climbing inside.

“I have a front door,” Mordecai noted. He pushed himself up until he was kneeling, more or less in Rocky’s lap.

“There was no time for the door,” Ivy snapped her fingers at him. “We thought you had killed him!”

“Who?” Rocky blinked.

“You,” said Freckle. He tripped as he tried to follow Ivy, falling to the floor.

“I have to call Mitzi,” Ivy continued, beelining across Mordecai’s apartment. “I think she owes Zib money.”

Sighing, Mordecai slumped against the back of the chaise. “So much for a peaceful day.”

Then Rocky took hold of his hand. “Good day, though,” he said with a smile. “Right?”

“Right—” Mordecai entwined their fingers. "—but if you tell anyone, I'll deny it."

Scoffing, Rocky lifted the limb to press a kiss to Mordecai's knuckles. "Deny it all you want," he said. "I've got you figured out."

[catkin-morgs-kookaburralover]

@monthly-challenge 2024 | 14. "I Love You"

I used this prompt for my original characters, Nathan and Patience: the story is under the cut.

Word count: 1,286

It was the perfect afternoon to be walking through a forest, leaves crunching and just enough coolness in the air to make walking something Patience relished. She didn’t need to be bundled up in more than the one jumper, but she could enjoy the wool against her skin, and enjoy being warmed through and glowing with exercise.

And, of course, there was Nathan, to top off the perfection of it all. His merry conversation brightened her heart and mind.

At present they were talking of Rhona.

“She’s great,” said Patience, warmly. “I’m so glad I got over my dislike of her years ago. Sometimes she’s very upbeat, when I can’t see anything good in a situation, but she manages to see it. It’s good for me: I’m not an optimist, naturally. I’m fairly pessimistic. Chalk that up to autism, maybe, but it’s true. Rhona still has that fire in her heart which I wish I had.”

“You’re getting very poetic today,” he said. “I’m surprised you don’t consider yourself an optimist. You always seem to see the bright side, to me.”

“Oh, trust me, that’s an act. Or at least, it’s something I’ve taught myself. And Rhona has helped to teach me that.”

“If you’re a pessimist then I don’t know what I am. A nihilist, maybe.”

“Oh, you’re not a nihilist!” She turned to him, laughing; the laughter faded a little as she saw how serious he was. “Honestly, Nathan.”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I have those leanings.” He shrugged, shook off the dark thought. “Anyway, it’s a beautiful day and a beautiful day to be out walking with the girl I love. I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am.”

“I don’t know precisely how much you’re enjoying it, so I can’t say,” she said lightheartedly. She was glad of the change of subject.

“With all my heart and soul,” and he was the most serious she had yet seen him that day.

“Then yes—I’m enjoying it as much as you are.”

“Good.”

They walked on hand in hand, except when Patience broke the grasp to go and frolic briefly in a large pile of leaves.

“When I was a kid,” she told him exultantly, “I prayed I’d never lose my love of autumn leaves and playing in them. I think my prayers have been answered. And plane trees make the best leaves.”

“And the best allergens, but anyway.”

“I can see why they want to get them out of Melbourne—there are so many—but while I may I shall play in their leaves,” replied Patience. She pushed a stray hair out of her face, went to rejoin Nathan and slipped. He pulled her out of the pile, asking if she was hurt, but she was hurt in no way apart from her pride, and still laughing.

And she knew she was beautiful in his sight.

They walked together hand in hand, silent now and listening to the birds. Abruptly Nathan said, “I love you.”

She glanced at him, jewel-bright. “I love you too. I’m glad we have this time.”

“So am I. Gosh—I remember when I first phoned you up, a year and a half ago now.”

“Not a year and a half, not yet: we’re only in April, remember.”

“Oh, close enough,” he said, smiling. “I remember phoning you. I meant to ask you out right then and there, but I chickened out. And then I stared at the phone just before I rang you and wondered who would pick it up? And it was you, and all my prayers were answered. I think I said something stupid about Saint Stephen’s Day, just because it sounded too scary to keep talking. And because I’d intended to ask you out as a proper date, I didn’t actually have a time in mind, but I knew I was free all day so I picked a time. I woke up late that next morning, purposefully stayed up late so I would wake up late because of nerves. I wondered what you’d think of me. And then I felt like I muffed the whole asking you out on a date thing, and that you’d never accept me. I’d liked you as not-just-a-friend for two months at that stage, I’m pretty sure. One time I saw you dancing with Steve, and you moved so gracefully and I was watching and then I was just like, Oh, I’m in love with her. It was as simple as that. It felt like a bombshell, honestly. I hadn’t expected that, but suddenly there it was. Love. I didn’t question it at any point of the process; I didn’t say, Am I sure I really love her? I just waited for a couple of months, and tried to befriend you better, but in the end it was just that I felt I needed to tell you or bust.”

Patience gripped his hand. “Meanwhile I was there completely innocent of any feelings for you, Nathan, and then you said you wanted a date—like, I’d guessed it was possible that was what you were asking about, so I’d had some thoughts on the matter, but I still had no idea what I was planning to say when you asked me out. Things just happened. I said what I felt like and it turned out that meant that we were going to go on dates. It was a bit surreal, really.”

“It was surreal for me too. I really thought you were interested in Steve, and if you’d said no I would have asked if it was Steve.”

“Heavens, no!” she exclaimed, in a voice that made him laugh. “Not Steve. Listen, I love the guy, but we’d never work out. He’s not kind enough—that is, not in the way I need my boyfriend and hopefully eventual husband to be.” She looked at him again, sidelong. “Like you are.”

“You dear thing,” he said, and kissed her quickly.

