#and there's a lot of random trash and junk mixed in

[haulnoff247]

The Best Dumpsters for Junk & Household Waste

For home owner’s looking to clean up a larger amount of trash than the weekly trash pickup crew allows, dumpsters are an amazingly affordable option to offer sufficient trash removal. Whether you’re trying to clean out the garage, clear out for moving, or are simply working on a project at home that require junk removal then Sweet Dumps Dumpster rental service is the best in the Fort Worth area.

Dumpster rentals make for safe and convenient ways to get rid of a variety of materials that you can’t throw into a regular trash bin for the weekly pickup. Rather than deal with sorting hazardous, sharp, or broken materials and objects that could cause harm, rent a dumpster that’s safe to just toss everything into while at the same time being quick and easy for cleanup projects where you don’t want to take the time to manually sort into the proper bins. It also doesn’t have to sit in your garage all week either. Simply call us [phone] to schedule your drop off and pick up times for your Fort Worth dumpster.

Practical Advice for What Can and Cannot Go In a Dumpster Rental When remodeling or renovating your home, moving or cleaning out a cluttered storage space, you’re probably searching for a dumpster rental in the Greater New York area. You see, you can throw nearly anything in a dumpster, but there are few things to consider due to safety hazards and local landfill restrictions. So, the question remains. What can you put in a dumpster rental?

What Cannot Go In Dumpster Rental: Because of the contamination to the land wherever they end up, these items cannot be put into a dumpster... Medical Waste, Household and Car Batteries, Paint, Stains, Lacquers, and Solvents, Automotive Fluids, Pesticides, Powerful Cleaning, Agents, Other Chemicals, Hazardous Waste – Asbestos, Gas, and Propane Tanks, Electronics – TVs, Monitors, Fridges, etc. To dispose of any of these items that can’t go into your dumpster, contact your local waste management office or click on this https://www.haulnoff.com convenient link. They will be able to provide you with a drop-off area and date.

What CAN Go In a Dumpster Rental? For the most part, if you want to throw something away, a dumpster is a great way to do just that. They hold large items as well and small, and they won’t bust open like a bag. Dumpsters should be used for general waste (non-hazardous waste, junk, or debris), which is typically anything involved in a general cleanup around the house or office and property. As long as it is not liquid nor of a hazardous substance, it can go in. This includes remodeling and cleanup items like trash, wood, furniture, roofing shingles, siding, construction & demolition debris, yard wastes, appliances (some exceptions), and flooring.

Yard Rubbish Clean-Out_ When cleaning your yard after a season or a storm, there can be a lot of waste. Trees, branches, brush, grass, sod, mulch, and other organic debris are perfectly fine in our dumpsters. However, it would be best if you did not mix organic debris from the yard with construction, junk, or other interior home clean-out, since our local waste management recycles this material into mulch and soil. So, yard waste can and should be disposed of in dumpsters – by itself!

Remodel or Renovation Construction Debris: Everyone knows about the amount of garbage and waste created during a renovation or remodel construction job. There are strict rules and regulations in New York about construction debris disposal. And your contractor should know those rules. Items like brick, stone, drywall, concrete, wood, roofing shingles, asphalt, and other construction materials can be put in a dumpster. However, if you can donate some of those items in good condition, and others can be recycled.  Lighter items like drywall, siding, tile, insulation, and other construction and demolition debris can be disposed of in the dumpster rental.

Random Clean-Out Items_ When cleaning out the kids’ rooms, upgrading a room, or redecorating the home, there are a few things to be considered. Suppose the items are still in good shape? It would be a shame to throw those in a dumpster rental when someone else could enjoy them. Consider donating to charity things like nursery furniture, toddler beds, and toys.  Many charities will come and pick up gently used items, and there are several drop-off sites in the area.

Haul'n Off 3715 Nereis Drive La Mesa Ca, 91941 619-720-4511

[acadstuds]

my first ever year in uni is done! to commemorate, I’ve wanted to share how I experienced college and how I coped through it, with the stress and all. although with the current times, some of these may not be relevant as of the moment since most have transitioned to online classes, though when the time comes and we can all do onsite classes once again, I hope this would help you guys in some way! 😊 this is typewritten in laps lock btw sorry hihi

(note that I said ‘kinda’ since these are all just personal opinions and obviously, we all have different experiences hehe but nonetheless I hope this is helpful ily all <3 also, I put related links in some parts so that you guys can check it out if you want!)

what to expect in uni?

adjustment period. this is inevitable. the length varies to each person, however. some may instantly click within just a day, but others it may take weeks. hey, it's okay. don't beat yourself up for it. it takes time! you'll learn to be comfortable with your surroundings in time.

adapting to new surroundings. like I said, this varies. but personally, it would be great it if you become familiar with places around your uni and all the hidden treasures it has for you within your first few weeks. this will make it easier for you to find a place you can call your own nook, where you can feel comfortable staying while studying, like a hole-in-the-wall cafe or study hub. this helps give you a sense of constancy, having a place that you can always go to.

feeling like an outsider. it happens. being a freshman obviously means that you don't know anything that happens within the campus. the traditions are all new to you and don't be embarrassed if you're not aware of it beforehand. heck, most of them doing it probably don't even know them when they were freshmen either. soon, you'll come to learn about it, and it may even become part of your traditions as well!

how to make friends?

try to at least to make one friend or two during the start, especially when you are given tours or any freshmen activity the uni has prepared, so you won't be alone and risk getting lost by yourself!

if you have a block, this goes the same as well! a simple smile and some small talk can do wonders. then again, it is completely understandable if you can't make the first move. don't fret over it! there will be a lot of friendly and nice people who can do so, and you can start from there :)

but remember also, this people you get to know may or may not be the ones you'll be spending your whole college life with. sometimes by the end of the year, you're not even seeing the first people you hung out with, and that's completely okay! but also remember to have at least someone with you, a support system if you may call it. I swear it will make your life in college 100x more bearable, especially if you're far away from your friends back at home.

(quick disclaimer: I commute my way to uni, so I don't have a dorm, but I have tons of friends who do! so here's what I learned through them, especially during the times I had to stay the night at their place for a requirement or a night out drinking hehe)

having a designated container for everything

this makes everything easier to navigate to, especially if you're running late since you already know what you need to get and where to get it. if you have roommates, this makes it easier for you to know whose is who and avoid mixing all of your things together.

you can buy some cute little boxes for your containers to add some decorations, but if you decide to go with some old brown food pack boxes, as long as you know where you're putting them, go ahead.

how you decide to organize them in the container, however, is completely up to you. to recommend, I would like to follow the ever so famous KonMari method (here’s a good article to understand all about it, with videos!) as this has really made it easier for me personally in my own room, as I have my own containers as well.

stay clean - please do.

for starters, I think it's completely necessary to at least clean your room, like a general cleaning, once a month.

sweeping the floor? at least twice a week.

taking the trash out? at least every other day.

cleaning/organizing your desk? every time before you go to bed or before class. 

this will help not just in making everything more sanitized, but it’s also a good way to practice self-discipline. cleaning is also known to be very therapeutic! (great article links here: x, x) like they say, a clear desk, clear mind. keeping your space clean is the least you can do for yourself.

roommates

it is both a hit or miss if you're roommates with a friend. believe me. this can either strengthen your relationship, or not.

the important thing here is that you both respect each other's privacy, and each other's space. all the better if both of you are on the same page when it comes to how to clean your place, but if not,   the best thing is that you make it clear between the both of you to not interfere with one another when it comes to your sides of the room. i've had friends whose dorm looks like two different places at once, but they made it work!

essentials

my previous post regarding my bag essentials (here) is still the same as ever even in uni, with just a few additions! you can click the link if you want to see the whole length of it, but if you can’t, here’s a summary of what I think is the most needed things in your bag:

water bottle (drink your h2o pls)

sanitary kit + medicine kit

power bank (with a cord ofc)*

extra change

earphones

alcohol/hand sanitizer (!!!)

mask*

umbrella* (side note: the weather whenever I’m in uni seems to be so random I swear, it’s all sunny then after not even an hour passes, it’s so cloudy and looks like it could rain anytime! So yes, umbrella is needed.)

*these are new additions from the previous post I did! make sure those items that have cords have cord holders, too! So it’s more organized 😉

how to organize them

there isn’t really an exact way to organize it, but again, the best thing for me is to make sure that it is accessible for you to get what you need quickly. I personally use small containers to keep those with the same purpose together (like the kits and a pouch for my power bank and earphones)

if your bag has pockets on the side, put your water bottle there and your umbrella to save some space inside!

to avoid any possible theft, put your most valuable items at the bottom of your bag (like for example, your wallet, if you don’t need it and you have some loose change with you, put it at the bottom)

keeping it clean

my only advice for this is that you should clean and organize your bag pretty frequently. like your room, cleaning your bag can also be therapeutic (refer to previous links!). taking the trash out like scrap paper and other junk can be actually be cathartic for you and help release some stress.

importance of tracking expenses

here’s the thing: money can be pretty scary. even though I still live at  home with my parents, balancing my allowance for the week is pretty stressing! what more for those far away from their homes? you really need to be aware of what you’re buying and how much money you’re spending each day so that you can track and find the best way to utilize your allowance.

it's so tempting to spend a lot, especially when you’re with friends. It would be better if you and your friends also keep it in mind on checking your expenses! me and my friends, to save, would just usually go to the same place most days of the week that has a menu that is within our budget. this is so that when we have plans on going out by the end of the week or after a hellish one, we have some money to spare and splurge on!

It’s a good thing to note, especially in countries where student loans are commonly used, that tracking expenses and saving money can be extremely helpful in the long run. (I live in the PH so I am entirely familiar with student loans in the US and other countries so here’s an article that I think could help regarding saving money as a college student: link here)

why you need to save

learning how to save money is pretty beneficial for you and your discipline with handling money. this will definitely let you realize the value of it.

having extra money is extremely important because there will always be times when you suddenly need to spend, whether it be for a requirement or an emergency, and you need to prepared for those situations.

personally, saving money makes me feel independent and that I can manage on my own even if I still live with my parents. for those that are far away from their homes, this can be the same for them, too.

some tips in saving money

budgeting your money. my way of budgeting my money is that I would always take off 10-15% of my allowance first and immediately put that part of my savings for the week. after, I would equally divide the remaining money to each day I have classes for my lunch and commute (I only have classes 4 days a week with a uniform schedule, so I work around that). there would be times that I overspend due to needed contributions for requirements, so I make sure to always check how much there is of my savings and if ever, I would lower the 10-15% savings for that week to about 5%.

If you don’t need it immediately, don’t buy it. my rule for this is if I take more than 5 minutes to think about if I need or not, then it just means that I don’t need it immediately, so I let it go. If you really need that particular item, you wouldn’t spend so much time wondering if you really need to. so, bye and see you when I need you!

group meals all day, every day! sharing meal combos with your friends are definitely one of the best ways to save since you all are saving some extra cash. make sure to plan accordingly with your friends so that you get the best deal, and eat some good food without hearing a cry from your wallet.

student discounts are lifesavers. no matter how small or big the percentage off is, it will sure be a blessing so use it whenever you can! (the psychology students of my college have a organization called PsychSoc and all of us psych students are given these ‘psych cards’ that you can use with a 10% discount to all the stores given in the card, and yes you can say that I am using my card a lot haha)

there are a lot more that I would share that I think is extremely helpful especially to my fellow Filipinos, but I’m planning to make a separate post for that!

importance of managing your time with studies and orgs

admittedly, healthy study habits are hard to keep up with. this is especially challenging if you’re in an org or a club that’s pretty active and you have to split your time with it and your studies. keeping a routine can with help that! it is extremely important that you have a guide to follow so that you won’t feel like you’re swarmed with all of the pending tasks to do, whether it’s for your org or your class.

starting a routine. beginning something is always awkward, and sometimes you don’t know where to start so here’s some simple things I can suggest:

cutting back on your time on social media and streaming websites and adding more to your study time. that series you want to binge-watch? it can wait. set a time in your week where you can watch it and try to pace yourself. that goes for whatever is happening on twitter, facebook, or any social media.

trying the pomodoro technique! old, but gold. here’s a great post regarding it: (x)

doing your papers or other tasks immediately. better start now, than regret not doing so later. finishing a task immediately means you’re already done with one thing on your list, and this will help prevent you from piling up things on your to do list and cram at the last minute!

schedule non-academic or non-org related group hangouts after major activities and not before. you’re friends need to be on the same page with you with this, and it’s better that you are all agreeing with setting a night out on a date that is academic free, so you won’t have to worry about passing or attending something the next day.

understand that sometimes it’s okay to prioritize one over the other. if you have a major exam upcoming, talk to your org officers and tell them the you won’t be attending that much, they will understand! and also, tell yourself that it’s okay to shorten your study time for an important org event. you don’t have to always split your time equally, you just to need to split it based on what is more important for you at the moment.

 And lastly,

why you shouldn't forget to have fun

come on, you’re in college! have fun, meet new people, go out and drink (responsibly) and just feel like a college student. You don’t always have to be studying, you should make time for yourself to take a break and just relax and interact with your friends.

this will make things more bearable. college is an experience and you should experience it to the fullest. make your time count! doing this makes it easier to cope with your college life in the long run.

having fun is okay. don’t forget that! with all the stress coming through, especially during finals week, adding some fun makes it worth it. doing group studies with your friends, with you guys actually studying, is bound to bring some unexpected funny moments you’ll never forget. taking a breather from studying and playing some games can also be beneficial for you to relieve some stress. and like I said, maybe cleaning can help, too! just make sure that you’re not relaxing or studying too much, as too much can be harmful. always remember to try to balance things out, and that you got this! go and kick college’s butt!

thanks for making it up to here! it means a lot! and while we’re at it, buy me coffee? https://ko-fi.com/acadstuds <3

#journals #acadstuds #studyblr #studyblr ph #motivation #masterpost #self help #college advice #college life #university #einstetic #caffestudy #studyplants #studylustre #emmastudies #areistotle #life advice

[eatsoaps]

Husk Sickfic

Paring (Husk x Angel)

Stomach flu/hangover 

WARNING FOR VOMIT/PTSD MENTIONS

    Sitting alone in the dim lighting of the bar served as small lonely comfort to the reluctant bartender in attendance. The day was slow with him mindlessly shuffling his cards around and nursing several bottles of alcohol while Charlie blabbed about her dreams and how to achieve them with the hotel. Now, everyone had gone to their rooms for the night except him. Zoning in and out with mindless drinking had him only a little tipsy. By two in the morning he had registered that he should probably go to bed as well….. Or just sleep on the bar. Nah, maybe not this time. Whenever he did that he was rudely awoken by Al or someone else with a scolding. He decided that he’d go to his room. 

    “Fuck!” he hissed when he finally moved. His body cracked every which way from the sudden movement, but that wasn’t the concerning part; he was hurting in his gut. It really hurt and was very sudden. He held his alcohol well and it was now he noted that the pounding headaches usually came after drinking. Trying to shake it off, he went upstairs to his room. 

    He didn’t care what room he had so long as he could drink; however the sudden twisting in his upper abdomen prevented him from wanting to dive into that random whiskey bottle. Again, trying to shake whatever the feeling was, he crawled into bed and did his best to sleep it off. It normally didn’t take long to get comfortable, hell he never even paid attention to comfort! Tossing and turning was what he was left with tonight, and boy did it puzzle him. Lying on either side gave him an annoying pressure that he couldn’t quite place, on his back only made him feel nauseous while face down just wasn’t comfortable in general and he couldn’t breathe well. Finally, he grew pissed and swung his legs over the bed holding his head in his hands. 

    “Fuck is wrong in there?” he asked himself. Softly placing a paw over his stomach he ran his claws through the fur on his head. Sitting upright made his guts flip and he let out a pathetic groan. Why was it hurting? He didn’t think he had eaten anything out of the ordinary, he didn’t remember what he ate in all honesty. He just wasn’t hungry. He took a few deep breaths and swallowed a little before lying back down on the bed. Like it did any fucking good. Another 30 minutes of rustling around in his bed he shot up like a bullet and eyed the broken trash can in the corner of the room. He looked away, remembering what a former soldier told him when he went overseas during his human life. 

‘If you think about it, it will happen.’ 

Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Fuck it. 

He got up and moved to one of the public restrooms down the hall; in not caring about his room, he failed to recognize that Alastor gave him the one without a bathroom. Each step had him sweating and at one point he even needed to stop and take a pause for the sake of not ruining the rug and waking everyone up. He heard a door creak open. 

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK

He immediately straightened himself out and tried to look normal. Footsteps sounded, trying to be as soft as possible. Were those….pink slipper boots? They were, and who better to own them than Angel Dust. Now he really needed to act normal! 

“Oh, hey Kitten! What you doing here?” Angel softly purred as he caught eye. 

“Minding my own business bitch, take a lesson.” 

“Nah that don’t pay well. Wassup? You look like a shit had a shit.” 

He rolled his eyes, “Thanks.”Angel cocked his head and stared at Husk, he looked green in the white of his fur and the grey was duller. Was that sweat? “What are you doing up anyway?” 

“Well I got the day off tomorrow and I planned on stocking up on some junk food Veggie keeps hidden.” 

“Isn’t it Vaggie?” 

“Same thing.” 

“Whatever just go away.” 

Angel huffed, “You’re clearly sick though.” 

“No I’m fucking not, just mind your own fucking business for once instead of barging in and ruining everyone!” his stomach clenched which left Husk fighting every muscle in his body from grabbing it and doubling over. 

For a brief moment, Angel dropped, but picked right back up. “Come on. Let me help ya. It’s a sad sight right here, kinda funny too.” 

“Can’t you take no for an answer? I thought whores understood rejection?” 

Okay, that stung a little. “Did you drink perfume or some shit? 

“Why don’t-” Husk took a pause, his stomach was churning. It hurt and he felt the acid creep up his throat. He could swallow only so much. “-you...fuck.”

“Husk?” Angel had a soft spot for the cat, he was hot and gave him drinks! He also knew what it was like to be under an overlord. They had talked about it one night. “Hey man you good?” Angel’s voice was like water: garbled and incoherent. Husk lurched and clasped a hand over his mouth. He pushed Angel away and dashed to the bathroom. Tossing a stall door open, he crashed to the ground and began to heave. The stomach inside him contracted, but after his second unproductive heave did he finally manage to bring something up. He coughed and spat out more of whatever had caused this. He slightly jumped when he felt a soft pair of hands rub up and down his back, another set massaging his wings that tensed up every time he puked or gagged, the last set of Angel’s arms kept his ears back while rubbing the nape. He didn’t even have the energy to push him away. 

“There ya go kitten. Easy.” Angel softly soothed. Husk gagged and brought up more vomit into the toilet, coughing and sputtering. He thought his head was about to burst, the throb was so painful. Another wave of vomit, this time with tears mixing in. He spat the remainder into the bowl. 

“Ugh, fuck.” he grit his teeth and tried to even his ragged breathing. An arm draped across the toilet, one was positioned carefully on his stomach. He had forgotten what it felt like to be so sick, the last time was when he had food poisoning in a camp somewhere. He had also forgotten that this was literal HELL. In hell, everything bad was doubled. Broken leg meant worse pain and longer heal. Stabbed? Well you’d heal faster but it would still hurt like no other. And sick? Well if anyone got sick in Hell it lasted longer than it would a breathing human. Part of punishment. Husk reached up to flush the contents down and placed his head on the cool toilet lid. 

“Are you done kitten?” 

“...Yeah.” 

All that strain made Husk lethargic and apathetic. He no longer cared about what happened, that was fucking horrible. He just wanted the bad feelings gone. 

“Come on.” 

Angel helped Husk stand on his feet and had him rinse his mouth out in the sink as quickly as possible. They left the bathroom and went further down the hall. 

