#we went from winter to summer a few days ago

[jakemyboy]

Spring has finally sprung!!!!! ❤️ (actually we skipped spring went straight to summer!) 🌞

[ddarker-dreams]

By The Fractured Altar.

Yan Scaramouche x F Reader.

Warnings: Yandere themes, unhealthy relationships, codependency dialed up to the MAX setting, and Dottore shows up for a second so sorry about that in advance. Word count: 4.6k.

i.

The first time the Wanderer thinks he’s lost you, he learns that every moment of fear he ever experienced before paled in comparison.

He awakes with a start. Lying beneath a blanket of gleaming stars, his eyes are slow to adjust to the low lighting, the once roaring campfire calmed to a hush. Its surviving embers nearly rival the magnificence of the welkin above in their glow. An empty pail sits beside the concaving wood that once stood so proudly. From this, he assumes he fell asleep before you. You always made it a point to put out the campfire before you both turned in for the night. In the warmer seasons, the Wanderer didn’t mind; it wasn’t until autumn’s chill nipped at his cheeks that he questioned your reasoning.

“The forest provides blessings for us,” you had told him. “Clean water from the stream, plentiful fruits that’ll always grow back no matter how many we pluck, and shade to protect us by day. In return for the forest’s generosity, we must keep it safe. Ours is a mutual relationship. All it takes is a single gust of wind to disturb this balance. Still… it’s not good to be cold either. I know! Come, lay down next to me, and we’ll keep each other warm.”

So he did — and continues to, religiously at that, regardless of if the cicadas thrum their wings to a deafening hymn in the scorching summer, or if all is silent in a desolate winter. For the warmth you provided was unlike anything else he’d ever experienced.

The Wanderer takes note of your absence with frenzied glances and wide, doe-like eyes. It was here that a few hours ago you lulled him to sleep, his head resting on your lap, and your magical fingers threading through his fine hair. You whispered stories that, while intriguing, were not the primary subject of his adoration. He was far more preoccupied with savoring the sound of your voice to pay much mind to the rabbit who apparently takes residence on the moon. Hmph, what a silly notion! He hopes you don’t think he believes in such childish drivel. He only stilled his insolent tongue so that you might speak uninterrupted.

Still, he couldn’t help but draw a comparison between you and the rabbit this story centers around. Have you not, in your own way, offered yourself to him, a God? This is the last sentiment he focused on while drifting in and out of consciousness. How lovely it’d be if you both could reenact the tale. He, too, would like to take you someplace far away, where no one else could dare reach.

Whether it be the moon or anywhere else.

He calls out your name, gently at first, so as not to betray his inner panic. If you happened to be around the corner and overheard him crying out for you as a baby bird stuck in a nest would, you’d torment him for days with your teasing. He quiets himself and awaits your reply. Every second that follows stretches out for an abject eternity.

The Wanderer resolves himself to find you, standing on shaking legs, so absorbed with his mission that he forgets to don his hat woven of straw. His garments catch on low-hanging branches, tearing the fabric and scratching at his skin, yet he pays it no mind. He uses the sparse moonlight that sneaks past layers of thick leaves overhead as his guide. Navigating the verdure feels different compared to when you’re present, he no longer cares to behold its beauty. How could he, when his mind is in such disarray?

He searches and searches, longing to quiet the still little voice in his head that seeks to smother the fledgling hope you’ve nurtured in him.

The rest betrayed and abandoned you, it gleefully reminds. Why should she be any different?

The Wanderer shakes his head. That can’t be true. You’ve been with him the longest, contented yourself in his company, and welcomed him to do the same with you. Wherever you went, he went. Wherever he went, you went. It was a simple yet effective dichotomy that he derived great pleasure from. For all his suffering, all his humiliation, you have what it takes to be an antidote to his many woes. What patient diagnosed with a terminal illness would let such a panacea slip through their fingers?

Humans are not to be trusted, the sinister voice reiterates. You said so yourself. Now, you’ve gone back on your word, and look at the consequence: you’ve been tossed aside like dross yet again. When will you ever learn?

Up ahead lies a clearing in the woods. The Wanderer hasn’t stilled for a minute, though his construct of a body longs for rest and respite. It will receive nothing until his current mission draws to a close. You couldn’t have made it far, he’s sure of it. The past few days entailed traveling from dawn to dusk for reasons unbeknownst to him. You said the destination behind your journey would remain a secret until you both arrived. As always, he was inclined to snuff his curiosity out if it meant entertaining your many whims, he had hardly cared for the end result anyhow. So long as he had you, he cared little about anything else to the point of negligence.

She was hinting at her treachery, the voice hisses once more. It sounds more like his own with every passing word. You were willfully blinded by sentimentality, is it any surprise your creator foresaw this weakness and chose another to fulfill your purpose?  

Upon emerging from the forest’s treeline, he is nearly blinded by how bright the moonlight shines when unobscured.

Burn the forest down as you did the child’s home. Let flames consume all and incinerate her with it. Level the world until nothing remains, for if there is no one left, never can another being leave you behind again.

When his eyes finally adjust to the bright assault, what he sees nearly has him dropping to his knees in relief. You sit on the ground a few paces ahead, your back to him, gazing up at the night sky. Silvery hues surround your person, bathing you in an iridescent glow that both hypnotizes and lures him in. A branch crackling beneath his feet warns you of his oncoming approach. You turn your head in his direction, your countenance melting from uncertainty to recognition. Gentle lines form beneath your eyes as you smile, beckoning him closer.

“It’s a full moon tonight. The view from here makes all the walking we did worth it. I thought about waking you so you could join me, but you looked so peaceful,” you tell him. The shaky sigh he lets out is one of unparalleled relief. There was no nefarious scheme at play here — you were just being yourself. The damning voice echoing in his head falls silent. “What is it you were dreaming about for that infamous scowl of yours to depart, Wanderer?”

You. He never dreams about anything else. If he did, he’d consider it a nightmare.

“Wake me up next time,” he grumbles, despising how pouty he sounds. You must think so too, because you laugh, your voice light and airy. What he intends to be an order comes out more like a plea.

“Okay, okay, I will, don’t look at me like that.”

You then tilt your head, your eyes narrowing so that you can see him better. “Hm…? Wait, Wanderer, are you…?”

He freezes in place upon feeling deplorable wetness slide down his cheeks. Cruel, mocking. A testament to his shortcomings. For an instant, all is still, aside from the trembling of his hands and lower lip. He longs to hide the unsightly expression with the brim of his hat. The emotions that flicker over your face are unidentifiable, or rather, he’s too afraid to try and decipher them. Despondency latches itself around him like heavy chains. No, no, no, you weren’t supposed to see him like this, you can’t ever see him like this, weak and vulnerable and undivine.

His mother cast him off for his tears; it’s only safe to assume you would do the same.

He’s so lost in the twisting labyrinth of his decaying mind that he doesn’t register your footsteps padding his way. Soft hands press against his damp cheeks, gently wiping his tears away, your face mere inches from his. He observes with awe and wonder as you treat him with the utmost tenderness. There’s no furrow of your brow that hints at irritation or impatience behind your touch. When he finally finds the strength to make eye contact with you, he witnesses depths of benevolence unlike anything he’s ever witnessed before. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows thickly. No bottomless bottle of sake could delight or inebriate him more than the look you’re giving him now.

“Hey, do you want to tell me about what’s wr— mmph!”

He covers your lips with his own, inexperienced and hasty, driven by nothing but a desire to permanently connect your bodies together. Throughout his travels, he learned that humans did this to express fondness for one another. Following this reasoning, there was nothing that felt more appropriate to him at that moment, when his mind and soul and whatever false mockery of a heart he has yearned for you to the point he aches. This hot, searing pain you inflict is a paradox of extremes. He should detest it, run from it, yet he cannot imagine a life without it. You make him feel. Undoubtedly, it could be a curse at times. And still, the potential blessings urged him to persevere through all the muck and mire.

The Wanderer tastes the saltiness of his tears on your lips. For once, he is too absorbed to pay it any mind. Your initial confusion fades into gentle reciprocation, pleasing him greatly. He barely knows what he’s doing, or why he’s doing it, but it seems right. As if everything was falling into place. You taught him the importance of balance, didn’t you? He thinks the two of you could encompass the belief perfectly. For all the bitterness that festered in his being, your sweetness could envelop and drown it out.

When he begrudgingly parts from you, sensing you need air to sate your mortal body, he presents you with a sacred covenant.

“Promise me that I’ll always have you,” he implores. Even he is almost embarrassed by the unexpected boldness, his fair skin turning red. “You have to promise. I’ll do anything, agree to any condition… so long as I have your word.”

You consider him, weighing his words on your mind’s youthful scale. He gnaws impatiently on his lower lip while you contemplate your response. You have to accept, don’t you? You must enjoy traveling with him, or else you wouldn’t do it. There’s a home tucked away in a little village for you to return to if that were the case. The insecurity he must often fight when considering this reality is nowhere to be seen. The Wanderer feels as if a fog has been lifted from his mind, a clearer path lying ahead. You’ve sung him to sleep, wiped away his tears, and returned his kiss; that has to mean something. He knows it.

“I want to see the world past this archipelago. If I can do that with you, then you have my word. I promise to always be with you.”

He smiles at you. Such a pure expression, devoid of any underlying scheme, hasn’t graced his face in some time. You return the gesture in kind. His hands fall so that they might intertwine with yours. He swings his arms ever so slightly, basking in your ethereal presence, content that he’ll never have to know loneliness again. Those painful days and boring emotions could be put behind him, never to be spared another glance.

“We don’t have to stop at just seeing the world,” he hums, something akin to pride swelling in his chest. His eyes radiate a violet hue. “I could give it to you in its entirety, should you ask.”

You giggle at what you presume to be a joke and shake your head. “Always aiming for the stars, are we, my Wanderer? I’m not nearly as ambitious as you. Seeing it is enough to satisfy me.”

“Then it’s a promise.”

ii.

The second time Kunikuzushi thinks he’s lost you, he learns madness will be his companion until you return to your rightful place by his side.

Presently, you lay down on a crude examination table. Your vibrant gaze is hidden beneath closed eyelids, your lips downcast in a permanent frown, and your hair loose beside your stationary form. The blankness of your physiognomy is unbecoming of one as lively as you. Kunikuzushi considers running his fingers over the softness of your cheeks, but ultimately decides against it. With that charlatan lurking about, he can’t risk displaying his affection so blatantly. He stands by your side, faithful as a bridegroom, never quitting the room for an instant. The absence of sound torments him.

“It won’t be much longer,” he whispers, unsure if the reassurance is for you or himself. The latter is more likely. “I’ll see those pretty eyes staring back at me again soon enough.”

Every trace of delicacy on his features evaporates the instant the door opens. Kunikuzushi meets his new colleague with a look of barely suppressed impatience, whereas The Doctor presents himself in an amicable fashion. He extends his hand for Kunikuzushi to shake, a gesture which has the latter scoffing and rolling his eyes. The Doctor plays off the blatant disrespect without a care, choosing instead to focus on the main reason for his being here today. Kunikuzushi tenses when his fellow Harbinger strides past him, toward your vulnerable form, an inquisitive air encouraging the bold act.

Under normal circumstances, Kunikuzushi would obliterate anyone who dared approach you without his express permission. Fortunately for this copy of The Doctor, his potential benefits override Kunikuzushi’s proprietorial behavior. He is the one who called upon the heretic, after all.

“So this must be my patient,” The Doctor gives you a perfunctory glance, which Kunikuzushi assumes is more for show than anything else. Your condition had been painstakingly relayed through numerous written correspondences. “What an interesting solution you’ve arrived at, temporary as it may be. To prevent the spread of madness associated with prolonged tatarigami exposure, you’ve placed her into a stasis-like slumber. Would I be correct in assuming the knowledge of this technique is owed to your unique background?”

“Is my answer necessary in aiding you with your job?”

“No,” The Doctor replies, his tone facetious. He examines the sheen of arcane energy that engulfs your form closer, then gives an off-putting smile. “It’s for curiosity’s sake that I ask, since I am a researcher, first and foremost. And this level of perfection transcends human capability.”

It is immaculately applied, as The Doctor surmised — (naturally, since Kunikuzushi is the one who applied it) — the very same technique his creator used on him once he was deemed worthless. In recognizing your rapidly deteriorating state, he didn’t know what else to do. He fed you his divine energy to keep your life force from succumbing entirely to tatarigami’s malaise; it just wasn’t enough. Your feeble human constitution could only handle so much, you weren’t made to withstand such extremes.

One night, he promised in a cryptic manner to fix this malady, no matter what. You have yet to regain consciousness after hearing his solemn vow. With Kunikuzushi’s newfound Fatui connections, he came to hear of a certain madman capable of performing feats that spat in the face of Teyvat’s ‘laws’. It was desperation that drove him to swallow his pride and ask The Doctor for help.

“Then I’ll leave my answer to your twisted imagination.”

The Doctor chuckles at that, his chest rumbling. “You’re as temperamental as they say.”

Kunikuzushi’s face almost splits in two from how wide he grins. “And you’re every bit as insufferable, wasting my time with all this idle chit-chat. I held up my end of the bargain and procured the materials you need for your heretical ends. Now do your part.”

“Gladly! It isn’t every day I get to tinker with assistance from the divine. I hope to learn much from your tutelage. Although…”

The Doctor places a hand on his chin. “While I can guarantee her physical condition’s improvement, her mental state is beyond my purview. Forgive me, if it isn’t my place to say this, but… waking to the news she’s now immortal will serve as quite the shock. What contingencies have you set into place for this?”

It takes all of Kunikuzushi’s self-restraint to prevent himself from calling down lightning from the heavens to smite this audacious quack. The Doctor might be feigning compassion, yet given his bloody track record, Kunikuzushi doubts he cares in the slightest. He’s trying to wring reactions out to delight his sadistic machinations. There’s an underlying malignant current to The Doctor’s inquiry that threatens to spark electricity in Kunikuzushi’s clenched fists, a test of sorts. The Doctor must be wondering how far his care for you extends. Kunikuzushi would rather no one knew about this exploitable weakness of his.

It’s for your sake — and your sake alone — that he manages to reel himself in. He won’t jeopardize your well-being due to some provocative statements. He would endure anything, do anything, so long as he could have you to himself again. The wait is almost over. A few low blows to his ego is the least he could sustain for your recovery.

“Whoever said anything about telling her?” Kunikuzushi returns The Doctor’s question with a question of his own. This should serve to put the dog off his trail, Kunikuzushi isn’t technically lying, yet the callous delivery belies his inner feelings. The less The Doctor knew about his attachment toward you, the better.

At this, the reprobate breaks into a fit of laughter, as if he’d been graced with the funniest joke ever told. His fangs gleam beneath the sparse lighting in the room, bemusement radiating from his being. “So that’s how you intend to handle things. Very good, very good.”

The Doctor straightens out the recently sterilized tools on a nearby table. “I’ll delay the procedure no longer. Shall we get to work, Balladeer?”

It won’t be much longer, [First], he thinks, the desperate thirst for your presence soon to be quenched. I’ve seen to it that you could keep your promise.

“Just tell me what you need me to do.”

“With pleasure.”

Kunikuzushi is so caught up in his own designs, he fails to notice a single tear that drips down the expanse of your otherwise serene face.

iii.

The third time Scaramouche thinks he’s lost you, he learns that his patience is not what it used to be.

There were certain parameters you were to adhere to — he’s remiss to call them rules, but he supposes the word fits — all for your safety and his peace of mind. The Fatui lackeys that trail after him like a dog are useless in everything besides your surveillance. They hide in the shadows, observing you from afar, dutifully reporting every change down to the slightest fluctuation in mood. From his vantage point, you’ve adapted well. He’s gently guided you, covering your eyes when necessary and encouraging you to look at what he thinks you should see.