Patience smiled at him. “You’re very dear to me, and I’m ever so glad you plucked up the courage to ask. Honestly, I think girls have it easy—we aren’t expected to ask you lot out, at least if we don’t want to. But then again that does mean that we’re sitting in silence wondering if the gentleman likes us or not.”

“And some men aren’t gentlemen about it, either,” he said. “But if God is with me I’ll do my best to be a gentleman for you for the rest of my life.” He laid his hand on his heart, and what might have seemed melodramatic seemed only painfully sincere. Nathan was utterly in earnest.

“Thank you,” she said, and told him again that she loved him. “You’re almost too good to be true, you know.”

“What! I have far too many vices.”

“No, but in our relationship. Really it runs remarkably smoothly. I would have expected to be in a relationship which was pretty volatile, myself. But you’ve made this relationship easy and pleasant for me. For that, I thank you.”

“That sounds like you’re about to break up with me,” he said, with a somewhat nervous laugh.

“Never!—Well, I won’t say never, not until we’ve truly committed ourselves to each other. But for now I will say I cannot see myself wanting to walk away from this relationship at any point, near or far. You’re the one I love.”

“Barbara Manatee,” he agreed placidly, and both broke into giggles.

“All right, I walked straight into that one,” she agreed, covering her mouth. “But I was sincere about it.”

“I know. So was I. Assigned Barbara Manatee at VeggieTales reference.”

Their laughter continued until morale improved.

Tagging @stealingmyplaceinthesun @graycedelfin @pilgrimsofworship@noisette-tornade and @choasuqeen

[cherryluvrx3]

meat lovers amirite??

Dave Strider x Reader x Karkat Vantas

Chapter 5

I went home with an extra pep in my step, resisting the urge to hop, skip and frolic around like a cutsie whimsical princess or something.

I shut the door to my room and kicked off my shoes, plopping into bed, stomach first with my legs kicking behind me.

I decided against texting Dave- and Karkat and John for that matter, because I didn’t wanna come off as weirdly clingy and desperate for “friendship”. Besides, they’re still working anyway. So instead, I go to text the group chat so I can report the good news.

It takes a few seconds before anyone answers but like always, Roxy is the first to respond.

Me

-!!!!

Roxy <3

- hey babe! What’s up?

Me

-You would not believe what just happened omhggg

Gamz :o)

-wazzzzzupppppp

Me

-Sooo

-I went to see Dave right

Nepetita :3

-Oooh really?? :0

Me

-Yesss

-N I got his number xP!!

Roxy <3

-omg rllyy!!

-wooo!!

Gamz :o)

- u text him yet

Me

-No ima wait a bit

-He’s still working

-also

-I got his coworkers numbers too xP

-They’re named John and Karkat

Roxy <3

-omg????

-girl you just

-3 dudes numbers!!??

Tezi >:]

-Since when did you have the sweet talking abilities for that?? >:0

Me

-I know I knowww

-Ima smoooooth opertatorrrr

-The men flock to me and bow at my feet as I walk by

Gamz :o)

-Waitttttt

-wait wait

-waittttt

Me

-what

Tezi >:]

-Wat >:?

Gamz :o)

-A guy named Karkat

-I might know that motherfucker

Nepetita :3

-a furriend of yours??

Gamz :o)

-Just a guy I met on a field trip like 2 years ago or smn

-we both got lost at the motherfuckin zoo freshman year

-like ours n his school was there at the same time n shit

-kinda just walked around tryna find like the groups we came with or whatever but I kinda gave up

-n he didn’t wanna walk around alone so he just stayed with me

-we was just chillin with the stingrays

-he was still tweakin tf out tho so I gave him a edible

Me

-Omg???

Gamz :o)

-motherfucker didn’t know it was an edible tho or else I don’t think he would’ve ate it

-we were tripping hard by the time we made it back to the buses lol

Roxy <3

-gamzzz 😭😭

-i don’t think u shld giv edibles to strangersss

Nepetita :3

-Yeah that's a little

-ermmm

-rude?

Gamz :o)

-was jus tryna help the guy

Me

-Well anyways

-I’m not like

-Actually interested in them or anything

-Just wanna be friends with them

Tezi >:]

-I thought you wanted to date pizza boy??

Me

-Oh Dave yeah

-I meant just him tho lol

Gamz :o)

-yeah for a sec I thought u were rlly tryna juggle 3 hoes at once

Roxy <3

-yeah righttt

-they can barely juggle dave alobe!!

-alone

Me

-I could totally have multiple hoes if I wanted???

Roxy <3

-yep

Gamz :o)

-mhm

Tezi >:]

-ok

Nepetita :3

-...well.. *sweats nervously*

Me

-FUCK YOU GUYSS

-WHAT EVA!!!!!

-I see you guys are just some hating ass bitches

Roxy <3

-not hating just being #real babe

Nepetita :3

-Anyways!! It’s great that you got Dave’s number!! Are you planning on texting him first or letting him come to you?

-Do you want to be the purredator or purray? :3

Me

-hmmm

-well I was thinking

-wait

-omg?

Tezi >:]

-Wat >:?

Me

-He literallyyyyy just texted me

-brb teehee

Roxy <3

-omgg? the stars r aligningg for u to hav ur momenttt

Gamz :o)

-get his ass

While John gave me his pesterchum user, Dave and Karkat gave me their regular numbers because they “weren’t fucking nerds” and so I put them into my phone’s contacts.

Pizza Dave

-hey dawg

Me

-hiiiii ? aren’t you still working? Lol

Pizza Dave

-yeah I’m still on the clock for like 2 hours but not much is going on

-there was one more call for delivery and I made Kat deal with it because I’m still recovering from that last traumatic experience

-told him I might have some serious PTSD induced panic attacks if I had to hold another pizza in my hands

Me

-Oh haha

-So are you likee

-Just chatting to pass the time?