“Where am I going?” Husk asked. 

“My room.” 

Husk tried to push Angel away, “Why?” 

“It has a bathroom inside, your’s don’t. You also can’t spend all night in a public bathroom. Plus you can barely stand as it is. Don’t act as if Charlie wouldn’t have my head for not doing a thing.” 

Husk wanted to throw Angel onto the ground and run back to his room so he could curl up and die again alone. Nah. That wasn’t going to happen and he knew it, the muscles and energy had all gone into making him feel like shit and left him walking on a tightrope with a tilting wheel above him. When the two arrived in the room, Husk wasn’t all surprised by the look of it. A stripper pole, soft furniture, different shades of pink and black, of course a vanity covered with makeup and a shelf of sex toys. He rolled his eyes. 

“Mention this to anyone and you can kiss all the booze in the world goodbye you fucking pest.” 

“Daw~ for me only Husky? Don’t mention it. I’ll tell Cha you’re sick and too drunk to tell whose room is whose. I’ll say I tried to throw ya out but you wouldn’t budge. Sound good?” 

Husk had crawled onto Angel’s bedsheets, mmm…. warm and soft. He didn’t even reply to whatever the spider said, the sheets and mattress felt amazing, he started to purr and it was only when he caught Angel smiling down at him did he realize the situation. Shit! What the fuck am I doing? He made a sorry attempt to get out of the bed, he knew the slut would talk and he’d be humiliated. He didn’t want things to be worse than they already were. Quickly jumping off the bed made him double over in pain as a giant cramp rolled through his abdomen. 

    “Hey, watch yourself. I ain’t gonna tell anyone, I learned from Pa that snitches get ditches at five years old.” 

    “Fuck you.” 

    “Maybe when you’re better. Let’s go, come on! Back to bed kitten.” Angel guided Husk back into the bed, he noticed that his gut looked tense, he could practically see the muscles cramped up through the fur. “Jesus you’re tense.” 

    “I know. Now shut up. Why’re you even helping me dumbass?” 

    “You remind me a lot of my sis when she’d get sick. I’d always be the caretaker and she’d be mine. She’d fight me tooth and nail until I gave her something comfortable, then she’d melt like Mama’s garlic butter. Just a nice nostalgia feeling I guess. Besides, maybe you’ll owe me?” he ended with a tease of course, but after a warning glare from Husk, he backed down. “I’m kidding! Jeez! Here, just get on the bed, I’ll even rest away from ya.” 

    The bed felt amazing and warm, and it didn’t smell horrible in this room either. Angel had even been so kind as to place a bucket right next to him in case his stomach decided to abuse him again. Zoning back in, he realized that Angel had gotten into the bed and put considerable distance between them. Another cramp seized Husk’s body and he curled in harder on himself. He felt a gag coming on and groaned when he had to drag the bucket closer to his face.

    Angel glanced over at the bartender and felt a pang of sympathy. He placed a hand over Husk’s back and tried to massage the muscles that were bulging out. Thankfully they did relax as Husk threw up again into the can. He felt a lot warmer than normal? Angel had no idea what the temperature for a cat was let alone a demonic one. He could only guess it was a fever high enough to cause discomfort. After throwing up the remainder of vomit from his mouth, Husk rinsed with the warm bottle of water Angel had sitting next to him (unopened) and then plopped back down on the bed softly panting. The spider stopped rubbing his back in order to take care of the bucket; the cat needed to bite back a whimper from the loss of comfort while the cramping came back. He felt ashamed when he let pained moans come from his throat when he wrapped his paws around his middle. 

    “Think ya got a stomach bug which means you got about four days until it’s gone.” 

“Cool.” 

    “Molly liked it when I rubbed her back or stomach.”

Husk rattled as a shiver blew past him. Angel pulled the covers over his body. “Don’t fucking try anything or I’ll poison your drinks.” 

“Please, a whore may know a lot about rejection, but they know more about consent and roofies.” 

“Smartass.” 

Angel shifted to where one set of hands massaged the back and only one hand went over Husk’s stomach, the other was used to scroll through his phone. Within minutes, the cat was out like a light and purring louder than a racecar. Angel smiled and snuck a picture or eight. When he started to feel a little drowsy, he noticed that Husk had moved in a way that made it to where Angel was basically holding him sideways. CUTE! A few more pictures saved onto his phone and he was set to sleep. His rest may have only lasted an hour or two since he was woken up by Husk bolting up to vomit. The cycle was repeated until there was literally nothing in his stomach. Angel continued to rub his stomach. 

    Come morning, Husk awoke to the sound of rustling. “Fuck is that?” he mumbled. 

    “Sorry babe! Just gotta get Fat Nuggets some food and then a walk, it’ll be thirty minutes. Charlie knows about the story I told her last night.” 

    “Fuck you what did you tell her!” Husk reared up with his wings fluffed up and defensive mode on. If only he looked as threatening; truth be told it looked more like a tiny kitten was trying to roar like a lion. Angel couldn’t help but laugh. 

    “Relax, I told her you got sick last night and were too drunk to notice you were in the wrong room. I told her moving you wasn’t an option and said you tried to claw my normal eye out. She said she’d give you the next three days off and sent up some ‘get well’ shit.” he gestured over to the nightstand next to the cat. Placed on the tray was a set of medications that would barely do anything, but it was better than nothing. After vomiting all night, the waters she gave him looked amazing.

    “Hmm.” 

    “Do you wanna try to eat?” Angel asked. 

    A baby gag, “Ugh fuck that.” 

    Angel walked over and placed a hand on Husk’s forehead, almost astounded that he didn’t wack him back. “Definitely certain you got a rising fever.” 

    “In Hell, wow.” 

    “Shut up.” 

    Most of the day was nothing new. Charlie put Angel on caretaker duty (much to Vaggie’s concern) just to make things easier. Hopefully. It gave Angel bonus points, Husk got taken care of, Angel out of the way, the place would be quiet. In honesty, while Husk reminded him a lot of his sister when she was feeling down, he also wanted a chance to get closer to the cat. He was curious and also bored. Kinda wanted something to do. Being a sex worker meant that he had to care and cater to whatever the clients wanted, this time it was for something nonsexual. Sure he enjoyed sex, but it was nice to do something other than it. His day off would otherwise be spent wandering around and getting into trouble. Not looking to get chewed out was his aim. 

    “Shit babe how do you still have something inside you?” 

    “I’m not *huurk* babe you himbo.” Husk retorted with a pathetic spit. “Fuck. This is worse than when the boat was on the sea towards the battle….” 

    “Battle? What battle?” 

PTSD WAR FLASHBACK TW

    Whether it was the increased fever or what, Husk had no idea, but he had seen this many times before. Back in the war, not knowing which battle. He was instructed to shoot whatever came that wasn’t wearing US Military garb. A rustle among the trees, he turned, saw uncovered skin and lanky build. They were carrying something. A bomb? He shot at them straight in the head and they fell. Crying could be heard, but the person was dead, he went to inspect whatever was the sound and his heart dropped when he saw it was a toddler. The child ran towards him and then fell over as a fellow soldier shot them down. He turned and threw up right there, crying and praying it wasn’t real and apologizing over and over.

    PTSD WAR FLASHBACK TW OVER

“Husk, hey, it isn’t real. Whatever you seein’ ain’t real. It ain’t real right now.” 

Husk snapped his head back at Angel hyperventilating with wide eyes and then quickly bent over the fresh bucket that was being held in front of him. He gagged and spit and heaved and threw up whatever left he could. All the medicine, water, one single bite of toast was all gone; even then he still tried to bring up something until he was reduced to dry heaving. 

“Hey now, in and out. Breath in, then out. There ya go. Va bene (it’s okay in Italian).” 

It took a while, but Husk was back on track, the fever had definitely spiked and now he was experiencing shellshock again. “-ter.” 

“Huh?” 

“Wa-er.” 

His throat had been puked raw by the acid he could barely speak, but Angel managed to understand what he said and gave him an uncapped water bottle which he gratefully gulped down. 

“Hey go slow or you’ll-” the water didn’t stay in his stomach, “- puke it back up. Baby sips.” 

By the time the bucket was cleaned out, Husk was cared for and Angel got him as comfy as he could, he noticed that the cat was clingy when he was sick. Angel was the big spoon whether Husk knew or not. Belly rubs and back massages felt great after the whole ordeal. Unfortunately, he had three more PTSD episodes after that. 

***

“I gotta go to work or Val’ll have my head!” Angel sighed, trying to pull his many limbs out of the cat’s grip. 

    “No.” 

“Husk.” 

    “No.” 

Husk had reached his peak in the fever and acted like a kitten starved for attention. Angel knew sick clingy people made some of the best and worst patients depending on the situation. Eventually, the spider managed to pry the other off and set on for work where he spent the day modeling and having only one film session with a guy that loved being stepped on. He managed to avoid any conflict with the film crew and Val, so he finally left early with an abundance of praise. Quick and easy! Once he was back in the hotel, he went straight to his room where he found Husk sleeping bent over an empty bucket with fresh tear tracks along his matted fur lines. Angel gently shook him awake. 

“Rise and shine moonpie! Get your head out of the bucket.”

Husk blinked up at the spider and turned away into the blankets. “Not now.” 

“Well you can either lay your head in a horrible position that is sure to rattle yer neck to bits and pieces or you can-”

“Angel. I-....Can-” Husk was really struggling with what he was about to say next. “Can you…. rub my head a little?” he asked shyly. 

Faster than a bullet, Angel was right there getting to pet the cat, he was amazed at how soft the fur was. Of course it was to make him feel better. “Think you’re stomach wants to stay inside ya?” 

“Shh.” 

“Okay babe.” 

Husk did not throw up anymore after that night; by the time the four days were over, he pushed Angel away and got himself sorted out. He hated to admit that the spider was a good caretaker, and he would be a liar if he said he wasn’t comfy (sometimes) during the stay in Angel’s room. Once he was back working the bar, he handed Angel a free drink. 

“Here.” 

“Oh really Husk! Thank you!” 

“Shut up.” 

Angel winked at him and understood. The drink was a thank you, and he was happy to oblige. The two carried on a calmer setting around each other now. Husk still grumpy as could be, but with more sarcasm towards Angel rather than pure annoyance 100% of the time. 

Oh my Lord you can tell where I gave up trying to write good. My brain was absolutely dead. But I've noticed there's a lack of sickfics in this fandom so I'm deciding to fix that as best I can. I haven't written in a long time so I am sooooo rusty. Oh well. ❤️❤️

#sick whump #hazbin hotel husk sick #angel dust hazbin hotel #vaggie #husk sick #charlie hazbin hotel #mollydust #fat nugs #fat nuggets #angelhusk #hazbin angel dust #huskerdust #ptsd #vomiting #male vomiting

[egg-emperor]

5: Cleanliness habits (personal, workspace, etc.)

He values his personal hygiene and likes looking, smelling and feeling good above anything else. He's always clean and fresh, mostly through showering but he enjoys the occasional bath. He takes good care of his mustache and teeth and he's generally good with skincare too, except for on his face. He could do with paying more attention to it but he's often far too focused on his stache!

The only time he doesn't look so clean himself is after he's been working hard and gets dirty if he's been in contact with any oils, dirty materials, chemicals, etc. And he can get quite sweaty after excessive activity or heat since he has common trouble with overheating. But that's why he heavily relies on masking it with cologne until he can shower, or at least change clothes until he can.

It's obvious that he prioritizes his own cleanliness the most because it isn't always a 100% guarantee that his bases and airships are in the same top condition as he is. They're at least always squeaky clean in terms of general dust and grime as he has robots designed to take care of it all expertly on a daily basis. But Eggman doesn't often tidy up after himself, which can give them a lot more work to do on top of that.

He does like to try to keep everything organized and easily accessible in the workspace, though. It saves him from the stress of trying to find things when it's exactly where it should be and a clean space is better to work in overall. He tries to maintain it himself when he can, since he can't rely on the robots to put things where they should be and he's not happy when they lose tools and materials.

But when he's extra busy in a rush or too focused on the project at hand, he can make quite a mess of the place with tools, materials, and extra parts that he leaves out everywhere. The last thing he wants after a long day of work is to clean it up, so the robots have to do it when he goes to bed. Sometimes it takes them all night to work through it because Eggman wants it to be perfect.

When it comes to his much more casual living quarters, especially his bedroom, he isn't so good at keeping it tidy and doesn't try to. That's one of the reasons why he had cleaning robots in Adventure. Plus, all the rooms are huge so it would be exhausting to clean up by himself anyway. The only problem is that because he has robots that can do it all, he often makes a mess without a care.

Because he often spends most active days working incredibly hard and giving it his all, he likes to get really comfortable in his quarters to finally relax. When he's lounging around, he orders robots to bring him things and tidy up so he can move as little as possible. He loves the rest and no amount of nagging to be productive in those times can make him do anything he doesn't want to.

He can get lazy and does the bare minimum in his living quarters, which is why he likes to have a fridge close to his bed like on the Egg Carrier, and how he was even going to have a washing machine in there. He still loves having a fridge in his bedroom, despite the robots' disapproval. But he decided having a washing machine there wasn't such a good idea, so the robots fetch his dirty laundry.

He used to have a laundry chute that lead to his room instead, but one time Orbot and Cubot tried to use it and didn't push his clothing down it with enough force, so they got caught inside. Eggman reached too far into it when trying to grab it, so his thicc ass got him stuck. After that embarrassing situation, he doesn't usually doesn't have them leading to his bedroom anymore ajfjsnskgjdg

Something he does put effort into in his living quarters is laundry. He needs to be strict about how it's handled because of the multiple times Orbot and Cubot have messed up. They've mixed colors and failed to consider the cleaning requirements for certain materials, which has lead to them ruining some of his favorite clothes. So he usually separates and organizes them himself.

But he still lets them take over from there to put them in the washing machine and dry them because he still wants to use the excuse of his clothes shrinking in the wash whenever they unexpectedly stop fitting him. He needs them to blame because they know he'd actually put effort into making sure they wouldn't shrink if he handled it, making it obvious that it's a lie. XD

He can be quite messy in his bedroom more than anywhere else because he often only gets in bed when he’s too dozy and sleepy to do anything else. He carelessly litters because he knows his robots can clean it up for him. Sometimes he leaves dishes, cans/bottles and other empty packaging all over his bed when he can't be bothered to use the trash can, like he did in Archie.

There are times where he falls asleep after bringing food to his bed, so when the robots come in to wake him, he realizes he’s been sleeping with random junk lol. He can find his Egg Mobile in a similar state too when needs to kick empty iced americano cups and packaging from late night fast food orders out of the way so he can sit down. In both cases, his robots are the ones left with the job of tidying up!

He'll try to avoid every single chore he can because the only work he typically wants to do is stuff he actually enjoys, so even the smallest tasks feel like a big waste of time if it's something he finds irritating. He’d rather have robots do it while he sits back to relax or sleep. Even if he just mildly splashes a table with a drink, he gets them to clean it up while he gets to the real important stuff.

He especially never lets anyone make him clean the toilets because they can get nasty, tidy the junk in his personal living quarters because he doesn't have the energy, or take the dishes out because there's always a lot of them. Those are jobs for his robots because it's what they were designed for after all. He takes great advantage of their services!

He doesn't usually do the dusting either because it makes him sneeze and itch excessively. But he will occasionally polish some of his creations by hand instead of using machines, so he can make sure they're looking their best. He mostly only does this with Metal to reward him for good though. Orbot and Cubot wish they'd get the same treatment but Eggman is never satisfied enough with their services to think they’ve earned it. Poor bots.

Despite the bad habits of his that come out while in the living quarters, he values having his robots keep it clean for him, so it's not often that his room in the same state as it was in the Man of the Year short, unless he's going through a time period of feeling too depressed and unmotivated. Then it can start to pile up by the day but his robots try to keep the place tidy to the best of their ability.

So because of all that, Orbot and Cubot joke that the only way he can be seen sweeping is when he's playing Curling in the Olympics lol. But they're overdramatizing because while he does try to avoid it as much as possible, he will clean up after himself if he has to. He just prefers not to and will do it grumpily if it’s because his robots didn't listen/couldn't be there to carry out his orders like they're supposed to!

#dr eggman #eggman #dr robotnik #dr. eggman #headcanons #ask prompts #my post #asks

[transpuppetboy]

Can you talk abt ur favourite fallout character and your hcs for them?

OK YEAH I CAN! this is going to maybe get a bit long tho because I have.. a few favorites from each game

also in general, I want to smooch all the ghouls

Fallout 3

Butch DeLoria: ah yes, the boy, the bastard. I love him and his whole look, and the Tunnel Snakes! first off, I like to imagine he is a GNC Trans Masc dude, he’s gay, and he’s 5′1. he/him pronouns! he HATES how short he is and will fight anyone who calls him that, don’t test him. huge fear of radroaches AND the dark, don’t mix them. he’s bipolar and autistic, and favors vocal stims. echolalia!!! growing up he was forced to be pretty feminine and hated that he was forced, so when he first came out, he tried to be as masc as possible, but later at 19, he started letting himself being as feminine as he wants, but not forcing it, y’know? smokes and drinks. later, I imagine he absolutely gets his gang up and running again, with better people. they stab transphobes. Tunnel Snakes Rule!!

Charon: heart eyes motherfucker. I love him. he’s a big dude, and I mean big. 6′10. he’s bi! he/him pronouns! he’s always super nervous to act on his attractions, because not only is he a ghoul, he’s honor bound to a contract. Azrukhal said he got hypnotized to follow it I think?? I imagine he actually did! he’s not a pre-war ghoul, but a more recent one. maybe ghoulified during the what the people did to hypnotize him. canonly, he has a 3 Intelligence, and I like to think before he got hypnotized, he had a higher Int. but still had a low Charisma heh. probably also has a brain injury. selective mutism! BIG softie under all that grump

Sergeant RL-3: love this Mister Gutsy! I think he sounds way too like.. charming to be a Gutsy, but I love it. good robot! they’re definitely demi-bi/ace and Masc Nonbinary! He/They pronouns for this bot. they’re protective of the Lone Wanderer, and he just wants them safe and secure. I think he should be a companion that doesn’t have karma requirements to have them. despite his... patriotic comments, I feel like he doesn’t really care who you are or what you follow, as long as you don’t harm those they care about. the patriotism is just how he was programmed anyways. they love to just be called Sarge, rather than Sergeant RL-3

Gob: ;o; I want him to be safe and ok. Trans Masc and bi with a preference for men. He/They. 5′6. PTSD, anxiety, depression. he’s autistic too! vocal stimming and hand flaps. but he can’t because of stupid Moriarty. loves his lesbian moms and just wants to go back to them, where he’s safe. crush on Charon!

