#best place to buy bare root fruit trees | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

littlemisspascal · 2 years

Text

Fresh Cut Lilacs

Part of The Fox, The Mage, and The Cupboard

Pairing: Javi x Female Reader

Word Count: 1600+

Summary: Javi has this strange knack for being so easily approachable and yet so emotionally distant at the same time. For every page of his story you’re allowed to read, there are dozens more chapters kept out of reach.

Warnings: Magic AU with mages and familiars, Reader has a backstory but no name, worldbuilding, yes I love including marketplaces in 99% of my fics

Author Note: Takes place immediately after Orange Spice & Tobacco. Thank you everybody for the kind words of support 💜💜💜

Fresh Cut Lilacs – Bath & Body Works

Lilac bouquets, dewy greens, soft spring air with natural essential oils. This floral fave makes any space blossom.

~~~

The cottage adjusts to Javi’s presence seamlessly thanks to the architectural enchantments you’d paid a small fortune to have engraved in the doorframes and ceiling beams when you decided to live here. Your grandmother would have scoffed at the high amount Pero Tovar charged you, but he’s rightfully earned his reputation as the best builder in the village over years of hard work and you think if she were alive to see what her little one-room shop has blossomed into she would admit he did a good job.

Yesterday your home had only one bedroom upstairs and Javi slept on the couch. (You’d felt guilty over the sleeping arrangements, scolding yourself for being unprepared for your familiar’s arrival—and his attempt at calming your feelings by telling you the couch was much more comfortable than sleeping beneath tree roots or within hollow logs in his fox form did little to cheer you up.)

Today you woke up to discover a new door across from your room opening up into a bedroom, spacious and sparsely furnished. Beige painted walls frame a diamond-shaped window with morning sunlight filtering in and spilling golden rays upon a comfy-looking bed decorated in an abundance of pillows. (In addition to the Grand Coven, you think Pero’s deserving of a fruit basket as well.)

The bedroom would have been perfect except for the bare closet.

(Last night Javi took a shower and emerged wearing the same dirtied clothes he’d arrived in. You hadn’t noticed until then his lack of luggage or belongings.

“Where’s your stuff?” you’d asked, unsure what to think.

“Um, yeah, about that, I didn’t bring anything with me from home,” Javi replied with a laugh and a careless shrug, like he didn’t just admit he’d trekked here through forests and along dirt roads with only the clothes on his back. You’d stared back at him, too stunned for words, and he shrugged again. “I can’t really carry much when I’m a fox, anyways.”

Something in you ached at that, but you kept your mouth shut against the questions burning in your throat. You knew there would eventually be a right time and a place to voice them, but until then you’d have to be patient.)

You propose a trip to the village marketplace, knowing just about everything Javi needs can be bought or traded for. He’s hesitant to agree at first–you can’t tell if it’s because he’s uncomfortable with you spending money on him, or if maybe he has social anxiety, daunted by the prospect of being surrounded by crowds of people–but then he nods his head, ears twitching, and waits patiently by the door as you grab your bag.

The walk into town is short, uneventful. The weather’s warm and the air’s sweet-smelling with springtime, bringing people out of their houses and out into the main square. Some of the vendor stalls belong to residents, others to traders who pop in and out every other month with new wares from all over the territories. On weekends like this one, the square is guaranteed to be filled with crowds looking to buy, trade, and exchange gossip.

People notice Javi immediately, eyes drawn to his newness with curiosity and no small amount of suspicion. You’re not surprised. Incomers being gawked at by the locals is a common occurrence in Eldergrove, followed sooner or later by a couple hundred of questions.

Javi, for his part, does his best to ignore the blatant staring, standing silently at your side with a neutral expression, but once again his ears give away his inner turmoil, pressed flat against his head. Hoping to soothe his anxiety, you start pointing out some of the popular shops and landmarks of Eldergrove.

There’s Miller’s Mercantile – the village’s only general store frequently stocked with an inventory ranging from groceries and medicine to books and hunting equipment.

Zach’s Cafe and Inn – run by an ex-soldier and serves a wide variety of sandwiches and baked goods while the inn is actually just a couple of spare bedrooms upstairs Zach had no use for.

Next door is the local watering hole, a bar called Whiskey’s which ironically serves every kind of alcoholic beverage one could think of except whiskey. It’s also where Triple Frontier, Eldergrove’s very own folk band, performs every other Friday night.

Then there’s the school, red-bricked with a small playground in the back for the younger kids to enjoy during recess as well as on the weekends. And, of course, you have to point out the ash tree planted smack in the middle of the square by the Grand Coven. They grow one in all the hometowns of their members as a gesture of goodwill and protection from misfortune and sickness. Marcus Moreno, born and raised here in Eldergrove by his mother the legendary former Grand Coven member Anita Moreno, returns every fall to tend to the tree’s needs, ensuring it survives the winter and continues bringing peace to the village.

All in all, it’s a short tour, but Javi seems to soak up every detail, gradually relaxing while listening to your descriptions.

“It’s a three hour walk to Rosedale, so if you can’t find anything you like here we can get up early tomorrow and head there,” you tell him, adjusting the strap of your bag higher on your shoulder. It’s an ugly thing, worn out canvas colored moss green with some pieces of silver duct tape haphazardly applied to keep it all together. You keep the bag because it has been in your family for generations, bespelled long, long ago to be able to hold as many items as you want which makes shopping trips a dream.

Javi nods, but doesn’t offer a verbal response, already merging into the crowd. You follow after him, offering polite smiles and waves every few steps to your neighbors and frequent customers, while also aware of those who keep their distance, still keeping a watchful eye on Javi. You suppose familiars are a bit of a novelty for Eldergrove, especially considering you’re one of the few adult mages who lives here permanently. Most others, like Moreno, are recruited by the Grand Coven or choose to seek out the excitement of bigger cities.

It’s a strange experience, padding along after him around the marketplace, observing him pick out sets of new clothes–not enough to entirely fill his closet, but they’ll last him through a week–and three pairs of boots for a decent deal. Javi’s an excellent haggler, negotiating bargains that surprisingly leave both customer and vendor happy with the end results. You have your back turned for barely a minute and somehow he’s able to convince one trader to give him a cosmetic kit including a hairbrush, razor, and toothbrush for free with his purchase.

And so the second bedroom bit by bit becomes Javi’s own space. His assortment of clothing are all stored in the closet. Little touches are added next. A painting of a beach landscape hangs above the bed. A soft, fluffy rug on the floor so in the winter his feet will never know the chill of the hardwood. A shelf on the wall for a couple of tattered paperbacks Javi finds at Miller’s, quietly confessing to you the old adventure stories had been his favorites as a kid.

You both share a bathroom. His things mix with your things as if they were always meant to be side by side with each other. Two hairbrushes in the drawer (although why he even attempts to tame his unruly curls is beyond you), two toothbrushes in the little owl-shaped cup you’d bought impulsively years ago, and two bottles of fruity-scented shampoo in the shower.

The kitchen sink still fills up with dirty dishes much quicker than you’d like, but now you have somebody to help wash and dry them. There’s somebody to eat breakfast with in the mornings, somebody to talk to late at night when your thoughts are too loud for your head. You saw the close friendship of your grandmother and Aunt Bunny, witnessed your mother and stepfather fall in love, and yet it still comes as a surprise to you how easily you’re able to adapt to Javi’s presence and include him in your daily routine.

There is still a long list of things Javi’s yet to open up about (though to be fair you’re not pouring out all your innermost secrets 24/7 either). He doesn’t talk about his family. He doesn’t talk about where he grew up. He doesn’t talk about why he left everything behind when he came to find you.

But you have learned a few important things. He can transform into a fox in the blink of an eye. There are no pain-filled groans, or bones breaking, or magical bursts of light–just one moment he’s on two legs, the next he’s on four with a bushy tail and covered in silvery-black fur. He loves dancing almost as much as he loves swimming. He’s extremely tactile–-brushing his hand against yours when preparing breakfast in the kitchen, curling his fingers around your wrist or lower back when he sees something interesting in the square worth showing you, resting his chin on your shoulder to peer at the books you’re reading.

You don’t mind these little touches—you find them sweet, actually, magic buzzing with contentment for hours afterwards—but they always manage to catch you off guard, drawing out quiet gasps from your throat, heart fluttering like a caged bird.

Javi has this strange knack for being so easily approachable and yet so emotionally distant at the same time. For every page of his story you’re allowed to read, there are dozens more chapters kept out of reach.

But you’ve been patient all these years waiting for your familiar’s arrival. You can be patient longer still to know him completely.

#javi gutierrez #javi g x reader #javi gutierrez x reader #javi g x you #javi gutierrez x you #pedrostories #my fic #my writing

147 notes · View notes

alwaysbeliev · 3 years

Text

I Can’t Lose You

Happy Valentine’s Day! This is for the @rdr-secret-cupid adventure this year. Thank you for the prompt, @bloodylove3 and I hope you enjoy!

summary: When Dutch asks you and Arthur to pretend you're married for a job, you're nervous that you won't be able to hide your feelings for the outlaw. You manage to keep it in line, but things go wrong fast.

relationship: Arthur Morgan x F!Reader

word count: 3497

link on AO3

“Alright, here’s where we’ll start.”

It was mid-afternoon. The heat from the sun above was overwhelming, burning whatever it touched. Not even the shade was a relief with its cover. Animals all around were burrowed underground, hiding inside of trees, splashing around in the cool river nearby, and doing their best to stay out of direct light. You idly watched a small mouse scurry through the grass, digging at the dirt every now and then before disappearing into a hole. Quietly, you wished you were that mouse.

For the hundredth time, Dutch was reviewing his next grand plan. There was a tipoff about a decent score, something that would help the gang move to a new camp, and it would be almost easy to pull off. Almost. But he was careful to plan, detailed to a fault, and now you had to sit through another lecture about making sure you were in the right place at the right time. He stood just inside the flap of his tent as he talked. The others were in a loose circle around him and Hosea.

You felt a drop of sweat slide down the back of your neck. What you wouldn’t give to go jump in the rushing water just a hundred feet away, even fully clothed. Imagining the relief alone made you sweat more. You could feel your skin throb, your cheeks turning red, your shirt sticking to your lower back…

“Hey!”

The sharp sound of Dutch’s voice cut through your daydream, snapping you back to reality. Others were snickering as you jerked your head over and tried to pretend you had been listening.

“As I was saying,” the man continued, “there has been a small change of plan.”

Whoa, Dutch was changing his plan? But the score was just a week away now.

He carried on, “Arthur will be playing the part of your protective, but quiet, husband. You will need to cause a big enough distraction that we can enter without tipping anyone off. Can you handle that?”

“I thought Hosea was providing the distraction?” Your mind was turning, scrambling to remember if that was the original plan or if you were suffering from heat stroke.

“As I had said before, Hosea will be needed outside. It would seem awfully suspicious to outsiders if 5 men all seemed to suddenly rush inside together, don’t you think?”

You supposed he had a point. Outwardly, you agreed with him, but inwardly, your heart was pounding. Arthur? Husband? You barely made it through the rest of the session, managing to excuse yourself as soon as Dutch was done talking. Never before had you felt the palpitations on your chest that you did now at the thought of being with Arthur Morgan. Not just being with him, but pretending to be married.

To say that you had a crush on Arthur was putting it lightly. From the moment you had met the outlaw, the sight of him caused your heart to race faster than his beautiful horse. You could barely speak around him, let alone carry on any conversation, and you were certain everyone in camp knew about it. Karen, Mary-Beth, and Tilly had approached you just last week to tease you about the way you fumbled over your words when Arthur asked a question. Now you had to pretend to be married?

The group dispersed as Dutch finished his grand lecture, chattering excitedly about the huge score. You felt light-headed and were rooted to the spot. Dutch was right, it should be easy, you had played the actor’s role many times before, but this… This wouldn’t be acting. And surely someone was going to notice that.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

A week passed quicker than any week you’d been through before. You and Arthur had prepared a scene, practicing to get it right, and you were feeling slightly more confident. The cowboy still gave you flutters in your heart, but rehearsed lines were much easier than improvised ones, and you were positive he hadn’t seen the longing in your eyes. It was easy.

But what wasn’t easy was how inseparable the two of you were becoming. Every morning, Arthur approached you near the campfire, offering a small treat, typically a piece of chocolate or a small fruit. The first time, your cheeks had flushed hotter than the summer sun. It hadn’t improved much. You would review your plan for the score, pause for a lunch time meal, and continue in the afternoon. Arthur often seemed to have other ideas, wanting a change of scenery, and you would find yourselves a few miles from camp on some rocky outlook or on a river’s shore, just shooting the breeze while the sun seared high above. Arthur even managed to convince you to leave your horse once, riding behind him with arms wrapped around his chest, content just to be near him.

Finally, the day arrived. The gang all arose early, gathering their tools uneasily. Nerves always ran high the day of, regardless of how much planning had gone into the score, and your stomach churned. Karen had lent a hat, Mary-Beth a beautiful dress in your most favorite color, and you felt so fluffy and over the top. When Arthur saw you, his face seemed to go slack, a rare smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“My, my, Mrs. Morgan,” he drawled, taking a few lazy steps to close the gap to you. “Aren’t you lookin’ mighty fine this mornin’.”

Pouting and embarrassed, you waved him off, brushing a tight curl over your shoulder in a weak attempt to mask the color rising to your cheeks.

“Shut up.”

“Hey, now, I’m only tryin’ to lighten the mood.” He laughed before looking somewhat sheepish himself. “Besides, you really do.”

You paused, taking in his sincere compliment.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t have time to respond as Dutch stepped out of his tent, looking the picture of graceful leadership, commanding everyone’s attention. As you turned your body towards him, you saw Arthur’s gaze lingering on your figure, the dress complementing you perfectly. You focused on tugging on your white lace gloves, trying to turn your ears where it mattered.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~

“Alright, Mr. Callahan, now, here we are!”

Your voice pitched up, you pointed out the grandest building in town: the bank. Arthur guided his horse to the hitching post before hopping down, turning to help you down, your big skirt catching slightly and flouncing as your feet landed. Grinning at him, you tugged at his arm excitedly.

“Come on, darling, we gotta go get us a loan! That house ain’t gonna buy itself, you know!”

It was clear you were amusing the man at your side. Your anxiety was causing a jump in your performance, pushing you a slightly uncomfortable bit above believable, but you were pretty and young and the men were watching you. That was all that mattered.

With a grand gesture, you shoved the door to the bank open, stepping into the marbled interior with your boots clicking. The teller glanced up from whatever paperwork he was looking at. For a brief second, he studied the two of you, his eyes lingering on you in particular, before a fixed smile appeared on his face.

“How can I help you?” he drawled. As practiced, Arthur opened his mouth to speak but you butted in before he could.

“Why, hello, Mr…?” You swept forward, extending a hand for him to shake. He glanced at Arthur in disbelief before gingerly shaking your hand.

“Mr. Monaghan.”

“Oh, Mr. Monaghan, how lovely!” You grinned widely, shaking vigorously. “Yes, me and my new husband here are looking to buy a house! Isn’t that just grand? We just got married, you know, just last week! Oh, we had the most beautiful honeymoon, didn’t we, darling? Traveled to see the ocean, oh it was gorgeous! Simply gorgeous! Have you ever been, Mr. Monaghan?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn’t. Not the way you planned it.

“The birds were so lovely, there were so many of them! Oh, and the food! Simply divine! Have you had seafood before? Crab, lobster, shrimp, oh it was perfect!”

As you rambled, the doors swung in again, allowing entrance to John and Javier. You didn’t spare a look for them, your energy pointed at the teller, and as planned, he didn’t seem to notice them. Your shrill voice and wild theatrics had his whole attention. You carried on as the men got into position.

“They paired the shrimp with-- What was it, my love? This wine, it was a red, wasn’t it? Or was it a white? Mr. Callahan is just hopeless about these things, you know, I’m glad I’m here to help him. Oh we had the most wonderful time together! I thought it might rain one day, there were these horrible gray clouds, but he told me not to worry, even though I wanted to, and sure enough, the sun was out by dinner time!”

The doors creaked again, allowing the last two men in, Dutch and Bill. All 5 men exchanged a look and, in one swift motion, they pulled their bandanas over their faces and drew their weapons. It was satisfying to hear the clicks of a few hammers. Your grin turned wicked and the teller suddenly realized what had happened.

“We’ll take that loan to go, if you don’t mind.” You couldn’t help yourself. Arthur quickly stepped forward, shielding you with his body so your face was hidden, and you hurriedly moved towards the back of the men, allowing them to do what they needed. It was relatively painless and quiet, the teller moving hastily and without hesitation, filling bags with money and even allowing them access to the room with the safes. You served as lookout, casually standing at the window to keep an eye peeled for the law. Only when you heard Dutch’s signature goodbye did you turn away from it. Arthur made eye contact with you and playfully raised his eyebrows as he strode towards the door and you, ready to make for the horizon.

Without warning, the doors flew open, banging against the wall from the force behind it. Several lawmen were standing, guns drawn, ready to take out the outlaws. Instantly, shots were being fired. You didn’t know who fired first, but you dove out of the way, gripping your hat tightly so it wouldn’t be left behind. For some reason, your only coherent thought was Karen would have my hide.

Men were shouting, the smell of gunpowder filled the air. Flat on the floor, you couldn’t see anything, only heard Dutch shouting orders, police filling the streets outside, the solid sound of bullets connecting with flesh. There was nowhere to take cover. Somebody stepped on your leg and you gasped from the pain. A hand gripped your ankle and dragged you towards a wall. Panicked, you tried to scramble away until you registered Arthur’s voice trying to reassure you.

“You boys play nice!” a deep voice bellowed from the porch. “We don’t want no hangings, now, y’here?”