Pizza Dave

-bingo. pretty much.

-I’d chat with John but right now he’s busy talking to like

-some other friend??

-like what the helllll

-I was the OG bestie yknow

-but now he’s over there getting all cozy with some dude he met on some online forum that’s just a cesspool for shitty movie lovers

-guess he wanted a guy who’d listen to him rave about nick cage without bitchin but I mean I was just keeping it real

-we’re literally on the clock. being on the phone while working is NOT allowed. you’d think he’d know better

… hmm..

Me

-Kinda sounds like you’re a jealous boyfriend lol

Why did I say that? Don’t know, thought it was funny and hit send before I could rethink.

He’d been typing consistently but I could see in real time his speech bubble stop.

I headed back to the group chat to update them, cutting off whatever they were talking about.

Me

-So he’s texting me rn bc he’s bored at work

Nepetita :3

-well that at least shows he’s thinking of you?

Me

-welllllll he just said he’s only talking to me bc his other friends are busy lol

-but I mean this is my chance to slide myself into his personal circle!!

I went back to me and Dave’s convo and- holy shit. While I was gone he was typing up a storm

Pizza Dave

-what

-no

-no way dude

-me and john are just buds

-that's my home dawg yknow

-like if I was jealous it would just be because of the friendship we have being threatened

-yknow what I mean

-like

-not at all like a jealous boyfriend those are like two totally different things

-besides I’m not gay

-and John isn’t either

-I think

-and if he was I still wouldn’t be gay

-cuz I think girls are really hot and have had a few crushes

-on girls

-so there’s like no way

-not that I have any problem with gay people

-and if John was gay that’d be cool and all

-I really don’t care

-cuz at the end of the day I’m not gay so that’s not an issue

-uh

Me

-OKAY I GET IT

-I was just joking bro

-You don’t gotta get all freaked out lol

Pizza Dave

-I’m not freaked out

-who’s freaking out?

-not me

-I’m chill

-chill as hell dude

-look up chill in the dictionary and you’ll see my face

Me

-Okay

-anyways

-what school do you go to?

Yeesh. I guess that boyfriend comment opened up a can of worms. I screenshotted the convo to share with the group chat.

Me

-Soooo… guys..??

Gamz :o)

-wow

Roxy <3

-Yikes he’s definitely closeted

Tezi >:]

-Totally. That’s actually kinda embarrassing

Nepetita :3

-Aww I feel kinda bad… but I mean he said he’s alright with gay people so

-it probably won’t be that long until he opens up and accepts that part of himself?

Me

-Yeah I think so too

-I don’t think he has a crush on John specifically but he’s def fruity

-even if this whole relationship thing doesn’t work out ima stick to with him to support him cuz boyyy does he need it!!

I go back to chatting with Dave and he seems to have calmed down. We both learn a bit more about each other after 15 minutes he says he has to get back to work. We said our goodbyes and I headed to take a shower so I could process all the information I learned today.

Maybe I’ll talk to him tomorrow during lunch? Even though we have different schools, apparently our bell schedules matched up and we even had lunch at the same period.

I yawn and tuck myself into bed for a few hours of scrolling on my phone.

———

a/n btw John was talking to Jake, no I'm not shipping them

Also Dave is closeted and in denial.

I see both him and Karkat as bisexual but since this fic is supposed to be gender-neutral I don't think I'll go into too much detail on how that could affect his relationship with reader bc it's different depending on who you are. I might end up making reader bisexual too but idk bc I don't want readers who aren't bi to be 'forced' into it. I mean all I know for sure about you guys reading this is that you're attracted to men (or just reading this bc you're bored lol)

Also Karkat is also a bit closeted but he's very much aware of who he is, he's mainly closeted because he knows Dave is iffy around his own sexuality and is worried Dave will see him different if he comes out to him.

[novaalexanderwrites]

You said you want an people and audiences to share ur work with, also thanks for the tag! Tell us about ur characters pls, who’s ur favourite, who do u think about that most?

I hope you find that home soon.

Hugs! Juno <3

Juno, you're literally the sweetest for this ask. Thank you!!

I have 4 main characters in Blood and Thorns, and they're all my children and I don't have a favourite (def. lying).

(Left to right: Rosalind, Marcus, Razi, and Frigga - chapter 13 of Blood and Thorns)

Frigga Thorneheart is the main character of the first book, and she's just the sweetest, femmyist lil thing. Physically little, she's like 5'2" lol. And she's supposed to inherit leadership of her coven, but she really doesn't want to. She wants to frolic in the grass and make flower crowns and do lesbian things! She's a prodigy and studied Illusion magic when she was away at school (which is thought of as very complicated and niche in this universe because of how it interacts with the brain), but she also picked up a herbalism hobby, surprise surprise. Unfortunatly, she's a people-pleaser, so she has a really hard time voicing her needs to anyone, something I have never ever ever had an issue with myself. Wouldn't know anything about that, nope. 😬

Razi Wood is the other main character and Frigga's love interest. So butch, so hot, makes incredible bread. She's non-magical servant, so Frigga's falling in love with her is sort of a bad idea. But Razi's a charmer, she's got the rizz (as the kids say apparently?), and she hates the bourgeoisie which is probably the hottest thing about her honestly. She's independent and lives by herself in one of the servants' quarters at Thorneheart Manor because her father passed a few years ago, but she's also guarding a broken heart and using that independence as a shield. Let's just say: trust issues, but we see some character development in the first book when she makes her decision. Razi is probably the best point of view to write from because she really is no-nonsense and doesn't put up with rich-people's bullshit, an attitude I admire and hope to exemplify one day.