Still, you had your rowdy bouts. This particular episode just happened to necessitate his involvement.

“Not intending to come back in for the night, [First]?”

Your legs dangle over the edge of the dilapidated castle the Fatui happened to be inhabiting for the moment. You keep your back to him, despite undoubtedly hearing his approach, your gaze locked on the heavens hidden behind a curtain of thick clouds. Your hair billows in the unforgiving Schenzayan breeze, some strands occasionally getting caught on the fluffy fur of your winter coat. He bends over to free what got caught on your collar. Your prolonged silence is unusual and unwelcome, he hoped that the open-ended question would serve to stoke the flames of conversation, even if it meant getting burnt. He’d rather you incinerated him to the bone than leave him to waste away in bitter-cold silence.

When he moves to pull away, only for you to stop him, twisting your torso around and catching his hand in yours. His breath lodges itself in his throat the moment your eyes finally meet. Though it appears to be the same hue as always, when the light hits it a certain way, there’s the faintest trace of violet. A testimony to the deep connection that binds you to him forevermore. Your beauty is so awe-inspiring, that at that instant, if you asked him to lay down his life for you, he wouldn’t hesitate to concede.

You whisper a name he forgot he ever went by, the very first of the identities he assumed when traversing this world. After gaining his devout attention, you go on to say, “I need to ask you something. May I?”

He breaks himself from his reverie long enough to reply in the affirmative.

“What… what am I, exactly?”

He is quick to school his expression, ensuring that his countenance gives away nothing just yet. “What do you mean by that?”

You pause as if you weren’t entirely sure yourself.

“Ever since I’ve woken up, something… no, everything… feels slightly… off. As if every piece of furniture in my home that I’d been familiar with my entire life was moved an inch to the side. The change is so subtle, so elusive from my understanding, that I can’t tell if it’s real or a product of my overactive imagination.”

Your grip on his hand tightens. “I think I should’ve died, but I didn't. I've seen the tall stone peaks of Liyue, traversed the vineyards of Mondstadt, and slept beneath the canopies of Sumeru’s rainforests. You’ve held your promise to me and mine to you. So why does my existence feel so wrong? So unnatural? I know you must’ve done something to me. Please, tell me what it is. I don’t think I can know peace until I know why it feels wrong to live.”

“It isn’t wrong,” he’s quick to interject, too quick, likely far from the placating comfort he intended it to be. You’re gracious enough to allow him time to recollect himself, precious being that you are. “If any tongue dared to claim otherwise, I’d cut it out and throw it at the dirt by your feet, where it belongs.”

“Even if it’s mine?”

“Of course not,” he scoffs, made incredulous by the notion. “Similar to myself, you have surpassed god and man alike. You are above them both. If the false heavens look down on you, I’ll gouge out their eyes; and if man voices complaints, I’ll slit their throats. There is no one who can judge us. Don’t worry your pretty little head over it.”

What he intends to be a plea comes out more like an order.

You heave a heavy sigh. “Thinking that way must make you awfully lonely.”

His fingers twitch against your skin. “... Not anymore.”

Your arms fall limp by your side and your body relaxes. Much to his chagrin, you turn back around, facing any direction but his own. A frown carves itself onto his face. From this vantage point, he is a hawk, and you, his little mouse who tires from trying to scurry away in vain. He thinks to sit beside you or pull you up to his level yet decides against it. He rests his hands on your shoulders, giving them a squeeze, reminding you of his presence.

As if you could ever forget.

“I thought I’d hate you when you confirmed what I already knew, deep inside,” if you feel how his body goes tense at the word hate, you don’t mention it. “For some reason, that doesn’t feel right either. If what you said is true… and I am like you now… then I think it might be for the best.”

“You do?”

He is unable to mask his surprise by how easily you acquiesce. He anticipated a myriad of issues upon the day you learned the truth, everything from shrieking to denouncement and even violence. His mind kicks into overdrive, raking through every word that left your lips for inconsistencies or potential falsehoods. Deception was never your strong suit, you wore your heart and your sleeve. He was dutiful in studying it and committing the various nuances to memory. Even the slightest hint of falsehood wouldn’t slip past his radar undetected.

A sliver of the moon peeks out past the tightly knit together clouds, encasing you both in its glory.

“Though you speak of your loathing for the gods, you’re set on becoming one yourself.”

This comes out as more of a state than a fact.

“No matter the outcome of this goal, I have a premonition that many will be hurt in your path to glory,” your voice is firm, albeit tinged with melancholy. “I will stay by your side, as promised. I will love you more dutifully than a wife would her husband. You will love me back, and in doing so…”

Finally, you rise to meet his astonished stare, pressing your forehead against his. His lips are slightly agape, eyes as wide as saucers. He thinks you might be more of a deity than him, and for that, he deems it sacrilegious not to worship you. Your warmth has never failed to pacify him. His rage born from innumerable betrayals burns hotter than the sun, yet your willingness to reach out and become ash eclipses it all. You lightly press your palm over the left side of his chest, where nothing beats.

“I will never let you forget that you have a heart, no matter how hard you try to scrub the knowledge away. I’ll write it down over and over, carving it into your skin if that’s what it takes to immortalize the truth.”

He’d gladly hand you the blade if it meant prolonging the ecstasy of experiencing your touch.

“You’re sacrificing yourself to me, then? Your happiness, your dreams, your future… if you make such a tempting offering, I’ll have no choice but to accept. I’ll take them all and demand more. I won’t be a merciful god, not even for you. Knowing how bitter it’ll taste, you’ll still accept my love without spitting it out?”

“I’ve always found it to be bitter,” you confess. An expression of wistful nostalgia settles on your face. “When you were a nameless traveler, the Wanderer, Kunikuzushi, and now, the iteration others refer to as ‘Scaramouche’. I’ve tasted the bitterness so frequently that my tongue is now numb to its flavor. If anything… having subsisted on it for so long… I might not have an appetite for anything else.”

The puppet of many names smiles at that from ear to ear. How lovely, that a millennia of wretchedness could be mended so easily when you held the needle?

All along, he thought that whenever you were lost, departing from the path he so meticulously laid out for you, he’d need to redirect your course. What an unnecessary overexertion! He sees it now, a reality that he thought was too good to be true. An oasis in the desert is not always a mirage — this serves as proof.

For no matter how far from the main road you deviated, you’d inevitably always return to him.

[lacyscabinet]

Sickness

Natalie Scatorccio x reader

NOT PROOFREAD

MASTERLIST

A/n: hi y'all!!! Sooo... sorry this isn't a request but a couple of days ago I was really sick and I thought "I wouldn't survive a day in the wilderness during winter" so I basically created a scenario where the reader gets a fever while stranded. Enjoy:)

After that cursed night when the desperation got the best of all of you and you all ended up banqueting over poor (but perfectly cooked) Jackie, everything started going even more down hill that you thought was possible.

The weather grew colder, there was no game in sight which was getting Natalie extremely frustrated and Lottie's cult started to form.

Your days were spent chopping wood in the burning cold, helping Mary in the kitchen trying to make the most of whatever you had or simply staying in the living room under a blanket, facing the fire and getting warm.

One particular morning Taissa took down a huge tree after you realized that soon the wood you saved up for the cabin was going to run out. So when she was done she passed you the axe and headed back to the cabin leaving you alone.

Soon enough it started to snow, and it's not like you could just go back inside, if you did everyone would freeze to death that night, and you thought to yourself "If Nat and Travis go out in the snow every day I can stay out here a little longer'

So you did. After four hours you had enough wood for a few days but you decided to keep going, chopping some more.

"What are you doing out here during a fucking blizzard y/n?" Suddenly a voice called out, Natalie and Travis came back from their daily (failed) hunt

"Chopping wood" you simply said, and Natalie shook her head "Come inside, you're gonna get sick, you're not used to staying in the cold for this long" she placed her hand on your back, guiding you back to the cabin.

At dinner time Mari served the watery soup she prepared and you all chugged it down to at least get the brief feeling of fullness for a while, Natalie sat next to you, her elbow colliding with yours every time she raised the cup to her lips.

Suddenly you let out a small cough and Nat's eyes immediately shifted on you with a worried expression "You okay?" She asked, you simply nodded and acted as if it wasn't a big deal.

"You ready to sleep?" Natalie asked as she got comfortable in your shared makeshift bed, you sat next to her with a tired look on your face, and Nat immediately realized that it wasn't just because you needed some sleep, she wrapped her arms around you and pulled you to her, placing a hand on your burning forehead "Shit" she mumbled "you're sick baby, you have a fever" you rested your back on her chest, closing your eyes, slowly the fever started to rise and suddenly you heard Natalie talking to Van "Wet this cloth with cold water or something we need to keep the fever down"

Seconds later the cloth was placed on your forehead and you softly whined at the contact "shhhh...I know it's cold but it will help" she cooed in your ear, suddenly you ended up in a coughing fit, your girlfriend's eyes widened and she instantly rubbed your back trying to reassure you.

After another couple of hours you finally fell asleep in Nat's arms, she stayed awake all night, checking on you and immerging the cloth in cold water periodically.

"Here, it's for her" Natalie heard Lottie mumble, looking up the brunette was holding a necklace with the tooth of the bear she killed at the end of the summer as a charm "It's for protection, the wilderness told me..."

"Shut the fuck up Lottie!" Natalie snapped at her "This is serious she's really sick and your wicca bullshit is not gonna help her, she needs paracetamol and cough syrup so if the wilderness told you where to find that stuff I'll be glad to listen but I doubt that happened so please, please, just leave us alone now"

Slightly hurt by her friend's tone Lottie backed up and went back to her bed, falling asleep.

After a couple of minutes you woke up because of a runny nose, Nat passed you a piece of cloth and waited for you to be done.

"how are you feeling baby?" She asked, scared that you were feeling worse, you cuddled up to her once more and mumbled "I feel the same" and even tho Natalie was slightly relieved that the pain wasn't encasing, she knew that you were still in pain "I'm so sorry y/n, I wish I could do something but I can't do anything and it's just-"

"No... it's okay Nat, you're already doing more than enough for me"

Natalie smiled, cradling your head on her shoulder waiting for you to fall back asleep, hoping that you were going to get better.

[hedgehog-moss]

Some small things that happened recently, other than the llamas’ shearing:

1. I traded a bottle of my freshly-made elderflower syrup (and some plum chutney from last summer) for a jar of wild peach jam and some homemade pâté, and the chickens went WILD over the latter. I gave them a tiny bit for a taste and then had to retreat to the kitchen to eat the rest because they kept jumping up and down trying to steal it

2. I told the librarian a while ago that I was hoping to rehabilitate the former little pond in my pasture and she came over with her husband and daughter to give me a pond liner they had in their garage (they wanted to create a pond in their garden and procrastinated for 15 years basically.) A very nice gift!! But the highlight of their visit was when we went to the pasture to say hello to the baby llamas, and Pampelune fell in love with the librarian’s daughter. I’d never seen her like this! she just kept staring adoringly and asking for neck scritches and whispering sweet llama things in her ear.

I replied to an ask the other day saying llamas aren’t really animals that enjoy being cuddled, but I guess I’d just never seen a llama with a crush.

3. My little vegetable patch is happy with this warm spring; the 2-year-old strawberry plants are going strong, and I’ve also got tomato flowers and male & female courgette flowers, so all is going according to plan.

My one young raspberry plant valiantly produced two raspberries, which reminded me that I meant to plant more of them. I went to the agricultural store, and told them in passing that the persimmon sapling I bought from them last autumn is looking rather dead, and they gave me a few apology raspberry plants for free. I went home and discovered that the persimmon is actually making one very tiny bud! Now I feel like a con artist :( But look at this shy little thing (on the right), it’s so discreet...

(left: girl courgette blossoms)

4. At the agri store I was invited to enter a raffle to win a 100-year-old olive tree. After filling up the little form with my name and phone number I was granted permission to take a second slip of paper and enter Pandolf’s name and phone number (I buy his kibble there so he is a valued customer). I hope he wins.

5. The sheep that are supposed to trim the grass around the store were napping in the shade, not a single one of them was working. I did not report them, because a sheep union representative came to touch my hand with its nose softly.

6. I also bought (half of) a former wine barrel to use it as an additional trough for the animals—I wanted one near my house so I wouldn’t have to trek across half the pasture on winter mornings to go break the ice, and there are two rivulets there that made the ground muddy, so it was better to dig some channels and add some pipes and have them flow into something. Digging a hole for the barrel was as exhausting a task as ever (so many huge rocks!), I’m glad I’m done with the New Trough project. I also had to rinse the barrel and air it out for a few days because it very much smelled of bordeaux wine, but here it is now, using its transferrable skills to start a second career:

I love hearing this new & very soft trickling water noise when I sit outside my house!

7. Pandolf, on our way home from the agri store, enjoyed the wind in his mane. (That’s it that the last piece of news.)

[imtrashraccoon]

Hey! Remember that poll about ice cream I put out like a month ago? It was for this chapter! Congratulations those who voted for having a hand in the plot!

@owl-bones

First Day, Previous Day, & Next Day.

Bad Sansuary: Killer - Dance

Word Count: 2,081

"wait, are you able to walk now?"

You startled at his question and quickly turned to look at him, unconsciously clutching your chest. "Sheesh...don't do that to me, Killer!" you hissed.

He laughed and nearly doubled over from doing so. You crossed your arms and fixed him with an unamused look until he'd recovered somewhat.

"sorry, i couldn't resist, angel..." he chuckled.

"Mhm."

"so, have you graduated from the crutches or something?"

You chuckled at the way he'd phrased his question. "I guess so. I've still got to wear a brace but I can put weight on my ankle now." You pulled up your pant leg slightly so he could see what you meant.

He nodded and his permanent smile stretched wider. "we should celebrate! do you know of any good clubs around here? wait no, how about an amusement park instead? or maybe..."

"Maybe something more low key...?" you asked carefully. "I'm still not back to normal just yet so I shouldn't do anything strenuous. How about a walk in the park instead? We could get ice cream..."

"sure, that's sounds good too." Killer shrugged and flashed you a carefree smile, completely unbothered that you'd interrupted him to suggest something different.

The world was just starting to warm up again after a cold Winter and while Summer was still several months away, you were glad the weather was taking a turn for the better. Maybe it was still a bit on the cool side for ice cream but you didn't care. You'd been cooped up in your tiny apartment for over a week and you were starting to go crazy for some fresh air. In your books, this was a welcome change from the monotony.

You went to get out your running shoes, when you remembered that with everything that had happened, you still hadn't found the missing one. You checked the shoe rack one more time just to be sure you hadn't missed it, but when that proved fruitless, you turned your attention to Killer.

"what?" he asked innocently when you held up the single shoe.

"What'd you do with its partner, buddy?" you demanded and advanced a few steps closer to him.

He held up his hands in a defensive way. "i swear it wasn't me!" he exclaimed all too quickly.

"Mhm, right."

He really tried his best to maintain a straight face, but the longer you continued to stare at him, the more cracks that began to show. Finally, he sighed and walked over to your tall bookshelf in the living room. Reaching up, he plucked your missing shoe from the top and handed it back to you.

"Seriously? You put it all the way up there?!" you grumbled. "How was I supposed to find that?"

He shrugged, "you would've found it eventually..." He tilted his skull and smirked before adding in a quieter tone, "eventually..."

"Yeah, when I moved out a couple years down the line!" You huffed as you pulled your shoes on. "Just because you happen to be gifted that way doesn't mean you get to hold your height over me!"

"mhm, right~"

You nearly smacked him for the illegal volume of sass he had thrown back at you. "Come on then, you oversized oompa loompa. Or I'll leave you behind and eat all the ice cream myself!"