“We will play nice when you play nice, Sheriff!” Dutch barked back.

“This is a fucking massacre!” John spoke to the room at large. The men that had entered before were all on the floor, blood pooling around them, their guns laying forgotten on the wood. More were shouted outside. They were organizing to block all exits from town. There was no way you were gonna make it out now, you started to fear, and you could see the shared looks of the men with you echoing the same sentiment.

A surprised cry arose from outside as another gunshot cracked through the air.

“There’s Mac!”

With renewed energy, everyone jumped up and sprang for the door. Feeling marginally brave, you snatched a gun from the floor, hoping you wouldn’t have to use it. Bill led the way out. Javier, John, and Dutch quickly followed, and Arthur made up the rear with you in tow, sticking to him like glue.

The sun outside was blinding. You barely caught a glimpse of the street before you were rushed down the steps and around the side of the building. Back pressed against the wall, the pounding in your head started blocking out your hearing, and you only felt the vibrations in the air and under your feet. Even with all of Dutch’s careful planning, you were still trapped in this mess…

Arthur shouted your name. He stood, almost pressed to you, eyes burning. You snapped to attention, gun at the ready.

“We gotta make a break for it! Be ready on my count!”

It was all you could do to nod. You saw his horse in your peripheral, antsy and pawing, but waiting. You tried desperately to calm your breathing and gathered your skirts up out of your way. At the mark, you all ran, each in slightly different directions to mount their horses, spurring before fully mounted. Arthur was first and you scrambled after him, latching onto his arm and using the momentum of his horse to swing your leg over, skirts be damned. With a sharp cry, he urged his horse forward and away from town.

For a brief moment, you were free. Pounding hooves sounded behind you but were fading fast. The shouts of men continued to rip through the air, but you realized that they, too, were slowly growing faint. And then a stabbing pain exploded in your thigh. A scream escaped before you could stop yourself. Trained well, Arthur didn’t stop his horse, but he tried to see what had happened, calling back to you with increasing desperation. You had been shot. The panic, the shortness of breath, and now the pain was too much. In a surprisingly short matter of seconds, black filled your vision and you were gone.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

The rustle of the trees. The soft sound of running water. Crackling of a campfire. Low voices outside your tent. Your hair brushing your face. Dull and throbbing pain in your leg. Heaviness in your chest. And, finally, the realization you were laying on a cot and not your usual bedroll.

Slowly, your eyes blinked open. This definitely wasn’t your tent. These weren’t your blankets. Only the soft glow from the fire and a few lanterns shone on the one canvas wall. It was enough light to see that this was Arthur’s tent, the small table with his journal and flower, his photographs on the wagon side. His smell on the blankets. You breathed in deeply.

A snort by your feet caused you to startle. Sitting up slowly, you saw Arthur slumped in a chair, his hat drawn over his face, arms crossed as he breathed evenly, the occasional snore breaking the silence. An strong and sharp pain made you hiss and, in turn, woke the outlaw from his slumber.

“You’re awake,” he mumbled, barely awake himself as he sat up.

“Regrettably…”

“How’re you feelin’?”

“Honestly? Not great,” you said, chuckling a little. “But I’ve had worse. Why am I here?”

“Thought you might like a real bed. Well, realer than your bedroll. We can put you out for the wolves, if ya like.” His teasing tone was back, but it was more strained than normal. He looked absolutely exhausted.

“No, this is fine. It’s… nice.”

Silence fell again. You stared at a thread on the sheet while Arthur stared at you. Usually there was a party the night after a big score, everyone drinking and being merry. There was a strange lack of boisterous laughter, though, and you had the weird feeling it was your doing.

“How did we make out?”

“Oh, we escaped,” he said, leaning back in the chair again. “But we’re trapped here awhile, there’ll be law crawlin’ everywhere for a few weeks.”

“How much?”

Not even your fixation on the money got him to crack a smile.

“Dunno.” Shrug of his shoulders. “I’ve been in here, makin’ sure you don’t die.”

Arthur’s behavior was bizarre. You hadn’t seen him behave this way when another gang member was injured, not even when John had nearly been lost last year, and it was starting to worry you. Was there something else you didn’t know about? Was your injury more serious than he was letting on? For a moment, you studied his face, the ache and shadows clear in the weak light, and your heart skipped a beat when you saw the barest sign of a light track down his cheek.

“Arthur…”

It was such a soft whisper, you weren’t sure he had heard you at first. He lifted his eyes to meet yours. You tried desperately to read him for a second before finally caving.

“Arthur, what happened? Did someone not make it?”

At long last, he managed a short huff of air that might be mistaken for laughter. Shaking his head, he leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he ran his hands across his face, removing his hat and setting it on his wardrobe. When he looked at you again, he actually had a small smile, and relief had replaced what you had mistaken for grief.

“No, no, nothin’ like that.”

“So what’s the matter?”

He tilted his chin up, exhaling long and low towards the sky, seemingly contemplating something. It was quiet for an achingly long time. Another deep sigh and he brought his chin back down, meeting your gaze steadily.

“I thought I was gonna lose you,” he murmured. “I heard the shot, your scream… I thought you were gone for sure.”

Okay… you thought, still bewildered. We’ve almost lost people before. What makes me special?

“And I didn’t get the chance to tell you…” You had seen him struggle with words in the past, but this was different. It was almost as if his voice was physically fighting him on saying anything. “I couldn’t stand to lose you, truth be told. You mean-- That is, you’re very important-- That’s, well…”

Tears pricked the corner of your eyes as you realized what he was trying to say. You didn’t dare utter a word, hoping, begging him to just spit it out. You weren’t positive this was happening, as now you were almost certain you had actually died and this was the beginning of your personal heaven.

“I can’t lose you, darlin’.”

The tears spilled over and dripped down your cheeks. You couldn’t even feel the pain in your thigh as it felt like a major weight had been lifted off of you. Arthur was startled, concern growing once more on his face at your tears, but when you started to grin and laughter bubbled up, he relaxed and looked as embarrassed as a school boy, dropping his eyes and smiling himself.

“I can’t tell you how happy that makes me to hear,” you finally said, shaking your head at the silliness of it all. “I can’t lose you, either, Arthur. You mean the world to me.”

Slowly, the cowboy rose from his seat and approached the edge of the cot. You gingerly shifted yourself over to allow him to sit beside you, and he took the opportunity. You soaked in the other’s presence for just a moment. With the softest gaze you had seen from him, Arthur returned his attention to you. He lifted a hand to cup your face, his rough thumb stroking your cheek as he drank in your features, looking truly content for the first time. Gracefully and ever the gentleman, he tilted your face up to meet his as he carefully kissed you. It was light at first. He was testing the waters, not pushing too fast. But when you met him eagerly, he leaned in, hard.

You didn’t dare breathe for the duration of the kiss, your heart a frightening combination of pounding and not beating at all. The taste of whiskey lingered fresh on his lips and left your mouth tingling. When Arthur pulled away, you shifted forward slightly, not wanting it to end. But, courteous as always, he pressed a lingering kiss on your forehead and then sat back again. Your eyes flickered all over his face. You were still unsure if you could catch your breath.

“Wanted to do that for a long time,” he muttered. All you could do was nod. Wow…

“Can you stay with me?” you blurted out. “Tonight?”

“O’ course,” he agreed. He tugged his boots off as you scooted as far over as you could, lifting the sheet for him to crawl into. Warmth radiated from his skin and it was like stepping into a comfortable bath as he wrapped his arms around you. You sighed into his chest, drinking in his smell with your face buried in him, hands gripping his shirt. The dull sting in your leg was in the background of your mind. It didn’t matter to you, though; you were safe here. And this wasn’t going to end any time soon.

#arthur morgan #rdr secret cupid 2021 #arthur morgan reader insert #arthur morgan x reader #angel writes

168 notes · View notes

nitaescence · 4 years

Text

ix. strain

genre : DDLG!au word count : 5.4k warnings — little space, pet names, Jungkook’s head over heels, dry humping, hand job, oral sex (giving/receiving), overstimulation, squirting, things get angsty between the boys a/n : one part left ✌

sweetpea masterlist

You watched Taehyung closing his suitcase with a heavy heart.

He got ready all day to depart and join his family for Christmas holidays. You tried not to look so down.

You totally understood them wanting to spend some time with their own but you couldn’t shake the sad feeling overwhelming you when you knew you wouldn’t get that chance.

Taehyung offered to take you back to the headquarters on his way to the airport but Jungkook had interjected quite abruptly saying he would take care of it.

The time to leave came and Taehyung hugged you, making sure to let you know he would miss you and that he couldn’t wait to see you again.

You could sense his deep bonding with his family. It meant a lot to him and he was excited at the thought of seeing them again.

He kissed you softly and gently, calming a little the bittersweet feeling that had settled in your heart. The goodbyes between him and Jungkook were quicker and less warm.

“What are you doing?” Inquired Jungkook after he spotted you dragging something in his room.

“ge’ ready.” You smiled with a small pout as you dragged your blankie inside your bag.

“So you’re going back?”

You looked down and shrugged.

Spending Christmas anywhere else than at the headquarters would sound fun, not that you would be short of anything there but the boys’ company felt way better in comparison.

“What if I told you you don’t have to ?” He grinned after lying down on his bed.

You furrowed your brows, intrigued.

“no goin’ back ?” You repeated, bringing a finger to your lips.

“Hm-hm, I’ll be staying here.” Jungkook moved to rest his ching on his hands. “Y’wanna spend your holidays with me?”

You started to nod, still unsure whether he was serious about it or not.

“Yeah, baby? I’m not messin’ with you… I’m really staying.”

You were delighted, totally looking forward to the next days as you threw yourself on him and hugged his neck as tightly as you could.

Jungkook laughed, relieved. He didn’t feel bad anymore about not visiting his family. He would think of sending them a few messages and videos still.

“Whew… For a second, I was afraid you would reject me.”

**************************************************************

You discovered Jungkook had a lot planned for the two of you, as if he had organized those holidays a long while ago and was impatiently waiting to get to do it all with you.

When he shared his schedule, you couldn’t tell which one of you was the most excited.

Among all the places he had in mind, there was one in particular which earned your interest — the two day journey at Disneyland.

It was settled to happen the second week so you had to suck your excitement to yourself and you did well, although the thought only was able to put a big smile on your face.

The day finally came and you couldn’t keep your feelings to yourself and Jungkook was overjoyed seeing you like this.

He felt satisfied he was able to get you interested in all the different activities he suggested to you. He couldn’t believe you hadn’t been to Disneyland yet but felt enthralled at the thought of being the one making you discover it.

Once there, he never let you out of his sight. You didn’t make it difficult for him either by being glued to his side. Everything there impressed you, from the number of people present to the different animations offered there.

Your gloved hand didn’t let go of his, not even when you wanted to take pictures with the people wearing stunning disguises—

Jungkook motioned you so would stand beside Mickey but you whined and went to hold his other hand, overwhelmed by the cartoon character standing too closely.

He chuckled at you while you kept staring curiously at the famous character from the corner of your eye.

He circled your shoulder and pecked your temple. “Smile to the camera, babygirl.”

He then went on to buy yourselves two headbands and a cute yet prohibitively expensive necklace. He encouraged you to ride as many attractions as possible.

You made him feel warmer than he had ever been inside him and he couldn’t feel bad about that part thudding aloud within because of the fact that he had you to him alone.

He found you adorable in your ways of showing your amazement at your surroundings, wanting to make sure he knew just how much you were enjoying yourself and how much appreciative of him you felt, all bundled up in your winter clothing.

It didn’t prevent him from having naughty thoughts cross his mind every now and then and letting his hands roaming you although he tried his best to keep them to himself until you got back to your bedroom.

**************************************************************

Jungkook pushed the door open to let you in first. He helped you out of your thick jacket and as soon as you could move freely, you lunged over your new backpack filled with all the accessories he had bought you.

“_________, let’s shower first. Okay ?”

You pondered his suggestion but didn’t fuss and listened to him.

After you were done, he watched you, to his dismay, hoping to get back to your new acquisitions you hadn’t forgotten about and emptied your bag on the carpeted floor.

He followed closely after having barely dried his hair.

He did not bother to catch the towel around his hips slowly loosening and sliding down the bulging muscles of his thighs. His skin awakened at the feeling of the surrounding air, showing paths of goosebumps along his taut stomach and arms.

He pondered the thought of remaining naked and eventually decided to slip a pair of black boxers on and undid the sheets.

“Bring all of it here... Much better this way.”

You listened to him quietly and quickly moved all your things on the clean beddings.

Jungkook caught one of the Polaroids and gazed at it lovingly, then took another one.

“They’d look good in your notebook, don’t you think?”

“he’e?” You asked, opening the brand new little mermaid themed book in the middle and looking up at him with a small frown.

His eyes looked heavy and stared up lovingly at the pretty pinkish glow flaming your face across your cheekbones and nose.

His hand wrapped gently around your thin wrist, “hmhm.”

“but, no glue?” You frowned deepened at the small pictures sliding down.

“Let’s see, we can use these for now.” He offered as he grabbed the stickers included with the book. “Like this, see?”

“oh,” you stared at his hands carefully sticking the Polaroids next to each other.

He smiled, “voilà.”

You went to lie on your front and picked one of the feltpen to add little doodles around the pictures.

Jungkook let his hand slide along your calf and beneath the hem of the bathrobe, gently kneading your smooth skin.

“________? Come lie next to me.”

You paid no mind to him.

“Baby…”

You eventually sat up when you felt proud of your drawings and turned around.

You gasped at the sight of Jungkook snuggling a pillow and snatched it from him to throw it across the room.

A lazy smirk parted his lips as you slowly curled up against him. He felt tingles spreading in his chest and downwards when your scent reached him as you rested your head beneath his chin.

“t’ank you.”

“You’re welcome, baby. It’s your Christmas gift from me.”

“but ______ no gift.”

“It’s okay. You’re my gift.”

**************************************************************

You stirred lightly, waking up little by little.

You made out Jungkook’s voice somewhat still distant and overpowered by the buzzing in your head.

You furrowed your brows and shifted.

“Careful baby,” he whispered and gently blocked you with his arm solidly rooted in the mattress to prevent you from tumbling down the edge of the bed where you were half lying on.

You turned your body the other way around and knuckled your eyes, still a bit tired.

He gazed down, cooing at you and softly nuzzled your cheek. “Are you up now?”

You slowly opened your eyes, blinking repeatedly despite the subdued light of his bedroom and a little dazed from your nap which had him smiling tenderly at you.

He kissed your cheek, hot and marked with sleep lines. “You had a good rest?”

You blinked up at him silently.

“Wanna drink?” He let you nuzzle against him and effortlessly sat up with your legs wrapped around his hips. “Up we go.”

He held you until he reached the kitchen and put you down on the counter.

You whined when he moved away from you and had him holding you some more, earning sexy chuckles from him.

Jungkook gently swung you side to side, craning his head down to peek at you staring into space. He relished moments like this, when you simply did not need anything else but to feel him while he cradled you affectionately.

Nothing, no one else made him feel protective over you as he could get during moments like these when he held your vulnerable self safely in his strong arms and felt your breathing fanning him softly.

He followed your gaze when you suddenly jerked a little away and turned your head to gaze ahead of you.

You whimpered when you looked over his shoulder while he kissed your temple.

He walked away to get your sippy cup filled with your favorite fruit juice while you sat up and stretched your spine to make out the strange thing you had noticed in the living-room.

“What’s wrong?”

You pointed behind him and he looked back.

“Oh, my surprise?”

“hm?”

“Wanna see it?”

You nodded and grabbed the cup from him and held your arms open so he could carry you again.

“Here.”

You climbed down and stared a long time at the new appearance of the living-room.

Bedsheets, blankets and comforters had been used with the help of chairs and couches to make a blanket fort.

The entrance was decorated with one of the Christmas tree garlands and opened on what appeared like a very cozy and intimate space surrounded with some cushions and your plushies.

You dropped down on your knees to get a better look.

“You like it?” He smiled down at you and you eagerly nodded, holding your cup with your two hands. “It’s just for the two of us… Go ahead… Crawl inside.”

You carefully did so and stopped midway to look back. He kneeled down to follow you and dropped heavily on one side of what served as the bed.

“I wanted to give it a name but I have no idea. I brought some of your colored pencils and books and other stuff.”

He pointed to a spot you hadn’t taken notice of behind you where several things were stacked along snacks.

“I made the roof high enough so we could still watch T.V if you want.”

You stretched your body out next to him to confirm his words and noticed along the way how wide the space of it still was with the two of you lying side by side.

He shifted to get more comfortable with a hand under his head while you chose to grab one of the sheets and pencil.

When you were finished, you held it up towards him and his eyes lit up at the words surrounded by hearts, flowers and a smiling sun — Knight Jungkook and Princess ________ ‘s castle

“Is it the name you want to give to it?”

You nodded with the soft spout of your cup hanging between your front teeth.

Jungkook took the piece of paper from you and sat up to get beneath the garland.

“I have nothing to stick it up with,” he pouted as he looked around.

He decided to lean it against the foot of the chair holding one part of the entrance up. “Now, it’s perfect.”

He lied back down and you crawled out to look at the rendering.

Naturally, he did not miss the way his shirt rode up to reveal your asscheeks curving enticingly beneath the lace of your panties.

He gave your bum three affectionate spankings before you sat back on your heels and looked at him over your shoulder with a smile.

“Like it?”

You nodded and handed him your empty cup to get rid of. He opened his arm for you to lie your head on and turned his body to face yours closely.

“What d’you want to do? Watch cartoons?” He trailed quietly.

