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notebooknonbinary · 2 years

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Byler Week, Day 2: Seasons

This is Extremely not on November 1, but I started writing on the 31 and just couldn’t finish it until today. I’m not completely happy with it but, here ya go❤️

Day 2: Body Swap/ Fake Dating (a tiny bit fake dating but more like someone thinks someone is dating but isn’t it)/ Season

Brief Trigger warning for mention of SH. Only like two sentences but they’re there.

Finally on Ao3!!

Will used to love the snow.

Snow days meant staying home from school; they meant going outside to build snow-people with Jonathan. It meant pretty scenes to try and draw. Sometimes Mike came over, or Will went over to his house. One year, after a particularly heavy snowfall when Will was eight, he, Jonathan, Mike, and Lucas had built a sprawling fort in front of Will’s house. It had four rooms, built in snow-shelves (Mom had come out to help with that part), and had been guarded by three very ugly snowmen.

Later, when they got too cold, they came inside for potato soup and hot chocolate. They were excited at the prospect of maybe adding a few more rooms—and trying to figure out how to trap heat without melting the building, so that maybe they could sleep outside that night (Mom shot that down immediately). Still, they had plans to at least start to decorate it so it wouldn’t blend in with the rest of the snow.

Then Lonnie got home. And crushed the front of the fort (as well as its three snow-guards) with the car.

All of the boys had been devastated, naturally. All their hard work had gone to waste. And they couldn’t even tell off the culprit, because none of them had a death wish to try and berate Will’s dad.

The four had gone back to Lucas’s house—for safety’s sake, because Lonnie hadn’t been exactly pleased about the nonexistent damage to his car. The three younger had whispered about acts of revenge they’d never go through with, while Jonathan had entertained the suddenly appearing Erica (barely five and wanting her brother’s attention). Mike and Will had slept over at Lucas’s that night, grumbling over the loss of the fort they had definitely (not) been planning to sleep in.

Still, the incident hadn’t dampened Will’s love for the snow. During summers (in the years before the Upside Down), Will daydreamed about snow suddenly appearing and cooling him off. He preferred cooler weather over blazing heat, even if the compromise meant school would start. Mike who ran hot, but always felt a little cold, couldn’t comprehend wanting snow over summer. Karen was forever tutting over Mike coming home, sunburnt down his back and on his legs because he’d spent the whole day swimming without any sunscreen (he always ended summer practically plastered in new freckles). Even though Halloween was Mike’s favorite holiday, Summer was his favorite season.

After the Upside Down, after the Mindflayer’s possession of Will, things had changed. Halloween was no longer Mike’s favorite holiday, and Will hated winter.

The first snow, only a few weeks after he was released from the Mindflayer, Will had opened the door and had a panic attack at the blast of cold air. His nightmares worsened, to happening daily, and made him question what was real. Mom kept him home for the week, trying to keep Will from burning himself as he took three hot baths a day, drank only hot drinks, and ran their heater bill up. She had to hide all the lighters in the house as well, after she found him holding a lit one to his thigh:

“I need to make sure,” he’d sobbed. And Mom had cried along with him. “I have to make sure He’s gone.”

That evening, Mom had invited Mike over to spend the night, even though the Party had mostly been told to stay away. Mike’s presence was enough to stop the worst of it. And, though they never mentioned it or told anyone else, Mike had slept in his bed that night to keep Will warm. Will had been too out of it to get flustered at getting cuddled by the boy he had a crush on.

It helped. And by the next Monday, Will was back at school, a little worse for wear, and a new prescription for anxiety medication in his backpack.

A little less than a month after that incident was the Snowball, which hadn’t exactly given him any reason to try and like winter at all anymore.

It had started out okay, to be fair.

Will had arrived early, so Jonathan could set up the photo booth he’d be running for the night. Lucas had been next, followed by Max. Will could tell they were sending each other soppy eyes—the kind Jonathan and Nancy had been sporting as of late.

And then Mike had shown up.

Will always thought Mike looked handsome, but there was something about that night. Will thought he might swallow his tongue. He hoped he wasn’t blushing all that much.

But, maybe if he was, and Mike saw, would that be so terrible? These past few weeks, ever since the possession, Mike had been sticking close-by.

Maybe…

Mike gave him a grin when he stopped by them. “You clean up pretty good, Byers!”

Yeah, if Will had been blushing before, it was doubly so now. “You too,” he managed to blurt.

Mike ran a self conscious hand over his hair. “Really?” Will nodded a little too vigorously. Mike's smile softened. “Thanks Will.”

Not long after that, Dustin appeared, completing the Party (but for one missing, a mean little voice whispered in the back of his head, the most important). Dustin, in Will’s opinion, looked like a million bucks. His hair looked fancy, sort of like Steve Harrington’s. And his suit was the nicest out of all of them. Will appeared to be the only one thinking that though. He watched Dustin’s face fall as their other friends didn’t appreciate his new hairdo.

Just as Will was about to pipe up in Dustin’s defense, the song overhead changed. Slowed. Time After Time. He’d heard over the radio a couple times and he liked it (though he wouldn’t say so to Jonathan). It was a good song to slow dance to, maybe.

Lucas clearly thought so too, because he began to stumble over an invitation to Max, who smirked, teased him, and tugged his hand towards the dance floor.

Will smiled, then chanced a glance at Mike, who was watching them go, looking slightly confused.

Then, before Will had a chance to say anything, a girl he’d never talked to (but might have seen in a few of his classes) came up to them. She was looking at him, for some reason. “Hey Zombie Boy,” she asked, smiling shyly. Will tried not to flinch at the nickname. “Do you want to dance?”

Will automatically turned to Mike, hoping that he might have an excuse for Will to turn her down, without hurting her feelings. “Um…I don’t…” He pleaded with his eyes for Mike to save him.

Mike was not a mind reader. With his head, he gestured for Will to accept her invitation.

Well, now Will had to accept or he’d feel bad. “I mean…sure, yeah, cool.”

She beamed. With one last look at Mike and Dustin, he followed her out on the dance floor.

Mentally he was firm with himself, he would dance for one song and then politely excuse himself, so he could get back to Mike his friends. He wasn’t sure he’d want to make friends with someone who called him Zombie Boy.

“So, um, I know you’re in a couple of my classes,” he said, still trying to be polite. “But, I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”

She beamed, cheeks turning rosy. “That’s okay! My name’s Rose, or Rosie to my friends!”

That was an invitation, he suspected. At least she wasn’t trying to ask him out—the thought was more than a little terrifying. “Why did you want to dance with me, Rosie?”

After all, he and his friends weren’t exactly considered popular.

“I’ve seen your drawings in art class,” she says immediately. “You’re really good. And you’re not mean to girls, like so many other boys.”

He was a little bit flattered (though self-conscious) that she liked his art. He was about to thank her, when there was the scattered sound of mean giggles. They both looked over to see three girls walking away from a crushed Dustin.

Rosie made a frustrated noise. “She’s such a snob.”

As they were watching, Dustin was ignored by two more girls. Just as Will was about to excuse himself to go comfort his friend (who’d gone to sit at the bleachers), he saw Nancy go over to him first.

“Who’s that?” Rosie asked, as Nancy began to lead Dustin over to dance.

“That’s our friend’s older sister. She’s chaperoning.”

“That’s nice of her to dance with him.”

Will was tempted to see what Mike thought of Nancy dancing with Dustin, but when he looked over to where they’d left him, he was gone.

“Anyway,” Rosie said. “Thank you for agreeing to dance with me. I know you didn’t really want to.”

Will bit his lip, ashamed and caught out. “I’m sorry. I am having fun!”

Indeed, Will was almost glad she’d asked him. Although he dreaded her potentially asking him to be anything other than friends. But the smallest, pettiest part of him was glad to be making a friend that none of the rest of his friends had interacted with. He’d felt a little left out that the other three boys had a friend that he had never really interacted with before this last month. And Max was more Dustin and Lucas’s friend than his.

So the idea of a friend that was just his, was a little bit cool.

He was about to ask, officially, if she’d like to be his friend, when he caught sight of the back of Mike’s head. He’d found a girl to dance with.

It took him a long moment to recognize her. It was El.

He’d only met her a few times since she’d closed the Gate. She wasn’t as standoffish with him as she was with Max, but they still hadn’t talked much. When the Party got the occasional permission to hang out with her at Hopper’s cabin, he and Max usually hung out—silently commiserating about feeling left out.

There was a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach, watching her dance with Mike. In the back of his mind, he knew what it was (jealousy), but he refused to acknowledge it.

Then the funny feeling took a downturn into devastation, because Mike leaned in and kissed El.

Will swallowed down the urge to throw up. He gave Rosie a pained smile. “I had fun dancing with you. And I’d like to talk with you more, but I need to go talk to my brother by the photo booth.”

He saw her glance in the direction of Mike and El (still kissing). She gave him a sweet, understanding smile and let her hands fall to her sides. “Thank you for dancing with me, Will. I’ll see you in Art on Monday.”

As quickly and quietly as he could manage, Will navigated his way outside. He immediately started to shiver, but, for the first time since the snow started, Will didn’t focus on it. He simply wrapped his arms around himself. He was too focused on what he’d just seen.

Stupid, he thought to himself. He already told me he liked Eleven. Why am I so shocked? Why does it hurt so badly?

There was a pain in his chest. Not a physical pain. His heart hurt.

He already knew why it hurt.

The warm wet of tears began slipping down his face, turning cold as they went down his face. Within a few moments the tears turned into silent sobbing.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there—perhaps only a few minutes, or maybe a million years. He sat and cried, and felt his skin burn and bones ache from the cold. Eventually, though…

“Hey Will, what’s wrong?”

Dustin sat down beside him, leaning to put a comforting arm over his shoulder. Will was far too into his tears at this point to swallow them down and answer. So he simply continued to cry, putting his face into Dustin’s shoulder. Dustin hugged him closer, not seeming to care that his suit jacket was getting wet.

Finally, as Will’s tears began to slow, he spoke. “I thought you were dancing with Nancy?” His voice came out rough and croaky, and he cleared his throat.

Dustin gave him a small grin. “She danced with me for two songs, but she’s here tonight to chaperone. Even my charms can’t compete with extra credit!”

Will giggled a little. “I didn’t get to tell you earlier,” he said quietly. “But I think you look very cool tonight. Like Steve.”

Dustin blushed. He half reached up self consciously to his hair. “The rest of the Party—”

“—are brain-addled by crushes tonight. They wouldn’t actually notice anyone else if it bit them on the nose.” Will tried to keep the bitter sadness from his tone, but from the startled look he got, he didn’t quite succeed. When Dustin opened his mouth, Will shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

They sat in silence for a moment. “Well, the dance stinks this year anyway, do you want to skip the rest and have a sleepover?”

Will swallowed down grateful tears. Dustin was a good friend. “I’d like that.”

They went back inside to use the phone, made quick goodbyes to Lucas and Max, who had found a table for the moment, then Will’s mom drove them home.

(Mike was still dancing with Eleven when they’d left. Later, part of Will waited for Mike to call on the walkie to ask where he they’d gone, but the call never came. Will resolved to bury his hurt. At least he’d always have the Party and DnD.)

After that night, he was quieter about the cold scaring him. Mike was caught up in his new relationship, and he’d never told the rest of the Party. He simply bundled up more. He’d managed to make his nightmares silent, somehow, tricking his Mom into thinking they’d abated some.

And he snitched a lighter from his Mom's secret stash—for emergencies.

Things changed after the Snowball for Mike, both good and bad.

The good thing was that El was his girlfriend now! The thought alone was enough to have his stomach break out into anxious butterflies. He hoped he’d get used to the change soon so the feeling would stop—it made him a little bit queasy. Even though he couldn’t take her to dates at the diner, or to the new mall that was opening soon, it still felt special. It was El, of course it felt special.

The bad thing was, something was going on with Will and he couldn’t figure out what. He and Dustin had left early (Lucas said one of them hadn’t felt well, though he hadn’t said which one). Mike had thought about walkie-ing him after he got home from the dance, but thought Will might be asleep. And if Will was sleeping without nightmares, Mike was loath to wake him.

But, when he went over to the Byers house the next day, Joyce turned him away. She said that Will had come down with a bad cold and couldn’t see anyone. Joyce had never turned Mike away before, even when Will was sick.

Will was at school the next day, looking a little worse for wear. He was quiet too, and spent more time talking to Dustin during lunch than to Mike—Which was fine! Dustin was Will’s best friend too! But…

But when the girl from the Snowball that had asked Will to dance came up to Will in the hallway to talk about the class that only they had, Dustin grinned and elbowed Will and Will rolled his eyes and shoved back. Something in Mike’s stomach twisted.

“She's just a friend,” Will murmured after she was gone. Mike glared at her back.

“And Lucas said that about Max, and where are we now?” Dustin countered.

Will scoffed. “You danced with Nancy, but she’s dating my brother. Not everything has to have hidden feelings involved.” He seemed to notice Mike staring at that point and turned pink.

Suddenly Mike felt sick. Did Will have a crush on that girl? Why hadn’t he told Mike?

Why did that idea make him feel so badly?

“Mike, are you okay?” Will asked. Mike tried to grin at him.

“Just ready for the weekend!”

“Mike…it’s Monday.”

“I know but I won’t get to see El until Friday.”

Will’s face shuttered closed. “That’s true.” He shut his locker. “I’m going to meet up with Rosie before art class, I’ll see you guys later.”

He sped away down the hall.

Dustin’s brow was furrowed as he looked between Will’s retreating back and Mike. That was his thinking face. What had he figured out?

“What?”

Dustin blinked and the look disappeared. “Nothing, just…” He shook his head. “Nothing. We gotta go or we’ll be late for Spanish.”

Later that day, unbeknownst to Mike, a conversation was had:

“No, Dustin, I don’t have a crush on Eleven. I don’t even know her!”

“But you were upset at the Snowball, and your face gets all funny whenever Mike mentions his dates with El.”

“I just…” A sigh. “Everyone else is growing up and dating, and it feels a little bit like being left behind.”

“I mean, I may be getting taller, but I’m not dating anyone, at least.”

“That’s true. If we’re behind the others, at least we’re behind together.”

Will will never like the cold and snow. But after they defeat Vecna and close the Upside Down—after he and Mike get together—if either of them has a bad day, they can go to the other’s house for cuddling and hot chocolate. These days they’re both having nightmares a couple times a week, but, if they’re sharing a bed, they feel safer and sleep better.

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zip-toonz · 8 months

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Please tell the masses the ideas you’ve had for Calem and Serena!! Your designs for them are adorable and I’d love to hear more about your interpretations of The Frenchies

Sure thing!

Both of them have bits about them that represent different parts of the player character.

Calem: I made him selectively mute because he's meant to represent the main player character who doesn't have a lot of dialogue. He will talk when he feels like it and that's mostly with the friend group, Sycamore, His mother, or if he feels its absolutely necessary. He mainly uses sign language and occasionally the holocaster/a notepad if he's not speaking with someone who knows sign. His friends and Sycamore learned sign to make conversations more inclusive for him.

I gave him the female excusive nickname C-Kins because honestly the only gendered nick name is Lady and this is my house. The group started calling him Seaking because C-Kins sounded like Seaking if said fast enough. He loves the nickname.

He's the son of Grace. Which contrasts to the Serena usually being her daughter (anime/manga). He actually enjoys rhyhorn racing and doesnt mind his mom teaching him. Him being selected to be a dex holder was his mothers idea to get him out of the house a bit and Sycamore was happy to include him. He picked Froakie as a starter.

His journey wasn't about being the best trainer but more so about exploration. He likes helping Shauna with her scrapbook and stopping to take it all in. He did obtain the 8 badges but never really beat the league because well it was never on his to do list. Even so he still gave Serena a challenge.

The feather in his hair is a molted feather from his mothers Fletchling. It makes him feel close to home as he travels.