Fallout: New Vegas

Raul Tejada:  love this old ghoul and his voice. augh I just can’t get over it. anyways, he’s gay, 5′8, and he/him pronouns. he absolutely hates being alone, but is scared to get close to anybody. if you do manage to get close to this man, he’s a ride or die kind of friend, y’know? he’s also the type of guy for lots of platonic ‘I love you’s and cheek kisses if you’re close. he doesn’t like when those he cares about wanders far from him when they’re traveling, and gets super nervous, and just wants to run and make sure they’re ok. he respects boundaries, but still worries over them. sweet man, jokes a lot, but also complains a lot about being old

Arcade Gannon: I haven’t known him for very long, but I love he. he’s a Demi-Boy, he’s gay, and he/they pronouns. 6′0. autistic and will go on and on about certain topics, there’s no stopping him. not like you’d want to, but still. likes the sound of a clicking pen and stims with it. more stims than that, but y’know, his favorite. he has lots of anxiety, but does have plenty of ways to cope. he gets crushes super easily. you’re nice to him? he loves you. that cute guy over there that said hi to him? love. dhfgkjgf

Lily Bowen: don’t have much for headcanons. but just... grandma. I love her. lesbian grandma. she/her

Yes Man: the best bot in the Mojave!!! good bot!!!! baby boy. baby. anyways, Masc Nonbinary, bi, and He/They. just loves everyone! easy to make friends with. when he’s allowed to feel other things and say no, he’s still super friendly and happy. he just... he’s filled with love. shaped like a friend. relationships with them? lots and lots of affection, and sweet gestures, and gifts. he tries his best, and likes making people happy. but he’s also a sarcastic shit at times, and can get very passive-aggressive

Fallout 4

Deacon: stealth egg!!!! Trans Masc Genderfluid, Demi-Bi, and He/They/She. 5′5. the sunglasses are to hide who he was. jokes about his depression and anxiety and ptsd. which is.. not good. he’s super good at sewing. he has lots of wigs, but that pompadour is his favorite! it’s so so so hard to get him to open up, but when you do, it’s only in private, with said person, but when he is, he’s super sweet and soft-spoken, makes less jokes. sensitive, but has it easier time hiding it when not being... himself

RJ MacCready: trash husband. rude garbage weasel. I want to smooch. Trans Masc, Bi, and he/him. 5′2. don’t call him a mungo, he gets super whiny and pouty. he’s a good dad tho and loves his son very much. probably spoils Duncan a shit ton when he’s cured. he’s very awkward with relationships but is very loving. he’s very nervous something will happen to his partner a lot, considering what happened to Lucy. loves dogs a lot

Nick Valentine: ahh, the reason for my last name. synth detective. BETHESDA LET ME ROMANCE HIM. Questioning his gender, Bi, and He/They. 6′0. it’s easy for him to defuse a situation. one of the sweetest people alive. he’s comforting, and if someone he cares about needs it, will sit by them while they sleep, just to make them feel safe. good singing voice. pre-war Nick wasn’t a movie person, more of a book person, so everyone’s favorite synth detective is the same. puts himself down a lot, because he’s an old synth. especially if you confess to him. doesn’t feel like he deserves whoever is his partner, but is so sweet and loving

Ada: not many headcanons for her yet. tiny lesbian bot, she/her. gives you anything that reminds her of you ;o; and random junk to help build settlements

Oswald the Outrageous: LOVE. good ghoul. Trans Masc Nonbinary, Demi-Bi/Ace, and He/They. 6′2. autistic, love performance and painting. tbh? water is a big sensory issue, especially now because water has been described as ‘sludge’ now. often covered in paint

Kent Connolly: I love him and his excitement. Demi and He/Him. 5′7. autistic and his special interest is The Unstoppables! specifically the Silver Shroud! sweet man. easily flustered

Fallout 76

Mordecai McCoy: good ol Morty-Mort. Trans Masc, Bi, and He/Him. 5′6. wants to make a name for himself, besides just being able to go into heavily irradiated places for people. a sweet man and easily excitable, but always tries to put on like.. a kinda tough guy act. but it’s super easy to break. likes to joke around a lot, and can be a flirt

ok to rb!!!

#answer #booshwash.txt #Fallout #my headcanons #Anonymous

[transformers-extrication]

It’s the trash lord himself! Read below for extra stuff

Wreck-Gar is the leader of a colony of Cybertronians that split pre-war, so long ago that there are no records of them ever leaving on either side.

He and his people like on the planet Junkion, which is composed primarily of waste and garbage ejected into space that somehow managed to clump together into a planet-sized mass.

Wreck-Gar and his colony are the living embodiment of “One man's trash is another man's treasure” and as such they are fairly well-known as a trading planet where you can take worthless items and root around in the heaps of garbage for anything of interest.

Junkion is located in an area of space where a lot of frequencies are bounced around due to the location of other planets, this means they receive a lot of broadcasts from an incredible variety of planets, as such they watch a lot of TV.

A common adaptation among Junkions is the “half-pipe” tail which can function as a way to hold a lot more than they could normally carry in their arms.

Just like all Junkions, Wreck-Gar has an excellent knack for being able to make quick ‘fix its’ from random items and could probably make three working clocks from your trash right now.

Wreck-gars thin and nimble legs allow him to move quickly through the mixed terrain of Junkion.

He is a very peppy and warm individual and almost always high-energy.

Yes, he knows his memes too, much to the annoyance of Ultra Magnus.

Junkions ‘seem’ to “speak TV” as they will often imitate broadcasts from the specific planet of the race they encounter, at first, as a gesture of hospitality and good will.

They mistook the crash landing of Ultra Magnus and his small crew to be an attack, however, leading to their somewhat turbulent first-meeting with the Autobots.

Despite mostly siding with the Autobots and being classed as Autobots upon reintroduction to Cybertron, Wreck-Gar and the Junkions are largely neutral and still accept trades from visiting Decepticons.

Wreck-Gar totally knows how to use his axe-turned-staff. He’s watched so much TMNT.

He is actually quite proficient with it, but probably not from watching TV.

A Lithonian named ‘Nancy’ lives with Wreck-Gar on Junkion, welcomed there as a ‘honorary Junkion’, Wreck-Gar and the Junkions took her in after Unicron destroyed her planet making her, potentially, the last of her kind.

Is surprisingly good with an accordian, no ones quite sure why he claims he’s “daring to be stupid” when using it though.

Worked alongside First Aid as a ‘extra’/makeshift medic on more than one occasion during Ratchet’s temporary absence.

Is considered a bit of an “uncle to all” on Junkion and a lot of the younger Junkions call him Uncle. He’s very perceptive of people's needs and will always do his best for his people.

Doesn’t always smell the best.

Often has a lot of odd bits of junk on him for no real reason, other than he ‘likes them’.

Can move bipedally and quadrupedally.

As proven by their first meeting, after Hot Rod calmed him and the other Junkions down, once he likes you and considers you a friend he can and will go fight a cosmic horror-demon will you if you merely ask him.

He is, no pun intended, a scrappy fellow.

#wreck-gar #wreck gar #transformers #maccadam #transformers au #character ref

[goddessofdandelions]

City Fairies!

Fairies have existed throughout history, so it is no surprise that they have adapted to our modern world and continue to exist even in urban areas. Many people assume that fairies and cities do not mix- and it’s probably true that there are less fairies in urban areas than there are in rural areas- but there are still plenty of the fae among the city. They can present some differences from rural fairies however so if you’re not already familiar with them, read on.

Fairies in the cities are attracted to electricity and places where there is lots of human activity. Like fairies in rural areas, they are responsible for the sudden appearance of plants and animals but in the city their mischievous nature often comes out in the form of vandalism and instilling a sense of curiousity and childlike wonder in the city-goers. To please a city fairy:

*Respect the nature you do come across

*Pick up trash you find on the side of the road

*Leave trinkets in public spaces for them to find- like shiny coins or paper hearts made from receipts or scrap paper.

*Be kind to strangers you come across- especially children

*Hum/sing while you walk or wait around

*Give space to the animals and insects you see, but be prepared to show them kindness if they should approach you

*Put stickers in random places

*If you have the space, set up a garden in your balcony. If you don’t have the space, try a bird house or offering bowl beneath a window. Set up fairy lights and other electrical trinkets nearby to attract them.

Other notes:

*If you’re having electrical problems, try placing iron near the cords/outlets to deter the fairies from messing with it

*Try looking in children’s shops or the toy aisle for offerings and trinkets since you won’t have much natural choices

*Fairies can be really helpful for finding parking spaces and ensuring you reach your public transportation on time- make a satchet or bottle and leave offerings often

*I’m told that other fairies in other areas are not as much of a stickler for cleanliness as the fairies I have here so if you don’t already, make sure your living space is always somewhat presentable and avoid clutter/junk.

*Fairies are known for being more active in the “in-between” times such as sunrise and sunset. But in the city this can also mean when the buses first start/just stop running, during lunch breaks, during the traffic rush getting home, and when businesses are opening and closing so keep an eye out for them.

#cottagecore #fairycore #maleficentcore #faerycore #fairy witch #faery witch #fae witch #witch #wicca #witchblr

[the-dao-of-the-zerg]

Polypiling (#132)

Continuing our Polymorphism week, we come to the unusual power of "Polypiling." One of the few powers that can only be invoked once per day, which the metamancers say is apparently for "balance concerns", although no one is quite sure what that phrase actually means. It works pretty simply: first, avoid philosophers. You do not want to let them fuck with your notion of what a "pile" is.

Second, pile together a bunch of junk - whatever you've got around and don't need. The more valuable it is, the better, but you can get results from empty beer bottles and bags of trash if you have to.

Third, wave your magic wand and chant the magic word: "Polypile!" The exclamation point is important - you're only going to get junk back if you're not excited about the exchange.

What you are left with is a pile of... well, it's really quite random. I've gotten everything from a pile of 2x4s, a wonderful car that used an engine no one had ever seen, what I'm pretty sure is a UFO, and a remarkable collection of medieval polearms.

Magic wand sold separately. But occasionally you get a new one mixed in with your random goodies, and they've got a decent chance of being a lot more effective than the stage magic props they sell in this reality.

#SPOTD #superpower of the day

[leggomylino]

[𝙻𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐… 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝…]

❧

You notice in the hall on your way out of the kitchen that Han’s taken off as well, with his things gone. You’re a bit puzzled and disappointed that he didn’t bother to let you know he was leaving, or why he’d even come by in the first place, but you decide to ignore it and make your way into the family room instead. 

When you get there you plop yourself down on the leather sofa and immediately begin to flip through your Netflix account. 

Anime...action movies...comedy...romance…

You manage to narrow it down to two choices by the time Jae walks in with your drink and his, along with a few bags of chips and other junk food shoved under his arms.

“What are we watching? Your Lie In April?” 

“I finished it already,” you say, having binge watch the second half a few days ago. “It was really sad. I cried. A lot.”

“You watched it without me?!”

“Sorry. The power went out from that storm, but I had the rest of the series downloaded on my phone, so I watched it while I waited for the lights to come back on. Thankfully I keep three wireless power banks in my room so I was good the whole night. ♥ ”

“Hmm...I guess your half of the city did go through a power outage…”

“What do you mean you guess?!”

He smirks and flicks a chip your way, dropping a handful of trail mix into his mouth. “Just play something already. I oughta make you suffer back through it, but because I’m such a nice caring brother I won’t.”

You both smile as you put on a random movie. ❧

It’s about two-thirds into the movie when you look over and realize Jaemin is fast asleep. He’s leaning back in a hunched-over position, a few chip crumbs on his face and a pretzel stick hanging out of his mouth as he’s snoring softly. You giggle to yourself, muting the volume and silently shutting off the tv, since you weren’t really that interested in what was going on anyway. Something about a guy skipping town to chase after the girl he likes, only to realize she’s already moved on...then halfway through the film he gains superpowers…? You dunno, it was weird.

You get up as carefully as you can, not wanting to disturb him (though you made sure to remove the pretzel to avoid a choking hazard) and gently toss a blanket over him, collecting the trash and snacks and turning out the lights on your way out. 

Curiosity gets the better of you as you’re tossing empty things into the recycling bin, and your jaw nearly hits the floor when your eyes meet the label on Jae’s drink.

𝖵𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂 𝖬𝗈𝖼𝗁𝖺 𝖠𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗈 𝟣𝟢 𝗉𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗌 𝖬𝗈𝖼𝗁𝖺 𝟧 𝗌𝗁𝗈𝗍𝗌 𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗈 𝟪 𝗉𝗎𝗆𝗉𝗌 𝖲𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗋 𝖤𝗑𝗍𝗋𝖺 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗉

The worst part was that you knew your brother: every morning he had a triple shot cappuccino. He had since he first started working at sixteen.

How on earth was he asleep right now?! Wait, scratch that-- how was he even alive?!

He shouldn’t be drinking something this strong and ridiculously sweet in his worn-out condition; heck, no one should. Ever. Even if they weren’t overly sleep deprived and sickly. Having anything over five shots of espresso a day (not at once) was overkill and should be labeled a health violation, in your humble opinion at least.

It takes all your willpower not to march back in there and flip his sorry butt off the couch to yell at him for being such a dummy. But he needs his rest, you know, so you decide to take a rain check and scold him later; instead you get him a glass of water and a couple Advil in case he wakes up with a headache, as well as a few crackers to take it with.

You notice it’s raining as you make your way upstairs to your room. April showers, as they say. You couldn’t wait ‘til May, when the flowers would begin to fully bloom around the neighborhood and out back in your parent’s garden.

The first thing you notice when you cross the threshold into your sanctuary, however, is that your phone is blowing up like crazy. 

Sheesh. Now what’s going on?

You shuffle over to check what the four-one-one is all about, having to shield your eyes a moment because you forgot you left your brightness setting on max. 

You frown, wondering what it is they want to talk to you about.

Then you remember what day it is.

Tomorrow is the official release of Ultrascape!

Exhilarated, you type back a quick reply.

You sigh; you don’t even wanna ask what the cop thing is about. Maybe you should just walk or take a cab instead…

❧

[𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚞𝚙! 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, (𝚢/𝚗) 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝟸. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚎𝚍.]

[𝙻𝚘𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐… 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚝…] 

❧

There’s a persistent ringing sound when you wake up, though it sure as hell doesn’t sound like your alarm. Who the Davy is here so early…?

Probably just one of those door-to-door salesmen trying to sign you up for cable or high-speed internet. You choose to ignore it…

...Then it hits you like a ton of bricks. April 29th. Ultrascape. Felix’s house. Han. Not only that, but Jaemin--

...No, he probably went to work already. But you had work to do as well! Starting with your hair!! Shoot, what were you going to wear?! You hadn’t even showered yet!

Springing up into a sitting position, a few cheese puffs and potato chips go flying out of your hair and off your bed as you look around groggily yet wildly for your phone, clearing away the bags of junk food and five varying consoles and controllers you’d shifted through almost the entire night. You hadn’t been able to sleep regularly; you weren’t sure when you finally crashed; you were too worried about Jaemin, and what the heck you were going to do with all that annoyingly fake “fan mail.” Ugh. Normally you just stuffed it into the trash and one time down the garbage disposal; but that had resulted in too much wasted time and effort, so most likely trash it was. You’d haul it on your way out; for now you leave it shoved into the closet and pick out something to wear at random, jumping into the shower. 

You hear your phone buzz mid-shower, only checking it after you’ve secured on your outfit consisting of an oversized T-shirt and jeans, whipping your hair up into a messy ponytail to match. You grab your crossbody bag on your way out, texting down the stairs.

The moment you throw yourself out the door Sungie starts the engine, checking over his shoulder left and right.

You give him a bizarre look as you clamber into the passenger seat. “The heck are you looking for?”

“Cops. One drove by earlier and I had to hide in the backseat.”

“Wouldn’t he recognize your car and license plates…?”

“Not with how fast I was going.”

“...Should I walk? Or call an Uber?”

“If you’re gonna keep being a thot.”

“...That’s not...that’s not even…” You sigh, laughing. “Just drive. Legally, please.”

“I am the most legal--”

You groan. He stares at you a moment before rolling his eyes, shifting into Reverse.

“Yes ma’am.”

❧

[𝙷𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚓𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢.]

❧

During the drive your mind wanders whilst staring sleepily out the window. Thankfully Han keeps within the speed limit, but though his mouth is running ninety miles an hour, you aren’t hearing a word of it. There are more important topics clouding your thoughts right now.

Firstly, there’s Jaemin. He looked just awful when he came to visit. You recall the way his cheeks were sunken in slightly, his whole posture rigid and looking like it was ready to crumble any minute. You didn’t remember him being so pale before. Or looking so worn out and utterly exhausted. The fact that he was keeping it from you didn’t help ease your concern either; if anything, it made it worse. It definitely made it worse.

But what about you? What about your health? Lately you’d been feeling mostly fine, with a few minor episodes here and there mainly due to late nights staying up to tackle the Elite Four or work tirelessly to unlock secret otome routes. No big deal.

Wasn’t it, though? Isn’t what you’re doing no different than what Jae was doing to you?

The thought of this stings a little, you’re not gonna lie. You clutch your bag in your lap a little tighter. Maybe you should be more open and honest about what’s going on in your life…

But why? Why should you? Your health has been basically average. Nothing particularly bad to report. And it’s not like they’ve asked you to tell them. And you wouldn’t want to worry them anyway…

...That’s probably how Jaemin feels. Not wanting you to worry. Keeping it locked up inside. Brushing it off as nothing. That wasn’t healthy. You’d want him to tell you the second he felt a sneeze coming on...y’know, if it was related to something serious…

So should you tell them then? Han and the others were your friends, after all. Jaemin was your brother, for Pete’s sake.

And yet…

It was just anxiety. Just a bit of anxiety, y/n, that’s all. Nothing to freak out and have anxiety about. ...Dear stars, you were about to have anxiety about anxiety.

Ugh.

The four dorks...okay, three, since one was here...the three dorks waiting for you now with the fourth one running his mouth over the speed limit were your friends: Hyunjin, Jisung (or Han, as he often went by), Felix, and Jeongin. After you’d gotten sick and your university granted you a leave of absence, most of your old friends, who mostly consisted of girls...scratch that, all of your old friends, who all consisted of girls...had basically dumped you, completely cutting you off. They only pretended to be your friends now in the form of “fan mail” to get to Jaemin; you never heard from any of them otherwise. They just didn’t get it, didn’t know how to handle you up and leaving all of a sudden. You didn’t look sick; you looked fine to them. So why were you quitting school? 

You weren’t quitting, you told them. Just taking a break. Doctor’s orders.

They still didn’t get it.

So it’s needless to say you had concerns about whether or not to tell these guys. Would they feel the same way? Would they cast you out as well? 

They hadn’t so far. At least not the one that found out; but up to this point it’d been okay. Felix just seemed like the kind of guy you could tell anything to, and he’d respectfully keep it in confidence. And as of yet, he’d kept that promise.

The day you told Felix was only a week ago. ...Well, the day he found out, rather. He’d showed up unexpectedly at your door while you were having an episode, almost like fate had called him there. While you fought to get your breathing under control and keep your eyes focused on him, the world spinning around you, he tilted his head and asked you what was the matter. 

“It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“...You don’t look fine. Can I come in?” 

You’d let him in, it would have been rude and suspicious not to after all, not to mention proving his point that you were indeed not fine. He closed the door behind him just as the last snow of February began to fall.

It was like he knew exactly what to do; he walked you right to the back of the house, to the garden your mother had planted for your father when he needed inspiration for his photography. You loved that garden; you could sense the love your mother had put into it every time you walked out there, strolling aimlessly among the flowers and strawberry crops. The two of you sat curled up on the carpet for hours, where he told you random facts about flowers, stories of his childhood, and the things he both loved and hated about the gaming world, all while watching the last snowfall before Spring collect silently on the roof of your father’s greenhouse.

It was nice. Your mother was a travel agent and your father was always traveling for his job as well, so they were rarely ever home, mainly just during the holidays. It’d been nice to have such company other than Jae’s weekly visits...warm...intriguely inviting... 

You’d only known them for a few months, but so far they’d treated you like family. Every one of them had become a precious friend to you.

Which is why it broke your heart that you couldn’t tell them about your condition. 

What condition? I don’t have a condition, I’m fine. It’s just random attacks of anxiety. Not even “attacks” really, just--

“(Y/n)?”

“Wha!!”

You launch yourself back in your seat, suddenly reconnected with reality. The car’s stopped running, and you’re sitting on the side of the road in the middle of a really ritzy neighborhood. These people have to do something big for a living to afford the luxury here.

You’re wondering why y’all didn’t just pull into one of the huge spacious driveways, but when you look to your left you see that it’s already full; if that is indeed Felix’s house, that is. You aren’t sure, honestly; you’ve never been to the guy’s house before.