Marcus Magnus-Monroe is the non-magical son of the coven's benefactor and is the person Frigga gets forced into an arranged marriage with. He doesn't know that, and if he did, he'd immediately call things off. He started out as an uncomplicated guy, and he's the sort of character you don't see very often because he had a wonderful childhood growing up, his parents were both great people and treated him so well, and he doesn't have any real trauma from before the age of like... 20? He's thought of by his social circle as a bit of an airhead/bimbo, and he got that reputation because of the way he behaved from the age of 20-23 (party boy, chronic man-hopping, here for a good time), but after his mother's passing at 23, he calmed down (after being smashed for a year) and got into the Family businesses. He's just a sweetie, the truest incarnation of the Golden Retriever Bisexual Boy there is, and he's so much fun to write.

Rosalind Bloodswell was the last character to be created for Blood and Thorns, and their creation fundamentally changed the story because they quickly became way too interesting for their own good. They were originally going to be a man, but I ended up putting them in the NB category for a lot of reasons. They're the Heir to Frigga's Family's Enemy Family, the Bloodswells which is a clan of necromancers. The family isn't popular, but not because of the death magic. They're thought of as conspiracy theorists, which Rosalind has done their best to distance themself from. They're the quiet, withdrawn type, the dark horse of the story, but behind the prickliness and the concrete walls they've constructed to keep everyone out, Rosalind is a sappy romantic that has been in love with a certain Golden Somebody for years. Rosalind is the reason Blood and Thorns has become a series rather than a one-off book, and out of my shorts, 90% of them feature Rosalind in some way.

This group of characters occupies approximately 90% of my brain's ram. A lot of that has to do with the fact that they embody two of my favourite relationship tropes (femme/butch and sun/moon), but I think it's such a fascinating group of opposites that I can't help coming back to them over and over! I just finished the second draft of Blood and Thorns: Restructure, which centers on Rosalind and Marcus the way that the original one focused on Frigga and Razi, so after I take a little break, I'm going to write the first draft of the third one: Blood and Thorns: Otherworld - which will feature the four of them equally (I hope). I'm excited to explore different aspects of these characters (Rosalind alone, Frigga when she was at school) as well as dynamics between characters that I've barely been able to glimpse at (Razi, the anti-bourgeoisie commoner, will have to team up with Marcus, one of the richest men in all of Ozelea (the country), and Frigga's friendship with someone we know very little about from school).

Thanks for giving me an excuse to gush about my kids! I hope you enjoyed <3

[safyresky]

CS Chapter 28: Lore Guide!

Or rather, character guide! I dropped a LOT of names and while yes it was fun and to be silly it also was. Crystal Springs FACTS lol. Anyway, I figured I'd compile them all in a list for easy reference for my me and also your yous if you all want! :)

Potential blorbos below the cut!!

The Assembly

Each province of Crystal Springs has a Governor and two Lieutenants. The Governors are up for office every fifty years; they select their Lieutenants from the leaders of the different villages/hamlets/towns etc. in their provinces every 10-50 years.

The capitol city also has a governor, and along with Mother Nature these are the people who make up the Assembly, the governing body of CS as a whole (so like, Parliament or whatever).

Here is who each governor is:

Governor Iden -> Governor of the Eastern Province (Autumn)

Governor Zeki -> Governor of the Southern Province (Summer)

Governor Arilla -> Governor of the Northern Province (Winter)

Governor Lorel -> Governor of the Western Province (Spring)

Governor Blaise -> Governor of the Capitol, Crystal Springs.

Iden

Panics very easily. Usually has to have a big old panic before getting to business, but does get down to business

His current Lieutenants, Clove and Enid, are very good at being rational while hearing him out and bringing him back down to Earth

Iden is deffs some kind of "spooky" magibean; maybe a drow?

Zeki

BIG and FRIENDLY

Sprite-esque; I think he has Earth powers? Chucks stones and such

He has charisma levels to give Blaise a run for his money

Quick to help always 24/7

ESPECIALLY when Iden is involved given his uh. Overthinking tendencies

Arilla

She is ANCIENT and ALL KNOWING and WISE

by which I mean, she has the sight tm. She can see into the future in limited ways and has a general sense of things going well or not

so when she says "they'll manage" 95% of the time she's right

I think she is some kind of celestial magibean (god or demigod or something akin to that)

Lorel

She is spacey as fuck

Nobody is sure how she got elected, least of all herself

may have been a joke?? but she somehow managed to win?? and they keep reelecting her???

She is very like. If you think of a creature that frolics in a meadow all day and gathers flowers and that sort of thing, that's her

somehow she manages an entire province but is so airy that it's hard to understand how she even manages

trusts Arilla's judgment SO much

probably a fairy, or like. a dnd druid. or maybe a faun.

They don't have last names as an oversight on my part lmao. I always have people call Blaise "Governor Frost" but the other governors go by their first name and I had so much fun finding names that surnames did not occur to me until AFTER lmao. So, to make my life easy, the governors all go by first names amongst the assembly lol. I'll give them surnames one day!

Idk who the other Lieutenants are, but I do know that:

Zeki's are just as friendly and helpful as him

Arilla's one constant is a big friendly giant who is like a bodyguard at times, and the other one is usually a very shady mother fucker, bc she picks them on PURPOSE to keep her eyes on them.

Make sure they're not doing. Shenanigans (derogatory) or tomfoolery (derogatory)

She either reforms them or takes care of them, then on comes the next set! The Winter Province is the most chill with the least political issues. This is why.