"hey-!"

You cut off his protest by leaving your apartment and abruptly shutting the door behind you. A smug smile crept across your face at what you'd just done, but he appeared in front of you a second later.

"i resent that..." he hissed and pointed a boney finger at you. However, the mischievous smile gracing his skull said otherwise.

You made a show of dramatically rolling your eyeballs. "Aw man...it doesn't have the same affect when you can teleport."

Starting your way towards the stairs, you motioned for him to follow. "The park isn't far from here and there's a nice walking trail that goes around a pond."

Killer fell in step with you and while it took a little longer than the trip normally would take, you both arrived at the nearby park without incident. On the way, you noticed he seemed to be casually observing the area around you, but it wasn't like there was anything interesting to look at. Although, you were well aware that you lived in a rough area, so you chalked it up to him just keeping an eye socket out for potential threats.

You decided it would be best to get the ice cream first and then you could walk around while enjoying it. You knew there were some nice benches scattered along the path that you could rest at if you got too tired too.

To your surprise, Killer got a very normal flavour of ice cream. He didn't even scan the menu before picking chocolate and while you were tempted to get the same flavour, you had to get your favorite, which was chocolate mint.

After finishing your ice cream, you two continued walking slowly down the gravel path in relative silence, before your ears picked up the familiar sound of quacking. Killer seemed to notice as well and his skull snapped in the direction of the noisy fowl.

"I guess they're back now that it's Spring?" you wondered aloud. "I wonder if they have any babies yet, although it is still rather early I guess."

You wandered off the path a few paces until you could see half a dozen ducks paddling around and dabbling in the large pond for food. They seemed to be regular white ducks and actually reminded you of puddle ducks like the ones you'd read about in children's books when you were young.

"did you know it's not illegal to just take ducks home and keep them? no one owns them and no one would even care if you did," Killer commented in a thoughtful manner.

You gave him a weird look. "don't...ducknap them, okay?" you asked in a quiet voice.

He chuckled and waved you off. "nah, i can't even if i wanted to. everyone else would get mad if i brought another animal home i think."

You nodded, "Yeah, they're cute and all but they're not pets. It's best to leave them alone most of the time I think."

"hey." He waited until you glanced over at him in a questioning manner before continuing. "why do ducks fly south for the winter?"

"Because it's too cold...?"

He shook his skull. "nope, cause it's too far to waddle."

"...that was awful, Killer."

He held up a finger and grinned. "oh i'm just getting started, cutie." He thought for a moment before asking, "when is roast duck bad for you?"

You frowned, "when you're vegetarian?"

"nah, when you're the duck."

With a groan, you lightly punched his shoulder. "Stop...your jokes are awful..." you grumbled but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of your lips.

"mkay, how about one that's less awful?" He chuckled and didn't even wait for you to answer. "what do you call it when it's raining chickens and ducks instead of cats and dogs?"

You stared at him blankly and let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know..."

"fowl weather."

"Huh... That one was actually kinda clever."

Killer seemed absolutely stoked by your compliment and he planted his hands on his hips proudly. You couldn't help but chuckle at his antics which only seemed to encourage him further.

This had been a surprisingly good day. You'd actually enjoyed yourself in the brief time Killer had been hanging out with you today. It was strange though. You couldn't put your finger on it, but it seemed like something had shifted between you two recently. He seemed like he was acting more genuine around you and less like he was hiding behind a specially crafted mask.

Then, a raindrop landed on your cheek, followed by another and another.

"Oh crap!" you gasped and glanced up at the gray sky. "I didn't realize it was going to rain today."

As it began to sprinkle more, Killer looked up as well and hummed in a contemplative way. "it looks like it'll pass over us soon."

"I didn't even think to bring a coat so I certainly hope so."

"hey."

You looked over at him again and hummed in response.

He grinned and took one of your hands in his own. Without explaining why, he abruptly swung you around before tugging you close again.

The sudden movement admittedly caused you to freak out a little. After being on crutches for so long and nearly losing your balance many times throughout, you couldn't help but panic a little bit.

"Killer! What are you...?" you protested.

He chuckled and gently shushed you. "i just wanna have some fun, angel cakes. just relax, i'm not gonna let you fall or anything."

You were confused for a moment, but when he released you and did a bit of a boogie, did it occur to you what he meant. You weren't a dancer and by the looks of things, he wasn't either. But there was something about the absurdity of this situation that just clicked with you.

It was lightly raining and you were being invited to dance by a silly skeleton with only the ducks as an audience. Why not? You couldn't remember a time when you had ever felt so carefree like this.

You both kind of bounced around in a completely uncoordinated way until you were red faced and out of breath. Killer seemed out of breath too, but the sheer joy he radiated was contagious and you found yourself giggling the longer this moment stretched on. His eye sockets had crinkled up and the red target floating above his chest seemed to have gone fuzzy along the edges too.

You braced your hands on your knees to try and catch your breath. When Killer slowly walked over to you again, you straightened up and flashed him a tired but happy smile.

He was smiling too but there seemed to be something else there as well. Like he was curious about something or had a silent question he wanted to ask.

"Okay...that was fun..." you panted.

He hummed in agreement and took your hands in his own. "this was better than going somewhere crowded and loud, cute cheeks," he hummed and lightly bumped his skull against your forehead.

You nodded. "I think it'd be fun to go out somewhere together at some point though, but I'm glad you liked this too."

One of his hands strayed to the small of your back and the other moved up to your shoulder blades. He hesitated for a brief moment, before quickly tugging your body to the right and dipping you. You gasped in surprise but he pressed his teeth against your lips, effectively silencing whatever protests you would've had. Moments later, he'd lifted you back up and pulled you close against his ribcage again.

The suddenness of the kiss left you feeling a little shell shocked and for a moment you just stood there while your brain caught up with what just happened. Your heart was racing and your cheeks felt hot, but not from the physical activity you'd just done together. And yet, there was a fluttering feeling in your chest and once you'd recovered a bit, you couldn't help but smile.

"are you okay, cutie?" Killer purred against your hair.

"I... Yeah, I'm fine..." you managed to mutter.

He chuckled and gently stroked your head before asking another question. "was that too far...?"

"No... I liked it."

He pulled back and seemed to scan your face for a moment. "if you're sure... i didn't even really think if you'd get mad or not. i just felt like it made sense in the moment," he said in a quiet voice.

You chuckled and playfully shoved him. "Well, a week ago I would've been really upset. Just...maybe ask next time before you do anything like that?"

He nodded and winked at you. "i'll try to remember, angel~"

You rolled your eyes and took his hand. "Come on then, buddy. I'm getting soaked and I really don't want to get sick after my ankle was just about back to normal."

He nodded in agreement and smoothly intertwined his phalanges with your own. You felt yourself blush slightly, but didn't pull away and let him keep holding your hand all the way back home.

[betterthanburrow]

Back To December - Joe Burrow

Summary: As the memories of a cold and dark December night continue to haunt your memory as the new season starts… All you wish for is that you could go back in time and change your own mind.

Genre: Angst (Ex Lovers AU)

“So, This Is Me Swallowing My Pride, Standing In Front Of You Saying, “I’m Sorry For That Night” And I’ll Go Back To December All The Time.” - Taylor Swift; Back To December.

As the days are getting longer, your memories of the past starts to haunt you. The snow is melting, The flowers and plants are blooming... but you're still stuck in the same position that you were in months ago.

Spring is the season where the world around you comes back to life after a long and cold Winter... but all that is haunting your mind is the thought of the boy that you left heartbroken on your front porch on a cold December night.

It has only been just about 3 months since that night in December and you haven't heard from the boy since that night... But the phone does go both ways and you didn't try to call him to wish him a happy birthday.

A romance that started in the Summer that you knew from the start wasn't supposed to last longer than it did, but you quickly realized in the Fall that you were in love and the thought of being in love scared you more than you wanted to admit.

As the sound of the shopkeepers bell rings above the door, you were pulled out of your haunting thoughts and brought back into the reality of your workplace as you focus on the pages in your book that you had been reading since the bookstore wasn't busy.

The Cottage BookStore that you have been working at the past few months is the only thing that seems to have brought you some sort of joy... Being surrounded by books in a store that is owned by the sweetest lady is the only reason you haven't left this town after the heartbreak betrayal.

"I knew I would find you here." a voice spoke, a voice that is so familiar yet so foreign, and as you look up from your book that you were reading. Your mind immediately went blank as you realized the familiar yet foreign voice belonged to the man who stood in front of you. The boy that you left heartbroken on your front porch on a cold December night.

You imagined yourself in this position where you would have to confront him for the first time since leaving him heartbroken a few months ago... but now that you're in the situation, your mind has gone blank and you're at a lost for words.

Before you can find the works to reply, the heartbroken boy speaks again. "Can we talk?!"

"I'm busy with work Joesph.” you replied, closing the book in your lap and placing it on the work counter.

Joseph looks around the empty store before turning back at you, giving you a soft smile that you don't deserve to see. “The bookstore is empty, it's only you and me in the bookstore right now, you're not busy.”

Once again, you have no response. Your eyes look around the store to see that it really was empty, and that you and Joseph are the only two people in the store right now. You weren't busy because you spent the past few minutes daydreaming about the boy who is now standing in front of you wanting to have a conversation for the first time in months.

“It doesn't need to be a long conversation, I just need a few minutes of your time." Joseph pleads. "You're the one who asked for me to make time to see you.”

A confused look appears on your face, "What are you talking about?!" you asked, as Joseph pulls out his phone from his pocket and shows you the text message screen.

The text message shown on the screen is a text message you had forgotten that you had sent a few weeks ago... The strong alcoholic wine that you had drank gave you confidence to send a very long text to Joseph but you had deleted the text conversation from your phone before you had the chance to sober up and see the mistake that you had made while drunk.

As you look back up at Joseph, he started to speak again “I know this text was sent by you a couple of weeks ago, but I only found the strength to see you again when I was driving around this area of town." he says as he turns his phone off and puts the phone back in the pocket of his jeans.

You wished that you could’ve thought more on the decision of whether to have conversation with Joseph or whether you should kick him out of the bookstore and go back to daydreaming… but you couldn’t waste any more of his time, he was the one that decided to come visit you at the bookstore even if he only made the decision just because he was in this area of town.

“We can talk until a customer comes in the bookstore and then I will have to get back to work." you stated, as you made your way around the work counter to lead Joseph to a reading area in the back of the bookstore.

After the two of you got comfortable in the chair, you both sat in a silence for about 2 minutes before you decided to take lead of the start of conversation. "How's life?! How is your family?!" you asked. The expression on Joseph face changes from being a blank stare at his hands to him looking up at you with his eyebrows raised in surprised at your questions.

"Life is good, I've been busy with football. My family is good as well, it's been a while since you've seen them.” Joe answers then he asks how life has been for you and how has your family been these past few months.

The two of you make small talk about your work at the bookstore and the changing weather but the small talk continues, you can tell that Joseph's guard is up and there is no reason for you to question why as you are the reason to blame for this small talk quickly becoming and awkward conversation.

The last time you saw Joseph, he gave you beautiful roses after you had opened your front door, but all you did with the roses was leave them on your front porch to die because you couldn’t stand the thought of any object in your house that would remind you of Joseph after you had left him heartbroken on your front porch.

The small talk to awkward conversation was quickly over and the two of you were left in silence again. Your haunting thoughts started to come back to you and you look at the boy who was sitting in front of you, staring off into space as his own thoughts started to haunt him.

"I'm sorry... for that night." you exclaimed, with no hesitation or thought. Once again, Joseph looks up at your with a surprised expression on his face. "I'd go back in time to change it but i can't, I'll go back to December all the time to turn around and change my mind." you continued your thoughts, looking up at Joseph to see his reaction to your words and looking down at your hands that are twiddling in your lap.

This time, Joseph was left with his mind blank and he was at the lost of words at your apology for that December night that has been haunting his mind causing him to lose sleep as the cold dark days came and went with the seasons changing.

"Maybe this is just me mindlessly daydreaming and wishfully thinking... but if we loved again, I swear I'll love you right." you confessed. “You loved me, so good and so right. I think about that September night where you held me in your arms as you saw me cry for the first time. I let the fear creep into my mind and while you gave me your love, all I gave you was a goodbye.”

As Joseph tried to keep his guard up from the moment he walked into the bookstore and saw you for the first time since that December night... he felt his guard slowly coming down, as he could tell your apology for the situation that happened months ago was genuine.

Since the beginning of your romantic relationship in the Summer, realizing that he was in love with you in the Fall, to being heartbroken by you in the Winter, and now wanting to receive closer from you in Spring... the past four seasons were sending him on a rollercoaster ride that he didn't know he signed up to ride.

"Did things start to change for you after that September night when you cried in my arms?!" Joseph asked. While you could be mad that after all you had just confessed and apology for... It didn't shock you that the first thing Joseph would ask about was that September night because it was the first time either of you had brought the topic up since the September night where you had cried in his arms.

The incident that happened in September is something that you and Joseph never talked about since that night, it was an incident that the two of you tried to move on from but as the days were getting colder and darker. That September night was the first night that haunted your relationship before the December night.

“As much as I wish it wasn't... it was the night things started to change, but I didn't realize that things were changing between us before it was too late." You admitted to Joseph, looking up at him with a sorry expression on your face with tears in your eyes.

Before this talk, Joseph thought that he wanted to know the reason why you left him heartbroken on your front porch that December night... but now knowing that the September night where you cried in his arms because of an incident that was his fault was the night where things started to change, he wishes that he never would've wanted to know the reason at all.

If the people walking past the Cottage Bookstore's display windows were to stop and look inside for just a few seconds.. they would see two people sitting down in the reading area who are both not in the right emotional headspace to have a conversation about the night in September and the night in December that ruined their relationship that has a low chance of being salvaged in the future.

Before either of you could say anything to continue the conversation that you needed to have with each other, the shopkeeper's bell rings pulled the both of you out of the emotional headspace. You whisper to Joseph that you need to get back to your job before standing up, as you wipe your tears and walk to greet the customer that had just entered the bookstore.

Joseph was left sitting in the reading area, and while he could overhear the conversation you were having with the customer with helping them trying to find a book, he couldn't gather the strength to leave before he wouldn't know if he'll get the chance to see you again.

If the two of you were in the right emotional headspace, the two of you could plan to meet at a better time to talk about the September night and the December night... you could make plans to meet up at your house but, Joseph doesn't know if he could stand on your front-porch again without feeling like he wants to throw up on the street because of what happened last time he stood on your front porch.

As more customers started to walk into the store, Joseph decided it was best to leave as he didn't want people to view him as a creepy young man who sat in reading areas without a book in his hands. Joseph gathers the strength to find make his way out of the bookstore that he might not step into ever again because of the new haunting memory of the conversation that took place.

Before the shopkeepers bell rang above the door would ring once again, Joseph looks back at you and gives you a soft sad smile but you were too busy to look back at him as you were talking with a customer acting as if the conversation at the reading area with Joseph didn't happen just minutes before.

It took you some time before you would be able to have a few minutes to yourself as you watched the customers shop and talk about their love of books amongst each other... and you sat back at the work counter, your eyes scan the store before you look around the reading area and see two young kids sitting in the two seats that you and Joseph were sitting at having the conversation that is now haunting your mind at any moments of silence.

You don't know if Joseph left the bookstore right after you got up from your seat in the reading area to help out the first customer that came into the bookstore after Joseph had arrived... or if there was a small chance he was still in the bookstore and was just looking around at the books on the shelf, but looking at the display windows and not seeing the vehicle that belonged to Joseph wasn't in the parking spot confirmed to you that the boy you loved wasn't here.