Serena: She's Meant to represent the main rival but has some Player characteristics to her. Shes the one with the mega ring and beat the Champion. Unlike in the anime and manga she's the daughter of the 'amazing trainers' mentioned by Shauna. Serena loves training to the point she's often sunburnt from staying out doing so and forgetting to use sunscreen. Most people assumed her passion is because her parents pressured her but that's false. Her starter was Chespin. and she has the Battle Chateau title of Marchioness.

Out of the friend group she's the natural leader. Despite having a fiery nature to her she's the coolest under pressure and tends to step in to be the voice of reason when situations get tense. Part of training is patience and quick decision making and since battling is second nature to her it carries over into other parts of her life. Not to say she's never acted impulsively. The team flare situation was a bunch of quick decisions some of which were impulsive or heavily influenced by emotion. She tends to keep Shauna and Tierno (the most emotionally driven people in the group) from acting based on feelings if it would be detrimental to them. She knows your heart is in the right place but you cant help anyone if you get hurt by not having a plan. She knows youre upset but this argument isn't going to solve the problem. And yet in situations like Trevor's mom or Team Flare all that's thrown out the window and she's also acting on emotion and adrenaline.

She got the nickname of S- Meister (its my house gendered nicknames don't exist anymore brought to you by nonbinary gang/lh). Tierno gave it to her because of her skills as a trainer. But Shauna calls her Rena/Rina. She enjoys participating in her friends passions so they have a reason to push themselves further. Trevor likes dex battles? ok! lets go fishing to see who can catch the most individual water pokemon. Tierno likes dance? Cool! lets make a pair choreography! Shauna likes scrapbooking and writing journals about her journey? Time to make as many memories together as possible! Calem likes Ryhorn racing? Even if its casual shes happy to learn from him to give him a bit of friendly competition.

#this got sloppy somewhere im sure #but i have a lot of thoughts about them #im trying to keep them from being too similar to their offical counterparts but like Yvonne was really good as a character #hard to compete with that #i just really like a girl whos tough and a leaderly figure #Zverse #Calem #Serena

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anthonysstupiddailyblog · 7 months

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Anthony's Stupid Daily Blog (556): Sun 24th Sep 2023

My last day in Gran Canaria. I was a bit depressed knowing I had to go back to freezing Sunderland but reassured myself that I won’t have to tolerate the cold for long because I’m going to start making a holiday in the sun a regular treat for myself. I think I’ll start coming here four times a year to celebrate the end of the Autumn, the Winter, the Spring and possibly the coldest season in the UK: the summer. Unlike the hotels I stay in when I travel around the UK the hotel I was staying at didn’t require me to be up and out the door at the break of fucking dawn so I got a little bit of a lie in this morning. I’m already a little bit sunburnt and my clothes are irritating my skin so I didn’t go in the sun today in case I made it worse and was in agony for the entire journey home. Instead I sat in the shade and started reading the next book in my Edgar challenge: The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. It’s about a mute kid named Michael who from an early age becomes gifted at unlocking locks and naturally turns to a life of crime. While I was waiting for my coach to arrive I played some pool on the table by the pool area. After one shot the white ball went in one of the pockets and a guy walking by said “Two shots” and I replied “I’ve already had five pints” and despite this being the funniest thing anyone has ever said / ever will say he didn’t ask if he could be my best friend. I got picked up at 6pm to get taken to the airport and waved goodbye (for now) to this little slice of paradise. I’m so glad I decided to not bring a suitcase because being able by I get checked in and through to the departure lounge in a matter of minutes made this one of the most pleasurable journeys I’ve ever been on. I still had two hours to kill before my flight so I walked around looking for stuff to write jokes about. I walked past a clothing store and they had a big life size plastic cow on display and for some reason it was on wheels. Now I’ve heard of a milkfloat but that’s just ridiculous (that will not be one of the lines I use when I do stand up next year in case you’re wondering…unless everything else I write in the meantime is absolute shit). When I finally got on the plane the pilot told us that we were expected to get there ahead of time which got a big cheer from the passengers. The old woman next to me fell asleep and her head dropped down and to the side. If she was sitting alone in a room on a chair like that you would’ve sworn she’d been shot from behind. I assumed that she’d be really uncomfortable when she woke up but she was really old so I assume that every time she wakes up she’s just happy that she’s not in Hell. We got home in just under four hours and I immediately darted past all the suckers at baggage claim, through the passport checking place, out the front door, let out the mother of all farts I’d been holding in for just over four hours then headed back in and got myself a taxi home which arrived almost immediately. This trip has been just what I needed. The cold autumn, winter and spring months are torturous but they’re made even more so by the fact that I constantly tell myself that the summer will be amazing and more than make for it…then it isn’t and it doesn’t. Say I live to be 75 that means I’m doomed to suffer through the miserable lead up to summer and then the crushing disappointment of summer 40 more times and I simply won’t do it. Once every three or four months I’m going to start booking a week long trip away to the Canary Islands as a reward for plowing through and enduring another shitty season.

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memelover1024 · 8 months

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The Original Hunter - Part 4

Eight Months Later

Y/N lay on the Virginia Beach, basking in the sunlight. Her favorite book, Dante’s Inferno in her hands and Elijah's shirt under head as a pillow. She looked up and saw Elijah sitting on the sand with baby Hope showing her all the tiny shells in the sand. Little Hope was only 3 months old but she was the smartest baby you’d ever met. Hayley was sunbathing on a towel a few feet away and Klaus was rubbing lotion into carolines back, for what reason she didn't know. Vampires can't get sunburnt but it was none of her business. Elijah got up and handed Hope to Caroline and announced he was going to go for a swim in the water. “I'll join you.” Hayley said, hopping to her feet and following Elijah to the water, Y/N thought that was a bit weird because she didn’t look like she had any intention of getting up a second ago but she thought nothing of it. She went back to reading her book when a few minutes later she heard her husband's laughter. She looked up, expecting to see him watching Hope do something cute to Klaus do something stupid but instead she was faced witht he sight of her husband knee deep in the water, chasing Hayley and splashing her in the waves. She felt a pang of jealousy hit her in a huge wave, bigger than any before her in the ocean. With that wave came the all too familiar sadness that came with feeling as though she wasn’t enough, that she’d be replaced and had no idea what she could have done to have made her so insignificant. She quickly shoved that though out of her mind though, she was just being stupid. Elijah loved her, she knew without a doubt that he did. He would do that to her. He would never do that to her.

On the car ride back to the house they were staying in, Y/N sat with her head on Elijah's shoulder. “I was thinking that when we get back to New Orleans you could take up a bigger role in everything, you’re a queen. The people need to see you, know your doing something.” he told her ‘I was actually thinking that when we got back I could maybe start hunting again, nothing too big but maybe a couple of local or close-by jobs.” “Yeah, I can have an office set up next to mine on the third floor, with great lighting.” Y/N looked at Elijah, he was looking at something on his phone, probably texting someone at home,checking up. ‘Did he even hear me?’ she thought to herself. Y/N mentally facepalmed, of course he did, he was being kind and offering to make her an office to do her hunting research.

Y/N stepped out of the shower, the bathroom fogging up with steam. She grabbed a towel, dried off and put lotion on and went into the bedroom to put on some clothes. Odd, she thought. Elijah wasn’t there. Just around 10 minutes ago he was sitting on the bed reading. He must have left to go get something she supposed. She got dressed in her pajamas and sat on the bed and continued to read Dante's Inferno. She got lost in the book, but when she finally came back to reality she noted that he still wasn’t back. ‘Oh goodness Y/N. you’re being too clingy today. What the hell?’ she mentally scolded herself, but the uneasy feeling in her stomach didn't let up. She got out of bed and went to go find Elijah. She checked the library of the large house they were renting for vacation, he wasn’t there. ‘Of course he wouldn’t be. He has a book in our room.’ She then checked the kitchen, then the living room, then the dining room, then Hope’s room, then she checked with Klaus and Caroline. No where. It then occurred to her that, maybe he was talking to Hayley, they had become good friends in the months since Hope was born and Hayley became a hybrid. She went up towards Hayley’s room. When she arrived the door was already several inches ajar so she didn't bother to knock. She doesn’t know that she will later regret that decision. She walks in to find her husband and her friend kissing, pressed up against Hayley’s dresser. The two jump and turn to look at her but she's already gone. She ran to her room and packed her things as quickly as possible. Elijah followed her and pleaded. She doesn’t hear him though. She feels like she's underwater, overwhelmed and suffocating. She didn’t hear his pleads or excuses as she left.

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domi-scu · 1 year

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You’re my lobster

First things first- we very carefully checked Alex’s sunburnt legs and feet from yesterday. They look uncomfortably swollen and way too red to attempt any kind of long walks in the sun.

After applying copious amounts of panthenol, he very slowly walked down the stairs for breakfast where I finally gathered enough courage to try the yoghurt. With great success I must say! It’s now over 12 hours later and I didn’t shit myself! Oh the things you get excited about in your late 20s…

Shade by the pool seemed like the safest option for the moment so that’s what we did. Alex used my sarong to cover his legs and nearly cried with every movement. And I laughed and laughed and laughed because no matter where he’s actually from and what the UK Home Office say, he could not be more English right now. Who else burns so quickly with the highest SPF there is? I wonder if we can use this as evidence in support of his British citizenship.

I ended up getting bored of the pool very quickly. Mainly because of the annoying couple that took over our favourite spot with their towels but actually only spent about 10min there. There’s a special place in hell for people like that. But because it was midday, also known as the time of day we need to avoid to not kill Alex, I left him in the room to cool down while I got my nails done next door. Why wouldn’t I for £15??

After this, it was time for him to suck it up, put on his sandals (as those are the only shoes that currently match his tan lines) and at least spend the rest of the day on the beach. As the Ao Nang one is way too loud and crowded, we took the water taxi over to Ton Sai again which is possibly our new favourite spot here. It was nice and quiet and after a quick lunch, we moved over to the bar for a quick cocktail before a swim.

Exceptt the moment we came to the beach, the sea decided to leave and all we ended up with was the view of the rocks for couple hundred meters and we had to stay in the bar to drink away the disappointment. We had a chat with a fellow bar visitor- a Canadian that lives in Cambodia who was nice enough to offer his help finding cheap accommodation and cool things to do when we decide to visit. Too bad he didn’t bother leaving us his contact details, so I suppose we’ll just visit and hope to randomly bump into him one day.

The couple we met on the water taxi yesterday told us that there is a path over the hill from Ton Sai to Railay Beach that is very walkable. And definitely walkable if you have sandals! Too bad I only took flip flops and a husband who’s in pain with every step he takes. But we didn’t really feel like looking for enough people on this empty beach to fill the boat back ‘home’ so we figured we’ll at least check it out. I have given up on flip flops (but not the husband) very quickly and just did the mini hike barefoot.

If I don’t count the few times I stepped on particularly sharp stones, it was surprisingly fun and easy and we arrived at Railay just in time to watch the sunset and tiny crabs digging their tiny holes in the sand.

We walked up the main (and probably only) street in Railay that is really just made up of 90% weed/ shroom cafes, 5% restaurants and 5% shops. But it looks very pretty and has a very chill vibe. Not sure what might be causing that. A decision was made that since Alex managed the mini hike here, we should try and climb up to a Lagoon near Railay tomorrow. Very highly recommended by my sister although she did say they ended up with a few bruises and scrapes. I would be wary of this with how unfortunate Alex has been health-wise but considering that she always somehow seems to end up needing medical attention when she travels, I think we might live.

With that in mind, we agreed it’s time to go back and get some rest. Unfortunately, at night, the boats are only happy to take back groups of 8 people to make it worth their time and as we only found 2 more in the 20min we waited, we ended up paying 500 baht for the trip back instead of 200 which was a rather annoying note to end the day on. But hey ho, we’ll know better for tomorrow and try to get out of Railay a little earlier to save some money.

On the bright side- today, I also joined the club of extremely white people who don’t know how to tan with burnt spots in the most random places across my body- half of my right shin, one shoulder and a stripe in the middle of my back. It’s not even a bad sun cream job, it was just the sun going ‘fuck that piece of skin in particular’.

#thailand-2023

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twinklelilstarkey · 3 years

Note

can i please request “kissing your lover when they ask you why you've been avoiding them, not realizing it's because you're jealous that they've been hanging out with [a potential love interest” with sunburnt Rafe?💛

Happy blurb thursday, y'all! *this takes place before the story* - Totally read the prompt wrong and only noticed it a day after. I don't know why I read it in the way that I did, I am a total dumbass. Hope you still like this I guess.

The way I understood it was: "Kissing your lover due to being jealous because they've been hanging out with [a potential love interest]"

DO NOT REPOST, REWRITE OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORK!

If anyone has ever started senior year, they surely reacted in a certain way when they got there. Maybe by sighing in relief due to almost getting out of the shithole they call a home/state/city, others by doing a shrug and moving on with their day, not even being close to phased with it, and then there's you.

Well, you, and all the other kids that are celebrating the same or other milestones. OBX likes to make everything a little extra, so, every time people are either almost getting out of the island (aka finishing high school), and being a year of doing so, the bonfire party is re-done and everyone goes there to celebrate.

Is it a little too much for just another year of school or moving on to college? Sure, but try and say that to people who just got told about the free drinks.

And who are you to say no to a party? Sarah's going, your other friends are going. Yeah, some people you have quite a distaste for are also going to be there, but, so what? It's not like you're going to constantly run into them.

So, your night began around 9. You got ready for the party at your friend's since Sarah was just getting back from shopping with Rose and Wheezie, and she was the one to drive you and your friend over to the place - after, of course, begging for the keys of the car to her stepmother. And everything was pretty chill.

For the first 2 hours.

You noticed while downing drinks that there was some bickering here and there between Pogues and Kooks, but you didn't pay enough attention to notice who it was. And, quite honestly, you never cared for those arguments and fights, they're petty anyways.

The world has become a little blurry, now, and everything seems a little too much fun, which can only mean that you had enough to drink.

Yet that doesn't exactly mean that it's time to go home. Oh, hell no. You're staying to enjoy this unnatural happiness until its last moment.

You've danced, you've sung, you've even played tik tak toe with a random girl in the sand by the stairs of the bonfire. You're having the best time of your life.

And now, you're taking a moment to breathe and calm down by sitting up top of the bonfire, right by the wall. And that's when you see in the corner of your eye that someone has just sat beside you.

"Oh, hi." You say out loud to the boy, a little caught off guard.

"Hey, I'm JJ."

"Y/N."

He seems nice, in your drunken mind at least.

You two shared a few words, and a few giggles (from your part), while looking down at the fire.

And someone, which you haven't noticed, has been looking at you for the past few minutes.

That person is none other than Rafe Cameron, who is also celebrating something tonight - unlike the pogue sitting beside you.

You're celebrating getting to senior year and Rafe's celebrating the end of it.

He's standing by a tree on the other side of the bonfire's wall, watching you from afar as Topper keeps on telling him about... What was it again? Something to do with Sarah.

He's not listening to a word.

Wait, shouldn't you be with Sarah?

Rafe stares, and stares. He honestly doesn't know how long he did that for, but no one seemed to notice, so, he didn't even get to snap out of it.

You surely didn't notice a thing too, and JJ... Well, he hasn't stopped looking at you.

Rafe clenches his jaw as well as the beer on his hand, all while you keep on laughing at whatever the blondie is saying. JJ has a smile on his face, yet he isn't laughing with you. You're drunker than him, for sure.

And that's exactly when Rafe sees him lift his hand up and lay it on your thigh. You're wearing a simple pair of shorts with one of Sarah's oversized shirts, the usual bonfire outfit, yet the fact that JJ is touching your leg is sending all the blood to Rafe's intoxicated head.

Without even saying a thing to his best friend, Rafe puts down his beer, steps away from Topper mid-conversation, and walks up to the two of you.

JJ is the first one to notice, but he doesn’t even move.

As Rafe stands behind you, he hits the side of your leg with his shoe to get your attention and tilted his head to the side as if to tell you to go with him somewhere else.

"What is it?" You ask, still with a drunken smile on your face.

"Need to talk to you."