But now you understand why he’s always wearing the latest fashion.

Han’s looking at you like you’re a bit off your rocker, and he slowly takes off his seat belt, tucking his keys into his jeans pocket and unlocking the doors. “You okay? Have you been spaced out this whole time?”

“...I mean...I would say no, but that’d be a lie.”

He makes an offended memey expression before opening the door. “Stay there. I’ll open the door for you. I’m scared you’ll attract the cops with how wacky you’re acting.”

You tell him, politely put, shove off and drop the stupid cop scare already, then scramble out of the vehicle. 

But as you’re walking up the driveway and onto the sidewalk leading up to what you hope is the right house, Han suddenly cringes, turning around and awkwardly...striding?...back to the car.

You glare at him over your shoulder. “Where are you going? Is this not the right house?”

He’s waving you off without looking back, fumbling to pull his keys back out of his tightass hoochie pants. “No, no! That’s it! 363 Ambers Street! Just ring the doorbell or whatever and he’ll be down in a sec! If he’s not playing anything...I, uh, got something I forgot to do!”

He’s hightailing it out of there before you can even begin questioning him.

❧

[𝙷𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚎𝚏𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢.]

❧

Very nice. Ditching a lady at a place she’s never been before...even if it is another friend’s house…

You shake your head, making the rest of your way up the sidewalk. 

You pause just before the door, feeling something inside you freeze. Nerves, maybe? …

❧

[𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 (𝚢/𝚗) 𝚍𝚘?    𝙵𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝  ➤𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢    𝙱𝚊𝚐    𝚁𝚞𝚗 ]

You look around. It’s only you.

[𝙳𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 (𝚢/𝚗)?  ➤𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢    𝙰𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢    𝚂𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑    𝙸𝚝𝚎𝚖 ]

[𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝙸𝙽𝙵𝙾/𝚂𝙺𝙸𝙻𝙻𝚂/𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚃𝚂 -

𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎: (𝚢/𝚗)

𝙻𝚟. 𝟸 

𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚎: 𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚂𝚝𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝 (𝙼𝙸𝙰)

𝙸𝚝𝚎𝚖: 𝙿𝚎𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚢

𝚁𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎. 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚓𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚢 𝚒𝚗 (𝚢/𝚗)’𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚘𝚖 𝚊𝚝 𝙻𝚟 .𝟷

𝙷𝙿: 𝟷𝟾/𝟸𝟶

𝙰𝚃𝙺.: 𝟷𝟶

𝙳𝙴𝙵.: 𝟾

𝚂𝙿.𝙰𝚃𝙺.: 𝟷𝟸

𝚂𝙿.𝙳𝙴𝙵.: 𝟺

𝚂𝙿𝙳.: 𝟿

𝙴𝚇𝙿.: 𝟸𝟽

𝙰𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢: 𝚂𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚎 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎 - 𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊��𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚌𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐.]

There’s nothing else for it.

[𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 (𝚢/𝚗) 𝚍𝚘?  ➤𝙵𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝   𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢    𝙱𝚊𝚐    𝚁𝚞𝚗 ]

❧

You knock on the door at first, but halfway through your usual method of knocking you realize you could have just rang the dang doorbell. Nice one, (y/n)...why am I so nervous?

You quickly ring the doorbell, taking a step back and clinging for dear life to the strap across your bodice. You can feel your hands start to sweat, causing you to let go every few seconds to swipe them against you shirt or the sides of your jeans. Felix answers not too long after, an annoyed expression on his face as he squints into the harsh sunlight. It morphs into a lopsided grin at the sight of you standing on his front porch. “Hey.”

C’mon, (y/n)...if you can just say something not dumb…

You wrack your brain for something smart and witty to reply with. Something cute and charming that doesn’t sound too forward or, for lack of a better word, desperate. 

There’s just...something about this guy...

You swallow dryly. Cute and charming. Not forward, not desperate. Cute and charming cute and charming cute and charming━

“Uh...hi.”

Was that good? Did I do okay? I━

[𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚞𝚙! 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, (𝚢/𝚗) 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝟹. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚎𝚍.]

[𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜! 𝙵𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚡 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢!]

[𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚊 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗 𝚒𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢. 𝙱𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍, 𝚘𝚛...𝟶𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟷𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟷𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟷𝟷𝟷𝟶𝟷𝟷𝟷𝟶𝟶𝟷𝟶…]

[𝙵𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚡 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚎𝚍.]

He chuckles at the strange look on your face from thinking too hard, holding the door open wider to welcome you inside.

“Hey. C’mon in. The others should be here any minute.”

It takes your legs a minute to get the memo, but once they do you follow him into the house, the door closing behind you.

❧

[𝚆𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎? ➤ 𝚈𝚎𝚜    𝙽𝚘]

[𝚂𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐… 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛…]

[(𝚢/𝚗) 𝚜𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎.]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝙼𝚢 𝙶𝚊𝚖𝚎  → 𝙿𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 |  [𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚛!𝙹𝚒𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚐 𝚡 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚛!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚡 𝚐𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚛!𝙵𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚡]

[ 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙱/𝚈 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚘 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 //  ➤ 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝙰/𝚇 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚞𝚎 ] 

#kpop #kpop scenarios #kpop reactions #kpop oneshots #kpop imagines #nct dream #nct dream scenarios #nct dream reactions #nct dream oneshots #nct dream imagines #stray kids #stray kids scenarios #stray kids reactions #stray kids oneshots #stray kids imagines #nct dream gamer au #nct dream text au #stray kids gamer au #stray kids text au #han jisung #lee felix #na jaemin #poeticallyspaghetti #gamer au #text au #Love My Game

[chisie12]

Friends and Butterflies, An After Ending - Part 1

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20490521/chapters/48623783

TAKE THIS 14K WORTH OF FLUFF - Domestic Bliss with a lil surprise at the end.

“Ge ge really looks beautiful. A flower fitting of a prince.”

~~*~~*~~

Spring spurred on the thought of blooming flowers, a cloud of pink, white and red.

A blossom in full bloom breaks off its branch with the alluring kiss of the wind, twirling enchantingly like following the path of a fairy before falling into a smooth, fair palm.

“Ge.”

“Hmm?” The young man turned around, long soft hair dancing around his body, eyes glazing over lovingly at the tall slender man behind him who donned the robes of a fiery crimson maple colour. He himself was cladded in white robes, hands crossed and hidden in the sleeves. Paired with his gentle smile that showed off his pearly whites and the sunset as a backdrop, he truly looked God sent. His eyes involuntarily closed at the touch near his cheek as the fallen blossom was tucked behind his ear, the stem tickling the edges of his scalp. The hand shifted to cup his cheek, a thumb caressing the soft skin under his fingertips and he was greeted with a warm smile. His breath hitched in his throat, eyes soaking in the handsome sight; skin as white as snow, a proud face framed by silky raven locks with a feral aura that stood unwavering, where a red pearl at the end of a small braid teased him, when his eyes trailed up, meeting with a lone eye that still sparkled as bright as the stars despite the other one covered by a black eyepatch. He felt the weight of the sheer love in the other man’s gaze, swelling and flooding his heart with all it could before it overflowed upon his pink lips.

The taller man bent down at his waist and he rested his forehead upon the young man in white, fingers slowly tracing his cheek as his grin widened with the smaller man’s own widening smile. “Ge ge really looks beautiful. A flower fitting of a prince.”

The younger man tilted his head up, fully resting his forehead against his man’s before rubbing his nose with his. “I think San Lang’s more beautiful.”

Life was fairly simple right now, easy-going and relaxing for the couple. The Heavenly Court was already rebuilt, filled with the golden palaces and a tall clock tower still standing strong, but it wasn’t like Xie Lian frequently stayed at his own palace. It felt lonely, too large for someone like him, and he’d admit to no one but himself, that it just didn’t feel right there. Not a home. Not a place where he could stay.

“Come on, ge ge. Let’s go look for something to eat.” Hua Cheng slowly straightened his back and the smaller male inwardly pouted at the loss of contact before his smile returned when he felt the larger hand slid into his own.

“You’re not going to throw another feast are you?” Xie Lian asked as they made their way back to Ghost City.

“If ge ge doesn’t want one, then I won’t host one,” Hua Cheng grinned.

Xie Lian caught up to his steps and looked seriously at him. “We don’t need to. It’ll be a waste, San Lang. Even if I just drink water, it’ll be enough because I have you.”

“Because without affection, we could be hungry even if we’re eating food?” Hua Cheng finished his phrase for him, chuckling as he did so.

“Mm!” Xie Lian nodded happily.

In the distance, the couple strolled down the path, leaving behind a trail of dancing petals shimmering in soft hues in the air. Warm sunlight shone upon their handsome countenances, the season of joy prospering with delight at their presence.

“Your highness!” A voice suddenly called out in Xie Lian’s mind from his private communication channel.

Putting two fingers to his temple, he answered, “Qi Ying? What’s wrong?”

“Can you come up? Something is wrong! – Ah!”

He wanted to inquire more of the matter he spoke but the line was cut before he could. Holding back his sigh, he tried to not look disappointed, really. He tried.

“Ge ge? What’s wrong?” Hua Cheng caught the gleam of disappointment in his gaze and frowned. “Did they call for you?”

“Yeah…” Xie Lian sighed. He looked up at Hua Cheng, catching his gaze with his own. “There are some matters they need me to see. It sounded quite urgent.”

A hand snaked up his neck to cup his cheek once more. Warm, soft lips pressed themselves against Xie Lian’s forehead, lingering there for a moment longer. “It’s alright. I’ll wait for you at home,” Hua Cheng breathily whispered against his skin.

A smile tugged at his downwards curved lips, pulling them up involuntarily. Home. Warmth bloomed in his heart as he smiled up at Hua Cheng. Home. ‘That’s where you are.’

“Alright.” And in a bout of confidence, he pulled the taller man down with a gentle tug at the collar and planted his lips on the most definitely cooperative man. “I’ll see you at home.”

…

But he wished he hadn’t come.

What Heavenly Court? This was more like a playground.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know!” Quan Yi Zhen cried, holding a small bundle in his arms. It was wrapped in earthly coloured clothes, chubby face scrunched up in displeasure which it made sure to let everyone know – just like every other baby there.

On the grounds of the Heavenly Court littered colourful bundles, either crawling around or bawling – screaming – their eyes out. Xie Lian rubbed his temples as he sighed dejected. Just what in the world happened? As his gaze swept over the royal babies of Heaven, he noticed one particular baby, silent and staring up at him after having crawled his way over, locks of silvery grey hair falling past his shoulders, cladded in robes of white and turquoise... and that face –

“Mu Qing?”

Mu Qing scrunched his face into a big frown, the space between his eyebrows wrinkling in annoyance. “Are you blind?”

Xie Lian blinked. Twice. He swore that baby just rolled his eyes. He watched as the baby glared and gave him the stink eye, before his eyes rolled again. Yeah, definitely Mu Qing.

“What happened?” He hurriedly asked in favour of finding out just why he could actually talk. He also pointedly ignored Quan Yi Zhen’s wide eyes and gaping mouth.

“Some idiot spilled some trash bottle you had in your room.” Mu Qing huffed his cheeks and crossed his pudgy little arms, and Xie Lian felt his hands twitch.

“Oh?” He replied instead. “I didn’t know I had something like that.” It’s been awhile since he actually entered his palace and with all the junk he’s collected, he kept most of them in the newly built Heavenly Court (only so he wouldn’t hoard them at Hua Cheng’s manor). There would be a rare artifact or two mixed within, but he wouldn’t really know. He bit his bottom lip, having a stare-down with Mu Qing whose displeased face twisted into one of horror. Eyes widened in fear, mouth falling agape, arms pulled back, and soon, he voiced out his utterly horrified displeasure.

 “Waaaaaahhh!!” Large beads streamed down the corners of his eyes while his arms flailed about. He kicked his legs but they were to no avail as Xie Lian effortlessly kept his secure in his hold, a wide, face-splitting grin upon his face.

“So… cute!” He dragged out the first out, placing the baby in the crook of his arm as he pinched his cheeks. He dared now, only now; Because he was a baby. “Such chubby cheeks! So small-ah!”

Baby Mu Qing wailed louder, screamed at the top of his little lungs in an attempt to shatter Xie Lian’s eardrums as retaliation for the utter humiliation. Unfortunately, Xie Lian was already immune to such pain. After all, when he had the worst of luck, ten out of ten times, when he was out scrap picking, some children would try and take the goods he picked up, and when he tried to take them back, they would of course start screaming and crying in his ears until their mothers came to admonish him for bullying their children (Xie Lian: I’m innocent!). Thus, kids and their wailing have zero effectiveness against the Flower Crown Martial God.

“Do you know who spilled it?” Xie Lian asked after satisfying himself with pinching baby Mu Qing’s cheeks.

Mu Qing paused in his crying, sniffling up at Xie Lian. “F-Fe… Eh… Waaaaahhhh!”

“Oh, oh. It’s okay. There, there. Stop crying,” Xie Lian cooed, bouncing the crying child in his arms. Baby Mu Qing’s round cheeks were flushed red, liquid dribbling down his nose as his body temperature rose ever so slightly. He hummed to himself. It would seem like the Heavenly Officials could speak, though limited, and he wondered if it was related to spiritual power.

“Y-Your highness?” Quan Yi Zhen called, looking awkward carrying a now calm baby in his arms. “Do you know what’s wrong? I just came back when I encountered this!” His curly hair was curlier than usual, dishevelled and sticking out as though he walked through a storm of lightning.

Xie Lian looked up towards him, shifting baby Mu Qing so that the little one could rest against his shoulder as he patted his back comfortingly (or what he hoped was comforting). “It would seem everyone got turned into babies by accident.”

“I heard it was by some bottle you had collected?”

Xie Lian shrugged. “Someone must have been rummaging in my palace and accidentally spilled it.”

“How…” Quan Yi Zhen’s entire face fell in horror when the baby started squirming in his hold. “Stay still!” It sounded a lot more like a plea than an order.

“Fuck you!” Suddenly came out of the baby’s mouth, shocking both Xie Lian and Quan Yi Zhen into becoming statues. “I don’t want to stay still!”

Xie Lian blinked once more. Twice. “Feng… Xin?”

“Yes, your highness?”

It had been a random shot in the dark, though it was also equally a much needed verbal communication, and he had been right. Looking at the soft features of the baby, of dark ebony hair and sharp eyebrows, he could see the resemblance to his old bodyguard. “Uh…” Xie Lian gulped, trying to swallow the shock down, “Do you know who entered my palace?”

Feng Xin refused to look at him directly, big round eyes suddenly finding the Heavenly Court’s architecture most fascinating.

“Feng Xin?”

The baby in question immediately covered his face with his hands, also so pudgy and small, not even a quarter the size of Xie Lian’s own palm. His hands twitched again, really so tempted to play and knead those small hands. If he knew the two generals would have been this cute, he would have found a way to have them this way more often! Wait no. That would have been horrifying. They’d kill him. Hmm… or mothers. No mother could possibly fathom a swearing baby. They’d probably faint on the spot.

Xie Lian called his name again as he hefted a now sniffling baby Mu Qing higher on his shoulder, firmly holding the baby with his left arm while lowering his body slightly and reached out towards Feng Xin with the other hand. “Feng Xin?” His voice was soft and gentle with slender fingers lightly tugging at the small hands to calm the baby general down. “It’s alright. I won’t be mad. Tell me, please?” He added the last word on for good measure.

Sure enough, Feng Xin peeked at his old master through his fingers, large teary eyes sparkling at him with innocent blinks. “…I did.”

Xie Lian continued smiling while lightly rubbing Feng Xin’s head who leaned into the touch with a delighted smile. He waited patiently for Feng Xin to continue, silently enjoying the sound of happy baby giggles bursting from his chest.

“…I wanted to try clean up your palace, your highness.” Feng Xin’s voice was soft, barely audible and if it wasn’t for his sharp hearing, he would have missed it.

“Oh,” fell from Xie Lian’s lips. He hummed while he thought back to his palace. It might be a mess, he’ll admit… Quite a mess indeed. There were piles and piles of junk he thought were rare or useful that he hoarded, that he refused to let sit around idly in Paradise Manor, and over time, he just… forgot. Inwardly sighing to himself, he’ll admit another thing today: He preferred time with Hua Cheng in Paradise Manor. Probably because of exactly that hoarded piles he never got around to properly sort them around. Oops. But then again, it was just as Hua Cheng said before: “A home has family. A place where someone lives alone is not a home.”

He felt heat crept onto his face at the thought of a family with Hua Cheng, just like a warm embrace cradling his heart, when he shook his head. There were still matters at hand to tend to!

Hmm, should he ask why he wanted to clean the palace?

Xie Lian returned his focus onto Feng Xin, hoping that the blush went away. Seeing the phantom image of the strong, determined archer graced with a handsome face being reduced to an extremely round, chubby little baby with pink tinted cheeks, small pouty and thick brows arching over large pleading eyes, there was a clear ringing of mirth mixed with the many other wailing babies. Giving Feng Xin a pinch on his cheeks, he looked back at the many other baby officials on the ground with a grin.

“What should we do?” Quan Yi Zhen asked.

Xie Lian ignored the slight high pitched tone of his voice and turned to him, calm and collected. “I'm not sure how long the effects will last but the Heavenly Court is definitely not a safe place for the babies.” At Quan Yi Zhen’s confused expression, he continued explaining, “The place is too large. They could go anywhere and will possibly hurt themselves while we’re not looking. I'm certain that only we’re not affected somehow since we weren’t in the Heavenly Court.”

What he left unsaid were: Can you really take care of hundreds of babies? I definitely can’t.

Quan Yi Zhen glanced at all the wailing babies. His face visibly blanched, almost as white as Hua Cheng, Xie Lian noted.  

“All... all these?” Turning back to his calmly smiling friend, the corner of his lips twitched into a bitter smile, hands absentmindedly patting a settled Feng Xin in his arms. “Can I not join? I only know how to fight. Not take care of babies!”

“It's alright,” Xie Lian patted his shoulder reassuringly, ignoring the panicked shivers trembling in his friend’s body. “I know who can help.”

Back in Paradise Manor, dishes with steamed buns were lined up on the dark hardwood table set in the main hall, a pot of steaming tea by the side. Long pale fingers stretched out of crimson robes lightly tapped against the ceramic cup, a thumb tracing its curve as his lips curved into a devilish smile. Time ticked by. He lifted the cup and took a sip. His eyes darted to the main door, forcing the hopes and anticipation down a notch. He waited and waited. Another sip. And then he stood up, suddenly materialising a cloth in his hands. Icy cold water kissed his skin as he dampened the cloth, red sleeves rolled up as he proceeded to wipe down the table. Once, twice. The steamed buns were placed back into the bamboo steamer in the kitchen, below it a low flame flickering in greeting.

It was only him. Alone. In Paradise Manor.

The sun had long set, crept behind the horizon, dragging away with it the rainbow hues that painted the sky, leaving behind only a solemn navy tone, sparsely dotted with stars and a full moon hanging low in the cloudless sky. He walked back towards the table, plopping back into the chair as he watched, stared at the door. The smile dropped from his face.

What could be taking so long? Was it urgent?

Dancing in his palm, led around by his fingers were a pair of dices that tinkled as they touched.

Should he go visit? Find him in the Heavenly Court?

He should be fine. Nothing can scare him.

But what if he got hurt?

...

Clenching his palm with the dices, Hua Cheng shot up from his seat, the chair scraping against the floor. His arm was pulled back, ready to throw, lips pursed and expression straight, when the door slammed open.

“San Lang!”

That voice, his name. His muscles visibly relaxed as he lowered his arm, his fierce dark expression softening and pulling a smile when the white silhouette pounced into his arms. Leaning down, strands of his hair falling to tickle his cheeks, he asked, “Did ge ge miss me that much?”