The past 4 seasons of Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring have changed your relationship with Joseph for the better and for the worse... and while you wish you could turn things around to make it alright, you know that whatever is left of your relationship with Joseph will never be the same as it once was before that night in December, where you left a boy heartbroken on your front porch with roses that were left to die.

Author's Note:

i know that not everyone is a fan of angst, but the angst fanfiction genre is what i live for and i hope you give this story a chance (maybe in the future there will be a sequel, but i’m not planning on writing a sequel anytime soon)... i do promise i'll have more "fluff” fanfiction content in the future.

(also about a week ago i accidentally published this fanfiction, it was only posted for about a minute so i don’t think anyone saw it before i deleted it but the thought of people reading the story before it was finished terrified me, Tumblr needs to move the edit button and not have it so close to the post button because this might not be the last time that i would accidentally publish a fanfiction that wasn’t ready to be posted. thank you apple for allowing the update to copy text from images or else i would’ve had to re-write the entire story from beginning to end!)

thank you for all the love and support 🤍

[chemtrailsovertheccs]

I don’t like sour candy

carl grimes imagine

I don't even know if anyone even reads these but I write for fun so here I am . August is ALMOSt over and the spirit of the pumpkin spice and apple cider has already tangled itself on me. So this one will be fall themed! If you're not in the mood for a sparkle of autumn you can read this one later on. For the ones obsessed with fall this is for you. Really hope you enjoy!

the crisp air whirled around the town and made its way trough the now maroon, ginger, orange and some bald trees. the fallen leaves had painted the streets of Alexandria, every now and then collecting into piles children love to jump into. harvest season was here! that was the main event in fall. meant the town will have food to spare, to the Hilltop, to the Kingdom, to Oceanside. trades are important. all this joy inside the walls of your town even made you forget about the creepiest of halloween monsters: the walkers. you barely went on runs now, everyone was set for a while. speaking of which, you had planned a run with Carl to search for a candy shop, to make a surprise for the kids in town. crazy, runs are risky and you're doing this for some sweets? plus, they'll be expired and produce some serious tummy aches. as long as they taste good! you've decided you really wanted to top the cake with a cherry and do this. imagine the faces of the kids when they find out!

you had convinced the people in charge of the crops to plant some pumpkins a few months ago, not just for the decorations, but you were sure Carol could really make some nice pumpkin pie. they were now ready to reap and you couldn't feel happier.

it was morning now, a very cozy morning wrapped around in some really thick blanket with Carl right by your side. you were so excited to go on this run that you've decided to wake up at 6 in the morning, when even the sun wasn't awake yet. you opened your eyes, and took a long look at what was surrounding you. the smell of musky pine and wood was all around the room, like if someone had sprinkled the scent around. the warmth of the blanket AND your boyfriend kinda made you not want to wake up just yet. you turned around to find a deep-sleeping Carl who was probably peacefully dreaming about you. the sight of him sleeping so carelessly made your eyelids feel as heavy as fridges and you feel asleep again, for a couple of hours.

8 AM now, you noticed the weak rays of sun make their way trough your curtains and you stood on your elbows, just now acknowledging that you had fallen asleep again. you found your Carl obviously still sleeping, in the same exact position you had seen him just two hours ago. you ran your fingers through his hair, trying to wake him up. he took his time to wake up (you were actually very very happy about this, because you know not long ago he hadn't been able to sleep more than 3 hours a night which wasn't good at all; and nowadays he sleeps very well). he opened his eyes a little, adjusting to the not-so-strong light of the sun. he smiled and rolled over. "5 more minutes, love" he managed to say, but it came out muffled because his face was in a pillow. "we have the candy run today love. you can have 5 more minutes though, I'm going to the bathroom to start getting ready" you spoke and got up, freezing a bit due to the change from underneath the warmth to the chilly room. you washed your face, brushed your teeth, did your hair in the comfiest and most practical way you can wear it, and wore your cosiest run-approved clothes.

when you were about to leave the bathroom, half asleep Carl entered and gave you a big hug with no words exchanged. his hair was a bit messy but that's how you liked it the most. this man also sleeps in his underwear every day of the year. just underwear for the lower part of his body. spring, summer, fall and winter. oh, but of course he had this big grandpa sweater on which made no sense to you but it didn't matter (that changes to a t-shirt when the weather is warm). you'd love this man even if he slept with nothing on. "it's just too hot for my legs! i can't wear those long pants" he said to you when u asked the first night this happened. undeniably the no-pants rule wasn't around when he couldn't sleep at night, he was too scared that something will happen and he'd have to wake up fast and leave. now the pants are on his nightstand, near. just in case.

"how was your sleep?" you asked while the hug was still going on. "it was incredible. I slept like a rock. yours?" he replied, still hugging you. "very nice. I woke up once but fell asleep right after" you answered. "so glad to hear that love. I'll be ready in ten minutes, you can wait for me downstairs" he then smiled and you broke the hug, you gave him a quick kiss and ran downstairs, not before hearing a disappointed "hey!" because it happened all too fast.

in less than ten minutes, because this man is desperate, he was downstairs and ready to go. "what about breakfast?" you stopped him right before he was about to kiss you. "oh, yeah right" he embraced you with his arms a planted a long kiss on you, so full of love that even his cowboy hat fell off his head. you laughed a bit and grabbed a couple of cookies Carol had given to you just yesterday and a few clementines. you had everything you needed because you had been so excited about this run that you got everything ready the night before. you grabbed your things and left the house. Rick and Michonne knew about this run and they probably thought there was more to it than just a bunch of candy, otherwise they wouldn't have let you guys go for sure. they were waiting at the gate, along with Eugene and Aaron. "be safe alright?" Rick insisted. he didn't like any of you, Carl or yourself, going on your own to runs for your own safety, but he knew you were capable of this and more, so he just hugged you both and wished you good luck on your searching journey. Michonne did the same and Eugene and Aaron opened the gate and said goodbye. you entered the car and after a few minutes, you were already on the go.

you enjoyed so much spending time with Carl, not like you barely did, you took every chance you could to spend time with him, so you were together most of the time, but just never got tired of it.

you love him and he loves you, deeply, like an old 1950's love.

"I'm really hoping we stumble across a big can of chocolate pudding, or chocolate bars" Carl added. "yeah I thought that's what you were craving. I was thinking about some sour gummies, like the ones they used to sell for trick or treating when that was a thing." you excitedly spoke. " I don't think I've ever told you, even though you know almost everything about me. I'm not a huge fan of anything sour, but especially candy. like, it's supposed to be sweet, not lip-puckering." he explained. "but if that's what you like, I promise we're not leaving before we find at least a tiny bag of them" he said before you could even think of an answer for what he said before. you just smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "love you to the moon and to Saturn" he smiled and replied with the same quote. "love you to the moon and to Saturn"

-will make a part 2 if requested (or not) <3

[matthewkniesys]

a summer thing au where jack and y/n stay up all night the first day back at the lake house sitting on the roof and catching up

"Hey Jack," you pause taking a breath, "I missed you this winter."

"Yeah, me too."

After that for the next few minutes the both of you stay silent, watching the sun slowly rise.

"Y/n, did we just stay out here all night?"

"I think so. God, I'm really tired now."

You look at each other and burst out laughing hysterically.

"Jack," you gasp, "Why are we laughing?"

"I don't know, probably cause we are sleep deprived from sitting on this damn roof all night. My ass really fucking hurts."

"Mine went numb awhile ago." You've calmed down and now you just lean into Jack's side, watching the sunset and wishing you could do this everday.

claires au's

[eyeofnewtblog]

This is Noni cat, and I got her 8 years ago from the shelter. They told me she was maybe six years old when I swiped my credit card for her.

She’s been a pretty active cat for at least the last 6 years; when I was living alone with just Noni as my roommate, she would jump out of my open 3 story window down to the second story window and demand food and pets, which my neighbor was happy to provide. Luckily he only had to do this once, but I was still mortified (especially since I was living in a no pets place and passing off my adoption of a cat as “my coworker is going through a divorce and asked me to watch his cat for a few weeks so that his ex didn’t cause more trouble” and all my neighbors were single older men, and I worked in a motorcycle place with 90% male coworkers so it honestly did fly under the radar…the only reason I was able to get her at all was because I did laundry/cleaning for one of my single coworkers for a week and put his number down as my landlord and he was like “yes, she can get a kitty, she’s done a really good job of keeping things clean and being responsible, I trust her.” FYI, I was also taking his dog on play dates at the doggie park down the street from me on my days off just for my own amusement, so like. He wasn’t my actual landlord but he also wasn’t lying about my ability to take care of an animal.)

Anyway, the only reason I ever ended up with Noni was because on my second date with my now husband I said I didn’t know if I wanted to buy a cat or a gun, and he and I spent 8 hours just bumming around all the pet places and gun shops that we both knew about (and meeting my aunt and grandparents because they live just up the street from one of the best pawnshops in the area, I “have some mail I need to pick up right quick, it’s just a five minute detour” and oh my goodness…you know that feeling when you see your family immediately like the person you’re dating? Yeah.)

So after husband and I move in together but before anything is official…there is a wildly out of control feral cat population in the area his apartment was in. Noni cat was fine, because she only ever hung out in the front or back yard, but the lady two houses up would put out multiple trays of food for 30+ cats. She was very sweet but also wasn’t trapping and spaying/neutering them, and we didn’t have any central ac (so doors open and fans on, we die like men, sleep with ice packs, and scrub the mud daughter nests out with dawn dish soap), so every summer, about once a week, I’d hear typical cat fighting noises, and go charging out to the living room where some random cat had Noni cornered. I stomp and shout and chase the stay cat out, Noni cuddles me for ten minutes in gratitude before the heat is too much for both of us, we move on.

Then me and husband buy a house in 2018. We move into our new suburban paradise, but alas…Noni cat is a straight up gangster cat, right out of Commerce City.

In all the years we have lived in this house, Noni cat has left a minimum of ten bunny corpses on the front lawn. Per summer.

I love her, I really do. And I recognize that cats should be indoor pets, for environmental reasons. But I legit cried when she brought a still alive baby bunny to the door (with every intention of eating it as is on the living room floor) and she accidentally dropped it and it tried to run away and instead of doing anything productive I just went inside and cried to my husband. Who laughed at me, rightfully so.

Anyway, she’s getting older now, and there’s definitely something wrong with her. She didn’t murder any baby bunnies at all this summer, got “old cat skinny and bony” and honestly refuses to go outside at all. She was always super cuddly during winter because cats like warm things, but now she wants cuddles and attention all the time.

With me starting a new job, I don’t necessarily have the money to get her fully checked out. I want to, she isn’t just a great cat, she’s the only cat my husband has ever liked; she’s wonderful and worth every penny, but fuck are we in a tight spot with his medical stuff and me having three jobs in the last 18 months. There’s no fucking ROOM on the credit cards to take care of her.

Husband found a vet that charges a lot less, but is an hour outside of town. What we save in vet bills we spend in gas to get there.

I don’t really have a point I’m leading up to, or a critical argument or analysis…my cat is dying and it fucking sucks on so many levels, because she was so instrumental in how I got where I am.

I just wanted to tell her/my story and have it be shared with random strangers who might have an interest.

[thedawningofthehour]

JUSt needed to tell you that thinking about "Profile in Quicksilver" got me through the day 💕💕💕

I also love how you incorporate worldbuilding details seamlessly into the narrative without being overwhelming! I love reading Gale & Draxum talking! Do u have any religion/traditions/custom headcanons that didn't show up in the fic (yet)?

thank you so much for writing!!!

Thank you! I do try to avoid lore dumps, even if they can be interesting at times. Ideally, people won't realize they're being lore dumped on. It's like, in a dance when you transition to a different blocking, ideally the audience shouldn't even notice you're transitioning, it should just feel like part of the choreography.

And OH FUCKING BOY DO I. Thinking about the background of the Hidden City and the Yokai as a whole has been so much fun. Making it fit with the lore we see in the show and the actual history of New York City has been so much fun-like, it's not that there happens to be a giant monster city under NYC, NYC became NYC because there was a giant monster city already there. And that's why NYC is Like That. Why are all the dark armor pieces in New York? Because that's where most magic is now, magical beings were driven out from everywhere else.

As far as religion, I've been keeping them pretty secular? Mostly because that's just an aspect I don't feel really jives with TMNT. I have a scene later on where Leo and Mikey attend church with April and her parents, but it's more out of curiosity than any real desire to take up religion. They see it as more of a cool cultural thing that an actual system of beliefs. One of the main things I can remember right now is Leo bitching about the smell of incense.

In the background, I think of the Yokai as following a lot of pagan religions. These people haven't been directly colonized or conquered (or more accurately, were ethnically cleansed instead of being colonized or conquered) so Christianity and Islam are much less common. Probably the same with some other religions that spread due to conquest, but I'm not...entirely sure what those religions would be. (Hellenism? Zoroastrianism? Taoism? Do those fit? I'm singling out Abrahamic religions because those are the most common currently) Also Christianity and Islam are pretty young religions. I haven't made a definite timeline, but I'm leaning towards most Yokai communities being established more than 2000 years ago. Leo mentioned in the Christmas chapter that there were a lot of bright reds and lights down in the Hidden City-pretty much everyone has a winter solstice holiday, so officially they're celebrating the solstice instead of any one religious holiday, and everyone's kind of free to celebrate however they want. Not a lot goes down in December, actually. Schools have most of the month off, a lot of workplaces cut their hours or just straight shut up for a few weeks, most people are partying and spending time with family. It's basically like their summer vacation.

Oh! One thing I will probably work in at some point, but the last of the Yokai migrations happened during WW1. The few remaining exclaves in the human world (like the one in Chongqing, where Tigerclaw was living) basically went "fuck it" and packed up shop, even in places where there was no fighting. It was the nail that drove home that they couldn't exist alongside humans, that even if they weren't warring with the humans themselves they would still get roped into human conflicts, and eventually they would be killed off.

And the thing is, up until recently, the Hidden City was still rather closed off from the human world, despite living underneath NYC. You have to get government approval to go topside, so most people were living their entire lives underground without ever stepping foot in NYC proper. It was really with the invention of television and then the internet that bridged the gap from the Yokai's side, and both those things took a lot longer for the Yokai to adopt. So a lot of human stuff that happened from the 1910s to around 1970s-1980s era didn't get a lot of attention down there.

Like. They know WWII happened. Objectively. By that I mean they knew shit was going down, so the Heads pulled down just about everyone who worked up top and they all just bunkered down for several years until they realized the war was over. It was an annoyance for most of them, a period of time where they couldn't get certain products or had their business disrupted because somewhere in their chain was a guy who worked at a human company and he can't do that now. They were able to read about what happened afterwards and knew vaguely of all the genocides, but most of them didn't look into it very hard. Just more humans bent on killing each other, what else was new? Most of them will still refer to WW1 as 'The Great War.'

And I thought of this scene before October, and I feel like I probably shouldn't use it now due to how politically charged it is, but originally I wanted to include a scene where someone mentions Israel and Josh is really confused because the last time he was living aboveground that area was controlled by the Ottomans and was officially part of Syria. Maybe independent Jerusalem, but why would it be Israel? Bella has to pull him aside and explain. He knew about the Holocaust, but he had no knowledge of Mandatory Palestine or the Nakba. The entire time she's talking and his eyes are just bugging out.

On the plus side, India is no longer under British rule, so he was probably pretty happy to find that out?

I had like several other things I rambled about and deleted because they were going entirely off the rails, I might post those at another time. I've thought about this world way too much and I've written far too little down. (also sorry it took so long to respond! I knew I'd go crazy and wanted to get the chapter done first, and the chapter took longer than I expected lol)

[dem-obscure-imagines]

One Morning at a Time

Warren Worthington III x Reader x Kurt Wagner

Fandom: X-Men

AU: Soulmate

Summary: While waiting for the soulmark that would change your life forever, you meet a wounded, winged mutant named Warren and a teleporter whose personality is sunshine incarnate, Kurt. You can’t help but catch feelings for them, even though you have no idea where or with whom your destiny truly lies.