She may threaten people in line using Winter

Winter does not mind this

Lorel's lieutenants are always more on it than she is, given how scatterbrained and airy she is at times, and a bit unpredictable. They keep her on track and organized but will also hang out and gather flowers with her in a meadow~

Those Who Imprisoned The Twin Prince Pyros

Blaise

Cheri, Grand Witch of the Dark Arts

Gwen, Grand Witch of the Light Arts

Mother Nature

Godrick

Novus

Indigo

Bartholomule

Peggy

Pepper

Birch

Kharl

Right so we know lots about Blaise and Mother Nature. They didn't play any particular roles in the whole thing, they just made the final decision and organized the set-up.

Blaise was also the one who initially sealed Pyros in the stone thing with Winter! But the seasons were like "do what you need to do with this fucker, we just got back from being POW'S so we're. we're gonna go. y'know. process and such" so they didn't really play much of a role the first time around!

The second time around they did bc Winter was on the WARPATH about it and all three seasons tend to over protect her lol. Here's what everyone else did:

Godrick:

Was the typical brash soldier/fighter type. Noticed Pyros starting to crack the stone prison. Had a penchant for magical arts (may have been a warlock, may have been a sorcerer, he never clarified and tended to rely on sorcerer magic the most tho people swear they saw him wizarding about) and put down the first seal that kept Pyros in the stonework until they could get the castle grounds ready. He also lead the quelling of rebellion forces as the rest of the gang took care of Pyros Status: Deceased (in Rosehaven)

Novus

They were the brains/logistics of the operation. They essentially drafted the plans and figured out who would need to do what to get this to work in such a way that the people would be safe. Cheri was very right; Novus would know what to do and would've been quite speedy about it--they didn't leave things hanging for long. You want shit done, Novus was your magibean! Status: Deceased (in Rosehaven)

Indigo

Artificer/tinkerer. Very excited about magical tinkering; plays a huge role in magical tech advancements and melding their tech with human tech come the 21st century. Has a grinchy laugh but is generally an okay dude! They designed the chains that kept Pyros able to roam about the cabin but unable to leave the grounds, and fortified them in order for the enchantments to be placed in them! Status: Active. Caught in a tinker. May still be tinkering. Has no concept of time.

Bartholomule

Was a shapeshifter who could only shift into a mule, hence the name. He was the one who came up with how to have the chains phase through the castle grounds. This shocked everyone.

Status: Shifted into mule form permanently. Unsure if alive mule or dead mule.

Peggy

Peggy was a kindly older woman who made the enchantment to keep the kitchens well stocked and essentially have the castle be self sustaining, to keep Pyros alive while imprisoned. She was a hospitality whiz--probably a brownie or some other mythological being known for hospitality! Status: deceased (in Rosehaven)

Pepper

Worked with Novus to make the enchantments/seals that kept the chains from breaking/falling off, essentially making them invisible on top of Bartholomule's intangibility bit. Helped the Grand Witches with the force field surrounding the castle. Is a bit too much at times. Gets hexed/jinxed/cursed a lot, sometimes by her own experimenting. Is a sorcerer by trade, chaotic entity by everything else lmao. Status: cursed (stuck in the curse ward. will probably be okay)

Birch

Druid/wise woman! Very in tune with nature. Was the person who made it so that Old Frost Castle, once strengthened and prepped and officially prison'd up for Pyros, would be undiscoverable by anyone looking for it. You wouldn't see it on maps; not in aerial views. It wouldn't appear on anyone's radar. People walking through the forest would not wind up on the castle grounds accidentally. She essentially worked with nature to make this so. Status: Enlightened. Became a Birch tree just south of the Springs.

Kharl

He was the math guy. Wizard. Made sure the sorcery related stuff didn't blow up in anyone's faces (as sorcery was wont to do every so often). Also made sure the various magical bits and bops placed on Pyros and the castle grounds wouldn't decay. Expert in magical decay theory. Was also a bit of a haughty fellow. Cheri thought him a dick and Gwen was wont to agree. Status: Turned into a frog. He knows what he did.

The Grand Witches

Though both Cheri and Gwen had a hand in everything, their main contribution was the force field surrounding the castle and the magical locks on the door. This served as the test set onto them by the previous Grand Witches in order to prove themselves worthy of the titles and take on the responsibilities that came with them. Though they are witches of opposing forces, one of the big parts of their jobs is to work in tandem, so imprisoning the Twin Prince Pyros was as good a test as any to see if they really could work together!

Status: Both are alive and active

And one last lore note: CSGHA stands for "Crystal Springs General Health Association" and they are the magibean medical care guidelines for the most part!

[ihni]

Here we are

For @mungroveweek, day 3. Prompt: "first time" (no sex though, fair warning).