Pink blossoms crept up Xie Lian’s cheeks and his ears at the soft caresses of his breaths, accentuating the snowy beauty of the flower still tucked behind his ear, and he buried his head deeper in Hua Cheng’s embrace.

“Are you hungry? I made dinner.”

Xie Lian’s head perked up at the mention of food, homemade food.

“Have you had dinner yet?” Xie Lian asked, only to receive a shake of Hua Cheng’s head in reply.

“I was waiting for you to eat together.”

There was a twinkle in Xie Lian’s gaze, shimmering brightly in the pools of affection those eyes. His lips parted, to perhaps say a word of thanks, of love, when a sharp shrill wail tore through the roof.

Having been totally immersed in his lover’s return, Hua Cheng was caught off guard for a rare moment. Stepping back to hold him at an arm’s length, he finally observed Xie Lian properly. A white sling was slung over his shoulder and a small bundle was peeking out from his shoulder. Head full of light coloured hair, snowy white cheeks stained with tears, but his eyes, threatening with unshed tears, were narrowed into horizontal slits. Hua Cheng couldn’t help but return the glare with a smile, uncaring and unbothered that it lacked any trace of warmth. Other than the addition of this un-cute baby, Xie Lian still wore the same clothes he did today, even down to the flower he tucked in his hair.

But this baby wasn’t crying, so who was?

“Your highness! I can’t do this!”

A brow arched high over unsmiling eyes when a whole other cries penetrated the walls of his Paradise manor as he watched an extremely dishevelled Quan Yi Zhen run inside with the crying bundle in his arms, a baby sling also slung across his chest. His robes were askew, collar drooping low across a shoulder, teasing tanned skin peeking through and his face was the exact painting of horrified panic.

If Hua Cheng wasn’t disturbed earlier, he was now. His glare turned colder and colder the closer Quan Yi Zhen approached, dishevelled and also carrying a baby. It can’t be theirs, could it!?

“Please! Take him! Take them all away!”

“What’s wrong, Qi Ying?” Xie Lian smiled, his head peeking out from behind Hua Cheng who suddenly shifted to stand before him. The taller man raised an arm, his long sleeves blocking his sight while he pointedly stared at the exposed skin. Quan Yi Zhen followed his heated glare and in a flurry of further panic, he pulled his robes up to quickly at least right himself. Once satisfied, Hua Cheng lowered his sleeve without another word but the frosty aura emanating off his body was undeniable. Xie Lian obediently stepped out and stood next to him, one hand shyly holding onto his, and the masked killing intent diminished just ever so slightly. Just slightly.

“Qi Ying? What’s wrong?” Xie Lian asked again, returning his attention back onto the Martial God of the West. “You’re doing pretty well with children!”

“No! I don’t think so! He keeps crying! They all are!”

Xie Lian felt Hua Cheng stiffen, the fingers in his tightening their hold, and he turned to look. His smile faltered at the sight, one end of his lips falling and the other twitching. ‘If looks could kill, Qi Ying would already be dead ten times, no a hundred times over.’

Hua Cheng smile widened until his one eye narrowed into a crescent moon. Two babies? No. There was more. Outside. Was it theirs? No. It couldn’t be. ‘Ge wouldn’t do that to me.’ His mouth was pressed firmer into a straight line. ‘But ge ge loves children. He must want them…’ A throbbing sensation began to pound at his head, the pent up frustration and stress releasing itself as a sigh from his lips while he used his free hand to rub at his head. His shoulders were stiff, muscles so tense. Maybe he should have married ge ge and immediately tried having a kid. There should be child-bearing pills still in Ghost City!

“Maybe he’s hungry?” Xie Lian suggested thoughtfully. “It should be dinner time! Bring the others in first.”

Quan Yi Zhen turned around, eyes watery and threatening to fall. Oh, he hated this. He’s not good with babies! “I only know how to fight!” He wailed as he ran back out.

Xie Lian tugged at their interlaced fingers and averted his gaze bashfully when Hua Cheng turned his head towards him. “I hope you don’t mind, San Lang. I brought them over without your permission.”

He sighed yet again, but the knot in his heart wasn’t undone, still painfully clenching and clawing at his insides. “It’s alright, ge ge. What’s mine is yours. You can do whatever you want here. No need to ask me.” The words had to crawl out of his mouth, through stiff jaws.

Sneaking a glance at the ajar doors, Xie Lian hurriedly tipped onto his toes, pulling slightly at his hand and briefly kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.”

Hua Cheng squeezed his hand in return, silent and accepting of his fate.

Quan Yi Zhen came back soon after with Ruoye. The white silk was extended and expanded, tying itself to every baby there was just so they could be transported, and there were hundreds. With Xie Lian never in the Heavenly Court and Quan Yi Zhen (now regrettably) without any helpers in his palace – though they might be turned to babies too –, they could only resort to such a crude way of transportation. At seeing the sight of a cloud of babies swarming into the main hall of his manor, Hua Cheng was stunned into dumbfounded silence, shaken to the core.

‘Ge ge wouldn’t have had this many hidden babies, would he? Adopted? His own!?’ He quickly shook that thought away. ‘No, I would have known!’

Ge!

He cried pitifully in his heart, though his outward expression never changed.

“Fuck! Why’d you bring us here!” a voice cried out, breaking Hua Cheng out of his trance. His eye twitched at the familiar sound, that familiar character.

Feng Xin?

“Feng Xin! You can speak again!” Xie Lian rushed over to Quan Yi Zhen, seeing the baby on his back.

Ah, it was Feng Xin.

Hua Cheng swept his eyes over the screaming babies, taking note of their different robes, their hairstyles… He then looked at the glaring baby on Xie Lian’s back and a mirthless chuckle escaped when it connected.

Mu Qing?

The baby rolled his eyes.

Mu Qing.

Hua Cheng relaxed at the thought that these babies weren’t Xie Lian’s at all. Just some annoying insects turned more annoying.  

He flashed baby Mu Qinh a grin, full of teeth and sharp canines as a murderous gleam flashed in his eyes for a split second. Baby Mu Qing was shocked for a moment before his face fell, cheeks trembling with eyes wide in horror.

Oh, shit.

“Waaaaaaaahhh!” Xie Lian jumped at the sudden wail from baby Mu Qing when he was conversing with Feng Xin. It was tremendously loud and shrill, sobs wracking his little body. Xie Lian expertly shifted the sling so that he could cradle baby Mu Qing properly, bouncing on his toes in calming the baby down, but as though on cue, the remaining Heavenly Babies started crying louder, red chubby faces stained with snot and tears.

Frowning, Xie Lian finally turned to his stock still lover.

Catching his gaze, Hua Cheng smiled, finally feeling better at the thought that these weren’t Xie Lian’s babies after all. Just some annoying pests that multiplied. “What’s wrong, ge ge?”

“Could you lend a hand, please?”

“Sure but I don’t think the Heavenly Babies will appreciate that.”

“It’s alright. I’ll deal with them later.”

Hua Cheng hummed lowly, crossing his arms across his chest. “Hmm, we’ll have to baby-proof Paradise Manor, you know.”

“I know. I'm sorry. It’s just too difficult to manage them all in the Heavenly Court and thought here was better. Is that okay?”

Despite saying that, the man in red interpreted his words differently as a teasing smile graced his features. “San Lang is honoured that ge ge misses me so much.” A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “But do I get something in return if I help?”

Xie Lian blinked at their unexpected proximity. Their bodies were flushed together, the arm cladded in red tight – possessive – around his waist and the other hand was caressing his pink cheeks. Baby Mu Qing was still held firmly in his grip, crying even louder at the sudden shameless public affection, as though he was showing his utter displeasure at his previous master being so smitten with the demon. His eyes glazed over at the thought of their current position; Him in his lover’s arms in a tight embrace with an adorable baby in his arms between them while in Paradise Manor. Was this what it meant to have a ‘home’?

Baby Mu Qing turned around in Xie Lian’s hold, though albeit difficult, he managed enough to push at Hua Cheng’s chest with his chubby little fingers. His desperate cries filled the air and Xie Lian wasn’t sure if it was because baby Mu Qing didn’t like being sandwiched between affection or he just didn’t like Hua Cheng.

“Y-You… Uh…T-Tonight…” Xie Lian shyly looked up at Hua Cheng. What could he give him? There was nothing the demon didn’t have; every antique of every rarity, odd artefacts and beautiful art, and the one thing he could give… His eyes darted towards the cloud of babies where Quan Yi Zhen was trying to pacify every single one of his baby colleagues. Hua Cheng’s gaze followed his before they were averted back to his lover’s flushed cheeks. A knowing smile stretched his lips, a heated desire suddenly pooling in his body.

“You gotta use your mouth, ge ge. Or I wouldn’t understand what it is.”

Xie Lian’s blush deepened at the double entendre, burying his head into Hua Cheng’s shoulder. “But the babies…”

“Are babies. It’s fine.”

Xie Lian took a moment to respond but when he finally decided on the words…  

“Ahhh! Your highness! Won’t you help!”

Xie Lian was jolted awake by Quan Yi Zhen’s plea and an idea spun in his mind. “San Lang, do you think they can drink cow’s milk?” Only because they couldn’t possibly kidnap new mothers or wet nurses and force them to feed the Heavenly Babies. Feng Xin especially might truly die on the spot.  

Hua Cheng hummed thoughtfully while crossing his arms. “It’s possible. They aren’t true babies after all. Just grown adults turned babies.”

“Oh, good! Do you have some here?”

The devilishly handsome man merely arched an eyebrow. “We’re in a city of ghosts. I don’t think we have milk here.”

“I’ll go get it!! I’ll go! Let me go!!” Quan Yi Zhen cried in the background, having eavesdropped on their conversation. At his tears, the babies were spurred on to cry louder. “Why do they keep crying!”

Xie Lian hurriedly left his lover’s embrace, gently taking a pouting Feng Xin from Quan Yi Zhen. “Alright. Make sure to buy lots!”

“I want fried chicken!” Feng Xin called out of nowhere.

Both adults: “…”

Feng Xin, “What the fuck? Who said babies can’t eat fried chicken?”

“…”

The thing was though, we haven’t said anything.

Feng Xin was about to swear up another storm when his first words died in his throat, unhappy gurgling escaping his mouth instead. Upon noticing his predicament, tears started to pool in his eyes and baby Feng Xin proceeded to summon a wailing storm.

“They must be really hungry. Hurry up and get some milk.” Xie Lian then sighed mentally.

Quan Yi Zhen gratefully took up the task and bolted out of the manor, leaving behind his crying colleagues with no remorse. When he left, Xie Lian turned to sigh again at the crying babies still tied securely by Ruoye. Some were beginning to quiet down, too spent to cry anymore before turning back to Hua Cheng with the two babies in hand. “Were you contacting someone?”

“En, just calling for extra help,” he smiled while dropping his arms to his side.

Soon, a new figure appeared in the room, silent steps bringing in a familiar handsome face into the room. Surprise flashed over Xie Lian’s face as he waved for him to come over with a grin. “Yin Yu! You’re alright!”

Yin Yu bowed his head in greeting, though Xie Lian caught the faintest trace of a smile lingering on his lips. Ever since that incident with Jun Wu, Yin Yu had only been an empty shell without a soul, and he knew Quan Yi Zhen had been trying to help him recover, but –

“You succeeded!”

“Mm, we did. We finally found his soul,” Hua Cheng stood behind him as they smiled at the quiet former Martial God of the West. “Just in time as well.” Unwilling to dwell on the topic any longer, he immediately ordered, “Can you start baby-proofing the manor? As you can see,” he swept an arm out at the tear-stained babies, “Your old colleagues are a little… occupied.”

Confusion danced in his peach blossom shaped eyes, sharp and dark that were curtained by falling ebony locks. Truly a silent handsome man. He bowed his head in acknowledgement at the order.

“I’ll help!” Xie Lian exclaimed, thrusting the pair of old acquaintances into Hua Cheng’s arms.

The demon stared down at the babies who silently stared back up at him. He, the feared Crimson Rain Sought Flower, one of the Four Great Calamities, an infamous Devastation-class Demon in the Ghost World, a Supreme Demon King, also lord of Ghost City! ...Was now reduced to a mere babysitter. Of Heavenly Officials no less.

“Cry and I will drop you.”

“Do it. I dare you,” Mu Qing huffed with a roll of his eyes.

“Oh, so you can speak?” Hua Cheng raised the baby higher when a gurgling baby Feng Xin was patting his face while slung on his back. “Stop that!” But baby Feng Xin only exploded into a fit of mumbling giggles.

“Yes, I can,” Mu Qing rolled his eyes again.

The air between them was thick, heavily laced with an unshakable dominance. Hua Cheng’s fingers gripped tightly onto him, contemplating to actually drop him or not. Mu Qing’s face let out a smile as victorious as a baby could do when an evil grin slowly spread across the Demon King’s shadowed countenance, a bright orb gleaming.

“What are you doing? Don’t you – Ahhhh!”

A rush of wind blew in his ears as gravity mercilessly pulled him down, uncaring if he was a baby or not.

“Ahh, oop!” A low chuckle sounded at the back of Hua Cheng’s throat as he quickly caught onto the dropped baby, taking dark satisfaction at seeing the pale face, panic stricken Mu Qing. Baby Feng Xin was saying incoherent words, his slaps getting harder as though he disapproved of his actions. “Stop that!” Didn’t these two hate each other?

At his anger, Mu Qing’s jutted lips started to tremble, eliciting a wave of panic through Hua Cheng.

“Oh no. No. No no no -!”

“Waaaaaaahhhhhh!”

“Arghh…”

“…Waaaahhhhh!”

“Not you too!”

‘Why are they tag teaming on me!’

Hua Cheng grumbled under his breath under the tag team assault by his old acquaintances, crumbling under the pressure. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Stop crying.” Just as he said that, as though the pair of generals had colluded beforehand, they simultaneously paused their crying, the reprieve extremely short and fleeting, because they then proceeded to rub their snot-laced faces against his exquisite crimson robes.

Hua Cheng: “…”

Unbeknownst to Xie Lian of the battle of dominance, he was working hard with Yin Yu in baby-proofing the manor by first wrapping up the corners of the furniture. Next to him, Yin Yu was tearing strips and strips of old cloth, passing them to him to bundle up and press against the corners while Yin Yu then tried tying it to the furniture. When that was done, they pushed the table in the hall to the side and then proceeded to remove every sharp object in the main hall, every ceramic and glass items displayed while also taking off the decorative cloths that were laid across the tables where small grabby hands could potentially grip and pull, and cause mayhem. Got to save his lover from suffering a loss after all!

Xie Lian walked past a slightly panicking Hua Cheng with a tower of goods in his arms, perfectly balanced and on steady feet, towards the side room with Yin Yu close behind with a smaller tower of items. The Supreme Demon watched in horror as Xie Lian went walked away silently, sparing not even a glance at his poor husband (to-be!). Baby Mu Qing and baby Feng Xin snickered, each patting either side of his cheeks unhelpfully.

When Xie Lian walked back into the main hall, he noticed the softer cries and the faint resemblance of peace in Paradise Manor. Yin Yu stood quietly behind him, watching the now sobbing babies warily.

“Maybe we could get something to fence them in?” Xie Lian suggested.

“I think we have some wood leftover from when we were building the garden for QianDeng Temple. We could use that,” Yin Yu offered.

“Let’s use that then.”

At the sound of their voices, Hua Cheng immediately yelled, running up to them with behaving baby generals. “Wait! I’ll go!”

“Oh, it’s too much work, San Lang. I can do it,” Xie Lian said.

“No, no. It’s not a trouble at all. Let me help too, ge ge.”

Xie Lian hesitated, thinking that it was probably better Hua Cheng did do it. The man was better at carpentry and housework than him. “All... right. Then I'll look after the babies.”

Hua Cheng passed the babies over to Yin Yu, eliciting a confused response from Xie Lian. He smiled a smile void of mirth. It was more strained, laced with absolute relief. “Then I'll go make a fence. But before that, I think you need to eat something first.”

Xie Lian cried out in surprise when he was suddenly picked up and disappeared in a trail of silver butterflies. Back in the kitchen, he was already seated on a smooth lacquered chair. In front of him was a plate of steamed buns, still warm to the touch.

“Eat first, ge ge.”

Despite not having a mortal body anymore, he would still eat food from time to time, a habit he couldn’t really forego, especially if it was Hua Cheng’s buns.

“Will you eat as well?”

Hua Cheng took a bite of a steamed bun. “Yeah. Does it taste good?”

“It does! Of course, it does. Anything San Lang cooks always tastes so good.” Xie Lian was beaming, grinning wider with every bite of the bun, almost moaning at the taste. Flavours tickled his tastebuds and he quickly ate another.

A deep black eye watched him wordlessly, the dark depths sparkling bright in the dim kitchen, slender fingers lifting the bun to his lips slowly while he savoured the moment. It wasn’t long after that Xie Lian stood up in a hurry.

Hua Cheng stood up too and popped the remaining bun into his mouth. A hand then raised, fingers cloaked by a napkin and gently wiped the sauce soiling the corners of Xie Lian’s lips away. Folding the napkin, he patted down on his lips, alluringly red and captivating. He watched silently, time seemingly congealed at that moment as the hand holding the napkin froze near the cheeks. The lips pressed tightly together in a relaxed manner and parted just as slow and antagonising, glistening lightly with the sleek moisture of his saliva that he could just feel its caress upon his own.

A burning desire erupted from within, the heat burning at his skin. A pink tongue crept out, slowly tracing the bottom lip before sneaking back in and a fair finger tilted his head up by the chin.

“Like what you see?”

A deep whispered murmur, warm soft breaths kissing his parted lips. Their noses touched, strands of stray locks sliding down their cheeks in a tease. The finger fell to trace the muscular neck with just the gentle dip of a dragonfly’s wings, the same tongue stretching out to lick at his bottom lip and the distance between them shortened. Pearly white teeth replaced the tongue, nibbling and sucking, when the mouth tugged itself into a satisfying lopsided smile at the sharp fingers digging into his waist. Waves of lust trailed a blaze in his body, pooling deep in his stomach with a hard presence of arousal. All traces of sanity and logic melted into a puddle. An almost animalistic growl ripped from his throat, the vibrations clear under those fair fingers resting upon his neck.

And then he dove in, overwhelmed by the heavy wave of possessive want. He moulded their lips together into a familiar rhythm of tongues thrusting slick and wet, biting and sucking fervently in desire, when hands suddenly pushed lightly at his chest, forcing them to part.

Hua Cheng gazed down at Xie Lian, eye glazing over in a primal need at the sight of swollen lips, redder than before and slick with his taste.

“The babies –”

“Can wait.” Hua Cheng’s voice was no longer the smooth, gentle tone, warm and charismatic. It was deeper, low, demonic. A reminder that his lover was anything but a human; a demon that could wreck him.

Hua Cheng growled, “Don’t go.”

And then he pulled the smaller male up, bruising their lips into a deeper kiss, rougher with teeth grinding and saliva dripping down the corners. Pale large hands grasped onto the silky dark locks, pulling at the hips until there was not even a gap between them, until he made sure his lover was aware of the hard desire he had on him, the pure unadulterated lust sinking into his soul.

Xie Lian whimpered when Hua Cheng tore himself away from his mouth, mercilessly tugging and sucking at his lower lip; a returned treatment for before. His hand impatiently yanked at the collar, exposing fair skin under the shadows. His fingers curled, digging deep into the body as he sunk his teeth into the flesh, biting and sucked hard, leaving a trail of bruises down to his chest, next to fading love marks of days before.

“Ah, ah... San Lang!”