Note: Reminder that I write poly stuff from time to time. I’ve been working on this fic on and off for months and it’s finally done. Now that I’m out of school (forever!(I graduated)) I’ll hopefully be a little more active! Anyway, I love these boys so, so much and I hope you do too. Tried to keep reader gender neutral, but let me know if I slipped up anywhere! Also reader’s birthday is in the summer in this (mine is personally in winter, so just pretend lol)

Warnings: canon-typical violence, mentions of surgery, language.

Word Count: 7.4k

Reader is: Gender Neutral! Also, a mutant.

It was about three months before your twenty-first birthday, and as everyone knew, that was approximately three months until your soulmark, the thing that would define the rest of your life as you knew it, would appear on your arm. Well, given that your soulmate wasn’t older than you, in which case, it could appear sooner.

You knew it was nothing to stress about, and you knew the universe would sort itself out, but that didn’t seem to stop you from worrying that you were the one person on this planet doomed to not have a mark. It was more of an absent thought, something that came and went, but something that bothered you nonetheless.

“Come on, (Y/N), it’ll be fun!” Jubilee urged, trying to get you to agree to come to the mall. “Get your mind off of things, you know?”

You thought about it for a moment. Honestly, you didn’t have that much homework…you could probably get it done whenever you all got back. You let out a sigh before finally relenting. “Alright, fine.”

In the school’s main entrance, Jean was waiting for you and Jubilee along with Scott, who had arrived a few days before, and a student you’d never met before. He was tall and blue with the most gorgeous amber eyes you’d ever seen. A spade tail swayed back and forth behind him, and when he saw the smile on your face at the sight of him, he smiled back with what had to be the most adorable smile in the world. Despite the dark colors he was sporting, the boy seemed to be sunlight incarnate.

“(Y/N), this is Kurt, Kurt, this is (Y/N).” Jubilee introduced, taking note of the way the two of you were looking at each other.

“Nice to meet you!” You said, beaming up at him. “When did you get here?”

“Um…About twenty minutes ago.” He replied, laughing softly.

“Oh wow, didn’t even give him a chance to get settled in before dragging him to the mall, huh?” You asked Jubilee, which caused her to laugh.

“I think we all need a mall trip.” Scott said, twirling a pair of keys that were definitely Professor Xavier’s around his finger. “And we better get going sooner rather than later if we don’t want to get busted by Dr. McCoy.”

“You’ve been here for less than a week and you’re already getting us into trouble…” You rolled your eyes and followed the others out the door towards where the professor kept his cars.

Jean smirked and gave Jubilee a nudge with her elbow. “I’d say he fits right in, then.”

The ride to the mall wasn’t too long. You sat in the back, smushed between the girls, but having fun nonetheless. And while Scott’s driving was a little iffy at times, he got you all there in one piece.

“Um, (Y/N)?” Kurt asked once your group was inside the mall’s doors.

“What’s up?”

“I want to pick out some clothes to…help me blend in a bit better. Jubilee said you were good at that.”

You looked at Jubilee, who gave you a mischievous grin and then back at Kurt. So you weren’t crazy, then, Jubilee had picked up on it too and was already playing match maker.

“I think I���m decent, yeah.” You nodded, smiling. “We’ll get you hooked up, Kurt.”

He grinned. “Thank you!”

“Yeah, of course.”

It didn’t take long to find something that suited him. A bright red jacket might not have been the most subtle option, but it looked great on him; complimented his skin tone and really brought out his eyes. And seeing the look on his face when he tried it on, you knew it was perfect.

“How does it feel?” Jean asked.

“It’s very comfortable.” Kurt noted, moving his arms around in it. “I like the color as well.”

“Then I’d say our work here is done. Let’s go to the arcade.” Scott said, motioning towards the door, his hands jammed in his pockets.

“So impatient.” Jean shook her head.

Once everything was paid for, you all headed up the escalators and up to the second level of the mall, where there was a giant carousel in the food court, a movie theater, an arcade, and countless stores. No wonder Jubilee loved this place so much; you definitely understood the appeal.

Once Scott was satisfied at the arcade, you all grabbed snacks and settled down in the food court. And when you did, you finally noticed the giant bruise on Kurt’s arm, which just about blended into his skin.

“Is that a bruise?” You asked, trying not to let the concern slip into your voice. You knew better than most that some humans still didn’t take very kindly to mutants. Especially mutants with a mutation as visible as Kurt’s.

Kurt looked down at the spot and then up at you, somewhat self-conscious and perhaps even a little sad. He didn’t say anything, just nodded.

You stared at it for another long moment before raising your hand, as if to touch it, but looked up at him to ask permission first. “Can I?”

Somewhat confused, Kurt nodded. You reached out and gently touched the spot with your finger and, before his very eyes, the large, dark bruise evaporated to nothing, healing in seconds. Kurt’s eyes widened and he looked up at you.

“You…you’re a healer.”

“I am.” You smiled. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I know…people can be cruel. I’ve seen a lot of injuries in my time at Xavier’s.”

“No, it’s alright.” Kurt shook his head. “Mystique just rescued me from Berlin. There was a mutant fighting ring. They…took me from my home, but…I like to think everything has a reason and,” he smiled, “I have a feeling I’m going to like it here.”

***

It was truly astonishing the difference a few hours could make. What had started off as an exciting, but normal day had quickly snowballed into what could potentially become the worst day of your life. You were on a plane to Cairo to stop the end of the world as you knew it, sitting next to Kurt and wishing beyond wishes that everyone on this plane and then some would make it back to Xavier’s in one piece. Well, what was left of Xavier’s…

“Have you ever done this before?” Kurt asked, his voice shaking.

“Not until today, no.” You replied, shaking your head. “It doesn’t feel real.”

Kurt nodded. That was the understatement of the century.

Mystique hashed out a plan as the rest of you listened carefully. She turned to you. “What can you do?”

“I’m a healer and I fly.” You told her.

She looked relieved when you said it. “Good. In that case, stay out of this as much as you can.” She paused and let out a sigh. “I have a feeling we’re going to need those healing powers.”

“Looks like they have a flyer too,” Hank noted. That was when you saw it, a flash of silver in the sky. Your heart leapt.

“And he’s got knives for wings.” Peter said, squinting out the window. “Wicked…”

“Great.” You scoffed.

When the plane touched down, everyone split off. Kurt was headed towards the pyramid to extract the professor. Mystique went up towards Magneto’s bubble with Peter to try to talk some sense into her former friend and you followed instructions, laying low until you were needed.

Well, until you saw the Angel of Death headed straight after Kurt. You looked to Hank, who hesitated before nodding. Getting the professor out took priority, and from the looks of it, Kurt could use all the help he could get.

A pair of yellow wings, not unlike a butterfly’s, sprouted from your back, glowing golden and made of energy. You ran, taking to the sky quickly and catching up to the angel without too much trouble. You tackled him out of the sky. Kurt looked back, his eyes wide when he saw you in combat with his pursuer.

“Kurt! Go!” You urged him, punching the angel in the face, causing him to stagger back. The way he was moving gave you the impression that those wings of his were heavy, and you didn’t want to find that out the hard way. “I’ve got this guy.”

He retaliated, a few sharp metal feathers dislodging from his wings and firing at you. You put up a shield, catching all but one, the one you missed barely grazing your cheek. It stung, but you stood your ground.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

His expression darkened. “Not even close.”

You had to admit, he was handsome in a threatening sort of way. He had soft golden curls and sad green eyes. Even though you were fighting, you could tell there was more to him. You had a feeling his alliance with Apocalypse was due to his circumstances rather than his beliefs. He looked so hurt. Tired.

“We don’t have to do this, you know.” When you said it, he almost paused for a moment. “We all want the same thing. We’re on the same side.”

“You don’t know anything about me.” He tried to kick your legs out from under you, but you jumped over his and countered, knocking him on his ass.

“I know you’re better than this.” You sounded so genuine when you said it, that he hesitated before starting to get off of the ground.

Jean’s voice echoed in your head. “(Y/N), Kurt has the professor. Get back here as soon as you can.”

You lifted from the ground just as Angel stood up. You flew out of the pyramid the way you came.

“Hey!”

“You’ve gotta catch me first.” You called over your shoulder, flying back to the plane in record speed, just as the others arrived. You watched for the Angel to follow you, but he was circling back for one of his other teammates, the one with the whip made of energy.

“Angel’s on his way to us.”

“Then let’s get out of here.” Hank said, raising the door you’d just come in as the plane began to rise into the air. You rushed over to the professor, looking over his injuries. His head was bleeding.

“Hi, professor,” You said softly, reaching forward. Your hand started glowing and immediately, the wound began to seal up.

“(Y/N), good to see you,” He said, relief flooding him as you took away his pain.

You chuckled. “Good to see you too.”

“You have a cut.” Kurt said, looking concerned. “On your cheek.”

You looked up at him and nodded. “I know. It doesn’t hurt that bad.”

He waited for a moment, watching you, but you didn’t make any effort to heal the wound. “Can’t you…?”

“It doesn’t work—” You were abruptly cut off by the sound of a horrible screeching noise near the back of the plane. “—on me.”

When you looked back, you saw a bright purple sword made of energy cutting through the metal and making an opening just big enough for the lady in the purple jumpsuit and the Angel himself to enter your escape vehicle.

“Everybody, grab ahold of Nightcrawler!” Jean instructed as the two intruders got closer.

Kurt’s eyes widened. “I’ve never done it with this many people!”

Jean held strong. “Get us out of here.”

One by one, everyone grabbed onto Kurt. You held his arm. Once everyone was secured, Jean used her telekinesis to lurch the plane forward, shifting the gravity. Angel fell, forced to the back of the plane, looking very uncomfortable, and Psylocke slipped out of the hole she’d just carved into the ceiling.

Kurt struggled to teleport, puffs of blue smoke appearing and disappearing around him intermittently, and in the moments the plane nosedived down, Angel managed to get to his feet. He dove forward, but just before he reached you, your surroundings changed with a poof.

There was a loud explosion somewhere in the distance. It was oddly still and quiet now. It took you a moment to gather yourself, and when you did, you saw Kurt laying there unconscious.

“Is he okay?” Scott asked while you worriedly wondered the same thing.

“It’s his energy,” Jean said, tapping into his mind. “He’s drained.”

“Kurt…” You moved closer to him, kneeling beside him and touching his cheek with a gentle hand. Your palm began to glow for a few seconds, and when you gave him your energy, you felt something dip inside you. He was really drained.

“(Y/N),” Hank said, his voice a warning. Sometimes you were convinced the scientist knew your limits better than you did, but as the resident doctor in the mansion, he often worked with the school’s only healer.

“I’m fine.” You replied, knowing fully well that might not be the case.

After a few long moments, Kurt’s eyes opened slowly and he looked up at you. “What happened?”

“You passed out.” You told him, sitting down beside him, very tired all of a sudden.

He focused on you. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m…I’m fine.”

“Take it easy, alright?” Hank said, gently pushing you back down when you tried to get up. “We’ve got it from here.”

You nodded, already feeling a little dizzy as you settled in. It couldn’t hurt to rest your eyes just for a few moments…

***

By the time you came around, it was all over. Jean had just finished off Apocalypse, and everyone was fine, for the most part. Kurt had been able to grab Peter just before his leg was broken by the ancient mutant, so the only person for you to heal was, well, yourself.

“How are you feeling?” Hank asked, kneeling beside you. He shined a flashlight in your eye and then nodded. No concussion. You were fine.

“Better. Is everyone—”

“Everyone is okay.” Hank nodded. “We’re gonna head out of here as soon as I can find a vehicle to get us out.”

“What about the plane?” Jean suggested.

Hank thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. “I mean, that’s an option…We can look into it.”

So the rest of you made your way to the plane wreckage, and, until that moment, you had forgotten about one crucial player who had been on the thing when it went down. Angel.

He was sticking out of the wreckage, his upper half pretty badly burned. You walked closer, carefully climbing through rubble.

“(Y/N), be careful!” The professor warned.

“Is he…?” Kurt asked, his voice quiet.

“No, I…” You got a bit closer, leaning into that extra sense of yours. “I think he’s alive. Barely.”

“His wings are damaged.” Hank said, looking him over as well. “He’s probably going to need surgery.”

“Are we seriously debating saving him? He tried to kill us.” Scott pointed out, not entirely convinced this was the best idea.

“So did she.” You motioned to Ororo, who was hesitantly following the rest of you in the hopes of getting out of there. “People change.”

You walked closer and knelt down, Kurt following you.

“Kurt, could you teleport him out of the wreck?”

“I think so.” He nodded and touched the angel’s arm, poofing him to where the ground was flat. You let your wings emerge and floated down from the pile of rubble to where Kurt had moved him. Meanwhile, Hank set to work repairing the plane with the aid of Jean’s telekinesis.

“I might pass out while I’m doing this, alright?” You warned Kurt. “I’ll be okay, though, I promise.”

Kurt looked hesitant, but nodded, his eyes focused on you while you reached forward, a hand hovering over the Angel’s chest, your power seeping into him as you examined him closer. The metal wings emerging from his back were broken off near the root of them. It looked like it had been painful. He had tattoos etched along the edge of his face.

“I know him.” Kurt admitted softly, watching for any sign of life on this rival of his’ face. “He was at the fight club where they took me. I…I burned his wings. I didn’t mean to, but I had to.”

“But they’re metal,” you said, confused.

Kurt shook his head. “They weren’t always. They were feathers. Beautiful. He really did look like ein Engel.” He looked so guilty when he said it.

“It’s not your fault.” You told him. “You didn’t have a choice.”

Kurt nodded, but he didn’t say anything, just watching for any twitch of movement. And then, finally, the angel’s chest heaved with a breath and his eyes shot open. He sat up with a groan, flinching away from you, but regretting it immediately, as all of his pain came flooding back as soon as he was out of the range of your powers.

“He lives!” Peter exclaimed, zooming over. He looked at you for what was probably the first time. “Hey, cool powers. Does it work on any injury?”

“Pretty much.” You shrugged, feeling a little dizzy, but not overwhelmingly so. As you sat back a bit, Kurt put an arm around you for support. “Within reason, I mean.”

“You…?” Angel said slowly, visibly still in pain. “You helped me.”

“Yeah.” You shrugged. “I told you, we’re on the same side. Now get back over here so I can treat your burns.”

***

Things got back to normal-ish way sooner than you expected. Jean and Magneto put the school back together in a single afternoon, and you helped all of the other students get readjusted. This included Warren, the Angel, who, Hank was right, needed surgery to remove the broken remnants of his metal wings.

He’d been on painkillers for a week because you’d been resting up after everything in Cairo, but now you were finally ready to help Hank with the procedure.

You walked into the infirmary to find Warren there sitting on the bed, in a gown, his arms crossed and a vacant look on his face. His eyes flicked up to yours once the door opened.

“How are you doing?”

He shrugged. “As well as I can, I guess. Not in too much pain.” You could have sworn he smirked the tiniest bit. “They’ve got me on the good stuff.”

“Good. I’m sure it would be awful if you weren’t.” You tucked a piece of hair behind your ear and looked over his chart. Hank walked in not long after.

“Oh good, you’re here.” He said to you. He was holding a binder in his hands and his eyes flicked nervously between you and Warren. “So, I was analyzing the samples I took when we first brought you here, and I didn’t want to get your hopes up—this is also the reason I insisted (Y/N) fully rested before we attempted anything—but it seems your natural wings and bones are…well, they’re trying to regrow. If we remove the metal, there’s a chance that—”

“That I’ll have wings again.” Warren finished quietly. “That they’ll go back to the way they were before?”