(Read on AO3)

~~~

Eddie never thought he’d end up here; in California of all places. While many of his classmates had often talked about going to live at the sunny coast, he’d never dreamed of going. Had never felt the need to see the ocean or frolic in the sun. Back when he used to plan his campaigns for game night, he always had his head in the clouds, but when it came to real life, he hadn’t ever dreamt that big. Sure, he’d entertained the thought of someday making it; becoming one of the great musicians of his time and get to travel the world … and yes, maybe California had been a part of that, vaguely. But he’d never actually thought he’d make it out of Indiana.

Well, he’s here now. With strict orders to not make a splash, so there goes his dreams of becoming a rock star, he supposes. Which is just as well. There’s too much sun here, and he’s got a pale complexion. Being out in the sun for too long – which in his case means more than half an hour – makes him resemble a boiled lobster, and no one wants to see a rock star who looks like a crustacean.

They’re in San Francisco. It’s busy, and hot, and has too many hills for his liking. But there are upsides to it, too; the most important one is that at least here, he’s not being hunted for sport. The people are nice and welcoming, the sea breeze is always soothing on his sunburnt face, and best of all: everything – the trip here, the little house they share, their car – is paid for by the government. Or the shady organization above the government. Beside the government. Behind the government? Whatever. The agreement is that whoever they are will keep sending their checks, and in return Eddie and Billy will stay under the radar, and simply let the men in black know if they decide to move.

And subject themselves to a bi-monthly check-up, but hey. Free health check. Eddie will take it. It beats being stuck in a nightmare dimension or a lab. Or, you know, being dead.

Another good thing about their new home is the effect this place has on Billy.

Billy. Billy who found Eddie back in Darktown, and brought him back to life. Who kept him alive in there for over three months, despite Eddie’s penchant for finding trouble. Who dug his way out of hell with Eddie by his side as soon as they figured out how, and then continued to keep him safe during the time they spent in the lab.

Eddie’s initial hero-worship for the guy had quickly turned into genuine admiration for his strength and determination, and that admiration had inevitably turned into a crush. And then, instead of fizzling out into friendship (or nothing) like usual, that crush had mutated into something much deeper, which meant that when the doctors finally cleared Eddie for release, he flat-out refused to leave Billy’s side. Figured he’d stay for as long as Billy let him – which proved to be … well. It’s been a year since then, and here they are. Still together.

Honestly, Eddie’s so gone on Billy, it’s ridiculous.

They’ve been to hell and back together, and Eddie has seen every facet of Billy Hargrove (who is now officially Billy Samson, which is fucking hilarious considering the fact that he grew out his hair so it now reaches between his shoulder blades). Eddie has seen Billy in survival mode in Darktown, and he has seen him cry (the first time was when they finally got back to the real world and dug their fingers into the dirt of the forest just outside Hawkins, and the last time was the day before yesterday, when they rented Stand By Me). Eddie has seen Billy angry and defensive and distrustful, and sad and lost and scared. He has seen him hyper-ventilating in a dark corner after waking up from a nightmare, and he has seen him standing stock still with silent tears running down his face, without moving a muscle.

But he has also seen Billy smile, and laugh, and try so hard not to laugh at Eddie’s antics that his whole face scrunches up adorably. He has seen him drowsy and relaxed in the morning when he’s just woken up, and has seen his eyes light up in excitement when he’s heard a new song from one of his favorite bands. And he’s seen the soft looks that he reserves for Eddie and Eddie alone.

Since they moved to San Francisco, there have been more smiles than sadness. More laughs than tears. It’s like this place – the sun and the people and the ocean – has thawed something in Billy that had been iced over up until now. Something that makes it easier for him to let the parts of himself that Eddie knows and loves – the soft, funny, caring parts – out.

For that alone, Eddie loves California.

He’s sharing a space with the man he has grown to love. They’re both alive against all odds, and living their happily ever after. They hang out together, eat together, sleep together.

Sleep together. As in, catching some shut-eye in the same bed, at the same time. Nothing more.

Or, that’s not entirely truthful. They kiss, like, all the time. There has definitely been some intimate touching going on, on both parts. But they haven’t had sex. Yet. And at this point, Eddie’s not entirely sure that they ever will. Because every time they move past making-out territory, Billy tenses up. Sometimes, it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it thing, before he shakes himself out of it and moves to continue. But Eddie’s attuned to him or something by now, and he doesn’t want to force Billy into anything, ever, so he usually goes back to kissing or cuddling, or makes some excuse about needing to do something else. He knows that Billy sees through him, but Billy has also never said anything about it or called him out on it – if anything, there has only ever been hints of relief – which tells Eddie that he’s done the right thing.

It isn’t that he doesn’t want to have sex with his boyfriend (because he’s pretty sure that they’re boyfriends, if they had to put a label on it). He does! At some point. But also, he’s been with Billy for what, a year and a half now? If you count Darktown, which Eddie definitely does. And Eddie hasn’t ever felt the lack of anything in their relationship.

They kiss, they cuddle, they fool around. He makes Billy coffee in the morning just the way he likes it, and Billy remembers to bring sunscreen for Eddie’s skin every time they go outside together. They’re financially stable, have a growing circle of awesome friends in their neighborhood, and a little house that has turned into a home, which is big enough that uncle Wayne and his new girlfriend Linda (and who thought uncle Wayne would get a girlfriend at the ripe age of fifty-nine? Eddie sure didn’t, and doesn’t know if he should be proud or weirded-out about it) can stay with them when they come to visit.

Point is, everything in Eddie’s life is already great. Sex would be a bonus, sure, but it’s not something he needs to survive.