Your fingers were playing with his chin. You shrugged and pulled him in a sudden embrace.

You weren’t feeling one bit tired and the whole atmosphere set with your new accommodation was making you feel kittenish.

You leaned back a bit to look up at him, gazing enthralled by his features, softened thanks to the warm hues emanating from the decorative lights. Your cold hand flattened against his chest he felt warming up beneath your touch.

His eyes smiled down at you. He moved his other hand to brush your hair to the side of your face, accentuating the roundness of your cheek.

He tilted his head to press his lips on your forehead and you did the same to his collarbones. Your fingers slid down to trace along the soft skin of his taut lower stomach.

His arm underneath you curled around your shoulder and his hand gripped it when you softly brushed the very subtle trail of hair connecting his navel to the hem of his sweatpants.

The impressive print of his soft dick was quite evident, even more so when you slowly nudged your thigh between his and pressed upward.

His hips bucked in response at the same time a sigh escaped him. You grinned a little.

You knew he wasn’t wearing anything beneath the cloth and you anticipated witnessing him swelling in front of your eyes.

A languid, steady rhythm took hold of your bodies.

You were now holding your weight on one arm, allowing him to get covered in the sweet scent of your hair cascading over his face. His breath was more labored now that he felt you scratching his back deliciously.

His hands held tight onto your waist and ass, blood growing his shaft larger and larger. The thickness of his pants did not allow you to feel his twitching but you were undeniably sure, his cock was now straining up.

A quick glance downward ruled in your favor when you noticed the glistening tip peeking past the hem.

You glided your nails up his spine until you reached his hair which you tugged at gently and clawed his back again to pull his pants down.

You felt yourself clenching at the sight of his taut asscheek, hollowing with each desperate push of his hips.

You pressed on his chest to get him to lie on his lightly bruised back and he helped you take off his sweats.

You threw them somewhere behind you and crawled on top to kiss him. His hands quickly cupped your face to deepen the sweet gesture, taking both of your breaths away.

When his grip loosened, you pecked and licked your way down his veiny neck, erect nipples heaving with each of his intake of air and continued until you reached the tiny puddle of precum wetting his skin where his thick head was resting, raging.

You kneeled up between his legs, smiling sweetly at him as you gently scratched your nails softly up and down his inner thighs.

Jungkook frowned down and made a move to grip himself but you stopped him. You pinched your lips as you planted his hands on either side of his body.

“Not allowed to touch?”

You shook your head with a cheeky smile.

“Can you at least take off my shirt?” He whined, throwing his head back. “Not really fair of you…”

You brought a finger to your mouth, in faux-pondering.

“okay.”

You pulled each of your arms inside his shirt and pulled it up to get your head out.

Your hair was sticking out in a funny way and Jungkook felt his heart swelling achingly at your endearing yet alluring sight.

His teeth dragged on his lower lip as he shamelessly coveted your figure and flexed his hard cock.

He didn’t look away when you eventually lowered your face nearby. You kissed along its veiny underside, down until you reached his heavy balls which parted a little in response to your touch.

“Princess, don’t tease… Please.”

You looked down after you leant up and watched closely while you ran the tips of your fingers back up his length.

He twitched again when you rubbed him where his head and his impressive shaft met.

He craned his head down, mouth hanging open “baby…”

You wiped the mini pool of precum and coated his head with. Jungkook relaxed his neck again when you finally closed your fist around him.

You bit your lip in amusement and shifted your weight on your hand to gaze down at his features progressively overcome by pleasure.

Moans began pouring out generously along the languorous motions of your thumb across his drenched tip.

Little by little, your fist pumped his throbbing cock and a fucked-out smile graced his angelic-like traits. He felt heavier and warmer in your palm and the lustful sight of him thrusting his oozing member at the pace of your hand turned you on all the more, ruining your underwear with your sticky juices.

“_______-”

Your eyes reluctantly teared away from his member to his face, now flaming with hot colors.

“I don’- I don’t wanna cum like this…” The veins in his neck were protruding invitingly. “Make me-... fuuck- make me cum inside you…”

Your thighs tightened and your clit throbbed.

Jungkook let out a content sigh when you indulged him easily.

He was close, painfully so.

So much so, he couldn’t wait any longer and in the matter of seconds you were free of your panties, although it was not the way you predicted it.

“Come, sweetheart…” He beckoned softly, throwing the remnants of the torn cloth next to him. “Climb on top of me. That’s it… Yeah, just like that…”

You let go of his cock and hovered your dripping cunt above it. He couldn’t help himself. His hand snaked between you to cup the sensitive skin there.

You closed your eyes in response when he began rubbing your wet lips, sliding his middle and ring fingers up and down in languid gestures along your slit and swelling clit.

He cooed when you whined out after he inserted them, looking back and forth between you and his hand getting wetter by the second.

You tried to regain a semblance of control and took his coated hand to your lips. Enthralled, he stared up as you slid his fingers in your mouth.

You carefully sat further down on him and began rubbing yourself along his cock.

Jungkook licked his fingers after you had finished and showed the will to move his hand down but you gripped it and laced your fingers together as you picked up the pace of your hips.

He could feel his cum move along his shaft and his muscles tighten reflexively the longer you rubbed your wetness against him.

His moans and whimpers increased in intensity. His fingers tightened around yours while he craned his head to stare down where your bodies met and froze right before he shot his first spurt of cum up to his neck. Five others followed to cover his chest, stomach and purple tip.

You decreased your pace progressively, smiling, thrilled. You leaned down to lick clean the thick spatters on his collarbones, smearing the rest of his mess on your own skin.

A little spent, Jungkook watched you closing your mouth around his sensitive tip, jolting awake his thighs.

Slowly, you bobbed your head, never looking away from his mad-like stare.

“C’mere.”

You crashed your lips together in a lazy, messy kiss.

“You know you don’t have to do that…” He grinned slackly. “One round is never enough… Never will be…”

You let him roll you on your back and gazed down when he licked himself off of you. Your lower stomach was clenching in anticipation.

He didn’t wait any longer before pressing his pads over your clit, making your thighs close reflexively.

“There’s my pretty pussy...”

You furrowed your brows as his fingers caressed the outline of your slit, sliding effortlessly along it.

“So soft… so sensitive, hm?” He cooed.

He surprised you when he puckered his lips around your clit, jolting your entire body to attention, earning a mewl past your quivering lips.

Unbeknownst to you, an animalistic, overjoyed grin crept over his face.

Your lids became heavy as he mercilessly twirled your swollen bud. The wetness pouring out of his mouth made the stimulation so much more intense that he already had you on the verge of your climax.

Unceremoniously, he thrusted in his fingers deep enough to meet the shallow end of your cervix.

“How come you’re still that tight...”

You tried a peek downward at him with your fist covering your mouth when you didn’t feel him anymore.

He bit his lips, ravenous, after he had withdrawn his fingers from your pussy to display the shimmery coating of your arousal.

A blush colored your cheeks as you watched him lap his hand clean.

You didn’t resist when he parted your legs even wider to engulf your entire cunt with his wet, warm mouth. His thick tongue flattened to slither it up earning an unforeseeable cry out of you.

Your raw bundle of nerves sparkled back to life with each of his tentative twirls and sensual strokes. Your mind steadily faded away in a black hole of mesmerization.

He pushed your legs back further until the top of your thighs touched your stomach as he slid his hot palms along the back of them.

They trembled and he hummed in satisfaction, having you overwhelmed.

He buried his mouth deeper and your mouth parted in a silent wail as you almost blacked-out in pleasure.

Your eyes were about to loll back the longer he kept swerving his tongue and he heard your pitiful attempts to have him to stop after you had regained some of your consciousness, coaxed by his overstimulation.

You felt tumbling again, this time in a much more powerful euphoria when you felt yourself erupting everywhere, convulsing hard.

Your body gave out and you were left a whimpering, slumped-out mess beneath his victorious gaze.

You didn’t have the strength to keep your thighs away from his risky hands resting about.

“My little baby,” he pouted, amused. “Was it too much?”

Your eyes were sealed with thick tears but you still could guess where Jungkook was and reached up. The air felt a little suffocating but it didn’t matter.

He indulged and closed the space between you as your arm rested around his neck. He softly kissed your face.

His cock brushed your clit in his motions and you moaned out in pain.

“Too sensitive?” He half-taunted.

“That’s too bad cause…”

He brought his lips right next to your ear, his tip prodding your abused cunt, and seductively whispered right before thrusting himself to hilt inside you.

“That’s the way I like you…”

**************************************************************

There was no doubt about the new closeness you and Jungkook had developed in Taehyung’s eyes.

In spite of everything he was telling himself to get some kind reassurance about his worth to your eyes, it wasn’t working. Not anymore.

He had been surprised to see you after his return, not that he wasn’t happy about it but when Jungkook revealed to him that you had spent the entirety of the holidays together, he didn’t quite understand the reason he keept it quiet.

While he tidied up his room and inadvertently knocked your bag over to come across one of the polaroids from those holidays, it hurt inside.

How many more secrets did you share with him?

It felt like going back in time, to those dreadful weeks when he seemed not to be your favorite anymore, when he wasn’t your center of attention, when you weren’t acknowledging him although this time around, he hadn’t done anything wrong to you.

He tried his best to recall if he actually did but the more he observed you, the clearer it got.

And just like a deck of cards, his hopes collapsed.

**************************************************************

“When are we supposed to get her back?” Jungkook shouted while getting a bottle of water out of the fridge.

“What did you say?” He asked again when he didn’t hear Taehyung the first time.

“You don’t have to worry about it.”

Jungkook frowned. “What ? Why ?”

His friend cleared his throat, “I… I put an end to the contract.”

They both remained silent a short while.

“You what ?”

“It’s over…”

“What do you mean it’s over ?”

Taehyung shrugged where he was sitting on the couch and didn’t even bother looking up from his phone. “I didn’t feel like keeping it up.”

In spite of trying his best to get his point, Jungkook couldn’t manage to since the words had trouble sinking in yet.

He forced himself not to lose his temper.

“Is it... Tell me, it’s not because you met someone that you stopped things just like that…”

“Jungkook… If one person involved wants it to stop, their choice prevails over the others.” Taehyung explained slowly after he eventually met his eyes. “Besides, you wouldn’t have been able to continue to pay the rent on your own…”

“But... I didn’t even get to have a word in it!”

“There’s nothing left to discuss… It just didn’t feel right to me… anymore…”

Jungkook tried to find legitimate reasons to show his best friend wrong but he didn’t. He couldn’t accept the idea of never seeing you again just because Taehyung suddenly didn’t feel like it.

“I don’t know… I still think it would’ve been great to… you know, discuss the matter together in the first place.”

He didn’t want this issue to be about him but — “You didn’t even let me say goodbye to her…”

“ ‘Kook, we’re not the first people she’s been with…” he huffed. “I don’t see why this is affecting you that much when I’m sure, it doesn’t mean anything to her…”

“You have no idea about that.”

Taehyung stood up and faced him, “come on… She is made to do this, to pretend it. All of it. Just to please us. Don’t tell me you’ve caught feelings for her when she was just doing her job…”

Jungkook stared hard back at him.

“But you liked her, just as much as I did… Why did all of it suddenly lose any interest to you?”

“It’s all fake. She’s expected to have us grow attached to her… She’s probably already forgotten all about you. Get over it.”

Taehyung proceeded to walk away when his roommate frowned at him.

“It’s you.”

He turned around. “What. About. Me?”

“You got jealous of us. Of me... That’s why you cancelled it.”

Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Stop it, you’re ridiculous.”

“No, Tae! I’ve seen it…” He raised a finger at him. “You couldn’t stand to see us together when you were around and … You got jealous…”

A snort escaped Jungkook.

“I’m sure the reason you got yourself some girl was so you could get yourself an excuse for when you’d take her away from me…”

“She’s not some girl… I-”

“Yeah? Well, give me names of people that get head over heels in after the week they met that stranger! Cause this feels pretty shady to me.”

The two men looked at each other, hurt.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about… I’m done with this discussion.”

**************************************************************

Jungkook was left furious and didn’t talk to Taehyung the rest of the day.

He looked up the company’s information the same night.

It didn’t sit right with him. It couldn’t end this way. It was inconceivable.

The following day, he went to the headquarters, walking through the same doors he did almost a year ago when Taehyung had successfully made him agree to all of it.

He never would have imagined what those doors incorporated. He never would have thought he would become attached to you, an utter stranger who day by day had managed to catch his heart; the same way he couldn’t conceive it all didn’t mean anything to you.

He understood what your job consisted of but all those moments surely had an impact on you, at least a little bit.

A man Jungkook didn’t remember ever seeing greeted him at the reception desk. He introduced himself and asked to talk to the same lady who set up the contract between you and them.

“Mr Jeon,” she exclaimed with a polite smile. “I’m surprised to see you here.”

“Hm… Would it be possible to talk somewhere private?”

“I would love to,” she kept her smile on, “but unfortunately I’m in the middle of a meeting and don’t have much time ahead of me. Is it urgent?”

Jungkook looked a little distraught. He seemed to be struggling to find the best way to explain himself.

“I- … Would it be… possible to talk with ________?”

“Well, ehm-”

“We had an argument with my friend and I think there has been a misunderstanding…”

“Well, Mr Kim has been perfectly clear and more than that about you two wanting to terminate the contract.” She assured him gravely.

“It’s just I didn’t have the time to talk to her one last time and I wanted-”

“Pardon me for interrupting you but this was stated distinctly in the terms of your contract — after its termination, it is impossible for the Sylph or the caregiver previously involved to contact any formerly interested party. It is not in the company’s interest to let them interact outside the terms of a contract.”

Jungkook sighed heavily.

“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

“I understand.”

“I’m not supposed to tell you that but,” she started again after a short while. “Even if there had been a possibility for me to get her to see you one last time again, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because according to our decree, a Sylph cannot get in touch with any former client if a new, potential one is interested in them.”

Jungkook couldn’t believe it.

How many days had it been since Taehyung ended it?

It couldn’t have been more than three or four.

“I see.” He nodded. “Thank you.” He didn’t know what he was thanking her for but he left without another word.

Maybe Taehyung was right after all.

Maybe, they had just been passing trade who hadn’t affected you more than any of your other clients. Maybe he was overthinking everything else. After all, acting the way you had been during all those months had nothing natural.

Jungkook spent the rest of the day in his own head, stuck in past memories he had no physical remnants of, except for that picture in his phone.

He nimbly looked for it and when he did, he stared a long time at it.

He remembered that day clearly, you had spent it inside and had stayed in bed all along. It was one of the first times you two had been on your own and quite a while after he had gotten used to you and was taken with you.

He was the one holding his phone above you two but had his face nuzzling and kissing your cheek while you were gazing up at the lense, smiling with your hands covering your mouth.

He felt upset with himself for having only one picture of you.

He edited and saved it with himself cropped out.

He tried to go to sleep but the thought of it all not meaning anything to you was simply impossible to him and it kept him awake for hours, making him wonder how he could move on to something else...

Would anyone be able to fill the void you had left inside him ?

**************************************************************

Jungkook still took the liberty of visiting the company the following days in the hopes of getting updated on your situation but after the second time and in addition to the fact that he couldn’t be told anything because it fell under privacy matter, he was definitively refused entry and had to resign himself.

**************************************************************

The following week, you quit your job and the company failed to mention you about Jungkook’s visits.

527 notes · View notes

delldarling · 4 years

Text

lost things | pyx

This was Faebruary’s story of the month over on Patreon! I gave the time between posting this a bit of a break because of the plethora of fae tales I’d been writing in February, but hope you all enjoy!

female fae x gender/body neutral reader 2500 words sfw | fluff, sweetness, holding hands, dancing, adventure note: here’s a story that is rather close to my heart <3

Lost is scrawled in a nearly empty diary, tossed in a plastic milk crate full of books. The word is messy and traced twice over, just above a small splattering of ink. The ink drops remind you vaguely of dot-to-dot pages and a smile slips onto your face as you trace them. When you flip it over, a small pink sticker reads: .25 It’s older and weathered, but the paper is clean except for that single word. Twenty five cents feels more than worth it, so it comes home in your pocket.

The word sticks with you throughout the day though, caught fast in the back of your mind like it’s important, even though you’re fairly sure you haven’t lost anything. Maybe you saw a poster somewhere for a lost animal? But even after silently recounting your day in your head, you’ve got nothing.

“Lost,” you mutter, going outside to sit on your back porch in the early evening. You’ve repeated the word so often now that it’s lost its meaning, which has you shaking your head in exasperation. Maybe you can ask- Movement in the corner of your eye makes you pause.

At first, you think it’s just a shadow, caught on the edge of your vision because of the evening wind blowing through the yard. You ignore the movement, elbows on your knees, trying to figure out exactly what has you feeling so strange.

It’s the light that finally catches your eyes. Fine, gleaming pinpricks of light, like a swarm of neon bright fireflies, draws your attention to the woman standing in the corner of your yard. Your heart chokes you, pounding desperately in your throat as you jump to your feet, but she’s still there, even after you blink, repeatedly. Trying to convince yourself that she’s nothing more than a figment of your imagination doesn’t make her go away either.

“I haven’t heard a Calling in an age,” she says in a low, smooth voice, walking through the grass. The fine pinpricks of light dance over her skin as she moves, mirroring… mirroring the stars overhead. Your gaze darts up and then back down to her face. She smiles when she gets close, but it's one born of polite confusion and it isn’t until she stops in front of you that you feel like you can draw breath again. “What have you lost?” She asks, less than a foot away, hooking her thumb in the cloth belt wrapped around her waist. She tilts her head, chin length, lavender colored waves brushing over her shoulders, revealing the pointed arch of one dark ear. The mirrored stars make it look like the drop of her earring is a shooting star, gleaming strangely against her skin.