“Yes.” Hank confirmed, nodding.

“Well in that case…Do whatever you have to do to me.” Warren stared at the end of his bed. “I think it’s worth the risk.”

“Perfect. I’ll go get the operation room prepped.” Hank nodded and left the two of you alone again.

“How’s your soulmate?” Warren asked. He seemed genuine about it when he did. “That blue guy? Nightcrawler?”

“Oh, Kurt?” You said, laughing a little as you shook your head. “He’s not my soulmate.”

“Oh! I just assumed the two of you were—”

“I don’t turn twenty-one for another three months, so…even if he was, I wouldn’t know that yet.”

“Mmm.” Warren hummed, nodding. “Gotcha. Sorry I assumed—”

“It’s okay.” You shrugged. “No harm done.”

You prepped the IV with the anesthesia in it. “Well, Angel—”

“Warren.” He interrupted, looking unsure of himself when he did. You had a feeling it’d been a long time since anyone had called him that. “My name is Warren.”

“Well, Warren, I’ll see you on the other side, then.”

***

The procedure went without a hitch, and although you were drained from growing a pair of giant feather-covered wings basically from scratch, you were fine. You both were. You walked into the cafeteria for dinner that night looking very tired and weak. Kurt teleported in front of you, looking you over with concern.

“Are you alright? How did it go?”

“It went great! I’m just tired.” You said, reaching out to touch his arm so he could take both of you back to the table. In a puff of smoke, you were sitting at the round table with the others. “Big jobs like that tend to wipe me out.”

“And is he…” Jubilee started, looking around and lowering her voice. “Still…”

“I regrew his wings. His original wings. From scratch. That’s why it took so long.” You said, chuckling. “I could use some caffeine.”

Before you could even blink, Peter came back with a can of Redbull.

“Thanks.”

“You’re a miracle worker,” Jean teased, a proud grin on her face.

“Something like that.”

Jubilee’s eyes widened as she looked up at the entrance to the cafeteria. “Don’t look now, but…he’s here.”

You blinked a few times, focusing intensely on opening your can of desperately-needed energy drink.

“Holy shit, you did that yourself?” Peter asked looking up at Warren’s very much in-tact wings. “Impressive. Do you think if my leg fell off, you’d be able to grow me a new one?”

“I don’t think so.” You chuckled. “His wings were already regenerating. That’s why I was able to help him grow new ones. I’m just surprised I managed to get it all done in one day.”

Warren walked through the line, got some food, and then looked around the cafeteria for somewhere to sit. Just before he left to go eat alone in his room, Kurt waved him over. Warren thought about it for a long moment, hesitating. But then he saw you and Ororo sitting there with the rest of them and decided to give it a shot.

“Mind if I sit with you?”

“You can sit with us.” You nodded, motioning to the only empty spot, the one across from you.

He nodded and slid into place.

“How are you feeling?”

“Normal.” He said, pausing before continuing, “which is weird, all things considered. I’m not even tired.”

“My powers seem to have that effect on people, yeah.” You took a sip of your drink. “How are your wings doing?”

“They’re sore, but that’s normal. It happens every—” He stopped himself, shrugging. “Just sometimes, you know?”

“Yeah.”

“Hey, Angel, we’re thinking about having a bonfire tonight.” Jubilee said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re welcome to join us if you want. We’ll have s’mores and soda and stuff.”

Scott made a weird face, but Jean elbowed him before Warren noticed.

“I don’t know—”

“We have weenies to roast.” Peter said, disappearing for a single second only to return with a package of uncooked hotdogs. “The true American experience.” He nudged Kurt. “For ‘lil Kurt here.”

“He’s taller than you. By a lot.” You laughed at the face Peter made when you said it and he muttered something before running off to refrigerate the hot dogs until later. Kurt got a laugh out of it, too.

“Where are you doing this?”

***

It was the perfect night for this sort of thing, you decided. The sky was clear enough to make out each individual star, and there was a little breeze, but it wasn’t too chilly, even though it was dark. You’d made a fire out near the edge of campus, and the boys had pulled up some logs for you all to sit on.

You were sitting over by the cooler, watching the flames as they slowly ate at the wood. So far everyone was there. Everyone except Warren. Peter had brought his boom box out so the rest of you could listen to music. Jubilee had taken it over almost immediately and was playing ABBA, which you didn’t mind.

“Is this seat taken?” It was Warren’s voice, deep and quiet, right behind you.

“I didn’t think you’d make it.” You looked up at him, smiling.

“I didn’t think you would either, honestly.” He said swinging one leg over the log and then the other before sitting next to you. “You look exhausted.”

You laughed dryly. “I am. I should have taken a nap when I had the chance.”

“Thank you, by the way. For this.” His wings fluttered the tiniest bit when he said it.

“Of course.” You nodded. For a moment, you let your own wings shimmer into existence before making them disappear again. “Us winged folk have got to stick together.”

“Warren! You made it!” Peter rushed over, handing Warren a hotdog on a stick to be roasted. “One weenie, as promised.”

Warren laughed. “Thanks.”

Kurt walked over to you, holding up his marshmallow, which was barely approaching golden. “Is this cooked enough?”

“A little more, I think, but that’s just how I like mine. As long as it’s pretty warm, it’ll still make the chocolate all melty.”

Kurt nodded, holding the marshmallow a little closer to the flames for a little longer to get a little more color on it. The three of you were quiet for a long moment, Warren on your left side, Kurt on your right, the fire crackling calmingly. “Dancing in the Moonlight” started playing on the boom box, interrupting Jubilee’s ABBA music, but for good reason. You loved that song and couldn’t help but sway a little while it was playing.

“This isn’t the first time my wings have grown back.” Warren said quietly. The way he said it made it sound like he was unburdening something to the two of you he hadn’t told anyone in a long time. “When…when they first grew in, my…parents had them removed. Surgically. They thought that would fix it. Fix me. But…mutations don’t work like that, it turns out. It took three months of the worst pain of my life—well, until Cairo at least—but they grew back in. After that, they gave up. Just…made me cover them up when we went out.”

“Wow.” You said, your voice swallowed up by the sounds around you. “Holy shit, Warren. I’m…so sorry that happened to you.”

“Yeah, so am I. But, I think you healing me today affirmed what I’ve known…There’s…” He let out a huge sigh, his voice wavering. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

You reached over and rested your hand on top of his, smiling softly. Kurt looked over, a gentle look in his eyes. “There’s nothing wrong with you, Warren.”

Warren’s wing settled around your shoulders, the ends of his feathers reaching Kurt’s shoulders as well. There was warmth in that moment, and not just from the fire. But you suspected that with the two of them around…that warmth wasn’t going to go away any time soon.

***

It was an incredibly hot summer’s day and your birthday approached ever quicker. It was only a month away now, and something you couldn’t help but think about in passing. Every time you did, the place on your arm where you mark would once be began to tingle ever so slightly.

“Earth to (Y/N)?” Peter waved a hand in your face, causing you to snap out of your thoughts.

“What, Maximoff?” You asked, looking up at him from your spot under the shadiest tree in the yard.

“Everyone’s hanging out by the pool. Jean sent me to get you.”

“Oh. Co—”

Before you could finish that thought, your surroundings changed entirely and suddenly you were dumped on a lounge chair beside the campus’ pool, nauseous as hell. Scott, Ororo, and Jean were currently in the water splashing each other and Jubilee was on the chair beside you. Over in the corner, Warren was perched on a barstool, sipping on what appeared to be a Shirley Temple. He tended to perch a lot, you noticed.

“Peter I swear, the next time you do that, I’m gonna puke.” You took a breath, willing your body to settle after being rushed there faster than the speed of light.

“Promise?”

“Ew.” Jubilee grimaced, shaking her head. She looked at you. “How are you holding up in this heat?”

“A little better now.” You shrugged. “Aside from the nausea, that is.” You looked around again, running a tally in your head. “Where’s Kurt?”

“He went upstairs to change into his swim trunks.” Jean replied. “Should be back any—”

In a puff of smoke, Kurt appeared about ten feet above the deep end, doing a flip before landing in the pool with a splash. He surfaced a few seconds later, a giant grin on his face. Meanwhile Warren shook the water droplets out of his wings, looking mildly annoyed.

Peter clapped, now holding up a sign with a 10 on it. “Perfect technique, Wagner. A very well-executed flip.”

“Thank you.” Kurt chuckled. He looked up at you and immediately, his smile, somehow, got even brighter. With another puff of smoke, he was beside you, dripping water onto the concrete. “How are you doing today?”

“I’m doing good! It’s really hot out today, huh?”

“Ja.” Kurt nodded. He glanced at Warren at the bar and then back at you. “Do you want a drink?”

“Sure!” You looked up at Warren, who looked lost in thought, somewhat flustered. “Hey Worthington, what are you sipping on over there?”

“Huh? Oh. Shirley Temple.” He replied, a smirk finding his features. “Want me to make you one?”

“If you want to.”

Warren nodded, setting down his drink and stepping behind the bar. God, he was so hot. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, the front of it open, revealing the abs you never realized he had. And of course, his massive biceps were on full display in those short sleeves. What a hunk.

Hmmmmm, interesting… you heard Jean’s voice in your head and immediately your cheeks reddened.

Jean… You thought, your tone warning.

I already knew. We all did. You’re not exactly subtle. But uh…what’s going on with you and Kurt?

You eyebrows furrowed. You looked at him. He was sitting on the edge of the pool now, his legs kicking in the water. Where Warren was beefy, his muscles carefully curated with hours of exercise outside of your normal training, Kurt was all lean muscle, tall and agile. You still held to the reality that his eyes were the most beautiful you’d ever seen, and his smile outshined the brightest stars in the sky, his pointed teeth only adding to his charm.

Your soulmate sure has a lot to live up to, huh? Jean asked, only now realizing the full scope of the emotions you felt.

You sighed. You’re telling me…

***

It was a week out from your birthday and the group had ventured once again to the mall. It had become something of a weekly thing, but this trip was extra special, as you’d be picking out something to wear to the party Jubilee insisted on throwing you. And, unbeknownst to you, it was also the day the two mutants you held nearest and dearest to your heart would be finding birthday presents for you.

The plan was to divide and conquer. Jubilee, Peter, and Jean went with you while Ororo, Scott, Warren, and Kurt went off on their own to “look at records.”

Jubilee pulled a top off of the rack and held it up to you, tilting her head for a moment before frowning and putting it back. You chuckled.

“What kind of party even is this, Jubes? I’m sure I have something suitable laying around.”

“Well, sure you do, but it’s special! It’s your twenty-first! Which means…”

“Right.” You nodded. “I know. I mean, if they’re younger than me, then there’s a chance it won’t show up anyway.”

“But it’s a fifty-fifty shot.” Peter pointed out, shrugging. “Pretty likely it will.”

“It’s just as likely that it won’t.” Jean countered.

Your heart raced at the thought. Of something so monumental coming up so fast. The universe finally revealing to you your other half. It was…nerve-wracking to say the least. Jean seemed to notice this shift in you and walked closer, touching your arm.

“You okay?” She asked.

You nodded, shuffling through the rack of clothes in front of you. “I’m good. It’s just a lot, you know?”

Jean did know. She and Scott had only recently found out that they were soulmates (of no surprise to anyone around them) on Scott’s twenty-first. They were good together and they were working it out, but for you, there was no way to know if whoever your soulmate was would be a good fit with you. Maybe they weren’t open to mutants. And worse yet, there was the issue of the two crushes you were already harboring. But somehow you had to figure it out. All of it. And now, you only had a week to do so.

Meanwhile, across the mall, Warren browsed a shelf of books at the Barnes & Noble, trying, for the life of him, to pick one that you’d like. He’d caught you reading countless times, but all of this romance novel nonsense was foreign to him.

“Have you found something yet?” Kurt asked, a similar look of panic on his own face.

Warren shook his head. “No. You?”

“No.” Kurt sighed, his tail drooping. “I don’t want to let them down.”

“Yeah, same.” Warren admitted, his feathers ruffling the tiniest bit in frustration.

“Warren.” Scott reached over and plucked a book off of the shelf, handing it to him. On the cover was a shirtless man with long, flowing golden hair, and behind him were an enormous pair of wings. It was…suggestive to say the least.

“Ugh, Scott.” Warren rolled his eyes and put the book back while Scott laughed.

“You two are overthinking it.” Ororo said, crossing her arms. “Whatever you get them will be good enough. (Y/N) isn’t materialistic. And…they obviously care about you. Something like a birthday present isn’t going to change that.”

“I know, but I—erm—we want to make it special for them.” Warren said while side glancing in Kurt’s direction.

Kurt looked at Warren, who was no longer looking at him, and nodded. Ororo looked between the two of them, something sparkling in her eyes. Maybe she knew something even the two of them hadn’t realized yet, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know there was more to their connection than what laid at the surface. If the way they’d met had shown anything, it was that they were intrinsically linked, pulled together by something much stronger than coincidence.

About twenty minutes later, the group left the bookstore empty-handed. According to Scott, Jean told him the rest of you were meeting in the food court to get some food. Their half of the group found yours relatively easily among the mall’s usual crowd.

“Find any cool records?” You asked Warren innocently.

He hesitated for a moment, forgetting that was the lie they’d told you so they could slip away. “Oh, uh, no, not today.”

“Bummer.” You chuckled.

“Eh, I’m not torn up about it. Jubes force you to buy something new to wear to your own birthday party?” He asked, smirking.

“Hey!” Jubilee protested.

“Yep!” You held up the shopping bag in question.

“It’s really cute, though.” Jubilee argued, trying to defend herself.

“It is.” You nodded.

“Hey I’m starving, are we getting food now, or…?” Peter asked, already looking around the food court to figure out what he’d eat first. Being a speedster, he had quite the appetite, given the amount of calories he burned every time he moved faster than the average person did. Which, in Peter’s case, was quite a bit.

“Yes, Peter, we’re getting food now.” Jubilee laughed, shaking her head.

***

It was weird how time worked, you mused. It was now the night before your twenty-first birthday. You were at the party Jubilee had thrown for you, sipping from a glass of cherry coke. As soon as midnight hit, you either would or wouldn’t get the mark that defined the rest of your existence. It was a lot to think about.

“Are you alright?”

It was Kurt. Of course it was Kurt. You looked up and met his concerned eyes.

“I’m hanging in there, yeah.” You let out a shaky sigh, tears welling in your eyes.

“Oh, hey, it’s okay!” Kurt said, reacting immediately. He guided your drink to the railing of the deck at the edge of the yard, where you were hiding out, and pulled you into his arms. You surrendered to his touch, wrapping your arms around him. You felt him rest his head against yours, holding you tight while he rubbed comforting circles on your back. “I know it’s scary, but…It’ll all work out, liebe. I promise.”

You sniffled, nodding against him. “Kurt?”

“Yeah?”

“Did…did you…?”

“I don’t have a mark yet, liebe.” He sighed, holding you a little tighter. “The moment came and went. I…” he chuckled to himself a little, “I check every morning, but…nothing yet.”

“How do you do it?” You asked, looking up at him.

He pulled away the slightest bit, stroking your cheek with his hand and gently wiping away your tears. “One morning at a time.”

You nodded and stared up at him for a long time. He was good at this, at comforting you. You knew that whoever Kurt’s soulmate was, they were incredibly lucky. And even still, there was a little piece of you that hoped it was you. But you’d have that answer one way or another in a few hours, you supposed.

“Go have fun. Take your mind off of it.” Kurt said and you smiled, nodding. “But if you need to talk, I’m always here.”

“Thank you.” You grabbed your drink and headed back out to the yard, greeted immediately by the cheers of the rest of your friends.