But. Eddie is aware that he might be in the minority with those kind of opinions. And Billy is important to him – arguably the most important person in his life – and the way he tenses up when things gets serious speaks of something. Something that should perhaps be addressed.

It takes a while for him to work up the nerve to bring it up, though. He’s been known to avoid difficult topics in the past, and Billy straight-up shuts down if there’s something he doesn’t feel like talking about. It’s not an optimal combination, in a relationship. But they’re working on it.

So one night when they’re curled up close in their couch, kissing – the TV droning on, volume low, in the background – and Eddie’s hand drifts from its place on Billy’s hip to the hem of his pants, and he feels that now-familiar tension in his boyfriend … he puts both of his hands on Billy’s face and makes sure he’s looking him in the eyes as he says, “You know we don’t ever have to do anything you don’t wanna do, right?”

Billy’s eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to no doubt protest or deny or claim that he can take it, whatever it is – because Eddie’s boyfriend is nothing if not predictable – so Eddie leans in and kisses him again to shut him up, before he even starts talking. It works, in that this time when Eddie leans back, Billy just blinks, thrown off-guard. Eddie sits back in the couch, and stretches his legs out over Billy’s lap so he can’t run from this.

Not that Billy couldn’t run from this, if he wanted. Billy is strong and he could throw Eddie around like a wet dishtowel if he wanted to. Which Eddie might not be entirely opposed to. Not that he’s been thinking about it. Much.

Focus, Eddie.

“I just want to make sure you know that, babe.”

“I … I know that.”

“Do you?” Eddie barges on, and reaches out for Billy’s pants again. Predictably, Billy takes a little breath at the motion, and Eddie raises one eyebrow. He doesn’t even have to say anything, but he does anyway. “Because you tense up like I’m gonna ravage you or something every time we get past a certain point.” It sounds a bit accusatory, which won’t do. “Which I won’t, obviously! Unless you’re into that. But if you’re not into that, I’m not either.” He racks his brain for something to say to smoothen out the wrinkle between Billy’s eyebrows. “And like, I don’t mind? That we’re not having sex. It’s totally okay, you know, if you don’t want to, I totally get it, I –“

“I want to,” Billy blurts, probably mostly to make Eddie stop rambling.

It works. “What?”

“I want to,” Billy repeats, a light blush dusting his cheeks. He’s adorable. Eddie wants to kiss him silly, but in a rare show of situational awareness, he stops himself. Now might not be the time for kissing. Now is the time for listening. And indeed, Billy continues unprompted. Licks his lips and gently places his hands on Eddie’s legs in his lap. “I want to … have sex. With you.”

“Oh,” Eddie says. “Well … good. I want that too. Have sex, I mean.” He adds, for clarification, “With you.” He throws in a pair of fingerguns for emphasis and regrets it deeply for a whole second, before it pulls a smile out of Billy, at which point it starts to feel like an accomplishment instead.

“I just …” Billy starts, and then trails off. Talking about things has never been his strong suit. He’s trying, for Eddie, but –

“Hey,” Eddie says, softer. “I meant what I said. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. That includes explaining. I love you anyway, you know that.”

“I know,” Billy says, and there’s a pause that is just a little too short for Eddie to make a Star Wars joke before he adds, almost shyly, “I love you too.”

It has Eddie grinning, like every time he hears those words. Normally he’d make a show out of blushing and squirming in delight, but there’s something about the way Billy holds himself that makes Eddie think he’s not done talking. So he waits. And it pays off, when Billy takes a deep breath as if steeling himself.

“I … My first time? It wasn’t … good.” Eddie doesn’t say that no one’s first time is good, because he suspects there is more to it than that. “I mean. First time with a girl was …” Billy shrugs. “Not good, not bad. It was just something that had to be done, you know?”

Eddie understands. He lived in Hawkins, too, and knows how stifling – and dangerous – a small town can be if you’re anything but straight as a ruler.

“I’ve done stuff with guys,” Billy continues, and doesn’t look up from where his hands are gently grabbing Eddie’s left shin. “Just. Kissing and, you know. Stuff.” If it’s the same thing that they’re currently doing, then yes, Eddie knows. Billy licks his lips again. “But I’ve only … had sex,” he takes a steadying breath before continuing, “with a guy, one time. And it didn’t – It wasn’t –“ He takes another deep breath. “It sucked. It hurt, and I tried to tell him that, but he didn’t listen. Didn’t s-stop.” He’s not looking at Eddie as he powers on. “And after, he just … left. And never spoke to me again.”

There is something simmering under Eddie’s skin. Like bugs. Thousands of angry bugs, itching to burst out of him and devour whoever hurt Billy before.

“Who?” slips out of him before he can stop it. “Who was it?”

Billy tenses up, but his voice is indifferent – too indifferent – when he says, “Doesn’t matter. You don’t know him.” It sounds forced, and his half-shrug looks anything but natural.

It makes Eddie take a deep breath to calm himself down. Anger is not what Billy needs now, not when he’s been so brave and told Eddie all this. Told him with words, even though he hates talking about shit.

“I’m sorry,” Eddie says, “that sucks.” Because he can write a ten page exposition monologue for a quest, but he’s not exactly eloquent when it comes to feelings. The biggest words always feel so small when they have to matter.

But Billy huffs out a breath, and there’s a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Eddie doesn’t stop himself this time, and leans forward to press a kiss to that exact spot.

“I’m sorry your first time was with a tool like that.” Another kiss. “Who didn’t appreciate you properly.” Another. “Who didn’t see how goddamn sexy –“ kiss, “– strong –“ kiss, “– compassionate –“ kiss, “– protective –“ kiss, “– and adorable you are.”

Billy’s smiling for real now. And blushing. His ears are tinted pink. It feels like a win. “You’re a dork.”

“Your dork.”

“… my dork.” He pulls Eddie closer and after some scuffling, they situate themselves so that Eddie’s sitting with his back to Billy, between his legs, and with Billy’s arms under his own. Their fingers are lacing together on Eddie’s stomach.

They sit in silence for a while, idly watching the TV, before Eddie says, “This? This is good too. Better than sex.”

“How do you know?” Billy says in a low voice, close to Eddie’s ear.

“Hey, I’ve had sex! … kinda. It was that one time with that girl in eight grade, remember? I told you about that.”

“But with a guy?”

“Well, no.”