“I- Where did you come from?” You glance at the fence, wondering if she hopped it - her exposed forearms are rather muscled, but then you see the trees in the corner of your yard. Towering, sprawling things that most definitely were not there ten minutes ago. “And who are you? And did you just say-”

“Lost,” the strange elf woman repeats, and a chill crawls up your spine. “I came because you asked for aid, of course. And you may call me Pyx.”

“Pyx,” you repeat, focusing on her eyes. The entire sclera is black, or as dark as, in the fading light of evening, but it’s her irises, like pale silvery moons, that make your jaw drop.

Pyx lifts her head, breathing in deeply and searching the sky. When she turns, you catch sight of small protrusions near her temples. “Yes. Now, what have you lost? I cannot move as swiftly in your realm during the daylight hours, so if we must leave-”

Lost, she’d said, just like the diary, and then you can see, clear as day in your minds eye: The ink splatter.

“Okay, so. So I’m not sure uh.. What it is that you do to help find lost things, but I haven’t lost anything? And I think this was all a mistake. There was a book - a diary, journal, thing - and sure, the word lost was in it, and I’ve been thinking-”

Pyx stares while you ramble, until you mention tracing. Then she laughs. Throaty and full, clutching at her middle until someone a few houses down, or maybe on the street? Shouts “What the fuck is so funny over there?”

“You cannot Call me by mistake. You say you’ve lost nothing?” She finally asks, catching her breath. Her grin grows smaller, but is still sparkling in her gaze.

“T-that doesn’t mean nothing. Everyone has lost something, but I’m not- Actively looking? I’m missing a few socks-” You startle as she takes a step closer, erasing the distance between you so she can lay a strong hand on your shoulder. She’s tall, you realize, and has a good five inches or so on you.

“Your way,” she corrects you. “You’ve lost your way,” Pyx says, like she’s sharing a secret, like it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

“Maybe motivation,” you mutter, frowning, but then Pyx is curling her hand around your wrist and nodding her head towards the trees.

“Come with me,” she insists, tugging you away from your porch. When you don’t resist, when your eyes simply widen, she drags you towards the trees, stars whirling over her skin dizzyingly fast.

The trees are bent into an arch towards one another, branches interlocked at odd intervals, and it looks like nothing so much as some kind of black hole, caught between the branches. Apprehension has you tempted to drag your feet, to put a halt to this, but before you can do more than open your mouth, Pyx is pulling you through the arch.

Darkness closes over you like cool water, and then dissipates into a fine mist that you suck straight down into your lungs, leaving you coughing as you come to a stumbling stop against Pyx’s winged back. You jump away, tearing your hand out of hers to stare at the pitch-black insect wings tucked in tight down her spine.

“You have wings?” Is the first question out of your mouth, though there are more crowding your brain for attention. What the hell was that portal, where did she bring you, is she- “What-”

Pyx stretches them out and you notice the line of buttons on her shirt over the top of each wing - the buttons look like precious stones. She flutters them, laughing quietly and then lays them against her back once more. “I take it that Fae are as rare in your realm as humans are in mine?” She asks, taking your hand and lacing her fingers through yours. Reflexively, you squeeze her hand, speechless as she starts walking. “Most are Court bound after all,” she continues, though you can’t say you completely understand what she’s talking about, “so if you don’t frequent a Court-” Pyx stops, a small little smile appearing as she nods her head to the side.

You follow the gesture, still trying to catch up with your rambling thoughts about Faeries, and then your mouth pops open in astonishment. Golden light is spilling out from a shop front, just barely reaching over the toes of your shoes, but then you have to look up. And up. And up.

The shop - the bar, you think, with raucous tunes drifting out the door - is nestled underneath the roots of a redwood that looks like it was planted by giants. It’s then that you realize you’re surrounded by those massive trees on all sides. The sky looks… Much farther away than normal. You squeeze Pyx’s hand again, gaze darting back to the open doors and the roots draped over them like a curtain. “The best thing to do when you find you’ve lost your way,” Pyx explains, stroking a thumb over your hand as she walks you both towards the entrance, “is find a bit of fun.”

As soon as you spot more Faeries and beings of various stature inside though, you dig in your feet. “You just said that humans were uncommon around these parts? Is that- Is that going to be a problem?”

Pyx blinks and then purses her lips as she thinks over her answer. “They might be more willing to buy you a few rounds?” She says, like she isn’t entirely sure how they’re going to react. “But if you’re worried about safety-” Pyx pats her thigh, giving you just enough time to catch sight of a silvery blade, and then a shadow is stopping in the doorway, hands on their hips.

“Pyx!” A short, bearded man calls out. “My favorite tracker! Made a new friend, have you?”

For the next thirty minutes, it feels like you’ve been pulled into a whirlwind. Pyx introduces you to a slew of Fae, and you can barely keep up with the list of names. You do remember Kolin though, the dwarven man who insisted you try a cup of raspberry wine. And the two men who can near fade from your sight like ghosts, leaving nothing behind but an unearthly light where their hearts should be? They’re wisps and their dancing is lovely and haunting.

Halfway through your second drink though, you frown and Pyx leans an elbow on the table, arching a lavender brow. “They didn’t slip you a draft of Tears, did they?”

“You drink tears?” You can’t help asking, setting your cup down with a clatter. The sound doesn’t reach much farther than your table though, before Pyx starts laughing again.

“Thrice brewed tears with a twist of moon-fruit,” Pyx teases. Or.. You think she’s teasing. You’re in a Fae tavern and you were brought here because you found a diary with the word lost written in it’s pages. You’ve met people that you’ve only ever read about or seen on TV screens - and yet you’ve seen nothing like them either. “Time for a dance, I think,” Pyx decides, taking another sip of her drink before she gets to her feet. She sets down her cup and offers you a hand, nearly doing some kind of clip with the heels of her boots that reminds you of bowing. For a moment, the stars on her exposed skin - her face, hands and forearms, seem to burst, to fizzle out like fireworks before they settle back into place.

“Are you alri-”

“Uh, yes,” Pyx says, clearing her throat. “I just- we’re not in Court. Anyway! Would you like a turn about the room?”

Regardless of how overwhelming some of the evening has been, you… You kinda do. Pyx is tall and looks fierce when she isn’t smiling, and her skin is peppered with the stars, flying somewhere over the giant tree you’re sitting in. This is most definitely a moment to seize all the experiences you can.

“I think I would,” you agree, laughing when she pulls you to your feet and spins you out into the middle of the floor. You let her lead, not caring overmuch that you don’t know any of the steps - none of the Fae seem to care, and even the wisps start clapping along, urging you and Pyx to move faster, to keep dancing. Everything in you, from your toes to the top of your head, feels light. Alive.

"How are you feeling now?" Pyx asks after you’ve danced around the entire room at least twice. She leads you back to the doorway so you can grab some air, smiling brightly at you as you catch your breath. Standing here, staring out at the enormous trees, part of you wonders if you shrank to get here. Faeries are supposed to be small, aren’t they? Ah, it doesn’t matter.

"Better," you confide, because it's true, because you feel at ease in a way you haven't in quite a while. "Is this what you do?" You find yourself asking. “Taking random humans - or Fae, I mean, out for a good time? Helping them find- Fun? Motivation?”

Pyx shrugs a shoulder, wings arching with the movement before they settle against her back again. “I pursue. I track lost things. We all do - not Faeries,” she corrects, “but my people. We’ve been called Navigators, Compasses - Star Followers, because we’re never lost.” She lifts her hand and splays her fingers, displaying the glittering stars mirrored on her skin. “There aren’t many of us who roam, as we’re in high demand,” she says. Her lips quirk, though you’re not sure whether she was trying to smile or frown, it’s gone before you can blink. “We can track down any lost thing. For a hefty price.” She does smile then, though her nose wrinkles when she sees the startled look on your face. "Your price was my company. We don't see many humans here these days, and fewer still have Called for me in.. quite a while. Where did you learn?" She finally asks, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Your explanation is likely much shorter than she expected it to be, but Pyx nods. "It's meant to be passed on, you see,” she explains. “Find another who is lost, send them to me. Of course you're free to keep the knowledge - I've led a human or two out of the woods! But it is hard to share such things in this day and age, is it not?"

“The diary? Or-”

“The ink!” She clarifies, smiling as she traces a shape in the air. “It was the constellation I was born under. It Calls me when you trace it. It was given to an old friend. A… A very long time ago, I imagine.” Pyx sighs. “I’m afraid I’m a bit terrible with time. Seeing as I haven’t seen the state of it, it could be something recent, passed down to their kin.” She sounds so terribly… lost, and then she freezes when you slip your arms around her. You’re careful of her wings and to keep your hands in considerate places, but- as soon as she melts into it, you shiver.

"...are you lost?" You can't help asking. Because it’s a valid question, and she seems like she’s missing something, or perhaps someone, the way she’s been talking about her people, about finding things.

“Less so, after this evening,” she teases, hand stroking down your spine. She sighs again, but this time it holds a sweet note and then she’s pressing a kiss to your temple. “But I think it’s time I took you home. I’m not in the business of whisking humans away permanently.”

That… Makes you pause. Not the thought of permanence, but the thought of going home. Pyx notices the way you’re starting to worry at your lower lip though.

“I’ll be back,” she promises, lacing her fingers through yours once more, “perhaps even before you feel lost, you have my word.” She starts to walk, away from the tavern, away from light spilling out of the doors. Hand held fast in hers, you follow.

#exophilia #monster girlfriend #female faerie x reader #female fae x reader #d.darling writes #faerie girlfriend

59 notes · View notes

mysteira6 · 4 years

Text

FukaFlower - Holding Your Left Hand

~*~*~*~*~

Summary:

She wasn’t gonna let him feel bad for holding his left hand.

Setting: Fukase and Flower are in the same high school grade and are around 17 - 18 years old. Also, they’re already a couple in this one-shot. Read on for fluff, angst and a little sweet moment at the end. ^3^

~*~*~*~*~

Autumn-coloured lamps decorated the streets, surrounding the many stalls by the pathway in a warm-coloured glow. Young adults in ankle-length yukatas and young children with bags of candy and treats in their hands littered the road before them, the small-talk between groups of teens and squeals of delight amongst children filling their ears. Stall owners left and right were hollering customers over, hoping to catch their attention to play their games or buy their fun-coloured snacks.

The white-haired teen blinked at the sight. “Wow,” She muttered. “I know Miku was warning us when she said this year’s carnival would be ‘packed as sardines’, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this… crowded…”

She heard a light-hearted chuckle from the young man standing beside her. “Welp, I guess that’s a lesson learnt,” He said jokingly.

“What lesson?”

As he turned to her, his scarlet right eye sparkled jovially. “That we should actually listen to the ‘popular diva’ instead of assuming that she only talks about rumours,” He noted, another laugh emerging from his mouth.

The thought of that made her narrow her eyes a little. “I’m not so sure about that, Fukase,” She murmured skeptically, shaking her head. “She talks more about gossip than anything remotely useful-”

“But if we had listened to her, then we wouldn’t be caught in this human traffic jam now, wouldn’t we?” The redhead replied, though soon after, he heaved a sigh and shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. “Oh well, we’re here anyway and the night is young, Flower! Hopefully, the crowd will thin out in a bit,”

Despite her initial disappointment of not having a peaceful stroll with him, the optimistic grin on his face was enough to wash her negativity away. Of course he would try to cheer her up like this. After all, this date was his idea, something that he came up with during their lunch hour when all the other students were talking about the upcoming summer festival and how carnivals were being set up in dozens of neighbourhoods. Given that they had just finished their school term, it seemed like a perfect time to start their summer break with a fun little getaway with just the two of them.

Flower puffed in mild annoyance. When Fukase asked her to go to the carnival in their neighbourhood together, she got giddy with excitement as she always was when it came to their dates. That was one of the strangest things about being with him; somehow, he had managed to break down her curt demeanor and unpack her sweet side that very few people saw. All it took was him being a cheerful jokester who not only tried his best to make everyone smile, but also possessed a kind heart to help anyone he could. Funny then, that he would be interested, and eventually fall in love with, a pessimistic girl who was essentially a stoic emotional wall.

Oh well. Life can be that weird sometimes. In fact, what was more weird was that as he talked to her everyday, cracking a joke here and there, Flower found herself becoming more conscious of how she presented herself in front of him. The little things that she barely cared about before gradually took priority in her appearance as he tried everyday to make her smile a little. Smoothing out her skirt and brushing her hair behind her ears were only two of the dozen things that crossed her mind as soon as she heard him talking to her.

Tonight was no exception to her new routine of fussing over her appearance; as soon as she got home, Flower immediately made a beeline for her preppy younger sister, Xin Hua, who was lounging on the sofa and scrolling through the feed on her phone as usual. However, after Flower explained her situation, the cobalt-haired teen quickly placed her phone aside and partook in the giddy excitement that her older sister was feeling. One trip to Sachiko’s yukata gallery and another to Mizki’s hair accessory treasury was enough for the aspiring fashionista to dress her sister up for her special summer date.

“Flower? Flower!” The sight of his bandaged hand waving front of her was enough to snap the short-haired teen back to reality, her violet eyes blinking a few times to readjust her field of vision. “Hey, are you okay?” Fukase asked her, a worried frown inscribed on his lips as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“O-oh, sorry, I… I’m okay,” She stuttered in embarrassment, slightly ashamed that she spaced out in the middle of nowhere. Her instinctive reaction of looking down whenever she got awkward got her looking at the yukata that Xin Hua had picked for her. It was of a deep violet shade, accompanied by prints of lavender and white coloured cherry-blossoms and outlines of round lanterns scattered across her sleeves and skirt. She had a grape-purple obi tied around her waist to keep her outfit together and Ms Sachiko even gave her complimentary wooden sandals and a hickory-coloured basket for her necessities to complete the ensemble. ‘Cherish your youth’, she had said with a warm smile after Flower had told her the reason for her purchase.

Meanwhile, Fukase chuckled at her quiet response and quietly slid his right hand under her chin, gently lifting her gaze to look at him. There wasn’t an obvious height difference between them (except for a few centimeters that Flower had but Fukase didn’t) but even then, Flower felt rather small under the gaze of his right eye, his left one being concealed under his white eye patch. Having him stand close to her also allowed her to take in his outfit for the night; a muted red yukata with black lines resembling tree branches drawn on its cloth all held together by a thin bright red obi.

“You sure?” He smirked at her like a cheeky devil would, the jokester side of him showing. “You’re blushing, you know,”

His words rooted her to the spot. “No, I am not!”

“Sharp response. I thought you were a kuudere, not a tsundere,”

“I-Does that really matter right now?!”

Her flustered response was met with a fit of laughter from Fukase, his red curls dancing in the air as he shook his head jokingly. “I kid! I kid!” He sang out as he held his hands up as if surrendering. “Please spare me from your silent treatment, Hana-chan~”

She puffed her cheeks. “You’re only lucky that I decided to dress up for tonight and I don’t want to ruin our date,”

“Oh right, I was gonna say,” His expression lit up as he continued. “You look… as pretty as a flower tonight,”

He half-heartedly expected a startled response and was unsurprised when she only snarkily replied: “A pun-related flirt isn’t going to get to me, Fukase,” Of course she’d say something like that.

“Darnnit, that didn’t work as well as I had hoped,” He pretended to be upset for a moment before raising his right hand towards her, cueing the snow-haired girl to blink at him a few times.

“Well anyway,” He began, tilting his head at her cutely. “Now that we’ve been chatting here for a while, I believe it’s about time for us to head down there, yeah?”

She found herself beaming as she accepted his hand. “Yes, let’s,”

~*~*~*~*~

“Come and catch your own kingyo! Only 200 yen to bring one home!”

“Fresh shaved ice and candied apples for sale! Come and get them before they’re gone!”

As their evening continued, the crowd really did grow thinner as most of the younger children were brought home by their parents and some of the teenagers were heading home as well. Since the both of them were night owls on a daily basis, the moon climbing up the sky did not bother them. Fukase’s enthusiasm for them to visit every stall did not falter even as the night went on. Beside him, Flower held tightly to his right hand, a small smile on her face as she witnessed him bring her all around the carnival. She could tell that he was excited for it.

“Are you hungry? We should get some mochi here,”

“I think those pinwheel headbands would look cute on you,”

“Hey, this fruit tea tastes great! Try some!”

Perhaps it was a little selfish for her to say it, but Flower really liked the attention that he was giving her tonight. It wasn’t odd for Fukase to treat her so kindly (he was literally known for being the kindest person for a lot of people) but hearing him talk to her alone made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, a feeling that only he could generate. However, tonight it felt like Fukase’s gentlemanly nature was much more prominent than usual… Was it because they were wearing such fancy clothes?

Whatever the reason was, she didn’t really care about it. After all, who would turn down a kind, pampering boyfriend like him? Even though Flower was slow to understand social norms as a wallflower, she knew enough to recognise that Fukase was kind of spoiling her (not that she was complaining, mind you).

Her train of thought was interrupted when something at a shelf on her left managed to catch her attention, silently motioning her to get closer to the stall with multi-coloured stacks of cans lined up in pyramidal formation behind its counter. She couldn’t take her eyes off one of the prizes at the game stall; a small lavender rabbit with a translucent maroon ribbon wrapped around its neck and a top hat sewn onto its head. Its subtle resemblance to Fukase’s normal outfit was probably what caught her eye.

“Whatcha looking at?” The very person she was thinking about turned his head in the same direction as she was facing, his eyes scanning the game stall for whatever had caught her attention. “Do you see that little rabbit on the shelf?” Flower whispered to him while leaning close to his ear. “It’s kinda cute. I just thought that it looked like you in your coat, doesn’t it?”