Meanwhile, on the deck, Warren walked up the steps and stood next to Kurt, his eyes locked on you and a glass of something a little sharper than soda in his hand.

“(Y/N) okay?” Warren asked, his arm just brushing Kurt’s on the railing.

Kurt nodded. “I think so.”

Warren looked over at Kurt, his eyes lingering on the teleporter’s before he asked, “are you okay?”

He nodded again before repeating, a little more unsure, “I think so.”

“Good.” Warren turned his attention back to the others, taking a long sip from his cup.

“Warren?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you…have a mark?”

“Nope.” Warren replied, smirking. His jacket was usually covering his arms anyway, so he was sure that information was a mystery to most of their friend group, if not all of them. “Lost track of time while I was in Berlin, but I’m twenty-two now. That day came and went and I never even noticed…”

Kurt nodded, quiet.

“Buddy, if you’re (Y/N)’s soulmate…I won’t be mad about it.” Warren said, fiddling with the cup in his hands. His wings were fidgeting due to the confession, tremors running through his feathers. Kurt could tell it was something Warren had been thinking about for a long time. “They deserve someone who’ll take care of them as good as you do.”

“You think I—”

“I think what the two of you have is special.” Warren said. It was the truth. He nudged Kurt’s arm with his own, earnest. “And if we’re being honest, I thought you two were soulmates after seeing the way you took care of each other in Cairo. It just…made sense. It still does.”

Kurt was quiet for a long moment, processing. “And…if you’re their soulmate…”

Warren scoffed, chuckling and shaking his head.

“I think you’d be perfect for them, too.” Kurt said, his heart racing in his chest. “You should see the way they look at you. It’s like something out of a movie.”

Warren nodded, but didn’t reply.

“And I’m sorry, Warren. For burning your wings. I—”

“You don’t have to feel bad about that anymore, Kurt.” Warren shook his head and reached over, tentatively resting his hand atop Kurt’s. “It’s not your fault. It was never your fault. And…” His wings fluffed up the tiniest bit as he spoke about them. “(Y/N) fixed me right up anyway.”

Kurt smiled, the weight of what he’d considered one of his greatest sins lifting off of his shoulders, leaving him unburdened on the warm summer night.

Warren motioned to all of their friends on the makeshift dance floor. “Now let’s get back out there with the others, yeah?”

***

It was finally time. Peter had run up to Jubilee and Jean’s room to retrieve a mirror so you could see the mark whenever it showed up. Any second now, your life would change forever. Or maybe it wouldn’t, and you would just have to wait and wait and wait for the day that it would.

But you had a feeling deep in your, well, your soul, that tonight was the night.

“Do you want a countdown?” Scott asked.

“No.” You covered your eyes with your left hand, as the mark would appear on your right arm. “Just tell me if it shows up. Or…or if it doesn’t.”

The next moments were agonizing and slow. Your leg bounced anxiously, waiting for anything, a gasp from one of your friends or a tingling sensation on your arm…any sign that it was happening. And then, slowly, a tickle swirled along your bicep, tracing out what felt like a very complicated soulmark. You were shaking now.

“Is it…?”

“Oh my god.” Jubilee said, covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh my god!”

You pulled your hand away from your eyes and turned to look. There was a mark alright. On it were two wings. One, the one on the left, resembled that of a butterfly, not unlike your own wings. The other, made of feathers, matched up next to the first. And then, gently, a very familiar spaded tail curled around them.

You looked at Kurt first, the tail in question wavering behind him nervously as he rolled up his sleeve high enough to check for a mark in the spot you’d received yours. Sure enough, there was an identical mark there, shimmering against his blue skin.

You burst into happy tears, immediately reaching for him. Kurt hugged you, lifting you off of the ground in the process. Meanwhile, Warren was frozen in place, Ororo and Jubilee trying to get his leather jacket off of him in order to check his arm as well. A few long moments later, he snapped out of his daze and helped them, sliding his wings out of the holes effortlessly.

He didn’t expect it to be true. It was…simply too good to be true. It had to be a dream, or maybe you and Kurt were tethered to another mystery mutant with wings like his, but sure enough, his bicep was branded with the same mark as you and Kurt. A soulmark, even after all of this time.

The two of you broke your embrace to look at him and Warren stood there with tears in his eyes, stunned in disbelief until you wrapped your arms around him, your head resting against his broad chest. Warren wrapped one arm around you while the other reached out for Kurt, beckoning him to join, and he did without hesitation. Once you were all huddled together, Warren’s wings slowly closed around the two of you, his soulmates.

And finally, it all felt right. Every twist in the path that had led all of you to that moment made sense. Kurt and Warren had always been your destiny, just as they had been each other’s.

“Did you know this could happen?” Peter asked Scott under his breath, looking on as three of their friends all simultaneously started dating each other.

“No, did you?”

“No, but…it makes a lot of sense.” Peter smiled. “I think they’re good for each other.”

Jean smiled that ever-knowing smile of hers. “I think so too, Maximoff.”

[ahedderick]

Around the Yard

It was a yardwork sort of day. So much so that I may be regretting it tomorrow, actually. I started out by going down to Home Farm and digging up some of the overcrowded snowdrop and daffodil bulbs here and there. My father really did plant daffodils . uh . EVERYWHERE. There are thousands of them. I stored them temporarily in plastic bags, then came home to deal with

the berry area. It needed to have the anti-Nutmeg fence fixed up a bit and lengthened at each end, a few early-rising weeds pulled, and more cardboard put down. I just hope I get another scoop of mulch before we have a high wind. The chickens were watching me, so I went in their run and turned a few shovelfuls of dirt for them; frantic scratching and earthworm for lunch!

The strawberries should NOT be evergreen. However, there was almost no true cold weather this winter, and . . there they are. (the little mushroom is a sculpture, btw)

There are two rhubarb plants in here, and one of them has a first leaf looking hopeful.

Current census is three beds of strawberries, two rhubarb (I hope), two blueberry bushes, and two nanking cherry bushes that came up (very puzzlingly) in the woods. The one I planted last year, which was dug up from very poor soil on the ridge, grew amazingly well last summer for a transplant. Here is a photo from just about a yr ago:

versus today:

That is just crazy new growth for a plant that was pulled out of shaley clay after it had already broken dormancy.

[swetty88]

Steven Universe Future Timeline (Including the Movie) [Short version]

We recently made a timeline for the events of Steven Universe Future, including the movie. It was very entertaining to find the exact dates, but we have to admit, it was a very long post that I had to remove a bit of the formatting to comply with the character limit, also, it takes a long time to read. So I made a condensed, shorter and better formatted version of the post.

My inspiration for creating this timeline was the original series timeline made by NubOnReddit on Reddit, which you can find by clicking here.

I considered some details for the construction of the timeline. Some from the series and others based on the timeline on Reddit:

Steven's birthday is August 15th. (Canon)

Steven was born in 2001, turns 16 in 2017 and 17 in 2018. (Headcanon)

With the exception of "The Future", Steven is 16 years old in the entire season of Future, according to his medical record in "Growing Pains". (Canon)

"Snow Day" occurs in December (Headcanon) and from Monday to Wednesday. (Canon)

"Snow Day" occurs one week before the third quarter (Canon), for Steven and by extension for Little Homeschool, third quarter means the third month of the four-month school period. (Headcanon)

"Little Homeschool" and "Guidance" are at most a week apart because Little Homeschool is recent. (Headcanon)

"Little Homeschool" and "Little Graduation" are at least two months apart because during that time Sadie and Shep start dating. (Canon)

"Rose Buds" and "Snow Day" are at least a month apart because Steven becomes a vegetarian. (Canon)

"Prickly Pair" occurs in June because among Steven's plants is a blue campanula, which blooms in June. (Headcanon)

"Bismuth Casual" takes place in mid-June because it is after exams at the cram school. (Headcanon)

"Together Forever" takes place during the beginning of the school vacations because Connie might be getting ready for college in the morning and it seems like her 15-minute break is recent. (Headcanon)

School vacations in human schools don't interfere with classes at Little Homeschool. Classes are from Monday to Friday throughout the year and Saturdays and Sundays are days off. (Headcanon)

"Growing Pains" takes place the day after "Together Forever" because Connie told Steven that she would call him at lunchtime in the previous episode. (Canon)

"Mr. Universe" takes place two days after "Growing Pains" because Steven said that he went to the hospital two days ago. (Canon)

In "Mr. Universe" Greg says his parents go to Florida Island every winter. To keep things consistent, Greg's parents also started traveling in the summer and he didn't know it. (Headcanon)

"Fragments" takes place one day after "Mr. Universe" (Headcanon) and has a range of five days. (Canon)

"Homeworld Bound” takes place on the night of the fifth day of "Fragments" (A.K.A. the day Steven shattered and revived Jasper) and in the early morning of the next day, on which "Everything's Fine" takes place. (Canon)

"Everything's Fine" and "I Am My Monster" occur on the same day. (Canon)

"The Future" takes place months after "I Am My Monster" (Canon) between October and early December. (Canon)

In the movie, the events supposedly began on May 21 (a Monday in 2018) according to Sadie Killer and the Suspects concert poster. However, it would be impossible for Steven to be 16 in "Growing Pains" if he had already gone through a winter. So I interpreted it as a moment of a little mistake (Like when Garnet asked a question in "Cheeseburger Backpack" or when Connie was affected by Blue Diamond's power in "Reunion") and adjusted the start date to Monday, August 21, 2017, with Steven turning 16 a few days ago.

As I progressed through the timeline, I included a few more details based on which month the events of each episode were most likely:

Since "Snow Day" occurs on Monday December 25 (2017), January 1, 2018 would be the start of the third quarter. So, Little Homeschool started on November 1, 2017.

The graduation of the Off Colors would be on February 28, 2018.

From "Little Homechool" to "A Very Special Episode", each episode would occur on a different day of the week.

"Little Homeschool" occurs on Monday, November 6 because the school would be in its first days and because… it's Monday.

In 2018, June 14 was Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan), so "Bismuth Casual" occurs after the mentioned date so Patricia can be present without skipping Tarawih (Correct me if I'm wrong).

Due to a chain of days that links the episodes from "Together Forever" to "I Am My Monster", "Together Forever" can only occur on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, and "Everything is Fine" occurs on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday respectively.

"The Future" occurs over two days, as Connie is present on the morning of the first day and it doesn't appear to be a school day at Little Homeschool, the first day occurs on a Saturday or Sunday and the second day occurs on a Sunday or Monday respectively.

For some dates I implemented the following matches (I'm Peruvian, so I looked for dates in the United States because the series is set there. Correct me if I'm wrong on some):

"Guidance" occurs on November 11 because it's Veterans Day, the healed gems are basically military veterans.

"Why So Blue?" occurs on January 17 because it's International Mentoring Day. As Steven and Lapis try to teach two other Lapises to stop destroying worlds, the concept fits.

"Growing Pains" occurs on June 27 because it's National PTSD Awareness Day. In this episode we see that Steven has PTSD, and Dr. Maheswaran gave a good explanation of the topic.

The second day of "The Future" (A.K.A. when Steven begins his journey) occurs on Monday, November 5 because it would be exactly one year after "Little Homeschool" (November 6, but still a Monday). It would be symbolic because a year ago was the beginning of Steven's problems that unleashed his pink outburst, and now he's healing from his traumas and began a journey to discover himself.

After several calculations of days of the week and doing discard methods, the timeline looks like this:

The Movie:

Monday August 21, 2017 - Tuesday August 22, 2017

Little Homeschool:

Monday November 6, 2017

Guidance:

Saturday November 11, 2017

Rose Buds:

Sunday November 19, 2017

Volleyball:

Wednesday November 22, 2017

Bluebird:

Friday December 1, 2017

A Very Special Episode:

Tuesday December 5, 2017 - Thursday December 7, 2017

Snow Day:

Monday December 25, 2017 - Wednesday December 27, 2017

Why So Blue?:

Wednesday January 17, 2018

Little Graduation:

Wednesday February 28, 2018 - Thursday March 1, 2018

Prickly Pair:

Saturday June 2, 2018 - Monday June 4, 2018

In Dreams:

Saturday June 9, 2018 - Sunday June 10, 2018

Bismuth Casual:

Friday June 15, 2018

Together Forever:

Tuesday June 26, 2018

Growing Pains:

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Mr. Universe:

Friday June 29, 2018

Fragments:

Saturday June 30, 2018 - Wednesday July 4, 2018

Homeworld Bound:

Wednesday July 4, 2018 - Thursday July 5, 2018

Everything's Fine:

Thursday July 5, 2018

I Am My Monster:

Thursday July 5, 2018

The Future:

Sunday November 4, 2018 - Monday November 5, 2018

Well, this was the short version of the Steven Universe Future timeline post including the movie. I think the essential is understood. I'll leave the link to the long version at the end in the future.

More information:

Long Version

Spanish Version | Versión en Español

[justmultifandom]

Kidge winter event

Day 4: Winter Holidays

(This is a Modern AU)

The Christmas holidays: a real break for students with the end of the first quarter. Katie sighed as she placed the large cup of hot black tea on the white saucer. She looked impatiently at the clock: four sixteen in the afternoon, she had been there for almost an hour now. Next to her, on the comfortable sofa with red cushions, her heavy canvas bag was still placed with notebooks and notes from the quarter inside. The beautiful bar door opened and a small bell rang while the sound of heavy rubber boots got closer and closer until it reached her with a wave of petrol and mint perfume. “Sorry for the delay, there was a lot of traffic due to the snow…”: the man smiled sheepishly, taking off his gray hat and red jacket: “I should have sent you a message, I know, it's my fault…” “Don't worry…”: Katie giggled: “The important thing is that you're here, Keith..” He smiled. After the unfortunate events of last year they had stopped seeing or writing to each other, and now they had finally had the courage to talk about it. What had happened between them was just a misunderstanding, a bad joke and a bad mistake. The summer had been hell for both of them. “I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I didn't call you or… just hear from you…”: she sighed, bringing the cup to her lips and taking a sip of the hot drink. “I didn't call you either…”: he replied: “We are equal in many aspects…” There was a brief pause in which neither of them could speak. Katie was casting her mind and memories back to the events of the past year, their effects and causes. They had been best friends throughout high school and middle school, and even when he dated Acxa in her junior year, breaking her little heart, she never betrayed their friendship. She had simply pretended nothing had happened; she had moved on with her life and her studies, also finding a kind and willing boyfriend to fill that void in her chest. All it took was some alcohol and a big Christmas party at Lance's house to make them sleep together, cheating on their partners at the same time. “How did Acxa cope?”: she asked, finding any excuse to speak and interrupt that deafening silence. “We argued, of course, but then everything went well…”: he replied, tapping his fingers nervously and slowly on the polished wooden table. “I'm happy…”: she nodded: “James and I broke up…” That had no relevance, however it was right that he knew it too. Apparently he had caught them making out at the party and when Katie returned to the apartment they shared the next morning, the suitcases were already packed and ready by the door while the furniture was bare of all her things. “I've always hated that asshole…”: Keith groaned, “You have no idea how much I wanted to punch him when you told me you were dating…” She bit back a small, amused smile, then cleared her throat. “What do you think we should do now?” She asked, playing with her fingers as he looked up at her for a moment. “What would you like to do?”: he asked in turn. “I don't know, become friends again and bury what happened? I don't think Acxa will be happy to know that I'm your best friend again after what happened…": she shook her head. “Acxa is not the problem, she and I decided to end our relationship a few months ago. Now she's with Veronica..”: he informed her. “OH…”: she squeaked in surprise: “I'm sorry…” “Don't be, we just talked calmly and came to the conclusion that everything was simply not as we had imagined…”: he explained. “And how would you have imagined it?”: she asked, daringly. “With a special person who has always been next to me, but who I was so blind as not to see completely…”: Keith looked at her with a slight smile, devouring her through his eyes. “Are you saying that after years I can be with the person I've always loved?”: she asked, as he moved next to her. "It depends on you…" Katie smiled. All of that was enough. She pulled him down for a kiss.