A hand snaked up his neck while the other tugged at his hair, and Hua Cheng reluctantly released his mouth from the skin with a wet pop. His gaze shifted from his art when he felt the cold brush of wind against his collarbone. A gasp escaped his parted lips, breathy and heavy, when Xie Lian latched himself onto the crook of his neck, kissing, biting and sucking, before licking at them.

“Ge –”

“Mmm,” Xie Lian hummed, face painted with a furious blush despite the utter familiarity of the actions. His hands kneaded at the muscular shoulders, thumbing the sides of the neck in a slow, sensual motion as he kissed up his throat, licking away at the heated sweat that beaded upon that snowy white skin.

“Ge – !”

It was at this moment a sharp wail suddenly pierced their minds, shocking them from the passionate bubble that had enveloped them. They stared at each other, the cries loud and clear in the kitchen. Hua Cheng drank in the sight of a dishevelled god, of messy hair and swollen lips, sprawled across the dining table with exposed skin, the robes draping off his shoulder in a teasing seduction. Pride welled up in him at the love bites that trailed on his body, a display of that Xie Lian was his and his alone. To dirty and to love, to possess and devour.

And he remembered a time when he would have apologised for this.

But not anymore.

Leaning forward and blatantly ignoring the cries, he cupped Xie Lian’s cheeks and tugged him into another kiss, this time softer and gentler, filled with all the love he could possibly give, and the former crown prince drank it all in greedily.

“There’s going to be murder if they don’t shut up,” Hua Cheng growled when they parted, just far enough that his lips murmured the words against the other’s. The unsatisfied desire curled in his stomach, an agony he didn’t want to bear.

Xie Lian tugged at the braid with the red pearl. “You can’t, San Lang. The world will riot.”

“They can go to hell,” he grumbled, dropping to his knees and buried his face into Xie Lian’s lap, arms winding around that thin waist like a little depressed child.

“I promised you tonight, didn’t I?” Xie Lian kissed the crown of his head and stroked the hair.

“Really, ge ge? Weren’t you worried before?” San Lang tilted his head to pout up at Xie Lian.

Xie Lian lovingly caressed his cheeks, gently trailing his fingers down the forehead, to the black eyepatch and the jaw. “Yes, I promise. But you got to build the fence first,” he added quickly as an afterthought.

Hua Cheng immediately jumped to his feet, gaze twinkling in excitement. His hands worked to right his lover’s clothes, covering his bruised skin properly, though one peeked out from the collar. Xie Lian returned the gesture with his clothes. “I'll build the fence now. It won’t take long.”

With one last deep kiss with the symphonies of tears in the background, Hua Cheng disappeared from the kitchen. A smile lingered on Xie Lian’s face while he fixed his hair. Grabbing another steamed bun, he left the place as well.

Upon re-entering the main hall, he closed all the connecting doors and then looked back at Ruoye, patting the trembling, equally sobbing cloth with a hand. “Thank you, Ruoye. You've worked hard.”

The silk rubbed itself against his open palm, the cloth slightly damp and still vibrating as though it was aggrieved by its current situation. Majority of its body was covered in drool, snot and tears.

“It’ll be over soon. San Lang’s gonna be ready with the fence soon.”

 He really wanted to release them, but thinking how they'll run around the main hall where there were steps leading to the black jade futon with more dark wood furnishings decorated the area, he already felt tired at the thought. He walked around his colleagues, some uttering words amidst themselves with the short recovery of their spiritual energy, a mist of confusion and panic wafting like a predator. Until he spotted one particular baby. It was odd; one arm looked limp, seemingly broken while a leg was bent in a painful manner. What made it odder was the form changing: with every small puff of white cloud, it would transform into a girl, feminine features of large doe eyes, innocent and pure, with soft lips painted on a rounder face and a smaller frame, but when the clouds dispersed once more, there would be a baby boy, wielding sharper features with charming eyes and elegant eyebrows where a playful smile graced his lips.

Xie Lian paused. Did that baby have that much spiritual energy? Seeing the transforming baby brought about old memories of the former Wind Master and a forlorn smile appeared.

‘It would be great if Shi Qing Xuan was here. I think he’ll enjoy this.’

Bang!

The main doors to Paradise Manor unexpectedly slammed open and in came Quan Yi Zhen with a heavy sack on his back, the ends tied around his neck. Sweat glistened on his skin, streaking down his forehead to finally kiss the floor with a drip.

“Your highness, I bought all that I could buy.” He wasn’t even panting when he returned. “I tried finding more but the shops started chasing me out!”

At seeing his return, the babies had quietened down, staring at him with hopeful, teary eyes.

“We’ll feed them now.”

Quan Yi Zhen carefully set the sack on the floor, the cloth unfurling to reveal ceramic bottles upon ceramic bottles stacked atop each other.

“If it’s not enough, I can catch some cows!”

Laughter rang when an image of the martial god running in the fields trying to catch milk cows appeared in Xie Lian’s mind. “It’s alright. This should be enough!”

They grabbed a bottle each, uncorking it as they stared at the expectant babies. They stared back.

“Qi Ying?”

“Yes?”

“Do you know how to feed babies?”

“How am I supposed to know!? I thought you knew how!”

“I've never had to care for a baby before! A child, yes. But not... this.”

“I only know how to fight! Oh, no.”

Xie Lian looked over at Quan Yi Zhen trembling. Were those... tears? ‘Oh, gods and Buddha’s. Please bless us in our current...’ And his thoughts ended there.

Weren’t the gods sitting right there before him?

Xie Lian, “...”

“Ge ge, why are you standing there?”

Xie Lian spun on his heel, as though he just met his saviour. “San Lang! Do you know how to feed babies?”

“Ah,” Hua Cheng replied as he hefted planks of finished wood into the room with Yin Yu in tow, still fastened with the slings. Baby Mu Qing and baby Feng Xin were oddly behaving. Probably because of E-Ming’s presence whose lone eye was curved in a crescent moon in bliss. He settled the wood on the ground. “You'll need a feeding bottle to feed them. I should have one lying around. Somewhere...”

He started rummaging around the main hall, not finding it anywhere.

“Maybe in the side room?” Xie Lian piped up. “I did move a lot of your things there.”

Hua Cheng nodded and left for the next room, returning soon after with a terracotta bottle in his hand. It was fitted with a pouring spout, small enough for the babies and a handle on the side to hold. “Here, ge ge.”

“Thank you, San Lang. You’re a lifesaver.”

The compliment tugged at his lips. “It’s nothing. Just some trash that I picked up for fun many decades ago.”

Xie Lian took the bottle and quickly washed it thoroughly in the kitchen. When he came back, there was already a meter-tall fence surrounding the babies built in the main hall, boxing them in. He called out to Ruoye who happily flew towards him and wrapped itself around his arm whilst still shaking like a leaf. Whispering it a word of thanks and affectionately rubbing it, Xie Lian hurried back to Quan Yi Zhen who was cradling the milk bottles.

Yin Yu came over, sitting before Xie Lian and holding baby Mu Qing and baby Feng Xin in each arm, blatantly ignoring Quan Yi Zhen’s “Shi-xiong!”

It’s perfectly fine to play favouritism, right? His old friends get to go first.

Quan Yi Zhen carefully poured the milk into the feeding bottle with a pout at being ignored, which Xie Lian then held while his gaze darted between the two generals.

But who first?

Baby Mu Qing, seeing the hesitation, stretched out his little arms, gurgling in dissatisfaction.

Baby Mu Qing first it was.

Lifting the feeding bottle, Xie Lian carefully fed baby Mu Qing, his mouth latched onto the spout as the milk slowly poured out bit by bit while baby Feng Xin grumbled in dissatisfaction, swatting at baby Mu Qing while he fed. Periodically, Xie Lian would remove the stout so baby Mu Qing could fully swallow the milk before continuing until it refused anymore. Immediately after, Xie Lian repeated the same actions with baby Feng Xin. Of course, baby Mu Qing returned the favour of swatting him too.

When he was done, he noticed that both the generals were getting sleepy.

“Your highness, let me.” Yin Yu offered, taking the feeding bottle away from Xie Lian, who in turn took hold of both babies into his arms.

When Yin Yu stood up, Xie Lian said, “Oh, I forgot to wipe the stout just now. Remember to wipe it after feeding each baby.”

Probably shouldn't ever mention of their indirect kiss ever too, Xie Lian noted mentally.

Yin Yu nodded, walking away with Quan Yi Zhen in tow. Xie Lian began absentmindedly patting both babies on their backs as they leaned against his chest with chins on his shoulders.

“Ge ge, be careful. They might vomit on you,” Hua Cheng appeared and placed a cloth between the chins and shoulders while Xie Lian continued patting them. Almost as if on cue, baby Mu Qing and baby Feng Xin burped, bits of white liquid filled with bubbles escaping and falling onto the cloth. Hua Cheng carefully wiped their mouths clean as they descended into a sweet slumber.

He turned to catch Xie Lian’s gaze, full of tender love, and he leaned forward to peck his cheek before kissing him on the lips, lingering a little longer for that bit more of warmth.

And so the night went on.

Each baby was fed until they were all full, patted till they burped and cleaned, and they fell asleep all over the makeshift pen. Pillows, lots and lots of pillows and thick blankets were brought out to lay out on the ground, shifting the little ones until they were settled nicely and comfortably. Well, Yin Yu and Quan Yi Zhen did the work; Xie Lian was still stubbornly carrying the baby generals in his arms (since he doesn’t get this chance very often!), secured in the slings while Hua Cheng rubbed his back.

Most of the milk was used up, with only a few bottles remaining. The pair of Shi-xiong and Shi-di leaned against a wall, facing the sleeping babies with heavy eyelids. Taking care of babies tired them out even more than cultivating!

“Put them down, ge ge. You're tiring yourself out,” Hua Cheng whispered, hands expertly kneading at the shoulder blades and back.

“Just a little longer,” Xie Lian whispered back, tenderly staring at the sleeping faces. Their lips were slightly parted, their breaths soft with cheeks flushing a light pink. “They’re quite adorable like this.”

Hua Cheng, “I agree.”

Xie Lian turned his head to catch Hua Cheng’s gaze on him and whispered, “I meant the babies.”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. They are too I guess.” Hua Cheng nuzzled Xie Lian’s cheek with his own. “When am I going to get rewarded ah, ge ge?”

Xie Lian blushed at the tone of his whisper and the breath tickling his ear. Lifting a hand, he brushed a lock of hair behind his ear before resting it on Hua Cheng’s head. He kissed his forehead and gently said into the pale skin, “Alright then, San Lang. You'll have me whole night long. I am yours hereafter.”

Hua Cheng’s grip tightened and Xie Lian had to softly placate him to let go, but the man didn’t want to let go until, “Would you rather I bring Mu Qing and Feng Xin together with us?”

Hua Cheng froze at the thought.

As Xie Lian stood up, stretching his numb muscles as the blood suddenly found bigger pathways to flow, prickling his nerves, Hua Cheng mumbled under his breath, “I wouldn’t mind if it was our kid...”

“Hmm? Did you say something, San Lang?”

“No, no. I didn’t. Are you ready?”

Xie Lian fluffed one of the pillows and gingerly set the babies down to lie together. They squirmed a little at the lack of warmth, faces twisting to cry when they turned over into a comfortable position and snuggled deeper into the corner of the blanket he tucked over them. “Goodnight,” he whispered and stood up.

“Okay, San –” His words were swallowed with the flash of silver and he felt gravity pull at him as he was dropped onto the large bed in the bedroom chamber. The room was dark, illuminated only by the pale light of the crescent moon by the window. A silver butterfly fluttered, landing towards a candle and it abruptly burst into flames, casting a warm glow on their silhouettes.

With a chuckle, Xie Lian smiled and snaked his arms around Hua Cheng’s neck who slowly crawled closer like a predator, eyes sparkling with desire at its cornered prey; an unshakable pride. “Miss me that much?”

Hua Cheng growled at the teasing tone in his voice. With a knee between Xie Lian’s legs, he moved his head closer to his, trapping the man with his arms. Xie Lian tilted his head to receive the kiss, only to whimper in confusion when Hua Cheng continued on his trail to stop by the flower behind his ear. He breathed in, taking in the still sweet scent of the full bloom.

“You like teasing me, don't you?”

Xie Lian squirmed at the tone. Deep. Dark.  Demonic. A tone that promised a lot of things he could only fulfil in the bedroom, in their sanctuary; of unspeakable pleasure that burned every inch of his skin, begging, begging for that release, a release he’d receive on command.

A shiver tore through his body when expert hands began to undress him in a slow crawl, tracing the exposed skin with light caresses. There was a nibble on his ear before the lips dragged its tongue down the curve, stopping by the earlobe, licking and sucking. Equally slow. Equally torturous. Xie Lian moaned at the mix of hot saliva and cold caresses, his body flushing red at the treatment.  

“San Lang...”

Hua Cheng shushed him, a hand moving to cover Xie Lian’s eyes, plunging him into further darkness as lips drew a blazing trail on his skin. His other hand sunk into the clothes, pushing them away and the fingers rubbed against the exposed shoulder, letting the robe fall off.

Xie Lian carefully raised his hands, feeling for Hua Cheng in the dark. At the soft touch of his robes, he then confidently let them roam, caressing the neck, his chest, the abdomen... until he felt the belt around the waist. Fingers tugged at the clothes, scrambling to pull it off when Hua Cheng removed his hand and instantly replaced it with a silk cloth, tying it behind his head.

“Why’d you stop? Did I allow you to stop?”

His voice was alluring, like a deadly flower that shines in the dark but poisons you at the touch. Addictive, seductive. Xie Lian shuddered, a gasp and a moan falling when teeth sunk into his neck, sharp canines scratching against the tender skin.

He moaned louder when a hand cupped his lower region, legs instinctively bending at the knees and spreading wider. He quickly unfastened Hua Cheng’s belt, letting the robes cascade freely. He couldn’t see, but he remembered every contour of that body, every small crevice and dips that his hands caressed, that his lips kissed before and when that body leaned into his, he could feel the growing arousal rubbing against his and his hips canted sweetly forward on reflex.

“We’ll take it slow tonight,” Hua Cheng mumbled near his ear, pulling his hips back and Xie Lian whines in slight objection, wrapping his arms around his neck. “No rush, ge ge. You’re mine tonight.”

Xie Lian raised his head and nipped at his neck, hands trailing down the spine and pushed the robes away, causing them to pool around the middle of his back, halting on their journey down by the sleeves on his arms. Hua Cheng pressed down on him once more, hips grinding against each other, causing Xie Lian’s moans to grow in number, crying for more before devouring the sounds with a kiss, forcing him into submission as their minds were lost in the wet slide of tongues and raw hunger.  

“More? You want more?” Hua Cheng asked, lifting both of Xie Lian’s arms above his head and held it there with a hand. “Tell me.”

“I – I...” Teeth grazed against his neck, the canines especially sharp, kisses especially hot with the heightened senses. “San Lang... I-I want – nnngh...”

“You gotta use you mouth, your highness.”

Xie Lian could feel his smirk against his skin as his head thrashed left and right, panting at feeling the tongue trailing so close to his clothed erection where his other hand teased. His mind was in a haze, all he wanted was more, more and more warmth, for his heat to press inside him, to make him tremble and twitch. “I want you. I want you in me,” he breathed out, grinding harder, the increased friction causing small waves of pleasure to roll. Low chuckles sounded next to his ear and he whimpered at the absence of his body. A demand.

“Show me.”

In a surge of confidence dancing with lustful pants, Xie Lian’s tugged his hands out of Hua Cheng’s loosening grip and pushed at his shoulder, effortlessly flipping their positions. He closed his eyes behind the blindfold and calloused hands began to worship the man like the Supreme Demon demanded. He kissed those soft lips, drawing a line down to the defined jaw before scouring every inch of the body with practiced ease with wet licks while his hips rolled forward and fingers greedily kneaded onto the hard muscles.

Hua Cheng watched with a heated desire in his gaze, the feral lust burning hotter the more he kissed, the more he marked; The lower he went.

“Your highness...” he moaned and arched his body into the touch massaging his still clothed erection.

They faintly registered the sudden crack of tears wailing in the night, a distant cry lost in their hazy passion. And they continued without a pause.

Xie Lian’s lips paused at the hem of the pants, the musky scent assaulting his senses while his hand continued massaging the hard muscle, an uncomfortable desire pulsing in his arousal. His hands spread to the side, sliding down the smooth skin to his bottom while he bit onto the hem, tugging it down.  

“Waaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!”

A sharper, louder cry shook the walls, shocking even Xie Lian. The man jumped in fright, releasing his hold and touch on Hua Cheng, head swivelling around to stare at the direction of the main hall.

“I'm going to murder them.”

“No! San Lang, don’t!” Xie Lian hurriedly yanked the blindfold down, ignoring it as it rested on his collarbone and turned back to Hua Cheng. His consequent words died in his throat, suddenly dry and parched. The devilish man himself stared back, silky raven strands cascading before his face, the murderous aura sharp and overbearing. He was still lying on the bed, only upright with his elbows where the layers of crimson and white robes pooled halfway down, revealing skin of snowy white that trailed down to the lowered pants, the erection partly clear and glistening for him to see. From where it hadn’t dried were sleek shimmers of his saliva having tasted the sweat on the skin and traced the contours. The scene brought shivers down his spine, the desire for the man growing, hard and uncomfortably strained in his pants. It was a dark seductive picture, where the man in focus commanded an unyielding power, holding the pride he carried for countless deaths on his hands while holding the wanton desire for only one man.

Hua Cheng glowered him, inattentive to the worship shining in Xie Lian’s eyes, his frosty aura causing the temperature in the room to drop by tens of degrees. His own gaze was instead locked on his lover’s body, counting every mark of his he placed, the messy appearance of drooping robes filling his murderous one. His. It was all his.

And he wanted to consume, take it all in with the feral desire snapping back and forth, but –

Xie Lian climbed back onto the bed, slow and careful, catching the one eye with his as he did. He straddled the man, nestling his ass onto the erection and leaned to kiss the tightly pursed lips, coaxing them open with gentle nips and sucks of his lips. Hua Cheng responded immediately. A hand flew to grip Xie Lian's hair, harshly pulling him down to deepen the kiss. Hua Cheng shifted to fully lie back down on the bed, arm snaking to grope at the raised round ass and Xie Lian followed in acquiescence, shifting higher and closer. The room was filled with breathless moans and unsatisfied growls as lips mashed in perfect harmony, with the battle of tongues and relentless dominance.  

Nails dug deep into fair skin, marks riddled the pale skin. Their hands roamed wildly, the fire burning in them steadily growing.

“Waaaaahhhhhhhh...!!”

The one dark eye snapped open, the dimmed killing intent flashing with renewed thirst when his partner froze in the kidd. The feral growl rumbled deep in his chest, the vibrations running along Xie Lian’s skin and into his nerves when the furious man pulled away and wrapped his arms around him in a tight possessive squeeze. “I'm going to fucking murder them.”

His erection pressed uncomfortably in his pants, aching for that pleasurable comfort, but the crying grew in volume, shattering the passionate haze they created.

Xie Lian dropped his head onto the bare chest with a dejected sigh. Even he suddenly lost the mood for a sex filled night. While absentmindedly drawing circles with a finger on the skin, he snuggled into the embrace and muttered, “I'll go see what’s wrong.”

“No,” Hua Cheng growled, squeezing him tighter.

Xie Lian didn’t reply, tacitly understanding his lover’s raging bloodlust. Instead, his finger continued to draw circles with a pout, sensing the rise and fall of his strong chest. Ghosts didn’t need to breathe but he had realised later that the man still held the habits of when he was alive, of calming his bloodlust with controlled breaths for when he couldn’t kill. Pretty cute, if he was being honest.

“Ge ge,” the voice was strained and Xie Lian hummed in a questioning reply. “Let’s not have babies.” He quickly corrected, “Let’s get married but we’re not having babies.”