"Cameron, dude, leave the gir-"

Rafe sends JJ a glare as he starts to say that, and that seems to make him stop. You look between them and shake your head a bit as if to rearrange your thoughts.

"Why?" You ask Rafe, "Why do I need to go?"

Didn't really take much convincing for Rafe to be able to make you stand up (carefully, because he doesn't want you to fall on the fire not too far down) and he even gives you his hand to help you stand.

You take it, without thinking too much of it, and give JJ a little wave before leaving with the older, and taller, boy.

Rafe pulled you deep into the trees behind the crowd and you let go of his hand as soon as you snap out of the moment. He looks annoyed, to say the least, and with just his glare alone, you know he's annoyed with you.

"What did I do?"

He stops walking and looks down at you.

"A pogue? Out of everyone, a pogue?"

You had to laugh with that one.

"I don't care about that thing about Kooks-" You hiccup, "And Pogues, Rafe."

"Well, you fucking should. And Maybank? Don't you know how his fam-"

"He's nice!" You scream, drunkenly trying to be louder than him.

"I don't give a fuck that he's nice, you can't hang out with him."

"Why not?!" That seems to annoy you further.

"Because I don't want you to, Y/N!" He screams back, "I'm trying to look out for you here! Can you listen to me for once in your life?"

You shake your head at him in annoyance.

"I don't want you to look out for me, Rafe. I'm almost 18! I'm more than capable of looking after myself."

Right as you said that, you take a step back and trip over a stick, falling right on your ass. Yeah, alcohol really isn't your best friend in moments like these. And neither is timing.

Rafe, already annoyed, looks down at you and you let out a giggle of embarrassment and he extends his hand again.

You take it and this time, as he pulls you up, you're chest to chest, glued to one another.

"You're not going to hang out with him, you hear me?" He mumbles.

"Or what?" You whisper with a bright smile, "What are you going to do to me, Cameron?"

He clenches his jaw again as you hold your chin high, proudly.

"If you're jealous, just say that." You keep on teasing. "No need to be ashamed."

Rafe looks down at you, a serious expression on his face, contrasting with your wide smile as you look up at his eyes.

He admires your face as your drunken gaze setting over him, and as his, also, drunken yet angry gaze sets on you.

Before you can even tease Rafe further, he leans down and lays his lips over yours. Due to the alcohol, you don't even get to react with any sort of shock. Your hands fly up to his shoulders to pull him closer and you deepen the kiss with absolutely no shame.

Rafe's hands grip onto your waist and he pulls you closer to him so that your hips are absolutely glued.

Your hands move up to his neck and your fingers cling onto his hair, pulling on it until Rafe groans against your lips. You smile into the kiss and reconnect your lips once more.

Bad thing you both didn't remember any of this on the next day.

Hope you liked this, peeps.

If you'd like to request anything, do it before the day is over!! ❤️❤️

#Rita's blurb thursday #sunburnt!rafe #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron imagines #rafe cameron x reader #rafe x reader #outer banks rafe #rafe cameron #rafe outer banks #outer banks imagines #outer banks imagine

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8bitscarlet · 3 years

Text

Witchcraft

Summary: You've found yourself falling deeper into a certain witch's spell. But no matter how strong the magic is, it seems that the two of you just keep missing each other.

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Genre/Warnings: Angst/Fluff (minor cussing)

Word Count: 3.5k

A/N: This is a fic for @marvelxreaderfanfictionfest writing exchange. This one is for @mrsromanoff and the prompt: "I can't keep kissing strangers and thinking they're you." Hope you like it!

*please do not repost or translate my material or claim as yours.*

________________

You never thought your three month assignment with the Avengers would've extended as long as it has. Missions went by with minimal injuries and maximum wins. You found yourself settling well into the chaos of the compound; the echoing boasts of Thor, the competitive edge of Danvers and the snark between Romanoff and Stark. When your three months were up, it wasn't a surprise to anyone that you immediately signed the contract from Stark, an official placement on the team.

Despite all of the alien blasters, Hydra experiments and Tony's benefit parties, nothing could've prepared you for a single person to rock your world. It started innocently enough; stolen glances at meals and ensuring you two were on the same mission team. As time continued, things turned less innocent; sneaking off during charity balls to suck face in the broom closet, you could recall a few times you were nearly caught in the back of the Quinjet. There was something about this woman. The way her fingers slithered through your hair, how those green eyes made your heart say yes, she stripped you bare.

You had convinced yourself it was witchcraft. It had to be.

Sitting with your cheek pressed against your fist, you find yourself doodling as Steve drones on in the background. Someone nudges you and as you turn, Wanda raises her brows when your eyes connect. With a groan, you raise the pen in your hand. Steve notices, stopping his spiel to look at you with a clenched jaw.

"With all due respect, Cap, we all got in at four this morning. Do we need a recap of the mission right now?"

Steve sighs, glancing at everyone and seeing them agreeing with you. You all had barely had time to unpack, let alone write your after action reports.

"Alright, Y/N. We'll go over how your pants tore mid-fight on Monday."

You point your pen at him, warning him as you watch his stupid smile fill his face. Bucky slaps your shoulders in gratitude, picking up Alpine onto his shoulders as he strides out to find Sam. Wanda's fingers gently brush yours as you walk side by side, sending an electric charge through your body.

"You know, when someone says 'with all due respect,' they really mean, 'kiss my ass'." Wanda glances at you with a sly smile.

Walking backwards towards the couch, you outstretch your arms with a grin, "Because that's what I meant, darling."

Chuckling, you roll over the back of the couch and plop down onto the cushions, your head landing perfectly on a pillow. Wanda lets out a scoff, knowing how many times it's taken you to actually land on the cushion and not the floor.

Flipping through the pages of her book, you watch her through half-closed eyes. A year ago you'd be asking what she was reading. A year ago, she'd curl up with you and explain it all. A year ago, you didn't have guilt eating at you.

Things a year ago were more than good between you. There might have even been a chance beyond friends with benefits. You knew you wanted that. Every time you looked at her, you couldn't stop your pounding heart or the warmth that grew in your stomach.

But you were stupid.

Chickening out every chance you had to ask her on an actual date rather than sneaking around to make her moan. You both had set ground rules, no strings attached. If it got too messy, you both had to call it quits. So, you convinced yourself it was better to quietly love her and keep her, than to tell the truth and lose her.

That was before the year long mission with Carol and Bucky. Before you realized how big of a mistake it was two months in. Before every day texts and video chats diminished to every other week, then every other month. Before you got back to the compound and saw her kissing up on some random benefactor at the Welcome Home Party. It was definitely before she started dating that walking toaster, Vision.

Luckily, he hadn't been around much the past month so watching them kiss and stare into each other's eyes was doable, mostly because you turned whenever you saw that stupid spark plug.

Four months since coming home, you've tried to fill the void the witch had created in your body, your soul. You went out with Carol and Bucky, prowling the town and the bar. Matching shot for shot some nights, waking up in random apartments other nights. Eventually Bucky did what you never did.

He asked Sam on a date and that left you and Carol. Until she started hooking up with Maria and dragged her along so you wouldn't be hitting the bars alone. You had made yourself a pity case.

"Do you need something?" Wanda cocks a brow at you, making a face at your prolonged staring.

You clear your throat, feeling the heat rush through your face, "You look a little sunburnt."

With a shrug and a chuckle, Wanda bookmarks her page as she places it down on the coffee table. Standing, she sits down on the couch, your body automatically scooting over to accommodate her. Holding out her red and glowing hand, you watch her pull off her rings, displaying the radiating tan lines running up and down her fingers. A laugh escapes you as you feel her hand slap against your chest.

"I didn't have anyone to put sunscreen on me!" She groans, "It burns!"

You guide your finger gently down her exposed arm, pressing in slightly to her warm skin. As you lift, you see the true color of her skin before it's bombarded with the glowing red of her burn. Glancing up, her green eyes watch you carefully, both of you not acknowledging the weight of her hand still on your chest.

"An aloe vera massage would do wonders," You whisper, "And I'm all out."

With a roll of her eyes, she leans back into your legs, "You really are a pain in my ass, y'know? When I tell people about you, that's the first thing I say."

Watching her float the remote to her awaiting hand, you grin, "Oho, so you're telling people about me, huh?"

"Please, check the ego there."

For the next moment, the two of you sit peacefully in each other's silence. Wanda was one who clung to those she trusted. When you came back, it was like she had superglued herself to you any time you walked into the room. It didn't help that you were still madly in love and she was taken.

Right now though, you watch her delicate fingers play with yours. Her eyes squinting with laughter as she watches her sitcoms, glancing to see if you're laughing as well.

A commercial echoes through the living room and Wanda lets out a sigh for attention, patting your thigh as she drops your hand. You don't move it as it lands atop her thigh, only gently stroke your thumb against the silky skin you wish could press against yours. Letting out a noise that you're both awake and paying attention to her, she glances over at you.

"Since you got Captain America to actually give us a free weekend, what's your plan tonight, casanova?"

You shrug, "I have early training with Bucky and-."

Wanda moves her whole body to face you, your hand slipping from her thigh as confusion spreads across her face. She lets out an unbelieving scoff,

"You're joking. You used to show up half drunk to training and still kick ass."

She's watching you carefully and you try to keep a neutral look on your face, she knows all of your quirks. Glancing up at her with a small grin, you pull your legs into you. Shifting yourself, you sit properly on the couch and run your hands through your hair.

"Just don't want to go out tonight. It's boring." You chuckle, trying to swallow the lump in your throat.

Wanda rolls her eyes, "Why, no one catches your eye anymore?"

Another playful nudge and you sigh. All this playful teasing, these light touches. She has to know what she's doing.

Trying to keep a steady and nonchalant shrug, you shake your head,

"No one out there."

And you might've gotten away with it. Instead, you fell into the magnetic pull of those green eyes that cause you so much trouble. As your eyes land on hers, you can see the dilation within her pupils. Then the realization across her face. Her playful grin falls as she stares at you, blinking slowly.

"Y/N," She says slowly, "If you're doing what I think-."

You stand up quickly, your feet taking you to the other end of the coffee table. In two days you'll be gone and you'll be back in the place you hate being in right now. Placing your hands on your waist, you look up from your tapping foot.

"Wanda, I can't keep kissing strangers and thinking they're you."

Silence meets your face. You watch her as she slowly nods at you, "That's exactly what you're doing."

Groaning, she slides her fingers through her hair, pinning it from her face. Wanda lets out a careful breath before looking up at you, "What happened to no strings?"

Slapping your hands against your thighs in frustration, you let out a scornful chuckle, "Come on, Wanda. You know those rules were bullshit! No strings means not going on exclusive trips to museums and restaurants!" You watch her eyes flicker around the room, trying to find a way to disprove what you're saying. "It means not staying up all night when the other is sick!"

Wanda stands up quickly and you can see the look on her face, she knows what you're getting to. Waving her hand to get you to shut up, she tries to get to the stairs but your words blurt from your mouth,

"It means not falling in love!"

Her feet stop carrying her towards the stairs, her body frozen in the middle of the compound. Carefully, you step towards her, leaning ever so slightly to try and catch her eyes. They're glazed over from your confession, trying to understand the implications.

"I left. I..." You suck in a shaky breath, "I thought it would be easier if I wasn't here. You were so adamant about no strings, Wands. I broke the only rule, why would I stay?"

Her head jerks back at your words, her brows furrowing deeply down her face. Without another second to keep talking, Wanda's feet pivot as she shoots a finger into your face. You jerk away from her advance, seeing the growing mist within her eyes as she shouts,

"That's why you left?"

The crack in her voice sends one through your heart.

She turns quickly, her hands violently wiping at the tears that have broken free. You clench your brows. She's angry at you? You're the one who's had to watch her prance around with Vision, you just a memory of romance. Just before she can grab her bag and leave, you call out,

"Well, you seem to have fared better than me!"

As the words leave your lips, you bite down hard and shut your eyes. A surprised choke exits Wanda's throat as she throws her purse back onto the side table, knocking over the decorative bowl of rocks. They scatter across the ground but she doesn't notice, all of her rage is pointing at you. Her fingers run violently through her auburn hair, looking like she wants to rip it out.

"You are infuriating!" She jabs a fingers at you, "Why think that?! Because I'm dating Vision? He's filling a void, dumbass!"

Her words stab into you as her stomps draw nearer, you can feel the heat of her anger. She's not done, she's not letting you off easy.

"Every time he touches me, every time he kisses me. God, Y/N! All I can see is your dumb face."

Wanda's heavy breath washes over you as she finally stops her assault, so close you can see the blue in her green eyes. Her body radiates out to you and you have to force your hands into your pocket to not grab her and kiss her. Your eyes dip to her lips but you see sadness that has quickly replaced the facade of anger. Making a small fist, she slams it into your chest as her head bows. Her arm slides down your body, hanging limply at her side as she looks to you.

"Why didn't you talk to me?"

Wanda's fingers twitch forward, wanting to grab onto you. You sigh, taking your hands from your pockets and resting them on your waist. Your confession was supposed to be more romantic than this. Instead, you brought up issues you both were trying to ignore. You were angry now at yourself, taking it all out on the person you loved. You'd spent too long with all of this pent up emotion though, and it was all pouring out in waves.

"I have to finish my requisition forms. Get my gear ready."

You don't have to look up to know what face Wanda is making at you. It's the same face she had when you left the first time. The way her brows clenched together in disbelief, the pain behind her reddened eyes that threatened to spill more tears, how her chin trembled as she tried to breathe.

Her voice barely passes a whisper but standing so close, you hear every broken syllable, "You're leaving again."

You sigh, rubbing your throbbing temples as you feel your nose stuff up.

"You drop all of that on me and you're just going to turn around and leave?"

Shaking your head, you want this conversation to end. It's obvious where she is and it's not next to you.

"Don't you have a date or something?" You ask.

Wanda's been around you too long to not see exactly what you're doing. She lets out a chuckle, a lethal look in her eyes.

"No, you're right. And that date seems a hell of a lot better than this." Without another word, she snatches her purse from the table and starts to climb the stairs, leaving your feet frozen. Just as she reaches the middle of the staircase, she stops. You can feel her stare burning into you and as you look her way, you wish you hadn't.

"You're a coward."

Those words burn into your brain, rising through your ears and torture you for the rest of the day. The only thing you could think to do was slam your fists into the closest thing. The punching bags. People came and went, eyeing you try and punch away your frustrations to no avail. When the sun finally had sunk below the horizon, one Avenger had enough of your pity party.

"You know she's right." A voice comes from behind you.

You don't respond to them, just dodge the swaying bag. They walk into the room, stopping just inside of your peripheral.

"You're an idiot, you know."

With a chuckle, you sidestep the bag, "You need to be a little more specific."

"You're losing her again."

Another punch, "Uh huh."

Carol sighs next to you, "And you sent her away on her date."

"Yup."

She steps in front of the bag, stopping its movement and stares at you with determination in her eyes, "And you're not going after her?"

Avoiding her stare, you start to unwrap your hands, wiping at the sweat that pours down your face. Stopping, you can feel the cramp in your side and the throbbing of your knuckles. Chucking the wrap, you let out a shrug,

"Is there a point?"

Carol shoves the bag into you, grabbing your attention, "I am not going on another mission with you while you sulk. Do you know you talk in your sleep? Yeah. Guess what name I heard that whole year?"

You shake you head, licking your chapped lips as you search for water, "She didn't say it back."

You hear an exasperated chuckle from Carol, "Y'know Y/N, I'm going to go on a limb and say she wasn't expecting all of that to be thrown in her face."

Shooting her a glare, she keeps talking, "I'm saying this once. If you think this is going to be some cheesy Rom-Com where she bursts through those doors and confesses her love, you're more of an idiot than I thought." A finger jabs hard into your chest as you grimace, "You need to fix this."

Carol leaves you there with your head filled with more thoughts than before. Wanda was happy with Vision wasn't she? She hadn't talked about him much but you knew she had to be. Who were you to go and screw that up?

Night turned into morning and after staring up at your ceiling, you knew you weren't getting any sleep.