[kareofbears]

hand of god, deliver me

Wednesday hated summers. Will continue to hate summers.

Her phone vibrates. I’m outside! :D

But it’s possible she started hating summers a little less.

--

Or, Wednesday and Enid spend the last day of summer together.

Read on ao3 or below the cut

Wednesday hated summers.

Winters are her preferred season. She prefers long, flowy fabric that covers as much of her as possible. She prefers the cold, likes the way air tastes when she steps outside, the way it clings to her like shedding skin, flimsy but present. She loves the dark—loves the way the sun has already set by the time she leaves her classes, loves the shadows the trees cast from the flickering street lights above her. Love the way it makes the hair on the back of her neck rise when she realizes she can’t see more than a block in front of her. Loves the effect it has on people, makes them nervous, makes them crazed.

Summer has none of these.

Even from inside her home, the sun had managed to squeeze its way through the black-out curtains and light up the living room in a way that makes her eye twitch. She sits on her family’s piano bench, idly touching the monochrome keys. Her black skirt is comforting, though it makes the back of her legs sticky with sweat. Air conditioning is a push of a button, but there’s something sickening about the faux-chill. The way it snakes around the room, flowing into her lungs, suffocating her. Even sweat and body odor is preferable to that.

A bird sings from outside the window—a robin with a sonorant throat. Wednesday digs her nails into the keys, the sound clashing together unpleasantly.

Wednesday hated summers. Will continue to hate summers.

Her phone vibrates. I’m outside! :D

But it’s possible she started hating summers a little less.

She stands, swipes her phone off the table before sliding it into her pocket, and heads out the door silently. No need to call out a goodbye. Her parents always know when she’s left the house.

Down her driveway, standing in direct sunlight, stands Enid, sporting a smile so wide that Wedneday believes that she’s physically incapable of replicating it. Only in the span of a few months, Enid had grown an inch taller, increasing their height gap even further.

The first thing that she says is, “Your hair.”

“Huh? Oh,” Enid touches her hair, almost shy. Instead of the pink and blue, it’s now red and green. “I figured it’s time for a change. Do you like it?”

Wednesday tilts her head to the side. “It’s festive,” she says eventually.

“It’s August,” Enid reminds. “It’s not supposed to be festive.”

“Then what is it supposed to be?”

“A change?” she shifts on her feet. “Something different, I guess.” Glancing at Wedneday, her eyes warm. “I considered black, believe it or not.”

Wedneday’s mouth twitches. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I didn’t go through with it, now did I?” Their eyes are still connected, and her heart thumps as though she were terrified. As though there was something dangerous nearby that can chew her up, spit her out, with only her bones remaining left to remember her by.

She blinks. It’s only Enid. Enid in her bright sundress, with pink shades perched on top of her head like a nesting bird, who’s taller now but doesn’t make Wednesday feel smaller.

“Let’s go before we miss the bus.”

—

It has been a very long time since Wednesday had used public transportation.

It’s surprisingly pleasant, despite the air conditioning. Other than the two of them, only the bus driver and an elderly woman were onboard, allowing the two of them to sit in the back without any interruption. Thankfully, Enid lets her have the window seat.

Enid chats, and chats, and chats. She doesn’t talk of monsters, or Outcasts, or killings, or mysteries. Instead, she talks about normal things. Teenager things. About what she did in the past two months, about a book she’s reading, about a shirt she knitted halfway through before giving up because she suddenly got sick of the colors. How she went to a farmer’s market a few ago and complained about how the mangos were underripe but the avocados are overripe. Embroidery is her new passion, she says.

Wednesday stares outside the whole time, at the blue sky and the flower fields that pass by, silent. She’s enjoying the one-sided conversation, strangely enamoured by her fluctuating voice and gesticulating hands. It feels like everything that happened the last school year was a hallucination, a dream turning fuzzy the moment you wake up only to be forgotten completely in minutes.

This, however, is the realest she’s felt in a long time.

“What’s this?” Enid asks suddenly, and she feels a gentle finger on her wrist, stroking the new silver chain there. “Are you liking jewelry nowadays?”

“A necessity. It’s embedded with Onyx stones.” She tilts her wrist, this way and that, vaguely enjoying the glimmer. “It’s expensive in case I need to sell it for emergencies. Or bribery.”

“It’s pretty.” Enid’s hand traces the stones one more time before pulling away. “It suits you.”

For a second, Wednesday considers letting her wear it, even if it was just for a moment. An heirloom to the Addams, one that dates back centuries and carries history that even she herself isn’t sure about. It was supposed to be an honor to wear this, unthinkable for outsiders to even touch.

Then her eyes flicker to Enid. Her high cheekbones and pale hair, the purse of her lips—a childish habit she has when she’s thinking deeply. The way she caresses Wednesday’s wrist like it would wither under her fingers, her nails painted a bright lilac. It’s as if she’s the color that shines through stained glass windows in a cathedral, unrelenting and vivid and filled to the brim with stories to tell.

Wednesday pulls her hand away. “Are we almost there?”

Enid jolts, hands scrambling to find purchase on the call button. “Oh my god, I almost forgot.”

Soon, the both of them tumble out of the bus, Enid still rambling about how she funny it would have been if they had to backtrack in the hot summer, although Wednesday isn’t quite sure what would be so funny about that.

As they make their way to the small town, she glances at Enid’s wrist, unburdened by Onyx stones, and nods to herself. The idea of shackling Enid to the Addams is sickening enough to make her nauseous, no matter how temporary, fill her stomach with lead and sink her to the bottom of a lake.

Her family can try and take anything of Wednesday’s, but not this. Never this.

—

The village resides at the mouth of a nearby river, buildings old but sturdy in a classic European way. It’s small and quaint, a fishing village that had overtime been reinvented as somewhat of a tourist hub, with small stores and market stalls scattered across the premises that creates an atmosphere similar to a renaissance fair. A combination of students, locals, and out-of-towners roam around, the last few days of summer encouraging everyone to soak in the sun and make up for doing nothing the past few months.

Wednesday feels her brows furrow, but instantly smooths over her expression. Still, Enid peers closely at her. “It’s the crowds, isn’t it?”

This time, she doesn’t bother hiding her grimace. “Don’t watch me so closely.” Her heart rate is spiking again. Instinctively, she scans for a danger that isn’t there. “It’s a fruitless effort to try and read me.”

Enid’s expression turns cocky. “I think I just did, actually, but we don’t have to talk about that if you don’t want to.” She links her arms with Wednesday’s and takes them down a back alley. The whole path is shrouded in tall pine trees, creating a walkway of shade and cool air. “I had a feeling it would be like this, so…” she shrugs. “Let’s walk the road less traveled.”

They spend the day like that, entering shops, peering at clothes (Enid), enamored by the spiders that crawl through the flower beds (Wedneday), browsing through books (Enid and Wednesday). The whole time, their arms stay linked. Whenever she tries to pull away, Enid would tighten her grip, whining. It would be too easy to yank her arm out of the way, but she’s slightly, abnormally, inexplicably charmed.

Her heart beats quicker, the fear getting stronger, but she doesn’t mind it.

She doesn’t mind any of it.

—

The last shop in their strip is a thrift store.

Wednesday sits on a bench just outside the dressing room, legs crossed as she waits for Enid to finish changing. So far, she’s gone through military uniforms, Victorian era gowns, and cheerleader.

“This better be the last one, or I’m leaving you here,” Wednesday murmurs.

“Ha!” she hears a snort. “As if you know how to bus home.”

Frowning. “I do know how to bus home.”

A blonde tuff of hair peeks out from behind the curtain as Enid grins at her. “It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone, rich girl.”

Wednesday rolls her eyes before standing up to stretch, letting her gaze wander around the store. Shelves of useless junk next to racks of ugly clothes. No wonder Enid loves this place.

She lets her feel take her to the glass cabinet, the lighting dim but just bright enough to let her peer inside. As she expected, most of it is worthless. Colored plastic, sterling silver, scratched up gems on rusted bases. She’s about to turn back when something glints at her.

Eyes widening, she leans down, sucking in a breath. There is no hesitation in her voice when she says, “Excuse me, how much?”

—

The bus ride home is quiet.

There are a few more people riding with them, but it seems they’re all just as tired as they are. With the sun setting, everything is bathed in a warm orange light. The temperature had gone down to something bearable, so the bus had opeted to let the windows roll down instead of relying on the air conditioning. She closes her eyes, enjoying how the wind rustles her hair gently.

A weight slides onto her shoulder. Wednesday turns carefully. Enid had fallen asleep on her, chest rising and falling in even breaths, gently jostling along with the bus.

Eventually, carefully, so, so carefully, she reaches into the pocket of her skirt, pulling out a pale, pearl bracelet that she puts on Enid’s wrist.

She watches her for a long time. Watches how the sunset makes the pearls shine in an entrancing way, how the color is so unmistakably Enid.

In a moment of bravery, or more accurately, stupidity, Wednesday intertwines her fingers with Enid’s. In this angle, it’s impossible not to notice how the Onyx bracelet from earlier is gone—replaced, instead, with a black pearl bracelet of her own.

Wednesday Addams is not stupid.

She isn’t quite so stupid as to believe her own thoughts. She isn’t quite so stupid as to believe that this is something as juvenile as a friendship bracelet. She isn’t quite so stupid as to believe that what she’s feeling all this time was fear.

Was it fear that causes her heart to race? Her mouth to twist into a smile? Her chest to feel like it’s going to explode? To change her mind about something she hated because the girl sleeping on her shoulder expressed a liking to it?

Wednesday Addams is not stupid, but she is a coward.

Maybe it really is fear. She’s scared enough to wait until Enid was asleep. Scared enough to use the words she’s never afraid of using. She’s scared to want. Above all, she’s scared of the scale of her want. But what she’s truly afraid of is something that doesn’t dare even name. She isn’t ready.

Absently, she squeezes her hand around Enid’s, praying she doesn’t stir. The hand tightens in return, and the head on her shoulder only seems to relax further, the bracelet’s strapped around their wrists clinking together.

She isn’t ready.

Wednesday lets her gaze slide back to the window, and appreciates the warm air of summertime.

But maybe someday she will be.

—

Enid lies in bed, staring at the pearls on her wrist, other hand gripping her phone, Wednesday’s contact open, unsent messages by the dozens clogging up her screen.

i love it. why didn’t you wake me up?

i love the color, but why didn't you get me black? i told you I'm starting to like it more as time goes on

i love seeing you, i had so much fun

summer can’t end soon enough. roomies for life!!

how do you feel about summer?

i love you

I love you

I love you.

She tosses her phone aside, shoving her face in her pillow.

Maybe someday.

[ginnyw-potter]

Loving Her Is Easy

Written for Day 28 of @hinnyfest

Prompt: "I am glad you're alive."

Also on AO3

Harry woke up feeling like he had been run over by a truck but he found comfort in waking up in his four-poster bed in Hogwarts. He had no idea how long he had slept after he had gone to bed after the Battle or what had happened in the world in the meantime.

He crept out of bed and found that the rest of the dorm was empty. There was a dull ache in both his chest and his head but both were bearable so he did not pay it much attention. He stepped into his clothes, which had been cleaned.

He walked down to the common room and was glad to find Ron and Hermione there. “How long did I sleep?”

“About 20 hours I think. I only woke up two hours ago myself,” Ron replied.

“You should get that looked at,” Hermione commented, pointing at his head.

He did shower before he crept into bed so most of the blood must be gone but he assumed it was still visible. He shrugged. “Sure.”

“Most people have gone down for breakfast,” Hermione informed him.

He wasn’t sure if she had mentioned it because he should also eat or because he may not want to walk into the Great Hall when it was full of people.

“Actually, do you know where Ginny is?”

“I think she went down to the Quidditch Pitch,” Ron said.

Harry expected him to say anything else, a word of warning perhaps but Ron stayed silent. He thanked Ron and went on his way to the Pitch. He did not pay much mind to the people in the castle but most of them would not do more than stare as he walked past them.

He was surprised not to find her in the air above the remnants of the bleachers. He continued his way towards the locker rooms to see if she was there. He found her sitting on a bench in the hallway, looking at nothing in particular but she looked up when she heard his footsteps.

“Oh, it’s you,” she said. “I came down here to fly but … no brooms. So now I was just enjoying a quiet moment.”

Harry halted a few meters away from her. “I will leave you then.”

She shook her head and offered a weak smile. “You don’t count.”

He walked closer and sat down on the bench beside her. “How are you?”

“Been better, been worse,” she said, which summed up the bittersweet feeling of victory quite well. “How are you?”

To his surprise, his throat closed up and tears welled up in his eyes. He hadn’t meant to fall apart, Ginny had just lost a brother and was likely feeling much worse than him but he couldn’t help it. Something about her soft caring eyes and her genuine interest in his well-being had unleashed something that had been brewing on his insides ever since the Battle ended.

Without saying a word, she turned to him and pulled him into her arms. Like months hadn’t passed, Ginny was his greatest source of comfort once again. She wasn’t trying to soothe him, she simply recognised he needed to be held for a while.

Ginny patiently waited until he could collect himself, he wiped his tears as he sat up and she let go of him.

He turned to her too, focusing back on why he came here. He pondered what to say or where to start.

“So, what’s your relationship status?” he tried a bit awkwardly.

Her eyes locked with his. “You tell me.”

“Just… if you found another guy in the meanwhile, I’d understand… You were free to date whomever and my chances of survival were next to none, really, so I wouldn’t expect-”

“I was always going to wait for you,” she said honestly.

“I wouldn’t have expected you to, any other guy I bet would have been easier.”

“Easier perhaps, but we don’t choose who we love, do we?” Her eyes were focused on him and didn’t glance away as she said it.

Harry took a deep breath. He tried a dry chuckle. “Are you sure? Because the girl I love… she’s the best. Loving her is easy.”

She shook her head with a smile. “You don’t have to charm me, Potter, you already have my heart.”

Then her lips were on his again and it felt like coming up for air, like sunsets in summer or hot chocolate in the dead of winter, she made him feel glad to be alive. He didn’t know when it happened but when they finally parted she was on his lap. His arms had wrapped around her of their own accord like she belonged there. And she did.

They looked at each other and then Ginny carefully touched her hand to his head and he winced at the sharp pain.

“I can heal that for you,” she said, taking her wand out.

“When did you learn that?” he commented.

She shook her head. “You don’t want to know.” They shared a look indicating they had a lot to talk about, but for now it did not really matter. Her hand came to his chin softly and turned it to the side so she could see properly.

“That must have bled a lot,” she said, pointing her wand at it.

Harry swallowed hard, remembering when he got the wound. He did not have the heart to tell her why he hadn’t cared to notice the bleeding. “Yeah.”

He remained still as Ginny healed it. A moment later her hand softly pressed against it and he found it hardly hurt at all. It was just sore.

“How’s that?” she asked him as he turned to look at her again.

“Much better, thank you.”

"Any other injuries?" she asked.

He grabbed his collar and glanced down his shirt to look at the new scar. "That one can't be helped I fear."

"Can I look?" she asked carefully.

He nodded and she softly pushed up his shirt. It gave him goosebumps where her fingers touched his skin.

He saw her look at the still faintly green scar and back in his eyes. "Is that where the Killing Curse hit?"

He nodded. He inhaled sharply as her palm pressed softly against it, her hands warm against his skin.

“I am glad you’re alive," she said softly, removing her hand and pulling his shirt back down.

"Me too."

He pulled her into a hug and she leaned her head on his shoulder, her nose pressing against the skin of his neck.