The redhead has his eyes trained on the stuffed toy that had caught his girlfriend’s attention. It didn’t take him long to mutter a ‘let’s head over there’ as he brought them both over to the stall, his hand never letting go of her despite her initial surprise. After he forked out some coins for the stall owner, a basket with brightly coloured plastic balls was placed in front of him, the challenge of knocking over all the cans in three hits now laying before him.

“Fukase, you don’t have to do this for me,” The white-haired girl standing behind him said timidly, a bit uneasy that he decided to play this game just for her.

The redhead smiled at her. “But I want to,” He simply said, picking up the first ball from the basket. “Besides, you like that rabbit doll, right?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Then just sit tight and watch me win it for you!” He gleefully replied as he aimed for the base of one of the can pyramids before hurling his ball at them, nailing a hit on the cans at the bottom for his first throw. The coloured cans tumbled onto the table with loud clatters and clangs as the pyramid fell, knocking down all the obstacles quickly. He grinned at his victory.

“Wow, you got them all in one shot!” The stall owner commended, lightly clapping her hands to his success. “Congratulations! You’re welcomed to choose any prize you want for winning,”

“Any prize?” Fukase glanced over to her as the lady nodded, her satin pink hair bouncing up and down. He soon turned his eyes back to the little rabbit that Flower had been eyeing this whole time, the smile on his face widening. “Can I have the little rabbit over there? The one of that shelf, please,”

“Sure thing!” She replied as she gently lifted the rabbit doll off the shelf and handed it over to him. “Thank you for playing!” The store owner sang out as Fukase received the doll from her, turning back to his girlfriend. Holding out the lavender rabbit doll in his two hands, he smiled warmly at her. “Ta-da! Here you go, Flower,”

Her face shone as she held the doll in her hands, now able to marvel its cuteness up close. It really did look similar to Fukase in his fancy outfit. “Thank you,” She unknowingly broke into a wide smile as she petted the rabbit’s head the same way she did to Point, Fukase’s pet doll. “It’s really cute…” She giggled.

He grinned at her, a warm feeling washing over him at the sight of Flower’s smile. It never failed to make him smile back at her, or to make his cheeks feel a little warmer than usual. Deep down, he wished she did that all the time, but he also understood her take on it; it was better to let her slowly get into the habit of smiling instead of forcing it on her.

Instead, he raised his hand towards her again, hoping to continue their stroll through the carnival until he noticed which one he was holding up to her. In a hasty maneuver, Fukase swiftly relocated himself to be standing on her right side as he offered his hand to her again, disregarding the confused expression on her face. “Shall we go back to the path, milady?”

She giggled again at his formal demeanor. “You don’t have to be so formal,” She quickly packed her new rabbit doll into her basket as she accepted his hand again. Although she was already well aware of his odd behaviour from before, Flower knew better to not bring it up and make him embarrassed.

Unfortunately, the more she thought about it, the more it started to bug her. Especially when she started to realise how often such situations would occur multiple times that night. Upon closer inspection, there was one thing that they all had in common; the fact that Fukase had never let her hold his left hand.

As much as she didn’t want to sound like some prissy girl complaining on their date, the urge to ask him about it was stronger than those worries. “Hey, Fukase?” The white-haired teen began, tugging a little on their interlocked hands to get his attention. “Can I… ask you something?”

He eagerly turned to her. “What is it?”

“Can I hold your left hand?”

The question alone was enough to wash his bright smile away, replacing it with an astonished frown on his face and a startled expression in his eye. His footsteps immediately stopped in the middle of the pathway as his grip on her hand tightened a little. For a while, Flower started to regret asking that question; she would’ve not done so if it meant that she was going to be subjected to him staring at her, downright baffled at her words. Now, she felt as if she was riveted to the ground by his gaze, feeling her heart climbing up her throat as she gulped loudly.

Fortunately for her, he broke their staring contest by turning his head away from her for a bit, his left hand covered from top to bottom in bandages rising up to cover his face. In a low, apologetic tone, he muttered: “Uh, sorry about that,”

She was speechless. “Eh?”

“I know you don’t like it when people stare at you, so… sorry that I was doing that just now.” He hastily apologised before continuing. “A-anyway, why do you want to h-hold my left hand? I mean-! Is there a reason? N-not that you have to tell me, wait I mean-!”

As the redhead stumbled over his words, the gears in Flower’s head started turning. A line of stuttering dialogue from Fukase convinced her that her asking him about it was the right thing to do; in a normal everyday conversation, he would never ever trip over his own words. As far as she could remember, his confidence in speaking has never failed him, only faltering a little whenever Flower managed to sneak a sweet, unintentionally affectionate line of dialogue to him. So to hear him uncharacteristically stutter so much while talking to her normally… Flower quickly realised that something was up.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me, Fukase,” She tried to ameliorate the situation, hoping that he wasn’t too embarrassed. “I’m really sorry that I asked it so randomly-”

“It’s not that, it’s just…” He trailed off as his eyebrows furrowed, his gaze shifted to the sight of his left, bandaged, roughly-surfaced hand. A sigh left his lips; he was gonna have to tell her something eventually, so why wait?

“The truth is,” He started, hoping that he didn’t sound too nervous. “No one… has ever held my left hand before…”

“Why?” She blurted out as her curiosity overrode her politeness.

“I never offered it to them,” He explained slowly, gaining a bit more confidence as he confessed to her. “I mean, you know how my hand looks; it’s a mess. And even with these bandages, it’s still really… you know, coarse and rough,”

Flower found herself frowning at the mention of what his left hand really looked like. It called back a past memory of their time together, when Fukase had told her the events that caused him to look as he is now. That day, he even slowly, very gingerly, took off his bandages and eye patch to show her the scars he had hidden from everyone for so long, the damaged side of him that he refused to show in public in the fear that he would be met with disgust and disdain.

But on the contrary to his fear of Flower leaving him, Fukase was embraced by her love and adoration for him, the emotions in her that he managed to call out now being gifted to him instead as some form of mutual bond. In the same way that he helped her break down her emotional barriers, she had helped him overcome his trauma-induced obstacles. It was a relationship between them that nothing in the world could break.

And tonight was just another testament to it, Fukase realised as Flower quickly shook off his hold on her own hand, instead reaching for his left, roughly-surfaced one covered in white straps of cloth. Her fingers brushed across his as she matched them to line up with hers, a small yet ever-so-kind smile on her face encased in her lips. Fukase unknowingly gulped at the sight of his girlfriend looking at him with so much kindness and care, her beauty brought out even more tonight with her neatly combed tomboyish hair and lilac-coloured butterfly pin.

“Fukase,” She broke the silence between them as she whispered softly. “Does it feel any different when I hold your hand like this?”

He averted his eyes at her question. “Well, for me, it feels the same but for you-”

“It’s the same for me too, you know,” She interrupted him gently, shifting her right hand to the side a little as she interlocked their hands together. “I know you’re always worried about how your scars might change how I see you, but… You know that’s never gonna happen, right?”

As soon as she spotted the skepticism in his eyes, she took it as a sign to continue. “Whichever hand I’m holding doesn’t matter to me so long as it’s yours, Fukase. You don’t have to be worried about how you look when you’re with me; I don’t mind any of it at all,”

“ … Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. Besides,” She chuckled as she recalled another memory. “Didn’t I already tell you before that I liked your scars?”

“W-well yeah, but…” After baring out the truth to her, the red-haired boy felt unnaturally vulnerable, the somewhat playful tone in her voice making him blush. He still wasn’t used to her telling him that she liked the permanent markings on his skin. For a long time, he hated them and wished that they would just disappear, especially since they were a reminder of that dark side of him. And yet to listen to her words when she said that she liked them… it felt like letting go of a breath of air that he’d be holding for a long time. ‘Because they’re a part of you too’, Flower had told him back then. ‘That’s why I like them’

Meanwhile, the girl standing before him gently pulled their interlocked hands back down, her left hand holding tightly to her basket as she turned back to the path. “I really don’t mind holding your left hand, Fukase,” She reassured him again with a soft smile. “So… let’s keep this date going, okay?”

Flower hadn’t even taken one step forward before she was tugged back towards the red-haired boy, his uncalloused hand cupping her face as he pulled her closer to him. Just like the beginning of their date when he had commented on her blushing cheeks, the snow-haired teen found herself hypnotized by his armour-piercing gaze, his right red eye staring intently at her for a short while only to soften as he leaned his face close to her, closing his eyes and landing his lips onto hers. As her cheeks heated up like red-hot iron, she knew in absolute certainty that she was blushing now.

It seemed as if time stood still as Fukase kissed her, the action and noises in their surroundings seeming to pause as her eyelids slid shut in conjunction to his daring public display of affection, his head tilting slightly to deepen their kiss as Flower mimicked his actions. It felt like hours had slipped by them as they parted from their kiss, the commotion from the carnival returning to their field of vision and awareness.

Fukase’s face was almost as red as his hair as he chuckled lightly, his iconic bright smile back on his face. “Hana-chan, thank you,” His voice was teeming with gratitude as he thanked her. “You always seem to know exactly what to say,”

Flower was blushing equally as much, her wallflower shyness emerging from her. “I’m just being honest,” She humbly replied.

“How in the world did I get a girlfriend as amazing as you?”

“I could say the same for you, you know,”

“Me? What did I do?”

“I mean, how in the world did I get a boyfriend as sweet and funny as you?”

“Hey! Don’t copy my words!”

“But it’s true!”

The both of them laughed at each other’s antics, their hands interlocked with one another as they continued to stroll down the dirt-trodden path.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: GAAAAAHHHH these two make me soft~ ;-;

#fukase #fukaflower #vocaloid fukase #vflower #v4flower #vocaloid #flokase #fukasexflower #flowerxfukase #ship #vocaloid ship #carnival #festival #date #yukata

13 notes · View notes

wavelaugh3-blog · 4 years

Text

How To Keep Trees And Shrubs Looking Good

Caring: https://yeucayxanh.vn/san-pham/cay-luoi-ho should use a good balanced fertilizer at the time of early spring and autumn. You can purchase Bonsai starter trees especially for the beginner. They need another apple tree to serve as a cross pollinator.

If yоu hаvе ever beеn anywhere that had а collection оf indoor bonsai trees оn display, there іѕ a very good chance thаt уоu felt immediately soothed јust bеіng in thеir presence. There is a good reason whу thеse tiny trees arе uѕed іn spas, meditation studios and mаny mental health doctors' offices. They аrе natural yеt ѕо incredibly artistic that уou јuѕt can't helр but be intrigued by them.

Most bare root trees аre fruit оr nut trees. Ornamental trees mаy bе sold аs bare root trees, but most оf thеm are grown іn containers or balled аnd burlaped. When you chose your trees, make ѕure the roots are plump, there are nо big knots or roots thаt have grown into а J shape. Roots merging іntо a big knot right where the tree begins аnd thе root ends аre аlѕо not healthy. When уou bring your trees home, if уou аre not gоing to plant thеm immediately, kеер them іn а cool, dry place but keep thе roots moist. Planting thе trees as ѕооn аѕ possiblе wіll hеlр them survive. Delaying planting wіll increase thе mortality rate of уour trees.

youtube

This type of olive iѕ Italian іn variety and іѕ thе mоѕt popular for gourmet dishes. The flavor іs vеrу strong and іt iѕ аlѕo pungent but the yield is high.

How much shade doeѕ thе tree prefer? Some species, ѕuсh аs oaks, do nоt tolerate growing іn shade. Others mаy survive іn shade, but not produce flowers. Still оthеr trees, ѕuch аs dogwood, strongly prefer shade.

What makes a fallen tree ѕuсh а great piece of cover? Easy answer fоr a river rat. They offer a large type of cover that fish аrе јuѕt drawn to. Not juѕt catfish or predator fish but baitfish. Those lіttlе guys that аre born tо be eaten. Fallen trees аrе full of bugs when theу fіrst fall аnd grow algae when thеy have bеen іn thе water to awhile. So thеy continue tо give food to the baitfish to kееp them around but thаtѕ nоt it. They also give thоѕe tiny fish а place tо hide frоm those big bad catfish. Now I know thаt you might thіnk that thiѕ could bе a bad thing but іtѕ not.

Indoor lime trees аrе one of manу varieties оf indoor fruit trees, whiсh аs thе nаme implies аre developed specifically tо grow indoors. For the mоst part, theѕе trees arе very hardy and easy care. They adapt well tо аlmost any environment and arе ideal fоr beginning and expert gardeners alike.

Some other fast growing shade trees are Hybrid Poplar, Silver Maple, Red Maple, Sycamore аnd Sweetgum. All thesе аre amazing shade trees that сan accentuate your home garden. They do nоt require a lot оf care and maintenance oncе theу arе established аnd уоu саn grow them to add а unique element to the landscape. They wіll help іn cooling dоwn the temperature durіng hot summer months. They will аlsо give уou а great place fоr organizing barbecues, parties or evеn a get-together outsidе on а sunny day.

For juѕt а littlе while, lіke now when there iѕ а vеry gentle rain falling, evеrуthing іs stіll and yоu cаn hear thе trees whispering theіr thankѕ to the rain. The birds are quiet too, listening intently tо the harmonious duet of thе rain аnd the trees as theу revel in the quiet wondеr thаt іs a summer shower.

Mother Nature haѕ ѕо muсh to offer uѕ іn thе form of healing, calm, peace, tranquillity аnd beauty. In а world that іѕ sо removed from оur home, and all that ѕhе dоеѕ for us, is іt time thаt we find refuge frоm the stress in thе beautiful outdoors аnd contemplate how wе саn be thе beѕt person that wе arе supposed tо be? Is it time to assess hоw we саn beѕt assist the trees and the planet tо furthеr hеlр us to live in peace and harmony with ourѕеlvеѕ аnd others? Is іt time to јuѕt marvel аt how abundant nature iѕ and hоw giving she iѕ аnd how lucky wе are to be alive at thiѕ very special time?

You ѕhоuld research the trees аnd shrubs bеfоrе buying them. Some trees, lіkе oak trees аrе wonderful to havе оn the lawn, but оvеr time thеіr roots maу emerge from the ground. If уоu plan оn living in уоur home fоr а long time, уоu maу nоt wаnt thiѕ feature. Buying trees as young аѕ possіblе will eliminate thiѕ problem, but уоu maу hаvе to wait twenty or thirty years bеfore yоu wіll trulу bе ablе tо enjoy them.

The bеѕt time to prune trees іѕ generally when they аrе dormant. This іѕ usuallу іn the late fall оr winter. This wау thеrе іѕ lеѕѕ chance of thеіr bеіng а great loss of tree sap. It is аlѕо much lеsѕ lіkеly thаt insects will attack. Pruning when уоur tree іѕ dormant аlѕо gіvеѕ уоu mоrе of an accurate idea of what your tree will lоok lіkе when іt grows back. There are, however, trees that аre bеst pruned when not dormant. It іѕ bеѕt tо research whаt іs best for еaсh partiсular tree.

You can also prune your trees to avoid weakening of the tree. Now, there are certain tropical trees that can be kept indoors. The change should start with yourself and always make sure that you will be a good example to other people.

#willow trees around #evergreen trees #tree trimming montgomery county #apple tree

1 note · View note

bookenders · 5 years

Note

persephone reuniting w hades? for both the 800 follower prompt + storyteller Saturday :0 -@writevevo

[Help me celebrate 800!]

Oh, man, @writevevo, I got very carried away with this one. Very carried away.

This is the second (technically third if you count the poems that were published in a Best of Teen Writing book when I was 16) Greek Mythology thing I’ve ever written, and I must admit, I really like playing with existing stories and lore.

Here’s your reunion! 💜

He was the only one who knew what her name meant. And, in knowing this, he was apart from the rest of the world.

***

It had been ages since he had met her at the gates. That was an old tradition, from a time when she was still hesitant about her power and position in the dark. Now, as she steps beyond the boundaries of the River Styx, handing Charon a sheaf of golden grain as she goes - an old gift, a memory from her first return - she basks in the damp air and sourceless wind, its fingers twirling her hair around her shoulders.

A wayward soul, still bright and burning at the edges, strays past her. It carries a song in its heart. Persephone reaches out, brushes the backs of her fingers over her cheek, nearly warm in the dark and dim, contact like swirling dust in fading sunlight. She glows, just for a moment, glances at the Queen of the Underworld, looks into her eyes. Then takes a phantom breath, lets it out with a ghastly sigh, her skirts swirling in and out of the low mist, and carries on.

Persephone watches her go, bare feet barely touching the ground, and turns to pass the Judgment Court. She has no need to visit them now.

Between a high craggy cliff and the side of the palatial edifice, she slips through a crack in the obsidian and finds herself at the far edge of the Asphodel Meadows. Gray wheat stretches for a seeming eternity, scattered with wavering souls stripped of their light. Her first time in these fields, she tried to walk around the edge so as not to disturb the dead, but found herself walking on and on, no curve or end in sight. So she learned to walk through the fields as she does now, arms outstretched, fingertips brushing the wheat stalks as souls part before her like the mist.

Persephone still marvels at how her touch brings color to the gloom of this world, ruffling the wheat with a phantom wind and a shock of sun-gold before it fades with the absence of her touch. The dead drink the heat of the sun from her skin, bloom, and fade back to dust.

She always thought it to be a chilling irony.

The orchard marked the end of the Meadow, one of the few places she felt truly welcome outside of her grove and their palace. Though the fruits hang heavy on the branches, they do not bow or bend before their heft. Persephone approaches the smallest tree with the fewest fruits and plucks the largest from its boughs, pressing her palm to its trunk. Cold seeps into her hand and snatches at her heat, curling it into the bark and through the plant’s veins until two ripe pomegranates drip down before her. Smiling, she cracks the fruit in half and scoops out a small handful of seeds, opening her mouth and letting the tart red burst on her tongue.