Sneaking down the stairs, you see everyone is still asleep. You take the opportunity to sit in more silence and wait for the coffee machine to finish steaming. The sun was just beginning to shine its red hues into the kitchen as you stood at the counter, twirling your empty mug. Lost in thought, you failed to hear the padding of feet coming down the stairs.

"I thought you had early training."

With a quiet chuckle, you lean into the counter, "You caught me."

In silence, you watch the witch pour in her coffee. The same amount of creamer and sugar every time, the same motions every morning since you've noticed her. Turning, she sees your mindless fingers twisting and turning your empty mug. Wanda raises her brows and holds out her hand,

"Refill?"

You hand over the mug and watch her work her magic on the black liquid, turning it into the caramel drink you love. Breathing in deeply, you watch the bubbles swirl around the liquid. You furrow your brows,

"I can never make mine taste-."

"We broke up."

Her words slam into you, your breath catching inside of your throat. Looking up, Wanda stands there in the middle of the kitchen, unsure if she had truly spoken or not. She looks up at you, her mouth closing as she realizes she doesn't know what she's doing.

"What? Wands, are you okay?" You start to stand to go and comfort her, you know they had a date yesterday. Did the son of a microwave hurt her?

Wanda's hand rises, stopping you in your tracks before she takes a quiet breath, "We broke up almost a month ago, Y/N."

Nodding at your obliviousness, you knock your knuckles against the counter as you press your lips into a thin line, "We're both liars then."

"Tell me you lied about the mission," She whispers, leaning into the counter. Her fingers laying gently across yours.

Your chest constricts as you sigh, "I didn't."

You watch her sullen nod, curling hair falling out of her messy bun as you gently graze your thumb across her knuckles. She quietly chuckles,

"We just missed each other."

Stopping your thumb, you clench your jaw. This isn't going to happen again.

"Wanda," You whisper, listening to the sad hum she gives you as she glances up with bloodshot eyes, "I'm sorry. I was scared and... I was an idiot."

Wanda pats your hand with a loud sniff, "I appreciate it, but-."

She doesn't continue. She doesn't want to believe that you're leaving. The love you feel wouldn't be strong enough to survive that time apart again. There's broken support beams and one thing will send it falling down. A far away mission isn't the nurturing this budding feeling needs.

Wanda tries her best to flash you a grin, "Let me teach you how to make coffee."

Before she can turn, you grab her hand quickly, "I'd prefer if you made it."

As you walk around the counter, you gently rest a hand on her waist, watching her carefully. Her handgrips your arm tightly, words stuttering from her lips as she tries to remind you that she's not going. You're leaving her again.

Without hesitation, you press your lips against hers, feeling her breath wash over you in a sigh. You pull her in tighter, leaning your head back to speak,

"Sam's going stir crazy. He can have it."

A smile tugs at your lips as you see her furrowed brows on her face, you place a kiss at the center of the wrinkles, pulling back to see the scrunching of her nose. A scrunch just for you.

"Wanda Maximoff. I love you. And I'm not losing you twice."

Without warning, her lips smash against your as she wraps her arms around your shoulders as you hoist her up. Wanda's legs wrap around you as both of you are smiling so wide that you can't kiss properly. Feeling her cold hands press gently against your face, you look into those green eyes that complete you life.

"I love you." Wanda whispers as her witchcraft wraps around you once more.

#marvelxreader #marvelxreader fanfic fest 2021 #wanda #wanda maximoff #wanda marvel #wanda x reader #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda fluff #wanda angst #wanda mcu #WOM2021

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lunar-but-little · 2 years

Text

Well that took longer than I wanted it to. :D The gif was an ass to make. Tommy's still scuffed as well fuck

@oh-i-need-a-name hope you don't mind the @ ^^

Ages displayed are what they were at the end of the fic

The images say most of it but I'll add some more here.

Kristen has the ability to manipulate what is around her. This means she will shrink Tommy as well to have comfy tummy time with Phil. Phil is swallowed on occasion but not often. It happened a few times before he became immortal.

This also means she can grow Techno, Wilbur, and Tubbo though they cannot participate in noms due to their anatomy. They don't really mind it. Tubbo just likes to hang out with Tommy and Wilbur likes to mess with him as revenge for being a turd. Techno likes having more face to face conversations with Phil. The effect only lasts so long and Kristen has to redo it to maintain it so they can only really experience it when she visits.

When Kristen was told Phil took in Techno, Wilbur, and Tubbo, she immediately adored them. Wilbur and Techno appreciate having parental figures for once in their lives, and some of the best ones to boot. Tubbo likes to see his brothers get to be just kids again.

The mortals do travel back and forth from their home still. However they did build their own space within Phil's so they weren't wandering around on vast floors. Tubbo constructed his own little nook in Tommy's because they hang out a lot.

Tubbo calls Techno and Wilbur his brothers because they're so close in age. I think the disaster that happened was a flood and they found Tubbo floating on a piece of debris, crying. Techno got him to dry land and made sure he was okay. After Tubbo told them about his parents, Techno wouldn't let him out of his sight from protective instincts. Wilbur certainly didn't argue.

The adults of the town they were staying at at the time weren't able to convince them otherwise. Taking care of a child was a big task but somehow they managed. Tubbo grew up happy and healthy, never even seeing an orphanage.

Techno had been treated worse than the rest of the children, due to him being a hybrid from the nether. Him and Wilbur were so close because they were the only ones in their age group. They escaped after Wilbur got a handle on his abilities.

They survived by the skin of their teeth for a while but adapted quickly to the wilderness. They traveled from town to town and settled after finding Tubbo. Techno does more of the fighting and hunting due to his abilities while Wilbur is the more charismatic and stealthy one.

Hibernation season:

Tommy is a shapeshifter because I couldn't decide what hybrid type I liked best for him. And he's a demigod because I needed a reason for Tubbo to be safe and trust Tommy.

Forgot to put it on his little card but Tubbo has a bit of sixth sense for people on whether to trust them or not. That's why he trusted Tommy and Techno.

Wilbur and Techno dealt with the storm better because Wilbur thrives in the cold and Techno stays warm easily. Wilbur also gets sunburnt easily.

Phil was an avian when he was mortal but took the title of angel because it was fitting. He's most accurately described as a reaper.

Kristen is the the Goddess of Death of course. She doesn't necessarily need a reaper but made Phil one in order to grant him immortality.

The natural state of an immortal is giant. Not all giants are immortal but most are. A lot of immortals don't care for the lives of mortals. 'Functionally Immortal' means they can be killed but they'll live forever if they aren't

I chose 'mortal' and 'immortal' because they're clearly not humans so 'human' and 'giant' wouldn't work

#this might be a little all over the place because I'm not exactly writing a plot; just spewing facts #i also had to rewrite it sadge #hope it's coherent!#seeking shelter #mcyt g/t #somenoms #tw vore #kinda #mostly mentions #why is techno dressed like a monarch? ✨aesthetic✨#t!technoblade #t!tubbo #t!wilbur #g!philza #g!tommy

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jiilys · 3 years

Text

warm front

featuring The Line, also on ao3 here

“You’re a lot better at this than Ron.” Harry said into the phone.

“Well that’s not hard,” Ginny said, not mentioning how she still occasionally picked up the receiver upside down. “Speaking of, he’s started growing a moustache since you left. It’s ghastly.”

“Oi!” Ron’s voice, annoyed, in the background. Harry grinned.

“Oh yeah?”

“It looks like he’s got biscuit crumbs on his upper lip.” Harry laughed, and Millie glared at him from behind the post office counter, “Oh, lovely, he’s giving me the finger.”

“I’ve started growing a bit of a beard actually.”

“Come off it.”

“Feeling left out?” Harry joked

Ginny snorted. “Yes, desperately. Isn’t it hot?”

“Well I think so.”

She laughed, clear and quick, and Harry could imagine her, all limb, leaning against the kitchen cupboard curling the phone wire around her wrist. He’d bought the phone as a bit of joke before he’d left, and then as a joke she’d installed it, and then for a joke he’d rung her, and then this was how they talked now. Arthur had apparently worn a suit when the electrician came to install the power plug.

“Isn’t it hot though? Bill says Australian summers are killers”

Harry looked at Teddy, sat on the post office floor in nothing but shorts sucking an ice-pop. “I’ve been sunburnt in places I never have been before, but it’s mostly fine.”

“Wow, sexy.”

“Bet Ron loved hearing you say that to me.”

“I’m sorry Harry, you want to do what to me? Put that where?”

“Gin-“

“No, we couldn’t in my room, there’s not enough room. Lounge is better, more space. On the dining table.”

Harry could hardly talk. “Stop,” he choked, “He’ll never speak to me again.”

“He left when I said the bit about the lounge, said I was being ‘very immature.’”

Andromeda, desperate to get out, away, gone, bought the land in Australia six months after the war ended. She’d said it was because she’d always liked the heat, but when Harry got there he knew why. He’d never seen anywhere so unlike England, the Australian countryside was all scorched earth, red dirt, dry trees. It could have been a different planet entirely.

He’d followed her six months later to be with Teddy, who at almost a year had hair permanently sunshine yellow, except when it rained it went as grey as concrete. Harry liked the spiders, sand, sunburn of it all. Sometimes, dumbly, he found himself missing sheets of rain, but only when it was so hot he could barely see straight.

Mostly he liked how there was nothing to do there, nowhere he had to be. He was teaching himself how to drive, burying things for Teddy to sniff out (dog nose), going into the tiny town to talk to Ginny on the post office phone, and helping Andromeda build a shed out the back. He’d never used magic less. The days were long and the nights were longer, but it was so different here that that too felt right.

He didn’t know when he’d go home. He kept meaning to set a date and then just didn’t, and then everyone stopped asking. It was stupid, but he felt like he’d know when he was done.

“Dad won’t let me see the phone bill,” Ginny said, picking up on the third ring and not saying hello, “It arrived this morning and he’s been locked in his office all morning with it.”

“Oh, God, I can-“

“Don’t you dare offer to pay for it. I don’t even think it’s that much, I think he’s just trying to recreate the logo at the top or something.”

“I-“

“Stop trying to pay for it- “

“I’m not– “ Harry, who had been, was silent. Then: “Gin, please-“

“No- “

“But- “

“Shut up-“ she said, unbothered, “Mum asked if you got the stuff she sent.”

“I did, the biscuits were excellent. And the tea bags” Harry had cleaned out the tin so Teddy could use it as a hat, which he had been wearing for two days now.

“I told her they already had tea in Australia but she didn’t believe me.”

Harry smiled, “I didn’t mind.”

“She said that even if they did have tea they wouldn’t have English Breakfast, or they would call it something crazy like ‘Australian Outback Breakfast’.”

“How thoughtful of her.”

“Stop being nice about it, it’s ridiculous.”

“It was nice of her.”

“Australian Outback Breakfast, Harry”

“I hate tea and hate that it was graciously sent to me by your mum.” Harry obliged.

“There we go. Killed any snakes yet?”

“Oh yeah, loads. Bears too.”

He could hear her smiling, “Bears, huh?”

“All in your honour.”

“Naturally. Still no success in seducing Millie?”

Harry looked around to the post office reception desk, a stones-throw away from the phone, to where Millie– middle-aged, cardiganed, glasses– was pretending to read the paper and not hate him.

“Haven’t you heard? Wedding’s in the Spring.”

“Damn. Well, we had it good there for a while but true love always wins.”

He laughed, and Millie gave him a look. He waved. She ignored him and went back to the paper.

Ron sent letters, barely legible, by owls that had to be nursed back to health in the bath.

Harry,

Sorry for the writing but I’m on the muggle train because we’re going to Ireland for a few days to stay with her Hermione’s Aunt because she’s ‘dying to meet me’ (???). Anyway, Hermione also says to tell you that Ginny is thinking of cutting a fringe, because apparently that’s important. Apparently girls do that in a crisis, or whatever, she’ll write and explain it.

Ginny is basically living at ours now. The other day she put a Hollyhead Harpies poster up in the living room and when I tried to charm it off all the players screaming at me like Sirius’s fucking mum, so I just moved the cabinet in front of it. Bloody nightmare.

Honestly it isn’t even half bad having her around, she knows all these drinking games and set up your room and sometimes has a go reading over Hermione’s policy reports to the Ministry when I’ve sworn off them. Do not tell her I don’t mind her being round she’ll be annoying about it. I’m getting that Harpies poster off the wall.

Hope Teddy is good and everyone is demanding more photos as usual. All Victorie has to do is chew the carpet around here and everyone gets a bit teary, including me. George jinxed Perce’s glasses into binonoulars the other day and for a weird second everything felt like before and Vic giggled and then George looked like he’d been hit the fucking nightbus. I don’t even know how to explain it– kids really just have no idea about any of it.

Hope Andromeda is good and that the driving is going better. Dad’s framing all of the phone bills he gets which Gin probably already mentioned but I can’t tell you how weird it is to go into my old room and it’s just a bunch of framed bills. Hermione says hello which I’ve already written but she said I didn’t make it clear enough.

We miss you mate. Home soon yeah?

Ron

Often, he thought of the week he’d told them he was leaving. Hermione, drunk, talking to Ginny on the patio of the burrow when she thought everyone was inside. It makes sense, really, she’d said, He’s never been anywhere he wasn’t hunted too. Ron had looked at him and then loudly dropped his firewhiskey and the girls had jumped, turned around, stopped talking, but still. He’s never been anywhere he wasn’t hunted too. Huh.

“How’s driving?”

“Oh, fine. I killed a swan.” Harry said, demoralised. Ginny laughed for a good two minutes.

“What?”

“I hit the wrong pedal and speed up instead of slowing down. I didn’t know what to do so I just moved it off to the side of the road.”

“Ah, the Boy who Lived strikes again.”

“Stop,” He was smiling, “What if Teddy had seen it?”

“He’s not even two. He probably would have thought it was, like, having a lie down or something.”

Harry was laughing now, “A lie down?”

“Yeah, a spontaneous, truck-induced–“

“–Permanent–“

“–Permanent, lie-down. I’m almost jealous now actually.”

Andromeda was in her garden a lot. Getting anything to grow was near impossible, but she wouldn’t stop working at it. She kept saying that soon they’d be able to have a green beans salad, so Harry just drove to a market and stuck a few green beans in the ground to make her laugh. As a sort of joke they’d started calling the land ‘the farm’ even though nothing ever grew here.

They took Teddy to the ocean for the first time and his eyes went blue the second he saw it. The beach where they’d buried Dobby was overcast, water as grey as dishwater, but here the it glittered like glass, blue light come alive. Teddy sat in the shallows, trying to flatten waves with his fists, laughing.

Andromeda sat on a towel by the dunes under an enormous hat, tears running down her face, abruptly laughing when Teddy tried to eat sand or fell over a sandcastle. Harry knew how she felt. Impossible, how two years ago Teddy had two living parents and Harry had been seventeen, dead and walking, and now they were sat on the beach, people they loved dead for real, as Harry and Teddy lined up shells on the shore.

It was three in the morning but Harry snuck in through a backdoor, cloak on, having to jimmy the lock because he forgot his wand. The streets were pitch black, only three streetlights in the whole main street, with two of them not working anyway.

“Why’re you awake?” Ginny said lightning quick, knowing the time difference by heart, and Harry’s chest unlocked. It was stupidly comforting, Ginny’s voice, how she never said hello on the phone because she never learned, how if he really made her laugh she’d hold the receiver away from her, like he wasn’t desperate to hear it.

“I thought I saw Sirius today,” he couldn’t stop himself, “There was a dog on the farm and it was huge and I thought– I forgot he was dead. Isn’t that stupid?”

There was only Ginny’s breath down the phone. Picture: her in the kitchen, gripping the receiver, still. The memory looped in his brain, how Sirius’ name had risen in his throat, how odd it felt there, how long it had been since he’d said it aloud.

“No.” He almost didn’t hear her it’s so quiet, “I went to the shop yesterday and asked Ron if Fred was in the back. I forget too.”