Xie Lian couldn’t help but laugh at the request, the mirth a sparkling magical powder that eased his desire for blood, for murder. Scooting up to nuzzle Hua Cheng’s neck, he breathed out, “Yes.”

Hua Cheng quirked a brow and glanced down. “Yes to marrying me or yes to not having babies?”

“Yes,” Xie Lian laughed a bellyful of joy, burying himself deeper into the embrace.

Hua Cheng let out a sound of confusion before finding himself infected with the laughter. He dropped the subject and kissed the crown of his head, murmuring, “I love you.”

Xie Lian preened under the affection. “Mm, I know. I love you too.”

They both pointedly ignored the crying, thinking that either Martial Gods of the West, former or not, could handle it. They lied there on the bed, robes still untouched and pooled on ruffled sheets, while basking in the silent comfort of their love.

That was... until a hesitant knock rapped against the door.

And the bloodlust instantly returned, sharp and piercing like the scimitar he wield. “You have to the count of three to explain!”

From the other side of the door came Quan Yi Zhen’s trembling voice. “I... I...”

“One.” He growled, low and threatening.

“Y-Your highness!”

“Two!”

“The babies aren’t hungry and I don’t know what else to do!” Quan Yi Zhen rushed the words out of his mouth in a string of panic.

Xie Lian could hear the tears in that voice and he looked up at Hua Cheng shaking with fury. “Let’s go see what’s wrong?”

Hua Cheng held his stare, unwilling to back down, but when those pair of red swollen lips, courtesy of him, jutted out into a wronged pout and large tender eyes blinking slowly at him, he found the feral instinct waning. He sighed with a grumble, tearing his eyes away and said, “Alright...”

And so, they stood up to make themselves proper when Hua Cheng stripped him bare, peeling the robes off his body with such care that made Xie Lian flush. He was left in only the pants that hung low on his hips. “San Lang?”

“You’re not going out like that,” he growled lightly before simply grabbing a pair of his own robes and Xie Lian quickly looked at his robes, scanning over the material when he caught the holes riddling his robes. They were torn by the sharp nails, strong fingers, forgotten in their lust.  

Hua Cheng then gingerly dressed Xie Lian in it.

With every layer, he would tease the god, his actions so flirtatious and sensual that Xie Lian’s cock twitched in anticipation. From licking his neck to trailing kisses across his jaw, cold hands would press into his muscles as the silk nestled on his body, running a delightful shudder in his body. When Hua Cheng was done, he stepped back to admire his work, the crying babies faint in the background. The Flower Crown Martial God that always looked heavenly in white was especially ravishing in that fiery red, burning brighter with the orange candle glow, reminding him of the night back at the mountain where his highness was dressed in the auspicious red wedding robes, a veil over his head...

Xie Lian chuckled, adoring the new look. The robes were slightly long, trailing on the ground but they were soft, and he sighed happily when he breathed in, his senses filled completely with Hua Cheng’s scent.

After he helped right Hua Cheng’s robes, they walked out of the chamber and bumped into a whimpering Quan Yi Zhen by the door, hair messier than before and robes rather wrinkled. If he thought the red robes on Xie Lian were strange, he didn’t dare comment.

“They’re all monsters! They won’t stop crying!”

The esteemed martial god, a man of strength and confidence, reduced to... this.

“Hey now, I think real monsters might be offended by that,” Hua Cheng smiled.

“Crimson Rain Sought Flower, I'm not joking! I rather take ten of you on than babysit babies ever again!”

“Oh? Are you calling me weak?”

Quan Yi Zhen hurriedly backpedalled. “N-No! I'm not! It just means I rather get thrashed by you!”

Hua Cheng snorted, placing an arm around Xie Lian’s shoulders as he led them out. “Then a one of me is enough. No need for ten.”

Quan Yi Zhen nodded his head in eager agreement and followed them like a puppy while Xie Lian shook his head helplessly with a smile.

Out in the main hall, Yin Yu was frantically trying to placate the babies but they were having none of it, throwing whatever pillows they got a hold on at him. Despite being babies, they were still heavenly officials of their own right, and those martial god’s pillow attacks hurt.

“What's wrong? Weren’t they sleeping peacefully just now?”

“I'm not sure! One of them suddenly woke up crying and he wasn't hungry! He made the other babies start crying!” Quan Yi Zhen explained, having no shame in hiding behind the couple, head sticking out a little to glare at the small monstrosities of his colleagues.

“Show me.”

They carefully wadded through the throng of babies until they reached that one particular baby, surprising Xie Lian. It was that one baby that reminded him of Shi Qing Xuan, where an arm and leg seemed broken, and that theory held true. They were broken. The baby wailed and thrashed about, but those two limbs remained unmoving.

“Did any of them speak?” Maybe there were a few that had spiritual energy to use!

“No. I tried that too. All they did was cry and smother snot all over me.”

On that note, Hua Cheng pulled Xie Lian away and stood outside the fence, far from the snot-laced individuals.

“If he’s not hungry, maybe they want some toys?” Xie Lian pondered out loud, finding no fault in that action.

“I don’t have toys in my manor.” Hua Cheng frowned, staring intently at the baby.

“I'll... go up to see if there are toys for them then. They should have some things they like in their own palaces,” Xie Lian sighed. “Qi Ying, come with me.”

Going up naturally meant returning to the Heavenly Court. And so they did.

They scoured every inch of the hundreds of palaces, looking for things that won’t break or stab. It was easier for the literature gods, with smaller trinkets and pouches, but for the martial gods, it seemed like they all fancied their stabby blades. When they were finally done, the sun had already started waving from across the horizon, a small peek from the clouds and staining it pink before the colours darkened into warmer hues.

Yet, when the pair descended into Ghost City with sacks of toys, there was a distinctive lack of crying. The doors slid open silently and they were met with an unthinkable sight. The babies were all sleeping soundly and peacefully in the pen. Frozen by the door, dawn stretching their shadows long into the manor, Xie Lian and Quan Yi Zhen saw the gentle flaps of silver wings drifting across the babies, a cloud of shimmering light, tender and mellow in the darkness. Yin Yu sat by the wall, looking exceptionally tired and grateful for the reprieve. Xie Lian looked over to the man lying across the black jade futon, crimson robes spread across the furniture, a teasing smile on that handsome face and head held up by his knuckles. “Ge ge, you’re back. Welcome home.”

Xie Lian was filled with warmth at the words. Smilingly, he said, “Mm, I’m home.” The shared a warm smile, unspoken words shining in their gazes before he turned to the pen. “This…”

Hua Cheng smiled and gestured at the sleeping babies before him. With his higher position above the steps, he looked exactly like a father watching over his little minions. “Oh, this? It’s a little something I just learned just now.”

Just as he said that, a baby kicked his legs, squirming in his sleep and a sock slipped from her tiny feet. As though she was electrocuted by the sudden cold on her foot, the baby woke up, water immediately pooling in her eyes. She sniffled and sobbed, mouth falling open to cry when there was a rush of wind and a shadow crouching before her. Xie Lian and Quan Yi Zhen watched in amazement, mouth parting open, when Hua Cheng appeared by the baby and quickly put the sock back on. The baby, comforted by the returning warmth of its own sock, calmed and drifted back into sleep.

Hua Cheng stood up and walked over to his stunned lover, effortlessly taking the sack from his hands and slung it over his shoulder. He grabbed Xie Lian’s hand with the other and tugged him onto the black jade futon to rest. On the way, Xie Lian saw a large figure donned fully in black sitting in a corner, a small baby in his arms.

“Why is he…”

“I called him over to take care of his own mess,” Hua Cheng replied lightly.

“But…”

“That baby is your friend,” Hua Cheng laid back down in the same position on the futon, sack of toys on the floor and played with Xie Lian’s hair.

Xie Lian observed the baby closely. Really, only one person came into mind. “Shi Qing Xuan?”

Hearing his name being called, the baby with the broken limbs started to wiggle in He Xuan’s embrace and the Supreme Demon raised his head to glare at Xie Lian while he awkwardly tried to shift Shi Qing Xuan into a more comfortable position.

If he wakes up, I’m going to eat you. Was what Xie Lian felt from that glare, but he must have just been dreaming.

“Ge…”

It wasn’t Hua Cheng who spoke, no. Everyone had stiffened at the voice, so soft, so sad, so frightened that it tugged at Xie Lian’s heartstrings. He Xuan’s gaze was hard, body tense. He slowly retracted his glare and looked at the baby – no, the man he destroyed. Cradling him tighter, he brought the small one higher and placed his forehead against his, mutterings words under his breath with trembling shoulders, hoping that that could at least chase the nightmare away.

Turning his head back to Hua Cheng, Xie Lian frowned and buried himself deeper into his arms, softly mumbling, “How did Shi Qing Xuan turn into a baby? He wasn’t at the Heavenly Court?”

Hua Cheng hummed nonchalantly, listening to the declining voice while he twirled the hair between his fingers. “I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell. But he must have lent some spiritual energy to him in the first place.” Pulling Xie Lian closer, he led him to lie in his embrace and rubbed soothing circles on his back. “Sleep first, ge ge. It’s already morning.”

“Huh? Oh… but…”

Long fingers swept over his eyes  and Hua Cheng hushed his lover while scooting closer and kissed his hair. “Goodnight, ge ge.”

There was no room for protest. An acquiescent caress of his voice, humming through to his heart. The main hall descended into silence. Silver butterflies still inaudibly fluttered above the babies with watchful eyes, the light almost a sweet twinkling in the dark before they gradually dispersed at the certain calm.

Quan Yi Zhen’s steps paused by Yin Yu, who peeked an eye open. “Shi-xiong,” he whispered, barely audible as though afraid.

Closing his eyes, Yin Yu relaxed against the wall and muttered, “Sleep.”

Seeing as he wasn’t avoided or thrown aside, Quan Yi Zhen happily took the seat next to him and laid his head against the wall, closing his eyes for finally a well-deserved sleep.

Outside, the blossoms danced, the field of flowers rustling, their petals twirling around the manor like a warm protection. The time passed by peacefully, the winds sang a tune of ease, of tender love and affection, of a moment of peace that they sought after a tiring day. Enveloped by a honey embrace, a ginger touch, or a heavy comfort past the years of suffering and pain misunderstandings, there was something beautiful drifting within the Paradise Manor, something that tugged at their lips in silent laughter.

Not a human, God, Buddha or ghost dared to disturb the peace that encased the hall, and it was when the sun rose past its zenith that a small whimper sounded. The blazing sun’s rays had begun to burn hotter, the air in enclosed in the hall boiling. With one cry, came another, and soon all there came groaning and complaints clicking across the room.

“The hell… why is your foot on my face?”

“Get off me! You’re heavy.”

“Ah… it’s so hot!”

Bleary eyes opened, some in confusion but mostly in annoyance.

“He-xiong!” A voice called out.

Xie Lian looked over at He Xuan’s direction, seeing an adult Shi Qing Xuan cradled in the ghost’s embrace. The voice might have sounded cheerful, but there was a tinge of sadness, a pain hidden in its depths. Shi Qing Xuan looked better than he did before, clothes a more refined cut, of cleaner fabric and his hair was combed neatly, unlike the nest when they reacquainted themselves. The other Supreme Demon shied away from Shi Qing Xuan’s touch, flashes of memories they shared playing in his mind.

Memories that weren’t his.

“He-xiong…”

Yet when he heard that voice call out a name, a name that was his, his tense shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, accepting of the touch Shi Qing Xuan laid on his arm.

Xie Lian’s attention was then torn away from the pair by the thundering clamour in the pen that was now destroyed and lying in splinters. Within the fencing laid all the Heavenly Officials, not as babies no. Long, fully grown limbs, large robes and sharper voices screaming at realising limbs of their colleagues strewn across their bodies.

“What the fuck! Why are you sleeping next to me!”

“Like I know! Who’d want to sleep with you!”

Xie Lian sighed as Feng Xin and Mu Qing broke out into a fight from having slept a little too-close-for-comfort next to each other. Horror drew on their faces at seeing the other’s face mere inches away before the first punch flew.  

“Is it bad if I want to turn them into babies again?” he asked the man still leisurely holding him by the waist.

“Yes,” came the immediate reply as the grip tightened. His tone was flat, with no room for discussions, “No more babies.”

Xie Lian, “But they were quieter and obedient that way. We can’t watch them kill each other like this!”

Hua Cheng, “But I’d love to watch them kill each other.”

Xie Lian glanced at him from his lower position with a flat stare and in a vapid tone, he said, “Try again.”

The grin blossomed on Hua Cheng’s face, widening until it reached his eyes, ignoring the shrieking and fighting in his manor and he obediently said, “I won’t watch them kill each other.” And he then added, “But ge ge, you can’t possibly want babies, do you?”

“Why not? They’re cute.”

“They’re little demons.”

Xie Lian rolled his eyes. “And I’m in love with a Demon King.” Seeing Hua Cheng glow with pride, the man snuggled deeper into his embrace. “We’ll talk about it after our wedding.”

A loud crash thundered and there was a twitch in Hua Cheng’s smiling expression. He waved a hand and a silver butterfly flew out from his vambraces, zipping through the air and weaving through the noisy crowd in one straight line. Instantaneously at the sight of the silver stream, the hundreds of Heavenly Officials froze on the spot at vividly remembering just exactly where they were. Nervously, they all turned to the Supreme Demon King slowly. E-Ming that had been obediently staying calm by his side narrowed his eye, an aura of bloodlust consuming the Heavenly Officials.

“C-Crimson Rain Sought Flower, is - is there anything you want?” a braver Heavenly Official piped up, though his voice sounded more like a frightened squeak of a mouse.  

None dared to lift their eyes to lay upon the king, or his queen in red beside him. At that moment, their strongest Heavenly Official was not their colleague, their friend, but the partner of the most feared Supreme Demon.

“If you’d like to help me plan a wedding, then stay,” Hua Cheng lifted his head to smile mirthlessly at the crowd, a hand moving to grip E-Ming’s hilt. He waved it in the air, inspecting its sharpness before looking at the officials. “Otherwise, scram.”

“Y-Y-Yes, sir!”

In a puff of cloud, the main hall was swiftly emptied, leaving only some behind. Hua Cheng turned to He Xuan who was no longer cradling Shi Qing Xuan. “Why are you still here?”

“I’m hungry.”

Hua Cheng’s smile grew while his eyes narrowed further, “You still owe me.”

“No money. Ask me next time,” the Black Water Demon waved his hand dismissively.

Hua Cheng deadpanned before turning to the happy man in his arms. “Are you hungry?”

Xie Lian smiled at the whispered breath. “Mm, I am.”

“Alright. I’ll call for a feast,” he said while ignoring the indignant splutters from his fellow ghost.  

Shi Qing Xuan grew excited. “Can I join!?”

Xie Lian laughed and replied, “Of course! Qi Ying, you stay too.”

The younger man nodded his head a few times, his curly locks bouncing with the motions. “I’ll stay if Shi-xiong stays.”

“Idiot, I live here.”

“Then, I’m staying too!”

After calling for a feast, Hua Cheng glanced down at his lover in contentment. “Now,” he thumbed a petal of the flower that somehow stayed tucked behind Xie Lian’s ear, “Where were we? Oh, yes. Our wedding.”

Xie Lian’s skin tingled blissfully when soft lips kissed his forehead.  

“Ge.”  

He burst into giggles when Hua Cheng nuzzled his cheek. “You haven’t even proposed!”

“Ge ge.”

Hua Cheng smiled and moved to his nose, pecking it lightly before rubbing it with his.  

“I love you, your highness.”

The words teased his lips in a warm breath, stunning Xie Lian stupid as his ears grew redder. Hua Cheng kissed his eyelashes tenderly.

“Every part of you, every inch. I love them all.”

Cupping a cheek with his hand, the icy touch a blissful tingle upon Xie Lian’s warm skin, he rested his forehead against his.

“For better or for worse, I will be here for you. Let me love you in this lifetime. And the ones after that.” A shuddering caress grazed upon Xie Lian’s skin and he thought he might have seen a faint silvery trace of a tear cascade down his cheek, but ghosts couldn't cry, right? He cupped Hua Cheng’s face into his palms, hoping the slight reciprocation was indicator enough that he still wanted him – wanted Hua Cheng – as he continued to listen to the deep voice with an open heart.

“In my heart, there is only you. There can only be you. I want to protect you. I want to see your smile and wipe those tears everyday. Please –”  

“Will you –”

He then kissed each cheek, one word for each, and Xie Lian felt the same slight tremble against his skin. Of fear? Of rejection? But his thoughts ended there when those same trembling lips covered his own, breathing out a proposal barely audible over the beating of his heart. “Marry me?”

Xie Lian took those hands into his, equally shaking like the lips he just tasted, and kissed the knuckles, before he bubbled with laughter, joy overflowing in his heart. His arms wound around Hua Cheng’s neck and he pulled the man down for another proper, deeper kiss. 

“For all of my lifetimes, I will always choose you! Yes!”

The kiss sealed their fates, the red robes they wore a beautiful ornament against the black jade; A painting of their wedding to come. The red string tied on their fingers was a silent reminder of all the bitter partings they survived, yet also a gentle welcome towards a new life, equally filled with courage and bravery and silent protection, never to be broken.  

Ink, jet black ink that curved and danced with the grace of brushes penned their names, a stamp they couldn’t erase – wouldn’t erase. They were of two different worlds, a stark contrast of white and black, yet they blurred the lines together, finding a soothing comfort in knowing they had found someone in this life.

He might have been born as pure as the colour white, heavenly and holy, but shadows had gripped and latched onto him like relentless demons, yet he maintained his kindness – even if it was because of a single one.

He might have been born as a calamity as the colour black, misfortune and sacrifices his only friend, yet his heart remained pure of gold – even if it was only for a single one.

Because were they not born humans like a blank white canvas who learned to paint in black with every decision in life?

#hualianweek2k19 #fluff #domestic bliss #babies #HEAVENLY BABIES #hualian #slight beefleaf #fengqing #i got diabetes writing this #tian guan ci fu #天官赐福

[hermannsthumb]

I love your writing so much 💕 💗 ❤️ and you write so much I don’t know how you do it. You write newt and hermans characters perfectly. Could you write about Herman finding newt trying to test his drift theory, or perhaps finding the tape newt left after everything is over and they’re together. Love 😋

ohohohoho finding the tape is such a classic vintage newt/hermann fic trope that ive somehow never written before (also thank u for ur lovely kind words!!!)

Packing up the lab takes a lot less time than either Newt or Hermann expect; they’d spent five years of their lives in that lab, after all, five years of deep research (broken vials and useless equations scrawled on graph paper and slowly decaying specimens), five years of cohabitation (mugs and dirty sweatshirts and the odd decades-old family photograph), five years of accumulating random junk (posters and dusty books and weird little trinkets Newt found in the city and gifted to Hermann), and that’s to say nothing of the contents of their bunks just off of the lab. Newt thought it would take them weeks, months, even, but the whole process only takes a few days. He supposes it helps that a lot of it is PPDC property and, thus, highly confidential and nothing they can take with them, and the stuff that isn’t highly confidential is useless at this point anyway.

What isn’t repossessed in the dead of night by Higher-Ups (Newt never even got to bid his samples farewell) mostly goes in the trash--Newt’s stash of disposable gloves, his work apron, pencils he’d stolen from Hermann and chewed beyond recognition, orange peels and dried teabags that littered Hermann’s desk, tiny nubs of chalk that were physically impossible to write with but Hermann refused to let go of until now. What isn’t repossessed or thrown out goes in cardboard boxes marked with Geiszler + Gottlieb in thick black Sharpie (because Hermann not-too-subtly indicated he wouldn’t mind continuing this trend of co-habitation with Newt even beyond their working relationship, and by “wouldn’t mind” Newt means, of course, that he caught Hermann looking up vacant apartments within walking distance from universities in every major city they had even the smallest emotional connection to, and not even specifying more than one bedroom).