The chill of Hades blooms from the bottom of her throat to the soles of her feet, a flush rushing to her cheeks as breath is pulled into her lungs. A laugh tears forth from her chest, a staccato chandelier lighting the dusky groves with tinkling glass and cloud-parted sunlight, and she spins, hands reaching for the unseen heights of the world, dress flaring as her feet dance grooves into the dirt.

Persephone buries the half-eaten pomegranate away from the rest of the trees and kisses the dirt. A shoot of green presses through to greet her.

In the waking world, far above her, the land begins to wither in her absence. Crops fail. Water freezes. People are easier to die. The light fades and the days grow shorter.

Because that is her name. Persephone. Destroyer of light.

But Hades, he takes what is left and makes a home of it. Souls find their rest. Fruit grows even in the most choking darkness. The Rivers are frigid but never frozen.

He lives in the echoes of her ruin and holds her hands when she tries to pick up the pieces. She doesn’t need to do that for him. He gathers them up, and the king of shoal and hoary stone smelts them into something greater than their broken shards ever were alone. She may help things grow, but Hades is a builder. They both rise in their own ways. She from her roots, and he from his foundations.

All that is bright falls before her, as she fell before him, her darkness, when he appeared before her on the other side of the river. She had flowers in her hair. He pulled her from her roots and she went all too willingly.

He brought her down and she pulled him under.

She blinks from her waking dream as she comes to the long path up to the palace. Their palace, he insists. A long time ago, when she was still young, he helped her grow nightshade and hemlock around the great doors that opened for none living but her, his wife.

This time, it’s different.

The great doors open, silent, looming, and the King himself strides out, alone, eyes bright as the sun under his heavy spiked crown. The only light she could never dim.

Without a second thought, Persephone runs into his arms, knocking his crown to the dirt, and buries her face in his neck. He was always so warm.

She feels his soft smile press into her hair.

“Welcome home.”

***

Want more original fiction? Take a gander at my original writing tag and my short stories tag!

For writing advice and observations, check out my advice tag.

Want info on my WIPs? Have a look-see at me WIP page!

Do you like the way I put words together? Consider buying me a Ko-Fi! (Link in my blog description!)

Want to be added to my original fiction tag or my WIP tags? Let me know! 😊

Originals Tag List: @piratequeenofpixies, @quilloftheclouds, @snickertoodles, @carmenwrites, @purpleshadows1989, @ofvisitorsthefairest, @theevolutionofledarose, @kriss-the-writing-nerd, @waterfallwritings

Also taggin’ every-book-has-a-secret. Here’s the other myth piece I promised!

#writeblr #amwriting #spilled ink #800 Followers #writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #writevevo #my writing #short story #flash fiction #greek myth #hades #persephone #hades and persephone #bookenders original #bookenders shorts

39 notes · View notes

agritecture · 6 years

Photo

8 Sustainable Steps To The Ultimate Urban Garden

Don’t let the city life fool you: growing a garden can happen anywhere, anytime. You don’t need to be in a giant field or a big backyard. As a matter of fact, a patio or balcony is the perfect place to set up shop; you just need a few things to get started and the right state of mind.

No space is too small, because even a windowsill – indoors or out – will allow you easy access to watch your efforts (literally) blossom into something special. And that’s a powerful thing: to see that nurturing and attention can turn into something healthy, affordable and delicious.

Whether your green thumb is highly refined or you’re a gardening rookie, we’ve got you covered with some tips that aren’t only foolproof, but are good for the earth, your mind, your body and your soul too!

1. Start with Your Space

In most cities, gardening space is limited, so you'll need to get creative. Your patio or balcony, for example, probably has a bare wall on either side. Consider setting up a sturdy shelf that is meant for the outdoors.

If your balcony or patio space is big enough, you could fit in two or three of these vertical gardens. Even better - they’re naturally rot resistant and insect-resistant because they’re made of Western Red Cedar. Pesticides will have no place on your porch or patio with this planter!

If you have a bit of yard space, square off a section with this 4x8 foot frame. Just like the vertical shelf, the Western Red Cedar makes it rot and insect resistant, and it is grown with sustainable forestry practices under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program.

2. Deliberate Your Dirt

As nice as it would be to simply dig a hole and plant until your heart’s content, the fact is that plants need the RIGHT kind of soil for optimum growth potential. You could always get your soil PH tested to see if it will support your ambitions. This will let you know if your soil has too much or too little minerals present.

However, most people – especially for small spaces – opt to simply purchase a good quality soil to avoid any mishaps. Organic, pesticide-free soils are your best bet with top reviews coming in for the brand’s Roots Organics, Fox Farm, and Unco Industries.

3. Consider Composting

If there were ever a way to give right back to the earth that takes care of you, this is it. A compost pile does not have to be a designated dumping ground 20 yards from your home. You can compost in the comfort of your own home, on your porch or in your backyard – and earthworms will do all the "dirty work" for you.

The benefits of composting include:

Less Waste – What you would otherwise throw away and send to a landfill will now go to a new, beneficial cause: your garden!

Better Soil – The nutrients from your compost will enrich the soil with valuable nutrients that will help your produce growth. Compost also helps to retain your soil’s moisture levels.

Natural Fertilizer – Because of its natural components, compost won't' release toxic chemicals into your soil.

It’s free – Composting doesn’t cost you a thing. The only change is your routine of tossing from the trash to your compost bin.

What are the easiest items for the city dweller to compost? You can start with the basics like fruits, vegetables, eggshells, tea bags, coffee grounds, coffee filters, and nutshells. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, the Environmental Protection Agency has an expanded list of items that may surprise you. (Hint: dog hair, anyone?)

4. Pair Your Produce with Your Region

Depending on where you live, you’ll have more luck with some fruits and veggies than others. Find out what grows best in your region – and when the best time is to start planting.

For example, you may want to plant your tomatoes in early spring in one part of the country, but in other parts it may be best to get seedlings in the ground in June.

Don’t find out the hard way… If you live in the US, this guide is a great place to get started.

5. Repurpose and Reuse

Garden stores sell everything you need, but there's a good chance you have some things on hand right now to get started. If you plan to grow your garden from seeds, all you need is some seeds, dirt, a little water, and containers. Use cardboard egg cartons to get your sprouts started and they'll be easily transferable to a larger pot as they get bigger.

There is no need to go out and buy expensive pots and planters for your urban garden. Take a stroll through a thrift market to find some great terracotta or ceramic planters. This classic look is timeless and will give your garden a great all-natural feel. Plus, you’ll save a ton reusing what someone no longer needs.

6. Save on Your Water Supply

You’ve surely seen a neighbor pull out the hose and crank out the water to nourish their garden. If only they knew: the installation of a simple rain barrel kit would make such a difference on that water bill. After the initial cost, you’ll be watering your garden for free!

If a rain barrel isn’t an option, look into greywater re-use. It requires a little more manual effort but is an excellent way to maintain your garden and conserve water simultaneously.

7. Keep the Critters at Bay – With Care

You may not even know that slugs and snails exist in your urban area, but one way to find out is to plant a garden. As sweet and harmless as they may seem, they will wreak havoc on your garden – and your efforts – if you don’t take precautions.

The most popular suggestion is to place a copper strip either just above or just below the soil line. It acts as a deterrent to slugs and snails because it sends an electrical energy that they avoid. If this isn’t an option, look into the other humane ways to keep slugs away from your garden.

8. Ask and Ye Shall Receive

And last, but certainly not least, remember: you don’t have to go on this gardening adventure alone. If there’s something you’re not sure about or something you simply don’t know, ask! Go to your local gardening center or get on the internet. You can always find answers to your gardening questions, even in the hustle and bustle of your city life.

About the author - Mark is a marketing specialist at Tree Barber and is on a mission to spread his love for nature. When he's not thinking of new market campaigns, he loves to watch (and sometimes even play) baseball and take walks with his two dogs, Fred and Wilma.

#urban agriculture #urban gardening #sustainable gardening #backyard #urban farming #local food

308 notes · View notes

lowrymccormack3-blog · 5 years

Text

Great Gardening Tips For Any Skill Level

Big farms use dangerous chemicals which can get into the water supply and make people very ill. Read this article to find out more about organic gardening, and how you could grow your own healthy fruits and vegetables. If you are planting vegetables, choose varieties that don't require processing in order to keep. For example, sweet potatoes and onions will keep for months as long as they are kept cool and dry, without any additional work on your part. This reduces the amount of time you have to spend after harvesting. For gardeners in colder climates who want to get their plants started in the outdoor garden a little early, use plastic milk jugs for mini-greenhouses. Cut the bottom off of a milk jug and place over the plant, pushing the jug into the ground enough to keep it in place. Remove the milk jug cap during sunny, but still somewhat chilly days to allow for some air circulation and replace the cap at night to keep the warmth in. When the days are a bit warmer, remove the jug during the day, only replacing it at night, and slowly let your plant acclimate to the weather. Check your store bought soil for pests. If you buy from big home improvement stores, your soil may have pests such as aphids. To kill the insects and their larvae, put the soil in a metal baking pan and place it covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool before using. When you buy young bare-root trees, keep the root ball moist until your are ready to plant. If the roots dry out, the tree will weaken or die. You should plant the tree as soon as you bring it home. If hydro mousse cannot, lay the tree on its side and cover the roots with moist peat moss, then cover the roots with a tarp. Make a do it yourself twine holder by grabbing a rolled up length of twine and putting it into a small clay pot. Pull a small portion of the twine out the drainage hole and flip the pot upside down. You will always know where your twine is instead of digging around for it in a toolbox or shed. Most people design their gardens with plants in their hands and a shovel. However, the best idea is to wait to choose your plants after you have decided upon a layout or landscaping design. Once you have completed the landscaping, move on to the last step to your garden; planting your favorite flowers, shrubs and trees. Get your kids and grand kids involved with gardening by letting them help you in the garden, and by taking them to nurseries and arboretums. Children generally love being outdoors and will soak up any knowledge you are willing to share about sunlight, water, and soil quality. Gardening is a great way for children to learn about nature and for them to bond with you. To save money, consider making your own garden fertilizer. For instance, broken eggshells make a great fertilizer for small gardens, indoor plants and container plants. Mix the eggshells throughout the soil to get the best effect. Eggshells even have the added benefit that they aerate the garden soil as well. To keep pests out of your garden without using chemicals, try planting onions at your garden's borders. The scent of the onion will work as a natural repellent and will keep many creatures from disturbing your plants. As an added bonus, this allows you to regularly have fresh onions to use in your cooking. To make your own miniature greenhouse, simply cover a pot with an old plastic bag. This will mimic the humid environment that allows plants inside a greenhouse to thrive. If you'd also like to protect your plant from the weather, build a dome out of a sturdy plastic and place it atop the plant. Now that you've read this article, it is probably clear to you that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to grow organic produce. If you can simply follow some easy-to-implement tips, you can be well on your way to gardening success. Memorize these tips and put them to use and grow the garden you've been wanting.

1 note · View note

carltonchapman83-blog · 5 years

Text

Sturdy Advice On What Types Of Garden Earth To be able to Use

If you're looking to be able to infuse your home with some wonderful natural splendor, there's no much better way than to start your own property garden! Gardening is in addition a good way to reduce stress and make your own personal lifetime happier. Read with for those tips on the way to get the just about all out of your property yard! Always grow precisely what works inside right spot. If meal plans does not really work in one weather conditions, although carrots do, after that it can be the sturdy carrot plant that demands to be planted together with the diet programs crop have to be small. Speak to often the neighbors and see what is working for them to be able to improve the output of your own garden. Plan the gardening accordingly to this conditions. If you reside in an area the location where the ground freezes during this winter weather, do not seed anything at all before frost can be anticipated. If you live in a warmer place, take a break through the warmest a few months associated with summer to stay away from wasting too much water. If you need something fun to perform that may benefit anyone in the kitchen, try out growing some herbs within your window. Some herbs may not take kindly to be able to this, but many will! Throughout this way you possess several herbs usually fresh plus handy, and many people add a great contact to the house. When one buys young bare-root trees, keep your root ball moist until your are ready to plant. If the roots dried up out, the tree may weaken or perish. A person should plant the tree as soon as a person bring it home. If you cannot, lay the tree on it is side and include the roots with damp peat moss, then cover up the roots with the tarp. Used tea and espresso grounds make excellent dirt enrichers. Both caffeine in addition to tea grounds are great add ons when an individual need to raise the level of acidity of your earth. If your ground is usually ph level balanced, including often the tea leaf and coffee is definitely good, as flowers such as rhododendrons and azaleas, and fruits such as blueberry, enjoy soil that will be on the acidulent section. You can work the lands into the soil just before you flower your lawn, or sprinkle the very little around existing plants when a week or maybe thus. Drinking water your potted herbal remedies! Maintain potted herbs properly watered, but don't over-water, which can be the common mistake. Sage, thyme, rosemary plus tarragon aren't that irritated by way of some sort of somewhat dry out setting. On the additional hand, mint, chives plus parsley call for constant water. Make sure that often the container offers adequate draining holes, and place a covering of pea gravel in this base of the weed as a drainage coating. That ensures that the water doesn't circulation directly out. Utilize correct instruments and keep them within tip-top shape to decrease the stress in your entire body when you're gardening. Spades and hoes should turn out to be periodically sharpened to preserve them operating at their own best. If you have the space, choose tools such as prolonged handled spades that allow an individual to have while doing the job. The better you feel soon after gardening, the more generally you'll enjoy getting your own personal hands dirty! Infestation control can present a challenge with regard to prosperous vegetable gardening. No longer bottle of spray any harsh compounds on your fresh vegetables due to the fact you will be consuming these people later on. In order to safely keep your yard pest-free, keep a well-defined attention out. In several cases, you can just get rid of the pests from your own plants by picking all of them off. If you own species of fish, save your normal water. Adjusting the water in a new fish tank is a needed chore when nurturing for these kinds of pets; even so it can also show to be useful to get your garden. Soiled sea food tank water is actually quite loaded with typically the nutrition plants crave. So when when the time comes to alter the water, instead regarding dropping that old normal water down the drain, operate the water to fertilize your own personal plants instead. Bulbs generate lovely flowers in your own garden year after calendar year. To achieve the most flowers, plant your lights as soon as temperatures in your own personal area begin to amazing in the fall. This particular is usually August in zones 1 in order to some and September within areas and specific zones 4 to 7. All those in southern climates is going to have to chill their particular lights before planting. An individual can use modest clay pots or dairy products containers to protect your flowers from a late period frost. A bed bed sheet is usually an effective deal with with shrubs or large locations. Usually, young sprouts would be the most vulnerable. In the event you neglect or the initiatives fail, you might be required to replant the harvest. To make sure occur to be able to fully delight in your garden, keep the idea simple. A large garden may well sound fantastic, but the work involved makes it some sort of major source of stress. The bigger your back garden is, the longer you'll possess to devote weeding, tearing your plants, and executing routine garden maintenance. A smaller garden is easy to look after, giving you additional time to appreciate your own plants. Make sure you water your garden daily. If you or someone otherwise can't do it every day, you may possibly would like to look on setting upwards a sprinkler system. The convenience of having some sort of sprinkler method outweighs the buying price of it. This way your own personal garden will probably be watered each day. Keep your vegetables warm and wetter. Just about all seeds are balanced at a temperature of about 70 deg. Place your pots close to a heating in-take as well as install an extra heat tank when needed. A person can cover your own cooking pots with plastic motion pictures and so that the seeds can keep his or her humidity and even heat. You should keep your vegetables damp without pressive all of them in water. Spray normal water over the garden soil to be able to keep it succulent, and place typically the pots or even trays when you have your current seeds in water thus that the soil can certainly take in the water. Help make sure you affect the waters in which your pots and pans are standing regularly. Horticulture, as you know via the introduction, is the greatest method to put your home touching the beauty in addition to tranquility involving nature. Attempt these tips to make your current own garden and check out or you yard becomes a good natural wonderland of harmony and beauty. Start your own garden today!

1 note · View note

kloster61sheridan-blog · 5 years

Text

Thumbs Not Green? Try These Gardening Ideas!