His heart slowed, the memory of the shop: solid and real, running again, made for laughing, rose up, only then he shut his eyes and saw everyone laid out in rows, glassy eyes, and somehow he was walking through the forest again, going to die, but not soon enough–

“Harry.” Ginny’s voice, dragging him back to earth, “You did everything you could. Sirius knew. Everyone knew. No one could have done better.” She sounded so sure, voice as clear as glass, he’d be a fool not to believe her, “It hurts because they loved us. They loved us. That’s the part to remember.”

“You are kidding-!” This time Harry didn’t say hello.

“I’m sorry, who is this?”

“Harpies reserve!” Harry was yelling in the post office and Millie looked appalled, “They’ll promote you in two weeks, you genius, I knew it– “

“I’m sorry I really have no idea who this is.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t say anything.”

“I sent the letter!” Ginny dropped the joke, indignant.

“We spoke two days ago! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me then–”

“–I sent our fastest owl.”

“Marius is currently passed out in the sink–“

Ginny laughed, “I wanted you to get the letter,” she said, finally, “I wanted you to see it. Did you see Madeline McKinnon signed it?”

She sounded like a kid. He grinned. “I did.”

“Best beater this century sent a letter to my house, asking me to be on her team. Madness. The English team are after her you know, it’s all over the Prophet.”

“I hope you’re not expecting me to send the letter back because I think that really will finish Marius off.”

“Please, you think I sent the real thing? Dad made twenty copies. He hung two on Ron and Hermione’s fridge and sent one to Aunty Muriel.”

Harry grinned, “You’re brilliant, I’m hanging my copy on the front door, framed.”

“The moving logo may cause problems for the muggles”

“Who cares? I want to tell everyone about this. Chaser for the Harpies–“

“I’m a reserve.”

“For now.” He could hear her smile through the phone, “What did everyone say?”

“Ron said I was a traitor and that he was also proud. Mum cried. Hermione promised to actually watch a game, George reminded me about nicking his broom all that time so technically he was also partly on the team, Bill bought a season pass, Charlie hung a giant Harpies poster in his shite apartment and sent a photo, Luna sent me awful flowers that won’t stop smoking, and Percy called to congratulate me on my admission to the ‘Hollygrove Harps.’”

Harry laughed, “Incredible.”

“Yeah, Perce’s was particularly heartfelt.”

Harry,

I’m sat at the dining table and everyone’s still here, but Mum wanted me to recap Charlie’s birthday dinner right now because she doesn’t want you to miss anything. Hermione also agreed with this mental idea.

Dinner Summary:

Food was good

Hermione tried to explain the electric collage or whatever decides American elections to Dad, it was stupid.

Hermione says it was electoral college not the eccentric cage or whatever I wrote

George got Charlie a life-size model of the Horntail that he almost opened in the house. Mum had a fit.

Dad told a story about how the Muggle Foreign Minister ended up with a bathtub cursed to drown anyone in it.

Ginny wants me to say Percy is wearing a cardigan Millie would be proud of. I do not know what this means. Better not be a sex thing.

Hermione says hello (again she insisted I write this down like it isn’t obvious)

Mum wants me to say we all miss you still (again, obvious)

She also wants to know if you need her to make you any shorts (do not answer this)

Charlie wants to say cheers for the gift – apparently they only do that burn cream in Australia and it’s hard to come by

George doesn’t have anything to say he just wanted to be involved so I’ve written this so he’ll bugger off.

I’m bloody sending this now, I feel like a quick quotes quill (Fleur asks how you are). Have a good one mate.

Home soon yeah?

Ron.

Sometimes, when he was driving home from the post-office just after the sunset, everything sat in the new-dark, he’d remember when he used to be on watch, sat in front of the tent holding Hermione’s wand with everything going wrong, and how only then he’d let himself think about Ginny. Her voice, long laugh, longer legs, telling him to move over, pass the milk, look left, met her later, skip that flashcard, relax, put Luna in as chaser if it all goes arse up– she’s Ravenclaw but I’ll vouch for her. Dumb hours spent on the Quidditch pitch, sun going down, watching her get shot after shot past him like she even needed the practise. C’mon Potter at least try to save these, you’re making Ron look like Wood. Her hair everywhere, laughing, head back, both of them impossibly far from the ground

I really don’t want to die, Harry would think in the dark, wand out, ready for it, I really don’t want to die and miss out on you

Harry,

Sorry I couldn’t call but everything’s been nuts here and I wasn’t sure when I’d get to talk to you. Malcotti’s fucked her ankle so I may actually get put in for a game?? She’s been told to take it easy for a week and we play the Magpies in four days, so?? I’ll let you know when I can call. I’m currently writing this at the post-office desk and running late for practise.

Sidenote: this express owl cost me four galleons so I hope it does a dance on its arrival or at least arrives within the day. Tell Andromeda hello and that I’m still rooting for the green beans. Also, good luck for the driving test!! I’m sure you won’t hit anything living or dead and/or drive into a lake, but also if you do just confund the instructor. I solemnly swear not to tell Hermione.

Thinking of you. Kiss Teddy for me,

Gin

The click of the receiver: “I only have five minutes, we’re about to eat.”

Harry smiled, “How’s home?”

“Absolutely nothing to note. Victorie threw up on Bill yesterday, so that was a joy.”

“Supportive as usual.”

“Hey, I am supportive.” Harry could tell the phone was jammed between her shoulder and her ear, heard a knife on a cutting board, “Supportive of Victorie’s right to throw up on Bill whenever she wants.”

“Are you cooking?”

“I’m cutting potatoes by hand to avoid the lounge because Fleur and Mum are talking about how to discipline children.”

“Sounds tense.”

“You don’t know the half of it. Ron had to pretend to be on the phone with you earlier for ten minutes just to get out of there. He says hi– fuck!”

Harry heard the phone fall, “Ginny?”

A scrambling on the other end, distantly: “You’re bleeding on the potatoes!”

“Hi,” Ginny’s voice, a little breathless, “I cut myself.”

“You alright?” Harry asked, quick-shot.

“Oh, yeah. Just blood. Admirably everyone is showing a lot of concern” (Percy’s voice, distant and mournfully, “well there’s no way we can eat these now”)

He thought about going home sometimes, about the flat with Ron and Hermione he was currently paying for that he’d never lived in, what he’d do back in England. No one had ever come out to visit him here, some unspoken agreement they’d all made to give him space. Except, knowing Ron and Hermione and Mrs Weasley and he’s never been anywhere he wasn’t hunted to it probably was very much spoken, it’s just he wasn’t there for it.

The thing is, if he went home that meant no more seeing Teddy every day, sitting around eating cereal, watching him walk into walls or turn his nails pink, giving him ice cream for lunch and strap him into the truck, driving around the farm doing spins just to make him laugh. Even after all this time Australia was so far from the familiar, every night him and Andromeda sat on the deck lazily casting cooling charms, looking at all the stars.

On full moons Teddy got in bed with all the curtains open, blinds up, just to look at the moon. He couldn’t sleep unless he saw it. Harry wondered if he ever did anything like that, got pulled towards something of his parents without realising it. Quidditch, probably. Looking for something without knowing, not sure what you were really missing. Teddy’s huge eyes, the moon, and that familiar feeling: Stop, wait, I can’t believe I’ll never see you again. Come back, I wasn’t done yet. I don’t know how to do it without you.

It was pitch-black, four in the morning Queensland time, but it had been the only time she’d had free. Harry was leaning against the booth wall, letting the cloak slip, exhausted. Ginny cleared her throat in an odd way.

“So, you know I hate asking about this. It makes me– I don’t want to be that person” She sounded, wrong, uncomfortable, like white knuckles gripping the receiver, “But everyone’s been asking and I want– when do you think you’ll be coming home?”

Harry was quiet. All this time away– almost a year, eleven months, it occurred to him– and she’d never asked. She was the only one who hadn’t. “Oh, I don’t know. Soon, I guess.”

“Yeah.” She said, unreadable. A beat went past, and Harry could feel the shift, how that was the wrong thing. He could hear her breathing. “Do you want– if you want, we could take a break-“

“No” Harry said, so fast, “No, no I don’t want that. Do you want that?”

“No. No. I just– I don’t want this to be difficult. I don’t want you to feel, like– obligated. If you want like room away from everything I get it. Just tell me– I don’t want– Just tell me.”

Harry’s heart was going into his chest like an endlessly slamming door. How to explain it? You wouldn’t believe the space here, all this room, all this time I have. I didn’t think I’d get it. I want space but never from you.

“I’m not with you because I feel obligated. I’m– That isn’t how I feel. I don’t want space or a break or anything.”

Silence, endless, pouring down the phone. He could be sick. Then, Ginny’s voice: “Okay.”

“I’m coming back to England, Gin. I’m coming back, just, when I’m– when I’m done. I’m coming home. Soon.”

“Okay. I just wanted to make sure that this– that this is still good.”

“It is.” He was so stupid. A war ends and everything finally works out, everyone safe for real, and he goes running to the other side of the world and doesn’t say when he’s coming home. Ginny, at home, getting a phone wired up just to call him. He had no luck for seventeen years and then it all came at once, and now he doesn’t know what to do with it.

“I love you,” he said, which he never said because it felt heavy, full of gravity, and he spent all his time trying to make her laugh.

Deep breath. He could hear her shoulders unknotting through the phone. “I love you too.”

“Harry?”

“Ron?”

“Can you hear me? Is this?– how do I know if this is on?”

“It’s on,” Harry said, hurriedly, “Is everything alright?”

“I tried to give Pig a letter for you this morning and he bit me and flew into the window.” Harry started laughing, “So I thought I’d try give him a break.”

Harry pulled himself together, “Yeah maybe that’s for the best. How are you?”

“Oh, the usual. The shop is still nuts so Hermione stopped by to help out on Saturday and ate half a Bile Biscuit thinking it was shortbread– hilarious. George threatened to charge her. If Ginny’s not at a practise she’s at our place drinking all the milk, and Luna came by the other day and threw all the stuff in the fridge out because she said it was infected with ‘Mimilice’. You?”

“The same. Teddy turned his leg into the end of a snake the other day and I had a fit. Andromeda put him in the sink so he couldn’t slither away before phasing back. It’s currently 39 degrees.” Ron laughed.

“God, even your voice sounds hot.”

“Woah, mate. I’m seeing someone and so are you.”

“Ha ha.” Ron said sarcastically, “I wish I could turn this up so everyone in the empty living room could have heard that.”

“Please don’t try to use the speaker phone, you’ll accidentally dial the embassy or something.”

“’Speaker phone’? What could the phone have to say?”

Teddy turned two and Andromeda make him a cake by hand with a spider on it that moved. He blew out the candles and looked bemused, sat in a top Hermione had sent, still holding onto a scrap of ribbon. Harry took him outside and sat him on his Nimbus Seven Series, entirely too long, and Teddy did slow circles while Harry held the end, watching him laugh, tiny hands grasping the handle. Suddenly, like being thrown through a window, Remus was in front of him, standing in the Hogwarts Hallway, breathless and happy, saying his sons name.

The post office has been closing for a good fifteen minutes, but Harry brought the cloak, pretended to leave, then snuck back and picked up the phone again.

“I think I just saw Millie’s husband.”

“You’re kidding.”

“A guy came to pick her up, he had a hat on, she got in the front seat–“

“What kind of hat?”

“I don’t know, normal. Like a normal old-person hat.”

“You didn’t say he was old.”

Harry grinned, “You really thought Millie seemed the type to be with a 25-year-old?”

“Hey, you’re going out with me after all–“

Harry spluttered, “I’m a year older!”

“Year and a half–“

“You’re unbelievable. That is not the same.”

“Just because you like younger women–“

“I don’t like younger women, I like you, or I did until a few minutes ago. I’m now reconsidering.”

“You like me.” Ginny said, not really serious but also deadly so.

Harry smiled, said dryly, “What gave me away?”

Harry had started dreaming of home, the staring in the street, dishes washing themselves in the Burrow, Hogwarts lake dark and silky as eels. He couldn’t tell what had brought this on, only that he was now driving into town every day to talk to Ginny, and now Ron, Hermione, even Neville were coming to the phone.

“They miss you” Andromeda said, unprompted, drinking muggle wine on the deck one night after dinner, “Molly wrote last week asking if you mentioned when you’d be coming back.”

“Oh,” Harry said, because he couldn’t think of anything else. “Do you think you’ll come back?”

The question hung between them. Terrible thought: Teddy never back in England, Teddy growing up where Harry couldn’t see him.

“I will.” She looked back at him, unbearably, and it was everything that went unsaid.

“How?” Harry asked, unthinking.

Andromeda looked back out the window, the pressing dark, the unbearable heat. Even after all this time, making dinner, sitting on the dark deck, weeding the garden, she was still unreadable. Grief undid you in layers.

“Because Nymphadora would want me to.” She said, simply. “Because I want her to think I’m brave.”

The post office shuts for a week because Millie goes out of town, and the place is small enough that that means it’s not open till she gets back. Harry makes it four days before apparating hundreds of miles away, almost splinching himself in the heat, dizzy from lack of practise, and stumbling to a payphone at the side of a highway.

Click. “Didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

“Yeah, I went out of town to call.”

“Out of town huh? Miss me that much?” Ginny’s voice, joking.

Unbelievably, Harry thought. “Yeah well, Teddy isn’t much of a conversationalist.”

“Don’t let him hear you say that, you’ll knock his confidence.”

“He’ll get past it. How are you?”

“Fine. Well– actually, you won’t believe what happened at practise on Thursday, I hope you’re sitting down–“

“I’m not–” Harry grinned

“Squat then,” Ginny said blithely, “because Jacqueline has actually gone full bonkers–“

“My parents say its incredible “ Hermione’s voice, the only person in his life who spoke in a normal tone on the phone

“Yeah, we’ve been actually.” Harry didn’t have the heart to tell her that Teddy had found the Great Ocean Road blindingly boring and had only made it an hour in before him and Andromeda had decided it wasn’t worth the screaming anymore.

“Yeah, Mum and Dad were thinking of coming down, doing it again.”

Harry played along, “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She was endearingly fake-casual, “Maybe Ron and I would come too.”

“Ron wants to drive 150 miles along a stretch of boring road with your parents?”

“You didn’t say it was boring.”

“Slip of the tongue,” Harry smiled, “What about the Ministry? And the shop?”

“We’re thinking about doing travelling.”

“The year we spent in a tent in various country-sides not enough?”

“Funnily enough seeing the sights wasn’t top of mind then.”

Harry smiled darkly, “If we’re going travelling let’s do Italy, or America, or something. Soon. Somewhere none of us have ever been.”

Hermione left it a beat too long for it to be a normal silence, “I heard Italy is beautiful, the history there is incredible…”

Harry could almost hear talking to Ron later: “and then he said if we’re going travelling, ‘we’re’, Ron! And ‘soon’! he thinks he’ll be travelling with us ‘soon’!. And Ron, “so you didn’t ask when he’s coming back then?, and then Hermione: “didn’t you hear? soon! He said soon!”

He was walking back to the car from the post office one day, Teddy plodding beside him infatuated with a passing goose, with Ginny’s voice still swimming around him, the sound of Ron telling her to shut up, pass the receiver, I’ve got to tell him the Cannons score, and he walked into the travel agents and booked one-way ticket to England for next week. Just like that.

Stupid, really, how he heard their voices all the time (walking in the street, making a sandwich, fixing the plumbing) but had never made the connection. He was in the street like always, hearing the call all again, and thought I wish they were here for real, and then walked into the air-conditioning and pulled out his chequebook. It really was that easy. The goose was still outside when he left holding his ticket, Teddy squirming to get closer to it with a full-on beak that Harry was trying to hide with one hand.

Home soon Harry thought the whole drive home, the thought expanding in his chest, the window open, his hair blowing everywhere– longer than it had ever been. Even when he got back to the farm, told Andromeda (who promised to follow in a year), made dinner, went to bed, he imagined he would feel different. Something huge and unfelt before, but really everything was the the same as ever. He just missed them, is all. He was learning that sometimes love really was that simple, that it was reason enough.