Eddie waits, and eventually Billy speaks again. “I want to do it, with you. But I want your first time with a guy … our first time … to be good. And I don’t know … I don’t know how to do that.”

Leaning his head back so it rests on Billy’s shoulder, Eddie turns his head awkwardly so he can press a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “We’ll figure it out,” he says, simply. Because it is that simple, really. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I’ve sort of planned to spend the rest of my life with you.” He ignores Billy’s wet intake of breath, and gets comfortable half-lying on his boyfriend’s chest. “So we have all the time in the world to figure it out together.”

“I,” Billy starts. Swallows when his voice breaks, then tries again. “Yeah. We do.”

[frodo-with-glasses]

Tree, Boromir and Faramir

There aren't many trees in Minas Tirith. There's the White Tree, of course, but from boyhood it was drilled into Boromir and Faramir that the White Tree was sacred, and even during their rowdy games of Swords or Elves or Guard and Robber in the courtyard, they always stayed far away from the guards and the fountain and the old tree.

Just outside the city wasn't much good, either. The Pelennor Fields stretched for miles outside the city walls, with the low grasses and tussocks being the only green thing visible as far as the eye could see; most of the buildings in Minas Tirith were made of stone, and the ones that did incorporate wood were built with logs imported from other parts of the kingdom. Trees usually came to Minas Tirith as naked, straight logs on carts drawn by stout horses.

That's why a real, live, standing tree was such a treat.

On the rare occasions that Denethor had business outside of Minas Tirith, Faramir and Boromir would nag and beg their father incessantly to take them with him. Often times, there was some excuse why they couldn't come; "you must stay here and attend to your studies", "the road will be dangerous", "this is a simple business matter, and there will be no time for two young lads to stay and frolic". But sometimes—sometimes, on a miracle—he would agree.

Faramir was only a boy when he saw the forest for the first time, and he fell in love in an instant. The smells, the colors, the variety of life, the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. Boromir's heart was still with the City, and he was dubious of the mud and the fallen leaves that could conceal animal droppings. But the moment he heard a voice call his name from above, and looked up, and found his little brother grinning down at him from his perch on a stout tree limb several feet over his head, the contest had begun.

The rules were simple, and immediately understood: whoever could climb the highest was the winner. Faramir had been sitting in an oak; Boromir heaved himself up into a maple; Faramir scrambled almost all the way to the top of a tall fir, so high that the branches were thin and swayed alarmingly underneath him.

Boromir thought he'd found a winning tree—many large limbs, starting near the ground and spiraling upwards around the trunk far up to the canopy—but the moment he leaped up to hang on one small, bare, leafless limb, it cracked in his hands, and the dead wood snapped off the tree and came crashing down.

Boromir had the good sense to let go as soon as he heard the crack, but it was a long way to fall. A moment after his boots thumped onto the leaves on the forest floor—and the impact shot up his legs and made his knees shaky—he felt a heavy blow to his shoulder and collapsed face-down. The limb fell, and its dry twigs and fingers snapped all at once with a CRASH.

"Boromir!" Hurried footsteps, and heavy breathing, broke the silence that followed. "Boromir!" Faramir had shimmied hastily down from his perch, and was running to his brother.

Boromir groaned, and grimaced, and pushed into the dirt with his hands and sat up. His shoulder was sore, and he rubbed it gingerly as he leaned against the tree and tried to catch his breath.

"Are you all right?" Faramir had skidded to a halt in front of him, and now looked at him with wide eyes and trembling hands.

Boromir saw the fear and worry in his little brother's face, and wanting to dispel it with laughter, he mustered a smile. "Of course!" he said. "I did not fall very far."

"It seemed so to me," said Faramir. "You are hurt; I can see it. We should have been more cautious. Father will be furious if he learns of this."

"I am not hurt," Boromir repeated, although he had to cover a wince as he sat up straighter. "And Father does not need to know."

Faramir hesitated. "If you are certain."

"I am certain. Although," he said slowly, "I do not wish to climb any more trees. I do not think they have taken a liking to me."

That got Faramir to laugh, and he stood up straighter. "You jest! Trees here do not have the gift of thought; the likes of those can be found only in the stories of old, or in lands far away. Yet if these could think, I'm sure they would find you heavy. Have caution, or you shall get yourself killed."

"Who is heavy?" Boromir scooped a pine cone from the forest floor and threw it at him, laughing, as Faramir ran away.

For just a moment, Boromir was alone, and he took the chance to press his aching shoulder and hiss through his teeth. He wouldn't let Faramir see him like this. He didn't want him to worry. But for just a moment, he leaned against the trunk of a great tree, caught his breath, and sourly plucked out a small twig from where it had stuck into his jacket.

WORD ASK GAME!

[ask-percyparker]

Update: We are not dead, though that’s barely counting for much seeing that a massive onslaught of splicers were trying to kill me and Theo just now. An entire massacre just keep the air flowing right…

Good news, we won’t suffocate due to Osborn spreading a foliage-killing toxin in Arcadia, so that’s something. Get this—Rapture has a way to literally bring dead plants back to life down here. It’s called the Lazarus Vector. We even got the formula for it.

Liv wanted me to keep it with me for the next time she can see me.. But, if I had to guess why.. perhaps she sees an opportunity to bring it back to the surface? If so.. I suppose nobody down here can really stop her, can they? Heh, some won’t agree with that but I gotta hand it to her, I’m impressed. If nothing else, Dr. Octavius is the savvy sort, which might explain why she’s thriving down here in spite of everything. I like that about her, she’s always several steps ahead of the game.. And she knows exactly what she’s doing.

Anyway, we should be meeting M.J. At the Rapture Metro to head to the next location shortly. Rose tells us to head to Fort Frolic to get access to Osborn’s office… but M.J. told us he’s worried. Mostly because that is the domain of his old boss, Beck…

From what little he’s told me about him.. I don’t particularly blame him.

- 📸