Organic gardening is a wonderful technique to grow healthful, flavorful, chemical-free produce for yourself and your family. The essential to productive organic growing plants is to acquire complete knowledge specific to the control. By following the ideas and even guidance in this kind of article, you will before long be feasting on the fruits and veggies of your toil. Have your current soil reviewed by a new laboratory regarding a small fee so you know which nutrients you must add. A lot of college farm departments or maybe cooperative extension cables will provide this assistance for just a small amount of dollars. The moment you include the report, go to the farm supply corporation plus buy what you need to have. Check your prepackaged soil for pests. If you purchase by big home improvement merchants, your soil may possess pests for instance aphids. To be able to kill the particular insects in addition to their larvae, the particular soil in a metal mineral water pan and place the idea coated in a 4 hundred degree the oven for something like 20 to half an hour. Let great before applying. Use a new sanitary laundry container to pick your fruit and even vegetable harvest. They happen to be recylable and by now have slots so you could rinse the dirt together with debris of your yields. The idea acts like a strainer and will replace this function involving wood baskets. Save income and stay green on the exact same time. Add some worms into your garden soil. Worms good in tunneling plus dislodging up the ground, giving the roots involving your plants a lot of surroundings space. They help make earth that is abundant in nutrients by bursting down dead plant supplies. Earthworms are some sort of greater solution for your garden in comparison with commercial fertilizers. Intended for simple vegetable or bloom growing plants the idea is frequently not necessary to purchase often the most expensive gardening resources together with accessories. Visiting lower price outlets will often make it possible for you to find basic tools at a low price. You should also look each spring for most native supermarkets for you to set up an portico or display with horticulture tools you can get for a good value, too. When working with fertilizer, moderation can be the key to success. While it's true the fact that using a fertilizer can certainly boost your garden's productivity, it can preferable to apply it moderately. An overdose of fertilizer can cause too much progress of the plant's leaves with stunted development regarding it or vegetables therefore cutting your harvest. Make certain that you prune your own personal trees regularly. Dead real wood on trees can appeal to pests that can contaminate your own trees. As well, as soon as you cut back small branches with a good tree, it will improve the air movement between the branches and enable the larger branches to build more. graine de sativa may result in a tougher and healthier tree all round. Plan your garden with regard to best results. Before an individual put one spade straight into the dirt, you require to determine what an individual will plant, and wherever. You want to piece your garden's size, plus then decide just what plant life use according to their own individual needs. Consider lighting effects, draining, and spacing for each seed. Choose a number of plants with regard to shady locations. All flowers need light to survive, but not most of them require dazzling sunlight. Woodland natives, for example, are usually happiest as soon as given slightly protection via the sun's rays. Become generous when enriching the particular soil if the flowers will be under some sort of canopy panels of trees, as they are competing for any food items supply with the large guys! Ajuga, anemone, foxglove, cyclamen, hosta, viola in addition to allium all enjoy a new shady spot. The greatest way to water your natural and organic garden is to be able to use a new soaker hose-pipe. Soaker hoses not merely save water, but also steer the water exactly in which that needs to go, into the dirt, rather then upon the leaves and into the air. By way of watering this leaves, you leave your current plants sensitive to fungus growth. If your backyard garden soil isn't conducive to an natural and organic garden, try installing some sort of raised cargo area. Within the lifted sleep, you can create your own individual mix of dirt and compost to accomplish the ideal soil to get raising your crops. Just be sure the bed is in minimum 16 inches large to ensure that roots have room for you to flourish. Construct lifted garden of brick, rock, or perhaps timber. For greatest results, it is best to only employ wooden containing not been recently treated with compounds or maybe protective coating. Good choices will be cypress, cedar together with locust. Don't use treated wood in a garden to get vegetables because the chemical substances contained in these individuals can easily leak into the ground. Treated wood can be provided with plastic to be able to create a barriers. Get the season and weather conditions into account when deciding the amount water to present your flowers. The quantity of water you need is dependent on when anyone are doing the sprinkling, whether your water is usually high quality and the grade of the soil in your current garden. Just as one instance, leaves should not be watered in humid, warm weather else leaf infection can occur. Instead focus about sprinkling the root technique. Try using creatures somewhat than pesticides to shield the plants from insects. You may order large quantities of characters from horticulture supply stores to get really little income. If a person release them near your garden, they will likely eat insects such as aphids, foliage hoppers, mites and various delicate bodied insects, assisting to protect your plants out there undesired critters in the process. By no means use 'unfinished' compost in your garden. Unfinished, interpretation nonetheless 'hot' compost can certainly lose plants or lamps when you try to redact your earth. An excessive smell of ammonia means that the fragment has not broken down sufficiently. You can work unfinished compost in to a patch of bare dirt, but be careful not to plant something inside the place for with least one week. When establishing your own organic and natural yard, a great idea is usually to use an previous laundry holder for cleansing all of your fruit and veggies. The basket will turn out to be like a strainer, which may make that simpler for you to wash off all of the filth from your own fruits and vegetables. Natural farming techniques are many of the most beneficial methods of raising wholesome, yummy fruits and fruit and vegetables. It is necessary to be able to know more about the distinctions that will make organic and natural gardening consequently beneficial. Put these tips into action, and you will be stirred with the resulting pick you experience as a new result.

1 note · View note

amaritage · 5 years

Text

Dancing Moonlight

It had been a long and fruitful day of trading in the city. For one man, at the end of the trading day, he found himself completely out of stock much to his surprise. It had been a while since he had sold out. To a low ranked trader such as himself who had no backing of a guild or a rich noble like most, it was unheard of. Some of his earnings for the day he had used to buy supplies that he would need come winter since he always stayed home. The rest of it would go into a locked chest he kept under some loose boards in his house. Now he was on his way home to rest then prepare for his next outing to buy more goods. Before that he had to pass through an old, large, and very dense forest.

Most people went around it or used the various means available to fly over it such as a dragon or even their own magic. Then again, most people did not have a home that was a straight shot through the woods. For him, it would add at least a weeks worth of travel to go around the forest. He did happen to have a dragon mount, a male black dragon to be exact, but the male was a runt unable to fly himself. Black dragons where usually creatures that weighed several tons. Normally they were only used by Dragon Knights. His friend was as tall as a Belgian horse with a wingspan of only four feet which was to short to carry his own mass.

His smaller size made him a good companion for the young trader. Plus, he was capable of carrying more then a horse could. The dragon could even go places that would be dangerous for a horse. He had no trouble traversing a forest that the young man found himself tripping on a root or two. He had never actually seen the dragon trip up when they traveled through them. Plus he had better eyes and ears than most creatures. This meant he would hear or see trouble before it even knew they were there.

As for the man himself, who went by the name of Jacob, his own magic was not great enough to fly. Jacob could tell if someone was lying to him or if something was not quite what it seemed. Both were valuable skills as a trader and that was the extent of his magic. Other means of flight cost more then what Jacob was willing to spend to save a bit of travel time.

Which was why the two found themselves in the woods. They hoped to cover some distance before it became too dark for at least one of them to see. As old as the forest was the trees towered over the two travelers. The leafy canopy worked on blocking the sky from view with only a few spots one could glimpse the sky. The forest itself was made up of deciduous trees such as various oak trees. The ancient trees and the low light gave the forest a mysterious sort of feeling. In the early morning, there might even be fog that would increase this feeling.

As the two had been traveling for a few candle marks already, Jacob paused and leaned back against an old oak. The dragon, who was Jacobs best friend called Ebon, looked back at Jacob. His yellow eyes gleamed in the low light of the forest much like a cat’s eyes would. “Just resting for a few moments,” he told Ebon as he slid down the trunk of the oak until he was sitting. Ebon shrugged then backtracked until he was near Jacob and sat back on his hind haunches.

Ebon’s ears perked up as the two sat there in silence. “Anything of interest?” Jacob asked his friend even though he had no fear of these woods. He had played in them as a boy back when his dragon was no bigger than a full grown cat. He had traveled through them more times then he cared to count on his way to the city. Ebon’s answer was to lay down his body completely relaxed “No, huh? Figures…” Jacob said with a smile on his face as he relaxed against the tree. He liked the predictability of the woods. Here there was nothing that would bother them as Ebon’s scent would scare any animal predator away.

When Jacob was sure he could continue he stood up and Ebon bounced to his feet. Before Jacob could even take a step forward his friend was off. With a chuckle, Jacob followed after him. To him, it seemed someone wanted very much to get back more than Jacob himself did. He knew that Ebon would not wander off very far from him. If Ebon lost sight of Jacob the dragon would stop and look back then continue forward once he had spotted Jacob. It was part of Ebon’s desire to protect Jacob which at the moment warred with his desire to be home. Since Ebon was the one carrying all the weight this time he picked up his pace for the sake of his friend.

When Jacob was having difficulty seeing, as the sun had long set by that time, the two stopped to eat. For Ebon, Jacob had several large chunks of dried meat and some dried fish. Fish happened to be Ebon’s favorite though he preferred fresh. Actually, he preferred all his food was fresh like most dragons. As for Jacob himself, he had a wedge of cheese as well as a heel of a loaf of bread.

“Ha! Now I know why you want to get home so badly,” Jacob commented. He leaned back against his friend who stopped tearing into the meat to look at Jacob. “You want fresh food!” Their house was located in a grassy valley near a stream where Ebon could catch his own fish.

Ebon snorted, rolled his eyes then went back to his meal. “Oh come now, I remember the first time I tried to get you to eat trail food! You nearly threw it all up,” he stated and Ebon shook his body almost knocking his friend off his feet. Jacob chuckled as he went to lean against a tree to finish his meal. Once Ebon had finished eating he sat on his haunches listening to the forest around them. It had become a habit for the dragon to do this every time they had stopped. It had more than once alerted them to trouble as the two hadn’t always traveled between their home and the city. They had spent a few years traveling to various places together before they had come back home.

He watched Ebon as he unhooked the water skin from his belt and drank from it. Before he could reattach it, Ebon made a happy rumbling noise and took off further into the woods in a direction they had never been before. “Hey! Wait a minute!” he shouted as he took off after his friend. At a dead run, Jacob was barely able to catch glimpses of Ebon as the dragon was moving quickly. Thanks to his scale color it was even harder to spot him, but after years of being with Ebon, he did know what to look for. He could also sort of hear the odd purring noises the dragon made when Ebon was happy. Whatever he was chasing or running towards he was apparently happy about it.

He kept his breathing as even as he could as he chased after his friend. Then he began to hear someone singing a wordless song. It was a beautiful, clear, female voice. Soon he found himself breaking free of the trees, snapping a few branches in the process, into a moonlit clearing. There, his oh so ferocious dragon was now merrily dancing to the song. The owner of the voice did not at all seemed alarmed at the sudden appearance of Ebon or him. She had somehow even had enough time to undo the straps that held their supply baskets to the dragon so he could move more freely. Jacob froze where he stood and stared at the two of them his eyes wide.

The woman, from what he could best guess, was somewhere around his age. Her long black hair was a frizzy curled mess that was barely contained in the bun she had put it up in. Her bangs nearly covering her golden eyes. Thanks to the way she wore her hair he could easily spot the furry black pointed ears she had. The woman was dressed in a mixture of fur and animals skins. Then she began to dance with the dragon her movements fluid and sure. It was because of this that he spotted a rather fluffy black tail that since it did not move with her movements per se he would hazard a guess to say it belonged to her and not the fur skirt she wore. Her skin was tan in color and her body was of one who ate well while also working hard for what she had.

The clearing he found himself in was at the edge of a clear pound. It was so clear that it reflected one of the twin moons upon its surface. Small lights floated along the edge of the pound and in several of the trees around the clearing. They gave off a gentle light that complemented the light from the full moon. Several flowers dotted the clearing of various colors. Normally he would have been able to name them all, but at the moment he could not recall them.

He found himself memorized as he watched the two dance to the song the woman sang. Trading in the nearby city like he did he had chanced upon several old stories about this forest. Yet he had never thought much of them. Now he wondered if he should have paid more attention to what they were about. The woman’s song finished as did their dance then she took a step up to his dragon friend and scratched under his chin. When his dragon had practically melted from the attention she turned towards Jacob. She smiled beautifully at him and held her hand out to him which made him noticed she had claws instead of nails. Jacob hesitated for a moment before he took a step forward gingerly placing his hand on hers. He found himself surprised to find that unlike his callused hands hers were smooth. Before he could think more on this she tugged his hand gently to encourage him to come closer to her. He allowed himself to be pulled until he stood before her. It was because of this he realized she was nearly as tall as he was. Jacob himself was only a bit taller than average though.

“Dance with me?” she asked him a slight accent to her words and a playful look in her golden eyes. Before he could answer her or figure out what sort of accent it was she began to sing another wordless song. This one had a more upbeat tune compared to the one she had sung a moment before. Soon Jacob found himself being dragged into a dance that he did not know. Jacob had never been one for dancing as his body was more suited for hard work then the gracefulness most dances required. Yet somehow he managed to avoid stepping on her feet, most likely due to her skills than his own and found it quite enjoyable to dance around the clearing with the woman while Ebon danced circles around them a playful grin on the dragon’s face.

When Jacob found it hard to catch his breath he could not help but wonder just how long they had been dancing. She let go of his hands then and continued to dance on her own as she continued to sing. Just the fact that she could dance and sing at the same time amazed him. He stood there and watched her as he tried to figure out just who she was. When she finished her song she approached him again. “Thank you,” she told him the smile on her face once again. He tried to place the accent she had but could not come up with a match.

“No, thank you. I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed dancing as much as I did tonight,” he told her then grinned. She laughed happily. As they stood there staring at one another the dragon walked up near them and plopped down on the ground his sides heaving as he caught his breath. Jacob glanced at his friend a bit surprised. It was not easy to wear Ebon out as he knew all too well. It was just one more advantage Ebon had over horses. While Jacob tried to figure out just how long they had been dancing he felt something on his cheek. He nearly jumped until he realized she had placed her hand on his cheek. He looked at her and was met with a pleading look. One that tugged at his heart.

“Stay with me? Just tonight, please?” she asked him as she gently rubbed his cheek with her thumb. He blushed lightly then nodded dumbly unsure of what to say or if he could even speak. She smiled then she pulled him down maneuvering him until his back was rested against Ebon who was about to fall asleep. Then she leaned against him laying her head on his chest above his heart and closed her eyes with a content sigh. He watched her for a moment before he smiled himself as he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes as well having no qualms with this arrangement.

Jacob awoke when Ebon moved to stand causing Jacob to fall back onto the ground a bit roughly. With a start, he sat up and looked around the clearing. It was daytime now and the little lights had vanished as had the woman. A glance at what had caught Ebon’s attention proved she had left breakfast in the form of a small pile of fresh fish that Ebon was now working on devouring. His friend was kind enough to leave him a couple fish. When Jacob stood with a sigh he saw something fall off him fluttering to the ground and bent to pick it up. It was a tanned animal skin with some writing on it. The words where a bit misspelled and the writing was sloppy but he could read the three words “Please come again. This caused him to smile. He pocketed the note and went to join his friend already making plans to stop here again as soon as he could.

The End

#writing #short story #fantasy #dragon #author: Nicole Cluver

2 notes · View notes

insecwrites · 6 years

Text

Get down with the sickness

Fandom: Gravity falls and Over the Garden Wall Summary: After returning from the Unknown, Wirt falls ill. It seems as if the rest of his life will be a difficult one - bound to a wheelchair and forced to live on a diet of only beets and roots. Then the Transcendence happens. ( Beast!Wirt )

Read on AO3 Wirt shouldn’t have blown out the lantern. It was weird to look back on something that he’d thought to be only possible way to make things better for everyone, only to know that would doom him.

He couldn’t have known what would happen. What it could lead to, what it did lead to… but he shouldn’t have taken that chance.

It started out as just a general loss of appetite – he hadn’t been able to eat half his plate on the morning that he and Greg had escaped from the Unknown. He’d chalked it up to stress and the excitement of the night. He’d never been that big of an eater anyway, so it didn’t matter.

They had all gone home shortly after the doctor had given them an all-clear, and Wirt had slept well – still riding the high of defeating a terrifying creature and finding the way home. The next morning, Mom and dad had made French toast to celebrate that everything was okay – and to console Greg on the loss of his Halloween candy. It had all gotten lost in the river they fell into.

Wirt had not slept well, his hearing was clogged and the scent of French toast was making his head spin. Halfway through his breakfast, Wirt had to stop eating. The sweetness tasted dull and unappetising, and it settled in his stomach with an uncomfortable burning sensation. “Maybe you’ve caught a cold from that river.” Mom said. “Best lay back down in bed - I’ll make you some chicken soup…”Wirt didn’t even think of arguing, tired and wobbly as he felt. He felt as if he could fall asleep the moment that his head touched his pillow, but by the time mom came into his room with a bowl of freshly made chicken soup, he hadn’t even been dozing.

The soup tasted like nothing, and it slid down his throat as if it had been made with sand instead of fine vegetables and bits of white chicken. He had to stop after just half the bowl, but at least it stayed inside. Oddly enough, the taste of carrot was overwhelming, even though he had only eaten a few stray pieces. Mom tucked him in and took his temperature.

“…No fever. Probably a stomach bug then.” She said, stroking his hair. “I’ll send Dad to buy some medicine, and we’ll take you to the doctor if it’s not better by tomorrow.”

Wirt smiled and went back to trying to sleep. Only a few hours later, the chicken soup came right back up – undigested and watery. It didn’t smell like it should have. There was no trace of acid in what he’d splattered into the bucket, just soup.

Wirt sat in the car as his parents drove to the hospital. It was only two days after he and Greg had escapedthe Unknown, and one day after he’d begun to throw up everything he ate.

Greg was at school, despite having wanted to come along. Mom and Dad didn’t think it was a good idea. Wirt had never felt so weak in his life. As the car sped over the road, his body rattled in his seat – he barely had the strength to keep himself upright. He had a large bottle of water in his hands, since it was the only thing discovered thus far that he could keep down without too much trouble. Was it normal to lose so much weight in only two days? It couldn’t be. Wirt had seen a reflection of himself in the car windows and he looked like he was emaciated. His cheeks were hollow, his hair was thin and dull, and the dark skin around his eyes made them seem bigger and whiter.

“Do you want us to be with you when you talk to the doctor?” Dad asked.

“Yes. Yes please.” Wirt croaked. No matter how much water he drank, his throat felt dry and cracked. He was afraid. The Unknown wasn’t a place anyone knew about – Wirt wouldn’t even have been sure it had happened at all if Greg hadn’t had the exact same experiences – and he was afraid that whatever he had contracted was beyond medicine.

Unbiddenly his mind went to Lorna. The paleness of her skin and the tired lines around her eyes – a sickness borne not from the body but from something that nobody in the modern world really believed in. The car stopped and Wirt struggled with his seatbelt. By the time he had it unclasped, Dad was already at the door offering him a hand.

Muscles decayed quickly if they weren’t in use, but Wirt had only been lying in bed for a day and already he had a hard time supporting the weight of his own body. Dad helped him to the entrance of the Hospital, where mom was waiting with a wheelchair. It’s just temporary. Wirt tried to tell himself. The doctors will find out what’s going on, and they will give me a medicine, and I will be okay again. And if it was something from the Unknown – some dark lingering curse from the Beast or Lorna’s terrible spirit - …. Well, he would figure something out.