“I read that people sometimes make signs at airports.”

Harry smiled, phone cord wrapped around his palm. “Saying what?”

“Guess you’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Oh, God.”

“Don’t worry, no magic involved. We don’t want to alarm the muggles. Luna asked if she could bring her lion hat but Hermione got intervened.”

“Luna’s coming?”

“Yes, duh. Everyone is. It’s been a year a half.”

Harry, who had had visions of kissing Ginny ridiculously for an hour in front of the plane, adjusted his expectations.

Ginny, as usual, reading his mind: “Don’t worry. I’ve briefed Ron that I’ll still be kissing you senseless so he had better start getting over it.”

Harry grinned, “Bet he loved that.”

“He called me a cocksucker, and then I pointed out that actually I hadn’t been in a year and a half–“

“Gin!”

“–and he said my name exactly like that, yeah.”

Harry couldn’t stop laughing, bright red in the post office for the last time as Millie shushed him, “You are unbelievable.”

“Well, believe me.” she said, dryly, “I’ll be seeing you in 29 hours.”

Harry, also counting, ducked his head, grinning. It turned out all his best luck was waiting at this part of his life, who knew. Thank God, Thank God, Thank God.

“I’m going to be totally unusable, you know. The flight’s twenty-one hours.”

“Yeah, you’re an idiot. I know you’re on a whole no-magic kick but this really is the limit. What are you going to eat?”

“Hermione says they serve eggs and stuff.”

“Wow, really? How?”

Harry considered. “I actually have no idea. Maybe please bring some chips or something to the airport.”

Ginny laughed, the best sound in the world, “Only if you bring me some eggs.”

#sorry this is late sorry to all my unanswered messages i had to post this today i had to get it away from me!!!#hinny #hinny fic #harry potter #ginny weasley #otp: several sunlit days #i have to run everyone is waiting on me sorry everyone i love you all lots i turn 21 in three days who could believe it!!!#carolineswritingtag

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mrvelfan · 3 years

Text

Sunburn

pairing: bucky barnes x reader

word count: 2.1k

warnings: basically fluff, some kissing

authors note: this is my first fic ever, so please be nice and enjoy:) (gif is not mine!!! all credits to the owner)

I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO REPOST MY STORIES ON ANY OTHER PLATFORM. Reposts are appreciated.

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It was such a great day at the beach. Hot mid summer day, spent in a bathing suit, finally relaxed from all the Avengers pressure. You had gotten ready kinda early in the morning, not wanting to waste any minute of your day off. You bumped into Natasha returning to her room after her workout and after chatting for a bit, letting her know of your plans, she decided to join you. It was an opportunity to spend time together, so you both decided to invite whoever else wanted to come along. It resulted in Steve, Sam and Bucky joining you, which actually led to a day full of fun.

You were now on your way back to the compound with Steve and Nat in the front of the car and you, squeezed between Bucky and Sam in the back seat. Everyone was tired after a whole day of swimming, sunbathing and playing games so there was a comfortable silence and you were about to fall asleep. Suddenly you felt Bucky moving and grunting on your left side.

“Are you okay? Do you want me to move?” you said moving to your right thinking that Bucky didn’t fit. After all he was a pretty big guy.

“No no, I’m fine, I’m okay” he said with a half smile, shifting in his seat. You looked at his posture remembering that from the moment you got into the car, he sat very still, without his back touching the back seat. You could tell there was something off, but he looked rather uncomfortable and you didn’t want to ask him infront of the others.

Bucky was shy and quiet around the others, even though he was living at the compound for quite some time now. His room was next to yours, so when he had nightmares his first days here, you were always there to ground and comfort him. Since then you became really close, and you were one of the very few people he let touch him. It was honestly a surprise to everyone the first time they ever saw you sitting really close and he didn’t move away. You didn’t mind that he was always near you or touching you, because you realized that it made him feel safe. You liked the physical contact and the time you spent together, and little by little, your crush to Bucky developed.

You just nodded and gave him a reassuring smile. His flesh arm was pressed on your side, his hand on his thigh, so you felt his muscles tensing with every slight movement. It hurt you to see that he was in some kind of discomfort or even pain from the grunts that left his lips every now and then, but you let it go, deciding to ask him once you were alone.

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After about 30 minutes you arrived and once the car stopped everyone sighed because you would finally go to sleep. You gathered your stuff and started walking to your rooms talking about your day.

"I had a great time. We should do this more often." Nat said to all of you, stopping outside her room.

"Me too, it was a great idea Y/N. Didn't know you actually had these." Sam teased you before entering his room too, laughing and leaving you speechless.

"Did he really-?" You turned your head in shock finding Steve and Bucky trying to hold in their laughs.

"Yeap he did... and i can already see the wheels in your head turning, coming up with a way to get him back tomorrow at training." Steve added and started walking again.

"Don't you worry about that." You said with an evil smile hearing them chuckle again.

Yours and Bucky's room was right next to each other so after saying 'goodnight' to Steve you were walking in silence.

"Are you really okay? You looked strange on the ride back home." You finally asked him, stopping on your tracks outside of your rooms. He didn't answer and he looked like he was deciding whether he should tell you the truth or not. But your concerned face made him feel bad for lying on the first place.

"I um... I got a... I got sunburnt on my back..." he said looking at you to see your reaction. The frown on your brows became even more visible as you walked closer to him. His eyes never left yours as you reached out with slow movements and lifted his shirt a little, revealing his skin. It was red and looked sore, making you realize that this was why he wouldn't sit back in the car.

"Oh my god Bucky! This looks really bad." You looked into his beautiful blue eyes, trying to think of a way to help ease the pain.

“Don’t worry doll, it will be healed by tomorrow.” he shrugged and turned his body to open the door of his room.

"Listen, I have a gel that will cool down your skin and reduce the redness." You said and opened the door of your room, leaving some space for him to enter.

“You really don’t have too” he said looking back at you.

“Yes, but i want too. At least let me help you feel more relaxed, even for a few hours.” He hesitated for a moment, but the awful feeling of his shirt touching him was irritating and he couldn't wait to get it off.

He walked in your room and stood at the end of your bed, leaving his bag on the floor near a wall. You quickly shut the door, throwing your stuff on the bed and going into the bathroom attached to your room. Once you found the aloe gel, you walked back out seeing Bucky still standing looking around.

"You can sit on the bed if you want." You offered and waited for his next move. He sat on your bed softly, very close to the edge like he didn't want to intrude into your personal space, even tho you had let him in the first place.

"Can you please take your shirt off?" You asked with a soft voice,not wanting to startle him, knowing how self conscious he was about his metal arm and scars.

He slowly nodded, without looking at you, winching when he moved his arms to remove it, because of the pain. Once it was off, he put his hands on his lap playing with his shirt, too afraid to look up to you and see your reaction to his scarred shoulder.

He was nervous. You could tell by his body language. You moved closer, sitting behind him so you faced his back. It was very red, especially on his shoulders and shoulder blades. You opened the cap of the tube and squirted some gel on your palm and fingers, before closing it and tossing it next to you.

“I’m going to touch you now okay?” you figured that it would be better for him if you told him exactly what you were going to do.

“Okay” he wispered, on the verge of tears, afraid that when you touched him you would feel disgusted by him.

You lifted your hands after barely hearing his response, and warned him that it would be cold. He nodded and you slowly pressed your palms on his back. You heard him hiss and shiver, but you didn’t move. He would feel much better after this.You spread the aloe all over his back massaging his skin, focusing on his shoulders were it was more sore.

How could this have happened? He didn’t even take his shirt off nor he is burnt on his face.

You asked yourself after rembering that he wasn’t shirtless at the beach. You were totally fine with it, just like everyone else. Not one of you would pressure him into doing something he didn’t feel comfortable doing.

“Hey Bucky...do you mind me asking how you got burned, since your face is fine and... you didn’t take your shirt off?” you asked him and grabbed the gel bottle again to add more to your hands. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat and hold back his tears so you wouldn’t suspect anything.

“No um...I actually took it off to get into the sea, but you were all sleeping... so that’s probably why you...didn’t see me” he said and shifted akwardly on your bed. The truth was that he actually waited until everyone was asleep, so he could take off his shirt for literally ten minutes, to get into the water.

“And i put sunscreen on my face so...yeah” he added and waited for your response.

“Why didn’t you wake me to help you?” You said concerned and slightly suspicious because you had an idea of why he didn’t.

“Like i said, you were sleeping and i didn’t want to bother you” he sat up after you told him you were done and looked back at you.

“Listen, i dont want to pressure you, but you know you can tell me everything right?” you crossed you legs looking at him and waited for his responce.He knew that you knew. After all you knew him really well to notice when hes lying.

He closed his eyes sighing and sat next to you on the bed. “The truth is...that...” he trailed off and you put your hand on his ,that was resting on his thigh, and squeezed it, as a sign to continue.

“...I just didn’t want anyone, and especially you to see me shirtless... to see my scars and remember that i am a monster.” He said and wiped a few tears that escaped his eyes.

You weren’t entirely shocked to hear that. Only because deep down you knew that this was his biggest insecurity and he wouldn’t open up to anyone about it easily, even if he refused it.

“Oh Bucky...” you hugged him tightly, your hands caressing the back of his head. He wrapped his armaround your waist, hugging you back even more tightly, burying his face into the crook of your neck and you felt some tears wetting your shirt. After a few moments you pulled back, wiping his tears stained cheeks, with you thumbs.

“I could never see you as a monster Buck. You are far from that. What you did all those years was not you...you are the kindest, most giving man I know who always puts himself first to protect others. I’m not disgusted by your scars Bucky and i will never be. They don’t make you a monster and they don’t define you. They prove that you are a survivor. And i know that you will see that one day too. But until then, i will always be by your side to remind you.”

He stayed silent for a few seconds, looking straight into your eyes, until he finally did what you both wanted for a long time. He leaned in and left a soft kiss to your lips, staying there for a little until he realized what he was doing and quicly moved back and sat up.

“I’m so sorry about that! I’m sorry if i made you uncomfortable... i should probably leave.” he said quickly and started gathering his things.

You stood up and made your way over him, took his face into your hands and smashed your lips to his. He dropped he things he was carrying and put his arms around your waist bringing you closer so that your chests were pressed together. Your lips moved in sync and your hands make their way up to the nape of his neck, playing with the hair there. He licked your bottom lip asking for pesmission and when you opened your lips he slipped his tongue into your mouth. After a while you both pulled back and stared into eachother’s eyes.

“Been wanting to do that for a long time.” you said biting your lip smiling, looking back at him.

“Did you now?” he chuckled and pecked your lips once more. “Thank you. For everything you said about me. I really appreciate it. I really appreciate you.” he smiled and pressed his forehead against yours.

“Of course Buck. I’ll always be here for you.” you smiled back and looked at his lips again. “So...you wanna do that again?” you giggled.

“Absolutely” he smiled and leaned in again capturing your lips into his. His hands moved down to your ass giving it a squeeze, before hissing and pulling back because his back had just collided with the wall. He looked at you with furrowed brows, pretending to be angry because you had pushed him all the way back.

“Oops...”

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes fanfiction #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes x you #the winter soldier #bucky barnes imagine #bucky barnes fic

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aphrodite-would-be-proud · 3 years

Text

After the 8th episode, it just hurts so much to be reminded of the shit these kids went through. They deserved better, so much better it hurts.

They're just kids goddammit, why would anyone ever wish harm on them :(

You're with Reiner having a beach day but his cousins tracked you down.

{ Reiner x reader | tw: none | fluff, wholesome | modern }

{ "Le Passage à Concarneau" by Lucien-Alphonse Gros 1845 - 1913 }

When you first arrived, reiner insisted everyone puts on sunscreen before doing anything. He helps you put on yours, Zofia and Falco manage to do it by themselves, Udo needed some help from you.

While Gabi just ran off, Reiner had to chase her down and restrain her while you put sunscreen on her. Thankfully you survived with all your fingers intact.

Falco was beside her the whole time for emotional support

Zofia needed three coats yet still stayed in the shade, she has a bad relationship with the sun. Udo sat beside her and they began building a sandcastle.

Meanwhile Gabi caught a seagull with only a towel, Falco is trying to reason with her to let it go while Udo and Zofia are watching the chaos that's about to unfold from a safe distance.

Reiner takes the towel away and ends up scolding her for doing that, he looks at you for support but your impressed look only encourages Gabi more.

"I'll catch another one when he looks away." She whispers to you before running off with another towel and the determination to move mountains.

Reiner is really, really protective of you in swimwear. He'll just pull you aside whenever someone walks close, put himself between you and the sun so you're in the shade, his presence alone shoos off any creeps.

Lowkey showing off the muscles he worked hard for, he wants you to look and be impressed. Lifts all the heavy bags, even lifts Gabi and Falco up on his shoulder when they go to get ice cream.

Falco likes ice cream sandwiches, Gabi likes the ones with gum at the end while Zofia goes for soft cream with chocolate flakes and Udo likes the colorful ones in shell like cones.

Udo doesn't know how to swim, so Reiner guides him through it and stays by his side the whole time while the other three encourage him.

Gabi takes over the duty of teaching Udo after he learns the basics, so you and Reiner just float near them in the water while swimming lazily.

He wraps his arms around you, you smile and lean into him. It's comfortable and warm.

After that, you dry each of them with a towel making sure no one gets cold.

Don't let them run alone with Reiner because they will empty his pockets, dragging him from one food stand to the other. He can't say no to their eyes, help him please.

They're getting smart, realising when Reiner is with you, he's immune to them. So Udo came up with a plan to send someone over to distract you while they lure Reiner away.

It's always Falco, and he's horrible at it.

He'll just stand in front of you and be like "uh...I...uh..um...so, you know ummm."

He only has three excuses he can come up with

"Can you help me put sunscreen on?" It's the third time he asked this hour

"I think i got sunburnt" no Falco that's just a starfish stuck to your leg.

"I think I saw a shark in there! We have to go to safety." Falco this is an family beach with shallow water and a lot of surveillance.

Zofia is the most successful at it, she managed to convince you that you needed to go buy one of those overpriced graffiti T-shirts otherwise your summer will be meaningless.

Gabi is horrible at making up excuses but she's a master at making you feel guilty, you could be stopping her from possibly getting attacked by seagulls and you somehow end up apologising to her after.

Udo just comes up with the most rational and normal excuses that it's the least suspicious. He asks you to go with him so he can wash his hands, or pretends that he lost his glasses.

At the end of the day, after they got their food and made all the sandcastles their little heart desire, started endless water fights and made up right after it's around sunset that they started getting sleepy.

The last one awake is Falco who insists to help you carry the stuff back to the car, Zofia being the first who fell asleep.

Gabi is wrapped in a towel, hair still damp while Rainer carries her. Zofia next to her.

You're holding Udo, while Falco carries his glasses.

Reiner secures them safely in the backseat before going for the rest of the stuff, you offer Falco to sit next to you in the frontseat, he happily agrees.

It's when halfway through the drive home that you realise Falco fell asleep on you, you put your arms around him so he doesn't fall.

#reiner braun x reader #aot reiner #reiner braun #reiner x reader #Reiner #reiner🕯#fluff #wholesome #aot #snk #aot x reader #snk x reader #kiddo gang🕯#aot gabi #aot falco #aot zofia #aot udo #they deserve to be happy man :(

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hargrove-mayfields · 3 years

Text

The first summer after the incident at Starcourt, things have finally had enough time to slowly ease back into normalcy.

The day after school lets out, the kids talk Steve into letting them come swim in his pool. It’s only for a couple of hours, and honestly, it does them all some good, the kids getting to pretend things are okay for a while, and Steve getting to soothe that worry that crept in every time he didn’t have an eye on all of them, so despite the guilt they all certainly felt for having fun, they let themselves enjoy it, for a little while at least.

The gimmick of what made summer fun ran out pretty quickly for them though, so once they’d all gotten sunburnt shoulders and had tangles in their hair and wrinkles on their fingers from the chlorinated water, they decided it was time to go home. They weren’t up for the arcade or ice cream after the pool like they used to be either, but they had had just under a year now to decide they were okay with that.