All that’s left to do is finish going through their desks, which is proving to be the most demanding task of all. They have a lot of crap.

“You should save that,” Newt remarks, as Hermann attempts to throw one of his old work journals into the industrial-sized trash bin they’ve moved near the lab’s entrance. Newt’s on his hands and knees doing his very busy to peel up the hazmat tape that divides the lab.

“It’s just old, useless coding,” Hermann says, waving the book. “And I really do mean useless. Random scribbling. Not even a rough draft of a draft.”

If Hermann’s willingly parting with some of his precious math, it really must be useless. Still: Newt sits back on his heels and raises his eyebrows. “Could be worth a lot of money, dude,” he says. “You could sell it to the Smithsonian.”

Hermann snorts. “It’s garbage, Newton.”

Newt holds his hands up and mimes the shape of an imaginary plaque that would, hypothetically, adorn the museum exhibit for him and Hermann that will definitely exist one day. “‘Authentic jaeger coding by Dr. Hermann Gottlieb, PhD, rockstar, nerd savior of the world.’” Hermann laughs again, and Newt shrugs with a grin.

“Mm,” Hermann says, and tosses the notebook in the bin. “I’m sure. What about these?” He holds up more dried orange peels. (Where the hell was Hermann keeping all those? Why didn’t he just throw them out right away?) “Are these also worthy of a museum?”

“‘Authentic sustenance for Dr. Hermann Gottlieb, PhD, rockstar--’”

The orange peels go in too.

“Fine,” Newt tsks, scraping up another bit of tape, “but when I make a profit off my old tissues don’t expect me to spend any of it on our rent.”

“Our rent,” Hermann echoes, and Newt goes hot in the face and scrapes even harder. He spares a glance up once the clacking of Hermann’s cane fades to the opposite side of the lab: Hermann is smiling. Something flutters in Newt’s chest.

He can do this, Newt tells himself, heart pounding, scraping at the hazmat tape. He and Hermann can do this together, like they do everything. They can live together. They can navigate a relationship together. A relationship relationship, something clear and defined and real and more than just the confused jumble of emotions they’ve existed in a state of for years and years. They have time. They have all the time they could ever want, and they have each other. Another few inches of filthy, faded tape come up, and Newt turns it over thoughtfully in his hands. How poetic, really, that it’s one of the last things to go before he and Hermann--

“Is this yours?” Hermann calls over.

He’s holding up a very familiar tape recorder, and the bubbling warmth and hope in Newt’s chest deflates quickly. It must’ve gotten mixed up with Hermann’s things after Newt drifted with the kaiju brain. “Uh,” Newt says, scrambling to his feet and stumbling over to Hermann, because Hermann cannot listen to that tape, “that’s mine, I just--take notes on it, let me--” He swipes for it, but Hermann--giving him a rather bewildered look--tucks it to his chest and presses play.

“Kaiju-Human Drift Experiment Take One,” the Newt of four days ago says, and Newt shrinks back.

Hermann does not look away from the tape recorder the entire time, not when Newt explains what he’s going to do, not at Hermann, if you’re listening to this, not even when Newt’s monologuing devolves into half-shouts and gasps and a loud thud that means he’s fallen against Hermann’s desk and to the ground. The tape runs out just as Hermann enters and cries out his name, cuts off with an audible click in the middle of a long stream of no, no, nos that twist the knife of guilt deeper and deeper into Newt’s stomach. (He knew Hermann was the one who found him, the one who yanked Newt back to reality and cradled him in his arms and brought him water and tucked his glasses carefully into his pocket, but he didn’t think--well--he didn’t realize how it must’ve been for Hermann to find him.)

When Hermann does look up, his smile has vanished entirely. “I see,” he says, icily. He thrusts the tape recorder back at Newt.

“Okay,” Newt says, “okay, listen, I know you’re probably thinking what an asshole I am right now--”

“Oh?” Hermann says, in mock-surprise.

“--but in my defense,” Newt continues, weakly, “I didn’t really think I was gonna die?” It’s the wrong thing to say. Hermann throws the tape recorder aside to the lab floor and pushes himself to his feet. “Hermann,” Newt says, “Hermann--” Newt grabs his arm, and Hermann shakes him off.

“You very nearly did die,” Hermann snaps, “and the very last thing you ever said would’ve--”

Newt grabs for him again. “I didn’t really mean--”

“Newton,” Hermann says, furious and commanding, and Newt flinches but doesn’t let go.

“I’m sorry,” Newt says quickly. Hermann scoffs, but Newt presses on. “I’m sorry, seriously, Hermann, I mean it. I was pissed at you for treating me like an idiot, and I thought--I don’t know. I wanted to piss you off too. I wanted to prove you wrong. It was...petty.”

“It was,” Hermann agrees. He doesn’t look like he’s going to storm out of the lab anymore, which is good, even if he’s still scowling. “It was petty, and it was cruel, Newton.”

It’s Newt’s turn to scowl. “And shooting down all my theories for six months like I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing and making me feel useless isn’t?”

Hermann does wrench his arm away this time. “I was worried your complete lack of self-preservation would get you killed, you imbecile, that’s the only reason I shot down your theories!” Newt snaps his mouth shut, but Hermann keeps shouting. “I wasn’t going to stand by and watch you--!” His voice breaks.

Newt’s kissed Hermann before (clumsy and drunk at Shatterdome parties, hard and furious during their not-infrequent no-strings-attached fucks on the floor of the lab or against Hermann’s chalkboard, sweet and gentle the night they closed the Breach and Hermann swept him into his arms and laughed and smiled), kissing Hermann is nothing new, not even when Hermann’s pissed at him, but they don’t hug, they don’t touch each other much, so Newt surprises them both when he flings himself at Hermann--who stiffens quickly--and wraps him into a hug. “I’m sorry,” Newt says, eyes prickling hot (Hermann saved him twice, Hermann found him seizing and bleeding and cradled him in his arms, Hermann drifted with him and for him, Hermann loves him and Newt was careless and cruel), “I’m sorry, I’m sorry--”

He hears Hermann sigh, feels him sag as the fight leaves him, then touch Newt’s back tentatively with his free hand. “Newton,” he murmurs. “Oh, darling--” Newt sniffles pathetically; Hermann slides his hand up to stroke gently at Newt’s hair instead. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he confesses softly, and Newt clings to him tighter.

They throw the tape recorder out together.

#newmann #maria's fanfiction tag #feeding MYSELF on some Nourishing hurt/comfort #Anonymous

[theguardiansseries]

From the Beginning Chapter 9

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Summary: Danny Fenton was a simple, sixteen-year-old teenager who loved fast food, video games, and getting a B on surprise pop quizzes. He’s also the half-ghost teenage hero Danny Phantom who defends Amity Park from ghost attacks on a daily basis. Somehow, the ghost attacks make a lot more sense than crushes, friendships, and falling in love with someone he is definitely not supposed to be falling in love with. It was a lot easier to separate Phantom and Fenton before, but now it’s getting harder the more he learns about himself. Just who was he? The dorky son of scientists who loved the stars or the hero that protected the town. He’s starting to feel like he won’t like the answer. (Iambic Prose) (Prequel to Guardians and Partial Show Rewrite)

                    <<First Chapter>> <<Last Chapter>> <<Next Chapter>>

                                                       Chapter Eight

“I can feel your rage from here, Danny,” Jazz, as usual, was sounding annoyingly calm as she sorted out piles of wrinkled clothes into neatly folded, color coded piles. Danny had been fighting the urge for the past hour to kick them over. “Having to clean the attic isn’t that bad.”

“Speak for yourself. We’ve already taken out five trash bags full of junk and trash and I’m pretty sure some of it was glowing.” Danny kicked his foot out at one of the boxes he had been sorting through, pleased when there was the sound of something inside breaking. He didn’t worry much about it being important - if it was in the attic, it was either useless or too old to function. “I think I’d rather be grounded for missing curfew.”

“From their perspective, it seems grounding is a punishment that has yet to work on you since you always have to sneak out for more ghost fighting.” Jazz held up a wrinkled, orange dress that looked like it had come straight from one of his parents’ old eighties movies. Jazz seemed to be trying to decide what pile to put in it. “Cleaning the attic, however, is a punishment that works on everyone.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t even have to be here.” Danny grabbed their most recent trash bag, holding it open and giving it a little shake to get Jazz’s attention. Once she looked over, Danny opened it wider, nodding at the dress that was still being held up. “You could have just told them you came out before curfew to drag me back in.”

“Hey, big sisters are supposed to watch out for their stupid little brothers.” Jazz wadded up the dress into a ball and threw it at the trash bag, nailing it right in the center. Danny had to work at not laughing when Jazz threw her arms up with a cheer. “Besides, this isn’t so bad.”

“Of course you think it isn’t that bad. You organize stuff for fun,” Danny laughed, dropping the bag and going back to moving the boxes around. “You know, this is really Technus’ fault. We should do something to get back at him. I mean, who honestly wants to take over the world? That’s so much work! My sleep schedule is suffering here, you know!”

“I have a feeling some of that suffering comes from your constant late nights that have nothing to do with ghosts.” Did Jazz really have to be so mean to him when he was already suffering?

“I beat that game fair and square and the sleepless nights were worth it. Can we get back to the real subject, here? I mean- We have to do something. He keeps trying to take over the world!”

“I don’t think there’s much you can do to get back at a ghost like Technus, Danny.” Jazz went back to her clothes folding, humming and cooing at whatever she was finding. Danny decided to just focus on his own task - or at least try to. “I wonder why Mom stopped wearing all of these. Some of these dresses are cute!”

“When was the last time you saw Mom outside of a hazmat suit or lab coat?” Danny counted out five seconds of silence before he heard Jazz make that irritated little humming noise that proved he was right, but she didn’t want to admit to it. “Face the facts, Jazz, everything in here is either useless or some leftover experiment.”

“Do you think forcing Technus to work at a call help center for the day would be enough of a punishment?” Jazz sounded as if she was honestly considering it, Danny stifling his laughter as he pulled over a decaying box that was messily taped and started going through it. “Maybe we should consider getting things together to donate them.”

“Pretty sure that’d be a health hazard considering where we live. You know, all that radiation.” Digging through the book, Danny found himself mildly curious when he saw it seemed to all date back to his parents’ college years. “Hey, think there are any embarrassing college photos in here?”

“They would have to have the ability to feel embarrassment in order for their college photos to be embarrassing.” Jazz was vicious when she wasn’t trying to ‘be the adult.’ Sometimes, Danny loved his sister. “Alright, move over. Let’s see what we can find.”

“You’re just as nosy as I am.” Laughing and sitting down, Danny upended the box, photo albums, textbooks, and a million other little things scattering across the wooden floors. Danny wouldn’t be surprised if the floor broke from how much was in that box.

“How heavy was that box?” Jazz dropped down to sit beside Danny, stacking the various textbooks and albums into separate piles.

“Dunno, the weight of regret in here probably added a few pounds, though.” Grinning at Jazz’s little snort of laughter, Danny picked out the newspapers articles that were ragged and faded at the edges. Some of them still seemed in pretty good shape since the picture of his parents and Vlad was still crisp and clear in the one he was looking at. Wait.

Carefully smoothing out the article that looked as if it had been cut out from a school newspaper, Danny glanced over the words quickly. It was a piece on the new ghost hunting club that had been formed by Maddie Walker, Jack Fenton, and Vlad Masters. The three were standing in front of a table in what looked like a science lab, the picture in black and white. All three were wearing lab coats and were… smiling.

Danny knew that Vlad had been changed into a half ghost due to an accident that happened when he was a college student alongside with his parents, but he supposed he hadn’t realized they were really friends. Maddie was smiling and looking like a proper scientist while Jack and Vlad had their arms around each other’s shoulders and were beaming.

“Is that… Vlad?” Jazz leaned against Danny’s shoulder, Danny tilting the paper so Jazz could see what he couldn’t believe. “They look happy.”

“I mean… I knew they were friends, but I guess I never really believed it, you know? I mean, he’s always trying to kill Dad and marry Mom and stuff!”

“Evil is never really born, Danny.” Jazz took the clipping from him carefully, studying it with a calm, almost blank expression. “What really happened between the three of them? I mean, they don’t know Vlad is half-ghost, right?”

“No, they don’t. That’s how I won our first fight at the reunion, I threatened to expose us both.” Just the thought of exposing himself to his parents terrified him. It wasn’t a surprise that Vlad, who had been hiding the secret for twenty years, felt even worse about it. “I think he said something about how they abandoned him?”

“I can’t believe that.” Really? Their parents weren’t the most conscious of people, sometimes. “Look at some of these photo albums.”

“What about them?” Danny jolted as one was dropped in his lap, staring at it before sighing and opening it to a random page. He almost wished he hadn’t. “Oh.”

Every picture had some mix of their parents and Vlad, all of them looking happy and like they were having the time of their lives. There was one picture, however, that made him feel as if ice had been poured down his shirt.

The picture was warped a little at the edges, but the bottom corner had part of Maddie’s grinning, laughing face. The cause of her laughter was the center of the picture where Jack and Vlad were curled up on a picnic blanket under a tree, textbooks and notebooks scattered around them as they slept curled up to each other.

It was almost a perfect copy for a picture Sam had of him and Tucker after they had fallen asleep near each other.

“They were like us.” The words were quiet, but the realization was deafening. “Mom and Dad and Vlad? They were like me, Sam, and Tuck.” Right down to the fact that Sam had been the cause of his ghost powers, in a way.

“That doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to you.” Jazz was quick to go into her reassuring parent voice, Danny almost laughing at the quick change.

“I wasn’t thinking that it would.” No, it was more the fact that now he understood. “Something had to have happened so that they never visited him in the hospital.” 

Because if they were that close, they wouldn’t have left without an act from God or something equally as worse. Danny hadn’t ended up in the hospital, but if he had, he was certain that Sam and Tucker would have been curled up on either side of his hospital bed with him.

“What did happen though?” Jazz shook her head, looking frustrated that this was a puzzle she couldn’t figure out. “I mean, why didn’t they show up?”

“I don’t know, but Vlad makes a lot more sense.” It made perfect sense. Danny had never understood Vlad, but now he did perfectly. If Tucker and Sam hadn’t been there after he had become Phantom… And then if he was still crushing on Sam and Tucker ended up getting together with her while he suffered through ghost powers alone? Vlad made a hell of a lot more sense.

“Hey, uh, Jazz.” Danny closed the album, giving Jazz his best sad eyes. “So, you know you’re my favorite sister in the whole wide world, and that I really love you-”

“Don’t bother,” Jazz said, standing up with a dramatic, heavy sigh that Danny had stolen from her years ago. “Go on ahead, then. I’ll finish up here.” Letting his powers wash over him, Danny blinked away a few spots of light as he floated into the air, clutching onto the photo album.

“You really are the best big sister. You know that, right?” Because this all had been a lot harder when he didn’t have Jazz by his side. Shit. He’d have to admit Ghostwriter was right about the whole fighting alongside your sibling thing next time he saw him. “I just… I think he needs someone to talk to who actually gets what he’s going through.”

“Someone who understands and who he’ll listen to,” Jazz nodded, pulling Danny over into a, thankfully, brief hug. “Be safe.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.” Ghostwriter had been right those few weeks ago in the library. He did fondly believe in second chances.

                                                            ::

“Oh, jeez… Have you never heard of a spring cleaning?” Danny had gone through the Ghost Zone to get to Vlad’s lab, but he was starting to regret it considering what a wreck the place was. It looked like the Fenton lab during the whole Pariah Dark mess. Actually, Danny was almost sure that this was worse.

“Right. Focus, Fenton.” Danny took a breath, floating through the lab. It was bigger than their own, but it was also so much creepier when the lights were off, and the only light source was the ghost portal behind him. The fact there were thick power cables and glowing substances in the distance did not help.

“Keep calm. You’re a Fenton and half-ghost. You’re fine. You’re not allowed to be scared about this.” It was bad enough that his friends still mocked him for being so scared of horror movies. “Just… gotta find Vlad.”

Besides the hum of the portal and electricity through the cords, it was rather quiet, though. It was possible Vlad was at one of his businesses, since he was technically CEO of a lot of different places. Hard to remember, though, when he was so petty over some things.

Jeez, what was Vlad even working on? The whole place was a mess of torn apart machinery and wires and Danny would have thought some monster had torn the lab apart if it wasn’t for the precision of where everything was placed. The weirdest part, though, were the large vats around the room - except they weren’t quite vats. A closer look made Danny think of those sensory deprivation tubs, but honestly, they looked like those body jars in every sci-fi movie ever.

“Whatever you’re doing must be big,” Danny muttered, bending over some exposed wires. He wasn’t exactly a science genius, but he knew enough to know that didn’t look quite right. Prodding it with his foot, Danny startled as a wall of transparent pink was separating him from the sudden arc of static that looked more like lightning. “Uh, heh, hey, Vlad. Um, thanks for the save, there.”

Vlad’s shield flickered out and Danny looked to where Vlad was lurking in the shadows like the vampire he claimed he wasn’t. It was creepy. “Daniel… What are you doing here.” It wasn’t much of a question, and it wasn’t until after he asked that Danny realized Vlad had just kept him from getting hurt.

“Oh, uh, well, I actually kind of wanted to talk to you about something, I guess.” Danny dug his fingers into the edges of the photo album, taking a steady breath. Vlad was talking before he could work up the courage to continue, though.

“Whatever inane problem of the week you’ve managed to wrap yourself up in, I want nothing to do with it. Your misplaced blame can leave, as well, since my plans have no concern towards you.” Ah, right… Vlad had a more pretentious way of talking than even Ghostwriter.

“Oh, no, I, uh, I didn’t want to fight or argue or blame you for anything. It’s actually sort of good news, I guess?” Danny tried for a smile, hoping Vlad was in a good enough mood to hear him out.

“Leave, Daniel.” Vlad’s order was more of a hissing snarl, Danny trying not to show his flinch. While there were a few times where he saw Vlad wanting to get better, there were moments like this where the other man felt… dangerous. “You’ve made it quite clear that you have no business with me.”

“Well, not business, no.” Right. Phantom. Cocky hero. He could do that. “Come on, Fruitloop, I’m trying not to start a fight, this time. At least hear me out before you go all doom and gloom mad scientist, here.”

Instead of Vlad throwing back with his own sass, Danny heard a low, menacing growl. Before he could figure out what the hell horror movie monster was about to kill him, he grunted as a sudden force slammed into him, the photo album dropping out of his hands as he scrambled to stop whatever was pushing at him. 

When he righted himself and grabbed at his power to form an ectoblast, Danny could only blink as he saw that he was back in the Ghost Zone, Vlad’s ghost portal gone from in front of him. It took a long moment for Danny to realize that he had just been shoved out of Vlad’s lab before the man had shut down his portal. It was the same thing as pushing him out the door and then slamming it shut in his face.

“Right. Not a good day for talking, then.” He had lost the album, too. He had been planning to use it to show how close Vlad and his parents had been, though, so maybe Vlad would find it and realize it on his own. It could even end up jogging some happy memories, so this was for the best, kind of! “Right. Okay.”

Trying to gather his thoughts, Danny could only stare at where the portal had been because that really had been weird. Vlad was always kind of a douche, but he had never been so aggressive before. Loud, and forceful, and not afraid to get what he wanted, but Vlad had never been outright aggressive like… a ghost. 

As he flew back home, Danny couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about whatever it was Vlad was planning next.

#danny phantom #guardians series #from the beginning #ftb chapters #iambic prose