He’d gone into the Unknown once, and he could do it again.

The tests were inconclusive.

The doctors didn’t know what had happened to him, and they didn’t know how to treat it either. They had taken samples of pretty much every fluid he had in his body – and they’d found an odd contaminant in all of them. A new type of cancer? An autoimmunity defect? Outside of making it impossible for him to eat, the contaminant was not harming his body – and it was too dangerous to try and fight it with medicine. In the time it had taken for the test results to return, Wirt had emaciated far enough that antibiotics could hurt him more than they could help.

An allergy test had brought in better news, though only marginally. It hadn’t been a fun test. One of the nurses had injected small drops of potential irritants into the skin of his back. Egg, cheese, red meat, beans, carrot, fruit- …. Almost all of them had turned into a painful and itchy welt – a heavy allergic reaction. The only exception was carrots, roots, and beets for some reason. They tasted like wet dirt, but they stayed down. It wasn’t enough to keep Wirt standing. His legs had never been muscular, but after four days of drinking only water and moving as little as possible, they looked more like knobbly sticks than legs.

“Can he live off of just carrots and beets?” His mom had asked the doctor. The answer had not been a clear yes or a clear no. It would keep him from starving, but his life wouldn’t be a healthy one without the nutrients and vitamins from other foods.

The doctor prescribed a variety of nutrient drinks and smoothies – the kind of food that was usually fed through a tube to people that could not swallow or chew. Just as with anything else, it came back up with a vengeance only moments after he’d eaten it. No stomach bile, no acid – just slightly slimy nutrient slop, warm from having been in his stomach for a few minutes. Wirt was hungry. He couldn’t tell what he was hungry for, or even what it should taste like, but in the few minutes of sleep that he managed, he dreamed of how it filled him up like nothing else could. A warmth that spread from his stomach to the very tips of his fingers and ears. A satisfied feeling and a smokey sweet aftertaste on the back of his tongue. After waking, he would stare at the ceiling and think. Lorna and the Beast would not leave him alone. The hungering and satisfaction – was that what Lorna had felt whenever she had bitten into the flesh of travellers? Was it what the Beast felt, when someone poured oil inside of his lantern?

Wirt didn’t know, and he hoped he was just imagining the influence of the Unknown. There was nothing dark and sinister destroying him from the inside out. There was no tree growing in his gut – he was just sick.

“If there was a tree in you, you would have a hard stomach!” Greg had said, before delivering an uncomfortable poke into Wirt’s stomach. “And you’d be spitting up leaves and twigs! Blegh.”

“This is serious Greg. What if I’m like Lorna?” Wirt said. “What if I just…. start wanting to eat people?”

“Hm. That sounds pretty serious.” Greg pondered with a hand on his chin. He looked almost nothing like the Greg from the Unknown without his teapot and suspender-pants, but he still acted the same. “We will just have to keep ringing bells and see if one of them makes you listen!”

“I don’t think that’s how it works.” Wirt said. “Also I would rather not do work all of my life just so I can’t eat you.”

“We’ll just do you what you did with Lorna! Dinga linga ding ding! Go away spirit!” Greg clambered onto Wirt’s bed and looked at him. “I think it will be easy to find bells here – the unknown didn’t have a lot of bells, only the bell from Auntie Whispers.”

“Well, okay. I mean, it’s not like there’s much else we can try-…” Wirt murmured.

“Wohoo! Great! I will ask mom if we can go buy some bells! I’ll be right back!”

Greg dropped back down and Wirt could hear his rapid footsteps trailing from his room back down the stairs. He had donned his teapot again.

Three weeks. Wirt had read somewhere that the human body could survive two weeks without food. He hadn’t been able to find anything on how long one could survive on just carrots and beets, but he was lasting longer than he felt he should.

Everything had evened out. Wirt could sleep exactly an hour, eat two carrots and one beet, and drink a liter of water. He still couldn’t move, he was thin enough that he could count all his ribs, the doctors were still looking for what was ailing him – but he finally stopped getting worse. It took a few more days before anyone dared to say it out loud – maybe for fear of jinxing it – but Greg was never one to stay silent.

“I think Wirt’s getting better!” He claimed at the breakfast table one day. “He hasn’t used the bucket for a week! Is the medicine helping?

”“I’m not sure, I think so?” Wirt replied tiredly. Dad had made breakfast for him today – he’d taken it upon himself to try and find as many carrot and beet recipes as he could so Wirt didn’t have to eat the same thing over and over.

“Good! Then you can finally go to school again! A lot of people have been asking about you, and Sarah handed me a bigg stack of papers for your lessons!”

“Right, yea. I just… I guess I should look at that. I have to be so behind on my homework!” Wirt said.

“Do you think you’re ready for school honey?” Mom asked.

Wirt wasn’t sure if he was, but he was ready to be out of the house. Over the last few weeks it had become more and more stifling to be in the same room. Mom and Dad had been doing their best to stay at home should he need urgent care, and he missed his friends at school.

He didn’t exactly look forward to rolling around the school in a wheelchair, but it was that or just staying at home alone. His parents wouldn’t be able to keep taking vacation days.

“I think so, yea.” He replied. “Um. Might not get the best grades, but I want to get back into the swing of things you know? Try and get everything back to normal.”Wirt wasn’t sure he could go back to normal. Not when evidence was mounting towards a mystical kind of illness, as opposed to a real one.

The latest tests had taken more samples of the contaminant that had spread across his body. It wasn’t something that the human body normally produced, and according to the doctors it resembled mucus the closest. When taken from the body it would solidify into a squishy, slightly tacky dark glob. It smelled like an autumn forest after a lighteningstorm. The soft undertone of wet plant, underbush, rotten leaves, combined with the cloying thickness of burnt bark and wood.

Wirt could never forget how Edelwood oil smelled.

Going back to school helped. It didn’t cure what was wrong with him, not did it help him sleep or eat, but it gave him something to do. Wild ideas and memories of the Unknown seemed farther away when he was at school – rolling through the hallways on his automated wheelchair, or talking with a friend who had agreed to push him.

There was a lot of work to catch up on, and even if Wirt didn’t have the same amount of energy as he used to, he had double the time of his fellow students. People were interested in what he was going through. Not everyone was nice. Not everyone knew how to ask questions without being rude and jabbing sore spots, but they tried. He no longer had to participate in gym class, which was a godsent, and on his first day back at school he received a care-package from the people he shared classes with.

It was a godsent to be able to share some of his worries and experiences with his friends, and not just Mom and Dad. They never told him and did their best to hide it, but every mention of his stomach getting sicker and his body feeling weaker was like a punch to the gut for them. With his friends, he could joke about it – and share any bad news with just one person at a time. They didn’t have to see his worst moments.

He stayed home on bad days. Going back to school also made it easier to toss away the remnants of his beet and carrot lunch when it became too much for him to eat.

Wirt became good at figuring out the extent of his energy. It had been a few months since he’d come back from the Unknown, but it already felt like it had been ages. His life had changed drastically in only a few months, but the changes had finally stopped. A small rash sometimes popped up in his armpits and his inner knee, but it was not harmful and often went away on its own. He still didn’t sleep well, but he’d found that it was easier to sink away in a drowsy dream-state when he sat in his wheelchair near a window. He had moved rooms from upstairs to downstairs so it was a little easier to get around, and his room looked out over their backyard.

It helped him calm down to have a view of nature so close by in the evenings – even if he focused on schoolwork or poetry. More often than not, there was enough light from the moon and stars that he didn’t need to turn on his lights. He knew when to call out his limits. He ate as much of the carrot and beet mixtures as he could, always carrying a Tupperware box of it with him should the gnawing hunger become too much.

He stopped thinking on the how and why. Not because he wasn’t interested anymore, but because there were no answers to be found, and because thinking about it brought back things he didn’t want to be thinking of. Nightmares of the Beast – Greg sinking into the ground, solidifying into wood and oil. Wirt had no idea how long he would last this way. He was barely to his mid-teens, and already there were pains in his joints and bones, wear and tear in a body that should have lasted many more years. He was living on borrowed time.

One month stretches into two months, and two months stretch into four. Wirt’s health doesn’t improve, but neither does it plummet. There’s still the occasional check up in the Hospital – worried glances shared over test results and every important nutritional value dropping more and more with the pace of a limping snail – but in day to day life… Wirt was okay. Slowly but surely, they all adapt to this new reality. Wirt’s friends learn how to push his wheelchair without jarring starts and stops. Mom and dad collect recipes for his system, and they stop taking days off work when Wirt so much as coughs. Financial problems are solved, and they stay solved.

Greg learns to play new games with Wirt that don’t involve as much running, pushing, and pulling, and Wirt takes his weakened state as a sign to get more out of life. He goes to see a therapist every week to help – he was never the most positive person out there, and even though he wants to be happy and make the most out of life, there’s days where all the fears come rushing back. For how long it may last, life is alright.

Eight months since Greg and Wirt escaped the Unknown. It was summer and the grass has long since given up on trying to stay green. The sky was bright blue, with only a few lonesome spots of cloud drifting along, and the schools closed only about a week ago.

Many of Wirt’s friends have gone to different places. Summer camps, road trips, flight-vacations to Europe, Hawaii, or Japan…. Normally Wirt and Greg would be somewhere else as well, but there’s barely anything for people in a Wheelchair, and medical expenses left the vacation-funds a little lean. Wirt was sitting in the backyard, his wheelchair parked under a parasol that tinted everything around him a glowing orange, watching Greg playing in the grass with several containers of water and a kiddie pool, when something changed.

It wasn’t a change of anything physical. The air still smelled of heated stone and wet grass, the wind still blew softly through the hot atmosphere, and the clouds drifted lazily on by, and yet Wirt felt that something had squeezed its way into the world. Something that shouldn’t be here. Something twisted and dark, and dangerous.

“What’s wrong Wirt?” Greg asked. After their adventure in the Unknown, Greg had become more aware of his surroundings. Wirt was sure that mom appreciated not having to buy as many bandages for scraped knees and elbows, but it had been harder to keep the farce of Santa going.

“Nothing.” He replied quickly. Greg hummed, but before he could back to his game, Wirt continued. “Actually - … do you feel like something has changed?”

“Yes! You noticed it too! My stomach is hungry for a snack!” Greg said, and he plapped a hand on his belly.

“No not that.” Wirt said. “I mean, do you think something has changed in an … Unknown kind of way?”

Greg paused a little longer this time and he made a show of thinking it over, his forehead scrunching up with wrinkles as he thought. “Hmmmmmm…… nope! Just a normal day!”

“Oh.” Wirt could still feel it. Like a pebble in his shoe- only further away. Like he was watching his neighour who had the pebble in his shoe, but he could still feel it? And if it wasn’t removed, it would grow bigger and bigger, until the pebble crushed the foot, and burst the shoe open. He shook his head and tried to ban the unsettling image from his mind. It didn’t help to linger on what-ifs and doomsday scenario’s. If it had something to do with him, then…. Then he’d deal with it as it came.

“Let’s go inside for your snack. I think I’m hungry for some more beet juice.” Wirt said. He wasn’t hungry for anything but a distraction, and a big pitcher full of bland mush would have to suffice.

“Yay! Kool Aid! Kool Aid!” Greg cheered. The feeling of unease lingered.

When the Transcendance happened, Wirt was the first to feel it. He had been sitting in the living room, legs tucked under a blanket despite the summer warmth outside, watching a documentary.

The uneasy presence that he’d felt entering the world only a few weeks back suddenly popped – like a balloon that had been inflated beyond its stretch – and Wirt almost jolted out of his wheelchair when the shockwave hit him. He must have made a sound as well, because Mom and Greg were immediately with him – trying to ask him questions. Wirt couldn’t hear them. His body was so tense that he could barely move, and his skin was breaking – peeling away from his flesh like rubbery strips of paint. Watery and sticky blood was sticking to his clothes and wheelchair, and it smelled of sickly edelwood. It smelled like the branches that he had snapped off of Greg after he had blown out the lantern – young and hungry .

Bones and branches, Oil and blood – they were indistinguishable from each other as the waves of unleashed energy slammed into Writ, forcing him to change shape or wither away. Mom stopped talking but Wirt could feel her iron grip around his wrist. Greg was yelling encouragements at Wirt and threats at the Beast – tiny fingers trying to rip the growing bark off of him. It felt like he was tugging on Wirt’s skin.

“Wirt! I’m saving you!” He yelled. Wirt wished he would stop. Something was choking him – stuck in his chest and compressing his lungs into nothing – burning at his insides.

He was burning, even as his muscles stiffen and hardened, cracking and knotting like dark red wood, bleeding black tree sap. His clothes were sloughing off of him as if they no longer had a grip on his skin, and Mom screamed. Wirt could feel the familiar shape and cut of his Halloween clothes take shape underneath. They stank of bog, of mud, of long-rotten water and pine sap. They were made of leather and bits of fur – parts of a sack used by farmers to carry grain. His head split – cracked – broke open, and his brains grew out. Huge strands of red pink flesh twisted and grew up into the air. They were as hard as antlers. Wirt could feel it when their tips knocked into the sofa that he had been sitting in front of. The burning in his chest was unbearable, and as soon as his arms began to respond to him he began to scratch at his chest, digging at the thing that was burning him alive from the inside. He’d come to stand, and there were things falling as he fought with his own body.

Greg was no longer trying to pull away the bark – Mom was holding him back at a distance, the taste of her fear strong enough that Wirt could sense it. He dug into his body, hard fingers slipping in sticky brownish sap, and finally his fingers found the burning object that had been lodged deep in him. He curled his hand around the handle and pulled it out – throwing it into a far corner and feeling it hit the wall rather than hearing it.

He collapsed back into his wheelchair. There was frightened breathing in the room with him, but he knew they were not only frightened of him. There was something in the air- like a blanket of suffocating snow drifting down. The waves were still coming, peeling away the layers of reality until everything was laid bare. When he opened his eyes again, his skin was as dark as the void – sucking in any light that fell on and around him. The weakness he had become so used to was still there, but when he peeled his hand loose from the deathgrip on his wheelchair, the plastic casing had been shattered into pieces, and there were dents in the metal underneath.

“Wirt…?” Greg sounded far away, and hesitant. He sounded a little like when he’d been admitted to stealing the rock facts rock – like he was sick.

Wirt couldn’t focus on him. Not when he could taste the scent of edelwood oil in his mouth and could see the lantern of the Beast leaning against the wall. It was lit, with its door firmly closed around a warm light. Just by looking at it, Wirt knew that it was his own soul inside. He could feel his yawning hunger more than ever, and he watched as the flame inside of the lantern flickered with famine. It barely took him a second to stand up and head towards it, sneaking his fingers towards the handle. The light coming from the inside was burning hot and Wirt knew he couldn’t touch the metal. The wood around the handle was all he could touch – a piece of edelwood so old that there was not a spot of oil in it.

He wanted nothing more than to hold it close and protect it. It was so vulnerable – so weak and exposed in that thin little cage of metal and glass! Yet, holding it at an arm’s length was already pushing the limit of what he could handle – it was so warm that it felt like it was peeling his skin off.

“Wirt.”

He remembered the way the Beast had recoiled from the light inside of the lantern and the countless times it had crept closer as if mesmerised. That same obsession stirred in him now – the slowly coiling flames inside of the lantern beckoning him closer and closer but keeping him at bay with pain. He can sense other things too. Slumbering roots under the ground, panicked footsteps between the trees, claws and paws digging into the dirt of his doman - …. So many wanderers. People who are lost – trailing crumbs of their past lives as they dash through the forest.

“WIRRT!”

There was a harsh yank on the right side of Wirt’s head as Greg grabbed a hold of one of his antlers, and they both crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

“Greg! Ow!” Wirt yelped despite himself. He’d almost forgotten how ruthless one of Greg’s pounces could be if he felt like he wasn’t being listened to. His voice had gotten a little deeper, but most of all he sounded hushed and dry – like he hadn’t had a cup of water for years upon years.

“Are you awake again?” Greg asked. “You were reeeally distracted, and you look-… weird.”

“Honey?” Mom sounded frightened, but she kneeled close to him despite her trepidation.

Wirt ignored them and hurried to the window. Outside, very familiar and dark trees were starting to bubble up from the ground. A stream of muddy water seemed determined to cut through the house at the other end of the street, and people were spilling outside.

Some of them had fangs and claws where they had been normal before, and others were white as a sheet, holding a frying pan to try and ward off the odd creatures that were popping up from seemingly everywhere. All of them were moving away from the forest that was growing around the street and homes – Wirt could feel how his power was driving them away from what was rightfully his.

“I know he looks like the Beast, but he’s Wirt, so it’s okay.” Greg said. He was trying to console Mom. “Though I’m not sure how we’re supposed to keep the lantern lit without making people into trees. Do you have any idea Wirt?”

“What?” Mom said weakly. She was looking at something that was flying low through the city – a griffon.

Everything that knew what had happened was running away. They could tell – instinctually or otherwise – that Wirt’s domain was one where you had better not be if you were lost, mentally or physically.

Or maybe they could smell his hunger. It was overwhelming, and finally Wirt knew what he needed to fill that gnawing ache. “I need to go.” He said – more to himself than to the other two people with him. They were not lost – not enough to serve as fuel for the lantern – but at the centre of his forest where the trees had grown the biggest and fastest there were confused souls wandering in an unsure pattern.

Most of them were animals. Their fright and confusion would soon become acceptance and they would soon carve out their own place in his realm, but there were humans there too. Large souls, complicated motives and emotions – so much to be condensed! “Where are you going?” He didn’t reply. There was too much hunger and now that he knew how to silence it, he wasn’t going to stop himself.

#over the garden wall #insecwrites #beast!wirt #wirt #gregory #otgw #the beast #fic #fanf #otgw fanfic

19 notes · View notes