So Steve loads them all up into his new Mercedes-Benz, the replacement for the BMW that became necessary post battle when they discovered his car had been crushed at some point during that night by the Mind Flayer, and took them all home.

Max’s house was the last on his route no matter which way he went, the only member of the party who lived on the outskirts of the wealthy part of town now that the Byers’ had moved, so it’s just the two of them in the car. As they pull up outside though, she hesitates to get out, instead nervously picking at the stitches in the seat, mulling over something in her head.

They aren’t really close, no bond between them beyond babysitter and grumpy teenager not happy to have one, but Steve feels an obligation towards all of these kids, so he shifts in the seat so he’s facing her, and asks her in a way he hoped sounds approachable, “What’s up, Max?”

Max takes another second and a deep breath before speaking, wringing her hands nervously, “Billy’s birthday is in a few days and I don’t think anybody knows that, but I want to do something for him.”

Steve nods, doesn’t really know what he’s supposed to do at first, “Have you talked to your mom about this?”

He asks because word traveled fast in a small town like Hawkins. Everyone and their mother knew that Neil Hargrove had split before they’d even stabilized his son in the hospital, and his wife had stayed with their children, taking full responsibility for Billy and Max. If anyone should be having a party for Billy, it should be Susan.

“Yeah and she liked the idea, but she’s been really busy with work and stuff, double now with Billy’s medical bills, and I know a lot of the other parents are too and some of them I just don’t know well enough to ask, and I don’t know who else to turn to because normally I’d take this stuff to Billy and I can’t do it by myself.” Max rambles all in one breath, has clearly been thinking about this for a long time.

Steve obviously wants to encourage that, so he asks, “What did you wanna do for him?”

“I just wanted to have a party for him at the hospital, but I know that’s kinda dumb since nobody goes to see him anyways.” Max mumbles, wrapping her fingers around the door handle like she’s going to get out, “I don’t know, it’s stupid.”

“No it’s not. What day is it, his birthday?”

“The sixth. I know that’s kinda short notice but-“ Max starts again, but Steve interrupts, a small smile on his face as if to prove he’s genuine, “No, it’s fine. We’ll figure something out. We’re not going to let Billy be alone on his birthday.”

It doesn’t seem to have the effect Steve wanted though, because Max scoffs and pushes the car door open, snapping before she gets out, “You do every other day.”

Even though Max had been so short with him at first, after that, she and Steve work on a plan at the end of every day when he was driving her back home, Max slowly evolving from tense about even bringing it up to actually excited for this thing they were working on together for her brother.

Steve doesn’t really have the time or the know-how for home made anything, but he buys everything you typically would find at an under twenty one birthday party, balloons and streamers, a chocolate cake, per Max’s request, and a tub of Superman ice cream, also a suggestion from Max.

He doesn’t buy Billy a present, he figures he doesn’t have use for much for anything material in the hospital, and although he’s willing to help, he feels he still doesn’t really know Billy like that anymore.

Or maybe he does, he just doesn’t know if the friendship they had been reluctantly developing would withstand the strain the accident at Starcourt had put on it, and didn’t feel it was very appropriate just to show up with an expensive knick knack that would just rub his wealth in Billy’s face.

Instead, he gets him a card, because who doesn’t want a birthday card, and leaves a hundred dollars and a heartfelt note in it. The money is because he has it and Billy needs it more than he does, and a hundred dollars was standard for milestone birthdays, in his family at least, and since Billy was lucky to see his nineteenth come around, he figures this counted.

So on the sixth of June, they’re ready to celebrate Billy.

Steve drives the kids all to the hospital that day, surprised that even without El around right now to convince them to, they were all willing to come. He guesses they’d all seen how torn up Max was when Billy was admitted to the hospital, and now that eleven months later he still hadn’t got out, it was bound to be hard on her.

It wasn’t a surprise anymore, Max had let it slip to Billy a few days beforehand in her excitement, so they just went straight up to his room, each kid and Steve carrying something, decorations or food or presents.

At first, Billy doesn’t really seem to thrilled to see them, but Steve supposed he wouldn’t be either, it couldn’t be any fun aging in the hospital, especially surrounded by nobody but your little sisters friends.

But they still set it all up for him, tying balloons to his bed and hanging streamers above the door. Max sits with him and keeps him entertained with stories, but what makes his mood significantly improve is when a nurse interrupted them to give him another dose of his pain meds.

Once they’re all set up, it’s Lucas who points out, “We forgot the candles for the cake.”

And it’s Max who, without really thinking about it, reminds him, “We probably have some with all the decorations and stuff we bought.”

It’s Dustin who looks and finds a pack of candles that someone indeed had brought, and calls out, “Found some.”

But it’s Steve who is seemingly the only one able to remember that the birthday boy was still on oxygen after a lung transplant and didn’t think he needed to be blowing out any candles, reminding Dustin very pointedly, “Actually, Dustin, I don’t think we need any candles.

Of course he argues, because kids do, “C'mon Steve, it's a birthday cake. All birthday cakes have candles.”

“Yeah, but I said I don’t think this one needs any.” Steve says, through his teeth this time, nodding subtly towards Billy, and Dustin's eyes widen a little, and the candles get put back without another word about it.

Instead, Steve gives Billy the zippo from his pocket, flipping it open for him so a tiny flame dances in front of his face, “Make a wish, Hargrove.”

Billy takes the lighter, a little apprehensively, but he stays quiet, looking up at Steve as he presumably makes his wish to himself, then clicks it shut, extinguishing the flame.

Ever impatient, the kids decide that’s their cue to cut into the cake without really asking anybody, but Steve doesn’t stop them, because as Billy reminds Max when she sits down on his bedside with a piece, “I can’t really eat that right now, kiddo, but thank you.”

She blows him off, teasingly uncaring in that sibling way, “Oh, I know, that’s why I picked chocolate cake, ‘cause I know you don’t like it. I just wanted you to have one, so it felt like a real birthday.”

Billy smiles wide, holds his arms out the best he can anymore for a hug, “Aww, come ‘ere, shitbird.”

Max spends the rest of their little impromptu party at his bedside, talking to her friends but sitting with her brother, the both of them chasing that sense of normalcy that everyone else had been able to move on and achieve, but they had no chance at grasping so long as they were apart.

That is at least, until to keep himself busy while the kids argue about something, Billy reads his card from Steve, that long written out note that detailed all his feelings and regrets and thoughts about Billy that he had been grappling with since Billy was hospitalized, sorrys and thank yous and happy birthday, everything crammed into that card but the part about how Steve had been falling in love with Billy since they met in ‘84.

It makes Steve nervous, twitchy and vulnerable with Billy reads it, until he gently closes the card and looks up at Steve, eyes wide and a little teary.

The first thing he says is an unrelated question, ruffling his little sisters hair and asking her, “Maxi, can you go down to the vending machine at the end of the hall and grab me some stuff? I’m running out of candy to hide in the bedside drawer.”

Max nods and slides down from his bed, and Billy adds, “Take all your friends too. See if they want anything.”

He waits until all the kids are gone, their voices echoing distantly down the long hallway, to ask Steve, “D’you do all this for me, Harrington?”

Steve shrugs, not sure if he’s more humble or nervous about why Billy wanted to talk to him alone, “It was Max’s idea.”

“But you still organized it, right?”

“I guess. I don’t want a thank you or anything though.” Steve insists, but Billy smiles, a bright one like Steve hardly ever saw anymore, and insists right back “Too bad, you’re getting one. Thank you.”

Steve just shrugs again, “It’s your birthday, Hargrove. I wasn’t going to let you be forgotten.”

“I would’ve been okay, Steve. Birthdays were just… never really a thing in my family anyways.”

Steve can tell they were going to go back and forth all day, arguing over whether or not he should be celebrated, and if he needed someone by his side, if he doesnt change the subject, so he asks him, “What’d you wish for?”

“Can’t tell you that or it won’t come true.” Billy hums, thoughtful, and he says, sounding like his sister, “And it’s sort of dumb anyways.”

“Hey, I’m sure it’s not dumb. If it’s something you want, it can’t be.”

Billy looks up at him, a little smile on his face, and explains, “I don’t know it’s just, I’m going to be sick for the rest of my life, I’m stuck in the hospital for another month at least and my dad disowned me, but, my wish still wasn’t for any of that to change.”

“What was it then?”

Billy takes a deep breath, a noticeable flush to his face, “I wished that I would have the guts to finally do this.”

For a second Steve wonders what he’s talking about, worries briefly that he was going to use the distraction and the relaxed attention from the nurses on his birthday to make grand escape from the hospital or something, until Billy leans up and kisses him.

It’s chaste and it’s sweet, everything that he’d expect from anybody that wasn’t Billy Hargrove, and everything that Steve could ever have wanted. He sits down on the bed beside Billy to make the angle easier on the both of them, not breaking the kiss for even a second, bringing his hand up to cup Billy's cheek, and deepening the kiss.

They’re interrupted by the squeaking of tennis shoes on the waxy hospital floors in the hallway, the kids coming back already, so Steve pulls away, just as flushed as Billy was now and keeping one of his hands resting on top of Billy’s, “Happy birthday, Billy.”

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #the party #ej writer #story by ej!#also posted on my ao3!#posting this less than a half hour before my birthday is over oops

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skadventuretime · 3 years

Text

Golden Hour

Here is my piece for the @noragamibigbang! My artist partner @shinkimiope had such a lovely idea and art to match, so naturally I had to get all sentimental on it. I hope you enjoy!

A midi alarm rang out from a phone on the coffee table. It was perched so delicately on the corner, crowded out as it was by large textbooks and notebook viscera, that it was just a few rings from falling off the table altogether.

Hiyori burst from the bathroom with a toothbrush in one hand and her falling towel in the other. Flecks of toothpaste dotted her lips and her hair was only partly brushed, the half that wasn’t dripping water onto her living room floor. She stuck the toothbrush in her mouth to use that hand to catch her phone as it wobbled off the coffee table.

How is it three already? She turned a frantic eye to the microwave clock as if hoping it would give her a better time, but unfortunately, she was still going to be late.

Helping that study group last night was a bad idea.

Groaning, she hurried to a cabinet placed against the wall in her living room. It was more of a covered shelf, really, made of mismatched driftwood that's been carefully sanded and polished with something that made it glimmer like sunlight on the sea. On the sole high shelf was a shrine, just as carefully made, just as lovingly looked after. Not a speck of dust touched any part of it.

[Read the rest on AO3 or below the cut]

Hiyori clapped her hands together and focused on the shrine's god. Yato, I'm going to be late. Feel free to start setting up without me!

A faint breeze stirred her towel, as if a door had been left open and a summer wind had blown in.

I hear you loud and clear, Yato's voice answered distantly. His scent washed over her, wild and ancient and warm, and she could sense he was smiling through their temporary connection. I can carry things if you've brought too much.

Hiyori exhales around her toothbrush. That’s okay, I’ll be fine. I just lost track of time.

You don’t need to get dressed up on my account.

Yato’s mental voice was teasing, gentle, but it still raised a blush to her face that made her glad he wasn’t there in person. It’s nothing like that, school work just kept me up. See you in twenty?

The wind brushed the back of her neck. See you then.

His presence faded away and so did the breeze. The air around the shrine seemed charged and clean, the space sanctified in the short time of their conversation. It was a testament to how much Yato's power as a god of fortune had grown and how many more people believed in him. She ran her finger over the familiar corner of the shrine one more time before stepping away to finish getting dressed.

She put her hair up in a towel and returned her toothbrush to her bathroom cup before going to the closet. There, she grabbed a simple blouse and skirt and put them on. She added a pair of earrings gifted from Yukine, a bracelet from Daikoku (because he didn’t trust Kofuku to gift her something that wouldn’t cause misfortune), and a purse from Bishamon that was too practical to have been selected without Kazuma’s input. They all glittered in a vague, dreamlike way that anything loved by the gods does, at least to Hiyori’s half-ayakashi eyes. They were holy, and by extension, so was she.

“Late, late, late,” she muttered, scooping up the bento boxes she’d made the night before and heading out the door.

///

The sun felt great upon her skin for the approximately three seconds she was able to feel it before Yato slammed a floppy, wide brimmed hat over her head. "Yato," Hiyori spluttered, raising the brim of the hat so she could see again. "What are you doing?"

"You'll get sunburnt if you don't wear sun protection," he fretted, gesturing to a large parasol set up to shade a blanket laid out on the ground next to Suzuha's tree. "Come on, I'll unpack everything when we get there."

Hiyori hid a smile as she took the hat off. After all this time, Yato still liked to fuss over her. She set her basket down on the blanket and took a moment to listen to the wind sighing through the trees. She never knew Suzuha personally, but she liked to think she knew him a little by the way Yukine would smile when he talked about him, or through the way Yukine took such good care of plants in his stead. Hiyori turned to bring Yato into her thoughts when she caught him staring at her, causing the bottom to drop out of her stomach. Even now, his eyes could make her wonder if this is what it was like to be worshipped.

He spoke first. "Do you want anything to drink?" He pointed to a cooler beaded with condensation. "There's also tea, for later."

"I'm set for now." At his drooping shoulders, she amended, "Fine, I’ll have some tea."

He perked up immediately. "I have it steeping in Tamagahara, I'll be right back!" He blinked out of sight and back within the span of a breath. "Easier to keep hot there," he explained as he gently laid the tray on the blanket.

Fragrant green tea steamed in the cool air. Yato set out small, round mugs and poured her a cup. It was a delicate porcelain, something that sparkled with that same otherworldliness as her other gifts from gods.

Their fingers brushed as he passed it to her, and her heart stuttered. Yato didn’t seem to notice.

“So what’s new with you, Hiyori?” His eyes shone with excitement and curiosity, but there was something else there, too, an over-brightness like when you stub your toe and don’t want your friends to know how much something so small really hurt you.

She took a small sip of tea to gather her thoughts. The last time she’d seen Yato in person was a little over a year and a half ago, although she’d spoken to him more frequently than that. When he’d first talked to her through the shrine, Hiyori had nearly punched a hole in the wall out of surprise, but it did allow them to speak every now and then.

“I already told you about the apartment,” she began, grimacing at the memory of how long it took to convince her family and friends she’d be fine living without a roommate.

“Yeah, it looks great!”

She froze. “You haven’t been in it yet.”

He looked a little abashed. “Well, you see, when we talk through the shrine, I can sort of, you know.” He waved his hand in a nervous flutter. “See through you, a little. Not actual sight, but more like impressions.” He closed his eyes, and his voice got quieter like he was recalling a special memory. “You get good sunlight there, and the air is clean, and you feel safe, right?”

Hiyori took a larger and no less scalding sip of tea. So that divine presence she felt every time she prayed was really..?

“Right, okay, yes. It’s a lovely apartment, Ame helped me move in and Yukine came to set up the furniture.” She smiled at the memory, at how stubbornly Yukine had insisted he could figure out the instructions on his own and how he tried to hide his excitement when she gave him a cheering chibi sticker for his trouble.

“And school’s been going well?”

“As well as it could be. If it isn’t exams I’m studying for, it’s practicals, and I’ve been up late most nights to make time for it all.”

Yato raised a hand as though he wanted to touch her face and then thought better of it. “You have dark circles under your eyes.”

“Staying top of the class won’t happen by getting enough sleep,” Hiyori replied, mostly in jest.

Yato caught her smile and leaned a little closer, close enough that the smell of him wrapped around her like a familiar jacket. “You know what might help? Praying to me for good grades.” His eyes were sparkling with mischief.

“You haven’t told me you’re trying to put Tenjin out of work,” Hiyori laughed.

“Oh yes, I’m cornering his market now.” Yato stood up and did something to his tracksuit to make it flourish like a cape. “Soon even Ebisu will be having to contend with my horde of worshippers.”

An image of Yato in the middle of a swarming crowd of adoring businessmen was enough to make her snort the sip of tea she was sipping right out of her nose, which of course set Yato off, and before she knew it she was wheezing into her empty cup, eyes streaming and hand dripping from the tea that had splashed out.

“All right, so I’m not the best with school or studies,” Yato said when he finally caught his breath. “I have learned something over the last few years, though.”

“Oh?”

“How to help stubborn humans relax.”

Hiyori rolled her eyes. “Does it involve a trip to Capypa Land? Because as much fun as it is to watch you whimper over Capypas, I really need to—“

“No Capypa Land this time,” Yato cut in hastily. “Even though it would be a happypa trip for the whole family,” he muttered. “Yukine made ice cream and demanded that I share some with you. I also have a patented relaxation technique that will have you feeling better in no time!”

“Is that so,” Hiyori said, a smile melting over her lips. “Do I get a refund if it’s not to my liking?”

Yato had begun rummaging through a small cooler during this exchange and looked up to say, grinning, “I’ve never had an unsatisfied customer.”

It was all so easy, the banter, the laughter, the aching muscles in her face. No matter how often Hiyori got to see Yato, each visit felt like coming home.

“So what flavor did Yukine make?” she asked, peering over Yato’s shoulder as he opened up a few containers.

“Salted dark chocolate with optional caramel drizzle.” He put two scoops into a bowl and held up the caramel. “Would you like some?”

“Please,” Hiyori said, delighted. “I didn’t know Yukine took up cooking now, too!”

Yato smiled fondly. “One of Bishamon’s shinki offered to teach him after he was skulking around the kitchens one day. Picked up on it pretty fast, too.” He placed a spoon in the bowl and handed it to her, then put a few scoops in a bowl for himself with a judicious ladle of caramel sauce.

“Ready?” he asked Hiyori, holding up a spoonful of ice cream doused in sauce.

“Ready.” Her own spoon was carefully loaded with just a touch of caramel so she could enjoy the ice cream’s original flavor.

Yato touched their spoons together in a toast before taking his bite, and Hiyori paused to watch his reaction. It had been so long since she had gotten to experience anything new with him; part of her ached to witness every moment.

“It’s good?” she asked, watching his lips curve up around the spoon.

“That kid really goes all the way when he learns something new,” Yato said appreciatively. “Who knew tree care would turn into fixing electronics and now cooking.”

“He applies himself well.”

“You helped him get started,” Yato said around another mouthful of ice cream. “He still talks about how great it was when you tutored him.”

Hiyori hummed. “It was great to teach him. He’s a wonderful soul, he just needed a place to focus his mind.”

Yato popped a spoonful of pure caramel into his mouth. “That reminds me, how was that other wonderful soul of yours doing?”

Hiyori stiffened. “We haven’t seen each other in months. He was so...so...distasteful!”

A dangerous gleam appeared in Yato’s eyes. “How distasteful?”

“Ami just needs to stop setting me up with people she meets at house parties,” Hiyori said. “She means well, but doesn’t have the best taste in men.”

“You’re very lucky I’m here, then, with my patented relaxation technique,” Yato said, putting down his empty bowl and scooting closer.

“Relaxation technique?” she repeated, eyes narrowed. “Wasn’t the ice cream the relaxation?”

“Just sit back and relax! Tell me more about what happened with the worthless scum.” He knelt behind her and swept her hair off her shoulder. Goosebumps peppered her skin where he brushed it.

“So, you were saying?” he prompted, hands resting on her shoulders. The weight of them was reassuring.

“It was nothing,” she began, breath catching when he began to knead the muscles around her neck. “He brought me to a dive bar and tried to make me do shots with him, and then when it was pouring rain when I finally convinced him to leave, he told me to run with him five blocks so the rideshare would be cheaper.”

Yato’s hands paused. “Any chance I can get his name?”

“Yato, no,” Hiyori chided as he continued her massage. “You’ve been so good about not terrorizing people who’ve been minor inconveniences to me, I’d hate to see you ruin your record.” She was distracted; he was working away knots she hadn’t known she’d had. Maybe she really should look into moving her study sessions earlier so she’d stop falling asleep on her desk...

“It sounds like this one would be worth it,” he muttered, digging into her shoulders a little too roughly.

“What about you? How has it been, being a god of fortune?” Hiyori asked after a few minutes of letting him drain the tension from her neck and shoulders.

His hands slipped away. “It’s been different,” he said, standing up and offering her a hand. “I think I’ve been so used to being on my own that being part of a group is strange.”

“Have there been problems with your neighbors again?” Hiyori asked. The last she’d heard, there had been a minor incident involving Takemikazuchi and an entire square kilometer of Tamagahara that had been leveled in his anger.

Yato started walking towards the cherry blossom tree. “No, I think that was his way of welcoming me. I thought that once I got what I wanted, everything would feel right.”

“And it doesn’t?” It had been so long since Yato opened up to her like this, showed up on a windowsill late at night and talked about what was on his mind. A warm feeling crept through her chest.

“No,” he said plainly, passing the wide trunk that showed the marks of Yukine’s care over the years. “Something is missing.”

She joined him under the boughs and inhaled. Fresh, clean, something a little like hope.

“I thought having more worshippers would make me happy,” he began, fingers trailing through some low hanging blossoms. “And they do, but it’s not what I thought it’d be.”

“Oh?”

“It’s lonelier than I imagined. Busier too; you have no idea how many people want to see me just to talk or vent. I always thought— well.”

Yato paused by a string of cherry blossoms, running his fingers through the petals as if they were a lover’s hair. “I always thought it’d be like having more people like you around. People who understood me.” He pinched off a strand and held it close to his chest, hesitant, before offering it to her. “But deep down I knew you were one-of-a-kind.”

Hiyori marveled at the soft translucence of the petals in his hand, the faint otherworldly shine they seemed to have in his divine presence. It was like an ayakashi miasma in reverse, a bubble of light and goodness, and she watched it travel up her arm and float her hair up on an invisible wind when she accepted the flowers.

“How long have you had this effect?” Hiyori said, turning her hand from side to side and admiring the richer colors and heady scent.

“Effect?” Yato murmured, eyes on the blossoms in her hand.

“The way everything sort of glows around you.”

He blinked at this and looked at the ground. “It’s sort of complicated.”

This sharpened her interest. “Complicated how? Did you have to perform some ritual? Does it only happen to gods with hafuri? Is it because you’re more popular these days?”

Yato’s face had sunk lower and lower into his scarf as she spoke. He mumbled something into it, still not looking at her.

Since Hiyori was well-versed in his moods, she simply crouched so that she was directly in his field of view. “Come again?”

“It’s because you’re my most devout believer,” he said, a light blush coloring his cheeks. “It’s like the opposite of a miasma. It can only happen when extreme faith persists.” He finally meets her eyes. “It means our ties are strong.”

Hiyori glimpsed an arc of woven sunlight twisting like infinity around them at his words, like something seen from the corner of your eyes.

“It’s my greatest treasure,” he confessed.

The world spun taffy thick. “So even though others believe in you now, I’m somehow..?”

“None of them are even close to this,” he said. “The shrine in your apartment is more home to me than any of the ones built in major cities.”

It was a lot to take in. Hiyori was used to being the backbone in her friendships, used to providing a solid, trustworthy space in which others could gain their footing. But being exalted to a god?

“I still think about what would’ve happened if I’d listened to Tenjin,” Yato continued, brushing a hand through the ties’ afterimage. “I am who I am because you’ve helped me become it. If our ties had been cut…” His hand fell to his side. “I might not be here right now, or I’d be some monster doing Father’s bidding.”

“I wouldn’t have made it out of plenty of situations without you, either,” Hiyori said slowly. “Isn’t that the nature of knowing someone? Being changed by them?”

Yato thought about this for a moment, the wind soft and gentle as it ruffled his hair. “Ever since I was small, Father had always told me that I was always in the right, always the one in control. That I could do whatever I wanted and others would adjust. I think it was supposed to make me feel powerful, but I didn’t want power. I wanted to belong.” Something like surrender was in his eyes when he said, “You were the first person to make me feel like I belonged in a very long time.”

It was too much. All of her pent up feelings — the fear, the hope, the confusion — from her high school days welled up at once, shattered from the amber in which she’d crystallized it once Yato defeated father and brought Yukine home.

“I’m glad,” she finally said when she was sure her voice wouldn’t shake. “Because you do belong, you and Yukine and Kofuku and Daikoku and —“

“With you?” Yato’s voice was so quiet it was like he hadn’t meant to say that aloud.

“Of course with me,” Hiyori said, feeling brave. “The same way I belong with you. That’s how this works. We’re already tied, right? Let’s just be tied. For however long that lasts.”

“For however long that lasts,” Yato murmured. It sounded like a vow.

The afternoon sun had taken on that tired golden edge that meant it was closer to sunset than noon. Hiyori’s heart was still beating a little too fast, her mind dizzy with implications that felt too raw to look at now.

“Thank you for coming today,” Yato said at last. “I missed you.”

“Now that I know I have the most important shrine in my apartment, I’m sure we can figure out ways to talk more,” Hiyori said, and was rewarded with another blush.

“May I take you home? There are a lot of leftovers to carry and Kofuku threatened to murder me if I came back with any.”

Hiyori laughed and started back towards their blanket. “Of course.”

#noragamireversebang2021 #noragami #yatori #can't believe yatori tenderness is all we needed in the end

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fairyoftbz · 3 years

Text

sunburnt | s. eric

☀ pairing: pharmacist! eric x fem!reader ☀ word count: 1.4k (i really can't write sth small smh) ☀ genre: fluff, sort of beach!au (?) ☀ tw: sunburns, some swear words here and there ☀ synopsis: after spending an afternoon at the beach, you painfully realised that you got sunburnt. ☀ a/n: I know it's shitty but this is just to express my pain bc I always get sunburnt lmao ☀ requested: no

╰☆☆☆☆╮

Getting rid of all the sand in your belongings, you swiftly slid your feet into your flip-flops and walked towards the bar located at the end of the beach. The barista handed you the bottle of soda you asked for and walked away, adjusting the sunglasses perched on your nose as the sun was still shining brightly.

Taking the afternoon off to enjoy some peace away from your bustling life was the best self-care decision you ever made. You kept your destination hidden and turned off your phone as soon as you stepped a foot in the burning sand, wanting the focus to be on yourself only. Work had been restless, and your colleagues had been giving you a hard time, so you wanted to spend some time alone to enjoy the time being, away from stressing at your desk and being in front of the computer screens all day.

The afternoon was pleasant. You had swum in the ocean for a while, drying on the sand until the heat became unbearable and went back in the water. Tiredness took over your body at some point, feeling thirsty and hungry, giving you a good reason to leave, excited to go back home to chill on your balcony instead. In the higher floors of the building you lived in, the air was still salty but fresher, and you preferred this over anything else.

Pausing for a quick second, you uncapped the bottle of soda with a swift flick of the finger before taking long sips, the sparkly feeling refreshing your throat. You sighed in relief when you reached your car, setting your bag and towel inside. But, as you were about to close the trunk, a sharp pain travelled your entire body, shooting from your upper arm to reach the lower part of your back. Confused, you winced and lowered your arm, walking to the side of your car to look at yourself in a window.

Your skin was gleaming bright red, suddenly feeling the uncomfortable pain of a throbbing sunburn. Placing your hand on your shoulder blade, you touched the skin and your eyes widened, feeling it burn under your palm and your skin turning white where you had pressed your fingertips.

With gritted teeth and a clenched jaw, you pushed the trunk down before locking your car despite your discomfort. Finding a pharmacy was the only way to relieve you from his pain because you doubted that the products found at the grocery store would be very efficient.

You quickly entered the first store you found, asking for directions. The man behind the cash register gestured you to the nearest pharmacy, bowing at him before going back in the sweltering heat. The more you moved, the more effort you had to reassemble to keep walking, realising that not only your shoulders were sunburnt, but also the remaining limbs of your body.

“I’m such a fucking idiot,” you cursed yourself at the negligence you had for yourself, delicately placing the strap of your purse on your shoulder as you winced again.

It wasn’t the first time that you got this type of ache, you almost got sunburnt every single summer. Though you had tried every sunscreen purchasable in the market, nothing was well enough to shield your skin from the UV rays, no matter how high-protecting and promising the tube of sunscreen was. You shook your head as you walked to the pharmacy, mentally preparing yourself to suffer at every single movement you’ll do for the next few days.

The glass doors of the drugstore slid open, letting the air conditioning welcome you in a fresh embrace. Your skin lightly itched as you neared the never-ending mister a little too close, the simple contact of water against your skin was enough to make you wince. Looking around the shop for a while, much to your dismay, you couldn’t find any after-sun lotion. Replacing a tube on the shelf, you were about to ask for help when you heard someone clear their throat behind you.

You slightly flinched at the sensitive skin of your neck wrinkling as you turned around, offering a half-smile to the person in front of you. Wearing a white blouse above a white t-shirt and some chino pants hitched up at the end, the man in front of you greeted you with a smile, eyes filled with care and worry as they lingered on your reddened skin.

“Can I help you in any way?” he started, and you nodded, taking your sunglasses off, involuntarily displaying more of your sunburnt face. He hissed empathically at the sight of your red skin, and you sighed before bitterly chuckling.

“I know I should have been more careful, but I can't find a single brand of sunscreen efficient enough to protect my skin. Maybe you have some products that could help me heal it, at least?” the pharmacist nodded as his eyes couldn't leave the redness of your skin, his actions allowing you to see his name on the tag above his blouse pocket: Eric S.

“You need to be cautious, it's bad to ruin your cells and break some skin layers. I have rarely seen such type of sunburnt, it looks like you’re going to have to be patient for it to heal correctly. Uh, okay, let me go check if I have something for you,” he mumbled while detailing your skin, his fingers gently resting on your shoulder to turn you around, observing the reddened skin your clothes allowed to show. His eyes widened for a quick second at the damage, nodding at you before disappearing in the back office, his front pieces of hair flying up as he passed in front of a fan.

You stood there, waiting for him to come back, faking your interest in another product as the fresh air of the pharmacy allowed your body to cool down for a while. You couldn’t do anything with your body, crossing your arms became so hurtful that you had to stay with them dangling on your sides. Fortunately, the pharmacist was quick to come back with a large lotion pot in hand and a cylindrical tube in the other. He got hailed by another waiting customer but was quick to politely redirect him to one of his colleagues, walking back to you with a caring smile painted on his face.

“So, I have this lotion that is aloe vera based, and its benefits are very good for your skin. Not only for sunburns but also in general, if you have dry skin or even acne. It’s very moisturising and anti-inflammatory, and you can apply it as many times throughout the day as you want. You could also apply pure aloe vera taken straight from the branches, but I’m scared that all the local stores have run out of it,” he explained with a smile, walking towards one of the unoccupied cash registers, typing a few things on the screen.

“And the tube? What is it for?” you pointed at the thing, the pharmacist’s eyes not leaving the screen as he turned the tube around, recognising the white and orange packaging of a famous French brand for you to read.

“This is French thermal water, the same one that we diffuse at the entrance”, he said as he gestured to the steam of mist escaping from the machine next to the sliding doors. “It can help you freshen up and cool down your skin when the sunburnt is as consequent as yours. My sister uses it a lot, and it’s efficient according to her. She uses the cream as well, and she wears a bathing suit, it's the best way for the product to sink in well,” you thanked him as you took your wallet out, grabbing your credit card and pressed it against the machine, which emitted a sound at the end of your transaction.

“Don’t hesitate to come back if you need further explanation or anything else. Have a nice day!” your fingers grazed against his as you took the bag from him and walked out of the store, reaching inside the bag once you were on your way back to your car.

However, you stopped in your tracks as some ink coloured your fingertips, finding a post-it note stuck on the inside of the bag. The paper grabbed your attention by brushing against the skin of your forearm as you wanted to grab the facial water mister, impatient to get rid of this stinging sensation on your face. You frowned and peeled the note off, noticing hasty words messily scribbled on it.

maybe I can teach you correctly to put on sunscreen to avoid any other sunburns? ;) call me xx-xxx-xxx

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